Apple That

Apple has just launched an all-new recycling plan that is designed to help you actually make money from your old iPhone, iPad, Mac or, surprisingly, your old Windows PC. Known as the Reuse and Recycling Programme, (no, that’s not a spelling error, that’s actually how Apple spells it), this scheme will be operated by Dataserv GmbH and will allow you to recycle your old or unwanted technology, if you live in the UK that is.

According to a message poster on Apple’s website, “Apple’s commitment to the environment includes finding the most efficient ways to reuse or recycle electronic equipment at the end of its useful life, including iPHone, iPad, Mac or PC computers, and displays from any manufacturer. You may even get some money for your old equipment.”

Getting started with the program is easy. All you have to do is go to the Reuse and Recycling Programme website and answer a small series of questions about the device you want to recycle. Once that is done, you will be given an estimate of the overall value of the device as well as a prepaid shipping label, compliments of Dataserv.

The message on the site also reads, “Whether it’s an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computer, working or not, we’ll take it and determine if it qualifies for reuse and has a monetary value. If it does, the amount will be credited directly into your bank account. If it doesn’t, you can recycle it responsibly through one of our free recycling programmes.”

After your device has been valued, you can send Dataserv the device, where it will be verified upon receipt. Once that happens, the value you were given for the recycled device will be directly deposited into your bank account. In addition to the aforementioned devices, you can also recycle old iPods and mobile phones via Apple.

Source: PC World – Apple Launches Recycling Program for iPhones, iPads, Macs and PCs in the UK

DVD Video Projectors are exactly what they sound like, a combination unit that combines a DVD media player with a video projector, cutting out the need for multiple pieces of electronics and wiring.

I don’t think I have to remind you just how many apps are available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (over 500,000). If you are an iOS user, you have undoubtedly purchased or downloaded at least one app from the App Store and, in doing so, you have probably noticed that some of them offer the option of purchasing additional content. These apps usually come in the form of apps that have multiple levels, like Angry Birds.

This type of content can be anything, like more levels, character designs in games or added functionality and expansions. However, not all (but a lot) of apps with additional content for purchase allow you to buy from directly inside the application itself.

Unfortunately, not every app that allows in-app purchasing is as up front about the fact that they do this and, sometimes make it extremely easy to “accidentally” purchase in-app content. One of the more controversial apps of late to pull a stunt like this was Smurfs’ Village. Children played the game on their parent’s phone and unknowingly purchased a whole lot of undesired content.

Thankfully, there is an easy solution that makes sure something like this doesn’t happen to you. Just follow these quick and easy steps and you will have in-app purchasing disabled until you say otherwise, making sure your child doesn’t accidentally rack up a huge phone bill with in-app purchases.

STEP 1: Turn on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad and from the home screen select the Settings application. From here, select “General”.

STEP 2: Scroll about halfway down the page and find “Restrictions”. Select it and then select “Enable Restrictions”.

STEP 3: Once enabled, you will be asked to create a password. The password locks certain functions on your iOS device. After you enter it twice, you’re on to the next step.

STEP 4: After creating your password, scroll down to the “Allowed Content” section and select it.

STEP 5: Slide the bar next to “In-App Purchases” from “ON” to “OFF” and that’s that! No more accidental in-app purchases will rack up on your phone bill.

Source: Digital Trends – How To: Turn off in-app purchases on Apple products

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If there is one thing that the internet loves to talk about it’s tech rumors, specifically ones involving Apple and its slew of mobile devices. And while the next few weeks will have the internet swimming in rumors about the iPad 3, iPhone 5, iPod 37 and everything else Apple, I think it is ok to talk about some potential changes designated for next year.

iLounge is spewing some information from what they call their “most reliable source”, who claims to have the inside dish on all the upcoming revisions Apple is planning. While there is nothing mind-blowing here, it might be enough to make you start saving up for that new piece of Apple tech.

First up is the MacBook Pro redesign. Some say it is coming in March, which is debatable, though the flatter design similar to the Air is most likely a certainty. The question on everyone’s mind, however, is the details, primarily on the device’s storage, processor, ports and optical drive.

Another report is that the next generation iPad (presumably the iPad 3) will be a bit thicker than the previous one, in order to allow for extra lighting necessitated by the high-res screen that is also supposed to be coming. Many people are drooling over the idea of an HD screen and the increased thickness is only said to be about 0.7mm, which still makes it thinner than the original device.

In terms of size, it is also reported that the iPhone will get an increase in size to a 4″ screen, which will in turn make the entire device 8mm longer. In addition to that, it is rumored that the device will hit next summer. Steve Jobs was always passionate that 3.5″ (iPhone) and 9.7″ (iPad) were always the ideal sizes for the devices, though the company may be acknowledging changes in the market if these rumors end up being true.

There is also a report of the next iPhone coming in a metal case, presumably aluminum. The original iPhone was a wonder to behold, both visually, technically and physically and many people think that Apple should bring back that design. Plus, Apple is probably tired of answering calls about shattered iPhones about now.

These rumors will be determined true or false in the coming months, no doubt about it, even though reveals of these devices are not even going to happen for a while. Regardless, there are many more rumors out there than these so if you are looking for a way to spend your Thanksgiving weekend, you could always compare and contrast different rumors, given you have a couple hundred hours to spare.

Source: Tech Crunch – Apple Rumors: The MacBook Pro Shrinks, iPad And iPhone Grow

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Apple is cracking the whip as the company has just banned security researcher Charlie Miller from its iOS developer program. Mr. Miller’s offense? He publicly demonstrated a proof-of-concept attack that would enable an app developer to execute arbitrary code on any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch that is running version 4.3 of iOS or later.

For this Miller has been suspended from the developer program for one year. According to a recent tweet from Miller, “First they give researcher’s (sic) access to developer programs, (although I paid for mine) then they kick them out.. for doing research. Me angry.” Apple broke the news to Miller via a letter that the company was kicking him out of the program for breaking its terms of service.

Before getting an app to the Apple App Store, Apple first vets the app. If approved, the company then signs the code to ensure that the app cannot be changed. However, the flaw that Miller discovered essentially breaks the iOS application security walled garden, allowing malware attacks to be launched.

According to a statement from Miller in his unlisted YouTube video that demonstrates the attack, Miller said, “The flaw I found is in the way that Apple handles code-signing. Code-signing is important because that’s the way that Apple protects you from malware.” Here is a link to Miller’s video because unlisted videos can only be viewed by someone who already has a link to the video itself.

In order to test the vulnerability he had discovered, Miller created Instastock, a fake stock market app that Apple accepted. “It doesn’t do anything weird or funny, it just checks the stocks,” said Miller in the video. At least, that’s what it appears to do. After being  downloaded from the Apple App Store and first run, the app contacted an attacker’s server.

For the purpose of the test, the server (in this case) was located at Miller’s home in St. Louis and he didn’t have to push in any code to the app while it was being reviewed by Apple. However, after it was approved, Miller was able to open a shell with the device and issue remote commands, making the iPhone do everything from listing directories and processes to making the phone vibrate or download the user’s address book for the attacker.

Miller added, “You can imagine downloading a nice app like Angry Birds, but instead of just being Angry Birds, it actually could download and do anything it wants, and Apple would have no idea that had happened.” In addition to that Miller disclosed the code-signing vulnerability to Apple several weeks ago, although he did fail to mention the proof-of-concept app that he’d uploaded to the App Store, the same app Apple approved and made available in September.

Miller also demonstrated the exploit in his video, which was also posted in September. However, Apple apparently did not hear about the proof-of-concept attack demonstration until Monday, the same day Miller detailed the flaw and provided a link to his YouTube video to Andy Greenberg at Forbes.com. A mere hours after the story hit the web, Apple canceled Miller’s iOS developer account.

By day Miller is a simple principal consultant at the security research firm Accuvant. However, it appears as if Miller is now best known for “hacking” Apple wares. At the Black Hat Conference over the summer, Miller demonstrated how to hack Apple laptop batteries by reprogramming the firmware. This would allow a hacker to brick the battery or even make it serve malware.

Miller isn’t letting this ban phase him, however, as he intends to demonstrate his code-signing attack next week at the SyScan Conference in Taiwan and then again at the Infiltrate Conference in Florida in January. Is Apple’s reaction a bit extreme? Especially considering the fact that Miller found a major fault in Apple’s programming and then proceeded to tell the company about it? This writer thinks so, but what do you think? Sound off in the comments.

Source: Information Week – Apple Excommunicates iOS Cracker

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What’s this? Apple may be working on a new tablet? And it’s not the iPad 3!? That’s right, many rumors have begun making their rounds on the internet recently that Apple may possibly be working on a brand new entry-level tablet scheduled to launch early next year.

In a note sent out to investors on Wednesday by Brian White, analyst for Ticonderoga Securities, White relayed a plethora of meetings with technology supply chain companies at a recent trade show in China earlier this week. White made a point to note a general ominous environment where most of the companies were commenting on weakening demands across the entire tech industry.

According to one representative, “The whole world is shrinking”. In addition to that, a meeting with Apple suppliers has also turned up some very interesting information according to White. In a recent posting White states, “Our research is pointing to the unveiling of  a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company’s market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment.”

White went on to write, “Essentially, this ‘iPad mini’ will also fend off the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future.”

White was quick to point out that the title of the iPad Mini refers to the lower price of the tablet and not necessarily a smaller physique. According to White, “We believe this lower priced iPad could be priced in the mid-to-high $200 range. We expect this will be followed by a much more powerful, feature rich standard-priced iPad 3 in 2012.”

Source: Fox News – Apple to Launch ‘iPad Mini’ in Early 2012?

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Everybody knows that the iPad 3 is coming and Apple may be pitting suppliers against each other to assemble the next generation product. Apple is said to have awarded a contract to manufacture the iPad 3 to Taiwan-based Pegatron, according to a report from the Taiwan Economic News.

If this turns out to be true and not a rumor (yeah, cuz rumors always end up being true), then this would mean that Apple is looking to reduce its dependence on long-time partner Hon Hai as the only supplier of the award-winning tablet that is dominating the market at the moment.

Pegatron is already doing business with Apple actually. The company is responsible for building and shipping the iPhone 4 and has reportedly already landed a contract to construct the iPhone 5, whenever that may be.

Hon Hai has been the predominant supplier of the iPhone and the iPad in the past, though Apple has been looking for an additional partner to take on the production of the device. This may be due in large part to the devastating explosion that took place at Hon Hai’s Chengdu plant back in May.

Apple has faced issues with the iPad 2 as supply was unable to keep up with the increasingly overwhelming demand of the product. By branching out production of the iPad 3 to two different suppliers, the company is likely trying to avoid a similar situation with the iPad 3.

Aside from adding Pegatron to its supplier list, Apple will also keep its current supply chain intact. The report pointed to TOK Holdings providing the touch panels, Simplo Technology and Dynapack International Technology the battery packs, Largan Precision the camera lenses and Foxconn the outer PC housings.

Source: CNET – Apple reportedly looking at two suppliers for iPad 3

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I don’t think this is new news to anybody out there, but Apple’s iPad was undoubtedly the indisputable world dictator in the land of technology and tablets in 2010 and still is for the first half of 2011. However, that does not mean that Apple will remain on top forever. Google’s Android platform is slowly capturing the market share from Apple like the little engine that could.

At the moment, Android is the most popular OS in the market for touch-screen smartphones and that popularity is only going in one direction, up. In addition to that, Android is also becoming increasingly popular on tablets as well, with many of the big name players (aside from Apple, of course) designing devices with the Android OS.

According to Strategy Analytics, nearly 4.6 million tablets running the Android operating system were shipped in the second quarter of 2011, a 100,000 unit increase from one year prior. During that same period, Apple managed to sell 9.3 million iPad units, nearly three times as many as the 3.3 million sold during the second quarter of 2010.

One thing to take into consideration here, however, is that there are multiple manufacturers making Android tablets and only one manufacturer making iPad tablets. Companies like Samsung and Motorola have seen success with their Galaxy Tab and Xoom tablets, respectively, while other, smaller companies, like Archos, have seen a little bit of success as well.

According to Neil Mawston, Director of Strategy Analytics, “No Android vendor yet offers a blockbuster model to rival the iPad, and demand for many vendors’ products remains patchy.” While demand may not be as high for other devices, some products, like the Galaxy Tab from Samsung, are viable opponents to the iPad, at least in my opinion.

Amazon was able to dominate the market in terms of electronic book readers and rumors are now circulating that the company is going to try its hand at tablets. With the success of the eReaders, Apple may very well find even more competition for its beloved iPad.

“If Amazon decides to enter the Android tablet category later this year,” says Nawston, “that will bring fresh excitement and buzz to the Android community, but Amazon will need to deliver a truly standout offering if it really wants to make headway against the popular iPad.”

Source: Xbit Laboratories – Tablets Powered by Google Android Grab 30% of the Market in Q2 2011 – Analysts.

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I just recently wrote an article about the 25,000 app milestone of the Windows Phone Marketplace but that, it seems, pales in comparison to what Apple has to offer. According to multiple sources, Apple now has over 100,000 applications available on the iPad App Store that are specifically written for the 9.7″ display found on Apple’s touchscreen tablet.

Apple jumped the line of the six figure mark this week, a fact that was first brought to light by MacStories. This total of 100,000 applies to software written specifically for the iPad, the number does not include apps that are also available on the iPhone or iPod Touch, which also work but do not take advantage of the larger screen size.

This number was reached a mere 16 months after the device was first launched back in April of 2010. Back then, the iPad store opened with 3,000 apps and crossed the 10,000 milestone that June. If you want to view the total number of apps in the app store, all you have to do is click on the “Featured” section and select “Release Date” at the top of the screen.

As of Thursday afternoon, the App Store was shown to have a grand total of 100,159 iPad applications. Apple’s App Store for iOS devices is, at the moment, the largest of its kind. At the Wordwide Developers Conference earlier this month, Senior Vice President of iOS Software for Apple Scott Forstall revealed that there are more than 425,000 apps available in the App Store and that over 14 billion apps have been downloaded since 2008.

Apple did not publicly acknowledge this latest milestone, though the company did hold a contest to celebrate the 10 billionth download from the App Store earlier in the year. This successful App Store model was also brought to the Mac this year, and the Mac App Store will be the only place where users will be able to upgrade to Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.

Source: Apple Insider – 100,000 choices now available on Apple’s iPad App Store

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The battle between Apple and Adobe is nothing new to anybody in the tech world. The lack of Adobe Flash Player on any and all Apple products is evidence of the two companies’ troubled past. The inability of the iPad to run Flash when it originally launched was a huge argument against the device. Flash content has been huge on the internet for years now and Apple’s refusal to support it has led to a lot of negativity against iOS.

Apparently that isn’t the case, however. It appears that things have been shifting over to HTML 5 in a big way and iOS supports HTML 5. So now that Flash isn’t that necessary on iOS, how are terms between Apple and Adobe? Well, Adobe’s CEO has a little something to say in that regard.

The top executive of Adobe, Shantanu Narayen, recently stated that the feud between Apple and Adobe is over. According to Narayen, “It’s an argument that the press likes to continue bringing up.It’s control over the app store that’s at issue here. We allow people to author once and get as wide a distribution as possible. If you build in Flash, you can run the apps on other platforms. If you can build an app using our tools, and if you run it in through AIR, it can be in the App Store.”

Narayen makes a good point. AIR has proven to be a great workaround for app creators who still like using Flash, and there’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned workaround to settle a feud. I’m still not convinced that everything is all hunky dory between Apple and Adobe but at least they are speaking to each other, which is always a great first step.

Source: Hot Hardware – Adobe CEO Says Apple/Flash Battle Is Over

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So, the iPad 2 has been out for a little bit now and there are some more problems to report in on. According to Apple, the company is looking into an issue that requires some Apple iPad 2 owners with built-in Verizon 3G to reboot their device in order to enable 3G after they have turned it off.

In a statement released by a representative of Apple, Apple said that they are aware that certain iPad 2 owners with the Verizon 3G model are having connectivity problems and that they are investigating it as we speak. According to the Apple representative, the amount of customers affected by the problem is “small”.

The complaints first started mounting on an Apple Support Discussions board in the few days following the release of the Apple iPad 2. The reports noted that some users found that the software switch to turn on the 3G antenna on and off was not reactivating without first powering down the entire iPad.

Verizon’s version of the iPad 2 is the first one in the series to ship with CDMA service. Verizon’s 3G service is also offered on the CDMA version of the iPhone 4 which went on sale at Verizon earlier this year. Both devices use the same software mechanism to turn the 3G modem on and off.

Apple is planning on fixing these issues as soon as possible. The good news is that Apple is recognizing the default and is working on a solution. A software fix, most likely in the form of a downloadable patch, is expected to come very soon.

Source: CNET – Apple investigating Verizon iPad 2 3G issue

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