Who remembers the Modbook? We looked at an early iteration back in 2008, and today the company has introduced the Modbook Pro. It is a tablet, but the Modbook Pro does not run iOS. It's essentially the hardware of a 13" MacBook Pro inside a tablet case with a touch screen, running OS X. The company notes that the screen uses a Wacom digitizer for "512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity," which it claims is more than any other tablet. As for the screen itself (1280 x 800 pixel resolution), the Modbook says it's "etched" for a paper-like feel. So what's inside this beast? You'll find a 2.5GHz dual core Intel i5 processor ( 2.9GHz dual core i7), up to 16GB of RAM, a 2.5-inch SATA drive (up to 1TB HDD or up to 960GB SSD), DVD burner, an Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. On the outside you'll find a Gigabit Ethernet port, one FireWire 800 port, one USB 3.0 port, one Thunderbolt port, one SDXC card slot and one audio line in/out. The device ships with a digitizer pen, which can be tucked away inside a magnetic "pen garage" when not in use. The company hopes to ship the Modbook Pro in "fall of 2012," and has promised sales info within the next few weeks.Modbook introduces the Modbook Pro originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 6 July 2012
Google Street View-Navigon
Navigon is releasing a solid update to its iOS navigation app on Tuesday morning that should please holiday and nonholiday travelers. The app adds Google Street View, providing users with a street-level image of their destination before starting a route. Before starting the journey, users can look at a full screen 360° view to get a better understanding of their destination's surroundings. Shortly before arriving at the destination, the Google Street View image slides in again, making it easier to identify the correct location. This new version also adds Navigon Cockpit as an in-app purchase. It displays relevant driving data in real time on a cockpit-like screen. Captured data includes G-forces (current and maximum value), speed, horizontal and vertical position, and an adjustable speed and altitude graph. Drivers can use this information to see a snapshot of their driving habits. Also included is a dedicated off-road screen with compass and altitude information for off-road driving. The update also includes performance enhancements and support for the Retina display on the latest iPad. Starting Tuesday and running until July 16, the Navigon USA app has been reduced to US $29.99 from $49.99. The three regional versions, where you can download just a certain section of the country, drop to $19.99 during the sale. The Navigon Cockpit add-on is $3.99 now, and after the sale will be $5.99. I think Navigon and other providers will be pushing and enhancing their apps in response to Apple's free mapping and turn-by-turn navigation offering due in the fall with iOS 6. Check the gallery for screen shots from the new version. Gallery: Navigon version 2.1Navigon adds Google Street View and other features, lowers prices originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Mobile Accessories-Ipad
It's July, and TUAW is starting off the American and Canadian summer holiday week with a review and giveaway of three useful accessories from Just Mobile.
Highway Pro
The Highway Pro (US$39.95 MSRP) is hands-down the nicest-looking car charger I've ever seen. Featuring a knurled aluminum cap that not only makes it easier to pull the charger out of your car power adapter but also looks sharp as well, the Highway Pro can charge your iPad and iPhone at the same time. There's a 2.1 Amp port for your third-generation iPad, as well as a 1 Amp outlet for your iPhone. Just Mobile includes a coiled USB cable that won't tangle -- I just wish they had thrown two into the box instead of one. With all of that power flowing out of this charger, it's nice to know that there's an integrated fuse to provide protection to your favorite devices.AluCube Mini
While the Highway Pro is meant for your car, the AluCube Mini ($16.95 MSRP) is designed to keep your desktop free of cable clutter. It's a small aluminum cube (hence the name) with a soft rubber-lined slot in the middle. Want to coil up excess charge/sync cable footage? Just run it through the middle of the AluCube Mini and you're set. If you're really anal and want that cable RIGHT THERE and nowhere else, there's an adhesive patch you can use to glom the AluCube Mini onto your desktop fairly permanently.AluPen Pro
The last of the three cool accessories from Just Mobile is the AluPen Pro ($39.95 MSRP). You might be sensing a trend right about now -- these well-constructed accessories are all made of aluminum. A number of Just Mobile's products are designed by Tools Design of Denmark, an award-winning design show that is responsible for the AluPen and AluPen Pro styluses. What makes the "Pro" different from the regular AluPen? It also features a "high-quality retractable ballpoint pen." That's right, you can use one end to sign checks or scribble down notes, then flip the device around to paint or write on your iPad. The stylus end of the AluPen Pro has a soft rubber nib that provides precise control of your iPad's capacitive touch screen. The AluPen Pro comes with a replacement nib should you wear one out, and also has a leather pouch to reside in when it's not being used.Conclusion and Giveaway
Just Mobile does an amazing job of creating mobile accessories that are built to last. They look good, they work well, and they're not going to fall apart. Even the boxes that the accessories come in are well-designed, with front "covers" that latch close magnetically. Now it's your chance to win these three mobile accessories courtesy of Just Mobile and TUAW. Here are the rules for the giveaway:- Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
- The entry must be made before July 4, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
- You may enter only once.
- One winner will be selected and will receive a package consisting of a Just Mobile AluPen Pro, AluCube Mini, and Highway Pro valued at US$96.85
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Investor Relations-Calendar Quarter-Earnings Release-Fiscal Quarter-Stock Trading
Apple today updated its investor relations page to note that it will announce its earnings for the third fiscal quarter (second calendar quarter) of 2012 on Tuesday, July 24. The earnings release typically occurs just after 4:30 PM Eastern Time following the close of regular stock trading, and the conference call is scheduled to follow at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.
MacRumors will provide running coverage of the earnings release and conference call.
The release should provide a look into the status of iPhone 4S sales after more than 8 months of availability -- and, perhaps most importantly, the strength of Apple's sales in China. Apple reported strong results three months ago and provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 expecting revenue of $34 billion and earnings per diluted share of $8.68. If it meets that guidance, it will be the third consecutive quarter with total sales of more than $30 billion. read more..
Flash Open Letter-Android Devices-Flash Player-Adobe
Last November, Adobe announced that it was ending development of Flash Player for mobile platforms, opting not to optimize the plug-in for new browser, operating system, and device configurations. Adobe's announcement came roughly a year and a half after Steve Jobs penned his "Thoughts on Flash" open letter outlining why Apple had decided not to allow Flash to run on its iOS devices.
Now nearly eight months after Adobe's announcement, the company is officially pulling Flash from the Google Play marketplace for Android for new users. Those users who already have Flash installed on their Android devices will, however, be able to continue receiving updates.Beginning August 15th we will use the configuration settings in the Google Play Store to limit continued access to Flash Player updates to only those devices that have Flash Player already installed. Devices that do not have Flash Player already installed are increasingly likely to be incompatible with Flash Player and will no longer be able to install it from the Google Play Store after August 15th.Adobe also notes that Flash is officially not certified for use with the upcoming Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" previewed earlier this week, and users are encouraged to uninstall Flash if and when they update their Android devices to Jelly Bean. read more..
Apple Retail Store-Retail Stores-China Proper
Back in February 2010, Apple's then-retail chief Ron Johnson noted during the company's annual shareholder meeting that it was planning to open up to 25 retail stores in China over the following two years. At the time, Apple operated only a single store in Beijing that had opened in time for the 2008 Summer Olympics held there.
Apple's IFC Mall retail store in Hong Kong
Well more than two years later, Apple still has only six retail stores in its Greater China region, with five in China proper and one in Hong Kong. And as noted by Reuters, Apple has more stores in Pennsylvania (eight) than it does in Greater China.The shortage of retail stores and authorized re-sellers leaves ample room for unlicensed re-sellers to move in. Bad consumer experiences at these unauthorized shops are common and they run the risk of eventually eroding confidence in Apple's products, said David Wolf, chief executive of Beijing-based consultancy Wolf Group Asia.
If Apple doesn't expand its network of stores and authorized re-sellers, it "loses not only near-term sales, it also endangers the sustainability of its success in China," he said.The report does not pin down the reasons behind Apple's slower-than-planned pace of retail store expansion in China, only suggesting that the company may be running up against bureaucratic hurdles that have complicated its plans.
Apple may, however, be nearly ready for a substantial expansion of its retail footprint in China, as M.I.C. gadget just yesterday posted a summary of six more stores that are currently in the works. Most of the locations have been discussed at one time or another in recent months, but the new summary provides a consolidated picture of what Apple's Chinese customers can expect. The forthcoming locations include:
- Shenzhen: One of Foxconn's major hubs for iOS device production, Shenzhen will see a new Apple retail store going in at the Yitian Plaza shopping mall, according to M.I.C. gadget. The report includes photos of a boarded-up section of the mall where Apple is rumored to be building a two-level store, with an opening predicted for late this year or early next year.
- Chengdu: Apple appears set to open two retail stores in Chengdu, another of Foxconn's manufacturing hubs in China. The first may open as soon as September in the high-end Raffles Square district while the second is said to be a major store opening at the MixC shopping center. That location may open in December.
- Guangzhou: Relatively few details on this location are known, but according to the report Apple is preparing to open a store in the Grand City Plaza district. Major renovations for the area have, however, yet to take place.
- Dalian: As we previously covered, Apple is said to be planning its world's largest retail store for Dalian in northeastern China. No details on an opening are yet known, but previous information suggested that work was indeed underway on the store.
- Hong Kong: In February 2011, reports claimed that Apple would be opening two retail stores in Hong Kong: a 15,000 square foot location at the IFC Mall by the end of 2011 and a 20,000 square foot location at Hysan Place by the second or third quarter of 2012. The IFC Mall store did open in September 2011, and M.I.C. gadget indicates that Apple should at least come close to meeting its target for the Hysan Place store with a late 2012 or early 2013 opening. read more..
New Pen-Based 'Modbook Pro' Tablet Launching in Early Fall
Five and a half years ago, a company by the name of Axiotron unveiled the Modbook, a MacBook that had been converted into a pen-based tablet by repackaging the internals into a new casing to yield the one-piece tablet form factor. Two years later, Axiotron introduced the Modbook Pro based on a similar concept, but delays in delivering its products ultimately led Axiotron to fade away.
Earlier this year, one of Axiotron's founders returned with a new company carrying the Modbook name, and today the company is announcing the new generation of Modbook Pro products.Built from a unique enclosure conversion kit, the Modbook Pro incorporates and completely encases the original hardware of a new Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-inch base system. Its Wacom digitizer delivers 512 levels of pen pressure sensitivity — more than any other tablet computer on the market. And its ForceGlass screen provides an etched, paper-emulating drawing surface.
The result is a sleek tablet computer run by a powerful Mac base system, with a highly sensitive pen interface and a natural drawing surface, all fused into one device you can take with you and use anywhere.
The Modbook Pro components connect to the original MacBook Pro through one of its two USB 3.0 ports, with the entire assembly being enclosed in a new casing for an integrated OS X-based tablet solution that also supports Windows 7.
The Modbook Pro is scheduled to launch in "early fall 2012", with pricing and retail partners yet to be announced. read more..
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Flash Player Support-Google Play Store-Blog Post-Adobe-Apple
Late Thursday, an extraordinary thing happened: Adobe announced in a blog post that it would not provide Flash Player support for devices running Android 4.1, and that it was pulling the plugin from the Google Play store on August 15. The retreat comes five years after the introduction of the iPhone, the device which led to Flash's mobile ambitions, almost even before they began.That Adobe would make such an announcement nearly five years to the day that the first iPhone was sold is kind of funny. I'd like to think that the Flash team has a sense of humor and was well aware of the timing when it posted the blog entry, but I could also see the entry as unintentionally ironic. Either way, it caps off a five-year battle to win the mobile landscape -- one which for Adobe ended in defeat. read more..
Bose Headphones-Dearest Alexia-Car
On the 25th of June, our dearest Alexia Tsotsis had an incredibly rough day. First, her car was looted by very bad people in San Francisco, who stole her laptop and a pair of excellent Bose headphones that were near and dear to her heart. And as if that wasn't enough, her car then got smashed by someone running a red light, totaling her vehicle and leaving her in quite a bit of pain. When fellow TechCrunch sharks heard the news, we knew we had to do something to help out one of our fearless leaders, and so our very own Ryan Lawler stepped up to the plate with a suggestion to buy some new headphones for Alexia. "Knowing that we can't replace the sentimental value, I was thinking we could maybe (at least) help replace the item that was taken." After a little back and forth, the team settled on an app to help us accomplish the task at hand (we at TC need an app for everything), and that's where CrowdTilt enters the mix. read more..
The International Space Station-Star Walk
The two bestselling astronomy apps, Star Walk and Solar Walk for iOS, can now find and track the Space X Dragon, the first commercial vehicle to visit the International Space Station. The Dragon was launched Tuesday. When you search for the spacecraft, you'll see it's current position. As I write this, it's in orbit next to the ISS. Using the augmented-reality feature, you likely can find the Dragon when it is in a good position overhead. I didn't try to find Dragon in the night sky, but it was easy to find on my iPhone. I could use the search command to find by name, or I could look on the last 30-day launches list. It appears centered on the screen in the correct orientation to the ISS and the star background. You also can get some specifics on the Dragon position and a bit of history. Use AirPlay mirroring and an Apple TV, and you can get it on the big screen, great for teachers or sharing with friends. I was interested in how the spacecraft was added so quickly to the app, and the developers told me they were contacted by the Space X people and wanted it added. Space X helped with the math and collaborated with Vito Technologies to get the 3D model correctly displayed. Star Walk is available for US$4.99. Solar Walk is a $2.99. Some screen shots are in the gallery below. Gallery: TheDragon spacecraft as seen in Star Walk for iOSStar Walk and Solar Walk apps now track the Space X Dragon originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..