Apple

Griffin’s multi-device charging station now shipping

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

The accessory maker Griffin at this year's CES in January 2013 took the wraps off the PowerDock 5, an intriguing charging station capable of charging and syncing up to five devices at once. Each of its five bays features an individual 10-watt, 2.1-amp power supply.

This lets you charge any iOS device, including the power-hungry iPad 3 and iPad 4 (which can be docked even in their cases). Those eyeing this ultimate charging station should be pleased learning that Griffin today started shipping the PowerDock 5...

Over 50% of all streaming set-top boxes sold are Apple TVs

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 15, 2018

According to the latest Frost & Sullivan Consumer Video Devices Market report, the Apple TV currently accounts for more than half of all streaming set-top boxes sold worldwide. That makes it the leader in the space by a long shot, with Roku coming in second at 26%.

The market research outlet posted the report this morning, which details a number of data points including market drivers, restraints to growth, product and pricing trends, and competitive landscape. And Apple's $99 hockey puck-shaped device came out on top...

Microsoft turns Outlook Web App into a native client for iPhone and iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Despite the ongoing iPad-bashing in television commercials, Microsoft over the past month has managed to release brand new Office 365 for iPhone (check out our review) and SkyDrive Pro apps, while revamping and enhancing a cross-platform note-taking software, OneNote.

Today, the Windows giant has added another productivity app to its stable of App Store offerings, the Outlook Web App for iPhone and iPad.

Despite what the name might have you believe, it's a native app. The software offers the same email, calendar and contact functionality you get in Outlook Web App on the browser, "but with additional capabilities that are only possible through native integration of the app with mobile devices," such as notifications, Microsoft argues...

PrimeSense dismisses Apple buyout chatter, Intel buys perceptual computing startup Omek

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 22, 2017

The Israeli newspaper Calcalist in late-2011 accurately reported on Apple's $500 million purchase of the Israeli Flash memory startup Anobit.

Yesterday, the paper claimed Apple had been mulling buying PrimeSense, the motion control specialists behind the original Kinect motion sensor for Microsoft's Xbox console.

It now appears that any such talk could be premature as an unnamed source associated with the motion-gesture startup debunked the rumor in an interview with TechCrunch...

App Store giveaway adds 5.7 million new Infinity Blade II players in 7 days

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

Being on the list of ten premium apps and games Apple gave away to users as part of the App Store's fifth birthday was enough to revitalize downloads of Chair Entertainment's elegiac masterpiece, Infinity Blade II.

We're talking some meaningful numbers here: the premium game has racked up nearly six million downloads on the basis of being slashed from its usual asking price of seven bucks a pop to $0...

Popular private taxi service Uber updates iPhone app with fare splitting

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 16, 2013

Users of Uber, the popular private taxi service that operates in 35 cities and fourteen countries, can now use the updated version of their iPhone application to easily split fares in-app with their friends. I use taxi pretty regularly and while Uber doesn't operate in my area, our own Jeff Benjamin is ecstatic about the service, having confirmed it works as advertised (at least in the Chicago area). What's best, billing associated with fare splitting in the new Uber version 2.8.6 is now social, too...

Apple patents turns iPad into virtual CAD toolbox

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple Tuesday was granted a patent on a way to return some of the simplicity of traditional drafting and design to the rather complex process of Computer-Aided Design, also known as CAD. Entitled 'Virtual drafting tools,' Apple outlines how a multitouch interface - such as the iPad's - can make more intuitive tasks like drawing a straight line.

To revive the traditional drafting interface, the 2010 patent application approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the multitouch interface uses tools such as rulers and protractors...

Apple releases brand new Logic Pro X with Virtual Drummer, updates MainStage

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 9, 2016

Good news for fans of Apple's pro audio software as the company has just announced this morning an update to MainStage 3 and a major new version of Logic Pro with Virtual Drummer and Flex Pitch features, plus an iOS Remote application to go along with it. Apple pulled a Final Cut Pro X here as Logic Pro X appears to be a reboot of the previous version.

The next-generation audio editing for the Mac, according to Apple's global marketing chief, features a set of advanced tools and a modern new interface designed to streamline the process of creating professional quality music. "Musicians are going to love creative new features like Drummer, Flex Pitch, Track Stacks and the Arpeggiator," he was quoted in a press release...

Apple crowd-sourcing iPhone sales ideas in internal contest

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It wasn't long ago Apple was threatening to fire its retail employees over unauthorized use of iOS 7 betas. Now comes word the company seeks "pie in the sky" suggestions from store workers on ways to improve iPhone sales. The request came in a contest distributed last week, with the winning employees getting an eight-week trip to Apple's Cupertino, California headquarters...

Apple considering purchase of Microsoft Kinect-maker PrimeSense

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

During Tim Cook's D11 interview a few months ago, the CEO said that Apple had bought out 9 companies since October of last year. If that number sounds a bit high, that's because it is, as the iPad-maker usually averages 6-7 acquisitions per year.

And the shopping spree may not be over just yet. According to a new report from an Israeli news source, the Cupertino company is currently mulling over another buyout. This time it's PrimeSense, the motion control specialists behind the Kinect...

Major Apple-Samsung showdown due August 9

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2013

Two months following the $1.05 billion August 2012 ruling finding Samsung had infringed Apple's patented technology (non-standard-essential patents, to be precise), the iPhone maker expectedly sought a permanent U.S. sales ban on infringing Samsung devices.

Unfortunately, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh denied Apple’s injunction request on the merit that it would not be in the public’s best interest to halt handset sales just because Samsung copied a few features from the iPhone.

Shortly after, Apple filed an appeal and today the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has given notice of a scheduling decision - the two parties will face each other off again on August 9...

Apple allegedly proposing ad skipping for upcoming TV service

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It appears that Apple's long-rumored TV service is alive, and slowly but surely moving forward. According to a new report, Apple has spent the last year seeking rights from cable companies and TV networks for a new Internet television service.

The offering is said to allow users to watch live and on-demand television programming over an Apple-branded set-top box or TV set, and, as claimed by people with knowledge of the project, it could feature the ability to skip TV commercials...