Year: 2012

Apple to webcast June quarter earnings

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Apple will be reporting results for the second calendar 2012 quarter (corresponding to its third fiscal 2012 quarter) next Tuesday, July 24, shortly after the markets close at 2pm Pacific, 5pm Eastern.

Ahead of the earnings release, Apple just issued an alert this morning regarding streaming audio from the conference call which will be available here via QuickTime, beginning on July 24 at 2pm Pacific. The iDB team will be following the conference call so you don't have to, posting interesting bits and pieces right as we learn about them...

Poll: how do you feel about Sparrow now?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 20, 2012

Sparrow for iPhone debuted in February of 2011 and remains to date known as a kick-ass email client for both desktop and mobile. Those that love Sparrow appreciate its best-in-class Gmail support, clean and minimalistic interface and just the right set of features.

But Sparrow got snapped up by the Internet giant Google today (looks like this is becoming somewhat of a pattern for Google). From what we know so far, the Sparrow development team will be “working on new things at Google” and they "do not plan to release new features for the Sparrow apps".

This likely means 'no' to the promised iPad version and another 'no' to push alerts for incoming messages. It's assumably a sad day for Sparrow die-hards, so I just put together a little poll to gauge your feelings on the subject of today's unexpected acquisition...

Google buys Mac/iOS email client Sparrow, say good-bye to new features

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Dang, Google just acquired the popular Mac and iOS email client Sparrow. The value of the transaction or terms of the deal have not been made public, though The Verge thinks Google paid under $25 million for Sparrow. According to a blog post announcing the acquisition, this deal will help the Sparrow team "accomplish a bigger vision", one the team says "can better achieve with Google". Hopefully that means buying some notification servers, though Sparrow's email to customers is anything but encouraging. Full details below...

iPad 3 makes a quiet landing in China

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 20, 2012

As promised, Apple today began selling its Retina iPad in China, having paved the way for the long-awaited launch with a recent $60 million trademark settlement with the struggling Chinese monitor vendor ProView.

News reports describe the launch as low-key, lacking the usual long lines and media frenzy like elsewhere. Apple is also seen taking additional steps to fight scalpers with an imposed three-hour window for reservations...

Apple fighting Samsung adverts on its website, here’s Joy of Tech’s funny take

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 20, 2012

Apple is going to appeal a U.K. court ruling from earlier this week which mandates that Cupertino post a public apology on both its website and in British newspapers, basically free advertisement telling the public that Samsung did not copy the iPad's design, per the court's ruling. As this legal mess is being sorted out, Joy of Tech has an excellent take on what this notice could be like, included right below...

Apple pulls Clueful privacy app from the App Store

Cody Lee ∙ July 20, 2012

It's not uncommon for Apple to pull applications from its App Store without word or warning. Let's just say the company doesn't take security on its mobile platform lightly.

Typically, the removals are warranted. The apps are either malicious, violate copyright laws or other App Store guidelines. But with titles like Clueful, it's not so cut and dry...

Doodle puts an end to meeting scheduling nightmares

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Among a myriad of things I despise, trying to plan a meeting with several busy people is a nightmare. All of the back-and-forth emails about who is in town, or not, or who can meet after lunch, before lunch, catch me after the staff meeting... Yikes!

Doodle has simplified my meeting life and taken the challenges out of scheduling a friendly gathering. Their web based services saved many headaches in the office and, now, Doodle's updated iOS app moves simplicity to both iPad and iPhone...

Fox films now available for re-download via iTunes in the Cloud

Cody Lee ∙ July 19, 2012

Earlier today, Apple rolled out iTunes Match, and movies for iTunes in the Cloud, to a number of new countries. And it looks like it's still not finished with the updates.

Tonight, reports are coming in that Fox movies are finally showing up in the Purchased tab of iTunes, meaning that users can now re-download them via iCloud...

Apple building mysterious new tactical data center in North Carolina

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Apple is moving forward with plans to build a new, smaller data center next to the existing $1 billion iCloud facility in Maiden, North Carolina. The company has just filed for building permits, a story today revealed.

The upcoming 20,000 square feet facility will have tight security measures, such as "man trap" security doors and chain-link security fence, and will be t-boned to the existing iCloud facility. Official documents refer to it as the 'tactical' data center, whatever that's supposed to mean...

Carriers reportedly testing Nano SIM cards in partnership with Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 9, 2016

We told you earlier in the week that European wireless carriers were stockpiling Nano SIM cards in the hope that the next iPhone will incorporate the newly ratified technology which enables thinner devices due to a 40 percent smaller footprint versus the Micro SIM standard.

As you know, Apple's Nano SIM proposal was chosen last month by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute as the industry standard, following weeks of bickering between Apple on one side and Nokia, Motorola and Research In Motion on the other.

A new report from this morning has it that Apple is supplying its carrier partners with Nano SIM adapters so they could test Nano SIMs on existing devices before the next iPhone arrives in October...

The ChargeCard: an iPhone charger that fits in your wallet

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

This is pretty cool: inventors Noah Dentzel and Adam Miller have finally come up with a solution to the problem of having to lug around a spare iPhone cable.

The ChargeCard works just like your average 30-pin USB cable — it will charge your device and transfer data — but it's compact enough to fit in your wallet...