Iphone Updates

TV viewers are a famously fickle bunch, which tends to drive TV advertisers crazy. The prevalent theory remains that skipping past ads using a pesky DVR is the biggest enemy of marketers, but new research has once again contradicted that received wisdom. The IPG Media Lab in Los Angeles pulled together a representative group of 48 TV and online video viewers and asked them to sit through some programming while equipped with the usual “devices or distractions” that accompany their viewing habits. Central to the study was the measurement of time each person spent facing the screen and how engaged they were with the content. The first thing noted was that 94 percent of TV viewers and 73 percent of online video consumers used some other form of media to augment their visual entertainment. Smartphones were the most common, with 60 percent of test subjects resorting to their handset while gawking at the TV. That’s resulted in a mediocre 52 percent attention level during actual programs and 37 percent during ads. In other words, two thirds of the time, commercials are being ignored and smartphones are helping people with that heinous behavior. Ironically, fast-forwarding adverts using a DVR garnered attention levels that were 12 percent higher, mostly because people were trying to make sure they didn’t skip too far ahead. Damn, why does reality have to be all complex and stuff?

Smartphones, not DVRs, are the biggest threat to TV adverts originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 08:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When you’ve got an OS in the final throes of life, your choices for stimulating interest are a little limited. Having exhausted the usual avenues of introducing pink and gold-plated versions of its older phones, Nokia is now resorting to the mobile industry’s standby marketing crutch: poking fun at Apple. Its latest ad campaign in India features the tagline iDoalotmore, which takes a rather overt shot at Apple’s iPhone and general tendency to preface its wares with an “i.” Sadly, there are no spec-for-spec smackdowns over on the accompanying promo site, but you can learn all about Symbian’s excellent features and radically new rounded icons. Or are they iCons now?

Continue reading Nokia: iDoalotmore talking about Symbian than a zombie OS deserves

Nokia: iDoalotmore talking about Symbian than a zombie OS deserves originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 08:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If your iPad or iPhone is set to play a starring role at your next, sold-out concert, you may want to check out two new, iOS-friendly interfaces from New Signal Process. Pictured above is NSP’s BreakOut Stomp — a die cast aluminum-encased pedal that promises to transmit guitar signals to and from your iDevice, without any unwanted distortions or detection interference. All you have to do is slide the stompbox into your pedal board, hook it up to your iPhone’s headphone jack and fire up your favorite recording or mixing apps. Whereas the stomp was designed with guitarists in mind, the recently unveiled BreakOut Stereo is geared more toward the DJ demographic. The device offers essentially the same iOS-interfacing capabilities of its pedal-based counterpart, serving as a portable conduit between an iPad and an amp or tabletop unit. Boasting two mono output jacks, this little guy can also be used with guitars, mics or mixing boards and is durable enough to survive the rough and tumble of your next world tour. As far as prices go, the BreakOut Stomp is selling for $155, whereas the Stereo will set you back $135. Groove past the break to see an image of the latter, or hit the source link to find out how to order one.

Continue reading New Signal Process introduces BreakOut Stereo and Stomp for the most serious of iOS musicians

New Signal Process introduces BreakOut Stereo and Stomp for the most serious of iOS musicians originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 07:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good news, Asia — the PlayStation Network is finally coming back. Today, Sony announced that it will restore its gaming network across the continent, more than a month after falling prey to a crippling data breach. The company’s PSN services are already up and running across other parts of the world and, beginning tomorrow, will light up once again in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and even Japan, which had been harboring serious reservations about the network’s security. Gamers in South Korea and Hong Kong, meanwhile, will have to wait a little longer before returning to normalcy, though Sony is hoping to completely resolve the issue by the end of the month. The company certainly seems eager to put this saga to bed, and for understandable reasons. The incident has already cost Sony an estimated $171 million in revenue — not to mention the untold numbers of suddenly wary consumers.

Sony says PlayStation Network will return to Asia, starting tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 06:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It took a while, but that O2-exclusive white Xperia Play is finally with us. Earlier this month, the UK carrier had promised to deliver the Play in June, but evidently things have gone better than expected, as we now see “in stock” signage next to both the black and white models of Sony Ericsson’s gaming phone. Pricing is identical for both color variants, starting at “free” when attached to expensive (£34 per month) two-year contracts and peaking at £430 ($702) on pre-pay deals. O2 also throws in a matching multimedia dock plus three bonus games to sweeten the deal. We’re guessing that Android 2.3.3 update that Sony Ericsson just rolled out for the Xperia Play might finally have allayed O2′s software concerns, which has allowed it to now start selling the device in earnest.

Xperia Play finally lands at O2 UK, available in black or white originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 06:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week brought news that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 would be released into the wild in just a few days. Today, a WiFi tablet from the Korean company made its way through the FCC bearing model number GT-P7310. Which, you see, is slightly different from the GT-P7510 moniker we saw in another FCC filing earlier this month, and this ended up being the limited edition 10.1 passed out at Google I/O. While some may think that this could well be the 8.9-inch version of Sammy’s Android tablet, the above drawing is actually identical to the previous one bar the extra text at the bottom, so our money’s on 10.1 again — maybe this variant is destined for other countries? We shall see.

Update: A bit more digging found a pair of 10.1-inchers demonstrated in Monaco with models listed as the GT-P7300 (a WiFi plus 3G Galaxy Tab 10.1) and GT-P7310, which, you guessed it, is a WiFi-only version.

Another Samsung WiFi Galaxy Tab 10.1 hits the FCC, this time dubbed GT-P7310 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 05:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With all the hubbub surrounding competing 3DTV technology, it’s easy to forget the all important delivery process: how is your TV getting its content, and what does it mean for the viewer? It may seem trivial, but the answer is all-too important to the folks at NHK, who are hoping to facilitate Full HD delivery for 3D content using a new hybrid broadcast system. Think you already have Full HD 3D? Think again: most broadcast 3D content is delivered via side by side transmission, forcing two images (one for each eye) into a single 1080p frame. This allows 3D content to pipe through existing HD channels, but when the separate images are reconstituted and upscaled, resolution and picture quality suffer. NHK hopes to resolve this by fusing broadcast transmission with broadband streaming, what it calls Hybridcast. In a recent dual-stream demo, NHK sent the image for one eye over standard HD TV broadcast pipes, and the other through those wondrous internet tubes, eventually reassembling the two streams into a single, Full HD image, ready for your hungry eyeballs. This prototype delivery system is little more than a demo right now, but with any luck, it’ll be giving us a whole new reason to freak out about broadband bandwidth caps in the near future.

NHK demos Hybridcast streaming, teams up internet and cable TV for superior 3D delivery originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 04:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s been so much chatter about Apple iCloud that you’d think the streaming music service had already been announced and the deals inked. But it’s still just a rumor until an Apple executive takes the stage and unleashes the Amazon Cloud Player and Google Music competitor in a spate of superlatives. That hasn’t stopped Businessweek from stepping up with a good summary of all that is “known” thus far, while giving us some insight into the particulars of how the service will work and the motivations to make it happen. One revelation, sourced from three people in the know, claims that Apple will scan customers’ iTunes libraries (hello, LaLa) and quickly mirror the contents on Apple’s own servers — no massive DSL-choking upload required. And Apple will do you the solid of “replacing” any low bitrate tracks with the “high-quality” versions it stores in its fully licensed music locker for streaming to your connected devices.

Of course, this value-add won’t come free and will certainly require a subscription fee. The cost to the consumer, though, is still very much unclear as is the service’s integration with Apple’s $99 per year MobileMe sham. And you know those rumors about MobileMe being offered as a free service? We wouldn’t be surprised if it stays at $99 with iCloud being announced as a “free” feature update; aka, an $8.25 per month music subscription that also provides web access to your synced bookmarks, contacts, email, and calendar. Regardless, it’s this subscription model that has the major labels so enthusiastic as it will finally allow them to extort fees for all that pirated audio you may have stumbled upon since Napster was loosed on an unprepared music industry a decade ago. All signs point to WWDC for this to get official but we’re sure to hear more — much more — before the event kicks off on June 6th.

Apple’s iCloud music service will automatically mirror your iTunes library using ‘high-quality’ tracks? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 03:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Glance above and you’ll notice a normal, elegant chronograph watch, correct? Not exactly… See, that jet-black dial is rocking 4-bit binary hour-bars in place of numbers, and looking very geek-chic doing so. Announced today, Cadence’s 4-Bit Chronograph Watch is the chrono revision of its $80 4-Bit Watch, sporting a larger casing, darker dial, greater water resistance, and most notably, a UTC display to help you stay on schedule while globetrotting. The luminescent hands — perfect for late-night hacking — are kept in motion by an automatic Miyota quartz movement wedged inside of a 42mm stainless steel case, which is rated water-resistant to five atmospheres (165 feet). The watch is further protected by a sapphire-coated glass crystal, and topped off with a black leather band to keep things extra classy. When the 4-Bit Chrono ships come July, getting one around your wrist will set you back $195, but slyly wearing your geek cred is only $119 if you reserve one now — a full press release is after the break to help you decide.

Continue reading Cadence’s 4-Bit Chrono Watch lets you do business, disguises your inner geek

Cadence’s 4-Bit Chrono Watch lets you do business, disguises your inner geek originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 02:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just this morning we reported on the rather jovial atmosphere at Google’s big mobile payment announcement — well, it looks like PayPal’s prepared to bring an end to the celebration. According to Bloomberg, PayPal filed a suit against Google today in a California Superior Court, alleging that former PayPal executive, and one of this morning’s MCs, Osama Bedier misappropriated the company’s trade secrets. The suit further fingered Stephanie Tilenius, also formerly with PayPal, of violating the terms of her contract in recruiting Bedier. Though we’ve yet to get our hands on any clear details about which trade secrets PayPal’s pointing to, we’d say the timing speaks volumes.

PayPal swiftly slaps Google with mobile payment suit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 May 2011 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More evidence points to something big happening at WWDC 2011, as Apple has reportedly invited Australian journalists to the June 6 keynote.

iTechReport.com.au referenced a tweet from Australian technology editor Charlie Brown which mentioned his invitation to the WWDC keynote. Brown wrote:

“I think something big will be announced on June 6th in San Fran by #Apple. I have just been invited to attend the event.”

Interestingly, that tweet has since been deleted. Earlier this week, Apple reportedly extended invitations to UK journalists as well.

Remember that this is a developer’s conference, not a consumer trade show, so don’t get your heart set on goodies. However, a little birdie has told us that Mac OS X Lion has begun internal testing at Apple, and could possibly be ready for WWDC.

Apple invites Australian journalists to WWDC keynote originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Illusion Labs’ Touchgrind was one of the first iPhone games I ever saw in action. Honestly, it wasn’t very successful as a full game, but using the iPhone’s multi-touch screen to control a fingerboard was fun. Now, Illusion Labs is bringing the brand back with Touchgrind BMX, a game that changes your mode of transportation to BMX bikes, and opens up the view a bit.

One of the big issues with Touchgrind was that, because the camera was top down, you had a hard time seeing exactly where you were going. Illusion has fixed this in Touchgrind BMX by moving to a more from-behind view, and setting the bike along a path rather than letting you freely explore. But you still control the bike with two fingers, flipping the handlebars around with one, and spinning the bike’s body with the other. It still takes quite a bit of getting used to, but it’s much friendlier than the original Touchgrind interface.

There are plenty of extras to find and explore, including goals and scoring medals and challenges, along with a nice replay mode that even lets you send videos off to YouTube and Facebook. There’s no Game Center integration, strangely, which would have been nice for leaderboards and achievements. But if you’re interested, the app is now available for US$4.99 on the iPhone.

TUAW’s Daily iPhone App: Touchgrind BMX originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With another holiday comes another big EA app sale. Nearly every game in EA’s iOS catalog is on sale for just a buck or two, so if you’ve been waiting to pick up any of EA’s games cheaper than usual, head to the App Store and search for the ones you want. We’ll call a few good deals out for you right here: NBA Jam for the iPhone is only US$0.99, as is Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Over on the iPad, Reckless Racing HD is just a buck, and so are SimCity and Snood. If you want to spend a few dollars, Mr. Moneybags, Dead Space is just $2.99 on the iPhone, and the latest edition of Tiger Woods PGA Tour is the same price on the iPad.

These are all great deals and well worth the price if you’ve been waiting to pick any of them up. EA has an extraordinary amount of success with these iOS deals, so it’s no surprise that nearly every time a holiday rolls around the prices on EA apps drop. Take advantage while you can, and in the meantime, have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.

EA puts iOS catalog on sale for Memorial Day originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims sources have told them Apple is testing a MacBook Air with an A5 processor, the same CPU powering the iPad 2. While the machine performed “better than expected” according to their source, Mac Otakara says it’s unclear whether this test machine was running Mac OS X or iOS. At any rate, the site claims this A5 variant MacBook Air has been created “just for experiment.” Mac Otakara has been a reliable source of rumors in the past, having been one of the first sites to accurately depict the updated form factor of the iPad 2.

If Apple has indeed built such a device, it’s unlikely the company intends to put it on the market. While the A5 processor is powerful enough under iOS, in terms of raw performance it pales in comparison to even the least powerful Intel chips. For example, the iPad 2′s Geekbench score is around 720, while the lowest-rated MacBook Air processor scored over 2000. Benchmarks don’t tell the whole story, of course, but they’re a fairly reliable predictor of the general performance you can expect to get from a machine.

If Apple’s experimenting with ARM processors in its laptop line, it’s very unlikely that it’s a simple matter of trying to run Mac OS X on the A5 and more likely that Apple is looking for ways to run iOS in a notebook form factor. This could be something as simple as a device that looks like a MacBook Air but has a touchscreen and runs iOS — basically an iPad with an attached keyboard. Or Apple could have more ambitious plans in mind, with an A5 processor running as a sort of sidecar to a standard Intel CPU, with Mac OS X and iOS both capable of running on the same machine on their respective CPUs. Under such a scheme, iOS might run as a sort of “layer” atop Mac OS X — rather like Dashboard does now, but more like Dashboard after a serious dose of growth serum.

From what we’ve seen of Mac OS X Lion thus far, it already looks as though Apple’s looking at ways of merging OS X and iOS as far as the software’s concerned. If Mac Otakara’s sources are correct, it seems it’s just a matter of time before the hardware follows.

Rumor: Apple testing MacBook Air with A5 processor originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maps+, a new mapping app for the iPhone and iPad, has just been released. Developed by IZE, Maps+ uses Google Maps data, meaning you must have a data connection for it to work, but it adds a couple of interesting location-based features into a customizable interface that you can’t get in the default iOS maps app.

GPS tracking has been added, meaning you can record your route, whether you’re running, cycling, driving or walking. Sounds familiar, but this time it’s opt-in. You can even import or export your recorded tracks to GPX for viewing on the desktop or in other apps.

Location-based alarms are also included, allowing you to set a reminder that’s activated when you hit a certain location. That’s handy if you’re a bit forgetful and need more than just a timed alarm to jog your memory.

Maps+ also comes with most of the standard features found in Google Maps, including directions with route alternatives; standard, satellite, hybrid and even terrain maps from Google; and bookmarks and address-only search (no business search is included).

Maps+ is free to download, with a couple of features, such as pins, bookmarks and tracks, being limited by number. They can be unlocked via a US$2.99 in-app purchase. If the default Google Maps-based app is just a bit limited for you, then the free Maps+ is worth a look.

Maps+ adds tracking and location-based alarms to Google Maps originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Nielsen Norman Group did a usability study on iPad apps not long after the device’s debut in 2010. A year later, they’ve done a followup study to see how things fare today.

While most apps have made big strides in overall usability in the year since the iPad’s debut, many of the apps covered in the study still had suboptimal user interfaces that in many cases seem to sacrifice ease of use in favor of good looks. Overall, the biggest UI problem present in the studied apps was inconsistent or obscure navigation controls.

Nielsen Norman first encourages would-be app developers to ask themselves if their site or service needed an iPad app in the first place. “If your service requires substantial interaction, consider an app instead of a site,” the Group says. However, a poorly-designed app will sabotage that increased interactivity potential.

Study participants were always successful in completing assigned tasks in Mobile Safari, but when asked to complete the same tasks in a standalone iPad app, participants failed to complete tasks a third of the time. Participants weren’t iPad newbies either, having owned the device for a minimum of two months. This shows that many apps still have a long way to go in crafting a UI that’s accessible and comprehensible to all users.

Read on to find out what the Nielsen Norman Group recommends for enhancing the usability of both iPad-optimized websites and iPad apps.

Continue reading Usability study finds many iPad apps still need to work on their UI

Usability study finds many iPad apps still need to work on their UI originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Businessweek cites sources who claim Apple’s new digital music service, which many expect to be called iCloud, will quickly scan a user’s iTunes library and mirror those songs on the cloud. Users will then be able to stream and listen to those songs on any devices. Interestingly, the sources say that if a user’s song isn’t encoded in an acceptable quality, Apple will replace the lower-quality song with one that is encoded at a higher quality.

No details of a cost for the service have emerged, but Businessweek speculates the iCloud service may be baked into the US$99 per year MobileMe fee. Apple could also offer monthly subscription plans for the service. An NPD analyst has even told Businessweek that he believes “We will come to a point in the not-so-distant future when we’ll look back on the 99-cent download as anachronistic as cassette tapes or 8-tracks.”

We know Apple has been actively working to get the big four record labels to license the service (a step that Amazon and Google both skipped), but beyond that, not many hard facts have surfaced. An online streaming service for iTunes has been a perennial rumor, but over the past few months, as more details have emerged, it’s looking like the service may be a reality as early as June or July of this year.

More details emerge about Apple’s iCloud music service originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reuters is reporting that Intel “wouldn’t blink” if given the chance to make custom chips for Apple’s devices, like the iPhone and iPad. At an investor event in London on Thursday, Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith told journalists that “there are certain customers that would be interesting to us and certain customers that wouldn’t.” Apple, unsurprisingly, is one of the first type of customer.

Currently the A4 and A5 chips found in iPhones and iPads are manufactured by Samsung, but reports have hinted that Apple may be moving away from Samsung and jumping to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd (TSMC) on a foundry basis. Given that Apple’s A5 chip makes up a large portion of the $7.8 billion components contract Apple has with Samsung, it’s no wonder that Intel would want to be a foundry chip maker for the Cupertino company.

As Smith told reporters, “If Apple or Sony came to us and said ‘I want to do a product that involves your IA (Intel architecture) core and put some of my IP around it’, I wouldn’t blink. That would be fantastic business for us.” She did also say that Intel would have to put more thought into considering being a foundry for custom chips that didn’t involve an Intel architecture core: “Then you get into the middle ground of ‘I don’t want it to be a IA core, I want it to be my own custom-designed core,’ and then you are only getting the manufacturing margin, (and) that would be a much more in-depth discussion and analysis.”

[via MacRumors]

Intel hints at option of custom chip foundry for big customers originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The popular sci-fi tower defense game Sentinel 3 is on sale for only US$0.99 for a limited time. Normally $2.99, the sale price is in celebration of the release of a massive new downloadable campaign that is available as an in-app purchase for $1.99. The new 15-map campaign features 15 endless maps and 6 new classic maps, as well as a new commander unit, new weapons, new turrets and new enemies.

In addition to the new in-game features, Sentinel 3, which is a universal game for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has beefed up the iPad graphics with higher resolution background levels. The game’s engine has also been completely revamped for much-improved gameplay. No word on how long Sentinel 3 will remain on sale, so if you’re a fan of tower defense games, you might want to snap this one up quickly.

Sentinel 3 on sale for $0.99, $1.99 DLC update adds large number of features originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are plenty of iPad cases on the market right now, as well as iPad stands by the droves. In that respect, the Newer Technology NuGuard GripStand (US$29.99, left in photo above) is nothing really new. But the handy iPad protective case / display stand / hand grip does have a unique quality — with the purchase of the NuGuard GripBase ($19.99), the case can be transformed into a solid desktop workstation base or iPad kiosk.

Newer Technology sells the two products as a bundle for $39.99, perfect for those who are looking for a way to keep their iPads protected and close at hand both when mobile or seated at a desk. Read more for a look at how this protection system works, and be sure to browse the gallery below for photos of the GripStand and GripBase working together.

Continue reading Newer Technology’s GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo

Newer Technology’s GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With its “souped-up” CPU and graphics performance, beautiful design, and best-in-class display, the 27-inch iMac earns a 9/10 rating and an Editors’ Choice award from Computer Shopper. Noting iMac’s strong productivity performance and excellent gaming capabilities, reviewer Jonathan Rougeout concludes: “In almost every way, this top-of-the-line model beats every other all-in-one on the market.”

CNET makes the new 27-inch iMac an Editors’ Choice (4/5 stars), writing that it “offers the best performance among current all-in-ones, along with the largest display, the best design, and exciting potential from its Thunderbolt ports.” Citing iMac’s competitive performance and price, CNET concludes that “for digital media professionals, or others in need of a fast, serious-minded all-in-one with a large display, we can make no other recommendation.”

At AllThingsD, tech columnist Walt Mossberg compiles a comprehensive list of apps for watching network and cable TV shows on iPad, including iTunes, Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO GO, MLB.com At Bat, ABC Player, XFINITY TV, and WatchESPN. Mossberg notes that iPad’s many viewing app options — along with its thin and light design, immersive interface, large screen, and strong battery performance — make it “by far the best tablet for TV watching now.”

For its excellent performance, “gorgeous” design, and superior display, the new 21.5-inch iMac earns an editors’ rating of 8.9/10 from Computer Shopper, which makes it their overall top pick for an all-in-one desktop computer. Reporting that iMac blew most of the competition “straight off the test bench,” Computer Shopper recommends iMac to anyone focused on productivity and performance. They add: “With serious speed improvements and the promising new Thunderbolt port, the 2011 iMac keeps an iron grip on its position as today’s leading all-in-one PC.”

Blogging in The New York Times, technology columnist David Pogue calls Our Choice — Al Gore’s new e-book app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch — “one of the most elegant, fluid, immersive apps you’ve ever seen.” Pogue notes that the Our Choice app updates Gore’s 2009 best-selling book about solving Earth’s climate crisis and that “the real magic” is in the visual elements, which include more than 400 pages of interactive photos, graphics, and video. Pogue concludes: “For once, here’s an e-book that really does redefine the net effect of an e-book.”

Beginning May 7, you can visit any Guitar Center location and learn how to record and mix tracks using Mac and GarageBand. Guitar Center will present free “Recording Made Easy” workshops each Saturday from 10-11 a.m. in all of its 216 stores. Four different workshop sessions make it simple for even novice musicians to go from creating basic tracks to recording a finished song in GarageBand.

Apple today updated its signature all-in-one iMac with quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology, and a new FaceTime HD camera. Starting at $1199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and offers up to three times faster graphics performance than the previous generation.

Apple today announced that the white iPhone 4 will be available beginning tomorrow. White iPhone 4 models will be available from the Apple Online Store and at Apple Retail Stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers. “The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it’s beautiful,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we’ve worked to get every detail right.”

USA Today’s Jefferson Graham describes how he was able to capture and edit on-the-go travel videos in New Zealand using iPad 2 and the iMovie app, then instantly demo his movies on the “nearly 10-inch sexy screen.” Writes Graham: “Most people never get around to editing their videos. So having easy-to-obtain software on a device that lets you edit anywhere, like the iPad, will, hopefully, result in more polished videos.”

Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 second quarter ended March 26, 2011. The Company posted record second quarter revenue of $24.67 billion and record second quarter net profit of $5.99 billion, or $6.40 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $13.50 billion and net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. “With quarterly revenue growth of 83 percent and profit growth of 95 percent, we’re firing on all cylinders,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We will continue to innovate on all fronts throughout the remainder of the year.”