News from category ‘Other’

Macotakara, Japanese blog, reports that Apple is planning to conduct a smaller than usual event to launch the next generation iPad. The site thinks that such event appears to be on track for March. It is believed that the device may only see an announcement during that time frame in the United States Shipments and international availability possibly will follow at a later date. Moreover, the site posted one more exclusive photo of the second generation iPad display (see above).

Apple reportedly is going to open two new retail stores. First, a fourth retail store in Paris, which will locate in the Carré Sénart shopping and entertainment complex, about 30 miles south of Paris. That store is scheduled to open by November. Second, the existing store in Palo Alto, California (in the picture above), which the company plans to completely demolish and re-build due to some structural problems with the building. The new store will have an arched, all-glass roof set on stone walls. The store will probably be up in 2012.

iLounge claims that got some details about what may be in store for the second-generation iPad. So the new device’s shell will be made from a carbon fiber that would allow reducing the weight of the second-generation iPad.  Moreover Apple has not yet abandoned the idea of a smaller iPad carrying a 7-inch display, contrary to Steve Jobs saying that 7-inch tablets were dead on arrival, and Apple's suppliers has been asked to manufacture a component that would be used in a 7-inch iPad. About NFC, iLounge mostly quotes the previous Bloomberg report:

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Apple yesterday added a new feature in the iPad App Store. The new search filters appear as a toolbar at the top of search results pages. The filters allow users to search by category, release date, customer rating, price, and device compatibility. These filters also aren't yet available on the desktop version of the App Store, so right now the iPad seems like the best way to search for apps. The second change shows the previously-purchased applications. Typically, results have been displayed with a button showing the price of the app.  Now the results for apps already installed on the device are displayed with an inactive button simply saying "installed".

A new rumor about release of the next-generation iPad hit the web. The rumor claims that Apple is going to announce the new device during a special event which will be held to introduce in-app subscriptions with iOS 4.3 next week. MacNotes.de reported yesterday that the second-generation iPad could be presented as the famous "one more thing" at the end of the event. Moreover, one more thing proving that suggestion is that the iOS 4.3 is currently being tested with developers and has reached the beta 3 status, which may lead to a release of a GM seed next week. Rumors of Apple's second-generation iPad have spread up in recent weeks, as Apple approaches the one-year mark since the device was launched in April 2010.

Apple finally has allowed Mac developers to generate promo codes for their applications in the Mac App Store:

You can now generate promo codes for your Mac applications in iTunes Connect. These promo codes can be redeemed in any Mac App Store worldwide. For each version of your application, you can request up to 50 promo codes.

Promo codes allow developers to give out free copies of their App Store applications for review and giveaway purposes. This feature until today was only available for the iOS App Store.

Reuters claims that its “eyewitness” saw yesterday at a press conference to mark the debut of News Corp's Daily online paper (еру first newspaper for the iPad) a working model of the next iPad with a front-facing camera at the top edge of the glass screen. Comically, Reuters tells that in a room full of tech journalists, somebody was apparently playing around on an iPad 2. Reuters says "a source with knowledge of the device" confirmed its existence and that the real iPad 2 will have the camera along with other features.

Just after a couple of hours a the launch of the new version of iPhone 4 on the Verizon's web-page the first reviews of the new CDMA iPhone 4 hit the web. We have decided to make a short summary. So, the Verizon iPhone looks, feels, and works just like the AT&T iPhone 4. AT&T can be faster for data and handles simultaneous voice and data, but Verizon sounds better, calls are more crisp and clear, and has more reception in more places. This version of the iPhone 4 seems to have none of the same antenna issues as the AT&T model and provides 4 hour of hotspot connection. The phone connects reliably and consistently. Unfortunately, the Verizon iPhone drops the Internet connection if you're using the Internet and your phone rings.

Despite of all advantages and disadvantage of the new version of the well-known iPhone 4, it is the first time than the iPhone users in the U.S. have a choice of carrier.

Today Verizon has opened its website for iPhone pre-orders. Though, people on Twitter have reported that the Verizon site had difficulties and crashed, may be because of a high demand. New handset is also available for pre-ordering on Apple’s official page. If you are purchasing from the Apple Store you have to be an existing Verizon user. The Verizon iPhone 4 is being sold for $199 for the 16 GB model and $299 for the 32 GB model and you have to sign up to the two year contract.

iFIxYouri.com managed to acquire the new iPad 2 LCD display from iPhone repair shop in China. The display is a 9.7-inch display from LG with a 1024 x 768 resolution, the same resolution as the current iPad and is definitely higher quality in terms of its build. The display is also lighter and over a millimeter thinner than the current iPad's display with a smaller surrounding frame, suggesting Apple is looking to shave as much weight off the next iPad as they can for this update.

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Recently Apple seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.7, termed Build 10J850, to developers for testing. This time Apple is asking developers to focus their testing on Mac App Store, AirPort, Bonjour, SMB, and Graphics Drivers. No known issues are listed in the attached documentation. An estimated date of public release of Mac OS X 10.6.7, as usual, stays unclear. Apple likes making surprises.

Apple released on Tuesday, two weeks after previous update, a third beta version of iOS 4.3 for the iPad, iPhone 4 and 3GS, and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch, to developers. The build carries the number of 8F5166b. The iOS 4.3 beta 3 now allow users to cancel downloading apps and delete them mid-download. The feature would be useful for users who accidentally begin downloading a large application and wish to cancel the process. Remind you that the iOS 4.3 is expected to introduce a rather small set of new features:  AirPlay video streaming for third-party apps, HTTP live streaming statistics and full-screen iAds. In the developer betas Apple also enabled support for multitasking gestures on the iPad, although the feature won’t be part of the public release of iOS 4.3.

Last week Samsung has admitted that its sales of Galaxy Tab were actually "quite small".

Last year Samsung Galaxy Tab represented the first generation of Android tablets that are able to compete with iPad and are available on the market. By the end of the Q4 of 2010 the company reported it had sold 2 million units. But according to Samsung executive Lee Young-Hee, this number does not represent actual sales and only includes inventory channel stuffing.

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According to The New York Times, Apple has forbidden all developers including Sony to sell content or provide access to purchases outside its iOS App Store.

After that Apple rejected a Sony Reader iPhone application, as it allowed users to buy and read electronic books from the Sony Reader Store. So now all in-app purchases must go through Apple, president of Sony's digital reading division Steve Haber told.

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A new job listing appeared on Apple’s website. Now the company is looking for LTE 4G connectivity expert. This is the first time LTE is mentioned among the “specific duties” for an applicant.

Specific Duties

- Implementation, Integration, customization, enhancement and maintenance of L1-3 Protocols for one or more of the following air interface: GSM/UMTS, CDMA (1x/EVDO), LTE etc.

Job listings often provide good indications that Apple is working on a new feature, which might be implemented in Apple’s devices in the feature. Moreover, US carriers are updating their networks to provide support for 4G network and some European carriers confirms that they start working with LTE during 2012 and 2013.