It's been a while since we heard anything on the Apple smartwatch front so today's report by the Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes (I know, don't start) asserted that the iWatch is at least a year away. Specifically, the publication claims that the iWatch is expected to release in the second half of 2014.
The device is expected to retail for between $149 and $229. More details right after the break...
Yesterday, a flurry of details was released regarding Apple's upcoming iPhone trade-in program, a sales initiative in partnership with the recycling firm BrightStar aimed at boosting iPhone sales and upgrades at company-run retail outlets across the United States. Sources stepped forward today, offering new details concerning the official name, availability, launch date and terms and conditions.
As suspected all along, the trade-ins will be handled through Apple's existing Reuse and Recycle Program, which has been available for quite some time. Furthermore, the same program will serve as Apple’s new in-store recycling program.
Go past the jump for the full reveal...
Are you thinking of upgrading to Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C, expected to be announced in early September? One handset trade-in firm is offering customers a guaranteed price on their current iPhones despite the usual drop in value following new product releases.
Gazelle said Monday it will lock-in pricing for iPhone trade-ins through Oct. 15, giving consumers time to wait until the iPhone 5S is announced before sending in their current smartphone...
Even after the end of a formal antitrust trial, both sides in ebook pricing case continue to argue. Apple said the Department of Justice's latest version of proposed penalties are a "broadside" favoring rival Amazon. The comments by Apple's legal team came as the government and the iBooks company hammer out details largely in public.
Apple's remarks centered on the DOJ's insistence that an outside antitrust monitor be named to ensure against anticompetitive practices in the ebook industry. In July, Apple was found guilty of ebook price-fixing and colluding with publishers against Amazon...
Billed as "an experience 25 years in the making", Madden NFL 25 strives to deliver the most authentic NFL football experience to date on the iPhone, iPod and iPad devices. The game challenges players to build theirUltimate Team of NFL stars and run the show on offense and defense with new and improved touch controls, game modes and more.
And in embracing the freemium trend fully, EA Sports has made the decision to release the game on a free-to-play basis, with in-app purchases ranging from as little as 99 cents to as much as a whopping 99 dollars for an All Madden Bundle pack.
If you're a fan of professional American football this is a no-brainer as the game looks awesome and plays great. I've included a splashy teaser trailer and a couple additional tidbits right after the break...
Combine the huge iTunes library of songs with the social aspect of sharing and you have a bit of an idea what might be behind a patent granted to Apple Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The patent, which describes a 'Coordinated group musical experience,' takes a riff off a trendy activity known as 'silent discos,' where people gather to listen to a DJ's music wearing headphones, rather than blaring mega-decibel volumes. Does the patent address a glaring technology need? No, but it does remind us of Apple's own quirky roots...
Just as we've been expecting, Apple has updated its $99 Apple TV set-top box with 24/7 music video streaming by way of Vevo TV. But that's not all, Apple has surprised us all by adding support for several other premium content sources. In addition to Vevo, the update has brought out four additional apps: Weather Channel, Disney Channel and Disney XD, as well as Smithsonian Channel, co-owned by CBS and the Smithsonian Institution.
What's really interesting is that Weather Channel seems to be the real app rather than just a simple streaming channel, although both Smithsonian Channel and Weather Channel offer on-demand clips. Go past the fold for the full reveal and Jeff's video hands-on.
UPDATE: people who use a DNS trick called PlexConnect to stream media to their non-jailbroken Apple TV through the Trailers app should be aware that this morning's update appears to have broken the hack. More on that here...
Google today released a brand new iOS app which allows owners of its Chromecast media streaming dongle to manage their $35 gadget from their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad devices. Available now on the App Store, the free Chromecast app lets you set up a Chromecast device to work with your Wi-Fi network and manage your Chromecast settings such as changing your device name, Wi-Fi password and so forth....
The introduction of numerous media devices - from your television to DVD player and stereo - coupled with the growth of smart homes would seem to cry out for Apple-like simplification. It just so happens, there is a patent for that. Apple has patented a way to control your home media collection right from your iPhone.
The patent, filed a half-decade ago by the creator of the iTunes Remote app, uses "scenes" to adjust your home multimedia to fit settings like "Romantic Movie Night", "Dinner," or simply "Relax."...
We've suspected for some time Apple will be holding its big iPhone event on September 10, with sources claiming a Gold Master iOS 7 build for developers will get released that same day. That's Apple's standard modus operandi as past Gold Master (GM) builds were seeded to the company's registered developers either at WWDC or at iPhone press conferences.
Alleged email communication Siri partner Nuance sent to devs now indicates iOS 7 GA will also be released the same day, on September 10. GA? GM?
There are some caveats here...
Earlier this month a reliable blogger asserted Apple would be making changes to its support website. The new experience was to be focused on a simpler and cleaner design that's iOS-friendly so customers could access the many support materials and browse the various sections comfortably from their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Sure enough, and right on cue, Apple this morning has started rolling out a redesigned Apple Support website with non-stop live chat support.
The redesign calls for large thumbnails providing easy access to the product hubs, such as Macs, iTunes, iPods, iPhones, iPads and more, with each section containing a wealth of related support materials, like downloads, manuals, frequently asked questions and lots more...
Don't you just hate that Facebook won't let you create a shared album where everyone invited could upload their event photographs? Well now you can as the social networking giant this morning announced a self-explanatory new capability dubbed Shared Photo albums. Facebook's Bob Baldwin took a rather uncharacteristical step of formally launching the new feature in an interview with Mashable, here's what you need to know...