Category Archives: News

Apple Addresses Privacy Issues With New Agreement

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Chris


Following from the revelation that iOS apps could easy gain access to contact lists and other personal data, the Office of the Attorney General for California has announced that Apple has signed up to new privacy policies and requirements for apps that they sell to access personal data (via MacRumors). The agreement, made by other companies such as Amazon, Google, Hewlett Packard, RIM and Microsoft, means that the policies of apps that collect private data can be seen more transparently prior to a user downloading an app from the App Store.

“The Act requires operators of commercial web sites and online services, including mobile apps, who collect personally identifiable information about Californians to conspicuously post a privacy policy. This agreement will allow consumers the opportunity to review an app’s privacy policy before they download the app rather than after, and will offer consumers a consistent location for an app’s privacy policy on the application-download screen”

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Microsoft Office App For iPad Screenshot

Posted on February 21, 2012 by AppleBitch


Following on from their launch of MS Office OnLive for iPad, Microsoft appear to have decided to go one further and release a native Microsoft Office iPad app. According to some screenshots leaked by The Daily, the new Office iPad app has wrapped development and will soon be getting submitted to the Apple review team for inclusion on the iOS App Store.

According to the report, sources who had some hands on time with the app are reporting an interface that has strong similarities to the UI in the Windows Phone and the upcoming Windows 8 OS. The app is initially allowing Word, Excel and Powerpoint files to be created or edited on the iPad itself, but there is no word on a release date as yet.
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iPad 2 And iPad 3 Pictured Together

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Mark


A new set of pictures has appeared that show the iPad 2 and the iPad 3 side by side, giving a better idea of the changes in design that will be seen when the as-yet-unannounced iPad 3 is expected to be announced next month. The pictures, from MICGadget, appear to show the two iPad models on top of each other from various angles and, if accurate, seem to show that the iPad 3 is marginally thicker than the iPad 2, as has been rumored previously.

In addition, the new iPad 3 has more tapering of the aluminum rear panel near the edges of the device which is likely to make the device ‘feel’ very thin to users that handle it, despite the fact that it seems to be a little thicker than the iPad 2. The pictures also seem to indicate that Apple certainly isn’t varying very far from the design of the iPad 2 and that it would be very difficult to tell the iPad 2 and the iPad 3 apart without looking very closely.
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Rumor: Brand New iTunes Store And App Store To Launch This Year

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Lily


A new report is suggesting that Apple is hard at work revamping the user interface and structure of the iTunes and iOS App Store fronts and that the new UI will launch later this year. According to 9to5Mac, the new interface will make it easier for consumers to find and download quality new apps and music, putting continued focus on purchasing, downloading and consuming content.

The site is reporting that the new interface will be more simple than the current iTunes interface and will be much more focused upon interactivity and the user experience. The new interface will likely be designed to reflect the increasing importance of the App Store in the Apple ecosystem. As the number of apps increases, so does the difficulty in finding quality apps, or quite simply, that app that you are looking for.
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Rumor: iPhone 5 For Fall 2012 Launch

Posted on February 20, 2012 by AppleBitch


The next version of the iPhone, the iPhone 5 if following historical nomenclature, will be released by Apple in the Fall of this year, according to Japanese site Macotakara. The site reports that they have some reliable Asian sources that suggest that the company is establishing a new release schedule for the iPhone and will be maintaining a Fall release date for the next generation iPhone, as they did with the iPhone 4S.

Initially, new iPhone models were released in the summer time frame, around June or July. However, when the summer of 2011 passed by without so much as a glimpse of the iPhone 4S, there was much tearing of hair as consumers tried to work out how this would affect their upgrade cycle. The launch of the iPhone 4S in October was, therefore, a relief.
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VLC 2.0 For Mac OS X Is Unleashed

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Dave


One of the best video players on the Mac, and indeed iOS devices for a time, has finally received a major update and has been released to the public. VLC, published by VideoLan, has received the major retooling involving a completely new UI and under the hood improvements. The app itself is an invaluable tool that is known for playing almost any type of video or audio file that is thrown at it and the new update certainly carries on that tradition and doesn’t disappoint.

The new interface is a big improvement over the two window dated UI that was part of the first VLC app. Now, the app is contained in a single window and users just have to drag a file on to the app and it will play. The app itself doesn’t hog system resources and has a relatively small footprint for the amount of functionality that it contains and the fact that it is free of charge just adds to the attraction. It should definitely be near the top of any list that includes video players for OS X.
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Lawsuit Settlement Means iPhone 4 Buyers In Line For Free Bumper Or $15

Posted on February 19, 2012 by Lily


When the iPhone 4 was first released, there was a lot of furor over the fact that if you held the iPhone handset in such a way i.e. by grasping your hand over the device and bridging the two antennas, there was a noticeable drop in signal strength. Despite the fact that the phenomenon occured in almost every smartphone, a significant amount of media coverage meant that Apple was forced to hold a press conference and address the issue. Unsatisfied with the response, a number of consolidated lawsuits against Apple were launched.

The lawsuits claim that Apple was “misrepresenting and concealing material information in the marketing, advertising, sale, and servicing of its iPhone 4–particularly as it relates to the quality of the mobile phone antenna and reception and related software”. However, as of Friday, CNET reports that a preliminary settlement for these lawsuits has now been reached with Apple now having to offer US residents who have already purchased an iPhone 4 either a free bumper or $15 in cash as compensation.
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iPad 3 Screen Confirmed As Retina Display

Posted on February 18, 2012 by AppleBitch


A screen which is believed to be destined for the iPad 3 has been put under a microscope and confirmed to have four times as many pixels as the existing iPad 2 models, essentially making the Retina Display enabled iPad 3 a foregone conclusion. Intrepid investigators at MacRumors managed to secure a screen believed to be produced for the iPad 3 and, after close microscopic examination, have found that it carries a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels in a 9.7 inch display, meaning that the device will have display quality similar to that found in the iPhone 4 and 4S.

As suggested, the increased resolution means that the device will now support what Apple has termed the ‘Retina Display’. This means that the pixel density is so great that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels on the screen. This also means that, with the proportional scaling up of the display, iOS developers will have little trouble scaling up their apps for the new display.
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Apple Announces 25 Billion Apps Competition

Posted on February 17, 2012 by AppleBitch


Apple has today announced the launch of a competition with a $10,000 prize for the person that downloads the 25 billionth app from the App Store. The celebration reflects the fact that the App Store is approaching 25 billion downloads since launch and Apple wants to celebrate it in style. The lucky person who downloads the 25 billionth app will receive an iTunes gift card worth $10,000.

Entrants can either enter the traditional way and try to peg when the 10 billionth download will take place or you can complete an entry form (up to 25 per day).
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SpiderArm iPad 2 Case

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Chris


If you thought that there are already some weird iPad 2 cases and stands floating around, then think again. A new mounting case from SpiderArm brings some pretty funky mounting karma to the iPad 2, with 360 degree adjustability and interchangeability. The system apparently help to reduce neck strain and muscle fatigue. From the press release:

“The system includes two base units; a two-way SurfaceMount™ that is padded to protect furniture and can be secured to a table or desk, and a three-way VersaMount™ for securing onto a wall, under a cabinet or near your work station. Much like spiders themselves who can survive in all types of habitats, the SpiderArm system can be used in nearly any environment and the multiple mounts provided in the system means you can move your iPad from room to room.”

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