Apple picks up legal win, a chip company, and a Grammy
Apple spends reported $400-500M on memory companyIsrael-based flash memory maker Anobit is now owned by Apple, according to reports this week. A story from Israeli news site Calcalist says the deal has gone through, and cost Apple somewhere in the $400 million to $500 million range. The apparent acquisition should beef up Apple's in-house hardware efforts, and adds to its previous hardware acquisitions including Intrinsity and P.A. Semi. Apple takes aim at Samsung in Australia, againA federal court in Australia was the scene of another Apple legal volley against Samsung this week. In a hearing, Apple said Samsung was infringing on "at least 10" of its design patents with the designs of its smart phones and 10-inch Galaxy Tablet. This follows moves by Samsung to change its tablets in that market to comply with a previous Apple complaint. Steve Jobs nabs a GrammyLate Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will be posthumously awarded a Grammy this year. The Recording Academy this week said that Jobs was to be given one of the organization's Special Merit Awards for helping how people consume music, TV, movies and books. Apple itself nabbed a technical Grammy in 2002 for its audio software efforts.Apple building "prototype" store in Palo AltoApple is planning to give its Palo Alto, Calif., retail store a reboot as part of an upcoming construction project that will build a new store just a block away. The $3.15 million project will bring a 15,030-square-foot store to the area, which Apple says will serve as a prototype of sorts. It's the latest in a series of projects to revitalize some of Apple's retail locations. Bought a TV show from a series? Apple now offers the option to get the whole season at a discount.Josh Lowensohn/CNETApple tweaks "complete my season" and "album" iTunes Store servicesApple made two key adjustments to its digital media store this week, the first being the quiet removal of a policy that would only give users 180 days to complete an album at a limited price after purchasing selected tracks. The second bit adds the completion feature to TV shows on iTunes, letting users subscribe to an entire season after having purchased an episode or two, without having to re-buy those same shows when purchasing a whole season.Apple replacing overheating first-gen Nanos with new modelsDespite having promised those with recalled first-generation iPod nanos replacements from the same generation, some users have been getting back Apple's latest model instead. Apple's original stance on the issue when the recall went out last monthwas to provide users with refurbished versions of the same model.RumorsApple chatting up TV plans with media execsA report from the Wall Street Journal earlier this week noted that Apple's been talking to a handful of media executives about TV, particularly with how it could make use of voice and physical movement. Apple is expected to debut a TV set as soon as next year. The company's current living room effort centers around its $99 set top box, the Apple TV.Apple working on wearable Siri gadgetsApple and Google are said to be working on gadgets that can be worn, things like wristwatches and curved glass iPods. Those details, which came from a New York Times report this week, said such ideas were still in the conceptional phase, and could tap into Apple's recently-released, iPhone 4S exclusive Siri voice assistant to become more useful. A smaller iPad 2012? Nope says analyst.No 7-inch iPad in 2012, analyst suggestsWith a recent rumor pointing to a smaller version of the iPad being on the way, analyst Brian Blair of Wedge Partners this week told investors that such a product would be unlikely. "(Steve) Jobs was emphatic in his view that 7-inch tablets were dead on arrival, and we believe it would be unlikely to see the company test the waters in this category anytime soon," Blair wrote. As an alternative, Blair suggested that Apple would keep the iPad 2 around, like it does with previous versions of its iPhone, and selling it at a lower price point. iPad 3 launch to coincide with birthday of Steve JobsA report out of Focus Taiwan this week (via 9to5Mac) claimed that Apple was pushing its suppliers hard to get the next iPad ready to go in time for the birthday anniversary of late company co-founder Steve Jobs on February 24. That included making employees at Apple's manufacturing partners avoid taking vacation during the holidays.
Long songs slated for extinction-
Long songs slated for extinction?
Instrumental "post rock" bands like Tortoise, Sigur Ros, and Godspeed You Black Emperor specialize in 10-minute-plus epics, and Fantomas purposely tracked their 2004 album Delirium Cordia as a single 74-minute track, although it consists almost entirely of broken fragmented bits of music (as all Fantomas albums do), plus a 15-minute outro of near-silence.I picked up Neil Young's latest studio CD, Chrome Dreams II, for a bargain price a couple weeks ago in New York, and finally sat down to give it a straight through attentive listen last night. It's a mixed bag--I liked it a lot better than Pitchfork did, but I'm a big fan of his mid-'70s and early-'90s stuff, which this resembles. But the reason I bought it was the long songs. Neil's never been afraid of stretching a song out to six, seven, even ten minutes, but this one has two all-time stemwinders on it: "No Hidden Path" at 14:26 and "Ordinary People," which clocks in at a Neil-record 18:12. Neither is as strong as his last epic, 1994's "Change Your Mind" (14:39)--the long bent guitar note in the middle of that song is the pivotal point where the entire album (the excellent Sleeps with Angels) changes. But both of the new epics have a nice effect--they're slow and repetitive enough to have a hypnotic or meditative effect, but varying enough to capture your continuing attention. In this random-shuffle quick-twitch short-attention-span world, it's nice to sit in one place and just listen to somebody perform variations on the same theme for fifteen or twenty minutes.Unfortunately, the music industry is inevitably moving back to a singles-driven business model, enabled by iTunes and other download services, which allow users to buy only the songs they know they like. I'm as guilty as any fan--whenever a long song comes up on random shuffle, I almost always skip to the next track. Long songs just don't fit into the shuffle paradigm--I want to be surprised, to have my mood shifted rapidly between heavy metal and 70's R&B, not sit down and listen to an artistic statement from start to finish. (I collect records for that.) In this world, I wonder how many artists will feel encouraged to stretch a song beyond the typical three-to-five minutes that most listeners will tolerate in the middle of a playlist. It's sad, but apart from live jams,the long rock epic is probably as dated as a wanking guitar solo and paisley. Of course, there's always classical music.
Instrumental "post rock" bands like Tortoise, Sigur Ros, and Godspeed You Black Emperor specialize in 10-minute-plus epics, and Fantomas purposely tracked their 2004 album Delirium Cordia as a single 74-minute track, although it consists almost entirely of broken fragmented bits of music (as all Fantomas albums do), plus a 15-minute outro of near-silence.I picked up Neil Young's latest studio CD, Chrome Dreams II, for a bargain price a couple weeks ago in New York, and finally sat down to give it a straight through attentive listen last night. It's a mixed bag--I liked it a lot better than Pitchfork did, but I'm a big fan of his mid-'70s and early-'90s stuff, which this resembles. But the reason I bought it was the long songs. Neil's never been afraid of stretching a song out to six, seven, even ten minutes, but this one has two all-time stemwinders on it: "No Hidden Path" at 14:26 and "Ordinary People," which clocks in at a Neil-record 18:12. Neither is as strong as his last epic, 1994's "Change Your Mind" (14:39)--the long bent guitar note in the middle of that song is the pivotal point where the entire album (the excellent Sleeps with Angels) changes. But both of the new epics have a nice effect--they're slow and repetitive enough to have a hypnotic or meditative effect, but varying enough to capture your continuing attention. In this random-shuffle quick-twitch short-attention-span world, it's nice to sit in one place and just listen to somebody perform variations on the same theme for fifteen or twenty minutes.Unfortunately, the music industry is inevitably moving back to a singles-driven business model, enabled by iTunes and other download services, which allow users to buy only the songs they know they like. I'm as guilty as any fan--whenever a long song comes up on random shuffle, I almost always skip to the next track. Long songs just don't fit into the shuffle paradigm--I want to be surprised, to have my mood shifted rapidly between heavy metal and 70's R&B, not sit down and listen to an artistic statement from start to finish. (I collect records for that.) In this world, I wonder how many artists will feel encouraged to stretch a song beyond the typical three-to-five minutes that most listeners will tolerate in the middle of a playlist. It's sad, but apart from live jams,the long rock epic is probably as dated as a wanking guitar solo and paisley. Of course, there's always classical music.
Apple's FaceTime on Mac OS X, Windows
Apple's FaceTime on Mac OS X, Windows
A French Web site, Mac4Ever, posted a short article claiming the Cupertino computer crafters are creating software for Mac OS X, presumably an update to iChat, that will allow desktop and notebook users to communicate via FaceTime with compatible iOS devices.The information is not backed up with sources, but the site has been known to have semi-accurate predictions (SD Cards on last year's iMac release, though incorrect in predicting the release of iLife '11 in August of this year). Translated via Google Translate, the site reports that, "it is rumored that Apple is preparing to leave FaceTime for Mac and PC, the Mac version coming to settle down in the iChat software."I still believe FaceTime is the most important feature introduced with iPhone (and iOS) 4. Considering its recent foray into social networking (Ping and Game Center), Apple is positioning itself as the quintessential personal connection company. By pioneering open communications standards like HTML5 (Internet) and FaceTime (video calling) Apple is able to protect its ecosystem of integrated hardware and software by providing an unmatched experience using those standards, proving Apple's value. It's genius really.Including FaceTime compatibility on Mac OS X and Windows would be a major plus for users and cause a major scare for companies deep in the desktop video communications game (read: Skype). FaceTime is an open industry standard (Skype is not) for video chatting and (for now) only requires a Wi-Fi connection to use. Including FaceTime on Mac OS X and creating a corresponding Windows program would trump many of Skype's current advantages in the video calling market and thrust Apple to the head of the class in yet another niche. The recent release of FaceTime for iPod touch shows that Apple has figured out how to authenticate the service without a phone provider--a hurdle that should clear the way for inclusion on desktop and notebook systems that have web camera capabilities.And let's not forget about iPad. Rumors surrounding the initial iPad release and subsequent product breakdowns show that a front-facing camera is well within engineering specs for the touchscreen tablet. It would be hard to imagine the next iteration of the iPad without a camera and FaceTime. Could FaceTime on your Mac or PC replace Skype?MacRumorsThough it is widely expected that FaceTime will be added to iChat (part of Mac OS X), rumors of an imminent release of iLife '11 have suggested the inclusion of a "mystery application" replacing iDVD. Could this be a FaceTime-specific program? I'm still holding out for a vector drawing program to be included in iLife, and I think iChat makes more sense than a dedicated FaceTime application.Would you ditch Skype (or other clients) in favor of FaceTime on your Mac or PC? Let us know in the comments!
A French Web site, Mac4Ever, posted a short article claiming the Cupertino computer crafters are creating software for Mac OS X, presumably an update to iChat, that will allow desktop and notebook users to communicate via FaceTime with compatible iOS devices.The information is not backed up with sources, but the site has been known to have semi-accurate predictions (SD Cards on last year's iMac release, though incorrect in predicting the release of iLife '11 in August of this year). Translated via Google Translate, the site reports that, "it is rumored that Apple is preparing to leave FaceTime for Mac and PC, the Mac version coming to settle down in the iChat software."I still believe FaceTime is the most important feature introduced with iPhone (and iOS) 4. Considering its recent foray into social networking (Ping and Game Center), Apple is positioning itself as the quintessential personal connection company. By pioneering open communications standards like HTML5 (Internet) and FaceTime (video calling) Apple is able to protect its ecosystem of integrated hardware and software by providing an unmatched experience using those standards, proving Apple's value. It's genius really.Including FaceTime compatibility on Mac OS X and Windows would be a major plus for users and cause a major scare for companies deep in the desktop video communications game (read: Skype). FaceTime is an open industry standard (Skype is not) for video chatting and (for now) only requires a Wi-Fi connection to use. Including FaceTime on Mac OS X and creating a corresponding Windows program would trump many of Skype's current advantages in the video calling market and thrust Apple to the head of the class in yet another niche. The recent release of FaceTime for iPod touch shows that Apple has figured out how to authenticate the service without a phone provider--a hurdle that should clear the way for inclusion on desktop and notebook systems that have web camera capabilities.And let's not forget about iPad. Rumors surrounding the initial iPad release and subsequent product breakdowns show that a front-facing camera is well within engineering specs for the touchscreen tablet. It would be hard to imagine the next iteration of the iPad without a camera and FaceTime. Could FaceTime on your Mac or PC replace Skype?MacRumorsThough it is widely expected that FaceTime will be added to iChat (part of Mac OS X), rumors of an imminent release of iLife '11 have suggested the inclusion of a "mystery application" replacing iDVD. Could this be a FaceTime-specific program? I'm still holding out for a vector drawing program to be included in iLife, and I think iChat makes more sense than a dedicated FaceTime application.Would you ditch Skype (or other clients) in favor of FaceTime on your Mac or PC? Let us know in the comments!
Streaming music swiping sales from music downloads
Streaming music swiping sales from music downloads
When US consumers opened their wallets for digital music this year, they swapped out downloads for streaming, according to data on music sales from the Recording Industry Association of America. US revenue for streaming-music services rose 28 percent to $859 million in the first half of the year, compared with $673 million in the year-earlier period. The category included subscription services like Spotify and Apple's Beats Music, streaming radio like Pandora and Sirius XM and on-demand services like Vevo or YouTube. Meanwhile, digital downloads -- like the singles and albums sold on Apple's iTunes -- dropped 12 percent to $1.3 billion in the first six months of the year. Overall, the total value of digitally distributed formats was $2.2 billion, essentially the same as a year earlier. The data underscores an ongoing tectonic shift in the music industry, in which decades of doing business based on per-song/per-album transactions (for either digital music or CDs, vinyl or tape) are giving way to a world where music is increasingly sold like a utility: Pay a subscription fee or sit through ads, and you get digital access to a seemingly limitless stream of songs. RIAA data showed streaming services making up a bigger slice of the pie of the industry's sales total. Streaming contributed 27 percent of total industry revenues in the first half, compared with 20 percent a year earlier. In 2007, these services were 3 percent of the total. One of the most popular segments of digital music in the first half was on-demand, ad-supported streaming -- think Spotify's free version. The category grew 57 percent, though it remained still relatively small at $165 million in revenue. Paid subscription services, like Spotify Premium, Rhapsody or Beats Music, were up 23 percent to $371 million. RIAA said the number of subscriptions jumped to 7.8 million from 5.5 million at the same time last year. Physical sales, for CDs and the like, continued to slide, down 14 percent in the first half to $898 billion. The ongoing decline of physically sold music is nearing a key inflection point where streaming eclipses it in revenue -- in the latest period, physical revenues were 28 percent of the total, compared with streaming's 27 percent.
When US consumers opened their wallets for digital music this year, they swapped out downloads for streaming, according to data on music sales from the Recording Industry Association of America. US revenue for streaming-music services rose 28 percent to $859 million in the first half of the year, compared with $673 million in the year-earlier period. The category included subscription services like Spotify and Apple's Beats Music, streaming radio like Pandora and Sirius XM and on-demand services like Vevo or YouTube. Meanwhile, digital downloads -- like the singles and albums sold on Apple's iTunes -- dropped 12 percent to $1.3 billion in the first six months of the year. Overall, the total value of digitally distributed formats was $2.2 billion, essentially the same as a year earlier. The data underscores an ongoing tectonic shift in the music industry, in which decades of doing business based on per-song/per-album transactions (for either digital music or CDs, vinyl or tape) are giving way to a world where music is increasingly sold like a utility: Pay a subscription fee or sit through ads, and you get digital access to a seemingly limitless stream of songs. RIAA data showed streaming services making up a bigger slice of the pie of the industry's sales total. Streaming contributed 27 percent of total industry revenues in the first half, compared with 20 percent a year earlier. In 2007, these services were 3 percent of the total. One of the most popular segments of digital music in the first half was on-demand, ad-supported streaming -- think Spotify's free version. The category grew 57 percent, though it remained still relatively small at $165 million in revenue. Paid subscription services, like Spotify Premium, Rhapsody or Beats Music, were up 23 percent to $371 million. RIAA said the number of subscriptions jumped to 7.8 million from 5.5 million at the same time last year. Physical sales, for CDs and the like, continued to slide, down 14 percent in the first half to $898 billion. The ongoing decline of physically sold music is nearing a key inflection point where streaming eclipses it in revenue -- in the latest period, physical revenues were 28 percent of the total, compared with streaming's 27 percent.
iPod Nano 5G review- Jack of all trades
iPod Nano 5G review: Jack of all trades
The official CNET review of the fifth-generation iPod Nano is up, and I am officially exhausted. Someone please tell Apple to stop adding features to this thing. Remember when all an MP3 player to do was play music? CNET's first iPod review was only 600 words long. These days, you practically have to write a textbook to cover all the features that get crammed into something like the Nano.An extra 0.2-inches really does make a noticeable difference when you're dealing with screens this small.Donald Bell/CNETWriter's exhaustion aside, the fifth-gen Nano is a pretty fantastic little gadget that's one of the most easy-to-recommend stocking stuffers out there. The thing comes in tons of colors, works with iTunes, helps you lose weight (pedometer), and might even get you to record the world's next completely unnecessary viral YouTube sensation. Sure, the earbuds are still garbage, but Sony seems to be the only manufacturer fighting that battle.Now, to prevent from boring people to tears, one area of the iPod Nano's performance I didn't go into exhaustive detail over is the video camera's image quality. If you're curious, I ran a few of my own tests over the weekend, shooting indoors and outdoors, and A/B testing the Nano against the Flip UltraHD. Aside from the obvious image quality differences, I also ran up against problems with the Nano's tilt-sensor getting tripped-up on the camera's orientation and capturing videos sideways. Photo programs like iPhoto will often be smart enough to reorient the video according to EXIF data, but the glitch shows just one more way where a dedicated camcorder like the Flip gets things right.Comparing the $199 Flip UltraHD video capture quality (left) to the $149 iPod Nano's (right). Click to enlarge.Donald Bell/CNETStill, minor complaints aside, the Nano is still an exceptional itty-bitty do-it-all gadget for the price. You really have to take the Nano's camcorder with a grain of salt. It is, after all, an MP3 player. But if video recording tests really float your boat, former CNET-er Tim Moynihan has an comprehensive comparison of pocket camera and iPod Nano video tests. Otherwise, go read my rated review of the 5th-gen Apple iPod Nano by heading on over to CNET Reviews.Apple iPod Nano (fifth generation)See full gallery1 - 4 / 11NextPrev
The official CNET review of the fifth-generation iPod Nano is up, and I am officially exhausted. Someone please tell Apple to stop adding features to this thing. Remember when all an MP3 player to do was play music? CNET's first iPod review was only 600 words long. These days, you practically have to write a textbook to cover all the features that get crammed into something like the Nano.An extra 0.2-inches really does make a noticeable difference when you're dealing with screens this small.Donald Bell/CNETWriter's exhaustion aside, the fifth-gen Nano is a pretty fantastic little gadget that's one of the most easy-to-recommend stocking stuffers out there. The thing comes in tons of colors, works with iTunes, helps you lose weight (pedometer), and might even get you to record the world's next completely unnecessary viral YouTube sensation. Sure, the earbuds are still garbage, but Sony seems to be the only manufacturer fighting that battle.Now, to prevent from boring people to tears, one area of the iPod Nano's performance I didn't go into exhaustive detail over is the video camera's image quality. If you're curious, I ran a few of my own tests over the weekend, shooting indoors and outdoors, and A/B testing the Nano against the Flip UltraHD. Aside from the obvious image quality differences, I also ran up against problems with the Nano's tilt-sensor getting tripped-up on the camera's orientation and capturing videos sideways. Photo programs like iPhoto will often be smart enough to reorient the video according to EXIF data, but the glitch shows just one more way where a dedicated camcorder like the Flip gets things right.Comparing the $199 Flip UltraHD video capture quality (left) to the $149 iPod Nano's (right). Click to enlarge.Donald Bell/CNETStill, minor complaints aside, the Nano is still an exceptional itty-bitty do-it-all gadget for the price. You really have to take the Nano's camcorder with a grain of salt. It is, after all, an MP3 player. But if video recording tests really float your boat, former CNET-er Tim Moynihan has an comprehensive comparison of pocket camera and iPod Nano video tests. Otherwise, go read my rated review of the 5th-gen Apple iPod Nano by heading on over to CNET Reviews.Apple iPod Nano (fifth generation)See full gallery1 - 4 / 11NextPrev
YouTube goes Disco with music-video feature
YouTube goes Disco with music-video feature
NEW YORK--YouTube has begun testing a new music feature designed to entice users to stay on the site longer.YouTube Disco enables people to key an artist name or song title into a search field, and then it creates a playlist for them. Each clip will play automatically, one after the other, with no prompting from the user.Users can also mix and match songs in their playlists. This is the kind of thing that people can fire up and let play for hours of free music listening. YouTube now sees hundreds of millions of visitors a month, but the Google-owned company would like people to stick around longer. YouTube users spend an average of 15 minutes per visit on the site. Soon, however, the video clips will live on Vevo's site, the music video start-up created by three of the top labels with YouTube's help, said Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff in an interview Thursday.Caraeff spoke at the Digital Music Forum East conference. The new feature is obviously YouTube and Vevo's answer to services such as Muziic, a site created nearly a year ago by Iowa teenager David Nelson. Muziic also enables users to treat YouTube clips less like videos and more like MP3s. The move comes two months after Caraeff and Vevo requested that Nelson cease using Vevo's content and trademark on his site.During Caraeff's keynote address, he said that Vevo is streaming up to 30 million clips a day and about 900 million streams a month. Vevo's users are 53 percent male, about 70 percent are under 30.Vevo attracted 35 million unique visitors last month. Caraeff said that these numbers make Vevo a top-five site in the Web video category.
NEW YORK--YouTube has begun testing a new music feature designed to entice users to stay on the site longer.YouTube Disco enables people to key an artist name or song title into a search field, and then it creates a playlist for them. Each clip will play automatically, one after the other, with no prompting from the user.Users can also mix and match songs in their playlists. This is the kind of thing that people can fire up and let play for hours of free music listening. YouTube now sees hundreds of millions of visitors a month, but the Google-owned company would like people to stick around longer. YouTube users spend an average of 15 minutes per visit on the site. Soon, however, the video clips will live on Vevo's site, the music video start-up created by three of the top labels with YouTube's help, said Vevo CEO Rio Caraeff in an interview Thursday.Caraeff spoke at the Digital Music Forum East conference. The new feature is obviously YouTube and Vevo's answer to services such as Muziic, a site created nearly a year ago by Iowa teenager David Nelson. Muziic also enables users to treat YouTube clips less like videos and more like MP3s. The move comes two months after Caraeff and Vevo requested that Nelson cease using Vevo's content and trademark on his site.During Caraeff's keynote address, he said that Vevo is streaming up to 30 million clips a day and about 900 million streams a month. Vevo's users are 53 percent male, about 70 percent are under 30.Vevo attracted 35 million unique visitors last month. Caraeff said that these numbers make Vevo a top-five site in the Web video category.
Your video introduction to the top Web services
Your video introduction to the top Web services
The range of subjects covered by Grovo's videos is impressive, but missing from the roster are Yahoo, Wikipedia, Microsoft, and news sites (including a certain tech-news site). Several free videos are provided for specialty services such as the OpenTable restaurant reservation service, the Retargeter online-advertising site, and the Aviary image markup tool.I was a little surprised to see nearly a dozen videos related to Google's Chrome browser but nary a word about Firefox, let alone Internet Explorer or Safari. But I was very pleased with the quality of the video content, even with the cheesy wild-west chase scene introducing the security video.If you register with the site, Grovo offers pop quizzes on all the subjects covered in the videos. The quizzes have about two dozen true-false and multiple-choice questions; I took the Gmail test and scored 82 percent, although I didn't study the night before.It's very nice to find Grovo free of ads--at least at present. A big question is whether the subscriber base and partnerships will continue to subsidize the free videos. I imagine a pay-per-view model for the business topics would require a form of micropayments, like a mini-iTunes. If ever a site cried out for such a revenue model, it's Grovo.
The range of subjects covered by Grovo's videos is impressive, but missing from the roster are Yahoo, Wikipedia, Microsoft, and news sites (including a certain tech-news site). Several free videos are provided for specialty services such as the OpenTable restaurant reservation service, the Retargeter online-advertising site, and the Aviary image markup tool.I was a little surprised to see nearly a dozen videos related to Google's Chrome browser but nary a word about Firefox, let alone Internet Explorer or Safari. But I was very pleased with the quality of the video content, even with the cheesy wild-west chase scene introducing the security video.If you register with the site, Grovo offers pop quizzes on all the subjects covered in the videos. The quizzes have about two dozen true-false and multiple-choice questions; I took the Gmail test and scored 82 percent, although I didn't study the night before.It's very nice to find Grovo free of ads--at least at present. A big question is whether the subscriber base and partnerships will continue to subsidize the free videos. I imagine a pay-per-view model for the business topics would require a form of micropayments, like a mini-iTunes. If ever a site cried out for such a revenue model, it's Grovo.
Apple urges veto of Arizona 'antigay' bill
Apple urges veto of Arizona 'antigay' bill
Apple has added its name to the list of groups eager to help quash Arizona's controversial religious freedom bill.An unnamed person from Apple spoke on the phone with Gov. Jan Brewer, asking her to veto SB1062, Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder confirmed to the Arizona Capitol Times on Monday. Apple also confirmed the conversation, the Times added.Apple's request that the governor veto the bill carries some weight. The iPhone maker is set to officially open a sapphire-producing factory in Mesa, an operation that would employ 700 people and create 1,300 construction and management jobs, the governor's office said last November."Apple is indisputably one of the world's most innovative companies and I'm thrilled to welcome them to Arizona," Brewer said in a statement at the time. "Apple will have an incredibly positive economic impact for Arizona and its decision to locate here speaks volumes about the friendly, pro-business climate we have been creating these past four years."In opposing the bill, Apple joins a chorus of other groups who want to keep that "friendly, pro-business climate" alive.The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Technology Council, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce have all spoken out against the bill, the Arizona Capitol Times said. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Phoenix Leadership have also urged the governor to veto the bill.Condemning the bill as antigay, opponents say it would give businesses ammunition to use their religious beliefs to deny service to gays. Supporters of the bill say it's designed to protect the religious freedom of business owners.
Apple has added its name to the list of groups eager to help quash Arizona's controversial religious freedom bill.An unnamed person from Apple spoke on the phone with Gov. Jan Brewer, asking her to veto SB1062, Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder confirmed to the Arizona Capitol Times on Monday. Apple also confirmed the conversation, the Times added.Apple's request that the governor veto the bill carries some weight. The iPhone maker is set to officially open a sapphire-producing factory in Mesa, an operation that would employ 700 people and create 1,300 construction and management jobs, the governor's office said last November."Apple is indisputably one of the world's most innovative companies and I'm thrilled to welcome them to Arizona," Brewer said in a statement at the time. "Apple will have an incredibly positive economic impact for Arizona and its decision to locate here speaks volumes about the friendly, pro-business climate we have been creating these past four years."In opposing the bill, Apple joins a chorus of other groups who want to keep that "friendly, pro-business climate" alive.The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona Technology Council, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce have all spoken out against the bill, the Arizona Capitol Times said. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Phoenix Leadership have also urged the governor to veto the bill.Condemning the bill as antigay, opponents say it would give businesses ammunition to use their religious beliefs to deny service to gays. Supporters of the bill say it's designed to protect the religious freedom of business owners.
Apple ups lead over Android among business users
Apple ups lead over Android among business users
The iPhone and iPad continue to outshine Android devices among businesses both large and small, says a report from cloud storage company Egnyte.Among the 100,000 Egnyte customers tracked for the new report, iOS has carved out an increasingly higher share while Android's slice has dipped of late.Egnyte sells online storage, file sharing, and other cloud-based services to businesses of all sizes. As such, the company is able to determine which mobile operating systems its customers use to access its services, which it did so for this latest report.As described by TechCrunch, early data from Egnyte for the first quarter of 2013 showed a 48 percent share for the iPhone, 30 percent for the iPad, and 22 percent for Android (both phones and tablets).Though preliminary, those figures show a gain for Apple and a decline for Android from last year. In 2012, Egnyte's data revealed a 42 percent share for the iPhone, 27 percent for the iPad, and 30 percent for Android phones and tablets. Other mobile operating systems combined eked out just 1 percent.And for the second half of 2011, the data uncovered a 28 percent share for the iPhone, 40 percent for the iPad, 30 percent for Android, and 2 percent for other mobile platforms.Over time, the iPhone is the clear winner in the bunch, jumping in usage from a little more than a quarter of all Egnyte customers tracked to almost half. At the same time, the iPad saw its usage drop, while Android remained steady until just this year.Engyte's data doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. The report doesn't specifically refer to BlackBerry devices, which typically have been popular among enterprise users. Rather, the data focuses more on the battle between iOS and Android."Apple seems to have at least temporarily won the hearts and minds of business users with its products accounting for about 70 percent of our traffic," Egnyte told TechCrunch.
The iPhone and iPad continue to outshine Android devices among businesses both large and small, says a report from cloud storage company Egnyte.Among the 100,000 Egnyte customers tracked for the new report, iOS has carved out an increasingly higher share while Android's slice has dipped of late.Egnyte sells online storage, file sharing, and other cloud-based services to businesses of all sizes. As such, the company is able to determine which mobile operating systems its customers use to access its services, which it did so for this latest report.As described by TechCrunch, early data from Egnyte for the first quarter of 2013 showed a 48 percent share for the iPhone, 30 percent for the iPad, and 22 percent for Android (both phones and tablets).Though preliminary, those figures show a gain for Apple and a decline for Android from last year. In 2012, Egnyte's data revealed a 42 percent share for the iPhone, 27 percent for the iPad, and 30 percent for Android phones and tablets. Other mobile operating systems combined eked out just 1 percent.And for the second half of 2011, the data uncovered a 28 percent share for the iPhone, 40 percent for the iPad, 30 percent for Android, and 2 percent for other mobile platforms.Over time, the iPhone is the clear winner in the bunch, jumping in usage from a little more than a quarter of all Egnyte customers tracked to almost half. At the same time, the iPad saw its usage drop, while Android remained steady until just this year.Engyte's data doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. The report doesn't specifically refer to BlackBerry devices, which typically have been popular among enterprise users. Rather, the data focuses more on the battle between iOS and Android."Apple seems to have at least temporarily won the hearts and minds of business users with its products accounting for about 70 percent of our traffic," Egnyte told TechCrunch.
Apple ups iPhone 5 deliveries for some late preorders, report says
Apple ups iPhone 5 deliveries for some late preorders, report says
Apple's iPhone 5 arrival date has been pushed up for some buyers, according to a report.Apple-tracking site AppleInsider reported over the weekend that the company sent out e-mails to some customers telling them that their expected delivery date on the iPhone 5 had been pushed up. Rather than be forced to wait until September 28, Apple explained in the message that the customers would have their new handset on launch day, September 21.The iPhone 5 was made available for preorder on Friday. Not long after preorders began, Apple indicated on its Web site that customers would be forced to wait two weeks to get the smartphone after initial supplies ran out. Carriers at the time were still offering launch-day availability. The 5 arrives CNET's iPhone 5 review Apple out to prove it's still king Pictures: Apple's big iPhone 5 reveal Ho-hum. iPhone 5 won't wow anyone iPhone 5: No Steve Jobs, no sizzle iPhone 5: What we didn't get Comparing the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 However, if AppleInsider is correct, it appears Apple might have been a bit bearish in its estimates.Still, iPhone 5 demand was exceedingly strong on Friday, with Apple putting out a statement saying that the company was "completely blown away" by the sheer number of orders. AT&T said today that it saw record preorders on Friday. That carrier, along with Verizon, sold out of its preorder supply.And just minutes ago, Apple announced that iPhone 5 preorders topped 2 million in the first 24 hours, doubling the record set by the iPhone 4S.Apple's iPhone 5 will launch on Friday with a host of improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone 4S, including the A6 processor, 4G LTE service, and an improved camera. The device starts at $199 with a two-year contract.CNET contacted Apple for comment on the AppleInsider report. We will update this story when we have more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's iPhone 5 arrival date has been pushed up for some buyers, according to a report.Apple-tracking site AppleInsider reported over the weekend that the company sent out e-mails to some customers telling them that their expected delivery date on the iPhone 5 had been pushed up. Rather than be forced to wait until September 28, Apple explained in the message that the customers would have their new handset on launch day, September 21.The iPhone 5 was made available for preorder on Friday. Not long after preorders began, Apple indicated on its Web site that customers would be forced to wait two weeks to get the smartphone after initial supplies ran out. Carriers at the time were still offering launch-day availability. The 5 arrives CNET's iPhone 5 review Apple out to prove it's still king Pictures: Apple's big iPhone 5 reveal Ho-hum. iPhone 5 won't wow anyone iPhone 5: No Steve Jobs, no sizzle iPhone 5: What we didn't get Comparing the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 However, if AppleInsider is correct, it appears Apple might have been a bit bearish in its estimates.Still, iPhone 5 demand was exceedingly strong on Friday, with Apple putting out a statement saying that the company was "completely blown away" by the sheer number of orders. AT&T said today that it saw record preorders on Friday. That carrier, along with Verizon, sold out of its preorder supply.And just minutes ago, Apple announced that iPhone 5 preorders topped 2 million in the first 24 hours, doubling the record set by the iPhone 4S.Apple's iPhone 5 will launch on Friday with a host of improvements over its predecessor, the iPhone 4S, including the A6 processor, 4G LTE service, and an improved camera. The device starts at $199 with a two-year contract.CNET contacted Apple for comment on the AppleInsider report. We will update this story when we have more information.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple updates its iOS retail app with in-store tools
Apple updates its iOS retail app with in-store tools
Following the hardware updates to its retail stores over the weekend, Apple today rolled out an updated version of its retail application for iOS (iTunes) that adds interactive features for users who are actually inside of an Apple store.Now, when walking around an Apple store, users can fire up the app to ask for help. This utilizes the same system the company installed over the weekend using its Smart Signs, which alerts retail store employees that a user needs assistance. However unlike those efforts, users have to do the legwork to go find an employee at a designated location.Along with assistance about products, the app also lists availability for the Genius Bar, including when the next opening is. There's also a schedule of any workshops or events that are going on at that particular store. Making use of location within apps to provide unique information at retail stores is not a new venture for Apple. The company rolled out something similar with Starbucks as part of its iTunes app early on in the iPhone's life cycle. With that collaboration, iPhone and iPod Touch users at certain Starbucks locations could get information about what songs were playing, as well as options to buy them from iTunes. Apple overhauled its retail stores over the weekend with Smart Signs--iPad 2s that are encased and locked down next to the company's products (including the iPad 2) to act as interactive signage. Along with containing pricing information, the displays also offer product-specific tools, such as a wireless plan estimator for products like the iPhone. They're also configured to let customers page an employee for help.Besides the retail store tweaks, Apple added a feature to the app that lets users completely customize a Mac they want to buy. This is something you've long been able to do through Apple's Web site, though retail app users were out of luck if they wanted to upgrade one or more of the hardware components.
Following the hardware updates to its retail stores over the weekend, Apple today rolled out an updated version of its retail application for iOS (iTunes) that adds interactive features for users who are actually inside of an Apple store.Now, when walking around an Apple store, users can fire up the app to ask for help. This utilizes the same system the company installed over the weekend using its Smart Signs, which alerts retail store employees that a user needs assistance. However unlike those efforts, users have to do the legwork to go find an employee at a designated location.Along with assistance about products, the app also lists availability for the Genius Bar, including when the next opening is. There's also a schedule of any workshops or events that are going on at that particular store. Making use of location within apps to provide unique information at retail stores is not a new venture for Apple. The company rolled out something similar with Starbucks as part of its iTunes app early on in the iPhone's life cycle. With that collaboration, iPhone and iPod Touch users at certain Starbucks locations could get information about what songs were playing, as well as options to buy them from iTunes. Apple overhauled its retail stores over the weekend with Smart Signs--iPad 2s that are encased and locked down next to the company's products (including the iPad 2) to act as interactive signage. Along with containing pricing information, the displays also offer product-specific tools, such as a wireless plan estimator for products like the iPhone. They're also configured to let customers page an employee for help.Besides the retail store tweaks, Apple added a feature to the app that lets users completely customize a Mac they want to buy. This is something you've long been able to do through Apple's Web site, though retail app users were out of luck if they wanted to upgrade one or more of the hardware components.
Apple updates Hopstop iOS app after buying company
Apple updates Hopstop iOS app after buying company
Apple's plans for Hopstop may be a mystery following its recent acquisition of the navigation service, though the iOS app is still alive and kicking.Hopstop provides directions for buses, trains, taxis, bikes, and pedestrians around the world. It offers real-time transit maps and schedules across more than 600 cities.Apple bought the company more than a week ago with the possible intention of integrating Hopstop's technology into its own Maps app. Such a move would likely mean the end of Hopstop's dedicated mobile apps.Apple has already pulled the plug on the Windows Phone version of Hopstop. The Google Play edition for Android is still available, though its days could be numbered. But the iOS version is not only still around but is the recipient of a host of new features.Released Sunday, Hopstop for iOS version 2.6 now supports cities in the the U.K., Germany, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, and Israel. You can now share real-time delays, incidents, station problems, broken elevators, and other issues with Hopstop. You also can save your home and work address for quick access and view your "My Trips" information from the search screen.Why would Apple update an app if it plans to integrate the technology into its own maps service? The company may simply want to keep Hopstop fresh until it has the chance to add its smarts into its own navigation app. Given the past problems with the Maps app, Apple may be treading cautiously in its attempt to spruce up the next version of Maps. (Via Cult of Mac)
Apple's plans for Hopstop may be a mystery following its recent acquisition of the navigation service, though the iOS app is still alive and kicking.Hopstop provides directions for buses, trains, taxis, bikes, and pedestrians around the world. It offers real-time transit maps and schedules across more than 600 cities.Apple bought the company more than a week ago with the possible intention of integrating Hopstop's technology into its own Maps app. Such a move would likely mean the end of Hopstop's dedicated mobile apps.Apple has already pulled the plug on the Windows Phone version of Hopstop. The Google Play edition for Android is still available, though its days could be numbered. But the iOS version is not only still around but is the recipient of a host of new features.Released Sunday, Hopstop for iOS version 2.6 now supports cities in the the U.K., Germany, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, and Israel. You can now share real-time delays, incidents, station problems, broken elevators, and other issues with Hopstop. You also can save your home and work address for quick access and view your "My Trips" information from the search screen.Why would Apple update an app if it plans to integrate the technology into its own maps service? The company may simply want to keep Hopstop fresh until it has the chance to add its smarts into its own navigation app. Given the past problems with the Maps app, Apple may be treading cautiously in its attempt to spruce up the next version of Maps. (Via Cult of Mac)
Why 'Mary Poppins' Is the Greatest Live-Action Disney Movie of All Time
There;s a weird history surrounding the Walt Disney company;s history with live-action cinema. Although it has recently come back into prominence with big hits like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, live-action Disney films have been hit and miss for half a century, with many of them just becoming downright tacky by the ;70s. You;ll need four hands to count all of your favorite animated Disney movies, but you could probably list your favorite live-action films with a few fingers. Perhaps it;s because of this mixed output that 1964;s Mary Poppins remains the cream of Disney;s live-action crop (although it certainly doesn;t hurt), but do yourself a favor and revisit it again. Mary Poppins is the greatest live-action movie that bears Disney;s name because it;s a masterpiece through and through. Like many great films, Mary Poppins is imperfect and some of it just doesn;t work, but these rough edges lend the film its distinct and weird personality. It doesn;t feel made for mass consumption, with its silly, simple story casually ambling along without a care for structure or actual plot. Despite being produced/micromanaged by one of film history;s greatest corporate masterminds, the finished movie feels like it was made with care and passion. There is love in every frame of this movie, even if the road to making it left plenty of metaphorical blood shed all over the place (as depicted in the upcoming Saving Mr. Banks). It;s a story that everyone thinks they know. Two poorly behaved children meet their new nanny, the practically perfect in every way Mary Poppins (the stunning Julie Andrews), who takes them on a series of magical adventures and makes them into good kids. But that;s not what Mary Poppins is about at all. In one of the film;s greatest slight-of-hand tricks, the film plays very differently for its two audiences. Kids can enjoy a whimsical adventure and their parents will enjoy a fairy tale that;s also a moving look at taking responsibility as a parent and the importance of not wasting the precious time you;re given with your children. Mary Poppins only achieves true greatness beyond its colorful technique in the moving final act, where Mr. Banks (David Tomlinson, the film;s secret weapon) loses his job, realizes that he doesn;t care and rushes home to see his kids, removing Mary Poppins; reason to be there in the first place. It;s an ending that could seem melancholy on paper (the Banks children don;t even get a chance to say good-bye), but she;s fulfilled her purpose: the Banks family is reunited and happy. A nanny is temporary but a father and a mother are forever. Of course, the journey to that final point is colorful and joyous (and honestly, a touch overlong). There is no villain to face and no evil plot to fight. We simply tag along with Mary, the Banks kids and the lovable jack-of-all-trades/vagrant Burt (Dick Van Dyke and his infamously awful accent) as they embark on magical, impossible adventures. It;s in these adventures that director Robert Stevenson captures a truly unique tone, balancing the broad humor and quick characterization of Disney;s animated output with the scope and technical polish of a ;60s Hollywood production. With the arrival of television, movies had to get bigger and grander to steal audiences back, resulting in epics with unmatched scope. Mary Poppins may not have the opulence of a family production like The Sound of Music, but it does look and feel utterly unique. Few live-action Disney movies feel tonally in line with the company;s animated masterpieces, but Mary Poppins does. The fact that this tone lives on in a film this bombastically large, expensive and technically impressive makes it a one-of-a-kind production. And then there are the songs by the Sherman brothers, a collection of uplifting, beautiful and iconic pieces that elevate what;s already an impressive fantasy into one of the most memorable musicals ever made. It;s hard to even think about this movie without humming A Spoonful of Sugar or Let;s Go Fly a Kite, but it;s the quieter songs like Stay Awake and Feed the Birds that resonate after resisting the film. Mr. Banks; journey in the final act gives the movie its heart, but the music gives it its soul. At its best, the Disney name has always been about telling simple stories with remarkable (and even deep) themes that would appeal to both the kids and the adults in the audience. It;s a balance they achieved countless times (and continue to achieve) in animation, but Mary Poppins remains one of the only times they;ve captured that undiluted magic in a live action format. Every frame of this beautiful, charming and gentle movie is a joy. Even when it starts dragging in the middle, you can;t blame anyone for not cutting another frame. As Disney buys the Star Wars, Marvel and Indiana Jones franchises, it will undoubtedly make bigger films... but it won;t make anything better than this.
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