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Phil Schiller reportedly confirms the iPad mini has stereo speakers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

In a classic marketing 101 move, online retailer Amazon last week highlighted the iPad mini's perceived flaws in a huge Kindle Fire HD ad on its web site. The move came after Amazon uncharacteristically compared the iPad mini to its tablet in an earnings release announcing its first loss in nine years. Advertising against the iPad mini, Amazon listed Apple's device as having a mono speaker versus dual stereo speakers on its tablet. Some people likely bought this as Apple's own web page makes no mention of stereo speakers and the Tech Specs page only confirms "built-in speaker".

Always quick to right the wrongs, Apple's head honcho of worldwide marketing allegedly confirmed in an email exchange with a fan that the smaller iPad does have built-in stereo speakers. We expect Amazon to update its homepage ad shortly...

2K Games unleashes Borderlands Legends on iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrdmZhswHkU

2K Games has released its first iOS game from the Borderlands Legends franchise. The game puts you in control of four characters named Control Mordecai, Lilith, Brick and Roland. Developed by Gearbox, this title is being released on tablets and borrows heavily from its console counterpart, though it's not quite the same. Nonetheless, it should appeal to fans of the series.

Expect the usual assortment of enemies and eye-candy high-definition graphics. Each character has their own set of unique skills and abilities and you can collect in-game cash by destroying enemies to purchase new weapons and upgrade your character with new unlockable skills and abilities...

Foxconn’s profits rise sharply on new Apple product launches

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2012

Shares of Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer that assembles Apple's iPhone, iPad and a number of products for other big names in tech, posted its third-quarter earnings yesterday. The results are stronger than expected and attributed to high demand for the iPhone 5, warm iPad mini reception and the incoming new iMac, which arrives in November and is already predicted to be in short supply.

On the other hand, investors are also concerned over Apple's long-term growth prospect and Foxconn becoming too dependent on the Cupertino, California designer of shiny gadgets...

Apple shake-up cost investors $12+ billion

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2012

Markets finally opened this morning after a two-day period of suspended trading over Hurricane Sandy. Apple on its part has cunningly slipped in news late Monday that it fired iOS chief Scott Forstall and retail boss John Browett over a series of missteps that cost the Cupertino, California-headquartered company both reputation and market position.

Apple's bet was that investors, fans and the general public would have some time to process the news before jumping to conclusions. Many watchers and analysts deemed the move a strategic re-aligning, one that gave Apple's design guru Jony Ive more power, turning him into the steward of the user experience across Apple products. Still, some investors were spooked and sent shares of Apple down to their lowest level since late July...

iPad mini Smart Cover unboxed

Jeff Benjamin ∙ October 31, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pabjjDgimoA

There's really not a lot to say here, because if you've ever used a Smart Cover before, you know exactly what to expect. With that said, there are, as we've previously noted, some changes with the way the hinge attaches to the iPad mini.

The magnets are now wrapped in polyurethane and micro-fiber, presumably to prevent the Smart Cover from scratching the mini's surface like full sized Smart Covers have been known to do. The all enclosed hinge also serves up a cleaner look when compared to its big brother.

What do you think? Have you ordered a Smart Cover to go with your iPad mini?

First unboxing images of iPad mini hit the web

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2012

Apple originally promised to ship the 4G LTE cellular version of the iPad mini mid-November. However, following selling out of initial supplies of Wi-Fi models, analysts have warned the company could easily face production issues that could easily affect delivery dates. Multiple web reports now indicate that Apple is in fact removing delivery dates for iPad mini LTE pre-orders.

Some customers are now reporting that the company updated their November 23 shipment date to just "mid-November". Meanwhile, just as first (and largely positive) reviews hit the web, a guy in France has already received his Wi-Fi unit ahead of Friday's official launch and posted a series of unboxing pics...

Asus says Nexus 7 sales are approaching 1 million per month

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

As Apple launches the iPad mini on Friday, the company will, for the first time in recent memory, be entering a crowded, well-established marketplace. Both Google and Amazon have been successfully selling 7-8-inch tablets for quite some time now.

We'll never know just how well Amazon's Kindle Fire HD is selling, as they don't release sales figures, but we do get a glimpse of Google's Nexus 7 numbers this morning. And they're pretty good. Asus' CFO says they're moving almost 1 million per month...

Apple posts new iPhone 5 launch day video

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

As noted by some of our readers, Apple has quietly posted a new video to its iPhone 5 page entitled "The Launch Day video." The two-minute compilation clip, as you might have guessed, shows scenes from Apple Stores around the globe during last month's iPhone 5 launch day events...

Media mogul Mark Cuban talks future of Apple TV

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

Mark Cuban, for those who haven't heard of him, is a self-made billionaire. He owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theaters and Magnolia Pictures. Needless to say when he talks, people listen.

And recently, the media mogul had some things to say about what Apple's next play in the TV industry should be. In short, he believes the Cupertino company would do well to make an integrated set-top box...

iPhone 5 gets regulatory approval in China

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2012

According to a new report, the China State Radio Management agency, one of China's regulatory agencies, has just given Apple's iPhone 5 the go-ahead for sale in the country.

The news comes about a month after the handset received approval from the China Compulsory Certificate, and about a month ahead of its scheduled December launch...

The first iPad mini and 4th gen iPad reviews hit the web

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

While most of us have to wait until Friday to get our hands on the new iPad mini, a select group of journalists have been using the tablet since Apple unveiled it last Tuesday.

These writers were given early access to the device so they could post full-length reviews before it launches later this week. And a lot of those reviews just went live…

Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting Unboxing

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 12, 2018

I know, I'm crazy like that, but I just couldn't pass up the chance to try something this cool. I bought a Philips Hue Starter Kit for $199.95. That's more than half the price of an iPad mini for a few lightbulbs. But these aren't any ordinary lightbulbs, as you read in our post yesterday.

The Philips Hue starter kit allows you to dynamically change the colors and lighting of a room using a handy iOS app. You can even turn on your lights while away from home all from your iPhone. Needless to say, my curiosity got the best of me, and I simply couldn't resist the chance to try something like that out. Check out my unboxing inside, and stay tuned for the full review...