Year: 2012

Apple looking to build another $1B data center in Reno, Nevada

A new report is out this afternoon claiming that Apple is looking to spend in upwards of $1 billion over the next 10 years to build a new data center and other facilities in Reno, Nevada.

Codenamed "Project Jonathan," this would be Apple's third data farm, as the company already has a digital hive in Maiden, North Carolina, and one in northern California...

iOS 6: Shared Photo Streams

Shared Photo Streams is a new feature in iOS 6 that allows you to selectively share photo albums with friends and family of your choosing. Unlike the My Photo Stream feature which is geared only towards individual photo sharing amongst iOS devices and computers owned by you, Shared Photo Streams brings a social element to iOS photography.

The streaming element comes from the fact that you can dynamically add or remove photos from a shared album and they will almost instantaneously appear or disappear on demand. Album viewers can also comment and like your photos, and you will receive push notifications any time someone does so.

Take a look at our full video walkthrough above for a look into how Shared Photo Streaming works.

Apple rolls out iTunes Store and other services to 12 new countries

It appears that Apple is continuing its aggressive international push this week. Just a few days after launching the App Store in 32 new markets, the company is now looking to roll out its iTunes Store into 7 new Asian countries.

Update: this article and its title have been updated to reflect Apple's official announcement...

Hands on with the new Podcasts app

A short while ago, Apple released their official Podcasts app on the App Store. The release wasn't exactly a surprise, as it was rumored to be in the works for some time now.

The new Podcasts app is a free universal download, and serves as a much needed way to manage podcasts. Granted there are other podcast apps available on the App Store, but this is the first time that we've seen something from Apple directly.

Why it took Apple so long to create a podcast management app is anyone's guess. Whatever their reasoning, the bottom line is that it's finally here. Check inside for a full hands on video walkthrough of Apple's new Podcasts app.

Apple says HTC lied to Customs, asks for another import ban

Late last year, the International Trade Commission found HTC to be infringing on one of Apple's patents. So the ITC gave the company until April to correct the problem, before enforcing a country-wide import ban on its products.

Long story short, shipments of several HTC devices were held up at U.S. customs last month due to the ruling. And even though it supposedly found a workaround, and the shipments were released, HTC isn't out of the woods just yet...

Apple launches new Podcasts app

There has been some speculation over the past few weeks that Apple was looking to debut a standalone podcasts app alongside iOS 6 this fall. But it looks like they couldn't wait.

Apple just rolled out an all-new Podcasts application, universal for all iOS 5.1+ devices. And we have to admit, it looks fantastic. Keep reading for more details and screenshots...

iPhone no longer Verizon’s bestselling smartphone

Since the iPhone launched on Verizon's network last year, the handset has been the carrier's most popular smartphone. Most quarters it's even sold better than all Android devices combined.

But it looks like things are starting to shift at Big Red, as a new report suggests that the iPhone is no longer the wireless provider's bestselling device. What is? Motorola's Droid RAZR MAXX...

San Diego School District spends $15 million on 26,000 iPads for students

There's no way around the fact that Apple's killing it with the iPad. It's crushing every other tablet out there while continuing to appeal to broad demographies. Perhaps nowhere else is the iPad's versatility so much evident as in education, where iPads are being used to teach, learn, study, research and more.

We've grown accustomed to the headlines announcing that this and this educational institution bought that many iPads to implement these devices into their curriculum. Despite the strides Apple's been making in education, we were still positively surprised to learn today that the San Diego Unified School District has purchased approximately 26,000 iPads worth a cool $15 million in one of the largest programs of its kind to date...

Brightcove outs SDK for dual-screen Apple TV apps as Google TV update looms

The epic battle for the living room is about to get a lot more interesting in a matter of days. Brightcove, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-headquartered online video platform provider, today released its App Cloud platform on an open-source basis. The SDK lets content owners create dual-screen apps that stream high-definition video to a television set through an Apple TV and AirPlay protocol.

While streaming, these apps can render a bunch of useful information on your iPhone or iPad, turning your iOS device into a glorified remote control of sorts. Meanwhile, Google is expected to issue a significant update to the Google TV platform at its upcoming developers conference tomorrow, said to give the Apple TV a run for its money...

Sprint iPhone sells better at carrier-agnostic retailers than Apple Stores

Apple's iPhone sales in the United States have traditionally been strong at Apple Stores, likely due to the superior buying experience.

A new research has revealed a little known fact, that customers pick up a Sprint version of the device at carrier-agnostic retailers more often than at Apple's retail outlets.

It's got lots to do with high retention rates for rivals AT&T and Verizon resulting in little switching and Sprint just not having enough existing customers to walk through the door...