Back in April, Facebook references were found into the first iPhone OS 4.0 betas, suggesting that Apple was working on a Facebook Contacts integration with its contacts app for the iPhone. Business Insider is now reporting - citing a reliable source - that Apple is planning to go even further with it, giving developer tools built in the software development kits to implement social features and even a messaging solution that relies on Facebook’ system.
Apple Is Integrating Facebook Into iPhone OS
HTC Sues Apple for Patent Infrigement
That’s right, HTC has counter-sued Apple today. You can find the full press release here.
“HTC Corporation today took legal action against Apple Inc., filing a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to halt the importation and sale of the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the United States.
“As the innovator of the original Windows Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition in 2002 and the first Android smartphone in 2008, HTC believes the industry should be driven by healthy competition and innovation that offer consumers the best, most accessible mobile experiences possible,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of North America, HTC Corporation. “We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners, and most importantly our customers that use HTC phones.”
Steam for Mac Now Available, 50 Launch Titles [UPDATE: It’s Live]
Steam is finally out of beta and officially available for Mac users. To download Steam for Mac, you just have to go here, open the app and login with your account to start buying games to play on your Mac or PC. It doesn’t require any workaround to work, as the app has just been updated and the service is active for everyone.
UPDATE: Steam for Mac is finally live and Mac games are available in the desktop client.
iSlice, a Delightful Little Game for your iPhone
I really enjoy simple games on the iPhone and iPod touch. Saving those serious sweaty sessions for Modern Warfare and Left 4 Dead on my Xbox, iPhone apps like Doodle Jump, Stategery, Fox VS Duck, and now iSlice have come to dominate an occasional downtime. And let me tell ya, iSlice is addicting.
Apple “Transaction” e-Wallet Application makes an Appearance
The prospect of using a cellphone to pay for your goods or services has been up in the air for a while in the United States. While you can do it in some places (Japan), the US certainly is never the most able to adopt technologies that revolve around the transfer of money. Who knows what the reason is, but Apple is incredibly interested in making this a possibility, detailing a plethora of possible NFC (near field communications) interactions. Apple wants to make your iPhone your credit card. It also wouldn’t mind writing checks or earning a spot as your casual debit card, while also being able to accept those same forms of payment. If you’ve ever wanted to easily split a check between you and five friends at a restaurant (something that is a hassle with cards), Apple wants to make this easy. And you know if Apple wants to use the iPhone as your personal money stash, they’re going to be accessing iTunes to handle all the transaction info. In all honesty, this is kinda scary (yet cool!) at the same time.
Apple Patents Approve Touch, Light, Proximity Sensors
iPhones and iPod touches wouldn’t be what they are today without their internal merger of their multi-touch input panel (which lays behind the LCD screen), their proximity sensors, and their ambient light sensors. These devices generally do a good job of being able to automatically apply settings based on my environment, and it looks like Apple is gunning for one particularly interesting ability - automatically forwarding calls between your home phone (or an office phone) and iPhone depending on the proximity to your landline. Patently Apple mentioned that the technology wasn’t just restricted to the iPhone, so maybe you’ll be using your iMac to answer calls from Grandma. A quick pic after the break.
Latest Apple Patent Shows Us the Future iPad Dock?
Every week we report the latest patent Apple has been granted, and while sometimes it’s about new techonologies in the very early stages, this time Apple has patented something that might be released in the near future.
Remember the iMac G4? Apple has patented a docking station that takes a lot of inspiration from it, being a “moveable arm” that should allow users to have something like a desktop computer, with non-contact inductive technology to recharge portable devices and transfer data.
Apple Sued Over Safari for iPhone
According to The Loop, Apple has been sued for patent infringement over Mobile Safari for iPhone and iPod Touch by Softview.
Another Next Gen iPhone Appears In Vietnam, With No Screws and 16GB [Video]
First it was Gizmodo in a bar in Redwood City, now it’s Taoviet and a Vietnamese business man. Thing is, Apple has apparently lost another next generation iPhone, and this time the unit doesn’t seem to be a prototype, but it could really be a production unit.
Screws are gone, and so is the XXGB label on the back. The unit has a more polished, screwless design, it’s got 16GB of storage and, still, it doesn’t boot. Well, there’s something on the display actually, but it says “Inferno” - could be some firmware diagnosis tool, we’ve seen this stuff before as Macrumors reports.
So we’ve got images and a video but what about the story behind this unit traveling around the world? It turns out that this model has been purchased by this “business man” at $4.000 God knows where and why, then made its way to Vietnam and leaked on to the Internet. Doesn’t sound as exciting as the Californian-bar adventure. Anyway, my best guess is that the iPhone HD is now manufactured and shipped to carriers for testing (yes, carriers) and thus leaking it is way more likely.
Find the video after the break.