Suppliers hint at changes to MacBook Air -- Digitimes

While it's a given that the MacBook Air is coming up for a redesign, it's a question of degree. The industrial design won't change much, according to a report from the Taiwanese site.

One of the first MacBook Air rumors of the season alludes to internal changes but few external tweaks.

A fresh report from the not-always-reliable Taipei-based Digitimes claims the "industrial design will not see any major changes" in 2013.

Apple introduced the accentuated wedge aesthetic in late 2010 (see photo above), so about a year and a half will have transpired if new MBAs are introduced in the first half of 2013.

The report makes no mention of displays, but that's an area of intense focus for Apple. The high end of the MacBook Pro line now sports Retina displays with edge-to-edge glass versus the wide metal bezel on the non-Retina Airs.

Apple drops patent claim against Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini

iPhone maker withdraws infringement allegations in exchange for assurances that Samsung will not market the smartphone in the U.S.

Apple has agreed to withdraw patent infringement allegations against Samsung's new Galaxy S3 Mini in exchange for assurances that the South Korean electronics giant will not market the smartphone in the U.S.

Apple disclosed the agreement today in a filing with the U.S. District Court for Northern California. The iPhone maker requested last month that the new smartphone and other Samsung products be added to the ongoing patent dispute between the two companies. Samsung countered that the S3 Mini was unavailable for purchase in the United States, however Apple noted that the new smartphone was listed on Amazon's U.S. storefront and had been purchased and delivered to multiple U.S. addresses.

"Apple will agree to withdraw without prejudice its request to include the Galaxy S III Mini in this case given Samsung's representation that it is not making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing that product into the United States," Apple said in its filing. Apple had previously argued that the device infringed on the same patents included in its $1.5 billion verdict against Samsung. However, Apple has been unsuccessful in securing sales bans.The unlocked phone quietly appeared on Amazon last month, running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a dual-core 1-gigahertz processor, 1 gigabyte of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. While the new phone supports either T-Mobile USA or AT&T, it lacks support for any 4G LTE connectivity.

Source

Fresh iPad rumor: Thinner, lighter version due in March

Apple is prepping a thinner, lighter fifth-generation iPad that shares some of its design cues with the recently released iPad Mini, according to Japanese blog Macotakara. The report was picked up and translated by 9to5Mac.

The report also calls for the next iPad Mini to be released with a Retina display, following other similar reports. The addition wouldn't be surprising, as it was a key missing feature with the original iPad Mini.

The release of a next-generation iPad would drastically shorten an already shortened product life cycle for Apple's main tablet. Thefourth-generation iPad was released last month, just eight months after the third-generation iPad, and the proposed next version would come just five months later. The March timing has been the company's usual launch period for the iPad.

Macotakara cited unnamed sources for its report, and it's unclear whether Apple would want to release an iPad so soon after the last one.

But looking back, the fourth-generation iPad could have been the anomaly, a version released to ensure all of Apple's products had the same Lightning dock connector.

CNET contacted Apple for comment, and we'll update the story when we get a response.

Macotakara calls for the next iPad to have dimensions of 4mm in height, 17mm in width, and 2mm in depth, which is a near physical impossibility. The more likely scenario is that those dimensions represent the difference. The current iPad is 241.2mm in height, 185.7mm in width, and 9.4mm in depth.

Presumably, the next iPad would pick up the white and silver and black and slate elements from the iPad Mini, which in turn picked them up from the iPhone 5.

Source

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGE CREW would like to wish you a Happy Christmas and a prosperous new year !!!

Will Samsung top Apple by withholding revolutionary tech?

Samsung is drawing closer and closer to the technology that will transform the future of smartphones and tablets. The company will show off its progress in a couple of weeks at CES2013 when it demos a 5.5-inch flexible display with a 1,280x720-pixel resolution and a 267-pixel density (an upgrade to the one pictured above from CES 2011).

While these displays are still at least a couple of years away from being used in mainstream products, they represent the next big innovation in mobile devices. They will enable much thinner, more power-efficient smartphones and tablets, and a lot more flexibility (pun intended) in product designs and form factors.

The big question is whether Samsung will share this innovation with Apple.

As you know, Apple and Samsung are still embroiled in an epic legal battle over whether Samsung has illegally mimicked Apple devices and infringed on Apple patents with its Galaxy family of smartphones and tablets.

Since Samsung is also the maker of lots of mobile-hardware components, Apple had been one of its best customers. And from Apple's point of view, Samsung was one of its most important partners for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod lines.

However, the legal cold war between the two companies has inevitably altered the relationship. Apple has been methodically moving business away from Samsung. While some of this has been guised in the wisdom of diversifying its supply chain, it's impossible not to suspect this as retribution for Samsung's perceived improprieties.

Apple loses bid for permanent ban on Samsung phones in U.S.

A U.S. District Court judge denied Apple's bid to ban a number of Samsung's devices from sale in the U.S., a little more than a week after a hearing on the matter.

In a late ruling Monday, Judge Lucy Koh -- who presided over the entire trial between the two tech giants -- denied Apple's bid for a sales ban on 26 Samsung products, saying that any infringing features were just part of a larger feature set, thus making a sales ban too broad.

"The phones at issue in this case contain a broad range of features, only a small fraction of which are covered by Apple's patents," Koh wrote. "Though Apple does have some interest in retaining certain features as exclusive to Apple, it does not follow that entire products must be forever banned from the market because they incorporate, among their myriad features, a few narrow protected functions."

Apple declined to comment on the ruling, and Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Twitter rolls out option to download tweet archive

Some users on the microblogging site report having been given the option to request and download their entire tweet history.

Twitter has apparently begun rolling out a promised feature that allows users to download their entire archive of tweets.

Twitter users began tweeting last night about the appearance on a new settings feature that allows users to "Request your archive." A brief note under the new button informs users that "you can request a file containing your information, starting with your first tweet. A link will be emailed to you when the file is ready for download."

Navjot Singh@nspeaks

Twitter has finally provided the option to download all your tweets - pic.twitter.com/o1joSUbB

16 Dec 12

• Reply
• Retweet
• Favorite

Why Microsoft redesigned Windows

Windows 8 has its fans and foes, but Microsoft felt the time was ripe for a new look and feel for a product used by more than 1.2 billion people.

Julie Larson-Green, the new head of Windows product development, recently spoke with MIT Technology Review about the reasons behind the major changes in the latest version of Windows.

Touting the new Windows 8 Start screen, Larson-Green said that in the past Windows users worked at a desktop with a monitor. In her view, people typically launched one window, put it away, and then launched another window. But in Windows 8, all the apps and windows you might want to launch are visible through Live Tiles.

"Instead of having to find many little rocks to look underneath, you see a kind of dashboard of everything that's going on and everything you care about all at once," Larson-Green said. "It puts you closer to what you're trying to get done."

It's no secret that Windows 8 is designed with touch screens in mind. Larson-Green sees that as simply a "natural way to interact." After using a touch-screen device, even people still using the mouse and keyboard on a regular desktop may find themselves reaching out to the screen to try to move something with their finger.

And touch screens are the future, in her opinion. Though she concedes that there will always be some PCs without touch screens, she believes the majority will be touch-enabled.

One OS, three installation options: What's the best way to install Windows 8?

Ahh, Windows 8. If you’ve decided you're ready to plunk down your hard-earned cash to give this modern UI a shot, you'll want to spend a few minutes considering just how you take your first steps into the Windows 8 experience.

You have three ways to install Windows 8 after you’ve purchased it: (a) Run it as a virtual machine on your current operating system; (b) dual-boot it alongside your current operating system; or (c) perform a full install and overwrite the OS you're currently rolling with. While the installation methods vary in complexity, all three are within the grasp of even Windows novices, and each brings its own pros and cons to the table.

Let's take a deeper look at each option.

Firefox gets an all-new private browsing mode

It was just a few weeks ago that Firefox got a fresh security boost on the eve of its eighth birthday, but this week Mozilla gave users of its popular browser a better way to protect their privacy as well.

“One of the most often-requested features in the private browsing support for Firefox has been the ability to open a private window without closing the entire session,” wrote Firefox product manager Asa Dotzler in a Tuesday post  on the Future of Firefox blog.

“Over the past 19 months, we have been working on a plan to rewrite the private browsing code to do just that,” Dotzler added. “I’m happy to announce that the first experimental builds will soon be landing on the Firefox Nightly channel.”

'A huge project'

Essentially, the new feature allows Firefox users to keep their existing window open when they launch a new private window. Previously, users have had to exit the browser altogether and restart it in private mode.

MOZILLA

Firefox 20 will let users keep their existing Firefox windows when they open a new private window (Click image to enlarge).

Not only that, but “we have also added a frequently requested feature to allow opening a link in a private window,” Dotzler explained. “In order to do this, just right click on any link and choose Open Link in a New Private Window.”

To make those changes possible, Mozilla has redesigned the existing private browsing mode from scratch in what was “a huge project,” he noted.

Beta testing in February

It's Firefox 20 that's currently making its way through the Nightly channel; according to Mozilla's planned schedule, that version will enter the Aurora channel in early January and the Beta channel on Feb. 19. A final release is planned for early April 2013.

Source

Google Maps returns to iOS as an app after Apple's removal

Once banished from Apple's iOS, Google Maps has returned to the mobile platform in the form of a standalone app.

The official Google Maps app returned to Apple's App store this evening. As expected, the new free app includes turn-by-turn navigation, just like its Android counterpart, as well as public transit directions, integrated Street View, and a 3D-like Google Earth view.

However, as quickly as it showed up, the app has apparently vanished from the App Store. Many iOS users complained about not being able to complete the purchase, getting a message that "the item you tried to buy is no longer available." (9:05 p.m. PT update -- It's back in the store.)

Twitter takes on Instagram with new photo filters

Twitter unveiled its much talked-about photo filters today, giving users of its iOS and Androidapps a way to edit their pictures and share them directly from their smartphones.

The move, which comes just days after Facebook-owned Instagram blocked its photos from being displayed properly inside the Twitter timeline, sets up a new rivalry between two social networks eager to capture as many of their users' photos as possible.

The new features are available in updated versions of the iOS and Android apps. The big changes, taken from Twitter's blog post on the subject:

• Filters. Apply one of eight filters, ranging from black & white to vintage, to add a new look and feel to your photos.
• Take a bird's-eye view. See how each filter would affect your photo in a single grid view, or swipe through looks to compare your options. 
• Frame the action. Crop and pinch to zoom in order to focus attention. 
• Auto-enhance. Make your photos pop with balanced light and colors by tapping the wand

Twitter's new photo filters.
(Credit: Twitter)

source

Google Maps lets users explore NASA's 'Black Marble'

Google Maps is now letting users explore Earth's far-reaching lands filled with flickering lights using imagery from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's "Black Marble."

The Web giant announced the launch of its own Earth at Night today, which is a global view and animation of the images taken from NASA and NOAA's jointly operated Suomi NPP satellite. These series of images show what the Earth looks like from space once the sun sets.

"It took 312 orbits to get a clear shot of every parcel of Earth's land surface and islands," Google wrote in its description of Earth at Night. "This new data was then mapped over existing Blue Marble imagery of Earth to provide a realistic view of the planet."

NASA and NOAA released the series of nighttime photos last week giving earthlings the clearest view yet of what our illuminated planet looks like after dark. Besides the 312 orbits, NASA and NOAA's project required an extremely powerful Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite sensor to capture 2.5 terabytes of pictures. The cloudless shots were then compiled and sewn onto the classic "Blue Marble" imagery.

In Google's new interactive map, users can search from continent to continent to see what different countries look like on the Black Marble -- from the Sahara's darkness to New York City's bright glow to the smattering of lights throughout all of India.

source

Word vulnerability tops Microsoft's targets for Patch Tuesday

A flaw in Microsoft Word ranks among the top security problems addressed by December's Patch Tuesday fixes, closing a hole that allows remotely executing malicious code on targeted machines regardless of whether users open the infected file. The bulletin is one of five marked critical by Microsoft in its advanced notification about vulnerabilities this month, and several security experts say the Word vulnerability is the top priority.

HELP: 11 (FREE!) Microsoft tools to make life easier 

FIRST LOOK: Surface RT 

"In this case we assume the 'critical' rating comes from Outlook, which can be configured to use Word to visualize documents in its preview pane," says Qualys CTO Wolfgang Kandek. "This is an automatic mechanism that does not require user interaction. In any case, this will be an important bulletin to watch out for."

The patch is rated as Important for Word 2003 SP3 and critical for Word 2007 SP2 & 3 and Word 2010 SP1.

This bulletin is similar to one issued earlier this year in that it deals with an issue with rich text format documents that can be parsed in the Outlook Preview Pane, thereby executing the vulnerability, says Alex Horan, a senior product manager with CORE Security .

Three reasons a Windows 8 laptop leads, MacBook lags

This week Hewlett-Packard offered a few good reasons to consider a Windows 8 laptop over a MacBook.

Those arguments are embodied in an upcoming 3-pound HP EliteBook Revolve business ultrabook "convertible" that was announced this week.

The MacBook Air is a fine design (I use one every day) and the new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is an even better design. But the Apple way isn't the only way. Here are three features that the MacBook ain't got.

Built-in 4G: The EliteBook Revolve offers built-in 4G LTE or HSPA+. Wi-Fi-only MacBooks are getting a bit stodgy. It's almost 2013. 4G should at least be optional on a MacBook.

Let's put it this way, if 4G is an option for the iPad, why not for a tiny 2.4-pound MacBook Air? And if HP is including it in an ultrabook like the Revolve, you can bet there's a reason: some of HP's business customers are demanding it.

And sharing plans make it feasible to share 4G data across multiple devices now.

Touch screen: I've said this before and I'll say it again. Touch is de rigueur for any mobile device now. And two years from now, a portable device without a touch screen will be an anachronism. Like a keyboard without a mouse.

Fact is, HP offered a touch-screen tablet long before the iPad. Unfortunately, it was saddled with Windows XP. And HP (and Microsoft) could never see beyond the stylus as an input medium.

Docking station: I used HP docking stations for years (which the Revolve includes). They were a godsend. When you need to pick up and run, it's just a matter of popping the lappy out. No disconnecting and reconnecting cables.

Yeah, there are plenty of third-party docking stations out there, but nothing beats a dock spec'd by the PC maker.And good docking stations (like those from HP) offer every port under the sun. So by plugging into the dock, you get the range of ports typically found only on desktops.

Why? Because the dock's design starts on the laptop: high-speed, well-placed docking connectors must be conceived first on the laptop, then the dock design follows.

Like I said, I like my MacBook -- a lot. But its limitations can feel claustrophobic on days. Especially when compared with some of the emerging Windows 8 competition.

But that's what competition is about. Apple is only one company. The Windows 8 crowd comprises scores of companies with plenty of good ideas of their own.

source