Apple's 2015: Building on an already huge 2014
Apple has a lot to do to top 2014.This year, Apple introduced larger screen iPhones, showed off its first wearable and launched a mobile-payments service. That was on top of updates to its Mac and tablet lines and improvements in its mobile and computer software. Apple also made its biggest acquisition ever by spending $3 billion on headphone maker and streaming music provider Beats. In many ways, Apple next year will be building on what it announced in 2014. It will finally release the Apple Watch in retail stores and will expand Apple Pay and other services. It also will release new variants of its popular iPhones and iPads. But it could make some important tweaks to those devices, such as including a Retina Display in its MacBook Air or making a bigger screen iPad, which could attract a new group of customers. Apple, of course, declined to comment about what's ahead next year.CNET breaks down the seven major things we expect -- or at least hope -- to see from Apple in 2015. 1. Apple WatchThe Apple Watch marks Apple's first new product category since the "magical" iPad in 2010. It's also the first new push by the company under CEO Tim Cook's tenure. Cook had promised for over a year that Apple in 2014 would introduce "amazing" new products and enter "exciting new product categories" beyond its wildly successful smartphones, tablets and computers. The Apple Watch aims to fulfill that vow. See alsoCNET's first thoughts on the Apple WatchWith new smartwatch, Apple buys itself some timeiPad's moment of truth? Apple looks to new Air to reverse tablet slideiPhone 6 promises happy holidays for AppleApple may have shown off the Apple Watch in September, but 2015 will mark the retail launch of the device. The precise timing is unclear, but Apple promises its first wearable will hit the market "early" in the year. The company will have to figure out how best to sell the smartwatch and allow consumers to try it on before they actually make a purchase. The device, which starts at $349, comes in three designs -- the stainless-steel-cased Apple Watch, the aluminum-cased Apple Watch Sport, and the 18-karat-gold-cased Apple Watch Edition. The devices must be paired with an iPhone, and are compatible with the iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6 and 6 Plus.Cook, introducing the Apple Watch, called the smartwatch a "breakthrough" product. He described it as a "comprehensive" health and fitness device, walkie-talkie and remote control for the Apple TV streaming-box. Those factors alone set the Apple Watch apart from other smartwatches on the market, which tend to simply track steps, provide notifications and run very basic apps. "Apple Watch is absolutely the biggest product we know of at this point," Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson said. "With the iPad flagging a bit, they're reliant on the iPhone and the Apple Watch to drive faster growth."2. Bigger iPad ProApple's iPad line has been struggling in recent months, with sales dropping three quarters in a row. Apple's newest tablets hit the market in October, but analysts say the incremental changes likely aren't enough to attract buyers in droves. Large screen smartphones are eating away at the need for a tablet, and consumers hold on to their iPads longer than their smartphones. Apple now faces questions over whether the iPad's declining shipments are a temporary hiccup or a troubling trend.Tech research firm IDC in November said the worldwide tablet market likely saw "massive deceleration" in 2014, with year-over-year tablet growth slowing to 7.2 percent from 53 percent in 2013. A big reason for that is what's expected to be the first full calendar year of declines for Apple iPad shipments. iPad Air 2: Up close and personal with the...See full gallery1 - 4 / 32NextPrevOne thing analysts say could boost iPad sales is the introduction of a bigger screen tablet dubbed the "iPad Pro." The device is expected to sport a 12.9-inch display, putting it more in line with Mac computers than Apple's tablets, which currently top out at 9.7 inches. MacBook Airs come with screen sizes of 11 and 13 inches, and MacBook Pros are 13 inches and 15 inches. Many of Apple's rivals have introduced larger screen tablets, including Samsung with its 12.2-inch, Android-based Galaxy Tab Pro and Galaxy Note Pro, and Microsoft with its 12-inch, Windows-based Surface Pro. The tagline for Microsoft's device is it's "the tablet that can replace your laptop."For Apple, introducing a bigger screen could attract a whole different range of customers, particularly business users. That's one area Apple has been targeting through its new partnership with IBM and a segment it's counting on to boost iPad sales. Having a bigger screen iPad, particularly if it has accessories like detachable keyboards, could allow people to truly replace their computers with a tablet. Still, some analysts believe an iPad Pro wouldn't sell in the high numbers of previous iPads. "That's a 5-percent-of-the-market kind of product," said Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research. "That 5 to 10 percent will love it, but not everybody's going to necessarily want it."3. IBM partnership and business usersAlong with the anticipated iPad Pro, Apple will be looking at other ways to expand with business users, primarily through the partnership it formed with IBM in July. The two companies have been working together on pushing Apple devices and iOS apps to business users. IBM's cloud computing services -- such as device management, security and analytics -- will be optimized for iOS. Apple a year ago also made its iLife and iWork software free with new Mac and iOS purchases. And Microsoft in March finally made its widely used Office software work on iOS.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayDuring Apple's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call in October, Cook said the IBM partnership "aims to define the way work is done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business change."Apple and IBM in December already introduced the first crop of apps resulting from their partnership, with the software spanning industries including airlines, telecommunications, insurance, banking and government. In 2015, we'll likely hear about more apps IBM has built for customers that are less sensitive to price and seasonality than consumers. "They're looking at how else they can drive value from that segment now that they have a partner that knows how to speak a language IT managers understand," Kantar Worldpanel analyst Carolina Milanesi said.4. Ecosystem expansion through Apple Pay, HomeKit, HealthKit and other servicesOne of the key benefits Apple has had over rivals is the fact it controls hardware, software and services. That allows the company to tightly integrate software on its devices and better control the experience users have. This year marked the introduction of several new services for Apple device users, including Apple Pay, which allows users to pay for items in apps or in stores using their new iPhones and iPads. Apple also unveiled two new initiatives, called HealthKit and HomeKit. HealthKit, which became available in September, serves as a data repository for health-related information, such as how many steps a person takes and how much a person eats. Other apps can draw from that information and send data collected on their apps back to HealthKit. HomeKit provides a similar service for the smart home. When it launches, presumably in early 2015, it will allow developers to integrate controls for door locking, light dimming and other home automation gadgets and features in iOS apps.Apple Pay, HomeKit and HealthKit likely will get a bump next year when Apple introduces the Apple Watch. Along with iPhones and iPads, consumers will be able to use their smartwatches to monitor and control most aspects of their lives. And Apple Pay, which hit the market in October, will likely get an even bigger push in 2015, with more banks and retailers on board. We'll likely see Apple release more software and services with the next versions of its iOS and Mac software that keep customers loyal to its products and tie its devices more closely together. 5. Music plans with Beats and iTunesApple spent more on Beats than any other acquisition in its history. So far, it has done little publicly with the company besides pushing its music service with current iTunes customers and promoting its headphones in Apple Store. And thus far, iTunes and Beats have remained separate. That likely will change in 2015. Rock out with Beats Music (pictures)See full gallery1 - 4 / 8NextPrevThe latest report said Apple plans to load the subscription music service it obtained from Beats into the iOS operating system powering iPhones and iPads as soon as early next year. By preloading the service -- which may not use the Beats name -- on its devices, Apple gains an edge in promoting its own offer over the competition, which includes Spotify and Rhapsody. A subscription music service would represent a new revenue stream and further lock customers into Apple's ecosystem.A dedicated push to make Beats Music an integral part of Apple's hardware comes as no surprise. It would represent the company's final seal of approval on the subscription-streaming-music model, something co-founder Steve Jobs long criticized. But as the listening trends shift from purchasing music to renting through a service like Beats, the streaming format has become too important to ignore.Apple also could have some other plans in store for Beats and its music offerings. Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails frontman and chief creative officer of Beats Music, recently said Apple "expressed direct interest in me designing some products with them." He didn't go into details but said it's "very creative work that's not directly making music, but it's around music."6. Retina MacBook AirComputer sales have faltered over the past couple years, but Apple has been bucking that trend. The company posted its highest ever share of the US computer market in the September quarter, coming in at the No. 5 position, according to IDC, with shipments of 5.5 million units. "On the Mac, it was just an absolutely blowout quarter, our best ever," Cook said during Apple's earnings call in October. Analysts say the MacBook Air, which comes with 11- and 13-inch models and starts at $899, is the laptop that's helped the company reach new market share highs. People may be buying the MacBook Air in droves, but one thing many have been hoping for is the addition of a Retina Display. All of Apple's major products lines on the market now sport the option for high-definition screens, except for one -- the MacBook Air. It could make an appearance in 2015.7. Something we've heard nothing aboutApple isn't very good at keeping secrets anymore, but Cook has hinted the company is working on entirely new products no one's heard about. If there was something coming in early 2015, we'd likely have had some hints by now. But Apple managed to keep most of the details of its smartwatch secret until it announced the device in September. That means there could be surprises in store for Apple fans. "I am incredibly optimistic about the future," Cook said during Apple's most recent earnings call. "We've already announced two new categories in the last 60 days or so...with Apple Pay and Apple Watch. So [we're] shipping the watch early next year and obviously we're working on other things as well and to the degree that I can keep that in the cone of silence, I am going to do it....We look at a lot of different things and we're fortunate to have a lot of creative people here that want to change the world and have a lot of great ideas."The fitness apps tucked inside the Apple...See full gallery1 - 4 / 10NextPrev
Music retailers cheer first sales increase in 7 years
Music retailers cheer first sales increase in 7 years
Music retailers sound ready to uncork the champagne on the newsthat overall sales for the music industry rose for the first time in seven years.Overall sales were up just a modest 3 percent in 2011, Nielsen Soundscan reported yesterday, but from the music industry's point of view, any increase is manna from heaven. It was common during the 7-year slump to see double-digit declines. Jim Donio, president of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, the trade group representing music retailers, called the yearly sales figures "significantly positive." According to Nielsen, digital album sales came in at 103 million, up 19 percent, and digital tracks climbed to 1.3 billion, an 8.5 percent increase from last year. Nielsen's numbers only account for unit sales and not the revenue generated. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) collects that data, but the trade group for the four major record companies hasn't reported yet. So what's driving this? Well first, there's no doubt that the popularity of "21," the second album from British vocalist Adele, played a big part. She sold nearly 6 million albums. Adele's track "Rolling In the Deep" also sold 5.8 million copies. There's a laundry list of other possible factors. The RIAA is likely to say that their antipiracy efforts helped. The association won a copyright lawsuit against the company operating file-sharing network Limewire and it was driven out of business in 2010. Last year was the first full year without Limewire in operation--although plenty of services still enable illegal file sharing.Related storiesTower Records to iTunes, NARM seeks revival What's driving rise in music sales? Apple still testing, teasing with iTunes MatchWe have more mobile devices than ever that play music, including the new crop of digital tablets. At the same time, it seems that some consumers continue to opt for CDs and vinyl, says NPD. Retailers also deserve some of the credit. At the same time that Lime Wire was getting clobbered in court, music got easier to sample, discover, and buy. Fans can get a taste of free tracks at YouTube and Pandora and can receive access to deep pools of songs for a monthly fee at such subscription services as Spotify, Rhapsody, and MOG. A big new competitor also jumped into the fray in the form of Google Music. We can't forget iTunes, the top retailer in the music landscape, which upgraded by enabling users to store their songs in the cloud and retrieve them via the Web. It's important to keep in mind that last year's uptick might be a blip. There's nothing to say that sales won't go back into the dumper this year. That said, it still feels like music has some momentum for the first time in a while.
Music retailers sound ready to uncork the champagne on the newsthat overall sales for the music industry rose for the first time in seven years.Overall sales were up just a modest 3 percent in 2011, Nielsen Soundscan reported yesterday, but from the music industry's point of view, any increase is manna from heaven. It was common during the 7-year slump to see double-digit declines. Jim Donio, president of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, the trade group representing music retailers, called the yearly sales figures "significantly positive." According to Nielsen, digital album sales came in at 103 million, up 19 percent, and digital tracks climbed to 1.3 billion, an 8.5 percent increase from last year. Nielsen's numbers only account for unit sales and not the revenue generated. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) collects that data, but the trade group for the four major record companies hasn't reported yet. So what's driving this? Well first, there's no doubt that the popularity of "21," the second album from British vocalist Adele, played a big part. She sold nearly 6 million albums. Adele's track "Rolling In the Deep" also sold 5.8 million copies. There's a laundry list of other possible factors. The RIAA is likely to say that their antipiracy efforts helped. The association won a copyright lawsuit against the company operating file-sharing network Limewire and it was driven out of business in 2010. Last year was the first full year without Limewire in operation--although plenty of services still enable illegal file sharing.Related storiesTower Records to iTunes, NARM seeks revival What's driving rise in music sales? Apple still testing, teasing with iTunes MatchWe have more mobile devices than ever that play music, including the new crop of digital tablets. At the same time, it seems that some consumers continue to opt for CDs and vinyl, says NPD. Retailers also deserve some of the credit. At the same time that Lime Wire was getting clobbered in court, music got easier to sample, discover, and buy. Fans can get a taste of free tracks at YouTube and Pandora and can receive access to deep pools of songs for a monthly fee at such subscription services as Spotify, Rhapsody, and MOG. A big new competitor also jumped into the fray in the form of Google Music. We can't forget iTunes, the top retailer in the music landscape, which upgraded by enabling users to store their songs in the cloud and retrieve them via the Web. It's important to keep in mind that last year's uptick might be a blip. There's nothing to say that sales won't go back into the dumper this year. That said, it still feels like music has some momentum for the first time in a while.
Batman motion comic impresses, but is it worth your 99 cents-
Batman motion comic impresses, but is it worth your 99 cents?
I first mentioned the Batman: Black and White Motion Comic a couple weeks back and went on bit about how much I'm in love with ol' Bats and how we're getting married and planning our lives together. Hmmm, actually I may not have mentioned the whole marriage and lives together thing...until now.Anyway, I finally got a chance to check out the first five episodes on iTunes and my initial reaction after watching all five is bring on more. Now. Black and White is a motion comic developed by Warner Premiere, and is a direct translation of the Batman: Black and White comic book anthology from the 90's which featured superstar writers and artists, like Paul Dini, Alex Ross and Dave Gibbons. They've basically taken the art and added subtle and not so subtle animation here and there to mostly great affect. My favorite episodes are "Good Evening, Midnight" (from episode four), which includes narration by Thomas Wayne (Batman's dad) and is juxtaposed with Batman's actions from that night. This episode makes me wonder if Blizzard was inspired by it to make the Wrathintro.Then there's "Two of a Kind" (from episode two) starring Two-Facein an interesting love triangle with twin sisters. Two-Face has always been one of my favorite Batman characters, and he's used brilliantly here. My favorite of all, though, was called "Case Study" (also from episode two) and focused on the Joker. It has a great back story and asked the question of whether he really is insane or not. I have to put in the good word about the music here. Each story had its own score, and each does a great job at establishing the mood.Each of the episode includes two stories and the episodes range from a little over 6 minutes to over 11. Unlike Watchmen, there are multiple voice actors used, including thankfully, real female actors. The voices are fitting for the most part, although Batman's voice did take some getting used to it as it sounded a bit too sinister at times. Also, I'm more a Kevin Conroy and Christian Bale man myself. It wasn't until another great episode, "Perpetual Mourning" (included with episode five) that the voice really started to grow on me.Like I said, I can't wait for the next episodes. These are very well-done short pieces of entertainment. Perhaps a little too short, however. Some episodes are as short as 6 minutes, and although they include at least two stories, $0.99 may not be worth it for such a small morsel. Doing the math however, $0.99 per six minutes works out to be about the cost of a $20, two-hour DVD.If you're a Batman fan, get them. All of them. Now. If you're just curious, I'd say the second episode is worth trying and if you like that, you'll at least like the others.
I first mentioned the Batman: Black and White Motion Comic a couple weeks back and went on bit about how much I'm in love with ol' Bats and how we're getting married and planning our lives together. Hmmm, actually I may not have mentioned the whole marriage and lives together thing...until now.Anyway, I finally got a chance to check out the first five episodes on iTunes and my initial reaction after watching all five is bring on more. Now. Black and White is a motion comic developed by Warner Premiere, and is a direct translation of the Batman: Black and White comic book anthology from the 90's which featured superstar writers and artists, like Paul Dini, Alex Ross and Dave Gibbons. They've basically taken the art and added subtle and not so subtle animation here and there to mostly great affect. My favorite episodes are "Good Evening, Midnight" (from episode four), which includes narration by Thomas Wayne (Batman's dad) and is juxtaposed with Batman's actions from that night. This episode makes me wonder if Blizzard was inspired by it to make the Wrathintro.Then there's "Two of a Kind" (from episode two) starring Two-Facein an interesting love triangle with twin sisters. Two-Face has always been one of my favorite Batman characters, and he's used brilliantly here. My favorite of all, though, was called "Case Study" (also from episode two) and focused on the Joker. It has a great back story and asked the question of whether he really is insane or not. I have to put in the good word about the music here. Each story had its own score, and each does a great job at establishing the mood.Each of the episode includes two stories and the episodes range from a little over 6 minutes to over 11. Unlike Watchmen, there are multiple voice actors used, including thankfully, real female actors. The voices are fitting for the most part, although Batman's voice did take some getting used to it as it sounded a bit too sinister at times. Also, I'm more a Kevin Conroy and Christian Bale man myself. It wasn't until another great episode, "Perpetual Mourning" (included with episode five) that the voice really started to grow on me.Like I said, I can't wait for the next episodes. These are very well-done short pieces of entertainment. Perhaps a little too short, however. Some episodes are as short as 6 minutes, and although they include at least two stories, $0.99 may not be worth it for such a small morsel. Doing the math however, $0.99 per six minutes works out to be about the cost of a $20, two-hour DVD.If you're a Batman fan, get them. All of them. Now. If you're just curious, I'd say the second episode is worth trying and if you like that, you'll at least like the others.
The 404 336- Where sometimes it's good to be alone
The 404 336: Where sometimes it's good to be alone
We'd first like to thank Randall Bennett, former host of The 404, for having us on his new show Tech VI--check us out!One story from today comes from our brothers in the East, and by "our" I mean "me and Wilson," and by "East," I mean "China." Soon, China will be the first country to approve a male contraceptive shot. Users will inject a monthly shot of testosterone into their body, which will limit the amount of sperm produced, and they're saying it could be as effective as a condom. Strange to think that prior to this, listening to The 404 was the only way to prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Be sure to listen to today's Calls from the Public for more on how our show is contributing to the the U.S.'s rampant overpopulation problem.Click thumbnail for full size.Matthew MarleyI'd also like to personally announce the winners of our Star Trek Photoshop Contest! We asked you guys to Photoshop us as your favorite Star Trek characters for a chance to win a ticket (we have two) to see the new movie with us one day before the official release, and we got some seriously hilarious pictures! Check out ALL the submissions in the slideshow below, but congratulations to Jacky Chen and Matthew Marley for their winning pictures, posted above! We'll be e-mailing you about where to meet us for the showing, but all 404 listeners are welcome to join, here are the deets:Star TrekWhere: AMC Loews Lincoln Center @ 1998 Broadway, N.Y.When: Thursday, May 7 @ 7 p.m.Check out all the submissions for our Star...See full gallery1 - 4 / 12NextPrevEPISODE 336Download today's podcast |Â Subscribe in iTunes audio |Â Subscribe in RSS Audio|Â Subscribe in RSS VideoDying Gamer tries to write name of murder in own bloodHey look, another Etch-a-sketchApple will start offering $199 replacements for water damaged phonesWinner, winner, free chicken dinnerNo more GPS for British ambulancesMale contraceptive takes China by stormFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson Tang
We'd first like to thank Randall Bennett, former host of The 404, for having us on his new show Tech VI--check us out!One story from today comes from our brothers in the East, and by "our" I mean "me and Wilson," and by "East," I mean "China." Soon, China will be the first country to approve a male contraceptive shot. Users will inject a monthly shot of testosterone into their body, which will limit the amount of sperm produced, and they're saying it could be as effective as a condom. Strange to think that prior to this, listening to The 404 was the only way to prevent a woman from getting pregnant. Be sure to listen to today's Calls from the Public for more on how our show is contributing to the the U.S.'s rampant overpopulation problem.Click thumbnail for full size.Matthew MarleyI'd also like to personally announce the winners of our Star Trek Photoshop Contest! We asked you guys to Photoshop us as your favorite Star Trek characters for a chance to win a ticket (we have two) to see the new movie with us one day before the official release, and we got some seriously hilarious pictures! Check out ALL the submissions in the slideshow below, but congratulations to Jacky Chen and Matthew Marley for their winning pictures, posted above! We'll be e-mailing you about where to meet us for the showing, but all 404 listeners are welcome to join, here are the deets:Star TrekWhere: AMC Loews Lincoln Center @ 1998 Broadway, N.Y.When: Thursday, May 7 @ 7 p.m.Check out all the submissions for our Star...See full gallery1 - 4 / 12NextPrevEPISODE 336Download today's podcast |Â Subscribe in iTunes audio |Â Subscribe in RSS Audio|Â Subscribe in RSS VideoDying Gamer tries to write name of murder in own bloodHey look, another Etch-a-sketchApple will start offering $199 replacements for water damaged phonesWinner, winner, free chicken dinnerNo more GPS for British ambulancesMale contraceptive takes China by stormFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson Tang
Last-minute gift- A $50 iTunes gift card for $40
Last-minute gift: A $50 iTunes gift card for $40
Well, folks, that wraps up another year for the Cheapskate. (Actually, I may have a deal or two for you next week, but mostly I'm planning some much-needed battery recharging.)I want to wish everyone a safe and exciting holiday, and a happy and healthy new year. Wish I could join all of you for some latkes and eggnog!What I can do is offer you one last pre-holiday deal--something that arrives almost instantly via e-mail. Wal-Mart is offering a $50 iTunes gift card for $40. No sales tax, and no shipping charge!It's pretty rare to see deals on iTunes cards, let alone a 20 percent discount. If you're giving this as a gift, you get to look like a big shot while secretly remaining a cheapskate. Mwa ha ha.iTunes, of course, is home to all manner of media goodies: music, movies, TV shows, apps, e-books, audiobooks, and so on. For iDevice users in particular, it's usually the first stop for all this stuff.The gift card is delivered via e-mail, usually "within minutes," according to Wal-Mart. Note that if you want to send it to someone else, you'll need to wait until you receive your PIN, then log in to Wal-Mart's e-delivery site.I don't know if Wal-Mart has limited "stock," but I do know this won't last indefinitely; there was a $25-card-for-$20 deal earlier this week, but it's now expired. As always, if you want in, act fast!Once again, have a wonderful holiday, and I'll see you next year! (Or possibly a little next week, if you're around.)Bonus deal: Yesterday's $199 32-inch HDTV was a great deal, but too small a screen for some shoppers. Well, here's an equally great deal on a significantly larger set: Best Buy has the Dynex DX-46L262A12 46-inch HDTV for $399.99 shipped, plus sales tax. (I shudder to think of what I spent on a 46-inch TV just a few years ago.) The only real downside? Just two HDMI inputs. Come on, Dynex, we need at least three.Bonus deal No. 2: Earlier this month I wrote about the $19/month Android phone from Republic Wireless. There was a string attached--namely, it wasn't really unlimited service--but the company just dropped its usage-threshold stipulation. In other words, you now get truly unlimited voice, texting, and data for $19 per month. Game-changer! I'll have more on the story later today over at Android Atlas.
Well, folks, that wraps up another year for the Cheapskate. (Actually, I may have a deal or two for you next week, but mostly I'm planning some much-needed battery recharging.)I want to wish everyone a safe and exciting holiday, and a happy and healthy new year. Wish I could join all of you for some latkes and eggnog!What I can do is offer you one last pre-holiday deal--something that arrives almost instantly via e-mail. Wal-Mart is offering a $50 iTunes gift card for $40. No sales tax, and no shipping charge!It's pretty rare to see deals on iTunes cards, let alone a 20 percent discount. If you're giving this as a gift, you get to look like a big shot while secretly remaining a cheapskate. Mwa ha ha.iTunes, of course, is home to all manner of media goodies: music, movies, TV shows, apps, e-books, audiobooks, and so on. For iDevice users in particular, it's usually the first stop for all this stuff.The gift card is delivered via e-mail, usually "within minutes," according to Wal-Mart. Note that if you want to send it to someone else, you'll need to wait until you receive your PIN, then log in to Wal-Mart's e-delivery site.I don't know if Wal-Mart has limited "stock," but I do know this won't last indefinitely; there was a $25-card-for-$20 deal earlier this week, but it's now expired. As always, if you want in, act fast!Once again, have a wonderful holiday, and I'll see you next year! (Or possibly a little next week, if you're around.)Bonus deal: Yesterday's $199 32-inch HDTV was a great deal, but too small a screen for some shoppers. Well, here's an equally great deal on a significantly larger set: Best Buy has the Dynex DX-46L262A12 46-inch HDTV for $399.99 shipped, plus sales tax. (I shudder to think of what I spent on a 46-inch TV just a few years ago.) The only real downside? Just two HDMI inputs. Come on, Dynex, we need at least three.Bonus deal No. 2: Earlier this month I wrote about the $19/month Android phone from Republic Wireless. There was a string attached--namely, it wasn't really unlimited service--but the company just dropped its usage-threshold stipulation. In other words, you now get truly unlimited voice, texting, and data for $19 per month. Game-changer! I'll have more on the story later today over at Android Atlas.
Apple's Steve Jobs remembrance will be Oct. 19
Apple's Steve Jobs remembrance will be Oct. 19
Apple's celebration of the life of co-founder Steve Jobs for its employees is set to take place later this month, as outlined in a company-wide e-mail sent by Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook this morning.The correspondence, which was posted by French site Mac Generation this afternoon and later confirmed by Reuters, says that the company plans to hold the private event on October 19 at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.:Team,Like many of you, I have experienced the saddest days of my lifetime and shed many tears during the past week. But I've found some comfort in the extraordinary number of tributes and condolences from people all over the world who were touched by Steve and his genius. And I've found comfort in both telling and listening to stories about Steve. Although many of our hearts are still heavy, we are planning a celebration of his life for Apple employees to take time to remember the incredible things Steve achieved in his life and the many ways he made our world a better place. The celebration will be held on Wednesday, October 19, at 10am in the outdoor amphitheater on the Infinite Loop campus. We'll have more details on AppleWeb closer to the date, including arrangements for employees outside of Cupertino. I look forward to seeing you there. Tim A company spokesman did not respond to CNET's request to ascertain the e-mail's validity. Several other e-mails from Cook have leaked out following his appointment as CEO in August. One shared with the public following Jobs' death on Wednesday noted that the company was planning such a celebration of his life for company employees.Bloomberg noted this afternoon in a story about Jobs' cause of death that Jobs was buried at a private, non-denominational funeral in Santa Clara County this past Friday.
Apple's celebration of the life of co-founder Steve Jobs for its employees is set to take place later this month, as outlined in a company-wide e-mail sent by Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook this morning.The correspondence, which was posted by French site Mac Generation this afternoon and later confirmed by Reuters, says that the company plans to hold the private event on October 19 at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.:Team,Like many of you, I have experienced the saddest days of my lifetime and shed many tears during the past week. But I've found some comfort in the extraordinary number of tributes and condolences from people all over the world who were touched by Steve and his genius. And I've found comfort in both telling and listening to stories about Steve. Although many of our hearts are still heavy, we are planning a celebration of his life for Apple employees to take time to remember the incredible things Steve achieved in his life and the many ways he made our world a better place. The celebration will be held on Wednesday, October 19, at 10am in the outdoor amphitheater on the Infinite Loop campus. We'll have more details on AppleWeb closer to the date, including arrangements for employees outside of Cupertino. I look forward to seeing you there. Tim A company spokesman did not respond to CNET's request to ascertain the e-mail's validity. Several other e-mails from Cook have leaked out following his appointment as CEO in August. One shared with the public following Jobs' death on Wednesday noted that the company was planning such a celebration of his life for company employees.Bloomberg noted this afternoon in a story about Jobs' cause of death that Jobs was buried at a private, non-denominational funeral in Santa Clara County this past Friday.
Apple's Siri service not working for some
Apple's Siri service not working for some
Apple's Siri service, the voice assistant feature that's an exclusive to the newly launched iPhone 4S, is experiencing downtime, according to numerous users.At approximately 6 p.m. PT, users began posting to Twitter that they were experiencing problems getting Siri to respond to voice commands. Affected users reported that the feature activated correctly, but was not connecting to process voice commands. Multiple tests with CNET's test unit between 6:58 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. Pacific had the feature working over CNET's Wi-Fi network and over Sprint's 3G network on a number of query types, suggesting the problems could be isolated.The feature uses the iPhone 4S' built-in microphone, taking user commands and turning them into actions on the phone. That includes things that make use of a network connection, like searching the Web, setting reminders, and checking stock prices. Those queries are then piped through Apple's servers.The reported problems follow on the heels of users having difficulties downloading and installing iOS 5 earlier this week. iOS 5 is the latest version of Apple's software for powering the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and the iPad.An Apple representative could not provide information about an outage. We'll update this post if that changes.Update, 10:30 p.m. PT: Going through the comments in this post, I find that a number of CNET readers have also run into the problem, with others reporting the feature to be working just fine. There's also an Apple discussion thread about the issue here. One user on that thread suggested disabling the feature, rebooting the phone, then re-enabling Siri, however it seems inconclusive whether that helps those affected by the issue.Did you buy an iPhone 4S today, and are you having trouble with Siri? Let us know in the comments.Updated at 7:50 p.m. PT with additional testing notes and once again at 10:30 p.m. with more details.
Apple's Siri service, the voice assistant feature that's an exclusive to the newly launched iPhone 4S, is experiencing downtime, according to numerous users.At approximately 6 p.m. PT, users began posting to Twitter that they were experiencing problems getting Siri to respond to voice commands. Affected users reported that the feature activated correctly, but was not connecting to process voice commands. Multiple tests with CNET's test unit between 6:58 p.m. and 7:50 p.m. Pacific had the feature working over CNET's Wi-Fi network and over Sprint's 3G network on a number of query types, suggesting the problems could be isolated.The feature uses the iPhone 4S' built-in microphone, taking user commands and turning them into actions on the phone. That includes things that make use of a network connection, like searching the Web, setting reminders, and checking stock prices. Those queries are then piped through Apple's servers.The reported problems follow on the heels of users having difficulties downloading and installing iOS 5 earlier this week. iOS 5 is the latest version of Apple's software for powering the iPhone, the iPod Touch, and the iPad.An Apple representative could not provide information about an outage. We'll update this post if that changes.Update, 10:30 p.m. PT: Going through the comments in this post, I find that a number of CNET readers have also run into the problem, with others reporting the feature to be working just fine. There's also an Apple discussion thread about the issue here. One user on that thread suggested disabling the feature, rebooting the phone, then re-enabling Siri, however it seems inconclusive whether that helps those affected by the issue.Did you buy an iPhone 4S today, and are you having trouble with Siri? Let us know in the comments.Updated at 7:50 p.m. PT with additional testing notes and once again at 10:30 p.m. with more details.
Apple's Siri service hit with another outage
Apple's Siri service hit with another outage
Update at 1:40 p.m. PT: Siri's working again on multiple devices here, and users reporting the feature as functional following the earlier outage.Apple's Siri service, the voice assistant feature that's an exclusive to the recently launched iPhone 4S, is experiencing downtime once again, according to numerous users.At approximately 11 a.m. PT, users began posting to Twitter that they were experiencing problems getting Siri to respond to voice commands. Affected users reported that the feature activated correctly, but was not connecting to process voice commands. Tests on several iPhone 4S devices owned by CNET staffers confirmed the issue.Siri uses the iPhone 4S' built-in microphone, taking user commands and turning them into actions on the phone. That includes things that make use of a network connection, like searching the Web, setting reminders, and checking stock prices. Those queries are then piped through Apple's servers, where they're processed and sent back to the user's handset. This appears to be the second widespread outage of Siri since it launched alongside the iPhone 4S last month. The first took place immediately following the launch of the device in the U.S. and other countries on October 14. Today's outage was first reported by blog iSmashPhone.An Apple representative did not respond to a request for comment about the issue. We'll update this post if that changes.Worth noting is that Siri is in "beta" according to Apple. The company says it plans to add support for additional languages, as well as bringing over some U.S. only features like maps and local search sometime next year.
Update at 1:40 p.m. PT: Siri's working again on multiple devices here, and users reporting the feature as functional following the earlier outage.Apple's Siri service, the voice assistant feature that's an exclusive to the recently launched iPhone 4S, is experiencing downtime once again, according to numerous users.At approximately 11 a.m. PT, users began posting to Twitter that they were experiencing problems getting Siri to respond to voice commands. Affected users reported that the feature activated correctly, but was not connecting to process voice commands. Tests on several iPhone 4S devices owned by CNET staffers confirmed the issue.Siri uses the iPhone 4S' built-in microphone, taking user commands and turning them into actions on the phone. That includes things that make use of a network connection, like searching the Web, setting reminders, and checking stock prices. Those queries are then piped through Apple's servers, where they're processed and sent back to the user's handset. This appears to be the second widespread outage of Siri since it launched alongside the iPhone 4S last month. The first took place immediately following the launch of the device in the U.S. and other countries on October 14. Today's outage was first reported by blog iSmashPhone.An Apple representative did not respond to a request for comment about the issue. We'll update this post if that changes.Worth noting is that Siri is in "beta" according to Apple. The company says it plans to add support for additional languages, as well as bringing over some U.S. only features like maps and local search sometime next year.
Apple's Siri nailed with patent suit over voice-to-text
Apple's Siri nailed with patent suit over voice-to-text
Apple's virtual personal assistant Siri has been smacked with yet another lawsuit.This time around, Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University filed a lawsuit against Apple on Friday, charging the company with violating patents it holds related to voice-to-text technology. The university says that it acquired two patents in 2007 and 2010 in the U.S., and believes that Siri violates those.Apple is certainly no stranger to Siri lawsuits. Over the last year, the company has been hit with everything from class-action suits complaining of the service's performance to infringement. Earlier this month, Shanghai-based voice application developer Zhizhen Network Technology sued Apple for allegedly infringing a patent it holds related to "a type of instant messaging chat bot system" it calls Xiaoi Bot.Related storiesSteve Jobs: Let the post-PC era begin (live blog)At SRI, developing an expertise in R&D, innovationReport: Apple using Nuance voice tech in data centerWatching TV backfires during 'SuriTV' parodyApple iPad live blog (Wednesday, March 7)Speaking to Reuters, which was first to report on the lawsuit, the National Cheng Kung's legal manager, Yama Chen, said that it decided to file the suit in a Texas court "because it processes faster and its rulings are usually in favor of patent owners and the compensations are usually higher."Chen didn't say how much the University is looking to score in the lawsuit, but acknowledged that the damages are based on sales of Siri-equipped devices.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the lawsuit. We will update this story when we have more information.
Apple's virtual personal assistant Siri has been smacked with yet another lawsuit.This time around, Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University filed a lawsuit against Apple on Friday, charging the company with violating patents it holds related to voice-to-text technology. The university says that it acquired two patents in 2007 and 2010 in the U.S., and believes that Siri violates those.Apple is certainly no stranger to Siri lawsuits. Over the last year, the company has been hit with everything from class-action suits complaining of the service's performance to infringement. Earlier this month, Shanghai-based voice application developer Zhizhen Network Technology sued Apple for allegedly infringing a patent it holds related to "a type of instant messaging chat bot system" it calls Xiaoi Bot.Related storiesSteve Jobs: Let the post-PC era begin (live blog)At SRI, developing an expertise in R&D, innovationReport: Apple using Nuance voice tech in data centerWatching TV backfires during 'SuriTV' parodyApple iPad live blog (Wednesday, March 7)Speaking to Reuters, which was first to report on the lawsuit, the National Cheng Kung's legal manager, Yama Chen, said that it decided to file the suit in a Texas court "because it processes faster and its rulings are usually in favor of patent owners and the compensations are usually higher."Chen didn't say how much the University is looking to score in the lawsuit, but acknowledged that the damages are based on sales of Siri-equipped devices.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the lawsuit. We will update this story when we have more information.
Apple's Siri might have been called something else
Apple's Siri might have been called something else
What's in a name? That which we call Siri, by any other name would be as sassy -- though we might have known the voice assistant technology by another name.NetworkWorld this morning recounts some of the highlights from a speech given by Siri co-founder Dag Kittlaus at Chicago's Technori Pitch event yesterday. While the speech focused mainly on the importance of building Chicago as a startup scene, Kittlaus included a handful of behind-the-scenes tidbits on what led to Siri becoming an Apple technology.One of those was that late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs originally sought a different name for Siri. Not finding a suitable alternative, and with persuading from Kittlaus, the name was kept around.Kittlaus also noted that the first time he talked with Jobs ahead of the acquisition, he was under the impression he had been called up by Apple Senior Vice President Scott Forstall. Instead it was Jobs, who invited him over to his house, whichled to a three-hour conversation "about the future": And, you know, [Jobs] talked about why Apple was going to win, and we talked about how Siri was doing. And he was very excited about the fact that -- you know -- he was very interested in this area in general but -- you know -- they're patient, they don't jump on anything until they feel they can go after something new and he felt that we cracked it. So that was his attraction.Related storiesSiri co-founder Kittlaus leaves Apple, report saysApple's Siri is Apple's buttocks in JapanApple's Siri not as smart as she looks, lawsuit chargesUltimately, the rest became history. Apple acquired Siri in 2010, relaunching it as a built-in feature exclusive to the iPhone 4S in October 2011. That same month Kittlaus departed Apple to begin work on new startup ideas. One other fun tidbit from the talk: Kittlaus originally took to the name because of its Norwegian meaning of "beautiful woman who leads you to victory," later deciding to name his child that if he had a daughter. Kittlaus ended up having a son instead.
What's in a name? That which we call Siri, by any other name would be as sassy -- though we might have known the voice assistant technology by another name.NetworkWorld this morning recounts some of the highlights from a speech given by Siri co-founder Dag Kittlaus at Chicago's Technori Pitch event yesterday. While the speech focused mainly on the importance of building Chicago as a startup scene, Kittlaus included a handful of behind-the-scenes tidbits on what led to Siri becoming an Apple technology.One of those was that late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs originally sought a different name for Siri. Not finding a suitable alternative, and with persuading from Kittlaus, the name was kept around.Kittlaus also noted that the first time he talked with Jobs ahead of the acquisition, he was under the impression he had been called up by Apple Senior Vice President Scott Forstall. Instead it was Jobs, who invited him over to his house, whichled to a three-hour conversation "about the future": And, you know, [Jobs] talked about why Apple was going to win, and we talked about how Siri was doing. And he was very excited about the fact that -- you know -- he was very interested in this area in general but -- you know -- they're patient, they don't jump on anything until they feel they can go after something new and he felt that we cracked it. So that was his attraction.Related storiesSiri co-founder Kittlaus leaves Apple, report saysApple's Siri is Apple's buttocks in JapanApple's Siri not as smart as she looks, lawsuit chargesUltimately, the rest became history. Apple acquired Siri in 2010, relaunching it as a built-in feature exclusive to the iPhone 4S in October 2011. That same month Kittlaus departed Apple to begin work on new startup ideas. One other fun tidbit from the talk: Kittlaus originally took to the name because of its Norwegian meaning of "beautiful woman who leads you to victory," later deciding to name his child that if he had a daughter. Kittlaus ended up having a son instead.
Apple patent could lead to truly flexible iPhone
Apple could one day cook up a fully flexible iPhone, at least based on a newly granted patent.
Awarded on Tuesday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent dubbed "flexible electronic devices" describes a mobile device that consists of flexible components both inside and out. As such, users would be able to bend, fold and squeeze the device to perform such functions as opening and closing it, turning it on and off, and even launching certain apps.
The exterior of the device would include a flexible display cover, a flexible housing and other flexible external components. The interior would be outfitted with a flexible OLED display, flexible batteries, flexible circuit boards and flexible electrical components.
Key iPhone rivals already offer curved smartphones, such as Samsung's Galaxy Round and LG's G Flex. At CES 2015 on Monday, LG unveiled the G Flex 2, a phone that can flex when you push on the back of it. But truly flexible phones such as the one described in Apple's patent are a ways off. Samsung and LG have both been researching flexible and bendable phones. Apple's patent shows that the iPhone maker also has its eye on this market.
What benefits would flexible phones offer? For one, your phone would be more likely to survive a fall.
"Flexible electronic devices may be more resistant to damage during impact events, such as drops, because the flexible device may bend or deform while absorbing the impact," Apple said in its patent. "Deformation of this type may increase the duration of an impact, thereby reducing the impulse received by other components of the flexible device."
A flexible phone also would open the door to different types of commands based on how you manipulate it.
"Flexible electronic devices may include flex-sensing components for sensing deformations of the flexible electronic device," Apple noted in the patent. "Deformations of the flexible electronic device that are sensed by flex-sensing components may provide user input to the electronic device. For example, twisting a flexible electronic device may change the operating mode of the device, may be interpreted by the device as a command to an electronic gaming system, may turn the device on or off, etc."
As always, a patent doesn't mean the invention will see the light of day. But with Samsung and LG investigating the possibility of flexible phones, Apple certainly would want to explore this technology as well.
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