Year: 2012

Oh, boy: Oprah tweets Surface raves from an iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 20, 2017

Billions of marketing dollars can't hide the obvious disconnect and lack of creativity plaguing Microsoft's PR department. Windows Phone commercials are boring as hell, annoying, heavy on celebs and short on imagination. And now comes this. Oprah tweeting her love for the Surface this morning isn't out of character: she's well-known for endorsing stuff.

It reads: "Gotta say love that SURFACE! Have bought 12 already for Christmas gifts. #FavoriteThings”. She unfortunately sent that tweet, which Microsoft's Corporate Communications immediately retweeted, from her iPad.

I know Oprah hosts regular giveaways of favorite products, but boy did that stupid PR stunt backfire. Besides, she previously professed her love for Apple's tablet to the whole world. This is nothing if not way too clueless marketing on Microsoft's part. Speaking of clueless...

iTunes music begins to surface in Russia

Cody Lee ∙ November 19, 2012

Folks in Russia will be happy to hear that it looks like Apple is preparing to finally launch its iTunes Music Store in the country. Several Russian iOS users are reporting that music is now searchable in the province's App Store...

Apple just needs smart sensors so AuthenTec unloads its encryption biz

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2012

AuthenTec, the maker of NFC chips and smart sensors that Apple bought in the summer for $356 million, has sold off its division which makes encryption-based security hardware and software. The buyer is French NFC maker and contactless chip provider Inside Secure and the transaction is valued at $48 million.

That Apple decided to get rid of AuthenTec's Embedded Security Solutions division is another tell-tale sign that the iPhone maker snapped up AuthenTec for its NFC solutions and smart sensors that are not part of the Inside Secure deal.

Yes Mr. Schiller, I know "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today", but Apple did drop $356 million on an NFC tech maker and obviously your next iPhone is going to have NFC...

Obama, Boehner turn to Apple’s boss for financial advice

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 19, 2012

Apple CEO Tim Cook should consider becoming a financial consultant, if this iPhone thing fizzles out. Apparently, he is on speed-dial for both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. U.S. President Barack Obama called Cook seeking comment on the looming "fiscal cliff" crisis, according to Monday reports. Although it's not known what advice the Apple leader gave Obama, Cook was among a number of CEOs the White House contacted. Other business leaders included JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, Jim McNerney of Boeing and Craig Jelinek of Costco...

ActiSearch uses Activator gestures to search Cydia, Facebook, YouTube, and more

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

ActiSearch is a new jailbreak tweak that uses Activator Gestures as a means to invoke searches to some of your favorite websites and social platforms. You can choose to configure a single site to a single Activator gesture, or configure multiple activator gestures with multiple sites.

ActiSearch, as you may have guessed, is a simple to use jailbreak tweak that makes it easy to find what you're looking for if your desired site is included among the supported list of sites. Take a look at our video walkthrough for the details.

Google Music adds 5.5 million tracks across 35 European countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

Google Music, the search giant's foray into cloud music, today received a major boost by inking a broad deal with an alliance of French, Italian and Spanish licensing groups, gaining access to an additional 5.5 million tracks across 35 European countries from various artists including Lady Gaga and Rihanna. It also includes the British and American repertoire of Universal Music Publishing and Sony's Latin works...

eBay now offers Apple certified refurbs

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2012

eBay earlier this month started offering Apple-certified refurbished products on its web store. With Apple's Black Friday teaser and 2012 Holiday Gift Guide now live, we thought highlight eBay's offering would appeal to cash-strapped shoppers. Available right here as a new section on the auction site, eBay's Apple Certified Refurbished Products list is akin to Apple's own refurbished offering in that both have passed through the same quality inspection. You should definitely consider refurbs and here's why...

The SlingBox is worth a look for cable TV or satellite subscribers

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

I give up. Actually, I gave up. At least temporarily that is.

I tried to be a responsible cable cutter. I ditched cable TV years ago, but I've admittedly let it back into my life. I've been a Netflix advocate, a Hulu user, and I love my Apple TV. Still, I've failed.

I've used a Boxee Box. I've gone as far as to build a dedicated HTPC running Windows Media Center. Now If that doesn't tell you how far I went to kick cable TV out of my life permanently, I don't know what will.

How did this happen, you may ask? How did someone who fought tooth and nail to maintain their status as a permanent cable cutter let the "enemy" back into the household? One word. Sports.

Apple owns 37 percent of the fragmented mobile ad market

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple continues to lead mobile advertising, despite Samsung's strength in handset sales, a new report out Monday indicates. Apple accounted for 37 percent of mobile ads while Samsung had 24 percent. The rest of the mobile pack were left in the two firms' dust. Cupertino's mobile ad lead over Samsung actually grew by three percent during the third quarter, with a little help from the iPhone 5, which was released at the end of the third quarter, according to Adfonic's AdMetrics report...

Apple teases one-day Black Friday shopping event in Australia

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2012

Black Friday, a one-day shopping stampede, is the day after Thanksgiving which is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States (on the second Monday of October in Canada). As Black Friday officially marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, retailers fall over each other in offering not-to-be-missed discounts. Apple just announced on its Australian online store the one-day Apple shopping event on Friday, 23 November...

Rumor: next-gen iPad, iPhone expected around the middle of 2013

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2012

If the latest rumor out of Asia is anything to go by, this year's Fall release of the iPhone 5 was an anomaly as Apple could be reverting back to its mid-year refresh cycle for the iPhone. At the same time, the company is rumored to be releasing a next-generation iPad around the middle of 2013, breaking away from its usual first-quarter release schedule for the tablet. As always, it pays to take the news with a grain of salt as this comes via the somewhat reliable DigiTimes...

Intel lets go of its CEO amid mobile struggles

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 27, 2017

Intel, the world's #1 chip maker, has been trying and failing for years to replicate its PC leadership status in mobile. Today, the company issued an unexpected update, saying its long-time CEO Paul Otellini will be retiring in May 2013. Though the semiconductor giant insists this is just "an orderly leadership transition", Otellini's successor has not been named and Intel said it will consider internal and external candidates for the job. Intel currently supplies processors for Apple's Macs, but that could change if the rumor-mill is to be trusted...