Black Friday 2014: $100 iTunes Gift Cards for $75 (US Only) [Mac Blog]

Paypal Digital Gifts is offering $100 iTunes Gift Cards for $75 via eBay - a 25% discount, for Black Friday. The codes are delivered digitally to PayPal registered email addresses. The offer is only available to U.S. customers and expires tonight at midnight (Eastern).



Black Friday sales kicked off last night and officially continue through today. Some sales may last the weekend. We've previously provided a comprehensive list of sales on Mac, iPhone, and iPad products.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:37PM, November 28

Apple Email Campaign and Online Store Update Highlight Holiday Gift ideas

Apple today revamped its online store and sent out emails to customers in preparation for the upcoming holiday shopping season. The new holiday promotion emphasizes gift ideas with a focus on iOS devices, Macs and Beats audio hardware.





Immediately below the tagline "From one gift come many," Apple places its focus on its iPad line of tablets, which recently were refreshed with the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3. The company promotes the utility of the devices, noting how people can use the tablets to complete a variety of tasks, including choreographing a recital or exploring the North Pole.



Apple next highlights the Mac with an advertorial that entices people to create the next holiday classic in a subtle reference to last year's award-winning "Misunderstood" holiday commercial. Other showcased products include the Apple TV, new Apple Store gift cards, the iPhone and Beats by Dr. Dre audio accessories.



Apple traditionally offers a Black Friday sale to kick off the holiday shopping season with modest discounts on its product lineup. Apple has yet to announce its 2014 Black Friday promotion, but the company last year offered Apple Store gift cards with the purchase of select items including iOS devices, Macs and various Apple-related accessories.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:37PM, November 19

Growing Number of Users Report Crashing Issue with Latest Nest for iOS Update

A growing number of Nest owners are reporting issues with the latest version the Nest Mobile app that was released on Friday. According to reports on Nest forums, the 4.4.0 version of the app crashes immediately on launch for many users who are running iOS 8.x. This glitch reportedly is affecting recent iPhone models including the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s and iPhone 5.

I just downloaded the update to the Nest Mobile App for iOS (version 4.4.0) and the App Crashes immediately upon launch. I am running the latest version of iOS (8.1) on my iPhone 5s. I had no issues with the previous version of the Nest app. I tried to delete the app and reinstall it but it still crashes when launched.



Fortunately, I still had the previous version of Nest Mobile in iTunes on my PC and was able to copy it over to my iPhone. -Nest forum member Columbus_George.

The Nest 4.4.0 update included a handful of small improvements, such as expanded weather and time zone support and improved thermometer history. Users who are experiencing the crashing glitch can restore the previous 4.3 version of the app from their iTunes app library.





Founded by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, Nest Labs was acquired by Google in a $3.2 billion deal that closed earlier this year. Under Google's guidance, Nest acquired video-monitoring and security startup Dropcam and opened its API to third-party products and services.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:37PM, November 07

Starwood Begins First Phase of Mobile Phone Hotel Room Key Rollout With 10 Properties

Following an initial pilot program at a pair of its properties, hotel chain Starwood today announced the official launch of its SPG Keyless program that will allow hotel guests to use their iPhones or Android phones to check in for their stays and unlock their doors via Bluetooth. The system will go live this Wednesday in ten hotels around the world under Starwood's Aloft, Element, and W brands and expand to 150 hotel comprising 30,000 hotel room doors by the end of next year.

SPG Members must register their phone once through the SPG App and allow push notifications. After booking a reservation at a keyless hotel and approximately 24 hours before arrival, SPG members are invited to opt-in to SPG Keyless. Guests will receive a push notification noting that they are checked in and the SPG App will update with his/her room number and Bluetooth key when the room is ready. Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk (where available) and go directly to his/her room. After ensuring his/her Bluetooth is enabled, the guest simply opens the SPG App, holds the smartphone to the door lock, waits for the solid green light and enters the room.

Starwood's SPG: Starwood Hotels & Resorts app [Direct Link] has been updated today to support the iPhone check-in program, which is going live at hotels in Beijing, Cancun, Cupertino, Harlem, Doha, Hollywood, Hong Kong, New York City, and Singapore.



Starwood is not the only hotel chain working on phone-based room keys, with Hilton previously announcing its intentions for a similar program including check-in and room selection via app available in 4,000 hotels by the end of this year and and mobile phone room keys rolling out in 2015. And just today Hilton has reiterated those plans, announcing pilot testing of room keys early next year with an initial rollout to its Conrad brand soon after and expansion to additional brands coming in the summer.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:37PM, November 03

Apple's Jony Ive Talks Apple Watch at SFMOMA Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony

Apple design chief Jony Ive on Thursday was honored by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in an event that celebrated Ive's 2014 Bay Area Treasure Award. The award, bestowed by the Modern Art Council (MAC), recognizes creative individuals who have influenced visual culture.

"Ive is our generation’s most innovative and influential figure in the field of industrial design—no other design mind has done more to transform the way we visualize and share information," said SFMOMA Director Neal Benezra. "SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast to establish a department of architecture and design, and we’re thrilled to celebrate Ive’s revolutionary achievements."

Speaking during the award ceremony, Ive commented on the Apple Watch and the challenge of designing Apple's first smartwatch product in a series of comments reported by The Wall Street Journal .

"Even though Apple Watch does so many things, there are cultural, historical implications and expectations," Ive said. "That’s why it’s been such a difficult and humbling program."

Ive also emphasized the dilemma of developing a product that would mean different things to different people. Adding to the complexity of the design is the device itself, which is used only casually by its owners.

"As soon as something is worn, we have expectations of choice," said Ive. Only "in prison," he joked, do people all wear the same thing."

Ive's strict focus on his design work was also revealed in the interview when he admitted he didn't know the details of Apple's most recent financial results.

“I honestly don’t know the numbers,” said Ive. “But I know they are high.”

The Bay Area Treasure Award is one of several awards given to Ive in recent years. The Apple designer was the recipient of a National Design Award for the iPhone in 2007 and a team-issued 2012 Design and Art Direction award. He also was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in a ceremony held in 2012.

Read More [...]

Posted in 2014 at 02:37PM, October 31