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Following announcements from JBL and Philips regarding their new speaker docks compatible with Apple's Lightning connector, Bose has begun advertising its upcoming SoundDock III digital music system for Lightning-equipped devices. The SoundDock III is priced at $249.95 and is currently listed as shipping in 7-10 business days, making for a rather tight delivery window for holiday shoppers.
Like JBL, Bose was one of the vendors mentioned by Apple at its September media event as being an early partner on the new Lightning connector. Other early partners who have yet to announce their Lightning speaker products include Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufson, although the latter has announced a free upgrade program that will allow owners of the BeoPlay A8 system to upgrade to the Lightning connector if they prefer a direct connection rather than using the system's AirPlay capabilities.
Last year, it was revealed that Apple may have been working on offering Bluetooth keyboard pairing with the second-generation Apple TV.
Once you connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your Apple TV, you can completely control it without using the included remote or an iOS device. The arrow keys are used for navigation, the return key is used to play or pause and the escape key acts as the "menu" or up "one level" button. And of course, searching becomes easier with a full hardware keyboard.
The update only allows Bluetooth keyboards, so pairing Bluetooth speakers, mice or even Macs will not work. 9to5Mac noted that they were able to pair a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard to the Apple TV succesfully, so the update isn't limited to Apple keyboards.
Although currently limited in functionality to a simple keyboard, it's thought that eventually Apple could open up Bluetooth support to allow a mic-based remote or iOS device to use Siri with Apple TV.
Bloomberg reports that Apple's $100 million plan to bring some Mac production back to the United States is likely to be a very modest operation at the outset, with some economists and industry experts projecting that the effort will create approximately 200 jobs.
Workers at Quanta Computer in Shanghai assembling MacBook Pro display enclosures
Apple's efforts to bring Mac production back to the United States come just as Lenovo, which purchased IBM's personal computer business in 2005, has announced plans to begin PC production in North Carolina. Lenovo's effort is also a modest one, projected to employ roughly 100 workers to produce several hundred thousand units per year.
Bloomberg reports that Apple and Google have joined forces to put forward a bid of more than $500 million to purchase the patent portfolio of bankrupt imaging pioneer Eastman Kodak.
The report does not indicate why Apple and Google ultimately decided to abandon their separate bids and team up on an offer for Kodak's patents, although a previous report had indicated that the two sides were likely cooperating in order to prevent a bidding war that would drive up the cost of the patents.
Kodak's bankruptcy financing is contingent upon the company receiving at least $500 million for its patent portfolio, and the joint bid by Apple and Google seems to meet that requirement.
Apple and Kodak have a bit of an interesting history, having worked together on a mid-1990s project for Apple's QuickTake line of digital cameras. The intellectual property from that collaboration has been the subject of some dispute, with Apple claiming that Kodak is not the rightful owner of patents related to that work.
Legendary role-playing game Baldur's Gate has arrived for iPad tonight. It's a port of the beloved 1998 game by BioWare, but updated and enhanced with touchscreen controls and extra content like in-app purchases.
Sister-site TouchArcade notes that Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition requires iOS 6 to play, which rules out the original iPad as a compatible device.
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition for iPad is available in the App Store for $9.99. [Direct Link]
Just days after shipping estimates for new iPhone 5 orders improved to 2-4 business days, they are taking the final step with Apple now listing the device as "in stock" in many of its online stores.
We've noticed the new "in stock" quotes in Apple's online stores for the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand, while a number of other countries are still seeing estimates of 1-3 business days for the time being. Unlocked iPhone 5 models in the U.S. are also still seeing 1-3 business day estimates.
Apple has achieved supply-demand balance for the iPhone 5 just ahead of the holidays and even as the company is working to bring the device to more than 50 additional countries this month.
Apple's deadlines for other holiday delivery of other products are also approaching, with U.S. customers having until December 12 to place their iPad mini orders with guaranteed delivery before Christmas. Other products are already unavailable for the holidays, with the new 27-inch iMac now seeing January shipping estimates as Apple works to deliver the first units to customers.
FOSS Patents reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice preliminarily ruling that Apple's massive iPhone patent popularly referred to as "the Steve Jobs patent" invalid in its entirety upon reexamination.
The patent, issued as Patent No. 7,479,949, had been granted in January 2009 and incorporated several prior patent applications dating back to September 2006 before the company publicly unveiled the device. Steve Jobs is listed as the first inventor on the patent, and FOSS Patents notes that it is probably the most famous of the over 300 patents credited at least in part to Jobs.
The iPhone 5 doesn't go on sale often, but three retailers are currently offering a holiday discount.
RadioShack is offering $20 off of all AT&T iPhone 5 purchases, putting the base 16GB iPhone 5 at $179.99 for new and upgrade-ready AT&T customers. The 32GB model costs $279.99 with the discount, and the 64GB model is $379.99.
Target Mobile, which is operated by RadioShack, has the same deal, with $20 off of all AT&T iPhone 5 purchases.
The promotions are in-store only, so potential customers will need to head to their local Target Mobile location or RadioShack to get the deal. The sale started on December 5, and will continue until December 15.
Best Buy is offering a similar deal, with a free $25 Best Buy Gift Card with the purchase of any iPhone 5. This offer includes phones from Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T, with a 2-year contract agreement.
When buying in store, customers will receive the gift card immediately, while online customers will receive an e-gift card within 3 to 5 days of the phone's ship date.
Apple has updated OS X Server, the application that runs on top of OS X Mountain Lion to expand the system's server feature set.
The most notable change in this update appears to be a new caching server for Mac App Store updates. Presumably, the server now downloads updates for things like iPhoto and OS X itself to prevent an organization from needing to download large updates multiple times for one workgroup.
BBC's iPlayer app has been updated for the iPhone 5, bringing full 16:9 viewing to the app -- a welcome addition for UK television watchers. The BBC iPlayer for iPhone launched last December, bringing Live TV and Radio along with catch-up TV over Wi-Fi and cellular to the device.
One feature still missing is full support for AirPlay, though users can use AirPlay mirroring to send programs to the Apple TV.
The Wall Street Journal reports that turnout for the launch of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad in China today was fairly low, with Apple's lottery system and two-per-person limits for in-person sales of the iPad mini said to be making it more difficult for scalpers to run their operations.
iPad mini on display at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing
The scalpers were still present, however, as the report notes that a number of them were set up some distance away from Apple's Sanlitun store in Beijing to collect units purchased by others.
Shipping estimates for Apple's new 27-inch iMac models have been updated today to "January", marking the first time availability of the machines has been pushed back into 2013. Orders had previously been estimated at 3-4 weeks for shipping.
The new "January" estimate may or may not represent a lengthening of lead times given that the previous 3-4 week window was already pushing into January, but at the very least it seems that Apple is introducing some uncertainty into future availability by simply stating a one-month window for new orders rather than measuring estimates in weeks.
Supplies of the new iMac have been tight since the machine's launch one week ago, and were already expected to be constrained into 2013. The bottleneck for Apple is said to be the new production process on the machine's display, which is laminated directly to the cover glass. The process is more troublesome for larger screens, making supplies of the 27-inch iMac more scarce than those for its 21.5-inch sibling.
Following up on its aerial tour of Apple's North Carolina data center earlier this year, Wired has again taken to the skies to get a glimpse of Apple's data center site in Prineville, Oregon.
While construction on the first of two 338,000 square-foot buildings planned for the site is just getting started, Apple's initial "tactical data center" is already in place.
Apple's tactical data center in Prineville
The photos also show the close proximity of Apple's project to Facebook's twin data centers. Facebook's first 330,000 square-foot data center opened last year, and the second one is nearing completion.
Apple has been working quickly to expand its data center capacity, opening its North Carolina data center last year and earlier this year announcing both the Oregon project and another one in Nevada as it seeks to support the rapidly growing needs of its digital stores and iCloud.
Tim Cook has held the reins at Apple for over a year now, and this evening, he gave his first official television interview with Brian Williams on NBC's Rock Center, where he spoke about his role as CEO after Steve Jobs, lamented about the Maps debacle, and revealed a few hints about what's to come for Apple in the future. The full video is embedded below.
The first part of the interview focused on his first year as CEO, and what it was like to follow in the footsteps of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Cook was humble and personable as he explained that Jobs taught him to "just do what's right."
When asked about Apple's Maps application, which has faced significant criticism and resulted in the restructuring of the company, Cook told Williams that Apple "screwed up," and is "putting the weight of the company behind correcting it."
Part 1
Cook also touched on the ongoing conflict between Samsung and Apple, after Williams played a Samsung commercial for the Galaxy S3 that attacks Apple's iPhone, branding it as uncool.
Part 2
Cook commented on the much rumored Apple television set, mentioning, as revealed earlier, Apple's "intense interest" in the market, but he revealed little beyond that, speaking cryptically about his love of "The Jetsons."
As part of its teaser for tonight's Rock Center interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, NBC has released a clip with Cook talking about the virtual keyboard built into the iPhone and the iPad. He suggests that Brian Williams should stick with it and trust the autocorrect feature in iOS.
Cook says that he does spend time on the Mac but spends 80% of his time on the iPad. "And of course" Cook says, "I have [my iPhone] with me all the time."
Cook also shares that he gets many emails from customers and loves it because "they talk to you as if you're sitting at their kitchen table." He does share that he sometimes "gets an earful" from dissatisfied customers.
Just as it announces that it will begin offering Apple products, presumably including the iPhone and iPad, next year, T-Mobile USA has also revealed that it will be restructuring the way it sells to customers by eliminating device subsidies and focusing on lower monthly plan costs. The plans were announced at Deutsche Telekom's annual investor conference today and noted by Fierce Wireless.
After being named the 2011 App of the Year, popular iOS photo editing app Snapseed was acquired by Google when the company purchased Nik Software.
Google today dropped the price of Snapseed, making the app free to download. Previously, the iOS version of Snapseed cost $4.99. The update also brings new filters, Google+ integration, and a new icon. From the App Store description:
The iOS version of Snapseed [App Store] is currently available in the App Store at no cost. The Mac version of the app [Mac App Store] has yet to be updated and is still a $19.99 download in the Mac App Store. Google also released an Android version of the app, which is available for free in the Google Play store.
Apple has launched the newest version of its annual "12 Days of Christmas" holiday app for European and Canadian iTunes users. The free app, which is available for the iPhone, the iPod touch, and the iPad, provides free content each day from December 26 to January 8.
Last year, gifts included episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Mad Men, music videos and songs from Kings of Leon, and games like Diner Dash and Fishing Kings.
The 12 Days of Christmas app can be downloaded for free in the Canadian and U.K. App Stores, as well as those for a number of other European countries.
The team behind Pixelmator has posted a lengthy apology on their blog following the discovery of a bug that would sometimes cause Macs to restart or the app to crash when intensively using the popular image editor.
It turns out, the newest Nvidia Geforce graphics card drivers in OS X 10.8.2 are causing the issue, and Pixelmator is working with Apple to resolve the issue.
Apple today updated Final Cut Pro [Mac App Store] to version 10.0.7, bringing a number of bug fixes and other improvements.
The company also issued a minor update to Compressor [Mac App Store] to address an issue with uploading large videos to Vimeo and an update to Motion [Mac App Store] fixing several issues.
The folks at iPhone5mod continue to churn out unofficial Lightning accessories to fill the void left by Apple's slow rollout of official products under its own label and licensed to third-party manufacturers. iPhone5mod's latest offering is a 3-in-1 Lightning Camera Connection Kit, a dongle priced at $23.90 that provides camera support for SD and microSD cards, as well as USB.
Apple offers a $29 kit containing a pair of dongles supporting USB and SD connections for its original 30-pin dock connector, but for the new Lightning standard Apple has moved to separate cable-based SD card and USB adapters priced at $29 each.
iPhone5mod also released a 3-in1 Cable Pro product last week, packaging micro-USB, Lightning and 30-pin connectors with a retractable USB cable. The product may offer some convenience for users with multiple types of devices, but the implementation appears somewhat awkward with users having to remove either the Lightning or 30-pin connector in order to properly attach the other one to the micro-USB connector for use.
In line with analyst speculation from last week, Engadget reports that Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann has just announced at his company's analyst day event that T-Mobile USA will begin selling Apple products in 2013.
T-Mobile is currently the only one of the four major U.S. carriers to not offer the iPhone, due at least in part to longstanding incompatibilities between Apple's hardware and the spectrum used by T-Mobile for its fastest data networks. The carrier has, however, been working hard to refarm its spectrum to add compatibility for frequencies supported by the iPhone, and it previously stated that it would be ready for the iPhone by the end of 2012. T-Mobile USA will also be rolling out LTE service for its customers in 2013.
Update: Deutsche Telekom's press release is now available.
Update 2: Apple has also confirmed to The Loop that it has struck a deal with T-Mobile.
Shipping estimates for the iPad mini have fallen to one week in Apple's online stores for the United States and Canada, indicating that Apple is beginning to approach a supply-demand balance for the device that launched just over a month ago. Estimates in the company's online stores for other countries remain at two weeks, but those will likely move to the new one-week estimate fairly soon.
Apple is beginning to catch up with demand on the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, as evidenced by shortening shipping estimates, although estimates on the new iMac are rapidly slipping following its introduction last week. Apple and supply chain sources have indicated that stocks of the iMac and iPad mini will remain constrained into 2013.
Just as Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed that Apple will be bringing some Mac production back to the United States next year, Bloomberg reports that Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is seeking to expand into the country.
The moves by Apple and Foxconn to bring production to the United States demonstrate an evolution of the thinking held by Apple until very recently, which comes from a perspective that the U.S. labor force and supply chain simply aren't set up to handle the kind of nimble consumer electronics mass production available in China.
Lark today announced that its new Larklife wristband is available for immediate purchase both online and at Apple Retail stores.
Like the newly updated Jawbone Up, the Nike+ Fuelband, and the Fitbit, the Larklife is a smart wristband that is designed to track personal fitness, nutrition, productivity, and sleep.
With Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Larklife automatically syncs collected information to the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 with the free Larklife iPhone app in real time.
Larklife is now available at brick and mortar Apple Stores. It can also be preordered online from the Lark website for $149.99.
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Bose SoundDock III with Lightning Support Shipping Later This Month for $250
Dec 09, 4:43AM
Following announcements from JBL and Philips regarding their new speaker docks compatible with Apple's Lightning connector, Bose has begun advertising its upcoming SoundDock III digital music system for Lightning-equipped devices. The SoundDock III is priced at $249.95 and is currently listed as shipping in 7-10 business days, making for a rather tight delivery window for holiday shoppers.
The SoundDock Series III digital music system lets you play music from any iPod or iPhone model with an Apple Lightning connector, and enjoy it with Bose quality sound.
- Proprietary acoustic design delivers a unique combination of small size and proven performance.
- Convenient remote controls the system and basic iPod or iPhone functions, including playlist navigation.
- Works with and charges iPod and iPhone models with an Apple Lightning connector.
- Auxiliary input lets you play other audio devices.
Like JBL, Bose was one of the vendors mentioned by Apple at its September media event as being an early partner on the new Lightning connector. Other early partners who have yet to announce their Lightning speaker products include Bowers & Wilkins and Bang & Olufson, although the latter has announced a free upgrade program that will allow owners of the BeoPlay A8 system to upgrade to the Lightning connector if they prefer a direct connection rather than using the system's AirPlay capabilities.
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Upcoming Apple TV iOS Update to Unlock Bluetooth Keyboard Support
Dec 09, 3:49AM
Last year, it was revealed that Apple may have been working on offering Bluetooth keyboard pairing with the second-generation Apple TV. The ability to pair a Bluetooth keyboard with the Apple TV would obviously make for significantly easier text entry, simplifying such tasks as initial setup with iTunes Store accounts and Wi-Fi network passwords as well as day-to-day content searching.9to5Mac now reports that Apple seems ready to deploy Bluetooth into its Apple TV products, as the latest Apple TV developer beta now allows you to pair a Bluetooth keyboard to a 2nd or 3rd generation Apple TV.
Once you connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your Apple TV, you can completely control it without using the included remote or an iOS device. The arrow keys are used for navigation, the return key is used to play or pause and the escape key acts as the "menu" or up "one level" button. And of course, searching becomes easier with a full hardware keyboard.
The update only allows Bluetooth keyboards, so pairing Bluetooth speakers, mice or even Macs will not work. 9to5Mac noted that they were able to pair a Logitech Bluetooth keyboard to the Apple TV succesfully, so the update isn't limited to Apple keyboards.
Although currently limited in functionality to a simple keyboard, it's thought that eventually Apple could open up Bluetooth support to allow a mic-based remote or iOS device to use Siri with Apple TV.
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Apple's Initial Investment in U.S. Mac Production Estimated to Create 200 Jobs
Dec 08, 4:49AM
Bloomberg reports that Apple's $100 million plan to bring some Mac production back to the United States is likely to be a very modest operation at the outset, with some economists and industry experts projecting that the effort will create approximately 200 jobs.
The investment "sounds like a 200-job operation with about a million-unit output," said Dan Luria, a labor economist at Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center in Plymouth, Michigan, who studies factory operations. Apple will probably rely on tax breaks and other incentives for the facility, he said. [...]Apple is presumed to be working with its primary manufacturing partner Foxconn on the project, as Foxconn has also expressed interest in building operations in the United States.
While Apple's commitment could set a precedent for electronics suppliers, it probably doesn't presage a large or rapid shift of production back to the U.S., said Michael Marks, the former CEO of Flextronics International Ltd., which was the largest contract manufacturer in the world before the rise of Foxconn. He also estimates $100 million may create about 200 jobs.
Workers at Quanta Computer in Shanghai assembling MacBook Pro display enclosures
Apple's efforts to bring Mac production back to the United States come just as Lenovo, which purchased IBM's personal computer business in 2005, has announced plans to begin PC production in North Carolina. Lenovo's effort is also a modest one, projected to employ roughly 100 workers to produce several hundred thousand units per year.
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Apple and Google Teaming Up on $500 Million Bid for Kodak Patents
Dec 08, 4:34AM
Bloomberg reports that Apple and Google have joined forces to put forward a bid of more than $500 million to purchase the patent portfolio of bankrupt imaging pioneer Eastman Kodak.The two companies, competing for dominance of the smartphone market, have partnered after leading two separate consortia this summer to buy Kodak's 1,100 imaging patents, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the process is private.Sources indicate that Apple had originally teamed up with Microsoft and patent holding company Intellectual Ventures, while Google had aligned with its hardware partners and patent holding firm RPX.
Unlikely partnerships are typical in patent sales because they allow competitors to neutralize potential infringement litigation.
The report does not indicate why Apple and Google ultimately decided to abandon their separate bids and team up on an offer for Kodak's patents, although a previous report had indicated that the two sides were likely cooperating in order to prevent a bidding war that would drive up the cost of the patents.
Kodak's bankruptcy financing is contingent upon the company receiving at least $500 million for its patent portfolio, and the joint bid by Apple and Google seems to meet that requirement.
Apple and Kodak have a bit of an interesting history, having worked together on a mid-1990s project for Apple's QuickTake line of digital cameras. The intellectual property from that collaboration has been the subject of some dispute, with Apple claiming that Kodak is not the rightful owner of patents related to that work.
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'Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition' Arrives for iPad [iOS Blog]
Dec 08, 2:07AM
Legendary role-playing game Baldur's Gate has arrived for iPad tonight. It's a port of the beloved 1998 game by BioWare, but updated and enhanced with touchscreen controls and extra content like in-app purchases. Sister-site TouchArcade notes that Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition requires iOS 6 to play, which rules out the original iPad as a compatible device.
This classic saga of mystery, intrigue, and adventure has set the standard for Dungeons & Dragons™ computer role-playing games ever since.
Now, upgraded and enhanced, it comes to your iPad.
* 80 hours of Epic RPG adventure
* Over 40 classes and kits
* Over 100 spells
* over 150 magical items
* New adventure: The Black Pits, a thrilling combat adventure
* New character: Rasaad yn Bashir, a Calishite Monk searching for answers.
* New character: Dorn Il-Khan, a half-orc blackguard with a history of violence.
* New character: Neera the Wild Mage, a half-elf on a quest to control her powerful magic.
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition for iPad is available in the App Store for $9.99. [Direct Link]
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iPhone 5 Now 'In Stock' in Apple's Online Stores for Several Countries
Dec 07, 10:09PM
Just days after shipping estimates for new iPhone 5 orders improved to 2-4 business days, they are taking the final step with Apple now listing the device as "in stock" in many of its online stores.
We've noticed the new "in stock" quotes in Apple's online stores for the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand, while a number of other countries are still seeing estimates of 1-3 business days for the time being. Unlocked iPhone 5 models in the U.S. are also still seeing 1-3 business day estimates.
Apple has achieved supply-demand balance for the iPhone 5 just ahead of the holidays and even as the company is working to bring the device to more than 50 additional countries this month.
Apple's deadlines for other holiday delivery of other products are also approaching, with U.S. customers having until December 12 to place their iPad mini orders with guaranteed delivery before Christmas. Other products are already unavailable for the holidays, with the new 27-inch iMac now seeing January shipping estimates as Apple works to deliver the first units to customers.
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U.S. Patent Office Preliminarily Invalidates Apple's 'Steve Jobs Patent' on the iPhone
Dec 07, 8:32PM
FOSS Patents reports that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice preliminarily ruling that Apple's massive iPhone patent popularly referred to as "the Steve Jobs patent" invalid in its entirety upon reexamination.
The patent, issued as Patent No. 7,479,949, had been granted in January 2009 and incorporated several prior patent applications dating back to September 2006 before the company publicly unveiled the device. Steve Jobs is listed as the first inventor on the patent, and FOSS Patents notes that it is probably the most famous of the over 300 patents credited at least in part to Jobs.
Some people say that first Office actions are partial because they are based only on submissions made by those challenging the patent, and many examiners like to take a tough position early on in order to enable and require the patentee to present the strongest arguments in favor of validity. But it would be a mistake to underestimate the significance of a first Office action. Also, a complete rejection of all claims of a given patent is potentially more devastating than one affecting only some claims.Apple has asserted the patent against a number of its competitors, including Samsung and Motorola, and an ultimate finding of invalidity in the reexamination process would substantially weaken Apple's cases against those companies, although it is far from the only weapon in Apple's patent arsenal.
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RadioShack, Target, and Best Buy Offer Deals on the iPhone 5 [iOS Blog]
Dec 07, 7:40PM
The iPhone 5 doesn't go on sale often, but three retailers are currently offering a holiday discount.
RadioShack is offering $20 off of all AT&T iPhone 5 purchases, putting the base 16GB iPhone 5 at $179.99 for new and upgrade-ready AT&T customers. The 32GB model costs $279.99 with the discount, and the 64GB model is $379.99.
Target Mobile, which is operated by RadioShack, has the same deal, with $20 off of all AT&T iPhone 5 purchases.
The promotions are in-store only, so potential customers will need to head to their local Target Mobile location or RadioShack to get the deal. The sale started on December 5, and will continue until December 15.
Best Buy is offering a similar deal, with a free $25 Best Buy Gift Card with the purchase of any iPhone 5. This offer includes phones from Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T, with a 2-year contract agreement.
When buying in store, customers will receive the gift card immediately, while online customers will receive an e-gift card within 3 to 5 days of the phone's ship date.
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Apple Updates OS X Server, Adds Caching to Speed Distribution of Mac App Store Updates [Mac Blog]
Dec 07, 5:24PM
Apple has updated OS X Server, the application that runs on top of OS X Mountain Lion to expand the system's server feature set.
The most notable change in this update appears to be a new caching server for Mac App Store updates. Presumably, the server now downloads updates for things like iPhoto and OS X itself to prevent an organization from needing to download large updates multiple times for one workgroup.
What's New in Version 2.2OS X Server is available for $19.99 on the Mac App Store. [Direct Link]
• Caching Server to speed up download of software distributed by Apple through the Mac App Store.
• Time Machine service monitoring of which computers have backed up, when they last backed up and size of backup.
• Wiki Server support for MacBook Pro with Retina display.
• Fix for deleting apps uploaded to Profile Manager.
• Ability to use Active Directory groups within Profile Manager.
• Centralized Certificate management interface.
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BBC iPlayer Updated for iPhone 5 (UK Only) [iOS Blog]
Dec 07, 5:24PM
BBC's iPlayer app has been updated for the iPhone 5, bringing full 16:9 viewing to the app -- a welcome addition for UK television watchers. The BBC iPlayer for iPhone launched last December, bringing Live TV and Radio along with catch-up TV over Wi-Fi and cellular to the device.
One feature still missing is full support for AirPlay, though users can use AirPlay mirroring to send programs to the Apple TV.
What's New in Version 2.0.2BBC iPlayer is a free download for users in the UK. [Direct Link]
Huge thanks for all of your feedback on our last update. The team at BBC HQ have been busy preparing this shiny new release. We really hope that you like it.
Updates include:
- Support for iPhone 5 - a full screen of BBC iPlayer goodness and no more black bars!
- Watching programmes on the iPad has had a facelift. Check out what's behind the "More" and "Live Channels" buttons.
- It's already available on the iPad, and now you can plug your phone into your telly.
- Feedback on the BBC iPlayer downloads feature has been great. We've fixed a number of bugs to hopefully make it even better!
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Low Turnout for iPad Mini Launch in China, But Scalpers Still Hoarding Supplies [iOS Blog]
Dec 07, 4:03PM
The Wall Street Journal reports that turnout for the launch of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad in China today was fairly low, with Apple's lottery system and two-per-person limits for in-person sales of the iPad mini said to be making it more difficult for scalpers to run their operations.
iPad mini on display at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing
The scalpers were still present, however, as the report notes that a number of them were set up some distance away from Apple's Sanlitun store in Beijing to collect units purchased by others.
On Friday morning, Apple's Sanlitun store opened to no crowds, but a large group of scalpers was standing a hop and skip from the store entrance collecting iPad Minis from Chinese customers in exchange for cash. Behind them, on a nearby bench, sat tall stacks of the devices.A Wall Street Journal reporter was accosted by the scalpers after he tried to film the scene, but Apple and mall security declined to intervene in the situation.
Li Yongqiang, 18, said he wasn't picked in the lottery to purchase the iPad Mini but still arrived at 8:30 a.m. to observe the atmosphere. Mr. Li said scalpers met with a crowd of about a hundred outside the Apple store to discuss the process of purchasing the iPad Mini. The crowd appeared to be predominantly made up of customers there to purchase the product on behalf of scalpers, he added. It's not clear how the scalpers were able to get so many of their people selected for the lottery.Apple continues to hold a dominant share of the tablet market in China as it does in many countries around the world, and with China now responsible for 15% of the company's revenue, Apple is no doubt hoping for strong sales of the latest devices heading into the end of the year.
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Apple Now Quoting 'January' Shipping Estimates for 27-Inch iMac
Dec 07, 3:51PM
Shipping estimates for Apple's new 27-inch iMac models have been updated today to "January", marking the first time availability of the machines has been pushed back into 2013. Orders had previously been estimated at 3-4 weeks for shipping.
The new "January" estimate may or may not represent a lengthening of lead times given that the previous 3-4 week window was already pushing into January, but at the very least it seems that Apple is introducing some uncertainty into future availability by simply stating a one-month window for new orders rather than measuring estimates in weeks.
Supplies of the new iMac have been tight since the machine's launch one week ago, and were already expected to be constrained into 2013. The bottleneck for Apple is said to be the new production process on the machine's display, which is laminated directly to the cover glass. The process is more troublesome for larger screens, making supplies of the 27-inch iMac more scarce than those for its 21.5-inch sibling.
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Aerial Photos of Apple's Oregon Data Center Site
Dec 07, 3:40PM
Following up on its aerial tour of Apple's North Carolina data center earlier this year, Wired has again taken to the skies to get a glimpse of Apple's data center site in Prineville, Oregon.
While construction on the first of two 338,000 square-foot buildings planned for the site is just getting started, Apple's initial "tactical data center" is already in place.
Apple finished this building earlier this year, but just south of it, you can see what will be the site of its much larger 338,000-square-foot data center. Apple wants to eventually build two of these monster data centers on the 160-acre site, but right now, there's no sign of the second facility.
Apple's tactical data center in Prineville
The photos also show the close proximity of Apple's project to Facebook's twin data centers. Facebook's first 330,000 square-foot data center opened last year, and the second one is nearing completion.
Apple has been working quickly to expand its data center capacity, opening its North Carolina data center last year and earlier this year announcing both the Oregon project and another one in Nevada as it seeks to support the rapidly growing needs of its digital stores and iCloud.
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Tim Cook Speaks About Apple Maps, Samsung, and Apple's Future in TV Interview with Brian Williams
Dec 07, 6:38AM
Tim Cook has held the reins at Apple for over a year now, and this evening, he gave his first official television interview with Brian Williams on NBC's Rock Center, where he spoke about his role as CEO after Steve Jobs, lamented about the Maps debacle, and revealed a few hints about what's to come for Apple in the future. The full video is embedded below. The first part of the interview focused on his first year as CEO, and what it was like to follow in the footsteps of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Cook was humble and personable as he explained that Jobs taught him to "just do what's right."
When asked about Apple's Maps application, which has faced significant criticism and resulted in the restructuring of the company, Cook told Williams that Apple "screwed up," and is "putting the weight of the company behind correcting it."
Part 1
Cook also touched on the ongoing conflict between Samsung and Apple, after Williams played a Samsung commercial for the Galaxy S3 that attacks Apple's iPhone, branding it as uncool.
We love our customers. And we'll fight to defend them with anyone. Is it thermonuclear war? The reality is, is that we love competition, at Apple. We think it makes us all better. But we want people to invent their own stuff.In one interesting section of the interview, Williams asked Cook if Apple would last, and how the company would avoid becoming like Sony, popular in the 80's and 90's before fading into the background. Cook reiterated Apple's drive to focus on a small number of products.
We're very simple people at Apple. We focus on making the world's best products and enriching people's lives. I think some companies — maybe even the one that you mention, maybe they decided that they could do everything. We have to make sure, at Apple, that we stay true to focus, laser focus — we know we can only do great things a few times, only on a few products.The juiciest details of the exchange between Williams and Cook, which were leaked in teasers earlier this afternoon, came in the second part of the interview, where Williams focused on the Apple television, the death of Steve Jobs, and the U.S. production of Apple products.
Part 2
Cook commented on the much rumored Apple television set, mentioning, as revealed earlier, Apple's "intense interest" in the market, but he revealed little beyond that, speaking cryptically about his love of "The Jetsons."
It's a market that we see, that has been left behind. You know, I used to watch "The Jetsons" as a kid. I love "The Jetsons." We're living "The Jetsons" with this. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that. But …He also went into more detail about Apple's plans to bring production back to the United States, confirming that next year, one of the Mac lines will be produced in the United States.
You know, this iPhone, as a matter of fact, the engine in here is made in America. And not only are the engines in here made in America, but engines are made in America and are exported. The glass on this phone is made in Kentucky. And so we've been working for years on doing more and more in the United States. Next year, we will do one of our existing Mac lines in the United States.Williams ended the interview trying to get a few more tidbits on Apple's plans for the future, but this is all Cook had to say:
Our whole role in life is to give you something you didn't know you wanted. And then once you get it, you can't imagine your life without it. And you can count on Apple doing that.
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Tim Cook: I've Given Up Physical Keyboards, Use iPad "80% of the Time"
Dec 06, 11:23PM
As part of its teaser for tonight's Rock Center interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, NBC has released a clip with Cook talking about the virtual keyboard built into the iPhone and the iPad. He suggests that Brian Williams should stick with it and trust the autocorrect feature in iOS.
Cook says that he does spend time on the Mac but spends 80% of his time on the iPad. "And of course" Cook says, "I have [my iPhone] with me all the time."
Cook also shares that he gets many emails from customers and loves it because "they talk to you as if you're sitting at their kitchen table." He does share that he sometimes "gets an earful" from dissatisfied customers.
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T-Mobile USA to Cease Offering Subsidized Device Pricing Options in 2013
Dec 06, 9:19PM
Just as it announces that it will begin offering Apple products, presumably including the iPhone and iPad, next year, T-Mobile USA has also revealed that it will be restructuring the way it sells to customers by eliminating device subsidies and focusing on lower monthly plan costs. The plans were announced at Deutsche Telekom's annual investor conference today and noted by Fierce Wireless.Currently T-Mobile offers Classic plans that subsidize the device and require a two-year contract and Value plans that let customers pay the full cost of their smartphones or pay it off in monthly installments in exchange for lower monthly plan rates. Legere said that in 2013 T-Mobile will eliminate its Classic rate plans that include device subsidies and instead only offer Value plans to customers.Under one example for "the most iconic device in the world", Legere noted that customers might pay $99 upfront and then $15-$20 per month for 20 months on top of their monthly plan in order to pay off the full cost of the device. With the customer being responsible for the full cost of the device, T-Mobile can offer lower base plan pricing.
Legere did not provide specifics on the company's plans to offer Apple products, which was announced earlier today. However, he did say that when the company launches Apple's products, it will be dramatically different. He also said that T-Mobile had not made a volume commitment to purchase Apple products on size of what Sprint Nextel has committed to "or anything close to it." Sprint last year inked a four-year, $15.5 billion deal to sell the iPhone.T-Mobile will become the last of the four major U.S. carriers to offer the iPhone, joining AT&T;, Verizon, Sprint and a host of smaller carriers that have partnered with Apple on the device.
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Snapseed Adds New Filters, Goes Free [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 8:53PM
After being named the 2011 App of the Year, popular iOS photo editing app Snapseed was acquired by Google when the company purchased Nik Software. Google today dropped the price of Snapseed, making the app free to download. Previously, the iOS version of Snapseed cost $4.99. The update also brings new filters, Google+ integration, and a new icon. From the App Store description:
New Retrolux filter! Use one of the newly created film styles, combined with a range of different scratches and textures as well as light leaks to create a truly retro look for your photos.Aside from the filters, the free version of Snapseed appears to be the same as the previous paid version, but there is a new splash page which refers to the app as "Google+ Snapseed."
Updated Frames filter! Now includes a wide range of new, high quality photographic frames. Colorize the frame edges to match the look of your image or switch to square mode with a single tap.
The iOS version of Snapseed [App Store] is currently available in the App Store at no cost. The Mac version of the app [Mac App Store] has yet to be updated and is still a $19.99 download in the Mac App Store. Google also released an Android version of the app, which is available for free in the Google Play store.
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Apple's Free 12 Days of Christmas App Now Live for International Customers
Dec 06, 8:50PM
Apple has launched the newest version of its annual "12 Days of Christmas" holiday app for European and Canadian iTunes users. The free app, which is available for the iPhone, the iPod touch, and the iPad, provides free content each day from December 26 to January 8.
You and your friends can download a fantastic selection of songs, music videos, apps, books and TV episodes for free. Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get our 12 Days of Christmas app to make sure you don't miss out.Apple's 12 Days of Christmas has been a long running tradition in Europe, and has existed in a modified form in Canada for several years, but the Canadian program has now been folded into the main app. Unfortunately, due to regional licensing restrictions, Apple is unable to offer the same promotion in the United States.
Don't have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? Don't worry. Come back December 26 to download gifts from your computer.
Last year, gifts included episodes of The Big Bang Theory and Mad Men, music videos and songs from Kings of Leon, and games like Diner Dash and Fishing Kings.
The 12 Days of Christmas app can be downloaded for free in the Canadian and U.K. App Stores, as well as those for a number of other European countries.
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Pixelmator Apologizes for Crashes Resulting from Nvidia Driver Bug [Mac Blog]
Dec 06, 7:50PM
The team behind Pixelmator has posted a lengthy apology on their blog following the discovery of a bug that would sometimes cause Macs to restart or the app to crash when intensively using the popular image editor.It turns out, the newest Nvidia Geforce graphics card drivers in OS X 10.8.2 are causing the issue, and Pixelmator is working with Apple to resolve the issue.
Everything we do at Pixelmator Team is aimed at making your favorite app the best in the world. With every minor update, we strive to live up to a high-quality standard. We even put aside new features, such as layer styles, for the sake of quality improvements. So far, we are happy with what we've achieved. However, there is one issue we wanted to talk about a little bit more.The affected Macs have GT 120, GT 320M, GT 330M, 9400M, and GT 9600 Nvidia graphics cards.
A month or so ago, after the most recent OS X update (10.8.2), we've bumped into a problem that causes certain Macs to restart when intensively using Pixelmator. Sometimes, the app would stop responding without restarting a computer, or just cause some graphical glitches.
We did everything to find the root cause of the problem. We've researched a vast amount of information about OS X internals. We've torn down our Macs. We even reached out to Apple. Finally, the picture was clear: It's an issue with Nvidia Geforce graphics card drivers.
Although the issue isn't with Pixelmator, we didn't give up. We've searched for various workarounds, and then, we checked with you to see if any of them helped (thanks so much for being so patient and for taking the time to test those workarounds). But in the end, nothing worked.
Good thing, though—the guys at Apple are very helpful, and as soon as we hear about a solution, we'll let you know about it that very moment.
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Apple Updates Final Cut Pro, Compressor, and Motion with Bug Fixes [Mac Blog]
Dec 06, 6:30PM
Apple today updated Final Cut Pro [Mac App Store] to version 10.0.7, bringing a number of bug fixes and other improvements.
This update improves overall stability, performance and compatibility including:
- The Letterbox effect "Offset" slider has been restored
- Fixes an issue when creating a single layer DVD
- Fixes an issue where some third-party effects could cause Final Cut Pro to hang during background rendering
- Fixes an issue where some third-party transitions would incorrectly use black instead of source media
- Adds support for editing MXF files that are still ingesting
- Fixes an issue rendering Motion Templates containing Image Units
The company also issued a minor update to Compressor [Mac App Store] to address an issue with uploading large videos to Vimeo and an update to Motion [Mac App Store] fixing several issues.
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Unofficial 3-in-1 Lightning Camera Connection Kit Supports USB, SD, and MicroSD [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 6:03PM
The folks at iPhone5mod continue to churn out unofficial Lightning accessories to fill the void left by Apple's slow rollout of official products under its own label and licensed to third-party manufacturers. iPhone5mod's latest offering is a 3-in-1 Lightning Camera Connection Kit, a dongle priced at $23.90 that provides camera support for SD and microSD cards, as well as USB.
Apple offers a $29 kit containing a pair of dongles supporting USB and SD connections for its original 30-pin dock connector, but for the new Lightning standard Apple has moved to separate cable-based SD card and USB adapters priced at $29 each.
iPhone5mod also released a 3-in1 Cable Pro product last week, packaging micro-USB, Lightning and 30-pin connectors with a retractable USB cable. The product may offer some convenience for users with multiple types of devices, but the implementation appears somewhat awkward with users having to remove either the Lightning or 30-pin connector in order to properly attach the other one to the micro-USB connector for use.
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T-Mobile USA to Begin Selling Apple Products in 2013
Dec 06, 5:05PM
In line with analyst speculation from last week, Engadget reports that Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann has just announced at his company's analyst day event that T-Mobile USA will begin selling Apple products in 2013.
The announcement was posted --nearly as an afterthought, oddly enough -- as part of a press release in which Deutsche Telekom spelled out its financial plans through 2015. While the two companies have not explicitly given specifics on which Apple devices we can expect to see in a retail store near you, the timing of the launch will likely correspond with the fourth-largest carrier's LTE launch in 2013.
T-Mobile is currently the only one of the four major U.S. carriers to not offer the iPhone, due at least in part to longstanding incompatibilities between Apple's hardware and the spectrum used by T-Mobile for its fastest data networks. The carrier has, however, been working hard to refarm its spectrum to add compatibility for frequencies supported by the iPhone, and it previously stated that it would be ready for the iPhone by the end of 2012. T-Mobile USA will also be rolling out LTE service for its customers in 2013.
Update: Deutsche Telekom's press release is now available.
The higher investment volume is to be used to roll out the broadband infrastructure in Germany and the United States in particular. In the mobile communications network, this will be done using the state-of-the-art technology LTE. Around EUR 6 billion is earmarked for rolling out the broadband infrastructure in the German fixed network with optical fiber and vectoring between 2013 and 2020. In addition, T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.No further details on exactly which products are included in the deal are available yet, but presumably both the iPhone and iPad will be coming to T-Mobile.
Update 2: Apple has also confirmed to The Loop that it has struck a deal with T-Mobile.
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iPad Mini Shipping Estimates Drop to One Week in U.S. and Canada [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 4:54PM
Shipping estimates for the iPad mini have fallen to one week in Apple's online stores for the United States and Canada, indicating that Apple is beginning to approach a supply-demand balance for the device that launched just over a month ago. Estimates in the company's online stores for other countries remain at two weeks, but those will likely move to the new one-week estimate fairly soon.
Apple is beginning to catch up with demand on the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, as evidenced by shortening shipping estimates, although estimates on the new iMac are rapidly slipping following its introduction last week. Apple and supply chain sources have indicated that stocks of the iMac and iPad mini will remain constrained into 2013.
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Foxconn Planning U.S. Expansion Alongside Apple's Push for Domestic Mac Production
Dec 06, 4:22PM
Just as Apple CEO Tim Cook has revealed that Apple will be bringing some Mac production back to the United States next year, Bloomberg reports that Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is seeking to expand into the country.
"We are looking at doing more manufacturing in the U.S. because, in general, customers want more to be done there," Louis Woo, a Foxconn spokesman, said in a phone interview. He declined to comment on individual clients or specific plans. [...]Neither Apple nor Foxconn has confirmed that the two companies will be working together on U.S. Mac production, but Cook noted that Apple's $100 million investment in domestic production would involve "working with people".
"Supply chain is one of the big challenges for U.S. expansion," Woo said. "In addition, any manufacturing we take back to the U.S. needs to leverage high-value engineering talent there in comparison to the low-cost labor of China."
The moves by Apple and Foxconn to bring production to the United States demonstrate an evolution of the thinking held by Apple until very recently, which comes from a perspective that the U.S. labor force and supply chain simply aren't set up to handle the kind of nimble consumer electronics mass production available in China.
For Mr. Cook, the focus on Asia "came down to two things," said one former high-ranking Apple executive. Factories in Asia "can scale up and down faster" and "Asian supply chains have surpassed what's in the U.S." The result is that "we can't compete at this point," the executive said. [...]With Cook's announcement regarding domestic Mac production for 2013, the company is clearly testing the waters, perhaps with a low volume product like the Mac Pro, but the company faces major challenges if it wishes to bring operations on the scale of iPhone production to the United States.
"The entire supply chain is in China now," said another former high-ranking Apple executive. "You need a thousand rubber gaskets? That's the factory next door. You need a million screws? That factory is a block away. You need that screw made a little bit different? It will take three hours."
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Larklife Smart Wristband System Now Available in Apple Retail Stores [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 3:43PM
Lark today announced that its new Larklife wristband is available for immediate purchase both online and at Apple Retail stores.
Like the newly updated Jawbone Up, the Nike+ Fuelband, and the Fitbit, the Larklife is a smart wristband that is designed to track personal fitness, nutrition, productivity, and sleep.
Larklife goes beyond tracking your information; it is focused on helping you build better habits through small changes that help you feel your best each day. Using continuous machine learning, it analyzes your activity, identifies your unique patterns, and delivers real-time coaching through the iOS app. Designed with world-renowned scientists and coaches, like Dr. Shiv, Stanford neuroscientist and Fortune 500 CEO coach, lark's app provides personalized simple suggestions from the wristband and app.Larklife stands out from similar offerings because it comes equipped with two different wristbands. There's a sweat-proof wristband for daytime use and a soft fabric wristband for use at night. The two bands share a single interchangeable core that collects activity, sleep, and diet information.
With Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Larklife automatically syncs collected information to the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 with the free Larklife iPhone app in real time.
Larklife is now available at brick and mortar Apple Stores. It can also be preordered online from the Lark website for $149.99.
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