Apple, Toshiba factory deal? Not likely.Toshiba subsidiary, Toshiba Mobile Display, already has a factory in the area, and adding a new facility would more than double the area’s display production capabilities.For its part, Toshiba claims that it hasn’t made any decisions related to a new display manufacturing facility for Apple. Apple is sticking with its…
Jeff Gamet
Jeff Gamet is the Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X” from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also hosts TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, co-hosts The iOS Show podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other shows, too. Jeff dreams in HD.
Articles by Jeff Gamet
Court Dismisses Paul Allen’s Lawsuit Against Apple
“The allegations in the complaint are spartan,” ruled U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman.Mr. Allen filed the lawsuit in August alleging that Apple, Google, Facebook, Office Depot, OfficeMax, staples, Yahoo, YouTube, Netflix and eBay were infringing on patents he owns that cover “the ways that leading e-commerce and search companies operate today.” The lawsuit was…
Apple Adds Playlist Support to Ping
Ping playlists include standard song previews, the ability to purchase individual tracks or the full playlist, customer ratings, and customer reviews.Ping PlaylistsApple introduced Ping in September along with iTunes 10 during the company’s fall iPod-related media event. At the time, company CEO Steve Jobs said Ping was “like Facebook and Twitter meet iTunes,” although it…
Apple Pulls Jailbreak Detection API from iOS
Jailbreak detection API: It’s gone“I’m not sure what motivated their removing that… I’ve not had anyone [at enterprise customer sites] talk to me about this API being present or being removed, said Sybase vice president of engineering Joe Owen.Enterprise-level IT teams could use the API before it was pulled to ask iOS if it had…
Woz Freaks Out Media with White iPhone 4
Woz told CNN he was able to get ahold of a kit that replaces the black glass front and back for the iPhone 4 with white components the seller claimed came from the same factory Apple uses to build its phones. “I saw a post and got in quick and ordered my set of parts,…
Parts Suppliers Claim Next iPad Gets 2 Cameras
Apple’s iPad: Ready for a camera?Apparently Wintek, Simplo Technology and AVY Precision have all signed deals to supply parts for the the second generation iPad. Two unnamed contacts also claimed Apple is ramping up to start building the new model in early 2011.The timeline mentioned in the leaked information fits with an April product launch,…
iPhone Game Boss Leaves Apple
“My job there was basically to make gaming on the iOS devices fantastic,” he said. “Basically that meant looking at the technologies involved and making sure the software played well with the hardware, to look at upcoming hardware/API and say ‘Yup, that is a good thing’.”
Firmware Update Fixes MacBook Air Display Issues
Apple’s new MacBook Air lineApple released an update for the MacBook Air in October that corrected an issue where the laptop might not wake properly when connected to an external monitor, along with a bug that could cause the system, to stop responding when playing movie trailers in iMovie ‘11. Like the first update, the…
Rumor: Apple Considering Norman Foster for New Campus Design
El Economista (English translation) reports that Apple is considering linking its current Cupertino campus with the new facility via underground tunnels so staff can move between the buildings without crossing streets or having to go outside. The new campus will apparently be designed to be environmentally friendly as well.Foster’s “Gherkin” with a little Apple touchApple…
FTC Takes a Critical Eye to Adobe Flash Cookies
“The issues have to do with uses of Flash for tracking, Flash cookies for example,” FTC chief technologist Ed Felten said. “As of today, when you use the privacy controls in your browser, they don’t directly affect the treatment of Flash local shared objects.”Local shared objects is the term Adobe uses to identify Flash cookies,…
Apple Patent Hints at Data Via MagSafe Connector
Depending on how Apple implements its patent, the company could ship computers with a charger plug that also includes video, network, USB and other ports that all connect via optic fibers in the charger cable. The patent also describes using the system for rapid recharging, and also covers using the MagSafe connector with mobile devices…
New juice pack plus Doubles iPhone 4 Battery Life
mophie’s juice pack plus for iPhone 4The juice pack plus includes a 2,000 mAh rechargeable battery, rubber grips to help avoid accidental drops, a pass through USB port for simultaneous charging and syncing, and a standby and charging switch for controlling when the case’s battery is used. The case is also designed to redirect the…
Virgin Launches Project for the iPad
Project is the culmination of Mr. Branson and former FHM editor Anthony Noguera’s efforts to create a new digital magazine filled with “international culture, entertainment, design, business and travel.”Project is the latest in a string of electronic magazines to hit the iPad following the likes of Wired, Time, Popular Mechanics and Slate. Each digital issue…
Reeder Beta for Mac Hits the Web
Reeder for Mac OS XSince Reeder for the Mac is in an early public beta phase, its feature set isn’t complete yet. Searching, downloads and feed management, for example, are currently missing in action.Gloria, the developers behind Reeder, aren’t saying yet when they plan to release a final version will ship or how much it…
iMovie 11 Scores Big with Effects & Trailers
iMovie ‘11 is the latest incarnation of Apple’s consumer-focused video editing application for Mac OS X. It’s included with the recently released iLife ‘11 and makes for a nice upgrade, especially for users that felt previous iMovie updates were lacking. iLife ‘11 includes a new version of iMovieLike the versions that come before it, iMovie…
iOS 4.2: Changing Fonts in Notes
Notes finally includes fonts other than Marker Felt To change the font used in your Notes documents on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, do this: Tap Settings. Tap Notes. Select the font you want to use for viewing and editing notes. If you are using an newer iOS device, you can also choose which…
Steve Jobs Action Figure Hits the Web
Steve Jobs, ready for action!The Steve figure sports his traditional black mock turtleneck shirt, blue jeans, and even includes his trademark glasses. Little Steve is hand painted for a realistic look and comes on an Apple logo base.The downside is that the figure costs US$79.99, and quickly went from available to out of stock, and…
Perfect Web Browser Adds Bookmark Syncing
Version 2.0 also added multitasking support, the ability to stream audio in the background, and swipe gesture support for changing pages, along with improved performance, an updated user interface, bug fixes, and more.Perfect Web Browser 2.0 is priced at US$2.99 and is available at Apple’s iTunes-based App Store.
iOS 4.2: Lost iTunes Libraries
If the iPod app on your iPhone thinks you don’t have any music loaded after the iOS 4.2 update, just reconnect your phone to your computer so iTunes can perform a normal sync. Since your music is probably still on your iPhone and the iPod app is merely confused, the sync should go quickly because…
No Embedded SIM for iPhone 5
Word that Apple won’t be using embedded SIMs in the iPhone 5 comes as good news to Europe’s cell service providers who had been threatening to stop paying subsidies for iPhone sales if the company started using the new cards. Embedded SIMs, they argued, would let Apple step between carriers and customers — a move…
iOS 4.2: Adding Birthdays to Calendars
Birthday events start with the Birthday field in Contacts To add someone’s birthday to the Calendar app, do this: Launch the Contacts app on your iPad or iPod touch. On your iPhone, tap Phone, then Contacts. Select the contact you want to add a birthday date to, then tap Edit.Enter the date in the Birthday…
iOS 4.2: Avoiding Duplicate iPad Calendar Entries
The problem that’s leading to the duplicate event issue stems from manually setting up CalDAV syncing on an iPad before upgrading to iOS 4.2 — a process that many iPad users went through after Apple updated the MobileMe Calendar service to rely on CalDAV a few weeks ago. Since iOS 4.2 includes a preference for…
iOS 4.2: Assigning SMS Text Tones
Start by editing a contact To add a Text Tone to a contact, do this: Select a contact in the iPhone’s Address Book. Tap Edit. Select text tone. Choose an alert tone from Text Tone list. Tap Safe, then tap Done. Select text tone to add a custom SMS alertText Tones makes it easy to…
Analyst: Apple Working on GSM/CDMA Combo iPad
According to AllThingsD, Mr. Blair is basing is prediction on Qualcomm’s supply channel. Qualcomm manufactures wireless access chips that support both GSM and CDMA standards.“Recent checks…suggest Apple is going to be ratcheting down production of the existing 3G iPad over the next two months in anticipation of ramping up a new World iPad that is…