It may be, though, that there’s another iOS feature that will be making its way to the Mac with Mountain Lion, one that Apple hasn’t officially announced. According to 9to5Mac, the latest beta of Mountain Lion contains references to a keyboard shortcut that launches Dictation. Dication, in case you’re not familiar with it, is a feature that was introduced alongside Siri in the iPhone 4S, and made its way to the new iPad back in March. The way dictation works is pretty simple: if you’re in a field on your iPhone or iPad where you can type (e.g., the Messages app, Mail, Notes, or literally anywhere else) you simply tap the microphone and start talking.
Dreyfuss spoke briefly about Jobs and his impact on the world of technology – and the world in general. He noted that companies like Google and Facebook produce products and services that are widely used and extremely popular, but that the companies themselves are not trusted. Jobs, he said, was different; he “got it.” Though not particularly interested in the cult of personality, Jobs was able to produce hugely popular products while simultaneously maintaining an excellent public image for both himself and his company. Acceptance speeches at the Webbys are generally limited to five words, and Dreyfuss did his best to uphold this tradition by describing Jobs as the “exception that proves the rule.”
Another new piece of information that’s come to light today, though, suggests that the 3.95-inch display may not be accurate. Earlier this afternoon MacRumors posted pictures of what appears to be the front panel of the next iPod Touch. Assuming the display dimensions remain consistent across the two devices (as they have for five previous generations), then these images confirm that both the iPhone and iPod Touch will be getting larger screens. What’s interesting, though, is that the screen area on these panels doesn’t measure 3.95 inches. They measure 4.1 inches on the diagonal. While that’s not a huge difference, it is a difference. The plot, as they say, thickens. Check out the images for yourself below:
Today the size-related rumors are back, but this time with a new wrinkle. According to a report today from 9to5Mac, Apple actually has several varieties of new iPhone in testing, and hasn’t actually decided which to release yet. It seems there are currently at least two models undergoing internal testing, the iPhone 5,1 and the iPhone 5,2. The details of the two models are unknown, but in at least one respect, they are identical. Both sport a display that is 3.95 inches (not 4!) on the diagonal. Interestingly, both displays are the same width as the display on the current iPhone. The increased height comes with an extra 176 pixels, as well: while the iPhone 4S is 640×960, the new iPhone will be 630×1136.
These days, pretty much anyone will tell you that HTML5 is the future of the internet. Where Adobe Flash once ruled the day as the primary means of delivering rich content on the web, HTML5 is making huge strides in replacing it. HTML5 is the backbone of many of the most popular and useful web apps out there, including many of those in Google’s Chrome Web Store, as well as the competing marketplace that will be launched by Mozilla later this year.
We’ve been bringing you reports for awhile now that Apple was preparing to launch a major update to their MacBook Pro line of computers. Rumored features include a retina display, USB 3.0, and a thinner (though not MacBook Air-like) form factor, which will involve ditching the computer’s optical drive (because who uses CD-ROMs anymore, honestly?).
It was recently reported that Apple Inc. has teamed up with Foxconn, the Chinese supplier of iPhone and iPad devices, to improve the labor conditions in its manufacturing facilities. And now China Daily reports that Foxconn is investing $210 million into building a new production line in Huai’an City, China. Foxconn plants, known for various questionable practices including employing underage workers, and underpaying and likewise overcharging workers to live in on-site dorms, prompting strikes and mass-suicidal behavior.
Last week we brought you all sorts of news about Apple’s upcoming iPhone. Reports were coming fast and furious from major news agencies that the iPhone 5 (or, more likely, “new iPhone”) would be getting a major redesign, the main feature of which would be a screen at least 4-inches long on the diagonal, and which was designed in large part by Steve Jobs himself before he passed away in October.
Another day, another patent suit, it seems. Apple and Target have been sued by Jerald A. Bovino of Colorado for patent infringement. Bovino owns a patent for a ribbed computer case, and claims that Apple and Target are infringing on his patent by selling the iPad Smart Cover.
Well, according to Liquidmetal’s creator, we shouldn’t get our hopes up for a Liquidmetal iPhone just yet. In an interview with Business Insider, Liquidmetal creator Dr. Atakan Peker. In the interview, Peker talked about what Liquidmetal is and how Apple might use it in the future. First of all, he said, the name “Liquidmetal” is a trade name. It covers a class of alloys with an atomic structure similar to that of glass. It blends many of the advantages of some of the more traditional materials used in gadgets like smartphones: it is strong like metal, but easily cast into complicated shapes like plastic, while being as aesthetically pleasing as glass.
While that might seem like a pretty big oversight, it actually makes a fair bit of sense: Apple’s other iOS products have been wildly popular, so if Apple releases an iPad Mini, there’s a pretty good chance that people will buy it just as greedily. That assumption, however, was not enough for PriceGrabber. During the last week of April, they conducted a survey to try and discover whether anybody would actually be willing to buy an iPad Mini, and the results are pretty interesting.
The iPad 2′s new processor, which is the same as the processor found in the third-generation Apple TV, is effectively the same as the A5 chip that was originally in the iPad 2 (and iPhone 4S). The difference is that it has been “ported” to Samsung’s new 32nm HMKG manufacturing process. As such, the chip’s performance isn’t greatly effective. That is, the 32nm chip isn’t faster than the original version. The big difference is an increase in energy efficiency. At the time, there was speculation that iPad users might see an improvement in battery life.
If you’re a member of the jailbreak community, though, the update to iOS 5.1 did bring with it two separate but related headaches. First, with iOS 5.1 Apple fixed all the exploits that allowed iOS 5.0.1 to be jailbroken. The Dev Team – and pod2g in particular – were forced to start over on the new update, just a few short months after finally cracking the previous version. Then, to add insult to injury, Apple made it extremely difficult to downgrade to an older version of iOS. That meant that those upgraded their device accidentally (or because they bought an April Fools gag) were stuck waiting for the iOS 5.1 jailbreak, rather than downgrading back to iOS 5.0.1 and getting their jailbreak back.
Citing “a source familiar with the plans,” Business Insider is reporting that Google is planning to build its own social gaming platform. The service would mimic the functionality of Game Center and offer an achievement system and leaderboards. The source did not say, but it seems certain that such a service would feature deep Google+ integration.
Apple Inc. has teamed up with Foxconn, the Chinese supplier of iPhone and iPad devices, to improve the labor conditions in its manufacturing facilities. Both companies are contributing funds, though its not clear if they are splitting the bill 50/50. Foxconn plants, known for various questionable practices including employing underage workers, and underpaying and likewise overcharging workers to live in on-site dorms, prompting strikes and mass-suicidal behavior.
With Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicking off in San Francisco in less than a month, rumors are starting to swirl about what will be unveiled this year. The conference has traditionally served as the forum for Apple’s announcement of new iPhones, but with the late launch of last year’s iPhone 4S pushing back the release schedule for the next iPhone, it’s not clear what Apple may have up its sleeve.
With the release of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard two years ago, the release of OS X 10.7 Lion last year, and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion coming sometime later this summer, nobody thinks much anymore about older versions of the Mac operating system. For the most part, OS X 10.5 Leopard has been put out to pasture. Apparently, however, the recent kerfluffle over the Flashback malware targeted at Macs has drawn Apple’s eye back to the abandoned OS.
News about Apple ordering DRAM chips sent Samsung’s stock price tumbling today, erasing a staggering $10 billion of the electronics giant’s market cap. The report stated that Apple had placed a large order for the chips from Elpida, a Samsung rival that has been enduring financial struggles.
