16Feb2012
Apple’s US Samsung lawsuit expands to 8 patents and names 17 products
Apple's US lawsuit against Samsung in far larger than originally reported, specifically naming 13 smartphones, two media players and two tablets, and encompasses twice as many patents as were revealed in the company's parallel bid for a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus. Apple's request for a preliminary injunction on sales of Samsung's Android 4.0 Galaxy Nexus, as reported last week, was based on four patents, two of which have been asserted previously including one that
Read MoreLeave a Comment10Feb2012
2%-3% dividend suggested as best use of Apple’s $100B in cash
The best use of Apple's nearly $100 billion in cash and investments would be to issue shareholders a dividend yield of between 2 percent and 3 percent, a new analysis argues. Shaw Wu with Sterne Agee said in a note to investors on Friday that he believes it makes the "most sense" for Apple to pay a dividend to investors with its growing cash hoard. He thinks a yield in the 2 percent to 3 percent range would be "very attractive" for shareholders as well as employees. "The reason is that the
Read MoreLeave a Comment09Feb2012
Leaked photo allegedly shows outside back cover of Apple’s next iPad
On the heels of an earlier purported leak of the back panel of the third-generation iPad, new leaked photos have emerged showing an external view of the back panel of the rumored device, as well as magnets for an "iPad 3" Smart Cover. Taiwanese Apple site Apple.pro (Google Translation) published the photos on Thursday, also noting the apparent leak that occurred on Thursday. Report author Anthony Tsai said the images had been passed on to him by a foreigner. Tsai noted that those hoping for a
Read MoreLeave a Comment09Feb2012
Siri rumored to gain support for Mandarin, Japanese and Russian in March
An Apple software engineer reportedly working on the Chinese-language version of the company's Siri voice assistant says support for Mandarin, Japanese and Russian will be added in March, as well as localized navigation and information services. Chinese tech blog DoNews' source claimed on Wednesday that internal testing for the Chinese version of Siri is already underway (machine translation) and that the service will be capable of "understanding" and "speaking" Mandarin when it launches next
Read MoreLeave a Comment09Feb2012
Pictured Sharp LCD panel claimed to be Retina Display for Apple’s ‘iPad 3′
Another leaked component photo shows an LCD panel manufactured by Sharp that is claimed to be a 9.7-inch Retina Display for Apple's anticipated third-generation iPad. The pictured component, highlighted by the Japanese-language site Macotakara, clearly shows on the connector that it is manufactured by Sharp. But the site also claims it is a QXGA 9.7-inch display that "seems to be for the next iPad." The display has three flat cables that connect to the base of the LCD, which is said to sport a
Read MoreLeave a Comment09Feb2012
Apple now worth more than Google and Microsoft combined
Apple's stock soared to new heights on Thursday, pushing the company's market capitalization to $456 billion, a number that is greater than the values of rivals Google and Microsoft combined. As of Thursday morning, Microsoft's market cap was around $256.7 billion, while Google was valued at around $198.9 billion. With Apple's stock up more than 3 percent in morning trading, the company surpassed the combined totals of both Google and Microsoft. The milestone comes soon after Apple reported its
Read MoreLeave a Comment07Feb2012
Mac sales surge as PC sales drop 20% in UK, 12% in France
PC sales in Europe plummeted in the fourth quarter of 2011, but Apple bucked that trend over the holidays, particularly in France and the U.K., with continued strong growth. According to the latest data released by Gartner on Tuesday, PC sales in the U.K. dropped 19.6 percent year over year in the fourth quarter of calendar 2011. It was a similar story in France, where PC sales were down 11.8 percent. But in both countries, Apple saw double-digit gains, bucking the trends seen by the rest of
Read MoreLeave a Comment07Feb2012
Siri accounts for 1/4 of Wolfram Alpha queries as search engine goes ‘Pro’
About one quarter of the queries to the "computational knowledge engine" Wolfram Alpha now come from the Siri voice assistant found in Apple's iPhone 4S. The additional use of Wolfram Alpha's technology because of Siri has caused the company's staff to grow to 200 people, according to The New York Times. Apple began using Wolfram Alpha when it launched Siri with the iPhone 4S last October. Beyond its partnership with Apple, Wolfram Alpha is planning a major upgrade with a new version set to
Read MoreLeave a Comment07Feb2012
Buffalo Wild Wings testing Apple’s iPad for quicker customer ordering
Restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings is expanding a pilot program in which customers place orders for food and drinks via Apple's iPad right from their table. The iPads are protected in rugged cases from Hubworks, and have already been tested at a Toronto location, but are now moving in to a Minneapolis restaurant. Tim Murphy, director of international business for Buffalo Wild Wings, confirmed the details to Computerworld. "Ultimately we are trying to use the technology to enhance the customer
Read MoreLeave a Comment07Feb2012
Apple warns it will crack down on App Store rank fraud services
Apple has warned App Store developers against using promotional services that seek to increase the visibility of their titles by automating sales to inflate their apps' apparent popularity or by posting phony reviews, threatening to terminate their accounts if they do. In a message posted to Apple's Developer site today titled "Adhering to Guidelines on Third-Party Marketing Services," the company noted: "Once you build a great app, you want everyone to know about it. However, when you promote
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