Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in
Mac News Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
BlackBerry Outage
Electronics Trade-In
Apps & Services
Presentation & Protection
iPod Deals
These price trackers are updated every month.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apple Announces AppleCare+ for iPhone
PR: Every iPhone comes with one year of hardware repair
coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of
complimentary support. AppleCare+ for iPhone extends your coverage to
two years from the original purchase date of your iPhone and adds up to
two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a $49
service fee. Whether you use your iPhone with a Mac or a PC, just one
phone call can help resolve most issues.
Extend your coverage to two years of service and expert telephone
technical support
Because AppleDesigns the iPhone, iOS, and many applications, the
iPhone is a truly integrated system. And only AppleCare+ provides
one-stop service and support from Apple experts whether you use a Mac
or a PC, so most issues can be resolved in a single call.
AppleCare+ provides repair or replacement coverage, both parts and
labor, from Apple-authorized technicians.
What's covered:
- Your iPhone
- Battery
- Included earphones and accessories
- Coverage for up to two incidents of accidental damage, each subject
to a $49 service fee
With AppleCare+ for iPhone, Apple experts can help troubleshoot
issues with your iPhone, Apple-branded iPhone applications, and
interconnectivity between your iPhone and your Mac or PC.
AppleCare+ must be purchased together with new covered equipment.
See AppleCare+ Terms and Conditions for complete product details.
Link: AppleCare+ for
iPhone
iPhone 4S Benchmarks Slightly Slower than iPad
2
AnandTech's Anand Lal Shimpi and Brian Klug report that they've seen
the first performance results from Apple's first A5-based smartphone
and compiled these results from various sources, comparing them to
their existing database of tests.
They say that results are pretty much as expected, with JavaScript
performance finally catching up to Tegra 2-based Honeycomb devices,
while general CPU performance is significantly higher than the iPhone
4.
Based on integer and fp tests of published Geekbench scores, Lal
Shimpi and Klug conclude that Apple is shipping a lower clocked A5 in
the iPhone 4S than it does in the iPad 2, which they say makes sense
considering the iPhone 4S's much smaller 5.25 WHr battery. Based on the
Geekbench results, they report that it looks like the iPad 2 is
clocked around 25% higher than the iPhone 4S, which would peg the
latter's clock speed in the neighborhood of 800 MHz.
Link: iPhone 4S
Preliminary Benchmarks: ~800MHz A5, Slightly Slower GPU than iPad 2,
Still Very Fast
How Tablets Have Changed Users' Lives
The Drum's Stephen Lepitak reports that a new study of 5,000
consumers by the media communications agency UM London finds that media
tablets and e-readers have changed users lives, with almost a fifth of
UK consumers now owning a tablet or e-reader, and over a quarter of
respondents even copping to using the devices on the toilet.
The study, entitled "Will Tablet Computers Change Our Lives?", also
discovered that 64% of those who don't own either device have no
intention of buying one either, 23% of that cohort saying they were
deterred by the price, but nearly a quarter of respondents (23%) said
they did intend to buy a tablet computer and 19% said they would buy an
e-reader.
Meanwhile, of those who already own tablet computers, more than a
third said it had changed their lives, with 43% claiming they were
addictive and over 60% saying they used it on a daily basis, 65% saying
they find the tablet more useful than a laptop, and 43% suggest that it
has improved their quality of life, because they are now "less
bored."
Link: Study Finds How
Tablets and E-Readers Have Changed Users Lives
iPads Delivered 97.2% of All US August Tablet
Traffic
PR: Smartphones and tablets drive nearly 7% of total US
digital traffic reports comScore, Inc. in a new report: "Digital
Omnivores: How Tablets, Smartphones and Connected Devices are Changing
US Digital Media Consumption Habits." The report analyzes how
cross-platform consumption has created a vastly different commercial
and social landscape, as consumers utilize a growing number of devices
to consume digital content. The report also analyzes the impact these
shifting consumption habits have on online visitation and engagement
across the Internet.
"The popularization of smartphones and the introduction of tablets
and other web-enabled devices collectively termed connected devices
have contributed to an explosion in digital media consumption. As these
devices gain adoption, we have also seen the rise of the digital
omnivores consumers who access content through several touchpoints
during the course of their daily digital lives." says comScore's senior
vice president of mobile Mark Donovan. "In order to meet the needs of
these consumers, advertisers and publishers must learn to navigate this
new landscape so they develop cross-platform strategies to effectively
engage their audiences."
Key findings highlighted in the report include:
- Mobile phones drive digital traffic around the world, while tablets
are gaining steam. The share of non-computer traffic for the US stood
at 6.8% in August 2011, with approximately two-thirds of that traffic
coming from mobile phones, and tablets accounting for much of the
remainder.
- Increased WiFi availability and mobile broadband adoption in the US
are helping drive connectivity. In August 2011, more than one third
(37.2%) of US digital traffic coming from mobile phones occurred via a
WiFi connection.
- This percentage grew nearly 3 points in just the past three months.
On the other hand, tablets, which traditionally required a WiFi
connection to access the Internet, are increasingly driving traffic
using mobile broadband access. In August, nearly 10 percent of traffic
from tablets occurred via a mobile network connection.
- Today, half of the total US mobile population uses mobile media.
The mobile media user population (those who browse the mobile web,
access applications, or download content) grew 19% in the past year to
more than 116 million people at the end of August 2011.
- iPads dominate among tablets in driving digital traffic. In August
2011, iPads delivered 97.2% of all tablet traffic in the US. iPads have
also begun to account for a higher share of Internet traffic than
iPhones (46.8% vs. 42.6% of all iOS device traffic).
- In the US, tablet users display the characteristics of early
technology adopters: young males in upper income brackets. In August,
54.7% of all tablet owners were male and nearly 30% were age 25-34.
Nearly half (45.9%) of tablet owners belonged to households earning
$100K and more.
- Nearly half of tablet owners made or completed a purchase on their
tablet. Tablet owners exhibited significant use of their devices
throughout the entire online shopping process from doing the initial
planning, conducting product and store research, making price
comparisons, to finally transacting. In the past month, more than half
of tablet owners looked up product or price information for a specific
store (56%) and read customer ratings and reviews while on a tablet
(54%).
- Nearly 3 out of 5 tablet owners consume news on their tablets. 58%
of tablet owners consumed world, national or local news on their
devices, with 1 in 4 consuming this content on a near-daily basis on
their tablets.
- Tablets facilitate real-time social networking. Nearly 3 in 5
tablet owners updated their social networking status or commented on
others status on their device during September, while slightly less
than half shared their location using a location-sharing site
during.
- The incremental reach through mobile and connected devices should
not be underestimated. In the case of a publisher such as Pandora, the
incremental reach of additional channels, such as connected devices, is
significant. In August 2011, the additional mobile and connected device
audience for Pandora accounted for more than half of their total
cross-platform audience.
iOS is Leading Connected Device Platform by Device Share and
Traffic Share
Although the Android platform accounts for the highest share of
the smartphone market (43.7% in August), its total audience among
mobile and connected devices in current use is eclipsed by the Apple
iOS audience. The iOS platform had the highest share of connected
devices and smartphones in use at 43.1%, fueled by the iPad's dominance
in the tablet market, while Android accounted for 34.1% of the total
mobile and connected device universe.
The iOS platform also accounts for the largest
share of Internet traffic, measured in terms of browser-based page
views, in the US at present. When measuring market share of Internet
traffic by platform, iOS accounted for more than half (58.5%) of the
share of total non-computer traffic in the US. Android OS ranked
second, delivering 31.9% of overall non-computer traffic in August.
With iOS having a significantly higher share of traffic (58.5%)
compared to its share of devices (43.1%), it suggests that iOS users
are heavier-than-average consumers of Internet content.
comScore, Inc. is a global leader in measuring the digital world and
preferred source of digital business analytics.
Publisher's note: Our site analytics don't differentiate between
tablets and other mobile devices, but over 85% of mobile traffic to Low
End Mac in August came from iOS users, 12.45% from Android, 0.85% from
BlackBerry, and everything else was far lower. In September, iOS fell
to 83%, Android rose to 14%, and BlackBerry hit 0.94%. So far this
month, 6.8% of site traffic comes from iOS users, which is 84% of
mobile traffic. Android follows at 14.1% Android, and BlackBerry at
0.8%. dk
Link: iPads Delivered
97.2 Percent of All US August Tablet Traffic
Tablet Owners Spend 48% More Time Online
Daily
PR: Tablet technology is proving to be a game changer for
Internet use, moving large quantities of time away from PCs and laptops
and onto smartphones and iPads (or other tablets).
Being able to take device shares into account along with product and
media use gives planners a new, increasingly relevant window on the
media landscape.
New research by Knowledge Networks shows that tablet-owning
consumers (ages 18 to 64) spend 4 hours, 19 minutes with the Internet
daily, compared to 2 hours 55 minutes for all consumers 18-to-64 a
difference of 84 minutes, or 48%.
Tablet owners spend, on average, 55 minutes daily accessing the
Internet on their tablets; social networking, gaming, and search take
up about half (24 minutes) of that time. Mobile devices (smartphones
and/or tablets) account for 38% of tablet owners online use, compared
to 14% for the general 18-to-64 population.
These are among the findings from the latest wave of research for
KNs MultiMedia Mentor, which collects industry information about time
spent with eight media, as well as deep information about respondents'
product use and other characteristics. Clients access this data via
proprietary, Internet-based software that facilitates efficient media
planning and ad targeting.
The research also presents strong evidence that tablet ownership is
a marker for other advanced tech characteristics; 92% of tablet owners
also have a smartphone, and they are 40% more likely to have a DVR than
the general population.
Mobile Internet time for the overall 18-to-64 population has tripled
in just a year from 7 minutes in 2010 to 25 in the new measurement.
Being able to take device shares into account along with product and
media use gives planners a new, increasingly relevant window on the
media landscape, said Robert DeFelice, Vice President of Client Service
(Media) at Knowledge Networks. To keep messaging effectively, marketers
need an integrated view of their targets technology and media habits
where they are in today's world of anytime-anywhere access to
content.
For MultiMedia Mentor, Knowledge Networks conducts roughly 5,000
extensive interviews each year with members of KnowledgePanel about
their use of media as well as their consumption of soda, their car
purchasing plans, and hundreds of other key profile data points. Mentor
is also the basis for Total TouchSM, a custom, scalable solution for
assessing consumer exposure and reactions across dozens of media,
including out-of-home. ESPN and NBCU are among the companies that have
used Total TouchSM to measure media audiences for key
events. The new data in this release is from the Fall 2010 data set,
encompassing over 2,500 interviews.
Knowledge Networks is passionate about research in consumer goods,
retail, media, health and social policy collaborating closely with
client teams throughout the research process, while applying rigor in
everything we do. We specialize in innovative online research that
consistently gives leaders in business, government, and academia the
confidence to make important decisions.
KN delivers affordable, statistically valid online research through
KnowledgePanel and leverages a variety of other assets, such as world
class advanced analytics, an industry-leading physician panel, an
innovative platform for measuring online ad effectiveness, and a
research-ready behavioral database of frequent supermarket and drug
store shoppers.
Link:
Tablet Owners Spend 48% More Time Online Daily
iPod Turns 10: Did Steve Jobs Kill or Save
Music?
CTV News' Josh Visser observes that ten years ago (on Oct. 23), the
late Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a little music player touted as
"One thousand songs in your pocket," the estimated capacity of
5 GB device, with playback controlled by an innovative scroll
wheel.
"The iPod transformed Apple into the behemoth it is today," says
Visser, "and revolutionized the music industry in ways it's still
coming to grips with."
When Jobs unveiled the iPod, it wasn't the first MP3 player to hit
the market, Visser continues, "it was simply the best . . .
[combining] aesthetics with function . . . and had a
simplicity that put your technophobic grandmother at ease. It was
everything we didn't know we wanted."
Link: iPod Turns 10: Did
Steve Jobs Kill or Save Music?
iPod to Account for Only 7% of Apple Revenues in
2011
DigiTimes' Erica Yen and Joseph Tsai, report that sales of iPods,
which will celebrate their 10th anniversary on Oct. 23, will only
account for 7% of Apple's total revenues in 2011, pushing Taiwan-based
makers in the iPod supply chain to shift their focus to the production
of parts and components for iPhones and iPads, according to sources
from upstream component suppliers.
Yen and Tsai note that although Apple will continue to push its iPod
series products, including the Shuffle (still priced at $49), an
updated Nano, and the iPod touch - which has been reduced $30 to $199 -
their sources point out that their current orders are much weaker than
those in past years as Apple gradually shifts focus to products such as
iPhone and iPad.
Link: Sales of iPod
Lineups to Only Account for 7% of Apple Revenues in 2011
(subscription required)
7G iPod nano Teardown
iFixit's Director of Technical Communication Miroslav Djuric
says:
"We had a lovely writeup in store for you, but given the recent
event, we thought it in poor taste. No need to critique a product on
the day of the creator's passing. We'll miss you dearly, Mr. Jobs."
The iPod nano 7th generation
teardown notes that the new nano has some fun features packed
inside.
- 1.54" multitouch display
- 240 x 240 pixel resolution
- Built-in Accelerometer
- Stock Nike+ Compatibility
- Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery with up to 24 hours of music
playback
- 8 GB or 16 GB internal storage
"Fun fact: This newly released Nano is not any cooler than
the last Nano. Actually, it's pretty much exactly the same."
Link:
iPod nano 7th Generation Teardown
Apple Switches iPad 2 Battery Suppliers Due to
Defective Battery Packs
DigiTimes' Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report that some
Lithium-polymer battery packs used in the iPad 2 have been found to be
defective, and Apple in late September shifted some battery orders from
Simplo Technology, which produced the defective products at its factory
in eastern China, to Dynapack International Technology.
Lee and Tsai cite unnamed industry sources who told then the
defective batteries may have leakage problems, which can cause a short
circuit, but since iPad 2 have Li-polymer batteries, which use stable
chemical materials, leakage will not create an explosion or fire
hazard. However, they suggest it could cause problems with recharging.
Cold comfort for those of us with iPad 2s built prior to September.
The reporters note that Simplo has been a long-term, major battery
supplier for Apple, and in addition to the iPad, the company is also
the battery supplier for Apple's MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Link: Apple Switches iPad
2 Battery Suppliers Due to Defective Battery Packs (subscription
required)
'Taking Stock With Teens' Survey Finds Portable
Device Spending Up, iOS Rules
PR: Piper Jaffray has completed its 22nd semiannual "Taking
Stock With Teens" national study of teen shopping behavior and brand
preferences, which indicates improving spending at the upper-income
level and continued weakness for average-income teens. Also, the survey
results reflect a preference by teens for value-priced merchandise at
all levels of household income, but not necessarily the lowest cost, as
teens report a willingness to spend on higher-priced, differentiated
merchandise.
The Piper Jaffray retail research team conducted mall research field
trips in 11 cities in the United States and Canada surveying
approximately 600 students. The team surveyed teens on their favorite
places to shop and their spending habits. Based on their responses,
Hollister, a concept of Abercrombie & Fitch, took the top spot as
the most frequent overall destination for the fifth consecutive survey
followed by American Eagle Outfitters and West Coast Brands, which
includes Pacific Sunwear of California, Volcom, Hurley, Quiksilver,
Billabong, Sun Diego, Roxy, and Element in third. Abercrombie &
Fitch was fourth followed by Forever 21 in fifth place.
"Our Fall 2011 survey provides further evidence of a bifurcated
recovery: upper-income teens are feeling more confident and willing to
spend on fashion, while average-income teens continue to rationalize
budgets," says Jeff Klinefelter, director of research and senior
research analyst at Piper Jaffray. "With macroeconomic uncertainty
likely to continue to weigh on consumer spending, we believe fashion
and overall product 'newness' can drive sales growth for select
retailers and brands."
Key findings from the survey in fashion, beauty and personal care,
restaurants, digital media and video game categories include the
following:
- Fashion spending reflects improving trends at the upper-income
level and continuing weakness for average-income teens. Among
upper-income teens, the fashion category accounted for 38% of budgets,
up from 37% in the spring of 2011. Of upper-income females, 40% plan to
spend more on apparel this year than last year, down modestly from 41%
in the spring of 2011. 31% of upper-income males plan to spend more on
apparel compared to 33% in the spring. Of average-income teens, 34%
expect to spend more compared to 35% in the prior two teen surveys.
Fashion "newness" and the potential emergence of a new fashion cycle
point to continued spending on fashion. Upper-income teens continue to
be drawn further online for spending, with 13% of purchases coming from
this channel, which is two percentage points higher than for
average-income teens. Friends remain the dominate influence on both
upper-income and average-income teen groups, but the Internet displaced
television as the No. 2 influence.
- Beauty spending among upper-income teens increased six percent
year-over-year, but down 2% sequentially from the spring of 2011. Skin
care and cosmetics represented a bigger share of overall beauty
spending. MAC is the No. 1 cosmetics brand for upper-income teens, but
the brand fell to No. 3 among average-income teens (compared to No. 2
in the spring and the same as the fall of 2010). Victoria's Secret
remains the preferred fragrance, consistent with the past seven
surveys. The combined share of the top ten cosmetics brands continues
to decline, favoring multi-brand specialty retailers such as Ulta and
Sephora.
- Teen spending on food and restaurants is reported to be near the
highest level since early 2000. Upper-income survey respondents
increased weekly restaurant spending by approximately 2% compared to
the spring of this year. Average-income teens decreased weekly spending
by approximately 2% - although declines appear to be slowing. For
selecting food and restaurants, taste continues to be the strongest
influence among teens and nutrition ranked lowest. Value is less of an
influence among upper-income teens but remains a more important
consideration among average-income teens.
- Portable device spending continues to accelerate with 83% of teens
reporting that they are likely to purchase a smartphone for their next
device, up from 75% last fall and 81% in the spring. iOS gained market
share on Android and it is the most desired operating system, with 36%
of teens reporting that they are likely to buy an iOS device. 38% of
teens plan on buying an iPhone in the next six months, up from 33% one
year ago. In the last year, iPhone market share among teens has risen
from 14% to 23%. In total, 84% of the students had heard of Apple's
iPhone and 25% said they would pay $500 for the iPhone. 29% of
respondents own a tablet or have one in their household, and 22% expect
to buy an iPad in next six months, which should benefit Apple given
iPad's dominant market position. Of those students who own a MP3
player, 82% indicated that they also own some form of iPod, which is up
from 79% in fall 2006. For online music services, 89% of students
indicated that they use iTunes, slightly down from 91% in fall
2006.
Teens represent approximately 35% of video game players, with games
representing 6% of teen spending. Teens tend to play games online, on
mobile phones, and on Facebook. 21% paid to play games online,
reporting an annual spend of $75. Buying intentions remain low for the
purchase of new game systems and software during this fall. Despite
declining interest in consoles and handhelds, teens remain receptive to
new game experiences.
Parents were also surveyed in a separate study. Parent spending on
apparel for their teen was up 7% year over year and up 21% from the
fall 2006 survey. Parent spending on themselves is down 4% from fall
2006 and down 22% year over year. The results suggest that parents may
be spending more money on their teen at the expense of themselves.
The "Taking Stock With Teens" survey is a research project comprised
of gathering input from approximately 5,700 students with an average
age of 16.2 years. Teen spending patterns, fashion trends, and brand
and media preferences were assessed through visits to geographically
diverse high schools in 11 states, and through an online survey of a
wider group of teens from 32 states. The survey is conducted in
partnership with DECA (an international association of high school
students).
Link: Fall
2011 Taking Stock With Teens Survey
How the iPad and Other Tablets Impact the Future of
Computing
PR: Multitouch on the iPad and other media tablets has
liberated users from the hardware keyboard and pointing device (a.k.a.
the mouse), and as media tablets become more commonplace, users will
expect the convenience and simplicity of multitouch user interfaces
when they interact with other computing devices, according to a new
Gartner, Inc. report.
In the Gartner Special Report "iPad and Beyond: What the Future of
Computing Holds," Gartner analysts examine how the iPad has impacted
the hardware industry, and how media tablets are changing what users
will expect out of their computing devices.
"During the next five to 10 years, media tablets will instigate
change in computing form factors; modular designs will enable tablets
to take on new functions, becoming the cross-platform controller and
brain for hybrid consumer electronics and computers," says Angela
McIntyre, research director at Gartner. "Tablets will be substitutes
for several of the consumer electronics consumers often carry with
them. Thin-and-light mobile PCs with tablet-like features will become
mainstream, pushing out some bulkier PC styles that have been the
norm."
Makers of PCs and consumer electronics are noticing the shift in
consumer expectations and are incorporating features popularized by the
iPad into the new products they are developing. Multitouch technology
has become the de facto interface of high-end smartphones and media
tablets, and will extend to additional consumer electronic devices and
to PCs.
"Other hybrid designs leverage the flexibility of tablets to become
the brains of consumer electronic devices," Ms. McIntyre said. "One
tablet can replace multiple dedicated electronics devices by connecting
with different peripherals. Tablets docked in the dashboards of cars
can replace dedicated navigation devices and in-car entertainment, and
environmental controls. Wirelessly connect a blood pressure cuff, a
bathroom scale and an oximeter to a tablet to create a home health
monitor that can plot personal health trends and send the data to a
doctor. Mount a tablet into a projector, and it becomes digital signage
in a retail store or a device for streaming media via the
Internet."
Interface technologies can be clustered around five basic
modalities. They include state of mind (of the user), human-computer
hybrids, action detection, speech and biosensing. Of the interface
modalities, action detection has been extensively used to this point
because touch for example, pressing a key, clicking a mouse or touching
a screen is the standard way to interact with computing endpoint
devices, such as tablets, PCs and smartphones.
Gartner analysts say the iPad has created a transformational change
in how people interact with computers.
"Alternative user interfaces, such as multitouch, are essential for
extending the deployment of computing devices into new markets," Ms.
McIntyre said. "Smartphones, tablets and tablet hybrids will become the
first pathway to the Internet for many. The keyboard on PCs is a major
barrier for those who have had no reason or opportunity to become
facile with QWERTY."
The Special Report includes links to nearly 20 research documents
that examine how tablets are changing how people interact with
computers.
Ms. McIntyre and David Willis, vice president and distinguished
analyst at Gartner, will host the webinar "iPad and Beyond: What the
Future of Computing Holds" at 10 a.m. EDT and 1 p.m. EDT on October 27.
To register for this complementary webinar, visit http://bit.ly/rdqMBW
Link: iPad and Beyond:
What the Future of Computing Holds
BlackBerry Outage
Last Week's Worldwide BlackBerry Blackout
Geekosystem's Eric Limer reports:
"BlackBerry's have been experiencing an outage of sorts in Europe,
Africa, the Middle East and South America for the past few days. Now,
the trouble has started moving to users in the US. and Canada. The
problems include questionable email service and no access to Internet
browsing. The issues started at the beginning of this week....
"...with the iPhone 4S, a huge competitor for everyone, but
specifically the flailing, increasingly aimless BlackBerry, this outage
could hardly come at a worse time, especially when more and more
businesses are abandoning RIM's proprietary, secure email for
alternatives that let employees use phones like the iPhone for
work."
Link: BlackBerry Black Out
Spreads to North America
3 Day BlackBerry Outage Caused by Faulty Router or
Something More?
The Guardian's Charles Arthur and Matthew Baxter-Reynolds
report:
"The problems for BlackBerry's 70 million users around the world
began mid-morning on Monday at Research In Motion's network operations
centre, or NOC, off Bath Road in Slough.
"In the hours after the initial failure RIM experienced its
worst-ever outage - lasting three days - which eventually affected
almost every one of its users and forced its founder Mike Lazaridis
into an embarrassing public apology.
"Something broke down in the internal systems. It is still unclear
quite what, though it has been blamed on a router (a piece of equipment
which directs internet data in or across a network). RIM later called
it a 'core switch failure'.
"Even a momentary lapse in the flow of RIM's data could be
calamitous: the Guardian understands the Slough NOC servers normally
deal with 8 gigabytes of data every second....
"Industry insiders and former RIM staff who have spoken to the
Guardian say the company has been storing up problems for years through
its approach to its system - and the outage was only to be
expected."
"The reason why the amount of data passing through Slough is so
colossal is that it is one of just four NOCs maintained by RIM to route
data between all its global users - and it serves almost everyone in
Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. It also handles all of the
GPRS 'packets' - data sent worldwide via low-speed phone networks - to
BlackBerry devices.
"There is another centre in Ontario, where RIM was founded, that
serves the US, Canada and South America, and two more elsewhere that
serve Asia and the Pacific regions.
"Normally, any issue at the Slough NOC would cause backup systems to
kick in automatically, shifting the data transfer to a 'failover'
location in Egham, Surrey. But the Guardian understands that work on
making Egham a full backup centre had not been completed - although it
was meant to have been finished two months ago."
"RIM is a victim of its own success, say former staff and industry
insiders. It maintains its own private network, which in effect runs
alongside the 'public' internet and carries all its data. That means it
is so secure that the BlackBerry is the only device approved for
sensitive government work, because messages are encrypted between the
sender's device, the RIM servers, and the destination device."
"Messages are still being delivered, but RIM users may need to wait
until Monday for the gigantic backlog to clear."
Link:
BlackBerry Outage for Three Days Caused by Faulty Router Says Former
RIM Staffer
BlackBerry Outage: $350 Million Hit - Plus Losing
Enterprise
ZDNet's Larry Dignan reports:
"Research in Motion's costs related to its outage last week don't
amount to much, but the longer-term sales hit is likely to be much
higher.
RIM is offering free apps to customers due to its outage, but that
doesn't go all that far. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek estimated that
the explicit costs due to the outage will be limited to $350 million.
That amount assumes that RIM refunds one month of subscriber fees to
its 70 million subscribers. The average fee a month is about $5.
But here's where things get dicey for RIM. The outage comes at the
worst time for RIM and hurts its reputation with the one audience
keeping the company alive - CTOs, CIOs and IT departments. The contrast
between RIM and Apple, which sold 4 million iPhone 4S devices over a
weekend, couldn't be more stark."
Link:
RIM's BlackBerry Outage: $350 Million Max Hit, but Losing
Enterprise
Electronics Trade-In
Target Offers iPhone Trade-Ins Nationwide
PR: Target stores nationwide are now offering a price lock
guarantee for iPhone trade-ins through its partnership with NextWorth,
a leader in consumer electronics upgrades and trade-ins.
Target is expanding its trade-in program to offer a price lock
guarantee for iPhone trade-ins to 1,470 retail locations nationwide.
Customers can go to a nearby Target store to lock in a trade-in value
for their old iPhone model and receive the quoted value when they pick
up their new iPhone 4S.
This is the first time Target has locked in trade-in values prior to
product availability. Trade-in values are based on used iPhones in good
working order, rather than phones in excellent or flawless condition,
so the vast majority of people will qualify for the values quoted
below:
- iPhone 4 (16 GB & 32 GB): $200
- iPhone 3GS (32 GB): $120
- iPhone 3GS (16 GB): $110
- iPhone 3GS (8 GB): $101
"We're excited to expand the opportunity to lock in a great trade-in
value to Target shoppers across the country," says Jeff Trachsel, CMO
at NextWorth. "For customers trading in an iPhone 4, the trade-in value
will be equivalent to a free upgrade to the iPhone 4S."
In addition to essentially providing a free iPhone 4S upgrade,
in-store trade-ins provide instant gratification to those looking to
trade up to the new iPhone. Rather than mailing their old phone and
waiting for a check, customers can keep their phone until they pick up
the new iPhone 4S and still receive the value they were previously
quoted.
Link: Target
NextWorth Partnership
Play N Trade: Trade In Your Apple Products
PR: Play N Trade Franchise, Inc., a franchisor of retail
video games stores throughout North America, has announced a new
trade-in program for Apple products that include iPhones, iPads, and
iPod touches, in exchange for store credit or cash. With this program,
Play N Trade intends to offer immediate gratification to customers, as
well as provide a more convenient alternative to eBay. With the
trade-in program, customers avoid having to deal with shipping their
items and waiting for payment to arrive at a later date. Since the
holiday season of gift buying is quickly approaching, the trade-in of
Apple products offers another way for their customers to purchase
games. Since most iPod, iPhone and iPad trade-in values are
significantly higher than typical game trade-ins, customers will be
able to build store credit very quickly.
Play N Trade plans to refurbish the Apple devices for resell, but
currently has no plans to enter the business of selling phone plans.
All trade-in products undergo Play N Trades stringent refurbishment
process to insure it passes proper quality standards prior to resell.
If products do not qualify for the refurbish program, Play N Trade will
properly and responsibly recycle it at no extra cost.
"We are excited to offer this new service to our customers. As the
gaming market moves forward, we are committed to evolving our services
to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers and our
stores," says Play N Trade President Sean Finnigan. "If customers have
an old iPhone, iPad, or other Apple product, they may now visit their
local Play N Trade retail store and exchange it for something brand
new. Bring or send your old technology to a Play N Trade store and well
determine if it qualifies for our refurbishment program. If the device
meets our refurbishment standards we will assess the monetary value of
the device and in exchange offer store credit or cash."
For customers interested in having their Apple devices repaired
instead of being used as a trade-in for credit, Play N Trade is also
announcing an Apple Repair Program to complement their Video Game
Console Repair Program. Customers can bring or send damaged or broken
devices to Play N Trade for analysis, repair and return as quickly as
possible.
Link: Apple
Trade-In
Apps & Services
BerryMover App Transfers Contacts and More from
BlackBerry to iPhone
PR: BlackBerry to iPhone switchers can now transfer contacts,
calendars, text messages, email messages, and more with BerryMover, a
new app.
The need for this app seems huge. In a 2011 United Sample survey,
over 66% of Verizon-based BlackBerry users said they would switch to an
iPhone when it became available. Therefore, the numbers are
staggering.
"Until this app, these folks couldn't properly transfer contacts
from BlackBerry to iPhone," says Tim Goggin, Co-owner Of PocketMac.
"They were stuck. But now, all you need is a recent BlackBerry backup,
iTunes and BerryMover. And you're all set to transfer all your
data."
BerryMover works by reading backup files. It then gives the user the
option of choosing which data they want to import.
Goggin added, "Our 7 years working with the BlackBerry gives us the
know-how to import this data and work with backup files. In fact, for
many years, Research In Motion licensed our Mac-BlackBerry sync
software."
Every copy of BerryMover comes with a complete video tutorial on how
to import BlackBerry data to your iPhone. The app also includes the
ability to import data from more than one backup file.
"Our customers ask us every day how they can get data from their old
device to their new iPhone," says Goggin. "It's holding them back and
costing them money. Some customers have told us they have that one
crucial text message or those dozen emails they need salvaged."
BerryMover will import all of the following data:
- Contacts
- Calendar
- Tasks
- Notes
- Text Messages
- Email Messages
Goggin concludes, "BerryMover makes the switch from BlackBerry to
iPhone painless. Now switchers can transfer all their data over."
BerryMover is available now on the iTunes App Store for $9.99.
Link:
BerryMover
Drive Safe - No Sleep for iPhone Ends Sleep
Deprivation
PR: MobileAppsHQ, the
developers of Drive Safe - No Sleep, has released a helpful product for
iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. Newly launched in the App Store,
Drive Safe - No Sleep helps drivers stay awake and alert behind the
wheel by providing audio and visual stimulus. A section of the
application also assists with power napping via the use of brain
entrainment frequencies that help users to sleep for a short period of
time enter deep sleep and awake refreshed. This application helps users
to overcome sleep deprivation for improved safety and health.
Drive Safe - No Sleep is a new product launch that aids not only in
the reduction of accidents due to falling asleep at the wheel but also
helps end sleep deprivation for a better quality of life. The
application offers two different types of stimuli. There is visual
stimulus that is a strobe placed at the periphery of a user's vision.
Although very effective for increasing alertness, it is not to be used
by anyone who is prone to seizures.
Another option is the audio
stimulus, which can be used with headphones or speakers. Users choose
from four preset ambient sounds to listen to, or mix one with iPod
music. Both the audio and visual method work with brain frequencies,
raising them to levels associated with alertness, active concentration
and perception. This means that users stay awake, aware and focused
while driving or engaged in some other task that requires full
attention.
Rest is also a critical tool in this app's arsenal of helpful
features. Drive Safe - No Sleep provides a three-stage brain
entrainment that puts users into a 15 - 30 minute power nap cycle that
refreshes, improves alertness, boosts mood and increases productivity.
Users do not suffer the disorientation, grogginess or sleepiness
typically associated with cat napping and are able to configure an
alarm sound, to be sure they're going to wake up when the power nap
cycle ends. if they want to wake at a specific time.
Drive Safe - No Sleep is also good for those with insomnia. The app
helps users enter a normal sleep cycle via entraining brainwaves that
lower delta frequencies. This allows for restorative sleep, which not
only makes for a safer driving experience but also improves health and
mood.
Some of the life-improving features
offered in Drive Safe - No Sleep include:
- Easy to use and understand interface
- Can improve driving safety, sleep patterns, health and
happiness
- Visual 'no sleep' option (strobe)
- Audio 'no sleep' option
- Power nap rest program
- Deep sleep rest program
- All audio modes can work in the background
- Audio is mixed with the iPod tunes
The Drive Safe - No Sleep is safe and effective for everyone,
regardless of occupation or age. The only caution is with the strobing
visual stimulus, which should not be used by people with epilepsy, or
anyone else prone to seizures or sensitive to flashing lights.
Device Requirements:
- iPhone, iPod touch and iPad
- Requires iOS 4.0 or later
- 2.2 MB
Drive Safe - No Sleep 1.0 is $1.99 and available worldwide
exclusively through the App Store in the Productivity category. Promo
codes are available for qualified reviewers. Please specify the website
or blog you represent when making your request.
Link:
Drive Safe - No Sleep
SRS Labs Launches Advanced Music Media Player for
iPhone and iPod touch
PR: SRS MyTunes is a
fully customizable, high performance app designed to deliver HD-Quality
Sound tailored to users personality and lifestyle. claimed to be the
most advanced, feature-rich, audio enhancing media player application
ever developed for the iPhone and iPod touch. MyTunes is available now
on the iTunes App Store.
SRS notes that MyTunes is designed to redefine the expectations and
capabilities associated with mobile media players. In addition to being
a powerful, full function music player app, it features a robust mix of
advanced SRS audio processing technologies, as well as a generous
selection of innovative features that allow users to fully customize
their listening experience to match their mood or activities.
MyTunes seamlessly pulls
music files from the iTunes music library stored on the device, but
what the app does with those music files is what makes it remarkably
different from anything else on the App Store today.
Features of the MyTunes app include:
- SRS WOW HD processing restores the natural tonality and spatial
characteristics of recorded audio, making music sound as if the
listener is in the same room as the artist
- Fully adjustable 10-band EQ with presets and a simple 3-knob tone
control system offer further personalization of audio playback
- Deeper, booming bass from any headphones and speakers system with
patented SRS bass sculpting technology
- Automatic tuning of the app settings to deliver optimal clarity and
detail based on user selected headphones or speakers type
Content normalization
maintains a consistent listening volume regardless of the music
played
- Advanced drilldown search provides a simple way to navigate through
substantial music collections allowing users to find songs with
ease
- Special driving mode optimizes the GUI for ease of use and minimal
distraction
- DJ-style transitions offer the full experience of having a live DJ
mix the users playlist
"With more than a decade of
conditioning the general public to accept poor-quality audio as the
norm, the MP3 and other compressed audio formats have successfully
sucked the life and the fun out of recorded music," says Allen H.
Gharapetian, Senior Vice President of Marketing for SRS Labs. "However,
we have worked tirelessly to create a cure for this widespread epidemic
of anemic sound by creating an app specifically designed to restore the
lost sound that results from compressing audio, while at the same time
giving listeners full control over the playback qualities of their
audio. The app also allows users to tailor it to their preferred style
and listening environment, providing a completely personalized
experience. We are confident that MyTunes will ignite the senses like
never before and let users to fall in love with their music collection
all over again."
The base version of MyTunes is free to download and provides access
to all of the premium features for 10-minutes a day. To completely
unlock the premium features, users can upgrade the app by paying a
one-time fee of $4.99.
To commemorate the launch of MyTunes, SRS is running a sweepstakes
where five winners will receive iPod touch samples preloaded with the
MyTunes app.
To enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win, visit http://bit.ly/MyTunesSweeps
The sweepstakes is running now through October 28, 2011.
Link:
MyTunes
Business Wire Launches iPad News App
PR:
Business Wire has announced the launch of the Business Wire iPad app,
now available for free download from the App Store. The Business Wire
iPad app allows news viewers worldwide access to full text, breaking
news from leading companies, including accompanying multimedia from
Business Wire clients in English, French, German, Spanish and
Portuguese.
Business Wire's mobile initiatives continue to expand after an
earlier launch of the BW App for iPhone and iPod touch users, enabling
mobile users to read news from Business Wire clients using the devices
of their choice. Photos and the company logo included with the news
release display with links to all multimedia content available with the
story. Viewers can browse 21 industry categories and three subject
classifications for the latest news within the application.
"These enhancements to our mobile news display demonstrate Business
Wire's ongoing commitment to providing direct, real-time access to our
clients press releases in every available format," says Business Wire's
CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz.
"There are now over 25 million iPads owners most of whom view news
on their iPad. It is Business Wire's intention to optimize and
continually improve the display and the availability of our clients
news worldwide in all the leading platforms and channels," says Laura
Sturaitis, Executive Vice President, Media Services and Product
Strategy.
In addition to its own mobile-rendered site and Blackberry/Windows
Mobile app, Business Wire content is available via the mobile channels
of many leading news services and financial information providers, in
addition to such popular services as Yahoo! Finance and Viigo. Business
Wire content is available on every major platform, including
Blackberry, Droid, iPhone, Palm and Windows Mobile.
Link:
Business Wire for iPad (iPhone/iPod
touch version)
Free iBank Investor App
PR:
IGG Software has announced the release of iBank Investor, a mobile app
that aggregates all of a user's investments in one easy-to-access
interface. iBank Investor can be used to edit or update individual
securities in its stand-alone configuration, or, in conjunction with
iBank 4, syncs to all of the user's holdings grouped by account.
Available for free from the App Store, the universal app runs on all
iOS devices including iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
"For busy investors on the go," says IGG president Ian Gillespie,
"enhanced mobility adds value to their data and their devices. Because
markets move quickly, we came up with an easy way to watch your
investments at a glance and put your portfolio at your fingertips."
iBank Investor lets users see key information about each holding:
market value, today's gain or loss, and total gain or loss. Users can
track positions and review performance of individual lots, see recent
news headlines for securities, drill down for security details,
download current quotes and statistics in the background, or edit
securities which don't automatically get quotes.
- Users who sync iBank Investor with iBank 4 for Mac can see current
holdings grouped by account, with price and value information for each
security (free IGG Customer Account required). They can also view
holdings data as read-only on any number of devices.
- Employing iBank Investor in stand-alone mode, users can sync data
across multiple devices (free IGG Customer Account required) and edit
those holdings from any device.
To ensure privacy for their personal financial data, users can set
passcode protection from within iBank Investor. Users can also set up
or manage an IGG Customer Account in order to sync with their desktop
copy of iBank for Mac, or to enable syncing across multiple iOS
devices. For additional flexibility and security, sync may be disabled,
or synced data can be deleted. The app is now available as a free
download from the iTunes App Store, and requires iOS 4.3 or higher.
iBank 4 is the leading Mac-only personal finance application. To
integrate with iBank Investor, iBank 4.3 adds a new section to its
iTunes-style Source List, from which users can configure sync settings
for the popular iBank Mobile app, as well as iBank Investor.
IGG offers an unlimited 30-day free trial download, free support and
a 90-day unconditional guarantee on direct purchases of iBank from the
IGG web store. The retail price of iBank 4 is $59.99; licensed users of
iBank 3 can upgrade for $29.99. iBank 4.3 requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or
higher, and will run on Macs using either Intel or PowerPC processors.
The latest version can be downloaded at the IGG website, where there is
access to an extensive library of iBank 4 video tutorials.
iBank 4 is also available from the Mac App Store, where it has been
a number-one selling finance app, as well as the top-grossing finance
app, since the launch of the Mac App Store in January.
Device Requirements:
- iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
- Requires iOS 4.0 or later
- 2.8 MB
iBank Investor 1.0 is free and available worldwide exclusively
through the App Store in the Finance category.
Link:
iBank Investor
Link:
iBank ($4.99)
Presentation & Protection
Zagg Introduces Protective Accessories for iPhone
4S
PR: Zagg Inc. has made available new designs of its
award-winning InvisibleShield and ZaggSkins accessories developed
specifically for the Apple iPhone 4S. The new InvisibleShield and
ZaggSkins will be offered at Zagg.com as well as
in partner consumer retail locations and wireless carrier stores
nationwide on October 14th, the day Apple releases the iPhone 4S to the
public.
Zagg's InvisibleShield and ZaggSkins will provide iPhone 4S
consumers screen and full body protection from scratches and dings,
enabling consumers to enjoy the devices functionality and design
without worrying about wear and tear
Zagg's InvisibleShield and ZaggSkins will provide iPhone 4S
consumers screen and full body protection from scratches and dings,
enabling consumers to enjoy the devices functionality and design
without worrying about wear and tear, said Robert G. Pedersen II,
president and CEO of Zagg. The Zagg brand is recognized as an essential
solution for protecting and personalizing Apple's mobile devices.
The InvisibleShield is a patented military-grade mobile device
protection system. It is a virtually invisible and indestructible film
made to extend the life of smartphones and tablets, such as the iPhone
4S and iPad 2. The InvisibleShield for the iPhone 4S will protect the
device against scuffs, scratches, smudges and fingerprints. It includes
a lifetime replacement warranty and retails for $14.99 for a screen
cover or $24.99 for a full body cover.
ZaggSkins are high-resolution images printed on high quality vinyl,
and fused with the military-grade protection of the InvisibleShield to
compliment individual consumer interests. Customers can select designs
from the ZaggSkins library of professional photos or upload personal
images to create their own unique cover. ZaggSkins for the Apple iPhone
4S can be found online at the ZaggSkins design page for $19.99.
A recent survey by the NPD Group found Zagg is the number one mobile
device accessory brand in the US. The company's complete line of mobile
device accessories can be found at retail locations throughout North
America and Europe.
Additional Zagg cases and accessories for the iPhone 4S will be
available later this year.
Link: Zagg
Marware Announces New Case Lineup for iPhone
4S
PR: Marware, Inc. has announced five new cases for the Apple
iPhone 4S: the Membrane, the DoubleTake, the DoubleTake Nocturnal, the
Eclipse and the CEO Prestige. These cases will come in a variety of
colors and are now available for preorder at Marware.com. Marware's new
iPhone 4S cases arrive at the perfect time for Q4, and as retailers
gear up for the holiday season, Marware has already gotten positive
response from it's partners.
Marware's Director of Product Development, Stephen Heaven,
spoke about the new iPhone 4S line: "Our vision for these cases was to
explore new processes and technologies that would provide superior
protection for your iPhone 4S, while offering a distinct style and
essence that would turn heads. Utilizing a dual-layered fusion of
materials, cases such as the DoubleTake family and the Eclipse push the
limits of stylish protection. We pride ourselves on our innovation, as
evidenced by the world's thinnest iPhone 4S case, the Membrane; or, the
trendsetting glow-in-the-dark DoubleTake Nocturnal."
Marware's new iPhone 4S cases arrive at the perfect time for Q4, and
as retailers gear up for the holiday season, the positive response
Marware has already gotten from it's partners proves that this new
lineup of iPhone 4S cases will continue to position Marware as the
Leading Wave of the Mobile Community.
Features:
- The Marware Lifetime Warranty
- Five new cases for the Apple iPhone 4S: the Membrane, the
DoubleTake, the DoubleTake Nocturnal, the Eclipse and the CEO
Prestige.
- The Membrane case includes one Anti-Glare Screen Protector at no
extra cost
- All iPhone 4S cases are now available for preorder in a variety of
colors at Marware.com
iPhone 4S cases now available for preorder at Marware.com: the
Membrane ($14.99), the DoubleTake ($24.99), the DoubleTake Nocturnal
($29.99), the Eclipse ($24.99) and the CEO Prestige ($29.99). For more
information about Marware's new iPhone 4S cases, please visit
Marware.com.
Link: Marware Cases for iPhone
4S
TunePrism Case for iPhone 4S/4
PR: The Prism case for iPhone 4/4S features a truly
unique prism pattern on the back. This is a rubberized case with
artistic glasslike patterns which offers a stylish way to customize the
iPhone 4/iPhone 4S.
With the case on, all iPhone 4/4S ports, buttons and camera remain
open and accessible so there is no need to remove case once it has been
attached. Prism gives a good secure feeling when gripped in your hand
and protects iPhone 4/4S from light bumps.
This rubberized Prism case for iPhone 4/4S is available in Smoke,
Pink, Turquoise, Red colors.
This accessory is suitable for:
Specifications:
- Size: 117(H) x 61(W) x 11(D)mm
- Weight: approximately 16g
- Material: TPU
Colors Available:
Package Contents:
- TunePrism for iPhone 4S/4 case
- TuneFilm protective film
- Cable winder stand
- Home button cover
- Dock connector cover
- Cleaning cloth
- Squeegee
$19.99
Link: TunePrism Case for
iPhone 4S/4
Twine Leather (Carbon Look) Case for iPhone
4/4S
PR: The Carbon Look for iPhone 4/iPhone 4S is an ultrathin
case with a beautiful carbon pattern. It is light and thin and adds a
layer of protection to iPhone without adding additional weight or bulk.
Made from tough polycarbonate with a carbon pattern synthetic leather
exterior and microfiber lining interior, Carbon Look protects iPhone
from light bumps and scratches and protective film covers the iPhone
touch screen.
With the case on, all iPhone ports, buttons and camera remain open
and accessible so there is no need to remove Carbon Look once it has
been attached. Carbon Look gives a good secure feeling when gripped in
your hand.
Carbon Look is available in Black or White
colors.
This accessory is also suitable for:
Specifications:
- Size: 114(H) x 10(W) x 10(D)mm
- Weight: approximately 12g
- Material: Aluminum body
Colors Available:
Package Contents:
- Carbon Look for iPhone 4 / 4S
- TuneFilm protective film
- Cleaning cloth
- Squeegee
$22.99
Link: Twine Leather
(Carbon Look) Case for iPhone 4/4S
Caze Announces New Swarovski Cases for iPhone
4S
PR: Caze has introduced its Floral Bling and Bling RR
Swarovski cases for iPhone 4S. Caze is the authorized partner of
Swarovski AG, Austria and teams up with talented designers to create
unique and stylish Swarovski cases. Caze is combining Swarovski
crystals and the world's thinnest case to create simple but luxury
protective cases in fashionable floral and strip patterns. Caze uses
Zero 5, the World's slimmest and stylish case for crystal
embellishment. The new Swarovski cases have the thinnest possible
wall-thickness and can fully protect the chrome edges and corners of an
iPhone 4/4S. To ensure the iPhone 4/4S is fully protected from everyday
bumps & scratches, a screen protection film and a microfiber pouch
are provided.
Swarovski case is a great way to add some glitz and glamour to
your iPhone 4/4S without spending a bundle of money to buy a real
diamond case. Caze makes use of Swarovski crystals to enhance the
beauty of a case by handcrafting each case with more than 200 genuine
crystals; making each case truly a work of art. Designed as the
ultimate balance between case-minimalism and chic protection, the
Swarovski cases can wrap the edges and corners to protect and keep the
front and back of the iPhone 4/4S from coming into direct contact with
flat surfaces when laid down. It's sleek, slim and formfitting.
Floral Bling and Bling RR Swarovski cases are easy to install. Easy
access to all phone functions without having to remove the case. It has
complete access to all the main ports and buttons of the device.
Charging has also never been easy since you do not have to remove the
case. To ensure all-around protection, each Swarovski case comes with a
free screen protection film for added shield.
Swarovski is well known as the finest manufacturer of superior
quality of crystals that are being used around the world. It brings
credibility, style and design to all the crystalline products created
by Caze. Customers who buy any Swarovski crystal cases from Caze will
get a Certificate of Authenticity, a screen protection film and a
Microfiber Pouch for free.
Link: iPhone
Caze
