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Google’s Nexus 10 no threat to iPad sales

Ed Sutherland ∙ April 18, 2013

Here's an interesting tidbit we found this morning: Microsoft's Surface tablets could actually be outselling Google's latest Nexus 10. We understand every scuffle between Google and Apple is actually a proxy for the battle between Android and iOS, so the statement by blogger Benedict Evans caught our eyes. According to Evans, the Samsung-made Nexus 10 likely sold around 1.01 million of the Google tablets by the end of March.

This compares to the 1.5 million Surface tablets Microsoft has reportedly sold - not to mention the ten million iPad mini tablets purchased in just the last two months of the fourth quarter in fiscal 2012. While the latest Nexus tablet is no threat to the iPad, the calculations suggest something more important: strong distribution and a well-defined ecosystem can overcome big-name rivals...

Yahoo’s new Weather iOS app looks terrific

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 18, 2013

I'm a huge sucker for awesome weather apps, so much that I'm afraid to even think about how much money I've put into these kinds of apps for my iThings.

Yahoo, as you know, supplies Apple with weather data for its stock iOS Weather app (in addition to Stocks and Siri data as well) and it was reported earlier this morning that the company will be launching a dedicated weather forecast software on the App Store.

You could imagine a weather buff like myself would be hanging on the edge of my seat in anticipation of Yahoo! Weather. Now that it's just hit the App Store, I can honestly say that this is the best-designed iOS app from Yahoo yet.

The elegant typography combined with the big, beautiful full-screen images (crowd-sourced via Flickr), the crisp weather pictograms and just the right amount of information make this my new favorite weather forecast app. Jump past the fold for a bunch of screenshots, you know you want to..

Dubious budget iPhone plastic shell leaks

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 27, 2016

Apple's rumored less-pricey iPhone is thought to minimize manufacturing costs by abandoning the pricey two-tone aluminum body, replacing it with a less expensive polycarbonate shell akin to the white G3 iMac - or similar to the plastic body of the iPhone 3G/3GS, if you will. Now, rumor-mills, but also big media such as WSJ and Bloomberg, have repeated this particular data point numerous times, but we have never seen any physical evidence supporting the plastic body theory.

That changed Wednesday as case manufacturer Tactus, which recently leaked purported iPad 5 shell, posted an image that allegedly represents the back shell of the budget iPhone. We couldn't confirm its authenticity at press time so take this one with a pinch of salt, even more so knowing accessory makers often pull such stunts to get free press...

Twitter #music app launches on iPhone, get downloading

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

The popular micro-blogging turned media platform, Twitter, announced Wednesday that its new Music app is now available for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch, free of charge. Twitter's music service on the web, which has been available in limited beta to a few celebrities, will open for everyone later today. Billed as "a new way to discover music and emerging artists", the native iOS app, which is conveniently named Twitter #music, basically wants to become your default social music discovery tool.

Currently, the software pulls songs from iTunes, Spotify and Rdio, but more sources are likely to be added in the future. Anyone can listen to iTunes previews in the app, but Rdio and Spotify subscribers can log in using their credentials to enjoy full tracks that are available in those respective catalogs...

Verizon in Q1 activated 4M iPhones out of 7.2M smartphones

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 18, 2013

Verizon just posted its calendar 2013 first quarter earnings. The nation's top wireless carrier activated four million iPhones on its network throughout the quarter, half of which were the iPhone 5. The figure beats the 3.5 million unit consensus and represents a 25 percent increase over the 3.2 million iPhones Verizon activated a year ago. Representing just over 55 percent of all smartphone activations for the quarter, the iPhone during Q4 2012 represented nearly two-thirds of activations, which isn't surprising given the holiday rush, iPhone 4/4S price cuts and the iPhone 5 launch hype.

The company added 720,000 net new subscribers, including 677,000 people who signed two-year contracts, up 35 percent year-over-year. Turnover rate increased slightly to 1.01 percent from 0.96 percent a year ago. Smartphones represented 61 percent of contract subscribers, a record smartphone penetration. Shares climbed 1.94 percent during Thursday’s pre-market session...

Yahoo to launch new iOS weather app and iPad email client tomorrow

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

According to well-informed sources, Internet giant Yahoo will tomorrow release two new iOS applications, one a standalone weather software and the other an iPad version of its native email client. The news arrives hot on the heels of last week's claim by The Wall Street Journal, which has it on good authority that Apple and Yahoo are "in very early stages" of deepening their partnership in order to grow Yahoo's presence on mobile devices as Apple continues to push itself further away from Google...

And just like that, Chat Heads are a reality on iOS

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 17, 2013

As we predicted, Chat Heads are coming to a jailbroken iPhone near you. Stride developer, Adam Bell, is currently hard at work on implementing Facebook's Chat Head feature system-wide on iOS, and he's made some great progress.

First posted on the Verge, Bell's Chat Head integration with iOS looks to be coming along much faster than many anticipated. Take a look at a hands-on video inside.

Auxo coming to iPad next month

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Folks, it's almost here. Yes, Auxo is coming to the iPad next month. As you know, Auxo is one of my own personal favorite jailbreak tweaks, and for good reason. It completely re-imagines the iOS app switcher, giving users the ability to see full screen previews of running apps.

While I always thought Auxo looked great on the iPhone 5's larger screen, I'd imagine it will look even better on the iPad. The screenshot above pretty much says as much.

Can you hear me now: 60,000 disgruntled users urge Verizon to drop contracts

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 24, 2018

T-Mobile's 'Un-carrier' decision to separate device subsidies from the wireless service and its introduction of no-contract plans predictably agitated spirits in this lucrative industry. But Verizon Wireless, the top U.S. carrier, wouldn't budge. In fact, the big red carrier responded rather autistically to T-Mobile by delaying phone upgrades from 20 to 24 months.

At the same time, Verizon is attempting to appease to users by offering smartphone financing program beginning April 21. That Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam refuses to clarify his company's stance on monthly installments isn't helping either.

Deciding enough is enough, one Verizon fanboy started a petition recently, urging the carrier to ditch wireless contracts. And guess what? Already 60,000+ disgruntled customers put their signature on it. Verizon, can you hear me now?

Apple vs Android: debate continues as iOS proves more lucrative

Ed Sutherland ∙ April 17, 2013

The shift to mobility has certainly hurt the ability to pick clear winners and losers. In the era of beige-box PCs, bean-counters could glance at market share data. But growth of smartphones and apps shattered such easy measurements The battle between Apple's iOS and Google's Android is more of an optical illusion where the "winner" can triumph in terms of market share, but lose when it comes to revenue.

Still, people want clear winners and losers and Time magazine is just the latest to answer the call. According to the magazine's website, the winner is - well, that really depends...

Apple choice of 58% enterprises, Android choice of 97% malware

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

A pair of reports issued yesterday really put the growth of mobile in perspective. Currently, the mobile landscape is dominated by two players - Apple's iOS and Google's Android.

While Apple is increasingly favored by companies big and small, Android has become the go-to vector for mobile malware, it seems.

Attacks involving mobile devices has risen dramatically in the space of just one year, skyrocketing to more than 36,000 instances in 2012, up from only 792 cases, according to a security research firm.

Meanwhile, large companies are adopting Apple devices at a faster clip than Android, according to another report...

Celebrating first anniversary, Pocket adds Send to Friend social feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Pocket, a read-later service, in celebration of its first anniversary today pushed a new build of its iOS and Android containing a new social feature aptly named Send to Friend, in addition to push notifications and other nice-to-haves.

Formerly know as Read It Later, Pocket was App Store’s Best of 2012 app and iPad App of the Week. Send to Friend is interesting as it saves content other people share with you right in your inbox.

You can then re-visit those articles later, but also read comments along with any highlighted quotes they chose to share with you...