Apple Forum - Mac Forum

Apple patent chief departs amid major ongoing IP lawsuits

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:53:45 GMT

Boris Teksler

The intellectual property expert who has served as Apple's head of Patent Licensing & Strategy, and who played a key role in its patent infringement suit against Samsung, has departed the company.

After four years with Apple, Boris Teksler has left for a new role as president of the Technology Group at French media and entertainment company Technicolor. AppleInsider was tipped to Teksler's departure on Wednesday, and the information was separately confirmed by an official press release from Technicolor issued this week.

Teksler played an increasingly high-profile role at Apple in recent years as lawsuits began to mount. Last year, he testified on Apple's behalf in its patent infringement litigation with Samsung.

In that testimony, Teksler revealed he warned late Apple CEO Steve Jobs and then-COO Tim Cook in 2010 that Samsung's smartphones may infringe on the iPhone's patents. Teksler even created a presentation outlining the patents Samsung was believed to have infringed upon, including inventions related to "rubber-banding," e-mail threading, and gesture heuristics.

The issues pointed out by Teksler proved to be so serious that Jobs and Cook themselves met with Samsung executives to discuss the matter. When an agreement could not be reached, the lawsuits started.

�We didn�t understand how a trusted partner would build a copycat product like that,� he said in his testimony.

AppleInsider attempted to contact Teksler on Wednesday for a comment, but he couldn't be reached.

Prior to joining Apple, Teksler spent 16 years at Hewlett-Packard, where he co-founded HP's Intellectual Property Licensing Business. In his new role at Technicolor, he will serve on the company's Executive Committee, where he will aid in the "exploitation of its IP assets."

"Boris Teksler is a skilled executive with a unique combination of skills including protecting intellectual assets and driving focused innovation to commercial success," said Frederic Rose, Chief Executive Officer at Technicolor. "The Technology Group is tasked with extending our licensing growth and Teksler�s experience in mobile licensing makes him well suited for the position."

6-19-13

appleinsider.com

Mbp 2011 13" vs new Mbp 15"

projectlopez — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:52:08 GMT

A question maybe somebody can help me answer?
I do mostly music editing,recording, video editing, with some photography as well. I had been wanting to upgrade from my 13" macbook pro (early 2011) I was waiting for the mac pro. But after speculation of the price, being a student it is just out of my league and most likely over kill for what I use it for. I use protools final cut pro and a few other software programs. I already have maxed out my RAM on my macbook pro and was debating getting a new 15" macbook pro because of the quad core and bigger processor. Do u think switching to a SSD in my current macbook pro would suffice instead of buying new laptop? I see some buffer problems and lag from time to time I have started to feel the 15� is the workhorse that I may be looking for. Any input would help guys! Thanks!

Apple, Samsung & HTC To Release Liquid-Cooled Smartphones This Year [Rumor]

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:30:33 GMT

NEC became the world�s first and only smartphone manufacturer to launch a liquid-cooled handset back in May, but it may quickly lose that claim later this year. According to some sources, a number of high-profile smartphones makers, including Apple, Samsung, and HTC, will be launching their own liquid-cooled devices in the fourth quarter.

Of course, DigiTimes isn�t the best source, so we advise you to take its rumors with a pinch of salt � particularly when they�re as farfetched as this one. But according to �sources from cooling module player [sic],� Apple, Samsung, and HTC are all �showing interest� in adopting liquid-cooling technologies for new smartphones that will launch later this year.

DigiTimes notes that conventional �graphite plus foil cooling� methods are no longer able to dissipate enough heat in modern smartphones, especially those with 4G chips built-in, and so overheating is becoming an increasing concern. An affective way to tackle that is to use ultra-thin �heat pipes� that circulate cooling liquid around the internals of the device.

The heat pipes used in NEC�s Medias Xo6E are much smaller than those used to cool ultrabooks, measuring just 0.6mm in diameter. So size may not be too much of an issue. But there are other concerns that come with this cooling method.

There�s always a chance that the liquid used to cool the device leaks inside it and causes component failure, and that�s an even bigger issue with smartphones, which we carry around in our pockets and bags all day long, and tend to drop more frequently than other devices. And then there are manufacturing hurdles to overcome, too.

While there are several cooling module manufacturers currently producing 0.6mm pipes, they�re not producing them fast enough. So installing them in a handset as popular as the iPhone or one of Samsung�s latest flagships would be infeasible at this time.

The possibility of all Apple, Samsung, and HTC all launching liquid-cooled smartphones by the end of this year seems highly unlikely, then.

6-19-13

Source

The Ultimate iOS 7 Compatibility Chart

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:27:35 GMT

With every new version of iOS, Apple generally leaves some legacy devices behind, but with iOS 7, Apple�s only leaving the iPhone 3GS totally abandoned. That�s not to say that every iOS device is equal in the eyes of iOS 7, though: if you�ve got an older device, you�re going to find some of iOS�s features missing.

Our good friend Camillo Miller over at The Apple Lounge put us together this fantastic chart to show how compatible iOS�s varying devices are with iOS 7. And it looks pretty good! B

Basically, the only things you miss out on if you don�t have a device made in the last year is AirDrop, and if you have any iPad, you don�t get Panorama, which is the same as it was. Apple�s doing a pretty good job keeping iOS 7�s features compatible with every past device, don�t you think?

6-19-13

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Apple�s Own Hotspot Passwords In iOS Can Be Cracked In Under A Minute

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:21:37 GMT

When you set up a personal hotspot on your iOS device, the first thing you should do is delete the password Apple generates for your and enter your own. Researchers at the University of Erlangen in Germany have discovered a way to crack Apple�s hotspot passwords in under a minute, leaving your iOS device vulnerable to attack.

Apple automatically generates a hotspot password on your iOS device, mainly for convenience, and sometimes it�s easier to just continue with that password rather than delete it and enter your own. But you should think twice about using Apple�s passwords in the future.

According to a new paper from the University of Erlangen, entitled �Usability vs. Security: The Everlasting Trade-Off in the Context of Apple iOS Mobile Hotspots,� the password iOS generates for you � which consists of a short word following by a series of random numbers � can be easily cracked in no time at all.

�This list consists of around 52,500 entries, and was originated from an open-source Scrabble crossword game,� the researchers explain. �Using this unofﬁcial Scrabble word list within ofﬂine dictionary attacks, we already had a 100 percent success rate of cracking any arbitrary iOS hotspot default password.�

What�s more, the researchers found that iOS doesn�t even use all 52,000 entries in the list � only a small subset of them. And with the help of a GPU cluster consisting of four AMD Radeon HD 7970s, they were able to crack any iOS hotspot with an Apple-generate password in under 50 seconds.

Admittedly, the hardware required means you�re unlikely to become a victim of this kind of attack at your local coffee shop, but nevertheless, the risk can be avoided quite easily. Rather than sticking with the password iOS automatically gives you, simply enter your own.

The researchers say hotspot passwords �should be composed of completely random sequences of letters, numbers, and special characters,� and they should be reasonably long. And don�t worry about remembering them, because once you�ve connected to your hotspot associated devices should remember the code.

And if they don�t, you can always find it again within the settings in your iOS device.

The researchers note that this issue isn�t just exclusive to iOS, but could also affect Android and Windows Phone devices, too.

6-19-13

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Steve Jobs Was Wrong: He Thought He Would Be Forgotten By History [Video]

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:19:25 GMT

A video from 1994 that has purportedly never been seen by a mass audience before features a bushy-bearded Steve Jobs discussing his legacy during his so-called NeXT wilderness years. And surprisingly, the egocentric and charismatic founder of Apple believes that in two hundred years, he will be forgotten.

Originally interviewed by the Silicon Valley Historical Association and only recently uploaded to YouTube, Steve Jobs is very skeptical that he will be remembered by history:

By the time I�m fifty, everything I�ve done up until now will be obsolete� This is a field where one does not write a principia which holds up for two hundred years. This is not a field where one paints a painting that people look at for centuries, or build a church that will be admired and looked at in admiration for centuries.

Of course, you can argue that Apple has built its own kind of church, but Steve is talking in the larger historical perspective. He instead views his role as like putting another small layer of sediment on a pile to eventually build a mountain: some rare geologist of the future might see his fingerprints upon the mountain, but otherwise, his contribution will be forgotten.

I think I speak for most of us when I say that it�s hard to believe Steve Jobs� name won�t be front and center in the history books of the future. This is a rare example of Steve Jobs underestimating his own importance.

6-19-13

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Readdle Makes Calendars+ Free For 48 Hours Only

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:06:08 GMT

Readdle�s awesome Calendars+ app, which is normally priced at $6.99, is now free for 48 hours. It�s one of the best Google Calendar apps for iOS, packed with useful features and a great user interface, and it won�t cost you a penny if you download it now. But hurry!

Calendars+ promises to be �the most elegant and easy to use calendar application available on the App Store.� It syncs with Google Calendar and Apple�s built-in Calendar app and lets you manage all of your events whether you�re online or offline.

The app�s interface is designed to make it as easy as possible to manage your schedule and it doesn�t get in your way, allowing you to quickly navigate between dates, create new events or modify existing ones, and more. And because it integrates Google Calendar, you�ll find support for all the great Google Calendar features, including tasks, SMS reminders, recurring events, and invitations.

Syncing is super fast � even if you�ve made lots of changes to your calendars � and there�s even a handy search feature that will let you find upcoming events even if you�re forgotten when they�re scheduled.

Calendars+ is worth its $6.99 price tag, so picking it up for free is a real treat. But once the sale period is up, Calendars+ will go back to its normal price.

Source

6-19-13

Source

Steve Wozniak Powers Up A Rare Working Apple 1

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:59:34 GMT

Steve Wozniak was the first guy to power up the vintage Apple I, the computer that gave the world Apple, Inc. and lead to all the products that followed: the Mac, the iPhone, the iPad and more.

Now Steve Wozniak is powering up the Apple 1 again, this time ceremonially for the History San Jose Museum.

Although only about fifty Apple 1s are known to exist, the History San Jose Museum managed to get their hands on one, with engineers volunteering to help tweak the almost forty-year-old machine to get it in working nick.

Once it was working, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak dropped by on Tuesday to personally power it up for the first time. And Woz was delighted to see that other Apple collectors had brought their own Apple 1s to the event too.

�In personal computers, I think this is probably the most historic day ever,� he said. �To have 5 Apple 1s on one table. I didn�t think of grabbing mine until just as I walked out the door. Hey � why not?�

The Apple 1 is one of the most valuable items of computer memorabilia out there. Only 50 are known to exist, and the last one to be sold at auction went for $670,000. That�s quite a lot of money in old, obsolete computers resting on that table.

6-19-13

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Apple Signs $30 Million iPad Contract With Second-Largest School District In U.S.

sparkyscott21 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:57:25 GMT

Apple just scored a big win with the education industry last night as the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced it has signed a $30 million contract with Apple to supply its students with iPads in the classroom.

The terms of the contract show that Apple will provided the iPads to LAUSD at a cost of $678 per iPad. That price is a bit above retail, but the iPads will come pre-loaded with a bunch of educational software, and Apple�s giving them a three-year warranty as well.

Apple SVP Phil Schiller had the following to say about the deal in the official press release:

�Education is in Apple�s DNA and we�re thrilled to work with Los Angeles Unified public schools on this major initiative as they plan to roll out iPads to every student across 47 campuses this fall. Schools around the world have embraced the engaging and interactive quality of iPad with nearly 10 million iPads already in schools today.�

All Things D reports that the deal was approved by the LAUSD school board by a unanimous vote of 6-0. Apple will supply the school district with about 35,000 iPads to be used at LAUSD�s 47 different K-12 schools.

�The Board voted unanimously for Apple because iPad rated the best in quality, was the least expensive option and received the highest scoring by the review panel that included students and teachers,� said Jaime Aquino, LAUSD Deputy Superintendent of Instruction. �The vote is another step forward in the District�s plan to equip every one of its students with a device by 2014. When completed, the LAUSD will become the largest district in the nation to provide each of its students with the technology.�

Tim Cook has stated in the past that he�s been surprised at how quickly the iPad is being adopted in education, and the LAUSD deal should provide a nice boost to fuel Apple�s growth.

LAUSD is the second largest school system in the U.S., so the contract with Apple is a pretty big endorsement. Other school systems will likely look at LAUSD�s iPad program when considering their own technology programs.

6-19-13

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Are Macs Good for Gaming?

BeKure — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:50:45 GMT

I am considering getting a Mac Pro. I was wondering if they would make good gaming machines when compared to a PC. The new Mac Pro which is yet to be released will house two GPU's. does that make it a true SLI machine? Will it be able to handle games that have intense graphics?

Saving as PDF

mibatch — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:43:17 GMT

I have suddenly had a problem using the 'print, save as pdf' as now saves with no image. The odd thing is that it will save the image if I save from a scan as pdf. I have been using this feature ever since I became a convert to all things Mac!!! I am not aware that I have made any changes that can have caused this. Can anyone help me please as I save a lot of documents in this fashion, or did. Regards Michael

New phone from an unlikely vendor steals title of world�s thinnest smartphone

sparkyscott21 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:36:38 GMT

Huawei on Tuesday announced the Ascend P6, the world�s thinnest smartphone. The handset measures a mere 6.18 millimeters thick and weighs 120 grams, eight grams more than Apple�s iPhone 5 despite the fact that the phone is much larger. The Ascend P6 is equipped with a 4.7-inch 720p display, an in-house 1.5GHz quad-core processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The smartphone also includes a 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB of RAM, a 2,000 mAh battery, 8GB of internal storage, a microSD slot and Huawei�s Emotion user interface atop Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The Ascend P6 will be available in black, white and pink in China later this month and it will launch on Vodafone, O2 and Orange in Europe in July. Huawei�s press release follows below.

Elegant and edgy, the new HUAWEI Ascend P6 is the world�s slimmest smartphone

At 6.18mm slim, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 is impossibly beautiful and always intuitive

London, United Kingdom, June 18, 2013: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today unveiled the HUAWEI Ascend P6, the world�s slimmest smartphone measuring 6.18mm. The smartphone features a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and a sleek metallic body. With its 4.7-inch high definition in-cell display, industry-leading 5MP front-facing camera, and outstanding software, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 is the embodiment of elegance with an edge.

�The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is a star among smartphones with its industry-leading design, high-quality camera, and intuitive user interface, Huawei�s proprietary Emotion UI,� said Richard Yu, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Consumer Business Group. �Building on the success of our Ascend P series of fashion smartphones, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 provides unsurpassed technology and a design that is simply stunning.�

HUAWEI Ascend P6 is ultra slim at 6.18mm and weighs just about 120g. While it is small enough to slip into the tiniest of pockets or clutch bags, the stylish HUAWEI Ascend P6 is designed to be seen and coveted! It features a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, Android 4.2.2 operating system, 2000mAh battery, 4.7-inch HD in-cell LCD screen technology, and �MagicTouch� for enhanced screen responsiveness even when wearing gloves.

As the flagship smartphone of the Huawei Ascend P series, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 embodies a cutting edge design for the fashion conscious. The smartphone�s brushed metallic look with a naturally curved base is both elegant and intuitive. Impossibly beautiful, the Ascend P6 balances fashionable features and user-friendly functions.

Perfect for �selfies�, the HUAWEI Ascend P6′s industry-leading 5MP front-facing camera and auto facial-enhancing capabilities create model-gorgeous shots you�ll want to share. Its 8MP rear-facing BSI camera with F2.0 aperture and 4cm macro view also enables 1080P full HD video recording and playback. With Huawei�s proprietary IMAGESmart software, the HUAWEI Ascend P6 turns even the most novice photographer into a professional, with contrast and color enhancement, auto scene recognition, object tracing focus, and instant facial beauty support.

The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is even more intuitive and able to be customized with Huawei�s Emotion UI. Inspired by people, for device users worldwide, Huawei has gathered input from over 5 million consumers to help us optimize the latest version of Emotion UI. The proprietary user interface includes updates to Uni-Home including enhanced security, Huawei�s Me Widget, MagicTouch, and SmartReading. New to Huawei�s Emotion UI are the panoramic shoot and facial recognition photography functions.

Huawei�s unique Automated Discontinuous Reception (ADRX) and Quick Power Control (QPC) battery optimization and power saving technology improves performance by more than 30%, compared with smartphone batteries of equal size. With its multi-screen AirSharing capability, you can connect to a range of devices to boost your productivity at work or play by easily sharing documents or enhance your gaming experience with minimal lag time.
The HUAWEI Ascend P6 is available in black, white and pink with matching color cases. It will begin shipping to China from June and to Western Europe from July through Vodafone, Telefonica, Orange, H3G, O2, Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk, Media Markt & Saturn, TIM and online via Amazon and CDiscount with other markets to follow.

6-18-13

bgr.com

Texas becomes first state to require warrants before cops can spy on email

sparkyscott21 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:33:19 GMT

Don�t mess with Texans� email. Ars Technica reports that Texas has become the first state in the United States that requires law enforcement officials to get search warrants before snooping on citizens� emails. The law only applies to state and local law enforcement officials, however, and won�t apply to federal officials who can still access emails without a warrant once they�ve been opened or if they�ve sat unopened in a user�s inbox for more than 180 days. The new Texas law comes at a time when electronic privacy has become a hot-button issue in the wake of revelations about the National Security Agency�s vast data collection program.

6-18-13

bgr.com

Solar charging stations with Apple Lightning & 30-pin connectors come to New York

sparkyscott21 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:13:46 GMT

iPhone, iPad and iPod users on the go can now receive a free boost at a handful of new public solar charging stations in New York City, with more set to appear across the city over the coming days and weeks.

Goal Zero, AT&T and Pensa collaborated on the new Street Charge stations, which feature three 15-watt solar panels. Each pole has six USB connectors, including 30-pin and Lightning plugs for Apple devices.

The charging stations also include a micro-USB plug for non-Apple devices, as well as three female USB plugs for users who may have a charging cable on them.

As of Tuesday, the first official charging stations are now live at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1, Fort Greene Park, Governor's Island, and Riverside Park Pier 1, according to AT&T. Another station is scheduled to open Wednesday at Union Square.

AT&T has said that it will deploy about 25 Street Charge stations by the end of the summer, serving all five of New York City's boroughs. And the inclusion of a 168 watt-hour battery will also allow users to charge their devices even after sundown.

The program grew out of the Superstorm Sandy disaster, when AT&T found that citizens were flocking to its generator-powered distribution centers to charge their phones. That led AT&T to partner with Goal Zero and Brooklyn-based design firm Pensa to develop what it's pitched as a "sustainable charging solution."

"We�re excited to team up with AT&T and Pensa to help make New York a little greener and solar power a little more accessible," said Joe Atkin, President and CEO of Goal Zero. "Nearly half of all Americans own a smartphone and the amount of time we spend on handheld devices has increased dramatically. All too often, we hear the dreaded low-battery beep and it happens at the most inconvenient times. Street Charge will fix that."

Goal Zero has said its Street Charge stations will be modular to meet specific needs. For example, the stations can be modified to add solar-powered lighting, Wi-Fi, and signage for advertisements.

The stations will come to other heavily trafficked areas of the city this summer, including Coney Island, Rockaways, Summerstage in Central Park, Randall's Island, and Hudson River Park.

"Partnering up with Goal Zero is a great match for us,� said Marco Perry, co-founder of Pensa. "We�re looking to create something that complements its surroundings and invites people to hang out and recharge. We have also found that where people gather, opportunities develop for street vendors and retail, and neglected urban areas come alive."

6-18-13

appleinsider.com

What the iPhone Symbols & Status Bar Icon Indicators Mean

sparkyscott21 — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:32:48 GMT

Ever wondered what all those status icons and symbols mean that sit in the iPhone status bar, along the top of the screen? You�re certainly not alone, and while some of those little symbols make perfect sense, others can be a bit of a mystery even to longtime iPhone users. Sure, the obvious ones like cell bars signal (or the true numerical signal if you enabled it) and the 4G, LTE, battery, and Wi-Fi indicators are pretty self explanatory, but what about that little circle you see sometimes? Or what about the moon icon, or the two interlinking circles? Or the little arrow that points up and to the right?

Don�t let those status bar icons be a mystery any longer, because Apple provides a nice little table in their official User Guide to sort things out, showing each individual icon and what they mean. Because that user guide is a PDF though, most people don�t ever see it, so we�re reproducing the table below for quick reference.

You�ll notice there is quite a bit of overlap with these icons on the iPhone and the iPad and iPod touch too, with most variation coming from whether the latter two devices are equipped with cellular capabilities or not. Yes, some of the icons are changing a little bit in iOS 7, but Apple isn�t abandoning existing precedent and the changes are minor enough for the status icons to still be recognizable to users.

This is from the official iPhone User guide from Apple (PDF file), which can be a pretty useful addition to iBooks on any iOS device if you want to save the pdf file locally to your phone for future reference.

6-18-13

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