By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Apple media event set for October 23rd, invites for which were sent out four days ago. Although there is nothing in the invite image that suggests this (like it did with new iPad and iPhone 5), it is widely expected to be the event where Apple announces their entry to the small and economical tablet market that is currently dominated by the likes of Amazon’s Kindle Fire (HD) and Google’s Nexus 7.
If you thought your part of the world was the only area that seemed to get gripped by fruit-based fever whenever a new physical Apple Store opened up, then think again. The new Wangfujing store in Beijing has officially been opened for business and immediately became the largest Apple Store in Asia, much to the delight of the sizeable crowd that turned out for the occasion.
When Apple put a Retina display into the iPhone 4, the world was stunned by its crisp visuals, and equally so with the third-gen iPad when it dropped back in March. While the MacBook Pro's Retina display certainly doesn't fail to dazzle, consumers haven't leapt to adopt the very latest addition to the Cupertino's notebook family in such high numbers.
Another year as brought another iPhone, and as has been the case all too frequently, yet another controversy. Sure, the problems haven't been on the same level as the Antennagate scandal of 2010, and perhaps not even as significant as the battery issues with the early iPhone 4S devices, but the metal backplate of the iPhone 5 has certainly agitated more than a few consumers.
Although Apple's range of computers ship with set hardware specifications as standard, consumers can configure a more personalized setup thanks to the Cupertino company's built-to-order service. For example, the MacBook Pro with Retina display costs $2,799.00 over at Apple's online store, but if one wishes to bump up the storage space, processor speed or RAM, for example, this can be arranged at additional cost.
There are some business acquisitions that make perfect sense, some that seem a little strange but are understandable and others that we can see coming from a mile off, but the latest rumor is suggesting that Apple is in the process of acquiring Color Labs Inc. doesn't really fit into any of those categories. Color Labs is the company behind the drastic iOS and Android app called Color that managed to raise a fairly large pot of funding in 2011, but if the reports turn out to be true then it looks like the company executive have found their way out.
After putting together, filing and submitting their original request for a Passbook related trademark back in June of this year, Apple has finally been successful in securing the trademark through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Apple will be more than familiar with the process of securing a patent/trademark and will have been aware of the potential length of time it could take, but the official granting of the Passbook trademark gives the company protection against any competitor that attempts to mimic Passbook as well as the ability to invoke litigation against them.
With the next Apple event being officially penned in for October 23rd, the floodgates are now open for iPad Mini related rumors to start doing the rounds. Although, it has been heavily speculated on over the last few weeks, there has been little in terms of possible technical specifications or component leaks. It has been less than twenty-four hours since Apple sent out their official invites but we are already seeing some photographs of what are reported to be the official displays being used in the miniature iPad.
I'm not sure about you, but I love seeing some of the most sought after, well-crafted and technologically-advanced gadgets be torched, chopped and dropped - all in the name of pure entertainment. While thousands - if not millions - of consumers save up their pennies for months in order to afford their next big tech purchase, there's always a company or organization out there simply tarnishing them and filming the result for our viewing pleasure.
Now that Apple has officially sent out event invites for the predicted media event on October 23rd, we can be rest assured that Tim Cook and his executive team are planning on introducing us to the miniature iPad that has been so heavily speculated on over the last few months. As the company gears up to present their new mid-range tablet to the world; it looks like they also have one eye on the next major iPad release coming in 2013. According to new reports that have surfaced today; Apple has already been in contact with parts and components suppliers regarding the next version of the 9.7-inch iPad.
