The 404 1,066: Where it's the CNET minority report (podcast)
Joseph Kaminski, Ariel Nunez, and Richard Peterson all chime in as guest hosts on today's episode while Jeff fends off Kings fans at E3 this week, so don't forget to check out all of CNET's show coverage this week.We'll wait on Jeff's return to go over all the gaming news going on, but in the meantime we'll check out a couple stories from today's rundown. Joey joins us today to lend his parenting experience to the rumor that Facebook might starting allowing kids under 13 to sign up for an account.Kids won't be able to just do whatever they want, however -- they'll have restricted access that links their profile to a parent's so they can decide who gets friended, and who doesn't.Jeff and I usually have to keep a finger on the censor button while Joseph's talking, but I'm taking a big risk today by letting him introduce a story he found about a dad in Arizona who's in trouble for creating a fake adult profile for the principal at his kid's middle school. Tune in for plot, the fallout, and Richard's story about his own capricious youth pranks.After a quick break, we'll hear from some 404 listeners in Calls From the Public, and feel free to send us your own! I'm screening the voice mails all week in Jeff's absence, so you have about an 87 percent better chance of getting airtime!Call us at 866-404-CNET or send a YouTube video voice mail to the404(at)CNET(dot)com. Bathroom break video: Darth Vader gets snubbed by a NYC cop.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.PlayEpisode 1,066PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff Bakalar
J.P. Morgan analyst talks iCloud, iPhone advances
J.P. Morgan analyst talks iCloud, iPhone advances
Huge support from content providers will give Apple's new iCloud service an edge over the competition, while the iPhone 4 will go through a slight revamp this year, followed by a 4G iPhone 5 next year.Those are some of the thoughts shared by J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz in an investor's note released just ahead of the opening of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) today.Apple last week already revealed that it would be talking about iCloud, its new cloud-based service, at WWDC. With news that Apple has already signed up several top record companies as partners, Moskowitz believes that iCloud will be unveiled this week with much greater support from content providers--music, film, and TV studios--giving it an advantage over similar cloud-based services recently launched by Amazon and Google.The analyst expects iCloud to build off Apple's MobileMe platform and provide users with a way to stream content purchased from iTunes directly to their mobile devices without having to first sync through their PCs.Moskowitz also sees iCloud as a game changer in the way consumers think of storage. As Apple and other industry players move users more toward the cloud, it could pave the way for PC makers to gravitate further toward smaller-capacity SSDs (solid-state drives) rather than the bulkier hard drives typically found on most computers these days."If iCloud serves as primary storage for this data, then the PC's internal storage will not require as much capacity, particularly in notebook PCs," the analyst said.Looking beyond iCloud to the iPhone, there's been much speculation as to when Apple would release a new iPhone and what form it might take. Moskowitz's take? Apple will refresh the iPhone later this summer as an iPhone "4 plus," with some improvements but no major changes. But 2012 will see a 4G LTE iPhone 5 once the networks mature a bit further and the 4G technology itself becomes less of a drag on battery consumption.
Huge support from content providers will give Apple's new iCloud service an edge over the competition, while the iPhone 4 will go through a slight revamp this year, followed by a 4G iPhone 5 next year.Those are some of the thoughts shared by J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz in an investor's note released just ahead of the opening of Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) today.Apple last week already revealed that it would be talking about iCloud, its new cloud-based service, at WWDC. With news that Apple has already signed up several top record companies as partners, Moskowitz believes that iCloud will be unveiled this week with much greater support from content providers--music, film, and TV studios--giving it an advantage over similar cloud-based services recently launched by Amazon and Google.The analyst expects iCloud to build off Apple's MobileMe platform and provide users with a way to stream content purchased from iTunes directly to their mobile devices without having to first sync through their PCs.Moskowitz also sees iCloud as a game changer in the way consumers think of storage. As Apple and other industry players move users more toward the cloud, it could pave the way for PC makers to gravitate further toward smaller-capacity SSDs (solid-state drives) rather than the bulkier hard drives typically found on most computers these days."If iCloud serves as primary storage for this data, then the PC's internal storage will not require as much capacity, particularly in notebook PCs," the analyst said.Looking beyond iCloud to the iPhone, there's been much speculation as to when Apple would release a new iPhone and what form it might take. Moskowitz's take? Apple will refresh the iPhone later this summer as an iPhone "4 plus," with some improvements but no major changes. But 2012 will see a 4G LTE iPhone 5 once the networks mature a bit further and the 4G technology itself becomes less of a drag on battery consumption.
Apple's iOS 6 works with national alerts program
Apple's iOS 6 works with national alerts program
Here's an iOS 6 feature Apple didn't talk about at WWDC: the ability to receive government alerts during an emergency or disaster.Devices running on the company's next mobile operating system, everything from the next iPhone to the iPhone 3GS and iPad 2, will be able to get wireless emergency alerts, also known as the commercial alerting system, according to the publication Emergency Management. The system allows for the government to broadcasat emergency messages, as it's already done on television and radio. The push for alerts to appear on phones has gone on for a while, with other manufacturers already putting the feature into their phones. With iOS 6, Apple joins the fold. Such alerts are critical for getting information out to people who aren't immediately tuned into a television or radio, and would have been helpful during disasters such as the floods from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or the Sept. 11 attacks in New York. "The stage has been set for a consistently growing number of people in the US to have capability to receive alerts from local, state, and federal officials through the initiative led by FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System program," Rick Wimberly wrote on his blog on Emergency Management. The slick new features of Apple iOS 6 (p...See full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrevConsumers wondering if their phones can access the emergency alert system can check with their wireless carrier, or look up "wireless emergency alerts" on carrier Web sites. CNET has contacted Apple to confirm the feature and get more details. We'll update the story when we get a response.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Here's an iOS 6 feature Apple didn't talk about at WWDC: the ability to receive government alerts during an emergency or disaster.Devices running on the company's next mobile operating system, everything from the next iPhone to the iPhone 3GS and iPad 2, will be able to get wireless emergency alerts, also known as the commercial alerting system, according to the publication Emergency Management. The system allows for the government to broadcasat emergency messages, as it's already done on television and radio. The push for alerts to appear on phones has gone on for a while, with other manufacturers already putting the feature into their phones. With iOS 6, Apple joins the fold. Such alerts are critical for getting information out to people who aren't immediately tuned into a television or radio, and would have been helpful during disasters such as the floods from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans or the Sept. 11 attacks in New York. "The stage has been set for a consistently growing number of people in the US to have capability to receive alerts from local, state, and federal officials through the initiative led by FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System program," Rick Wimberly wrote on his blog on Emergency Management. The slick new features of Apple iOS 6 (p...See full gallery1 - 4 / 14NextPrevConsumers wondering if their phones can access the emergency alert system can check with their wireless carrier, or look up "wireless emergency alerts" on carrier Web sites. CNET has contacted Apple to confirm the feature and get more details. We'll update the story when we get a response.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Apple's iMessage service experiencing another disruption
Apple's iMessage service experiencing another disruption
Updated at 5 p.m. PT with service restored.Apple's iMessage service has again been experiencing issues, the third major disruption in the past two months.The proprietary text messaging platform used between iOS devices, as well as Macs, on Sunday was not allowing some users to send or receive messages from other users.Apple's support status update from 1:34 p.m. PT said that "some users are unable to use iMessage" and promised a quick solution but did not go into further detail about the scale of the issue. The same status page also indicated that "some" FaceTime users are also unable to use that service but that all other services are functioning normally.Both the iMessage and FaceTime services were restored this afternoon, according to a 4:41 p.m. PT status update.CNET has contacted Apple for more information and will update this report when we learn more.This is the third disruption in recent weeks. Outages in October and September left many users with the same message sending issues. Frustrated users turned to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the service:not receiving any texts... iMessage, you're annoying!â€" Kendall Jenner (@KendallJenner) November 18, 2012Apple introduced iMessage as part of iOS 5 in October 2011, offering users on the iPhone, iPod, and iPad a way to communicate with one another for free as long as they had an Internet connection. Apple added the functionality to its Macs as part of Mountain Lion in July.
Updated at 5 p.m. PT with service restored.Apple's iMessage service has again been experiencing issues, the third major disruption in the past two months.The proprietary text messaging platform used between iOS devices, as well as Macs, on Sunday was not allowing some users to send or receive messages from other users.Apple's support status update from 1:34 p.m. PT said that "some users are unable to use iMessage" and promised a quick solution but did not go into further detail about the scale of the issue. The same status page also indicated that "some" FaceTime users are also unable to use that service but that all other services are functioning normally.Both the iMessage and FaceTime services were restored this afternoon, according to a 4:41 p.m. PT status update.CNET has contacted Apple for more information and will update this report when we learn more.This is the third disruption in recent weeks. Outages in October and September left many users with the same message sending issues. Frustrated users turned to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the service:not receiving any texts... iMessage, you're annoying!â€" Kendall Jenner (@KendallJenner) November 18, 2012Apple introduced iMessage as part of iOS 5 in October 2011, offering users on the iPhone, iPod, and iPad a way to communicate with one another for free as long as they had an Internet connection. Apple added the functionality to its Macs as part of Mountain Lion in July.
Apple's iMessage protocol headed to iChat-
Apple's iMessage protocol headed to iChat?
Following in the footsteps of Apple's FaceTime video chat, Apple's iMessage could be the next feature to make the jump from iOS to Apple's Mac OS X. MacRumors today points to a code string within OS X Lion's iChat software noting when messages are both delivered and read, receipts that are currently available as part of its upcoming iMessage service. The outlet notes that these particular code strings haven't appeared in previous versions of the iChat software, suggesting support for the protocol will be there when iMessage officially launches this fall.Apple introduced iMessage as part of its unveiling of iOS 5 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The new messaging service lets users on iOS devices chat with one another like they would send a text message. However, the service itself is not tied to any carriers and has been designed to work on non-cellular devices like the Wi-Fi only version of the iPad, and current model iPod Touch. FaceTime, which is Apple's video chat service, made a similar jump from iOS to Mac OS X users last October. Apple first offered the software only to iPhone 4 users to chat with one another while on Wi-Fi networks. The company later brought the software to Mac users as a free public beta, before selling it for 99 cents on the Mac App Store and including it as a freebie on new machines. That Apple could be including iMessage in iChat is of special note given questions about the future of the desktop software. While iChat remains a real-time chat solution, iMessage pulls double duty enabling both real-time and asynchronous communication through the same protocol. Apple also broke out iChat's one-on-one video chat feature as its own app with FaceTime, which strayed from depending on third-party protocols.Apple is expected to launch iOS 5 alongside its next iPhone next month.
Following in the footsteps of Apple's FaceTime video chat, Apple's iMessage could be the next feature to make the jump from iOS to Apple's Mac OS X. MacRumors today points to a code string within OS X Lion's iChat software noting when messages are both delivered and read, receipts that are currently available as part of its upcoming iMessage service. The outlet notes that these particular code strings haven't appeared in previous versions of the iChat software, suggesting support for the protocol will be there when iMessage officially launches this fall.Apple introduced iMessage as part of its unveiling of iOS 5 at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The new messaging service lets users on iOS devices chat with one another like they would send a text message. However, the service itself is not tied to any carriers and has been designed to work on non-cellular devices like the Wi-Fi only version of the iPad, and current model iPod Touch. FaceTime, which is Apple's video chat service, made a similar jump from iOS to Mac OS X users last October. Apple first offered the software only to iPhone 4 users to chat with one another while on Wi-Fi networks. The company later brought the software to Mac users as a free public beta, before selling it for 99 cents on the Mac App Store and including it as a freebie on new machines. That Apple could be including iMessage in iChat is of special note given questions about the future of the desktop software. While iChat remains a real-time chat solution, iMessage pulls double duty enabling both real-time and asynchronous communication through the same protocol. Apple also broke out iChat's one-on-one video chat feature as its own app with FaceTime, which strayed from depending on third-party protocols.Apple is expected to launch iOS 5 alongside its next iPhone next month.
Apple's iMac grabs lion's share of all-in-one PC market
Apple's iMac grabs lion's share of all-in-one PC market
Apple's iMac captured the biggest slice of all-in-one computer sales in the third quarter, according to data out this week from NPD DisplaySearch.For the quarter, the iMac scooped up 32.9 percent of all sales of all-in-one (AIO) PCs, loosely defined as computers with their inside components squeezed into the monitor chassis.Taking second place behind Apple in the third quarter was Lenovo, with 22.7 percent of all AIO sales, followed by HP with a 21.4 percent share.Other PC players, including NEC, Sony, and Fujitsu, managed to eke out only 2 or 3 percent of the AIO market.Apple refreshed its iMac lineup last May, introducing a 27-inch model to join its smaller 21.5-inch cousin. Powered by an Intel quad-core i5 processor, the new iMacs include support for the high-speed Thunderbolt interface.Related storiesApple refreshes iMacs with faster CPUs, Thunderbolt portsApple iMac 27-inch ReviewFinally, HP announces a 27-inch Windows all-in-oneAll-in-one desktopsNot to be outdone, HP has announced its own 27-inch AIO, dubbed the Omni 27.Due to hit the U.S. in just a few days, the Omni 27 will offer a choice of processors ranging from Intel's Core i3 to the Core i7. The new 27-incher will join HP's 23-inch TouchSmart 610 as part of its AIO lineup.Meanwhile, Lenovo is carving out its own niche in the AIO market with its IdeaCentre and ThinkCentre computers.Though currently in second place, Lenovo could eventually surpass Apple as the top AIO seller, says NPD DisplaySearch. At the same time that Apple is de-emphasizing the desktop PC in favor of portables and mobile devices, Lenovo is gaining more traction in its home base of China, which is now the biggest market for AIOs.Unit sales of all-in-one PCs likely hit 14.5 million last year, estimates DisplaySearch, a gain of 39 percent from 2010. Sales could climb as high as 23.3 million in 2014, although the annual growth rate is expected to drop this year and then level off over the next couple of years.
Apple's iMac captured the biggest slice of all-in-one computer sales in the third quarter, according to data out this week from NPD DisplaySearch.For the quarter, the iMac scooped up 32.9 percent of all sales of all-in-one (AIO) PCs, loosely defined as computers with their inside components squeezed into the monitor chassis.Taking second place behind Apple in the third quarter was Lenovo, with 22.7 percent of all AIO sales, followed by HP with a 21.4 percent share.Other PC players, including NEC, Sony, and Fujitsu, managed to eke out only 2 or 3 percent of the AIO market.Apple refreshed its iMac lineup last May, introducing a 27-inch model to join its smaller 21.5-inch cousin. Powered by an Intel quad-core i5 processor, the new iMacs include support for the high-speed Thunderbolt interface.Related storiesApple refreshes iMacs with faster CPUs, Thunderbolt portsApple iMac 27-inch ReviewFinally, HP announces a 27-inch Windows all-in-oneAll-in-one desktopsNot to be outdone, HP has announced its own 27-inch AIO, dubbed the Omni 27.Due to hit the U.S. in just a few days, the Omni 27 will offer a choice of processors ranging from Intel's Core i3 to the Core i7. The new 27-incher will join HP's 23-inch TouchSmart 610 as part of its AIO lineup.Meanwhile, Lenovo is carving out its own niche in the AIO market with its IdeaCentre and ThinkCentre computers.Though currently in second place, Lenovo could eventually surpass Apple as the top AIO seller, says NPD DisplaySearch. At the same time that Apple is de-emphasizing the desktop PC in favor of portables and mobile devices, Lenovo is gaining more traction in its home base of China, which is now the biggest market for AIOs.Unit sales of all-in-one PCs likely hit 14.5 million last year, estimates DisplaySearch, a gain of 39 percent from 2010. Sales could climb as high as 23.3 million in 2014, although the annual growth rate is expected to drop this year and then level off over the next couple of years.
Apple's iconic earbuds may be in line for a unibody tweak
Apple's iconic earbuds may be in line for a unibody tweak
Apple dislikes seams in things. This very obsession led it to the point where it spent an estimated $6.6 million on a remodel of its Fifth Avenue store in New York to cut the number of glass panels it was using in its exterior cubic entrance from 90 down to 15.Now another iconic Apple-made item could be in line for a seamless makeover: the company's earbuds.In a patent application published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and picked up by Apple Insider, Apple has laid out a plan for ultrasonically welded, unibody headphones.Before jumping to the conclusion that Apple is ditching its iconic white for aluminum, the design involves joining together multiple pieces of plastic. That's accomplished with ultrasonic welding, a technique that melts together just the contact points to create a firm bond. This is as opposed to using a liquid, or structural adhesive. By comparison,Apple suggests that the ultrasonic method would lead to a more "aesthetically pleasing" and "seamless" device.Seamless bonds are pictured here.USPTO/AppleThis is not the first such mention of ultrasonic as a means of bonding materials in a patent application from Apple. One published last month by the USPTO involved bonding plastic to metal, a process that is more complex than doing plastic to plastic given the difference in melting points between the two materials. Apple's solution in that case was to add texture to the metal, allowing for the plastic to melt in, and bond with the natural grooves. Since 2008 Apple has made efforts to make its computers and mobile devices using so-called "unibody" construction techniques, a form of manufacturing that takes a single material and cuts away room for circuitry, batteries, and other components. The end result is a structure that can be thinner, lighter, and stronger than some traditional, multi-piece designs. Earlier this week, the company was rumored to be using that technique in the production of its next iPhone, which is expected in the fall.
Apple dislikes seams in things. This very obsession led it to the point where it spent an estimated $6.6 million on a remodel of its Fifth Avenue store in New York to cut the number of glass panels it was using in its exterior cubic entrance from 90 down to 15.Now another iconic Apple-made item could be in line for a seamless makeover: the company's earbuds.In a patent application published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and picked up by Apple Insider, Apple has laid out a plan for ultrasonically welded, unibody headphones.Before jumping to the conclusion that Apple is ditching its iconic white for aluminum, the design involves joining together multiple pieces of plastic. That's accomplished with ultrasonic welding, a technique that melts together just the contact points to create a firm bond. This is as opposed to using a liquid, or structural adhesive. By comparison,Apple suggests that the ultrasonic method would lead to a more "aesthetically pleasing" and "seamless" device.Seamless bonds are pictured here.USPTO/AppleThis is not the first such mention of ultrasonic as a means of bonding materials in a patent application from Apple. One published last month by the USPTO involved bonding plastic to metal, a process that is more complex than doing plastic to plastic given the difference in melting points between the two materials. Apple's solution in that case was to add texture to the metal, allowing for the plastic to melt in, and bond with the natural grooves. Since 2008 Apple has made efforts to make its computers and mobile devices using so-called "unibody" construction techniques, a form of manufacturing that takes a single material and cuts away room for circuitry, batteries, and other components. The end result is a structure that can be thinner, lighter, and stronger than some traditional, multi-piece designs. Earlier this week, the company was rumored to be using that technique in the production of its next iPhone, which is expected in the fall.
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