iDownloadBlog.com

Evidence mounts of iPhone-compatible Textbooks

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 6, 2013

Apple's iBookstore is great, especially if you're an iOS device owner. I'm a heavy reader so I always keep a few e-books on my devices to read whenever I have some free time. As part of Steve Jobs's dream to reinvent the education, Apple at January 2012's media event in New York City unveiled interactive Textbooks, a whole new kind of textbook experience.

Having bought a few since, I can safely proclaim interactive digital textbooks the future of education - as in, I wish I were a school kid now. Unfortunately, Textbooks work only on iPads as smaller form-factor iDevices are not supported. Over the past few days, several solid pieces of evidence suggested that iBooks Textbooks are coming to the iPhone and iPod touch.

Jump past the fold for the full reveal...

BlackBerry says it submitted BBM to App Store two weeks ago

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

The official BlackBerry Messenger app for iPhone is on the way, according to the Canadian-based company. Alex Kinsella, a Senior Manager who is working on the software, tweeted out this afternoon that BBM for iPhone has been submitted to the App Store.

In fact, Kinsella says his team submitted the app for review two weeks ago, meaning it's basically up to Apple now when we'll see it made available. And it'll be interesting to see what happens here, as the company has a history of blocking big releases...

Rumor: Amazon considering making its rumored smartphone free, contracts be damned

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 6, 2013

Having entered the tablet race with its Kindle Fire lineup in September 2011, the online retail giant Amazon has long been rumored to have been working on a smartphone of its own. The elusive product thus far has remained a pipe dream, which isn't saying Amazon isn't readying it.

In the meantime, the world has gone from reaping the profits from the lucrative high-end of the smartphone market to selling inexpensive Android handsets to emerging markets that now increasingly fuel growth. A $0 smartphone could be disruptive and a huge game-changer, but just what strings might be attached for customers here?

WSJ: China Mobile to offer less-expensive iPhone this fall

Cody Lee ∙ September 6, 2013

China Mobile will be offering at least one of Apple's new iPhones this fall, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal's Ian Sherr. The news comes after several years of off-and-on negotiations between the companies.

Sherr claims that sources have confirmed with the news outlet that Apple is preparing to ship iPhones to the carrier, indicating that the Mac-maker has finally reached a long-awaited deal with the world's largest wireless provider...

Griffin unveils new MultiDock capable of syncing and charging up to 10 devices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

Developers, teachers, and essentially anyone else with multiple USB devices will be happy to hear that Griffin has just unveiled a new version of its MultiDock. The redesigned charging station looks great, and can charge and sync up to 10 devices at once.

Griffin says that it collaborated with former Apple designer Thomas Meyerhoffer to build the second-generation MultiDock, which is both lighter and more attractive than its predecessor. It's also now compatible with several smartphone and tablet models...

Apple can keep 30 percent cut on sales, injunction in DOJ ebooks case confirms

Ed Sutherland ∙ September 6, 2013

Like a prisoner on Death Row, Apple has delayed its penalty for weeks, offering up objection after objection to a proposed Department of Justice ebook antitrust settlement. Friday, federal judge Denise Cote issued an injunction, giving federal lawyers much of what they wanted.

Among the prohibitions against Apple: a five-year ban on so-called 'most-favored-nation' clauses in publisher contracts that would prevent ebook sellers from using rival services, such as Amazon. Also part of the penalty package was a requirement that Apple stagger contract negotiations with the five publishers that had already settled...

Blurry images claim to show iPhone 5S Home button with a silver ring around the edge

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 29, 2016

We're just days away from Apple's big reveal. Oddly enough, there's been little - if any - credible leaks to support the fingerprint scanning thesis, which analysts and industry insiders alike believe to be the handset's killer feature. So, either Tim Cook & Co. have tripled-down on secrecy or the rumor-mill has been taking us all for a ride.

Unless someone comes out with a better piece of evidence than these blurred photographs of a supposed iPhone 5S packaging, we'll have to speculate whether or not anything has changed about the iPhone's iconic Home button.

Have a closer look at the images right after the break, pinches of salt and everything...

Google-owned Motorola becomes first convicted patent troll

Ed Sutherland ∙ September 6, 2013

Google may have become the first convicted patent troll, after a federal jury Thursday fined the internet giant $14.5 million related to licenses held by Motorola. The Seattle-based jury upheld Microsoft's claim that the Google-owned Motorola demand $4 billion to license Wi-Fi and video patents that were supposed to be available under fair and reasonable terms.

The finding comes just a week before Apple's appeal of a similar claim against Motorola is to be heard. This week's judgement against Motorola opens a legal can of worms for both Google and Motorola, according to one keen patent observer...

The line starts forming outside Apple’s landmark Fifth Avenue glass cube store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 14, 2016

Like every year, this year's iPhone launch is expected to be the biggest ever for the Cupertino, California firm. Unlike past years, however, 2013 is the first time Apple gets to release two new iPhones simultaneously, one a so-called S-upgrade to the existing iPhone 5 and the other essentially an iPhone 5 with a less-pricey polycarbonate plastic case.

This change in tactics and the resulting flurry of media coverage appears to have renewed interest in the Apple smartphone. And while we're certainly not expecting lines to stretch around whole blocks like in 2007, campers are already lining up outside Apple's flagship glass cube store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue...

Estimate: 13M iPhone 5S/5C sales in 10 days, 31M iPhones in Q4

Ed Sutherland ∙ September 6, 2013

Although Apple's much-awaited September 10 announcement remains days away, analysts are already weighing the potential benefit for the all-important fourth quarter. Can Apple get a much-needed bump in end of the year sales by launching the upgraded iPhone 5S and the new iPhone 5C, as well as potential distribution deals in China and Japan?

At the heart of new estimates for the September quarter is Apple's ability to quickly announce, then begin sales of the new hardware. Lucky for Apple, before becoming CEO, Tim Cook was the iPhone maker's supply chain maestro...

Twitter puts Twitter into Twitter #music

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

After updating its official iOS client with the somewhat controversial conversation redesign (hint: blue lines), the micro-blogging service Twitter now turns its attention to its music discovery app, Twitter #music. In a new update issued Friday, Twitter #music now shows tweets along with each track right in your #NowPlaying feed.

"We've put the Twitter into Twitter #music," the company boasted. That's not all, as these tweets are fully actionable, which makes me wonder whether the company will eventually fold the #music app into the Twitter mobile client down the road...

Reuters: China Unicom/Telecom to start taking iPhone 5S/5C pre-orders next week

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 6, 2013

Yesterday, China's state-owned #3 carrier China Telecom supposedly inadvertently let slip that it will start selling Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S upgrade and the new mid-range iPhone 5C beginning September 20. The official pre-order page had even gone live briefly before the telco killed it.

I'm always doubtful of such "leaks" and tend to dismiss them as the perfectly legitimate PR stunts designed to drum up the excitement ahead of the launch. Be that as it may, Reuters on Friday confirmed with its sources that both China Telecom and China Unicom will indeed start taking preorders for the new iPhones as early as next week...