∞ 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…)

∞ 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…)

∞ Study shows iOS users play, pay for more games

If you’re an iOS developer chasing the money by making a game, you’re on the right track, if a new study from Nielsen research is any indication. (more…)

∞ Official Pokémon game coming to iOS

Kotaku reports that an official Pokémon game is coming to iOS and Android this summer called Pokémon Say Tap? BW. This marks the debut of an official Pokémon game for smartphones. (more…)

∞ Apple passes RIM in OS and handset market share

A new study from market research firm comScore on Tuesday showed that Apple has now passed RIM in market share as a handset maker and a platform. (more…)

∞ Skype 5.2 for Mac brings group screen sharing, video in call control bar

Skype has announced the release of Skype 5.2 for Mac, a new version of its popular voice, video and chat software. The new update is available for download. (more…)

∞ AT&T insurance picks up where AppleCare leaves off

AT&T will soon make its Mobile Insurance program available for iPhone users, MacRumors reports. The program costs $4.99 per month and carries a $50 or $125 deductible, as well. (more…)

∞ I use Apple products because they work, it's that simple

I’ve had a lot of people ask me over the years why I use Apple products and if I even have any experience using PCs and devices other than Apple’s. (more…)

∞ 'Trend…against' cell phone/brain cancer link

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently made headlines when it called cellphones “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” A new review of research from Britain, the U.S. and Sweden says there is, in fact, no evidence linking cancer and cell phone use, according to Reuters. (more…)

∞ Hacker group targets Apple servers, publishes usernames and passwords

Anonymous said on Sunday via its account on microblogging site Twitter that Apple could be a target for hackers and released the data as part of its Anti Security, or “AntiSec,” campaign.Anonymous said the data included 27 usernames and passwords for the www.abs.apple.com website.

Apparently the Web site was only used for online surveys, but I think they made their point.

Anonymous hacker group hits Apple, publishes data | Reuters

∞ Report: Samsung drops lawsuit against Apple, but continues counter-claim

Bloomberg reports that Samsung has dropped its lawsuit against Apple, but the legal feud isn’t over between the two companies – not by a long shot. (more…)

∞ Sprinkler Times app hits the App Store

The Sprinkler Times App makes saving money, water, and plants easy. Outdoor watering accounts for more than 60% of most homeowner’s water use, yet many people are unknowingly overwatering their lawns by more than 50%. Not knowing how to properly set your sprinkler timer is literally like throwing money down the drain. Sprinkler Times can save you hundreds on your water bill every year.

Sometimes I’m just amazed at what we can do from the iPhone. Download Sprinkler Times on the App Store.

∞ iTunes Festival London 2011 is live

Apple’s iTunes Festival is underway in London. You can watch the concerts using an app Apple released on the App Store. Here’s some info I posted on the event on June 21: (more…)

∞ Apple seeds Lion GM to developers

Apple on Friday released a Gold Master (GM) build of Mac OS X “Lion” to developers. It’s no great surprise, since Apple already announced July as the release month for Lion, but it’s a good sign that Lion’s release may come earlier in the month rather than later. (more…)

∞ iPhone, iPad help reunite Mother and daughter in China after 5 years

We’ve all heard some wonderful stories over the years about how the iPhone and iPad have helped people, but a new story out of China really tugs at the heart strings. (more…)

∞ Bungie returns to the Apple fold, sorta

Bungie is the video game developer behind the legendary Halo franchise, so when it makes a move, gamers and game industry analysts tend to pay attention. Now the company’s turning its sites to mobile and social gaming with a new effort it calls Bungie Aerospace.

Long-time Mac users know Bungie as makers of the Marathon and Myth game series, of course, but they’ve been absent from the Mac ever since they were acquired by Microsoft. Now that they’re on their own again they’re looking for new stuff to do, though, and Bungie Aerospace is a new plan to team up with indie software developers in the mobile and social gaming spaces. Their first product is Crimson, which is coming to iOS this summer.

This news comes shortly after Bungie revealed that an independent developer has created a version of Marathon that runs on the iPad. Now, where’s Myth?

∞ Avid joins the Final Cut Pro beat down parade

It just keeps piling on for Apple and its Final Cut Pro team. (more…)

∞ Why Apple built Final Cut Pro X

The pro market is too small for Apple to care about it. Instead of trying to get hundreds or even thousands of video professionals to buy new Macs, they can nail the pro-sumer market and sell to hundreds of thousands of hobbyists like me.

This little tidbit comes from Sachin Agarwal, founder and CEO of Posterous, and a long time employee of Apple working on Final Cut Pro.

Why Apple built Final Cut Pro X | Sachin’s Posterous

∞ More RIM employees come forward with complaints

Just 24 hours after an unnamed executive pleaded with RIM to make changes, more employees have come forward rallying around the complaints and offering new ones. (more…)

∞ Interview: HP says Apple is not TouchPad's target

HP’s TouchPad tablet hits stores tomorrow, and while the device is being compared to Apple’s iPad 2, an HP executive told The Loop that’s not its target market. (more…)

∞ RIM responds to employees open letter

RIM has responded to an open letter from one of its high level executives published earlier today on BGR. (more…)

∞ 7 things RIM must do to survive

RIM is past the point of being in hard shape as a company — they are in dire need of change and it has to be done now. (more…)

∞ RIM employee writes a passionate plea to senior management

You know things are getting bad at your company when your senior managers publish pleas in the press to get you to change. That’s what happened today at RIM. (more…)

∞ Video: Using an Audio-Technica USB mic with an iPad

As many of you already know, I have a nice collection of AKG mics that I use to record my guitar amps, drums and vocals in my studio. However, I also have one of these Audio-Technica USB mics that sounds great doing voice recordings. It’s an interesting video to watch if you want to record into your iPad. (more…)

∞ Apple up, Android flat in smartphone growth

A new study released by market research firm Nielsen on Thursday shows that more people are buying smartphones and Apple is seeing growth in the market. (more…)

∞ Jason Snell's review of the HP TouchPad

I have to admit, I’m kind of rooting for HP, the TouchPad, and the webOS. Apple needs strong competitors in the tablet market to help push things forward, and I think companies with control of both hardware and software are more likely to produce high-quality products. For years I’ve wondered why nobody was trying to replicate some of Apple’s product-creation success, and that’s exactly what HP is doing with its webOS strategy.

I always thought that only RIM and HP had a chance to give Apple any real competition. Clearly RIM screwed things up, so now it’s up to HP. WebOS is a very nice looking operating system that has a lot of potential. The devil is in the developers and whether HP can convince them to make apps.

Hands on with the HP TouchPad | Macworld

∞ Thunderbolt RAID beats pants off FW 800

When connected to the iMac, the R6’s AJA System Test read scores came in at 566MBps—6.8 times faster than the DS4600 using FireWire 800. Even more impressive was the R6’s 644MBps AJA System Test write score, which is 11.5 times faster than the FireWire 800 scores of the DS4600.

There was little question that Thunderbolt would handily beat FireWire 800, but now you can see just how wide the gap is.