Finding what you want in a sea of mobile applications can be a frustrating and exhausting process. Facebook wants to remind mobile developers that it has a lot of users and that discovering new things is a huge part of the Facebook experience. Read more »
Could Apple spend its $100 billion in cash to create a virtual cable operator to compete with Comcast and the like? Sure. But it would have a really hard time offering a competitively priced service and building a profitable business out of it. Read more »
Apple’s new iBooks digital textbooks initiative has seen 350,000 downloads in just three days, according to new info. That’s a strong start for Apple’s expanded educational offerings, but the real question will be whether that can translate into long-term success. Read more »
Apple’s new textbook offering and book-authoring software are attractive, and the idea of digital textbooks makes sense, but they are both locked to Apple’s walled-garden ecosystem. That may be fine for music and movies and games like Angry Birds, but is it appropriate for educational material? Read more »
In university, I used a single clipboard/portfolio to store my notes from every class, then mostly piled the day’s work on the floor according to subject matter. Apple’s iTunes U app makes keeping track of course material ridiculously easy compared to my days of academic foraging. Read more »
Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue announced a revamp of iTunes U on Thursday, designed to help teachers create full online courses instead of just creating videos or lectures. The new iTunes U will have its own app, which is similar to iBooks. Read more »
Apple’s iOS mobile platform tends to sell more paid software than its rivals, and its biggest advantage might be a head start that Google, Microsoft or any other mobile competitor can’t do much to eliminate: iTunes. It’s also an advantage Apple likely isn’t done profiting by. Read more »
Apple delivers a highly satisfying online shopping experience not only to desktop visitors but also to mobile customers, according to a new study. In fact, Apple tops the list when it comes to mobile shopper satisfaction, edging out online shopping heavyweights like Amazon and eBay. Read more »
Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu thinks Apple needs to get into the content game to make the iTV a winner when it launches. But the bigger opportunity might be where Apple plays best — in allowing content creators to develop their own apps on its iOS platform. Read more »
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of disappointment ran through your head because you waited until the very very last minute to buy gifts. Here are some options for gifts that while thoughtful, don’t require you to meet shipping deadlines. Read more »
Apple has finally made it very clear exactly which media content can be made available in the cloud in which countries for Automatic Downloads and Apple TV streaming, as well as listing the 17 countries where iTunes Match is available. Read more »
Apple’s iTunes got a small but handy feature update on Tuesday, and also iTunes content partner Sony Pictures Television has provided an early Christmas gift that’s perfect for filling any downtime you may have as a result of the holidays. Read more »
Apple’s television plans were outlined in somewhat greater detail in a report by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. All those plans might be for naught, however thanks to lackluster demand for connected TVs. But there are a few good reasons Apple could beat the odds. Read more »
Apple loves giving Starbucks customers free stuff. This week it introduced an ebook Pick of the Week to go along with the free song and app of the week programs it already has in place. Book codes from Starbucks can be redeemed through Apple iBookstore. Read more »
Apple’s executive team is undergoing some changes, and one of those changes is a promotion for Eddy Cue to Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services. Cue will continue to oversee Apple’s online stores and iCloud and take on the challenge of iAd, too. Read more »
Apple’s share of the online video sales market is on the rise again after a falling considerably due to new competition, a new study reveals. The market share growth is small, but it also brings increased revenue and a roadmap toward more growth in the future. Read more »
Discerning TV viewers take note: Apple just turned on HD availability for many HBO television shows in the iTunes Store. Customers in the U.S. and Canada can now purchase HD episodes and seasons of many HBO series, including Eastbound & Down, Rome, Entourage and Big Love. Read more »
Not one but two reports say Apple is now working on an ultrathin 15-inch Mac notebook, with one claiming that a 17-incher is also on the way. Apple has long been preparing for this, and I wouldn’t be surprised if those preparations bear fruit this year. Read more »
Travel search startup Hipmunk is bringing its super slick user interface (UI)– and arguably the web’s cutest mascot– to the iPad, just in time for the summer travel season. The San Francisco-based company has launched a custom iPad app and an update to its iPhone offering. Read more »
Apple’s iTunes Match has been accused of opening the door for piracy, but that’s probably not something Apple’s concerned about. Match will still make Apple money, and its other digital content marketplace, the App Store, may quickly become the primary breadwinner anyway. Read more »
When you buy a new Mac for school this year, you get a $100 gift card for use in the iTunes Store, Mac or iOS App Stores or iBookstore. It used to be a free iPod touch: technically a better value. Still, Apple’s playing it right. Read more »
According to NPD, Netflix now dominates digital video downloads in the U.S. Apple has only a measly 4 percent of the overall market, placing it about on par with cable and satellite providers. What does this mean for the future of Apple’s video business? Read more »
Likely you’ve heard the “big” news. The Beatles back-catalogue of music is now finally available to download from iTunes. But why wasn’t it there to begin with, and why’d it take so long for it to get there? Apple and the Beatles share a prickly history. Read more »
The Apple TV is here; one just arrived at my door this morning. I spent the day setting it up and putting the minimalist device through its paces, and here’s what I think of Apple’s latest foray into the living room. Read more »
Apple has published the “best” and most popular choices for 2009 at the iTunes Store, and the results are interesting, if not necessarily representative of the world outside the store. In music, the top-selling album, “Only By the Night” by Kings of Leon, was also chosen […] Read more »
