Apple : Gary Marshall: Does Apple want to be more like Dixons? |
- Gary Marshall: Does Apple want to be more like Dixons?
- Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know
- Tutorial: 10 Siri tips and tricks: do more with iPhone 4S
- Dixons chief defects to Apple retail
- Sky's new broadband TV goes after Netflix
| Gary Marshall: Does Apple want to be more like Dixons? Posted:  Good news for anyone who's ever wished Apple Stores were a bit less friendly, a bit more incompetent, a bit more you're-not-leaving-until-you-buy-an-extended-warranty. Apple has decided that it needs some expertise from Dixons, and it's poached Dixons CEO John Browett to become its senior vice president of retail. So does that mean Apple Stores will start flogging washing machines, trying to sell you a whole bunch of crappy accessories and asking twenty-seven times whether you want an extended warranty on your iPad? Er, probably not. There are only two possible explanations for Browett's appointment. Either there's more to Dixons - and to Browett - than most people imagine, or Tim Cook has gone completely and utterly insane. I don't know about you, but I'm betting on the first option. National serviceIf your experience of Dixons is limited to the airport shops or a dim memory of a buck-toothed simpleton trying to sell you Coverplan on a pack of triple-A Duracells then you're bound to think Tim Cook's gone crazy, but the truth is that Dixons is very different to the way some - perhaps even most - of us see it. While most of the consumer electricals market is firmly in the toilet - Best Buy blew it, Comet's currently worth about ten pence, most of the industry only really exists online - Dixons is still hanging in there, helped considerably by a change of approach that improved store layouts, integrated online ordering and introduced the KnowHow installation, support and repair service. It's easy to mock KnowHow, especially if you're reasonably tech-savvy, but it's part of a wider change that's seen Dixons try to differentiate itself from rivals by concentrating on service, not box-shifting. I think Browett's focus on service, along with Dixons' sheer scale - it's an enormous, pan-European operation - is what's attracted Tim Cook's attention. Apple wants somebody who cares about service and who can handle a truly massive retail operation. John Browett ticks both boxes. Maybe I'm wrong and maybe Tim Cook has gone completely nuts, and the future of Apple Stores involves red-jumpered loons with no product knowledge breaking Macs all over the place. It would certainly be quite funny, but given that Apple's just posted yet another record-breaking quarter and annexed yet more of the world's money, I'm inclined to think Tim Cook knows exactly what he's doing. Although I bet you'll get asked more often about AppleCare. |
| Updated: iPhone 5 rumours: what you need to know Posted:  iPhone 5 rumours: iPhone 4S and new rumoursAs it happened, there was no iPhone 5 after all, but the company did announce the iPhone 4S. However, the iPhone 5 is still on the cards - we're expecting it to debut in mid-2012. You can check out the latest rumours about iPhone 5 below. First though, why not read our complete iPhone 4S review? Also check out our iPhone 4S video review: Here are the new iPhone 5 rumours we've gathered together since the iPhone 4S launch iPhone 5 release dateUPDATE: For the latest on the new iPhone 5's release date, check out our regularly updated article iPhone 5 release date. Given the pattern of Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 to debut in mid to late 2012. We reckon it's most likely to be shown off at Apple's Worldwide Developer Event (WWDC), which usually takes place in early June. Rumours that we reported on 18 October claim an iPhone 5 release date of Summer 2012. Analyst Ashok Kumar claimed that the absent iPhone 5 was meant to be the big announcement at the recent event where the iPhone 4S was launched. iPhone 5 form factorUnlike the iPhone 4S, it'll be a completely new design from what has gone before, so that means an entirely new casing as we saw with the iPhone 3G and, later, the iPhone 4. Interestingly, someone who claimed to have seen a larger-screened iPhone 5 prototype said in November 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new handset and opted for the iPhone 4S because of the larger screen size of the new device. According to Business Insider, it was feared that a new size would create a two-tier iPhone ecosystem. Beatweek also claimed in November 2011 that the 5-inch was scrapped "because Apple wouldn't be able to do it properly" this year. However, the Daily Mail (make of that what you will) then suggested that a four-inch version was likely and that Sony has already shipped top secret demo screens to Apple. iPhone 5 specsBased on the roadmap of mobile chip design specialist ARM (of which Apple is a licensee), we'll see a quad-core processor debut in the iPhone 5 - probably called the Apple A6. We know that we'll see other quad core handsets debut in 2012, so it's not too much of a stretch to say that the iPhone 5 will be the same. iPhone 5 will have 4G/LTE supportWith many 4G handsets already announced in the US, it can't be long before the iPhone supports 4G technologies - even if we won't even have a UK spectrum auction until 2012. Cnet.com quotes Will Strauss from analyst firm Forward Concepts, who says that the next iPhone will feature LTE technologies."They're saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won't be out until next spring," said Strauss. Steve Jobs' iPhone 5 legacyMany sites have reported that Steve Jobs was working hard on the iPhone 5 project, which will apparently be a "radical redesign". We shall see... iPhone 5 rumours: old rumoursBelow are the rumours that we reported on leading up to the iPhone 4S press conference. iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 4S, as some are calling it) rumours have been flying thick and fast for months. And now Apple has finally confirmed a press conference for Tuesday 4 October, where the company will almost certainly unveil the iPhone 5. The invitation hints that it will be one phone that is announced, which is likely to be the iPhone 5 rather than the much-discussed iPhone 4S. Check out what TechRadar is hoping makes it into the next iPhone, in our video wish list: And if you're in a bit of a hurry, we've also got a handy iPhone 5 video detailing the latest rumours on release date, spec and more - so check if out for a quick fix of next-gen Apple fun: Although we are still waiting for news on an iPhone 5 UK release date, we reckon an iPhone 5 release of late October is likely. It's possible that the iPhone 5 release date is November, but it's more likely set for October. In mid September the CEO of France Telecom (the parent company of Orange) got specific when commenting on the iPhone 5 release date, saying "If we believe what we have been told, the iPhone 5 will be released on 15 October." Price cuts of the iPhone 4 in August hinted at an autumn release for the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S and Apple reportedly began pushing up the amount of orders for the handset. In early September, Japanese site Macotakara reported that the iPhone 5 had entered production, saying that Foxconn and Pegatron had begun assembly on the new handset. A few days later, Digitimes wrote that Foxconn was producing 150,000 units of the new iPhone per day. Rumours of a UK Apple Store holiday ban also emerged on 26 September. It was also reported that Telefonica, which owns the O2 network, is set to begin scaling back iPhone stock in advance of "the launch of a new smartphone". However, it may not all be plain sailing for Apple, with rumours that Samsung will seek a sales ban courtesy of an injunction - another piece of the increasingly mixed up lawsuit puzzle between the pair. The iPhone 5 will debut alongside iOS 5 and iCloudApple Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer was asked during an earnings call why he was suggesting a 12 per cent drop in revenues for the Q3 financial period - a traditionally robust time thanks to the scores of people buying the latest iPhone. He said that there is "a lot going on in the fall with iOS 5 and iCloud" but added there will be a "future product transition that we will not talk about today". That's almost certainly the new iPhone 5. And iOS 5 will arrive alongside it as well iCloud.
Apple says it is "cutting the cable" with iOS 5 - just as well, as it claimed the iPad 2 was the first post-PC device earlier in the year. OS updates can be delivered over the air - you'll just received what's changed rather than the usual 600MB download - and devices can be activated without plugging them into iTunes. You can also now create and delete iOS calendars and mailboxes too, so you really can devolve your device from your PC or Mac. "You can activate on the device and you're ready to go," explained Apple's Scott Forstall. "Software updates are now over the air. So you no longer need to plug in to update your software. And they're now Delta updates. Instead of downloading the whole OS, you only download what's changed," he continued. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported that: "Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers." This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget, which state the design will be a 'total rethink'. Chinese case manufacturers have been sent design briefings of the new iPhone 5 chassis and apparently feature a return to the old days of iPhone design. But could iPhone 5 really have a curved back? We can't begin to tell you how sceptical we are over such a 'leak', given Apple's desperation to keep its forthcoming designs under wraps. However, earlier reports from China backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards. Interestingly, an Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011 suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen. Will iPhone 5 actually be an iPhone 4S?Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it's possible the new iPhone won't be a total refresh and we'll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5. An iPhone 4S looked more likely on 16 May 2011 after analyst Peter Misek wrote: "According to our industry checks, the device should be called iPhone 4S and include minor cosmetic changes, better cameras, A5 dual-core processor, and HSPA+ support." Rumours that we covered on 3 May 2011, suggest that there may even be two versions of the new iPhone: a 'standard' iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5 'pro'. Apparently, Apple is buying in components of differing quality, and those parts wouldn't be required for a single phone. A white iPhone 5The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone. On 12 September 2011, a page which briefly popped up on Vodafone's site referenced the iPhone 5 in white as well as black. iPhone 5 will support 1080p HDIt's fairly likely - given that the iPad 2 supports Full HD - that the new iPhone will do the same. According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets - which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 - Apple's sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components. We'd expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump - more memory, faster processor, and more storage. The A5 dual-core ARM processor from the iPad 2 is extremely likely to be included. The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7" instead of 3.5". The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat. On 12 September 2011, a page briefly appeared on the Vodafone site referencing the iPhone 5 in 16GB and 32GB storage, and in white as well as black. Other sources expect double the RAM of the iPhone 4, so that would be 1GB instead of 512MB. On 20 September a bunch of internal iPhone 5 components were supposedly shown off. iPhone 5 screenVarious sources claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size "to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market." On 23 May, we reported on rumours that the iPhone 5 could feature a curved glass screen. These rumours also came from Digitimes, which said that Apple has purchased between 200 and 300 special glass cutting machines because they're too costly for the manufacturers to invest in. The iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU - this will herald true 1080p output from the new device. iPhone 5 digital wallet - NFCThere's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here. On 24 June 2011 it was reported that the Google Wallet mobile payment platform could feature on the new iPhone. Eric Schmidt admitted that Google is looking to port the software to other manufacturers. However, on 31 January 2012 9to5Mac claimed to have spoken with a well-connected developer who disclosed information received from Apple iOS engineers saying they are "heavily into NFC". The developer in question has not been named, but is working on a dedicated iOS app which includes NFC reading for mobile transactions. When questioned how confident he was on the information he had received his reply was "Enough to bet the app development on". iPhone 5 cameraSony makes the camera for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Speaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony's Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company's camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, "Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn't that something? They buy our best sensors from us." Sources have also suggested the new iPhone could have an 8MP camera. Indeed, Sony announced in January 2012 that it had developed new back-illuminated stacked CMOS image sensors which are smaller in size. iPhone 5 priceIf the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we'd expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag. iPhone 5 reviewTechRadar is renowned for it's detailed phone reviews where we look at every aspect of a handset, and we'll be bringing you a full, in-depth iPhone 5 review when we get our hands on one. |
| Tutorial: 10 Siri tips and tricks: do more with iPhone 4S Posted:  10 Siri tips and tricksSiri is a digital assistant that's currently only available on the iPhone 4S. Siri is designed to understands what you say and get the right meaning from the instructions that you give it. Using Siri you can dictate, send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls and plenty more - it'll even tell you the weather. But its effectiveness can be patchy unless you give it the right commands. So we've put together our top tips and tricks to get more from Apple's digital assistant. 1. Dictate to SiriWhy type when you can speak?
Commands and questions aren't the only ways to put Siri to work. Wherever you can type a long passage of text, tap the microphone key (left of the spacebar) to dictate instead. Siri listens for a bit longer in this mode. Tap the Done button when you're finished. If it stops listening prematurely, just tap the mic key to continue. If you forgot something, move the text cursor to the correct spot, tap the mic and Siri will insert text at that specific point. 2. Fix mistakesCorrect Siri when it gets it wrong
By now, you'll know that Siri doesn't always get things right. It's particularly sensitive to slurred or mumbled words. Sometimes, Siri will recognise that it probably didn't understand what you said and underline those words and phrases in blue. Tap them to see likely alternatives. Any word, not just those underlined, can be tapped to type over it; or tap the mic key to dictate a replacement for what's selected instead of repeating everything. 3. Add grammarPunctuate your dictation
Siri doesn't make assumptions about punctuation and grammar, but it recognises commands for inserting new paragraphs, commas, full stops and many other grammatical constructs. Sadly, these aren't recognised when composing emails outside of Mail. Work around this by starting to compose a message, but provide only the recipient and subject. Next, tap the message to open it in Mail. The text cursor will be in the body, so tap the mic key to start dictating. In this mode, Siri responds to grammatical instructions. See http://tinyurl.com/646sr44 for more. 4. Set relationshipsPersonalise the conversation
In the Contacts app, find your record and edit it. Swipe all the way to the bottom of the form, add a field and pick Related People from the list. Tap the left side of the field that appears on the form and you'll be presented with a list of relationships. Siri recognises these connections to you, allowing it to understand personalised requests, such as "Send a message to my boss to say the train has broken down so I'll be late." You can even establish these relationships with spoken commands, such as "My father is...". 5. Arrange to meetLet Siri find your friends for you on the map
You were planning on a quiet weekend, but a friend just called encouraging you to meet them at a cool new place they've found. They don't have to send their location using the Maps app to show you where it's at, provided you've already linked up with Apple's Find My Friends app (Free). When you ask Siri where that person is, it retrieves the information from the app and shows their location on a map, along with an approximation of the address so you can pop over and be there in no time. 6. Schedule eventsOrganise your diary
Setting up calendar events is one of Siri's most useful features, but its scheduling abilities are more sophisticated than that. You can check your availability with phrases like "Do I have anything on my calendar next July?" and "What does my day look like next Friday?" If you don't check your schedule, Siri will warn you about any potential overlaps that might exist. It only explicitly asks if you still want to add the new event. However, it will take into account the context for further spoken commands, so you can tell it: "Change the time." Alternatively, if it's the existing event that you want to change, commit the new one to your calendar, then say something like: "Change my 5pm meeting to 4pm." 7. Add to an emailPick up where you left off
You might want to add something to a note or email after Siri stops listening. Say "Add" to append where you left off. If you are using the Home button or raise-to-speak method to talk to Siri, you can't use instructions like "new paragraph". Nor can you tell it where to add text. To overcome this, tap the preview to open the item in its corresponding app. Use the mic button to give further dictation. It will be inserted at the cursor's position. 8. Get social with SiriThis tip works with Twitter too
Siri can't interact with Facebook directly, but you can set things up to post status updates just by speaking. On the Facebook website, in Account settings, click Mobile on the left and follow the instructions to set up text messaging. Create a new contact on your iPhone with 'Facebook' as its name and set its mobile number to the text messaging one Facebook provides. Now you can tell Siri to "Send a message to Facebook". 9. Make listsAdd to pre-existing reminders
Although Siri can't create new lists in the Reminders app, it can add to existing ones as things spring to mind. Say something like: "Add passport renewal to my holiday list", substituting the list's name followed explicitly with 'list' to give context. Be wary of including the word 'list' in a list's name; Thankfully, if it recognises you're adding to a list but isn't sure which one, it'll prompt you to choose from those available. 10. SecurityPrevent tricksters and strangers from using Siri
You can prevent access to your apps and information by locking your iPhone with a passcode. Still, Siri can answer questions, reassign relationships and, most worrying of all, send messages without you entering it. You can turn off access to Siri when the phone is locked to stop practical jokes by your friends – or strangers if your phone is lost. In the Settings app, go to General > Passcode Lock, enter the code, then flick the Siri switch to off. Siri remains accessible when the phone is unlocked. |
| Dixons chief defects to Apple retail Posted:  John Browett probably never thought the day would come when a new job would net him so many virtual column inches – but it has, because he's ditched his post as CEO of Dixons Retail group to become Apple's new VP of retail. Tim Cook himself (Apple's CEO to those of you not in the know) seems quite excited to have poached Browett for Apple's global retail mission: "Our retail stores are all about customer service and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," he said, having obviously never visited a Currys.Digital store and their 'let me Google that for you' shopping experience. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple." Poached eggWe say 'poached' – that's probably over-egging the pudding. After all, if you were at PC World as even a lowly retail assistant and were offered a job at an Apple store, you'd probably take it. Let's review: Dixons Group – not very cool, struggling a bit, sells a lot of tat. Apple – very cool, rolling in money, sells a lot of good stuff you'd quite like to buy using that hefty new staff discount. Anyway, Browett will be busying himself with Apple's new stores set to open in 40 new locations this year. Meanwhile, Sebastian James is replacing Browett at Dixons, not that we think you care. |
| Sky's new broadband TV goes after Netflix Posted:  Sky has announced a brand new internet TV service, aimed at selling its premium content to those people who do not currently want a satellite service but have a broadband connection and are happy to pay. In a key move, Sky will offer movies at first, and then expand to sport and entertainment, with the UK launch set for 'the first half of this year'. The offering will be available across numerous devices, including PCs and Macs, but also tablets, mobile phones, games consoles and connected TVs. ShacklesIt is not the first time Sky has broken free from the shackles of satellite broadcasting, but this scheme is designed to move beyond what was attempted on Sky Player and provide anyone with a broadband connection (and a suitable device) simple pay-monthly or pay-as-you-go offerings. The obvious target to this move is Netflix, which has launched in the UK and made it clear that it is hoping to hoover up movies lovers from the likes of Sky, although the likes of BT Vision, Lovefilm and the forthcoming Google TV and YouView will be watchful. "This exciting new service will offer some of Sky's most popular content through a wide range of broadband connected devices," said Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch. Growth"Alongside the continued growth of our satellite platform, this will be a new way for us to reach out to consumers who love great content, but may not want the full Sky service," he added "Bringing a distinctive, new choice to the marketplace will help us meet the needs and demands of an ever wider range of consumers. "This new product launch will build on our early leadership in multi-platform distribution. It will allow us to make our expertise and investment in content and technology work even harder, extending our options for continued growth." The pricing has not yet been revealed but will no doubt be made clear closer to launch, with the arrival set for the first half of this year. |
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