Apple

Twelve South unveils second-generation Compass stand for iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 5, 2014

Third-party accessory maker Twelve South today announced a second-generation iPad stand, the Compass 2. The original Compass was released back in 2010 following the first iPad launch. It was available from the Apple Store and classed as one of the first accessories that put Twelve South on the map.

The Compass 2 is lighter and more stylish than its predecessor while building on the features that made the original such a compelling stand.

Like a host of similar accessories, the multi-use Compass 2 raises your device off the surface or affixes it in the low-angle typing mode. This is handy in a number of situations, ranging from enjoying your media to conducting FaceTime calls or simply giving your device a nice, elegant home on your work desk.

It works with any iPad Air, iPad mini or iPad and is available in black, red and silver for $39.99...

Responding to pricing pressure, Verizon launches new MORE Everything plan

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 26, 2017

Caving in to competitive pressure, the nation's top carrier Verizon Wireless today launched a more competitive shared data family plan which comes with unlimited international messaging, double the monthly data allowance, a complimentary 25GB of cloud storage and more.

Unimaginatively dubbed MORE Everything, the new plan doubles the monthly cap from 500MB to 1GB for Verizon's $40 a month plan. The $50 plan has gone from 1GB to 2GB and the $60 plan doubles your monthly data cap from 2GB to 3GB.

But that's not all as Verizon has decided to introduce line discounts for customers enrolled in its Edge early upgrade program. If you're using up to eight gigabytes of data per month, Verizon will treat you to a line discount of $10, or $20 in the case of plans that include ten or more gigabytes of data per month...

Former Cercacor CTO Marcelo Lamego joins Apple and other iWatch hires

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple's hiring spree of biosensor experts continues with the latest revelation pointing to another high-profile executive hire.

According to the newest scoop by NetworkWorld, the former chief technology officer of non-invasive patient monitoring company Cercacor, Marcelo Lamego, has joined Apple's iWatch team.

Apple has been hiring some of the world's top experts in sleep research, medical devices and biosensing, fueling speculation that its rumored wearable device will focus on health and fitness tracking...

Report: Apple to finally phase out iPad 2 ‘in the near future’

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 13, 2014

Nearly three years following its March 2011 debut, Apple is finally set to discontinue its second-generation iPad. The iPad 2 was arguably the most important iPad refresh in history, bringing a major redesign from the original iPad, VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras designed for FaceTime video calling and image capture, magnetic Smart Covers and substantial speed increases courtesy of the Apple-designed dual-core A5 processor.

According to a new report, customers are “resoundingly” buying more of the iPad Air and iPad mini, prompting Apple's leadership to decrease iPad 2 production going forward...

Rovio announces new Angry Birds Stella game debuting this Fall

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

After teasing its brand new Angry Birds "adventure" game on Twitter, Finnish games maker Rovio today formally announced that a new game named Angry Birds Stella is arriving this Fall. The game has been named after its protagonist, the pink, female Stella thing described as a "fierce and a feisty character with a great group of friends".

Angry Birds Stella will open a door to a part of the Angry Birds universe "you’ve never seen before," the blurb promises. If a media release is an indication, Angry Birds Stella will indeed combine the familiar bird-slinging action with some new adventure elements. I've included some additional information below the fold...

Apple’s ops-chief emails troops on supplier responsibility

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations, Jeff Williams, has issued an internal memo to Apple employees following the company's newly published 2014 Supplier Responsibility Report. Williams was promoted to the position as Tim Cook's long-time right hand man. Before being named CEO, Tim Cook used to run Apple's vast network of suppliers and manufacturer for years.

This is the first time Williams penned an internal memo to troops regarding Apple's environmental strides. The full contents of the memo can be read after the break...

Apple publishes 2014 Supplier Responsibility Report

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Apple this morning published its annual Supplier Responsibility Report to its website. The report details the company's Supplier Code of Conduct and the lengths it has gone through in the past year to ensure its suppliers and their materials are on the up-and-up.

One of the more notable items from the report is that Apple says that all active, identified tantalum smelters in its supply chain were validated as conflict-free by third-party auditors. This means that all of Apple's suppliers are using only verified tantalum sources...

Apple said to be moving forward with ‘less ambitious’ TV plans

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Following a report by Bloomberg, which reiterated Apple's move to revamp its set top box, comes a scoop from The Wall Street Journal regarding the company's TV plans. The outlet says Apple has abandoned efforts to disrupt cable TV in favor of a less ambitious strategy.

According to the story, the Cupertino firm was at one time approaching media companies directly to obtain content rights for an a-la-carte TV service. But due to failed licensing negotiations and other issues, it's said to now be working on hardware for existing cable service ...

Alleged iPhone 6 prototype shown off in new images [update: it’s fake]

Cody Lee ∙ February 12, 2014

A batch of new images surfaced online this afternoon, purportedly showing an authentic iPhone 6 prototype. The photos are believed to have originated from China, and they show the front and back of what appears to be a larger handset designed by the Cupertino company.

It's impossible to know if these are legitimate iPhone 6 parts—one thing that immediately stands out is that the back appears to show FCC markers, somewhat odd for a prototype—but even if the photos are fake, they do give a good idea of what a larger iPhone could look like...

Despite the bigger screen, iPhone 6 could be lighter than 5s

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 30, 2016

With a 4.7-inch and a massive 5.5-inch iPhone versions reportedly in the pipeline, you'd expect both new iPhones to be a tad heavier than the current-gen four-inch iPhone 5s, simply due to a larger and thereby heavier enclosure/screen assembly.

Not so fast.

According to a new report, Apple's engineers are scrambling to slim down next-generation iPhones by switching to a lighter backlight module and possibly using a lighter device frame, too...

VSCO Cam 3.0 lets you follow people, brings out a myriad of refinements

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

VSCO Cam should be on every iPhone photography fan's Home screen. The software offers a variety of advanced features making it easy to edit, crop and filter your snaps on the go.

Our own Lory Gil wrote in her review last summer that VSCO Cam for the iPhone and iPod touch is worth downloading, even more so considering that a set of filters included in the free download (with more available via in-app purchases) is enough to keep averages users occupied for some time.

VSCO Cam version 3.0, now available in the App Store, adds a bunch of new features aimed at improving your mobile photography experience. Plus, it wants to become your next Instagram by including the ability to follow individual profiles, a novel feature for a camera phone app and the number one request from users...

Verizon brings same-day delivery service to ten more U.S. cities

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 12, 2014

Verizon Wireless, the nation's top wireless carrier by subscribers and revenue, announced Wednesday its same-day delivery service is now available in an additional ten cities in the United States. The expansion comes on top of the five launch markets.

In July 2013, Verizon became the first wireless carrier to offer this service with a pilot program in Philadelphia, which was then expanded in October to include New York City, Dallas, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The Big Red carrier charges $19.99 to get your mobile device delivered the same day, with delivery guaranteed by 7pm local time...