Élyse Betters

Apple expanded its recycling program in the United States in August to give customers an opportunity to —well— recycle their used iPhones and iPads for Apple gift cards, and now the technology giant is extending the program  even further by launching a similar initiative in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

According to its German website (Google translation),  Apple will not offer payment in the form of an Apple gift card, but rather as cash deposited into customers bank accounts in exchange for returned devices. Macworld UK  and Macerkopf.de (Google translation) confirmed that these same rules apply for the programs in France and the U.K.

“With the Reuse and Recycling Programme, you could turn your old equipment into a brand-new Mac, iPod, iPhone or iPad,” announced Apple. “Whether it’s an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computer, working or not, we’ll take it and determine if it qualifies for reuse and has a monetary value. If it does, the amount will be credited directly into your bank account. If it doesn’t, you can recycle it responsibly through one of our free recycling programs.”

The recycling program is made possible through a partnership with Dataserv, and the  green measure contributes to Apple’s existing programs —as noted by its website— for recycling Macs, PCs, iPods, mobile phones, and batteries…

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The iCade is an attachable accessory for the Apple iPad that functions as a portable arcade cabinet, but now the device’s manufacturer unveiled three new products under the popular line that toggle the iPhone and iPod Touch.

ION Audio showcased the products at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The manufacturer recreated the original arcade setup by ditching the cabinet exterior in favor of landscape support.

The first product is the iCade Mobile for iPhone 4/4S or iPod Touch. According to Engadget, it is a handheld with gaming buttons and a D-pad, which subsequently adds 1.5-inches onto each side of the iOS mobile device. The iCade Mobile also allows users to switch between portrait and landscape mode. ION said it expects about 100 games to be compatible with the product, and the retail price is currently set at $79.99 USD.

[viddler id=167678ef&w=437&h=288]

Pictures for each new iCade product are displayed after the break.

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Corning Inc., announced today its plan to unveil Gorilla Glass 2 at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, and the company said more product details would be made available Jan. 9.

The Corning, N.Y.-based company plans to “showcase the critical role of highly engineered specialty glass in addressing emerging trends” at CES 2012. Some of the highlights include increased functionality from smaller form factors; connected devices in new applications; touch technology; and, large-format design aesthetics.

However, the main attraction to the Corning booth will be the introduction of Gorilla Glass 2, which is the next generation of the damage-resistant cover glass found on practically every consumer electronic today. CES attendees will have access to Corning experts and products featuring the latest Gorilla Glass applications.

The timely debut of Gorilla Glass 2 comes just before the rumored early-2012 launch of the iPad 3, as well as the rumored summer-to-fall launch of the iPhone 5, leaving room for Apple to include the latest technology on its upcoming devices.

Although not confirmed, it is worth speculating whether Corning supplied Apple, before today’s announcement, with Gorilla Glass 2 for iOS device production. The idea does not seem far-fetched considering the nature of both companies’ relationship…

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Broadcom Corporation is a global innovator for wired and wireless communications, and today the company announced its first family of 802.11ac chips designed for a broad range of product segments.

The chips, also called “5G Wi-Fi” by Broadcom, do not correlate with 3G and 4G cellphone networks. The BCM4360, BCM4352, BCM43526 and BCM43516 chips improve Wi-Fi’s range and are significantly more efficient. Perhaps, the most tantalizing aspect is that the 5GHz-based technology has speeds beyond 1Gbps and is currently in the high-end range of consumer Ethernet.

Apple currently uses Broadcom Wi-Fi Chips in its Mac line and in its iOS devices, including iPad and iPods.  The latest MacBook Airs have the Broadcom BCM4322 Intensi-fi® Single-Chip 802.11n Wi-Fi Transceiver.  Maybe we will see something a little faster later this year…

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UPDATE: The Guardian reported tonight, Jan. 4, that Apple is “believed to have ruled itself out of the running” for the rights to stream Premier League football content.

Despite much speculation from media outlets, such as The Daily Mail, it seems Apple has not even discussed the idea of bidding, and the company is unlikely to make an offer after the conclusion of this season.

Furthermore, The Guardian said Apple’s primary competitor in the streaming device market, Google, is “considered a more likely bidder.”

Reports surfaced late Jan. 3 claiming Apple wants to stream Premier League football content to its Apple TV service.

The Premier League will consider bids for next season after the rights to screen football games expires at the end of the 2011 to 2012 season.

The Daily Mail reported Jan. 3 that both Apple and Google are interested in purchasing rights to Premier League content for their respective Apple TV and Google TV services. Such streaming content is considered premium and could help solidify Apple TV in the United Kingdom while boosting iPad sales.

Apple’s U.K. iTunes subscription infrastructure is secure, but Apple TV is struggling due to a lack of streaming apps offered within the country. Apple TV in the U.K. presently offers a subscription package to Major League Baseball. Therefore, a Premier League app would compliment the available selection considerably.

The Mail did not quote sources but said the involvement of Apple and Google would “give the [Premier League] a hugely competitive market at a time when the price of other TV sports rights are in decline.”

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It’s Caucus Day in Iowa, and most Americans will be tuned into their favorite news channel to see who the winner will be.  This year, though, the elections entered the twenty-first century due to The New York Times’ “Election 2012” free iPhone application available through the App Store.

According to the NYT, the app gives iPhone users “news, opinion, polls and live election night results,” from its own publication and other top sources, while providing “the best campaign coverage anywhere.”

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Apple offers a wide variety of digital content for those looking to find their Christmas spirit this holiday season. Classic flicks adorn iTunes and the App store as digital downloads, audio books, albums and applications, and each media selection gives global users the opportunity to find good cheer…

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.10664228&w=650&h=420&fv=]

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Apple is one of the only online retailers left to offer free next-day shipping during the holiday season.

Still haven’t finished shopping this holiday season? Well, luckily for you, most online retailers are catering to slackers looking to spend an extra buck on gifts.

Those who are down to the wire can still get their gadgets delivered before Dec. 25, and 9to5Mac has put together a list of popular places to order these tech toys before it is too late.

First, and foremost, is Apple. The 2 to 3 day shipping option passed yesterday, but the technology giant is now offering free next-day shipping on all products across the board. The cutoff date is Dec. 21, but iPods and iPads can no longer be engraved, nor can a Mac be customized. The Apple TV is also available for complimentary next-day shipping.

Best Buy is second on the list. Standard shopping ended today at 11 a.m. However, expedited delivery is available until tomorrow at 11 a.m. Express delivery is guaranteed until Dec. 22 at 11 a.m. Both services cost additional, but after that, customers will need to rely on free store pickup.  You can always buy online then pick up in store…

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Local government authorities are investigating last weekend’s explosion that injured 61 people at the Shanghai factory of  an Apple iPad 2 back-panel supplier after much outcry from China Labor Watch.

CLW was founded in 2000, according to their website, and it is an independent not-for-profit organization that has collaborated with unions and labor organizations to assess factories in China.

The Dec. 17 blast at Ri Teng Computer Accessory Co., owned by Taipei-based Pegatron Corp., was similar to the explosion at a Foxconn Technology Group facility in May, according to a Dec. 19 statement from CLW.

“The blast in Riteng is a result of aluminum dust in the workshop where ipad cases are polished,” said CLW in its press release. “A similar blast happened in the same workshop of a Foxconn’s factory in Chengdu, killing 3 workers and hurting another 15.”

CLW said there was “a lot of aluminum dust in the workshop,” but apparently, the workers were not aware of the “potential danger before the blast.”

The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration said aluminum dust is highly combustible, according to its online health guidelines. The administration stressed the need to take special precautions in handling the substance in occupational settings.

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Walter Isaacson cannot write an alternate ending for Steve Jobs in his famed biography, but the author is entertaining plans to expand the 630-page book in the future.

Isaacson shared his upcoming plans, and numerous anecdotes about the two years he spent with the late Apple CEO, at a Dec.14 event hosted by the Commonwealth Club of California. Fortune senior editor Adam Lashinsky moderated the sold-out discussion.

The biographer mentioned plans to create an annotated version of the best-selling biography.

According to CNN’s Fortune, the author also described Jobs’ influence on the book’s cover at the San Francisco event. The Apple cofounder apparently teased Isaacson about quitting the interviews unless he was given input over the cover:

“It took me about one and a half seconds to say, ‘Sure!’” said Isaacson to the event’s crowd. “I mean this is one of the greatest design eyes of our time.”

Isaacson further discussed writing an addendum to the book that details the days before and after Jobs’ death:

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Samsung dropped its lawsuit in Germany seeking to ban the sale of Apple’s iPhone 4S.

The South Korea-based company had focused its complaint against a patent covering 3G communications tech. According to patent expert Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, Samsung recently discovered a Qualcomm licensing agreement protects the technology.

“Other news from Mannheim: Samsung has formally given up attacking the iPhone 4S with 3G patents. Recognizes Apple is licensed thru Qualcomm,” tweeted Mueller on Dec. 16.

Samsung recently lost a preliminary bid to ban iPhone 4S sales in France; although, the case can progress as a patent trial:

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Apple climbed into the list of top 10 places to work in 2012, alongside fellow technology giants Google and Facebook, according to a new Glassdoor survey.

The fourth annual Employees’ Choice award highlights 50 of the best workplaces. The findings are measured through company employees’ survey responses on Glassdoor.com.

“The reviews are in,” said the career community website in its Dec. 14 press release. “Employees have spoken, revealing the best companies to work for in 2012; and, they love working at some of the biggest tech, science and management consulting companies in the nation…
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