iPad By Davis: “Apple again rumored to be building an Ultra HD 4K TV set for release late 2013 or early 2014” plus 17 more

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• Apple again rumored to be building an Ultra HD 4K TV set for release late 2013 or early 2014
• MacBreak Weekly 343: Full of Schmidt
• Flipboard 2.0 lets create your own magazines
• Concert Vault for iPad: Awesome Collection of Live Concert Audio and Video
• Halfbrick announces Fish Out of Water
• How to initiate a multiplayer game through Game Center on iPhone and iPad
• Apple and Samsung neck and neck with smartphone, tablet, and laptop sales
• T-Mobile details new Simple Choice plans
• iPad mini Refurb Models Start at $299 on Apple Online Store
• Dreamdays - Countdown to the Days that Matter review
• How to DIY repair headphone jack, mute switch, and volume button issues in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4
• Cool Things: New Logitech Keyboard Folio Cases for iPad and iPad mini
• T-Mobile USA to begin selling iPhone on April 12 for $99, no contract
• CVS Pharmacy Now Has an iPad App
• GDC 2013 day one
• Deal of the Day: 46% off Incipio FAXION Case for iPhone 5
• T-Mobile USA rumored to be announcing the iPhone today
• Pocket introduces publisher program, gives insight into saved-for-later content

Apple again rumored to be building an Ultra HD 4K TV set for release late 2013 or early 2014 Posted: 27 Mar 2013 12:54 AM PDT Randomly accurate site Digitimes is reporting the often repeated rumor that Apple is still working on a TV set. The latest rumor surrounds the actual specifications of the TV set which Digitimes sources claim will be 4K. For those that don't know, 4K or Ultra HD offers two times the horizontal and vertical resolution of the current 1080p standard giving it an overall resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels; this would equal four times the resolution of 1080p. The sources said that Apple and Foxconn Electronics have been in discussions for quite some time in terms of the TV's mass production schedule, but that Apple has been considering where panel supply for the TV will come from, as Ultra HD TV panel makers, most of whom are based in Taiwan, are expected to be producing at nearly full capacity in 2013 in order to meet demand from China-based TV vendors. Apparently Apple will look to LG to supply the panels for the 4K iTV and if it can prove its ability to supply the panels in the quantities required, Apple may release the iTV at the end of this year. The iTV is thought to offer not only Ultra HD resolution but also change the way that we interact with our TV sets. It is widely thought that Siri voice control and motion will play a major part in the TV's user interface. Source: Digitimes

MacBreak Weekly 343: Full of Schmidt Posted: 26 Mar 2013 11:26 PM PDT Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Mike Elgan, and I talk about wether or not there will there be an iPhone 5S coming in June, Google Now stuck in App Store, and more. I was also fortunate enough to join Tom Merrit, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar, and Will Harris on TNT to discuss T-Mobile simplifies stuff, BlackBerry teases new phone, Evernote cozies up to the Germans, and more. Check it out below. Download and subscribe: MacBreak Weekly, Tech News Today

Flipboard 2.0 lets create your own magazines Posted: 26 Mar 2013 09:09 PM PDT Popular news app Flipboard has been updated to 2.0 and introduces the ability to make your own magazines. These magazines are made of content you find and collect on Flipboard or the web (with a bookmarklet). The magazines are public and your friends can like and comment on stories. Tapping the [+] will "flip" the item you're looking at into your very own Flipboard magazine. Magazines are great for collecting the things you discover and they can be shared publicly or kept private just for you. For example, you can create a beautiful magazine full of all the places you want to explore or all the books you want to read. When you create a magazine, you can share it to your favorite social networks to ask your friends to subscribe. Unfortunately, magazines can only be viewed with the Flipboard app, so if a friend clicks your link from a computer, they will not be able to see the content of your magazine -- just an invitation to get the app. The new magazine feature reminds me a lot of Pinterest. Instead of boards, you have magazines, but it's essentially the same idea. What do you think of Flipboard 2.0? Have you created any magazines, yet? If so, what topics do they cover? Feel free to share them in the comments below! Free - Download now

Concert Vault for iPad: Awesome Collection of Live Concert Audio and Video Posted: 26 Mar 2013 02:24 PM PDT Concert Vault for iPad is a new app that offers up a treasure trove of live concert audio and video from a huge range of artists and bands. The App Store description for the app is far from reticent in describing its virtues: Concert Vault for iPad brings you something that you truly cannot find anywhere else: the world's greatest collection of exclusive live concert audio and video from the '50s to the present day, all available for high quality streaming to your iPad. The good news is that the app mostly lives up to that lofty introduction. Notes Concert Vault is a free app that offers a 7 day free trial. After that you need to take out a subscription to continue using it. Subscriptions are reasonably priced at $3.99 per month or $39.99 for a year. Current Concert Vault subscribers can just login to use the app. A subscription gives you access to all of Concert... Read the whole entry... » Related Stories Today's Best iPad App Ever: Petting Zoo 7 Little Words: Wonderful, Addictive iPad Word Game Quick Look: Mini Golf Matchup for iPad This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Halfbrick announces Fish Out of Water Posted: 26 Mar 2013 01:00 PM PDT Halfbrick Studios, the fine folks behind such classics as Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, announced a brand new property at GDC 2013 called Fish out of Water. It takes the highly-recognized long-toss type of game and adds in a bunch of interesting elements, including weather and crafting. Players pick from six different fish to skip across the sea as far as possible. Okay, fine, the whale and dolphin are technically mammals, but they each have their own unique properties: one explodes into a school of multiple fish, another has smooth scales to maximize skippability, the whale is light (for some reason) and bounces particularly high, while the dolphin can dive beneath the waves and come out the other side with plenty of velocity. Just to mix things up a bit, the game's weather changes hourly, so during one match, you may have perfectly calm waters, while the next day you may be wrestling against massive waves. Along the skipping path, players pick up boosts tokens which fill a meter along the top. By tapping and holding the screen, players can eat into that boost bar for an extra shot of speed. Players that have spent any time with Tiny Wings will quickly get comfortable with the boost mechanic. Players will also pick up gems along the way for completing certain missions, which can be combined in various ways to create power-ups that are used in your next run. After three tosses, a panel of judges come out to give you a score based on how much distance you've covered, how many skips you've made, and other criteria. Players are able to issue challenges to their buddies through Game Center to see if they can beat their scores. There's no firm date on release, but Fish out of Water will be going for $0.99 when it launches. Personally, I really enjoyed this one as a casual, colorful time-waster with a nice mix of familiar but fresh elements. What about you guys? Do you see this one taking off as well as Jetpack Joyride or Fruit Ninja?

How to initiate a multiplayer game through Game Center on iPhone and iPad Posted: 26 Mar 2013 11:30 AM PDT The whole point of Game Center is to play online with friends and compete for leaderboard rankings. While you can start multiplayer games and challenge friends from within some games, you can also initiate multiplayer games from within Game Center itself. Here's how: Launch the Game Center app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad. Tap on the Friends tab and find the friend that you'd like to challenge. Tap on their name. Under the Games in Common section, tap on the game that you'd like to play with your friend. Now in the upper right hand corner you'll see a Play button, tap on it. This will auto-create a match for that game with the friend you have chosen. It's worth noting that you can challenge friends to other games that you don't have in common but they'll be prompted to install or purchase the game if they don't already have it.

Apple and Samsung neck and neck with smartphone, tablet, and laptop sales Posted: 26 Mar 2013 11:25 AM PDT Apple has nearly closed the distance between itself and Samsung in worldwide sales of smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Apple jumped from holding 15.7 percent of worldwide market share in Q3 2012 to having 20.3 in Q4, just behind Samsung's 21.2 percent. IDC believes that Apple's jump is due to the debut of the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini. In terms of market share, Apple significantly closed the gap with market leader Samsung in the quarter, as the combination of Apple's iPhone 5 and iPad Mini brought Apple up to 20.3% unit shipment share versus 21.2% for Samsung. On a revenue basis for the fourth quarter, Apple continued to dominate with 30.7% share versus 20.4% share for Samsung. Worldwide shipments of devices like smartphones and tablets passed 1 billion units last year. Additionally, tablet shipments are expected to overtake desktop shipments this year, and laptop shipments next year. The iPad remains extremely popular, and Apple should be able to hold on to its newfound market share, but they will have a fight on their hands as competition with Samsung continues to escalate. Source: IDC

T-Mobile details new Simple Choice plans Posted: 26 Mar 2013 10:48 AM PDT T-Mobile USA just announced that the iPhone is coming to their network on April 12, and they also provided details on their new Simple Choice plans that cover their new LTE network. Plans start at $50 per month for one line that includes unlimited talk, text, and web with 500MB of high-speed data. T-Mobile is also offering plans for 2GB and unlimited high-speed data. Customers can add a second phone line for $30 per month, and each additional line is just $10 per month. They can also add 2GB of high-speed data for $10 per month more per line. Unlimited 4G data is only $20 more per month per line. No caps. No overages. Just simple value. There are no overage fees if you exceed your allotted data amount on the 500MB and 2GB plans, though you are throttled until your next billing period begins. These plans, along with T-Mobile's iPhone pricing, mean that a single user would pay up to $90 per month for an iPhone 5 with unlimited high-speed data. Do you like the look of these plans? Has it got you considering a switch to T-Mobile, or will you have to wait and see their LTE coverage first? Let us know in the comments below. Source: T-Mobile USA

iPad mini Refurb Models Start at $299 on Apple Online Store Posted: 26 Mar 2013 09:22 AM PDT Refurbished models of the iPad mini now start at just $299 on the Apple online store. That price is for the baseline 16GB WiFi only model and it's a $30 discount on the standard price. There are refurb models available for the full iPad mini range now – from 16GB to 64GB and both WiFi and WiFi + Cellular – though which specific models are in stock at any given moment will vary as many appear to be selling very rapidly. When I first hit the Apple store page today there were no 16GB units available. After a few minutes and a manual page refresh a black 16GB unit showed as in stock and ready to ship. I've bought refurbished iDevics in the past and have had only stellar experiences with them. If you're looking to get an iPad mini, it's well worth keeping an eye on the Apple store page for the refurb models. © patrickj for iPad Insight, 2013. | Permalink | ... Read the whole entry... » Related Stories What Does a 10 Year Old Do with an iPad mini? Read, Read, Read Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad mini: Quick First Impressions Review: ZAGGkeys Mini 9 Keyboard Case & Cover: Not Recommended This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Dreamdays - Countdown to the Days that Matter review Posted: 26 Mar 2013 09:16 AM PDT Dreamdays is an iPhone app that helps you countdown to the days that matter, like birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, or any other dates that are important to you. It features a beautiful design and customizable backgrounds for each event. On the main screen of Dreamdays is the list of events you're tracking. The events you're counting down to will be in white and display the number of days left until it arrives, and events you're count up from will be in gold and display the number of days since the event happened. The exception is anniversaries -- those will be in red. When you tap on one, the same information will be decoratively displayed on top of the background image you chose for the event. When adding an event, you assign a category to it: anniversary, birthday, holiday, school, or life. You can also create a custom category. If you're counting down to an event, there's an option have have it repeat annually. If you choose to set the event as the Cover, then the image and number of days will be featured at the top of the main screen. The good Supports countdown to events and counting up once they arrive Five default categories (Anniversaries, Birthdays, Holidays, Life, School) and the ability to add customized ones Voice memos to record your thoughts for each event Set your favorite event as cover Push notifications to remind you of an arriving event Ability to annually repeat an event Customizable background for each event Customizable order of events Color-coded Anniversary to distinguish it from all other events Color-coded past events to distinguish them from current events iCloud sync Passcode protection to keep your privacy safe Full support for iPhone 5 The bad Crashed the first time I used it when adding a photo to an event. When I relaunched, all the events I had added disappeared. (It has worked great since then) No badge on icon to show countdown to closest (or chosen) event The bottom line I've used a few different countdown apps in the past and what made Dreamdays stand out to me is it's beautiful use of photos. I love the cover image and the background photo when viewing an event. If you want to countdown the number of days until an event, give Dreamdays a try and let us know what you think! $1.99 - Download now

How to DIY repair headphone jack, mute switch, and volume button issues in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 Posted: 26 Mar 2013 09:11 AM PDT If the headphone jack, mute switch, or volume buttons are causing you problems on your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4, a DIY repair can most likely get you back in working order again for a lot less than the cost of a new iPhone. As it happens, one component controls all of these functions so regardless which is misbehaving, this one guide should get you all fixed up again. This particular repair isn't the easiest in the world but will definitely be doable for the intermediate to advanced DIY ninja. If that sounds like you, follow along... 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 need for a DIY headphone jack repair in a Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4 The Pod Drop 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. CDMA iPhone 4 (Verizon or Sprint for most folks) Replacement headphone jack and volume button component - Link to part #00 Phillips screwdriver - Link to part Flat blade screwdriver - Link to part Spudger tool - Link to part Security screwdriver - Link to part Power off your iPhone 4 Before performing any repair, always power off your device before removing any screws or parts. Remove the back First remove the bottom 2 dock connector screws in your iPhone 4. Use your five point security screwdriver for this as all versions of the CDMA iPhone 4 have security screws in the dock connector. To remove the back simply slide the back upwards and lift it off gently. Set the back and 2 dock connector screws aside. Organize your screws It's very important to make sure you remember where you are pulling screws from, so place them in an arrangement that you'll understand and remember. I normally lay them out the same way every time I disassemble a device so I remember where they came from and how they go back in. They're all different sizes so trying to figure out where they go if you get them mixed up isn't an easy task. Remove the battery To remove the battery you'll need to remove the #00 screw holding the battery clip in place. Remove this screw located to the bottom left of the battery. The metal clip on the battery is what clips the battery to the logic board. You'll need to pop this clip up with your plastic pry tool. Simply stick the end of your pry tool underneath the clip and gently pull upwards until it unfastens from the logic board. To remove the battery, I do not recommend using the plastic pull tab. There is quite a bit of adhesive underneath the battery and the tab will normally just rip off or you can bend the battery. Instead, run your pry tool along the right side of the battery and break the adhesive that way. Once the battery is free from the adhesive, you can pull the battery out of the phone. There are no other connectors holding it in. I typically fold the plastic tab over while working on the iPhone 4 to keep it out of the way while I'm disassembling parts. It's not necessary but convenient. Remove the grounding clip To the left of where you disconnected the battery you'll see another screw holding in a grounding clip over the antenna. We'll need to remove it. Unscrew the one screw holding the grounding clip in place with your #00 Phillips screwdriver. Gently lift the grounding clip out of the device. It's very tiny as you can see above. Take care not to misplace it or lose it. Remove the dock connector shield and disconnect the cable There is a shield held on with two screws covering the dock connector cable. Remove the two screws holding it in place and set the shield and screws aside, remembering where they came from. (They are labeled as screw 1 & 2 in the photo above.) Next, use your pry tool to pry up the actual dock connector cable. Be careful as there is adhesive holding the cable in place as well. Peel back the adhesive gently to free the cable. Unclip the antenna from the logic board Underneath where you removed the grounding clip, you'll see a tiny circular cable. This is your antenna cable. You'll need to unclip it from the logic board. Take the edge of your pry tool or spudger and gently pry up the circular head to detach it from the logic board. You'll notice the cable is wound around some metal brackets. Just gently guide it out of the brackets with your pry tool and finger. It's attached to the speaker assembly. Once you've finished unwinding it from the brackets, you can leave it where it is for now. Remove the top logic board shield There are 5 screws holding the logic board shield in place as labeled in the photo above. Remove the 5 screws holding it in place plus screw number 6 off to the right (we'll get to this one in a second). Just be sure to remember which holes they came out of as the screws are different sizes. I keep them arranged in the shape they came out of the logic board with the shield next to it. I find this to be the easiest way to keep them in order. Next you'll need to remove the shield. There is a tiny clip built into the shield holding it in place. (Refer to the photo above.) Grab the shield by the top where the top screw came out and gently lift up and push down. The bottom notch will come out and you should be able to gently lift the shield out of the device. Remove wifi antenna grounding clip The number 6 screw we removed previously we're now returning to. There is a clip underneath it. Gently use your pry tool to remove it. You'll find a cross head screw underneath it. We'll get back to that in just a minute. Disconnect 7 cables from the logic board Pop up all the cables labeled in the pictures above by gently lifting them with your pry tool or spudger.. Next gently lift the camera out of the device. You'll notice there is a tiny tab that is seated underneath the LCD and digitizer cables to the right. Play close attention to the direction in which the cables pop up. The cable furthest to the right will pop up in the opposite direction of the others. Remove the logic board There are 5 screws you'll need to remove in order to remove the logic board. Three need to be removed with a flat blade screwdriver (flathead) while the other two will be removed with your #00 Phillips screwdriver. Remove the screws numbered 1-3 in the image above using your flat blade screw driver. Make sure you remember which ones go where as the heads are a bit different. Now remove screws 4 and 5 with your #00 screwdriver. Notice that the screw labeled number 5 will have a tiny gold grounding clip for the camera underneath it. Make sure you don't lose this and save it for re-assembly. You should now be able to remove your logic board. Holding it at the bottom, gently pull it upwards. I use my other hand to lift up at the top where the rear facing camera used to be. Take note that there is a small rubber piece that sits at the top of the logic board. You will need this for re-assembly so make sure it doesn't fall off. If you lose this, you could experience wifi or reception issues. Remove the metal retainer & front facing camera There is a metal retainer covering the front facing camera. To remove it use your pry tool to gently pull it off. Make sure you don't lose it as you'll need it for reassembly. Now that the metal retainer has been removed you can gently lift the front facing camera out of the iPhone 4. Remove the upper antenna Use your pry tool to carefully peel back the upper antenna off the headphone jack assembly. We don't want to completely remove it yet so take care not to rip it. Remove the single screw to the right of the headphone jack using your #00 Phillips screwdriver. Gently separate the headphone jack from the circular clip. We can now gently lift the actual headphone jack out of the device. Do this very carefully as we aren't completely removing it just yet. Once dislodged, you'll now see another single screw in the outer frame that we'll need to remove in order to completely take out the upper antenna. Go ahead and remove it. You can now safely lift the upper antenna out of the iPhone 4 and set it aside for reassembly. Remove the defective headphone jack, mute switch, and volume button cable Start by unscrewing the 4 screws outlined below that sit on the inside of the midframe by using your #00 Phillips screwdriver. Using your tweezers, carefully dislodge the volume button and mute switch brackets, which are attached to the cables. Now start to carefully peel back both cables. Notice in the photo below that the headphone jack and volume/mute cables must be removed together. The entire assembly should now be freed from the device. Reassemble your iPhone 4 using the new headphone jack, mute switch, and volume button cable To assemble your device again, you're going to follow all the directions above in exact reverse order. Make sure that you transfer any brackets to the volume, mute, and headphone jack cable first if your new cable did not come with them pre-installed. Take note of where screws sit and make sure you line up the upper antenna correctly. A pro tip is to make sure you test the volume buttons and mute switch after installing them to make sure they aren't hanging up and they are pressing correctly. Another good idea is to stick a headphone jack cable into the socket to make sure it goes in easy and removes easily. While you can't test sound at this point, it is always a good idea to check for a snug fit before proceeding. That's a good sign that you installed it correctly. And ...done! Once you've completely finished assembling the remainder of your Verizon or Sprint iPhone 4, go ahead and power it on. The first thing you'll want to check are functions related to the cable you replaced. This includes the headphone jack, volume buttons, mute switch, and the noise canceling mic. To test the mic, just record a quick video on your iPhone 4 and make sure when you play it back that you can hear audio. If all functions are working as they should, give yourself a huge pat on the back as you've successfully completed a not so easy repair all on your own. Congrats! More DIY guides and help Whether you're running into problems or have questions about another DIY repair, the links below can get you to where you need to be. If you have suggestions for another DIY repair or mod that we don't currently have, feel free to email us directly! Additional Resources: Mod & DIY help forums Verizon and Sprint iPhone 4: Ultimate DIY repair guide All DIY guides and how to's

Cool Things: New Logitech Keyboard Folio Cases for iPad and iPad mini Posted: 26 Mar 2013 08:47 AM PDT Logitech has unveiled a new line of keyboard folio cases for the iPad and iPad mini. They're called the Keyboard Folio and the Keyboard Folio mini and, as the bit of the name would imply, they offer protection for the front and back of the iPad and iPad mini. And as you can see in the promo photo above, they come in a range of colors. They support the iPad's automatic sleep/wake feature and offer a 'traditional' typing experience backed by the solid reputation of Logitech's keyboard cases. Here's the promo video for the new Keyboard Folio cases: The Keyboard Folio goes for $99.99 and the Keyboard mini for $89.99. Both are available for pre-order now, with the Keyboard Folio expected to ship in April, and the Keyboard mini in May. I ordered a dark blue Keyboard mini this morning. What do you all think of these new iPad keyboard cases from Logitech? ©... Read the whole entry... » Related Stories ZAGGKeys PROfolio+ iPad Keyboard Cases Now Available in Leather Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad mini: Quick First Impressions Review: ZAGGkeys Mini 9 Keyboard Case & Cover: Not Recommended This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

T-Mobile USA to begin selling iPhone on April 12 for $99, no contract Posted: 26 Mar 2013 08:54 AM PDT As previously reported, the iPhone is finally coming to T-Mobile USA. The iPhone 5 will launch on the carrier on April 12, for the price of $99 without a contract. The iPhone 5 will be compatible with T-Mobile's LTE network, which launches today in seven cities nationwide. T-Mobile USA president and CEO John Legere said this about the launch: "This is an important day for people who love their iPhone but can't stand the pain other carriers put them through to own one," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile USA. "We feel their pain. I've felt the pain. So we're rewriting the rules of wireless to provide a radically simple, affordable iPhone 5 experience — on an extremely powerful network." T-Mobile's iPhone 5 uses 4G LTE in the AWS spectrum, HSPA 42+ in AWS, as well as 1900 MHz. T-Mobile USA has been the only major U.S. carrier without the iPhone since the iPhone 4S debut on Sprint in 2011. Customers paying $99 for the iPhone up front will pay $20 per month after that for 24 months, though again, they won't be bound by a contract. In addition to the iPhone 5, T-Mobile will also be offering the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, starting at $69 and $15, respectively. Source: T-Mobile

CVS Pharmacy Now Has an iPad App Posted: 26 Mar 2013 08:19 AM PDT CVS is a new iPad app for the CVS Pharmacy chain. The app promises a 'virtual 3D' CVS store experience, along with an impressive number of features. Features include: General • Visit a virtual 3D CVS/pharmacy® store • Store locator with directions, contact information, hours and services • Shop using your CVS.com® account Pharmacy • Refill prescriptions linked to your CVS.com® account • Access your prescription history • Refill as a guest • Scan your refill using your iPad's camera (for iPad 3 and higher) Weekly Ad & Shop • Browse your local store's Weekly Ad • Shop our entire online product catalog, from health to beauty ExtraCare® • See your ExtraBucks® Rewards • See your ExtraSavings™ and send coupons to your card • Sign up to receive offer-filled emails Photo • View iPad albums... Read the whole entry... » Related Stories Google+ iPad App Just Got Another Big Update: New Features for Photo Editing, Communities & More iPad App Store Features: 10 Apps that Wow Best Free iPad App of the Week: Repix – Remix & Paint Photos This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

GDC 2013 day one Posted: 26 Mar 2013 08:02 AM PDT The Game Developers Conference -- GDC -- got off to a slow if dignified start yesterday. The show floor doesn't open until later in the week but the workshops are well underway, and everyone from first time developers to seasoned producers are getting together, sharing what they know, and learning from each other. Mid-morning, Simon and I headed over to the Glu offices to get a look at their big announcement for the show, Frontline Commando: D-Day. Glu is expanding rapidly, and their office -- one of several internationally -- was close to overflowing with talent. One side was brightly lit and filled to overflowing with multiple monitors and all manner of activity. The other side was darker, with combat netting, and other props. I'll let you guess which side had the Android action figure poised for battle. Glu makes free-to-play games with in-app purchases for consumables like, in the case of Frontline Commando, grenades and other upgraded weaponry. From talking with them, they seemed really concerned with balancing the game so players never felt frustrated or like they were hitting into artificial, hostile walls. Personally, I want developers to make a ton of money on iOS games so that they invest a ton of money back into making even more iOS games. Glu has been consistent with the way they handle free-to-play and IAPs, and I think that consistency helps set expectations for gamers, and ultimately ends up benefiting everyone. Like I wrote in the true cost of free-to-play there doesn't seem to be an ideal solution -- we won't pay up-front for games, game studios need to stay in business, and Apple hasn't changed the core conditions of the App Store. So, we're left with looking for the best balances possible. Glu, among others, seem to be doing just that. After lunch, Simon went off to preview some more games and I went to visited the Pocket team to learn more about their new publishers program. Then Pocket developer an all-around bon-vivant Steve Streza and I walked several laps around several blocks, basically engaging in a real-world Twitter conversation about everything and anything tech. After that I met up with Simon and Paul from Windows Phone Central and we went to HTC's party. They'd taken over a portion of a bowling alley with pool tables and other amusements, and the HTC team mixed it up there with media, developers, and some general tech enthusiasts. I haven't played analog pool in years, and it showed. (Thanks to @mariela_htc for the picture!) I've always liked HTC phones, from my Treo Pro to my Nexus One, to the upcoming HTC One they've been consistently turning out great hardware. Samsung hasn't left them much space in the Android market, so they, like Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 face an uphill battle. I hope 2013 is more successful for them than 2012 was. We need more phones like HTC's on the market. Today I'm driving up to Petaluma to do MacBreak Weekly live with Leo Laporte and the folks at the TWiT brick house, then it's back to Moscone for more GDC, and more press mixers. But who needs sleep anyway, right?

Deal of the Day: 46% off Incipio FAXION Case for iPhone 5 Posted: 26 Mar 2013 07:37 AM PDT Today Only: Purchase the Incipio FAXION Case for iPhone 5 and save $15.99! Slim, chic and durable, the Faxion case is an interfusion of soft and hard materials crafted into one form factor. Combining shock absorbing NGP material with a rigid Plextonium exterior, the Faxion's form-fitting design offers superior protection for your iPhone 5. The gloss finish on the case gives a cutting-edge vibe to the design. Available in a variety of color combinations. List Price: $34.99     Today Only: $19.00 Learn More and Buy Now Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

T-Mobile USA rumored to be announcing the iPhone today Posted: 26 Mar 2013 06:37 AM PDT T-Mobile USA is rumored to be getting the iPhone today. The last of big four networks in the US without the iPhone, T-Mobile has an event scheduled for later today -- called Uncarrier -- and that's where the announcement 6 years in the making is supposed to take place. Roger Cheng from CNET reports: The iPhone is critical to T-Mobile's plans to remake itself as the "different" carrier. It will be the marquee product illustrating its new no-contract, no-subsidy rules, where a customer pays a small fee upfront and pays a monthly charge on top of the service plan to cover the phone costs. T-Mobile previously deployed their faster 3G/HSPA data speeds on what's known as AWS, a range of frequencies different than those of AT&T, and not supported by Apple and the iPhone. T-Mobile has been adding non-AWS HSPA support in many markets over the last couple of years. T-Mobile has also been trailing the other networks when it comes to 4G/LTE data speeds, with support for that only beginning this year. The iPhone's popularity means Apple can charge the carriers a premium price for it, making it a potentially lucrative but an immediately expensive proposition for carriers. The original iPhone launched on AT&T in June 2007. The iPhone 4 launched on Verizon in January 2011. The iPhone 4S launched on Sprint in October 2011. If this rumor pans out, the iPhone 5 will launch on T-Mobile USA sometime in the spring of 2013. Anyone planning on switching? Source: CNET

Pocket introduces publisher program, gives insight into saved-for-later content Posted: 26 Mar 2013 06:11 AM PDT Pocket, the popular DVR-like service that allows readers to save web articles and videos to enjoy later in the browser, or in apps for iOS, Android, and the Mac, has announced a new service -- for publishers. Following up on a recent Pocket blog that showed how long stories could live on inside Pocket's system -- far longer than they might otherwise stay in the spotlight on the web. That's similar to how a recorded TV episode might get watched more often, and over a longer time period, than it's original TV schedule would allow. Pocket was interested in seeing how much more often, over what exact periods, and other data. And they figured publishers might be as well. I had a chance to meet and discuss the new partner program with Pocket's founder, Nate Weiner, and editorial director, Mark Armstrong. They showed me iMore's data -- totally anonymized -- loaded into Pocket's publisher system, and the kinds of things it could tell us. And it was really interesting. Right now, when a reader saves an article to Pocket, it disappears from a publishers radar. That reader could never look at it again, look at it a hundred time, and come back to over the course of a day, or a month, and none of that registers. It's dark matter. Why should a publisher care? Well, in iMore's case we want to delight our readers. That's our one and only editorial goal. If we can inform, engage, and entertain you, we've done our job. But different readers get value out of different types of articles. Some articles get a lot more comments than others, some get shared more on social networks than others, some generate more email feedback than others, and so on. What if some types of articles didn't seem to register with our readers in comments or even on Twitter or Facebook, but did get saved and referred back to a lot in Pocket? Those could be providing a different but just as important kind of value for you. Some TV shows might not have a high first-run rating, but do have a high frequency of digital recording. Those might be worth paying attention to. Especially FOX. Especially shows like Firefly! But I digress... At launch, Pocket is working with a small group of publishers in order to test and polish the system. The information they're providing includes content performance metrics (how many readers saved an article, how many later opened it again, how long it continued to be opened for, etc.), custom footers for saved content (like a link to additional content, or to social networks), a "save to Pocket" button with counter, similar to Twitter and Facebook, and support for sites with paywalls (like some newspapers). Sure, right now it sounds like our data being once again used to analyze and measure us, and that's fine and fair. As a publisher as well as a reader, I'll benefit from knowing more about what readers love to read, and hopefully create more of it. Readers will benefit from getting content that hopefully means more to them, and Pocket will benefit from readers wanting to save even more of that content. Also, though Pocket hasn't made any announcements and wouldn't speak to any future plans, my previous career was in advanced analytics, and this type of insight, once surfaced, could potentially be used for much more interesting, much more intelligent things that would make for much better reader experience. iMore is already up and running with the program. If you're a publisher and you want to know more about it, check out their blog post.

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