Apple

According to popular blog TechCrunch, Apple is in the process of finalizing a sales pitch for Twitter that would see them acquire the microblogging platform for an estimated $700 million. The report comes off the heels of a different rumor ... suggesting that Apple is also in the process of securing the popular computer-game maker Electronic Arts. Rising Popularity to Explain Apple's Interest Oprah and Ashton Kutcher are not the only ones using Twitter. The social networking haven has attracted new users by the hundreds each day since its inception back in 2006. While Apple declined to comment on ... (view more)

According to reports, Apple is planning to cut its laptop, the MacBook, by around $100-$150. It's as much a response to the competition from netbooks as to the recession. The main source of the rumors is the usually reliable Appleinsider.com site. ... It says Apple's plans to develop a tablet computer -- perhaps like a much larger iPod Touch -- will wind up taking longer than expected. (Source: appleinsider.com ) That's a blow to plans that the tablet will stop users defecting to netbooks, the increasingly popular slimmed-down laptops which offer basic functionality, notably web surfing, at a ... (view more)

Apple has made a move towards constructing its own line of chips by acquiring the services of several IBM and Nintendo designers. It's believed the move is meant to help the company save money in the future. Ask any number of people to name the ... makers of the Mac, iPhone or iPod and expect almost everyone to say " Apple ". However, the truth is that there are many other additional companies needed to manufacture such small, yet complex devices, and so simply answering "Apple" does not tell the whole story. When Apple purchased chipmaker P.A. Semi back in April 2008, many viewed the acquisition ... (view more)

There's nothing hotter in the computer world than the "Netbook" . These slim, light, 8.9" and 10.2" systems feature impressive speed and abilities, so long as you're not looking for a Crysis fix on-the-go. And yet, industry powerhouse Apple doesn't ... seem to want a piece of the pie. Earlier this year, Apple COO Tim Cook referred to netbooks as "much less powerful" than the minimum requirements of the average user. Even with sales of Acer's Aspire One, HP's Mini-Note, and Lenovo's IdeaPad soaring, Apple's execs could only muster this in describing their own feelings about the market: "We are ... (view more)

U.S. soldiers are being issued iPod touches; however, it's not a morale-boosting exercise or a way to combat boredom, but a low-cost way to give them access to important portable tools. In the past, the Army gave soldiers dedicated electronic ... devices for key tasks such as on-the-spot translation. However, officials found this proved expensive, particularly when they had to issue different devices for different tasks. This approach also meant the military bore the costs of researching and developing the hardware and didn't get as many economies of scale as with consumer devices. (Source: cnet. ... (view more)

Apple is set to offer a host of interesting features on the new iPhone 3.0 OS. Among the most anticipated features is the addition of stereo Bluetooth-audio streaming ( A2DP ), which will allow current second-generation iPhone and iPod Touch owners ... to experience the cutting edge of mobile technology. Of course, Apple is expected to roll out additional features that will only be available to those who purchase the latest iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Among these exclusive "hardware features" are high-speed 802.11n WiFi (wireless network) capabilities and FM radio transmission. Transmitter ... (view more)

Just in case you aren't satisfied with downloading regular old standard definition movies from Apple's iTunes, keep your chin up: the Cupertino-based company is now offering HD flicks through its popular online store, and for pretty reasonable ... prices, too. For most of us eyeing Sony, Samsung, or Magnavox Blu-ray players, the problem thus far has been price. Most of those players range from $200 to $500 -- too much for the average movie fan even though the price has come down significantly since HD-DVD dropped off the face of the earth . In addition, Blu-ray movies are pretty steep themselves ... (view more)

Just in case you forgot we're in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Dell has released a new, stylish, and very powerful laptop for costing no less than $2,000 (and up). Super light and super thin, many are comparing ... it directly to Apple's MacBook Air. Dubbed "Adamo", Dell's elite line of laptop computers officially launched on St. Patty's Day (March 17th) -- however, discussion surrounding the hardware has been constant since that time and is unlikely to stop any day soon. The issue at heart: is this a better deal than the MacBook Air, and will anyone actually ... (view more)

Just a day after announcing its smallest music player yet, Apple on Thursday released iTunes 8.1, a brand new update to its very popular media player software. Unfortunately, one of its most exciting new features won't be available for several days. ... (Source: thestar.com ) The most anticipated new feature accompanying iTunes 8.1 is the Genius sidebar and playlist tool; however, users are already complaining that it just doesn't work the way it was supposed to. Originally meant to study music, movie, and TV preferences before suggesting songs, films, and shows one might like, a report released ... (view more)

It's "A Beautiful Day" for Research in Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry maker which recently pried rock/pop superstars U2 from the clenched fists of competitor Apple. The band, which has been with Apple since 2004, will partner with RIM to promote its ... upcoming U2 360 Degrees Tour. It was almost five years ago now that world-renowned U2 lead singer Bono and guitarist The Edge stood next to Apple's ubiquitous Steve Jobs in order to promote the tech company's Special Edition U2 iPod. At the time, Apple, U2, and studio Universal Music Group (UMG) promised the triumvirate would deliver "innovative ... (view more)