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iFixit Offers Transparent Replacement Glass Back for iPhone 4S [iOS Blog]
Nov 29, 10:17PM
iFixit has introduced a transparent glass replacement back for the iPhone 4S. The glass, which retails for $29.95, completely replaces the rear glass on the iPhone -- making it useful for replacing a broken rear back or simply for a unique look.
Depending on the age of the iPhone 4, it may need iFixit's "liberation kit" to remove the newer "pentalobe screws" from the iPhone.
The instructions for installing the rear glass are simple and straightforward for the mechanically inclined. The transparent rear panel is available for the iPhone 4 (GSM) and 4S from iFixit.
Apple Releases Safari 5.1.2 with 'White Flash' and PDF Viewing Fixes
Nov 29, 10:14PM
Apple today released Safari 5.1.2, bringing several bug fixes and other enhancements. Most notably, it addresses issues with PDF viewing and pages "flashing white".This update contains various improvements, including fixes that:Apple seeded a version of Safari 5.1.2 to developers for testing earlier this month.
- Improve stability
- Address issues that could cause hangs and excessive memory usage
- Address issues that could cause webpages to flash white
- Allow PDFs to be displayed within web content
Apple Seeks Ban on Sales of Revised Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N in Germany
Nov 29, 9:55PM
Dow Jones Newswires reports that Apple has filed a request for a preliminary injunction that would bar Samsung from selling its new Galaxy Tab 10.1N in Germany. Samsung launched the 10.1N earlier this month as a design-tweaked variant of the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 that is already barred from sale in Germany under an earlier injunction.
Apple has requested a preliminary injunction, and the Duesseldorf regional court has scheduled a hearing on the matter on Dec. 22, a spokesman for the court told Dow Jones Newswires on Tuesday.Samsung slightly tweaked the design of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 hardware to create the 10.1N, resulting in a frame that wraps around slightly onto the front of the device along its two short sides. Apple clearly feels that this design is not sufficient to overcome the ruling that the Galaxy Tab design infringes upon Apple's designs for the iPad, and is thus pursuing the new injunction.
The move has no effect on sales and distribution of the product, Samsung said in an emailed statement, while Apple repeated earlier comments that it intends to protect its intellectual property.
Galaxy Tab 10.1N (top) vs. Galaxy Tab 10.1 (bottom)
Meanwhile, FOSS Patents confirms that Apple's initial injunction awarded against the Galaxy Tab in Germany does in fact cover all three announced sizes of the device: 10.1, 8.9, and 7.7. Apple cites that injunction in a filing in its U.S. case against Samsung, illustrating how the company is using its string of wins over Samsung in international courts to bolster its U.S. case.
Microsoft Reportedly 'Actively Working' on Office for iPad and Mac App Store
Nov 29, 8:27PM
The Daily reports that Microsoft is "actively working" on bringing its Microsoft Office suite to the iPad, looking to take on Apple's iWork applications for the popular tablet device. The report also says that Microsoft is working on a updated Office for Mac suite, with the new version said to be targeted for a Mac App Store release sometime next year.
According to sources, the tech giant is actively working on adapting its popular software suite for Apple's tablet. With the iPad making up over 80 percent of the tablet market and millions of people worldwide using Office, that could mean big bucks for the tech giant based in Redmond, Wash.Microsoft acknowledged just after the iPad's introduction in early 2010 that the company was "looking at" the possibility of bringing Office to the iPad, but by the time the device actually launched a few months later the company was saying that it had "no current plans" for such an offering.
In addition to an iPad-ready version, a new edition of Office is expected for OS X Lion sometime next year. The current version of the desktop package, Office 2011, officially supports [Mac OS X] versions up to Snow Leopard. A Lion version, likely available via the Mac App Store, is widely expected.
Analysts See iPhone 4S Supply Constraints Throughout Holiday Quarter
Nov 29, 7:51PM
Fortune summarizes a pair of analyst reports out today suggesting that Apple may be experiencing some supply constraints on the iPhone 4S during this holiday quarter. The company has obviously been working hard to demand for the device as shipping estimates through iPhone carrier partners and even Apple itself have at times been lengthy, but beyond high demand the new reports suggest that Apple may be having some trouble meeting its own production goals for the device.
The first report, from Rodman and Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar, cites shortages of an unidentified "key component" for the iPhone 4S that is holding back production.
In a note entitled "Limited near-term upside for iPhone," Rodman & Renshaw's Ashok Kumar alerted clients that low yields on an unidentified "key component" is likely to constrain production of the iPhone 4S this quarter.Including an estimated four million iPhone 4S units that were manufactured but not shipped in the prior quarter, Kumar says that Apple could sell 30 million iPhones this quarter, still a healthy number but leaving Apple without the ability to completely satisfy consumer demand.
The second note comes from Susquehanna Financial's Jeff Fidacaro and similarly cites "supply constraints" as the reason behind his reduction in quarterly iPhone sales of about three million units, moving from 26-28 million units to 23-25 million units. He notes that demand appears to remain strong but that Apple is having a hard time producing enough iPhones to meet that demand.
Tether Says Apple Pulled iTether App Over Carrier Burden
Nov 29, 6:51PM
Tether has issued a statement explaining its interpretation of Apple's removal of the iTether app from the App Store, hours after it went on sale. Apple, which has not had any public comment about the app, explained to Tether that the data use resulting from the app was too burdensome to carrier networks.
Around 12PM EST, Apple called our head office to let us know they were going to go ahead and pull our app iTether from the App Store. They stated it was because the app itself burdens the carrier network, however they offered us no way to remedy the solution… We were very clear when listing the app what the primary function was and they even followed up with several questions and requested a video demo then they approved the application.Tether's website has been slow and unresponsive since the app launched last night.
We strongly disagree that it burdens a carrier's network, as from our own data history on more than 500,000 users we know the average user consumes less than 200 MBs of data per month on Tether. In comparison, one TV show streamed from Netflix, an approved Apple App, could easily be in the 300-400 MBs range. Sure, there are some users that will consume way more than the average however that's the case with any of these types of products.
Our team is very disappointed in Apple's decision; as we strongly believe we help carriers better monetize their data stream by pushing customers into new data tiers further increasing their bottom-line. It is very anti-competitive to not allow any Tethering application to enter into this space to innovate. Our team has created a lot of innovative solutions for the BlackBerry product, which we were hoping to port over to the iPhone like end-to-end encryption, compression, website filtering and port filtering.
According to Apple, users who purchase iTether before it was pulled will continue to be able to use the product.
Our team is evaluating all of our options… Stay tuned.
Thanks Victor.
iTether App Pulled From App Store
Nov 29, 5:10PM
Just hours after becoming the top-grossing app on the App Store, tethering app iTether has been removed by Apple. The $14.99 app, which went live on the App Store last night, allowed users to share their iPhone's internet connection with their Mac or PC computer over USB. With iTether, users could bypass a $20/month service offered by cellular providers for tethering services.
In 2008, Apple briefly approved another tethering app called Netshare but, as with iTether, quickly pulled it from the App Store. The approval of iTether may have been an oversight by Apple, but there has been no official word yet on the reason for the removal. As in the case of Netshare, it should continue to work for those who bought it before it was pulled.
A Glimpse of Apple's Shopper-Locating Retail Store Software
Nov 29, 3:36PM
Late last week, The New York Times took a look at Apple's retail store software for responding to customer requests for assistance, offering a relatively rare public glimpse of one of the company's internal applications.
The internal app responds to both assistance requests from the iPads that serve as information displays at products on the sales floor and notifications from customers who have placed advance orders for pickup and then signaled their arrival by launching the Apple Store iOS app.
The iPod Touches of Apple employees show these customer requests and give employees the option to respond to them. The app then shows an illustration of the shopping floor and highlights the customer's location in red.According to the Apple retail employee who demonstrated the app's capabilities, sixteen customers had used the functionality to pick up orders at the Palo Alto store that day, only a tiny portion of the total customer load for the busy Black Friday shopping day. But Apple has reportedly indicated that it eventually expects a majority of its retail store customers to eventually take advantage of the new services such as in-store pickup and self-checkout using the company's iOS app.
This feature allows shoppers to ask for assistance when they feel comfortable doing so, unlike in other retail stores where customers are hounded by employees eager to make a sale, [retail store employee Diego] Aguirre said.Apple has been working hard to build out capacity to meet customer load at its retail stores, which rank among the most profitable retail sales locations in the world. In recent years the company has been putting a significant focus on building larger, more iconic stores and also building out its international retail presence. But with the retail chain's oldest stores now approaching ten years old, the company is also looking to replace or renovate a number of these stores in order to keep up with the company's continued growth in popularity.
"It's more toward customer experience," Mr. Aguirre said. "We don't want to feel like we're hassling our customers to shop. We want them to feel at home."
RIM Branches Out with Enterprise Management Tools for iOS and Android Devices [iOS Blog]
Nov 29, 3:03PM
Research in Motion (RIM), seeking to stabilize its enterprise business amid continued challenges from iOS and Android, today announced a new package of enterprise tools known as Mobile Fusion designed to support a broad range of devices at the corporate level."We are pleased to introduce BlackBerry Mobile Fusion – RIM's next generation enterprise mobility solution – to make it easier for our business and government customers to manage the diversity of devices in their operations today," said Alan Panezic, Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at Research In Motion. "BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together our industry-leading BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology for BlackBerry devices with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices, all managed from one web-based console. It provides the necessary management capabilities to allow IT departments to confidently oversee the use of both company-owned and employee-owned mobile devices within their organizations."Mobile Fusion will provide corporate customers with an array of device management tools, including centralized remote locking and/or wiping of lost devices and enforcement of password requirements.
Apple offers a number of enterprise tools and capabilities for iOS to help companies manage their device deployments, but cross-platform device management services such as RIM's Mobile Fusion target increasingly diverse mobile deployments as companies offer their employees new levels of flexibility in choosing their mobile platforms.
RIM has long been a leader in business mobile platforms, but has been losing ground to iOS and Android as those platforms have caught on with both consumers and enterprise customers. With Apple also gaining traction in enterprise markets with the iPad, RIM has tried to respond with new devices including its PlayBook tablet device, but has so far been unable to slow the momentum of iOS and Android. The company's new Mobile Fusion tools, which are in early beta testing now and scheduled for public launch in March, demonstrate that diversification in enterprise and highlight RIM's efforts to hold on to its relevancy in its key markets.
Next Generation iPhone (5,1) and iPad Also Referenced in iOS 5.1 Beta
Nov 29, 7:02AM
iOS 5.1 Beta seems to be a treasure trove of product ids with the exposure of the iPad 2,4 and the J33 codename for the next generation Apple TV. The latest part number to come from iOS 5.1 is the iPhone 5,1 as noted by both @FilippoBiga and 9to5Mac.
The progression of iPhone product numbers are as follows:
iPhone1,1 - Original iPhone
iPhone1,2 - iPhone 3G
iPhone2,1 - iPhone 3GS
iPhone3,1 - iPhone 4
iPhone4,1 - iPhone 4S
iPhone5,1 clearly represents the next generation iPhone that Apple is working on. Rumors have suggested the next iPhone will carry a 4" screen rather than the usual 3.5" screen found in all previous iPhone models. The new iPhone is also believed to have been prototyped with a tapering design in the past, though the most recent rumors suggest the actual release iPhone will not resemble the mockups.
The iPad3,2 reference has been previously seen though iPad3,3 appears new.
iTether App Offers Internet Tethering On Your iPhone for One Time Fee
Nov 29, 5:07AM
Tether.com has somehow gotten App Store approval for their iPhone companion application "iTether". The $14.99 App Store app allows users to share their iPhone's internet connection with their Mac or PC computer over USB. Tether is an application that allows your Mac and PC to take advantage of your smartphone's data plan, providing you access to the Internet on your laptop anywhere there is cellular coverage from your smartphone.
Tether is easy to install, easy to use, works practically anywhere, and is very cost-effective.
To download the PC software visit:
http://tether.com/i/Tether-iPhone.exe
To download the Mac software visit:
http://tether.com/i/Tether-iPhone.dmg
Tether offers companion applications for the Mac and PC. Mac version shown here:
Running both apps on your iPhone and your Mac allows your Mac to use your iPhone's internet connection over a USB cable (no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth support). Apple has traditionally not allowed such applications to become available on the App Store due to agreements with carriers.
Back in 2008, Apple briefly approved another tethering app called Netshare but quickly pulled it from the App Store. Instead, users have been expected to pay additional fees to U.S. carriers such as AT&T; and Verizon who offer tethering as an add-on service for $20/month. The approval of iTether may have been inadvertent by Apple again and could be pulled at any time. It is presently available in the App Store for $14.99. As in the case of Netshare, if Apple does pull the app from the App Store, it should continue to work for those who bought it.
Tether offers a similar app for both BlackBerry and Android platforms and has been reviewed in the NYTimes and Entrepreneur.com.
We should note that excessive unauthorized tethering has previously resulted in warnings from AT&T; to users about their usage. In many of these examples, however, the unauthorized use was dramatic and on unlimited plans. Still, it is good to be aware of that possibility. [App Store Link]
[via 9to5Mac]
Update: Tether's website is presently down due to the traffic, which means you can't download the Mac/PC apps and it also appears the iOS app verifies with Tether.com on each run, so it won't work while the main website is down.
Update 2: Tether claims "We were very clear with Apple what our app did. They asked us a bunch of questions and then approved us." So it may not be getting pulled.
Glass Multitouch Keyboard and Mouse Seeking Kickstarter Investment [Mac Blog]
Nov 29, 4:14AM
The latest cool Kickstarter project that we've run across is one by Jason Giddings who promises to build a modern multi-touch keyboard and mouse. Multi-touch keyboards have been done before, but none that we've seen in recent years since the rise in popularity of the iPhone.
This project seeks to modernize the multi-touch keyboard with an attractive glass design:
Multi-Touch keyboards and mice are the next generation in computer peripherals. These elegant well made devices are composed of quality tempered glass, a solid metal base, and the finest components. They are designed using simple existing technology and have no moving parts. They have rechargeable Lithium Polymer batteries and are completely wireless. The tactile sounds and lighting can be turned on or off per the users' preference plus they are coffee and doughnut resistant!
Next Generation Apple TV Identified as Codename J33 [iOS Blog]
Nov 29, 3:50AM
9to5Mac identifies the next generation Apple TV as codename "J33" based on newly found references from the iOS 5.1 beta. Previous references had pinpointed the "AppleTV3,1" in earlier versions of iOS 5, which appears to be the corresponding product id. The "J33" codename doesn't provide any more information about the device, but just provides an extra little hint that Apple is working on a next generation device.
A new Apple TV could integrate Apple's new A5 processor, which offers much faster graphics processing, and include true 1080p support. But unless Apple plans on offering 1080p content on iTunes, that feature would be of limited use to the majority of consumers. Fortunately, Apple has been rumored to be prepping movie studios to start submitting 1080p content to iTunes.
iOS 5.1 Beta References Unreleased iPad 2 Variant (iPad2,4)
Nov 29, 12:53AM
iOS 5.1 Beta SDK reveals a never seen before iPad product id, according to 9to5Mac. The new product id is "iPad2,4", suggesting a minor variant of the current iPad 2 line.
The current iPad carries the following number designations, which show differences based on the type of cellular antenna, if any:
iPad2,1 - Wi-Fi iPad
iPad2,2 - AT&T; iPad 2
iPad2,3 - Verizon iPad 2
Naturally, "iPad2,4" could represent a Sprint supporting variant of the iPad 2 that has been previously rumored. Apple was reportedly considering a Sprint iPad launch before the holidays, though it seems less likely at this late date.
At this stage, it's not clear if and when Apple might introduce such a model or wait until the iPad 3 launches to introduce Sprint compatibility.
Apple Begins Seeding of iOS 5.1 Beta, Xcode 4.3 to Developers
Nov 28, 11:45PM
Apple has seeded developers with the first version of iOS 5.1 Beta and Xcode 4.3.
iOS SDK 5.1 provides support for developing iOS applications and includes the complete set of Xcode tools, compilers, and frameworks for creating applications for iOS and Mac OS X. These tools include the Xcode IDE and the Instruments analysis tool among many others.BGR provides some release notes which presently list some known issues but are otherwise unrevealing.
With this software you can develop applications that run on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 5.1. You can also test your applications using the included iOS Simulator, which supports iOS 5.1. There are two Xcode iOS SDK 5.1 images, one for installing on a Macintosh computer running Mac OS X 10.6.7 (Snow Leopard) or later, the other for installing on a Macintosh computer running Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion).
Kickstarter Project Aims To Make MacBook Air Dock [Mac Blog]
Nov 28, 10:48PM
The LandingZone is a docking station for the MacBook Air that hopes to become a reality via Kickstarter pledges. The dock circles the end of the MacBook Air, plugging into the ports on both sides of the device and including a full range of ports on the back -- including a 10/100 ethernet port and a Kensington-compatible lock, two things the MacBook Air lacks. The planned retail price of the LandingZone is around $200, but can be purchased with a $159 pledge.
LandingZone is a docking station for the MacBook Air. We love the MacBook Air for its beauty and functionality. The MacBook Air deserves a docking station that's just as beautiful and functional. So we designed one and we think it's pretty cool. We hope you agree.
- Total of 4 USB 2.0 ports; no need to attach a separate USB hub
- Built in 10/100T Ethernet port; no more dongles for the Ethernet or fumbling with the cable
- Built in Mini DisplayPort capable of driving resolution up to 2560x1440
- Built in locking port compatible with all the Kensington Locks; now you can secure your MacBook Air
- Two models to support either the 11" or 13" version of the MacBook Air (2010 or later)
- Beautifully designed and engineered for simplicity, elegance, reliability and functionality (patent pending)
- Comes with US power adapter which accepts wide range of input voltage (100~240 Vac)
Apple Ranks as Fifth Most-Visited U.S. Online Retail Site on Black Friday
Nov 28, 9:50PM
Market research firm comScore today released data on U.S. online shopping for Black Friday, showing strong sales of $816 million, up 26% over last year's numbers. According to the data, Apple ranked as the fifth most-visited online retailer in the country on Black Friday, trailing Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. comScore noted in a statement to AllThingsD that Apple was "nipping at Target's heels" for fourth place in the rankings.
Fifty million Americans visited online retail sites on Black Friday, representing an increase of 35 percent versus year ago. Each of the top five retail sites achieved double-digit gains in visitors vs. last year, led by Amazon. Walmart ranked second, followed by Best Buy, Target and Apple.In addition to its online retail presence, Apple obviously also operates an extensive network of retail stores, with nearly 250 locations in the United States. The company's products are also carried by the four online retailers that ranked ahead of Apple in Black Friday traffic, increasing its impact for what is expected to be a blockbuster holiday quarter for Apple.
"Each of the top online retailers generated significantly greater Black Friday activity compared to last year," added [comScore chairman Gian] Fulgoni. "Amazon.com once again led the pack, with 50 percent more visitors than any other retailer, while also showing the highest growth rate versus last year. However, it is telling that the top multi-channel retailers also showed strong growth in visitors, demonstrating the importance of the online channel to the retail industry as a whole."
iPhone 4 Experiences 'Self Combustion' Aboard Just-Landed Aircraft
Nov 28, 8:07PM
The Register points to a press release (PDF) from Australian airline Regional Express describing an incident last Friday in which an iPhone experienced "self combustion" onboard an aircraft just after the flight landed in Sydney. Based on an accompanying photo of the damaged iPhone, the device appears to be an iPhone 4.
Regional Express (Rex) flight ZL319 operating from Lismore to Sydney today had an occurrence after landing, when a passenger's mobile phone started emitting a significant amount of dense smoke, accompanied by a red glow.A photo of the device shows a shattered rear glass panel and an apparent burn or scorch mark in the area corresponding to the lower half of the device's battery.
In accordance with company standard safety procedures, the Flight Attendant carried out recovery actions immediately and the red glow was extinguished successfully.
The press release offers no additional information on the circumstances surrounding the incident, such as whether the passenger was attempting to use the device at the time, but the iPhone has been turned over to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for investigation.
iPhone-related combustion is not an unheard-of phenomenon, although most reported incidents appear to have involved charging issues. This incident's occurrence on an airplane does, however, obviously draw some attention to the dangers of any potential combustion sources in such settings and will no doubt be thoroughly investigated in an attempt to determine its root cause.
Website Lets Users Create Fake Siri Screenshots [iOS Blog]
Nov 28, 7:51PM
A new website gives users an easy way to create fake Siri screenshots, allowing the comically inclined to create all manner of humorous -- but fake -- Siri messages.
iFakeSiri is made by the same folks as iFakeText, an iPhone text message generator. While the fake screenshots do look convincing, there is one small difference -- in the real Siri, apostrophes in the user's transcription are straight, while Siri's apostrophes are curly. In the fake Siri, both apostrophes are curly -- a small, but noteworthy difference for those trying to determine if a screenshot is real or fake.
New TV Ad Promotes "Everything Apple At Best Buy" [Mac Blog]
Nov 28, 5:20PM
Over the weekend, Best Buy began running a new television ad promoting the chain as the best place to buy Apple products. The ad begins with a woman examining an iPad while talking to a blue-shirted Best Buy employee, saying "I didn't know you guys had all the Apple products." The ad ends with a voiceover: "All the hottest Apple gifts, and the professionals to help. At Best Buy."
Apple has run store-within-a-store concepts at most Best Buy locations in the U.S. for years. Apple crews the locations with Apple-trained and paid staffers to augment the Best Buy employees. With hundreds of locations, Best Buy gives Apple a much larger reach than it would have with only standalone Apple Retail Stores.
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