iPad

Robots invade iPad with content-rich app

I was once served tea by Honda's Asimo, arguably the most advanced humanoid robot in the world.

Watching the machine sidle up to my table and serve the tea with the elegance of a veteran waiter, and then bow to me before retreating, was nothing short of astonishing.

The experience reinforced my belief that no matter how many times you see robots in photos or videos, nothing can match a real-life experience.

Asimo can be hard to meet, but with a lavishly illustrated new educational app from IEEE Spectrum, you can get interactive with him and 125 other bots -- from Rethink Robotics' Baxter assembly bot to Waseda University's keyboard-playing Wabot 2, and learn all about them. It's the next best thing to seeing robots up close. … Read more

iPad Mini, iMac to face supply shortages, report claims

Apple may ship a smaller number of iPad Minis and iMacs this year than initially targeted, say the folks at DigiTimes.

Manufacturers of display panels for Apple's new 7-inch tablet are running into low yield rates, while companies making the backlight modules are facing a limited stock of supplies. Those two issues will affect the number of iPad Minis that can be shipped this year, sources reportedly told DigiTimes.

Both AU Optronics and LG Display provide the panels for the iPad Mini. But AU Optronics has bumped into production issues, causing its percentage of shipments to fall to around … Read more

iPad still dominates tablets, but Android grabs market share

Apple's iPad continues to dominate the tablet market, but Google's Android appears to be taking a bite out of Apple's market share.

The iPad lineup made up 55 percent of tablet shipments in the third quarter, according to data released today by ABI Research, a 14 percent decline from the second quarter and its lowest level since the iPad's introduction in early 2010.

The benefactors of that lost market share were Samsung, Amazon, and Asus, as Google's mobile operating system now powers more than 44 percent of tablets shipped, ABI Research said, adding that it … Read more

Apple should double down on Jony Ive, analyst suggests

NEW YORK -- "Apple should double-down on Jony Ive." That's what Gene Munster, managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, counseled during a state of Apple presentation at the Business Insider Ignition conference.

"The concept of the Apple's operating system has basically been copied by competitors... The real substance is the hardware side, where Jony Ive plays into it," Munster said. "The difference is in the hardware, and isn't fully appreciated."

In October, Ive was given the leadership role in developing the user interface for … Read more

Minecraft Reality brings virtual blocks to the real world

After downloading Minecraft Reality for iOS, I channeled Queen's epic song "Bohemian Rhapsody" and asked myself, "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?"

Fortunately, the answer to both questions is "yes." The $1.99 app, released yesterday, gives gamers the opportunity to view their Minecraft creations in the real world -- through the lens of augmented reality. … Read more

Six iOS apps you need right now

If you're going to be buying (or receiving) a new iOS device over the holidays, you're going to want to grab the hottest apps to see what the App Store has to offer. But with close to 750,000 apps available, it can be a bit daunting to figure out which ones to choose.

To get you started, I put together a list of apps that include both all-time hits and up-and-coming new software. Each of these is available for iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, and give you a sampling of what your new iOS device can do.… Read more

Best Buy ad suggests that Santa's an Apple fanboy

This is the time of year when children display their strongest credentials for adulthood.

They find ways to manipulate their parents and suck up to their uncles and aunties -- after first, of course, examining all the ads for the most exciting gift options.

Why, only today I saw a Christmas wish list from an 8-year-old called Miles who had highlighted certain gifts in black (Things I Need"), as well as gifts in green ("Things I Want").

Best Buy clearly believes it understands these kids. It understands, it seems, that they all want Apple products.… Read more

Two hard drive deals for Cyber Monday

A year ago, flooding in Thailand factories lead to some pretty insane prices on hard drives, but it seems things are starting to ease now. Cyber Monday is greeting us with some great deals on hard drives, including the wireless 500GB Satellite Flex. When CNET's Dong Ngo reviewed the drive last year he found that it was a flexible, well-performing drive and a "must-have for those who frequently travel with Apple's iPad."

Originally selling for $200, it's currently going for $99 at Newegg and Best Buy.

Compared with the 16GB Wi-Drive from Kingston (around $70), … Read more

iPad Mini ruins Retina chic

If the iPad Mini is a Gucci tote bag, the Retina iPad is a Rimowa Topas suitcase.

Use the iPad Mini for a while, then reach for the Retina iPad. It's a mild shock every time. That extra metal and glass add up.

So, you might ask: wasn't there some way Apple could have made the Retina iPad less like a dense slab of aluminum attached to a great display?

Probably not. The Retina's 2,048x1,536-pixel screen is demanding. The grams begin to pile up quickly when you pack a display assembly supporting 3 million-plus pixels … Read more

iTunes 11 launch imminent, says music firm

Apple may be gearing up to launch the next-generation iTunes 11 software "within the next days," according to a report by MacRumors, citing a German music distribution service.

Germany-based Feiyr emailed artists to submit high-resolution imagery for the music player's new layout, saying Apple will release iTunes 11 in the coming days. "Users have the possibility to view picture and galleries to every artist in iTunes," says the email.

While the email isn't a direct communiqué from Apple, it's possible that Apple is warning music distribution firms and … Read more