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What iPod? Samsung conveniently leaves Apple out of the ‘evolution of portable audio devices’

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Samsung decided to publish an editorial on the history of portable audio devices today and it conveniently leaves out Apple and the iPod. It instead jumps straight from cassette players to the company’s first MP3 Player, the Samsung YEPP (You remember the Samsung YEPP, right?). Who needed to wait two more years for an iPod when you could hold a whole 10 4-minute songs on your 40MB YEPP?

Samsung then jumps to smartphones: “Starting in 2006, as smartphones became more prominent, and featured a music player function, MP3 players started to phase out.”  iPhone? What iPhone?

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Samsung points out support for 24 bit, 192kHz audio in the new Galaxy Note 4 music player, the one thing that Apple doesn’t yet support. It’s also the one thing that the majority of consumers, apart from audiophiles, simply don’t care about.

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Katie Cotton finishes up at Apple just ahead of WWDC

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Following up on their earlier report, Re/code is reporting that Katie Cotton’s last day at Apple is today. Cotton has been Apple’s PR chief and Vice President of Corporate Communications since the return of Steve Jobs in the 1990s. Her departure comes just days ahead of Apple’s developer conference, but you can bet Cotton was heavily involved in decisions surrounding the event. Kara Swisher has a great tribute to Cotton’s career that is well worth a read. 


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LG infographic breaks down the history and future of the smartphone… mostly

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LG published an infographic this afternoon that details the history of smart- (and not-so-smart-) phones. The chart covers major jumps in cell phone technology from 1992 when the first SMS message was sent, all the way to 2013 when LG launched the G2 handset.

The chart also contains some interesting survey results about where people use their smartphones (an example of which is seen above), and a look at LG’s next-gen phone, the G Flex. The phone’s hardware is detailed and benefits like improved battery life and “more accurate selfies” are explained.

There does seem to be a pretty glaring omission on the chart, though: Apple’s massive contributions to the industry in the first iPhone are never mentioned at all. While LG may be able to accurately claim credit for the first touchscreen smartphone in 2007, it certainly wasn’t LG that drove the industry forward or inspired the modern touchscreen-focused versions of Android we know today.

You can find the full infographic below:

Click for full size

Click for full size

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Steve Jobs’ biographer Walter Isaacson crowdsources new book on digital innovators

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Anyone who has ever written anything on the Internet and read the comments it attracts will salute the bravery of Walter Isaacson, author of the highly-acclaimed biography Steve Jobs, who is inviting comments on drafts of his next book before it is even published.

The book, which Isaacson describes as “a multi-part history of innovators of the digital age”, is due to be published in around a year’s time, and Isaacson has so far put online drafts of two chapters on several blogging sites, including LiveJournal, Medium and Sribd.

Online collaboration is why the Internet was originally built, and I’m interested in any comments or corrections readers might want to make before I publish in a year.

It should be entertaining, not least because many of the people featured in the book are still living and able to comment on Isaacson’s telling of their stories. You can see an example of this here.

Via TechCrunch

Samsung: We’ve been making gold phones longer than Apple has been making phones

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With Apple’s new gold iPhone 5s getting the most attention of any of the new colorful iPhones it released earlier this month, Samsung wants you to know that it isn’t copying Apple with its new gold Galaxy S4.

In a blog post on its official Samsung Tomorrow blog titled, “Golden History of Samsung Phones,” the company makes a point of noting that it announced the Gold Galaxy S4 on August 27th and launched it in stores on September 8– over a week before Apple’s gold iPhone 5s launch. It also showed off some gold phones it’s made dating back to 2004.

Some were unreleased like special edition phones for the Olympics and one for Ocean’s 13, and Samsung notes that “this is definitely not a complete list of gold-colored products made by Samsung.”
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A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime bring full episodes and movies to iPhone/iPod touch

A&E Networks finally rolled out iPad apps in December for watching full episodes and accessing content from its biggest networks including A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime. The three apps provided extra content for Xfinity TV users, and A&E told 9to5Mac that support for AirPlay was on the way. Today, the company has brought all three apps to iPhone and iPod touch users. It is offering full episodes of shows like “Duck Dynasty,” “Storage Wars,” “The First 48,” “Pawn Stars,” “American Pickers,” “Swamp People,” as well as 25 full-length Lifetime movies. The updated A&E, History, and Lifetime apps not only include support for iPhone and iPod touch, but they also now provide iCloud syncing to resume episodes on any iOS device.

A+E Networks is expanding its award-winning content to smaller screens with new video watch apps available for free in iTunes for all iOS devices. Now on-the-go viewing goes beyond the iPad, viewers can watch full episodes, movies and exclusive clips from A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime on iPhone and iPod Touch.

To make the viewing experience even more seamless,  HISTORY, A&E and Lifetime apps now conveniently sync with multiple devices. For instance, if you’re watching an episode of Swamp People on your iPad at home you can then finish watching it on your iPhone so you don’t miss the train to work. Currently, viewers who sign in to verify Xfinity TV from Comcast will also have more access to content, including full previous seasons.

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Amazon Instant Video apps add seasons of popular shows from A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime

Amazon-Instant-VideoFollowing the launch of A+E Network’s dedicated iPad apps for A&E, History Channel, and Lifetime last month, Amazon announced in a press release today that it also licensed content for its Amazon Instant Video service. It sounds like Amazon is only getting access to old seasons of popular shows from the network, but any additional content will surely be welcomed by iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users taking advantage of the service through the Amazon Instant Video iOS app.

Amazon.com, Inc. today announced a content licensing agreement with A+E Networks to add prior seasons of popular series from A&E, bio, HISTORY and Lifetime to the Prime Instant Video service…The deal with A+E Networks will bring Prime customers more TV episodes from some of their highest rated television programming including Pawn Stars, Storage Wars and Dance Moms, which are also available for purchase through Amazon Instant Video.

A&E, HISTORY, and Lifetime launch iPad apps with full episodes, additional content for Xfinity TV users

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A&E-HISTORY-Lifetime apps

A+E Networks announced today the introduction of its first iPad apps for watching shows from some of its most popular networks, A&E, History, and Lifetime. All three of the iPad apps are available for free on the App Store starting today, and they feature the ability to watch full episodes, access exclusive clips, and create a customizable Watchlist of upcoming shows. The Lifetime app also includes access to 25 full-length movies.

“By offering the A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime watch apps, we are giving fans of our networks an opportunity to consume our leading libraries of original quality content wherever and whenever they want it,” said Dan Suratt, Executive Vice President of Digital Media and Business Development, A+E Networks.

A&E noted in its press release that Comcast subscribers who sign into their Xfinity TV account would have access to extra content such as full previous seasons of certain shows. It also said the apps, powered by Bottle Rocket, “will support additional distributors in early 2013.” The apps do not yet support AirPlay, but A+E confirmed the feature is coming. There will also be an iPhone/iPod version of the apps released in January alongside the Android versions.

Some of the shows offered through the apps include:


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The yacht that Steve Jobs built with French designer Philippe Starck revealed [Gallery]

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Dutch website OneMoreThing grabbed some pictures of the unique vessel that Steve Jobs was designing at the time of his death with French designer Philippe Starck over a year ago. The project was started in 2009, and Jobs’ wife and three of his children attended today’s launch of “Venus”.

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 The boat certainly has an interesting look/shape.

The control center of course has iMacs (are those the new ones?!)

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The people who worked on the vessel were given iPod shuffles as a gift from the Jobs family.

We received additional photos of the yacht and placed those and a video below:
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Free Steve Jobs Audio Book via Audible.com

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From 9to5Toys.com:


Looking to get a free Audio copy of the Steve Jobs book (or any book for that matter)? If you don’t feel like shelling out the $35 in addition to whatever you paid for the paper/digital version, Audible.com offers a free audio book with a 14-day membership which allows you to pick up the book for free.

The 3x110MB download is DRM free and can be played on any iOS device or in iTunes among others. Audible.com does offer many membership benefits…


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Fortune will have exclusive excerpt of Steve Jobs bio Monday focusing on relationship with Bill Gates

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Fortune Magazine will have an exclusive excerpt of the Walter Isaacson biography Steve Jobs which is due for publication on Monday, the 24th. The excerpt is said to focus on the Frenemy relationship that Jobs had with Microsoft Founder Bill Gates.

The magazine has secured exclusive rights to the sections in Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs devoted to Jobs’ relationship to Bill Gates.

The excerpt will hit newstands and the Fortune iPad app on Monday and an ‘excerpt of the excerpt’ will be published online. Most 9to5Mac readers will probably prefer the book which will be released to the public the same day in both hardcover and electronic formats.

Isaacson will also go on 60 Minutes on Sunday promoting the book as well. Steve Jobs is available from Amazon for $17.88 for hardcover, $16.99 for Kindle and $19.79 for CD Audiobook. It is also available online at the iBookstore for $16.99 for iOS devices.

Signage indicates that Apple Stores will close for three hours today (Update: White curtains go up)

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As we reported over the weekend and others reported yesterday, Apple Store will be closed for three hours today to view the celebration of Steve Jobs’ life stream coming from AppleHQ.

Thanks Danny, Steven

Thanks

Update: White curtains going up everywhere for privacy. Gallery:


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Steve Jobs Bio balloons to 656 pages, publication date gets murky

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As noted by SetteB.it, the Steve Jobs bio “Enhanced eBook” is now set by Simon and Shuster at 656 pages. That’s over 200 additional pages more than the previous page count which may have been a very low estimate. Recently, Walter Isaacson said that Jobs’ resignation would be added to the book, but it seems like a stretch that that chapter would add 50% more content.

Also, the publication date has move from November 21st, to “on or around November 21st”, signaling that there may be some movement in the release date.

You can pre-order the book at Amazon or on Apple’s iBookStore where it still is listed at 448 pages.

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Steve Jobs’ biological father, Abdulfattah John Jandali, gets profiled (Pictures)

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Abdulfattah John Jandali - Steve Jobs' Biological Father

Abdulfattah John Jandali – Steve Jobs’ Biological Father

In the tumult following Steve Jobs’ resignation, the New York Post and others (here’s a good one translated from Arabic) have been digging up interviews with Steve Jobs’ biological father, Abdulfattah John Jandali, who is a Syrian-born Vice President of a casino in Reno, Nevada.  He’s an 80-year old workaholic who is trying to avoid retirement at all costs (sounds familiar).

The Syrian immigrant says he is overcome with guilt for his treatment of Jobs and only learned recently that the child he gave up for adoption was the famous CEO.

“This might sound strange, though, but I am not prepared, even if either of us was on our deathbeds, to pick up the phone to call him,” Jandali said.

“Steve will have to do that, as the Syrian pride in me does not want him ever to think I am after his fortune,” he said.

“Now I just live in hope that, before it is too late, he will reach out to me, because even to have just one coffee with him just once would make me a very happy man,” he said.

Jandali says although he was in love with his now ex-wife Joanne, her father was a tyrant and would not allow her to marry him since he was from Syria. Joanne then upped and moved to San Francisco to give birth to Jobs without her family or Jandali knowing.

“She did not want to bring shame onto the family and thought this was the best for everyone.”

It is a pretty emotional story overall.  The short of it is that they’ve never talked and, although he has sent Jobs a few emails (haven’t we all?), he’s afraid to call Jobs.  Because of this, he fears they never will communicate.

It was our natural inclination to see what this guy looked like but Google images didn’t return anything.  Therefore, we decided to dig a little deeper.

Without trying to offend anyone, below are some more public pictures of Jobs’ biological father we found on the net.  There is definitely a resemblance!
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Two days after Steve Jobs resigns as CEO, AAPL passes XOM again to become most valuable company

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Perhaps you can add “succession planning” to the list of areas where Steve Jobs has revolutionized the industry.

My theory is that Jobs’ resignation has been baked into the AAPL stock price all of this time (how couldn’t it be?) and the smooth transition and long term planning being revealed is being applauded by investors.

At the time of this writing, AAPL is at 352.63B while XOM is at 351.04B.

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Apple COO Cook: Tablets to outsell PCs, (Cars to outsell trucks)

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http://www.viddler.com/simple/30fe0cca/

According to Business Insider, Apple COO Tim Cook told Goldman analyst Bill Shope, “he sees no reason why the tablet market shouldn’t eclipse the PC market over the next several years.”

That is right exactly in line with Steve Jobs comments of a year ago.  Shocking, we know.
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'iSteve: The Book of Jobs' authorized biography coming early next year

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According to ABCNews (via Fortune) Simon and Shuster will be publishing the Walter Isaacson Authorized Biography of Steve Jobs in early 2012. The title is a curious: iSteve: The Book of Jobs

The Jobs book will be his fourth major biography. In addition to Kissinger: A Biography (1992) he has written Benjamin Franklin: An American Life (2003) and Einstein: His Life and Universe (2007). His most recent book is American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane (2009).

The Jobs book was announced in February of last year but now it has a title and release date.  Fortune has a great profile on Isaacson who has a long history of convincing notable people to tell them their story.


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After $2500 sale, Steve Jobs action figures popping up all over eBay

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That lovely Steve Jobs action figure you see up there went on auction for $2500 recently.  Only 100-300 were sold through MIC Gadget before the operation was shut down by Apple, making the items a rare find for collectors.  More have cropped up on eBay fetching prices from $1000.. to.. $2500.

BTW, is anyone interested in ours?  We may have a charity auction or something later this month.  Check twitter for updates.
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