Analyst: limited supply of 'iPhone 5' at launch could...
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com) Evercore Partners analyst Rob Cihra says rumored supply issues may limit availability of the new iPhone at launch, but severe constraints have actually been a boon to Apple's stock price. The next gen iPhone is expected to be unveiled at next week's Apple media event.
Cihra says that over the past three years Evercore Partners found that Apple stock has performed 2.2 times better in a quarter after the company noted that iPhone supply was constrained. The stock also performed 1.2 times better in a quarter after management noted supply of the iPad was constrained.
Cihra thinks the stock performs better when products are constrained because investors recognize customers will wait for a unique Apple product rather than simply buying a competitor's alternative, notes "AppleInsider." The analyst adds that if supply exceeds demand, it enables investors to imagine what numbers could have been if Apple had been able...
Promoted Apple execs get stock perks
New filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission show that Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Mac Software Engineering, and Dan Riccio, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, were both given 75,000 shares of company stock as part of their promotions last week, notes "CNET".
Those grants, currently worth US$50.62 million, vest at three separate points over the next four years. The first batch of 25,000 vests December 23, 2013, with the other two chunks of 25,000 vesting April 23, 2015 and Aug. 23, 2016 respectively. More info can be found at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57506164-37/apples-latest-top-executives-get-$50m-stock-perks/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-Apple .
Last week Apple announced that Craig Federighi, Apple’s vice president of Mac Software Engineering (top photo), and Dan Riccio, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, have been promoted to senior vice presidents. Federighi and Riccio will report to Apple CEO...
FBI denies iOS device hacking incident
The FBI denies the claim (http://macte.ch/N04vl) by the AntiSec hacking group that it breached an agency-owned computer and stole a database said to contain some 12 million unique ID numbers for iPhones and iPads around the world, reports "AllThingsD" (http://macte.ch/Vn5ru).
The FBI computer from which the data was supposedly taken was never hacked, the Bureau said. What’s more, it said it never gathered the information in the first place, notes "AllThingsD."
Mercury AccelsiorM card offers plug and play mSATA SSD boost
Other World Computing (www.macsales.com) has introduced the US$49.95 OWC Mercury AccelsiorM, a Mac and PC-bootable, fully supported PCIe controller card that accepts any standard 50mm mSATA solid state drive.
According to the folks at OWC, it can offer data transfer speeds that exceed 3Gb/s SSDs -- up to 380MB/s. The OWC Mercury AccelsiorM PCIe controller card is AHCI-compliant, so no drivers are required.
With the ability to use any standard 50mm mSATA SSD, consumers can meet expanding storage needs while extending the useful life of their investment in the AccelsiorM and their mSATA SSDs, according to OWC. The card an utilize any open PCIe slot in a Mac or PC.
Harman announces JBL Flip, JBL Soundbar
Harman announced new products from JBL and Harman Kardon: the US$99 JBL Flip and $299 JBL Soundbar.
The JBL Flip is a portable speaker available in black or white that pairs with any Bluetooth-compatible device, including an iPhone, Android phone, BlackBerry or tablet. The JBL Flip can be placed horizontally to perform like a small speaker system or flipped upright on a desktop for more volume. It includes a built-in microphone for hands-free Bluetooth calls and a 5-hour rechargeable battery.
The JBL Soundbar SB 200 is a Bluetooth-equipped, 2 x 60-watt soundbar that delivers audio from two woofers, two tweeters, an amplifier and a built-in subwoofer. The plug-and-play system brings sound to flat-screen TVs and includes Dolby Digital Decoding and Harman’s proprietary digital signal processing technology. The JBL Cinema SB 200 is compatible with free, downloadable JBL apps, including AmpUp and MusicFlow, so owners can control playback from an iPad or stream music to the JBL Soundbar...
Magican provides automated 'Mac healthcare' product
Magican Software has announced Magican (www.magicansoft.com), a product designed to help people improve their overall user experience with their Mac. It's freeware.
Magican helps Mac users to maintain their Mac. Features include cleaning junk from a Mac to enlarge disk and system space, monitoring system status in real time, detecting and removing trojans and more.
Dalet announces Dalet Xtend for Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 Software
Dalet Digital Media Systems (www.dalet.com), a provider of Media Asset Management (MAM) solutions to broadcasters and content providers, has announced the first version release of the Dalet Xtend module for Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 software.
The new module, which provides workflow collaboration between the Dalet Media Asset Management (MAM) platform and Adobe Premiere Pro CS6, will be demonstrated as part of Dalet’s MAM solutions for News, Sports, Program Prep, and Archiving workflows at the IBC 2012 Exhibition at RAI Centre in Amsterdam Sept. 7-11.
"Dalet Xtend provides a level of interaction that goes well beyond simple export and import exchanges of EDLS between Dalet and Adobe Premiere Pro CS6. It’s an integration that leverages the Dalet API and Adobe SDK very effectively to offer tremendous functionalities that make the NLEs an integral part of the overall production rather than separate islands of production," says Kevin Savina, director of product management, Dalet. "The...
ATTO Technology introduces 16Gb family of Fibre Channel...
ATTO Technology has launched its portfolio of 16Gb/s Fibre Channel solutions consisting of Celerity Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), FibreConnect switches and FastStream RAID storage controllers.
These new products provide users the ability to create an entire Fibre Channel infrastructure that delivers high-speed, high-capacity storage on multiple platforms, according to Wayne Arvidson, vice president of marketing at ATTO Technology. The Celerity 16Gb Fibre Channel HBAs are based on the latest PCIe 3.0 technology to deliver the highest bandwidth and lowest latency available in the market, as well as reliable and scalable connectivity with twice the maximum throughput of previous solutions, he adds.
Arvidson says they address the needs of workflows including capture, edit, content management and distribution with faster and more efficient data transfers featuring ATTO’s Advanced Data Streaming technology for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux environments, as well as high IOPS IT environments.
ATTO...
Mac OS X software updates for Sept. 5
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Troi Automatisering has rolled out Troi URL Plug-in 2.6.2 for FileMaker Pro 12. The plug-in can help you fill in forms on the Internet, all from FileMaker Pro. It also retrieves data or images from web sites. Version 2.6.2 is a maintenance update with various bug fixes and performance tweaks.
Zevrix Solutions (http://zevrix.com) has released BatchOutput Server
4.8.2, an update to its output workflow automation solution for Adobe
InDesign. The new version fixes an issue in which BatchOutput Server Monitor couldn't find available BatchOutput Server host stations under certain condition.
Dear Panda has given us version 3.0.1 of their CourseNotes (http://www.coursenotesapp.com) note-taking app for the Mac. The upgrade fixes a crash on startup on OS X 10.7 Lion.
Apimac (www.apimac.com) has revved Secret Folder -- a Mac OS X program that provides away to protect personal documents and avoid them being seen, modified, or erased by other users...
Court: Apple didn't infringe Mirror Worlds patent
Apple has won its appeal of a U.S. patent-infringement verdict related to a Yale University professor’s invention on how documents are displayed on a computer screen, reports "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/V5VGY).
Apple didn’t infringe patents owned by Mirror Worlds LLC, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington saidTuesday in a ruling posted on its website. The court upheld a lower-court decision that tossed the 2010 jury verdict.
"The evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s finding of infringement for all of the asserted claims," the appeals court wrote in today’s decision.
In October 2011 Apple challenged a jury verdict in which the computer maker was ordered to pay as much as US$625.5 million to Mirror Worlds for infringing patents related to how documents are displayed digitally. Apple asked U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis for an emergency stay of the Oct. 1 verdict, saying there are outstanding issues on two of the three patents.
Apple said patent...
comScore: Apple has 33.4% of smartphone market
Google Android continued to lead among smartphone platforms, accounting for 52.2% of smartphone subscribers in July, while Apple secured 33.4%, according to comScore (www.comscore.com), a company that "measures the digital world."
For the three-month average period ending in July, 234 million Americans age 13 and older used mobile devices. Device manufacturer Samsung ranked as the top OEM [original equipment manufacturer] with 25.6% of U.S. mobile subscribers, followed by LG with 18.4 % share. Apple continued to gain share in the OEM market, ranking third with 16.3% of mobile subscribers (up 1.9 percentage points), followed by Motorola with 11.2% and HTC with 6.4%(up 0.4 percentage points).
More than 114 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in July, up 7% versus April, according to comScore. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 52.2% market share (up 1.4 percentage points), while Apple’s share increased two percentage points...
Analyst: Apple could sell 10 million iPhones this quarter
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com) -- Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says Apple could sell 10 million iPhones this fiscal quarter with the company expected to unveil its next gen smartphone next week at a Sept. 12 media event.
Pundits expect that Apple will report sales of between 22 million and 23 million iPhones in the September quarter. However, a launch of the "iPhone 5" this month could push total sales as high as 28 million, Munster predicts.
The analyst feels Apple could sell between six million and 10 million new iPhones in the final week of September. That would result in an 8% upside to Wall Street's current projection of US$35 billion in revenue, and 12 percent upside to earnings per share of $8.46, he notes.
Apple announces Sept. 12 media event
Apple has announced a special media event for 10 am, Wednesday, Sept. 12. It will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The invite sent to the media says simply: "It's almost here."
As always, the invitation doesn't say what Apple will be discussing. But the odds are about a million-to-one that it the company will be introducing the next gen iPhone.
Galaxy S III tops iPhone 4S as top-selling smartphone in August
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com) -- Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley says that for the first time since it launched last October, the iPhone 4S has been replaced as the top selling smartphone in the U.S. -- by the new Samsung Galaxy S III, which took the top spot in the month of August.
Samsung's lead is expected to be short-lived, however, as Apple is expected to unveil its next-generation iPhone next week at the Sept. 12 "It's Almost Here" event. Walkley said in a note to investors on Tuesday that his checks with U.S. carriers found that iPhone sales have been soft ahead of the launch of Apple's next iPhone, allowing Samsung's Galaxy S III to take the top spot.
Samsung won't have to pony up $1 billion to Apple this year
Samsung won't have to pay Apple any of the US$1 billion awarded to it by a California jury in a patent infringement trial until next year, according to "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/vvE0P). The hearing on post-trial motions has been set for Dec. 6.
"If approved by Judge Koh, the first item amicably resolves Samsung's motion to stay the August 24 jury verdict while it may still be overruled in whole or (much more likely) in part by Judge Koh," Florian Mueller writes for "FOSS Patents." " Apple was fine with a stay but originally disagreed with Samsung's claim that a bond should be waived because a bond over such an amount is costly. The stipulation just says that "[a]ny attempt to execute or enforce the judgment, award, or verdict entered in favor of Apple and against Samsung [...] shall be stayed until 14 days after the Court enters judgment resolving all post-trial motions". Given that the hearing on post-trial motions is scheduled for December 6 and that Judge Koh will need some...
Analyst: iPad replacing traditional computers in education
In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com) -- Needham & Company analyst Charles Wolf -- says that market data in the June quarter showed with certainty for the first time ever that the iPad is replacing sales of traditional computers to schools and students.
He says that computer education shipments fell by 265,000 units, or 13.9% from the June quarter a year ago. On the other hand, Apple sold nearly a million iPads in the K-12 market in June, which he said is "definitive evidence" that the iPad has been "cannibalizing" computer sales in the U.S. education market.
However, this cannibalization seems to be mainly affecting the PC market, not Macs. Apple sold four million Macs in its most recent fiscal quarter that ended in June. Apple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer said the Mac had its best ever educational quarter. For example, the Rutherford County, NC school system bought 6,000 MacBook Airs, and Pueblo Colorado school district bought...
Hackers say they've released iOS device IDs
Hackers from AntiSec claim to have leaked (http://pastebin.com/nfVT7b0Z) 1,000,001 iPhone and iPad identifiers the group allegedly obtained from a hacked FBI laptop holding over 12 million such Apple device IDs and corresponding personal information, reports "The Next Web" (http://macte.ch/R1sTE).
The hackers issued a statement with the following description on how the data was obtained: "During the second week of March 2012, a Dell Vostro notebook, used by Supervisor Special Agent Christopher K. Stangl from FBI Regional Cyber Action Team and New York FBI Office Evidence Response Team was breached using the AtomicReferenceArray vulnerability on Java, during the shell session some files were downloaded from his Desktop folder one of them with the name of 'NCFTA_iOS_devices_intel.csv' turned to be a list of 12,367,232 Apple iOS devices including Unique Device Identifiers (UDID), user names, name of device, type of device, Apple Push Notification Service tokens, zipcodes, cellphone...
'McAfee Threats Report' shows largest malware rise in...
McAfee, a security technology company, has released the "McAfee Threats Report: Second Quarter 2012,"which found the biggest increase in malware samples detected in the last four years.
McAfee Labs detected a 1.5 million increase in malware since Q1 2012 and identified new threats such as mobile "drive-by downloads," the use of Twitter for control of mobile botnets, and the appearance of mobile "ransomware." Through proprietary research and investigation, McAfee Labs has been witness to rapid growth in its database or “zoo” of malware samples. With the malware sample discovery rate accelerating to nearly 100,000 per day, McAfee has identified key malware variants affecting a range of users globally.
"Over the last quarter we have seen prime examples of malware that impacted consumers, businesses, and critical infrastructure facilities," says Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs."Attacks that we’ve traditionally seen on PCs are now making their way to other devices....
Bruce Willis to sue over non-transferability of iTunes purchases...
Take this one with a grain of salt, though the lawsuit is bound to happen eventually: "The Daily Mail" (http://macte.ch/KOOZT) is reporting that actor Bruce Willis is considering legal action against Apple over his desire to leave his digital music collection to his daughters.
The article says Willis has found that, like anyone who has bought music online, he doesn't actually own the tracks but is instead "borrowing" them under a license. Most purchasers don't bother to read the details of the terms and conditions they agree to when buying an album but the small print makes it clear that music bought through iTunes should not be passed on to others, notes "The Daily Mail."
NetMarketShare: Mac OS X, Safari, iOS all up in August
According to the latest market share survey from NetMarketShare (http://www.netmarketshare.com), the market share for Mac OS X, Safari and iOS all rose in August.
According to the report, among desktop operating systems, Mac OS X had 7.13% of the global market share in August compared to 6.97% in July (that's global market share; in the US it's over 10%). That's an all time high for Mac OS X. Windows remains dominant with 91.77% as of August. That's down from 92.01% in July.
When it comes to browsers, Safari had 5.10% in August compared to 4.93% in June. Internet Explorer had 53.60%, Firefox had 20.05% and Chrome had 19.13%. That compares to, respectively, July percentages of 53.93%, 20.16% and 18.88%, respectively, for the browsers. Safari's all-time high is 5.43% in October 2011.
The iOS's still dominated in August, according to NetMarketShare. It had 65.94% (an all time high), compared to 20.93% for Android, 8.37% for Java ME, 1.90% for Blackberry, and 1.44% for Symbian. That...
KICKR is iPhone-powered bike trainer
Wahoo Fitness has announced the Wahoo Fitness KICKR Power Trainer, an iPhone powered bike trainer that allows cyclist and triathletes to set resistance, measure power and complete app based workouts, all from their Apple smartphone.
It's being demoed this week at EUROBIKE 2012 and will be available in the U.S this November. Using Bluetooth 4.0 and ANT+ technology, the KICKR Power Trainer connects to the iPhone, allowing full resistance control during your training session. While pedaling, users can increase or decrease resistance, structure interval workouts or even simulate real world bike courses all from their smart phone.
Resistance adjustments are instant, making it easy to replicate everything from a flat or rolling hill course, to the coast down a hill after a hard climb, according to says Chip Hawkins, CEO of Wahoo Fitness. With a wheel off design and super flywheel, the iPhone connected bike trainer is engineered to produce an ultra-realistic road feel, equivalent to the...
Easy Markdown is new web creation tool for OS X
Easy Markdown is a new Mac OS X (10.7.3 or higher) that lets the user create web pages writing simple text using Markdown rules to create readable well formatted text.
A text written in Markdown is a simply text which looks correctly to humans as text and automatically translates in a correct web page. Using the markdown rules you create formatted text and automatically have web pages.
In Easy Markdown, the text written on the left (in normal text) becomes automatically a web page on the right of the window as-you-type. You immediately see the result and how it changes at any single keystroke.
Easy Markdown offers additional helps to create correctly formatted text page in accordance with markdown rules. The app recognizes any "start of line" markdown code inserted at any row and show it in the toolbar allowing to change it with a click (no coding required)
The user can create correctly formatted markdown text without remembering the markdown rules. At any time the user can see live...
TieSight helps you tie a tie on OS X, iOS
The new App TieSight uses the camera of your Mac, iPhone or iPad to help you tie a tie. It costs US$3.99 for the Mac (10.7 or higher) and is available at the Mac App Store. The iOS version is free at the Apple App Store.
TieSight uses the front-facing camera of your device to help you tie a tie. The app shows you how to tie the perfect knot using an image of yourself on your device. All you have to do is to bring yourself into the right position and follow the instructions which TieSight will give you.
Additional tying instructions for seven further knots can be purchased from within the app for $1.99.
Deep Voyage is new puzzle game for the Mac
Notus Games Studio has introduced Deep Voyage 1.0. a new, family friendly puzzle game for the Mac. It requires Mac OS X 10.5, costs US$6.99 and is available worldwide through the App Store for $6.99 (USD). (There's also a free version.)
Here's how Deep Voyage is described: "In this game you set off for a voyage with a gorgeous mermaid outside the gates of the Underwater Kingdom. Complete exciting levels and help the mermaid to find all she needs to make your sea garden perfect. Clear your way through more than 200 levels of puzzles. Match colorful gems and earn a variety of helpful power-ups, as you relax and enjoy the breathtaking scenery."
Sennheiser and adidas launch a new sports earphones series
Sennheiser and adidas have launched a new sports earphone series. The five new models have been tested by professional athletes.
The sound performance of all five models has been enhanced to ensure an energetic listening experience without compromise, even under extreme training conditions, according to Franz Brunnberg, head of the adidas Licensing Department. The new sports models have been designed ground up with the emphasis on better wearing comfort and secure fit, he adds.
Three of the new models are also additionally equipped with the Apple remote and microphone module for use with iPhone or iPod. This offers the users greater convenience in the taking of calls and the controlling of their music even in the thick of their sports activity, according to Daniel Chee, product manager at Sennheiser Consumer Electronics.”
The new sports earphones from Sennheiser and adidas, which are being introduced at IFA in Berlin today, will be available in the U.S. later this fall. For more info...
Apple adds Galaxy S III, Note phone to items it wants banned
After winning an US$1-billion patent infringement case against Samsung in a California court, Apple wants a ban on the company's Galaxy S III, Note and Note 10.1 smartphones.
Apple has amended a complaint to include more products to a list of Samsung gadgets that the company says infringes on its patents. "The addition of the S III is a formality," writes "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/NCjUy). "Apple already tried to add the S III to the preliminary injunction motion targeting the Galaxy Nexus, but thought it prudent to refrain from an assertion that could have complicated that particular process and possibly even delayed the trial of the earlier lawsuit. It was always clear that outside the preliminary injunction process, the S III was going to be a issue in this lawsuit since it was launched not long after the filing of the complaint, making a timely amendment of the list of accused products an option that Apple definitely going to choose.
This is all part of the ongoing, global...
Mac OS X software updates for Sept. 4
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Cocoatech (cocoatech.com/pathfinder/) has released Path Finder 6.1.1 for Lion/Mountain Lion, and 6.0.6 for Snow Leopard, an update to their file browser and management application. Featuring a variety of useful tools and options, the app allows developers, writers, artists, and casual users alike to manage their files according to their own tastes, special needs, and workflows. The update fixers some bugs and adds some requested features.
Zevrix Solutions (www.zevrix.com) has announced BatchOutput DOC 2.2.2, a compatibility update to its output automation solution for Microsoft Word on Mac OS X. The new version makes BatchOutput DOC compatible with Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and addresses some compatibility issues with Word 14.2.
Tropical Software has rolled out TopXNotes 1.7.4 (www.tropic4.com/topxnotes.html), an update to its Mac note manager. It puts your most frequently used tools at your fingertips. TopXNotes 1.7.4 sports...
German court postpones ruling on Apple-Motorola lawsuit
The Mannheim Regional Court in Germany has postponed a ruling on the Apple-Motorola lawsuit, according to "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/FvKoY). The decision concerning Motorola will now come down on the same day as the one on the Samsung case -- in three weeks.
"There can be situations in which the same patent targeting the same technology -- in this case, we're talking about the Android operating system itself -- is adjudged differently by the same court in parallel lawsuits involving different defendants," Florian Mueller writes for "FOSS Patents." "For example, one party may fail to bring certain infringement or invalidity contentions in time. But based on how those two trials went, there is no obvious reason why the two cases might have different outcomes. And the consistent outcome is more likely than not to be a finding of non-infringement."
All this is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (...
Magic Academy available at the Mac App Store
Nevosoft has conjured up Magic Academy 1.0 for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or higher). It costs US$6.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Games category.
Magic Academy is an interactive story that features a mix of puzzles, 21 levels and exciting mini-games. The game follows a young woman who enrolls in the Magic Academy to investigate her sister's disappearance. Magic artifacts, wizardry and a well-integrated plot, are woven together to produce challenges, including finding hidden objects, jigsaw puzzles and rotation puzzles.
The goals of the different levels in Magic Academy mostly include finding hidden things, jigsaw puzzles, rotation puzzles where pieces remain in their original position, but are rotated into correct alignment, and flipping tiles over and matching pairs to remove them from the board. The game is available in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.
Apple willing to offer concession in EU e-book battle?
Apple and four major publishers have offered to allow retailers such as Amazon to sell e-books at a discount for two years in a bid to end an EU antitrust investigation and stave off possible fines, reports "Reuter" (http://macte.ch/swh1d), quoting an unnamed "person familiar with the matter.
Apple has been sued in Europe, the U.S. and Canada for collaborating with publishers to "fix" ebook prices. The brouhaha centers on Apple's move to change the way that publishers charged for e-books as it prepared to introduce its first iPad in 2010. Traditionally, publishers sold books to retailers for roughly half of the recommended cover price. Under that "wholesale model," booksellers were then free to offer those books to customers for less than the cover price if they wished.
The EU antitrust watchdog opened an investigation into Apple's e-book pricing deals with the publishers last December, saying these may hamper competition in Europe. The four publishers are Simon & Schuster, News...
In Japan Apple loses ruling over single patent
After winning a major legal battle against Samsung over patent violations in California last week, Apple has lost a patent lawsuit in Japan as a Tokyo judge ruled that Samsung's smartphones and a tablet computer didn’t infringe on an Apple invention for synchronizing music and video data with servers, reports "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/Y3BNc).
Apple was ordered by Tokyo District Judge Tamotsu Shoji to pay costs of the lawsuit after his verdict, the article adds. The ruling involves a single patent; Apple is still pursuing other lawsuits in Japan.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
MacTech Conference 2012: Keynote, JPL Interplanetary Networking
MacTech Conference for Apple Developers and IT Pros (Oct. 17-19 in Los Angeles) has announced its keynote speaker, and a special presentation by NASA JPL's Mars Rover team.
MacTech Conference is a three-day, information-packed event that will have sessions and activities throughout the day and evening. This immersive conference is hotel-based, giving attendees the opportunity to not only learn from the best, but also to meet new people and spend time with their peers as well. Information about the conference is at http://www.mactech.com/conference .
Matt Drance, a former Apple Evangelist, and the voice behind Apple Outsider, will open the event in his keynote on Tech's Role in Shaping the Future. In more detail, the technologies made common in the last few years have changed the way people see computing devices. The iPhone, iPad, and Mac have transcended merely performing tasks: they're an integral part of more and more aspects of modern life not just for technical people, but for...
Nearly 50% of U.S. smartphone users consider 4G/LTE access...
Mobile data traffic has more than doubled in each of the last four years, and the consumer appetite for data will push worldwide 4G/LTE subscribership over 560 million by 2016, according to international research firm Parks Associates (www.parkassociates.com). This is a feature the next gen iPhone is expected to have.
"Nearly 50% of U.S. smartphone users consider 4G/LTE access as very important when choosing a mobile service provider," says Jennifer Kent, Parks Associates' mobile research analyst. "Operators such as AT&T and Verizon are building consumer awareness around 4G/LTE by touting the benefits of the technology. Carriers need to capitalize by experimenting with new mobile data pricing plans and offering new LTE-supported value-added services."
A consumer survey fielded this quarter by Parks Associates finds LTE service is more important than handset selection for smartphone owners when evaluating mobile providers. As of June 2012, 83 carriers have launched LTE networks in...
Klipsch introduces horn-loaded soundbar
Klipsch has launched the HD Theater SB 3 soundbar and wireless subwoofer package. Available in a satin black finish, it retails for US$799.99 and will be available for purchase at authorized retailers and www.klipsch.com in September.
"For the first time, we are taking strategic steps to apply our same sound ideals to this increasingly popular speaker category," says Mark Casavant, senior vice president of global product development for Klipsch. "Because of its horn-loaded technology, the HD Theater SB 3 is capable of focusing more sound for listeners and perfecting the very purpose of soundbars -- dialog clarity that’s so often lacking in today’s television speakers."
Serving as a two-way soundbar with premium drivers, the HD Theater SB 3 utilizes lightweight aluminum tweeter diaphragms for e high-frequency detail, as well as new long-throw woofers for extended bass response. In addition, the tweeters are coupled to Klipsch-exclusive Tractrix Horns to both reduce distortion and...
Aleratec introduces Charge-Glo sync cable
Aleratec has introduced a new line of mobile charging and syncing accessories for devices such as smart phones and tablets with the introduction of the Charge-Glo Sync Cable.
This cable lets users see at a glance when their Apple mobile device is fully charged. Aleratec Charge-Glo Sync Cables feature the Charge-Glo Indicator. This indicator glows red when an attached iPad, iPhone or iPod touch is charging. When the device is fully charged, the light changes to blue.
Compatible iPods and iPhones can be charged by connecting the Charge-Glo Sync Cable to a standard USB power source such as a 1-amp USB charge adapter, Mac or PC. Compatible iPads can be charged by connecting the cable to a 2.1-amp USB power source. Like other Apple 30-pin cables, Charge-Glo Sync Cables also support data synchronization for mobile Apple devices.
Aleratec's Charge-Glo Sync Cables are designed to be used with the iPod touch (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations), the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G,...
iRig Keys is new portable keyboard for iOS, Mac devices
IK Multimedia has announced iRig Keys, a slime and portable portable universal MIDI controller keyboard for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, as well as Macs and PCs.
iRig Keys connects directly to the dock connector of the iOS device or the USB port on a Mac/PC. It features 37 velocity-sensitive mini-Keys -- three full octave range plus one note, which takes up minimal space when used on a desktop, and can fit in a backpack or a carry-on bag.
iRig Keys is Core MIDI and USB class compliant for a plug-and-play experience both with iOS devices or Macs/PCs, with no additional apps, software or drivers needed. For total mobility, iRig Keys also is a low power consumption unit. When hooked up to an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, it can be powered by the device. For for longer playing sessions it can be powered by the available USB port. When connected to a Mac/PC, the USB port powers it.
The iRig Keys will be shipping this fall for US$99.99 and will be available from musical instrument and...
Jabra rolls out Solemate portable speaker
Jabra has introduced the Solemate portable speaker.. About the size and weight of a water bottle, it's small, light and features a thick carrying strap.
A rubber "sole" stores a 3.5 mm audio cable and a sound bag provides an extra layer of protection in sand, moisture and sunny outdoor conditions. The Jabra Solemate is available for pre-order for US$199 at Amazon.com and will be available for purchase at Best Buy retail stores, BestBuy.com and Amazon.com on Sept. 2.
A multifunctional portable wireless speaker, the Jabra Solemate enables music lovers to enjoy the freedom of big sound with strong, deep bass from an integrated subwoofer and rich, vibrant acoustics from dual tweeters, according to the folks at Jabra. It connects to any device that can play music -- either corded or wirelessly -- using Bluetooth technology, a 3.5mm audio cable or USB cable, and caters to all types of uses, indoors or outdoors.
NuGuard Universal Tablet Rack can handle up to eight tablets
Newer Technology (www.newertech.com) has announced the US$349.99 NuGuard Universal Tablet Rack, a plug-and-play "BYOD"(Bring Your Own Device) storage and charging solution for classroom, office, retail, health care, and other multiple brand tablet computer user environments.
Designed to accommodate nearly any tablet including the Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Google Nexus, and Asus Transformer models, the NuGuard Rack allows tablets even in thick, protective cases to slide into one of eight bays to store and charge. The NuGuard Rack comes with eight pre-installed Apple-certified dock connector cables so iPad users can immediately charge.
Embedded channels on the side of the unit enable changing of the cables as well as protection against cable bending, pinching, or accidental removal and/or tangling. By providing room for popular cases like the Apple Smart Case, as well as impact-resistant "armored" cases like the Gumdrop Drop Tech and Griffin Survivor, the NuGuard Rack can hold...
Griffin announces Survivor Custom case for iPhone 4/4S
Griffin Technology has debuted the Survivor Custom, the company's most rugged iPhone 4/4S case. It's available with new mix-and-match color options for the first time exclusively at GriffinTechnology.com for US$49.99.
Each of the Survivor’s three components -- silicone wrap, polycarbonate inner shell and belt clip -- is customizable across a spectrum of colors. Tested to meet or exceed US Department of Defense Standards, Survivor is proven to protect iPhones from the most extreme conditions, including dirt, sand, rain, shock, vibration, temperature, humidity and a variety of other environmental factors, according to the folks at Griffin.
The case is built on a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame, clad in shock-absorbing silicone. A built-in screen protector seals the iPhone’s multi-touch display from the outside environment, with hinged plugs that seal the dock connector, headphone port, hold switch and volume controls. A detachable heavy-duty clip secures the case to a belt or bag...
Luxology ships NPR Kit for modo
Luxology (www.luxology.com) has released the NPR Kit for modo, a non-photorealistic rendering package that allows hand-drawn looks and animations to be achieved in 3D renderings. With this new all-in-one kit, modo 601 users will now be able to access classic art styles when rendering anything from product visualizations to anime and fine art, says Bob Bennett, vice president of Marketing for Luxology.
With material options for "toon" shading, stippling, halftones, and edge rendering, the NPR Kit is the quickest path to unique representations of architecture, products and characters in modo, he adds. And since the NPR Kit can mimic traditional styles like blueprints, sketches and chalk drawings, it's a resource for technical illustration, where edges and other important features are emphasized at the expense of detailed visual accuracy. Or on cartoon productions, where solid colors and strong lines are used to convey emotion.
The eight shaders included in the NPR Kit offer a egree of...
Toshiba launches personal cloud storage device
Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD) has announced its entry into the cloud storage space with the Toshiba Canvio Personal Cloud. This storage hub allows users to save their extensive media libraries securely in their own homes, with the added benefit of being able to access and stream files remotely via the cloud.
With the Canvio Personal Cloud, users will be able to access digital data at home or on the go with their tablets, smartphones or computers via an Internet connection, says Maciek Brzeski, vice president of product marketing and development, Branded Storage Products, Toshiba America Information System.
Toshiba's Canvio Personal Cloud is a centralized file sharing and storage hub for the connected home, that enables users to bring all their content together in one place, including music, photos, video and documents stored on PCs, Android-based tablets and smartphones and iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Using the Canvio Link software for Windows or Canvio Link...
Mac OS X software updates for Aug. 31
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Enventra (www.enventra.com) has announced the latest release of MoboMath, the handwritten equation editor for Mac OS X. MoboMath 2.2 adds support for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and introduces new tools to adapt to a user's individual handwriting style.
Sprightly Software (www.sprightly.ca) has released Trip Journal for Business 1.4. It's an update of the Mac app for tracking business vehicle use. Version 1.4 now supports an accuracy of three decimal places for reimbursement tracking, support for retina display, a recently used addresses feature, and more.
Teamsoft (www.teamsoft.com) has given us TeamAgenda 5.1.1, a new version of the collaboration solution. Contacts included as participants in a commitment can now be emailed invitations in a format native to major mailing/calendaring applications (Outlook, Google, Mozilla). And TeamAgenda Outlook synchronization has been enhanced to allow automatic synchronization using user selected refresh...
WWDC 2012 Interview: AEC Software
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2012 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine) and Dennis Bilowus of AEC Software at WWDC. Dennis was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Three states reach settlement in e-book price fixing case
States including Maryland, Ohio and Texas said they reached a US$69 million settlement with three U.S. publishers over alleged price-fixing for electronic books, reports "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/2O2kv).
The agreements were made with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers and Simon & Schuster., according to statements from attorneys general in states also including Colorado and Florida. The settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge in New York, couldn’t be confirmed in court records, notes "Reuters."
The U.S. sued Apple and five publishers in April, charging that the defendants conspired to limit e-book price competition. Apple and Macmillan and the Penguin Group have refused to settle.
The brouhaha centers on, among other things, Apple's move to change the way that publishers charged for e-books as it prepared to introduce its first iPad in 2010. Traditionally, publishers sold books to retailers for roughly half of the recommended cover price. Under that "...
Samsung seeks mobile carrier, Microsoft alliances in battle with...
Samsung is fighting back against Apple by strengthening its partnerships with American mobile carriers to develop new technologies to get away from the U.S. firm’s claims on design, according to "The Korea Times" (http://macte.ch/oozJS).
Samsung is talking with major U.S. telecom carriers such as Verizon Wireless about modified designs in Samsung Galaxy devices, the article adds. It is also "closely partnering" with Microsoft (MS) to cut its dependency on Google's Android operating system, claims "The Korea Times."
Last week a California jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages for patent violations. As a result, Apple is seeking a ban on sales of some Samsung products.
Apple, Google CEOs holding secret meetings to resolve issues?
"Reuters" (http://macte.ch/y6t3o) reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Larry Page have been holding behind-the-scenes conversations about a range of intellectual property matters, including the ongoing mobile patent disputes between the companies.
Quoting unnamed "people familiar with the matter," the article says the two CEOs had a phone conversation last week. One source told "Reuters" that a meeting was scheduled for this Friday, but had been delayed for reasons that were unclear.
All this is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (mostly but not exclusively iPhone, iPad and iPod). Litigation between the two companies has taken place in several different federal courts.
In November 2010 Apple sued Motorola, alleging that...
Mountain Lion eclipses 10% of market after one month
A month ago, Chitika Insights reported that Apple desktops running Mountain Lion (OS X 10.8) generated 3.2% of all Mac-based Web traffic based on traffic through the Chitika ad network (http://chitika.com/). Since Mountain Lion officially turned one month old last Saturday, Chitika Insights revisited this study to see how quickly Mac users were adopting the latest operating system now that the novelty has begun to wear.
To quantify this study, Chitika Insights compiled a month’s worth of Mac OS X Web traffic, which sampled hundreds of millions of desktop ad impressions. The team then calculated market share distribution between all versions of Mas OS X – both as a weekly average and a daily tally from the date of release until now.
Since the unprecedented traffic increase that occurred within the first two days post-release, Mountain Lion has been steadily clawing its way upwards, according to Chitika. The spike seen in the previous Mountain Lion study actually continued past the...
Too many white automobiles? Blame Steve Jobs
Silver was the most popular exterior car color in America for nearly a decade. But while it remains beloved by automotive designers for best showing off a car's styling, its unstinting argent reign was finally overthrown this year by white, according to "Motoramic" (http://macte.ch/sTqoc).
According to Sandy McGill, BMW Designworks' lead designer in color, materials, and finish, this is Steve Jobs' doing. "Prior to Apple, white was associated with things like refrigerators or the tiles in your bathroom," he told "Motoramic." "Apple made white valuable."
Jury foreman in Apple-Samsung trial owns smart phone patents
There could be a problem with the jury in the Apple v Samsung trial as it seems the foreman of the California jury owns smart phone patents, notes "Macworld UK" (http://macte.ch/VNPGj). However, both Apple and Samsung vetted the jury before the trial.
Velvin Hogan’s 2002 patents cover a “personal video recording/storage apparatus for downloading streaming video and data contents from a number of sources and storing the video files to an internal storage device, such as a disk drive," notes "Macworld UK." These video files can be “retrieved, processed, and provided for viewing on demand at a later time."
"The Daily Mail" (http://macte.ch/5Rihv) claims that the disclosure has raised a huge potential conflict of interest. The article suggests that if he were biased in any way towards Apple it could have had a big influence on jury's decision.
"The disclosure raises a huge potential conflict of interest as it is not clear if the patent has ever been bought or used by any tech companies...
'LawPundit' claims Apple stole 'bounceback'...
Apple is being accused of stealing the idea of bounceback scrolling from Atari. However, there's a flaw in the argument of a law pundit who describes the action as “professional theft," reports "Macworld UK" (http://macte.ch/Dg6SA).
The flaw? Apple CEO and co-founder, the late Steve Jobs, worked on the product in question when he was employed at Atari.
In the Apple-Samsung patent battle verdict reached by a California jury, it was ruled that Samsung had copied elements of its iPad and iPhone. One feature that Apple was able to demonstrate that Samsung had copied was bounce back scrolling. However, the "LawPundit" site claims (http://macte.ch/z9tky) Apple stole the idea from the Atari game Pong.
"The essential principle of bounce-back scrolling becomes obvious if you play the famed Atari game Pong which was virtually 'the first game' in the early days of the computer," writes "LawPundit." "Whenever the ball hits the paddle, that is a 'bounce-back' and if it does not hit the paddle,...
