WebProNews

Tag: ipad

  • Apple Agrees to $2.25 Million Settlement Over Australian iPad Ads

    When Apple launched the new iPad, it predictably advertised that the higher-priced version of the device was “4G capable.” It did this even in countries where the 4G capabilities of the device could not be used due to incompatible data networks within those countries. That brought the ire of consumer protection agencies in several countries, including Sweden and Australia. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) was especially forceful in asserting that Apple knew it was misleading Australian consumers by advertising the iPad as 4G capable in the country, and the group filed a lawsuit. Though Apple responded quickly with refunds for all customers in Australia who felt they had been mislead, it wasn’t enough for the ACCC and the court case continued. Around one month ago, Apple changed the branding for the 4G version of the iPad to “Wi-Fi + Cellular.”

    Today, a settlement has been reached between Apple and the ACCC. The Australian is reporting that Apple will pay $2.25 million to the ACCC and cover $300,000 of its legal costs. Apple has now admitted that its advertising could have been misleading to the Australian public.

    According to The Australian, Apple had tried to argue during the trial that some Australian networks compatible with the iPad are actually 4G, though those networks do not advertise as such. The judge in the case has not yet accepted the settlement, citing Apple’s unknown total worth and the number of Australians affected by the misleading ads. The judge wants to make sure the settlement amount is “meaningful” for Apple, and has put off his decision until he can get more information from both Apple and the ACCC, the deadline for which is next Wednesday.

    (via The Australian)

  • “iPad Nano” Revealed In Leaked Images?

    “iPad Nano” Revealed In Leaked Images?

    There’s been a lot of news lately about the recent leak of what appears to be a back plate meant for the new iPhone. Leaks like that are actually pretty common with Apple products – as production time nears, components start to find their way out into the open, providing tantalizing clues about what to expect next from Apple.

    However common that sort of leak is for a new generation of a product that’s already been released – the iPhone or iPad, for example – it’s nearly unheard of for a brand new product. And yet, it seems that it just might have happened. There have been rumors for ages that Apple would introduce a smaller version of their hugely popular iPad tablet. This device, usually called the iPad Mini, is expected to have a 7.85-inch display and, according to the latest set of rumors, be coming sometime later this year. Now ZooGue is claiming to have images of the back panel of what they’re calling the iPad Nano.

    Contrary to rumor, this iPad Nano is actually 7.58-inches. It also sports the same smaller dock connector and redesigned speakers found on the back panel of the new iPhone. Check out the images for yourself below:

    iPad Nano?

    iPad Nano?

    iPad Nano?

    While it’s possible that these images are real, pretty much everything about them screams “fake” to me. The blue Apple logo and lack of any apparent branding other than “iPad,” are hints. Also, the arrangement of dock connector and speakers is a little too like that on the new iPhone panel. If Apple follows the design of the current iPads, the speakers should be situated farther from the dock connector than they are – about halfway between the dock connector and the corners on either side.

    All in all, this one belongs in the “I’ll eat my hat” file. Again, it’s possible that these images are legit, but extremely unlikely.

  • Developers Still Prefer Apple Over Android By A Large Margin

    Developers Still Prefer Apple Over Android By A Large Margin

    We reported on a trend in the mobile development scene Wednesday – Android is on the rise. It’s true, but it’s not the whole story. While Android is on the rise, the behemoth that is Apple is still dominating the hearts, minds and most importantly, the time and resources, of developers.

    Flurry Analytics runs a study every quarter that looks at the support each major mobile operating system gets from developers. The results may or may not be surprising depending on whatever camp – Apple or Android – you belong in. Let’s take a look:

    Developers Apple Android

    As you can see, the results have shifted over the past year and Android is growing again while Apple is losing ground. The only problem is that it’s still not enough. Apple still commands an overwhelming amount of support from developers and Android only just gaining back some share after dropping down to 25 percent is not exactly a confidence booster.

    Flurry suggests that Android’s gains could also be purely seasonal. They found that iOS development grows as the holiday season approaches. Considering the absurd amount of iPhones and iPads that were sold during the holiday season last year, it’s not surprising that developers want in on all that new potential revenue.

    If it was just a fight between Android and the iPhone, Android might have a chance. Unfortunately for Android, Apple has a not-so-secret weapon in the iPad. It still commands a massive majority of the tablet market and developers are going to developer for iOS over Android tablets where only two brands have really managed to break into the market. When you consider that the Amazon Kindle runs a heavily-modified version of Android that doesn’t even resemble the regular Android OS, it gets even more bleak for the average Android developer.

    Of course, we can’t forget the elephant in the room either when it comes to Android development – fragmentation. Having to develop for a multitude of devices as well as the multiple versions of Android there are, it creates a challenge for developers. With Apple, developers just have to create an app for iOS and it runs across pretty much every device from the iPhone 3GS onward.

    Here’s a graph showing the top phones that are being used that run Android. You can’t deny that fragmentation is a problem when the breakdown looks like this:

    Developers Apple Android

    Regardless, things are looking up for Android. It’s obviously not a failure as it still commands a pretty hefty chunk of the market in terms of sales. Google just needs to centralize the Android ecosystem to make app development easier on developers and consumers. Nothing sucks more than finding out that an app that runs fine on Gingerbread still breaks because of the phone you’re using. Looking at you, Facebook.

  • Office For iPad To Be Announced At SharePoint?

    There have been several rumors lately that Microsoft would be bringing Office to Apple’s iPad (and possibly to Android tablets as well). Two stories a week apart have each cited internal Microsoft sources claiming that Office for iOS would be releasing in November. The most recent one claimed that the app is nearly ready to be sent off to Apple for approval.

    Those rumors – including the release date – have gotten a bit more support today. Citing “a source familiar with Microsoft’s Office sales team,” Business Insider is reporting that Microsoft is planning to announce Office for iPad at the SharePoint Conference in Las Vegas. The conference is scheduled to start on November 12th, which matches the rough timeline of the most recent reports.

    Of course, as I’ve said before, the surprise isn’t that Microsoft is launching Office for iPad. The surprise is that it’s taken them so long. The iPad has been gaining tremendous traction in the business world for quite some time, and Office alternatives – including Apple’s own iWork suite – have been on the iPad for ages while Microsoft calmly pretends the iPad doesn’t exist. The iPad release will likely follow the release of the first Windows 8 tablets, which should be coming this fall as well. There are also rumors of an Android version.

    Of course, the world of mobile productivity just got a lot more interesting in another way, as well. In fact, had Microsoft not been planning to bring Office to the iPad, you can bet that Google’s acquisition of QuickOffice would have set them on the path to doing so. By buying QuickOffice, arguably the most popular Office alternative for the iPad, Google is making a big jump into the mobile productivity market and firing a shot directly across Microsoft’s bow. That’s not the sort of thing that Microsoft can allow to go unanswered, which means that we may be in for an interesting little arms race in the world of iPad productivity software over the next few months.

  • Dell Exec Knocks iPad For Being “Shiny”

    Dell Exec Knocks iPad For Being “Shiny”

    By pretty much any standard you prefer, Apple’s iPad has been nothing short of a smash hit. Love it or hate it, the iPad has completely revolutionized the mobile computing market – to the point that it is even hampering the growth of the PC market. What’s more, it’s not just a consumer device. Research has shown that businesses – especially those with “bring your own device” (BYOD) programs – are adopting the iPad in droves.

    The competition, though, isn’t necessarily convinced. Speaking to a media and analyst briefing in Sydney, Australia earlier today Joe Kremer, managing director for Dell Australia, knocked the iPad as unsuitable for business use, due in large part to its price. According to Kremer, “[p]eople might be attracted to some of these shiny devices but technology departments can’t afford to support them.” He went on to say that “I don’t think this race has been run yet,” suggesting that the tablet market is still ramping up.

    In a sense, Kremer is right: the tablet race hasn’t been run. There never was a tablet race. Apple’s competition was blindsided by the iPad in 2010. Most of their responses in the two years since have been a parade of too-little-too-late. With a few notable exceptions the non-iPad tablet market has consisted of failure after failure. Some tablets sell quite well, like the Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Many more, like the BlackBerry Playbook, the Motorola Xoom, and every tablet Dell ever made, do not. Tablet makers other than Apple have found themselves squabbling over a distant second place. What’s more, that isn’t likely to change if recent customer satisfaction data is to be believed.

    Of course, Kremer’s argument isn’t wholly without merit. The iPad is expensive, even to the point of being cost-prohibitive for some businesses. What’s more, though the tablet market is effectively a one-horse race at this point, it’s still only two years old. While it’s hard to imagine another tablet knocking the iPad from it’s lofty perch, it’s certainly possible. Google is expected to come out with at least one Google-branded tablet this year, maybe more. It’s possible that a Google-branded device built by Google’s own in-house hardware company, the newly-acquired Motorola Mobility, can succeed where other would-be iPad competitors have failed.

    [Source: Financial Review]

  • Twizgrid Upgrade Gives Twitter an Aesthetic Contrast

    Twizgrid, the increasingly popular photo browser for Twitter, released a comprehensive new upgrade that will have tweeters marveling at its sheer utility. While Twitter is usually a place where words are the centerpiece of interest, Twizgrid has a goal to bring contrast to that notion by providing a uniquely visual experience on the platform.

    Their latest group of enhancements makes sharing photos on Twitter even more appealing by including a massive increase in available photo content, convenient access to a user’s home timeline, and a recent album to view images in real time. Users can view Twitter photos by topic, person, or location with Twizgrid.

    A dynamic album titled, “Around Me” shows a chronology of nearby photos but addresses privacy concerns utilizing a user-driven approach which allows the photos originator to selectively identify their location on a case by case basis.

    Twizgrid Co-Founder Chauncey Regan comments on the “Around Me” album and other upgrades to their service:

    “This feature supplements dominant nearby apps, such as Banjo and Highlight, as well as Twitter’s nearby tweet feature. Twizgrid now offers an enticing way to view what’s happening in the immediate vicinity, whether it’s a raging party or a raging fire.”

    “Our unwavering objective is to be the most cohesive, comprehensive and compelling platform to display Twitter photos.”

    Twizgrid is available for free on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Visit the iTunes store to download the app.

  • IPad Kills the Competition in Customer Satisfaction

    In a new survey, ChangeWave Research finds that iPad owners are twice as likely to be satisfied with their tablet purchase than those that bought a competing brand.

    The survey compares the New iPad, the iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Amazon Kindle Fire, and a catch-all category for all other tablets on the market. The winner was clearly the New iPad, with its older counterpart in a close second.

    Customers think that Android has to correct many issues before it will be able to compete with Apple. The inability to use Android Apps on every Android tablet is a key reason Android users are not satisfied. Many Android tablet users can not access even the most widespread apps, like Hulu.

    Apps on Android and the Kindle Fire tend to come out much later than the iPad, leaving those that like to play social games behind the trend curve. And when the Apps finally do come to these devices, they do not always work as well as they do on the iPad.

    The Kindle Fire also suffers from the inability to access all of the apps on the Android Market, errr Google Play.

    Although the Samsung Galaxy Tab beats the Kindle Fire in the rating of “Very Satisfied”, those Kindle owners that did not select Very Satisfied often chose “Somewhat Satisfied” – more so than Galaxy owners. Nearly 4 times as many people chose “somewhat unsatisfied” for Galaxy than the Fire.

    The survey was comprised of 2,893 consumers in North America, and also took tally on current tablet demand trends in North America. They found that demand has leveled off to normal with 7% of people surveyed saying they planned on buying a tablet in the future. Of those, 73% said they wanted a iPad. Kindle Fire was a distance second at 8% – Demand for the product plummeted just a few months after its release in November of last year.

    Adding to the Kindle’s woes could be the release of an iPad-mini later this year. Three percent of respondents in the survey said they would be very likely to buy one. 14% said they would be “somewhat likely” to buy. These numbers already reflect a higher demand than the Kindle Fire.

    However, Amazon is rumored to also be coming out with a new color-e-ink reader this holiday season. This could be a huge step in swaying those that use their tablet primarily for reading over to Kindle’s side.

    It is going to have to be some powerful sway, however. Right now iPad is dominating the market almost to the point of total control.

  • Buddy Media CEO Dispels Fear with Video on VSD

    Yesterday, we brought you the news that enterprise cloud computing giant, Salesforce.com, intends to acquire Buddy Media. It’s great news for Michael Lazerow, chairman and co-founder of Buddy Media who will be on the receiving end of the near $690 million deal.

    Now we are hearing from Lazerow in a totally different capacity. In a very recent YouTube video of his own creation the successful media creator addresses his struggle with a lifelong heart condition (VSD) that rendered him lifeless several times, only to be saved by multiple surgeries and advanced medical technology.

    Interestingly, Lazerow doesn’t speak a word in the video. The entire narrative takes place on his iPad in what appears to be his home office. It’s obvious he is overcome with joy over the success of Buddy Media and the overwhelming deal he has just made with Salesforce.com making him a billionaire.

    The overarching theme is living without fear and how meeting death head on (literally) allowed him to see no need for fear in the way he lives his life. It’s an interesting way to celebrate success, but also a different side of business that we don’t often see. Take a look at his video and decide what you think about life’s struggles and people’s ability to make a difference.

  • Newslook CEO Fred Silverman Discusses Newslook For iPad

    The rapid increase in the pace of technological development over the last decade has had a profound impact on a variety of industries. The music, movie, television, and even book publishing industries have all gone through – or are still in the middle of – their own little revolutions as they struggle to cope with the effect that the internet and digital media are having on their business model. Perhaps no industry has felt the weight of the digital revolution so much as the news industry.

    In the age of the smartphone and the tablet, fewer and fewer people are turning to their television or to traditional print sources for their news. If you’re an iPad user who wants to know what’s going on in the world, odds are you don’t run to a TV and switch on CNN, and you don’t run out and buy a copy of the New York Times. You pull out your iPad and, depending on the immediacy of the story, you check your social network of choice, or you open up a news app, be it an app from a traditional news organization like USA Today, or a news aggregator like Zite or Flipboard.

    The problem is, most of those apps rely on text. Many of them incorporate video, but even the apps published by traditionally TV-based news organizations – like CNN – rely heavily on text-based reporting for their smartphone and tablet apps. That creates an interesting gap in the mobile news space. That’s where Newslook comes in.

    Newslook is a curated news aggregator focused exclusively on video content. While Newslook has been around on the web for awhile now, they recently broadened their scope to include an app for Apple’s iPad. The app brings all the features users love about Newslook’s homepage to the iPad, and even adds some interesting new features. WebProNews’s Abby Johnson recently spoke to Newslook CEO and founder Fred Silverman about the app and about Newslook in general.

    Newslook was born out of Silverman’s growing awareness that the news market was changing. Following a long career in traditional television media, Silverman came to the realization that new technology would allow him to tell a story that would have required an hour of traditional TV in “a matter of minutes.” Silverman told WPN that “when I looked around I realized that there was no video news service as it were.” Even the traditional news channels – Fox, CNN, etc. – have shifted their focus to include more punditry and less actual news. Newslook is designed to fill that gap.

    Using his contacts in various media organizations, Silverman struck deals with numerous news organizations including Reuters, AP, and others to create Newslook. The site now includes content from 60 different providers. Newslook’s editorial team sifts through the video content from the providers and selects the best content to go on Newslook. The same team also edits the videos’ metadata to make it easier for users to search for and categorize content.

    The iPad app takes the same content from the Newslook website and adds a channel feature that allows users to customize their news experience. Silverman notes that “people like to consume content around things that are interesting to them.” What Newslook for iPad does “is really allow you a platform to create channels around the things that interest you the most.” What’s more, it’s possible to share your channels with the rest of Newslook’s users. The app had 5,000 channels at launch, and is continually growing. What’s more, the variety of topics is quite broad. As Silverman points out, “it’s a news app, but we define news in a pretty broad way.”

    Silverman goes on to say that one of Newslook’s strengths is its focus on video and on premium content. Newslook, Silverman says, is for people who want to see the news. What separates Newslook from other video services like YouTube is that while YouTube is just a platform for video, “we’re more of an editorial company.” There’s very little user-generated content on Newslook. It’s nearly all premium content from Newslook’s provider partners. What’s more, not everyone can be one of Newslook’s partners. Silverman says that they hand-pick providers, and that “we’re very careful about who we work with” because they “very much believe in the quality of premium content.

    That’s not to say that Newslook’s content is all that limited, though. There are currently 44,000 videos in Newslook’s archive.

    Moving forward, you can expect to see Newslook on a growing variety of platforms. In addition to the iPad app, they also have a Google TV app. When asked what’s next for Newslook, Silverman said that the next step would be an improved second-generation iPad app. The channel approach, he said, is new for Newslook, and they’re paying close attention to user feedback in order to make sure they get it right. Beyond that, he sees iPhone and Android versions coming over the next year or so.

    You can check out Newslook’s website for more information. Newslook for iPad is available as a free download from the iOS App Store.

  • New iPhone, iPad Mini Launching Together In September?

    In the midst of all the rumors about the new iPhone and iOS 6 and Siri on the iPad that are circulating today we’ve got an interesting rumor to report concerning the long-rumored iPad Mini.

    According to AppleInsider, Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is meeting with some his sources in Apple’s Taipei supply chain, and has picked up some interesting news about what Apple may have coming down the pipeline. In a note to clients, he predicted that Apple would have an “exciting” September that would see the launch of both the new iPhone and the iPad Mini.

    Unfortunately, White doesn’t have any more details about the iPad Mini than the fact that it will launch alongside the iPhone. Speaking of the iPhone, however, he says his sources confirm some of the reports we’ve been seeing about the new iPhone’s redesign.

    While reports of the iPad Mini have become increasingly credible in recent months, a September launch alongside the new iPhone seems an odd choice for Apple. Most rumors place the iPad Mini in the $200-300 range, on par with the iPhone. The new iPhone is likely to be every bit as popular and in-demand as the iPhone 4S was last year. The problem, though, is that the iPad Mini is likely to be extremely popular as well, especially if the price point rumors are true. Releasing the two products simultaneously is bound to split the market for both devices. Of course, there are plenty of people who would want one device but not the other, and there are probably a sizable number of people who would buy both devices at the same time. But the markets for the two overlap significantly, and for the average customer a $200-300 iPad Mini and a $200-400 iPhone is going to be an either-or purchase. If Apple releases the iPad Mini alongside the new iPhone, they’re going to have more than a few customers who will decide to forego upgrading their iPhone in favor of an iPad Mini, or who will pass on the iPad Mini to get the new iPhone.

  • iOS 6: Siri Coming To The New iPad?

    There’s one thing you can always bet on with the Apple rumor mill: if they put a new feature in one of their devices, it will kick off speculation about them putting it in all the rest. Case in point: the original iPhone’s touchscreen technology was pretty amazing at the time (though we take it for granted now). No sooner had the iPhone been released when people started wondering when we would see touchscreen MacBooks and iMacs. Similarly, the iPhone 4’s retina display sparked rumors that the iPad would be getting the same remarkable technology (which it finally did this year). When the iPhone 4S came out last year with Siri, many wondered whether the new iPad would be getting that, too.

    Of course, the new iPad didn’t get Siri. Instead all it got was Dictation, which allows users to speak instead of typing. It’s a cool feature, but it’s no Siri. What if, though, Dictation on the new iPad was just a test run, and Siri will be coming to the iPad with iOS 6? Citing “trusted sources,” 9to5Mac is now claiming exactly that. It seems that Siri will do everything on the iPad that she does on the iPhone except make phone calls. They claim that you’ll be able to control media playback, iMessage, Reminders, and even get weather reports (despite the iPad’s lack of a native Weather app).

    According to the source, Siri on the iPad won’t take up the whole screen the way it does on the iPhone. It’s activated in the same way – holding down the home button. The iPhone’s animation that shows the display sliding up to reveal Siri is replaced by an animation of Siri sliding out from under the display. Once active, it shows up as a window on top of whatever is on your screen.

    It’s not clear whether Siri will be available for all models of iPad, but it seems likely that it will be limited to the new iPad only (though you can bet the jailbreak community will find a way around that). It’s also not clear whether Siri’s migration to the iPad will be announced at WWDC 2012 with iOS 6, or will be Tim Cook’s “one more thing” at the iPhone unveiling, which is expected to happen in the fall.

  • iOS 6 To Include All New Versions Of Apple’s Apps

    As WWDC 2012 approaches with its (presumed) unveiling of iOS 6, more information is starting to emerge about what sort of features the latest version of iOS will include. We’ve already told you about the coming update to the Maps app. New information has surfaced now suggesting that the rest of Apple’s stock apps will be getting significant updates as well.

    According to iDownloadBlog, a “credible source” has revealed that all of Apple’s built-in iOS apps have been completely rewritten to add numerous new features. The source cautions, though, that the overall look and feel of iOS will remain unchanged. The home screen, for example, will remain unchanged. The source also said that as far as the Maps update is concerned, the cat is completely out of the bag: there aren’t any new features that weren’t included in the leaked information.

    The big changes will come in the stock apps. The Camera and Photos apps will be getting some new features, and iOS 6 as a whole may be getting some additional goodies. Unfortunately, the source didn’t go into very many specifics, though he did hint at something particularly good coming for those who will run iOS 6 on the new iPad. The source also deliberately avoided answering questions about iOS 6’s multitasking, which may suggest that the feature will be getting a much-needed update.

    Assuming this source is accurate, then it seems that iOS 6 will be a pretty significant upgrade over iOS 5, which was itself one of the biggest upgrades Apple has made to the iOS platform. All in all, it seems like quite a lot to be excited about.

  • Men’s Health Launches App for iPhone

    Men’s Health Magazine has just released an update for its app for iOS. The magazine has now adapted its app to iPhone, users can post articles to Twitter, issues have been optimized for the iPad’s retina display and a few bugs have been sorted out.

    Here’s a screenshot of the new update:

    men's health app

    Interestingly, Men’s Health is presently reporting some issues with the app – must have something to do with the aforementioned bugs. Users can go here, to file a report on any issues.

    Men’s Health published by Rodale Inc., and is the world’s largest men’s magazine brand, with 44 editions around the world. It generally covers fitness, nutrition, sexuality, lifestyle and other aspects of man-life and health. MensHealth.com averages 38 million page views a month. The page on iTunes describes the magazine as being not “just a magazine. It’s the solution – for every bit of chaos, confusion, or suffering that the world can inflict on the male of the species. Belly fat. Fatheaded bosses. Exercise plateaus. Exercise excuses. Her boredom. His boredom. The fast-food menu. The wine list. The Dow Jones Industrial Average. We give men the tools, strategies, and motivation to handle all of this and more.”

  • PC Growth To Stagnate As Tablets Take Over

    When Tim Cook took the stage to introduce the new iPad back in March, he spent a lot of time talking about the “post-PC world,” a world in which people used tablets instead of PCs for the bulk of their day-to-day internet and media-consumption needs. The iPad, Cook said, was the poster child for this post-PC era.

    New data released this week by Morgan Stanley appears to prove that he was right. The data shows that the PC market’s growth in the past year has all but stopped. The data projects that by the end of the year, the PC market will have grown by just 0.7%. While that growth is projected to improve somewhat in 2013, it is only expected to reach 1.4%.

    The tablet market, on the other hand, is projected to experience massive growth. The data forecasts that the tablet market will grow 91.7% in 2012, though it will slow somewhat to 62.2% in 2013. As you might expect, the iPad will account for the majority of the tablet market’s growth, experience its own growth of 72.4%.

    Of course, Apple’s own computers are hardly immune to the impact of the tablet. While Apple is expected to continue to outgrow the rest of the PC market – of which Cook was very proud during Apple’s last earnings call – it will not do so by much. Apple’s computer sales are expected to grow by 8.4% in 2012 and 8.0% in 2013. Check out the data for yourself below:

    Post PC World

  • Apple May Soon Sell the New iPad in China

    Chinese regulators have approved the iPad 3, pointing to the possibility of it hitting the market in China. China is the second largest morket for Apple products in the world. The New iPad has sold well in America, but Apple would see a large spike in sales if it were to made available in China.

    According to the Associated Press, the Chinese government’s telecommunications equipment agency identified a product as A1430, the same model number of the iPad in the United States. Apple had no comment, so there is no confirmation that the device gaining approval was actually the iPad, although it is widely believed by the press that it is.

    Apple has been in an ongoing legal battle over the iPad name in China. The heavily indebted tech company, Proview, has filed suit claiming ownership of the iPad name. The suit has been going on since late last year, halting sales of the iPad in China. Apple has recently offered the company $16 million in settlement, but the once profitable Proview owes creditors $400 million dollars.

    With nothing to lose, they have been pushing litigation in as many courts as they can. Originally suing for $2 billion in the United States, Proview saw its case thrown out last week when the presiding judge deferred the case to the court in Hong Kong.

    Most recently, Proview had a large chunk of evidence thrown out in the Hong Kong court. Proview lawyers submitted expert testimony incorrectly, resulting in the judges dismissal. This could be a turning point for Apple, who refuses to change the iPad name when released in China.

  • Microsoft Office For iPad Coming November 10?

    A week ago we brought you news that Microsoft Office may finally be coming to the iPad and Android in November (sometime after the release of Windows 8, most likely). Now it seems that we may have a specific release date: November 10.

    According to a report published today by The Daily, the Office Mobile development team has finished with app, as has the design group, who forwarded it on to the usability team. Once the usability team is done, the app should be sent on to the App Store.

    While rumors of an iOS version of Office have been circulating for some time, there may be some truth to this particular set. For one thing, this report from The Daily and the earlier report from BGR match up pretty closely. For another, the timing makes sense: with Windows 8 just around the corner, a version of Office for Windows 8 tablets is bound to be on the way too. It’s unlikely that Microsoft would release a version of Office for Windows 8 tablets without also bringing it to the iPad.

    A request for comment sent to Microsoft has not yet received a response.

    [Image Credit: The Daily]

  • Netflix Streaming Player For iOS Updated

    Netflix today announced that it has updated its streaming player inside the Netflix app for iOS devices. The asthetics of the player has been adjusted to look more like Netflix’s “browse experience.”

    The new video player includes larger buttons and controls, making it easier for users to navigate and adjust streaming content on smaller screens. Thumbnail images will now be displayed when searching with the “scrub” bar, meaning a more precise search experience. An audio and subtitles menu button has been added next to the volume bar for easy access to those options. For Canadians, an easier “do not share” option is enabled for members who have connected their Netflix accounts to Facebook.

    Netflix has also updated the settings for the player, and the app now has a setting that allows users to restrict streaming to only when a device is connected via Wi-Fi. This is a necessary option, given the fact that wireless carriers are now killing off their unlimited data plans.

    The updated Netflix app is now available in Apple’s App Store and will work on any device, including iPhones, iPads, and iPods, that are running on iOS 4.2 or later. The Android version of the app has not yet been updated, though Netflix stated that a similar update for the Android streaming player will be coming in the near future.

    (via Netflix blog)

  • Groupon Acquires Breadcrumb, Restaurant POS Software

    Groupon announced the acquisition of Breadcrumb, in a company blog post, yesterday.

    We are excited to announce that Groupon has acquired Breadcrumb! The team behind Breadcrumb shares our passion to build affordable and intuitive products that make it easier for local merchants to manage their business. We’re thrilled to welcome founder Seth Harris and his team to the Groupon family

    Breadcrumb is a restaurant Point of Sale App that works on the iPad and comes with a small card reader peripheral that plugs directly into the side of the device. Groupon announced that they will be offering this product/service to their existing merchant partners. Restaurant’s that are current or future partners will have the ability to make Groupon redemption an easier process.

    New York Based Start-up Breadcrumb makes it easier for restaurants to lower prices and keep the same profit margins. It helps cut down prices on POS systems, which are astronomical. It may also help to encourage more entrepreneurs to start a business. The high risk involved in opening a restaurant may be offset by lowered start-up cost to some people.

    AllThingsDitigal is reporting that Groupon paid between $10 and $15 million for the company, before retention bonuses. Breadcrumb was founded just last year, and has less than 10 employees.

    Groupon has seen its shares in steady decline all year, but has rebounded slightly this month. A key acquisition like this could help them recover from a dismal IPO.

  • Tim Cook Hints iOS Facebook Integration May Be Coming Soon

    Tim Cook Hints iOS Facebook Integration May Be Coming Soon

    When Apple unveiled iOS 5 last fall with Twitter integration, the big question on everyone’s mind was “Where’s Facebook?” Apple had reportedly been in talks to bring Facebook integration to iOS since before iOS 4, but nothing had ever come of it. When iOS 5 came out with Twitter integration but no Facebook (a feature that appears to carry over to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, coming later this year), it raised a lot of eyebrows.

    Last night at AllThingsD’s D10 Conference Apple CEO Tim Cook spent some time on stage with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, talking about Apple. During that talk, Cook strongly hinted that iOS would be getting Facebook integration in the not-too-distant future. When asked about the situation by Mossberg, Cook said that he thought the relationship between Facebook and Apple was “very solid,” pointing out that “I saw Sheryl earlier, you can ask her” (referring to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg). He went on to say that he had “great respect for them,” and that iOS users should “stay tuned on this one.”

    Of course, there have been difficulties between the two companies in coming to an agreement in the past, Swisher noted, pointing out that Steve Jobs said that Facebook was “onerous.” She asked Cook if he thought Facebook was onerous too. Cook paused briefly before saying “they have their way of doing things,” a remark that drew laughter from the crowd.

    Swisher pressed him further, asking whether Apple and Facebook were “must-haves for each other.” Cook replied that Apple’s goal is to “provide customers simple and elegant ways to do the things they want to do,” and that as such he wanted customers to have the best possible experience when using Facebook on their iPhones or iPads, “so stay tuned,” he repeated.

    These remarks echo comments made by Cook earlier this year. Back in February Cook addressed a meeting of Apple’s shareholders. When asked by one whether Facebook is “friend or foe,” Cook said that Facebook is a friend and noted the enormous overlap between Facebook users and Apple customers. He also pointed out how good for Twitter iOS integration has been, and suggested that Apple and Facebook “could do more together.”

    So there you have it. While Cook did not outright promise that Facebook integration would be coming in iOS 6 (or OS X Mountain Lion), it’s pretty hard to avoid the impression that it will at least be coming fairly soon.

    Check out the video of Cook’s discussion of Facebook below:

  • WWDC 2012: Apple Announces Keynote, Schedule, App

    Apple has released the schedule for the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, including this year’s Apple keynote. As we reported last month, WWDC 2012 is scheduled for June 11-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Apple’s keynote will take place on Monday June 11th at 10 AM Pacific Time (1 PM Eastern). It will be Tim Cook’s first WWDC keynote since becoming CEO last year.

    The schedule is available at Apple’s WWDC 2012 page. Apple has also released this year’s official WWDC app, a universal iOS app which is available in the App Store. Unfortunately, only attendees are able to view the full schedule, which means that if you’re not one of the lucky few who scored a ticket before they sold out, the app won’t do you much good. Both the app and the website require you to sign in with your Apple Developer ID before showing you anything. Otherwise all you can see of the app is this:

    WWDC 2012 App

    Interestingly, however, those who are able to get into the app have noticed something interesting about its design. The traditional grayish-blue bar that sits at the top of many iPhone apps has gotten a makeover. It seems that the interface is now silver at the top and bottom, just like most iPad apps, and iPhoto on the iPhone. Here’s this year’s WWDC app side-by-side with last year’s, courtesy of Cult of Mac:

    iOS WWDC 2012 App Makeover

    The fact that Apple’s two newest iOS apps – iPhoto and now the WWDC 2012 app – are sporting a new look suggests that maybe the change will be system-wide beginning with iOS 6. By an amazing coincidence, Apple is widely expected to unveil iOS 6 as part of the aforementioned keynote.

    If Apple is planning to change the color scheme of iPhone apps in iOS 6, it represents a change from the way iOS has looked since the original iPhone in 2007. Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time Apple has departed from a design feature that’s been around since the beginning. According to recent reports, the next iPhone will have a screen that’s almost 4 inches on the diagonal, a departure from the 3.5-inch display that’s been on every iPhone since 2007.

    While Apple almost certainly won’t be unveiling the new iPhone itself during the keynote, iOS 6 is probably on the menu, along with Mountain Lion, and possibly updates to the MacBook Pro, iMac and MacBook Air.

  • Prototype iPad With Two Dock Connectors Sells For $10,200

    Prototype iPad With Two Dock Connectors Sells For $10,200

    In the weeks and months leading up to the unveiling of the original iPad in 2010, there were all sorts of rumors about what Apple’s tablet device: what it might look like, what sort of features it might have, how much it might cost, and so on. There were even rumors about what it might be called – iSlate was the most common, though iTablet was kicked around as well. The choice of “iPad” surprised pretty much everything, and subjected the tech world to enough feminine hygiene-related jokes to last a lifetime.

    At any rate, one of the rumors that was widely believed was that the iPad would have dual dock connectors – one beneath the home button (where it is now), and one on the side for when the iPad was being used in landscape mode. Numerous reports, component leaks, and a patent application seemed to confirm this, yet when the device was actually unveiled, there was only one dock connector – a design choice that Apple has held to in two subsequent generations.

    So, what happened to that second dock connector? Apparently Apple decided at the last minute to remove it. It seems, however, that there are still a few prototypes floating about. In fact, one of them made its way onto eBay over the weekend. The prototype was built for testing purposes and includes Apple’s Switchboard platform for testing hardware (based on the icons, it looks like Apple is populated by Star Wars and Transformers fans; try to contain your shock).

    According to the eBay listing, the device isn’t fully functional. It seems that Apple deliberately disables these units when its done with them, and the seller says in the item description that the touchscreen only works sporadically, and that the batter had to be replaced. Apparently, though, a piece of Apple history is still worth a pretty penny even if it doesn’t quite work. The auction ended shortly after midnight, Eastern time. After 23 bids, the prototype iPad sold for $10,200 (with free shipping, which is always nice).

    iPad Prototype eBay Auction

    The listing includes lots of pictures of the device. Here are a few that clearly show the second dock connector:

    iPad Prototype

    iPad Prototype

    iPad Prototype

    The auction began over the weekend with a starting price of $4,800. It had a Buy It Now option for $10,000.