Aug 14, 2014, 6:00 am EDT | ByBrad Moon, InvestorPlace Contributor
iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 2: What to Expect
Apple (AAPL) is famously tight-lipped about anything to do with pending releases, but at the same time, there is a degree of predictability to their product roadmap.
Source: Apple
And then there's that supply chain, prone to leaks despite Apple's best efforts to contain details. With companies ranging from Foxconn to Samsung (SSNLF) contributing bits to each AAPL device, hints and details invariably emerge as production ramps up.
Based on the predictability of Apple's release cycle (and the all-important back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons), we can be certain that new iPads will be arriving shortly. Last year it was October 22 when AAPL surprised everyone with the iPad Air and a more expensive, Retina Display iPad Mini.
What will the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini With Retina Display 2 look like? What should you expect from the new iPad specs? Here's the current best guess at what Apple's new tablets will bring to a marketplace that's getting tougher every year.
123456View AllView All
Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, http://investorplace.com/2014/08/ipad-air-2-aapl/.
Due to recent suspicious activity from your computer, we have blocked your access to http://online.wsj.com. After completing the captcha below, you will immediately regain access to http://online.wsj.com, however you may receive further captchas if further suspicious behavior is detected.
Apple’s patent application reveals a number of Siri for Mac features, will you…
Search Macworld
Apple
Mac
iPad
iPhone
News
Reviews
How To
Forums
Macworld
PC Advisor
TechAdvisor
DigitalArts
Home
News
Mac Software
Siri for Mac launch date, reports suggests Siri will feature in Yosemite
Siri, Apple’s (mostly) intelligent virtual assistant is said to be coming to the Mac. Apple’s patent application reveals a number of interesting features, will you use any of them?
by Karen Haslam| 13 Aug 14
If you were hoping that Apple's personal assistant Siri would be making an appearance in the next version of OS X, Yosemite, it looks like you will be satisfied with the forthcoming release. A patent application that Apple filed for Siri on the Mac back in 2013 has just come to light.
The patent hints that Apple's personal assistant Siri may arrive on our Macs later this year with Yosemite.
The US patent, titled "Intelligent Digital Assistant in a Desktop Environment" suggests that Siri is making the move from Apple's mobile platform, iOS to OS X Yosemite.
Apple suggests that Siri will enhance MacBook capabilities in the 92-page patent application, which you can read here.
Apple suggests that: "The integration of an at least partially voice-controlled intelligent digital assistant into a desktop, laptop, and/or tablet computer environment provides additional capabilities to the digital assistant, and enhances the usability and capabilities of the desktop, laptop, and/or tablet computer."
What will Siri on the Mac be able to do?
The patent application explains that most desktop, laptop, and tablet computer operating systems "support more complex and sophisticated interactions and functionalities than many small mobile devices".
Apple highlights some of the difficulties with multitasking and suggests that Siri could become a "third hand". The patent application notes that a user is limited to interacting only with the foremost window, as a solution it suggests using the digital assistant to perform the secondary task, perhaps a web search, while the user continues to focus on the task at hand.
Read:
Funny things to ask Siri
10 things about Siri that make it worthwhile
Siri troubleshooting guide
How will Siri on the Mac work?
According to the patent, Siri could be activated via a trackpad gesture and once activated it will listen out for your commands.
The patent application also suggests that Siri on the Mac won't only be reliant on speech commands, but the commands will be taken contextually. For example, a "focus selector" (mouse curser) would help to apply context to the command (for example, if you want to paste text into a document you would place the mouse pointer where you wanted the text to appear).
In an example illustrated in the patent application is a selection of files and the command: "Sort these by date and merge into a new document."
Will Siri on the Mac be any good?
However, that was two years ago and Siri has improved since then. Siri launched on iOS in October 2011, with iOS 5. However, Siri was in 'beta' for about two years following launch, finally being promoted in iOS 7 last September.
Unfortunately, Siri for iOS has disappointed many including Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak who described Siri as "Poo-Poo" back in 2012. At the time he blamed Apple for Siri's inadequacies, suggesting that before the company bought it Siri was pretty decent, but since acquiring the service Apple had let it go down hill.
Woz’s comments were two years ago though, and Siri has improved somewhat since then, but at the same time other virtual assistants have come on to the market ramping up the competition.
Joining the competition is the team that created Siri before it was bought by Apple who left the company and are now working at a new start up called Viv Labs on the "next generation virtual assistant". This VA is said to be able to understand complex sentences that would have Siri stumped.
This is the crux of it though. Does it matter whether Siri is any good if people aren't actually inclined to use voice commands to activate their phones.
And if people aren't using Siri on their phones then why would they use Siri on their Macs in a busy office. Who wants to be the mad person in the corner talking to their Mac?
Do you use Siri? Would you use it on a Mac? Tell us in the comments below.
Siri and the connected home
Another area where Siri may be more successful is as the control centre of your home. It is thought that Siri will take a place at the centre of Apple's connected home.
Another example illustrated by Apple's patent filing shows a user asking to view a movie on a different screen, which could be a second screen or a TV that is plugged into an Apple TV. This hints to Apple's plans for the connected home using it's new HomeKit framework.
Siri on the Mac, working with iOS
Siri on the Mac may also act in conjunction with iOS 8, as part of Apple's aim for better Continuity between the two platforms. The patent states that the Mac version of the digital assistant could be: "Invoked to cooperate with the user to complete a task that the user has already started on a user device." This sounds a bit like Handoff, a new feature coming in iOS 8 and Yosemite that will allow you to start an email on your iPhone and then finish it on your Mac, for example.
AppleInsider notes that Siri for Mac will have an identical backend off-site server to Siri for iOS.
What other evidence is there that Siri for Mac will launch soon?
So far Siri is nowhere to be seen in the Yosemite beta and Apple made no hint to its presence when it previewed Yosemite at WWDC in June. This time last year there were rumours that Apple was set to add Siri to Mavericks, and that never materialised.
There is already a Dictation feature available in Mavericks, which like Dictation in iOS 7, uses Nuance's algorithms to convert your speech to text.
Read:
How to use Siri
Siri iOS 7 review
Yosemite review
iOS 8 review
Tags:Share this article
Trending Stories
Latest Stories
Latest Apple Rumours
Latest Apple Reviews
Market Place
Register
Register for your free place at the next Synology DSM and Product Launch and get an exclusive insight into Synology 2015.
Nokia Lumia 530 vs Motorola Moto E: Windows vs Android for best budget phone
What to expect from Apple in autumn/winter 2014: iPhone 6, iWatch, iPad 6, new Apple TV, new iMacs…
Why I won’t switch to Windows Phone: part II (it’s still about the apps)
Designing for the unknown: how to design templates and frameworks
We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. If you continue to use this site, we’ll assume you’re happy with this. Alternatively, click here to find out how to manage these cookies
Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about
FacebookEmailGoogle+LinkedInPinterest
Couple returns missing iPod after seeing Telemundo story
A woman who saw the story on Telemundo of a 5-year-old’s iPod that was stolen from an ice cream shop has returned the item.
Try Another
Audio CAPTCHA
Image CAPTCHA
Help
]]>
CancelSend
Sent!
A link has been sent to your friend’s email address.
Posted!
A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Blair Shiff, KUSA4:49 p.m. MDT August 13, 2014
Police are looking for this couple in connection with an iPod theft.(Photo: Aurora Police)
1173CONNECTLINKEDINEMAILMORE
AURORA – After seeing a story on Telemundo, a woman has returned a 5-year-old’s iPod that was taken from an ice cream shop.
According to Aurora Police, the woman, who was shown in a surveillance video that APD posted on Monday, called police the next night saying she saw herself on Telemundo. She said she wanted to return the iPod. According to the woman, she and a man with her sat down at a table at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in the Gardens on Havana and found an iPod.
Apple’s patent application reveals a number of Siri for Mac features, will you…
Search Macworld
Apple
Mac
iPad
iPhone
News
Reviews
How To
Forums
Macworld
PC Advisor
TechAdvisor
DigitalArts
Home
News
Mac Software
Siri for Mac launch date, reports suggests Siri will feature in Yosemite
Siri, Apple’s (mostly) intelligent virtual assistant is said to be coming to the Mac. Apple’s patent application reveals a number of interesting features, will you use any of them?
by Karen Haslam| 7 hours ago
If you were hoping that Apple's personal assistant Siri would be making an appearance in the next version of OS X, Yosemite, it looks like you will be satisfied with the forthcoming release. A patent application that Apple filed for Siri on the Mac back in 2013 has just come to light.
The patent hints that Apple's personal assistant Siri may arrive on our Macs later this year with Yosemite.
The US patent, titled "Intelligent Digital Assistant in a Desktop Environment" suggests that Siri is making the move from Apple's mobile platform, iOS to OS X Yosemite.
Apple suggests that Siri will enhance MacBook capabilities in the 92-page patent application, which you can read here.
Apple suggests that: "The integration of an at least partially voice-controlled intelligent digital assistant into a desktop, laptop, and/or tablet computer environment provides additional capabilities to the digital assistant, and enhances the usability and capabilities of the desktop, laptop, and/or tablet computer."
What will Siri on the Mac be able to do?
The patent application explains that most desktop, laptop, and tablet computer operating systems "support more complex and sophisticated interactions and functionalities than many small mobile devices".
Apple highlights some of the difficulties with multitasking and suggests that Siri could become a "third hand". The patent application notes that a user is limited to interacting only with the foremost window, as a solution it suggests using the digital assistant to perform the secondary task, perhaps a web search, while the user continues to focus on the task at hand.
Read:
Funny things to ask Siri
10 things about Siri that make it worthwhile
Siri troubleshooting guide
How will Siri on the Mac work?
According to the patent, Siri could be activated via a trackpad gesture and once activated it will listen out for your commands.
The patent application also suggests that Siri on the Mac won't only be reliant on speech commands, but the commands will be taken contextually. For example, a "focus selector" (mouse curser) would help to apply context to the command (for example, if you want to paste text into a document you would place the mouse pointer where you wanted the text to appear).
In an example illustrated in the patent application is a selection of files and the command: "Sort these by date and merge into a new document."
Will Siri on the Mac be any good?
However, that was two years ago and Siri has improved since then. Siri launched on iOS in October 2011, with iOS 5. However, Siri was in 'beta' for about two years following launch, finally being promoted in iOS 7 last September.
Unfortunately, Siri for iOS has disappointed many including Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak who described Siri as "Poo-Poo" back in 2012. At the time he blamed Apple for Siri's inadequacies, suggesting that before the company bought it Siri was pretty decent, but since acquiring the service Apple had let it go down hill.
Woz’s comments were two years ago though, and Siri has improved somewhat since then, but at the same time other virtual assistants have come on to the market ramping up the competition.
Joining the competition is the team that created Siri before it was bought by Apple who left the company and are now working at a new start up called Viv Labs on the "next generation virtual assistant". This VA is said to be able to understand complex sentences that would have Siri stumped.
This is the crux of it though. Does it matter whether Siri is any good if people aren't actually inclined to use voice commands to activate their phones.
And if people aren't using Siri on their phones then why would they use Siri on their Macs in a busy office. Who wants to be the mad person in the corner talking to their Mac?
Do you use Siri? Would you use it on a Mac? Tell us in the comments below.
Siri and the connected home
Another area where Siri may be more successful is as the control centre of your home. It is thought that Siri will take a place at the centre of Apple's connected home.
Another example illustrated by Apple's patent filing shows a user asking to view a movie on a different screen, which could be a second screen or a TV that is plugged into an Apple TV. This hints to Apple's plans for the connected home using it's new HomeKit framework.
Siri on the Mac, working with iOS
Siri on the Mac may also act in conjunction with iOS 8, as part of Apple's aim for better Continuity between the two platforms. The patent states that the Mac version of the digital assistant could be: "Invoked to cooperate with the user to complete a task that the user has already started on a user device." This sounds a bit like Handoff, a new feature coming in iOS 8 and Yosemite that will allow you to start an email on your iPhone and then finish it on your Mac, for example.
AppleInsider notes that Siri for Mac will have an identical backend off-site server to Siri for iOS.
What other evidence is there that Siri for Mac will launch soon?
So far Siri is nowhere to be seen in the Yosemite beta and Apple made no hint to its presence when it previewed Yosemite at WWDC in June. This time last year there were rumours that Apple was set to add Siri to Mavericks, and that never materialised.
There is already a Dictation feature available in Mavericks, which like Dictation in iOS 7, uses Nuance's algorithms to convert your speech to text.
Read:
How to use Siri
Siri iOS 7 review
Yosemite review
iOS 8 review
Tags:Share this article
Trending Stories
Latest Stories
Latest Apple Rumours
Latest Apple Reviews
Market Place
Register
Register for your free place at the next Synology DSM and Product Launch and get an exclusive insight into Synology 2015.
Nokia Lumia 530 vs Motorola Moto E: Windows vs Android for best budget phone
What to expect from Apple in autumn/winter 2014: iPhone 6, iWatch, iPad 6, new Apple TV, new iMacs…
Why I won’t switch to Windows Phone: part II (it’s still about the apps)
Designing for the unknown: how to design templates and frameworks
We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. If you continue to use this site, we’ll assume you’re happy with this. Alternatively, click here to find out how to manage these cookies
Mass production of a full-sized, 9.7-inch iPad has begun, expected to debut this fall, Bloomberg reported.
Apple suppliers have reportedly begun assembling new iPads, according to Bloomberg.
Citing unnamed sources, the news site reported that mass production of a new full-sized, 9.7-inch iPad is under way, expected to debut this fall. Work on the next-generation 7.9-inch iPad mini is also in progress; the device is set to launch by the end of the year.
Supplier Foxconn declined to comment on the reports. Neither Apple nor Pegatron immediately responded to requests for comment.
Both Taiwan-based factories have reportedly been on a “hiring binge,” picking up hundreds of new workers every day. It remains unclear whether those folks are being contracted for the iPad or iPhone assembly line—or perhaps both. Foxconn and Pegatron purportedly began mass producing the 4.7-inch handset early this month.
Cupertino is surely hoping for a renewed interest in its slates, following two weak quarters: The manufacturer sold 13.3 million iPads during the quarter, down from 16.3 million in the months prior, and 26 million over the holidays.
A recent partnership with IBM—whereby businesses will be able to buy the iOS devices equipped with IBM-enhanced enterprise software—could help boost those numbers, Apple’s Tim Cook said recently.
But don’t expect to see Apple unveil iPads at next month’s rumored iPhone event. In recent years, Apple has held two fall events: iPhones in September and iPads in October.
Apple held its 2013 iPad event on Oct. 22, where it revealed the iPad Air and ipad – Google News
The cases from accessory maker Spigen are based on early specs for the expected 4.7-inch version of Apple’s next iPhone.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET
Prospective iPhone 6 buyers can already preorder cases even though the phone hasn’t yet been announced.
Korean mobile case and accessory maker Spigen has unveiled a dedicated product page touting its iPhone 6 cases with rendered images illustrating how the cases themselves would fit snugly into Apple’s next iPhone. Spigen said it based the look of the iPhone 6 on leaked data to help it create the renders seen on its page.
Related stories
Apple sets Sept. 9 for new iPhone debut, report says
Production of Apple’s newest iPads said to be underway
Apple iPhone 6 battery may get a power boost
Reports have been flying that Apple will announce a 4.7-inch iPhone, upping the display size from the current 4 inches. A recent report from Recode said that Apple will unveil the iPhone 6 at a media event on September 9.
The company is also rumored to launch a 5.5-inch iPhone, but reports are sketchy as to whether that version will be ready for takeoff this year. Either way, with the current consumer craze for big-screened phones, Apple needs to bump up the display of its flagship phone to lure in consumers, win back market share, and stay competitive with Android rivals.
The cases displayed by Spigen are specifically designed for the 4.7-inch iPhone with four different variants: two thin-fit cases selling for $ 15 each, an ultra-hybrid going for $ 25, and a tough armor edition costing $ 35. Each case is available in a variety of colors. Spigen also tried to cook up some audience excitement about the next iPhone or iPhones via the following blurb:
The iPhone 6 could be the largest iPhone launch ever. With smartphones increasing in size, so have consumers demand for an iPhone with a larger screen. The iPhone 6 is here to answer that demand. It is all but assured that Apple will launch a 4.7 inch iPhone 6 this September. However, the more elusive 5.5 inch iPhone 6 is still mostly a mystery. Due to leaked data, we have a good idea of what the iPhone 6 will look like and we’ve included renders of what we believe to be some of the more accurate ones. Bigger but thinner and lighter are you excited about the new iPhone 6?
The product page also offers some older videos in which Spigen is able to cleanly fit its cases onto early dummy units of the iPhone 6. Still, iPhone 6 buyers may want to err on the side of caution and hold off on ordering any case until the actual phone hits the market.
A spokeswoman for Apple declined CNET News’ request to comment on the Spigen cases.
Update, 7:33 a.m. PT:Adds Apple declining to comment.
Facebook-owned virtual reality startup Oculus VR on Tuesday announced the availability of version 0.4.1 of its software development kit, bringing developer support for the popular headgear to Apple’s desktop operating system.
Alongside the new SDK come Mac OS X-compatible versions of the Oculus Runtime and Unity Tuscany demo, according to industry blog Road to VR. Oculus says that because they do not ship a display driver for the Mac, the Rift will work in Extend Desktop mode.
There are a few lingering issues with the Mac-focused SDK. Developers will need to manually restart the Mac OVR service after updating firmware, for instance, and Unity apps will experience higher latency on Apple’s platform.
The Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset whose development is led by legendary Id Software co-founder John Carmack, has long supported gaming on the Mac. Until now, however, Mac-based developers were unable to compile Rift-compatible apps, forcing them to use Windows instead.
Facebook purchased Oculus earlier this year for $ 400 million in cash, $ 1.6 billion in stock, and a $ 300 million earn-out.
Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about
FacebookEmailGoogle+LinkedInPinterest
Couple steals 5-year-old’s iPod
Aurora Police are asking for help finding a couple who stole a 5-year-old girl’s iPod from an ice cream shop.
Try Another
Audio CAPTCHA
Image CAPTCHA
Help
]]>
CancelSend
Sent!
A link has been sent to your friend’s email address.
Posted!
A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
Aurora Police are asking for help in finding a couple who stole a little girl’s iPod from an ice cream shop while she was standing in another part of the store. 9NEWS at 4 p.m. 08/12/14.
Kimberly Cox,5:03 p.m. MDT August 12, 2014
Suspects(Photo: APD)
1462CONNECTLINKEDINEMAILMORE
AURORA – Aurora Police are asking for help in finding a couple who stole a little girl’s iPod from an ice cream shop while she was standing in another part of the store.
It happened at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in the Gardens on Havana shopping district in Aurora.
The 5-year-old girl left her iPod on a table and walked away.
Then, the couple sat down at the table, put the iPod in a purse and quickly left the store.
The device is pink and had a panda bear case on it.
suspects(Photo: APD)
Denver Metro Crime Stoppers is offering up to $ 2,000 for any tips that lead to an arrest.
Call Aurora Police or Denver Metro Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867) with any information.
suspects(Photo: APD)
The father of the girl told 9NEWS that it’s not about the iPod, he’s already bought a new one for her, but the fact the two would steal from a child.
