June 16, 2010
∞ Apple says it has 600,000 iPhone 4 pre-orders, apologizes for problems
Apple on Wednesday said it had more than 600,000 iPhone 4 pre-orders yesterday as customers shutdown AT&T’s ordering systems. (more…)
∞ AmpliTube for iPhone gives you guitar tone on the go
IK Multimedia on Wednesday released AmpliTube for iPhone, giving users the opportunity to play guitar with amps and effects on their iPhone. (more…)
∞ E3 Day 1: Spider-Man and Sonic 4
I’m not the biggest gamer in the world, but if you want to get my attention, just mention Spider-Man. Jeff Scott has a round-up of what happened at E3, including news of Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem, which will be released by Gameloft for the iPhone and iPod. I gurantee, this is a game that I’ll be getting.
Why save the best for last, let’s just start off with the best thing I’ve seen so far, Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem. This new game from Gameloft is based on the Spider-Man comics, not the movies. And the game shows it’s comic roots. While the game is still pretty early, it’s showing really great promise. No release date yet, but expect it fairly soon.
Best of E3 Day 1: Spider-Man, Sonic 4, And Lots of the Undead [148Apps.com]
∞ iPhone 4 buckles AT&T systems
Users swarmed AT&T servers on Tuesday as the company began accepting preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 4. (more…)
June 15, 2010
∞ Apple, 26 other companies charged with patent infringement
Software Restore Solutions (SRS) have filed a lawsuit claiming that 27 companies have infringed on one of its patents. One of the companies named in the lawsuit is Apple. (more…)
∞ Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.4
Apple has posted Mac OS X 10.6.4, which is available through the Software Update system preference. Apple recommends the update for everyone running Snow Leopard. (more…)
∞ Apple releases Apple Store app for iPhone
Apple on Tuesday released a new app for its users built specifically for the iPhone and iPod touch. (more…)
∞ iPhone 4 available for pre-order
A new Mac mini isn’t the only news out of Cupertino this morning. As expected, the iPhone 4 is available for pre-order. (more…)
∞ Apple updates Mac mini with HDMI, SD card slot, faster processors
Mac mini fans got pretty much everything they’ve been wishing for in the latest update. The new computer features a SD card slot, which is great for putting media on the computer; faster 2.4GHz and 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor; fast Nvidia GeForce 320M graphics processor, which Apple says is twice as fast as the previous model; and an HDMI port. AS long as the Mac mini has been out, people have been asking for an HDMI port — that could be one of the most requested features I’ve heard for this system.
June 14, 2010
∞ Witch 3.5 window utility adds pop-up preview
Many Tricks on Monday released a new version of Witch, the company’s window switching utility for the Mac. (more…)
June 12, 2010
∞ Capcom CEO expects Nintendo to emulate Apple
Capcom CEO Haruhiro Tsujimoto suggests that Nintendo is looking carefully at what Apple has done with the App Store as it moves forward with new products. What’s more, Tsujimoto says that Capcom and other third-party Nintendo game publishers expect Nintendo to keep a better eye on Apple, too. It’s worth noting that Capcom has a few horses in that race itself – the company is an active iPhone game publisher, even bringing classic Capcom properties like Mega Man and Street Fighter to the iPhone platform.
Nintendo ‘looking closely at Apple’s success’ says Capcom CEO [Industrygamers]
June 11, 2010
∞ Apple's Retina Display claims are not false, says expert
Apple’s Retina Display included in the iPhone 4 has caused quite a stir this week, including claims that Apple is misleading consumers. However, a vision scientist contacted by The Loop says Apple has it right. (more…)
∞ Kids become filmmakers at Apple Camp, at Apple retail stores
As it has for several years now, Apple is once again offering free Apple Camp at its retail store locations. This year’s Apple Camp has a specific focus – helping kids learn the ins and outs of iMovie, the videomaking software included with iLife ’09. (more…)
June 10, 2010
∞ iPad in iBook
A Japanese-language site has recently posted images of one of the most interesting casemods we can ever remember seeing: An iPad, complete with working keyboard, transferred into the case of a clamshell design-era iBook. The result is stunning – nice bookends to show what Steve Jobs and his team have accomplished since Steve’s return to Apple.
Hat tip to MacLife for putting this on our radar.
iPad in iBook [AppleNoir]
∞ Opinion: Let's forget this 'Mac is dead' crap and get back to work
Ever since Apple unveiled details about this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), pundits and hysterical-minded developers near and far have been predicting the death of the Mac. This week, Daniel “Fake Steve Jobs” Lyons stirred the pot some more in his Newsweek blog, which I’m not going to bother to link to, because frankly I think it’s tripe and I don’t want to push any more page impressions his way than I absolutely have to. (more…)
June 8, 2010
∞ The Loop celebrates its first birthday
One year ago today I sat in a hotel room in San Francisco and launched the next big project of my career in the Apple industry — The Loop. (more…)
∞ What iPhone 4's gyroscope means for iOS gaming
Steve Jobs gave a quick demo on Monday of iPhone 4 to show off its new gyroscopic capabilities. These new functions will keep iPhone 4 competitive with new handheld gaming systems, along with – presumably – other iOS-enabled devices that Apple produces in the future. (more…)
June 7, 2010
∞ Apple releases Safari 5 with support for extensions
While Apple didn’t talk about it during the keynote at WWDC earlier today, the company released Safari 5 late this afternoon. (more…)
∞ iMovie coming to iPhone 4
iPhone 4’s introduction brings with it dramatic new video capabilities, and to take advantage of them Apple plans to release an iPhone version of iMovie. It will be available for purchase and download from the App Store and will cost $4.99, and it’s designed specifically for iPhone 4. (more…)
∞ Hands On: iPhone 4
I got some hands on time with the iPhone 4 right after Steve Jobs introduced the device at his WWDC keynote on Monday. Obviously, there wasn’t a lot of time to test everything out, but here are a few quick observations. (more…)
∞ App Store pays out $1 billion to developers to date
During his keynote presentation to developers attending this week’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed that the App Store has paid out more than $1 billion to developers since going online. Apple returns 70 cents of every dollar spent on apps to developers. (more…)
∞ iPhone 4 goes on sale in US, UK, Japan on June 24
Apple on Monday introduced iPhone 4, which will go on sale in the US, UK and Japan on June 24, 2010. Preorders are expected to begin on June 18, and it will cost as little as $199 for qualified buyers. (more…)
∞ WWDC Keynote live update
I’m in the WWDC keynote hall waiting for the fun to begin. I’ll have a live update of the event today that you can follow on the special live update page on The Loop. Tune in and join in on the fun.
∞ MacTech conference planned for November
MacTech magazine has announced a technical conference planned for November 3 – 5, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The event is aimed at IT professionals and Mac developers, and will include sessions and activities throughout the day and evening. (more…)
June 5, 2010
∞ iPhone OS has triple the market share of Android
It turns out the back-and-forth race between Apple and Google in the mobile operating system wars may not be so back-and-forth after all. A new study from Nielsen puts Apple’s iPhone market share at 28 percent and Google’s Android at 9 percent. That gives Apple more than three times that of Google.
The numbers put Apple in second place behind BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, which has a 35 percent share. In third place is Microsoft Windows Mobile with 19 percent, followed by Google, Palm (4 percent), Linux (3 percent), and Symbian (2 percent).Apple and Google both moved up by 2 percent in the first quarter of 2010. In the same period, RIM and Microsoft both lost 2 percent market share.
∞ Mac OS X 10.7 showing up, but don't expect much at WWDC
I’ve been tracking the amount of traffic coming to The Loop from people using Mac OS X 10.7 since about February 2010 and while it has risen significantly, I don’t think we’ll see much of it at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. (more…)
∞ How you know when iPad has fit into your lifestyle
Gadgets and electronic devices are different today than they were years ago, and I don’t just mean with the technology, but how they fit into our lives. Apple’s iPad is truly a lifestyle device. The distinction between being somewhat of a tech toy and being a useful lifestyle product is key to its success long-term. (more…)
June 4, 2010
∞ Mac grabs more than 8 percent of Steam market in first few weeks
According to Valve Corp.’s Steam Hardware Survey, Mac computers already comprise 8.46 percent of Steam clients in the software’s first few weeks of availability. (more…)
∞ Apple shows-off the power of HTML5
If you were wondering why Apple chose HTML5 over Flash for the iPhone and iPad, you can see for yourself now. The company posted several examples of the types of content that can be made using the technology. Included in the showcase are video, audio, picture galleries and more. It’s definitely worth a look.
Apple posts HTML 5 demo page [CNET]
∞ Should AT&T offer rollover data?
AT&T changed its data plans this week offering 200MB and 2GB plans instead of the unlimited plans many in the U.S. have become accustomed to using. For me, the change doesn’t really mean much because I don’t go over the smaller limit most months anyway. Joe Wilcox gives us five reasons why AT&T made the change in the first place and five additional changes they should make to the data plans, including rollover data.
10 things you should know about AT&T’s new smartphone data plans [Betanews]