iLounge

Apple enhancing Apple ID security with extra info

I was prompted to provide this additional information when I made a purchase a couple if days ago. Any additional security that can be added to reduce the chance of my appleID being successfully hacked must be a good thing….right?!

Posted by Chris Prosser on April 17, 2012 at 2:46 PM (PDT)

Apple to launch iPad mini in third-quarter of 2012?

@1: Trolling or just that ignorant? The shortest version is that all of the built in aps are iPad specific with, usually, better UI and features (but not always, e.g. the Music app is worse for the iPad).

Given the lack of touch support for apps from Apple’s end and the growing developer support for the iPad over even the iPhone, if this thing is competent hardware wise, I’m there. The normal iPad is too big to be portable from my p.o.v., but my Kindle goes everywhere with me, so an iPad with that kind of footprint would be ideal. Just migrate all my apps to the mini-iPad and then my touch magically becomes perfectly competent as a media player until the batter fails instead of this love-hate device I have now.

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 17, 2012 at 8:05 AM (PDT)

Apple to launch iPad mini in third-quarter of 2012?

Isn’t an iPad Mini a iPhone?

Posted by Steve on April 16, 2012 at 11:47 PM (PDT)

New Apple displays appear at Walmart

We have had displays like this in the UK for quite some time.  They can be found in the PC world and Currys stores.

Posted by Chris Prosser on April 16, 2012 at 11:08 AM (PDT)

Geocaching app adds advanced search, improved offline support

Just a note - all these features are available for free as well (on Android). The application is called c:geo and is open source.

Posted by Geocaching maps on April 15, 2012 at 4:27 AM (PDT)

Soundfreaq Sound Kick available for pre-order

That’s funny, I actually just saw it in stock at my local Target store and was looking online for reviews when I saw this.  Rather strange that iLounge has the only review of this unit.

In store it was difficult to tell what the sound quality was like, as I could not find a way to pair it up (it was in demo mode) to my iPhone and listen to my own tunes.

Posted by Jason on April 13, 2012 at 8:08 PM (PDT)

Starck claims work on 'revolutionary' Apple product (Updated)

I predict the Starck Corporation iRon Man suit!

Posted by Doodles on April 13, 2012 at 10:23 AM (PDT)

Apple responds to DOJ eBook antitrust suit

So Apple is going with the fingers in the ears “lalalalalallaalalalala can’t hear you!” approach, brilliant.

Let’s see, before the agency model, retailers bought set numbers of copies of digital books just like with physical books, could negotiate higher volume discounts, and, with the publisher paid up front an agreed price, could then compete with other retail distributors by selling the digital copies at whatever price they wanted just as they do with physical books.

After the agency model nobody could negotiate prices, nobody could offer books at any price other than the price set by the publisher, and Amazon, Apple, B&N, et al, become nothing more than DRM managers for a cartel of the six largest book publishers and average prices jumped several dollars a copy for the end user while the content creators got bupkiss.

Yeah, that’s really fostering innovation and competition :rolleyes:

The only innovation and competition has come about via the explosion in indie and small print eBooks that find it easier to exist when they can sell their titles at $3 next to the $13-$15 big six titles and the authors take home several times more on the $3 self/indie print.

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 13, 2012 at 9:45 AM (PDT)

Soundfreaq Sound Kick available for pre-order

Sounds like a great competitor.  I’ll still take my Jambox for its cuteness, audio cues and ability to charge using a standard micro-USB cable though…

Posted by Geckoid on April 13, 2012 at 9:44 AM (PDT)

New video shows Foxconn iPad assembly line

Well, if the claim that workers rotate their jobs every few days is accurate (and I have no reason to believe its not), then another of Mike Daisey’s claims (about workers getting repetitive stress injuries because they Foxconn didn’t have workers rotate their jobs) that he fabricated into his story is actually baseless…

Posted by Fanfoot on April 13, 2012 at 9:42 AM (PDT)

Scanner Pro adds iPad support, performance improvements

Looks interesting and I think I’ll try it. But it is NOT free.  It’s $6.99.

Posted by Jerry on April 12, 2012 at 8:18 AM (PDT)

US DOJ files suit against Apple over eBook pricing

Regarding the update: no duh they settled. I’m kind of amazed it actually took the DOJ filing the suit to trigger the settlements. Talk about a game of chicken that went on too long. The “agency model”, of which Apple was the key retailer in bringing it about for everyone, is about as text book case of cartel collusion and price fixing as we are likely to see during our lifetimes, certainly among the largest cases (and with no possible chance of any of the accused being found innocent of collusion and price fixing since they were quite open about what they were doing).

Expect a torrent of settlements with Collins and Schuster already backing down. Not sure what Apple is waiting for as they stand a very good chance of becoming the “scape goat” since if they hadn’t been so gung ho to find the path of least resistance to making certain the iBook store could be rushed to market with a catalog comparable to veterans like B&N & Amazon this would have never become reality.

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 11, 2012 at 7:38 PM (PDT)

Fifth-gen iPod touch reference found in iOS 5.1 build

@3: Agreed, there’s a huge market that Apple (and developers) are missing out on due to the anemic performance of the Touch for gaming purposes.  A faster processor, more RAM, and larger screen would open up more app sales for those that can’t justify stepping up to an iPad.  So yes, I’d say a 16GB model at $349 is a sweet spot that would be a good target for such a product.

Wonder what lame name they’d come up with ...
- iPad Mini
- Touch Maxx
- The New Touch

Posted by rockmyplimsoul on April 11, 2012 at 5:45 PM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

Looks like I’ll be changing carriers every two years - that should be areal costs savings for them!

Posted by Gary on April 11, 2012 at 5:01 PM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

Why is it that Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, and all the other big guys spend so much time. money, and effort to attract new customers, yet place so little value on their existing ones? It seems that this upgrade fee is another incentive for us to move from one carrier to the next each time we want a newer device. So much for customer loyalty!

Posted by Nancy on April 11, 2012 at 4:28 PM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

What a bunch of crap.  Never to be a free phone ever again.  F___off Verizon!!

Posted by Griff on April 11, 2012 at 4:22 PM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

So, current VZ customers like me will pay $229 for the same phone that a new VZ customer would get for $199.  And VZ says this $30 will help defray the cost of providing customer service.  But who is more likely to need customer service, the new VZ customer or the one who’s been with VZ for years?

Posted by roncron on April 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

Nick, be aware that there’ll be an upgrade fee for a new BS meter.

But seriously, this is a ridiculous money-grab. Customers can order and activate a new device right from home without ever talking to a single Verizon rep.

And their “Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance” ... really?  Give me a break, these resources are of extremely little value.  I’ve gotten more bad advice from a Verizon drone than I care to remember.

Posted by rockmyplimsoul on April 11, 2012 at 10:48 AM (PDT)

iTunes 11 to feature iOS 6 support, iCloud integration?

iOS needs more than “under the hood” development. The look and feel is a little long in the tooth. The system of swiping from one page of apps to the next is cumbersome, especially given how many apps users have (between large on-device storage capacity and the success of the App Store). And it’s way past time iOS gave the Lock Screen more functionality, along the lines of the Symbian 60 “Active Standby.” Another welcome update would be some implementation of the Swype [www DOT swipe DOT com] system for text input.

Posted by Farnsworth on April 11, 2012 at 9:40 AM (PDT)

Verizon to charge $30 upgrade fee starting April 22

God dammit Verizon, you just broke my BS meter again. Now I have to buy a new one…

Posted by Nick on April 11, 2012 at 9:19 AM (PDT)

Fifth-gen iPod touch reference found in iOS 5.1 build

@1: Either way, the price point for the touch probably does have to change. If all you want to do is watch some video and play your tunes this is not the Apple you’re looking for, they’ve moved on. iOS is about RAM hungry, pixel pushing apps and the current touch, even when devs have actually taken the time to curb the memory footprint so it actually runs, well, you still get all of about an hour of battery life.

More and more the fourth gen, a current device, is either not supported at all, or not recommended for new iOS aps, because devs can’t even target the iPhone 4 without leaving the 4G touch panting and wheezing let alone the 4S or a universal build for the iPad 2/3.

Apple either raises the price point and makes a touch that stand side by side with their shinier iOS offerings, or they might as well just start selling an iPod touch classic that’s only for some apps and treat it like they do the iPod classic.

Personally, I think bumping the screen size up to 1024x768 and moving the starting model to 16GB @ $349 is exactly what they need to do. Plenty of 4G touches out there to give the 7 y.o. in your life if that’s too rich for the kids.

Posted by Code Monkey in Midstate New York on April 11, 2012 at 5:04 AM (PDT)

Fifth-gen iPod touch reference found in iOS 5.1 build

the “iPod large” maybe

Posted by Big Bad Burley on April 9, 2012 at 4:45 PM (PDT)

Fifth-gen iPod touch reference found in iOS 5.1 build

I wonder if this reference might be the rumored 7” iPad mini, not that it would replace what we know as today’s Touch (I can’t imagine the price-point could be low enough) but maybe in addition to the Touch. If Apple really is toying with a ‘tweener product, I suppose it could fall within the iPod umbrella.

Posted by rockmyplimsoul on April 9, 2012 at 10:21 AM (PDT)

Hyped Jorno keyboard/stand killed before delivery

This was so long ago that I forgot what my pre-order fee was.  Does anyone remember?

Posted by Dan on April 9, 2012 at 8:56 AM (PDT)

Pholium offers iPad-based digital book creation

I think the first good photobook app that allows you to order printed copies of your book will be a winner.  Just seeing them on the device is not enough IMO.

Posted by BrennerM on April 6, 2012 at 5:42 PM (PDT)