The social networking giant Facebook has begun rolling out a new feature aimed at automatically uploading each photo a user takes on his or her device. This capability exists in some other third-party iOS apps, like the Dropbox app and the Google+ client. Facebook has figured out how to implement the feature without breaking Apple's rules, by using standard API calls for background uploads and not relying on location APIs or its deep integration with iOS 6...
After seeing a quarter of its market cap wiped off as shares hit a half-year low, Apple has finally rebounded as investors return to senses with a big rally on Monday. The unexpected sell-off has been "insanely insane", according to Topeka's Brian White. AAPL hit $565.35 a share in after-hours trading.
It closed at $565.73 a share. All told, AAPL soared today $38.05, or 7.21 percent, its second highest one-day dollar gain since 1984. It also pulled Nasdaq and S&P 500 with it. Though still a far cry from the mid-September high of $705.07, it's a good sign that investors haven't lost confidence in Apple's longer-term prospect, especially after eight straight weeks of losses...
Apple's environmental credentials lost some of their luster in the eyes of watchdog group Greenpeace. The company ranked #6 among consumer electronics firms, a slip in stature largely blamed on lack of transparency. While ranking high in product's energy efficiency, the gadget maker from California lost points for not providing information on its greenhouse gas emissions that could be externally verified. Apple also received poor marks for not setting a target for lower emissions, the group announced Monday...
Billions of marketing dollars can't hide the obvious disconnect and lack of creativity plaguing Microsoft's PR department. Windows Phone commercials are boring as hell, annoying, heavy on celebs and short on imagination. And now comes this. Oprah tweeting her love for the Surface this morning isn't out of character: she's well-known for endorsing stuff.
It reads: "Gotta say love that SURFACE! Have bought 12 already for Christmas gifts. #FavoriteThings”. She unfortunately sent that tweet, which Microsoft's Corporate Communications immediately retweeted, from her iPad.
I know Oprah hosts regular giveaways of favorite products, but boy did that stupid PR stunt backfire. Besides, she previously professed her love for Apple's tablet to the whole world. This is nothing if not way too clueless marketing on Microsoft's part. Speaking of clueless...
Folks in Russia will be happy to hear that it looks like Apple is preparing to finally launch its iTunes Music Store in the country. Several Russian iOS users are reporting that music is now searchable in the province's App Store...
AuthenTec, the maker of NFC chips and smart sensors that Apple bought in the summer for $356 million, has sold off its division which makes encryption-based security hardware and software. The buyer is French NFC maker and contactless chip provider Inside Secure and the transaction is valued at $48 million.
That Apple decided to get rid of AuthenTec's Embedded Security Solutions division is another tell-tale sign that the iPhone maker snapped up AuthenTec for its NFC solutions and smart sensors that are not part of the Inside Secure deal.
Yes Mr. Schiller, I know "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today", but Apple did drop $356 million on an NFC tech maker and obviously your next iPhone is going to have NFC...
Apple CEO Tim Cook should consider becoming a financial consultant, if this iPhone thing fizzles out. Apparently, he is on speed-dial for both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. U.S. President Barack Obama called Cook seeking comment on the looming "fiscal cliff" crisis, according to Monday reports. Although it's not known what advice the Apple leader gave Obama, Cook was among a number of CEOs the White House contacted. Other business leaders included JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon, Jim McNerney of Boeing and Craig Jelinek of Costco...
Google Music, the search giant's foray into cloud music, today received a major boost by inking a broad deal with an alliance of French, Italian and Spanish licensing groups, gaining access to an additional 5.5 million tracks across 35 European countries from various artists including Lady Gaga and Rihanna. It also includes the British and American repertoire of Universal Music Publishing and Sony's Latin works...
eBay earlier this month started offering Apple-certified refurbished products on its web store. With Apple's Black Friday teaser and 2012 Holiday Gift Guide now live, we thought highlight eBay's offering would appeal to cash-strapped shoppers. Available right here as a new section on the auction site, eBay's Apple Certified Refurbished Products list is akin to Apple's own refurbished offering in that both have passed through the same quality inspection. You should definitely consider refurbs and here's why...
Apple continues to lead mobile advertising, despite Samsung's strength in handset sales, a new report out Monday indicates. Apple accounted for 37 percent of mobile ads while Samsung had 24 percent. The rest of the mobile pack were left in the two firms' dust. Cupertino's mobile ad lead over Samsung actually grew by three percent during the third quarter, with a little help from the iPhone 5, which was released at the end of the third quarter, according to Adfonic's AdMetrics report...
Black Friday, a one-day shopping stampede, is the day after Thanksgiving which is celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States (on the second Monday of October in Canada). As Black Friday officially marks the start of the Christmas shopping season, retailers fall over each other in offering not-to-be-missed discounts. Apple just announced on its Australian online store the one-day Apple shopping event on Friday, 23 November...
If the latest rumor out of Asia is anything to go by, this year's Fall release of the iPhone 5 was an anomaly as Apple could be reverting back to its mid-year refresh cycle for the iPhone. At the same time, the company is rumored to be releasing a next-generation iPad around the middle of 2013, breaking away from its usual first-quarter release schedule for the tablet. As always, it pays to take the news with a grain of salt as this comes via the somewhat reliable DigiTimes...