Apple remains on course for a slew of new product introductions this year, and as investors slowly regain confidence in the firm (stock is rising on the Frankfurt exchange at this time), new iPhone contract manufacturer, Pegatron, has raised its order book to cater for an anticipated 12-15 million CDMA iPhones this year.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9tXJ5UqXsg&w=640&h=385]
Our friend Chris from the iFixYouri iPhone repair shop points us to a shady Chinese part supplier website claiming to have the scoop on the next-gen iPad’s specs. The first is the iPad 2’s screen resolution. The site claims it’s a whopping 1920 x 1280, which is certainly hard to believe from a developer scaling standpoint.
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Dan Lyons, who started the Fake Steve Jobs Blog as his anonymous pet project a few years ago, says he is no longer posting as Fake Steve. Like a lot of us in the tech community, Lyons is feeling awful about the situation with Jobs’ illness.
I know his old partner and friend, Steve Wozniak. And I just can’t bring myself to call Woz and ask him what he knows. I’m sorry. I know a surgeon who has worked at Stanford Medical Center, where Steve Jobs has received a great deal of his medical treatment. But I won’t ask her what she’s heard. For one thing, she won’t tell me. For another, all the hot showers in the world could not wash that stink off me. I won’t ask my friends who work at Apple what they know. I’ve never asked them for any inside information about Apple. We’re friends. I respect that. They don’t know what’s wrong with their boss. They’re just feeling awful.
I know the feeling. Today I’m feeling awful, too.
It’s no surprise that Best Buy will be selling the Verizon iPhone 4 eventually, as they sell the AT&T version, but Apple and Verizon announced that Verizon iPhone sales would only occur at Apple and Verizon retail and online stores at launch. Today, the Verizon iPhone 4 showed up in Best Buy’s internal inventory database meaning the Verizon iPhone 4 may be available at Best Buy at launch or soon after. Information about Verizon’s data plans is not yet available. Another shot is after the break.
Three Guys and a Podcast claims that Apple is preparing to discontinue the iTunes software application found on Macs and PC’s and replace it with a web-only application that is exclusive to Safari. The move is said to incorporate Apple’s new technology from Lala and leverage their new North Carolina data center. You will potentially download all your iTunes content from the web and play it through new iTunes controls in Safari. The move would bring a large new market to Apple’s Safari web browser, and the browser’s market share will probably climb significantly.
The report claims the new iTunes/Safari application will be unveiled later this year at Apple’s annual Fall music event. The report’s source claims “moving iTunes organizational side-bar into Safari isn’t a monumental task.” We personally don’t see this rumor becoming completely true. Some new cloud-based iTunes features are very probable, but the discontinuation of the much-loved (except for the icon) iTunes application seems like a stretch. Let us know what you think in the comments.
ReadWriteWeb reports that according to two high profile app developers, around 90% of iOS device users are running iOS 4.0 or above. The first developer, Bump, says 89.73% of its users are on iOS 4.x, 10.25% are on iOS 3.x, and 0.02% of users are running iOS 2.x- the first iOS to support the App Store and third-party applications. Bump’s user-base is a very good indication of the iOS version breakdown, in general, with 25 million downloads across and iOS and Android.
The report also spoke to an engineer at Loopt (location-based social networking app) who says their figures are similar to Bump’s “but with even a little more of its users on iOS 4.” These new statistics represent how incredibly fragmented Android is as only 0.4% of Android users are running the latest release of the operating system. If any developers reading this want to share their iOS version breakdown, feel free to comment or contact us.
COMPUTERWORLD: Apple shares wobble as US futures market impacted by Steve Jobs’ ‘medical leave’ disclosure and request for privacy. Apple users wish company co-founder well, shareholders prepare to discuss Apple’s succession plans and analysts will be asking questions of the company during tomorrow’s financial call.
AdAge reports that although News Corp. and Apple are working together on The Daily iPad newspaper, the service will not utilize Apple’s iAds but instead use the New York-based Medialets as the provider. The report also claims The Daily will run on an App Store-based subscription model, and News Corp. will be charging $0.99 per day to view The Daily’s content (not $0.99 per week?). A two week free trial will be available for those who want to give the paper a run before subscribing and this may represent Apple adding some free-trial features to their App Store. This is something they have been reluctant to do for some time.
Some new details about the actual newspaper have also emerged with a top Virgin America marketing executive stating:
We saw it in the development stage and thought it was highly innovative in terms of their use of imagery.
The Daily is said to utilize a traditional “multi-story front page” with magazine style interfaces for the viewing of news reports. This sounds just like the leak from the other day. The Daily will also welcome Multi-Touch and you’ll be able to swipe, pinch, and rotate through different parts of the articles, including many videos from across the News Corp. empire. The Daily was said to be launching this week but has since been delayed into next month.
According to HardMac‘s “reliable sources” Apple will follow their discontinuation of the Xserve, by dropping support for both Final Cut Server and Xsan. The move would represent Apple leaving the server/enterprise business and instead focusing more on the consumer and professional side of software. Even more surprising, the report also claims that the upcoming Mac OS X Lion Server will be the final iteration of Apple’s server-based operating system. HardMac‘s report is completely unconfirmed so take it with a pinch of salt. HardMac correctly predicted the iPhone 3GS would keep the same exterior design as the iPhone 3G in addition to the 5th-generation iPod nano gaining a camera.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvxSSGUtTYA&w=480&h=385]
Since the release of iOS 4.3 beta last week, I have been testing out the iPad’s new Multi-Touch gestures and have tried my hardest to not touch the home button. With these new Multi-Touch gestures in play, Apple is rumored to be testing prototypes of iPads and iPhones without the hardware home button. Some people say Apple would never remove the home button but some think it’s a particularly interesting idea. In my use of an iPad “without a home button” I can attest that the button is absolutely not needed.
Even in beta form, Apple has done a phenomenal job with their implementation of the new Multi-Touch gestures. In many cases, using four or five fingers is quicker than reaching over to hit the home button. The pinch to the home screen gesture just feels more natural; like it should have been that way since the beginning. Back to the discussion about betas. Apple has been seeding betas of iOS for a couple years now and for the most part, early betas have been unstable and unreliable. The first beta of Apple’s new Multi-Touch gestures is the opposite though. They have been smooth and absolutely reliable every time. It should only get better in future betas and in the golden master version.
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Apple CEO Steve Jobs has announced a new period of medical leave from Apple. Reaction to his news has already begun, with Apple shares traded on the Frankfurt exchange falling by 7.5 percent by 14:38 GMT. US futures also seem destined for a hit, with 0.3 percent falling off of the S&P 500 and 0.9 percent down on the Nasdaq.
Meanwhile speculation as to Apple’s succession plans is inevitably set to increase, particularly in light of a board recommendation shareholders reject a plan to formalise such preparations that is being advanced at the AAPL AGM in February.
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News is breaking this hour that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been forced to take another round of medical leave from the firm he co-founded.
Apple has published the following note from Jobs, in which he expresses his utmost confidence in COO, Tim Cook, and asks for “respect” for the privacy of himself and his family.
“Apple CEO Steve Jobs today sent the following email to all Apple employees:
Team,
At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.
I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.
I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.
Steve”
Update: The New York Times says:
Mr. Jobs suffers from immune system issues common with people who have received liver transplants and, as a result, his health suffers from frequent “ups and downs,” according to a person with knowledge of the situation, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it.
In recent weeks, Mr. Jobs began a down cycle and slowed his activities at Apple, the person said. Mr. Jobs has been coming to the office about two days a week, and appeared increasingly emaciated, the person said. He frequently lunched in his office, rather than in the company cafeteria, the person said.
A company called Vaveliero has developed an iPhone 4 case that gives you easy access to two different mobile accounts.
The kit replaces the iPhone 4’s microSIM tray with an external dual SIM adapter to give the iPhone 4 the capabilities of using two phone accounts from two different carriers. The external SIM is attached inside of the case, making the extra SIM appear like it isn’t even there. The two numbers can be switched in the settings or set on a timer to change as you wish.
Unfortunately, both can’t be used at the same time. We’re also uncertain from the literature if you need to be unlocked to use this with non-supported networks. Vaveliero operates in Europe where locking phones and other douchebaggery is frowned upon. Perhaps in the US, this could be used for a separate AT&T Work and personal account.
There had been some sketchy rumors that the iPhone 5 would do this natively but we’re doubtful Apple has anything like this cooked up.
This case works with UMTS, HSDPA, WCDMA, GSM, GPRS, and EDGE. Head on past the break for more images.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gm7u6f2glE&w=670&h=527]
With all that new graphics power tucked-away inside the next-generation iOS devices, here’s a huge dose of speculation to brighten up your day — that Apple’s next iPod touch will be boast a glasses-free 3D screen. And that’s got to be something to worry Nintendo, who will introduce its Nintendo 3DS this week.
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I’ve been wondering what you’d find out if you took the number of iOS devices sold and then divided the number of App sales so far by that figure — and guess what — the answer’s sixty.
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Time to declare this weekend for the biggest batch of iPad 2.0 rumors yet, with news on the processor, much-improved graphics and a much better display hitting the wires, this morning we have the latest images of claimed components for Apple’s soon-to-be-updated industry-defining tablet device.
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The Apple Store in Naperville, Illinois has not had the best of luck lately. Just about five months ago that Apple Store on West Jefferson Avenue was robbed and this morning it was robbed again. This time for $30,000. Police are after two suspects who wore ski masks and gloves. They carried the stolen items out of the store in containers. If you know anything follow the information at Chicago Breaking News. Above is a blurry photo that we obtained from an eye-witness.
Reuters reports that four schools in Singapore have teamed up for a pilot program that gives 140 students and 10 teachers their own iPad. These iPads are meant to replace a student’s normal note taking and text materials. The project, at this stage, has already touched the $100,000 mark and this will rise if the program expands to more students and teachers in the school district.
Student Chloe Chen remarks on how convenient learning with the iPad is:
Teachers can just tell us to go a website, and we can immediately go and do our work.
One of the school deans, a part of the program, notes how well the iPad works with the school’s curriculum:
The iPad was chosen because it complemented a new method of teaching under which students are given more freedom to learn themselves, instead of relying solely on the teacher in traditional classrooms.
Schools adopting iPads as a core class material is not a new concept. Earlier this month we reported that the state of New York ordered more than 2000 iPads for distribution within their school systems. It would be interesting to see what apps these schools are loading on to the iPads for the students. Maybe iWork? Let us know in the comments if your school or place of work is adopting the iPad too.
Just the other day Angry Birds was sitting as the king of the App Store’s free section but today, 14 year old Robert Nay is number one. His app Bubble Ball is a physics puzzle game and it has been downloaded more than 2 million times. Check out the video at Yahoo and let us know what you think below. Oh the things kids can do…
Here’s Mark Gurman’s post from way back last year. Interesting that iPad 2x icons were already appearing in the documentation…
On Apple’s online developer user-interface documents a section discusses iPad universal applications. This is a universal application for two versions of the iPad. The current version and an alluded to higher resolution version, an iPad with a retina display.
Nvidia is coming clean with Dell, HP and Apple owners who purchased some of the Laptops with discrete GPU “bumps” that sometimes caused failure. Apple went to extraordinary lengths (far beyond Dell or HP), covering Macbook Pros affected with these issues for up to three years and issuing refunds to those who paid for repairs.
If you purchased a MacBook Pro from May 2007 – September 2008, you are likely covered by the settlement.
To view the sample Reimbursement Claim Form formatted as a PDF file for an Apple notebook computer, click here. To view the sample Replacement Claim Form formatted as a PDF file for an Apple notebook computer, click here.
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If you are getting hyped about Rupert Murdoch’s new (delayed) iPad magazine called the Daily, you might want to start following @daily on Twitter. The account was just created and is verified by Twitter. Also the account is following one media exec, Greg Clayman.
Clayman’s Twitter bio says: Co-founder of Upoc, former head of mobile & digital distribution at MTV Networks, currently working on something awesome.
We’ll see.
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Best Buy has added three new iPad SKUs to their online store database and we have no firm conclusion as to what this means. Two of the SKUs list a $599 price point while the third is listed for $699. Could Best Buy begin carrying the Verizon iPad + MiFi bundle? Are these the three models of the upcoming CDMA Verizon iPad? Are these iPad 2s? Probably not, but discuss in the comments!
Update: These three new iPad SKUs are showing up in Best Buy’s internal store database, as well, as “unreleased products.”
Update 2: Best Buy has removed the three iPad listings from their website and internal database.
