Latest on Apple: News, Features, Opinions and More  Smartphone shipments outpaced PCs in 2011 for first time
Smartphone shipments overtook personal computers -- including tablets, laptops, netbooks and desktops -- for the first time in 2011, according to Canalys. 162,000 sign petition on Apple's Chinese factory conditions
An online petition asking Apple to protect the Chinese workers who make its more popular products has gathered more than 162,000 signatures in just over a week. Apple updates Lion, patches 51 bugs in Mac OS X
Apple on Tuesday patched 51 vulnerabilities in Mac OS X, most of them critical, in 2012's first security update. Apple Surpasses LG as World's Third-Largest Phone Maker
Apple is now the world's third-largest phone maker by shipments and market share, according to a study from the International Data Corporation (IDC). Only behind Nokia and Samsung, Apple took the third spot globally from LG, up from the fifth spot last quarter. Samsung scores win in German patent battle with Apple over its tablets
Samsung can continue to sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1N, after a regional court in Munich rejected an Apple motion to block sales due to a patent violation. Google's punishment of Chrome drops browser's share, says metrics firm
The browser world turned upside down last month as Internet Explorer's share jumped by its largest-ever increase and Chrome posted its biggest one-month loss, Net Applications said today. London calling with BlackBerry 10 smartphone
Research in Motion's incipient BlackBerry 10 smartphone, code-named London, has a thin and long design, according a photo obtained by CrackBerry.com. Cook hires first exec since taking Apple's reins from Jobs
Apple CEO Tim Cook made his first major hire yesterday since taking over the company in August, bringing in the CEO of a struggling British electronics chain to lead Apple's own retail operation. Apple forcing IT shops to "adapt or die"
Many IT departments are struggling with Apple's "take it or leave it" attitude, based on discussions last week at MacIT, which is Macworld|iWorld's companion conference for IT professionals. EU launches antitrust investigation of Samsung patent licensing
The European Commission is investigating the way Samsung Electronics licenses its patents on technology essential to mobile communications networks, concerned that it may be in breach of European competition law. Will this be the year of Apple in the enterprise?
All of the big trends in IT right now -- cloud computing, mobile solutions and the consumerization of IT -- look good for Apple as it slowly worms its way into the enterprise. Columnist Ryan Faas explains why it's happening now. Apple appeals iPad trademark decision in China
Apple has appealed a Chinese court ruling last December that rejected its ownership of the iPad trademark in the country and could expose the company to trademark infringement lawsuits from a local company. iPhone app includes hidden tethering
An iPhone developer has acknowledged that a recent update to one of his apps includes the hidden ability to tether the smartphone to a laptop, circumventing carrier fees for the service. 2012: The year storage becomes a celebrity
This promises to be a break-out year for storage technology with the use of more NAND flash in devices and smarter storage that can be tailored to applications. Are Google and Apple really 'monopolies'?
Recent charges claiming that Google or Apple are monopolies, are monopolistic or wield monopoly power are simply false. And those who use the M word about these companies are misleading you, writes columnist Mike Elgan. Wall Street Beat: Tech shines as earnings come in strong
This week's tsunami of tech earnings, led by Apple's jaw-dropping quarterly report, has given market watchers something to cheer about and also points to industry shifts around tablets and cloud computing. Dig deep into Lion: The best overlooked, underrated features
Mission Control and other snazzy new Lion features may have gotten all the press, but columnist Ryan Faas has uncovered a slew of lesser-known features that every OS X Lion user should know about. Apple reclaims top brand spot after iPhone 4S launch, Jobs' death
Apple reclaimed the top spot in a brand listing by collecting an estimated $900 million worth of traditional media, social media and Twitter coverage in the fourth quarter of 2011, a measurement company said today. Rubinstein leaves HP
Jon Rubinstein, known for his role developing the original iPod for Apple and for running Palm, has left Hewlett-Packard, where he's worked since the company's acquisition of Palm. Samsung loses again in German patent suit against Apple
The district court in Mannheim, Germany, has again sided with Apple in a patent suit brought by Samsung Electronics, saying on Friday that the company had not infringed on a second patent asserted by Samsung against the iPhone and iPad. Apple is the No. 1 smartphone vendor again, say research firms
Apple has emerged as the No. 1 smartphone vendor worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2011, by a small margin, after losing ground to Samsung in the previous quarter, research firms Strategy Analytics and IHS iSuppli said Thursday. Apple customers voice mixed reaction to reports of poor working conditions
Amid renewed reports of poor working conditions at factories making Apple products in China, it's unclear whether customers will demand change. Apple breaks Microsoft's 'lock' on enterprise workers, argues analyst
The iPhone may have opened the door for Apple in the enterprise, but it was the one-two punch of the iPad and revamped MacBook Air in 2010 that really did the trick, an analyst said today. QuickPoll: Will tablet sales eventually surpass PC sales?
Apple sold more iPad tablets last quarter than any single PC maker sold personal computers. Will tablet sales eventually surpass PC sales? Android's tablet share at 39% as sales triple, says study
Sales of Android-based tablets more than tripled during the fourth quarter of 2011. But Apple still dominates, even as its market share dropped, according to Strategy Analytics. Twine, jump-started by Kickstarter
Gibbs follows up on last week's column on the Lantronix xPrintServer and looks at Twine, a wireless sensor device that got funded on Kickstarter. Motorola files new lawsuit against Apple
Motorola filed a new lawsuit in Florida charging Apple with infringing six patents in the iPhone 4S and four of those patents in iCloud. Mozy releases 'Stash' file syncing service
Mozy released the beta of a new file synchronization service called Stash, which allows photos, videos or documents to be uploaded automatically to the cloud and shared across any device. iPad sales beat HP, Lenovo, Dell PC numbers
Apple sold more iPad tablets last quarter than any single PC maker sold personal computers. Apple crushes sales records, hits revenue 'home run'
Apple on Tuesday announced it had smashed sales records of the iPhone, iPad and Mac in the final quarter of 2011, the first reporting period after the death of former CEO Steve Jobs. Apple shines in first full quarter under CEO Tim Cook
Apple more than doubled its profits last quarter thanks to brisk sales of its iPad and iPhones over the holiday season. The company reported a profit of $13.06 billion for the quarter ending Dec. 31. Samsung wins against Apple in the Netherlands on tablet design
The Court of Appeal in The Hague has ruled that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is sufficiently different from Apple's European design patent that the tablet can remain on sale in the Netherlands. Apple is biggest buyer of semiconductors, Gartner says
Apple became the biggest buyer of semiconductors last year, ahead of Samsung Electronics and Hewlett-Packard, Gartner said on Tuesday. Apple approves fake iPhone app for App Store
Apple let a fake app slip through its approval process for the iOS App Store, the makers of the popular Camera+ program said over the weekend. Scot Finnie: Mobile Is Immediate
Smartphone usage is exploding. That creates challenges for enterprise IT shops that have to adapt to BYOD policies, but competition could bring welcome change to the mobile industry. First look: Windows 8 breaks new ground
Tests of the pre-beta code indicates that Windows 8 represents an aggressive effort by Microsoft to deliver a single OS that runs just about everywhere. Holding out for an ePub hero
Against my better judgment, I let myself get swept up by the wave of e-publishing rumors in the days leading up to Apple's education-themed announcement. Apple could do it, I thought to myself. The company had both the resources to build a great tool, and the reasons to do so. Apple's new vision of education
Apple made it clear this week that one of the industries it hopes to reinvent is education -- an area in which the company has a long history. Columnist Ryan Faas explains what Apple has in mind for schools. Apple's textbook plan feels like a blast from the past
I had to check that my computer wasn't an old black-and-white television set showing blocky white text Thursday morning and that I wasn't clacking away on a 6502 computer over a 110-baud modem when I heard about Apple's announcements relating to iBooks 2, iBooks Author, and its new multimedia textbooks. That's because I've heard it all before. Apple scores small patent victory against Samsung in Germany
The district court in Mannheim, Germany has decided that Apple did not infringe on a patent asserted by Samsung Electronics against the iPhone and iPad, as the legal battle between the two companies continues unabated. AirPrint to almost any printer
Back when I was young printing was complicated. Printer drivers were a nightmare of options and standards were rare. Now there are all sorts of standards for printing but the nightmare still continues. Even printers that sell for $50 have multiple drivers, often support various printing protocols, have multiple driver updates, and then there is the printer installation software. Galaxy Nexus smartphone a worthy upgrade
Review of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, by Samsung. Apple's e-textbook gambit just 'a 70% solution,' says analyst
Apple today announced iBooks Author and iBooks 2, free applications that let educational publishers and teachers create and market K-12 textbooks and course materials for the iPad. Android camp's troubles show in Sony Ericsson's struggles
Sony Ericsson reported a net loss and a fall in revenue for the fourth quarter, further highlighting the struggles of many vendors who rely on Google's Android to power its smartphones. Eastman Kodak files for Chapter 11 of U.S. bankruptcy code
Struggling Eastman Kodak said Thursday that it and its U.S. subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to reorganize its business. Apple's iPhone narrows gap with Android among recent buyers
Apple's iPhone made major inroads among recent buyers in its battle against smartphones running Google's Android, but still lagged behind its OS rival, pollster Nielsen said today. When new apps and old iOS devices don't mix
Reader Steve Paulson finds that old and new iOS devices don't always mix in pleasing ways. He writes: Apple files new lawsuit against Samsung in Germany
Apple continues to hound Samsung Electronics at the district court in Düsseldorf, and has now filed another lawsuit aimed at 10 models in its Galaxy family of smartphones, according to Peter Schütz, spokesman at the court. When your data's in the cloud, is it still your data?
Your contract with a cloud provider should have language clearly affirming your ownership of your data. The best way to run Windows on your Mac
Despite the Mac's recent gains in market share, Windows is still the dominant operating system, especially in businesses. That means there may be times when you need to run the Microsoft OS: perhaps there’s an application your company uses that’s only available for Windows, or you’re a web developer and you need to test your sites in a true native Windows web browser. Or maybe you want to play computer games that aren’t available for OS X. Whatever your reason for running Windows, there are a number of ways your Mac can do it for you. Elgan: Voice, gestures dominate CES
CES 2012 ushered in three new ways that we will interact with our electronics: multitouch, voice and in-the-air gestures. Apple loses first round in ITC case against Motorola
Apple is on the losing end of an initial ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission in the company’s battle with Motorola. Apple drubs all rivals in U.S. system shipment gains
Apple was the only top-five computer maker to post shipment gains in the U.S. during the final quarter of 2011, a pair of research firms said this week. Apple confirms aluminum dust caused Chinese factory explosions
Apple today confirmed that explosions last year at Chinese plants of two of its parts suppliers were caused by excessive aluminum dust. Apple will shatter Mac, iPad, iPhone sales records, say analysts
Signs that Apple's sales will continue on a feverish pace continue to accumulate, Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities said today. Beijing's iPhone 4S turmoil a lesson to Apple, say analysts
Apple should consider launching its products earlier in China, and expand its online distribution there, if it wants to avoid future displays of customer dissatisfaction like Friday's egg throwing at a Beijing company store, according to analysts. Eggs thrown at Beijing Apple store after iPhone 4S sale canceled
Apple abruptly canceled first-day sales of its iPhone 4S at one of its Beijing stores, prompting an irate customer to throw eggs at the building, and leaving others disappointed after waiting for a number of hours. Apple tops U.S. retailers in mobile shopping customer satisfaction
Apple trumped all e-tailing rivals in mobile shopping satisfaction during 2011's holidays, but lost to Amazon on the Web, according to Michigan-based ForeSee Results. At CES, Microsoft sets stage for lower Windows revenue
Microsoft executives this week hinted at lowered expectations for Windows revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011, citing data from research firms that point to a stall in PC shipments at the end of 2011. CloudFTP: The Missing Link Between USB Drives and iOS Devices
CloudFTP is a $100 gadget that addresses one of the most ubiquitous tech disconnects in recent memory: the lack of USB support on iPhones and iPads, which makes it a hassle to transfer data from a thumb drive to these popular devices. Apple confirms acquisition of flash memory maker
Apple has confirmed to the Reuters news service that it has purchased Anobit Technologies, an Israeli company that makes solid state drives out of consumer-grade flash. Apple slates education announcements for Jan. 19
Apple on Wednesday issued invitations to the news media for a New York City event next week that will focus on education. Kodak sues HTC, Apple over patent infringement
Struggling Eastman Kodak is alleging that Apple's and HTC's smartphones and tablets infringe on its digital imaging technology, and has filed a complaint and lawsuits with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, it said on Tuesday. Mobile shopping had monster holiday season
Sales and traffic from mobile devices to online retailers during the holidays doubled over 2012 with Apple iPhone and iPad users leading the charge, according to research from IBM. The Cloud, Day 22: In and Out of the Cloud
30 Days With the Cloud: Day 22 Apple enterprise sales of Macs, iPads to jump 58% this year
Apple will sell an estimated $19 billion in Macs and iPads to enterprises in 2012, a 58% jump over the year before, a research analyst said today. Apple CEO Tim Cook's compensation jumped 6-fold in 2011
Apple CEO Tim Cook's total compensation package jumped six-fold last year after he was took the reins of the Cupertino, Calif. company, according to documents filed Monday with the SEC. Cisco cranks up Internet TV volume at CES
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week Cisco unveiled extensions to its Internet TV platform and strategy that enable "video in the cloud" services. Chinese writers sue Apple for allegedly hosting pirated e-books
A group of Chinese writers has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company's App Store sells pirated versions of the authors' works. Remains of the Day: Crash course
Acer takes a page from Apple's playbook--well, more like a slide or two from its presentation deck--while Microsoft's hyperbole engines are still firing on all cylinders. And CES becomes the place to launch your products off a short pier. The remainders for Monday, January 9, 2012 have their ups and downs--but mostly downs. Windows ultrabooks: What's Apple response?
With a glut of 'ultrabook' announcements slated at this week's CES, Apple watchers have one question: How will the Cupertino, Calif. company respond? Intel shows off hybrids: Ultrabooks that turn into tablets
Intel is taking on the burgeoning tablet market by working on hybrid ultrabooks that look and act like both laptops and tablets. iPhone purchase plans at all-time high in U.S.
Demand for the iPhone 4S among U.S. consumers remains "incredibly strong," ChangeWave Research said today as it cited a late December survey of smartphone buying plans. Google patches Chrome, beefs up malicious file blocking tech
Google last week patched Chrome 16 and improved the download warnings in the impending Chrome 17. Microsoft Finally Making Good Products -- Too Late
Now that the company is finally making good server and desktop operating systems, we're moving to the cloud, smartphones and tablets. iPhone built for China Telecom gains regulator approval
A version of the Apple's iPhone built for China Telecom's networks has received approval from a Chinese regulator, putting the iconic smartphone closer in the hands of customers of the mobile operator. Lenovo gets a jump on Apple in smart TVs
Lenovo on Sunday announced its first smart TV that will recognize voice commands and run Android 4.0 applications, getting a jump over Apple's rumored pursuit of TVs with advanced features. How Google and Apple will control TV
The future of TV is going to be pretty awesome. The addition of compute power, apps and Internet access are inevitable for TVs over the next few years and Google and Apple will be at the forefront, writes columnist Mike Elgan. Apple's iCloud, Siri doubles iPhone 4S data consumption
Owners of Apple's new iPhone 4S consume twice as much data as iPhone 4 users, and triple that of iPhone 3GS owners, a U.K.-based network management firm said today. Intel bets big on ultrabooks
Intel will get a strong indication at next week's Consumer Electronics Show whether its decision to bet heavily on ultrabooks is a good one -- or not. Ultrabooks, expected to be hot at CES, could be boon for enterprise IT
With ultrabooks poised to be the hottest devices to come out of this year's Consumer Electronics Show, analysts say the new hardware should be a boon for enterprise IT shops. 2012 Predictions: Macworld's annual forecast of the year ahead
At the end of every year, we take the requisite look back, and the end of 2011 was no exception—we reviewed the year in iOS, the year in Mac, Apple’s financial performance, the year in quotes, and Macworld’s most read and most loved and loathed stories. Five Standout Features to Watch for in an Ultrabook
Ultrabooks are already hot this year. With Apple proving that thin, light laptops are desirable and Intel pushing the platform, the Consumer Electronics Association expects as many as 50 ultrabooks to be launched at CES in Las Vegas next week. With so many new models to choose from, how should your business decide which is the best fit? Apple loses bid to block Mac OS X copy protection secrets in clone case
A federal judge this week denied Apple's request to keep secret the technical information that describes how the company locks Mac OS X to its hardware. Sprint set to sell white Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch on Sunday
Sprint announced it will sell the Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch in a frost white color starting on Jan. 8 for $199.99 with a new two year plan. Need to print from iOS? Look no further
First look: Lantronix's xPrintServer overcomes Apple's printer gap, with amazing simplicity Apple sets China's iPhone 4S launch for Jan. 13
Apple today announced it would start selling the iPhone 4S in mainland China a week from this Friday -- Jan. 13. Apple event will focus on iBooks, says analyst
Apple will probably highlight changes to iBooks this month, an analyst said, citing his own sources and rumors of an impending event the Cupertino, Calif. company will host. What to Watch from Five Tech Giants in 2012
With 2011 behind us, what do the top tech companies have up their sleeves? Though a few have already made big announcements, most of what we think is coming is based on rumors. With that in mind, your business should watch for these potential developments from five of the top tech companies in 2012. The real force behind the consumerization of IT
You can blame the iPhone, Salesforce.com, and Facebook, but the truth is that business itself has driven the shift to employee-directed tech Mobile app developers to get their own professional organization
The Application Developers Alliance would enable collaboration and provide education, cloud access, and lobbying efforts Chrome nears 20% share, IE resumes slide
After a one-month pause, Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) resumed its usage share slide in December, dropping to a new low and setting the stage for a fall below 50% as early as March. Wall Street Beat: Tech stocks flat for year
After a rollercoaster ride on the stock market, tech companies are ending the year just about where they started, despite strong and in some cases record sales and profits for IT bellwethers. 2012 tech predictions: From IDG's editors worldwide
Consumerization of IT is the consensus choice of the new year's major technology force, one that will manifest itself in several forms Mac mini with Lion Server ideal for SOHO and SMB
I was fairly positive in my review of the 2010 version of Apple's smallest server, and fortunately, I can say that it's very easy to be happy with the 2011 Mac mini with Lion Server. Tech Trends You'll See in 2012
We're living in an exciting time in technology: From consumer products such as phones and tablets to the way your home computer accesses the Internet, everything is changing, and mostly for the better. We predict that next year the following ten developments will change the way you interact with the digital world. What's up for Apple in 2012?
2011 was a consequential year for Apple in good ways -- the iPad 2 and Siri -- and bad -- the loss of Steve Jobs. With the year pretty much in the rear-view mirror, columnist Ryan Faas looks at what's coming for 2012. A glance back at 2011
2011 could be described as "The Year of …" many things. The tablet market heated up beyond the Apple iPad. 4G wireless took off with the emergence of big-time LTE networks. Governments and hackers screamed for attention by taking down networks, while IPv6 generated interest for giving the Internet a way to carry on. Insider (registration required) Apple iOS, Google Android new device activations skyrocket
Activations of new iOS and Android devices soared on Christmas Day, jumping by 142% over the same day last year, a Web metrics company said. 10 IT news stories to expect in 2012
Well, we erred in our 2011 predictions in not repeating a 2010 forecast that Carol Bartz would be ousted as Yahoo CEO -- it was bound to happen, we just called that one too early. Then again, we also predicted last year that Oracle would buy Salesforce.com and have decided not to repeat ourselves this year, so we'll see if we were just ahead on that one, too. Meanwhile, these are our predictions for the next 12 months:
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