Samsung reports nine million Galaxy S III pre-orders worldwide

by Christian Zibreg on May 18, 2012

Confirming its recent status of both the world’s #1 smartphone and cell phone vendor, Samsung reportedly racked up over nine million pre-orders for its Galaxy S III smartphone worldwide. The figure excludes the United States, where an LTE version of the phone is slated to arrive in June.

This compares to first-weekend sales of the iPhone 4S exceeding four million units, twice as many units as the iPhone 4 which sold 1.7 million units during launch weekend.

Samsung’s flagship handset got introduced on May 3, accompanied by a strong marketing push. It will first go on sale on May 29 in Germany with the 32GB model as a Vodafone exclusive for the first month. The device is already available on Amazon contract-free for $799Read More

 

Apple board member says Steve Jobs wanted to design an iCar

by Cody on May 18, 2012

Fast Company highlights some interesting comments made by Apple board member, and J. Crew head, Mickey Drexler at the recent Innovation Uncensored conference. Drexler talked about all things Apple, including its late CEO Steve Jobs.

According to him, Jobs’ desire to rethink industries didn’t stop at computers, smartphones and other consumer electronics. Apparently he also wanted to reinvent the automotive industry as well. That’s right, Jobs’ wanted to build an iCar… Read More

 

Windows Phone overtakes iPhone in China, Microsoft claims

by Christian Zibreg on May 18, 2012

In addition to having trouble catching up to Samsung in China, Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform has now managed to outsell the iPhone in the 1.33 billion people market, if a high-ranked Microsoft executive in charge of the Greater China region is to be believed.

According to his data, Windows Phone market share in China now sits at seven percent, a percentage point ahead of the six percent market share enjoyed by the iPhone.

No reason to get enraged over this metric. Apple’s in it for the profits, not market share and Nokia actually has a dominant presence and world-class distribution in this hugely important market. Let’s hope Tim Cook’s looking into those numbers as Apple needs to double down on China… Read More

 

Motorola and RIM submit a Nano SIM compromise

by Christian Zibreg on May 18, 2012

Earlier this month, we showed you Apple’s revised Nano SIM proposal the company submitted ahead of the final vote tally. The solution adds a small amount of plastic around the edges of the electrical contacts, making the upcoming tiny SIM card just long enough so that it can’t be forced lengthwise into an incompatible socket.

As you know, Research and Motion, Motorola and Nokia are pushing for their own variant. Both RIM and Motorola just submitted a Nano SIM compromise which borrows about 80 percent design solutions from Apple… Read More

 

This guy cost Apple $96 billion this week

by Christian Zibreg on May 18, 2012

Have you noticed the ‘broken record syndrome’ over at Business Insider? The publication’s been running an article series under their trademark sensationalist headlines that spell doom for Apple’s stock price.

Down Goes Apple, said the headline Tuesday. Down Goes Apple Again, another one screamed Wednesday. And There Goes Apple Again!, yesterday’s headline has it. And you gotta love their latest story titled Apple Is Now Straight-Up Tanking!

So, what’s going on here? Is AAPL on a downward spiral? And what’s up with the $2,000 per share Apple meme? Read More

 

Steve Wozniak tapped as technical advisor for Jobs biopic

by Cody on May 18, 2012

During a recent news conference for his upcoming HBO series, Aaron Sorkin fielded a number of questions regarding the Steve Jobs biopic he was recently chosen to adapt for Sony Pictures.

The Academy Award-winning writer told reporters that while he still doesn’t know what he’s going to write just yet, he’s sure that the film won’t be a “straight ahead biography.” Read More

 

Bloomberg: Steve Jobs worked closely on new redesigned iPhone

by Cody on May 17, 2012

I know what you’re thinking: great, another iPhone rumor. Well, in less than 6 months, the world’s most popular tech company is expected to give its most popular product a major makeover — get used to them. Now, onto the latest rumblings.

Citing sources with “knowledge of the plans,” Bloomberg is out with a new report tonight regarding Apple’s next smartphone. Not only does the news outlet confirm previous reports that it has a larger screen, but it says Steve Jobs himself designed it… Read More

 

ABC rips off Apple’s famed ’1984’ advert to hype up dumb singing contest

by Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2012

The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has ripped off Apple’s famous advert dubbed 1984 in a cheapskate attempt to promote its upcoming new singing show called Duets (I know, don’t start).

Alluding to George Orwell’s 1984 novel, ABC’s cheesy commercial blatantly copies Apple’s down to a lookalike of an unnamed heroine in white tank top that represented the coming of the Macintosh.

Instead of throwing a large brass-headed hammer to smash a televised Big Brother, in ABC’s version an Olympic track and field athlete hurls a stage microphone at the big screen. Upon impact, the curtain falls down to reveal the familiar-looking set as the audience rises to a standing ovation… Read More

 

Take that, Greenpeace! Apple’s iCloud solar farm is a go-go

by Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2012

Apple doesn’t run the cleanest of clouds, we all know this. Fortunately, the company’s strides to reduce reliance on “19th-century coal energy”, as Greenpeace put it, have received a boost from The North Carolina Utilities Commission which has now approved plans for a massive solar farm to power Apple’s $1 billion data center in Maiden, North Carolina.

It’s gonna provide 20 megawatts of power to power iCloud servers that host the iTunes infrastructure, your music, photos, contacts and iOS device backups, to name a few… Read More

 

Samsung: Apple “definitely using” our chips, “no plans” to cut production

by Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2012

Samsung has allegedly launched its latest 20-nanometer mobile memory chips ahead of schedule, acting on market concerns that a rumored Apple-Elpida partnership could hurt their business. New 4Gb mobile DRAMs are currently shipping to customers, the global conglomerate said, confirming it’s been supplying memory chips for Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

It’s business as usual, execs for South Korea-based Samsung claim, adding the company is not losing its edge as Apple’s top-tier client. Still, Cupertino could soon buy fewer chips from Samsung as it’s been moving aggressively to diversify its part-sourcing channels… Read More