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Facebook Is Staffing Up With Apple Engineers To Build The Facebook Phone (FB)

Facebook has reportedly hired more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers to help it build a smartphone.

Facebook reportedly building smartphone with former Apple iPhone and iPad engineers

In what is certainly an interesting scoop, if it proves to be accurate, The New York Times’ Nick Bilton says that Facebook is making another go at building a smartphone. This time, however, it’s not doing it on its own power and has hired on “more than half a dozen former Apple software and hardware engineers who worked on the iPhone, and one who worked on the iPad.” Facebook has made attempts at building a smartphone before, two others, claims Bilton. The first was reported on back in 2010 by Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington. The next iteration of the phone was outed back in November of last year by All Things D’s Ina Fried and Liz Gannes. That project, code named “Buffy”, after Avengers helmer Joss Whedon’s vampire slayer, provided the basis for the current project. In the interim, says the NYT report, Facebook came to the realization that it was not going to be able to gin up its own hardware with just in-house talent, and began snapping up engineers who formerly worked on other smartphones and portable electronics, like the ex-Apple folks. One engineer who formerly worked at Apple and worked on the iPhone said he met with Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, who then peppered him with questions about the inner workings of smartphones. It did not sound like idle intellectual curiosity, the engineer said; Mr. Zuckerberg asked about intricate details, including the types of chips used, he said. Another former Apple hardware engineer was recruited by a Facebook executive and was told about the company’s hardware explorations. Facebook recently released its Facebook Camera app for iOS and has previously released other standalone apps like Facebook Messenger and its primary Facebook client. This, along with the fact that Facebook has some 900M users and its own app store, has led many to conjecture that a phone of some sort is on the way. In its original S1 filing, Facebook exposed its fears of being shut out of the mobile arena by competitors who could simply shoulder its apps out. Listing as a potential threat “growth in use of Facebook through our mobile products, where we do not currently display ads, as a substitute for use on personal computers may negatively affect our revenue and financial results.” More to follow

Facebook reportedly building smartphone with former Apple iPhone and iPad engineers

These are the apps that should be in your iPhoneography ‘camera bag’

We’ve already given you a list of tips and tricks to get the most out of your smartphone photography, recommended cool accessories that will enhance your shots, but what we haven’t done is given you a little bit of insight into the apps we think every iPhoneographer should have, new old, or otherwise. If you want to get serious about your mobile photography, the following list of apps are must-haves for your virtual camera bag. While there are, of course, a ton of options out there, these are the ones that we’ve found ourselves using on a daily basis and they come highly recommended. So in no particular order, here they are: Shooting When it comes to shooting photos, the native iPhone camera has one main merit to its name – you can easily access it from the locked home screen and it loads relatively fast – so it’s a great option when you’re in the street and want to get a shot fast. It gets the job done. Camera+: If you have the leisure of taking a little bit more time to get the perfect shot, we’d recommend Camera+ as a more robust option. There’s a reason this (currently) $0.99 app has over 6 million users, and sells a copy of every 3 seconds. So what is it about this app that makes it the perfect companion for anyone who’s serious about their iPhoneography? Besides having the run-of-the-mill options you would expect of any decent smartphone camera app, these are a few of its standout features that we can’t live without: VolumeSnap: You can shoot a photo using the volume buttons (a feature most of its competitors, with the exception of the native iPhone app lack) You can choose between a Classic and Shoot & Share workflow. This means you can choose between going back to the viewfinder or the image you just took, after snapping a shot. You have total control over focus and exposure. While it has a ton of great post-processing features, we’re huge fans of the scene mode ‘clarity’, which brightens up the darkest picture, salvaging photos you would have otherwise deleted, and the one-click crop options (including a ‘square’ crop to get your images ready for Instagram). This might not be a specific feature per se, but Camera+ has a dedicated team behind the app, rolling out impressive updates on a constant basis, so it’s the camera app that just keeps on giving. DMD Panorama: There’s a fair share of options in the iTunes App Store when it comes to shooting panoramas, but none as easy to use as $0.99 DMD Panorama. Not only does the app make it easy to take a gorgeous panorama shot in a matter of seconds, the results are near flawless. Want to see what the app can do for yourself? Check out its user gallery. It’s no surprise that the app crossed the 200,000 download mark in its first 2 weeks, and has since gone on to secure a whopping 3 million downloads. Hipstamatic: Needing no introduction, Hipstamatic, is a great option if you want a little bit of flair to your photos. What we love about Hipstamatic is the endless options. You’ll get dizzy with all the different lens, film and flash options, making it easier than ever to find a distinct style for your iPhoneography photos. In addition to the free options that come with the app, constant updates bring new and fresh choices to its users. A ‘HipstaPak’ consisting of a lens, one or two types of film and a flash costs $0.99. Confused by all the different options available? Be sure to check out the Hipstamatic Field Guide, with examples, suggested combinations and more. And as if that weren’t enough to convince you, the app is temporarily on sale, down from $1.99 to $0.99, and all of the Hipstamatic Paks that were previously retired are temporarily available for purchase for Memorial Weekend. Editing Snapseed: For heavy-duty editing we would recommend the $4.99 app Snapseed. We reviewed the iPad version here, but you’ll find that the features are identical. So why Snapseed in particular? The app has an incredibly intuitive interface, is easy to use, and comes packed with all the features you could possibly need when it comes to mobile photo editing. From the basics of adjusting brightness, contrast and saturation, the app also has some pretty impressive selling points. These are a few of our favourite features: Selective Adjust allows you to choose a focal point in your image, and then adjust the rest of the image based on your personal selection. Impressive set of textures, which complement your photos rather than dilute them. Post-processing features brings it as close as we’ve seen to an all-in-one option for iPhone photo editing. Noir Photo: If you’re particularly drawn to black and white photography, the $2.99 Noir Photo is a must have. Not only does it convert images to black and white, it puts Photoshop’s ‘Lighting Effects’ feature in the palm of your hand. Applying vignettes, spotlights and colour tints, make it easy to enhance your photos in a way that will make them even more striking. With a just few simple settings, you can instantly add mood and atmosphere to your photos. Want to see an example of Noir Photo in action? Check out the before and after photos below: Color Splash: Looking for an easy way to get some selective color in your photos? Try the $0.99 app Color Splash, making it easy to selectively desaturate your images, leaving a burst of colour only where you want it. Framing Depending on what kind of framing you prefer, there are two options we would highly recommend. Fuzel: The first, Fuzel (which we’ve reviewed here) is great if you want to create custom layouts when it comes to creating a collage of your images. In addition to the preset layouts, you can go wild creating any kind of layout you want, while also being able adjust the width of the outlines, the colour, and add an interesting frame, complete with a caption. Photo Frame & FX: The one feature we’ve found to be lacking in Fuzel is rounded corners, so for that we’ve turned to Photo Frame & FX. In addition to adding rounded corners to your images, PhotoFrame offers 48 different layouts (but you do have to pay $0.99 to unlock them all), as well as a variety of colours and patterns. We think it’s worth it because you’ll get a few interesting options to play around with, like this (grey outline added to indicate where the actual frame ends): Sharing Instagram: An obvious choice, but no iPhoneography list would be complete without Instagram. Along with offering users a set of impressive filters, Instagram is the ideal place to share your iPhoneography creations. With an extremely active community, it is the best place to keep up with what’s going on in the iPhoneography world, and even get a little bit of feedback on your work. Bump: While almost all of the apps listed above (Camera+, DMD Panorama, Snapseed, Photo Frame, Fuzel, Hipstamatic) feature social media integration, making it easy to share your image to Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook and more, we would recommend one more app when it comes to sharing your images. If you want to get your photos from your iPhone to your iPad, or to a friend’s iOS device, we’d recommend Bump. That way, if you’d prefer to use apps like Snapseed and Noir Photo on the comfort of a larger screen, you can shoot the photo with your iPhone, and edit it with your iPad. Not only can you easily transfer photos between iOS devices, you can also “bump” your photos to your desktop computer with the free app. What do you think are must-have apps for someone who’s serious about iPhoneography? Let us know in the comments.

Teen Buys Camera with Picture of Dead Uncle Inside [Cameras]

You never know what you're going to find at a garage sale, but you can usually be pretty sure it won't be an unexpected image of a dead relative from 23 years ago. This Kansas kid got just that. More »

Former Dixons boss John Browett gets £36m 'golden hello' for joining Apple

John Browett, the former Dixons boss poached by Apple, will receive a $56m (£36m) golden hello for taking charge of its retail arm.

Pink Hearts Bling iPhone 4/4S Case from Snapette - Cosmopolitan

US Postal Service website. We're sorry. The address you entered does not appear to be valid. Please review and try again. If the problem persists, consider checking the address at the US Postal Service website. Fill in the fields below to start a FREE trial subscription to Cosmopolitan and be automatically entered for your chance to win: that's 69% less than others pay on the newsstand.No purchase is necessary to enter.click here If you like what you see, you'll get 11 more issues (12 in all) for just $15.00 — If not, return the bill marked "cancel" and keep the first issue with no obligation. You’ll still be eligible to win the sweepstakes. If you'd prefer enter the sweepstakes without starting a trial subscription to Cosmopolitan or if you are already a subscriber, click here Would you like to receive special offers, information and discounts by email from Snapette? ( Yes No Continuous Service Program: Your subscription will continue unless you ask us to stop. Each year you'll receive a reminder notice followed by an invoice for the low renewal rate then in effect. You can cancel at any time and receive a refund on all unmailed issues. * Sales tax will be charged where applicable. Cosmopolitan US cover price $3.99 per issue. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Snapette is giving away a custom iPhone 4/4S case today! Show your heart with this bedazzled case! Enter now for your chance to win!(Value: $36.00)

Triggers transforms your iPhone into an IFTTT-like gadget

With the sheer number of things you can do with smartphones today, it’s something of a clichéd joke to say that we can use our phones to do everything but make us our morning coffee. While that option is still only a pipe dream that some of us caffeine-dependent smartphone owners can continue to wish for, a new iPhone app can at least let us know when our toast is ready. Triggers, a $3.99 app, is something of an IFTTT for the iPhone. Using the app, you can create various processes that trigger different outputs. When your phone detects the sound of toast popping out of the toaster, it will send you an email telling you it’s ready. If your phone is moved, the accelerometer can trigger a beep or flashing light. Triggers turns your iPhone into a notifier, a motion or sound activated flashlight, a mini-strobe light, and more. How the app works Getting started with Triggers, it’s probably best to read the help files that come with the app, and also take a look at the existing templates that give you an idea of how the app can be used. The templates are just scratching the surface of Trigger’s potential. When creating a new ‘trigger’, you can choose from the following inputs: sound detected by the microphone, motion detected by the accelerometer, movement detected by a person’s proximity to your phone, or brightness detected by your camera. You can also opt for the simplest option – using a timer. After you’ve chosen your input, the next step is choosing the rule. If the sound exceeds a certain level, if the phone moves, or if someone approaches it, it will prompt a certain outcome. The final step is selecting that outcome. Output comes in six different forms – your phone will beep, vibrate, turn the flashlight on, send you an email, send a web request in the background to a website of your choice, or start a counter. In addition to creating as many templates for yourself as you like, you can also share your creations with Trigger’s community. To use this feature to its fullest, you have to connect the app to your Twitter account. Another reason, theoretically, that you’ll want to connect Triggers to your Twitter account (both on the app and on the website) is so that you can take full advantage of the counter feature. While you can note the final counted figure on the app, by connecting your account, you should be able to keep a running tally of the total count. It’s only theoretical, however, because in our experience, we couldn’t get this feature to work as advertised. Our verdict Triggers is definitely a function-over-form app, but honestly, we don’t care. (And we definitely prefer that as opposed to form-over-function). It may not be the prettiest app, but it adds an interesting dimension to how you can put your iPhone to good use, provided your running iOS 5.0 ot later. It might take a little bit of tinkering with the various app settings to get each trigger working the way you want, but once you’ve done that, the app works flawlessly. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work when running in the background or when your iPhone screen is locked, so if you want to use all of the features, you have to keep the app launched. Once you’ve got the hang of all of the different types of all of the settings available, and how to use them, Trigger turns your iPhone into a night light, motion sensor, and just about anything you can think of. Have you come up with any interesting processes using Triggers? Let us know about them in the comments. ➤Triggers Check out the app in action in the video below:

Microsoft posts Windows 8 app porting guide roundup, forgets to include BASIC

Let's say you're a developer eager to convert your apps for Windows 8 as soon as possible. Where do you start? Microsoft Developer Evangelist Jennifer Marsman is very much aware that you might be at a loss, so she has done the rather large favor of rounding up every porting guide the company has to offer in one handy place. Some of these are pure design guides, like a previously spotted iPad-to-Metro layout article, but others dig deep into converting code for the land of home tiles and charms. The focus is on porting from the web and Windows Phone 7, so we wouldn't work up hopes of bringing your high school computer class project to Metro. Still, Marsman is looking for more guides from readers; if you've developed just the technique to convert 10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD" 20 GOTO 10 into a tablet-native Windows 8 app, return the generosity and leave pointers at the source link.Microsoft posts Windows 8 app porting guide roundup, forgets to include BASIC originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 02:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UI

Cabler Cox Communications joined in on the live TV streaming to iPad craze by releasing its own Cox TV Connect app late last year, and recently updated it to version 1.1.0. With the upgrade comes the new look shown above, so while it originally featured a more unique look for TV listings (as seen after the break) this version has programming sorted in the traditional grid-style guide shown above. Also mentioned is the ability for users to view and sort TV listings for all channels, although they'll still need the separate Cox Mobile Connect apps for things like DVR scheduling. Grab the new version at the iTunes link below, assuming you get your TV and internet service at the right place.Continue reading Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UICox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UI originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | iTunes | Email this | Comments

Scientists Discover Sperm-Crippling Gene That Could Lead to Non-Hormonal Male Contraceptives [Science]

Boffins in Edinburgh, Scotland have discovered that a single mutated gene in male mice can inhibit the last stages of sperm development, thus inducing infertility. As a result, we are that much closer to hormone-free, reversible, and surgery-free male contraception. More »

Fancy Hands: The Most Helpful Startup in the World

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: Fancy Hands Quick Pitch: Delegate work to a smart and savvy band of personal assistants for $25 to $95 a month. Genius Idea: Fancy Hands lets you hand off time-consuming, menial tasks to reliable web-based assistants. Ever want to pay someone to sit on hold for you? Or to compile a list of the best gluten-free food in your area? Fancy Hands is a NYC-based startup that lets you do just that. The web-based service makes extra help affordable with flat rates. Fancy Hands offers the services of personal assistants to the masses. The company’s fleet of professional contractors, located throughout the U.S., are always available for service requests around the clock. The army of assistants will do almost anything that doesn’t involve them getting up from their chairs. Fancy Hands specializes in research, making phone calls and returning emails. Popular requests also include arranging appointments, finding local services, transcribing small chunks of audio or compiling lists. For a better idea of the range of services, check out Fancy Hands’ list of common requests. Members can submit requests from anywhere in the world to Fancy Hands. Submissions are received by email, by phone or through Basecamp. Requests are usually completed on the same business day. Tasks may take a couple minutes or an hour depending on details. The two-year-old startup was created by Ted Roden at a busy point in his life. He had his first child and signed a book deal in the same week. With a full-time job as a developer at The New York Times, he needed help with small, everyday tasks. Roden built the service around his own need. “If I wanted to do anything outside my core area of responsibilities, I just couldn’t get it done,” Roden tells Mashable. “If I wanted to make a reservation to take my wife out to dinner, I wasn’t able to do it. So, I said maybe I could get someone to do this for me.” Roden eventually finished the book and turned his startup dream into a profitable business with the help of freelance assistants. Fancy Hands is based in NYC’s SoHo. Its six full-time employees of programmers and developers are building new features within the website. It’s a well-oiled system. Speed and quality are top priorities for the team of handpicked assistants, Roden says. Everything is quality-checked before completion. Detailed reports are written up for each task, stating the amount of time spent and specific actions taken to get the task done. “All the communication is logged,” he says. “You can get a good sense on how much we’re working on a task for you. At the end of the day, you can say, my time is worth $10 an hour. If someone sat on the phone two to three times on the phone for me, I saved a lot of money.” The startup’s goal is to make life easier for everyone. Roden wants to revolutionize the way people work the same way the Internet changed airline ticket purchases. Before Orbitz, Expedia and other websites to compare flights, the only option for customers looking to fly was calling the airline or travel agent. Instead of being able to compare prices and buy the cheapest tickets, customers had to agree to whatever the airline agents told them. “The Internet came along and now it’s almost hard to remember how it was before,” Roden says. “I want to do that for other things. In the future, I want people to say ‘For scheduling, I can’t believe I used to email back and forth.’ I want that to happen for a lot of aspects in your life.” Fancy Hands offers monthly rates as well as yearly packages. Get five requests a month for $25, 15 requests a month for $45 and unlimited requests for $95 per month. What is the most time-consuming task in your day? Tell us in the comments if you would consider delegating specific tasks to personal assistants. Image courtesy of Flickr, Bethan Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today. More About: bizspark, Business, Social Media, social networking, startup

Would You Use a Viewfinder Add-On for Your iPhone? [VIDEO]

Have you ever struggled with taking a picture outdoors on your iPhone because of the oppressive glare of the sun washing out the Retina display? A new Kickstarter project might have the perfect solution for you. The Daylight Viewfinder attaches to an iPhone 4, 4S, or the newest iPod Touch or iPad. The Viewfinder blocks out external light, letting you see your phone’s screen glare-free to take a photo. When you’re not using the Viewfinder, it collapses and becomes small enough to carry around in a pocket or purse. SEE ALSO: How Kickstarter Is Saving Hardware Innovation Creator Paul Anderson set up the project on crowdfunding site Kickstarter with an ambitious $44,000 goal to get the equipment he needs to start mass producing the Viewfinder. So far, he’s got 18 backers who’ve pitched in $400. Interested? If you invest early, Anderson will give you a 33% discount if the Daylight Viewfinder meets its Kickstarter goal. What are your favorite smartphone hardware add-ons? Tell us why you love them in the comments below. More About: Hardware, instagram, iphone, kickstarter, photography, VideoFor more Dev & Design coverage:Follow Mashable Dev & Design on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Dev & Design channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Would You Use a Viewfinder Add-On for Your iPhone? [VIDEO]

Specially Sculpted Pot Creates a Whirlpool When Cooking So You Never Have to Stir [Wish You Were Here]

A Japanese dentist, of all people, has invented a sculpted pot that will automatically stir its contents as they heat up. It promises to completely revolutionize cooking, at least for the world's laziest chefs. More »

Gizmodo's Memorial Day Beach Party: Everything You Need to Celebrate in Style [Memorial Day]

13 Ways to Smuggle Your Booze More »

The Best BBQ Grill [Bestmodo]

A summer isn't a summer without a good grill to fire up. But you don't have to settle for good. The Wirecutter's Seamus Bellamy pinned down the cream of the charcoal crop. More »

A Video Game Designed to Help Doctors to Recognize Drug Abuse [Drugs]

At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the doctors are training themselves with technology to better recognize the signs of addiction. A video game has been designed based on the research of Dr. Michael M. Fleming of Northwestern University Feingberg School of Medicine that utilizes the same technology used by to train FBI agents in interrogation tactics: a combination of self-disclosure (a family history of drug-abuse, say) and non-verbal cues (fidgeting, nervous finger drumming, broken eye-contact, etc.). Still in its final stage of testing, the game uses an actors voice to simulate a hypothetical conversation with a patient seeking, for example, pain relievers. The program generates responses based on the doctor's questions, and the doctor must identify indicators of possible addiction or abuse, based on the simulated patient appearing on the screen before them. The dialog used in this simulated dialogs comes directly from Dr. Fleming's research, for which he spoke with about 1,000 opioid users. Primary care and family doctors, who often feel ill-prepared to make judgment calls of this nature, are the intended market for the Web-based interactive video game. The game's software was developed by Dale E. Olsen, a former professor of engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He is the founder and president of Simmersion, a company that has created simulation training programs for the F.B.I. The game's development was financed by a $1 million grant from the Small Business Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Olsen, who has a Ph.D. in statistics, said the game would cost users about $50 an hour. It is designed to be used for 10 sessions of 15 to 20 minutes each. He said customers would most likely include medical schools, as well as private and government health care providers. The game is soon to be made available online for free to medical schools and health care providers, reports the New York Times. Not only will this new technology help patients receive the best need-based care from their doctors, but it will help doctors to better interact and engage with their patients, an oft over-looked side of the relationship. [NYT - Image via Trif/Shutterstock]

A Video Game Designed to Help Doctors to Recognize Drug Abuse [Drugs]

Sweating The Small Stuff: Sotheby’s Selling Original Steve Jobs Note About Atari Circuit Improvements

The auction house Sotheby’s is selling an official memo from Steve Jobs to Atari about improving the World Cup Football game. The pages – stamped and signed by Jobs himself – describe circuit diagrams and paddle layouts. Delightfully, the stamp says “All-One Farm Design” and features a Buddhist mantra, “gate gate paragate parasangate bodhi svahdl.” As you do. If you’re thinking of picking this up you’d best have about $10,000 to $15,000 handy – although bidding could get fierce. Quoth MacWorld: The June 15th, 2012 auction features a 5 page memo sent to Atari employee Steve Bristow by Steve Jobs. This memo describes changes that could be made to Atari’s World Cup Soccer arcade game. These changes were designed to add play variety to the game and to extend the ‘shelf life’ for arcade operators. While the memo is typed on Atari letterhead, it also features a stamp imprinted with the name of Steve Job’s company at the time “All-One Farm Design” and the address of the Jobs family garage( and the birthplace of Apple Computer). The memo features a circuit diagram and a hand written addendum. This is the earliest know documentation produced by Steve Jobs and predates the founding of Apple computer by almost two years. No other documents from Steve Jobs time at Atari are known to exist. Sotheby’s sold another Steve Jobs document in December, 2011 for $1.6 million. If you’re really feeling spendy, you can plop down $180,000 on an original Apple I circuit board, presumably in mint condition. Get cracking and don’t forget: Sabbe satta sukhi hontu. Click to view slideshow.

Apple Stores rumored carrying Nest thermostats, we play it cool (to exactly 71F)

Tony Fadell might have left Apple to make the Nest Learning Thermostat, but it may be the case that Apple hasn't completely left him. If we go by a pair of rumors, Nest's Internet-savvy climate control could soon be in Apple Stores, presumably across the US, for the same $249 as it costs to splurge for one through Nest itself. We're definitely skeptical -- home appliances and automation aren't really Apple's strong suits, and Nest has already declined to comment -- but 9to5 Mac has heard that the thermostats are already in Apple's inventory system. If the reports are at all true, there won't be long to wait before you can buy a smart energy system while you're shopping for a new iPhone case.Apple Stores rumored carrying Nest thermostats, we play it cool (to exactly 71F) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 23:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | iLounge, 9to5 Mac | Email this | Comments

Apple re-releases iOS 5.1.1 update for iPhone 4 GSM units only

Apple has released a new build of iOS 5.1.1 for the GSM iPhone 4.

Apple re-releases iOS 5.1.1 update for iPhone 4 GSM units only

Apple has released another version of the iOS 5.1.1 software for GSM versions of the iPhone 4 only, reports iPhone hacker iH8sn0w. This update is build number 9B208 and no information is known about it at this point. Was just about to push sn0wbreeze 2.9.4 and Apple pushes 5.1.1 (9B208) for the iPhone 4 (GSM) only. I wonder what changed… — iH8sn0w (@iH8sn0w) May 26, 2012 This update was previously released on May 7th, and featured a list of improvements including improvement of HDR reliability when using the lock screen shortcut, AirPlay fixes and a security patch for a Safari exploit. Apple has, from time to time, found issues with iOS builds and re-released them for update to devices. That may be what triggered this update. GSM iPhone 4 users, that’s AT&T customers here in the U.S., can get the update by tapping Settings>General>Software Update or by plugging their device into iTunes. If you don’t see the update now, then just wait, as it should show up soon.

Apple's boss rejects $75m payout

Apple's boss, Tim Cook, turns down a payout worth about $75m (£48m) that he was due from the technology giant's upcoming dividend.

TinyTap App Lets Kids Create Customized iPad Books & Games

TinyTap is a new iPad application designed for kids which introduces a different angle on the “record-your-own-voice” storybooks craze, by offering a playable book or game you and your kids can customize with your own photos, camera shots, music, narration, and more. The resulting creations can then be shared with family and friends. And, for a little inspiration, the built-in TinyTap store offers a collection of pre-made games which kids can customize with their own voice and actions. The app is targeted at 4+ and up, so I couldn’t really enlist my in-house kid app beta tester (aka my 2-year old kid) to give it a rundown. But in testing it myself, I have to admit that I’m not 100% convinced they’ve nailed it on the user interface. For example, some of things you can add to your story, like photos and questions, are centered as thumbnails within the application’s design dashboard. Meanwhile, the add music option is oddly hovering above next to another add photo button, the sharing option and an edit button. It’s a layout that doesn’t quite make sense. That’s too bad because if TinyTap’s workflow was more streamlined and simplified, it would be easier for them to add additional elements to the story/game design process. That being said, TinyTap is still a lot better than much of the kids’ apps crapware out there in the iTunes App Store. And it’s hard not to fall in love with the concept at the very least. Instead of burning up brain cells with the mind-numbing games out there, TinyTap enables kids to become game creators, not just players. The idea immediately reminded me of Kodu, Microsoft’s visual programming language for kids, which allows them to create PC and Xbox games – and more importantly, helps them to start thinking like a programmer. But Kodu is not only for different types of platforms, it’s for a slightly older child, too. The bigger concept with TinyTap is that it could potentially become an entry-level tool for game development, which starts kids young, allowing them to wrap their little minds around the “if/then/else” concepts that go into process of game creation. The building blocks are already there: e.g., if you touch the nose in the picture when asked, you’re right and can go to the next question, but if you get it wrong, the game says “try again.” There are a ton of DIY app building tools for adults, so it’s great to see someone thinking about building a platform for kids, too. TinyTap is an Israeli-based company, co-founded in January 2012 by UX designers Yogev Shelly (formerly of Rounds.com) and another (who can’t disclose his name right now, as he’s still employed elsewhere). The team is based in Tel-Aviv and is currently looking to raise. The app is a free download in iTunes here.

Microsoft To Offer 80-Inch Windows 8 Tablets for Offices

Nate Lanxon / Wired.co.uk:Microsoft to offer 80-inch Windows 8 tablets for offices — “Steve Ballmer has an 80-inch Windows 8 tablet in his office. He's got rid of his phone, he's got rid of his note paper. It's touch-enabled and it's hung on his wall.” — This description of the Microsoft CEO's workspace …

Apple’s iOS and Mac App Stores Now Feature “Free App Of The Week” And “Editor’s Choice” Promotions

In an apparent effort to help its users find more interesting apps in its cavernous digital stores, Apple today made an interesting tweak to its iOS and Mac app stores. Both now feature a “free app of the week” and an “editor’s choice” section. As Apple’s official App Store Twitter account announced yesterday, Cut the Rope: Experiments is Apple’s choice for this week’s free app in the iOS store. Editor’s Choice apps include Extreme Skater and Facebook Camera for iPhone, Sketchbook Ink for iPad, and Cobook and Deus Ex Human Revolution in the Mac App Store. Other app stores, including Amazon’s Appstore for Android, of course already feature similar free apps programs. The iTunes Store, too, offers a free signle of the week. Even though this isn’t the most original promotion, free apps are always welcome and it’s no secret that Apple’s App Store has a massive problem when it comes to discoverability. Unless an app appears in the various stores’ top 10 or at least top 25 lists, chances are that most users will never see it unless Apple decides to feature the app in its “new and noteworthy” section. Earlier this year, Apple acquired app store search and discovery service Chomp. Chomp, which is still up and running, allows users to just say what kind of app they are looking for and goes beyond the easily gamed keywords and app names that are the hallmark of Apple’s own limited app store search feature. For the time being, though, Apple hasn’t integrated Chomp’s features into its own app stores and it still remains to be seen if it ever will.

Apple introduces "free app of the week," kicks things off with Cut the Rope: Experiments

Amazon has been offering a free app of the day for a while now, but that offer is good for Android users only. Well, Apple seems to have caught on to the fact that iOS users like to save money too, as it's debuting a "free app of the week" offer. Cupertino kicked off the new promotion yesterday via Twitter, where it announced that the game Cut the Rope: Experiments will be the first free download. Click on through to the source link, and you'll see that the Appstore indeed lists the title as "free for a limited time."Apple introduces "free app of the week," kicks things off with Cut the Rope: Experiments originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Pocketnow | @AppStore | Email this | Comments

Apple Launches Free App of the Week Promotion [Apple]

Apple has announced that it's getting involved in the free app game as part of its ongoing "app of the week" campaign. First up is Cut the Rope: Experiments, which is currently available as a feee download—making it the first paid app to be discounted to free by Apple. More »

This Is the First Video From Google's Glasses [Video]

We've seen pictures taken using Google's new glasses and, while some were ropey, others were fairly impressive. Now, Google has released the first video footage recorded using the device. More »

Sony Brings Streaming Music Service to the IPhone

Sony on Friday released an iPhone app to access its streaming Music Unlimited service, part of its efforts to expand its online platforms to devices from rival

The Verge: HP’s WebOS Enyo Team Is Going to Google

Verge: The HP team responsible for Enyo — webOS’s HTML5-based application framework that debuted on the TouchPad — will be leaving the company and starting at Google shortly, The Verge has learned. What this means for the future of Open webOS is unclear; Enyo and the developers supporting it are central to HP’s open source strategy for the operating system going forward, and it’s hard to say whether this move will have any effect on the planned late 2012 release for version 1.0. It is pretty clear webOS is over. With similar roots in Linux, the team could probably do some good with Google’s Android and Chrome products. //

Apple improves app discovery with ‘Editors’ Choice’ and free ‘App of the Week’ features

With more than half a million apps in the App Store, discovery is a huge challenge for iPhone users. Apple has long acknowledged the issue, having acquired Chomp to help improve things, but it has made a couple of subtle introductions that are aimed at better showcasing the content available for both iOS devices and Macs. The company has introduced an ‘Editors’ Choice’ selection and a promotion offering selected paid iOS apps for free for a week. The ‘Editors’ Choice’ feature is up and running in the Mac Store, with contact manager Cobook the first to be spotlighted, The Verge reports. ‘Editors Choice’ is also active for iOS, where Facebook Camera, Extreme Skater, Air Mail and Sketchbook Ink are highlighted Interestingly, Apple has also tinkered with its ‘App of the Week’ promotion, which sees Cut the Rope: Experiments go free for a week. A tweet from @appstore — spotted by Touch Arcade – suggests that the company is switching things up to offer selected paid apps as freebies for a week on an ongoing basis. Cut the Rope: Experiments is our #FreeAppoftheWeek. Go to the App Store for your free download. tw.appstore.com/uUj — App Store(@AppStore) May 24, 2012 Though Cut the Rope: Experiments is priced at just $0.99, a weekly initiative move to make selected apps free would be widely welcomed by iOS device owners, and would prompt more downloads. More importantly it could help Apple grow its influence and authority to spotlight apps for both Mac and iOS users.

What Is Growing from this Working Computer? [Green]

Turning an old iMac into an aquarium is easy; the monitor is already hollow and lifeless, so there's really no risk of ruining it. Mike Schropp over at TotalGeekdom has taken the flora/fauna desktop mod a step further, actually modifying his own working PC to grow wheatgrass from atop its tower. Stuck on the idea that the heat produced by a computer could be harnessed to encourage germination and growth in plant life, Schropp, hardly a botanist, poured over various university studies and papers. He began the project by hollowing out a computer tower to rebuild himself using bespoke pieces and a self-designed internal architecture. In an office with little sunlight, the plant-life is dependent upon heat generated by the working system; the CPU, responsible for a majority portion of the produced heat, sits strategically just beneath the soil. Schropp is able to regulate the case temperature, and thus that of the soil, with the variable speed control fans he installed for both the inlet and the outlet. Acrylic tubes filled with soil run down into the center of the computer, where they pick up additional heat and help with drainage. There top and side panels of the machine are also encased in acrylic, so that Schropp can keep an eye on both the plant growth and the computer's performance. [Inhabitat]

Booming iPad Sales Dominate Mobile PC Market

Apple is dominating the mobile PC space with 22.5% of the market share. The company sold more than 17.2 million mobile PCs in the first quarter of 2012 alone, according to a NPD DisplaySearch report. The quarterly report analyzes the global tablet, notebook and mini-notebook market. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company sits atop the mobile PC leaderboard, followed by HP, Acer Group, Lenovo and Dell. Dell sold 5.6 million units in Q1. This season, the iPad is Apple’s MVP — making up 80% of Apple’s total mobile PC sales. More than 13.6 million units were sold, contributing to a 162% year-over-year growth. In one quarter, Apple sold about 62.8% of all tablets sold worldwide. March’s successful debut of the new iPad surely contributed to the gain. Samsung followed Apple with 7.5% of all tablet shipments. SEE ALSO: Tablet vs. Notebook: More Consumers Still Plan to Purchase a Laptop [STUDY] The report also created rankings for the notebook and mini notebook and tablets separately. Leading the way in the strictly notebook sector were HP, Acer Group and Lenovo. The report notes Acer group moved up to number two in notebook and mini-notebook sales (excluding tablets) with stellar numbers in China. “The China region had sequential quarter shipment growth, achieving 13% for mobile PCs overall, 12% for notebook and mini-note PCs, and 16% for tablet PCs,” said Richard Shim, NPD DisplaySearch Senior Analyst. “This is noteworthy given the sequential declines in all other regions as well as the declines in other product categories including TVs and monitors.” What will it take for tablet PCs to gain on Apple? Sound off in the comments. More About: ipad, Mobile, tabletsFor more Business coverage:Follow Mashable Business on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

5 iPhone Cases That Can Open Your Beer

1. iBottleopener This budget, utilitarian option is a simple hard shell case with a rubberized finish. The back is completely sealed, so you don't have to fear beer froth disasters. Students (of legal drinking age), take note -- as well as the plain black version, there's a range of popular college designs available, too. Cost: $19.95Click here to view this gallery.Have you ever needed a bottle opener, searched high and low, and after spying your iPhone, been seriously tempted? Well, don’t even go there. Instead, why not use an iPhone case that doubles as a bottle-opening gizmo? Rather than an iPhone case that just looks good, opt for one with some seriously useful functionality. We guarantee* grabbing one of these five options will make you really popular at parties. SEE ALSO: 15 Fun Products to Geek Up Your BBQ [PICS] Take a look through our gallery of great cases above. Let us know in the comments below which one you’ll use to open your next brewski. *Not really. More About: apple, cases, features, Gadgets, iphone, iphone accessories, iphone cases, Tech

FB Launches Facebook Camera – An Instagram-Style Photo Filtering, Sharing, Viewing iOS App

Facebook is dead serious about mobile. Today it begins rolling out Facebook Camera for iOS to English-speaking countries, a standalone photos app where you can shoot, filter, and share single or sets of photos and scroll through a feed of photos uploaded to Facebook by your friends. Developed by Facebook’s photos team without the help of Instagram because the acquisition deal hasn’t closed yet, Facebook Camera looks a lot like the app TechCrunch leaked images of a year ago, and is designed for quicker publishing than Facebook’s multi-featured primary mobile app. Facebook Camera lets you rapidly pick one or more photos, apply filters, tag friends and locations, add a description, and post. While its 14 filters, batch uploads, and streamlined interface are a big step up from Facebook for iOS, the design isn’t as beautiful as Instagram and neither are the photos you’ll see in it. When asked if Facebook Camera would become a direct competitor to the photo sharing network it bought last month, a spokesman told me “As Mark asserted, we’re committed to building and growing Instagram independently, so I anticipate some healthy competition.” Though for now Facebook Camera is just for iOS in English-speaking countries, it will roll out internationally over the next few weeks as Facebook gets it translated. As for versions for Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone, I’m told “While we don’t comment on future products we are carefuly looking at what might make for agood Facebook photos experience across other platforms.” How It’s Better Than Instagram The best feature of Facebook Camera and its one real selling point over Instagram is multi-photo uploads. This helps you tell a story or share the best photos from a day’s outing in a single post. It’s great for if you can’t decide which shot is best and don’t want to go through the sharing flow over and over. Browsing multi-photo stories is smooth too, as they appear as one story in the feed showing the first photo, but you can swipe side to side to view the rest of the set. Rather than having to wait for a photo to load when you browse by like on Instagram, it appears as a blurry placeholder at first and then sharpens up, which is nice. Facebook Camera’s 14 filters are also more sensibly named with title that describe how they change photos, such as Cool, Light, and Copper, rather than Instagram’s less indicative Hudson, Sutro, and Brannan, though Instagram does have 17 filters plus light adjustment and tilt-shift that Facebook’s new app lack. How It’s Worse Unfortunately, there’s several flaws in the current version of Facebook Camera that seem especially glaring compared to Instagram. Like and comment icons and counts are overlaid on the photos, disturbing their appearance. When you click to view existing comments on a photo they take a few seconds to load, which can fool you into thinking they aren’t there. But the first thing you might notice is the photos are decidedly less beautiful than what you’ll see on Instagram. Most weren’t uploaded with Facebook Camera but rather through Facebook’s web interface or primary app, so they’re unfiltered, and weren’t necessarily taken with artistry in mind. While Facebook may be late to the standalone photo app scene, you have to remember that while Instagram has hit 50 million downloads, Facebook has over 500 million mobile users, and somewhere around 220 million on iOS and Android. Facebook Camera may not be perfect, but for those who don’t want to start a whole new social network for photosharing on Instagram, and want an app that sucks in photos shared by their Facebook friends from anywhere, including Instagram and Path, Facebook Camera could find a spot on the homescreen.

Free Keynote Mockup Templates for iPhone, iPad, Android, ... - Keynotopia

Free Keynote mockup templates for prototyping iPhone, iPad, Android and Web apps #design #UX #mockups via @keynotopia

The Unthinkable Has Happened: Apple Applies for Stylus Patent

Apple has filed an application with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for an optical stylus patent. Yes, you read that right: Apple wants to patent a stylus, the very thing Steve Jobs famously shunned when he unveiled the original iPhone. Apple’s idea of the stylus, however, is slightly different from the simple styluses you usually get with tablets today. It’s an optical device that can determine (via a pressure sensor) when it’s in contact with a surface and can capture an image using a built-in camera. In one iteration, the stylus also may include one or more orientation determining sensors, such as accelerometers and/or gyroscopes. Haptic feedback is also an option. This functionality obviously doesn’t change the usual problems that come with a stylus. “Who wants a stylus? You have to get them, you put them away, you lose them — yuck,” Jobs complained. Furthermore, the patent application doesn’t necessarily mean the next iPad will come with a stylus — perhaps it will happen in the distant future, perhaps never. However, Apple is well known for the usability of its products, and we’re sure the company wouldn’t just pack a stylus with an iPhone or iPad as an afterthought. What do you think: How could an optical stylus fit with Apple’s design philosophy? apple-stylus-2 Click here to view this gallery. More About: apple, stylus

Apple applies for optical stylus patent, Hell reports coldest day on record

Apple has famously shunned the humble stylus, so it's fair to say we're more than a little curious about why it's filed a patent application for one. The "optical stylus" mentioned seems simple enough. The claims outline the brains to interpret your doodlings, as well pressure and orientation. Beyond that, well, it's more or less just a stylus. While we suspected the team at Cupertino were fans of Draw Something, we didn't think they'd take it this seriously!Apple applies for optical stylus patent, Hell reports coldest day on record originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | USPTO | Email this | Comments

Big Apple Leads Millennial Q1 Device Ranks By Wide Margin: 28% For Brand, 15% For iPhone

Mobile advertising company Millennial Media, one of the biggest in the U.S., has released its quarterly ad impression report, and the results show that Apple continues to remain the single-biggest brand, and most popular phone maker, on the Millennial ad network — with the rest of the list largely dominated by Android. Apple has a clear lead in the field of device makers based on brand: the popularity of Apple’s iPhone handsets, iPad tablets and iPod music players gave the company a share of 28.32 percent of all devices on the network, with its closest competitor, Samsung, picking up a share of 18.25 percent of the overall market impressions. Millennial also notes that non-phone devices are continuing to see a growing impact on the overall mix. RIM slipped down to number-five in the list of top manufacturers, and with 10.16 percent of all devices, and Nokia, once the leading vendor of mobile handsets, is now down to 10th position, with a 0.91 percent share of mobile devices. When considering individual handset models, you can really see the strength of Apple’s strong portfolio essentially built around one device. Apple only had the iPhone (unspecified which precise model; perhaps all three) in the top-20, but usage of iPhones was enough to give it 15.1 percent of the whole market. The next-closest competitor was BlackBerry Curve with a 4.44 percent share of the market. In contrast to Apple, other handset makers are still relying on several handset models, which all do moderately well, so that in aggregate they are gaining better market share. For example, RIM has five handsets in the top-20, the biggest number. Together that accounted for only 12 percent of impressions. Samsung had four handsets, which together made eight percent of impressions. HTC also had four models in top-20, with Motorola listing three. Although the usage of tablets is really taking off — Millennial notes that is up by 33 percent over last year — smartphones are still accounting for the vast majority of traffic. Collectively, they account for 73 percent of all ad impression traffic, versus 62 percent the year before. Traffic from tablets and other non-smartphone devices went up as well, t0 20 percent from 15 percent, while feature phones are really in decline. Lower end devices not account for only seven percent of ad impression traffic, compared to 23 percent a year ago.

AUDIO: Apple's Jonathan Ive: 'Beauty works'

Jonathan Ive says he is "fortunate" to be Apple's chief designer

What Is This? [What Is This]

Oakland-based artist Annie Vought carves paper-and-ink notes of correspondence into intricate sheets of lace-like lettering. More »

Yahoo Axis Shines on iPad, an Afterthought on Desktop [REVIEW]

It’s been a while, but Yahoo just made some noise again in the search business. With the release of Axis, a new search app and add-on for both iOS and desktop browsers, Yahoo aims to make browsing the Web a more visual and convenient experience. And it succeeds — at least on the iPad. This is surprising, since on iOS Axis is essentially running a skin over top of Safari — similar to what the Atomic browser does. In Yahoo’s case, though, it’s a powerful skin, filled with features you won’t find on Apple’s browser, such as easy toggling between regular and image searches, and instant syncing of bookmarks and tabs between desktop, iPhone and iPad. At the same time, the app isn’t cluttered. It’s nice and minimalist, combining the search and address bar into a single field similar to how Chrome works (seriously, why don’t all browsers do this?). And your bookmarks conveniently appear in every new tab you open, letting you instantly tap to go somewhere familiar. However, it doesn’t put your most recent bookmarks first, which is a bit annoying. Searching With Gas One of the major thrusts of Axis is that it makes search more visual. It delivers pretty well on this promise, displaying a strip of site preview thumbnail images whenever you input a search term. This is quite handy even if the sites themselves aren’t particularly visual. For example, for most subjects, a Wikipedia entry is one of the first to appear. While Wikipedia pages tend to be mostly text, they’re instantly recognizable, even as a thumbnail. The thumbnails tap out after you swipe through the first 20 or so, though, getting replaced with basic text summaries. The most powerful feature of Axis, though, could be its near-flawless device syncing. Open a page on your iPad, and you can pick up right from there on your iPad or any major desktop browser (via an add-on or extension). All your bookmarks are synced, too — Yahoo even conveniently names one of your folders “Read Later.” SEE ALSO: Google Search Just Got 1,000 Times Smarter As I said, though, it’s only near-flawless. You can only see the last tab you had open on whatever device you’re picking up from. It also doesn’t sync your search history (though it will pass along the last search you performed on the other device). Social networkers will appreciate that Axis integrates Pinterest. Whatever page you’re on, you can tap a virtual button to instantly switch over to the Pinterest iOS app and pin the page, although you’ll need to switch back to Axis manually. It’s a convenient addition that Safari doesn’t have — although Axis has no “Print” or “Add to Home Screen” options. Desktop Blues In all, though, the Axis experience on iOS is compelling, which is in contrast to the underwhelming desktop integration. To be fair, it would be expecting too much of Yahoo — who doesn’t make any kind of desktop browser — to come up with something groundbreaking here, and Axis ends up being not much more than an impressive syncing tool. There seemed to be technical difficulties with the pre-release Chrome extension, and I never got it to work. It did better on Firefox, though, but I was disappointed that I had to wait for pages to finish loading completely before I could use Axis. Regaled to a small search box on the bottom of your browser, Axis is more of an unwanted intruder on the desktop, and its abilities didn’t provide much in functionality that I couldn’t get from any of the many add-ons in my browser. It’s also more limited than the iOS version — your Axis search history, for example, is nowhere to be found. Axis is a worthy experiment, though, and I hope Yahoo quickly iterates its iOS app. It’s quite simply one of the best browsers you can get for your iPad, and if it keeps improving and adding new abilities, it could help define how we consume the web on tablets. Just as long as Apple doesn’t kill it. What do you think of Axis? Check it out for yourself at the Axis site, and let us know in the comments. Yahoo Axis, Splash Screen The screen that greets you when you launch Axis on iPad.Click here to view this gallery. More About: Axis, Browsers, search engine, Yahoo

U.S. female soldiers sue to lift combat ban

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two female soldiers filed suit on Wednesday to scrap the U.S. military's restrictions on women in combat, claiming the policy violated their constitutional rights.

Motorola Is Now the Apple of Google's Eye - Wall Street Journal

ABC7Chicago.comMotorola Is Now the Apple of Google's EyeWall Street JournalBy ROLFE WINKLER And THOROLD BARKER Those who thought Google was buying Motorola Mobility just for its treasure trove of patents can think again. Its plan to focus on "fewer, bigger bets, and create wonderful devices that are used by people around the The Google/Motorola Deal is Done. What Now?InformationWeekGoogle, Motorola Deal Closes; Facebook IPO Probe; Tesla Model S On TapPC MagazineGoogle finally (officially) buys Motorola Mobility. Now what?Christian Science MonitorSan Francisco Chronicle -ABC7Chicago.comall 444 news articles »

Deaths of Cell Tower Workers Grows With iPhone, Data Demands [VIDEO]

From 2003 to 2011, 50 workers died “working on cell sites” and 100 were “killed on communications towers.” The death toll among climbers is roughly 10 times higher than the rate for average construction workers in the U.S, according to a report released byProPublica. The peak of on-the-job deaths correlates with the release and popularity of the iPhone between 2006 and 2008. From 2008, deaths have “dropped considerably.” People in the industry are worried there will be another spike in deaths with companies prepping for the next generation of phones built on 4G LTE networks. Industry insiders say there’s an indisputable need for reform. About 10,000 workers scale sky-high towers to maintain America’s growing network of 280,000+ communication towers feeding our data-hungry population. The report, released this week, is the result of a joint ProPublica and PBS Frontline investigation into the high number of cell tower worker deaths. The high pressure on the job is frequently cited as a problem. Workers report saving time by “free climbing” — skipping steps in connecting safety gear to the towers. The report stated: “We found that in accident after accident, deadly missteps often resulted because climbers were shoddily equipped or received little training before being sent up hundreds of feet. To satisfy demands from carriers or large contractors, tower hands sometimes worked overnight or in dangerous conditions.” Climbers also report going without equipment replacements or safety checks. It’s not unusual that cell tower workers, who can make $10 to $11 an hour, pay the cost for gear out-of-pocket. Keep posted with the Cell Tower Deaths Series here. Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, radialmonster More About: android, cell phone, data, iphone, Mobile, VideoFor more Mobile coverage:Follow Mashable Mobile on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Mobile channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad

Microsoft Office Coming to iOS and Android in November [REPORT]

Microsoft is planning to release both iOS and Android variants of its Office suite of products this fall, a new report says. The date matches closely to when the company is expected to release Windows 8 and the new version of Office. According to Boy Genius Report, which cites a “reliable source,” both the iOS and Android versions will be the “full Office suite.” Presumably that includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as tie-ins to Microsoft’s cloud services for Office. There are already OneNote and SkyDrive apps for iOS, and the former is on Android as well. The report said it’s unclear whether Microsoft plans to release Office on iOS for just the iPad or for the iPhone and iPod Touch as well. A spokesperson for Microsoft declined to comment to Mashable about the story. There have been previous reports that Microsoft is working on Office for iPad, and The Daily said it had even seen the app first-hand. However, Microsoft said an alleged screenshot of the app is a fake. That report, from February, said the app was “weeks” away from release. SEE ALSO: Microsoft Reveals Its Plan to Sell Windows 8 That timeframe was obviously incorrect, but creating an iPad version of Office is a logical move for Microsoft. The company is already a presence on Apple’s platform with its other iOS apps and Office for OS X. Office for iPad is also in the spirit of Microsoft’s general new direction toward making its software more platform-agnostic. Microsoft has previously announced it was working on the next version of Office, and it describes “Office 15″ as the “most ambitious undertaking” yet from the company’s Office Division. The release is certainly timed to coincide with the launch of Windows 8, which will see new versions of Office tailored to Windows 8 tablets. What do you want to see from Office on iOS or Android? Sound off in the comments. More About: android, iOS, microsoft, office

Skinny Jeans Are Damaging Your Health [Clothes]

They might be a staple of the well-dressed geek's wardrobe, but skinny jeans aren't doing you any favors. In fact, they might be causing you real, physical damage. More »

Jonathan Ive’s Design Studio Is Off Limits to Almost Everyone at Apple

At Apple, there’s sort-of secret stuff, like its unboxing room. Then there’s really secret stuff, like what the next iPhone will be. And then there Jonathan Ive‘s office. The studio where Apple’s chief designer works is off limits to almost everyone at the company, according to an interview with London’s Telegraph. Only a privileged few “select employees” are allowed into Ive’s secluded office on Apple’s Cupertino campus, and the windows are tinted to deflect any prying eyes. Apple has embedded secrecy deep into its operations, and it appears much of that is directed at keeping Ive’s work shrouded until it’s ready. The approach makes a lot of sense: Ive, who just formally received a British knighthood, is arguably the most influential man at Apple today. His designs for the iPod, iPhone and iPad alone have reached millions of customers, and they all spent a lot of time in his studio on their way to release. Ive is also full speed ahead on the next big Apple release, which he says is the “most important” work he’s ever done. He obviously doesn’t spill any details, and suggests he wouldn’t even tell the Queen herself about the project if she asked. Like his former boss, the late Steve Jobs, Ive’s design philosophy and attention to detail were heavily influenced by his father. Paul Jobs was a machinist and Ive’s father built furniture, and both instilled a respect for craftsmanship in their sons. Similar to how Jobs described how his father taught him to make the back of a cabinet as beautiful as the front even though no one will see it, Ive talks about a desire to “finish the back of the drawer.” From the interview, it’s clear that this philosophy of perfectionism is part of the cultural fabric at Apple. SEE ALSO: Apple’s Jonathan Ive Is Now a Knight In that quest to build great products, Ive also talks about times he turned back. When he finds himself repeatedly justifying a product to himself or others, it often means the project just isn’t good enough. Ive says he’s killed programs at a very mature stage based on these “sinking feelings.” Ive’s designs are hailed for their simplicity, but he says that’s a harder thing to achieve than it appears. True simplicity, he explains, must stem from the core idea of the product — the very problem it’s trying to solve. “Simplicity is not the absence of clutter, that’s a consequence of simplicity,” he says. “Simplicity is somehow essentially describing the purpose and place of an object and product. The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That’s not simple. The quest for simplicity has to pervade every part of the process. It really is fundamental.” What do you think of Jonathan Ive’s approach to design? Share your thoughts in the comments. More About: apple, design, Jonathan Ive, trendingFor more Dev & Design coverage:Follow Mashable Dev & Design on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Dev & Design channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad