Angry Birds Epic: fun, but heavy on the IAP
In all honesty, Angry Birds never held much appeal for me. It can't be denied, however, that developer Rovio has done a bang-up job building an empire from a single, simple concept. Its oeuvre includes such leviathans as Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Star Wars, Angry Birds Rio, Angry Birds Friends and â€" in a departure from the slingshot-birds-at-pigs, Bad Piggies, which sees you taking on the role of the pigs. Angry Birds Go, a Mario Kart-style racer, arrived in December 2013, finally delivering something completely different from the formula.Angry Birds Epic is the developer's latest attempt to distance itself from old faithful. Rovio has taken the birds and the pigs and plonked them right down in a turn-based RPG, complete with character classes, different enemy types and upgradeable weapons and armour. Of course, because it's Angry Birds, the birds are the goodies and the pigs are the baddies: you and the band of birds you collect along the way are chasing the pigs across their kingdom in a series of stages to retrieve your stolen eggs.As far as gameplay goes, it's pretty solid: simple enough for a child to pick up and play, but entertaining enough for adults to enjoy. Your birds and pigs are arrayed in an arena, birds on the left and pigs on the right. You attack pigs by drawing a line from the attacking bird onto the targeted pig. Tapping the birds adds a buff, and a "rage chili" at the bottom of the screen charges with each hit received or dealt. When it is full, you drag it onto your selected bird for a massive power attack.Each bird has different abilities. We've unlocked three birds so far. Red is a knight, dealing heavy one-to-one melee attacks. Chuck, the yellow bird, is a wizard, dealing a lower ranged attack that hits every pig in the arena. Matilda, the white bird, is on heals, but can also deal a simple melee attack. By upgrading weapons and armour, and levelling up, you can increase your attack and defence stats. This range of abilities also keeps gameplay ticking over quite nicely as you consider the best strategy.(Screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET Australia)At the end of each round, you're awarded one, two or three stars according to your score; the more damage you take, the lower your score, so the idea is to hit hard, and take out the pigs as quickly as possible. This is because the stars determine something important: how many materials you get to upgrade your gear. You're given a chocolate wheel to spin, and, depending on how many stars you score, you get one, two or three materials â€" so there's certainly incentive to do well.You can also get potions, materials, and coins from treasure chests along the way, and unlock new blueprints for gear upgrades, which you buy with silver coins, or "snoutlings". Gold coins are used to buy spins on a slot machine that can deliver legendary item blueprints, as well as potions in-battle (these can be crafted out of battle, but the materials are slow to come by). Gems ("essence of friendship") are used to buy extra spins on the wheel if you miss the materials you want, and there's probably another use for them as well.The slowness of materials is one of the game's big problems. Gold coins and friendship gems are slow to obtain, and while silver coins are slightly better, the items in the game's store are pretty heftily priced â€" and so is the IAP. Gold coins can be purchased via the game's store, and used to purchase silver coins and gems, but you're not getting a lot of bang for your buck â€" 100 gold coins costs AU$5.49, which will get you 1250 silver coins; but when a single material costs at least 100 silver coins, and you need a fair few materials for one equipment upgrade, it racks up pretty quickly.(Screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET Australia)It's also interesting to note that, as far as we could ascertain, the game does not employ a "parental gate" as required by the developer guidelines updated last August, even though the app is listed as for ages 4+.The other big bugbear is that the game has an always-online requirement. This meant that we could not play on a Wi-Fi only device outside of Wi-Fi range; while travelling, for example. We're sure this will prove a deterrent for parents who like to give their kids iDevices to play with on long car rides or in the supermarket.Overall, the gameplay itself is solid, and there are plenty of goodies within the game for Angry Birds fans. A cinema lets you watch short episodes of the Angry Birds cartoon and others, and adding friends via the Game Center or Facebook lets you unlock special areas of the game. Overall, though â€" for us at least â€" the prohibitive IAP combined with the high cost and slow delivery of in-game items, as well as the always-online requirement, put the game firmly in the "not worth it" category.Angry Birds Epic is free to download from the iTunes App Store in Australia and Canada, and will be coming soon to Google Play and the rest of the world.
iPad wins Apple big chunk of mobile PC market
iPad wins Apple big chunk of mobile PC market
Of course, some may disagree with DisplaySearch calling the iPad a mobile PC and lumping it in with notebooks and Netbooks. Leaving out the iPad, Apple recently became the third largest overall PC vendor in the U.S. behind Hewlett-Packard and Dell, according to IDC. But DisplaySearch's numbers still point to the clear impact of the tablet on Apple's market share.Though other tech players have been busy launching and prepping their own tablet PCs, the iPad continues to dominate the landscape. Apple sold more than 3 million iPads in the first three months. Bernstein Research retail analyst Colin McGranahan projected in early October that Apple would capture around $12 billion in global iPad sales for the year, and almost $20 billion next year.Of all iPad shipments in the third quarter, 95 percent were directed to developed markets, mainly North America, according to DisplaySearch. McGranahan told CNET in October he believes 45 percent of the tablet's sales are in the United States.But the iPad's booming business in North America also points to a weakness in certain other countries, notably Japan, says DisplaySearch. The lack of language-specific content and apps has slowed the adoption of the tablet in normally tech-savvy Japan. The iPad may also face a tough road in less developed regions."On a global scale, the adoption of iPad is not without its challenges," Hidetoshi Himuro, director of IT market research at DisplaySearch, said in a statement. "Localized content in non-English speaking regions is sparse, and iPad owners must have a PC for downloading content from iTunes. As a result, penetration in developing regions will be slow."That could open opportunities for other tablet vendors to reach local consumers in different countries."As other players come to market with tablet PCs it will be interesting to see if they can move beyond the Western-centric nature of Apple's product and develop an infrastructure to support local needs, especially with the growth of consumer spending in China on personal computing devices," Chris Connery, vice president of large-format displays at DisplaySearch, said in a statement.Looking beyond the iPad at other mobile PC vendors, HP was still the global leader in the third quarter with a 17.3 percent share and 9.5 million mobile PCs shipped. But Acer trailed closely with a 16.5 share and 9.1 million units shipped.Overall, global shipments of mobile PCs (including tablets) hit 55 million in the third quarter, a gain of 19 percent from the prior year's quarter and the highest volume since DisplaySearch started tracking the market in 1999.
Of course, some may disagree with DisplaySearch calling the iPad a mobile PC and lumping it in with notebooks and Netbooks. Leaving out the iPad, Apple recently became the third largest overall PC vendor in the U.S. behind Hewlett-Packard and Dell, according to IDC. But DisplaySearch's numbers still point to the clear impact of the tablet on Apple's market share.Though other tech players have been busy launching and prepping their own tablet PCs, the iPad continues to dominate the landscape. Apple sold more than 3 million iPads in the first three months. Bernstein Research retail analyst Colin McGranahan projected in early October that Apple would capture around $12 billion in global iPad sales for the year, and almost $20 billion next year.Of all iPad shipments in the third quarter, 95 percent were directed to developed markets, mainly North America, according to DisplaySearch. McGranahan told CNET in October he believes 45 percent of the tablet's sales are in the United States.But the iPad's booming business in North America also points to a weakness in certain other countries, notably Japan, says DisplaySearch. The lack of language-specific content and apps has slowed the adoption of the tablet in normally tech-savvy Japan. The iPad may also face a tough road in less developed regions."On a global scale, the adoption of iPad is not without its challenges," Hidetoshi Himuro, director of IT market research at DisplaySearch, said in a statement. "Localized content in non-English speaking regions is sparse, and iPad owners must have a PC for downloading content from iTunes. As a result, penetration in developing regions will be slow."That could open opportunities for other tablet vendors to reach local consumers in different countries."As other players come to market with tablet PCs it will be interesting to see if they can move beyond the Western-centric nature of Apple's product and develop an infrastructure to support local needs, especially with the growth of consumer spending in China on personal computing devices," Chris Connery, vice president of large-format displays at DisplaySearch, said in a statement.Looking beyond the iPad at other mobile PC vendors, HP was still the global leader in the third quarter with a 17.3 percent share and 9.5 million mobile PCs shipped. But Acer trailed closely with a 16.5 share and 9.1 million units shipped.Overall, global shipments of mobile PCs (including tablets) hit 55 million in the third quarter, a gain of 19 percent from the prior year's quarter and the highest volume since DisplaySearch started tracking the market in 1999.
Apple Pay details leaked in alleged training documents
Apple Pay details leaked in alleged training documents
Apple is prepping employees on how its Apple Pay payments system will work as it prepares for launch, according to leaked documents uncovered by 9to5Mac.Apple Pay is Apple's first attempt into the world of mobile payments. By using an iPhone 6 enabled with near-field communications, or NFC, and your stored credit or debit card information, you'll be able to pay for items with your phone at any store or merchant that supports the technology. Apple Pay is already supported by more 220,000 retailers, according to Apple.Described in a story published by 9to5Mac on Monday, users can set up Apple Pay through the Passbook app either during the initial iOS 8 setup or via a new Settings section called Passbook & Apple Pay. You can add your credit or debit card details to Passbook through your iTunes account or by scanning in the information using your phone's camera. You'd be able to store up to eight credit and/or debit cards, according to 9to5Mac.Together, Passbook and Apple Pay will be able to keep track of your purchases and other information. You'll be able to view a list of recent transactions, see your credit card number and unique device account number and contact your bank directly, according to 9to5Mac. The service will also offer a quick way to download an accompanying App Store app and give you an option to receive push notifications.And here's one handy option. If your credit card expires, you don't need to update it on your phone. The card will automatically get updated through your credit card company, and you'll even be told via a push notification that it's been updated, according to the training material.Related StoriesApple Pay to launch OctoberGet to know Apple Pay, the successor to your walletiOS 8.1 beta 2 reveals new Apple Pay screensApple's Oct. 16 event: Here's what we expectOkay, that all sounds cool. But what about security? Receipts for any items you buy via Apple Pay will not show your contact details or credit card number but only the last four digits of your iPhone's unique Apple Pay ID. As described by Apple, the Apple Pay ID is a number unique to your device that is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in a dedicated chip on your iPhone.And where do you turn if you run into trouble paying for a product through Apple ID? Well, it depends on the problem. You can first head over to your local Apple Store where employees can use special software to see if the issue is with the hardware. If not, you'll likely need to to contact your bank or credit card issuer to see if the problem rests on that side of the fence.Finally, Apple Store employees will have to take an Apple Pay training class in the "coming days," 9to5Mac added, a sign that the payments system is getting ready to launch.Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.Apple will hold a media event on Thursday in which it's expected to unveil the new iPads, new Macs, and officially cut the ribbon on Mac OS X Yosemite. It's a safe bet the company will also reveal more details on Apple Pay and clue us in as to when the service will finally roll out to the public.
Apple is prepping employees on how its Apple Pay payments system will work as it prepares for launch, according to leaked documents uncovered by 9to5Mac.Apple Pay is Apple's first attempt into the world of mobile payments. By using an iPhone 6 enabled with near-field communications, or NFC, and your stored credit or debit card information, you'll be able to pay for items with your phone at any store or merchant that supports the technology. Apple Pay is already supported by more 220,000 retailers, according to Apple.Described in a story published by 9to5Mac on Monday, users can set up Apple Pay through the Passbook app either during the initial iOS 8 setup or via a new Settings section called Passbook & Apple Pay. You can add your credit or debit card details to Passbook through your iTunes account or by scanning in the information using your phone's camera. You'd be able to store up to eight credit and/or debit cards, according to 9to5Mac.Together, Passbook and Apple Pay will be able to keep track of your purchases and other information. You'll be able to view a list of recent transactions, see your credit card number and unique device account number and contact your bank directly, according to 9to5Mac. The service will also offer a quick way to download an accompanying App Store app and give you an option to receive push notifications.And here's one handy option. If your credit card expires, you don't need to update it on your phone. The card will automatically get updated through your credit card company, and you'll even be told via a push notification that it's been updated, according to the training material.Related StoriesApple Pay to launch OctoberGet to know Apple Pay, the successor to your walletiOS 8.1 beta 2 reveals new Apple Pay screensApple's Oct. 16 event: Here's what we expectOkay, that all sounds cool. But what about security? Receipts for any items you buy via Apple Pay will not show your contact details or credit card number but only the last four digits of your iPhone's unique Apple Pay ID. As described by Apple, the Apple Pay ID is a number unique to your device that is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in a dedicated chip on your iPhone.And where do you turn if you run into trouble paying for a product through Apple ID? Well, it depends on the problem. You can first head over to your local Apple Store where employees can use special software to see if the issue is with the hardware. If not, you'll likely need to to contact your bank or credit card issuer to see if the problem rests on that side of the fence.Finally, Apple Store employees will have to take an Apple Pay training class in the "coming days," 9to5Mac added, a sign that the payments system is getting ready to launch.Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.Apple will hold a media event on Thursday in which it's expected to unveil the new iPads, new Macs, and officially cut the ribbon on Mac OS X Yosemite. It's a safe bet the company will also reveal more details on Apple Pay and clue us in as to when the service will finally roll out to the public.
Share your iTunes across the world- SimplifyMedia
Share your iTunes across the world: SimplifyMedia
At the moment, the service works only with iTunes, and most iTunes users probably know that iTunes already allows streaming between computers. The hitch is that iTunes restricts sharing to a local network, so music can be shared in a building, but not across the world. You can hack around this with a virtual network product like Hamachi, but that's beyond the technical reach of most people. Orb also lets you share your media libraries, but I've found it buggy, and the browser-based interface is slow. SimplifyMedia makes things automatic if you want to share across the Internet. You can invite up to 30 other people into your library, and see their tracks as well. As I said, what I find most useful about the product is that it gives me easy access to my home desktop's iTunes library from my work laptop, no matter where it may be.I keep a large music and podcast library on my desktop at home, and this tool makes it easy for me to access it from iTunes on my laptop, even when I'm at work or on another network elsewhere. It's like a Slingbox for music.The service keeps things legal by allowing only streaming, not copying, and only to a small group. Also, only you can listen to your own iTunes-purchased, DRM-protected tunes. The Simplify team is working to loosen up that restriction.SimplifyMedia-shared libraries show up inside iTunes.CNET NetworksMy big criticism has to do with access control. It's binary--when you let people see and play your library, they have complete access to all your nonprotected music, just as you do. I'd like a better way to restrict visibility for people I've given access to, while maintaining full access for myself. Also, I found a technical conflict between the beta software and my home's media storage drive--I could only have one working at a time. There are also reports of VPN incompatibilities, but none popped up in my tests.This application is a natural for the Facebook community. SimplifyMedia co-founder Paul Joyce says the team is already working on it. See also TUAW's interesting history lesson on iTunes sharing.
At the moment, the service works only with iTunes, and most iTunes users probably know that iTunes already allows streaming between computers. The hitch is that iTunes restricts sharing to a local network, so music can be shared in a building, but not across the world. You can hack around this with a virtual network product like Hamachi, but that's beyond the technical reach of most people. Orb also lets you share your media libraries, but I've found it buggy, and the browser-based interface is slow. SimplifyMedia makes things automatic if you want to share across the Internet. You can invite up to 30 other people into your library, and see their tracks as well. As I said, what I find most useful about the product is that it gives me easy access to my home desktop's iTunes library from my work laptop, no matter where it may be.I keep a large music and podcast library on my desktop at home, and this tool makes it easy for me to access it from iTunes on my laptop, even when I'm at work or on another network elsewhere. It's like a Slingbox for music.The service keeps things legal by allowing only streaming, not copying, and only to a small group. Also, only you can listen to your own iTunes-purchased, DRM-protected tunes. The Simplify team is working to loosen up that restriction.SimplifyMedia-shared libraries show up inside iTunes.CNET NetworksMy big criticism has to do with access control. It's binary--when you let people see and play your library, they have complete access to all your nonprotected music, just as you do. I'd like a better way to restrict visibility for people I've given access to, while maintaining full access for myself. Also, I found a technical conflict between the beta software and my home's media storage drive--I could only have one working at a time. There are also reports of VPN incompatibilities, but none popped up in my tests.This application is a natural for the Facebook community. SimplifyMedia co-founder Paul Joyce says the team is already working on it. See also TUAW's interesting history lesson on iTunes sharing.
How to watch YouTube videos on Roku
How to watch YouTube videos on Roku
2. On your Roku, go to Settings > Player Info > Check for update. This will force your Roku to install the Twonky channel you added online. Once it's done updating, head back to My Channels and a new Twonky channel should appear.Apple iTunes Store3. Connect your phone or tablet to the same Wi-Fi network as your Roku. Then, download the Twonky Beam app (iOS, Android). 4. When you launch the Beam app, you'll be presented with a tiled list of video sources, like YouTube, Ted, and even FunnyOrDie. See, Beam will actually let you stream videos from all of the sources listed, not just YouTube. But, for the purpose of this tutorial, we'll focus on YouTube.From the home screen of the app, swipe left to reveal what we'll call the "beam panel." Here, tap Display Device, and select Roku Video Player.Now you're ready to start beaming YouTube videos to your TV. 5. Swipe right from the beam panel to reveal the home screen, and select YouTube. You'll be redirected to YouTube's mobile site within the app, where you can find a YouTube video as usual. When you find a video you want to beam, you'll see a Beam button overlaid on the video. Tap to play the video, wait a few moments, and revel while the video buffers and plays on your TV screen. You can even play/pause and stop the video from the beam panel.Extra Twonky Beam optionsTwonky Beam offers a couple extra features worth checking out:High-quality streaming:By default, Twonky beams videos in a mediocre bandwidth, but if your Roku is connected to the Internet via Ethernet, and you've got a pretty good connection, pump up the video quality to High.In the Beam app, go to Settings > Settings, and change the preferred bandwidth to High.Video queue: With Twonky Beam, you can line up a list of videos that will play consecutively. From any screen, swipe left and tap Beam Queue Off to turn the feature on. Now head to the videos you want to queue up (even while one is playing on your Roku), tap Beam, and they'll be added to the queue. When you're ready to switch back to on-demand viewing, just tap Beam Queue On to disable it.
2. On your Roku, go to Settings > Player Info > Check for update. This will force your Roku to install the Twonky channel you added online. Once it's done updating, head back to My Channels and a new Twonky channel should appear.Apple iTunes Store3. Connect your phone or tablet to the same Wi-Fi network as your Roku. Then, download the Twonky Beam app (iOS, Android). 4. When you launch the Beam app, you'll be presented with a tiled list of video sources, like YouTube, Ted, and even FunnyOrDie. See, Beam will actually let you stream videos from all of the sources listed, not just YouTube. But, for the purpose of this tutorial, we'll focus on YouTube.From the home screen of the app, swipe left to reveal what we'll call the "beam panel." Here, tap Display Device, and select Roku Video Player.Now you're ready to start beaming YouTube videos to your TV. 5. Swipe right from the beam panel to reveal the home screen, and select YouTube. You'll be redirected to YouTube's mobile site within the app, where you can find a YouTube video as usual. When you find a video you want to beam, you'll see a Beam button overlaid on the video. Tap to play the video, wait a few moments, and revel while the video buffers and plays on your TV screen. You can even play/pause and stop the video from the beam panel.Extra Twonky Beam optionsTwonky Beam offers a couple extra features worth checking out:High-quality streaming:By default, Twonky beams videos in a mediocre bandwidth, but if your Roku is connected to the Internet via Ethernet, and you've got a pretty good connection, pump up the video quality to High.In the Beam app, go to Settings > Settings, and change the preferred bandwidth to High.Video queue: With Twonky Beam, you can line up a list of videos that will play consecutively. From any screen, swipe left and tap Beam Queue Off to turn the feature on. Now head to the videos you want to queue up (even while one is playing on your Roku), tap Beam, and they'll be added to the queue. When you're ready to switch back to on-demand viewing, just tap Beam Queue On to disable it.
Tim Cook doesn't like Apple's falling share price, either
Tim Cook doesn't like Apple's falling share price, either
If you're an Apple shareholder and pretty pissed about the company's recent stock drop, you can at least take comfort in knowing you're not alone. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said today during the electronics giant's annual shareholder meeting that he knows people are upset about the stock drop.Related stories:Apple re-elects board, mum about stock splitApple, Samsung get knocked down a pegStock split rumor surfaces ahead of Apple investor meeting"I don't like it either," Cook said. Nor does the board and management, he added.But what investors are likely still wondering is what Apple is going to do about it. Shares have tumbled roughly 35 percent from their peak in September, and it's unclear what could spur another run higher. Many investors have become worried about increased competition from the likes of Samsung and others, and some shareholders, like David Einhorn, have demanded that Apple return more cash to investors.Cook today said the company is focused on the long term and making the very best products. He noted that Apple is working harder than ever and "has some great stuff coming." Apple shares recently slid 1 percent, to $444.29, as investors awaited more news from the shareholder meeting.
If you're an Apple shareholder and pretty pissed about the company's recent stock drop, you can at least take comfort in knowing you're not alone. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said today during the electronics giant's annual shareholder meeting that he knows people are upset about the stock drop.Related stories:Apple re-elects board, mum about stock splitApple, Samsung get knocked down a pegStock split rumor surfaces ahead of Apple investor meeting"I don't like it either," Cook said. Nor does the board and management, he added.But what investors are likely still wondering is what Apple is going to do about it. Shares have tumbled roughly 35 percent from their peak in September, and it's unclear what could spur another run higher. Many investors have become worried about increased competition from the likes of Samsung and others, and some shareholders, like David Einhorn, have demanded that Apple return more cash to investors.Cook today said the company is focused on the long term and making the very best products. He noted that Apple is working harder than ever and "has some great stuff coming." Apple shares recently slid 1 percent, to $444.29, as investors awaited more news from the shareholder meeting.
Tim Cook advises climate change deniers to get out of Apple stock
Tim Cook advises climate change deniers to get out of Apple stock
In his job as Apple CEO, Tim Cook is mostly known for having a demeanor that's in some ways antithetical to that of Steve Jobs. Instead of bombast and bold claims, Cook's soothing Southern-tinged speech and steely temperament have marked him as a man whose head could be nothing but level. That is, unless you're a shareholder who thinks climate change is bogus. At Apple's annual shareholder meeting Friday, Cook shot down the suggestion from a conservative, Washington, D.C.-based think tank that Apple give up on environmental initiatives that don't contribute to the company's bottom line. The organization, the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), hasn't taken too kindly to Apple's increasing reliance on green energy, nor Cook's hiring of Lisa Jackson, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to spearhead sustainability efforts for the iPhone-maker. And NCPPR General Counsel Justin Danhof said as much in a statement issued to Apple ahead of the meeting."We object to increased government control over company products and operations, and likewise mandatory environmental standards," Danhof wrote alongside NCPPR's demand that the pledge be voted on at the meeting. "This is something [Apple] should be actively fighting, not preparing surrender."Cook came back with a harsh reminder that despite the company's mounds of cash, it is not in the business of caving to shareholder demands, especially politically motivated ones. "We do a lot of things for reasons besides profit motive," Cook said. "We want to leave the world better than we found it."Danhof's proposal was voted down, of course, but not before Cook put the final touches on his rebuttal. To any who found the company's environmental dedication either ideologically or economically ill-advised, they can "get out of the stock," Cook said. (Via Mashable)
In his job as Apple CEO, Tim Cook is mostly known for having a demeanor that's in some ways antithetical to that of Steve Jobs. Instead of bombast and bold claims, Cook's soothing Southern-tinged speech and steely temperament have marked him as a man whose head could be nothing but level. That is, unless you're a shareholder who thinks climate change is bogus. At Apple's annual shareholder meeting Friday, Cook shot down the suggestion from a conservative, Washington, D.C.-based think tank that Apple give up on environmental initiatives that don't contribute to the company's bottom line. The organization, the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), hasn't taken too kindly to Apple's increasing reliance on green energy, nor Cook's hiring of Lisa Jackson, the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to spearhead sustainability efforts for the iPhone-maker. And NCPPR General Counsel Justin Danhof said as much in a statement issued to Apple ahead of the meeting."We object to increased government control over company products and operations, and likewise mandatory environmental standards," Danhof wrote alongside NCPPR's demand that the pledge be voted on at the meeting. "This is something [Apple] should be actively fighting, not preparing surrender."Cook came back with a harsh reminder that despite the company's mounds of cash, it is not in the business of caving to shareholder demands, especially politically motivated ones. "We do a lot of things for reasons besides profit motive," Cook said. "We want to leave the world better than we found it."Danhof's proposal was voted down, of course, but not before Cook put the final touches on his rebuttal. To any who found the company's environmental dedication either ideologically or economically ill-advised, they can "get out of the stock," Cook said. (Via Mashable)
Apple-Beats deal to get EU decision by July 30
Apple-Beats deal to get EU decision by July 30
The European Union's competition watchdog, the European Commission, will make a decision on Apple's $3 billion deal to buy Beats by the end of next month.The Commission announced the news Wednesday, saying that while it could clear the deal with no concessions, it reserves the right to launch an in-depth investigation into the agreement to deal with any competitive issues that might result from the acquisition.Late last month, Apple announced plans to acquire Beats for $3 billion. Apple has been cryptic about its plans, but seems to be most interested in the Beats Music streaming service. While Apple already has a music-streaming service in iTunes Radio, the pending acquisition suggests that Apple sees greater potential by folding Beats Music into its lineup.The European Commission is just one of several governmental bodies that need to approve the Apple deal, including US regulators, who will also examine whether it poses any anticompetitive concerns. That seems unlikely, given the sheer amount of competition in music streaming today and the small sliver occupied by Beats Music in the space owned by Pandora and Spotify.In addition to streaming music, Apple would get its hands on Beats' popular headphones. Apple's brand has arguably lost some of its "coolness" factor over the last few years, while Beats, riding the success of its headphones, has become a pop culture phenomenon. When the deal closes, Apple will also bring aboard rap star and Beats co-founder Dr. Dre, as well as Interscope Records chairman and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the EU approval date. We will update this story when we have more information.
The European Union's competition watchdog, the European Commission, will make a decision on Apple's $3 billion deal to buy Beats by the end of next month.The Commission announced the news Wednesday, saying that while it could clear the deal with no concessions, it reserves the right to launch an in-depth investigation into the agreement to deal with any competitive issues that might result from the acquisition.Late last month, Apple announced plans to acquire Beats for $3 billion. Apple has been cryptic about its plans, but seems to be most interested in the Beats Music streaming service. While Apple already has a music-streaming service in iTunes Radio, the pending acquisition suggests that Apple sees greater potential by folding Beats Music into its lineup.The European Commission is just one of several governmental bodies that need to approve the Apple deal, including US regulators, who will also examine whether it poses any anticompetitive concerns. That seems unlikely, given the sheer amount of competition in music streaming today and the small sliver occupied by Beats Music in the space owned by Pandora and Spotify.In addition to streaming music, Apple would get its hands on Beats' popular headphones. Apple's brand has arguably lost some of its "coolness" factor over the last few years, while Beats, riding the success of its headphones, has become a pop culture phenomenon. When the deal closes, Apple will also bring aboard rap star and Beats co-founder Dr. Dre, as well as Interscope Records chairman and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine.CNET has contacted Apple for comment on the EU approval date. We will update this story when we have more information.
Apple-approved drug-dealing game tops iTunes chart
Apple-approved drug-dealing game tops iTunes chart
How can you ever teach kids about real life?You know they're going to encounter it before you know it. And you know there's no guaranteed method of preparing them.There is, however, a way to ease them gently into certain aspects. Why, USA Today tells me there's a very fine drug-dealing game that's soared to the very top of the iTunes chart. It's called Weed Firm. And, yes, its principles don't divert entirely from the challenges experienced by Mary-Louise Parker's character on "Weeds."The game's makers describe it like this: "Follow the story of an expelled botany sophomore Ted Growing as heinherits a growing operation and expands it. Learn to grow weed, plantnew varieties to increase your yields, expand your customer base andinteract with the characters to become the biggest weed dealer in town."Yes, of course you have to bribe the police along the way. That's called a business expense.Some might find it odd that Apple, which does occasionally adhere to strict moral principles, approved this game at all. (And it's definitely available beyond Colorado and Washington.)More Technically IncorrectWoz to FCC: You're supposed to be on the people's sideDear Ashton Kutcher, where are my T-shirts?NYPD uses GPS-enabled pill bottle to catch alleged drugstore robberThose who have reviewed it in the iTunes Store seem generally pleased with its performance. One reviewer, though, offered frustration: "I hate when the gangsters break in and steal all of your money and weedand if you haven't already got any seeds or weed, you can't buy or sellanything else."Life can be like that. Heartless.Manitoba Games, the makers of Weed Firm, insist they don't condone smoking pot or making money out of dealing. Their disclaimer reads: "The plot of this game is solely a work of fiction and should be viewed only as such."Personally, I enjoyed their other warning, one that will surely serve everyone as they go through their daily lives: "Watch out for thugs and cops."
How can you ever teach kids about real life?You know they're going to encounter it before you know it. And you know there's no guaranteed method of preparing them.There is, however, a way to ease them gently into certain aspects. Why, USA Today tells me there's a very fine drug-dealing game that's soared to the very top of the iTunes chart. It's called Weed Firm. And, yes, its principles don't divert entirely from the challenges experienced by Mary-Louise Parker's character on "Weeds."The game's makers describe it like this: "Follow the story of an expelled botany sophomore Ted Growing as heinherits a growing operation and expands it. Learn to grow weed, plantnew varieties to increase your yields, expand your customer base andinteract with the characters to become the biggest weed dealer in town."Yes, of course you have to bribe the police along the way. That's called a business expense.Some might find it odd that Apple, which does occasionally adhere to strict moral principles, approved this game at all. (And it's definitely available beyond Colorado and Washington.)More Technically IncorrectWoz to FCC: You're supposed to be on the people's sideDear Ashton Kutcher, where are my T-shirts?NYPD uses GPS-enabled pill bottle to catch alleged drugstore robberThose who have reviewed it in the iTunes Store seem generally pleased with its performance. One reviewer, though, offered frustration: "I hate when the gangsters break in and steal all of your money and weedand if you haven't already got any seeds or weed, you can't buy or sellanything else."Life can be like that. Heartless.Manitoba Games, the makers of Weed Firm, insist they don't condone smoking pot or making money out of dealing. Their disclaimer reads: "The plot of this game is solely a work of fiction and should be viewed only as such."Personally, I enjoyed their other warning, one that will surely serve everyone as they go through their daily lives: "Watch out for thugs and cops."
Apple OKs Cinemax app, despite anti-porn policy
Apple OKs Cinemax app, despite anti-porn policy
A new app has arrived at the iTunes store that may violate Apple's own policy of keeping pornographic material off its app store.The company has given its blessing to the Cinemax Max Go app, which provides on-demand access to movies and programming on mobile devices to the cable channel's subscribers. The app also includes a Max After Dark tab, which allows streaming of some of the channel's softcore programming, which helped earned Cinemax the nickname "Skinemax."The app includes a disclosure that states users must be at least 17 years old to download the app because, among other things, it includes "frequent/intense sexual content or nudity." It also contains parental controls designed to prevent children from viewing racy material. However, as first pointed out by GigaOm, the programming being made available on iPads appears to violate Apple's own anti-porn policy.Movies with titles such as "The Hills Have Thighs," "Bikini Jones," and "The Temple of Eros" are available under the tab. But Apple's App Store guidelines state that "apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings,' will be rejected."Apple is notoriously strict about what type of content it allows on the App Store. The company has in the past banned apps that contained certain sexual material and at one point even rejected an app from Project Gutenberg because it provided access to the Kama Sutra.Apple CEO Steve Jobs even reportedly told a customer asking about the company's porn policy that "we do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy and (sic) Android phone."Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A new app has arrived at the iTunes store that may violate Apple's own policy of keeping pornographic material off its app store.The company has given its blessing to the Cinemax Max Go app, which provides on-demand access to movies and programming on mobile devices to the cable channel's subscribers. The app also includes a Max After Dark tab, which allows streaming of some of the channel's softcore programming, which helped earned Cinemax the nickname "Skinemax."The app includes a disclosure that states users must be at least 17 years old to download the app because, among other things, it includes "frequent/intense sexual content or nudity." It also contains parental controls designed to prevent children from viewing racy material. However, as first pointed out by GigaOm, the programming being made available on iPads appears to violate Apple's own anti-porn policy.Movies with titles such as "The Hills Have Thighs," "Bikini Jones," and "The Temple of Eros" are available under the tab. But Apple's App Store guidelines state that "apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings,' will be rejected."Apple is notoriously strict about what type of content it allows on the App Store. The company has in the past banned apps that contained certain sexual material and at one point even rejected an app from Project Gutenberg because it provided access to the Kama Sutra.Apple CEO Steve Jobs even reportedly told a customer asking about the company's porn policy that "we do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone. Folks who want porn can buy and (sic) Android phone."Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Apple offers up e-book discount to avoid antitrust fines, report says
Apple offers up e-book discount to avoid antitrust fines, report says
Apple has come up with a deal that may get the company out of an European antitrust investigation and avoid possible fines by letting its competitors sell e-books at a discount, Reuters reported today.The agreement, proposed by Apple and four major publishers, would let e-book retailers like Amazon sell books at a lower price for two years, an unnamed source told Reuters.In fear of Apple squashing competition in Europe, the European Union's commission overseeing antitrust violations began investigating Apple's e-book prices in December.The four publishers -- Simon & Schuster (which is owned by CBS, the same company that publishes CNET), News Corp. unit HarperCollins Publishers, French group Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre, and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck (which owns Macmillan in Germany) -- had a deal with Apple that let the Cupertino, Calif., company sell e-books in iTunes, but stopped other retailers from selling the book at a lower price.The commission announced in April that five publishers had offered deals, also in an attempt to stop the investigation, but no details were released. Reuters' source said the commission is now looking for input from the industry to see if the offered concessions are sufficient.Apple's e-book woes are far reaching. In the United States, Justice Department officials have pursued a lawsuit against Apple and publishers for allegedly conspiring to increase prices.
Apple has come up with a deal that may get the company out of an European antitrust investigation and avoid possible fines by letting its competitors sell e-books at a discount, Reuters reported today.The agreement, proposed by Apple and four major publishers, would let e-book retailers like Amazon sell books at a lower price for two years, an unnamed source told Reuters.In fear of Apple squashing competition in Europe, the European Union's commission overseeing antitrust violations began investigating Apple's e-book prices in December.The four publishers -- Simon & Schuster (which is owned by CBS, the same company that publishes CNET), News Corp. unit HarperCollins Publishers, French group Lagardere SCA's Hachette Livre, and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck (which owns Macmillan in Germany) -- had a deal with Apple that let the Cupertino, Calif., company sell e-books in iTunes, but stopped other retailers from selling the book at a lower price.The commission announced in April that five publishers had offered deals, also in an attempt to stop the investigation, but no details were released. Reuters' source said the commission is now looking for input from the industry to see if the offered concessions are sufficient.Apple's e-book woes are far reaching. In the United States, Justice Department officials have pursued a lawsuit against Apple and publishers for allegedly conspiring to increase prices.
Apple offers installment payments to customers in China
Apple offers installment payments to customers in China
Apple is trying to make it easier for customers in China to pay for its products.The company has posted to its Chinese Web site a new installment plan, allowing customers who pay 300 yuan (about $48) or more for an Apple product to pay in installments. From now until January 23, Apple is offering interest-free payments for up to 12 months. If customers choose 18- or 24-month installments, interest will be assessed at 6.5 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.When customers check out on Apple's online store, they'll be given the option to pay in full at that time or choose an installment plan. Upon doing so, they'll be entered into installment plans through the Merchants Bank credit card.The move appears to be an attempt on Apple's part to appeal to shoppers in China who might not be able to afford its expensive products. For example, the iPhone 5 starts at 5,288 yuan -- about $850. The company's iPad starts at 3,688 yuan.As Bloomberg, which first reported on the installment plan, pointed out in its report, the iPhone 5's starting price is equal to about six weeks' pay for the typical Chinese employee working in a city.Still, Apple isn't offering the installment plan only to customers in China. In the U.S., for example, Apple will allow customers to finance its products for up to 18 months. Customer purchases that reach $1,999 or more have no interest for a period of 18 months. The no-interest option is available on smaller purchases for a shorter period of time.
Apple is trying to make it easier for customers in China to pay for its products.The company has posted to its Chinese Web site a new installment plan, allowing customers who pay 300 yuan (about $48) or more for an Apple product to pay in installments. From now until January 23, Apple is offering interest-free payments for up to 12 months. If customers choose 18- or 24-month installments, interest will be assessed at 6.5 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.When customers check out on Apple's online store, they'll be given the option to pay in full at that time or choose an installment plan. Upon doing so, they'll be entered into installment plans through the Merchants Bank credit card.The move appears to be an attempt on Apple's part to appeal to shoppers in China who might not be able to afford its expensive products. For example, the iPhone 5 starts at 5,288 yuan -- about $850. The company's iPad starts at 3,688 yuan.As Bloomberg, which first reported on the installment plan, pointed out in its report, the iPhone 5's starting price is equal to about six weeks' pay for the typical Chinese employee working in a city.Still, Apple isn't offering the installment plan only to customers in China. In the U.S., for example, Apple will allow customers to finance its products for up to 18 months. Customer purchases that reach $1,999 or more have no interest for a period of 18 months. The no-interest option is available on smaller purchases for a shorter period of time.
Apple nudging developers to get apps Gatekeeper-ready
Apple nudging developers to get apps Gatekeeper-ready
Apple's release of its Mountain Lion software isn't until "late summer," though today the company began nudging developers to get their software up to speed with its new security feature.In an e-mail sent to developers this afternoon and forwarded on to CNET, Apple urged developers to start signing their apps and other software with their Apple Developer ID certificate so they will get by Gatekeeper, a security feature that's built into Apple's next OS and designed to keep malware at bay. "Gatekeeper is a new feature in OS X Mountain Lion that helps protect users from downloading and installing malicious software," Apple told developers. "Signing your applications, plug-ins, and installer packages with a Developer ID certificate lets Gatekeeper verify that they are not known malware and have not been tampered with."The feature has three levels of security, though by default it's set up to keep software from being installed unless it's sold through Apple's Mac App Store, or been certified by a registered Apple developer. The two other options allow users to either install anything without running the additional security check (which is how it works in existing versions of the OS), or limit software installations to Apple's Mac App Store.Related storiesApple Mac OS X 'Mountain Lion' takes more bites out of iOSSecurity experts: Apple did Mac OS X Gatekeeper rightWith Mountain Lion, Apple brings iOS and OS X a big step closerAs mentionedin previous coverage, Mountain Lion is a successor to OS X 10.7 Lion, whichApple released last July. The software takes several cues from Apple's iOS platform, bringing over features like Notification Center, and apps like Reminders and Notepad. Apple is currently on its third developer preview of Mountain Lion. The first preview came in February, alongside the unveiling of the upcoming OS.Here's the e-mail: Click to enlarge.CNET
Apple's release of its Mountain Lion software isn't until "late summer," though today the company began nudging developers to get their software up to speed with its new security feature.In an e-mail sent to developers this afternoon and forwarded on to CNET, Apple urged developers to start signing their apps and other software with their Apple Developer ID certificate so they will get by Gatekeeper, a security feature that's built into Apple's next OS and designed to keep malware at bay. "Gatekeeper is a new feature in OS X Mountain Lion that helps protect users from downloading and installing malicious software," Apple told developers. "Signing your applications, plug-ins, and installer packages with a Developer ID certificate lets Gatekeeper verify that they are not known malware and have not been tampered with."The feature has three levels of security, though by default it's set up to keep software from being installed unless it's sold through Apple's Mac App Store, or been certified by a registered Apple developer. The two other options allow users to either install anything without running the additional security check (which is how it works in existing versions of the OS), or limit software installations to Apple's Mac App Store.Related storiesApple Mac OS X 'Mountain Lion' takes more bites out of iOSSecurity experts: Apple did Mac OS X Gatekeeper rightWith Mountain Lion, Apple brings iOS and OS X a big step closerAs mentionedin previous coverage, Mountain Lion is a successor to OS X 10.7 Lion, whichApple released last July. The software takes several cues from Apple's iOS platform, bringing over features like Notification Center, and apps like Reminders and Notepad. Apple is currently on its third developer preview of Mountain Lion. The first preview came in February, alongside the unveiling of the upcoming OS.Here's the e-mail: Click to enlarge.CNET
Apple now world's largest semiconductor buyer
Apple now world's largest semiconductor buyer
Apple is the easily outstripping all other hardware makers in semiconductor spending, a new report from IHS iSuppli has found.According to the research firm, Apple spent $17.5 billion on semiconductors in 2010, representing a whopping 79.6 percent increase over the $9.7 billion it spent in 2009. That year, Apple was ranked third among semiconductor buyers behind Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Samsung.And with that leap in spending, IHS iSuppli said, Apple now finds itself--"for the first time ever"--the largest buyer of semiconductors among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide.This time around, HP finds itself in the second spot with $15.2 billion spent on semiconductors last year. Samsung, Dell, and Nokia rounded out the top five by spending $13.9 billion, $11 billion, and $8.3 billion, respectively.Apple's meteoric rise in spending is due mainly to the company's iPhone and iPad, IHS iSuppli said. In 2010, Apple dedicated 61 percent of its semiconductor spending to its mobile devices, while the remaining costs went to its computers. HP, on the other hand, spent 82 percent of its cash on desktops, notebooks, and servers.Chances are, Apple's spending mix won't change anytime soon. At the Worldwide Developers Conference this week, the company announced that sales of iOS-based devices continue to soar. And so far, Apple has sold 200 million iOS-based products around the world.As that figure grows, IHS iSuppli expects more big things from Apple in the semiconductor market. The research firm said today that it expects Apple's semiconductor spending to increase again in 2011 to $22.4 billion. HP's, on the other hand, is expected to fall to $14.8 billion. Samsung, the research firm said, will spend $14.3 billion on semiconductors this year.
Apple is the easily outstripping all other hardware makers in semiconductor spending, a new report from IHS iSuppli has found.According to the research firm, Apple spent $17.5 billion on semiconductors in 2010, representing a whopping 79.6 percent increase over the $9.7 billion it spent in 2009. That year, Apple was ranked third among semiconductor buyers behind Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Samsung.And with that leap in spending, IHS iSuppli said, Apple now finds itself--"for the first time ever"--the largest buyer of semiconductors among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide.This time around, HP finds itself in the second spot with $15.2 billion spent on semiconductors last year. Samsung, Dell, and Nokia rounded out the top five by spending $13.9 billion, $11 billion, and $8.3 billion, respectively.Apple's meteoric rise in spending is due mainly to the company's iPhone and iPad, IHS iSuppli said. In 2010, Apple dedicated 61 percent of its semiconductor spending to its mobile devices, while the remaining costs went to its computers. HP, on the other hand, spent 82 percent of its cash on desktops, notebooks, and servers.Chances are, Apple's spending mix won't change anytime soon. At the Worldwide Developers Conference this week, the company announced that sales of iOS-based devices continue to soar. And so far, Apple has sold 200 million iOS-based products around the world.As that figure grows, IHS iSuppli expects more big things from Apple in the semiconductor market. The research firm said today that it expects Apple's semiconductor spending to increase again in 2011 to $22.4 billion. HP's, on the other hand, is expected to fall to $14.8 billion. Samsung, the research firm said, will spend $14.3 billion on semiconductors this year.
Apple bulks up mobile security with $356M AuthenTec buy
Apple is getting serious about mobile security.The Cupertino, Calif., company has agreed to acquire security technology company AuthenTec for $356 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission made by AuthenTec.The $8-a-share offer for AuthenTec represents a 58 percent premium over its Thursday closing price of $5.07. CNET contacted Apple for comment. We'll update the story when the company responds. An AuthenTec spokesman confirmed the deal but said it wouldn't be adding any more detail. Apple is just the latest company to get swept up in the increasing interest in mobile security. With increasing reports of mobile malware, viruses, and other threats, the wireless industry has stepped up its defenses. Carriers such as AT&T and Sprint Nextel are increasingly talking about security as the next big service, while a number of mobile security firms have sprung up in recent years. AuthenTec makes fingerprint sensors and identity management software that's deployed in mobile devices, computing and networking companies, service providers, and governments. It counts Samsung Electronics, LG, Cisco Systems, and Motorola among its customers. Earlier this month, Samsung tapped AuthenTec's virtual private network security to power its business-class smartphones and tablets.
Apple brings movies to iTunes in Japan
Apple has brought its movie rental and purchasing service to Japan.Japanese iTunes users can now buy or rent over 1,000 movies from the top Hollywood studios, like Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., as well as films from several prominent Japanese studios. Apple said yesterday that Hollywood films, like "Toy Story 3" and "Sex and the City 2," will be made available to Japanese customers.As soon as Japanese iTunes customers decide to rent a movie, they will have 30 days to start watching it. Once the film is started, it will be viewable for 48 hours. HD rentals range from 300 yen to 500 yen for older titles and new releases, respectively. Apple said that it will cost 2,000 yen ($24.33) to purchase"catalog titles and recent releases" in HD. It plans to sell new HD releases for 2,500 yen. With the movie service now live, Apple has been awfully busy in Japan as of late. The company started shipping its Apple TV to the country this week. It also announced earlier this week that it plans to bring its iAd advertising platform to Japan toward the beginning of 2011.
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