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Jan 14
Griffin debuts new travel accessories

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Griffin Technology (http://www.griffintechnology.com) debuted new travel gear, including two smartphone accessories to streamline handsfree interaction in the car, four portable charging devices, and a new mount for air travel.

The US$39.99 WindowSeat 3 HandsFree is a windshield/dashboard mount for smartphones. Designed for car stereos that have AUX-in jacks, it comes with an AUX cable and mic that can be used to make handsfree phone calls and stream music/navigation commands through the car speakers.

For cars without AUX-in-equipped stereos, the $29.99 AirCurve Window Mount combines the features of two of Griffn’s most popular standalone devices: the AirCurve acoustic amplifier for iPhone, and their car Window Mount cradle. The AirCurve Window Mount adheres to glass or dashboard using the included swivel mounting base....

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Jan 14
Concord Keystone rolls out waterproof iPhone case

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Concord Electronics launched the Keystone ECO MarineCase (http://www.concordkeystone.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=888), a waterproof case made specifically for the iPhone 4S/4. It's available in black or white and costs US$39.99.

Enclosing the iPhone in the MarineCase allows consumers to capture images and video underwater, as well as playback, email, text data, use apps, and more without leaving the water, according to the folks at Concord Electronics. It fully encases the iPhone, keeping it safe and dry at depths up to 20 feet underwater.

The clear protective silicon cover of the MarineCase supports full iPhone screen and call functionality and is designed for swimmers, skiers, kayakers, white water rafters, snowboarders, boaters, fisherman, or any iPhone users who expose their...

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Jan 14
Mizco Sprays out new Bluetooth speaker

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mizco (http://www.mizco.com) introduced the Spray Bluetooth speaker.

Available for delivery in March at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US $159.99, the Spray is designed for use with iPods, iPhones, iPads, laptops and PCs, and all Android, BlackBerry and Windows smartphones. With two full-range high-output 40mm drivers delivering 3W each and two 45mm bass radiators, it can fill a room with high-fidelity audio or bring music to the outdoors thanks to the high-capacity Li-Ion battery that provides up to 10 hours of play time, says Steve Kops, executive vice president of sales at Mizco.
 
Utilizing Bluetooth 2.1 technology the Spray pairs with any Bluetooth device up to a maximum range of 30 feet, includes a built-in microphone that enables hands-free calling with any Bluetooth cell phone and has a 3.5mm line input for direct connection...

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Jan 14
New charging dock Tangoes from XtremeMac

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, XtremeMac (http://www.xtrememac.com) has unveiled the Tango TT, an app-enhanced, audio and charging dock for the iPod, iPhone and iPad. It will go on sale this summer; pricing hasn't been announced.

The Tango TT features a 30-pin dock connector designed to allow the iOS device to be oriented in landscape or portrait mode. It also sports a sliding back support construction that raises and lowers the iOS device for multiple viewing angles. Additionally, it offers multi-directional speakers and a line-in jack for use with other MP3 players.  

With an integrated hardware app that will be available at the Apple App Store, the Tango TT also doubles as a digital photo frame that users can customize with pictures, album art and social media feeds from Facebook and Twitter. An additional remote app turns an iOS device into a virtual remote controller...

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Jan 14
Wrapsol unveils new Grip Pad for tablets

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Wrapsol (http://www.wrapsol.com) unveiled the Grip Pad for the iPad and other tablets.

The US$14.95 non-slip product is made with tactilla, a proprietary gripping technology, made from polyurethane. The Grip Pad is the first product to integrate Wrapsol's non-slip, tactilla technology.

The Grip Pad installs in an instant and helps securely position any tablet along virtually any slanted surface, according to the folks at Grapsol. They're available at Staples and other U.S. retailers.

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Jan 14
BodyGuardz launches new tech to customize iPhone cases

BodyGuardz (http://www.bodyguardz.com) has announced customization technology that lets iPhone 4/4S users personalize their devices by creating an "infinite" number of designs that can be printed on the back of BodyGuardz’s

The multi-piece mykase uses a patent-pending system of interchangeable plates, which includes a base (comprised of interlocking back-and-side and bottom pieces) as well as additional back plates. Users can select from nine solid color options for the back plates, and in addition, will now be able to create a one-of-a-kind back plate that showcases their own designs, artwork -- even pictures, says Kirk Feller, CEO and president of BodyGuardz.

Combined with a base that offers complete coverage, the mykase personalized back plate serves as a reinforced layer of protection. It's easy to put on and remove, providing secure coverage that is designed not to come apart even when...

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Jan 13
ITC: Motorola doesn't violate Apple patents

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Motorola's Droid smartphones don't violate three Apple patents, "dealing a blow to Apple's legal offensive against the Android smartphone ecosystem," reports "CNET" (). The ruling is preliminary and needs to be approved by the ITC's full six-member commission.

"We are pleased with today’s favorable outcome for Motorola Mobility," Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility, said in a press release. "Motorola Mobility has worked hard over the years to develop technology and build an industry-leading intellectual property portfolio. We are proud to leverage this broad and deep portfolio to create differentiated innovations that enhance the user experience."

Apple alleges that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (...

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Jan 13
Apple joins Fair Labor Association

The Fair Labor Association says Apple will join the FLA as a Participating Company, effective immediately. The FLA will independently assess facilities in Apple's supply chain and report detailed findings on the FLA website. Apple becomes the first technology company to join the Association as a Participating Company.

FLA Participating Companies agree to uphold the FLA Workplace Code of Conduct throughout their supply chains and commit to the FLA's Principles of Fair Labor and Responsible Sourcing. In 2011, the FLA worked with Apple to assess the impact of Apple's training programs which help raise awareness of labor rights and standards among workers in its supply chain. Like all new affiliates, Apple will align its compliance program with FLA obligations within the next two years.

"We found that Apple takes supplier responsibility seriously and we look forward to their participation in the Fair Labor Association," says Auret van Heerden, FLA's president and CEO. "We...

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Jan 13
Analyst: Next-gen iPhone may sport quad-core chip

Investment bank Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty tells clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider) that the next-generation iPhone will be slimmer when it arrives later this year and could include a quad-mode chip from Qualcomm that would allow for 3G and LTE functionality across all "network flavors."

Huberty also thinks the next iPad will arrive in the first half of the year and the iPhone 5 after this. She believes production for the next iPad will ramp up at the end of this quarter and that, as many have said, it will have a higher resolution display.

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Jan 13
Apple postpones iPhone 4S sales in mainland China stores

Apple postponed sales of its iPhone 4S in its mainland China stores Friday after angry customers threw eggs at the company's flagship Beijing store when it didn't open at 7 a.m., as scheduled, reports the "Associated Press" (http://macte.ch/NNHQS).

Hundreds of people had waited overnight in freezing weather at the store in the Sanlitun district on Beijing's east side for a chance to buy the Apple smartphone, the article adds. Apple said it canceled the opening due to safety concerns about the crowd.

The company further says that the iPhone 4S will not be sold at its mainland China stores for the time being to protect the safety of customers and employees, notes the "AP." However, the smartphone will still will be sold online and through its local carrier.

Apple should consider launching its products earlier in China, and expand its online distribution there, if it wants to avoid incidents,...

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Jan 13
Apple leases complex into Sunnyvale, California

Apple has agreed to agreed to lease a big research and office complex in Sunnyvale, California and is seeking even more space in the city, marking a major expansion outside of the company's headquarters in Cupertino, reports the Mercury News" (http://macte.ch/BQLaB).

Apple has rented 215,000 square feet in what's known as the Sunnyvale Research Center, the article adds, attributing realty agents from Colliers International, which is marketing the office center. "Potentially thousands of Apple employees could end up working in buildings Apple has leased or has been scouting in Sunnyvale,"says the "Mercury News." "It's not clear how many of these would be new hires, or how many would be transfers from existing Apple offices."

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Jan 13
Pure Contour 200i Air audio system is Apple AirPlay compatible

Pure (http://www.pure.com/us/) has announced the US$329 Contour 200i Air, a wireless audio system with Apple AirPlay that allows the user to play their music wirelessly via a Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch without the need to dock the device. It will be available in March.

AirPlay enables iTunes users to play their music library, hosted on a Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch on any AirPlay-enabled device. If the user has more than one AirPlay-enabled device, the user can control and run a multiroom music environment from a Mac or PC running iTunes.

The Pure Contour 200i Air not only supports wireless streaming, but also includes a dock for iPad, iPhone and iPod for charging as well as music playback. It connects to the user’s home network via Ethernet or WiFi, and produces 36W RMS of digital quality sound.


The Contour 200i Air also serves as a companion to the free Pure Lounge app...

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Jan 13
Blackmagic Design announces new Intensity Shuttle with Thunderbolt

Blackmagic Design (http://www.blackmagic-design.com) has announced the US$239 Intensity Shuttle, a new video capture and playback solution that uses the Thunderbolt technology found on the latest Macs.

It features video connections to connect video cameras, set-top boxes, game consoles, large screen TVs and projectors to a Thunderbolt-enabled computer. The e inline design includes HDMI, analog component, composite and S-Video inputs and outputs.

Thunderbolt-enabled computers connect to Intensity Shuttle using a single cable that's capable of 10 Gbps data transfer speeds. That’s 20x faster than USB 2.0 and 12x faster than FireWire 800. The Blackmagic solution is powered over the Thunderbolt cable with no need for an external power supply.

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Jan 13
RFA Brands launches Powerbag line

RFA Brands has launched the Powerbag line at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Integrated into every Powerbag is an universal smart-charging system, which powers mobile devices that can be charged using a USB cable, including iPad, iPhone, iPod and most leading smartphones, MP3 players, tablets, eReaders, Bluetooth headsets and more, right in the bag.

Powerbag comes with a built-in, lightweight, rechargeable and removable battery for "charge on the go" capability (3000 mAh, 6000 mAh or 9000 mAh batteries available), says Ron Ferber, president of RFA Brands. Plug your Powerbag into any standard wall outlet with the included AC adapter to recharge the internal battery.

You can connect up to four mobile devices at a time using the included pre-routed connectors (one micro, one mini, one Apple) and one USB port inside every Powerbag. Keep devices connected or plug-in when you need more power.

The Powerbag smart-charging system will automatically...

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Jan 13
Griffin intros StudioConnect, MIDIConnect for iOS

Griffin Technology (http://www.griffintechnology.com) has announced the StudioConnect and MIDIConnect for IOS devices.

The multipurpose StudioConnect for iPad combines both audio and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) recording into one compact device that also simultaneously charges the Apple tablet. It's a tracking, editing and overdubbing companion for GarageBand. The desktop unit serves as an all-in-one interface for audio, MIDI-In and MIDI-Out as well as a charging dock for the iPad device. The StudioConnect is due next month for US$149.99.

The MIDIConnect joins Griffin's GuitarConnect Pro in providing compact, go-anywhere input solutions for an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. It will go on sale in the spring for $79.99.

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Jan 13
iTwin Multi offers file sharing functionality on Macs, PCs

iTwin (http://www.itwin.com) -- the company that created iTwin, a "limitless" secure USB device for remote file access -- has announced its new iTwin Multi functionality. This free iTwin upgrade enables users to share files stored on a computer with multiple people at the same time.

With iTwin Multi, multiple users and workgroups can connect multiple iTwins to the same computer to remotely access, edit and share files, without the headaches associated with email, VPN, or remote access software, according to Lux Anantharaman, co-founder and CEO of iTwin.

For example, using iTwin Multi, field sales reps can remotely download or upload the latest confidential client contracts and proposals, he adds. Similarly, small businesses such as CPA firms can securely share large accounting files and other sensitive data with multiple clients.
 
iTwin provides two-factor authentication and end-to-end...

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MacTech Blog

Jan 14
Compact digital camera gets faster with Ricoh CX5

By Daniel East

How is it possible to take a compact digital camera that for most people is already perfect and improve upon its stellar features? It seemed as if this line had reached its pinnacle with the CX4 (http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc), but in true Ricoh style, they weren’t about to let "good enough" suffice.

The new CX5 (US$329) is quite remarkable and there really are some new features, but it all comes down to one word: speed. The CX5 is, by far, their fastest and most impressive incarnation of this body type to date. The new hybrid autofocus is impressive in nearly any situation.

From macro to magnified, the mechanism is smooth and extremely quick, allowing the capture of your subject as your eye sees it -- when it sees it -- and it’s rated at just over 0.2 seconds for either wide-angle or telephoto shooting. Ricoh’s new Super-resolution technology subtly enhances...

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Jan 13
Moms most likely to have tablets, smartphones

Perhaps Apple should offer its iDevices in pink, as well as other colors. According to new data from the 2012 Cozi Family Outlook survey (http://www.cozi.com), Moms are more likely than dads to have a tablet (35% vs. 20%) or a smartphone (72% vs. 68%).

Kids aren’t far behind, with 62% reporting at least one of their children has a mobile phone, smartphone or tablet, according to Cozi, a free web and mobile service designed to "simplify family life."

The fast growth of technology among the younger set becomes especially clear when compared against historical figures. In the 2011 Cozi Family Outlook survey, only 9% of children had smartphones. This year’s results show the total has more than doubled to 19%.

The 2012 Cozi Family Outlook also showed that today’s families have an average of three desktop or laptop computers in their homes. They don't say how many of those are Macs. But I'd bet the...

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Jan 12
Apple eyeing motion-based 3D interface for iOS devices

A new patent (number ) for a "Sensor Based Display Environment" at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office shows that Apple is working on a motion-based 3D interface for its iOS devices. Although, from reading the patent, there seems to be no reason why the technology couldn't also be implemented on the Mac.

According to the patent, a three-dimensional display environment for mobile device is disclosed that uses orientation data from one or more onboard sensors to automatically determine and display a perspective projection of the 3D display environment based on the orientation data without the user physically interacting with (e.g., touching) the display. Patrick Piedmonte is the inventor.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "Modern computer operating systems often provide a desktop graphical user interface ('GUI') for displaying various graphical objects. Some examples of graphical objects include windows, taskbars, docks, menus and various icons...

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Jan 12
Apple patent is for techniques, systems for supporting...

A new Apple patent (number 20120011227) for techniques and systems for supporting podcasting has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Improved podcasts and techniques that facilitate their use are disclosed. The improved techniques can pertain to creating, publishing, hosting, accessing, subscribing, managing, transferring, and/or playing podcasts. According to one aspect, a client application can subscribe to podcasts and then automatically monitor the podcasts for updates to be downloaded. In the event that user interest in a podcast becomes inadequate, downloading of further updates can be restricted.

According to another aspect, a podcast can be subscribed to through use of a portable subscription file. According to still another aspect, podcast feeds can be enhanced to include segment elements and other metadata. The inventors are Anne Jones, Thomas Dowdy, Jeffrey Robbin, Mike Wiese and Stephen Davis.

Here's Apple's background and summary...

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Jan 12
Apple working on ways to improve battery life when...

A new patent (number 20120008538) for "mobile network device battery conservation system and methods" at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office shows that Apple is working on ways to improve battery life for its devices that can connect wirelessly.

Per the patent, the battery life of a mobile device operating in a wireless network environment is extended by terminating network communication activities after a specified period of time. Network communication activities may be restored when any one of a specified number of user actions are detected. The inventors are Eric Albert, Nate Begeman, Evan Doll, Charles Dominguez, Scott Herz, Dan Keen, David Myszewski, Mallory Paine and Rob Yepez.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "The invention relates generally to mobile wireless devices and, more particularly, to a system and methods for extending the battery life in a network capable mobile device. As used herein, the term 'network' refers to those...

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Jan 12
Outlook for TV sales improving in 2012

Consumer demand for TVs has been softer than expected in 2011, but showing signs of improvement late in the year. But things are expected to get better this year, which could bode Apple if, as rumored, Apple decides to release its own HDTV (dubbed by many the "iTV").

Iventory pressure plagued the industry through much of early 2011 and led to a sharp reduction in shipments to retailers. The result is that global TV unit shipments are expected to rise only 0.1% in 2011. According to the latest forecast released in the NPD DisplaySearch (http://www.displaysearchcom) "Advanced Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report," growth is expected to improve in 2012, rising 2% to 254 million units.

"Global economic conditions have improved in 2011, but more slowly than expected, and consumers in mature TV markets like Europe face continuing uncertainty, which is leading to very cautious spending...

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Jan 11
3D TV gaining momentum -- well, in some places

Don't count 3D TV out yet -- or dismiss a 3D "iTV" at some point in the future. While the 3D TV industry is truly global, regional differences are increasing.

For 3D, the most enthusiastic regions are Western Europe and China, while the mix of 3D in North America actually declined in the third quarter of 2011 (Q3’11), according to a new study by NPD DisplaySearch.

"We were surprised to find that 3D appears to be a far more popular feature in China than North America, and the penetration rate was two times higher in the last quarter," says Paul Gray, director of TV Electronics Research, NPD DisplaySearch (http://www.displaysearch.com/). "Our report also indicates that North American and Japanese 3D penetration is lower than the Middle East."

The report finds that North American consumers favor large, inexpensive TV sets with fewer features, unlike other regions. If Apple is...

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Jan 10
The iMac's still the winner -- and future champ...

Apple's laptop line -- particularly the MacBook Air -- gets most of the computer PR love from the company these days, but the iMac is quietly winning its market.

In the the all-in-one (AIO) market the stalwart of Apple's desktop line has about one-third of the computer industry market. The AIO market grew 39% to 14.5 million units worldwide in 2012, according to DisplaySearch (http://www.displaysearch.com). The iMac accounted for 32.9% of shipments in the third quarter, the research firm estimates.

DisplaySearch believes that the market will reach 23.3 million units by 2014. The iMac looks to continue to lead the pack. Apple's closest competitor is Lenovo, with 22.7% of AIO sales.

So what can we expect from the iMac this year?

A redesign of some sort? Perhaps. A height-adjustable monitor? Maybe, but I'm dubious.

A 30-inch screen to accommodate a rumored iMac with...

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Jan 10
Apple wins patents for audio data storage, more

Apple has been granted eight patents by the US Patent & Trademark Office, involving, among other things, audio data storage (most likely involving iCloud), channel state logic and more.

Patent number 8095375 involves an universal container for audio data. Per the patent, storing audio data encoded in any of a plurality of different audio encoding formats is enabled by parametrically defining the underlying format in which the audio data is encoded, in audio format and packet table chunks.

A flag can be used to manage storage of the size of the audio data portion of the file, such that premature termination of an audio recording session does not result in an unreadable corrupted file. This capability can be enabled by initially setting the flag to a value that does not correspond to a valid audio data size and that indicates that the last chunk in the file contains the audio data.

State information for the audio data, to effectively denote...

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Jan 09
One billion HTML5 phones projects to be sold in 2013

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics (http://www.strategyanalytis.com), worldwide HTML5 phone sales will surge from 336 million units in 2011 to 1 billion units in 2013. Call it a belated victory for the late Steve Jobs, who much preferred HTML5 over Flash.

HTML5 -- preferred by Apple over Flash -- is a language for structuring and presenting content for the Web and is a core technology of the Internet originally proposed by Opera Software. Every new Apple mobile device and every new Mac -- along with the latest version of Apple’s Safari web browser -- supports web standards including HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript.

HTML5 has quickly become a high-growth technology that will help smartphones, feature phones, tablets, notebooks, desktop PCs, televisions and vehicles to converge through cloud services, according to the research group.

"We forecast worldwide...

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Reviews and Kool Tools

Kool Tools: Antec cleaning solutions
Let's face it: your OS X and iOS devices get dirty and grimy. You need to clean them regularly. One of the best products for doing this is Antec's (http://www.antec.com) Advance Cleaning Solutions line. The line... Read more »
If you travel light, you can take an (iPhone) Hint
The iPhone Hint (http://www.sfbags.com/products/iphone-cases/hint-iphone.php) is cute, inexpensive (US$25) and useful for many folks I'm sure. I'm just not one of them. If you head out and all you need is your Apple... Read more »
Stylus Photo R3000 suited for photographers, fine artists
By Steve Baczewski The US$849.99 Epson Stylus Photo R3000 printer (http://www.epson.com) is for professional photographers and fine artists in a low-volume production setting who demand exhibition-quality color and... Read more »
Opena Case unique, but could be more protective
By David Foster The US$39.99 Opena Case (http://www.Openacase.com) is the world's first iPhone 4/4S case and bottle opener in one. It has a hard shell made of polycarbonate. It is very strong and slick to the touch. The... Read more »

News Scanner

Saturday January 14

21:04
Reacting to Apple at CES 2012, part three: Sony,...
AppleInsider

As noted in the previous two segments, Apple's success with the MacBook Air and iPad have changed the course of Intel and its Ultrabook PC makers and Samsung and its mobility products. Here's a look at how the rest of the industry has chased (or flirted with) Apple at this year's CES.

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16:55
MacOS KenDensed: MacOS KenDensed: The iPad Rumor...
Mac Observer

Remember the rumor that Apple is hosting a media event this month? Turns out they really are. iPad rumors are getting out of control, Samsung doesn’t think Apple can make it in the television market, Canada loves Apple, and that creepy Steve Jobs doll may really ship no matter what Apple says. This is what the Internet dumped in Ken Ray’s lap this week.







...

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16:55
Sprint drops WiMAX phones for LTE, 'all'...
MacNN

Sprint in commentary during CES confrimed that it was dropping WiMAX on smartphones. The initial LTE smartphones were ultimately representing a full-scale switch to the technology for 4G phones, PCMag was told. The carrier was being more aggressive than it had suggested before and, when promising LTE in mid-year, had meant between January and June, Owens explained....



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16:18
Does File Sharing Resemble Stealing—and Does it...
digg

This is the argument of publishing houses, and increasingly, artists: they should be able to decide whether you get to make non-rivalrous use of what they created, and whether your use damages them. Electronic files have zero marginal costs. But hotel rooms and airplane seats also have near-zero marginal costs. Is it therefore okay to sneak into a hotel room, as long as you make the bed perfectly before you leave?

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16:13
Dropbox Founder Wants To Build the Next Google
SlashDot


ColdWetDog writes "The Dropbox file storage and synchronization service has managed to attract 50 million users and $250 million in venture capital. The founder of Dropbox, Drew Houston, says he is determined to build the next Google or Apple, not to sell out to them. Even for a guy whose paper valuation is around $600 million, it seems like the best he could hope for is another Facebook-level company — file storage isn't that sexy. I wish him luck in his bid to remain independent. I'd rather see Dropbox remain fairly agnostic with regard to other Internet services."


...

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15:05
Reacting to Apple at CES 2012, part two: Samsung...
AppleInsider

As noted in part one, the success of Apple's MacBook Air has driven Intel to inspire its Ultrabooks initiative. Here's a look at how the rest of the industry has chased Apple at this year's CES, starting with Samsung and its fiercely independent new role as an Android licensee.

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15:00
DXG docks with cameras in them are of limited use
TUAW

While making our rounds on the show floor at CES, we came across the DXG booth, which displayed an interesting piece of hardware: An iPhone dock.

No really! In what we originally thought was an interesting twist, DXG has some iPhone docks with cameras in them. Well that is certainly something we haven't seen before, it doesn't seem like anybody has done a dock with a camera in it. Let's find out more!

Well, we tried. We kept asking about how the camera worked, and they said it worked with an iPhone. Then we asked what apps you could use it with (thinking Skype and FaceTime would be nice with a dock that might have a nicer camera than the iPhone front cam), and they said they have their own app that uses the camera. As far as we could tell, you can't use these with anything but their own custom app.

After a variety of attempts to break through the language barrier failed, we...

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14:00
Padlette, for those times you need a giant rubber...
TUAW

The Padlette solves one problem: How do you strap your iPad to your hand quickly using a big rubber band? Insofar as that one problem is concerned, the Padlette (patent pending) does a great job. You stretch the loops around the corners of your iPad and you're able to slip your hand in between, securely holding the iPad with one hand.

How secure is it? I stood over a bed and shook my hand around but wasn't too worried the iPad would fly off. In fact, you might be surprised how secure this thing is -- the rubber sticks well to the iPad but won't rip the hair out of your hand (I have moderately Hobbitish hand hair, YMMV). I suppose you could attach the iPad to a golf club or pole or use the Padlette to hold your magic wand between wizard duels, but that isn't its primary purpose.

Anyway, the Padlette isn't new, but they were at CES hoping to score some larger notice and distribution. There's also a few versions of this, but...

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13:35
Intel, Samsung unite Bada and Tizen as mobile world...
MacNN

Samsung's Senior VP of Contents Planning Tae-jin Kang in a discussion Friday gave surprise word that his company's Bada and Intel's Tizen would merge. The strategy mapped out for Forbes would let Tizen run any apps written for Bada. Ultimately, the two would end up sharing the same developer interfaces and effectively share the same roots....



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13:05
Hands-on: Huawei Ascend P1 S and why it matters to...
MacNN

Huawei isn't normally known for high-end phones; usually, it's the company serving the $200 off-contract smartphone to a Chinese resident who might never get a smartphone otherwise. The Ascend P1 S, then, came as something of a surprise at CES this week when it it not only hit a record-breaking 6.7mm (0.26 inches) thickness but became one of the first truly official phones with Android 4.0 beyond the Galaxy Nexus. We gave the P1 S a shakedown at CES; read on for whether it signals a change in Huawei's impact in smartphones....



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13:00
A giant pulsing blacklight for your iPhone or iPod
TUAW

This has been out for a while, but in the same booth where Engadget found the Watch Your Bag crapgadget there's a giant blacklight dock that will pulse to the beat. Oh, and it has speakers. You can opt to leave the black light on if you want (no sync to music), or have it strobe. Naturally it'll work with iPods as well, so you can practically set up a nightclub in an instant. Provided you don't mind toting a 4-foot iPod dock around. At $149.99 from Sharper Image, I doubt these are flying off the shelves.

A giant pulsing blacklight for your iPhone or iPod originally...

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13:00
Obama administration says it would block SOPA as-is
MacNN

The Obama administration in a direct response on Saturday hinted it would veto any version of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and by extension the Protect IP Act (PIPA), that included domain name blocking. The White House statement said that any proposal had to be narrowly focused on clearly criminal activity and "must not tamper" with the DNS system that translates web domains to IP addresses. Officials wanted "sound legisltation," but saw a bill like SOPA as compromising Internet security efforts like DNSSEC without solving the real problem....



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13:00
Week in Apple: Apple's education event, Anobit...
Ars Technica

This last week was CES 2012, meaning that Apple news largely took a backseat to what went on in Las Vegas. That doesn't mean nothing happened in the world of Apple, though. We discussed why quad-core iOS devices could launch soon, how iPhone 4S users are apparently data hogs, what might be announced during Apple's education event in NYC next week, and more. Read on for the roundup!

Why quad-core iOS devices could launch within the next year: Code within the latest iOS 5.1 betas appear to show support for quad-core processors. Along with other evidence in Apple's development tools, we may see quad-core powered iOS devices sooner rather than later.

...

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12:00
TUAW visits Scosche at CES
TUAW

Yesterday we got a chance to stop by the Scosche booth at CES. While we were there, we got to see all manner of items, from the just released to the recent but also pretty cool. Here's what we saw:

Kelly's top pick: A new car charger. Why? It has three very important features all in one convenient package! It is not only a dual USB charger, but both ports will charge iPads, AND it's the teeny compact style that just barely peeks out of your power port. It's coming soon, and when it does, I'll be getting several.

Victor's top pick: freedomMIC Bluetooth Wireless Microphone. Not only is it a wireless mic that is handy for recording nicer audio when you are shooting with your iPhone, but you can also use it as a remote to start and stop recording, or snap a still photo with your iPhone camera. If you use your iPhone for reporting (as I...

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11:09
How Nations Can Be United With Social Media
digg

How the United Nations uses social media to share its mission with the world.

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11:00
Ten One Design premieres Pogo Sketch Plus and Magnus...
TUAW

It's always great to see the guys from Ten One Design at various trade shows and conventions we cover here at TUAW and seeing them again at CES was no exception. This time around, in addition to displaying the popular Fling joystick for iPhone and iPad, Ten One had two new products on display.

The first as the Pogo Sketch Plus stylus, which is an updating version of the popular Pogo Sketch featuring an all-new tip. Personally, I'm not a huge stylus fan (I agree with Steve Sande: "If you see a stylus, they blew it"), but I do agree that the Plus is more accurate and a little smoother than the previous version. I don't know that it'll convince you to use a stylus on the iPhone or iPad when you don't already, but if you use another stylus or the standard Pogo Sketch, the new version is worth checking out...

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10:49
2011 was record bad year for PC sales, except for...
The Loop

Arik Hesseldahl, for AllThingsD:

For the full year, HP saw its shipments fall by nearly 5 percent; Dell’s fell by more than 8 percent; and Acer’s fell 30 percent in the U.S.

So who grew? Apple. It saw its shipments grow by 18 percent in the quarter, according to IDC, and by 21 percent in the Gartner report. As of the end of the year, IDC said, Apple’s share of the U.S. market amounted to 10.7 percent, which is up from 8.8 percent a year ago.

It’s also

∞ Permalink

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10:00
Weekly Wrap: Apple event, iPhone anniversary, CES...
Macworld

What's new this week? Why, product announcements exciting and strange from the International Consumer Electronics Show, a slew of iOS and Mac coverage, speculations about next week's education-themed Apple event, and more of the how-to content you love to read and we love to share.






...

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09:30
The Week in iOS Accessories: Wrap it up
Macworld

We've kept you up to speed with new iOS accessory unveilings at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But before we wrap up the week entirely, here are some other products that were recently announced.






...

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09:00
The Week in iPad Cases: Proof of life
Macworld

It's time for another iPad case roundup, and this week we look at cases that take your office on the road, as well as cases that keep it safe in unusual scenarios.






...

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08:52
A Loss for Apple in Motorola Suit
AllThingsD

Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. welcomed a ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission that denied patent-infringement allegations raised by Apple Inc.

Apple had asked the commission to block imports of Motorola phones such as the Droid and Droid X that run Google Inc.’s Android software, claiming they infringed on its patents.

Read the rest of this post on the original site »

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08:30
Slideshow: Full-size headphones for Macs and iOS...
Macworld

Get comfort and big sound without giving up the conveniences of an inline remote and mic







...

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Rumor Scanner

Friday January 13

13:09
iPad 3 with LTE, Quad-Core Processor and Retina Display Se...
MacRumors

Bloomberg briefly reports that Apple's manufacturing partners have indeed begun on production of the iPad 3, with a ramp-up to full capacity taking place by February ahead of a March launch for the device. The report corroborates circulating rumors that the iPad will offer a quad-core processor and sport a high-resolution "Retina" display. The iPad 3 is also said to offer 4G LTE support for faster data connectivity on the go.Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s next iPad tablet, due in March, will sport a high-definition screen, run a faster processor and work with long-term evolution wireless networks, according to three people familiar with the product. [...]

The tablet will use a quad-core chip, an enhancement that lets users more quickly jump between applications, two of the people said.Japanese blog Macotakara reported...

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12:46
iTunes Store Adds Pop-Up Windows for Quick Access to Conte...
MacRumors

Italian site iSpazio notes [Google translation] that Apple has made a small but helpful tweak to the iTunes Store when accessed from a computer, now allowing users to access information on content such as songs, albums, videos, apps, and books via a pop-up window rather than needing to click through to a separate page within the store. The new option, which appears in most locations within the store as a small "info" button in the lower right corner of the content's icon when the user hovers over the item, is available on both main iTunes Store and App Store feature pages as well as in search results.

The pop-up windows offer...

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11:45
Tim Cook's Email to Apple Staff Regarding Supplier Re...
MacRumors

Earlier today, Apple released its 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, an annual report that was supplemented for the first time by a public list of over 150 companies that supply components and manufacturing services to the company.

As related by French site MacGeneration, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent the following email to company employees today addressing the developments on the supplier responsibility front:Team,

We've just released our sixth annual update on conditions in Apple's supply chain, and I want to personally share some of the results with you.

We insist that our manufacturing partners follow Apple's strict code of conduct, and to make sure they do, the Supplier Responsibility team led more than 200...

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09:25
Apple Releases 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Repor...
MacRumors

The stream of environmental and labor rights news from Apple continues today with the company's release of its annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report for 2012. The report details efforts to oversee working conditions and environmental responsibility at its suppliers around the world, and notes that the company conducted 229 audits during 2011 for an 80% increase over 2010's auditing levels.In 2011, we conducted 229 audits throughout our supply chain — an 80 percent increase over 2010 — including more than 100 first-time audits. We continue to expand our program to reach deeper into our supply base, and this year we added more detailed and specialized audits that focus on safety and the environment.The company notes that in 2011 it began a dedicated environmental auditing process to supplement the environmental checks that had previously been included in the standard auditing procedure. According to the...

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09:05
Apple Partners with Labor Group to Monitor Workplace Condi...
MacRumors

Bloomberg reports that Apple has agreed to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to access its suppliers' facilities to monitor workplace conditions in the wake of publicity surrounding worker suicides at Apple's primary manufacturing partner Foxconn.The world’s most valuable technology company joins Nike Inc. (NKE), Nestle SA (NESN) and Syngenta AG (SYNN) in turning to the Fair Labor Association, set up in 1999 to monitor workplace conditions globally in an initiative by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Apple is the first technology business to sign up to the FLA as a participating company, the Washington-based body said today in a press release.In the...

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08:43
Apple Stepping Up Environmental Friendliness with New Halo...
MacRumors

The London Evening Standard reports (via GigaOM) that Apple is requiring cable supplier Volex to spend up to $6 million retooling its production lines to eliminate halogens from the power and USB cables used in the company's products. The move will make the cables less toxic to the environment upon disposal.Apple is the biggest customer of Volex, 23%-owned by billionaire financier Nat Rothschild, which makes the power cables and USB leads used in everything from laptops to iPhones and iPads.

But the US firm is on a drive to move its products towards halogen-free power cables, which are less harmful to the environment when disposed of.

The start-up costs in designing and making the new cables will cost it up to $6 million in the current...

| Read more »
06:34
Apple Halts In-Store iPhone 4S Sales in China Over Safety...
MacRumors

Following early morning chaos at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing that prevented Apple from opening the store for the iPhone 4S launch, Reuters reports that the company has temporarily halted in-store sales of the device at all five of its retail stores in China."The demand for iPhone 4S has been incredible and our stores in China have already sold out," an Apple spokeswoman said.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to open our store at Sanlitun due to the large crowd. And to ensure the safety of our customers and our employees, iPhones will not be available in our retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai for the time being," she said.The statement noted that customers would still be able to order the iPhone 4S through Apple's website or through carrier partner China...

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Thursday January 12

22:20
OnLive Desktop for iPad Now Available on App Store
MacRumors

OnLive's virtual Windows 7 / Office app for the iPad has arrived on the App Store. As we reported earlier this week, OnLive Desktop offers iPad users access to full-featured versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. The applications are running on OnLive's servers and streamed to your iPad.

OnLive offers a number of plans for the service, including a Free service as server capacity is available. Paid accounts will take priority over free accounts.

Existing OnLive customers can sign in with their existing accounts and new users may sign up for a free account -- though account activation seems to be throttled and may be delayed.

As with their gaming service, performance can be subject to a number of factors, including internet speed and proximity to...

| Read more »
16:36
iPhone 4S Launch Delayed in Beijing as SWAT Teams Respond...
MacRumors

Reports coming in from M.I.C gadget and AppleInsider claim that Apple's Chinese launch of the iPhone 4S is not going particularly smoothly, with violence breaking out ahead of the opening at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing. According to reports, the violence has resulted in Apple delaying the planned early opening of the store by at least an hour, with the company potentially having canceled today's launch there entirely. From M.I.C gadget:Lines outside the Apple store in Beijing’s Sanlitun district show no signs of shortening, causing frustration for the thousands of fans and scalpers desperate to get their...

| Read more »
16:13
Apple Working to Lease 700,000-800,000 Square Feet of New...
MacRumors

While Apple moves forward on plans for its new 2.8 million square foot corporate campus in Cupertino, the company continues to grow with the success of its products. Apple's interim space needs led the company to lease 373,000 square feet in Cupertino six months ago, and soon after expand its New York City presence to over 50,000 square feet.

The San Jose Mercury News now reports that Apple is working on deals to lease between 700,000 and 800,000 square feet of additional space in Sunnyvale, California, adjacent to the company's hometown of Cupertino....

| Read more »
12:28
Verizon to Require 4G LTE Compatibility for 'All...
MacRumors

CNET yesterday reported that Verizon has announced a "hard requirement" that all future smartphones released on the carrier support 4G LTE technology for faster data speeds. That requirement has naturally led to speculation that the carrier has all but confirmed that the iPhone 5 will support LTE, which had already been widely assumed and rumored.

Verizon's statement does, however, come with a minor catch, as there will reportedly be occasional exceptions to the LTE requirement, although those exceptions seem to be planned for the carrier's push-to-talk business.From now on, nearly every smartphone, wireless hot spot, tablet, and Netbook that Verizon offers will come with LTE guns a-blazing. Yes, Virginia, that includes Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices, too.

There will be the occasional exception, however. For instance, phones on Verizon's push-to-talk network are...

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10:29
Apple Researching Motion-Sensing Virtual 3D User Interface...
MacRumors

Patently Apple reports on a newly-published patent application from Apple describing the use of motion sensors to create a virtual three-dimensional interface for iOS devices. Utilizing concepts similar those found in a number of existing augmented reality apps, the general device interface could appear as a virtual room that could be navigated by changing the orientation of the device.The invention covers a 3D display environment for mobile device that uses orientation data from one or more onboard sensors to automatically determine and display a perspective projection of the 3D display environment based on the orientation...

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07:41
Target Confirms Plans to Bring Dedicated Apple Shops to 25...
MacRumors

Reuters reports that Target has confirmed its plans to launch "store-within-a-store" concepts for Apple products in 25 of its stores around the United States. The announcement comes alongside a broader effort called "the Shops at Target" that will offer special focuses on certain products and brands.Target Corp (TGT.N), known to many U.S. shoppers as the place to go for trendy, low-priced merchandise, will soon have shops within its discount stores selling everything from dog treats to high-end home accessories.

Target also confirmed during a presentation on Thursday that it will have 25 stores featuring special displays of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) merchandise, a move that had been speculated about last week.Word of Target's plans first surfaced late last week, with Apple and Target...

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07:22
Sharp Out as iPad 3 Display Supplier?
MacRumors

Even as some sources are claiming that iPad 3 production is underway with Sharp providing the displays for the device, Korea's Electronic Times reports (via Patently Apple) that Sharp has failed to meet Apple's requirements and is out as a display supplier. According to the report, Samsung and LG will be providing the displays for the iPad 3.An industry source said on January 9, “LCD manufacturers started mass production and supply of LCD panels for the iPad3 late last year. Samsung Electronics’ LCD business unit was the first to start mass production, and LG Display has participated in mass production with full capacity, beginning this year.” [...]

Sharp has...

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07:19
Underestimated my reach
Crazy Apple Rumors

A year or so ago, inspired by the “CrazyAppleRumors” folks, I bought the “CrazyMicrosoftRumors” domain name.

Just noticed this quote from ZDNet Microsoft blogger Mary Jo Foley from back in June.

First off, no link? Where’s the love?

Second, I am going to sue you blind, lady.

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06:58
Hundreds Lining Up for iPhone 4S at Chinese Apple Stores
MacRumors

With close to twelve hours still to go until opening time, Tech in Asia reports that Apple's five retail stores in China are seeing huge lines for the iPhone 4S, with stores said to already be seeing hundreds of people in line.At the two stores in Beijing, and the three in Shanghai, there are clearly lines stretching hundreds of meters, with reports of hundreds of queuers at each, snaking around city blocks (see more photos below). Most stores have a ticketing system to deter queue-jumpers, but that won’t stop the ‘scalpers’ who buy the phones to resell later at a profit.

Apple's Xidan Joy City store in Beijing

The report notes that Apple's iPhone partner China Unicom will begin selling the iPhone 4S online at 12:01 AM, but that there is undoubtedly significant interest in unlocked devices sold directly from Apple. Pricing...

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05:24
Apple is paving the Way for a new 3D GUI for iOS Devices
Patently Apple

On January 12, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals an exciting new 3D GUI for iOS mobile devices. The new UI will work with proximity sensor arrays and will respond to hovering gestures. The Crazy Ones in Cupertino have been working on advanced 3D GUIs for some time now. We first learned of a major 3D GUI project back in 2009 that involved using head tracking technology. Then ...

| Read more »

Wednesday January 11

14:08
Apple Maintains Third Place Ranking with 11.6% of U.S. PC...
MacRumors

Research firm Gartner today released its preliminary personal computer shipment data for the fourth quarter of 2011, offering up a picture of market performance during the quarter. With year-over-year unit growth of over 20%, Apple was the only one of the top five U.S. vendors to see an increase in shipments in an overall market that shrank by nearly 6%.

Apple's U.S. Market Share Trend: 1Q06-4Q11 (Gartner)

Apple's share dipped from 12.9% in the third quarter, which is routinely the company's strongest quarter due to a heavy presence in education. But the performance marks a distinct improvement over Apple's 9.0% share in the year-ago quarter and continues a long-term trend of increasing market share.

Gartner's Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipment Estimates for 4Q11 (Thousands of Units...

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13:03
Sharp is Reportedly Out of the Race for iPad 3 Display Pro...
Patently Apple

According to Korea's Electronic Times Internet News, it's been confirmed that Samsung Electronics and LG Display will supply LCD panels for Apple's iPad 3, which is scheduled to be unveiled as early as in Q1 this year. Sharp was originally known to be developing display panels, but reportedly failed in initial supply.

| Read more »
09:45
Apple schedules education event for January 19th
Mac OS Rumors

AllThingsD reports this morning that Apple has booked New York City’s Guggenheim museum for an “education event” on January 19th.

This is the same location that Apple and News Corp chose to announce The Daily, the first iteration of subscription newspaper and magazine content available on the iOS platform.

Speculation about the purpose of the event has so far centered around Apple’s existing iBooks and iTunes University platforms being tied together as part of a push into the educational textbook market, with the iPad serving as the delivery device.

Stay tuned for more!


...

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09:37
Apple's 'Education Announcement' Scheduled...
MacRumors

The Loop reports that Apple has sent out media invitations for an "education announcement" to be made at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City on Thursday, January 19.

Word of the event first surfaced last week, and sources have indicated that the announcement will relate to publishing, with digital textbooks perhaps playing a major role.

Update: The New York Times confirms that the event will focus on digital textbooks and that no new...

| Read more »

Documentation Scanner

Friday January 13

07:30
Maintenance Utility for HP designjet 130nr
Mac OS X Hin...

Apple broke Hewlett-Packard maintenance utility under Snow Leopard for Designjet 130nr and 130 (and maybe for 30 and 100 series too).



Under Snow Leopard there's no way for HP130nr and HP130 user to access the maintenance utility and therefore perform color calibration, print checks and so on. HP says they have no plan to give people the right utility and suggest us to use the front control panel on the printer.



Luckily there's a workaround to gain access to the maintenance web page: download and install System Maintenance Utility for Designjet 111 H.06.00 Utility for OS X 10.6 from the HP suport site.



After installation, launching System Maintenance Utility and choosing your printer will allow you to access it via the web interface all the good things to maintain your Deskjet printer.



[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one. It may take a bit of hunting to find the above...

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07:30
A workaround for an iPhoto/set desktop bug
Mac OS X Hin...

On both my Mac Pro and my iMac, I've run into a problem where the iPhoto library simply doesn't show up in the Desktop & Screen Saver System Preferences panel (in Mac OS X 10.6.x). Well, sometimes it shows up, but simply as a line reading iPhoto, but without any actual content.



When this happened the first time, I looked in Console and found the following entry for each time I'd tried to load the Desktop tab of the Desktop & Screen Saver panel:

1/12/12 9:09:36 AM    System Preferences[4134]    **** DesktopPref error: DSKiPhotoRootSource -loadData TIME OUT!!! There something wrong with iLife Media Browser

Googling on that error led to a number of pages, including iLife: Cannot See iP ...



...

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Thursday January 12

12:17
Aperture 3: May be unresponsive or have slower...
Apple - All...

Aperture may randomly stop responding for extended periods and you may see a spinning wait cursor.

| Read more »
07:30
No hints today
Mac OS X Hin...

No, it's not a holiday.



I live in a University neighborhood and some of my neighbors had their apartment building catch on fire. I'm giving some of them shelter (and hot tea) and trying to manage the chaos while things get sorted out.



Unfortunately, chaos and hint testing don't mix very well. I'll be back tomorrow unless the fire spreads this way. :)



Thanks, Craig A.





...

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05:00
Free MacWorld Exhibit Code and iFan Pass Savings
krypted

As usual, there are a lot of great events going on at MacWorld | iWorld. If you’re interested in joining us in a couple of weeks in San Francisco for what I’m sure will be a great conference, then you can use my speaker codes to do so. To do so, during the registration process enter a PRIORITY CODE of: BNB35106

This will give 100 FREE Exhibit Only Passes OR $15.00 OFF an iFan Pass. This code is unique to me, so other speakers have codes as well. The code will stop offering free exhibit passes once the 100th person registers for this. The $15.00 savings off an iFan pass will continue through the show.

I hope to see you there!Similar Articles:

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Wednesday January 11

18:00
The Elements of Style
krypted

Strunk & White’s Elements of Style is one of the best works explaining the rules of writing in the English language that has ever existed (and I’m pretty sure that sentence broke at least five of those rules). I’ve given this book to many a budding writer over the years. I’ve also recently noticed that it’s now all over the Internet, for free. For example, Bartleby has posted the 1918 edition of Elements of Style here.

If you haven’t read Elements of Style then I strongly recommend it. It’s short, concise and explains why that apostrophe goes in that one spot as opposed to the other. If you want to be a writer, this is one of your first stops on your journey.Similar Articles:

| Read more »
16:08
318 CatDV Installation Checklist
318 Tech Jou...

318 has been doing a lot of work with CatDV recently and as such, we are starting to build a large library of assets for the product. We have built a checklist for the installation and planning of a CatDV asset management system. The checklist is a quick guide to server installation, worker nodes, client configuration, using SSL, watch folders, conditions, queries, conversations and processing.

The checklist can be downloaded here:


318 CatDV Installation Checklist

For more information about CatDV, related storage issues or other aspects of your technology environment, please feel free to contact your Professional Services Manager or sales@318.com. For more information about 318, see us on the web at 318.com.

| Read more »
15:13
Mac 101: Address Book
Apple - All...

Address Book makes it easy to manage your current address book, personal organizer, or business card collection. Learn how to create contacts and add Smart Groups to your Address Book.

| Read more »
13:32
Lion Server: iCalendar Message-Based...
Apple - All...

The Calendar service in Lion Server can support email invitations via iMIP (iCalendar Message-Based Interoperability Protocol) that require the server to have access to an IMAP server for incoming mail and an SMTP server for outbound mail.

| Read more »
07:30
Restoring hidden apps to the list in the Mac App...
Mac OS X Hin...

While viewing my purchased apps in the Mac application of 'App Store' I clicked the (X) next to the iPhoto Installed button. iPhoto immediately disappeared from the list of purchased apps.



There is no Undo for this nor any other obvious or searched solution. Here is how to restore the listing of purchased apps. It is not obvious.



Delete an app if you haven't. Under the App Store menu item Store drag down to View My Account.



Enter your password and a new option is available in the account window listing Hidden Purchases with an option to unhide them.



You do not see this option unless you have deleted at least one list item. This provides a way of filtering out rejected apps you have purchased.



[crarko adds: I tested this (in 10.6.8), and it works as described. At least with the iTunes App Store, there is a warning dialog...

| Read more »

Tuesday January 10

14:26
Switch 101: On Windows, I used to...
Apple - All...

You may be used doing certain tasks on your Windows computer in particular ways. This lesson shows you how to accomplish the same tasks on a Mac.

| Read more »
11:11
TA12-010A: Microsoft Updates for Multiple...
US-CERT Aler...

Original release date: January 10, 2012

Last revised: --

Source: US-CERT




Systems Affected

  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Developer Tools and
    Software




Overview

There are multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows and Microsoft
Developer Tools and Software. Microsoft has released updates to address these
vulnerabilities.




I. Description

The Microsoft
Security Bulletin Summary for January 2012 describes multiple
vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. Microsoft has released updates to address
the vulnerabilities.




II. Impact

A remote, unauthenticated...

| Read more »
09:24
Mac 101: Dashboard
Apple - All...

Learn about the Dashboard and widgets in Mac OS X.

| Read more »
07:30
Fix dropout problems when streaming music over...
Mac OS X Hin...

I've been using Airport Express wireless-g for years to stream music to my stereos. And they work great once you get them working, but with the wireless-g models, I have always had problems setting them up on a new network after they have already been setup on another network. I use it as a streaming device, so it is set up as a device on my network, and not as my router. The problem with dropouts when streaming music over an Airport Express g can be resolved by changing the network settings on the wireless router.



First of all, the Airport Utility never seems able to find an Airport Express that does not have factory settings and is not set to communicate with the existing wireless network. Sometimes holding down the reset button on the AE until the light blinks rapidly while it is plugged in works. In other cases, I have had to hold it down before plugging it in and then plug it in to get it to work. I have often had to repeat these steps multiple times...

| Read more »
07:30
iTunes: Quickly convert videos to AAC audio
Mac OS X Hin...

I do have some video podcasts I'd love to be able to listen to in double speed on my iPhone. However, this only works for audio files.



For audio files in your iTunes library, it's possible to quickly convert them to your default audio encoding using the command 'Create AAC Version' in the 'Advanced' menu. With video files, that particular command is greyed out. However, when pressing the Option key, the command turns into 'Convert to AAC…' which lets you select any iTunes-compatible file in the browse dialog and turn into AAC audio. While this approach works, it is clunky and cumbersome.



Recently, I've discovered a much more straightforward solution which takes advantage of functionality that seems to be sort of a bug in iTunes.



Select the desired video in iTunes and then choose the aforementioned 'Convert to AAC…' command using the Option key but let go of the Option key as soon as you selected the menu...

| Read more »
05:00
Removing A Domain Name From A Google Search
krypted

When you are searching Google, you can restrict your search to a specific domain. For example, if you would like to find a page with the pattern “man touch” on krypted.com then you can constrain a Google search using the site: operator. The search dialog box would then read:

"man touch" site:krypted.com

But if you don’t find my posts helpful then you can remove the domain name from your Google searches, done by running the same, but with a “-” in front of the domain name, which given the above search inverted would be:

"man touch" site:-krypted.com

The resultant URL is then: http://www.google.com/search?q=site:-krypted.com. To take this a step further, you could also use this awesome application called glims from http://www.machangout.com to actually change your default search site from the...

| Read more »

Monday January 9

13:55
Service Certification Exams: Paying by Purchase...
Apple - All...

Payment for service certification exams may be made by Visa, MasterCard, or American Express at time of registration, or by pre-approved purchase orders (POs). This article outlines the steps that must be followed to get a pre-approved credit line with Prometric and to complete the exam registration process.
 
Note: Payment for service recertification exams (Prime online exams) must be made by credit card (no purchase orders).
 
For more information about Apple Certifications refer to the website at certifications.apple.com

| Read more »
13:50
Mac 101: Stacks
Apple - All...

Learn how to add and remove folders and files to Stacks in the Dock.

| Read more »
12:58
Mac 101: TextEdit
Apple - All...

TextEdit is a highly versatile word processor included with Mac OS X. Learn about it editing tools and different file formats it supports.

| Read more »
12:56
Lion Server: Configuring WebDAV sharing for Active...
Apple - All...

Lion Server's WebDAV Sharing feature uses HTTP Digest authentication by default to secure access to share points and home directories from iWork apps on iOS device; however, this authentication method does not support user accounts defined in Active Directory. This article describes how to enable Basic authentication over SSL to support these users.

| Read more »

Technology Showcase

Dec 16
Appcelerator offers '4 Steps to creating a mobile...

Appcelerator has published a white paper on "4 Steps to creating a mobile development strategy."

"Companies now have a window of opportunity to think about how mobile can transform their business as radically as the web did," says AppCelerator. "By making mobile a part of their overall digital strategy, companies can transform their relationships with their customers in even greater ways than they did with the web."

The white paper tells you how this can be accomplished. Appcelerator (http://www.appcelerator.com/) is a company that helps web developers create mobile, tablet and desktop applications.

| Read more »
Sep 19
InterMapper publishes white papers on network...

InterMapper has published four white papers on network monitoring, mapping and alerting and InterMapper. You can find them all at
http://www.intermapper.com/resources/whitepapers.aspx .

The papers look at "Top 8 reasons SMBs need to monitor their networks," "top 8 considerations for selecting SMB network monitoring software," "10 steps to streamline the deployment of network monitoring software for SMBs," and "6 ways to calculate returns from your networking monitoring investment."

InterMapper is Mac OS X compatible network monitoring software. It uses SNMP to monitor the network infrastructure, and has probes for monitoring many kinds of servers, including web, mail, LDAP, FTP, etc. More information and a free 30-day demo are available at the product Web site (...

| Read more »
Aug 11
Video tour of new Data Rescue Center headquarters...

The Data Rescue Center, a a data recovery company founded in 2009 and a division of Prosoft Engineering, recently opened a new state-of-the-art headquarters in Livermore, California. You can get a video tour of it at http://www.thedatarescuecenter.com/company_background.html .

In June of 2010, the Data Rescue Center and Prosoft Engineering finalized the purchase of a building in Livermore near the Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Work immediately began on the design and construction of the new recovery lab facility.

In late January of 2011, both The Data Rescue Center and Prosoft Engineering moved all operations to this new facility. It boasts a Class 2 UL-Listed Vault and extensive security features.

The ISO 5 / Class 100 Cleanroom exceeds all manufacturers specifications for cleanroom recovery environments, according to...

| Read more »
Mar 11
Video looks at 'Fixing Flat Color in Final Cut...

Future Media Concepts has posted a video on "Fixing Flat Color in Final Cut Pro." It teaches you how to make your colors "pop" in footage in Final Cut Pro. You can find it at
http://www.fmctraining.com/fmc.asp?w=blip_AYHdkS4C .

Future Media Concepts is a digital media training center representing the leading software manufacturers, including Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Boris FX, Digidesign, NewTek and Softimage. Headquartered in New York City, FMC now operates 5 additional digital media training facilities located in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Orlando and Chicago.

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Oct 04
Video showcases Zco's services

Zco Corp. (http://www.zco.com) has posted an overview video for their technology showcase. You can view it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzE89z-jexA .

Zco can help you build custom software, as well as market it. The company developsb oth industrial strength backend applications using .NET, PHP and Java as well as apps for all major mobile platforms, including the iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone 7, WebOS and Symbian.

Zco can also help you promote your products and services using search engine optimization and social media optimization techniques, HD video, stunning graphics, 3D animation and video effects, press releases, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google, Yahoo and Bing.

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Aug 26
Video looks at digital storytelling features of...

A new online video (http://www.memoryminer.com) shows some of the best ways for using MemoryMiner, a digital storytelling application for Mac OS X. Designed an an complement the iLife suite, the software is all about capturing and exploring your life memories.

MemoryMiner allows anyone to zero in on the stories depicted in their photos by linking them to each other based on people, places and time. While photos are used as the starting point, the goal is always uncovering the backstory.

With MemoryMiner, you can directly record audio or video to capture the backstory of a photo. You can attach documents, web URL's, or other media to add depth and context. Each photo becomes a frame in a storyboard that can be browsed by periods in a person's life, where people overlap, by place, by time, or any combination.

MemoryMiner requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's Universal Binary so runs...

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Jul 30
Ergonis posts video on using Typinator

Ergonis Software has posted a video (http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/movie.html) on Typinator (http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/), its tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos system-wide across all Mac OS X applications.

With thousands of predefined corrections for common typos and misspelled words for US and British English, German and French, Typinator is not only just a typing assistant that speeds repetitive typing tasks, but also a system-wide auto-correction tool that automatically fixes typing errors and misspelled words. You just define an abbreviation along with its replacement text or picture. Whenever you type one of your abbreviations in any application, Typinator inserts the corresponding...

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Jul 19
Seagate introduces GoFlex Home for centralized storage

Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) has unveiled the newest addition to its GoFlex family of hard drives -- the GoFlex Home network storage system. When it's connected to a wireless router, an entire household can centrally store, easily access and continuously back up files wirelessly from Mac and Windows systems on the home  network.

The new centralized storage system simplifies the backup process by being compatible with the Apple Time Machine, as well as including a version of the backup application for both Mac OS X and Windows operating systems, says Darcy Clarkson, Seagate vice president of Retail Sales and Marketing. With the GoFlex Home storage system, families can also wirelessly stream photos, movies and music to most network connected DLNA devices, such as game consoles or a GoFlex TV HD media player, from any room in the house.

The GoFlex Home is available in 1TB and 2TB capacities at...

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Software Updates via MacUpdate

NeoOffice 3.2.1 Patch 3 - Mac-tailored,...
NeoOffice is a fully-featured set of office applications (including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database programs) for Mac OS X. Based on the OpenOffice.org office suite... Read more
Bookends 11.2.4 - Reference management a...
Bookends is a full featured and cost-effective bibliography/reference and information management system for students and professionals. Access the power of Bookends directly from Mellel, Nisus... Read more
VueScan 9.0.75 - Scanner software with a...
VueScan is a scanning program that works with most high-quality flatbed and film scanners to produce scans that have excellent color fidelity and color balance. VueScan is easy to use, and has... Read more
MacFamilyTree 6.2.3 - Genealogy applicat...
MacFamilyTree makes it easy to enter and then visualize your family history. Be it creating reports, diagrams or browsing your data in the innovative 3D view called Virtual Tree - MacFamilyTree... Read more
FotoMagico 3.8.4 - Powerful slideshow cr...
FotoMagico lets you create professional slideshows from your photos and music with just a few, simple mouse clicks. It sports a very clean and intuitive yet powerful user interface. High image... Read more
Picasa 3.9.2.539 - Organize, edit, and s...
Picasa and Picasa Web Albums allows you to organize, edit, and upload your photos to the web from your computer in quick, simple steps. Arrange your photos into folders and albums and erase their... Read more
Thunderbird 9.0.1 - Email client from Mo...
Thunderbird is a free, open source, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. The project strategy is modeled after Mozilla Firefox, a project aimed at creating a... Read more
Skype 5.5.0.2069 - Voice-over-internet p...
Skype allows you to talk to friends, family and co-workers across the internet without the inconvenience of long distance telephone charges. Using peer-to-peer data transmission technology, Skype... Read more
Google Chrome 17.0.963.33 - Modern and f...
Google Chrome is a Web browser by Google, created to be a modern platform for web pages and applications. It utilizes very fast loading of web pages and has a V8 engine, which is a custom built... Read more
 

AppStart Review
AppStart Review By Phillip Levin on January 13th, 2012 Our Rating: :: NICEUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad A must-have for both new and veteran iPhone users.   Developer: App Advice Price: Free Version Reviewed: 1.0... | Read more »
Five For Friday: Week of January 12
January is in full swing now and the same can be said for the App Store which is offering boundless potential as always. As is customary on a Friday, we’ve taken the opportunity of highlighting five of the best apps and games that have hit the store... | Read more »
ON Voicefeed Updated in Time for CES 201...
ON Voicefeed from Orange Vallee has a pretty compelling pitch. “You wouldn’t greet your partner the same way that you greet your boss – so why treat everybody the same when it comes to your voicemail?” But thanks to the newest update, released to... | Read more »
Abs Workout For iPad Review
Abs Workout For iPad Review By Dan Lee on January 13th, 2012 Our Rating: :: CRUNCHiPad Only App - Designed for the iPad Improve your abs in 8 minutes per session.   Developer: Passion4Profession Price: Free Version Reviewed: 3.0... | Read more »
Favorite Four iPhone Apps for Sticking t...
As we mentioned in our favourite four apps for keeping New Year resolutions, weight loss (as well as getting into and staying in good healthy shape) tops most people’s list of desired self-improvements. Few other goals are harder to achieve, however... | Read more »
All-in-Pedometer Review
All-in-Pedometer Review By Jennifer Allen on January 13th, 2012 Our Rating: :: ENCOURAGINGiPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad An app that’s ideal for those who are trying to get fit through walking.   | Read more »
CES 2012: Guitarlink Air Provides Axe to...
Ion Audio is getting a ton of press over the new iCades and my personal favorite their Guitar Apprentice, but Guitarlink Air looks pretty cool too. | Read more »
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Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

Open-box special: 13″ 2.4GHz MacBook Pro for $986,...
MacMall has open-box return 13″ 2.4GHz MacBook Pros in stock for $986.89 including free shipping. That’s $213 off MSRP, and Apple’s one-year warranty remains intact. Read more
Open-box special: 27″ iMac for $300 off MSRP
MacMall has open-box return 2011 27″ 2.7GHz Thunderbolt iMacs available for $301 off the cost of unopened boxes. Shipping is free, and Apple’s one-year warranty and all materials remain intact: - 27... Read more
15″ MacBook Pro on sale for $101 off MSRP
 B&H Photo has the 15″ 2.2GHz MacBook Pro on sale today for $1698 including free shipping plus NY sales tax only. Their price is $101 off MSRP. Adorama also has the 15″ 2.2GHz MacBook Pro on sale... Read more
9.5% discount on 13″ MacBook Pros
 B&H Photo has 13″ MacBook Pros on sale for 9.5% off MSRP including free shipping and NY sales tax only: - 13″ 2.4GHz MacBook Pro: $1129.95 9.4% discount - 13″ 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $1419 9.5%... Read more
Apple now offering refurbished Oct ’11 13″ MacBook...
 The Apple Store is now offering Apple Certified Refurbished October 2011 13″ MacBook Pros for up to $230 off the cost of new models, including free shipping. Apple’s one-year warranty is standard... Read more
iPad 2 in stock at The Apple Store with 24-hour sh...
The Apple Store has iPad 2s in stock with either 24-hour shipping available or free local Apple Store pickup and setup. The iPad 2 is available in Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 3G configurations and comes in a... Read more
Apple offers free in store pickup and setup to onl...
Don’t want to wait for Apple to ship your order? Choose local store pickup when ordering from The Apple Store Online. Choose between shipping to an address or local Apple Store pickup during the... Read more
13″ 2.4GHz White MacBook (refurbished) available f...
The Apple Store has restocked Apple Certified Refurbished 13″ 2.4GHz White MacBooks for $849 including free shipping. Their price is $150 off original MSRP for new models and includes Apple’s one-... Read more
 

Jobs Board

Software Development Engineer ? iPhone A...
large scale server side infrastructure that powers our iPhone Apps. Key tasks include: enabling rapid client development, finding innovative ways to scale and increase performance, while supporting... Read more
*Apple* Retail - Manager - Apple Inc. (...
Much more than just a place for amazing products, the Apple Retail Store serves a dazzling range of needs for its customers. Not only can users get hands-on experience Read more
iPhone / iPad Engineer at Evernote (Moun...
About Evernote: Evernote lets you capture, organize and visually search for your thoughts, ideas, snapshots, audio notes, and files from virtually any device, wherever you happen to be. Fueled by... Read more
iPhone/Android Developer at Couchsurfing...
s incredible mission! Look at our website for more information: CouchSurfingJobs.com currently we are looking for: MOBILE DEVELOPERS (Multiple Persons) Purpose As a Mobile Application Developer, for... Read more
iPhone Developer at Oneschool (Mountain...
OneSchool is looking for a passionate, talented engineer to join our rapidly growing team and help revolutionize mobile education apps, blah blah blah.... Youre a l33t hackz0r. You probably have a CS... Read more

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