Industry analyst Michael Gartenberg joins Apple’s marketing army

By Christian Zibreg on May 23, 2013

In a somewhat surprising move, longtime technology analyst Michael Gartenberg has joined Apple’s marketing team, Forbes reported Wednesday. Although Gartenberg has yet to confirm the development via his Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, a number of retweets of other people’s congratulatory tweets could be viewed as a confirmation of sorts.

Though details on his role at the company are slim, Michael will likely be evangelizing the platform given he’ll be reporting to marketing head Phil Schiller… Read More

 

How to save PDF files to iBooks

By Lory Gil on May 23, 2013

Apple is the largest tech companies in the world. They literally sell millions of iPhones every year. On any given day, someone who has just started using an iOS device will start reading iDownloadBlog. Because we know that there are a lot of “noobs” out there who don’t know every aspect of their iPhone or iPad, we like to have a tutorial on the basics every once in a while.

We know that a lot of our readers are well versed in the nitty-gritty of their devices and don’t need a refresher course. However, we also know that there are plenty of new readers who could use some pointers, but are afraid to ask. That’s why we write these basic tutorials. We want everyone to know how to do everything on an iOS devices.

In this tutorial, we are going to tell you how to get a PDF file on your iBooks shelf for safekeeping and easy access… Read More

 

Bamboo Loop: send fun visual messages to your friends

By Lory Gil on May 23, 2013

As photography mixes more and more with social networking sites, it is becoming popular for app developers to find ways to create fun and interesting ways to share photos. Instagram is no longer the top dog when it comes to connecting friends and family through pictures.

Bamboo Loop is an iPhone app from the company that brought us Bamboo Paper and the popular Bamboo Stylus. This social app lets you upload pictures and draw funny faces on them or leave little notes. Then, they can tag you right back on the same image, thus creating the Loop… Read More

 

New Trunk Lightning cable doubles as posable iPhone Stand

By Cody Lee on May 23, 2013

It’s almost impossible to stand out in the crowded space of smartphone accessories these days. This year’s CES alone saw nearly 1000 new mobile add-ons, from 590 different manufacturers. And that’s just a single 4-day trade show.

But it’s no surprise that the folks over at iLoveHandles have managed to do it with their new ‘Trunk’ Lightning cable. The understated accessory may look like just another Lightning to USB cable, but it actually doubles as an iPhone stand… Read More

 

SMS on GV integrates Google Voice SMS into your Messages app

By Cody Lee on May 23, 2013

Avid Google Voice users will be happy to hear that there’s a new jailbreak tweak out that integrates Google’s SMS service into the stock Messages app. We’ve seen tweaks like this before, such as SMS GV Extension. But to my knowledge, none of them made it to iOS 6.

The tweak we’re going to be talking about today, however, does support iOS 6 (as well as later versions). It’s called SMS on GV, and like the others we’ve seen, it allows you to send and receive text messages using your Google Voice account from within Messages… Read More

 

Drive Awake uses eye-tracking tech to keep you from falling asleep while driving

By Cody Lee on May 23, 2013

This is kind of cool. Raise your hand if you’ve ever gone on a lengthy road trip and found yourself falling asleep while driving. I know I have. Just last month I drove halfway across the country, and I caught myself dozing off on a number of occasions.

But there’s an iPhone app out that promises to make that a thing of the past. It’s called Drive Awake, and it uses eye-tracking technology to keep tabs on you while you drive. Close your eyes for too long, and the app will emit a shrieking audible alarm… Read More

 

Microsoft uses Siri to highlight iPad flaws in new Windows 8 ad

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

It’s not unusual to see Microsoft and Apple products pitted against each other in a TV ad. Back in the early 2000s, Apple had success with its ‘I’m a Mac’ spots. And just recently, MS took on both Apple and Samsung in its ‘Don’t Fight’ commercial.

But this new Windows 8 tablet ad takes the rivalry thing to a whole new level. Using the voice of Siri, Microsoft highlights a number of things that the iPad can’t do, that a tablet running its latest OS can. As always, we have the video for you after the fold… Read More

 

Popular analyst warns iWatch may not hit market until late 2014

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

Folks looking forward to seeing Apple launch its iWatch product this year probably shouldn’t get their hopes up. According to a new report from well-respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, there’s a good possibility we won’t see the rumored accessory until late 2014.

Kuo says that due to the vast changes coming in iOS 7, Apple won’t have the resources to build out software for the wristwatch-like device. And he thinks that, and an immature component market for wearable devices, will delay the project until the end of next year… Read More

 

Clear for iPhone and Mac updated with e-mail list sharing and more

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

Realmac has updated its Clear app today for both the iPhone and the Mac today, bringing it to version 1.2.2 (or 1.0.1). The update brings about e-mail list sharing—which was a highly requested feature—as well as new themes and other improvements.

On the iPhone, the new list sharing feature can be activated simply by shaking the handset while Clear is open. Doing this brings up the email tool  that includes the active list, plus a link that lets the recipient open it within their own version of Clear… Read More

 

Twitter heightens account security with two-factor authentication, enable it now

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

Remember how Apple – after a major security hole let attackers reset your Apple ID password using only your email address and date of birth – has enabled two-step authentication for Apple ID accounts? You’d be forgiven for thinking that every popular web service out there has by now adopted heightened security features, but that’s not really the case.

Google, for example, last year enabled two-step process for Google Accounts, with Dropbox following suit a few months later. Today, micro-blogging platform Twitter joined the fray with its own version of two-step verification designed to keep the bad guys out of your account.

You should enable it immediately and iDB, as always, has you covered with a handy tutorial on that… Read More

 

OtterBox announces acquisition of waterproof case-maker LifeProof

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

This is pretty interesting. It appears that OtterBox, a well-known maker of heavy-duty smartphone and tablet cases, has announced this afternoon that it will be acquiring LifeProof. The San Diego-based startup makes durable cases for Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

OtterBox, the brand, has become synonymous with device protection in recent years, thanks to hit cases like Armor and Defender. The company claims that it is the #1 selling smartphone case in the US, and that it controls over 20% of the global case market… Read More

 

New hack enables support for iOS push notifications in Google Glass

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

You knew this was coming. Well-known developer Adam Bell has figured out a way to route push notifications from iOS through Google Glass. By design, the pricey accessory—which is only currently available to devs—doesn’t communicate with Apple’s mobile OS.

Bell, known for jailbreak tweaks like Stride and Blackout, is working on a hack that will allow Glass users to receive all app push notifications from their jailbroken iOS devices. It’s not quite finished yet, but he’s just posted a demo video showing the mod in action… Read More

 

Voice Search coming to Chrome for iOS soon

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

Google is on a roll these days. Hot on the heels of updating its desktop Chrome browser with Siri-like conversational search earlier today, the Internet giant just published a post over at the official Chrome blog confirming that Chrome for iPhone and iPad with voice search is “coming soon.”

A Chrome update for the iPhone and iPad will be ready “over the coming days” and will let you speak your searches into Omnibox, which in Google’s parlance means Chrome’s combined search and address box.

You’ll even get certain results spoken back to you, right in the Chrome browser – how cool is that? Read More

 

Twitter for Mac now plays nice with OS X Notification Center

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

Twitter, the leading micro-blogging service turned media platform, has just updated its Mac client with a much-needed native support for OS X Mountain Lion’s Notification Center. The new Twitter version 2.2.1 also includes half a dozen fixes. The native OS X Notification Center support lets you not only receive notifications when someone mentions you or when you receive a direct message, but also for any new tweet surfacing in one’s stream… Read More

 

Rdio 2.2 is out with new ‘Find People’ feature, improved UI and more

By Cody Lee on May 22, 2013

Hot on the heels of this morning’s update from Pandora comes a new version of the Rdio app for iOS. The update brings the music client to version 2.2, and includes a number of new features and improvements.

Perhaps the biggest change in today’s release is the addition of ”Find People,” a new tool that will make it easier for users to find friends and discover artists to follow. And the UI improvements are also blatant… Read More

 

German online Apple Store now accepts PayPal

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

Although Apple has long offered PayPal as a payment option in the United States for both digital consumer sales on iTunes and volume software purchases by education customers, the firm never instituted paying for online store purchases using PayPal.

That’s ostensibly changing now as users in Germany now report being able to complete purchases on their localized online Apple Store using their PayPal account.

It remains unclear why exactly Apple enabled the feature in Germany (could be part of the broader Apple Store changes), but the move could signal a staggered worldwide roll-out… Read More

 

EU examining tax evasion tricks by Apple, Google and Amazon

By Ed Sutherland on May 22, 2013

More than $1 trillion leaked from the tax coffers of EU member states each year, an amount large enough to prompt European leaders Wednesday to hold a summit on reforming corporate taxes. The move follows high-profile investigations showing Apple and other tech giants used European countries to avoid paying taxes in their home countries.

Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook testified before a Senate subcommittee investigating how the iPhone maker used a hole in Ireland’s tax laws to lower its U.S. tax burden on $74 billion held overseas… Read More

 

Apple claims Google Now violates its Siri patents, adds Galaxy S4 to suit

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

A week ago, news broke that Apple mulled adding Samsung’s latest Galaxy S4 flagship smartphone to its patent infringement case against Samsung Electronics. It’s not terribly surprising then that Apple has now filed a motion asserting that both the Internet giant’s head-turning Google Now feature and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 handset violate its two Siri patents and five other inventions… Read More

 

Cook: US-made Macs to be built in Texas

By Ed Sutherland on May 22, 2013

Apple CEO Tim Cook, while squirming Tuesday under Congressional questions about the company’s tax-savings tactics, revealed an interesting tidbit: the Lone Star State will build the the tech giant’s made-in-USA Mac. Testifying before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Cook said the Mac would be assembled in Texas, with parts coming from other regions of the country… Read More

 

Penguin settles for $75 million with DoJ in e-book price fixing suit

By Christian Zibreg on May 22, 2013

Penguin, one of the five named publishers in the Apple e-book price fixing suit, has reached a comprehensive agreement with the United States State Attorneys General and private class plaintiffs to pay a cool $75 million in consumer damages, in addition to costs and fees related to resolving all antitrust claims relating to the e-book price fixing suit… Read More

 
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