Technomaly » apple

Will the Next Apple TV Cost $99 Bucks?

J. Matthew Zoss — Fri, 28 May 2010 17:00:58 +0000

Engadget is reporting a rumor about the next version of Apple TV this morning, and it’s a big one. The gadget site has received a tip that’s been “confirmed by a source very close to Apple” about the next version of Apple TV. The next version of the device will be a complete reinvention, but it’ll look pretty familiar to Apple fans – the next version of Apple TV is based on the iPhone 4 architecture.

Described as an “iPhone without a screen,” the new version of the Apple TV will have the same internals as the upcoming iPhone revision, including an A4 CPU and a 16GB of flash storage. That’s a sizable decrease in storage space from the last Apple TV model, but that’s because the device will focus on cloud-based storage of videos with instant-on 1080p HD streaming. But the kicker to it all is that the device will supposedly carry a mere $99 price tag.

A one-hundred dollar device that brings streaming HD video content to your TV, as well as iPhone-like app support? If true, this is going to be huge.

iWatch Isn’t Real but Should Be

J. Matthew Zoss — Mon, 10 May 2010 16:59:20 +0000

Before you get too excited, the watch at left isn’t real. It’s a concept cooked up by Italian design firm ADR studio. Here’s what their website has to say about the fictional device:

It is obviously impossible, but ADR Studio has tried to imagine a new Apple style product, able to be with us every day.

Say “Hello” to iWatch.

iWatch is a wrist device with these features:

- Aluminium body
- WiFi and Bluetooth
- Integrated RSS Reader
- 16GB;
- Weather forecast system;
- Possibility to connect to the Bluetooth or WiFi to iPhone / iPad
- LCD projector to show everywhere pictures by your iPhone / iPad
- Available in various colors

Source: Gizmodo

Android Phones Outsell iPhone in Q1

J. Matthew Zoss — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:45:12 +0000

The end of Apple’s dominance of the mobile phone market is at hand! Okay, that’s overstating it by a long shot. But the analysts at NPD are reporting today that in Q1 Android-based phones captured 28 percent of the market, while the iPhone claimed 21 percent. Of course, there are several important caveats here. First, both Google’s Android phones and Apple’s iPhone were outsold by Blackberry-based phones, which grabbed 36 percent of the market. Second, there are multiple different Android phones (Droid, Nexus One, MyTouch, etc.) and only one iPhone, meaning that no individual Android phone is presenting a real threat to the iPhone. Third, a strong “Buy One Get One Free promotion” on phones like the Droid definitely helped with sales. So even though I recently joined the Android team, it’ll be a long time before we can declare victory over our rival Apple.

Source: Android Central

The Terminator Hates Apple

J. Matthew Zoss — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:00:22 +0000

Film maker Leon Wang has discovered the real mission of the Terminator, and it may not be what you expect. Watch the full video here to discover what these evil machines are actually up to.

Via Engadget

Apple Sells 300,000 iPads on Day 1

J. Matthew Zoss — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:34:32 +0000

Did you buy your iPad yet? 300,000 of you did – at least, that’s how many units Apple reported as sold on day one. iPad purchasers also bought over 1 million apps from the App store on the first day and also downloaded 250,000 e-books.

Apple fans will call the number a triumph, while detractors will say selling “only” 300k makes it a bust. It is really hard to declare victory or defeat at this point, as many consumers may be waiting for the 3G version of the device later this month. Apple’s shares were down 17 cents to $235.80 in premarket trading and productivity is down across the nation as Apple fans play with their new toy.

Source: Associated Press

First iPad Games Leak Online

J. Matthew Zoss — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:16:27 +0000

Looking forward to the iPad? Apparently a number of iPhone game developers are. A number of “HD” or “XL” versions of existing iPhone/iPod games have been confirmed by the App Store. It’s safe to assume that these games will be merely higher-resolution versions of the games that will look better on the larger screen, but who cares? It’s news about an Apple product, so it’s clearly a big deal! Here’s a list of the games:

Ammoin HD
Azkend HD
Flight Control HD
Grind HD
HD Recovery
Labyrinth 2 HD
NBA Hotshot HD
Numba HD
Plants vs. Zombies HD
Sparkle HD
Worms HD

Looks like I’ll be buying Plants vs. Zombies for a third time.

Story and Image via CruchGear

Final Cut Pro Used On 90% Of Oscar Nominated Docs

Asterios Kokkinos — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:56:17 +0000

Well, we wouldn’t be a blog without a little bit of Oscar coverage now, would we? Cool factoid: 9 out of the ten documentaries nominated for Best Documentary or Best Short Documentary were cut on Apple’s own Final Cut Pro.

This is pretty cool news for the do-it-yourself filmmaker – until a few years ago, all these films would have been cut on systems called Avid, hardware/software combo stations that run into the tens of thousands of dollars. By contrast, Final Cut Pro costs less than a thousand, making it much more accessible to indie filmmakers trying to get their message out.

The docs edited on FCP? The Cove, Food Inc., Which Way Home, The Most Dangerous Man In America, and the five documentary shorts.

The one doc not edited on FCP? “Burma VJ,” a film about jailed Burmese citizen journalists. Get with the program, “Burma VJ,” you guys are falling behind!

Confirmed: iPad To Launch April 3rd

Asterios Kokkinos — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:07:12 +0000

Yesterday, we ran a story reporting on a rumored release date for the iPad. Apple just confirmed that rumor as false – the “magical and revolutionary” iPad is launching on April 3rd.

Well, the Wi-Fi version, anyway. The model that can tap into AT&T’s 3G network arrives in “late April.”

The model will be shipping with 12 apps built in, all designed specifically for the iPad, and obviously the iPad will be able to run any of the 150,000 apps in the iTunes App Store as it is simply a gigantic iPhone.

Here’s a short little bullet of information from Apple HQ:

iPad will be available in Wi-Fi models on April 3 in the United States for a suggested retail price of $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB. The Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available in late April for a suggested retail price of $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB. iPad will be sold in the United States through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Source & Photo Source: NYTimes

Couple Marries at Apple Store, Parents Die Of Shame

Asterios Kokkinos — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:35 +0000

Comedians, start your engines! Last Valentine’s Day, geeks Josh & Ting Li tied the knot at, of all places, New York’s 5th avenue Apple Store. The details:

The two were married by a priest dressed up like Steve Jobs himself. That explains why, during the ceremony, the priest went on a two hour rant about how much he hated Flash.
The ring bearer for the ceremony was a first generation iPod. Unfortunately the flower girl was NOT a Newton, but one out of two ain’t bad.
The groom explained that he felt that “the apple store was his church.” Which explains why the people at the Genuis Bar were absolving people of their sins.
Final fun fact: the ceremony took place at the stroke of midnight. Good thing because at 12:01, the bride turned into an iPod touch, which did not bother the groom at all.

Want to see video of the whole geeky affair? Feast your eyes below!

Source & Photo Source: Mashable

Wired Magazine: Now On The iPad

Asterios Kokkinos — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:00:37 +0000

Wired Magazine’s new iPad application is essentially an issue of Wired you can read on your iPad. Which is pretty much all I need to hear to get excited. Although saying that Wired’s on the iPad now is the exact same thing as saying, “Wired Magazine just got much more expensive and harder to read! Also, unlike now, when you drop it you break it entirely!”

Below is some sweet, sweet video of the iPad/Wired combo platter in action.

While the iPad at this point refuses to promote Flash, it’s more than happy to promote the fact that the magazine runs on Adobe AIR. Interesting double standard, Apple.

Mashable had some nice observations that I completely missed, namely: the fact that the magazine can be turned 360, hand gesture navigation, dual axis navigation (which I do not understand), and Twitter/Facebook integration. I must admit, the idea of highlighting and tweeting text directly from an issue of a magazine out to your friends is pretty damn cool.

I’m still skeptical as to whether or not we even need an iPad, but hey, let’s hope we keep getting impressed by these apps.

The App Store Is Coming! The App Store Is Coming!

Asterios Kokkinos — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:00:14 +0000

Google’s App Store is right around the corner – hooray for the 12 people out there who own a Nexus One!

Actually, this is great news for anyone running Android – soon, you’ll be able to download crappy application after crappy application just like your iPhone’d counterparts.

According to the Wall Street Journal, many of the applications planned will be third party add-ons to Google’s existing suite – programs like Gchat, Gmail, Google Maps may soon get programs enhancing their security, filling in gaps in their word processing or allowing for better porting of information.

As someone who’se already in love with the Gsuite (I’ve been using Gmail since college), this is pretty cool news. Hopefully Google won’t be as iron fisted about what they allow or disallow as Apple, who, according to NPR, rejected an application for including the word “fuck.”

Rumor has it that Google will drop it’s announcement in March – when we get more information, we’ll let you know.

Source: Mashable

Image Source: HTCpedia

Apple Exec Promises AT&T Network Upgrade

Nex — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:09:25 +0000

Everyone loves the iPhone, right? It’s the hottest gadget since Eli Whitney started cleaning cotton fibers, but there is one glaring problem with the lil’ status symbol: It’s exclusively tied to AT&T’s cellular network, and AT&T’s cellular network is exclusively tied to dropping calls and spotty service.

Good news for all those iPhone owners trapped in a two-year contract however, as the wireless carrier has approached Apple with a plan to improve its network in direct response to complaints from iPhone owners — assuming you believe Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook. “We have personally reviewed these plans, and we have very high confidence that they will make significant progress toward fixing them,” said Cook during a conference call Monday.

The interesting bit here is that AT&T has refused to comment on Cook’s claims. That could just be an attempt at playing coy, or — and the conspiracy theorist part of me is really pulling for this option — perhaps the entire promise is a ploy by Cook to force AT&T into upgrading their network. It would look terrible for the carrier to renege on promises made, even on their behalf, but this saves Apple the trouble of threatening to move their iPhone to a competing network.

And yes, I imagine Cook tenting his fingers and laughing diabolically throughout the conference.

Source: BusinessWeek

Photo Source: Apple

iTunes Update Rumored To Include Cloud MP3 Storage

Asterios Kokkinos — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:07:42 +0000

PC Mag is reporting that TechCrunch is reporting that the founder of MP3.com says that a soon to be released iTunes revision features cloud storage of MP3s. And now, we at Technomaly are reporting on PC Mag’s TechCrunch MP3.com scoop! This is how the internet works, folks – one big game of telephone, and at the end of that telephone is the movie Snakes On A Plane.

According to MP3.com’s Michael Robertson, Apple’s purchase of LaLa.com (a music service that stores your purchases in the cloud) means an iTunes integration – the ability to hear your entire iTunes library from any web browser in the world.

Too good to be true? We’ll find out soon enough – Apple’s rounding out January with a launch event, but this idea makes a lot of sense. How great would it be to watch your iTunes television library streamed through the web? Or listen to a podcast on your home computer from your work computer sans iTunes? File this one under “we’ll see,” and then put that file in a bigger file marked, “I sure as hell hope so.”

Source: PC Mag

5 Ways That Google Could Have Spiced Up Their Nexus One Debut

Geoffrey Golden — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:40:41 +0000

When Apple announced the iPhone, Steve Jobs’ presentation was met with thunderous applause and awe. On January 5th, when Google launched the Nexus One at a press event, you could only hear the sound of critics scoffing. Come on, Goog. You can do better than that. After all, when you launch a tech product, people expect you to put on a god damn show. Here are some ways Google could have made their Nexus One debut a buzzed-about affair:

5. A line of chorus girls walk out in long black turtleneck sweaters. They rip off the sweaters — take that, Jobs — to reveal sexy hip-hop dance outfits.

4. In walks Jay-Z, with Alicia Keys wheeled in behind on piano. They sing a new variation on their hit song, called “Nexus State of Mind.” When they’re done, Jay-Z drops the mic on stage.

3. Whenever a Google executive demonstrated a feature, like the touchscreen and voice recognition, there should have been corresponding fireworks and pyrotechnics.

2. Live tigers.

1. Build a Steve Jobs robot to host the presentation. Learn from the robot, Google executives. Learn.

Photo Source: TechTalk

Rumor That’s Probably True: Touchscreen iMacs Coming Soon

J. Matthew Zoss — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:30:46 +0000

Some rumors are just that. But on the other hand, there are Apple rumors, which are typically spot on. Maybe it’s because Apple devotees are as fanatical about the company’s products as Twilight fans are about sparkling homoerotic vampires. So the rumors circulating that Apple will be releasing a 22-inch Touchscreen version of the iMac sometime this year. According to a report in the Chinese paper Commercial Times, the new computer will feature a screen by Sintek Photronic and will be manufactured by Quanta, the Taiwanese company that already builds a good chunk of Apple’s hardware. Little else is known about the potential new version, except that it’s expect by the end of the year and it damn well better play Fieldrunners.

A major Apple product announcement is expected January 27.

Source: Engadget

Image Source: Tech Ticker Blog

Apple Schadenfreude: Nexus One Moves “Only” 20,000 Units

Asterios Kokkinos — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:18:30 +0000

Apparently, the iPhone sold 80 times more units in its launch week than the Nexus One did. In fact, a lot of Android phones out there did better their first week than the Nexus One – just look at that sweet chart from Flurry.com.

For me, the surprise is how other people are surprised – the Nexus One costs $180, and we’re in a recession. Additionally, this is Google’s first physical product, so I can understand consumer skepticism – there’s no real brand loyalty to take advantage of here because everyone’s an early adopter.

To me, this is an example of reporters looking for stage two of their media narrative – the built up the Nexus One through exclusive after exclusive, preview after preview – now it’s time to tear the thing down. It’s hard to write story after story where the headline is “Everything’s Fine: Thing Is Doing As Expected.”

Source: Fast Company

Photo Sourse: Flurry

Haptic Antics: Apple’s Rumored Retractable Keyboard

Asterios Kokkinos — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:44:38 +0000

If this rumor provided by AppleInsider is true, then Apple is creating an iPhone/Apple Tablet keyboard that retracts when necessary. This would fix the issue with the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard being hard to use – if when entering a URL, a series of 26 bumps were to appear, it’d be a lot easier to enter the data. Then, when you’re ready to go back to clicking and dragging, the bumps would vanish.

Wow, I’ve never spent so much time outlining something that’s a complete rumor, but I’m excited at the very idea of this technology. It’d be like trapping your very own Odo in a cell phone!

I’ll be honest: I’ll take any excuse whatsoever to play video of Odo from Deep Space Nine.

Source: Apple Insider