MacRumors

Harman today announced the launch of the first two Lightning-compatible speaker docks under its JBL brand, offering owners of Apple's latest iOS devices direct support for the new connector standard for the first time.

The two speaker docks include the OnBeat Micro ($99.95) for the iPhone 5 and other small devices, and the larger OnBeat Venue Lightning ($199.95) supporting the full line of Lightning devices including iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 5, iPod touch, and iPod nano.

Engadget has a brief review of the new speaker docks:

Based on a quick listening session, we can report that the Venue LT sounded very full and clear. Even with the optional bass- or vocal-boosts enabled, it didn't seem like the speakers were having trouble pushing out a high level of volume. The Micro on the other hand sounded decidedly tinny, which we're frankly not surprised about given the size. Both systems are compatible with JBL's MusicFlow app as well, giving you some extended options for tweaking the EQ.

Engadget also noted a couple of issues with the Lightning connector itself on the docks, including the observation that the docks will not work with many common iPhone cases and that flexibility in the connector on the docks feels somewhat wobbly, allowing flexibility while docking to lessen the risk of breakage but leading to concerns about stability.

JBL was one of the vendors highlighted by Apple during the Lightning connector's introduction in mid-September as having received advance access to the standard. Other vendors included Bose, B&W, and B&O, which should all be announcing their own speaker products shortly.

In line with tracking information, a number of U.S. customers who pre-ordered LTE models of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad have either already received their shipments this morning or are seeing their packages out for delivery.

Our forums are beginning to fill with reports of iPad minis being delivered, while we're also starting to see reports of fourth-generation iPads arriving.

Apple has yet to announce when it will begin selling the LTE iPad mini and iPad models in stores, although stocks of at least the full-size iPad models have reportedly arrived at the company's stores and we had previously heard that AT&T was planning to begin selling the devices this Friday, November 16.

Apple may not begin shipping the new iMac until early 2013, according to the French site MacBidouille [Google Translate]. When the new lighter, thinner iMac was introduced three weeks ago, Apple said the 21.5" model would ship by the end of November, with the 27" model shipping by year-end.

The new iMac uses some advanced welding techniques as well as a new manufacturing process for the LCD screen that was rumored to delay the introduction of the iMac. Apple has run into difficulties ramping up production on its more recent product launches as the company pushes the envelope on what is physically possible.

During Apple's most recent earnings call, Tim Cook talked briefly about the constraints the company faces during the all-important holiday quarter:

In terms of general shortages on the iMac, we’ll be constrained for the full quarter in a significant way, part of that is that we’re beginning shipping the 21.5-inch iMac in November and the 27-inch in December. And so there will be a short amount of time during the quarter to manufacture and ramp those and I expect the demand to be robust. So we will have a significant shortage there.

The Next Web reports on an apparent bug in iOS 6's AV Foundation that caused podcasts and audio streams to be downloaded multiple times unnecessarily.

The issue was first discovered by the Public Radio Exchange labs, which thoroughly examined the issue.

The issue is a potentially major one. The audio streams that are being pulled down by iOS 6 through a variety of apps including Apple’s Podcasts and others are being increased in size by a huge factor. The streams are being downloaded multiple times as connection errors cause them to fire off a new session. And, the entire time that a stream is active, it is being downloaded over and over.

TNW notes that the issue appears to be fixed in iOS 6.0.1, and did not occur in iOS 5. It appears to affect both customers on Wi-Fi and over cellular networks, so there is the potential for data overages affecting users downloading podcasts frequently. TNW claims that "some users have reported success contacting their carrier to have the overage charges removed."

9to5Mac is reporting that Apple Retail Stores are taking delivery of new fourth-generation iPad models with LTE cellular (though not the iPad mini), but they have not begun sales of them yet.

Apple has begun stocking its U.S.-based retail stores with LTE versions of the fourth-generation iPad. The product is not on sale yet, but they could go on sale at anytime. Stores have been instructed to wait until word from corporate comes through to begin sales.

Cellular-capable iPad mini and 4th-gen iPad orders are expected to be delivered to US customers beginning on Thursday and Friday of this week, and it's likely that retail store sales of cellular-capable fourth-generation iPads and iPad mini's will begin on Friday. Recently, Apple has generally launched iOS products on Fridays.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Samsung had instituted a 20% price increase for production of Apple's A-series chips used in the company's iOS devices. The move was seen by some as a potential salvo in the ongoing patent battle between the two companies.

The Street now reports on an article [Google translation] from Korean newspaper The Hankyoreh citing a Samsung executive as saying that the rumors of a price hike are untrue.

After reports earlier in the week that the South Korean technology giant was raising application processor (AP) prices on Apple by as much as 20%, a Samsung Electronics official denied the reports to The Hankyoreh, a Seoul-based newspaper.

The unnamed official noted that prices are set at the beginning of the year and aren't changed easily.

Conflicting reports about possible price hikes by Samsung come as the company has indicated that it is not interested in settling the patent dispute with Apple. HTC and Apple settled their dispute in an agreement announced this weekend.

With Apple and HTC having announced a settlement in their patent dispute, some observers have wondered whether the move could signal the beginning of a broader effort to resolve such issues throughout the industry. Apple and a number of Android device manufacturers such as HTC have been locked in court battles over their intellectual property for the past several years.

Samsung has rapidly risen to become the dominant Android device manufacturer and Apple's most significant foe in both the courtroom and the marketplace, but AFP reports that Samsung has "no such intention" of settling with Apple.

"We have no such intention," J.K. Shin, the head of Samsung Electronics' mobile unit, told reporters on Wednesday when asked if Samsung would seek a similar settlement.

Yonhap has more on Shin's comments:

"It may be true that HTC may have agreed to pay 300 billion won (US$276 million) to Apple, but we don't intend to (negotiate) at all," Shin Jong-kyun, who heads the South Korean tech giant's mobile and IT division, told reporters. [...]

While the terms of the settlement were undisclosed, market watchers speculate HTC will pay between $6 to $8 per phone, which would amount to $180 million to $280 million a year.

The patent battle between Apple and Samsung is already being played out in courtrooms around the world, with Apple's most significant victory in the series being a $1 billion verdict against Samsung in the United States. Not all of the cases have gone Apple's way, however, with one of the most visible defeats having been in the United Kingdom where Apple was ordered to post public acknowledgements that Samsung had not infringed upon Apple's registered design for the iPad.

Close on the heels of Belkin's launch of the first official accessories supporting Apple's new Lightning connector standard, Scosche is now announcing its own lineup of Lightning charging accessories for use both at home and in the car.

“Smartphones and tablets are an integral part of our daily lives, but keeping them all charged can create several challenges,” said Kas Alves, Executive Vice President of Scosche Industries. “We designed our Lightning chargers with flexibility in mind. The new line provides power solutions for home and on the go and addresses the varying wattage requirements of our favorite devices, the need to charge multiple devices simultaneously and is capable of powering multiple devices with different connections with the same charger.”

Scosche's lineup includes the following products:

- strikeDRIVE 5w ($24.99) and strikeDRIVE 12w ($29.99): Car charger with a single hardwired Lightning cable. The 5w model is designed for iPhone, iPod, and iPad mini models, while the 12w model can charge any Lightning-equipped device.

- strikeDRIVE 12w +12w ($39.99): Car charger with one hardwired Lightning/micro-USB cable supporting up to 12w with a second USB port also supporting up to 12w.

- strikeDRIVE pro 12w + 12w ($49.99): Car charger with two USB ports each supporting up to 12w. Comes with one detachable USB cable with convertible micro-USB and Lightning tips.

- strikeBASE 5w ($29.99) and strikeBASE 12w ($34.99): Low-profile wall adapter for home use includes a single hardwired Lightning cable attached and offers folding prongs. The 5w model is designed for iPhone, iPod, and iPad mini models, while the 12w model can charge any Lightning-equipped device.

- strikeBASE pro 5w + 5w ($39.99): Low-profile wall adapter for home use with two USB ports each supporting up to 5w. Comes with one detachable USB cable with convertible micro-USB and Lightning tips.

- strikeBASE pro 12w + 12w ($49.99): Low-profile wall adapter for home use with two USB ports each supporting up to 12w. Comes with one detachable USB cable with convertible micro-USB and Lightning tips.

- strikeLINE pro ($29.99): Retractable USB cable with convertible micro-USB and Lightning tips.

Scosche has yet to announce specific launch dates for the new accessories, but says that "some of them should ship prior to CES" in early January.

Images of several of Scosche's Lightning accessories had leaked in late August, but the company quickly requested that those images be removed.

Late yesterday, Microsoft announced its own management shakeup, with Windows and Windows Live President Steven Sinofsky stepping down from the role he had held for over three years. Sinofsky's position is now being split, with Windows executive Julie Larson-Green taking on oversight of engineering and Windows chief financial officer and chief marketing officer Tami Reller adding responsibility for the remainder of the business aspects of the Windows business unit.

“I am grateful for the many years of work that Steven has contributed to the company,” [Microsoft CEO Steve] Ballmer said. “The products and services we have delivered to the market in the past few months mark the launch of a new era at Microsoft. We’ve built an incredible foundation with new releases of Microsoft Office, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Microsoft Surface, Windows Server 2012 and ‘Halo 4,’ and great integration of services such as Bing, Skype and Xbox across all our products. To continue this success it is imperative that we continue to drive alignment across all Microsoft teams, and have more integrated and rapid development cycles for our offerings.”

The move is being seen by some as a parallel to the impending departure of iOS chief Scott Forstall at Apple, with AllThingsD reporting that executive tensions involving Sinofsky had simply reached a breaking point.

Sources have said the move came amid growing tension between Sinofsky and other top executives. Sinofsky, though seen as highly talented, was viewed at the top levels as not the kind of team player that the company was looking for.

Sinofsky's departure comes just weeks after several high-profile product introductions for Microsoft's Windows division, with the company launching Windows 8 and its Surface tablet late last month.

Nokia today announced an expansion of its mapping services, launching a new "HERE" brand for the products and announcing that it will be introducing a new iOS mapping app in the coming weeks.

"People want great maps, and with HERE we can bring together Nokia's location offering to deliver people a better way to explore, discover and share their world," said Nokia President and CEO Stephen Elop. "Additionally, with HERE we can extend our 20 years of location expertise to new devices and operating systems that reach beyond Nokia. As a result, we believe that more people benefit from and contribute to our leading mapping and location service."

To further extend its location services, Nokia is launching a maps application for iOS under the HERE brand. Based on HTML5, it will include offline capabilities, voice-guided walk navigation, and public transport directions. The application is scheduled to be available for free download from Apple's App Store in the coming weeks.

The initiative also includes a partnership with Mozilla for mapping in Firefox OS, a reference app for Android developers, acquisition of California company earthmine to help with 3D mapping, and new LiveSight 3D mapping technology.

The New York Times has more on why Nokia has chosen to open up its mapping platform even as it seeks to differentiate its Lumia smartphones in the market.

Stephen Elop, chief executive of Nokia, said in an interview that in order to ensure that its mapping platform stays competitive, it needs lots of users. The more people who look up directions or search for locations on its maps, the smarter the system gets. And Nokia can still build exclusive location features into its Lumia phones, he said.

“For the location platform to be at the highest quality, one needs scale, and you need as many different people contributing as possible,” Mr. Elop said. “Of course, Nokia will build apps, some of them unique to Lumia devices, that gain a competitive advantage for Nokia.”

Apple has been working to improve its in-house Maps app launched as part of iOS 6, following significant criticism of the app's features and accuracy. In an open letter addressing mapping issues, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed to the web version of Nokia's maps as an alternative for users unhappy with the performance of Apple's own app.

Fortune points to a new report from research firm Retail Sails, which once again ranks Apple as the U.S. retail store chain with the highest sales per square foot. Apple's sales productivity is calculated at over $6000 per square foot, more than double that of second-place Tiffany & Co.

Apple also topped the list last year, with this year's 7.5% growth in sales per square foot ranking second among the top five companies to lululemon's 11.8% growth. Apple's retail store sales growth has, however, slowed considerably from Retail Sails' 2011 estimate of 49.1% growth as Apple has in some cases been transitioning to larger store sizes and expanded iPhone and iPad distribution has siphoned some demand from Apple's own retail stores.

Yesterday, we noted that U.S. customers were beginning to report that their pre-orders of the cellular-capable fourth-generation iPad models were beginning to ship, with many seeing delivery dates of this Friday, November 16.

Beginning just a few hours ago, customers who pre-ordered cellular-capable iPad mini models also began seeing shipping notices. Customers seem to be reporting a range of delivery dates for this initial batch of devices, with the earliest ones set for this Thursday, November 15 but others not arriving until Friday or even the following Monday.

As we noted in our earlier reports, AT&T is also expected to begin offering LTE models of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad in its retail stores on Friday, with the carrier offering a $100 discount on any tablet for those who sign up for a two-year data plan agreement, including its $10/month Mobile Share tablet add-on package.

Apple today updated its online store with its new Holiday Gift Guide for 2012, a collection of products and accessories from Apple and other companies that could make for good holiday gifts.

Unsurprisingly, Apple is heavily promoting the iPad mini in the guide, with "iPad Gifts" being the default section for the guide and the iPad mini prominently displayed at the top of that page. Apple touts a number of other products from its main lineup, including the iPhone 5, iPod touch, iPod nano, full-size iPad, Apple TV, and MacBook Air.

Apple will also almost certainly be participating in Black Friday on November 23, offering a selection of modest deals on Apple and third-party products. Last year, Apple offered $101 off of MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac models, as well as $41-$61 off of iPad models, $21-$41 off of iPod touch models, and $11 off of the iPod nano.

Apple is allowing a small group of employees to spend up to two weeks working on projects outside their standard job responsibilities. This was originally reported by the Wall Street Journal's Jessica Lessin, by way of Business Insider.

It's similar to Google's 20% time, which lets employees spend 20% of their time on side projects that could end up helping Google.

Lessin cautioned it was a "far cry" from what Google does. It's limited to a small group of employees at Apple.

We don't have too many details for how the program, reportedly nicknamed "Blue Sky", works. It may allow employees to spend time on their own projects, or if they could be temporarily assigned to other working groups within Apple.

Update: Lessin's full Wall Street Journal article is now live. Lessin focuses on how the corporate culture is changing at Apple since Tim Cook took over as CEO, noting that Cook has been more accepting of sabbaticals, has praised employees at Apple's media events, and that the company is more frequently giving counteroffers to employees considering posts at other companies.

When it comes to culture among technology companies, Apple is still an outlier. Its managers have long ignored standard Silicon Valley perks, such as free lunches, believing the opportunity to work at the company and on its popular products compelled people to stay.

Last year, in a session of Apple's internal management program Apple University, officials discussed how the company is in some ways more like the military than a traditional corporation, according to a person who was told about the presentation.

But under Chief Executive Tim Cook, who took over from co-founder Steve Jobs last year, Apple is becoming more employee-friendly.

For the first time, shipping estimates for new orders of the iPhone 5 placed through Apple's online store have improved, suggesting that Apple and Foxconn may now be getting a handle on production issues and making progress toward meeting demand for the popular device.

Shipping estimates which had been at 3-4 weeks since just a few days after pre-orders went live nearly two months ago, have now improved to 2-3 weeks. The new shipping estimates appear to be in effect for most of Apple's online stores around the world where the iPhone 5 is sold online.

In comparison, the iPhone 4S took roughly three months to begin coming down from its peak of 1-2 week shipping estimates, reaching supply-demand balance approximately three and a half months after the device launched. But with the iPhone 5 experiencing lengthier shipping estimates and Apple aggressively rolling out the device to over 100 countries by the end of the year, shortages may yet persist for some time.