Month: September 2012

DisplaySearch: Apple re-engineering the iPad’s Retina Display around thinner IGZO tech

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Apple's "resolutionary" iPad 3 brings with it the company's best Retina Display yet, featuring an astounding resolution of 2,048-by-1,536 pixels. Because so many pixels are crammed up on the same 9.7-inch canvas, much stronger backlight is required in order to push the light through the pixels, taxing the battery and adding up to the device's overall thickness.

A new report cites a prominent display expert who claims that Cupertino is working on an improved Retina tech for an updated third-generation iPad. The new display is thought to be thinner and consume less power, allowing for a new iPad stock-keeping unit (SKU) with a slightly better battery life and lower heat dissipation...

FedEx expecting Surge Volume event coinciding with the iPhone 5 launch weekend

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 7, 2012

Apple yesterday started dressing up the Yerba Buena Center building with banners for the next week’s iPhone 5 presser. If you believe Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster, the event will mark the biggest consumer electronics launch of the year as the analyst on multiple occasions likened the launch of Apple's next iPhone to "the mother of all upgrades".

Adding up to the excitement, the global logistics services company FedEx issued a note to employees to brace themselves for a "surge volume" event during the period of September 21-24. The three-day period coincides with the expected launch weekend for the iPhone 5...

Smart App Banners spotted at the online Apple Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

iOS 6 comes with a handful of nice little Safari tweaks that one discovers and learns to appreciate over time. Among them, so-called Smart App Banners that let web sites display an interactive banner at the top of Safari to promote their associated App Store apps.

The new feature does require some work on part of web developers who will need to add code to tap the app launching UI and functionality portion of Smart App Banners.

Conveniently enough, with just five days until the iPhone 5 unveiling next Wednesday, Apple has turned on Smart App Banners on its online store...

Apple said to be reducing iPhone 5 part orders from Samsung

Cody Lee ∙ September 7, 2012

Given the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Samsung, it wouldn't surprise anyone if Apple started reducing its dependency on Samsung components. The S. Korean company makes a number of parts that go into products like the iPhone and iPad.

Well according to a new report, that's exactly what is happening. Apple has been seen significantly reducing its next-gen iPhone part orders from Samsung. Oddly enough, however, it's said that this move has nothing to do with the patent disputes...

Apple starts readying Yerba Buena Center for next week’s event

Cody Lee ∙ September 7, 2012

Earlier this week, Apple sent out media invitations to an event to be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on September 12. It's widely expected to unveil a new iPhone.

We're now just 5 days away from the gig, and, like clockwork, Apple has started to prep the venue. You can see several cherrypicker machines out front, and Apple's unmistakable logo in the window...

Report: Malware targeting Russian smartphones 40 times more than US

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 22, 2018

All smartphones are not created equal -- at least in the eyes of malware authors. A smartphone in Russia is 40 times as likely to be infected by malware than the same iPhone or Android handset in the U.S., according to security researchers.

Product manager Derek Halliday of mobile security expert Lookout tells All Things Digital the 40-to-1 difference represents "a pretty massive gulf."

WSJ: Apple working on Pandora-like music streaming service [updated]

Cody Lee ∙ September 6, 2012

As next week's iPhone event draws nearer, and rumors of an October gig continue to swirl, the tech world is scrambling to figure out what Apple will announce. We know new hardware is on the menu, but what about software?

Obviously iOS 6 is about to launch, and we continue to hear talk of an iTunes refresh. But according to a new report, Apple has something else up its sleeve: a custom-radio service, similar to Pandora, that will stream music...

Judge approves publisher settlement offers in Apple e-book suit

Cody Lee ∙ September 6, 2012

Earlier this year, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Apple and 5 major publishers for allegedly conspiring to fix e-book prices. The trial is set for June of next year.

Apple maintains that the lawsuit is ridiculous, and vows to fight the allegations. But not everyone is so sure. A federal judge just approved settlements from three of the publishers...

Gmail for iOS now opens links in Chrome, what’s next?

Cody Lee ∙ September 6, 2012

Gmail for iOS received a minor update today, bringing the app to version 1.3.1. The email client now runs a bit more smoothly, and more importantly, it can now open links in the Chrome browser.

This is now the third app that Google has updated with this feature, behind Google+ and Sparrow, and it could be a preview of Google's future plans for the iOS platform and its iOS applications...

Foxconn reportedly pulling Chinese students out of school to build iPhones

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

There's a weird story floating around the tech world today that Foxconn recently pulled Chinese students out of several colleges and forced them to work on the assembly lines in their factories.

The story stems from two separate, but corroborating, reports that say that Foxconn has been unable to find sufficient workforce to meet large iPhone 5 orders, so it's forcing students to work...

Ad attack: Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Paperwhite

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 11, 2018

Amazon just wrapped up its news-packed event that saw the company update its Kindle lineup and add two new notable products to the mix: the Kindle Paperwhite with a stunning new display combining the best of LCD and e-ink technology and the Kindle Fire HD, a tablet meant to take Apple's iPad on the high-end.

You should care because Amazon has the ecosystem, the game plan and the devices to take on Apple from every angle. If you don't have time to read through our extensive coverage of Amazon's presser, have a look at two new ads that highlight headline features of the two new tablets...

Amazon refreshes the Kindle lineup, targets the iPad with all-new Kindle Fire HD

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 11, 2018

Following recent product launches by technology giants Samsung, Googlerola and Microkia, the online retail giant Amazon summoned select members of the press to a media event in Los Angeles, California. As previously hinted, the company is expected to unveil half a dozen new Kindle devices, including a ten-inch tablet to take Apple's iPad head on.

Some people even hope the company will launch a smartphone of its own, just to make fall phone options a tad more interesting. As always, iDB is watching the announcement so you don't have to, bringing you everything worth knowing. Here are the goodies Amazon has in store for us (just don't call them gadgets, will ya'?)...