By Staff | Published: February 23, 2011

Is Thunderbolt the next iDevice “Dock” connection?

Thunderbolt port. Credit: Mac 4 Ever

Thunderbolt port. Credit: Mac 4 Ever

Rumors have been circulating for the last few weeks that Apple would add a Lightpeak port to the next iPad, with most people dismissing the idea as being too soon or just plain unnecessary.

However, given the newly revealed Thunderbolt connection that will debut on the next Macbook Pro, due out sometime soon, is it possible Apple plans to use it as a replacement for the Dock connector found on every iPhone and iPad?

If it sounds like overkill, consider the following:

At various times in the past and even in current iDevices, the Dock connector has been used for

  • Connecting to something via USB to sync and charge
  • Connecting to something via Firewire to sync and charge
  • Connecting peripheral USB devices using the Camera Connection kit
  • Output of composite video
  • Output of component video
  • Output of a VGA signal (using the VGA adapter for the iPad)
  • External control of music playback using the Apple Accessory Protocol
  • Connection to 3rd party peripherals
  • Output of a line level audio signal

Quite a list of jobs for a tiny connector on a portable device, no? Read more

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Posted in Apple Hardware | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments
By Staff | Published: February 23, 2011

Next Macbook Pro to feature “Thunderbolt” port for high speed I/O

Apple’s Macbook Pro line is due for a refresh soon, particularly since the base 13″ model is still using the older Core 2 Duo processor because of chipset and GPU constraints.

Pictures have surfaced from French Mac site Mac 4 Ever showing what appears to be a Mini DisplayPort with a thunderbolt next to it:

In addition the site posted what appears to be a product package for an unreleased Macbook featuring the Thunderbolt icon, calling it “High Speed I/O”

Fscklog has also posted a shot of what appears to be the back panel of the same product packaging, again listing Thunderbolt as a High Speed I/O port:

The new 13″ Macbook Pro will use the Intel Core i5 processor along with Intel’s chipset, which means it will also have to use Intel’s integrated graphics instead of the Nvidia solution used before. Read more

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By Staff | Published: February 23, 2011

Apple schedules iPad event for March 2nd

The Loop is reporting that Apple has sent invitations out for an Apple Event next Wednesday, March 2nd:

According to the invitation received by The Loop, the event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 10:00 am. This is the same venue Apple has used to introduce a number of products in recent years.

While it’s obvious that this event is primarily about the new iPad, we’re certain that Apple will also say something about the recently unveiled subscription billing policy that many developers, publishers and tech journalists feel is going to harm the iOS ecosystem in the long run.

The iPad 2 is rumored to be a performance boosting upgrade, with more RAM and a faster ARM processor, but it’s also likely they’ll bump the flash storage capacity of each model as well, with the base model starting at 32GB. Read more

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By Staff | Published: February 2, 2011

AT&T increases data cap for tethering customers to 4GB

AT&T logo

In a move that is almost certainly a response to Verizon’s data plan offerings for the iPhone, AT&T announced that as of February 13th, it would begin including an extra 2GB of data allowance per month for users who pay for the optional $20 tethering plan on top of the $25 DataPro 2GB plan.

The change allows tethering plan customers to use a total of 4GB per month regardless of which device uses that data.

Previously, AT&T’s data tethering “plan” was really more of a fee to un-cripple the tethering feature most smart phones already have, as AT&T refused to offer any additional data allowance to users paying a premium for the feature.

If you’re an AT&T iPhone owner, you’ve probably noticed that the Internet Tethering area of Settings just tells you to contact AT&T if you aren’t paying for the tethering plan. Read more

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Posted in Apple Hardware | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment
By Staff | Published: February 2, 2011

Subscription billing comes to the App Store

While today marks the release of The Daily, the first newspaper designed specifically for the iPad, it actually marks a much more significant shift for Apple’s iOS platform. The Daily is also the first iOS App to feature native subscription billing, integrated with the iTunes store just like the in-app purchases that have been around since iOS 3.x was released back in 2009.

Apple updated the iTunes store terms and conditions just a short while ago with some of the finer details of how it all works.

Subscription terms and conditions

Subscription terms and conditions

Like most content in the iTunes Store, and like most Apps in the App store, subscription content sales are final, and there are no refunds.

Once you authorize the subscription, it will automatically bill you 24 hours before the next subscription period starts. Read more

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Posted in 3rd Party Software, App Store | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment
By Staff | Published: January 25, 2011

Verizon confirms $30 unlimited data plan for iPhone

In a Wall Street Journal report published early this morning, Verizon COO Lowell McAdam confirmed that when the iPhone 4 launches on Verizon’s network early next month, customers will be offered the same $30 data plan they offer for other smartphones.

Though AT&T stopped offering unlimited data plans last summer ahead of the iPhone 4 launch, the carrier allowed existing customers already using the unlimited $30 per month data plan to keep using it. Many of those current AT&T customers may decide they have no reason to stick with AT&T anymore if Verizon will offer them the same unlimited data plan for the same price as a new customer.

The CDMA iPhone 4 is expected to launch on Verizon’s network February 10th, with preorders for existing Verizon customers to begin February 3rd. Read more

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By Staff | Published: January 18, 2011

Apple reports first quarter 2011 earnings

Apple Inc. Logo

Like clockwork, Apple announced yet another record quarter, with $26.74 billion in revenue, and a net profit of $6 billion, a 70.5% and 77% increase compared to the same quarter last year, respectively. Apple now has $59.7 billion in cash on hand.

The company sold 4.13 million Macs, 16.24 million iPhones, 19.45 million iPods and 7.33 million iPads during the quarter, and revealed during the conference call that over 160 million iOS devices are now in customers hands. Growth in Mac sales has been faster than the overall PC market for 19 straight quarters.

Tim Cook was asked about how well the Mac App Store was doing, given that most of the top Apps tend to be written by Apple. Cook noted that there have been over 1 million downloads on the Mac App Store so far, and it’s just getting started. Read more

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Posted in Apple Inc. | Tagged | Leave a comment
By Staff | Published: January 12, 2011

First Look: How Mobile Safari supports AirPlay video streming

Though the iOS 4.3 beta news is still making the rounds on tech websites, we thought we’d go ahead and setup a simple demo of the new AirPlay support in Mobile Safari.

(Note: if you don’t have iOS 4.3 installed on both your mobile device and your Apple TV 2, you probably won’t be able to test the new feature with the video below, however you can still read along about how it works)

Previously AirPlay video streaming was only available in Apple-controlled iOS applications like the Youtube and iPod/Video Apps, however the new iOS 4.3 beta opens up AirPlay support to both 3rd party App Store applications, as well as embedded web videos using either the Quicktime plugin or the HTML5 <video> element. Read more

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Posted in Apple Software, Articles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments
By Staff | Published: January 12, 2011

Apple posts beta version of iOS for Apple TV 2

iOS Beta for Apple TV 2

iOS Beta for Apple TV 2

In addition to the iOS 4.3 builds offered to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch developers just moments ago, Apple has also seeded a new build of iOS for the Apple TV 2 hardware for the express purpose of testing AirPlay video streaming between iOS devices.

Not much else is known about what the new build contains, but expect the usual “bug fixes” etc.

Stay tuned! Read more

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By Staff | Published: January 12, 2011

Apple releases iOS 4.3 beta

iOS 4.3 beta

iOS 4.3 beta

Apple has posted beta versions of iOS 4.3 to the developer portal, just one day after Verizon’s iPhone 4 event revealed that the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 was running an unreleased 4.2.5 version of iOS.

Builds are available for the iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPod Touch 3rd and 4th generation devices. Curiously, a build for the 2nd generation iPod Touch is not provided, however they may still release a public version for that model once iOS 4.3 is out of beta.

Not much is known about the new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, however rumors have been circulating since yesterday that iOS 4.3 would include the unannounced Wi-Fi internet tethering feature that Verizon demonstrated at the event yesterday. Read more

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Posted in Apple Hardware, Apple Software | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment
By Staff | Published: January 11, 2011

Verizon reveals unannounced iOS feature: Wi-Fi Tethering

Personal Hotspot in iOS. Credit: Engadget

Personal Hotspot in iOS. Credit: Engadget

During the Verizon iPhone announcement earlier today, the company revealed that the CDMA iPhone 4 model would ship with “Mobile Hotspot” capability. Verizon representatives referred to this capability as an “App” that would be preloaded, however during hands on testing with the press it was discovered that the Mobile Hotspot feature is actually part of an unreleased version of iOS, referred to in the operating system as “Personal Hotspot”.

Test models being demonstrated for the press earlier today were running iOS 4.2.5; currently the newest version available for GSM iPhone models on AT&T and other carriers is 4.2.1.

Wi-Fi Tethering in iOS. Credit: Engadget

Wi-Fi Tethering in iOS. Credit: Engadget

Other screenshots posted by Engadget show the Wi-Fi tethering feature is an expansion of the existing Internet Tethering feature already available, however the current version of iOS only supports tethering over Bluetooth or USB. Read more

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By Staff | Published: January 11, 2011

Verizon gets the iPhone 4

Verizon iPhone

Verizon iPhone

At a small but highly publicized event today in New York, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam announced that Apple’s iPhone will soon be available for Verizon’s 3G network. While Steve Jobs was not present at the event, Tim Cook did appear on stage to talk about the new model:

Tens of millions of customers have purchased the iPhone around the world. Customers have downloaded billions of apps. I am incredibly happy, and I can tell you all of Apple, is very very excited to bring the iPhone to Verizon’s customers.

We’re incredibly pleased to give Verizon’s customers the choice we’ve been waiting for. We’ve designed an iPhone 4 which connects to the CDMA network — and it has all the features that you’d expect.

Read more

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Posted in Apple Hardware | Tagged | 1 Comment
By Staff | Published: January 7, 2011

Verizon iPhone event next Tuesday?

Verizon invitation. Credit: Ars Technica

Verizon invitation. Credit: Ars Technica

UPDATE: Wall Street Journal is reporting this IS in fact a CDMA iPhone announcement.

Verizon has been sending out (horribly over-compressed JPEG) invitations to a special event in New York City next Tuesday, January 11th at the Lincoln Center.

The wording of the invitation says absolutely nothing about what they’re going to talk about or unveil, but Verizon Wireless President Lowell McAdam will be leading the presentation. Word on the street is, Verizon is going to unveil a CDMA iPhone 4 at this event.

If this is truly going to be the Verizon iPhone’s public debut, it is curious that Apple isn’t the one holding a special event as they so love to do. However, with the CDMA iPhone being announced in between major refreshes of the iPhone hardware, they don’t actually have anything new to announce, it’s almost assured to be the same iPhone 4 we already know and love, but with Verizon radio hardware inside. Read more

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By Staff | Published: January 6, 2011

Starting Friday, iPhone 3GS will be $49 w/2 year contract

iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3GS

Wall Street Journal is reporting that AT&T (but not Apple itself) will begin offering the outdated but still excellent iPhone 3GS for just $49 with a new 2 year contract.

Whether or not this is just an attempt to clear out inventory or sign up as many new AT&T customers as possible before Verizon gets the iPhone, it’s a great deal for potential smartphone buyers who may be considering other Android or Windows Phone devices, or even simple “dumb phones”.

AT&T is expected to lose iPhone exclusivity at some point this year, and rumors are swirling that the arrival of a Verizon iPhone is imminent. Read more

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By Staff | Published: January 6, 2011

Mac App store launches with 1,000 applications

Mac App Store

Mac App Store

Apple’s Mac App store launched today alongside the release of Mac OS X 10.6.6, bringing some major iPhone and iPad applications to the Mac platform and pulling some existing Mac favorites into the new App Store.

The Mac App Store is included as part of Mac OS X 10.6.6, and is unavailable for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, which also means it is unavailable for PowerPC Macs. However, anyone with an Intel Mac should be able to run the App Store and download free or paid applications.

Steve Jobs says there are over 1,000 applications available on the Mac App Store at launch, but we’ve never been a fan of using big numbers as an indicator of quality or the availability of applications you would actually want to use. Read more

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Posted in 3rd Party Software, App Store, Apple Software | Tagged , | 1 Comment