iPhone, iPad & Android App Developers UK with offices in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Two unlikely PC makers emerge: Google, Microsoft
  The tech giants are certainly big enough to make waves in the market for personal computers. CNET’s Brooke Crothers considers the potential impact of their entry into the arena.
• Web Privacy, and How Consumers Let Down Their Guard
  Consumers insist that they treasure their online privacy. But their mouse clicks tell a far different tale, as the experiments of a behavioral economist show.

  

• The Man Who Turned Iran Nuclear
  In a rare interview, the man dubbed "the father of Iran’s nuclear programme" tells how the project began under the Shah, who wanted to leave…
• The Awesome New Way Crisis Hotlines Are Helping Teens
  NEW YORK — They stream in from teens around the United States, cries for help often sent in by text message. "I feel like committing…
• Slipstream: In Privacy Laws, an Incomplete American Quilt
  Europe and the United States are operating at far different speeds with respect to data privacy regulation. And that could be a stumbling block in future trade talks.

  

• Are They Nerds Or Hipsters?
  A lot of people describe themselves as nerds these days who really aren’t. They’re hipsters. But if you have a hard time differentiating, no one…
• Investigation Into Notorious DDoS Attack Finds Person Of Interest
  Sven Olaf Kamphuis calls himself the “minister of telecommunications and foreign affairs for the Republic of CyberBunker.” Others see him as the Prince of Spam….
• LOOK: Rare Photos From The Night Steve Jobs Returned To Apple
  Mac OS Evangelist Tim Holmes was treating the night of December 20th, 1996 like any other as he worked at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. That…
• Dell’s Public Problem
  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dell’s financial advisers tried to persuade 71 potential bidders to make an offer for the troubled personal computer maker before two…
• How Much Access Should We Have To Our Own Electronic Health Records?
  By Jeffrey Kopman According to a new Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the management consulting firm Accenture, less than one-third of U.S….
• Civilian Drones Come With Both Risk And Reward
  WASHINGTON — The dawn of the age of aerial civilian drones is rich with possibilities for people far from the war zones where they made…
• Journals Updated With Dropbox Sync – Free This Weekend

  Mazzuna LLC, creators of intuitive iPhone and iPad applications, recently announced the release of Journals 2.0 – the newest version of its clean and simple writing app. Journals 2.0 takes everything that made Journals 1.1 a hit and adds Dropbox syncing, iPad optimization, and a host of other […]

  The post Journals Updated With Dropbox Sync – Free This Weekend appeared first on AlliOSNews.

• Do we need a new type of phone bill?
  Do people understand their mobile phone bills?

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• After Cyberattack, Sven Olaf Kamphuis Is at Heart of Investigation
  Sven Olaf Kamphuis says he didn’t orchestrate a large-scale cyberattack against a spam-fighter, and he has not been charged with any crime. Still, authorities are looking into it.

  

• In Pyongyang, Bluster, Fakery And Real Risks
  Actions that are difficult to trace to North Korea, like an online assault on South Korea’s banks and a 2010 attack on a submarine, concern the United States more than its brash threats.

  

• Bits Blog: New Phone by Facebook to Showcase Its Network
  Facebook will introduce a special version of Google’s Android software system next week that is modified to put the social network front and center on a smartphone.

  

• Denial of Service Prank Crashing iMessage App for Targeted Developers [Mac Blog]
  The Next Web is reporting that a group of iOS developers has been targeted with a series of rapid-fire messages on iMessage, creating a sort of denial-of-service (DoS) attack that crashes the iMessage app.

  Grant Paul, one of the targeted iOS developers explains how the attack worked:

  “What’s happening is a simple flood: Apple doesn’t seem to limit how fast messages can be sent, so the attacker is able to send thousands of messages very quickly,” Paul says.

  The second part of that, he explains, is that if a user sends a ‘complex’ text message using unicode characters that force a browser to render ‘Zalgo’ text, or simply uses a message that is enormous in size, them the Messages app will eventually crash as it fails to display it properly. This will effectively ‘break’ the Messages app on iOS by forcing it to close and stop it from re-opening because it can’t render that text.”

  iH8sn0w, an iOS jailbreak tool and app developer, showed TNW a proof-of-concept AppleScript that would be able to create the barrage of iMessages. A potential spammer would only need a person’s email address and the AppleScript to engage in the attack, especially after Apple unified phone numbers and email addresses in iOS 6. 
  
  
  Currently, there is no way to block particular senders in iMessage, though iH8sn0w said it should be possible for Apple to notice the bursts of messages and block them as repetitive spamming. Victims can also disable iMessage entirely.

  It’s not clear who initiated the attack, nor why these developers were targeted, though it appears the attacks are merely a prank.

  

  

  

• Greenpeace Launches Viral ‘Mermaid Death Squad’ Game
  A new video game created by Greenpeace to raise awareness about unsustainable tuna fishing has created quite a splash since its launch earlier this week….
• Shawn Amos: The Content Brief: The Content Reader Revolution
  Go ahead and laugh at Yahoo! for paying $30 million dollars for a 17-year-old’s news aggregator app. Just show us your content reader first. Whether…
• Online Dispute Becomes Internet-Snarling Attack
  A squabble between a group battling spam and a Web hosting company said to be sending it has escalated into an attack clogging up infrastructure worldwide.

  

• LOOK: The Touching Gift Inside This Box
  The package may have been delivered by the U.S.P.S. instead of an owl — but for its recipient, it was nothing short of magical. A…
• Huge online attack exposes internet’s vulnerability
  The largest online attack ever reported – which may have slowed down the internet itself – is over, but the next battleground is already emerging

  

• BRAVE NEW WORLD: Domestic Drone Boom Raises Unsettling Questions
  Last August, before domestic drones had become a concern worthy of a 13-hour Senate filibuster, I found myself inside a stretch limousine with a bunch…
• AMAZING: Local Scientists Turn Cells Into Living Computers
  Researchers at Stanford University announced this week that they’ve created genetic receptors that can act as a sort of "biological computer," potentially revolutionizing how diseases…
• Heartbreaking Photo Shows 8-Year-Old Syrian ‘Rebel’ With Cigarette, Gun
  It’s a picture that is both haunting and heartbreaking. Dressed in red, an 8-year-old Syrian boy identified as Ahmed stares into the camera of American-born…
• The REAL Reason The ‘Harlem Shake’ Went Viral
  Google’s trend charts of the phrase “Harlem Shake” are seismic. Almost no one looked for the words until Feb. 7, then searches surged faster than…
• Entrepreneurs Raising Money For Bike Theft Tracking Device
  Some young Chicago businessmen have developed a device that lets bicycle owners know when someone is trying to steal their ride. WBBM Newsradio’s Mike Krauser…
• LOOK: New Apple Patent Could Drastically Change iPhones
  NEW YORK (AP) — Apple is seeking a patent for an iPhone that has a display that wraps around the edges of the device, expanding…
• Apple Has No Plans for Dedicated iOS Gaming Controller
  Following today’s rumor that Apple was quietly polling developers at this week’s Game Developers Conference about support for a forthcoming gaming controller for iOS devices, the ever-reliable Jim Dalrymple has quickly quashed that report.

  As usual, Dalrymple provides no additional comment beyond a simple “Nope”, but his selective quoting of the source material suggests that he is denying any current plans for an Apple-branded controller.

  “Long rumoured – and hoped for – GDC 2013 has finally provided confirmation that Apple will release its own dedicated game controller.”

  Nope.

  Dalrymple has solid connections at Apple and has on numerous occasions and with 100% accuracy either confirmed or denied specific rumors. Prior to today, his most recent such statement came last month when he nixed a claim of a television-related Apple media event scheduled Apple for this month.

  

  

  

• Report Claims Amazon Bought Goodreads For Less Than You Think
  Once the initial shock had passed, people were asking: exactly how much did Amazon pay for Goodreads? Neither party was talking, but Forbes columnist Jeff…
• Google’s Patent Pledge Says Tech Giant Won’t Sue ‘Unless First Attacked’
  Google is aiming to fight back against so-called patent trolls, announcing Thursday on its Open Source blog that it’s taking part in a self-designed Open…
• Music Executive: ‘iRadio is Coming’, Apple Pushing for Summer Launch
  Negotiations between Apple and record companies regarding Apple’s rumored ‘iRadio’ music service are progressing, The Verge reports as one tidbit in a larger article about the music industry in general.

  The last report about Apple’s streaming music service came earlier in March when Apple was reported to be offering half the royalty rate that Pandora pays for a similar product.

  Much has been written about Apple’s plan to launch a Pandora-esque service this year. Now multiple music industry insiders have told The Verge that significant progress has been made in the talks with two of the top labels: Universal and Warner. One of the sources said “iRadio is coming. There’s no doubt about it anymore.” Apple is pushing hard for a summertime launch.

  It has been reported in numerous publications that Apple wanted to launch its service sometime in 2013, but was having difficulties negotiating royalty rates that were satisfactory to both sides.

  That Universal and Warner are the companies claimed to have made the most progress with Apple is noteworthy — Universal was the last of the four major labels to sign onto Apple’s iCloud service, while Warner has been wary of cloud-based services in the past.

  

  

  

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Amazon buys book recommendation site
  Online retailer Amazon says it will buy a book discovery and recommendation website Goodreads, which has 16 million members.
• Facebook Appears Set to Debut iPhone Competitor Built on Android on April 4
  Facebook today invited members of the press to an Android-related event on April 4, and TechCrunch reports that the event will likely see the debut of the long-rumored Facebook phone. According to reports, the device would be an HTC handset running a Facebook-modified version of Android.

  If true, the move would turn Facebook into an Amazon-style competitor in the smartphone market for Apple, as Amazon has heavily modified Android for its own Kindle Fire tablet devices.

  There have been persistent rumors of Facebook working on a smartphone, with Bloomberg reporting in 2010 that the phone would be based on a “stripped-down” version of Android. Last year, the New York Times reported that Facebook was hiring former Apple iPhone and iPad engineers to work on a “Facebook phone.”

  TechCrunch highlights one of the key reasons why Facebook would want to create a smartphone device of its own:

  With deeper control of a modified operating system would come huge opportunities to collect data on its users. Facebook knows that who you SMS and call are important indicators of who your closest friends are. Its own version of Android could give it that info, which could be used to refine everything from what content you’re shown in the news feed to which friends faces are used in ads you see.

  Facebook currently has two of the more popular free apps in the App Store with Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Recently, the company has updated its main Facebook app to add free VoIP calling in a number of countries.

  

  

  

• Online Dispute Becomes Internet-Snarling Attack
  A squabble between a group battling spam and a Web hosting company said to be sending it has escalated into an attack clogging up infrastructure worldwide.

  

• Kelly Issues Rules for New York Police Officers’ Use of Social Media
  The New York Police Department has issued a new policy on social media and ordered its members to comb through their personal profiles on the Web to ensure they are in compliance.

  

• Rumor of Microsoft’s plans for Windows RT off the mark
  Rumor of Redmond’s “merge” plans for Windows RT is wrong, according to a source close to the company.
• Saving data donkeys in quicksand
  How simple tags have revolutionised how we organise information
• Black eggs and perfect orchids
  How Taiwans’s agriculture sector is getting innovative
• BlackBerry Logs Quarterly Profit, 2013 Loss
  Analysts find encouragement that the company, fighting to revive its once-dominant brand, is “not bleeding to death.”

  

• Amazon and Overstock Lose Challenge to Online Sales Tax
  The court rejected arguments from Amazon and Overstock that they should be exempt from a state law requiring online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases made by New York residents.
• Corporate Cyberattacks, Possibly State-Backed, Now Seek to Destroy Data
  Corporate leaders have long feared hacking in service of fraud or spying, but now a new threat has taken hold: attackers, possibly with state support, who seem bent on destruction.
• Guess Who Joined Twitter
  The media arm of Al-Qaeda’s offshoot in North Africa launched its Twitter account on Thursday by offering "glad tidings" to its supporters, US monitors SITE…
• Amazon Acquires Goodreads
  As one of the most contentious couples to ever emerge from the literature world, Amazon and Goodreads are joining forces. "We’re looking forward to inspiring…
• Obama’s Push For Free Trade Pact Looks Like Corporate Giveaway, Consumer Groups Fear
  WASHINGTON — After months of pressure from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the White House is following through on President Barack Obama’s pledge to negotiate…
• Huge Breakthrough Could Lead To More Reliable Renewable Energy
  From Climate Central’s Michael D. Lemonick: Solar energy is virtually limitless, generates no planet-warming greenhouse gases — and is useless between sunset and sunrise. Wind…
• Amazon Defends Offensive Ad
  If Amazon had a swearing jar, it’d probably contain enough cash to make someone rich. The giant online retailer is defending the use of a…
• Apple Bans Sweatshop Game From App Store
  Apple’s iOS App Store has thousands of games available to download, but you won’t find one called Sweatshop HD. That’s because it’s the latest app…
• Joshua Waldman: How Shane Barker Landed the Coolest Job Ever, With Social Media and No Résumé
  When you put yourself out there you never know what might come your way. So, take a look at your profiles and assess it from an outside perspective.
• James Grundvig: July in the Mobile-Cloud: Interview With July Systems’ CEO Rajesh Reddy
  Has July figured out — with its fourth-generation flagship platform JulyMX — how to bring a kind of PowerPoint simplicity and speed to development of mobile apps?
• Publicist To ‘Lean In’ Reviewer: ‘There’s A Special Place In Hell For You’
  There’s been so much debate over the responses to Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg’s new book on women advancing in the workplace that even…

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Windows RT in trouble? Report makes cryptic claims
  Windows RT merged into Windows Blue? An Asia-based report doesn’t provide much clarity for the claim.
• Despite Google patent efforts, VP8 no shoo-in for Web video
  Nokia refuses to license patents it says are needed to use Google’s video technology, sullying Google’s earlier patent deal. But WebRTC could still spread VP8 widely, lowering Web video costs for startups and schools.
• Apple Cutting iPad Mini Shipments in Q2 2013 to Prepare for Next Generation?
  Digitimes is reporting that Apple is set to cut shipments of iPad mini in the second quarter of 2013, according to its industry sources.

  The cut is said to be a 20% reduction for the month of April, with steeper cuts potentially following in the remainder of the quarter, although the report does not specify whether the cuts are relative to previous production plans or to current-quarter output.

  Apple has reportedly cut its shipments of the iPad mini to between 10-12 million units for the second quarter of 2013, according to industry sources. The figure is based on shipment information given from multiple sources who provide various components for Apple’s iPad mini.

  The decrease may be as high as 20% on month during April, the sources noted, and may continue to slightly decrease throughout the quarter to bring total shipments of the iPad mini to as low as 10 million units during the quarter.

  The move comes two weeks after Apple started offering refurbished iPad minis on sale for the first time and may be tied to Apple devoting resources to the production of the next-generation iPad mini. The report claims, however, that competition from 7-inch tablets may also be playing a role.

  Rumors of production cuts for Apple products are always difficult to put much stock into, as Apple’s internal build plans are fluid as the company manages its nimble supply chain to adjust for demand and product transitions.

  Apple CEO Tim Cook has also cautioned against reading too much into supply chain reports, noting that the company has multiple sources for many components and that yield rates may vary over time, meaning that supply chain reports typically offer incomplete pictures of Apple’s production situation.

  DisplaySearch analyst Paul Semenza speculated that, based on supply chain data, the next-generation iPad mini would be released in the third or fourth quarter of 2013. Reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also predicted a third-quarter release for the next iPad mini.

  The next iPad mini has been rumored to include a Retina display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, which would give it the same number of pixels as the full-sized iPad but with a higher-density 324 pixels per inch. However, iMore’s Rene Ritchie, who has also been relatively accurate, has predicted earlier this month that an interim spec-bumped iPad mini could launch in April and claimed that a Retina display iPad mini doesn’t “sound imminent.”

  

  

  

• Intel’s upcoming ‘Haswell’ chip primed for gaming
  Chipmaker’s upcoming ‘Haswell’ processor isn’t just about better battery life. It’s better at gaming too.
• Paradox’s ‘Magicka’ Makes its Way to the iPad [iOS Blog]
  Paradox Interactive, in a partnership with Ludosity, tonight released Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet for the iPad, which is based on its popular action adventure Magicka PC game.

  As in the computer version of the game, players of Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet take on the role of a wizard, combining elemental powers to conjure and cast unique magical spells to destroy demons.

  Though the game retains the same humorous undertone and the crazy spell combinations of the PC version, the art style has been altered for the iPad, featuring cartoonish 2D graphics instead of the 3D isometric perspective of the PC game.

  The original game had a heavy multiplayer focus, and the iPad edition of Magicka functions in the same way, allowing up to four players to play together online.

  Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet is available for download from the App Store for $1.99. [Direct Link]

  

  

  

• NimbleBit’s Latest Freemium Game ‘Nimble Quest’ Launches on iOS [iOS Blog]
  NimbleBit, the developer behind popular games like Pocket Frogs, Tiny Tower, and Pocket Planes, tonight launched its newest freemium app, the highly anticipated Nimble Quest.

  
  In Nimble Quest, players control an ever-increasing line of adventurers, battling against enemies with both ranged and melee attacks. Our sister site, TouchArcade, describes the game as a cross between Snake and a traditional RPG.

  In brief, NimbleQuest is Snake, except on steroids. In the game, you control a conga line of fantasy adventurers, and, with a combination of ranged and melee attacks, you battle it out across a variety of settings against archers, skeletons, bats, and a whole lot more. Imagine if your old-school, traditional Snake snake could somehow attack incoming enemy snakes and you’ve got the picture.

  The game melds skill-based touch gameplay with roleplaying elements including skill increases, power ups, and party building, requiring players to navigate their growing line of party members through an endless number of stages.

  Though Nimble Quest is designed to be a single player game, it incorporates a guild system that functions similarly to the “Flight Crew” in Pocket Planes, offering up time-limited quests and global leaderboards.

  Nimble Quest is a free app for the iPad and the iPhone that is available for download in the App Store. [Direct Link]

  

  

  

• Media Decoder Blog: A Driving Force Behind Wikipedia Will Step Down
  Sue Gardner will leave the Wikimedia Foundation to spend more time directly advocating for an open Internet.

  

• Has drawing been erased from animation?
  Disney says it is not drawing films by hand in the near future
• Attacks on Spamhaus Used Internet Against Itself
  A huge denial-of-service attack that eventually slowed traffic across much of the Internet relied on vulnerabilities in the network’s own hardware to amplify its effects.

  

• ‘Them and us’ online service warning
  The government is in danger of creating a “them and us” situation by digitising public services, with many people unable or unwilling to go online, a report warns.
• Former Apple Employee Rediscovers Photos from Steve Jobs’ First Day Back at Apple [Mac Blog]
  Former Apple employee Tim Holmes recently discovered a set of photographs taken on an Apple QuickTake camera — one of the first digital cameras made — from the night Steve Jobs returned to Apple after it purchased NeXT.

  Holmes notes in the description that the colors are incorrect in the photos because of the poor quality of digital cameras in 1996, and that Jobs’ jacket was actually black, not purple.

  

  Working late on a Friday on December 20th at Apple Computer as Mac OS Evangelist, my manager came rushing past my office door saying to come with him to Town Hall, Apple’s theater for announcements, company meetings and the like. It was clearly not a company meeting…

  Joining Jobs’ in the image above was Satjiv Chahil, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing at the time.

  

  

  

• Did Apple Copy This Chinese Version Of Siri?
  Apple has seen its phones, tablets and even stores cloned in China. But this week, it was a Chinese firm fingering Apple as the copycat….
• Egypt arrests as internet cable cut
  Three divers have been arrested while trying to sever an undersea internet cable off the port city of Alexandria, Egyptian authorities say.
• Andy Braner: Tweet, Text, or Talk? Decisions for a New Way of Living
  I’m finding more and more teenagers don’t have "hang out places" anymore, they’ve found their tribe of friends on social media and smart phones. Looking someone in the eye is a foreign concept for a new generation of emerging adults.
• Google Maps Rolls Out Train Arrivals In Real Time
  Google just made some urban commuters very happy. A new real-time train feature in Google Maps will now let commuters in New York City use…
• New IBM Technology Center to Bring 800 New Jobs to Baton Rouge
  IBM announced that it is opening a new technology center in downtown Baton Rouge, La., that will bring 800 high-tech jobs and help revitalize the area.

  

  

• Richard Abrons: Technology and Me
  I am a user of technology at the lowest level. We have voice-mail but can’t access messages from afar. We have GPS in our car but neither my wife Iris nor I know how to use it.
• There’s More Than One Way To Support Gay Marriage On Facebook
  Many Facebook feeds have gone red this week as users show their support for marriage equality. While the Supreme Court hears two cases concerning the…
• The Lede: Google Street View Captures Ghost Town in Fukushima’s Evacuation Zone
  Google Street view provides a glimpse of the the eerily empty streets of Namie, a town deep in the evacuation zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

  

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Microsoft wins design patents for Surface cover keyboard
  USPTO grants trio of patents related to the ornamental design of Redmond’s touch/type cover keyboard.
• With Windows Blue comes fear of desktop’s demise
  Windows Blue portends the end of the desktop. That’s what doomsayers are claiming today. Are they right?
• Apple Working on 4K ‘Ultra HD’ Television Set for Late 2013 or Early 2014 Launch?
  Apple’s rumored television set project has a long history of claims from various sources, and while the “iWatch” has taken on a more prominent place in the rumor mill in recent months, an Apple television continues to be on the radar of a number of industry watchers.

  Digitimes now reports on word from unidentified supply chain sources that Apple is working on an “Ultra HD” or “4K” television set that would carry a resolution of 3840 x 2160. The report claims that Apple’s Internet-connected television set will support voice and motion control and is targeted for launch late this year or, perhaps more likely, early next year.

  The sources said that Apple and Foxconn Electronics have been in discussions for quite some time in terms of the TV’s mass production schedule, but that Apple has been considering where panel supply for the TV will come from, as Ultra HD TV panel makers, most of whom are based in Taiwan, are expected to be producing at nearly full capacity in 2013 in order to meet demand from China-based TV vendors.

  Additionally, other panel makers in Apple’s supply chain that may have the ability to produce Ultra HD TV panels are expected to allocate most of their panel production to the company’s iPhone, iPad and iPad mini products instead, as ultra-mobile devices are expected to be popular in the market during 2013, the sources noted.

  
  Pricing is a major issue on the first Ultra HD televisions announced so far, with price tags generally starting around $20,000, although Westinghouse is planning to launch a line of “budget” Ultra UD televisions this year starting at $2500 for a 50-inch model. Additional equipment will, however, be needed to take full advantage of the 4K capabilities.

  But unlike Sony and LG, Westinghouse’s models will be barebones displays with no on-board Smart TV features and no elaborate 4K up-conversion video processing technology.

  Instead, [Westinghouse senior vice president of marketing Rey] Roque said, Westinghouse expects viewers to use the 4K video processing converters that come built into select Blu-ray Disc players, A/V receivers and other devices to handle that load. To present pictures from regular sources, the sets will have only simple 4K up-scaling circuitry and 120Hz refresh rates.

  The most recent Apple television set rumor from a mainstream news source came last December when The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple and Foxconn have been testing prototypes, but a source noted that the effort was still in the early stages and wasn’t yet a “formal project” for Apple.

  

  

  

• Flipboard Updated with ‘Magazines’, Notifications, Etsy Integration and More [iOS Blog]
  Flipboard today upgraded its app to version 2.0, adding a Pinterest Pinboard-like “Magazine” feature, search, notifications, Etsy integration and more.

  In an interview with Mashable, Flipboard CTO Eric Feng said that the update was “the most ambitious thing the company has ever done.” Previously, Flipboard allowed users to subscribe to certain news and social media feeds and acted as a beautiful RSS reader. With the new Magazine feature, users can collect content, organize it into their own feeds, and share it with the rest of the Flipboard user base.

  
  The company also added notifications so that users can see when their friends like, comment or share their magazines. Flipboard has also integrated products and product descriptions from handmade goods e-retailer Etsy, allowing users to buy products directly from the app.

  What’s New in Version 2.0
  – You can now collect and save content into your own magazines, tap the new “+” button to get started.
  – Your magazines are public, but can be made private (viewable only to you).
  – Use the new bookmarklet to add items to your magazines from your browser.
  – Get Flipboard notifications when people like, comment or subscribe to your magazines.
  – Easily email or share magazines to Facebook, Twitter, G+, etc
  – Search is now front and center on your Flipboard, with new improved results.
  – Faster page-loading and faster flipping performance.
  – Personalized recommendations for more to add to your Flipboard.

  Flipboard can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

  

  

  

• Anti-cyber threat centre launched
  A new initiative to share information on cyber threats between businesses and government is launched.
• Online Dispute Becomes Internet-Snarling Attack
  Computer attacks aimed at an antispam group based in Europe have led to delays for millions of ordinary Internet users around the world.

  

• T-Mobile Unveils Aggressive Phone Pricing With No Contracts
  The American mobile carrier, which has struggled against rivals like AT&T and Verizon, will offer the iPhone 5 and other top smartphones without locking in customers for two years.

  

• Shinola Releases First Made In Detroit Watch
  It’s hard to pick up a paper or browse online without stumbling into Shinola – and with good reason, Detroiters are thrilled about the idea…
• Ebay’s New Mobile Giving Platform Expands Nonprofit Fundraising Possibilities
  Seven years ago, a North Carolina nonprofit saw its annual donations double in just a few weeks. More remarkable? It happened mostly $1 at a…
• Arianna Huffington: Disconnect: A New Movie Sounds the Alarm About Our Hyper-Connected Lives
  In the 1840s, Benjamin Disraeli, still a long way from being prime minister, wanted to wake people up to the plight of the British working class. The alarm he sounded wasn’t delivered in a speech, a pamphlet, or an article — but in a novel, Sybil, published in 1845. Ever since I read Sybil when I was at Cambridge, I’ve loved thinkers and writers who use storytelling to reach people and get us to act. And so it was that I found myself moderating a panel discussion last week with the director and two cast members of a movie that uses storytelling to wake us up to one of the biggest problems of our modern age: the effect that being "connected" to technology 24/7 is having on our ability to connect with our lives, ourselves, and the people we love. Like so many people, this is something I struggle with on a regular basis. That’s why Disconnect struck a nerve.
• Chris Rauschnot: Review: myFC Powertrekk Handheld Fuel Cell Charger For Gadgets
  Want to unplug from the grid and go exploring, but don’t want to leave the tech behind? Now it’s possible with myFC’s PowerTrekk, a water-powered fuel cell charger, that’s actually portable.
• Media Trolls Pyongyang Over ‘Latest Combat Equipments’ Photo
  In the past week, North Korea has made headlines for leveling new threats against the United States and allegedly training teams of "cyber warriors." Given…
• Matt Kelly: What the Story of Summly Really Tells Us About the Future of News
  Any one of Britain’s newspaper groups could have developed a Summly killer back in 2005 when Nick D’Aloisio developed his idea. They had the audiences, the understanding, the marketing power. God knows they had the incentive. But they didn’t do it. I didn’t do it. Why?
• Taxi App Keeps You From Getting Duped
  It’s about time someone came up with a tech-savvy way to determine the optimal taxi route. As hard working as they are, some cab drivers…
• ‘Scary,’ ‘Graphic’ Text Messages Sent To Fifth-Graders
  Text messages sent to students at Somerville Elementary School in Ridgewood, N.J., threaten to kill them if they don’t forward the texts to a certain…
• Bank Hit With Cyber Attack
  (Reuters) – Wells Fargo & Co on Tuesday said its online banking website was experiencing an unusually high volume of traffic that it believes stems…
• Microsoft acknowledges Windows Blue, announces next Build conference
  Company reveals more about “Blue,” sets Build conference for June.
• WATCH: Inside The 3D-Printed Gun Movement
  The United States’ current gun control debate has centered on what type of guns people should legally own and what hoops people should jump through…
• Walmart Is Set To Square Off Against Amazon Yet Again
  By Jessica Wohl and Alistair Barr SAN BRUNO, Calif., March 26 (Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc is ramping up plans to combine its physical…

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Foxconn in record quarterly profit
  Hon Hai Precision Industry, also known as Foxconn, a major assembler or Apple products, posts record quarterly profits.
• VIDEO: Reinventing the New York payphone
  Reinventing the New York payphone
• Windows 8 app updates nix Google ActiveSync support
  Users of Microsoft’s Mail, Calendar, and Contact apps have lost sync support via Google’s Exchange ActiveSync with new updates.
• Nick D’Aloisio, 17, Sells Summly App to Yahoo
  Nick D’Aloisio, a programming whiz who wasn’t even born when Yahoo was founded in 1994, sold his news-reading app, Summly, to Yahoo.

  

• Playing games with culture
  Game maker Ken Levine on what makes video games matter
• VIDEO: BioShock creator on key to his success
  Ken Levine, creative director of the BioShock and its latest incarnation, BioShock Infinite, talks about his approach to video game making.
• Fire risk prediction gets technical
  Putting out fires using big data analytics
• Aaron Swartz Prosecutor Sanctioned For Aggressive Tactic
  WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, under fire over her office’s aggressive prosecution of Internet activist Aaron Swartz, was admonished by a federal appeals court…
• Senator Writes Bill To Regulate New Privacy Threat
  Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) is developing legislation to ensure privacy rights as the use of drones increases domestically, his office announced Monday. "Private sector drones…
• Google Releases $149 Nik Software Plug-in Bundle for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Aperture [Mac Blog]
  Back in September, Google purchased Nik Software of Snapseed fame. In addition to being the team behind the iOS photo editing app that was named Apple’s 2011 iPad App of the Year, Nik Software also produces several plug-ins for professional image editing applications like Aperture, Lightroom, and Photoshop.

  

  As of today, Nik’s plug-ins are available as a single bundle, which is priced at $149, a significant discount from the original $499 price tag. Rebranded the “Nik Collection by Google,” the bundle includes HDR Efex Pro 2, Silver Efex Pro 2, Sharpener Pro 3, Color Efex Pro 4, Viveza 2, and Dfine 2.

  The collection, which is offered for all three popular photo editing platforms, includes tools for creating HDR images, reducing photo noise, producing black and white photos, and making minute color adjustments.

  New users can purchase the bundle via the Nik Software website, or access a free 15-day trial. Existing Nik users will be upgraded to the entire Nik collection for free, through an email that will be sent out in the next few days.

  

  

  

• The Noisy Fight Over Quiet Electric Cars
  From Mother Nature Network’s Jim Motavalli: Electric cars are quiet. Too quiet. One of the biggest virtues of the battery vehicle is that it is…
• This Invention Could Save Millions Of Lives
  A recent invention called the Slingshot could provide freshwater to those with some of the most limited access. Inventor Dean Kamen, best known as the…
• ‘Quicksilver’ Launch Utility Comes Out of Beta 10 Years Later [Mac Blog]
  After more than 10 years in beta, the open source launch utility Quicksilver has finally reached version 1.0.

  The utility is a Spotlight-on-steroids type utility, that allows power users to open and manipulate files quickly from the keyboard.

  After almost 10 years of testing, Quicksilver lays the beta tag to rest. (If the lack of an eszett brings a tear to your eye, you can always reminisce by hitting ⌥S on your keyboard). What does this release mean? It means more than just a change in the version numbering system – it signifies a maturity of Quicksilver and a sign of what’s to come.

  For more info on this historic release day, you can read an interview with the lead developers where they discuss their thoughts on Quicksilver, but now it’s time to dive right in and see what Quicksilver’s getting on its release birthday.

  Quicksilver is a free download, but the developers welcome donations from users who find it useful.

  

  

  

• Tomorrow’s T-Mobile ‘Uncarrier’ Event to Include iPhone Announcement
  CNET reports that T-Mobile will finally announce plans to sell the iPhone at tomorrow’s “Uncarrier” event in New York City.

  T-Mobile, which is the only one of the four major U.S. carriers that does not currently offer the iPhone, originally confirmed that it would begin selling Apple products at some point in 2013.

  Image via @evleaks
  In addition to an iPhone announcement, the event is expected to feature an announcement about T-Mobile’s plan to end device subsidies and introduce contract free phones as part of an overall rebranding of the company.

  The iPhone is critical to T-Mobile’s plans to re-make itself as the “different” carrier. It will be the marquee product illustrating its new no-contract, no subsidy rules, where a customer pays a small fee upfront and pays a monthly charge on top of the service plan to cover the phone costs.

  The carrier, which currently supports more than two million iPhones, is also said to be preparing to officially unveil its LTE network at tomorrow’s event. iPhone pricing and availability has yet to be announced, though CNET’s source notes that the phone will not be immediately available for purchase.

  

  

  

• Police Facebook Page Attacked After Officer Shot And Killed Dog
  REGINA – The union representing Regina police officers wants changes to the force’s Facebook page after a shooting involving a dog led to an online…
• Salesmen in the Surgical Suite
  A widow whose husband cried about being “trapped” in his body after undergoing a prostatectomy that used Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci robotic system is suing the company.

  

• Facebook Expands Targeted Advertising Through Outside Data Sources
  Facebook is no longer relying solely on what its users reveal. Instead, it is tapping outside data sources to learn even more about them, and to sell more finely targeted ads.

  

• Shelly Palmer: The Sad State of Smartphones
  We have access to the most powerful smartphones that have ever been made. We carry around more processing power in our pockets than our laptops held even just a few years ago. So why are smartphones more boring and more underwhelming than ever before?
• Arianna: How To De-Stress With The GPS For The Soul App (WATCH)
  By now you may know that GPS for the Soul is a stress-relieving mobile app, geared toward helping you get back on course when life…

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• John Pavley: Bring Your Own Tech to School… and Become a Hacker!
  In the real world, which increasingly is becoming the virtually augmented reality world, a smartphone, a pad, or a laptop are survival tools. Even the Amish have a word processor.
• DealBook: 2 Rivals Complicate Deal for Dell
  The private equity giant Blackstone Group and the investor Carl C. Icahn have each separately submitted preliminary takeover proposals for Dell, the embattled computer maker.

  

• United States Wants to Attract Hackers to Public Sector
  Taking a page from China, the United States is now scouring high schools for hackers with an eye to bringing them along to one day defend the nation from foreign attack.

  

• Using games to teach physics
  How games can make it easier to learn
• Nasty Gal, an Online Start-Up, Is a Fast-Growing Retailer
  Sophia Amoruso turned an eBay store selling vintage finds from Goodwill into Nasty Gal, an online fashion retailer with nearly $100 million in annual sales.

  

• As SpinMedia, Web Publisher Aims to Lift Smaller Sites
  SpinMedia, formerly Buzzmedia, will introduce technological improvements to encourage readers to linger and to track them as they move from one device to another.
• Vala Afshar: Five Ways Social Media Has Forever Changed the Way We Work
  Organizations seeking to evolve need to not only recognize the changes in technology and behavior but they also need to take a strategic approach to changing how their employees fundamentally work. Technology without strategy won’t get you very far.
• Dell board weighs competing takeover offers, report says
  Things have gotten complicated for the PC maker with a pair of last-minute preliminary proposals, one from asset management firm Blackstone Group and the other from activist investor Carl Icahn.
• Rebel Fighters, Reggae Artists And Gray Cowboys: This Week On YouTube
  If you’re looking to see the most popular YouTube videos of the week, look no further. We’ve sifted through the top couple dozen most most…
• Raw Data: Supply and Artificially High Demand in European Mobile Spectrum
  Strong demand for European broadband spectrum is being held up by nations seeking to maximize revenue from auctions of their frequencies.

  

• Universal Music Group and Samsung Offer Digital Music Service
  Universal Music Group and Samsung have established The Kleek, a pan-African digital music service, joining providers offering music to a mostly mobile audience.

  

• Religious Leader Thinks Twitter Is One Big Joke
  RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s top religious cleric has criticized the social media website Twitter, calling it "a council for jokesters" and a…
• PHOTOS: 10 Hidden Gems From Space Shuttle Endeavour
  This story comes courtesy of Discover Los Angeles. NASA’s Space Shuttle program, officially called the Space Transportation System (STS), was the U.S. government’s manned launch…
• The Strange Method Researchers May Use To Test For Toxic Exposure
  GARFIELD, N.J. — The neighborhood looks exceedingly normal: single-family homes and apartment buildings packed together, dogs barking from postage-stamp-size lawns, parents hustling down narrow sidewalks…
• Second act for the unorthodox Steve Case
  His AOL heyday now well behind him, Case has major interests in some 20 companies, including LivingSocial and Hello Wallet, and has become an Internet elder statesman.
• What You’re Losing If You Don’t Unplug
  CAN you remember the last time you were in a public space in America and didn’t notice that half the people around you were bent…
• Windows Blue leak shows changes large and small
  In an alleged newly leaked build, the Windows 8 Start screen appears with both bigger and smaller Live Tile setups, an additional snap view, and new personalization options. It also shows a hint of IE 11.
• NKorea Training Teams Of ‘Cyber Warriors,’ Experts Say
  SEOUL, South Korea — Investigators have yet to pinpoint the culprit behind a synchronized cyberattack in South Korea last week. But in Seoul, the focus…

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• The Professor, the Bikini Model and the Suitcase Full of Trouble
  A world-renowned physicist meets a gorgeous model online. They plan their perfect life together. But first, she asks, would he be so kind as to deliver a special package to her?

  

• Apple Acquires Indoor Mobile Location Positioning Firm WifiSLAM for $20 Million
  The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has acquired indoor location company WifiSLAM, paying around $20 million for the firm. Apple has confirmed the purchase, but declined to offer any details on its plans for the acquisition.

  The two-year-old startup has developed ways for mobile apps to detect a phone user’s location in a building using Wi-Fi signals. It has been offering the technology to application developers for indoor mapping and new types of retail and social networking apps. The company has a handful of employees, and its co-founders include former Google software engineering intern Joseph Huang.

  Apple has been beefing up its location expertise over the past several years through acquisitions, including small firms such as Placebase, Poly9, Polar Rose, and C3 Technologies. With its purchase of WifiSLAM, Apple seems to be adding a new focus on indoor location tracking.

  The cornerstone of Apple’s mapping effort so far has been its Maps app in iOS 6, which replaced Google as the default mapping application on iOS devices. Apple’s Maps app has, however, suffered from significant criticism and the company has been working hard to improve its mapping products.

  

  

  

• WATCH: It Is Impossible Not To Laugh At This
  Who would have guessed that Will Sasso of MADtv and "The Three Stooges" movie would use Vine for the funniest (really, like, tears-rolling-down-your-face-funny) purposes yet?…
• Do we need another Windows OS?
  Microsoft made a case this week for Windows RT. Is it necessary?
• Unboxed: Big Data and a Renewed Debate Over Privacy
  The dawn of mainframe computers offered huge technological benefits, but also challenged notions of privacy. Now Big Data is bringing similar expectations and concerns.

  

• Blackstone, Icahn to make offers to buy Dell — reports
  Asset-management firm submitted preliminary deal proposal last night, to rival Michael Dell and Silver Lake’s $24.4 billion offer, reports say. Additional report says activist investor Carl Icahn has also told Dell’s board he’ll make an offer.
• Tom Cruise Joins Social Media
  MOSCOW — Tom Cruise has become the first Hollywood star to set up a page on the popular Russian social network Vkontakte. The "Mission Impossible"…
• Speedtest.net Gets Complete Overhaul With New Interface

  The long time network speed testing utility for iOS has been updated and it is beautiful.  Speedtest.net is a service that allows you to measure your network throughput from your Mac or PC and has long had an app for iPhone in the App Store.  This week the service updated their app with a […]

  The post Speedtest.net Gets Complete Overhaul With New Interface appeared first on AlliOSNews.

• Staplers, the Attachment That’s Still Making Noise
  The stapler remains the one office tool that gives the satisfying click of a job that’s done.

  

• Apple Adds Two-Factor Authentication for Apple ID

  Apple has joined the long list of sites and services that are offering two-factor authentication after recent security challenges for the Cupertino company.  Now you have the option to enable this added level of security to your Apple ID, making it more difficult for hackers to access your account […]

  The post Apple Adds Two-Factor Authentication for Apple ID appeared first on AlliOSNews.

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Windows Blue is aimed at Intel ‘Haswell’ ultrabooks
  Microsoft and Intel will deliver better power efficiency on devices running on Windows Blue.
• Shawn Amos: The Content Brief: Location Marketing and the Future of Retail
  It’s the dawn of a new era in retail. The days of blaming the digital revolution for siphoning business are dwindling, as merchants are realizing…
• Apple Working On Fix For Security Hole
  The vulnerability, exposed earlier on Friday, allows malicious users to reset the Apple ID and iCloud passwords of others using only the victim’s email address…
• Judge says Xbox doesn’t infringe Google patent
  In a ruling that reverses his earlier decision, a U.S. International Trade Commission judge says Microsoft did not infringe a patent owned by Google unit Motorola.
• Leaked: T-Mobile’s UNcarrier plans revealed in employee training manual
  

  T-Mobile wants everyone to be excited about their new pricing plans. The beleaguered carrier aims to make it clear that they are different from the competition now that they are partnered with MetroPCS, and that they don’t need AT&T to move forward. A training manual leaked to Geek.com before heading out to stores this weekend […]

• Hemanshu Nigam: Social Privacy: What Does This Really Mean?
  For the millions of Facebook users interested in controlling the privacy of profiles and posted content, the following tools and settings offer substantial influence over personal privacy.
• Her2+ Mission app provides a premature launch into trigger images
  The Her2+ Mission app states that it provides an interactive profile of the people responsible for the distribution of a groundbreaking anti breast cancer treatment.
• Technology: Plug and Play for Internet Connections
  The Audiovox Car Connection kit, which went on sale at the end of last year, tracks the car and monitors the driver.

  

• This Is The Most Dangerous Twitter Tool Ever
  No need to constantly tweet at your celebrity crush anymore. A site called "Lemme Tweet That For You" lets you create fake tweets that look…
• Steve Pociask: What Wireless Consumers Want
  With large majorities in the U.S. already enjoying 4G networks, European consumers have to wait until at least 2014 or 2015 to begin to see meaningful offerings in this space.
• Winklevoss Brothers Move On From Facebook
  The Winklevoss brothers have moved on from their battle with Mark Zuckerberg and are more active than ever.

  

• WATCH: How Much Should We Worry About Our Kids’ Screen Time?
  How will your kids’ use of technology affect their development? Does the time your toddler spends playing with your iPad or smartphone do more harm…
• Gil Laroya: The Sinister Trend of Social Media — Make Everyone’s Life Public
  The worrisome trend happening beneath everyone’s noses (and keyboards), is that slowly but steadily, we are all giving up our privacy to the world — and like a herd of buffalo running off the side of a cliff — we are doing it willingly.
• Barnes & Noble Makes A Desperate Move
  (Reuters) – Barnes & Noble Inc said on Friday it would give away a free Nook Simple Touch e-reader to any customer who buys its…
• Bill Cosby Does Not Understand Why You Like His Sweaters
  If you had to name the one thing you love most about Bill Cosby, it would be his sweaters, of course. If Bill Cosby had…
• Another Senator Questions Justice’s Prosecution Of Aaron Swartz
  WASHINGTON — Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for more information about the Justice Department’s prosecution of Internet…
• Hope Kronman: Connection in the Digital Age
  We will continue to find new and, I’m sure, exhilarating ways to connect online. And while we do, we must not lose sight of the boundaries between real and virtual life.
• In Some Schools, Students Bring Their Own Technology
  In a growing trend, school districts pressed for money are allowing students to bring their phones, laptop computers or tablets to be used in the classroom.

  

• Apple ID Security Hole Allows Password Reset With Email Address and Date of Birth
  The Verge is reporting that the Apple ID login system has been compromised and passwords can be reset using only the user’s email address and date of birth. Users who have activated the new two-step verification process are not affected by the hack.

  

  We’ve been made aware of a step-by-step tutorial (which remains available as of this writing) that explains in detail how to take advantage of the vulnerability. The exploit involves pasting in a modified URL while answering the DOB security question on Apple’s iForgot page. It’s a process just about anyone could manage, and The Verge has confirmed the glaring security hole firsthand.

  Out of concerns for user security, The Verge did not share any information about how to perform the hack, and Apple has not publicly commented on the issue.

  Users who attempted to activate two-step verification but are put into a three-day waiting period are vulnerable to the attack, and concerned users can log into their Apple ID accounts and change their birthdate to something less easily guessed.

  The two-step verification system for Apple ID accounts was introduced yesterday and is supposed to provide users with a login sequence that is nearly impossible to hack for someone without physical access to the user’s devices.

  

  

  

Thanks for reading our digest. Opinions in the articles above are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Digital Workshed ltd.

As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.

• Microsoft defends Windows RT as necessary disruption
  Microsoft defends Windows RT in an interview with CNET. It’s a disruptive technology that will only get better with time, according to Michael Angiulo, corporate vice president.
• Apple Blames High Australian Markups for Digital Content on Media Rights Holders
  At an Australian Parliament inquiry into high markups on technology goods and services today, Apple Australia Vice President Tony King blamed rights holders for international price disparities in the company’s digital content, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

  “The pricing of this digital content is based on the wholesale prices which are set through negotiated contracts with the record labels, movie studios and TV networks,” said Mr King, who is Apple’s vice president for Australia, New Zealand and South Asia.

  King went on to say that “the content industry still runs with perhaps old-fashioned notions of country borders or territories or markets” and that it creates confusion for customers. He also said that Apple’s iTunes pricing in Australia is “comparable to other Australian physical and online stores.”

  When asked by Labor MP Ed Husic, who is a member of the committee conducting the inquiry, whether Apple could influence the price of digital content in Australia, King said that it was up to the rights holders. King also said that Apple would love to see “cheaper, lower prices in the Australian market,” according to News.com.au.

  
  Earlier today, MacStories noted that markups in Australia average as much as 61.4% for music, 33.5% for movies and 25.9% for TV shows when a subset of content offerings is compared to prices in the United States once Australia’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been accounted for. Markups for Apple’s hardware products are more reasonable, with Mac, iPad and iPod prices in Australia generally falling within 10% of U.S. prices. The iPhone line, however, can go as high as a 16% markup for the iPhone 5 and 4S, while the iPhone 4 is actually slightly cheaper in Australia than it is in the United States.

  King said that Apple had gone to great lengths to make sure that its hardware products are priced at “parity” in Australia, which takes into account Australian GST as well as the cost of delivering its products to the country.

  Adobe and Microsoft were also questioned as part of the inquiry following summonses being issued last month, with Adobe explaining that it charges Australian customers $1000 extra for a software suite because users are receiving a “personalized” service on their local website. Microsoft said its prices, which include a $2000 increase for a software suite, were based on market competition and that users would vote with their wallets if they didn’t agree.

  

  

  

• Google Reportedly Working on Its Own Android Smart Watch
  The Financial Times is reporting that Google’s Android unit is working on a smart watch. With Samsung confirming that it is working on a smart watch and rumors about Apple’s “iWatch” continuing to circulate, it appears that the three companies are set to battle in a new mobile device segment.

  The report unsurprisingly suggests that Google views the smart watch as a more mainstream wearable accessory than the Google Glass project that has garnered significant attention in recent months.

  While Glass is being created in its X Lab, home to experimental “moonshot” projects such as the self-driving car, Google’s smart watch is being developed by its Android unit, according to a person briefed on the project, to act as an extension to the smartphones using that operating system. The project is separate from Samsung’s efforts, the source said, although there is no indication of when it might launch.

  Apple reportedly has 100 product designers working on an “iWatch”, experimenting with curved glass and possible features such as biosensors. Apple’s smart watch is also said to run a “full” version of iOS, which would make it easier for developer access. However, battery life is said to be the big challenge for Apple, with current prototypes needing to charge every two days, half of Apple’s goal.

  

  

  

• Arianna Huffington: Huffington This Week: Crime Waves and Echo Chambers
  In this week’s issue of Huffington, Gerry Smith gives us an in-depth report on how
  smartphones and tablets, especially Apple products, have created an entirely new — and very dangerous — criminal ecosystem.
• Windows Blue upgrades maybe shown in leaked videos
  Speculation on Microsoft’s next Windows release abounds — new videos suggest that touch may be enhanced and Windows Phone could get better speech recognition.
• MOCKED
  Retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) got the Twitter treatment after his inane comment on Thursday….
• Janet Balis: Developing a Real-time Strategy in the Age of Twitter
  As client organizations transform to fully integrated decision-making, the loose confederations of agencies servicing these clients across creative, social, media, PR, technology and digital are likely to follow.
• FCC Chairman To Announce Departure Friday
  (Reuters) – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will announce on Friday that he will step down, according to an FCC official, leaving the agency…
• Mailbox Fills One Million Reservations, Updates App with New Shake to Undo Feature [iOS Blog]
  Six weeks after launching, Mailbox today announced that it had fulfilled one million reservations for its popular mail management app.

  Before the app went live, Orchestra, the company behind Mailbox, implemented a reservation system in order to deal with demand. Though highly criticized, Mailbox experienced only a few significant outages during the weeks after the app launched.

  Last Friday, Dropbox revealed that it had purchased Mailbox for a reported $50 to $100 million and as a result, reservations were able to be fulfilled faster thanks to Dropbox’s established infrastructure.

  Mailbox also launched its first major update today, adding a new shake to undo feature that will return the last deleted or archived message back to the inbox. The update also includes user interface enhancements, bug fixes, and performance optimizations.

  

  What’s New in Version 1.1.0
  – Shake to undo!
  – UI enhancements
  – Bug fixes and performance optimizations

  Though fulfillment times have improved, the wait list for Mailbox still sits at over 450,000 users. Mailbox is a free app for the iPhone that can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]

  

  

  

• Why bacn is taking over from spam
  Why your inbox is under siege from a new threat
• VIDEO: Could a folding car solve parking problems?
  Theo Leggett looks at high-tech solutions to traffic problems, including a car that folds itself to fit in a smaller space.
• Final call for the phone box?
  Can technology save the phone box from extinction?
• Noted Venture Capitalist HACKED
  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – John Doerr, a venture capitalist known for early investments in companies such as Amazon and Google, has become the latest victim…
• WATCH: Doctors Replace 75 Percent Of Patient’s Skull With WHAT?!
  Doctors have used 3D printing technology to replace most of a man’s skull. The groundbreaking surgery occurred last week, when 75 percent of an American…
• Lockheed Martin Harnesses Quantum Technology
  Lockheed Martin is on track to use quantum computing to solve some science and business problems millions of times faster than can be done today.

  

• Apple Will No Longer Approve Apps Using Unique Device Identifier (UDID) Beginning May 1, Must Also Support iPhone 5 and Retina Display
  Apple has informed app developers that it will no longer allow apps to use the unique device identifier or UDID after May 1, according to a post on Apple’s developer website.

  Instead, Apple requests developers use the new ‘Vendor or Advertising identifiers’ that were introduced in iOS 6. Developers will also be required to support both the Retina display and the iPhone 5’s 4-inch display, beginning on May 1.

  Using Identifiers in Your Apps
  March 21, 2013

  Starting May 1, the App Store will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. Please update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6. You can find more details in the UIDevice Class Reference.

  Make Your Apps Look Great on the Retina Display and iPhone 5
  March 21, 2013

  Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. Learn about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.

  Apple announced in 2011 that it would be phasing out developer access to UDID’s, and instead create a non-identifying marker for advertisers to use. A year ago, it was reported that Apple began quietly rejecting apps for the use of the UDID, but this public announcement suggests Apple has gotten more serious about shutting down use of the identifier.

  Apple had been under increased pressure to change how the UDID works due to the privacy implications of a developer knowing which particular iOS device is being used to access their app. Apple and several app developers were sued over the use of the UDID to track users across different apps. While the UDID doesn’t specifically identify a user, the sharing of UDIDs across ad networks and apps can help piece together a valuable picture of activity and interests of the user of a specific device. Apple seems to be requiring apps to generate their own unique identifiers for each installation to avoid this ability to share such information across apps.

  

  

  

• Oren Frank: The Digital Revolution Is Over… Or Not
  Enough with your "Digital revolution, ever-changing technology world." There’s nothing new under our digital skies.
• Redesigned ‘Speedtest.net’ App Released, Improved Server Selection and Sharing [iOS Blog]
  Ookla has updated its Speedtest.net iOS app with iPhone 5 support, the ability to remove advertising with a $0.99 in-app purchase, improved server selection and easier sharing — since the whole point of an app that measures the connection speed is so users can gloat to their friends.

  The app allows users to check their ping, upload and download speeds from servers located all over the world.

  What’s New in Version 3.0

  – Completely new interface with full iPhone 5 support
  – Option to permanently remove advertising
  – Easier result sharing
  – Improved server selection and saving
  – Sortable results
  – See your testing location in results detail
  – This release is English only and translations will come in the next update

  
  Speedtest.net Mobile Speed Test is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

  

  

  

• Vocal Coach Uses Sex Toys To Help Singers Reach Higher Notes
  A vocal coach in Canada is creating a lot of buzz with his titillating technique for improving his students’ singing skills: He puts sex toys…

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