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IFTTT brings its powerful automation service to the iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 12, 2018

IFTTT has been around for a while now—since 2010. The acronym stands for 'If This Then That,' which does a great job of summarizing what it does: allows users to create automation Recipes for various services using a Trigger (this) and an Action (that).

Services like Instagram and Dropbox are known as 'Channels,' and there are different Triggers and Actions associated with each. It's a cool idea, but the only way to set up these Recipes through IFTTT was via a web browser. That, however, changes today...

SoftBank completes Sprint buyout, drops the ‘Nextel’ name

Cody Lee ∙ July 11, 2013

It's official. Sprint Nextel is now simply Sprint Corporation, as SoftBank completes its high-profile buyout of the wireless provider. Japan’s third-largest carrier now owns a controlling stake in the United States' third-largest carrier. Fitting, isn't it?

The deal, which has been in negotiations since last fall, is worth some $21.6 billion. $5 billion of it is being used as a cash infusion to take on future projects, and the other $16.6 billion is going to Sprint shareholders. And Nextel? It's gone for good...

Disney to honor Steve Jobs with prestigious ‘Legends’ award

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Disney announced its 2013 Disney Legends Award honorees today. The awards will be presented next month at Disney's D23 expo, a 3-day event held for fans, giving them a rare opportunity to be a part of the always touching and memorable presentation.

The Legends award is the media conglomerate's highest and most coveted honor, and is reserved for extraordinary visionaries and artists behind the "Disney magic." This year's honorees include the likes of Dick Clark, John Goodman, and yes, Steve Jobs...

Apple to finally make shift to IGZO displays next year

Cody Lee ∙ July 10, 2013

According to a new report, upcoming iPads and MacBook laptops should feature significantly better battery life thanks to their use of IGZO display panels. The technology, which uses indium gallium zinc oxide, was co-developed by Sharp and Semiconductor Energy Laboratories.

Apple has long been rumored to adopt the use of IGZO display panels in its mobile products, but production issues and other barriers have prevented this from happening. But if today's news holds true, that could change as early as this year thanks to supply chain advancements...

Facebook app updated with new icons for verified accounts and more

Cody Lee ∙ July 10, 2013

Facebook has posted a small update for its iOS application this afternoon, bringing the mobile client to version 6.3. The update only brings about a handful of improvements, but one of them could have major implications for the social network.

New in version 6.3 are blue check mark icons for verified accounts—similar to what you see on Twitter. This makes it easier to find pages of celebrities, public figures and brands that have been officially confirmed and authenticated by Facebook...

T-Mobile unveils Jump, ‘the best upgrade program in America’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

So, both AT&T and Verizon are now making you wait longer to upgrade to a brand spanking new smartphone, going from 20 to 24 months?

That's exactly where T-Mobile is hoping to leapfrog the nation's leading telcos with its new upgrade initiative called Jump.

As reported earlier today, Jump basically lets you upgrade when you want, not when you're told ("two years is too tong to wait" to upgrade your phone").

More precisely, you can upgrade up to twice a year as soon as six months from enrollment. So welcome to the Jump upgrade club my friend and don't forget to jump past the fold (pun intended) for the full breakdown...

You can now embed Instagram photos and videos in web pages, here’s how

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 10, 2013

Instagram's insistence on requiring people to use its mobile apps exclusively never really sat with me. In a time when people can embed all kinds of content in web pages, here we are unable to embed our Instagrams in blog posts.

But times are changing fast. After Twitter's Vine service came along, we soon gained ability to embed those five-second recordings pretty much everywhere (here's how).

And just as Instagram video became a reality, I suspected it won't be too long before we could embed 15-second Instagram clips across the web. Indeed, web embeds for Instagram photos and videos launched today and we've got the full details below the fold...

Wall Street prepares for flat year-over-year growth from Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

If Wall Street was caught flat-footed by Apple's lower earnings back in April, analysts are preparing for more bad news for the third quarter. Apple is expected to announce lower quarterly revenue and sales, prompting one expert to slice thirteen percent off his previous forecast for the third quarter. Although a $5.4 billion reduction in expectations might seem dramatic, it is actually rosier than a review of what Apple may announce July 24...

Pirate Bay co-founder touts ‘secret’ messaging app

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

So, you want to order a pizza or text sweet nothings to your significant other without the NSA listening? The co-founder of The Pirate Bay, known for swapping illicit copies of movies and software, has a secret - literally. Peter Sunde is raising funds for Hemlis (Swedish for "secret"), a new kind of messaging app for iOS and Android he and his team are working on. They boldly claim the software is designed to keep out the most prying eyes, such as those from the U.S. government's PRISM program...

Apple’s content king Eddy Cue also attending 2013 Sun Valley retreat

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 10, 2013

The Sun Valley tech and media conference is kicking off today. Apple's CEO Tim Cook arrived to Idaho-based Sun Valley Resort earlier today and was unexpectedly accompanied by Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue.

More than 300 executives from technology and media companies are slated to attend the annual conference, which runs through Friday and is hosted and wholly independently funded by private investment firm Allen & Company.

Cook was in attendance of last year's retreat, but this time around he's brought Cue with him, perhaps to kick the show up one more notch and cut lucrative new content deals...

T-Mobile to ‘upgrade upgrades’ with new Jump unlimited upgrade plan

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

T-Mobile is holding a media event later today at 2:30PM Eastern / 11:30AM Pacific to announce "our boldest moves yet." A leaked memo suggests the Deutsche Telekom-owned telco is readying a new unlimited upgrade plan for smartphones. "We've upgraded upgrades," the memo reads. Called Jump, the idea is to allow customers to upgrade when they actually want to instead of waiting the usual two-years until their contract expires. I've included more tidbits after the break...

Apple found guilty of orchestrating e-book pricing conspiracy

Ed Sutherland ∙ July 10, 2013

A court Wednesday found Apple had conspired to increase the prices of e-books, setting a separate trial for damages.

In a 159-page decision, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote wrote that "Apple played a central role" in the conspiracy, which the company flatly denied.

The government has charged Apple with working with five publishers together to undercut Amazon's control of the market. In response to the verdict, some watchers opined that the government playing so openly into the hand of a monopolist like Amazon may reduce competition...