Apple iPad tablet makes debut (live blog)
The scene outside San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts before Wednesday morning's big Apple event.James Martin/CNETInside the building, awaiting Steve Jobs.James Martin/CNETA seat and small table on stage--that's not typical for these events.James Martin/CNET9:53 a.m. PST: OK, we're all settled inside Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, where the event should get going in just under 10 minutes. I'm with CNET reviewer Donald Bell, who will be providing some occasional commentary today. The place is packed already, and Bob Dylan is on the speakers. The stage is a bit of a different setup than we've seen at these events before, with a comfortable-looking leather chair and table set up on the left.10:01 a.m.: Lights are lowering, and music is getting turned down. Here we go.10:01 a.m.: Steve Jobs takes the stage to a standing ovation.Steve Jobs takes the stageJames Martin/CNET10:02 a.m.: He says he wants to kick off 2010 by introducing a truly magical and revolutionary product today. But first a few updates to other products.iPods are up first. Steve says the 250 millionth iPod was sold last week.10:03 a.m.: Now he's talking about retail stores. And another store, the App Store, is an "incredible phenomenon" he says. With 140,000 apps in the App Store, there have been 3 billion downloads over the past 18 months10:04 a.m.: Finally, he shows an old photo of himself and Woz and says since they started the company in 1976, and now they have a company making $15.6 billion in revenue. "Apple is an over-$50 billion company now," he says.Jobs shows a photo of he and fellow Apple founder Steve Wozniak.James Martin/CNET10:05 a.m.: He is going to explain where the revenue comes from: iPods, iPhones, and Macs. "What's interesting," he says, is that iPods, iPhones, and Macs are mobile devices. Apple is a mobile device company. "That's what we do."10:06 a.m.: Apple is the largest mobile devices company in the world now, by revenue, according to Jobs. He says this includes Sony, Samsung, and Nokia's mobile devices units.10:06 a.m.: That's the end of the updates. Now to the main event.He shows a photo of Moses holding a tablet. "I chuckled when I saw this."10:07 a.m.: Quick history lesson: The 1991 PowerBook is on the screen now. It's the first modern laptop, he tells us.He shows the 2007 original iPhone, too."All of us use laptops and smartphones now," he says. "The question has arisen lately, is there room for a third category of device in the middle?"10:09 a.m.: In order to create a new category of devices, they have to be really good at doing some important things, he says. That includes Web browsing, e-mail, photos, watching video, listening to music, playing games, and reading e-books.10:09 a.m.: Some people have thought that's a Netbook, he says. "The problem is Netbooks aren't better at anything," he says to loud laughter and applause."They're just cheap laptops. We think we have something better."10:10 a.m.: iPad is the name.Jobs announces the iPad.James Martin/CNET10:10 a.m.: It's a giant iPod Touch-looking device, just like we thought. Same home button, same bezel.10:11 a.m.: You can browse the Web with it, using the touch screen to navigate.10:11 a.m.: It can be oriented to landscape or portrait mode.10:12 a.m.: He shows e-mail, Facebook, and The New York Times as examples of sites to visit. The virtual keyboard is landscape.Jobs demoing the iPad.James Martin/CNET10:12 a.m.: There's a calendar and address book for contacts. And maps using Google Maps, too.10:13 a.m.: The iPad will have access to the iTunes Store. 10:13 a.m.: You can also watch YouTube, TV shows, and movies on it. Now Jobs is going to demo the device for us.10:14 a.m.: He takes a seat in that leather chair, reclining like he's in a living room.Jobs takes iPad for a spin.James Martin/CNETYou slide to unlock the screen just like an iPhone. He pulls up The New York Times again. Shows how you can scroll up and down, zoom with his fingers.10:16 a.m.: He clicks the Safari bookmark bar to pick other sites like Time.com and Fandango. He stresses that you get the "whole web site" not just a mobile version of these sites.10:17 a.m.: Now onto e-mail. There's a dropdown in-box menu on the left, while the text of emails show up on the right. You can zoom in on images in the body of the email, tap to open PDF attachments.10:18 a.m.: Now he's pretending to send an e-mail to two of his execs at Apple, Phil Schiller and Scott Forstall.E-mail attachments on the iPadJames Martin/CNET10:20 a.m.: Photos can be viewed in stacks organized by events, and viewed in portrait or landscape. You sort through by flicking with your finger. A bottom bar looks like a film strip you can scroll through to see all photos in an album. Can organize by faces, places, or events, just like iPhoto.Editor's note: Meanwhile, CNET's Ina Fried notes that all the tablet chatter has Twitter on a delay. Posts are taking 8 or 9 minutes to show up on the site. Reporter Caroline McCarthy wrote up that story here.It can also do built-in slideshows from a drop-down menu, which he's demoing now.Photos on the iPadJames Martin/CNET10:21 a.m.: Now on to music. It has a "built-in iPod," he says.10:22 a.m.: It plays your music and displays album artwork. You can scroll through your music library from a menu on the left. When you select an album, a pop-up window will show all the songs on that album.10:23 a.m.: We're getting an iTunes demo now. You can buy movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, and iTunes U stuff.iTunes on the iPad.James Martin/CNET10:23 a.m.: He runs through the calendar and contacts real quick. But now he's showing maps.10:24 a.m.: It works just like Google Maps on an iPhone.10:25 a.m.: YouTube HD videos are up now. You can watch videos in portrait or landscape.Nice resolutionJames Martin/CNET10:26 a.m.: He shows how you can watch downloaded movies and TV shows, too. With movies (he picked "Star Trek"), you can jump ahead to particular chapters you want to watch from a menu that appears on the left.10:27 a.m.: He's showing his favorite sequence from "Up" now--a Pixar movie of course."And that gives you an overview of what the iPad can do," he says.10:28 a.m.: He's going to talk specs now. The iPad is 0.5 inches thin and weighs 1.5 pounds. A 9.7-inch IPS display, the same display used in the latest-generation iMac.10:29 a.m.: It has a full capacitive multitouch screen, and a 1Ghz custom Apple chip called A4. It's the most advanced chip they've done, he says: processor, graphics, i/o memory controller on one chip. It can have 16, 32, or 64GB of SSD storage. Jobs offers up iPad stats.James Martin/CNET10:29 a.m.: It has 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, a compass, and 10-hour battery life.The battery life elicits some enthusiastic applause from the audience.There's also one month of standby battery life. You can leave it asleep and not use it for 30 days.Green checkJames Martin/CNET10:31 a.m.: Back to software. Scott Forstall, senior vice president of iPhone software, is going to talk to us about the App Store now.10:32 a.m.: The iPad can run virtually every app unmodified from the App Store. They do that by running them centered and small in the middle of the screen, or they can double the pixels to make them fill the screen of the iPad.With Facebook, for example, you can play with the standard iPhone app version of it or click the 2x button on the bottom right and the app window blows up to fit the screen.Facebook on the iPadJames Martin/CNET10:34 a.m.: Forstall demos a game for us. Just like with Facebook, he starts with the app window small and centered on the screen and later selects full screen.10:35 a.m.: All the apps you already have will work on the iPad. But developers can also modify the apps themselves to fit the screen."That's what we did for our apps," Forstall says.The iPhone SDK now supports development for the iPad as well. The new SDK will come out today.Apple's Scott Forstall takes the stage to talk apps and the developer kit.James Martin/CNET10:36 a.m.: There's an iPad simulator included.10:37 a.m.: Apple will feature apps built specifically for the iPad "front and center," on the App Store, he says.Some developers who've already had a peek at the iPad SDK are going to show us what they've come up with in a few weeks. First up, Gameloft, a game developer often featured at iPhone events.10:40 a.m.: A Gameloft representative shows a first-person shooter game that was made for the iPad. Its default is the full-screen mode. Like iPhone games, you can use the accelerometer to navigate and the touch screen to drag items around the screen.10:40 a.m.: Editor's note: Meanwhile, Apple's stock is down more than 2 percent on the day, trading at around $200 a share (although it is a down day overall for the market).10:40 a.m.: Now, The New York Times is getting its turn. 10:41 a.m.: Martin Nisenholtz from the NYT has been working with the iPad for three weeks. 10:43 a.m.: They've taken the iPhone app version of the NYT app and make it for the iPad. You can scroll from left to right, save articles to a reading list (which will sync to an iPhone for later reading), tap to change the number of columns, resize text by pinching, and navigate via a bar on the bottom of the screen. You can click "update" and it will automatically bring in the latest stories.The New York Times on the iPadJames Martin/CNET10:43 a.m.: Now a painting app for the iPhone, called Brushes, is going to be demoed. The developer behind it, Steve Sprang, takes the stage.10:45 a.m.: You can scroll from left to right through paintings, and with pop-up windows you can pick colors, brushes, and other tools. If you want to share, you can send to Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, etc. Brushes app on the iPadJames Martin/CNETBrushes app in actionJames Martin/CNET10:46 a.m.: Electronic Arts is getting its turn now. 10:48 a.m.: "Need for Speed," is the game they're showing. They said it took "a very short amount of time" to rework it from the iPhone to the iPad version. That means they can redo all of their iPhone games pretty quickly.Travis Boatman, a VP for Electronic Arts, demos a car racing game on the iPad.James Martin/CNET10:49 a.m.: MLB.com is up now. 10:50 a.m.: "We couldn't just take our existing iPhone app and make it bigger," MLB's Chad Evans says.10:51 a.m.: You can scroll through the scoreboard on the top, see the virtual Gameday version of a game, but with a bunch of screen space you can also watch highlight videos in the same window. On the bottom you can scroll through a team's lineup, click on players and their baseball card pops in a small window.You can also watch full-screen live video of games.MLB's Chad Evans demos MLB.com app for the iPad.James Martin/CNET10:53 a.m.: Jobs is back. He puts a picture of the Kindle on screen. "Amazon's done a great job of pioneering this functionality with the Kindle. We're going to stand on their shoulders and go a bit further."The new app is called iBooks. 10:54 a.m.: You can choose books from what looks like an actual bookshelf. On the upper left is a button that leads to the iBook Store. Can download books right to the iPad. All five major publishers (Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, MacMillan, and Hachette) are on the bookstore starting this afternoon.Bookshelf on iBooksJames Martin/CNETNow we're getting a demo of the books app.10:55 a.m.: The user interface is exactly like iTunes or the App Store.iBooks interfaceJames Martin/CNET10:56 a.m.: To read a book, you tap on it and it opens to be read via portrait or landscape. Tap anywhere on the right to flip forward in pages, tap on the left to go back. You can also pick up a page and lift it by dragging your finger right to left.10:57 a.m.: A scroll bar on the bottom shows your progress through the book and what page you're on.You can also change font and size if you want.10:58 a.m.: It uses the ePub format. Not just popular books, but textbooks are coming as well.But he moves on quickly without giving any detail about textbooks.iBooks on the iPadJames Martin/CNET10:59 a.m.: Now Jobs is talking about iWork, and invites Phil Schiller, senior vice president of product marketing, to give more details.11:00 a.m.: The iWork team has reworked the software for the iPad, including a brand new version of Keynote to make presentations with touch input only.Also new versions of Pages and Numbers. 11:02 a.m.: Schiller is demoing those for us now.Demo of Keynote presentation software.James Martin/CNET11:09 a.m.: First he runs through all the multitouch features of Keynote. Then he moves on to the way you can create page layouts with Pages by scrolling, do automatic text wrapping by putting images on pages with text already on them, and change column numbers with popup menus. With Numbers, you can also create a spreadsheet with just touch input. You can drag spreadsheet columns by dragging, and add rows of data. By clicking on a column, a pop-up calculator appears to input numbers or calculations.11:10 a.m.: A quick sidenote while they wrap up that demo: We still haven't heard anything about a cellular connection for this device. Jobs has only indicated that there's Wi-Fi so far.11:11 a.m.: Back to iWork: Schiller says each iWork application will cost $9.99.11:12 a.m.: Jobs is back to talk about iTunes. The iPad syncs via USB to a Mac or PC. That will sync your photos, music, contacts, everything--just like an iPod or iPhone.11:13 a.m.: Now on to wireless networking. All iPads have Wi-Fi. We're also going to have models with 3G, he says. (I guess I spoke too soon.)11:14 a.m.: It's a "real breakthrough," he says. Two plans: 250MB of data every month for $15.The second plan: unlimited plan for $30 per month. AT&T is the provider.Free use of AT&T Wi-Fi hot spots is included too.11:15 a.m.: Customers don't have to go to an AT&T store to activate it. They can do it right on the iPad. There is no contract; both plans are pre-paid. This also elicits some excited applause.International 3G plans won't be available until June. All iPads are unlocked. They use GSM micro SIMs.11:16 a.m.: This summer, there will be "even better deals" for international customers, Jobs says.11:18 a.m.: The price is coming up now. If you listen to the pundits, we're going to price it under $1,000, he says.We had a very aggressive price goal, he says. 11:18 a.m.: It's $499.11:19 a.m.: To start, anyway, at 16GB.iPad starts at $499.James Martin/CNETPricing is: $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB. To get 3G, add $130 to each. So 3G costs are: $629, $729, and $829.11:20 a.m.: They'll start shipping Wi-Fi models everywhere in 60 days.The 3G models will be shipping in 90 days.11:21 a.m.: There are accessories for this thing too. A charging dock you can use to display the iPad in portrait. Also a keyboard dock, so you don't have to use a virtual keyboard all the time."When you really need to do a lot of typing, this is the way to go," Jobs says.Keyboard that also serves as an iPad stand.James Martin/CNETAn iPad stand.James Martin/CNET11:22 a.m.: A black case is available, too, that can flip open to be a stand for viewing the device.He's showing us one of their standard marketing videos featuring designer Jonathan Ive, Phil Schiller, and co.Editor's note: Meanwhile, CNET's Ina Fried just posted a story noting how people must be banging their heads on a wall in Redmond. The company has been working on tablets for 10 years.11:30 a.m.: The video's over, and Jobs is back.11:31 a.m.: He says that because 75 million people already own iPod Touches and iPhones, that's all people who already know how to use the iPad.11:32 a.m.: He says 125 million credit cards are already hooked up to iTunes and the App Store, so they're scaled and ready for new customers.11:34 a.m.: There's a hands-on area where we can go and check out the iPad for ourselves.11:35 a.m.: And that's it. Thanks for following our blog today. We'll have lots of follow-up coverage and analysis, so please check back with CNET throughout the day.The iPad is now up on Apples' site at http://www.apple.com/ipad/.One note, though: You can't order it yet from Apple. There's just a button to be notified when it is available for orderUp close with the Apple iPad (photos)See full gallery1 - 4 / 8NextPrev
iTunes Store could be slated for a major overhaul this year
iTunes Store could be slated for a major overhaul this year
iTunes users who've been wishing for a kinder, gentler version of the online store may finally get their wish.Apple is said to be prepping a redesign of the iTunes Store and the App Store for later this year, says 9to5Mac. The goal would be to make the store simpler and help people more easily and quickly find the content they need.Apple has reportedly told its various music and entertainment partners that it wants to make the iTunes Store a "much more engaging experience," 9to5Mac added. The redesign is considered a "top priority" for Apple in light of rival operations such as Amazon's online music store and Spotify's music streaming service.The overhaul would affect the iTunes experience for music, movies, TV shows, and apps but could include the iBookstore as well. Changes to the iOS mobile versions of the iTunes Store and App Store are likely in the works as well.Still unknown, however, is whether the revamp would extend to the actual iTunes desktop application, says 9to5Mac. It's possible Apple would redo its online store but only unveil a small update to iTunes 10.Well, here's one iTunes user hoping Apple will revamp the iTunes application as well.Related storiesHow to delete unwanted iOS apps from iTunesHow to browse the iTunes App Store on AndroidApple counting down to 25 billion app downloadsThe iTunes desktop app began life as a relatively simple way to synchronize your iPod content with your computer. But over the years, the program has become more complicated, more bloated, and more confusing.I teach an iPad class for adults in my spare hours. The students typically find the iPad fairly intuitive and enjoy learning its various features.But when I show them iTunes, their eyes start to glaze over as if they can't understand why they need to use this cumbersome piece of software.Apple has continually focused on adding new features, such as Ping and iTunes Match, but in so doing has also turned iTunes into a beast of a program.I run iTunes primarily on a Windows 7 PC. Of all the software I use, iTunes gives me the most amount of trouble. It freezes, it hangs, it crashes. To be fair, the last few versions have improved the stability somewhat. Version 10 doesn't freeze or crash as often as did the previous versions. But it still reeks of software that definitely needs an overhaul with an eye toward simplicity and reliability.So a redesign of the iTunes Store and App Store would be a step in the right direction. But what we really need is a kinder and gentler iTunes app itself.
iTunes users who've been wishing for a kinder, gentler version of the online store may finally get their wish.Apple is said to be prepping a redesign of the iTunes Store and the App Store for later this year, says 9to5Mac. The goal would be to make the store simpler and help people more easily and quickly find the content they need.Apple has reportedly told its various music and entertainment partners that it wants to make the iTunes Store a "much more engaging experience," 9to5Mac added. The redesign is considered a "top priority" for Apple in light of rival operations such as Amazon's online music store and Spotify's music streaming service.The overhaul would affect the iTunes experience for music, movies, TV shows, and apps but could include the iBookstore as well. Changes to the iOS mobile versions of the iTunes Store and App Store are likely in the works as well.Still unknown, however, is whether the revamp would extend to the actual iTunes desktop application, says 9to5Mac. It's possible Apple would redo its online store but only unveil a small update to iTunes 10.Well, here's one iTunes user hoping Apple will revamp the iTunes application as well.Related storiesHow to delete unwanted iOS apps from iTunesHow to browse the iTunes App Store on AndroidApple counting down to 25 billion app downloadsThe iTunes desktop app began life as a relatively simple way to synchronize your iPod content with your computer. But over the years, the program has become more complicated, more bloated, and more confusing.I teach an iPad class for adults in my spare hours. The students typically find the iPad fairly intuitive and enjoy learning its various features.But when I show them iTunes, their eyes start to glaze over as if they can't understand why they need to use this cumbersome piece of software.Apple has continually focused on adding new features, such as Ping and iTunes Match, but in so doing has also turned iTunes into a beast of a program.I run iTunes primarily on a Windows 7 PC. Of all the software I use, iTunes gives me the most amount of trouble. It freezes, it hangs, it crashes. To be fair, the last few versions have improved the stability somewhat. Version 10 doesn't freeze or crash as often as did the previous versions. But it still reeks of software that definitely needs an overhaul with an eye toward simplicity and reliability.So a redesign of the iTunes Store and App Store would be a step in the right direction. But what we really need is a kinder and gentler iTunes app itself.
Apple to Podcaster- No App Store for you
Apple to Podcaster: No App Store for you
Apple's App Store policies are really starting to frustrate application developers.Over the weekend, a good old-fashioned Internet-style kerfuffle arose over Apple's decision to reject Podcaster--an iPhone application that lets people download podcasts directly to their devices without going through iTunes--from the App Store. The developer of the application said that Apple told him the application "duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes," apparently making it unfit for the App Store. This has been a persistent question hanging over Apple's decision to vet every single iPhone and iPod Touch application sold through the App Store, the only official source of iPhone and iPod Touch applications. How will Apple choose to wield this power? The rejection of Pull My Finger and I Am Rich didn't cause as many waves as the execution of NetShare, but the exact parameters remain a mystery.Back in March, the company said it would prohibit applications that took up a lot of bandwidth, or delivered porn, but they have never explicitly stated what is permissible and what isn't. And without any guidelines, developers have no way of knowing whether their application will be included in the only official market for iPhone applications until after they've done all the work on it.I can't help but be reminded of the Soup Nazi, brought to life by Bill Gates' new best friend Jerry Seinfeld. Watch the clip if you don't remember, or were in grade school when that came out, but if you didn't order soup from the Soup Nazi in the exact right way, without asking any questions or voicing concerns--procedures that you were somehow just expected to know--no soup for you.On Friday, Fraser Spiers, creator of Exposure, lashed out at Apple's lack of explicit policies regarding iPhone application development. "Apple's current practice of rejecting certain applications at the final hurdle - submission to the App Store - is disastrous for investor confidence. Developers are investing time and resources in the App Store marketplace and, if developers aren't confident, they won't invest in it. If developers - and serious developers at that - don't invest, what's the point?"It's understandable that Apple might want to control the development of iPhone applications with an iron fist, given that the company attempts to control absolutely every last detail of its activities with an iron fist. And there are benign reasons for wanting to control application development so tightly, such as ensuring quality and security.But in another example of what we've seen so far this summer, Apple's recent mistakes involve communication, or the lack thereof. If the company would just come out and explain to developers what type of applications will be rejected, and why, developers could make a conscious decision about whetherto invest their time and money in developing their application.Instead, Apple is giving developers a choice: they can take the risk of guessing whethertheir application will pass muster, or they can steer clear of developing any application that might infringe on Apple's current or future plans; without knowing what those might be, of course. As Harry McCracken put it (via Daring Fireball), "Way back when, if software distribution for the Mac had been handled via a Mac App Store with a don't-duplicate-Apple-products policy, Photoshop might have been refused distribution on the grounds that it was too similar to MacPaint."The end result is that Apple's attempt to control third-party development might be re-encouraging the growth of the jailbreaking market once again: iPhone OS 2.1 is already open to jailbroken applications.
Apple's App Store policies are really starting to frustrate application developers.Over the weekend, a good old-fashioned Internet-style kerfuffle arose over Apple's decision to reject Podcaster--an iPhone application that lets people download podcasts directly to their devices without going through iTunes--from the App Store. The developer of the application said that Apple told him the application "duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes," apparently making it unfit for the App Store. This has been a persistent question hanging over Apple's decision to vet every single iPhone and iPod Touch application sold through the App Store, the only official source of iPhone and iPod Touch applications. How will Apple choose to wield this power? The rejection of Pull My Finger and I Am Rich didn't cause as many waves as the execution of NetShare, but the exact parameters remain a mystery.Back in March, the company said it would prohibit applications that took up a lot of bandwidth, or delivered porn, but they have never explicitly stated what is permissible and what isn't. And without any guidelines, developers have no way of knowing whether their application will be included in the only official market for iPhone applications until after they've done all the work on it.I can't help but be reminded of the Soup Nazi, brought to life by Bill Gates' new best friend Jerry Seinfeld. Watch the clip if you don't remember, or were in grade school when that came out, but if you didn't order soup from the Soup Nazi in the exact right way, without asking any questions or voicing concerns--procedures that you were somehow just expected to know--no soup for you.On Friday, Fraser Spiers, creator of Exposure, lashed out at Apple's lack of explicit policies regarding iPhone application development. "Apple's current practice of rejecting certain applications at the final hurdle - submission to the App Store - is disastrous for investor confidence. Developers are investing time and resources in the App Store marketplace and, if developers aren't confident, they won't invest in it. If developers - and serious developers at that - don't invest, what's the point?"It's understandable that Apple might want to control the development of iPhone applications with an iron fist, given that the company attempts to control absolutely every last detail of its activities with an iron fist. And there are benign reasons for wanting to control application development so tightly, such as ensuring quality and security.But in another example of what we've seen so far this summer, Apple's recent mistakes involve communication, or the lack thereof. If the company would just come out and explain to developers what type of applications will be rejected, and why, developers could make a conscious decision about whetherto invest their time and money in developing their application.Instead, Apple is giving developers a choice: they can take the risk of guessing whethertheir application will pass muster, or they can steer clear of developing any application that might infringe on Apple's current or future plans; without knowing what those might be, of course. As Harry McCracken put it (via Daring Fireball), "Way back when, if software distribution for the Mac had been handled via a Mac App Store with a don't-duplicate-Apple-products policy, Photoshop might have been refused distribution on the grounds that it was too similar to MacPaint."The end result is that Apple's attempt to control third-party development might be re-encouraging the growth of the jailbreaking market once again: iPhone OS 2.1 is already open to jailbroken applications.
Speculation surfaces re Retina iPad update and Mini pricing
Speculation surfaces re Retina iPad update and Mini pricing
Apple's 9.7-inch Retina iPad may get refreshed, according to a report.And a separate report offers some speculation about iPad Mini pricing.The Retina iPad will get a Lightning connector like the iPhone 5, according to 9to5Mac, citing unidentified sources. And, if true, that may not be all. The updated 9.7-inch Retina iPad could address issues with the first-generation Retina product.That includes making it lighter and improving the LED backlight apparatus, according to a previous CNET report, based on comments from Richard Shim, a DisplaySearch analyst. "We are seeing [Apple] work with panel makers to come out with a display that enables a thinner overall [product] with longer battery life," Shim told CNET in September. Of course, it can't be emphasized enough that this is speculation, as a physical design refresh coming roughly seven months after the Retina iPad was announced would be an odd move by Apple.In September, Shim said he had no definitive evidence of a finished product, as his sources were in the Asia "supply chain" of manufacturing and assembly companies, whose product supply status can change from month to month. Another potential feature update is a new global LTE radio.Related storiesDid Apple settle on Plan B for the third-generation iPad?iPad Mini: What to expect on October 23A second report at 9to5Mac said the Wi-Fi-only iPad Mini is likely to start at a "minimum of $329," while higher capacity models would get the standard pricing treatment: $100 and $200 premiums, depending on storage capacity. The report couched this as a "best guess" based on information from unidentified sources. Versions with 4G/LTE capability could get a $130 premium in addition to the standard larger storage capacity premiums.That would keep the least expensive iPod Touch, at $299, cheaper than the cheapest iPad Mini.And, finally, 9to5Mac says leaks point to a rollout of iBooks 3.0 at next week's Apple event. Apple is expected to announce the iPad Mini and other products at an October 23 special event, which CNET will be live-blogging. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's 9.7-inch Retina iPad may get refreshed, according to a report.And a separate report offers some speculation about iPad Mini pricing.The Retina iPad will get a Lightning connector like the iPhone 5, according to 9to5Mac, citing unidentified sources. And, if true, that may not be all. The updated 9.7-inch Retina iPad could address issues with the first-generation Retina product.That includes making it lighter and improving the LED backlight apparatus, according to a previous CNET report, based on comments from Richard Shim, a DisplaySearch analyst. "We are seeing [Apple] work with panel makers to come out with a display that enables a thinner overall [product] with longer battery life," Shim told CNET in September. Of course, it can't be emphasized enough that this is speculation, as a physical design refresh coming roughly seven months after the Retina iPad was announced would be an odd move by Apple.In September, Shim said he had no definitive evidence of a finished product, as his sources were in the Asia "supply chain" of manufacturing and assembly companies, whose product supply status can change from month to month. Another potential feature update is a new global LTE radio.Related storiesDid Apple settle on Plan B for the third-generation iPad?iPad Mini: What to expect on October 23A second report at 9to5Mac said the Wi-Fi-only iPad Mini is likely to start at a "minimum of $329," while higher capacity models would get the standard pricing treatment: $100 and $200 premiums, depending on storage capacity. The report couched this as a "best guess" based on information from unidentified sources. Versions with 4G/LTE capability could get a $130 premium in addition to the standard larger storage capacity premiums.That would keep the least expensive iPod Touch, at $299, cheaper than the cheapest iPad Mini.And, finally, 9to5Mac says leaks point to a rollout of iBooks 3.0 at next week's Apple event. Apple is expected to announce the iPad Mini and other products at an October 23 special event, which CNET will be live-blogging. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
IP Camera turns your iPhone into a security cam
IP Camera turns your iPhone into a security cam
The iPhone has many applications that let you view Web cams from around the world, but what about turning your phone into a remote camera of its own? A new app called IP Camera (warning: iTunes link) does just that. This $1.99 tool takes a photo from your iPhone's camera every 12 to 15 seconds, then posts it to a local Web page that can be accessed from other computers on the same network.All that's needed for setup is to make sure your phone is on Wi-Fi, then to jot down the special local HTTP address it gives you. It will keep running until you quit the application manually or get a phone call; although like any good iPhone app it starts right back up when you're done with a call.While there are very few bells and whistles, this app worked really well in my testing with an iPhone 3G. Although one big thing that's missing is a way to archive the photos it takes. You can temporarily stop its stream of photos, then save whichever one it's on, but it does not keep a "recents" on its Web page, or on your phone's camera roll. I'd also like to see a way to change the frequency in which it takes photos, which could keep it from zapping too much juice if you're using it while disconnected from a power plug. And a way to run it with the display off would be nice too, since hitting the sleep button freezes the app into re-sending the same shot over and over again. Tip: the iPod universal dock and iPhone 3G dock are both angled in such a way that makes it incredibly easy to perch your phone on a bookshelf or on top of a coworker's cube and get a great view. They'll never suspect you're watching their every move.Related: DIY home surveillance with a WebcamThe IP Camera app turns your iPhone into a mini server, taking photos every 15 seconds and posting them almost-live to a Web page.CNET
The iPhone has many applications that let you view Web cams from around the world, but what about turning your phone into a remote camera of its own? A new app called IP Camera (warning: iTunes link) does just that. This $1.99 tool takes a photo from your iPhone's camera every 12 to 15 seconds, then posts it to a local Web page that can be accessed from other computers on the same network.All that's needed for setup is to make sure your phone is on Wi-Fi, then to jot down the special local HTTP address it gives you. It will keep running until you quit the application manually or get a phone call; although like any good iPhone app it starts right back up when you're done with a call.While there are very few bells and whistles, this app worked really well in my testing with an iPhone 3G. Although one big thing that's missing is a way to archive the photos it takes. You can temporarily stop its stream of photos, then save whichever one it's on, but it does not keep a "recents" on its Web page, or on your phone's camera roll. I'd also like to see a way to change the frequency in which it takes photos, which could keep it from zapping too much juice if you're using it while disconnected from a power plug. And a way to run it with the display off would be nice too, since hitting the sleep button freezes the app into re-sending the same shot over and over again. Tip: the iPod universal dock and iPhone 3G dock are both angled in such a way that makes it incredibly easy to perch your phone on a bookshelf or on top of a coworker's cube and get a great view. They'll never suspect you're watching their every move.Related: DIY home surveillance with a WebcamThe IP Camera app turns your iPhone into a mini server, taking photos every 15 seconds and posting them almost-live to a Web page.CNET
Wallet App addresses iPhone security flaws (Review)
Wallet App addresses iPhone security flaws (Review)
Wallet's nicest feature across all versions is that it lets you synchronize your encrypted Wallet database to multiple Macs, iPhones, or iPod Touches using MobileMe. All these devices share the same database, and sync setup is performed by completing a few minor configuration steps on each device. You can also sync directly between the devices and your Mac using Wi-Fi. MobileMe SyncAcrylic SoftwareWallet lets you do some serious customizing to meet your needs. You can complete all data entry on your iPhone and customize how your data is stored by extending group fields without any limits. You can add attachments to any record, but unfortunately only using the desktop version of Wallet. Wallet's easy search feature, which works like the one in the Apple Contacts app, finds what you're looking for quickly and easily.Casual editing on the mobile version of Wallet will suffice, but the iPhone's lack of cut-and-paste tools makes mass editing difficult; for that, we prefer the desktop version. The desktop version also offers other powerful features not available on the mobile version, including a password generator. If you're concerned about security on your iPhone, certainly consider Wallet, which addresses some, but not all of the iPhone's security problems. Wallet can protect your data if you entrust it with your private information, but it won't protect native Apple iPhone applications--for those, you're stuck until Apple includes encryption features in its own applications.
Wallet's nicest feature across all versions is that it lets you synchronize your encrypted Wallet database to multiple Macs, iPhones, or iPod Touches using MobileMe. All these devices share the same database, and sync setup is performed by completing a few minor configuration steps on each device. You can also sync directly between the devices and your Mac using Wi-Fi. MobileMe SyncAcrylic SoftwareWallet lets you do some serious customizing to meet your needs. You can complete all data entry on your iPhone and customize how your data is stored by extending group fields without any limits. You can add attachments to any record, but unfortunately only using the desktop version of Wallet. Wallet's easy search feature, which works like the one in the Apple Contacts app, finds what you're looking for quickly and easily.Casual editing on the mobile version of Wallet will suffice, but the iPhone's lack of cut-and-paste tools makes mass editing difficult; for that, we prefer the desktop version. The desktop version also offers other powerful features not available on the mobile version, including a password generator. If you're concerned about security on your iPhone, certainly consider Wallet, which addresses some, but not all of the iPhone's security problems. Wallet can protect your data if you entrust it with your private information, but it won't protect native Apple iPhone applications--for those, you're stuck until Apple includes encryption features in its own applications.
Walkman beats iPod in Japan, if only for a moment
Walkman beats iPod in Japan, if only for a moment
Sales of Sony's Walkman line beat those of Apple's iPod line in Japan for the month of August, according to survey results released Thursday by BCN, a Tokyo-based research firm. During August, Sony took a 47.8 percent share of the portable music player market, while Apple captured 44 percent. This marks the first time that Sony has inched ahead of Apple in a monthly tally since BCN began its surveys in 2001.If it sounds like you've heard this news before, well, that's because you have. Sort of. It was a year ago almost to the day that BCN reported higher sales for Sony's player in late August--but that victory was just for a single week.Of course, timing is everything. In both cases, the Walkman outsold the iPod just ahead of Apple's annual refresh of its iPod lineup. So Sony likely received a temporary boost from customers who held off buying iPods until the new models hit the market in September, according to BCN. The survey results also include only dedicated music players, leaving out Apple's iPhone.But also, BCN said, the Japanese electronics giant has been trying to push more affordable products, a strategy that may have helped Walkman sales last month as well.Collectively, Apple and Sony own 90 percent of the portable audio player market in Japan, with about a dozen other vendors duking it out for the remaining 10 percent, according to BCN (Google Translate version).On Wednesday, meanwhile, Sony used the IFA show in Berlin to unveil its new, cloud-based Music Unlimited service, venturing once again into waters dominated by Apple's iTunes service.
Sales of Sony's Walkman line beat those of Apple's iPod line in Japan for the month of August, according to survey results released Thursday by BCN, a Tokyo-based research firm. During August, Sony took a 47.8 percent share of the portable music player market, while Apple captured 44 percent. This marks the first time that Sony has inched ahead of Apple in a monthly tally since BCN began its surveys in 2001.If it sounds like you've heard this news before, well, that's because you have. Sort of. It was a year ago almost to the day that BCN reported higher sales for Sony's player in late August--but that victory was just for a single week.Of course, timing is everything. In both cases, the Walkman outsold the iPod just ahead of Apple's annual refresh of its iPod lineup. So Sony likely received a temporary boost from customers who held off buying iPods until the new models hit the market in September, according to BCN. The survey results also include only dedicated music players, leaving out Apple's iPhone.But also, BCN said, the Japanese electronics giant has been trying to push more affordable products, a strategy that may have helped Walkman sales last month as well.Collectively, Apple and Sony own 90 percent of the portable audio player market in Japan, with about a dozen other vendors duking it out for the remaining 10 percent, according to BCN (Google Translate version).On Wednesday, meanwhile, Sony used the IFA show in Berlin to unveil its new, cloud-based Music Unlimited service, venturing once again into waters dominated by Apple's iTunes service.
Come fly with me- iPhone airport managers
Come fly with me: iPhone airport managers
Gaming, at its core, is all about living out our inner fantasies; playing as Navy Seals, F1 drivers or galaxy-saving space marines. If your fantasy is more along the lines of managing airport traffic then we've stumbled across a few iPhone games that may appease those secret pen-pushing, desk-jockey desires.Flight Control lets you play airport God while the planes are in the air. Its simple design shows a three-path landing zone; one for big planes, one for small planes and a third for helicopters. After you start a new game planes immediately appear on the screen, each with a different trajectory. Your task is to guide them safely onto their respective runways by selecting a plane with your finger and drawing the best path for them to take.The game starts slowly, but you'll soon discover that it isn't a simple matter of drawing a straight line from plane to the start of the runway, and that you'll likely have to draw a large looping path to be sure each plane or helicopter lands with a short interval between. As the tempo builds it becomes increasingly challenging to estimate the distance each plane needs to travel and if their path will collide with any others. Strangely, there's no level system, so you start the game and play until two planes collide and then Game Over.If you want a more involved airport experience then Airport Mania is for you. This game also has you time the taxiing of incoming air traffic, but most of the gameplay takes place on the ground. After a plane lands you need to direct it to a terminal to unload and take on new passengers, and if the plane needs fuel or maintenance you need to make room for them at the gas station and the service hangar.The heart of Airport Mania is time management in the vein of the popular Dinner Rush games. The incoming planes are painted in various colours and you earn multiplying bonus for matching planes with similarly coloured terminals. Both games may lack the thrill of actually flying a plane, but offer something a little different in return for AU$1.19 each.
Gaming, at its core, is all about living out our inner fantasies; playing as Navy Seals, F1 drivers or galaxy-saving space marines. If your fantasy is more along the lines of managing airport traffic then we've stumbled across a few iPhone games that may appease those secret pen-pushing, desk-jockey desires.Flight Control lets you play airport God while the planes are in the air. Its simple design shows a three-path landing zone; one for big planes, one for small planes and a third for helicopters. After you start a new game planes immediately appear on the screen, each with a different trajectory. Your task is to guide them safely onto their respective runways by selecting a plane with your finger and drawing the best path for them to take.The game starts slowly, but you'll soon discover that it isn't a simple matter of drawing a straight line from plane to the start of the runway, and that you'll likely have to draw a large looping path to be sure each plane or helicopter lands with a short interval between. As the tempo builds it becomes increasingly challenging to estimate the distance each plane needs to travel and if their path will collide with any others. Strangely, there's no level system, so you start the game and play until two planes collide and then Game Over.If you want a more involved airport experience then Airport Mania is for you. This game also has you time the taxiing of incoming air traffic, but most of the gameplay takes place on the ground. After a plane lands you need to direct it to a terminal to unload and take on new passengers, and if the plane needs fuel or maintenance you need to make room for them at the gas station and the service hangar.The heart of Airport Mania is time management in the vein of the popular Dinner Rush games. The incoming planes are painted in various colours and you earn multiplying bonus for matching planes with similarly coloured terminals. Both games may lack the thrill of actually flying a plane, but offer something a little different in return for AU$1.19 each.
Comcast Xfinity app now lets you download movies for offline viewing
Comcast Xfinity app now lets you download movies for offline viewing
There are plenty of apps that can stream movies and TV shows to your tablet or smartphone -- Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Netflix... shall I go on? -- but very few that let you download content for offline viewing.That's kind of a bummer, because it means if you want to watch something on, say, an airplane, you have little choice but to buy from iTunes or rip from DVDs.If you're a Comcast subscriber, now you have another option. The newly updated Comcast Xfinity TV Player app (Android|iOS) now offers the enviable ability to download movies and TV shows from four networks: Encore, MoviePlex, Showtime, and Starz.That's kind of a big deal. And it works, too, at least on the iPad and Samsung Galaxy S III that I used for testing. As long as you already have those channels as part of your Comcast subscription, you'll see a Download button alongside the Play button that appears when you browse the app's on-demand content.The app gives you a choice between "medium" and "highest" quality for your downloads, the latter potentially chewing up your available storage in a hurry. To get "21 Jump Street" at highest quality, for example, you'll need 2.4GB of free space. However, the medium-quality version consumes just 478MB -- and to my eyes looked decent enough, especially on smaller screens.Obviously it would be great if this download option extended to all Comcast's offerings, especially HBO, but certainly there's some good viewing to be found here. Showtime, of course, is home to "Homeland," "Dexter," "Episodes," and "Nurse Jackie," among other critically acclaimed series. (Movie selection: meh.) And on Starz I found not only "Boss," "Party Down," and "Torchwood: Miracle Day," but also the aforementioned "21 Jump Street" and "Moneyball."So, yeah, if you're a Comcast pay-channel subscriber, now you can pack your phone or tablet with good stuff for your next flight. Here's hoping some of those other apps I mentioned (cough, HBO Go, cough) will follow Comcast's awesome lead.
There are plenty of apps that can stream movies and TV shows to your tablet or smartphone -- Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Netflix... shall I go on? -- but very few that let you download content for offline viewing.That's kind of a bummer, because it means if you want to watch something on, say, an airplane, you have little choice but to buy from iTunes or rip from DVDs.If you're a Comcast subscriber, now you have another option. The newly updated Comcast Xfinity TV Player app (Android|iOS) now offers the enviable ability to download movies and TV shows from four networks: Encore, MoviePlex, Showtime, and Starz.That's kind of a big deal. And it works, too, at least on the iPad and Samsung Galaxy S III that I used for testing. As long as you already have those channels as part of your Comcast subscription, you'll see a Download button alongside the Play button that appears when you browse the app's on-demand content.The app gives you a choice between "medium" and "highest" quality for your downloads, the latter potentially chewing up your available storage in a hurry. To get "21 Jump Street" at highest quality, for example, you'll need 2.4GB of free space. However, the medium-quality version consumes just 478MB -- and to my eyes looked decent enough, especially on smaller screens.Obviously it would be great if this download option extended to all Comcast's offerings, especially HBO, but certainly there's some good viewing to be found here. Showtime, of course, is home to "Homeland," "Dexter," "Episodes," and "Nurse Jackie," among other critically acclaimed series. (Movie selection: meh.) And on Starz I found not only "Boss," "Party Down," and "Torchwood: Miracle Day," but also the aforementioned "21 Jump Street" and "Moneyball."So, yeah, if you're a Comcast pay-channel subscriber, now you can pack your phone or tablet with good stuff for your next flight. Here's hoping some of those other apps I mentioned (cough, HBO Go, cough) will follow Comcast's awesome lead.
Apple shares slip toward $500 on iPhone 5 demand worries
Apple shares slip toward $500 on iPhone 5 demand worries
Apple's stock today dallied with the $500 mark, and not in a good way.Shares of the iPad and Mac maker closed the day at $501.75, down more than 3 percent, after spending much of the day floating in the $503 range. In the waning moments of the trading day, Apple shares had trended downward as low as $500.07 before rallying in the final five minutes. As trading on the Nasdaq got under way this morning, Apple did very briefly hit $498.51 a few minutes after the opening. The share price had been slipping notably in premarket trading.Apple's investors are unloading shares over news that the company has cut iPhone 5 component orders in half due to weaker-than-expected demand for its new smartphone. That came just weeks after UBS analyst Steven Milunovich cut his iPhone sales estimates by 5 million units in three 2013 quarters, saying that Apple would face increasing trouble selling both its smartphones and tablets.Still, Milunovich isn't so worried about Apple's shares. He wrote in his research note that he expects Apple's shares to hit $700 over the next 12 months.Over the last several months, Apple's shares have been steadily coming down. Apple's 52-week high is $705.07. At a closing price on Friday of $520.30, Apple is closer to its 52-week low of $418.66 than its high. In the last three months alone, Apple's stock has slid 17 percent.Last update at 1:13 p.m. PT: This story was updated several times during the day to reflect intraday shifts in Apple's share price, including the closing price.
Apple's stock today dallied with the $500 mark, and not in a good way.Shares of the iPad and Mac maker closed the day at $501.75, down more than 3 percent, after spending much of the day floating in the $503 range. In the waning moments of the trading day, Apple shares had trended downward as low as $500.07 before rallying in the final five minutes. As trading on the Nasdaq got under way this morning, Apple did very briefly hit $498.51 a few minutes after the opening. The share price had been slipping notably in premarket trading.Apple's investors are unloading shares over news that the company has cut iPhone 5 component orders in half due to weaker-than-expected demand for its new smartphone. That came just weeks after UBS analyst Steven Milunovich cut his iPhone sales estimates by 5 million units in three 2013 quarters, saying that Apple would face increasing trouble selling both its smartphones and tablets.Still, Milunovich isn't so worried about Apple's shares. He wrote in his research note that he expects Apple's shares to hit $700 over the next 12 months.Over the last several months, Apple's shares have been steadily coming down. Apple's 52-week high is $705.07. At a closing price on Friday of $520.30, Apple is closer to its 52-week low of $418.66 than its high. In the last three months alone, Apple's stock has slid 17 percent.Last update at 1:13 p.m. PT: This story was updated several times during the day to reflect intraday shifts in Apple's share price, including the closing price.
Apple shares jump, hover shy of $500 mark
Apple shares jump, hover shy of $500 mark
Today's jump comes alongside expectations of Apple announcing a new version of its iPad next month. A reportfrom All Things Digital this morning that was posted shortly before the market opened, claimed that Apple would be holding that event the first week of March, as well as adding details about what features it would include.Related storiesiPhone 4S propels Apple to massive earningsApple shares close on a high following earnings bumpApple's fiscal 2011 by the numbersApple will reportedly unveil iPad 3 in early MarchApple's stock began its latest surge immediately following the company's first quarter earnings, which were announced January 24. The company posted record revenues and profits, led by all-time sales records for its iPhone, iPad and Mac products. Apple also forecasted earnings for its current quarter that came in ahead of what analysts were expecting. Immediately after the news, shares shot up nearly 8 percent, going on to close the next day up another 6.24 percent.Long before that, the recent surge has been part of a larger recovery of the company's shares since the death of co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs in October. As Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt noted yesterday, the company's share price has gone up about $100 since then; today, they're up a total of $120.67. Apple's soaring valuation will likely get its share of attention at the company's annual shareholder meeting later this month. In a note to investors posted by Fortune earlier this week, UBS said that Apple's management has been "soliciting opinions of large shareholders" about paying a dividend, something that Apple does not currently do, but is frequently asked about.Beyond today's gains, onlookers are eyeing Apple's stock to see if the company's market cap can hit the half trillion dollar mark. An updated share price target from Goldman Sachs last month put Apple's shares at $550 after the firm's re-estimation of the company's iPhone sales, a price that would put it about $12 billion past that milestone.
Today's jump comes alongside expectations of Apple announcing a new version of its iPad next month. A reportfrom All Things Digital this morning that was posted shortly before the market opened, claimed that Apple would be holding that event the first week of March, as well as adding details about what features it would include.Related storiesiPhone 4S propels Apple to massive earningsApple shares close on a high following earnings bumpApple's fiscal 2011 by the numbersApple will reportedly unveil iPad 3 in early MarchApple's stock began its latest surge immediately following the company's first quarter earnings, which were announced January 24. The company posted record revenues and profits, led by all-time sales records for its iPhone, iPad and Mac products. Apple also forecasted earnings for its current quarter that came in ahead of what analysts were expecting. Immediately after the news, shares shot up nearly 8 percent, going on to close the next day up another 6.24 percent.Long before that, the recent surge has been part of a larger recovery of the company's shares since the death of co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs in October. As Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt noted yesterday, the company's share price has gone up about $100 since then; today, they're up a total of $120.67. Apple's soaring valuation will likely get its share of attention at the company's annual shareholder meeting later this month. In a note to investors posted by Fortune earlier this week, UBS said that Apple's management has been "soliciting opinions of large shareholders" about paying a dividend, something that Apple does not currently do, but is frequently asked about.Beyond today's gains, onlookers are eyeing Apple's stock to see if the company's market cap can hit the half trillion dollar mark. An updated share price target from Goldman Sachs last month put Apple's shares at $550 after the firm's re-estimation of the company's iPhone sales, a price that would put it about $12 billion past that milestone.
Apple shares have fallen far enough, Citi says
Apple shares have fallen far enough, Citi says
Citi prefers to be optimistic when it comes to Apple. It's not really alone in this (as the firm notes, 51 out of 56 analysts recommend investors buy Apple shares), but what is different is the optimism comes after a rough patch for Apple's stock. Apple shares have dropped pretty badly over the past couple of months -- down about 18 percent from a high of $705.07 in September -- but that decline is likely about over, Citi says. The firm today started coverage on the electronics giant by recommending investors buy shares and saying the stock should reach $675 over the next 12 months. It notes that Apple shares typically climb 20 percent to 50 percent following sell-offs similar to the most recent drop. Apple's stock is bouncing a bit today following declines over the past couple of months.Google screenshot by Shara Tibken/CNETCiti's opinion about Apple isn't much different from other analyst firms. It believes the giant's share of the smartphone market is at risk from low-end smartphones and competition from other ecosystems. It expects tablets to grow, but that will hurt margins. Related stories:Apple shares bounce back after tough few weeksApple shares fall more than 3.6 percentIt's Tuesday, so naturally Apple shares are plungingIt also notes new competition is pressuring pricing, accelerates product introduction, and can hurt branding. "Room for error is diminished, placing growing emphasis on execution," the firm noted. All of those factors are making investors a little cautious, Citi said, and that likely will prevent shares from jumping as high as they have been. As a result, the firm says it is focusing on "incremental earnings changes," investing in periods of the greatest possible jump in earnings and selling shares when estimates show the greatest risk."This is tantamount to investing in 'product cycles,' and while we expect some investors will bristle at this approach, we believe returns will be optimized employing this approach in future," Citi said.
Citi prefers to be optimistic when it comes to Apple. It's not really alone in this (as the firm notes, 51 out of 56 analysts recommend investors buy Apple shares), but what is different is the optimism comes after a rough patch for Apple's stock. Apple shares have dropped pretty badly over the past couple of months -- down about 18 percent from a high of $705.07 in September -- but that decline is likely about over, Citi says. The firm today started coverage on the electronics giant by recommending investors buy shares and saying the stock should reach $675 over the next 12 months. It notes that Apple shares typically climb 20 percent to 50 percent following sell-offs similar to the most recent drop. Apple's stock is bouncing a bit today following declines over the past couple of months.Google screenshot by Shara Tibken/CNETCiti's opinion about Apple isn't much different from other analyst firms. It believes the giant's share of the smartphone market is at risk from low-end smartphones and competition from other ecosystems. It expects tablets to grow, but that will hurt margins. Related stories:Apple shares bounce back after tough few weeksApple shares fall more than 3.6 percentIt's Tuesday, so naturally Apple shares are plungingIt also notes new competition is pressuring pricing, accelerates product introduction, and can hurt branding. "Room for error is diminished, placing growing emphasis on execution," the firm noted. All of those factors are making investors a little cautious, Citi said, and that likely will prevent shares from jumping as high as they have been. As a result, the firm says it is focusing on "incremental earnings changes," investing in periods of the greatest possible jump in earnings and selling shares when estimates show the greatest risk."This is tantamount to investing in 'product cycles,' and while we expect some investors will bristle at this approach, we believe returns will be optimized employing this approach in future," Citi said.
Apple shares fall; market cap tumbles below $400B
Apple shares fall; market cap tumbles below $400B
Apple's market cap -- a measure of the value of a company -- is now below $400 billion.The company passed the milestone as Apple's shares fell 2 percent in trading this morning and the decline continued through the day to a closing price of $420.05, a drop of 2.4 percent from Friday's closing price. At that share price, Apple's market cap is now $394.45 billion. The company's valuation hasn't been that low since late 2011.Apple's share price has been on a steady decline over the last several months. In the last six months alone, the price has gone down more than 37 percent. Its 52-week high of $705.07 seems like a distant memory at this point.At a shareholder meeting last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to a questionabout his company's slumping stock price, saying he doesn't "like it either." He didn't say, however, what he might do to turn things around.Whether it's really cause for concern, though, is up for debate. In an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box this morning, famed investor Warren Buffett said that CEOs "can't run a business to push the stock price up on a daily basis," adding that his own company, Berkshire Hathaway, "has gone down 50 percent four times in its history.""When that happens, if you've got money you buy it," he said. And, well, Apple does have $137 billion in its cash reserve, a fact that helped propel the Greenlight Capital insurgency that just came to an end after several contentious weeks.Buffett is not an Apple shareholder.Update 1:42 p.m. PT: Updated with the closing price for Apple's shares and the company's market capitalization at that price.
Apple's market cap -- a measure of the value of a company -- is now below $400 billion.The company passed the milestone as Apple's shares fell 2 percent in trading this morning and the decline continued through the day to a closing price of $420.05, a drop of 2.4 percent from Friday's closing price. At that share price, Apple's market cap is now $394.45 billion. The company's valuation hasn't been that low since late 2011.Apple's share price has been on a steady decline over the last several months. In the last six months alone, the price has gone down more than 37 percent. Its 52-week high of $705.07 seems like a distant memory at this point.At a shareholder meeting last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook responded to a questionabout his company's slumping stock price, saying he doesn't "like it either." He didn't say, however, what he might do to turn things around.Whether it's really cause for concern, though, is up for debate. In an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box this morning, famed investor Warren Buffett said that CEOs "can't run a business to push the stock price up on a daily basis," adding that his own company, Berkshire Hathaway, "has gone down 50 percent four times in its history.""When that happens, if you've got money you buy it," he said. And, well, Apple does have $137 billion in its cash reserve, a fact that helped propel the Greenlight Capital insurgency that just came to an end after several contentious weeks.Buffett is not an Apple shareholder.Update 1:42 p.m. PT: Updated with the closing price for Apple's shares and the company's market capitalization at that price.
Apple shares close below $500 as investors fail to shake worry
Apple shares close below $500 as investors fail to shake worry
Apple investors can't seem to shake their concern over the company's future.Shares in the iPhone maker ended the day at $485.92, down just over 3 percent for the day after having closed yesterday at $501.75. In trading today, Apple's stock never rose above the $500 mark.On Sunday, The Wall Street Journal cited sources who said that Apple had cut component orders for its iPhone 5 due to slumping demand for the handset. That bad news pushed Apple's shares lower yesterday as investors became concerned with the company's ability to compete as effectively in the mobile market.Earlier today, however, several analysts tried to calm fears, saying that while Apple's component orders are down, iPhone 5 demand has stayed strong. The declining orders are believed to be the byproduct of improved yields, meaning production is becoming more efficient and actually improving Apple's iPhone margins.Apple's stock has been hit with a downward trend over the last several months. In the last three months, Apple's shares are down 22 percent. The company's stock is also far off its 52-week high of $705.07. Apple's 52-week low is $419.55 -- not too distant from its current price.The bearish view investors have taken on Apple's stock stands in stark contrast to analyst estimates. According to data from Marketwatch, which tallies the research from 54 analysts, Apple has an average target share price over the next 12 months of $735.Earlier today, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu reasserted his belief that Apple is a "buy," adding that he believes the company's shares could jump to $840 in the next 12 months. Baird analyst William Power said he believes Apple's shares could rise to $750.Update at 1:08 p.m. PT: Added Apple's closing price.
Apple investors can't seem to shake their concern over the company's future.Shares in the iPhone maker ended the day at $485.92, down just over 3 percent for the day after having closed yesterday at $501.75. In trading today, Apple's stock never rose above the $500 mark.On Sunday, The Wall Street Journal cited sources who said that Apple had cut component orders for its iPhone 5 due to slumping demand for the handset. That bad news pushed Apple's shares lower yesterday as investors became concerned with the company's ability to compete as effectively in the mobile market.Earlier today, however, several analysts tried to calm fears, saying that while Apple's component orders are down, iPhone 5 demand has stayed strong. The declining orders are believed to be the byproduct of improved yields, meaning production is becoming more efficient and actually improving Apple's iPhone margins.Apple's stock has been hit with a downward trend over the last several months. In the last three months, Apple's shares are down 22 percent. The company's stock is also far off its 52-week high of $705.07. Apple's 52-week low is $419.55 -- not too distant from its current price.The bearish view investors have taken on Apple's stock stands in stark contrast to analyst estimates. According to data from Marketwatch, which tallies the research from 54 analysts, Apple has an average target share price over the next 12 months of $735.Earlier today, Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu reasserted his belief that Apple is a "buy," adding that he believes the company's shares could jump to $840 in the next 12 months. Baird analyst William Power said he believes Apple's shares could rise to $750.Update at 1:08 p.m. PT: Added Apple's closing price.
The Last Sci-fi Blog: 'Her' Stands Toe-to-Toe with 'Blade Runner,' 'Minority Report' and Other Sci-fi Classics
There;s an old and tired joke/observation that we;re all guilty of having made at least once. It goes something like In the ;50s, we were promised teleportation and hovercars and robot butlers! Why hasn;t that happened yet? This vision of a sprawling, urban science fiction world filled with flying cars and androids has been our go-to vision of the future for going on 70 years. Even darker science fiction movies like Blade Runner and Minority Report appropriate these basic building blocks, changing the pain but not the actual content. What;s truly remarkable about Spike Jonze;s Her is that it;s a film about a science fiction near future that flat-out rejects our typical image of the future while quietly making the case that we;re closer to that idealized ;50s sci-fi landscape than we realize. After all, who needs teleportation when you have the Internet, giving you access to anything and everything in a few clicks? More importantly, do we really need robotic companions when we have smartphones, apps and operating systems taking care of most of our needs already? In Her, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) downloads a new operating system for computer and mobile devices. Advertised as the first sentient OS whose artificial intelligence will grow and learn to meet his every need, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) soon turns out to be far more than a program. Theodore falls in love with his personalized OS and Samantha falls in love with him, too. Although Her deliberately spends more time focusing on the nature of relationships than it does its subtle science fiction world and the ideas within, the basic setup should be familiar to anyone with an interest in the genre. Sci-fi authors have been writing about mankind;s evolving relationship with technology for as long as the genre;s been around and many have dedicated entire series to robots, artificial intelligence and their place in a world run by their mortal, limited creators. Despite Her sidestepping actual science, it;s a movie that would make Isaac Asimov proud. It;s a robot story where the robot has been replaced with something that we all know and understand. Whether we like it or acknowledge it, we all have a connection to our iPhone and our laptops. It;s hard to imagine living without them, so the thought of them being sentient beings that are built to make us happy is, well, palatable and realistic. Unlike the dystopic, rain-soaked world of Blade Runner, the Los Angeles of Her looks a lot like the current version. Sure, there are enough little details to make this near-future world look like tomorrow instead of today, but this is the rare science fiction film that acknowledges that we;re not heading for a major cataclysm and that we;re not about to live in the sky, Jetsons-style. It;ll be different, but overall, it;s pretty much going to be the same place, just with less books and more holographic 3D projection in our living rooms. But like all future worlds, there;s trouble in paradise. But this trouble isn;t a violent robot uprising. It isn;t aliens. It;s something that should be familiar to anyone with a pulse: crippling, painful loneliness. The Internet has done a good job of allowing the lonely to congregate, with many people managing to shrug off their isolation and embrace their forever alone status with memes and jokes. But we;re not meant to be alone. Humans are social animals and we desire companionship. We desire love. We want to know that somewhere out there is the perfect person for us, someone who will make our life complete. According to Her, there is no grand apocalypse around the corner -- our personal lives are already our own personal end-of-the-world scenarios and the only way to survive is to find people that you care about. Her intentionally never casts judgment against Theodore and Samantha, letting us make up our minds as to whether or not she;s exactly what he needs or a distraction from his real problems. The movie treats their courtship and relationship like it would any typical romance letting the highs and lows feel painfully real. When Her does take the occasional sidestep into hard sci-fi, it;s almost startling. Why is this beautiful movie about love, growing together and growing apart going genre on us? And that;s why Her is a masterpiece and the best science fiction movie of the year. Its impossible concept takes tropes as old as the genre and reprograms them until they hurt. This astonishing, achingly beautiful and all-too-true movie is, at the end of day, still about a man and his robot, living in a future with limitless possibilities but countless barriers. It may be the best film of 2013, but it;s forever indebted to the classics of science fiction… and to the personal pain that we;ve all endured, only so we can emerge stronger in the end.
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