Apple posts record revenue, earnings for Q1 2011
In a display of perfect timing, Apple blew past analyst expectations in reporting the best financial performance in its history today.Apple reported revenue of $26.74 billion and profits of $6 billion, or $6.43 per share. Revenue was up 71 percent from a year ago, and earnings were up 78 percent. Analysts were expecting revenue of $24.38 billion and earnings per share of $5.38.The company's gross margins dipped slightly to 38.5 percent compared with 40.9 percent a year ago, as Apple had forecast during the company's last earnings call.The report followed news yesterday that CEO Steve Jobs will be taking an indefinite leave of absence from the company to focus on his ongoing health problems. He retains CEO duties, while COO Tim Cook will handle the day-to-day operations of the company. Apple included a quote from Jobs in the press release accompanying the earnings report today. "We had a phenomenal holiday quarter with record Mac, iPhone, and iPad sales," Jobs said. "We are firing on all cylinders and we've got some exciting things in the pipeline for this year including iPhone 4 on Verizon which customers can't wait to get their hands on." Apple shares opened down more than $20 this morning in the aftermath of Monday's revelation that Jobs would be taking a medical leave of absence. They rebounded to close down $7.83 at $340.65, and Wall Street responded warmly to the blow-out earnings report, sending shares up almost 2 percent to $342.07 in after-hours trading.Apple said it sold 4.13 million Macs during the quarter, 23 percent more than the holiday quarter a year ago; 16.24 million iPhones, 86 percent better than a year ago; 19.45 million iPods during the quarter, down 7 percent from a year ago; and 7.33 million iPads.Apple continued to put away cash, adding $9.8 billion during the quarter, putting its bank account balance at more than $60 billion. Sales of the iPhone more than doubled from last year. CFO Peter Oppenheimer said on an earnings call with analysts that the company recorded $10.47 billion in revenue alone from the sale of iPhones and related accessories.In its first holiday quarter, Apple was able to increase its supply of iPads, which had been problematic for the company since its debut in stores in April. "We increased dramatically last quarter," Cook said. "That did get us into supply/demand balance and allowed us to expand to a total of 46 countires during the quarter and we're confident enough to add another 15 countries during January."Oppenheimer said the company made $4.61 billion in revenue alone from the sale of iPad and iPad accessories. Continuing close to where Jobs left off during the previous quarter's earnings call, Cook said he foresees little competition from Android tablets, especially the current crop that's shipping with versions of Android not optimized for tablets.In that case, "You wind up with a scaled-up smartphone, which is a bizarre product in our view.It's hard for me to understand if somebody does a side-by-side (comparison) with an iPad, I think an enormous percentage of people are going to select an iPad. Those are not tablets we have any concern on," he said.Cook is similarly unimpressed with the forthcoming Android 3.0 Honeycomb-based tablets announced earlier this month at CES."There's nothing shipping yet, so I don't know. Generally they lack performance specs, price, (shipping) timing. Today, they're vapor," said Cook. "We'll assess them as they come out. However, we're not sitting still. And we have a huge first mover advantage. We have an incredible user experience from iTunes to the App Store and enormous number of apps and a huge ecosystem, so we're very, very confident in entering in a fight with anyone." When asked about whether the iPad is cannibalizing Mac sales, Cook said he assumes it is somewhat. But he added that he's confident that the "halo effect" that brought new Mac users to Apple once the iPod went mainstream would be repeated with the iPad."If the iPad or tablets do cannibalize the PC market, keep in mind we have low share in the PC market. The other guys will lose a lot more (share), and we have a lot more to win because of that," he said. "Cannibalization is not something we're spending one minute on here." Apple's retail stores had their best quarter yet during the holiday shopping season, with revenue of $3.9 billion. Collectively, Apple Stores in China are the highest trafficked stores and have the highest average revenue of any of the company's retail outlets, according to Oppenheimer.Though not asked directly, Cook subtly tried to quell any unspoken concerns analysts had over a possible future of Apple without Jobs during the call. His message was essentially "business as usual.""We're very heavy with product pipeline. The team here has an unparalleled depth and breadth with talent and a culture of innovation that Steve has driven in the company," said Cook. "Excellence has become a habit. We feel very confident in the future of the company."Updatd at 3:08 p.m. PT with details from the earnings call.
Lynksys intros advanced NAS servers
Lynksys intros advanced NAS servers
Network-attached storage servers, in my opinion, have generally not been user-friendly enough. Even the easiest-to-use ones require some getting used to. This is looking to change with the two new Media Hub series released under the networking giant's marketing brand "Linksys by Cisco" at CES this year, the NMH400 and the NMH300. The NMH300 series is a budget solution that offers just the core features of the Media Hub, and you need to use a computer to manage the device. The NMH400 series, on the other hand, features an LCD screen that lets users view a variety of information and perform certain tasks without a PC, such as updating firmware or making instant backups. The NMH400 series also has a 6-in-1 card reader for users to transfer content of flash media onto the Media Hub without the need for a computer. Much like the HP MediaVault, both Media Hub series feature two hard-drive bays--each can take SATA hard drives of any sizes. One of the bays is occupied with a drive from Linksys. The NMH300 series come with a 500GB hard drive, while the NMH400 series also offer an option of 1TB. The second bay is left empty for users to upgrade. According to Linksys, the new NAS servers share common Media Hub features, including an easy graphical user interface, simple remote access, and easy-to-operate backup functions. They also boast a friendly design and silent operation that allows them to reside anywhere in the house.The rest of the core Media Hub feature list includes:Two USB ports for external storage and one media reader that supports CF/MD/MS/SD/XD/MMC memory cards Gigabit Ethernet connectionRAID1/JBOD configurationsSupport for SMB/CIF protocol: network users can access the NAS server the same way they access another computer in the networkPC backup with NTI Shadow software: automatic scheduled backup availableOn-demand backup via GUI or LCD Continuous backup option available User-friendly way to import media content with Linksys Media Importer DLNA 1.5 certified. Ability to stream content to Xbox 360 or UPnP DMA devices and support iTunes serverSupport for up to three simultaneous HD streams Automated "crawl" for UPnP servers to index and aggregate all digital media inthe home User-friendly, browser-based media browser to view JPEG pictures, play MP3 and WMA music, and manage system configurationMedia server support for most content formats: Audio: M4A, M4B, MP4, 3GP, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AAC, MP2, AC3, MPA, MP1, AIF, ASF Photo: PNG, TIF, TIFF, BMP, GIF Video: MP1, MPG, SPTS, MP4, AVI, VOB, DivX, 3GP, VDR, MPE, DVR-MS, Xvid, M1V, M4V, MOV, MPVPlaylists: M3U, M3U8, PLS, WPLRemote access using DDNS in combination with Linksys relaying service to cover up to 100 percent of all Internet users The new Media Hub NAS servers are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2009, and cost $300 (500GB NMH300) and $350 (500GB NMH400). You can also get the 1TB version of the NMH400 series for $430.
Network-attached storage servers, in my opinion, have generally not been user-friendly enough. Even the easiest-to-use ones require some getting used to. This is looking to change with the two new Media Hub series released under the networking giant's marketing brand "Linksys by Cisco" at CES this year, the NMH400 and the NMH300. The NMH300 series is a budget solution that offers just the core features of the Media Hub, and you need to use a computer to manage the device. The NMH400 series, on the other hand, features an LCD screen that lets users view a variety of information and perform certain tasks without a PC, such as updating firmware or making instant backups. The NMH400 series also has a 6-in-1 card reader for users to transfer content of flash media onto the Media Hub without the need for a computer. Much like the HP MediaVault, both Media Hub series feature two hard-drive bays--each can take SATA hard drives of any sizes. One of the bays is occupied with a drive from Linksys. The NMH300 series come with a 500GB hard drive, while the NMH400 series also offer an option of 1TB. The second bay is left empty for users to upgrade. According to Linksys, the new NAS servers share common Media Hub features, including an easy graphical user interface, simple remote access, and easy-to-operate backup functions. They also boast a friendly design and silent operation that allows them to reside anywhere in the house.The rest of the core Media Hub feature list includes:Two USB ports for external storage and one media reader that supports CF/MD/MS/SD/XD/MMC memory cards Gigabit Ethernet connectionRAID1/JBOD configurationsSupport for SMB/CIF protocol: network users can access the NAS server the same way they access another computer in the networkPC backup with NTI Shadow software: automatic scheduled backup availableOn-demand backup via GUI or LCD Continuous backup option available User-friendly way to import media content with Linksys Media Importer DLNA 1.5 certified. Ability to stream content to Xbox 360 or UPnP DMA devices and support iTunes serverSupport for up to three simultaneous HD streams Automated "crawl" for UPnP servers to index and aggregate all digital media inthe home User-friendly, browser-based media browser to view JPEG pictures, play MP3 and WMA music, and manage system configurationMedia server support for most content formats: Audio: M4A, M4B, MP4, 3GP, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AAC, MP2, AC3, MPA, MP1, AIF, ASF Photo: PNG, TIF, TIFF, BMP, GIF Video: MP1, MPG, SPTS, MP4, AVI, VOB, DivX, 3GP, VDR, MPE, DVR-MS, Xvid, M1V, M4V, MOV, MPVPlaylists: M3U, M3U8, PLS, WPLRemote access using DDNS in combination with Linksys relaying service to cover up to 100 percent of all Internet users The new Media Hub NAS servers are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2009, and cost $300 (500GB NMH300) and $350 (500GB NMH400). You can also get the 1TB version of the NMH400 series for $430.
Apple's free U2 album scored fans despite complaints
Apple's free U2 album scored fans despite complaints
Apple upset a number of iTunes users last month when it pushed out a free U2 album with no easy way to get rid of it. But according to Apple the album proved popular among a healthy number of people.The U2 album, "Songs of Innocence," has snagged 26 million downloads since it was released as a free download to Apple's 500 million iTunes users, Apple's senior VP of Internet software and services, Eddy Cue, told Billboard Magazine.Released to cap off Apple's iPhone 6 launch event on September 9, "Songs of Innocence" popped up on the computers, iPhones and iPads of many users via their iCloud accounts. A number of people were perplexed and annoyed that the album magically showed up without their consent. But the album itself was stored in the cloud and not actually downloaded to their local device. If their iTunes or iOS options were set to display items from iCloud, then that meant the album appeared whether they wanted it or not.To be able to play the album without access to iCloud, you'd have to download it. So Apple's 26 million figure refers to the number of times the album was actually downloaded from iCloud to a computer or iOS device.Further, more than 81 million Apple users experienced the album, Cue said. That term "experienced" sounds vague, but Cue explained that it includes people who played or streamed songs from the album via iTunes, iTunes Radio or Beats Music."To help put this into perspective," Cue told Billboard, "prior to this, 14 million customers had purchased music from U2 since the opening of the iTunes Store in 2003."Related StoriesHow to download the free U2 albumApple's free U2 album perplexes, annoys someHow to remove the U2 album from your devicesAnalyzing Apple's numbers for the album, Time Magazine calculated that about 5 percent of all iTunes users who found the album in the cloud downloaded it. Around 16 percent of the people who accessed the album played at least a single song, Time added.Time also questioned Cue's use of the term "experienced" and said that no information was available as to whether played a song all the way to the end.The quality or appeal of the album wasn't necessarily what upset people. They were ticked off because Apple essentially forced the album on them, albeit in the cloud, with no easy return policy. Some people simply didn't want to see the album appear in their iTunes accounts or on their devices. But short of turning off all music stored in the cloud, there was no easy way to remove just the U2 album, though you could hide it.As a concession to people who didn't want the album even showing up, Apple eventually cooked up a way to remove it from one's account. Should you change your mind and decide you want to give the album another shot, you can still download it for free until October 13. After that date, it will be available only for purchase.Apple didn't immediately respond to CNET's request for comment. But U2 commented on the matter in the following statement sent to Billboard.Apple is a tech company fighting to get musicians paid. The idea that they wanted to make a gift to the very people that actually purchase music is both beautiful and poetic, and for that we are very grateful.
Apple upset a number of iTunes users last month when it pushed out a free U2 album with no easy way to get rid of it. But according to Apple the album proved popular among a healthy number of people.The U2 album, "Songs of Innocence," has snagged 26 million downloads since it was released as a free download to Apple's 500 million iTunes users, Apple's senior VP of Internet software and services, Eddy Cue, told Billboard Magazine.Released to cap off Apple's iPhone 6 launch event on September 9, "Songs of Innocence" popped up on the computers, iPhones and iPads of many users via their iCloud accounts. A number of people were perplexed and annoyed that the album magically showed up without their consent. But the album itself was stored in the cloud and not actually downloaded to their local device. If their iTunes or iOS options were set to display items from iCloud, then that meant the album appeared whether they wanted it or not.To be able to play the album without access to iCloud, you'd have to download it. So Apple's 26 million figure refers to the number of times the album was actually downloaded from iCloud to a computer or iOS device.Further, more than 81 million Apple users experienced the album, Cue said. That term "experienced" sounds vague, but Cue explained that it includes people who played or streamed songs from the album via iTunes, iTunes Radio or Beats Music."To help put this into perspective," Cue told Billboard, "prior to this, 14 million customers had purchased music from U2 since the opening of the iTunes Store in 2003."Related StoriesHow to download the free U2 albumApple's free U2 album perplexes, annoys someHow to remove the U2 album from your devicesAnalyzing Apple's numbers for the album, Time Magazine calculated that about 5 percent of all iTunes users who found the album in the cloud downloaded it. Around 16 percent of the people who accessed the album played at least a single song, Time added.Time also questioned Cue's use of the term "experienced" and said that no information was available as to whether played a song all the way to the end.The quality or appeal of the album wasn't necessarily what upset people. They were ticked off because Apple essentially forced the album on them, albeit in the cloud, with no easy return policy. Some people simply didn't want to see the album appear in their iTunes accounts or on their devices. But short of turning off all music stored in the cloud, there was no easy way to remove just the U2 album, though you could hide it.As a concession to people who didn't want the album even showing up, Apple eventually cooked up a way to remove it from one's account. Should you change your mind and decide you want to give the album another shot, you can still download it for free until October 13. After that date, it will be available only for purchase.Apple didn't immediately respond to CNET's request for comment. But U2 commented on the matter in the following statement sent to Billboard.Apple is a tech company fighting to get musicians paid. The idea that they wanted to make a gift to the very people that actually purchase music is both beautiful and poetic, and for that we are very grateful.
Study- Music, not apps, rules iTunes
Study: Music, not apps, rules iTunes
Software apps, which enable iPhone and iPod Touch users to do everything from play games to keep track of their weight, continue to grow in popularity. But music is"still central to the iTunes experience," according to a new survey from market researcher NPD Group. In contrast with years past, NPD said Tuesday, "when every dollar spent at iTunes was on music and video," apps now vie for a chunk of that cash. NPD said that an online survey in May of more than 3,800 members of the company's Web panel showed that all iPod Touch and iPhone users have downloaded a free app. By contrast, 82 percent of the respondents reported making a music purchase, and 56 percent said they bought music exclusively. More than half said the majority of their time at iTunes is spent searching for music."Sales growth in digital music has been slowing," Russ Crupnick, senior entertainment analyst for NPD, said in statement. "Some of that decline might be related to the distraction from apps. However, iTunes shoppers are still completely engaged with music, whether it's about listening, discovering, or buying,"Apple's iTunes, the world's largest music retailer, in February reported topping more than 10 billion song sales since its founding. Music was one of iTunes primary building blocks. In recent years, however, songs have become much more of a commodity. Free songs are available at sites such as YouTube and Pandora. In addition, music must compete with videos, social networking sites, video games, and now apps.Two out of three iPhone and iPod Touch owners who have downloaded apps said they use them regularly, according to NPD. On Monday, CNET reported that Apple is working on improving iTunes' music discovery abilities, according to numerous sources with knowledge of the talks. At a media event set for Wednesday, Apple is expected to announce that it will boost the length of song samples--the snippets of music that iTunes users are allowed to hear to decide whether they like a song--from 30 seconds to at least 60 seconds and possibly as long as 90 seconds.
Software apps, which enable iPhone and iPod Touch users to do everything from play games to keep track of their weight, continue to grow in popularity. But music is"still central to the iTunes experience," according to a new survey from market researcher NPD Group. In contrast with years past, NPD said Tuesday, "when every dollar spent at iTunes was on music and video," apps now vie for a chunk of that cash. NPD said that an online survey in May of more than 3,800 members of the company's Web panel showed that all iPod Touch and iPhone users have downloaded a free app. By contrast, 82 percent of the respondents reported making a music purchase, and 56 percent said they bought music exclusively. More than half said the majority of their time at iTunes is spent searching for music."Sales growth in digital music has been slowing," Russ Crupnick, senior entertainment analyst for NPD, said in statement. "Some of that decline might be related to the distraction from apps. However, iTunes shoppers are still completely engaged with music, whether it's about listening, discovering, or buying,"Apple's iTunes, the world's largest music retailer, in February reported topping more than 10 billion song sales since its founding. Music was one of iTunes primary building blocks. In recent years, however, songs have become much more of a commodity. Free songs are available at sites such as YouTube and Pandora. In addition, music must compete with videos, social networking sites, video games, and now apps.Two out of three iPhone and iPod Touch owners who have downloaded apps said they use them regularly, according to NPD. On Monday, CNET reported that Apple is working on improving iTunes' music discovery abilities, according to numerous sources with knowledge of the talks. At a media event set for Wednesday, Apple is expected to announce that it will boost the length of song samples--the snippets of music that iTunes users are allowed to hear to decide whether they like a song--from 30 seconds to at least 60 seconds and possibly as long as 90 seconds.
Is Apple's iBooks e-reader app a rip-off-
Is Apple's iBooks e-reader app a rip-off?
If you're among those wondering why Apple's new iBooks e-reader app may have looked vaguely familiar, the answer is Apple may have ripped off the user interface from an existing iPhone app, according to Wired blogger Brian Chen.The app in question is a popular book-reading app called Classics, which rounds up a bunch of public-domain titles in a slick-looking package that features a user interface with various titles perched on a bookshelf.The article also suggests that the UI similarities extend beyond the top-level interface. "The pages emulate the look of a printed book page," Chen writes. "The 3D page-flipping effect looks almost exactly the same. The only major difference is iBooks has a tool to change font point and type." Also, Apple's app integrates access to the iBooks store, which will feature titles from Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette book group.Interestingly, however, Phillip Ryu, one of the people behind Classics,acknowledges that Classics' bookshelf view was inspired by another app, Delicious Library. However, he asked Delicious Library creator Wil Shipley for his blessing before Classics was released. (A reader pointed out that Shipley is now an Apple employee, but that doesn't appear to be the case based on Shipley's recent Twitter post stating, "I guess it's not enough Apple has hired every employee who worked on Delicious Library, they also had to copy my product's look. Flattery?"). Ryu told Wired he felt a little hurt, but he remains loyal to Apple and isn't "planning on picking a fight."That said, he doesn't seem to mind the publicity and is offering Classics as a free download (iTunes required) for a limited time so people can check it out for themselves and make their own comparisons to iBooks.Comments?The Classics app as it appears on the iPhone.Apple
If you're among those wondering why Apple's new iBooks e-reader app may have looked vaguely familiar, the answer is Apple may have ripped off the user interface from an existing iPhone app, according to Wired blogger Brian Chen.The app in question is a popular book-reading app called Classics, which rounds up a bunch of public-domain titles in a slick-looking package that features a user interface with various titles perched on a bookshelf.The article also suggests that the UI similarities extend beyond the top-level interface. "The pages emulate the look of a printed book page," Chen writes. "The 3D page-flipping effect looks almost exactly the same. The only major difference is iBooks has a tool to change font point and type." Also, Apple's app integrates access to the iBooks store, which will feature titles from Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Hachette book group.Interestingly, however, Phillip Ryu, one of the people behind Classics,acknowledges that Classics' bookshelf view was inspired by another app, Delicious Library. However, he asked Delicious Library creator Wil Shipley for his blessing before Classics was released. (A reader pointed out that Shipley is now an Apple employee, but that doesn't appear to be the case based on Shipley's recent Twitter post stating, "I guess it's not enough Apple has hired every employee who worked on Delicious Library, they also had to copy my product's look. Flattery?"). Ryu told Wired he felt a little hurt, but he remains loyal to Apple and isn't "planning on picking a fight."That said, he doesn't seem to mind the publicity and is offering Classics as a free download (iTunes required) for a limited time so people can check it out for themselves and make their own comparisons to iBooks.Comments?The Classics app as it appears on the iPhone.Apple
Zynga listens to users with Draw Something update
Zynga listens to users with Draw Something update
Draw Something (iPhone|Android) hit it big at the iTunes App Store by following a simple concept: draw a picture that describes a word, then send it to a friend to guess the word. The game took off immediately at the iTunes App Store for its close resemblance to board game Pictionary, but there were still rumblings from users of features that could make it better.Today, Zynga released an update (for both iOS and Android) that brings many of those features to the game and should spark another resurgence in the top paid apps list. Probably the biggest feature is that you'll now be able to send comments along with your drawings. After you finish your drawing and touch "done," the app brings up a field so you can send a comment along with it. Once sent, you go on to another screen that lets you post your drawing to Twitter or Facebook, or you can touch a disc icon to save it to your camera roll.Players will also appreciate the new undo last line feature. I can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated by having to erase a last line (I'm a terrible artist) only to draw it badly again and have to switch back to eraser to get rid of it.Draw Something has been floating around the top of the iTunes App Store paid apps list since its initial release in February. Expect it to hit the top once again with these incredibly helpful new features.
Draw Something (iPhone|Android) hit it big at the iTunes App Store by following a simple concept: draw a picture that describes a word, then send it to a friend to guess the word. The game took off immediately at the iTunes App Store for its close resemblance to board game Pictionary, but there were still rumblings from users of features that could make it better.Today, Zynga released an update (for both iOS and Android) that brings many of those features to the game and should spark another resurgence in the top paid apps list. Probably the biggest feature is that you'll now be able to send comments along with your drawings. After you finish your drawing and touch "done," the app brings up a field so you can send a comment along with it. Once sent, you go on to another screen that lets you post your drawing to Twitter or Facebook, or you can touch a disc icon to save it to your camera roll.Players will also appreciate the new undo last line feature. I can't tell you how many times I've been frustrated by having to erase a last line (I'm a terrible artist) only to draw it badly again and have to switch back to eraser to get rid of it.Draw Something has been floating around the top of the iTunes App Store paid apps list since its initial release in February. Expect it to hit the top once again with these incredibly helpful new features.
Apple will replace faulty Apple TVs for free
Apple will replace faulty Apple TVs for free
9to5Mac is reporting that according to internal communications, Apple has implemented a new policy at its retail stores and support centers that a small number of its Apple TV media devices may be faulty and be eligible for a free replacement.The applicable systems are third-generation Apple TVs that are experiencing network connectivity issues where they either cannot locate or are unable to join wireless networks, or they can only successfully connect part of the time.This issue affects only a small number of devices that Apple has identified. To qualify, your Apple TV's serial number must meet the following qualifications:The last four letters of the serial number must be DRHNThe fourth and fifth alphanumeric characters of the serial number must contain one of these pairs:H9, HD, HD, HF, HG, HH, HJ, HK, HL, HM, HN, HP, HQ, HR, HT, HV, HW, HX, J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, J7, J9For affected systems, Apple's employees will ensure they are running version 5.2.1 of the Apple TV operating system or later, and then test for potential noise interference issues with the device. If they cannot resolve the issue after these and additional basic troubleshooting steps, then they will replace the device with a new one, free of charge.UPDATE (4/25/2013): The characters in pairs must be the fourth and fifth of the serial number, and not the third and fourth as was originally reported.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
9to5Mac is reporting that according to internal communications, Apple has implemented a new policy at its retail stores and support centers that a small number of its Apple TV media devices may be faulty and be eligible for a free replacement.The applicable systems are third-generation Apple TVs that are experiencing network connectivity issues where they either cannot locate or are unable to join wireless networks, or they can only successfully connect part of the time.This issue affects only a small number of devices that Apple has identified. To qualify, your Apple TV's serial number must meet the following qualifications:The last four letters of the serial number must be DRHNThe fourth and fifth alphanumeric characters of the serial number must contain one of these pairs:H9, HD, HD, HF, HG, HH, HJ, HK, HL, HM, HN, HP, HQ, HR, HT, HV, HW, HX, J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, J7, J9For affected systems, Apple's employees will ensure they are running version 5.2.1 of the Apple TV operating system or later, and then test for potential noise interference issues with the device. If they cannot resolve the issue after these and additional basic troubleshooting steps, then they will replace the device with a new one, free of charge.UPDATE (4/25/2013): The characters in pairs must be the fourth and fifth of the serial number, and not the third and fourth as was originally reported.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Apple Watch said to hit mass production in January
Apple Watch said to hit mass production in January
The Apple Watch may run into some early production issues.A new report from Taiwanese news source AppleDaily claims that the watch won't actually reach the mass production stage until January. And blog site G for Games is reporting the watch will be assembled by a single supplier instead of two, as initially rumored.Unveiled on September 9 at Apple's iPhone 6 launch event, the Apple Watch is the company's first attempt to crack the wearables market. At the event, Apple said the watch would be available in early 2015 but didn't give a specific time frame. To launch the watch first thing next year, large-scale production should have already gotten under way. But that doesn't seem to be the case, at least according to AppleDaily. Assuming the AppleDaily is accurate, the problem could rest with the suppliers.Rumors had suggested that the watch would be assembled by two suppliers -- Quanta Computer and Inventec. But the report from AppleDaily says Quanta will be the lone supplier. with Inventec having dropped out of the picture for unspecified reasons.Quanta has reportedly starting preparing for mass production of the watch by upping the number of its workers to 4 million, according to G for Games. Apple and Quanta have also allegedly agreed to a deal in which Quanta would not make smartwatches for any of Apple's rivals. But if mass production doesn't start until January, Apple could be hard-pressed to launch its new product in a time frame truly considered "early 2015."Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.(Via MacRumors)
The Apple Watch may run into some early production issues.A new report from Taiwanese news source AppleDaily claims that the watch won't actually reach the mass production stage until January. And blog site G for Games is reporting the watch will be assembled by a single supplier instead of two, as initially rumored.Unveiled on September 9 at Apple's iPhone 6 launch event, the Apple Watch is the company's first attempt to crack the wearables market. At the event, Apple said the watch would be available in early 2015 but didn't give a specific time frame. To launch the watch first thing next year, large-scale production should have already gotten under way. But that doesn't seem to be the case, at least according to AppleDaily. Assuming the AppleDaily is accurate, the problem could rest with the suppliers.Rumors had suggested that the watch would be assembled by two suppliers -- Quanta Computer and Inventec. But the report from AppleDaily says Quanta will be the lone supplier. with Inventec having dropped out of the picture for unspecified reasons.Quanta has reportedly starting preparing for mass production of the watch by upping the number of its workers to 4 million, according to G for Games. Apple and Quanta have also allegedly agreed to a deal in which Quanta would not make smartwatches for any of Apple's rivals. But if mass production doesn't start until January, Apple could be hard-pressed to launch its new product in a time frame truly considered "early 2015."Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.(Via MacRumors)
Apple Watch faces battery life challenges -- report
Apple Watch faces battery life challenges -- report
Apple has aimed for its upcoming smartwatch to last a full day on a single battery charge, but the reality may fall short of the goal, according to news site 9to5Mac.Apple chose to use a fairly beefy processor and high-quality screen for its Apple Watch, sources told 9to5Mac in a story published Thursday. But that combination impacts how long the watch functions on a single charge.Apple initially planned for the watch to run 2.5 to 5 hours based on active use. It was also eyeing a goal of three days on standby mode and four days in sleep mode. But the wearable device may last only two to three days in either standby or low-power mode, according to 9to5Mac. Battery life is critical to smartwatches since device owners expect such a device to last through the day. In addition, owners will want the ability to tap into its full array of apps and features without draining the battery too quickly. In October, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he expects people to charge the watch on a daily basis. because they will be using it so frequently. Still, 9to5MAc's report -- if accurate -- may not be so damning if people use the watch sporadically. The watch won't be on or active all the time. As a partner to the iPhone, it will spring to life only when you receive an incoming phone call, text message or alert. The watch's animated clock face will last for around three hours straight, but that's only when the watch is in use. When you're not using or checking the watch, the display shuts off, thereby preserving battery life. Also, the average person may use the watch as a fitness tracker only during a workout or only to occasionally check health stats.However, Apple is a company known for perfectionism, so battery life has been a concern. That's reportedly one reason the company pushed back the launch of its smartwatch from late 2014 to early 2015. Apple continues to gauge the watch's performance with almost 3,000 units being tested under real-world conditions.
Apple has aimed for its upcoming smartwatch to last a full day on a single battery charge, but the reality may fall short of the goal, according to news site 9to5Mac.Apple chose to use a fairly beefy processor and high-quality screen for its Apple Watch, sources told 9to5Mac in a story published Thursday. But that combination impacts how long the watch functions on a single charge.Apple initially planned for the watch to run 2.5 to 5 hours based on active use. It was also eyeing a goal of three days on standby mode and four days in sleep mode. But the wearable device may last only two to three days in either standby or low-power mode, according to 9to5Mac. Battery life is critical to smartwatches since device owners expect such a device to last through the day. In addition, owners will want the ability to tap into its full array of apps and features without draining the battery too quickly. In October, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he expects people to charge the watch on a daily basis. because they will be using it so frequently. Still, 9to5MAc's report -- if accurate -- may not be so damning if people use the watch sporadically. The watch won't be on or active all the time. As a partner to the iPhone, it will spring to life only when you receive an incoming phone call, text message or alert. The watch's animated clock face will last for around three hours straight, but that's only when the watch is in use. When you're not using or checking the watch, the display shuts off, thereby preserving battery life. Also, the average person may use the watch as a fitness tracker only during a workout or only to occasionally check health stats.However, Apple is a company known for perfectionism, so battery life has been a concern. That's reportedly one reason the company pushed back the launch of its smartwatch from late 2014 to early 2015. Apple continues to gauge the watch's performance with almost 3,000 units being tested under real-world conditions.
Apple wants to let you know when to buy new shoes
Apple wants to let you know when to buy new shoes
Hold the phone -- Apple wants to let you know when it's time to buy your next pair of shoes.In a recently published patent application, the tech giant has proposed embedding sensors in footwear that would track the wearer's activity and send a notification when it's time for a new pair. The application describes a "Shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods."The application's summary describes the system thus:A body bar sensing system for sensing movement of a body bar may be provided. The body bar sensing system may include a housing having a coupling mechanism operative to couple to the body bar, a detector disposed within the housing and operative to sense movement of the body bar when the housing is coupled to the body bar, and a processor operative to determine a number of repetitions of the movement based on the sensed movement.The summary describes a variety scenarios for the device:In one embodiment, a shoe wear out sensor includes at least one detector for sensing a physical metric that changes as a shoe wears out, a processor configured to process the physical metric, over time, to determine if the shoe is worn out, and an alarm for informing a user of the shoe when the sole is worn out.The application also suggests the sensor could have practical applications besides letting the owner know when it's time for a new pair, including helping to measure a child's daily activity or to determine whether an injured leg is getting the proper amount of activity to facilitate recovery.AppleOne diagram included with the application, which was filed last July, showed how the device could be implanted in the shoe's heel, but Apple said the sensor could be placed anywhere in the shoe to provide similar functionality.The sensors could include wireless transmitters, accelerometers, pressure sensors, with alerts being communicated to the wearer via an LED-powered display or speaker sound.
Hold the phone -- Apple wants to let you know when it's time to buy your next pair of shoes.In a recently published patent application, the tech giant has proposed embedding sensors in footwear that would track the wearer's activity and send a notification when it's time for a new pair. The application describes a "Shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods."The application's summary describes the system thus:A body bar sensing system for sensing movement of a body bar may be provided. The body bar sensing system may include a housing having a coupling mechanism operative to couple to the body bar, a detector disposed within the housing and operative to sense movement of the body bar when the housing is coupled to the body bar, and a processor operative to determine a number of repetitions of the movement based on the sensed movement.The summary describes a variety scenarios for the device:In one embodiment, a shoe wear out sensor includes at least one detector for sensing a physical metric that changes as a shoe wears out, a processor configured to process the physical metric, over time, to determine if the shoe is worn out, and an alarm for informing a user of the shoe when the sole is worn out.The application also suggests the sensor could have practical applications besides letting the owner know when it's time for a new pair, including helping to measure a child's daily activity or to determine whether an injured leg is getting the proper amount of activity to facilitate recovery.AppleOne diagram included with the application, which was filed last July, showed how the device could be implanted in the shoe's heel, but Apple said the sensor could be placed anywhere in the shoe to provide similar functionality.The sensors could include wireless transmitters, accelerometers, pressure sensors, with alerts being communicated to the wearer via an LED-powered display or speaker sound.
Apple wants to help you correct a text message after you send it
Apple wants to help you correct a text message after you send it
We've all made embarrassing mistakes in text messages, whether on our own or through the device's autocorrect feature. An Apple patent filing envisions a way to fix those mistakes before anyone else sees them.Published Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent application named "Transient Panel Enabling Message Correction Capabilities Prior to Data Submission" outlines a technology that would give you a chance to correct any mistakes before the message is actually on its way.As Apple acknowledges in the patent filing, autocorrect is a handy feature but it's hardly perfect. Though it's designed to help you type your message by predicting your words, autocorrect has a tendency to predict the wrong word at times. Further, typos you make yourself can often escape your attention, especially if you're in a rush to send out that text.Via Apple's invention, you'd be able to review and make last-minute corrections to a text after you hit the Send button but just before the message is actually sent. After you send your text, you'd have a moment to fix any errors; otherwise the message goes out as is. That moment would be quick so as not to delay the back-and-forth exchange between you and your fellow texter.As Apple describes it in the usual patentese:A programmable device such as a smartphone allows a user an opportunity to make final corrections to textual data in a message after the user has instructed the device to send the message, but before transmittal of the message. The opportunity is temporary, to avoid impeding the flow of communication, and the textual data is transmitted unmodified if the opportunity to modify it is not accepted. Modifications made during the opportunity period may be used to adapt an autocorrect functionality of the programmable device.As always, a patent filing doesn't necessarily mean the technology will ever hit the real world. But here's hoping this one does.(Via CultofMac)
We've all made embarrassing mistakes in text messages, whether on our own or through the device's autocorrect feature. An Apple patent filing envisions a way to fix those mistakes before anyone else sees them.Published Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent application named "Transient Panel Enabling Message Correction Capabilities Prior to Data Submission" outlines a technology that would give you a chance to correct any mistakes before the message is actually on its way.As Apple acknowledges in the patent filing, autocorrect is a handy feature but it's hardly perfect. Though it's designed to help you type your message by predicting your words, autocorrect has a tendency to predict the wrong word at times. Further, typos you make yourself can often escape your attention, especially if you're in a rush to send out that text.Via Apple's invention, you'd be able to review and make last-minute corrections to a text after you hit the Send button but just before the message is actually sent. After you send your text, you'd have a moment to fix any errors; otherwise the message goes out as is. That moment would be quick so as not to delay the back-and-forth exchange between you and your fellow texter.As Apple describes it in the usual patentese:A programmable device such as a smartphone allows a user an opportunity to make final corrections to textual data in a message after the user has instructed the device to send the message, but before transmittal of the message. The opportunity is temporary, to avoid impeding the flow of communication, and the textual data is transmitted unmodified if the opportunity to modify it is not accepted. Modifications made during the opportunity period may be used to adapt an autocorrect functionality of the programmable device.As always, a patent filing doesn't necessarily mean the technology will ever hit the real world. But here's hoping this one does.(Via CultofMac)
The Best of 2014: What's Your Favorite Action Movie
Action movies are an important part of cinema. Not only are they often the highest grossing release of any given year -- such as 2014 domestic champsGuardians of the Galaxy,The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1andCaptain America: The Winter Soldier-- but they;re also recognized honorably by film critics. Specifically, the Broadcast Film Critics Association gives one of its annual Critics; Choice awards to the best action movie of the year, according to its more than 200 expert members (disclosure: I am one of them).This year;s nominees are: Guardians,Winter Soldier,Fury,American SniperandEdge of Tomorrow.Additionally, the BFCA gives awards to the best actor and the best actress in an action movie. Nominees for the former are: Chriss Pratt inGuardians, Chris Evans inWinter Soldier, Brad Pitt inFury, Bradley Cooper in American Sniper and Tom Cruise inEdge of Tomorrow. Nominees for the latter are: Zoe Saldana inGuardians, Scarlett Johansson inLucy, Jennifer Lawrence inMockingjay - Part 1, Shailene Woodley inDivergentandEmily Blunt inEdge of Tomorrow.Is your favorite among those eight titles? I bet if some other critics were polled, the unanimous pick might beThe Raid 2. Or maybeJohn Wick. Or Snowpiercer.Your kids might sayThe Lego Movie or Planes: FIre and Rescue, depending on their age.The interesting thing about the action genre is that it;s huge and can include a whole bunch of films from other genres, as well. Guardians andEdge of Tomorroware also sci-fi, as are Godzilla,the YA movieThe Maze Runner, the sequelsDawn of the Planet of the Apes, Transformers: Age of Extinction andX-Men: Days of Future Pastand the animated featureBig Hero 6. Then there;s fantasy action, which includesThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,Hercules,The Legend of Hercules andthe animated featureHow to Train Your Dragon 2.There are biblical and sword-and-sandal action movies such as Noah,Exodus: Gods and KingsandPompeii. There are movies starring older generation action stars, such as The Equalizer,The November Man,Sabotage,The Expendables 3 and3 Days to Kill. And there are action comedies, including22 Jump Street,Ride AlongandThe Interview.My pick is one of the BFCA nominees, which is also one of the sci-fi/action hybrids:Edge of Tomorrowwas just simply one of the most enjoyable rides at the movies I experienced this year, and I guess it helped that I wasn;t expecting it to be. But another disclosure: I slept through almost all ofThe Raid 2in the theater -- not because it was boring, though -- and haven;t gotten around to trying it again.What is your favorite action movie of 2014?Here are some responses received so far via Twitter:The Raid 2. Duh. RT @thefilmcynic What’s your favorite action movie of 2014?— Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic THE. RAID. 2. End of poll.— Point de vues (@Pointdevues) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic It;s The Raid 2. No question about it. Intricate plotting, poetic fight choreography and stellar performances.— Tom Beasley (@TomJBeasley) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Definitely The Raid 2.— Ashwin (@ShinobivsGast) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic I;ve got a few: the raid 2, John wick, edge of tomorrow and Snowpiercer come to mind— David Jaffe (@AddictedAICN) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Edge of Tomorrow, easily— Lizziebeth (@lizziegolucky) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Edge of Tomorrow— August Macias (@August_Macias) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Edge of Tomorrow— Zal Batmanglij (@z_al) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Edge of Tomorrow. No contest.— Juan Carlos Ampié (@juancarlosampie) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic It;s a fierce competition between JOHN WICK and 2/3rds of EDGE OF TOMORROW.— Alexander Huls (@alxhuls) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Edge of Tomorrow. John Wick is a close second.— Jack Giroux (@JackGi) December 15, 2014@duckisgod @scottEweinberg @thefilmcynic def john wick— Erin Tarantino (@erincandy) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic JOHN WICK— Sleighs on Film (@salesonfilm) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic John Wick can;t be outdone— Jacob Oller (@Jacoboller) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Lucy— Jabron James (@Camera_Angel) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Snowpiercer— lewis (@ladypropane) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Snowpiercer and Mockingjay— ?venus xtravaganza? (@franki_xcx) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic X-Men: Days of Future Past with Guardians of the Galaxy a close second. I haven;t seen JOHN WICK but I hear it;s pretty top.— Dominic (@Count3D) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Straight up action it would be Guardians of the Galaxy.— Luke Banack (@RadioLuke) December 15, 2014@thefilmcynic Captain America: The Winter Soldier— Allyson Johnson (@AllysonAJ) December 15
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