Foursaken Media's Heroes and Castles has been updated yet again, with lots of new content to play. The game, which allows you to level up a hero by defending a town and its various resources against an army of invading minions, has been popular for Foursaken already, and the team told me during GDC that they were planning on adding plenty of extras to the game this year. They've reached version 3.0 now, and the latest update adds three new heroes: an Assassin, a Barbarian, and a Druid, each with their own abilities and weapons. There's also a brand new campaign for the game that must be unlocked to play, with new maps to fight over, and new allied units to join you in battle. You can upgrade buildings and units even further, the graphics now boast real-time shadows, and the game's performance has been upgraded overall. Finally, there are new achievements to earn in the game, which the best players can go after for Game Center glory. That's a sizable update that adds even more value to this excellent $1.99 game. Heroes and Castles can be downloaded right now. [via Touch Arcade]Heroes and Castles updated to version 3.0 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Facebook today updated its iOS app to version 6.1. Overall, the update is rather minor but it does add some welcome enhancements to the way photos are handled within the app. Under the previous version of the Facebook app, users were only able to comment, like or tag a photo. With the new update, however, users can now make a photo their profile picture with a single tap. Even more exciting is that users can now share photos they stumble across on their own timeline or on the timeline of friends. Other additions to the update include improved places editing when checking in on the iPhone and faster loading of events. Here's a quick run through. Here's how photos showed up in the previous version of Facebook. Not much you can do here, aside from like, comment or tag. But with Facebook 6.1 up and running, here's how photos now appear. When you select the three dots above, the following screen appears. Finally! More photo options. From here, users can share photos from their iOS device as easily as they can on the desktop.Facebook for iOS updated with enhanced photo options originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The next entry in our seemingly endless parade of new iPad keyboard cases is the Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad (US$129.99). This case, which works with the second- through fourth-generation iPads, has some new features that make it attractive as a full-time companion for your tablet. Design Like the the recently-reviewed iPad Keyboard Folios from Logitech, the Ultimate Keyboard Case is designed for full-time use on your iPad, protecting the back of the device while providing a flip-out keyboard for easy data entry. The keyboard in this case is backed with a nicely-designed aluminum shell, and uses black keys with white lettering. The iPad cover is kind of an odd affair -- it's made of what feels like hard polyurethane around the sides, but the "hinge" that connects it to the keyboard and allows the iPad to be placed into three different positions is made of a much thinner flexible plastic with a faux leather look. That thin plastic makes it possible for this keyboard to be only 6.4 mm thick. That's pretty incredible, beating the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover at 9.96 mm. There are generous openings around the camera, switches and ports, and a nice touch for those who want to be able to hear sound from their iPad while typing -- a small channel for directing sound from the speaker to the ears of the typist. Like the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, the Ultimate Keyboard Case automatically senses when the iPad is flipped into typing position and turns on the keyboard. When the iPad is moved to a "tablet" position or closed, the keyboard turns off. This helps the battery run for up to 160 hours between charges and stay viable for up to 1,900 hours (6 months) in standby mode. It uses a USB to microUSB cable for charging. As mentioned earlier, the iPad can be magnetically "locked" into three different positions (all in landscape mode) for typing, so getting the screen adjusted to resolve a reflection is a piece of cake. Functionality Weight-wise, the Ultimate Keyboard Case tops the scales at 14.7 ounces. That means the iPad/case combo is almost exactly the same weight as an 11" MacBook Air -- 2.39 pounds versus 2.38 pounds. That's quite a bit lighter than the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio (2.69 pounds) and the needs-to-go-on-a-diet Logitech Keyboard Folio for iPad (2.82 pounds). If the amount of weight you lug around is important to you, the Ultimate Keyboard Case might make your day. When using the Ultimate Keyboard Case on a table or desktop, I found it to work just fine. The keys seem to be spaced almost identically to the ones on my Apple Wireless Keyboard, and unlike the keys on the Logitech keyboard folios they are much more standard. In other words, I don't need to type a fn-Q to hit the tab key, nor does going into Caps Lock require a fn-A. Using the Ultimate Keyboard Case in my lap was a different matter. I found that even the slightest jar made the iPad flop down into my lap. The magnets that hold the iPad in place just don't seem to be as strong as those on the Logitech cases. That, coupled with the rather flimsy plastic "hinge", seems to be a strong warning to users to keep this thing on a table or desk. One feature I did like a lot was the addition of three keys to the bottom row -- a microphone key for use with Siri dictation on the iPad, an @ key next to the space bar (perfect for typing internet URLs), and a key to change to an alternative virtual keyboard like the popular Emoji keyboard. I was very impressed with the SoundFlow design of the iPad holder. At the same volume level, the perceived volume was noticeably louder with the case installed than when it was off. That's a real plus if you like listening to music while working on your iPad. Conclusion While the support of the Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case seems a bit wobbly for laptop use, this is a strong competitor to Logitech's recent product launches. The slightly lower price tag, ability to prop the screen in three different positions, SoundFlow design and keyboard layout are all points in favor of Belkin's latest keyboard folio. Pros Lighter than the Logitech Keyboard Folios recently reviewed by TUAW Ultrathin; it's hard to believe it's a keyboard case Excellent feel to the keyboard, with no function key required to use tab or caps lock functions Helpful keys for Siri dictation and changing keyboards Less expensive than the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio Can be "locked" into any one of three positions while typing Auto on/off feature works very well Cons Thin plastic prop on the back of the iPad case doesn't work well when using the case in a lap Does not offer as much protection as the Logitech folios we recently reviewed Who is it for? Anyone who wants a fairly lightweight iPad keyboard folio case with good keyboard feel, automatic on/off features and a standard keyboard layout. Giveaway We're giving away our review Ultimate Keyboard Case to a lucky TUAW reader. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before May 17, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad valued at $129.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...Belkin Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad: Review and giveaway originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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While the Origin Stories series has typically focused on products, in the coming weeks we're going to focus a bit more on the people and personalities behind the products. In this episode I spoke to Saul Mora of Magical Panda during the MacTech Conference in 2012 to learn about how he got started in iOS development. Origin Stories: Saul Mora, developer originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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GungHo Entertainment is a game publisher based in Japan, and the company has just released some really wild financial numbers. According to the latest numbers, GungHo made $118 million this past April alone, most of it from one game: Puzzle and Dragons, currently available on iOS. Puzzle and Dragons is pulling in so much money (from audiences in both Japan and around the world) that GungHo says it's making $3.75 million a day. In Japan alone, Puzzle and Dragons is claiming 13 million players -- which is over 10% of the population there. That is a phenomenal success story, and it gives GungHo a higher market cap than even the legendary game publisher Nintendo. As a result, the company's stock has skyrocketed, and it's even challenging current megapublisher Activision Blizzard for market cap. I liked Puzzle and Dragons, but I think this is a game more targeted at Japan and its vast audience of mid- to hardcore gamers. In addition to the addictive puzzle and pet-leveling gameplay, Puzzle and Dragons is also very well structured to keep in-app purchases high, which goes a long way towards explaining how this game has gotten so big so quickly. GungHo's definitely seen some success in North America, as the app has made a few appearances on the top grossing list. But as far as I know, the success in Japan has been much more incredible.GungHo reports Puzzle and Dragons is earning $3.75 million a day originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The wait is over. Random Access Memories, Daft Punk's first proper album* since 2005's Human After All, is now streaming in its entirety over at iTunes. It features guest spots and contributions from Chilly Gonzales, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell Williams, Julian Casablancas, and others. While the album doesn't officially hit stores until May 21, its leak earlier today most likely brought about this early stream. Head over to iTunes to stream the album in one glorious 74-minute track. Don't worry, that's just the format of the stream. If you're not sold on Daft Punk or have been living presumably dance-free under a rock for a few years, we've included their delightful tune "Get Lucky" featuring Pharrell Williams for your listening pleasure below. *Yes, they did the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy. No we don't count that as a proper album.New Daft Punk album Random Access Memories streaming on iTunes originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We were just talking about how Amazon is competing with Apple and other cloud services by offering 5 GB of storage for free. Now, that turns out to be old news, because today Google announced that free storage spanning several Google services like Gmail, Google+ and Google Drive is now going to come in the extra large economy size -- a whopping 15 GB. Google says the changes will be rolling out over the next several weeks to all customers. All that space is shared, so if you are just using Google Drive Photo (for example), that 15 GB is shared with any other Google services that require storage. Still, 15 GB is a very competitive number since Apple and Amazon give you 5 GB with iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive respectively, and Dropbox provides a measly 2 GB free. A similar service from MediaFire offers 10 GB of free storage, but the free tier includes ads. All the services allow you to get more storage for an additional fee. It will be interesting to see if Apple and other services respond to Google's challenge or stand pat. With this move, Google has unified its storage system, a similar concept to the Apple pool of iCloud storage, although at this point Apple does not count image storage in Photo Stream against your 5 GB allotment. Google has a free iOS app so you can access this storage space, and it can also be managed through a web browser on any computer.Google Drive triples free storage to 15 GB originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSSDaily Update for May 13, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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We've seen beer-pouring robots before, but MIT has recently put together a smartphone-controlled robot bartender, with three robot arms that can pour and mix up to 100 different alcoholic and non-alcoholic flavors. The Makr Shakr lets you order up a drink directly from your iPhone, and then it will make the drink and deliver it to you as requested. The robot will be officially unveiled later this week at Google's I/O conference, and for now it's just an interesting robotics project, so it's unlikely you'll see your own robot bartender in a local watering hole any time soon (plus, who would you flirt with if there was a robot pouring you drinks?). But this is a fascinating idea -- it would save bars time and money to have a robot behind the counter, and the fact that nearly everyone has a iPhone in their pocket these days means there's an easily accessible interface ready to go. You can order your drink at Starbucks from your iPhone, so why not order up a drink at a bar, from a robot or anyone else?MIT makes a smartphone-controlled bartender originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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One of the most common frustrations among mobile phone owners is the feeling that you're paying way too much for services you're not using. Being locked in a contract that doesn't fit your needs just because it's all that offered is the pits. Zact, a new service from the Verizon-backed software company ItsOn, is looking to change that. Zact provides a flexible, changeable, data plan that empowers users to only pay for the services they actually use. Along with customization of how many minutes and texts you pay for each month, users are offered an unprecedented amount of flexibility for data plans, down to forgoing traditional plans and just buying app-specific data. In addition the service credits back any money you paid for a plan that was bigger than you ended up needing. Families can connect an unlimited number of devices to a single plan. The service also including powerful parental controls, including curfews on service, app lock outs, and even contact restrictions. Check out the video below for a good overview of how the system works. As of right now, the service is only available to preorder bundled with the LG Viper 4G LTW and LG Optimus Elite via Sprint. Despite the company's Verizon connections the service will only be available on Sprint's 4G network. As of right now there are no official plans to bring the service to iOS devices, but given the market share enjoyed by Apple users it's reasonable to assume we will get access to it at some point. However, no matter what you might read anywhere else, there are no official plans at the moment. While the service is not currently coming to Apple products, its potential to change the landscape of mobile pricing in the future means it effects us all. Hopefully for the better.Zact rolls out no-contract data plans on Sprint for certain Android phones originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The launch of the iPhone 5 on the T-Mobile USA network last month was greeted with a lot of fanfare and a new pricing structure -- customers could pick up a 16 GB iPhone 5 with a $99.99 down payment and then make 24 payments of $20 to purchase the phone outright. TmoNews reports that the down payment on all iPhone 5 models has been bumped up to $149.99, which raises the cost of the unlocked phone to $630. That's not all that much less than the price of an unlocked iPhone 5 from Apple -- $650. Of course, there's no monthly payment option if you buy direct from Apple. Customers wanting to reduce the down payment on that T-Mo iPhone 5 should remember that the carrier does take trade-ins of current iPhones. T-Mobile is seeing the benefits of the iPhone already, having sold more than a half-million devices in the first month after launching the device.T-Mobile raises iPhone down payment amount originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Triple Town is one of my favorite games on iOS over the past few years -- it's a puzzle game with a simple ruleset and a whole lot of complexity. The creators of that game, called Spry Fox, have announced a new title in development called Road Not Taken, and you can now see some concept art from it over on the official blog. The game is sort of a roguelike, according to the developers, and as you can see above, it has some similarities to the grid-based Triple Town. But instead of building up a world, it's more about finding a path through the world, and avoiding or confronting various dangers on the way. As you can tell from the title, which refers to the famous Robert Frost poem, the game will offer various paths, and it seems like most of the strategy will come from choosing your own way. Sounds interesting. Road Not Taken isn't coming too soon -- Spry Fox says it probably won't be ready until the end of the year. But we'll hope to see it on the App Store when it finally is ready to go.Road Not Taken is coming soon from Triple Town's creators originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Sometimes all it takes is a moment of time and an open mind to change your opinion of someone. In a recent column at Forbes, Drew Hansen, a management expert specializing in hyper-growth startups, writes about Steve Jobs and how The Lost Interview movie changed his view on the Apple co-founder. Hansen says he ignored Steve Jobs' advice on building a company and cautioned entrepreneurs not to model themselves after the Apple founder. This attitude changed after Hansen watched the Lost Interview and realized he and Jobs share many of the same thoughts on building successful teams within a company. Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview is a 70-minute conversation between Steve Jobs and Robert Cringely that was held in 1995. It was recently turned into a movie and hit theaters late last year. In this talk, Jobs highlights several things he did that made Apple successful. Among other things, Jobs talks about the need to hire A-level talent and put them together on teams. These talented individuals may bump into each other along they way, but that is part of the process of building great products. You can read more about this insight and others in the Hansen article on Forbes' website.Steve Jobs interview wins a former nay-sayer's respect originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Smartphone thefts are running rampant -- especially in New York City -- so much that the practice of grabbing the expensive phones is being referred to as "Apple picking." Bloomberg announced yesterday that New York State attorney general Eric T. Schneiderman has sent letters to executives at Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung asking for information and cooperation on measures to diminish theft. In his letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Schneiderman said "I seek to understand why companies that can develop sophisticated handheld electronics, such as the products manufactured by Apple, cannot also create technology to render stolen devices inoperable and thereby eliminate the expanding black market on which they are sold." Schneiderman has concerns that the manufacturers have benefited from sales of replacement devices. In his letter to Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, he chided the search engine company by saying "Foreign trafficking of stolen devices has proliferated, and an abundance of domestic black market resellers, including right here in New York, means as a practical matter that phones do not, contrary to your website's assertion, become unusable." It's not as if the industry is just sitting back and watching this go on, contrary to Schneiderman's assertions. Apple has been working closely with the New York Police Department to track down stolen devices, and the entire wireless industry is cooperating with the Federal Communications Commission to form a central database of stolen devices to prevent them from being reused. That database, which Engadget notes is up and running, should allow for individual devices to be rendered unusable by carriers after being reported as stolen.NY State attorney general asks smartphone manufacturers to help combat theft originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Speaking at an Interop keynote last week, Paypal chief information security officer Michael Barrett hinted that PINs and passwords may be going away when it comes to account security on smartphones. According to a post on CIO's website, Barrett serves as the president of the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Alliance, an industry group looking for ways to replace the 52-year-old password technology with stronger authentication methods. FIDO combines hardware, software and Internet services to provide that higher level of authentication. That hardware can include a fingerprint scanner, a voice reader or something else. Barrett noted in his keynote that FIDO-enabled devices should begin appearing later this year, and he'd love to see Apple and other smartphone manufacturers leading the way to making FIDO mainstream: "It's widely rumored that a large technology provider in Cupertino, Calif., will come out with a phone later this year that has a fingerprint reader on it," he said. "There is going to be a fingerprint enabled phone on the market later this year. Not just one, multiple." Apple, of course, bought fingerprint security firm AuthenTec last year. Whether or not the company plans to incorporate AuthenTec's technology in a phone debuting this year is pure conjecture at this point, but comments by Barrett and other information security executives seem to indicate that FIDO technology will be part of standard smartphone gear sooner than we expect. [via MacRumors] Paypal security chief wants more fingerprints, fewer passwords in future iPhones originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Reuters reports that France, in an effort to generate money to help fund cultural initiatives, is considering implementing a special tax on smartphones and tablets. The proposal falls under France's "cultural exception" policy, enacted to ensure that the arts in France can continue to thrive in the face of competition and other market forces. As it stands now, TV and radio broadcasters, along with Internet service providers, are already subject to a tax to promote the arts in France. A report commissioned by the French government, however, points out that a tax on hardware manufacturers like Apple and Amazon would be even more helpful given that folks are now spending more on hardware than they are on content. "Companies that make these tablets must, in a minor way, be made to contribute part of the revenue from their sales to help creators," Culture Minister Aurelie Filipetti told journalists. French President Francois Hollande will reportedly decide by the end of July whether or not the proposed tax will go into effect. If Hollande gives it the green light, the plan, which Filipetti describes as "minimal", will be submitted as part of the budget in November. Lastly, the Associated Press notes that the proposed tax plan would yield the French government about 86 million euros per year, or approximately $111 million. France mulls 'culture tax' on devices like the iPhone originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Since the release of the first iPhone in 2007, there's one feature that has been steadily improving -- the built-in camera. Lisa Bettany of Camera+ fame provides a visual comparison of the quality of the iPhone camera over the generations in six sets of images covering the range from the original iPhone to the iPhone 5. As Bettany points out, "It's clear from the detail shots that the iPhone 5 produces sharper photos with more accurate white balance, contrast, and saturation." She took photos in three different situations -- a well lit macro setting to test detail and quality, a skyline shot to test sharpness and saturation, and a candle list low light macro photo to test noise. The results are amazing. I was surprised by how much of a jump in quality the camera received in the iPhone 3GS from the previous two generations, and how the iPhone 5 camera seems to have resolved some discrepancies in white balance that existed with the iPhone 4 and 4S. I can't wait to see what the next-generation iPhone will provide for iPhoneographers. [via Ultralinx]iPhone camera evolution over the years captured by Camera+ originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Over the past few years, 4G LTE wireless networks that can handle download and upload speeds of up to 75 megabits per second (Mbps) have become increasingly more commonplace. Still, it takes a long time to download movies, and streaming video can be a challenge on today's handsets. Yonhap News reported yesterday that Apple's arch-rival Samsung has achieved success in the lab with 5G speeds in the range of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), and expects that the technology could eventually provide speeds in the tens of gigabits per second. With wireless data speeds in that range, a full HD movie could be downloaded in seconds. Samsung used 64 antenna elements and operated in the 28 GHz frequency band to accomplish the fast feat, and the technology could be commercially viable by 2020 -- a scant seven years away. Both China and the European Commission want to have 5G technology in place by 2020, so the research being done today points to a very speedy future. Samsung isn't the only company that has played with 5G technology. In February, Japan's NTT DoCoMo announced that it had successfully tested 10 Gbps cellular data speeds last year using an 11 GHz frequency band. The technological advances show that the higher data rates are entirely achievable; now it's up to consumers to help carriers pay for the 4G networks that are still rolling out to make the 5G networks viable in the future. [via AppleInsider]A glimpse of the future: 5G wireless technology in the labs now originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Groupon has launched a new iPad app called Groupon POS (perhaps not the best name) in an attempt to enter the iPad mobile payments arena and take on current leader Square. As of the time of this writing, Groupon has not made an official anouncement, but the app is now live in the App Store. Here are the deets from the app's description: A beautiful and simple way to manage your business and accept payments at the lowest rates available today. Set up your offerings in seconds, quickly check out customers and view real-time analytics. Start running your business more effectively. Groupon POS works also works with an optional cash drawer and printer to automate and simplify your point of sale. Groupon POS works for a wide variety of merchants from cafes and delis, to salons, spas and florists. 9to5Mac points out that Groupon POS appears to be a scaled-down version of the Breadcrumb POS app Groupon acquired last year. Groupon already offers another mobile payments app called Groupon Merchants for the iPhone.Groupon launches mobile payments iPad app to challenge Square originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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When my iPad 3 was acting funny -- and by that I mean a sleep/wake button that would only work on every third press -- I made an appointment at the Genius Bar at my local Apple Store. Fifteen minutes later I walked out with a brand new replacement iPad. Many readers who have owned a faulty iPhone, iPod, or iPad will have had experiences similar to my own: broken iDevice, go to Apple store, get new one. But now that's all set to change. According to reports from AppleInsider, Apple vice president Tara Bunch announced to employees last week that AppleCare will be changing in the US, with international markets to follow. Soon iDevices with faulty hardware won't necessarily be replaced with new units. The roll and capabilities of Geniuses in Apple stores will soon be expanded to allow them to fix the faulty parts, instead of having to issue completely new hardware. As AppleInisder explains: Currently, Apple Stores have the tools to replace speakers, receivers, home buttons, the vibrator motor and battery. Come June, capabilities will be expanded to display replacement, and by July cameras, sleep/wake buttons and logic boards will be dealt with in-store. In addition, employees will have access to advanced diagnostics tools that can remotely assess hardware issues and relay the data directly to technicians, allowing for quicker turnaround times. The move is expected to save Apple a whopping US$1 billion a year in replacement costs. As to how the move will affect customers' perception of AppleCare remains to be seen. AI also reported on other potential changes to AppleCare, including a switch from per-device coverage to per-user coverage. Under the new model, all of a user's devices would be covered under an AppleCare subscription-based model. Revamped AppleCare means changes for Genius Bar employees originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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I use my iPhone 5 so much throughout the day that its battery is often nearly drained by 4:00 PM. That's why I'm constantly carrying around and trying out new external battery packs to keep my iPhone charged. The latest battery pack I've tried is the Phonesuit Flex Pocket Charger. I've reviewed Phonesuit's products in the past (and the one I reviewed is now my external battery pack of choice), so I was excited to try out their new Lightning connector battery pack. The Phonesuit Flex Pocket Charger is slightly thicker and longer than 2AA batteries in size, to give you an idea about how big it is. It fits easily into a jeans pocket but it's just a bit wider than my iPhone 5. When plugged into the phone, the Flex overruns the length of it on either end. Still, just given how small the Flex Pocket is in the first place, the fact that it's just slightly wider than the iPhone 5 can be forgiven -- especially considering when my iPhone is running out of battery, the last thing I care about is how good my battery pack looks. Inside the Flex Pocket you'll find a 2600 mAh battery that gives you iPhone an extra 125% charge. Externally, the Flex Pocket offers a built-in Lightning port and plugs directly into you iPhone 5. There are no cables to attach. When you plug the Flex Pocket into your iPhone, tap the electrostatic power button on the side to turn it on. To recharge your Flex Pocket, simply connect it to any computer via the included USB cable. The Phonesuit Flex Pocket Charger is US$69 in a choice of colors: metallic red, blue or black. It works on the iPhone 5, the 5th generation iPod touch, and the 7th generation iPod nano.Review: Phonesuit's Flex Pocket Lightning Charger originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Last night Bill Gates was interviewed by Charlie Rose on 60 Minitues. Though the interview covered a many subjects, it inevitably turned to Bill's relationship with Steve Jobs. In the part of the interviewed that aired, Gates understandibly teared up when he talked about the last time he saw Jobs, at his home in May of 2011. When Rose asked Gates what they talked about, Gates replied, "...what we'd learned, families... anything." Gates also elaborated on their relationship over the years in unaired footage of the interview that is available to watch online.Bill Gates talks about the last time he saw Steve Jobs originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Several of this week's rumors strongly suggest that a main fixture in any analyst's office is a dartboard with months listed on it instead of numbers. "Apple will launch its next iPhone in..." *throws dart* "...September. Of course! Quickly, Robin: to the B.S.mobile!" Analyst: Apple to release Retina display iPad mini models in Q3 and early 2014 [u] (AppleInsider) Some analyst makes claims about upcoming Apple product launches. He offers precisely zero proof. The rumor blogs breathlessly "report" his musings anyway. Stop me if any of this is sounding depressingly familiar. As its shares rebound, Apple seen as ready to 'change the narrative' (AppleInsider) One analyst has broken away from the "Apple is DOOMED" crowd and instead expects the company to recover some stock value on the strength of new product announcements. I would agree with him if Apple's stock price were in any way logically connected to the reality of the company's financial performance... but that hasn't been true for a long time. When it comes to Apple's share price, the inmates are running the asylum, and they have been since late last year. Foxconn looks to lessen reliance on iPhone, positions for potential Apple television (AppleInsider) It turns out Foxconn makes products for companies other than Apple, and it's interested in continuing to do so in the future. Who could ever have guessed? Meanwhile, Foxconn's interest in televisions obviously points to a future Apple HDTV, because it's not like Foxconn makes products for companies other than Apple. Wait, I'm confused. Is Foxconn diversifying away from Apple's existing products or doubling down on Apple products that don't exist yet and may never see the light of day? Well, no matter which way it goes down it doesn't matter, because Apple is obviously DOOMED either way. Mass Production of Retina Displays for iPad Mini Expected to Start in June or July (MacRumors) Or August, or September, or October, or... Sharp to reportedly start 'iPhone 5S' LCD production in June (AppleInsider) Or July, or August, or September, or... Morgan Stanley: Apple on track to build multiple new iPhone models in June-July (AppleInsider) Or August, or September, or October, or... Surge in Apple's iOS 7 Usage Revealed in Web Traffic Stats (MacRumors) BREAKING: Widely-expected Apple operating system shows up in web traffic logs shortly before its debut at WWDC [note to editor: change article's dates from 2012 to 2013] Rumors of low-cost iPhone rekindled as Pegatron said to hire additional 40K workers (AppleInsider) Like Foxconn, electronics manufacturer Pegatron apparently doesn't make devices for anyone except Apple, and the only possible explanation for Pegatron hiring more workers is that it somehow relates to manufacturing unreleased and long-rumored Apple products. Purported next-gen iPhone motherboard part may reveal tweaked camera design (AppleInsider) Remember when Tim Cook said Apple was "doubling down on secrecy," and we all laughed at him? Yet this story is typical of what parts leaks have looked like in 2013: very minor parts divorced from the overall device context and forcing rumor blogs to get all CSI on them. "Zoom. Enhance. Enhance. There. You see? The slightly different shape of the pin connectors suggests -- hey, are you falling asleep? Wake up!" Pegatron CEO says Bloomberg reporter made up report of 'falling iPad mini demand' (9to5 Mac) I for one am absolutely shocked that Bloomberg would misrepresent information in an attempt to gin up some more "Apple is DOOMED" nonsense. That's just not like them at all. /sarcasm This seems like a good time to remind everyone that you can't spell "controversy" without "con." New Nexus 7 to be highlight of Google I/O as 'iPad mini 2' faces delay, analyst says (AppleInsider) Some analyst claims Google's new tablet is positioned to take advantage of the new-model iPad mini's "delay." Let's make one thing clear, "analysts": an unannounced product cannot, by definition, be "delayed." Just because the product wasn't announced by your first out-of-thin-air, B.S. guesstimate date doesn't mean it's been "delayed." It means Apple releases products according to its own internal scheduling, not according to whatever you throw into your "note to investors" after chugging the water in your Magic 8 Ball. Big changes coming to AppleCare this fall: warranty subscriptions, in-store iOS device repairs, more (AppleInsider) Honestly, it's so refreshing to see a rumor with a source other than some so-called "analyst" that I'm prepared to believe this story whether it turns out to be true or not.Rumor Roundup: Delayed until whenever originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Ahead of ABC's spring upfront this coming Tuesday, May 14 ("upfronts" are the glitzy network presentations to get advertisers revved up about the coming season's programming), the New York Times' Brian Stelter found a scoop that has more to do with how we watch TV than which programs we watch. Disney's ABC network plans to revise its iPad/iPhone app lineup by Tuesday to include free live streaming of ABC channels for viewers in two Northeast cities. The live streaming feature, which will appear as a "live" button in a new Watch ABC app (akin to ABC-owned ESPN's Watch ESPN app) set to replace the the existing ABC Player app, will be available to customers in New York and Philadelphia who can verify that they have access to ABC via a cable or satellite subscription. GigaOm says that the service's requirement for pay TV subscription will kick in after a six-week introductory period, where it will be open to all comers. According to that post, the ABC live encoding will be powered by the same upLynk hybrid local/cloud streaming technology that's currently at work behind the company's Watch Disney app. Stelter notes that ABC's programming currently appearing on ABC.com and Hulu Plus may be curtailed in the future, with longer delays before free-to-stream episodes appear; the most current content would be reserved for pay TV subscribers. This would undoubtedly drive cord-cutters somewhat batty. The streaming feature will be iOS-only for now, and limited to those two markets (where the affiliate stations are owned by the parent company) while the network negotiates with affiliates in other cities. The first affiliate deal, with Hearst Television, will soon add live streaming to 13 additional cities like Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Honolulu. Having NYC be one of the first launch markets means that ABC must be rooting for the New York Knicks (currently down 2-1 in a playoff series with Indiana) to go deep into the NBA playoffs, which the network is carrying this year. This isn't the first device-centric live television play, by any means. Most US cable, satellite and fiber providers offer some flavor of live channel streaming, with varying marquee features and limitations. Some, like Time Warner Cable and Xfinity, restrict all-you-can-stream access to the subscriber's home WiFi network and offer a more limited channel lineup on the move. Verizon's FiOS app streams plenty of popular pay-TV channels but no network content. In the case of ABC's live channel stream, the branding for the network can move completely out from under the program provider's umbrella; that way, there are fewer distractions to lure eyeballs away from ABC's live and library content. Customers with Dish Anywhere and the sleek Dish Explorer programming discovery app from the satellite TV provider may have the most flexibility: the company's Sling technology actually restreams anything the Dish receiver can show, including live TV on any channel or recorded DVR programming. (Most DVR recordings can even be transferred from the Dish Hopper receiver onto the iPad for later viewing, which would require an EyeTV or other approach with most providers.) But this approach does require plenty of home bandwidth, and can tie up your receiver; ABC's stream doesn't have those drawbacks. If over the air TV is your thing, there are several iPad options out there. EyeTV's EyeTV Mobile adapter, for $99, adds an antenna to your tablet and delivers programming via the Dyle digital broadcast system. The MCV consortium behind Dyle includes NBC, Fox and Telemundo (but not ABC), so those networks are generally represented and available on the system. The legally challenged but still eagerly expanding startup Aereo doesn't share those channel limits; anything an antenna can see in the NYC metro area, Aereo will gladly deliver to your iPad or desktop browser for a monthly $8 fee. Aereo's one-antenna-per-user model is being contested by the networks, but so far they've not been able to put together a compelling legal case to stop the company from providing its service; in fact, it's expanding to Boston this month. In many ways, ABC's move (which the network says was shifted up from a planned 2014 rollout; "We watch how people are behaving with their devices, and we really felt that we needed to move faster," said Disney/ABC Television Group co-chair Anne Sweeney) is of a piece with these other new-world-order programming options. Consumers are getting their television content via all sorts of pathways, and fewer and fewer of them are tied to a traditional primetime lineup at the network's convenience. Even this circumscribed step away from the default delivery of TV, with its leash of a pay subscription, says a lot about ABC's willingness to ride the wave forward rather than fighting to keep a hold on the status quo. [Although the Steven P. Jobs Trust, led by the Apple co-founder's widow Laurene Powell Jobs, owns some 7.7 percent of Disney/ABC's outstanding shares, regulatory filings noted by Bloomberg suggest that the trust has no intention to influence Disney/ABC operations. -Ed.]ABC to add live streaming to iPad app this week, for a few and with a catch originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 12 May 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Tonight's the night for another edition of everybody's favorite live podcast (next to TUAW TV Live, of course), the TUAW Talkcast. As we go live tonight Mother's Day 2013 will be winding down, so we may talk for a minute about Moms and computers. Architect and Apple aficionado Neal Pann should be joining for his perspective on software licenses, and The Mac Observer's Jeff Gamet will be sharing his bacon bread recipe opinion on everything else. Since it's really all about you, the community, do see if you can join us, won't you? To participate live, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for +5 Interactivity, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (Viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!Talkcast tonight, 7pm PT/10pm ET: Moms and computers, Creative Cloud, and more originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 12 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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