Latest Technology and Gadgets News
Posts tagged Apple
Chomp No Longer On Android Following Apple Acquisition
Apr 27th
Apple have axed app search engine Chomp from the Android platform after acquiring it in February, GigaOM reports. There is now only the option to download the app for iPhone and iPad, and clicking the ‘Download Chomp’ button of the official website leads you directly to the App Store page.
While changing the platform to Android in the website URL still works, you can expect this to be gone soon. This change also brings into question Verizon’s Android market, which is partly powered by the Chomp search engine.
This ever popular tool will be missed by Android users, and it’s iOS exclusivity from now on might encourage yet more people to make the switch. Apple is rumored to be using Chomp’s technology to revamp app search and discovery on the App Store.
Thank you for reading Chomp No Longer On Android Following Apple Acquisition from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?
View full post on MacTrast
Samsung denies involvement in Apple Store ‘Wake Up’ protest
Apr 27th
Yesterday we reported on a flash-mob-esque protest that broke out outside of an Australian Apple Store. A group of people dressed in black and holding signs reading “Wake Up” emerged from a bus with the slogan plastered on its side. The overall professional appearance of said signs and bus coupled with a level of organization that bests even the Occupy Wall Street movement roused some suspicion about the spontaneous demonstration. Given recent history, it wasn’t too far of a stretch to believe that Samsung, on the verge of releasing their next flagship Android device, might be behind the protest. Now a Samsung Australia rep is denying that the company had any involvement in the events that took place.
A website expressing the same sentiment as the protesters was discovered and linked to marketing firm Tongue. The closest link that company has previously had to Samsung comes from Tongue’s past work with carrier Vodafone. It’s hard to imagine that the cellular provider is behind the stunt, however, as they carry Apple’s iPhone and iPad. Even with Samsung’s denial, we’re not sold that they had nothing to do with dozens of uniformed citizens spontaneously arriving via chartered bus to rally against the Korean manufacturer’s biggest mobile competitor. It’s called viral marketing, and Samsung wouldn’t want to tip their hand too soon.
There is a chance that another group is behind the protest, but, given its ties to a marketing agency, the calls for Apple to “wake up” are anything but genuine.
[via Android and Me]
View full post on Android Phone Fans
Apple Store Kids’ Table Ditches iMacs in Favor of iPads
Apr 27th
It appears Apple is doing something new for the kiddies in their Apple Retail Stores. It’s replacing the iMacs that have long been a staple for the “kid’s table” in the stores with iPads.
iMore:
Like the previous iMacs, which were set up with educational and game programs, the iPads had a variety of child-friendly apps. I’m not sure exactly when this happened, but I noticed it for the first time today when I visited my local store to pick up a repaired Mac. My 3 years godson, who was with me, took only a couple of moments to adjust and then launched a book app and got to playing, just as he does at home. It was much easier for him to find an app and use the iPad then it had ever been to handle the iMac and mouse, so that was a huge win.
Apple has previously replaced their in-store display cards with iPads, and the MacBooks at the Genius Bars have also been replaced by the devices. Concierges have long used the iPad to check customers in for Genius Bar appointments and training session.
I always enjoyed watching the kids play with the iMacs when I worked at the Apple Store, their parents would sit them down at the table, and the kids would immediately grab the mouse, click a game and start playing. I can imagine how the kids react now. Apple is truly grooming their future generations of customers. Another indicator that Apple will be around long after most of us have shuffled off into the void.
Thank you for reading Apple Store Kids’ Table Ditches iMacs in Favor of iPads from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?
View full post on MacTrast
Ron Johnson Continues To Hire Employees From Apple For JCPenney
Apr 27th
Former Apple Senior Retail VP, now the CEO of JC Penney, is continuing his raid on Apple’s employees after hiring Apple’s Benjamin Fay for store design and development, the same role he held at his old company. Before Fay, Mike Fisher made the switch from Apple, now holding the ‘Senior Vice President of Visual Presentation’ role at JC Penney.
“Ben [Fay] is an incredibly creative professional with extraordinary leadership skills. Having worked with him over the last 12 years, I am delighted to see Ben step into this new role at jcp,” said Johnson. “His design influence has made the Apple stores highly regarded retail destinations around the world, and I am excited to have Ben place his own mark on jcp as we re-imagine the jcpenney store of the future.”
With these departures, we will have to see if new Apple Senior Retail VP John Browett decides to bring in some of his own staff as replacements, and at the moment, that seems pretty likely.
Thank you for reading Ron Johnson Continues To Hire Employees From Apple For JCPenney from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?
View full post on MacTrast
Apple pulls Bluetooth OnOff from the App Store
Apr 27th
It should come as no surprise that Apple has removed the wonderful Bluetooth OnOff app from the App Store.
The wonderful, single-purpose $0.99 app allowed you to turn Bluetooth on and off with one touch, something users have been clamoring for since the iPhone came out in 2007.
I hope that you grabbed it while you could!
Apparently Bluetooth OnOff used private APIs and was yanked from the Apple Store within six days. It must have slipped through Apple’s approval process, but I’m not sure how, because I think that my two-year-old knows that Apple doesn’t allow this.
The reason for the demand is obvious. While undeniably convenient, (especially if the U.S. enacts a Federal ban on mobile phone use while driving), Bluetooth uses battery capacity so it’s better to turn it off while not in use.
The problem is that Apple makes it preposterously difficult to access the Bluetooth settings on the iPhone. Bluetooth isn’t even a top-level Setting like Wi-Fi is! It’s almost like Apple went out of its way to bury the setting so people wouldn’t find it.
I have to swipe down to reveal Settings > General because it doesn’t fit on the top section of the screen. So to get to Bluetooth I have to:
- Touch Settings
- swipe down
- Touch General
- Touch Bluetooth
- Swipe the slider to turn Bluetooth on (or off)
It’s absurd. And my your iPhone is locked or I’m not on the same screen as the Settings app, it’s even more steps.
Bluetooth OnOff allowed you to do in one step what Apple requires five+ steps for. And we’re not talking about an obscure setting like turning on VPN (which, ironically can be done in two steps once configured). Bluetooth is a relatively mainstream feature since the advent of the wireless headset and increasingly tougher anti-mobile phone legislation in the U.S.
Until Apple gets around to changing things (hopefully in iOS 6?) your only option for Bluetooth widget functionality is to jailbreak your device and install an app like SBSettings which provides one-touch toggles for just about everything.
Yeah, good luck with that.
View full post on ZDNet | The Apple Core Blog RSS
