Apple : New Apple Store app to serve up tasty gadgets with a side of free apps? |
- New Apple Store app to serve up tasty gadgets with a side of free apps?
- Apple's iWork for iCloud beta begins rolling out to regular Joes
- Buying Guide: Best MacBook Air case: 11 top bags, cases and covers
- Settling secrets: Apple, Samsung may have been chatting patents for months
| New Apple Store app to serve up tasty gadgets with a side of free apps? Posted:  Apple will launch a new version of its official Apple Store application next week, offering free content in a bid to get more eyes on its products, according to reports this weekend. The new Apple Store portal for iOS devices will land on Tuesday, according to 9to5Mac sources, and for a limited time will serve up freebies that can be downloaded directly from the app. They will include items from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBooks, but don't expect it to last for too long. The items featured within the app will be gratis initially, but will usually require users to stump up cash, according to the report. Eyes on the productsThe new app's pending revamp (pictured), seems reflect the design language of Apple's other digital stores. The company has mastered selling content through the iTunes and the App Store portals, but according to recent comments from Tim Cook, only 20 per cent of iOS users know the Apple Store app even exists. The company will hope that changes with the impending launch of the new app. |
| Apple's iWork for iCloud beta begins rolling out to regular Joes Posted:  Apple has started to invite members of the public to join its beta program for the iWork for iCloud web-based productivity suite. Selected iCloud users were granted access to the Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps on Friday, the first time they have been available to those outside of the developer community. Those with access can now create, edit and share documents, presentations and spreadsheets from the iCloud.com portal within their web browser. Naturally,if users so desire, also sync up with the latest versions of documents created using desktop and mobile versions of the apps, giving users easy access across their devices. Apple going into over-Drive?The expansion of iWork within iCloud gives Apple a shot at matching rival products from Google and Microsoft. The well-established Google Drive platform continues to be a favourite for cloud-based document creation and storage, while Office 365 is proving a popular solution for Microsoft users. Apple is yet to reveal when the iCloud beta will officially go public, but this weekend's limited roll out is definitely a step in the right direction. The company first confirmed iWork for iCloud at WWDC back in June. |
| Buying Guide: Best MacBook Air case: 11 top bags, cases and covers Posted:  Best MacBook Air caseYour shiny new MacBook Air has just been delivered... but what to put it in? Do you just want to protect it from scratches or are you after a case that shields it - and the give-away logo on its lid - from prying eyes and criminals? Perhaps you need a drop-prof case, or you're a photographer that needs to take a MacBook Air and a DSLR camera in the same bag. Whatever your ambitions, there's something for you among these innovative slings, messengers, backpacks, cases and covers that fit the MacBook Air 11-inch and 13-inch models. 1. WaterField Designs Outback Laptop Sleeve - US$50 (around £35/AU$55)
This vintage-style case from WaterField Designs is a more outdoorsy waxed canvas. Weighing in at 384g (13.5oz), the Outback is available for both the 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air, as well as the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro (all the same price), and with the opening at either the top or bottom. We tried out the 11-inch side-loader, which had a soft, neoprene-clad inner sleeve that adds just enough padding to the tough canvas construction for us to be less precious about our MacBook Air. It fitted perfectly and the simple leather popper strap kept it securely closed. Though it just so happens to house an iPad quite happily despite being a touch too wide, it's that solid construction and unusual, well disguised worn look that we like it for most. It's best chucked into an old rucksack before straddling a horse and riding off in search of Wi-Fi. 2. Targus Canvas Slipcase - £40/US$60/AU$65
If you're shuffling between meetings or hanging around a conference venue, a dedicated backpack is overkill and a simple cover slight underkill. Step forward this sturdy Targus Slipcase (model number TTS00504EU in the UK or TTS00504US in North America and Australia), which is available in white/brown and grey/black, and for both sizes of MacBook Air. Weighing 450g (16oz) and made from a canvas far thinner than that found on the WaterField Designs Outback, the Slipcase is less of an event than most dedicated laptop bags, but piles on the functionality. A magnetic faux leather hood hides a main, padded compartment that takes a MacBook Air, while a stretchable pocket in front is enough for a power adaptor and, thanks to a dedicated pocket, a clutch of business cards. Add a simple shoulder strap and it adds up to a cost-effective, functional solution. 3. Berghaus Remote II 20 - £50 (around US$75/AU$80)
It's not custom-made for a MacBook Air, but if you're after a good disguise, the Berghaus Remote II 20 works very well. Not surprisingly, the shoulder straps (complete with sunglasses stuff and adjustable chest strap) are the best here, with a vent between the foam back pads that makes this a less sweaty option than some. Inside is an all-important compartment that, while designed to carry a three-litre hydration bladder, manages to fit a 13-inch MacBook Air with ease, though snugly so. Given its netting design the paranoid might want to wrap their Air in a separate case first - and there's room for one of those, too - though the waterproof design makes this one of the safest options, particularly for cyclists. A grab handle on the top is handy, as are four pockets inside, while compression straps either side pack the bag down to the bare minimum size that's perfect for those packing one of the slimmest laptops around. Weighs 530g (19oz) when empty. 4. WaterField Designs MacBook Air Smart Case - US$80 (around £55/AU$85)
Given the MacBook Air's rather cold-looking metallic design, there's a temptation to wrap it up in something warm and safe, and that's exactly what this easy-access slip-case achieves. Weighing 340g (12oz) for the 11-inch version and 396g (14oz) for the 13-inch version and hailing from San Francisco, the Smart Case is an unusual mix of a distressed brown leather spine, red (or copper green, black or white) nylon and a black net pocket on the outside. Inside is a soft padded sleeve that's among the snuggest fitting we tried. A recessed spine on each side makes it easy to retrieve a MacBook Air when docked, while the stretchable pocket on the outside is able to house everything from a MacBook Air's power adaptor or Kindle to a 300-page novel or even a naked iPad. 5. Twelve South BookBook - £80/US$80/AU$90
Don't judge a MacBook by its cover? Skeuomorphism might be out in Cupertino for iOS 7, but Twelve South has something special for those who like both the sleek machined aluminium of the Macbook Air and an olde worlde leather look. Available for both the 11-inch and 13-inch versions and weighing either 355g or 382g (12.5oz or 13.5oz), the BookBook's weathered style and two-tone red and brown spine are clearly designed as a disguise on a book shelf, but there's decent protection here, too. Hard covers are backed by a soft felt inner sleeve and two secure zips. It fits a MacBook Air snugly, with elastic security tags across the corners of the screen keeping its guest in place, though it could do with some on the keyboard, too. Six more top MacBook Air cases6. Thule Crossover Sling Pack - £80/US$100/AU$130
Although it's able to take a 13-inch Macbook Air, the diagonal-access compartment inside this tough 823g (29oz) sling pack from Thule is of less exact dimensions than most of the other bags and cases here. With a capacity of 17 litres and designed to fit a 13-inch laptop, it's primed to be a work or weekend bag, with plenty of room for a couple of shirts and a few netting pockets for sundries within its three compartments. On the front is a pocket that fits an iPhone, while the middle pocket easily takes a 10-inch tablet. There are compartments for business cards, and also a surprisingly wide water bottle holder on one side, which is rare on custom-made bags such as these. A couple of well-placed grab handles on the side and top impress, though one of our favourite features - a chest-height pocket on the sling strap - proves just too slim for most smartphones. 7. Tech 21 Impact Slip - £80/US$125 (around AU$130)
A slim case ideal for protecting an 11 or 13-inch MacBook Air, the Tech 21 Impact Slip is perfect for clumsy types who've put nasty dents in dropped laptops before now. The technology behind the leather is D3O, an orange-coloured soft material made from molecules that lock together and harden instantly upon impact, dissipating the shock and keeping your slab of machine-engineered aluminium in one piece. The middle layer is called BulletShield, which is also used in bulletproof glass... you get the idea. It's a hard claim to test, but nothing else we know of claims to dissipate 80% of the force of being dropped or struck. And it's a great fit, so snug that a small tab is needed to help it on its way out. If the pouch-style isn't for you, Tech 21 also makes its fold-out Impact Jacket also with D30, for the same prices, which wraps around either side of the MacBook Air. 8. Lat 56 MS_01 - £130/US$200 (around AU$210)
Lat 56's MS_01 Small Laptop Messenger Case is one of the toughest, best made bags on offer here. In a ruthlessly efficient design that puts an emphasis on function and protection, this totally waterproof 12-litre bag has an inner, padded sleeve that safely encloses either an 11-inch or 13-inch MacBook Air, and keeps it perfectly still. In front is an area for chargers and cables, while an outer section houses two iPhone-sized pockets, a smaller zipped pouch and some pen holders. All pockets close using magnets, not poppers, while a couple of rubber feet on its undercarriage keep it off the floor. However, once we'd sealed the bag and attached the shoulder strap, the real surprise extra appeared; a zipped pocket on the reverse that houses a padded sleeve that perfectly fits an iPad. It's this kind of attention to detail within a heavyweight, 1.5kg (2.2lbs) design, that makes this one of the ultimate MacBook Air bags for the commute. 9. Marshall Bergman Corbin - £135 (around US$205/AU$220)
Selling exclusively on the Apple Store, this gorgeous leather shoulder work bag has perhaps been designed for an iPad, but unlike most of its contemporaries this 783g (27.6oz) effort is just that bit taller - and therefore just about houses a 2013 generation 11-inch MacBook Air in its dedicated, padded inside pocket. However, if you've already put your MacBook Air in some kind of cover, it's best plunged into the main section, with the padded pocket instead reserved for a tablet. Two outside pockets - one with a dedicated iPhone pocket - impress, though neither is deep enough for a full-size iPad. Inside are two more pockets for iPhones or iPod touches - alongside two pen holders, a nicely detachable keyring, and a secure zipped pocket. It's available in black or brown. 10. Jill-e Designs Emma - £200 (around US$300/AU$330)
Sold exclusively on the Apple Store, the feminine - but eminently business-like - Jill-e Designs 11-inch Emma Leather Messenger Bag is specially designed to carry a MacBook Air 11-inch, but that's not all it can carry. Available in black or sky blue, the main compartment secures a MacBook Air within a padded wall with velcro security strap. Alongside is a padded pouch that perfectly fits an iPad, while two pockets opposite take an iPhone and something slightly wider. Two pen holders and a zipped pocket complete the soft-touch, sand-coloured fabric-lined innards, though there's scant room for much else bar a charger or two. Weighing 1kg (2.2lbs) and with a comfy leather shoulder strap and grab handle, the Emma doesn't stop with the tech there; on its rear is a pocket that also nicely nestles an iPad, while an oval zipped pocket on the front has three more pen holders and an iPhone pocket. Best of all, it looks like a proper handbag, with burnished gold strap rings, zips and a buckle on the front that uses magnets. 11. Booq Python Pack - £220/US$240 (around AU$360)
For photographers that need Photoshop and email on the go, there are few better options that the Booq Python Pack. Most custom-made MacBook gear is for urban dwellers, but this photography-centric Python Pack is about as outdoorsy as it gets. A MacBook Pro 15-inch can be slipped into a special laptop compartment, so a MacBook Air is no problem. You can also squeeze in a DSLR (or two) and four lenses, umpteen memory cards, and even a couple of smartphones in pouches on the comfy shoulder straps. Great for hiking and with a shocking red shower cover that stows in a side pocket, it does have straps for a tripod on the outside, though they're rather oddly aligned. In the back panel between the straps is a 'secret' compartment that's the exact dimensions of an iPad. |
| Settling secrets: Apple, Samsung may have been chatting patents for months Posted:  Apple and Samsung's bitter patent disputes have been widely covered for the past few years, with the biggest blow in the case landing in Cupertino's favor last summer. In August 2012, Samsung was ordered to pay Apple $1.05 billion (around £688m, AU$1.14b) million in damages, though that hefty price tag was dropped to a mere $450.5 million (£295m, AU$489m) earlier in 2013. While it appeared Apple and Samsung were content (or at least resigned) to let the courts decide the fates of the various patents in question, there were apparently some secret negotiations happening behind the scenes as well. According to new documents released by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), the Cupertino and South Korean companies have been discussing potential settlements as far back as Apple's $1 billion court victory. Close, but no settlementIn addition to the ITC documents, sources revealed to the Wall Street Journal the ongoing secret settlement discussions have been both hot and cold, though no agreement has been reached as of yet. Based on the information available in the heavily censored ITC papers, Samsung at one point offered a broad patent cross-licensing deal to Apple, which would have ended all litigation between the two companies. Obviously Apple didn't take the deal, but it's not very clear from the ITC's report just how seriously Apple took the offer to begin with. Both companies spent a great deal of time talking terms between December 2012 and March 2013, with some face-to-face meetings happening in January, though by February it appears the talks had broken down. The ITC paper mentions a March 22 proposal from Samsung to re-open talks, adding that some of its offers were still on the table, however Apple didn't respond by the time the ITC ruled. Despite the massive amount of redactions in the report, it's clear the ITC didn't believe Samsung's offers were unreasonable, though it would seem Apple disagreed with that assessment. Love-hate relationshipThe curious thing is both Apple and Samsung continue to work together in the manufacturing process, as the South Korean company still provides chips for iOS devices. Apple has reportedly entered into an agreement with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to craft new processors for 2014, which would all but cut Samsung out of the picture. However, there are also reports Apple and Samsung have a deal for Sammy to create chips once again in 2015, so it's still unclear just how strong the partnership between these two smartphone giants really is at this point. For what it's worth, a memorandum of understanding was supposedly drafted by the two companies in February, which the ITC saw as promising for a potential future deal. "The fact that representatives for both parties were able to reach a memorandum of understanding indicates Samsung is negotiating in good faith and, to be colloquial, is playing in the same ballpark as Apple," the report read. With all the redactions in the report, it's impossible to tell just why the possible settlement fell through, but if Apple and Samsung are still talking behind closed doors, there's always a chance the ongoing legal battles could finally come to an end. Given how this past year has played out however, we won't be holding our breath waiting for Apple and Samsung to start getting along.
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