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News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apple Previews iOS 6 for Fall Release
All New Maps, Siri Features, Facebook Integration, Shared Photo
Streams & New Passbook App., Available to iPhone, iPad & iPod
touch Users This Fall
PR: Apple previewed on Monday iOS 6, introducing over 200 new
features to Apple's mobile operating system, and released a beta
version to iOS Developer Program members. iOS 6 will be available to
iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users this fall as a free software
update.
New
iOS 6 features include: a new Maps app with Apple-designed cartography,
turn-by-turn navigation and and a new Flyover view; new Siri features,
including support for more languages, easy access to sports scores,
restaurant recommendations and movie listings; Facebook integration for
Contacts and Calendar, with the ability to post directly from
Notification Center, Siri and Facebook-enabled apps like Photos, Safari
and Maps; Shared Photo Streams via iCloud; and Passbook, the simplest
way to get all your passes in one place.
"iOS 6 continues the rapid pace of innovation that is helping Apple
reinvent the phone and create the iPad category, delivering the best
mobile experience available on any device," said Scott Forstall,
Apple's senior vice president of iOS Software. "We can't wait for
hundreds of millions of iOS users to experience the incredible new
features in iOS 6 including the new Maps app, expanded Siri support,
deep Facebook integration, Shared Photo Streams, and the innovative new
Passbook app."
iOS 6
includes an all new Maps app with vector-based map elements that make
graphics and text smooth, and panning, tilting, and zooming fluid. New
turn-by-turn navigation guides you to your destination with spoken
directions, and the Flyover feature has photorealistic interactive 3D
views. Real-time traffic information keeps you updated on how long it
will take to get to your destination and offers alternate timesaving
routes if traffic conditions change significantly. Additionally, local
search includes information for over 100 million businesses with info
cards that offer Yelp ratings, reviews, available deals, and
photos.
Siri, now available for the New iPad as well as iPhone 4S, includes
language support for English, French, German and Japanese, and adds
support for Spanish, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Siri is
optimized for use in 15 countries and helps you get even more done with
just your voice, whether it's finding the latest sports scores or
making restaurant reservations. You also can ask Siri to update your
status on Facebook, post to Twitter, or launch an app. Additionally,
Siri takes handsfree functionality even further with a new Eyes Free
mode, enabling you to interact with your iPhone using nothing more than
your voice.
Built-in Facebook integration allows users to sign in once and post
from Notification Center, Siri, and Facebook-enabled apps, including
Photos, Safari, and Maps. Your Facebook friends information is kept
up-to-date across all your iOS devices, automatically updating details
in Contacts when they change, and scheduling events and birthdays in
your Calendar. You can also "Like" content directly from the App Store
and iTunes and see what your friends recommend.
With more than 125 million users already enjoying iCloud, iOS 6
introduces new ways to share photos with friends and family using
Shared Photo Streams. Simply select the photos you want to share, pick
which friends you want to receive the album, and the Shared Photo
Stream album is instantly available on their iOS devices, iPhoto and
Aperture on their Mac, via the Web, or even through Apple TV. You and
your friends can leave comments on or Like any photo in a shared
album.
The new Passbook app is the simplest way to get all your passes in
one place, such as boarding passes and baseball tickets. Passbook lets
you scan your iPhone or iPod touch to use a coupon, get into a concert,
or check into your hotel. Passbook automatically displays your passes
on your Lock Screen based on a specific time or location, so when you
walk into your favorite coffee shop your loyalty card appears and you
can scan it to buy a coffee or check your balance. Passbook can even
alert you to last minute gate changes or flight delays at the
airport.
iOS 6 also introduces Guided Access. This new feature allows a
parent, teacher, or administrator to disable hardware buttons to lock
an iOS device into a single app, especially useful for test taking or
helping someone with a disability stay focused on learning. Guided
Access also includes the ability to confine touch input to certain
parts of the screen.
Additional new iOS 6 features include:
- Enhancements to Safari, the world's most popular mobile browser,
such as iCloud tabs, offline reading lists, photo uploads, and full
screen view.
- Support for FaceTime calls over cellular networks.
- The ability to set up a VIP Mailbox, making it easier to quickly
view messages from important people you designate as VIPs.
- The option to decline incoming calls with a quick message, set a
callback reminder, and enable a new Do Not Disturb option.
- A whole new set of improvements and services specifically for iOS
users in China, such as improved text input and built-in support for
popular Chinese services including Baidu, Sina Weibo, Youku, and
Tudou.
The iOS 6 beta software and SDK are available immediately for iOS
Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. iOS 6 will be
available as a free software update for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone
3GS, the New iPad, iPad 2, and iPod touch (fourth generation) this
fall. Some features may not be available on all products.
Link: iOS
6
9 Automakers Partner with Apple for 'Eyes Free'
Siri Support
AppleInsider's Neil Hughes reports that the launch of iOS 6 will
bring greater automobile integration to the iPhone with "Eyes Free," a
new feature that will allow a car to bring up Siri voice control. With
Hands Free, the iPhone screen stays off, so it will not distract the
driver.
Several auto manufacturers have committed to Eyes Free Siri
integration in the next 12 months including:
- BMW
- General Motors
- Mercedes-Benz
- Land Rover
- Jaguar
- Audi
- Toyota
- Chrysler
- Honda
Not Ford? Oh, right, they're committed to the confusing, buggy,
glitch-prone Microsoft-designed Sync and MyFord Touch systems (see below) that have caused consumer quality ratings to
nosedive.
Link: Nine Automakers
Partner with Apple for 'Eyes Free' Siri Support
Older iPhones and iPads Getting iOS 6 Minus Some
Features
Blogger Amit Agarwal notes that iOS 6 will add plenty of new
features to your iPhone and iPad, for example, for the first time, you
will be able to use Siri on your iPad - provided it's a new
third-generation iPad.
iOS 6 will support iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and iPad
3, but not the original iPad, and even if iOS 6 is available for
your iPhone or iPad model, it may not necessarily mean that all the new
features of iOS 6 will be available on your device. For instance,
Siri is part of iOS 6 but won't be supported on on iPad 2
even though iOS 6 is nominally available for iPad 2.
Agarwal has posted a handy table (right) showing what features of
iOS 6 may not be available for your iOS device even if that device can
be upgraded iOS 6.
Link: Will iOS 6 Work
on Your Older iPhone and iPad?
New iPad's Closest Competitor? The iPad 2
AllThingsD cites new data from Consumer Intelligence Research
Partners (CIRP) noting that sales of the iPad 2 and the New iPad
between February and April of 2012 were roughly similar, with the New
iPad accounting for 59% of total iPad sales since that model's March
16th launch date, and the holdover iPad 2, which costs $100 less,
accounting for 41%.
Being your own competition is never a bad strategy if you can pull
it off, and since the iPad 2's development costs have long since been
amortized, selling iPad 2s even at $399 should be quite profitable.
Editor's note: Personally, I would probably opt for the iPad 2 over
the New iPad were I tablet shopping, and not just because it's cheaper.
The iPad 2s being sold now also have a more efficient version of
Apple's A5 processor than the original iteration, give away little if
anything in computing performance to the new iPad, have longer battery
life, commensurately recharge faster, are thinner and lighter, and the
1024 x 768 resolution display in my iPad 2 is still perfectly adequate,
IMHO.
The only feature in the new iPad that really tempts me is the better
quality camera. cm
Link: The New iPad's
Closest Competitor? The Old iPad
Kitting Out an iPad for Laptop Surrogate Duty
BYTE
Associate Editor Boonsri Dickinson says taking her iPad for a weekend
in New York and leaving her computer at home. was a big mistake - the
right idea but she didn't come as prepared as she should've, observing
that no one has really taken the lead in helping users figure out which
apps they need on an iPad to make it a good PC replacement.
Subsequently, Dickinson says she has consulted with fellow BYTE
contributors to find out which apps they use on the road so the next
time her iPad will be armed with the right software, as well as being
advised to take along a physical keyboard.
Link: How to Travel
Using Only Your iPad
Why Do You Need a New Computer Instead of an
iPad?
BusinessInsider's Jay Yarow thinks Microsoft is taking a big risk with its new Windows 8
operating system, which is getting bad reviews, and a good chance it
will be a marketing dud - a repeat of
the Vista fiasco - only Apple is now a much more formidable
rival.
Yarow suggests that some prospective computer purchasers might just
go with an iPad instead of a new laptop or desktop, keeping their old
computer around for heavy lifting tasks and switching to the iPad for
Web surfing, email, watching video, etc. Yarow notes that since he got
a new iPad, his MacBook Air is mostly collecting dust.
Link: Why Do You Need a
New Computer Instead of an iPad?
Average Tablet Price Down 21% Year-over-Year
PR: According to recently released figures in the IMS
Research (recently acquired by IHS Inc.) quarterly tablet PC tracker,
tablet ASPs (average selling prices) have declined by 21% in a single
year to $386 in the first quarter of 2012.
The report's author, China-based IMS Research Market Analyst Gerry
Xu, says the decline in price reflects intense competition in the
tablet PC market. With the release of the New iPad, Apple reduced the
entry price of the iPad 2 to $399, which has resulted in greater
price pressure on its rivals, forcing them also to reduce price to make
their products competitive.
Despite booming shipments of low-end tablets, vendors of this tier
have also pulled the average price down. Low-end tablets typically have
prices below $200. However, brands like the white-box tablet PCs have
lowered prices below this average and as a result have won widespread
adoption in this quarter, primarily in emerging countries.
...low price seems to be the major factor to
attract consumers to buy tablets other than iPads.
"There are few innovations from vendors to differentiate their
tablets; low price seems to be the major factor to attract consumers to
buy tablets other than iPads," says Xu. "More vendors are expected to
focus on the low-end tablet market. However, to balance performance and
profitability with a low price remains challenging for most tablet
vendors."
The low-end tablet market is dominated by medium and small brands
and also white-box vendors, which are cost driven and less focused on
user experience. These products fulfill the needs of price-sensitive
consumers, especially those in emerging countries, who tend to use the
portable media player, ebook reader, and GPS functions on their
tablets. However, upcoming products, such as the second version of
Kindle Fire and the Google Tablet, will mean increasing pressure
vendors of low-end tablet's to enhance performance while still keeping
prices low.
IMS Research's World Tablet PC Market Tracker examines the world
market for tablet PCs every quarter, including unit shipments, ASPs and
revenues. Further splits include: by platform, OS, panel size, price
range, wireless connectivity and region. It is updated every quarter
and includes market shares of the top 10 OEMs.
Publisher's note: With Apple owning about 60% of the tablet market,
it should come as no surprise that a 20% drop in price for an
entry-level iPad corresponds with a 21% drop in average selling price
for the entire market. dk
Steve Jobs Was Wrong About File Systems
Gizmodo contributor Dave Winer says there were a lot of things Steve
Jobs was right about, but when it came to the internal architecture of
the software running on his machines and how it connected to software
on others, "Jobs didn't have many (if any) good ideas." In Winer's
estimation, Apple has floundered in this area, and nowhere was that
indecision more obvious than in an interview Jobs did at the D3
conference in 2005 in which he asked rhetorically, "Why is the file
system the face of the OS?"
His answer: "Now, e-mail, there's always been a better way to find
stuff. You don't keep your e-mail on your file system, right? The app
manages it. And that was the breakthrough, as an example, in iTunes.
You don't keep your music in the file system, that would be crazy. You
keep it in this app that knows about music and knows how to find things
in lots of different ways. Same with photos: we've got an app that
knows all about photos. And these apps manage their own file
storage."
Winer contends this was the wrong way to go, noting that structures
you deal with in each of these programs are the same, the stuff is
still stored in the file system, and iTunes is a user interface
disaster, certainly no exemplar to cite as an ideal solution.
He observes that you can shuffle the elements around, but you still
have the same problem. The data ultimately is organized in a hierarchy,
and if you can visualize that hierarchy and provide interactions that
make sense to edit and view that hierarchy, there's no reason the same
browser shouldn't be used for all types of data. It does not have to be
a "wall." All your stuff ends up interrelating anyway.
Winer thinks the problem was that other members of Jobs' product
development teams weren't as expansive as he was, or weren't empowered,
or weren't great programmers, or whatever, but Apple didn't come up
with a good solution either in Mac OS or in iOS. "They did a nice job
of packaging an architecture that doesn't work," he says, noting that
"Jobs basically says that in 2005, but he thought he had it licked
then, and now we know he didn't,".... "we're not in the post-PC world
as much as we are in the post-Jobs world. When we're done mourning his
passing we'll realize that there are huge spaces we never fully
explored because his presence loomed so large."
Link: What Steve Jobs
Left Untouched
The Competition
Smartphone or Phablet?
Farpoint Group's Craig Mathias queries on InformationWeek whether
the term "phablet" has crossed your bows yet, explaining that a phablet
is what you get when you add cellphone functionality to a small tablet,
transforming it into essentially a super-sized smartphone that you can
hold up to your head. But does the phablet make sense?
Mathias thinks it might, at least in some cases. He notes that the
phablet threshold would be somewhere around a 5" display (vs. the
4"-or-less typical in handsets), and with the caveat that a device
bigger than a pants pocket immediately puts the male market at risk,
while women almost always carry handbags with some room to spare.
Mathias suggests that many men will bridle at wearing a large device on
their belts or having to carry manbags just to tote their phablet,
which compromises sales potential and likely relegating phablets to
niche status in vertical and specialized markets, with some casual
end-users latching on but Mathias expects few mainstream business and
enterprise users to embrace phablets.
Link: Should Your Next
Smartphone Be a Phablet?
Windows 8 Hybrids Will Surpass iPad Battery
Life
BYTE's George Ou contends that Windows 8 and Intel's Clover Trail
will be an iPad killer, and that Intel confirmed to him that Clover
Trail will indeed have the killer feature of always-on computing, which
doesn't mean "instant-on" like Google's Chromebook, which can take over
eight seconds to boot.
By contrast, Ou says Clover Trail devices can remain on and
connected to the network - which Intel calls "connected standby" - for
approximately 30 days. Always-on computing will eliminate the despised
boot process, and the extended battery life will eliminate the need for
bulky AC adapter bricks and power cords.
He says Clover Trail not only will match the iPad's battery life but
can nearly double it when the tablet is connected to the base that
includes a variable-angle stand, a screen cover, an auxiliary battery,
a keyboard, a trackpad, and possibly more storage and connectivity
options. Ou allows that PCs are on the verge of surpassing the iPad in
battery life and always-on capability and poised to solve the
keyboard/cover problem better than any iPad accessory ever did.
Link:
Windows 8 Hybrids Will Surpass iPad Battery Life
Apps & Services
Ford's MyFord Mobile App for the Focus
Electric Now Available for iPhone
PR:
With the first retail customers now taking delivery of what Ford claims
to be America's most energy-efficient compact car, the 2012 Ford Focus
Electric, the MyFord Mobile iPhone app and www.MyFordMobile.com are
available to help owners locate charging stations and recharge their
cars in half the time of the Nissan Leaf.
Ford Motor Company has been front and center in embracing the app
development community for years, pulling in technologies that allow for
consumers to take their mobile lives with them in the car but do it
safely with eyes on the road, and hands on the wheel.
With the
evolution of electric vehicles, Ford is taking the management of its
electric vehicle offerings to a new level with its MyFord Mobile app -
specifically developed for the 100% Ford Focus Electric - now live and
available for download from the Apple store. Owners of the new 2012
Ford Focus Electric can now begin downloading the MyFord Mobile iPhone
app now from the Apple store or from the myfordmobile.com website.
MyFord Mobile for Android and BlackBerry smartphones is expected this
Summer once Ford completes final testing.
MyFord Mobile allows Focus Electric drivers to link up with their
cars via an embedded AT&T wireless module that provides for remote
communication with the car to maximize utility and minimize operating
costs. Drivers can log in at any time to check the current state of
charge of the advanced lithium-ion battery pack and enable the
exclusive Value Charging mode. How about getting into a warmed up
vehicle on a cold morning without using battery power? MyFord Mobile
allows for that. MyFord Mobile can also help drivers learn to be more
energy efficient by automatically uploading and processing vehicle data
from each trip.
Video: MyFord Mobile - Smartphone
Features for your Focus Electric (3:23)
MyFord Mobile includes value charging powered by Microsoft, trip
planning and public charger location database thanks to MapQuest, and a
cellular connection to the Focus Electric via an AT&T embedded
cellular modem
MyFord Mobile allows Focus Electric drivers to link up with their
cars via an embedded AT&T wireless module that provides for remote
communication with the car to maximize utility and minimize operating
costs. Drivers can log in at any time to check the current state of
charge of the advanced lithium-ion battery pack and enable the
exclusive value charging mode.
Focus Electric drivers also will be able to share, learn and teach
smart driving by participating in forums on the MyFord Mobile website
with features such as leader boards, unique achievements and social
networking when the car becomes available through dealers in the first
half of 2012. In the process, users will be able to seamlessly upload
driving achievements and statistics to popular social platforms like
Facebook and Twitter.
"The Focus Electric is a fun car to drive and helps save customers
money at the pump; with MyFord Mobile, the enjoyment and savings
continue after the vehicle is parked and charging," says Bill Frykman,
Business and Product Development manager. "This innovative app also
offers new ways of sharing your driving experiences to create a cool
factor while educating new Focus Electric drivers on the perks that
come with an electric vehicle lifestyle."
While away from the car, customers can monitor the battery display
for the current charge level and for how long the car will need to be
plugged in to get a full charge or reach a desired range. The
MapQuest-powered trip planner built into both the app and Web portal
enables users to find available public charging stations and plan
efficient multi-destination routes. Users can select their next
destination and send it directly to the car from either the app or the
portal for hassle-free voice guidance.
MyFord Mobile includes industry-first value charging technology
codeveloped with Microsoft that can help customers charge the car at
the lowest possible cost. Electricity rates can vary widely depending
on location, season and time of day. The national average is about 11.5
cents per kilowatt-hour, but local rates can vary from less than 5
cents at night to more than 37 cents during peak times in areas such as
Hawaii.
When the Focus Electric is plugged in at home, value charging
harnesses the power of Microsoft's cloud computing platform to check
local utility rates and then automatically starts charging after the
prices drop. With value charging, Focus Electric users get reduced
operating costs and use power when there is less strain on the
electrical grid. An added benefit is owners don't have to go searching
for energy pricing data.
Owners can also
use MyFord Mobile to program their driving schedule with GO Times and
set a desired cabin temperature. Do you want a warm car on that cold
morning? Using GO Times will heat it up without using battery power.
Are you leaving in the middle of the night? GO Times will ensure you
use as much of that value charge as possible and still ensure you have
a full battery.
Of course the battery can only be charged if the Focus Electric is
plugged in. The combination of MyFord Mobile and the embedded wireless
connection enables the car to send a text message alert to the owner if
someone unplugs the Focus before the battery is fully charged or the
owner forgets to plug in at night.
MyFord Mobile can also help drivers learn to be more energy
efficient by automatically uploading and processing vehicle data from
each trip. After arriving at a destination, drivers can check the trip
and charge log to see how far they drove, how much energy was consumed
and how much braking energy was recaptured. They can also get overall
driving scores.
"The MyFord Mobile app and the Focus Electric work together to coach
drivers to be more efficient and maximize the benefits of the electric
vehicle experience," says Joe Rork, MyFord Mobile product manager. "We
wanted to help drivers get more miles out of every charge and have some
fun along the way."
Drivers who are curious about making the jump to gasoline-free
driving can check out the site and the app as a guest. MyFord Mobile
will also work with the upcoming C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi plugin
hybrids.
The MyFord
Mobile app will be available for all Ford plugin electric vehicles and
allows consumers to manage vehicle functions with the iPhone. This will
work in tandem with MyFordMobile.com to give access to customers in the
method which works best for their lifestyles.
The MyFord Mobile app allows consumers to:
- View the current state of charge
- Commence charging
- Precondition the vehicle cabin temperature by setting GO Times
- Value Charge by charging the vehicle when utilities offer the
cheapest rate for electricity
- Plan trips
- Find charge stations
- Share driving accomplishments to Facebook, Twitter and Email
Consumers will initially receive MyFord Mobile free of charge at
purchase and for a fee after the initial subscription subsides.
Link:
MyFord Mobile App
Link: 2012 Ford Focus
Electric
Accessories
Blue LED Dock Connector Cable for
iPhone/iPod/iPad
PR: Charge or sync your iPhone/iPad/iPod in style with this
light flowing USB cable. There's a blue LED strip running down the
length of the cable that flows and changes while you're charging our
device and looks cool.
The USB cable shows the electricity flowing into your device. USB
charging cables with Illuminated current flow for charging that
actually show the visible current flow into your device; once the
device is fully charged the intelligent cable switches off power to
save energy.
A bright-blue LED Light ebbs & flows through this iDevice USB
Cable to match the level of charge. Quick flow means fully charged,
while slow flow means still charging.
Features:
- Water glowing when charging
- Light speed of flashing light varies according to the intensity of
charging current
- Energy conservation & environmental friendly
- Supported various kinds of options under equal and exquisite color
light 360-degree fully glowing
- Soft cable can be bent and folded and won't affect glowing
effect
- Sync with iPhone/iPad/iPod when charging
This case is suitable for:
- iPad 1, 2, and 3 (New iPad)
- iPhone original, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S
- iPod touch 1G, 2G, and 3G
- iPod classic
- iPod 5G
- iPod nano 3G, 4G, and 5G
Colors Available:
Specifications:
$23.99
Link: Blue LED
Light USB to 30-pin Dock Connector Cable for Sync & Charging for
iPhone/iPod/iPad
