Adobe Creative Suite 5 Now Shipping, Free Trials Available

Friday April 30, 2010 03:29 AM EST

Written by Eric Slivka

Adobe today announced that it has begun shipping Creative Suite 5, introducedearlier this month.

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced the availability of the Adobe Creative Suite 5 product family, the highly-anticipated release of the industry-leading design and development software for virtually every creative workflow. With more than 250 new product features, the Creative Suite 5 product line brings exciting full-version upgrades of flagship creative tools and workflow enhancements to designers and developers -- enabling the creation, delivery and optimization of content across media for greater impact and results.

Adobe is now offering free trial downloads for Creative Suite 5 and its various components. CS5 is also available at Amazon for slight discounts.

Note: Sales through these links financially benefit this site.

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iPad Competitors Begin to Disappear Even Before Being Released

Thursday April 29, 2010 04:37 PM EST

Written by Eric Slivka

Microsoft's "Courier" booklet-style tablet concept
Silicon Alley Insider yesterday noted that HP appears to be putting its "slate" tablet computer on hold as it looks to complete its acquisition of Palm. The move appears to be related to HP needing to make decisions about how exactly it will integrate Palm's webOS smartphone operating system into its product roadmap.

An analyst asked what HP would be doing with its iPad-rival. HP's Todd Bradley responded, "We haven't made roadmap announcements," but that HP will explain its Slate plans in more detail when the Palm deal closes.

That's at least a few months away: HP expects the deal to close during its fiscal third quarter, which ends at the end of July. And building Palm's WebOS operating system into HP tablets could take much longer -- perhaps even a year or more.

HP's slate, previously destined to use Microsoft Windows, was demoed by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in early January, several weeks before Apple introduced the iPad. The following month, HP indicated that it was refining the final specs of the slate in response to the iPad and looking to price it competitively with Apple's tablet device.

Today, Gizmodo reports that Microsoft has cancelled its own "Courier" booklet-style tablet device.

We're told that on Wednesday, Microsoft execs informed the internal team that had been working on the tablet device that the project would no longer be supported. Courier had never been publicly announced or acknowledged as a Microsoft product.

The cancellation was confirmed in a response from a Microsoft representative, who noted that Courier was one of the company's creative explorations of new form factors and interfaces, but that it is not planned to go into production. The Courier concept offered two touch-sensitive screens in a foldable format and incorporated touch, stylus, and handwriting recognition input.

Finder of Lost Next-Generation iPhone Identified

Thursday April 29, 2010 06:39 PM EST
Written by Eric Slivka

Wired reports that it has identified the person who last month found a next-generation iPhone in a Redwood City, California bar and later sold the device to Gizmodo.

Brian J. Hogan, a 21-year-old resident of Redwood City, California, says although he was paid by tech site Gizmodo, he believed the payment was for allowing the site exclusive access to review the phone. Gizmodo emphasized to him "that there was nothing wrong in sharing the phone with the tech press," according to his attorney Jeffrey Bornstein.

While the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office has spoken with Hogan and is continuing to examine the case to determine whether criminal charges are warranted, Hogan has yet to be charged with any crime.

According to the report, Hogan was only able to access the device's Facebook application before it shut down, and only later did he discover that he was in possession of a prototype device. A friend of Hogan's reportedly called AppleCare on Hogan's behalf in a failed attempt to return the iPhone, which appears to be the extent of Hogan's effort to return the phone to its owner.

"He regrets his mistake in not doing more to return the phone," says Bornstein's statement. "Even though he did obtain some compensation from Gizmodo, Brian thought that it was so that they could review the phone."

After Gizmodo published a feature article on the next-generation iPhone, Apple representatives attempted to search Hogan's home, but were turned away by a roommate. Law enforcement officials then became involved in the situation at therequest of Apple. In addition to Hogan, investigators have also focused onGizmodo editor Jason Chen, seizing a number of items from his residence in what the Electronic Frontier Foundation calls an illegal search.

Update: CNET reports that it has identified UC Berkeley student Sage Wallower as the "middleman" who contacted tech sites on Hogan's behalf regarding the lost iPhone. CNET also believes that there was a third person involved in the situation.

In an in-person interview with CNET at his home in Oakland on Thursday, Wallower said, "I'm not the person who found it. I didn't see it or touch it in any manner. But I know who found it." He declined to identify anyone else, however, in part because he said conversations with law professors had convinced him that Apple was a "legal juggernaut."

"I need to talk to a lawyer," Wallower said. "I think I have already said too much."

Apple drops Mac category from annual design awards

Posted on Apr 29, 2010 3:00 am by Dan Moren, Macworld.com

The Apple Design Awards, which recognize the best software created by third-party developers for Apple platforms, are among the most coveted honors in the Mac community and developers weren't shy about voicing their disappointment over the lack of Mac.Third-party developers heaved a sigh of relief this morning as Apple finally announced the dates for its 2010 Worldwide Developer Conference. But that sigh was quickly followed by a raised eyebrow of curiosity as they noticed that Apple had dropped the Mac software category from its long-running Apple Design Awards. Instead, the awards will cover only iPhone and iPad applications available on the App Store.

"I think it's a mistake for Apple to miss such an easy opportunity to acknowledge Mac developers," says Red Sweater Software proprietor Daniel Jalkut. "While the iPhone and iPad are understandably hot right now, the Mac is still a huge part of Apple's business, and Mac developers are important in sustaining that."

Rogue Amoeba CEO Paul Kafasis agrees. "Ultimately, I find these moves disappointing. Having an iPhone slant at WWDC is one thing, but completely cutting the Mac out of the ADAs? That feels like a snub to plenty of Mac developers who continue to do great work on a well-established, popular platform."

While ADAs are handed out every year at WWDC, the list of categories change to take into account Apple's latest technologies. In 2005, for example, Apple recognized "Best Mac OS X Tiger Technology Adoption"; in 2006, "Best Automator Workflow." iPhone apps were first given awards in 2008, a month before the App Store's debut. But while iPhone and iPad apps are clearly the topic of the moment in 2010, it would also have been the first year for showing off apps that take advantage of features in the latest version of Mac OS X, Snow Leopard, which debuted last August.

The ADAs aren't the only place that the Mac seems to have gotten short shrift. Apple's dubbed WWDC 2010 "the center of the app universe" and the list of sessions reference "how to harness the revolutionary technologies in iPhone OS."

Apple's also reorganized the conference's structure, which in the past has been divided up into tracks for the company's various platforms and other general topics: iPhone, Mac, IT, and so on. This year, Apple's taken a technology-centric approach, dividing its session up into topics on Application Frameworks, Core OS, Developer Tools, Graphics & Media, and Internet & Web.

Given that Apple has already shown off iPhone OS 4.0, which is due to be released this summer, it's not necessarily a surprise that the bulk of WWDC would focus on iPhone development. The next version of the Mac OS X, on the other hand, hasn't yet seen the light of day, and some estimate that it's still a year or more away.

"This year, because of their focus on iPhone and iPad, there isn't anything exciting to sell about Mac OS X," says Red Sweater's Jalkut.

"I don't think we'll see any information Mac OS X 10.7 at all," says Kafasis. "Apple clearly wants to focus on iPhone OS."

There's also the recent introduction of the iPad, which is undeniably a hot property at the moment. It also means that half of Apple's major product lines—the Mac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad—run the iPhone OS. And the iPhone alone makes up a major portion of the Apple's revenue; last quarter, it accounted for 40 percent of the company's $13.5 billion income.

Mac OS X isn't wholly absent from the 2010 proceedings. There are several WWDC sessions that deal specifically with the Mac, such as "I/O Kit Device Drivers for Mac OS X," and "OpenGL for Mac OS X," and several of the other session descriptions put the Mac on even footing with the iPhone OS. And of course, since the Mac and iPhone operating systems share an underlying foundation, many of the sessions apply to both platforms.

But the shift towards the iPhone is undeniable, and when coupled with other recent concerns, such asthe lack of updates to Apple's popular Mac OS X Downloads page, some developers are uncomfortable with the message that Apple seems to be sending. "Is that intentional, or are we reading too much into it?" wonders Kafasis. "It's impossible to say, but it's all we have to go off of for now."

That said, Kafasis doesn't find the move surprising, given Apple's sometimes tumultous—and often close-mouthed—relationshp with third-party developers. "At times, they've needed us—to help keep the company afloat in the late '90s, to get people to try Mac OS X (and leave Mac OS 9), to move people to Intel from [PowerPC]. But when they don't need us, it often feels as though they don't really want us either. I think that in the mind of Steve Jobs, the Mac is largely complete, without any third party applications."

Despite the shift in focus, Mac developers seem more irked than worried for the future of their platform. After all, Mac sales have been steadily growing over the last several years, with 2.94 million computers sold in the last quarter and repeated record-setting Mac sales.

"The iPhone OS is certainly bigger than Mac OS X now, and that's incredible," Kafasis says. "That doesn't mean the Mac is suddenly irrelevant, however."

"It's not the end of the Mac, or even indicative that Apple doesn't care about supporting Mac developers," adds Jalkut. "Apple just gets this annoying tunnel vision sometimes and this is a perfect example of that."

Next Generation iPhone to Use 5-Megapixel Camera?

Thursday April 29, 2010 12:18 AM EST; Category: iPhone

Written by arn

Chosun reports (via AppleInsider) that Apple's next generation iPhone will use a 5-megapixel camera provided by LG Innotek.

The electronics component maker began producing the sophisticated cameras at its plant in Gumi this month and will mass produce them starting in the second half of this year.

The current iPhone 3GS offers only a 3-megapixel camera at this time. There had been earlier rumors in 2009 also placing a 5-megapixel camera in the next iPhone, but those rumors pinpointed a different supplier. 

Apple is expected to unveil the next iPhone at WWDC in June.

Apple Announces WWDC 2010 Dates: June 7-11

Wednesday April 28, 2010 09:17 AM EST

Written by Eric Slivka

Apple today announced that this year's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC)will take place from June 7th through 11th at San Francisco's Moscone West convention center.

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is the premier technical conference for developers innovating with Apple technologies. Over 1,000 Apple engineers will be at Moscone West to present advanced coding and development techniques that will show you how to enhance the capabilities of your applications with the revolutionary technologies in iPhone OS and Mac OS X.

As always, the conference will include technical sessions and hands-on labs for attendees, as well as other special events. Registration for the conference is priced at $1599, with tickets for the conference having sold out increasingly quickly over the past couple of years. Given the short lead time on ticket sales this year, developers will likely have to move quickly to secure a spot in the conference.

Apple is widely expected to introduce its new iPhone hardware during a keynote address at the event, although the device has already received considerable publicity since Gizmodo published details on one lost by an Apple employee in a California bar.

Update: A number of observers have noticed a heavy emphasis on iPhone OS in this year's conference, from the headline banner featuring App Store application icons to the elimination of Mac OS X as a category in the Apple Design Awards. AsDaring Fireball's John Gruber notes, the iPhone OS emphasis strongly suggests that Mac OS X 10.7 will not be previewed at the conference.

EFF Believes Search and Seizure of Gizmodo Editor's Computers Was Illegal

Monday April 26, 2010 09:36 PM EST

Written by arn

Leaked images of next generation iPhone
LaptopMag spoke with the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Civil Liberties Director Jennifer Granick who believes that the search and seizure of Jason Chen's computer equipment violated both state and federal laws. Chen's equipment was seized by law enforcement officials surrounding an investigation of the lost next generation iPhone that had been leaked.

"There are both federal and state laws here in California that protect reporters and journalists from search and seizure for their news gathering activities. The federal law is the Privacy Protection Act and the state law is a provision of the penal code and evidence code. It appears that both of those laws may be being violated by this search and seizure."

While some have suggested that this may not apply if they were investigating Gizmodo for criminal activity, the EFF says it doesn't matter and the shield laws apply anyway.

But even if they are saying it was unlawful, the statute appears to say it doesn't matter. The crime that you're investigating cannot be receipt of that information or materials."

Based on a report by TechCrunch, it appears the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office is acknowledging that the shield protection laws may still be valid. The investigation has reported to have come to a pause as they reevaluate whether or not those shield laws do apply in this situation.

Police Seize Gizmodo Editor's Computers and Other Property Related to Lost Next-Generation iPhone [Updated]

Monday April 26, 2010 04:45 PM EST
Written by Eric Slivka

Gizmodo reports that police officers entered the home of its editor Jason Chen last Friday night, seizing four computers, two servers, and other items as authorized by a search warrant related to the site's purchase of a next-generation iPhone lost by an Apple employee in a Redwood City, California bar.

A total of 24 items related to the investigation were seized by officers, who broke down the door to Chen's unoccupied residence to execute the search warrant. Chen, who returned home from a dinner out to find the police in his home, notes that he discussed with the officers claims made by Gaby Darbyshire, Chief Operating Officer of Gizmodo's parent company Gawker Media that such a search warrant should be considered illegal under journalist protection statutes. Officers proceeded, however, with their search and seizure.

According to Gaby Darbyshire, COO of Gawker Media LLC, the search warrant to remove these computers was invalid under section 1524(g) of the California Penal Code.

Gawker has filed its objection with the police department and requested an immediate return of the seized items.

Update: TechCrunch provides some additional color on the situation, reporting that the authorities have temporarily put the investigation on hold as they study whether they agree with Gizmodo's claims that journalist shield laws should apply to the situation. Consequently, police have not yet begun to examine the evidence seized from Chen's residence.

I just spoke to Stephen Wagstaffe, Chief Deputy at San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, who told me that nobody has yet been charged in the case, and at this point it is "just an investigation". He says the investigation is "looking at any hand that touched or had something to do with this phone" but that the investigation is not currently targeting either Gawker or the person who originally found the phone -- rather, police are collecting every fact they can to present to the DA, who will then make a decision.

Steam for Mac Details: Native Performance, Chipset Limitations, Closed Beta Underway

Monday April 26, 2010 04:25 PM EST
Written by Eric Slivka

Last month, Valve Software announced that its Steam game distribution platform and its own library of games would be coming to Mac OS X in April. In recent weeks, Valve has kicked off a closed beta for Steam, and an extensive thread in the Steam user forums has led to a nice summarization of where things stand.


Reports confirm previous claims that Steam and the Source gaming engine will run natively on Mac OS X using OpenGL instead of relying on a wrapper such as Cider to translate the Windows versions to Mac. That commitment and designation of Mac OS X as a "Tier-1 Platform" offer evidence that Valve is seeking to make the Mac gaming experience as equal to the Windows experience as possible.

Steam itself will also be Intel-only and require Mac OS X Leopard, although individual games may require newer versions of Mac OS X. Reports also indicate that systems using Intel's X3100 or 900-series integrated graphics will not be supported for Source-based games, although testers have been able to get the Mac version of Portal running at 10-15 frames per second on lowest settings on these systems.

Other details coming out of the beta testing are confirmation regarding Steam Play, which will allow users to purchase a game only once and play it on multiple systems, as well as corroboration that Windows and Mac users will play on the same servers with the ability to join the same lobbies.

Beta users are reportedly still limited to Portal for testing, although word is thatCounter-Strike: Source and Half-Life 2 will be added shortly. Other confirmed games for Mac include the remainder of the Half-Life series, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, and the upcoming Portal 2.

Despite a refresh of the Steam client user interface released today, Valve has yet to announce a specific release date for the Mac version of Steam, continuing to hint only "coming soon".

Questions Arise Over Google's Plans to Bring Free Turn-By-Turn GPS Navigation to iPhone

Friday April 23, 2010 09:57 AM EST; Category: iPhone

Written by Eric Slivka

Last October, Google announced free turn-by-turn GPS navigation capabilities for its Android 2.0 operating system in the United States, launching the feature on the Motorola Droid handset the following month. At the time, Google vice president Vic Gundotra revealed that his company was working with Apple to bring the feature to the iPhone, noting that the implementation required more work than a simple App Store submission due to the built-in nature of the Maps application.

MacUser yesterday reported that Google has announced that it is bringing the free service to the United Kingdom on Android and continues to have plans to bring it to the iPhone and other platforms.

Google confirmed at a London press conference that it plans to bring free satnav to other smartphone platforms, including the iPhone, although it wouldn't say when.

According to PCWorld, however, Google has backpedaled on those claims and in fact seems to be distancing itself from the possibility of bringing the service to the iPhone.

"We did not say we would bring it to iPhone, we said to date we've had it on Android and that in the future it may come to other platforms but did not confirm this will be coming to iPhone at all," a Google spokesperson told PCWorld.

While users continue to wait for Google to decide whether to make its service available on the iPhone, other companies have been stepping forward in the competitive GPS navigation market. In addition to paid options from such companies as TomTom, Magellan, and Navigon, MapQuest last month beganoffering free basic turn-by-turn directions.

Lost Next-Generation iPhone Believed to Be Late-Stage or Final Design

Thursday April 22, 2010 11:52 AM EST; Category: iPhone

Written by Eric Slivka

Since the leak of a next-generation iPhone earlier this week, questions have been raised about how closely the device in question matches what ends up being the final shipping product, expected to be launched later this year. Apple undoubtedly creates a number of prototypes of its products as it seeks to settle on designs that will achieve its technical and aesthetic goals, and while one might expect that Apple would wait until a nearly-final design had been reached before sending Apple employees out into the wild with the devices, time constraints and other issues could result in Apple sending out devices for performance testing while continuing to redesign other aspects.

In a lengthy post analyzing the circumstances of the lost iPhone, Daring Fireball's John Gruber notes that it appears that the device closely resembles, if not matches, the final design for the public launch.

According to Gizmodo, one of the barcodes attached to the unit read "N90_DVT_GE4X_0493". According to several sources (of mine) familiar with the project, "N90" is Apple's codename for the fourth-generation GSM iPhone, slated for release this June or July. "DVT" stands for "design verification test", an Apple production milestone. The DVT milestone is very late in the game; based on this, I now believe that this unit very closely, if not exactly, resembles what Apple plans to release.

Gruber's thoughts echo those of iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens, who noted earlier this week that the device appeared to be close to the final shipping version.

It's closer to production than I was expecting. I'd say this thing is very very close.

While the evidence does not preclude Apple from making last-minute feature or design changes to the next-generation iPhone, it does indicate that Apple believes it has essentially a final design in hand.

Apple updates MacBook Pros with Core i5, i7 processors

Posted on Apr 13, 2010 8:21 pm by Dan Moren, Macworld.com

Apple on Tuesday released an updated line of its MacBook Pro portable computers, adding in faster processors, new graphics chips, and a longer-lasting battery.

The 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros saw the biggest jumps, as they now use Intel’s Core i5 and i7 processors. Designed with a 32-nanometer process, the Core i5 and i7 sport integrated memory controllers and Level 3 caches. A Turbo Boost feature lets the dual processor cores optimize their performance, allowing speeds of up to 3.06GHz for dual core tasks, and 3.33GHz for tasks involving just one core.

As with the previous iterations, both the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro models feature two graphics processors, in this case the Nvidia GeForce GT330M for high-performance needs and the Intel HD graphics for more power efficiency. And in an improvement over the last generation, Apple says the system will automatically figure out which graphics processor is needed for a program or operation, and switch as necessary to give you both the best in performance and battery life. In the past you had to go into System Preferences, choose a graphics option, and log out and back in for the change to take effect.

“We wanted to make the process much more seamless for the user,” a representative told us during a briefing on the Apple campus Tuesday. To that end, the company made it so the Macs intelligently switch between integrated and discrete graphics as needed.

Apple also made the point that the company isn’t using Nvidia’s Optimus technology for graphics switching, but rather an Apple-developed technology. Unlike Optimus, Apple said, the MacBook Pro looks for frameworks needed by individual apps at launch (such as OpenGL and Core Animation) to decide when to switch, rather than looking at a specific list of applications. If you’ve been checking your e-mail, surfing the Web, or even watching 720p HD video in iTunes (none of which requires dedicated graphics) and launch Aperture, for example, the MacBook Pro will automatically switch to the GeForce dedicated graphics for all of your work until you quit that app.

One interesting note: the Mini DisplayPort connection on all of the new MacBook Pro models now supports audio output as well. So using an adapter such as the $40 Griffin Video Display Converter, you can connect a MacBook Pro to an HDTV using HDMI, for example, with a single cable carrying HD video and multichannel digital audio. (Apple said that not all Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapters support audio.)

Pricing has shifted somewhat on the MacBook Pro line as well: while the lowest 15-inch configuration is now $100 more expensive than its predecessor, the top 15-inch model now costs $100 less. And the 17-inch MacBook Pro now sells for $200 less than before.

Meanwhile, the 13-inch MacBook Pro now has faster Core 2 Duo processors, 4GB of RAM, and Nvidia’s new GeForce 320M integrated graphics processor. Fans of swappable batteries may shed a tear, as the 13-inch’s battery is now built-in—that said, Apple’s claiming 10 hours of battery life, which is a pretty solid tradeoff. Batteries can be replaced by Apple Authorized service providers: it’s $129 for the 13-inch or 15-inch models and $179 for the 17-inch model, including disposal of the old battery and installation of the new one.

Battery life in general is also a focus of the line. The 15-inch and 17-inch models can supposedly run for 8 to 9 hours, thanks to highly tweaked power management. From an efficiency standpoint, all Mac notebooks meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieve EPEAT Gold Status. The trackpad on the new MacBook Pros also supports inertial scrolling, which Apple describes as an intuitive way to scroll through large documents and photo libraries.

13-inch MacBook Pro

All models feature a 1066MHz front-side bus, 4GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM (expandable to 8GB), LED-backlit displays, a slot-load 8x SuperDrive, AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, iSight video camera, Multi-Touch trackpad, and illuminated keyboard.

The 13-inch is available in two configurations: a 2.4GHz model with a 250GB hard drive for $1,199 and a 2.66GHz model for $1,499. Ports include a Mini DisplayPort video out, two USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, an SD card slot, and combined analog/digital headphone and line in jack. The display boasts a resolution of 1280 by 800, and is available only in a glossy option; build-to-order options include a 320GB or 500GB hard drive, both running at 5400 rpm.

15-inch MacBook Pro

There are three 15-inch MacBook Pro configurations: a $1,799 model with a 2.4GHz Core i5 processor and 320GB hard drive, a 2.53GHz Core i5 and a 500GB hard drive for $1,999, and a 2.66GHz Core i7 with 500GB hard drive, for $2,199. All have both the integrated Intel HD graphics and the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M discrete graphics chip with 256MB of VRAM and a 1440 by 900 glossy display. In terms of ports, they included Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, an SD card slot, audio line in (analog/digital), and audio line out/headphone (analog digital).

The 15-inch build-to-order options include a 15-inch 1680 by 1050 high-resolution display available in both glossy and antiglare options.

17-inch MacBook Pro

The top of the line 17-inch model comes in a single configuration with a 2.53GHz Core i5 processor, a 500GB hard drive, 1920 by 1200 glossy display, and both integrated Intel HD Graphics and the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M processor with 512MB of VRAM. It sports three USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, an ExpressCard/34 expansion slot, and separate audio line in and audio line out/headphone jacks.

The 17-inch model’s build-to-order options include a 2.66GHz Core i7 processor, a 500GB 7200rpm hard drive, and an antiglare display.

Build-to-order options across all models include upgrading to 8GB of RAM; adding a 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB solid state drive; the Apple remote; and mini DisplayPort adapters for DVI, VGA, or Dual-Link DVI.

Updated 7:24 PT with details on pricing versus earlier models.

Updated 10:25 PT with details from briefing with Apple

Apple Releases iPhone SDK 4 Beta to Developers

Written by Eric Slivka

Alongside Apple's media event today to introduce some of the features for its upcoming iPhone OS 4, Apple has posted iPhone SDK 4 Beta to its developer siteto offer developers the tools necessary to implement the new features. Apple has also posted a number of developer pages highlighting changes in the new version of the operating system.

Apple notes that there are over 1,500 new APIs available in iPhone OS 4, including access to the Calendar application, in-app SMS, access to photos and videos in users' Photos libraries, full control over video playback and capture, mapping improvements, and incorporation of Quick Look functionality for previewing documents. Also included is Apple's "Accelerate" functionality, which provides access to a iPhone-optimized complex mathematical functions such as vector and matrix factorization, array multiplication, and computation of simultaneous linear equations.

Other major features we've covered are summarized below:

- Apple Announces Multitasking in iPhone 4.0
- Apple Introduces iAds Mobile Advertising Platform
- Apple Introduces Game Center for Leaderboards and Achievements
- iPhone OS 4 to Bring iBooks to iPhone and iPod Touch
- Apple Enhances Email and Enterprise Features in iPhone OS 4

Early Hands On Videos from iPhone 4, Camera Flash, Multicore Support

Written by arn

With iPhone 4 seeded to developers, videos and screenshots of the new operating system are already appearing. Here's one video (in Polish) walking through multitasking and folders (via MyApple.pl):

Some early screenshots from Gamecenter, 5x Digital Zoom in Camera App andMore posted to 9to5Mac.

We've discovered references to Camera Flash in the iPhone SDK (again), suggesting that Apple is working on a physical camera flash for future versions of the iPhone. Apple has also integrated Grand Central Dispatch into the iPhone OS -- a technology introduced with Snow Leopard to ease the use of multi-core processors. The current iPhone currently only has single core processors, though there have been long-standing rumors that Apple might use the multi-core Cortex A9 in the future.

Apple Announces Multitasking in iPhone OS 4.0

Written by Marianne Schultz

At its 'Sneak Peek Into the Future' media event today, Apple announced several major feature additions, including multitasking and an in-app ad network, toiPhone OS 4.0 for release this summer.

The most significant new feature of iPhone OS 4.0 highlighted by Jobs is multitasking, which recent rumors had indicated might be coming. Apple had not previously implemented this feature out of concern for battery life and overall performance, although Jobs said that the company had found a way to implement multi-tasking without these negative effects.

Providing a demonstration of multitasking, Jobs showed a pop-up tray at the bottom of the iPhone's screen - which is triggered by double-clicking the home button - with the icons of all currently-running apps displayed. Clicking on the desired app opens it without closing the other apps. Scott Forstall, SVP of iPhone Software, described the multitasking feature in more detail, claiming that the company "distilled the services" that third-party apps need to run in the background, and these services are available as APIs to developers.

The seven multitasking APIs now available to developers are: background audio, voice over IP (VOIP), background location, push notifications, local notifications, task completion, and fast app switching. Demos highlighting the new APIs used Pandora, Skype, TomTom, and Loopt. Incoming notifications can be shown just below the status bar or in a pop-up dialogue on the home or lock screen.

While the iPhone 3GS and late 2009 32 GB and 64 GB third-generation iPod touch will be fully-compatible with iPhone OS 4.0, earlier models of the devices will not support all of the features announced today. Notably even the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch will not support multitasking. iPhone OS 4.0 will also come to the iPad in the fall.

Early iPad User Complaints: Weak Wi-Fi, Charging Issues

Written by Eric Slivka

With the iPad's U.S. release to the masses on Saturday, several complaints have arisen from users experiencing difficulties with their new devices. Two of the highest-profile complaints in the early days have been weak Wi-Fi signals and confusion over USB charging of the device.

Apple's discussion forums have received a significant amount of activity regarding the Wi-Fi issue, which typically results in users receiving a significantly lower signal than computers or iPhones held in the same location relative to the access point. The reduced signal is resulting in slower performance and smaller range for many of these users. Users have also reported seeing significant fluctuations in signal.

Speculation has centered around the iPad's external shell and power-saving measures as possible reasons for the Wi-Fi performance issues. While Apple has strategically placed the iPad's Wi-Fi antennas to provide optimal reception, the device's aluminum rear enclosure almost certainly shields reception to some degree. Additionally, some users have wondered whether Apple is supplying reduced power to the Wi-Fi hardware as part of its power-saving techniques that have enabled the iPad to meet or exceed its stated 10-hour battery life in many cases. Regardless of the cause, Apple has yet to comment on the Wi-Fi situation, although it has in the past quietly addressed similar issues through software updates when possible.

A second issue experienced by users has been difficulty with charging the iPad via USB. A number of users have discovered that their iPads refuse to charge when connected to USB ports on some computers, an issue that Apple has stated is due to the required power draw for the device. In a support document posted on the issue, Apple recommends that users charge their iPads by using either the included power outlet adapter or high-power USB 2.0 ports.

When attached to a computer via a standard USB port (most PCs or older Mac computers) iPad will charge, but only when it's in sleep mode. Make sure your computer is on while charging iPad via USB. If iPad is connected to a computer that’s turned off or is in sleep or standby mode, the iPad battery will continue to drain.

The iPad's charging demand stems from its large battery that drives a significantly hungrier device than most mobile handhelds users are accustomed to charging via USB. Consequently, lower-power USB ports have difficulty keeping up with the iPad's draw, especially when the device is not in sleep mode.