Month: February 2013

Opera buys Skyfire browser that brought Flash video to iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg7oUtydk3Q

Back in March 2011, when Adobe's proprietary Flash plug-in was still predominantly used for web video, a new paid-for iPhone browser, Skyfire, made headlines. It helped alleviate the situation by detecting Flash-encoded clips on web pages and then tapping a cloud computing platform to translate Flash video into an iPad-friendly format, on the fly.

Since then, Skyfire has seen over 20 million downloads across iOS and Android devices and developers claim it now converts over 200,000 web sites with Flash video into an iOS-friendly format. While most of web video is delivered via HTML5 these days, the Skyfire iOS app has seen several major updates that over time brought social features, even built-in extensions, to the table.

In a surprising move, Norway-based Opera Software, which makes the multi-platform Opera browser, Friday said it acquired the Skyfire team, hoping to broaden its solutions "beyond the browser"...

Apple seeking someone to help deliver next-gen Apple TV features

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 15, 2013

An interesting new Apple job listing has been spotted, indicating that Apple has "high-priority" next-generation Apple TV features in development. That's an interesting choice of words considering Apple continuously refers to its $99 set-top box as a hobby business. And with recent talk of Apple about to update the Apple TV platform this fall with a software development kit for third-party apps and games, all of the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall nicely in place...

Skype testing short video messaging feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 20, 2017

Microsoft is launching a new Video Messages feature to allow Skype users to send short video snippets to each other up to three minutes long. The feature works in both online and offline mode and Microsoft has started testing it with some Skype users on the Mac, iOS and Android, according to multiple web reports. Surprisingly, Skype Video Messages won't be initially available on Windows, but Skype for Windows users will receive these messages with a link to view them online. More tidbits right below...

Engineers poke holes in ‘fake Apple projects’ myth

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

A lot of urban myths have popped up around how Apple goes about designing its products and protecting its famous paranoid secrecy. Through mindless repetition, these unconfirmed facts tend to become kinda public knowledge, some of them so compelling we cannot help but believe those overly romanticized Apple stories without questioning them or even consider asking the subject of whom the rumor is about.

One journalist thought different and sought to apply a healthy dose of skepticism to one of the most popular myths - that Apple assigns engineers to fake projects. He set out to separate the wheat from the chaff by interviewing several former and current Apple engineers who - surprise, surprise - apparently have absolutely no knowledge of fake projects being a regular occurrence at Apple...

Microsoft doesn’t want to take billions from Office for iPad?

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Picture Microsoft in one of those V8 commercials, where the actor whacks himself in the head after he could be drinking a healthy vegetable drink rather than a can of diet cola.

Now, replace the veggie juice with an iPad and you might have a scenario playing out in the executive suite of Microsoft today.

Why? The software giant refuses to sell a version of its Office suite for the iPad, a mistake possibly costing $2.5 billion. One analyst believes the company is leaving $2.5 billion on the table by insisting to offer the popular software bundle to Microsoft's tiny tablet market, as well as the declining number of PCs.

Can any company be that short-sighted? Wait, that was a rhetorical question...

Dropbox refreshed with all-new PDF viewer, push alerts for shared folders

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Dropbox on Monday rolled out a shiny new admin console for enterprise users and last week released a new Sync API to make it much easier for programmers to write software which treats cloud Dropbox files as if they were local.

Today, the hot cloud storage startup gave its iOS client some love by pushing out an update containing three useful enhancements.

First up, the Dropbox app sports an all-new PDF viewer with search and nice thumbnail view. Second, you will now receive a push notification when a folder has been shared with you. And third, Dropbox now lets you sort your files by date modified (finally!). The free update is available now from the App Store...

Staples executives confirm US locations will soon carry Apple products

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Last month, test page ads for an Apple TV and other Apple gear popped up on Staples' US website, leading many to believe that the office supply chain was finally going to start offering the Cupertino company's products in its Stateside locations.

Well it was confirmed last night. After Staples reportedly held a meeting with employees announcing the news, executives and other staffers took to Twitter to share their excitement that Apple products would soon be available in their US stores...

BMW adopts Apple’s Genius model to educate car buyers

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

If there is one consumer experience needing updating, it is that trip to an auto sales floor. Too often, the salesperson can only provide potential buyers with the most basic information. Luxury automaker BMW hopes to change all that, using Apple's Genius model to answer consumer queries.

Part of the BMW Genius Everywhere program to launch in the U.S. in 2014, young people armed with iPads will roam the automaker's showrooms even before the sales staff get down to clinching the deal. The company becomes just the latest hoping to ignite more sales by taking a page from Apple's wildly successful Geniuses who provide unassuming assistance and educate consumers on Apple gear...

MMORPG Vendetta Online previewed on iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 15, 2013

Guild Software's sci-fi MMORPG Vendetta Online has been available on Android, Linux, Mac and Windows (RT included) since 2004. It's coming soon to iOS, with the first public iPad preview having launched today on Kickstarter. Guild Software's John Bergman explains that the team is planning on shipping the iPad build "as soon as we can" before fully focusing their attention on gameplay enhancements. The video demonstration runs on a prototype build running on an iPad 2 connected over Wi-Fi...

Jony Ive honored with exclusive gold Blue Peter Badge

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 6, 2017

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLUn7xCuQxo

Apple's head of industrial design, London-born Jonathan Ive, has been honored with the greatest accolade in United Kingdom's children TV, BBC's Blue Peter programme. First broadcast in 1958, Blue Peter is the world’s longest-running children’s television programme that educates the youngsters on craft tips, kids art and more.

Ive was honored with an exclusive golden Blue Peter badge and BBC's presenter Barney Harwood sat down with him in his design bunker in California for a quick chat. Ive, a life-long Blue Peter fan, said the show was an "inspiration to children around the world" and recalled how they reused products that you thought were no longer useful.

By the way, notice those mean CNC machines behind Ive in the above clip (sorry, Flash-only - talk to BBC!)? That's a pretty expensive piece of prototyping equipment Ive and his team use to experiment with materials and prototype various designs for future Apple gadgets...

Ousted Apple retail boss John Browett lands CEO job at fashion retailer

Cody Lee ∙ February 15, 2013

In today's episode of 'Where are they now?' we take a look at Apple's former SVP of retail John Browett. He began his career at Apple in January of last year, replacing the highly-regarded Ron Johnson, but only lasted about 9 months at the company.

Browett has been fairly quiet since he left Cupertino in October. But his name surfaced in headlines again last night when word got out that he has accepted the position of chief executive, or CEO, of U.K.-based retail chain Monsoon Accessorize...

Real Racing 3 hands-on

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23YkqG0lG98

EA surprised us and dropped the Firemonkeys developed Real Racing 3 a few weeks earlier than its scheduled release in some territories. We were fortunate enough to be able to go hands-on with the highly anticipated sequel to iOS' darling racing game franchise.

While we're just beginning to progress through the game, some things were readily apparent. Yes, Real Racing 3 is a so-called freemium game, and EA is hoping that you will open your wallets as you make speedy progress through the game. We also found that the "online" experience is heavily watered down. In fact, I'd hesitate to actually call it online at all, as it's actually more of an asynchronous affair, which pits you against your friend's "ghost" racers instead.

Although the freemium aspect and the lack of true realtime head-to-head play may disappoint, the game tries to make up for it with its stunning visuals. This is hands-down the best looking iOS game I've ever seen or played. It's just an absolute visual overdose. The game looks wonderful on the iPad mini, and the iPhone 4, but to really appreciate its beauty, fire it up on a Retina enabled full-sized iPad. Trust me when I say this, you'll be picking your jaw up off the floor.