It may seem like nothing ever comes from all of these ongoing patent lawsuits, but that's not always the case. Just ask HTC, who saw shipments of its flagship handset held up at U.S. Customs back in May due to an injunction order.
The delay only lasted a few weeks, but it left HTC unable to get its One X and other handsets into the hands of customers on launch weekend. And the company cites it as one of the main reasons why its profits plunged last quarter...
Two weeks ago, I ventured up to Chicago to try Uber for the first time. Uber, of course, is the personal driving service which allows you to use your mobile phone to request a private driver. It started in San Francisco a little over two years ago, and has since then made its way to the Windy City and various other locales.
Hearing nothing but positive things about the service, I was anxious to head to the nearest city with Uber availability. Fortunately, that city is Chicago, a place that I have grown to love over the past few years.
And as it turns out, Uber is an absolute perfect match for Chicago. Passengers love it, but what’s even more interesting is that the drivers themselves seem even more ecstatic about the rapidly growing service...
There have been some significant developments in the Samsung v. Apple patent dispute case this afternoon. The last we heard, Apple had won U.S. injunctions on both the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and the Galaxy Nexus, and motions to stay those orders had been denied.
Samsung's last hope was for the Washington D.C.-based Court of Appeals to get involved, as it has jurisdiction over all IP proceedings. And it looks like it has made its decision on both cases this afternoon, ruling to uphold one ban, and suspend the other...
Aside from making hit smartphones and tablets, Apple has produced a long line of iOS accessories. There's the Smart Cover, the iPad Keyboard Dock, the iPod Hi-Fi Stereo, oh and remember Apple's Bluetooth headset?
While the device didn't garner much consumer attention, it appears that Apple hasn't given up on the headset market. According to a new patent application, the company has another one in the works...
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI8KoatG5DE[/tube]
Speero — a system management utility for the iPad that we previewed last week — is now available for download on Cydia's BigBoss repo for $0.99.
This is an iPad exclusive tweak that allows you to kill apps, launch apps, invoke Activator actions, and more. All of this is easily performed from an interface that is engaged by means of its own Activator action. If you decide to try Speero, let us know what you think about it in the comments.
I just read this argument how anyone that thinks Apple might do an iPad mini because of the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 should be banned from writing about Apple. Seriously? I'd wager it's the other way round. Apple absolutely cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while Amazon and Google take over its prospective customers on the low-end and lock them into their ecosystems.
Yes, Apple knows all too well that Google's $199 Nexus 7 is a game-changer. Tim Cook understands this thing is gonna be big and you can bet he'll do something about it. Why else do you think Apple has started alerting the press that it's been working on a seven-inch competitor...
Rumors that Apple is working on a wireless charging solution for its iOS devices have been bouncing around for years. We've even seen evidence of this in the company's patent filings.
But if you can't wait for Apple to implement the feature, you could always do it yourself. Tanveer Islam did it with his iPhone 4S, using a Powermat and a little know-how...
Curved cover glass could be the next big thing for portable devices. Apple reportedly invested in glass-cutting machines last year, fueling rumors that the iPhone 5 may feature a curved display akin to Nokia's Lumia smartphones. The idea gained credence when Nick Bilton wrote in a New York Times article last December that Cupertino was working on “a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist”.
We're not so sure Apple would attach the iPod or iPhone brand to such an unusual gizmo, but if it resembles this exquisite concept, count us very excited...
Apple's Find My iPhone service is rather convenient for finding a lost device, but it falls short in theft prevention. See, thieves have figured out by now they simply need to shut down a stolen device to stop Find My iPhone.
Cabel Sasser thought of an interesting solution - a "Shutdown Requires PIN" feature in iOS Settings - and carrier AT&T's also been tackling this problem for some time.
It looks like the nation's leading carrier, which sold 17.5 million iPhones last year, has indeed come up with an effective remedy that might keep iPhone thieves on the grid longer: a block list of sorts on the network end...
I know what you're thinking, yet another organizer app. Bear with me for a second, this is taking the concept of geofencing to a whole new level. Checkmark for iPhone focuses on geo-enabled reminders, it's got a remarkably efficient interface and works on devices that Apple's stock Reminders app doesn't support, such as older iPads and iPhones. That's all fine and dandy, but you'll be really sold on one standout feature...
A pair of reports from Asia claim that Apple is looking to tweak the new iPad with a re-worked LED backlight and a revised battery. The new SKU is reportedly meant to address the overheating woes which blew up shortly following the launch, due to criticism by Consumer Reports...
Apple released its third-generation iPad in March of this year, and by most accounts it's been wildly successful. The company sold nearly 12 million tablets last quarter. And thanks to its agressive international push, it's expected to top that this time around.
There has been, however, one notable country left off the new iPad's passport: China. Complicated government approval processes and a nasty trademark battle with Proview have kept the popular tablet out of Apple's second largest consumer market.
But it looks like the wait is almost over...