WebProNews

Tag: iPhone

  • Woman Tased After Trying to Buy Too Many iPhones

    If you are doing your xmas shopping in Nashua, Hew Hampshire this year, you should know that their Apple Store is probably not going to sell you more than two iPhones, no matter how hard you plead. In fact, they’ll probably just call the cops and you’ll wind up getting tased.

    At least that’s what happened to Xiaojie Li. After being escorted out of an Apple Store in in the second-largest city in the state, police used force to subdue her after they claim she resisted arrest.

    According to WCVB, this whole incident centered around Li’s desire to purchase multiple iPhones for her family back in China. When we say “multiple,” we mean a lot. Li was reportedly carrying $16,000 in cash at the time of her arrest.

    It all started when Li purchased two iPhones last Friday, which happens to be the store maximum. She apparently confronted the store manager with video she had taken that supposedly showed other customers being allowed to purchase more than two iPhones. She was asked to leave the store.

    A few days later, Li returned to pick up more iPhones that she has ordered online. When she refused to leave the store, authorities were notified.

    Li and her daughter are blaming the whole thing on a language barrier, as Li only speaks Chinese and says she couldn’t understand anything the Apple Store employees or the police were talking about. She’s been charged with two misdemeanors as a result of the incident.

    iPhone limits? Tasings? Possible excessive user of force by local police? It’s shaping up to be a banner holiday season already, folks.

  • Google Maps for iPhone Arrives as Your Knight in Shining Armor

    If you’ve been waiting to be rescued from the evil Apple Maps (and didn’t make a product switch when Tim Cook told you to), you are in luck – as your white knight is here. Google has just launched the all new Google Maps app for iOS.

    This is the first native iOS maps app from Google since Apple kicked them out of iOS 6 and replaced them with (Apple’s) own maps product. That hasn’t really gone so well, as you may have heard (or experienced).

    Here’s what Google has to say about their brand new maps app:

    “The app shows more map on screen and turns mobile mapping into one intuitive experience. It’s a sharper looking, vector-based map that loads quickly and provides smooth tilting and rotating of 2D and 3D views. The search box at the top is a good place to start—perhaps by entering the name of a new and interesting restaurant. An expandable info sheet at the bottom shows the address, opening hours, ratings and reviews, images, directions and other information.”

    On first glance, it is pretty. It’s no prettier than Apple Maps’ interface, but hey – that was never the complaint to begin with. The readily available location information is also a nice touch.

    Of course, with Google Maps, you’re getting everything you know and love about Google Maps – 360 degree Street Views, indoor Street View with over 100,000 businesses across the world. But with this new release, iOS users are finally getting voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation, a feature previously reserved for Android users.

    For developers, Google is also releasing the Google Maps SDK for iOS alongside the maps app. With the Google Maps SDK, devs can easily insert the new Google maps into their iOS apps.

    “The SDK features vector-based maps that load quickly, allowing users to easily navigate 2D and 3D views, rotating and tilting the map with simple gestures inside your app. Developers can also change the Google maps view to include information such as traffic conditions, and control camera positions in 3D,” says Google.

    You can apply for an API key here.

    The app, which is available in over 40 countries and 29 languages, is ready to download in the App Store today. You definitely wouldn’t be the first. The app is already the number one free app in the world, garnered a five star rating with over 8,100 reviews in about eight hours. You may want to grab it before you start that road trip across Australia. Or, maybe not.

  • Flickr Becomes More Like Instagram On iOS

    Just yesterday, Yahoo released a major update for its email client that promises “speed, ease of use, and cross device availability.” Now the company is updating its other core Web property – flickr.

    Yahoo has released two major updates for flickr today – one for iOS and the other for the Web version. The iOS app received much of the attention as it now features a number of enhancements that has the venerable photo service becoming more like Instagram.

    The first thing you’ll notice about the new flickr app is that it encourages users to take pictures with the app and play around with it using all the new filters within the app. Photos can also be corrected and cropped from within the app.

    Flickr Becomes More Like Instagram On iOS

    After that, users can share their flickr photos on any number of social media outlets, including Twitter. Unlike Instagram, flickr photos will show up on Twitter cards. Beyond that, users can upload unlimited photos from their camera rolls, and take advantage of all the site features on flickr proper.

    The photos themselves now contain accompanying details like geotags, which camera was used, and the people tagged in said photo. Users can also pinch-to-zoom on photos and no quality will be lost for high resolution photos. It’s especially helpful for those who want to take a close look at fine details.

    Flickr Becomes More Like Instagram On iOS

    The final addition to the iOS app is improved discoverability. The app makes it easier to find photos from friends and photographers that you follow. The app also features a new Explore tab that’s always updated with the latest most interesting photos.

    Flickr Becomes More Like Instagram On iOS

    The iOS app wasn’t the only flickr product to be updated as the original Web site has also received a few upgrades. The Web site now features a new navigation bar and a new Explore page. The navigation bar has been shortened and simplified. It will be rolling out to users over the next few days. As for the Explore page, the photos have been aligned in a justified format so that it’s easy to view the most interesting photos uploaded in the past 24 hours.

    Flickr Becomes More Like Instagram On iOS

    You can grab the new iOS app from the App Store now.

  • T-Mobile Is Finally Getting the iPhone (Most Likely)

    T-Mobile customers, your long nightmare may be coming to a close. Deutsche Telekom has just announced that T-Mobile USA has “entered into an agreement with Apple to bring products to market together in 2013.”

    So, T-Mobile is finally getting the iPhone (and the iPad)?

    Well, it’s not official yet, as the announcement didn’t mention specifics. In fact, the announcement was sort of hidden inside a large release concerning Deutsche Telekom’s future financial plans.

    If the T-Mobile/Apple deal does in fact include the iPhone (which it has to, right?) it will mean the the last major U.S. carrier finally has the device.

    Rumors about the iPhone coming to T-Mobile have been floating around for years, but last week we heard another one from a Merrill Lynch analyst that said that the big iPhone announcement would be made on December 6th. Looks like he was right on.

    This is a developing story and we will update with details as we learn them,

    [h/t Engadget]

  • Gmail For iOS Updated With New Look And Features

    Google pushed an update for Gmail on Android 4.0 and above devices yesterday that added a lot of much needed features to the mobile email client. Now iOS users can also enjoy a completely new Gmail experience that adds new features and a slick new look.

    Upon booting up version 2.0 of Gmail for iOS, you’re bound to notice the new look of the client. Some of the new design is clearly inspired by Sparrow’s Gmail app. Google acquired the company and put its employees to work on Gmail. The new iOS app seems to be fruits of that labor.

    Gmail For iOS Updated With New Look And Features

    Besides the new look, the Gmail team has added a number of new features to the app that make it easier to use. For one, messages now display a person’s profile image from Google+. The identity of each person participating in a group conversation will now be immediately apparent.

    Speaking of Google+, the new app also allows users to RSVP to Google Calendar invites and +1 and comment on Google+ posts right from the app.

    The two final features are general, but welcome, improvements. The first is the addition of autocomplete predictions to help complete emails faster. It will also catch all those nasty typos that frequently make their way into emails sent from mobile devices.

    The other addition is support for multiple accounts. An iPhone or iPad may be tied to a single Apple ID, but more and more people are sharing iOS devices, especially iPads, among family members. It’s a nice gesture on the part of Google, but Apple really should take a cue from Android 4.2 and add multiple account support into the base iOS experience.

    You can grab the new Gmail for iOS from the App Store.

  • iPhone 5 Coming To 50 More Countries This Month (South Korea Release Date: 12/07)

    Apple announced today that the iPhone 5 will be released in South Korea on Friday, December 7, and that it will be released in 50 other countries this month.

    Last week, Apple revealed that the device would be available in China on Friday, December 14 (the new iPads will launch in the country this Friday).

    In addition to China, Apple announced today that the following countries will get the iPhone 5 on December 14: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Ecuador, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. iPhone 5 will also be available on Friday, December 21 in Barbados, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, Tunisia, Uganda and Vietnam.

    The device is currently available in 47 other countries.

    Last week, Apple began selling unlocked versions of the iPhone 5 (GSM) in the U.S.

  • Apple Is Now Selling the iPhone 5 Unlocked (GSM)

    Apple is now selling an unlocked version of the iPhone 5, so those who don’t want to commit to a carrier contract can still get the popular device (in the U.S.). Of course, that comes at a significant price.

    For one, it’s just GSM, so your network options are very limited.

    “The unlocked iPhone only works on supported GSM networks, such as AT&T in the U.S.,” Apple says in the Apple Store. “When you travel internationally, you can also use a micro-SIM card for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S or a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5 from a local GSM carrier. The unlocked iPhone will not work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon Wireless or Sprint.”

    There is also a significant dollar price hike. The 16GB version is $649, the 32GB is $749, and the 64GB is $849. Each is available to ship in one week.

    Unlocked iPhone 5

    In other iPhone 5 news, Apple has set a release date for the device in China (as well as a release date for the iPad Mini and 4th-generation iPad). The Wi-Fi versions of the new iPads will be available in China on Friday, December 7, and the iPhone 5 will be available on Friday, December 14.

    The company released the new 21.5-inch iMac in the U.S. today.

  • iPhone 5, iPad Mini, 4th-Gen iPad Get Release Dates For China

    Apple announced Chinese release dates for the iPhone 5, the iPad Mini, and the 4th-generation iPad today. The Wi-Fi versions of the new iPads will be available in China on Friday, December 7, and the iPhone 5 will be available on Friday, December 14.

    Apple’s latest iPad models are already available in 42 countries, and the iPhone 5 is currently available in 47.

    The iPad Mini with Wi-Fi comes in black & slate or white & silver, and costs $329 (US) for the 16GB model, $429 (US) for the 32GB model and $529 (US) for the 64GB model. The 4th-generation iPad with Wi-Fi models come in black or white, and cost $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model and $699 (US) for the 64GB model.

    Apple will sell the new iPads in China through its Apple ONline Store and via select Apple Authorized Resellers. They will also be sold by reservation at the company’s retail stores. Reservation requests will be accepted between 9AM and 5PM on a daily basis, starting December 6, for pick up the following day. The iPad 2 will also be available for $399 (US).

    The iPhone 5 comes in black & slate or white & silver, and costs $199 (US) for the 16GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model. The same buying options as the iPads apply. The iPhone 4S now costs $99 (US), and the iPhone 4 is free with a two-year contract.

    In the U.S., Apple is now selling unlocked GSM iPhone 5 models, according to reports.

  • iPhone Coming to T-Mobile Next Week [RUMOR]

    I know. The rumors about the iPhone coming to T-Mobile have been flying around since the CES expo in January. However, every time the rumor popped up again, it got a little more specific. In May, T-Mobile began making changes to its network that were clearly the groundwork for nationwide 4G LTE, a prerequisite for carrying the iPhone. Last month, the rumor was that T-Mobile might announce the iPhone on its network by “early 2013.”

    Today, Fortune is reporting that a Merrill Lynch analyst has begun spreading the news that “speculation is heightening” of an iPhone announcement by T-Mobile. The speculation surrounds Deutche Telekom, T-Mobile USA’s parent company, announcing the big news at an analyst day next week on December 6. The analyst predicts that T-Mobile could sell around 4 million, increasing Apple revenue by around 1%.

    It’s clear that T-Mobile will eventually be getting the iPhone, though the timing is still up in the air. Ever since the carrier’s acquisition by AT&T was foiled by the U.S. Justice Department last year, T-Mobile has doubled-down on becoming a real competitor to Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Though T-Mobile is still the fourth largest U.S. wireless carrier by subscriber numbers, its 4G LTE coverage is expanding rapidly and it’s recent merger with MetroPCS puts its subscriber numbers close to that of Sprint. The company has also appointed a new CEO and new CMO this fall, meaning the company’s direction and marketing are getting a fresh look.

  • Skype For iOS Hits 120 Million Downloads, Gets Messenger Integration

    Skype has turned out to be one of Microsoft’s best investments. The popularity of the applications just means that the company has an amazing reach beyond its own devices, even into the world of iOS where Skype recently hit a new milestone.

    Over the past few years, Skype has accrued over 120 million downloads on iOS devices. It’s popularity is immediately apparent on the iPhone where it sits as one of the top 10 free apps of all time. The company also notes that over 20 million photos have been shared on iOS devices via Skype since the feature launched a few months ago. Now the team at Skype is adding even more features to iOS to celebrate these milestones.

    The biggest change to Skype on iOS has to do with Microsoft’s recent merger of its Live Messenger application into Skype. Those new to Skype can now simply log-in via their Microsoft account, and it will migrate all of your Messenger, Hotmail and Outlook.com contacts into Skype. Users can also create a brand new account right from the app.

    Another addition is some changes to instant messaging on Skype. Users can now edit messages sent via the application so you no longer have to send another message correcting a previous typo. All you have to do is tap and hold onto a sent message to edit it. Skype users who have signed in via their Microsoft account can also send messages to their friends on Windows Live Messenger.

    The final addition is the arrival of emoticons on Skype for iOS. Instead of simply typing in the emoticon, the Skype team has added a menu full of the expressive little guys for you to choose from. As an added bonus, those with retina display iOS devices will get animated emoticons.

    You can grab the latest versions of Skype for iPhone and iPad right now at the iTunes App Store.

  • Vimeo’s iPhone App Gets Better Navigation, Background Uploading

    Vimeo has just launched a new iPhone app that streamlines navigation and sharing while making uploading faster and simpler as well.

    “The new app is simply the best way to watch, create and share Vimeo videos on the go. We redesigned it to be smarter and more intuitive so you can do what you want, when you want, really easily. You can take your feed on a road trip (just not while you’re driving), relax in the park with your Watch Later queue, or catch a Staff Pick or a friend’s video while in line for lunch. When the lunch line explodes into spontaneous song and dance, as it often does, record it and upload it right from the app. You can even watch more videos while it uploads,” says Vimeo.

    Uploading has gotten a lot faster with this update, as users can let their videos upload in background while watching other videos or adding information to the upload.

    On the browsing side, there’s a new Feed view and a tab-based design that replaces the old grid-style navigation. This makes it much easier to find videos via an Explore tab, or watch videos from your feed, “watch later” queue, or your “likes.” Sharing has also improved, as users can now natively share videos they like via Facebook, Twitter, or email.

    Of course, Vimeo says that everything is now “super fast.”

    Check out the not-creepy-at-all promotional video Vimeo made for their new iPhone app below:

    Recently, Vimeo launched an all-new Creator Services Suite which allowed video creators to add a tip jar to their videos. Also on the horizon over at Vimeo: Pay-to-view videos.

  • iPhone 5 Successor to Launch in Mid-2013 [RUMOR]

    DigiTimes, the Tiawanese publication that closely covers the Apple supply chain reported today that Apple’s suppliers are expected to post “strong” first quarter 2013 financials. This is unsurprising, as the iPhone 5’s success has meant even greater demand on manufacturers by Apple.

    The publication also cited unnamed observers as saying that Apple is expected to release the next version of the iPhone near the middle of 2013. From the report:

    Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013, which will boost demand for ICs in particular communications related chips during the latter half of the first quarter, according to the observers.

    Similar rumors surfaced last week, when a report suggested that Apple will begin a trial production run of the iPhone 5S this December. That report also stated that the iPhone 5S, a new iPad, and the long-rumored Apple HDTV will all be released in the first half of 2013.

    The DigiTimes reprot shows that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) are expecting component orders from Apple to climb high in March or April, suggesting a May, June, or July launch for new Apple products.

    These new claims could fuel rumors that Apple is shifting its yearly product refresh cycle to a 6-month refresh schedule. Though Apple has the brand recognition and, perhaps, the manufacturing capabilities to accomplish such a rapid product cycle, Apple fans who want to keep up to date with Apple’s products might find themselves paying double per year for their gadgets. The release of the newest iPad version came just six months after the release of the third-generation iPad in March 2012, upsetting many iPad owners who felt their device was becoming obsolete too quickly.

  • Apple Launches Holiday Gift Guide Website

    Apple doesn’t send out holiday mailers to mailboxes all over the country. It doesn’t need to, and paper spam would seem old-fashioned for the world’s most valuable tech company. In fact, it probably doesn’t need to put together a holiday gift guide at all, though it has.

    Today, Apple launched its holiday gift guide website, featuring the perfect gifts for the Apple fans. The guide is split into four parts, one section for each of Apple’s major products – iPhone, iPad, iPod, and the Mac category, which includes Macbooks, iMacs, and Apple TVs.

    In addition to the Apple products themselves, Apple is selling a myriad of accessories for all Apple products. Aside from the requisite cases, headphones, adapters, and gift cards, the company has a few less-practical (but really cool) products. A few of the highlights are a USB Fender Stratocaster Guitar, an iPad edition of Monopoly, and bluetooth RC cars & flying drones.

    Apple is providing free shipping for anything listed in the holiday gift guide, as well as all orders over $50. For impatient Apple fans, Apple also allows customers to purchase some of the items in the holiday gift guide and pick them up at a nearby Apple store.

    There’s no sign of a Google Play Android holiday gift website yet. With its new Nexus lineup, though, Google might finally have some products around which to base a few good accessories.

  • iPhone 5S Trial Production to Begin in December [RUMOR]

    A new report states that Apple will begin a trial production run of the sucessor to the iPhone 5 in December. The report, published in China’s Commercial Times, says that 50,000 to 100,000 units of the “iPhone 5S” will be manufactured.

    The report also claims that the new iPhone, a new iPad version, and the long-rumored Apple HDTV (iTV) will all be released in the first half of 2013. This claim seems extraordinary, especially since the shipping window for new orders of the current iPhone 5 slipped back again this week.

    Going by the Commercial Times’ report, Apple is producing the trial run to prepare its manufacturing processes for the inevitably huge demand it expects for the device. Apple is shifting away from using some Samsung components in its devices, and is having to put together a team of disparate manufacturers to make up for it. Apple hasn’t been able to find an alternate supplier for Samsung’s processors, however, and Samsung this week announced a 20% price increase on the components.

    If the rumors of an iPhone 5S in the first half on next year are true, it could mean that Apple really is shifting its traditional yearly product refreshes to a new six-month refresh schedule. The demand for the current iPhone shows that a six-month release schedule certainly is possible for Apple, but customers may have a hard time choking up hundreds of dollars twice a year. Especially if the newer devices are only marginal improvements over the old ones. The release of the newest version of the iPad came just six months after the release of the previous version, a fact which upset many Apple customers.

    (via BGR)

  • iPhone Keyboard Concept Lets You Text with Vibrations

    What if you could pull out your iPhone, sit in on a table and just start using the space in front of the device as an invisible keyboard? Well, now you can, at least in theory.

    Meet “Vibrative,” a new processing solution for smartphones.

    This interesting concept design comes from Florian Kraeutli a student at Goldsmiths, University of London. It works by measuring and then assigning vibration levels to a virtual keyboard setup – each key sends a different signal, so the program is able to decipher which letters the users is trying to say. According to Kraeutli, it gets it right about 80% of the time, and number which could be improved with the addition of a better accelerometer.

    It’s unlikely that you’ll see his virtual keyboard program in use any time soon, as it’s just a proof of concept. But who knows, maybe something like this could find a way on the market some time in the future. People are always looking for easy typing solutions for their mobile devices.

    [The Telegraph via BGR]

  • Foxconn Is Bringing Manufacturing Plants To The US [Report]

    Foxconn Is Bringing Manufacturing Plants To The US [Report]

    A big sticking point during the presidential debates this year was the loss of jobs to overseas companies. Both candidates pointed fingers at China, a country that has taken on much of the world’s manufacturing. Now one of China’s most infamous companies, Foxconn, may be bringing some jobs back to the US.

    A report from Digitimes says that Foxconn is in the planning stages to bring manufacturing plants to the US. The report mentions that Los Angeles and Detroit are prime candidates for these new plants. Unfortunately, the plants wouldn’t bring much in the way of new jobs to American workers though. It’s said that Foxconn would focus on LCD TV production which is highly automated.

    Interestingly enough, Foxconn is also starting up a training program for US-based engineers. Foxconn chairman Terry Gou said at a recent public event that his company would invite engineers to Taiwan and China for hands-on training in product design. The engineers would also get a chance to learn the Chinese language while they’re at it.

    Gou also said that his company is currently in talks with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in regards to the program. It sounds like one heck of an internship, and I’m sure many students at MIT would jump at the chance to learn more about design and a new language.

    Of course, all of this depends on approval from the US government. Distrust of China is at an all-time high in Congress with lawmakers investigating Chinese companies’ ties to the Chinese government. Foxconn isn’t included in the investigation just yet, but it will have to overcome some initial scrutiny if it intends to move to the US.

  • iPhone 6 Release Date Speculation: Here We Go Again

    Obviously, it’s very premature to suggest that anyone knows when Apple will launch its next iPhone model, and certainly whether or not that model will actually be called an iPhone 6. Nevertheless, that won’t stop the rumors and speculation from running amuck, just as they did with the iPhone 5 for the past year.

    Last week, Ed Valdez at Technorati made the case that the device will launch by June 2013, citing six reasons. I won’t run through them all here, but he does write, “Product managers/marketers use the S-curve to carefully manage when the next product should be introduced. Apple has been a master of maximizing revenues and profits from the launch of a product to the ramp phase (mass market adoption) to the mature phase (sales plateau, then subside). While the average iPhone PLC has been 14 months, the peak sales curve (ramp phase) of the iPhone 4S spanned a period of three months and the peak sales curve for iPhone 5 is projected to be 4 months. Thus, Apple needs shorter PLCs to continue to return value to its shareholders and deliver new value to consumers because revenue, profit and earnings shrink within two quarters after an iPhone announcement. No company wants lackluster sales for the vast majority of a product life cycle.”

    He also says, “The iPad 4 announcement tipped Apple’s hand by showing us what’s possible: a shorter time to market (TTM). The iPad 4 launch cut five months from the average iPad TTM and the iPhone 5 launch cut three months from the average iPhone TTM. Even if Apple were to announce iPhone 6 by June and make it available in July, that would be 10 months TTM from the iPhone 5 which is quite doable because the iPhone 5 had a TTM of 11 months. I’m forecasting June 2013 only because it synchronizes well with their next anticipated WWDC in June of next year. The quick TTM for the iPad 4 will translate to a fast TTM for the next iPhone.”

    NetworkWorld thought enough of Valdez’s predictions to discuss them, but also says that “None of these claims are very convincing.”

    If iPhone 6 speculation isn’t enough for you, there are already iPad Mini 2 rumors coming out too. Get ready for a lot of this stuff again over the coming months.

  • Microsoft Office 2013 For iOS, Android Rumored For Early 2013 (Again)

    One month ago, Microsoft’s Czech Republic subsidiary jumped the gun with a press release stating that Microsoft Office 2013 will be available for iOS and Android starting next year, and that versions of the software will also be available for Windows Phone 8, Windows RT, Mac OS, and Symbian. In addition, a Microsoft Office product manager was quoted in the Czech press as saying the iOS and Android version will be launching in March 2013.

    The head of Microsoft corporate communications quickly disavowed the news and the release was retracted, but the damage had already been done.

    Today, The Verge is reporting that Microsoft Office for iPad, iPhone, and Android really will be launching in “early 2013.” Citing “several” unnamed sources “close to Microsoft’s plans,” the report states that the free apps will allow users to look at Office documents on their mobile devices. Of course, a Microsoft Account is also required, and to edit the documents users will require an Office 365 subscription. Getting a little more specific, The Verge stated that Office 2013 mobile will roll out in “late February or early March” for iOS, and that an Android version is due for May.

    It sounds as if Office 2013 will be very similar to the Google Drive app for iOS and Android. The Drive app similarly requires a Google Account, though it provides free basic editing of text documents. The Verge reports that, even with a subscription, the mobile version of Office will only allow basic editing that isn’t comparable to the Windows 8 version of Office 2013.

  • Xbox SmartGlass Finally Shows Up On iOS

    Xbox SmartGlass Finally Shows Up On iOS

    Microsoft’s answer to the Wii U, Xbox SmartGlass, was one of the more impressive things we saw from the company at E3. It turned out to be pretty neat when it launched on Windows 8 and Android devices last month. iOS users, however, were left without a SmartGlass app of their very own.

    The Xbox team is finally delivering the second screen experience to iOS users who happen to own an Xbox 360. The app is pretty much the same as the apps that were released on Windows 8 and Android devices last month. It should be noted that iPad users will get a SmartGlass app built specifically for the device to take advantage of the increased real estate. The Verge notes that SmartGlass does not yet take advantage of the iPhone 5’s increased screen size though.

    For those new to SmartGlass, here’s all the features included in the second screen experience:

  • Navigate your Xbox 360 with swipe and tap
  • Use your phone’s keyboard to type to your Xbox 360
  • Browse the Internet on your Xbox 360 with full keyboard and zooming
  • Play, pause, fast forward, rewind, and stop videos and music on your Xbox 360
  • Search the full Xbox catalog of music, video, and games
  • Enjoy rich, interactive experiences from select game and entertainment content creators
  • Track and compare your achievements with your Xbox friends
  • Change up your 3D avatar
  • Message your Xbox friends
  • Edit your Xbox profile

    • Xbox SmartGlass is now on all three major mobile platforms. It will be interesting to see the adoption rates among Windows 8, Android and iOS users. Microsoft would obviously love for people to use Windows 8 tablets, but the company was smart to get the Android and iOS apps out before the end of the year.

  • Apple Loses Major Trademark Dispute In Mexico

    Since 2003, Mexican residents have been serviced by telecommunications company iFone. Apple started selling the iPhone in the country in 2007 and registered its own trademark. The Cupertino-based company then brought legal action against iFone in 2009, and iFone sued right back. In this case, Apple should have settled right out of the gate.

    A court in Mexico City handed down a judgment last week that sees Apple lose an injunction that would have allowed the company to keep selling iPhone-branded products in the country. The court said that iPhone was too phonetically similar to iFone. The ruling means that Apple will no longer be allowed to sell iPhones with the iPhone name in Mexico.

    It was pretty much a given that Apple was going to lose this one. iFone has been around since 2003, a full four years before Apple ever showed off its iPhone. It seems like a strange oversight by Apple, however, as the company claims to have paid for the iPad name in Asia during its legal dispute with Proview. Why didn’t Apple just work out a deal with iFone before threatening legal action against a brand that preceded its own?

    It’s already pretty bad that Apple lost the right to use the iPhone name in Mexico, but it could get much worse. iFone sued Apple for damages which could result in 40 percent of all iPhone sales revenue in Mexico going to the telecom.

    Electronista reports that the top two Mexican carriers were scheduled to start selling the iPhone 5 today. It’s unknown if the court order will delay the launch, or outright ban the iPhone 5 from sale in Mexico until Apple can either change the name or come to an agreement with iFone. My bets are on the latter as Apple probably wouldn’t change the name of its flagship device for just one country.

    [h/t: El Universal]

  • iOS With Widgets Could Work Like This [VIDEO]

    Two of the things Android has always done better than iOS are notifications and widgets. While iOS 5 finally introduced Android-style window-shade notifications, Apple’s mobile OS still hasn’t fully embraced widgets. In the meantime, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has resizable widgets and Microsoft has taken the widget concept and made them the entire basis of Windows Phone 8 with Live Tiles.

    One Apple fan has taken inspiration from Android and Windows Phone 8 and created a concept video for how widgets could work on an iPhone. YouTube user maxrudberg, who also creates themes for Apple operating systems, created the video to show “how the iOS home screen could become more.” From his video description:

    In this concept, an app icon can be resized from 1×1 to 2×2 or 4×2, similarly to how you would on Windows Phone 8. The increased size can house widget like functionality and provide easy access to core features of that particular app. For example, you could expand the Settings icon into a widget with a brightness slider, and quick toggles for WiFi, Bluetooth, Personal Hotspot and Do Not Disturb.

    The newfound space could also be used to give a miniaturized window into the app, showing content already on the home screen. This could be useful for Phone, Messages or Mail. Instead of a glaring red badge, you’d be able to see the messages or calls directly on the home screen.

    To launch the app, you can press the shrunken app icon in the lower left.

    The expanded icons can be moved around like regular icons and placed in the manner you like. But for obvious reasons, you cannot place an expanded icon in the dock; it would just slide back onto the home screen.

    One could imagine that this functionality would also be available to developers, who could include it for their apps.

    This would rather nicely complement the existing feature set of iOS and make the home screen more engaging.

    The iOS homescreen certainly could use some redecorating. Though the brand recognition of the iOS homescreen is something Apple is still enjoying, looking the same as it did in 2007 might not be the best strategy when potential customers see the functionality widgets bring to other mobile OS’. Just this week a new survey showed that iPhone loyalty is on the decline.