Ed Sutherland - page 41

We wrap up the week before Thanksgiving with a number of deals for your iPhone or iPod. Whether fighting mystical sorcerers or simply looking for day-time TV on your handset, we have the app for you. A new crop of free and discounted iPhone apps have hit our desk and we thought we’d share. First is the free “Duel: Blade & Magic MT,” a role-playing game for your iPhone or iPod touch. Next is “Oprah Mobile,” a discounted app that keeps you connected to the queen of daytime talk. Finally is the Dice Electronics Tube Amplification System for the iPod. The specs include built-in 2 x 20 watt amplifier, 4″ mid/bass driver, 1″ dome tweeter, dual 6N3 tubes (tube fans will know what that means), auxiliary input (to connect other MP3 players/devices), and video output.

Along the way, we also check out more Xserve servers, a 1.2GHz iBook G4 for just $200, and more cases than you can shake a screen protector at. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Apple has joined the list of closed systems, threatening to turn the web into another proprietary product from Cupertino, warns Tim Berners-Lee in an article published online Friday. Berners-Lee, who loosed the World Wide Web in 1990, blasted Apple’s iTunes for trapping consumers “in a single store, rather than being on the open marketplace.”

“For all the store’s wonderful features, its evolution is limited to what one company thinks up,” the Internet pioneer writes in Scientific American. Rather than using the standard HTTP protocol, Apple links iTunes material with the proprietary “itunes:” command.

Apple is preparing a CDMA-GSM iPad that would overshadow the current 3G version, an analyst wrote Friday. The report also suggests the new iPad would follow the design of Apple’s recent unibody MacBooks.

Supplier checks “suggest Apple is going to be ratcheting down production of the existing 3G iPad over the next two months in anticipation of ramping up a new World iPad that is powered by Qualcomm and will run both GSM and CDMA based networks around the world,” according to Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair.

It’s not too long before the official start of Christmas shopping on Black Friday — and, yes, there is an app for that. You can view lead and official ads on your iPhone, save your shopping list, go to store web sites and much, more. Are you looking for a good deal on an Intel-based Mac mini? We might have the deal for you. MacConnection.com has a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mac mini desktop – and a HP all-in-one printer for just $600. We wrap up our deal spotlight with the latest crop of iPhone App Store price cuts, including “Need for Speed Shift.”

Along the way, we’ll also check out a number of cases for your iPad or iPhone, as well as MacBook Pros, a 24-inch LCD Cinema Display and a copy of Apple iLife ’11. As usual, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Apple has finally filled the board of directors seat vacated when Steve Jobs critic Jerome York died in March. Ron Sugar, a former Northrop Grumman CEO will chair the Audit and Finance Committee. Sugar “has been involved in the development of some very sophisticated technology,” the Cupertino, Calif. company announced Wednesday.

“I have always had enormous admiration for the people of Apple,” Sugar said in a statement. Not so for the late Jerome York, who once said he was “disgusted” by Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ concealment of his previous illness. Jobs hailed Sugar as “an engineer at heart, who then became a very successful business leader.”

Ever since researchers announced Apple had passed RIM in handset sales, the CEO of the BlackBerry maker has been on the warpath. The latest battleground was the Web 2.0 Summit, where the leader of the Canadian company said the lead was just in Steve Jobs distorted mind.

“For those of us who live outside of Apple’s distortion field, we know that 7” tablets will actually be a big portion of the market and we know that Adobe Flash support actually matters to customers who want a real web experience,” Jim Balsille said at his blog site. The words were echoed in a Tuesday speech on Web 2.0 technology.

It’s Education Week on CultofMac.com. How’s Apple doing in schools these days? What are the best education apps? Is iTunes U worthwhile? Join us as we learn more about Apple in Education.

Apple had traditionally enjoyed 50 percent of the educational market, however a tight economy coupled with lower PC prices led by netbooks until recently depressed the Cupertino, Calif. company’s classroom reach to just about 20 percent. While the iPad is credited with many advances, it also sparked a comeback for Apple, making the $500 tablet competitive with PCs in the secondary and higher education markets, according to Needham & Company’s Charlie Wolf earlier this year.

Wolf’s prediction, made before the iPad really hit the street, has been confirmed again and again.

We start off with another deal on the MacBook Air, including a 1.4GHz version with a 12-inch screen for $969. Also, the Apple Store is offering several factory refurbished tablets, including a 16GB Wi-Fi model for just $449. We also have the latest crop of App Store freebies for your iPhone or iPod touch, including “Bear vs. Penguins,” a new take on the tower defense game.

Along the way, we’ll also check out some accessories for your iPad, some cases for your iPhone (as well as a deal on a iPhone 3GS), along with software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Research in Motion has taken to YouTube to compare its recently unveiled PlayBook tablet with the leading iPad from Apple. After RIM CEO Jim Balsillie last week said its tablet would beat Apple on price, now the Canadian BlackBerry maker now has a video claiming to show web browsing on the PlayBook is faster than the iPad.

The video, showing the PlayBook loading pages at a faster clip and with complete Adobe Flash support, reminds one of an earlier showdown between Apple’s iPhone 4 and RIM. Earlier this year, Apple briefly posted a video on its website hoping to illustrate the iPhone 4’s much-discussed troublesome antenna was actually a problem shared by other major handset makers, including the BlackBerry. After a storm of complaints from its rivals, Apple quickly removed the video, instead announcing a free bumper program.

First there were smartphones, then came the mountains of apps. Now rivals Apple and Google are racing to introduce to iOS and Android the ability to initiate secure mobile transactions via a simple tap of your handset. The latest shot was fired by Google’s CEO Monday, who introduced its tap technology entrant as part of an upcoming update of its Android OS codenamed “Gingerbread.”

Speaking at a conference on Web 2.0 technology, CEO Eric Schmidt said the new Android software would support Near Field Communications, a chip allowing nearby devices to communicate. While a horribly-forgettable name, the technology holds intriguing possibilities for companies seeking to expand the boundaries of mobile commerce. A hint can be seen at your local grocery store, where many payment terminals permit you to simply tap your credit card in order to initiate a transaction.

We start off another week with a mix of bargains for the Mac fan. First up are several factory-refurbished Apple MacBook Air laptops from the Apple Store, starting at $849 for a1.86GHz Core 2 Duo unit with 13.3-inch screen. Also, Handhelditems has a 77 percent discount on various cases for the iPod touch. Finally, AT&T Wireless has several refurbished iPhone 4 handsets, such as a 32GB model.

Along the way, we’ll also check out the latest batch of iPhone app price cuts, including “Harry Potter: Spells.” Additionally, we’ll take a look at another sale on 160GB Apple TV units, iPhone applications and Mac software. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Apple reportedly will announce a slate of European partners for its iAds mobile advertising this week. However, the accomplishment has come at a cost for the Cupertino, Calif. company. Along with two delays and some concessions on pricing, the same questions over iAd practices are following Apple from the U.S. to Europe.

The announcement will likely be just that – a rundown of familiar brands such as L’Oréal, Renault and Nestlé. Only two or three actual ad campaigns will launch on the iPhone or iPod touch in December. “Most will not run until next year,” The Financial Times reports.

We close out another week of deals with a grab bag of bargains. First up is several used iMacs, including a 2.16GHz desktop for just $680. Next is another group of freebies from the iTunes App Store, including “Textropolis,” a word-based game. We wrap up our spotlight deals with a metal cover case for your iPhone 4.

Along the way, we’ll also check out a 4-core Xeon Mac Pro desktop unit, a $99 8GB iPod nano and more software bargains for your iPhone, iPod and Mac. As always, details on these and other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

Lenovo Group plans to enter the tablet wars in 2011, with the LePad, according to the computer maker’s CEO. Lenovo joins a growing number of companies, including Dell, Research in Motion and Samsung hoping to wrest control from Apple’s iPad.

In an interview, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said the LePad would launch first in China in early 2011 and later the same year in the United States. While many iPad rivals have announced sub-$500 prices, Lenovo has yet to announce a price for its entry. Earlier this year, Lenovo launched LePhone in China, a handset it hopes will spearhead its goal for a greater stake in mobile computing. The company would like 10 percent to 20 percent of its revenue to come from mobile Internet products. To that end, LePad will be compatible with an iTunes-like application download store operated by Lenovo.

Since unveiling the iPad, Apple has always referred to its dominating tablet device as “magical.” Now supporters of Google’s Android operating system hope to borrow the phrase to tout a rival tablet from the men and women of Mountain View, Calif.

“They’re building a magical product,” Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang told financial analysts during a call to report his company’s third-quarter numbers. “I think its going to really, really surprise people and delight consumers everywhere,” he said of the Android-based phones and tablets Google is developing.

We start out with yet another case for your iPad. The Folio Case from Kensington provides your tablet with a synthetic leather cover and a padded interior, plus the $13 item can double as a landscape-mode stand. We also have a new crop of free applications from the iPhone App Store, including “Word Warrior,” a game which promises to challenge your vocabulary skills. Finally, there is a two-year warranty from SquareTrade. The company offers the warranty, covering drops and spills for $93.75 with a coupon code.

Along the way, we’ll also check out other items, including “MemoryMiner 2”, a digital storytelling application for your Mac. As always, details on these bargains and many others can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Don’t worry that you won’t be able to buy that iPhone 4 during the holiday madness, production of the popular handset has finally caught up with demand, one analyst told investors Tuesday. Where once Apple had a three week backlog in June, you can now get an iPhone 24 hours after ordering online.

“Apple has now expanded distribution to Target (Target also sells the iPad) to join others including Apple stores, AT&T, Best Buy, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart,” writes Barclay’s Ben Reitzes.

Amazon has adopted a 70-30 revenue split for newspaper and magazine publishers, bringing it in line with Apple’s App Store policy and prompting some to predict the emergence of another iTunes store, this time for newspapers. The Seattle-based online retail giant made the announcement Monday, proclaiming the new arrangement “a great new tool for making Kindle better and easier than ever for publishers.”

The announcement comes as Amazon prepares to offer newspapers and magazines on Kindle Apps, but could also be used as leverage by Apple to convince publishers reluctant to offer items on both platforms. A report last month by the Wall Street Journal suggested the Cupertino Calif. company could reach an agreement with publishers in time for the widely-expected launch of an iPad 2 in early 2011.

We start off the week with several deals on Xserve servers from Apple. Although the Cupertino, Calif. company announced Friday it would discontinue the hardware line January 31, 2011, The Apple Store is offering a selection of refurbished units, starting at $2,499 for a quad-core 2.26GHz unit. Also on tap is a 16GB Wi-Fi iPad for $449 and a new crop of price cuts on apps for your iPhone or iPod touch, including “Prince of Persia” for just 99 cents.

Along the way, we’ll also check out add-ons for your iPad, screen protectors for your iPhone and mind mapping software for your Mac. As always, details on these and many more products can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

The Solid State Drive, or SSD, appears to be the future of Apple devices, including the recently updated MacBook Air. Toshiba, the maker of the SSD in the razor-thin MBA is making the Blade X-gale series more widely available. The drives – just around 2.2mm thick – are available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB configurations to resellers and bulk purchasers.

“Delivering a product that enables superior user experience in a smaller footprint is the ultimate goal,” said Scott Nelson, vice president, Memory Business Unit, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. A denser memory module permits the smaller size, Nelson explained.

Over the weekend, Apple CEO Steve Jobs provided a few (very few) reasons why the Cupertino, Calif. was shelving the Xserve: it wasn’t selling well. “Hardly anyone was buying them,” Jobs explained in an email to a French website.

In a related mini-mystery, an Apple executive publicly affirmed Apple will still support its server customers, but then mysteriously deleted the message.

We close out another week of deals highlighting two hardware bargains along with another chance at free iPhone applications. First up is a 2GHz MacBook with 13-inch screen for $500. Next is a 2.53GHz Mac mini desktop for $699. How about a database of hacks at your disposal when you need a quick answer? That’s the goal of “I Fixed It!,” just one of the free applications available at the App Store.

Along the way, we have a deal on a quad-core Mac Pro Xeon as Apple announces the end of the line for this server. Also, in time for the football season are headphones bearing the logo of your favorite team. In addition, why not transfer your love of Apps from your iPhone to the fridge, with a set of 18 app icon magnets? As always, details on these and many other bargains can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

We start out with two MacBook Pro deals, including a unibody 2.26GHz unit for just $929. (There is also a 2.8GHz MacBook Pro powered by a Core i7 processor with a 17-inch screen and AppleCare for $3,197.) Also in the deal spotlight are new price cuts on iPad applications, including “Beachside Solitaire” for just $1. We also take a look at a bundle of Mac games, including “Plants versus Zombies.”

Along the way, we check out a number of other gadgets, including a game grip that turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a game controller. There also are deals on the iPod nano and holsters for your handset. As always, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page after the jump.

The Android-based Galaxy S from Samsung has dethroned the iPhone in Japan. Sort of. The headlines are based on just one week of sales during the last week of October, and may represent just pent-up demand. The other proviso is the Samsung device defeated the 16GB iPhone and the 32GB iPhone individually, but not together.

The iPhone has held the No. 1 position in the gadget-hungry nation for more than 18 weeks. Samsung hopes to sell 10 million Galaxy S phones by the end of the year. The device with a four-inch screen launched in the U.S. this summer.

All aboard! Enterprises can either jump on the hurtling iPad express or hop on the slow-moving freight that other tablet manufacturers promise will be coming along any time now. That’s the conclusion from the analyst gurus at the Gartner Group.

“The iPad looks set to become a market disrupting device, like the iPod before it,” the research firm tells companies. “Even if you think it is just a passing fad, the cost of early action is low, while the price of delay may well be extremely high,” it warns.