Apple

Plex iOS app is just $1.99, for a limited time only

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

My home theater setup depends on the Plex Mac/iOS apps for hassle-free access to both local media stored on my Mac and networked drives and to a variety of online media sources.

While the Mac client is provided free of charge, the universal iPhone and iPad app costs five bucks a pop so many users instead opt for some of the plentiful free alternative solutions offered on the App Store.

That's too bad because Plex comes with a bunch of premium features and is capable of rendering literally any obscure media file type I throw at it. If you've been sitting on the fence, Plex has just sweetened the deal by dropping the iOS app to $1.99...

Bloomberg: Japan’s largest carrier wants iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C – but with strings

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 26, 2013

A new report gives a bit more hope to Apple's push to widen its base of iPhone global carrier partners. The finance head of Japan's largest carrier NTT DoCoMo hints Apple's upcoming colorized iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C models could be sold in this tech-obsessed nation to its customers. However, if Apple wants this plum, it may have to play second fiddle to its Android rival, Samsung.

Although most recent attention has been on China, NTT DoCoMo is the lone hold-out in Japan, making the iPhone sold by every major Japanese carrier. In September, Apple is expected to unveil its next-generation iPhone 5S and possibly the budget-minded iPhone 5C in September...

Rumor: iPhone 5C to come in at least 4 colors, graphite iPhone 5S shell shown

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 29, 2016

More details are trickling in regarding Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S revision and a brand new plastic iPhone 5C. An interesting confirmation concerning the devices's rumored colors has come to light Monday, independently via both a new batch of photographs that purportedly depict the iPhone 5S chassis and a post on the popular Chinese micro-blogging site.

Not only will the iPhone 5S be allegedly provided in the controversial new gold/champagne variant, but also in the stylish graphite finish - a first for the iPhone. As for the iPhone 5C, expect that device to be offered in at least four different colors, among them a deep greenish blue color...

Rumor: iPhone 5S’s A7 chip is 31% faster, has separate motion tracking core

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

According to sources who spoke with an anchor for Fox News Channel, the A7 chip expected to power Apple's iPhone 5S is "very fast," nearly a third faster than the A6 silicon ticking inside the current-generation iPhone 5. That's only half the story as the reporter has also heard there’s a separate chip inside the device devoted to motion tracking.

Oh, and a prominent blogger has independently heard claims that some of the internal iPhone 5S prototypes include a 64-bit flavor of the A7 chip. He's also learned a couple interesting tidbits concerning the rumored fingerprint sensor, the way it works and how it could lend itself to mobile payments integration...

Joy of Tech has hilarious ideas for new iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 25, 2013

Joy of Tech has weighed in on the iPhone 5S/5C memes. As per usual with their illustrations, the comic treads the fine line between poking fun and being downright hilarious. My favorite is their take on the rumored iPhone 5S in gold/champagne color: make it so the gold peels off revealing a layer of chocolate.

Oh, and the box should include the iGoose, a golden case that lays a golden iPhone and lets you recharge it by "stuffing the phone back up the goose's butt".

I'd hate spoil the fun for you prospective buyers so jump past the fold for the full table...

A look at Tim Cook’s first two years as Apple’s CEO

Cody Lee ∙ August 24, 2013

Two years ago today, to the date, Tim Cook officially took over the reigns as Apple's CEO. Cook had long been handling the position's day-to-day duties, and had played interim CEO on a few occasions, but on August 24, 2011, Steve stepped down and Tim stepped up.

One can only imagine what it's like to try and take over a chief executive role for a company as big as Apple, following up someone like Steve Jobs. But Tim Cook has thus far managed to do it. Here are some of the more notable moments from his two-year tenure...

Join the pork side in Angry Birds Star Wars II clips starring Ian McDiarmid

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Angry Birds maker Rovio today posted two amusing videos pertaining to the upcoming Angry Birds Star Wars II, the first installment to its Star Wars-themed Angry Birds game that was released last November.

As a matter of fact, the company actually started teasing Angry Birds Star Wars II a little over two months ago and we know it's due for release on September 19.

Keeping it on the fun side, Rovio invites you to "join the Pork Side" and play as the piggies. That's right, Angry Birds Star Wars II will feature bird and pig versions. Exploring some of the more than thirty characters from the Star Wars universe to be featured in the game, these clips are voiced by actor Ian McDiarmid who played the legendary Emperor character in the Star Wars movies...

Apple and Samsung win bid to keep secret financial details

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 23, 2013

Apple and Samsung were both ordered to make public their profits and other financial details pertaining to their business, as part of last October's copyright infringement lawsuit that saw a US jury award Apple a billion dollar in damages over Samsung's patent infringement practices. Needless to say, both companies filed motions to keep sensitive data private.

Today, as Reuters reports, both technology titans won their respective bid to keep secret financial details. A federal US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC rebuked the trial judge who had previously ordered the financial information from both Apple and Samsung be made public...

Rdio gains station tuning, improved search and album art view

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 13, 2018

Yesterday, the music streaming service Pandora announced plans to remove the 40-hour mobile listening cap come September 1 and released a minor update to its iOS and Android client to enable a handy sleep timer feature.

In a surprisingly brisk move, the rival Rdio service has now responded by issuing an update of its own, bringing with it three useful new features to the party.

First up, the application now has the station tuning feature where you adjust any station to "play more familiar or more adventurous" tracks. With iTunes Radio around the corner and the likes of Spotify and Pandora doubling-down on personalization and recommendation, this has got to be a much-needed improvement on Rdio's part.

But wait, there's more...

Apple seen testing new App Store ranking scheme based on user ratings

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

Ever since Apple in February 2012 bought Chomp, an app discovery engine, and subsequently killed both its Android and iOS apps, the rumor-mill has been abuzz with the supposed improvements to the App Store discovery stemming from the acqui-hire.

Disregarding the occasional tweaks to the App Store search algorithm here and there, the experience of discovering popular software beyond the apps Apple exposes on the main App Store pages remains a very tedious affair.

To put it perfectly bluntly, it often feels like finding a needle in the haystack. But according to a new report out Friday, things could soon improve as the company's apparently been experimenting with new algorithms for iTunes and App Store rankings...

DOJ: Apple used in-app purchases as club against Amazon

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

The U.S. Department of Justice Friday tweaked its ebook settlement offer, including emails between Steve Jobs and Apple's marketing head. The revised settlement charges Apple altered its in-app purchasing policy "to retaliate against Amazon for competitive conduct that Apple disproved of."

The email exchange between Jobs and marketing chief Philip Schiller discussed how to counteract an Amazon commercial showing how the internet retailers app allowed ebooks to be read on either the iPad or the Kindle...

Android a frequent favorite in discount stores – until iPhone 5C arrives

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 23, 2013

Discount shoppers are more apt to buy an Android smartphone than an Apple iPhone. Indeed, Android handsets are three times as likely to be sold through discounters such as Walmart and Costco than Apple's smartphone, new research indicates. The numbers are just the latest from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), providing insight into where and by whom Apple and Android devices are purchased...