∞ 34% of iPhone users think they already have 4G

July 12, 2011

∞ 34% of iPhone users think they already have 4G

Either people don’t listen to what features they’re getting on their phones or they believe what they want. Regardless, some answers from a new study are surprising. (more…)

∞ iWeb, iDVD updated

Apple has updated iWeb to 3.0.4 and iDVD to 7.1.2. Both updates are available through the Software Update system preference. You can also download them from the Apple Support Downloads Web page. (more…)

∞ HTC wants Apple to compete instead of suing competitors

Mobile handset-maker HTC on Tuesday responded to Apple’s new patent complaint, saying it should compete in the market instead of suing rivals. (more…)

∞ Apple's lead patent lawyer leaves the company

Apple Inc’s chief patent counsel will soon leave the company, at a time when the iPhone maker is fighting numerous legal battles around the world, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Interesting that he’s leaving, but I wouldn’t read too much into it. Apple and every other company out there is involved in patent disputes and have been for many years.

Exclusive: Apple chief patent lawyer to leave | Reuters

∞ Controlling your online identity

But there will always be the open web for the geeks, the misfits, the eccentrics, the control freaks, and any other term we can think of to proudly express our healthy skepticism of giving up too much control over what really should be ours.

Marco Arment has a great post talking about how easily people give up control over their online identity. Like Marco, I’ve always tried to have my main email at my own domain too.

Own Your Identity | Marco.org

July 11, 2011

∞ Parallels offers Enterprise Edition

Parallels on Monday announced Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac Enterprise Edition, a new version of their virtual machine software for Mac OS X. It’s available to businesses as an annual subscription service. (more…)

∞ Turn your iPad into a Star Trek PADD

If you’ve ever wanted to turn your iPad into a Personal Access Display Device – a PADD, a seen in Star Trek – here’s your chance. CBS Interactive on Monday released Star Trek PADD for the iPad. It costs $4.99. (more…)

∞ Twitter boasts 1 million registered Twitter apps

Twitter on Monday said it now has more than 1 million registered applications on its network. (more…)

∞ Court approves sale of Nortel patents to Apple led group

Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp, Research in Motion Ltd and three other leading tech companies received court approval on Monday to buy wireless patents from the bankrupt Nortel Networks Corp for $4.5 billion.

That’s a lot of money, but there are 6,000 patents in the portfolio, so it could save the group of companies a lot of headaches down the road.

Courts approve Nortel patent sale to Apple/RIM group | Rueters

∞ PayPal for iPhone updated

PayPal on Monday released an update for its iPhone app, making it even easier for users to make transaction from phone. (more…)

∞ Apple updates iLife '11 apps

Apple has updated three of the applications it includes in its iLife ’11 suite of applications – iMovie, Garageband, and iPhoto. The new versions, 9.0.4, 6.0.4 and 9.1.5 respectively, are available for download through the Software Update system preference. (more…)

∞ Pangea iOS games go free, Monday only

Pangea Software has announced that they have made their games for iOS free, for Monday only. The company is marking its third anniversary on the App Store by making their entire catalog of iOS games free. The sale lasts from 8 AM to 8 PM Central time on July 11. (more…)

∞ Rush's Geddy Lee and his Pro Tools bass setup

Geddy Lee’s bass sound is a combination of five channels, which represent various aspects of an entire bass sound, and run from clean to distorted-beyond-all-reason. The two main components of his sound are an Avalon DI and a Palmer DI. The Avalon is warm with a punchy midrange, and the Palmer is super clear with an extended low end. The last three channels are all distorted to one degree or another. There’s an instantiation of Eleven dialed up to sound like an old Fender Bassman—slightly distorted, but not crazy. There’s a SansAmp, which is more distorted and further down in the mix. Then there’s an Orange amp, which we run off to a bass cab backstage and throw another Palmer PDI-03 on. It’s cranked wide open and is preposterously distorted. It sits in the back of the bass mix. All of this gets sub-grouped, compressed, and run into an instantiation of Waves API 550A EQ.

I love the old Rush music.

Final Rush Rehearsals—Geddy Helps Fine-Tune His Own Sound | Avid

∞ Apple files another ITC complaint against HTC

I take it that Apple is skeptical of the outcome of that ongoing ITC investigation and, therefore, wants a second try with potentially stronger patents. In April, the ITC staff (the Office of Unfair Import Investigations, which participates in most ITC investigations as a third party) expressed its opinion that HTC did not infringe any valid Apple patents within the scope of that investigation. The target date for a final initial determination by the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing the case is August 5, 2011 (as I already wrote in February). The ALJ could still rule in Apple’s favor: the staff recommendation is, after all, just an opinion. However, a negative ITC staff recommendation does not bode well to say the least. I’m sure Apple will fight hard to make the original complaint succeed but doesn’t want to depend on the outcome of that case.

It’s getting hard to keep up with all of these complaints and lawsuits.

Apple files second ITC complaint against HTC: better luck next time? | Foss Pantents

∞ Apple's App Store downloads expected to climb 61% in 2011

Apple’s iOS App Store has been a huge success for the company and recent analysis suggest that trend will only grow in 2011. (more…)

July 10, 2011

∞ Sequoya Projects for iPad helps manage projects

With Sequoya Projects you can create budgets, track expenses & analyse team costs on your iPad with all the functionality of a desktop app. It’s realtime too, which means you can get financial reporting regardless of location and time.Sequoya brings a cost efficient toolset within reach of smaller companies, producers and freelancers, challenging the features of high-end tools that cost infinitely more.

There are plenty of games available for the iPad, but it’s great having such in-depth productivity apps available too. Sequoya Projects is the first of three iPad apps coming out from Sequoya Media — Sequoya Workflow and Sequoya MediaWall are listed as coming soon.

∞ More conflict of interest for Pogue and the NY Times

Fast-forward a bit and here is the upshot of that pitch: my inquiry into it has led to a Times internal review and, as a consequence, Pogue is barred from making any more speeches like this one to public relations professionals.The decision came because such appearances are explicitly prohibited by The Times’s ethics policy. Excerpts of the relevant portions: “Staff members may not advise individuals or organizations how to deal successfully with the news media (though they may of course explain the paper’s normal workings and steer outsiders to the appropriate Times person)….They should not take part in public relations workshops that charge admission or imply privileged access to Times people….”

Looks like we won’t be seeing as much of Pogue. You have to be careful of perception at that level.

Times curbs Pogue’s P.R. appearances | New York Times

July 8, 2011

∞ Study: iOS games make more revenue from in-app purchases

A new blog post at mobile apps analytics firm Flurry underscores the importance of so-called “freemium” apps at generating revenue for developers. (more…)

∞ Group seeks support for .app top level domain

In the initial stages we are looking to identify a team of individuals who can help support the complicated process of applying for a gTLD and transitioning it into a working operation. Once that team has been identified we’ll then be looking to the community to fund iCANN’s fee and initial costs related to technical operations. An important way you can help is to keep in touch, by filling out the form on the right and subscribe to our Twitter feed. The more followers and community support we can get, the stronger our case to ICANN. If you find this project interesting, please tweet about it and write about it like crazy. This is your project to make sure domains related to your products remains your property and fairly priced. It is a certainly that someone will obtain the .app domain once ICANN brings the new gTLD system into force. This is the only chance we have to keep it within the app software development community.

Sounds like a worthwhile project to me. Take a look and support the cause if you can. More information is available at the .app Project.

∞ IDC: iPad still leads tablet market, which lags overall

A new report from International Data Corp. (IDC) shows that the “media tablet” market isn’t as strong as previously thought, though the iPad is still the most dominant device. (more…)

July 7, 2011

∞ Netflix is awesome, Hulu sucks

I could probably just leave you with that headline and be done with the story, but I’ll give you a little bit on context. (more…)

∞ App Store tops 15 billion downloads, $2.5 billion paid to devs

Apple on Thursday announced a milestone for the App Store: more than 15 billion apps have been download from the App Store. (more…)

July 6, 2011

∞ WebOS will hurt Android more than Apple

Android is vulnerable because it is not a sticky solution. Most of Google’s apps are free, their services are free and accessible on other operating systems as well. Consumers who buy Android devices don’t have much other than the cost of the hardware sunk into the ecosystem. Google is a services company and they want their services on as many devices as possible, including non-Android devices. So even if as a consumer you are vested in Google’s services, you will be able to access these services(like Gmail) from any number of non-Android devices as well. For these reasons Android is not sticky.

I agree with Ben. From what I’ve seen, WebOS is a serious competitor in the market and while I don’t think it will overtake iOS, it will definitely erode Google’s market share.

Android Could be Vulnerable if HP Licenses WebOS | Techpinions

∞ Airfoil 4.5 improves iOS, iTunes, AirPlay support, more

Rogue Amoeba has announced the release of Airfoil 4.5, and it’s a significant update to the audio software for Mac OS X. Changes include improved iOS, iTunes and AirPlay support, and much more. (more…)

∞ Griffin, Crayola introduce software and stylus for iPad

Griffin Technology and Crayola on Wednesday announced the release of Crayola ColorStudio HD for iPad. It’s software that combines with an “iMarker,” a marker-shaped stylus which lets kids draw and create on their iPad. The software is available for free – the marker stylus costs $29.99, and is available from Apple retail stores, Best Buy and Griffin. (more…)