Category: Apple

Breaking : Steve Jobs resigns Apple as CEO

A news story that changes everything about a company that changed everything about computing. CEO Steve Jobs has resigned Apple naming Tim Cook as his replacement.

In a letter self published Steve Said

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

-Steve

Apple does confirm that Steve will stay on to be the chairman of the board.

[toggle title_open=”Collapse PR” title_closed=”Read The Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple

Tim Cook Named CEO and Jobs Elected Chairman of the Board

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

“Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”
“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board today and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.

As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.[/toggle]

August 25, 2011
Apple will release a cheaper 8GB iPhone 4 in the coming weeks with new iPhone 5

A the heat begins to mount for the impending launch for the next big iOS device, reports are pinging to a cheaper 8GB iPhone 4 this september itself, that could also means an end September release for the the upcoming iPhone 5.

Reports are also mentioning that Apple has warned their manufacturers that the demand of 45 million iPhones need to be shipped when the lower price is announced. The rumors of an early october launch are also shunted to show a end-september Launch of the iPhone 5

August 24, 2011
Apple gets MagSafe patent for iOS based Portable devices

Apple ended the wire plug fury of Laptops, especially Apple laptops with the introduction of the magsafe connector in 2006. The Magsafe connector detaches on being pulled hence keeping the device safe when a clumsy owner trips over the wire.

This is not the case with the current iPhone and iPad connectors, making them vulnerable to damage. With this new patent , Apple hopes to end that war of man vs wire and with wireless syncs just a iOS update away, one can see magsafe power connectors in the next gen iDevices.

[USPTO]

August 18, 2011
German Court Removes Ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1 Sales in EU

The courts have gone in favor of Samsung and the Düsseldorf regional court in Germany announced on Tuesday that it is partially lifting its original injunction that banned Samsung from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in all of the European Union excluding the Netherlands.

According to sources , an Official from the court said:

It is unclear if The Court has the ability or the power to ban the sales outside of Germany in the first place

Apple also recently banned the sale of the Galaxy Tab in Australia recently, yet Samsung is all set to appeal the ban on the 25th of Aug. The sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will go undeterred in India. The bans could also be a possible reason for the name change of the tablets in India : the Galaxy 750 is the rebranded Galaxy tab 10.1 ( to avoid Apple’s radar?).

It also looks fruitless for Apple to file an injunction in India, since the Legal proceedings itself will take months and by then Samsung will be all sold out.

August 17, 2011
Apple Starts Selling Lion OSX USB stick online : US$ 69

Apple has finally released its OS X Lion USB thumb drive, available now at its online store. If you want an alternative to the Mac App Store download file which deletes itself after each install, this usb stick might be the correct answer for you.

The only catch is that the usb stick sells for US$ 69, when you can download the OS for just US$ 29 from the App store. These are only currently available in the US, so you will either need to wait several weeks, or find alternate ways to get them to your doorstep.

[Apple]

August 17, 2011
iPhone 4s/5 to Launch on September 12th : Apple fans rejoice

Looks like news about delayed iPhone launches might not be true after all. Earlier reports had suggested for a September release, but were later superseded by several reports of a October release. Now, Finally there is some sure ground on the iPhone situation.

According to unknown sources known to engadget, Telefonica will scale back the iPhone 4 stock from now up until September 12th. This only and clearly indicates an imminent launch date. According to the source, this three week program is a move that “will of course prepare us for the launch of a new smart phone.”

Looks like sparks may fly in Fall after all!

August 16, 2011
Chinese Authorities find 22 additional Fake Apple Stores

Remember the fake Apple stores that were in the news recently? Well the Chinese Authorities cracking down on impostor Apple stores have uncovered 22 additional Apple wannabes. Now, the stores are being forced to remove Apple’s official logo after Apple China accused them of violating its trademark. The Administration for Industry and Commerce will setup a hotline in an effort to catch more illegal stores.

In July, inspections of around 300 shops in Kunming were carried out after a blog post by an American living in the city exposed a near-flawless fake Apple Store where even the staff were convinced they were working for the California-based iPhone and iPad maker.

[Read]

August 12, 2011
Edit: Its time to Tabulate with the Galaxy Tab 750

Its one of those things that takes time to reach its prime potential. Tablets were introduced in 2010 and primarily a couple of brands ruled the market. With the iPad eating the largest slice of the market share, Android tablets started to pour in by the second half of 2010.

The Original 7 inch Galaxy tab was the first true Android tablet to be launched in India. While it filled a major void that was left in the market due to the unavailability of the iPad, people were not quite ready for a switch to tablets and the tablets weren’t quite ready for human consumption.

2011 marked the era of the Tablets, with advancements in technology that allowed for powerful devices to be manufactured at prices well within the buying power of the consumer, Tablets have taken the market by storm, bent it, made space and created a new segment of electronic goods.

The year started with many tablets, The iPad 2 being the most impressive and the most dominating, followed by low numbers of the Motorola Xoom, RIM Playbook and others. Samsung had announced plans of launching the 10 inch tablet before the announcement of the iPad 2, but later changes in design and specs caused a major delay in the actual release date of the device.

Most are calling this tablet a true iPad 2 rival, a market favorite of sorts. So, in a market like India where people are finally making space in their life for tablets, where does the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 or the Indian Galaxy 750 fit in?

Here is our EDIT on why the Galaxy 750 is special for us and the Indian Market.

Galaxy 750

We already handled the earlier Tab ( thicker version), but for reasons unknown the device was never released and its a good thing. The new Galaxy 750 is just 8.6mm, it is 0.2mm thinner than the iPad 2. and weighing only 565g it’s also 36g lighter than the Cupertino tablet. The device is brilliantly built from from to back and is easily held in one hand. The shape and the design of the Tablet along with a good mix of materials make it feel like a luxury.

The Galaxy 750 runs Android Honeycomb 3.1, which is the latest version of Android meant for Tablets. This brings about much more usability to the device including resizable widgets and a better application management system as shown by us in out preview of Honeycomb.

The newer Galaxy 750 also drops the 8mp rear camera for a 3mp one, which doesn’t bother us and is still far superior than the iPad 2’s unknown less than 1Mp camera.

TouchWiz

The Galaxy 750 also adds the newer version of TouchWiz on what is usually a boring interface. TouchWiz not only makes the user interface on the device more attractive to look at, but also adds a whole host of features. The inbuilt task manager, ram management, Voice functions and several multimedia enhancements make the experience a lot better.

No Chains

One of the biggest deciding factors for the device has to be the fact that, people want to use a Tablet as a replacement for a laptop or a netbook. The iPad does not fulfill that gap because of the closed structure of iOS. While ruling the mobile structure , iOS does not quite answer to the day to day requirements for a tablet user.

Basic file sharing is disabled in iOS, where as Android allows all sorts of file sharing. The device also has the ability to read from USB host devices, but itself lacks a usb port. The Galaxy 750 will require a proprietary cable and will be able to read content from USB hard drives or flash sticks. Making it a far better laptop/netbook replacement than any other Tablet in the market.

The fact that the Galaxy 750 runs Android, also means that its an easily customizable device, if you don’t like the theme or layout, you can change it. Widgets make it easy to stay up to date on all sorts of information, from stocks to weather, from social networking to emails, new releases and quick actions. The widget- laden interface is a lot of fun to interact with and is also one of the primary reasons we like Android.

Companion

The Galaxy 750 can also be the perfect travel companion, not only for business, but also for fun. Download the Kindle App or read a book from the Samsung bookshelf, watch movies on the stunning 1280x800px display which is exceptionally bright. The Galaxy 750 also has a 4 way motion sensor, a Gyroscope, which would make the gaming experience better than any other tablet in the market, including the iPad 2. Samsung also uses this technology for panoramas in the camera and for navigating through the UI like in the case of the Galaxy S2.

If you didn’t consider buying a tablet prior to this, the time is now. Samsung have brought Tablets, especially Android Tablets, to a place where no one has been able achieve before. A portable media centre which begs attention, a device powerful enough to replace a netbook or even a laptop. Enterprise emails and Office Apps are already on the device along with a 16GB storage (expandable). The device also features a dual core 1 GHZ NVidia Tegra 2 processor with 1 GB of Ram dedicated to the Tablet.

The Future of tablets is here and its Time to Tabulate with the Galaxy 750.

Until something better shows up anyway!

We can’t express how excited we are to unbox and review this device for you guys! If you have some special requests please leave them in the comments below.

[polldaddy poll=5388771]

Full Specs for the Galaxy 750

Image Gallery

August 11, 2011
Apple blocks sale of the Galaxy Tab in EU : Case in Germany

Apple has won a preliminary injunction to stop the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the whole of the European Union except for the Netherlands. A new ruling by a regional court in Dusseldorf, Germany has granted Cupertino a preliminary injunction, blocking the sale and advertising of the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Apple has a similar ongoing lawsuit in the Netherlands. Should Samsung continue to sell the tablet, the company could face fines of up to $350,000 for each violation. Apple also won the injection in Australia blocking the sale of the said tablet.

Samsung plans to appeal the injunctions, but the likely appeal will take about a month to be heard by the judge who granted the injunction.

August 10, 2011
Bluelounge MiniDock for iOS Devices sits up on the Charging Adapter (PR)

Now here is an innovation that speaks volumes. The BlueLounge MiniDock makes use of your existing Apple USB power adapter for a cordless, charging and display dock. the company calls it a dock for the “customers who are passionate about their iPhones”. Either way the simplistic design makes us want to own it. Unfortunately its only available in the US, UK and EU, the good news is that its only US $ 20.

[toggle title_open=”Collapse” title_closed=”Read The Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

Bluelounge Launches MiniDock Home and Travel iPhone/iPod Wall Charger and Display-Docking Station

Cord-free and compact, MiniDock simplifies travel and household charging needs.

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) August 08, 2011

Bluelounge, the award-winning international design studio known for sleek, functional, design-forward cable management and home/office organization products, today announced the market-wide availability of MiniDock, a cord-free wall charger and display-docking station made for Apple iPhone and iPod devices that uses the existing Apple USB Power Adapter. MiniDock represents the latest in a series of sleek, innovative cord management products from Bluelounge, all designed specifically for Apple iPhones and essential for travel and household charging needs.

MiniDock allows consumers to charge and display their iPhone in an upright position in any electrical outlet without disorganized cords. Intended for use with existing Apple USB Power Adapter, iPhone or iPod can now plug directly into an electrical outlet. Ideal while traveling or in any home or office environment, MiniDock is lightweight, cord-free, and allows users to simplify and de-clutter the charging areas normally occupied with the unsightly and wayward cords. Users no longer need to deal with untidy cords while packing or when charging their device. With MiniDock, the user can charge their Apple devices upright, directly into their Apple USB Power Adapter, conveniently and seamlessly anywhere where an electric outlet is available.

“Our customers are passionate about their iPhones and their accessories,” said Dominic Symons, Bluelounge Principal and Creative Director. “People are proud of their devices so they treat them with care and worry about their phones getting damaged when in use or while traveling. MiniDock meets the public’s desire perfectly, with a sleek and innovative charging station that doubles as a display stand, so proud iPhone owners can use their hardware efficiently while they charge it. Our unique design keeps their phones safe, off the floor and out of harm’s way-all at the same time.”[/toggle]

August 10, 2011
Apple Faces Patent Infringement, For LG owned Fast Boot up process

A company called Operating Systems Solutions (OSS) is suing Apple for OS X’s fast booting operation.Apple’s function, seen the the Macbook Air launched this year, violates at least one protected claim, which details a four-step method for speedy booting, and involves files like config.sys and autoexec.bat.

The patent was originally granted to LG Electronics, back in 2002, but is now currently owned by Operating Systems Solutions (OSS).

[Patently Apple]

August 9, 2011
Skype for Mac updated to 5.3, Brings HD Video and Lion Support

The Skype for Mac app has been finally updated to support a full host of features, including HD video, group video calling, group screen sharing, and also brings OS Lion support. The Facebook chat module is now also integrated in the client.

[toggle title_open=”COLLAPSE” title_closed=” READ SKYPE ANNOUNCEMENT” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]

Lion Support & HD Video Calls with Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X

On the heels of our recent update to Skype 5.2 for Mac OS X, we are pleased to announce that we are making even more improvements to our Mac client with the release of Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X. Along with a number of fixes and improvements to the user interface, Skype 5.3 will feature support for the new Mac Lion and HD Video Calls.

Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X is built to work with Apple’s newest desktop operating system, Lion, in addition to being compatible with past versions of OS X going all the way back to Leopard.

With Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X, you’ll also be able to send and receive HD quality video when talking to your friends and family. You’ll need to use the Mac’s built-in HD webcam or choose from a variety of webcams from our Skype Shop, such as the Logitech C910, to make video calls in crystal clear HD quality. To receive clear HD video calls on your Mac, we recommend an upload/download speed of 1.5Mbps.

As with all updates, we ask that you download the most recent Skype update to take advantage of these recent features. If you have any questions or comments on the latest Skype software for Mac, please feel free to visit our new Skype Support Network. We hope you enjoy the new updates in Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X.

[/toggle]

[Skype]

August 9, 2011
Apple is the Global Smartphone Leader

International Data Corporation has called Apple the world leader as Blackberry slips to rank 4 in the top smartphone list. Apple had claimed the global top spot by shipping 20.3 million iPhones in its quarterly results released in the third week of July. The number is expected to rise with a significant value as Apple plans its next releases.

Ever since the first iPhone launched in 2007, Apple has made market-setting strides in hardware, software, and channel development to grab mindshare and market share. Demand has been so strong that even models that have been out for one or two years are still being sought out. With an expected refresh later this year, volumes are set to reach higher levels.

– Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC

At number two, Samsung shipped 17.3 million smart phones during the period, posting a growth of 16.2 percent, followed closely by Nokia with 16.7 million shipments. According to IDC projections for the whole year, the worldwide smartphone market will grow 55 percent over 2010.

August 8, 2011
Apple releases new Mac OS 10.7.2 seed and iCloud for Mac beta 6

Apple has released a new seed of Mac OS 10.7.2 and a new beta of iCloud for Mac. Mac OS 10.7.2 build 11C35 and iCloud for Mac beta 6 are both required to complete the MobileMe to iCloud transition process.

This pre-release version of OS X Lion 10.7.2 is being provided solely for testing iCloud and updates the public release of OS X Lion and any earlier seed of OS X Lion 10.7.2. If you installed a previous seed of OS X Lion 10.7.2, please run the included reversioner package followed by the OS X Lion 10.7.2 update without restarting your system. You should restart your system after installing the OS X Lion 10.7.2 Update. (Mac Developer Program membership is required).

iCloud

iCloud Add-on installer for OS X Lion. (Mac Developer Program membership is required).

August 8, 2011
Fake iPhone 5 arrives before original, makes us hope for better!

A iPhone 5 replica has emerged for sale in the deep underground ripoff markets of China. The device pictured above and below, is quite a representation of recent rumors, with the tapered back and front glass on the device, it also seems to have a different and well spaced camera module. The device in the pictures is only 7mm thick, identical to claims of an even thinner iPhone from Apple. The replica device couldn’t possibly stuck a edge to edge display within the confines of their budget hence it looks like they stuck to their standard low res variant.

You can source this device for about US $108 or just under 4500 Indian. Check out the video below.

This could be an exact replica of the Apple design or just something the Chinese designers cooked up using their imagination mixed with iPhone 5 rumors. The device is anything but pleasing on the eyes and because one can see its made from sub standard materials, it really makes us hope that there is a major difference between this and the actual iPhone 5.

[GizChina]

August 2, 2011