AAPL hits all-time record high

Perhaps because of optimistic analysis going into tomorrow’s conference call, Apple’s stock price has hit an all-time high today. While the Dow Jones average was down overall, AAPL rose $6 at one point, hitting $371.06 as a high. That’s huge — bigger a stock price than it’s ever been before.

Analysts say that there are a few factors here, with the big expected earnings only one of them. The HTC patent ruling was another big piece of good news to Apple’s investors, and a lot of Apple’s moves in general have really been turning out well lately, from the integration of iOS subscriptions and Apple’s deals with both media providers and developers, to more recent innovations like iCloud and the new versions of iOS and OS X coming soon.

In short, Apple’s hitting its stride in a whole new way, and there’s still a lot of room to grow yet.

Note: Past performance is never an indication of future stock prices. This post should not be considered sound financial advice.

AAPL hits all-time record high originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My top 3 apps: Rod Roddenberry

Just a couple of weeks ago we saw the final Space Shuttle launch and all episodes of Star Trek the original series, Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise become available via streaming on Netflix. Earlier today our daily Mac app was Time, a clock which simulates the LCARS interface on your Mac. Oh, and last week we saw CBS Interactive introduce a PADD Trek database app.

Continuing this Star Trek theme, here are Rod Roddenberry’s top 3 iOS apps. Rod is the son of Star Trek’s creator, Gene Roddenberry. We ran into Rod at Macworld Expo and discovered he’s new to the Apple side of the force, so it’s cool to hear what apps he uses. The last one, Heytell reminds me of the communicator from Star Trek if you had to account for the delay from messages sent long distances via subspace. And we all know how bad AT&T’s coverage is near Rigel IV.

Rod’s top 3 apps are:

iTeleport (iPad)

GV Connect

Heytell

My top 3 apps: Rod Roddenberry originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NPD suggests Apple had another record Mac quarter

A new report from NPD says that Apple has probably done it again, racking up yet another quarter of record Mac sales. NPD puts the number of Macs sold at 4.2 million, which would be a year-over-year gain of 12%, and make for the best record Apple’s Mac sales have ever had.

US Mac sales in general are down, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, but since the reasons for that are the impending Lion release, as well as a possible new version of the MacBook Air coming sometime this month, he expects sales to rebound as soon as both of those things actually happen.

In short, though these are still preliminary figures, it’s looking like Apple will have a solid June quarter here, and Mac sales should be even higher later on this year, especially when you throw Back to School and all of the other big news in the mix. Macs have never been more popular.

Stay tuned — we’ll be liveblogging the results of Apple’s conference call tomorrow, so come back then to hear the official numbers.

NPD suggests Apple had another record Mac quarter originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cut the Rope update, plush toys coming soon

The video below highlights an upcoming update for the popular Cut the Rope title on iOS — Chillingo is bringing 25 new levels to the title, complete with some new game mechanics and features. Cartoon creature Om Nom will be able to be fed various types of foods, not just the candy he so craves, and as you can see in the video, there are some new bounce pads to deal with and a few new drawings to find and collect. Finding those drawings can apparently unlock prizes, like the chance to gift the game to a friend on Facebook. The update is version 1.4, called Toy Box, and should be available in the game soon.

And there are also some plush dolls coming, as you can see above. Om Nom is portrayed in a few different moods and sizes, and all of these toys will be out sometime in October. I don’t usually go in for stuffed toys, but I will say this: that’s one cute little fella.

Cut the Rope update, plush toys coming soon originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Use an iPad in a kiosk with aluminum nClosures

nclosure

The enclosures securing and protecting the iPads I spied at LaGuardia looked like custom jobs for Delta’s terminal, but if you want to install an iPad for use in a kiosk, it appears nClosures has your multitouch device literally covered.

The iPad kiosk mount from nClosures is a complete solution, with a lock to secure the aluminum enclosure around the iPad (and an option to add a cable for added security), radio transparency so you can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and of course a hole for the power cable. The enclosures sport a VESA bolt pattern on the back so you can use those mounts or you can buy one from nClosures. Plus, the company will work with you on custom enclosures if their stock black or silver basic enclosure isn’t what you need.

You can buy an enclosure with or without Home button access, all of which cost $169 each. The VESA mount costs $10. These are already in use in some museums, so if you’ve seen some in the wild, let us know in the comments. These look like a great solution for museums and other installations needing a simple kiosk solution for iPads.

Use an iPad in a kiosk with aluminum nClosures originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW’s Daily Mac App: Time

Time LCARS style clock

Do you ever watch Star Trek and think, I wish my computer just had a little bit of the LCARS theme to it? You need Time.

OK, it’s not going to turn your Mac into a futuristic Star Trek-style computer, but Time authentically replicates the visual style and feel of the LCARS interface displaying a clock complete with a stopwatch, count down timer and an alarm.

You can choose from 27 different color themes to suit your decor, have the app full screen or windowed and adjust the brightness of the app by dimming the entire interface — handy if you’re using it as a display at night. On the clock front you have the option of 12 or 24 hour display, the option to display the seconds as well as the day and date, which can be displayed as a star date.

All the settings are accessible via large buttons that make up the interface, with each button click emitting a satisfying LCARS sound. Speaking of sounds you have the option of 15 alarm sounds from beeps and chirps to warnings and hailing frequencies, which can be used for both the alarm clock and the count down timer. If all the sounds get a little much for you, there’s a button to mute the whole lot too.

Time does what it says on the tin. It gives you a clock in the style of LCARS, and is great for any 24th century Star Trek fans out there. It’s free and available from the Mac App Store.

TUAW’s Daily Mac App: Time originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video App Demo: BillMinder

BillMinder is a simple app for iOS devices that allows you to enter any number of recurring bills and remind you before they are do. Hence the name “BillMinder,” obviously. I use BillMinder to alert me and will say that despite a few limitations it does a great job of reminding me of upcoming bills. You can see a full demo in the video below, but it’s a fairly straightforward app.

In BillMinder you set a recurring date, the amount of each bill and the interval you’d like to be reminded of said bills. I have mine set to one week before they are due. Yes, you could do this with a calendar app, but then you have bills littering your calendar and no real accounting of how much you’ve paid.

Video App Demo: BillMinder originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple edges out Nokia in European ad impressions

Apple may be slowly releasing the stranglehold Nokia has on the European market. According to ad network inMobi, the Q2 2011 results show Apple has edged out Nokia in terms of ad impressions. Both Apple and Nokia logged over 2 billion ad impressions in the quarter, but Apple snagged 90 million more than the struggling Finnish handset maker. Apple’s European ad share grew to 19.5%, while Nokia’s fell to 18.7%. It’s a small lead but a significant one. Nokia has been the market leader in Europe for years and this is one sign that its lead is beginning to diminish.

[Via Venture Beat]

Apple edges out Nokia in European ad impressions originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW’s Daily iPad App: Doodle Buddy for the iPad

Doodle Buddy is a free finger-drawing app for the iPad. It brings the fun of childhood finger-painting to the iPad as well as the grown-up need to make quick sketches to share with friends, family or co-workers.

For your children or the child inside all of us, Doodle Buddy lets you draw with multiple finger on the iPad’s large screen, just like finger-painting. It has over 44,000 colors in its color-picker so you never run out of choices. A variety of stamps can be added to your creation and each one makes a funny noise when you use it. It’s perfect for situations when children want to draw, but parents don’t have the materials or time to let them get all messy from markers, paints and ink. I’ve field-tested with my own children and my kids love it.

For the adult, Doodle Buddy has a variety of tools you can use to mock up a quick drawing that can be shared via email. It’s easy to grab the brush tool, dial down the brush size and draw out rough directions or a floor plan to send off the your significant other when apartment or house shopping. You can create each doodle on a blank slate, pre-made background, or doodle over your own pictures. The ability to mock up your own pictures can be useful for pointing an important aspect of a image, like “hey, that’s me on that roller coaster.” You can also use it to have some fun when you put a silly phrase on your cat picture and create your own lolcat.

Overall, Doodle Buddy is fun, easy to use and great for both adults and children. The drawing app also has a rewards feature called Doodle Bucks that you earn when you download an app. Powered by Tapjoy, the Doodle buck let you buy expansion packs that include birthday, stencil, food and other theme-related tools.

Doodle Buddy is available for free in the App Store. It does include advertisements which some parents don’t like in an app used by children. These ads are removed with a 99-cent in-app purchase.

TUAW’s Daily iPad App: Doodle Buddy for the iPad originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BYTE retracts anti-Apple rant by blogger

Back in the early days of the personal computer revolution, there was no better magazine to read than BYTE. It was often a thick tome full of reviews, programming tips, and insightful columns by industry legends. The magazine disappeared in 1998, but was recently resurrected as an online magazine by the publishers of Information Week. It’s obvious the BYTE name retains much of its journalistic credibility, as the magazine recently retracted an anti-Apple rant by one of its bloggers.

The post, titled “The Crucible: A Sobering Look at Apple,” was written by BYTE blogger Demetrius Mandzych and published originally on July 11, 2011. Whenever a post starts out by stating that

In all honesty, I don’t know why people buy products from Apple. Apple assures everyone its products ‘just work,’ that specs don’t matter and that its products are like finely-tuned German roadsters … The reverse is actually the case.

you have to wonder what’s going on in the author’s mind. By July 15, there were a number of negative reader responses, and BYTE pulled the post. The rant is back now, but completely covered with a strikethrough from beginning to end, and with an apology at the beginning:

The opinion column that follows doesn’t live up to the proud tradition and our best intentions for BYTE. It not only lacks the deep and authoritative technical content that we want BYTE to be known for, but it also doesn’t reflect the community’s views on Apple. Although there are plenty of people who don’t like Apple products, and some who have had bad experiences with Apple, those are the exception, not the rule.

As you see from our heavy coverage of Apple – in particular our aggressive coverage of OS X Lion — we consider Apple and its products to be important topics for news, reviews, how tos, tips, and debate. BYTE strives for authority above all, in keeping with the highest journalistic standards. That standard was not met here.

Well done, BYTE. And welcome back. (I’m personally happy to see sci-fi legend Jerry Pournelle back in the saddle at Chaos Manor.)

[via Daring Fireball]

BYTE retracts anti-Apple rant by blogger originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon adds Kindle textbook rentals, leaves iBooks in the dust

Amazon announced a new textbook rental service today for its Kindle eBook service. The textbook rental store would let students rent textbooks from 30 to 360 days from the Kindle store. The rental terms could save students up to 80% on the purchase price of the books from publishers such as John Wiley & Sons, Elsevier and Taylor & Francis.

Each book is also “Rent Once, Read Everywhere” so students can read their textbook on a variety of devices. There is support for notes that are stored in the cloud and accessible even after the book rental period has expired.

This new service puts the pressure on Apple if the Cupertino company wants to tap the lucrative educational market. iBooks is Apple’s direct competitor to the Kindle and it does not have the wireless notes syncing or the diversity of content available on the Kindle. Now with textbook rental, Apple’s iBooks falls even further behind. With iPads increasingly showing up in the classroom, this is a deficiency Apple may be forced to address.

Amazon adds Kindle textbook rentals, leaves iBooks in the dust originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CNN streaming 24 hours a day to browsers, iPad and iPhone apps

CNN and HLN announced today that they’re now streaming programming 24 hours a day on CNN.com, the CNN App for iPad, and the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch.

According to the press release (below), CNN Worldwide is the first news organization to stream its channels online and on mobile devices. There’s a catch, of course — you must be a current subscriber to a multi-channel video service to qualify for the streaming. The streaming service is available to about 50 million American households who subscribe to AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink, and Verizon cable or satellite services.

Authentication is required through your cable, satellite, or telco provider whether you’re watching HD-quality news in your browser or using the iPad and iPhone apps. CNN notes that you can update the apps to version 1.2 for iPhone/iPod touch or 1.1 for iPad through the App Store.

Show full PR text
CNN.com Unveils New Video Experience to Showcase Live CNN and HLN TV, On-Demand Video, Multi-tasking

ATLANTA, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — CNN and HLN’s complete 24-hour television networks will be streamed live on CNN.com, the CNN App for iPad and the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch beginning today, July 18. CNN Worldwide is the first news organization to stream its linear television channels online and on mobile devices to consumers who subscribe to a multi-channel video service. Simultaneous to this launch, CNN.com has debuted its new video experience, which seamlessly integrates live network TV into a larger and higher-quality video player, capable of delivering HD quality.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110718/CL36665 )

CNN and HLN online and mobile streaming is currently available to approximately 50 million households with subscribers to participating pay TV providers, including: AT&T, Comcast, Cox, DISH Network, Suddenlink and Verizon.

“A principle goal for CNN is to make more of our content available to more people on more platforms, and CNN’s participation in the TV Everywhere initiative is another step forward in that effort,” said Jim Walton, President of CNN Worldwide. “We have long believed that our growth depends on keeping CNN essential and relevant to consumers wherever they are.”
To access CNN and HLN online, users can go to www.cnn.com/video, click on the “Live” tab and log-in through their cable, satellite or telco provider with a username and password.

For mobile devices, a user can download the CNN App for iPad or the CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch (or update their app to version 1.2 for iPhone, 1.1 for iPad), and authenticate in the same way.

“CNN is taking a significant step forward by offering live CNN and HLN TV to our audiences whether they are on their couches at home or have their toes in the sand on the beach,” said KC Estenson, general manager of CNN Digital. “The 10 million users who have downloaded CNN’s mobile apps and the tens of millions of people who get the latest news and information from CNN.com every day will soon be able to watch CNN TV on every device they have.”
CNN.com video experience

CNN.com’s new video experience offers a cinematic player that optimizes the video quality for a user based on their Internet connection, with the capability of delivering HD quality. Video can be “squeezed back” to allow a user to browse through curated CNN video collections and TV show clips without leaving the video experience.

In addition to the live streams of CNN’s networks, the video experience will continue to offer up to four live streams of breaking news and events, original video series and on-demand video clips with related CNN and HLN show information.

The CNN App for iPad and CNN App for iPhone and iPod touch are available for free from the App Store or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

For more information, visit www.CNNPressroom.com and follow @CNNpr on Twitter.
SOURCE CNN

CNN streaming 24 hours a day to browsers, iPad and iPhone apps originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dev Juice: Help me recover my beta partition

Dear Dev Juice,

I was in the Lion beta program. Now that 10.7 is about to release I want to reclaim the small partition I added to my laptop that I was using to test it.

How do I do this?

Shawn

Dear Shawn,

Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility) makes it easy to recover OS partitions assuming you have a standard scheme where you partitioned off a chunk of your drive to host the beta.

Assuming you did just that, you’ll have a primary partition occupying most of your disk, and a secondary partition after that. Back up everything you can, especially on the second partition.

Boot on your primary partition that you have now updated to Lion. Open Disk Utility and select your hard drive (not the partitions under the hard drive) and open the Partition tab. Your layout should have the primary partition on top, the secondary below it.

Select the secondary partition and delete it by clicking the – (minus) button. Make sure you read the messages that Disk Utility presents you. You only want to remove the secondary partition, you do not want to affect the primary. If you get any message other than something like ‘this will only remove the secondary partition and leave the primary unaffected’, stop and re-group. Otherwise, go ahead and perform the removal. (You did backup, yes?)

Next, resize your primary partition to reabsorb that extra space. Edit the Size field by entering 9999 GB (or whatever). When you press return, Disk Utility will automatically change that to match the actual available space. Click Apply.

It can take several minutes for Disk Utility to verify and apply the changes. But it is able to make the changes (as it did with the original partition) in-place. You will not need to reboot afterwards, although you may want to just for sanity’s sake.

Good luck and happy developing!

Dev Juice: Help me recover my beta partition originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Apple close to ordering a 2048 x 1536 resolution iPad 3 display

A rumor from The Korea Times suggests Apple may be close to signing a deal with Samsung and LG for a high-resolution tablet display. The new display will include a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, 4:3 aspect ratio and a retina-like pixel density of 280 PPI.

This isn’t the first time this rumor has hit the wires. Back in January, rumblings of a high-resolution iPad began to surface. These rumors were fueled with the announcement of a 10.1-inch, 2560 x 1600 resolution display from Samsung which will arrive later this year. Even if this 10.1-inch display is not compatible with 9.7-inch form factor of the iPad, it does confirm Samsung has the technology to produce a retina-like tablet display and could likely produce one in a 9.7-inch size.

Then in June, the folks at TechUnwrapped uncovered code within the beta release of iOS 5 which supports images of 1536 x 2048 pixels. With all these rumors floating around, it seems very likely that Apple is working on a high-resolution version of the iPad.

As long as suppliers can keep up with demand, a high-resolution display would be a logical upgrade for the next generation iPad. The iPad 2 got a nice processor boost and dual cameras, but the display remained the same. Consumer-wise, a high-resolution display would entice new customers to adopt Apple’s popular tablet and prompt many original iPad owners to upgrade to the iPad 3.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

Rumor: Apple close to ordering a 2048 x 1536 resolution iPad 3 display originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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