Apple Acquires Streaming Music Service Lala Media

It appears the last minute reports of Apple's interest in streaming music company Lala media were true. Both the New York Times and Wall Street Journal are reporting that Apple has indeed acquired Lala Media.

Lala is a four year old s...

Review: Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain for iPhone

Once you get the hang of the controls, Chuck Norris: Bring on the Pain! is not only uncomplicated to play but perfectly ridiculous in its campiness.

Apple in Negotiations to Buy… Lala?

Last we heard, cloud/streaming music service Lala was getting on the iPhone App Store while simultaneously partnering with Google, but now there are reports that Apple might just be in negotiations to buy them outright (Lala, not Google!)

Talks are very advanced, said the sources. One of the sources said that the sides have already agreed on terms and have only to sign a final agreement.

Steve Dowling, Apple’s spokesman, said the company doesn’t comment on rumors and speculation. A representative from Lala was not immediately available.

Would Apple marry Lala’s “store everything in the cloud and stream it to your devices” with their “people want to own their music” on-drive iTunes? Contradictory or complementary?

Do you see a fit? Do you want one?

[CNET via MacRumors]

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

Apple in Negotiations to Buy… Lala?

Lawsuit alleges Palm Pre violates copyright

Artifex Software is suing Palm over the PDF (Portable Document Format) viewer in Palm's smartphone Pre.

Apple Ordered to Pay Finalized $21.7 Million Patent Verdict, Hit With New Suit Over iPhone Camera

Silicon Alley Insider reports that Apple has been told to pay a $21.7 million patent infringement judgment to OPTi Inc., a former semiconductor company that abandoned its business to focus on pursuing patent claims against other companies.
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Apple Looking to Acquire Music Streaming Service Lala?

CNET reports that Apple is in "advanced" negotiations to acquire music streaming firm Lala. The news comes from two sources who reportedly have knowledge of the discussions between the two companies.

Talks are very advanced, said the...

Review: Holiday shopping apps for iPhone

The App Store is awash in apps that help you budget and track your gift-giving during the holidays. We look at a pair of apps -- Christmas Shopping List and Santa's Little Helper.

Apple Products Top U.S. Retail Desktop and Notebook Sales Lists

CNET reports on new data from market research NPD showing that Apple models grabbed the top spots in both the desktop and notebook computer U.S. retail sales lists for the month of October. Among desktops, the company's new 21.5" iMac grabbed the #1...

Inside view of the iPhone Tech Talks from Daniel Jalkut

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Developer, iPhone

The following is a guest post from developer Daniel Jalkut of Red Sweater. Daniel recently attended an Apple iPhone Tech Talk, and came away inspired. He's also been gracious enough to share his experience on TUAW. Apple's Technology Evangelists have spent the last 3 months touring the USA, Europe and Asia with advice on how to best take advantage of the iPhone's technologies. According to Daniel, it's a fantastic event. --Ed.

Apple's iPhone tech talks are incredible. The format consists of instructional presentations akin to what developers would find at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). But while WWDC lasts an entire week, tech talks are limited to a single day of sessions which Apple takes on the road, presenting in hotel conference rooms around the world.

On December 1, I attended the New York City tech talk, at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. The event attracted developers from all over the northeast of the United States (and beyond), because the number of cities Apple takes the tour to is pretty limited. Many folks traveling to New York City end up paying quite a bit for travel and lodging expenses, but that is greatly offset by another impressive aspect of the talks: they are completely free. Developers have to sign up early and then hope for acceptance, but if you're admitted, the entire thing is paid for including lunch, snacks and a wine reception at the end of the day. Very classy, Apple.

Continue reading Inside view of the iPhone Tech Talks from Daniel Jalkut

Inside view of the iPhone Tech Talks from Daniel Jalkut originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Inside view of the iPhone Tech Talks from Daniel Jalkut originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are The Days Of Unlimited Data Plans for iPhone Users Coming To An End?

Microsoft Modifies European ‘Browser Ballot’ to Eliminate Safari’s Advantage

In mid-October, it was reported that Apple's Safari for Windows browser was slated to receive prominent placement on a "browser ballot" designed to allow Windows users in Europe to select which Internet browser they wished to use. The ballot process ...

Apple sued for alleged infringement over iPhone camera

A patent-holding organization is suing Apple for infringing a host of patents relating to digital cameras.

Researcher says iPhone data model could lead to malware

Some fear, uncertainty and doubt is being spread over malware access to iPhone data. It's true, but it's not particularly news.

An iPhone orchestra — something you don’t hear every day

Filed under: Multimedia, Odds and ends, iPhone, Music

The department of Computing and Engineering and the School of Music at the University of Michigan have teamed up to offer an interesting course as part of their music program. Students are learning to make music using an iPhone or iPod touch. The generated tones can be altered by moving the phone using the built in motion sensor or the compass feature of the iPhone 3GS. By combining different instruments, an entire orchestra can be created.

I doubt people are leaving the auditorium humming the tunes, but it's yet another example of the extensibility that the App Store provides, and how it seems to give birth to all sorts of creative endeavors.

Here's a link to a video about the use of the iPhone in music, and another to a concert featuring the iPhone orchestra. The University of Michigan class is doing another concert on December 9th, so there is still time for you to get tickets if you're in the area.

The iPhone has had a rather large impact in music. For example, many professional piano tuners are using an iPhone app [iTunes link] that competes very well against dedicated hardware, while others have found ways to remotely play their piano using their iPhone or iPod touch. Also, many hobbyists and musicians alike who wish to synthesize music while on the go have a wide assortment of apps to choose from.

[Via Wired Online]

An iPhone orchestra -- something you don't hear every day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

An iPhone orchestra -- something you don't hear every day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Being Sued for iPhone Infringing Four Digital Camera Patents

Apple is no stranger to lawsuits, and today is no exception as St. Clair Intellectual Property Consultants have slapped them with a lawsuit that claims the iPhone infringes upon four digital camera patents that the company holds. The four include the ‘459, ‘219, ‘010 and ‘899 patents.

• 459: Take image contained within lens and store in some type of memory.
• 219: Display the picture that will be taken in some type of display window.
• 010: Push button in order to capture image.
• 899: Make images contained within some type of memory and make them viewable in some sort of digital camera roll.

St. Clair is a veteran of suing over patent infringements as they successfully squeezed 25 million out of Sony back in 2001 and in 2003 they sued Canon and were awarded $34 million in damages. They also have gone after companies such as Fuji, Kyocera, Minolta, Nikon, Olympus, Casio, Samsung, Panasonic, Nokia, HP, Kodak, LG, Motorola, RIM, Palm, and various others.

[Via Loopinsight]

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

Apple Being Sued for iPhone Infringing Four Digital Camera Patents

Apple Obtains Rezoning on Second Cupertino Campus Parcel

The Cupertino Courier reports that the Cupertino planning commission voted earlier this week to rezone a 7.78-acre portion of a 50-acre property assemblage owned by Apple to allow the company to build its planned second corporate campus just a few mi...

Chinese Online Retailer Sells Five iPhones in First Two Weeks

One would think that if the iPhone went on sale in the Chinese market it would sell like mad. So far, this is simply not the case as one of the largest Chinese online retailers, Taobao.com, has sold a total of five iPhones within the first two weeks of the device being available. China Unicom is also a seller of the phone but as of today, no official numbers have even been released.

With these poor sales aside, the iPhone is indeed very popular in China because of the unlocked devices that have been sold on the black market since the first generation iPhone was released back in 2007. If you take that into consideration and throw in the facts that the official version now being sold has been stripped of WiFi along with the ability to use pre-paid SIMs, both of which are very popular in China, you can see why people flock to the black market.

As it stands now, the iPhone is a flop in China. At least through official channels…

[Via Cult of Mac]

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

Chinese Online Retailer Sells Five iPhones in First Two Weeks

China Unicom’s dismal iPhone sales

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, Retail, Apple Financial, iPhone

Two weeks into official iPhone sales, China Unicom has sold only 5 units* through the online retailer Taobao.com according to PCWorld. China Unicom sells iPhones through its own site, but doesn't share sales figures. Still, PCWorld reports, Taobao.com is the country's largest e-commerce site, and has a large iPhone section.

What could account for the poor performance? The Golden Shield Project for one, which (among other things) prevents the sale of iPhones with Wi-Fi enabled. iPhones purchased outside of China do have Wi-Fi, of course. Another factor could be China's bustling black market. Despite the recent official release, the iPhone has been available in China for quite some time now. AppleInsider estimates that nearly 2 million iPhones are already circulating China, most of them jailbroken.

Cost is another factor. For example, a contract-free 32GB iPhone 3GS costs 6,999 yuan (approximately US$1,024 as of this writing) in China, compared to about US$800 in Hong Kong.

The news isn't all gloom-and-doom, however. AppleInsider reports that those who do purchase iPhones legitimately are flocking to the App Store. Still, the problem of getting more official iPhones into the hands of Chinese customers remains.

*As of Dec. 3rd, 2009.

China Unicom's dismal iPhone sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

China Unicom's dismal iPhone sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opinion: Is the App Store growing unwieldy?

If the App Store continues to swell at its current rate, how will users be able to discover great new apps among all that volume?

New Droid Ad Calls The iPhone A Pretty And Digitally Clueless Princess