News and Rumors

Your existing iPhone (yeah, even the original) can surf the information superhighway at 4G speeds. Today. Who knew, right? Sprint's Overdrive -- which creates a WiFi hotspot that enables nearby devices to cruise on Clear's 4G (or 3G, if you're not in a 4G locale) network -- can theoretically enable any WiFi-capable phone to surf on WiMAX, but Sprint's taking a pretty bold approach by actually touting the feature in a new spot. Befuddled? Hop on past the break and mash play. Too bad this is about as close the iPhone will ever get to Sprint's shelves...

Continue reading New Sprint ad shows iPhone using WiMAX... via Overdrive

New Sprint ad shows iPhone using WiMAX... via Overdrive originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's launch ad for its "magical and revolutionary" product succeeds in attracting 2.4 million views online, making it the second-most-watched online ad.

Originally posted at Technically Incorrect

Apple just announced to developers that it's now accepting iPad applications. From the sound of it, applications submitted now will have a shot at being reviewed and approved before the iPad launch next month, though since most all apps developed so far have only been tested in the emulator, this is more of a "feedback" round for devs looking to be ready for the launch without actually testing their apps on hardware themselves. Apple says that "[o]nly apps submitted for the initial review will be considered for the grand opening of the iPad App Store," so you probably shouldn't wait around -- unless you've got one of those iPad test units headed your way, or you're a hardware-testing purist that will wait for the iPad launch to start testing apps and miss one of those cushy spots on the opening day iPad App Store. Either way, we can't really imagine we'll be seeing true 3rd party iPad app greatness until a month or so after the launch, but who are we to talk down a "gold rush"?

Update: We just saw that the deadline for getting apps in for the first round is March 27 at 5PM PT. Fire up that SDK 3.2 beta 5 and start cracking!

Apple now accepting iPad app submissions, get your jumbo-sized beer drinking simulations in before launch day originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple today officially invited developers to begin submitting iPad applications to the App Store for inclusion in the grand opening of the iPad App Store at its launch on April 3rd. In the e-mail sent to developers, Apple invites app submiss...

DigiTimes reports on an article from Taiwanese newspaper Liberty Times claiming that Apple's touchscreen manufacturing partner Wintek is the source of issues that have slightly delayed the release of the ...

Really, would you expect anything less from Apple? All sorts of wild tales have emerged about Apple's tight restrictions on developers lucky enough to receive early iPad test units, and no matter how true they might be, we're eating it up with a spoon. According to "people familiar" with the matter sourced by BusinessWeek, there's a 10 page pact for developers to sign, with requirements that include keeping the iPad isolated in a room with blacked-out windows, continuously tethered to a fixed object, photographic evidence of compliance, and of course no bragging to the Twittersphere about your score. Frankly, if the iPad isn't hand delivered to developer offices by a couple guys in well-tailored suits with an iPad briefcase handcuffed between them, we'd be sorely disappointed.

A few developers receiving iPads early, must keep it in room with blacked-out windows and tuck it in every night originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The H Security reports (via The Inquirer) that noted cybersecurity researcher Charlie Miller is set to announce the discovery of twenty new zero-day holes in Mac OS X that could offer hackers means of entry to compromise computers running the...

The Financial Times reports (registration required) that China Mobile continues to express interest in bringing the iPhone to its network, but that little progress has been made on convincing Apple to ado...

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports that select developers have been provided access to the iPad ahead of its official April 3rd launch, allowing them the opportunity to build and test their application directly on the device rather than having to...

DigiTimes reports that Intel is currently experiencing tight supply of its Core i3, i5, and i7 notebook chips introduced in January. Apple is expected to use several of the chips in a highly-anticipated ...

Say, Charles -- it's been awhile! But we're pleased as punch to see that you're back to your old ways, poking around within OS X's mainframe just looking for ways to remotely control the system, snag credit card data and download a few interoffice love letters that are carefully stashed 15 folders down within 'Documents.' The famed Apple security expert is planning yet another slam on OS X at CanSecWest, where he'll reveal no fewer than 20 zero day security holes within OS X. According to Miller, "OS X has a large attack surface consisting of open source components, closed source third-party components and closed source Apple components; bugs in any of these types of components can lead to remote compromise." He also goes on to reemphasize something he's been screaming for years: "Mac OS X is like living in a farmhouse in the country with no locks, and Windows is living in a house with bars on the windows in the bad part of town." In other words, Apple users are "safer" (due to the lack of work that goes into hacking them), "but less secure." So, is this a weird way of applying for a security job in Cupertino, or what?

Charlie Miller to reveal 20 zero day security holes in Mac OS X originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone in Canada yesterday reported that Apple has seeded Build 10D572 of Mac OS X 10.6.3 to developers. The new release comes just two days after the previous seed and carries only a single increment in...

AppleInsider has rounded up its stable of "people familiar with the matter" and squeezed them for info on Cupertino's plans for the near term. Firstly, they've heard that a 27-inch version of the currently available 24-inch LED Cinema Display is on its way, sporting a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and targeted for release "by June." The more exciting tip from those in the know, however, relates to the well aged Mac Pro and its future upgrade path. Apple has apparently firmed up plans to offer 6- and 12-core options (to replace the current 4- and 8-core variants), though the star of the show internally is said to be Intel's Xeon 5600, rather than the similarly specced Core i7-980X that had been rumored. This seems to be motivated by the fact the i7 beast can't do dual-CPU configurations, which are necessary to offer a dozen cores. Pricing for the single Xeon CPU model is expected to be close to the current $2,499 starting sticker, but release dates still elude us.

Apple said to be preparing 12-core Mac Pros and 27-inch LED Cinema Displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Its cases against phone maker HTC and clone maker Psystar are hardly the only times that Apple has used the law to try to get its way.

Originally posted at Circuit Breaker

Apple patent applications are usually pretty dry, but it looks like a new one turned up by Patently Apple has a bit more user-focused meat to it -- it describes a location-based social networking app called "iGroups," which lets groups of people share data amongst themselves using a service like MobileMe. Once group members are identified and linked up, they can securely share information and users carrying devices without GPS-abilities will be able to triangulate their position using the positions of other GPS-enabled devices in the group. Of course, the actual patent itself is focused on the cryptographic key system that protects all the data, and we're pretty sure the "iGroups" name is just a placeholder for now -- we'd guess the developer of the iGroups app currently in the App Store hopes so too -- so how this winds up in a shipping product is totally up in the air, but our interest in what iPhone OS 4.0 may hold has certainly been piqued once again.

Apple patent reveals iGroups location-based social networking for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wall Street Journal says sales of Apple's newest device on pace to beat original iPhone in first three months.

Originally posted at Circuit Breaker

We don't like to stir up the nearly constant barrage of "so-and-so is getting the iPhone" rumors unless we've got a great reason to do so -- and we'd argue that a Financial Times report involving statements from Deutsche Telekom's CEO qualifies. The British rag was chatting up DT's boss over the prospects of its American unit -- T-Mobile USA -- and stressed the company's long-term commitment to turning around T-Mobile's fortunes in the face of recent spinoff rumors, saying that it's all about rapidly building out a speedy 3G network as part of an effort this year "to lay the foundation for future growth."

Here's where it gets juicy: referring to the iPhone, the report goes on to say that "T-Mobile USA is hoping to start selling the popular smartphone later this year or next year" while focusing on Android in the meantime, as if Android is merely a stopgap measure to make it through to the singular device that can save America's number four carrier from going down the tubes. It's not clear whether FT got the chief exec making a statement to that effect on the record or it's merely gleaning this knowledge from other rumors, but the only way this would be able to happen is if the next iPhone were to come in an AWS-compatible version -- and that seems unlikely considering that AWS coverage represents a trivially small fraction of 3G subscribers around the world. Of course, wireless CEOs of all walks of life regularly make statements saying they'd be more than happy to carry the iPhone if the opportunity presented itself, so this could be little more than off-the-cuff blather anyway.

T-Mobile USA eyeing iPhone launch this year or next? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The iPad launch may finally be right around the corner, but it looks like Apple might still have some considerable work cut out for itself before the big day. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is still negotiating with various media companies in an effort to drop the price on TV shows offered on the device, and it's even reportedly put some potential deals with newspaper, magazine and textbook publishers on the backburner as it focuses on other content. That word comes from the usual, unnamed "people with the matter," who go on to say that it's proven to be difficult to convince potential content partners of the advantages of working with Apple on the iPad versus the possible threats to their current sources of revenue.

It's hardly all bad news for the magical device though, as some other people familiar with the matter say that Apple has already sold "hundreds of thousands" of iPads. For its part, Apple is naturally staying mum on both counts.

WSJ: Apple still 'racing' to complete iPad content deals before launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No need to spot clean your spectacles, and no need to brush the cobwebs out of your dome -- you really are seeing yet another IR dongle for Apple's dear iLineup. Hot on the heels of New Potato's FLPR, ThinkFlood's RedEye mini and Power A's solution comes this: an all-too-similar way to convert your iPod touch, iPhone or forthcoming iPad into a universal remote. Functionality wise, there's really nothing here that the other guys don't provide, though the beefed-up database of over 40,000 IR codes should make setting up your system a breeze. Users simply plug this into their dock connector, download the free application from the App Store and then dial up whatever components they have; once loaded, the IR beamer should do the rest, nixing the need to keep those 40 remotes around. It's expected to start shipping any day now for $69.95.

i-Got-Control IRB1 dongle gives your iPhone / iPod touch universal remote functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mockup of existing 24" LED display (left) next to 27" model (right)
AppleInsider reports that Apple is preparing to launch a 27-inch LED Cinema Display and a refresh of its Mac Pro lineup, pegging a release window of "by June" for both...