Ahead of earnings day, Facebook manages expectations
As it gets ready to report its first earnings as a publicly traded company this week,Facebook is doing something most high-profile tech companies wouldn't think of: It's offering to help out the media. More specifically, the company's outside PR firm, Brunswick Group, is sharing with journalists a list of selected Facebook news in case they weren't watching when the items first came over the transom. In addition, they've compiled links to articles which stress that, yes, big advertisers (unlike General Motors) really do like Facebook as an advertising platform.For Facebook, it seems, this is part of a wider effort to manage expectations around what promises to be one of the most highest-profile conference calls with a tech company this year.The execs at Facebook know just how unforgiving public investors can be, and plenty feel burned by Facebook, its bankers, and the Nasdaq. (Hence all the lawsuits against Facebook, and Facebook's fight with the Nasdaq). That's why the company is hoping that the press presents the glass-half-full part of the story when Facebook announces its second-quarter results Thursday afternoon. In light of the fallout from Facebook's bungled May IPO, Facebook has an added incentive to underscore the things that it wants to share that might otherwise get overlooked. And in that respect, Facebook indeed has plenty to talk about, including these items:Earlier this month Facebook settled a huge and potentially costly patent fight with Yahoo that began when Yahoo sued Facebook just before the IPO. In April, the company paid Microsoft $550 million for a slew of important patents. In June, it launched its own app store, called the App Center, adding to its mobile efforts and potentially leading to new revenue streams.It recently began serving personalized ads and so-called sponsored stories on Zynga.com, the first time it's done this outside of the Facebook world. In June, it launched an ad exchange, called Facebook Exchange, to let advertisers better target users on Facebook by tracking what else they do across the Web. It's made a slew of acquisitions -- eight in all, according to the PR cheat sheet -- including the $1 billion stock-and-cash purchase of Instagram that got the world's attention.With these handy CliffsNotes, it's as if Facebook is trying to say, "Don't just look at the quarterly numbers!" They also serve to remind us that Mark Zuckerberg and the crew have been hard at work in the past months -- even if the fruits of much of their work won't translate to the bottom or top line for next couple of quarters or even more. "Facebook has been incredibly busy and experimental over the last few months," says Jed Williams, a senior analyst with BIA Kelsey, a research firm focused on interactive media. "They've made a rash of acquisitions and thrown themselves into a lot of areas that they really won't be able to monetize in three months. Right now, it feels like a lot of individual pieces, but there must be a bigger puzzle in mind."Will Wall Street be patient -- that is, not punish the stock further -- while Zuckerberg and the team assemble that puzzle? That's hard to say. The market is treacherous these days, and investors are not inclined to give Facebook the benefit of the doubt. The stock, now trading around $28 a share, hasn't touched its offer price of $38 since day one.When investors pick apart the results after the numbers hit the wire, they will, as my colleague Larry Dignan points out, zero in on signs of the health of the advertising business, how many people are accessing Facebook from mobile devices and, importantly, and any sign that Facebook is having success making money from mobile. Equally important will be how good a job Facebook execs do fielding questions from analysts and investors on this, their first-ever conference call. After weeks of watching their stock flounder, management will finally get an opportunity to publicly talk up Facebook's longer-term prospects. (The company isn't yet saying whether Zuckerberg will participate).Here are a few things I hope they talk about: All those acquisitions. After its blockbuster deal for Instagram, which still needs to clear regulatory hurdles, Facebook returned to its more typical pattern of buying up small companies. Some of these so-called acqui-hires were done to scoop up the employees. That's how Facebook is characterizing its acquisition of Pieceable and research and design agency Bolt Peters, for instance.But what about its acquisition of the location-app startup Glancee, which, the company says, makes it "easy to discover the hidden connections around you"? Or what about social-gifting company Karma, which brings e-commerce and social onto smartphones? And how about TagTile, the mobile-based customer loyalty Square competitor?These small but important acquisitions won't likely get mentioned amid the noise of a big earnings report, but some more detail on the thinking surrounding them would be helpful. Is Facebook planning to incorporate location-based data to deliver targeted and useful ads on mobile phones? Or even planning to tap into its powerful user data and reach to come up new types of offers, creating a Groupon killer of sorts?Doing away with Facebook Credits. So far, the company has said little about its plans with e-commerce, although it has been taking steps that offer clues. The purchase of TagTile is a curious one, for sure. But more intriguing is thatin June Facebook did away with its own currency, called Facebook Credits, and began accepting real currency via credit cards. That makes it easier for companies to sell goods on Facebook, potentially creating a full-on iTunes competitor. Let's hope for some hint to how this effort is going.That outside-Facebook ad network. This is a big one. Facebook has huge potential to create an ad network that taps into your social connections to sell targeted ads across the Web, outside of Facebook. So many sites now use Facebook Connect to let consumers log on with their Facebook credentials that it seems a natural step for Facebook to begin offering new kinds of ads that incorporate what you and your friends "like" and do on Facebook.I analyzed the possibility of a Facebook ad network just before the IPO, and although the company hasn't talked about this, its actions suggest the company is going in this direction. That includes the move to place personalized ads on Zynga.com, and its new Facebook Exchange. These also are new initiatives, of course, so any clues as to how they're doing and where this is going are more likely to come on the conference call than in the earnings release itself.
I paid $600 for my iPhone. Am I a sucker-
I paid $600 for my iPhone. Am I a sucker?
So, sure, I'm not delighted about paying $600 for a phone that's being sold for $400 just over two months later. And, as much as I like my iPhone, I doubt that I got $200 worth over the value my old beater phone would have provided during that time.I'm not alone. One iPhone-related blog said "it looks like Apple doesn't care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago." Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is "thoroughly pissed" and wants a $100 iTunes gift card (a perfectly reasonable thing for Apple to do, by the way, but more on this later).Apple's forums are flooded with complaints and scattered reports that store credit or partial refunds are being granted. There's also talk of using a credit card company's price-protection guarantee to seek a refund of the difference, and price protection from Apple or AT&T if you bought it in the last few weeks.But should people be all that peeved? Not really. It's no secret that computer prices tend to fall: The PlayStation 3 got $100 cheaper this summer, and the Motorola RAZR V3 was originally $500 with a service agreement. Now it's just $50. All of us iPhoniacs knew the price would fall by a third or so.The only surprise was how soon. I had expected a revised iPhone in January (maybe with a video camera and 3G) to be accompanied by a price cut of around $200.So am I truly harmed? Nope. I and my fellow early adopters obviously thought that the 8 GB iPhone was more valuable to us than $600 in the bank, or we wouldn't have coughed up the cash. I'd be facing that $200 loss if I wanted to sell my iPhone today, true, but I'm not planning on it. So it's more akin to an unrealized loss, and probably no harm at all if I sell it in a year; Apple merely made my iPhone worth a few hundred dollars less a few months earlier than I expected.The real harm could be to Apple. Customer expectations are important. Apple adored the publicity that it received when announcing astonishingly high initial iPhone sales. If Apple customers come to expect price cuts after 60 days, early sales of the the Next Must Have Gadget will be anything but stellar.If Apple needed to reduce the price because of market pressure or to meet its sales goals, that's perfectly understandable, of course. But the reason it should show flexibility in terms of rebates or gift certificates is not simply my unrealized, earlier-than-expected loss: it's to preserve Apple's own bottom line in the future.
So, sure, I'm not delighted about paying $600 for a phone that's being sold for $400 just over two months later. And, as much as I like my iPhone, I doubt that I got $200 worth over the value my old beater phone would have provided during that time.I'm not alone. One iPhone-related blog said "it looks like Apple doesn't care about early adopters who just paid $600+ no more than 2 months ago." Another estimated, with depressing precision, that the iPhone Early Adopter Tax was $3 a day. Macenstein is "thoroughly pissed" and wants a $100 iTunes gift card (a perfectly reasonable thing for Apple to do, by the way, but more on this later).Apple's forums are flooded with complaints and scattered reports that store credit or partial refunds are being granted. There's also talk of using a credit card company's price-protection guarantee to seek a refund of the difference, and price protection from Apple or AT&T if you bought it in the last few weeks.But should people be all that peeved? Not really. It's no secret that computer prices tend to fall: The PlayStation 3 got $100 cheaper this summer, and the Motorola RAZR V3 was originally $500 with a service agreement. Now it's just $50. All of us iPhoniacs knew the price would fall by a third or so.The only surprise was how soon. I had expected a revised iPhone in January (maybe with a video camera and 3G) to be accompanied by a price cut of around $200.So am I truly harmed? Nope. I and my fellow early adopters obviously thought that the 8 GB iPhone was more valuable to us than $600 in the bank, or we wouldn't have coughed up the cash. I'd be facing that $200 loss if I wanted to sell my iPhone today, true, but I'm not planning on it. So it's more akin to an unrealized loss, and probably no harm at all if I sell it in a year; Apple merely made my iPhone worth a few hundred dollars less a few months earlier than I expected.The real harm could be to Apple. Customer expectations are important. Apple adored the publicity that it received when announcing astonishingly high initial iPhone sales. If Apple customers come to expect price cuts after 60 days, early sales of the the Next Must Have Gadget will be anything but stellar.If Apple needed to reduce the price because of market pressure or to meet its sales goals, that's perfectly understandable, of course. But the reason it should show flexibility in terms of rebates or gift certificates is not simply my unrealized, earlier-than-expected loss: it's to preserve Apple's own bottom line in the future.
Apple accidentally outs iPhone 5 name, LTE support, and new iPods
Apple accidentally outs iPhone 5 name, LTE support, and new iPods
Apple's next-generation smartphone will be called the iPhone 5, according to an inactive link accidentally posted on the company's own Web site hours before the highly anticipated device is expected to be announced in San Francisco.By searching Apple's Web site for the term "iPhone 5," the search results yield a listing to a press release primed for later today. In the address listing, it says: "Apple-Introduces-iPhone-5," giving a fairly clear indication of what the forthcoming device will be called, 9to5Mac reported earlier today.The link appears dead at this stage and the page doesn't load. But that's not all.The iPhone 5 will also include 4G LTE connectivity, according to the search results. Typing in "iPhone LTE," on Apple's website, a dead link appears that shows a page on LTE, otherwise known as Long Term Evolution, the standard for 4G connectivity around the world.Search results for 'iPhone LTE' on Apple's websiteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETAlong with the iPhone, Apple seems to be getting ready to release the "one more thing" expected at today's event. If one searches for "new iPod touch," another search listing with a dead link shows that Apple is ready to announce a new iPod Touch and an iPod Nano at today's event. Search results for 'new iPod touch' on Apple's websiteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETA new version of iTunes is also expected to be announced at today's event. Typing in "unveils-new-iTunes" on Apple's Web site indicates that a press release is ready to launch once Apple concludes its presentation later this morning. Search results for 'unveils-new-iTunes' on Apple's Web siteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETDespite Apple CEO Tim Cook's ">bid to "double down on secrecy," the technology giant has seen more parts and components leak to the press in the past six months than any other previous iPhone release. And that's even taking into account the iPhone 4 prototype that was left at a bar in 2010.While the page "cannot be found," it surely will be in the coming hours. The event begins at 10 a.m. PT, and you can check out CNET's live coverage here.The iPhone 5 is expected to be a brand-new design with a thinner body and taller screen. It's tipped to include global 4G LTE connectivity, Siri improvements, a new smaller dock connector, and the next-generation iOS 6 mobile operating system.CNET contacted Apple for comment, and we'll update the story when the company responds.Updated at 7:30 a.m.to include new iTunes search result.Updated at 7:50 a.m.to include search results on 4G LTE connectivity for the iPhone 5.Updated at 8:40 a.m.to credit 9to5Mac as the original source, which was mistakenly left out of the original piece.Tune in Wednesday starting at 9 a.m. PT for our Apple iPhone event live blog.
Apple's next-generation smartphone will be called the iPhone 5, according to an inactive link accidentally posted on the company's own Web site hours before the highly anticipated device is expected to be announced in San Francisco.By searching Apple's Web site for the term "iPhone 5," the search results yield a listing to a press release primed for later today. In the address listing, it says: "Apple-Introduces-iPhone-5," giving a fairly clear indication of what the forthcoming device will be called, 9to5Mac reported earlier today.The link appears dead at this stage and the page doesn't load. But that's not all.The iPhone 5 will also include 4G LTE connectivity, according to the search results. Typing in "iPhone LTE," on Apple's website, a dead link appears that shows a page on LTE, otherwise known as Long Term Evolution, the standard for 4G connectivity around the world.Search results for 'iPhone LTE' on Apple's websiteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETAlong with the iPhone, Apple seems to be getting ready to release the "one more thing" expected at today's event. If one searches for "new iPod touch," another search listing with a dead link shows that Apple is ready to announce a new iPod Touch and an iPod Nano at today's event. Search results for 'new iPod touch' on Apple's websiteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETA new version of iTunes is also expected to be announced at today's event. Typing in "unveils-new-iTunes" on Apple's Web site indicates that a press release is ready to launch once Apple concludes its presentation later this morning. Search results for 'unveils-new-iTunes' on Apple's Web siteScreenshot by Zack Whittaker/CNETDespite Apple CEO Tim Cook's ">bid to "double down on secrecy," the technology giant has seen more parts and components leak to the press in the past six months than any other previous iPhone release. And that's even taking into account the iPhone 4 prototype that was left at a bar in 2010.While the page "cannot be found," it surely will be in the coming hours. The event begins at 10 a.m. PT, and you can check out CNET's live coverage here.The iPhone 5 is expected to be a brand-new design with a thinner body and taller screen. It's tipped to include global 4G LTE connectivity, Siri improvements, a new smaller dock connector, and the next-generation iOS 6 mobile operating system.CNET contacted Apple for comment, and we'll update the story when the company responds.Updated at 7:30 a.m.to include new iTunes search result.Updated at 7:50 a.m.to include search results on 4G LTE connectivity for the iPhone 5.Updated at 8:40 a.m.to credit 9to5Mac as the original source, which was mistakenly left out of the original piece.Tune in Wednesday starting at 9 a.m. PT for our Apple iPhone event live blog.
Rumor Has It, Ep. 16- Whew! iPad 3 is coming! (podcast)
Rumor Has It, Ep. 16: Whew! iPad 3 is coming! (podcast)
This show is a record-breaker for many reasons; first and foremost, Rumor Has It brings on its first-ever guests!Chris Matyszczyk, of CNET'sTechnically Incorrect blog, and Nathan Bransford, the man behind CNET's social media presence. Chris dishes some seriously juicy gossip that only a man of his keen, hilarious temper could find, and he nearly brings me to tears with one tale of woe. And Nathan (with help from my little brother Ben Dreyfuss, aka the Twitter detective and CNET's incognito Twitterer) killed it on Twitter last week, bringing you the fastest news out of CES of anyone on the Web. We find out how he did it.It was also the first time we had ever done two shows in one day! On no sleep! And with only Doritos in our bellies! (Don't miss the Humiliation Day episode we did the hour before.)So check it out as we explain why it's looking more and more likely the iPad 3 will be out in March, cover breaking SOPA news, and most importantly, show you behind the scenes at the real CES, the CNET Trailer.EPISODE 16This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlaySubscribe:Â RSS (MP3) |Â RSS (320x180) |Â RSS (640x360) |Â iTunes (MP3) |Â iTunes (320x180) |Â iTunes (640x360)PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Show notes:Samsung Galaxy S3 to sport 3D display and camera?How to spot an apple spy at CESApple to ship high-res 'iPad 3' in March, 'iPad 4' with new apps in OctoberHeard a tech rumor you think we should cover?E-mail us at Rumorhasit [at] cnet.com, or directly at karyne.levy [at] cnet.com or emily.dreyfuss [at] cnet.com. And call and leave us a voice mail at 1-800-750-CNET!And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow, @stephenbeacham.
This show is a record-breaker for many reasons; first and foremost, Rumor Has It brings on its first-ever guests!Chris Matyszczyk, of CNET'sTechnically Incorrect blog, and Nathan Bransford, the man behind CNET's social media presence. Chris dishes some seriously juicy gossip that only a man of his keen, hilarious temper could find, and he nearly brings me to tears with one tale of woe. And Nathan (with help from my little brother Ben Dreyfuss, aka the Twitter detective and CNET's incognito Twitterer) killed it on Twitter last week, bringing you the fastest news out of CES of anyone on the Web. We find out how he did it.It was also the first time we had ever done two shows in one day! On no sleep! And with only Doritos in our bellies! (Don't miss the Humiliation Day episode we did the hour before.)So check it out as we explain why it's looking more and more likely the iPad 3 will be out in March, cover breaking SOPA news, and most importantly, show you behind the scenes at the real CES, the CNET Trailer.EPISODE 16This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlaySubscribe:Â RSS (MP3) |Â RSS (320x180) |Â RSS (640x360) |Â iTunes (MP3) |Â iTunes (320x180) |Â iTunes (640x360)PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Show notes:Samsung Galaxy S3 to sport 3D display and camera?How to spot an apple spy at CESApple to ship high-res 'iPad 3' in March, 'iPad 4' with new apps in OctoberHeard a tech rumor you think we should cover?E-mail us at Rumorhasit [at] cnet.com, or directly at karyne.levy [at] cnet.com or emily.dreyfuss [at] cnet.com. And call and leave us a voice mail at 1-800-750-CNET!And don't forget to follow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow, @stephenbeacham.
How to find Android games with no in-app purchases
How to find Android games with no in-app purchases
When you look at a mobile game for iOS on iTunes, there's a very handy at-a-glance tool that lets you know whether or not it is supported by in-app purchases: a bar on the left-hand side that shows the most popular purchases.Google Play, unfortunately, is a little less clear. You can never be sure, when you're looking at a game, if it's completely free, ad-supported, has a free demo but the full game can only be unlocked with a one-off purchase, or if it is filled with sneaky bits of content that can only be unlocked if you spend money in increments.Honest Android Games offers a solution. It curates games so that you can easily find a game you're willing to download, and eschews anything that incorporated incremental payment models.It files them into one of three categories: completely free (including ad-supported); freemium (which incorporates a one-off payment to remove ads, or a one-off payment after a free demo to unlock the full game); and paid.It also sorts them via Google features (full screen mode, gamepad support and Google Play services), type of multiplayer and genre.The website is fairly new and, as such, has relatively little content, but you can help out by emailing the creator suggestions from a link on the page. Be warned â€" it has pretty strict criteria. The creator makes it clear that the site is only looking for high quality content."For your game to be considered please make sure the game is aesthetically pleasing and controls well on a touchscreen (no ports that were originally designed to be played with controllers)," the site reads. "Games must also support proper full screen scaling (no letterboxing) and HD graphics for tablets."
When you look at a mobile game for iOS on iTunes, there's a very handy at-a-glance tool that lets you know whether or not it is supported by in-app purchases: a bar on the left-hand side that shows the most popular purchases.Google Play, unfortunately, is a little less clear. You can never be sure, when you're looking at a game, if it's completely free, ad-supported, has a free demo but the full game can only be unlocked with a one-off purchase, or if it is filled with sneaky bits of content that can only be unlocked if you spend money in increments.Honest Android Games offers a solution. It curates games so that you can easily find a game you're willing to download, and eschews anything that incorporated incremental payment models.It files them into one of three categories: completely free (including ad-supported); freemium (which incorporates a one-off payment to remove ads, or a one-off payment after a free demo to unlock the full game); and paid.It also sorts them via Google features (full screen mode, gamepad support and Google Play services), type of multiplayer and genre.The website is fairly new and, as such, has relatively little content, but you can help out by emailing the creator suggestions from a link on the page. Be warned â€" it has pretty strict criteria. The creator makes it clear that the site is only looking for high quality content."For your game to be considered please make sure the game is aesthetically pleasing and controls well on a touchscreen (no ports that were originally designed to be played with controllers)," the site reads. "Games must also support proper full screen scaling (no letterboxing) and HD graphics for tablets."
Sprint touts ecocentric LG Optimus Elite
Sprint touts ecocentric LG Optimus Elite
Apple likes to boast about its Earth-friendly products that it strives to build with minimum impact to the planet. Sprint's new LG Optimus Elite, however, could give the iPhone a run for its money -- at least in the green department.LG claims the Optimus Elite uses a casing that's crafted from 50 percent recycled plastic and is ULE Platinum-certified, the most stringent label awarded by the UL environmental body. The company also says the handset doesn't contain harmful materials such as PVC plastics, phthalates, halogens, or mercury.Besides its environmentally oriented credentials, the Optimus Elite looks to be a credible Android smartphone as well. It runs Gingerbread (Android 2.3) with a 3.5-inch screen plus is equipped with an NFC chip for Google Wallet mobile payment support. The phone's other specs, such as a single-core 800MHz processor, 3G data connection, and 5MP camera won't impress power mobile users, though. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayThat said, for a low $29.99 (after $50 rebate and two-year contract), I suppose you can't expect the world; just try to save it, perhaps. Expect the LG Optimus Elite to hit stores just in time for Earth Day on Sunday, April 22.
Apple likes to boast about its Earth-friendly products that it strives to build with minimum impact to the planet. Sprint's new LG Optimus Elite, however, could give the iPhone a run for its money -- at least in the green department.LG claims the Optimus Elite uses a casing that's crafted from 50 percent recycled plastic and is ULE Platinum-certified, the most stringent label awarded by the UL environmental body. The company also says the handset doesn't contain harmful materials such as PVC plastics, phthalates, halogens, or mercury.Besides its environmentally oriented credentials, the Optimus Elite looks to be a credible Android smartphone as well. It runs Gingerbread (Android 2.3) with a 3.5-inch screen plus is equipped with an NFC chip for Google Wallet mobile payment support. The phone's other specs, such as a single-core 800MHz processor, 3G data connection, and 5MP camera won't impress power mobile users, though. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayThat said, for a low $29.99 (after $50 rebate and two-year contract), I suppose you can't expect the world; just try to save it, perhaps. Expect the LG Optimus Elite to hit stores just in time for Earth Day on Sunday, April 22.
Sprint to stop selling iPhone 4 in stores, but not online
Sprint to stop selling iPhone 4 in stores, but not online
Reports of the iPhone 4's demise on Sprint appear to be exaggerated, but not entirely untrue. A company spokesperson confirmed with CNET that the phone will no longer be sold at Sprint's stores this Friday, but that customers will still be able to purchase it online."iPhone 4 will become a Web only device effective on September 21. We will certainly still be selling it," a company spokeswoman told CNET.An image posted on 9to5Mac last night showed that the iPhone 4 would "removed from Planogram on 9/21/12" suggesting the device would no longer be available for sale.Sprint became a carrier of Apple's iPhone last year with the release of the iPhone 4S. At the time the company also began selling the iPhone 4 alongside Apple's newer, flagship device. With the release of the iPhone 5, which goes on sale this Friday, the iPhone 4 becomes a free device on most carriers, with a two-year contract.
Reports of the iPhone 4's demise on Sprint appear to be exaggerated, but not entirely untrue. A company spokesperson confirmed with CNET that the phone will no longer be sold at Sprint's stores this Friday, but that customers will still be able to purchase it online."iPhone 4 will become a Web only device effective on September 21. We will certainly still be selling it," a company spokeswoman told CNET.An image posted on 9to5Mac last night showed that the iPhone 4 would "removed from Planogram on 9/21/12" suggesting the device would no longer be available for sale.Sprint became a carrier of Apple's iPhone last year with the release of the iPhone 4S. At the time the company also began selling the iPhone 4 alongside Apple's newer, flagship device. With the release of the iPhone 5, which goes on sale this Friday, the iPhone 4 becomes a free device on most carriers, with a two-year contract.
Apple planning September event-
Apple planning September event?
He says he has heard from "multiple music industry sources" that there will be an Apple event held sometime during the week of September 7. Now, this isn't a huge surprise since Apple has held an event announcing the latest upgrade to the iPod and iTunes around this same time every year. But this year there are some interesting variables in play.It's essentially guaranteed that Apple will announce upgrades across the iPod line, including the iPod Touch and Nano, and perhaps even kill off some older models.The iPod Touch is rumored to be getting a camera, digital compass, and microphone. Other clues have pointed to the Nano also getting equipped with a camera.Of more interest perhaps is whether Apple will use this event to debut the oft-discussed and long-rumored Apple tablet. Different sources have pointed to a 10-inch touch-screen device that's essentially a giant iPod Touch being available either this fall or in early 2010. It's rumored to have a music element to it, through a new album format supposedly called "Cocktail," making its introduction at a music-focused event seem plausible. The timing would also make sense if Apple wanted to establish some solid pre-holiday buzz before the annual winter shopping season. And finally, many are wondering if Apple CEO Steve Jobs will use the September event--if it happens--to make his first public appearance since returning from medical leave earlier this year. Apple executive Phil Schiller has filled in for Jobs at these keynote-style events since January, but since Jobs has been officially back at the company's helm since the end of June, the September event would be the first opportunity for him to return to the spotlight.
He says he has heard from "multiple music industry sources" that there will be an Apple event held sometime during the week of September 7. Now, this isn't a huge surprise since Apple has held an event announcing the latest upgrade to the iPod and iTunes around this same time every year. But this year there are some interesting variables in play.It's essentially guaranteed that Apple will announce upgrades across the iPod line, including the iPod Touch and Nano, and perhaps even kill off some older models.The iPod Touch is rumored to be getting a camera, digital compass, and microphone. Other clues have pointed to the Nano also getting equipped with a camera.Of more interest perhaps is whether Apple will use this event to debut the oft-discussed and long-rumored Apple tablet. Different sources have pointed to a 10-inch touch-screen device that's essentially a giant iPod Touch being available either this fall or in early 2010. It's rumored to have a music element to it, through a new album format supposedly called "Cocktail," making its introduction at a music-focused event seem plausible. The timing would also make sense if Apple wanted to establish some solid pre-holiday buzz before the annual winter shopping season. And finally, many are wondering if Apple CEO Steve Jobs will use the September event--if it happens--to make his first public appearance since returning from medical leave earlier this year. Apple executive Phil Schiller has filled in for Jobs at these keynote-style events since January, but since Jobs has been officially back at the company's helm since the end of June, the September event would be the first opportunity for him to return to the spotlight.
Apple patents method to let you buy iTunes content offline
Apple patents method to let you buy iTunes content offline
Want to buy a new song or video from iTunes even though you're offline? A new Apple patent envisions a way, at least sometime down the road.Granted to Apple today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, the patent appropriately named "On-device offline purchases using credits" describes a system of using credits to purchase iTunes content that's stored on your device but which you don't already own. The goal is to allow you to unlock and play iTunes songs, videos, and other items without having to be online.You would first buy credits that you can apply to future offline iTunes purchases. You'd also have a library of items on your mobile device that you don't actually own but may wish to purchase. These items could include recommendations from iTunes that were downloaded the last time you were online. Since you don't actually own the items, they remain locked until you pay for them.Now you're offline and would like to play one of the recommended and downloaded songs or videos. Since you can't purchase them directly without an online connection, you would tap into your reserve of prepaid credits to pay for and unlock that item. The whole transaction is thus conducted offline.You can buy credits through your mobile device or through iTunes, as shown in one of the patent images. You could also use a credit card, bank account, or a service such as PayPal to purchase the credits, just as you do to directly buy iTunes content.Apple/USPTOAs described in the patent:One or more media items that are not part of a user's media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.iTunes users who are always connected may not see much of a need for this type of system. But people with iPods and Wi-Fi only iPads may find it helpful to be able to buy a favorite song or video without having to hop online.(Via AppleInsider)
Want to buy a new song or video from iTunes even though you're offline? A new Apple patent envisions a way, at least sometime down the road.Granted to Apple today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, the patent appropriately named "On-device offline purchases using credits" describes a system of using credits to purchase iTunes content that's stored on your device but which you don't already own. The goal is to allow you to unlock and play iTunes songs, videos, and other items without having to be online.You would first buy credits that you can apply to future offline iTunes purchases. You'd also have a library of items on your mobile device that you don't actually own but may wish to purchase. These items could include recommendations from iTunes that were downloaded the last time you were online. Since you don't actually own the items, they remain locked until you pay for them.Now you're offline and would like to play one of the recommended and downloaded songs or videos. Since you can't purchase them directly without an online connection, you would tap into your reserve of prepaid credits to pay for and unlock that item. The whole transaction is thus conducted offline.You can buy credits through your mobile device or through iTunes, as shown in one of the patent images. You could also use a credit card, bank account, or a service such as PayPal to purchase the credits, just as you do to directly buy iTunes content.Apple/USPTOAs described in the patent:One or more media items that are not part of a user's media library can be stored on an electronic device. When a user later wishes to play back one of the media items, but the device cannot connect to a communications network to provide payment information for purchasing the media items, the electronic device can use pre-paid credits that were purchased and stored by the device when a communications network was available to complete the purchase. By using pre-paid credits, the media store can be assured that the user has sufficient funds for the media item purchase.iTunes users who are always connected may not see much of a need for this type of system. But people with iPods and Wi-Fi only iPads may find it helpful to be able to buy a favorite song or video without having to hop online.(Via AppleInsider)
Apple gadgets gobble 80 percent of mobile video
Apple gadgets gobble 80 percent of mobile video
Apple's mobile devices are dominating the wireless video-viewing marketplace, a new report from video service provider FreeWheel has found.According to the company in its Monetization Report, which tallies over 10 billion video views, 30 percent of all videos FreeWheel analyzed during the first quarter were watched on the iPhone. Another 30 percent of viewers used the iPod to watch video content while on the go. Apple's iPad secured 20 percent market share, bringing the company's total video viewership in the first quarter to 80 percent.Android accounted for 20 percent of the market during the period.FreeWheel said that Apple's dominance makes sense, due to the sheer number of the company's products in use around the world."Their user base has had these types of devices longest and tends to use them as much for media consumption as for communication," the company said.FreeWheel also pointed out that Apple's success in the mobile video market reflects the desires of developers offering content to users. With such a big presence in the mobile space, FreeWheel says, Apple's iPhone, iPod, and iPad were the first logical destination for video content."It also reflects the development priorities of content producers and distributors: they optimized their content first for the Apple platforms, with Android a later priority," the company said in its Monetization Report.Moving away from platforms, FreeWheel said that news content was the most popular type of video viewed on the mobile devices. The biggest mobile-viewing days occurred in March when the devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan. Mobile video viewing also jumped during NCAA March Madness. March 11, the day the earthquake hit Japan, saw the most video views.One other interesting tidbit from the FreeWheel report: mobile video viewing is highest on Saturday, reaching 13 percent more traffic than the lowest-viewing day, Tuesday.(Via GigaOm)
Apple's mobile devices are dominating the wireless video-viewing marketplace, a new report from video service provider FreeWheel has found.According to the company in its Monetization Report, which tallies over 10 billion video views, 30 percent of all videos FreeWheel analyzed during the first quarter were watched on the iPhone. Another 30 percent of viewers used the iPod to watch video content while on the go. Apple's iPad secured 20 percent market share, bringing the company's total video viewership in the first quarter to 80 percent.Android accounted for 20 percent of the market during the period.FreeWheel said that Apple's dominance makes sense, due to the sheer number of the company's products in use around the world."Their user base has had these types of devices longest and tends to use them as much for media consumption as for communication," the company said.FreeWheel also pointed out that Apple's success in the mobile video market reflects the desires of developers offering content to users. With such a big presence in the mobile space, FreeWheel says, Apple's iPhone, iPod, and iPad were the first logical destination for video content."It also reflects the development priorities of content producers and distributors: they optimized their content first for the Apple platforms, with Android a later priority," the company said in its Monetization Report.Moving away from platforms, FreeWheel said that news content was the most popular type of video viewed on the mobile devices. The biggest mobile-viewing days occurred in March when the devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan. Mobile video viewing also jumped during NCAA March Madness. March 11, the day the earthquake hit Japan, saw the most video views.One other interesting tidbit from the FreeWheel report: mobile video viewing is highest on Saturday, reaching 13 percent more traffic than the lowest-viewing day, Tuesday.(Via GigaOm)
Apple flagship store in San Francisco fills with protestors
Apple flagship store in San Francisco fills with protestors
Apple's San Francisco flagship store temporarily became a scene of confusion and arrests on Thursday because of a sit-in held inside. A gathering of roughly 50 protestors were demonstrating against Apple for allegedly underpaying contract employees that work at its retail stores. The protestors reportedly belong to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and said Apple routinely underpays contractors, such as security guards. The union also alleged that Apple hires contractors for part-time jobs to prevent paying employee benefits. The protest was said to have lasted one hour. According to freelance journalist Julia Carrie Wong, who live-tweeted the protest, San Francisco police showed up to the store and declared unlawful assembly. Reportedly, 12 people were arrested.Arrests have begun #techcandobetter pic.twitter.com/tC7uBtpg0N-- Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 28, 2014 Related storiesApple slapped with lawsuit over mandatory employee bag checksApple dealt new class-action lawsuit by 20,000 employeesJudge OKs class action wage suit against Apple, others Apple has come under criticism by its retail employees in the past. Last year, a lawsuit was filed regarding retail store employees having to undergo two mandatory bag searches per day. These employees claim that after they clocked out, they had to stand in line for up to 30 minutes while store managers ensured they weren't smuggling home stolen goods -- thus depriving them of hours of unpaid wages. Another suit against Apple, that gained class action status in July, involves 20,000 disgruntled workers who claim they've been denied lunch breaks, rest breaks, and final paychecks. When contacted by CNET, Apple declined to comment.
Apple's San Francisco flagship store temporarily became a scene of confusion and arrests on Thursday because of a sit-in held inside. A gathering of roughly 50 protestors were demonstrating against Apple for allegedly underpaying contract employees that work at its retail stores. The protestors reportedly belong to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and said Apple routinely underpays contractors, such as security guards. The union also alleged that Apple hires contractors for part-time jobs to prevent paying employee benefits. The protest was said to have lasted one hour. According to freelance journalist Julia Carrie Wong, who live-tweeted the protest, San Francisco police showed up to the store and declared unlawful assembly. Reportedly, 12 people were arrested.Arrests have begun #techcandobetter pic.twitter.com/tC7uBtpg0N-- Julia Carrie Wong (@juliacarriew) August 28, 2014 Related storiesApple slapped with lawsuit over mandatory employee bag checksApple dealt new class-action lawsuit by 20,000 employeesJudge OKs class action wage suit against Apple, others Apple has come under criticism by its retail employees in the past. Last year, a lawsuit was filed regarding retail store employees having to undergo two mandatory bag searches per day. These employees claim that after they clocked out, they had to stand in line for up to 30 minutes while store managers ensured they weren't smuggling home stolen goods -- thus depriving them of hours of unpaid wages. Another suit against Apple, that gained class action status in July, involves 20,000 disgruntled workers who claim they've been denied lunch breaks, rest breaks, and final paychecks. When contacted by CNET, Apple declined to comment.
Apple finally receiving iPhone 5 screens from Sharp, says report
Apple finally receiving iPhone 5 screens from Sharp, says report
Apple reportedly now has a third company supplying displays for its new iPhone.Sharp kicked off mass production of iPhone 5 display panels earlier this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing "a person with knowledge of the situation," the Journal said that the electronics company just started shipping the panels to Apple after a delay of several weeks.Sharp was struggling to ramp up production of the screens for the new iPhone but fell behind in August, according to Reuters. The company is in the midst of severe financial problems and reportedly had to mortgage several factories, including one that was making screens for the iPhone 5.The displays shipping to Apple are being made at Sharp's factory in central Japan, the Journal said. Sharp now officially joins Japan Display and LG Display as the third screen supplier for the iPhone 5.On August 2, Sharp president Takashi Okuda said that the company would start shipping displays for Apple's upcoming iPhone during the month. But the production delays apparently put a crimp on those plans.Related storiesSharp: We're shipping iPhone 5 displays this monthAs iPhone 5 looms, Sharp's screen production faltersSharp mortgages iPhone screen factory, Japanese plants and officesApple takes wraps off iPhone 5, 4 inch screen and allApple upped the screen size for the new iPhone to 4 inches from the previous 3.5 inches. The new screen is also thinner due to the in-cell display technology, which combines the touch sensors directly with the LCD.Changes like these often put added strain on manufacturers to mass produce enough parts to satisfy demand.Assuming the report is accurate, Apple should be breathing a little easier. If some projections hold true, the company will face much heavier demand for the iPhone 5 than it has for previous models.CNET contacted both Apple and Sharp for comment and will update the story if we receive further information.
Apple reportedly now has a third company supplying displays for its new iPhone.Sharp kicked off mass production of iPhone 5 display panels earlier this week, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing "a person with knowledge of the situation," the Journal said that the electronics company just started shipping the panels to Apple after a delay of several weeks.Sharp was struggling to ramp up production of the screens for the new iPhone but fell behind in August, according to Reuters. The company is in the midst of severe financial problems and reportedly had to mortgage several factories, including one that was making screens for the iPhone 5.The displays shipping to Apple are being made at Sharp's factory in central Japan, the Journal said. Sharp now officially joins Japan Display and LG Display as the third screen supplier for the iPhone 5.On August 2, Sharp president Takashi Okuda said that the company would start shipping displays for Apple's upcoming iPhone during the month. But the production delays apparently put a crimp on those plans.Related storiesSharp: We're shipping iPhone 5 displays this monthAs iPhone 5 looms, Sharp's screen production faltersSharp mortgages iPhone screen factory, Japanese plants and officesApple takes wraps off iPhone 5, 4 inch screen and allApple upped the screen size for the new iPhone to 4 inches from the previous 3.5 inches. The new screen is also thinner due to the in-cell display technology, which combines the touch sensors directly with the LCD.Changes like these often put added strain on manufacturers to mass produce enough parts to satisfy demand.Assuming the report is accurate, Apple should be breathing a little easier. If some projections hold true, the company will face much heavier demand for the iPhone 5 than it has for previous models.CNET contacted both Apple and Sharp for comment and will update the story if we receive further information.
Apple finally launches OS X Lion USB drive
Apple finally launches OS X Lion USB drive
Apple has released its Mac OS X Lion USB thumb drive.The drive, which is available now on Apple's Web site, retails for $69. People who buy the drive can simply pop it into their computers and upgrade to Mac OS X Lion without the need for a Web connection.Apple announced its USB thumb drive last month. The company said it would be the right choice for customers who don't have a broadband connection in the home. But it also signals Apple's future plans.Related stories:• Get OS X lion sans download...on a $69 stick• Mac OS X Lion pounces• How to create an OS X Lion installation discWith the launch of Lion, Apple has made it clear that it wants to kill off the disc drive. The operating system, which boasts over 250 new features, including support for full-screen applications and a launchpad option to give people access to all programs on the Mac, was made available last month in the Mac App Store as a digital download for $29. For the first time, Apple did not offer an installation disc for customers to buy. And by offering a USB drive instead, it's apparent that Apple won't.However, some intrepid Mac users have taken matters into their own hands. Thanks to a guide from CNET, some people have decided to create their own OS X Lion installation discs by engaging in a quick process of burning the operating system's contents to a DVD.If customers instead decide to buy Apple's thumb drive, it will ship in one to three business days.
Apple has released its Mac OS X Lion USB thumb drive.The drive, which is available now on Apple's Web site, retails for $69. People who buy the drive can simply pop it into their computers and upgrade to Mac OS X Lion without the need for a Web connection.Apple announced its USB thumb drive last month. The company said it would be the right choice for customers who don't have a broadband connection in the home. But it also signals Apple's future plans.Related stories:• Get OS X lion sans download...on a $69 stick• Mac OS X Lion pounces• How to create an OS X Lion installation discWith the launch of Lion, Apple has made it clear that it wants to kill off the disc drive. The operating system, which boasts over 250 new features, including support for full-screen applications and a launchpad option to give people access to all programs on the Mac, was made available last month in the Mac App Store as a digital download for $29. For the first time, Apple did not offer an installation disc for customers to buy. And by offering a USB drive instead, it's apparent that Apple won't.However, some intrepid Mac users have taken matters into their own hands. Thanks to a guide from CNET, some people have decided to create their own OS X Lion installation discs by engaging in a quick process of burning the operating system's contents to a DVD.If customers instead decide to buy Apple's thumb drive, it will ship in one to three business days.
Apple files patent application to learn the sound of your voice
Apple files patent application to learn the sound of your voice
Apple, which recently filed a patent application for a technology to keep screens on mobile devices free of fingerprints, is upping the ante by filing for a new application that could keep you fingers from even touching the screen in the first place. The application is for what Apple calls User Profiling for Voice Input Processing, which it describes as being able to identify your voice and understand complex commands. Need to make a playlist? No problem, just ask. Need to call your friend? Just say so. The patent application says all these commands are possible: play, call, and search. According to the application, it would allow the user to "find my most played song with a 4-star rating and create a Genius playlist using it as a seed."Apple's interest in voice commands is not new. In April 2010, Apple bought Siri, a small company that created an app that let users operate their iPhone with voice commands. Apple is expected to deeply integrate voice navigation technology from Siri into the upcomingiOS 5.CNET's Josh Lowensohn previously wrote that Siri's voice technology "can listen to user voice commands to make phone calls and control music playback. Hints that Apple has been planning to improve it have been numerous, from patents to job postings." Apple competitors are also on the voice path. Microsoft uses speech recognition services in its Windows Phone 7 OS and Google integrated Voice Control into its Android platform.Related links• Report: Siri's voice tech to come to iOS 5 • iPhone text-to-speech, speech-to-text patents filed • Apple applies for patent to keep screens fingerprint-less
Apple, which recently filed a patent application for a technology to keep screens on mobile devices free of fingerprints, is upping the ante by filing for a new application that could keep you fingers from even touching the screen in the first place. The application is for what Apple calls User Profiling for Voice Input Processing, which it describes as being able to identify your voice and understand complex commands. Need to make a playlist? No problem, just ask. Need to call your friend? Just say so. The patent application says all these commands are possible: play, call, and search. According to the application, it would allow the user to "find my most played song with a 4-star rating and create a Genius playlist using it as a seed."Apple's interest in voice commands is not new. In April 2010, Apple bought Siri, a small company that created an app that let users operate their iPhone with voice commands. Apple is expected to deeply integrate voice navigation technology from Siri into the upcomingiOS 5.CNET's Josh Lowensohn previously wrote that Siri's voice technology "can listen to user voice commands to make phone calls and control music playback. Hints that Apple has been planning to improve it have been numerous, from patents to job postings." Apple competitors are also on the voice path. Microsoft uses speech recognition services in its Windows Phone 7 OS and Google integrated Voice Control into its Android platform.Related links• Report: Siri's voice tech to come to iOS 5 • iPhone text-to-speech, speech-to-text patents filed • Apple applies for patent to keep screens fingerprint-less
Apple iPhone 5S event showcases Infinity Blade 3 using new 64-bit A7 chip
The 64-bit chip in the iPhone 5S allegedly has graphics performance 56 times that of the original iPhone, and 40 times its CPU performance. "That's almost five times faster than on a iPhone 5," said Chair Entertainment co-founder and creative director Donald Mustard during the onstage demo. With the A7's graphical capabilities alongside iOS 7's Logitech controller support, mobile gaming will continue to be an increasingly more integral part of Apple's core focus.Josh Lowensohn/CNETInfinity Blade 3, the third installment in the popular iOS series, will be available in the App Store for $6.99 alongside the iPhone 5S launch on Sept. 20. It will be compatible with the iPhone 4 and up, the iPad 2 and up, the iPod Touch 4 and 5, and the iPad mini. Check out the official Infinity Blade 3 "Reborn" trailer below: Update at 12:57 p.m. PT: Added additional details on release and pricing.
Apple iPad profit model gets a 'teardown'
That memory-based pricing scheme has become standard practice for Apple when pricing its iPhone and iPod, for example.For the iPad, the 32GB model will bethe most profitable, costing only $29.50 more to produce than the 16GB versions, but the retail price gap is $100, iSuppli said. After the display, the NAND flash memory is expected to be the most expensive item. In the mid-range 3G model, the 32GB of NAND accounts for 21.4 percent of the total BOM, iSuppli said.The touch-screen display is estimated to be $80 for all models, making it the most expensive component in the system, accounting for 29 percent of the BOM of the mid-range 3G model, according to Vinita Jakhanwal, an iSuppli analyst.The display uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology which allows a wider viewing angle than conventional LCDs.The Apple A4 processor and DRAM are expected to carry a combined cost of $28.90, representing 10.5 percent of the mid-range 3G model's total BOM, making them the third most expensive line item in the mid-range iPad.The A4 alone is expected to carry a $17 cost."iSuppli believes the processor integrates an ARM RISC architecture microprocessor and a graphics processing unit. The part likely was designed by low-power processor specialist PA Semi," iSuppli said.Apple acquired PA Semi in 2008. iSuppli
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