Microsoft Copying Spotify to Take on Apple’s iTunes?

For a while now, whispered rumors have floated around that Apple is developing a music streaming subscription service similar to Spotify or Rdio. While the concept has not made its way into full-fledged rumorhood yet, Microsoft's recent announcement may light a spark under Apple to either innovate a new streaming music service or just skip that section of technology altogether.

Microsoft recently launched its own music service that offers both the al-a-carte style song purchasing like iTunes, plus the streaming subscription service of Xbox Music.

The new service costs just $9.99 per month for unlimited access to multiple devices without adds under the Zune Pass identity. Microsoft is also offering an ad supported version of Xbox Music for free that is only available on Windows 8-compatible devices.

Making the service only available on Windows 8 devices is a smart move for Microsoft. Currently, users can download popular similar services on both Android and iOS devices. By making Xbox Music only for their own tablets, they will generate more interest in their branded devices.

Apple may have the market on digital music purchases through iTunes, but the company has never carved out a niche for itself when it comes to social integration. The, now defunct, Ping is a perfect example of how Apple can't make sense of the social aspect of music. Microsoft plans on capitalizing on that by making Xbox Music integrated with music sharing options within the service, as well as through Facebook.

If Microsoft's new Xbox Music takes off, it will add to the difficulty Apple will have in joining in on the reindeer games. As it is, the popularity of Spotify makes Apple's leap into subscription-based music streaming difficult. The tech giant's M.O. is to take something that already exists and turn it into something more amazing than anyone could have imagined. Spotify seems to have appeased the masses and Microsoft may scoop up the rest. How will Apple be innovative and find a niche in a market that just doesn't need it? On the other hand, that's what we said about the iPad mini and it seems to be doing just fine so far.

[Via: The Verge]

iPad mini has stereo speakers

Wake me, I must be dreaming, because it turns out the iPad mini has stereo speakers. Apple didn't announce it during the iPad mini event, but they're clearly shown (if not clearly labeled) on Apple.com. (Really, Apple should have talked about this in the iPad mini video at the very least!)

Google's Nexus 7 also apparently has stereo speakers and Google also apparently isn't bothering to mention it. That may be becuase small external stereo speakers on a device as small as a the iPad mini aren't going to be anything like giant stereo speakers in your home theater, and a good headset will still give the best experience. Still, every little bit helps.

First the EarPods, now stereo speakers on an iOS device? I take back 12% of the complaints I've made about Apple ignoring audio. [An argument could be made for 15% - Rene]

Thanks John!

The Ultimate iPad Media Room Flies at 35,000 Feet

Before he died, Steve Jobs was working on designing an enormous yacht, which was finally finished this weekend in Aalsmeer, Holland. The sleek white yacht, which now belongs to his family, is more than 70 meters in length and features seven 27-inch iMacs to handle the ship's navigation and controls.

It's fitting, then, that Dassault chose today to unveil its new Falcon 2000LXS, an aircraft that Steve Jobs would have approved of.

The Falcon 2000LXS comes equipped with a new Falcon Cabin HD+ cabin management system that's designed for professionals who need to work on the go. It has several high definition monitors with functions that can be controlled anywhere in the aircraft using an iPhone or an iPod touch.

There's a special application to allow passengers to access video playback, operate electronic window shades, and adjust both lighting and temperature.

A Rockwell Collins Skybox Wireless media service option is built in, allowing passengers access to a one terabyte onboard Apple iTunes library, allowing them to access television shows, movies, and music on demand.

The aircraft even has a mobile iPad application to allow passengers to monitor and track flight progress from their iDevice. This app includes an augmented panoramic view that displays the moving map in any direction the iPad is pointed, which is a neat idea.

Undoubtedly, this is the plane Steve Jobs might have used, if he were still alive and if he didn't already own a personal jet, the Gulstream V.

Don't expect to see too many of the Falcon 2000LXS planes out in the wild – this aircraft is expected to retail for more than 35 million dollars.

How to replace the dock connector in an iPhone 4S

If your iPhone 4S doesn't want to register a charger is plugged in, the dock connector may be defective or damaged. This can commonly occur from using third party charges that are poor quality or just from old age. If you're out of warranty and aren't yet eligible for an upgrade with your carrier, a new iPhone can be costly. A DIY repair to replace the dock connector will cost you far less and you'll most likely get a lot more life out of your iPhone 4S.

Follow along and we'll walk you through from buying the parts to performing the repair yourself.

Disclaimer: As with any repair, neither iMore nor The Pod Drop can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It's also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don't feel comfortable opening your device, don't. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.

Not comfortable with DIY repair? Leave it to the pros

If you aren't comfortable performing a DIY repair on your own, don't. It is possible to cause more damage or run into issues you aren't ready for. In this case, it's probably better to either pay the money for a replacement device from Apple or use a local or mail-in service that will handle the repair and any issues that may arise for you.

The Pod Drop has many locations in the midwest and is a rapidly growing company. You can check for a Pod Drop location near you, mail it in, or use another third party repair service. For more information on mail-in repairs or possible Pod Drop locations near you, you can visit their website.

• Pod Drop locations and mail-in options

If you are comfortable with repairing your own device, put your ninja pants on and keep reading!

What you'll need to DIY replace an iPhone 4S dock connector

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have quality parts, tools, and much more for all your repair needs. You will find links to the specific parts you'll need for this repair in the list below.

• iPhone 4S (any variant)
• Replacement dock connector - Link to black part, Link to white part
• #00 Phillips screwdriver - Link to part
• Security screwdriver - Link to part
• Spudger tool - Link to part
• SIM removal tool or paperclip

Video walkthrough

While the video walkthrough is pretty detailed, we still recommend using it in correlation with the written steps below. The video above is a complete teardown and you don't need to complete all the steps in order to replace the dock connector.

Power off your iPhone 4S

Before performing any repair you should always power off your device before opening it up.

Remove the back plate

1. Using your security screwdriver, remove the 2 screws on either side of the dock connector port.





2. Set them aside. They are both the exact same size and length so it does not matter if you mix them up. They are interchangeable.
3. Gently slide up the back plate by applying a bit of pressure along the bottom with your thumbs and sliding upwards.





4. Now lift off the back plate and set it aside.

Remove the battery and grounding clip

1. Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the two screws holding the battery in place.





2. These screws are different lengths so make sure you remember which one goes where. The one that is slightly larger is the bottom screw.
3. There is a tiny grounding clip underneath the battery clip where the first screw is located. Use your spudger tool or finger to remove it before prying the clip up. Many times it can go flying if you don't remove it first and then you'll have difficulty locating it so it's best to remove it first.










4. Now use your spudger tool and at the bottom of the battery clip, gently pry upwards so the clip pops up.





5. Move to the edge of the iPhone where the volume buttons are located and use your spudger tool to carefully pry up the battery. It is stuck down with a good amount of adhesive so be careful when prying upwards that you don't bend the battery. This is why I do not use the plastic tab that is provided. It typically rips or bends the battery. If one part is resistant move your pry tool a little further down and gently start prying it up in different places taking care not to come too close to the volume button cables towards the top.





6. Once you've gotten the battery pulled out of the iPhone 4S we can move on to inserting the replacement battery.

Remove the top logic board shields

1. Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver, remove the four screws that hold the top silver shield in place and the one screw that holds the small black shield in place.





2. Now use your spudger or pry tool to gently lift the silver shield out of the iPhone.





3. Use your spudger or pry tool to lift the black shield out of the iPhone.





4. Set both shields aside and make sure your screws are organized for reassembly later.

Unclip the top logic board cables & remove the rear-facing camera

Using your spudger or pry tool carefully disconnect all the cables at the top of the logic board. There are seven cables total. One of the cables lies underneath the bottom most cable so you'll need to disconnect the cable over it before folding it back and revealing the shorter cable underneath.

Once you unclip the seven cables, you can lift the rear-facing camera directly out of the iPhone. It was only connected by one cable.

Disconnect the dock connector

1. Using your #00 Phillips screwdriver remove the shield that is covering the dock connector cable towards the middle left of the iPhone. Remember which screw came from where as they are different sizes. Gently lift the shield out of the iPhone and set it aside.





2. Take your spudger tool and gently pry up the dock connector cable and peel it back as shown below. Perform this step with caution as there is adhesive on the underside of the cable. Take care not to rip the cable by pulling up to quickly.





3. Leave the cable in this position and move on to the next section.

Pry up the Wi-Fi antenna

1. Using your spudger toolcarefully pry up the round connection for the cellular antenna. It should come up easily so pry up gently.





2. You'll notice that it is wrapped around a metal clip. Gently unwrap it so it's sticking upwards and leave it in this position.

Remove the SIM card and tray

Using a SIM removal tool or a bent paper clip, eject the SIM tray and set it, and the SIM card aside.

Remove the logic board

1. Remove the three #00 Phillips screws at the top, middle, and bottom left of the logic board with your #00 Phillips screwdriver. The top screw has a piece of tape over it you'll need to peel back. After removing it you'll also notice a gold grounding clip underneath it. Make sure you don't lose it as you'll need it for reassembly.





2. There are two more screws holding the logic board in place and you'll need to remove them with your flat head screwdriver. They are located at the top right and bottom of the logic board.
3. Now you should be able to lift the logic board out of the iPhone. Use the area that the rear-facing camera was located and the bottom of the logic board to lift it straight out.

Remove the loud speaker assembly

1. The loud speaker is held in with two screws that are located on both sides of the assembly. Use your #00 Phillips screwdriver to remove them.





2. The screw on the left hand side of the assembly has a black triangular spacer underneath it. Make sure you don't lose it and set it aside for reassembly.





3. After the two screws are removed you can gently lift the speaker assembly out of the iPhone.

Disconnect the home button

1. The home button fastens into your dock connector so in order to replace the dock connector assembly we'll need to unplug the home button.





2. Use your pry tool to gently unfasten the clip holding the home button cable in place. This cable is very tiny and fragile so handle it with care.





3. Next, gently use your pry tool and your finger to back the cable out of the clip.

This is as far as we'll need to go with the home button. Once it is unhooked, just disregard it while we move on to the dock connector.

Remove the dock connector assembly

There are two screws and some adhesive holding the dock connector into your iPhone 4S. We'll need to remove those in order to pull the assembly out of the phone.

1. Remove the two screws holding the dock connector in place with your #00 screwdriver. There is one to the left and one to the right of the actual docking port. The one to the left may be covered with yellow tape. Just peel it back.





2. The left and right sides of the cable are held down with adhesive. Use your pry tool to pull up the cable and the left part of the assembly. Take care not to pry on the home button cable. Use your pry tool to hold it out of the way when removing the dock connector assembly from your iPhone 4S.





3. Next move over to the actual dock connector cable which is also held in with just adhesive. Gently pry it up.





4. The rubber gasket to the left just plugs right into the frame, so to speak, so just pull it out gently to separate it from the frame.
5. You should now be able to remove the dock connector assembly from your iPhone.
6. Now pull the rubber gasket from two steps ago off the old dock connector assembly as you'll need to place it on the new one.

Install the new dock connector assembly

1. Place the rubber gasket you removed from the old assembly onto the new one and now we're ready to install the new one.
2. Peel the adhesive off the back of the new dock connector. Compare where the adhesive is on the old and new assemblies. Your iPhone 4S has grooves in the frame showing you where to line up the left and right.
3. First line up the actual dock port and sit it flush. Replace the 2 screws on either side to hold it in firmly.
4. Before going any further, go ahead and stick a dock connector cable into the port like you would to charge your iPhone. If it slides in nicely and feels like it should, continue reassembly. If it doesn't, remove the 2 screws and re-align it. It can be a bit tricky to line it up perfectly, but you'll get there.
5. Plug the rubber gasket back into the mid-frame.
6. Now line up the rest of the dock connector cable assembly. Make folds in the cable where necessary. It's helpful to compare how your old cable is folded and mimic those folds on the new one. Be careful not to dislodge or tear the home button cable while re-positioning the dock connector.

Re-connect your home button

1. Use your pry tool and finger to carefully slide your home button cable back in place.
2. Once the cable is positioned where it should be you can go ahead and use your pry tool to push down the clip that fastens it in place.

Reassemble your iPhone 4S

Now that you've got your new dock connector in place, it's time to finish reassembling your iPhone 4S. You can follow all these steps in reverse or use our video guide above as a reference. We recommend using both as they are really meant to compliment each other.

Since our video guide is a full breakdown, you'll only need to watch from about 4:30 on to complete reassembly.

And... done!

Once you've got your iPhone 4S completely put back together, go ahead and turn it on. First thing you'll want to do is make sure it's charging normally and that your bottom mic is functioning properly.

If all is in working order, give yourself a pat on the back. If you run into issues, our DIY and mod forums are a great place to find some help or you can e-mail me directly with questions.

Additional resources:

• How to replace a cracked or broken screen on an iPhone 4S
• How to replace the battery in an iPhone 4S
• Even more DIY guides and walkthroughs

Modder builds silent HTPC, puts it in an N64 case

Many people choose to build their own PCs, but only a few dare to encase them inside of a retro gaming console. This modder built a HTPC in the shell of an Nintendo 64. It's also a hackintosh.

Dell Inspiron i17R-1316sLV 17-Inch Laptop

Dell Inspiron i17R-1316sLV 17-Inch Laptop

• Intel Core i5 3210M 3.1 GHz
• 6 GB DDR3
• 1 TB 5400 rpm Hard Drive
• 17-Inch Screen
• Windows 8

The Inspiron 17R laptop’s features and software simplify photo sharing, vacation planning and much more.Dell Inspiron 17R Laptop (with SWITCH): Make a bold statement.The new Inspiron 17R laptop has an expansive 17.3″ screen, 3rd Gen Intel Core processor power and SWITCH lids to compliment your style.Processor: 3rd Gen Intel Core i5-3210MMemory (RAM): 6GB DDR3Storage (hard drive): 1TBOptical drive: 8x DVD+RColor: Moon SilverDell P/N: i17R-1316sLV
SWITCH it up.Put the Inspiron 17R o

The Ultimate iPad and iPhone Halloween Costume

If you're still in need of a Halloween costume for next Wednesday, you might be able to whip something up using your iPad or your iPhone, which is guaranteed to impress your friends and family and win costume contests.

Digitaldudz is a Halloween costume site that uses simple designs combined with an electronic device like a tablet to create innovative and unique costumes.

This site combines an iOS device playing an animated app with a printed t-shirt that has strategically placed cutouts or a shirt insert. You attach the device to the shirt, play the app, and it provides an instant costume.

There are impressive options like a beating heart, a creepy skull with lit up eyes, a scary clown, and sweet little pumpkins if you're looking for something less ghoulish.

The shirts were designed by Nasa engineer Mark Rober, who used two iPads together to create a gaping hole in his chest. His costume went viral last year, inspiring him to develop the shirt site along with the companion apps.

Each shirt will cost you approximately $12, plus shipping. The iWound sells for a bit more at $14.95, but both options are a bargain.

You can still get these awesome shirts before Halloween, as long as you order by Monday, October 29. You will need to get shipping with UPS 2nd Day Air or UPS Next Day Air to get them on time, but if you're in desperate need of a great costume, it's well worth the extra expense.

Check out this video for more information:

Initial iPad mini pre-order stock sold out, new orders shipping in 2 weeks

Apple appears to have sold out of their initial iPad mini pre-order stock, with their latest, smallest tablet no longer available with immediate shipping from Apple.com. The iPad mini W-Fii became available for pre-order on Friday, October 26, and while the white version seemed almost immediately supply constrained, the black version seemed in plentiful supply until today.

No press release from Apple yet, and while 3 days may not be iPhone instant-fast, or even traditionally iPad fast, but for the small tablet category, on the heels of 2 other major tablet releases from Apple this year -- iPad 3 and iPad 4 -- it's still impressive.

iPad orders are now shipping in 1 week. So, if you absolutely want either of Apple's latest tablets this Friday, you'll now have to brave the lineups.

See ya there.

Samsung Launches New Flagship ‘Pro Series’ 80 MB/s Memory Cards

Samsung has unveiled a new line of memory cards this week, which take their place as Samsung’s flagships memory cards, and are capable of transferring data at 80MB/s.

The new flagship “Pro Series” Samsung explains is capable of transferring data with write speeds of up to 20MB/s (microSD) and 40MB/s (SD), as well as read speeds of up to 70MB/s (microSD) and 80MB/s (SD).

This Is Steve Jobs' Yacht

Venus, the incredible luxury yacht Steve Jobs had been designing up until his death a little over a year ago, seems to have made its first apperance as a finished product in the city of Aalsmeer in the Netherlands. Unsurprisingly, its design is breathtaking.

Reportedly designed in a joint effort between Jobs himself and Philippe Starck, the stunning ship first showed up on the blog One More Thing, which posted some stills as well as a few other details. The ship is about 230 to 260 feet long, for instance, and made entirely of aluminum, which makes it particularly light. And if you had any doubt this is Steve Jobs' yacht, there are seven 27-inch iMacs in the wheelhouse.

According to One More Thing's sources, the Jobs family will be present for the yacht's christening ceremony proper, thought it's unknown whether or not they intend to use it, or what its ultimate fate may be. Regardless of what may happen to her, she sure is a beauty. It's certainly a shame Steve Jobs never got the chance to see her finished. [One More Thing via The Verge]

Up to 75% off at ThinkGeek

Get your geek on! The ThinkGeek Overlords want you to know that they are offering Mega Deals on the site. You can get up to 75% off on a variety of clearance items from bags to lamps to games to you name it. Check out all the specials, I'm sure you will find a steal of a deal.

[ Up to 75% off at ThinkGeek copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The incredible evolution of Jurassic Park’s raptor suit

Everyone remembers that iconic moment in Jurassic Park — referred to as the “Kitchen Attack” scene — where the raptors come within a few cringe-inducing inches of their vulnerable human targets. It is a part of cinematic history, and that kind of scene is unlikely to ever be replicated again. Why? Because these days, everyone just uses computer generated art to get the job done.

Back in the early 1990s, though, that kind of technology was still largely in its infancy. As a result, some of the most realistic-looking monsters and creatures in the movies of that time were actually still human actors inside meticulously crafted suits. Such was the case with the Jurassic Park raptors.

1993 wasn’t exactly the digital Stone Age, so of course there are still a lot of computerized special effects and robotic creatures in the making of Jurassic Park. But when Steven Spielberg and his team looked at creating the most believable depiction of the nimble and ferocious raptors, they determined old-school was the way to go.

So picture this — you’re stuck inside a very hot dinosaur suit, for hours at a time, crouched and bent over in a way that humans were never meant to be, getting a lot of camera time and working directly with Steven Spielberg, all with the knowledge that your contributions will only be mentioned as a footnote. That is what happened with raptor suit wearer John Rosengrant.

The intricacies of the process were published in a 2006 book that profiled the company in charge of the dinosaur designs, Stan Winston Studio. However, a new video shows previously unseen footage of exactly what Rosengrant and the design team went through. Rosengrant describes the suit as “very organic and mobile,” words that still don’t often associate well with animatronic puppets or the like.

via Stan Winston School

GoSmart Stylus released in 27 European countries via Amazon U.K.!

One of my fav iPad accessories, and one I use on a daily basis is now released in several EU countries, and also available here in the U.S for $24.95. See my full GoSmart review here, or read on for the full PR scoop on this elegantly designed stylus... This is a perfect stocking stuffer for the artsy or geeky iPad user in your life...

"October 25, 2012, Los Angeles, CA - GoSmart, Inc. www.justgosmart.com  announced today that the GoSmart Stylus is now available in Europe through Amazon U.K., priced at: 19.95  or $24.95 U.S.  Also available in the U.S. since August, the GoSmart Stylus is made of ergonomically designed solid aluminum, featuring a flexible patent-pending see-through Teflon coated stainless steel tip with Capacitive Coupling Technology for precision pointing -- the smoothest and most precise stylus for iPads, touchscreen tablets, smart phones and other touch screen devices.  The Amazon U.K. site provides European availability of the GoSmart Stylus, with expedited shipment to the U.K. and other European countries at a reduced rate.

Patent-Pending Capacitive Coupling Technology with See-Through Wire Tip for Precision- No Tapping Sounds While Taking Notes

Made for painting, drawing, sketching, scribbling, writing, clicking, and selecting on any touchscreen device (even with sticky protective covers), the GoSmart Stylus with an iPad (or other tablet) makes pen and paper obsolete.  The Teflon-coated metal tip of the stylus quietly glides on the iPad or other touchscreen to silently take notes during meetings or classes, with no tapping noises.  It features a precise touch unimpeded by clunky foam or plastic discs, which encumber most other styluses.  Strong and flexible at the same time, the tip easily pivots to accommodate various angles, never scratching your device's touchscreen display.  The Stylus provides unique clarity and precision via its patent-pending tip, which employs Capacitive Coupling Technology, featuring several wire rings for an effectively solid conductive surface with minimal material for a clearer view.

The GoSmart Stylus is the perfect "digital pen and paper" for:
        Business people and students to quietly take notes at meetings and lectures.
        Doctors to update patient charts.
        Police and other government agencies to enter forms and tickets.
        Artists to paint or draw smoothly and accurately.
        Left-handed people to write quickly and easily on iPads without problems.  See "Lefty" video at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omnVs00_DGU&feature=plcp
        Emailing Documents to sign and email PDFs without the need to scan and fax.
        Selecting text and clicking icons.
        Real estate agents, accountants and salespeople to sign PDF documents and fill out sales forms.

Customer Quotes:

"I love this stylus! It glides super smooth over the glass or over the screen protector.  I am a full time graduate student and I use this stylus up to 12 hours a day.  I primarily use my iPad and the GoSmart Stylus to write notes in class and highlight and take notes in articles," - Michelle, University of Oklahoma.

"I scan my client's documents as PDFs and annotate them using [the GoSmart Stylus]," - Olivia, accountant.

"I'm currently storyboarding a feature film. Several of the scenes I'm doing exclusively on my iPad using the Procreate app. This is the only stylus I'll use for artwork on my iPad," - professional artist for movie industry.

Two Models with Aesthetic Design - Embedded Rare Earth Magnets Hold Stylus to iPad

The GoSmart Stylus is available in two ergonomic designs:  300 Series (rocket-shape style) and 200 Series (pen-shaped style).  Both designs include two rare earth magnets embedded inside for attaching the stylus to the newer iPads.

GoSmart Stylus 300 Series:
o       Unique aerodynamic rocket-ship look and solid ergonomic feel.
o       Solid aerospace-grade aluminum.
o       Cap's silicone rocket fin shape prevents the stylus from rolling and allows Stylus to stand on its own.
o       Silently takes notes during meetings.
o       Includes two rare earth magnets for attaching stylus to new ipads.

GoSmart Stylus 200 Series:
o       Shaped like a standard pen.
o       Includes polycarbonate cap with clip for travel and easy storage in pocket.
o       Made with the same high quality materials and precision handling as 300 Series.
o       Includes two rare earth magnets for attaching stylus to new ipads.
o       Silently takes notes during meetings.

Available in U.S. and Europe

Amazon U.K. enables the GoSmart Stylus to be exported to the following 27 EU countries:
Germany
France
Spain
Italy
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Ireland
Portugal
Austria
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Greece
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
U.K.

The GoSmart Stylus 300 Series and 200 Series are available immediately in the U.K. at Amazon U.K. at: 19.95 and in the U.S. at the GoSmart site: http://justgosmart.com/stylus/  or Amazon.com at $24.95 each.  For more information, see the GoSmart website:  www.justgosmart.com  YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/JustGoSmart?feature=watch
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JustGoSmart  Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/justgosmart.

About GoSmart

GoSmart, Inc. www.justgosmart.com  is a privately held company headquartered in Los Angeles, California.  GoSmart develops and markets uniquely innovative product.  Their current product line includes the GoSmart Stylus with precise touchscreen pointing with an unobstructed view through a patent-pending capacitive wire tip; the GoSmart Restpad; and GoSmart Clip for iPhone for safer GPS viewing in the car.  For more information, see www.justgosmart.com .

 

Apple Posts Notice to UK Site Acknowledging that Samsung Galaxy Tab Did Not Infringe on iPad Design Because "They are not as cool"

As instructed by a UK court, Apple has posted a small link in the footer of Apple.com/uk. The notice acknowledges the judgement that Samsung had not infringed on the iPad design with their Galaxy Tab. The text of the notice starts:

On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited's Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple's registered design No. 0000181607-0001

But Apple's notice is somewhat playful and goes on to quote directly from the judgement where the Judge describes that Apple's design is "cool" and ultimately the Samsung design is simply not as cool. The Judge wrote:

"The informed user's overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool."

Apple goes on to explain that the case was also tried in Germany and that in that court Samsung was found guilty. In the end, they write "So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad."


The link must remain on Apple UK website for a period of one month, and Apple is also required to run ads acknowledging the ruling.

Noteshelf for iPad brings calligraphy pens, pencils, custom colors, and more

Noteshelf is by far one of our favorite note taking apps here at iMore and now it's even better than ever. A recent update has introduced pencils and calligraphy pens to the selection of writing tools, and as if Noteshelf didn't already have enough colors to choose from, you can now bring up a color pallet to get the exact color you want or choose from millions of online pallets from ColourLovers.com.

In addition to the new writing tools, Noteshelf now lets your create notebook covers from your own photos and has improved landscape support and a more flexible page thumbnail view. Although it's not mentioned in the update notes, I have also noticed that if you want to cut a section of your notes, you are not limited to a rectangular shape but can outline exactly what area you wish to cut -- this is a huge improvement for my use.

Noteshelf now also supports the following pressure sensitive stylii: Adonit Jot Touch, Pogo Connect and Hex Jaja styli.

To celebrate the new update, Ramki is having a sale and Noteshelf is currently available for just $2.99 (normally $5.99).

I am a huge fan of Noteshelf and use it on a regular basis and this update just makes me love it even more. What do you think of the update?

$2.99 - Download Now

Have your say in what the Dead Island Riptide Collector’s Edition might include!

As the popularity of collector’s editions of games has increased, some could argue the quality has gone down – with the price going up. Gorgeous art books have given way to digital comics, replicas have been replaced with multiplayer skins. Remember the Fable 3 CE? A deck of cards and a coin packed inside a faux book felt like a rushed affair. Attempting to put the collector back in the game, Dead Island Riptide is asking fans to vote on what they would like to see if a collector’s edition was built.

In true Deep Silver fashion, voters can choose how they feel about such illustrious item as branded pillowcases(?), figures, postcards, stickers and more by clicking on appropriate levels on interest. Five bubbles of excitement are available for clicking – NO, GTFO!! all the way to OMFG YES!! will help the publisher see what you might want in a Riptide CE. No guarantee they’ll do it but it’s nice to feel like we have some say so.

Go take the survey here. Don’t be afraid to go all OMFG on it, I did a couple of times. Many thanks to Deep Silver for including the fans in a decision or two. Maybe it’ll convince them to do a Collector’s Edition proper.

Apple Begins Construction on First Phase of Oregon Data Center

The Oregonian reports (via Wired) that Apple has begun construction on the $68 million first phase of its data center project in Prineville, Oregon. The first phase will see the construction of one of two 338,000 square foot buildings planned for the site, but that building will apparently only be partially fitted out for the time being.

The price tag covers the cost of one building and two "data halls" inside. Plans filed with the city and Crook County last summer call for adding a second building and, eventually, 14 more data halls.

There's additional space on the property for more buildings, identified in planning documents in two sections marked "Future Development Area."

Soon after purchasing the data center site in February of this year, Apple opened a 10,000 square foot modular data center to establish a presence there, but with permanent construction now underway Apple's longer-term vision is starting to play out.



Apple has been rapidly expanding its data center capacity at sites around the United States, expanding beyond the company's long-standing sites at its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California and nearby Newark with a massive new facility in Maiden, North Carolina and now starting to bring its Prineville site online. The company has also announced plans for a data center outside of Reno, Nevada.

Google Shows Off The New Samsung Chromebook

Google have been showing off the new Chromebook from Samsung, it has a nice price and a neat 11.6 inch screen, as well as being thin at 0.8 inches and light at under two and half pounds it all sounds good. The downside is that you need a constant internet connection, so in the city it is good, in the countryside that might be a different story all together.

According to Sundar Pichai, SVP, Chrome & Apps at Google, he wrote that;

The new Chromebook is a great computer at any price, but it is an incredible computer at $249. It is one of the lightest laptops on the market. You can easily carry it around all day-it's 2.5 pounds, a mere 0.8 inches thick, with more than 6 hours of battery life for the typical user. And with 100 GB of free storage on Google Drive, you can get to all of your stuff anytime, anywhere.

The all new Chromebook will have a $250 ( 156) price tag and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Source [Mashable]

Your Coffee Mug Is Sinking Into Your Desk

This is a great design, its mug of course, but it has the appearance of a mug that is sinking into the desk or table just like a half buried pirates treasure chest! They come in two colours, brown or white and will be the topic of conversation for long time to come, it is a classic design.

These are the details for the half buried Treasure Mug;

Resembling a treasure chest half-buried in the sand, the Treasure Mug is a coffee cup in two colours (white or brown) and a very unique design. The base is slanted and handle slightly trimmed so at first glance they seem to be actually sinking into the table.

This cool looking mug is priced at $33 in the US and 21 in the UK

Source [Japan Trend Shop]