All of Apple's 2014 Mac updates, tested and reviewed
It's more than halfway through 2014, and we're still waiting for the flood of new gadgets that Apple CEO Tim Cook promised, and senior vice president Eddy Cue called "the best product pipeline I've seen in 25 years." But even though the first brand-new hardware from Apple is expected to be a new iPhone sometime in September, a good number of hardware product updates have quietly slipped out the past few months.Apple's Mac lineup of laptop and desktop computers has seen several changes that, while small on paper, can have a potentially big impact on shoppers. In April, the 13-inch and 11-inch MacBook Air models got upgraded base model CPUs, as well as $100 price cuts (UK buyers were treated to £100 cuts). In June, the 21.5-inch iMac all-in-one desktop added a new entry-level model that cost $200 less than the previous starting point. And at the end of July, the high-end MacBook Pro line received CPU and RAM boosts, but the only price cuts came in the higher-end 15-inch model, now $2,499/£1,999/AU$2,999 instead of $2,599/£2,199/AU$3,199. The still-kicking 13-inch non-Retina model was cut too, down to $1,099, £899, or AU$1,349. Both new MacBooks, two versions of the entry-level 21.5-inch iMac, and the least expensive 15-inch MacBook Pro configuration have now been benchmarked, tested, and reviewed by CNET Labs. In general, lower starting prices are a big positive for cost-conscious buyers, particularly students. The hardware changes are not quite as significant, but we still saw differences worth keeping in mind when compared with the 2013 versions of these systems. Sarah Tew/CNETApple MacBook Pro with Retina Display (15-inch, 2014): $1,999, £1,599, AU$2,499 The small speed bump and added RAM make this a modest improvement over the 2013 version, but it's essentially the same machine. As that Retina MacBook Pro received a very strong recommendation as an excellent all-around premium powerhouse, this updated version does, too, even if we were hoping for something that felt a bit more "new." Read the full review here. Sarah Tew/CNETApple MacBook Air (13-inch, April 2014): $999, £849, AU$1,199 The new CPU resulted in a small bump to application performance, as well as a decent battery bump (although which of several possible SSD brands you getmay affect that). More important is the price cut, which means the cost of the base model has come down under $1,000, £850, and AU$1,200 in just two years. Read the full review here. Sarah Tew/CNETApple MacBook Air (11-inch, April 2014): $899, £749, AU$1,099With the same CPU as the 13-inch version, but costing less (small-screen discount?), your choice between the two MacBook Air sizes comes down to portability versus viewability. A dozen-plus hours of battery life is great, but it's also hard to justify paying $899, £749, or AU$1,099 for a 1,366x768-pixel-resolution screen. Still, the 11-inch Air is one of the most usable ultraportable laptops we've ever tested. Read the full review here.Sarah Tew/CNETApple iMac (21.5-inch, 2014): $1,099, £899, AU$1,349How is the new entry-level iMac so much less expensive than the previous low-end model? It's because this is essentially a MacBook Air in desktop form, with a slower CPU and smaller hard drive than other iMacs. But, if that level of laptop-like performance is enough for you (and for most mainstream tasks, it is), here's a chance to get the exceptional iMac industrial design and build quality for less. We also tested a model with a $250/£200/AU$300 add-on 1TB plus 128GB Fusion Drive. But the simple step-up middle model ($1,299, £1,049, AU$1,599), with a quad-core CPU and better graphics, seems like a better all-around upgrade. Read the full review here.That leaves us with the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac lines having received updates thus far in 2014. If you go back a little further, the high-end Mac Pro desktop was introduced in December 2013, which makes it a nearly new system as well. Looking forward, there may be further updates (for example, to the Mac Mini), or even new Mac products, during the final third of 2014, perhaps including the long-rumored 12-inch high-res MacBook.
If Real wanted to sell Rhapsody, who'd buy-
If Real wanted to sell Rhapsody, who'd buy?
Rhapsody certainly appears to be a drag on RealNetworks' earnings. According to the company's financial filings for the third quarter of 2009, its music businesses--which include Rhapsody and sales of music through the RealPlayer store--posted an operating loss of $10 million. That's better than the $25 million operating loss in the same quarter of 2008, but the fundamentals aren't improving. Subscriber numbers are down from about 800,000 at the beginning of 2009 to about 700,000 at the end of September. Revenue was down about 7 percent from the previous year. Gross margins are the lowest of RealNetworks' four business segments, thanks mainly to content licensing and delivery costs. The company is bound by its agreement with MTV Networks, which owns the other 49 percent of Rhapsody, to spend more than $200 million on advertising with MTV over the course of their agreement--an additional expense. On a strict financial basis, this is a tough business to justify.The replacement of founder Rob Glaser with a new CEO, Robert Kimball, on Wednesday could pave the way for a sale. But to whom? One candidate would be MTV, the other partner in the joint venture. But after more than two years, I wonder if MTV might be getting cold feet as well--as Peoples points out, online music sales work best as a loss leader for other products, such as iPods and iPhones for Apple or consumer electronics gear for Best Buy (which owns Napster). Without guaranteed advertising payments from RealNetworks, how will MTV do any better running Rhapsody on its own than it did during the partnership?I see two better candidates: Apple and Google. Apple could combine Rhapsody's technology with iTunes and its recent acquisition of Lala to give consumers ultimate flexibility in how they buy and consume music on their iPhones and iPod Touches--single-song downloads, cloud-based music storage, and on-demand streaming would all be available. Google could use Rhapsody, which is already available for Android phones, to improve Android's not-so-great music story--imagine it as a sort of turnkey answer to the iTunes Music Store, although it would be up to Google to figure out how and whether to add single-song downloads in addition to subscription services. More importantly, both companies have the cash flow to keep supporting Rhapsody at its current burn rate, the brand mojo and advertising budget to push it into the mainstream, and big revenue streams--hardware for Apple and advertising for Google--that could justify the investment.
Rhapsody certainly appears to be a drag on RealNetworks' earnings. According to the company's financial filings for the third quarter of 2009, its music businesses--which include Rhapsody and sales of music through the RealPlayer store--posted an operating loss of $10 million. That's better than the $25 million operating loss in the same quarter of 2008, but the fundamentals aren't improving. Subscriber numbers are down from about 800,000 at the beginning of 2009 to about 700,000 at the end of September. Revenue was down about 7 percent from the previous year. Gross margins are the lowest of RealNetworks' four business segments, thanks mainly to content licensing and delivery costs. The company is bound by its agreement with MTV Networks, which owns the other 49 percent of Rhapsody, to spend more than $200 million on advertising with MTV over the course of their agreement--an additional expense. On a strict financial basis, this is a tough business to justify.The replacement of founder Rob Glaser with a new CEO, Robert Kimball, on Wednesday could pave the way for a sale. But to whom? One candidate would be MTV, the other partner in the joint venture. But after more than two years, I wonder if MTV might be getting cold feet as well--as Peoples points out, online music sales work best as a loss leader for other products, such as iPods and iPhones for Apple or consumer electronics gear for Best Buy (which owns Napster). Without guaranteed advertising payments from RealNetworks, how will MTV do any better running Rhapsody on its own than it did during the partnership?I see two better candidates: Apple and Google. Apple could combine Rhapsody's technology with iTunes and its recent acquisition of Lala to give consumers ultimate flexibility in how they buy and consume music on their iPhones and iPod Touches--single-song downloads, cloud-based music storage, and on-demand streaming would all be available. Google could use Rhapsody, which is already available for Android phones, to improve Android's not-so-great music story--imagine it as a sort of turnkey answer to the iTunes Music Store, although it would be up to Google to figure out how and whether to add single-song downloads in addition to subscription services. More importantly, both companies have the cash flow to keep supporting Rhapsody at its current burn rate, the brand mojo and advertising budget to push it into the mainstream, and big revenue streams--hardware for Apple and advertising for Google--that could justify the investment.
Apple bans Chinese bookstore app over 'illegal content'
Apple bans Chinese bookstore app over 'illegal content'
Apple's iTunes Store in China has kicked out an iOS app that offered electronic versions of books banned by the Chinese government.Hao Peiqiang, the developer of the bookstore app, yesterday posted a letter that he received from Apple informing him that the app would be removed, because "it includes content that is illegal in China."Apple's letter explained that while the app is no longer available in China, it can still be downloaded from the iTunes store in other countries.Apple's form e-mail didn't specify which content was illegal. Known as "Jingdian Shucheng" (loosely translated as Classic Bookstore), the app offers 10 different book titles.The app's description itself stresses that people must be 17 years or older to download it and indicates that it contains profanity or crude humor; sexual content or nudity; fear themes; realistic violence; and cartoon or fantasy violence.Despite the app's seemingly objectionable themes, Hao speculated that the "illegal" items were actually three books from Chinese writer Wang Lixiong. Wang has written about Tibet's struggle to assert its independence from China, prompting the Chinese government to ban his books.Wang's entry on Wikipedia describes him as "a well-known Tibetologist, specialist, and critic of Chinese-Tibetan relations" and "regarded as one of the most outspoken dissidents, democracy activists, and reformers in China."Related storiesApple CEO apologizes to China over warranties, offers fixesGame maker: Apple banned our sweatshop iPad gameApple: China is an 'extremely exciting' market for usChinese animation studio sues Apple over iTunes Store salesThe decision to remove the app comes soon after Apple CEO Tim Cook tried to mend fences in China by issuing an apology over Apple's warranty policies in the country."Friends of mine tell me that Apple has had a censorship policy in place for at least two years so I'm not sure if my app's removal has anything to do with Apple's recent trouble," Hao told the Financial Times (subscription required). "But the app has been operating normally for the last two months until now without any problems."If Apple did ban the app based on China's objections to Wang's books, a certain irony arises. One of Apple's famous late '90s "Think Different" posters celebrated the Dalai Lama, though the poster itself was never used in the actual ad campaign. The Dalai Lama himself has earned the wrath of the Chinese government for his strong pro-Tibet stance.CNET contacted Apple for comment on the app's removal and will update the story if the company responds.
Apple's iTunes Store in China has kicked out an iOS app that offered electronic versions of books banned by the Chinese government.Hao Peiqiang, the developer of the bookstore app, yesterday posted a letter that he received from Apple informing him that the app would be removed, because "it includes content that is illegal in China."Apple's letter explained that while the app is no longer available in China, it can still be downloaded from the iTunes store in other countries.Apple's form e-mail didn't specify which content was illegal. Known as "Jingdian Shucheng" (loosely translated as Classic Bookstore), the app offers 10 different book titles.The app's description itself stresses that people must be 17 years or older to download it and indicates that it contains profanity or crude humor; sexual content or nudity; fear themes; realistic violence; and cartoon or fantasy violence.Despite the app's seemingly objectionable themes, Hao speculated that the "illegal" items were actually three books from Chinese writer Wang Lixiong. Wang has written about Tibet's struggle to assert its independence from China, prompting the Chinese government to ban his books.Wang's entry on Wikipedia describes him as "a well-known Tibetologist, specialist, and critic of Chinese-Tibetan relations" and "regarded as one of the most outspoken dissidents, democracy activists, and reformers in China."Related storiesApple CEO apologizes to China over warranties, offers fixesGame maker: Apple banned our sweatshop iPad gameApple: China is an 'extremely exciting' market for usChinese animation studio sues Apple over iTunes Store salesThe decision to remove the app comes soon after Apple CEO Tim Cook tried to mend fences in China by issuing an apology over Apple's warranty policies in the country."Friends of mine tell me that Apple has had a censorship policy in place for at least two years so I'm not sure if my app's removal has anything to do with Apple's recent trouble," Hao told the Financial Times (subscription required). "But the app has been operating normally for the last two months until now without any problems."If Apple did ban the app based on China's objections to Wang's books, a certain irony arises. One of Apple's famous late '90s "Think Different" posters celebrated the Dalai Lama, though the poster itself was never used in the actual ad campaign. The Dalai Lama himself has earned the wrath of the Chinese government for his strong pro-Tibet stance.CNET contacted Apple for comment on the app's removal and will update the story if the company responds.
Rumor Has It, Ep. 22- Is Google jealous of Siri- (podcast)
Rumor Has It, Ep. 22: Is Google jealous of Siri? (podcast)
Apple's invite doesn't explicitly say "iPad 3," which leaves us surmising whether the tablet about to be unveiled mere feet from the CNET office will be--drum-roll not necessary--the iPad 2S! Noooooooooooooooo!But since the mere acknowledgment of an iPad announcement on March 7 makes me the loser of the game show this month (sad face), we come up with an ingenious plan to find out the true identity of the iPad as soon as it's announced!No, not by live-blogging or finagling another invite to the event from Apple (pshaw), but rather by filming me trying to SNEAK into the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts theater early next Wednesday morning prior to the event. You never know! I actually have a friend who works in the office there, so maybe we can bribe her to hide me in a trash can.And speaking of really bad ideas, Google has a patent to copy Apple's magic trackpad, and another to copy Siri. Um, courting lawsuits much, Google?Also on today's show we have a message for YouTube commenters; we bet on whether Apple and Microsoft are "teaming up" to beat Android; and we marvel at the lessons Samsung is learning from its role model.EPISODE 22This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlaySubscribe:Â RSS (MP3) |Â RSS (320x180) |Â RSS (640x360) |Â iTunes (MP3) |Â iTunes (320x180) |Â iTunes (640x360)Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Links from the show!Galaxy S III details leak onlineGoogle patents Siri-like voice controls for Google TV using Android phones, tabletsGoogle patent idea hints at mobile, desktop convergenceYay or nay?Will Apple pull Siri rival, the evil Evi, from the App Store?Are Microsoft and Apple teaming up to 'destroy' Android?Rumors are circulating that Samsung's planning a smartphone with an edge-to-edge screen, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy B. Will that happen?Are Apple's iOS dock ports going to get smaller?Heard a tech rumor you think we should cover?E-mail us at Rumorhasit [at] cnet.com, or directly at karyne.levy [at] cnet.com or emily.dreyfuss [at] cbsinteractive.com. And call and leave us a voice mail at 1-800-750-CNET!And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow, @stephenbeacham.
Apple's invite doesn't explicitly say "iPad 3," which leaves us surmising whether the tablet about to be unveiled mere feet from the CNET office will be--drum-roll not necessary--the iPad 2S! Noooooooooooooooo!But since the mere acknowledgment of an iPad announcement on March 7 makes me the loser of the game show this month (sad face), we come up with an ingenious plan to find out the true identity of the iPad as soon as it's announced!No, not by live-blogging or finagling another invite to the event from Apple (pshaw), but rather by filming me trying to SNEAK into the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts theater early next Wednesday morning prior to the event. You never know! I actually have a friend who works in the office there, so maybe we can bribe her to hide me in a trash can.And speaking of really bad ideas, Google has a patent to copy Apple's magic trackpad, and another to copy Siri. Um, courting lawsuits much, Google?Also on today's show we have a message for YouTube commenters; we bet on whether Apple and Microsoft are "teaming up" to beat Android; and we marvel at the lessons Samsung is learning from its role model.EPISODE 22This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlaySubscribe:Â RSS (MP3) |Â RSS (320x180) |Â RSS (640x360) |Â iTunes (MP3) |Â iTunes (320x180) |Â iTunes (640x360)Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Links from the show!Galaxy S III details leak onlineGoogle patents Siri-like voice controls for Google TV using Android phones, tabletsGoogle patent idea hints at mobile, desktop convergenceYay or nay?Will Apple pull Siri rival, the evil Evi, from the App Store?Are Microsoft and Apple teaming up to 'destroy' Android?Rumors are circulating that Samsung's planning a smartphone with an edge-to-edge screen, dubbed the Samsung Galaxy B. Will that happen?Are Apple's iOS dock ports going to get smaller?Heard a tech rumor you think we should cover?E-mail us at Rumorhasit [at] cnet.com, or directly at karyne.levy [at] cnet.com or emily.dreyfuss [at] cbsinteractive.com. And call and leave us a voice mail at 1-800-750-CNET!And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow, @stephenbeacham.
How to get your holiday music fix online
How to get your holiday music fix online
There's nothing like a little holiday music to get you in the holiday mood.To help you get your holiday music fix this season, here are some Web sites streaming holiday music:PandoraPandora's holiday genre has several stations including pop, classical, R&B, country, rock, children's, and more.They're all available through the mobile app as well.SlackerSlacker has a nice selection of holiday stations to choose from.Just navigate to the "Seasonal" section and you'll see the list of stations.The stations are accessible via the mobile app, too. Related storyWhich music service should you use?iHeartRadioiHeartRadio's holiday genre has three featured stations: Christmas Lites, Country Christmas, and Holiday Jams.It also has a commercial-free Holiday Mix station and 17 holiday music radio stations from across the country.The mobile app can stream all the stations as well.977Music977Music (Club977) started out as an '80s-only Internet music station, which gained popularity when it was listed in iTunes.Since that time, it's added several other stations, including a holiday station.It doesn't have a mobile app, but if your mobile device has a Flash-enabled browser, you can stream directly from the browser.AmazonAmazon isn't streaming holiday music, but instead, it's giving away a free holiday MP3 download every day through Christmas.After you download the MP3s, you can listen to them on your mobile device via the Amazon Cloud Player.NPR.orgNPR.org had a 100-song playlist last December that included "Bach to The Ramones to Louis Armstrong."It hasn't posted a new playlist yet this season, but watch out for it in the holiday music section.We'll update this post when it does.Happy holidays!
There's nothing like a little holiday music to get you in the holiday mood.To help you get your holiday music fix this season, here are some Web sites streaming holiday music:PandoraPandora's holiday genre has several stations including pop, classical, R&B, country, rock, children's, and more.They're all available through the mobile app as well.SlackerSlacker has a nice selection of holiday stations to choose from.Just navigate to the "Seasonal" section and you'll see the list of stations.The stations are accessible via the mobile app, too. Related storyWhich music service should you use?iHeartRadioiHeartRadio's holiday genre has three featured stations: Christmas Lites, Country Christmas, and Holiday Jams.It also has a commercial-free Holiday Mix station and 17 holiday music radio stations from across the country.The mobile app can stream all the stations as well.977Music977Music (Club977) started out as an '80s-only Internet music station, which gained popularity when it was listed in iTunes.Since that time, it's added several other stations, including a holiday station.It doesn't have a mobile app, but if your mobile device has a Flash-enabled browser, you can stream directly from the browser.AmazonAmazon isn't streaming holiday music, but instead, it's giving away a free holiday MP3 download every day through Christmas.After you download the MP3s, you can listen to them on your mobile device via the Amazon Cloud Player.NPR.orgNPR.org had a 100-song playlist last December that included "Bach to The Ramones to Louis Armstrong."It hasn't posted a new playlist yet this season, but watch out for it in the holiday music section.We'll update this post when it does.Happy holidays!
Steve Jobs AllThingsD interviews now available on iTunes
Steve Jobs AllThingsD interviews now available on iTunes
A treasure trove of Steve Jobs interviews can now be found for free via iTunes.The late Apple co-founder was a frequent guest at the yearly All Things Digital conference where he wasn't shy about answering questions or offering his opinions on Apple products and the tech industry. Six different videos are now available of those famous appearances, courtesy of iTunes.At the first AllThingsD conference in 2003, Jobs reflected on his return to Apple after having launched Next. The 2004 appearance shed some light on the success of iTunes and the new iPod. In 2005, Jobs talked about the future of mobile devices.The iPhone was the topic of conversation in 2007. But Jobs also shared the stage with Bill Gates where the two engaged in an open and frank conversation with each other. And Jobs' final AllThingsD interview in 2010 centered on the iPad, among other topics.Related storiesExecs remember Steve Jobs as a tireless perfectionistEllison, Pixar's Catmull talk Steve Jobs (live blog transcript)At D10, Tim Cook speaks his mind (video)The videos range from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, so there's plenty of Steve Jobs to go around.Collectively, they provide an insightful and unscripted portrait of the man, and are worth viewing by anyone intrigued by Jobs, Apple, or the tech industry in general.
A treasure trove of Steve Jobs interviews can now be found for free via iTunes.The late Apple co-founder was a frequent guest at the yearly All Things Digital conference where he wasn't shy about answering questions or offering his opinions on Apple products and the tech industry. Six different videos are now available of those famous appearances, courtesy of iTunes.At the first AllThingsD conference in 2003, Jobs reflected on his return to Apple after having launched Next. The 2004 appearance shed some light on the success of iTunes and the new iPod. In 2005, Jobs talked about the future of mobile devices.The iPhone was the topic of conversation in 2007. But Jobs also shared the stage with Bill Gates where the two engaged in an open and frank conversation with each other. And Jobs' final AllThingsD interview in 2010 centered on the iPad, among other topics.Related storiesExecs remember Steve Jobs as a tireless perfectionistEllison, Pixar's Catmull talk Steve Jobs (live blog transcript)At D10, Tim Cook speaks his mind (video)The videos range from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, so there's plenty of Steve Jobs to go around.Collectively, they provide an insightful and unscripted portrait of the man, and are worth viewing by anyone intrigued by Jobs, Apple, or the tech industry in general.
State of the Union on the state of iPad video
State of the Union on the state of iPad video
In my case, I was trying to watch President Obama's speech on my iPad and found that almost every major U.S. national newspaper could not provide a live feed from their front door, generating messages like "this content is only available in Flash" or "This feature is optimized for Adobe Flash Player version 9 or higher."Yes, this is a known issue for Flash-less iOS devices.And, of course, there are plenty of ways to watch a live feed of an event like the State of the Union on an iPad or iPhone.But the fact that the intuitive act of going to a publication's front page and watching a live stream--like you would do on a laptop, for instance--was impossible in some cases on the iPad, did not exactly inspire confidence in the state of the iOS video platform.I cross-checked this on my MacBook.I was able to watch the address pretty much instantly on all of those same sites--and on virtually any site where the live feed was made available. So, is HTML5, as promoted by Apple, the next default technology for watching live video streams? Not yet. And now that we're on the subject there are some pretty important Web sites--for me, at least--where I cannot access video streams on my iOS device, including this major birding site.Motorola's Flash-capable Xoom tablet is due next month.That tablet's ability to handle live Flash video streams will be test case No. 1 for me.
In my case, I was trying to watch President Obama's speech on my iPad and found that almost every major U.S. national newspaper could not provide a live feed from their front door, generating messages like "this content is only available in Flash" or "This feature is optimized for Adobe Flash Player version 9 or higher."Yes, this is a known issue for Flash-less iOS devices.And, of course, there are plenty of ways to watch a live feed of an event like the State of the Union on an iPad or iPhone.But the fact that the intuitive act of going to a publication's front page and watching a live stream--like you would do on a laptop, for instance--was impossible in some cases on the iPad, did not exactly inspire confidence in the state of the iOS video platform.I cross-checked this on my MacBook.I was able to watch the address pretty much instantly on all of those same sites--and on virtually any site where the live feed was made available. So, is HTML5, as promoted by Apple, the next default technology for watching live video streams? Not yet. And now that we're on the subject there are some pretty important Web sites--for me, at least--where I cannot access video streams on my iOS device, including this major birding site.Motorola's Flash-capable Xoom tablet is due next month.That tablet's ability to handle live Flash video streams will be test case No. 1 for me.
Apple reportedly cooking up new audio file format
Apple reportedly cooking up new audio file format
Apple may be tuning up a new streaming-audio format that handle varying degrees of quality.Citing an anonymous source, U.K. news site The Guardian reported yesterday that the format would offer "adaptive streaming" to iCloud users, automatically choosing between low-quality and high-quality sound based on the bandwidth and amount of local storage.Users with lots of bandwidth could listen to a studio-quality recording, while those with minimal bandwidth would get more standard digital quality.The source reportedly told The Guardian that Apple has reached out to a music studio in London to create audio files to tap into the new format. If true, Apple may use the format for its iTunes Match service, which creates a copy of a user's iTunes library in the cloud, then accessible from any iOS device.Using iTunes Match, your entire iTunes library could transform from the default AAC format to high-definition, instantly improving the quality of your music, according to the source.Assuming the source's intel is accurate, the new format may be introduced on March 7 when Apple is expected to unveil the next iPad.Related storiesNeil Young: Apple was working on super high-def musicHow to use iTunes Match to upgrade audio qualityDoes it still make sense to buy CDs?An Apple spokesman told CNET that he declined to comment on rumors and speculation.This latest report follows recent comments from rock star Neil Young that he had spoken with the late Steve Jobs about improving the quality of digital music.The project, which Young said never came to fruition, could have seen digital music pushed to studio-level quality. An earlier report from CNN suggested that Apple was already talking to record labels about a way to preserve the high-fidelity sound of studio recordings for digital downloads.Many audiophiles have long complained about the loss of audio quality as music wends its way from the studio all the way down to portable media players. In his interview with AllThingsD, Young claims that Steve Jobs himself would go home and listen to music on plain, old analog vinyl records.Updated 7:30 a.m. PT with response from Apple.
Apple may be tuning up a new streaming-audio format that handle varying degrees of quality.Citing an anonymous source, U.K. news site The Guardian reported yesterday that the format would offer "adaptive streaming" to iCloud users, automatically choosing between low-quality and high-quality sound based on the bandwidth and amount of local storage.Users with lots of bandwidth could listen to a studio-quality recording, while those with minimal bandwidth would get more standard digital quality.The source reportedly told The Guardian that Apple has reached out to a music studio in London to create audio files to tap into the new format. If true, Apple may use the format for its iTunes Match service, which creates a copy of a user's iTunes library in the cloud, then accessible from any iOS device.Using iTunes Match, your entire iTunes library could transform from the default AAC format to high-definition, instantly improving the quality of your music, according to the source.Assuming the source's intel is accurate, the new format may be introduced on March 7 when Apple is expected to unveil the next iPad.Related storiesNeil Young: Apple was working on super high-def musicHow to use iTunes Match to upgrade audio qualityDoes it still make sense to buy CDs?An Apple spokesman told CNET that he declined to comment on rumors and speculation.This latest report follows recent comments from rock star Neil Young that he had spoken with the late Steve Jobs about improving the quality of digital music.The project, which Young said never came to fruition, could have seen digital music pushed to studio-level quality. An earlier report from CNN suggested that Apple was already talking to record labels about a way to preserve the high-fidelity sound of studio recordings for digital downloads.Many audiophiles have long complained about the loss of audio quality as music wends its way from the studio all the way down to portable media players. In his interview with AllThingsD, Young claims that Steve Jobs himself would go home and listen to music on plain, old analog vinyl records.Updated 7:30 a.m. PT with response from Apple.
Apple releases iTunes 10.5.1 with Match feature
Apple releases iTunes 10.5.1 with Match feature
Apple this morning released a new version of iTunes that adds the company's new scan-and-match service for music. iTunes 10.5.1 includes iTunes Match, a feature that scans a user's library to find music that wasn't purchased from Apple. If it finds a match in Apple's own Music Store library, Apple provides a user with a cloud-based version at the same quality they'd find if they bought it off iTunes--at least so long as they're a paid subscriber to the matching service, which costs $24.99 a year.Related storiesVideo: Apple announces iTunes MatchOctober ends with no iTunes MatchiCloud, iTunes Match: Your questions answeredThe feature made its debut at Apple's developer conference in early June, and has been in developer testing in beta versions of the music software since early August. Apple originally planned to debut it by the end of last month, but October came and went without any sign of iTunes Match or any explanation from Apple on its absence.Over the weekend Apple hinted it would be launching the feature soon, after sending developers an e-mail noting that it was wiping out iCloud music libraries with matched tracks in order to "prepare for the launch of iTunes Match." Apple had made several of these purges during iTunes Match testing, as well as during testing for iCloud backups of iOS devices. iTunes Match is integrated with Apple's iCloud platform, which taps into the cloud to do things like ferry files, content, and apps between Apple devices. In this case, matched tracks are effectively licensed to users, letting them download music tracks to a device, even if they bought them on another device. Apple has also extended the capability to its Apple TV product in a recent update, letting users listen to music from collection without storing it locally.Update at 10:30 a.m. PT: Well that was fast. Almost immediately after offering the feature to users, Apple took away the capability to sign up for it. A message on the software notes that subscriptions to Match are temporarily unavailable and that users could "check back in an hour." Apple experienced similar growing pains in its early developer beta of the feature, which was closed off shortly after letting in a group of testers.
Apple this morning released a new version of iTunes that adds the company's new scan-and-match service for music. iTunes 10.5.1 includes iTunes Match, a feature that scans a user's library to find music that wasn't purchased from Apple. If it finds a match in Apple's own Music Store library, Apple provides a user with a cloud-based version at the same quality they'd find if they bought it off iTunes--at least so long as they're a paid subscriber to the matching service, which costs $24.99 a year.Related storiesVideo: Apple announces iTunes MatchOctober ends with no iTunes MatchiCloud, iTunes Match: Your questions answeredThe feature made its debut at Apple's developer conference in early June, and has been in developer testing in beta versions of the music software since early August. Apple originally planned to debut it by the end of last month, but October came and went without any sign of iTunes Match or any explanation from Apple on its absence.Over the weekend Apple hinted it would be launching the feature soon, after sending developers an e-mail noting that it was wiping out iCloud music libraries with matched tracks in order to "prepare for the launch of iTunes Match." Apple had made several of these purges during iTunes Match testing, as well as during testing for iCloud backups of iOS devices. iTunes Match is integrated with Apple's iCloud platform, which taps into the cloud to do things like ferry files, content, and apps between Apple devices. In this case, matched tracks are effectively licensed to users, letting them download music tracks to a device, even if they bought them on another device. Apple has also extended the capability to its Apple TV product in a recent update, letting users listen to music from collection without storing it locally.Update at 10:30 a.m. PT: Well that was fast. Almost immediately after offering the feature to users, Apple took away the capability to sign up for it. A message on the software notes that subscriptions to Match are temporarily unavailable and that users could "check back in an hour." Apple experienced similar growing pains in its early developer beta of the feature, which was closed off shortly after letting in a group of testers.
Apple has 1,000 engineers working on chips, report says
Apple has 1,000 engineers working on chips, report says
Some 5 percent of Apple's workforce is reportedly working on improving the company's mobile processors.The company has 1,000 engineers working to refine its processors, Steve Jobs had told a "veteran Silicon Valley CEO," according to TechCrunch report. (The company has about 20,000 non-retail employees.)Apple's A5 processor, currently found in the iPad 2, will soon appear in the iPhone 4S.Apple"Getting low power and smaller is the key to everything," the unidentified executive said, adding that "form factor no longer becomes an issue." Improving battery life without sacrificing speed is key for mobile devices.Apple's A5 processor, which will be used in the new iPhone 4S, made its debut within the iPad 2. The A5 sports two cores while using the same power draw as the chip it replaced. When he introduced the A5 as part of the iPad 2's specifications, Jobs, who died just days ago, noted that the chip boosted graphics performance by a factor of nine.In the past couple of years Apple has reportedly been increasing its in-house processor focus with the acquisition of two chipmakers. In 2008, Apple acquired low-power chip firm PA Semi to design iPhone chips, though it has never been clear how PA Semi contributed to Apple chip design. PA Semi made its debut a few years back designing low-power chips based on Apple's old friend, the Power architecture.Apple ramped up its chipmaking muscle again in 2010 with the reported purchase of chipmaker Intrinsity, a small chip company that reportedly worked with Samsung to boost processor performance.
Some 5 percent of Apple's workforce is reportedly working on improving the company's mobile processors.The company has 1,000 engineers working to refine its processors, Steve Jobs had told a "veteran Silicon Valley CEO," according to TechCrunch report. (The company has about 20,000 non-retail employees.)Apple's A5 processor, currently found in the iPad 2, will soon appear in the iPhone 4S.Apple"Getting low power and smaller is the key to everything," the unidentified executive said, adding that "form factor no longer becomes an issue." Improving battery life without sacrificing speed is key for mobile devices.Apple's A5 processor, which will be used in the new iPhone 4S, made its debut within the iPad 2. The A5 sports two cores while using the same power draw as the chip it replaced. When he introduced the A5 as part of the iPad 2's specifications, Jobs, who died just days ago, noted that the chip boosted graphics performance by a factor of nine.In the past couple of years Apple has reportedly been increasing its in-house processor focus with the acquisition of two chipmakers. In 2008, Apple acquired low-power chip firm PA Semi to design iPhone chips, though it has never been clear how PA Semi contributed to Apple chip design. PA Semi made its debut a few years back designing low-power chips based on Apple's old friend, the Power architecture.Apple ramped up its chipmaking muscle again in 2010 with the reported purchase of chipmaker Intrinsity, a small chip company that reportedly worked with Samsung to boost processor performance.
Apple hardware chief sells off $10.7M in stock
Apple hardware chief sells off $10.7M in stock
Recently-appointed Apple hardware chief Dan Riccio sold off nearly $11 million in company stock this week.The sales, which took place yesterday and today and were detailed in a regulatory filing, included 19,726 shares, with another 1,000 that are given away as a charitable donation. All told, the value of the shares that were sold tallied up to a little more than $10.73 million.To put things in perspective, Riccio along Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Mac Software Engineering, were given 75,000 shares of company stock as part of promotions in September, worth a little more than $50 million at the time. However the first batch of 25,000 shares of that stock cannot be traded until next December.Riccio was named the successor to the outgoing Bob Mansfield near the end of June, a personel move Apple rejiggered last month. As part of a major restructuring of its top executive team, Mansfield signed onto Apple for another two years to head up its new technologies division, leaving Riccio in charge of engineering for the company's Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod teams. The sales come at a time when Apple's stock is not doing so hot. Despite closing up from its opening price today, the company's stock price has been on the decline over the past two months, bringing Apple's still-record market capitalization down with it. Apple's share price topped $705 in September, and closed today at $527.68.
Recently-appointed Apple hardware chief Dan Riccio sold off nearly $11 million in company stock this week.The sales, which took place yesterday and today and were detailed in a regulatory filing, included 19,726 shares, with another 1,000 that are given away as a charitable donation. All told, the value of the shares that were sold tallied up to a little more than $10.73 million.To put things in perspective, Riccio along Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Mac Software Engineering, were given 75,000 shares of company stock as part of promotions in September, worth a little more than $50 million at the time. However the first batch of 25,000 shares of that stock cannot be traded until next December.Riccio was named the successor to the outgoing Bob Mansfield near the end of June, a personel move Apple rejiggered last month. As part of a major restructuring of its top executive team, Mansfield signed onto Apple for another two years to head up its new technologies division, leaving Riccio in charge of engineering for the company's Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod teams. The sales come at a time when Apple's stock is not doing so hot. Despite closing up from its opening price today, the company's stock price has been on the decline over the past two months, bringing Apple's still-record market capitalization down with it. Apple's share price topped $705 in September, and closed today at $527.68.
Apple hangs onto your Siri data for two years
Apple hangs onto your Siri data for two years
All those curse words and other commands you yell at Siri hang around a bit longer than you may think.In response to a Wired story expressing concern about Siri's privacy policy, Apple has revealed exactly what happens to your Siri chats. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told Wired on Thursday that Apple may keep your Siri data for up to two years, albeit in an untraceable state.Here's how the process works, according to Wired.Whenever you talk to Siri, your commands are uploaded to Apple for analysis. Apple then assigns you a random number, which it associates with your voice files. It's this random number -- not your Apple ID or e-mail address -- that gets stored on the backend.After six months or if you simply turn Siri off, Apple will disentangle the number from your Siri files, severing all ties with you. The files themselves will stick around for another 18 months as Apple uses them for testing and product improvement.Muller told Wired that Apple makes sure the voice files are used only to improve Siri.But American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Nicole Ozer cautioned people to still be careful what they say to Siri.Transcripts "of what you say to Siri could reveal sensitive things about you, your family, or business," she told Wired. "Siri works for Apple, so make a note to yourself to really think before you speak."Correction at 7 a.m. PT: The story misidentified the Apple spokeswoman. Her name is Trudy Muller.
All those curse words and other commands you yell at Siri hang around a bit longer than you may think.In response to a Wired story expressing concern about Siri's privacy policy, Apple has revealed exactly what happens to your Siri chats. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told Wired on Thursday that Apple may keep your Siri data for up to two years, albeit in an untraceable state.Here's how the process works, according to Wired.Whenever you talk to Siri, your commands are uploaded to Apple for analysis. Apple then assigns you a random number, which it associates with your voice files. It's this random number -- not your Apple ID or e-mail address -- that gets stored on the backend.After six months or if you simply turn Siri off, Apple will disentangle the number from your Siri files, severing all ties with you. The files themselves will stick around for another 18 months as Apple uses them for testing and product improvement.Muller told Wired that Apple makes sure the voice files are used only to improve Siri.But American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Nicole Ozer cautioned people to still be careful what they say to Siri.Transcripts "of what you say to Siri could reveal sensitive things about you, your family, or business," she told Wired. "Siri works for Apple, so make a note to yourself to really think before you speak."Correction at 7 a.m. PT: The story misidentified the Apple spokeswoman. Her name is Trudy Muller.
Apple granted design patent for turning pages
Apple granted design patent for turning pages
Since the announced departure of Apple iOS chief Scott Forstall, much has been written about skeuomorphism -- the practice of designing things to look like their real-world counterparts. Apple has made a heavy practice of it in its software, and now the company has another part of that experience patented in the U.S.Try not to flip out about this patent.USPTO/CNETThe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week granted a rather noteworthy design patent for the digital equivalent of the page turn (PDF), that time-honored tradition of flipping pages while looking through a book, a magazine, or other stack of bound paper.Apple filed for the patent, which was spotted earlier this week by The Register, on December 19, 2011. That's well after the release of Apple's iBooks software, which came out in April 2010 and employs a similar on-screen page-turning mechanism that looks just like the one in the patent drawings.To be clear, this is a design patent and doesn't actually cover the computational underpinnings of flipping pages virtually. Unlike a utility patent, which would include various claims for things the patent does and does not cover, this type of patent is designed to protect the look and feel of the software in the event of any lawsuits. That's an important difference given any potential legal fight in which this patent could be brought out. Apple is not the first company to go after the virtual page turn. As part of its now-defunct Courier tablet project, Microsoft applied for -- though has not yet been granted -- a utility patent for the feature in early 2009, something that caused a bit of a stir at the time. Samsung also applied for its own such page turning patent in Europe last October, and Google was granted a design patent near the end of 2010 for page turning on a "communications terminal."
Since the announced departure of Apple iOS chief Scott Forstall, much has been written about skeuomorphism -- the practice of designing things to look like their real-world counterparts. Apple has made a heavy practice of it in its software, and now the company has another part of that experience patented in the U.S.Try not to flip out about this patent.USPTO/CNETThe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week granted a rather noteworthy design patent for the digital equivalent of the page turn (PDF), that time-honored tradition of flipping pages while looking through a book, a magazine, or other stack of bound paper.Apple filed for the patent, which was spotted earlier this week by The Register, on December 19, 2011. That's well after the release of Apple's iBooks software, which came out in April 2010 and employs a similar on-screen page-turning mechanism that looks just like the one in the patent drawings.To be clear, this is a design patent and doesn't actually cover the computational underpinnings of flipping pages virtually. Unlike a utility patent, which would include various claims for things the patent does and does not cover, this type of patent is designed to protect the look and feel of the software in the event of any lawsuits. That's an important difference given any potential legal fight in which this patent could be brought out. Apple is not the first company to go after the virtual page turn. As part of its now-defunct Courier tablet project, Microsoft applied for -- though has not yet been granted -- a utility patent for the feature in early 2009, something that caused a bit of a stir at the time. Samsung also applied for its own such page turning patent in Europe last October, and Google was granted a design patent near the end of 2010 for page turning on a "communications terminal."
Apple granted 36 patents, including for proximity detection
Apple granted 36 patents, including for proximity detection
Apple was granted 36 patents today, including one for a proximity sensor for the iPhone and iPad and another for haptic feedback to create a sort of virtual keyboard. The patents, approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, cover a wide range of technologies, as earlier reported by Patently Apple. The proximity sensor patent, first filed in 2005, covers technology related to detecting one or more touches and differentiating whether the touches are light or hard, among other capabilities. Related stories:Apple grabs huge slice of 2012 consumer tech salesApple could unveil iPhone Mini this summer, analyst saysFor an iWatch to kick butt, Apple must innovate in batteriesAnother patent relates to electronic media devices and future active packaging that allows power and data to be supplied to one or more electronic devices housed within the packaging. And Apple also was granted a patent for a mounted shock sensor that allows an Apple Store Genius or technician to figure out whether a damaged device was dropped. The other patents largely cover components and functions like automatic image cropping, reconstruction of lists in a document, and providing information to a caller based on a called mobile terminal's temporary directory number. In the world of mobile, patents have become a key focus area and battleground. Apple, Samsung, and others have sued each other repeatedly, accusing each other of ripping off designs and other elements. Apple won a big battle against Samsung in August, with a jury finding Samsung infringed on Apple patents and ordering it to pay Apple $1 billion. Among the victories in that case, the jury found Samsung infringed on design patents for some products, and it upheld certain Apple utility and design patents.Apple continues to build its patent arsenal. Today's awards follow several dozen the company has won in the past several months.
Apple was granted 36 patents today, including one for a proximity sensor for the iPhone and iPad and another for haptic feedback to create a sort of virtual keyboard. The patents, approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, cover a wide range of technologies, as earlier reported by Patently Apple. The proximity sensor patent, first filed in 2005, covers technology related to detecting one or more touches and differentiating whether the touches are light or hard, among other capabilities. Related stories:Apple grabs huge slice of 2012 consumer tech salesApple could unveil iPhone Mini this summer, analyst saysFor an iWatch to kick butt, Apple must innovate in batteriesAnother patent relates to electronic media devices and future active packaging that allows power and data to be supplied to one or more electronic devices housed within the packaging. And Apple also was granted a patent for a mounted shock sensor that allows an Apple Store Genius or technician to figure out whether a damaged device was dropped. The other patents largely cover components and functions like automatic image cropping, reconstruction of lists in a document, and providing information to a caller based on a called mobile terminal's temporary directory number. In the world of mobile, patents have become a key focus area and battleground. Apple, Samsung, and others have sued each other repeatedly, accusing each other of ripping off designs and other elements. Apple won a big battle against Samsung in August, with a jury finding Samsung infringed on Apple patents and ordering it to pay Apple $1 billion. Among the victories in that case, the jury found Samsung infringed on design patents for some products, and it upheld certain Apple utility and design patents.Apple continues to build its patent arsenal. Today's awards follow several dozen the company has won in the past several months.
Apple iOS 7.1 beta adds UI tweaks, including dark keyboard setting
Apple has just released iOS 7 to registered developers. While still incremental, it's got a few noticeable feature updates yet for the young OS. Related postsThe continuing evolution of iOSThe killer iOS 7 feature the iPad needs: Touch-pad supportRumor has it that Apple's iOS 7 development is delayedThe update, currently in beta, includes some bug fixes and user interface tweaks. For example, users can now toggle back and forth between a light and dark colored keyboard, better for use in dark settings. The update also lets iPhone 5S users upload "burst mode" photos -- taken in rapid fire by holding down the shutter button -- into the photo stream.Another feature that helps customize the experience is the ability to reduce the transparency effect. Apple had just recently released another minor update to the OS. Last week, the company came out with iOS 7.0.4, which fixed an issue related to FaceTime failing.
Apple iOS 7 beta update hints at upcoming 'car display' feature
Apple on Friday released a second version of its iOS 7.1 beta to registered developers. It's an incremental update that fixes some bugs and moves some things around. For example, TouchID and passcode settings are displayed more prominently.Related postsThe continuing evolution of iOSThe killer iOS 7 feature the iPad needs: Touch-pad supportRumor has it that Apple's iOS 7 development is delayedBut one nugget worth noting is a setting in the "restrictions" menu that lets a user turn the "Car Display" on and off. The addition of the toggle setting suggests that Apple may release its "iOS in the Car" feature sooner rather than later. The car integration feature, according to 9to5Mac, will let users attach an iOS device to a car's console and provide an interface that lets them control things like music, messages, and maps right through the vehicle.Sources also told 9to5Mac that there were other references to "iOS in the Car" elsewhere in the new beta update, and in the first iOS 7.1 beta update, released to developers last month. Apple's car integration launch could of course be pushed back, but it looks like the goal is to take the wraps off alongside the wide rollout of iOS 7.1.(Via 9to5Mac)
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