Rumor- Details on the next Nintendo DS

Rumor: Details on the next Nintendo DS
Take this story with a grain of salt, but rumors are beginning to swirl around Nintendo and the possible successor to the DS portable gaming system; and no, we're not talking about the DSi XL. According to a post on CrunchGear, a writer for RPAD.tv has revealed some top-secret details about the yet-to-be announced handheld. Though none of this information has been confirmed by Nintendo, the most notable specs are as follows: Two screens, larger in both size and resolution and close enough together that they can be used as one big screen.Built-in accelerometer Processing power comparable to that of the GameCubeRegardless of whether this information is accurate, there is no doubt that the next Nintendo portable needs to alter its focus toward competing with the iPhone. Whether you think the iPhone needs buttons to be considering a gaming machine aside, the device has proven itself as a legitimate casual gaming platform and has no doubt cut into what the Nintendo DS is able to provide.If Nintendo wants the next iteration of the DS to be successful, the company will have to jump a few hurdles in the process. By far the largest room for improvement would be Nintendo's online store presence. This service needs to be as seamless and intuitive as iTunes. Though the current DSi Shop works, it is nowhere near the experience had with the App Store.The new DS will also need improved functionality. Sure, a phone would really make things interesting, but Nintendo should start first with a higher-resolution camera and the ability to record video. People need an incentive to want to own this device, so give them that. Finally, it all comes down to exclusive and compelling games. By continuing to develop titles that appeal to more hard-core and loyal fans, Nintendo can make the case that a "true" immersive gaming experience can only be had on a device built for such applications.If Nintendo does have plans for a new DS system, we're betting on an announcement at this year's E3 expo in June. Until then, let us know what you'd like to see in the next version of DS.

How to disable automatic app updates on iOS 7

How to disable automatic app updates on iOS 7
I think Sen. John McCain spoke for a lot of iOS users when he quizzed Apple CEO Tim Cook about why he had to constantly update his apps. His view, and the view of many other users, is that iOS should automatically download and install any app updates when they are available. The senator (and a lot of iOS users) will be happy to know that on iOS 7, apps will automatically update in the background. Just to be sure you realize an app has updated, the App Store will display a notification in Notification Center listing any updated apps. Hooray! While this sounds like a great idea to ensure your apps are always up-to-date and full of the latest features, there are some downsides. Most notably, sometimes app updates break features we've come to know, love, and depend on. Either intentionally, or out of mistake, but still these changes can have a big impact. Apple, realizing not all users will appreciate the auto-update feature, built in the ability to give control back to the user by disabling automatic updates. Should you prefer the old manual method of updating apps you can turn off automatic updates by launching the Settings app, then scrolling down and selecting "iTunes & App Store."Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETUnder the Automatic Downloads section you'll see an Updates listing. Slide the switch from the green "on" position, to the blank "off" position to stop the App Store from updating your apps for you. With it turned off you'll need to launch the App Store to check for and download any updates. If for whatever reason you change your mind down the road, just come back to this same place and turn the switch back on. It's that easy. 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

Some iTunes special promotions aren't so special

Some iTunes special promotions aren't so special
On iTunes homepage today, Apple posted an ad linking to a list of nine songs from independent artists, including "Too Much" from Sufjan Stevens, "Golden Haze" from Wild Nothing, and "Revival" from Deerhunter.According to the blog Digital Audio Insider, a Web search found that the first five songs are available for free elsewhere on the Web. "The first five tracks are all songs the respective artists and record companies are already giving away online," DAI wrote. "The Sufjan Stevens track is a freebie at his Bandcamp page. Songs from Wild Nothing and Deerhunter are authorized free downloads at Pitchfork." Apple reported $42 billion in revenue last year, so it's hard for me to believe iTunes managers did this intentionally. A company representative didn't respond to an interview request.Apparently, the lesson here is that it pays to shop around regardless of how many bells and whistles surround a promotion. Regardless of the retailer, "special promotions" often prove not to be very special.

Some iPhone 5 buyers no longer face shipping delays online

Some iPhone 5 buyers no longer face shipping delays online
Seventy-seven days after putting the iPhone 5 on sale, there's no longer a wait to buy one from Apple in some countries.Today the company began showing online iPhone 5 shoppers a notice that the gadget was "in stock" in a handful of its online stores, including the U.S. and Canada. That's versus the previous estimate of two to four business days, notes MacRumors. It's the shortest estimated wait time for the phone, which launched in the U.S. and eight other countries on September 21. Quickly after the device went on sale, wait times for new orders of the phone stretched to three to four weeks, but have since been on the decline. Buyers of the unlocked version, which went on sale last week, face a delay of one to three business days. The change comes just a day after Apple launched the iPhone 5 in South Korea. Earlier this week, the company said it planned to bring the device to an additional 50 countries before the end of the month, including Brazil and Russia. 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 Newsstand ropes in longtime holdout WSJ

Apple Newsstand ropes in longtime holdout WSJ
Longtime holdout of Apple's Newsstand service, The Wall Street Journal changed course today, and is now offering a complete version of its paper through the paid subscription service.The Journal has had a reader app on the App Store since early 2010, but did not allow users to subscribe using their Apple ID and linked credit card account, something that gives Apple a cut of the profit. That business model, along with a system that requires users to opt-in to sharing some of their demographic information, has been irksome for some publishers.The new service, which went into effect yesterday and was noted by All Things D this morning, has two tiers of service. One for smartphones only that costs $12.99 a month, and a higher tier at $21.99 a month that also includes access from the iPad and the Journal's online site.Apple launched Newsstand as part of iOS 5 in in 2011, providing a way for users to view newspapers and magazines they've purchased or subscribed to. The app also doubles as its own storefront, where users can browse and purchase content, similar to Apple's App Store, iBooks, and iTunes apps.The Newsstand app.CNETApple does not disclose what individual app makers and content providers earn on its store. The company doles out 70 percent of each sale to content creators, taking a 30 percent cut for itself. Publishers can also let existing subscribers view digital editions of content to which they already subscribe, however they're not allowed to link to outside Web sites where subscriptions can be struck outside of the App Store.The model has had a mixed reception by publishers, some of which have sidestepped selling through Apple and opted to offer tablet-optimized subscription versions of their sites through the Web instead. One of those publishers was Time Inc., which reached a deal with Apple in June to sell some 20 of its titles including Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, and People magazine through the App Store. The Journal's change in digital strategy comes just a week after WSJ parent company News Corp. killed off The Daily, a paid news service that launched on Apple's iPad. That project was one of the first to make use of Apple's subscription service, though failed to gain traction with users.

Apple may lease data center space in Silicon Valley

Apple may lease data center space in Silicon Valley
Apple's data center efforts could be expanding yet again, with the company reportedly leasing space from a new wholesale data center facility in Silicon Valley.Data Center Knowledge reports that Apple signed a seven-year lease with DuPont Fabros Technology last month, worth approximately 11,000 square feet of data center space in its Santa Clara, Calif., facilities. The beginning of the deal is slated for sometime in the third quarter, when the facility is up and running.This data center effort would differ from Apple's existing strategy, which has involved the company building its own facilities. Apple has data centers in Newark, Calif., as well as in Maiden, N.C. The latter facility is 500,000 square feet, roughly five times the size of the one in Newark. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lease, and DuPont Fabros does not reveal the name of its tenants. Nonetheless, the company listed details about the lease within its first-quarter earnings report (PDF), with executives noting that it was a Fortune 50 technology company. Data Center Knowledge pegged Apple as that company based on confirmation from "multiple sources." What Apple does within its data centers continues to be a topic of interest for industry observers. Most of that curiosity still centers on Apple's efforts in the cloud, particularly with user data and media storage. Apple this year is widely expected to re-launch its MobileMe service as a storage locker, offering users a way to access myriad files no matter what device they're on. The data centers could also play a crucial role in Apple offering an iTunes subscription service. Apple spent more than $1.7 billion during fiscal 2010 on IT assets, according to an analyst report from Bernstein Research published in March. The firm estimated that Apple plans to spend close to a billion more than that during 2011's fiscal year, which ends September 24.

Apple extends lead over Samsung in U.S. smartphones

Apple extends lead over Samsung in U.S. smartphones
Maybe it's time to hold off on the Apple negativity.The iPhone franchise captured 39 percent of the U.S. smartphone market in the first quarter, extending its lead over Samsung, which garnered 21.7 percent of the market, according to research firm ComScore. Interestingly, Apple's iOS took market share away from Google's Android, which traditionally has seen more rapid growth. Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plans Apple saw its smartphone market share rise by nearly 3 percentage points in the quarter, while Samsung's share inched up slightly. The next three largest handset vendor, HTC, Motorola, and LG, all lost market share in the period. The first quarter was fairly quiet when it came to new smartphones hitting the market, with heavy hitters such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One not debuting in the U.S. until early in the second quarter. As a result, it appears the incumbents continued to flourish, giving the edge to the iPhone 5 and its older models, as well as the Galaxy S3.The numbers come as Apple continues to get hit with concern that the company has lost its edge, and that it won't be able to continue the torrid pace of growth it has enjoyed for the last several years. In addition, there's an increasing view that the competition, particularly Samsung, has caught up.But the first-quarter results show Apple still has some mojo left, although it may fade in the second quarter as several high-profile phones go on sale. Google's Android remains the largest platform, with 52 percent of the market, although it lost more than 1 percentage point of market share. Microsoft's Windows Phone was the only other gainer, inching up to 2.9 percent.

Apple explores 30 years of the Mac with video shot via iPhones

Apple explores 30 years of the Mac with video shot via iPhones
Apple used the iPhone to compose a Happy 30th Birthday ode to the Mac.Appearing Monday on Apple's Web site, the 90-second video takes us around the world as we watch people of different ages and nationalities using the Mac in their personal and professional lives. We peek in on kids, students, designers, researchers, inventors, and musicians tapping into the Mac with some scenes of the iPhone and iPad as well. The video ends by telling us that it was all shot in one day using iPhones.A follow-up page explains that on January 24, 15 camera crews trekked around the world to shoot more than 70 hours of footage all with the iPhone 5s. In total, they covered 15 locations on 5 continents in the space of 36 hours, accounting for time differences.The director of this mobile production was Jake Scott, son of famed Hollywood director Ridley Scott, who shot Apple's famous "1984" Super Bowl spot more than 30 years ago. The younger Scott was able to direct all of the shots remotely using FaceTime, according to Apple. The footage was sent back to the studios where a team of 21 editors snipped it into just 90 seconds.The real story here is less about a celebration of the Mac and more about the techniques used to shoot the video using mobile devices with a director who supervised the production remotely."Many involved in the production believe this innovative approach to a multilocation shoot will be adopted by other filmmakers," Apple said on its Web site.(Via Recode)

Apple expands iBooks Textbooks around the world

Apple expands iBooks Textbooks around the world
Apple has aimed two of its educational offerings at more schools, teachers, and students throughout the world.iBooks Textbooks and iTunes U Course Manager have both rolled out to new markets in Asia, Latin America, and Europe, Apple said on Tuesday. iBooks Textbooks is now available in 51 countries, including Brazil, Italy, and Japan. iTunes U Course Manager can be found in 70 countries, now including Russia, Thailand, and Malaysia.Related stories:Apple launches iBooks 2 digital textbooksHow to figure out the new iTunes UiBooks Textbooks offers iPad users interactive textbooks with straight text, animations, videos, rotating 3D diagrams, and photo galleries, all of which can be updated when new information is available. Almost 25,000 textbooks are available from such publishers as Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press, according to Apple."Oxford University Press is using iBooks Author for Headway, Oxford's all-time best-selling English language series, to create engaging iBooks Textbooks for iPad," Peter Marshall, managing director of the ELT Division at Oxford University Press, said in a statement. "In releasing 13 new iBooks Textbooks, including 'Headway Pre-Intermediate,' the best-selling level in the series, we are enriching the language learning experience for students around the world."iTunes U Course Manager lets teachers and others create their own course material for the iPad. They can combine their own documents with content from the Internet, other iTunes U collections, and iOS apps to design their own courses. Teachers can then distribute those courses to their own classrooms or post them via iTunes U for the public to access.

Apple executive e-mail explains new iPod's missing light sensor

Apple executive e-mail explains new iPod's missing light sensor
For those wondering why Apple did not include an ambient light sensor in its latest iPod Touch, a purported e-mail exchange between a top executive and a customer -- ahem -- shines some light on the subject.Apple news site iDownloadBlog posts what it says is a back and forth between Apple Marketing Chief Phil Schiller and a customer talking about the lack of a sensor in Apple's recently released fifth-generation iPod model. According to Schiller's message, which remains unconfirmed, the device is "just too thin" to fit one: The purported e-mail exchange.Rahig HarakeThe ambient light sensor does just what the name suggests, scanning for ambient light and adjusting screen brightness based on conditions. It's been around in previous models, and helps mainly when going between light and dark areas. The feature can be turned off from iOS' settings menu, though is not present in the new iPod models since there is no sensor.Related storiesCNET Review: 2012 iPod TouchApple ships mic-less EarPods with new iPod TouchApple's fifth-generation iPod Touch debuted alongside the iPhone 5 at Apple's event last month. According to Apple the device is 6.1 mm thick, though its camera model juts out slightly from the main body. That's as opposed to the fourth-generation model's 7.2 mm thickness.CNET has contacted Apple about the legitimacy of the e-mail exchange, though the company has a history of not confirming executive e-mails. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs would frequently correspond with customers over e-mail, something that current CEO Tim Cook does as well.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 exec- Television may not be in the cards for now

Apple exec: Television may not be in the cards for now
If you're waiting for Apple to revolutionize the TV business, you may be sitting on your hands for a while. Apple executive Eddy Cue, who runs the company's Internet software and services business, downplayed the idea in a chat with Pacific Crest analyst Andy Hargreaves. His note, published today, was picked up by Fortune. Apple wouldn't enter a new business unless it could create a great user experience and fix existing problems, Cue told Pacific Crest. While Apple could make an attractive user interface, it still can't address the problems that stem from the pay-TV system, which is controlled by the cable and telecom providers. The cable and telecom companies act as a pipe for television shows, movies, and other entertainment, and operate with the studios and networks under a lucrative model that none of the parties really want to shake up. As an outsider looking in, Apple would have considerable challenges if it were to propose radical changes. Apple, in particular, would find it difficult to sign deals with the movie and TV companies in an effort to bring its own media directly to its customers. Apple was awarded a patent for its own cable box, and the company is reportedly talking to cable companies. Apple declined to comment to CNET.The television business is one many expect Apple to eventually enter as its next big venture. But it's a tough industry, with low margins and multiple competitors. Many expect Apple to produce a premium item that's significantly more expensive than the typical television.Updated at 9:12 a.m. PT: with a response from Apple.