Among the nearly 40 Apple patents granted today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are ones covering multi-touch technology, as well as designs for the iPhone 5 and the Lightning connector. The widest-ranging group of patents involves the multi-touch technology for the iPhone 5 and latest iPads and iPods.
Meanwhile, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design, Jonathan Ive, is given lead credit for designing the iPhone 5… Read More
U.S. carrier AT&T announced Friday that its subscribers will soon start receiving Wireless Emergency Alerts to their iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 devices. Text notifications will include AMBER, Imminent Threat and Presidential Alerts and will be enabled following an upcoming carrier update pushed out to iPhone devices running iOS 6.1 or later.
Of the three types of alerts, users will be able to disable AMBER and Imminent Threat alerts. Presidential alerts, which are sent straight from the President, can’t be turned off… Read More
Folks with an iPhone on T-Mobile might be interested to hear that there’s a new hacked carrier update available that promises a number of enhancements. It was created by the same folks who brought you hacks for Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.
This time around, the developers say that the modded update is good for more than just speed improvements. For iPhone 5 users, it adds a 4G toggle so you can switch it off to conserve battery life. And for 4S users, it adds HD Voice support… Read More
AT&T’s big announcement got lost somewhere in the cracks of the onslaught of WWDC news yesterday. The carrier launched a new iPhone app this weekend that brings enhanced push-to-talk (EPTT) to the popular handset.
The app, which is aptly named AT&T Enhanced Push-To-Talk, allows iPhone 4S and 5 users to communicate quickly using next-generation VoIP technology to deliver one-to-one or group calls over AT&T’s 3G and 4G networks… Read More
I can’t believe it’s already June. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about the possibility of an April iPad event, and now we’re less than a week away from WWDC, and two months away from WWJC.
This year’s World Wide Jailbreak Conference will be a 2-day affair, hosted at the Raddison Hotel in New Rochelle, New York. And whether you plan on attending or not, you can show off your jailbreak spirit with these Limited Edition WWJC 2013 iCarbons skins… Read More
Following clickbait dead-in-the-water headlines which spelled doom for Apple on overzealous analysts projecting overly optimistic iPhone sales, it’s now Samsung’s turn to feel Wall Street’s wrath. So, is Samsung’s smartphone business running out of steam?
That’s the question Wall Street is pondering as investors punish the South Korean firm after orders for its flagship Galaxy S4 had supposedly dropped by as much as thirty percent.
Friday, Samsung shares slid by more than six percent after more than $12 billion was sliced from the Android maker’s market capitalization. Can Samsung stop the downward spiral, perhaps offering a stock buyback as Apple did? Or are we seeing only the latest signs of an industry-wide slowdown in demand?
Either way, the old saying about people living in glass houses seems all the more pertinent… Read More
Last month, it was reported that Apple held a town hall meeting to discuss upcoming changes to its AppleCare service. One of the bigger changes noted was that it was going to be doing more in-store repairs on iPhones.
That change went into effect this week, as we reported on Monday that Apple is starting to repair iPhone 5 screens in store for $149. And in case you were wondering how they do it, here’s a photo of the crazy machine… Read More
Belkin, a California-based maker of consumer electronics and accessories, today announced its first entry into the iPhone 5 battery case space with the Grip Power. Similar to Mophie’s popular Juice Pack line, the Grip Power is a case that has a built-in backup battery.
The Grip’s power block is of the 2000mAh variety, which Belkin says is good enough to double the battery life of your late-model iPhone. And with its shock-resistant outer shell and anti-glare camera ring, it makes for a decent case in terms of protection as well… Read More
A recent MarketWatch article has blamed high iPhone 5 repair costs on Apple’s tight control of the supply chain, which in turn dictates aftermarket prices.
Perhaps responding to the criticism, the company has reportedly started selling a replacement screen component for the iPhone 5 for $149.
Tipsters claim that the replacement display is offered in-store only, with or without AppleCare+.
Although $149 is notably higher than the corresponding iPhone 4S screen assembly which costs about $95, Apple’s asking price undercuts the repair wizards over at iFixit who offer an iPhone 5 replacement screen for $200.
And in response to Apple’s competitive pricing, some service shops are now starting to tweak their repair rates accordingly… Read More
In another sign that Best Buy could be clearing stock (or simply enticing customers to pick up an Apple handset), CNET reports the retailer will trade-in your working iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S on Sunday for a $150 credit, which can be redeemed against the purchase of a new iPhone. Given that Best Buy normally sells the entry-level iPhone 5 on a two-year contract for $150, the promotion lets you trade-in your old iPhone and purchase Apple’s latest and greatest handset without paying a dime – of course, excluding the obligatory carrier activation fee and any applicable sales tax… Read More
Listening to much of the tech press, you might get the impression Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 would further erode Apple’s share of the smartphone market. One Wall Street firm ended the week on a contrary note, telling investors iPhone sales in North America “remain resilient” and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is only selling slightly better than its predecessor.
The analyst firm Detwiler Fenton expects Apple will sell a cool thirty million iPhones during the June quarter amid expectation the nine-month-old handset would lose market share to its South Korean rival… Read More
Bumper style cases are typically made with a silicone or TPU material. These rigid, yet jelly like materials are suitable for minor bumps and bruises but may not be so helpful for the rugged user. The RAILkase p5 by Scosche is a new case that combines bumper functionality with the protective framing of aluminum, and it just brought home a CES 2013 Design and Engineering award.
It is difficult to find metal bumper cases simply because of the nature of the bumper. A bumper case runs the rim of an iPhone, only providing protection on the sides and corners of your device. Thanks to the creative team at Scosche, the RAILkase utilizes a hinge and locking system to provide a nonbendable bumper option… Read More
If pressed, I would say that I consider myself an Apple fan. I love my iPhone, and my iPad, and I’m typing right now on a MacBook Pro. But even I cringed a bit when I first laid eyes on this new DreamBoard theme called Apple Web OS.
As the title states, Apple Web OS essentially gives your iPhone a complete ‘Apple web store’ makeover. Instead of icons it has product photos, and instead of pages it has tabs. It’s actually very authentic, which can either be a good thing or a bad thing… Read More
During its iPhone 5 event last fall, Apple invited NaturalMotion CEO Torsten Reil on stage to show off their upcoming iOS game Clumsy Ninja, running on a 5th-gen iPod touch. The demo showed innovative, interactive gameplay, drawing plenty of oohs and aahs from the crowd.
As he wrapped up his presentation, Reil told attendees that the title would be arriving in time for the 2012 holiday season. But here we are in May of 2013, and we’ve yet to hear any news on a release date. In fact, the developers have been dead silent about the game. Until today… Read More
U.S. retailer Best Buy is set to shave $50 off every iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 sold with a two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T or Sprint in a four-week promotion that kicks off on Sunday, reports AllThingsD. The retailer has previously discounted Apple’s iPhone 5 a few times in time-limited promotions, along with other retailers such as Walmart which last December discounted the device to as low as $127… Read More
Eight months into its September 2012 launch, Apple’s iPhone 5 is still a pricey gadget to service.
Be it a smashed screen, an earpiece that needs replacing or its most unreliable iPhone component – the Home button - some replacement components for the handset remain pricey compared against prior iPhones.
In an in-depth piece, MarketWatch looks at the iPhone aftermarket to conclude that the iPhone 5 repair costs remain high due to Apple’s tight control of Asian supply chain for components and replacement parts… Read More
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
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
Yes, you read the headline correctly. The Inteliscope will link technology with the firearms industry in mid-June. If there was ever a time you wished to use an iPhone as a scope, get excited because your weird and strange wish is now granted.
When I first received word from the InteliScope marketing relations team, I spent a while trying to determine what exactly this product is designed to do. Is it a game? Does it come with a fake gun? Is there a Bluetooth connection to the trigger for some type of modern Duck Hunt experience?
Well, no, it is nothing like that. This is not a game. In fact, one of the advantages of this accessory system, according to the company, is the ability to “shoot around corners with no head exposure.” Creepy. Get the details past the fold… Read More
