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Jim Cramer: The Best Super Bowl ad was for Apple – and they didn’t pay a cent
One ad struck me as the most honest, most riveting and most compelling of all...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 23:40

Bernstein analyst sees $204 billion in Apple customer ‘lifetime value’ rising to $373 billion by end of 2014
Rather than being a transactional company with volatile revenues, Apple is a platform company...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 23:24

Review: The Wonders of Geology
At first pass, you might think that The Wonders of Geology exists purely to show off the incredible photography of Michael Collier. While that’s certainly a good reason, it also functions as an excellent textbook, sure to instill enthusiasm for geology into any student. Michael Collier is more than a photographer. He’s a geologist, too.
applegazette.com | 06-Feb-2012 23:13

Google loses bid to exclude incriminating email from Oracle patent infringement trial
Google Inc., fighting a patent lawsuit filed by Oracle Corp., lost its appeals court bid...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 22:59

Apple shares hit new all-time intraday, closing highs
Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares today gained $4.29 to set a new all-time closing high...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 22:48

Apple Compensates Victim of iMessage Bug for Breach of Privacy
In December, an apparent bug appeared in Apple's iMessage service that allowed iMessages to be sent to a stolen iPhone. The messages can, apparently, continue to be sent and received from the stolen phone after a remote wipe and a SIM card deactivation . This is obviously an unintended action, and though Apple explains the solution to be "toggle iMessage on and off" in the Settings app, that is an impossible act to perform remotely on a stolen phone.

The Next Web today reports of the case of an anonymous Apple customer who had her iPhone stolen and the lengthy discussions she had with Apple afterwards.


After her iPhone was stolen, Customer K had her SIM card deactivated. However, her friends told her that iMessages they sent continued to be delivered to the stolen iPhone because she hadn't invoked Find My iPhone's Remote Wipe feature. Apple's technical support personnel suggested a wide variety of solutions to prevent her messages from being sent to the other iPhone.

Suggestions to reset her Apple ID password, insert her SIM card into another iOS device, among others, made sense. One request, that she contact her friends and tell them to stop sending her iMessages, Customer K thought was completely unreasonable -- not to mention impractical.

Eventually, nearly 6 weeks after her phone was initially stolen, Apple did finally figure out a unique solution:

Apple was finally able to remotely push ‘code’ out to the stolen iPhone in order to make the problem stop. This was a result of an Apple Engineering Team weighing in on how to solve the issue.

After the problem was finally solved, the customer continued to push Apple on the issue of compensation and was directed to Apple's legal department. She informed Apple Legal that she was troubled by the length of time that it took to prevent the iMessages from going to the stolen phone and wanted compensation for the extensive breach of privacy.

Eventually, after a phone discussion with Apple legal, K was offered an iPod Touch as compensation for her trouble. Apple claimed it would give her a device with which to receive iMessages.

Apple has still not commented on the matter, but one theory is that the iMessage servers permanently link the UDID number of a particular handset to an Apple ID, so it knows what handset to deliver iMessages to. Messages continue to be sent to a stolen iPhone until iMessage is manually toggled on and off — a task that is impossible to perform on a stolen phone.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple Releases iBooks 2.0.1 to Address Issue with Textbooks Not Opening
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• 'The Daily' Reports 100,000 Paying Subs on One-Year Anniversary
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• Apple Grabs Another Gaming PR Executive for App Store

MacRumors | 06-Feb-2012 22:30

Apple's 'Macroscalar' Trademark Application Sparks Speculation on Processor Architecture Advances
Patently Apple reports that Apple last week filed a curious new trademark application for the term "macroscalar". The company has typically quietly registered trademarks in countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, only to later apply for the marks in the United States and other major markets once the new products and features have been announced. While an application for "macroscalar" was indeed filed in Trinidad & Tobago last August, the new U.S. application and a similar one in Hong Kong are sparking speculation that Apple may have jumped the gun in announcing some new processor technology.

Apple's "Macroscalar" isn't just a new marketing line; it's a processor architecture that's been in the works at Apple since 2004. In fact, Apple owns at least four granted patents on the technology that has yet to come to light. We first covered it in 2009 and briefly twice last year.

ZDNet published more on Apple's macroscalar architecture last July following one of those patent disclosures, including an explanation of how the technique could be used to improve processor efficiencies by optimizing data-dependent loops.

The macroscalar processor addresses this problem in a new way: at compile-time it generates contingent secondary instructions so when a data-dependent loop completes the next set of instructions are ready to execute. In effect, it loads another pipeline for, say, completing a loop, so the pipeline remains full whether the loop continues or completes. It can also load a set of sequential instructions that run within or between loops, speeding execution as well.

From a user perspective, the technology could support faster performance and lower power consumption, something Apple would definitely be interested in pursing for its mobile devices.

Since Apple provides its own compilers as well as designing CPUs, it is uniquely positioned to offer a complete macroscalar solution to its large band of iOS developers, further widening the price/performance gap between it and the iPad wannabes.

Is it a breakthrough? It could be if the efficiencies it promises can be realized in practice. We’ll have to see just how good Apple’s compiler engineers are.

While no specifics on Apple's plans have been revealed, the public application for a trademark on the "macroscalar" term is a curious development for the company given that most of its trademarks relate to product and feature names and other promotional descriptions. As a result, speculation suggests that Apple could be preparing to make a significant announcement that will prominently feature the "Macroscalar" term in a similar way to how the company uses "Retina" to describe its high-resolution iPhone and iPod touch displays.


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MacRumors | 06-Feb-2012 22:15

Analyst sees Apple partnering with existing cable providers for some ‘iTV’ content
Apple could gain access to non-exclusive content and could buy access to exclusive content for it's Apple television...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 21:45

Add USB charging ports to any AC outlet
RCA's $20 USB Wall Plate Charger adds a pair of powered USB ports to a wall socket, making it easier to charge your favorite devices.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 21:20

Halliburton dumps beleaguered RIM BlackBerry devices for Apple iPhones
Halliburton, one of the world's largest energy service corporations, plans to...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 21:13

Apple snares top smartphone sales spot
Apple was the top seller of smartphones worldwide and in the U.S. last quarter, analysts said Monday.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 21:00

Why didn’t Apple advertise during the Super Bowl?
Apple is not mentioned at all during the rather thrilling contest between...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 20:02

Hands on with Intel's new Cherryville 520 SSD
Intel today started shipping its fastest solid-state drive to date, the 520 Series SSD.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 20:01

Audience's 'earSmart' Technology Explains Siri's iPhone 4S Exclusivity
CNET reports on a new research note from analyst Linley Gwennap, who believes that custom circuitry in Apple's A5 system-on-a-chip including "earSmart" noise cancellation technology from Audience is the reason why Siri is currently an iPhone 4S-only feature. Gwennap cites Audience's S-1 filing made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last month in advance of the company's initial public offering in backing up his analysis.

Audience revealed details of its Apple partnership in January, when it filed paperwork for an initial public offering (IPO) of stock. Teardown work from iFixit and Chipworks revealed a dedicated Audience chip in the iPhone 4, but the iPhone 4S integrates Audience's "EarSmart" technology directly into the A5 processor, the company's S-1 filing said. [...]

"Even after accounting for the dual Cortex-A9 CPUs and the large GPU that provides the A5 with industry-leading 3D graphics performance, the remaining die area seems too large for the usual mundane housekeeping logic," Gwennap said in a report yesterday. "To reduce system cost and eliminate the extra package required for the Audience chip, Apple cut a deal to integrate the noise-reduction technology directly into its A5 processor, which appears in the iPhone 4S."

The earSmart technology found in the iPhone 4S is said to be significantly better at suppressing background noise than the technology used in the iPhone 4, enabling Siri to more easily pick out the user's voice.

Audience's standalone chip for the iPhone 4 was detailed last year , and teardown specialists quickly noted that a similar chip was missing from the iPhone 4S, with the presumption being that it had been integrated directly into the A5.


Audience outlines this development in its S-1 , noting that it is now receiving royalties from Apple that will be lower than the payments it had previously received for the dedicated chips. Also of interest is Audience's disclosure that it has licensed its next-generation noise cancellation intellectual property to Apple, although Apple is under no obligation to use it in future devices.

Commencing in the three months ended December 31, 2011, Apple has integrated our processor IP [intellectual property] in certain of its mobile phones. Pursuant to our agreement, this OEM [original equipment manufacturer] will pay us a royalty, on a quarterly basis, for the use of our processor IP for all mobile phones in which it is used. We have granted a similar license to this OEM for a new generation of processor IP; however, this OEM is not obligated to incorporate our processor IP into any of its current or future mobile devices.

As part of the risk factors accompanying the regulatory filing, Audience notes that Apple and its contract manufacturers Foxconn and Protek represent roughly 80% of the company's revenue, and with payments from Apple decreasing under the new licensing arrangement, Audience's revenue could decline if it can not continue to bring new customers on board. Audience also acknowledges that it could see significant losses if Apple in the future develops its own technology or if it opts for a different solution such as noise cancellation technology integrated into baseband chips instead of Apple's own A-series chips.


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• 'The Daily' Reports 100,000 Paying Subs on One-Year Anniversary
• Safari 5.1.4 with JavaScript and PDF Handling Improvements Seeded to Developers
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MacRumors | 06-Feb-2012 19:45

Apple reinstates iPhone, iPad to German online store (Video)
Apple removes then restores some products in its online store in Germany and in-flight Wi- Fi remains unprofitable with only 7 percent of the traveling public using the service.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 19:34

Apple iPad invades Super Bowl parties
millions of folks in the U. S. headed to parties dedicated to the Super Bowl...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 19:31

Evi attempts to fill Siri void for non-4S users (Appolicious)
Appolicious - I opted to skip upgrading to iPhone 4S, but that decision cost me access to an app I quite liked: Siri Assistant. With Siri’s much-lauded integration into the 4S, users on aging devices might feel abandoned when it comes to artificial intelligence. Enter Evi; a 99-cent app for iPhone and iPod Touch that aims to fill the void Siri has left.
Yahoo! News | 06-Feb-2012 19:30

Redbox, Verizon team on streaming service
The Netflix rival is expected to launch this year, but the partners are disclosing few details.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 19:15

HTC: pursuing 4G over battery, device size was a mistake
In which HTC admits that making thick, short-lived devices for the sake of having 4G, was a mistake...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 18:45

Apple’s ‘Macroscalar’ architecture: Will it take iOS to the next level?
The general consensus in the market today is that Apple's upcoming A6 quad core processor...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 18:15

Apple's Grand Central Neighbor Seeing 7% Increase In Sales
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s sweetheart deal for Apple's just-opened Grand Central Terminal retail store seems to be paying dividends for the MTA and neighboring stores. One restaurant is reporting a 7 percent increase in sales since the store opened in December.


Michael Jordan's The Steak House is located across the terminal from the new Apple Store, Grand Central and co-owner Peter Glazier says the restaurant has seen a 7 percent jump in sales in the seven weeks that the Apple Store has been open, reports Crains New York . Glazier also says the rise isn't because Apple replaced another restaurant, Metrazur, in the terminal. "The jump only happened after Apple opened," said Glazier, not in the several months that the space was being renovated as the store was built.

There was some criticism of the deal that Apple and the MTA worked out, most notably around the lack of a revenue sharing agreement which is standard for most tenants of Grand Central. Apple's $60-per-square-foot lease agreement is also significantly lower than what most other tenants are paying. The MTA argued that a flagship Apple Store would bring in significant foot traffic to the terminal, benefiting both other GCT tenants and the terminal as a whole.

The MTA has previously noted that for every 1% increase in sales across the terminal's retailers, the MTA will gain $500,000 in rent due to the percentage rent provisions in place on the leases of nearly every other tenant with the exception of Apple.

MTA's gamble appears to be paying off, for at least one establishment.

(Photo via Yelp/Chris F. )


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple Releases iBooks 2.0.1 to Address Issue with Textbooks Not Opening
• Id Software's RAGE Arrives on Mac App Store
• 'The Daily' Reports 100,000 Paying Subs on One-Year Anniversary
• Safari 5.1.4 with JavaScript and PDF Handling Improvements Seeded to Developers
• Apple Grabs Another Gaming PR Executive for App Store

MacRumors | 06-Feb-2012 18:05

Sneak Peek: Upcoming Photoshop performance gains (with video)
These videos offer a sneak peek of the next version of Photoshop's performance gains...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 17:32

‘Apple HDTV’ heads Best Buy survey: 42-inch model for $1,499
Best Buy is sending surveys to customers getting feedback...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 17:00

Review: Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One All-in-One printer offers great output, no frills
This home/very small office MFP is compact and simple, and produces excellent output; but pricey inks and a lack of duplexing features make it best for low-volume use.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 17:00

Why Amazon’s tiny screen Kindle Fire can’t pierce Apple’s iPad sales
Since Amazon launched the Kindle Fire last October...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 16:33

(Insider) The Macalope Daily: Commoditize this
Markets commoditize! Except the ones where Apple competes.

(This story is viewable exclusively by Macworld Insider members.)


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 16:30

The iPad at work, Day 1: Getting it all set up
On his first day of using nothing but an iPad for work, Dan Moren found that it takes a bit of adjustment--but only a bit.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 16:21

The iPad at work: Can it get the job done?
As iPads make inroads into the business world, the question must once again be asked: can the tablet really replace a computer when it comes to doing real work? To find out, Dan Moren used nothing but his iPad at work for three days. Here's what he found out.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 16:20

BTJunkie voluntarily closes file-sharing website
The BitTorrent search engine BTJunkie has shut down its website, the latest file-sharing site to take defensive action following law enforcement's shutdown of MegaUpload last month.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 16:11

Best Buy Dreams Up a $1499 42-Inch 'Apple HDTV' for Customer Feedback
The Verge reports that Best Buy has been surveying some of its customers on proposed products and services, with the company including a description of a 42-inch "Apple HDTV" priced at $1499. The listing is undoubtedly simply a concept dreamed up by Best Buy to help gauge interest in such an offering, but provides an interesting perspective on what the major electronics retailer might be hoping for and what it thinks its customers would want in an Apple television set.

Be one of the first to get the all new 42" Apple HDTV at Best Buy for $1499. Apple finally reinvents what a TV can do:

- 42" 1080p LED flat panel display
- Incorporates Apple's operating system (iOS) found in its current Apple TV set top box which allows you to purchase and stream movies and other entertainment from the Internet
- Download and use apps from the App Store. Can you imagine playing Angry Birds on a big screen in your living room?
- Supports Apple's new iCloud service for storing your movies, TV shows, and music content that you've purchased from iTunes and beam them to your Apple HDTV.
- Use your iPad or iPhone as a remote control, and do everything from controlling your TV, to purchasing new shows and swapping content between your Apple devices and the iCloud service.
- Built-in convenience with built in iSight camera and microphone for Skype.
- In addition to iTunes, stream content from popular sites such as Netflix, YouTube, and flickr.
- Available for $1499

The promotional text makes no mention of Siri or voice control, which has been rumored to be one of the device's key revolutionary features following Steve Jobs' revelation that he had "finally cracked" how to reshape the way people interact with their television sets.


Best Buy's survey questions on the proposed Apple HDTV go on to assess respondents' level of interest in purchasing the product, whether they believe it is new and different and whether it would solve a problem or fulfill a need for them.


Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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• Safari 5.1.4 with JavaScript and PDF Handling Improvements Seeded to Developers
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MacRumors | 06-Feb-2012 16:01

Samsung Super Bowl ad mocks Apple iPhone users
Samsung Mobile USA aired a 90-second TV commercial during the Super Bowl yesterday...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 15:48

Google privacy issues let Microsoft tout IE9's safeguards
Microsoft is taking advantage of all the hullabaloo surrounding Google’s privacy policy changes, by buying ads last week in major newspapers that called out how its products and practices are different than Google’s and touting its Internet Explorer 9 and Bing products in company blogs.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 15:40

Apple to sell 60m iPads in 2012 - analyst
Apple will sell 60 million iPads in 2012, according to Peter Misek of Jeffries, though the analyst has revised his prediction of 150 million sales for the whole of the tablet market next year.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 15:20

iOS App Review: Nag uses alarms to keep you on task
This simple iPhone app uses alarms to keep you on task and bolster your productivity.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 15:05

Amazon’s last chance to catch up to Apple
If you think Apple is a pretty big deal right now, you've seen nothing yet...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 15:01

Who really was behind the SOPA protests?
Participation in last month's protests against the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act was driven by a combination of independent decisions by websites, behind-the-scenes organization by a number of groups, and grassroots response to the blackout and other online efforts.


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 14:45

Fresh iPhone Apps for Feb. 6: Vanity Fair Hollywood, Game Your Video, Tank Battalion Blitz, Order Up!! To Go (Appolicious)
Appolicious - It’s almost time for this year’s Academy Awards, so get primed up for your Oscar ballot with Vanity Fair Hollywood, an app full of information about the nominees so you can make informed picks. After you’re done thinking about the best in Hollywood, you can make videos of your own with effects app Game your Video. In games, we’ve got Tank Battalion Blitz, a top-down tank battling game that includes offline and online multiplayer play. After that, there’s Order Up!! To Go, a time-management restaurant game that uses gesture controls for your cooking.
Yahoo! News | 06-Feb-2012 14:37

HTC, Android’s original standard bearer, falls from grace
There was a time when HTC and Android were practically synonymous...

macdailynews.com | 06-Feb-2012 14:30

App Guide: Airline apps for iOS devices
Your favorite airline likely offers an iOS app for checking flight times and fares. Just don't use it when the captain has signaled that all electronic devices need to be in the off position, OK?


playlistmag.com | 06-Feb-2012 14:15

'Inside the World of Dinosaurs' Feeds the Dino Lover in All of Us
As near as I can tell, almost every kid goes through an intense dinosaur phase, and for some adults, the fascination remains for decades. Even years after the movie "Jurassic Park" brought dinos to life, I would still eat up all the dinosaur documentary shows I could find, like "Walking With Dinosaurs."
macnewsworld.com | 06-Feb-2012 14:00

HTC aims for better 4G products this year
After facing a disappointing financial fourth quarter, HTC has reviewed its under-performing products from last year, making changes in design and components for its future smartphones, according to its CFO Winston Yung.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 13:10

Remix some classics with Art Jam Paintings iPhone app (Appolicious)
Appolicious - Art Jam Paintings isn’t exactly a passive app, considering there is some level of user interaction that takes place with the paintings available, but those expecting a full-fledged art-based game ought to look elsewhere.
Yahoo! News | 06-Feb-2012 13:00

Top 10 iPhone Apps for Business Users
Having an iPhone has become a standard in many people’s lives. An iPhone is useful, advanced and full of entertainment features, and nowadays most people feel more attached to their smartphones than they do to their computers. That is why it has become the ultimate tool for the business user, as phones are able to
applegazette.com | 06-Feb-2012 12:53

Apple revises Snow Leopard security update
Suffering from bizarre errors related to the latest Snow Leopard security update? Apple’s already on top of things.


macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 09:09

Samsung uses Super Bowl ad slot to diss Apple
Samsung has taken another swipe at Apple and its customers with its latest TV advert, which was first played to US audiences during yesterday's Super Bowl.
macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 08:49

Apple pulls ripoff apps from its walled garden
Apple perhaps knows better than any company that app ripoffs are everywhere.
macworld.co.uk | 06-Feb-2012 08:13