Rumor Has It, Ep. 23: The iPad is so close, we can taste it (podcast)
We start out today's show with a very important message to all you copycats out there: give credit where credit is due! And that's all we have to say about that. Whew! Tomorrow's iPad event means we can finally stop talking about the elusive iPad...3? Or maybe it's the iPad HD? Or maybe it's the iPad YouKnowYouWantOne? We'll find out tomorrow, where undoubtedly a million points will get on the board. And then we can finally put that baby to rest.Also on today's show, we talk about something not Apple related (if you can believe it), play our Yay or Nay game (copyright, trademark, all rights reserved 2012), and count how many accents Emily whips out. (Our last count was nine.) EPISODE 23This 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.PlaySubscribe:Â RSS (MP3) |Â RSS (320x180) |Â RSS (640x360) |Â iTunes (MP3) |Â iTunes (320x180) |Â iTunes (640x360)PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Links from the show!The next iPad will be the iPad HD, not the iPad 3iPads running iOS 6 crop up in Web traffic logsThe curious case of the missing iPad 3 home buttonIs Apple prepping an 8GB iPad 2 to launch March 7?Portal's Valve to release 'Steam Box' console, says reportApple pushing ahead with plans for subscription TV service by ChristmasYay or Nay?Is the HTC Titan the first Windows Phone in China?Will the Samsung Galaxy S III to debut by April?Is Google planning a Siri rival for later this yearApple is reportedly cooking up new audio file format. Is that going to happen?Will HBO and Microsoft answer all of Karyne's dreams and offer HBO Go on the Xbox?Will Apple add variable precision location sharing to Find My Friends app?Heard a tech rumor you think we should cover?E-mail us at Rumorhasit [at] cnet.com, or directly at karyne.levy [at] cnet.com or emily.dreyfuss [at] cbsinteractive.com. And call and leave us a voice mail at 1-800-750-CNET!And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow, @stephenbeacham.
How to gift an app from the App Store
How to gift an app from the App Store
You can gift an app using an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone. Launch the App Store and find the app you want to send as a gift. Once you have found the app and are viewing all of the details, scroll down to the bottom. There you will find aGift This App button. Tap on it. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiYou will be provided with a summary of the app; press Next after you have confirmed it is the app you would like to send. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiEnter your name followed by the recipient's name and e-mail address. You can also scroll down and enter a note to be sent with the app if you'd like. Press Next when you're done. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiOn the last screen you will see an order summary. Verify that the name, e-mail address, and app are all correct. Once you are satisfied, tap on Buy Gift. The recipient will then be sent an e-mail to alert him or her of your gift. Now that we have seen the process for using an iOS device, let's look at how to gift an app using iTunes. The process is basically the same, with a few minor tweaks. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiNavigate to the app you would like to gift. While on the detail page for the app, you can click on the arrow to the right of the price of the app. Doing so will provide you with a list of options. Select Gift This App.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiUsing iTunes you are given an option to have the gift e-mailed, or you can print it out and hand deliver it. Enter the required information to e-mail the certificate and click on Continue. If you are printing the certificate, you will only be required to enter your name, recipient's name, and a note.If want to send this same app to more than one person, you can enter multiple e-mail address by placing a comma between each of them. This allows you to go through the purchase process only once. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiConfirm your purchase by clicking on Buy Gift. Sorry, an iTunes gift card can't be used to gift apps to other family members. Nice try, though.
You can gift an app using an iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone. Launch the App Store and find the app you want to send as a gift. Once you have found the app and are viewing all of the details, scroll down to the bottom. There you will find aGift This App button. Tap on it. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiYou will be provided with a summary of the app; press Next after you have confirmed it is the app you would like to send. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiEnter your name followed by the recipient's name and e-mail address. You can also scroll down and enter a note to be sent with the app if you'd like. Press Next when you're done. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiOn the last screen you will see an order summary. Verify that the name, e-mail address, and app are all correct. Once you are satisfied, tap on Buy Gift. The recipient will then be sent an e-mail to alert him or her of your gift. Now that we have seen the process for using an iOS device, let's look at how to gift an app using iTunes. The process is basically the same, with a few minor tweaks. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiNavigate to the app you would like to gift. While on the detail page for the app, you can click on the arrow to the right of the price of the app. Doing so will provide you with a list of options. Select Gift This App.Screenshot by Jason CiprianiUsing iTunes you are given an option to have the gift e-mailed, or you can print it out and hand deliver it. Enter the required information to e-mail the certificate and click on Continue. If you are printing the certificate, you will only be required to enter your name, recipient's name, and a note.If want to send this same app to more than one person, you can enter multiple e-mail address by placing a comma between each of them. This allows you to go through the purchase process only once. Screenshot by Jason CiprianiConfirm your purchase by clicking on Buy Gift. Sorry, an iTunes gift card can't be used to gift apps to other family members. Nice try, though.
Steve Jobs biopic 'jOBS' to arrive in theaters in April
Steve Jobs biopic 'jOBS' to arrive in theaters in April
The first film about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs since his death in 2011 will be released in theaters in April, the movie's creators said today.Open Road Films and Five Star Feature Films today said the two companies reached a distribution deal for "jOBS." The film, which is not to be confused with a separate production penned by "The Social Network" and "The West Wing" writer Aaron Sorkin, stars Ashton Kutcher as Jobs. The movie will cover the years 1971 through 2000. That bit of Jobs' history includes the founding of Apple, as well as his ouster, the forming of NeXT and Pixar, and then his return to the company when Apple acquired NeXT.Principal photography on "jOBS" began in the Jobs family's original house in June. Photos from the production have since leaked out, showing Kutcher and others in costume.The film is set to premiere later this month at the annual Sundance film festival in Park City, Utah.Along with Kutcher, the movie also stars Matthew Modine as former Apple CEO John Sculley, Josh Gad as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and "The Help" star Ahna O'Reilly playing Chris-Ann Brennan, Jobs' girlfriend, and the mother of his daughter Lisa. Other additions include J.K. Simmons and Kevin Dunn, who will play venture capitalist Arthur Rock and former Apple CEO Gil Amelio respectively.
The first film about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs since his death in 2011 will be released in theaters in April, the movie's creators said today.Open Road Films and Five Star Feature Films today said the two companies reached a distribution deal for "jOBS." The film, which is not to be confused with a separate production penned by "The Social Network" and "The West Wing" writer Aaron Sorkin, stars Ashton Kutcher as Jobs. The movie will cover the years 1971 through 2000. That bit of Jobs' history includes the founding of Apple, as well as his ouster, the forming of NeXT and Pixar, and then his return to the company when Apple acquired NeXT.Principal photography on "jOBS" began in the Jobs family's original house in June. Photos from the production have since leaked out, showing Kutcher and others in costume.The film is set to premiere later this month at the annual Sundance film festival in Park City, Utah.Along with Kutcher, the movie also stars Matthew Modine as former Apple CEO John Sculley, Josh Gad as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and "The Help" star Ahna O'Reilly playing Chris-Ann Brennan, Jobs' girlfriend, and the mother of his daughter Lisa. Other additions include J.K. Simmons and Kevin Dunn, who will play venture capitalist Arthur Rock and former Apple CEO Gil Amelio respectively.
Steve Jobs biography gets new title
Steve Jobs biography gets new title
Steve Jobs' biography was only announced a few months ago and it already has a new title."iSteve: The Book of Jobs," the first authorized biography of the Apple co-founder and chief executive, has been rechristened simply "Steve Jobs." The book, which was announced in April and is due to be published next year by Simon & Schuster, is being penned by biographer Walter Isaacson from interviews with Jobs, family members, and colleagues. (Simon & Schuster is a unit of CBS Corp., whose CBS Interactive unit is the publisher of CNET.)Amazon.comHowever, the previous title was chosen by Simon & Schuster's publicity department and was not popular with Isaacson, according to a Fortune report. The author's wife and daughter agreed, saying the title was "too cutesy," according to the report.The book is slated to be published March 6, 2012, and is available for preorder on Amazon.com.Although there have been other biographies printed about Apple's iconic co-founder, this is being billed as the first published with his participation. An unauthorized biography titled "iCon: Steve Jobs, The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" by Jeffrey Young was published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons. The publisher promised "insider scoops and no-holds-barred style" but was criticized by Jobs and led to the removal of all Wiley books from Apple stores.
Steve Jobs' biography was only announced a few months ago and it already has a new title."iSteve: The Book of Jobs," the first authorized biography of the Apple co-founder and chief executive, has been rechristened simply "Steve Jobs." The book, which was announced in April and is due to be published next year by Simon & Schuster, is being penned by biographer Walter Isaacson from interviews with Jobs, family members, and colleagues. (Simon & Schuster is a unit of CBS Corp., whose CBS Interactive unit is the publisher of CNET.)Amazon.comHowever, the previous title was chosen by Simon & Schuster's publicity department and was not popular with Isaacson, according to a Fortune report. The author's wife and daughter agreed, saying the title was "too cutesy," according to the report.The book is slated to be published March 6, 2012, and is available for preorder on Amazon.com.Although there have been other biographies printed about Apple's iconic co-founder, this is being billed as the first published with his participation. An unauthorized biography titled "iCon: Steve Jobs, The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" by Jeffrey Young was published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons. The publisher promised "insider scoops and no-holds-barred style" but was criticized by Jobs and led to the removal of all Wiley books from Apple stores.
Apple reportedly mulling all-you-can-eat iTunes
Apple reportedly mulling all-you-can-eat iTunes
The company reportedly is still in discussions, according to sources speaking on background to the FT."The 'all you can eat' model, a replica of Nokia's 'comes with music' deal with Universal Music last December, could provide the struggling recorded music industry with a much-needed fillip, and drive demand for a new generation of Apple's hardware."Apple would not comment on the plan, but executives familiar with the negotiations said they hinged on a dispute over the price the computer maker would be willing to pay for access to the labels' libraries. "Nokia is understood to be offering almost $80 per handset to music industry partners, to be divided according to their share of the market. However, Apple has so far offered only about $20 per device, two executives said. 'It's who blinks first, and whether or not anyone does blink,' one executive said." If accurate, this would mark a big about-face for Steve Jobs, who previously has dismissed the rental music model. So far this evening, nobody's been able to confirm the FT story. But the story has triggered a fury of interest over at Techmeme. For instance, VentureBeat's MG Siegler raises an interesting question: with iPod sales said to be slowing down, what's the sense of adding a premium to the products? What's more, he asks:"Another question is if Apple really wants to complicate the store known for its simplicity?If consumers who bought these 'unlimited' iPods have access to all the music for free, they'll still have to pay for all video content presumably. Also, what happens if someone doesn't want to go out and buy a new iPod to get this deal, do they opt-in by paying Apple $100? The FT report also suggests that a subscription package may only work with the iPhone and that such a deal would simply be added on to a user's monthly AT&T bill--so what about those users without iPhones?"Hopefully, we'll be able to answer some of these questions with more clarity in a few hours. Stay tuned. Editors' note, March 19, 7:45 AM PDT: News.com's Greg Sandoval now has the lowdown from a source close to the deal. See "Apple could split device sales with music labels.")
The company reportedly is still in discussions, according to sources speaking on background to the FT."The 'all you can eat' model, a replica of Nokia's 'comes with music' deal with Universal Music last December, could provide the struggling recorded music industry with a much-needed fillip, and drive demand for a new generation of Apple's hardware."Apple would not comment on the plan, but executives familiar with the negotiations said they hinged on a dispute over the price the computer maker would be willing to pay for access to the labels' libraries. "Nokia is understood to be offering almost $80 per handset to music industry partners, to be divided according to their share of the market. However, Apple has so far offered only about $20 per device, two executives said. 'It's who blinks first, and whether or not anyone does blink,' one executive said." If accurate, this would mark a big about-face for Steve Jobs, who previously has dismissed the rental music model. So far this evening, nobody's been able to confirm the FT story. But the story has triggered a fury of interest over at Techmeme. For instance, VentureBeat's MG Siegler raises an interesting question: with iPod sales said to be slowing down, what's the sense of adding a premium to the products? What's more, he asks:"Another question is if Apple really wants to complicate the store known for its simplicity?If consumers who bought these 'unlimited' iPods have access to all the music for free, they'll still have to pay for all video content presumably. Also, what happens if someone doesn't want to go out and buy a new iPod to get this deal, do they opt-in by paying Apple $100? The FT report also suggests that a subscription package may only work with the iPhone and that such a deal would simply be added on to a user's monthly AT&T bill--so what about those users without iPhones?"Hopefully, we'll be able to answer some of these questions with more clarity in a few hours. Stay tuned. Editors' note, March 19, 7:45 AM PDT: News.com's Greg Sandoval now has the lowdown from a source close to the deal. See "Apple could split device sales with music labels.")
Apple reportedly eyes iTunes Radio as separate app in iOS 8
Apple reportedly eyes iTunes Radio as separate app in iOS 8
iTunes Radio could split off as its own separate app for iOS 8.Apple is now testing its music service as a standalone app for the next version of iOS, according to 9to5Mac, which cited "sources briefed on the plans." The idea is that Apple could feature and market iTunes Radio more readily as its own app than as an option tucked away into the iOS Music app.For iOS 8, iTunes Radio would be pre-installed and borrow its look and feel from the familiar Music app. iOS users could listen to Featured Stations, create and manage their own stations, and purchase songs and albums from iTunes. Apple was looking at iTunes Radio as a standalone app for iOS 6, 9to5Mac said. But complications over record label deals pushed the launch back to iOS 7.Related postsDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)The 404 Podcast 498: Where Jeff battles the TriadBuzz Out Loud Podcast 1145: China to Google: Suck itNutsie brings iTunes to Android via the cloudThe Real Deal 193: Road Test - CES edition (podcast) Though this tidbit comes from unnamed sources, Apple certainly would want to consider new ways to boost the reach of iTunes Radio. The service is actually doing pretty well, at least according to a recent survey from Edison Research. A poll of 2,000 people in the US tagged iTunes Radio as the third most popular streaming radio service in the US.Still, there's much more room for growth. Since its debut last September, iTunes Radio had won more than 20 million users by just a month later. But that number is but a drop in the bucket of more than 600 million iTunes users. And iTunes Radio faces competition from Pandora, Spotify, and similar services, all of which have their own dedicated apps in the App Store.Apple also has a history of separating different features into their own apps. The iOS Music app once included podcasts and iTunes University content. Both of those have since been split off into their own unique apps. iTunes Music seems particular ripe for this type of move -- since it's currently nestled into the Music app, some people may not even know it exists.
iTunes Radio could split off as its own separate app for iOS 8.Apple is now testing its music service as a standalone app for the next version of iOS, according to 9to5Mac, which cited "sources briefed on the plans." The idea is that Apple could feature and market iTunes Radio more readily as its own app than as an option tucked away into the iOS Music app.For iOS 8, iTunes Radio would be pre-installed and borrow its look and feel from the familiar Music app. iOS users could listen to Featured Stations, create and manage their own stations, and purchase songs and albums from iTunes. Apple was looking at iTunes Radio as a standalone app for iOS 6, 9to5Mac said. But complications over record label deals pushed the launch back to iOS 7.Related postsDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)The 404 Podcast 498: Where Jeff battles the TriadBuzz Out Loud Podcast 1145: China to Google: Suck itNutsie brings iTunes to Android via the cloudThe Real Deal 193: Road Test - CES edition (podcast) Though this tidbit comes from unnamed sources, Apple certainly would want to consider new ways to boost the reach of iTunes Radio. The service is actually doing pretty well, at least according to a recent survey from Edison Research. A poll of 2,000 people in the US tagged iTunes Radio as the third most popular streaming radio service in the US.Still, there's much more room for growth. Since its debut last September, iTunes Radio had won more than 20 million users by just a month later. But that number is but a drop in the bucket of more than 600 million iTunes users. And iTunes Radio faces competition from Pandora, Spotify, and similar services, all of which have their own dedicated apps in the App Store.Apple also has a history of separating different features into their own apps. The iOS Music app once included podcasts and iTunes University content. Both of those have since been split off into their own unique apps. iTunes Music seems particular ripe for this type of move -- since it's currently nestled into the Music app, some people may not even know it exists.
Apple highlights better way to juggle your browser tabs
Apple highlights better way to juggle your browser tabs
The more tabbed pages you open in your browser, the more difficult it becomes to navigate them all. Apple has one remedy in mind, as shown in a newly published patent filing.Published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a patent application called "Gesture-based navigation among content items" envisions a way to scroll through your tabbed pages in an array mode to find a specific one.Desktop browsers typically display your tabs side by side. That's fine until you open so many tabbed pages that you can't keep track of them or even see their full names. Instead, Apple's approach would let you view your tabbed pages in a scrollable grid, allowing you to see them one at a time. When you find the page you wish to open, simply click on it to launch it full-screen.As the patent describes it:In response to user input the display can be switched to an array mode, in which all of the content items are visible in a scrollable array. Selecting a content item in array mode can result in the display returning to the full-frame mode, with the selected content item becoming visible and active. Smoothly animated transitions between the full-frame and array modes and a gesture-based interface for controlling the transitions can also be provided.The concept sounds good, though it's hardly new.The mobile version of Safari for iOS lets you swipe across your array of tabs. And in last year's release of Mountain Lion, Apple added a tabbed scrolling feature to Safari. Selecting a "Show All Tab" view in Safari lets you scroll through each open window and select the one you wish to launch.But the patent application, which was filed on January 25, 2013, envisions the feature extending beyond just Web browsers."In any context where a user can view multiple different content items, such as a Web browser or word processing program or the like, switching among open (or currently loaded) content items is provided using an array mode," Apple said in its application.(Via Patently Apple)
The more tabbed pages you open in your browser, the more difficult it becomes to navigate them all. Apple has one remedy in mind, as shown in a newly published patent filing.Published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a patent application called "Gesture-based navigation among content items" envisions a way to scroll through your tabbed pages in an array mode to find a specific one.Desktop browsers typically display your tabs side by side. That's fine until you open so many tabbed pages that you can't keep track of them or even see their full names. Instead, Apple's approach would let you view your tabbed pages in a scrollable grid, allowing you to see them one at a time. When you find the page you wish to open, simply click on it to launch it full-screen.As the patent describes it:In response to user input the display can be switched to an array mode, in which all of the content items are visible in a scrollable array. Selecting a content item in array mode can result in the display returning to the full-frame mode, with the selected content item becoming visible and active. Smoothly animated transitions between the full-frame and array modes and a gesture-based interface for controlling the transitions can also be provided.The concept sounds good, though it's hardly new.The mobile version of Safari for iOS lets you swipe across your array of tabs. And in last year's release of Mountain Lion, Apple added a tabbed scrolling feature to Safari. Selecting a "Show All Tab" view in Safari lets you scroll through each open window and select the one you wish to launch.But the patent application, which was filed on January 25, 2013, envisions the feature extending beyond just Web browsers."In any context where a user can view multiple different content items, such as a Web browser or word processing program or the like, switching among open (or currently loaded) content items is provided using an array mode," Apple said in its application.(Via Patently Apple)
Apple HDTV would lure about 1 in 2 iPhone owners, survey says
Apple HDTV would lure about 1 in 2 iPhone owners, survey says
If you own an iPhone, you're pretty likely to buy Apple's much-rumored TV set, according to the results of a new study.Market research firm Strategy Analytics today released findings from its 2012 ConsumerMetrix survey, which says "nearly half" of those who already own an iPhone would be "very or somewhat likely" to buy an Apple TV set. The survey, which took place in March, was limited to the U.S. and Europe, and consisted of about 6,000 individuals, most of whom were located in Europe. According to Jia Wu, a Director at Strategy Analytics and the report's author, less than a quarter of those polled (read: not just iPhone owners) said they'd end up buying the device in its first year out. About 5 percent they'd be "very likely" to buy, and less than 20 percent said they were "somewhat likely." Worth noting is that the poll didn't specify an actual feature set for the device, just a price range and the fact that it would be sold by Apple. In the U.S., 35 percent of those polled said they'd pay $1,000 or more for the set, a number that falls to 14 percent at a price above $1,600, the firm said. All told, Wu says that could lead to first year sales of 5 to 17 million units in North America and Western Europe."It's more based on the assumption that the TV will be sold at $1,000 or $1,500, and also we don't know many details of the product, only the consumer interest and willingness to pay," Wu said in an interview. Apple's TV-set ambitions remain a rumor, but one that's rooted in some suggestive fact. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he wanted "to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use," and that he "finally cracked it." Since then there has been no shortage of rumors that suggest Apple is still at work on such a product. (See CNET's full rundown here.)
If you own an iPhone, you're pretty likely to buy Apple's much-rumored TV set, according to the results of a new study.Market research firm Strategy Analytics today released findings from its 2012 ConsumerMetrix survey, which says "nearly half" of those who already own an iPhone would be "very or somewhat likely" to buy an Apple TV set. The survey, which took place in March, was limited to the U.S. and Europe, and consisted of about 6,000 individuals, most of whom were located in Europe. According to Jia Wu, a Director at Strategy Analytics and the report's author, less than a quarter of those polled (read: not just iPhone owners) said they'd end up buying the device in its first year out. About 5 percent they'd be "very likely" to buy, and less than 20 percent said they were "somewhat likely." Worth noting is that the poll didn't specify an actual feature set for the device, just a price range and the fact that it would be sold by Apple. In the U.S., 35 percent of those polled said they'd pay $1,000 or more for the set, a number that falls to 14 percent at a price above $1,600, the firm said. All told, Wu says that could lead to first year sales of 5 to 17 million units in North America and Western Europe."It's more based on the assumption that the TV will be sold at $1,000 or $1,500, and also we don't know many details of the product, only the consumer interest and willingness to pay," Wu said in an interview. Apple's TV-set ambitions remain a rumor, but one that's rooted in some suggestive fact. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he wanted "to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use," and that he "finally cracked it." Since then there has been no shortage of rumors that suggest Apple is still at work on such a product. (See CNET's full rundown here.)
Apple has been an LTE straggler -- maybe that's a good thing
Apple has been an LTE straggler -- maybe that's a good thing
Apple has taken a wait-and-see approach to 4G LTE, and that may pay off for the iPhone 5. While LTE on Verizon's network has become a standard offering for Android phones over the last year or so, Apple CEO Tim Cook has resisted -- until Wednesday. Cook always said pretty much the same thing: iPhone-use LTE chipsets aren't good enough yet for Apple. And he had a point.Previous generations of LTE tech had power-consumption and chip-integration tradeoffs. Plus,Verizon's build-out of LTE has been steady but slow.(It just reached an area near my stomping grounds, an immediate suburb of Los Angeles.) Now, Apple is saying it is doing"LTE...The right way," according to Apple's iPhone 5 Web page, where it addresses past issues. "LTE wireless technology is built for speed, but adding it to a phone can create bulk and drain battery life quickly. iPhone 5 does LTE the right way -- optimized for better battery life and designed for ultrafast connectivity in a thin profile." Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PC Apple obviously thinks it has met the LTE challenge by offering "up to 8 hours" of "Internet use" on LTE.Even better than the stated 6 hours of Internet use on 3G for the iPhone 4S.Only reviews will show if the claims are real, but Apple tends to be relatively conservative, so the numbers are encouraging.But what isn't clear is how it gets there. For example, the iPhone can't do simultaneous voice and data on Verizon's and Sprint's networks.That's an issueI thought about long and hard before I eventually decided to go with Verizon's 3G on my iPhone 4S. (Though, to be honest, it hasn't been a big issue for me.) Will this impact buying decisions in a big way?I don't think so.The most important thing for most users is battery life.So, Apple's laggard-by-design strategy may pay off.
Apple has taken a wait-and-see approach to 4G LTE, and that may pay off for the iPhone 5. While LTE on Verizon's network has become a standard offering for Android phones over the last year or so, Apple CEO Tim Cook has resisted -- until Wednesday. Cook always said pretty much the same thing: iPhone-use LTE chipsets aren't good enough yet for Apple. And he had a point.Previous generations of LTE tech had power-consumption and chip-integration tradeoffs. Plus,Verizon's build-out of LTE has been steady but slow.(It just reached an area near my stomping grounds, an immediate suburb of Los Angeles.) Now, Apple is saying it is doing"LTE...The right way," according to Apple's iPhone 5 Web page, where it addresses past issues. "LTE wireless technology is built for speed, but adding it to a phone can create bulk and drain battery life quickly. iPhone 5 does LTE the right way -- optimized for better battery life and designed for ultrafast connectivity in a thin profile." Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PC Apple obviously thinks it has met the LTE challenge by offering "up to 8 hours" of "Internet use" on LTE.Even better than the stated 6 hours of Internet use on 3G for the iPhone 4S.Only reviews will show if the claims are real, but Apple tends to be relatively conservative, so the numbers are encouraging.But what isn't clear is how it gets there. For example, the iPhone can't do simultaneous voice and data on Verizon's and Sprint's networks.That's an issueI thought about long and hard before I eventually decided to go with Verizon's 3G on my iPhone 4S. (Though, to be honest, it hasn't been a big issue for me.) Will this impact buying decisions in a big way?I don't think so.The most important thing for most users is battery life.So, Apple's laggard-by-design strategy may pay off.
Apple has an ally; Electromagnetic engineer says Consumer Reports iPhone 4 study flawed
Apple has an ally; Electromagnetic engineer says Consumer Reports iPhone 4 study flawed
Bob Egan, now a technology blogger and Global Head of Research & Chief Analyst at the TowerGroup, claims that the Consumer Reports study that had the popular independent customer advocacy group unable to recommend purchasing iPhone 4 has many inherent flaws and can barely be counted as scientific.Egan writes, "Bottom line. From what I can see in the reports, Consumer Reports replicated the same uncontrolled, unscientific experiments that many of the blogging sites have done."Egan also wonders if the issue is even entirely Apple's, supposing that AT&T could share some of the blame for the signal variance and call dropping problems that have since become endless blogging fodder for every technology website reporting on Apple's affairs. "We also don't know if placing a finger on the antenna bridge is detuning the antenna or detuning the receiver itself."Since this issue has come to light, I have carefully monitored my own 3G reception while using iPhone 4. My conclusions, though completely unscientific, are that while I can replicate the signal bar indicator issue (where the number of bars drops significantly when covering the antenna gap on the lower-left of the device), it does not seem to affect call quality or cause any dropped calls. That would lead me to believe that the indicator problem is a result of a software miscalculation and I fully expect a software fix to silence this issue for good.So the question looms, who do you believe? Has Consumer Reports done its due diligence in testing iPhone 4 or did it miss some steps along the way that would make the report more valid? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
Bob Egan, now a technology blogger and Global Head of Research & Chief Analyst at the TowerGroup, claims that the Consumer Reports study that had the popular independent customer advocacy group unable to recommend purchasing iPhone 4 has many inherent flaws and can barely be counted as scientific.Egan writes, "Bottom line. From what I can see in the reports, Consumer Reports replicated the same uncontrolled, unscientific experiments that many of the blogging sites have done."Egan also wonders if the issue is even entirely Apple's, supposing that AT&T could share some of the blame for the signal variance and call dropping problems that have since become endless blogging fodder for every technology website reporting on Apple's affairs. "We also don't know if placing a finger on the antenna bridge is detuning the antenna or detuning the receiver itself."Since this issue has come to light, I have carefully monitored my own 3G reception while using iPhone 4. My conclusions, though completely unscientific, are that while I can replicate the signal bar indicator issue (where the number of bars drops significantly when covering the antenna gap on the lower-left of the device), it does not seem to affect call quality or cause any dropped calls. That would lead me to believe that the indicator problem is a result of a software miscalculation and I fully expect a software fix to silence this issue for good.So the question looms, who do you believe? Has Consumer Reports done its due diligence in testing iPhone 4 or did it miss some steps along the way that would make the report more valid? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
Apple has a good Christmas, then gets a lump of coal from Italy
Apple has a good Christmas, then gets a lump of coal from Italy
Next-gen iPhone to sport metal back?Reviving a rumor that had been debunked by the release of the iPhone 4S earlier this year, Boy Genius Report this week claimed that Apple's working to bring metal backing to its next iPhone. Citing "a close source," the blog said Apple's next iPhone will be delivered in the fall, and sport a back made out of metal with a new side material akin to its plastic and rubber bumper cases. Reports earlier this year claimed Apple was planning to swap out the glass for a metal back in its next iPhone, but that turned out not to be the case with the 4S, which stuck with the same design.Apple sourcing parts for 32-inch, 37-inch TV setsThe Apple TV set could be here sooner than later if a new report is to be believed. Citing sources in the supply chain, DigiTimes this week said that Apple is pulling together components to build 32-inch and 37-inch TV sets that will be ready to go on sale in the second half of 2012. The report also suggests that another Apple TV set top box is due next year.Is this the iPad 3's home button?It may not may be as exciting as a leaked screen or spy photo, but shots of purported home buttons for Apple's third-generation iPad made the rounds this week. Is it a different color, shape or size? No, but there are apparently a lot of them floating around says 9to5mac, which posted photos of the button next to those from the iPad 2. If anything, the part suggests Apple's not ditching the home button in the next version of the hardware, as some previous rumors have asserted. Alongside the home button, 30-pin adapter parts for the next iPad are also said to be in the wild.
Next-gen iPhone to sport metal back?Reviving a rumor that had been debunked by the release of the iPhone 4S earlier this year, Boy Genius Report this week claimed that Apple's working to bring metal backing to its next iPhone. Citing "a close source," the blog said Apple's next iPhone will be delivered in the fall, and sport a back made out of metal with a new side material akin to its plastic and rubber bumper cases. Reports earlier this year claimed Apple was planning to swap out the glass for a metal back in its next iPhone, but that turned out not to be the case with the 4S, which stuck with the same design.Apple sourcing parts for 32-inch, 37-inch TV setsThe Apple TV set could be here sooner than later if a new report is to be believed. Citing sources in the supply chain, DigiTimes this week said that Apple is pulling together components to build 32-inch and 37-inch TV sets that will be ready to go on sale in the second half of 2012. The report also suggests that another Apple TV set top box is due next year.Is this the iPad 3's home button?It may not may be as exciting as a leaked screen or spy photo, but shots of purported home buttons for Apple's third-generation iPad made the rounds this week. Is it a different color, shape or size? No, but there are apparently a lot of them floating around says 9to5mac, which posted photos of the button next to those from the iPad 2. If anything, the part suggests Apple's not ditching the home button in the next version of the hardware, as some previous rumors have asserted. Alongside the home button, 30-pin adapter parts for the next iPad are also said to be in the wild.
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