We start the day with three hardware items in the deal spotlight. First up is a number of iPod touch units, starting with an 8GB model for $149. Next are several iPads, including one 32GB Wi-Fi tablet for $429. Finally is a 32GB iPod video unit for just $100.
Along the way, we check out some iPad accessories, including screen protectors, screen cleaners and discounts on cases. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Although the T-Mobile USA may not begin selling the iPhone for at least another year, across the ‘pond’, T-Mobile UK plans to offer a subsidized version of the iPad 2 Friday. The 16GB Wi-Fi and 3G iPad 2 will sell for $322 and $370, respectively, according to a Thursday report.
A two-year contract will be required for the 16GB Wi-Fi or 3G tablet. No 32GB or 64GB iPad 2 version will be available, the report says. Existing T-Mobile UK customers must pay $40 per month and a $322 initial payment, while new customers pay $43 and $370, respectively.
Apple may enjoy 50 percent growth for the next two years, fueled largely by the increasing demand for mobile applications. That’s the word of the founder and CEO of a research firm, speaking in a Wednesday interview. Forrester Research’s George Colony also predicted the Cupertino, Calif. tech giant’s revenue will soon pass IBM and HP.
Colony described an “app Internet” where users turn to mobile apps, rather than the Web. Apple is “going to be a $200 billion revenue company,” he predicts in a Bloomberg interview. Already the iPhone, iPod and iPad maker had a market capitalization topping $300 billion by the start of 2011. Analysts expect Apple sales will grow 50 percent to more than $100 billion this fiscal year, ending in September.
For some time, Apple has viewed its Apple TV device like stamp collecting – an interesting hobby. The concept is intriguing, but the real money could be made if there was a more direct connection to your living-room TV, hence analyst speculation the Cupertino, Calif. company might someday get into the TV business. That day could be sooner than expected amid a Wednesday report TV makers are considering putting key Apple TV technology inside new TV sets.
The technology, known as AirPlay currently streams video and audio from Apple devices, such as the iPad or iPhone, to the Apple TV set-top box. However, now TV manufacturers, looking for a way to revive slumping sales, are talking with Apple about putting the technology directly in new TVs.
First up in the deal spotlight is seven refurbished MacBook Air laptops from the Apple Store, starting with a 64GB unit with a 11.6-inch screen for $849. Also on tap is “Monkey Island: Special Editition for Mac,” just one of the two free downloads from MacUpdate. We close out today’s featured items with a 27-inch LED Cinema Display for $849.
Along the way, we check out a number of cases for your iPad, as well as a bargain on an iPod touch and various accessories for your iPhone and iPod. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Textbooks based on the iPad gained a boost Wednesday. Interactive learning developer Inkling announced a “multi-million dollar financing” deal with two educational publishing giants. McGraw-Hill and Pearsons became minority investors in the San Francisco-based company which produces software enabling students to interact with iPad-based textbooks.
“Until now, digital textbooks have failed to gain real traction because they add little value over the printed book,” Inkling founder and CEO Matt MacInnis said. Inkling’s software allows readers to add comments and share textbooks with friends. “We build every textbook from the ground up for the iPad to create a more engaging learning experience,” MacInnis adds.
It seems only fitting the “father” of Mac OS X would take the software’s 10th anniversary for his exit. Betrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Mac software Engineering, and a long-time Steve Jobs associate, Wednesday announced he’s leaving the tech giant. His replacement has shepherded the next-generation of MacOS X — 10.7 “Lion” which includes greater ties to Apple’s mobile iOS platform.
Serlet, who holds a Computer Science doctorate, announced he wants to “focus less on products and more on science.” He described the upcoming Mac 10.7 as “a great release and the transition should be seamless.” Craig Federighi, Apple’s vice president of Mac Software Engineering, demonstrated Mac OS X 10.7 Lion to the media in late 2010.
Samsung, the South Korean “frenemy” of tech giant Apple, Tuesday released its two Galaxy Tab devices, both aimed squarely at Apple’s iPad. Taking a page from RIM, which earlier in the day unveiled its own PlayBook tablet, Samsung set its Galaxy Tab 10.1 at prices mirroring the iPad 2: $499 and $599 for 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi versions, respectively.
However, both Tabs have a 1280×800 pixel display, versus the iPad 2’s 1024×768 9.7-inch screen. The Samsung devices shave a hair from its thickness. Still the difference (Samsung’s 8.6 millimeter versus the iPad’s 8.8 mm) is only noticeable with someone carrying a finely-tuned scale.
We start the day with a deal from the Apple Store on 13 Core i5 and Core i7 MacBook Pro units, beginning at $1,439 for a 2.53GHz i5 model. Also on tap is a deal on the iLife ’11 home productivity software suite for just $30. The spotlight wraps up with a 20 percent discount on cases for the iPad and Amazon Kindle.
Along the way, we check out a number of other bargains, including software and hardware. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
For Mac fans the patch of land in North Carolina owned by Apple is akin to Area 51: everyone knows it exists, but few know its true purpose. Speculation has centered on some cloud-based service requiring beefy data pipes. While a recent report seemed to suggest the Cupertino, Calif. company doesn’t plan to kill the golden goose with free streaming music, one analyst Tuesday offered a number of possibilities.
According to Bernstein’s Toni Sacconaghi, potential uses for the data center range from expanding Apple’s streaming and advertising business to a voice “interface” based on the tech giant’s recent Siri acquisition.
After a long wait, Research in Motion announced Tuesday morning pricing for its PlayBook tablet identical to Apple’s iPad 2. The 16GB Wi-Fi version is $499 32 GB costing $599 and a 64GB model priced at $699. RIM’s tablet hits U.S. and Canadian Best Buy stores April 19.
“Previews of the BlackBerry PlayBook have generated tremendous excitement and we know that customers are eager to get their hands on one,” Craig McLennan, Regional Managing Director, North America, Research In Motion, said in an announcement.
We start another week of deals with three hardware items. First up is a 32GB (current generation) iPod touch for just $230. Next is an Apple TV unit for $80. We wrap up the spotlight with a $2GB iPod shuffle for just $30.
Along the way we also take a peek at ways to enlarge your iPhone screen, charge your handset and dock your iPod with Yamaha. For Apple 2 owners, there are new cases, as well as a two-year extended warranty.
As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Yes, the iPhone won’t officially be available to T-Mobile users until at least 12 months, when government regulators are expected to give thumbs-up (or thumbs-down) on the $39 billion acquisition by AT&T. However, that hasn’t stopped Wall Street experts from weighing-in on the possible impact. Depending on who you ask, the deal could be a huge, or minor, plus for Apple.
“We believe T-Mobile could add [around] 3 million incremental iPhones in its first full year, which could be conservative,” Bank of American analyst Scott Craig told investors Monday morning. If you don’t like that view, there is another.
The clock is ticking for Sprint, the only U.S. carrier that hasn’t established a way to eventually offer the iPhone. First, there was only AT&T, then Verizon and now potentially T-Mobile USA, if a $39 billion acquisition by AT&T is approved. Although T-Mobile says it won’t offer the Apple handset for around 12 months, Sprint is already calling ‘foul.’
“The merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80 percent of the U.S. wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete,” Sprint bemoaned in a statement.
We close out another week and just days before the start of spring with three hardware deals in the spotlight. First up is a number of iMac desktop machines from the Apple Store. These i3 and i5 Core-based machines start at $1,019 for a 3.06GHz model. Next is a MacBook Pro, running a Core i5 at 2.3GHz for just $1,129. We wrap up the featured deals with an 8GB iPod nano (5th-gen) for only $99.
Along the way, we take a look at various cases and assorted accessories for your favorite Apple devices. As usual, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
What sort of impact did Verizon have on iPhone 4 sales? Very little, according to one analyst. Verizon iPhone sales have been “solid, but not spectacular” during the March second quarter, BMO Capital Market’s Keith Bachman told investors Friday morning.
Quarterly iPhone sales should reach 16 million units with Verizon adding 1.5 million to 2 million handsets, Bachman adds. The numbers assume the usual 10 percent slide from the year’s first financial quarter, ended December 31. As a result, there likely won’t be a “material upside” for this quarter, the analyst writes.
While much of the world’s focus is on the fate of Japan’s nuclear reactors, for the tech industry concern is also on the potential fall-out from temporary shutdowns of vital chipmaking plants. With the country a major supplier of silicon chips, the uncertainty may prompt ‘panic buying’ of semiconductors, a situation from which Apple may be uniquely immune.
“Many electronic original equipment manufacturers worldwide could be engaging in panic buying of semiconductors and electronic components,” hardware researcher IHS iSuppli announced Thursday. Several distributors report “a surge in orders” from customers fearing Japan’s 9.0 earthquake could disrupt supplies for everything from personal computers to tablets.
A recent analyst downgrade of Apple stock due to concern over potential supply slowdowns prompted one well-known Apple watcher to warn against focusing on the wrong factors. “Calls based on supply-side concerns have led investors astray, but demand for Apple’s products continue to rise,” Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster told investors Thursday morning.
Despite the temporary shutdown of some key component manufacturers due to Japan’s recovery efforts, both steady demand for Apple products and the Cupertino, Calif. firm’s earlier contracts to ensure parts, will lessen any impact. “Which should move share higher,” Munster said.
He noted there will be “component delays for some of Apple’s key products including iPhone 4 and iPad 2 through the June quarter.” Among the potential sticking points: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., maker of Bismaleimide Triazine Resin (also known as “BT Resin”) is shutting down production until damage is assessed. Toshiba, which makes 40 percent of NAND flash chips – heavily used by Apple – is also stopping production.
Munster is the latest to refute a Wednesday report by JMP Securities analyst Alex Guana connecting a slowdown at Apple supplier Foxconn with potential supply problems for Apple. The accompanied downgrade – the first since October 2010 – sent Apple stock lower before recovering Thursday morning.
[Barron’s]
Although we’ve known for some time Amazon will open an Android App Store (a developer site is already available), it wasn’t clear when the service would launch. However, an unintended sneak peak has given rise to speculation the App Store is almost ready to go live.
A German website Wednesday found 50 Android applications listed at an Amazon URL, which quickly disappeared. Among the titles listed were Zenonia, Raging Thunder II, SetCPU, The Moron Test and SwiftKey. Many of the app prices bested Google’s Android Market and some even were exclusive to the Internet bookseller.
Wall Street analysts are blaming a relatively-unknown for Apple stock dipping 4.6 percent Wednesday. Following yesterday’s downgrade of Apple by JMP Securities on concerns over a slowdown at supplier Foxconn, another Apple-watcher replied any link with Apple’s health is a coincidence.
“Apple’s contribution to Han Hai (which uses the trade name Foxconn) is limited,” Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner told investors Wednesday. “The correlation between Apple and Hon Hai’s revenue therefore appears to be a product of coincidence more than causality,” the analyst wrote.
We start out the day with a mix of deals, ranging from hardware, accessories and software. First up is another deal on Mac mini desktop machines from the Apple Store. The several available units start at $599 for a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo Mac mini. Next is a luxury convertible flip case for your iPad. This leather case includes a screen protector, multi-function flip stand and built-in elastic strap. Although Spring is still a few days away, a new MacUpdate promo bundle is available. This one includes 11 apps, such as Parrallels 6, Mac DVD RipperPro 2 and Civilization IV – all for $50.
Along the way, we also check out replacement front glass for your iPhone 4 and a case for your iPod touch. As usual, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
While it may be difficult for Apple Store employees to keep their cool while rabid iPad fans are camped outside waiting for the latest shipment of the next-generation tablet, the Cupertino, Calif. company is telling their retail locations to keep calm and hold onto the new shipments for a day.
The request is part of a new tactic Apple reportedly has undertaken after assessing the first weekend of iPad 2 sales where the new product quickly flew off the shelf. The goal is to provide Apple Stores a chance to “calmly and accurately” handle new supplies – even if it requires telling customers a “little white lie.”
If you want to gauge future auto output, you could check how many cars are coming off Detroit’s production lines. A similar check has prompted one analyst firm to reduce its revenue estimates for Apple. A “notable” drop in production at iPhone manufacturer Foxconn could result in fewer products available to consumers.
After hitting 84 percent year-over-year growth in December, the manufacturer grew just 37 percent in January and 26 percent in February, according to JMP Securities. Growth is “tracking well below” 70 percent sales growth for the March quarter, and 50 percent in June, analyst Alex Guana told investors Wednesday.
Increased data usage — particularly music downloads — fueled a 3.7 percent jump in fourth-quarter net profit for China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless carrier announced Wednesday. The news comes as Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly is ‘very interested’ in creating an iPhone that works on the nation’s home-grown 4G standard.
China Mobile earned 32.4 billion yuan during the quarter ended Dec. 31, higher than the 31.8 billion yuan analysts had expected. In the wake of the report, chairman Wang Jianzhou announced plans to increase handset subsidies by 15 percent in order to attract more data users. Data service revenue comprised 31 percent of the carrier’s operating revenue in 2010. Data “was an essential driver of total revenue growth,” Wang said.
Are you looking for a MacBook with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor? We might have the deals for you. First in the spotlight is a group of MacBook Pro Core i5 and Core i7 machines from the Apple Store. Prices start at $1,439 for a 2.53GHz i5 model. Next is a silicone case and screen protector for the iPad – just $6. Finally, there is another chance to grab a two-year warranty on your iPad for AppleCare-like protection, plus drops and spills.
Along the way, we also check out miscellaneous Mac gear, including iPhone docks, chargers and software. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
