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Scott Forstall says that Australian ‘turn by turn’ in Maps is in qualifying stages
For Australians wondering why turn-by-turn is not turned on in iOS Maps, or when it will turn on for that matter, a forwarded email from Apple Senior Vice President of iOS Scott Forstall may shed some light. The email is in response to the question of whether or not turn-by-turn “will be switched on for us Aussies in the near future?” Forstall responded:
Australia is definitely important to us. We first need to make sure our data is exceptional and qualified before turning on turn-by-turn.
Forstall’s reply seems to indicate it will pop up very soon.
Update: Luke Hopewell from the Aussie Giz has the same email and some additional local color.
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Roundtable: Pundits Gruber, Stevens, Snell, Siegler and Dalrymple discuss iPhone 5 [video]
TechCrunch did a panel at the Disrupt conference of ‘some folks’ who got to play with the iPhone 5 after Apple’s event. The running themes were the new iPhone’s light weight, the panoramic camera, and comparison to Android.
Here’s an SUV driving through the front plate glass of an Apple Store during a smash and grab [surveillance video]
This is the Temecula Store that was robbed last week. The suspects are in custody because the steel grating grabbed the license plate on the way out. [via tech-shizzle]
Get psyched up for today’s iPhone announcement by watching the original 5 years ago [HD Video]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uW-E496FXg&hd=1]
This was probably the biggest Apple announcement of the decade: the iPhone and what would become iOS was something entirely new and —forgive the terminology— magical. Crank it up to 720p in the settings sprocket.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vququ7x8gnw&hd=1]
Prominent developer continues to believe NFC hardware exists on the new iPhone
Prominent iOS developer @Chronic seems to indicate in a series of tweets this morning that there is indeed NFC hardware in the iPhone 5 (or at least prototypes), but it perhaps is not set up to be used for payment systems.
[tweet https://twitter.com/chronic/status/245834867626090496]
[tweet https://twitter.com/chronic/status/245836508068708352]
[tweet https://twitter.com/chronic/status/245837468488839168]
[tweet https://twitter.com/chronic/status/245840258040745984]
The tweets seems to fall along the same lines as what we had heard earlier about prototypes. However, Jim Dalrymple from the Loop disputed claims of NFC hardware, perhaps to temper expectations.
Just as a note: The iPhone had the capability to use FM RX/TX radio for years, but Apple decided not to enable it for listening to radio stations or even broadcasting to your car stereo for whatever reason. This could be a similar situation.
We will not know for sure until the iPhone is torn down later this month.
MacUpdate Video/Photo/Utility Bundle: $39
From 9to5Toys.com:
MacUpdate is running a solid bundle today including a bunch of DVD, Video, Image editing tools as well as some network utilities. Not a bad deal for $39
Crucial SATA 3 SSDs 256GB:$165 512GB:$350. USB 3.0 Lexar Flash 32GB: $18 64GB: $40
Per 9to5Toys.com: Amazon’s got some pretty sick prices today:
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Crucial M4 256GB SATA 6Gbps 2.5″ Internal SSD for $165 + pickup at Fry’s(9to5toys.com)
Samsung 128GB 830 Series SATA Internal SSD for $89 + free shipping, more(9to5toys.com)
Crucial 256GB M4 SATA 6Gbps 2.5″ Internal SSDs from $170 + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
OCZ Agility 256GB SATA 6Gbps 2.5″ SSD for $165 after rebate + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
Transcend 256GB 2.5″ SATA III 6Gbps SSD for $155 + $2 s&h(9to5toys.com)
Samsung 256GB SATA 6Gbps Internal SSD from $189 + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
OCZ Agility 256GB SATA 6Gbps 2.5″ SSD for $120 after rebate + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
Lexar 64GB JumpDrive S73 USB 3.0 Flash Drive for $38 + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
Samsung 256GB SATA 6Gbps Internal SSD for $180 + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
Samsung 128GB 830 Series SATA 6Gbps Internal SSD for $95 + free shipping(9to5toys.com)
HP releases KIRF iMac complete with Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad
It feels like consumer PC hardware can now be defined thusly: “Make something as close as possible to an Apple product without getting sued.”
HP’s Spectre One comes with accessories that look and act almost identical to Apple counterparts including the wireless keyboard, trackpad and mouse. The screen looks like a Cinema Display with HP pasted over the Apple. The only difference is the back (which few will see).
Perhaps manufacturers are learning the wrong lesson from Samsung. Although Engadget did not notice (or mention) any resemblance beyond the “Magic Trackpad style,” just about every commenter did. Update: Engadget Editor Tim Stevens says it was too obvious to mention:
[tweet https://twitter.com/tim_stevens/status/245136336883965952]
[tweet https://twitter.com/stroughtonsmith/status/245118820098920448]
What say you? Homage or Rip-off? (Also: What is Kirf?)
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We can laugh at ourselves can’t we? (part 2)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kTTSsB92L_s#!]
If not, we can laugh at this.
For the first half of the video, head here.
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2012 Refurb MacBook Airs now at Apple Store 15% off, start at $850
From 9to5Toys.com:
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Apple just plopped a few of the MacBook Airs that were released at WWDC 2012 into the refurb section of the Apple online store starting at a healthy $850 discount price.
Notably, Fry’s has the new 13″ Base Model MacBook Air for $999, $200 off retail for those near a store for pickup. More great prices at 9to5Toys.com:
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Iconic Shanghai Apple Store floods, temporarily closes
Reader Dan just sent us some pictures of the iconic Shanghai Apple Store that is currently being cleaned up due to a pretty significant flood.
Big flood in their flagship Shanghai, China store located in the Pudong district of Shanghai.…unfortunately, they were not allowing the public to take pictures so i wasn’t able “sneak in” too many pictures but i’ve attached a short video and couple pics.When i arrived they had already blocked off the area where it was flooding and tried to control it by putting bins underneath to catch the water. They covered surrounding iPads/Macs with plastic cover. Unclear as to how much damage occurred.
It is not the kind of damage that comes from a drive through smash-and-grab, but it will take some time to clean up this mess. Thanks Dan!
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JD Power: iPhone ranks highest in customer satisfaction for 8th consecutive study
For the eighth consecutive study, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer satisfaction. Apple achieves a score of 849 and performs well in all factors, particularly in physical design and ease of operation. HTC (790) follows Apple in smartphone rankings.
HTC was its closest competitor. So, I guess that is news. [via the Loop]
2012 U.S. WIRELESS SMARTPHONE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION STUDY AND 2012 U.S. WIRELESS TRADITIONAL MOBILE PHONE SATISFACTION STUDY
- DATE PUBLISHED: 09/06/2012
J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Social Networking and Gaming Applications Driving Smartphone Usage and Revenue
Apple Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Smartphone Manufacturers, While LG Ranks Highest Among Traditional Mobile Phone Manufacturers
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 06 September 2012 — As wireless phones continue to be integrated in every aspect of consumers’ lives, smartphones are quickly gaining a foothold as the centerpiece of mobile social media. The seamless connectivity offered by mobile social networking applications, such as Twitter and Facebook, play a critical role in overall smartphone satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 2 and the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 2, both released today.The Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study finds that customers who regularly use mobile channels of social media and gaming applications are more satisfied with their device and spend more per month for wireless service than customers who do not. In 2012, 67 percent of smartphone customers indicate they have downloaded social networking applications on their device and report spending more than 100 minutes per week using those applications. Overall smartphone satisfaction among customers using social networking applications is 810 (on a 1,000-point scale), which is 55 points higher than among smartphone customers who do not. Additionally, 69 percent of smartphone customers indicate they have downloaded gaming applications and spend an average of 81 minutes per week playing games. Satisfaction among customers using gaming applications is 61 points higher than among those who do not (813 vs. 752, respectively).
Social Networking and Gaming Applications Driving Smartphone Usage and Revenue
Apple Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Smartphone Manufacturers, While LG Ranks Highest Among Traditional Mobile Phone Manufacturers
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 06 September 2012 — As wireless phones continue to be integrated in every aspect of consumers’ lives, smartphones are quickly gaining a foothold as the centerpiece of mobile social media. The seamless connectivity offered by mobile social networking applications, such as Twitter and Facebook, play a critical role in overall smartphone satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 2 and the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction StudySM–Volume 2, both released today.The Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study finds that customers who regularly use mobile channels of social media and gaming applications are more satisfied with their device and spend more per month for wireless service than customers who do not. In 2012, 67 percent of smartphone customers indicate they have downloaded social networking applications on their device and report spending more than 100 minutes per week using those applications. Overall smartphone satisfaction among customers using social networking applications is 810 (on a 1,000-point scale), which is 55 points higher than among smartphone customers who do not. Additionally, 69 percent of smartphone customers indicate they have downloaded gaming applications and spend an average of 81 minutes per week playing games. Satisfaction among customers using gaming applications is 61 points higher than among those who do not (813 vs. 752, respectively).
“As the capabilities of wireless phones and their applications continue to expand, allowing customers to more often use their device, handset manufacturers have an opportunity to shape the customer experience and impact satisfaction with better application integration and social networking options,” said Uma Jha, senior director of mobile devices at J.D. Power and Associates.
The Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study also finds that customers who use gaming applications spend $13 more per month, on average, for their wireless service than those who do not use gaming applications. Likewise, mobile social media application users spend an average of $12 more per month on their service than do customers who do not use social media applications.
The two studies measure customer satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets andsmartphones among owners who have used their current mobile device for less than one year. Satisfaction is measured in several key factors. In order of importance, the key factors of overall satisfaction with traditional wireless handsets are: performance (29%); ease of operation (26%); physical design (24%); and features (21%). For smartphones, the key factors are: performance (33%); physical design (23%); features (22%); and ease of operation (22%).
For the eighth consecutive study, Apple ranks highest among manufacturers of smartphones in customer satisfaction. Apple achieves a score of 849 and performs well in all factors, particularly in physical design and ease of operation. HTC (790) follows Apple in smartphone rankings.
LG ranks highest in the Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study with a score of 726. LG performs well in all four factors.
The studies also find the following key wireless handset usage patterns and purchase trends:
- The cost of a traditional wireless mobile phone averages $56, compared with an average of $66 in 2011. The decline is primarily due to discounts provided by handset providers and wireless service carriers to incentivize sales. Currently, 44 percent of customers report having received a free mobile phone when subscribing to a wireless service.
- Features have become less of a differentiator in the smartphone selection processes due to an influx of competitive offerings from newer manufacturers. Nearly one-half (47%) of customers this year indicate they chose their smartphone primarily because of particular features, such as a camera, the operating system, or social media integration or gaming capabilities, compared with 57 percent just one year ago.
- Nearly one-fifth (19%) of customers this year primarily chose their smartphone based on price, compared with 14 percent a year ago. This may be driven by offers of free or heavily discounted devices from wireless carriers, as 22 percent of customers indicate their smartphone was free, an increase from 18 percent a year ago.
- Nearly two in 10 current smartphone owners report experiencing a software or device malfunction. Malfunctions have a significant impact on overall satisfaction, a gap of 90 points between customers who experience software malfunctions and those who do not (799 vs. 709, respectively). Additionally, satisfaction among customers who indicate their device’s software crashes at least once a week averages 663.
The 2012 U.S. Wireless Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study–Volume 2 and the 2012 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study–Volume 2 are based on experiences reported by 8,736 smartphone owners and 6,272 traditional mobile phone owners. Both studies were fielded between January and June 2012.
For more information on customer satisfaction with wireless service, wireless retail sales, cell phone handsets, customer care, prepaid wireless service and business wireless service, please visit JDPower.com.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial’s leading brands include Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available athttp://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
Media Relations Contacts:
John Tews; J.D. Power and Associates; Troy, Mich.; (248) 680-6218;media.relations@jdpa.com
Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103; media.relations@jdpa.com
Follow us on Twitter: @JDPower
No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.www.jdpower.com/corporate
The most valuable company on earth is also Fortune’s 8th fastest growing
Fortune runs the numbers:
Some had worried that the loss of Steve Jobs might hinder the seemingly relentless forward march of Apple. They needn’t have. Since Jobs passed away last year, Apple’s share price has risen almost 80%. In August, the iPhone maker overtook Microsoft as the largest-ever U.S. company by stock-market value.
Revenue Growth: 52 percent
Profit Growth: 70 percent
Total Return: 60 percent
Revenue ($ millions): $142,360
Net Income ($ millions): $38,617
We can laugh at ourselves right?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFhjDX-DUew]
If not, we can laugh at this.
And here’s the iPhone 5 earpiece speaker [gallery]
We see what happens above when you take off the bronze covering that originally was thought to cover an NFC chip. The location, size and connectors later seemed to indicate that it was the iPhone 5’s earpiece speaker…and now that’s been uncovered.
Looks kinda like this, no?
iTeleport VNC software for Mac $2 (96% off) today only (Fumy and ScreenFloat too)
From 9to5Toys.com:
iTeleport: VNC for Mac is $2 today only (The iOS application also discounted to $7.99) as part of the $2 Tuesday promotion. The VNC app is extremely well done, well reviewed and normally comes in at a hefty $50.
Control your computer from anywhere in the world!
iTeleport is a remote desktop application that lets you connect to your Windows, Mac and Linux computers from anywhere. You can view your remote computer’s screen, and use the mouse and keyboard just as if you were sitting right in front of it.
Some of the uses for iTeleport include:
• Access the files on your computer from anywhere.
• Help your parents with tech support easily.
• Watch over your child’s online behavior to make sure they are safe.
• Access your work computer from home.Optionally install the free iTeleport Connect helper utility on your Mac / Windows PC, or configure VNC / RDP manually if you’re a tech geek.
Other notable $2 Tuesday apps include: Fumy
Paint with smoke! Fumy is a totally unique artwork app with unique tools that allow you to brush and render stunning graphics resembling smoke & more. Create abstract backgrounds, text written in lightning, drawings of smoke or whatever – Fumy will help you to convert your idea into an incredible smoke-effect painting.
…and ScreenFloat
Use ScreenFloat to keep information always visible, no matter which application you’re in. Create a screenshot of the relevant portion of your screen with ScreenFloat and it will float above all windows. With ScreenFloat, you don’t have to move or resize windows around to transfer information from one window to another.
The Beeb’s iPlayer now supports downloading content for offline viewing
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According to The Guardian, the BBC iPlayer for iOS devices will soon gain the ability to download content for offline viewing or viewing abroad.
Viewers will now be able to watch the latest series of Doctor Who and other BBC favourites while travelling and on holiday abroad, with the corporation allowing programmes to be downloaded from the iPlayer to tablets and smartphones for the first time.
Wow. This idea needs to catch on with U.S. media companies.
He added: “With mobile downloads, you can now load up your mobile phone or tablet with hours and hours of BBC programmes, then watch them on the road, on the tube, on a plane, without worrying about having an internet connection or running up a mobile data bill.”
Once downloaded, programmes will be available for 30 days, or within seven days of being watched. Up to 50 hours of TV will fit on a 16GB iPhone or iPad, or 25 hours of higher-definition content.
Australia’s capital, Canberra, gets itself an Apple Store this week (+Perth gets another one)
A reader just emailed us about Australia’s capital apparenly getting an Apple Store in just a few short days. The most remote city on earth, Perth, will also get another store at Garden City.
Both stores open at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday per ifo:
[tweet https://twitter.com/ifostore/status/242770256051965953]
Some ‘unseen’ outtakes from iconic Steve Jobs shoot
The above picture is a nice outtake from Norman Seeff’s photo session that yielded the iconic Lotus-position Mac image. It adorns the back of the official Steve Jobs biography and was displayed prominently at the “Celebration of Steve” last year.
Price Drop: MacBook Airs at the Apple Store now start at $679
From 9to5Toys.com:
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Apple quietly dropped the prices on refurbished MacBook Airs last night by up to $120. Notables above are 2010 releases of the 11.6″ MacBook Air model with options of 128GB SSD or 4GB of RAM. Apple refurbished items are virtually indistinguishable from new items and come with the same 1 year AppleCare warranty. All refurbished Macs purchased at Apple are also eligible for the OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program.
These typically run out of stock very quickly.
Update: All gone. You snooze, you lose.
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Totally redesigned Apple headphones spotted in Asia, morph current and in-ear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gx5MA1tBfKY
Vietnamese website Tinhte, which has a solid record of procuring pre-release Apple products, has headphones that it claimed the new iPhone will come with next month. The current iOS device headphones have remained largely unchanged since the launch of the original iPhone in 2007, and many complain they fit poorly or fall out often (guilty!). Apple also makes in-ear headphones that many consider over-priced and under-performing (also guilty!).
These headphones appear to be a hybrid of the two current versions that Apple offers. It is not certain if they will be offered with the product or as a new add-on accessory.
Some stills from the website are below, including the comparison to current iPhone headsets, and the telltale “Designed in California, Made in Viet Nam” written along the cable:
If the accessory in the video above turns out to be legit, it would certainly indicate Apple is making some improvements to its headset…or at least trying.