iPhone News

Rumor: Apple developing iPay as the next iPhone becomes your iWallet

Yeah, I know analysts promised us flying cars many times before, but bear with me for a second. In addition to opining that the time is not right for an Apple-branded television set until 2014 due to dire economic conditions, the same credible analyst also advised clients that a mobile payment platform from Apple is to be expected.

He calls it iPay and guesstimates it'll work with NFC technology believed to be in the cards for an upcoming iPad and iPhone hardware refresh…

Narcissism just got its own app, and it’s called Ugly Meter

Define narcissism: excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, you might be interested in this new iPhone app from Dapper Gentlemen.

Ugly Meter uses your handset's front-facing camera to scan (in other words, take a picture of) your face, and then rates your attractiveness on a scale of 1-10 based on a few different data points...

Logitech unveils solar iPad keyboard that doubles as a protective sleeve

Logitech makes some really nice accessories. Their latest thing, the Solar Keyboard Folio, is a wireless light-powered keyboard for your iPad which also doubles as a cool protective case.

It’s definitely an interesting add-on in that it takes cues from Logitech’s range of solar-powered desktop keyboards.

The Folio converts light to power using on-boad solar cell, charging the built-in Bluetooth keyboard in any light, whether indoors or outdoors…

We’re giving away 10 copies of PhotoAlbums+

We've talked about PhotoAlbums+ a couple of times here on iDB over the past two years. The tweak adds a host of features to the stock Photos app like the ability to create password-protected albums on the fly.

Well the developers just released a major update to PhotoAlbums+, adding new PhotoStream controls to the package. And even better, they've given us 10 free copies to giveaway to our awesome readers! Read on...

“Breakthrough” Liquidmetal Apple gadget at least 5 years away

Apple's love for new materials and its penchant for innovative manufacturing processes is well documented and evident in shiny products it builds.

Perhaps no other material has gotten the rumor-mill as much excited as metallic glass, better known as Liquidmetal.

Apple owns worldwide and exclusive rights to use this new material in consumer electronics products. And while it has yet to build a Liquidmetal-based gadget, the company did buy the amorphous alloy for a good reason - and I'm not talking about the SIM ejector tool.

One of the creators of this Terminator material has now spoken about Apple's Liquidmetal plans, explaining how Liquidmetal's gonna make Apple gadgets even more exclusive and sexier than ever.

Apparently, a "breakthrough product" based on Liquidmetal could be in the works. Before you start jumping for joy, bear in mind it's gonna take years as plants and the alloy itself simply aren't mature enough for mass production...

Rumor: Walt Disney World testing iPads with RFID-based Fast Pass ticket system

Walt Disney World, the world's most-visited entertainment resort located in Orlando, Florida, is allegedly testing iPads with a custom-designed, RFID-enabled ticket system.

The two work together to let guests schedule their visiting times from the comfort of their couch, well in advance of the actual visit.

Upon arrival, guests simply wand their RFID band by a sensor to interact with a nearby iPad-toting employee. The iPad itself is not used to scan the cards, as many sites incorrectly reported. If all goes well, a custom app will be likely born out of this test project...

Steve Jobs channels Franklin Delano Roosevelt in ‘1994’ sales video

From the depths of the Interwebs comes this little gem with young Steve Jobs playing Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The amusing and charming scene is actually part of a never-before-seen morale-boosting internal film entitled '1994', in a nod at the iconic television commercial that launched the Macintosh craze 28 years ago.

It depicts a World War II tale of good (Apple) vs. evil (IBM) and cost about $50,000 to make which, back in 1994, was a lot of money for a company video. Apple produced this footage to rally up troops at their international sales force meet up in Hawaii...

Opinion: why Apple forced Target to boot Kindle over “conflict of interest”

As you probably know by now, this morning's big news has Target dropping Kindle hardware from their retail stores. The story has been officially confirmed by a spokesperson for the nation's second-largest discount retailer, after Walmart. The resulting finger-pointing, largely centered around Apple and its iPad, is based on an unnamed source mentioning a "conflict of interest" as Apple apparently put the arm on Target...

Kanex outs AirPlay mirroring adapter for legacy projectors lacking HDMI ports

AirPlay, a wireless content streaming technology from Apple, has become indispensable in my daily computing. Whenever I feel like watching movies, enjoying my photos, listening to some music and even playing certain games, I usually AirPlay whatever is currently displayed on my iPhone 4S or iPad 3 to my plasma TV, through the Apple TV.

But what about presenting in conference rooms equipped with old-school VGA projectors lacking HDMI port? Apple makes the $29 VGA adapter, but who wants to walk around the room holding an iPad hooked up to a projector via the cable?

Enter ATV Pro Adapter, a nice little dongle from Kanex that connects to your Apple TV's HDMI port on one side, converting digital output to analogue signal fed to your legacy projectors' VGA port...

iOS boss cashes in shares, pockets $38.7 million

Scott Forstall, who heads the team behind the software that powers iOS devices, by far Apple’s most profitable division, has recently sold 64,151 shares worth roughly $38.7 million, a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange (SEC) commission has revealed.

Cook, identified as Apple's CEO-in-waiting in Adam Lashinsky's Inside Apple book, still holds nearly $2 million worth of shares plus retention bonuses worth over a quarter billion dollars provided he stays with Apple and the company does emerge as the world’s first trillion dollar corporation...

Report: TSMC has a “good chance” of winning Apple’s chip biz in 2014

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has long been rumored to become an alternative supplier for Apple-designed processors powering iOS devices. However, yield issues and manufacturing difficulties with the foundry's 20-nanometer process pushed back those plans.

Meanwhile, Samsung continues to make the Ax-series of processors for the latest iPhone and iPad. Per chatter from Asian supply chain, TSMC is working hard to ramp up 20-nanometer production “ahead of schedule”, apparently in a bid to win over Apple’s chip business from Samsung by 2014...

Facebook testing Messenger for iPad with Skype video calling

A new report alleges that Facebook is working to add video chatting capabilities to its standalone messaging app for the iPhone. Additionally, the Facebook Messenger for iPad with video calling is also being tested internally.

Both versions of the Messenger app take advantage of Facebook’s deal with Skype from July of last year which has enabled the social networking behemoth to deliver Skype video calling right within the desktop interface...