Apple's iPad front-and-back Smart Case unveiled

As anyone who bought an iPad Smart Cover knows it doesn't protect the back of your iPad. But now Apple is giving iPad owners an official Apple case that offers both front and back protection: The iPad Smart Case.

The Smart Case retails for US$49, comes in six colors, and is compatible with the iPad 2 and the new iPad. At launch, there's no deluxe leather option; this one's made from polyurethane.

Here's what Apple has to say about it:
The iPad Smart Case covers your iPad--both front and back--yet still retains the thin, light design of iPad. Like the Smart Cover, it folds easily into a stand for reading, typing, and watching video. And it automatically wakes and sleeps iPad on open and close. Made from polyurethane, it's available in six bright colors. And you can personalize it with free laser engraving on the Apple Online Store.

There's nothing terribly exciting about it--and the price is about what you'd expect to pay for a premium iPad case--but Apple should nevertheless sell thousands of these. I'm not sure why it didn't have the case ready for the launch of the new iPad, but no one was complaining too much with all the other case options out there.

This article comes from:http://asia.cnet.com/apples-ipad-front-and-back-smart-case-unveiled-62216448.htm

IPad tracker leads police to suspects

STOCKTON - Technology got the better of two suspected robbers who thought they had gotten away with an Apple iPad after punching the reluctant victim in the face and throwing him to the ground before fleeing with their treasure Sunday morning in a van driven by a third suspect.

The victim, 21, activated the iPad's tracking application that led police officers to a residence near the attack at 10:26 a.m. at Ishi Goto Street and Brick & Tile Circle in Weston Ranch. The victim was able to identify the suspects and his iPad was recovered.

Police arrested Da'Sean Murphy and Andre Lamar Beard, both 18, on charges including robbery, possession of stolen property and conspiracy, according to the report.

This article comes from:http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120611/A_NEWS/120619998/-1/a_news02

Apple facing $2.22 mn fine over Australian '4G' iPad

Apple agreed Friday to a Aus$2.25 million (US$2.22 million) fine for misleading Australian customers about the local 4G capability of its next-generation iPad, in a case brought by regulators.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) told the Federal Court that the US tech giant had agreed to the penalty for implying in advertising that the 4G function on its latest iPad worked in Australia.

Apple offered in March to refund Australian customers who felt they had been misled by the "iPad with WiFi + 4G" promotion and publish a clarification about the popular tablet's capabilities after the ACCC took it to court.

Though the iPad's 4G function only works on networks in the United States and Canada it had been widely promoted as one of the tablet's features globally, which the ACCC said amounted to false advertising.

It is now advertised outside North America as "Wi-Fi + Cellular" -- a change that came into effect on May 12 -- with a clear caveat on its Australian site that "it is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE and WiMax networks."

The matter was due to go to a full trial this week but ACCC lawyer Colin Golvan said Apple had agreed to pay the Aus$2.25 million fine and the commission's legal costs as part of an out-of-court settlement.

It is half the maximum Aus$4.4 million fine open to the ACCC in the case.

Apple described it as "more than adequate having regard to the conduct and all the other circumstances" and stressed that the concessions made in the case were only applicable in Australia.

The "iPad + 4G" promotion was in place for two months worldwide including major technology-mad cities in Asia.

Golvan said the "substantial" penalty would send a strong message to the booming smartphone and tablet industry that "such conduct will not be condoned", according to a report of the hearing in The Australian newspaper.

But judge Mordecai Bromberg refused to make an official court order until he had the details of how many iPads had been sold and were returned under the refund offer and further information on Apple's financial position.

"The parties put forward proposed settlement and consent orders, however His Honour requested further information to be provided for the consideration of the court, which will happen next week," an ACCC spokesman told AFP.

Apple agreed to provide a confidential brief to the judge by June 13, with a final decision on the penalty and settlement of the case to be handed down at a later date.

The iPad was the world's best-selling tablet in the first three months of 2012, outgunning its Android-powered rivals, with sales more than doubling from a year earlier to send Apple's profits soaring.

The US giant said the iPad was especially popular in Asia, particularly in China where demand was described as "mind-boggling" with revenues of US$7.9 billion in the first quarter alone.

This article comes from:http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-events-slideshow/apple-agreed-us-2-22-million-fine-misleading-photo-054128679--finance.html

Analyst: Apple to debut TV set at WWDC

While most are expecting that Apple will talk about iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference set to kick off next week, one analyst says that we should brace ourselves for the unveiling of a television set.

This latest prediction comes from Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek, who estimates that the television will retail for around $1,250 and be called the iPanel. That price tag might not seem too high, but Misek explores a way to sweeten the deal by getting cable providers to offer a $500 subsidy. He claims such a subsidy “would certainly improve the value proposition” for consumers.

Misek says that while attitudes to subsidies are negative, he believes that an Apple television “presents a new and unique opportunity for the telcos to gain market share in a mature television market”.

“Hypothetically,” writes Misek, “if Verizon offered a $500 subsidy to new FiOS subscribers (but no triple play discounts) along with a $20/month Wireless video fee, the payback period would increase to 13 months. In our view, this modest increase in payback period would still be value accretive with higher customer stickiness and market share gains vis-à-vis competitors that may not offer iTV- like functionality”.

  

This article comes from:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/analyst-apple-to-debut-tv-set-at-wwdc/20693

Apple extravaganza: major refresh coming next week

A plethora of new iPhone features, Siri for iPad, new MacBooks and 3D maps are just some of the predictions swirling around the  rumour mill ahead of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

Apple's sassy virtual personal assistant, Siri, will reportedly make the move from iPhone to iPad, where she will be able to execute all commands except those relating to making calls.

Siri for iPad is expected to take up a small portion of the screen, overlapping whatever app is open at the time rather than the full screen version on the iPhone, reports 9 to 5 Mac.

It is not yet known if Siri will be available on all iPad models or just the most recent model, released to lacklustre reception earlier this year.
While the iPhone 5 – with a larger screen and thinner body – is not expected to launch until October, Apple will reportedly announce a new operating system for iPhone and iPad at the San Francisco event next week.
The software, iOS 6, is expected to include Facebook integration, in a similar way that Twitter is currently integrated into the iOS 5 operating system.

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro expected to be updated with higher resolution screens and faster Intel chips.

9 to 5 Mac reports that Apple will redesign the apps for iTunes, iBooks and the App store itself. Following on from Facebook integration, the redesigned apps will be more "social", building on iTunes' 'Ping' feature, where users can view and interact with friends' purchases.

It has also been speculated that the Google Maps app will be replaced with Apple's own maps app that will include 3D graphics.
Features that have already been announced for Apple's new computer-based operating system, Mountain Lion, are also expected to appear in iOS 6, further signalling the convergence of the two platforms.

Apple CEO Tim Cook launches the new iPad in March this year. Photo: Getty Images/AFP

Mail VIPs will allow users to highlight important contacts from within the Apple Mail interface, a feature similar to Gmail's 'important' label.

Also from Mountain Lion, the 'Do Not Disturb' feature will allow iPhone and iPad users to switch off all notifications temporarily to focus on one task without distraction.

iOS users will also be able to take advantage of iCloud Tabs, which syncs tabs open in the Safari browser across different devices. Basically, any of the tabs you leave open in Safari on your computer will be available when you open Safari on your iPhone or iPad.

But the Cupertino company has not completely forgotten its roots in favour of the mobile platform, with major updates expected across its computer lines.
It has been rumoured that a renovated MacBook Pro will be revealed, which will include a faster processor, a thinner body and Apple's Retina display screen currently sported by the most recent iPhone and iPad models.

A photo of what is allegedly a specifications sheet for the revamped 13-inch MacBook pro was leaked yesterday on Chinese forum Weiphone, revealing a 2.5Ghz i5 Ivy Bridge processor upgrade, Intel 4000 Graphics and two USB 3.0 ports.
Both the 11- and 13-inch models of the MacBook Air are also expected to get a visual makeover with Retina displays and performance upgrades.
9-to-5 Mac also reports that Apple's desktop computing options, the iMac and Mac Pro will be updated. This was all but confirmed today after pulled stock of the Mac Pro from most of its retail stores ahead of the expected update.

Since the passing of co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, Apple's product launches have drawn criticism for not living up to the hype they once demanded. If even a fraction of these rumours turn out to be true, the WWDC Keynote on June 11 is set to be Apple's biggest event in some time.

This article comes from: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/tablets/apple-extravaganza-major-refresh-coming-next-week-20120606-1zuy6.html

Apple's Plan For Its Cash Stash

 


Apple has $100 billion of cash and a lot of ways to spend it. Add more retail stores? Check. Set up more server farms to support its iCloud service? Check. Build a second campus in Cupertino, California, to house its burgeoning staff? Check. Acquire companies and expand R&D? Check. Pay dividends and do stock repurchases? Check, check.

How about buying up its own supply chain? A lot of high-tech manufacturers on The Global 2000 dream about controlling what they pay for components and gaining the assurance that crucial parts will flow as needed. Apple is one of very few firms with the financial wherewithal to make that come true, specifically by buying production equipment to outfit new and existing factories in Asia that other people will run. Apple is already deploying its cash toward this very goal, say people who follow the company closely. It’s a strategy that will likely continue the disruption in the consumer electronics field that Apple has led to date.

The iPhone maker has $64 billion or so of its cash sitting overseas, taxed at an attractively low 5 percent rate but also earning little to no interest. Any cash Apple chooses to bring back to the States would get hit at the 35 percent US tax rate, not a pleasant prospect. Spending that money on expanding offshore production is far more compelling. Apple keeps the depreciation expense while keeping production costs down. It also means the company will be ready to continue pumping up the volume to feed the seemingly insatiable appetite for iPhones and iPads in the near term and rumoured new category-busting products like an interactive TV in the long term.


This article comes from:http://forbesindia.com/article/worlds-largest-companies/apples-plan-for-its-cash-stash/33032/1

Apple TV is the Anti-iPad

At a glance, Apple TV appears to be—unlike most of the company's products—a failure. Years after its introduction, sales are minimal and its impact on the market is nearly impossible to detect. The price is down to a negligible $100 (it was $299 when it launched in 2006) and most people I talk to don't fully understand exactly what the product does. (No, you don't need a Mac to use it.) Yet, despite its slow start, Apple TV is still the company's best chance to dominate the living room.

Compared to the iPad, the product is almost laughable. Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed the Apple TV briefly at the D10 conference this week. "Last year we sold … 2.8 million Apple TVs," Cook said. "This year, just in the first six months of our year we've sold 2.7."

By contrast, Apple has sold more than 69 million iPads since they launched in 2010. For any company other than Apple, it would be time to spike the football.

Despite the fact that Apple TV sales are low, they are growing, and that's enough to keep Apple investing in a product that, in the past, has been referred to as "a hobby." While the iPad may be the reason Apple is the most valuable tech company in the world right now, Apple TV is how it can maintain that position.

The living room is wide open for digital disruption. Cable companies are losing their monopolistic grip on the content that gets shown on television. More than 3 million U.S. couch potatoes cancelled their cable subscriptions last year, largely in favor of Internet-based alternatives.

People are tired of paying for 500 "premium" channels they don't watch. For the same price, they can get a streaming package from Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime and buy the top tier shows on iTunes. Apple already offers one of the best à la carte services on the market, so now all it needs is to partner with (or buy) a company for streaming. Apple Netflix, anyone?
Will Apple ever release its mythical iTV? Maybe. But it is really just a big monitor. Apple already makes monitors that can be used to watch video content. Making a bigger one—say 42 inches—and adding VESA-mounting brackets isn't revolutionary. It is just a big, dumb LCD. There are few reasons to put the processing power inside the TV, but there are lots of reasons not to.

Besides, making HDTVs is a terrible business right now. Truth is, the HDTV boom came and went. HDTV penetration in the U.S. is about 63 percent and many of those homes already have multiple sets. Even established HDTV vendors are having trouble making money. Pioneer and Hitachi left the market. Sony and Sharp are reporting losses in the HDTV divisions. When Sony's Kaz Hirai spelled out the three core product segments, he listed digital imaging, gaming, and mobile. HDTVs didn't make the list.

In general, people only upgrade their HDTVs every six to eight years. Does that sounds like a business in which Apple should play? Especially when it can sell you a $99 box that will provide all the interactivity and content without the expense, risk, and overhead of making HDTVs?

Apple TV is revolutionary in a manner similar to the iPad. It took years to build momentum, it had to wait for broadband to become ubiquitous, for content deals to be struck, and for hardware prices to come down. It didn't create a new market overnight, like it did with the iPad, but the momentum is building. And after all, Apple doesn't need to create new customers for Apple TV. It simply needs to upsell the millions of current iTunes users who want to access their media libraries on their TVs.

Every Apple TV sold is at least another $10 per month of revenue from movies, TVs shows, and podcasts. Do a deal with HBO, and suddenly Apple TV is another platform for HBO GO. None of this requires making an actual HDTV, but it puts Apple in the living room anyway.

So no, Apple TV isn't the iPad, but it is far from a failure.

This article comes from:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405100,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121