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Since the release of the iPhone 4S, artificially intelligent Siri has amazed, surprised, and in some cases, disappointed when it comes to just how intelligent it is. While it seems to handle singing duets pretty well, many have pointed to issues with thick accents, lack of Maps and local service support in UK, and its ability to dial emergency services. Most of the time Siri understands what you’re saying, but if it doesn’t, it most often provides a simple response letting you know. However, when the guys over at Electricpig asked Siri to perform some tasks they knew it couldn’t, they came up with some interesting results:

As you can see in the image above, after asking Siri to “Make a voice memo”, it responded:

“I haven’t yet learned to take dictation, James. You’ll have to use the Voice Memos app for that.”

Obviously “yet” is the key word here. Could this be a hint at Apple’s plans to bring new features to Siri in future updates? Possibly incrementally through the cloud rather than waiting for a major iOS update? The guys also asked Siri a number of other similar questions from “Update my Facebook status” to “Send a tweet” and “Open in iTunes”. When they asked it to “Download an app”, Siri responded:

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You might remember Jonathan Mann from the opening of the ‘Antennagate’ conference (and Patent songs).  Well, he’s back and he has a partner…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hckrig2BwNY]

This guy really puts himself out there. via DF
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As the iPhone 4S launched worldwide today, Apple’s stock just closed at $422 a share — an all-time high for the company. Pretty amazing for a phone “that only has a better camera”, right?

Finding the perfect instant messaging client on the App Store is a pretty big challenge, but a new app called Verbs is pretty close to it. Verbs is available on both the iPhone and iPad and includes support for Google Talk, AIM, MobileMe, and Facebook. With all of these services bundled in one, Verbs becomes the perfect place to chat with friends. Instant messaging is really direct and sleek and the WebOS cards-like feature (seen after the break) makes switching between chats easy. But, Verbs has a lot more to offer.

Other supported services included in Verbs are CloudApp and Droplr for sending images, an iWork and Office document viewer, Instapaper, and the ability to link your AIM and Gtalk buddies with your Address Book.

Verbs Pro in-app update costs a one time fee of $5 and includes Push Notifications (a biggie while chatting) and encryption.

This app blows every other IM app out of the water, because it’s simple, but yet feature packed. Verbs is available on the iTunes App Store for $.99. If it makes you feel better, most of the 9to5 Staff uses this app on a daily basis. Two promo codes are after the break (get them while they last):

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Update: It is live, we’ve taken a walkthrough below.

According to The Verge (formerly known as This is my next), the elusive Facebook for iPad app is about to go live “momentarily” on the App Store. The iPhone app will also get updated, the publication has it, with bookmarks to apps, a new Requests dialog that will display app notifications, and support for Facebook Credits for in-app payments. VentureBeat quoted Facebook engineer Leon Dubinsky as describing the software on the Facebook blog, but no such post had gone live at press time. While the social networking giant has yet to formally announce the program, they already have a dedicated URL up and running at facebook.com/mobile/ipad.

The page invites users to download the free Facebook for iPad app here. That URL actually leads to the existing iPhone app, which indicates that both the new iPad app and the existing iPhone client have been merged into a universal binary. The official list of features doesn’t disappoint: You can chat on the iPad’s beautiful 9.7-inch canvas, browse and flip through your friends’ photos, as well as play games and watch high-definition movies in full screen mode.

What’s best, it supports AirPlay technology so you can easily and wirelessly beam your videos and snaps to that big telly in your living room through the Apple TV set-top box, which is also up for an update with 1080p video output via the A5 chip. At post time, the US App Store still had the iPhone app hosted at the URL, but it shouldn’t take too long before changes propagate throughout regional App Stores. Go past the break for release notes, more screenies and a hands on video.

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Have to say that as a 9to5Mac reader, there were no surprises for you today. On the other hand, the market isn’t so happy with AAPL shares currently trading at 356, down almost 18 points.

Update: Check that. AAPL is making a comeback, but judging by the comments, all is not well.

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Mashable is reporting that Facebook’s long-awaited iPad app will be announced at Apple’s upcoming event, which will most likely occur on October 4th. In addition to the iPad app, Facebook will reportedly be launching a revamped iPhone app and new HTML 5 version of the mobile site.

You may remember that the iPad app was leaked earlier this year, but was subsequently removed from within the iPhone app. According to a post from former Facebook engineer Jeff Verkoeyen the app is ready, and Facebook is waiting to release it. An event alongside Apple seems somewhat logical, though the companies don’t have the greatest history with each other.

Perhaps most importantly, Apple is said to be integrating Facebook into its iOS 5 the way Twitter is now integrated. Facebook was integrated into prototype versions of iOS 4 but a falling out between Zuckerberg and Apple got them kicked off (screenshot below).

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Though Facebook wants to move to HTML 5 as their main platform, they will also be releasing a revamped iPhone app with speed improvements according to the report. If true, October 4th is sure to be a big day with the unveiling of the next iPhone, iOS 5, and now the Facebook iPad app.

A few more screenshots after the break:

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Adobe today quietly released Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10, bringing with them new Facebook and YouTube integration, video editing and burring features, object-based search, and new color correcting and text curving and flowing effects.

New Facebook features allow you to auto analyze your images to identify people and tag them based on your Facebook friends. Those tags are then carried over to Facebook when uploading from Elements. A new object-based search is one of the most impressive enhancements, allowing you to find images containing a particular object such as a house or vehicle.

Other features include auto enhance and color correct for video footage, allowing you to “Automatically boost tone and vibrance without affecting skin tones, or use sliders to adjust color with complete control”. You can now also paint 1 of 100 new paint effects onto specific photo areas, add new text effects, and immediately upload video clips to Facebook and Youtube. Learn more about all the new features in these latest releases here.

Adobe’s store now has Photoshop Elements 10 or Premiere Elements 10 for $99 each (upgrade $79/ea) or both for $179.

Or, you can grab Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Premiere Elements 10 for $99 each on Amazon now.  Curiously, Adobe hasn’t yet updated Photoshop Elements 9 Editor in the Mac App Store.  It will be interesting to see what happens there.

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Announced on the Skype Blog, Microsoft-owned Skype now integrates with (5% Microsoft-owned) Facebook on Mac.  With the update, your Facebook friends will be able to see your online status and Skype you without leaving the Skype application.  As per usual with Microsoft applications, the Mac version trails behind the Windows version…and as a bonus, non-paying Skype users will now see ads.

Today we’re launching Skype 5.4 for Mac Beta. The launch introduces the same Facebook integration found in Skype 5.5 for Windows. We are excited to finally deliver Facebook integration to our Mac users.

Just like in our Windows client, you will now be able to IM and connect with your Facebook friends without leaving Skype. You will also be able to read and update your News Feed, as well as comment and ‘Like’ your Facebook friends’ posts – all within Skype for Mac. To connect to Facebook, simply sign into Skype, click on the Connect to Facebook tab and enter your Facebook sign in details.

We are also introducing an advertising platform in this new release, but if you are a paying Skype consumer or have Skype Credit, you won’t see any display ads; similar to the model that is currently being used in our Skype for Windows client.

Download Skype 5.4 for Mac OS X Beta.  We’re sticking to 2.8, in case the snarkiness didn’t tip you off.
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Facebook’s iOS app just got a monster update, including the following:

• – Made it easier to share with who you want
• – Added the ability to tag friends and places in posts
• – Added the ability to share external links from a web view
• – Added new design for Profile and Group Walls
• – Improved the sharing tool to add privacy controls on posts and match your settings on the web site

Improvements and bug fixes:

• – Improved Notifications speed
• – Fixed a number of Chat bugs
• – Made it easier to select filters in News Feed
• – Fixed a bug with the Notifications bar disappearing
• – Fixed a number of Photos bugs
• – Improved performance and stability overall

Still no iPad version, however. In fact, @Chpwn warns:

Facebook removed iPad support in their latest app update. It’s not possible for FaceForward to enable something that’s no longer in the app.

Check out the new Check-in screen (which was hinted at 1:51 in the video on this page) below:

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Facebook isn’t fantastic at hiding secret stuff in their Apps.  Just last month, its iPad ambitions were outed by some folks rummaging around in the App.  Today, Facebook released their Messenger app and seconds later, we see that there is a video component to the application:

The video component would seem to work on both Android (yep) and iPhone and would likely tie in with their recently announced Skype desktop video conferencing service as well.  The code looks very rudimentary at this point so it isn’t certain that the video can be enabled like the iPad version was with just a few tweeks.  Thanks Caleb!

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Facebook has released Facebook Messenger which is an extension of Facebook’s Messages service and will allow you to send a text message to your phone’s contacts and a Facebook message to your Facebook contacts.  Bonus: You get to send pictures as well.

The app obviously competes with Apple’s iMessage, Blackberry messenger and all of the other silo-ed messaging apps out there but with a user base of 700 million+, it is well positioned to be a contender.

Messenger is available in both the iTunes App Store and Android Market and is based off the Beluga technology which the company recently acquired.  With all the Google+ noise of late we’ve forgotten about Facebook’s assault on mobile.  They’re back.

Update: Oh, and there is video conferencing hidden in the app.

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Apple just passed Exxon in Market Cap to become the world’s most valuable company. Quite a turnaround for a company that was on its last legs just over a decade ago.  AAPL passed the 400 mark last month on the back of monster earnings news but fell sharply as the US market plummeted over the last week.  Luckily for Apple, it didn’t fall nearly as sharply as Exxon, in the face of lowered oil costs.

The markets are still open and volatile today but at this moment, 1:19PM EDT, Apple’s market cap is at $341.53B while Exxon Mobile’s is at $341.51B.

Congratulations Apple!

Update 2:00EDT: Apple is now on top by over $1B (image below)

Update2 4PM ET. AAPL closed at $346.74B, Exxon rallied at the end of the day to $348.32B

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new screenshot left, old screenshot with Kindle Store link (right)

It looks like not only is the WSJ and the Kobo App store relenting to Apple, but so is Amazon.  In the latest release, they’ve pulled out the link to the Kindle Store.  The remaining holdout?  Google.

Update: Nook got the same treatment which render the current screenshots outdated.:

You can read any NOOK Book you have purchased on this updated NOOK for iPhone app, however the Shop link has been removed so to buy NOOK Books from your iPhone, open your Safari browser and go to nookbooks.com. 

There are some other updates for the Kindle App release notes accompanying the Kindle update (iTunes):
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TechCrunch has discovered that the Facebook for iPhone app contains hidden iPad code and has published a series of screenshots to prove it. Author MG Siegler acknowledges 9to5Mac’s similar discoveries stemming from code hooks in Apple’s software (thanks, guys!), noting that the iPad app is already there in the current version of Facebook for iOS app, ready to be put to use whenever Facebook sees fit:

Hidden in the code of Facebook’s iPhone app is the code for something else. Something everyone has been waiting over a year for. The iPad app. Yes, it’s real, and it’s spectacular (well, very good, at the very least). And yes, it really is right there within the code. Even better, it’s executable. (Update: a lot of pictures here.)

Much of the code is written with HTML5, Siegler observes, but nonentheless the experience of running the app on a 9.7-inch iPad feels as native as it can get. Using the left-hand menu and pop-overs you can access Facebook’s many option at any time while being focused on the news from your friends. Turning the tablet upside down invokes Facebook’s chat and the photo viewer feels like Apple’s native Photos app. You can enable the iPad view on your jailbroken tablet by following a step-by-step guide by iClarified. Those that don’t want to jailbreak can still enable the iPad view using this simple tutorial. A couple more screenies and a clip demonstrating how to get the iPad app right below the fold.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_gQHtXsLtU]

Apple released another excellent iPad ad this evening demonstrating how the iPad is changing the way we do things forever.  It is, like the last few wonderful ads: We Believe, If You Asked  and Now narrated by Peter Coyote and built by Media Arts Lab in Los Angeles.

We’ll never stop sharing our memories…or getting lost in a good book. We’ll always cook dinner and cheer for our favorite team. We’ll still go to meetings, make home movies, and learn new things. But how we do all this will never be the same.

You’ll notice a well-timed little lesson in ‘Lion’ toward the end as part of the Alphabet Fun App.

Other not built-in apps were: The Photo Cookbook, MLB, Fuze HD and Apple’s iMovie.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYX_P_c__8]
While we’re still waiting on our invitation, the Spotify app is now live in the App Store.

Update: We’re in!

Go check it out.  Full press release below:
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We just got word that Spotify will launch tomorrow in the US (as reported last week).  Perhaps something nice to put on your new Mac?

New York, July 13, 2011 – Spotfy, the award-winning digital music service loved by millions of Europeans, will become available tomorrow morning in the United States by invitation and subscription. Spotify is a new way to listen to and manage your music, discover new tracks and share songs and playlists with friends – music whenever you want it, wherever you are.

Be one of the first people in the U.S. to experience Spotify by signing up at www.spotify.com.

Spotify will announce more details at 8:00 AM EST.

You’ll want to hit this link at some point in the morning.
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Facebook is having an event tomorrow which many believe is a Skype tie in, which could lead to a Skype iPad app or a Facebook iPad app, or both! in one?!  That’s well and good, but  TechCrunch takes a look at some of the upcoming features of a bigger project that might also receive a mention tomorrow: Project Spartan.

It seems a bit sensationalized, but it comes off like this: Sometime in late July (soon!), Facebook will reveal a HTML5 platform with automatic Facebook logins using a new set of APIs which make a great iOS/Android social gaming platform.  Facebook has a few developers signed up already, Zynga is probably one of them.

Notes one developer:

Facebook wants a cut of the Apple’s mobile app market, that’s been clear this entire time. Perhaps it’s not war against Apple — maybe Apple is just going to ‘gift’ Facebook the share of their market (the HTML5 share) in exchange an alliance being formed whereby Apple get’s some exclusive access to Facebook’s 600 million-plus users and thereby cutting out Google (exclusive to some degree, Facebook is too open for it to be fully exclusive). In this theory, it’s not Facebook Spartans vs. Apple, it’s Facebook/Apple Spartans Vs Google.

The Spartans have been told to code specifically for the iOS flavors of Safari — both iPhone and iPad.

So, it sounds like Facebook is going to build a nice HTML5 platform (like Chrome) for social gaming. Hopefully one of the games is 300.

Skype dropped a new Mac Client on us today, a day ahead of the Super “Awesome” Facebook announcement that is rumored to include Skype.  New features for the unpaid version include “super awesome” background video chatting control bar.  Pony up a few bucks and get yourself up to Windows level (they got a head start on Microsoft tactics!) with Group video conferencing that looks and acts nothing like Apple’s built in iChat group teleconferencing (this was in 5.1Beta as well).  Also, screen and document sharing.

The Windows version – just to make sure it is one step ahead of the Mac version – got Facebook integration with the 5.5 update.

If you aren’t still at the standard 2.8 like us, have a look at the tips and tricks to see if you’re a good update candidate (we’re staying put).

We were pretty stoked two weeks ago to see the iPad version demoed only to have Skype go silent on the product last week.  We’re thinking it might be happening at the Facebook introduction on Wednesday….about the same time as the Google Plus App hits.  Via TechCrunch
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Google Analytics, which is used on millions of sites worldwide to show web publishers who is visiting their sites, today published its first report on Web traffic. Among other interesting tidbits was the above chart showing Windows losing a staggering 5.1% of its market year over year.

At the same time, the Mac OS actually gained almost a percentage point of the market.  But the groundswell was in the “Other” category which includes iPads, iPhones, Android and other non-Mac/Windows/Linux machines.  That category was up almost 5 %.

The “Post PC Era” seems to be fast approaching.

Google conveniently also found a 1% gain in Search Engine  referral traffic, below:

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