March 03, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

Apple store employees may get their first glimpse of the iPad on March 10th when training for the device begins, according to an Examiner.com report.

We not only heard this from inside sources, but confirmed it with an Apple Store manager in Southern California who wishes not to be named.

Examiner.com also offers some information on the expected launch:

- The actual release date hasn’t been set, but March 26 is very likely.
- The 3G versions won’t be available until April or May.
- Commercials will start airing on March 15. E-book capabilities will be emphasized.
- People who camp out for the iPad lauch will receive a “special gift.”

[Via iclarified.com]

March 03, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

GumballTech found that if you enter your iPad passcode lock incorrectly a few times, the iPad brings up an Emergency Call Screen.

The above was easily achieved by enabled a passcode lock, and then entering it incorrectly about 5 times. You can then slide for a emergency call.

The Emergency Call Screen is formatted for the iPad with wider buttons and a centered keypad. Its unclear if this capability is required by the FCC; however, if the iPad can make emergency calls it will likely be hacked to make regular phone calls as well.

You can find the screenshots below…

[Via iclarified.com]

February 23, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

A new survey suggests pre-launch demand for the iPad is greater than that of the iPhone before it first launched.

AppleInsider reports on a RBC/ChangeWave survey which found that 13 percent of respondants are likely to buy Apple’s forthcoming iPad, a number greater than the 9 percent who planned to buy an iPhone before its launch.

RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky said the responses from 3,200 participants show strong pent-up consumer demand for the iPad.
Read more…

February 11, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, a longtime proponent of tablet-style computing and touchscreen devices, has said he is not impressed by what he’s seen of Apple’s iPad.

The multi-billionaire spoke with Brent Schlender of BNET and admitted that while he became envious of the iPhone, the iPad has not elicited the same reaction from him.

“You know, I’m a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard — in other words, a netbook — will be the mainstream on that,” Gates reportedly said. Read more…

February 11, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

According to a story posted by the Financial Times on Wednesday, Apple may be in talks with studios to bring $1 TV shows to iTunes, as part of the official iPad launch. Apparently this will be a test to model for the company to see whether cheaply-priced content will spur sales. Given yesterday’s news about declining iTunes music growth due to higher prices, I’m betting it will. Read more…

February 08, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

Apple plans to be “nimble” on pricing of the iPad and could lower prices if demand for the tablet lags.

This information comes via a note from Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope who met recently with Apple executives.

Apple wants the iPad to be the best device for a few key use cases. For instance, the company believes it could eventually be seen as superior to both handheld and notebook devices for browsing the Internet, using the App Store, and consuming mobile media (video, photos, and e-books). Read more…

February 06, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

Almost lost in the enormous hype surrounding the iPad release and subsequent Apple ‘town hall’ was the pre-announcement of the fourth-generation iPhone, which Steve Jobs declared would be an “A+ upgrade.” Rumors had been going around about a possible CDMA version of the phone which did not emerge of the iPad event, and there’s scanty evidence even to base a rumor on. The iPhone 3.2 SDK, though, at least provides some clues as toApple ’s internal development. Hidden in the details is an increased maximum video width for an unknown device believed to be the 4G iPhone, at a resolution that indicates that the new phone’s camera will be capable of HD recording. Read more…

February 03, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

As most of you know already, Apple has lifted the restrictions against making VoIP calls over a 3G connection, and a handful of apps have already “flipped a switch” behind the scenes to enable such calls. However, the most high-profile VoIP app on the App Store, Skype, has yet to follow suit.

Skype has posted an update on their blog regarding their progress on enabling VoIP over 3G. According to the company, 3G calling is coming “soon” along with a few other updates that will ensure that both the app itself and the calls it makes remain high-quality. Read more…

February 02, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

A photo of the next generation iPhone has been in the wild for nearly a week, according to ‘impeccable’ AppleInsider sources.

The reason no one spotted the photo is because it was overshadowed by the company’s new iPad.

Engadget obtained a leaked photo of the iPad just before it was announced. It appears that the iPhone in the photo is a prototype of one of the handsets due to hit the market in about five months. Read more…

February 01, 2010 :: Posted by - SoSly :: Category - News

Apple may be working on a second Mac OS X based tablet, according to TechCrunch sources.

The information ‘originated from a good source’, though it was a second hand source. Some of the main details were corroborated with another source as well.

It appears that Apple is pretty far along on work on second bigger tablet device (possibly up to 15.4″) and it could run a more traditional version of OS X, unlike the iPad which operates on an iPhone based OS. Read more…