COMPUTERWORLD: Fresh research from the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) offers us a few insights into the behavior of iPad users, suggesting the device may well diminish newspaper print sales in future. Overnight reports also confirm weve been on track with our predictions for the iPad 2.0, which, it appears, will indeed host cameras front and rear.
Gorillaz will release their recorded on an iPad new album for free on Christmas day, the band confirmed.
“At the moment, we’ve got an Advent calendar on our website, and there is a daily door that opens to reveal a gift,” said Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett speaking to Perth Now. “On Christmas Eve, a video for one of the new songs from the iPad album will be released. Then, on Christmas Day, fans get the whole album downloaded to their computer for free as a gift.” Read more
Google has announced that the full desktop version of their Google Docs word processing service now works on the iPad. The desktop version should be used on the iPad for advanced document edits such as font or alignment changes.
For basic use of Google Docs it is recommended that users use the newly revamped mobile version. The desktop version working on the iPad is also especially helpful when you want to do some spreadsheet editing and creation, as shown after the break.
Apple has informed App Store developers that two major iOS app store features will not make their way ‘back to the mac.’ These are Game Center and in app purchases. In app purchases allow App Store developers to go with a “freemium” app model meaning they can sell the app for free and let the users buy more features over time. This is a feature many developers and users enjoy and take advantage of alike.
Note: In app purchases are not available for Mac OS X apps.
Game Center will also not make its way to the Mac and this is something we personally felt would be quite cool on the Mac. With all the upcoming and current games and the Mac, Game Center would be an awesome way to get the social expierience going. It could have even integrated with iOS leaderboards, for iOS versions of Mac games.
Note: Game Center is not available for Mac OS X apps.
Apple seems to be limiting Mac App Store features: Yesterday we found out that promo codes would not be available for the Mac App Store and we recently found out that demos, betas, and trials would not be allowed either. The Mac App Store is expected to launch in January as announced in October.
COMPUTERWORLD: In a few years time Apple [AAPL] will face a handful of competitors as fierce competition within the smartphone industry drives a wave of consolidation between handset manufacturers, platform developers, carriers and app store providers.
Apple is deadly serious with its App-driven vision for life in the clouds, with a new patent application describing its new way to share and buy apps from the cloud.
Published today and spotted by Patently Apple the application reveals the concepts behind the Apple vision, whch essentially allows users to share apps on their phones — say you were impressed the first time you saw Angry Birds, for example. Read more
