Last month, I put the full-sized Logitech Boombox up against the Jawbone Jambox in a $150 Bluetooth speaker battle. I liked both devices, but they had separate strengths and weaknesses and were best suited to different tasks. For instance, I liked the portability of the Jambox, its speakerphone capability, and charging via USB. I liked the sound and simplicity of the Logitech Boombox, but I did not like the proprietary AC adapter.

After the review, Logitech got ahold of me and said if I liked the Jambox and the Boombox, they made another product that I would love called the “Mini Boombox.” Unlike Logitech’s full-size Bluetooth speakers, the Mini charges via Mini-USB, can fit in the palm of your hand (or cargo pant pockets), and it acts as a speakerphone for an iPhone. This one retails for $100, but it can be found for $79.99 at both Amazon (with $30 of MP3s) and Best Buy.

How did it stack up against the two $150 Bluetooth speakers mentioned earlier?

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In a video sent directly to Apple Store employees, newly appointed Senior Vice President of Apple Retail John Browett has promised a three month advance on employee salary raises. Apple Store employees were previously scheduled to see their raises on September 30th of this year, but now these raises will come on June 30th. These raises come in addition to the Mac and iPad discounts promised by Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year.

These employee raises are said to work on a “1-5 scale.” Depending on individual store sales performance during a designated time period, employees will be given raises between 1% and 5% of their current salary. This three month advance is apparently a one time internal promotion, so the raises for 2013 will likely come during the later part of the year, not June.

John Browett previously sent employees a letter to introduce himself:

At last I’ve officially started at Apple, and it’s great to be here. I’ve had the chance to meet many of you at stores in the U.S. and across Europe, and one of my top priorities for the coming months is to meet many more people on our team around the world. It’s incredibly impressive to be on the inside of Apple Retail. Many of my friends, relatives, and former colleagues have written to tell me how lucky I am to be working with such a great group of people, and I couldn’t agree more. While our stores are fantastic and our products are amazing, it really is our people who make the difference in creating the best retail experience. There will be much more to share in the weeks ahead, and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone over time. I am thrilled to work with all of you as we build the future of Apple Retail together.

Browett reportedly reiterated some of that letter in this first video to retail employees. Browett officially joined Apple in April of this year, and he is the successor to Apple Retail pioneer Ron Johnson. Johnson left Apple in November 2011 to become the CEO of J.C. Penney. Browett comes from Dixons, a United Kingdom-based retail chain, where he was the CEO. Former retail chief Ron Johnson occasionally sent videos to the Apple Retail teams, but this three month advance on raises makes an interesting and unique gift from Browett.

News broke yesterday that former Apple Senior Vice President Tony Fadell’s Nest Learning Thermostat will soon go on sale at Apple Stores. iLounge reported it first, but 9to5Mac immediately confirmed the claim.

A trusted source provided a first-hand look at the Nest packaged at an Apple Store today—complete with the part number. Priced at $249.99 (the same as Nest’s price through its online store), the Nest has a part number of H9279ll/a in Apple’s systems.

Our source was not able to say when the Nest will go on sale at Apple Stores, but the source indicated it will be soon. Deliveries of the Nest are now being made at multiple Apple Stores. However, we are hearing whispers that the thermostat may not go on sale at all stores simultaneously.

For those unfamiliar, the Nest is a revolutionary new digital thermostat with an intuitive temperature dial. It is controllable by iOS devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. A photo of the back of the box (complete with Apple’s price tag) is after the break.

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iFeng did a factory tour with special guest Foxconn CEO Terry Gou. See if you can spot some new iPhones (clue: bling on the back).

(via M.I.C Gadget,The Next Web)
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Apple has pushed out a revised version of the recently released iOS 5.1.1. The original public build of iOS 5.1.1 is labeled build 9B206, while this new build is labeled 9B208 (direct download). This is only two builds newer, and probably represents a small fix in the software. Whatever Apple needed to fix was specific to the GSM iPhone 4 (iPhone 3,1) as no revised builds for other iOS devices have been released (perhaps yet). The new build is only available for new iOS 5.1.1 iPhone 4 (GSM) installs and will not be available as an update for users currently on the original build. Apple has not described the changes that are included in the revised release.

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Sotheby’s plans to auction two pieces of Apple history on June 15 in New York, including a rare document penned by Steve Jobs while working at Atari and an operational Apple I motherboard expected to fetch up to $180,000 USD. An excerpt from Sotheby’s description for the Apple I lot is below, and it claims less than six Apple I’s in working condition are known to exist:

As the first ready-made personal computer, the Apple I signaled a new age in which computing became accessible to the masses. The interface of circuitry and software that Woz created enabled users to type letters with “a human-typable keyboard instead of a stupid, cryptic front panel with a bunch of lights and switches,” as he explained to the Homebrew Computer Club. Even so, it was sold without a keyboard, monitor, case, or power supply, An exceptionally rare, working example with original Apple cassette interface, operation manuals and a rare BASIC Users’ Manual. It is thought that fewer than 50 Apple I Computers survive, with only 6 known to be in working condition.
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From 9to5toys:  Many iOS game and app developers are slashing prices of their most popular titles to celebrate Memorial Day this weekend.  We will continue to update this post as we find more great deals for you.

Universal Apps (iPad, iPhone, iPad)

Grand Theft Auto 3 for iPad, iPhone, iPod, regular 99 cents, regular $4.99
Infinity Blade II, $2.99, regular $6.99
Mass Effect: Infiltrator, $2.99, regular $4.99
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, 99 cents, regular $9.99
Burnout CRASH!, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Combat Arms: Zombies, $1.99, regular, $6.99
Solar Walk 3D Solar System, $1.99, regular $2.99

iPad Apps

NBA Jam for iPad $1.99, regular $4.99
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for iPad, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Real Racing HD for iPad $1.99, regular $4.99
Need for speed Hot Pursuit for iPad, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Fifa Soccer 12 for iPad, $2.99, regular $9.99
Battlefield Bad Company 2 for iPad, $1.99, regular $9.99
Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition, 99 cents, regular $9.99
Skyfire web browser, $2.99, regular $4.99
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD, 99 cents, regular $9.99
Dead Space, $1.99, regular $9.99
Madden NFL 12, $2.99, regular $6.99
Tiger Woods: PGA Tour 12, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Flight Control HD, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Battleship HD, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Fight Night Champion by EA Sports, 99 cents, regular, $4.99
Monopoly, 99 cents, regular $6.99
Star Walk for iPad, $2.99, regular $4.99

iPhone Apps

Fifa Soccer 12 for iPhone, $1.99, regular $4.99
Need for Speed Undercover, $99 cents, regular $2.99
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, 99 cents, regular, $4.99
Real Racing 2, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Skyfire web browser, $1.99, regular $2.99
Battlefield Bad Company 2, 99 cents, regular $2.99
Dead Space, 99 cents, regular $6.99
Madden NFL 12, 99 cents, regular $4.99
Hipstamatic, 99 cents, regular $1.99
Star Walk, $1.99, regular $2.99
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, 99 cents, regular $4.99

According to iLounge, Tony Fadell – a former Apple Senior Vice President – will soon find another place to sell his new Nest Learning Thermostats: the Apple Store. According to the report, the Nest will run for $249 at the Apple Store (the same as Nest’s price through Nest’s online store). The Nest is a digital, easy-to-setup and use thermostat, and its user-interface, design, and setup process are all what is to be expected from the “father of the iPod.” The device can even be controlled by iPods, iPads, and iPhones.

Update: We can independently confirm that Nest Learning Thermostats are coming to Apple Store locations very soon. The systems are already listed in Apple’s internal inventory database.

Update 2: A Nest spokeswoman declined to comment.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=X9YbwtVN8Sk]

The Verge recently went hands on with Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S III launched earlier this month and during its review put the device’s new Vlingo-powered “S-Voice” feature up against Siri on the iPhone 4S. Other than the striking resemblance to Siri’s UI and canned responses, the first thing we notice is Siri appears to be much quicker than S-Voice running on the Galaxy S III.

When asked “Who is the president of France”, Siri quickly asks to search the web, while S-Voice takes a little longer but comes up with the correct answer. However, in most scenarios, both Siri and S-Voice request to search the web for the majority of the same queries. You’ll also notice S-Voice has no problem keeping up with Siri when scheduling appointments, but both have some of the same issues understanding The Verge’s commands.

S Voice consistently chews up my words when I try asking it questions, although it works better when instructed to schedule an appointment or set an alarm. It can also be used as an unlocking mechanism once you pre-record a pass phrase. That adds to the face unlocking option that’s native to Android 4.0 in being frustratingly unwieldy and planted firmly within gimmick territory — more than once I was stuck repeating “hello” without any recognition from the phone.

While we don’t have all of the info on S-Voice, we know it is using voice recognition technology from Vlingo, the same as the previous Voice Commander feature for the Galaxy S II. Last December Nuance acquired Vlingo. It’s no secret Apple is currently using Nuance to power speech in Siri, and Siri co-founder Norman Winarsky told us in October that Siri originally used Vlingo, but that Nuance has by far the most “IP in speech synthesis technologies”. However, he also noted Apple could likely easily replace Nuance if something better was available.

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Ever since the release of iOS 5.1.1, many in the jailbreak community have anxiously waited for the destined release of an untethered jailbreak for the new software. For those who have been waiting, the day has finally come. The Chronic Dev Team just released Absinthe 2.0, which is the tool to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1—untethered style. It was announced on-stage at Hack in the Box 2012 in Amsterdam today as a “one more thing.”

[tweet https://twitter.com/chronic/status/205997419178110976]

A full list of supported devices is below:

DOWNLOAD IT HERE!

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Oh, Siri. Apple’s little voice-activated personal assistant in iOS can handle questions, give recommendations, and delegate requests, but does it really live up to expectations?

The folks in Cupertino like to roll out advertisements that show Siri capable of compiling individual preferences with personalized results, and even completing basic tasks like finding a nearby restaurant, but the software met very mixed reactions after it Beta-débuted on the iPhone 4S in October. Those who felt misled by Siri’s functionality depicted in commercials eventually sought reimbursement by filing a class action lawsuit against Apple earlier this year.

Fortune’s Adam Lashinsky wrote about how chief executive Tim Cook is changing Apple in an interesting piece this morning, but he also touched upon the contention surrounding Siri. He noted Apple’s future relies on the quality of its products, which holds true for any company, but then he pointed to the iOS-maker’s knowledge navigator:

“Those looking for deficiencies have found them in Siri, a less-than-perfect product that Apple released with the rare beta label in late 2011, a signal that the service shouldn’t be viewed as fully baked. Siri’s response time has been slow, meaning the servers and software powering it are inadequate. ‘People are embarrassed by Siri,’ says one former insider. ‘Steve would have lost his mind over Siri.'”

It is interesting that an unnamed insider claimed Jobs would “lose his mind” over Siri, especially because it is well-known the late CEO worked with former Siri founder and subsequent Apple Engineering Director Dag Kittlaus on the project. Kittlaus admitted last March at Network World that Jobs felt they “cracked it” in regards to Siri, which alludes to the chief’s satisfaction with the voice assistant and contrasts with the insider’s opinion.

The poll is after the break.

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Update May 25: Following yesterday’s story, The Verge reported today that Apple has confirmed it removed the Airfoil Speakers Touch app after its recent 3.0 update introduced the ability to stream over AirPlay from other iOS devices. Apple said it is against Review Guideline 2.5: Apps that use non-public APIs will be rejected. Verge explained:

The feature in question permits any iOS device running the app to play back audio beamed from a variety of sources using Apple’s AirPlay wireless streaming protocol. Apple presently only allows designated products to act in this capacity — such as the Apple TV and (often expensive) AirPlay-enabled third-party hardware

We have seen Apple both reject and remove apps for many reasons in the past. It is often due to an icon or name that is too close to one of Apple’s own apps. Sometimes, however, apps are removed if they boast features that mimic or are too similar to the core functionality of iOS. Today, Daring Fireball pointed us to a post from Paul Kafasis of developer Rogue Amoeba, who wrote that the company’s Airfoil Speakers Touch app that is designed to send audio between Macs and iOS devices has now been removed from the App Store after being available since 2009.

Although Kafasis noted Apple has not given a clear reason why the app was removed, many are speculating it is due to a new feature introduced in a recent update to the app:

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Other than the launch of the new Instagram clone “Facebook Camera” app, the biggest update today goes to the popular Tweetbot Twitter client for iPhone that is now at version 2.4. Included in the massive update is a new search view, as well as access to Trends, Top Tweets, and People that are now together in a single browse section. Nearby tweets were added with an option to change the location, and a ton of improvements to search, including location-based keywords and the ability to change trends’ location from within search view. And, that is only some of the features and fixes included Tweetbot 2.4.

Below is a complete list of features included in the update, with other notable apps and updates to hit the App Store today including the Infinity Blade II: Vault of Tears content pack.

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Just after its proposed $1 billion acquisition of mobile photo sharing service Instagram, Facebook announced Facebook Camera for iPhone in a blog post this afternoon. The app features filters just like Instagram, and it has the ability to upload a batch of photos at once. The regular Facebook app only allows you to upload one photo at a time. Upon first opening Camera, it detects any Facebook accounts already associated with the iPhone, so you can upload photos immediately. Facebook Camera for iOS is now available on the iTunes App Store.

As you can tell from the screenshots of the app in the gallery below, it reminds us a lot of Instagram. There is also the ability to view your friend’s photos in a single timeline. Complete with filters and quick-sharing options, it is almost as if Facebook launched a competitor to its own app.

Here is the full breakdown of features:

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