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- BlackBerry fires CEO Thorsten Heins, scraps buyout plan
- Skype gaining better sign in experience, faster startup and iOS 7 mic permissions
- Target offers $200 iPad trade-in on any model
- Nexus 5 unboxing and first impressions
- Apple updates AirPort Utility app with 64-bit support
- Apple opening next-gen sapphire glass plant in Arizona, creating 2,000 US jobs
- AT&T says iPad Air activations up 200% over last year’s launch
- Google to add account authentication for saved passwords to Chrome for Mac
- T-Mobile clears up the confusion around no-interest iPad financing and free 200MB data
- Apple finally updates Remote app for iOS 7 look
- Some thoughts on iPad Air
- Apple working on fixes for Mavericks Mail, iBooks, Safari and Remote Desktop Client issues
- JD Power offers bizarre explanation defending its botched tablet rankings
- Asphalt 8 goes free to play, adds new cars, boosters, limited-time cups and more
- Google to unveil low-cost Moto G on November 13
- iPad Air adoption dwarfs previous iPads
- Sprint’s MVNO Ting starts quietly supporting iPhone
- Despite smaller battery, iPad Air still lasts 24-hours as LTE hotspot
- Tim Cook urges Congress to approve Employment Nondiscrimination Act in open letter
- Henri Lamiraux, Apple’s VP of iOS engineering, has left the company
| BlackBerry fires CEO Thorsten Heins, scraps buyout plan Posted: 04 Nov 2013 04:48 PM PST
As a long-time competitor of, and what many believe to be a casualty of, the iPhone, we’ve been keeping a close eye on BlackBerry’s situation over the past several months. The last we heard, the company had agreed to sell itself to Fairfax Financial Holdings for $4.7 billion. But apparently that’s no longer the plan. In a bit of a surprise move, BlackBerry announced this morning that it has given up on its effort to sell itself to a large investor, and that it will be replacing Thorsten Heins with former Sybase chief John Chen as interim CEO…(...) "BlackBerry fires CEO Thorsten Heins, scraps buyout plan" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Skype gaining better sign in experience, faster startup and iOS 7 mic permissions Posted: 04 Nov 2013 03:11 PM PST
Microsoft-owned Skype app for the iPhone and iPad is about to get bumped to version 4.14, gaining under-the-hood tweaks for faster startup time and iOS 7-specific permissions for microphone access. The update has been officially announced on the Skype blog earlier in the morning and should drop later during the course of the day. Over the past two months, Skype’s mobile app has received its iOS 7 style visual makeover and gained the ability to make HD quality 720p video calls from the fourth-generation iPad and later and the iPhone 5 and later…(...) "Skype gaining better sign in experience, faster startup and iOS 7 mic permissions" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Target offers $200 iPad trade-in on any model Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:55 PM PST
The United States retailing giant Target is extending its electronics trade-in program to include all iPad models for a $200 credit, in-store only. Target previously offered free gift cards for iPhone, iPad, iPod and Apple TV purchases and three years ago started offering gift cards in exchange for used iPhones so today’s news is a logical extension of that initiative. If you still have the original iPad lying around somewhere collecting dust and want to get rid of it, Target will now accept it for up to a $200 gift card, redeemable against any store purchase. Read on for the full reveal…(...) "Target offers $200 iPad trade-in on any model" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Nexus 5 unboxing and first impressions Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:40 PM PST
We usually don’t cover too much on the Android side of things, but every once in a while a device comes along that catches our attention. The new Nexus 5 from LG and Google is one such device. Android has matured greatly over the last two years, and the hardware has done likewise. The Nexus 5 looked like a solid device on paper, and that has been reaffirmed by our hands-on time with the device.(...) "Nexus 5 unboxing and first impressions" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Apple updates AirPort Utility app with 64-bit support Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:17 PM PST
In addition to Remote, Apple has posted an update for its AirPort Utility app this afternoon. The app is used to help users manage their Wi-Fi network and AirPort base stations, including Express, Extreme and Time Capsule. For those unfamiliar with AirPort Utility, it offers a number of administration features like the ability to change network settings and security modes. The update isn’t a big one, but it’s worth note for people who use the app…(...) "Apple updates AirPort Utility app with 64-bit support" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Apple opening next-gen sapphire glass plant in Arizona, creating 2,000 US jobs Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:05 PM PST
The Arizona State Governor Janice K. Brewer has just issued an interesting press release confirming that Apple will open a manufacturing plant in Mesa to build components for products. The manufacturing facility will create more than 700 high-quality jobs in the first year and “generate significant capital investment”. She kept mum on details, but the “significant capital investment” rules out server farms and perhaps alludes at some sort of a new plant to assemble products other than the new Mac Pro, which is being assembled in a Texas plant. UPDATED with new info, jumps past the fold for the latest..(...) "Apple opening next-gen sapphire glass plant in Arizona, creating 2,000 US jobs" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| AT&T says iPad Air activations up 200% over last year’s launch Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:53 PM PST
While Apple hasn’t announced specific figures for the iPad Air’s launch weekend yet, most indications are that the tablet is performing well. Supplies began weakening over the weekend, and carriers are seeing healthy sales. In fact, AT&T just issued a press release this afternoon saying its iPad activations increased more than 200% over the past three days compared to last year's launch weekend. The reason? Customers are excited for the new Air…(...) "AT&T says iPad Air activations up 200% over last year’s launch" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Google to add account authentication for saved passwords to Chrome for Mac Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:24 PM PST
The great thing about Apple’s iOS 7 password syncing feature is that setting up iCloud Keychain on your device with an iCloud Security Code prevents anyone from gaining access to your saved web passwords by going to Settings > Safari > Passwords & AutoFill > Saved Passwords. That is, viewing any saved entry there requires providing an iCloud Security Code, or your account password on the Mac. This added layer of protection ensures I can’t steal your iPhone while it isn’t auto-locked and use the Settings app to hijack your online identities in a snap. Not so much with Chrome for Mac. Currently, Google’s browser does not require any form of authentication to reveal saved passwords. The Internet giant is aware of the problem and is aiming to deploy enhanced security for saved passwords in an upcoming Chrome build…(...) "Google to add account authentication for saved passwords to Chrome for Mac" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| T-Mobile clears up the confusion around no-interest iPad financing and free 200MB data Posted: 04 Nov 2013 12:03 PM PST
T-Mobile has caused quite a stir announcing carrying the new iPads with no downpayment, especially the promise of 200MB of free LTE data for life for those who opt for cellular models, as long as they remain customers. Our own Jeff Benjamin praised T-Mobile’s un-carrier move, noting no other U.S. wireless company has offered free data to iPad users. The controversy was born after some customers complained that T-Mobile reps told them they couldn’t claim 200MB worth of free monthly data unless they were paying phone customers. Otherwise, it’s a $10 a month On Demand plan charge and T-Mobile CEO John Legere calling it an "executional mistake" didn’t help. So, what exactly is going on here? Is the 200MB free tier a bait and switch or a legitimate offer, with some strings attached? We lay it all out for you right after the break…(...) "T-Mobile clears up the confusion around no-interest iPad financing and free 200MB data" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Apple finally updates Remote app for iOS 7 look Posted: 04 Nov 2013 10:34 AM PST
Apple has finally issued a long-expected update to its Remote app for the iPhone and iPad. Designed with the cleaner iOS 7 appearance in mind, the free universal binary download has been overhauled top to bottom for iOS 7 look and feel and aso offers compatibility fixes for iTunes 11.1, but no new feature additions. With the Remote app, users can control their desktop iTunes and the $99 Apple TV using their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad devices, from without having to use Apple’s aluminum Remote for prolonged text entry, for example…(...) "Apple finally updates Remote app for iOS 7 look" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Posted: 04 Nov 2013 10:15 AM PST
The iPad Air is without a doubt one of Apple’s most marvelous engineering feats to date. It features a huge screen with a slimmer bezel than previous full sized iPads. It provides an immersive experience that just can’t be achieved on the minuscule iPad mini. It’s also much lighter than its predecessors, which is obviously something desirable to anyone who’s held a full sized iPad in their hands for any nominal length of time. It’s not just lighter and slimmer and thinner — it feels like a completely different product. But before I take it too far, let me just say outright that regular iPad mini users won’t be as impressed by the weight loss. It’s still significantly larger, heavier, and harder to handle than the iPad mini, which may lead to disappointment for the looking into getting back into full sized iPads. I too, suffered from such disappointment, but it was short lived after I took the time to appreciate that the iPad Air isn’t the mini, and never pretended it was. It’s a full sized tablet in a marvelously well put together package, and it’s definitely something you should consider picking up if you want the “true” iPad experience. As primal as it may seem, there’s just something to be said about using a device whose screen is large and in charge. The iPad Air is sort of like holding a television in your hands, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, given its slimness and light weight. If you’ve yet to take the plunge, then what should you do? Should you go into the Apple Store and compare both side by side? Should you give Apple’s 14 day return policy a go, and spend some quality time with the Air? Check inside for my opinions on the matter.(...) "Some thoughts on iPad Air" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Apple working on fixes for Mavericks Mail, iBooks, Safari and Remote Desktop Client issues Posted: 04 Nov 2013 09:46 AM PST
Apple’s free Mavericks update contains a set of compelling headline features and nice-to-haves, like tapping the ambient light sensor to detect motion in order to prevent system sleep. But as any Mac owner could tell you, each major OS X release brings with it inevitable early adopter issues in the form of bugs and various software-related issues and hiccups. Mavericks is no exception. Though definitely more stable and less susceptible to teething issues than perhaps any OS X release thus far, Mavericks affects your productivity by introducing unreliable performance with Gmail accounts in Mail. Other stock apps suffer from typical 1.0 release issues, but rest assured that Apple is hard at work squashing these pesky bugs as we speak…(...) "Apple working on fixes for Mavericks Mail, iBooks, Safari and Remote Desktop Client issues" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| JD Power offers bizarre explanation defending its botched tablet rankings Posted: 04 Nov 2013 08:44 AM PST
With the release of new iPhones and iPads, Apple has retired the somewhat defensive ‘Why iPhone’ and ‘Why iPad’ web campaign. It makes sense: Tim Cook & Co. probably think others should now defend themselves against the new iPhone 5s and iPad Air. Fans will recall both of Apple’s web pages gave undecided customers plenty of reasons to consider an iPhone and iPad over competing products, citing – among other reasons – rampant Android malware and high satisfaction scores by J.D. Power. On the other hand, the removal of J.D. Power scores from Apple’s web site could easily have everything to do with J.D. Power’s last week tablet scores giving Samsung the top tablet ranking even though the South Korean company won only on price. The results of that survey have sparked a heated debate and prompted some tough questions among the Apple faithful because the iPad clearly bested Samsung in all of the remaining five categories: Overall Satisfaction, Performance, Ease of Use, Physical Design and Tablet Features. And now in a seeming PR damage control maneuvering, J.D. Power is attempting to defend the indefensible by claiming the survey wasn’t botched and arguing the rankings hold up – even if the reputable research firm’s actual explanation is pretty bizarre, to say the least…(...) "JD Power offers bizarre explanation defending its botched tablet rankings" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Asphalt 8 goes free to play, adds new cars, boosters, limited-time cups and more Posted: 04 Nov 2013 07:31 AM PST
Unleashed on August 22 as a 99-cent download, Gameloft’s Asphalt 8: Airborne was praised for its licensed cars and a refreshingly new concept doing away with simulation in favor of action-packed suspense where racing cars literally fly all over the place (hence the Airborne name). A month later, the game was free for a weekend and in mid-October became Apple’s Free App of the Week on the App Store. Confirming today the game is now permanently available on a free-to-play basis, Gameloft has unleashed the first content pack which enhances gameplay with new cars and Clio R.S. challenges, seven new reverse tracks in the multiplayer World Series mode, new boosters, support for iOS 7 physical controllers and other perks…(...) "Asphalt 8 goes free to play, adds new cars, boosters, limited-time cups and more" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Google to unveil low-cost Moto G on November 13 Posted: 04 Nov 2013 06:54 AM PST
Google-owned Motorola’s Moto X smartphone with always-on Google Now functionality launched on August 1, but has failed to gain much traction as pundits deemed its $200 on-contract asking price a lot to pay for what is basically mid-range hardware. It’s also considerably disadvantaged price-wise compared to Google’s just-released Nexus 5 with Android 4.4 KitKat, which retails for $349 unlocked. However, Motorola’s been rumored to be working on a low cost Moto X variant called Moto G from the onset. Indeed, today the company issued press invites for a media event on Wednesday, November 13. According to a teaser on Motorola’s web page, the low-cost Moto X will be in fact marketed under the Moto G moniker…(...) "Google to unveil low-cost Moto G on November 13" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| iPad Air adoption dwarfs previous iPads Posted: 04 Nov 2013 05:32 AM PST
This past Friday, Apple’s new iPad Air went on sale in 40+ countries at 8am local time. Third-party data suggests that early adopters are in fact liking the thinner, lighter and faster full-size iPad a lot, as corroborated by early reviews. If you compare usage data across its first three days of availability, the iPad Air usage is around five times that of its predecessor, the iPad 4. And compared to the popular iPad mini, the new iPad Air is four times more used during its first few days of availability than the first-generation iPad mini was…(...) "iPad Air adoption dwarfs previous iPads" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Sprint’s MVNO Ting starts quietly supporting iPhone Posted: 04 Nov 2013 04:28 AM PST
Sprint’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Ting has recently started quietly supporting Apple’s iPhone, a new report has discovered. According to a help document posted on the carrier’s website, Ting customers can now activate the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S on its network. Previously, the Tucows-owned telco would not allow users to bring their unlocked iPhone and use it with one of its no-contract wireless plans. Ting still isn’t selling the Apple handset directly, despite a bunch of regional U.S. wireless carriers now offering the latest iPhone 5s/5c as well as previous iPhones…(...) "Sprint’s MVNO Ting starts quietly supporting iPhone" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Despite smaller battery, iPad Air still lasts 24-hours as LTE hotspot Posted: 04 Nov 2013 02:50 AM PST
As noted by iFixit in its recent teardown, the iPad Air’s battery is noticeably smaller than its predecessor (32.9 Whr vs. 43 Whr). But thanks to the efficiency of the A7 chip and other internal mods, it still gets great battery life. In addition to Apple’s usual claim of 10-hours of web-browsing, moving-watching, etc, a weekend test by the folks over at AnandTech shows that the newly-released tablet can still last for more than 24 hours as an LTE hotspot…(...) "Despite smaller battery, iPad Air still lasts 24-hours as LTE hotspot" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Tim Cook urges Congress to approve Employment Nondiscrimination Act in open letter Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:52 AM PST
In a rare occurrence, Tim Cook has spoken out in support of the pending Employment Nondiscrimination Act. The CEO penned an open letter, which ran in the Opinion section of The Wall Street Journal last night, urging Congress to approve the END Act. The legislation would prohibit a number of civilian, non-religious companies in the US from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. And in his letter, Cook explains that a safe welcoming work environment is good for business…(...) "Tim Cook urges Congress to approve Employment Nondiscrimination Act in open letter" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
| Henri Lamiraux, Apple’s VP of iOS engineering, has left the company Posted: 04 Nov 2013 01:23 AM PST
Henri Lamiraux, Apple’s top VP of engineering for the iOS platform has left the company after 23 years. Lamiraux started as a Mac software engineer in the early 90′s, and joined Scott Forstall’s iPhone OS team in 2005. According to his LinkedIn profile, Henri’s reason for leaving is simply ‘retirement.’ But his talents will surely be missed, as he was in charge of a number of important aspects in iOS such as developing the stock applications…(...) "Henri Lamiraux, Apple’s VP of iOS engineering, has left the company" is an article by iDownloadBlog.com. |
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