iOS 8 wants: Comic book reading mode for iBooks.

Okay, technically this is an iBooks wish rather than an iOS 8 wish but what better time to ask for something as amazing demonstrable as a comic book reading mode than when Apple’s about to kick off their first Keynote of the year? And given the recent sale of comiXology to Amazon and the subsequent removal of IAP from the Comics app, when better for Apple to give their own comic book reading experience some attention?

Right now you can buy comic books and collected editions right inside iBooks, right from the iBook Store. That’s something you could never do from Amazon’s Kindle app, and something you can no longer do from comiXology. It’s a huge advantage for Apple and for the direct sales divisions at Marvel, DC, and other publishers. However, iBooks doesn’t offer a comic-specific reading mode. Like Kindle, they open what’s essentially a static page and let you pan, scan, and zoom your way through it. It’s okay if you’re on a large screen like the iPad Air and reading a recent, super-decompresed style comic with huge panels and few words.

Try to read anything dense, either in panel grid or word balloon, and you’re left to gesture like your falling from a building and your web shooter just ran out. And that’s a stark contrast to the magic comiXology’s engine pulls off.

I realize building a great user interaction model for comic book reading is non trivial, and no doubt getting all the existing material into a format — and dealing with the publishers involved — makes non trivial look downright easy peasy, but wouldn’t it be fantastic?

Anyone and everyone alienated by the changes to comiXology could just switch over to iBooks.

Of course, the cherry on any WWDC iBooks announcement would be a new, update version of iBooks Author that includes support for the iPhone. That and, you know, enabling all of iTunes, including iBooks and the App Store, to support international gifting. I can gift stuff from Amazon Canada to my U.S. friends, but not iTunes, and that makes all of us sad.

Source: iMore.

New Notifyr app seamlessly makes your iOS notifications appear on your Mac.

We’ve come across a new service called Notifyr that, in short, makes your iOS Device notifications automatically simultaniously appear as notifications on your Mac. The service is a pair of applications: a $3.99 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch application from the App Store and a free companion Mac app. Using native Bluetooth low-energy technology on supported Macs and iOS Devices, any iOS notification can appear on your Mac just like any other Mac Notification Center alert…

 

We’ve tested this with several functions, such as phone calls, Facebook Messages, iMessages, and SMS messages, and it worked seamlessly. The phone app integration even shows missed call and voicemail alerts on your Mac. The setup process was a standard Bluetooth connection setup: a code shows up your Mac, and you type in that code on your iOS device to verify.

While you need the Mac and iOS apps installed, the Mac application lives as a toggle in System Preferences so you do not have to be bothered by it. The Mac app allows you to mute certain iOS apps from showing notifications on your Mac. As for the iOS app, you need to leave it installed and running on your iOS device, but it does not need to be open to work. The entire process seems very well, and it’s interesting that a third-party developer’s implementation seems more seamless than what Apple promised for cross-platform notifications with OS X Mavericks/iOS 7 last fall.

Because the software requires Bluetooth LE, you’ll need a recently launched iOS device (an iPhone 4S or newer) and a new Mac. Supported Macs include: MacBook Air (2011 or newer), MacBook Pro (2012 or newer), Mac mini (2011 or newer), iMac (2012 or newer), and the Mac Pro (2013).

Source: 9to5Mac.

iPhone 6 backlight panel gets leaked on Weibo.

A set of images of the iPhone 6’s alleged backlight panel have been leaked on the Chinese site Weibo this morning. User “顾Gooey” who posted the pictures claims they’re fit for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 that Apple is rumored to release later this year.

We can’t verify the legitimacy of the photos, but the part does appear to be produced similar to the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. However, Nowhereelse.fr notes that the connector has been moved slightly from the iPhone 5c backlight, and the pins are slightly different, signaling some possible changes from Cupertino.

Here’s another shot of the display from the back:

Earlier this year Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company has a host of new products it will launch throughout 2014, but with its first keynote of the year nearly a week away, Apple followers have been left with a dearth of new Apple toys, fueling the thirst for solid info.

The iPhone 6 isn’t expected to launch until this fall but a multitude of leaks have sprung out of China, flashing glimpses of the iPhone 6’s larger front panel, beefier battery, and possibly the very schematics Foxconn will use to build it.

Weibo has even dropped a few iOS 8 screenshots that reveal what Apple has in store for developers when Tim Cook takes the stage at Moscone West on June 2nd at 10am. We’re not expecting a new iPhone announcement, but Cult of Mac will be on hand to liveblog the entire event and frothing with anticipation for all the details.

Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/280657/weibo-leaks-first-shot-iphone-6-4-7-inch-display/#UhtxgYEPOCdmyqFT.99 

Source: Cult of Mac.

Transcend Introduces JetDrive Lite Expansion Cards Up to 128GB for MacBook Air, Retina Macbook Pro.

Transcend has introduced new JetDrive Lite expansion cards designed to increase the storage capacity of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display. The cards provide up to 128 GB of additional storage for less than $100. 


The new JetDrive Lite expansion cards are tailor-made with a flush design that matches the case form factor of both the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro models. This on-the-go storage solution offers read and write speeds of 95MB/s and 60MB/s, respectively.

With their substantial amount of storage space, Transcend’s JetDrive Lite expansion cards provide plenty of space to backup, store, and carry personal documents, photos, movies, and music. 

[…] 

When inserted into the card slot of a compatible MacBook Pro with Retina display or MacBook Air, the low-profile JetDrive Lite will not stick out like an SD card and can be left in place for on-the-go storage.

The company offers separate products for the different MacBook models due to design differences between the machines. While the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro can be upgraded to 64 GB and 128 GB capacities, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is limited to 64 GB. 

The JetDrive Lite Series of expansion cards are available now with prices starting at $49 for the 64 GB version and $99 for the 128 GB capacity card.

Apple plays up WWDC secrecy with mysterious session titles.

Apple is having some fun with the mystery surrounding its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, updating the WWDC app to include whimsical session titles designed to give devs a chuckle even as they’re guessing what’s next.

Just about the only solid piece of information from the app update is that Tim Cook and company will kick off the annual event with a special keynote June 2 at 10 a.m. Pacific in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Apple is expected to reveal details of iOS 8 and the next version of OS X during the address.

 

WWDC is a nerd Mecca where legions of iOS and OS X coders hone their skills alongside 1,000 of Apple’s top software engineers. Curiosity about this year’s conference is especially high because the company is long overdue for hardware updates. Rumors have targeted the Apple TV, MacBook Air and iWatch as prime candidates for announcements, although Cupertino is playing its cards close to the chest as per usual.

The WWDC app update plays on that hunger for hard news about what’s next for Apple. Rather than going with its traditionally boring “Session to be announced” titles before the big event, Apple’s WWDC sessions are peppered with secretive names that look like they were sourced directly from Katie Cotton’s outbox.

“No Comment,” “This One Is Sealed,” “Shhhh, Can’t Tell You Yet” and dozens of other secretive session titles will be replaced with their real names and descriptions after the keynote Monday, but for now developers will just have to guess where they should spend time at Moscone West.

Along with tons of sessions on coding, Apple will also host special sessions like the Apple Design Awards, “Star Wars Past, Present and Future” (featuring guests from LucasFilm), The Bash at Yerba Buena Gardens, “Stump the Experts” and “A Moment in Silence” with former NASA astronaut and NFL wide-receiver Leland Melvin.

A full schedule of WWDC sessions and events can be found on Apple’s website, but if you didn’t get a golden ticket you’ll have to sneak into them on your own.

Source: Cult of Mac.

Unboxing a 25-year-old Macintosh IIcx.

Greetings retro Mac fans. Do your kids take their iPads for granted? Do they not understand the mind-boggling glory of their now primitive iPod touch? Well gather up the little ones for an hour long, yes hour long, piece of Apple history. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Macintosh, the fine folks at the Inside TWiT web series have put together a special video showcasing the 25-year-old Macintosh IIcx.

The guys crack open a complete IIcx, including shrink-wrapped manuals and its glorious inside. Watch as they install a cutting edge (for the era) video card that kicks the machine up to a stunning 256 colors. Explain to your children the convenience of the “programing switch”, a plastic piece which allowed you to press the interrupt and reset buttons back when they were located on the actual motherboard.

Remarkably, the machine still works, and provides a history lesson for younger Mac fans about just how easy things have become. Imagine if kids still had to listen to that terrifying floppy drive click every time they tried to install an app? It’s a joy to watch the TWiT guys install the old Kid Pix art program. After all these years I’d forgotten about the “bomb” clear screen feature in that particular program. There was nothing better as a kid than drawing some odd monstrosity, and then blowing it up into artistic oblivion.

If you’ve got a hankering for nostalgia join the TWiT guys for this hour-long look at a piece of our shared history.

Southwest Airlines Updates iOS App, Enables Mobile Boarding Pass Feature at 28 Airports.

Southwest Airlines has updated its official iOS app to include mobile boarding pass support at 28 total airports following a rollout of the feature in Austin, Texas last year. In addition to expanded mobile boarding pass support, the app also now includes upcoming trip cards that contain flight infomation such as boarding position and gate location, as well as access to flight tools like mobile check-in from the home screen. 


Airports that now support Southwest Airlines’ mobile boarding pass feature include: 

– Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) 
– Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) 
– Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 
– Baltimore–Washington International Airport (BWI) 
– Nashville International Airport (BNA) 
– Bob Hope Airport (BUR) 
– Dallas Love Field (DAL) 
– Denver International Airport (DEN) 
– Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) 
– William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) 
– McCarran International Airport (LAS) 
– Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 
– Kansas City International Airport (MCI) 
– Orlando International Airport (MCO) 
– Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) 
– General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) 
– Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) 
– Oakland International Airport (OAK) 
– Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) 
– Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) 
– Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) 
– San Diego International Airport (SAN) 
– San Francisco International Airport (SFO) 
– San Jose International Airport (SJC) 
– Sacramento International Airport (SMF) 
– John Wayne Airport (SNA) 
– Lambert–St. Louis International Airport (STL) 
– Tampa International Airport (TPA) 

The official app of Southwest Airlines saw its last major update in November, which brought a new unified actions sidebar and airport information content pages in addition to initial mobile boarding pass support. 

Southwest Airlines is a free app for iOS devices and can be downloaded through the App Store. [Direct Link]

Apple Predicted to Adopt NFC in iPhone 6 as Core Technology for Mobile Payments System.

Rumors of Apple incorporating near field communication (NFC) technology into the iPhone have become a yearly ritual, but Morgan Stanley analysts believe that Apple may finally be poised to adopt the technology as part of a push to break open the mobile payments industry. In a recent note to investors, analyst Craig Hettenbach points to possible licensing deals, company financial disclosures and patent filings as the basis for this claim. 

Morgan Stanley believes NFC is ready to take off, and Apple could be the force that drives its widespread commercial adoption. Though Apple has been publicly silent on NFC and has in fact pursued alternative technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for short-range communication features like AirDrop and iBeacons, there is little doubt the company is exploring this short-range wireless technology. A recent patent application describes a secure, NFC-based wallet that allows customers to make purchases wirelessly through their phone, and Apple is in the process of updating its in-store point-of-sale system with one that supports NFC. 

According to Morgan Stanley, Apple is choosing NFC as the key technology for its mobile payments system, with semiconductor company NXP likely providing the necessary wireless hardware. NXP has an existing relationship with Apple, supplying the M7 motion-sensing chip found in the iPhone 5s.

NXP is well positioned to participate in Apple’s mobile payments ecosystem. The company signed a licensing agreement with a customer in Q4’13, who we believe is Apple, rexlated to its emerging ID business. A recent patent filing by Apple revealed potential use of NFC and secure element, which we think could be embedded. NXP has also accelerated R&D spend to support a new program related to the IP deal, with revenue expected in 2H, lining up well with the launch of iPhone 6. We see this potentially adding $250mn in sales and EPS of $0.25 in 2015.

A number of rumors have suggested Apple is actively working on a mobile payments system, with Eddy Cue allegedly approaching retailers about the company’s desire to handle payments in retail stores and elsewhere and longtime online store executive Jennifer Bailey shifting role to oversee the payments initiative. While stopping short of confirming mobile payments, CEO Tim Cook also admitted during a recent earnings conference call that mobile payments were “one of the thoughts behind Touch ID.” 

Morgan Stanley is certainly not the only source to be sharing rumors of NFC support for the iPhone 6, with citing its own sources earlier this month and high-profile KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo making his own claims last month.

Source: Mac Rumors.

Apple to pay ISPs for direct iPhone connection.

Apple wants to deliver content directly to your iPhone, iPad or Mac and according to a report, it’s ramping up development of its own Content Delivery Network (CDN) to take make it happen.

Dan Rayburn at Streaming Media reports that Apple’s CDN plans are ramping up as the company has begun negotiations with the US’s largest ISPs to secure paid interconnection deals that would let Cupertino beam updates directly to your iPhone more efficiently than the third-party providers it currently uses.

 

“Apple has been very busy with their build out deploying a lot of boxes running Apache Traffic Server and buying a ton of transit, co-location, wavelengths and other infrastructure services.”

Rayburn first reported on Apple’s CDN in February and says it’s growing so quickly, thanks to a string of networking-guru hires, that we should start seeing portions of their content delivered directly from the CDN in the near future.

Before building its own CDN Apple has depended on companies like Akamai and Level 3 to deliver apps, iTunes video and OS X and iOS software updates. While Apple only accounts for about 2% of internet traffic, iOS 7 updates can boost that number into the 40% range, crippling the quality of service during new releases.

Once its CDN deals are in place Apple will have a direct line to your device to feed it software updates, but unlike Netflix, Apple apparently doesn’t see a problem with paying ISPs for faster speeds.

Other companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook and Pandora have used their own CDNs for years and pay ISPs for interconnection. Apple hopes its CDN will alleviate performance issues with iCloud and give it more control over the end-user experience.

For a company that’s obsessed with controlling every aspect of hardware and software, along with  its gigantic iTunes media library, it’s surprising Apple never decided to build a CDN until now.

Source: Cult of Mac.

13th anniversary of first Apple Store: risky gamble to most profitable retail space in the world.

Today marks the 13th anniversary of Apple’s retail stores, the first ever store having opened at 10am on 19th May 2001 at Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Virginia. The video above shows Steve Jobs giving a preview of the store six days before it opened, and below the fold you can see an animated GIF of the growth of the U.S. stores since then.

Amazing as it seems today, the move was considered at the time to be a risky gamble, with critics arguing that they couldn’t possibly make money. Businessweek ran a story entitled Sorry Steve, Here’s Why Apple Stores Won’t Work and TheStreet.com agreed in a piece headlined Apple’s Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel … 

But Steve Jobs was convinced they would be successful, and the rest is history. Today, there are 424 Apple Stores worldwide, 254 of them in the USA, and they are the most profitable retail space in the world, earning over $6,000 per square foot each year – beating even Tiffany and Harrods.

You can check out an interactive version of this graphic at Retale, allowing you to zoom in and mouseover stores to see the details. Update: Retale has now added a worldwide version here.