Tag: iPhone

Best Buy Selling Almost As Many iPhones as Apple

In a new report from data collected by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), electronics retailer Best Buy has been selling almost as many iPhones as Apple itself.

Best Buy became an outlet for the iPhone back in 2008, and the retail chain of 1,100 stores has been integral in Apple expanding its reach – about 600 Best Buy stores host Apple stores within a store – this has been good for the company in geographic locations to where an entire dedicated Apple Store would be too much.

In the CIRP survey on iPhone purchases conducted between December, 2011 and February of this year, retail stores accounted for 76% of iPhone sales, with the other 24% being bought online. Most of the phones were sold by the mobile service carriers, at either AT&T and Verizon, at 32% and 30% respectively. Apple sold 15% – and Best Buy sold 13%, on par with Apple itself. The “other” respondents in the survey make up Radio Shack, Walmart and iPhones as gifts.

It’s clear that the carriers are in command of iPhone distribution, but retail outlets are just as important as the actual Apple Stores. CIRP’s Josh Lowitz stated, “Apple Stores and the Apple Web site are tremendously productive, but they are limited by their relatively small retail footprint – There are four times as many Best Buy stores, and probably 20 times as many AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint stores, so aggressive distribution through all these channels is critical to Apple’s U.S. strategy.”

March 23, 2012
Apple Beats BlackBerry In RIM’s Backyard

In the years since Apple first unveiled the iPhone in 2007, things have been getting steadily worse for Research In Motion, the makers of the once-ubiquitous BlackBerry line of smartphones. As the iPhone and Android-based smartphones have become more popular, BlackBerry has long considerable ground in the market in which it once held near-absolute hegemony.

There has always been one market, however, where BlackBerry still reigned supreme: Canada. RIM is based in Ontario, and throughout the company’s struggles they have always managed to sell more BlackBerrys in Canada than Apple has sold iPhones. Until now. A recent report from Bloomberg shows that Canadians bought nearly 800,000 more iPhones than BlackBerrys. in 2011. Though 800,000 may not seem like a lot in terms of smartphone sales, it’s actually extremely significant: Apple sold 2.85 million iPhones in Canada in 2011, while RIM sold 2.08 BlackBerrys. That means that Apple nearly sold half again as many phones as RIM in RIM’s own backyard.

Though losing to iPhone on RIM’s home turf no doubt stings, it is just the most recent of several blows the company has received in recent months. As data has surfaced showing Android and iPhone trouncing BlackBerry (and everyone else, really) in market share, other reports have shown that those platforms are also coming to be favored by IT professionals. Considering that BlackBerry once owned the enterprise market, that has to hurt, especially when businesses and organizations start making move that prove BlackBerry’s decline. In 2012 alone Halliburton, the NOAA, and the ATF have all begun abandoning the BlackBerry platform in favor of iOS.

Though the leadership of new CEO Thorsten Heins and the launch of the much-anticipated BlackBerry 10 may yet serve to turn the company around, it is getting increasingly difficult to remain optimistic.

What do you think? Can BlackBerry turn things around and become competitive with iOS and Android again? Let us know in the comments.

March 23, 2012
Apple Stock Infographic

Statista, the leading German statistics company on the web, has just posted an infographic on Apple’s stock performance as it correlates with major product announcements:

The chart shows that while Apple stocks received a significant bump upon the announcement of the original iPhone, this was not the case regarding the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 models – though interestingly, stocks rose after the announcement of the iPhone 4S.

Investors seemed to be a bit skeptical upon the announcement of the first iPad, but seemed more confident when Apple unveiled the iPad 2. Data appears to show that stocks might have been losing a bit of steam upon the announcement of the New iPad.

Apple stocks rose sharply upon the announcement of the unibody MacBook Pro in 2008, and likewise fell a bit at the unveiling of the first MacBook Air.

As a whole, Apple stocks see a spike at the days of all major product announcements.

Hat tip to Statista.

March 22, 2012
Lost and Stolen Smartphones Will Cost $30 Billion in 2012

According to a study conducted by smartphone security services company Lookout, unrecovered lost and stolen cellphones could cost U.S. consumers more than $30 billion this year.

Lookout has also launched a new site called Mobile Lost and Found in tandem with their study, which helps users to discover the places where phones are most often lost, rates by region, financial impact, etc.

Lookout also offers a missing device app for Android and iOS, similar to Apple’s Find My iPhone app, which transmits map locations and sounds an alarm to signal a user if the phone is nearby.

The company surveyed 15 million cellphone users in gathering their data, and found that demographics and behavior had the biggest impact on phone loss. The study showed that U.S. users lose their phones about once a year, at a cost of about $250, if the device in unrecovered.

Lookout also noted that many of the cities with highest rates of lost and stolen phones also were at the top of the FBI’s recent crime statistics, including Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland and Newark.

March 22, 2012
iPhoto For iOS Downloaded By A Million Users In Ten Days

When Apple unveiled their latest iPad earlier this month, they also announced a new app tailor-made for the new iPad’s retina display. iPhoto for iOS promised users a powerful image editing tool on their iPads (and iPhones). The universal iOS app went live in the App Store not long after Tim Cook left the stage in San Francisco.

Since then, iPhoto has proven to be a hit with reviewers and consumers alike. In fact, iPhoto was downloaded by over one million users in the first ten days after it released, according to The Loop’s Jim Dalrymple. Dalrymple stresses that the figure is users, not downloads. In other words, if you downloaded iPhoto for your iPhone and iPhoto for your iPad, you only count once. That being the case, iPhoto probably saw considerably more than a million downloads in its first ten days.

iPhoto, which requires iOS 5.1, completes the iLife suite on iOS devices. iMovie and GarageBand for iOS were released last year with the iPad 2. iPhoto is a universal app, and is available from the iOS App Store for $4.99.

Were you one of the million users who downloaded iPhoto in the first ten days? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments.

March 22, 2012
New iPhone Getting A 4.6-Inch Screen?

Now that the new iPad is finally upon us, it’s time for the rumor mill to turn its ever-hungry gaze to another target: the new iPhone (note: that’s “the new iPhone,” and probably not “iPhone 5”). For the moment there are few real details about the sixth-generation iPhone, but there is plenty to speculate about.

One rumor that’s being reported now is that the next iPhone will sport a 4.6-inch display. This one comes from a South Korean newspaper (by way of Reuters) that claims that the displays are being ordered from Korean suppliers (i.e., LG and Samsung).

Rumors of an iPhone with a larger display are nearly as old as the original iPhone. Through 5 generations of iPhone, though, Apple has stuck stubbornly with the same 3.5-inch screen. Numerous Android-based iPhone competitors sport larger displays. The Galaxy Nexus, released last year, has a 4.65-inch display. Shortly after the Galaxy Nexus released, The Verge compared the two:

With very little actually known about the next iPhone, the rumor mill is going to be full of speculation for several months as details slowly emerge. A few things are near-certainties, though. For one, you can bet that the next iPhone will come with 4G. After all, it’s almost unthinkable that Apple would release an iPad with 4G only to follow it up with a 3G-only iPhone. A quad-core A6 processor is also highly likely; the A6 was apparently in the works for the iPad, but couldn’t be put into production in time. It’s also a fair bet that Siri will be brought out of beta, or at least improved considerably, when iOS 6 launches alongside the iPhone. The release date is still very much in the air at this point, with some expecting a summer launch (the first four iPhones launched in the summer) and other expecting a September-October launch (the iPhone 4S launched in October 2011).

What do you think? Would you like to see a larger display on the iPhone? What other features would you like to see? Let us know in the comments.

March 22, 2012
China Takes The Lead In Worldwide iOS, Android Activations

China has passed the U.S. to become the global leader in new iOS and Android activations. China has been the world’s largest mobile phone market for some time, now it appears to have become the top smartphone market as well.

According to a recent study published by Flurry, China’s rate of device activation has surged in the last year. In January of 2011, China accounted for just 8% of worldwide Android and iOS activations. By the end of 2011 that number had climbed to 17%. In just three months, the number has climbed again. China passed the U.S. in February as Chinese activations reached 23% and U.S. activations fell to 22%. As of March (with the data projected through the end of the month) China accounts for 24% of iOS and Android activations worldwide, while the U.S. accounts for 21%.

China also had the fastest growth (by far) in terms of app sessions (the launch and use of a smartphone application). Numerous countries around the world showed remarkable growth in the number of app sessions. In Turkey, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia, for example, app sessions grew by nearly 400%. In Russia they grew by just over 500%, while in Argentina they grew by nearly 600%. In China, however, app sessions grew by a staggering 1126% between the first quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.

Finally, the study looked at the worldwide distribution of iOS and Android app sessions. While the U.S. held the overall top spot in app sessions (which indicate the largest installed user base), its lead has shrunk in the last twelve months. In the first quarter of 2011, the U.S. accounted for 56% of worldwide app sessions. The rest of the top ten countries combined to account for 27%, and the rest of the world combined for 17%. In the first quarter of 2012 (again projecting the last ten days of the quarter), the U.S. accounts for 10% fewer app sessions, while the rest of the top ten and the rest of the world account for 3% and 7% more, respectively.

Given China’s massive growth as a smartphone market in the last twelve months, the efforts of smartphone makers like Apple to increase their presence in that country make a great deal of sense. Last month Apple reached an agreement to begin offering the iPhone on the second of China’s three major carriers, China Telecom. The move was partly aimed at alleviating Apple’s losses in market share in China.

The full study can be found on Flurry’s blog.

March 21, 2012
Control Your PC, While Gaming, With Your iPhone

So you’re sitting there playing the PC version of Skyrim, enjoying the game and its incredibly-active modding community, and all of a sudden, you notice a massive slowdown because of system resource allocation issues. What do you do? Well if you have an iPhone with the Power-Grid application installed, you can monitor and take control of your PC.

With an Apple product.

I know, I know. What’s next? In the words of Peter Venkman, “human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria?” Considering we’re now living in a world where an Apple device can take control of a PC, mass hysteria may be the next logical step. Developed by Roccat, the Power-Grid app–yes, it’s free–according to its description, allows users to do the following:

Power-Grid is a free app that lets you connect, monitor and control your games and PC without having to leave the action – and all with your smartphone. It comes preloaded with four control displays – or grids. Three feature essential gaming tools. The fourth is completely customizable.

One of the main aspects of control Power-Grid promises is in relation to social media. For instance, the application allows you to respond to Skype requests without leaving the comfort of the game you’re playing. Granted, if you have the Skype application installed on your iPhone, or any other social media app for that matter, you wouldn’t have to leave your PC game in the first place, but I digress.

Thankfully, the Power-Grid app is more than just a social media response tool, something the screenshot reveals quite clearly:

Click for larger image
Users can also monitor their computer, keeping an eye on resource allocation, memory usage, as well as the CPU’s temperature and the current load percentage its dealing with. PC sound control is another feature Power-Grid includes, giving PC gamers control of their system’s audio, again, without having to exit the game being played.

As clearly indicated, the Power-Grid app is currently available for the iPhone environment, and the site indicates the application is being developed for the both the Android and the Windows Phone operating systems. Until then, however, revel in the fact that your PC is being controlled by an Apple device. Hopefully, the cosmos won’t reject such an idea.

March 21, 2012
Android Development Interest Slips, HTML5 On The Rise

The Android platform is taking a few hits these days as it moves towards unification with Linux and further integration into Google with Google Play. There was the report of a developer leaving Android development due to lack of interest in his games. While an isolated case, a new study from Appcelerator confirms the trend – developers are losing interest in Android.

Before we get into this study, it’s important to note that Appcelerator’s study doesn’t account for all app developers. The study surveyed 2,173 Appcelerator Titanium developers on their plans and development priorities, then called 484 of those developers back in for further questioning. While it’s not every developer, it’s a decent sample size that should be able to predict general movements within the smartphone development arena.

Mobile app development is on the rise according to the report. It says that more than half of the respondents said they are now focused on increasing their mobile development. About 16.7 percent of these same respondents also said they will focus on innovating their apps in 2012.

The rise in mobile development doesn’t mean that interest across all platforms is as high. It’s found that interest in Android development is dropping. The interest in developing for Android phones dropped 4.7 percent to 78.6 percent and interest in Android tablets dropped 2.2 percent to 65.9 percent.

At least Android isn’t as bad off as the Blackberry OS with interest in that platform dropping 5.2 percent from last year to 15.5 percent overall.

Windows Phone 7 interest seems to be rising with the platform taking a solid third place after iOS and Android. The launch of the Windows 8 phones and tablets might help grow those numbers later this year.

If you’re more of the visual type, here are two graphs that chart developer interest in various platforms. The first is overall interest in mobile platforms taken from the most recent survey.

The second is looking at growth or decline of interest from 2010 to 2012 for each platform. This graph is the most striking as it visibly tracks the decline Android is currently experiencing.

Appcelerator’s principal mobile strategist Mike King spoke to The Register on the decline of Android development interest. He says the blame falls squarely on Android’s fragmentation of its own market. The multitude of devices, all potentially running different versions of Android, make it hard for developers to make money according to King.

Another trend in 2012 seems to be the rise of HTML5. Seventy-nine percent of mobile developers are planning to use HTML5 in some capacity this year for their apps. Pure HTML5 development is not all that popular yet, however, as only six percent of developers are planning to build an entire app using HTML5. The majority of developers (72 percent) are building hybrid apps that utilize some HTML5 code, but also use other programming languages when building apps.

App developers are going to utilize cloud technologies in a big way in 2012. Thirty-five percent of developers are wanting to use the cloud to implement location technologies into their apps with 33 percent using the cloud for notifications.

On a final note, developers are using social media integration in the same ways they were using them last year. The top three uses of social media are literally unchanged from last year – notifications, sharing status updates and authentication. As much as Facebook touts Open Graph as being the future of apps using Facebook, only 17 percent of developers are actively using it.

The entire study can be obtained for free at Appcelerator’s Web site. It’s a good indicator of what the mobile app ecosystem is going to look like in 2012. It will be interesting to see if Google responds to developer concerns over its Android environment slipping.

March 21, 2012
Russell Brand to Fight Felony Charges

We first reported that Russell Brand was taken in on two misdemeanor charges in connection with an incident in which Brand threw a paparazzo’s iPhone through a window.

TMZ is now reporting Brand has been charged with a felony. In Louisiana, damage to property in excess of $500 dollars is considered a felony. Police are saying the damage caused by Brand totalled $700.

Prosecutors must decide to go forward with felony charges or bump them down to a misdemeanor. In the meantime, Brand has hired high profile New Orleans lawyer Robert Glass in defense.

According to sources at TMZ, Brand will claim he was provoked by the paparazzi. He will also claim that the damages were not $700, since he paid $240 to fix the window, and damage to the iPhone was minor.

If guilty, the felony charge carries a penalty of a maximum of 2 years in prison. Brand was released last Thursday on $5,000 bond.

Brand, famously, had this to say about the incident:

(image)@rustyrockets
Russell BrandSince Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

March 19, 2012
iPhone 4S JuiceTank Newest Kickstarter Project

If forgetting your iPhone charger when you travel is a constant problem, then look towards this fantastic new invention. This is the JuiceTank, it is an iPhone case with a built in wall plug. So all you have to do is plug it into the wall and walk away. The great polycarbonate case is sturdy for when you drop it, but also has two built in prongs to be able to plug it in.

Here is the official release from their Kickstarter project:

“The JuiceTank is the first iPhone case to feature an integrated wall charger that folds flat to provide maximum portability. The automated plug deploys easily and allows you to plug your phone directly into any outlet. No cords required. No clumsy cords. Nothing extra to carry. Just the protection you need with the flexibility to charge whenever and wherever you want. Poor battery life is one of the biggest complaints about the iPhone. Help us get this product to market and together we will solve this problem once and for all. We are using the funds we raise on Kickstarter for tooling and to begin production. Kickstarter projects that do not reach their goal do not receive any of the funds, so help us get there with time to spare. With your help, we can begin shipping the JuiceTank as soon as Summer 2012.”

The company is offering a Kickstarter limited-edition case for people that help fund the project at $75 or more that is green and black. The cheapest pledge to get your hands on one of the cases standard black cases is $40. The company is seeking to raise $125,000 to develop the case and has 58 days remaining. So far, the case has raised $7872.

@pseudoroom
Justin DauerThis is awesome: the JuiceTank iPhone case charges your phone anywhere via a built-in, collapsable plug http://t.co/br7QGUMs 1 day ago via TweetDeck · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

@lwdupont
Lucien W. DupontOk, this is kind of neat – cool kickstarter iPhone case: http://t.co/3lPUrEUL 1 hour ago via Osfoora for Mac · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

March 16, 2012
iPhone Beats Sony In Camera Market

In a time when everyone from grandmas to fifth-graders have smartphones, it’s not hard to believe that phone cameras have come to dominate the photo industry. According to BusinessWeek.com, Sony is now facing their weakest demand since 2009, and it’s mostly due to users choosing their ever-convenient phone cameras over traditional ones. In addition, the surge of photo-sharing apps and websites have created a more powerful dependency on phone cameras than ever before.

What This Means For The Future

“Smartphones and tablets will expand the scope of the digital imaging industry,” said Chris Ely, manager of industry relations at Consumer Electronics Associaton. “The rise of new digital imaging applications and features for these devices allows consumers to interact and use images in new ways, creating new opportunities for the industry.”

Apple, who has been in the news quite a bit recently with the release of their new iPad and because of legal issues with Samsung patents, recently released the iPhone 4S. The new version takes photos with a 60 percent higher resolution than the company’s previous model. With technology only getting better every day, it’s not hard to see why more and more people are using their phones as their primary camera.

What This Means For Camera Companies

It was reported earlier this year that Kodak is going bankrupt for the same reason, and because they failed to see the urgency in getting into the digital market until it was too late. The company, which has been around for over 100 years, began to flounder before they even realized what was happening, and by the time execs saw their mistake it was too late. By 2001 things were so bad for Kodak that it was estimated they lost $60 for every digital camera sold.

Sony is just one in a group of camera companies that are seeing their sales decline, including Nikon, Canon, and Olympus. According to the Camera and Imaging Products Association, those four companies shipped out ten percent fewer cameras this year as compared to last.

March 16, 2012
T-Mobile Officially Discontinues Sidekick 4G

T-Mobile has officially discontinued its Sidekick 4G, the Samsung SGH-T839.

Upon its debut last April, the Sidekick 4G was more than a mere re-imagining of the aging T-Mobile brand – some said it was one of the best mid-range Android phones around. Still, T-Mobile has discontinued the handset – but this doesn’t mean the end to all Sidekicks. T-Mobile continues to update and expand upon its 4G product line, which might lead to another iteration of the popular device down the line.

As of now, one can still buy a full physical QWERTY Sidekick 4G, with a 3.5″ screen from T-Mobile’s site for $329.99, or get one for free with a contact agreement.

T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray has recently announced that the company plans to launch 4G LTE in 2013, which will make it compatible with a number of new devices, including the Apple iPhone.

March 16, 2012
J.D. Power and Associates Awards iPhone
J. D. Power and Associated has given the coveted Highest customer satisfaction rating to Apple’s iPhone for the seventh consecutive time.

Battery life tends to be the deciding factor in whether or not a customer is satisfied with their smartphone performance. It ranked highest in the reason people were satisfied with the top performing phones and the biggest reason why customers were unsatisfied with ones that performed poorly.

Satisfaction levels with battery performance differed widely between owners of 3G and 4G smartphones. Among owners of 4G-enabled smartphones, battery performance ratings average 6.1 on a 10-point scale–considerably lower than satisfaction among owners of 3G smartphones (6.7). Part of this difference stems from the fact that new 4G smartphones use substantial battery life searching for next-generation network signals. In addition, owners of 4G-enabled smartphones use their device more extensively than customers with 3G smartphones or traditional handsets–which puts a significantly higher demand on the battery.

“Both carriers and manufacturers recognize the fact that battery life needs to be improved,” said Kirk Parsons, senior director of wireless services at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, the study uncovers the need for a greater sense of urgency–short battery life can result in perceived phone problems, higher rates of merchandise returns and customer defections.”

When people find something that works for them, they stick with it. Approximately 25 percent of 4G-enabled smartphone owners are highly satisfied with their battery (ratings of 10 on a 10-point scale) and say they “definitely will” repurchase a device from the same manufacturer. In comparison, among owners who are less satisfied with their battery (ratings of 7-9 on a 10-point scale), only 13 percent say they will repurchase from the same manufacturer,

Additional Findings:
- The price of traditional headset cell phones declined an average of $66. 44% of customers got theirs for free.
- 70% use social networking sites on their phone.
- 21% experienced a software or device malfunction.
The study compares the satisfaction of 7,080 smartphone owners and 8,335 traditional mobile phone owners between July and December 2011.

Apple achieved a score of 839 on a 1,000-point scale and performed well in all factors, particularly in ease of operation and features. HTC (798) follows Apple in the smartphone rankings.

LG and Sanyo rank highest in overall customer satisfaction with traditional handsets, in a tie (716 each). LG performs well in all four factors, while Sanyo performs particularly well in ease of operation. Sony Ericsson (712) and Samsung (703) follow in the traditional handset rankings.
March 16, 2012
Russell Brand Arrested and Released

Russel Brand turned himself in to the New Orleans Sheriff’s office yesterday afternoon, in response to the news that a warrant was out for his arrest.

Brand was booked on two misdemeanor counts of simple damage to property, charges that carry a fine of $700. Brand paid a $5,000 bond and was sent on his merry way.

The warrant stemmed from an incident on Monday, when Brand took a paparazzo’s iPhone out of his hand and threw it through the window of a nearby law firm. Brand had this to say about the incident:

(image)@rustyrockets
Russell BrandSince Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

Paparazzo Timothy Jackson filed a police report following the episode. Brand paid for the window ($240) and Jackson got his phone back, but the police issued the criminal warrant none the less.

Brand isn’t the only celebrity to get in trouble after grabbing an iPhone out of someone’s hand. Chris Brown was involved in a similar incident, when he grabbed a Florida woman’s iPhone and drove off with it. Brown was charged with “robbery by sudden snatching.”

March 16, 2012
Untethered iOS 5.1 Jailbreak Coming Soon?

If there’s one rule that everyone who jailbreaks their iPhone or iPad knows, it’s this: do not update your iOS when Apple releases a new version. Though legally required to tolerate jailbreaking, Apple is not a fan of the practice, and has a habit of closing the exploits used to jailbreak iOS with every new release. The latest version, iOS 5.1, is no different. In fact, not only did Apple fix the exploits used to jailbreak iOS 5.0.1, they even went so far as to acknowledge pod2g and the “2012 iOS Jailbreak Dream Team” in their list of security fixes for iOS 5.1.

Another Waiting Game?

Considering how long it took for jailbreak developers to crack iOS 5.0.1 on A5 devices (the iPhone 4S and iPad 2), many worried that iOS 5.1 would be similarly hard to jailbreak. Now it looks like the wait may not be as long this time around. There was some cause to hope last week when a tethered jailbreak (i.e., requiring the phone to be re-jailbroken with every reboot) was announced. Even better, though jailbreak developer Stefan Esser, aka I0n1c, posted the following tweet early this afternoon:

@i0n1c
Stefan EsserA few pictures http://t.co/fWe7WP0t http://t.co/rEuVBZ5H http://t.co/QlWTPyS1 3 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

The pictures in question appear to show an iPad 2 running an untethered jailbreak. Check out the images below:

Even better, Esser seems confident that a jailbreak for the new iPad, due out tomorrow, would not take long to jailbreak. Early this morning he tweeted the following:

@i0n1c
Stefan EsserAnyway so maybe the iPad 3 will not be jailbroken tomorrow, but on Monday or whenever I get my iPad 3. 10 hours ago via web · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

Bold words, considering the trouble that iOS 5.0.1 gave jailbreak devs on A5 devices. Assuming Esser can follow through, though, we may see an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1 as soon as next week. For those of us who are already tired of seeing the notification badge on our iOS Settings app icon, it can’t come soon enough.

Are you hoping for an iOS 5.1 jailbreak? Will you jailbreak your new iPad once there’s a jailbreak available? Let us know in the comments.

March 15, 2012
Arrest Warrant Issued for Russell Brand

On Monday, Russell Brand was accused of grabbing a paparazzo’s iPhone out of his hand and throwing it through the window of a nearby law firm. We covered the story yesterday, when Russell tweeted his hilarious response to the accusations: “Since Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.”

(image)@rustyrockets
Russell BrandSince Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

Brand has since had a warrant issued for his arrest on suspicion of simple criminal damages. The offense carries a fine of $700 dollars, probably not much to Brand, given the satisfaction of sticking it to the paparazzi.

So far, no word from Brand or his spokesman about the warrant. According to TMZ, Brand’s spokesman has contacted the law firm, offering to pay for the window damage.

Russell is still in New Orleans filming a movie, so we could see an arrest, or Brand may later be called in on a summons if they determine he is not a flight risk. We will post again as news becomes available.

March 15, 2012
Apple Stock Continues To Skyrocket, Touches $600 Per Share

Apple’s stock price has been in the news several times recently thanks to a dramatic surge in the past few weeks. Just two weeks ago Apple was trading at nearly $550 per share and hit a remarkable $500 million in market capitalization (the combined price of all tradable shares). The announcement and impending release of the third-generation iPad has fueled a dramatic increase since then. Just yesterday Apple’s stock price hit $582 per share, a new all-time record for the company.

Of course, as the old saying goes, records are made to be broken. Apple’s stock price has continued to rise since yesterday, and at the start of trading this morning actually hit $600 per share. It has fallen somewhat since that initial high, but not very far. As of this writing Apple’s stock is trading at $593.15 per share. The surge since yesterday has also been enough to add a further $10 billion to Apple’s market cap, which is now sitting at $552.44 billion. This makes Apple the most valuable company in the world, with a market cap now nearly $150 billion higher than that of second-place Exxon-Mobil.

With the new iPad (and a new Apple TV) releasing to the public tomorrow, a new iPhone coming either this summer or this fall, it’s not likely that Apple’s remarkable upward momentum will slow anytime soon.

How long can Apple stay at the top? Will you be buying Apple stock any time soon? Let us know in the comments.

March 15, 2012
iPhone 4S Does Not Infringe Samsung Patents, Dutch Court Rules

Apple’s iPhone 4S does not violate Samsung’s patents due to Samsung’s persistent refusal to licence them to Apple under Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms, according to a ruling by a court in The Hague, Netherlands today.

Samsung had accused Apple of infringing on a collection of patents related to 3G technology. The court ruled that there was no infringement because Samsung was obligated under EU rules to license the patents under FRAND terms. Because Apple was willing to negotiate such terms, Samsung does not have grounds to argue infringement. The court also ruled that Apple was protected from infringement on certain patents because the chips in the iPhone 4S that Samsung accused of infringing its patents were purchased from Qualcomm, which does have licensing agreements with Samsung.

Samsung and Apple have been engaged in a lengthy battle over patent infringement. The battle began in April of last year when Apple sued Samsung in U.S. courts on the grounds that several of its Galaxy phones and Galaxy Tab 10.1 were too similar to Apple’s iPhone and iPad. Apple argued that the devices were sufficiently similar to constituted infringement of design patents. Samsung countersued both in the U.S. and in several other countries.

Though Samsung has had some rulings go in its favor, things have generally gone in Apple’s favor. Apple nearly managed to block the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia completely, and similar injunctions have been issued in Germany. Today’s ruling represents a significant victory for Apple, as it effectively signals the end of Samsung’s suit against Apple over those patents. Moreover, as Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents points out, the ruling constitutes a significant reinforcement of the EU’s rules regarding FRAND licensing.

March 14, 2012
iPhone Users Unite by Breathing Together

Non-profit organization, Do As One, is leveraging its array of powerful breathing technologies to unite 1 billion people online and via smartphones on November 11, 2012. The latest addition to the mix is the free Breathe Together iPhone app which enables users to synchronize their breathing cadence with all other Breathe Together app users along with all users in the Universal Breathing Room on www.DoAsOne.org.

“People are downloading the Breathe Together app to connect like never before in the name of unity and peace using nothing more than their breathing and an iPhone,” says Eric Stotz, CEO of Do As One. “Users literally breathe together 24/7 with our pulsating orb at a pace of five breaths per minute, allowing them to slow down and breathe deeply to optimally oxygenate their bodies and improve overall health and wellness.”

The Breathe Together iPhone app and the Do As One website have already organically attracted millions of users from 16,134 cities in 198 countries to date, with thousands more coming everyday. Do As One has assembled an Advisory Board of some of the world’s most esteemed and notable spiritual leaders and breathing experts to help further the cause, including Agape International Spiritual Center founder, Dr. Michael Beckwith, Morter Institute founder, Dr. Sue Morter, Elevate Films CEO, Mikki Willis, visionary thinker/teacher/author, Dr. Richard Moss and Maroon 5 band member, Jesse Carmichael, to name a few.

Dr. Beckwith states, “Just imagine if the entire world breathed consciously. Calmness and harmony would have an opportunity to inform decisions and actions, and a world body would become unified.”

March 14, 2012
Russell Brand Chucks iPhone through a Window, Blames Steve Jobs!

Russell Brand was accused on Monday of throwing paparazzo Timothy Jackson’s iPhone through a window in New Orleans. Jackson filed for “criminal damages”.

Neither Brand nor a spokesperson have said anything about it, until just an hour ago on Twitter, when Brand had this to say:

(image)@rustyrockets
Russell BrandSince Steve Jobs died I cannot bear to see anyone use an iphone irreverently, what I did was a tribute to his memory.(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone · Reply · Retweet · Favorite · powered by @socialditto

This is not the first time Brand has had problems with the paparazzi. In 2010 he was arrested at LAX airport following an altercation with a paparazzo.

At the time, then wife Katy Perry tweeted her frustration on the incident, saying,”If you cross the line & try an put a lens up my dress, my fiancé will do his job & protect me.”

March 14, 2012