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Microsoft’s Surface OS is a resource hog

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 18, 2012

We've been covering Microsoft's Surface and other competing tablets quite extensively here at iDB because we believe Apple is not an isolated isle and it pays to keeping tabs on what your competition is doing. Now, a 32GB Surface RT matches a 16GB iPad 3 in terms of price, both costing $499. That said, Surface RT users will wind up having less storage space available because the operating system and bundled apps require a significant amount of storage. It almost comes close to installing a Windows on a PC...

Apple’s request to seal financial documents from Samsung trial denied

Cody Lee ∙ October 18, 2012

Apple must have really hated divulging all of those secrets during the high-profile patent trial against Samsung this summer. We saw everything from iPhone and iPad prototypes, to how Apple creates its products.

And it looks like we're about to learn some more interesting information, as Judge Lucy Koh handed down an order late last night denying Apple's motion to keep certain financial documents sealed from the public...

Sprint to take control of Clearwire without acquisition

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Sprint is said to be in high-level negotiations with Clearwire, a wireless broadband provider, that would give it greater control over its long-time partner. The deal would give the carrier the ability to appoint a majority of the company's board members, without having to pony up cash for a buyout.

The news actually comes as a bit of a surprise, as many folks (especially investors) believed that Softbank's announcement that it was going to take a controlling stake in Sprint from earlier this week would lead to a Clearwire acquisition. But apparently, the carrier had other plans...

Apple loses appeal in major UK patent case against Samsung

Cody Lee ∙ October 18, 2012

Back in July, the High Court in London ruled against Apple in a patent suit against Samsung, saying that consumers were unlikely to mistake its iPad with Samsung's Galaxy Tab because it "wasn't as cool."

As a result of the ruling, Judge Colin Birss ordered Apple to run advertisements on both its UK website and in British publications stating that Samsung didn't copy the iPad to correct the damaging impression.

Well, Apple might want to start planning its marketing campaign. Because it just lost the appeal...

iPhone accounts for nearly half of smartphone web traffic

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The number of models in the iPhone family is extremely small compared to the amount produced by other manufacturers. But according to a new report, which is an update to Chitika's recent iPhone 5 study, Apple's handsets still account for nearly half of all smartphone-generated internet traffic...

Apple said to be acquiring media sharing startup Color Labs

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

It seems like Apple's on a bit of a shopping spree this week. Hot on the heels of yesterday's revelation that the company acquired web app firm Particle, comes another scoop about an acquisition.

A new report is out tonight claiming that Apple is about to buyout Color Labs, a Palo Alto-based social startup that allows users to share photos and videos through its Android and iOS apps...

Google invites press to October 29 Android event

Cody Lee ∙ October 17, 2012

Google has sent out press invitations this afternoon for an Android event to take place on October 29th. The shindig will kick off at 10 a.m. EST at Basketball City in New York.

The invitation itself doesn't give many clues as to what could be announced. But given the fact that the holidays are just around the corner, we're guessing it's new hardware...

How to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 on Pre-A5 devices using backup and restore

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

We've been stressing how many new features were packed into the new RedSn0w, and we weren't kidding. Another under the radar feature that's been added to the new RedSn0w is the ability to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 untethered on Pre-A5 devices in A5 Non DFU style.

This is accomplished using the same method used for jailbreak tools like Absinthe, which utilizes backup and restore instead of the typical DFU ramdisk method. This is a great feature that speeds up the jailbreak process on Pre-A5 devices running iOS 5.1.1. Check inside as we give you a video demonstration and tutorial showing how it works.

FCC gives AT&T the go-ahead to use its WCS spectrum

Cody Lee ∙ October 17, 2012

Reports are coming in this afternoon that the Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's plan to use its dormant WCS spectrum to expand its LTE network. The carrier acquired the spectrum years ago, but has been unable to use it due to concerns that it would knock out the popular Sirius satellite radio service...

Kindle Fire users read more newspapers and magazines than iPad users

Cody Lee ∙ October 17, 2012

When Apple unveiled the iPad back in 2010, it was believed that it was going to turn the print industry upside down. Traditional newspapers and magazines were both supposed to be victims of the popular tablet.

But alas, here we are more than three years after its release, and the iPad hasn't made a very big dent in either space. In fact, according to a new report, more Kindle Fire users are reading newspapers and magazines on their tablets than those with Apple slates...

Microsoft: Surface screen outperforms the iPad Retina display

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Microsoft is nothing if not an expert when it comes to spinning technology. Take for instance the software giant's latest comments that its Surface tablet actually outperforms the iPad's Retina display. You remember the Retina, the display with 3.9 million pixels and described by some as the best display ever for a mobile device?

Well, turns out the Surface's 1,366-by-768 display is even better at something called "perceived resolution." Microsoft engineer Steve Bathiche told a Reddit audience this week that the tablet's ClearType technology can reduce the glare from reflected light. The Surface's display reflects between 5.5 percent and 6.2 percent of light, compared to 9.9 for the iPad, according to the engineer...

Infinity Blade Dungeons delayed until 2013, Epic Games confirms

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 17, 2012

Epic Games has been one of the most vocal supporters of gaming on Apple's iOS platform. Nobody can accuse the company of not putting its money where its mouth is: they poured millions of dollars so far into big budget releases for the iPhone and iPad. The Infinity Blade series isn't just an elegiac App Store masterpiece (exclusive to the iOS platform), it's Epic's most-profitable game ever.

More than anything, Infinity Blade games really push the iPhone and iPad hardware to its limits. Apple invited Epic developers to show off their impressive-looking work in progress, Infinity Blade Dungeons, during the unveiling of the third-generation iPad in April of this year. Eight months later, we learn that the game has been delayed and won't see light of the day until 2013.

What a bummer. By the way, the game is being developed by a team called Impossible Studios - how ironical is that?