Monday, May 25, 2015

Reproducing the iOS 7 Home screen using Microsoft Word video


Gotta hand it to Vaclav Krejci, by sheer force of will and commitment to concept, he bent one of the most unwieldy apps in the history of computing into a pretty good static duplicate of iOS 7s Home screen.




Insane.


Data source: via iMore (Rene Ritchie)
Origine source: Youtube

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Sunday, May 24, 2015

Live Video Stream of the Apples Worldwide Developers Conference


Live video stream of the Apples Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) Keynote.



The Verge WWDC live blog
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Saturday, May 23, 2015

Steve Jobs On Android Founder Andy Rubin Big Arrogant


Steve Jobs did not like Android, or the guy that ran it, Andy Rubin, according to a new book on the Google-Apple smartphone wars.


Jobs told friends that he thought Rubin was a "big, arrogant f**k," according to Fred Vogelsteins, Dogfight: How Apple And Google Went To War And Started a Revolution.

When Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, Google was already working on Android, its own smartphone operating system. Google bought Android, which was Rubins startup, for ~$50 million in 2005.

According to Dogfight, when Apple announced the iPhone, Rubin realized he would have to throw out what he was thinking of launching.

He was in a cab in Las Vegas, watching a webcast of the presentation. He made the driver pull over so he could see the whole thing. He said, "Holy crap, I guess were not going to launch that phone."

Ethan Beard, an early Android business development executive told Vogelstein, "We knew that Apple was going to announce a phone. Everyone knew that. We just didnt think it would be that good."

Google had phone software that was ready to launch at the end of the year, but it looked awful relative to the iPhone, so it was all scrapped and delayed. "What we had looked so ... nineties," said an Android engineer.

The Android team got to work and created the software that eventually went into the HTC G1, Googles first Android-based phone. The software was not as good as the iPhone, but it similar enough to Apples software that Jobs was furious with Google.

"Everything is a f**king rip off of what were doing," Jobs said of Android, according to Vogelsteins reporting.

Jobs had trusted Googles cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Googles CEO Eric Schmidt was on Apples board. All three has been telling Jobs about Android, but they kept telling him it would be different from the iPhone. And for some reason he believed them until he actually saw the phone and its software.

Once Jobs saw Androids software, and how similar it was to the iPhone, he insisted Google make a lot of changes.

There was a meeting with Jobs, Scott Forstall, who designed the iPhones software, and Googles Larry Page, Alan Eustace, and Rubin. Vogelstein cautions that it was hard to know exactly what happened in the meeting, but says that it was confrontational and nasty.

"It got incredibly personal," says one Apple executive who was briefed by Jobs on the meeting. "Jobs said that Rubin was steamed, telling him his position was anti-innovation. And this is where Steve was demeaning to Andy, saying Andy was trying to be like him, look like him, have the same haircut, the same glasses, the same style."

Apple got what it wanted from the meeting. Google didnt do multitouch features like pinch to zoom. It forced Google to change how it was going to make the phone unlock. Not only did Jobs tell Google what it couldnt use, but according to Vogelstein Jobs told Google how to take things out of Android. It was a complete capitulation from Google.

Rubin was furious that his bosses caved to Jobs. He thought there was plenty of evidence that Apple didnt invent the things it said it invented. Rubin considered quitting Google, but didnt. (Ultimately, Google did add in those features and now its dealing with lawsuits.)

After the meeting with Jobs, he had a sign on his office white board that said, "STEVE JOBS STOLE MY LUNCH MONEY."

In the long run, Rubin and Android got the best of Apple. Android has taken over the world.

(Though the iPhone is wildly profitable. So, for now, this seems to be a rare instance where both companies are doing well.)


Data source: via BI (By Jaw Yarow)

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Friday, May 22, 2015

Apple Releases iOS 7 0 2 with Fix for Lock Screen Passcode Bypass


Apple has just released iOS 7.0.2, a minor new update delivering several changes including a fix for a lock screen passcode vulnerability. The new version arrives as Build 11A501 for all devices.
- Fixes bugs that could allow someone to bypass the Lock screen passcode
- Reintroduces a Greek keyboard option for passcode entry
Apple has detailed the two passcode issues fixed in this update in a new support document.

The iOS 7.0.2 release follows the launch of iOS 7 on Wednesday, September 18. That day also saw a special release of iOS 7.0.1 specifically for the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which launched on Friday, September 20.


Data source: via MacRumors (By Eric Slivka)

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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Alleged iPhone 6 Prototype Update Fake


MacRumors has posted a set of images depicting what could be a prototype of the next-generation iPhone were first shared with it by an anonymous Twitter user earlier today, the images also leaked by Australian blogger, Sonny Dickson, who has a track record of authentic leaks, has also been posting photos online. Apparently they were first shared by someone in China who claimed the images show the "iPhone 6".
It is entirely unclear whether the device in the images is a legitimate iPhone 6 prototype or whether it is a fake. Early prototypes of the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c exhibited a blank rear shell while the iPhone 6 shell in the picture clearly shows FCC text that is generally added to the phone at a later date. There are also no plastic or glass cutouts for an antenna, something the current-generation iPod Touch -- which sports a similar aluminum-bodied design -- has next to its rear-facing camera. 
The device depicted in the images has an approximate width of 2.6 inches, while the existing 4-inch iPhone 5s has a width of 2.31 inches. According to one analysis, the prototype is 5.25-inches diagonally, based on the measurements of the home button. A second analysis from a the MacRumors forums suggests the phone is 5.5 inches.

There have been several rumors which have suggested that Apple will launch an iPhone with a larger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch this year. the rumors also claimed that iPhone 6 would feature solar-charging panels in its sapphire glass display, yesterday The Korea Herald reported that the iPhone 6 would adopt a "bezel-free" display.

It is difficult to confirm if the device shared in the image is a legitimate iPhone 6 prototype or fake,
 as MacRumors points out.

Click to larger


Update: These have been confirmed to be fake.



Source: via MacRumors

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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

iOS 7 Already Installed On 71 Of Devices Less Than A Month After Release



iOS 7 had been available to the public for just 27 days as of Monday, October 14 — and it had already been installed on 71% of all iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. That’s according to the latest report from Mixpanel which suggests iOS 7 could be the fastest-spreading iOS update to date.

In comparison, it took iOS 6 30 days to reach a record 61% of iOS devices this time last year, and it appears iOS 7 has already smashed that record. But it’s hardly surprising; this is the biggest update Apple has ever made to iOS, adding not only new features, but also a brand new look.

It’s no wonder users cannot wait to get their hands on the new software, then.

When you compare iOS 7’s adoption stats to those of the competition, that’s when it gets really impressive. Windows 7, for instance, is yet to reach even 50% of PCs more than four years after it was released, while Android Jelly Bean had reached only 48.6% of devices this month — more than a year after its debut.


Apple is yet to confirm exactly how many iOS devices are now running iOS 7, but Mixpanel’s data indicates that 350 million are currently in use. That means that over 250 million of them were running the latest software as of Monday.


Data source: CultofMac (By Killian Bell) [via fortune]

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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

San Francisco Apple Stores iPhone 5s line wraps around the block

latimes

Three hours before the store is scheduled to open, a line of more that 150 hopeful iPhone buyers stretched down the street and around the block.


Some at the beginning of the line were huddled in blankets (above), having camped overnight for the device. New additions to the line joined every few minutes as the queue stretched down Powell Street and around the corner at OFarrell, in the otherwise quiet Union Square shopping district.


Similarly long lines have been reported in China, which was for the first time ever among the initial countries to participate in the first day of Apples launch, as well as London, Los Angeles, New York and other cities.

One reason the new iPhone is still generating lines at its seventh annual launch is that Apples supply of the iPhone 5s, particularly in the new gold finish, is reported to be in limited supply. Apple has instituted purchasing limits for line holders, restricting iPhone 5c models to ten units per person, while the more scarce iPhone 5s is limited to two devices.

In part, this scarcity is due to production challenges of meeting demand for the new Touch ID sensor. Apple faces the enormous task of building millions of the new devices to meet the anticipated demand over its initial launch weekend, products which must be flawless from day one.

That operational circus act comes just days after the mega-launch of iOS 7, which caused major ripples in the Internet as Apple rolled out the biggest, fastest mobile device upgrade ever.

This is the first time Apple (or anyone) has built such a Touch ID sensor, which improves upon previous, unsuccessful attempts to incorporate practical fingerprint-based authentication into a mobile device.


Apples design uses a new sapphire lens element to protect the fragile capacitive sensor, which industry expert Geppy Parziale had earlier predicted would not stand up to everyday use.



"Constant usage of the sensor starts to destroy the capacitors and over time, the fingerprint sensor stops to work," Parziale gravely warned early last month before Apple had demonstrated how its design worked.

Thousands of fans of Apples product design are ready to wait in line for the new device, expecting that the companys new product works as advertised. Initial product reviews have raved that it does.


Data source: via AppleInsider (By Daniel Eran Dilger)

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Monday, May 18, 2015

iOS 8 Brings New Option Send Last Location To Find My iPhone or iPad


As we knew iOS 8 includes a number of new features, improvements, and changes. Find My iPhone (iPad,iPod) service has also received a new functionality, allowing users from iOS devices to enable a "Send Last Location" option, that will send to Apple iPhones last known location when the battery drains to a critical level.

The current Find My iPhone in iOS 7 cannot determine the last location of a device when its battery is drained, just iCloud will display the last location for up to 24 hours. 
If Find My iPhone can’t locate a device, the last known location is displayed for up to 24 hours. Select “Notify me when found” to get an email when it comes online.
Now you can know iPhones last known location if its battery is drained, that would done through Apple, when you enable the setting, you authorize Apple to store the last known location of your device. To get that information potentially you have to contact the company, after it is no longer available on iCloud.


"Send Last Location" option available from Settings app, then iCloud, within iCloud section tap on Find My iPhone to appear with you two options: to enable Find My iPhone service and Send Last Location. Find My iPhone in iOS 7 has bundled into the rest of the iCloud options, with one simple toggle to turn the service on and off.


Find My iPhone is known improvements in every new iOS version, in iOS 7 Find My iPhone has brought Activation Lock feature, which prevent anyone to reactivate your iPhone without your own Apple ID and password, the feature is enabled automatically when you turn Find My iPhone on. It has contributed well in reduction of iPhones robberies in many major cities.

Screenshot source


Read also:
  • How to Use Find My iPhone Pre and After the Losing of Your iPhone
  • Activation Lock Feature in Find My iPhone Has Contributed in Reduction of iPhones Robberies
  • Using Find My iPhone to locate a misplaced iOS device
  • Protect Your iPhone From Theft and Damages With Kenu Highline Case
  • iOS 8 Features
  • Interesting Features and Changes in Both Betas of iOS 8
    Read more »

    Sunday, May 17, 2015

    Pebble Announced Pebble Steel for 249 more Formal Version


    Earlier this week, Pebble kicked off CES 2014 by announcing a high-end version of its popular smartwatch called Pebble Steel.

    The Pebble Steel, as the name indicates, is made of stainless steel. Its available in two colors: brushed stainless and black matte. Like the original Pebble, the Pebble Steel is waterproof and has a battery life of 5 to 7 days. the e-paper display is the same but now the screen is protected by a strong layer of Corning Gorilla Glass. The weigh is 45 grams, two grams less than the original Pebble.



    The Pebble Steel will ship with both metal bands and a leather strap. According to Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky, who spoke to CNET, the Pebble Steel is designed to be a more formal version of the original Pebble.
    CEO Eric Migicovsky describes Steel as a more formal version of Pebble: "Im going out for dinner, Im wearing a suit, Ive got a position that doesnt allow me to wear a plastic watch on my wrist. How do I benefit from a smartwatch? How do I get notifications and run all the apps that Pebble offers without having to put something that I don’t prefer on my wrist. We took that as an industrial design problem. It wasnt really a software problem…We just had to build an aesthetically different Pebble."



    Pebble also announced that it’ll be launching the Pebble appstore in the end of  this month. The company is also partnering with new companies to introduce a playback control app for Pandora, ESPN sports stats and box scores, and a car stats monitoring app from Mercedes.

    The Pebble Steel is available to order today on the Pebble website for $249, a $100 premium over the existing Pebble watch. It will begin shipping on Jan. 28.


    Source: Getpebble

    Read more »

    Saturday, May 16, 2015

    A List of User Interface Changes in iOS 8 Beta 3


    Apple this week released third beta of iOS 8, it isnt differ from its predecessor beta 2, so is contain a number of improvements, changes, and bug fixes.


    In addition to improve the performance of operating system, iOS 8 beta 3 also includes a set of minor interface tweaks and modifications, that makes iOS 8 more polished. well show a list of these changes that have been traded so far.

    Find My iPhone: Beta 3 includes a new beta version of Find My iPhone and Find My Friends, and according to release notes Find My Friends will allow users to move their friends list to the iCloud account if necessary.

    iCloud Drive: Theres a new popup screen appears in beta 3 giving users the option to upgrade to iCloud Drive, and shows the privileges that will obtain. iCloud Drive lets users store any type of file, the feature introduced at WWDC.



    iCloud Drive Settings: Now theres a special section for iCloud Drive settings forked from iCloud menu, which is accessed from Settings app.


    Handoff: theres a new toggle in the General section allowing users to enable or disable Handoff, the feature allows users to continue their work and transfer tasks "like calls" from any device using iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite to other, this process is done via iCould.


    QuickType Keyboard: Keyboards menu has received a new option allowing users to toggle QuickType on and off. You can access Keyboards menu from General section under Settings app.

    Weather: There are some modifications at the displaying way of informations that the app introduced.

    New interface on the left, previous interface on the right.

    Wallpapers: iOS 8 beta 3 brought new wallpapers to default wallpaper gallery.


    App Analytics: theres a new option into the app allowing users to share crash data and statistics about how apps are used with app developers.


    Photos app: Shared Photo Streams are renamed to become Shared Albums. Events and albums from Aperture are now available again in the Photos app as well. Additionally, items in Recently Deleted album is received a new indicator shows the time remaining to delete a photo permanently.


    Messages: These is a new option in Messages section when enable it automatically keep video and audio messages, that are normally deleted after a short period.


    Custom Keyboards: Now if you tap and hold on the Globe key, youll get an option allowing you to enable or disable QuickType, also the ability to switch between other keyboards language. For developers are now able to move the cursor location with a custom keyboard in iOS 8 beta 3.

    image source.

    WiFi Calling: Now T-Mobile users can access WiFi calling, as the first carrier support this feature. WiFi calling lets users make phone calls over WiFi instead of using a Cellular connection, in iOS 8 beta 3 theres an option allowing you to enable the feature, that through Phone section, we get it from Settings app. The feature also requires users to enter an emergency address.



    The public release of iOS 8 will be this fall likely with announcement of new iPhone versions. Is expected to see other beta updates, that are directed to developers.


    Source: MacRumors and others

    Read also:
    • Interesting Features and Changes in Both iOS 8 Beta Updates 
    • Photos App in iOS 8
    • iOS 8 Features
    • iOS 8 Brings New Option "Send Last Location" To Find My iPhone or iPad
    • How to Use Find My iPhone Pre and After the Losing of Your iPhone

      Read more »

      Friday, May 15, 2015

      iOS 7 Lock Screen Vulnerability Gives Access to Photos Email


      There appears to be a lock screen vulnerability in iOS 7 that allows access to a device’s photos, email, and social networking accounts.
      According to Jose Rodriguez, who provided a video of the bug to Forbes, a simple set of gestures gives unwarranted access to a device running iOS 7.

      The exploit can be initiated by swiping upwards on the devices lock screen to access the Control Center and open the Clock app. Once the clock app is open, holding the phones sleep button will cause the "Slide to Power Off" option to appear. Tapping on cancel at this juncture and then double clicking on the home button will open the phones multitasking screen, providing access to the camera and the photos on the device. The key to the trick, however, is to access the camera app from the lock screen first, causing it to appear in the recently used apps list.

      Because the photos from the camera app can be shared via Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, and email, an intruder can also gain access to those apps using the sharing tools.



      I tested the technique on an iPhone 5 running iOS 7, and it worked. Rodriguez’s video shows it working on an iPad, too. It’s not yet clear if the same exploit can bypass the lockscreen of an iPhone 5s or 5c, but Rodriguez tells me he believes it will. I’ve reached out to Apple for comment and I’ll update this post if I hear from the company.
      Apple has been plagued by lock screen vulnerabilities multiple times over the course of the year, with a bug appearing in iOS 6.1 that allowed lock screen access to the phone when the emergency call function was manipulated.

      The current iOS 7 vulnerability can be avoided by preventing the Control Center from appearing on the lock screen. The setting can be turned on by opening the Settings app, selecting "Access on Lock Screen" and toggling it off.

      Update: Apple has told AllThingsD that it is working on a fix.
      "Apple takes user security very seriously," Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. "We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."


      Data source: via MacRumors (By Juli Clover)

      Read more »

      Thursday, May 14, 2015

      Rumor Apples Larger iPhone Design Could Be Inspired by iPhone 5c and iPod Nano

      iPhone Air concept promo video

      Sources indicate that the larger iPhone would be an expansion to Apples lineup rather than replacing the positions currently held by the iPhone 5s and 5c, that according to new report from Mac Otakara. While earlier rumors claimed that the expected larger iPhone will be a variation on the iPhone 5c rather than the iPhone 5s.

      In keeping to earlier report published last year by Reuters, Mac Otakara claims according to their sources, that Apple has decided on 4.7-inch and 5.7-inch displays as potential candidates for its next-generation iPhone models that would launch later this year.
      iPhone 5c with curved edges

      This larger iPhone model could come with curved edges and pill shaped volume buttons like the iPhone 5c, and will take some inspiration from the seventh-generation iPod nano. The latest iPod nano models are available in a range of colors like the iPhone 5c, but with smooth anodized aluminum design instead of polycarbonate.

      iPod nano’s smooth anodized aluminum design

      The report also claims that the 4.7-inch iPhone will measure at 14×7 cm, while the 5.7-inch model will measure at 16×8 cm (iPhone 5s measures 12.38×5.86 cm). And possibly both models will be 7mm thick, which would mean that the rear camera will be protruding out like the 5th generation iPod touch, although it the report indicates that the final version of the phone could be expanded to 7.5 mm thick to match the thickness of the camera module.

      Mac Otakara has a reasonably strong rumor track record, last year, the sites sources revealed the 2013 iPhone lineup would come in a new range of colors, it was also the first to claim that the iPhone 5s would feature a dual LED flash for more natural looking photos, and correctly predicting the designs for the fifth-generation iPod touch and seventh-generation iPod nano.

      • Read also: iPhone 6c Concept, with 4.7-inch Display, in a Variety of Colors (Video)


      Data source: Mac Otakara via MacRumors

      Read more »

      Wednesday, May 13, 2015

      These Ray Ban solar shades can charge your iPhone 5


      If youre outside on a sunny day, theres a good chance that youre both wearing sunglasses and youre nowhere near your iPhone charger. Design student Sayalee Kaluskar has combined these two common occurrences into a product capable of shielding your eyes from the sun and charging your iPhone as well. She calls them Shama Shades, but in truth theyre a pair of modified Ray-Ban sunglasses that have been fitted with a solar panel, a built-in battery and an iPhone 5 charging plug.

      The glasses perform their traditional duty while youre catching some rays, and the solar panel fills the small battery hidden within. When the sun sets, you can remove one of the arms of the shades and plug it into your iPhone for an extra shot of energy. As the glasses were made for a school project, theres little chance youll get the opportunity to buy them any time soon, but an idea this good seems like it deserves to find its way to retail sooner or later.


      Data source: via TUAW (By Mike Wehner)

      Read more »

      Monday, May 11, 2015

      Apple No We Can’t Read Your iMessages And We Don’t Want to Either


      Touting its commitment to user privacy in the wake of the NSA surveillance scandal earlier this year, Apple said that the end-to-end encryption protecting its iMessage instant-messenger service is so secure that even the company itself cannot decrypt it. But, on Thursday, security outfit QuarksLab disputed that claim, arguing that Apple could intercept iMessage communications if it wanted to.


      “Apple can read your iMessages if they choose to, or if they are required to do so by a government order,” QuarksLab said in a white paper presented Thursday at the Hack in the Box conference.

      Apple disagrees — vehemently. We’ll get to that in a minute.


      QuarksLab research is far too labyrinthine to summarize here, but the gist of it is this: Because Apple controls the keys used to encrypt iMessages between sender and the recipient, it could theoretically conduct a so-called “man-in-the-middle attack” on the two, making sender and recipient believe they are chatting directly and securely with one another, when they aren’t — and reviewing their communications.


      “As Apple claims, there is end-to-end encryption,” QuarksLab explains. “The weakness is in the key infrastructure as it is controlled by Apple: They can change a key anytime they want, thus read the content of our iMessages.” QuarksLab, it should be noted, has no evidence that Apple does or has done this. It’s presentation begins with this explicit statement: “What we are not saying: Apple reads your iMessages.

      What we are saying: Apple can read your iMessages if they choose to, or if they are required to do so by a government order.”

      QuarksLab

      QuarksLab’s research has so far been well-received by the security community, with cryptography experts saying that the concepts on which it is based are sound.

      “I think what their presentation demonstrates is that it’s very difficult, but not impossible, for an outside attacker to intercept messages if they’re able to control key aspects of the network,” independent security researcher Ashkan Soltani told AllThingsD. “Probably not something that just any actor can do, but definitely something a state/government actor or Apple themselves could do, if motivated.”


      But Apple insists it is not so motivated. And it stands by its June claims about iMessage’s security. Apple says that QuarksLab’s theory is just that — a theory, and one that would require a rearchitecting of iMessage for it ever to be a threat in the real world.


      “iMessage is not architected to allow Apple to read messages,” said Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said in a statement to AllThingsD. “The research discussed theoretical vulnerabilities that would require Apple to re-engineer the iMessage system to exploit it, and Apple has no plans or intentions to do so.”


      In other words, iMessage was built to thwart attacks, not abet them.


      That is Apple’s publicly stated intent, anyway. As we’ve learned from the NSA surveillance scandal this year, there are some actors out there who might prefer iMessage to work just the way QuarksLab describes. So perhaps in today’s world iMessage’s encryption is only as good as your trust in Apple.


      Said Soltani, “We’ve recently seen indication of companies like Skype or Lavabit being forced to enable interception capabilities in their system, so it would be naive to think that Apple wasn’t at least approached by the government at some point.”



      Data source: AllThingsD (By John Paczkowski)


      Read more »

      Sunday, May 10, 2015

      Apple confirms battery issues with some iPhone 5s units blames manufacturing error



      In a statement to The New York Times on Tuesday, Apple confirmed that a production issue affected a small number of iPhone 5s units, which could cause the units to suffer from reduced battery performance.


      "We recently discovered a manufacturing issue affecting a very limited number of iPhone 5S devices that could cause the battery to take longer to charge or result in reduced battery life," said Apple spokesperson Teresa Brewer. "We are reaching out to customers with affected phones and will provide them with a replacement phone."

      Apple declined to elaborate on the specific manufacturing flaw, but is supposedly not a defective battery. The company also did not say how many handsets are affected, though the publication interpreted the statement as referring to "a few thousand" iPhones.

      In the past, Apple has dealt with a variety of battery-related problems, the most recent being an unexpected


      Data source: via AppleInsider (By AppleInsider Staff)


      Read more »

      Saturday, May 9, 2015

      Apple Said to Be Exploring Solar and Motion Charging for iWatch


      Apple is testing a variety of different charging methods for upcoming rumored "iWatch". According to a report from The New York Times. Apples top list appears to induction charging, allowing users to recharge their watches wirelessly.
      For its wristwatch, Apple has been testing a method to charge the battery wirelessly with magnetic induction, according to a person briefed on the product. A similar technology is already used in some Nokia smartphones — when a phone is placed on a charging plate, an electrical current creates a magnetic field, which creates voltage that powers the phone.
      The report notes that Apple is also experimenting with charging the battery with solar, and movement, although those ideas may still be several years from becoming practical. The report also points out the newspapers claim from last year that the iWatch will feature a curved glass display.
      Apple has also experimented with new power-charging methods for a potential smartwatch, people close to the efforts said, though such experiments are years from becoming a reality. The watch is expected to have a curved glass screen, and one idea is to add a solar-charging layer to that screen, which would give power to the device in daylight, they said.

      Another experiment at Apple has involved charging the battery through movement, a method that is already used in many modern watches. A person’s arm swinging could operate a tiny charging station that generates and pushes power to the device while walking, according to a patent filed by Apple in 2009.
      The reports mention that with battery technology improving relatively slowly, Apple has focused on improving power efficiency of various components in its devices like the latest generation of the MacBook Air.

      Apple has been working on flexible new battery designs and looking at new charging technologies for the iWatch. Battery life is one of the main issues Apple needs to address as it seeks to create a powerful iWatch that is capable of lasting several days, not hours.

      Wireless charging would be perfect for the iWatch as charging is one of the most painful things about wearable devices currently.


      Source: New York Times via MacRumors
      Image source: martinhajek

      Read more »

      Friday, May 8, 2015

      Delaware Apple store sells more iPhones than any other in the US

      Apples Christiana Mall store in Delaware

      Employees at the Newark, Del., Apple store told ABC News that the shop — located in a 39-year-old, single-story mall — sells "more iPhones than anyone." Apple does not break out sales numbers per store, and an Apple spokesperson declined to provide the news channel with any additional information.


      Hinting at a competitive streak within Apples retail empire, employees noted that while the companys Fifth Avenue flagship —which they called "the glass box on Manhattans Fifth Avenue" — outpaces the mall store in revenue, it falls behind the smaller outlet in iPhone sales.

      The Christiana Mall store, Apples only first-party retail store in Delaware, benefits from a unique geographic positioning. Delaware charges no state sales tax, and the mall is a relatively quick jaunt on Interstate 95 from neighboring tax-charging states like Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. 

      The Christiana Mall store attracts out-of-state shoppers thanks to Delawares nonexistent sales tax

      New Yorks sales tax rate of 8.875 percent would raise the price of a base model iPad Air from $499 to $543, for instance. While the savings may not be substantial enough to warrant a single customer driving in their car, it does present a tantalizing opportunity for those making group voyages or for foreign buyers who want to resell Apple devices in countries where they command much higher prices.

      While Apple generally limits the number of devices a single customer can purchase, one store staffer told ABC News that some customers have bought hundreds of iPhones at a time for resale. The manager of another store in the mall confirmed that shoppers often arrive at the store in chartered buses that he says feature New York registration.

      The store is so popular that Apple reportedly eschews their usual practice of hiring private, Apple-uniformed security guards and instead contracts off-duty officers from the Delaware Highway Patrol. Anywhere from four to ten troopers work the store at a time, with their numbers growing during popular product launches or shopping occasions like Black Friday.

      The Christiana Mall store was among Apples first retail stores, opening its doors in 2004. It has since undergone two expansions and occupies approximately 10,000 square feet in its current incarnation,according to Delaware Business Daily.


      Data source: via AppleInsider (By Shane Cole)

      Read more »

      Thursday, May 7, 2015

      Apple Released iOS 8 Beta 4 to Developers


      Apple has released the fourth iOS 8 beta to developers, beta 4 comes after two weeks of releasing the third beta update, and nearly two month since Apple unveiling the new operating system "iOS 8" at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

      iOS 8 beta 4 build number is "12A4331d" you can download it by Apples over-the-air updating system on iOS devices, or via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released a new Apple TV beta and Xcode 6 beta 4.

      iOS 8 has contained a set of new features like enhancing integration between iOS and OS X through Continuity, Family Sharing features, a Health app, a new QuickType Keyboard, and interactive notifications. As several apps knew many improvements like Photos app, Safari, Mail, and Messages.

      As its predecessors iOS 8 beta 4 also includes a range of new features and tweaks like the introduction of a new Tips app, a redesigned Control Center, and a new Home Data icon. We will share with you a list of all these changes.

      iOS 8 so far is available to registered developers, the public release is expected to be this fall, likely alongside the announcement of new iPhone versions, and possibly the much-rumored iWatch.


      Read also:
      • A List of User Interface Changes in iOS 8 Beta 3
      • Interesting Features and Changes in Both iOS 8 Beta Updates 
      • Photos App in iOS 8
      • iOS 8 Features
      • iOS 8 Brings New Option "Send Last Location" To Find My iPhone or iPad
      • How to Use Find My iPhone Pre and After the Losing of Your iPhone
      Read more »

      How to Setup and start using Evernote


      Evernote is one  of the most popular and talked about apps in the App Store. In this article, you’ll learn how to install and configure the app, gather and organize notes, and review workflows that include sharing and advanced features.

      You’ll also learn about Evernote’s accessories and “baby apps” that are fully integrated into it’s functionality. This article will enable you to use Evernote and its integrated apps as effective organizational tools.


      Installing and Configuring

      Evernote is free and works on any platform: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and Blackberry. There are two different ways to set up Evernote:
      On Your Computer. Open up your web browser, type in www.evernote.com, and then click the green Sign Up tab at the top right of the screen. Follow the instructions.
      On Your Mobile Devices. Go to the App Store on your iOS, Android, Windows or Blackberry phone/tablet and search for Evernote. Download the app.

      Also, install the simple drawing app from the Evernote family, Skitch on both  your computer and mobile devices. On your computers, access and install the WebClipper for Safari, Firefox and/or Chrome. That extension creates an elephant icon in your browsers’ menu bars to create web clippings.

      When you install Evernote on your device, it asks you if you want to create a new account or sign in to an existing one. If you are new to Evernote, it asks for your e-mail and a password to establish an account. The app will then ask if you want to save location data along with your notes, allowing you to see where each one was created. After this you’ll see the main menu screen where you can navigate to your notebooks or all of your notes by tapping the appropriate button.



      Creating Notes

      Web Clippings – In your computer’s browser, gather websites directly into the appropriate notebook in one action. Web clippings can be initiated from the elephant icon.


      Text Notes – Make a new note using the plus sign at the top in the mobile or desktop app and start typing. This is a great solution for everyday note-taking. Better yet, you can use built-in dictation on iOS and OS X to create the text note. All text notes are searchable so that you can quickly find what you’re looking for later.


      Screen Shots – On your computer, use the Elephant icon on the main menu to add a screen shot or partial screen shot as a note.


      Take a photo – In the mobile app, tap the paper clip, then camera icon. Tapping the camera icon shows you a “photo” or “document” setting. Use the icon near the bottom center to mark-up a photo if necessary. Photos can also be added to notes from the Camera Roll using the middle icon.


      On a computer, you can take a snapshot with the iSight camera using the camera lens icon at the top right of the note.


      Basically acting as a scanner, the document setting capture words and converts them to searchable text. When I tried the mobile app’s document camera setting on some old recipes the results exceeded my expectations. Because the app uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR), background distractions were removed. Document Camera works best when you capture a half page at a time. The (unmodified) screen shot on the right is the result of searching all my notes for the word “raisin.”


      Draw a note – On your mobile device, Open Skitch and login using your Evernote account info. Tap the plus sign to make a new note, and then tap “Start with Blank.” From here you can draw anything you want, and the drawing is automatically saved in the Sketch notebook in Evernote. Evernote will convert any hand-written words in your sketches to searchable text, just like the Document Camera feature. The process is automatic and requires an internet connection. On a computer, you can draw a note by clicking the “Mark up” icon.


      Email a note into Evernote – You also can create a note by e-mailing it to a specific address. The address you need to send it to can be accessed in the mobile app by tapping on your name at the top left, then scrolling down and tapping Evernote email address. On a computer, click on your name at the top left, then choose Account Info. You can use the button provided to add it to your contacts.


      One way to take advantage of this is asking Siri to send an email to your Evernote. This allows you to create notes hands-free without even having to open the Evernote app. You can also forward an e-mail you have received to your Evernote to store it outside of your email account. To email a note directly to a specific notebook, type “@” followed by the name of the notebook at the end of the subject line. For example, to forward an email to your “Recipies” notebook, you would format your subject line as: “Kale Mandarin Pumpkin Seed Salad @recipes”.

      Record an audio note – In the mobile app, create a new note and select the paper clip icon. From here, tap the microphone icon. The elephant icon on the desktop app’s main menu can also make an audio note.


      Drag files into Evernote – On the computer, click on the elephant icon in the main menu and drag a file to the resulting window as shown above on the right.


      Organizing Notes

      As you enter notes, put them directly into the notebook you want by accessing that notebook, then use the plus sign to make a new note. To move a note – Tap “more…” adjacent to the notebook name in the mobile app, then tap the name of the current notebook and choose a different one. Click the “i” icon in the desktop app and choose a notebook.


      Create Notebooks – If you tap Notebooks in the mobile app, it displays your existing notebooks. Tap Edit, then New Notebook. Type a name for a new notebook like “Recipes” or “Computer Science 101,” then tap Done.


      On the desktop version, click Notebooks on the left side of the screen, then the new New Notebook button.


      Tagging Notes – Tags can be used to categorize and make notes easier to find when searching. Add tags to notes on a mobile device by tapping “more…” and typing a new tag or choosing an existing one. For multiple tags, type a comma after each one.


      On a computer, Click the “i” icon in a note and type in the Tags field.


      Searching Notes – Searching notes is extremely effective, even if they were handwritten and captured using the document camera, or drawn using Skitch. You can search all your notes or a specific notebook, or within a note. You can also search using tags.

      On a mobile device, tap Notes on the main screen to access All Notes. Then tap the magnifying glass at the top, type a word to find and hit Search. To search a specific notebook, access that notebook and do the same thing. To search by tag, tap a tag on the main screen, all notes with that tag are displayed.


      On a computer, use the search area at the top right to search notes or notebooks. To search by tags, click in the search field and choose Tags from the Search Options menu. Choose a tag in the field to the right of that and then click the Add button.


      Sharing

      Your notes can be accessed from the app on any device, or through the Evernote website. They can be sent to other users via email, SMS or iMessage. You can also publicly share items using Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Notes or entire notebooks can be shared with others even if they aren’t Evernote users. You can set permissions that allow other users to view or edit your notebooks. There is a difference in how individual notes and notebooks are shared. Notes are sent using mail or messaging or social media. This allows others to see the contents of the note in the form of a text message or an email, but not edit them directly in your notebook. Notebooks are shared, and the person is invited via e-mail to view or edit the notebook depending on your permissions.

      To Share a Note – In the mobile app, tap on the share icon at the bottom of the note. Then choose Message, Twitter or Mail. On a computer, click on the share icon at the top right. Then choose a social network or other method of sharing.


      Share a Notebook – In the mobile app, tap on the iOS 7 share icon at the bottom of the note. Then tap “Invite Individuals” or “Generate Public Link.” On a computer, mouse over it to see the share icon and click it and you will see the same options.



      Advanced Features

      Evernote has some more advanced features that really add to its effectiveness. If you turn on Evernote in Location Services on a mobile device, each note is geo-tagged as you create it. That, in combination with reminder services add another dimension of practical uses.

      Locations – Notes created are automatically tagged with their location. Tapping “more…” reveals the location and it can be modified if necessary and touching and holding and dragging the pin.


      Syncing – Evernote syncs automatically. If you need to sync proactively, tap your name at the top left of the main screen, then tap Sync now.


      Reminders – At the bottom of every note, there is an alarm clock icon that can be used. Activating a reminder sends you an e-mail on the morning of the event, if allowed. Additionally, it takes advantage of Notification Center and can make Alerts, Sounds, Badge App Icon and Show on Lock Screen.



      Sample Workflows

      Here are some examples of how Evernote and one if it’s “baby apps” could be beneficial:

      Make a new notebook called “family recipes.” Take out the shoebox of recipes and snap photos of them using the camera icon in Evernote. If cropping or marking them up is necessary, the  “baby app” Skitch is integrated into Evernote and will handle that. Then, you can easily send the entire family recipe notebook to a sibling using the sharing feature.

      A property manager could easily track all the units in a building, repairs that are needed, and dates for those repairs using marked up images, locations and reminders. They would receive an e-mail every morning indicating what types of repairs are supposed to be done that day and where they would be done.

      For students, a notebook in Evernote can be used to keep track of each subject. That electronic notebook can collect web clippings, notes, and photos of the white board in class. You would then have an electronic notebook for each subject from which you can review, search, or share your notes with other students. Your class notes would also be synced automatically to your computer and other devices, making them easily accessible at any time.

      For business users, separate folders for each client and project can prove invaluable. Colleagues could collaborate with you and add or modify notes if given edit privileges. You could also create a searchable reference notebook of solutions to common issues.


      Accessories and other Evernote Apps

      My favorite app is Evernote Peek. It creates electronic flash cards  on an iPad. This can be especially handy for children as a fun learning method. To do this, create a notebook and add notes. Each note’s subject will be a question, the body becomes an answer. Install Evernote Peek, and login to your Evernote account.


      MoleSkine® makes Smart Notebooks designed specifically for use with Evernote. Starting at $24.95, they convert your drawings or notes to digital format as you snap them with the document camera. They feature “Evernote ruled” and “Evernote squared” page styles “with dotted lines designed to ensure a clean image when digitally capturing your notebook”. Each Evernote Smart Notebook comes with 3 months of Evernote Premium, which offers a number of additional features.


      MoleSkine® Notebooks come with Smart Stickers. When you capture a page with Evernote, the Smart Sticker icons become searchable, digital tags that make it easy to keep your ideas organized and to keep your digital and analog workspaces synced. They are customizable within the app. Recently, Evernote and 3M also announced Smart Post-it®  notes with similar functionality.



      Other mobile apps in the Evernote family include:

      Evernote Food – Discover, save and share best restaurants, recipes and experiences.

      Penultimate – The most popular drawing and handwriting app for iPad.

      Evernote Hello – A fun contact management app, nice for people who often get handed business cards.


      They are all worth checking out, especially Food.

      If you are gathering data for work or play, recipes or fashion ideas from the web, tech specs from a whiteboard, or collaborating with a colleague on multiple projects, the impressive Evernote family of apps probably has a workflow that will be effective and enjoyable!


      Data source: 9To5Mac  (By Sarah Guarino)

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