Apple

Samsung now copies Apple’s Mac mini?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

Amid the epic Apple v. Samsung legal fight over mobile devices, it's easy to overlook other cases where an argument could be made that Samsung looked to Apple's design language perhaps too closely in order to make its gear more pleasing to the eye. Enter Samsung's Chromebox Series 3, a $300 computer running Google's Chrome OS.

The computer comes packaged in an enclosure which bears uncanny resemblance to Apple's Mac mini, down to the exact 7.6-inch-square footprint, rounded corners and silver rim, which in Samsung's case is made of painted plastic instead of aluminum. Of course, you're free to argue I'm stretching it, but first take a look at the comparison images right after the break...

Confidential Apple, Samsung sales data revealed in court documents

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

The Apple v. Samsung case is a peep show of sorts, a pornographic public showing of the two technology giant's closely kept secrets to the extent that we have for the first time been allowed to examine a bunch of early device prototypes, read internal communication about Apple's engineering process, including tidbits like Apple's 'kitchen' brainstorming, and laugh over such mundane things as stickers on court exhibits.

And now, a very important and confidential piece of information has also been publicized, Apple's and Samsung's sales numbers...

Apple and Samsung now bickering over stickers on court exhibits

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 10, 2012

We were expecting all sorts of clever maneuvering and cunning legal tactics in the Apple v. Samsung case, but in all honesty nothing could have prepared us for this.

Seemingly out of the blue, Samsunf on Friday filed a motion that asks the court to take a closer look at the stickers Apple plastered on the back of Samsung devices which are part of court exhibits pertaining to the case.

The Galaxy maker argues that Apple just recently attached large exhibit labels to the backside of its devices in a manner that purposefully obscures Samsung's trade dress (the visual appearance of a product or its packaging).

Samsung names three devices in its motion, among them the Galaxy S Captivate (pictured above) which Samsung argues could deceive the jurors with its large sticker that intentionally obscures "a distinct checkered back panel". No, really...

Claimed photo of next-gen iPhone battery surfaces

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

The new iPhone, which is expected to be unveiled next month, is rumored to include a long list of enhancements. A larger screen, LTE-compatibility, and a faster processor are all on the menu for possible features.

But amidst all of these new components, the question of battery life arises. The iPhone 4S is frequently criticized for its poor battery, so wouldn't adding all of these things make it worse? Not necessarily...

iOS 6 beta 4 adds Wi-Fi Plus Cellular data switching option

Cody Lee ∙ August 9, 2012

The latest beta of iOS 6 was released this week with a handful of changes. We've already mentioned a few of these differences like the new Bluetooth Sharing menu, and the missing YouTube app. But another one has been discovered.

In beta 4, a new option can be found deep in the Settings application, under the Cellular tab, called Wi-Fi Plus Cellular. When enabled, it allows apps that are having trouble with Wi-Fi to automatically switch over to cellular data...

This is what apps will look like on rumored 4-inch iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ August 9, 2012

For months, rumors have been bouncing around that Apple was finally going to give its iPhone a larger display this fall. And these rumors have been all-but-confirmed by industry insiders and claimed leaked components.

Then earlier this week, it was reaffirmed when it was discovered that iOS 6 is capable of running on such a display, at a resolution of 640 x 1136. And we've got some images of what apps will look like if the speculation holds true...

More proof that a new iPhone is on the way

Cody Lee ∙ August 9, 2012

You've seen the leaked components, in fact, you've seen tons of them. You've seen the third-party cases and you've seen the tell-tale discounts popping up. It's pretty obvious that a new iPhone is on the way.

But just in case you needed more proof, a new report is out this morning claiming that component-makers in Apple's Taiwanese supply chain just posted record sales for the month of July...

Apple’s 3D maps look much better than Google’s

Jeff Benjamin ∙ August 9, 2012

Google, in an attempt to outshine one of the worst kept secrets in the industry at the time — Apple's 3D Maps announcement at WWDC 2012 — hastily put together its own presser 5 days in advance, to announce their entry into the "next dimension" of maps.

That's all water under the bridge now (see what I did there?), and both companies have 3D technology incorporated in their apps — Google, with Google Earth, and Apple, with Maps for iOS 6.

Obviously Apple's maps update is still in beta, and Google just recently released their Google Earth upgrade, but which 3D building implementation looks better up to this point? The answer might surprise you...

Apple now matching iPhone discounts from other retailers

Cody Lee ∙ August 9, 2012

Last weekend we reported that Sprint, a large wireless carrier here in the US, had started discounting the iPhone 4S by $50. The move wasn't surprising, as we've seen similar discounts from other carriers and retailers.

But word is getting around today that Apple has finally joined the party, and has given its retail stores the authorization to match the discounted prices from approved major retailers and carriers up to $50 dollars...

iOS is one of the top gaming platforms of all time

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

When Apple added the App Store to iOS, the iPhone and iPod touch became about as disruptive to the handheld video game market as the iPhone was to the smartphone industry. All of a sudden, users had easy access to thousands of low-cost video games.

But not only has Apple since sold more iOS devices than handheld systems from Nintendo and Sony put together, it's actually sold more than all major console systems. This, among other factors, makes iOS one of the most popular gaming platforms of all time...

iOS 6 Passbook shopping gets simulated in real-world

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

iOS 6 brings a new app called Passbook that Apple argues isn't a direct payment product (yet). Instead, the program lets you collect and organize discount coupons, gift cards and some such. Patents, however, reveal that Apple is actively thinking about leveraging NFC technology to turn Passbook into a comprehensive mobile shopping solution, referred to as the iWallet.

You could create fake coupons to play around with in the Passbook app, but I'd bet my shirt that you'd still be scratching your head as to how exactly Passbook is supposed to work in real-life. A nice two-minute clip embedded below will help clear up the confusion by showing some interesting possibilities for Passbook through real-life examples...

Official: Google to pay $22.5M fine in Safari privacy breach scandal

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 9, 2012

As hinted last month, Google has reached a deal with The United States Government and has agreed to pay a $22.5 million fine for overriding iOS Safari users’ privacy settings in order to better track their web browsing activity.

The unusually high fine is meant to set an example for other companies who may be thinking about violating users' privacy in sneaky ways...