Analyst: Verizon iPhone, Cloud-based iTunes on the Way

The likelihood Apple will launch a version of the iPhone that’s compatible with Verizon’s cell service network in its March quarter is 95 percent, and seeing iTunes cloud-based services some time this year clocks in at 90 percent, according to Business Insider. The likelihood that wireless service providers will start subsidizing 3G iPad sales this…

VP Expands Majesty 2 & Releases Darkest of Days

Majesty 2 Kingmaker offers players eight new missions based around Lord Blackviper (we’re guessing he’s a bad guy) and a goblin army (which adds further credence to our bad guy hypothesis). Lord Blackviper is hellbent on destroying the newly united kingdom, and you (and/or your friends) have to stop him. There are also new game-play…

Quick Snap Yanked from App Store

Quick Snap vanishes from the App StoreWhen the app was available on the App Store, the developer’s description stated “Turn iPhone Volume Button into a Shutter Button? ‘Quick Snap’ is the app for THAT!”Quick Snap isn’t the first camera app to use the volume buttons to take a photo. Camera+ tried the same thing earlier…

Skype Offers Vouchers to Apologize for Outage

“We know how important your Skype conversations are to you and we take any disruption to our service very seriously,” the company said in its letter, which was signed by CEO Tony Bates. “We are pleased to confirm that Skype is back to normal allowing you to connect with friends, co-workers, family and loved ones.”…

Microsoft Co-founder Paul Allen Refiles Apple Patent Lawsuit

The amended complaint includes details that weren’t included in the original filing, and also sports 40 exhibits showing the alleged patent infringement in action, according to the Seattle Times. ALong with Apple, Google, Facebook, Office Depot, OfficeMax, staples, Yahoo, YouTube, Netflix and eBay are named in the filing.Paul Allen hopes his lawsuit sticks this timeMr.…

McAfee Expects Increased Apple Attacks in 2011

“Although historically not a frequently targeted platform by malicious attackers,” the report said, “the Mac operating system is very widely deployed. McAfee Labs saw malware of increasing sophistication that targets Mac this year; we expect this trend to increase in 2011.” Part of the problem, as McAfee sees it, is the lack of concern about…

Apple Approves Camera App that Uses Volume Button

The ability to modify iPhone’s hardware buttons is the very first thing the developer, Yu Jin, advertises in his app’s description, saying, “Turn iPhone Volume Button into a Shutter Button? ‘Quick Snap’ is the app for THAT!” He adds, “Why choose the soft or full screen shutter when you can use VOLUME BUTTON as the…

Irish Hacker Cracks iPod Nano, Finds Movies, Games

“The springboard hack is just the removal of a app and creation of a blank space,” Mr. Whelton wrote at his site, Nanohack.me. “Not that amazing, but what’s important is the bypass of nano’s cache comparison, which compares any modded SB file and reverts it if it doesn’t like it, this opens up the possibility…

Bottom Five Apple Stories of the Year

Without further ado (another drum roll, please), here are your Bottom Five Apple Stories of the Year: 5. Android’s success. The smartphone market is not entirely a zero-sum game. There is room for more than one successful product. Still, there is a battle for supremacy going on between Android phones and iPhones. The final outcome…

RIM Reportedly Nonplussed In Wake of Original iPhone

It’s at this point, however, that we must heap a mountain of caveats upon this story. The story originated in article comments by a poster (Kentor) at gaming site ShackNews by a person claiming to be a former RIM employee. In addition to his identity as a former RIMmer not being verified, his description of…

Apple Patents Antenna Behind Logo Idea

The patent describes a system where the logo antenna would be mounted in an conductive cavity with a dielectric window covering the actual antenna structure. In this case, the window would be shaped like the Apple logo.A logo antenna wouldn’t be as susceptible to signal interference from the MacBook’s all metal body, or the iPhone’s…

Financial Times: Steve Jobs is the Business Comeback Master

Mr. Jobs helped launch Apple in the 1970s, but was forced out of the company several years later. During his absence, Apple stumbled through product releases with luke warm receptions, and eventually reached a point where analysts and competitors were ready to write off the Mac maker as dead in the water.Apple CEO Steve Jobs…

iWeb Themes Park Shares Free Holiday Templates

iWeb holiday theme templatesThe themes are compatible with iWeb ‘08, ‘09 and ‘11, and include elements such as Christmas trees, snowmen, snow globes, gift boxes, Santa Claus, slide show pages, blog pages, and more.Christmas Night and Christmas Holidays are available as free downloads at the iWeb Themes Park Web site.

Steve Wozniak: Net Neutrality Rules “Don’t Go Far Enough”

Net Neutrality is the notion that carriers (and governments, but the focus of late has been on broadband and wireless carriers) should not be allowed to place any restrictions on Internet traffic. The concern has long been that such providers would use their so-called “last mile” of infrastructure to choke off and block competition, often…

iSkin Pebble Case For iPod Touch Is (3D) Different

This 4th generation iPod touch case has a certain, unique beauty to it. The composition is a thick but flexible rubber, and it’s embedded with Microban® antimicrobial protection. At first glance it appears to have a pebble like design/surface and, indeed, it feels that way when you run your fingers across it. iSkin Pebble iPod…

iSkin Touch 4 Case Is Good on Many Levels

The iSkin Touch Duo case for iPod touch 4th generation has much to offer. It is a two piece case. The front is a hard plastic shell and the back is an opaque, soft rubber. This is a traditional style for iSkin. The addition of a removable belt clip will meet the needs of many…

Skype Goes Down, Uses Twitter to Tell World [Update]

The company said via its official Skype Twitter account on Wednesday, “Some of you may have problems signing in to Skype – we’re investigating, and we’re sorry for the disruption to your conversations.” Out another way: In the meanwhile, we’ll update this article when Skype comes back up again.[Update: Skype appears to be back up…

Solar Walk Adds Satellite Tracking, More

Solar Walk for the iPhone and iPadSolar Walk 1.6 also added points of interest on the Moon, Mars and Venus, a planetary size comparison video, the ability to see major Earth cities, and more.Solar Walk 1.6 is priced at US$2.99 and is a free update for current users. The app is available for download at…

Apple Dropped WikiLeaks Over Legal Concerns

In a statement to Business Insider, an Apple spokesperson commented “We removed WikiLeaks because it violated developer guidelines. An app must comply with all local laws. It may not put an individual or target group in harms way.”Apple representatives declined to elaborate on the statement.The WikiLeaks app for the iPhone and iPod touch gives users…

Sculptor Videos Creation of “Plato’s iPad” Sculpture

The video was sped up so that whole thing can be watched in 4:30, which makes for some very cool watching; and, since there’s an iPad being used as a stand-in for technology as a whole juxtaposed against an ancient thinker such as Plato, we get to show it to you. Adam Reeder’s “Plato’s iPad”…

Top Five Apple Stories of the Year

Today’s column lists the Top Five Apple Stories of the Year (where “top” implies “good for Apple”). Next week, I’ll look at the Bottom Five (stories where Apple did not look so good).What were the criteria in determining who made today’s “top” list? First, I gave the broadest possible latitude in defining the word “story.”…

NPR Numbers Ping Among “Worst Ideas of 2010”

Let us start off by noting that we also believe that Ping has many shortcomings, and that Apple is going to have to make many more changes and improvements in the service (not least of which is integration with Facebook) before Ping will have much of a life. The point of this analysis is not…

The Best and Worst Reviewed Products of 2010

The Best Products we Reviewed  These products exhibit superior design and implementation. They are brilliant in concept and execution and are a joy to own. If there are any “cons,” they are too minor to be of concern. The products received a perfect 10, “Outstanding.” X-Band for iPad by TKO Solutions. This is a great…