newsstand

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 … Read more

How to manage your iTunes subscriptions

When you subscribe to a magazine or a service such as Netflix or Hulu Plus using your iTunes account, the subscription will keep auto-renewing until you turn it off. Turning off auto-renew, essentially canceling your subscription, only takes a few taps or clicks; you just have to know where to look.

There are two ways to manage your subscriptions in iTunes. You can use your iOS device, or you can use iTunes on your PC or Mac.

On your iOS device, launch the App Store and make sure you're viewing the Featured tab. Scroll to the bottom, tap on … Read more

How to hide the Newsstand icon in a folder on iOS

Remember when you could hide the Newsstand icon in a folder on your iOS device as long as you were fast enough? Good times. When Apple fixed the bug that allowed us to hide the folder, it was only a matter of time before a non-jailbreak method made its way to the Internet.

As iDownloadBlog pointed out this morning, the solution is StifleStand, a Mac app (a Windows version is in the works) that creates a magical folder on your iOS device with Newsstand conveniently placed inside it. The best part is you don't have to worry about jailbreaking … Read more

Time turns page on iPad subscriptions

Skype's got ads, Vizio's got PCs, and we got issues (a whole Newsstand full of 'em):

Time Inc. has had a change of heart with Apple and will now begin selling magazine subscriptions through iPad's Newsstand app. Previous apps for Time Inc. magazines, like Sports Illustrated, only allowed for one issue to be purchased at a time. It also gave print subscribers free access.

Last year, Time Inc. opposed how Apple handled subscriptions, such as taking a 30 percent cut of sales and not releasing data on subscribers. But since then, Apple has lets readers opt-in to … Read more

Apple secures 25 patents, including iMac, iPad Smart Cover

Apple made out well on a number of its pending patents today. The iPhone-maker was granted 25 new patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to Patently Apple.

Time Machine, iTunes Store, iMac, iPad Smart Covers, and Apple Store displays are just a few of the products that this round of patents cover. Many of the other patents are for items like connectors, security, and networking, according to Patently Apple.

Some of the patents are exclusively for different applications of Apple products, for example, the iTunes store patent, which is called "Content Rental System" and … Read more

iPad users spending $70K a day on newspaper and magazine content

A new report, released by the analytics firm Distimo (via Business Insider), finds that iPad users are spending upwards of $70,000 each day on magazines and newspapers for their iPads.

The report looked at the top-100 Newsstand apps in terms of gross sales, finding that iPad users seem willing to pay for newsy content. At the top of the list, as expected, are apps from The New York Times, The Daily, and the New Yorker. Also interesting to note, news apps account for 7 percent of the top-200 grossing apps.

The revenue from those apps comes largely at the … Read more

Apple's Newsstand raking in $70K a day, study says

Just how much are people spending on digital editions of newspapers and magazines on Apple's digital Newsstand app?

In a study of Apple's App Store for iPad during the month of February, market research firm Distimo says the top 100 publications brought in more than $70,000 a day. That metric -- which is just revenues from the United States -- is led by News Corp.'s The Daily, followed by The New York Times and The New Yorker magazine, the firm said.

Apple launched Newsstand as part of iOS 5 in October, providing a way for users … Read more

Google might launch Flipboard-rival as soon as tomorrow

Google is reportedly readying the launch of its digital newsstand, a application that will be called Currents.

AllThingsD is reporting that the news reader application could debut "as early as tomorrow." The product had been developed under the code name Propeller.

Google didn't immediately reply to a request for comment on the report.

The Web giant has been working on its digital newsstand for several months. AllThingsD had reported that the product would debut last month.

Currents will take on the pioneer and leader among news reader applications, Flipboard, a product that Apple last year named its … Read more

Five other fixes I want in iOS 5.0.1

As CNET reported last week, Apple is not only aware of the battery problems associated with iOS 5, but has already pushed out a second beta of iOS 5.0.1--which promises to fix them.

My take: why stop there? Apple's already prepping an update, so why not address some of iOS 5's other quirks, annoyances, and omissions? Here are five I'm secretly hoping will get fixed in 5.0.1:

1. A snooze option for reminders. The new Reminders app? Awesome. Long overdue. Love it. But it's missing one crucial feature: a snooze option. … Read more

How to hide the Newsstand icon on iOS 5

That pesky Newsstand icon is sure to drive those who have OCD about placement of app icons on their iOS device crazy.

Technically the Newsstand icon isn't an app icon, it is actually a folder, and as we already knew, iOS doesn't allow users to nest folders. Thanks to TUAW blogger Dave Caolo, there is a workaround that allows you to place the Newsstand icon in a folder. … Read more