Anki, blessed by Apple, takes AI and robotics to consumers
When Apple turns over part of its oh-so-important Worldwide Developers Conference keynote address to an unknown startup, you can be sure Tim Cook and Co. think they're dealing with some very cool technology.That was very much the case with Anki, which was handpicked for a coveted slot as the poster child for what unknown developers can do with iOS. During its time onstage, Anki showed off what at first appears to bea simple toy car racing game, but what in reality might be the most advanced intersection of consumer-grade artificial intelligence and robotics ever. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayIn an interview in San Francisco a few hours after the keynote address, Anki co-founder and CEO Boris Sofman told CNET that Anki -- the company's name comes from the Japanese word for learning by heart -- is in the business of bringing AI and robotics, a combination that has long been the exclusive province of the defense industry, to consumers.Apple clearly loved what Anki is doing with iOS: Users who buy the approximately $200 product starting this fall will use their iPhones or iPod Touches to control a little physical race car stuffed full of things like optical sensors, wireless chips, motors, and microcontrollers. Sofman said that he thinks of the technology much like a video game come to life, with the cars taking on the characteristics of video game characters, except in the physical world.Anki founder Boris Sofman shows off one of the AnkiDrive cars.Screen shot by CNETAt the core of AnkiDrive -- which came out of the founders' desire to bring to the consumer level what they learned working on $600,000 autonomous vehicles at Carnegie-Mellon -- is a system built to process real-time positioning, reason, and execution by "analyzing hundreds or even thousands of actions across four dimensions," Sofman said. In the racing game, that means that players can control a car, and race it against another, and each vehicle roars around a track taking into consideration thousands of scenarios, all while pursuing a specific mission. Anki isn't saying yet what the missions will be -- beyond winning a race -- but during its onstage demo at the WWDC keynote event, Sofman showed off a situation where three people controlled individual cars, while a fourth, autonomous, and faster and smarter, weaved through and around them.More from WWDCMeet iTunes Radio, Apple's long-awaited streaming music service CNET Editors' Take: Apple's long-awaited, Pandora-like streaming radio service is finally here Apple gives the iPhone a user interface face-lift with iOS 7 Editors' Take: iOS 7 gets a new look and several new features The fresh new look of Apple iOS 7 (pictures) Apple unveils new MacBook Air, gives Mac Pro sneak peek Editors' Take: Apple updates MacBook Air New MacBook Air boasts all-day battery life (pictures) Editors' Take: A bold new look for the Mac Pro desktop Mac Pro sneak peek (pictures) Editors' Take: Apple Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks Getting to know Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks (pictures) WWDC 2013: Full coverage"It behaved how you would expect an intelligent driver" would drive, Sofman recalled, "but then we told the three to block the fourth." And that's when the fun began.As the thousands in the room for the keynote address, and hundreds of thousands who watched it online experienced it, the fourth car zigged and zagged its way through the other three, and then used a "weapon" to "shoot" the others, which, when hit, would fly off the track, just as they would if they'd been hit by a real projectile. None of this was pre-programmed.Sofman said that Anki's toy cars race at the equivalent (if they were full-size cars) of 250 miles an hour, and move with a precision of a 10th of an inch. That's possible, he said, because of components built in that check their driving logic 500 times a second, and convey positioning information to the wheels every two milliseconds.For now, Anki isn't showing anything but its racing game, and won't say how many cars users will get for their $200. But Sofman made it clear that what Anki is showing today is merely the beginning of a new consumer AI/robotics industry, something that was never possible before due to the prohibitive price of the necessary components.But because Anki's hardware incorporates nothing but inexpensive commodity parts, consumers will finally be able to get their hands on this kind of technology, Sofman said. What Anki is bringing to the table is the software, five years in the making, that controls it.Thanks to its relationship with Apple and lead A-round investor (and board member) Mark Andreessen -- Anki has $50 million in the bank with which to develop AnkiDrive and whatever its next products are. And with Apple's blessing, it will sell its cars in Apple stores around the world and online, as well as on its own Web site.Are big things ahead for Anki? Andreessen thinks so. On his blog, the Andreessen Horowitz partner said that the company is "the best robotics startup I have ever seen."
iPad your screenplay- FDX Reader vs. GoodReader
iPad your screenplay: FDX Reader vs. GoodReader
I've written a screenplay or two in my life. When the iPad was released more than a year ago, I imagined that it could eventually be a killer tool for reading and editing scripts, saving a trip to a printer or laptop. Well, so far, the iPad's been great for a lot of documents and publications...but a little slow on the uptake when it comes to the complicated formats of screenplays.For my last screenplay revision, I actually saved my script to PDF format using Final Draft, then opened up GoodReader to check out my work. iBooks has its own PDF reader, too, but GoodReader adds a surprisingly robust set of annotations for marking up your draft.For those who require native readability of screenplay formats, Celtx Script and Scripts Pro currently support some basic writing and editing functions, but have their ups and downs. Celtx works with its own software, whereas Scripts Pro works with FDX and Celtx, but doesn't have the best script viewer. Final Draft is supposed to be making its own app, but it's been indefinitely delayed.GoodReader reads PDF versions of scripts, but can also mark them up.Until Final Draft's official app debuts, there's the new-on-the-scene FDX Reader, which reads pesky Final Draft 8-created files (.fdx) natively, saving the extra step of having to make a PDF version. It also works with Dropbox, or imports via an e-mailed attachment or iTunes. The app is minimalist: the parchmentlike paper background is softer than a white PDF, and text sizes can be adjusted unlike a PDF. Pages turn more like they do on Amazon's Kindle app than the way they do on iBooks. FDX Reader also works in landscape mode, but doesn't offer two-page viewing, instead offering an odd full-page landscape view.FDX Reader ($8), created by screenwriter John August (his screenplay for Big Fish is included for free with the app purchase) will break down the script with dotted lines to indicate "actual" script pages, and includes scene numbers, but doesn't show revision markings. It also can't be used for edits, revisions, or annotations. That's pretty limited stuff for an $8 app, but producers or script readers who possibly get hundreds of scripts a month could find this reader pretty helpful. It's clearly priced for Hollywood.For the rest of us, GoodReader (currently $5) is a more versatile option. And, of course, iBooks offers plain PDF reading for free, and that's not bad, either.For comparison purposes, take a look at screenshots of both apps. Honestly, PDF viewers will do the trick for most of us until a true Final Draft editing/annotating program becomes available. GoodReader's markup capabilities stay glued to the PDF, but they effectively work as well as pen marks on a printout: they're useful note-taking tools in a pinch. But, if you're buried in FDX files somewhere in Studio City, give FDX Reader a whirl--or wait for a sale.
I've written a screenplay or two in my life. When the iPad was released more than a year ago, I imagined that it could eventually be a killer tool for reading and editing scripts, saving a trip to a printer or laptop. Well, so far, the iPad's been great for a lot of documents and publications...but a little slow on the uptake when it comes to the complicated formats of screenplays.For my last screenplay revision, I actually saved my script to PDF format using Final Draft, then opened up GoodReader to check out my work. iBooks has its own PDF reader, too, but GoodReader adds a surprisingly robust set of annotations for marking up your draft.For those who require native readability of screenplay formats, Celtx Script and Scripts Pro currently support some basic writing and editing functions, but have their ups and downs. Celtx works with its own software, whereas Scripts Pro works with FDX and Celtx, but doesn't have the best script viewer. Final Draft is supposed to be making its own app, but it's been indefinitely delayed.GoodReader reads PDF versions of scripts, but can also mark them up.Until Final Draft's official app debuts, there's the new-on-the-scene FDX Reader, which reads pesky Final Draft 8-created files (.fdx) natively, saving the extra step of having to make a PDF version. It also works with Dropbox, or imports via an e-mailed attachment or iTunes. The app is minimalist: the parchmentlike paper background is softer than a white PDF, and text sizes can be adjusted unlike a PDF. Pages turn more like they do on Amazon's Kindle app than the way they do on iBooks. FDX Reader also works in landscape mode, but doesn't offer two-page viewing, instead offering an odd full-page landscape view.FDX Reader ($8), created by screenwriter John August (his screenplay for Big Fish is included for free with the app purchase) will break down the script with dotted lines to indicate "actual" script pages, and includes scene numbers, but doesn't show revision markings. It also can't be used for edits, revisions, or annotations. That's pretty limited stuff for an $8 app, but producers or script readers who possibly get hundreds of scripts a month could find this reader pretty helpful. It's clearly priced for Hollywood.For the rest of us, GoodReader (currently $5) is a more versatile option. And, of course, iBooks offers plain PDF reading for free, and that's not bad, either.For comparison purposes, take a look at screenshots of both apps. Honestly, PDF viewers will do the trick for most of us until a true Final Draft editing/annotating program becomes available. GoodReader's markup capabilities stay glued to the PDF, but they effectively work as well as pen marks on a printout: they're useful note-taking tools in a pinch. But, if you're buried in FDX files somewhere in Studio City, give FDX Reader a whirl--or wait for a sale.
Apple reaches iRadio deal with Warner Music, suggesting WWDC launch
Apple reaches iRadio deal with Warner Music, suggesting WWDC launch
Apple struck a licensing deal Sunday with both Warner Music Group and its publishing arm, Warner Chappell, bringing Apple's free Internet radio product that much closer to launching, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.The deal suggests that Apple is working hard to unveil what's been dubbed iRadio at its Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins June 10.Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr declined to comment.Warner is the first of the major labels to reach deals for both recorded music and publishing, sources say. Apple last month reached a deal to license music from Universal Music, the world's largest label, and negotiations are still going on with Sony, which has been going back and forth with Apple over some specifics about features built into Apple's product.The deals reached so far offer far better economics for the music labels and publishers than what they get from Pandora, the product that most closely resembles iRadio. Related storiesApple strikes iRadio deal with Universal MusicFor labels, Apple's iRadio deal could be sweeter than PandoraSpotify: Growing like mad, yet so far to goHow YouTube could ignite streaming music: Go mobile, go freeGoogle beats Apple to it with streaming music service Earlier in the negotiations, the labels had agreed to let Apple pay a per-stream rate that was half of what the labels get from Pandora. That changed, however, and sources now say that the deals have Apple playing the same rate as Pandora, or even higher.While that alone could be lucrative because of Apple's sheer size -- and Apple plans eventually to roll this service out globally -- the hope for the labels is much bigger because it comes with two other potential revenue sources. Apple has told the music labels that it plans to build out its ad business, including potentially adding audio ads such as those heard on Pandora's free service. The product, which would be tied to iTunes, would be made for mobile devices. It would contain some features not available on Pandora -- such as the ability to rewind a song from the middle of it, sources say -- and would have a simple button that would let users easily purchase a song. This, too, could be a boon to the labels, which collect roughly 70 percent of every dollar from an iTunes purchases. Currently, there are about 500 million iTunes accounts; Pandora, by contrast, has about 70 million active users.As for the publishers, sources say that the deal on the table -- and presumably the one signed by Warner Chappell -- gives publishers more than twice the ad share revenue they currently receive from Pandora.The streaming music field is getting super competitive. Google, at its developer's conference last month, launched a Spotify-like, subscription music service called Google All Access. Google is also working on a music service tied to YouTube, which has become the dominant place where young people go to hear music.
Apple struck a licensing deal Sunday with both Warner Music Group and its publishing arm, Warner Chappell, bringing Apple's free Internet radio product that much closer to launching, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.The deal suggests that Apple is working hard to unveil what's been dubbed iRadio at its Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins June 10.Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr declined to comment.Warner is the first of the major labels to reach deals for both recorded music and publishing, sources say. Apple last month reached a deal to license music from Universal Music, the world's largest label, and negotiations are still going on with Sony, which has been going back and forth with Apple over some specifics about features built into Apple's product.The deals reached so far offer far better economics for the music labels and publishers than what they get from Pandora, the product that most closely resembles iRadio. Related storiesApple strikes iRadio deal with Universal MusicFor labels, Apple's iRadio deal could be sweeter than PandoraSpotify: Growing like mad, yet so far to goHow YouTube could ignite streaming music: Go mobile, go freeGoogle beats Apple to it with streaming music service Earlier in the negotiations, the labels had agreed to let Apple pay a per-stream rate that was half of what the labels get from Pandora. That changed, however, and sources now say that the deals have Apple playing the same rate as Pandora, or even higher.While that alone could be lucrative because of Apple's sheer size -- and Apple plans eventually to roll this service out globally -- the hope for the labels is much bigger because it comes with two other potential revenue sources. Apple has told the music labels that it plans to build out its ad business, including potentially adding audio ads such as those heard on Pandora's free service. The product, which would be tied to iTunes, would be made for mobile devices. It would contain some features not available on Pandora -- such as the ability to rewind a song from the middle of it, sources say -- and would have a simple button that would let users easily purchase a song. This, too, could be a boon to the labels, which collect roughly 70 percent of every dollar from an iTunes purchases. Currently, there are about 500 million iTunes accounts; Pandora, by contrast, has about 70 million active users.As for the publishers, sources say that the deal on the table -- and presumably the one signed by Warner Chappell -- gives publishers more than twice the ad share revenue they currently receive from Pandora.The streaming music field is getting super competitive. Google, at its developer's conference last month, launched a Spotify-like, subscription music service called Google All Access. Google is also working on a music service tied to YouTube, which has become the dominant place where young people go to hear music.
Shazam for iOS adds TV to its list of media it can identify
Shazam for iOS adds TV to its list of media it can identify
One of the first apps that showed off the power of early iPhones was Shazam, the app that let you hold up your iPhone to "listen" to music playing and could identify the artist and offer you options to buy that music.Today, Shazam Entertainment announced a new update with Shazam 5.0 that makes the app even better than before. The company says the app now launches a second faster to let you identify media much more quickly. It also can take as little as 1 second to identify media once you touch the button, and even starts "listening" the second you open the app in case you're trying to identify media in a hurry.Lyrics now sync up better with the audio in version 5.0.Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNETShazam is no longer limited to music in this latest version. The company says you'll now be able to use the app to identify Shazam-enabled television shows and ads to quickly find out what you're watching and see additional content for the show or ad, and products and apps related to the content. This means that if a show is Shazam-enabled, you can run the app to get complementary content or an associated app in the iTunes App Store.Among the smaller changes to Shazam, the company says it has listened to users and made it possible to edit tweets; streamlined the app for smoother scrolling and a much more responsive user interface; improved the speed of the friends feed; and improved the sync on LyricPlay -- the feature that lets you view lyrics as the song is playing.Shazam 5.0 is available now at the iTunes App Store and all the major versions including Shazam (free) Shazam Encore ($5.99), and Shazam Red ($5.99) all offer the latest features.
One of the first apps that showed off the power of early iPhones was Shazam, the app that let you hold up your iPhone to "listen" to music playing and could identify the artist and offer you options to buy that music.Today, Shazam Entertainment announced a new update with Shazam 5.0 that makes the app even better than before. The company says the app now launches a second faster to let you identify media much more quickly. It also can take as little as 1 second to identify media once you touch the button, and even starts "listening" the second you open the app in case you're trying to identify media in a hurry.Lyrics now sync up better with the audio in version 5.0.Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNETShazam is no longer limited to music in this latest version. The company says you'll now be able to use the app to identify Shazam-enabled television shows and ads to quickly find out what you're watching and see additional content for the show or ad, and products and apps related to the content. This means that if a show is Shazam-enabled, you can run the app to get complementary content or an associated app in the iTunes App Store.Among the smaller changes to Shazam, the company says it has listened to users and made it possible to edit tweets; streamlined the app for smoother scrolling and a much more responsive user interface; improved the speed of the friends feed; and improved the sync on LyricPlay -- the feature that lets you view lyrics as the song is playing.Shazam 5.0 is available now at the iTunes App Store and all the major versions including Shazam (free) Shazam Encore ($5.99), and Shazam Red ($5.99) all offer the latest features.
HP PC users experience iPhone sync problems
HP PC users experience iPhone sync problems
This week, we received comments from a reader regarding an iPhone sync glitch with certain Hewlett-Packard-branded PCs. Mark Lennon said his new HP DV7-3085DX PC running Windows 7 64-bit with the Intel i7 Q720 processor will not sync properly with the iPhone. He explained in an e-mail that there are "tons of messages on HP's discussion boards from other users who still have this iPhone sync problem." All these machines seem to use a new Intel i5 or i7 microprocessor while running Windows 7 64-bit. We checked the forums at HP and found a fairly lively discussion about the problem. According to some users, HP isn't acknowledging the issue.Hewlett-PackardApple's discussion forums also turned up three threads on this issue:Windows 7; 64bitCan't sync iPhone with New HP computer with Windows 7 64-bitiTunes 9 on Windows 7 x64 Has Problems with iPhoneWe sent e-mails to Apple, HP, and Intel requesting comment on the syncing problem. At press time, only Intel had responded. George Alfs from Intel's PR department wrote back advising us that "end users should ensure they have latest drivers and BIOS updates from their OEM system vendors." Alfs' solution wouldn't be unprecedented: Previous problems with a motherboard from Gigabyte Technology were resolved by installing an updated BIOS, and we've read that an update for Asus users was just as helpful. But the problem could have different origins. A discussion on Microsoft Technet forums suggests that all HP computers in question are using Intel's PM55 Express Chipset, which commenter Sethstor claims has an incompatibility problem with Windows 7 64-bit and the computers' USB ports.Do you have a fix? Let us know in the comments.
This week, we received comments from a reader regarding an iPhone sync glitch with certain Hewlett-Packard-branded PCs. Mark Lennon said his new HP DV7-3085DX PC running Windows 7 64-bit with the Intel i7 Q720 processor will not sync properly with the iPhone. He explained in an e-mail that there are "tons of messages on HP's discussion boards from other users who still have this iPhone sync problem." All these machines seem to use a new Intel i5 or i7 microprocessor while running Windows 7 64-bit. We checked the forums at HP and found a fairly lively discussion about the problem. According to some users, HP isn't acknowledging the issue.Hewlett-PackardApple's discussion forums also turned up three threads on this issue:Windows 7; 64bitCan't sync iPhone with New HP computer with Windows 7 64-bitiTunes 9 on Windows 7 x64 Has Problems with iPhoneWe sent e-mails to Apple, HP, and Intel requesting comment on the syncing problem. At press time, only Intel had responded. George Alfs from Intel's PR department wrote back advising us that "end users should ensure they have latest drivers and BIOS updates from their OEM system vendors." Alfs' solution wouldn't be unprecedented: Previous problems with a motherboard from Gigabyte Technology were resolved by installing an updated BIOS, and we've read that an update for Asus users was just as helpful. But the problem could have different origins. A discussion on Microsoft Technet forums suggests that all HP computers in question are using Intel's PM55 Express Chipset, which commenter Sethstor claims has an incompatibility problem with Windows 7 64-bit and the computers' USB ports.Do you have a fix? Let us know in the comments.
Tim Cook opts out of $75M worth of company dividends
Tim Cook opts out of $75M worth of company dividends
Tim Cook has twice been placed atop the list of highest-paid CEOs in recent weeks, and a new legal filing suggests he's not particularly greedy for more. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today, Apple notes that Cook will not be taking the dividend equivalents on his restricted units, a detail of considerable importance given the grant of 1 million restricted stock units last year."At Mr. Cook's request, none of his restricted stock units will participate in dividend equivalents," the company said in the filing, which was flagged by MacRumors. "Assuming a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share over the vesting periods of his 1.125 million outstanding restricted stock units, Mr. Cook will forego approximately $75 million in dividend equivalent value." That massive share stock grant, which was unveiled in a January proxy filing, has restrictions that keep Cook from collecting the first half of the shares until 2016, with the other half in 2021. Related storiesTim Cook: Bringing a world of change to the world of Apple?Tim Cook tops 2011 executive compensation studyApple gives Tim Cook $376 million stock awardPer the filing, the amount Cook would have received is part of a newly approved amendment that applies to outstanding and unvested restricted stock units. These units get a pay-out equal to the dividend on the company's common stock, but that amount cannot be collected until the stock vests. The decision was made by the compensation committee of Apple's board, a committee on which Cook is not a member.In late March, Apple announced plans to use some of its $100 billion cash pile to provide a $2.65 per share quarterly dividend beginning in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2012, which begins on July 1. That same plan also included a $10 billion share repurchase program, which begins in September.
Tim Cook has twice been placed atop the list of highest-paid CEOs in recent weeks, and a new legal filing suggests he's not particularly greedy for more. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today, Apple notes that Cook will not be taking the dividend equivalents on his restricted units, a detail of considerable importance given the grant of 1 million restricted stock units last year."At Mr. Cook's request, none of his restricted stock units will participate in dividend equivalents," the company said in the filing, which was flagged by MacRumors. "Assuming a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share over the vesting periods of his 1.125 million outstanding restricted stock units, Mr. Cook will forego approximately $75 million in dividend equivalent value." That massive share stock grant, which was unveiled in a January proxy filing, has restrictions that keep Cook from collecting the first half of the shares until 2016, with the other half in 2021. Related storiesTim Cook: Bringing a world of change to the world of Apple?Tim Cook tops 2011 executive compensation studyApple gives Tim Cook $376 million stock awardPer the filing, the amount Cook would have received is part of a newly approved amendment that applies to outstanding and unvested restricted stock units. These units get a pay-out equal to the dividend on the company's common stock, but that amount cannot be collected until the stock vests. The decision was made by the compensation committee of Apple's board, a committee on which Cook is not a member.In late March, Apple announced plans to use some of its $100 billion cash pile to provide a $2.65 per share quarterly dividend beginning in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2012, which begins on July 1. That same plan also included a $10 billion share repurchase program, which begins in September.
Tim Cook makes second China visit in less than a year
Tim Cook makes second China visit in less than a year
Apple CEO Tim Cook has once again flown to China to meet with government officials there.Miao Wei, head of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, today met with Cook to discuss the country's tech industry, mobile communications, and Apple's operations, the government organization posted on its Web site. Bloomberg was first to report on the news.Cook's latest visit to China comes less than a year after he made a relatively public tour across the country. During that stint, Cook met with a number of Chinese government officials. He also visited a Foxconn iPhone factory.China is an extremely important market for Apple. In fact, Cook noted during an earnings call in October that China is an "extremely exciting market" for the company, adding that Apple's quarterly revenue in that country was $5.7 billion -- a huge chunk of the $7.5 billion it generated across the Asia-Pacific region during that period.It's not clear what exactly Cook is doing in China this time around and what he might have on his docket.CNET has contacted Apple for more information. We will update this story when we hear back.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has once again flown to China to meet with government officials there.Miao Wei, head of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, today met with Cook to discuss the country's tech industry, mobile communications, and Apple's operations, the government organization posted on its Web site. Bloomberg was first to report on the news.Cook's latest visit to China comes less than a year after he made a relatively public tour across the country. During that stint, Cook met with a number of Chinese government officials. He also visited a Foxconn iPhone factory.China is an extremely important market for Apple. In fact, Cook noted during an earnings call in October that China is an "extremely exciting market" for the company, adding that Apple's quarterly revenue in that country was $5.7 billion -- a huge chunk of the $7.5 billion it generated across the Asia-Pacific region during that period.It's not clear what exactly Cook is doing in China this time around and what he might have on his docket.CNET has contacted Apple for more information. We will update this story when we hear back.
Apple's $30 apology for iPhone activation delays-
Apple's $30 apology for iPhone activation delays?
iPhone 3G S buyers are still experiencing delays activating their new smartphones, but Apple apparently wants to make it up to them.Apple began notifying affected customers via e-mail on Sunday that they may experience additional delays for another two days due to "system issues" and "high activation volumes," according to readers in various blogs who claim to have received the e-mail. The problems began immediately after the new iPhone's launch Friday. As a way of apology for the delays, the same e-mail said Apple plans to offer customers a $30 credit iTunes Store credit for "the inconvenience this delay has caused."Here's the entire text of the e-mail:Dear Apple Customer,Thank you for your recent Apple Store order. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your iPhone activation.We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T. Unfortunately, due to system issues and continued high activation volumes, this could take us up to an additional 48 hours to complete.On Monday, you'll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused.Thank you for choosing Apple.Sincerely,Apple Online Store TeamApple representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.During last July's iPhone launch as new customers tried to complete the required in-store activation process, overloaded AT&T activation servers slowed Apple Store lines to a crawl, and the servers eventually crashed altogether. Apple soon ditched the in-store activation and was simply "unbricking" phones, letting buyers activate them at home rather than hold up the line because of crashed servers.In stark contrast to the frenzied first day sales of the original iPhone and last year's iPhone 3G, Friday's launch was marked by considerably smaller and quieter crowds for the smartphone's debut. One analyst expected Apple to sell 500,000 iPhones this weekend. That's half as many phones as Apple sold when it launched the iPhone 3G, but Apple sold that phone in 21 countries on the first day. In comparison, the iPhone 3G S was sold in only eight countries on its first day.
iPhone 3G S buyers are still experiencing delays activating their new smartphones, but Apple apparently wants to make it up to them.Apple began notifying affected customers via e-mail on Sunday that they may experience additional delays for another two days due to "system issues" and "high activation volumes," according to readers in various blogs who claim to have received the e-mail. The problems began immediately after the new iPhone's launch Friday. As a way of apology for the delays, the same e-mail said Apple plans to offer customers a $30 credit iTunes Store credit for "the inconvenience this delay has caused."Here's the entire text of the e-mail:Dear Apple Customer,Thank you for your recent Apple Store order. We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in your iPhone activation.We are still resolving the issue that was encountered while activating your iPhone with AT&T. Unfortunately, due to system issues and continued high activation volumes, this could take us up to an additional 48 hours to complete.On Monday, you'll receive an email from Apple with an iTunes Store credit in the amount of $30. We hope you will enjoy this gift and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this delay has caused.Thank you for choosing Apple.Sincerely,Apple Online Store TeamApple representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.During last July's iPhone launch as new customers tried to complete the required in-store activation process, overloaded AT&T activation servers slowed Apple Store lines to a crawl, and the servers eventually crashed altogether. Apple soon ditched the in-store activation and was simply "unbricking" phones, letting buyers activate them at home rather than hold up the line because of crashed servers.In stark contrast to the frenzied first day sales of the original iPhone and last year's iPhone 3G, Friday's launch was marked by considerably smaller and quieter crowds for the smartphone's debut. One analyst expected Apple to sell 500,000 iPhones this weekend. That's half as many phones as Apple sold when it launched the iPhone 3G, but Apple sold that phone in 21 countries on the first day. In comparison, the iPhone 3G S was sold in only eight countries on its first day.
Apple's 7-inch tablet will be named iPad Mini, says report
Apple's 7-inch tablet will be named iPad Mini, says report
Apple's much-rumored iPad Mini will in fact be called the iPad Mini.At least, that's the latest from Apple blog site Macotakara. Citing info from an "Asian source," the Japanese site said the 7.85-inch tablet is expected to sport the familiar iPad logo on the back.If true, this means that news reports and blogs speculating about the tiny tablet actually got the name right. Apple sometimes surprises its audience with its choice of names. Those of us expecting an iPad 3 earlier this year were treated simply to the iPad or the new iPad, perhaps not the ideal name but certainly unexpected.The purported iPad Mini will pop up in October, according to a report in AllThingsD. Citing several unnamed sources, ATD's John Paczkowski said that Apple will host two separate product launches for its newest devices.The iPhone 5 is expected to debut on September 12, ATD says, with actual sales to start September 21. Apple will then announce the new iPad the following month.That report contradicts earlier rumors pointing to a single September 12 launch event for both the new iPhone and iPad Mini. But holding separate events would make sense as it gives both products their moment to shine.Related storiesiPad Mini to launch in October, says reportAlleged iPad Mini cases reveal spot for rear cameraWhy you should wait for the iPad MiniImagining the iPad Mini: Mockups multiplyThough the attention is on the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, the iPod lineup may also be up for a refresh.The iPod Nano will receive Wi-Fi connectivity and support for a cloud-based iTunes service, according to Macotakara's source. The next iPod Touch also sports a "mysterious hole" next to its iSight camera, which Macotakara speculates could be used for near-field communication, or NFC.
Apple's much-rumored iPad Mini will in fact be called the iPad Mini.At least, that's the latest from Apple blog site Macotakara. Citing info from an "Asian source," the Japanese site said the 7.85-inch tablet is expected to sport the familiar iPad logo on the back.If true, this means that news reports and blogs speculating about the tiny tablet actually got the name right. Apple sometimes surprises its audience with its choice of names. Those of us expecting an iPad 3 earlier this year were treated simply to the iPad or the new iPad, perhaps not the ideal name but certainly unexpected.The purported iPad Mini will pop up in October, according to a report in AllThingsD. Citing several unnamed sources, ATD's John Paczkowski said that Apple will host two separate product launches for its newest devices.The iPhone 5 is expected to debut on September 12, ATD says, with actual sales to start September 21. Apple will then announce the new iPad the following month.That report contradicts earlier rumors pointing to a single September 12 launch event for both the new iPhone and iPad Mini. But holding separate events would make sense as it gives both products their moment to shine.Related storiesiPad Mini to launch in October, says reportAlleged iPad Mini cases reveal spot for rear cameraWhy you should wait for the iPad MiniImagining the iPad Mini: Mockups multiplyThough the attention is on the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, the iPod lineup may also be up for a refresh.The iPod Nano will receive Wi-Fi connectivity and support for a cloud-based iTunes service, according to Macotakara's source. The next iPod Touch also sports a "mysterious hole" next to its iSight camera, which Macotakara speculates could be used for near-field communication, or NFC.
Apple opening five new China stores over five weeks
Apple opening five new China stores over five weeks
Apple's growth plans in China are heating up.The tech giant plans to open five new stores across the country over the coming five weeks, Xinhua, the Chinese government's news agency, reported Thursday. Those will be on top of the 15 Apple stores already there."We are opening five new stores before the Chinese New Year this year," Angela Ahrendts, Apple's head of retail and online stores, told the news service in a phone interview. The Chinese New Year this year is February 19. "Four of the stores are in brand new cities for us."Xinhua also noted that amid the expansion effort, Apple's China website lists job openings in 15 different Chinese stores.Apple opened its first store in China in 2008. The country has quickly become one of Apple's most important retail markets, thanks to a growing middle class eager to own the company's high-end iPhone smartphones. However, Apple needs to battle against a growing set of local handset makers -- such as Xiaomi, ZTE and Huawei -- offering cheaper phones with premium features.In October, CEO Tim Cook told Chinese media outlet Sina that Apple plans to open 25 new shops in China in the next two years.The first of the five new stores opened in Zhengzhou this month. Another is set to open in Hangzhou, near Shanghai, next week, Xinhua reported. An Apple representative confirmed the Xinhua story is accurate, though didn't provide further comments.The expansion into China comes as Apple has been riding a wave of recent successes, benefiting mostly by continuing demand for its iPhone, the company's biggest moneymaker.
Apple's growth plans in China are heating up.The tech giant plans to open five new stores across the country over the coming five weeks, Xinhua, the Chinese government's news agency, reported Thursday. Those will be on top of the 15 Apple stores already there."We are opening five new stores before the Chinese New Year this year," Angela Ahrendts, Apple's head of retail and online stores, told the news service in a phone interview. The Chinese New Year this year is February 19. "Four of the stores are in brand new cities for us."Xinhua also noted that amid the expansion effort, Apple's China website lists job openings in 15 different Chinese stores.Apple opened its first store in China in 2008. The country has quickly become one of Apple's most important retail markets, thanks to a growing middle class eager to own the company's high-end iPhone smartphones. However, Apple needs to battle against a growing set of local handset makers -- such as Xiaomi, ZTE and Huawei -- offering cheaper phones with premium features.In October, CEO Tim Cook told Chinese media outlet Sina that Apple plans to open 25 new shops in China in the next two years.The first of the five new stores opened in Zhengzhou this month. Another is set to open in Hangzhou, near Shanghai, next week, Xinhua reported. An Apple representative confirmed the Xinhua story is accurate, though didn't provide further comments.The expansion into China comes as Apple has been riding a wave of recent successes, benefiting mostly by continuing demand for its iPhone, the company's biggest moneymaker.
Apple on new iPad heat issue- It's not as hot as you think
Apple on new iPad heat issue: It's not as hot as you think
Some customers say Apple's new iPad is running hotter than its predecessor. But the Cupertino, Calif.-based company says it's just right."The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications," an Apple representative told CNET today. "If customers have any concerns, they should contact AppleCare."All Things Digital was first to report Apple's response to heat claims regarding its newly released tablet. Consumer Reports said it is investigating the issue. CNET is also conducting in-house tests and plans to publish a story later today.Related storiesAll iPad HD coverage from CNETApple iPad with Retina Display makes its debutDoes the new iPad have a heat problem?Apple iOS 5.1: First TakeCNET's review of Apple's new iPadSince the new iPad launched on Friday, some customers have been complaining that one of its corners has been heating up to a higher degree than previous iPads. On the Apple specifications page, the company claims that the tablet's operating temperature range is 32 degrees to 95 degrees.Dutch tech site Tweakers.net (Translate) used an infrared camera recently to see how hot the iPad actually gets. After 5 minutes of running GLBenchmark, the site found that the tablet maxed out at 92.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The iPad 2's hottest point reached 82.9 degrees in the same study.At what temperature is the iPad too hot? As Apple points out and Tweakers.net seems to confirm, the iPad is running well within the company's self-imposed limits. And as an owner of the new iPad, I have yet to feel the device get anything more than warm in any area. One forum poster, however, recently said the iPad became so hot that a message popped up saying, "the iPad needs to cool down." That said, the person admitted to using the device in direct sunlight--something that can wreak havoc on any gadget after a prolonged period.Update at 8:50 a.m. PT to include more details and at 12:02 p.m. PT with news of Consumer Reports and CNET conducting tests.
Some customers say Apple's new iPad is running hotter than its predecessor. But the Cupertino, Calif.-based company says it's just right."The new iPad delivers a stunning Retina display, A5X chip, support for 4G LTE plus 10 hours of battery life, all while operating well within our thermal specifications," an Apple representative told CNET today. "If customers have any concerns, they should contact AppleCare."All Things Digital was first to report Apple's response to heat claims regarding its newly released tablet. Consumer Reports said it is investigating the issue. CNET is also conducting in-house tests and plans to publish a story later today.Related storiesAll iPad HD coverage from CNETApple iPad with Retina Display makes its debutDoes the new iPad have a heat problem?Apple iOS 5.1: First TakeCNET's review of Apple's new iPadSince the new iPad launched on Friday, some customers have been complaining that one of its corners has been heating up to a higher degree than previous iPads. On the Apple specifications page, the company claims that the tablet's operating temperature range is 32 degrees to 95 degrees.Dutch tech site Tweakers.net (Translate) used an infrared camera recently to see how hot the iPad actually gets. After 5 minutes of running GLBenchmark, the site found that the tablet maxed out at 92.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The iPad 2's hottest point reached 82.9 degrees in the same study.At what temperature is the iPad too hot? As Apple points out and Tweakers.net seems to confirm, the iPad is running well within the company's self-imposed limits. And as an owner of the new iPad, I have yet to feel the device get anything more than warm in any area. One forum poster, however, recently said the iPad became so hot that a message popped up saying, "the iPad needs to cool down." That said, the person admitted to using the device in direct sunlight--something that can wreak havoc on any gadget after a prolonged period.Update at 8:50 a.m. PT to include more details and at 12:02 p.m. PT with news of Consumer Reports and CNET conducting tests.
Apple once again rumored to be eyeing carbon fiber
Apple once again rumored to be eyeing carbon fiber
Apple is once again rumored to be looking into carbon fiber as a material for use in a future product. Citing a source within a Japanese company that produces carbon fiber, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara today says Apple has ordered up "large" samples of the product. The outlet didn't into specifics about where that carbon fiber might be headed, short of noting that Apple has filed for patents that make mention of carbon fiber, and is on the lookout for a senior engineer to work on carbon in Japan. Rumors about Apple and carbon fiber have been around for years, and have centered on Apple's portable products like its notebooks and the iPad as a way to cut weight and improve durability. So far Apple has stuck primarily with aluminum in those devices, going so far as to phase out plastic with the discontinuation of the unibody MacBooks last year. Related storiesApple mulling carbon-fiber parts for MacBook Air?Rumor: Apple to add carbon fiber body to iPad 2Apple quietly discontinues white MacBookA handful of Apple's competitors have gone with carbon fiber in their products, including Gigabyte. Its X11 notebook, announced earlier this year, was touted as the world's lightest at about 2.1 pounds, and with an exterior that was six times stronger than aluminum. Months before, Dell had introduced its XPS 13, a notebook that made use of carbon fiber in its chassis. Apple was granted a patent for "carbon composite mold design" earlier this month, a process for mass-producing carbon fiber molds. In its patent, the company noted that its technology could result in lighter housings for "laptops, notebook computers, and other relatively large and heavy portable computer devices." (via MacRumors)
Apple is once again rumored to be looking into carbon fiber as a material for use in a future product. Citing a source within a Japanese company that produces carbon fiber, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara today says Apple has ordered up "large" samples of the product. The outlet didn't into specifics about where that carbon fiber might be headed, short of noting that Apple has filed for patents that make mention of carbon fiber, and is on the lookout for a senior engineer to work on carbon in Japan. Rumors about Apple and carbon fiber have been around for years, and have centered on Apple's portable products like its notebooks and the iPad as a way to cut weight and improve durability. So far Apple has stuck primarily with aluminum in those devices, going so far as to phase out plastic with the discontinuation of the unibody MacBooks last year. Related storiesApple mulling carbon-fiber parts for MacBook Air?Rumor: Apple to add carbon fiber body to iPad 2Apple quietly discontinues white MacBookA handful of Apple's competitors have gone with carbon fiber in their products, including Gigabyte. Its X11 notebook, announced earlier this year, was touted as the world's lightest at about 2.1 pounds, and with an exterior that was six times stronger than aluminum. Months before, Dell had introduced its XPS 13, a notebook that made use of carbon fiber in its chassis. Apple was granted a patent for "carbon composite mold design" earlier this month, a process for mass-producing carbon fiber molds. In its patent, the company noted that its technology could result in lighter housings for "laptops, notebook computers, and other relatively large and heavy portable computer devices." (via MacRumors)
Apple on mobile payments and Touch ID- 'A big opportunity'
Apple on mobile payments and Touch ID: 'A big opportunity'
Apple may indeed be working on a mobile payments feature to rival services like PayPal.On a conference call on Monday to discuss quarterly earnings, CEO Tim Cook said that the company was intrigued with the idea. He added that part of the thinking in implementing the iPhone 5S's Touch ID feature was its possible use in payments."It's a big opportunity on the platform," said Cook.To be clear, Cook said there was nothing to announce, but definitely did not close the door to the feature. He specifically pointed to users enjoying the ability to purchase digital items like music and books using the Touch ID feature, instead of having to type in a password.Late last week, a report by The Wall Street Journal said that the company was making a bigger push into the mobile payments space, aiming to let users buy physical goods -- like clothes or cab rides -- using their iPhones. The article said that iTunes and App Store chief Eddy Cue has been talking to industry executives about the topic, and has put longtime executive Jennifer Bailey in charge of building out the business. Speaking more generally about the Touch ID feature, Cook said it was one of the driving forces in iPhone 5S sales. "It was a major feature that excited people," he said. As for the company's overall earnings, Apple reported record sales of iPhones and iPads, but also provided a weak outlook for the second quarter, which ends in March.
Apple may indeed be working on a mobile payments feature to rival services like PayPal.On a conference call on Monday to discuss quarterly earnings, CEO Tim Cook said that the company was intrigued with the idea. He added that part of the thinking in implementing the iPhone 5S's Touch ID feature was its possible use in payments."It's a big opportunity on the platform," said Cook.To be clear, Cook said there was nothing to announce, but definitely did not close the door to the feature. He specifically pointed to users enjoying the ability to purchase digital items like music and books using the Touch ID feature, instead of having to type in a password.Late last week, a report by The Wall Street Journal said that the company was making a bigger push into the mobile payments space, aiming to let users buy physical goods -- like clothes or cab rides -- using their iPhones. The article said that iTunes and App Store chief Eddy Cue has been talking to industry executives about the topic, and has put longtime executive Jennifer Bailey in charge of building out the business. Speaking more generally about the Touch ID feature, Cook said it was one of the driving forces in iPhone 5S sales. "It was a major feature that excited people," he said. As for the company's overall earnings, Apple reported record sales of iPhones and iPads, but also provided a weak outlook for the second quarter, which ends in March.
Apple brings 'last compatible version' apps to older iOS devices
Although Apple is keen on its customers moving to new devices every year or two, it's extending a helping hand to those who have decided to stay behind.First discovered by a Reddit user on Monday, Apple is now giving folks who own older iOS devices the opportunity to download outdated app versions to ensure a particular program can run on their product. Previously, those who were running older iOS versions were asked to update to a new version to get their hands on a particular app.According to an image posted on Reddit, when folks with older versions of iOS try to download a newer app now, they'll be shown a pop-up message suggesting that they download an older version of the app. The feature appears to analyze the iOS version they're running and ask them to download "the last compatible version."Apple's compatibility offer comes as the company prepares to launch iOS 7 on Wednesday. That software version comes with hundreds of improvements, including a new design.(Via Engadget)
Apple branches out with new campus in Santa Clara
As delays have hampered the construction of Apple's proposed upcoming spaceship-like headquarters, the tech giant has begun construction on a two-building campus in nearby Santa Clara, Calif., to house its overflow of employees, according to the Oakland Tribune. Apple agreed to lease the Santa Clara site, which is close to its current Cupertino headquarters, and plans to move in by 2014. Now under construction, this office will be nearly 296,000 square feet, take up two six-story buildings, and accommodate at least 1,200 employees. Apple has been making moves to find extra space to fit employees around Silicon Valley, leasing office space well outside of its Cupertino headquarters, which can hold about 2,800 employees. The company has some 12,000 employees in the area, which led the company to pitch plans to the city of Cupertino last year to build a new headquarters that can fit up to 14,200 people. This new headquarters is designed to be a gigantic circular building, which somewhat resembles the Pentagon and is slated to be completed by mid-2016. Originally, Apple hoped to move into its new digs in 2015, but the city of Cupertino hasn't yet completed its environmental impact survey, so construction has been pushed back until next year.CNET contacted Apple for comment. We'll update the story when we get more information.
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