Yahuui Blog: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Software : Twitter shuts-out LinkedIn to keep tweets to itself

Twitter shuts-out LinkedIn to keep tweets to itself

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Posts from Twitter will no longer feature on the profile pages of LinkedIn users as the micro-blogging service looks to direct users to its own services.

Twitter announced on Friday that it was continuing to seek ways to make the experience consistent across platforms and offer "core Twitter consumption through consistent products and tools."

That means, the ability to sync your Tweets to your professional social networking account is out as Twitter puts the squeeze on third party websites that display tweets.

The partnership between the two social networking titans had been in effect since 2009.

End of the reciprocal arrangement

LinkedIn's Head of Content Products Ryan Roslansky says he hopes that LinkedIn users will still share their posts on Twitter, even though it'll no longer be a reciprocal arrangement.

"Consistent with Twitter's evolving platform efforts," he blogged. "Tweets will no longer be displayed on LinkedIn starting later today. We know many of you value Twitter as an additional way to broadcast professional content beyond your LinkedIn connections.

"Moving forward, you will still be able to share your updates with your Twitter audience by posting them on LinkedIn."

No ads? No access

But why is Twitter looking to shut others out and make its service less visible across the web? The crux of the matter appears to have been nailed by Opus Research analyst Greg Sterling.

"They don't want people to consume and interact with Twitter in places where they probably have no ability to put ads." Bing!

The Twitter snub completes a tough month for LinkedIn, as the company seeks to recover from the password theft which saw the account details of 6.4m users uploaded to the internet.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Apple : Google blames Apple for Chrome crashing MacBooks

Google blames Apple for Chrome crashing MacBooks

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Google acknowledged that their Google Chrome browser is causing some users to have to reboot their Apple MacBook Air laptops.

Chrome is causing kernel panics on the new MacBook Air, crashing not only the browser, but the entire system as well.

Google admitted that Chrome is the source of the crashes, though they say the problem ultimately lies with Apple's MacBook Air drivers.

In other words, this is Apple's problem to fix.

Google speaks up about crashes

Google released the following statement in response to the problem:

"We have identified a leak of graphics resources in the Chrome browser related to the drawing of plugins on Mac OS X. Work is proceeding to find and fix the root cause of the leak.

"The resource leak is causing a kernel panic on Mac hardware containing the Intel HD 4000 graphics chip (e.g. the new Macbook Airs). Radar bug number 11762608 has been filed with Apple regarding the kernel panics, since it should not be possible for an application to trigger such behavior.

"While the root cause of the leak is being fixed, we are temporarily disabling some of Chrome's GPU acceleration features on the affected hardware via an auto-updated release that went out this afternoon (Thursday June 28). We anticipate further fixes in the coming days which will re-enable many or all of these features on this hardware."

A temporary fix

As Google's statement says, the search giant released a patch for Google Chrome yesterday that disabled the features that were causing the kernel panic.

GPU acceleration helps Google Chrome load graphics-heavy websites with less delays for users.

Sources suggest that those still running into issues can also try installing the latest dev or Canary builds of Google Chrome, which, as the names imply, are used to test features "for developers and early adopters."

Now the ball is in Apple's court, and MacBook Air users are actively awaiting a driver update.

Better that than go back to Firefox.

In Depth: 10 best tech comebacks of all time

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10 best tech comebacks of all time

Sometimes the right person, product or company can be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Brilliant ideas can be buried by bean-counters, the brightest firms can become bogged down in bureaucracy, and fickle fashions can doom perfectly decent designs.

Sometimes, though, the world of tech gives them a second chance — and the comebacks can be anything from amusing to awe-inspiring. These are our favourite tech comebacks. Have we missed any of your favourites?

10. The stylus

We had them for our PDAs, but then styluses fell out of fashion — and things weren't helped by a certain Steve Jobs, who said that if a firm's product used a stylus, "they blew it". But styluses are back! Back! BACK! Samsung and HTC are using them, and Microsoft's sticking digital ink into its Surface tablets too.

9. 3D

3D hasn't had one comeback, but many: it's been around since the early 20th century, boomed in the 50s, fell out of favour, came back in the 80s, bubbled under the radar a bit and then exploded with the help of CGI movies and James Cameron. Today it's in TVs, games consoles and even phones, although history suggests it's probably due to bugger off again any day now.

8. IBM

In the early 1990s, IBM was in trouble. It had become flabby and bureaucratic, was outgunned by younger, fitter rivals and was losing billions. Then, in 1993, new boss Louis Gerstner began to change what he described as an "inbred and ingrown" corporate culture by reversing the breakup of IBM into individual units, shutting projects such as OS/2 and tying staff salaries to company, not division, performance. In 1993 IBM was on Death Row; today it's worth $235 billion.

IBM Watson

7. Adventure games

Many of us have fond adventures of point and click adventure games, but publishers reckon there's no money in making them any more — or at least they did until games legend Tim Schafer turned to crowd-funding website Kickstarter to try and raise $400,000 for a new adventure game. He made a bit more than that: $3,336,371. It seems that there's a market for adventure games after all.

6. Bigtrak

The eighties weren't all Thatcher and pop stars wearing tea towels: we also had Bigtrak, the programmable truck that was great for frightening pets and bringing you sweets very, very slowly. It made a comeback of sorts in 2010 with a small Bigtrak Jr model, but a much more fun, smartphone-controllable XTR version is due any day now.#

5. Nintendo

By the mid-2000s Nintendo had lost its console crown: its DS may have had the handheld, casual market, but you were more likely to see a Sony or Microsoft console under a TV. That changed with the Wii, which targeted — and still targets — a completely different demographic from its specs-obsessed rivals. Casual gamers bought them by the truckload, while hardcore gamers often bought Wiis to sit next to their PS/3s and Xbox 360s.

Wii U

4. Windows phones

We've owned stacks of Windows Mobile devices, but the release of Apple's iPhone in 2007 hammered nails into the coffin of desktop-inspired mobile operating systems. It would be another three years before Microsoft did the right thing, took Windows Mobile into the woods and shot it in the head, but when it did it replaced it with something much tastier: Windows Phone. Credit where credit's due: Microsoft did a sterling job and made mobile Windows cool again.

3. Acorn Computers

The firm that produced the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron fell out of favour by the late 1990s, with its powerful Archimedes computer struggling to find sales outside of the education sector. Its processor, though, lived on: Apple, Acorn and VLSI Technology teamed up to form a new company, Advanced RISC Machines Ltd, which later became ARM— the firm whose processor designs power today's mobile devices from iPads to Samsung Galaxy S3s.

ARM

2. Tablets

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again: Apple's Newton didn't set the world on fire in the 1980s, and Microsoft's Tablet PC didn't take off in the early 2000s. It took a while for the technology to catch up with the vision, with low-power processors and multi-touch displays delivering what tablet computers had long promised, but it was worth the wait. Today, some analysts predict that tablets will soon become our main computing devices.

iPad

1. Apple

Fifteen years ago, people were praying for Apple's survival; now, it's the most valuable company on Earth. Apple's success turned out to be not one comeback, but two: its purple patch began when Steve Jobs returned from exile to regain control of the firm he co-founded. They'll be teaching this one in business schools until the end of time.

Software : In Depth: 10 best free lightweight troubleshooting tools

In Depth: 10 best free lightweight troubleshooting tools

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10 best free lightweight troubleshooting tools

Figuring out exactly why a PC isn't working can be a complicated process, even for experts - there's just so much that can go wrong.

Our latest collection of Tiny Tools can help, though, by providing easy access to hundreds of lightweight, (mostly) portable and free utilities.

Whether you're suffering unexpected crashes or internet issues, Windows update or performance problems, there's something here to help you restore your system to normal working order.

And they're not just for geeks. Many of these tools are so simple that just about anyone can use them to troubleshooting their system problems.

1. WinAudit 2.29 - 924KB

WinAudit

When your computer starts misbehaving then it's usually a good idea to check how it's set up. You could head off to Control Panel, but it's quicker and easier to launch WinAudit, which shows you far more information in a single interface: hardware details, Windows configuration, installed applications, Windows services, startup programs, network settings, it's all here.

This really is an amazing system information tool for its size, then. And even if you don't understand all of it, you can save the report. Email this to a helpful friend and they may spot your problems.

2. Patch My PC 2.1.8 - 353KB

PatchMyPC

Another good first step when troubleshooting PCs is to make sure you're running the latest versions of your installed applications. Doing this manually can be very tedious, of course - but Patch My PC makes the process very straightforward.

Just download the program's single small executable, run it, and in a second or two you'll be notified about any missing updates for a host of common applications and utilities: Adobe Reader, Flash, Java, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, QuickTime, iTunes, 7-Zip, LibreOffice, OpenOffice.org and more, 56 in total.

3. Complete Internet Repair 1.3.1.1315 - 656KB

Complete Internet Repair

Manually fixing network and internet-related issues can be extremely complicated, but fortunately Complete Internet Repair is here to simplify operations. And it really couldn't be much simpler.

Step one: check the box relating to the problem you're having. So if IE is having problems, say, select "Repair Internet Explorer". Or if Windows Updates no longer work, click "Repair Windows / Automatic Updates".

Step two: click "Go", and the program handles everything else - there is no step three.

Be careful, though, don't apply a fix unless you have the problem specified (and, ideally, a system backup to hand), or you might make things worse.

4. System Restore Manager 2.0 - 716KB

System Restore Manager

System Restore is one of the most important Windows troubleshooting tools, so it's unfortunate the operating system does such a great job of hiding its various controls and settings. Still, it doesn't really matter, as the compact and portable System Restore Manager makes them all accessible from one location.

You can view your recent restore points, for instance; delete any you don't need; create a new restore point, or choose one to restore your system.

And whether you want to choose the amount of drive space allocated to system restore, or decide how frequently restore points will be created, the program makes it just as easy.

5. GPU Shark 0.6.3 - 535KB

GPU Shark

If you're seeing crashes or other PC instabilities when you run graphics-intensive software (playing a fast 3D game, say), then it's possible that your graphics card is overheating.

To find out more, just run GPU Shark. You'll be able to monitor GPU temperatures, fan speeds, memory and clock speeds, voltages and other low-level essential technical details, more than enough to help experienced users figure out what's going on. (And a remarkable level of detail considering the program is so lightweight, running from just a single 535KB executable.)

6. GeekUninstaller 1.0.2.4 - 1.75MB

GeekUninstaller

Regular uninstall programs are generally useless, leaving behind a host of junk files and Registry keys to clutter your system and slow your PC down. GeekUninstaller can help, though, scanning your PC for leftovers and making sure it's cleaned up properly.

It can remove programs even if the regular uninstall tool doesn't work. And best of all it requires no installation itself: just run the program and it's ready to go immediately.

7. Recuva 1.42 Portable - 2.08MB

Recuva

Every troubleshooting toolkit needs a decent Undelete program, and Recuva is a very good indeed. Choose the type of files you'd like to recover (pictures, music, documents, more), and it'll scan the relevant drive (or your entire system) in a flash. A Preview window makes it easy to find your lost files, and you can restore them in a couple of clicks.

The only problem: Recuva isn't quite as tiny as we'd like for this particular set of tools. That's because it includes both the 64 and 32-bit edition, though, and deleting Recuva64.exe takes this portable installation down to just a little over 2MB.

8. Snap2HTML 1.5 - 325KB

Snap2html

When you're trying to troubleshoot a PC problem then it often helps to be able to browse the files on its drive. The PC is on the other side of the world? That's where Snap2HTML comes in. Point the program at a drive and it'll create an in-depth HTML report recording every file. And this isn't just a static list, it's a dynamic HTML file which you can browse just like Explorer, making it incredibly easy to find the information you need.

(Beware, the report can become very large on a big drive, making it slow to load. Point it to the particular root folder you need to check, if possible - C:\Program Files, say.)

9. Complete windows Repair 1.7.5 - 4.31MB

Complete Windows Repair

If you're struggling with a complex PC problem and not getting anywhere, Complete windows Repair may be worth a try. This one program can fix issues with the IE, the Windows firewall, your Registry, network, DVD drives, Windows services, sidebar/ gadgets, Windows Update, the Windows Installer and more, all virtually automatically while you sit back and watch.

Please note, though, this is strong medicine, and can sometimes cause more problems than it solves. Make sure you create a system restore point before running any fixes, as the program recommends. And ideally you should have a full system backup available, too.

10. Windows System Control Centre 2.0.5.0 - 3.37MB

Windows System Control Centre

Nirsoft and Sysinternals produce the best tiny troubleshooting tools to be found anywhere. But with more than 250 in total, finding those you need, downloading and managing them can be a problem - unless you install Windows System Control Centre (WSCC).

This fabulous program has a central console which organises both suites of tools into sensible categories: "File and Disk", "Network", "Video/ Audio", "Web Browser" and more.

Helpful descriptions ensure that, whatever your PC problem, you'll quickly find a program to help. And in a couple of clicks you can download and install everything, ready for running on any USB flash drive: the perfect portable troubleshooting toolkit.

Google IO 2012: Google announces expanded suite of Google Drive cloud services

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During the second day of the Google IO 2012 extravaganza, the search giant revealed that their current stable of cloud services will be revamped to better compete in the realm of business-focused cloud computing services from Amazon, Microsoft and Oracle.

Google SVP of Chrome and Apps Sundar Pichai took the stage to introduce some of Google Drive's new functions, claiming that five million businesses, government agencies in 45 states, and 66 of the US's top universities have already "gone Google."

Pichai called the new Google Drive functionality a "radical" change from existing offerings.

A video showed off Google Hangouts, saying "The meeting has gone Google."

Google also showed off new real-time collaboration and offline use for Google Docs.

Google Director of Product Management Clay Bavor then took the stage to announce that Google Drive would be heading to iOS and Chrome OS.

He showed off new image search functionality, by which Drive recognized an image of a pyramid.

A new Google cloud service was rumored over the weekend, when multiple sources reported that Google was readying an announcement for the Google IO 2012conference this week.

Can Google Drive overtake the competition?

Google Drive's new functions will enhance existing offerings like Google Docs and Google Hangouts.

In addition, Google discussed ongoing support for third-party Google Drive apps like Lucidchart, HelloFax and SlideRocket.

But Google's expanded Google Drive services still may not be enough to compete with other services that focus on cloud computing for businesses.

Amazon's main advantage in the field of cloud services is its robust framework, which allows the most open-source compatibility.

Microsoft, meanwhile, has the same advantage they still hold with Internet Explorer; they've been around the longest, and plenty of businesses already rely on them.

Oracle, who announced earlier this month that they'd be entering the competitive cloud fray, has what CEO Larry Ellison called "the most comprehensive Cloud on Earth," and he may be right.

Check out TechRadar's comparison of existing cloud services from earlier this year.

Google Drive has plenty of appeal, but Google has a lot of work to do if it's going to compete in the realm of cloud services for businesses.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Apple : Google IO 2012: Universal Google Chrome, Drive apps arrive on iOS today

Google IO 2012: Universal Google Chrome, Drive apps arrive on iOS today
iTunes redesign set to bolster search and sharing?
Apple TV App Store evidence mounts with new iOS 6 Beta

Google IO 2012: Universal Google Chrome, Drive apps arrive on iOS today

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Google lovers who prefer Apple's iOS mobile devices to Android have good reason to rejoice today with the search giant announcing both the Google Chrome web browser and Google Drive cloud storage arriving later today in the App Store.

Day two of the Google IO 2012 developer conference kicked off on Thursday with a pair of long-awaited announcements that spreads the company's products even further onto Apple's competing mobile platform.

Brian Rakowski, vice president of Google's Chrome division, took the stage today at Google I/O to announce the new Chrome browser for iOS, with full support for syncing across platforms.

Download away!

A universal app for iOS 4.3 or later, the free Google Chrome app will be available sometime Thursday through the App Store; the universal app works equally well on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Close on the heels of that announcement is also word that the company's cloud storage service Google Drive will finally arrive as an iOS app later today as well.

With 5GB of free storage, Google Drive is already available on Mac, PC, Chrome OS and Android, but the universal iOS app adds some real-time collaboration and slick search features that recognize the content of documents and photos.

The free Google Drive is now available to download in the iOS App Store; stay tuned later today for Google Chrome.

iTunes redesign set to bolster search and sharing?

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Apple is looking to overhaul iTunes and bring it up to date for the company's iCloud service.

Changes that are said to be happening include some much-improved search and sharing capabilities and better integration of the iCloud.

This is all according to Bloomberg, which said that the mooted redesign would help users seamlessly access their music, videos and downloaded apps over different Apple gadgets – something that will be welcomed by many who find it frustrating that Apple still makes it hard to have multiple devices working off of one iTunes account.

Media magnet

Apple iTunes has been up and running since 2003 and since then the amount of media filtering through the service has changed immeasurably.

Alongside the 28-odd million songs available, there are also 650,000 applications on board the service and 45,000 movies available.

Not to mention the differing devices now tethering to the service – iPod, iPad, iPhone and Mac… it's all a far cry from the humble iPod and some music.

The new changes should mean that Apple can compete with Spotify when it comes to social sharing and it will simplify the organisation needed to handle all that media and the variety of Apple devices in the home.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a release date for the new-look iTunes – but it would make sense for Apple to launch it alongside the iPhone 5 later in the year.

Apple TV App Store evidence mounts with new iOS 6 Beta

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The newest iOS 6 Beta for the Apple TV set-top box allows app icons to be moved around the homescreen just like on the iPhone and iPad.

That has led some observers to conclude that the rumoured App Store for Apple's favourite 'hobby project' might be on the way sooner rather than later.

The current, paltry array of apps available on the device sure doesn't justify the repositioning of favourite content portals for easier access, as they're never more than about three moves away.

Should Apple open the door for third-party content, like the BBC iPlayer, Sky Go and 4oD and other apps we've seen on connected TV platforms, this functionality may come in handy.

Such a move could also give Apple a head start on content deals for the eagerly-anticipated, yet unconfirmed Apple iTV flatscreen set.

Familiar functionality

Just like the iPhone and the iPad, the new Apple TV functionality (currently only available to developers) makes the app icons wiggle when you want to move them around.

Users simply need to hold down the remote's centre button until the icon begins to shake and then it can be moved to wherever the user sees fit.

The functionality was spotted, on shot on video, by Macmagazine.br. Check it out below.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4XlSrc4Xuk

Software : Google Maps adds offline feature, YouTube app gets Watch Later update

Google Maps adds offline feature, YouTube app gets Watch Later update

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Android users can now download an updated version of Google Maps which allows them to download customisable maps to be accessed offline.

Google Maps 6.9 is being marketed as a tool for exploring new places when you don't have a data connection, perfect for venturing around foreign lands without accruing giant data costs.

Once you've narrowed down the area, you can use the phone's GPS connection to position yourself and navigate around the city without using data. The feature had been announced earlier this month, but is now live.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6sNyKzGOe8

Google Earth and YouTube updated

The company also announced version 7.0 of Google Earth for Android, which brings improved 3D views of a handful of major US cities and Rome.

Beyond that, Google has also rolled-out a new version of its YouTube app for Android, which allows for the pre-loading of clips over Wi-Fi by saving them to a Watch Later list.

This will mean users won't have to use mobile data, and won't have to wait for clips to buffer on slow connections.

All of the updates, as well as the freshly-out-of-Beta Google Chrome browser (ICS and above only), are available to download now from the Google Play store.

Facebook iOS app set for speedy overhaul in July

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The Facebook app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch would probably finish top of the most-used, least-loved chart, but that could be about to change.

The New York Times' tech blog has word that a new official app, built from the ground up, will arrive next month to eliminate the current "painfully slow" user experience.

The reason for the present application's sluggish performance, according to the anonymous developers who spoke to the NYT, is the hybrid programming language.

The present iteration is built with HTML5 components within an Objective-C (the primary programming language used for iOS apps) shell.

That is like "putting the engine of a Smart Car in the body of a Ferrari," points out the NYT's Nick Bilton, who has seen the new app in action.

Meeting its Objectives

The forthcoming update has been built completely using Objective-C, which will make better use of the zippy hardware in iOS devices and bring a "blazing fast" new app.

Facebook has declined to comment on the speculation, but it seems that we'll be getting a new app sooner rather than later, with one goal in mind: Speed.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Apple : Apple tones down claims regarding OS X's unassailable security

Apple tones down claims regarding OS X's unassailable security

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Apple's Mac OS X computers have long been considered more secure than their Windows competitors, but that misconception likely arose from the fact that Apple junkies have historically made up a mere fraction of overall PC users.

Oh, and also from Apple's own rhetoric, which has consistently attempted to paint OS X as an impenetrable fortress of safe computing.

But the growing number of Apple users has made the system an ever-more attractive target for hackers and digital miscreants, as this year's earlier trojan attacks (one and two) made clear.

Now that rhetoric is being quietly altered (it's not exactly the kind of thing you shoot out a press release for, is it?).

Built to be safe

Apple's official OS X page has been somewhat subtly altered in what appears to be an attempt to tone down the company's previously outlandish claims.

What used to read "It doesn't get PC viruses" now says "It's built to be safe."

"A Mac isn't susceptible to the thousands of viruses plaguing Windows-based computers. That's thanks to built-in defenses in Mac OS X that keep you safe, without any work on your part," the site used to read.

However, that text has been replaced with: "Built-in defenses in OS X keep you safe from unknowingly downloading malicious software on your Mac."

The new statement places the blame at users' feet (where it belongs) if anything goes wrong, while no longer pretending that users don't have to put any effort into developing safe internet habits and being smart.

Likewise, another page that previously read, "Safeguard your data. By doing nothing," now says: "Safety. Built right in."

Why the change?

More and more PC users are turning to Apple rather than Microsoft for their OS needs, and Apple could be altering their branding so as not to give customers a false sense of security.

Especially in light of this year's large-scale trojan attacks, it's becoming clear to everyone that OS X isn't as safe as some may have thought.

Apple's new stance on security can certainly be viewed as more realistic, though it may or may not necessarily point to a larger change in consumer strategy for the company.

TechRadar reached out to Apple for comment regarding the company's new down-to-Earth attitude, and this story will be updated if they respond.

Dedicated Apple Podcasts app launched for iOS

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A couple of weeks ago, we heard rumblings that Apple was planning to launch a dedicated app for audio and video podcasts and, lo-and-behold, here it is.

Reports had suggested that Podcasts would be freed from iTunes in iOS 6, but Cupertino has decided to pull the trigger with immediate effect by making the Podcasts app available from the App Store today.

The free app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch allows users to browse and search for podcasts, which can then be streamed, downloaded or subscribed to directly.

Browsing the catalogue will take you to an iTunes Store-esque page where you can search for exactly what you want and also take your pick from the charts.

Suspect Stations interface

The dedicated listening interface looks a little bit like an old-fashioned tapedeck, and definitely looks better on the iPhone than it does the iPad.

There's also a Stations section, which collates popular podcasts and genres and features a host of categories and sub-categories which can be perused, somewhat awkwardly, using a slide-wheel.

The new app should give both audio and video podcasts a little more visibility as they'd become lost in the shuffle within the content-rich iTunes app.

Software : Qualcomm wants devs to 'blow-you-away' with Snapdragon SDK for Android

Qualcomm wants devs to 'blow-you-away' with Snapdragon SDK for Android

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Qualcomm has announced a new developer kit that will give software makers advance access to features of its Snapdragon processors.

The SDKs are only available to developers in preview form at the moment, but the final version should be coming in the following months, using APIs to give them access to the next-gen tech.

Currently only supporting devices with the high-end Snapdragon S4 8960 processors, Qualcomm hopes to bring it to a range of cheaper chip-types in the future too.

Eyes wide shut

Features that devs can make advance use of include camera tricks like facial processing and burst capture. Qualcomm says the APIs are so powerful that it can "see what degree people's eyes are open and what way they're looking".

The SDK also hopes to encourage innovation, particularly in user interfaces by making use of sensor gestures and indoor location pinpointing.

Liat Ben-Zur, Qualcomm's senior director of software, strategy and business development, explained to TechRadar what the platform will mean in terms of mobile innovation and user experiences.

"The whole idea is to help expose the power that sits inside this chip for developers to take advantage of," she said, indicating that this would result in "the next generation of user experiences".

Innovation

The Qualcomm director said that manufacturers are no longer the sole drivers of technological innovation; increasingly, developers are powering the major breakthroughs in mobile computing.

"The world has changed and a lot of the innovation is happening on the developers' side," she said. "And those blow-you-away user experiences are what OEM's want to showcase."

Ben-Zur also stated that fragmentation in the Android ecosystem remains a sensitive area for the chip giant but iterated that the new SDK "absolutely does not" contribute to any cracks within the platform.

"We're adding more capabilities and more APIs - developers can easily check within the code if a device has the capabilities."

Dedicated Apple Podcasts app launched for iOS

Posted:

A couple of weeks ago, we heard rumblings that Apple was planning to launch a dedicated app for audio and video podcasts and, lo-and-behold, here it is.

The free app for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch allows users to browse and search for podcasts, which can then be streamed, downloaded or subscribed to directly.

Browsing the catalogue will take you to an iTunes Store-esque page where you can search for exactly what you want and also take your pick from the charts.

Suspect Stations interface

The dedicated listening interface looks a little bit like an old-fashioned tapedeck, and definitely looks better on the iPhone than it does the iPad.

There's also a Stations section, which collates popular podcasts and genres and features a host of categories and sub-categories which can be perused, somewhat awkwardly, using a slide-wheel.

The new app should give both audio and video podcasts a little more visibility as they'd become lost in the shuffle within the content-rich iTunes app.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Apple : Updated: iPhone 5 release date, news and rumours

Updated: iPhone 5 release date, news and rumours

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iPhone 5 news and rumours

Although widely expected, there was no iPhone 5 in 2011 after all, though the company did announce the iPhone 4S.

So we'll surely see a total revision of the iPhone during 2012. We've gathered together all the latest iPhone 5 rumours to give us a reasonable picture of what Apple's latest handset might be like.

brightcove : 1212352584001

iPhone 5 release date

Given the pattern of Apple's iPhone launches, we're expecting the next-gen iPhone 5 release date to be mid to late 2012.

At Apple's WWDC 2012 event in early June we learnt a lot more about iOS 6, but there was no hardware (well, apart from new Macs). Check out the launch news as well as iOS 6: everything you need to know.

We reported in February that the new iPhone would be launched in October, falling into line with the same release schedule from last year.

According to analyst Shaw Wu, the Cupertino firm has reduced the number of iPhone orders by 20%-25% for this quarter ahead of the release.

It seems that Foxconn will again be manufacturing the handset. It'll put the Samsung Galaxy S3 "to shame" according to the CEO of Foxconn, Terry Gou - though he didn't say how.

However, a "Taiwan-based supply chain source" told DigiTimes in early May that Chinese firm Pegatron Technology has the iPhone 5 order ahead of a scheduled September launch.

According to the report Pegatron has also received orders for a 10-inch iPad, which is due to launch at the end of this year - which sounds equally spurious.

iPhone 5 form factor

We reckon iPhone 5 is still the favourite for the name of the new iPhone, but it could follow the new iPad and end up being called, simply, the new iPhone. We really hope not. One thing is for sure, Apple has already filed a complaint over the ownership of the iPhone5.com URL.

iPhone 5 form factor

Unlike the iPhone 4S, the new iPhone will 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 iPhone 5 prototype said in November 2011 that Steve Jobs canned the new size and opted for the iPhone 4S. 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.

An iPhone 5 backplate leaked in early May - they were acquired by 9to5 Mac, but look like the combination of a lot of the other rumours we've heard about the shape and size of the new handset. These feature bigger speaker grills as well as a four inch screen and a two-tone back with brushed aluminum .

The two-tone back was also spotted in a video from eTrade Supply, which again showed the relocation of the headphone jack as well as a smaller connector and redesigned speaker grills.

A detailed video render of all the iPhone 5 rumoured/leaked images was also uploaded to YouTube in early June.

iPhone 5 specs

Based 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 new iPhone 5 - probably called the Apple A6. We've seen 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.

We had expected some kind of help in terms of predicting the iPhone 5 CPU from the launch of the new iPad, but the announcement of a slightly tweaked A5X processor really didn't help things there.

According to a tip to 9to5Mac, the CPU will be the S5L8950X. Again this could be a derivative of the A5, but as 9to5Mac points out, Apple is probably working on a low-power 32nm version of the processor. As we could well have guessed, that processor will be manufactured by Samsung but designed by Apple itself.

The same report suggests 1GB of RAM, which seems right to us.

In terms of other specs aside from the screen (more on that below), rumours are persisting that the iPhone 5 may have a new dock connector. The leaked 9to5Mac iPhone 5 backplate has this smaller dock connector.

iPhone 5 backplate

[Image credit: 9to5Mac]

TechCrunch reported in June that the sixth generation of iPhone will come with a 19-pin connector on its base, with Apple ditching the iconic 30-pin port which has graced previous iPhones, iPads and iPods.

Well, it had to happen sometime didn't it?

iPhone 5 will have 4G/LTE support

After the new iPad's launch brought 4G to an Apple device, it's widely expected that 4G will come to iPhone 5. And with 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 late this year or maybe early next.

Because of the 4G fuss over the new iPad in the UK, we'd expect this to be played down in any UK handset - or the UK might get a different version entirely of course.

4G mobile broadband and LTE explained

Steve Jobs' iPhone 5 legacy

Many sites have reported that Steve Jobs was working hard on the iPhone 5 project, which will apparently be a "radical redesign". We shall see... but the fact the iPhone 4S was so similar to the iPhone 4 suggests that Steve was working on something pretty special before

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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."

According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with Apple's plans, Jobs "had worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death".

iPhone 5 screen

Various 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 2011, 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.

In March 2012, new reports suggested that the new iPhone 5 would come sporting a larger 4.6-inch retina display, while April rumours even suggested the next iPhone will use new touch technology.

During May, The Wall Street Journal cited sources as saying the device will definitely sport a 4-inch display - which seems to be the broader consensus as well - other prototypes are similar in size. However, Apple CEO Tim Cook seemed to dampen the 'larger screen' speculation at the recent D:10 conference, saying the company has "one phone with one screen size, one resolution".

Those of you who are keen Apple watchers will, however, know that he is wrong - the currently-available 3GS does not have the same resolution as the iPhone 4 and 4S.

Whatever, it seems Sony is involved with the display and it has been making the screen since February, ramping up production from May. A larger screen will also be welcomed by developers, as Mobilebloom points out.

iPhone 5 digital wallet - NFC

There's been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card.

However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, as well as a host of other top smartphones, 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".

On April 30 2012 an Apple patent filing reinforced the idea NFC in iPhone 5 - and leaked code from something purporting to be the new iPhone also contains a lot of information on NFC in the new iPhone.

iPhone 5 camera

Sony 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. It's also been reported that the new iPhone will have an HD front-facing camera as well.

An interesting titbit via MirrorlessRumors is around a removable iPhone back panel that would include the camera lens has been spotted in a patent document. It seems to show that the device would work either by swapping the panel, or rotating the panel to change lenses.

iPhone 5 price

If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S 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.

It's pretty much nailed on that the new iPhone will cost around £500 for a 16GB / 32GB model (depending on the capacity Apple whacks in there) and unless the iPhone 5 comes with some truly next generation technology that pricing model should hold firm.

Will the iPhone 5 be Liquidmetal?

Apple has added a further two years onto its exclusivity deal for the Liquidmetal technology, which also includes future updates to the tech.

Liquidmetal is a metal alloy which is super strong and boasts a range of unique properties, apparently making it perfect for consumer products.

Apple has only used the technology once so far, and that was for the small SIM card tray ejector tool for the iPhone 3G. There are rumblings that iPhone 5 could sport a Liquidmetal chassis.

iPhone 5 review

TechRadar is renowned for its 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.

As for the name, well it looks like it will be called iPhone 5. Apple has certainly been trying to protect the name iPhone 5 - and has even launched a claim over the iPhone5.com domain name.

iPhone 5 - what will it look like?

There's a lot of 'information' out there on what the new iPhone 5 will look like - be it larger screens, coloured backs or a whole glut of new technology tagged on the back.

However, while there's (unsurprisingly) nothing in the way of a genuine leak from Apple when it comes to the iPhone 5, there's a wealth of content from fans trying to guess/hint what the new iPhone will look like.

We've sifted through the wheat and dropped the chaff - here's our gallery of images we think show the most likely design of the iPhone 5 (or just things that would clearly never happen, but come on... it's cool).

iPhone 5

Credit: Martin Utrecht (Flickr)

This is the pick of the bunch - a very impressive render based on all the iPhone 5 rumours collated so far. The two tone back and sleek design from Martin Utrecht are so on message that a number of sites were fooled into thinking this was THE new iPhone. It's not though. Don't get excited.

iPhone 5

Credit: Ciccarese Design

We're fans of this design not because it's likely to happen, but more because it will appeal to the Apple fanboys of the world. It's basically the unholy fusion of a Magic Mouse and an iPhone (with more than a nod to the much-fabled iPhone HD) from Ciccarese Design.

Although if it did double as a mouse, you'd have to pray that's going to be the next generation of Gorilla Glass protecting the screen.

iPhone 5

Credit: NAK Phone Design

This is the most 'normal' of all the renders we've chosen here, and for that very reason we're happy to state that if Apple goes in a new direction with the iPhone 5 design, this could very well be close to the mark with a more rounded-yet-industrial design.

However, it does look a bit like a Sony Ericsson Satio, which is a BAD THING. Although we do like the smorgasbord of colours here from NAK.

Credit: tob!s

What's this?A phone with a smart cover? That makes a lot of sense. The rest of the concept is a little on the bland side (although you should check out the full range over on Concept-Phones) with a more angular design, but we love this cover notion.

Credit: ADR Studios

We love this concept for one reason: the idea of incorporating the home button into a dock at the bottom of the screen. Would it work in practice? Probably not, as it would only be relevant for the home screen and engineering that into an LCD panel would be a pain in the posterior.

But we're in concept land here - there are no limitations, so kudos to ADR Studios for a decent range of ideas on the next iPhone.

And to that end, here's the ultimate in concepts for the iPhone - a video from Aatma that comes up with the idea of projecting a keyboard from the iPhone using a laser.

Make. This. Happen.

YouTube : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzsBwnv_dAg

In Depth: MacBook Pro 2012: everything you need to know

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MacBook Pro 2012 release date, news and specs

Apple has updated its new MacBook Pro with the latest Intel Core processors, faster graphics and flash storage that, according to the company, is up to twice as fast as the previous generation.

As if that wasn't enough, there's also a new, thinner, retina display version of the MacBook Pro too, which also has flash storage as standard. So that means there are now six separate products in the MacBook Pro line:

15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display 2.3GHz - £1,799
15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display 2.6GHz - £2,299
15-inch MacBook Pro 2.6GHz - £1,799
15-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz - £1,499
13-inch MacBook Pro 2.9GHz - £1,249
13-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz - £999

As you'll note - and as was predicted - the 17-inch MacBook Pro has now ceased to be.

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MacBook Pro 2012 release date

All the new MacBook Pro 2012 models are available now.

MacBook Pro 2012 processors

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models have been updated with the latest Ivy Bridge-spec Intel Core processors. Everything but the basic £999 13-inch MacBook Pro now has a Core i7 on board - see above for the speeds of the various models. Speeds are up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.6 GHz. You can also configure a 2.7GHz quad-core inside the top-end retina display model.

MacBook Pro 2012 graphics

Once again Nvidia provides the discrete graphics inside the MacBook Pro, though the 13-inch doesn't get the extra help, instead sticking with the integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chip. It's a different story for the bigger size notebook though; the 15-inch 2.3GHz configuration comes with the 512MB version of the Nvidia GeForce GT 650M. The 2.6Ghz 15-inch and both retina display models have the 1GB variant of the GeForce GT 650M.

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MacBook Pro 2012 storage and memory

Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro can be configured with a 1TB hard drive or SSDs up to 512GB. As before, the MacBook Pro features a Thunderbolt port.

The 2.5 GHz 13-inch MacBook Pro is available with 4GB of memory and 500GB hard drive, while the 2.9 GHz dual-core version has 8GB of memory and a 750GB hard drive.

The 2.3GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro is available with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive. The 2.6 GHz version features 8GB of memory and a 750GB hard drive.

The two retina display MacBook Pros both have flash storage - 256GB and 512GB respectively. You can upgrade the higher end model to 768GB if you've the extra cash. These have 8GB of memory.

As you may have heard, there's no optical drive in the next generation MacBook Pro retina model, though there is in the standard MacBook Pro 13 and 15-inch line.

MacBook Pro 2012 retina display

The retina display models boast a staggering resolution. You get a 15.4-inch LED-backlit IPS display which clocks in at 2,880 x 1,800 resolution. That's 220 pixels per inch, so not as good as the iPhone 4, 4S and iPad though - the latter is 264ppi, while the iPhone 4 and 4S is 326ppi. The standard MacBooks have 1,280 x 800 resolution displays.

Retina

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MacBook Pro 2012 dimensions and weight

As for the standard models, both are 2.41 cm in height. The 13-inch is 32.5 x 22.7cm, while the 15-inch is 36.4cm x 24.9cm. The weight of them is 2.06Kg and 2.56Kg.

The retina display version of the MacBook Pro brings the thickness down to just 1.8cm, while the footprint is slightly smaller than the standard 15-inch at 35.89 x 24.71 cm. Weight is just over 2Kg.

MacBook Pro 2012 connectivity

Apple has finally buckled to USB 3.0 and HDMI - we're glad to finally see these on the Mac and it's sad Apple decided to go the Thunderbolt route in previous preference. However, HDMI is only provided on the retina display MBP which also has two USB 3.0 ports plus an SDXC card slot and two Thunderbolts for connection to other display standards including DisplayPort, DVI and VGA. You can also connect this to FireWire and Gigabit Ethernet via adapters you'll need to buy separately.

The standard MacBook Pro models retain FireWire and also have a Gigabit Ethernet port in addition to Thunderbolt (which also connects to other display standards including HDMI). There's a combined line in/out on the 13-inch, while these are separated out on the 15-inch. You also get a Kensington lock slot on the standard models.

All have 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. There's also dual microphones on the MacBook Pro with retina display.

MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro 2012 battery life

Apple says the and 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros deliver up to 7 hours of wireless battery life - yep, that includes the retina display model too.

MacBook Pro 2012 and OS X Mountain Lion

The MacBook Pro 2012 ships with OS X Lion. Starting today, customers who purchase a Mac are eligible for a free copy of OS X Mountain Lion when it becomes available.

Retina

MacBook Pro 2012: all our previous rumours

A thinner MacBook Pro with no optical drive

While you might imagine Apple would make the MacBook Pro resemble its Air line, the latest rumours suggest that's not the case. Slashgear reckoned the case will remain much as it is in the current models, but the space will be used differently: the optical drive will be removed, the battery will be increased in size, and SSDs for boot drives would become standard (possibly Samsung's fast 830 series, according to 9to5Mac).

9to5Mac also said in May that Apple would ditch the optical drive, but thought it would nonetheless reduce the MacBook Pro's thickness a little, but the case won't taper like the Air's.

Developer Marco Arment added that Apple could ditch the glass in front of the display in favour of glossy plastic, like in the Air, to save on weight.

MacBook Pro 2012 gains USB 3, loses FireWire

The 9to5Mac report said the 2012 MacBook Pro will be the first Mac to sport USB 3, offering three ports. Other ports include one each for charging, audio in, audio out and an SD card slot, and two for Thunderbolt. The new MacBook Pros will ditch Ethernet and probably also FireWire. Arment explained that will be down to the thinness of the case not providing enough room for those ports, and quipped: "Expect video pros to complain."

MacBook Pro to gain a Retina display

As reported by AppleInsider and others, DigiTimes was naturally first to claim the MacBook Pro would sport a Retina display, boasting a resolution of 2880-by-1800 pixels on the 15-inch model. This would, it said, differentiate the laptop from those made by other brands.

An Ars Technica report in March added fuel to the fire, having unearthed double-sized images within OS X Mountain Lion. Interestingly, the 9to5Mac report added Apple might ditch pixel-based resolution settings with the new MacBook Pro, instead using descriptions such as 'big', 'small' and 'optimal'.

However, CNET put a spanner in the works by noting relevant displays already exist but are $100 more than those Apple currently uses.

The Cupertino giant will save some money by ditching an optical drive and using its massive cash pile to secure displays for the cheapest possible price, but the question is whether the MacBook Pro will nonetheless see a price-rise in an increasingly competitive market.

Ivy Bridge processors in the MacBook Pro

According to Bloomberg the 2012 MacBook Pros will run on Intel's Ivy Bridge processors with Nvidia graphics.

According to the previously mentioned 9to5Mac report, this combination is "perfect for a high-end professional notebook", and will boost performance while also potentially improving battery life. MacRumors in May appeared to confirm this rumour with a report on Geekbench database updates that included a 'MacBookPro9,1' entry.

The relevant model was running OS X 10.8, had a 2.7 GHz processor, and its score was 12,252, compared to 10,500 for the corresponding current MacBook Pro processor.

No 17-inch MacBook Pro - at least for now

In a MacRumors report on Retina display costs, Eric Slivka noted that the issue of the 17-inch model was 'unaddressed', not least because it would require a display of 3840-by-2400, which could mean a massive price-hike.

In the report, Slivka suggested the 17-inch model would, as usual, simply lag behind the rest of the line in terms of updates, although in an earlier article he cited a research analyst that said the 17-inch model would simply be quietly discontinued, in order to streamline the range.

MacBook Pro 2012 release date

According to the Bloomberg report, the new MacBook Pros will be unveiled at WWDC 2012, starting June 11.

Typically, Apple gets its kit on to the store extremely quickly after such announcements, and so it's possible you'll be able to order a new MacBook Pro this month. As reported by 9to5Mac, Amazon appears to be banking on this being the case, having just added laptops and netbooks to its US trade-in program.

However, Cult of Mac reported in late May on a DigiTimes story regarding supply chain 'havoc'.

Massive orders from Apple during the industry's "slow season" means demand reportedly cannot be met for a 'possible' July release. Still, you know, it's DigiTimes, and so chances are Apple's already had its MacBook Pros shipped out, and is now just waiting for everyone to open their wallets.

Expect the next-generation MacBook Pro to be thinner, faster and lovelier than this current model