Apple's iOS 8.1 hits Monday with Apple Pay, iCloud photo library
The latest update to Apple's mobile operating system has hit the market.iOS 8.1, which Apple unveiled at its iPad and Mac event on Thursday, brings back "the beloved camera roll," as Apple software head Craig Federighi described it, and marks the debut of the iCloud photo library. It also adds support for Apple Pay, a new service that allows owners of Apple's latest devices to purchase items in stores and online using the touch of a finger on the gadget's Touch ID. And the update enables iPhone users to send and receive text messages from their iPads and Macs. The OS update became available for download around 10 a.m. PT Monday.Apple's iOS 8 is the company's second major release of a mobile operating system under the guidance of Federighi and head designer Jony Ive. Apple released iOS 7 last year with an updated typography, color schemes and a flatter design concept, as well as a new control center.While not as grand an overhaul as iOS 7,iOS 8 still offers a bevy of new features with more of a focus on functionality than visuals. Besides new software that tackles long-standing issues with iOS' notification system, iOS 8 also has tie-ins with Apple's desktop OS X software, iCloud and native SMS client Messages.What's new in iOS 8.1See full gallery1 - 4 / 8NextPrevIt didn't take long for some iOS users to start reporting problems after Apple introduced iOS 8 on September 17. Conversations on Apple's support forums and other online source pointed to Wi-Fi connectivity glitches, the usual battery drain issues and slow performance in Safari, among other problems. A bug in the operating system also prevented developers from launching HealthKit apps in the App Store.The iOS 8.0.1 update, released September 24 and then swiftly recalled, aimed to fix those issues. But many users immediately reported problems after downloading the update, including their iPhones no longer connecting to a cellular network. iPhone owners also pointed to issues with Touch ID after downloading the update, with some noting that the feature -- which allows people to unlock their phones using their fingerprints -- was no longer working.See alsoMiss the camera roll? Apple iOS 8.1 to bring it backiOS 8.1 paves the way for Apple PayTouch-screen Mac unlikely, says Apple's FederighiApple, needing a jolt with new iPads, plays it safe insteadApple ended up pulling iOS 8.0.1 about an hour after it first became available. The company later published instructions for users who downloaded iOS 8.0.1 before Apple scrapped the update. The steps helped users downgrade their devices to iOS 8 as Apple worked on a fix for the software. The company released iOS 8.0.2 on September 25.Adoption of the iOS 8 has been sluggish. As of October 5, Apple's App Store Distribution page showed adoption of iOS 8 at 47 percent. That's a mere one point bump from the 46 percent seen on September 21 and much slower than the adoption rate of iOS7, which was 69.7 percent 20 days after launch.But Federighi gave iOS adoption a more positive spin Thursday. "In just under four weeks, 48 percent of iOS users are on iOS 8," he told the crowd, noting "the vast majority" of Android users are running an OS that's more than two years old. "After 313 days, KitKat is only on 25 percent of Android devices."iOS 8.1 adds Apple Pay and many other features.Screenshot by Shara Tibken/CNETFor Apple, it's key to get users to adopt its newest software so they take advantage of new features and services. The company's software has been an important differentiator from other mobile devices. iOS 8 added much-desired functionality such as iCloud improvements and third-party app notifications. But the bugs and other problems have likely caused customers to wait to download the software.When Apple launched iOS 8last month, it got rid of camera roll -- and greatly frustrated users.Camera roll was a folder on the iPhone that housed all of the photosusers snapped with their phone. With iOS 8, instead of going to cameraroll, photos instead went to a folder titled "recently added." Thisfolder also holds every photo taken and deleted by a user in the last 30days -- meaning that users cannot fully delete their photos. Now, withthe return of camera roll, users should be able to both separate anddelete their photos again.The iCloud photo library will be available in public beta with iOS 8.1and will tap into users' iCloud storage. The feature will let users makeedits to photos and videos on any of their devices -- smartphone, tabletor computer -- and those changes will be instantly reflected on all oftheir devices. The first 5GB of storage will be free and then it's 99cents a month for 20GB, and $3.99 for 200GB; higher tiers are available,up to 1TB.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.PlayAlong with the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus smartphones lastmonth, Apple also unveiled its new mobile payments system, called ApplePay. The service, which launches Monday with iOS 8.1, lets peoplepurchase goods simply by tapping their iPhones to payment terminals andthen touching their devices' fingerprint sensors. Both the devices andthe terminals must have near-field communication (NFC) chips that storepayment credentials -- something that limits the in-store service to thenew iPhone 6 and 6 Plus phones, as well as the Apple Watch when it hitsthe market next year.But Apple Pay has another component that doesn't require an NFC chip butdoes need the company's Touch ID. People now can pay for items in appsusing a single touch on their device's fingerprint sensor, somethingthat removes time and the hassle of entering credit card and addressinformation over and over. Previously, Apple allowed consumers to usethe fingerprint sensor to quickly buy content just from its iTunes, Appand iBooks stores. Online shopping within apps works with Apple's newiPhones and watch, as well as the new iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3.The iPhone 6 Plus is a gorgeous, massive...See full gallery1 - 4 / 35NextPrev
Netflix Watch Now- Missing too much popular content
Netflix Watch Now: Missing too much popular content
The "Watch Now" feature on Netflix is a great idea: instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows, available for instant streaming to your browser at the touch of a button. There's just one big problem: despite an advertised library of over 8,000 titles, very few of them seem to be movies or TV shows that I want to watch. Out of 41 titles currently in my queue, only 4--The King of Marvin Gardens, Das Boot, The Good German, and Pickup of South Street--are available to be streamed. OK, fine--my taste for older movies is probably throwing things off. Surely plenty of newer, more popular movies are available to be streamed, right?Wrong.A quick survey of the site's top 100 list (and the top 25 list for each genre) reveals that little more than 5 percent of the site's most popular movies and TV shows are available for streaming. For instance, March of the Penguins is the only movie in the top 100 that's available for streaming (and it's also one of the 4 streamable documentaries). Meanwhile, several key genres have no streaming titles in the top 25, including action, children, comedy, drama, horror, musicals, romance, sci-fi, and thrillers. CNETGiven the on-the-fly nature of such most popular lists, these numbers will no doubt fluctuate a bit. And Netflix has definitely been building up the Watch Now library--there is, believe it or not, a better selection than there was a few months earlier. But it seems clear that the Watch Now library is going to remain woefully underpopulated for the near future--and it's unclear how much Netflix can do about it. Unlike buying bulk orders of DVDs for its disc-by-mail business, the Watch Now queue is determined by the deals it can cut with studios. And while those same studios will let the likes of Apple and Vudu offer a decent selection of download-to-own movies on their respective streaming boxes--often available the same day as the DVD release--they seem far less willing to negotiate deals that will allow most services (with the possible exception of cable video-on-demand) day-and-date streaming rentals on a pay-per-view basis. Netflix Watch Now is currently only available to subscribers on Windows PCs using Internet Explorer. The company has hinted that the service will be coming to Macs by the end of 2008. Indeed, a recent demo of Microsoft's Silverlight technology showed that--theoretically, anyway--the company could deliver high-quality on-demand video streams to Macs--using the Firefox browser, no less!--replete with a variety of social networking and interactivity that bests current DVD offerings. And Netflix has also confirmed that four hardware partners (one of which is LG) are scheduled to release a "Netflix box" by year's end, which will allow the Watch Now library to be viewed directly on your TV--no computer necessary.But until Netflix is able to negotiate deals for a wider range of compelling content--something far better than the five percent of its most popular titles that it's currently offering--the Watch Now feature will remain more a gimmick than a compelling service. What do you think: do you enjoy the offerings on the Netflix Watch Now feature? Or do you opt for competing offerings such as Hulu, iTunes, CinemaNow, or Vongo?
The "Watch Now" feature on Netflix is a great idea: instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows, available for instant streaming to your browser at the touch of a button. There's just one big problem: despite an advertised library of over 8,000 titles, very few of them seem to be movies or TV shows that I want to watch. Out of 41 titles currently in my queue, only 4--The King of Marvin Gardens, Das Boot, The Good German, and Pickup of South Street--are available to be streamed. OK, fine--my taste for older movies is probably throwing things off. Surely plenty of newer, more popular movies are available to be streamed, right?Wrong.A quick survey of the site's top 100 list (and the top 25 list for each genre) reveals that little more than 5 percent of the site's most popular movies and TV shows are available for streaming. For instance, March of the Penguins is the only movie in the top 100 that's available for streaming (and it's also one of the 4 streamable documentaries). Meanwhile, several key genres have no streaming titles in the top 25, including action, children, comedy, drama, horror, musicals, romance, sci-fi, and thrillers. CNETGiven the on-the-fly nature of such most popular lists, these numbers will no doubt fluctuate a bit. And Netflix has definitely been building up the Watch Now library--there is, believe it or not, a better selection than there was a few months earlier. But it seems clear that the Watch Now library is going to remain woefully underpopulated for the near future--and it's unclear how much Netflix can do about it. Unlike buying bulk orders of DVDs for its disc-by-mail business, the Watch Now queue is determined by the deals it can cut with studios. And while those same studios will let the likes of Apple and Vudu offer a decent selection of download-to-own movies on their respective streaming boxes--often available the same day as the DVD release--they seem far less willing to negotiate deals that will allow most services (with the possible exception of cable video-on-demand) day-and-date streaming rentals on a pay-per-view basis. Netflix Watch Now is currently only available to subscribers on Windows PCs using Internet Explorer. The company has hinted that the service will be coming to Macs by the end of 2008. Indeed, a recent demo of Microsoft's Silverlight technology showed that--theoretically, anyway--the company could deliver high-quality on-demand video streams to Macs--using the Firefox browser, no less!--replete with a variety of social networking and interactivity that bests current DVD offerings. And Netflix has also confirmed that four hardware partners (one of which is LG) are scheduled to release a "Netflix box" by year's end, which will allow the Watch Now library to be viewed directly on your TV--no computer necessary.But until Netflix is able to negotiate deals for a wider range of compelling content--something far better than the five percent of its most popular titles that it's currently offering--the Watch Now feature will remain more a gimmick than a compelling service. What do you think: do you enjoy the offerings on the Netflix Watch Now feature? Or do you opt for competing offerings such as Hulu, iTunes, CinemaNow, or Vongo?
Best of show- Our top five from TechCrunch50
Best of show: Our top five from TechCrunch50
Spawn LabsSpawn Labs was pitched as a "Slingbox for video games" and that's exactly what it does. The $199 box is a one-time purchase that users hook up to their home game console and their Internet connection. It then lets them play video games from any Internet-enabled computer as if they were playing it on their home TV. The service has three big things going for it: One is that it pipes the content in 720p HD, which is the proper size for most laptops and what its creators tell us is as good as you can get for real-time streaming without bulging the price tag to around $5,000. It's also a one-time purchase, which means there's no monthly service fee beyond whatever you're paying for electricity and Internet. And, the company tells me it plans to offer compatibility with future game consoles through updated hardware drivers, meaning that you can buy the box now and not worry about having to upgrade it when the next generation of consoles arrives.Considering it costs close to what most current-generation game consoles do, it may be a hard sell, but after having tried it out at the company's demo booth we definitely want one--and think many other gamers, and people in one-TV households will as well. Spawn Labs' box can hook up to your game console and let you play your own games over the Web, free of charge. All you need to buy is the box.Josh Lowensohn/CNETSeatGeekSimilar to what Bing Travel (formerly Farecast) does with airplane pricing forecasts, SeatGeek does for other types of tickets like concerts and sporting events. The service doesn't do this for main ticket providers though. Instead it tracks prices on secondary markets like Craigslist and StubHub where tickets are being resold, then tells you whether the price is set to go up or down with 80 percent certainty.Where this service has the most potential to succeed is helping people who don't know a great deal about a particular event they want tickets to. It's taking the guesswork out of the buying process, as well as instilling extra confidence in transactions where people would have otherwise been reluctant to spend a few hundred dollars. It's also got the makings of a great business. According to its founders, it's already become profitable based on a small scale alpha test. SeatGeek can predict whether a ticket to a concert or sports game is going up or down, just like some travel sites do with airplane tickets.CNETAnyClipAnyClip was the only video platform introduced at this year's show. It solves a really basic problem of helping people find specific parts of a movie, then sharing it elsewhere. In the early days of YouTube, before the site really started locking down on copyrighted material, this was common practice. AnyClip's (legal) answer to that is getting the studios on board, with the promise of reinvigorating DVD sales and interest in a large back catalog of movies--all of which are linked to sales sites like iTunes and Amazon where users can buy a full copy of the content.Right now it has a database of around 100 films, all of which are split up into four minutes or less clips. It has a group of users that are going into full film files and tagging specific moments so that its search engine can index them. The service eventually plans to expand into other types of media like TV shows and sporting events. AnyClip can pull up short clips from a large catalog of films. Perfect for when you're trying to remember a movie line or action-packed moment.CNETClick here to see our complete coverage of the show.TechCrunch50 2009 in picturesSee full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrev
Spawn LabsSpawn Labs was pitched as a "Slingbox for video games" and that's exactly what it does. The $199 box is a one-time purchase that users hook up to their home game console and their Internet connection. It then lets them play video games from any Internet-enabled computer as if they were playing it on their home TV. The service has three big things going for it: One is that it pipes the content in 720p HD, which is the proper size for most laptops and what its creators tell us is as good as you can get for real-time streaming without bulging the price tag to around $5,000. It's also a one-time purchase, which means there's no monthly service fee beyond whatever you're paying for electricity and Internet. And, the company tells me it plans to offer compatibility with future game consoles through updated hardware drivers, meaning that you can buy the box now and not worry about having to upgrade it when the next generation of consoles arrives.Considering it costs close to what most current-generation game consoles do, it may be a hard sell, but after having tried it out at the company's demo booth we definitely want one--and think many other gamers, and people in one-TV households will as well. Spawn Labs' box can hook up to your game console and let you play your own games over the Web, free of charge. All you need to buy is the box.Josh Lowensohn/CNETSeatGeekSimilar to what Bing Travel (formerly Farecast) does with airplane pricing forecasts, SeatGeek does for other types of tickets like concerts and sporting events. The service doesn't do this for main ticket providers though. Instead it tracks prices on secondary markets like Craigslist and StubHub where tickets are being resold, then tells you whether the price is set to go up or down with 80 percent certainty.Where this service has the most potential to succeed is helping people who don't know a great deal about a particular event they want tickets to. It's taking the guesswork out of the buying process, as well as instilling extra confidence in transactions where people would have otherwise been reluctant to spend a few hundred dollars. It's also got the makings of a great business. According to its founders, it's already become profitable based on a small scale alpha test. SeatGeek can predict whether a ticket to a concert or sports game is going up or down, just like some travel sites do with airplane tickets.CNETAnyClipAnyClip was the only video platform introduced at this year's show. It solves a really basic problem of helping people find specific parts of a movie, then sharing it elsewhere. In the early days of YouTube, before the site really started locking down on copyrighted material, this was common practice. AnyClip's (legal) answer to that is getting the studios on board, with the promise of reinvigorating DVD sales and interest in a large back catalog of movies--all of which are linked to sales sites like iTunes and Amazon where users can buy a full copy of the content.Right now it has a database of around 100 films, all of which are split up into four minutes or less clips. It has a group of users that are going into full film files and tagging specific moments so that its search engine can index them. The service eventually plans to expand into other types of media like TV shows and sporting events. AnyClip can pull up short clips from a large catalog of films. Perfect for when you're trying to remember a movie line or action-packed moment.CNETClick here to see our complete coverage of the show.TechCrunch50 2009 in picturesSee full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrev
The 404 367- Where we get mushy with Russ Frushtick
The 404 367: Where we get mushy with Russ Frushtick
We're always stoked when Russ Frushtick drops into the studio because he always brings us the best news, and today is no different. Russ recently accepted an offer to work at MTV Multiplayer as the only guy covering video games! Now that he's the head honcho, we feel extra special that he's willing to talk with us about E3. Granted, E3 was awhile ago, but Russ gives us his take on Project Natal and how he thinks it will effect the industry as a whole. Believe it or not, I'm actually kind of psyched to play the handball game despite how weird I'll probably looking flailing my arms around like a maniac in that 3-foot square. Russ also talks about the Milo demo, where you apparently have to establish a relationship and "connect" with a young boy in order to win the game? Maybe they should've called it "Project Wilson Tang."After the break, we jump right back into more video game talk. We chat about the a game called Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS. From how Russ described it, it sounds pretty cool: you just wander around and when you encounter a problem, all you have to do is write in what you'd need to get out of it and the object appears onscreen. And the game has 10,000 words you can write in! Listen in for more details about Prototype and a hilarious rant about the Wii MotionPlus.EPISODE 367Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video 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.PlayCheck out Russ's work on the MTV Multiplayer blogAdd and follow Russ on TwitterFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson Tang
We're always stoked when Russ Frushtick drops into the studio because he always brings us the best news, and today is no different. Russ recently accepted an offer to work at MTV Multiplayer as the only guy covering video games! Now that he's the head honcho, we feel extra special that he's willing to talk with us about E3. Granted, E3 was awhile ago, but Russ gives us his take on Project Natal and how he thinks it will effect the industry as a whole. Believe it or not, I'm actually kind of psyched to play the handball game despite how weird I'll probably looking flailing my arms around like a maniac in that 3-foot square. Russ also talks about the Milo demo, where you apparently have to establish a relationship and "connect" with a young boy in order to win the game? Maybe they should've called it "Project Wilson Tang."After the break, we jump right back into more video game talk. We chat about the a game called Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS. From how Russ described it, it sounds pretty cool: you just wander around and when you encounter a problem, all you have to do is write in what you'd need to get out of it and the object appears onscreen. And the game has 10,000 words you can write in! Listen in for more details about Prototype and a hilarious rant about the Wii MotionPlus.EPISODE 367Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio |Subscribe in RSS Video 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.PlayCheck out Russ's work on the MTV Multiplayer blogAdd and follow Russ on TwitterFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson Tang
MacBook Pro, Siri, iOS6, take WWDC spotlight (live blog)
MacBook Pro, Siri, iOS6, take WWDC spotlight (live blog)
Editor's note: This live blog has concluded. You can replay it by clicking here, or check out our roundup of WWDC stories. Also note our two first take reviews: Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina Display and its new MacBook Air. Apple once again takes over San Francisco's Moscone center for its annual developers conference, and CNET will be there to bring you the news live.The tech giant today is expected to show off a new version of iOS, spruce up its Mac lineup, and offer a little more information on Mountain Lion, the next major version of OS X due out this summer.The show runs the whole week, but the real action is Monday's keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific. CNET will have live news and photos as the event unfolds, including a pre-game show that starts at 8 a.m. Pacific. You can follow along with our live blog here. We've also made a handy reminder to add to your calendar.You can also check out what time that is in your time zone, right here.At last year's show, Apple showed off iOS 5.0 for the first time, which came four months later with the iPhone 4S. That show also brought iCloud and iTunes Match (Apple's latest Web-powered services), and a price and release date for OS X Lion. What was notably missing from the 2011 edition was any sort of hardware. Instead, Apple spent the majority of its time on stage focusing on new software features in iOS and OS X, its two operating systems.That's not expected to be the case this time around at WWDC 2012, at least on the Mac front. Intel's got a brand new crop of chips all ready to go, and PC vendors have already beaten Apple to the punch there. Rumors have also been swirling about Apple switching to higher-resolution "Retina display" screens on some of its Macs, to match what can be found on the latest iPhones, iPads and iPods. All of this to say, there's plenty to look forward to in the way of news. Be sure to tune in.Editors' note: This story originally was published on June 8 at 4 a.m. PT.Apple sets the stage for WWDC (pictures)See full gallery1 - 4 / 17NextPrev
Editor's note: This live blog has concluded. You can replay it by clicking here, or check out our roundup of WWDC stories. Also note our two first take reviews: Apple's MacBook Pro with Retina Display and its new MacBook Air. Apple once again takes over San Francisco's Moscone center for its annual developers conference, and CNET will be there to bring you the news live.The tech giant today is expected to show off a new version of iOS, spruce up its Mac lineup, and offer a little more information on Mountain Lion, the next major version of OS X due out this summer.The show runs the whole week, but the real action is Monday's keynote at 10 a.m. Pacific. CNET will have live news and photos as the event unfolds, including a pre-game show that starts at 8 a.m. Pacific. You can follow along with our live blog here. We've also made a handy reminder to add to your calendar.You can also check out what time that is in your time zone, right here.At last year's show, Apple showed off iOS 5.0 for the first time, which came four months later with the iPhone 4S. That show also brought iCloud and iTunes Match (Apple's latest Web-powered services), and a price and release date for OS X Lion. What was notably missing from the 2011 edition was any sort of hardware. Instead, Apple spent the majority of its time on stage focusing on new software features in iOS and OS X, its two operating systems.That's not expected to be the case this time around at WWDC 2012, at least on the Mac front. Intel's got a brand new crop of chips all ready to go, and PC vendors have already beaten Apple to the punch there. Rumors have also been swirling about Apple switching to higher-resolution "Retina display" screens on some of its Macs, to match what can be found on the latest iPhones, iPads and iPods. All of this to say, there's plenty to look forward to in the way of news. Be sure to tune in.Editors' note: This story originally was published on June 8 at 4 a.m. PT.Apple sets the stage for WWDC (pictures)See full gallery1 - 4 / 17NextPrev
Case-Mate briefly posts 'iPhone 5' case gallery
Case-Mate briefly posts 'iPhone 5' case gallery
In a peculiar move, accessory maker Case-Mate briefly posted renderings of a new line of cases for Apple's next iPhone, which has not yet been announced by the company.Included in the renderings were depictions of Apple's next device, which was shown as having a similar design to the iPad 2 and latest-generation iPod Touch, with a rounded aluminum backing. By comparison, the iPhone 4's backing is made out of glass.The accessory gallery was pulled down shortly after its discovery, BGR reports. In its place, the old gallery page redirects to a page where users can sign up to be notified when Case-Mate will be providing cases for the new device, be it an "iPhone 5" or "iPhone 4S." A Case-Mate spokeswoman declined to comment on the gallery.Curiosity over whether Apple plans to make dramatic changes to the iPhone's design continues, with reports dueling over the details. For months, there has been talk of Apple moving to a larger screen size and new materials, with others saying simply that Apple is rolling out a version that will be nearly identical to the iPhone 4 model, with a speedier processor, a new camera, and improved networking equipment. There have also been reports of Apple debuting both such models at once, using the 4S as a low-cost option in emerging markets. In a related report, MacRumors points to a new screen cover making the rounds that was supposedly designed for Apple's next iPhone. It comes in as larger than the iPhone 4 with a bigger, rectangular home button, reviving speculation that Apple intends to change what has been an iconic fixture on its iOS devices.Apple is expected to take the wraps off the next iPhone possibly by the end of this month, with a launch to follow in early October. Recent reports have suggested manufacturers, including China's Foxconn Electronics, have already been at work producing the device, with others saying Apple is putting the finishing touches on iOS 5, which is expected to debut alongside the new hardware.Updated at 1:30 p.m. PT with Case-Mate response.
In a peculiar move, accessory maker Case-Mate briefly posted renderings of a new line of cases for Apple's next iPhone, which has not yet been announced by the company.Included in the renderings were depictions of Apple's next device, which was shown as having a similar design to the iPad 2 and latest-generation iPod Touch, with a rounded aluminum backing. By comparison, the iPhone 4's backing is made out of glass.The accessory gallery was pulled down shortly after its discovery, BGR reports. In its place, the old gallery page redirects to a page where users can sign up to be notified when Case-Mate will be providing cases for the new device, be it an "iPhone 5" or "iPhone 4S." A Case-Mate spokeswoman declined to comment on the gallery.Curiosity over whether Apple plans to make dramatic changes to the iPhone's design continues, with reports dueling over the details. For months, there has been talk of Apple moving to a larger screen size and new materials, with others saying simply that Apple is rolling out a version that will be nearly identical to the iPhone 4 model, with a speedier processor, a new camera, and improved networking equipment. There have also been reports of Apple debuting both such models at once, using the 4S as a low-cost option in emerging markets. In a related report, MacRumors points to a new screen cover making the rounds that was supposedly designed for Apple's next iPhone. It comes in as larger than the iPhone 4 with a bigger, rectangular home button, reviving speculation that Apple intends to change what has been an iconic fixture on its iOS devices.Apple is expected to take the wraps off the next iPhone possibly by the end of this month, with a launch to follow in early October. Recent reports have suggested manufacturers, including China's Foxconn Electronics, have already been at work producing the device, with others saying Apple is putting the finishing touches on iOS 5, which is expected to debut alongside the new hardware.Updated at 1:30 p.m. PT with Case-Mate response.
Carrier unlock for iPhone 4 released
Carrier unlock for iPhone 4 released
The iPhone Dev Team on Wednesday released the latest hack that allows a jailbroken iPhone 4 to be unlocked and used on any wireless carrier.The unlock solution is called "ultrasn0w," and works with the latest version of Apple's smartphone, as well as iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.But to use it requires an iPhone that's been jailbroken. The same group released a jailbreak program for the iPhone 4 over the weekend by exploiting a security hole in the mobile version of the Safari browser. That jailbreak brought attention to the fact that navigating to a certain site via any iOS device can present the exploit as a simple PDF link, which requires no explicit user action short of clicking a link. It can then launch an exploit that takes advantage of the way the PDF viewer loads fonts, which could enable a program to have unrestricted access to the device. Apple says it is looking into the problem.Jailbreaking an iPhone is still considered by Apple as a quick way to void the warranty since the act breaks the user agreement. But legally, it's now allowed. Last week the U.S. Copyright Office amended the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to allow consumers to bypass a handset manufacturer's protection mechanisms to allow "handsets to execute software applications."But while handset owners are explicitly allowed to jailbreak their own phones, the Copyright Office did not appear to extend that to allow third parties to supply jailbreaking software in order to switch carriers.
The iPhone Dev Team on Wednesday released the latest hack that allows a jailbroken iPhone 4 to be unlocked and used on any wireless carrier.The unlock solution is called "ultrasn0w," and works with the latest version of Apple's smartphone, as well as iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.But to use it requires an iPhone that's been jailbroken. The same group released a jailbreak program for the iPhone 4 over the weekend by exploiting a security hole in the mobile version of the Safari browser. That jailbreak brought attention to the fact that navigating to a certain site via any iOS device can present the exploit as a simple PDF link, which requires no explicit user action short of clicking a link. It can then launch an exploit that takes advantage of the way the PDF viewer loads fonts, which could enable a program to have unrestricted access to the device. Apple says it is looking into the problem.Jailbreaking an iPhone is still considered by Apple as a quick way to void the warranty since the act breaks the user agreement. But legally, it's now allowed. Last week the U.S. Copyright Office amended the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to allow consumers to bypass a handset manufacturer's protection mechanisms to allow "handsets to execute software applications."But while handset owners are explicitly allowed to jailbreak their own phones, the Copyright Office did not appear to extend that to allow third parties to supply jailbreaking software in order to switch carriers.
Canon hit by rising popularity of smartphone cameras
Canon hit by rising popularity of smartphone cameras
The demand for Canon cameras is shrinking as smartphones become the de facto camera for consumers. A report in the Japanese-language online edition of Nikkei doesn't paint a pretty picture for the world's biggest camera maker. The company cut its annual profit and sales forecasts Wednesday as demand slows for its cameras. "The changes in the business environment are very severe," the newspaper quotes Canon Vice President Toshizo Tanaka as saying.While Nikkei cites a slowdown in the Chinese economy as one of the factors affecting Canon's camera business, the larger reason stems from the "spread of smartphones."Related storiesCNET's Nokia Lumia 1020 review: Photographers, meet your camera phoneStandalone digital camera users are, for example, "deprived" of the social networking and photo sharing that drives the popularity of smartphone cameras, according to Nikkei. And data cited by Bloomberg is damning: worldwide camera shipments fell 29 percent in the first five months of 2013, according to the Camera & Imaging Products Association in Tokyo. The Bloomberg report also says analysts are souring on Canon. "The...effect on compact cameras by smartphones has become quite serious," according to Toshiya Hari, a Tokyo-based analyst for Goldman Sachs, which cut its share price forecast for Canon. Things aren't likely to improve either. Smartphone cameras will only continue to get better, offering less reason for consumers to buy a Canon camera. (Kodak's decline and fall can be attributed, at least partly, to the rise of the smartphone.) Apple, Samsung, and Nokia continue to boost the feature set of their integrated smartphone cameras. The iPhone 5S is rumored to have a better camera and Nokia just rolled out the Lumia 1020 with a 41-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, Samsung's newest high-end smartphone, the Galaxy S4, now packs a 13-megapixel sensor.
The demand for Canon cameras is shrinking as smartphones become the de facto camera for consumers. A report in the Japanese-language online edition of Nikkei doesn't paint a pretty picture for the world's biggest camera maker. The company cut its annual profit and sales forecasts Wednesday as demand slows for its cameras. "The changes in the business environment are very severe," the newspaper quotes Canon Vice President Toshizo Tanaka as saying.While Nikkei cites a slowdown in the Chinese economy as one of the factors affecting Canon's camera business, the larger reason stems from the "spread of smartphones."Related storiesCNET's Nokia Lumia 1020 review: Photographers, meet your camera phoneStandalone digital camera users are, for example, "deprived" of the social networking and photo sharing that drives the popularity of smartphone cameras, according to Nikkei. And data cited by Bloomberg is damning: worldwide camera shipments fell 29 percent in the first five months of 2013, according to the Camera & Imaging Products Association in Tokyo. The Bloomberg report also says analysts are souring on Canon. "The...effect on compact cameras by smartphones has become quite serious," according to Toshiya Hari, a Tokyo-based analyst for Goldman Sachs, which cut its share price forecast for Canon. Things aren't likely to improve either. Smartphone cameras will only continue to get better, offering less reason for consumers to buy a Canon camera. (Kodak's decline and fall can be attributed, at least partly, to the rise of the smartphone.) Apple, Samsung, and Nokia continue to boost the feature set of their integrated smartphone cameras. The iPhone 5S is rumored to have a better camera and Nokia just rolled out the Lumia 1020 with a 41-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, Samsung's newest high-end smartphone, the Galaxy S4, now packs a 13-megapixel sensor.
Buzz-worthy- iPhone 5 cranks up the vibrations
Buzz-worthy: iPhone 5 cranks up the vibrations
Apple's iPhone 5 has stronger, louder vibrations than the iPhone 4S. And that seems to be because of some old technology that's landed in the company's latest handset.When the iPhone 4 shipped on AT&T's network, the device came with a small vibration motor. However, when the device was offered up to Verizon customers months later, it had a different component that was both larger and more streamlined. The result? Smoother, softer vibrations. That same component came in the iPhone 4S.Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PCApple's Mac shipments up 23.3 percent in the U.S.Reports: Tech recovery driven by developing nations, cloudAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?But The Next Web, which was first to report on the timeline, says that the iPhone 5 comes with the vibration motor found all the way back in AT&T's iPhone 4. The site discovered Apple's curious move in an iFixit teardown. And as The Next Web notes, iPhone 5 users have noticed that the vibrations coming from the handset appear to be stronger and louder than those in the iPhone 4S.So, why might Apple have gone back to a previous design? An iFixit screenshot seems to indicate that the older vibration component is much smaller than the latest version. Considering Apple's iPhone 5 is notable thinner than the iPhone 4S, the company might have needed the additional space to accommodate the smaller design.Of course, that wasn't the only change in the iPhone 5. As IHS iSuppli reported in its recent teardown, Apple has swapped out nearly all of the iPhone's components. The iPhone 5 now comes with a different battery and a swap in DRAM, among many other modifications.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 has stronger, louder vibrations than the iPhone 4S. And that seems to be because of some old technology that's landed in the company's latest handset.When the iPhone 4 shipped on AT&T's network, the device came with a small vibration motor. However, when the device was offered up to Verizon customers months later, it had a different component that was both larger and more streamlined. The result? Smoother, softer vibrations. That same component came in the iPhone 4S.Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PCApple's Mac shipments up 23.3 percent in the U.S.Reports: Tech recovery driven by developing nations, cloudAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?But The Next Web, which was first to report on the timeline, says that the iPhone 5 comes with the vibration motor found all the way back in AT&T's iPhone 4. The site discovered Apple's curious move in an iFixit teardown. And as The Next Web notes, iPhone 5 users have noticed that the vibrations coming from the handset appear to be stronger and louder than those in the iPhone 4S.So, why might Apple have gone back to a previous design? An iFixit screenshot seems to indicate that the older vibration component is much smaller than the latest version. Considering Apple's iPhone 5 is notable thinner than the iPhone 4S, the company might have needed the additional space to accommodate the smaller design.Of course, that wasn't the only change in the iPhone 5. As IHS iSuppli reported in its recent teardown, Apple has swapped out nearly all of the iPhone's components. The iPhone 5 now comes with a different battery and a swap in DRAM, among many other modifications.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
Businesses embrace iPads, but don't know why
Businesses embrace iPads, but don't know why
iPads are catching on among business users, a study released today has found, but most of them don't have a clear strategy for the tablets.Dimensional Research, in a survey of 448 businesses, found that 22 percent have deployed tablets, 22 percent plan to do so this year, and 24 percent plan to next year.And although Apple isn't known for its corporate focus or market penetration, it's the leader when it comes to tablets: 83 percent said they would be using iPads. That compares to 17 percent for RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, 14 percent for HP's Slate, 13 percent for Motorola's Xoom, and 11 percent for Dell's Streak.Why use tablets? That's harder to pin down."Most participants, 51 percent, indicated that they did not have a clearly articulated strategy," Dimensional said.There are some reasons, though, including productivity applications, often cloud-based. Topping desired iPad applications were tools for salespeople, picked by 47 percent of the respondents. Other categories included providing customer services, submitting expense reports, dealing with financial information, and making purchases.Most tablets in businesses were purchased by employees.Dimensional ResearchSome expectations management is probably in order, though. Among the IT personnel surveyed, 42 percent agreed that "The need for additional development is not understood by our business stakeholders. Most just run any app on a tablet." That finding led Dimensional to conclude there's a disconnect between IT and the business groups.The survey also found that 82 percent of respondents think tablets will complement, not replace, laptops.
iPads are catching on among business users, a study released today has found, but most of them don't have a clear strategy for the tablets.Dimensional Research, in a survey of 448 businesses, found that 22 percent have deployed tablets, 22 percent plan to do so this year, and 24 percent plan to next year.And although Apple isn't known for its corporate focus or market penetration, it's the leader when it comes to tablets: 83 percent said they would be using iPads. That compares to 17 percent for RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, 14 percent for HP's Slate, 13 percent for Motorola's Xoom, and 11 percent for Dell's Streak.Why use tablets? That's harder to pin down."Most participants, 51 percent, indicated that they did not have a clearly articulated strategy," Dimensional said.There are some reasons, though, including productivity applications, often cloud-based. Topping desired iPad applications were tools for salespeople, picked by 47 percent of the respondents. Other categories included providing customer services, submitting expense reports, dealing with financial information, and making purchases.Most tablets in businesses were purchased by employees.Dimensional ResearchSome expectations management is probably in order, though. Among the IT personnel surveyed, 42 percent agreed that "The need for additional development is not understood by our business stakeholders. Most just run any app on a tablet." That finding led Dimensional to conclude there's a disconnect between IT and the business groups.The survey also found that 82 percent of respondents think tablets will complement, not replace, laptops.
'Earth to Echo' Makes Us Wonder Where Are the Other Original Kid-Friendly Adventure Movies
Earth to Echo is a PG-rated, live-action adventure movie starring kids, about kids and made for kids. Pause for a second and consider that. Consider how rare that is. In most ways, Earth to Echo is very much a modern movie. It;s full of CGI. It;s a nostalgic riff on already beloved ideas. It;s found footage. But at its core, it represents a kind of movie that simply isn;t getting made anymore and one that is dearly missed: the live-action kids; movie that takes itself seriously and delivers an actual adventure with actual stakes while actually being appropriate for kids. That;s not to say Hollywood is lacking in quality family entertainment. In fact, 2014 has already given us one kid-friendly movie that doesn;t insult its target audience;s intelligence in How to Train Your Dragon 2, which attaches huge moments of emotional weight to what could have been a simple, colorful and cute movie. Pixar has made this kind of storytelling an art form. Sure, the studio makes family movies, but the creative types there never feel the need to remove a sense of consequence from their storytelling and they do it without overly catering to older crowds. Of course, that;s the exception that proves the rule. Just look at the films being released this summer. Kids love Spider-Man, but will they love The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which buries so much superhero action under needlessly complicated conspiracy mumbo jumbo? What about X-Men: Days of Future Past, which is as dark and grim and violent as superhero movies get? Of course, these have nothing on Transformers: Age of Extinction, which somehow manages to be a three-hour toy commercial that;s also wildly misogynistic and filled with rancid humor and politics (at least it;s not as racist as past entries in this series). These films are allowed to be what they are -- and many of this summer;s movies have been really good -- but they all cater to the same crowd. Even movies that should be kids movies test the limits of the PG-13 rating and bend over backwards to wow adults aged 18-49. Kids are left in the dust. And it;s understandable. It;s economics. Kids don;t buy their own movie tickets and any studio head or producer worth putting in charge of a massive corporate entity knows that nostalgic twentysomethings are more likely to make something like Transformers a hit than tons of fresh-faced children. They prey on our nostalgia and we thank them for it by giving movies based on ;80s toylines $100 million openings at the box office. This is where I can;t help but wonder about the future. My generation (and the generation before that) have a bit of a problem letting go of our childhoods and while it;s totally okay to still love the things you loved two decades ago, is it okay if it;s at the expense of a new generation? At this rate, the next generation of moviegoers are going to grow up devouring recycled material. They;re watching grown-up versions of the stuff we used to like when we were their age rather than stuff that they can call their own. As an adult moviegoer without kids, I can;t help but wonder what this means for my purely imaginary-at-this-point future kids. Will they love something that they can call their own or will I just have to show them Gremlins and Back to the Future and the other movies I liked (and still like) when I was younger? This is why I rejoice at the announcement of Pacific Rim 2 -- despite the first film;s PG-13 rating, it;s pretty much the perfect movie for eight-year-old boys and it;s completely original. It belongs to a new generation that will grow up on it. We adults who like it are merely renting it. And Pacific Rim, for all of its faults, has weight. It;s about humanity struggling to save the world. It has heroic sacrifice. It has genuine danger. It;s scary. But it does it all at just the right pitch. It has no interest in being crass or catering to the crowds who only enjoy their pulpy entertainment if it;s been stripped of color and joy. Look at it this way: kids, the primary audience for superheroes, deserve a Batman movie that isn;t viscerally disturbing and morally grey. Yeah, The Dark Knight is great, but it;s still a movie about a guy who wears a bat costume so he can punch criminals. Filmmakers and audiences seem to look on the idea of kid-friendly movies with condescension, forgetting that our prime nostalgic years are littered with great movies that catered to everyone. So I;m glad Earth to Echo exists and I;m glad it;s getting a wide release during the Fourth of July holiday. It won;t be able to compete with the likes of Transformers, but its mere existence proves that people are still out there making movies for the people who haven;t made up their minds about their likes and dislikes yet. The power of a good kid-friendly yarn is that it has the power to influence and change a young mind. For two generations of movie fans, Star Wars and Jurassic Park represent a grand before and after. You were one person when you stepped into the theater and another person when you stepped out. Earth to Echo isn;t going to change a generation, but I hope it does well so that a generation-defining blockbuster can emerge. If children are our greatest resource, then let;s treat them right and give them the movies they deserve.
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