AT&T and ‘The Switch’ Join the iAd Rotation
Monday August 23, 2010 04:16 PM EST
Written by Eric Slivka
Silicon Alley Insider provides a walkthrough of two new iAds that have just gone live, featuring Apple’s U.S. iPhone partner AT&T and “The Switch”, a new movie with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Anniston that debuted this past weekend.
The AT&T ad focuses on the carrier’s new $15-per-month Data Plus plan, carrying the tag line “Now your entire family can afford the mobile internet.” The various ad panels outline the carrier’s Data Plus ($15/200 MB) and Data Pro ($25/2 GB) plans and offer estimates and tools to help users decide which plans would be right for them given their mobile activities. The company also pushes its Wi-Fi hotspots, available to its cellular data customers free of charge.
The iAd for “The Switch” offers a variety of features, including a tool for finding nearby theaters showing the film, trailers and commercials, a photo gallery, character bios, and a humorous “quiz” to help users decide whether they are ready to be parents. The ad also features a mini-game called “Build a Baby”, which lets users assemble various combinations of hair, eyes, and mouths to create unique “baby” faces. The resulting images can be saved to the users’ Camera Roll photo folders.
Rating (15 Positives; 21 Negatives)
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Where To? screenshot (left) and drawing from Apple patent application (right)
The third-party developer in question, FutureTap, has posted an update revealing that it has received an explanation from Apple regarding the screenshot usage. Following on discussions between Apple and FutureTap, Apple’s patent attorney writes:
As discussed, Apple is contemplating steps to attribute the screenshot in the patent application to FutureTap. The patent application in question does not claim as inventive the pictured user interface nor the general concept of an integrated travel services application. We appreciate your taking time out to discuss the matter and will keep you updated.
FutureTap’s Ortwin Gentz notes that the explanation is clearly satisfactory, and while acknowledging that ignorance of patent law was the source of much of the confusion on the part of himself and others, sees the positive aspect of Apple’s inclusion of FutureTap’s screenshot in its application.
We feel honored over this mention and appreciate that Apple is looking into a proper attribution of the screenshot. In retrospective, I can say we wouldn’t ever have considered the story alarming had the screenshot included a short attribution notice.
In his defense, Gentz rhetorically asks with a sense of humor whether users would “prefer developers who love reading patents over the ones who love to design user interfaces”. (In the interest of full disclosure, Where To? was initially designed by developers John Casasanta and Sophia Teutschler at tap tap tap.)
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Verizon iPhone rumors are a favorite pastime on the Web. But one tech blogger says that this time, the Verizon iPhone is really, totally, definitely set for a 2011 launch.
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Verizon iPhone could hit market as soon as January
Verizon iPhone rumors are a favorite pastime on the Web. But one tech blogger says that this time, the Verizon iPhone is really, totally, definitely set for a 2011 launch.
Read the rest here:
Verizon iPhone could hit market as soon as January
Claimed next-generation iPod touch LCD and front bezel showing apparent camera hole
MacMagazine reports (Google translation) that it has received information from a “reliable source within Apple” that the company is planning to hold its traditional September iPod-focused media event a bit early this year, with the middle of this month appearing to be the targeted date.
The MacMagazine today received information from a reliable source within Apple about a new event to the press that the company was planning to soon. Although the schedule cite the source as somewhere around 14 and 16, we bet our chips on a Monday or Tuesday – that is, 16 or August 17.
According to the source, the event will include a focus on the company’s next-generation iPod touch, as well as information on an iOS 4 release for iPad. Revisions to other iPod models would also appear to be a reasonable expectation, although the report does not have confirmation as to whether they would be launched at the August event or held until the following month.
Rumors about the next-generation iPod touch have been circulating in recent weeks, with continuing evidence in both software betas and parts leaks suggesting that we can expect a front-facing FaceTime camera in the new iPod touch.
The rumored timeframe for Apple’s media event also corresponds to a claimed August 17th release date for iLife ’11. It is not immediately clear how an iLife update would directly relate to Apple’s typically tightly-focused iPod events held around this time of the year, but rumors have also claimed that Apple will be introducing a new mystery application in the suite, and it is possible that the addition could be tied into iPod/iOS enhancements.
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All Things Digital reports on Time Inc.’s struggles with Apple as it has tried to roll out a true subscription program for its Sports Illustrated iPad application, an option that Apple continues to be unwilling to support.
Last month, the publisher was set to launch a subscription version of its Sports Illustrated iPad app, where consumers would download the magazines via Apple’s iTunes, but would pay Time Inc. directly. But Apple rejected the app at the last minute, forcing the Time Warner (TWX) unit to sell single copies, using iTunes as a middleman, multiple sources tell me.
Since then, Time Inc. executives “have been going nuts”, trying to figure out how to get Apple (AAPL) to approve a subscription plan. One of the more desperate suggestions, which apparently didn’t get traction: Pulling the publisher’s apps out of the iTunes store altogether.
The reasons for Apple’s reluctance are not entirely clear, although the theories are ones that have been around for some time: Apple may be concerned over subscriber information being held by the publishers rather than Apple itself, and the company may be working to retain control over and profits from magazine sales by pushing downloads through the App Store rather than through publishers.
As the report notes, other entities such as The Wall Street Journal are permitted to bill users directly for iPad subscriptions to their content, and thus it is unclear exactly why Apple is targeting magazine subscriptions so closely. But until the stalemate is broken to allow publishers to offer subscription packages or print-electroinic bundles in some way as most parties seems to desire, it appears that magazine users will be limited to the single-issue purchases prevalent in the App Store today.
Update: We have heard that the holdup, at least in the case of the Sports Illustrated subscription plan, is in fact a dispute over revenue, with Apple maintaining that it should be able to collect a 30% cut of revenue as it does for content distributed through the App Store. Publishers, understandably, would prefer to move out from under the App Store umbrella for their subscriptions and keep 100% of the revenue for themselves.
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Image from cleggster83
In what is not a terribly big surprise considering that they started shipping at the beginning of the week, free iPhone 4 bumpers have begun arriving into the hands of customers. As with the first wave of shipping notices, the arrivals appear to be limited to the UK for the time being, although customers in other countries who have received shipping notices can expect theirs to quickly follow.
Recipients report that the bumpers come in the standard Apple packaging for the product. And while customers who ordered bumpers are beginning to see theirs arrive, those who opted for third-party cases through the free case program have still seen no sign of movement on their orders, with shipping estimates pushing out well beyond a month for many customers. Those customers should keep their eyes peeled, however, as orders for Apple bumpers similarly showed lengthy initial shipping estimates before suddenly beginning to ship earlier this week.
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iMac reservations at Crabtree Valley Mall Apple Store, Raleigh, NC
As noted by AppleInsider, various models of Apple’s iMac line are beginning to become “Unavailable” through Apple’s in-store Reserve and Pick Up system, joining the company’s Mac Pro line that saw similar shortages appear late last week.
The iMac shortages are not quite as pronounced as they are for the Mac Pro, however, with a quick check of a number of stores showing unavailability seemingly limited to the high-end 21.5-inch and 27-inch models. A significant number of stores also continue to show availability of all four iMac models at this time.
The news comes, however, after a report last week pointed to iMac shipments to third-party distributors beginning to run low, with the new observation now lending credence to the idea that iMac supplies are truly becoming constrained.
Like the Mac Pro, the iMac continues to show shipping estimates of “within 24 hours” across the board in Apple’s online retail store, suggesting that the company is prioritizing that distribution channel for its remaining machines while letting other channels run dry in advance of new models.
The iMac was last updated in October with the introduction of new 16:9 widescreen 21.5-inch and 27-inch designs.
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Apple Begins Shipping Free iPhone 4 Bumpers to UK Customers
Sunday July 25, 2010 10:05 PM EST; Category: iPhone
Written by Eric Slivka
Based on several reports sent to us and posted in our forums, it appears that Apple has begun shipping out free bumpers to a number of iPhone 4 customers. At this time, however, the shipments appear to be limited to UK customers who ordered Apple bumpers, as opposed to third-party case options.
The shipments come despite initial quotes from Apple on the order of 3-5 weeks for bumper shipments.
Over the past few days, Apple has also been notifying customers who purchased bumpers via credit card prior to the initiation of the free case program that their accounts have been credited. Meanwhile, customers who previously purchased bumpers via cash, check, or gift card from Apple Retail Stores have until September 30th to return to the point of purchase for a refund, while customers who ordered online using Apple gift cards should automatically receive new gift cards for the purchase amount. Finally, any customer who purchased a bumper through an AT&T retail stores is required to fill out a rebate coupon (PDF) and mail it along with their sales receipt to Apple by September 30th for processing.
Rating (26 Positives; 8 Negatives)
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Apple Takes on Droid X With Latest Smartphone Antenna Video
Friday July 23, 2010 06:54 PM EST; Category: iPhone
Written by Eric Slivka
Not content to stop there, Apple has posted yet another smartphone signal attenuation video to its feature page and YouTube site, this time targeting Motorola’s just-released Droid X. The video shows the Droid X dropping from three signal bars to zero when gripped in the hand in a manner similar to the “death grip” frequently cited as inducing the issue on the iPhone 4.
The featuring of the Droid X is significant, as the device has been seen as the latest strong competitor for the iPhone. The Android-based phone has seen strong initial sales, with Motorola and Verizon struggling to keep up with demand. Apple is no doubt targeting the Droid X as it seeks to bolster its claims that the vast majority of smartphones, including many of the most popular ones, suffer from the same issue as the iPhone 4.
Submitted by tbl
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