Author

Jordan Kahn

Dir. Partnerships

9to5Mac / 9to5Google / 9to5Toys / Electrek.co / DroneDJ / SpaceExplored

Jordan manages the internal Partner Program for sponsorships and partnerships across the 9to5 network’s media brands including 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, Electrek.co, SpaceExplored and DroneDJ.com.

Jordan also writes about all things Apple as a Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and EV and solar news on Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series and makes music sometimes.

Contact Jordan with partnership inquiries and long-winded complaints:

Connect with Jordan Kahn

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AAPL Company

Apple once again denied sales ban on Samsung devices in ongoing patent case

Jordan Kahn Aug 27 2014 - 1:00 pm PT

5 Comments

Men pose with Samsung Galaxy S3 and iPhone 4 smartphones in photo illustration in Zenica

Bloomberg reports that Apple has once again been denied a sales ban request on Samsung products that were already found to infringe its patents back in May.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) failed again to win a sales ban on Samsung Electronics Co. (005930)products found to infringe its smartphone patents, even after requesting what it described as a more limited prohibition.

According to the report, Apple had narrowed its request to focus on only certain smartphone models, but Koh still denied the sales ban despite Apple offering Samsung a period of time to implement workarounds for the infringing features: Apple tried to make its request more viable by targeting specific infringing features in nine Samsung devices, and by offering what it called a “sunset period” to give its Suwon, South Korea-based rival a chance to design around the features before any ban was enforced, according to a court filing.

Today’s report from Bloomberg didn’t provide any additional details on the court’s decision.

Apple and Samsung haven’t yet responded to requests for comment.

Apple offering iPhones on AT&T Next installment plans through online store, but no Verizon or T-Mobile financing (yet)

Jordan Kahn Aug 27 2014 - 7:07 am PT

11 Comments

ATT-Next-iPhone

Following our report in late July that Apple was about to start selling iPhones through carrier upgrade/installment plans like AT&T’s Next, the company is now offering exactly that through its online store.
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Ralph Lauren introduces iPhone-connected ‘Polo Tech’ fitness tracking shirt

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 1:36 pm PT

2 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zipGvqaSJiE]

Ralph Lauren has announced it’s about to introduce a new iPhone-connected, sensor-filled Polo shirt capable of tracking and sending biometric data directly to your smartphone.

The Ralph Lauren Polo Tech shirt features sensors knitted into the core of the product to read biological and physiological information. With Ralph Lauren’s leadership in the design community, the compression shirt also has a sleek look in black with a signature yellow Polo Player logo. The second-skin fit enhances comfort and agility.

The company described a bit about how the technology it’s using from Canadian company OMsignal works:

With OMsignal, the data collected by the shirt is stored by a “black box,” which includes an accelerometer and gyroscope, which capture movement and direction. That ”black box” transmits the data into the cloud, where it is plugged into a number of algorithms that gauge important performance-oriented biometrics, including heartbeat and respiration, as well as some psychometrics, such as stress level and energy output.

While you can’t buy one yet, the product will be making its debut on ball boys and players during the US Open where Ralph Lauren is an official outfitter for the event. There’s no word on when exactly you’ll be able to get one for yourself, but Ralph Lauren is taking sign-ups for those interested in learning more when it officially launches next year.

AAPL Company

Bloomberg: Apple planning to release 12.9-inch iPad early next year

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 11:57 am PT

37 Comments

iPad-Pro-03

Following several reports and rumors over the last year, Bloomberg is reporting today that Apple is preparing to release a larger 12.9-inch iPad in early 2015:
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Yahoo Screen app for iOS adds personalized video feed of NFL Now content

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 11:15 am PT

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Yahoo announced a new partnership with the NFL today that brings content from the recently launched NFL Now network to Yahoo apps on the web, iPhone and iPad.

Earlier this month Apple added the NFL Now channel to the Apple TV and before that dedicated apps for iPhone and iPad launched on the App Store. Yahoo is hoping its experience through the Yahoo Screen mobile app (and later the Yahoo Sports app) will offer a better way to view the content:

With NFL Now, each morning you’ll receive a free, personalized video feed based on your favorite teams and up-to-the minute news. As a lifelong (tortured) Washington fan, I log in every morning on my way to work to stay up to date on RG III and Alfred Morris news, along with preseason highlights.

The feature is already available in the Yahoo Screen app for iPhone and iPad following an update earlier today and will soon come to the Yahoo Sports app as well.

Apps

Apple TV also gains SVT Play channel in Sweden & public broadcaster NRK in Norway

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 10:18 am PT

3 Comments

In addition to adding a channel for premium TV service Showtime in the U.S. and other markets today, Apple has also rolled out two new apps for markets abroad. Starting today, Apple TV users in Sweden will get access to SVT Play, an on-demand video service run by broadcaster Sveriges Television that already had an iOS app equivalent.

Another service rolling out to Apple TV users abroad today is a channel for Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. The company said today that the app offers 40,000 programs on-demand free to all users. A screenshot of the new app from NRK is above (on the right).

You can read more on the release of the Showtime app for Apple TV in the US here. Apple TV users in Norway and Sweden can expect the new channels to hit their second and third-gen Apple TVs today.

Apps

WatchABC & NPR One iOS apps add Chromecast support, ABC now AirPlays to Apple TV

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 9:40 am PT

2 Comments

A couple notable mobile apps for both Android and iOS are receiving updates today that bring Chromecast support including NPR One and the WatchABC apps.
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Verizon rolling out VoLTE in coming weeks ahead of iPhone 6 & iOS 8

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2014 - 6:53 am PT

8 Comments

iphonevolte

Verizon announced today that it plans to roll out support for Voice over LTE (VoLTE) ahead of Apple’s expected introduction of the feature alongside iOS 8 and iPhone 6. 9to5Mac first reported back in April that Apple is targeting voice-over-LTE support for iOS 8 and future iPhone models:
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Apps

Google releases Slides app for iPhone & iPad, updates to Docs and Sheets

Jordan Kahn Aug 25 2014 - 10:26 am PT

8 Comments

Screen Shot 2014-08-25 at 1.25.33 PM

Google today announced that it’s releasing a version of its Google Drive Slides app for iPhone and iPad alongside updates to its previously released Docs and Sheets apps for iOS devices.
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T-Mobile will let Simple Starter plans quadruple data for an extra $5/month starting Sept. 3

Jordan Kahn Aug 25 2014 - 6:43 am PT

2 Comments

T-Mobile announced today that it’s adding a new data option to its Simple Starter plans that will let users quadruple their data for much less than the competition.

Currently the company’s Simple Starter plans start at $40 for unlimited talk, text, and 500MB of LTE data. Starting early next month, the carrier will let customers on the plan bump up to a total of 2GB of data for just an extra $5 per month. T-Mobile is promoting the option as a better alternative to overage fees charged by other carriers.

CEO John Legere compared the option to his competitors noting that if you “get Verizon’s $50 plan and use just one gig more data, and the price jumps to $65. It’s crazy.”

“People who use loads of data use T-Mobile,” said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “And it’s no wonder. The old guard telecoms punish people for using more data on their networks with crazy overage charges and fees. Get Verizon’s $50 plan and use just one gig more data, and the price jumps to $65. It’s crazy. At T-Mobile, we designed our network data-strong so our customers could use the hell out of it. And that’s just what they’re doing.”

T-Mobile notes that the deal is a limited time offer and subject to change, so you’ll want to add the data to your plan before the promotion ends to take advantage. The promo officially kicks in on September 3.

Spotify iOS app adds enhancements for managing albums, Finnish language support

Jordan Kahn Aug 25 2014 - 6:31 am PT

1 Comment

Spotify-albums-iOS-01 Spotify updated its iOS app today for iPhone and iPad and with it brings a couple of handy enhancements for managing albums.

The updated app now includes the ability to “save whole albums to Your Music directly from the album page.” Users will also now be able to get quick access to an album’s release year or total play time by swiping any given album’s header.

In addition, version 1.6.0 of the app brings Finnish language support, a feature recently rolled out to the Spotify app on other platforms.

The updated Spotify app for iPhone and iPad is available on the App Store now.

What’s New in Version 1.6.0

New: Save whole albums to Your Music directly from the album page. Check out release year and total play time by swiping the album header.
New: Spotify now speaks Finnish.
Fictitious: This app was designed by David Hasselhoff.

Samsung mocks iPhone’s lack of waterproofing w/ Galaxy S5 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video

Jordan Kahn Aug 22 2014 - 6:31 am PT

103 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w4Gqt-ljb4]

With just about everyone in the tech industry getting in on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for ALS (including Apple’s own Tim Cook and Dr. Dre), Samsung decided it would also be an appropriate time to mock the iPhone and others in the process.
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Apps

Skype makes chat notifications less annoying when using multiple devices

Jordan Kahn Aug 20 2014 - 8:37 am PT

3 Comments

Skype_5.0_iPhone_chat

Skype announced today that it’s finally fixing the way notifications work for users with multiple devices by only delivering chat notifications to the device you’re actively using. If you’re signed into Skype on multiple devices like your Mac, iPhone and iPad, Skype will now recognize which device you’re actively using to chat and only send notifications to that device. It will also notice when you stop actively using a device and continue sending notifications to all devices. The changes are only for chat, however, as call notifications will continue to come through on all devices you’re signed into:

The moment you stop actively using Skype on any device, all devices will receive notifications again to make sure you never miss anything important. When you pick up any one of your devices to respond, we will stop send notifications to all other devices. Call notifications are still sent to all devices so you can answer on whichever gadget you prefer, not just the one you’re closest to.

Skype notes that with the change to notifications chat history will continue to “sync across all devices allowing you to continue a conversation from any one of them.”

Skype is rolling out the feature to all users on the latest version of Skype over the next few weeks.

KGI says iWatch/iBand launch could be pushed to 2015

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2014 - 1:06 pm PT

30 Comments

iwatch-concept-future-08

According to a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the much anticipated launch of Apple’s “iWatch” could be delayed into 2015. Kuo claims that difficulties with manufacturing the new device will likely be the cause of the delay:
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AAPL Company

Apple seeds OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 build 13F18 to developers and AppleSeed testers

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2014 - 10:39 am PT

2 Comments

Screenshot 2014-08-19 10.35.32

After providing developers with beta build 13F14 of the upcoming OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 last week, Apple today has released yet another build of the beta.

Build 13F18 is available now and asks developers to focus on USB, USB Smart Cards, Safari, Graphics, Thunderbolt and Gatekeeper integration with 10.9.5. Apple also reminded developers and testers of recent app signing changes for Gatekeeper: Signatures created with OS X version 10.8.5 or earlier (“v1 signatures”) are obsoleted and will no longer be recognized by Gatekeeper. To ensure your apps will run on updated versions of OS X they must be signed using the codesign tool on OS X version 10.9 or later (“v2 signatures”).

As always, the update is available to those running the previous seed through an update in the Mac App Store. The update is also available to testers in Apple’s AppleSeed program.

Confirmed: Security breach is not reason for Gatekeeper app signing changes

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2014 - 9:24 am PT

1 Comment

Mac-App-Store

Yesterday there were a few claims going around that Apple’s recent change to Gatekeeper app signing for developers was the result of a Dev Center security breach. TUAW reported yesterday on a few random tweets and others picked up the story. As you’d probably expect, we have some good news: It’s not true…
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AAPL Company

Mercedes-Benz & Volvo delay CarPlay support into 2015, Pioneer update still MIA

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2014 - 8:47 am PT

4 Comments

CarPlay-Lineup-2014

Apple’s s new in-car solution for iOS, first revealed over a year ago at WWDC, appears to be hitting delays as some car manufacturers push back release schedules into next year.
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Apps

Good news for iTunes podcasters: Adam Carolla just beat patent trolls Personal Audio

Jordan Kahn Aug 19 2014 - 7:10 am PT

8 Comments

Adam_Carolla_Pictures Good news today for iTunes podcasters: Adam Carolla has won in his fight against patent trolls Personal Audio after more than a year of litigation. The outcome likely means that the patent troll will cut its losses with suing other podcasters, something it has been threatening to do with others in the community throughout the case with Carolla.
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Xbox One SmartGlass app adds ability to buy & install Xbox games remotely, more

Jordan Kahn Aug 18 2014 - 11:38 am PT

2 Comments

Xbox-One-smartglass-01

Microsoft updated its Xbox One SmartGlass app for iPhone and iPad today with a few interesting new features including the ability to purchase and remotely begin installing games to your Xbox.

The app now lets users browse new and popular games, add-ons, and bundles as well, which will come in handy now that you can also purchase and begin automatically installing content on your Xbox right from your iPhone or iPad.

Also included in version 2.8 of the app is the ability to “rate your favorite game clips and activity feed entries” and “receive and view shared Activity Feed and Game Clips”.

The updated Xbox One SmartGlass app for iOS is available on the App Store now. A full list of what’s new in the update is below.

What’s New in Version 2.8

•Rate your favorite game clips and activity feed entries
•Purchase things on your phone or tablet and they will start installing on your Xbox
•Browse new and popular games, add-ons, and bundles
•Receive and view shared Activity Feed and Game Clips
•General stability and polish improvements
•Bug fixes

AAPL Company

Fair Labor Association publishes data from audits of two Apple suppliers, Apple responds

Jordan Kahn Aug 15 2014 - 10:30 am PT

2 Comments

tim-cook-foxconn-plant

The Fair Labor Association, the group that has been performing independent assessments of Apple’s supplier facilities since 2012, today published findings from audits of Apple suppliers it carried out last year after. The reports include assessments of two Apple facilities in Shanghai and Changshu, China (here and here) that belong to Apple’s partner Quanta and also highlight a number of infractions that range from illegal recruitment policies to health and safety concerns and violations of laws related to underage employees working overtime.

The audits were previously included in Apple’s 2014 Responsibility Report with the company saying today that it has worked to improve the work conditions at the Quanta factories since. These are of course isolated events at just two of Apple’s suppliers, and Apple makes it clear in a statement (via TechCrunch) that it will cut ties with companies that don’t meet the FLA’s strict guidelines: Our suppliers must live up to the toughest standards in the industry if they want to keep doing business with Apple.
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TweetDeck for Mac gets Regional/City Trends column, other improvements

Jordan Kahn Aug 15 2014 - 9:38 am PT

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Tweetdeck-mac-01

TweetDeck for Mac was updated via the Mac App Store to version 3.8.4 and with it comes a new feature that will show regional and city trends. “You can now find locally trending topics for Regions and Cities, and add a column based on the trend.”

The update also includes a number of other improvements and fixes. You can now remove scheduled tweets from the Scheduled column by removing the time from a tweet and the other update also includes improvements for multiphoto tweets in large columns. In addition, the updated app fixes a few annoyances like the empty columns bug after a computer wakes from sleep as well as retweets with emoji not display properly.

The updated TweetDeck for Mac is available on the Mac App Store now.

What’s New in Version 3.8.4

– Fixes issue with empty columns after computer wakes from sleep.
– Regional + City level Trends. You can now find locally trending topics for Regions and Cities, and add a column based on the trend.
– Retweeting a Tweet with emoji no longer scrambles Tweet contents
– Removing time from a scheduled tweet now removes that Tweet from the Scheduled column.
– Multiphoto inprovements for large columns

Android gains marketshare from iOS in Q2 as 60% of its shipments hit under $200 off-contract

Jordan Kahn Aug 14 2014 - 1:05 pm PT

24 Comments

Smartphone-shipments-IDC-Q214

IDC released its second quarter report for worldwide smartphone shipments by operating system today and in it noted iOS and Android accounted for 96% of the global market. That number, however, comes only as Android grew on the strength of higher sales of low-cost devices abroad.
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AAPL Company

Apple makes key Maps hire from Nokia HERE as it fixes past leadership’s mistakes

Jordan Kahn Aug 14 2014 - 11:20 am PT

3 Comments

Apple Maps

Apple has made another notable hire from the mapping world this month: the Cupertino-based company, coming off of a series of mishaps in its Maps division, has brought on former Nokia HERE and NAVTEQ executive Torsten Krenz, according to sources. Before joining Apple this month, Krenz served as Nokia HERE’s director of regional map and content.

Krenz has had a long career in the mapping world and previously served as Vice President of Global Expansion in NAVTEQ’s Digital Mapping Operations before it was acquired by Nokia and merged with Here. Sources say Krenz was leading global field operations and responsible for ground truth mapping worldwide at Here before departing for Apple. It’s an interesting hire as Apple also hints at a new data-collection project for Maps and could be another clue the company is looking to step up its own data-collection to improve Maps.
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AAPL Company

Apple makes Fortune’s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies list for 8th consecutive year

Jordan Kahn Aug 14 2014 - 9:09 am PT

1 Comment

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Apple might have dropped from #38 to #88 this year on Fortune’s list of the 100 Fastest-Growing Companies published today, but it’s also making the list for its 8th consecutive year. That means Apple has now been on the list more than any other company and also has the longest streak of consecutive appearances.

There aren’t a lot of other high profile tech companies that made the list, but a couple notables include Baidu at #46 and Tivo at #73.

Fortune’s list ranks companies (with a market cap of $250 million or more) based on revenue growth rate; EPS growth rate; and three-year annualized total return for the period ended June 30, 2014.