Apple

Gogo’s inflight Wi-Fi now lets you send and receive texts and phone calls in the air

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

In-flight Wi-Fi provider Gogo is rolling out a new feature that will appeal to busy travelers who've always hated not being able to send or receive text messages and phone calls while spending a couple hours in the air. This is now possible, and using your own phone number, too.

Gogo's new Talk & Text solution does not require that airlines retrofit their aircraft with additional equipment, but you clearly can't just use stock Messages or Phone app as the cellular signal is non-existent 30,000 feet in the air.

Gogo instead requires you to use their new Gogo Text & Talk iPhone app (coming soon to Android) to send and receive text messages and phone calls via Gogo's in-flight Wi-Fi networks. The software also lets you use your the iOS address book and check your voicemail...

Samsung barred from proactive use of Apple-HTC deal in litigation

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

In spite of the massive coverage concerning the high-profile Apple vs. Samsung trial, it's easily overlooked that Apple first went thermonuclear on Android by suing HTC. Following the rise of Samsung and subsequent decline of the Taiwanese handset maker, Apple and HTC in November 2012 announced a global settlement on patent litigation.

Terms of the deal have never been made public, but we do know the two sides agreed to a ten-year cross-licensing for all current and future patents and I guesstimated the deal's value to at least $3 billion.

Yesterday, Judge Lucy Koh issued an order granting Apple's motion to exclude last year's Apple-HTC settlement and license agreement at the pending Apple vs. Samsung retrial. The ruling conditionally bars Samsung from pointing the jury to the Apple-HTC settlement deal...

Screen burn-ins apparently causing delayed Retina iPad mini launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 8, 2013

Apple's web page advertises the new iPad mini with Retina display as coming in late November. In Apple's parlance, that's probably November 29, a Friday. Apple's penchant for making new products available shortly following the announcement was not on display at the October 22 media event as the company said the new iPad mini would not launch alongside the iPad Air.

We already heard that Apple was looking to both LG Display and Samsung as the primary iPad mini screen supplier Sharp has been experiencing issues producing high-resolution 7.9-inch IGZO panels, causing limited supplies at launch. A new report alleges Sharp's LCD panels are actually suffering from burn-in problems, prompting Apple once again to seek help from arch-rival Samsung...

The harsh realities of getting a job in Apple’s supply chain

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 7, 2013

Current CEO Tim Cook under Steve Jobs used to run Apple's vast network of suppliers and contract manufacturers and has largely been credited with turning the company into a well-oiled money-printing machine. But making sure trains run on time involves the incredible complexities associated with hiring tens of thousands of workers - and fast, too - who tediously assemble iPhones and iPads in factories located in China and Taiwan.

Apple and its manufacturing partners have been taking a lot of heat over worker treatment in these sweatshops so the iPhone maker eventually started tracking the work hours of 1+ million supply chain workers and took other proactive measures to ensure fair hiring.

But now, another issue is making headlines: the inhumane treatment of would-be employees by employment brokers who take high advance fees from workers and their families, contrary to Apple's rules. Read on...

Google Drive refreshed with multi-accounts, single sign-on and wireless printing

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 26, 2017

In terms of feature additions, it's been a quiet period for the Google Drive iOS app after a major visual makeover two months ago brought the software in line with its Android counterpart. But the team hasn't been standing still. In a small but sweet update Thursday, the app has finally gained a much requested new feature - support for multiple Google Accounts - as well as the ability to print your documents wirelessly via either Apple's AirPrint or Google's Cloud Print protocol.

Jump past the fold for additional tidbits...

Apple’s Bluetooth hotspot patent points to iWatch

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 7, 2013

The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on Thursday published an interesting Apple patent that has iWatch written all over it. The filing titled 'Network access using short-range connectability' describes a low-power wireless hotspot functionality via Bluetooth 4.0 that basically provides network connectivity akin to the iOS Wi-Fi hotspot feature, but without draining the battery as much.

By relying on the Bluetooth 4.0 low-energy protocol, also known as Bluetooth LE or Bluetooth Smart, such a wireless hotspot is a fit for a device like the rumored Apple smartwatch, which must be super power-efficient. Another benefit of using the Bluetooth LE-enabled hotspot is that your iPhone can instantly wake up the host device...

GT Advanced’s 2014 revenue to grow 15x thanks to sapphire deal with Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

As officially confirmed earlier this week, Apple has teamed up with smartphone cover glass maker GT Advanced in a $578 million multi-year deal which gives the iPhone maker steady supply of sapphire glass, a crystalline form of aluminum oxide hailed for its unmatched scratch resistance and hardness second only to diamond.

GT will be investing big money in large capacity furnaces to forge the precious gemstone on an industrial scale at Apple's upcoming eco-friendly, 700-employee facility in Mesa, Arizona. Although the deal is subject to “certain exclusivity terms” and GT expects "substantially lower" gross margins, it's of strategic nature and will be cash positive to GT.

By some estimates, GT's revenue next year could experience an unheard-of 15x increase based on the Apple contract alone...

RunKeeper is now optimized for Apple’s M7 motion-tracking chip

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 7, 2013

RunKeeper, a personal trainer in your pocket, has been updated today and among a pair of AirDrop-related enhancements is a little gem which particularly stands out: support for Apple's M7 motion coprocessor.

As a long time user of fitness-related apps such as Pedometer++, Argus and Strava Run, I can't tell you how many times I wished these GPS-enabled apps were not power hogs.

The M7 is easily one of the most overlooked iPhone 5s features. The aforementioned fitness apps as of recently have M7 motion tracking and you can just immediately tell how the chip improves the experience by not forcing you to keep an app open at all.

The M7 works independently of the main A7 processor, dutifully recording and storing up to a week's worth of motion data. This allows an app to load up your motion history as if it were active all along. Without a doubt, M7 support is a major power-friendly enhancement. So, how does the newly-implemented M7 integration make RunKeeper better?

Apple Stores to start replacing screens and other parts on iPhone 5c, 5s

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Apple will soon begin conducting in-store hardware repairs for both the iPhone 5s and 5c, according to a new report by 9to5Mac. The company will be able to replace displays and other components on the new handsets, on-site.

This means that Apple Stores will no longer have to replace an entire device due to a cracked screen, or a bad button. The initiative will not only help Apple save money, but will also keep users from having to setup new devices...

Amazon (again) takes potshots at iPad in Kindle Paperwhite ad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

On the surface, Amazon is seemingly supportive of Apple's iOS platform as the company updates its various iOS applications on a regular basis - even if it's just a courtesy to its iOS-loving users who want to enjoy Amazon services on their iPhone and iPad.

Scratch a little deeper and all hell breaks loose.

For starters, the online retailing giant is waging legal battle against Apple over e-book price fixing. And given the two tech titans increasingly compete on hardware, software and services, it's really no surprise Amazon's marketing department is taking direct jabs at Apple users every now and then.

This February, for example, the company aired a much-flawed screen comparison video pitting its 1080p Kindle tablet against Apple's better-than-1080p iPad with Retina display. This time around, an Amazon ad is challenging the e-reading experience on a tablet such as the iPad, versus that on the Kindle Paperwhite.

Have a look right below...

Samsung talks future: folding screens and 4K smartphones coming in 2015

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 23, 2017

One of the thrills of writing about technology is that more often than not one gets to blog about the next big thing always lurking just around the corner. Fans of technology have been living in the future forever and today Samsung spoke to the technophiles, sharing some of the upcoming technologies its mobile display unit is aiming to bring to market in 2014 and 2015.

We'll be living in the post-Retina world next year as Samsung preps to double the pixel count on smartphone and tablet screens, we're being told. And by 2015, your mobile devices will have full 4K resolution displays - that's a whopping 3,840-by-2,160 pixels normally found on Ultra HD TV sets, or four times the pixels of the full HD (1,920-by-1,080) Blu-ray movies.

By comparison, the iPad's Retina display maxes out at 2,048-by-1,536 pixels. But that's just scratching the surface...