Category: Apple

Apple Launches iPad Mini with Retina Display and A7 Chipset for US $ 399

Apple has launched a new iPad Mini with Retina display for a price starting US $ 399. The new iPad Mini also features a2048 by 1536 pixel display, but at 7.9 inches along with the same A7 chipset seen on the iPhone 5 and the new iPad Air. The iPad Mini with retina display will go on sale later in November as the company will retain the original iPad Mini for a lowered price starting US $ 299.

The iPad Mini now competes with the iPad Air with respect to specs and comes out US $ 100 cheaper than the 9.6 inch variant of the new iPad aka the iPad Air.

The new iPad Mini will get 8 X faster graphics and Expanded LTE thanks to the new A7 chipset, and users will also be able to enjoy their new Airport Wifi speeds thanks to new Wifi with mimo tech inbuilt.

October 22, 2013
Apple unveils Haswell-based MacBook Pros with Retina display Starting from 99,000 INR

MacBook Pro just got an update with terms to the processor, the Retina display to get a big processor upgrade. Apple has just refreshed its high-end portable line with Intel’s Haswell chips, delivering Iris graphics and battery life improvements.

The 13-inch model manages nine hours of battery life, while the 15-inch can last for eight hours on a single charge. Both computers use faster PCI Express solid-state drives and 802.11ac WiFi, and the 15-inch variants ships with GeForce GT 750M video. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz. New integrated Intel Iris graphics deliver up to 90 percent faster performance than the previous generation MacBook Pro with Retina display. The 13-inch model can be configured with faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features fourth generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.3 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5 GHz. The 15-inch model includes Intel Iris Pro graphics for unprecedented levels of integrated graphics performance, or Iris Pro and GeForce GT 750M discrete graphics with 2GB of video memory for the ultimate in performance. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display can be configured with faster quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8 GHz.

MacBook Pro with Retina display is available today through select Apple Authorised Resellers. The 13-inch MacBook Pro is available with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9 GHz, 4GB of memory, 128GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 99,900 inc VAT (INR 94,961.98 ex VAT); and with a 2.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 114,900 inc VAT (INR 109,220.53 ex VAT); and with a 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage, and Intel Iris graphics starting at INR 134,900 inc VAT (INR 128,231.94 ex VAT). Configure-to-order options include faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, up to 16GB of memory and flash storage up to 1TB.

October 22, 2013
170 Million iPads Sold Till Date Says Tim Cook

Apple today announced some new stuff including the New OS, Mac Pro and the iPads. The event was mainly expected to unveil the next generation iPad, Apple announced iPad Air which is a 9.7 inch device and weighs just 1 pound.

Pointing out that it was once mocked as something that would “never replace netbooks,” Apple CEO Tim Cook boasted that the company has sold 170 million iPads since the device’s launch. “Remember netbooks?” He said! According to Cook, there are 475,000 iPad apps, and they’re not those “stretched out” apps you may see on other platforms. However, iPads, according to Cook, are used up to four times as much as competing tablets, and are ranked first in customer satisfaction.

October 22, 2013
Apple launches new versions of iLife and iWork

Apple unveiled new versions of iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band, with fresh software for both iOS and OS X Mavericks. Following along the clean lines of iOS 7 the new apps will have a stripped down design but will feature more performance and versatility. The new set of iLife programs are 64-bit . iPhoto now allows you to create PhotoBooks on the iPad. iMovie now lets you play around with speeds of your video, and if you’re on iOS, you can do picture-in-picture as well which was a sought after feature.

iMovie Theater,allows you to watch all of your videos on any device like the iPhone, iPad or Apple TV as long as your movies are stored in iCloud.

The iOS version of the GarageBand app now supports up to 16 tracks, which is double the current limit of 8. There’s also a new feature called Drummer which gives you an assortment of different drum profiles and live playability.All new Mac’s will come with Garage Band installed with most of the kits and profiles, more can be bought via in-app purchases.

For iWork Apple promises all-new design on mobile and a total re-write of the desktop versions, full file compatibility across devices and platforms, plus the ability to collaborate with others on Pages, Keynote and Numbers using iWork for iCloud.

Both iLife and iWork will be free with the new purchase of a Mac or iOS device.

Press Release

Apple Introduces Next Generation iWork & iLife Apps for OS X & iOS

iWork & iLife Now Free With Every New Mac & iOS Device

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today announced its groundbreaking iWork productivity apps, Pages, Numbers and Keynote and award-winning iLife creativity apps, iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand have been completely redesigned to take full advantage of OS X Mavericks and iOS 7. All apps have been updated to 64-bit, are integrated with iCloud, and are loaded with hundreds of new features that let you do more than ever across your Apple devices. Apple today also announced that both iWork and iLife are now free with the purchase of every new Mac or iOS device.

“This is the biggest day for apps in Apple’s history,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “These new versions deliver seamless experiences across devices that you can’t find anywhere else and are packed with great features like iMovie Theater, Drummer and a new unified file format for iWork documents across all your devices.”

An all new iWork for Mac and iOS makes creating, editing and sharing documents easier than ever. iWork introduces a new, unified file format, delivering perfect document fidelity across Mac, iOS and iCloud, and the iWork for iCloud beta now includes support for real-time collaboration. Now you can create your document on iPad, edit it on your Mac and collaborate with friends in iWork for iCloud, even if they’re on a PC. A brand new UI makes iWork even simpler to use, yet provides all of the powerful tools you need to create amazing documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

iPhoto for Mac and iOS are now 64-bit, making browsing and editing faster and smoother than ever. Inspired by iOS 7, iPhoto for iOS sports a clean, new design that’s simpler and more beautiful than ever. New tools and effects let you create more dramatic images in both colour and black and white. Now you can also share your favourite images as custom slideshows that you can pause, rewind and fast forward using gestures, or order them as professional-quality prints, including panoramas, and as gorgeous hard cover books that you create using Multi-Touch.

iMovie for Mac and iOS have been redesigned to make it easier than ever to browse your video library and instantly share your favourite moments. iMovie for Mac includes simplified editing tools that let you quickly improve the look of your movie, add fun effects, and speed up or slow down your video. iMovie for iOS brings desktop-class moviemaking to your iPhone and iPad, so you can create split screen and picture-in-picture effects or advanced audio edits in just a few taps. And with iMovie Theater, you can watch your shared clips, movies, and trailers on all your Apple devices, even your Apple TV.*

GarageBand for Mac has received its biggest update ever with a fresh new look, all new Sound Library, and amazing new features, like Drummer and Smart Controls, giving you everything you need to easily make a great-sounding song. GarageBand for iOS has been updated to match the look and feel of iOS 7 and taps the power of 64-bit to bring musicians a full recording studio with up to 32 tracks. With iOS 7 Inter-App Audio you can record third-party music apps right into GarageBand, and AirDrop allows you to wirelessly share your song projects with other iOS users so you can work on songs together. iCloud helps keep your song projects up to date across your devices, and users can start a song on iOS and pick up where they left off using GarageBand for Mac.

Pricing & Availability
iWork and iLife for Mac come free with every new Mac purchase. Existing users running Mavericks can update their apps for free from the Mac App Store. iWork and iLife for iOS are available for free from the App Store for any new device running iOS 7, and are also available as free updates for existing users. GarageBand for Mac and iOS are free for all OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 users. Additional GarageBand instruments and sounds are available for a one-time in-app purchase of INR 270 for each platform.

*iMovie Theater requires iCloud to keep your shared content up to date across all your devices.

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 is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
New Apple Mac Pro coming in December for US $3,000: 3.7GHz quad-core Xeon, 12GB RAM

Apple showed off and wooed the world earlier this year wth the new design of the Mac Pro lineup. Apple has announced today that the new Apple Mac Pro will be Available for a price of US $ 3000 with a 3.7 GHz Quad Core Xeon CPU and 12 GB RAM along with a 256 GB SSD. As with all Apple Products the new MAc Pro can be customized quite a lot to cater to each individuals requirements. For example users can customize their Mac Pro’s with 64GB DRAM and a 1TB flash storage drive.

Apple claims that the Mac Pro is a computer worth keeping for “the next 10 years”, and also claims that the Mac Pro is as quiet as the Mac Mini and also consumes 70% less energy compared to the previous version of the Mac Pro.

Press Release

Introducing the All New Mac Pro—The Most Radical Mac Ever

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today redefined pro computing with the launch of the all-new Mac Pro. Designed around an innovative unified thermal core, the Mac Pro features the latest Intel Xeon processors with up to 12 cores, dual workstation-class GPUs, six Thunderbolt 2 ports, PCIe-based flash storage and ultra-fast ECC memory. Packing amazing performance in a stunning new design, the all-new Mac Pro starts at INR 229,900 and will be available in December.

“The new Mac Pro is our vision for the future of the pro desktop, everything about it has been reimagined and there has never been anything like it,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The new Mac Pro packs up to 12-core Xeon CPUs, dual FirePro GPUs, ultra-fast ECC memory, new PCIe flash storage, Thunderbolt 2 expandability and more into a radical new design that is one-eighth the size of the previous generation Mac Pro.”

“From the blazing fast performance of DaVinci Resolve to real-time video capture with UltraStudio 4K, Mac Pro is a revolution in pro desktop design and performance,” said Grant Petty, CEO of Blackmagic Design.

“With the Mac Pro’s dual workstation-class GPUs, we’ve seen MARI run five times faster, creating a fluid painting experience that’s unlike anything we’ve seen. This kind of performance is a digital artist’s dream,” said Bill Collis, CEO of The Foundry.

“At 20Gbps, Mac Pro’s Thunderbolt 2 blows away anything on the market and completely changes the external storage landscape,” said James Lee, CEO of PROMISE Technology.

The all-new Mac Pro is architected around a unified thermal core that allows the system to efficiently share thermal capacity across all the processors. An innovative fan draws in air incredibly efficiently and makes the new Mac Pro as quiet as a Mac mini. The result is a pro desktop with unprecedented performance packed into a design that is just 9.9-inches tall and one-eighth the volume of the previous Mac Pro.

Reinvented from the inside out, Mac Pro is designed to tackle even the most demanding workflows. The new Mac Pro features 4-core, 6-core, 8-core or 12-core Intel Xeon processors running at Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz that deliver double the floating point performance of the previous generation Mac Pro. Two workstation-class AMD FirePro GPUs with up to 12GB of video memory provide up to seven teraflops of compute power and up to eight times the graphics performance of the previous generation Mac Pro.* OpenGL and OpenCL are optimized in OS X Mavericks to leverage the full computing power of the Mac Pro CPU and dual GPUs.

The new Mac Pro features PCIe-based flash storage that delivers sequential read speeds up to 1.2GBps and is up to 10 times faster than conventional desktop hard drives. ECC DDR3 running at 1866 MHz, with a four-channel memory controller, gives the new Mac Pro up to 60GBps of memory bandwidth, twice that of the previous generation Mac Pro.* The spectacular power and bandwidth of Mac Pro means you can seamlessly edit full-resolution 4K video streams and play them in real time.

Featuring an incredible six Thunderbolt 2 ports, each with up to 20Gbps of bandwidth per device, the all-new Mac Pro completely redefines desktop expandability. Thunderbolt 2 ports support up to six daisy-chained devices each, giving pros the ability to connect up to 36 high-performance peripherals—from external storage devices, to multiple PCI expansion chassis, to audio and video breakout boxes. Thunderbolt 2 uses existing copper or optical Thunderbolt cables and is completely backward compatible with existing Thunderbolt peripherals and cables, and also supports the latest 4K displays. A new self-configuring IP over Thunderbolt software feature in OS X Mavericks provides a fast link between Thunderbolt-enabled Macs.

The new Mac Pro provides unparalleled power for Apple’s professional apps, including Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X and Aperture. Final Cut Pro X has been optimized to support dual GPUs for improved real-time playback performance, faster rendering, quicker export, and 4K video monitoring through Thunderbolt 2 and HDMI. Flash storage makes importing and exporting thousands of high-resolution images faster with Aperture. Logic Pro X takes advantage of flash storage for incredibly fast project load times and Thunderbolt 2 for a high number of channels of ultra-low latency audio I/O without the need for add-on PCI cards.

The new Mac Pro ships with OS X Mavericks. Mavericks is the 10th major release of the world’s most advanced operating system and is available for free from the Mac App Store. In addition to more than 200 new features, Mavericks introduces features for power users including Finder Tabs, Tags and enhanced multi-display support, as well as new core technologies for breakthrough performance such as Compressed Memory to keep your Mac fast and responsive. Mavericks also delivers significant performance enhancements for systems with dual GPUs through optimised OpenGL and OpenCL. For more information or to download Mavericks visit www.apple.com/osx/.

Mac Pro meets stringent Energy Star 6.0 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.** Mac Pro uses up to 70 percent less energy than the previous generation, is constructed with 79 percent less aluminium and uses 80 percent less packaging material than the current Mac Pro. Mac Pro contains no brominated flame retardants, is PVC-free and uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Pricing & Availability
The all-new Mac Pro will be available in December through select Apple Authorised Resellers. The Mac Pro is available with a 3.7 GHz quad-core Intel Xeon E5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz, dual AMD FirePro D300 GPUs with 2GB of VRAM each, 12GB of memory, and 256GB of PCIe-based flash storage starting at INR 229,900 inc VAT (INR 218,536.12 ex VAT); and with a 3.5 GHz 6-core Intel Xeon E5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.9 GHz, dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs with 3GB of VRAM each, 16GB of memory, and 256GB of PCIe-based flash storage starting at INR 299,900 inc VAT (INR 285,076.05 ex VAT).

Configure-to-order options include faster 8-core or 12-core Intel Xeon E5 processors, AMD FirePro D700 GPUs with 6GB of VRAM, up to 64GB of memory, and up to 1TB of PCIe-based flash storage. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/mac-pro.

*Performance claims are based on technical specifications of preproduction Mac Pro hardware as of October 2013.
**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA Energy Star 6.0 energy database as of October 2013. EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

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 is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
Apple OS X 10.9 Mavericks will come a s a free Download to all Mac owners

Apple has just announced that Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks will be available to all MAC owners running Snow Leopard or later as a free of cost upgrade. This release includes iBooks, Maps, a revamped Calendar and Air drop sharing with enabled devices on iOS 7. This is fantastic news for all those who stuck out the Mountain Lion update, as now most users will be able to jump directly to 10.9 free of cost. The update goes live later today in the US, for those on different time lines can expect it early tomorrow.

Press Release

OS X Mavericks Available Today Free from the Mac App Store

SAN FRANCISCO—October 22, 2013—Apple today announced that OS X Mavericks, the 10th major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available for free from the Mac App Store. With more than 200 new features, OS X Mavericks brings iBooks and Maps to the Mac, includes a new version of Safari, enhances multi-display support, introduces Finder Tabs and Tags and delivers new core technologies for breakthrough power efficiency and performance.

“Mavericks is an incredible release, which introduces significant new apps and features, while also improving the performance and battery life of your Mac,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We want every Mac user to experience the latest features, the most advanced technologies, and the strongest security. We believe the best way to do this is to begin a new era of personal computing software where OS upgrades are free.”

OS X Mavericks introduces innovative new features, including:
• iBooks, which gives you instant access to your iBooks library, more than two million titles in the iBooks Store, and works seamlessly across your devices;
• Maps, which brings powerful mapping technology to the desktop and lets you plan a trip from your Mac and send it to your iPhone for voice navigation on the road;
• a streamlined Calendar that estimates travel time between appointments, and provides a map with weather forecast;
• a new version of Safari with Shared Links, which helps you find what’s new on the web by consolidating links shared by people you follow on Twitter and LinkedIn;
• iCloud Keychain, which safely stores your website usernames and passwords, credit card numbers and Wi-Fi passwords and pushes them to your trusted devices so you don’t need to remember them;
• enhanced multi-display support, which makes using multiple displays easier and more powerful, with no configuration required;
• interactive Notifications, allowing you to reply to a message, respond to a FaceTime call or even delete an email without leaving the app you’re using;
• Finder Tabs, which help unclutter your desktop by consolidating multiple Finder windows into a single window with multiple tabs; and
• Finder Tags, a powerful new way to organize and find your files located on your Mac or in iCloud.

Mavericks also includes new core technologies that boost performance and improve the battery life of your Mac. Timer Coalescing and App Nap intelligently save energy and reduce power consumption. Compressed Memory automatically shrinks inactive data to keep your Mac fast and responsive. Mavericks also delivers significant performance enhancements for systems with integrated graphics through optimized OpenCL support and dynamic video memory allocation.

Pricing & Availability
OS X Mavericks is available today for free from the Mac App Store. Any Mac capable of running OS X Mountain Lion can also run Mavericks. You can upgrade to Mavericks for free directly from OS X Snow Leopard, Lion or Mountain Lion. For a complete list of system requirements and compatible systems, please visit www.apple.com/osx/specs. OS X Server 3.0 requires Mavericks and is available from the Mac App Store for INR 1,100.

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 is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

October 22, 2013
Apple Recalls McBook Air Due to Faulty SSD

Apple has announced that it is recalling certain models of last year’s MacBook Air lineup, if you have an McBook Air with a 64 GB or 128 GB SSD drive, your drive could be faulty and is in need of a replacement.

The company has pushed a firmware update out to the Mac App Store which tests your drive, so if your computer is affected, Apple recommends to back up your data and bring the machine to an Apple Store or an authorized retailer so that it can be replaced. Th MacBook air has standard storage options of 64 GB and 128 GB SSDs for the 11- and 13-inch MacBook Air, respectively, so there could be a large number of users affected by this.

If you are a MacBook air owner and if it was purchased between June 2012 and June 2013 you would need to get the SSD replaced. You can check more information on Apple’s website in the source below.

[via]

October 19, 2013
Apple Retains Multi-touch Patent

USPTO now once again recognizes patent No. 7,479,949 (for the multi-touch feature) in Apple’s favour after invalidating it in 2012. This happens to be one of the two patents that the ITC has determined was infringed on by Samsung, leading to a current import ban on some older Samsung models.

Titled “Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics,” the ‘949 patent is a broad, sweeping property covering functional aspects of multitouch screens like those found in many smart devices, like the iPhone and iPad.

Steve Jobs is listed as the first of over two dozen inventors on the patent, and it is considered perhaps the most famous of his over 300 credited patents.

As FOSS Patents notes :

As we speak, the Steve Jobs patent is even stronger than it was before someone (presumably Samsung and Google) challenged it anonymously. On September 4, 2013, the USPTO issued a reexamination certificate confirming the patentability of all 20 claims because the prior art neither anticipated this invention nor renders it obvious.

A number of Apple’s key patents have been challenged for reexamination as its competitors have sought to derail Apple’s claims against them in various court battles.

Apple has also filed an appeal to broaden the US import ban to cover additional Samsung products. The Cupertino company has asked the US International Trade Commission (ITC) to review three more patent cases, following the ITC finding Samsung guilty of two patent infringements already.

October 18, 2013
Apple iPhone 5s Unboxing and First Look

Apple is all set to launch the new iPhone 5s and 5c in India on the 1st of November 2013. The Prices for the 2013 edition iPhones vary from Rs. 41000 all the way up to Rs 71500, which is sort of a new record price for a consumer smartphone in India. The new iPhone 5s is aesthetically same as the iPhone 5 but differs only with the addition of the TouchID sensor where the home button usually is.

The new iPhone 5s comes with the standard set of things in the box, a wall charger a usb to lightning cable and a set of well packaged ear pods. Apple has chosen to keep the sim ejection tool to themselves this time around, as users will struggle with safety and paper clips to pop open the sim tray.

The iPhone 5s Gold color actually looks better than anticipated, and no video or image can truly depict the touch and feel of the phone. The rough finish back panel and the color tone are subtle and not overpowering as one would imagine.

The new iPhone 5s runs on a A7 chipset and also has a M7 motion co-processor, the A7 chipset runs on 64 bit architecture and is an industry first as far as portable mobile devices are concerned. The touchID sensor also is excellent, its quick to setup and very accurate from the get go, one can really get used to it. Check out details in our unboxing video above and images below. The iPhone 5s goes on sale in India starting 1st Nov :

Price of iPhone 5s in India

16GB : Rs. 53500

32 GB : Rs. 62500

64 GB : Rs 71500

iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s

October 18, 2013
Google Maps Update For iOS Brings In-Line Route Previews, Tips and Tricks

Google Maps For iOS might not have satisfied every user, but Google is constantly trying to improve its map on the iOS devices through updates often.

The new release shows brief route previews with traffic overlays, which makes it easier and less complicated ways to get from one place to another. If you are not aware of how to use the Google Maps on the iOS devices you can also browse a new Tips and Tricks section for help.

The company also claims in the version 2.3.4 update release notes that the new version brings enhanced support for the Arabic and Hebrew languages (including voice commands and prompts) and bug fixes. The update is now available at the app store.

[via]

October 16, 2013
Apple Confirms October 22nd iPad Event

While the latest rumours pointed towards Apple holding a media event to unveil the new iPad on October 22nd, today it was officially confirmed. The event proudly states, “We still have a lot to cover.”

The 5th generation iPad will reportedly come with a 9.7-inch display, the new A7 processor, an 8MP camera and the same Touch ID fingerprint sensor found in the iPhone 5s.

As for the iPad mini, the second generation of the tablet is expected to have a 7.9-inch Retina display with the A7 chip.

Expectations are also high that Apple will announce the release of the latest version of its desktop software, OSX “Mavericks”, which recently completed its testing phase, and set a date for the release of the new Mac Pro desktop computer. The latter was trailed in June, and will be the first update to the Mac Pro line since June 2012.

October 15, 2013
Apple Hires CEO Of Burberry To Boost Up Retail Business

Apple today announced that Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, will be joining Apple in a newly created position, as a senior vice president and member of the executive team, reporting to CEO Tim Cook.

Angela Ahrendts, currently CEO of Burberry, has been recruited to fill a position that will be created especially for her when she switches allegiances next spring — as a senior VP responsible for the “strategic direction, expansion and operation” of Apple’s shopping experience. Ahrendts has already demonstrated that she can work with Apple, as Burberry helped to promote the launch of the iPhone 5s (shown above) as the show was recorded with the new iPhone.

Statement from Tim Cook:

I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team,” said Tim Cook. “She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record.”

Statement from Angela Ahrendts:

I am profoundly honored to join Apple in this newly created position next year, and very much look forward to working with the global teams to further enrich the consumer experience on and offline,” said Ahrendts. “I have always admired the innovation and impact Apple products and services have on people’s lives and hope in some small way I can help contribute to the company’s continued success and leadership in changing the world.”

October 15, 2013
Apple Shows Off Its Cupertino ‘Spaceship’ Campus’ Scaled Model

Apple’s proposed Apple Campus 2, now in the final planning stages, can be seen in detail in new model photos provided by San Jose Mercury News. The 4-story circular building, which Steve Jobs famously described as “like a spaceship,” encompasses more than 2.8 million square feet.

Credit : Mercury News

Also showing off the miniature model to the media was Dan Whisenhunt, director of real estate and facilities for Apple. He touted the green and sustainable nature of the project, which will convert a current location that is mostly asphalt into an environmentally friendly facility that will be 80 percent open space and parkland.

“The concept of the building is collaboration and fluidity. It’ll provide a very open-spaced system, so that at one point in the day you may be in offices on one side of the circle and find yourself on the other side later that day.”

Although this is the first physical model the public has seen of the new facility, previous renderings revealed a dark-colored roof with solar panels, a corporate auditorium, additional parking and a jogging path. Images also included a 45,000 square foot fitness center.

Credit : Mercury News

The project will be considerably larger than Apple’s current headquarters, accommodating 12,000 staff. “There is not a straight piece of glass in this building” Jobs said at the unveil. “It’s all curved. We’ve used our experience making retail buildings all over the world now, and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass in the world for architectural use.”

What do you think to Apple’s proposed new campus? Typically ambitious design, or a little too far?

October 12, 2013
Apple Looking To Poach BlackBerry Employees

Apple is looking forward to profiting from the demise of the once-famous company – BlackBerry. It wants to employ the staff that will be laid off by BlackBerry.

To recruit fired Blackberry employees, Apple hosted a recruitment drive at the Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre on September 26th. The Blackberry’s decision was based on the disastrous financial conditions it’s running under.

“Most positions will be based in Cupertino, CA.,” Apple told potential recruits through a LinkedIn invite obtained by The Financial Post. “Relocation and immigration assistance will be provided for candidates that are hired, as needed.”

BlackBerry has some very talented engineers, and it is those employees who helped BlackBerry amass a substantial patent portfolio over the years. Apple probably isn’t the only company that has been trying to grab the best of BlackBerry’s employees, but holding a recruiting event shows that Apple is serious about getting those employees.

Apple’s attempt was criticised and taken wrong by many online resources but from a business point of view, it is a very good strategical approach to spread its reach and productivity and Apple really would be benefited by it.

Intel also held a recruitment drive aimed at luring BlackBerry workers. The semiconductor’s information session was held on Sept. 28 and 29 at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel and Conference Centre. Intel invited BlackBerry employees, telling them that it was looking for engineers for its Mobile and Communications Group.

October 11, 2013
iPhone 5S Reportedly Hit By ‘Blue Screen of Death’ Reboot Issue

The Blue Screen of Death is no longer a Windows-specific error, as some iPhone owners have discovered. The iWork apps seem to trigger a reboot associated with a blue screen, indicating that Apple has yet another bug to patch in iOS 7.0.3.

Apple’s iWork applications come free with Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 5S, and the issue appears to happen when switching between apps using the multitasking on iOS 7.

The video below shows the blue screen of death bug happening on an iPhone 5S, when the problem occurs it causes the iPhone to reboot, as you can see in the video.

[youtube id=”DNw457joq5I” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

The Verge reports that one of the workarounds that seems to be working is to disable iCloud syncing (Settings > Numbers/Pages/Keynote, then tap on the “Use iCloud” toggle to disable it).

We’re sure Apple will be working on an update to fix these issues – we’ll keep you posted.

As iGyaan exclusively revealed today, the iPhone 5S and 5C will be available in India from October 23rd.

October 11, 2013