Apple WWDC rumor scorecard: 2011 edition
The dust from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference has settled and now we know all about iCloud, iOS 5, and Mac OS X Lion. We also know which rumors from ahead of the show turned out to be true, and which ones didn't.To Apple's credit, there were very few leaks ahead of this year's show. While a few iOS 5 features came out, as well as functionality that would appear in iCloud, there was a fair bit that was unknown going into it. The one exception being OS X Lion, which Apple had taken most of the wraps off back in October.Below is a roundup of some of the big rumors, split up by product. Not surprisingly, the more outlandish ones proved not to be true, yet there were a few surprises here and there. Read on to find out how they panned out.iCloudRumor: iCloud won't be available today, but will be soon. Outcome: True, iCloud is not available to customers today but will be when iOS 5 launches in the fall. In the interim, Apple is making iCloud available to developers to test.Rumor: No video in iCloud, just musicOutcome: True. Apple is not syncing video from iTunes across devices, just music files. Though sources have told CNET that Apple has been pushing studios extra hard to let it store user video files on its servers.Rumor: No music streaming immediately, but it will come later on.Outcome: True but also false. The system Apple outlined this morning is a sync solution, letting users re-download their files to various devices, not stream them outright, thus saving space on that device. Whether Apple plans to offer that later on in iCloud's life was not disclosed during this morning's announcements.Rumor: Apple has the blessing of all four major record companiesOutcome: True from Jobs saying that iCloud will work with all 18 million songs in Apple's iTunes Store library.A purported screenshot of Apple's iCloud login, posted ahead of today's unveiling.Funky Space MonkeyRumor: iCloud to cost $25 a year.Outcome: True on price, false on rest of service. The iCloud service itself is being offered for free, however Apple's iTunes Match service, which will match up music you didn't buy off iTunes with tracks from Apple's 18 million song library, does in fact run $25 a year. That particular report, which came from the L.A. Times, said Apple would also be advertising on iCloud, which Jobs noted was not the case.Rumor: The iCloud sign-on page looks like this (right).Outcome: iCloud as a destination site does not exist. iCloud is simply the mechanism to ferry over files, settings and media between iOS devices, Macs and PCs. That said, iCloud.com, which Apple now owns, still redirects toward former owner Xcerion AB's CloudMe Web site.Rumor: Time Capsule to be updated as an iCloud driveOutcome: False. Apple's Wi-Fi router meets hard drive was not updated as part of today's news. Nor was the Airport Express hardware, as mentioned in that same report. iOS 5Twitter's now a built-in feature within iOS 5.AppleRumor: iOS 5 getting widgets, overhauled notifications and Twitter integration.Outcome: We got overhauled notifications as well as Twitter integration, but no sign of widgets. Both the Twitter integration and notifications were broken out during Apple's presentation today, with notifications getting big cheers from the crowd. Rumor: No iOS 5 for iPhone 3GS.Outcome: False. Fans of hanging on to old hardware can breathe a sigh of relief. Apple said iOS 5 is going to be available for all the devices that are currently eligible for iOS 4, a list that includes the iPhone 3GS.Rumor: Siri's technology making it into iOS 5 as a system level feature Outcome: False. No talk of enhanced voice controls during Apple's presentation, or in its supplementary features pages. Rumor: iOS 5 bringing over the air updates for system software. Outcome: True. iOS 5 now does over the air updates, and small ones at that. Apple's employed a delta update system for its iOS software, letting users grab the newest version of the operating system in a way that does not involve downloading the entire system image file, or plugging into iTunes.Rumor: iOS 5 to bring automatic updating for appsOutcome: False. While Apple noted that the need for iTunes is gone from iOS 5, you still need to go through and manually download updates to applications. However through iCloud, Apple introduced a feature that makes it so that when you install an app on one iOS device, it syncs up your progress on that app across multiple devices.Rumor: No more "plug into iTunes messages" with iOS 5Outcome: True. Apple's made iOS 5 work without computers. When buying a new iOS device with iOS 5 installed, you can run it right out of the box by plugging in your Apple ID. Rumor: Split-view pane mode coming to Mail app in iPad.Outcome: True, though this one was less of a rumor than a wishlist item from Daring Fireball's John Gruber. The feature is, in fact, present in iOS 5 through a gesture. Mac OS X LionRumor: Lion getting a "find my mac" toolOutcome: True. Despite no mention of it during the keynote, or in the list of 250 features that are included in Lion, the feature is there in the build Apple released to developers.Rumor: iCloud built into Lion Outcome: True. Lion includes iCloud storage APIs to let Mac OS applications store data in Apple's cloud where it can go out to other computers and iOS devices. Reports that Apple would be offering Lion as a Mac App Store download proved to be true.AppleRumor: Lion to be distributed through the Mac App Store Outcome: True. In fact, Apple's said it's the only way it's distributing Lion, a move that requires users first have Snow Leopard installed. That's big news from a distribution angle, leaving those without a broadband connection in a pickle, while simplifying the process of having to grab a copy of the software from a retail store (including Apple's) for everyone else.Rumor: Lion release date on June 14Outcome: False. Apple gave developers yet another build of the OS today, while promising to deliver it to consumers sometime next month. 9to5mac, which had the original sourcing for this rumor, attributed it more toward retail changes in Apple's stores as opposed to knowledge of Apple's plans. Rumor: Apple contemplating bringing iOS apps to Mac OS Lion. Outcome: False. This was less of a rumor versus pure conjecture when a mystery device showed up in a list of compatible devices in some iTunes listings back in April.MiscellaneousRumor: No iPhone announcement (1,2,3)Outcome: True. The iPhone was mentioned plenty, but only the current version. The vague release timeframe of iOS 5 for fall strongly suggests something iPhone-related to coincide with that. Rumor: Time Capsule to grab system updates and other downloads as they're released for quicker downloading.Outcome: False. No mention of a Time Capsule update during today's event.Any big ones we missed? Leave them in the comments.
Multiple copies of the same .plist name in preferences folders
Multiple copies of the same .plist name in preferences folders
This may cause some confusion for people, especially when trying to delete a specific preference file to troubleshoot application problems. Some people have wrongly guessed that these are caches, or that they are somehow actively used by the associated application and as such have avoided tampering with them. In truth, however, these files are just leftover temporary files from the process used to save plists.When you alter an application's settings, the preferences file for the application is not directly written to. Instead, the underlying programming for saving property lists will first write the files to a temporary file that has a unique string of characters appended to its name that associates the file with that particular "save session." The process will then remove the old preferences file and rename the temporary file to remove the trailing character strings so it becomes the active preference file for the program.This type of process helps prevent property list corruption in the event of a program crash or other malfunction when the settings are being saved. It happens when you specifically apply settings, but also may happen regularly as you use a program, since the program will refresh the preference file with odd details such as the last documents opened, window positions, and other miscellaneous settings.While the file rename should result in only one final file on disk, an apparent bug in the plist write process sometimes allows the directory entry for the file's old name to remain. This could be due to an error in how the file's various permissions and extended attributes are handled when it is being created and written to. However, regardless of the specifics this error results in the slow and random accumulation of these files over time.Ultimately Apple will have to tweak the plist write process to prevent multiple directory entries for these files from staying behind, but overall they are just residual temporary entries that do not contain any data, and can be removed without harming a thing. Being stashed away in the preferences folder they will likely not interfere with your work, and you can easily remove them by sorting the contents of your preferences folder by size and removing all of the 0 KB files.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
This may cause some confusion for people, especially when trying to delete a specific preference file to troubleshoot application problems. Some people have wrongly guessed that these are caches, or that they are somehow actively used by the associated application and as such have avoided tampering with them. In truth, however, these files are just leftover temporary files from the process used to save plists.When you alter an application's settings, the preferences file for the application is not directly written to. Instead, the underlying programming for saving property lists will first write the files to a temporary file that has a unique string of characters appended to its name that associates the file with that particular "save session." The process will then remove the old preferences file and rename the temporary file to remove the trailing character strings so it becomes the active preference file for the program.This type of process helps prevent property list corruption in the event of a program crash or other malfunction when the settings are being saved. It happens when you specifically apply settings, but also may happen regularly as you use a program, since the program will refresh the preference file with odd details such as the last documents opened, window positions, and other miscellaneous settings.While the file rename should result in only one final file on disk, an apparent bug in the plist write process sometimes allows the directory entry for the file's old name to remain. This could be due to an error in how the file's various permissions and extended attributes are handled when it is being created and written to. However, regardless of the specifics this error results in the slow and random accumulation of these files over time.Ultimately Apple will have to tweak the plist write process to prevent multiple directory entries for these files from staying behind, but overall they are just residual temporary entries that do not contain any data, and can be removed without harming a thing. Being stashed away in the preferences folder they will likely not interfere with your work, and you can easily remove them by sorting the contents of your preferences folder by size and removing all of the 0 KB files.Questions? Comments? Have a fix? Post them below or e-mail us!Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.
Backup That turns your e-mail accounts into cloud storage
Backup That turns your e-mail accounts into cloud storage
Savvy cloud-storage seekers know they can get 2GB free from Dropbox, 5GB from Google and SugarSync, 7GB from Microsoft, and so on.Of course, there's no way to pool all that free storage into a single, unified cloud drive. That's precisely the idea behind Backup That, a new service that leverages the space available in your various e-mail accounts to give you potentially unlimited storage.Choose one or more mail accounts to link to your Backup That account.Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNETAfter registering for the beta, you choose one or more mail accounts to link to your Backup That account. The latter currently works with AOL, Gmail, GMX, Mobile Me, Yahoo, and other mail providers that support IMAP. (That leaves out Hotmail/Outlook, at least for now.) In theory, you can link as many accounts as you want, even going so far as to create new ones just to score more space (though Backup That won't do that for you).From there you'll have access to Backup That's two main sections: Your Files and Your Music. The former is fairly self-explanatory: choose whatever files you want to upload to your account.As for music, Backup That currently limits you to iTunes playlists. Choose one or more and a behind-the-scenes uploader starts copying them to your Backup That music library. (In the future, the service will add support for "MP3s outside of iTunes playlists.") From there you can stream your songs via any browser; an iPhone app is due in two to three weeks to allow on-the-go streaming.The service is not currently optimized for use with Internet Explorer; the developers recommend using Chrome on a PC and Firefox on a Mac. In either case you'll need to install, or at least enable, Java. I tested it in Chrome, and came away impressed with the idea -- but not the execution.That's because Backup That is extremely buggy. After linking up both AOL and Yahoo accounts, there was no indication of how much space might be available to me. The first time I attempted to upload a playlist, there was no indication that anything was happening -- other than a "songs remaining" counter that didn't seem to change. And when I refreshed the page, even that had disappeared. I tried again, then left it alone for a while. Songs did seem to upload in batches, but ultimately the upload timed out with about 43 songs remaining. When I tried one more time to upload the same playlist, it timed out after just 13 songs.Another wrinkle is that there doesn't appear to be a way to manage or organize your songs. For example, I found no option for deleting individual songs or an entire playlist.On the file side, it's easy enough to add individual files or folders, but I couldn't quite figure out the Sync option, which kept telling me to "select a file to download." And there's no file viewer at the moment; all you can really do is upload your files for holding and then download them again. You can right-click a file and choose "open," but that simply downloads and opens it locally (assuming the proper app is available).Backup That has the potential to be a game-changer -- but it has a long way to go. The music component is more or less unusable as it is right now. And without some gauges indicating how much inbox space you've consumed in your account(s), there's the concern it might steal too much from your inbox and prevent you from receiving mail.Here's hoping the service can iron out the bugs and become the cloud-storage solution we cheapskates have been waiting for.
Savvy cloud-storage seekers know they can get 2GB free from Dropbox, 5GB from Google and SugarSync, 7GB from Microsoft, and so on.Of course, there's no way to pool all that free storage into a single, unified cloud drive. That's precisely the idea behind Backup That, a new service that leverages the space available in your various e-mail accounts to give you potentially unlimited storage.Choose one or more mail accounts to link to your Backup That account.Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNETAfter registering for the beta, you choose one or more mail accounts to link to your Backup That account. The latter currently works with AOL, Gmail, GMX, Mobile Me, Yahoo, and other mail providers that support IMAP. (That leaves out Hotmail/Outlook, at least for now.) In theory, you can link as many accounts as you want, even going so far as to create new ones just to score more space (though Backup That won't do that for you).From there you'll have access to Backup That's two main sections: Your Files and Your Music. The former is fairly self-explanatory: choose whatever files you want to upload to your account.As for music, Backup That currently limits you to iTunes playlists. Choose one or more and a behind-the-scenes uploader starts copying them to your Backup That music library. (In the future, the service will add support for "MP3s outside of iTunes playlists.") From there you can stream your songs via any browser; an iPhone app is due in two to three weeks to allow on-the-go streaming.The service is not currently optimized for use with Internet Explorer; the developers recommend using Chrome on a PC and Firefox on a Mac. In either case you'll need to install, or at least enable, Java. I tested it in Chrome, and came away impressed with the idea -- but not the execution.That's because Backup That is extremely buggy. After linking up both AOL and Yahoo accounts, there was no indication of how much space might be available to me. The first time I attempted to upload a playlist, there was no indication that anything was happening -- other than a "songs remaining" counter that didn't seem to change. And when I refreshed the page, even that had disappeared. I tried again, then left it alone for a while. Songs did seem to upload in batches, but ultimately the upload timed out with about 43 songs remaining. When I tried one more time to upload the same playlist, it timed out after just 13 songs.Another wrinkle is that there doesn't appear to be a way to manage or organize your songs. For example, I found no option for deleting individual songs or an entire playlist.On the file side, it's easy enough to add individual files or folders, but I couldn't quite figure out the Sync option, which kept telling me to "select a file to download." And there's no file viewer at the moment; all you can really do is upload your files for holding and then download them again. You can right-click a file and choose "open," but that simply downloads and opens it locally (assuming the proper app is available).Backup That has the potential to be a game-changer -- but it has a long way to go. The music component is more or less unusable as it is right now. And without some gauges indicating how much inbox space you've consumed in your account(s), there's the concern it might steal too much from your inbox and prevent you from receiving mail.Here's hoping the service can iron out the bugs and become the cloud-storage solution we cheapskates have been waiting for.
The 404 321- Where Jason bringeth thy camerath
The 404 321: Where Jason bringeth thy camerath
Lots on today's show.First, the Interwebs have tracked down the location of the suspected Domino's Pizza where a few employees rolled dough down their backs and stuck cheese up their nose.Speaking of douche bags, there's a new book coming out highlighting the antics of "that guy."You know, the one that strikes up a conversation at the urinal or, like Justin, who sends you pictures that leave you having nightmares. Rounding out the first half of the show, a 6-year-old boy can't return a brand-new PSP to Wal-Mart after he discovers pr0n on it.On the second half, we've got some great voice mails, including a call from a special someone in Hawaii who wants to have Justin's babies.Stephen Colbert gets a treadmill named after him aboard the International Space Station.If you're addicted to the Internet, there's an application on the Mac that will help.And finally, AT&T allows parents and jealous boyfriends and girlfriends to track the location of their loved ones.Call it a social network and it's not big brother; it's awesometown.Again, please RSVP for tomorrow night's BOL and 404 meetup at the Delancey in New York City at 7:30 p.m.Right now, only age 21 and up can come.We're working on trying to get 18+ to get in, but no guarantees.It is a bar, after all. If you can't make it though, please call in at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) to leave a callback or message about something asinine one of us said.EPISODE 321Download today's podcast |Â Subscribe in iTunes |Â Subscribe in RSSDomino's pizza douche bags are found"Don't Be That Guy"6-year-old kid finds porn on his new PSPStephen Colbert gets a treadmill named after himThe Emancipation ApplicationTrack your sons, daughters, boyfriends, and girlfriends on AT&TFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangJason Howell
Lots on today's show.First, the Interwebs have tracked down the location of the suspected Domino's Pizza where a few employees rolled dough down their backs and stuck cheese up their nose.Speaking of douche bags, there's a new book coming out highlighting the antics of "that guy."You know, the one that strikes up a conversation at the urinal or, like Justin, who sends you pictures that leave you having nightmares. Rounding out the first half of the show, a 6-year-old boy can't return a brand-new PSP to Wal-Mart after he discovers pr0n on it.On the second half, we've got some great voice mails, including a call from a special someone in Hawaii who wants to have Justin's babies.Stephen Colbert gets a treadmill named after him aboard the International Space Station.If you're addicted to the Internet, there's an application on the Mac that will help.And finally, AT&T allows parents and jealous boyfriends and girlfriends to track the location of their loved ones.Call it a social network and it's not big brother; it's awesometown.Again, please RSVP for tomorrow night's BOL and 404 meetup at the Delancey in New York City at 7:30 p.m.Right now, only age 21 and up can come.We're working on trying to get 18+ to get in, but no guarantees.It is a bar, after all. If you can't make it though, please call in at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) to leave a callback or message about something asinine one of us said.EPISODE 321Download today's podcast |Â Subscribe in iTunes |Â Subscribe in RSSDomino's pizza douche bags are found"Don't Be That Guy"6-year-old kid finds porn on his new PSPStephen Colbert gets a treadmill named after himThe Emancipation ApplicationTrack your sons, daughters, boyfriends, and girlfriends on AT&TFollow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangJason Howell
Lala's awesome music locker service
Lala's awesome music locker service
Second, the company has worked with the major labels to give users the right to access songs they already own without having to upload them. If Lala has the rights to a particular song, and it recognizes that you've got it in your library, it just lets you stream it for free.(Eight years ago, the labels sued the original MP3.com out of existence for doing exactly the same thing. How times have changed.)That means you can get started quickly--so far, after about an hour of scanning, the Lala Music Mover has recognized 500 of the songs in my collection and added them to my locker without forcing me to upload them manually. (The final tally after running it overnight: 1,971 songs recognized and added, 1,474 that I'd need to upload manually. That's a ratio of just under 60% recognized.)Finally, Lala is reportedly planning an iPhone application. That would mean iPhone access to your entire music library--goodbye capacity limits! I can't wait to download it.One annoying bug: I couldn't resize the window for the Music Mover application, which meant I couldn't read some of the error messages songs that Lala couldn't upload. In particular, it rejected three songs because they were too large, but the error message was cut off before I could read the maximum size. Turns out, these songs were all over 50,000KB--huge epic songs, 25-plus minutes in length--so that seems like a pretty reasonable limit.Once you're using the music locker, the other parts of the service begin to make much more sense. For example, if you're already streaming all your music via the Lala player--which looks a lot like iTunes in a browser --then buying perpetual rights to stream one more song for only 10 cents becomes a very reasonable idea. That's the whole dream of "cloud computing" in a nutshell--once Internet access becomes ubiquitous, the differences between online and offline blur until the distinction eventually becomes meaningless. There are also some interesting social networking and sharing features that could help users discover music on the site, such as a widget you can post on your Web page that lists four favorite songs. A great idea, well executed. Nicely done, Lala.
Second, the company has worked with the major labels to give users the right to access songs they already own without having to upload them. If Lala has the rights to a particular song, and it recognizes that you've got it in your library, it just lets you stream it for free.(Eight years ago, the labels sued the original MP3.com out of existence for doing exactly the same thing. How times have changed.)That means you can get started quickly--so far, after about an hour of scanning, the Lala Music Mover has recognized 500 of the songs in my collection and added them to my locker without forcing me to upload them manually. (The final tally after running it overnight: 1,971 songs recognized and added, 1,474 that I'd need to upload manually. That's a ratio of just under 60% recognized.)Finally, Lala is reportedly planning an iPhone application. That would mean iPhone access to your entire music library--goodbye capacity limits! I can't wait to download it.One annoying bug: I couldn't resize the window for the Music Mover application, which meant I couldn't read some of the error messages songs that Lala couldn't upload. In particular, it rejected three songs because they were too large, but the error message was cut off before I could read the maximum size. Turns out, these songs were all over 50,000KB--huge epic songs, 25-plus minutes in length--so that seems like a pretty reasonable limit.Once you're using the music locker, the other parts of the service begin to make much more sense. For example, if you're already streaming all your music via the Lala player--which looks a lot like iTunes in a browser --then buying perpetual rights to stream one more song for only 10 cents becomes a very reasonable idea. That's the whole dream of "cloud computing" in a nutshell--once Internet access becomes ubiquitous, the differences between online and offline blur until the distinction eventually becomes meaningless. There are also some interesting social networking and sharing features that could help users discover music on the site, such as a widget you can post on your Web page that lists four favorite songs. A great idea, well executed. Nicely done, Lala.
Apple's quick links injunction appeal denied
Apple's quick links injunction appeal denied
A federal appeals court decision in an unrelated case could spell trouble for Apple's current legal battle against rival Samsung.A US Court of Appeals decision on Friday affirmed a federal judge's ruling in a patent-infringement case between Apple andGoogle's Motorola Mobility. In 2012, US Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner of the Northern District of Illinois threw out that patent case, saying neither company was able to prove damages.Related storiesRuling in Apple v. Motorola throws wrench in Apple v. SamsungApple’s iPad sales are not so magical after allGoogle, Adobe, Apple, Intel settle wage-fixing lawsuitSix takeaways from Apple CEO Cook's earnings callOne particular point of interest in the Apple-Motorola case, which involved several patents on both sides, is Apple's patent for quick links. Apple had accused Motorola of infringing the patent for quick links -- and is now claiming infringement of the same patent in its current suit against Samsung.Apple's quick links patent, also refereed to as patent '647, covers technology for the automatic detection of data that can be clicked. For example, a user being able to send a telephone number straight to the phone dialer versus having to memorize or copy and paste the number. Apple's patent involves the use of an "analyzer server" to perform the action. This development adds a twist to the current trial unfolding in San Jose, Calif. Apple is arguing that Samsung infringed on five of its patents for the iPhone, and that Apple is due $2 billion for that infringement. Samsung wants about $7 million from Apple for infringing two of its software patents. The quick links patent was considered the most valuable one for Apple, according to patents blog Foss Patents.Apple can still seek an injunction for the quick links patent against Motorola, but the scope would be narrow, which means Motorola could easily work around the patent, according to Foss.Closing arguments were supposedto happen on Monday, but it's unclear how this news may change the course of the trial.Update, 10:06 a.m. PT: Added more background and information.
A federal appeals court decision in an unrelated case could spell trouble for Apple's current legal battle against rival Samsung.A US Court of Appeals decision on Friday affirmed a federal judge's ruling in a patent-infringement case between Apple andGoogle's Motorola Mobility. In 2012, US Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner of the Northern District of Illinois threw out that patent case, saying neither company was able to prove damages.Related storiesRuling in Apple v. Motorola throws wrench in Apple v. SamsungApple’s iPad sales are not so magical after allGoogle, Adobe, Apple, Intel settle wage-fixing lawsuitSix takeaways from Apple CEO Cook's earnings callOne particular point of interest in the Apple-Motorola case, which involved several patents on both sides, is Apple's patent for quick links. Apple had accused Motorola of infringing the patent for quick links -- and is now claiming infringement of the same patent in its current suit against Samsung.Apple's quick links patent, also refereed to as patent '647, covers technology for the automatic detection of data that can be clicked. For example, a user being able to send a telephone number straight to the phone dialer versus having to memorize or copy and paste the number. Apple's patent involves the use of an "analyzer server" to perform the action. This development adds a twist to the current trial unfolding in San Jose, Calif. Apple is arguing that Samsung infringed on five of its patents for the iPhone, and that Apple is due $2 billion for that infringement. Samsung wants about $7 million from Apple for infringing two of its software patents. The quick links patent was considered the most valuable one for Apple, according to patents blog Foss Patents.Apple can still seek an injunction for the quick links patent against Motorola, but the scope would be narrow, which means Motorola could easily work around the patent, according to Foss.Closing arguments were supposedto happen on Monday, but it's unclear how this news may change the course of the trial.Update, 10:06 a.m. PT: Added more background and information.
Apple's planned 'spaceship' HQ will reportedly cost $5B
Apple's planned 'spaceship' HQ will reportedly cost $5B
Apple's planned second corporate campus is turning out to be a headache.That's according to Bloomberg Businessweek, which profiled the development process of the proposed "spaceship" building, an unusual structure shaped like a doughnut or ring.The budget for the building has jumped to $5 billion from $3 billion, Bloomberg Businessweek said, citing unnamed sources. The cost would exceed that of the new World Trade Center and be three times as expensive as top-of-the-line downtown towers, the report said.Apple, meanwhile, has delayed the start of construction as it works with its lead architect to slash $1 billion from the budget, according to the report. With any project this large, cost overruns are likely inevitable. CNET contacted Apple to confirm the details, and we'll update the story when the company responds.While an earlier proposal had Apple breaking ground on the project last year, the start has been pushed back to 2014. Likewise, Apple had hoped to begin moving people in by 2015, but that, too, has been delayed, to 2016.The headquarters structure is designed as one big circle featuring four stories and a whopping 2.8 million square feet. Apple previously said that it hopes to have 12,000 people on the campus -- up from about 2,800 in its current headquarters. In revised proposals, that figure had jumped to up to 14,200.Apple's 'spaceship'-like campus reboot (...See full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrev
Apple's planned second corporate campus is turning out to be a headache.That's according to Bloomberg Businessweek, which profiled the development process of the proposed "spaceship" building, an unusual structure shaped like a doughnut or ring.The budget for the building has jumped to $5 billion from $3 billion, Bloomberg Businessweek said, citing unnamed sources. The cost would exceed that of the new World Trade Center and be three times as expensive as top-of-the-line downtown towers, the report said.Apple, meanwhile, has delayed the start of construction as it works with its lead architect to slash $1 billion from the budget, according to the report. With any project this large, cost overruns are likely inevitable. CNET contacted Apple to confirm the details, and we'll update the story when the company responds.While an earlier proposal had Apple breaking ground on the project last year, the start has been pushed back to 2014. Likewise, Apple had hoped to begin moving people in by 2015, but that, too, has been delayed, to 2016.The headquarters structure is designed as one big circle featuring four stories and a whopping 2.8 million square feet. Apple previously said that it hopes to have 12,000 people on the campus -- up from about 2,800 in its current headquarters. In revised proposals, that figure had jumped to up to 14,200.Apple's 'spaceship'-like campus reboot (...See full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrev
Apple's profits to be highest ever for public company, analyst says
Apple's profits to be highest ever for public company, analyst says
Analyst Brian White remains ever bullish on Apple.White, you may recall, is the Topeka Capital Markets analyst who in April boldly declared that Apple's stock would eventually be worth $1,001 a share.A few weeks later, he pushed that up to the singular price target of $1,111 "over the next year." That would amount to Apple's stock roughly doubling in value.This morning, the supremely optimistic Mr. White has focused in on Apple's profits, in a tabulation relayed by Boy Genius Report. In a note to clients, White writes that, as he reckons it, Apple is on pace in calendar 2012 "to generate the highest annual net income of any publicly traded company ever." Ever! Related storiesApple zooms to No. 17 on Fortune 500 list, tops IBMli>Strong iPhone sales overshadow new iPad in Apple earningsApple's second-quarter earnings by the numbersLast month, Apple turned up in third place on Fortune's list of most profitable companies, just behind Chevron and several lengths in back of Exxon Mobile.Barron's draws out another dramatic declamation from White: "Investors," he said, "should think of Apple's market cap potential in terms of trillions, not billions."What's driving the current round of enthusiasm? White -- like many observers -- is fired up about the possibility of Apple unleashing the long-awaited iPhone 5 and a hotly anticipated iPad Mini. The Topeka Capital Markets analyst is apparently basing his gung-ho go-to-market expectations for an "exciting September" for Apple on discussions he's had with "local contacts" in Apple's supply chain in Taipei.Apple is also coming off a heck of a week in which it played emcee to a bevy of product announcements at its Worldwide Developers Conference, most notably iOS 6, a MacBook Pro with Retina display, and an upgraded Siri.Shares in the maker of Macs, iPads, and iPhones have traded as high as $644 apiece in recent months. This morning, they're up slightly to just over $581 a share.We've reached out to Apple for comment on White's predictions and will update this story when we hear back.
Analyst Brian White remains ever bullish on Apple.White, you may recall, is the Topeka Capital Markets analyst who in April boldly declared that Apple's stock would eventually be worth $1,001 a share.A few weeks later, he pushed that up to the singular price target of $1,111 "over the next year." That would amount to Apple's stock roughly doubling in value.This morning, the supremely optimistic Mr. White has focused in on Apple's profits, in a tabulation relayed by Boy Genius Report. In a note to clients, White writes that, as he reckons it, Apple is on pace in calendar 2012 "to generate the highest annual net income of any publicly traded company ever." Ever! Related storiesApple zooms to No. 17 on Fortune 500 list, tops IBMli>Strong iPhone sales overshadow new iPad in Apple earningsApple's second-quarter earnings by the numbersLast month, Apple turned up in third place on Fortune's list of most profitable companies, just behind Chevron and several lengths in back of Exxon Mobile.Barron's draws out another dramatic declamation from White: "Investors," he said, "should think of Apple's market cap potential in terms of trillions, not billions."What's driving the current round of enthusiasm? White -- like many observers -- is fired up about the possibility of Apple unleashing the long-awaited iPhone 5 and a hotly anticipated iPad Mini. The Topeka Capital Markets analyst is apparently basing his gung-ho go-to-market expectations for an "exciting September" for Apple on discussions he's had with "local contacts" in Apple's supply chain in Taipei.Apple is also coming off a heck of a week in which it played emcee to a bevy of product announcements at its Worldwide Developers Conference, most notably iOS 6, a MacBook Pro with Retina display, and an upgraded Siri.Shares in the maker of Macs, iPads, and iPhones have traded as high as $644 apiece in recent months. This morning, they're up slightly to just over $581 a share.We've reached out to Apple for comment on White's predictions and will update this story when we hear back.
Apple's plan to dominate all the screens in your home
Apple's plan to dominate all the screens in your home
Apple wants every screen in your home to be an Apple screen. The company will be taking a giant leap toward accomplishing its goal at this year's WWDC.In just a decade, Apple has become a dominant force in computers, tablets, and mobile. It has yet to make major inroads into the biggest screen of them all: the television.Sure, there's Apple TV, but it has been a "hobby" for the company. Last year, 2.8 million units of the device were sold, and 2.7 million units have been sold so far this year. Though that's impressive, it's a far cry from the company's iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iPod sales."It's not a fifth leg of the stool," CEO Tim Cook said recently at the D Conference. "It's not the same size as the phone or Mac or tablet business."That's all about to change, though. The Apple TV App Store is on its way, opening up the floodgates for developers to create killer apps for people's living rooms. The new TV app store will be part of iOS 6, I'm told, which already powers the operating systems of the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod Touch.Related storiesWhat to expect at Apple's WWDC next weekJoin CNET live Monday for WWDCGazing into WWDC crystal ballPictures: Apple sets the stage for WWDCWith a TV app store, the technology titan is laying the groundwork for the fabled Apple television set (the iTV, iPanel, or whatever it will be called). Though I'm skeptical an Apple TV set will make its debut at this year's WWDC (I suspect the iTV will get its own event), a TV app store won't be very interesting without an actual TV to support it.Releasing the Apple TV SDK is just the first step in Apple's long-term plan to control every screen in your home. The big vision is to make all of the screens in your home interoperable via AirPlay and iOS.Once that happens, it'll be impossible to buy anything but Apple devices, because they will be the only products that work with the rest of screens in your home. Why buy a TV that can't pull up your favorite apps, shows, and games instantly?
Apple wants every screen in your home to be an Apple screen. The company will be taking a giant leap toward accomplishing its goal at this year's WWDC.In just a decade, Apple has become a dominant force in computers, tablets, and mobile. It has yet to make major inroads into the biggest screen of them all: the television.Sure, there's Apple TV, but it has been a "hobby" for the company. Last year, 2.8 million units of the device were sold, and 2.7 million units have been sold so far this year. Though that's impressive, it's a far cry from the company's iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iPod sales."It's not a fifth leg of the stool," CEO Tim Cook said recently at the D Conference. "It's not the same size as the phone or Mac or tablet business."That's all about to change, though. The Apple TV App Store is on its way, opening up the floodgates for developers to create killer apps for people's living rooms. The new TV app store will be part of iOS 6, I'm told, which already powers the operating systems of the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod Touch.Related storiesWhat to expect at Apple's WWDC next weekJoin CNET live Monday for WWDCGazing into WWDC crystal ballPictures: Apple sets the stage for WWDCWith a TV app store, the technology titan is laying the groundwork for the fabled Apple television set (the iTV, iPanel, or whatever it will be called). Though I'm skeptical an Apple TV set will make its debut at this year's WWDC (I suspect the iTV will get its own event), a TV app store won't be very interesting without an actual TV to support it.Releasing the Apple TV SDK is just the first step in Apple's long-term plan to control every screen in your home. The big vision is to make all of the screens in your home interoperable via AirPlay and iOS.Once that happens, it'll be impossible to buy anything but Apple devices, because they will be the only products that work with the rest of screens in your home. Why buy a TV that can't pull up your favorite apps, shows, and games instantly?
Apple's Ping officially closes, disappears from within iTunes
Apple's Ping officially closes, disappears from within iTunes
Right on schedule, Apple has closed up shop on its failed music-meets-social networking experiment Ping. The closure, which was quietly announced from within iTunes last month and slated for September 30, is simply a removal of the feature from within iTunes software, as well as the iTunes Store. Users who attempt to click on the link get an error message and are sent to the Apple Store home page. Any playlists users made within Ping have been converted to iMixes, Apple's publishable playlist format. Meanwhile, Ping users lose their followers and people they were following with the closure.An example of a Ping status update (click to enlarge).AppleThe feature let users post music tracks and albums to a feed to which other users could subscribe, and view from within iTunes on the desktop and iOS devices. Users could also simply post status updates to it, much like Twitter and Facebook. The music-centric social network is largely considered one of Apple's missteps, and another blemish on its track record of various Web services. Put simply, it failed to catch on. Many artists instead flocked to Twitter and set up fan pages on Facebook. Apple has since embraced those two popular social networks in the latest versions of iOS, OS X and its own content stores. Users can tweet or post about apps, music and other digital items from those pieces of software. The removal of the feature was noted earlier today by Macrumors.
Right on schedule, Apple has closed up shop on its failed music-meets-social networking experiment Ping. The closure, which was quietly announced from within iTunes last month and slated for September 30, is simply a removal of the feature from within iTunes software, as well as the iTunes Store. Users who attempt to click on the link get an error message and are sent to the Apple Store home page. Any playlists users made within Ping have been converted to iMixes, Apple's publishable playlist format. Meanwhile, Ping users lose their followers and people they were following with the closure.An example of a Ping status update (click to enlarge).AppleThe feature let users post music tracks and albums to a feed to which other users could subscribe, and view from within iTunes on the desktop and iOS devices. Users could also simply post status updates to it, much like Twitter and Facebook. The music-centric social network is largely considered one of Apple's missteps, and another blemish on its track record of various Web services. Put simply, it failed to catch on. Many artists instead flocked to Twitter and set up fan pages on Facebook. Apple has since embraced those two popular social networks in the latest versions of iOS, OS X and its own content stores. Users can tweet or post about apps, music and other digital items from those pieces of software. The removal of the feature was noted earlier today by Macrumors.
2014 Honda Civic hits the lot with built-in Siri
2014 Honda Civic hits the lot with built-in Siri
iPhone owners who pick up a 2014 Honda Civic will be able to chat with Siri without taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road.Siri will be a key ingredient of Honda's new Display Audio in-car technology when the Civic goes on sale Wednesday, the automaker has announced. Drivers with Bluetooth-connected iPhones will be able to activate Siri by holding down a Talk button on the steering wheel, eliminating the need to tap on or hold the phone.Related storiesSiri 'Eyes Free' mode comes to six more Chevy carsHonda adding 'Eyes Free' Siri integration in some 2013 carsApple's Eyes Free coming to Chevy Spark, SonicPeople behind the wheel can perform a variety of tasks via Siri, such as listening to turn-by-turn voice directions, checking the weather, grabbing stock quotes, setting up calendar reminders and alarms, and sending e-mails and text messages.Display Audio marks Honda's first factory installation for Apple's Siri Eyes Free feature. The technology was available for certain Honda and Acura models this year and last but only as a dealer-installed option. Siri Eyes Free also debuted in a couple of Chevrolet cars last year with six 2014 models due to integrate the feature.Honda's Display Audio offers 2014 Civic buyers other tech beyond Siri. The car is equipped with a 7-inch HD touchscreen, allowing drivers to play music, check their phone book, find information on the automobile, and access directions.
iPhone owners who pick up a 2014 Honda Civic will be able to chat with Siri without taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road.Siri will be a key ingredient of Honda's new Display Audio in-car technology when the Civic goes on sale Wednesday, the automaker has announced. Drivers with Bluetooth-connected iPhones will be able to activate Siri by holding down a Talk button on the steering wheel, eliminating the need to tap on or hold the phone.Related storiesSiri 'Eyes Free' mode comes to six more Chevy carsHonda adding 'Eyes Free' Siri integration in some 2013 carsApple's Eyes Free coming to Chevy Spark, SonicPeople behind the wheel can perform a variety of tasks via Siri, such as listening to turn-by-turn voice directions, checking the weather, grabbing stock quotes, setting up calendar reminders and alarms, and sending e-mails and text messages.Display Audio marks Honda's first factory installation for Apple's Siri Eyes Free feature. The technology was available for certain Honda and Acura models this year and last but only as a dealer-installed option. Siri Eyes Free also debuted in a couple of Chevrolet cars last year with six 2014 models due to integrate the feature.Honda's Display Audio offers 2014 Civic buyers other tech beyond Siri. The car is equipped with a 7-inch HD touchscreen, allowing drivers to play music, check their phone book, find information on the automobile, and access directions.
Apple, Microsoft, Sony sell smartphone patents for $900M
Apple and other high-profile tech companies sold 4,000 smartphone patents for $900 million to a clearinghouse, the patents' new owner announced Tuesday, in an effort to put a long-fought courtroom battle behind them.
The Apple-led Rockstar Consortium -- which includes Microsoft, BlackBerry, Ericsson and Sony -- sold the patents, initially purchased for $4.5 billion four years ago, to the San Francisco-based RPX Corp. RDX plans to license the patents to another group of about 30 tech companies, including Google and Cisco Systems, according to a press release.
The deal is expected to end a series of lawsuits -- which effectively pitted Rockstar against smartphone makers who developed Android phones -- around patents for some basic smartphone technology, including navigating through documents, data networking and Internet access.
"Today's announcement is good news for our industry as it demonstrates our patent system working to promote innovation," said Erich Andersen, vice president and deputy general counsel of Microsoft, said in the release. "We joined Rockstar to ensure that both Microsoft and our industry would have broad access to the Nortel patent portfolio, and we're pleased to have accomplished that goal through this sale and our valuable license to the patents being sold."
BlackBerry and Google declined to comment. Apple, Ericsson and Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This could indicate the tech companies willingness to move away from often drawn-out and expensive patent lawsuits. Rights to a patent typically prevent competitors from profiting from a company's original ideas.
Rockstar beat out Google in a bidding war to purchase the portfolio of patents from a bankrupt Nortel Networks in 2011. The consortium used the patents to file suit against Google and Android handset makers Samsung, Huawei and HTC in 2013. They settled the suit last month under undisclosed terms.
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