Mark is an award-winning journalist who worked at 9to5Mac for over six years. He covers Apple and other topics related to the consumer technology industry.
Canada’s government today approved of Apple’s iBookstore and this means Canadian titles will soon be making their way to the store. Prior to today’s announcement the iBookstore was available for Canadian iOS device users sans Canadian works. For this to happen, Apple and Canada needed to strike up a deal and it seems to work out for everyone. Canada’s iBookstore now must be tailored effectively for Canadian users, Apple must offer assistance to Canadian publishers, more opportunities to Canadian-based writers, and of course the promotion of Canadian books.
Our Government is committed to strengthening Canada’s economy through all its sectors, especially arts and culture,” said Minister Moore. “Apple has demonstrated how iBookstore Canada represents new opportunities for Canadian authors and publishers, and I have determined that this investment will be of net benefit to Canada.
CTNow reports that the Apple Store in Greenwich, Connecticut was the scene of a smash and grab robbery Tuesday morning. Five robbers were involved in the scheme (pictured above) and they are yet to be apprehended. According to the news report “computers and other electrical equipment” were stolen which an estimated loss amount of “tens of thousands of dollars.” The investigation is ongoing and if you know anything we recommend contacted the local authorities. Apple Stores have been the scene of robberies in the last few months with robberies taking place in Dallas, San Diego, and Pittsburgh.
Millennial Media just released their monthly mobile device trends report and here is our breakdown. For the month of November Apple led all devices manufactures with 25% of Millennial Media’s network with Samsung and Motorola coming in 2nd and 3rd with 17.3% and 15.33%, respectively. Apple’s iPhone came in first place for the most used mobile device on the network with 14.28% and Apple’s iPod touch came in second place with 8.96% of the network. Motorola’s Droid finished in third with 7.48% of the market and the Apple iPad topped Apple’s offerings with 1.76% coming in at 7th place.
In terms of the most used mobile application categories, games account for 28% of the network while music and entertainment apps came in second with a combined 22%. In terms of what the Millennial Network adverstises on, Android apps represented 54% of the network and iOS represented 38%. Getting into the Android vs. iOS portion of the report Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android tied at 38% for overall ad impressions.
Ad publishers and app developers were surveyed about the platform they intend to support the most in 2011 and the leading response was Google’s Android operating system. Apple’s iPad and Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 platform both tied for second place on the survey. Be sure to check out the top thirty devices graph after the break.
We already know that Xserves will be officially discontinued come January 31st and today Apple already started the process. They’ve removed the SSD option from custom ordered Xserves. The option is still listed on Apple’s Xserve promotional literature, but is gone as a configurable option. A 9to5mac reader contacted Apple business representatives and they reportedly don’t know the reason for the change either.
Apple has announced their annual 12 days of Christmas promotion will be held from December 26 until January 6th. The promotion offers a selection of songs, movies, music videos, apps, books, and TV shows that will be free during certain days of the 12 day promo. Each selection for the corresponding day will only be available for those 24 hours.
The promotion apparently will be exclusive to the UK as well as a few other European countries. Apple will also be offering an app during those 12 days for users to easily access the free selection of iTunes content.
Apple has just added Best Buy’s online store as another channel for iPad sales. Prior to today, customers were only able to purchase iPads at BestBuy.com as reservations for retail pickup. Now, all six models of iPad are available for purchase with free shipping in the US. The current shipping time from BestBuy.com is 6-10 business days with guaranteed delivery before Christmas for the WiFi-only models. BestBuy.com is now the third online store to sell the iPad with a brief stint at Amazon being the first and Verizon being second. Oh, and BestBuy.com charges $0.99 more than Apple – Dealbreaker?!
Following a challenge from Carphone Warhouse in the UK, rapper Tinchy Stryder, along with his crew, performed live using only iPads as their instruments. The result was captured on film (above) and it is quite remarkable. The crew used 21 iPad apps to create their music last night with titles ranging from the popular I am T-Pain app to djay. The rest of the apps are listed after the break (witha iPad Christmas Bonus video).
Don’t say we didn’t warn you… Apple recently started selling third-party iPod nano watch strap cases at their retail stores across the globe. The stores we checked out have two types of iPod nano watch straps, in different colors, and the one we like is Griffin’s offering. Griffin’s costs $25 and if you want to save a trip to the Apple Store you can buy some less pricer ones here. Another photo after the break.
Although we reported that Apple had turned to the t.co URL shortening service for Ping tweets Apple has now turned to their iTun.es URL. Apple owns iTun.es and purchased it back in December of 2006. Wonder why it took them this long to use it with Ping. (Thanks, Stabby!)
Apple has been looking for CDMA engineers since 2008 (not since yesterday!) but Apple has just started looking for Verizon iPad engineers in New York this week. Aren’t Verizon iPads just Wifi iPads with Mifis – there isn’t any special skills that are required by Verizon are there? Why is there a need for a special ‘Verizon version’?
Certainly Verizon’s business customers need SE help with the iPad that Verizon sells now. However, Apple is likely engineering up for April as well.
Apple is building a version of the iPad 2 that will work on Verizon’s wireless network either in conjunction with GSM networks with a Gobi-like Chip (just like the Google ChomeOS CR-48) or as a seperate product/version.
Google has announced that the full desktop version of their Google Docs word processing service now works on the iPad. The desktop version should be used on the iPad for advanced document edits such as font or alignment changes.
For basic use of Google Docs it is recommended that users use the newly revamped mobile version. The desktop version working on the iPad is also especially helpful when you want to do some spreadsheet editing and creation, as shown after the break.
HP today sent out software updates to six of their printers to enable AirPrint support. AirPrint is Apple’s printing service from iOS devices and is so far only compatible with certain HP printers. There have been some hacks and other software to get around this HP-only restriction but if you want to go for efficiency (and Jobs’ approval) we recommend getting one of the newly-compatible ‘AirPrinters’ below.
Apple has informed App Store developers that two major iOS app store features will not make their way ‘back to the mac.’ These are Game Center and in app purchases. In app purchases allow App Store developers to go with a “freemium” app model meaning they can sell the app for free and let the users buy more features over time. This is a feature many developers and users enjoy and take advantage of alike.
Note: In app purchases are not available for Mac OS X apps.
Game Center will also not make its way to the Mac and this is something we personally felt would be quite cool on the Mac. With all the upcoming and current games and the Mac, Game Center would be an awesome way to get the social expierience going. It could have even integrated with iOS leaderboards, for iOS versions of Mac games.
Note: Game Center is not available for Mac OS X apps.
Apple seems to be limiting Mac App Store features: Yesterday we found out that promo codes would not be available for the Mac App Store and we recently found out that demos, betas, and trials would not be allowed either. The Mac App Store is expected to launch in January as announced in October.
Some folks down at Apple Singapore have informed us that Tim Cook made an appearance yesterday to talk numbers, and Apple’s future. Apple COO Tim Cook held a keynote address at Apple’s Singapore headquarters with much of the staff in attendance.
We’re not sure what exactly went down or the specifics but Apple employees were not allowed to take notes, pictures, or anything along those lines during the keynote. Cook apparently does not visit the Singapore HQ often so who knows what could have actually gone down?
Google has announced that their Google Instant service for mobile devices has just gone global. The faster way to Google search is now available in 40 countries and serves 28 different languages. Google Instant hit the United States back in mid-October of this year.
We recently reported that Apple would be bringing 90 second song previews to iTunes and tonight the mission has begun. A number of songs with 90 second (1:30) previews have just hit Apple’s iTunes Music Store. Enjoy. (Thanks, Matthew)
We told you earlier that CNNreported on Steve Wozniak having a white iPhone 4 and we’ve just found out it’s a fake! Reader Josh sent Apple’s co-founder an e-mail and here’s the reply:
This Chinese teen sold the white parts on the internet. I got in early (although the kid had already made $130K) and got my front and back plates and modified my iPhone 4.
Apple has just let App Store developers know that promo codes are no longer limited to U.S. iTunes users. Prior to today’s announcements users who wanted to use app promo codes would have needed to sign up with a U.S. address. This should make those promo code giveaways all the more fun.
Your promo code distribution is no longer limited to U.S. customers. Promo codes in iTunes Connect can now be redeemed by all App Store customers worldwide. Your Team Agent can request 50 codes per version of your app in iTunes Connect and your customers can redeem these codes in any App Store. To learn more about requesting promo codes in iTunes Connect, see the iTunes Connect Developer Guide.
Speaking of which… Devs, how about giving us some codes (tips(at)9to5mac.com) to give away to our readers on Twitter to celebrate! We’ll hook you up with some publicity (include your URL). 3-6 for each application should do it.
According to Digitimes Apple has ordered the BLUs (back light units) for the upcoming iPad 2. These backlight units will reportedly be used in conjunction with LCD displays built by LG and Chimei Innolux. Apple ordering backlights means the iPad 2 won’t feature an AMOLED display (not that anyone thought they would), as AMOLED’s don’t use backlights. Hopefully Apple figures out a way to slap a Retina Display on the iPad 2’s list of features.
Update: Looks like Google may have thrown the app up a bit early – It’s now gone from “all the world’s” App Stores.
After being an iOS web app for sometime now, Google has finally released a native Google Latitude client to the App Store and it’s free. Google Latitude is essentially a Google Map that has points with all your friend’s locations – seeing they like Google and being stalked – and works in the background.
With Google Latitude, see where your friends are right now. Latitude lets you stay in touch with your friends and family by making it easy to share where you are and see each other on a map.
With Latitude, you can:
* See your friends on a map – find out who’s nearby and meet up.
* Share your location continuously with whomever you choose – help friends and family stay in touch with you, even when you can’t take out your phone.
* Control your privacy – share only city-level location, hide your location, or turn off background updating at any time.
Latitude lets you share your location in the background, even when the app is closed or your device screen is locked. Background updating requires an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 with iOS 4 or above.
You can also enjoy Latitude from your computer at google.com/latitude to see where your friends are or turn on optional apps such as Google Location History for a personal history dashboard.
Google also promises some nice privacy features in the app but we’ll have to see how well they actually perform. It’s free so you might want to give it a try and did we mention it’s only out in Asia/Australia right now? (viaTech Crunch)
According to an overseas report from Digitimes, Apple’s second generation iPad is set to begin shipping by the end of February 2011- just about 100 days from now. Apple’s longtime manufacturer, Foxconn, will be taking the lead on iPad 2 production and they will of course be working with multiple component suppliers. Initial shipments will range between 400,000 and 600,000 units.
The sources pointed out that the iPad 2 will ship as soon as the end of February in 2011. Apple originally planned to start mass production in January, but because the device’s firmware is currently still in testing, Apple has been postponing the schedule. Since Foxconn’s new plants in Chengdu are still in pilot production, iPad 2 will be mainly supplied by its Shenzhen plants, while the company’s upstream component partners have all been notified of the shipments schedule. Expand Expanding Close
Apple today started sending out free iTunes movie rental codes to many iTunes users. This seems to be random and we have no idea why they’re doing this. Maybe to promote the rental service? People aren’t renting enough movies? The free movie rental promotion lets you rent one of the 8,500 compatible movies and you have 30 days to start watching and 24 hours to finish. Happy Chanukah/Christmas from Apple! Thanks, Branden!
Jailbroken iPad users running iOS 4.2 are now able to run Apple’s iMovie iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 application via a few SSH tricks. The problem is that iMovie runs like an iPhone app on an iPad- letterboxed. That’s where the jailbreak app FullForce comes in. The jailbreak-only app (available on Cydia) makes iMovie run fullscreen like a native iPad app. Check out more screenshots and instructions after the break (Thanks, SilverTH):
