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Another high profile investor announces position in Apple, stock crosses $500

Cody Lee ∙ August 14, 2013

Yesterday, Carl Icahn, one of the most prominent investors on Wall Street, set the Internet on fire when he announced that he had taken a 'large position' in Apple. He didn't say how much money, exactly, but the investment is believed to be over $1 billion.

As you can imagine, Icahn's comments also set APPL on fire as well. The already-climbing stock jumped 20 points yesterday, and ended up closing around $490. And today, it's crossed the $500 mark on the back of another high-profile investor's blessings...

iCloud Beta revamped with iOS 7 style design, here’s your gallery

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

Apple's streamlining, redesigning and flattening efforts go beyond iOS 7 or Jonny Ive's title. Today, the company has issued a major revamp to its iCloud.com Beta website. The enhanced experience focuses on an all-new yet familiar look which takes more than a few clues from iOS 7, to put it mildly.

But rather than draw snippets of inspiration from the forthcoming iOS 7 refresh, Apple has taken it upon itself to actually recreate the complete iOS 7 look and feel, right in your web browser and down to the flattened icons, minimalistic look and light fonts.

I've taken a bunch of screenshots so do check out the full gallery right below...

Orbotix announces faster, brighter Sphero 2.0

Cody Lee ∙ August 14, 2013

The Sphero ball was one of the first iPhone-controlled accessories to hit the market back in 2010, and it has long been a favorite of enthusiasts. The baseball-sized rolling ball can be remotely controlled via an iOS or Android app.

Today, Orbotix announced the successor to the Sphero ball: Sphero 2.0. The upgraded accessory is more than twice as fast as its predecessor—capable of rolling at 7 FPS—and three times as bright, with more LEDs and colors...

Roku says its set-top box is more popular for streaming than Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

A month ago, Frost & Sullivan Consumer Video Devices Market report singled out Apple's $99 Apple TV as the most-used set-top box in terms of content streaming. Specifically, the Apple TV claimed the commanding 56 percent share of streaming device sales, more than twice the share of the #2 Roku, which took 26 percent share of sales.

Not content with its ranking, Roku today cited another research to prove its box is the leading streaming platform...

Google removing Messenger from Google+ apps

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

Another Google service has bit the dust as the Internet giant announces it will be removing Messenger from Google+ for Android and iOS over the coming days. OBviously, as the focus turns to Hangouts, Messenger is no longer needed. Granted, the writing's been on the wall ever since Google released Hangouts for iOS and Android back in May, its answer to the unification of the many Google chat services under a brand new moniker...

2013 iPhone Photography Awards: you won’t believe your eyes

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

iPhone photography fans who haven't heard about the iPhone Photography Awards yet should definitely familiarize themselves with the competition.

Trust me, the quality of the images photography buffs are taking on their iPhones will leave you breathless. It's also a nice reality check for those who happen to hold their own photography skills in high esteem.

The creativity oozing from some of these shots can't be overstated, especially given the rules prevent photo manipulation other than the capabilities provided by the photographer's camera app of choice...

How to get iOS 7 styled parallax wallpaper on your iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

We've got an extremely cool new Lock screen theme to show you guys and it's called iOS 7 Accelerometer Slideshow Lockscreens. This is a new WinterBoard theme that recently appeared on Cydia, and it completely transforms the iOS Lock screen.

The download includes 5 different theme packs that work well with both 4" iOS devices, and smaller 3.5" devices. Each theme pack features well over a dozen different wallpapers that all move around as you move your device.

Like the Parallax effect found in iOS 7, these new themes allow you to harness the device's built-in accelerometer for a similar stylized effect. It's something that really needs to be seen to full appreciate.

Have a look inside as we showcase iOS 7 Accelerometer Slideshow Lockscreens on video.

Brazil sues Samsung over alleged factory labor problems

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 14, 2013

Samsung is reportedly facing a $108 million lawsuit from Brazil, which is claiming "serious" labor violations at the smartphone maker's Manaus factory. At least 2,000 workers suffered injuries after being forced to work 15-hour days and not getting enough break time, a Brazilian labor organization claims Wednesday.

The website of the group Reporter Brasil cites Brazil prosecutors and the government's labor ministry. In 2011, the South Korean smartphone maker paid $200,000 to settled similar charges over working conditions made by the government...

Gartner makes it official: smartphones are outselling dumb phones

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Smartphones - once the preserve for geeky first adopters - are now the norm. You notice the change on the street, on television and now with such traditional research firms as Gartner. Sales of smartphones in the second quarter reached 51.8 percent, compared to an astounding 21 percent decline in feature phones, or dumb phones as they're also called, according to the researcher. At the same time, the Asia/Pacific region marked the highest smartphone growth, reaching to 74 percent...

Infographic: the iPhone supply and manufacturing chain

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

Because of its size, popularity and visibility, Apple is being increasingly scrutinized for outsourcing gadget assembly to Asian contract manufacturers.

Although Tim Cook has pledged to bring some of the manufacturing jobs back to the United States with the new 'Made In USA' Mac Pro, critics still slam the company for sourcing product components from Taiwanese vendors. Per usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

For example, while iPhone screens are made by Asian vendors, its cover glass is being manufactured in the US by Gorilla Glass in Kentucky. As for the chips, the engine that drives the iPhone is Apple's in-house design, fabbed by Samsung in Austin, Texas.

I stumbled upon a very nice infographic that details the source of the many iPhone components, including the speakers, vibration motor, rear earth metals and more, jump past the fold to have a look...

Another supposed iPhone 5S rear shell shows modified Home button design

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 14, 2013

Another day, another iPhone "leak". With less than four weeks until Apple's September 10 event, a growing number of purported parts can be seen cropping up all over Asia.

The latest is this genuine looking backplate that shows enough tweaks and modifications not to be easily dismisses as an early iPhone 5 prototype design.

The most interesting bit about it is a slight change in the Home button assembly. It could be just Apple improving reliability of the Home button, but with all the rumors pointing to the fingerprint sensor integrated into the Home button, one never knows...