Nvidia CEO: Expect tablets to beat your computer to the Intel CPU punch in five years

Nvidia’s boss Huang Jen-Hsun certainly knows a thing or two about tablets and the semiconductor industry. His company’s Tegra-branded chips have risen in a short period of time as the go-to silicon for mobile devices, even though Tegra processors don’t power the one tablet to rule them all.

That said, if the Shadowgun game demo is an indication (video below), current-generation Tegra 2 packs in some impressive oomph in the graphics department (yes, Shadowgun is also coming to an iPhone and iPad near you). Chatting with journalists at Computex, the CEO boldly predicted that tablets would outperform PCs five years from now…

You will not credit Intel for such an important feat, but Nvidia and its processors of the future, he argued. This won’t sit well with the Intel camp. The leading chip maker has unleashed a barrage of announcements at the Computex show yesterday, arguing they are the force to be reckoned with in the mobile arena. Meanwhile, Nvidia is talking numbers. In June, boss said, the company will have sold its tenth million Tegra chip. Even though Apple pushed out Nvidia chips from MacBooks and iMacs, Jen-Hsun isn’t the one to shy away from praising Apple’s best-selling iPad. At the same time, he has been promoting the five times performance increase and graphical prowess of the upcoming Tegra 3 tablets, which are expected to hit the market in a few months.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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A new Apple store to open near North Carolina’s iTunes super datacenter by year’s end

America’s greatest retailer Apple is set to open a new brick-and-mortar store in Charlotte, North Carolina. Some thirty miles outside the city work is also underway on Apple’s $1 billion super datacenter facility which has been kept shroud in secrecy. The Apple Store-focused publication, ifoAppleStore, explains the new retail spot will become Apple’s fifth store in the state and their second in the city. It will be located on the second level of the Northlake Mall, on the city’s north side some sixteen miles north of the existing SouthPark location.

Grand opening is apparently being planned for some time in the fourth quarter of this year. In other Apple retail news, Canada’s Burnaby will also greet an Apple store by the end of this year, located inside the huge MetroTown shopping mall, Canada’s second-largest. And if geotags sourced from Flickr snaps are to be believed, the iconic Fifth Avenue store is one of the New York’s top photo attractions for both tourists and locals.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Inspired by iPad and the Air, Intel talks up Ultrabooks and Android-friendly tablet chips

Forget about Chromebooks, here come the Ultrabooks. Ultra-what? Per Intel’s presser at the Computex show in Taipei, Taiwan, Ultrabooks represent an entirely new class of notebooks that include the best features of tablets. If this sounds suspiciously familiar, look no further than the upcoming Mac OS X Lion operating system that is being pitched by Apple as “taking our best thinking from iPad and bringing it all to the Mac” or the MacBook Air’s iPad-like instant-on promise. Intel is playing exactly the same iPad card, their senior vice president Tom Kilroy telling Reuters:

We’re shooting for ultra responsive. You’ll have always-on, always-connected, much more responsive devices, similar to what you would see with a tablet today such as an iPad.
This sounds a lot like a catch-up to the MacBook Air’s all-flash instantaneous performance, cynics would argue. Ultrabooks are about Intel’s latest chips and reference designs. Intel also took the wraps off of its new fanless netbook platform code-named “Cedar Trail” and proposed a “Medfield” tablet reference design for sub-9mm designs, weighing less than 1.5 pounds and supporting a choice of operating system, per press release. So when can we expect first Ultrabooks to challenge MacBook Air’s dominance?

Intel says first Ultrabooks will be available in time for the holiday shopping season, priced in the sub-$1000 range and eventually settling at around $600 within a couple of years. Intel has high hopes for these machines, telling the news gathering organization that Ultrabooks should account for 40 percent of all consumer notebook sales by the end of 2012. Intel has been attempting to make a dent in mobile for years. The company’s latest moves in this space include the Oak Trail processor, their first designed specifically for tablets, and the new tri-gate transistor technology that crams more transistors onto chips, making them speedier yet at the same time power efficient.




Another part to this strategy is the Ivy Bridge platform. Billed as a Sandy Bridge successor, Ivy Bridge will improve graphics performance and power efficiency while enabling better responsiveness and stronger security. First Ivy Bridge chips fabbed on the new 22-nanometer tri-gate transistor technology are expected by April 2012. Intel will also launch “Haswell” processors in 2013, said to cut power requirements to half of today’s chips. Meanwhile, ViewSonic showed off a tablet yesterday engineered around the new Oak Trail chip. Acer is also expected to come out with an Android tablet with an Oak Trail chip inside and yesterday they showed off the ultra-thin UX2 notebook, depicted in the video below. A number of companies have been trying to replicate Apple’s engineering solutions with the MacBook Air, from Samsung’s Series 9 to Dell’s thin notebook.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Preiest uses iPad for wedding ceremony?

From our tips:

“This is a pic from a greek orthodox wedding ceremony where the priest bites the forbidden fruit”




*thanks 9to5Mac*

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iPad 3G Has Been Hacked to Enable Full Phone and SMS Functionality!

The iPad 3G has reportedly been hacked to enable full phone and SMS functionality by iPhoneIslam.

A hack that will change the game. Can you imagine turning your iPad to a fully functional phone.

With No Special Hardware all what you need is Jailbroken iPad 3G and your iPad 3G will do anything you expect from iPhone... Phone Calls, SMS, FaceTime by Phone Number... ETC

iPhoneIslam was behind the FaceIt3GS tweak as well. While they have no released date for PhoneItiPad. It will apparently be available on the Cydia Store 'very soon'.

*thanks iclarified*

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Bamboom Finds Way to Stream Free Broadcast TV Via the Cloud?

Bamboom is an upcoming service that thinks its found a way to stream free broadcast TV to all your devices without being shutdown by the networks.

Rather then sending out a stream that is accessible by numerous customers, Bamboom plans to assign each customer its own tiny antenna. The signal from this antenna will then be sent to the cloud where it can be accessed by any of the customer's devices. One customer, one stream.

That seems laborious and expensive, but it's the same legal construction that Cablevision has used to provide a remote DVR service for its customers, and the Supreme Court has signed off on that idea. (Not coincidentally, that one customer/one use idea is the same one Amazon and Google are using to provide cloud-based music lockers without sign-off from the big labels.)

While pricing hasn't been announced its thought that Bamboom might offer the service free but charge for added capabilities such as DVR.

*thanks iclarified*

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MacBook Airs drop to $829 at the Apple Store (refurbs), updates on the way?

Apple dropped prices on current MacBook Air refurbs last night so that the base model now starts at just $829. That’s $30 lower than yesterday and could mean Apple’s clearing some inventory out for a refresh, perhaps as soon as WWDC. Or, perhaps not.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

I can't wait for a backlit keyboard, thunderbolt, 4gb ram minimum(upgradable to 8gb), & if possible similar to Sonys new laptop a 24hr battery life(even a 14hr battery would do)...


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Samsung demands to see the iPhone 4S/5 and the iPad 3

ThisIsMyNext posts some interesting news out of the Samsung camp. After Apple requested to see some of Samsung’s unreleased products (most of which were publicly released before the judge granted the motion), now Samsung is requesting to see some of Apple’s unreleased products. Namely the iPad 3 and the next iPhone whether it be the 4S or the iPhone 5. Obviously, very few people have seen these unannounced products.

Samsung claims that it needs to see Apple’s future products because devices like the Droid Charge and Galaxy Tab 10.1 will presumably be in the market at the same time as the iPhone 5 and iPad 3, and Samsung’s lawyers want to evaluate any possible similarities so they can prepare for further potential legal action from Apple. It’s ballsy, but it’s not totally out of the blue..
In the unlikely event that Samsung gets access to Apple’s products, it will only be Samsung’s legal team that gets to see the devices. Samsung’s manufacturing team probably already has some pretty good knowledge of the new products since they are bidding on/building some of the most important parts.

Nilay Patel, a former copyright attorney himself, thinks that this is a move to reignite negotiations between the companies. If that is true, Apple seems content to let the disagreements go to court and let a judge/jury decide.

Cross posted from 9to5Google.com

I think it’s a calculated gamble for additional leverage. Apple and Samsung held negotiations for a year before giving up and heading to the courts, and I’m reliably informed that there haven’t been any substantive settlement discussions since Apple first filed its complaint. That means talks have been at a standstill for a long time now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung was trying to put some additional heat on Apple to try and kick negotiations back into gear. It’s an interesting and aggressive move in its own right, but it also highlights the fact that neither Apple nor Samsung have addressed the actual merits of their complaints in formal replies — this is a minor skirmish before the real battle begins. We’ll see if this sideshow accomplishes anything beyond clever lawyerly maneuvering, but for right now it’s clear that Apple and Samsung aren’t planning to back down anytime soon.
Still, it’s fun to watch the fireworks!

*thanks 9to5Mac*

In my opinion it isn't likely that the court will grant samsung anything since it granted Apple the right to see all of Samsungs newest devices. If Apple sees any similarities they will be mentions in the trial and Samsungs devices will be stopped dead in it's tracks unless Apple agrees to a licensing of their patents to Samsung(which we this is extremely unlikely to happen).


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iPad to send Windows into negative growth for the first time ever?

SAI:

Microsoft’s consumer PC sales growth has pretty much never declined. Not even when Microsoft released Vista. Not even when the economy went in the toilet. But suddenly, the growth of sales is about to go negative, says Citi analyst Walter Pritchard.
If Windows starts to decline in numbers, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer might actually be in trouble. If things weren’t bad enough, Microsoft also has to contend with a ChromeOS from Google and maybe even some ARM powered laptops from Apple.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

This is why Microsoft is giving away xbox360 with any windows 7 pc purchase of $699.99 or more, more details here.
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Apple to Announce Back-To-School Special at WWDC? iPad Discount?

Apple will reportedly announce its Back-to-School special at WWDC which will bundle a free iPod touch or possibly a $200 iPad discount with the purchase of a Mac.

One of our Apple sources has informed us that they’ve been hearing Apple’s yearly back-to-school special will be announced at WWDC next month. We have been told Apple will continue to offer educational discounts on computers and either a free iPod touch, or $229 towards the purchase of any other iPod. Our source also let us know that there might be something new in the works, as well… they heard that it’s possible Apple might offer students up to $200 off an iPad with the purchase of a new Mac. If true, this would be pretty great deal.




*thanks iclarified*

You can see how this along with amazing iPad sales are destroying Microsoft and windows sales. Microsoft didn't want to feel left out and came out with their own promo for students, buy a windows 7 pc and get a xbox360 free and it can be seen here.

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Has Microsoft really become this desperate?

Has Microsoft really become this desperate?

*Get a free Xbox 360 4GB console with the purchase of a Windows 7 PC $699 or more at participating retailers in the U.S. from 5/23-9/3 or while supplies last. Verification of student status required. See participating retailers for full details. See Windows.com/FreeXbox on a PC for full retailer details.

It may seem there is no originality in Microsoft these days , they have to take cues from Apples marketing team...



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The Rumor mill is turning again, Apple has an A5-powered MacBook Air with Thunderbolt I/O in labs. What’s the big picture?

Apple’s custom-built A5 chip currently powers iPad 2 and is expected to make its way into next-gen iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV

Japanese blog Macotakara, which accurately outlined some of the iPad 2 features, in its latest story claims that an A5-powered MacBook Air with Thunderbolt I/O is being tested in Apple’s labs. The machine could be manufactured by Quanta Computer, the story has it. The article quotes a source who allegedly saw an early prototype:

According to this source who saw live A5 MacBook Air actually, this test machine performed better than expected. Though it’s not clear which Mac OS X or iOS is pre-installed on this A5 MacBook Air, iOS seems to have difficulty to use features of Thunderbolt without Finder. And even if Mac OS X is installed, developer should spend time to support A5 on Universal Binary Applications. As considering these situation, this A5 MacBook Air seems to be made just for experiment.
The rumor aligns well with a recent SemiAccurate speculation that Apple will transition their portables lineup to custom-built chips with ARM-based processing cores. Not that Macotakara’s hit-and-miss record is anything to go by, but we have to ask ourselves what benefits – if any – the iPad 2′s A5 chip would bring to Apple’s ultra-thin notebook. Here’s the big picture…




Pictured above: a clamcase iPad case


The A5 is a low-powered piece of silicon custom-designed for mobile devices like iPad 2 where battery life is everything. It’s certainly more power efficient than a Core 2 Duo processor in your MacBook Air. In other words, an A5-powered MacBook Air should – theoretically speaking – run much longer on a single charge (on the downside, CPUs aren’t that much of a battery hog compared to backlit LCDs). The A5 would also allow for even thinner MacBook Air designs. Why? Because it combines multiple components on a single piece of silicon, including the processing and graphics cores, RAM and the memory controller. Should Apple apply some of its deal-making magic to Intel, the next iteration of the A5 processor (let’s call it A6) could marry Intel’s x86 platform to the ARM-based CPU core and Imagination-licensed graphics found in Apple’s chip. Intel could manufacture such a chip using their latest 3D-transistor technology, which is said to enable notable performance improvements without taxing battery. After all, Intel openly suggested it would welcome Apple’s custom silicon business, saying it “wouldn’t blink” if Apple approached them with an idea of doing a product that involves Intel’s architecture and Apple’s customized silicon design. Speculating further, the Apple A6 chip designed and manufactured in co-operation with Intel would take the MacBook Air to the next level of thinness and lightness. More importantly, the chip would enable the machine to seamlessly run both iPad and Mac apps natively and x86-compiled software for Windows and Linux via BootCamp.

If Apple is indeed taking this road, wouldn’t they in the greater scheme of things eventually transition Mac OS X to the ARM architecture, too? Concurrent development and maintenance of Mac OS X and iOS would be simplified as a result. With both operating systems ARM-based and running on chips that support both ARM and Intel architestures, users could theoretically be able to run universal applications that contain interface assets and logic which cater to both iOS devices (iPhones and iPads) and notebook/desktop computers. Some of the biggest players are already embracing ARM. Microsoft confirmed Windows 8 will run on both ARM and x86 architectures and graphics giant Nvidia indicated plans to create desktop-class chips that combine Nvidia’s graphics expertise with ARM-based CPU cores. Am I fantasizing? Meet us in comments…

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Amazon releases a Mac Software download store

Interesting news out of Amazon today. They’ve announced their new Mac Download Store. You’ve always been able to download software from Amazon (Got my Quicken for PC that way) but now it is on the Mac…and competes with Apple Mac App Store. Interesting titles include Roxio’s Toast, Inuit Quicken and Microsoft Office….and a bunch of games.

To celebrate get $5 off by entering code SAVE5MAC in the Promo box.


*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Apple sues (settles?) kid who sold Steve Wozniak white iPhone 4

Remember Steve Wozniak’s white iPhone 4? Then you remember we discovered it was a do-it-yourself modification. The Woz himself admitted to buying parts from Fei Lam (no relation to Gizmodo’s editor Brian Lam whatsoever), a New York teenager who banked a cool $130,000 selling those sought-after white front and back plates on the web. When the story blew up and Apple presumably sent its legal rottweilers after the kid, he shuttered the whiteiphone4now.com site and disappeared under the radar.

MacRumors discovered that Apple yesterday filed a lawsuit against Lam and his parents who “aided and abetted him” in an alleged infringement and dilution of Apple’s trademarks. They’re seeking damages and demanding that Lam hands over all profits from the sale. At the same time, the company has filed a voluntary dismissal, leaving the door open to a possible settlement. From Apple’s lawsuit:


Defendent Lam willfully and without authorization has used Apple’s trademarks in connection with the sale of his “White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits,” which among other things included white front and back panels with Apple’s logo and “iPhone” trademarks that are used in connection with the promotion and sale of Apple’s well known iPhone 4 handheld mobile digital electronic devices. Defendant at all times knew that Apple never has authorized the sale of white panels for its iPhone 4 mobile devices, and that he obtained these panels from sources that were not authorized by Apple or any of its suppliers to sell them.
The filing also exposed the identity of a Foxconn employee who had been providing Lam with white front and back plates (his name is Alan Yang for those that need to know).

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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MAC Defender Variant Can Infect Without Admin Password

A new variant of the Mac Defender has been found that does not require an administrative password to be installed.

Intego first discovered the MAC Defender fake antivirus, which targets Mac users via SEO poisoning attacks (web sites set up to take advantage of search engine optimization tricks to get malicious sites to appear at the top of search results). Since then, several variants have appeared: MacDefender, MacProtector and MacSecurity, all of which are the same application using different names. The goal of this fake antivirus software is to trick users into providing their credit card numbers to supposedly clean out infected files on their Macs.

Intego today discovered a new variant of this malware that functions slightly differently. It comes in two parts. The first part is a downloader, a tool that, after installation, downloads a payload from a web server. As with the Mac Defender malware variants, this installation package, called avSetup.pkg, is downloaded automatically when a user visits a specially crafted web site.

If Safari's "Open 'safe' files after downloading" option is checked, the package will open Apple's Installer, and the user will see a standard installation screen. If not, users may see the downloaded ZIP archive and double-click it out of curiosity, not remembering what they downloaded, then double-click the installation package. In either case, the Mac OS X Installer will launch.

Unlike the previous variants of this fake antivirus,no administrator's password is required to install this program. Since any user with an administrator's account – the default if there is just one user on a Mac – can install software in the Applications folder, a password is not needed. This package installs an application – the downloader – named avRunner, which then launches automatically. At the same time, the installation package deletes itself from the user's Mac, so no traces of the original installer are left behind.

Apple has posted instructions on how to remove the malware and promises to update Mac OS X to automatically detect and remove it soon.







*thanks iclarified*

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iSuppli forecasts Foxconn explosion could cost Apple half a million iPads

Besides the extremely unfortunate loss of life, Bloomberg posts a dire scenario on iPad production laid out by IHS iSuppli this evening:

The drop in manufacturing will depend on how long the plant is closed following a May 20 explosion that killed three people and injured at least 15, according to ISuppli. The total could be even greater if the suspension of operations at the facility lasts longer than a month, the firm said. Another Foxconn factory in Shenzhen that produces iPads may not be able to make up for the lost output, ISuppli said. The manufacturing breakdown may lead Apple to miss ISuppli’s forecast of 7.4 million iPad 2 shipments in the quarter ending in June, the El Segundo, California-based research firm said.
Not all analysts are as down with Apple Bull Shaw Wu saying there may not be cause to worry. He said in a report today that the concerns are “overdone” and that production at other facilities is being ramped up to make up for the shortfalls. He expects Apple to sell 6.8 million iPads in the June quarter.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Dell’s new ‘thinnest’ laptop isn’t even as thin as the 2.5-year old MacBook Pro

We were expecting a MacBook Air like device. It turns out Dell’s new product, dubbed “Thinnest 15-inch 15-inch PC on the planet” isn’t thinner than the 15-inch MacBook Pro I gave up a year ago for an Air. That’s the same one that came out with the Unibody manufacturing process in October 2008.

Dell’s 15-inch XPS 15z is .97 inches thick compared to the MacBook PRo’s .95 inches. It does weigh in at slightly less than the MacBook Pro (which is due for an update soon as well)

All of that being said, it looks like a solid, loaded Sandy Bridge package for just $1000 – except the Windows OS of course. Imagery and video below:






*thanks 9to5Mac*

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What’s so special about yesterday?

Here’s the little note slipped in with all of the Apple Store 2.0 stuff:

What’s so special about yesterday?

Over the past 3,652 yesterdays, we’ve done some amazing things. We’ve opened 325 stores. In 11 countries. With 2.1 million square feet of space. And most importantly, we’ve welcomed over 1 billion customers.

Our 10-year history is something to be proud of. But at the same time, it’s just so, well, yesterday.

So let’s talk about tomorrow. That’s a day we can work with. It’s a day to launch new products as only Apple can. A day we can build new stores that are even more iconic. And create breakthrough programs to help people embrace technology like never before. It’s a day to do thing s no one has even dreamed of yet.

We’re not content to rest on our yesterdays. We’ll continue to move forward. To make the most of tomorrow. And every day after that.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Apple Store 2.0 gets official: interactive iPads replace paper signs, more

Our sources nailed it. What is being referred to as Apple Store 2.0 internally has officially launched Down Under. Australia is close to a day ahead of us in the United States. Just like we told you, paper signs and information cards have been swiped from Apple’s wood tables and have been replaced with super-interactive iPad 2s. These specially equipped tablets provide a simple and easy-use-view into the product right beside it.

Additionally, the iPads feature a button to call an Apple representative for assistance – sort of like an airplane call button.That’s all we’ve been able to find so far, but given that our sources nailed that part 100% – it won’t be too long until we see the other changes. Another picture after the break courtesy of Mac Prices.

Email us at tipsLimerain.com@gmail.com with your Apple Store 2.0 pictures!









*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Snow Leopard supplies run short in Australia/NZ. Lion coming soon?

We’re getting tips from our retail friends in the South Pacific that Snow Leopard boxes are running short and the channel inventory is drying up. Apple resellers are literally unable to ge their hands on stock of Snow Leopard boxes.

Even Apple’s website is showing a week’s wait in both Australia and New Zealand. These types of sporadic delays, which are frequently temporary, are usually an indication that the supply channel is changing and the boxes are no longer being made.

Obviously, this could point to an upcoming Lion release as early as next month at Apple’s WWDC, if not sooner. The latest build, Lion Preview 3, has been largely stable and there have been signs that Apple could even demonstrate Lion in Apple Stores next week as part of their Apple Store 2.0 initiative.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Apple needs to step up for its developers on Lodsys –EFF

Mere weeks before the WWDC, Apple is still quiet on the Lodsys situation, leaving developers unsure of what to do in the patent trolling case. The silence is truly deafening. EFF sums up many of our thoughts on this:

In case you missed it, Lodsys – a troll whose sole business model is owning and suing on patents – has sent letters to many of Apple’s app developers accusing them of infringing a patent that covers the in-app purchasing functionality that Apple provides as part of its operating system. In addition to these accusations, Lodsys’ letters demanded payment. Unfortunately, suing app developers – who often lack the resources required to defend a lawsuit – is a trend we’re seeing more and more often. What’s different here, however, is that Apple provides this functionality to its developers and requires that they use it. Apple itself is protected from liability – Apple took a license from Lodsys’ predecessor to use this very patent (which was likely part of a larger blanket license). And the apparently one-sided Apple-developer agreement does not require that Apple indemnify developers from suits based on technology that Apple provides.
Apple clearly needs to take a stand on this one way or another. Even just a public statement saying, “we are working on this and will have an answer before the 30 days to respond to Lodsys time is up” would suffice.

By putting the burden on those least able to shoulder it, both Apple and Lodys are harming not just developers but also the consumers who will see fewer apps and less innovation. We hope that going forward companies like Apple will do what’s right and stand up for their developers and help teach the patent trolls a lesson.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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Apple exploring displays with privacy mode viewing

Apple’s R&D team has been on a roll lately. The latest patent application describes an interesting privacy mode on displays for mobile gadgets that can steer display light beams in various directions, allowing only the person directly in front of the display to see its content. Patenty Apple explains:

The new privacy option mode only allows those directly in front of the display to view its content. Anyone on the periphery would simply see a blank display. A number of professions may find this feature very appealing. The patent also vaguely points to this technology being used in association with a future pico-like projection system and/or 3D holographic display.
The invention called “Systems and Methods for Electronically Controlling the Viewing Angle of a Display” is credited to an Apple engineer David Gere. So, how is this CIA-like stuff supposed to work?

The trick for locking out peripheral viewing is a simple one, Apple argues. Picture elements comprising the display could be controlled by directing a light beam towards a liquid crystal material and steering it via microscopic mirror-like structures that apply a variable electrical control signal to the liquid crystal material. As a result, viewing can be restricted only to the person directly in front of the display. The privacy mode could be entered by touching a dedicated corner that would invoke a software setting for changing viewing angles, Apple wrote. The invention applies to a wide scope of devices, from handheld music players to smartphones to tablets and desktop computers.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Intel owns ‘full rights’ to the Thunderbolt trademark, not Apple (UPDATED with clarification from Intel)

Chip maker Intel had stressed they, not Apple, own all Thundebolt trademarks. Even though Apple and Intel collaborated on this high-speed I/O technology featured on the 2011 MacBook Pro and iMac families, the confusion arose when Patently Apple discovered that Apple filed for the Thunderbolt brand name trademark, their third since the technology debuted on the new MacBook Pro family in February of 2011. Few were convinced Apple owns the trademark, including Cult of Mac’s Ed Sutherland who asked, “Who the heck owns Thunderbolt, Intel or Apple?”

Deciding enough is enough, Intel has now made claims it owns the Thunderbolt trademark. Responding to an inquiry from Theo Valich over at Bright side of news, Intel’s senior communications manager Dave Salvator provided this statement:

As part of our collaboration with Apple, they did some of the initial trademark filings. Intel has full rights to the Thunderbolt trademark now and into the future. The Thunderbolt name will be used going forward on all platforms, irrespective of operating system.
[UPDATE May 20, 2011 3:15am Pacific] Intel’s representative has contacted the publication with additional clarification. To make a long story short, Intel and Apple have agreed that the iPhone maker will transfer their Thunderbolt trademark to the semiconductor giant. Valich explains:

Apple filed for the original trademark and is now transferring that trademark to Intel. At the same time, Apple will continue to have unrestricted use of the technology. 3rd party implementations such as Sony’s desire to use USB Connector instead of DisplayPort and the eventual change of technology branding (Sony’s IEEE1394 a.k.a. Firewire implementation was named i.LINK) will have to be ironed out as the time passes by.

I guess this invalidates Apple’s ahead-of-time November 2010 Thunderbolt trademark filed with the US and Canadian trademark offices in Jamaica. And what about another Thunderbolt trademark claim from Apple that surfaced in the United States Patent & Trademark Office’s database on May 11, 2011? The situation is getting murkier with each passing day, if you ask us.

Another interesting tidbit came when Valich asked Intel’s Salvator to reflect on future Thunderbolt implementations based on optical connectivity (current version uses copper wiring for cost reasons).

“The (Thunderbolt optical) cable could carry power in the same cable (running next to optical part of cable), but exact product plans are still to be announced”, Salvador said.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

China Telecom “in touch with Apple”, wants a CDMA iPhone

Asian carrier China Telecom has approached Apple with an idea of bringing a CDMA version of the iconic handset to its 216 million subscribers. Apple, of course, is currently dealing with China Unicom only. That company commands a whopping 886 million users in the 1.4 billion people market. China Telecom’s chairman Wang Xiaochu told Reuters:

We’re not denying that we’re in touch with iPhone (Apple), but I cannot comment on the progress.
The state-owned carrier, the smallest of China’s three major wireless operators, sees a window of opportunity opening as Apple’s exclusive agreement with Unicom is set to expire later this year.

The news arrives just as we learned that Apple and China Mobile, the country’s largest wireless operator, have come to a “consensus” about future iPhones supporting the carrier’s fourth-generation TD-LTE radio technology. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless’ finance chief Fran Shammo went on record claiming that a next-generation Verizon iPhone would be a so-called world phone – that is, a single hardware version which works with GSM, CDMA and upcoming LTE cellular technologies.

The basis for this would be a Qualcomm-branded Gobbi chip. A world-phone device would greatly expand iPhone’s distribution footprint while letting Apple – a company that prides itself with keeping things simple – engineer, support and maintain one instead of multiple hardware revisions of the iconic smartphone. Whether or not iPhone 5 or one of the subsequent iterations enable world-phone compatibility is up for debate. According to DigiTimes, an LTE-supporting iPhone may not be in the cards before end of 2012, at the earnest, due to low yield rates of the Qualcomm chip.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Three down, one to go. Apple strikes deal with Sony for Cloud streaming

Bloomberg this evening reports that Apple and Sony have come to terms on a streaming music licensing deal, leaving the largest label, Universal, as the only one of the big four labels not to (yet) sign with Apple. Earlier this year and again this week, it was reported that EMI signed with Apple.

A licensing deal will allow Apple to more efficiently store music in the Cloud (it can store top songs only once rather than once for every user library that contains the song like Google). Apple could announce a product as early as WWDC or at a more traditional music event, like the one Apple usually introduces iPods at in the Fall.

Bloomberg also noted that Apple would need to reach agreements with music publishers, which control different rights than the labels.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Facial recognition unlock for iPhone released in Cydia

It’s only for jailbroken devices with a front-camera. The $7 RecognizeMe by Apocolipse unlocks your phone by matching pre-recorded images of your face against the front camera feed. Simply holding the device in front of your face for a couple of seconds should automagically unlock it. Check out a cool video demonstration below…

Granted, the RecognizeMe tweak is not a suitable replacement for the iOS passcode lock feature, Engadget has found out. Their feeling is that the program works as advertised, albeit with a lot of room for improvements in performance and facial recognition departments. You can set verification threshold in settings and use Face Trainer to improve accuracy. There are literally dozens and dozens head-turning tweaks for jailbroken iPhones but RecognizeMe is without any doubt one of the more original we’ve seen.





*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Apple Store 2.0 revealed: Startup Sessions, interactive iPad signage, new sound/display systems, new app?

A source has just dropped a load of unconfirmed information on us for what is being internally referred to as “Apple Store 2.0.” Apple Store 2.0 is a major makeover for the Apple retail store experience. Apple has been working on this new type of Apple store for a while now and the development’s ceiling does not only reach Apple’s Senior VP of Retail Ron Johnson, but was led by Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Apple design chief Jony Ive.

Like we reported before, Apple is taking their personal setup service very seriously. Even more so in Apple Store 2.0. Personal Setup will have new dedicated areas in stores called “Startup Sessions.” The new bars are said to be even more interactive. Another major change at Apple Stores has to do with their signage. Today, next to each Mac and many products are paper signs. With Apple Store 2.0, those signs will be replaced with interactive iPads.

Next, these new Apple Stores – at least in some locations – will feature beefed up displays, which are described as “huge,” in addition to brand-new sound systems. Besides those in-store changes, Apple is set to release a brand-new Apple Store iOS application – possibly on Sunday – that is even more interactive. For example, a user with the app can walk into the store and the app will know which location the user is at. The app can even ask the user if they’d like to speak to a specialist, for example.

Update: Additional sources have let us know that stores have received some boxes today that are only to be opened by the store’s visual manager. The sources speculate that these boxes are for new store or window displays. Other sources have said that Apple will be doing some more employee training on iPads.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

OmniVision unveils 1080p camera sensor that could make Apple’s gadgets thinner

OmniVision Technologies, Apple’s prime supplier of CMOS sensors for iOS gear, has outed a new image sensor today. The OV5690 module has a slimmer profile, a valuable treat for tiny gadgets where space is at premium. The OV5690 isn’t just a five-megapixel camera in a smaller package. According to OmniVision, the module touts improved image quality with full HD 1080p video capture at thirty frames per second. Both features make the OV5690 a prime candidate for next-gen iOS devices…

The new camera module is a natural fit for a fifth-generation iPod touch and iPad 3. Due to space constraints and cost savings reasons, back cameras on iPods and iPads are crapped at 960-by-720 pixel resolution stills. This equals to just 0.7-megapixel photos, a far cry from iPhone 4′s five-megapixel stills. Provided space allows it, Apple could incorporate the OV5690 module inside next-gen iPod and iPad, upgrading those devices to a five-megapixel photo capture and 1080p video recording, which could be huge in and of itself.

iPhone 5 is less likely considering the latest rumors calling for an eight-megapixel camera on the fifth-gen handset. An alternative route: Fit iPhone with OmniVision’s ten-megapixel camera sensor that shoots native 1080p video in 16:9 format and use the OV5690 to power new iPods and iPads, as MacStories suggested. Knowing Apple, however, that would be too great an upgrade for a single generational shift.
*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Parallels Transporter makes its 99-cent Mac App Store debut (a $39 saving)

What’s your switching strategy? Most folks believe they’ve got it all figured out until they realize that transferring settings and documents from a rusty PC to a Mac is a mind job. Parallels, the company that brought you great PC virtualization software for the Mac, has just released on the Mac App Store Parallels Transporter, their handy tool aimed at switchers. It’s a no-brainer, especially at price that low. More information below the fold.




This tool brings everything from your PC on your Mac in one fell swoop. The procedure involves running free Parallels Transporter Agent on your PC that collects your music, pictures, browser bookmarks, documents and other items and beams them over your wireless network (or saves to an external storage) over to the Parallels Transporter program running on your Mac. Everything is recreated in appropriate locations on your Mac, including Windows programs and their supporting files which are moved into a virtual machine on your Mac. Parallels Transporter costs just 99 cents for a limited time, a huge saving compared to its standard retail price of forty bucks.



*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

“iPhone 5″ case pulled from online trading site – is it real?

Please let's not forget about the iPod touch 3 cases that had a cutout for the camera as seen above...^^^


From 9to5mac


The purported iPhone 5 case that gained popularity over the last few days has been removed from trading site Alibaba. The case obviously brought a large amount of attention to its manufacter so we don’t think the case was removed by choice. Prior to the iPad 2′s official announcement in March, many iPad 2 cases found on Alibaba revealed key features like its thinner design and FaceTime video cameras.

Those iPad 2 cases ended up being removed from Alibaba with the help of Apple’s legal team. We’re not going to say for sure that Apple was behind the removal of the above iPhone 5 case, but it makes sense. Adding evidence to the legitimacy of this iPhone 5 case are purported iPhone 5 camera parts. These camera parts demonstrate a relocated LED camera flash, which is also noted on the above iPhone 5 case sample image.

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

Lodsys, We’re not patent trolls, here’s why we’re entitled to royalties over in-app purchasing

You may have heard that an unknown company called Lodsys was threatening to sue small iOS developers over the use of in-app purchasing, a system-wide iOS mechanism that lets users buy additional content inside apps, using their standard iTunes credentials. This being an Apple-designed feature, a lot of folks were left scratching their head when Lodsys announced last Friday plans to take developers to court should they refuse to pay royalties.

Following a storm of criticism by many online media outlets and bloggers who said the company was acting like a patent troll, Lodsys put out a blog post. No, they’re not patent trolls and yes, they’re just trying to “get value for the assets that it owns”. Right. In a series of Q&A posts Lodsys detailed this issue. They’re entitled to claim 0.575 percent of US revenue made from in-app purchases, so says Lodsys. On annual sales of one million dollars this amounts to $5,750 a year in license costs. But wait, there’s more of that nonsense.




They apparently have licensing agreements with Apple, Microsoft and Google, but those do not extend to third-party software offered on mobile bazaars. Therefore, Lodsys is collecting royalties from independent iOS developers themselves. Furthermore, Lodsys hinted, they might ask the same from Android and Windows Phone developers. Something tells me the company is deliberately pressuring small iOS developers in an attempt to push Apple into signing an extended licensing agreement, but Lodsys says that’s not the case. Going head-to-head with Apple’s legal sharks isn’t the wisest choice, in my personal opinion. I guess Lodsys didn’t get the memo.

*thanks 9to5Mac*

If Apple doesn't fix this mess (since they are responsible for forcing in app purchases on developers) all developers should join in a suit against Apple and if not then we might see more small developers shut down similar to iFlowReader. If Apples 30% of in app purchases wasn't enough this new royalty will defiantly make iOS (at least for now) a less attractive platform for developers..


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- Posted using my iPhone 4

iPhone 5 front and rear-facing camera parts appear, point to relocated camera flash?

Just off the heels of rumors pointing to Apple repositioning the iPhone LED flash to the top-right side of the next-generation iPhone, purported iPhone 5 camera parts have appeared online. The above image shows the iPhone 5′s front-facing camera sensor in addition to the rear-camera sensor. The front-facing camera piece is re-designed, but we can’t tell any technical details, but the juicy information comes from the rear-facing camera…


The back camera sensor also appears to have a re-design but is lacking two critical elements from the iPhone 4′s piece: the LED camera flash and the piece that blocks camera/flash interference. This works perfectly with the apparent fifth-generation iPhone case leak from today – and it seems possible that Apple is actually relocating the iPhone’s camera flash for their next iPhone. The image comes to us from the typically well-sourced Apple.pro. Thanks Weito.
*thanks 9to5Mac*

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- Posted using my iPhone 4

What an iPhone with a relocated LED flash looks like

A purported fifth-generation iPhone case emerged last night with an iPhone 4-shape fit and a relocated LED camera flash. The flash hole is located on the top-right side of the iPhone’s back, and Apple might be doing this to mend iPhone 4 camera flash issues, which a small percentage of users have been experiencing. Now, we have a conveniently timed tip from Tobi in Germany who sends in an image of a “prototype next-generation” iPhone (aka Photoshopped iPhone 4) that demonstrates what a repositioned LED flash would like on an iPhone.

Update: A commenter below thinks this might be real. He’s done an inversion and changed the levels to find nothing to indicate photoshopping.



*thanks 9to5Mac*

We would rather see the apple logo used as an led flash, it would light up similar to a macbook to let you know your camera is on and ready to tale a picture and three super bright LEDs light up to produce a light bright enough to take a 8mp picture. We mentioned 3 LEDs because we would like the apple logo to be the same as the one on the MacBook (a somewhat transparent white apple logo and when the 3 LEDs light up it's perfect for taking pictures..


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- Posted using my iPhone 4