06/19, 9:30am
Some critical code left out
Apple is considering LinkedIn integration for iOS 7, beta code references suggest. In particular the references hint that LinkedIn could be supported in the same manner as Facebook and Twitter, meaning single sign-in support, and the ability to quickly post content via a share sheet or hooks in iOS apps. Some essential code strings are missing though, preventing LinkedIn options from turning on in the current iOS 7 release.
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06/19, 8:29am
Apple makes Siri more useful than ever before, expands iOS car functions
Siri is a feature that was unveiled with much fanfare during the iOS 5 launch two-years ago, bringing with it more fully featured voice actions to the iPhone. Although Siri has received a mixed reception from critics and users, Apple has continued to pursue the voice-controlled interface, giving it an all-new look and functional tweaks in the iOS 7 beta that help to refine the user experience. Has Apple done enough with the revisions in Siri to warrant a second look?
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06/18, 6:08pm
Offers 'significantly improved' reliability, scalability and performance, more
Apple has updated its iOS mass-deployment configuration and management tool, Configurator, to version 1.3. The free app works with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, and now offers "significantly improved" reliability, scalability and performance, the ability to cancel scheduled or even in-progress operations, and more. There is a new status view that includes time estimates and error information with recovery suggestions, and administrators can now install apps on devices configured to not allow users to install apps.
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06/18, 4:13pm
Supports older Apple hardware via USB port
Soundfreaq has announced the Sound Step Lightning, a new speaker dock. The unit takes its name from a Lightning port compatible with the latest generation of Apple mobile devices. Significantly, though, it also accepts input via Bluetooth, a stereo cable source, or 30-pin Apple devices connected through USB. The USB port can charge any connected device. Playback is controlled with capacitive touch buttons, an IR remote, or connected hardware.
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06/18, 2:58pm
Top-end iDL100 docks two Lightning devices at once
Peripheral maker iHome has announced three new FM radio alarm docks, all equipped with Lightning docks for later-generation Apple devices. The standard model is the iDL45, which also has a secondary USB port that can be used to play and charge older Apple devices with 30-pin connectors. Some other features include time sync, EQ controls, programmable snooze lengths, and dual alarms with custom day and time settings.
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06/18, 12:13pm
Could let users hide pre-installed apps
Tweaking the iOS 7 beta reveals hidden settings that hint at Apple plans and/or concepts for the firmware, reports say. These include OS-wide edge- and corner-swipe gestures, which would come on top of edge-swipe commands in apps like Safari and Messages. The edge gestures would reportedly be used for quick app switching.
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06/18, 11:23am
Goji passes $100,000 crowd-funding mark
After only two weeks, Goji has managed to raise more than $100,000 towards the production of its Smart Lock. The Goji Smart Lock is an automatic deadbolt that can be unlocked wirelessly with a Bluetooth-enabled device. On top of basic locking and unlocking functionality, the Goji also includes several tools for monitoring who has access to a home. Every time the lock is activated the Goji Smart Lock snaps a picture and sends a real-time app and get notification to a designated mobile phone. The device also keeps a log of all activity related to the Smart Lock which can be reviewed at any time from the Goji Mobile App or through an online Goji account. Expected to begin shipping this December, the Goji Smart Lock will retail for $278 but can currently be purchased with a $235 pledge.
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06/18, 10:32am
Consistent with recent rumors
A Japanese case maker, MGM Corp., has produced what news site Macotakara claims is a case for the rumored low-cost iPhone. Compared with an equally thin case for the iPhone 5, the new one is said to be 2mm thicker, and use rounded edges instead of flat ones. A rear cutout appears to leave enough space for a camera lens and a flash.
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06/18, 9:41am
Tech in new, beta iOS releases
Apple has changed the way Siri responds to suicide references, users have discovered. Until this week, the system would simply display the locations of nearby mental health facilities. In the US Siri will now ask people if they want to talk to someone at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. On an iPhone, Siri can also ask to dial directly.
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06/18, 8:56am
Apple gives Safari in iOS 7 more desktop-class features
While Microsoft rules the desktop browser space with IE, mobile analytics continually show that Apple dominates mobile browser usage with Safari. Like every other pre-installed app in the iOS 7 beta, Apple has given it a complete revision. It still feels familiar, but bears an all-new design and works a little differently to the way it does in iOS 6. Do the changes add or detract from what is the most popular mobile browser on the market?
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06/17, 8:58pm
Nine states confirmed for video chat activation
According to reports, AT&T has commenced the effort to enable Apple FaceTime support and Google+ video chat for all customers on its cellular network, not just those on a capped mobile sharing plan. The move starts to fulfill a promise the company made in May to allow customers even on grandfathered "unlimited Internet" plans to use the service.
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06/17, 6:34pm
Repair firms source of latest parts leaks, point to minor changes
Shortly after the publication of what is purported to be an "iPhone 5S" bare logic board that hadn't yet had any chips attached to it, a repair company called iHeart Repair in Florida has revealed new images of what is said to the be the display assembly of the forthcoming iPhone revision. Though the images do not reveal any huge changes, the alternation of where a pair of flex connectors is situated matches the logic board, meaning the parts would fit together correctly if mated and supporting their legitimacy. Why Apple may have made the change isn't clear.
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06/17, 3:47pm
Most likely candidates for reviewing party Samsung, Google
Two more "anonymous" patent re-examination requests for Apple patents have been filed with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). The two patents, involving Apple's Visual Voicemail and autocorrect features, are both at stake in the ongoing legal maneuvers between the Cupertino manufacturer and Samsung.
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06/17, 12:22pm
IGG discounting all Mac software
In celebration of its tenth anniversary, IGG Software is offering a $10 discount on all of its Mac apps, including iBank 4, iBiz 4, iBiz Pro, iBiz 4 Client and iPaste. The discount applies to all purchases of full versions of the software through the online store, as well as through the Mac App Store. The discounted prices are already reflected in both stores and will remain in effect until July 15. In addition, iBank for iPad has also been reduced to $10 for the duration of the anniversary sale.
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06/17, 12:01pm
Most native apps updated
Microsoft-owned Skype today announced that its Video Messaging feature has left the preview stage and should now be available in most of its native client apps. Desktop support includes OS X and Windows/Windows 8. Compatible mobile platforms, meanwhile, include iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry.
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06/17, 11:14am
Rearranges chip, circuitry layouts
A Japanese parts company, Moumantai, says it has obtained a logic board for Apple's next-generation iPhone, commonly expected to be called the iPhone 5S. The board is similar in design to the one for the iPhone 5, but shows some significant differences in the layout of its chips, circuitry, and holes. While no chips are actually attached, the space for the main processor hints that Apple's next A-series chip will be larger than the A6, which is currently used in the iPhone 5.
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06/17, 10:16am
May hint at dimensions of next iPhone
A new photo shows what is claimed to be one of Logitech's upcoming MFi-certified game controllers. The image, obtained by Kotaku, depicts a gamepad with a D-pad and four action buttons; a fifth button's purpose is unknown. The hardware appears designed to fit an iPhone 5 or a fifth-generation iPod touch.
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06/17, 7:54am
Apple makes the iPhone more like a computer than ever before
If you’ve read Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, you will know that iOS is built off the same UNIX kernel as Mac OS X. This means that, like Mac OS X, Apple could have given the iPhone more fully featured multitasking than we have previously seen. In Mac OS X, multitasking and fast app switching in the form of Expose and Mission Control have been very popular. This has been emulated in the Android mobile OS and applied successfully. However, for reasons of battery conservation and perhaps even simplicity, Apple has avoided implementing full multitasking and fast app switching on the iPhone -- until now and the advent of iOS 7.
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06/15, 7:35pm
The new Control Center is one of the feature highlights of iOS 7
In addition to a wide-ranging design overhaul of iOS in the iOS 7 beta, Apple also highlighted that iOS 7 also contains a number of feature enhancements as well. This is no mean feat. The resources required to pull off a complete UI overhaul while at the same time developing new features for the operating system to extend its functionality in the space of 8 months is impressive. One of the most significant of the functional enhancements is the new iOS Control Center, which brings with it quick access to range of most used settings and other utilities.
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06/15, 12:28pm
Canadians can now buy iPads at carriers
Canadian customers of Rogers and Telus will soon be able to pick up LTE-connected versions of Apple's iPad and iPad mini. The two carriers have announced that Wi-Fi + Cellular iPads will be arriving "in the coming weeks," though they've offered no additional details on when to expect them. The emergence of Apple's tablets on the two networks will mark the first time that Canadian customers will have the option to pick up an iPad in a carrier's store.
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06/14, 11:00pm
Subscribers can opt to receive AMBER and emergency push notices
An FCC mandate for a Wireless Emergency Alert system implemented on mobile devices is now being delivered to iPhones by AT&T, the country's second-largest carrier. The government-issued messages will appear in a manner similar to text messages, reports AppleInsider, but are actually delivered by a different and faster system (at no charge to the user). They will include mandatory Presidential alerts (issued by the White House), and the option to receive Imminent Threat alerts and AMBER alerts.
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06/14, 9:20pm
Illustration of iOS 7 on iPad, iPad mini also discovered on Apple's site
For a brief period on Friday, a set of what appears to have been "unfinished" or "rough draft" icons for iOS 7 appeared on a mobile version of the page promoting the new beta instead of the icons that are actually included in the current beta. This is not the first time discrepancies between the current iOS 7 icons and alternative versions have been noticed: the presentation during the WWDC keynote on Monday also featured some that are not quite the same as in the beta given to developers. Also discovered at the bottom of the Apple page was a picture of iOS 7 running on the iPad and iPad mini.
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06/14, 7:53pm
Non-developers likely finding sources, but beta reported unstable
Mobile advertising and analytics firm Chitika has noted that some 0.22 percent of the iPhone and iPod Touch US userbase is already running the iOS 7 beta, just a few days following its debut. While reports of iOS 7 testing were seen on most Mac, iOS and technology sites for weeks before its first developer release, the sheer growth of the beta OS has grown steadily since Monday, doubling what was seen in the final beta of iOS 6, for example. On top of that, the iOS 6 beta also included iPads, while an iPad version of iOS 7 is not yet available.
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06/14, 1:57pm
Nessie from Blue Microphones now shipping
First announced at this year's CES, Blue Microphones' Nessie is now available for purchase through Apple's retail and online stores. Priced at $99 the USB microphone features a built-in pop filter and shock mount that can help reduce harsh plosives and other vibrations. Nessie uses a single condenser capsule for recording audio, and provides users with three different recording modes that are optimized for enhanced vocals, instruments, or an option for recording raw audio. In addition, Nessie can also be attached to an iPad or iPhone using Apple's 30-pin or Lightning camera adapters.
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06/14, 11:23am
Suppliers expected to start feeding parts in July
Pegatron has won a contract to assemble a low-cost iPhone with a plastic back, as well as the second-generation iPad mini, and will start shipping both to Apple in August, say supply chain sources in Taiwan. Parts for both products are expected to emerge from suppliers in July. One company, Casetek, has been identified as a chassis supplier, but for which product(s) is unmentioned.
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06/14, 9:21am
Serves as companion for Office 365 subscribers
Microsoft has released Office Mobile, a companion iPhone app for Office 365 subscribers. The app lets users access and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents hosted on SkyDrive or SharePoint, or else attached to email messages. Documents can also be created wholesale and/or commented on, but only in the case of Word and Excel.
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06/13, 4:04pm
Group wants phone makers to implement permanently disabling kill switch
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon today announced the formation of a nationwide "Secure Our Smartphones" initiative aimed at encouraging the cell phone industry to adopt technologies that would deter theft by drying up the secondary market on which stolen devices are sold. The pair of officials announced the formation on the same day representatives from Apple, Google/Motorola, Microsoft and Samsung participated in a Smart Phone Summit convened in New York City
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06/13, 3:02pm
Android app gets additional tweaks
Google has announced plans to update the web, iOS and Android versions of Google+ with better notifications. Google's Vic Gundotra says that notifications should be "much easier to use across mobile and desktop." Some planned changes include a bell icon for letting users know when updates are available, and a tray for managing read and unread items.
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06/13, 12:15pm
LINE update introduces themes and in-app browser
LINE, a mobile messaging client designed for iOS, has been updated with an in-app browser and extended language support. Unlike previous releases, web links are now opened directly within the app's own browser which features a minimal interface to maximize the display of content. Also new in this release are coloured themes. While currently limited to two options, the default theme and an all pink variant, developers have promised more options will be made available in the near future. Finally, a photos button has been added to LINE's Chat room menu, giving users a place to view all sent and received photos.
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06/13, 11:42am
TSMC, Largan, Foxconn, Texas Instruments among mentioned suppliers
Apple suppliers are now engaged in "intensive delivery" of a "large number" of parts for a low-cost iPhone, says the Commercial Times. TSMC is reportedly delivering 28nm processors, while Largan Precision is supplying an 8-megapixel camera. Foxconn is providing a battery module and most of the inner frame, while Taiflex Scientific is handling a flexible circuit. Other suppliers are said to include Chipbond, Kinsus, SPIL, Texas Instruments, and Renesas Electronics.
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06/13, 9:31am
Device could grow as large as 5.7 inches
Apple is considering a range of possible options for expanding its iPhone lineup in 2014, say four sources for Reuters, some of which are said to be with Asian suppliers. The people claim that Apple is considering two bigger iPhone sizes, including 4.7- and 5.7-inch dimensions. Suppliers have reportedly been approached with plans for the bigger screens, but whether or not they'll make it into shipping products is uncertain. "They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment, so you're not really sure whether this is the final prototype," one source says.
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06/12, 9:44pm
Noted changes include unplayable videos on mobile, bad spider handling
Noted in an official blog post earlier this week, search engine giant Google is altering its search algorithm to better address the current needs of smartphone and other mobile device users. Most notably, the search engine is downranking incidents of faulty or irrelevant redirects to a site's homepage when a mobile user is clicking through to seek specific content.
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06/12, 8:30pm
Evidence that WWDC presentation was 'work in progress' on icons
While much has been said on the reaction by iOS users on the new look that will be found throughout the updated iOS 7 when it is released later this year, one element that doesn't get enough attention is that the icons and designs shown at WWDC are not, according to unnamed sources familiar with the ongoing project, set in stone. However, the redesign has already won a vote of approval from legendary original Mac OS icon designer Susan Kare, who told Network World that the new icons are "generally a good direction."
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06/12, 7:43pm
Life-changing, empowering, enriching uses for mobile devices highlighted
Apple has made a 10-minute promotional film that was released today on its YouTube channel highlighting a number of real-world uses for its iOS technologies and apps that are making a difference in the lives of people around the globe. The video itself is titled Making a difference. One app at a time and shows iPad and iPhone users and developers showing and talking about the way an app has changed their life. The video reflects remarks from CEO Tim Cook that the company's marketing efforts would focus more on the effect of its work rather than touting products.
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06/12, 1:26pm
ITV now offering ad-free Premium Subscription
ITV is introducing a new subscription fee into its iOS app that will allow users to watch the last 30 days of ITV content without advertising. Priced at £4 per month, the new subscription covers content across ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 and CITV, and will also provide simulcasts of ITV3 and 4 over 3G and WiFi. All of the previously existing free content will remain available at no cost, but supported by ads.
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06/12, 12:51pm
Audio tech could kill third-party Audiobus app
iOS 7 includes new support for game controllers, and something called "inter-app audio," reports observe. The controller support was referenced briefly in a slide during Apple's WWDC keynote, listing "MFi game controllers" as an iOS 7 SDK feature. "Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad" is Apple's official certification program for iOS accessories and peripherals. Images of controllers also appear in the iOS 7 Developer Guide; the diagrams bear similarity to the look of Nintendo's 3DS handheld and Wii Classic Controller.
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06/12, 9:36am
Still allows cables' use
The iOS 7 beta is popping up a brief warning for people trying to connect unauthorized third-party Lightning cables, various accounts say. "This cable or accessory is not certified and may not work reliably with this iPhone," an example message reads. Notably, though, the cables should indeed work after the warning is dismissed.
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06/12, 5:20am
Sir Jony Ive remakes iOS with a new design language, features
Back in February this year I wrote, “A new design and look for iOS will be nice (as will the banishment of skeuomorphism), buy in many ways it is not essential from the perspective of pure functionality.” It would seem that this is indeed the approach that Sir Jony Ive and the design and software engineering teams have taken with the new iOS 7 beta. With iOS 7, the iPhone still functions in fundamentally the same way that it always has - apps will still take center stage. iOS 7 is not a fundamental rethink of how iOS works, but it does bring some long-sought after feature enhancements to Apple’s latest mobile operating system along with a gorgeous new look.
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06/11, 2:39pm
New Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks, iOS 7
With the announcements at WWDC yesterday, the forums are alive with discussions about the announcements made. Forum-goers quickly started debating the practicality of the upcoming Mac Pro in a thread started by Administrator "reader50" immediately following the unveiling of this latest model. In the thread titled "OS X Mavericks," members talk about their first impressions of the updated OS that will be available later this year.
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06/11, 1:32pm
NextWorth offering 20 percent bonus for iOS devices
For the month of June NextWorth will be offering a 20 percent bonus on all Apple device trade-ins. By entering the coupon code BONUS20, customers will instantly receive an extra 20 percent on the trade in value of any iPhone, iPod, or iPad, regardless of condition. NextWorth offers free, fully-insured UPS shipping service to all online customers, and provides the option to receive payment in the form of cash or a gift card.
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06/11, 11:36am
RunKeeper adds integrated social function and premium upgrade option
FitnessKeeper has released the latest update for its RunKeeper- GPS Track Running Walking Cycling app, available on iTunes. RunKeeper tracks workout statistics such as pace, distance and time while exercising. Users are able to control their music and listen to built-in audio cues through headphones, as well as capture and save photos. Version 3.5 includes a revamped social experience, offering new options for interacting with friends directly within the app. Users can now follow all of their friends' activities and progress, including activity stats, photos and maps. New options for comparing workouts to previous activities are also included.
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06/11, 10:21am
Apple steps up privacy measures
iOS 7 apps will have to ask user permission before tapping into a microphone, users of the developer beta say. Short of a theoretical backdoor, the barrier should prevent apps from recording a person without their consent. If it follows in the steps of Apple's normal approach to privacy, users should only be asked once per app.
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06/10, 6:11pm
Leaders of summit waiting to see functionality of new feature
Apple's new "activation lock" feature has not escaped notice by the attorneys general of New York City and San Francisco. The pair, scheduled to meet later this week in New York City with Apple, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft to discuss rampant smartphone theft in the two cities have issued a statement, taking a guardedly optimistic stance toward the new feature.
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06/10, 3:50pm
Apple Radio, activation lock, Siri car integration key features of update
[Updated with tweet from Sen. John McCain] In parallel with the hardware announcements at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference, Apple announced the availability of an iOS 7 beta for the iPhone. Calling it "the biggest change to the iOS since the introduction of the iPhone," the new version of the operating system adds nearly 100 new features according to Apple.
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06/10, 3:17pm
Uses Pandora-like structure
As a part of unveiling iOS 7, Apple today confirmed the existence of a new streaming service, iTunes Radio. The service will be accessible through iTunes, iOS, and the Apple TV; in iOS it will be built into an overhauled Music app. People can listen to custom or featured stations, and like Pandora skip songs, and vote to have the service play more of a certain kind of song or never play a track again. Tracks can also be added to an iTunes wishlist.
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06/10, 12:20pm
AT&T brings Enhanced Push-to-Talk to iOS
AT&T has launched an iOS version of its Enhanced Push-to-Talk service, that allows customers to chat instantly with large groups. Limited to the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, the new app can be used to make calls on compatible WiFi networks, including more than 32,000 AT&T hotspots, as well as over the company's 3G and 4G networks. On top of basic calling features, the app also includes personal alerts, free and busy status options, and supervisory override that allows supervisors to communicate important time sensitive messages to their team. Enhanced Push-to-Talk requires an AT&T subscription and cannot be used with international roaming.
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06/10, 8:36am
Reports cover previous iMusic rumors, record company revenue split
There has been more speculation for what Apple will present at its Worldwide Developer Conference keynote address later today. Recent reports have allegedly confirmed previous rumors of iOS 7 design changes and the iRadio streaming music service, subjects that people already standing in line to attend the event are likely to learn about.
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06/07, 9:00pm
Apple updates WWDC iOS app to version 1.01
With just days to go until the opening of the 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Monday, Apple has pushed an update to the companion WWDC iOS app (free). While the program is aimed at attendees and registered Apple developers, others can also use the app by tapping "cancel" when prompted to sign in. The new version now handles video properly (resuming after a phone call, ignoring audio ringer mute when playing a video), corrects blurry text in session details, allows Favorites in Events to go to 11PM, prevents duplicate section headers in the videos list from appearing and stops the navigation bar in Events from sometimes disappearing. The app is now at version 1.0.1 and available from the App Store.
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06/07, 5:22pm
Win a Bracketron Mushroom GreenZero travel charger
Being eco-friendly isn't an attribute typically given to charging devices, but Bracketron aims to change that with the Mushroom GreenZero travel charger. Electronista has one to give away, so read on to learn more about how this energy-saving charger, and how to enter to win.
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06/07, 2:30pm
Apple taking less effort to conceal plans
(Updated with OS X banner) Apple is already displaying a banner for iOS 7 in Moscone West in San Francisco, the venue for next week's Worldwide Developers Conference, photos indicate. The banner features a thin "7" in the rainbow colors of the WWDC 2013 logo. Behind the number is an image of a white, perforated surface.
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