Apple

NBA 2K14 hits the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

If you're into sports and are a fan of basketball and the NBA in particular, the newly-released NBA 2K14 for iOS devices should be on your list for consideration. The game has been published by 2K Games, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary notable for its recent release of Lucid Games' 2K Drive for the iPhone and iPad.

Of course, it's really an updated version of 2K's ongoing NBA series for the iPhone and iPad, refreshed with the 2013-14 season stats, players, venues and other data (just like EA Sports' FIFA series)...

iCloud push email reinstated in Germany

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

After a German appeals court a month ago lifted the injunction which prevented Apple from offering push notifications for its iCloud email service, owners of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices in the country can finally again enjoy push notifications for incoming iCloud email messages. The feature has been disabled for German users for about 19 months after it had to be shut down following a legal wrangling with Motorola over patents.

Apple’s ever-growing cash horde pegged at one-tenth of all US corporate dollars

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Some people collects rocks, other people collect stamps. Apple, however, likes cash. Turns out the iPhone maker, all by itself, controls ten percent of all corporate cash in the United States.

Just how much is that? New data shows Apple's bank account of $147 billion represents ten percent of the $1.48 trillion held by non-banking U.S. companies.

Here's another factoid to make you even more uneasy about that measly savings account of yours: all together, Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Pfizer - not exactly nickel and dime operations - account for another fifteen percent of all U.S. corporate cash...

Apple starts training support staff on OS X Mavericks ahead of impending release

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 2, 2013

The AppleCare support staff has begun official OS X Mavericks training in anticipation of the looming OS X Mavericks release, a reliable blog has learned. The upcoming Mac desktop operating system release should hit the Mac App Store before November and will bring a host of improvements and new features, including Maps integration across desktop and mobile, better handling of notifications, and several new features for power users. Apple first demoed OS X Mavericks at its summer developer conference in June 2013...

Virgin Mobile lands iPhone 5s/5c, $100 off unsubsidized

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 13, 2017

Virgin Mobile, Sprint's prepaid brand, started offering the new iPhones for $100 less compared to Apple's official unsubsidized pricing. Both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are available with a $100 discount when purchased unsubsidized. This means Virgin Mobile customers can get the entry-level 16GB iPhone 5s for $549 (Apple's price: $649) or the colorful 16GB iPhone 5c for $449 (Apple's price: $549). Virgin's plans include unlimited data (throttled after 2.5GB) and start at just $30 a month. More details right below...

Retina iPad mini could face severe supply constraints

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

Despite the fact that we've seen conflicting reports on the topic, the consensus seems to be that Apple is working on an iPad mini with a high resolution display. And it's expected to introduce the tablet at a media event this month.

According to a new scoop from Reuters, however, even if such a product is unveiled in the near future, it may be a while before you can get your hands on one. The outlet says initial supplies for the slate will be severely constrained...

Apple says it’s aware of iMessage issue and is working on a fix

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Since the release of iOS 7 last month, users have been complaining of issues activating iMessage. What's more, out of those who have been able to activate the service, some have been experiencing problems sending and receiving messages.

Well the good news is, Apple is aware of a glitch in the new firmware that is causing the disruption of iMessage activity and is working on it. The company tells The Wall Street Journal a fix will be available in an upcoming software update...

Apple hires cable executive to work on ‘something big’

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Apple has hired cable industry veteran, and former CableLabs executive, Jean-François Mulé for a new engineering director position, according to a new report from Multichannel News. He was the company's SVP of Technology Development.

According to his LinkedIn page, Mulé has been working at Apple since late last month. And in his job description he notes that he is "challenged, inspired and part of something big." So what's he working on? Let's take a look at his background...

Another app showcases the iPhone 5s M7 chip: Pedometer++

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 1, 2013

Argus is the first app to officially take advantage of the new M7 motion coprocessor found inside the iPhone 5s. As the floodgates are open now, small wonder fitness software makers are scrambling to update their warez with support for the power-efficient chip.

If you own an iPhone 5s, it's already tracking your movement on a daily basis so M7-compatible apps have a history of what iOS has already recorded to work with.

You can now add David Smith's Pedometer++ to your list of apps which take advantage of the M7 rather than dutifully perform motion calculations day in day out using the power-hungry A7 processor...

Apple joins Google and others supporting call for NSA and FBI transparency

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple has joined with a number of other technology firms, including Google and Microsoft, supporting legislation in the U.S. House and Senate loosening restrictions on divulging national security requests. A letter from the Center for Democracy and Technology asks Congress to approve two bills aimed at letting tech companies reveal how many national security requests they receive.

The iPhone maker has publicly denied assisting NSA's PRISM program for tracking Internet use, but is unable to be more transparent with concerned customers. Along with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Yahoo are also suing the government, charging the restrictions on disclosure violate their right to free speech...

Why Retina display is more than twice as responsive as the competition

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 1, 2013

Say what you will, but Apple owns the most responsive mobile OS and has the smoothest multitouch implementation by leaps and bounds.

Unsurprisingly, the Retina display hardware is a major part of that accomplishment - and I'm not talking about pixel density or image quality.

No, the key contributing factor to the iPhone's multitouch immediacy is the short response time of the device’s touch panel on the hardware level. In fact, Apple's capacitive touchscreen implementation runs circles around competition, a recent barrage of tests have proven.

The iPhone 5's four-inch Retina screen is significantly faster than any of its rivals - up to twice as fast as its nearest competitor. Jump past the fold for detailed findings...

Foxconn could help ship Apple products directly to China to reduce import taxes

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 1, 2013

Foxconn, Apple's longtime partner, has been assembling Apple gadgets for years. The world's largest manufacturer and product assembler may have been at odds with its prime client lately over slowing sales, but that doesn't mean the two giants won't be extending their partnership - quite the contrary. If there's any substance to a new story published Tuesday, Apple may have found a way to reduce import taxes in mainland China by having Foxconn International provide new logistic and after-sale maintenance services to the technology giant...