iPod turns 14: a look back at its impact - WKBW-TV

"All of this hype for something so ridiculous!"

This was one of many unenthusiastic responses to the debut announcement of the iPod on October 23, 2001.

On that day 14 years ago, the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs hailed the iPod as a "quantum leap in listening to music." There had been other mp3 players out there, but nothing that integrated with a computer — in this case, the Macintosh.

Skeptics saw it as a niche device tying Apple users to their computer and offered little more than a typical digital music player.

Fans loved the look of the iPod, how many songs it could hold, what if felt like to play with, its convenience, battery life and more. In fact, David Pogue of the New York Times predicted:

"If Apple ever lowers the iPod's price and develops Windows software for it, watch out: the invasion of the iPod people will surely begin in earnest."

Flash forward 15 years: the iPod (in its classic form) may be gone, but its ripple effect can still be felt through how we interact with the media….and one another. (see infographic at bottom for iPod evolution)

The ultimate personal computer

As people jumped on board the iPod bandwagon in the early days, Apple already had its eye on the gadget's future generations. More than just a music player, the iPod eventually transformed into a multimedia center that anyone could drop in a pocket. Want to listen to a favorite song? Done. Check out a music video or movie? Sure thing. Send an email or surf the web? Easy!

The iPod inevitably became the ultimate personal computer courtesy of its size and ability to navigate any type of media.

But, what about innovations in types of media? The iPod provided better audio and video quality for its listeners, but what about actual new variations of content?

Ironically, in its waning years, the iPod's restored life to a form of entertainment many thought passed with the golden age of radio: the art of storytelling.

A human impulse
Before the iPod, public radio was the standard bearer for classic, storytelling broadcasts. Television and commercial radio access was so limited, many ideas for spoken-word format shows were essentially locked out due to lack of funding and interest.

Suddenly, the iPod comes along and creative people have an affordable way to not only record, but also distribute their content. This broke down the walls to public consumption and thousands of podcasts started streaming with content ranging from the stock market to Hollywood stars.

Today's smartphones (the iPod's contemporary descendants) have brought podcasting to the forefront of digital entertainment.

"Technology has made it easier to expose people to podcasts," explained Erik Diehn, Vice President of Business Development for Midroll Media, a podcast broadcasting company. "It's right there where everyone can see it with the iPhone app. You can't even delete the app anymore. The whole process is just easier, so more people are using it."

As to why the simplicity of podcasts have invaded a tech-crazy culture, Diehn guessed it has to do with our own evolution.

Sitting around the telling stories has been with us since we used to sit around a fire," he said. "It's a human impulse."

The great irony
Compared to the radio and television, the iPod had a relatively short lifespan. Production of the iPod classic ended in 2014 as Apple shifted its product development to the iPod's successor, the iPhone.

"The great irony in all of this, having a National iPod Day, is that this is a device that isn't even being produced anymore," Diehn said with a chuckle. "It's the way things go."

Copyright 2015 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ipod – Google News

Support scammers target Mac fanbois - The Register

Support scammers who have been targeting Windows users for years and, more recently, users of Apple's mobile devices and Android tablets and smartphones, have moved on to targeting desktop Macs more aggressively than ever before.

The basic set-up is the same: fraudsters seek to badger users into paying for useless remote diagnostic and cleanup services to fix problems that don’t actually exist.

The only difference is that the lure has been baited differently in attempts to get Mac OSX computer users – rather than Windows or iPhone – on the hook.

Tech support scammers have targeted Mac users before in isolated cases, so the latest ruse isn’t a first, but the mechanism this time around represents something of an evolution on previous tactics and techniques.

This time, scammers are impersonating Apple technicians by fraudulently duplicating a key aspect of legitimate support services. Apple offers a screen sharing service as part of its support centre that puts users in touch with a remote advisor. The sharing part of this service runs through the Apple website.

Crooks have registered a domain called ara-apple.com that closely resembles the legitimate Apple locale (ara.apple.com), warns net security firm Malwarebytes.

Pages at the bogus domain are carefully designed to scare people into thinking there is something wrong with their computer.

"Fraudsters will use all sorts of messages, audio warnings and other artefacts in order to social engineer marks into calling for assistance," writes Jérôme Segura, a senior security researcher at Malwarebytes, in a blog post.

The dodgy domain is used for everything from linking to the remote programs the “technician” (actually scammer) will use, including processing payments, Segura explains.

Malwarebytes has contacted both the registrar (GoDaddy) and hosting provider (Liquid Web) so that they can apply a ban-hammer to this particular fraudulent website. This still leaves the possibility of a reappearance of the same scam by a different gang, or by the same groups using a different site.

Segura offers some general pointers on how to avoid being taken in by this type of scam.

"As always, please be particularly suspicious of alarming pop-ups or websites that claim your computer may be infected," Segura advises. "Remember that Apple would never use such methods to have you call them or would never call you directly either."

This advice is expanded in MalwareBytes tech support scams help and resource page here. The page features a list of blacklisted domains.

The advice is mostly aimed at Windows users, who remain the main targets of this growing class of malfeasance, but also includes pointers relevant to a wider range of technology users. ®

Sponsored: 2015 Cost of Cyber Crime Study: United States

mac – Google News

iPad Pro exclusive hands-on photos - BGR

In the weeks before the iPad Pro is set to go on sale, Apple has been globetrotting, showing the bigger iPad to everyone from graphic designers to artists and musicians. Thanks to my close friend Just Blaze, we've obtained some photos of the device from some time he spent with it the other day. 

FROM EARLIER: Apple's latest invention could ensure your iPhone display never cracks again

Initial thoughts? That this is a game-changer. A new direction for the iPad that exemplifies how capable it is. The most powerful iOS device ever created. The Apple Pencil, something that a tiny population started mocking because of Apple's focus on a simple accessory, seems to be perhaps the best peripheral for any iPad ever created.

It's weighted but light, charges via the lightning port on the iPad or a lighting to USB cable, but more importantly, it is said to work better than any other type of stylus. It senses pressure perfectly, the device ignores wrists, and the speed is so fast that it feels like you're actually using a pencil and writing on paper — you don't wait for the screen to display what you're drawing, it appears as you draw. T-Pain was also in attendance at Apple's get-together, as were many employees and executives from the popular drawing app Paper by FiftyThree. It also looks like Paper was showing off an iPad Pro-optimized version of the company's app.

Just Blaze also gave GarageBand on the iPad Pro a whirl with good things to say about that, too. We just need Logic Pro X for iPad now, right Just? Apple's iPad Pro goes on sale in November.

ipad – Google News

iPhone 6s vs iPhone 7: A Speculative Look Towards 2016 - Know Your Mobile

No you didn't jump a year into the future–and we haven't lost the plot. But you did read that headline right. In this article we're going to look at what the next generation iPhone 6s will look like versus next year's iPhone 7. (The image above is an awesome mockup by Computerbild.de of what the iPhone 7 could look like, by the way).

Why? Just for kicks, mainly. But also because of two other factors. First, though the iPhone 6s has just come out Apple has likely been at work on the next iPhone–the iPhone 7–for at least a few years now. And because of  the way Apple's iPhone product cycles work, it's relatively easy to predict what a major new iPhone design will feature. You see, Apple historically has released iPhone upgrades on a "tick-tock" basis. Every tick is a major new form-factor upgrade and every tock retains the old form factor but usually introduces a new feature.

Examples of "tick" releases are the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5, and the iPhone 6 (and 6 Plus). These iPhones all featured radical form-factor redesigns over the previous iPhone. The iPhone 4 had the first Retina display and glass and aluminum body. The iPhone 5 had the 4-inch screen. The iPhone 6 had the 4.7-inch screen and so on. Examples of "tock" releases are the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5s, and the iPhone 6s. In each case each of these phones retained the same form-factor of its predecessor but added new usability features. The iPhone 4s added Siri; the iPhone 5s added the Touch ID and M7 motion coprocessor; and the iPhone 6s added the 3D Touch display.

Speaking of the iPhone 6s — this year's model saw a raft of major improvements in several key areas, though most notably imaging and processing power. Beyond this we saw more RAM included, 2GB to be specific, as well as slightly thicker chassis overall, owing to the inclusion of 3D Touch technology in the display panel. So while it might look A LOT like last year's model it will function quite a bit differently.

Sales have been INSANE, too:

Apple announced it sold more than 13 million new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models, a new record, just three days after launch. iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in more than 40 additional countries beginning October 9 including Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Taiwan. The new iPhones will be available in over 130 countries by the end of the year.

"Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple's history," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Customers' feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can't wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9."

But those iPhone 6s sales could pale in comparison to the next iPhone 7. So without further ado, let’s gaze into our crystal ball to see what each phone will be like, starting with the specs:

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Major Specs

Current iPhone 6s

• Display: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, max res of 1920×1080
• Design: It looks exactly the same as the iPhone 6 (rounded corners, aluminum body)
• Storage: 16, 64, and 128GB
• CPU and RAM: A9 processor, 2GB RAM
• Front Camera: 5MP
• Rear Camera: 12MP, 4K video recording

Likely iPhone 7

• Display: 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch 3D Touch, but likely with a QHD display of 2560 x 1440 resolution
• Design: Completely new design. Thinner body and bezel.
• Storage: 32, 64, and 128GB
• CPU and RAM: A10 processor, 3GB RAM
• Front Camera: 5MP with wide angle lens
• Rear Camera: 12MP, 4K video recording, optical image stabilization.

The important thing to remember with iPhone upgrades is that the tock "S" cycle upgrade primarily see internal enhancements and the tick prime upgrades see body design changes. That's why the iPhone 6s will probably have more radical internal changes from the iPhone 6 than the iPhone 6s does to the iPhone 7. It's believed the iPhone 6s will get the A9 processor and finally get a double-the-RAM boost to 2GB. That means that the iPhone 7 will almost certainly have an A10 chipset and 3GB of RAM. Traditionally Apple has kept the amount of RAM the same for more than one year, but by the time the iPhone 7 ships in autumn 2016, most Android phones will have 4GB RAM minimum. Apple will need to keep up, if not match it.

As for storage options, with the iPhone 7 we finally expect Apple to drop the 16GB entry level option for a 32GB entry level model. Needless to say, dropping the 16GB storage model is long overdue. No one, NO ONE should buy a 16GB smartphone. You'll fill it all up with large 12MP photos in the first month you own it.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Design

The iPhone 6s looks exactly as the iPhone 6 does, just a bit thicker. But if that iPhone 6s design is looking a bit stale to you, then you are going to love the iPhone 7. It will feature a radically different design. What to expect? A thinner body is guaranteed. KGI Securities superstar analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has an excellent track record with predicting iPhone specs, says the iPhone 7 will be Apple's thinnest yet–approaching the thinness of the iPod touch (which is really, really thin) Kuo expects the iPhone 7 to be between 6.0mm and 6.5mm thin (the iPod touch is 6.1mm thin).

Another rumor is that the iPhone 7 could adopt glass-on-glass touch panels instead of the current in-cell touch panels used. This would allow Apple to make the iPhone 7 a bezel-free phone, which would be amazing. However, it would also make the iPhone 7 a bit thicker–and if Kou is right about the iPhone 7 being thinner, it's likely it won't adopt a glass-on-glass touch panel, which means the iPhone 7 will still have a bezel.

There's also strong hints that Apple is working on doing away with the physical home button and embedding a virtual home button and Touch ID in the screen itself, but that might not come until the iPhone 8. Apple has filed patents for such a in-screen home button, but the company files patents for everything–99% of which never make it into a shipping product.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Waterproofing

Last month the internet freaked out when videos surfaced of the iPhone 6s surviving 30 minutes underwater. It turns out Apple secretly added new adhesive strips inside the iPhone 6s to block any moisture getting in. Now a Chinese Mac blog is claiming that this was just a dry run (get the pun) for Apple, and that the iPhone 7 will officially be certified as waterproof.

In addition to waterproofing by using internal gaskets, another Chinese site is claiming Apple will ditch the aluminum casing of the iPhone 6s for an all new plastic material on the iPhone 7 to make sure the device is fully waterproof. We don't see Apple's iPhone 7 being a plastic phone, but only time will tell.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: LTE chipset

Right now the iPhone 6s uses an LTE chipset from Qualcomm, but recent rumors point to Intel working on an iPhone-compatible LTE chipset for the iPhone 7. If this is true users won't likely notice much of a difference. Instead, Apple would use the Intel LTE chip so it can drive component costs down.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Display

The iPhone 6s gained the 3D Touch display that the Apple Watch has (there, it is called the Force Touch display)–of course the iPhone 7 will adopt this 3D Touch display as well. But we also expect the iPhone 7 to get a higher resolution display, specifically a QHD one with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, as many Android handsets have. By autumn of 2016 anything less that 2560×1440 will be the equivalent of what standard definition is today.

Apple could also make subtle upgrades to the 3D Touch display in the iPhone 7–for example, making it sensitive to more than two types of pressure inputs, but other than that we don't expect the 3D Touch display to change much.

iPhone 6s vs Likely iPhone 7: Camera

Internally the iPhone 6s gained a huge camera upgrade with its 12MP rear camera (up from the 8MP camera in the iPhone 6) and its 5MP front FaceTime camera (up for 1.8 MP in the iPhone 6). But going to the iPhone 7 we expect the camera upgrade to be less pronounced. Apple will probably keep to a 12MP rear camera but add optical image stabilization across the line (right now only the "Plus" models feature it). The iPhone 7 will also probably retain the same FaceTime camera.

The iPhone 6s also gained 4k video recording on the rear camera–something we don't see changing or expanding on for the iPhone 7. However, it's possible the front FaceTime camera could gain 4k video recording in the iPhone 7.

iphone – Google News

Sprint Announces Wi-Fi Calling For iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac And Apple Watch ... - Tech Times

Through Sprint’s enhanced Wi-Fi calling feature, iOS and Mac OS X devices can be unified into one number and thus enable an iPad to take calls made to the iPhone.
(Photo : Apple)

In conjunction with iOS 9.1′s release, Sprint, an American telecommunications service company, announced that its customers who are using an iPhone will be able to utilize the improved Wi-Fi calling feature from Apple. This will allow users to receive and make calls on multiple Mac OS X and iOS devices, be it through Wi-Fi or network carrier connections.

With the enhanced feature, Sprint subscribers can unify their Apple devices, such as the iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch and Mac, under a single number. Thus, calls to the iPhone can be answered on any of the listed devices as long as they are connected.

“Customers already enjoy seamlessly responding to texts and email from a variety of great Apple devices,” said Sprint’s senior vice president for Product Development, David Owens. “They can bring that flexibility to the primary phone number their friends, family and colleagues know best.”

Owens adds that through the feature’s flexibility, the company is empowering its clientele by letting them choose the device they want. Moreover, calls and text messages sent using the enhanced Wi-Fi feature will be free. They will not be deducted from the consumed data and minutes allotted for the customer’s postpaid or prepaid plans nor will any additional charges be incurred.

Through the readily available Wi-Fi networks that most public places offer, the feature secures the users can be reached even when network conditions are less than optimal.

Users who want to unify their iOS and Mac devices under one number first need to update to the latest iOS and Mac OS X version — iOS 9.1 and Mac OS X 10.11.1. The primary device, which can be anything in between the iPhone 5c and iPhone 6s Plus, and the secondary ones that will be unified under it need to be registered under the same Apple ID number and logged in to iCloud.

The Wi-Fi calling feature must then be enabled by going to Settings, then Phone and finally, Wi-Fi Calling. The final step would be to manually set up each of the secondary devices. This can be done by going to Settings, then FaceTime. Calls from iPhone should appear once FaceTime is selected.

© 2015 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

ipod – Google News

The Week in Mac Apps: Disk Diet slims down your hard drive - Macworld

Innoveghtive's $ 5 Magpie is now compatible with OS X El Capitan.

Magpie is a handy utility that lets you quickly capture a video from any webpage and play it later at your convenience. The app supports most popular formats, keeps a history of the videos you've watched, and saves its data in iCloud, which allows you to sync and watch your files on all your devices.

mac – Google News

'Worst is over' as higher price of iPad Pro to offset iPad shipment declines ... - Apple Insider

 

By Neil Hughes
Thursday, October 22, 2015, 05:34 am PT (08:34 am ET)

While iPad shipments continue to sink, Apple’s revenue from the product line should stabilize as prices trend toward the higher end, thanks to the debut of the high-end iPad Pro starting at $ 799.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities issued research note on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider, in which he declared that the “worst is over for iPad.” Specifically, he expects the average selling price of the iPad lineup to improve due to the launch of the iPad Pro, which is set to go on sale next month.

His supply chain sources suggest Apple will ship about 2 million iPad Pro units in the holiday quarter, limited by supply issues with display panels from Sharp. But looking forward into 2016 as supply increases, he expects that the average selling price will also rise.

His estimates suggest the iPad will reach as many as 15.5 million units this quarter.

Kuo calls for total iPad shipments to decline 16 percent in 2016 to between 40 million and 42 million units. But revenues should be offset by higher margins on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, he believes.

For the iPhone, Kuo believes the iPhone continued its robust year over year growth in the third quarter of calendar 2015. He predicts sales were up 23.6 percent year over year to 48.5 million units in the just-concluded September quarter, the results of which Apple will report next Tuesday.

Of those, he believes as many as 22 million units were from the iPhone 6s launch, and he credits Apple including China as a launch market for helping to propel sales.

For the iPhone 6s product cycle, he does not expect the same level of year over year growth going forward. After a projected holiday quarter with between 70 million and 75 million units, Kuo cautioned that it’s possible the iPhone could see its first year over year shipment decline in early 2016.

As for the Mac, Kuo believes it will continue to outpace the sluggish PC market. His supply chain sources indicated the new 12-inch MacBook with Retina display is already Apple’s No. 2 most popular product, behind only the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro.

Finally, he believes Apple Watch shipments in the September increased to between 3.5 million and 4 million units, up from an estimate of 3.3 million from the prior quarter. Actual Apple Watch shipments remain unknown, as Apple has declined to give any specific figures for competitive reasons.

For Kuo, his focus on next week’s earnings call will be Apple’s guidance for the current holiday quarter. To him, if Apple fails to deliver upbeat guidance, the market will revise its early 2016 estimates downward, which could push shares of the stock downward.

“We note that a potential share correction may make a good entry point,” he said.

Apple will report the results of its fiscal 2015 fourth quarter on Oct. 27 after markets close. AppleInsider will have full, live coverage of the earnings report and its subsequent conference call with the company’s executives.

ipad – Google News