iPad Air scores big during Black Friday weekend
Apple can thank holiday shoppers for a surge in iPad Air sales.Activations of the new iPad increased by 51 percent this past weekend compared with those from the prior weekend, according to mobile analytics firm Localytics. That volume put the new Air on the top of the tablet heap, followed by the new iPad Mini in second place with 26 percent more activations than those during the prior weekend.Localytics pegged the Air's growth on a variety of factors, including Apple's giveaway of a $75 gift card with each purchase, a small base of existing iPad Air owners, and the relative novelty of the Air, which hit the market on November 1.In third place among tablets, Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 7 saw 23 percent more activations. Amazon trimmed the price of the tablet by $50 this past weekend, a deal that prompted the devices to sell out long before Cyber Monday ended.Among smartphones, the iPhone 5C grabbed a 26 percent jump in activations, followed by Samsung's Galaxy S4 with 20 percent, and the iPhone 5S with 15 percent.To compile its latest report, Localytics compared the activations of more than 1 million devices in the US for Black Friday weekend with those of the previous weekend.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Monday, March 23, 2015
iPad Air adoption five times that of iPad 4 during first weekend
iPad Air adoption five times that of iPad 4 during first weekend
The iPad Air is already off to a better start than its predecessor.Hitting stores last Friday, the latest-generation iPad saw five times the adoption level of the iPad 4 during its initial weekend, mobile analytics firm Fiksu said on Sunday. The Air's adoption rate is also three times that of the first iPad Mini.And taking it one step further, the Air's adoption rate is twice as high as that of last year's iPad 4 and iPad Mini combined.As of Sunday night, the Air accounted for 0.75 percent of all iPads seen by Fiksu. In contrast, the iPad 4 accounted for 0.37 percent of all iPads at the end of its launch weekend, and the iPad Mini for 0.35 percent.FiksuAmong all iPads adopted by consumers as of Monday morning, the iPad 2 is currently tops at 37.1 percent, according to Fiksu. The iPad 4 is in second place at 22.5 percent, followed by the iPad Mini at 20.8 percent, the iPad 3 at 18.5 percent, the Air at 0.8 percent, and the original iPad at 0.4 percent.The iPad Mini 2 has yet to hit the charts as it's not due to reach consumers until later this month.Fiksu derives its data by sampling the millions of iPads using its client mobile app and updating that information each hour.
The iPad Air is already off to a better start than its predecessor.Hitting stores last Friday, the latest-generation iPad saw five times the adoption level of the iPad 4 during its initial weekend, mobile analytics firm Fiksu said on Sunday. The Air's adoption rate is also three times that of the first iPad Mini.And taking it one step further, the Air's adoption rate is twice as high as that of last year's iPad 4 and iPad Mini combined.As of Sunday night, the Air accounted for 0.75 percent of all iPads seen by Fiksu. In contrast, the iPad 4 accounted for 0.37 percent of all iPads at the end of its launch weekend, and the iPad Mini for 0.35 percent.FiksuAmong all iPads adopted by consumers as of Monday morning, the iPad 2 is currently tops at 37.1 percent, according to Fiksu. The iPad 4 is in second place at 22.5 percent, followed by the iPad Mini at 20.8 percent, the iPad 3 at 18.5 percent, the Air at 0.8 percent, and the original iPad at 0.4 percent.The iPad Mini 2 has yet to hit the charts as it's not due to reach consumers until later this month.Fiksu derives its data by sampling the millions of iPads using its client mobile app and updating that information each hour.
iPad 5 may shed thickness by trimming LEDs
iPad 5 may shed thickness by trimming LEDs
The iPad 5 might jettison grams and millimeters via a redesigned LED backlight apparatus, according to NPD DisplaySearch. "It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in an e-mail to CNET. Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PC He said he also expects other modifications to reduce thickness. "The other significant change that we feel is likely is a shift to a film-based touch sensor," Semenza said. It's still a mystery whether Apple will change the display tech, though."It is not yet clear if there will be a big change to the display -- such as using IGZO," he added. (IGZO stands for indium gallium zinc oxide.) That technology has been pursued by Sharp and was originally expected to land in the third-generation Retina iPad -- but didn't.Sharp's IGZO tech is used in smaller devices sold in the Japanese market.The third- and fourth-generation iPads gained heft and thickness -- compared to the iPad 2 -- due mostly to technologies supporting the Retina display. And when will a new 9.7-inch iPad 5 arrive? The third quarter is "most likely," Semenza said.
The iPad 5 might jettison grams and millimeters via a redesigned LED backlight apparatus, according to NPD DisplaySearch. "It's likely that part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs," said Paul Semenza, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, in an e-mail to CNET. Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PC He said he also expects other modifications to reduce thickness. "The other significant change that we feel is likely is a shift to a film-based touch sensor," Semenza said. It's still a mystery whether Apple will change the display tech, though."It is not yet clear if there will be a big change to the display -- such as using IGZO," he added. (IGZO stands for indium gallium zinc oxide.) That technology has been pursued by Sharp and was originally expected to land in the third-generation Retina iPad -- but didn't.Sharp's IGZO tech is used in smaller devices sold in the Japanese market.The third- and fourth-generation iPads gained heft and thickness -- compared to the iPad 2 -- due mostly to technologies supporting the Retina display. And when will a new 9.7-inch iPad 5 arrive? The third quarter is "most likely," Semenza said.
iPad 2.0- New design, manufacture process-
iPad 2.0: New design, manufacture process?
Things we absolutely know about the next version of the iPad: it's not going to have a 7-inch screen.Thanks to CEO Steve Jobs' epic rant against the spate of tablets set to be released now through next year of that size, it's an easy prediction. But what else do we know for sure about Apple's followup to the insanely successful iPad? Not much.Rumors, leaks, and guesswork can offer this, though: it probably has a front-facing camera (FaceTime makes perfect sense), will likely come sometime in the first quarter of next year (Apple has a pretty predictable refresh cycle for gadgets), and the 3G version might be dual mode.According to analysts who are checking with suppliers, Qualcomm may provide chips that allow the iPad to run on both CDMA and GSM networks, a so-called "world" iPad. The current 3G version is GSM only. The same analyst, Brian Blair of Wedge Partners, says the iPad will be manufactured from the same unibody construction design process from a single chunk of metal that the MacBook Pro uses.The dual-mode iPad makes a lot of sense considering that Apple is now offering the iPad on both CDMA and GSM networks. While the 3G version of the tablet AT&T (and others) sells has GSM chips inside, the Verizon version comes bundled with a wireless hot spot. It's a workable compromise, but one that the complexity-averse, minimalist design-oriented Apple probably hopes is short-lived.
Things we absolutely know about the next version of the iPad: it's not going to have a 7-inch screen.Thanks to CEO Steve Jobs' epic rant against the spate of tablets set to be released now through next year of that size, it's an easy prediction. But what else do we know for sure about Apple's followup to the insanely successful iPad? Not much.Rumors, leaks, and guesswork can offer this, though: it probably has a front-facing camera (FaceTime makes perfect sense), will likely come sometime in the first quarter of next year (Apple has a pretty predictable refresh cycle for gadgets), and the 3G version might be dual mode.According to analysts who are checking with suppliers, Qualcomm may provide chips that allow the iPad to run on both CDMA and GSM networks, a so-called "world" iPad. The current 3G version is GSM only. The same analyst, Brian Blair of Wedge Partners, says the iPad will be manufactured from the same unibody construction design process from a single chunk of metal that the MacBook Pro uses.The dual-mode iPad makes a lot of sense considering that Apple is now offering the iPad on both CDMA and GSM networks. While the 3G version of the tablet AT&T (and others) sells has GSM chips inside, the Verizon version comes bundled with a wireless hot spot. It's a workable compromise, but one that the complexity-averse, minimalist design-oriented Apple probably hopes is short-lived.
iPad 2 shipping times slip to 2 to 3 weeks
iPad 2 shipping times slip to 2 to 3 weeks
If you were expecting to be able to pick up an iPad 2 from Apple between now and April, your best bet may be to get in line at a local retailer.Just hours into the iPad 2 going up for sale on Apple's online store, the company pushed back ship times across the entire line of devices from two to three days, then five to seven business days, and now two to three weeks. That lead time could stretch even more with shoppers putting in orders throughout the rest of today and into the weekend.Similar availability problems faced the first iPad, with Apple being unable to keep up with demand. Back then, shipping times did not come down to the magical 24-hour mark until the end of August, some four months after the device had gone on sale in the U.S. In the process, Apple sold more than 300,000 iPads on its first day of availability, and hit 1 million units sold in 28 days. That unexpected demand had also prompted Apple to push back its international release of the device, so as to keep up with sales.Along with Apple's online store, Web sales of the iPad 2 at Apple partner retailers like Wal-Mart are likely to face similar supply restraints when the device goes on sale later today at 5 p.m. ET. We'll be keeping track of that, along with the scene at a number of retail outlets across the country throughout the day over at our semi-live blog.
If you were expecting to be able to pick up an iPad 2 from Apple between now and April, your best bet may be to get in line at a local retailer.Just hours into the iPad 2 going up for sale on Apple's online store, the company pushed back ship times across the entire line of devices from two to three days, then five to seven business days, and now two to three weeks. That lead time could stretch even more with shoppers putting in orders throughout the rest of today and into the weekend.Similar availability problems faced the first iPad, with Apple being unable to keep up with demand. Back then, shipping times did not come down to the magical 24-hour mark until the end of August, some four months after the device had gone on sale in the U.S. In the process, Apple sold more than 300,000 iPads on its first day of availability, and hit 1 million units sold in 28 days. That unexpected demand had also prompted Apple to push back its international release of the device, so as to keep up with sales.Along with Apple's online store, Web sales of the iPad 2 at Apple partner retailers like Wal-Mart are likely to face similar supply restraints when the device goes on sale later today at 5 p.m. ET. We'll be keeping track of that, along with the scene at a number of retail outlets across the country throughout the day over at our semi-live blog.
Scribd gets 'Readcasting'- Autosharing made easy
Scribd gets 'Readcasting': Autosharing made easy
Along with Readcasting, the site is also one of the launch partners with Facebook's new open-graph initiative, which was announced Wednesday morning. The upgraded "like" feature is similar to the existing Facebook favoriting formula, but far more permanent--something Scribd's CEO Trip Adler told CNET via a phone interview that he hopes will lead to far more traffic and discovery of new content. As for the existing share buttons, which also let users share to Facebook and Twitter, alongside e-mail and embedding codes, Adler said they will continue to coexist with the new Readcast options. But it might not be that way for long. Adler said the company is just going to keep an eye on whether those share buttons are still getting used in order to see if it's worth keeping them around. I am a bit curious to see whether users are willing to enable more than one of these three networks in the Readcasting options--and whether Scribd will expand it to other services. While spammy and on the verge of creepy, the idea of having whatever I'm reading automatically sent out as an alert to others can be a big convenience, compared to having to go through the motions of clicking the sharing buttons or copying over links.
Along with Readcasting, the site is also one of the launch partners with Facebook's new open-graph initiative, which was announced Wednesday morning. The upgraded "like" feature is similar to the existing Facebook favoriting formula, but far more permanent--something Scribd's CEO Trip Adler told CNET via a phone interview that he hopes will lead to far more traffic and discovery of new content. As for the existing share buttons, which also let users share to Facebook and Twitter, alongside e-mail and embedding codes, Adler said they will continue to coexist with the new Readcast options. But it might not be that way for long. Adler said the company is just going to keep an eye on whether those share buttons are still getting used in order to see if it's worth keeping them around. I am a bit curious to see whether users are willing to enable more than one of these three networks in the Readcasting options--and whether Scribd will expand it to other services. While spammy and on the verge of creepy, the idea of having whatever I'm reading automatically sent out as an alert to others can be a big convenience, compared to having to go through the motions of clicking the sharing buttons or copying over links.
Rdio adds free music stations to its iOS, Android apps
Rdio adds free music stations to its iOS, Android apps
Rdio tuned up its Internet radio service with the latest updates to its iOS and Android apps.An updated and free feature called Stations allows you to listen to music from 20 predefined stations built on songs from different artists. You can also create your own stations based on artist, song, album, or genre. In return, Stations plays random selections based on the station you picked, and lets you listen to an unlimited stream of music.Related storiesIs 'Avatar' giving you the blues?Car Tech Live 151:The best of the Detroit auto show (podcast)EMI licenses songs to new ad-supported site Sound familiar? Stations seems to be Rdio's effort to tap into the online streaming action of iTunes Radio, Pandora, and Spotify. The free service won't bother you with ads between the songs, according to the Associated Press. However, Rdio is counting on its non-paying users to pony up for a $10-per-month subscription, which includes added features like the ability to pick exact songs and albums they want to hear.Stations is powered by music intelligence company The Echo Nest, which described the feature in a blog posted Thursday.As you listen to stations and songs, the service tries to deciper your tastes to better detemine which music to serve you in the future. The Echo Nest said it's also working with Rdio to make sure all of the radio stations are DMCA-compliant. Such a move would help avoid any legal skirmishes with the music industry.Stations is available as a feature in the US, Canada, and Australia. iOS users can download the latest version of Rdio from the App Store, while Android users will find it at Google Play.
Rdio tuned up its Internet radio service with the latest updates to its iOS and Android apps.An updated and free feature called Stations allows you to listen to music from 20 predefined stations built on songs from different artists. You can also create your own stations based on artist, song, album, or genre. In return, Stations plays random selections based on the station you picked, and lets you listen to an unlimited stream of music.Related storiesIs 'Avatar' giving you the blues?Car Tech Live 151:The best of the Detroit auto show (podcast)EMI licenses songs to new ad-supported site Sound familiar? Stations seems to be Rdio's effort to tap into the online streaming action of iTunes Radio, Pandora, and Spotify. The free service won't bother you with ads between the songs, according to the Associated Press. However, Rdio is counting on its non-paying users to pony up for a $10-per-month subscription, which includes added features like the ability to pick exact songs and albums they want to hear.Stations is powered by music intelligence company The Echo Nest, which described the feature in a blog posted Thursday.As you listen to stations and songs, the service tries to deciper your tastes to better detemine which music to serve you in the future. The Echo Nest said it's also working with Rdio to make sure all of the radio stations are DMCA-compliant. Such a move would help avoid any legal skirmishes with the music industry.Stations is available as a feature in the US, Canada, and Australia. iOS users can download the latest version of Rdio from the App Store, while Android users will find it at Google Play.
New Polk I-Sonic debuts iTunes Tagging for HD Radio
New Polk I-Sonic debuts iTunes Tagging for HD Radio
Polk Audio has taken the wraps off the I-Sonic Entertainment System 2, the follow-up to the company's impressive 2006 tabletop AV system. The new ES2 model gets the iPod dock that was missing from the original I-Sonic, but it loses the Swiss-Army-knife luster of that all-in-one model: gone are CD/DVD player and XM satellite radio support (though an auxiliary line-in port lets you connect any external device of your choosing).Video output (for the increasingly burgeoning number of video-capable iPods) remains, as does the dual alarm clock and HD Radio tuner. And it's the interaction between the HD Radio and the iPod where the new I-Sonic debuts a first-of-its-kind feature called iTunes Tagging.It's a pretty straightforward affair. Hit the ES2's prominent Tag button when you hear a song you like on any HD Radio broadcast. The unit will then bookmark it and upload the info to the docked iPod.The next time you sync the iPod with your computer, it displays all of the tagged music in a special iTunes playlist--ready to be sampled or purchased.The Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2 will be available in October for a hefty $500; that's $100 off the price of the original I-Sonic, but we would've preferred a bigger cut, given that some big features (CD, DVD, and XM) have been cut.The upcoming JBL iHD, also due this fall, will offer the iTunes Tagging feature as well, with more products expected to follow in the subsequent months.
Polk Audio has taken the wraps off the I-Sonic Entertainment System 2, the follow-up to the company's impressive 2006 tabletop AV system. The new ES2 model gets the iPod dock that was missing from the original I-Sonic, but it loses the Swiss-Army-knife luster of that all-in-one model: gone are CD/DVD player and XM satellite radio support (though an auxiliary line-in port lets you connect any external device of your choosing).Video output (for the increasingly burgeoning number of video-capable iPods) remains, as does the dual alarm clock and HD Radio tuner. And it's the interaction between the HD Radio and the iPod where the new I-Sonic debuts a first-of-its-kind feature called iTunes Tagging.It's a pretty straightforward affair. Hit the ES2's prominent Tag button when you hear a song you like on any HD Radio broadcast. The unit will then bookmark it and upload the info to the docked iPod.The next time you sync the iPod with your computer, it displays all of the tagged music in a special iTunes playlist--ready to be sampled or purchased.The Polk Audio I-Sonic Entertainment System 2 will be available in October for a hefty $500; that's $100 off the price of the original I-Sonic, but we would've preferred a bigger cut, given that some big features (CD, DVD, and XM) have been cut.The upcoming JBL iHD, also due this fall, will offer the iTunes Tagging feature as well, with more products expected to follow in the subsequent months.
iWatch satire skewers Apple before WWDC
iWatch satire skewers Apple before WWDC
Next week, starting at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), we could begin to see what the company says will be its best bunch of new products in 25 years. Presumably, one of the upcoming pieces of Apple hardware could be the long-rumored iWatch, the first true wearable with iOS. So far, though, most wearables have failed to impress the general public. The video below from YouTube comedian Matthias and friends taps into that cultural skepticism to hilarious effect. Questioning the actual need and likely simplicity of such a device, the crew introduces something called "iSync technology":Related storiesConcept combines Pebble and Fitbit into an iWatch fantasyElegant vision of a new iPhone and iWatch (in pictures) "We've taken this iSync technology much farther than it needs to go," says Matthias' Apple CEO character, followed by some demonstrations of ludicrously unwieldy iWatch texting and e-book apps. But now I'm falling into the trap and taking my explanation of a two-minute video much farther than it needs to go as well. Watch the whole thing below and let us know in the comments if you see any practical value in an Apple smartwatch.(Via Mashable)
Next week, starting at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), we could begin to see what the company says will be its best bunch of new products in 25 years. Presumably, one of the upcoming pieces of Apple hardware could be the long-rumored iWatch, the first true wearable with iOS. So far, though, most wearables have failed to impress the general public. The video below from YouTube comedian Matthias and friends taps into that cultural skepticism to hilarious effect. Questioning the actual need and likely simplicity of such a device, the crew introduces something called "iSync technology":Related storiesConcept combines Pebble and Fitbit into an iWatch fantasyElegant vision of a new iPhone and iWatch (in pictures) "We've taken this iSync technology much farther than it needs to go," says Matthias' Apple CEO character, followed by some demonstrations of ludicrously unwieldy iWatch texting and e-book apps. But now I'm falling into the trap and taking my explanation of a two-minute video much farther than it needs to go as well. Watch the whole thing below and let us know in the comments if you see any practical value in an Apple smartwatch.(Via Mashable)
iOS devs can now sell their apps to other devs
iOS devs can now sell their apps to other devs
We've of course seen apps bought and sold before â€" such as EA's buyout of Popcap, and Zynga's purchase of OMGPop â€" but eagle-eyed iTunes users might have noticed that although the app is no longer owned by the original developer, it still appears on the iTunes store under the original developer's name.That's because Apple previously didn't allow the transfer of an app between developers. The app could, of course, be taken down and relisted, as occurred with the Oxford dictionary suite of apps, but this means the app is listed as entirely new, meaning previous users have to re-purchase (or, in the case of the Oxford apps, emailing the new publisher for access). For the developer, it meant either leaving the app under the old publisher's name, or losing the entire previous app userbase.According to Venturebeat, that all changed this week, with Apple updating its policy to allow developers to sell their apps to other companies. This is great news for devs who no longer wish to have control of an app they have sold, having to take care of app updates and customer service â€" and great for companies that want to tap into developer talent without hiring a dev team.It also means that customers looking for a set of apps â€" such as Draw Something and Draw Something 2 â€" will be able to find them all under the one publisher page.The transfer can be accomplished pretty easily in iTunes Connect, Venturebeat has reported. All a developer has to do is update the app's state, notify the purchaser and accept the transfer.
We've of course seen apps bought and sold before â€" such as EA's buyout of Popcap, and Zynga's purchase of OMGPop â€" but eagle-eyed iTunes users might have noticed that although the app is no longer owned by the original developer, it still appears on the iTunes store under the original developer's name.That's because Apple previously didn't allow the transfer of an app between developers. The app could, of course, be taken down and relisted, as occurred with the Oxford dictionary suite of apps, but this means the app is listed as entirely new, meaning previous users have to re-purchase (or, in the case of the Oxford apps, emailing the new publisher for access). For the developer, it meant either leaving the app under the old publisher's name, or losing the entire previous app userbase.According to Venturebeat, that all changed this week, with Apple updating its policy to allow developers to sell their apps to other companies. This is great news for devs who no longer wish to have control of an app they have sold, having to take care of app updates and customer service â€" and great for companies that want to tap into developer talent without hiring a dev team.It also means that customers looking for a set of apps â€" such as Draw Something and Draw Something 2 â€" will be able to find them all under the one publisher page.The transfer can be accomplished pretty easily in iTunes Connect, Venturebeat has reported. All a developer has to do is update the app's state, notify the purchaser and accept the transfer.
How to manage your podcast subscriptions on Android
How to manage your podcast subscriptions on Android
Click "Add a subscription" (the big gray bar near the upper right of the screen), then paste the feed address into the text bar.Step 4: Add feed to Google Reader. As it opens up in the main Reader pane, make sure to click the "Feed settings" button just above the pane, then select "Listen Subscriptions" so Listen knows to watch out for it. If you don't see that option, it means your device hasn't synced with Google yet, so give it time. Step 5: Add feed to "Listen subscriptions."Once you're happy with your subscriptions, head back to your device, open Listen, and select "My listen items." It should start to refresh automatically, but you can do it manually by pressing the round green arrow in the bottom right of the screen. Step 6: List your podcasts.As each feed updates, you should see the most recent podcast appear under "Fresh items." Long-press any show to add it to your listen queue or mark it as already listened. It's easy to reorder your queue with more long presses. Step 7: Reorder your queue.That covers the basics of Listen. You may want to browse around the settings to tune it more to your liking; there's a lot to like in this little app!
Click "Add a subscription" (the big gray bar near the upper right of the screen), then paste the feed address into the text bar.Step 4: Add feed to Google Reader. As it opens up in the main Reader pane, make sure to click the "Feed settings" button just above the pane, then select "Listen Subscriptions" so Listen knows to watch out for it. If you don't see that option, it means your device hasn't synced with Google yet, so give it time. Step 5: Add feed to "Listen subscriptions."Once you're happy with your subscriptions, head back to your device, open Listen, and select "My listen items." It should start to refresh automatically, but you can do it manually by pressing the round green arrow in the bottom right of the screen. Step 6: List your podcasts.As each feed updates, you should see the most recent podcast appear under "Fresh items." Long-press any show to add it to your listen queue or mark it as already listened. It's easy to reorder your queue with more long presses. Step 7: Reorder your queue.That covers the basics of Listen. You may want to browse around the settings to tune it more to your liking; there's a lot to like in this little app!
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