So, I’ll admit that I didn’t quite read everything to do with this particular case.
Apple was not claiming the functionality of FutureTap’s application, but rather using it as an example UI.
While it’s still evil to do that much in my opinion, Apple isn’t trying to patent a third-party app.
I’m going to leave the previous post up, but with it made very clear that that post is in error.
Source: Engadget
I’ve been saying Apple is evil for quite a while now, but this isn’t just evil. This is kicking puppies (TV Tropes warning) evil. Even if you apply Hanlon’s Razor, in my opinion, incompetence doesn’t adequately explain this, although that’s running rampant here, too.
Apple has filed a few patent applications for mobile applications as of late, and for one of those applications, application number 20100190510, Systems and Methods for Accessing Travel Services Using a Portable Electronic Device, they decided to shamelessly rip off a third party developer’s iPhone app, “Where To?” And, no, they didn’t get permission from the developers.
What the fuck, Apple?
What the fuck?
Now, let’s say that FutureTap fights this in court. Let’s say that they can even win against Apple’s legal budget. Now, their business model is based on selling iPhone apps. We already know that Apple’s app approval process is extremely arbitrary. A win against Apple likely guarantees that their apps will get permanently banned from the App Store, killing their business.
With this, Apple’s sending a very, very clear message to developers: Develop for the iPhone, and you work for us, not for yourself.
Source: GigaOm
UPDATE: I’m retracting this post, as I see that I’m in error. I’m leaving it posted, but please see this post.
This one probably isn’t news at all, but I only recently heard of it, so I’m posting it.
Apparently, Apple requires that chargers for their devices use the data lines to signal charging power, and without using those lines, you don’t charge.
Apple requires a confidentiality agreement to get the resistor values, it seems.
Or, you know, you can break the damn thing open and measure the resistors. But still, you shouldn’t have to do that. Maybe to draw over 500 mA, yes – that makes perfect sense, as it’s over USB’s maximums, but not for the standard 500 mA.
Source: Engadget
This one’s what I intended to post last night, but didn’t get around to it.
So, there was a press conference about the iPhone 4 issues yesterday. In it, Steve Jobs announced what many were asking for – bumper cases for the iPhone 4, free for everyone.
But, before he announced that, he decided to smear the entire rest of the cell phone industry, by saying that all phones have signal drops when gripped a certain way.
The problem with that is, sure, most any phone WILL lose signal when gripped a certain way. But does that translate to dropped calls to the extent of the iPhone 4? Most likely not, because there’s not really complaints about the other phones, just the iPhone 4. Oh, and among my phones, I’ve got a Bold 9700 on AT&T, so I just tried it. I could reproduce a SLIGHT signal drop with a normal grip, and a moderate drop with an extremely tight grip, but not what Apple got. (This paragraph, I will note, is my own opinion.)
Seriously, Apple, just admit that you have a problem, don’t drag others into it when they’re not nearly as bad as you are.
Source: Engadget
I’ve been out of town for a while, and hadn’t gotten a chance to post about Apple lately. But now I’ve got a chance to post, so…
In addition to the problems that have been previously reported, it’s also been reported that there are issues with the proximity sensor malfunctioning, causing face-hangups and such.
In light of all of this, but especially the antenna issues, Consumer Reports decided to recommend against purchasing the iPhone 4. This is a pretty major blow against Apple. Now, a non-evil company would admit to their problems, and do something like provide free bumpers, or even publicly recall all the phones.
An evil company, however, would delete any mention of this on their forums, and deny that there ever was any problem. And seeing as this blog is about Apple being evil…
To be fair, there are rumors that there may be a stealth recall, but that’s still not admitting their screwup. That’s not letting people know their phone might be affected, but rather, trying to make a problem go away.
Source: Engadget
Well. Looks like Apple can’t make a phone worth a crap.
For starters, the iPhone 4 has antenna issues, it seems. Remember how Steve Jobs made a big deal about the antenna design? Turns out, if you hold the phone in your left hand, it might stop working. Great design, Apple. Oh, and what does Steve Jobs say? “Just avoid holding it in this way.” (Alternately, one of those iPhone 4 bumpers will apparently fix it.) Yeahhhhhh. It’s totally user error, not a design flaw.
Of course, there’s reports of yellow spots on the displays of new iPhone 4s, too. The rumor mill says that this is because they’re shipping the phones before adhesives have fully cured, and it’ll go away for a few days… um, if they haven’t fully cured, then you’re not supposed to ship them.
Next up, Apple’s said that the iPhone 4 is extremely scratch-resistant. Umm… no, it seems, even in normal use, despite being 30x harder than plastic.
So, let’s say you’ve somehow avoided all of these problems, and then you drop your phone.
Yep, it shatters. (Actually, the fact that it’s 20x stiffer might be part of the problem, there.)
Good job, Apple.
For once, I actually post an entry that’s not bashing Apple. In fact, I’m going to defend Apple somewhat.
So, with the iPhone 4, Apple’s announced something they call a “Retina Display.”
That’s marketing speak for a display with higher resolution than the human eye – the human eye cannot discern pixels on a display of that pixel density, at one foot viewing distance.
One critic has claimed that Apple’s claims are false… which is only true if you ignore 20/20 vision, and go straight to 20/12, according to someone who worked on the optics for the Hubble Space Telescope. Continue reading “Resolution, pixel density, viewing distances, and retina displays”
It appears that someone had even suggested that Steve Jobs let Gizmodo’s checkbook journalism slide. But no, that would “change [Apple’s] core values.”
Gizmodo’s checkbook journalism was certainly shady, but here’s the thing – the cat was already out of the bag. Too much interest in future Apple products for this to be a deterrent (and look at the Vietnamese and Czech reporters who got iPads (correction: iPhones – this is what I get for typing after work) afterwards,) and it wasn’t going to get the info that was already out there back in there.
Source: Engadget
Really not much to report, but… Ellen Degeneres made a (mediocre, IMO) spoof of the iPhone ads. Apple was annoyed.
A non-evil company would ignore it if they were annoyed, or even joke about it.
An evil company would push the celebrity to take all of their comments back.
Source: Engadget
This covers things I’ve already reported, so I guess you could say it’s a cop-out, but it summarizes everything quite well, and funnily, too.
Unfortunately, this is only viewable inside of the US, and Flash is required.
Source: The Daily Show