Tech Industry

4,146 'Tech Industry' stories June 2007 - March 2014

Facebook reaches 1 billion active mobile users, 200 million Instagram accounts

Mike Beasley Mar 25 2014 - 4:45 pm PT

During a call with investors today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the social network had reached over one billion mobile users. That’s up from only 945 million active users in the last quarter of last year, putting the total gain since then at about 55 million mobile users.

The Facebook-owned photo app Instagram also announced a milestone today on its blog as it passed the 200 million user mark. A quarter of those users joined in just the last six months. Instagram also announced that users have shared over 20 billion photos on the network since it launched.

HTC unveils new One (M8) with dual-LED flash, Sense 6 software, Gunmetal design

Chance Miller Mar 25 2014 - 9:05 am PT

27 Comments

: iPhone 5s True Tone

: HTC One M8 camera & flash

HTC has just announced its 2014 flagship in New York. Dubbed the new HTC One (M8), the device is just as all the leaks have depicted it over the past few months. Most notably, HTC is touting the device’s high-quality metal construction, which it describes “like a premium watch.” (Remember when Jobs described the iPhone 4 as a “a beautiful old Leica camera”?) The device is available in a new Gunmetal Gray Hairline Finish that makes it look significantly more high-end than its predecessor. Taking a page out of Apple’s book, the device features a dual LED flash on the back, much like the iPhone 5s.

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World’s first Apple reseller to close this month, after 37 years of selling Apple products

Benjamin Mayo Mar 20 2014 - 4:41 am PT

13 Comments

[vimeo=http://vimeo.com/70141303 width=”704″ height=”420″]

Via TwinCities.com, the first ever Apple authorized reseller is going to end business after over 36 years of trading. Located in Minneapolis, Team Electronics (which later changed its name to FirstTech) was shipped Apple’s first batch of computers in the late 1970’s. It has sold Apple devices for more than three decades, celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2012.However, on March 29th, the shop will close due to shrinking margins.

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GE-backed Quirky Aros is a window air conditioner with Nest smarts, controlled by iPhone

Zac Hall Mar 19 2014 - 12:20 pm PT

6 Comments

Finally some much needed smart appliance love for those without central air conditioning (and it’ll keep you cool): the Quirky Aros. Backed by GE, the New York-based start-up Quirky has combined the traditional window A/C unit with some very modern technologies to create the Nest (smart thermostat) of window air conditioners at a particularly reasonable price. On the surface, the Aros is an 8,000 BTU window A/C unit (rated to cool 350 square feet) with an almost Apple-like exterior (it looks as good as any window A/C unit I could imagine). Throw in touch capacitive buttons, Wi-Fi, and an iPhone and Android app for adjusting remotely and you’ve got your smart window air conditioner. The smartphone app doesn’t just let you control the temperature remotely…

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Who would have guessed? Apple reportedly the most valuable Silicon Valley brand

Mike Beasley Mar 18 2014 - 8:36 pm PT

3 Comments

According to a study uncovered today by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, Apple is the most valuable brand in all of Silicon Valley. The study, which was conducted by a consulting agency called Brand Finance, compared the value of 500 different brands to determine which one was worth the most. Each brand’s value was determined by “estimating the royalty rate that would be charged for use of the brand and factoring in future revenue.”

Much to no one’s real surprise, Apple was ranked the most valuable brand on the list, followed by Google and Microsoft in the second and third spots. According to the results of the study, Apple’s brand is worth $104.7 billion, or about 23% of its market cap. Google, ranked second, has a brand valuation of only $68.6 billion.

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Google releases ‘Android Wear’ SDK developer preview, watches from LG, Moto & others due next quarter

Jordan Kahn Mar 18 2014 - 9:23 am PT

16 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqZl2QIz0c]

Ahead of the release of Apple’s much rumored “iWatch” wearable product, Google has now officially announced Android’s entrance into wearables with project “Android Wear.” The Android Wear SDK allows developers to integrate a number of features into Android powered wearables and relies heavily on Google Now functionality, as we were first to report late last year.

Google also confirmed that it’s working with a handful of partners to bring Android Wear powered wearables to market by later this year:
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Former VP of marketing at Apple talks iPhone, Steve Jobs, and more at the 99U conference

Mike Beasley Mar 17 2014 - 2:55 pm PT

8 Comments

Apple’s former Vice President of Marketing Allison Johnson talked about her time at Apple during the 99U conference, as reported by Cult of Mac. Johnson now works with companies like Jawbone and Anki.

In the video, Johnson discusses her time working with Steve Jobs, including his response to the iPhone 4 “antenna-gate” issue. Johnson describe’s Jobs as being “so sad and so angry” about the problem, declaring that Apple would not be the kind of company that people regarded negatively.

She also talks about her role (and Jobs’) in marketing the original iPhone and other key events in the six years she was in charge of the company’s marketing.

The full twenty-five minute interview is included below:

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AT&T cuts price of Mobile Share Value plan as T-Mobile offers more data, unlimited international texting

Benjamin Mayo Mar 8 2014 - 11:00 am PT

8 Comments

From tomorrow, AT&T will cut the price of its 2GB data plan tier ‘Mobile Share Value’ from $55 to $40. In total, this plan will cost you $65 per month in data charges for one device, comprised of the reduced $40 data plan and a $25 device charge. As usual, there is a $25 charge for each device that shares the data allowance. For one device, this represents an overall reduction of approximately 20% of AT&T’s current offerings. Otherwise, the plans remain the same with unlimited talk and text service, unlimited international messaging in addition to the shared data.

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Twelve South debuts SurfacePad variant for iPad mini, teases iPad Air version

Mike Beasley Mar 4 2014 - 6:10 pm PT

1 Comment

Twelve South, makers of fine accessories for Apple products, debuted a new version of its popular SurfacePad case for the iPad mini today. The new case is very similiar to the existing iPhone version. It’s made of leather that covers both the front and back of the iPad. A built-in stand allows you to watch videos in landscape at a comfortable angle.

Like Apple’s own Smart Cover, the SurfacePad uses a set of magnets to automatically put the iPad to sleep and wake it up when the cover is opened and closed.

The SurfacePad for iPad mini is available for $69.99 on the Twelve South website. It comes in three colors: black, white, and red. The company says it is currently working on a version of the case for the full-size iPad Air which will be available this Spring.

RadioShack announces plan to close 1,100 stores nationwide as smartphone sales fail to carry company

Mike Beasley Mar 4 2014 - 2:51 pm PT

7 Comments

ABC News reports that RadioShack will close 1,100 stores following a disappointing holiday season and generally unsuccessful attempt to rebrand the chain as the go-to retailer for smartphones and accessories. The number represents about 20% of the electronics shop’s locations. The company previously announced plans to close only 400-700 stores.

That doesn’t mean RadioShack will be disappearing completely, though. Around 4,000 stores are still expected to remain open. While the cell phone business hasn’t been able to keep the entire company afloat, it has apparently provided enough fuel to keep the majority of the stores functional… for now, at least.

Apple’s CarPlay technology using BlackBerry subsidiary QNX?

Zac Hall Mar 4 2014 - 9:01 am PT

13 Comments

Update: QNX confirmed to us the validity of their statement to N4BB.

Though you presumably won’t see the handset maker’s logo anywhere on your dashboard or in the CarPlay interface, BlackBerry-owned QNX’s software for smartphone and display compatibility is apparently present in Apple’s new automotive technology. Tech site N4BB speculated and later updated (via iDownloadblog) with a statement from QNX that Apple’s existing partnership with the firm extends to implementing compatibility support for Apple CarPlay.

Connectivity to smartphones and other mobile devices is a key strength of QNX Software Systems’ platform for car infotainment systems, and many automakers and tier one automotive suppliers use our platform to implement smartphone/head-unit integration in their vehicles. We have a long-standing partnership with Apple to ensure high-quality connectivity with their devices, and this partnership extends to support for Apple CarPlay.

The move to work with QNX on CarPlay is interesting, not only because of the BlackBerry connection, but also for the approach used to launch CarPlay. Apple, of course, doesn’t manufacture vehicles so the service is dependent on partnerships with automakers, but the apparent QNX relationship on the software and hardware side illustrates Apple’s focus on getting the feature announced at WWDC last June into the hands of users and out of concept rather than building it in-house from the ground up.
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Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer to retire in September, Luca Maestri to take over

Benjamin Mayo Mar 4 2014 - 5:40 am PT

6 Comments

Apple has announced that its CFO Peter Oppenheimer is leaving Apple for retirement in September this year. Luca Maestri, vice president of finance, will take over as CFO. The transition will begin in June to smooth the changeover from Oppenheimer to Maestri.

Oppenheimer has been at Apple since before Jobs returned in 1997, as a senior director. He became Senior Vice President and CFO in 2004. Yesterday, it was announced that Oppenheimer would join Goldman Sachs as a board member. Oppenheimer was the lead of the Apple Campus 2 project; whether Maestri will take over this responsibility is currently unclear.

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LG infographic breaks down the history and future of the smartphone… mostly

Mike Beasley Mar 4 2014 - 12:09 am PT

3 Comments

LG published an infographic this afternoon that details the history of smart- (and not-so-smart-) phones. The chart covers major jumps in cell phone technology from 1992 when the first SMS message was sent, all the way to 2013 when LG launched the G2 handset.

The chart also contains some interesting survey results about where people use their smartphones (an example of which is seen above), and a look at LG’s next-gen phone, the G Flex. The phone’s hardware is detailed and benefits like improved battery life and “more accurate selfies” are explained.

There does seem to be a pretty glaring omission on the chart, though: Apple’s massive contributions to the industry in the first iPhone are never mentioned at all. While LG may be able to accurately claim credit for the first touchscreen smartphone in 2007, it certainly wasn’t LG that drove the industry forward or inspired the modern touchscreen-focused versions of Android we know today.

You can find the full infographic below:

Click for full size

Apple adding hundreds of new engineers and operations staff in China to speed development of larger iPhones

Benjamin Mayo Mar 3 2014 - 4:30 am PT

3 Comments

Apple is on a mass hiring spree for Asian staff, beginning in the middle of last year, as noted by the Wall Street Journal. The Journal says that Apple is trying to speed up product development in China and Taiwan to help launch a larger lineup of devices. Apparently, the company is aggressively hiring away from HTC and other firms to form strong product teams in Asia.

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Apple asking Indian government to relax FDI regulations to allow Apple Stores

Benjamin Mayo Feb 28 2014 - 3:59 am PT

3 Comments

Apple is attempting to open its own stores in India, as reported by the Business Standard. However, India has regulations that require companies to source 30% of its components from Indian companies. Apple is requesting that this restriction be relaxed so that it can set up stores legally…

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Tech Industry

Appellate court overturns conviction, rules use of cell phone maps while driving legal despite ban on texting or talking

Mike Beasley Feb 27 2014 - 3:05 pm PT

13 Comments

Steven Spriggs, a Fresno man who was ticketed for using his iPhone while driving in January of 2012, won an appeal of his conviction today in a ruling that could potentially impact how drivers are allowed to use their phones while on the road.

Because Spriggs was using his phone’s mapping application when he was pulled over, the court overturned his conviction, stating that maps do not fall under the state ban on texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. Any drivers who were previously ticketed for a similar offense may be able to get their own tickets overturned.

Apple formally appeals ebooks antitrust ruling, asks for monitor to be suspended until a new decision is made

Benjamin Mayo Feb 26 2014 - 2:17 am PT

14 Comments

Apple has formally appealed the Department of Justice’s ebooks antitrust case, via the Associated Press. Previously, Apple has only officially complained about the power of the appointed monitor — now they are asking for the entire case to be re-evaluated.

Apple claims it was ignorant of any inter-publisher price fixing and that Apple setup iBooks through legal arrangements without knowledge of any behind-the-scenes collusion.

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Crowdsource update: SunSprite, the solar-powered wearable aimed at geeks

Ben Lovejoy Feb 25 2014 - 4:44 am PT

0 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLZ8CGOUg2w]

With all the focus on skin cancer caused by too much exposure to sunlight, you might expect a UV-measurement gadget to be designed to warn you when you’ve spent too long in the sun. But no, the SunSprite has the opposite goal: it’s aimed at those who spend all their time indoors, and don’t get enough time in the sun. Or, to put it more concisely, geeks.

Sunlight plays a role in both mood and sleep patterns. The SunSprite measures exposure to both visible and UV light, and uses LEDs to indicate when you’ve met your daily goal of having spent enough time outside. It also communicates with a companion iPhone app. The retail price is a rather hefty $149, but early bird Indiegogo backers can get one for $89.

A neat thing about it is the same sunlight it measures also powers the device. The low energy requirements of the SunSprite mean that just a few minutes of sunlight provide enough energy to power the gadget for a week.

With some rumors suggesting that the iWatch may incorporate solar panels, perhaps this is one more health-based sensor Apple could include?

There’s a longer video that goes into more detail below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsePn7icDuw]

Tech Industry

New Broadcom 5G 802.11ac WiFi chip will likely power future iOS devices

Jordan Kahn Feb 24 2014 - 2:18 pm PT

10 Comments

Broadcom today announced a first of its kind 5G WiFi system-on-a-chip that will bring faster 802.11ac WiFi and improved performance to smartphones. Apple currently uses a WiFi chip based on the Broadcom technology in the iPhone, iPad and Mac products making the new 5G chip a likely successor for next-generation iOS devices. The chip is the first to implement 2×2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) on a smartphone and Broadcom said that will significantly improve performance over current implementations of 802.11ac on mobile:

Consumers expect a fast, always-on smartphone experience. Performance however can be degraded by many factors including how a phone is held or positioned. In the past, MIMO systems have solved these problems on tablets and larger devices by using multiple antennas. With Broadcom’s advanced antenna and PHY design, the BCM4354 can now deliver the benefits of 5G WiFi 2×2 MIMO to smaller platform designs like smartphones while reducing implementation complexity for designers. This achievement enables the industry’s first practical implementation of 2×2 MIMO on a smartphone, opening the door for a new market segment.

Broadcom said the chip will allow smartphone makers to double WiFi performance “while improving system power efficiency up to 25 percent when using wireless applications.”

As Apple continues development of iWatch, Samsung releases two new second-gen Gear smartwatches

Chance Miller Feb 22 2014 - 6:55 pm PT

12 Comments

Over the past year, many signs have emerged that Apple is working an iWatch centered around health and fitness features. The company has made a plethora of hires in the health field recently, and our sources have said that the device is already well into development. Samsung, on the other hand, albeit to incredibly poor reviews, released its Galaxy Gear smartwatch just five months ago. This evening, the Korean company has taken the wraps off of not one, but two new smartwatches: the Gear 2 and the Gear 2 Neo. The difference between the two models is the lack of a camera on the Gear Neo. As rumored earlier this month, both of the models have ditched Android in favor of Samsung’s Tizen operating system.

According to Samsung, the switch to Tizen will offer many improvements to the end-user. First off, Tizen is much less power intensive, which means battery life has improved to 2-3 days, according to Samsung—much better than the one day life given by the original Gear. Tizen will also offer an “enriched application ecosystem” to the user.

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Tech Industry

Microsoft reportedly dropping licensing fees for Windows 8.1 amid competition from Apple and Google

Mike Beasley Feb 21 2014 - 6:26 pm PT

28 Comments

People familiar with Microsoft’s plans have told Bloomberg that the tech giant plans to significantly reduce the cost to PC manufacturers to license the latest version of its operating system. The move is said to come after fierce competition from Apple and Google have hurt Windows-based PC sales.

Previously each Windows 8.1 license for a tablet or PC would cost the manufacturer $50. The upcoming drop will bring that down to only $15. The change won’t affect all computers running the OS, however. Only those that retail for less than $250 will be eligible for the discount, which gives manufacturers an incentive to create low-cost machines.

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Opinion: Will the spring launch of Amazon/Nexus/Apple TV signal the beginning of the end of live, broadcast TV?

Ben Lovejoy Feb 21 2014 - 8:01 am PT

32 Comments

Streaming TV is heating-up. We’re expecting a new Apple TV box to be announced in April, Amazon looks set to launch its own box in March and Google is reputed to be not far behind with a Nexus-branded box.

So-called cord-cutting – people who give up their cable TV subscriptions in favor of streaming content over the web – is growing in popularity. Mobile TV viewing on tablets is increasingly common.

All of which makes me wonder whether we’re witnessing the beginning of the end of live TV … ?
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Double debunk: bezel-free iPhones, sapphire iWatch only?

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2014 - 10:24 am PT

7 Comments

Two Apple rumors have popped up today originating from the KoreaHerald and Chinese media outlet MyDrivers (via Gforgames) that claim to share new details about upcoming next-generation iPhones. The first report from MyDrivers claims that industry sources from Taiwan say Apple won’t move to sapphire for the next-gen iPhone display. It cites cost and limited production capacity, but claims Apple is prototyping an “iPhone 6” with sapphire display anyway. The biggest problem with this report— apart from the site’s track record— is that Apple recently acquired enough equipment for its new Arizona sapphire plant to produce 100-200 million 5-inch iPhone displays a year. While the report adds that Apple will likely use sapphire for the rumored iWatch display, it’s certainly preparing its Arizona plant to produce much beyond just that product.

Next we have the KoreaHerald report claiming that both Samsung and Apple are working on bezel-less displays and that Apple is prototyping one that includes a fingerprint sensor:
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How-to: Setup and Use Chromecast to stream your content from a Mac and iOS device

Sarah Guarino Feb 9 2014 - 12:00 pm PT

33 Comments

The Chromecast, Google’s streaming HDMI dongle came out last summer. It is compatible with any Android device running 2.3 or later, iOS device with iOS 6 or 7, and any Mac or PC. Initially, users were able to stream Netflix or Youtube from an iOS device and Android device, Google Play Movies and Music only on Android, or cast websites using the Chrome browser on a computer. The Chromecast works differently from Airplay in that you can multitask and do other tasks on the device or you can let it go to sleep while streaming.

Very quickly after its release, Chromecast has received support for Hulu +, Pandora, and HBO GO. Last month a major update added ten new apps including Plex, Vevo, Songza, Red Bull TV, Post TV from the Washington Post, Viki, RealPlayer Cloud, Avia, Revision3 Internet Television and BeyondPod. The most recent update the Chromecast received allowed users to stream Google Play Movies and Music directly from the Chrome browser on a computer.

In this How-to, we’ll discuss how to setup the Chromecast, use it with a Mac and iOS device and explore its gaming potential.

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