XtremeMac has unveiled three InCharge docking stations for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch at CES today. The InCharge Duo Plus, InCharge X3 and InCharge X5 multi-dock chargers provide 10 watts of energy per dock for simultaneously charging multiple iOS devices at once.
With CES in full effect, it’s been an extremely busy couple of days for Android. In fact, I was so absorbed in CES news, I forgot to post yesterday’s Android roundup (I bet you thought it was going to go away). Good news is we’re still here, and for anyone interested in what has been going on in the world of Android, we encourage you to head over to Cult of Android. Here’s a recap of some of the news-making headlines today.
Apple’s VP of worldwide iPod, iPhone, and iOS product marketing, Greg Joswiak, has been spotted on the show floor at CES “scouting the competition.” paidContent caught up with the Apple exec in Las Vegas at this week’s 2012 CES convention.
Eastman Kodak has announced its plans to sue Apple and HTC for violating several of its patents relating to digital imaging. The once-profitable camera company claims that Apple’s iOS devices and HTC’s smartphones infringe on Kodak patents for transmitting images digitally and between devices.
Today Amazon launched an iPad-optimized Kindle Store web app. Visiting amazon.com/iPadKindleStore on the iPad will now take you to Amazon’s new web portal for buying ebooks from Apple’s tablet.
Once you’ve logged into your Amazon account, you’ll be able to browse and purchase ebooks in Mobile Safari on the iPad. Your purchases will then be pushed by Amazon to your Kindle device or Kindle iOS app.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – The remarkable success of Mophie’s Juice Pack Air has inevitably resulted in a locust storm of battery case also-rans at this year’s CES, but of the lot of them, the Boost Case Hybrid is the one we like best. Why? Because Boost Case understands that you don’t always want to carry around all that extra battery. They just want to make it easy for you when you do.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – According to maker iDevices, who made news last year with an odd Bluetooth cooking thermometer called the iGrill, the iShower’s entire raison d’être is to remove the “oh crap!” factor of dropping your iOS device into the shower, sink or toilet when all you want to do is listen to some tunes.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Here’s the secret business of most polyurethane iPhone screen protectors: they know you’re not going to be able to get it on perfectly aligned without bubbles or pieces of grit underneath. In fact, they’re counting on you making a mash of things, and having to buy an expensive replacement.
But that business model is a double-edged sword, thinks Pure Gear. Sure, make the process of applying a polyurethane shield difficult and you might sell first-time buyers two instead of one the first time. But since the process is such a pain in the butt, and so hard to get right, many consumers never try again after the first time they mess it up.
That’s where Pure Gear’s incredible new shield applying tech comes in. Called the PureTek Roll-On, Pure Gear’s solution makes applying a polyurethane shield to your iPhone as easy as rolling a new coat of paint on the wall.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 — After recently winning Apple’s “App of the Year” award, the popular photo-editing app, Snapseed, is making its way to the Mac to provide the same amazing functionality for OS X that iPhone and iPad users have grown to love. We had a chance to meet up with Nik Software (developers of Snapseed) and see the app in action, and we have to say, we’re pretty stoked that the Mac is getting this awesome app.
Apple production partner Foxconn has been tied to worker suicides in the past, but a new wrinkle emerged earlier this month. According to reports, a group of 300 Chinese employees building Xbox 360 game consoles threatened suicide by jumping off the roof of a factory.
Apple is a tease – and that’s a good thing, according to new research figures. The late announcement of an iPhone 4S created such pent-up demand among consumers that the Cupertino, Calif. tech giant came within a breath of Android’s U.S. smartphone lead. A wave of sales during the third quarter of 2011 pushed Apple’s share of the U.S. smartphone market to 43 percent, just shy of Android’s 47 percent share.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Want to see at a glance everything that’s wrong with Sony? Look at that monstrosity above. It’s Sony’s new TV remote, and while the Japanese electronics maker prattled on about its wireless capabilities, backlit keyboard and VoIP microphone, the rest of the industry at CES is showing off voice- and gesture- controlled Smart TVs in anticipation of Apple’s entry into the market.
Totally clueless. Sony’s press event on Monday evening was like watching a company that had never even heard of Apple, let alone seen it in the last five years topple Sony’s lead in multiple industries.
Jeremy Horwitz, Editor-in-Chief over at iLounge, claims to have gotten up close and personal with a rear shell from Apple’s next-generation iPad 3. Thanks to his hands-on, Horwitz can reveal that the new device will indeed be slightly thicker than its predecessor (though you won’t notice it), with a much-improved iPhone-like camera, minus the LED flash.
No one enjoys slapping a case on their iPhone. They add weight, extra bulk, and almost always ruin the beautiful look of your device. If you want to protect it, however, there’s no other way.
Or is there? A company called Liquipel claims to make your iPhone waterproof without a case. It uses a special water resistant “nano” coating which repels water, allowing you to actually submerge you device into a bucket of juice — naked — without killing it.
If you’re listening to music in the background while you use other apps on your iOS device, it’s quick and easy to control your Music app by using the buttons in the multitasking tray. If you have a faulty home button, however — which is a common problem on Apple’s iOS devices — you may have an issue.
Thankfully, SpringPod offers an alternative solution by adding music controls to your home screen.
The Wall Street Journal reports Apple may have developed a modified version of its iPhone compatible with China Telecom’s “CDMA-2000” network. The device is set to make its debut in China this Friday, but as things currently stand, it’s to be exclusive to China Unicom.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – At CES last year, Nikon booth-guy Lindsay wasn’t subdued, but he definitely wasn’t as rambunctious as he was tonight when I got him talking about the new D4. Let me tell you, this guy really loves the D4. I’m a fan too though, so it was fun getting him to walk us through some of the camera’s new features.
Nuance, a speech recognition company that powers Apple’s Siri service, has launched a new voice-controlled platform for television sets called Dragon TV. The service allows you to navigate your way around different content by “speaking channel numbers, station names, show and movie names” using natural language.
It’s everything you’d expect a Siri-powered Apple TV to be.
Accompanying the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 back in November was a new service from Activision called Call of Duty Elite, which allows gamers to do all sorts of fancy things outside of the game such as monitor their stats, customize their classes, view action reports from previous matches, and more.
Activision promised the service would make its way to the iPhone with an official Call of Duty Elite app, and today, it’s available to download for free from the App Store.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Sphero is a fun little gadget indeed. Paired with your iPhone, you can make the Sphero roll this way and that. You can also change its color on the fly. And if you own a cat, well, just watch the video and let your imagination do the work.
The Sphero was at CES last year, but only as a rough prototype. They just started shipping in December, so if you’d like to pick one up, you can do so on Amazon or on Sphero’s website for $129.
Go get one, your kitty will think its purrr-fect.
Corning is at CES in Las Vegas this week to unveil its next-generation Gorilla Glass, which it promises is as tough and scratch-resistant as ever, designed to withstand the “unexpected abuses of everyday life.” It’s likely to take over its predecessor in future iOS devices, helping Apple make slimmer yet stronger iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Like many TV makers at CES, Apple’s rumored entry into the HDTV market was the specter in the room at Samsung’s Monday afternoon press conference. However, unlike other makers who are flailing around blindly trying to add new bullet points to their spec sheets in the face of Apple entering the industry, Samsung’s next-gen Smart TV has a plan… and it’s just compelling enough that you wonder if Samsung has been tipped off on just what the iTV will entail, and is preparing in kind.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 – Oh the irony! Microsoft showed off some of its best software in years at its final keynote at CES.
But just as Microsoft seems to be getting its act together, it is pulling out of the U.S.’s largest technology show.
Steve Ballmer didn’t dance around like a monkey. Bill Gates didn’t make a cameo, and there was only one of the goofy, funny videos that Microsoft is known for.
Overall it was a letdown, despite software that looks like it might really give Apple a run for its money.
Today’s iOS 5.1 beta 3 makes some interesting references to Siri’s Dictation feature. On both the iPod touch and iPad, a new Dictation text file has appeared under the keyboard settings window. This new document is not present in the same place on the iPhone 4S, suggesting that this reference does indeed foreshadow what’s to come.
The text file outlines iOS Dictation’s privacy details. While Siri Dictation is currently an iPhone 4S-only feature, it’s plausible to assume that Apple is working to bring the feature to other iOS devices.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 — Over the past year, Nokia has been making steady incremental improvements to reshape the company’s image by showing the world that greatness doesn’t come to those who merely copy what the best company is doing. Greatness is achieved by setting yourself apart from the competition by taking a radically different path than everyone else. Apple has known this fact for decades and have used it become the most admired company in the world, and during Nokia’s press conference today it was readily apparent that the only company that should be viewed as a truly worthy adversary to Apple in the mobile market is Nokia.