Bill Gates helping patent trolls

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Gates has been prolific in filing patent applications over the past few years, mostly through a partnership with friends at Intellectual Ventures (IV). That’s one of the world’s largest patent holding companies, typically described as a patent troll because of its practice of acquiring patents and using them to file lawsuits (notably against Motorola), despite not using the patents to make technology of its own.

It would be funny if the company sued Gates.

Storm Sim

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I’d like to thank Storm Sim for sponsoring this week’s RSS feed on The Loop. Storm Sim is the audio experience of a thunderstorm in your pocket. The app is more than a pre-recorded loop; it dynamically generates storms in real-time so it’s always unique and it never repeats.

It supports nearly infinite customization. Add more lightning, dial back the rain, or include a splash of freight train; get that perfect night’s sleep or just relax after a busy day.

Includes sleep and wake timers, AirPlay, LED Clock, add-on packs, and more. It’s a Universal app for iPhone and iPad that supports iOS 5 or higher.

Jim’s note: I showed this app to my wife and not only did she like it, she said she wished she had when the kids were smaller.

Audio education inside your DAW

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This is very clever. Now if you have a question about changing settings or how to do something, you don’t have to search help, just launch this plug-in and watch a video tutorial from MacProVideo. Of course, you have to be a member to watch, but you can download the plug-in free.

Review: Universal Audio’s ENGL amp plug-ins

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As a guitar player of 25 years, I have quite a bit of analog gear in my studio. Currently I have 23 guitars, eight amps and all kinds of pedals. As a computer nerd, I’ve watched the guitar amp emulation grow to impressive levels over the last decade, but never have I been more impressed with a amp plug-in than I was with the new ENGL amp bundle from Brainworx and Universal Audio.

iOS development in India

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There’s an interesting bit about halfway through talking about Apple’s increased presence in India of late. That’s a potentially huge market for Apple.

Writing better CSS

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Mathew Carella gives some thoughts and examples on writing good CSS.

Victim of beard profiling

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Duck Dynasty star Jase Robertson:

“I asked where the bathroom was and he said, ‘Right this way, sir.’ He was very nice,” Robertson shared on Live With Kelly & Michael. “He walked me outside, pointed down the road and said, ‘Good luck.'”

Stuff like this happens to me as well. It especially pisses me off when it happens in the hotel I’m staying at.

Grammar and spelling mistakes

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Matt Gemmell:

Whatever a person’s excuse might be, it’s difficult to get past the idea that this is someone who has failed to comprehend and internalise the rules of a language they’ve used almost every day of their life. That’s the magnitude of the negative impression being created. It’s like publicly, repeatedly demonstrating that you can’t tell the time, or count – and that you bizarrely don’t see those deficiencies as particularly worrisome or problematic.

I’ll be the first to admit that I make some very stupid mistakes when I write. They are not from lack of understanding and it horrifies me each time it happens. (I took extra time with this post).

Droid Life writer: “Why I use an iPhone”

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Ron Offringa:

Last week in my opinion piece about why I think Android users should consider the Moto X I opened up the article with an admission: I currently use an iPhone 4S and I plan on getting the next iPhone. This wasn’t supposed to be a secret (if you follow me on Twitter then you would have noticed that I use iOS most of the time). On the Droid Life Show I have shown my iPhone and discussed using my iPad. That said, I know that a lot of readers did not know, and more importantly, were surprised or upset to read that I use an iPhone.

Much respect Ron.

CARROT Alarm

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CARROT is a hilariously twisted AI construct who wants nothing more than for you to get out of bed every morning. Her witty spoken dialogue, beautiful songs, and innovative wake-up system will have you starting each day with a smile on your face.

If you have to wake up, it might as well be “hilariously twisted.”

Expenses Planner

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Cool app that helps you plan ahead for upcoming expenses. I like apps like this that do one thing and does it well.

The Loop Magazine: The Future of the Human Interface, Part 2

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In this issue, Rene Ritchie looks at the future of human interface and how iOS 7 has given him a glimpse into the future; Matt Gemmell remembers Dire Straits’ Alchemy Live; Canadian rock star, Ra McGuire from Trooper, talks about his life with the F-Word; Chris Domico is frustrated about how the Internet has turned us into idiots; and Matt Dusenbury analyzes Apple’s “Designed in California” ad campaign.

You can preview all of the articles online or download the app for iPhone and iPad, and subscribe with a seven-day free trial.

The Loop issue 8 v1

Freaky YouTube Easter Egg

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This is just weird. Go to any YouTube video and when it starts playing type:

1980

A missile command game comes up and starts to attack the video. You may have to type it in a few times before it works.

youtube

Defending iOS

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Benedict Evans:

A new, cheaper, high-volume iPhone would have the potential to mitigate or even reverse this trend. Clearly, like current low-end Android, it would sell to a demographic with a lower average engagement and purchase rate and so the average iOS rates would drop. However, it would mean that iOS’s reach would expand significantly at the expense of Android. How would a $200 or $300 iPhone sell? Easily double digit millions, possible up to 50m units a quarter.

Great article.

App Store vs. Google Play revenue

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Headlines blazed across the Internet this week that Google Play revenue grew by 67 percent, while Apple’s App Store only grew by 15 percent during the same time. Something about that seemed odd to me.

iCloud Beta goes iOS 7

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It looks pretty good. I still think Calendar and Contacts look a bit stark, but not as much on the Web site with the subtle color changes.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

Daylite 4.3

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Marketcircle makes some great products for Mac and iOS.

Nexus 7 gets stellar reviews despite faults, jitters, lagging apps

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Reports of “faulty” GPS, “buggy” multitouch, “jittery” scrolling and an ecosystem that “still lags iOS” weren’t enough to stop Google’s latest Nexus 7 from getting a stellar review on par with Apple’s iPad mini.

I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. Now we wait to get it.

“Absolutely evil”

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Larry Ellison talking about Google’s Larry Page:

“We just think they took our stuff, and that was wrong,” Ellison said in an interview with Charlie Rose on “CBS This Morning,” which was aired on Tuesday.

When asked if he thought Page was evil, Ellison replied: “I think what they did was absolutely evil.” He fell short of vilifying the man himself as evil.

Microsoft sued on behalf of shareholders over Surface RT

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Paul Thurrott:

A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against Microsoft on behalf of its shareholders, alleging that the firm lied about the financial performance of its Surface RT tablet. The surprise revelation that sales were much less than expected came months later than required by law, the suit says, and immediately “eviscerated” $34 billion of Microsoft’s market value, materially impacting shareholders.

The suit names Microsoft as well as Steve Ballmer, Peter Klein, Frank Brod and Tami Reller as defendants.

The news for Microsoft and the Surface RT just keeps getting worse.

Lower-cost iPhone

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Very smart article from John Gruber. Also note that Gruber refers to a possible new iPhone as “lower-cost” and “lower-priced”—I don’t expect this phone to be cheap in any way.

Universal Audio brings out ENGL amp plug-in

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Every time Universal Audio asks what I want next from them, the first thing on my list is an amplifier plug-in—today they delivered. With a tagline of “No Pain. All Gain.”, UA released the ENGL amplifier plug-in.

UA does the best emulations of analog gear in the business, so I’m sure this will quickly become one of my favorites. I’m going to download and try it out.