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Apple Preparing to Offer 'Significant' Dividend for Investors Early Next Year?
Dec 20, 1:54AM
Bloomberg reports on comments from money manager Howard Ward claiming that Apple is preparing to begin offering a "significant" dividend to its shareholders early next year."We're going to see a dividend announced for Apple at some point in the first half of 2012," Ward, a money manager who helps oversee about $36.1 billion for Gamco Investors Inc., said in an interview today with "Street Smart" on Bloomberg Television. "That could easily be a 3 percent dividend-yielding stock or even higher."The basis of Ward's claim is unclear, but Apple CEO Tim Cook has signaled increased willingness to consider alternative uses for Apple's growing cash hoard.
Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesman, declined to comment.
Apple began offering a quarterly dividend to investors in mid-1987, but canceled it at the end of 1995 as the company foundered. With the return of Steve Jobs, the company was eventually able to turn itself around and become one of the world's largest companies, but has so far been unwilling to offer dividends again, opting instead to hold onto its profits for its own uses.
Apple has argued that its significant cash hoard gives it the ability to make major long-term deals for components at favorable terms, as well as putting the company in a position for a major strategic acquisition should the right opportunity surface. But with Apple's cash and investments now topping $80 billion, calls for the company to return some of that money to shareholders have been on the rise. And if Ward's claim is correct, it appears that Apple under Tim Cook may now agree with that sentiment.
ITC Rules For Apple in Patent Case, Bans Some HTC Imports [Update: HTC Responds]
Dec 19, 10:30PM
The U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled in favor (PDF) of Apple in a patent dispute with Taiwanese phone manufacturer HTC. The commission found that a number of HTC devices violate two claims related to an Apple patent. As a result of the decision, an actual ban on the importation of some HTC devices goes into effect in April of 2012. Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents on the decision:
What Apple has won is a formal import ban scheduled to commence on April 19, 2012, but relating only to HTC Android phones implementing one of two claims of a "data tapping patent": a patent on an invention that marks up phone numbers and other types of formatted data in an unstructured document, such as an email, in order to enable users to bring up other programs (such as a dialer app) that process such data. The import ban won't relate to HTC Android products that don't implement that feature, or that implement it in ways not covered by those patent claims.Mueller goes on to note that it is possible for Google to implement the feature in a way that doesn't violate Apple's patents, which would render the ban meaningless. However, it does give Apple a bigger bargaining chip in its many lawsuits against Android manufacturers.
According to the decision (PDF), the patent being infringed is:
- U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 on a "system and method causes a computer to detect and perform actions on structures identified in computer data."
This ruling echoes an earlier one by an ITC judge from July in the same case.
The United States International Trade Commission is an independent federal agency that, among other things, adjudicates cases involving imports that allegedly infringe intellectual property rights." It has the power, in rare cases, to ban infringing products from the country entirely.
Update: In a statement given to BGR, HTC says it is "well prepared for this decision, and our designers have created alternate solutions for the '647 patent."
AT&T Gives Up on T-Mobile Acquisition
Dec 19, 9:55PM
AT&T; announced today that the company would end its bid to acquire T-Mobile USA.
The actions by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice to block this transaction do not change the realities of the U.S. wireless industry. It is one of the most fiercely competitive industries in the world, with a mounting need for more spectrum that has not diminished and must be addressed immediately. The AT&T; and T-Mobile USA combination would have offered an interim solution to this spectrum shortage. In the absence of such steps, customers will be harmed and needed investment will be stifled.The acquisition intention was announced back in March, 2011. Under the original terms of the deal, AT&T; would have paid $39 billion in cash and stock. The deal, however, was heavily criticized in an analysis by Federal regulators who believed that the merger would limit competition in virtually every U.S. city and lead to higher prices for customers.
AT&T; now owes T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom $3 billion in cash plus $1 billion in spectrum (at market rates) as a breakup fee for the failure of the merger. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T;'s bottom line will not feel the full brunt of the cost because it should be fully tax deductible, meaning the cash hit of the breakup fee would be closer to $1.5-$1.8 billion.
Firefighter's iPhone 4 "Spontaneously Caught Fire" While Charging [iOS Blog]
Dec 19, 7:17PM
A firefighter in the Pennsylvanian town of East Brandywine experienced a close call with his iPhone 4 earlier this month, according to a post on the East Brandywine Fire Company's website.
While charging the phone using the Apple provided computer connection, the phone spontaneously caught fire.The department notes that the phone has been sent to Apple headquarters in California so the company's engineers can investigate the exact cause of the fire.
After the phone fell to the floor igniting the carpet, the phone was thrown out a nearby window.
Despite the phone being relatively small it produced a large volume of smoke and a noxious smell.
This isn't the first time an iPhone has caught fire, but the incidents appear to be unrelated. Earlier this year, Apple initiated a worldwide replacement program for the first-generation iPod Nano, which, in rare cases, could overheat and pose a safety risk to users.
iPod Shuffle Signed by Steve Jobs Available on eBay [Mac Blog]
Dec 19, 6:51PM
A 4th generation iPod Shuffle, apparently signed by Steve Jobs himself, is for sale on eBay. The signature on the iPod is similar to Jobs's signature, but the item doesn't include any guarantee or certificate of authenticity, though the seller does offer this story for how the signature was obtained:
As part of a "innovators of tomorrow" program, myself and a 3 of my colleagues were invited to attend an in-house Apple event. Before hand, we received complimentary Apple products, including an iPod Shuffle and iTunes credits. As usual, the topics covered touched base on were a number of Apple's latest innovations, as well as a sneak peak to future plans. After the conference, we were given the opportunity to talk with Steve himself about the shift in technology to more companion-oriented devices. As the discussion wrapped up, one person in our group asked if Steve would mind signing our iPods.As of 10:45AM Pacific time, the bid for the signed Shuffle was just over $4,000.
As the conversation went: "I hear you're not really one to give autographs, but I just gotta ask....will you sign my iPod? It's fine if you don't want to. I'm not normally one to even ask for autographs". Steve: *chuckling* "it's quite alright. You heard that about me?? well I wouldn't say that I don't like giving autographs, I guess I was never comfortable with the idea solely taking credit for something, which is to me what an autograph might imply. To be honest, I think I'm the last person who should sign something. A writer signing a book I can understand, but I think if anybody within our company should sign something, it should be members from our R&D; team and all the others responsible for product innovation. It's unfortunate that they all can't receive the same level recognition. But I suppose it's easier this way though??....you would need a pretty big iPod to fit all those signatures".
He was very candid and very down to earth. To my knowledge, we were the only ones lucky enough to get Steve's ever-so-rare signature.
Siri Plays a Grand Piano With Some Help From AirPlay and Yamaha [iOS Blog]
Dec 19, 5:50PM
Yamaha used some technological trickery to enable Siri to play a concerto on a Yamaha Disklavier Grand Piano. By converting a MIDI songfile into an audio file that the iPhone can play and connecting the audio output of an Airport Express to the analog input of a MIDI-enabled Disklavier piano, the iPhone can "play" the MIDI file via AirPlay and control the multi-thousand dollar piano.
As explained to The Loop's Jim Dalrymple:
Then, you simply ask Siri to play your favorite song from your iTunes library, and Siri responds immediately, by making the Disklavier's keys and pedal move up and down, recreating the performance, including full orchestration.
T-Mobile USA Spectrum Refarming Lets Some iPhone Users Access 3G Data Speeds
Dec 19, 4:00PM
While T-Mobile USA has yet to officially offer the iPhone due to an inability to reach an agreement with Apple on the development of new hardware to support T-Mobile's 3G/4G network standards, that hasn't stopped the carrier from quietly targeting iPhone owners with micro-SIM cards and over one million users from taking their unlocked iPhones to the carrier.
Those users have, however, been limited to T-Mobile's slower EDGE network due to the iPhone's incompatibility with the 1700/2100 MHz bands used by the carrier for its faster data networks.
TmoNews now reports, however, that T-Mobile USA has begun refarming some of its spectrum capacity in order to advance its next-generation HSPA+ 84 network, with those changes resulting in the carrier's 3G network moving over to the iPhone-accessible 1900 MHz band in some "pockets" of the country.
First and foremost, the area we're specifically talking about is Nevada as that is where this individual unlocked iPhone owner lives. However, Nevada, parts of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest are also seeing some pockets of 1900MHz spectrum refarming for HSPA+. There are other parts of the country T-Mobile can refarm the 1900MHz spectrum but, the focus is on the Pacific Northwest, Nevada, Utah and California for right now from what we're told. We should emphasize and emphasize greatly that this post does not mean that all of the aforementioned areas are seeing this refarmed spectrum, just pockets inside those areas.The report notes that T-Mobile iPhone user access to 3G will remain "rare" as the spectrum refarming will only result in the required transition taking place in limited areas around the country. But for those users lucky enough to be in one of those pockets, they are already seeing data speeds well above what the iPhone has until been limited to on the carrier's EDGE network.
Police Arrest 141 New York City Merchants in Stolen iPhone Sting
Dec 19, 3:39PM
The New York Post reports that a sting conducted by the New York Police Department last week targeting vendors suspected of selling stolen iPhones resulted in 141 arrests as the city works to cut down the market feeding on such thefts. According to the report, undercover officers approached workers at over 600 locations suspected of participating in sales of stolen iPhones and offered the devices to workers at low prices while stating that they had been stolen from their owners.
Undercover NYPD officers sold the electronics to merchants at more than 600 stores around the five boroughs this week — asking from $50 to $200 for iPhone 4s and iPad 2s — after clearly stating the popular gadgets were stolen, said NYPD spokesman Paul Browne.iPhones are popular targets for thieves in New York and elsewhere, with an officer in one New York precinct reporting that in some months more than half of the reported robberies involve an iPhone.
The sting — which nabbed clerks and workers at businesses such as supermarkets, barbershops, pawnshops and bodegas — began Tuesday and continued through yesterday.
"That's our intention, to reduce the places where people who steal these things can go and sell them," said NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly. "If someone is offering you an iPad for way below market value, you have to realize that it's most likely stolen."
The popularity of Apple's devices has not only driven an active market in thefts and resales of the stolen property, but also in counterfeiting. Apple has been targeting vendors selling counterfeit Apple products in New York City and elsewhere, seeking to shut down those companies making unauthorized profits on Apple's name with knockoff products.
Apple's Work on Wearable Computer Concepts Includes Wrist-Wrapping iPod with Siri
Dec 19, 2:05PM
The New York Times reports on Apple's and Google's efforts to develop wearable computers with the aim of augmenting their existing mobile product lines. In addition to peripheral devices that could communicate with a user's iPhone or iPod, Apple is said to also being looking at ways to make the device's themselves wearable, moving beyond the current iPod nano's wristwatch-like functionality when paired with third-party wristbands.
Apple has also experimented with prototype products that could relay information back to the iPhone. These conceptual products could also display information on other Apple devices, like an iPod, which Apple is already encouraging us to wear on our wrists by selling Nanos with watch faces.Last year, Apple hired wearable computing expert Richard DeVaul to work on prototyping concepts in a secret lab under the direction of Jony Ive. DeVaul spent only 18 months at Apple, however, before moving on to Google where he is presumably working on similar projects.
A person with knowledge of the company's plans told me that a "very small group of Apple employees" had been conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices.
One idea being discussed is a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist; people could communicate with the device using Siri, the company's artificial intelligence software.
Explosion at Pegatron Factory for Apple Products, Injuries Reported [iOS Blog]
Dec 19, 1:43AM
Reuters reports that Apple's manufacturing partner Pegatron has acknowledged that a "small explosion" has occurred at one of its factories in Shanghai, China. The report notes that there have been some injuries as a result of the incident, but there are no reports of fatalities at this time.Pegatron said in a statement released early on Sunday that there was some damage to machinery but it can readjust the facility so the impact on its operations and revenues will not be big.Pegatron has been a supplier for the CDMA iPhone 4 and has also been ramping up to begin adding to iPhone 4S capacity, with most of its production set to be focused on Asian distribution. There have also been claims that Pegatron is coming on board as a manufacturer for the iPad 3.
...
A source with knowledge of the matter said the facility affected is partly used to make products for Apple.
The news is reminiscent of that regarding a May explosion at one of Foxconn's facilities where it worked on Apple products, including the iPad. That explosion killed three workers and injured well over a dozen others.
Update: Reuters has updated its report to note that 61 workers were injured in the explosion and that the factory had not yet begun production. The facility is said to be planned to produce back panel parts for the iPad 2. Apple has also issued a statement on the situation:
"Our hearts go out to the people who were hurt in Songjiang. We are working closely with Pegatron to understand the cause of this accident," said spokeswoman Carolyn Wu.
Apple Gives Media Executives Vague Hints about Its Television Plans
Dec 19, 12:38AM
The Wall Street Journal provides some of the first hints about Apple's internal television project. While rumors of such a project have been ongoing for years, there has been a renewed interest in it since Steve Jobs described having "finally cracked" the TV interface in his recently released biography. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has been in ongoing discussions with media executives at several large companies about their vision for the future of TV. Apple's Senior Vice President Eddy Cue is reported to have outlined new ways Apple's technology could be used across phones, tablets and TVs. The overall concept, however, remains rather vague. It seems that Apple has discussed a number of possibilities with executives, but stopping well short of outlining their exact vision.
Of course, voice and movement controls have been suggested, though in a long term view:
In at least one meeting, Apple described future television technology that would respond to users' voices and movements, one of the people said. Such technology, which Apple indicated may take longer than some of its other ideas, might allow users to use their voices to search for a show or change channels.Beyond that, Apple's TV plans seem to revolve around wireless streaming technology to access shows and movies. The use of Apple's AirPlay technology could allow users to control the device from their iPhone and iPad, possibly eliminating the need for a set top box. As an example, users could watch video on their TV and then move over to their iPhone or iPad seemlessly. Other sources indicate that Apple has worked on integrating DVR storage and iCloud into their future TV device.
The question of what content will be shown on the new device remains up in the air. Apple is not said to have pursued the necessary content deals at this time, though have considered the possibility of licensing content directly to create a subscription-TV service. Steve Jobs, himself, was reportedly part of these early talks as far back as 2010.
Apple's ongoing secrecy should come as no surprise. We've previously reported that competitors are already "scrambling" to react to Apple's rumored entry into the television market.
Facebook for iOS Update Adds Timeline, Other Improvements
Dec 18, 8:45PM
Facebook has updated their iOS app to version 4.1 today. The new version incorporates their new Timeline view which is "your collection of the photos, stories, and experiences that tell your story."
- Access to Mobile Timeline on iPhone (if you already have a timeline). iPad support coming soon.TechCrunch notes some other improvements, including improved notifications and other bug fixes. The new version is a free update on the App Store [iTunes].
- Access to friend lists, subscribers and subscriptions
- Faster, better performance
- Photos are easier to view, upload and comment on
Apple Releases New Santa-Themed Ad for iPhone 4S and Siri
Dec 18, 7:14PM
Apple today released a new commercial for the iPhone 4S ahead of the Christmas holiday, showing Santa using Siri to find such information as directions and weather, search for an email with his "naughty or nice" list, and hear an email from Mrs. Claus reminding him to "go easy on the cookies". Finally, Santa asks to check his schedule for the rest of the day, only to find out that he has 3.7 billion appointments.
Apple aired its first iPhone 4S ad just after the device's debut, and followed that with three more commercials at the very end of October. Today's new ad marks the first addition to Apple's iPhone 4S ads since that time.
New iOS 5.0.1 Build 9A406 Intended to Fix 'No SIM Card' Errors on iPhone 4S
Dec 16, 10:09PM
Yesterday, we noted that Apple had quietly released a tweaked version of iOS 5.0.1. The purpose of the tweak was a mystery given that the update was not being pushed to all users and only made available to those newly updating to iOS 5.0.1. The new version arrived as Build 9A406, and increment of one over the original iOS 5.0.1 release.
But based on a new Apple support document, it now appears that the updated build may have been designed to address an issue some users have been experiencing with SIM card-related errors. With the update affecting a relatively small portion of users, Apple may have elected not to push it out to all users in the form of an iOS 5.0.2 software update, and instead rely on those users who are having problems following Apple's advice and obtaining the new build through the restore process outlined as a solution for the issue.
Last month, some attention was turned on Apple as a quickly-growing thread in Apple's discussion forums revealed a number of users experiencing problems with either a "No Service" or "No SIM Card Installed" warning popping up on their iPhone 4S devices. From Apple's new support document:
In certain situations, iPhone 4S may have difficulty recognizing a micro-SIM card, resulting in the following behaviors:Apple goes on to describe the recommended solution for the issue, which involves backing up and then restoring the device, an action that involves iTunes pulling down the new Build 9A406 of iOS 5.0.1 and installing it on the user's device. Once the device's system has been restored, the user can then restore content and settings from a backup.
- "Invalid SIM" or "No SIM Card installed" alert appears intermittently.
- Status bar displays "No Service" or "Searching" in a location with good network coverage.
1. Back up your user content and settings using iTunes or iCloud. See this article for more information.Unfortunately, user reports on the new build appear to be mixed, with some users reporting that it does indeed fix their "no SIM card" issues while others have seen no improvement. It is unclear at this time exactly why results are mixed and whether the fix addresses only some subset of the root causes of the issue or if some other factor is in play. Consequently, we may have to wait for more users to try applying the update before drawing more specific conclusions.
2. Restore your iPhone 4S using iTunes.
3. After the process is complete, restore your user content and settings from your backup.
4. To confirm that you've successfully restored, verify that the version is now iOS 5.0.1 (9A406) in Settings > General > About.
Wolfram Delivers Siri-Enabled Shopping Results From Best Buy [iOS Blog]
Dec 16, 8:14PM
Specialized search engine Wolfram Alpha, one of Apple's launch partners for Siri, has partnered with Best Buy to deliver shopping results. As a result, iPhone 4S users can now search a number of products and categories from Best Buy's catalog, and get prices and descriptions returned.
>From Wolfram Alpha's blog post announcing the feature:
Just in time for the holidays, we're introducing a new functionality that provides consumers with a unique approach to shopping. By leveraging data from Best Buy's public APIs, Wolfram|Alpha users will now be able to browse more than 35,000 appliances and consumer electronics products. Wolfram|Alpha's intuitive natural-language interface helps you hone in on the precise products you need, while its powerful data visualization capabilities give you an innovative overview of any shopping category.Simply ask Siri "wolfram iPhone 4S" or "wolfram samsung television" and it quickly returns Best Buy shopping results. It's certainly not the easiest way to search Best Buy's website and occasionally returns fairly useless results, but it is another example of the potential uses for the Siri's contextual voice recognition technology.
Apple Temporarily Halts New iTunes Match Subscriptions in New International Markets
Dec 16, 6:33PM
With Apple launching a broad international roll-out of iTunes Match yesterday to well over a dozen new countries, it appears that the expansion has come with some growing pains for the cloud-based music service. The service had started to prematurely go live for some users the day before, and several hours after the international expansion users around the world reported temporary problems accessing iTunes Store and iCloud services due to usernames and passwords being rejected.
While those technical issues appear to have been resolved, demand appears to still remain high for new iTunes Match subscriptions, and we've been hearing word that Apple has temporarily shut down new subscription signups in some of the new countries. Customers attempting to subscribe to the service are reportedly being met with the following message:
New subscriptions are currently unavailable.So far we have heard of new subscriptions being halted in Canada and the UK, two of the countries that saw the service debut yesterday. Apple instituted a similar temporary pause in new subscription signups following the U.S. launch last month.
iTunes Match is temporarily not accepting new subscribers. Check back later.
As noted in an extensive chart from setteB.IT, iTunes Match rolled out in a total of sixteen new countries yesterday: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. The new countries join the United States and Brazil in offering the service.
'Avatar' Returning to iTunes Store with Scene Deconstruction and Green Screen X-Ray Extras
Dec 16, 4:31PM
Twentieth Century Fox today announced the upcoming debut of an exclusive iTunes Extras special edition version of the film Avatar, bringing several new interactive features including the ability to deconstruct scenes to see how they were made and a "Green Screen X-ray" that allows users to easily see the original green screen footage behind certain scenes.
Fans can experience the global box office sensation like never before as they control scene deconstructions in simultaneous views. This new feature will also enable consumers to interact with the performance capture and visual effects levels in 17 of the film's scenes. For the first time ever, Green Screen X-ray gives users an interactive look through the visual effects levels to see the original green screen footage behind a pivotal scene.Other extras include screenplay content from James Cameron and a gallery of over 1,700 images related to the film.
Avatar [iTunes Store] is available for pre-order now and will debut on December 20th. Pricing is set at $19.99 for the HD version and $14.99 for standard definition.
A basic version of Avatar was available in the iTunes Store for several months last year, but was pulled from iTunes and other digital marketplaces as an extended collector's edition of the film debuted on Blu-ray and DVD in November 2010.
Walter Isaacson Considering Expanding Steve Jobs Biography
Dec 16, 4:09PM
Fortune reports on comments from Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson suggesting that he may not yet be finished working on the book, with Isaacson currently considering several ideas for expanding the authorized biography. Among the ideas are an addendum more fully describing the events surrounding Jobs' death in early October or adding extensive annotations to the existing content to flesh out the story with additional information.
The author discussed potential plans for expanding the already 630-page book in the future. One possibility is doing an extensively annotated version. Another is writing an addendum that addresses the period surrounding Jobs' death. Fleshing out the details seems like a logical next step, since Isaacson believes the Apple (AAPL) CEO's story will be told for decades or a century to come. "This is the first or second draft," he said, referring to his book's role in documenting Jobs' life. "It's not the final draft."Isaacson's biography of Jobs recently became Amazon's best-selling print book in 2011 and named the company's best-selling new release of 2011 for combined print and digital sales, both remarkable achievements given that the book was not published until late October.
iPhone 4S Debuts in Over 20 New Countries, Pricing Starts as High as $1400
Dec 16, 3:29PM
In line with our report from earlier this month, Apple has launched the iPhone 4S in a number of new countries today. Based on an examination of Apple's site and those of its carrier partners, we have found over 20 countries where the device appears to have debuted today.
The list of new countries includes: Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
iPhone 4S pricing starting at R$2599 in Brazil, the equivalent of US$1410
As we noted in our earlier report, pricing in Brazil is indeed very high due to the import duties imposed on such devices there, one major reason why Apple and Foxconn are working on ramping up production of iOS devices in the country. Pricing for the iPhone 4S through Apple's Brazilian online store starts at the equivalent of $1410 for the 16 GB model and moves up to $1628 for the 32 GB model and $1845 for the 64 GB model.
Pricing is also rather high in Russia, with carrier partner MTC offering the iPhone 4S at prices ranging from the equivalent of $1131 to $1350.
Many other countries seeing iPhone 4S launches have pricing much more in line with Apple's base pricing in the United States and other major markets. Of the new introductions today, Apple also directly sells the iPhone 4S through its online stores in Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, with pricing coming in roughly around $700/$800/$900 in those markets. Pricing for unlocked, contract-free iPhone 4S models in the United States is set at $649/$749/$849.
'Find My Car Smart' is the First Low Energy Bluetooth App for iPhone 4S
Dec 16, 10:21AM
Earlier this year, Apple introduced a new version of Bluetooth in some of their products. This new version of Bluetooth is known as "Bluetooth Low Energy" or Bluetooth 4.0. The Mac mini and MacBook Air were the first to support the new standard with the iPhone 4S quickly following.
The Bluetooth Low Energy specification promises a low-power and low-latency implementation that opens the door to a number of new kinds of Bluetooth-powered devices. The expectation is that low power Bluetooth transmitters/receivers will be able to send data to and from your iPhone without complicated setup. Possible examples included a special watch that could receive notifications, proximity detectors, health monitors and more.
A company called FMC Smart has just launched a Kickstarter for the first Bluetooth Low Energy App and companion module for the iPhone 4S.
'Find My Car Smart' is a Bluetooth 4.0 take on tracking where you had parked your car. While a number of these applications already exist, those require the manual launching and marking of your car. Find My Car Smart works by pairing up against a Bluetooth 4.0 transmitter in your car and automatically tracks its last parked location.
Right now, there are apps on the iPhone that will save the location of my car, but I have to manually launch the app to drop a pin each and every time I have parked my car. Stopping to launch an app when I'm running into work or trying to catch a plane is a complete waste of time and totally annoying. So I developed an app that allows the iPhone 4S to remember the last place I parked and the only time I have to launch the app is after I've lost my car, not before.The company posts a nice FAQ which details some of the common questions and how the product works.
You need to install a small USB-powered Bluetooth proximity adapter in your car, which pairs with your iPhone. This proximity adapter talks to your iPhone's Find My Car Smart App running in the background. When you leave your car, it remembers this last GPS location automatically. No manual intervention is required. They claim there is only a small decrease in battery life of your iPhone due to the background operations, especially if you are only parking your car a few times a day. More extensive drivers may see more of a battery drain. Note that as a Kickstarter project, the Bluetooth dongles won't ship until they reach their funding goal, so we haven't been able to test the product nor are we endorsing it. The App Store companion app, however, has been approved by Apple and is already available in the App Store [$0.99]. We have downloaded that app which is shown above in screenshots.
We should expect to see more Low Energy Bluetooth accessories and applications in the future. For now, the iPhone 4S is the only iOS device that supports the new standard.
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