Get your Passbook ticket for today’s iPad mini event

With three and a half hours left to go, why not get your Passbook vanity ticket for today's iPad mini event? I first checked with digital ticketing company Flon Solutions because they already provide some nice novelty Passbook passes from historic events.

Unfortunately, the company hasn't yet updated their database with the iPad mini event ticket. Luckily, Twitter came to the rescue. Obviously this isn't a real event ticket so don't try to get into the press conference with it...

Apple will also live stream today’s iPad mini event via its home page

Apple earlier today updated the Apple TV interface with a new Apple Events section which contains a link to a live stream of today's iPad mini press conference. The move prompting somewhat unusual speculation that the company will only provide a live stream as a courtesy to Apple TV owners. We provided some workaround solution at the bottom of this post and now Apple has made it official: you will be able to enjoy the live stream on either your Apple TV or by opening a page on Apple's web site using the Safari browser on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac or Windows PC...

Apple could release four new Lightning adapters today

According to a well-informed blog, in addition to the iPad mini and some new Macs, Apple today could also release a set of four new Lightning adapters and cables, two of which are aimed at providing compatibility with digital cameras via USB and SD cards, costing $29 each. The other two should provide a way to feed video from the device to external displays, projectors and other devices via the industry-standard VGA adapter or digital AV, priced at $49 each...

And the Apple Store goes down…

With less than four and a half hours until today's iPad mini event, the online Apple stores around the world have gone offline as Apple is busy updating the store for us with some interesting new products. As previously noted, we're expecting some revamped iMacs today alongside the smaller iPad, in addition to perhaps refreshed Mac minis and likely a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. Apple will also provide a live stream of today's event via a new Apple Events section added to the Apple TV interface, though it's unclear if the company will also provide a live stream via its home page...

Apple will be live-streaming today’s event on Apple TV

Great news Apple fans, it looks like the Cupertino company has decided to live stream today's so-called "iPad mini" event after all.

Several users have noticed that a new icon labeled 'Apple Events' has popped up on the main menu of the Apple TV that matches the press invitations Apple sent out last week. And sure enough, its description says that there will be a live feed of today's presser...

US Patent Office invalidates Apple’s rubber-banding patent

This is a pretty big deal: the United States Patent and Trademark Office has just tentatively invalidated Apple's rubber-banding patent. This is the infamous '381 patent that covers the 'bouncing' effect when scrolling on a touch screen.

Why is this a big deal? Because this was one of the major patents Apple used in its $1 billion victory against Samsung back in August. And if the USPTO's decision holds true, Samsung could be looking at a much smaller penalty...

Analyst claims to have already played with an iPad mini

With Apple's media event now just hours away, anticipation is mounting for what is expected to be a major announcement. For the first time in two years, the company will be unveiling a new product line: the iPad mini.

While we think we know a lot about the smaller tablet, we won't know anything for sure until Apple hoists it up on stage tomorrow. But according to one analyst, who claims to have already played with the slate, it's awesome...

Tweaked third gen iPad could have improved FaceTime camera

In addition to the iPad mini, and a handful of other announcements, Apple is widely expected to unveil a tweaked version of its current full-sized tablet at its media event tomorrow.

The retooled slate is said to feature a handful of changes, including Apple's new Lightning connector, a global LTE chip and, if these images are legit, an improved FaceTime camera...

The iPad mini and what it means for the iPod touch

As time has progressed of late, it has become increasingly clear that Apple will announce a new, smaller iPad at tomorrow's press event. Dubbed the iPad mini, the new device is, we believe, going to offer much of the current iPad experience, but this time in a more diminutive form.

This iPad mini has been rumored for what feels like forever, with the tablet almost as fabled in Apple rumor circles as that Apple-branded television we are still waiting for. With less than twenty-four hours to go, it seems we need not wait much longer. But where does it sit in Apple's product line?

If you're not someone who wants to buy an iPhone, then the obvious choice right now is an iPod touch. If you don't want something quite so large as an iPad, then the current choice is to plump for that same iPod touch, or something a little more Android-y. But what about post iPad mini? That's a whole different story indeed...

iOS 6 adoption rate: nearly 2 out of every 3 devices upgraded

According to a new Chitika survey, a month following its public release iOS 6 is found on approximately 61 percent of devices. When Chitika conducted a similar survey just 24 hours after iOS 6 availability, it found the software on some fifteen percent of devices (25 percent after 48 hours of availability).

People who want to be on the bleeding edge of technology usually install the latest and greatest version of iOS within the first week or two, with some opting to hold out until early kinks have been worked out. The numbers do suggest that the rate of iOS 6 adoption is stabilizing.

Apple itself on September 24 said iOS 6 ran on one-quarter of all iOS devices it sold to that date, amounting to a total of a hundred million iPhones, iPads and iPod touches running iOS 6...

Apple leaks: increasingly they are made in China

If there is one word that is often used to describe Apple it is "secretive." The Cupertino, California firm is legendary for its corporate tight lips. Increasingly, however, there are few secrets left when it comes to Apple products. A number of insiders are blaming Apple's extensive supply chain and companies outside the US.

"Apple's security practices are targeted at making sure U.S. employees don't leak stuff, but everything comes out of China now," an unnamed employee of the iPhone maker told Ars Technica Monday. This inability to ensure suppliers outside the U.S. share the same regard for product secrecy has led Apple to tighten the screws on employees at home - sometimes with questionable results.

Another blunder for RIM as government agencies dump BlackBerries for iPhones

Research In Motion's BlackBerry not that long ago was the dominant smartphone platform. Due to its incompetent management all too easily waving off the iPhone threat, which along with Android went on to slaughter the BlackBerry in the consumer space, RIM has now sought a retreat in big corporations and government agencies - its only remaining strongholds.

The problem is, the enterprise market is now dropping BlackBerries in droves and governments around the world are following suit. The latest example: both the U.S. Immigration and Customer Enforcement agency and government consultant Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. are dropping a total of nearly 50,000 BlackBerry handsets in favor of iPhones and devices powered by Google's Android software...