iPad App Lets You Share Your World with Autistic Children

While there has been an explosion of media attention given to the hundreds of apps that focus on allowing children with autism to communicate with others, a new app for autism strives to achieve the reverse -- bringing the outside environment into the autistic child's world.

The iPad has become a commonly used tool for allowing those with speech-language impairments to communicate and helping to teach those with special needs. Searching "Autism" in the iPad App Store yields 902 results, a number which has been increasing rapidly. The popularity of using iPad apps for this purpose is not surprising given that traditional alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) dedicated devices cost up to $15,000.

A new app named AutisMate allows parents and therapists to create interactive representations, or scenes, of an autistic child's environment. Since children with autism tend to be visual learners, these scenes can be used to teach them how to communicate and interact with the world around them. Jonathan Izak, creator of the AutisMate app and founder of SpecialNeedsWare, says, "By sharing a simplified representation of the world with autistic children, we are allowing them to communicate and learn important life skills more effectively and comfortably than ever before."

Izak began developing AutisMate for his 10 year old brother Oriel, who is on the autism spectrum and has struggled with other communication apps. "The grid designs used by Proloquo2go and other alternative communication options were created for a wide variety of speech impairments, not specifically autism. They require generalizing and categorizing, which are often a struggle for those on the spectrum," says Izak.

Proloquo2go was the first fully featured augmentative communication app available, and is the long time leader in the AAC app market. Apps like Proloquo2Go allow users to navigate grids of symbols to express themselves, which has been effective for high functioning individuals with speech impairments.

AutisMate, on the other hand, allows parents and therapists to create interactive scenes of their own environment using pictures, video, and voice recordings that can be created on the iPad itself. The app also leverages GPS technology to further reduce the navigation abilities required to use the app. Amy Lackey, a speech pathologist and educational coordinator of the Manhattan Children's Center, notes that, "Most communication apps require some level of understanding of categories, whereas the scene-based approach of AutisMate provides object-picture association that many students form around common objects within their homes, schools, and other familiar settings.”

The iPad has become such a popular device for helping those with special needs that Apple will be releasing a new feature named Guided Access with iOS 6, the next version of the iPhone and iPad operating system that will be released in the fall. This feature keeps users from navigating out of a specific application, which is useful when using the iPad for therapy. In announcing the feature at Apple's World Wide Developer Conference, Senior VP of iOS software at Apple Scott Forstall said, "we’ve been surprised by the numbers of children with autism who’ve been flocking to our devices; especially our iPads. We want to make that experience even better."

This article comes from:http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/7/prweb9728113.htm

iPad App Lets You Share Your World with Autistic Children

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- While there has been an explosion of media attention given to the hundreds of apps that focus on allowing children with autism to communicate with others, a new app for autism strives to achieve the reverse -- bringing the outside environment into the autistic child's world.

The iPad has become a commonly used tool for allowing those with speech-language impairments to communicate and helping to teach those with special needs. Searching "Autism" in the iPad App Store yields 902 results, a number which has been increasing rapidly. The popularity of using iPad apps for this purpose is not surprising given that traditional alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) dedicated devices cost up to $15,000.

A new app named AutisMate allows parents and therapists to create interactive representations, or scenes, of an autistic child's environment. Since children with autism tend to be visual learners, these scenes can be used to teach them how to communicate and interact with the world around them. Jonathan Izak, creator of the AutisMate app and founder of SpecialNeedsWare, says, "By sharing a simplified representation of the world with autistic children, we are allowing them to communicate and learn important life skills more effectively and comfortably than ever before."

Izak began developing AutisMate for his 10 year old brother Oriel, who is on the autism spectrum and has struggled with other communication apps. "The grid designs used by Proloquo2Go and other alternative communication options were created for a wide variety of speech impairments, not specifically autism. They require generalizing and categorizing, which are often a struggle for those on the spectrum," says Izak.

Proloquo2Go was the first fully featured augmentative communication app available, and is the long time leader in the AAC app market. Apps like Proloquo2Go allow users to navigate grids of symbols to express themselves, which has been effective for high functioning individuals with speech impairments.

AutisMate, on the other hand, allows parents and therapists to create interactive scenes of their own environment using pictures, video, and voice recordings that can be created on the iPad itself. The app also leverages GPS technology to further reduce the navigation abilities required to use the app. Amy Lackey, a speech pathologist and educational coordinator of the Manhattan Children's Center, notes that, "Most communication apps require some level of understanding of categories, whereas the scene-based approach of AutisMate provides object-picture association that many students form around common objects within their homes, schools, and other familiar settings."

The iPad has become such a popular device for helping those with special needs that Apple will be releasing a new feature named Guided Access with iOS 6, the next version of the iPhone and iPad operating system that will be released in the fall. This feature keeps users from navigating out of a specific application, which is useful when using the iPad for therapy. In announcing the feature at Apple's World Wide Developer Conference, Senior VP of iOS software at Apple Scott Forstall said, "We've been surprised by the numbers of children with autism who've been flocking to our devices; especially our iPads. We want to make that experience even better."

AutisMate is the first product of SpecialNeedsWare, a tech startup geared towards helping those with special needs. AutisMate is currently only available in the iPad App Store, but the company has stated it intends to release an Android version in the future as well.

"This one is different from all of the rest," noted Joan Green, M.A. CCC-SLP and author of The Ultimate Guide to Assistive Technology in Special Education. "It can be a game changer for many individuals with complex communication needs. I am impressed with the creative developers who are truly trying their best to meet the needs of the user and consult with many communication professionals."

Contact: info@specialneedsware.com (212)-253-0003 http://www.autismate.com

About SpecialNeedsWareSpecialNeedsWare is a mobile technology company that seeks to take advantage of modern technology to help individuals with special needs. The company recently released AutisMate, a revolutionary, scene-based iPad app for individuals with autism.

This article comes from:http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ipad-app-lets-you-share-your-world-with-autistic-children-2012-07-23

Apple buys tracts at site of proposed operations center

 In new signs that Apple Inc. is moving ahead with a proposed Austin operations center, the technology giant has closed on the purchase of three tracts of land at the site, and a general contractor is reaching out to minority subcontractors for a chance to work on the project.

Apple Inc. hasn't confirmed that it's bringing its proposed new operations center to Austin, but city and Travis County officials say all signs indicate it's a go.

Apple — which is in line to receive millions in incentives for the project — is proposing to create 3,635 new jobs in Austin over the next decade and invest hundreds of millions of dollars as part of its plan to create a major operations center here. The facility would run most of its business operations for North and South America.

An Apple spokeswoman did not respond to an email Wednesday.
Apple's incentive agreement with the City of Austin calls for the company to spend $282.5 million in two phases on its campus, which would be on a 38.8-acre campus at West Parmer Lane and Delcour Drive in Northwest Austin. The site is adjacent to Apple's current campus at Riata Crossing. Apple currently occupies about 550,000 square feet in Riata Crossing and nearby Parmer Business Park.

In late June, Apple closed on the purchase of three tracts at the proposed site, county property records show. The sellers were Chicago-based McShane Development Co. and MetLife Real Estate Investments, through their Riata Vista limited partnership. Joe Llamas, vice president of McShane's South Central region based in Austin, said the company had no comment.

Apple's expansion would include a pair of four-story office buildings, each with 140,816 square feet, according to a notice the city is sending out to local minority subcontractors to outline opportunities to participate in the project. Cadence McShane Construction, a McShane Development affiliate that will be the general contractor on the project, and the city's Small and Minority Business Resources Department will host a meeting next week for minority subcontractors.

A notice for the meeting says the site work will include "concrete paving for surface parking, a detention point with retaining walls and landscaping." Cadence McShane will solicit proposals in August for the site work and the building shell.

City, county and state officials have signed off on about $35 million in incentives to try to persuade Apple to locate its operations center here. The city's agreement says Apple must make "reasonable" efforts to give local certified minority-owned and women-owned businesses an opportunity to supply materials and services for the operations center.

The agreement also specifies that Apple retain 3,100 existing full-time jobs. And it sets forth minimum average annual salary requirements for the new jobs for each of the 10 years, with an average compensation of at least $54,000 at the end of the first year; at least $63,000 at the end of the fifth year; and a minimum of $73,500 at the end of the 10th year. Apple has said most of the jobs would be local hires.
This article comes from:http://www.statesman.com/business/real-estate/apple-buys-tracts-at-site-of-proposed-operations-2418742.html

iThousands' apply at Foxconn ahead of rumored iPhone, iPad mini build

According to Chinese electronics blog M.I.C. Gadget, "thousands" of people gathered in front of Foxconn's Chengdu plant to vie for a large number of "summer job" slots that have only one stipulation: applicants must have good eyesight.

Sources claim that openings still remain but are filling up fast and note that a smaller "iPad mini" may possibly be rolling off the assembly line. This is contrary to a previous report which had the rumored 7-inch tablet set for manufacture at Foxconn's plant in Jundiai, Brazil.

Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory is also hiring workers and sources there say the plant is currently producing Apple's next-generation iPhone albeit on a very small scale. The insider claims that the production line's over 100 workers rolled out a mere five units during a recent night shift, and goes on to explain the upcoming iPhone is said to be in the "trial production stage."

While AppleInsider cannot validate these claims, the report is consistent with earlier rumors that said Apple's sixth-generation iPhone is currently being manufactured.

Apple's rumored next-generation handset is expected to launch some time this fall with a larger 4-inch display and newly-designed "uni-body" chassis. A smaller version of the company's popular iPad is also widely rumored to debut later this year with recent "leaks" pointing to a 7-inch screen and slightly modified case design. A report from The New York Times claims the so-called "iPad mini" will be priced below $499 to meet entry-level market demand.

This article comes from:http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/17/thousands_apply_at_foxconn_ahead_of_rumored_iphone_ipad_mini_build.html

Apple Releases iOS 6 Beta 3

Apple released iOS 6 beta 3 yesterday, which includes some new Maps settings and Mail icons, among other things.

As noted by MacRumors, the release comes about three weeks after the last beta version. In the brief release notes, Apple said only that beta 3 includes "bug fixes and improvements," but MacRumors set up a thread to chart add-ons as they are discovered.

That thread revealed that iOS 6 beta 3 improvements include auto brightness that increases gradually instead of instantly and pictures next to privacy settings. There are also new Maps settings that allow for volume, distance, and label customization, while the Mail app has new icons for junk, trash, and archive.

The iOS 6 beta 2 update did not appear to include any new features. When updating to the new version, however, the icon was animated with spinning gears.

Apple unveiled iOS 6 at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June. It will include a revamped Maps app, Siri on the iPad, as well as Facebook integration, and FaceTime video chat over cellular networks.

That revamped Maps app ditches Google Maps in favor of an in-house offering developed by Cupertino. Apple's iOS 6 is expected in the fall, likely with the release of the next-gen iPhone. The last version, iOS 5, came out in October alongside iCloud.

This article comes from:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407186,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121

Retina display technology for the rumored Apple HDTV?

Will new Retina display technology be found in Apple's rumored HDTV? Founder and CEO of DisplayMate Technologies, Raymond Soneira, thinks so. Essentially, he believes that Retina display screens will be used across all premium products from the Cupertino-based company, citing color accuracy as a reason:"Starting with the new iPad 3, images on all future Apple devices and displays will appear visually identical and with extremely accurate colors and images.

Why does Apple need to introduce its own Apple Television with an actual TV screen as opposed to just relying on an Apple TV streaming box connected to some other brand of TV? Because all existing TVs produce inaccurate and inconsistent colors and images that will be poor matches to Apple's own iPhones and iPads.

Consumers will love the fact that everything including their personal photos, TV shows, movies, and videos will all look exactly the same on all Apple devices."Interestingly, he also claimed that the Retina-based Apple HDTV will support only a full-HD resolution.

"There is tremendous confusion (from consumers to Wall Street analysts) as to exactly what a "Retina Display" is in terms of resolution and Pixels Per Inch. Some analysts are saying that an Apple Retina Display Television is years away because the display technology won't be ready for years. That is simply not true... Existing 1,920 x 1,080 HDTVs are already "Retina Displays" in terms of visual sharpness at typical viewing distances.

So, when Apple launches its own Apple Television it will almost certainly have a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 and it will be a True Retina Display Television. The timing of an Apple Television will be up to Apple, but the display technology is already here."

There are two things that I think need to be considered. Firstly, color inconsistency is usually caused by different batches--and sometime different manufacturers--of display panels. Unless Apple is willing to calibrate these screens like professional monitors, it is almost impossible to ensure uniform hues across all its products, even with its Retina display technology.

Secondly, while standard full-HD panels could possibly match Retina display's level of sharpness for film-based content, they usually have issues displaying smoother text and graphics in games and animation, based on my experience. A 4K-resolution panel could be the solution, but is very costly at the moment.

This article comes from:http://asia.cnet.com/retina-display-technology-for-the-rumored-apple-hdtv-62217922.htm

China pips Apple on iPhone 5 launch

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc's next-generation iPhone has not even been released yet, but opportunistic sellers on China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao, are already accepting pre-orders, complete with mock-up pictures and purported technical specifications.

The hotly anticipated iPhone 5 is widely expected to be released sometime between August and October this year, although Apple itself has been tight-lipped about it. Sources have said the iPhone 5 would have a bigger screen than previous models, while Taiwanese media reported the phone's voice recognition software, Siri, would have more powerful functions.

Sellers on Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group, are accepting orders for the iPhone 5, in some cases asking for a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($160) for the new phone. One seller, "Dahai99888", who started accepting pre-orders this week, is asking for full payment upfront, at a cool 6,999 yuan ($1,100).

Taobao sellers that Reuters spoke with said they planned to buy the iPhone 5 in Hong Kong or the United States and then bring it to mainland China. Apple products are often available in Hong Kong before they are released on the mainland.

The sellers could not promise a specific delivery time. The pre-order activity comes despite the mystery around the iPhone 5 and highlights the intense demand for new Apple products in China.

Apple has not confirmed the specifications, details or price of the latest iPhone but the Internet rumor mill has been in overdrive, churning out photo renderings and pictures of purported iPhone 5 engineering samples, and speculating endlessly on its technical specifications and functions.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment. "Demand is high, yesterday someone just bought two phones. Altogether we have about two dozen orders," said one seller on Taobao who went by the nickname Xiaoyu.

Demand for Apple products in China is so high that many consumers buy smuggled goods in order get them before the official China release. Earlier this year scalpers queued overnight outside a Beijing store for the latest version of the iPhone 4, only to pelt it with eggs after Apple decided against selling the phone at the store because of security concerns.

"It's not so easy to bring the phones from overseas, there's a limit to how many you can carry in ... If we could bring in a few thousand that will be great!," said Xiaoyu.

One enterprising seller posted a list of 17 possible new iPhone 5 features and gave a percentage probability that they would be included in the new device. For example, bio-metric capability has a 20 percent chance of being a feature on the iPhone 5, according to this seller.

Apple, which recently settled an iPad trademark lawsuit with a Shenzhen technology firm, said on Tuesday it would release its latest iPad in China on July 20.

Apple has five stores in mainland China and plans to open flagship stores in the major Chinese cities of Chengdu and Shenzhen, according to government officials.

This article comes from:http://news.yahoo.com/china-pips-apple-iphone-5-launch-071605454--finance.html;_ylt=A2KJjbxpmP5PIBgAxSDQtDMD

Apple's New IPad Arrives in China Stores

Apple Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL) said the latest iPad will arrive in China on July 20, working to extend its lead in the tablet market by courting new business in the world’s most populous nation.

The new iPad, which went on sale in the U.S. in March, will cost $499 to $829, depending on the amount of memory and the device’s wireless-connection compatibility, Cupertino, California-based Apple said yesterday in a statement.

China has become Apple’s second-biggest market after the U.S., as rising wages give Chinese citizens more disposable income to spend on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. China accounted for $7.9 billion of Apple’s $39.2 billion sales in the fiscal second quarter, which ended March 31. That was more than triple the company’s sales in the country a year earlier.

Apple will look to buck a slowdown in the Chinese economy that is reverberating across the technology industry. Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) (AMAT) andAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) (AMD) cited weakness in China this week when trimming financial forecasts.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said there was “relatively large” downward pressure on the economy there, and that authorities will intensify efforts to give it a boost, according to a July 8 report by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Apple is also aiming to stay ahead in tablets as Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. prepare to release their own tablet computers.
Reservation Only

Apple is taking steps to manage the new iPad’s debut in China to avoid a repeat of the scene when the iPhone 4S was released there last year. Customers who had been waiting in line for hours clashed with employees and threw eggs at the stores, causing shops to be closed. Authorities were called in to break up the crowd.

Apple said the new iPad will be available for purchase by reservation only at Apple retail stores. It also will be available for sale at authorized resellers and the company’s online store.

The iPad is Apple’s second-best (AAPL) selling product behind the iPhone, accounting for 17 percent of sales in the second quarter. Apple, the world’s largest company by market value, will report third-quarter results on July 24.

Apple slid less than 1 percent to $608.21 at the close yesterday in New York. Through yesterday, the shares had risen 50 percent this year.

This article comes from: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-07-10/apple-says-next-ipad-tablet-will-arrive-in-china-on-july-20

iPhone Coding Language Now World’s Third Most Popular

Objective-C — the programming language used to build applications for the Apple iPhone and iPad — is now the third most popular language on Earth, according to a new study.

Moving into the third spot in the oft-cited TIOBE index, Objective-C has surpassed C++, another derivative of the venerable C programming language.

C itself is still at the top of the list, followed by Java.
Just a year ago, Objective-C was ranked 46th on TIOBE’s list, and its sudden rise is all about Apple. “This is less about Objective-C and more about the success of the Apple ecosystem,” says Nolan Wright, the technology chief at Appcelerator, an outfit offering a development tool that spans various languages and platforms. “Objective-C is enjoying that benefit. If it had been another language [on the Apple platform], it would have enjoyed that too.”

Apple settled on Objective-C because it was the language of choice on the NeXTSTEP operating system, which was developed by Steve Jobs and his NeXT Inc. in the mid-1980s and later became the basis for Apple’s Mac OS X operating system as well as iOS, the operating system that drives the iPhone and the iPad.

Originally developed in early ’80s by two developers at a company called Stepstone — Brad Cox and Tom Love — Objective-C was barely on TIOBE’s radar in the summer of 2008. But then Apple launched the iPhone App Store.

Now, according to the TIOBE Index — which surveys engineers and crawls the web for code — Objective-C accounts for 9.3 percent of the world’s software, while C++ stands at 9.1 percent. And a second survey, the Transparent Language Index, puts Objective-C at 9.2 percent and C++ at 7.9 percent.

Though the Apple App Store is the main reason for the recent rise of the language, Eric Shapiro, technology chief of app developer ArcTouch, also argues that the language is easier to use than most. “Almost anybody can just pick up a book and learn [Objective C] basics,” he tells Wired. “That doesn’t make you an expert, but that does mean that so many more [developers] are familiar.”

There’s still a learning curve, says Appcelerator’s Nolan, but once you climb it, you benefit from, well, Apple. “Apple probably has the most developed developer ecosystem,” he says. “Once people get passed that learning curve, people tend to really enjoy the language.”

But Objective C is unlikely to surpass the popularity of Java anytime soon. Unlike Objective C — which is predominantly used build “front-end” software on devices such as the iPhone — Java is a mainstay on servers running “back-end” software that feed online services to phones, tablets, and PCs. Plus, it’s the language used to build applications on Google’s Android mobile operating system.
This article comes from:http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/07/apple-objective-c/

Is Apple Planning a Mini iPad?

The sheer number of reports indicating Apple plans to launch a mini version of its iPad would lead one to believe that a 7-inch (18-centimeter) Apple tablet is a foregone conclusion. It’s less clear, however, that the company has much to gain in taking on the likes of Samsung and Amazon head-on by shrinking the iPad while the current incarnation remains the dominant tablet.

While Apple has been characteristically mum regarding its product pipeline, recentWall Street Journal and Bloomberg articles have added credibility to claims that the company would introduce a smaller tablet by year’s end. Ostensibly, an iPad mini would let Apple tap into another category of the tablet market rather than cede sales of 7-inch handhelds to Amazon’s Kindle Fire, Samsung’s Galaxy and Google’s Nexus 7.

It’s conceivable that Apple could deliver a mini iPad—both the iPhone and iPad began as long-simmering rumors. Yet Apple iPads already represent more than 61 percent of the worldwide tablet market, doubling sales of tablets using Google’s Android operating system, according to technology research firm Gartner.

Apple isn’t likely to start making a 7-inch (18-centimeter) tablet unless that device can do something better than any other 7-inch tablet on the market, and Apple can make a lot of money doing it, says Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg. “Apple products exist because they sell at relatively high margins,” he adds. “For Apple to introduce a mini tablet that would cost more than a Nexus 7 with the same specs doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

It’s also not Apple’s style to make products simply as a strategic move to keep consumers from buying competitors’ products or to drive down prices, Gartenberg says. If Amazon and Google are selling the Fire and Nexus 7, respectively, for $199, then Apple would have to add something to its 7-inch tablet to justify a starting cost of $299 or $399, he adds.

Beyond market dynamics, midsize tablets are more for viewing content than creating it. With its five-megapixel digital camera and high-definition video-recording capabilities, the current 10-inch (24.6-centimeter) iPad is as much for content creation as it is for consumption. “Besides, Apple already has something that’s a mini in their line up—the iPod touch,” Gartenberg says. “Would they create a device that’s in between the iPod touch and the iPad?”

All those caveats aside, it’s still difficult to rule out a smaller version of the iPad. “Steve Jobs was dismissive of the 7-inch display, but Apple is frequently like that with things they later introduce to the market,” Gartenberg suggests.

This article comes from:http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/07/08/is-apple-planning-a-mini-ipad/

Amazon Said To Plan Smartphone To Vie With Apple IPhone

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is developing a smartphone that would vie with Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone and handheld devices that run Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android operating system, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. (2038), the Chinese mobile- phone maker, is working with Amazon on the device, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Amazon is seeking to complement the smartphone strategy by acquiring patents that cover wireless technology and would help it defend against allegations of infringement, other people with knowledge of the matter said.

A smartphone would give Amazon a wider range of low-priced hardware devices that bolster its strategy of making money from digital books, songs and movies. It would help Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos -- who made a foray into tablets with the Kindle Fire -- carve out a slice of the market for advanced wireless handsets. Manufacturers led by Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple shipped 398.4 million smartphones in the first quarter, according to researcher IDC.

Drew Herdener, a spokesman for Amazon, declined to comment.Mark Mahaney, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., said in November that Amazon is planning to release a smartphone.

Seattle-based Amazon considered buying wireless patents from InterDigital Inc. before the King of Prussia, Pennsylvania- based company said in June that it will sell the assets to Intel Corp. for $375 million, two people said. Amazon is taking pitches and setting up briefings with other sellers, the people said.

This article comes from:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-06/amazon-said-to-plan-smartphone-to-vie-with-apple.html

Shanghai Company Sues Apple Over Siri for Alleged Patent Infringement

Apple has become the target of another lawsuit in China, this time because of its Siri technology, with a Shanghai-based company alleging that Apple has infringed on a patent involving its own personal assistant software.

The company, Shanghai Zhi Zhen Internet Technology, is the developer of software called "Xiao i Robot" that communicates through voice, and can answer users' questions while also holding simple conversations. In 2004, the company applied for a patent in China covering the technology, and was later granted it in 2006.

"We have a 100 million users in China, and many companies are using our product," said the company head Yuan Hui, in an interview on Friday. The software is available for Android, iOS, Windows Live Messenger, and is used by products from China Telecom, China Mobile, as well as major banks in the country.

Apple's Siri, which is also a personal assistant software, became available in China starting early this year, when the iPhone 4S was officially launched in the country. Last month, Apple said it had incorporated Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese languages into Siri.

In May, Zhi Zhen Internet Technology contacted Apple about the alleged patent infringement. A month later, the company filed a lawsuit against Apple in a Shanghai court, which has accepted the case, Yuan said. "Our only demand is that Apple stop infringing on our patent," he said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The patent lawsuit is one more legal battle Apple has to deal with in China. Earlier this week, a Chinese court announced Apple had to pay US$60 million to buy ownership of the "iPad trademark" in China from a local company.

Another Chinese company, called Jiangsu Snow Leopard Household Chemical, has also said it is suing Apple for trademark infringement because a version of the Mac OS X also uses the Snow Leopard name in Chinese.

"Apple is a major company, and so it will be hard for it to avoid these legal disputes. If you are a big company you will attract controversy," said Zhao Zhanling, an expert on China's IT laws.

Some of these legal battles involve legitimate grievances, according to Zhao, such as in the case of a group of Chinese authors suing Apple for allegedly hosting pirated e-books on its App Store.

But others, including the trademark infringement case being brought by Jiangsu Snow Leopard Household Chemical, appear to be more about generating promotion, he said. "There is a low likelihood that Jiangsu Snow Leopard will win the case," he said. "They are just sensationalizing themselves, and perhaps want to try to make some money from trademark licensing from Apple."

Zhao declined to comment on Zhi Zhen Internet Technology's lawsuit against Apple because he was not familiar with the patent at the center of the dispute. Zhi Zhen Internet Technology, however, is dismissing any criticism that the company is suing Apple at an opportune time to try and gain something from the U.S. tech giant.

"People feel that China has no innovation, that companies here just copy. But this is a misunderstanding," Yuan said. "We are a leader in our field, and we have created our own innovation."

Yuan declined to comment on whether his company would sue other developers of similar personal assistant technology in China.

This article comes from:http://www.pcworld.com/article/258835/shanghai_company_sues_apple_over_siri_for_alleged_patent_infringement.html

10 Apple iPad apps to enjoy this summer

Flipboard: Flipboard launched on the iPad and is a fantastic way to view news and social networking updates. It gives Internet feeds a magazine look and feel and after testing it out a while ago I now use it every day to enjoy content.

MLB At Bat: When you travel outside your local area you end up having to watch whatever sports are on in the hotel for that particular destination. With MLB At Bat you can view and/or listen to your favorite home team on the go. I love the pitch tracking feature and all the real time stats too and as you may know serious baseball fans love their stats.

Angry Birds Seasons: Rovio just released an update to Angry Birds Seasons for the iPad that includes a new water feature. That's right, you sling your bird through the air and then figure out how to get through the water in the scene to knock out the pigs. I love that they keep updating the game with new levels and functions.

Evernote: I use Evernote to capture lots of things and with the solid camera on the new iPad it is handy for receipts, lists of movies to watch, attractions you want to visit, and much more. Evernote takes advantage of the large display on the iPad to give you an excellent experience that I even prefer over the version on my Macbook Pro.

ABC Player: We no longer have cable TV in my house so I catch up on all the shows I missed on ABC through the ABC Player app. I can't stop laughing through episodes of Modern Family and enjoy the intrigue in Castle. The ABC Player app is free and is great for viewing TV content. I even use the app with the adapter to play shows on my HD TV at home so the whole family can enjoy TV without paying for cable.
Facebook: My family and friends share most of their photos and activities on Facebook and during the summer it is fun to see where people have been, invite people over for barbeques, and share memories with Facebook on the iPad. Every once in a while I will login too and use Facebook to chat live with family and friends.

Newstand (Mac Life): I am moving away from paper magazine subscriptions and have a couple magazines I subscribed to through Newstand. The iPad is perfect for modeling the magazine experience and it is much easier to carry an iPad loaded with five magazines rather than five physical magazines. There is quite a good selection of titles and you can buy single issues or subscribe at a much lower monthly rate.

Kayak: I use both TripIt Pro and Kayak for travel, but have to say the Kayak iPad app is much better than TripIt. I love the way it uses the full screen to present your itinerary and since my iPad is always with me when I travel it is great to have along, especially since it is free. You can also use Kayak to plan trips on the go with its powerful search features.

IA Writer: I was using the default Apple Notes application to write in the past, but when I sent this content to copy and use in my posts the margins were all goofed up. I recently discovered IA Writer for the iPad, after hearing others talk about it for quite some time, and already wrote a couple ZDNet posts and extensive Facebook posts using this app. IA Writer gives you a full screen, basic experience for writing and is already proving that 99 cents is cheap for such a powerful document creation tool.

Skydrive: There are a number of cloud storage solutions out there now and I have accounts with several of them. I was signed up early for Skydrive so I have a free 25GB account and use this on all my devices to keep documents backed up for easy access from my devices.

Do you enjoy using any of these applications? What apps do you like to use in the summer?

This article comes from:http://www.zdnet.com/10-apple-ipad-apps-to-enjoy-this-summer-7000000201/

Apple Siri Versus Google Jelly Bean: Voice Search Showdown

One of the big enhancements in the Android 4.0 operating system update that Google announced on June 27 is improved voice recognition in search. You can now ask your Android phone questions in a natural way--meaning you no longer have to sound like a robot to get answers.

We wondered which service is better at answering questions: Android's Voice Search or Apple's much-touted Siri. To test the services, we assembled a list of 17 questions or commands, and asked them of a Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean and an iPhone 4S running iOS 5.

A quick disclaimer: Apple has greatly improved Siri in iOS 6, but we weren't able to get our hands on the beta to test it. And the version of Jelly Bean we received from the Google I/O developer conference was not the final version, which will come to phones in mid-July.

Our results? Siri and the new voice recognition software in Jelly Bean each have their fair share of pros and cons. In the end, Android came out ahead on 8 of the 17 questions and commands we posed.Here's a breakdown of how well each phone handled each question or task.

Question 1: "Where Is the Empire State Building?"Siri seemed to have trouble understanding this question, while Jelly Bean produced a map that gave us the address of the Empire State Building in New York. For now, Android has the upper hand when it comes to locating famous buildings.

Winner: Android Jelly Bean
Question 2: "Will I Need an Umbrella on Sunday?"

The first few times we asked this question, Siri gave us directions to the nearest department stores. We believe that it may have been trying to point us to places that sold umbrellas, rather than answering our weather question.

When Siri finally realized that we were asking about the weather, it informed us that it could not predict what the weather would be on Sunday, and showed us a graphic displaying the local weather forecast for the next five days. Android told us that we wouldn't need an umbrella on Sunday, and also produced a five-day forecast.

Winner: Android Jelly Bean
Question 3: "Show Me Pictures of Mount Rushmore"
Android automatically brought up a small grid of images, while Siri asked if we wanted to perform a Web search. Siri finally showed us what we had asked for, but it required an extra step.

Winner: Android Jelly Bean
Question 4: "Where Can I Get a Taco Around Here?"
Siri, which pulls its results from Yelp, brought up 20 restaurants in the area that had tacos on the menu. Android presented a map of places that served tacos, but only one establishment was nearby; the rest were spread throughout the city. We have to hand it to Siri on this one, due to the number of results and owing to how close they were to our approximate location.

Winner: Apple Siri
Question 5: "What's the Capital of Canada?"
Both phones came up with an answer, but Android was faster at fetching a result.

Winner: Android Jelly Bean
Question 6: "Get Me Directions to the California Academy of Sciences"
As with the Empire State Building question, Android immediately brought up a map with the location of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, and started opening Google Maps to give us directions.

Siri found two entries for the California Academy of Sciences, and required us to select the correct entry before proceeding to give us directions.

This article comes from:http://www.pcworld.com/article/258704/apple_siri_versus_google_jelly_bean_voice_search_showdown.html

An iPad mini in October? New report fuels rumours

With the runaway success of the Kindle Fire prompting even Google to jump on the mini tablet bandwagon with its Nexus 7, is Apple also going to join the party? There have been a number of persistent rumours that a miniature version of the iPad is on the way, despite there being no signs from the company to this effect.

In March a comment by a Samsung executive to a Korean newspaper fueled rumours, while in February a report in the Wall Street Journal stated that Apple was testing out products with 7 to 8 inch screens. Then in April rumors resurfaced, this time on a Chinese blog.

And after a relative lull in the iPad mini expectations, an analyst report has got the tech world buzzing all over again. The report by Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves predicts that Apple will introduce a 7.85-inch version of its tablet in October.

The report quotes Hargreaves as saying,“We anticipate an entry-level 7.85″ iPad with 8GB of NAND capacity to price at $299 with an initial gross margin of 31%. We estimate Apple will sell 10.0 million 7.85″ iPads in FQ1 (Dec. 2012) and 35.2 million in all of F2013. Based on estimated component order volume, we believe our iPad mini unit estimates are well within Apple’s production capacity. We anticipate 25% cannibalization of the larger 9.7″ iPad (for every four 7.85″ iPads added, we reduced our 9.7″ iPad estimate by one), so our total F2013 iPad estimate increases to 91.6 million from 65.2 million.”

CNet added that Hargreaves suggested that Apple would kill the $399 iPad 2, and could introduce a 16GB iPad mini for a similar price.Steve Jobs is famously known to have been against the idea of a smaller iPad, but now as demand for smaller tablets increase, will Apple depart from the visionary’s opinion?

Why it’s a good idea: A smaller tablet would help Apple further its lead in the tablet market.“From a competitive standpoint, we believe an iPad mini with a lower price point would be the competition’s worst nightmare, says Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee. “Most (competitors) already have a tough enough time competing against the iPad 2, as well as the new iPad.”

Apple has successfully fended off competitors who have tried to sell tablets in iPad’s size range. But last year, Amazon.com Inc. figured out how to crack Apple’s stranglehold on tablets by making a half-size, no-frills tablet. The result was the Kindle Fire, which sells for $199 —basically, the cost of production. Amazon has sold millions of them.

Apple sells the iPod Touch for $199, but its screen is about a quarter of the size of the Kindle Fire — a big disadvantage for people who want to enjoy books, movies and games. It also sells the older iPad model for $399. It has nothing in between.

Price isn’t the only reason customers might prefer a smaller tablet. A 7-inch model would fit in many handbags, unlike the current iPad.Wu says he’s seen evidence of Apple experimenting with both smaller and larger tablet screens since 2009, and doesn’t sense that the release of an iPad mini is “imminent.”

Why it’s a bad idea: A smaller iPad would be a headache for software developers.“Going to a different screen size ends up being a ton of work,” says Nate Weiner, the creator of Pocket, an application that stores Web pages and other material for later reading. “If you take, for an example, an interface built for the iPad and try to cram it into the Kindle Fire, it just doesn’t fit,” he says.

However, developers who have already adapted their programs to the Kindle Fire or other 7-inch tablets wouldn’t face a big hurdle in adapting to a third Apple screen size, Weiner say.


This article comes from:http://www.firstpost.com/tech/an-ipad-mini-in-october-new-report-fuels-rumours-363595.html

iPhone revenue hits US$150 billion within 5 years

Apple's iPhone has been a sales juggernaut since its launch. And a new study from research firm Strategy Analytics seems to drive that point home.

Since the iPhone's launch in June 2007, Apple has generated cumulative revenues of US$150 billion, according to Strategy Analytics. Neil Shah, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, told CNET in a phone conversation today that the number only includes hardware sales. Accessories, apps, and software and services, which typically represent 3 percent to 5 percent of Apple's iPhone revenue each quarter, were factored out.

Moving on to hardware units, Strategy Analytics said that 250 million iPhones have shipped globally.Despite the obvious good news for Apple, the research firm is not necessarily sure that Apple can hold on to the same level of profits it has secured in the iPhone market over the last several years.

"There are emerging signs that the iPhone's next five years could get tougher," Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said today in a statement. "Some mobile operators are becoming concerned about the high level of subsidies they spend on the iPhone, while Samsung is expanding its popular Galaxy portfolio and providing Apple with more credible competition."

According to Shah, the "concern" carriers are having comes down to economics. He told CNET that with Apple's US$600 wholesale iPhone price to carriers, companies like AT&T and Verizon are forced to take a US$300 to US$400 hit when they sell the device for US$199 or US$299 with a two-year contract. And Apple, seeing that it "has the selling power," is unwilling to negotiate that pricing, Shah says.

It's a much different story for popular Android-based devices like the HTC One X or the Samsung Galaxy S3. Shah told CNET that while the wholesale price on the Galaxy S3 is high--he believes it's about US$500 or US$550--carriers have been able to negotiate that down to US$400 or so, making the chances of them quickly getting their cash back much higher.

"The Galaxy S3 subsidy is considerably lower," Shah told CNET, adding that popular Android-based devices could make carriers think twice about playing so nicely with Apple. Still, not everyone is so sure that carriers will do much to change things. In a research note published last month, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said that all three US iPhone carriers are required by contract to provide certain subsidies, and those agreements will remain in place for years. What's worse for carriers, the contracts won't expire at the same time, effectively eliminating their chances of teaming up on Apple to lower subsidies.
Apple, meanwhile, is free to continue to rake in the cash.

This article comes from:http://asia.cnet.com/iphone-revenue-hits-us150-billion-within-5-years-62217180.htm

Enterprise Mobility: iPhone at 5: How Apple Changed the Smartphone, Business Mobility

Apple began selling the iPhone five years ago June 29, calling it "revolutionary" and "magical" and a "reinvention of the phone." The iPhone wasn't the first smartphone or the first phone to offer users access to their email or the Internet, but given the way people reacted to it and the tremendous changes the iPhone created—to the mobile industry, to people's lives, to the way business is done—it might as well have been.
 
The iPhone introduced the touch-based user interface, which, like the mouse, changed the way we interact with our devices. It made it more intuitive, simpler and more fun. The iPhone became immediately enmeshed in people's lives and so also their workplaces, making enterprise policy makers terrified for the security of their data—countless articles described tactics for keeping such rogue devices from infiltrating BlackBerry territory. A few security fixes and tweaks on Apple's end, and today the iPhone is so invaluable a tool that IT departments have likewise adjusted and tweaked, designing bring-your-own-device policies that take advantage of users' easy relationship with these robust, application-rich mobile machines.

 By the time the iPad was introduced, enterprises needed no convincing of their business worth. "iPhone ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, which completely redefines what users can do on their mobile phones," Apple announced in 2007. If in a few weeks' time, after introducing the iPhone 5, Apple says the same thing, who will be surprised?

This article comes from: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/iPhone-at-5-How-Apple-Changed-the-Smartphone-Business-Mobility-346239/

iOS 6 unveiled with Siri enhancements, Passbook, new Maps

iOS 6, a new version of Apple's mobile operating system, was unveiled at the company's Worldwide Developer's Conference on Monday. The version will feature "significant enhancements" to Siri, Apple's own Maps app, a new app called Passbook, Facebook integration, changes to phone calls and FaceTime, and improvements to Mail, Safari, and Photo Stream.

Apple stated it has been working "very closely" with Facebook to integrate it into iOS 6. Users will be able to post to Facebook from different apps, similar to the level of Twitter's integration now. Users will see notifications from Facebook in the Notification Center, and Facebook events and birthdays will appear in the Calendar app.

Third-party apps can now be launched with a command to Siri—for example, "Play Temple Run" opens the app. Users can also now tweet from Siri, a formerly noticeable hole in the Twitter integration throughout the rest of iOS. In addition to hands-free mode, Siri now has "eyes-free" mode, where the app doesn't light the screen, but still reads responses out. Apple is working with BMW, GM, Jaguar, Mercedes, and Honda to bring a "Siri button" to their cars that will work with iPhones within the next 12 months.

Siri has become more knowledgeable about restaurants and theaters, said Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iOS software. Restaurant search results are now sorted by Yelp rating, and tapping on them takes the user into the Yelp app. OpenTable, a reservation booking app, is also integrated into the restaurant results. For movies, Siri can bring up artwork and the slate of movies playing at a nearby theater, along with information culled from Rotten Tomatoes. Siri is also now able to respond to questions about sports ("What was the score of the last Giants game?"), including queries on standings and player stats.

This article comes from:http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/06/ios-6-features-from-wwd/

Travelport launches mobile travel itinerary app for iPhone and Android

Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, has announced the launch of a new travel application for users of smartphones in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Following a successful launch in the UK earlier this year, the new app is now one of the first, fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available in these countries.


ViewTrip Mobile delivers time critical information and other valuable tools to enable travellers to be fully aware and in control of their travel arrangements at any time. Among the useful features are:
• Simple, one-time registration with future trips automatically synced to the mobile.
• Flight status with live flight alerts.
• Detailed airport and city guides offering easy to digest information.
• Location aware services - find offers on local restaurants, the location of your nearest bank and much more.
• Weather forecasts and currency conversion.
• Itinerary management - easily and quickly add other items to itineraries.

Travelport, through their development partner ManticPoint, are also offering a white label version of ViewTrip Mobile. The white label version will enable travel agents to:
• Brand the app and itineraries using their own logo and colours.
• Take control of content including agency specific help and advice and decide which affiliate content appears.
• Proactively manage and target communications with the traveller via the app when disruption or the travel environment changes.

"Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important part of a traveller's overall experience and our mobile strategy continues to result in new, innovative solutions for our customers," commented Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa at Travelport.

"ViewTrip Mobile is an exciting step forward for travellers as it provides them with rich trip information along with a wide array of destination content and tools, all in the palm of their hand. We are constantly developing new products that satisfy the needs of the travel community and are thrilled with the positive impact ViewTrip Mobile is making," added Saab.

Travelport ViewTrip Mobile is available free of charge to all Travelport travel agency customers currently using the Travelport ViewTrip itinerary solution. To get started, travellers click the link included in their ViewTrip itinerary to register and download the app.

This article comes from:http://www.ameinfo.com/travelport-launches-mobile-travel-itinerary-app-304651

iPad gathers magic

12 million players around the world have enjoyed, collecting and building decks of Magic: The Gathering card game for almost two decades now. Expert board game designer Richard Garfield first unleashed the addictive game in 1993 and since that time it’s popularity has not waned, in the real world.

Now the virtual world (which has seen some M:TG titles in the past) is about to get a card-based shot in the arm anew with the release of Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on a variety of platforms including an edition for Apple’s iPad.

Wizards of the Coast has unleashed Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on iPad for the first time, along with Xbox LIVE Arcade, PC/Steam and PlayStation Network.* Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is the first major release from Magic: The Gathering this winter, kicking off the Magic 2013 campaign that entices players to “Face A Greater Challenge” against the ultimate evil mastermind of the Multiverse, dragon Planeswalker Nicol Bolas!


Beginning today, Duels 2013 players will get the first look at approximately 100 cards that will be featured in the Magic 2013 Core Set launching July 13, 2012. In addition, with the purchase of Duels 2013, players receive a code to redeem an exclusive six-card booster pack - including a platform-specific promo card - at participating Wizards Play Network hobby stores.


“Today kicks off our summer-long Magic 2013 experience, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Elaine Chase, Brand Director of Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. “Whether you're new to Magic or just starting out, the integration between Duels 2013 and the Magic 2013 Core Set represents a seamless way for players to experience Magic however and wherever they want.”


Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is the latest edition of the award-winning video game title, which was recently named one of PC Gamer’s Top 100 Games of All Time, and number four on the list of The 15 Best Games For Your Laptop.

This article comes from: http://www.itwire.com/your-it-news/entertainment/55369-ipad-gathers-magic

Filemaker’s Bento 4 for iPad is da bomb

Filemaker has previously pitched Bento — whether for Macintosh, iPhone or iPad — as personal information manager aimed at students and home users. It was a database utility for dealing with lists and simple, flat spreadsheet data. However, the capability, usability and functionality inBento 4 for iPad is now so greatly expanded, that the company is pitching it to small business owners, knowledge workers, freelancers, contractors and consultants.

Users of the Mac version of Bento will be familiar with Bento 4 for iPad. Previously, Bento for iPad offered a frustratingly limited list-style view of Library data. It was a very stripped-down version of the Mac program. Its usefulness was still great, but with the increasing power of the iPad and especially its larger screen, the iPad software was more than a bit of a letdown. No longer.

Now there are four views of data: a Form View similar in functionality to the Mac version, the Table View that is really a spreadsheet view, the Split View that combines the spreadsheet and the form, and the Full Screen View that shows a sidebar of Libraries, similar to the Mac version. In addition to the usual data types, the app supports many different data elements including multimedia files, predetermined choices, GPS locations, ratings (stars) and many more.

Bento 4 for iPad supports the creation of new databases as well as the customization of forms and projects. It’s easy to add fields, reorder and sort lists, and add calculation formulas. Many commands take advantage of the iPad’s tap interface and users can click on a field or a header and then be presented with the iPad-standard GUI element for popup commands — Filemaker calls these Heads Up Displays. So, if you click on a column header, it will show a bar of commands such as sort, rename, delete or hide.

he new business audience will definitely appreciate that Version 4 can create encrypted fields. Windows users can easily share libraries by emailing them in .CSV format from within Bento (Mac users can use this function too, but I suggest getting Bento for Mac instead).

However, I don’t know that I’m sold on the Record Slider interface. But it is the iPad way.The app comes with 40 Retina display-ready themes to customize the many built-in project templates. And Filemaker offers easy access to the Bento Template Exchange that sports a wide range of professionally-designed and user-submitted templates.

Of course, Bento 4 for iPad can be synchronized with Bento for Mac (Version 4.1, a free update). The syncing is still over Wifi.Bento 4 for iPad is priced at $4.99 until July 31, the company said and $9.99 afterwards. There’s a $29.99 deal on for Bento 4.1 for Mac also until July 31, a $20 discount.


This article comes from:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/apple/filemakers-bento-4-for-ipad-is-da-bomb/13144

Belton High School to launch iPad initiative

BELTON - At its regular meeting on Monday, June 18, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees approved a plan to increase students' access to technology learning tools at Belton High School. The Board authorized the purchase of iPads for every student at Belton High School for the upcoming school year. This one-to-one iPad initiative has been in the planning stages for several months and is based on the success of other iPad projects throughout the District, particularly at South Belton Middle School where students successfully used the devices for learning this past school year.

Funding for the purchase of the devices will come from money allocated from the State to the District for the purchase of instructional materials such as textbooks. However, those funds may now be used to purchase technology hardware and software. Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon, "As the delivery of information has changed over the last 10 years outside the school—from print to digital—schools now need the flexibility to deliver content digitally as well. The ability to use textbook funds for the purchase of an iPad for every student will allow us to make that transition. Our students must have strong skills using technology upon graduation to be successful in college and careers."

According to Superintendent Dr. Susan Kincannon, "Infrastructure improvements at Belton High School are complete, and the campus is ready to handle the bandwidth that will be required for this project." Belton High School teachers received their iPads this spring, and professional development is planned during the summer to assist them in developing lessons using the devices.

Ed Braeuer, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said, "Our vision for the use of technology in BISD is a fundamental change in instruction. Technology remains a tool, but it is a powerful tool to change students from passive learners to active learners, and teachers from presenters to facilitators of learning." Kathy Cook, Belton High School Principal, continued, "I am so proud that I am able to be in a district whose leaders and school board are so forward thinking. This one-to-one iPad initiative will allow our teachers at Belton High School to design extraordinary instruction for our students. We have done our homework preparing for this project. In addition to what we learned from our colleagues at South Belton Middle School, we have visited other high schools with one-to-one iPad initiatives, and I believe we will be ready to effectively use the iPads for quality instruction."

Teachers and students alike are excited about the prospects: Joe Savoldi, physics teacher, "It's opening a world of examples and demonstrations for our classes. I'm hoping to set up homework assignments online and cut down on paper costs. This will move our students into the 21st Century. Belton High School junior, Scott Jackson: "One great advantage will be having textbooks on the iPad so we will have our books with us at all times."

Belton High School will host a series of informational meetings for parents prior to distribution of the iPads during the early part of the school year this fall.


This aticle comes from:http://www.kxxv.com/story/18822647/belton-high-school-to-launch-ipad-initiative

Anyone can use Navy iPhone app

The Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling Series released an iPhone app in April to let sailors and civilians access its library of exercises, workout routines and meal planning.

As of the end of May, the app had been downloaded nearly 5,500 times.Though it hasn’t been out long, feedback from sailors has been overwhelmingly positive, said Lisa Sexauer, program manager for fitness, sports and deployed forces support at Navy Installations Command. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by users in the iTunes App Store.

“They like the food choice features and the fact that there are videos so they can refine their own movement efficiencies,” she said.The videos, like the entire app, can be accessed without cellphone service or an active Internet connection once the almost one-gigabyte app is downloaded to the iPhone. That means that the entire workout is available any time, anywhere, even aboard a ship — because most ships have limited Internet access and no cellphone service while at sea.

“The app is actually housed on the device. When you head to the gym, by selecting your parameters, your entire workout is available to you,” Sexauer said.Parameters include fitness level, duration of exercise, equipment that is available and stage.

The fitness levels relate to both overall health and familiarity with NOFFS exercises; Sexauer suggested that everyone begin with Level 1.Within each level are four stages, labeled A through D. Each level has an increased number of sets and repetitions.

The exercises, which take into account how much room is available for fitness on different kinds of vessels from subs to aircraft carriers, are in line with the Navy’s 21st Century Sailor and Marine wellness initiative, Sexauer said.

One key to the app is ensuring no injury during the exercises. Videos, detailed descriptions and still photos show sailors how to correctly perform each exercise.

This article comes from: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20120618/LIFESTYLE/306180007/Anyone-can-use-Navy-iPhone-app

Meet Moboto: the Talking iPhone Toy

Ever wish your iPhone dock was just a little more interactive? Have we got a Kickstarter project for you: Moboto.Designer Mark Solomon created the device for those of us who fantasized our stuffed toys were alive when we were a child (ie. pretty much everyone). Moboto turns your recharging iPhone into a seemingly life-like companion.

With the Moboto dock and app, an iPhone can take on various personalities to convey information to its user. It can display a blinking eyeball that changes color depending on your device’s battery life. Moboto can also be a flower that shows rain or sunshine in the background to convey the current weather outside in a beautiful way.

Solomon says Moboto is for geeks and non-techies alike.“When you dock your phone it just launches the app and it brings to life the character,” he said. “It’s going to enable you to have a little bit of fun with something that is normally a mundane task. Instead of just having your iPhone by your bedside or in a dock at night, it’s plugged into Moboto and you can see its expressions.”

The personalized dock can visualize the weather, time and battery life. Touch the screen to interact with its characters — by playing with the eyeball, for example, which blinks when it’s poked.“We just take the data that we get on the phone and visualize it in some way,” Solomon added. “It adds some whimsy to your day.”

Moboto is reminiscent of the Android robot with a stout little body. Select which style suits you best from the seven mock-ups that Solomon and his team have created so far: one has a sweater, another has a tie. Some can be personalized.

In the future, Solomon aims to allow users to command Moboto via Twitter. He’s currently experimenting with a hashtag that causes Moboto to sing a song. Tweet #Moboto1, for example, and the device lip-syncs theBeastie Boys‘ “Intergalactic.”

“We’re still figuring out what to do with this,” he said.And it Moboto owners don’t actually want to hear “Intergalactic” in the middle of the night when someone tweets it? No problem. Just be sure you set your alarm, and Moboto will sleep soundly, too. By default, each device is connected to the Moboto Twitter account, but users can disconnect that feature if they want.

This technology might also become really useful to sports fans. Solomon imagines a custom app that would feed a sports fan details via a talk feature. (The main Moboto app itself will be constantly updated.)

Solomon and his small team of designers, software engineers and advisors are based on San Jose. The group’s Kickstarter campaign requests a total of $400,000 to put Moboto into production.So far, they’ve reached nearly $20,000 with 33 days left — so they’ve got plenty of time.

Solomon said the Moboto teams likes to think of themselves “as a hardware company making software. The software is what brings its heart and soul,” he said.

This article comes from:http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/moboto/

Street Fighter X Tekken Mobile Confirmed For iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad

Street Fighter x Tekken Mobile is headed to iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad this Summer Capcom has announced."Before the PS Vita version arrives later this year, get your on-the-go SFxT fix with Street Fighter X Tekken Mobile, which converts the console game into a wholly new experience on iOS devices.

Think SFIV Volt, but with tag mechanics and a healthy does of juggling," writes Capcom Unity.SFxT Mobile is only compatible with iOS 5 and the following devices: iPhone 4/4S, iPod Touch 4th gen or later, iPad 2 or the latest iPad.

Check out our gallery to see the first screens.Capcom teased the title at E3 last week - hit the link to watch Street Fighter X Tekken Mobile in action.



This article comes from:http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1429794/street_fighter_x_tekken_mobile_confirmed_for_iphone_ipod_touch_ipad.html

Some useful skills of ibooks

iBooks has update now,I believe that some people have known how to use ibooks,but I want to share some tips of using ibooks with you.

First, use explains:
1. Click on the ibooks, into the main interface, the default is woodiness grain style of bookshelf, the feeling is very great. The top three options, from left to right, which are: editing, books, bookstore.

1). The most simple bookstore can be first said. Click on the bookstore, switch interface to itunes or App Store with buying books interface, readers can buy their favourite books and download (condition is even on WIFI and can have a normal iTunes account).

2.) then is the library option. Click on the book , obviously, the main interface switch to another interface: for selected words above, upper right to complete the option, and the middle is the default two books format category, book (in fact is EPUB format) and PDF, lower left for new, lower right for editing. Click the new, can increase the books format name (such as TXT. But unfortunately at present ibooks only support and PDF formats EPUB, so this function eroded.) Click edit, editor of the new books readers format name (to the default "book" and "PDF" invalid).

When the current format for books, click on the PDF, switch the interface for PDF interface. At this moment the ibooks in advance of the PDF format with books will be display. Similarly, books (EPUB) format books will also display.

3). Edit function is mobile and delete the selected books. Specific operation is: click edit options, and then select to operation of the books icon, the upper "mobile" and "delete" icon to shine. Choose the move, which moves in two books format, is about to change the book format interface to PDF format interface. Choose delete, books from iTouch is removed, and it is the same effect as in the iTunes store deleting .

2. Click on any EPUB books, found in reading interface : six icon is above, which are in turn for library (back to the Lord of the ibooks interface), directory (if books have bring their own directory, can view the directory and can be quickly switch internode chapters), brightness (adjustment screen brightness), font, font size, can be mediation font, font color), search (search books related to find the words, seem to support only English), bookmarks (the current page to save bookmarks, convenient next time reading); Bottom for reading progress bar (composed by several black spots), the bottom for the current page number/digital books total number of pages.

Second, using skills:
1. The  default main interface, sliding down the screen, visible to hide in a virtual bookshelf upper part three of the icon. Icon separately from left to right: rectangular box (there was a magnifying glass icon and the "search", it is the search for books. This function has obvious effect when there are more books,  .) TianZiGe, similar icon (selected, virtual bookshelf, when ibooks go into the default interface), there are three mutually linear icon (selected, the interface appears four kind of arrangement of books, which in turn is way of bookshelf, title, author, categories).

2. Quickly switch between "book" and "PDF"   . When a finger from the left end level into the right end, or from the right side delimit the level to the left, the interface will be in two or more format to quickly switch between categories (premise is the new books format category).

3. With calibre and file format conversion software conversion TXT documents before, are going to shift to the TXT documents to utf-8 encoding form save as new TXT documents, otherwise the converted EPUB file may not be ibooks recognition, that it can not be read or appear in ibooks and may be it will come up misunderstand code.

Apple's eyes open iPhone distribution: The fallout

Apple has cut prepaid distribution deals with Sprint’s Virgin and Cricket and the initial reaction is to dismiss the moves because few users are going to shell out the cash for an unsubsidized iPhone. On further review, Apple’s prepaid deals are likely just the beginning of a move to a new distribution model.

Distribution 101 dictates that the more units you produce the lower the cost of goods falls. If you assume that Apple cuts more prepaid deals around the world it could harm rivals with just limited success.

This case was made by Barclays Capital analysts on Monday. They were focused on Apple and its impact on carrier subsidies—a bane for wireless players—and what happens if the iPhone follows an open distribution model.


Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes lays out the case:

Our checks indicate that Apple’s deals with prepaid players (Sprint’s Virgin Mobile and Cricket) are likely only the beginning of Apple’s efforts to expand via partnerships into the open distribution and prepaid markets in the US and internationally. The mid-tier smartphone market has been the fastest growing niche of the smartphone market in recent quarters.

The most successful vendors in the mid tier are Samsung, Nokia, Huawei, ZTE, and RIM. Much of the ~225mn unit mid tier smartphone market is at or below $200, and much of the ~1bn unit feature phone market is at or below $75. Even limited share gains (prudent given Apple’s $350-$400 price point) could eat materially into the growth markets for rival vendors. This could add $4.70 to our CY13 Apple EPS estimate of ~$54.

The emphasis from Reitzes boils down to the midtier smartphone market and the total addressable market. For instance, Nokia has had success in the mid-range market as has Huawei. Today, Cricket is offering an iPhone 4 for $400 and an iPhone 4S for $500. Virgin is going with $549 and $649 for the iPhone 4 and 4S, respectively. IF there’s volume on these deals, however, those prices are likely to fall.

Initially, there’s a mental hurdle to clear with this effort. Prepaid subscribers are often subprime credit material. How are these people going to shell out $400 or more for an unsubsidized iPhone? That said, Apple can leverage its brand and make inroads. If you assume all phones will be smartphones, Apple has a huge shot to get some serious volume.

This article comes from:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/apples-eyes-open-iphone-distribution-the-fallout/79737

Warning: Apple's new Jam Session may be addictive

Apple's (AAPL) new feature on its GarageBand app for the iPad may be habit-forming, creating a persistent and chronic time-suck that could swallow you whole.


It's called Jam Session, and allows up to four people to "play" their iPads -- or iPhones and iPod touches -- together over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and record songs.
When Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller unveiled the updated GarageBand app at the launch of the third-generation iPad in March, he introduced Jam Session in one of those we're-all-kids-at-heart moments that Apple orchestrates so well. He even called Jam Session "the best new feature'' of the incredibly popular GarageBand suite.

For $4.99, it's downloadably yours. Musician or wannabe, it doesn't matter. With a bit of practice, Jam Session can make a recording star out of anybody. It's not perfect, and its smorgasbord of technical widgets can overwhelm. But it's still awesome, precisely because of that rich mother lode of audio possibilities.

You can record up to eight tracks on an endless menu of both simulated instruments and orchestral synthesizers, tweak the sound effects to your heart's content, then edit each track by cutting, looping or splitting them until you're practically channeling famed record producer Berry Gordy.

Session, we reached out to the venerable J.C. Smith, a native East San Jose blues guitarist and iPad newbie. For two hours one recent afternoon at Gradie and Jeannine O'Neal's Tiki Studios, a 45-year-old recording shrine tucked into an East San Jose residential neighborhood, Smith and four members of his namesake band dipped into Jam Session for the first time.

"I'm not a computer guy, I'm a piano guy," joked keyboardist Todd Reid, hunched over one of four iPads propped on the piano bench in front of him. While drummer Donnie Green started tapping on the drum set splayed across his glowing screen, his brother Robert began plucking the virtual bass.

Hovering nearby, tenor saxophone player Abraham Vasquez looked on with amusement. Jam Session doesn't yet have a horn section, but Vasquez was able to dub in his instrument once the bluesmen had done their virtual business.

After running to the Apple Store earlier in the day to familiarize himself with this strange new app, Smith was ready to go. Jam Session requires a "bandleader'' to controls things on one of the iPads, so Smith pushed a musical-note icon that "invited'' the other three to join the jam. He then selected the "Hard Rock'' guitar from an assortment of styles on the pull-down menu, added some fuzz distortion using a "Vintage Drive'' special-effects tool, then went to town picking out a riff for a 12-bar blues number.

The others joined in. There were timing issues as the four tried to synchronize their sounds, so they tried laying down one track at a time, including Reid, who added a bluesy organ to the mix. In the end, they decided to go back to playing the four parts simultaneously. And then they nailed it.

It took time, patience and a fair amount of musical intuition. But 90 minutes into the session, after laying down then ripping up tracks to start over several times, the band had pieced together the backbone of what they'd eventually call "Eastside Shuffle."

"Let's add the sax now,'' Smith said to Vasquez, who attached headphones to the master iPad, then added his blues solo right over the rhythm section, blowing the horn into the iPad's built-in microphone. At one point, for reasons nobody could quite figure out, the finished song suddenly vanished from the bandleader's iPad screen. But because the individual tracks were still on each of the tablets, the band was able to quickly stitch it all back together again.

"I think it's a lot of fun,'' Smith said after the session. "The iPad and the app enhance your creativity and give you new ways to think about your music and your instrument.
"I think it's cool,'' he said. "If I had an iPad, I'd play with Jam Session all the time.''

This article comes from:http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_20796668/apple-new-jam-session-may-be-addictive-ipad-iphone-record-songs-garageband

TAKE A BYTE OUT OF THIS: The iPhone 5 is coming to a store near you. Maybe

A video has surfaced on YouTube purporting to show off components for the iPhone 5.

The video, which was posted by ETrade Supply, showed off the back casing and antenna for what could be Apple's next smartphone.

The casing looks similar to the iPhone 4 and 4S except it has a strip across the back which could be some kind of metal or matt plastic.

The video shows the new casing is slightly longer than the iPhone 4S and could confirm rumours the end product will be four inches (10.16cm) long.

But don't feel discombobulated just yet. It's very possible the item is a fake. Or at least a mock-up prototype that's up for consideration.

“It’s entirely possible that what someone captures might indeed come from Apple or a supplier," Gartner analyst, Charles Golvin told Wired.

"But it might also just be a branch of design that’s going to be pruned rather than make it into an actual product. Apple does lots of different designs and mock-ups, most of which do not make it to the final product.”

So what do you think? Is the device real? Is this the beginning of Apple's viral web campaign for the iPhone 5?

THis article comes from: http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/technology/brace-yourselves-the-iphone-5-is-coming-maybe/story-fn5jm44e-1226388769992

With Apple breakup looming, Google shows off some 'magic'

 

It might take a love potion to stop this breakup.In the wake of reports that Apple plans to drop Google's Maps software by year-end in favor of a home grown solution, Google announced a slew of updates to its popular mapping software Wednesday.

"We're trying to create magic here," the company said during a special event held in San Francisco, part of a "never ending quest for the perfect map."At the event, at which Google promised "the next dimension of Google maps," the search giant unveiled a revamped Google Earth mobile app, which now sports 3D models for entire cities, among other updates such as a new Street View Trekker -- a backpack-based system to allow the company to map on foot locations such as the Grand Canyon. In a few weeks, Android users will also have an ?offline? mode for Google Maps.

Among the magical new features: an expanded Map Maker tool to allow residents of Finland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and more to report mapping errors.Will these changes be enough to keep Apple spellbound? Not everyone was convinced.

"The message here is: There?s lots of effort, technical expertise and money behind Google?s mapping efforts ? this can?t be easily duplicated," wrote Greg Sterling on the SearchEngineLand website. "The company is trying to educate journalists who?ll probably be writing about Apple Maps next week."

For Google, showing off the company's technical expertise in the field is key should Apple officially announce a decision to build a Maps replacement, banishing Google's service from the iPhone platform by the end of the year, as a recent report from the Wall Street Journal indicated.

Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, Google Maps has served as the default map app and is now used by more than 90 percent of U.S. iPhone users.The breakup could turn out to be an expensive one for Google as the ongoing war for mobile supremacy continues. By some estimates, ads associated with maps or locations accounted for 25 percent of all spending on mobile ads.

"Apple is aiming squarely at Google on multiple dimensions," Rajeev Chand, a managing director at investment bank Rutberg & Co., told the WSJ citing mapping and Web search. "Google and Apple are in a battle over data, devices, services, and the future of computing. This is the historic battle of today."

Beyond potential revenue streams, developing an in-house platform gives Apple more control over its product and ultimate user experience.With Apple expected to demonstrate its new software next week during its annual WWDC developer?s conference on June 11, this may have been Google?s last chance to make a statement.

This article comes from:http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/06/06/google-promises-next-dimension-in-maps-with-apple-breakup-looming/

Apple eyes new stores in two Chinese cities as iPad suit continues

Opening stores in Shenzhen and Chengdu will be a big boost for Apple's China business, which currently has only five stores on the mainland, three in Shanghai and two in Beijing.

In April, Apple reported quarterly profit that almost doubled after a jump in iPhone sales, particularly for the greater China region.
But the possibility of selling iPads in Shenzhen could lead to more legal action after Roger Xie, a lawyer for Proview Technology (Shenzhen), told Reuters that if Apple tried to sell the popular tablets there, Proview would seek an injunction to stop them.
Apple and Proview are battling it out in the Higher People's Court in Guangzhou over the right to use the iPad trademark, which Proview contends it owns. Xie said both sides are currently undergoing court-mediated negotiations.

Apple's flagship stores are normally packed with people tinkering with the latest iPad or iPhone and its product launches draw huge crowds. But the company faces the problem of unauthorized re-sellers in less wealthy cities selling smuggled imports of its products.

Apple also faces a huge amount of piracy, a problem so pervasive in China that even entire fake Apple stores have been created where employees thought they actually worked for Apple.

Apple submitted documents on Monday to the Shenzhen government to open a store in Holiday Plaza, an upscale mall in the Nanshan district, according to an official with the Market Supervision Administration who would only give his last name as Ni."Apple is in the final stage and only needs to submit an environmental permit in order to gain approval," he said.



In Chengdu, in southwestern China, Apple received approval in late May to set up a business unit to handle retail sales and after-sales service, according to an official with the Chengdu Industry and Commerce Administration bureau.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment. Apple's China website showed that the company was hiring Apple Store sales staff in Chengdu and Shenzhen

This article comes from:http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/06/us-apple-china-idUSBRE85506M20120606