Dirty Rotten Apples

"They could release a revolutionary 60-inch 4K TV for $99 with built-in nanobots to assemble and..."

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:41:50 -0700

“They could release a revolutionary 60-inch 4K TV for $99 with built-in nanobots to assemble and dispense free smartwatches, and people would complain that it should cost $49 and the nanobots aren’t open enough.”

- Marco Arment, correctly calling out the current pessimism surrounding Apple in the press (and on Wall Street) while also arguing for an “iPhone 6” moniker for the next iPhone — or really anything but the “iPhone 5S”. (via parislemon)

The Next Xbox Will Take Over Your TV

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:03:45 -0700

The Next Xbox Will Take Over Your TV:

parislemon:

Tom Warren for The Verge:

The functionality will work by taking a cable box signal and passing it through to the Xbox via HDMI, allowing Microsoft’s console to overlay a UI and features on top of an existing TV channel or set-top box. We’re told that this is a key part of the next-generation Xbox and that it will go a step further than Google’s TV implementation thanks to Microsoft’s partnerships with content providers. Extended support for various cable services will be rolled out gradually, but the basic functionality will be available at launch.

While Google TV obviously went nowhere, I view this as a smart play by Microsoft. The content partnerships are key. Let’s hope they can get all of them in place.

On the other hand:

Coupled with this TV functionality, Microsoft’s next-generation Kinect sensor will also play a role in the company’s TV focus. The Verge has learned that the next Kinect will detect multiple people simultaneously, including the ability to detect eye movement to pause content when a viewer turns their head away from a TV.

I really don’t understand this functionality. It sounds like a stupid novelty in the new Samsung Galaxy phone, and I think it’s worse here. Given how many people now “watch” TV with a second screen, is it going to pause every three seconds?

afternoonsnoozebutton: mediaite: Oops: Think You’ve Got The...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:48:52 -0700

afternoonsnoozebutton:

mediaite:

Oops: Think You’ve Got The Wrong Ron Johnson, Today Show

in their defense all old white men look alike~

Executive found to run Apple Retail; looks familiar

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:24:41 -0700

Executive found to run Apple Retail; looks familiar:

parislemon:

Erica Ogg for GigaOm:

Ron Johnson is out as CEO of J.C. Penney. After less than two years on the job, it’s not quite clear what the next step would be for him. Luckily for him, it just so happens that Johnson’s former employer, Apple, has an opening for someone with his qualifications: SVP of Retail.

Yes, that’s Johnson’s old job, the one that he held for more than 10 years. And he was really, really good at it.

Sometimes you can go home again. This should probably be one of those times.

The retail team would be so excited to have him back.

shortformblog: Doing it wrong: Just over a year after he...

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:31:33 -0700

shortformblog:

Doing it wrong: Just over a year after he started, Ron Johnson is out as J.C. Penney’s CEO. Johnson, who built his career on the conception of the Apple Store, tried a bold strategy of across-the-board price cuts to buoy the department store chain, only to see that strategy totally fail in the marketplace. Johnson will be replaced by Mike Ullman, the man Johnson replaced in 2011. (photo by Thomas Iannaccone/AP)

Ron Johnson WAS Apple Retail. He made it what it was. Sad to see that he couldn’t find success at his next venture. Then again, that man is sitting on so much money from the Apple stock he cashed in, he’s really just working for the fun of it these days.

iPhone naming: when simple gets complicated

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:53:40 -0700

iPhone naming: when simple gets complicated:

parislemon:

Ken Segall:

My (meaningless) vote is that the next iPhone should be christened iPhone 6, not iPhone 5S. If it’s worthy of being a new model, it’s worthy of having its own number.

I agree. What constitutes an “S” update versus a numbered update increasingly seems a bit arbitrary. Yes, even if the device looks the same.

"If Facebook wants Home to really take off, it needs to realize that we don’t live in a world as..."

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:27:08 -0700

“If Facebook wants Home to really take off, it needs to realize that we don’t live in a world as beautiful as its marketing campaigns. It could limit “Cover Feed” posts to those only from your closest friends, or it could selectively analyze photos for quality content tagged to popular locations.”

- Ellis Hamburger: Facebook Home is beautiful, but what if your friends aren’t? (via thisistheverge)

pbsthisdayinhistory: April 1, 1976: Apple is Founded On this...

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:09:18 -0700

pbsthisdayinhistory:

April 1, 1976: Apple is Founded

On this day in 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded Apple, a business dedicated to selling personal computers.The three founders worked in Jobs’ parents’ garage and developed their first product, Apple I. The following July, Apple introduced 200 personal computers to the market and sold them for $666.66.

Throughout the years, Apple has gained its title as a global leader in the consumer electronics industry due to its iconic products such as the iPhone, iPod, iMac, and iPad.

In 2011, the world had to say goodbye to Apple’s leading force - Steve Jobs. Take a moment to remember the life of Steve Jobs with PBS NewsHour’s special report.

Image (from top to bottom): Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs (Tony Avelar/Bloomberg via Getty Images), An early Apple Macintosh computer c. 1981 (Bertrand LAFORET/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Photo

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:45:48 -0700

The T-Mobile iPhone 5 Could Save You A Bunch Of Money

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:02:59 -0700

The T-Mobile iPhone 5 Could Save You A Bunch Of Money:

parislemon:

Steve Kovach of Business Insider did the math on T-Mobile’s new “un-carrier” plan for the iPhone:

Now compare that to the $2,020 two-year cost of owning an iPhone 5 on T-Mobile. You’re saving $580 in most cases. (Sprint comes close with its 450 minute plan, but keep in mind you still get unlimited minutes with T-Mobile. If you talk a lot on your phone, you’re still getting a better deal with T-Mobile.)

He takes into account not only the cost of the phone (after T-Mobile’s non-subsidy subsidy) but the cost of the plans as well. It’s not exactly cheap, but T-Mobile is the clear winner here from a pricing perspective. From a coverage perspective, that’s another matter…

parislemon: grahamhancock: So clever. “Less Apps. More...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:04:48 -0700

parislemon:

grahamhancock:

So clever. “Less Apps. More Apples.”

“And it works perfectly in direct sunlight.”

Brilliant.

thisistheverge: Gmail for iOS update lets you swipe between...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:00:50 -0700

thisistheverge:

Gmail for iOS update lets you swipe between messages

Gmail 2.0 for iOS was a major update bringing a host of much-needed features, but a few basic and fundamental things were left out. Chief among them was the option to move from one email to the next without first returning to your inbox. Fortunately, Google has remedied that problem with Gmail 2.1 for iOS — swiping to the left and right lets you move backwards and forwards through your emails, just like in Gmail for Android.

This app keeps getting better and better. I just finally got to the front of the line for Mailbox and after a few hours of using it I went back to the Gmail app. I just like using Gmail the way Gmail was meant to be used.

The wait is over…well, I mean…you have to wait until...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:59:37 -0700

The wait is over…well, I mean…you have to wait until April 12…but basically it’s over.

shortformblog: So, T-Mobile has the iPhone, finally. (And, by...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:57:43 -0700

shortformblog:

So, T-Mobile has the iPhone, finally. (And, by the way, a new pricing model that doesn’t rely on contract.) And wow, Gizmodo has a great GIF.

Well that’s going to be neat.

thisistheverge: Google Keep: a basic note-taking app, or the...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:09:59 -0700

thisistheverge:

Google Keep: a basic note-taking app, or the start of something big?

When a note-taking app called Google Keep surfaced briefly the other day, it did so to considerable fanfare. This kind of service has been missing since Google killed off Notebook in 2009, and a competitor to Evernote or Simplenote seemed like something the company could do quite well. Turns out Keep was leaked only slightly ahead of its time — the app was officially announced this afternoon, and Keep is now available on the web and to Android users. Once we got past the myriad “Oops! An error occurred” messages that plagued Keep’s first minutes of life, we’ve spent a bit of time playing with the app — but a few minutes is really all it takes to get the idea.

Innnnteresting….

This is real. This is not a parody. This is something that the...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:45:29 -0700

This is real. This is not a parody. This is something that the people at Blackberry made, and thought, “This will be good.”

It should be noted, this is not an ad. It’s more of an internal promotional video. But if I worked for a company that made this, I’d find a way to go back in time 2 weeks so I could hand in my 2 weeks notice.

minimalmac: parislemon: laughingsquid: Loren Brichter, a High...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:08:43 -0700

minimalmac:

parislemon:

laughingsquid:

Loren Brichter, a High Priest of App Design

Well-deserved press for Brichter, who is the best at what he does, which was apparent the minute most of us saw Tweetie for the first time.

Handsome.

dwr: (NYT, 2010; Bloomberg, 2013) Same old tech media song and...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:14:00 -0700

dwr:

(NYT, 2010; Bloomberg, 2013)

Same old tech media song and dance.

And if you remember, 3 months later, Microsoft killed it before ever launching it.

What’s the definition of insanity? Writing the same tech post over and over and expecting a different result?

laughingsquid: Photo Realistic Pictures Made of Bubble Wrap...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:40:24 -0700

laughingsquid:

Photo Realistic Pictures Made of Bubble Wrap Injected with Paint

Should Apple get into the TV business?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:52:46 -0700

Should Apple get into the TV business?:

confidenceisnowvictorious:

dirtyrottenapples:

virtualpants:

Ryan Block on the long-rumored Apple TV:

>It’s been probably five or six years since the first (highly unsubstantiated) rumors of Apple’s entry into the TV business began to sprout up, and even back then I was highly incredulous. I remain so, and here’s why.

His list is on point. The TV business is due for disruption. But disruption of the TV business does’t require a change to TV sets. The biggest change will be the business model, followed by the user interface. Neither of which requires Apple to build and sell a TV. Some smart, innovative, content deals and a set top box will do the trick just fine.

Exactly. And Apple is doing all this right under the industry’s noses.

But..isn’t there Apple TV?

Right. That’s not a television set. That’s a set top box that provides access to content. And this model is what is disrupting the TV Business, not the Television Set Industry.