Logitech has released a new $150 folio-style keyboard case for the iPad, featuring a fabric or leather skin that comes in a range of bright colors including red, black, blue, and yellow.
Specifically for the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, we developed the industry's first tablet keyboard that's fused directly into its interior fabric. Through integrating the keyboard with its bold interior fabric, it creates a cohesive look and protects your iPad with the added benefit of a comfortable keyboard when you need it.
The folio case, which offers complete protection for the iPad, utilizes a magnetic stand to hold the tablet in place when typing or watching videos. A magnetic clasp keeps the case closed when the keyboard is not in use and both the interior and the exterior feature a liquid repellant coating.
Because the keyboard is integrated directly into the fabric, the entire case is thin, with a depth of just 20mm. Logitech's FabricSkin Keyboard Folio can be preordered for $150.
FedEx has updated its iOS app with a number of new features to make life easier for customers receiving packages. Previously, the app focused more on shippers rather than parcel recipients.
Customers can use the app to track shipments, receive shipment history, forward tracking results and more, while U.S. residential FedEx customers can now use the app to:
Sign-up and use FedEx® Delivery Manager to customize deliveries to your home. You can request to:
- Schedule the delivery - Deliver to another address - Provide delivery instructions - Sign for a package - Schedule a vacation hold - Hold your package at a FedEx location
Apple today began offering refurbished models of the seventh-generation iPod nano in its online store, more than six months after the redesigned device was released. The addition comes roughly a week after Apple began offering refurbished fifth-generation iPod touch models.
The refurbished seventh-generation iPod nano models come with 16 GB of storage and are priced at $129, a $20 discount from the standard price. All seven standard colors of the iPod nano are currently available, although the special (PRODUCT) RED version is unavailable in the refurbished store.
Apple's refurbished units come equipped with the same one-year warranty that standard products offer and have been thoroughly tested for reliability. The units also come with brand-new batteries and outer shells.
NPD today released a new report highlighting the U.S. online digital video market for 2012, finding that Apple continues to dominate both purchases and rentals.
In looking at purchased content, Apple holds a commanding 67% of the TV show market and 65% of the movie market, with its closest competitors Xbox Video and Amazon each holding roughly 10% of the market.
While the competition is tighter in the rental market, Apple still holds a solid lead with 45% of the market for digital movie rentals, with Amazon taking second place at 18%.
“Apple has successfully leveraged its first-mover advantage and of iTunes, iOS and the popularity of iPhone and iPad to dominate the digital sale and rental markets for movies and music,” said Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of industry analysis at NPD. “While worthy competitors have come along, no other retailer has so thoroughly dominated its core entertainment product categories for so long.”
Notably, NPD's study does not include subscription services such as Netflix and on-demand content from cable providers. Previous studies including those types of content have found Apple's market share shrinking to roughly 5% in the face of Netflix's overwhelming strength.
Users of Apple's online services may be experiencing yet another outage today, with the company's system status page showing issues with both iCloud account sign-in and the iTunes Store over the past several hours. Apple's status page does not reveal the percentage of users experiencing issues, noting only that "some" users are affected, but we have received a number of reports about the services being down.
Outages of Apple's services have been relatively common occurrences, with occasional iMessage outages being among the most noticeable for users.
Update: Apple has now expanded its outage list to include Apple ID and Game Center, although it indicates that iTunes Store issues have been resolved.
Update 2: As of 10:30 AM Pacific Time, Apple indicates that the last of the outages have been resolved.
The settlement, which came about in February 2012, is limited to people who experienced antenna issues with their iPhone 4 but were unable to return their device and opted not to receive a free bumper case from Apple.
Apple will provide a $15 cash payment to Class Members who send in a valid claim form. The claim form will require you to declare that you: (a) experienced antenna or reception issues with your iPhone 4; (b) were unable to return your iPhone 4 without incurring any costs; (c) were unwilling to use a case or free bumper for your iPhone 4; and (d) completed certain troubleshooting steps or are unable to complete the troubleshooting steps because you no longer own your iPhone 4.
The first checks were issued on April 17, 2013 and are void after July 16. Apple accepted claims until August 28 of 2012.
Apple has dropped the price on some of its refurbished iPads, offering an additional $50 discount on the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G and the third generation iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular.
Earlier this month, the entry level iPad 2 with 3G capabilities was priced at $399, but now the tablet can be purchased for $349, a total savings of $180. The entry level third generation cellular iPad was previously priced at $459, but can now be purchased for $409, a total savings of $170.
The price drop applies to all refurbished second and third generation iPads with cellular capabilities, regardless of storage capacity. With 32GB and 64GB of storage, the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G is priced at $429 and $529, while the 32GB and 64GB versions of the 3rd generation iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular cost $499 and $579.
Apple is not offering further discounts on the Wi-Fi only versions of the second and third generation iPads, which remain priced at $319 and $379 for 16GB, respectively.
As always, the availability of refurbished products from Apple's online store is subject to rapid change. Refurbished units include the same one-year warranty as standard products, plus a new battery and outer shell.
Apple has won a small victory in its long standing case against Google's Motorola, reports Bloomberg, after the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld an earlier invalidation of a patent that threatened imports of the iPhone 4 into the U.S.
The decision marks the latest instance in which neither Cupertino, California-based Apple nor Google has been able to strike a decisive blow against its competitor in a squabble that began more than two years ago. Each has claimed the other is infringing patents, and Apple accused Motorola Mobility of breaching obligations to license some of its most widely used technology on fair terms.
Patent No. 6,246,862 references a "sensor controlled user interface for portable communication device," or the sensor in the iPhone that prevents the phone from being activated when close to a user's face.
The dispute between Motorola and Apple began in 2010 after Motorola filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the Cupertino-based company infringed on eighteen of Motorola's patents. After being acquired by Google, Motorola expanded its charges against Apple, stating that the company violated six patents having to do with iCloud.
The patent that was invalidated today is the final patent in the above mentioned case, with all other charges against Apple previously cleared by the ITC. Google will likely appeal the decision, thus further extending the litigation between the two companies.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Scola chastised Apple and Google for their patent disagreements, stating that the two had "no interest in efficiently and expeditiously resolving this dispute." He gave the companies four months to streamline the case before it would be put on hold.
Netflix announced today that it is rolling out a number of family friendly features in the coming months, designed to make it easier for families with multiple Netflix users to use the service.
First, the company is introducing a new $12/month streaming plan that offers four simultaneous streams of video, meant for members with large families that run into Netflix's two-simultaneous stream limit. The normal Netflix subscription is $8/month.
Second, the company is introducing a new feature to allow different family members to log their own viewing habits and get recommendations based on what shows they like. Currently, all viewer activity -- parents and kids -- are combined into one stream. As a result, recommendations for kids shows and adult movies are shown next to each other.
Apple has added a new 'download later' prompt to large media purchases made in iTunes or on the mobile iTunes Store, reports Macworld.
The new prompt appears when purchasing movies, TV shows, TV Season Passes, full TV seasons, movie bundles, and music box sets.
When purchasing any of the above items using iTunes 11 on a Mac or Windows PC, or an iOS device running iOS 6 or later, you’re now presented with Later and Download (or Download All) buttons. Tap Later and the purchased items will be added to your iTunes account and accessible to stream or download in the future via Apple’s iTunes in the Cloud feature. It’s a handy feature if you, say, want to buy a movie on sale while you have a spotty data connection; you can make sure to get the cheaper price, then download the item when you get home—or even just play it from the cloud.
The prompt only appears for users in countries that support iTunes in the Cloud for the type of media they are purchasing.
Last month, Logitech launched its G series of gaming keyboards and mice. The devices feature numerous programmable buttons, custom color backlighting, and other features designed for MMORPG players.
The company has now announced that its Logitech Gaming Software is now available on OS X.
Today, we are excited to share that Logitech Gaming Software (LGS) has been updated to support Mac OS for our full keyboard and mouse lineup. Now Mac gamers can enjoy the same great personalization and customized control our PC customers have come to reply on. You can download the latest version of LGS from the Logitech support page for each compatible product.
Several of us on the gaming team switch back and forth between Mac and PC, so we’re thrilled to have this support on both platforms. We can’t wait for you to now have the option to experience your favorite Logitech gaming accessories on Mac.
The G19s keyboard, for example, includes an LCD screen to monitor game statistics, custom-color backlighting for keys, and a number of custom programmable keys. The G700s mouse runs over a wireless connection, but can recharge batteries and continue working at the same time, with a number of programmable thumb controls on the side, and more.
Both are available from Logitech's online store and elsewhere.
Following a devastating earthquake that struck in Sichuan, China over the weekend, Apple has donated 50 million RMB or approximately $8 million to affected victims.
In addition to the donation, Apple has also updated the front page of its Chinese website to express its condolences and to offer schools in the area new Apple devices. Tech In Asia has a translation of the message:
At this difficult time, our hearts are with the victims of the Sichuan earthquake. Aside from the cash donation to help the affected people to tide over their difficulties, we are committed to providing new Apple devices to schools in the disaster area, and Apple employees in the locality are on stand-by at any time to help.
Donations during disasters are not uncommon for Apple, with the company previously offering relief money to victims struck by tragedy on several occasions.
Apple has had a strained relationship with China in recent months, after the company's iPhone warranty policies were highly criticized in the country, though the tensions were relieved in early April when Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote a letter to customers announcing changes to the warranty policy.
The earthquake, which measured between 6.6 and 7.0, struck the city of Ya'an in the Sichuan province on Saturday, causing hundreds of casualties and widespread destruction.
Last month, Yahoo acquired news summarizing app Summly for $30 million and today announced that it has incorporated Summly’s technology into its newly redesigned Yahoo app.
The new Yahoo app uses natural language algorithms and machine learning to offer up quick summaries of news articles, which are now served up in a non-stop stream within the app. Yahoo’s redesign focuses on providing an endless newsfeed to iPhone readers.
In addition to improving the design of the app with Summly, Yahoo has improved its search experience with enhanced video and image searches. Users will also find new social and personalization features, such as categories that can be selected and retained cross-device with a Yahoo ID login.
-Personalized stories based on your interests -Beautiful article pages -Endless visual stream of stories -Summaries by Yahoo! -Ability to select topics you want more stories about -Revamped web search experience
Yahoo for the iPhone is U.S. only and can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Volkswagen has introduced a new version of the Beetle that "integrates" the iPhone into the vehicle. However, that integration amounts to little more than an iPhone dock on the dash, a Beetle app, and iBeetle badging on the car.
Autoblog is unimpressed with the iBeetle, hoping for more from a car that VW says is "one of the first cars in the world to have a genuine integrative interface for the iPhone that was coordinated with Apple".
This is the kind of kit we expect to see as a bullet point on an option sheet, but instead, VW has made this dock+app an entire model by including special "Disc" wheels and iPhone-matching color schemes. The iBeetle will land on dealer lots in the US in 2014, but you can probably make something similar yourself today with an aftermarket dock and an iTunes gift card's worth of third-party apps.
The app does offer some unique features because it talks to the car while docked, getting information such as oil and coolant temperatures, a G-meter, and more. The iBeetle app allows users to send map-based postcards and to measure driving times and fuel economy to determine the best route to a destination.
The iBeetle will be available at the beginning of 2014 with preorders beginning in October.
Netflix has updated its iOS app to version 4.0, making it easier to navigate through episodes with a new episode selector feature on the iPad. The update also adds a redesigned audio and subtitle selector on both the iPad and the iPhone, along with bug fixes.
Though this is a minor update, the addition of the episode selector to the top of the menu bar when watching videos is a welcome improvement. The button, which is located next to the sound bar and the subtitle options, can be tapped to give a dropdown list of other TV show episodes in the season.
This new app release makes watching Netflix TV shows and movies an even better experience.
-Easy episode selection with a brand new episode selector on the iPad -Redesigned audio and subtitle selector on iPad and iPhone -Bug fixes
Back in September 2010, our sister site AppShopper launched a dedicated iOS app offering users easy access to app-tracking features such as updates and price changes. But after two years on the App Store, Apple removed AppShopper in late 2012, citing a rule against apps that could be confused with Apple's own App Store app.
Apps that display Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store will be rejected.
Since that time, several other developers such as AppGratis have seen their apps removed from the App Store, reportedly as part of a broader crackdown on app discovery apps.
Over the past several months, the AppShopper team has been reworking the app to add a more social component, and that effort is now showing up with today's launch of a brand-new app, AppShopper Social.
The new app, called App Shopper Social, makes social recommendations indispensable, rather than optional. When you launch the app, in fact, there is no list of apps waiting for you. Instead, the app recommends that you follow the App Shopper account, which is one of several curated lists ready at launch. Others include Macrumors, 148apps and Toucharcade, all of which provide a steady stream of apps that can be ‘owned’ or ‘want listed’. Each of the apps has a rating from one or more of those feeds, as well as an App Store rating. This allows users to say, get a friend’s rating, Toucharcade’s rating and the App Store rating all side-by-side.
A blog post at AppShopper notes that this 1.0 version of AppShopper Social brings back much of the core functionality of the original AppShopper app but that a number of features such as native iPad support and Top 200 lists are not included. Those features will be brought back in future updates.
In the 1.0 version, we’re aware that there are several obvious features that are absent. Top on our priority list is the ability to browse friends’ lists individually by tapping on their name. Also, an easier method for friend discovery and friend recommendation are also something that is clearly necessary. Even without these features, AppShopper Social is an incredibly useful tool for App Discovery, but there’s a lot of potential to be even better.
We lost a lot of momentum with the removal of our App Store app, so we’d ask you to spread the word on AppShopper Social. A large user base will guarantee future updates and improvements.
Earlier this month, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that various production issues will likely result in launches of Apple's iPhone 5S, lower-cost iPhone, and second-generation iPad mini coming somewhat later than many observers have been expecting. In particular, Kuo claimed that issues with color coatings for the fingerprint sensor said to be included on the iPhone 5S are likely to push back that device's launch from a June/July timeframe to perhaps September or later.
TruePrint fingerprint sensing technology from AuthenTec, acquired by Apple in 2012
Reuters today published a new report highlighting how Apple's suppliers are working hard to reduce their reliance on Apple as uncertainty about demand for Apple's products presents challenges for these companies. As part of the report, Reuters shares word from Apple's iPhone suppliers painting a nearly identical picture to that shared by Kuo earlier this month.
Supplier sources in Japan and Taiwan, home to dozens of Apple suppliers, said they initially expected mass-production of the next iPhone to begin in June.
That date may have begun to slip beyond June, the sources said. The phone, widely referred to as the iPhone 5S, is expected to include new features such as a fingerprint sensor. A supply chain source in Taiwan said Apple was trying to find a coating material that did not interfere with the fingerprint sensor, and this may be causing a delay.
Regarding Apple's lower-cost iPhone, a Japanese supplier informed Reuters that "small-scale production" of displays for the device will begin in May, with mass production beginning the following month. As has been reported by other sources, Reuters' sources claim that the lower-cost iPhone will use the same 4-inch display as the iPhone 5S, but lack the fingerprint sensor and use a plastic casing.
Mac software developer Delicious Monster has informed MacRumors that a major new version of its popular OS X cataloging app Delicious Library is being released very soon.
Delicious Library is a media and gadget cataloging application that hasn't been in the news in recent years, but garnered very positive reviews upon its first release. The first version and its followup both won Apple Design Awards for Best Mac OS X user experience in 2005 and Best OS X Leopard Application in 2007. The flashy design elements were notable at the time, and is likely to have inspired a "generation" of Mac App developers as well as (indirectly) Apple's own iBooks iOS app.
One of the most notable features of Delicious Library's initial release was the use of Apple iSight camera as an inexpensive barcode scanner, so users could scan and inventory their products. As a followup to that feature, the company will be releasing an iOS app that offers this behavior using the iPhone's camera, allowing quick mobile cataloging.
According to Delicious Monster CEO Wil Shipley, Delicious Library 3's major shift is from being just a "know what you own" app to a recommendation engine based on the products you own:
We're centered on the idea of your books (movies, cds, whatever) being an aspect of your unique personality, and our app does neat things with your personal data—like give you cool graphic summaries, or really good composite recommendations.
Aside from the new recommendation engine, Delicious Library 3 will offer a 3D cover-view interface, interactive charts mode, flexible smart shelves, and more. It should be available in the Mac and iOS app stores soon.
The folio case, which offers complete protection for the iPad, utilizes a magnetic stand to hold the tablet in place when typing or watching videos. A magnetic clasp keeps the case closed when the keyboard is not in use and both the interior and the exterior feature a liquid repellant coating.
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