Amazon spokesperson affirms that Kindle app for Mac is being ‘worked on’

Don’t pretend you didn’t see this one coming — just days after Amazon confirmed that a Kindle application was indeed coming soonish for the PC, a company spokesperson has now stated that a Mac version is also in the works. With the explosion of e-reader competition, it’s no shock to see Amazon branching out in an effort to spread the Kindle name (and business model) to more areas. To quote the aforesaid spokesperson: “Yes, we are working on a Kindle app for Mac.” Unfortunately, no further details were provided, but you can bet that Bezos wants this one out as soon as humanly possible.

[Via TUAW]

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Amazon spokesperson affirms that Kindle app for Mac is being ‘worked on’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MobileMe media sync detailed in Apple patent application

What do you know? It looks like Apple’s filed yet another patent application. The company’s newest is named (in the short, pithy way that patents are named) Synchronization of Media State Across Multiple Devices. Combining the ubiquity of MobileMe with the media syncing that goes down when you dock your iPod or iPhone, the application suggests that soon you might find all your Engadget Show episodes automagically picking up where you left ’em when you switch devices — without any lag time or any pesky cables. As Macworld points out, also included in the paperwork is distance tracking functionality — just the thing for automating sync operations when two devices come within range (it’s unclear whether this will be done via Bluetooth or WiFi). Perhaps this news isn’t exciting to the couch potatoes among us (you know, because they never leave the couch) but all you TV addicts “on the go” must be psyched.

[Via Macworld]

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MobileMe media sync detailed in Apple patent application originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple CFO says DVR, CableCARD not coming to Apple TV

Although Apple has always referred to the Apple TV as a “hobby,” there’s been a lot of speculation regarding the future of the box recently — it was first introduced nearly three years ago, and although the interface has since been upgraded, it’s still essentially the same product, leading to whispers that Apple was working on a new DVR-enabled model with CableCARD tuners that would replace your cable box. Awesome, right? Not so fast — according to analysts at Caris and Company, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer “pretty much killed” that idea when they asked him about it, saying it didn’t mesh with Apple’s business. Yeah, it’s sad, but it makes a lot of sense — Apple probably doesn’t want you to record for free what you can buy from the iTunes Store, and we can’t imagine anyone at Apple looking back at their experience with AT&T and deciding that partnering up with Comcast or Time Warner Cable was the next logical move. Still — doesn’t it seem like it’s time for something to happen with the Apple TV? Who know, maybe we’ll find out tomorrow.

[Via iLounge]

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Apple CFO says DVR, CableCARD not coming to Apple TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: The iPad could succeed Apple TV

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Much of the speculation around an “iPad” — a rumored 10″ Apple tablet — has portrayed it as an Amazon Kindle-killer or a large-screen iPod touch, but there’s a strong case that such a product could effectively serve as a replacement for – or a compelling complement to — Apple’s non-platform sleeper Apple TV.

Apple faces a dilemma in moving iPhone apps to a larger screen size or higher resolution. It must either scale them (ugly), ask developers to create a large-screen version (cumbersome), or run them in a window (which would beg some level of multitasking at least beyond what the iPhone OS does today). Not only that, but a 10″ device is simply inconvenient for some of the iPhone’s apps. Just try focusing on the road with a 10″ navigation screen suctioned to your windshield.

The base version of Apple TV is 40 GB, just a bit over the 32 GB that has been offered on the iPod touch and iPhone. By the end of the year, a 64 GB flash product could be well within reach for a flash-based iPad. That would easily store many consumers’ photo libraries and a Netflix queue’s worth of movies. Rumors about the “Cocktail” music experience notwithstanding, the tablet would make an excellent platform for watching and displaying video and photos. a 10″ screen would be a fine fit for 720p video and the small size would mask artifacts that could show up on the 50″ television. But the iPad would be even more versatile than Apple TV.

Continue reading Switched On: The iPad could succeed Apple TV

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Switched On: The iPad could succeed Apple TV originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barron’s: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch

According to a report in Barron’s, a phantom “veteran analyst” has actually handled Apple’s heavily rumored tablet-device-thing. If you believe what the report is laying down (and honestly, that’s a big if — analysts have a funny habit of making things up) the tablet is still on for a September unveiling, with a shelf life beginning somewhere in November. What’s also interesting about the report is that the analyst claims the device will be marketed somewhere in the $699-$799 range — as was previously rumored — and will be aimed at uses as a media player (with some kind of potential Apple TV tie-in) and gaming device. The analyst, who obviously declined to be named, said that the tablet is simply awaiting Steve Jobs’ final blessing, and claimed that other ODMs have paused new products until they see the finished version of what Apple has in store. That last bit is potentially the most interesting of all, as we’ve recently heard reports of device-makers freezing new production until 2010, which definitely raises the possibility that the industry is holding its breath to see what kind of new trick Apple has up its sleeve. Yeah — things are about to get fun. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Via 9to5mac]

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Barron’s: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple patent filing details possible “remote wand” for Apple TV, again

We’ve already seen some patent evidence that Apple has at least been considering a Wiimote-like controller for the Apple TV, and a newly published patent filing has now thrown yet more fuel onto the fire, although, as with all Apple patents, that’s hardly a guarantee of anything. Still, this latest filing is nothing if not detailed, and it clearly shows the so-called “remote wand” being used to control just about every aspect of the Apple TV, with the wand being twisted and turned to flip through a music library, rotate pictures, and simply control a cursor on the screen — there’s even a glimpse of it being used with a paint application. So, it’s certainly possible, perhaps even likely given Apple’s increasing distaste for buttons, but just keep all those Apple patents for head-mounted displays in the back of your mind lest you get too excited.

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Apple patent filing details possible “remote wand” for Apple TV, again originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prototype Apple Interactive Television Box up for auction: there goes your savings

From what we can gather, even Apple purist Jeremy Mehrle doesn’t own one of these ultra-rare set-top-boxes, and if you think you’re the only Apple fanboy out there eying this one seriously, we fear you’ll be sorely mistaken. This prototype Interactive Television Box was crafted in or around 1994 and was designed to deliver content to one’s TV by connecting to a central server and downloading content. Thus, the unit itself doesn’t boot into anything nor does it feature an internal hard drive. Still, DIYers and collectors alike will have a hard time passing up the opportunity of snagging this piece and turning it into a makeshift iTunes server, but given the remarkably low $249.99 buy-it-now price, we’d say that window of opportunity may not be open for long. Oh, and Apple TV — you ain’t got nothin’ on this in terms of desirability. Sorry, bub.

[Thanks, Marc]

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Prototype Apple Interactive Television Box up for auction: there goes your savings originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 23:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Round Up Reference: The Best Apple TV Posts from Giz and Friends [Announcements]

Most of us have reached a turning point. That point is, if you hear anything else about Apple TV you’re going to vomit. Don’t hold it back, or it’s going to come out your nose. More »