I think we all understand the emotive human desire to spend the holiday season with our loved ones and the people that are closest to us but unfortunately it isn't always possible to share the festive season in person with those who matter most. Apple's latest iPad and iPad mini TV ad that has just surfaced today shows that the company not only understands that we can't always connect in person with the important people but that the 9.7 and 7.9-inch tablets make great digital companions that can act as a gateway to the people we love through the FaceTime protocols.
Thanks to the release of the iPhone 5 back in September, Apple has captured a 53 percent of the smartphone market in the United States - the very first time it has passed the 50 percent barrier. The number crunching was carried out by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, and its most recent sales data figures show the Cupertino company's market share has increased dramatically on the 37 percent recorded at the same period of last year, and takes into consideration the 12-week period ending on November 25th.
Upon his untimely passing last year to pancreatic cancer, it was no secret that Steve Jobs died a wealthy man. Depending on which source you read, his net worth was said to have been in the region of seven billion dollars. Yet, the former CEO of the world's valuable company was never renowned for living lavishly. At keynote speeches, a bespectacled Jobs was seen in Levi Strauss 501 jeans, a polo neck, and New Balance trainers, so it may come as something of a surprise that he commissioned the building of a yacht in Amsterdam. As reported by Reuters today however, said yacht Steve Jobs has now been impounded in the Dutch capital, with designer Philippe Starck claiming he has not been paid all of his dues.
Apple's Safari browser takes pride of place on every single Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch on the market, and although it is perhaps not as strong in terms of features as the likes of Google's Chrome or Firefox by Mozilla, it's the Web-surfing utility of choice to many. The thought process behind the naming makes complete sense, as it offers users something of a Safari across adventurous - sometimes dangerous - but immensely informative medium of the World Wide Web. It has emerged, however, that Apple's flagship browser was frighteningly close to being given the less flattering name of "Freedom" which, as well as alluding to countless famous songs, might well have rendered Apple the subject of ridicule.
A Brazilian electronics company by the name of IGB Electronica SA has revealed its intention to release a fleet of Android smartphones under brand "IPHONE", a trademark the company originally applied for all the way back in 2000 in Brazil.
Apple and Samsung seem only to take a break from filing lawsuits against each other to - and this is rare - release a new gadget. However, the Korean company appears today to have taken the first steps to some form of mediation by dropping a series of patent infringement suits against its bitter rival in nations across Europe.
In the smartphone spectrum, Samsung has been the market-leader for a while now, but for the first time in fourteen years, the Korean company has piped rival Nokia to the summit of the overall cellphone market in 2012. As Samsung has continued to grow in the smartphone realm thanks to releases like the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, the cellphone crown - held almost indefinitely by Nokia since the widespread use of mobile phones - has this year been snatched by Samsung.
Although some say that Apple’s home-brewed Maps app was rushed out and should never have passed through testing, the Cupertino based company should be applauded for holding their hands up, admitting their mistakes and doing what is necessary to put the software right for the millions of users around the world. If the recent Wall Street Journal report is to be believed, then it looks like part of that rectification process could hinge on striking a deal with Foursquare to include the company's extensive mapping data in the Maps app.
Throughout most of the year, the price of most iGadgets scarcely move beyond the occasional $10 or $20 saving at most retail outlets, and even then, said offer usually requires you to grab a gift card for that store. But with the holiday season upon us, the big retailers have come out fighting with some aggressive pricing, and following the discounts offered by Walmart and Target on Apple's coveted iPhone 5, Fry's has sought one-upmanship by offering the handset for just $126.
The holiday season is well and truly upon us, and with so many sought-after gadgets on the market, finding best offer can be somewhat bamboozling. Each of the major retailers will be grappling for the attentions of consumers, and two of the largest - Walmart and Target - have kicked things off with some great savings on iOS devices.
