Tech Industry

4,153 'Tech Industry' stories June 2007 - June 2014

Paper by 53 shows off surface pressure feature coming to its Pencil stylus and iPad Paper app

Zac Hall Jun 17 2014 - 6:33 am PT

Last fall, the folks behind the iPad drawing app Paper introduced a standalone iPad stylus that integrates with the app appropriately called Pencil. FiftyThree’s Pencil is designed to not only look like a good old-fashioned pencil, but the stylus even talks to the Paper software to decipher which end of the stylus is for drawing and which end is for erasing… like a digital pencil.

Today FiftyThree showed off in a blog post a new feature coming to current and future Pencil and Paper users that the company calls Surface Pressure. In short, FiftyThree’s Pencil stylus is getting even more like a real artist’s pencil: the Paper app will soon be able to distinguish various sides and widths of the Pencil tip as well as recognize the amount of pressure applied. Video and details below…
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Nest Protect goes back on sale for $99 as company touts safety data

Mike Beasley Jun 16 2014 - 10:18 pm PT

8 Comments

Earlier this year, 440,000 Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were recalled following the discovery of a critical safety flaw that could accidentally deactive the system. Today, Nest has put the Protect back on sale at a reduced price of $99—previously $129. However, the “wave” feature that allowed the user to disable the alarm with a hand gesture has been removed.

In the blog post announcing the return of the Protect, the company boasted some of its safety statistics and recounted the story of one Nest Protect user who was alerted to the presence of carbon monoxide in his home by the device, which saved his life. Nest’s Doug Sweeny writes:

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Beats releases exclusive new Jay Z + Beats by Dre Jungle Remix World Cup ad

Jun 16 2014 - 4:33 am PT

8 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVp-JDOUphc]

This ‘Game Before the Game’ commercial is shorter and ‘beats’ the one that Apple CEO Tim Cook said captured the World Cup perfectly. It began airing last night and will only be available on Beats music.

The strategy of Beats releasing music exclusively was a possibility surmised following Apple’ $3 billion purchase of Beats on May 28th which also included Beats co-founder and former Interscope Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine joining Apple. In fact, will.i.am, a Beats co-founder with a stake in the company, said in a recent Billboard interview that he had raised that very possibility a year ago to Iovine.

Less LeBron in this one too.

Beats Music on Android gets first feature update post-Apple acquisition announcement

Chance Miller Jun 12 2014 - 6:36 pm PT

4 Comments

When Apple announced its $3 billion acquisition of Beats last month, the company said it had no intentions of killing off the Android version of the app, with Tim Cook saying “It’s all about the music.” This evening, Beats announced a hefty update to its streaming app on Android. The update bumps the app to version 1.1 and includes a variety of features and changes that users have been calling for since the initial release. This is the first feature update the app has gotten since Apple announced it will acquired the company.

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Starbucks teams up with Duracell to place iPhone-compatible wireless chargers in coffee shops

Mike Beasley Jun 11 2014 - 9:56 pm PT

8 Comments

Starbucks, in partnership with Duracell, is starting a nationwide rollout of a wireless charging system for smartphones. The system is powered by Duracell’s Powermat technology, which we reviewed last July (starting at $3.50). The program will place 100,000 of the Duracell chargers at specially-marked tables in each Starbucks location. Users would then be able to charge any phone using a compatible wireless charging system.

So far the program has only rolled out in a few stores, but it’s scheduled to reach more markets by next year. There’s not a timetable yet for when the rollout will be complete.

While the program is only available in a few stores right now, a page on the website for the initiative lists locations where the service is currently offered.

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iPads allow kids with challenges to play in high school’s band

Seth Weintraub Jun 11 2014 - 7:37 am PT

2 Comments

The story at NPR reads like an Apple ad, but it’s completely genuine:

Just what is it about a tablet, or the iPad in particular, that works so well with some students with disabilities and children on the autism spectrum? Educators believe there’s something about the combination of the big, bright, clear visual cues of some of the music apps, and the touchscreen that’s easy to use without creating a sensory or visual overload. Beyond that, many teachers and parents aren’t really sure. It’s still a bit of a mystery. “We have some really, really low-functioning students who I could never really involve in the music activities,” Goldberg says. “But the iPad has pretty much taken care of that. I can’t say I have 100 percent involvement. But it’s pretty close.” And educators say there’s another way the tablets are proving to be game changers for special ed. They’ve begun to make obsolete those large and costly learning devices, allowing a student with disabilities to look like every other student. “It has changed the way people look at people with disabilities,” says Karen Gorman, the director of Assistive Technology for New York City’s Public schools. For years, she said, many kids with severe autism, cerebral palsy or other serious challenges needed these large, clunky and expensive assistive-speaking devices. Some looked like small accordions, worn around students’ necks. Gorman says they looked a little odd, and screamed “disabled kid.” Now the iPad and other tablets, she says, have helped level the playing field socially. “Parents thought for the first time my child with disabilities is using something that looks very cool, and modern and current. And other kids will come over to them now and interact with them.” Once, Gorman says, other students tended to see only the disability: “Kid in a wheelchair, kid in a wheelchair,” she explains. “Kid in a wheelchair with an iPad? How interesting.”

Head over to NPR for the full story.

Synaptics reaches $475 million buyout deal with iPhone display chip manufacturer

Mike Beasley Jun 10 2014 - 11:19 pm PT

1 Comment

Synaptics Inc. has reached a deal to buy iPhone display chip maker Renesas after talks on a potential deal between Renesas and Apple fell through, Reuters reports. Synaptics is a former Apple supplier, but now provides parts for competitor Samsung’s flagship smartphones.

Analysts predict that Synaptics will integrate its own touchscreen technology with the display chips created by Renesas to cut manufacturing costs and create an all-in-one solution that is currently unrivaled in the market.

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Apple’s HomeKit partner Honeywell launches Lyric smart thermostat Nest competitor

Zac Hall Jun 10 2014 - 7:57 am PT

23 Comments

With Apple stepping into the home automation arena by way of offering closer device integration through its new HomeKit API announced alongside iOS 8, just about every appliance in the home is potential for being refreshed and gaining deeper connectivity with our iPhones and iPads. Honeywell, a launch partner for Apple’s new home automation development tools, is today announcing its new Lyric smart thermostat to compete against similar offerings from competitors like the now Google-owned Nest.
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Apple makes a cameo in Beats’ epic World Cup ad (Video)

Zac Hall Jun 5 2014 - 11:17 am PT

17 Comments

Apple’s iPhone and MacBook both made appearances in Beats’ new headphones ad celebrating the World Cup. Apple, of course, announced that it is buying Beats Electronics for $3 billion last week, a deal it expects to be approved by the end of September, and featured a Beats plug earlier this week at WWDC when Dr. Dre was phoned in to the keynote and Eddy Cue was photographed wearing Beats headphones…
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Apple, Google, Microsoft and Facebook ask the US Senate for surveillance reform

Mark Hearn Jun 5 2014 - 11:15 am PT

1 Comment

CEOs from massive tech companies like Apple, AOL Facebook, Microsoft and Google recently issued an open letter to the US Senate regarding the growing concerns about internet surveillance. Normally competitors, this unusual alliance agrees that change is needed and that the version of the USA Freedom Act that recently passed through the US House of Representatives needs some work.

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Smartphone maker Xiaomi continues to grow, outsells Apple in China during Q1 2014

Chance Miller Jun 5 2014 - 7:36 am PT

3 Comments

A new video out of Bloomberg details just exactly how a once unknown Chinese phone company has able to leapfrog the household names in technology and become the sixth largest mobile handset company in the world, and the third largest in China. Xiaomi was founded back in 2010 and went the total opposite direction in terms of strategy from Apple and Samsung. Making Android powered devices, Xiaomi has focused devices with high build quality and excellent performance.

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Amazon announces June 18 event for new device unveiling, expected to be a 3D smartphone

Chance Miller Jun 4 2014 - 1:31 pm PT

14 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erUZQ9GK0sE

Amazon has just announced that it is holding a press event in Seattle on June 18th. The company says that it will unveil a new device at the event. Amazon is also letting anyone request an invite to it by simply filling out a form on its website.

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In the midst of Apple acquisition, Beats tries to solidify its high end (sound) rep with new Solo2 cans

May 29 2014 - 7:18 am PT

10 Comments

We’re less than 24 hours removed from Apple announcing its acquisition of Beats and the Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine headphone empire has already announced a new product.

The Beats Solo2 headphones are a follow-up to the massively popular Solo model that sold nearly four units every minute last year. It seems that Beats has addressed one of the biggest criticisms of previous models. Some said they were too bass-heavy which resulted in what some critics called “poorly-mixed hip-hop sound”.

The Solo2 headphone has a more dynamic, wider range of sound, with a clarity that will bring you closer to what the artist intended, whether you’re into hip-hop, heavy metal, jazz, electronic, or country.

These new cans sport a nearly identical design, while some tweaks have been made to increase overall comfort.

…the frame of the headphone has been curved like never before, giving the Solo2 a custom-fit feeling. The earcups have been ergonomically angled to complete this natural fit, with pivots for optimal comfort and sound delivery. Finally, the earcups’ premium material helps dissipate heat and minimize sound leakage.

Apple obviously had no impact on this product release since the deal isn’t expected to be finalized until the company’s fiscal Q4 of this year, but it’s interesting to see Beats trying to shake of some its old stigmas to appeal to audiophiles as well as music listeners who put bass and fashion first.

The Solo2 headphones are now available for preorder for $199.95 in a range of colors from Best Buy, beatsbydre.com, and are expected to hit other authorized retailers late this week…
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Steve Jobs wanted Comcast to be the best “dumb pipe” [Video]

9to5 Staff May 28 2014 - 1:23 pm PT

4 Comments

Your browser does not support iframes.

“Dumb” means Net neutral to IP traffic which is exactly what Comcast is trying to avoid.

Spotify CEO: I’ve always assumed Apple would offer a streaming service

Zac Hall May 21 2014 - 6:53 pm PT

16 Comments

If Apple does indeed reach a deal to acquire Beats Electronics and announce it this week as expected, the clock is once again counting down to offer up your take on the whole scenario before it’s actually official. Steve Jobs’ biographer Walter Isaacson got that opportunity earlier this week thanks in part to Dan Lyons of Fake Steve Jobs fame; Isaacson told Lyons he believes the expected $3.2 billion acquisition by Apple is all about creating a world class video service led by Beats’ co-founder Jimmy Iovine.

But when you think about Beats and what the company has to offer for Apple, the subscription music service launched by the company in January earlier this year comes to mind. Spotify, of course, dominates in this space as seen by the company’s announcement today that they now have 10 million paid subscribers and 40 million active users.
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Google tells the SEC it could soon be serving ads on thermostats and other devices (Update: Google says no ad-based Nest)

Ben Lovejoy May 21 2014 - 5:56 am PT

22 Comments

Those who expressed concern about Google’s acquisition of Nest may have have been right: the company has told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it may choose to serve ads on “refrigerators, car dashboards, thermostats, glasses, and watches, to name just a few possibilities.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google made the statement in support of its contention that it shouldn’t have to break out ad revenue from mobile devices.

Google argued that it doesn’t make sense to break out mobile revenue since the definition of mobile will “continue to evolve” as more “smart” devices roll out.

“Our expectation is that users will be using our services and viewing our ads on an increasingly wide diversity of devices in the future,” the company said in the filing.

While the statement is purely a defensive one – the company not wanting to share more data than it has to with competitors – the specific thermostat example seems unlikely to have been chosen completely randomly.

Google added the Nest smart thermostat to Google Play three months after purchasing the company. Nest remains on sale in Apple stores, both retail and online.

Nest was created by former Apple engineer Tony Fadell, the man dubbed ‘father of the iPod.’ Fadell sought to allay concerns about Google’s acquisition of the company soon after it was announced, promising that all data collected by Nest was used only to improve the product, and that any changes to that policy would be opt-in. Nothing was said about serving non-personalized ads, however.

Update: Google gave the following statement to Engadget…

“We are in contact with the SEC to clarify the language in this 2013 filing, which does not reflect Google’s product roadmap. Nest, which we acquired after this filing was made, does not have an ads-based model and has never had any such plans.”

Dutch appeals court upholds ban on Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Ace

Mike Beasley May 20 2014 - 5:56 pm PT

5 Comments

A Dutch appeals court today upheld a 2011 decision that banned the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy S II and Galaxy Ace phones, as noted by Re/code. The devices in question were found to have infringed on Apple’s design in an earlier ruling and blocked from sale.

Apple’s original intent was to get an injunction against all Galaxy devices, but the company was forced to settle instead for just the two devices listed above.

Even though Apple and Google recently decided to settle their differences, thus halting the “thermonuclear warfare” instigated by former CEO Steve Jobs, there’s no indication that Apple plans to stop going after Samsung or other manufacturers directly any time soon. In fact, Samsung was recently found to have infringed on Apple’s design yet again with some of its newer devices and order to pay nearly $120 million in damages.

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Beats co-founder Steven Lamar brings royalty claim, reveals the company’s early Apple connection

Mike Beasley May 20 2014 - 4:34 pm PT

4 Comments

Steven Lamar, who helped create Beats headphones in 2006, has filed a complaint against Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine claiming he’s owed royalties on most of the company’s latest headphones, according to the Hollywood Reporter. In the complaint, Lamar recounts the earliest connection between Beats and Apple—and that the Cupertino company was almost the first Beats distributor.

Back in 2006, Lamar first hatched the idea for a line of celebrity-endorsed headphones. He took the idea to Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine and asked if Dr. Dre would be the celebrity sponsor. Lamar worked with a firm called Pentagram to create the first design for what would become Beats headphones.

That’s when Ivovine introduced Lamar to Apple retail VP Jerry McDougal. Lamar suggested to McDougal that Beats headphones should be sold in Apple retail stores, even going so far as to design the packaging around that very idea. McDougal introduced Lamar to Don Inmon, the man responsible for product placement in Apple’s retail stores.

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Google acquires Word Lens app recently featured in Apple’s iPhone ad “Powerful”

Zac Hall May 16 2014 - 11:18 am PT

31 Comments

Google just bought the company behind a smartphone app called Word Lens that visually translates text in real life scenarios right on your device using the camera and some behind-the-scenes intelligence.

With Word Lens, we’ve seen the beginnings of what’s possible when we harness the power of mobile devices to “see the world in your language.”

By joining Google, we can incorporate Quest Visual’s technology into Google Translate’s broad language coverage and translation capabilities in the future.

As a thank you to everybody who supported us on our journey, we’ve made both the app and the language packs free to download for a limited time while we transition to Google.

We’re looking forward to continuing our work at Google – stay tuned!

The kicker? Word Lens was recently featured rather prominently in Apple’s latest iPhone ad “Powerful” and even listed on Apple’s microsite promoting the film as an app to explore.
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MOG founder and former Beats Music CEO suing Beats for $20 million ahead of expected Apple buy

Zac Hall May 16 2014 - 8:54 am PT

4 Comments

Luke Wood, Jimmy Iovine, & Dr. Dre

Just as Apple is expected to close on a deal with Beats Electronics as soon as next week, a new report from The Wrap shares that David Hyman, the founder of music service MOG which Beats purchased, is suing the headphones and streaming music company for at least $20 million plus interest.

The suit claims that, under an incentive plan adopted during Hyman’s tenure, he would be entitled to compensation including 2.5 percent of the company’s “currently outstanding equity interests,” with 1 percent due on the first anniversary of Hyman’s date of employment, and subsequent installments due in subsequent months. The suit also claims that he was promised a grant of 25 percent of the company’s outstanding equity interests following adoption of the incentive plan if the company achieved a fair market value of $500 million or more.

Hyman served as founder and CEO of the MOG music service for seven years until Beats Electronics purchased it for $14 million in May 2012. Hyman stayed on to head the music service that is now Beats Music where he served as CEO for just seven months.

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The four largest carriers now support texting 911, but most emergency call centers don’t

Ben Lovejoy May 16 2014 - 4:36 am PT

0 Comments

When the FCC set a voluntary deadline of yesterday for putting in place technology to allow people to text 911, all four of the main national carriers complied. But since most emergency call centres aren’t yet equipped to receive texts, don’t expect to be using it any time soon.

The FCC said that the ability to text 911 could be a life-saver for those with hearing or speech impairments, as well as in situations where it might be dangerous to make a phone call – while a crime is in progress and the perpetrator within earshot, for example.

But the wireless trade association, the CTIA, warned that even where 911 texting is supported, it’s still impossible to guarantee immediate delivery of texts. We’ve all experienced examples of texts that arrive the next day, so the advice remains to make a voice call wherever possible.

The FCC has uploaded a list of emergency call centres accepting 911 texts. If you attempt to text 911 in an area where the service is not supported, you’ll get a text bounce-back. Needless to say, please do not test the service.

Footprint of Apple’s ‘spaceship’ campus clearly visible in latest aerial photos

Benjamin Mayo May 8 2014 - 5:51 am PT

1 Comment

Following up on an aerial shot posted last week, AppleToolbox has taken a handful of much clearer photos, showing the progress of Apple’s new campus.

AppleToolbox says it took these images yesterday, so they should reflect the most recent state of the project. The spaceship imprint of the main building can now be clearly seen on the ground. The images also show quite a lot of construction activity is already underway. Images of the excavated plot for the ancillary buildings are also visible, which will be dedicated to research and development facilities.

Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer was leading the development of the project, but it still unclear who has taken over these responsibilities since he announced his retirement in March.

Apple is currently planning to open the new campus to its employees in roughly two years time.
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Microsoft, Google, and others stand together to voice support for net neutrality, Apple declines to join

Chance Miller May 7 2014 - 4:43 pm PT

31 Comments

Following a proposal that many fear threatens net neutrality, a plethora of tech companies today have come together to support net neutrality in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission. The group is led by Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Netflix, and Twitter, as well as many others. Notably missing, however, is Apple.

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D-Link’s new Wi-Fi Smart Plug offers full iPhone control over electronics w/ energy monitoring & thermal safety features

Justin Kahn May 7 2014 - 8:11 am PT

6 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX8FE8q-Bjw

D-Link has just launched its new Wi-Fi Smart Plug designed to offer users full control over their electrical outlets via the free mobile apps. The small adapters communicate with any existing WiFi network and plug into any electrical outlet. The user can then control power to any of the devices plugged into the adapter.

They come with a few handy features along with basic on/off control. You can create custom schedules for particular outlets and monitor your energy use on connected devices.

You can set device schedules so that you walk into a brightly-lit home every day after work with your favorite song playing and the AC exactly where you want it.

The system also includes a thermal protection system that allows you to manually shut down power on an outlet and includes a thermal sensor that will automatically turn off over heating appliances.

The D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug comes in at a slightly lower price tag than the popular $60 WeMo options from Belkin. D-Link is launching its smart plug at $49.99 right now (temporarily out of stock on Amazon) and the mydlink Smart Plug apps for iOS and Android can both be downloaded for free via the App Store and Google Play.