iOS Devices

9,871 'iOS Devices' stories May 2007 - December 2012

The devices that run the world’s most advanced mobile operating system

Check out our top stories on iOS Devices:

iOS devices refer to any of Apple’s hardware that runs the iOS mobile operating system which include iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Historically, Apple releases a new iOS version once a year, the current version is iOS 10. Here is the complete list of iOS 10 compatible devices.

iOS Devices

Analyst thinks ‘iPhone 5S’ due in June with better camera, NFC, multiple color options

Dec 10 2012 - 7:37 am PT

0 Comments

Business Insider summarizes comments from Jeffries analyst Peter Misek who claims that Apple will release a new iPhone in June. Misek claims that this new iPhone will be an “S” upgrade, calling it the “iPhone 5S.” Misek says that it will feature such hardware updates as an improved camera and NFC.

Like the fifth-generation iPod touch, he also claims that it will ship in multiple color options (6-8 different colors). Additionally, he says improved battery life will be in the mix.

Misek is not the first to claim that a new iPhone will launch sooner than Apple’s typical one year iPhone upgrade cycle. Reports out of Asia have already claimed that Apple is gearing up for pre-production of an “iPhone 5S” product.

Misek also claims that the new iPhone 5S’s screen will be “SuperHD” (whatever that means) which does not make much sense to us given Apple’s major iPhone display upgrades for the current generation and fourth generation iPhones.

Misek also says that Apple has multiple iPhone 6 prototypes floating around:

Several iPhone 6 prototypes appear to be floating around. The model with a 4.8″ screen is the most interesting. It has a Retina+ IGZO screen, a new A7 quad-core processor variant, and a new form factor with no home button. Full gesture control is also possibly included.

As we usually are with analyst reports, we are looking at this with much skepticism. Earlier today, Jeffries lowered its $900 Apple stock forecast to $800.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS Devices

Best Buy taking $50 off iPhone 5, 16GB models starting at just $150

Dec 9 2012 - 3:51 pm PT

0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com

Best Buy is taking $50 off all Apple iPhone 5 models with a 2 year contract, which is certainly welcomed news for those of you who have been shopping for the handset this holiday season. Thanks to the savings Best Buy instated this evening, the 16GB model now starts at just $149. This is the largest discount we’ve seen thus far for the all new iPhone 5, and there’s no word on how long it will last. Our inside man over at Best Buy has advised us that the gift card offer cannot be stacked with this discount. If you did cash in on the gift card deal then you can surrender the card and get $50 off or if you used the card already you can still get another $25 from your original purchase.

The deal ends January 5th.

Source: Best Buy

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s upcoming iOS update to unlock full Bluetooth keyboard control for Apple TV

Seth Weintraub Dec 8 2012 - 9:34 am PT

0 Comments

As we first discovered in the iOS software code a year ago, Apple is finally ready to implement Bluetooth in its Apple TV products. The latest Apple TV beta not only has a new Bluetooth menu but you can pair wireless keyboards to both the second- and third-gen Apple TV.

Once connected, you can use a wireless keyboard to completely control the Apple TV without using the included remote. The arrow keys function for navigation, the Return key is the play/pause, and the Escape key maps to ‘menu’ or up ‘one level’ functionality.

More importantly, searching for content becomes a thousand times easier when you can enter search terms with a hard keyboard.

Until now, you’ve been able to pair an iOS device to an Apple TV with the Remote app to handle keyboard entry, but it appears Apple is ready to expand that.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Kickfolio allows you to demo iOS apps in a browser

Jordan Kahn Dec 7 2012 - 7:04 pm PT

0 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D41vbZ1RFMs&feature=plcp]

Just launched this week, Kickfolio is a new HTML5-based platform that allows developers to test and share builds of their iOS apps in the browser. Developers simply upload a zipped version of their app (no SDKs or changing code), and the service spits out a link to a private test page displaying an interactive HTML5 and CSS version of the app controllable by mouse and keyboard in portrait or landscape. Testers will also be able to leave feedback and interact with testers in a comment section on the page. Kickfolio has an example of the Angry Bots iOS app from Unity Technologies on its website here.

A pro version of the service also includes a feature to embed apps that allows users to insert the interactive apps in press releases, websites, and elsewhere. The company has a 15-day free trial available, but is also offering pricing ranging from $50 a month for one to two apps to $300 a month for unlimited apps. You can learn more and create an account on the company’s website here.

A demo from Kickfolio of an iPhone app running inside a browser on Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is below:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple and T-Mobile USA partner up to sell products in 2013

Mark Gurman Dec 6 2012 - 8:55 am PT

0 Comments

T-Mobile USA has announced that it has struck an agreement with Apple to begin supporting Apple products in 2013. Deutsche Telecom Rene Obermann made the announcement to analysts today.

The company also confirmed the announcement in a press release today:

In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.

Deutsche Telecom also notes that this new agreement with Apple would affect the company’s cash flow:

The Group’s free cash flow is expected to decrease to around EUR 5 billion in 2013 (scheduled figure for 2012: around EUR 6 billion), primarily as a result of the increased capital expenditure and the systematic implementation of the Challenger strategy in the U.S. market, including the agreement with Apple. The Group’s free cash flow is expected to be around EUR 6 billion in 2015 (including MetroPCS).

It is currently unclear which products this deal will cover. Apple currently sells both the iPhone and the iPad on either Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint on the U.S., but it is unclear if T-Mobile USA will get both the iPhone and iPad, or only one of those products.

Late last month, Merrill Lynch analyst Scott Craig claimed that T-Mobile USA would announce an iPhone deal with Apple on either December 6th or 7th.

In the middle of last month, T-Mobile had alluded to the iPhone being too expensive to carry:

Make no mistake about it: We would love to carry the iPhone. However, we want the economies to be right for us, said T-Mobile COO Jim Alling, who, according to Fierce Mobile, spoke candidly during a discussion at the Morgan Stanley Twelfth-Annual Technology, Media, and Telecoms Conference in Barcelona, Spain.

Throughout the year, we have been reporting that T-Mobile had been lighting up iPhone-compatible 4G networks. Notably, T-Mobile used the Moscone West Center as a testbed for this network during Apple’s early-June Worldwide Developers Conference.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Radio Shack and Target both knock $20 off iPhone 5 until Dec. 15

Élyse Betters Dec 6 2012 - 7:04 am PT

0 Comments

RadioShack and Target are both offering limited-time only sales for AT&T’s iPhone 5 by slashing $20 off the price tag.

Target announced the deal is in-store only until Dec. 15, as it does not offer the iPhone 5 online, while Electronista noted the same specifics apply to the Radio Shack deal. The holiday price cut means folks can grab the 16GB version for $179.99, the 32GB version for $279.99, and the 64GB for $379.99.

Of course, the sales only apply to customers who sign up for a new two-year contract with AT&T. Both retailers also offer customers a chance to trade in their older iPhones, though, so check out 9to5Mac’s top 12 ways to trade in old iPhones for more details.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iOS Devices

iPad mini now ships in 1 week from Apple’s US & Canada online stores

Jordan Kahn Dec 6 2012 - 6:21 am PT

0 Comments

Apple appears to be catching up with supply/demand for the iPad mini leading into the holidays. As pointed out by several 9to5 readers, Apple’s online store in at least the United States (and Canada) is now listing all models of the iPad mini as available to ship in “1 week“.

Casio introduces $180 G-Shock watch that pairs with the iPhone via Bluetooth

Jake Smith Dec 5 2012 - 5:37 am PT

0 Comments

Casio announced a new watch to its G-Shock line that pairs with the iPhone via Bluetooth 4 to display users with information, including synced time, calls and email alert, that can later be dismissed by double-tapping the screen. Available for $180, the GB6900AA watch is resistant to shock and water like the rest of the G-Shock line and has a feature that lets users stop misplacing their iPhone, as the watch will let off a notification when the handset is out of range. Casio also brags about a battery life of two years if the watch is connected via Bluetooth for 12 hours per day. The GB6900AA is now available at Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, directly from Casio’s website, and other independent retailers. The G-Shock iPhone app is required to sync among first use. I’ve been quite the fan of G-Shock watches, so you’ll definitely find this on my watch-list.

Via: Engadget

Source: Casio

Expand
Expanding
Close

China Mobile president: technology isn’t holding back iPhone 5 launch, but agreements with Apple

Jake Smith Dec 5 2012 - 1:54 am PT

0 Comments

The iPhone 5 is set to ship in China December 14 on the nation’s second and third largest carriers: China Unicom and China Telecom. However absent from the launch is China Mobile, the nation’s (and world’s) largest telecom that boasts a user base of 703 million subscribers. It’s presumed the reason why the iPhone hasn’t yet launched on China Mobile is because of the network’s specific TD-SCDMA technology that isn’t used elsewhere, however that may not be the case. Unwired View reports today that while speaking at China Mobile’s 2012 Developer Conference, the company’s president Li Yue stated “technology is not a problem, [it’s] mainly about business model and benefit-sharing issues.”

Of course Yue’s comment doesn’t necessarily mean we can bank on the iPhone 5 landing on China Mobile any time soon, but it does show that Apple and the company have at least held advanced discussions, including pricing and shared revenue. In 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported that a China Mobile iPhone launch was getting closer. Additionally, China Mobile chairman Wang Jianzhou said his company is in constant talks with Apple, and Apple CEO Tim Cook visited China Mobile’s headquarters last summer to presumably discuss the possibility of supporting 4G-LTE radio technology. The iPhone 5, with its accompanying 4G, was expected to launch on China Mobile, but never did/still hasn’t.

China Mobile is important to Apple and its aggressive attack into China. The carrier would add a slew of customers that may otherwise be looking to Samsung to fulfill their smartphone needs. That’s not to say China Mobile is not harboring iPhone users like T-Mobile here stateside, with 15 million customers using unlocked iPhones as of Spring this year. Today’s note that technology is not holding the iPhone back from China Mobile is definitely interesting, as we presume China Mobile is working with or against Apple’s strong arm. [Unwired View]
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple removes two per customer limit on iPhone 5 as stock improves, goes on sale in China

Jake Smith Dec 4 2012 - 12:45 pm PT

0 Comments

Apple updated its online store this afternoon to display the iPhone 5 as no longer limited to two per customer. The unlocked version of the iPhone 5 was first released last week, with the limit stated on the purchase page, and, as MacRumors pointed out, dropping the limit most likely means that Apple is continuing to catch up with stock of the handset as the holiday season kicks into full swing. As we reported yesterday morning, Apple updated its online store worldwide to show the iPhone is now available to ship within “2-4 days”— an improvement from the “1 week” notice that hit at the exact same time last Monday.

As for in-store availability, a prime place for holiday shoppers, analyst Gene Munster noted Nov. 21 that in-store stock for the iPhone 5 has improved. At the time, the iPhone 5 was available in 92 percent of Apple Stores for Sprint, 82 percent for AT&T, and 72 percent for Verizon. As of now, the iPhone 5 is readily available for those looking to buy it this holiday.

Besides stock purposes, Apple also limits the amount of some products customers can buy due to scalpers taking devices back to China to resell. The iPhone 5 is set to go on sale in China later this month, so that could be another reason the company removed the limit off. As for the iPad mini released in October, it is still limited to two per customer.

Source: Apple
Expand
Expanding
Close

RE/MAX rolling out Passbook business cards for 4,500 real estate agents in the US

Jordan Kahn Dec 4 2012 - 8:14 am PT

0 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fte_IENjcyQ]

Taking advantage of a new digital business card platform from Vizibility that integrates Apple’s Passbook, RE/MAX will be the first company to have its employees carry iPhone-based Passbook business cards on a large scale. The business cards, demoed in the video above, will be first carried by 4,500 RE/MAX Regional Services real estate agents in Georgia, Southeastern Michigan, Kentucky, Southern Ohio, and Tennessee.

Vizibility also announced three new features that enhance its business card platform, one of which uses geofencing to provide agents with lockscreen access to the business cards when in a specific location like the office or at an open house:

CardSense™ enables Passbook users to select locations where their Mobile Business Card Pass can be instantly accessed from their iPhone lock screen with a finger swipe. This capability makes it a snap to share contact information at the office, tradeshows, networking events, open houses, or anywhere else frequent, fast access to a Mobile Business Card is needed. Locations are set right on the back of the Pass.

CardFollow™ enables people to receive updates when the vCard they previously downloaded from a Mobile Business Card changes. This patent-pending feature makes it possible for the first time to stay in sync with specific people without having to sync every personal contact with cumbersome, third-party systems. Vizibility users can easily see and manage their vCard followers.

The Mobile Directory displays a searchable directory of mobile business cards for everyone in an organization. This feature makes it possible to link a company’s business cards together to facilitate discovery and reinforce the depth of an organization’s expertise. Vizibility corporate administrators can easily control who appears in their organization’s Mobile Directory.

RE/MAX Regional Services Taps Apple’s Passbook for Business CardsVizibility Slides Out Passbook, vCard Following and

Mobile Business Card Directories

NEW YORK, December 4, 2012 – Vizibility announced today that RE/MAX Regional Services, one of the largest RE/MAX franchisors in the United States, is offering digital business cards to its 4,500 real estate brokers and agents across Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Southern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan. Vizibility’s popular Mobile Business Card is a personalized mobile microsite which is used to package and share a professional’s contact information and web presence. Agents can easily share their new Mobile Business Cards using Passbook on their iPhones as well as with QR codes printed on business cards, listings and other sales materials. Agents can also share their Mobile Business Cards wirelessly with Near Field Communication (NFC) using Vizibility’s plastic Mobile Wallet Card.

“In today’s competitive real estate climate, we have to push the envelope of technology to give our agents a competitive edge. We also must provide home buyers with the best tools to make what may be the most important decision of their lives,” said Dane Ellison, CEO of RE/MAX Regional Services. “Technologies like Vizibility’s Mobile Business Card can help our agents get more opportunities to share their listings, provide mobile virtual tours and engage effortlessly with prospective home buyers. By making it a little easier to close sales, we’re making it a lot easier for our RE/MAX agents to be more successful.”

Vizibility is the first company to use Passbook for sharing Mobile Business Cards and RE/MAX Regional Services is the first to implement it on a large scale. Passbook, recently introduced with Apple’s iOS6, allows users to keep boarding passes, movie tickets, coupons, loyalty cards and more in one place. Major companies are supporting Passbook including Target, Starbucks, United Airlines, American Airlines, Google and Ticketmaster.

Vizibility is also introducing three game-changing Mobile Business Card features:

CardSense™ enables Passbook users to select locations where their Mobile Business Card Pass can be instantly accessed from their iPhone lock screen with a finger swipe. This capability makes it a snap to share contact information at the office, tradeshows, networking events, open houses, or anywhere else frequent, fast access to a Mobile Business Card is needed. Locations are set right on the back of the Pass.

CardFollow™ enables people to receive updates when the vCard they previously downloaded from a Mobile Business Card changes. This patent-pending feature makes it possible for the first time to stay in sync with specific people without having to sync every personal contact with cumbersome, third-party systems. Vizibility users can easily see and manage their vCard followers.

The Mobile Directory displays a searchable directory of mobile business cards for everyone in an organization. This feature makes it possible to link a company’s business cards together to facilitate discovery and reinforce the depth of an organization’s expertise. Vizibility corporate administrators can easily control who appears in their organization’s Mobile Directory.

“Smartphones have fundamentally changed the way we buy products and select service providers. Google recently reported that 96% of U.S. smartphone owners have researched a service or product on their mobile devices,” said Greg Harris, Product Manager at Vizibility (find Greg in Google at http://viz.me/greg). “The Mobile Business Card is like a personal storefront for professionals. We’re excited to be helping enterprises and their people drive revenue using the latest mobile marketing technologies such as Passbook, QR codes and NFC.”

About Vizibility Inc.

Vizibility Inc. delivers the first enterprise class identity management and engagement platform. Vizibility’s highly acclaimed digital business card addresses today’s reality that the first impression a company or individual makes is often online, and in many cases on a mobile device. Vizibility enables people to package and share their online presence to make powerful, accurate and lasting impressions. The company’s solutions are available from authorized resellers and atwww.vizibility.com. U.S. Patents 7,831,609, 7,987,173, 8,095,534, 8,271,650, 8,275,837, 8,280,879 and 8,290,941. Other patents pending.

About RE/MAX Regional Services

RE/MAX Regional Services was founded in 1978 by Howard McPherson. The company provides outstanding support to the more than 300 offices and over 4,000 agents in its five regions. RRS ensures its real-estate professionals have the leading technology, the most advanced training, and the highest level of expertise to best serve the homebuyers and sellers in their communities. Visit http://www.franchise-remax.com.

Judge rules Apple vs. HTC patents can be exposed to public, pricing and royalty amount to remain under-wraps

Jake Smith Dec 3 2012 - 7:33 pm PT

0 Comments

Josh Lowensohn for CNET:

In an ruling tonight, U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh said that while details of pricing and royalty rates for patents from both companies should be kept under wraps from public view, the same does not hold true for the rest of the agreement.

“This Court has repeatedly explained that only the pricing and royalty terms of license agreements may be sealed,” Koh wrote in a ruling. “There are compelling reasons to seal pricing and royalty terms, as they may place the parties to the agreement at a disadvantage in future negotiations, but there is nothing in the remainder of the agreement that presents a sufficient risk of competitive harm to justify keeping it from the public.”
Expand
Expanding
Close

China Unicom makes iPhone 5 available for pre-order, sees 100K orders on first day

Jake Smith Dec 3 2012 - 7:22 pm PT

0 Comments

Josh Ong for The Next Web:

After Apple announced late last week that the iPhone 5 is coming to China on December 14, China Unicom, the country’s second-largest wireless operator, began taking reservations on Monday, quickly receiving 100,000 online pre-orders, Sina Tech reports….Meanwhile, China Telecom, which began selling Apple’s smartphone on its network earlier this year with the release of the iPhone 4S, reportedly received 5,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 5 on Sunday.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iPhone 5 ship times begin to hit just 2-4 days

Jake Smith Dec 3 2012 - 4:49 am PT

0 Comments

Since its Sept. 21 launch, the iPhone 5’s shipping time has steadily improved as the holiday season nears. This morning, Apple updated its Australia/New Zealand and some Asian online stores to show the iPhone is now available to ship within “2-4 days”— an improvement from the “1 week” notice that hit at the exact same time last Monday. Just like last week, we expect the ship time changes to roll globally within the next day or so.

As for in-store availability, analyst Gene Munster noted Nov. 21 that in-store stock for the iPhone 5 has improved. At the time, the iPhone 5 was available in 92 percent of Apple Stores for Sprint, 82 percent for AT&T, and 72 percent for Verizon.
Expand
Expanding
Close

New 21.5-inch iMac now available through Apple’s online store, 27-inch models ship in 2-3 weeks

Jake Smith Nov 30 2012 - 3:25 am PT

0 Comments

The eighth-generation iMac was announced at the company’s late-October media event, where Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller called it, “the most beautiful iMac we have ever made.” Right on track, the 21.5-inch iMac is now available on the company’s online store and is available across a slew of third-party retail stores this afternoon. The 27-inch model will ship starting in “2-3 weeks” in the United States and Canada, while overseas (Australia/EU is “15-19 days”) is looking at up to 20 days—making a Christmas delivery tight.

(MacConnection has the best prices: $20 off, while MacMall knocks $5 off but adds Parallels ($79.99 value) and configuration/financing options. B&H Photo, Amazon, and Best Buy also seem to be getting some stock soon. iMac Product page prices updated daily!)
Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple now offering unlocked iPhone 5 online on US store, starting at $649 for 16GB

Jake Smith Nov 29 2012 - 7:24 pm PT

0 Comments

Following our report from this morning, Apple made the much-awaited unlocked iPhone 5 available in the United States on its online store this evening. The unlocked device’s price range is set at $649, $749, and $849 for 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage, respectively. Apple has offered an unlocked version of the iPhone 5 in several countries around the world since the device first launched in late September —including Canada and in Europe. However, as it has done in the past, Apple delayed the U.S. unlocked launch.

Additionally, we learned from several retail sources Apple will sell the unlocked iPhone 5 in its chain of retail stores in the coming days—perhaps as soon as tomorrow. The devices have begun arriving in large quantities to Apple stores over the past couple of days.

The unlocked version is GSM only, which supports AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S., and will not work on CDMA bands. If you hate contracts, like swapping the nano SIM, and taking the device abroad is your thing, this is the version of the iPhone 5 for you. To avoid scalpers, Apple is limiting two per customer.

From Apple:

“The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a wireless contract commitment. You can activate and use iPhone on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T in the United States. The unlocked iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 will not work with CDMA-based carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint. If you don’t want a multiyear service contract, or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. It does not come with a micro-SIM card for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, or a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5, so you’ll need to get one from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using it, simply insert the card into the slot on your iPhone and turn it on by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.”

Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple releases update 5.1.1 (10A831) for second and third gen Apple TVs

Jordan Kahn Nov 29 2012 - 10:26 am PT

0 Comments

After releasing update 5.1 for second- and third-gem Apple TVs back in September, Apple rolled out 5.1.1 today to Apple TV owners following the public launch of iTunes 11.The 5.1 update includes Shared Photo Streams, AirPlay, iTunes account switching, and more, so we aren’t expecting to discover much in today’s update.

From Apple:

Apple TV Software Update 5.1.1

Feature	Summary
iTunes Up Next	Adds support for Up Next with iTunes 11 or iTunes Match. See upcoming songs when playing music on your Apple TV. Add new songs and edit what’s queued with your Remote or with the Remote app.
Stability and performance	Includes performance and stability improvements with the iTunes Store, AirPlay, Netflix, iTunes Match, and wired Ethernet connections.

Highlight, Pageonce, Angry Birds Star Wars, Cut the Rope, StumbleUpon, Klip, price drops, and more

Élyse Betters Nov 29 2012 - 9:40 am PT

0 Comments

[slideshow]

9to5Mac once again scoured the App Store for the most notable apps that launched, updated, or announced news recently and gathered them in our usual list below.

Today’s crop includes updates for popular iOS games like Cut the Rope and Angry Birds Star Wars, as well as enhancements to social apps like Highlight and Klip. There also a few noteworthy new apps and price drops. Check out the full roundup below, but keep checking back as we continually update throughout the day.

Updates

1. Skype | Free
Skype just updated in a huge way yesterday, but it pushed out version 4.2.1 today to fix some critical bugs.

2. Highlight| Free
The app that locates nearby friends is now at version 1.3.1 today. The update includes performance improvements, bug fixes, and “reduced resource consumption.”

3. Angry Birds Star Wars | 99 cents
Rovio just launched version 1.1.0 with a bunch of shiny new features, including: 20 levels on the ice world of Hoth, an “attractive” power for Pink bird as Princess Leia, two bonus levels, and more.

4. Angry Birds Star Wars HD | $2.99
Rovio didn’t leave the HD version of its app by the wayside today; it is now at version 1.1.0 with the same new features as listed above.

5. Pageonce | Free
The popular app that tracks bills just went to version 5.71. The full changelog includes:

Celebrate our 4th year on iOS – get Bill Pay for free!
Schedule Payments: Plan ahead and set up your bill payment in advance
Shiny new app icon

Get more below.

Expand
Expanding
Close

How the Indianapolis Colts replaced its 800-page playbooks with 120 iPads

Jordan Kahn Nov 29 2012 - 9:29 am PT

0 Comments

In April, when the Denver Broncos swapped out its traditional 500-page playbooks for iPads, we heard rumors that other teams were considering making the switch as well. Other professional sports teams have followed, one of which is the Indianapolis Colts. BizTechMagazine has an interesting piece profiling the team’s purchase of over 120 iPad 3s as playbook replacements for both players and coaches:

“Pagano feels it’s a competitive advantage to give players all the information at their fingertips and for them to learn in a way they have grown accustomed to,” says Ryan Fannin, the Colts’ director of football information systems. “It’s not about pen and paper anymore. We are able to tie a video with a diagram of a play. It helps players learn, and it’s a huge benefit for the team.”

The team also provides game films and video of their practices over streaming video, allowing players to review game and practice footage on their iPad devices. In past seasons, Colts players primarily watched game film using specialized computer equipment at team meeting rooms at the Colts’ practice facility. “It’s much easier,” Fleener says of the iPad devices. “You can watch from home.”

When players log in to their devices from the practice facility or from home, they can download the latest playbook from their coaches as well as daily practice schedules, travel itineraries, motivational notes and strategic tips from their position coaches, Fannin says. The digital playbook is more than a PDF. With the app, players can select categories of plays. Coaches can also attach a video to a specific play, so players can see the play in motion.

(image via BizTech)

Verizon tops Consumer Reports’ carrier survey, but AT&T does better for 4G service

Élyse Betters Nov 29 2012 - 7:32 am PT

0 Comments

Consumer Reports just published its annual ratings report on wireless carriers, and the general consensus is that the Big Four tend to promise a lot—but their customer satisfaction scores prove they struggle to deliver.

None of the major carriers —Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile— could deliver an overall satisfaction score above 72 percent, as NBCNews mentioned, and Consumer Reports further added that cellphone companies rate the lowest among service providers.

Meanwhile, three smaller companies —Consumer Cellular, U.S. Cellular, and Credo Mobile— held the highest scores for customer satisfaction. U.S. Cellular, for instance, which is the largest of the three with service mostly in the Midwest, topped with a score of 88 percent.

The ratings report complied rankings from over 63,000 reader responses. The final results placed Big Red, a.k.a. Verizon, at No. 1 for overall service quality and availability, while Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T soon followed, respectively.

Verizon is apparently preferred by heavy-data users, but the latter three carriers scored better in the 4G-service department. AT&T had the fewest amount of problems for 4G service overall. Satisfaction scores also varied by location, however. The survey cropped data from 23 metropolitan areas and found AT&T rated significantly better than Verizon in places like Chicago.

Check out NBCNews for more details. The full results of the survey will become available in Consumer Reports’ January 2013 issue.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.

Expand
Expanding
Close

iPhone 5 gains necessary network approval in China, readying for mid-December launch

Jake Smith Nov 29 2012 - 4:39 am PT

0 Comments

The iPhone 5 has gained the proper network verification from The Ministry of Industry and Technology of the People’s Republic of China today, finally readying it for sale in the country where the device is made. Following rumors earlier this month, Wall Street Journal first noted the news this morning, and such verification sets-up for the mid-December launch as pre-orders are already kicking. Apple has gained WCDMA and CDMA-2000 verification, according to the filings, lining it up to be on China Unicom and China Telecom — China’s second and third-largest carriers, respectively.

China has proved to be a big-potential for Apple, emphasized by CEO Tim Cook several times. Earlier this year he said, “demand is off the charts in China.” Sadly it appears the world’s largest carrier China Mobile isn’t on board this round.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Via: Engadget

Expand
Expanding
Close

Holiday Shopping Guide: The best docks, stands, cases, & cables for your iPad mini

Jordan Kahn Nov 28 2012 - 3:20 pm PT

0 Comments

With iPad mini introducing a brand new set of dimensions for case manufacturers, most have not been as quick as with previous iPad launches to get products on the market. In the first couple of weeks of the product’s launch, only a handful of well-known accessory makers were taking orders, and we unfortunately saw many cheap 7-inch Android cases repurposed and sold as iPad mini compatible.

Apple’s new Lightning connector standard was of course another hurdle, and means there are not nearly as many available third-party docks, keyboards, adapters, etc., as iOS device owners have come to expect.

Below, we have put together a guide to the best of the best iPad mini accessories we could find that are currently available to order and shipping before the holidays:

Expand
Expanding
Close

Google updates Google Drive app and Chrome app for iOS

Élyse Betters Nov 28 2012 - 11:46 am PT

0 Comments

Google just updated both the Google Drive and Chrome apps for iOS.

Google Drive’s most noteworthy new feature is the ability to edit spreadsheets, just like Google Docs. The Drive Team elaborated on the newest update via the official Google Drive blog:

From the Drive app on your iPhone, iPad or Android device, you can create a new spreadsheet or edit an existing one. You can switch fonts, resize columns, sort data, and more. And just like on your computer, you’ll be able to see other people’s edits in real time as they’re made.

The latest version also boasts improved text formatting when pasting, while Android users can exclusively edit text within tables in documents and add a homescreen shortcut to any file in Drive.

Google Drive’s full changelog (on the App Store):

Create, edit and collaborate on spreadsheets
Upload to Drive from other apps using “Open in…”
Manage upload progress and see recent uploads in new Uploads section
Rich text copy-paste within a document
Improved speed and stability
Improved contact search for sharing
Bug fixes

The Chrome app also just updated, with version 23.0.1271.91 (yeah, long version number) now live, and the notable tweaks include the ability to open PDFs in other apps, save boarding passes and tickets with Passbook, and enable text-encoding detection in settings. The app also features stability and security improvements and many bug fixes.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Not a joke: Will.i.am iPhone camera accessory throws pixels and keyboard onto iPhone BOOMBOOM POW

Élyse Betters Nov 28 2012 - 8:42 am PT

0 Comments

We told you last week that musician Will.i.am would soon launch an iPhone accessory, called “i.am+”, and now the world has its first look at the product line that transforms the smartphone’s camera into a 14-megapixel powerhouse.

According to the Telegraph, the four models, respectively called “C.4”, “V.4”, “C.5”, and “V.5”, feature interchangeable lenses, such as standard, fish-eye, wide, and zoom, with a built-in flash. An iOS app further enables the hardware to have an Instagram-like experience, with photo editing, filters, and sharing options built-in. Folks will also have access to individual online profiles at www.i.am.

The Black-Eyed Peas frontman said his accessories enhance both the clarity and definition of photographs: “We have our own sensor and a better flash. You dock you phone into our device and it turns you smartphone into a genius-phone. We take over the camera.”

The i.am+ accessories basically fit over the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 in contemporary and vintage flavors, as seen in the picture gallery below, but they also come with a hefty price tag. The line ranges from £199 (roughly $318 USD) for the modern black model to £299 (roughly $477 USD) for the gold model. The i.am+ V.4 unit with gold trim and a “Vintage Look” are the most expensive but boast a slide-out keyboard.

The iPhone 4 versions will launch Dec. 6, while an iPhone 5 version, which bulks the iPhone’s camera with a new sensor and flash, will not ship until 2013.

A gallery is below.

Expand
Expanding
Close