SEC Investigating Insider Trading of Apple Stock

The Huffington Post reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating possible illegal insider trading of shares of Apple stock. Insider trading, or the buying and selling of stock by those with access to information no...

Analyst Offers Thoughts on iPhone Success, Multi-Carrier Business Models, iTunes Video Content

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster today issued a note to clients this morning offering his team's thoughts on 14 "unanswered questions" about Apple. Several of his more revealing comments relate to the iPhone, which Munster feels will see its reach...

Steve Jobs / Disney - $4 Billion + Marvel = Captain America iPhone?!

Attention true believers! Daring Disney dispenses 4 billion big ones to buyout mighty Marvel, its merry mutants, and stupendous superheroes!

Okay, rewind. To make that most tangential of relationships possible (just so we can blog about comics, of course): following Disney’s Pixar acquisition, Steve Jobs — then CEO of Pixar and still CEO of iPhone maker, Apple Inc. — became Disney’s largest shareholder. Now reports are circulating that Disney is buying Marvel Comics — home of Spider-Man, the Hulk, Fantastic Four, Wolverine and the X-Men, and a literal fortunes worth of other character properties, for a cool $4 billion.

While this does mean Disney will likely be better positioned to compete against Warner Bros. and their portfolio of DC characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Watchmen, etc.), other than eventually being able to watch a Disney-produced Marvel film via iTunes, it probably doesn’t mean much for Apple — and certainly doesn’t mean we’ll see adamantium shelled iPhone any time ever.

But, again, it does give us the chance to geek out and project Steve Jobs as the new owner of Marvel. Or as the new Kingpin. Or Doctor Strange, if the 60s fit is better. Or…

Dunno, which Marvel Character is the most Steve Jobs?

[Thanks to our buddy Phil from WMExperts for the tip!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Steve Jobs / Disney - $4 Billion + Marvel = Captain America iPhone?!

Analyst Predictions: iPhone on Verizon, Updated Apple TV, Subscription Video, Peace on Earth

Stalwart Apple analyst Gene Munster is back, this time predicting the iPhone will hit multiple US carriers within an year — specifically Verizon — as well as expanded video offerings from iTunes — including a subscription service akin to satellite or cable, and an updated Apple TV to go with it.

Oh, and flying unicorns.

We joke. Slightly. Of course we want all these things too — and more — but we have a feeling that that’s all there is to some of these analyst reports — a bit of logical deduction and some surveys combined with what any of us would want:

“For various reasons the company moved from an exclusive relationship with French wireless carrier Orange to a multi-carrier model,” Munster said. “In France, the company now enjoys dramatically higher market share (in the 40 percent range vs. about 15 percent in ROW) than in countries with exclusive carrier agreements (such as AT&T in the U.S. where the iPhone has market share in the mid-teens). We believe Apple is seeing the increased unit sell-through more than offset the slightly (~10 percent) deteriorated economics per unit involved in non-exclusive agreements.”

So, expect it only when you see it.

[via AppleInsider]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Analyst Predictions: iPhone on Verizon, Updated Apple TV, Subscription Video, Peace on Earth

Facebook for iPhone 3.0.1 Released with Bug Fixes

Video: Tech21’s iBand protective case and its mystical, magical, non-Newtonian goo

If you're the clumsy sort you have absolutely no shortage of protective cases and coatings to shroud your pricey gadget in, but most are ugly, bulky, and likely ineffective. The iBand from Tech21 isn't particularly attractive nor svelte, but after watching the video below there's little doubt about its effectiveness. It's made of a substance called d3o, which is a fancy orange non-Newtonian substance, starting out stretchy and gushy but, when put under pressure, hardening and protecting its precious contents. We've seen this stuff applied to high-impact applications like motorcycle armor, but we're glad to see gadgetry getting a little attention too. The video is a bit curious as it appears that the d3o is just applied around the edges of the case and yet the enclosed device survives a face-down landing, but it's an impressive demonstration nevertheless. Right now the £15 ($25) iBand is only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but future gadgets should receive the oobleck treatment soon.

Continue reading Video: Tech21's iBand protective case and its mystical, magical, non-Newtonian goo

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Tech21's iBand protective case and its mystical, magical, non-Newtonian goo originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Occasions for iPhone

Occasions helps you keep track of what birthdays, anniversaries, or other Big Dates are coming next, including a helpful push-notification feature.

Current Generation iPods Being Discontinued in Preparation for September Music Event and Next Generations?

Ars Technica brings word that supplies of current generation iPods are running low, with no new deliveries in sight. How convenient, then, that Apple’s annual Music Event, focused on iTunes and the iPod, is just around the corner, presumably on September 9th?

Just over a week to go!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Current Generation iPods Being Discontinued in Preparation for September Music Event and Next Generations?

TomTom’s Car Kit Gets FCC Approval

While the wait for TomTom’s iPhone software to hit the App Store has come and gone, most of you are still eagerly awaiting the arrival of TomTom’s iPhone car kit, first shown off at WWDC back in June. Engadget Mobile is now reporting that your wait may be coming to an end as TomTom’s car kit has received its FCC approval. Included in that link, for your viewing pleasure, is the kit’s manual, some images, and a few test reports.

Since it’s announcement TomTom has kept pretty quite about the kits full capabilities. Well, a quick look in the user manual gets us all of the official details.

Your TomTom car kit for iPhone is designed to provide you with the best possible navigation experience. A built-in GPS receiver enhances your iPhone’s GPS signal, ensuring the most reliable navigation, wherever you are. Using the car kit, you get loud and clear voice instructions, can make hands- free calls, as well as charge your iPhone while you drive. The car kit is a safe and secure dock with the award-winning fold-and-go EasyPort® mount.

Are those the features you’ve been waiting for?

[Via Engadget Mobile]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TomTom’s Car Kit Gets FCC Approval

$2.5 Billion App Store Market Called Into Question?

Last week we linked to an AdMob estimate that the iPhone and iPod touch App Store could represent a $2.5 billion a year economy, which based the estimate off usage stats for their mobile ad network, and a survey of 1000 iPhone, iPod touch, and Google Android users. But not so fast, says Cult of Mac along with developers from Polar Bear Farms, App Cubby, and the Yankee Group.

$2.4 billion divided by the 65,000 apps in the App Store is $37,000 per app, per year. And while some developers earn that, many do not.

They figure it’s closer to $250 million to $500 million, or roughly one fifth to one tenth the size.

AdMob is sticking to their original numbers, however, according to the methodology shared again with GigaOm.

To us, it just seems like they’re all guestimating how big that really, really big pie is — just stupid, or goram ridiculous.

[Thanks Icebike for the tip!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

$2.5 Billion App Store Market Called Into Question?

iPhone Support Agent Comments on Exploding iPhones

Exploding iPhone have been a very popular topic as of late, but now an alleged tier 2 iPhone support agent has contacted Gizmodo to further back up Apple’s claims that the exploding iPhones are not the result of faulty batteries but rather simply cases of user abuse.

I’m a Tier 2 iPhone agent for Apple. I’d like to add that roughly one to two calls out of every thousand that I take deal with the battery “overheating”. Generally, this incident can be described as “uncomfortably warm”, and I have not ever received or heard of a coworker receiving a call about someone being injured by the iPhone, including people too stupid to stop using their phones after the screen is broken.

The email later goes on to say Apple gets tens of thousands of calls and zero of them have proven to be safety issues. From the beginning of this debacle we’ve had a feeling that this was simply the media blowing this way out of proportion. We still get this feeling…

Does this alleged tech support email put some of your minds to rest regarding the “exploding” iPhones?

[Via Gizmodo]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Support Agent Comments on Exploding iPhones

Apple: Exploding iPhones not our fault

Apple says it's not to blame for a series of exploding iPods and iPhones.

Apple: “Exploding” iPhones succumbed to external pressure

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, iPhone

There's been much news of "exploding" iPhones lately. If you're unfamiliar with the story, the European Commission formally asked Apple to investigate a series of reports that users' iPhones were abruptly cracking and/or catching fire. According to the French periodical Les Echos, an iPhone in Aix-en-Provence, France, started to "crackle and pop like a deep-frier" before breaking violently apart.

This past Friday, Apple said that, in all cases, the iPhones in question were damaged by an "external force," not a faulty battery or glass screen:

"To date, there are no confirmed battery overheating incidents for iPhone 3GS and the number of reports we are investigating is in the single digits. The iPhones with broken glass that we have analyzed to date show that in all cases the glass cracked due to an external force that was applied to the iPhone."

It does seem odd that at least four cases have been reported in France in short order. Still, it's even stranger that iPhones would suddenly turn into Molotov cocktails. We'll keep you updated on this story.

Apple: "Exploding" iPhones succumbed to external pressure originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple: "Exploding" iPhones succumbed to external pressure originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook 3.0.1 for iPhone — With Bug Fixes! — Now in the App Store

Facebook 3.0.1 for iPhone [Free - iTunes link], which fixes some of the bugs found in Facebook 3.0 (others are reportedly being fixed on the Facebook backend servers), is now being served piping hot and ready from the iTunes App Store.

(And wow but can Apple approve fast in some cases?!)

[Thanks Cameron for the tip!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Facebook 3.0.1 for iPhone — With Bug Fixes! — Now in the App Store

Apple Tells Developers to Remove ‘Free Memory’ Feature from iPhone Apps But..

Best of Smartphone Experts, 30 August 2009

Best Buy Starting HTC Hero Preorders Sept. 13th? Motorola Sholes to Launch on Verizon in October Google Releases “Listen” app for podcasts	Threaded SMS coming to BlackBerry in OS 5.0 CrackBerry Poll: Do you want SurePress on your touchscreen BlackBerry? CrackBerry.com Podcast Episode 041 - Take a listen!
Nokia N900 may be most exciting Nokia device of 2009 Nokia Money to bring banking to millions Nokia enters the PC market with Booklet 3G	Sprint Inventory Screen shows new Palm Phones: PALM120HK and PALMC40HK How To Install a Virtual Keyboard on the Palm Pre Top Five Palm Pre Accessories
What Mac OS X Snow Leopard Means for the Future of the iPhone Facebook 3.0 for iPhone Now in iTunes App Store - Read TiPb’s Preview! Apple, AT&T, and Google FCC Response over Google Voice Rejection — Roundup!	Review of the T-Mobile Touch Pro 2 Sprint and Verizon Touch Pro 2s to launch with Windows Mobile 6.1 Windows Mobile 6.1 and 6.5 and their tag-team match against iPhone and Android

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Best of Smartphone Experts, 30 August 2009

iPhone User Uses ‘Find My iPhone’ to Help Police Nab Robbers

What Mac OS X Snow Leopard Means for the Future of the iPhone

On Friday, Apple shipped Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, their latest computer operating system (which is jailbreaker safe!), and for the first time focus wasn’t on fabulous new consumer-facing features, but on internal re-architecting, the (far too often quoted) refinements and enhancements.

Many of these advancements, as we’ve discussed before, were leveraged from work done for the iPhone version of OS X. QuickTime X, with its yellow trim bars and built-in sharing are an obvious example.

We’ve already seen Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard technology like Data Detectors cross-over to the iPhone, but with this newest, arguably greatest version of Mac OS X now on the market, what can we look forward too for the next generation(s) of iPhone OS X?

Better, faster, easier

The iPhone has already nailed the refined part, and no doubt Snow Leopard benefitted from the compression and other space-saving techniques. Likewise, the aforementioned Quicktime X (and we can’t help but notice — and crow a tad about — some iPhone inspired UI elements to go with it), as well as the touch input of Chinese characters came from the iPhone. What can we get in return?

The more nimble-finder, while we’d LOVE a way to access the iPhone file-system, doesn’t yet seem to be in Apple’s roadmap. Stacks, however — a way for a single dock icon to expand a fan or grid of enclosed apps — have already made an appearance in the Jailbreak community and given the continuing growth of apps yet confined space of the iPhone screen, it seems a logical bit of technology for Apple to move over.

Next generation technologies

It’s a bit early for 64-bit requiring RAM sizes on the iPhone (sigh), and iPhone security, with sandboxed apps and all, is fairly strong already. Likewise, Grand Central-style multi-core process packetization and dispatch may be a way off for our ARM internals (though who knows where Apple’s new PA Semi system-on-chips will take us, right?). Open CL, however, a technology that allows GPU’s to be used for general-computing, CPU-like tasks when they’re not painting pixels or flinging polygons, is something we’re definitely looking forward to. Not watching a moving or playing a game? Take that PowerVR chip and speed up everything else!

We’re not going to keep going on about QuickTime X, since we already have the H.264, hardware acceleration, trimming, the sharing, and the HTTP live streaming on the iPhone, along with voice recording courtesy of Voice Memo. However, the ability to record video not only off the iPhone 3GS camera, but screen recording as well would be appreciated, especially by those of us who cover iPhones and iPhone apps…

Accessibility

Yeah, we got this with the iPhone 3GS back in June as well, and while it isn’t the most widely covered of improvements, we applaud Apple for continuing to raise the bar, both for mobiles and for desktops.

Custom labels for poorly or unlabled screen elements would be a welcome update for the iPhone, however.

Exchange support

Okay, we got this first on the iPhone as well. We even have it better, as while the iPhone supports Exchange 2003, the Mac can only make do with Exchange 2007 or the the upcoming 2010. (We’re not sure why, but we feel like blaming MAPI for something and this’ll do).

And more…

We’d also like to see iPhone Spotlight beefed up to search inside apps that are developed to support the feature, and of course to remember recent searches. Also, syncing photos over from iPhoto, including the Faces and Places metadata, would be nifty to include in search criteria (so we see pictures of Steve Jobs if we search for him, for example.)

System-wide text substitutions, where (c) is replaced with © would be great.

iChat, of course, would be nice to see as a Apple-branded IM app!

Conclusion

Unlike Google or Microsoft, Apple using the same core for their desktop and mobile OS, means more band for their development buck, and more features for users. Win. Win. Since we’re still installing and getting used to Snow Leopard, we may have missed some more examples what else we just might see in future iPhone OS. If you’ve come across any others drop us a comment and let us know!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

What Mac OS X Snow Leopard Means for the Future of the iPhone

GPush - finally a push notification for GMail that works?

GPush is the missing link between GMail and the iPhone. For the first time, receive instant Gmail message notifications on the iPhone. For best results, place the GPush app icon above your mail icon - this will allow you to quickly open your mail app if new messages come in through GPush. GPush even lets the iPhone [...]

Snake XT - gaming goodness for the iPhone

The classic snake game is back with challenging levels and exciting game play, and it’s on the iPhone right now for only 99 cents. Snake XT has two game play modes – Arcade and Challenge. The Arcade mode has 7 worlds divided into 28 levels. The job at hand is to guide the snake to collect [...]