The Winter Festival Of Artisanal Software
The official Pandora client for iPhone, Pandora Radio, has been updated to include support for the Retina Display. The new 3.1.3 version also includes bug fixes and performance improvements, improved detection of device audio failures and album art loading.
The app is available for free here.
[Thanks, Parth]
We begin tonight with a bit of breaking news that we’re sure you’ve all heard about by now: Mark Papermaster, the controversially IBM figure that signed onto the Apple crew back in 2008, has left his position as the overseer of Apple’s mobile devices. The New York Times reports that Papermaster oversaw projects related to the iPhone 4 including the A4 chip and the Retina Display. Though it wasn’t specifically mentioned whether Papermaster was fired or encourage to step down from his position, John Gruber chimed in with a quick comment.
Inside Apple, he’s “the guy responsible for the antenna” - that’s a quote from a source back on July 23. (Another quote from the same source: “Apparently the antenna guys used to have a big chip on their shoulder. No more.”)
Gruber made it clear that Papermaster was axed, and I’m hopefull he’ll have some more to say in the near future. In the meantime, SVP of Macintosh Hardware Engineering Bob Mansfield will take over Papermaster’s role as the company moves forward.
[via New York Times & Daring Fireball]
When I read that Apple had patented a “smart bike,” I was hoping for an eco-friendly motorcycle or a jammin’ white bicycle. Unfortunately it’s neither of those things, but what’s interesting to me is the closeness in resemblence to a recent tech product that’s made rounds on Wired, Gizmodo, and other tech sites.
What could Apple buy with a 150 million dollars? World peace probably, though that’s pretty overrated in my book. Apple is rumored to be intent on sealing the deal with a Chinese game developer by the name of Handseeing Information Technology, who specialize in Rich Internet Applications.
Very useful and informative video for 3rd party accessory makers. [Laughing Squid via Limor Fried]
According to iLounge, Apple is set to announce a 7-inch version of the iPad (an “iPad Mini”) later this year and release the iPhone 5 as early as January 2011; three new iPods are coming in September (iPod Touch, new iPod Nano, new iPod Shuffle…with screen, thus no Shuffle) and new-generation Bumpers are on their way, too.
Selling product in China must be like pulling teeth. Chinese regulators have given Apple’s miraculous tablet an a-okay via the China Compulsory Certification, which is a huge hurdle to surpass for companies who’d like to sell product there. Apple’s iPad will still have to pass the scrutiny of the Telecommunications Equipment and Certification Center, but if successful, Apple’s top tier device will likely deliver the same impact as it has in the rest of the world. Analysis International analyst Fang Li notes, “The Chinese market and the overseas markets are the same. People get excited about these new devices.” While Apple hasn’t publicly announced sales in China, it’s an important market as manufacturers begin to challenge the iPad with their own takes on tablet computing.
[Network World via 9 to 5 Mac]
My Address Book is a mess. I know I should spend more time organizing it, importing Vcards and fixing the holes myself (missing emails, website info) but somehow I never find the time to do it. What’s even worse, though, is that there are dozens of contacts I never use on my iPhone but I don’t want to delete. Why? Because Apple’s mobile Address Book is broken: you can’t delete multiple contacts at once and it takes 5 steps to delete a single one. Five.
I must thank the guys over at Elegant Hippo for shipping Spring Cleaning, which finally brings proper contact organization to the iPhone.
We’ve talked about the new iPhone plant before, but a few more details wouldn’t hurt right? Soon to begin production in one year, Foxconn’s latest factory will churn out 200,000 iPhones a day, producing an estimating $13 Billion in export. The factory will employ 200,000 employees; 500 employees are currently employed at a temporary facility. Some speculate that as the factory begins construction on Aug. 20th, Foxconn will be using their temporary facility to test equipment and refine the manufacturing process for possibly new iPhone models (a la Verizon) to arrive in the future.
