iPad mini

Spotify and record labels in talks over free streaming on mobile devices

I get literally 90+ percent of my digital music through Spotify. Just ten bucks a month buys me unlimited, high-quality, ad-free streaming. Apple's à la carte iTunes downloads just don't stand a chance. But Spotify isn't the juggernaut of Apple's calibre so no wonder record labels have limited free streaming to computers and notebooks. That could change now as the Swedish startup is reportedly in talks with content owners over extending free streaming to smartphones and tablets like iPads and iPhones...

Audible launches iPad app

In the speeded up world I'm increasingly finding myself listening to audiobooks because I just don't have the time for long reads. Besides, reading is rarely a background activity.

That's what I love about spoken word: it saves time. I can enjoy my audiobooks while jogging, cooking, commuting and what not. Heck, I sometimes even listen to audiobooks while I simultaneously blog about technology.

Amazon-owned Audible sells some awesome digital audiobooks, radio and TV programs and today they've finally launched an iPad app. And let me tell you, it's been a worthwhile wait.

Of course, the Newark-based company has had an iPhone app in the App Store since July 2010. That piece of software, too, has received a major refresh today, bringing out a revamped interface, quick sign ups / sign ins and other tidbits...

As iPad mini supply evens out, AU Optronics begins work on next-gen display

Yesterday we noticed that iPad mini supply has finally caught up with demand. For the first time since the tablet launched last November, all models are showing 'in stock' in Apple's online store, in several countries.

The improved stock is said to be due to AU Optronics solidifying higher yields of iPad mini panels. And not only has it figured out how to make the current-gen panels faster, but it's begun work on next-gen displays...

How to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4

Evasion 1.4 was just released with support for the recently released iOS 6.1.2, and we've got the details on how to use it to jailbreak your iDevice of choice. Although iOS 6.1.2 doesn't bring any new features to the table, there is a bug fix that makes the upgrade worth it.

Take a look inside as we show you how to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4. This tutorial is for the Mac, but the same principal applies across all computing platforms.

iPad 5 to switch to iPad mini display tech for thinner assembly

According to new reports by Taiwanese media outlets, Apple is said to be lining up suppliers for a fifth-generation 9.7-inch iPad. The gizmo is said to adopt a revamped touchscreen technology, basically the same "GF2" display tech found on the 7.9-inch iPad mini. The iPad mini's display assembly is notably thinner compared to its bigger brother that sports the glass-on-glass design so the reports jive nicely with previous rumors pointing to the iPad 5 borrowing a few design ideas from the iPad mini, namely a thinner and lighter appearance...

iPad mini now showing ‘in stock’ online in several countries

Apple has had a hard time catching up with consumer demand for its iPad mini. Since the tablet debuted four months ago, supply has been extremely constrained, with shipping times only recently dropping below a week.

But today, it appears that supply and demand is finally starting to even out for the popular slate, as the mini now shows an availability status of 'in stock' in Apple web stores in several countries around the world...

Would you pay more for an iPad mini with Retina display?

Apple is widely expected to do some major updating to its tablet line this fall. The latest reports allege that the company is going to give its 9.7-inch iPad a complete makeover, and squeeze a high resolution Retina display into its smaller sibling.

The latter scenario is particularly interesting, because screen resolution has been the one complaint users have had with the current iPad mini. But according to new data from iSuppli, consumers may end up paying more for the extra pixels...

Star Wars Pinball landing late-February

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOajo2uBvbE

If you can't get enough of Star Wars and have been yearning for something a bit more challenging and entertaining than Rovio's Star Wars-themed Angry Birds, here's some good news. Zen Studios Games has been hard at work putting finishing touches on their officially licensed pinball game dubbed Star Wars Pinball.

The trailer above highlights the Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back table which takes place - you guessed right - on the main deck of a Star Destroyer. Clearly inspired by the events of the film, it includes such memorable characters as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, plus the inevitable battles with AT-AT Walkers and Tie Fighters...

Apple posts new ‘Alive’ and ‘Together’ iPad TV ads

Apple has posted two new TV ads for the iPad and iPad mini on its YouTube channel this evening. The two spots, entitled 'Alive' and 'Together,' showcase some of the 300,000+ apps made specifically for Apple's tablet.

The adverts themselves seem to be of a very different style than previous iPad (or iPhone, for that matter) commercials. Between app demos, several action and descriptive words are flashed across the screen. Here, watch...

Opera buys Skyfire browser that brought Flash video to iOS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg7oUtydk3Q

Back in March 2011, when Adobe's proprietary Flash plug-in was still predominantly used for web video, a new paid-for iPhone browser, Skyfire, made headlines. It helped alleviate the situation by detecting Flash-encoded clips on web pages and then tapping a cloud computing platform to translate Flash video into an iPad-friendly format, on the fly.

Since then, Skyfire has seen over 20 million downloads across iOS and Android devices and developers claim it now converts over 200,000 web sites with Flash video into an iOS-friendly format. While most of web video is delivered via HTML5 these days, the Skyfire iOS app has seen several major updates that over time brought social features, even built-in extensions, to the table.

In a surprising move, Norway-based Opera Software, which makes the multi-platform Opera browser, Friday said it acquired the Skyfire team, hoping to broaden its solutions "beyond the browser"...

Dropbox refreshed with all-new PDF viewer, push alerts for shared folders

Dropbox on Monday rolled out a shiny new admin console for enterprise users and last week released a new Sync API to make it much easier for programmers to write software which treats cloud Dropbox files as if they were local.

Today, the hot cloud storage startup gave its iOS client some love by pushing out an update containing three useful enhancements.

First up, the Dropbox app sports an all-new PDF viewer with search and nice thumbnail view. Second, you will now receive a push notification when a folder has been shared with you. And third, Dropbox now lets you sort your files by date modified (finally!). The free update is available now from the App Store...

Apple responds to the iOS 6.1 Lock screen glitch, says a fix is underway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDkLpj3MM-c

Earlier this morning iDB warned you of a newly discovered security flaw in the recently released iOS 6.1 software. It's not the end of the world, but it isn't dismissible either as intruders can easily gain access to your iPhone and potentially compromise your data using a simple trick.

In a nutshell, in order to exploit the vulnerability one simply has to make and immediately cancel an emergency call on the Lock screen and then hold down the Sleep/Wake button twice. But worry not, privacy buffs, says Apple. The Cupertino company is aware of the issue, a solution is being worked on and a fix will be pushed in a future iOS software update. There, feeling better now?