New Windows 8 Tablet Commercial Uses Siri Against the iPad

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:38:00 -0700

Microsoft recently aired an advertisement titled "Less talking, more doing," which pits a tablet running the company�s Windows 8 platform against the iPad. The interesting thing about the ad is that it features an unlikely narrator: Apple�s personal assistant, Siri.

The commercial, which was first spotted by The Verge, gives off the vibe of an Apple ad in the beginning, complete with upbeat music and a large amount of white space around the product. Things turn sour really quickly as one notices the white iPod is not paired with the usual iPad mini but instead a

Apple's iWatch Said to Launch in 2014 with Focus on Biometrics

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:22:00 -0700

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has previously provided accurate information about Apple�s future plans, recently issued a new research report this week outlining his expectations for Apple�s rumored smart watch device, dubbed the �iWatch.� Despite certain rumors of the device launching later this year, Kuo believes that both hardware and software issues will result in the iWatch making its debut sometime in the second half of 2014. According to Kuo:

Corning Compares and Flaunts Gorilla Glass 3 to Sapphire Displays

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:55:00 -0700

Following Apple�s adoption of sapphire crystal as a strong and durable covering for the rear cameras on the iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod Touch last year, rumors of expanded uses for the material have gained some traction. Amid the discussions of the potential of sapphire, Corning published a feature outlining why its latest Gorilla Glass 3 is in fact already a better option than sapphire for mobile device displays, citing greater strength, lighter weight, less energy cost in production, and significantly lower pricing. The features are the reason why Gorilla Glass has seen widespread adoption, with Corning reporting that

Former Gartner Analyst Michael Gartenberg Takes Up a Job on Apple's Marketing Team

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:29:00 -0700

The longtime industry analyst who most recently covered technology for Gartner, Michael Gartenberg, has taken up a job on Apple�s marketing team working under executive Phil Schiller. Gartenberg�s position at Apple was reported by Forbes but what remains unknown is exactly what role he�ll be taking up at the Cupertino California company.

The analyst previously worked as an evangelist with Microsoft in 2007 but the role only last a month. For those of you who aren�t aware he is one of the most well-known analysts in the tech industry. In other roles, Gartenberg was also an Analyst

Apple Accuses Samsung Galaxy S4 and Google Now of Infringing Certain Patents

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:19:00 -0700

Apple recently added five new patents to its claims in in its ongoing litigation against Samsung. The patents target both the company�s new flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone as well as the Google Now service for the Android platform. Two of the patents specifically relate to Apple�s personal assistant, Siri, while the other three focus on the graphical user interface, data synchronization, and method for performing a certain action.

According to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents, the following patents are in question:

Sony Considers Spinning Off Its Entertainment Division to Help The Company Compete

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:02:00 -0700

According to Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai, Sony could potentially drop their entertainment division in order to help its electronics arm better compete against Apple and Samsung. The board will soon be considering a proposal put forward by U.S. hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb, who runs Third Point LLC. Loeb suggested that Sony sell off or spin off its entertainment division, which currently includes movies, music, and television, in order to shore up its electronics manufacturing unit.

Under Loeb�s proposal, Sony would be selling off 15% to 20% of its entertainment business in a public offering

Unity Game Engine Drops Licensing Fees for iOS and Android Developers

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:44:00 -0700

Unity, the company behind the popular game rendering engine, recently announced that it will no longer be charging its $800 licensing fee to developers looking to make apps for Apple�s iOS and Google�s Android platform. Unity CEO David Helgason explained that decision to drop fees for the tool�s basic feature set is part of a push to make mobile game development more accessible.

Helgason noted that he and his team have been looking forward to offering a no charge mobile version of Unity for quite some time after already having made a free option made available for the desktop and Web platforms.

Will a Steve Jobs Hologram Headline WWDC Next Month?

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:06:00 -0700

It was just last year when a hologram of late rapper and iconic entertainer Tupac Shakur performed at Coachella 2012. But the world may soon behold another hologram of an industry giant we lost too soon.

If the rumor mill is correct, a digital version of late Apple CEO and company co-founder Steve Jobs may emerge at a forthcoming Apple event -- possibly even WWDC, which kicks off next month.

When a reporter from TMZ (and, believe me, I hope this is the last time TMZ is cited on MMi) encountered Apple CEO Tim Cook in DC (he was

Penguin Reaches Settlement in iBooks Price Fixing Plot

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:39:00 -0700

While Apple clings to the argument that no wrong-doing was committed amidst claims that the company participated in an ebook price fixing scheme, another alleged conspirator agreed to a settlement on Wednesday.

Penguin is confirming a $75 million settlement with U.S. State Attorneys General and private class plaintiffs.

The AL13 Aluminum Bumper Case is for Those Wanting to Preserve the Look of the iPhone 5

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:18:00 -0700

The iPhone 5 is a metallic marvel that shouldn�t be shrouded in cheap plastic. It�s made out of carefully crafted anodized aluminum that�s made to be seen. So why hide it? That�s the idea behind a new case called the AL13 Aerospace Aluminum Bumper case for the iPhone 5. We originally showed you the case when it was just a Kickstarter project back in January, but it has finally made it to the public.

When you get the case,

iPad Still a Mobile Giant in eCommerce

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:50:00 -0700

Notwithstanding the onslaught of competitors from across the contemporary tablet space, Apple's iPad remains the dominant device for eCommerce.

Monetate, a company that describes itself as a customer experience engine that leverages big data to create personalized online experiences, just released its latest Ecommerce Quarterly (EQ1 2013) report, which takes a deep look at social commerce trends.

The report also examines the growing importance of

Rdio iOS Application Updated With New 'Find People' Feature, Labels, New Interface

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:20:00 -0700

The popular music application for iOS known as Rdio has received an update Wednesday with a new feature allowing you to �find people.' The feature promises to make it easier than ever to find and connect with your friends, as well as follow your favorite artists so you can stay up to date on them.

In addition, the application now comes with a feature called Labels, which gives the user the option to search for record labels and find that record label�s top music and artists. This feature is expected to help users with music discovery, and should also turn out interesting for people that are into following

Twitter Client for Mac Updated With Notification Center Integration and Bug Fixes

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:54:00 -0700

Just last month, Twitter for Mac OS X received an update that added support for the retina display and added other improvements.

Twitter has again updated their Twitter client for Mac OS X Wednesday afternoon to version 2.2.1. The update finally utilizes OS X Mountain Lion�s Notification Center. For far too long, notifications were only indicated by a tinted Status Bar icon or by badges on the application icon on

Pandora for iOS Updated With Enhanced Track Menu, Song Information, Facebook Sharing

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:02:00 -0700

Pandora for iOS has been updated Wednesday, bringing the application to version 4.3 and adding several new significant features for users to take advantage of; especially those that use Facebook.

With today�s update, users can now take advantage of a new Facebook integration that allows your friends to see what you�re listening to. You will be able to �publish and curate� your music on Facebook with the latest version of Pandora. As expected, you will get configuration options for what you wish to share on Facebook, if you even want to share what you're listening to at all.

Apple Begins Accepting PayPal as a Payment Option in Germany

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:09:00 -0700

Apple is reportedly beginning to accept PayPal as a payment option in Germany, signaling that the company may start allowing customers in other countries to use the popular service for buying Apple products in the near future.

Up until now, Apple has accepted major credit cards online, including VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. PayPal being added to the list gives Apple a larger audience to appeal to, and may help with expanding business options in the future.

At the moment, the feature has not been added to the United States version of the online

'DimInCall' Dims the Screen When You're in a Phone Call No Matter What

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:58:00 -0700

When you get into a phone call in iOS, your iPhone will automatically dim the display for you when you put the iPhone close to your face because the proximity sensor detects when the iPhone is close to something.

While the feature is nice, it�s not exactly perfect. A new jailbreak tweak called DimInCall by iOS developer snakeninny makes it so the iPhone display dims during a call no matter what, whether the iPhone is close to your face or not. This guarantees that you don't accidentally touch any buttons in the phone interface when the proximity sensor fails to detect when the

Apple Updates Apple Store Web Page With Details About Father's Day

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:50:00 -0700

Apple has changed the layout of their Apple Store home page Wednesday morning, adding a Father�s Day theme to the design to the Web page.

Father�s Day is on June 16th, which is only 25 more days from today. For those looking to give their father a decent gift this Father�s Day, an iOS device would fit the picture perfectly. Apple knows that, and that�s why they�re remodeling their Web site for the event!

As MacRumors notes, Apple has also redesigned the way the Apple Store Web page looks, moving away from having links at the

Google Chrome Updated With Support for Voice Search Feature

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:30:00 -0700

Google has issued an update to the desktop version of Google Chrome Wednesday, bringing the desktop build to version 27.

The update adds the voice search feature that has been rumored to be added to the desktop version of Google Chrome for the last week. The voice search feature has been available in the iOS Google Search application for some time now, and is liked for the extremely accurate text-to-speech engine.

Vudu Player for iOS App Update Brings Support for Movie and TV Show Downloads

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:33:00 -0700

The video-on-demand service, Vudu, recently rolled out a major update to its Vudu Player iOS app. The update grants users the ability to download movies and TV shows directly onto an Apple device for offline viewing. To be more specific, with Vudu Player version 2.0, both iPad and iPhone users can purchase and download Vudu and Ultraviolet content straight to their devices, negating the need for an Internet connection.

While the Vudu for iOS update comes several months after an Android version gave users access to digital downloads, the Apple-specific version allows for tablet viewing.

Opening Statements from Senate Hearing on Tax Evasion Published by Apple

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:24:00 -0700

Apple CEO Tim Cook, CFO Peter Oppenheimer, and Tax Operations Head Phillip Bullock, took the witness table recently at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill to face U.S. senators who grilled the three men on Apple�s offshore tax practices. The Cupertino California company published Cook and Oppenheimer�s opening statements that detail its now widely reported stance on

ModMyi.com News Feed

New Windows 8 Tablet Commercial Uses Siri Against the iPad

Apple's iWatch Said to Launch in 2014 with Focus on Biometrics

Corning Compares and Flaunts Gorilla Glass 3 to Sapphire Displays

Former Gartner Analyst Michael Gartenberg Takes Up a Job on Apple's Marketing Team

Apple Accuses Samsung Galaxy S4 and Google Now of Infringing Certain Patents

Sony Considers Spinning Off Its Entertainment Division to Help The Company Compete

Unity Game Engine Drops Licensing Fees for iOS and Android Developers

Will a Steve Jobs Hologram Headline WWDC Next Month?

Penguin Reaches Settlement in iBooks Price Fixing Plot

The AL13 Aluminum Bumper Case is for Those Wanting to Preserve the Look of the iPhone 5

iPad Still a Mobile Giant in eCommerce

Rdio iOS Application Updated With New 'Find People' Feature, Labels, New Interface

Twitter Client for Mac Updated With Notification Center Integration and Bug Fixes

Pandora for iOS Updated With Enhanced Track Menu, Song Information, Facebook Sharing

Apple Begins Accepting PayPal as a Payment Option in Germany

'DimInCall' Dims the Screen When You're in a Phone Call No Matter What

Apple Updates Apple Store Web Page With Details About Father's Day

Google Chrome Updated With Support for Voice Search Feature

Vudu Player for iOS App Update Brings Support for Movie and TV Show Downloads

Opening Statements from Senate Hearing on Tax Evasion Published by Apple