Google Chrome for iOS headed to iPhone, iPad

With the paint barely dry on Chrome 19, there’s word from Business Insider that Google may finally be submitting Google Chrome for iOS to the App Store. Full-on Chrome for your Apple phone? Don’t get too excited, Apple’s got rules about these things.

No app is allowed to duplicate the built-in functionality of the default iOS apps. Browsers, therefore, are limited to running a customized interface atop Safari Mobile — which is what alternative apps like Dolphin and Firefox Home do right now. Chrome for iOS, then, would work the same way — and it would probably look a lot like the existing Google Search app for iOS.

The hope, obviously, is that Google would integrate Chrome Sync functionality so you’d at least have easy access to your bookmarks, stored credentials, and tabs from other devices. And really, the experience wouldn’t be drastically different from a straight-up Google Chrome app for iOS since Chrome (like Safari) is built atop the WebKit engine.

No official word has come from Google about this yet, however. The buzz is based on a report issued by Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter, who says that Apple may already be reviewing the app and that it could arrive before the end of the second quarter — or at least some time later this year. One thing’s for sure: if Google does offer up Chrome for iOS, they’re probably hoping that doing so will free up a few extra dollars. Right now, they’re splitting revenue with Apple for all searches fired off through Safari.

via Business Insider

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WSJ: 2012 iPhone will have at least a 4-inch display

When the 6th generation iPhone launches — probably some time this year — there is a good chance that it will have a larger display. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has started to order parts for the device, including a display that is larger then the 3.5-inch one that the iPhone has used since it was released. The screen on the 2012 iPhone will be “at least 4 inches,” according to the report.

Rumors about a larger iPhone screen have been around almost as long as the iPhone itself, but the WSJ has a good track record with Apple rumors, citing their helpful group of “people familiar with the situation/matter”. This information comes before we’ve seen a great number of credible iPhone 6 rumors, which mounted to an incredible amount of noise before the announcement of the iPhone 4S last year.

The iPhone 5, as it was known at the time, had a number of rumors about it that didn’t pan out, one of the most prominent being the move to a larger display. Rumors had it that the size of the next-gen Retina display could be 3.7-, 4-, or 4.2 inches, though the latter was quickly dispelled.

Apple had no comment on the matter, but the article noted that Apple could be making the move in order to compete with rivals, like Samsung. While it’s true that Samsung is a force to be reckoned with, there has been much conjecture about why the iPhone is the size it is, and why Apple has not felt pressure to chance the display size since 2007. If it does happen I’d expect to see something right around 4-inches, not anything in the HTC One X range (4.7-inch).

Read more at the WSJ

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Ultra-thin 15-inch MacBook Pro to have Retina Display, USB 3.0

Anyone expecting the rumors of Apple dumping the MacBook Pro and introducing larger MacBook Airs is going to be disappointed if 9To5Mac’s sources are correct. Apple is planning to revamp the Pro range of laptops, but the design is remaining in line with what has gone before.

Apparently, Apple has managed to redesign the 15-inch MacBook Pro to be an ultra-thin version of the 2008 design, suggesting there will continue to be a very clear distinction between the Air and Pro hardware.

So how do you slim the Pro down to class as “ultra-thin”? You first of all remove the optical drive and the Ethernet port. Instead you offer a USB Superdrive for those that need it and an adaptor for plugging in an Ethernet cable. Both are going to be acceptable compromises to make for the majority of users wanting a new Pro.

What will definitely get MacBook fans reaching for their credit cards is the line-up of features this new MacBook Pro will sport. Top of the billing is a Retina Display that is being described as “stunning.” The resolution is high enough that Apple has decided it no longer needs to offer resolution options to the user in the form of numbers. Instead, you’ll be choosing between small, big, and optimal sizes.

The new Pro is also expected to include multiple Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports. The inclusion of USB 3.0 is thought to be because Intel’s latest Ivy Bridge chips have support for it built-in, plus it allows anyone upgrading to continue to use any USB 2.0 peripherals they have with the new machine.

We’ve already covered the Geekbench benchmarks for a supposed Ivy Bridge MacBook Pro earlier today. What we didn’t know was what GPU Apple has decided to pair the processor with. Apparently, it is going to be the Nvidia GT 650M GPU, meaning this Core-i7 machine is going to offer up some serious performance regardless of what task you are asking it to perform.

Read more at 9To5Mac

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Wozniak calls for open Apple hardware and software

Ever since Steve Jobs convinced his friend Steve Wozniak in 1976 to sell the Apple I board as a product instead of give it away, Apple has been a company with a closed platform. The original Macintosh had anti-tampering screws, Apple refuses to license its desktop OS, and the iOS platform is famously locked down. After backing off on his promotion of openness in recent years, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is again calling on the company to open up.

While giving a talk in Sydney, Wozniak said that Apple could continue to develop the innovative end-to-end solutions it has been famous for while giving developers more access. Specifically, Woz argued that providing a programming interface on the iPad would allow the creation of great new technologies that currently only exist at the fringes of the jailbreak community.

Steve Jobs was the driving force behind Apple’s integrated approach. He believed that to create an “insanely great” product, you need to control the whole widget. It was only in Steve Jobs’ absence in the early 90s that Apple dabbled in licensing its MacOS software. Perhaps Jobs’ passing in October of last year made it easier for Wozniak to renew his calls for openness.

Wozniak pointed to Apple’s tech rivals Google and Facebook, which run open platforms that give developers plenty of access. Apple makes it difficult to even access data without being completely plugged into its hardware and software ecosystem. While Woz is still an experimenter and engineer at heart, he was careful to clarify his feeling that openness should not be allowed to negatively affect the quality of the product.

So the question is, could Apple open up its hardware and software while still creating the cohesive products that saved the company a decade ago? Even if it’s possible, Steve Jobs might have infused too much of his DNA in the company’s leadership for anyone to risk it.

via IT News

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Ivy Bridge MacBook Pro and iMac spotted in Geekbench database

With Intel rolling out the new 22nm Ivy Bridge processors late last month it’s inevitable that Apple’s next hardware refresh will include the chips. And signs that Apple is already using Core-i7 Ivy Bridge processors in pre-production machines has now started to appear.

Geekbench, which provides a range of benchmarks for processor and memory performance, also keeps a database of results for different systems. Two new entries have been spotted in this database that point to a new MacBook Pro and iMac.

The first is listed as a MacBookPro9,1, which fits seeing as the existing MacBook Pro laptops are the MacBookPro8,x series. This new model apparently runs an unreleased build of Mac OS X Lion (Build 12A211) and a quad-core Core i7-3820QM clocked at 2.7GHz coupled with 8GB of DDR3 RAM.

The result of using that new Ivy Bridge chip is a Geekbench Score of 12,252. To put that in context, the existing line of MacBook Pros max out around 10,500.

The other entry is a model listed as an iMac13,2 and uses a quad-core Core i7-3770 running at 3.4GHz coupled with 4GB DDR3. The Geekbench Score is 12,183, which is not as impressive a gain as the MacBook Pro shows, but is still higher than the existing iMacs that typically post scores around 11,500.

Both entries point to a MacBook Pro and iMac refresh in the near future. So if you are considering an upgrade to your existing Apple hardware it’s probably worth waiting for the Ivy Bridge update. You will be getting a faster processor, even if it does run hotter than the Sandy Bridge part it replaces.

More at MacRumors and Geekbench [1] [2]

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Apple to replace Google Maps in iOS 6?

In Apple’s recent release of iPhoto for iOS the company took a major step forward in what seems to be a long time goal: they replaced Google Maps. In iPhoto, Cupertino chose to go with Open Street Map, an open data mapping project that is free for use, with attribution and adherence to certain guidelines. The next question is when will Apple move away from Google Maps on other services, particularly the iPhone’s Maps app. Rumor has it that the switchover could happen with the release of iOS 6 and that the move to an in-house mapping solution could bring along some major perks, including a 3D mode.

While it’s far from confirmed, the jump to another mapping app isn’t a far-fetched one. In the past Apple has gobbled up a number of smaller firms who were working on mapping technology, including Poly9, Placebase, and C3 Technologies. Plus we know that there are a number of reasons why Apple hates Google Maps and that it’s been Apple intention to take their maps to the next level.

Based on the rumor, it seems like the C3 Technologies acquisition was crucial to this move. They where a 3D mapping company that Apple picked up last year, whose technology enabled rapid 3D mapping. (You can see the video explainer at the bottom.)

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The first words you read when Apple hires you

Starting a new job always creates a mix of emotions. Excitement, trepidation, nervousness. Landing a job at Apple is only going to enhance any and all emotions due to the reputation and high standards the company exudes.

So how does Apple greet new hires? The words above are apparently what awaits every new employee at the company. I think you’ll agree it’s a pretty inspiring, if daunting piece.

As the iPod, iPhone, and iPad have shown, working for Apple does mean developing new devices that you’d be happy to tell anyone you had a hand in creating. The same is true of some of the software and services the company develops to support that hardware. At the same time, the sentence, “That you’d sacrifice a weekend for.” suggests you’ll be spending a long time at your desk and the company expects you to give up your free time when required to achieve that “never compromise” next product launch. But obviously you’ll do it more than willingly because it’s Apple, right?

With companies including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook all fighting for employees from the same talent pool, there’s no doubt the perks and experience of working for any of them is going to be way above average. After all, they really want you to stay if you’re good at your job and will happily provide mutliple restaurants, laundry service, stores, etc. on site to make your life (at work) easier.

But there’s always that question of work/life balance. It doesn’t matter how awesome your job is, spending time away from your desk and with your family and friends is important and likely enhances your performance at work. So take those inspirational words above on board, but also don’t forget to apply them to your life away from work, too.

via Instagram

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DeLorme inReach will bring affordable satellite communications to iOS

Today, mobile phones are very good about getting a signal so long as you are in a place that is: somewhat inhabited, not an elevator, and not too far above/below ground. While those latter circumstances are difficult to overcome, satellite communications will help if you are out of range of standard 2G/3G/4G radio signals. After all, tower-based signals are great for blanketing large swathes of populated area, but once you get out into the backcountry they aren’t a feasible solution. DeLorme, and companies like it, have enabled consumer-level satellite communications for years and with the inReach they will include support for Apple’s iOS.

The DeLorme inReach is a two-way satellite communicator that can do thing like send SOS messages if you are in trouble. It has some cool perks that older satellite communication devices don’t, a primary one being that it’s two-way. For example, the Spot Connect (from early 2011) could bring GPS and satellite communications to your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, but it could only send out information. This was useful for telling people you were in trouble and where you were, but they could not confirm that they were coming. It was able to send emails, text message, and post to social networks, so long as you paid the monthly service.

The DeLorme inReach does all that, but it can also receive communications. This means it can handle two-way satellite messaging and interactive SOS. So you can distinguish between “I’m going to be late for dinner because I twisted my ankle” and “I’m stuck up a tree, surrounded by angry badgers”. The inReach has been able to work with Android phones, if you want to use something more advanced than the communicator alone, but version 1.5 will bring iPhone compatibility as well. So for $9.95 a month you’ll be able to text from your iPhone or send SOS messages from anywhere in the world, pole-to-pole (again, no elevators).

Keep in mind that the subscription plans means that this isn’t for emergency use only. The $9.95/month “Safety” plan gets users SOS support, 10 texts a month, and leaves out track support (essentially a breadcrumb trail of your latest movement in case someone has to find where you are and how you got there). After those 10 texts you have to pay $1.50 a pop. There are more robust plans, like the Recreation and Expedition, if you spend more time in the backcountry.

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Bang and Olufsen create a $730 iPad audio dock

Bang & Olufsen is well known for premium audio products from ear buds to sound systems. Their latest iPad dock is one expensive accessory, considering it will set you back nearly $730—that’s $230 more than what the third-generation iPad costs.

The Beoplay A3 iPad Speaker is a 2.75-pound, pyramid-shaped dock that frames the iPad with three 0.5-inch tweeters and a 2-inch woofer. Its size and weight make it more likely to be a stay-at-home system, rather than an about town one. But, if you do decide to take it on the road it has an estimated run time of about 5 hours.

It has a frequency rang of 60 to 15,000Hz and is constructed from an aluminum frame covered by black polycarbonate ABS plastic. Thanks to its rubber collars it offers a snug fit for the second generation as well as original iPad, too. However, Bang & Olufsen has yet to confirm whether it will (or won’t) fit the slightly thicker, new iPad model. I’d be very surprised if they’d overlooked the current model, though.

The way the Beoplay A3 is designed, you can orient the iPad and the sound system one of several ways. The dock will be able to sense the change in orientation and activate the proper speakers to provide you with the best possible sound output.

There is currently no word on a release date, however, you can sign up on the Bang & Olufsen website to notify you when it does become available.

At $730 though, I doubt that many people will be lining up for a purchase.

via Ubergizmo

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Apple to release a $799 MacBook Air this year?

These days the MacBook Air starts at $999 if you want the diminutive 11-inch model, and $1299 for the 13-incher. With the 13-inch MacBook Pro starting at $1299, that smaller Air is the cheapest Mac laptop available. It’s a highly-contested topic in comment threads and forums around the web, but many people would agree it’s a fair price for a very good laptop. That said, $999 is a lot of money, and more than many people want to spend on a laptop, even if it is super thin, aluminum clad, and packing an SSD. A recent rumor has it that Apple could release a $799 MacBook Air before the year is over.

Details are sparse, but Digitimes has it that Apple’s affordable Air will be released in order to compete with Intel’s second generation of ultrabooks, which will be powered by Ivy Bridge processors. While any price drop on Apple’s part is rumor at this point, the reasoning why this would happen is clear. Intel has widen the definition of what is an ultrabook and, in doing so, has allowed for companies to produce more affordable laptops. These systems are often MacBook Air-like, making for a class of thin, lightweight, responsive computers that start at well under $1000.

Of course, the more the price drops the less buyers get, so the limit can only be pushed so far if companies like Acer and Toshiba want to take on the Air. The larger point is that manufacturers plan to push down the pricing on sub-1-inch laptops and Apple could drop their prices in response, if the rumor is accurate.

$799 would be a very aggressive price for a MacBook Air, assuming the company will use the same aluminum unibody and an SSD. A smaller SSD is possible, but the MBA’s chassis cannot accommodate a 2.5-inch disk, so there will have to be a solid state drive present. Reports put Apple’s cost of production for the $999 MacBook Air at $718 (albeit it in 2010, but there was also a $999 Air then) so it might be possible for Apple to do this, but the success of their laptop division and lack of offerings at this price point in the past make the move seem unlikely.

The article states that the availability of a $799 MacBook Air would be damaging to Intel’s ultrabook initiative, which not hard to believe given the success of the Air and the reactive stance of many of the ultrabook manufacturers.

For more reading check out Geek.com’s MacBook Air vs ultrabooks article.

via Digitimes

 

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Untethered jailbreak for iPhone 4 iOS 5.1 achieved

The wait continues for the iPhone 4S and new iPad to be jailbroken, but for anyone using an iPhone 4 or iPad 2 there’s good news. An untethered jailbreak for those devices running iOS 5.1 has finally been achieved by one determined iPhone hacker.

The announcement was made by the iOS security researcher known as pod2g through his Twitter account. The tweet simply said:

Until now iOS 5.1 users have had to rely on a tethered jailbreak solution, which meant having to re-jailbreak every time your device required a reboot. With the more desirable untethered solution, the jailbreak is maintained between restarts of your phone or tablet.

pod2g has given no hint as to when this untethered jailbreak will be released to the public, but at least now we know it is possible and only a matter of time before it appears. After which, the focus will move back on to jailbreaking the A5X-based devices and subsequently allowing the iPhone 4S and new iPad to be unlocked for running non-approved apps from the Cydia store. Hopefully that will also appear as an untethered solution.

The A5X devices were jailbroken back in March by MuscleNerd and the Dev Team, but it was just a first step on a single device. All parties involved admitted at the time that there was still a lot of work to do and so the wait continues without an ETA. Soon it will be a question of whether they can produce a solution before the iPhone 5 lands later this year.

via Cult of Mac

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Logitech’s solar-powered Folio keyboard for iPad doubles as a case

Back in 2010 Logitech surprised us by launching a wireless keyboard that required no batteries. Ever. Instead, Logitech had managed to integrate enough solar cells to render a more traditional power source unnecessary. And after owning such a keyboard for over a year now, I can attest it really does work and always has enough juice to transmit my input.

Last year the Mac version of that keyboard launched, but for 2012 Logitech is targeting other devices with its solar tech. That same idea has now been put to a new use in the popular field of tablet accessories. Logitech today announced a solar-powered keyboard specifically for use with the iPad.

Called the Solar Keyboard Folio, the keyboard links to your iPad via a Bluetooth connection, but also offers both front and back protection for your tablet. It can be positioned in two different stand angles, which actually alter the functionality of the keyboard. In position one it acts just like a standard keyboard. In position two, everything is hidden except the first row of keys which become media playback controls for when your iPad is being used to watch a movie or listen to some music.

The Folio will charge in both indoor and outdoor lighting environments, and also features and auto on/off toggle when you open or close the case. It costs $129.99, which seems like a lot for adding just a keyboard. However, when you consider it also replaces the cost of buying a case and will never require you to buy batteries, it suddenly looks a lot more reasonable.

The Solar Keyboard Folio is available to pre-order now on Logitech’s website, but should appear soon at other retailers, possibly with a slightly lower price tag.

Read more at Blog.Logitech

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32nm iPad 2 improves battery life by up to 29 percent

Ask most people planning to buy an Apple tablet and chances are they only want the new (3rd generation) iPad with that gorgeous high resolution Retina Display. However, Apple has continued to offer the iPad 2 at a discounted price of $399.

The iPad 2 is a last-gen piece of kit, but as Anandtech discovered through extensive testing, Apple’s move to using a 32nm process for the A5 chip has brought with it some desirable improvements. Specifically, battery life has improved by as much as 29 percent depending on what you are using the tablet for. Operating temperatures have dropped, too by a degree or so.

As with most pre-built gadgets, they are not all the same. They may look and function in exactly the same way, but the components inside are always being improved upon. The iPad 2 is no different and there are actually 2 different models of the tablet in circulation (or 4 if you count the 3G versions). The one you want is, of course, the latest, which uses that smaller processor.

By shrinking the die using a 32nm process, Apple has effectively cut the power use of the chip while retaining the same performance as the older, 45nm part. That comes with a range of advantages for Apple (mainly cost and stock related), but for the consumer it ultimately means better battery life.

How much better? If you’re using the tablet for web browsing then you’ll see 11.7 hours of use instead of the 10.1 hours in the earlier model (15.8% increase). 3D gaming, which really eats up your battery, is rated at 7.9 hours instead of 6.12 hours (29% increase). Finally, there’s video playback, which should now see you through any long haul flight or road trip. The 32nm iPad 2 serves up 15.7 hours of viewing time compared to 13.3 hours  (18% increase).

If this all sounds like a good reason to go out and buy an iPad 2, there’s one issue you need to overcome. Apple in no way marks the packaging of the iPad 2 stating what model it is. You could be getting either of the 2 models manufactured, and until you open it up and use a utility to look at the specs, you won’t know which one you have.

That situation should change as Apple continues to manufacture the latest 32nm version of the tablet. But for now, you have to be lucky to chance upon one.

Read more at Anandtech

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Apple Profits Increased

by Mobilemaniac on 26 April, 2012

Apple’s profits increased 94 percent from year to year reaching GBP 7.16 billion in the first three months of the current year. The revenues increased 59 percent to GBP 24.21 billion as a result of the sale of 35 million iPhone and 11.8 million iPads across the globe.

This most recent outcome places Apple fairly and squarely at the top of the smartphone market and is displays a fantastic difference between the sales performances of Nokia and Research in Mobile (RIM) for the same time frame.

The three monthly results up to the 31st of March of this year also pointed out the anxieties about the lesser sales and the probable lack of important parts that had the shares of apple to drop by 12 percent from the 9th of April.

Forecasters had predicted profits of GBP 6.18 a share on an income of GBP 22.78 billion, but the cost of Apple’s shares went up to GBP 7.59 a share as a consequence of their results.

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, stated that they were excited with the sales of more than 35 million iPhones, and near 12 million iPads in the quarter that ended in March. He said that their new iPad was getting of to a great beginning and in the course of the current year people were going to witness much more of the kind of modernization that only a company like Apple could provide.

iPad sales increased more than two fold to 11.8 million in comparison to what was sold in the same period the previous year when only 4.7 million pieces were sold and the statistics seem to show a general on going progress throughout the whole year. More than 67 million iPads have been sold throughout the world from the day it was first launched in the year 2010.

Peter Oppenheimer added that the record results of the quarter that ended in March brought in GBP 8.64 billion in cash from operations. He said while looking forward to their third financial three months, they anticipated that their income would be approximately GBP 21 billion, with diluted earnings a share being around GBP 5.36.

Mr. Cook stated that the company had had their first best quarter in China with an income of GBP 4.88 billion, which was three times more than the previous year. Chine gave the company 20% of their sales compared to the 12% the previous year. Mr. Cook mentioned that there would be plenty more of chances in China with the launch of the iPads and Apple’s ideas of extending their operation to the country.

Related posts:

1. Apple traded more iPads and iPhones
2. iPhone revenues witnesses significant drop
3. A Slump in Profits Reported by Huawei
4. Enhanced Returns Expected by Windows Phone Division in the first Quarter
5. Vodafone Predicts a 2.1% Hike in H1 Service Earnings That Will Then Touch 2.6 Billion Pounds

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Quasar brings windowed apps to jailbroken iPads

Apple has always preferred to offer consumers a locked-down, end-to-end experience. That’s what makes the iPad one of the most enjoyable consumer mobile devices, but also perhaps the most restrictive. Since the original iPhone, the jailbreak community has been cracking the software in iDevices to give users more flexibility with advanced apps. This time app developers have taken things to a new level. Quasar is an impressive window management system for iPads.

We’re all used to the multi-window paradigm on desktop PCs, but that has never worked quite right on a touchscreen device. Multitasking on mobile devices has just meant suspending an app in the background so it can be returned to quickly. Quasar actually makes your iPad apps behave like real windows. You can resize, move, minimize, and close them as you like.

Each app has a bar across the bottom that you can use to change the size, close, full screen, and rotate it. The rotation support literally made me say “whoa” out loud. The apps behave just like they are getting rotation information from the accelerometer. The interface changes to the correct landscape or portrait UI and it’s really smooth. Quasar also plugs into theiOS multitasking bar for easy switching between windowed apps.

This is a great way to keep multiple things going at once, and finally gives you a use for all those iPhone-only apps that scale poorly to the iPad. The app is still in the early phases of public availability so there are probably going to be bugs, and I assume battery life is going to take a hit. Although, it might be worth the risk to try it out.

Quasar is available in the Cydia store for jailbroken iPads, and it can be yours for $9.99.

via TheBigBoss

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iPhone 5 SIM card tray suggests no major redesign

With the iPhone 5 expected to launch as early as September this year, parts for the new phone will start appearing on production lines soon in order to get millions manufactured in time to meet the inevitable demand.

Revised parts means new parts for someone on a production line to leak, and that’s apparently what has just happened with the iPhone 5 SIM card tray. The leak comes courtesy of accessory company SW-Box, who claim to have received the part from one of its suppliers.

Now I admit a SIM card tray isn’t the most exciting component someone could leak, but it is actually quite telling as to the overall design of the new phone. Everyone is expecting a very different looking iPhone with a tapered back and a move away from the flat edges and glass back of the iPhone4/4S. But this card tray suggests otherwise.

As you can see from the image above, the tray continues to sport a flat edge that will be visible on the casing. If the iPhone 5 does have a radical new design, then this card slot couldn’t have a flat edge like this, could it?

Of course, with this being a leak, it could turn out this is just an iPhone 4S SIM card tray. It could also be Apple having some fun knowing components leak even at the merest suggestion it is part of the iPhone 5 design.

Even so, the iPhone 5 could just be another iterative step in the development of the phone. I’d be surprised if it didn’t include a larger display and a thinner body, but then I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple managed to fit it into a case that’s almost exactly the same as the iPhone 4S design.

More at SW-Box, via Cydiablog

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California law foiled Steve Jobs’ Willy Wonka iMac golden ticket promotion

Most people, if not everyone, knew Steve Jobs as the charismatic face of Apple. The man had an “it” factor when presenting at those seasonal Apple keynotes, showing off the company’s latest product releases. After his death, bold tales of his deeds in the planning room have been making their way on to the web and book shelves. One such story involves his Willy Wonka fantasy as a way to promote the all-in-one iMac desktop machines.

That’s right, Jobs wanted to not only package an iMac product with a golden ticket inside for a lucky individual (and family) to visit the Cupertino office–he wanted to greet them in full-Wonka garb. Ken Segall’s book, Insanely Simple: The Obsession that Drives Apple’s Success, details the playful marketing pitch Jobs entertained to executives. The ticket was designed to celebrate the millionth iMac sold and, of course, give Apple some added press coverage.

Jobs had the plan in motion, having already instructed the creative team to design the golden ticket prototype. You can probably guess that this vision never came to fruition, as none of us have heard of the legendary moment Jobs cosplayed as Willy Wonka. It was a California law that ended up throwing a wrench into the entire plot.

You see, the Golden State requires that all sweepstake contests allow anyone to enter without requiring purchase of a product. Meaning, the likelihood of the winner actually being an iMac purchaser, or an Apple fan for that matter, would be very slim. So, the project was canned and consumers never had the delight of hearing the story about the time Steve Jobs dressed up as Willy Wonka, guiding a lucky Apple fan through his technology wonderland.

via MacRumors

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Geek 101: How to format a Mac hard drive

How you format a Mac hard drive is entirely dependent on what kind of drive you plan on formatting. For instance, is the hard drive internal or external? And if internal, has it been partitioned or are you looking to reformat the entire system to factory state? Whatever your formatting situation, this how-to guide will cover each of these step-by-step.

Before you go messing around in the Disk Utility application, make sure you know what the drive is going to be used for. If it’s an external hard drive, for instance, do you plan on hooking it up solely to Macs or Windows PCs as well? Each one has its own compatible format, so you’ll have to be careful which you choose. FAT 32 is the most compatible disk format which is why it’s the most widely used on USB thumb drives — it’s compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs. HFS+ is the native Mac OS file system, and NTFS is Windows’ (Macs can read what’s on NTFS-formatted drives, but they cannot write).

Before you start formatting any hard drives, make sure you’ve backed up your data! Formatting an external hard drive will delete any information on the device, likewise reformatting your system will essentially bring your Mac back to a clean factory state, thus removing all information you’ve stored on it. Conclusion: Be sure to backup first.

Formatting an external hard drive or internal hard drive partition:

• Step 1:
  If you plan on formatting an external hard drive then make sure it’s plugged in an appears on your desktop. If you plan on formatting an extra internal drive, make sure you’ve partitioned one (note: if you have yet to do so check out our How to partition guide for Macs).
• Step 2:
  Open Finder (either through Spotlight or the icon in the dock).
• Step 3:
  Click on Applications (on the left).
• Step 4:
  Scroll down and find a folder named Utilities. Double-click on it.

• Step 5:
  Once in the folder, you’ll see an application named Disk Utility, double-click on it to launch the program.
• Step 6:
  Find the hard drive you want to format, and highlight it. If it’s an external hard drive then it should appear in the left nav bar. If it’s an internal drive partition then it should also appear in the left nav bar as whatever you named it after partitioning.

• Step 7:
  If you look to the right, there’s tab named Erase, click it.
• Step 8:
  Underneath it you’ll see a “Format” option. Here you’ll find a drop down menu with MS-DOS (FAT), which you would select if you’re planning on using the drive with Windows and Mac systems or installing Windows; and Mac OS Extended (Journaled), which you should select if you plan on using the drive solely with Mac computers or installing another version of Mac OS. If you’re looking to dual-boot with Linux or run Windows Boot camp, you can format the partition as “MS-DOS (FAT),” however, these programs typically come with an option to partition your drive during setup. Just make sure you know how much hard drive space you can allow to dedicate to another operating system.
• Step 9:
  After choosing the format, press the “Erase…” button, which will begin the formatting process.

Reformatting your internal system hard drive:

Reformatting your internal drive means a fresh start; the drive will look like it just came off the factory line. Those who usually want to reformat the entire internal drive are generally looking to get rid of any personal information so they can sell the device, or perhaps they’re looking to clear their system after downloading some unsavory software off a certain P2P network.

Either way, you’ll need your Mac OS X installation DVD that came with your Apple system, as you’ll be booting your computer from this disk to reformat your internal drive.

• Step 1:
  Insert the Mac OS X install disc and restart your computer while holding down the C key on your keyboard, so the Mac boots from the install disc.
• Step 2:
  Double-click the “Install Mac OS X” icon.
• Step 3:
  There will be an opportunity to click an “Options” button to save existing files, a setting to “Archive and Install” and “Preserve Users and Network Settings.” However, if you want to erase everything and reinstall, select “Erase and Install.” From here the install disk should guide you through the reformatting process.

And that’s how to format a Mac hard drive! Leave any questions below. And if you want to know how to partition a Mac hard drive, we’ve covered that as well.

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For better or worse: Brydge case transforms your iPad into a laptop

I think a lot of people would agree with me when I say that, for some users, a tablet serves as a completely reasonable laptop alternative. But for others, even the best tablet still won’t do the job — they need a physical keyboard, louder speakers, and a display angle that doesn’t destroy their neck after 45 minutes. So how do you get everything we love about tablets and combine it with what we expect from a laptop? You need a tablet with a keyboard case on it, like the Zagg and now the Brydge.

The Brydge is a Kickstarter-funded project that aims to laptop-ify the iPad. It essentially adds a MacBook Air-style lower half to the iPad that is composed of an aluminum chassis, island-style keyboard, and optional speakers. It has a dock connection that securely holds the iPad and makes it tiltable up to 180 degrees, using a patent-pending hinge. The Brydge works over Bluetooth so there is no need to use the iPad’s connector to get the dock and speakers to interact with the case.

The project has the Kickstarter-signature super slick video presentation, it’s already smashed its funding goal and units should ship by October 2012. At $210 with the stereo speakers, it’s a premium product, but the goal was clearly to have something that matches the MacBook Air, and that can’t be done on-the-cheap (just ask any Ultrabook manufacturer).

As much as I appreciate the thought that want into Brydge, let’s keep in mind the wise words of Geek.com’s own Russell Holly…

Everyday more people spend hundreds turning their tablets into laptops. Maybe you didn’t actually want a tablet…

— Russell Holly (@russellholly) April 25, 2012

At the end of the day you are doubling the weight of your iPad, increasing the cost significantly, not adding much drop protection, and not including video out, an SD slot, or any other significant laptop functionality. That noted, the laptop you end up with will have a fantastic battery life, a super high-resolution screen, and it’ll have iOS’ user-friendliness.

I’m sure that an iPad laptop is a the dream for any number of people — and Lenovo is clearly on board with their Yoga tabputer — but this Frankenstein approach is far from ideal. For example, the Brydge has its own battery, which can’t be charged from the iPad, nor can it charge the iPad. It can’t even be charged with an iPad charger, you’ll need microUSB. The battery lasts for months, but only if you get the model without the speakers, those cause extra drain.

Ultimately, I’m sure the Brydge will be the right choice for a lot of people. After all, not everyone can have a laptop and a tablet. I’d just keep Russell’s thoughts in mind and make sure you’re getting the right tools for the job. After all, while all the accessories are useful you don’t want to add on the keyboard case, the SD adapter, the HDMI adapter, and so on, and wind up with this…

More at TheBrydge

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