May 04

Apple Rolls Out New Quad-Core, Thunderbolt-Equipped iMacs

Posted in: Apple, imac, Today's Chili

Apple - New Macs

Anytime the Apple Store goes down, the rumor mill starts swirling about whether it’s regular maintenance or a new product is about to be released. This morning was no exception – when the store went down, speculation started as to whether or not we would finally see some new hardware. Apple delivered, and when the store was back up, a new line of iMacs was in the Apple Store. 
The new iMacs feature Intel’s most recent quad-core Core i5 processors, and can be upgraded to Core i7 processors at the Apple Store, up to 3.4GHz. Under the hood, they also feature brand new AMD Radeon HD graphics cards. They also feature Intel and Apple’s new Thunderbolt I/O port (the 21.5″ iMac has one, the 27″ iMac has two) for high speed peripherals – although you might have some trouble finding Thunderbolt devices to connect to it. 
The new line of iMacs also feature SD card slots, a FaceTime HD camera on the front, and users get the choice of a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad with their purchase. The price hasn’t changed either: the models start at $1199 retail, and go up based on the configuration option you select.
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Apr 26

Connect Two iOS Devices at Once with the duaLink Sync Cable

Posted in: cable, ios, ipad, iPhone, ipod, Today's Chili

duaLink Sync Cable

If you have an iPhone and an iPad, or an iPad and an iPod Touch, you traditionally have to plug them in one at a time for them to sync. If you have a MacBook Pro, there go both of your available USB ports. Thanks to the folks at CableJive, the duaLink Sync Cable allows you to connect two iOS devices at the same time. It’s simple enough: the cable is USB on one end, and the other end branches off into two heads, each with their own 30-pin dock connector on it. 
Normally that wouldn’t work, but the cable has a tiny embedded USB hub that allows both devices to be connected and to send data at the same time to the same port. The cable will even charge your iOS devices over USB, but the fact that they’re sharing the same connection means you’ll have to wait longer for them to charge completely. Even so, that might be a worthwhile price to pay to avoid carrying around multiple charging and connector cables for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.
The duaLink Sync Cable is available now for $25.95 retail price, direct from CableJive.
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Apr 22

iPads Outnumber Linux Machines on the Web

Posted in: Apple, ipad, ipad 2, Linux, Miscellaneous Tech, Today's Chili

Pingdom iPad Stats

According to a study by Royal Pingdom and data from Statcounter that covered over 3 million Web sites, the iPad along makes up more hits on the sites that collected data than all of the Linux machines that visited those same sites combined. The big news from the study initially was that Windows 7 users had finally outnumbered Windows XP users, but when the team looked more closely at the numbers of operating systems near the bottom of the list, they uncovered the surprising stats. 
Overall, Windows systems still make up well over 80% of all of the visitors to the Websites in the Statcounter study, but down at the bottom, all Linux users and distros only accounted for 0.71% of all visits. The iPad however, even with the iPhone and iPod Touch removed from the numbers, accounted for 1.18%. That makes the iPad a more popular “desktop” platform than Linux, which is a turn of events few expected. 
At the same time, it’s just as possible that all of the Linux users out there simply aren’t surfing the Web on their computers, or that the majority of Linux systems in use aren’t built for Web browsing. At the same time though, it’s clear that Linux on the desktop doesn’t have the traction that the iPad does.
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Apr 21

Samsung Fans Call Apple Out

Posted in: Android, Apple, ipad, iPhone, ipod, samsung, Today's Chili

 

white-iphone-4.jpgApple is suing Samsung for “copying” the iPod, and the iPad. However, Android users are saying that Apple copied the Android devices first. The fans claim that Apple stole the design from a Samsung Android-based phone called F700. The touch screen phone was a boxier looking model that some say started this whole craze.

Lets look at the facts, the Samsung F700 debuted back in 2006, then came out in February 2007. The Apple iPhone was first shown in January 2007 and then came out that following June. The product by Samsung was older than the famous iPhone, which makes Apple appear to have copied the design concept.

Thus far, neither Apple or Samsung have released a public statement about the lawsuit. Nor has Samsung filed one back at Apple.

 Via Apple Insider

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Apr 21

Apple to Focus on Video Games

Posted in: Apple, ipad 2, iPhone, Today's Chili

 

Thumbnail image for ipad 2 white flat game.jpgApple is shifting the iPad/iPhone focus to gaming. Ever since the devices came out, Apple has seen a huge increase in games played on those devices. However, gaming has been put on the back burner until now.

While Apple is switching the focus for now, some argue that this was Apple’s plans from the start. Many game developers have designed games for the iOS, which has help set Apple apart as a competitor to the big boys like Sony, and, Nintendo.

No word on what Apple will do next, but we can expect more games to come out. Apple has made it clear that the iPhone game is here to stay.

Via Business Insider

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Apr 19

ThinkGeek Now Accepting Pre-Orders for the iCade iPad Cabinet

Posted in: gaming, ipad, ipad 2, Tech Toys, Today's Chili, video games

ThinkGeek iCade

The iCade, originally an April Fool’s joke by ThinkGeek, is finally here – almost. The iPad arcade cabinet finally has a release date: May 11th. The device will start shipping on May 10th, and if you have to be first in line or get one shipped to your home on release day, you can pre-order it now for $99.99 retail price.  The iCade uses Bluetooth to connect to the iPad, and supports both the original iPad and the iPad 2.
If you do buy one, you’ll also want to pick up a copy of Atari’s Greatest Hits in the iTunes App Store – at the moment it’s the only game (although it’s actually a collection of over 100 classic Atari games) to fully support the iCade. ThinkGeek and Ion have partnered to build the arcade cabinet and to produce an API that app developers can use to make their games compatible.
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Apr 13

Report: Is Apple Working on an HDTV?

Posted in: Apple, apple tv, hdtv, rumor, Today's Chili

New Apple TV

Rumors that Apple was planning to get into the HDTV business started initially back before the current Apple TV model was released. After the Apple TV hit store shelves, people resigned themselves to the likelihood that Apple had no plans to release a consumer HDTV, and moved on. 
Now, a new report by an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities says that it’s more than possible that Apple will launch an Internet-connected LCD HDTV before the end of 2011, retailing for close to $2,000. 
The report cites several “data points” that Brian White, the analyst who authored the report, picked up at a trade show in China this week, and says in essence that Apple isn’t happy with the Apple TV being its only major living room business play. 
Combined with Apple’s iTunes video sales and rentals and its devotion to Airplay – its technology for wirelessly streaming audio and video from iOS and Mac OS devices to one another and supported home theater equipment – White believes that Apple is well positioned to make a push into the HDTV market. 
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Apr 12

Digitimes Squashes iPad 3 Rumors

Posted in: Apple, ipad 2, Today's Chili

ipad 3.JPG

A few months ago, right before the iPad 2 was due to be released, a flurry of rumors started that Apple may release another iPad model before the end of the year. One analyst explained their thoughts were that Apple would eventually want to move to a September release schedule for the iPad, which matches the timeframe we usually see new iPod models. Another source pointed to an unnamed Apple staff member who claimed “If you like the iPad 2, wait until you see the iPad 3!” 
Digitimes, for its part, put the kibosh on those rumors this week, claiming that it’s highly unlikely that Apple will cannibalize its current iPad2 sales to bring out an iPad 3. Digitimes says the original rumors hinged on the iPad 2 being some kind of bridge product between the original iPad and something drastically new, but the iPad 2 is doing just fine of its own accord. 
According to the same article however, Apple is asking its touchscreen manufacturers to investigate the feasibility of making touchscreens that are higher resolution than the current iPad 2’s display, which may lend some credence to the rumor that the iPad 3 will have a Retina Display, but according to the report that work is in the very early stages and not likely to yield a new product this year.
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Apr 07

Apple Looking to Open Moscow Store

Posted in: Today's Chili

Thumbnail image for Apple store maintenance.JPG

The success of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad have made Apple a truly global. One market the company has yet to fully penetrate, however–the former republics of the Soviet Union. Apple is reportedly eyeing the opening of a store in the area, however, in a historic building in Moscow’s Red Square, right around the corner from the Kremlin.

The building first opened in 1935 as the Hotel Moskva. In more recent years, it’s been undergoing serious renovation and is set to reopen as a Four Seasons–the first in that country.

The company has yet to make a final decision on the matter. According to anonymous sources, “At the time, no lease had been signed, but a decision could be made soon.”

In spite of the lack of an official Apple Storethe iPhone has reportedly been a bit of a hit in Russia since its 2008 launch in that country.

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Apr 06

Apple Hopes To Add Thunderbolt To More Devices

Posted in: Apple, intel, Today's Chili

ThundeboltConnect.jpg

Apple has high hopes for the Thunderbolt technology that recently was released. Apple and Intel have teamed up to incorporate it into the new MacBook Pro. But now Apple is looking to expand the line of devices that use Thunderbolt. It patented a new connector to incorporate the Thunderbolt technology even further. Apple has yet to release info on any more devices getting the technology anytime soon.

Apple has shown major support of Intel and Thunderbolt by choosing it for the MacBook Pro; however, not everybody is a fan of Thunderbolt. AMD and others have predicted that the new technology will flop like FireWire.

Via Xbit Labs

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