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Apple: DOJ’s revised e-book remedies a ‘broadside’ favoring Amazon

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 27, 2013

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...

EA Sports releases free-to-play Madden NFL 25 for iPhone and iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

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...

Apple patents sees iDevices becoming DJ for silent discos

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 27, 2013

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...

Apple TV gains apps from Vevo, Weather Channel, Disney and Smithsonian, we go hands-on

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 31, 2017

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 posts Chromecast iOS management app

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 27, 2013

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....

Apple patent turns iPhone into smart home remote

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 27, 2013

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."...

iOS 7 general availability pegged for September 10

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2013

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...

Apple rolls out revamped AppleCare support website with 24/7 live chat

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 29, 2016

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...

First hands-on video comparison of gold iPhone 5S/5C/5 casing emerges

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2013

You've seen the supposed photos of the upcoming iPhone 5S’s chassis and watched a video depicting the scratch-resistance of the plastic iPhone 5C. Now what? Well, how about the ultimate video hands-on showing off the rumored gold/champagne iPhone 5S and a blue iPhone 5C variant next to an iPhone 5?

Your prayers have been listened to: you're in for a treat as one blogger has posted exactly such footage, and it's been making the rounds this morning...

Siri pans Google Glass

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 26, 2013

Once again, Apple has tweaked its digital personal assistant Siri to give the "right" answers when asked about a competitor's product.

This time around, Apple has re-calibrated her to give amusing responses to the "Okay Glass" prompt Google Glass owners use to issue commands to their Android-driven eyewear.

Though playful, Siri's responses disparage Google Glass, with one response calling Google's head-worn accessory "half empty" and telling users they've "got the wrong assistant". We have all the responses and a nice video right after the break...

FBI and DHS label Android primary malware target

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 26, 2013

A number of Android security problems pose a threat to law enforcement officers using the Google mobile operating software.

According to an unclassified government report, 44 percent of Android users continue to use older versions of the software, opening themselves to numerous security threats, including malware infestation and malicious text messages.

According to the report, obtained from a group promoting public access to government data, Android is the "primary target" of security attacks, with 79 percent of threats...