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Samsung’s Galaxy S IV seen building iPhone-like hype

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article today by Evan Ramstad entitled "Hype Builds for Smartphone, but It Isn't an Apple Device." Essentially, the whole piece is about how the commotion surrounding Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S IV handset is reaching iPhone-like proportions.

I didn't agree at first — I've seen leaked photos of Android handsets before, and heard rumors and speculation. But as I started to dig in a little bit I realized that Ramstad was right, there's something different this time around. A lot of people are talking about Samsung's next flagship handset...

Lock Screen Drawer is another iOS 7 toggle concept

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

One of the annoying quirks of iOS is there's no way to quickly toggle battery-draining and data-thirsty features and services we like to use selectively. Of course, that's without jailbreaking. Considering BossPrefs (the precursor to SBSettings) was released in 2007, it's about time Apple caught up with the demand for an official quick toggle panel. But how would Apple approach the problem?

Jean-Marc Denis posted one possibility to Dribbble. It's a concept called 'Lock Screen Drawer', which would allow users to access toggles by pulling on a tab under the lock screen clock. Pull the tab, and a small tray slides out. In the concept, the tray is equipped with toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, and hotspot. We'd like to see GPS on the list too, so hopefully there would be a way to customize the toggles...

Create, add, and share beautiful filters for your photos with Digiback

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

There is an embarrassment of photography and filter apps on iTunes. If you're not keeping track, Hipstamatic allows users to play with swappable filters disguised as virtual camera equipment, Instagram shares retro-filtered photos to a community, while Snapseed gives mobile users fine control of photo editing on the go. That barely scratches the surface of iPhoneography. In a flooded marketplace, what else can an iOS photography app allow users to do?

Digiback is a recently released photography app that allows users to not only share pictures they've taken, but to also share their custom filters with other users. Not only can users create impressive photography effects for their own use, you can also share these effects with others, and then benefit from effects created by Digiback's community...

Volume production of Apple silicon looms as TSMC’s 2013 wafer shipments triple

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 18, 2013

Following up on talk that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is prepping to manufacture Apple’s A6X processor and whispers of Tim Cook & Co. negotiating a deal with the foundry to make mobile chips for iOS devices on its 20 nanometer process technology, China Times now quotes Chairman and CEO Morris Chang's words that TSMC is close to achieving a hundred percent market share on its 28nm process technology.

But why have TSCM's wafer shipments all of a sudden tripled, allowing it to achieve a virtual monopoly on the 28nm silicon? That's where the Apple link comes into full view...

Former Color employee gives behind-the-scenes look at Apple’s Lala acquisition

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

This is probably one of the more interesting Steve Jobs-Apple anecdotes I've heard in a while. It comes from Aubrey Johnson, a former Color employee, who gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Apple's acquisitions of two startups: Lala and Color.

Apple purchased Lala, a streaming music company, back in late 2009, and it just completed its buyout of Color. And outside of the fact that both startups were founded by Bill Nguyen, not much else was really known about the two deals. Until now...

Caption contest: Jony Ive at Silicon Valley’s all-star pizza dinner

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 18, 2013

This photo is gold. Twelve of the most important people in Silicon Valley gathered for a dinner tonight, hosted by Nextdoor CEO and longtime Silicon Valley entrepreneur Nirav Tolia.

In attendance was Apple's design guru Jonathan Ive alongside a few other Silicon Valley celebrities.

Most notably, these include Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Google X director Mike Cassidy, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and CEOs of Yelp, Dropbox ("you're just a feature") and Path. Ive is just behind Yahoo's Marissa on the right.

Such a rare photo-op, and with an informal Jony Ive as a bonus? Priceless. At any rate, it's nice to see the world's most acclaimed industrial designer hanging out with Silicon Valley's most influential entrepreneurs, even if he doesn't look like he's having much fun. Perhaps you could write your own caption?

DataMan Next tracks your cellular data usage in a very elegant way

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

I didn't care much about cellular data tracking apps until I gave up my unlimited data plan, a couple months ago. Then all the sudden it became important to me to figure out how much data I was using and make sure I didn't go over my allocated amount. My wife and I share 4GB, and although we've historically never been close to using all of that, I like to keep an eye on my usage, just to feel safe.

So I downloaded the DataMan app, which has served its purpose wonderfully ever since as it provided me with real time data usage. One thing always bothered me about this app though: it just looked bad.

But this morning, I received an email from Johnny Ixe, the developer of DataMan, letting me know about his new app called DataMan Next. It serves the exact same purpose as DataMan, except it looks much better. I'd actually go as fasr as saying it looks beautiful, but you might want to see for yourself...

Korean iPhone users drop privacy suit against Apple to pursue $25M case

Cody Lee ∙ January 18, 2013

Back in 2011 a group of 29 people took action against Apple, claiming that the iPhone-maker was illegally enabling location-based features without their consent (you remember locationgate, don't you?). Today, however, they've backed down after failing to provide sufficient evidence.

The group had been seeking 800,000 won (or $757 USD) per person, but will now turn their attention to a separate class-action privacy suit filed with a regional court, which involves claims from roughly 27,000 iPhone owners in the country and could be worth up to $25 million...

The government wants to give you greater control of app privacy and data tracking

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated November 9, 2023

We don't often discuss U.S. government action when it comes to iPhone apps. But proposed legislation in Washington has iOS app advertisers up in arms and could even curtail future app development. Known as the "Apps Act", the measure ostensibly is aimed at protecting the privacy of consumers downloading a growing number of apps on mobile devices.

Per voluntary guidelines, Apps Act will require apps to get explicit permission from you before acquiring your name and email address. Among the areas targeted in the US House of Representatives proposal by Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson is requiring app devs to explain how your data will be used and what third parties can access it.

These steps are largely positive and one component of the proposed new regulation is particularly interesting as it would give your the right to delete your personal data used by advertisers...

OkCupid launches ‘Crazy Blind Date’ app

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Ever tried OkCupid? It's a geeky little dating service that matches people based on their answers to multiple choice questions. Your answers determines what the site believes you care about, as well as your opinions on ethics, sex, religion, lifestyle, dating, and a host of other topics. The premise of the service is it can match its users with their ideal partners, before you're even introduced.

But is 'ideal' everyone's cup of tea? OkCupid recently launched an app called Crazy Blind Date that throws your pictures, answers, and meticulously crafted profiles out the window. Just pick an evening you're free, a place you'd like to go, and Crazy Blind Date will set you up with somebody who also happens to be free...

Supply cuts? Think a major technology shift ahead of iPhone 6

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 18, 2013

There has never been so much hoopla surrounding Apple's supply chain like recent talk of a severe cut back in orders of screens for the iPhone 5, and now iPads as well. The negative sentiment in those unverified reports has already sent AAPL below $500 ahead of the impending earnings call.

But one analyst isn't worried at all. In his mind, the cutbacks are the result of an upcoming "evolutionary technology update" for the next iPhone rather than a sign of a lack of demand for the new Apple handset...