To the surprise of virtually no one, Android and iOS dominated almost all of the smartphones shipped in the first quarter of this year, but the real surprise came with the two companies duking it out for third place.

International Data Corporation (IDC) announced Thursday that Android and iOS continue to rank as the top two smartphone operating systems worldwide, capturing a whopping 92.3 percent of all shipments made during the first quarter of 2013.

Unfortunately for Apple, Android has gobbled up 75 percent of that market with 162.1 million devices shipped in Q1 for a 79.5 year-over-year increase. The data shows that iOS actually slipped from a 23 percent market share in Q1 2012 to only 17.3 percent this year, with 37.4 million devices shipped.

However, the real story will be welcome news to Microsoft and hardware partner Nokia: Windows Phone has now dethroned BlackBerry as the third largest smartphone OS, capturing 3.2 percent of the market thanks to seven million devices shipped in Q1.

That's an impressive 133.3 percent year-over-year change for Windows Phone, but it comes at the expense of fourth-placed BlackBerry, whose year-over-year shipments dipped by more than 35 percent.

It should be noted that BlackBerry's latest Z10 flagship handset didn't ship until late in the first quarter, so the company could see its fortunes improve this quarter, which will also see the addition of the QWERTY keyboard-enabled Q10 next month.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

As you've probably heard, Apple's App Store hit 50 billion downloads on Wednesday, which means we've all been waiting with bated breath to find out who the lucky so-and-so was -- and which app they purchased.

Apple announced Thursday that the 50 billionth App Store purchase was made yesterday by Mentor, Ohio resident Brandon Ashmore, who's now the proud owner of a $10,000 App Store gift card.

“Apple would like to thank our incredible customers and developers for topping 50 billion apps downloaded,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “The App Store completely transformed how people use their mobile devices and created a thriving app ecosystem that has paid out over nine billion dollars to developers. We’re absolutely floored to cross this milestone in less than five years.”

Calling the download a "historic milestone," Apple noted that iOS apps are being downloaded at a rate of more than 800 per second for a total of more than two billion per month -- not bad when you consider the App Store opened its virtual doors in July, 2008 with a mere 500 apps.

So which app did Ashmore download to win the prize? Turns out it was Say the Same Thing by Space Inch, LLC, a free word game app from the band OK Go, which will no doubt benefit from a whole lot of new downloads as a result of this free publicity.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

Strange but true: Windows Phone has no official YouTube app, and now Google wants to eliminate the only real option available to users, claiming Microsoft is violating terms of its API by eliminating ads.

Within an hour of the Google I/O keynote wrapping up Wednesday, The Verge reported that Google had slapped a cease and desist order on Microsoft in an effort to stomp out Redmond's unofficial YouTube app for Windows Phone.

According to the letter, Google is demanding that Microsoft "immediately withdraw this application from the Windows Phone Store and disable existing downloads of the application by Wednesday, May 22, 2013."

The issue appears to be mobile advertising, or rather the unofficial YouTube app's lack of it, which Google says is in violation of its API rules.

"Unfortunately, by blocking advertising and allowing downloads of videos, your application cuts off a valuable ongoing revenue source for creators, and causes harm to the thriving content ecosystem on YouTube," the cease and desist letter from Google reads.

Within a few hours of the story going public, Microsoft responded in kind by claiming they'd be happy to add mobile ads to their YouTube app for Windows Phone -- with no indication as yet that they plan to actually shut the app down next week.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Image courtesy of CNN Money)

 

Google I/O kicked off in San Francisco on Wednesday with an exceptionally long keynote mostly aimed at developers this time around. Aside from the three bits included in our recap today, the only real news for consumers was a version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 with stock Android coming June 26 -- and surprisingly, the rumors of Android 4.3 (or an even higher version) didn't quite pan out. But hey, the conference has two more days, so maybe we'll hear something today…?

Google Play Music All Access Now Available, Google Maps This Summer

Pretty much exactly as rumored, Google announced updates to its Music and Maps services. At the company's annual Google I/O developer conference, Google Play Music All Access was unveiled, a U.S.-only (for now), $9.99 per month all-you-can-eat streaming music service that squarely puts Spotify, Rdio and the like on notice. Unfortunately, the service is currently only available on Android and the web, so it's not much of a deal for iOS users. However, those who join by June 30 will have the monthly fee knocked down to $7.99 per month, so here's hoping Google will debut an iOS app before then. Speaking of summer, all of the updates to Google Maps we reported on Wednesday morning were also introduced, although we'll have to wait a bit to actually get them. Also on deck is an iPad version of Google Maps, presumably in the form of a universal update to the existing iPhone app.

Belkin Ships Dyle Mobile TV Receiver for iOS

With so much focus on mobile television these days, Belkin announced Wednesday that it's now shipping Dyle, a receiver that plugs into iOS devices to serve up live, over-the-air TV broadcasts in 37 markets across the United States. The $129.99 dongle is available direct from the Belkin website with preorders now live on Amazon.com, but take note: It's still using the older 30-pin dock connector, which means Dyle is currently only compatible through the iPhone 4S and third-generation iPad. Potential customers might also want to hit this link to see a coverage map and make sure Dyle will be able to receive broadcasts in their neck of the woods before buying.

Google Unifies Chat Services with Hangouts App

Google's other big news for those of us who aren't developers came with the release of a standalone Hangouts app on Wednesday, available for iOS, Android and Chrome. The cross-platform solution taps into the popular Google+ feature to offer one-on-one and group conversations complete with video and photos and more than 850 different emoji so you'll always be able to let others know how you feel. The release is intended to kill off older efforts such as Google Talk, and could eventually encompass Google Voice as well. Curiously, the app appears to be blocked from using AT&T cellular connections for the moment, so users on that network may find it less fun than others.

TNT, TBS Adding Live Streaming -- But Only for Cable Subscribers

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that Time Warner-owned TNT and TBS plan to jump on the live streaming bandwagon this summer, following closely on the heels of ABC, who updated their own app Tuesday to add the same in select markets. While the change is a welcome one, as always it comes with a catch: You'll need to be a cable or satellite subscriber in order to actually watch live streams from TBS or TNT because, you know, nothing good can ever be free...

Yahoo! Mail for iOS Update Adds AirPrint

If you prefer to receive your Yahoo! Mail using the dedicated iOS app, the company pushed out a version 1.5.3 on Wednesday which adds support for AirPrint printers, available from the reply menu while inside a message, or from the Share button while in any attachment. The app also boasts of "performance improvements and bug fixes," although those might be less obvious to all but the most die-hard users. Yahoo! Mail is available as a free download from the App Store.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

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Apple's App Store hit 50 billion downloads a couple of hours ago, and the one lucky user who happened to download the 50 billionth app will be receiving a $10,000 gift card for the App Store. If you happened to be one of the 50 people who downloaded something right after the winner, you'll be getting a $500 gift card as well.

So far, we don't know who the winner is. Immediately after reaching the milestone, Apple's counter page updated to let us all know that the "grand prize winner will be announced soon," but we've heard nothing more in the couple of hours since the announcement. Interest in the promotion was so high in the last few minutes that the numbers were almost a blur on Apple's counter, but we like to think that the winner wasn't even aware of the promotion at all.

This isn't the first time Apple's celebrated download milestones for the App Store. Just over a year ago, Apple celebrated its 25 billionth download by awarding Chunli Fu of Qingdao, China with a $10,000 gift card, and it reach the milestone of 10 billion downloads back in January of 2011. Any way you look at it, that's impressive growth considering that the App Store's only five years old, and the rate suggests that it's only going to grow faster.

Still, Apple's victory is colored by competitor Google's announcement that its Google Play app store hit 48 billion downloads recently, with 2.5 billion in the last month alone. Right now the two tech giants might be tied, but current trends suggest we'll be seeing a much different story once Apple announces a countdown for its 75 billionth app download.

If you have kids, you have photos. And if you have an iPhone, you have lots and lots of them in your pocket at any given time. There are plenty of apps that'll help you personalize your favorite pictures by adding captions, colors, and effects, but they all require a hefty dose of effort – especially if you've let a lot of birthday and vacation shots pile up.

Disney's Story understands that most parents probably have a couple hundred photos and videos sitting in their Camera Roll, but don't know where to start with organizing them. With an emphasis on speed and simplicity, the app will help you effortlessly create personalized stories out of your favorite moments without having to pore over dozens of unrelated pictures.

When you launch Story, you'll see the same pictures that are in your library, but instead of a giant chronological list, the app automatically splits them into events. By utilizing the hidden metadata embedded in each picture, Story skillfully organizes your photos and video, even knowing that pictures taken at different places on the same day are probably unrelated. Tapping on a "moment" expands it, and here's where Story really shines.

We expected to see lots of flashy Disney branding, but Story makes sure your photos are the star of the show. You won't be overloaded with options, but there are more than enough to make your story sing. Themes are fairly subdued, with muted colors and tasteful textures, and while the interface is nothing to write home about (and we don't know what's going on with the icon), navigating the menus couldn't be easier. Rearranging photos and adding text is such a breeze, your storyboard will be complete with barely any effort.

Finished stories are stored on Disney's servers as mini-scrapbooks that can be shared with your friends, but we'd definitely like to see some actual outputting options in future updates. Since stories need to be uploaded before sharing, it can take some time; besides, we're not sure how comfortable we are giving Disney that much access to our lives.

The bottom line. Use Disney's Story and your photos will live happily ever after.

Review Synopsis

Product: 

Story 1.0.1

Company: 

Disney

Contact: 

http://www.disney.com

Price: 

Free

Requirements: 

iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 5.1 or later

Positives: 

Great method for organizing photos. Effortless creation of stories. Good customization.

Negatives: 

Bland interface. No outputting. Slow uploading.

Score:  4 Great

Is Apple the dark ringmaster of a vast e-book conspiracy designed to hurt consumers, or a champion of the arts and innovation? Also, is Cupertino running a crime syndicate bent on scamming you with rigged power buttons? Interesting questions without clear answers. Let's take a look and go over what we know so far. 

DOJ vs. Apple

The New York Times reports that the Department of Justice is raising the heat on Apple. Originally one of six companies named in a lawsuit brought by the DOJ regarding e-book price fixing, Apple is now the sole target left after everyone else -- Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster -- settled out of court last year. Cupertino refuses to budge, and the DOJ is now shifting the rhetoric to imply that the whole thing was Apple's fault in the first place.

The DOJ is positioning evidence that portrays Apple as the "ringmaster" of the conspiracy, headlined by an email from Steve Jobs to James Murdoch of New Corporation. The email, which includes the line "Throw in with Apple and see if we can all make a go of this to create a real mainstream e-books market at $12.99 and $14.99." seems to suggest that Apple was more of a leader in establishing the disputed Agency Pricing Model than previously suggested.

So now Apple must stand alone against the DOJ, who is spinning Apple as the Dark Lord of the e-book world, the ringmaster who set out to rule the electronic publishing world and bind us all to its evil pricing schemes.

One Pricing Model to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

The Agency Pricing Model allowed publishers to set their own prices for their own books instead of being forced to wholesale to companies like Amazon. Under the old pricing model, Amazon was notorious for selling e-books for less than cost to encourage Kindle sales, something which helped Amazon and hurt publishers and authors. While the new model did increase costs to consumers, and also profits to publishers and Apple, an argument could be made that the e-book industry has boomed since Apple helped change the game.

"We helped transform the e-book market with the introduction of the iBookstore in 2010, bringing consumers an expanded selection of e-books and delivering innovative new features," claimed Tom Neumayr, a spokesman for Apple. "The market has been thriving and innovating since Apple’s entry, and we look forward to going to trial to defend ourselves and move forward."

Was Apple conspiring to forge an all-powerful pricing ring, or creating a new pricing paradigm that made sure writers and publishers were fairly compensated? Regardless of the outcome of this case, and the true motives behind it, the market suggests that the people reading books, as well as the people making books, like the new model just fine.

Hilton vs. Apple

Debra Hilton thinks Apple operates like the mafia and conspired to sell rigged iPhones in a massive scam. Citing the RICO Act, a US Federal law originally crafted to go after racketeering gangs and other ongoing criminal organizations, Ms. Hilton has launched a lawsuit against Apple because of Cupertino's buttons.

According to Ms. Hilton, Apple purposefully built the iPhone 4 with faulty power buttons that would fail just after the warranty on the device expired, forcing her and "thousands of iPhone 4 users" to allegedly pay $149 to have the device fixed.

"The Apple iPhone 4 is plagued by a latent defect that causes its Power Button to fail, usually shortly after the 1 year warranty covering the device has expired," the suit claims, and "Apple knew when it manufactured, marketed, and sold the device that this defect existed, but failed to disclose it."

It's not personal, it's strictly business.

The suit claims that thousands of users have complained about the issue on Apple message boards, including a user named CwissyBwear who stated "Out of the blue today the power/lock button on my iPhone 4 became completely unresponsive." Accordingly, Ms. Hilton is seeking class-action status for the lawsuit.

It seems a bit of a stretch that a company would spend the resources to purposefully create a product designed to fail just after the warranty expires, although the idea is the stuff of popular urban myth. Whether or not it stands up in court, particularly as RICO case, remains to be seen. Perhaps Ms. Hilton is just hoping that Apple is willing to make the case go away by making an offer she can't refuse.

Follow this writer, Adrian Hoppel, on Facebook.

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Firaxis, the developer behind Civilization, has been busy on Apple platforms lately. The past few weeks brought us the excellent Mac port of XCOM: Enemy Unknown (via Feral Interactive) and the kid-friendly iOS strategy game Haunted Hollow, and now the company's rolled out Sid Meier's Ace Patrol, a free-to-play, turn-based tactics game set in the skies above World War I.

Managing a squadron of four pilots, it's your job to direct them (usually two at a time) through missions that might involve bombing enemy supply lines, escorting bombers, or shooting down spy balloons — and which will always, always involve dogfights with two or more enemy pilots. While Ace Patrol presents an idealized version of the Great War — women pilot biplanes into combat, everyone sports a cheeful smile all the time, and no pilot ever dies — it takes a fairly realistic approach toward flight, at least insofar as its turn-based setup allows. Your input is limited to tapping on movement markers, but things like altitude, g-forces and the model of plane you're controlling affect which maneuvers are available in each turn, as well as how accurate and damaging your attacks are. And as your pilots gain experience (by shooting down other pilots), they can unlock new moves, like barrel rolls, tighter turns and loops that let them outmaneuver their opponents.

If a drawn-out campaign isn’t your thing, there’s also a two-player mode that enables quick dogfights, although as of this writing it only works by swapping the same iPad between players. There’s a network option, but it apparently won’t be functional until a future update.

However you decide to tackle it, Ace Patrol is light, fun, and surprisingly involving, although its "free" price tag is misleading; paying nothing only gets you the first six missions of the British campaign. Paying a buck unlocks 18 more, while another $4 gets you the French, German, and American campaigns — all of which are more or less identical apart from the uniforms and planes. Ace pilots are also sold separately for a dollar each (or $5 for all eight), and if your pilots are in the hospital or imprisoned behind enemy lines, you can also pay $0.99 to spring them all rather than waiting for them to recover. Strangely, none of this is annoying — the campaigns are reasonably priced for what you get, and the game actually limits you to three paid recoveries per campaign — but it can get expensive.

The bottom line. Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol is a deceptively deep, highly polished and surprisingly addictive look at the strategy behind old-school dogfights.

Review Synopsis

Product: 

Sid Meier's Ace Patrol 1.1

Company: 

2K Games

Contact: 

www.2kgames.com

Price: 

Free

Requirements: 

iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone running iOS 5.1 or later.

Positives: 

Seemingly simple, easy-to-grasp gameplay hides a layer of complexity and rewards careful decision-making. Offers a lot of enjoyable content (if you're willing to pay for it). Building up pilots and unlocking new planes keeps things interesting.

Negatives: 

No way to "earn" paid content. Few noticeable differences between the campaigns. Online multiplayer not enabled in this version.

Score:  4 Great

In the tradition of Plants vs. Zombies, Go Home Dinosaurs delivers streamlined tower defense action on iPad under a delightfully absurd premise. As a projectile-tossing gopher, you'll collect coconuts to fill each stage with an array of offensive turrets and structures to ward off colorful dinosaurs attempting to disrupt your precious BBQ. And the game even adds in a puzzle element, as the defenses arrive on Tetris-like pieces that must slot into the purposely cramped grid layouts. While not always the most electrifying mash-up, Go Home Dinosaurs still charms as it (lightly) challenges.

The 60 stages are split evenly between three worlds, and as you progress through the different stage layouts, you'll unlock several new tower types. Starting with the likes of a simple turret and a freeze ray that simultaneously slows and injures beasts, you'll soon be using a laser gun, a magnet that pulls meteors from orbit, and a turntablist (DJ GO4) whose beats slowly wither away creatures that cross his speakers' path. Go Home Dinosaurs' whimsical tone is jokey and cartoonish, but there's still strategy needed to keep the dinosaurs from reaching the sizzling steaks at the end of each path. Picking the right combination of tower cards to match the stage layout is essential, and requires both pre-planning and the occasional trial-and-error do-over. You'll also need to smartly position your gopher (when not snagging coconut currency) to get the most out of his automated attacks.

Still, Go Home Dinosaurs is a much simpler affair than the usual tower defense offering. The tight stage layouts limit your options in many cases, and without tower upgrades, simply clearing levels is typically a straightforward task; perfectly completing each challenge is much tougher, however. With each backdrop supporting 20 stages, the action can get a bit sleepy and repetitive, as well – we would have loved to see a bit more visual variety to punch up the quest. While it comes at the expense of some depth and flexibility in strategy, accessibility remains a key perk in Go Home Dinosaurs, and paired with the vibrant aesthetic, it makes the game a perfect entry point for kids and genre newcomers.

The bottom line. Breezy and pleasantly presented, Go Home Dinosaurs may not be a hardcore tower defense option, but it's still an enjoyable tweak on the genre.

Review Synopsis

Product: 

Go Home Dinosaurs 1.1

Company: 

Fire Hose Games

Contact: 

http://www.firehosegames.com/

Price: 

$4.99

Requirements: 

iPad running iOS 6.0 or later

Positives: 

Unique take on tower defense that mashes in puzzle elements. Extremely accessible and good for newcomers and kids. Colorful and amusing presentation.

Negatives: 

Streamlined approach won't deliver much challenge for hardened genre fans. Despite varied layouts, relying on the same three backdrops turns tiring.

Score:  3.5 Good

Could your iPhone really send an airplane miles off course? At least one pilot thinks so as government regulators weigh the effects of smartphones and tablets being left on during takeoff and landing.

As the debate rages within the aviation industry, Bloomberg reported Wednesday that an iPhone left on during a regional flight caused enough interference to make compasses go haywire.

According to a NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System report, the 2011 incident claims the small jet experienced an issue while climbing past 9,000 feet, in turn sending the plane "several miles" off course. The brief crisis was allegedly resolved when a flight attendant asked a passenger seated in the ninth row to turn off their iPhone.

“The timing of the cellphone being turned off coincided with the moment where our heading problem was solved,” an unnamed co-pilot remarked.

While many people believe that smartphones, tablets and other electronics have no impact on airline equipment, lab tests conducted by NASA, airplane manufacturer Boeing and the Civil Aviation Authority in the U.K. have proven otherwise.

In January, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established a committee to investigate the phenomenon, with the results to be revealed in July. Those findings could impact when airlines allow the use of portable electronics in the future, which is currently restricted during takeoff and landing.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

Have you ever wanted to mount FTP servers as a network-attached storage drive in the Finder? If so, ExpanDrive is one of the slickest ways to do it, and with the latest update, even more drive types can now be added.

The folks at ExpanDrive, Inc. have released version 3.0 of their flagship software for Mac and Windows, bringing cloud storage to the desktop with a cleaner, simplified user interface.

After launching ExpanDrive 3.0, users can mount network shares that behave just like a USB drive, with the ability to open, edit and save files to remote servers from any Mac application or Finder window.

ExpanDrive has always been one of the best ways to access FTP servers from the Finder, but with version 3.0, the application introduces Dropbox, WebDAV, Rackspace Cloud Files, Openstack Swift and Dreamhost DreamObjects, with support for Google Drive and Microsoft SkyDrive on the way.

With the latest version, the ExpanDrive user interface has been streamlined for Windows 8 while also introducing a contextual menu for the Mac Finder. Performance has also received a big boost for Amazon S3 as well as SFTP throughput, with more responsive browsing across the board.

ExpanDrive 3.0 is now available for $39.95, or as a $19.95 upgrade for existing users until the end of May.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

The annual Google I/O developer conference kicks off in just a few short hours, but some of the search giant's big surprises appear to have already had their beans spilled all over the place.

The Verge reported Wednesday that a Google Maps overhaul appears to be in the cards for this year's Google I/O event, which kicks off at 9am PST (12pm EST). The leak follows advance word of a new music subscription service that may also get unveiled today.

According to Droid-Life, the new and improved Google Maps will now include "a tailored map for every search," with a user interface that more closely resembles the company's mobile apps. Also on deck are Google Earth-style overhead views, Flight Search, transportation comparisons and the possibility of restaurant suggestions en route to your destination.

Unfortunately, the Google Maps leak has been plugged almost as quickly as it was discovered, but with I/O only hours away, Google should be dishing on what's new soon enough.

Also expected is a new music subscription service billed as a "Spotify competitor," with Google reportedly enlisting both Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment, according to industry sources. Google is believed to have already inked a deal with the third major, Warner Music Group, earlier this year.

Curiously, the deal involves both YouTube as well as Google Play, although the service is expected to be subscription-only with no ad-supported free model such as what Spotify currently offers.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Image courtesy of Droid-Life)

 

Would you like to enjoy download speeds around 1Gbps from a mobile device? Sure you would. Unfortunately, we'll all have to wait until 2020 for 4G LTE to get smoked, but companies like Samsung are already hard at work on the future tech that will be required to make such speeds a reality. If that's too far into the future for you to worry about, fear not: Most of our Tuesday recap is focused on the here and now.

BlackBerry Messaging Service Coming to iOS, Android

The Verge reported a bombshell on Tuesday, with BlackBerry announcing that it will indeed bring its popular messaging service to both iOS and Android this summer. "It's time to bring BBM to a greater audience, no matter what mobile device they carry," remarked CEO Thorsten Heins at the company's BlackBerry Live event, a move which he calls a "statement of confidence." Ironically, the move means that every iOS competitor now offers software for Apple's platform -- and the same cannot be said for Android, Windows Phone or BlackBerry 10.

Roku Finally Rolls Out Redesigned User Interface

The Roku Blog announced Tuesday that its new user interface is now rolling out to supported players, which includes Roku 2 XS (model 3100), Roku 2 XD (model 3050), Roku 2 HD (model 3000), Roku LT (models 2400 & 2450), Roku HD (model 2500) and the Roku Streaming Stick (models 3400 & 3420). The update adds the ability to better manage large numbers of channels, as well as finally allowing users to organize on-screen channel icons to their heart's content. (Sorry, Netflix… you're no longer our number one guy!) The update will roll out automatically over the next two weeks, but those with a compatible box can force the update via Settings right now.

Firefox 21 Now Available with Social API, Startup Improvements

Like clockwork, Mozilla released Firefox 21 on Tuesday, and the big news with this version is the addition of a Social API, which makes it easy for developers to jack new services into the web browser. Version 21 includes Cliqz, Mixi and msnNOW as well as Facebook Messenger, and you can bet there will be plenty more in the days ahead. The update also includes a new three-state user interface for Do Not Track, a first pass at Firefox Health Report and the browser will now offer suggestions on how to improve startup time when needed. Firefox 21 also includes the ability to restore thumbnails you might have removed from the New Tab page, graphics performance improvements and the usual barrage of bug fixes and HTML5 enhancements as well.

Samsung Preps 5G Rollout with 1Gbps Download Speeds

Engadget is reporting that the 4G LTE service we currently enjoy will look pretty doggone slow come 2020, which is when Samsung expects to roll out 5G service. The Korean manufacturer has already managed to pull download speeds around 1Gbps, a feat that required the use of no less than 64 antenna elements to accomplish. Oh, and that 2020 date? That not-so coincidentally lines up nicely with the European Commission's recent €50 million ($65.3 million) investment into the research necessary to get 5G up and running by then.

Apple Updates iMovie 9 with Bug Fixes

It's almost comical that Apple hasn't released a new version of its iLife suite since late 2010, but at least they continue to push out fairly regular bug fix updates. One such update arrived on Tuesday with iMovie 9.0.9, which stomped out three of those little critters. In addition to fixing a problem where certain video cameras might not be recognized when connected, the update also improves compatibility for projects imported from iMovie for iOS and includes some of those always mysterious "stability improvements" Cupertino is known for. The update can be applied through the Mac App Store or downloaded directly from the link above.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

Despite the fact that its expected announcement is still nearly a month away, speculation around iOS 7 is already at a fevered pitch. For the first time since iPhone OS 1 introduced us to the home screen, there's a lot riding on this year's release; usually we're just waiting to see what new tricks Apple has up its sleeve with the hopes for "one more thing," but this WWDC is different. Since Jony Ive took over as human interface chief, we're all expecting the first honest-to-goodness redesign of iOS, and frankly, anything less will be disappointing.

Just last week, a report emerged that traffic on mobile devices running the next-generation operating system had seen a recent spike, signifying a developers' beta version is nearly complete. Obviously, Apple isn't going to spill any beans before the big reveal, but the buzzword around the presumed overhaul is "flat," as in fewer shadows and smoother textures, not unlike Windows Phone and Metro. It's hard to imagine iOS without its glossy veneer, but it seems as though its days are numbered as Apple begins a transition to a more modern, cleaner feel for the iPhone and iPad.

"I don't know many people who think iOS is fine as it is," said Philip Joyce, art director at Simply Zesty. "Even the die-hard Apple fans know it needs a shakeup, especially with Android coming on leaps and bounds. I think the fact that (Scott) Forstall getting the boot and Ive being brought in is a seriously big move."

We all have a vision of what iOS will become. But Joyce took his idea one step further: He actually made it.

Source: Simply Zesty

"It was definitely something that was brought on by the rumors of what the OS will look like, but also as a designer and Apple fan I also wanted to create something and see what could work. ... I actually tried to ground it in reality a bit, as I can't see Ive changing the aesthetic too much, as it could be jarring to the average iPhone user."

Frankly, I don't know how Ive's vision could be more jarring than Joyce's. While he keeps the same basic layout--neat rows of evenly spaced apps--everything about the OS is radically changed. It's a stunning and dramatic interpretation of a sleeker, flatter OS, a glimpse into how Apple could truly revolutionize iOS. 

And it starts with the font.

"I used Myriad Pro Light, which is similar to Segoe, used by Microsoft (in Windows Phone OS). This is what Apple seem to be using in a lot of their recent marketing, such as the ads for the iPhone 5. The light weight attempts to compliment the clean sharp lines of the redesigned OS. Apple have famously used Helvetica in all previous iterations of iOS and I think they'll almost certainly deviate from this with iOS 7."

Any redesign of iOS will likely bring serious changes to the app icons, and Joyce steals a page from Microsoft here, too. Though Joyce didn't completely remove the rounded edges, they look much more like perfect squares or, dare I say it, tiles in his concept (even the white, minimal images are somewhat reminiscent of Windows Phone). Though he says the icons were "the most obvious thing to change to make the OS look flat," he understands that Apple probably won't deviate from its trademark shape.

Source: Simply Zesty

"I think they won't change them as drastically as they are in the concepts," he said. "I think they'll remove the gloss and shadows and maybe keep the app icons as they are."

But even if Apple doesn't change their icons, the apps they launch almost certainly will. Joyce takes a crack at a couple of the major ones (notably Calendar and Music) giving them an airier feel, with sparse colors, simple shapes and a greater emphasis on gestures to clean up the interfaces.

But he didn't stop there. We all know that Apple will never allow skins and themes to customize our home screens, but Joyce's vision for iOS 7 offers personalization in a unique, very Apple-like way.

"I started thinking about Apple's stock apps and how we use a lot of them very briefly. So why not include a little mini-widget for apps, available with a swipe down on the home screen? I went about including a stripped-down, bare-essentials widget without going into the app itself. So if you want to check your schedule, skip to the next music track or check the weather, you can do it much easier than in iOS 6."

Joyce's Widget Center is peppered with the things we love about iOS -- slick animations (brought to life by Joyce's coworker, Denes Farakas), smooth navigation and simple controls -- but adds a sophisticated level of customization without sacrificing Apple's singular style.

Joyce even went so far as to present those animations in a video of his mockup.

There are similar changes to the lock screen (which moves the slide-to-unlock bar to the top of the screen, making room below for weather reports and quick access to apps) Siri and the Notification Center, but Joyce's dazzling work is not without its detractors; Daring Fireball's John Gruber goes so far as to call it "a disaster as a new design for the actual iPhone," and other forum commenters have been equally unkind.

But Joyce understands where they're coming from.

"I think it's inevitable a huge chuck of people will attack iOS when it arrives -- it's a common theme in Apple events -- from the original iPhone to the iPad, each Apple announcement is so hyped that it can never live up to some people's expectations."

Find Michael Simon on Twitter or App.net @morlium.

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Somebody just paid $610,000 for a coffee date, and it wasn't in Seattle. That's right, the bidding just ended for the Tim Cook charity coffee chat for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights that we reported on back in April (at the time, we thought $210,000 was impressive), which means the lucky winner gets the rare opportunity to spend 30 minutes to an hour swapping ideas or jokes with the famed Apple CEO in Cupertino. Or, you know, just staring in silence and making Cook uncomfortable.

So far, we only know the winner of the CharityBuzz auction by the memorable name of "a********s." Intriguingly, "a********s" had never bid in the auction before, and so far he or she hasn't come forward to announce their win. In fact, it's possible we'll never know. According to the legal terms, "The winner cannot blog, social network, talk to press, write about, take pictures or record during the experience in any way due to security regulations." If the winner decides to extend that same silence to the date of the chat itself, it'll be a sad end to what's been one of the more notable charity auctions in recent months.

The auction wasn't without its issues. After a stolen credit card was used to make a $605,000 bid on the chat on April 19, CharityBuzz began to require bank authorization for any bids over $500,000. So much for netting the impulse buyer crowd.

Such a massive bid speaks volumes about Cook's perceived relevance, particularly in an environment that's been filled with grim news about Apple's prospects. How big is the bid? Put it this way--a previous auction granting an entire day with former president Bill Clinton "only" raised $250,000, and a chance to hang out with legendary songster Paul McCartney only netted $130,000. The chat was originally valued by CharityBuzz at $50,000.

Impressive stuff, but with such numbers, one can't help but wonder what the famously unreachable Steve Jobs would have pulled in if he were still around.

Pizza may be the delivery food nonpareil these days, but there remains a certain charm in exploring an unfamiliar city and stumbling across unforgettable pizza parlors hidden on side streets known only to the natives. Pizza Compass wants to introduce you to these parlors, and it usually manages to do so. Under the right conditions, it's a fun little novelty app that delivers a few smiles and new culinary experiences for less than the usual price of a slice.

The basic premise is wonderfully simple and intuitive. Open the app and you'll find the direction to the nearest pizza parlor, which is marked by rotating slice of supreme pizza that points the way and steams more intensely as you approach the parlor's door. In the same glance, you'll also find the parlor's name, the distance to it in miles, and a star rating based on the data Pizza Compass pulls from Foursquare's API. At the bottom, a green or red line indicates whether the parlor's open or closed respectively. Alternatively, you can select the map option at the bottom of the screen and select a particular restaurant you'd like to head towards on an overlay using Apple Maps.

It's a great idea, if a little situational. As Pizza Compass only marks a parlor's location as the crow flies, it works best in close-knit college towns or in highly walkable urban settings like Chicago or San Francisco, where pizza parlors often number in the dozens within a square mile. It usually doesn't work in airport terminals (since Foursquare users tend to list sites by their addresses, not their actual geographical coordinates), and its usefulness for midnight munchie runs depends on whether a restaurant's Foursquare entry includes its hours of operation. In some cases, we've found, it'll list surrounding parlors as open even if you're strolling around at 3:00 a.m. Worse, a couple were out of business.

It's thus best to approach Pizza Compass in the same spirit of exploratory fun that you might bring to geocaching. Other apps such as Yelp! or even Google Maps do a much better job of showing you the specific directions to parlors, although with less personality and with time-consuming search specifics. If pizza's all you want, you'll find the joy of using Pizza Compass to find it ranks just under following your nose.

The bottom line. Pizza Compass delivers a fun new way to find pizza, although its uses are limited by location and accurate information.

Review Synopsis

Product: 

Pizza Compass 1.0

Company: 

Oak Studios

Contact: 

http://www.pizza-compass.com

Price: 

$0.99

Requirements: 

iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad running iOS 6.0 or later

Positives: 

Simple, intuitive design. Key information about nearest parlor available at a glance. Map overlay allows you to customize target parlor.

Negatives: 

Usage heavily dependent on accurate Foursquare information. Significantly inferior to Yelp outside of walkable urban centers.

Score:  3.5 Good

I got a fourth-gen iPod touch off of eBay. I have it named and have an Apple ID. 
But, when I go to the App Store or Game Center, etc., the previous owner’s Apple 
ID shows up and it asks for a password. How do I clean this up and get my Apple ID to show up?

The best way to “clean up” a device that was previously owned is to reset iOS and all of the settings to start anew. This will wipe the device of all of the previous owner’s settings and content, allowing you to enter your information as if the device were new. 

To do this, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. After doing this, your device will restart, and will show the setup screen for the iPod touch, allowing you to enter your information to set up the device, including your Apple ID. 

If you simply want to change the Apple ID, however, you can visit Settings > iTunes & App Stores. Once here, tap on the Apple ID button at the top of the view. A popup will let you sign out of the old account. You can then sign in with your new account.

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