The new MacBook Pros are due on Thursday according to pervasive Internet scuttlebutt, and at the very least, a jump to Intel’s new Sandy Bridge architecture is a sure thing… but another state-of-the-art Intel technology might be coming to them as well, with Mactrast reporting that the February 24th MBP refresh might include the adoption of Intel’s Light Peak technology.
Apple has delayed shipping MacBook Pros on its online store for 3-5 business days… delaying the earliest day you can have a MacBook Pro shipped to you to well-ahead of the rumored Thursday launch of the next-gen MacBook Pros. Given how religious Apple’s Tim Cook is about supply, this has all the markings of an official MacBook Pro refresh.
Before the Mac, before the Apple II, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak made their first product: a digital Blue Box for hacking into telephone systems. In this clip from the 1998 documentary Silicon Valley: A 100 Year Renaissance, Jobs describes how the capability of this device so impressed two young teenagers that they began to realize the power of ideas and the potential of technology to control vast amounts of information.
If we hadn’t made blue boxes, there would have been no Apple.
They also realized the importance of good product packaging – nice wooden shipping case!
Apple appears to have re-introduced the full version of field test mode in iOS 4.3 Beta 3, which will allow you to quickly check the quality of your cellular signal by simply dialing: *3001#12345#* and pressing Call on your iPhone.
Under iOS 4.0 the field test vanished much to everyone’s dismay during Antennagate last year only to have a much simplified version reappear in iOS 4.1 that looked like this:
AT&T is now offering information about their 4G HSPA+ coverage in the U.S. The cities and areas that have completed the backhaul upgrades to support this are:
●Bay Area, CA
●Greater Los Angeles, CA
●Northern, CA
●Chicago, IL
●Boston, MA
●Baltimore, MD
●Charlotte, NC
●Buffalo, NY
●Providence, RI
●Houston, TX
●Dallas, TX
●Puerto Rico
If your area has HSPA+, but not the backhaul upgrade then you will not be able to experience the new 4G network speeds. However, AT&T’s network completely supports HSPA+ and they will eventually have the backhaul upgraded everywhere else.
You can check out AT&T’s coverage map that includes 4G coverage by visiting www.att.com/network and clicking on the coverage tab. Hovering your mouse over the map will reveal the 4G HSPA+ cities and locations listed above.
Have you noticed the difference? Tell us about it by leaving a comment.
[via iClarified]
Our roundup of must-have iOS apps from this week includes Camera+ – quite possibly the best, and certainly the most popular, photography application for the iPhone. It’s so good that it has replaced Apple’s official Camera app on my iPhone’s home screen, and is now my go-to application for snapping all my photos
Also to feature is Readlines – an application that makes great use of your iOS device while it’s sat in its dock on your desk, and turns an otherwise boring blank screen in to a big, bold stream of random headlines from your Google Reader RSS feeds.
Tap Forms Database on your iPhone means you can forget sifting through every piece of paper in your home to find your insurance details when you need to make a claim, or panicking because you’ve forgotten your PIN at the ATM when you need some cash – it’s now with you wherever you go.
Find out more about the applications above and check out the rest of this week’s must-haves, including HubbleSite and Inception: App Edition, after the break!
For people like me, and the other 28 million living with cancer, people like Steve Jobs are incredible role models. When I was undergoing chemotherapy three years ago, I was often tempted to think “why me?” But then I asked myself, “Why Steve Jobs? Why Lance Armstrong?” And I reflected on the remarkable things that they went on to achieve after their treatment. Their inspirational example helped me more than I can say.
Steve Jobs chooses not to talk about his cancer. He prefers to focus on his work. We should respect his choice.
This week’s must-have iOS games includes the incredible sequel to Gameloft’s hugely successful sci-fi FPS, N.O.V.A. This follow up title boasts new enemies with improved AI, a larger range of weapons and powers, and 10-on-10 online multiplayer – you won’t want to miss it!
Starfront: Collision is the second of Gameloft’s latest hits to make our list this week. Once again the company has looked at an incredibly popular game and created an iOS alternative that doesn’t disappoint. It’s a model they’ve been following for while with their App Store releases, and one that certainly seems to be working well for them. For fans of Blizzard’s Starcraft series and other real-time strategies, I highly recommend Starfront: Collision.
Since I first read it was coming, Back to the Future: Episode 1 for iPad was a game I couldn’t wait to see hit the App Store, and thanks to its striking voiceovers and delightful story line, the wait for this game didn’t disappoint. It’s sure to warm the hearts of fans of the movie and firmly earns its place in our favorite games.
Find out more about the games above and check out the rest of this week’s must-have, including Mahjongg Dimensions and Sky Combat, after the break!
In 1997, Apple was in deep financial trouble. Wired published a now-famous cover story: “101 Ways to Save Apple.”
Some of the advice was prescient, some was silly, but it was a fascinating list of suggestions. And what actually happened between now and then is even more interesting.
Here, for the first time, is a really detailed followup to each and every one of Wired‘s 101 suggestions.
It looks like Apple’s all set to launch new MacBooks next week, but the launch day is — a Thursday?
What’s up with that? Apple’s big product launches are almost always on Tuesdays. (It allows reporters on the East Coast to fly into California on a workday instead of the weekend).
So why would Apple launch new MacBooks on Thursday February 24?
It’s new MacBook Pros next Thursday February 24, according to MacRumors, citing a “reliable” source.
We’ve since heard reliable confirmation that this information is accurate and that the expected release date is next Thursday, February 24th. The move would be a bit unusual for Apple to launch new machines on a Thursday. So, if you are about to buy a new MacBook Pro, wait until next week.
MacBooks were last updated a year ago with Intel Core i5 and i7 chips. The new machines are likely to get Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge processors, which are faster and a lot less power hungry. Rumors that the machines will have cases made of Liquidmetal are unlikely, but they will probably will be lighter, thinner and have higher-resolution screens. A big price drop is predicted too.
Apple’s said to be releasing five new models, which will include two new 13-inch versions, two new 15-inch versions and one new 17-inch version.
Years ago, the Sun tabloid newspaper kidnapped a donkey and kept it in a Spanish hotel room for a story. Yesterday, Gizmodo hired a plane to take aerial photos of Steve Jobs’ demolished mansion.
Demolition began Monday of the abandoned mansion. Jobs won a long legal battle to have the old pile torn down. He wants to build a smaller, greener place on the property.
More demolition pictures below:
And here are some really beautiful pictures of the Jackling House before it was demolished, courtesy of photographer Jonathan Haeber, who sneaked in one night.
Camera+ – ($0.99 for a limited time) iPhone – Photography
Camera+ is quite possibly the best, and certainly the most popular, photography application for the iPhone. It’s so good that it has replaced Apple’s official Camera app on my iPhone’s home screen, and is now my go-to application for snapping all my photos. With dozens of effects, touch exposure and focus, 6x digital zoom, and multiple scene modes, Camera+ is the ultimate way to get the most out of your iPhone’s photos.
In addition to a major updated that includes over 50 awesome new features and improvements, Camera+ has also been reduced for a limited to time to just $0.99. Anyone who’s used Camera+ on their iPhone will agree that you won’t find a better day-to-day photography app, and with the recent performance tweaks and new features, $0.99 for this fantastic application is a steal!
Is Apple looking to build an HDTV? If the pidgin English grammar and bizarre, otherworldly syntax of this job listing are to be believed, then yes!
In this position, you will be part of pride developing innovative designs, which are implemented in products used by millions of people. The position primarily involves high-density offline power supply’s development for Apple’s next generation Macintosh platforms spanning from notebook computers, desktop computers, servers, standalone displays and TV.
Why Apple would get into the high-definition television business when they can turn any television into an Apple TV just by plugging in a $99 box is beyond me, but we’re sure just the whiff of this news gave Gene Munster— who has long believed in the unicorn of a real AppleTV — a pelvic scimitar.
[via 9to5Mac, who originally spotted this]
Throwing some more fuel on the fire of an imminent Sandy Bridge refresh of the MacBook Pro line, Apple Insider is confirming that their sources have told them that new models are coming this week.
People familiar with the matter say the Cupertino-based company late this week began briefing several of its operating segments to be on stand-by for a significant product launch that could come as early as next week. Those same people were not yet made privy to the specifics of the launch, however, which had earlier been anticipated for the following week.
Buckle up. We’re looking at a new Apple product launch, and if the rumors are to be believed, that will not only see MacBook Pros getting a whole lot faster, but they might have modular hard/optical drive bays, ubiquitous SSDs and be built out of futuristic LiquidMetal as well.
Back to the Future: Ep 1 HD – ($6.99) iPad – Games
The first in a series of five highly-anticipated Back to the Future games for the iPad has finally hit the App Store with a brand new escapade for Marty and Doc. This touch-based puzzle adventure features striking voiceovers and a delightful story line that is sure to warm the hearts of fans of the movie. I adore how Telltale Games’ efforts have delivered a mesmerising experience that remains true to the original trilogy, with innovative touch controls and impressive visuals that make Back to the Future: Episode 1 a fantastic iPad game.
Set 6 months after the events in the third movie, this storyline sees Marty take off in the DeLorean to save Doc once again. If you’re a fan of this movie and a lover of adventure games, this title is a sure-fire way to cure your weekend boredom – I’m certain you won’t be able to put it down.
The other four episodes in this series are scheduled for release on a monthly basis, so look out for episode two in mid March.
We wrap up another week with more iPhone applications. A number of apps are available with lower prices, including “Paperboy,” a port of a 1980s arcade game. From the absolutely free bin comes several other apps, such as the value comparison application “Comp and Save.” We also take a look at some iPod touch deals, including one 8GB unit for just $149.
Along the way, we also check out some discounts on iPhone 4 cases, some travel charges and software for the Mac. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Apple’s still destroying the competition when it comes to revenue from its iOS App Store, according to the latest study of mobile app marketplaces by IHS.
Even though the App Store is almost a $2 billion a year enterprise, though, the juggernaut seems to be slowing down compared to the competition. While the iOS App Store experienced 131.9% year-over-year growth, Google’s Androd Market grew at an astonishing 861.5% rate. Nokia’s Ovi store grew 719.4% last year, and even the BlackBerry APp World grew 360.3%.
All signs point to the App Store starting to reach a saturation point where growth will occur at a more level pace. Even so, the report is good news for Apple, as even at current growth rates, IHS says that the iPhone maker will take home at least half of all app sales right on through 2014.
[via MacStories]
Apple’s MagSafe adapter has been standard in its MacBook line for years, but the inability to transfer data through the connector has prevented Apple from using the technology to replace the iPod Dock Connector.
A new patent, though, for a Magnetic Connector with Optical Signal Path might change that. Then again, it might not, since it describes a way for data to be transmitted across a MacBook’s MagSafe port, with no mention of iOS devices. It’s easy to see how this patent could possibly be used to drive a MagSafe iPod Dock Connector, though.
All of the rumors we’d heard before now suggested that the next MacBook Pro — which will definitely boast Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge architecture, and may leverage Apple’s newly-signed deal for LiquidMetal — wouldn’t come until March, but now Slide to Mac is claiming that the new MacBook Pros will come next week.
According to SlideToMac, the new models will show up sometime at the latter end of next week… possibly on a Thursday or Friday. They say that Apple will release five new models, which will include two new 13-inch versions, two new 15-inch versions and one new 17-inch version.
First Rhapsody lashed out at Apple over the new App Store requirement mandating a 30% cut off-the-top of all in-app subscriptions and purchases, and now Last.fm co-founder Richard Jone is joining the cry, saying that “Apple [has] just f*cked over online music subs for the iPhone.”
They are labeled geniuses, they surround themselves with the coolest gadgets pushed by a tech giant who’s CEO has become a Silicon Valley rockstar. But does working at an Apple retail location match all the hype? An anonymous Apple retail worker gives a magazine interview, where he says “sometimes the company can feel like a cult.”
“They give us a little paper pamphlet, and it says things like — and I’m paraphrasing here — ‘Apple is our soul, our people are our soul,’ the employee tells Popular Mechanics. “There was this one training session in which they started telling us how to work on our personality, and separating people into those with an external focus and an internal focus. It was just weird.”
Steve Jobs is sitting next to President Obama. He’s wearing a black turtleneck!
This is an official White House photo. Here it is zoomed in:
Sony’s been making some noises lately suggesting that if their new Music Unlimited service takes off, they might ditch iTunes once and for all. Lest there be any doubt, though, that this is a fanciful fever dream that depends upon the digital equivalent of a pig sprouting wings and leaping majestically into the sky, Sony Network Entertainment COO Brandon Layden says that Sony won’t be ditching iTunes after all.
At a meeting held at the home of John Doerr of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Apple CEO Steve Jobs met with President Barack Obama last night alongside other Silicon Valley executives, the White House has confirmed.
Unlike his peers at Yahoo!!, Netflix, Twitter, Google and Facebook, though, Jobs remained out of sight of reporters throughout the meeting, and was seen neither entering or exiting the meeting.
