Amazon Not Selling New Apple TV Any More?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Lily


AppleBitch has been informed that Amazon.com has ceased selling new units of the current generation of Apple TV from its own stock, Following on from recent reports that the retailer showed an sharp increase in shipping times for the Apple TV, Amazon.com has removed listings of new Apple TV’s from the shelves of its online store. Consumers looking for the second generation Apple TV device will have to either go elsewhere, or purchase a used or refurbished version.

The news comes as rumors swirl about an imminent upgrade to the Apple TV, with a third generation model potentially set for launch next month alongside the iPad 3. Amazon certainly doesn’t appear to be the only retailer discontinuing the model though as 9to5Mac spotted that other major stores such as Best Buy and Walmart have ‘erased them from existance’.
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Rumor: iOS 5.1 Leaked, New ‘Fast’ Camera Access

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Dave


A new pre-release build of the next generation of Apple’s operating system for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, iOS 5.1, has apparently been leaked to the Portuguese site BlogdoiPhone (via MacRumors). As such, they have posted screenshots of what is reportedly a revamped lock screen, featuring a new camera control feature. The camera icon is now reportedly present all the time in the lock screen whereas previously users would have had to double tap the Home button on their iOS device to click it.

But what about accidental presses of the camera icon, you may ask? The new screenshot, if genuine, appears to show a camera icon that requires an upward swipe i.e. it would not be activated by an over enthusiastic side swipe to unlock the device. So one upward swipe would be all that is required for the camera app to launch, a new feature that is sure to please users who have been frustrated in trying to take a quick picture when their iPhone is locked.
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Apple Unifies Software Update Process In OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Lily


Following on from today’s Developer release and announcement of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, a few details are beginning to emerge which give some indication of Apple’s future plans for the Mac. One of the more interesting things to appear is that Apple has packaged the Software Update process inside the Mac App Store. The move, spotted by iClarified, indicates the importance that Apple is placing on the Mac App Store for managing Mac software in the future. The Software Update function is still available in the Apple menu but clicking it launches a new section within the Mac App Store.

The reasons behind this are probably related to the unification of the Mac software with iOS devices and, more readily, a more logical process for users. Currently, in Lion, users have to use two software update functions; one core software update command from the Apple menu and one from the Mac App Store for installed apps. With the update, users still have to click the Software Update function but I’m wondering if this will disappear in future releases so that the Mac App Store update button will be all that remains. The update will also bring the Mac more in line with iOS devices in that the iOS App Store is the central area for updates.
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Apple Announces OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Posted on February 16, 2012 by AppleBitch


Apple has today announced the next version of the Mac OS X operating system version 10.8, codenamed Mountain Lion. The new operating system will include over 100 new features, some of which inspired by features that have historically been offered in the iOS operating system for Apple mobile devices. As it currently stands, those wishing to get a glimpse of the new OS can visit the Mountain Lion preview page on Apple’s website. For registered members of Apple’s Developer Program, an early developer preview is being offered for download and installation.

Mountain Lion will bring a whole host of new features such as Messages which is a replacement for iChat and will allow users to receive and send iMessages on their Mac. In addition, the new OS will bring Reminders and Notes apps, familiar to iOS users. For gamers, Game Center will also be making an appearance on the Mac. A great new feature will also be Notification Center which will act much in the same way as Growl and bring desktop notifications for programs like e-mail and Twitter, fully integrated into Mountain Lion, to the Mac.
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Apple Issues Statement On User Data Access

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Mark


An Apple spokesperson has issued a statement on the matter of apps being able to access the personal data that is stored within a user’s Address Book on an iOS device. The statement, sent to AllThingsD, was issued by Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr and notes that the company will be releasing software updates in the future that prelude apps from accessing personal data without gathering explicit permission from the device owner. The statement reads;

“Apps that collect or transmit a user’s contact data without their prior permission are in violation of our guidelines…We’re working to make this even better for our customers, and as we have done with location services, any app wishing to access contact data will require explicit user approval in a future software release.”

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Keep Clear: When An App Goes Viral

Posted on February 15, 2012 by AppleBitch


There is a thin line between success and failure on the iOS App Store, particularly given the fact that there is now in excess of half a million apps on the Store and there can be only so many at the top. What makes an app hit the heady heights of apps like Angry Birds, Reeder, Path or Instapaper? Some rely on functionality, some rely on heavy marketing and some rely on a sexy UI. That’s where the Clear app comes in.

Clear is a to-do list app that was released today onto the iOS App Store for $0.99. The app, it’s pre-release popularity bolstered by heavy marketing and a resultant high amount of anticipation will likely hit the top seller list very, very quickly. The app itself looks very simple, allowing the user to utilize a wide range of multi-touch gestures to control the app and compile to-do lists in an easy and fun manner.
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Rumor: March 7th Is The Day Of The iPad 3

Posted on February 14, 2012 by AppleBitch


March 7th is apparently going to be the day when Apple is planning on unveiling the iPad 3 to the world. This is according to a new report from iMore who are suggesting that Apple will host a media event in the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, located in San Francisco. The YBCA is no stranger to iPad announcements because Apple also happened to choose this venue for the launch of both the iPad and the iPad 2.

The source of the information is unclear but, according to the site, have been reliable in the past. Certainly the day is free in the YBCA calendar and fits with previous reports that Apple would introduce the device in the first week of March.
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Rumor: Smaller 8 Inch iPad, Smaller Chance

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Dave


A new report is suggesting that Apple is collaborating with supplier partners to test a new 8 inch iPad that is smaller and more compact than the current iPad 2 model and the rumored iPad 3. The WSJ is suggesting that Apple floating the idea of an 8 inch tablet with suppliers and is looking to indentify potential component manufacturers for the new tablet.

The report goes on to suggest that there wouldn’t be any dramatic resolution changes between the iPad and the ‘iPad-mini’ as some are calling it and therefore developers wouldn’t need to resize their apps to run on a different resolution. However, it is cautioned in the article that Apple unsurprisingly plays with new sizes and designs all the time and, as such, this device may never see the light of day.
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A Crazy Experience: Buying An iPhone 4S In Hong Kong

Posted on February 13, 2012 by AppleBitch


The iPhone 4S recently launched in China to massive crowds and overwhelming demand. Eager punters looking to get hold of the device have caused such problems, and sometimes, riots at Apple retail stores, that Apple has had to implement a lottery system in Hong Kong. The incredible demand for the device, helped in no small part by a huge number of scalpers looking to get hold of multiple iPhone 4S units for sale on the grey market.

The lottery system implemented by Apple means that Hong Kong residents have to enter a lottery between 9am and 12pm each morning in order to secure an appointment at the Apple Store to potentially purchase an iPhone 4S. The lottery requires that entrants supply the number printed on their government-issued ID, as well as being limited to two units per person. Having had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong in the past few days, I decided to look at what the iPhone 4S market in Hong Kong is actually like, as well as conducting a small experiment. The results were weird.
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Rumor: Brand New MacBook Pro Design Coming This Year

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Lily


A new rumor is suggesting that Apple will abandon the current design of the MacBook Pro this year in favor of a new Air-like design. According to a rumor sourced by AppleInsider from the dreaded ‘people familiar with the Apple roadmap’, the current design of the Pro will be discontinued and a design that is based on the thin, and highly popular, MacBook Air will be introduced in its place. The new models will apparently lose the optical drive that is currently in the MacBook Pro but not in the Air, and will be introduced initially in 15 and 17 inch models.

The new MacBook Pro would likely retain the aluminum unibody that has proven so popular among Apple laptop users, and has certainly been a regular feature in the rumor mill for the past couple of years, particularly since the launch of the updated MacBook Air design. Certainly the loss of an optical drive would be a reasonable assumption given the fact that Apple has discontinued offering its products by that medium. It only seemed to be a matter of time.
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