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Élyse Betters

AAPL Company

Tapbots pulls Tweetbot alpha Mac app due to Twitter’s user cap

Élyse Betters Aug 27 2012 - 1:08 pm PT

Tapbots, the brains behind Tweetbot, just confirmed in a blog post that Twitter’s latest API changes forced the developer to pull its popular alpha Mac app.

Twitter recently announced it would place user caps on third-party Twitter clients, and Tapbots subsequently claimed it unsuccessfully tried to work with the micro-blogging service to keep its alpha live without going over the allotted cap.

According to Tapbots:

As some of you may have already noticed the download link for the Tweetbot for Mac alpha no longer works. Twitter’s latest API Changes means now we have a large but finite limit on the number of user tokens we can get for Tweetbot for Mac. We’ve been working with Twitter over the last few days to try to work around this limit for the duration of the beta but have been unable to come up with solution that was acceptable to them. Because of this we’ve decided its best for us to pull the alpha.

Twitter clients are now limited to 100,000 user slots, otherwise known as tokens, as of Aug. 16 (or 200,000 users if they were already above the cap). Folks who decide not to use a client can re-add their token to the pool by logging into Twitter and revoking access to the app. If this does not occur, the token is no longer available.

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Report: iOS and Android make tech history with worldwide, fast-growing adoption

Élyse Betters Aug 27 2012 - 8:53 am PT

Mobile analytics firm Flurry published a new report today asserting iOS and Android handsets have experienced adoption at such a supersonic speed that their growth rate has now eclipsed all consumer technology in history.

According to Flurry:

The rate of iOS and Android device adoption has surpassed that of any consumer technology in history. Compared to recent technologies, smart device adoption is being adopted 10X faster than that of the 80s PC revolution, 2X faster than that of 90s Internet Boom and 3X faster than that of recent social network adoption. Five years into the smart device growth curve, expansion of this new technology is rapidly expanding beyond early adopter markets such as such as North America and Western Europe, creating a true worldwide addressable market. Overall, Flurry estimates that there were over 640 million iOS and Android devices in use during the month of July 2012.

Smartphones making headway as they spread worldwide is nothing new, but their history-making adoption rate is certainly notable. The report illustrated countries with the greatest number of device activations as well as the fasting growing markets. The results indicated the United States sits at No. 1 with 165 million iOS and Android handset activations for July, but China experienced a leading 401 percent activation growth during the same period.

: Fastest Growing Countries (Flurry)

: Top Countries by Activations (Flurry)

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Apple’s stock opens at record $680 with $637B market cap following win against Samsung

Élyse Betters Aug 27 2012 - 6:55 am PT

Apple’s stock opened at a record $690 per share following its triumph in the pivotal patents trial against Samsung last Friday. Today is the first day of trading since Apple came out on top and its latest record soars past the previous best of $674.88 per share. The unparallelled all-time high also forced Apple’s market capitalization to $637 billion.

[tweet https://twitter.com/jaydeezy17/status/240086109554606080]

Check it out: NASDAQ:AAPL

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Amazon adds ‘Parks and Recreation’ to Prime Instant Video, with more popular NBCUniversal content

Élyse Betters Aug 24 2012 - 7:33 am PT

Amazon, NBCUniversal Cable and New Media Distribution announced an agreement today that will bulk the online retailer’s Prime Instant Video selection with hundreds of award-winning TV episodes.

Amazon’s Instant Video touts 22,000 movies and episodes for Prime members to stream on the Android-powered Kindle Fire or other supported devices like the iPad. A few of today’s catalog additions include “Parks and Recreation”, “Parenthood”, “Friday Night Lights”, “Heroes” and “Battlestar Galactica”.

Check out the full story at 9to5Google.com.

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Samsung’s new Sydney store is ‘Apple-esque’ [Video]

Élyse Betters Aug 23 2012 - 8:54 am PT

“I made it through the whole video without cracking up.” -No one.

The Sydney Morning Herald just posted a video of Samsung’s new Syndney store:

Everything from the store layout to the sales staff to the products and even the packaging and promotional material is uncannily Apple-esque.

Samsung’s shop is just a block away from Apple’s Sydney store. Despite the ongoing U.S. trial against Apple, as SMH noted, the South Korea-based company is certainly not quelling accusations that it is a Cupertino copycat.

(via Daring Fireball)

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Apple employee photographs found on old Mac ROMs [Photos]

Élyse Betters Aug 23 2012 - 7:47 am PT

NYC Resistor recently found an old Macintosh SE on a Brooklyn street and noticed an interesting easter egg buried in the ROMs after doing some digital digging.

According to NYC Resistor:

While digging through dumps generated from the Apple Mac SE ROM images we noticed that there was a large amount of non-code, non-audio data. Adam Mayer tested different stride widths and found that at 67 bytes (536 pixels across) there appeared to be some sort of image data that clearly was a picture of people. The rest of the image was skewed and distorted, so we knew that it wasn’t stored as an uncompressed bitmap.

After some investigation, we were able to decode the scrambled mess above and turn it into the full image with a hidden message from “Thu, Nov 20, 1986“:

So…an Apple team apparently hid four of its own images in the Motorola 68000-era Macintosh nearly 26 years ago. Cool. NYC Resistor is now calling upon readers to identify the mystery employees. Go to the hacker blog to also learn more about the discovery’s engineering-side.

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Walmart discounts 16GB iPhone 4S to $148 at select stores

Élyse Betters Aug 22 2012 - 11:20 pm PT

Walmart just revealed on Facebook and Twitter that it is cutting $40 off the iPhone 4S on Thursday.

According to the retailer’s Facebook page:

Amazing savings alert–starting on 8/23 at 9am local time, the iPhone 4S (16G) will drop to $148, down from $188!

Select stores, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon customers, while supplies last, restrictions apply.

With Apple’s next-generation iPhone launching next month, many carriers and retailers are rapidly slashing prices on iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models. Walmart’s latest deal is available to folks with a new two-year contract, as noted in the ad above, or qualifying upgrade.

JUST IN! #iPhone 4s (16G) now $148 – down from $188!! Get the best prices on the latest smartphones at #Walmart, Your Wireless Price Leader!

— Walmart Newsroom (@WalmartNewsroom) August 23, 2012

Let us know in the comments below if Apple’s 16GB smartphone goes on sale at your local Walmart.

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Bluetooth keyboard for Mac/iPad/iPhone just $17

Élyse Betters Aug 21 2012 - 11:20 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Too cheap to buy Apple’s $70 Bluetooth keyboard? It’s O.K. you cheap bastard, we have you covered.

Right now, a “white Bluetooth wireless keyboard,” which connects to second-generation and third-generation iPad and iPhone 4S (or any Bluetooth device), is available on eBay for $16.99. The deal features free standard shipping with delivery on or before Aug. 25. It looks almost exactly like an Apple keyboard (Samsung involvement?), but we wouldn’t bet it is aluminum. With that said, the seller has a 99.6-percent positive rating from 116,000 customers.

Check it out:

New White Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard For iPad 2 3rd Generation Mac OS iPhone 4S

Buyer beware:

@9to5mac I bought that keyboard and it had two letter “E” keys. Also, half of the other keys stopped working after the first use.

— Don Southard (@binaryghost) August 21, 2012

@9to5mac Related: instagr.am/p/LGBPZDEBKO/

— Don Southard (@binaryghost) August 21, 2012

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iPhone trade-in roundup: Get as much as $500 back on the iPhone 4S, returns due as late as October

Élyse Betters Aug 21 2012 - 9:04 am PT

The next-generation iPhone is set to launch in just three weeks and trade-ins are peaking, so now is the perfect time to start exchanging those soon-to-be old models to earn some cash for Apple’s upcoming smartphone. 9to5Mac compiled a list of reliable places to help you trade in that ole’ dusty iPhone for cash or credit—up to $500s worth in some cases! That is enough to buy a new iPhone and cover the AT&T early termination fee for moving to a carrier that fully supports FaceTime.

Before browsing the options, take a moment to identify the condition, features, and model of the swappable iPhone. This will help determine its potential value, because most online programs use a survey to calculate the iPhone’s estimate. Moreover, it is prudent to act now, as retailers will likely drop their prices as the launch date draws nearer.

Check out the top 10 trade-ins list below.

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Poll: Should Apple build an iOS high-end, point-and-shoot/prosumer DSLR?

Élyse Betters Aug 20 2012 - 12:46 pm PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIRBxRlsYR0&feature=player_embedded#!]

iLounge reported in May that Apple is allegedly working on a “standalone digital camera, specifically a point-and-shoot model.” The website further said the device would deliver an image quality far beyond what the iPhone and iPad could deliver and attributed its information to sources, camera-related job openings at Apple, a re-trademarked iSight filing, and Walter Isaacson’s biography on Apple’s late cofounder. According to Isaacson, Steve Jobs named photography as one of three industries that he wanted to transform.

With that said, a camera would be a decidedly high-end market that Apple is seen exiting post haste (see Mac Pro, etc.). A REAL CAMERA with iOS camera apps would seem cool, but Apple does not take this type of high-volume market seriously. Most people are perfectly content with the amazing iPhone camera…and the new iPhone’s camera can only get better.

Nevertheless, perhaps Apple needs another hobby. Alternatively, maybe Apple can stave off the upcoming Android camera invasion by partnering with Canon or other makers to provide a hardware development kit that would tie into an iPod touch or iPhone for the user-interface. Imagine automatically uploading pictures from anywhere and using the power of apps to edit and manipulate while on the go. That dream may arrive first in Android format:

NikonRumors just posted leaked press shots of the Android-based Coolpix “s800c” camera, and it begs the question: Would Apple ever build an iOS-powered, point-and-shoot camera?

The leaked s800c pictures reveal a touchscreen menu on the backside, apparently running a Gingerbread flavor, with apps for a camera, email, browser, music, etc. Additional specs labeled on the front of the camera detail a “12X Wide Optical Zoom ED VR” in HD and a 4.5-54.0mm stock lens. NikonRumors, which has a decent track record in scooping Nikon, first discovered the s800c in a filling with the Indonesian Communication Agency. It originally noted the camera would tout a 3.5-inch OLED screen, Android 2.3 with Google Play apps, and built-in GPS and Wi-Fi.

: Polaroid SC1630

: Nikon s800c

: Nikon s800c

: Nikon s800c

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Read the grueling jury verdict test that Apple v. Samsung jurors must complete

Élyse Betters Aug 20 2012 - 8:56 am PT

Jury deliberations for the much-reported Apple vs. Samsung trial are set to begin this week, and both companies want the nine jurors to complete an intricate exam to determine if a patent was infringed. As The Wall Street Journal first noted, each side created an elaborate worksheet with dozens of multi-part questions:

The general principle is that for each device, the jury has to indicate “yes” or “no” for whether a certain patent is infringed.

Then there are fill-in-the-blank questions like: “What is the dollar amount that Samsung is entitled to receive from Apple for Samsung’s utility patent infringement claims on the ’516 and ’941 patents?” Fun stuff.

The jurors must be unanimous to determine whether a patent was infringed.

Judge Lucy Koh will decide on the final form to be presented to the jury.

Check out both proposed verdict forms below (via WSJ).

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Apple joins Google, Samsung and other adversaries to buy Kodak patents, perhaps signaling intent to curtail litigation

Élyse Betters Aug 17 2012 - 8:06 am PT

It must be a cold day in Hell. Apple is consorting with Google, Samsung, LG Electronics, and various ventures and firms to bid as a group on Kodak’s intellectual property.

Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in January, according to The Wall Street Journal, and it is looking to auction its patents to raise money for surviving a Chapter 11 court protection. Kodak could barter all 1,100 digital photography-based patents or end the auction without a deal, as the company announced it would name the winning bidders on Monday but eventually pushed the deadline upon talking with creditors.

The Wall Street Journal explained:

Negotiations and the bidding group’s composition are fluid, the people said. If the consortium reaches a deal to buy some or all of Kodak’s patents, they would essentially be kept out of any one company’s hands and could prevent consortium members from using them in litigation against each other. A deal, however, could also attract attention from federal antitrust regulators.

A deal for the entire portfolio—one of many options under discussion— could fetch more than $500 million based on recent negotiations, people familiar with the process said. That is well above opening bids when the auction started last week, but far below the $2.2 billion to $2.6 billion Kodak at one point said the patents could be worth.

In a statement Thursday, Kodak said discussions with buyers are active and that it isn’t ready to announce a result. The company added that it might decline to sell some or all of the patents, depending on how the auction progresses.

Photography and cameras are obviously a main feature of mobile devices. Competitors in the tech arena have joined forces in the past to snatch up attractive patents, but The Wall Street Journal noted it is “unusual for them all to join the same camp.”

Patent law whiz Michael Carrier, of Rutgers University in Camden, said the companies would not suffer antitrust issues if the tech giants commit to licensing on reasonable rates. Otherwise, an action such as dividing the patents without sharing the rights to use them could likely meet legal trouble down the road.

Get the full report at The Wall Street Journal.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.

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Report: ‘Kenny the Clown’ used Steve Jobs’ stolen 64GB iPad in clown routine

Élyse Betters Aug 17 2012 - 6:57 am PT

<em>Kenny the Clown</em>

Mercury News’ Mike Rosenberg caught up with the clown who had Steve Jobs’ 64GB stolen iPad.

Literally–he’s a professional clown. Kenneth Kahn, 47, received the iPad, which Mercury News noted as being “silver,” from 35-year-old Kariem McFarlin. He met McFarlin roughly a decade ago when he coached him on a basketball team in Alameda, Calif. Kahn thought he was getting an “old device McFarlin wanted to get rid of” and believed his friend bought a newer-version.

Kahn, who is known as “Kenny the Clown” by day, only used the illustrious tablet to play a “Pink Panther” theme song and Michael Jackson during a clown act.

Mercury News explained:

He had no idea the device came from the fabled Jobs residence until after the friend who gave him the gadget was charged with breaking into the CEO’s Palo Alto home. By then, the cops had already shown up at his door and taken it away.

“It would be like getting a football from Joe Montana that was stolen out of his house,” said the 47-year-old professional clown, whose real name is Kenneth Kahn. “It’s bizarre; it’s really bizarre.”

<em>Kenneth Kahn</em>

McFarlin, an Alameda resident with only a misdemeanor charge on his record for driving without a license in 1999, stole the iPad from Jobs’ Waverley Street home on July 17. He allegedly gave another iPad to his daughter, according to police, but both devices were returned to Jobs’ family upon McFarlin’s arrest on Aug. 2. McFarlin immediately admitted the crime and waited in jail Thursday in lieu of $500,000 bail.

“Before the public sees him as this horrible monster, I’d like to hopefully think we can somehow get across that he just made the worst mistake of his life,” Kahn said to Mercury News. “It still hasn’t really 100 percent set in for me. It was Steve Jobs’ iPad — literally. If this thing weren’t so tragic, it would be comical.”

Get the full report at Mercury News.

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Instagram 3.0 adds geo-tagged photo map and UI tweaks [Video]

Élyse Betters Aug 16 2012 - 9:28 am PT

[vimeo 47138800 w=600 h=381]

The Facebook-acquired, vintage photo-editing app Instagram is rolling out version 3.0 today for iOS and Android with a new Photo Map that highlights geo-tagged, filtered images.

“With every major release, we pick a theme – and for this one we’ve focused on the browsing experience. We’ve introduced a new and unique way to browse your photos and others’ photos on a map, which means you’re no longer constrained to browsing through page after page of photos,” announced Instagram on its official blog.

Once the update lands on the App Store and the Google Play Store, a Photo Map section will appear on all profiles. Instagram’s 80 million users can change between Grid and Chronological view modes and then zoom in and tap on photo stacks to navigate through all the geo-tagged images saved on an account. They can further delete unwanted pictures from their own stacks.

Additional user-interface refreshes include usernames now appearing in the app’s header, a multi-line caption box, and several performance enhancements to make the browsing experience, such as infinite scrolling in the feed and a new spam reporting system, more fluid and responsive.

“On newer devices, you should notice a marked improvement in speed while browsing. With that, we’ve introduced infinite scrolling in feeds so that you can quickly see more photos while browsing around the app. And finally, we’ve paid special attention to keeping Instagram a safe place. With improved reporting tools, users can now flag both photos and comments for review with ease,” Instagram explained.

The full change log:

– View your photos on a map (visit your profile and tap Photo Map to select which of your photos will be viewable on the map)

– Redesigned profile screen

– Redesigned upload screen

– Design improvements throughout

– Infinite scrolling on photo feeds

– Flag inappropriate comments

– Bug fixes and performance improvements

Get the latest version of Instagram at the App Store.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.

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TIME’s Wireless Issue examines phone dependency in the modern age

Élyse Betters Aug 16 2012 - 8:16 am PT

TIME magazine’s special wireless issue for this week takes an interesting look at how phones are practically now an extension of our minds and bodies.

The cover for “THE WIRELESS ISSUE. 10 Ways Your Phone is Changing the World” notably showcases more than 200 Instagram photographs from across the world; a mobile device captured each image. The magazine also features an in-depth, Qualcomm-partnered mobility poll that illustrates human dependency on smartphones and tablets. The poll tallied worldwide responses from 5,000 people online and by phone in June and July, and a whopping 84 percent said they could not go one day without a mobile device.

More poll results (via TIME Mobility Poll):

Mobile Use & Attitudes

– 84 percent worldwide said they couldn’t go a single day without their mobile devices in hand

– If forced to choose between the two, 65 percent worldwide opted to take their wireless mobile device with them in the morning instead of their lunch; 44 percent would leave their wallets at home in favor of their device

– 61 percent worldwide plan to replace their phone in less than two years

– 50 percent of Americans say they sleep with their mobile next to the bed—as do more than 80 percent of 18-24 year olds

– 32 percent of all respondents say that if it was their choice they would prefer to communicate by text message

– 30 percent said that being without their mobile for even short periods leaves them feeling anxious

– 23 percent of all respondents say they screen almost all their calls and tend to reply to many voicemails via text or email

Dating

– 55 percent (76 percent of 25-29 year olds) worldwide had flirted with someone via text message

– 43 percent have used texting to ask someone out on a date

– 24 percent of respondents globally said they sent a text message to coordinate or commit adultery – including 56 percent in China

Parenting

– 66 percent of people feel that their wireless devices have made them better parents

– 70 percent of parents think the benefits for kids of learning about technology outweigh the potential for distractions from studies

– The average age thought appropriate for a child to own a mobile phone is 13 years

Government & Politics

– 75 percent worldwide think governments should not have the power to shut off wireless networks for the purpose of suppressing peaceful dissent

– In the U.S., 28 percent say they are better informed about the news and current events; in China, that number jumps to 79 percent

– 40 percent in the U.S. say mobile technology has strengthened the economy; in China, 81 percent agree with that

– 50 percent agree that wireless mobile technology made the government more accountable to the people

Business

– 26 percent say they feel guilty if they don’t promptly respond to a work-related message outside of normal work hours

– In the U.S. only 19 percent said it is easier for them to be away from the office because of mobile technology

Multi-Tasking

– 64 percent (77 percent of 18-24 year olds) use their devices while watching TV

58 percent globally (74 percent in India) use their wireless mobile device while also using a laptop or desktop computer

“It is hard to think of any tool, any instrument, any object in history with which so many developed so close a relationship so quickly as we have with our phones. Not the knife or match, the pen or page. Only money comes close—always at hand, don’t leave home without it,” wrote TIME Deputy Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs. “But most of us don’t take a wallet to bed with us, don’t reach for it and check it every few minutes, and however useful money is in pursuit of fame, romance, revolution, it is inert compared with a smart phone—which can replace your wallet now anyway.”

Additional stories in the wireless issue include:

– Democracy: The Election Goes Mobile, By Michael Scherer
– Learning: Do Smart Phones Have a Place in School? By John Cloud
– Spending: A Week of Paying By Phone, By Harry McCracken
– Your Life is Fully Mobile, by Nancy Gibbs

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Teens flock to YouTube for music consumption over iTunes and other mediums

Élyse Betters Aug 14 2012 - 8:34 am PT

The majority of American teens prefer YouTube to iTunes, radio, online radio, and CDs when it comes to finding and listening to music.

Approximately two-thirds of 18-and-younger U.S. teenagers, according to a “Music 360” survey from research firm Nielsen (via The Wall Street Journal), claimed they sidestepped other music-listening mediums for Google’s video-sharing platform.

YouTube snagged 64 percent of 13-to-17 year olds, while radio came in second at 56 percent. iTunes held 54 percent, with CDs and Pandora rounding the top five at 50- and- 35 percent respectively.

The Wall Street Journal noted young folks regard YouTube as a “de facto free music service,” but adults do not take full advantage of the site’s complimentary content.

Go to 9to5Google for more information on adults’ favorite mediums.

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Leading US carriers to form Mobile Payments Committee with Google, ISIS, and others

Élyse Betters Aug 9 2012 - 1:22 pm PT

With the next-generation iPhone likely to dabble in the mobile payments arena, it is important for Apple to know there is a new sheriff in town.

Electronic Transactions Association CEO Jason Oxman announced the newly formed Mobile Payments Committee in an interview with VentureBeat this morning, where he explained the committee boasts representation from the four leading U.S. carriers.

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile have apparently united to grapple with mobile payments, and it appears Google, PayPal, ISIS, VeriFone, and Intuit are also members, while Verizon Executive Director of Federal Relations Jackie Moran serves as the group’s chair.

Go to 9to5Google for more information on the committee’s purpose.

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It’s official: Google agrees to pay record $22.5M FTC fine in Safari bypass dispute

Élyse Betters Aug 9 2012 - 8:37 am PT

We reported last week that the Federal Trade Commission voted to fine Google $22.5 million for violating browser security settings in Safari, but now Google has agreed to pay the record-setting amount and finally settle its dispute.

According to the press release (via MarketWatch):

Google to pay $22.5 million to settle FTC dispute

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Google Inc. GOOG +0.27% Thursday agreed to pay a $22.5 million penalty to settle a dispute with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The FTC said the penalty stems from charges that Google misrepresented users of Apple Inc.’sAAPL +0.13% Safari Web browser after saying it wouldn’t place tracking “cookies” or serve targeted ads to Safari users. The FTC said Google’s actions violated and earlier privacy settlement between the FTC and Google. Google shares were up less than 1% at $643.63 in early trading Thursday.

The allegations against Google began in February, when the search engine and other ad companies were caught bypassing Safari security settings to install tracking cookies on devices and computers without consent.

“The record setting penalty in this matter sends a clear message to all companies under an FTC privacy order,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz in another presser. “No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to consumers, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place.”

It is worth noting that the hefty fine roughly equals five hours of revenue for Google based on Q2 2012 sales.

The FTC’s full press release is below.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.

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iPhone TV ad for Canada spotlights iCloud…and pulled book

Élyse Betters Aug 6 2012 - 12:01 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGqqrrvctHo&feature=youtu.be]

A Canadian TV advertisement for iCloud on the iPhone, titled “Melody,” surfaced recently. The 30-second video starts with a shot of Jonah Lehrer’s “Imagine: How Creativity Works” front cover (Whoops!). Lehrer acknowledged last month that he fabricated quotes attributed to Bob Dylan, and publisher Houghton Mifflin immediately recalled and stopped sales of the popular book’s electronic and physical versions. The remainder of Apple’s ad highlights iCloud in conjunction with iTunes, iTunes U, Camera, SMS, and more.

Check it out: Melody

It is worth noting that readers have spotted the ad airing internationally over the past few weeks:

@9to5mac Not really new. This TV ad is shown since a few weeks in Germany.

— call me haibao :D (@iRodknocker) August 6, 2012

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Samsung begins producing blazing-fast ‘eMMC Pro Class 1500’ mobile flash memory

Élyse Betters Aug 2 2012 - 11:38 am PT

Samsung just announced the production of its latest advancement in flash memory for mobile devices: the eMMC Pro Class 1500.

“Samsung Electronics announced that it has now begun volume production of an ultra-fast embedded memory for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices in 16-, 32- and 64-gigabyte densities,” explained Samsung, as it noted the new chips feature read speeds of 140 MB/S and write speeds of 50 MB/S.

Those stats equal turbo web and video browsing, ameliorated multitasking, and a boost for processor-exhaustive gaming on smartphones and mobile devices. Users will love the performance enhancements, but manufacturers will enjoy the chip sizes. They go up to 1.2mm in thickness and just 0.6 grams in weight.

“The ultra high-speed storage device uses Samsung’s 64-Gb NAND with a toggle DDR 2.0 interface based on the company’s latest 20 nanometer class process technology. The new eMMC’s fully managed NAND memory comes with its own high performance controller and intelligent flash management firmware,” Samsung added.

The South Korea-based Company’s newest embedded multimedia cards are surely destined for more devices than the next-generation Galaxy.

This article is cross-posted at 9to5Google.

Get the full presser below.

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Aerial shots of Apple’s NC Data Center show off 100-acre solar array, Bloom energy cells and new tactical data center[Gallery]

Élyse Betters Aug 2 2012 - 10:56 am PT

.

Wired just published aerial shots of Apple’s data center in Maiden, N.C. from Monday, when construction crews were in the midst of laying foundation for a large structure in a northwest sylvan area, and it appears the company has just begun assembling its Bloom Energy fuel cells for biogas conversion.

According to Wired:

Our flyover captured some pretty clear images of the tactical data center, the massive solar array, and, of course, this new mystery building.

@9to5mac @disneyjournal what’s interesting is the solar farm is the same size as the magic kingdom.

— i_bad_apple (@i_bad_apple) August 2, 2012

Check out some closeups of the parts below, and Wired for full gallery and details.

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IDC: iPad still owns over 2/3rds of the tablet market, but Samsung and ASUS are gaining

Élyse Betters Aug 2 2012 - 8:48 am PT

Apple’s iPad set a shipment record in Q2 2012, which led to a “better-than-anticipated” quarter for the entire tablet market, according to the latest data from IDC.

Global tablet shipments hit 25 million units, with a 66.2-percent year-over-year increase, while Apple jumped from 11.8 million units shipped in Q1 2012 to 17 million for Q2.

“Apple built upon its strong March iPad launch and ended the quarter with its best-ever shipment total for the iPad, outrunning even the impressive shipment record it set in the fourth quarter of last year,” said Research Director Tom Mainelli.

Four of the top five worldwide vendors also eyed shipment increases year-over-year and solid growth in Q2. Samsung sits at second place with 2.4 million units shipped, which is an increase from 1.1 million units in Q2 2011, and ASUS notably almost tripled its amount of units shipped from a year ago. Interestingly, shipments of the Google/ASUS-branded Nexus 7 are not a part of these totals.

Get the full breakdown at IDC.

This article is cross-posted at 9to5Google.

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Apps and updates: Angry Birds, Infinity Blade, Temple Run, Magic 2013, and DOOM sale

Élyse Betters Aug 2 2012 - 8:29 am PT

[slideshow]

A slew of apps updated today, and 9to5Mac gathered the most noteworthy ones in our regular round up below. Today’s crop includes new additions to popular iOS games, including an app going Retina and some sales, and we will continue to update this list throughout the day.

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AAPL Company

iPad Smart Covers could get a whole lot smarter with built-in multi-touch flexible displays, solar panels, keyboards

Élyse Betters Aug 2 2012 - 7:15 am PT

The United States Patent & Trademark Office publicized a year-old Apple patent application today, as noted by Engadget, that described a futuristic iPad cover with a built-in, flexible AMOLED-type display.

The Smart Cover notably houses a touch-sensitive user-interface by way of a “sensor overlaid on the flexible flap display.” A small cover display on the front would also show notifications such as “recent emails, instant messages, or upcoming calendar events.”

Illustrations in the application suggested the inner cover could double as a keyboard, sketching area, solar panel, etc., while the outer-edge of the flexible cover, which is touch-sensitive too, would allow user input and enabling functions like play, pause, fast-forward, and rewind.

“Adding the integrated display to the flexible cover greatly enhances the overall functionality of the tablet device,” explained Apple in the patent application.

The tech passes data, video, and power through a MagSafe-like connector seated on the hinge, but the application further described how power could transfer to the Smart Cover from the tablet via a wireless or wired medium. Wireless charging, however, such as inductive charging, would enable the iPad as a power source for the cover.

The patent application named Fletcher Rothkopf as the inventor. He is a current product manager at Apple, but he previously served as a mechanical design engineer and iPod mechanical engineer and designer for the company.

Most of these USPTO treasures remain folkloric concepts, but it would be nice if this space-age design actually materialized.

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