The 15 inch MacBook with Retina display also got a new PCIe-based flash storage, which will double the memory performance as compared to the previous model.

The new iMac starts from $1,999. It also has a retina display, 3.3 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, AMD Radeon R9 M290 graphics card. With 8GB of RAM and 1TB base storage, iMac is got the perfect changes.

The new MacBook also got improved GPU, which was demanded by thousands of users.

The refreshed models of MacBook and iMac are now available from the Apple store.

Today it was discovered that when you visit The New York Post with the Safari browser via the iPad, you get the following landing page:

Subscriptions through the app run $6.99 per month, $39.99 for six months or $79.99 for the year, with no option for single-issue digital purchases.

A number of major publications are now going this route of paid access to their content.  Conde Nast has taken nearly all of their publications to a “pay for app” access model via the iPad with publications such as GQ, Wired, and The New Yorker.

I’m of the opinion that the “pay wall” for content access is not something that will be sustainable for the longer term with these publishers.  It seems there are far too many publications out there that are offering their content for free, which gives readers other options, as opposed to having to pay for content.

People come to the web for free content, for the most part – at least that’s the way I see it.

What do you think about the “pay wall” that publishers are creating, forcing readers to pay for apps to access content?

via AppleInsider

Who would’ve thought that parking spaces could actually update their status via the cloud (the web)?

Apparently, this is becoming a reality and the status update that parking spots send out are either “taken” or “available”.

With parking spots possessing this new found freedom of communication, it only makes sense then that an iPhone app would be developed that can tell drivers where parking spots are available.

This is exactly what the Parker iPhone App does by Streetline.

“The app dramatically increases your chances of finding parking,” explains CEO Zia Yusuf.

Drivers are able to see where there are two spots, more than two spots, and more than four spots available in certain parking lots. You’ll also get pricing, hours, time limits, and whether the parking spots take cash or credit card as payment.

The Parker iPhone app currently works in U.S. cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Hollywood, California.

via FastCompany

Blackberry has reached a new milestone in the quest for keeping up with the likes of Apple and Android users. The Blackberry App World store has reached 10,000 apps. Now I know that’s only a tenth of the number of apps in the Android market, and a fraction of the apps available from Apple. But it’s worth noting and giving credit where credit is due.

So can Blackberry actually turn their brand around to where they are able to keep pace with the more data favored iPads, iPhones, and Android based mobile devices?

Time will tell, but 10,000 apps in the Blackberry World App store tells me that Blackberry is not about to lay down and give up.

via TheRegister

Apple has added their Genius recommendation system to iPad apps in the app store.

iPad tablet owners can now add Genius recommendations in the app store while browsing for new apps.

If you own an iPad, simply enable “Genius” next to “Updates”.

Once enabled, you’ll be given a list of apps that you may be interested in based on past apps and downloads you’ve made.

This new feature for acquiring apps on your iPad will work well with Apple’s system of “try before you buy” system.

Now you can demo an app on your iPad before you buy it!

Pretty cool huh?

The Apple Store website is down!

This is quite possibly the only website in history that when it goes down, millions of people get excited.

That’s because when the Apple Store website goes down, it means new goodies are on their way.

The rumored “newness” this time however isn’t going to be a new iPhone, or even a new iPad.

According to Engadget, Apple’s got a new lineup of Mac Pros and some updated iMacs to show you.

As is typical for Apple, we can expect the Apple Store to be back up around 8:30’ish, in standard Apple fashion.

The other day I wanted to check out what was “hot” in the free iPhone app list in the App Store on my iPhone. Looking at the top 25 free apps I saw Finger Physics sitting in the number one position, and the iPhone App also looked cool, so I downloaded it.

That was about the end of my excitement for Finger Physics.

As soon as I opened Finger Physics, I felt like I was being marketed to at every tap of the iPhone. Not only was the marketing and presentation frustrating, but getting started an actually playing something was equally challenging.

Once the app loads, you are staring a screen filled with boxes that all look the same, and no real direction as to what will happen depending on which box you select.

Then, after clicking a box you are left staring at an egg, or a circle, that you need to guide into a certain location. After spending some time trying to figure the game out, I finally got it – I figured out how to get the egg in the basket.

So I give the Finger Physics iPhone App two thumbs down and I do not recommend you spend your time downloading, and then trying to figure out the app. Just move on…

You can download Finger Physics from iTunes here (opens iTunes).

Apple has just announced their free iPhone 4 case program. Anyone who purchased an iPhone 4 before September 30th, 2010 is eligible to receive an iPhone 4 Bumper case, or a select third-part case from Apple at no charge.

This program is in response to the iPhone 4 Grip of Death problem that has plagued around 2% of iPhone 4’s. So in response to this problem, Apple is now giving away free iPhone 4 Bumper cases. The case has been proven to nearly 100% mitigate the iPhone 4 signal strength problem (Grip of Death).

Here’s how to get your free iPhone 4 Bumper Case

1. Download the free iPhone 4 Bumper case iPhone app
2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 > sign into you iTunes Store account or Apple ID
3. Select your Bumper of case

That’s it – then proceed to an AT&T or Apple retail store to get your free Bumper case.

If you previously purchased an iPhone 4 Bumper case:

If you already purchased an iPhone 4 Bumper case then Apple will give you a full refund, to include any taxes and shipping fees you may have incurred.

Credit card

If you used your credit card then your account has already been refunded. Apple is saying that it may take up to one billing cycle for you refund to appear.

Cash, check, or gift card at an Apple Retail Store

Return to the Apple store where you purchased your iPhone 4 with your receipt by September 30, 2010, to get your refund.

Gift card on the Apple Online Store

Apple will automatically mail you a new gift card for the refund amount.

If you bought from an AT&T Store

Apple will reimburse you for the purchase price of your iPhone 4 Bumper. Just fill out this rebate coupon and mail it to us by September 30, 2010. Apple will also send your rebate as soon as we process your claim.

Read terms and conditions here

Well now this is possible with a a new app for the iPad that was announced yesterday via All Things Digital called Flipboard. Flipboard is attempting to make the social networking universe more accessible, consumable and, perhaps most importantly, visually arresting via a rich app on the Apple (AAPL) iPad.

Essentially, Flipboard pulls information from sites such as Twitter and Facebook data streams and then reassembles it in an easy-to-navigate, personalized format in a mobile tablet touchscreen environment.

In this social magazine, there are pull quotes, photos, videos, status updates and even the first paragraphs of content linked out to. There is also the ability to comment and share, as if one were on Twitter or Facebook.

I really like this concept because as you know, when you sit down at your computer and pull up Facebook you have to scroll down one big long list of your friend’s updates. Being able to organize updates by comments, photos, and videos would be helpful in and of itself. But then being able to browse all comments in magazine style format would be even better.

I don’t really care too much about doing that for my Twitter followers, except to maybe help me get news and information faster. But for Facebook, it sounds like a great app that would actually make being on Facebook more fun.

Of course, you need to get yourself an iPad first!

Here’s a video promo for Flipboard – the new iPad app that turns your social networks into a magazine style layout:

In an effort to add a little of humor and fun to the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, someone decided to create an iPhone app that allows you to plug the gushing oil leak with your finger.

The iPhone App is called Plug the BP Oil Spill and is available in the iTunes App Store for free.

From your iPhone, simply tap the App Store app on your iPhone > search for “plug the bp oil spill” and then simply download it. It literally takes 5 seconds or less for this thing to download.

Then all you have to do is open the Plug the BP Oil Spill app, tap “Begin”, and then you’ll be able to plug the gushing oil with your finger.

Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

Click here to download Plug the BP Oil Spill iPhone App (opens iTunes)

Screen shots:

In case you didn’t know yet, the iPhone 4 was released today for pre order. The AT&T website has their links up around 4am this morning EST (I think), then the Apple store didn’t come online with their updated store until around 9am EST.

Ever since 12am (midnight) EST, the AT&T and Apple store websites have been struggling with the influx in traffic. These are eager iPhone 4 customers who are rushing to get their pre order in, and get in early.

However, a lot of people have been reporting that the AT&T website has been down several times. There are even reports that the Apple store has been down a couple of times since the iPhone 4 pre order links were launched.

Keeping up with spikes in traffic is not the easiest thing in the world to have to deal with. The best solution that I’ve found is by hosting your site on cloud servers. More specifically, cloud servers that automatically re-allocate resources to sites with spiking traffic (i.e. like AT&T and Apple store online today).

This is called “scaling”, and it means that server allocation will shift and open up as much resources as need be to facilitate increased traffic spikes.

Perhaps AT&T and Apple’s online store could find a cloud server solution valuable for times like this.

What do you think?

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is scheduled to hit the theaters at the end of this month (May 2010).

Along with the new movie, Ubisoft is planning to launch an accompanying iPhone App (and iPod Touch) game into the Apple’s App Store.

According to MTV.com, Ubisoft announced the newish “Prince” title as a part of their release schedule for April to June 2010, according to a report by G4. A specific launch date didn’t appear, but that’s often the way things roll with the App Store.

When the new Prince of Persia iPhone App is released I’ll be sure to post an update here for you.

Will you be downloading the new Prince of Persia iPhone game?

iPad 3G Release Date No Later Than May 3rd

My neighbor went into a local Apple store here in the metro Atlanta area to pre-ordered the iPad 3G.

While there, he thought of me (he knows what I do for a living and what kind of blog I have), so he decided to inquire about when the iPad 3G is expected to be released – or, he said he put it in terms of when could he expect to get the call from the store that the iPad 3G’s are now here and he can come pick his up.

What the Apple store said about iPad 3G release date:

The guy at the Apple store told my neighbor that he wouldn’t be surprised if the iPad 3G is available this up coming week.

So that would be sometime between Monday, April 19th – Friday, April 23rd.

But then the Apple store employee told my neighbor that the iPad 3G will be in their store, at the absolute latest, by Monday, May 3rd.

So no later than Monday, May 3rd will be the iPad 3G release date!

Earlier today I wrote about how the Apple store was down (offline).

Initially, I thought there was a problem with the Apple website, but then after digging around a bit, I realized this was common when Apple was about to release a new product.

The speculation was that perhaps we’d see an iPad 3G hit the Apple store website with a release date or a shipping date.

Or, the other alternatively was perhaps we’d see the iPhone 4G presented in the Apple Store.

None of the above actually….

The Apple Store was updated with the new MacBook Pro 2010 netbook.

The Apple Store is now back online and features not only the new MacBook Pro, but also the iPad and the new line up of iPods and iPod touches.

Check out The Apple Store here.

Apple Store Down – Macbook Pro Coming?

The Apple Store is down,

When I just visited The Apple Store https://www.apple.com/ I was greeted with the message:

This leads one to believe that we have a new product launch about to hit The Apple Store.

New MacBook Pro Rumors

There are rumors spreading like wildfire on the web about a new line of MacBook Pros that could be coming.

What is the date that the rumors are hinting at a possible release of MacBook Pros?

How about April 13th – which is today!

So for now, you can dig around the web and try to find out what Apple is up to.

If you find anything interesting about what might be coming to the Apple Store, please let us know in the comments.

Apple Store announcements

A couple of announcements people have been waiting from Apple, but unlikely we’ll see them in the Apple Store are:

iPhone 4G release date:

People have been anxiously awaiting the iPhone 4G to be announced from Apple.

iPhone / Verizon

Along with the iPhone 4G announcement, people have been wondering if / when we’ll see the iPhone sold at Verizon.

So those are 2 main “points of interest” currently buzzing around Apple.

And now, of course, we are waiting to see what will be featured at The Apple Store.

Many of you might not know it, but Verizon once had an opportunity to service the iPhone but rejected it.

Here is some great insight from a commenter on a previous post as to why Verizon once rejected the iPhone:

VZW rejected it for good reason in the beginning, Steve Jobs wanted control and cuts from the profit in regards to this device.

Apple did not want to allow the phone to be limited in any way.

The same company that keeps a tight lid on the inner workings, the app store, and true power of this device….they just didnt want to allow the phone to be tested and limited in any way by VZW.

For good reason, every phone goes thru a battery of tests in vzw to make sure the device and network run optimally at all times, around the country.

And VZW will limit a phones data connection, test what type of data the phone sends, if inner functions work correctly, calls are clear coming and going… everything you can imagine to make sure their customers have a good cell connection.

Well then what happened with AT&T?

I guess they skimped out on things and decided that Subscribers and profit from this device was important and that their network can never be bogged down. WRONG?

a few fatal errors at best:

You have apple fanatics in US numbering the millions. 300 or 700k of those nuts running data like crazy downloading music would do it it in to any carrier.

iPad Launch In New York City (Video)

This is by far the best video I’ve seen of the iPad launch. This iPad launch video is at the NYC Apple store and it shows masses of reporters and other people flooding in after the count down – and yes, the count down definitely helps the iPad launch mood.

Here’s the iPad launch at the NYC Apple store:

With today being the big day for the iPad Wifi edition, the big day of anticipation has finally arrived. Just think, it was only the end of February that we were watching Steve Jobs announce, and then demo, the new iPad device. And now that the release of the iPad is here (not the iPad 3G), what can we expect?

iPad Lines

One thing you can expect from the iPad is very long lines at the Apple retail stores. As it was with the release of the iPhone, lines stretching around corners and a frenzy of customers fighting to get their device, the same can be expected from the iPad.

Check out this video of an Apple store opening this morning to debut the new iPad:

Line2 iPhone App was pulled by Toktumin after computer attacks, not Apple.

If you tried to find the Line2 App in the iTunes App store today, you probably discovered that you were out of luck.  However, contrary to popular belief, Apple was the not the reason for the Line2 App being pulled – that was a decision made by Toktumin themselves after a DDOS attack this morning.

According to Peter Sisson, the founder of Toktumi, Line2 recently came under a blistering denial-of-service attack, the same kind of crippling cyber scam that has brought down a handful of popular sites in the past.

Mr. Sisson told Henry McCracken of Technologizer that he made the executive decision to take Line2 offline – that way thousands of consumers won’t have a bad first experience with the much-buzzed-about app.

CBS March Madness iPhone App

If you’re looking for the best way to experiencing the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament this year, then the iPhone and iPod touch might be the best way to take in all the action.  CBS released their March Madness iPhone App (opens iTunes).

The CBS March Madness iPhone app – also for the iPod Touch – only costs $9.99 from the app store.  The March Madness app is basically an on demand service that will offer live video of all 63 games, and will include news, results, team-by-team comparisons and matchups – everything you need to stay up to date with March Madness.

Check out the CBS March Madness iPhone App on iTunes.

Photos of the CBS March Madness iPhone App:

iPhone and Android Internet Speed Testing App

Not only is the FCC providing us with a great tool for testing our home and business broadband Internet speed, but they’ve also released an application that allows you to test the broadband speed you are getting on your iPhone (opens iTunes) and Android devices.

The Federal Government is obviously placing a high emphasis on broadband Internet speed access, and they are making sure that you, the consumer, has all the tools necessary to ensure you are getting exactly what you are paying for from your broadband Internet provider.

You can follow the FCC’s broadband blog here to stay up to date with the latest information.

Here’s a video of the wedding vows in the Apple store in New York:

According to Yahoo news, Dan Woolley, an American aid worker, was unfortunate enough to be in Haiti on January 12, and the earthquake that hit the country left him trapped beneath the ruins of his hotel.

The good news is that he had his iPhone loaded with the American Heart Association’s Pocket First Aid & CPR application, a $3.99 application that provides basic, expert information on a variety of emergency situations ranging from choking to electrical shocks.

Wooley was trapped in the rubble in Haiti for two and half days before rescuers could reach him.  Wooley read on his iPhone app that he shouldn’t go to sleep if he thinks he has a concussion.  So he set his iPhone alarm to go off every 20 minutes to help him stay awake.

He also read about how to treat a leg that was bleeding profusely by using a belt as a tourniquet, and how to use a sock as a head bandage to stop bleeding.

So thanks to the iPhone app, Mr. Wooley was one of the fortunate survivors of such a terrible disaster.

I went to the app store on iTunes and was not able to find this particular app.  If someone can, please post a link to the app in the comments below!

Thanks…

BeenVerified allows you to conduct the first 3 inquiries for free, and then a charge of $8 per month will be required.

But not only can you look up things such as age, address history, and relatives, BeenVerified allows you to also have access to criminal records, the properties associated with a person (and their values), and even scans the social networks to find data about the person there, such as pictures of them.

You can download the new background check app for free in the App Store on iTunes (opens iTunes).

iPhone Apps For The Stars

There is a new trend unfolding in the iPhone App world, and that is celebrities creating iPhone Apps about themselves!

I wrote last week about the Ocho Cinco iPhone App.  Ocho Cinco is the star wide receiver from the Cincinatti Bengals, and a huge hit on Twitter.

And yes, Ocho Cinco also has his own website as well, but this is actually built upon his original name Chad Johnson. (see it here)

Britney Spears iPhone App

This trend continues with the release of the Britney Spears iPhone App.

Just like any other brand that creates an iPhone App, celebrities are capitalizing on their popularity.

iPhone Apps allow fans to engage their favorite celebrities at a deeper level by getting full access to videos, discussions, and other applications – all in one place.

You can read more about the Britney Spears iPhone App at iTunes.

Harry Potter iPhone App

Are you a Harry Potter fan?  Well now there’s an app for that!

Here’s a clip from GadgetRepublic.com:

“Based on the popular Harry Potter films, the app aims to transform players into wizards, enabling them to stun and disarm their opponents, as well as cast 14 spells on them.

Fledgling wizards can conjure magic on their own or duel others by casting spells from one device to another using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections. “Students” will receive an official invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, then will make a ceremonial visit Ollivanders’ wand shop, where the wand destined for them will meet its new master or mistress.

Once equipped, players are introduced to the Sorting Hat and placed into one of four houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin). Finally, after all that preparation, wizard training starts in the ‘Spell Tutorial’, where players learn the hand gestures required to cast a spell that can be used in a duel.”

Get the Harry Potter iPhone App

If you want to grab the Harry Potter iPhone App for yourself, just visit the link here (open in iTunes).

Best of all, the Harry Potter iPhone App is 100% FREE!

Key Features:

• Explore official film content
• Unlock new content in the Memory Vial navigation system
• Interact with the Pensieve’s 3D water effects
• Insert moving footage into a Wanted Poster or the Daily Prophet
• Save theatrical posters and images to use as your wall paper.

Are you a fan of Disney?  If you have kids (like me) more than likely you are inundated with the Disney Channel.

Well, if couldn’t get enough of Disney as it is, at some point today you should have an iPhone App that you can download as well.

My kids love to play on my iPhone – which might explain why it’s cracked and damaged – and I’m sure the new Disney App would be a hit for them.

Disney iPhone App Features

Yahoo Tech News wrote a great article about the upcoming Disney App for the iPhone.  And they highlighted a lot of great features you can expect to see.

The primary features, according to Yahoo Tech, are “bonus animations to users who follow clues to take cell-phone pictures of characters from movies such as “Up,” “G-Force,” “Ratatouille,” and “Wall-E” on the Web site.

Taking the correct picture unlocks an exclusive video and downloadable content such as frame images that can be overlaid on photos, or wallpaper images for cell phone screens. Disney is calling the feature “Click2Life,” because it makes characters captured in photos appear to suddenly become animated in one’s hand.” [source: Yahoo Tech]

Jason Davis, vice president of Disney.com, said the main purpose of the app was to deepen fan relationships with Disney characters, rather than just drive traffic to stores, theaters and online.

The Disney iPhone App is free, and is scheduled to be in the iTunes App Store at some point today.

Since the App Store launched in July 2008, that means every minute there has been more than 3000 downloads.  Now that’s a lot of downloading!

And also just today, Mashable reported that the iPhone has reached 100,000 approved apps.  However, as I tweeted about after reading the article, the 80/20 rule applies here.

80% of the approved apps will probably never reach more than a handful of iPhones, whereas 20% will be the dominant Apps in the marketplace.

Regardless, these are all impressive numbers that Apple is putting out regarding Apps, iPhones, iPods, and iTunes!

If you are a proud owner of a Mercedes-Benz AND you own an iPhone or an iPod Touch, then your life may have just gotten a whole lot easier today!

M ercedes-Benz announced today a new app where you can actually make your payment to Mercedes-Benz Financial, the loan company that provides the financing on new cars.

I found the article initially at AutoObserver.com, however, when I clicked their link to go the iTunes app store, the link appeared broken.  Then I went directly to iTunes but still couldn’t find the app.

So maybe it’s not yet available on iTunes, but it sounds like a cool app that would be useful to Mercedes-Benz owners – of which, I’m not.