WSJ: Amazon launching its Apple TV competitor next month

Building on previous reports, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Amazon is set to begin shipping its long-awaited video-streaming device next month. The device will thrust the e-commerce giant into a highly competitive space occupied by Apple, Google and others.

Citing sources familiar with the product, the outlet claims that the device will carry a variety of apps available on Roku and Apple set-top boxes and run on a version of Google's Android software. And like Amazon's other hardware devices, it will likely carry the Fire brand...

Pegatron reportedly gearing up to start iPhone 6 production in Q2

According to a new report from the Commercial Times, Apple supplier Pegatron is gearing up to start mass-producing the iPhone 6. The production is expected to kick off in the second quarter of this year at its Kunshan, China-based plant.

The newspaper says that the manufacturer has already begun recruiting workers in China, and has even opened up a new factory space, in an effort to prepare for large orders from Apple. The new handset is expected to debut later this year...

Apple discontinues iPad 2, replaces with 4th-gen Retina model

In line with yesterday's reports, Apple has launched a new 8GB version of its iPhone 5c this morning, and has discontinued the iPad 2. Originally introduced way back in 2011, the tablet has been a mainstay for the Cupertino company in its second-tier tablet slot.

To replace the retired slate, Apple has resurrected its fourth-generation iPad, which it refers to as the 'iPad with Retina display.' The tablet features much better hardware than the iPad 2—with an A6X processor, 1GB of RAM—but will keep the same $399 price tag...

Apple launches cheaper 8GB iPhone 5c

As expected, Apple has launched an 8GB version of its iPhone 5c this morning. The handset popped up on UK carrier O2's website a few moments ago, priced at £50 on contract. That's a little over $80 in USD, and between £50 and £100 cheaper than the 16GB model.

Apart from the smaller storage bin, the new iPhone 5c is identical in every way to the handset that Apple introduced back in October. It still has a 4-inch Retina display, the powerful A6 processor, and an 8-megapixel camera. And yes, it's still unapologetically plastic...

Let’s Talk iOS 020: iOS 8 rumors

Episode 20: This week's episode is dominated by Apple rumors. In it we discuss rumors surrounding the cheaper 8GB iPhone 5c, and the hardware speculation revolving around the iPhone 6. We also perform a thorough breakdown of all of the iOS 8 rumors we've heard thus far, including the new Healthbook app suite, inter-app sharing, and Preview app.

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Apple to reintroduce iPad 4 alongside 8GB iPhone 5c tomorrow

Apple may be planning to reintroduce the discontinued fourth-generation iPad alongside the 8GB iPhone 5c tomorrow, according to a new report from 9to5Mac. The site says that the iPad 4 could replace the current iPad 2 as Apple's low-cost tablet option.

The 4th-gen iPad was originally launched in the fall of 2012, 6 months after the release of the iPad 3. It's significantly more powerful than the iPad 2, with an A6X chip and 1 GB of memory, and it also includes a Retina display and the new Lightning connector...

Facebook update simplifies sharing and posting

Following today's update to WhatsApp which brought out nice new wallpapers and privacy controls for your Last Seen, Profile Photo and Status, the social networking giant Facebook has just refreshed its main iOS client.

The new Facebook 8.0 for the iPhone and iPad, now available in the App Store, brings supposed improvements for reliability and speed, a simpler way to see and choose a photo album's audience and a slightly refreshed iPad UI to make it easier to post and share on the tablet...

Dropbox for iOS updated with new illustrations, improved photo sync and more

Dropbox posted an update to its iOS client this afternoon, bringing the app to version 3.1. The update features a number of improvements, such as new illustrations, several bug fixes, and some SSO enhancements for Dropbox for Business users.

Users will be happy to hear that a few major bugs have been addressed in version 3.1 including the sync issue that would often cause some photos to fail to load, and the sorting problem that wouldn’t group items properly when you sorted by date...

Microsoft Office for iPad reportedly launching March 27

Last week, Reuters reported that Microsoft had a full version of its Office suite ready to release for the iPhone and iPad, it just wasn't sure when the company would pull the trigger. Well it looks like we may have just found the answer: this month.

According to a pair of scoops by both The Verge and ZDNet, Microsoft has scheduled a March 27 press briefing to discuss "the intersection of cloud and mobile computing." And it's going to use the event to launch the long-awaited Office for iPad...

New commenting features, UI tweaks and more added to YouTube iOS app

Google's native YouTube application for the iPhone and iPad has just been updated with some much-needed enhancements to the commenting system and more. For starters, it is now finally possible to reply to other people's comments and delete your own comments right within the app.

Previously, you had to visit the YouTube interface on the web to remove unwanted comments so that's a nice little time saver right there. This edition of YouTube includes a few other timely enhancements and useful interface refinements, all listed and illustrated right after the break.

The update is now live in the App Store...

WhatsApp picks up new wallpapers and introduces new privacy controls

Facebook-owned WhatsApp, the world's most popular mobile messaging service, has received a nice little update Monday bringing some much-needed privacy controls.

For starters, you can now tell the app who you want to share your profile photo and status with, quite in handy if you're a private person who only wants to share this type of information with your phone contacts rather than with anyone using the service.

The same privacy settings are available for your Last Seen status as well - useful when you don't want others to tell you haven't opened their messages yet. Oh, and this edition of WhatsApp also includes some nice new wallpapers.

The update is live in the App Store so grab it now...

Double mockup: 12.9″ iPad Pro + next-gen Apple TV with iPod touch style remote

Apple may not be interested in making a full-on television set after all, if Yukari Iwatani Kane's scathing book, titled Haunted Empire: Apple After Steve Jobs (available on the iBooks Store), is anything to go by. Needlees to say, that's not stopping those mockups from coming.

Take, for instance, German website Curved.de which today put out an interesting concept envisioning Apple's rumored oversized iPad, the iPad Pro with a 12.9-inch edge-to-edge screen.

The same outlet previously mocked up a next-generation Apple TV concept sporting an interesting looking remote with touch controls that resembles the iPod touch. Unlike some other crazy concepts, the publication did its homework by basing the renderings on rumor-mill reporting.

I've included both concepts for your viewing pleasure right below the fold so have a look and tell us what you think in the comment section...