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Forrester: Apple Should Release A “Non-TV TV” Called “iHub”

Ex — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:30:32 +0000

James McQuivey has written a neat post at his blog at Forrester that looks at Apple’s possible future in the television business.

The post indicates that the television arena is not really about the actual television. Instead, it is about big names such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google wanting to add the television to their existing platforms. In that race, research supports that Microsoft is ahead of the pack with their Xbox 360 entertainment/gaming console.

However many consumers are wondering if Apple would become the ultimate runaway success when it releases its rumored television. While that definitely sounds like the plan, Apple would be up against heavy resistance from both content providers and competitors.

The reason it has failed with the Apple TV so far is not that it hasn’t tried. It’s that the TV business is a tough nut to crack: Content is still controlled by monopolists unlikely to give Apple the keys to their content archives. And simply introducing a new display on which to watch that content as it is currently delivered by existing distributors won’t offer consumers much that’s new. Remember, unlike in the phone business where the iPhone penetrated quickly, the TV upgrade cycle takes seven years. You can’t jump in with a new version of the same thing everyone already has – even if it is elegant – and expect millions of people to buy it, especially at price points that Apple will have to maintain in order to keep its margins far away from those of LG and Samsung. Apple’s only shot to sell such an expensive device quickly is if it does something very different.

So what could Apple do to release a television that is completely different? Well, as McQuivey predicts, Apple should release “the world’s first non-TV TV”, and what would this device be called? The “iHub” of course!

Here’s me putting on the record what I’ve been telling clients behind closed doors for more than a year: Apple should sell the world’s first non-TV TV. Instead of selling a replacement for the TV you just bought, Apple should convince millions of Apple fans that they need a new screen in their lives. Call it the iHub, a 32-inch screen with touch, gesture, voice, and iPad control that can be hung on the wall wherever the family congregates for planning, talking, or eating — in more and more US homes, that room is the dining room or eat-in kitchen.

This idea of a standalone display, or “iHub”, gets even more exciting with the prospect of developers and the thousands of apps that could be created. Something like this could easily get me to replace every television in my house.

Forrester: Apple Should Release A “Non-TV TV” Called “iHub” is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Use The “cookoo” Watch To Connect To & Manage Your iPhone!

Ex — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:29 +0000

In a new Kickstarter project, the “cookoo” watch enables you to connect to your smartphone, or iPhone, and keep you updated on the device’s status without having to look at the smartphone.

The watch connects through Bluetooth 4.0 and gives you alerts when you have a call, message, email, or low battery on the smartphone. In other words, you can be away from your iPhone and still be notified of alerts.

The watch works with a companion app that enables the smartphone alerts to be sent to the watch. The app enables users to manage the alerts and notifications that are received on the watch. Users can customize which alerts to receive and whether the alert should have an icon, a beep, or a vibration.

There is also a button on the watch called “Command” that may be customized to do any of the following:

Check in: be the first to check in on Facebook—with more apps to come.
Tag a location: tag your current location on theConnected App’s map—later you can add notes, pictures, and even share your map with others.
Take a picture: use the command button as a remote for your phone’s camera—perfect for taking group shots!\

The watch also has a Find My iPhone-esque function where one button press will send a sound command to your device for easy locating.

As of this writing, the project has 807 backers with just under $65,000 of support. There are 43 days left and the entry level pledge is $80 which gets you one (1) black first edition cookoo watch in your choice of black on black or brushed stainless on black. The watch comes with the iOS app too.

Use The “cookoo” Watch To Connect To & Manage Your iPhone! is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Head to Head Comparison: Apple’s Siri Versus Samsung’s S Voice [VIDEO]

Gary Ng — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:01:02 +0000

The Verge has posted a comparison video that puts Apple’s Siri versus Samsung’s S Voice. The latter was introduced by Samsung when they debuted their latest flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III. Early on many noted S Voice ‘resembled’ a clone of Siri on the iPhone 4S. Cosmetics put aside–how do both of these voice assistants compare when they are put head to head?

Check out the video below and see for yourself:

A recent trip to the U.S. enabled me to experience the full capabilities of Siri, versus her lack of location services in Canada. It was actually quite handy asking for directions and seeing results come up when asking for coffee shops or restaurants. Let’s hope Siri receives Canadian localization soon–maybe at WWDC 2012?

[via The Verge]

Head to Head Comparison: Apple’s Siri Versus Samsung’s S Voice [VIDEO] is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

How to Send Pictures from iPhone to Mac/PC Using Bump for iOS

Gary Ng — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:49:31 +0000

Bump for iOS has been updated today with a hot new feature–the ability to send images to your Mac/PC with just a quick ‘bump’. For those that always email images to themselves, this will be just another method to get your images quickly onto your computer.

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to send images using Bump:

1. Download Bump for iOS.

2. Select photos in the Bump app.

3. Visit https://bu.mp/ on your Mac/PC and then tap your computer’s spacebar with your iPhone. You’ll see the following prompt on your iPhone:

…and this on your Mac/PC. Agree to both.

Bump says to tap ‘lightly’, but that didn’t work on the first try for me. So I had to simulate a hard bump by tapping the space bar with my left hand and ‘bumping’ the iPhone in my right.

In order for the transfer to work, your Mac/PC has to be connected to WiFi and your iPhone on 3G/WiFi. If successful, your iPhone will prompt your to connect to your Mac/PC and your computer’s screen will prompt you to connect to your iPhone. Agree, and the image transfer will take place.

Once on your computer’s screen, you will have the option to save pictures locally, get a shareable link, or share them on Facebook. Downloaded images are resized to 640×960 resolution, which are handy for quick sharing. Let me know if you’re enjoying the latest Bump update.

Click here to download Bump–it’s free.

How to Send Pictures from iPhone to Mac/PC Using Bump for iOS is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Canada Post Releases Augmented Reality App “Stamps Alive”

Ex — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:05:53 +0000

Canada Post has released an augmented reality app called “Stamps Alive” that enables users to see their stamps in a whole new way.

Using the app, Canada Post customers can interact with specific stamps. In this case, the app currently works with Franklin the Turtle and Calgary Stampede stamps.

Using the stamps, simply point the camera view in the app at the stamp and 3D games will appear over the stamp. For the Franklin stamp, users interact with a maze. For the Calgary stampede stamps, users can interact with a 3D horse or a barrel racing rodeo event against the clock.

Users can also take photos from within the app, which can then be shared via Facebook and email.

The Canada Post Stamps Alive is available in the App Store for free.

Canada Post Releases Augmented Reality App “Stamps Alive” is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Shaw Exo WiFi Finder iOS App Helps Customers Find Free Hotspots

Gary Ng — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:58:55 +0000

In December of last year Shaw announced they had undergone WiFi trials in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton at various malls, restaurants and other retail venues to offer free WiFi for its existing customers.

You might have already downloaded this, but the Shaw Exo WiFi Finder iOS app hit the App Store a while back and enables customers to easily find Shaw WiFi zones. These free zones allow existing Shaw customers to get free internet beyond their home and the coverage is growing daily across cities in Canada.

Once you connect and authenticate to a Shaw WiFi zone, you do not need to reconnect once you enter another zone as it becomes automatic. For those with 500 MB data plans or WiFi-only iPads, this added service from Shaw looks pretty good to me. The app was recently updated to bring Retina Display graphics and iPad support, along with compatibility with the iPhone 3G

Useful Functions:
* Search for Shaw Exo WiFi zones; filter by category, including cafes, entertainment venues, transportation and more
* Get directions from your location to other Shaw Exo WiFi zones
* View Shaw Exo WiFi zones on a map or in a list view
* Share locations with friends via email, SMS, Facebook and Twitter
* Find Shaw Exo WiFi zones offline
* Find information about a Shaw Exo WiFi zone including address, distance to, phone number, and website

Anyone using the Shaw WiFi zones? How do you like it so far?

Click here to download Shaw Exo WiFi Finder–it’s free.

Shaw Exo WiFi Finder iOS App Helps Customers Find Free Hotspots is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Yahoo! Axis Browser For iPhone & iPad Goes Live In App Store [U.S Only]

Usman — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:46:25 +0000

Yahoo! Axis, a unique search browser for iOS has just been released that brings one of a kind browsing experience to the world’s most popular mobile platform. Available for download in the App Store (U.S. only) as a universal binary for iPhone and iPad, Axis does not return a list of links for your searches, but rather shows webpage image previews optimized for touchscreen navigation. It even works with your favorite desktop browsers (via a plug-in) to automatically connect and sync your search experiences across all your devices. So if you set a bookmark on your iPad, it will automatically appear on your iPhone and desktop.

Here is the official iTunes description:

Yahoo! Axis is a new browser that redefines what it means to search and browse the web on your iPhone, iPad, and even your desktop.

Axis offers the only one-step search experience that allows you to enter your search, see and interact with the results, and find what you need without ever leaving the page you are on. Plus, it includes rich, visual snapshots of each result so you can preview the site before you visit it. Axis finds your answers fast and always keeps you moving forward.

Key Benefits:

? Smarter, Faster Search:

Axis gives you instant answers so you can continuously discover and explore content without interruption. You will never have to leave the page you are on to view your search results again.

? Connected Experience:

Axis allows you to pick up wherever you left off as you move across your desktop, iPhone, and iPad. It makes your recently visited sites, saved articles, and bookmarks automatically accessible across all your devices.

? Personal Home Page:

Axis centralizes your online life with a customizable Home Page that provides direct access to your favorite sites and content across all your devices.

We hope that the Yahoo! Axis browser soon makes its way to the Canadian App Store. Meanwhile, if you have access to a U.S iTunes account, you can grab it for free via the following link:

Download Yahoo! Axis Search Browser For iPhone, iPod touch & iPad [Direct Link]

Yahoo! Axis Browser For iPhone & iPad Goes Live In App Store [U.S Only] is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Tweetbot 2.4 Update Brings a Plethora of Changes Including a New Search View

Gary Ng — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:35:24 +0000

Tweetbot has been updated to version 2.4 that includes numerous changes such as a new search view, Read It Later support, and keyword mute filters. The change that I like is the improved search box that allows you to quickly change trends. The entire list of changes are below, and also includes improvements to the standalone iPad version of Tweetbot as well:

What’s New in Version 2.4
- Updated Search view
- Nearby tweets added with ability to change location
- Location-based keyword searches
- Improved search box for efficiency.
- Trends and People categories moved to browse section
- Added Top Tweets in browse section
- Can now change trends location from the search view
- Double-tap search tab to open search with keyboard
- Keyword mute filters (with regex option and ability to mute mentions as well)
- Offline Favorite and Read Later support (for you subway passengers)
- Basic smart quote support when composing (ex: quotes become smart quotes, … becomes an ellipsis, and — becomes an em dash)
- When viewing an image full screen on the iPad you can hold down on it for options
- List views now show one line of a list or profile description on the iPad
- Top tweets show up in search results (marked by silver star violator)
- Dismiss web and map views on the iPad with a 2-finger swipe down gesture.
- Can now swipe to the right on profile views to go back one level
- Improved find location speed and accuracy
- Sending to pinboard now marks items as unread
- Muting a client automatically mutes mentions from that client as well
- Fixed iPad bug where you couldn’t take profile photos with the camera
- Fixed missing tweet sound when publishing a tweet.
- Various other bug fixes

Tweetbot is $2.99 in the App Store, and remains one of the most popular iOS twitter clients.

Tweetbot 2.4 Update Brings a Plethora of Changes Including a New Search View is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Sharp Agrees To Provide Display Technology To Foxconn For iPhone 5

Usman — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:24:49 +0000

Foxconn, who recently revealed its plans to invest $210 million in a new Apple production facility in Huai’an city, China, is reportedly teaming up with Japan’s Sharp Corporation in developing the iPhone 5′s display, Reuters reports. The source claims that the Japanese firm will supply necessary technological to Hon Hai for a new Foxconn plant that will produce panels for iPhone 5 and other consumer electronics products. Foxconn has already agreed to buy a 46.48% share in Sharp’s liquid crystal manufacturing plant in Japan, the nation’s most advanced panel factory.

According to the source:

The Nikkei said that the new technology handover, for which Sharp will receive tens of billions of yen in fees, is aimed at improving quality management at Hon Hai’s planned plant in Chengdu.

A Sharp spokeswoman said the company was “considering a number of options,” but declined to comment on the report.

Sharp also said that suppliers Dai Nippon Printing and Toppan Printing had agreed to merge their units that make films for Sharp’s LCD panels into the Sakai unit in return for a stake in the plant.

The result of these deals will leave Sharp with a 37.6 percent stake in the LCD factory, allowing it to remove the money-losing company from its list of group companies and reclassify it as an affiliate.

This alliance can prove to be a big opportunity for Taiwan to tap the manufacturing expertise of Japan’s leading panel maker.

Sharp Agrees To Provide Display Technology To Foxconn For iPhone 5 is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

IDC: Android & iOS Account For More Than 80% Of Smartphones Shipped In Q1 2012

Ex — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:30:16 +0000

Today IDC (International Data Corporation) published a report revealing that iOS and Android dominate the smartphone market.

According to data from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, iOS and Android hold shares of 59 percent and 23 percent respectively of the over 152 million smartphones shipped in the first quarter of 2012. This represents a year-over-year change of 145 percent for iOS and 88.7 percent for Android.

In the same time last year, iOS and Android held 54.4 percent together. This shows that over the last year, both operating systems, and their associated devices, have significantly moved ahead of Symbian, Blackberry, Linux, and Windows Phone 7/Windows Mobile.

“The popularity of Android and iOS stems from a combination of factors that the competition has struggled to keep up with,” said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobile Phone Technology and Trends program. “Neither Android nor iOS were the first to market with some of these features, but the way they made the smartphone experience intuitive and seamless has quickly earned a massive following.”

In recent months, we’ve seen a low adoption of Microsoft’s mobile platforms and some trouble within the ranks of RIM, so it’s no surprise that iOS is leading the pack. However, as both iOS and Android continue to grow and innovate, both will increase their lead in the industry.

See below for the operating system highlights, as reported by IDC:

Android finished the quarter as the overall leader among the mobile operating systems, accounting for more than half of all smartphone shipments. In addition, Android boasted the longest list of smartphone vendor partners. Samsung was the largest contributor to Android’s success, accounting for 45.4% of all Android-based smartphone shipments. But beyond Samsung was a mix of companies retrenching themselves or slowly growing their volumes.

iOS recorded strong year-over-year growth with sustained demand for the iPhone 4S following the holiday quarter and the addition of numerous mobile operators offering the iPhone for the first time. Although end-user demand remains high, the iPhone’s popularity brings additional operational pressures for mobile operators through subsidy and data revenue sharing policies.

IDC: Android & iOS Account For More Than 80% Of Smartphones Shipped In Q1 2012 is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource