Apple Retail Closely Monitoring Employee Usage of iOS 7, Forbids In-Store Demos for Customers

Apple is carefully monitoring the way that its retail workers are using iOS 7, reports 9to5Mac. Both retail store managers and Apple's Human Resources team have been contacting employees that are found using iOS 7 to ensure that the beta software was installed through official Developer channels.

Apple's retail workers are only authorized to install iOS 7 if they are members of the iOS Developer Program or part of an internal testing project. Employees are not allowed to sign up for a developer account and share the iOS 7 beta with coworkers, as noted in a warning letter that Apple sent out to some retail employees.

Am I allowed to load and use iOS beta software on my devices? Not unless you are a member of the iOS Developer Program, or have been explicitly authorized by management to participate in the development or testing of internal Apple applications as part of an official Apple project.

You may not load iOS beta software onto any other person's iOS device. Employees are not authorized to receive iOS beta software from any third parties, even if those third parties are iOS Developer Program members.

Employees have also been forbidden from showing the iOS 7 beta to Apple Store customers. According to retail workers who spoke to 9to5Mac, Apple is "super strict" about all iOS 7 usage in store. "We could get fired for showing a customer iOS 7 on our phones because of the Apple Developer NDA agreement," said one employee.

Customers who bring in malfunctioning phones running iOS 7 will not be able to have them serviced in store either, as Apple has implemented guidelines preventing Geniuses from working on phones running the beta software.

Apple routinely uses its retail employees to test and improve software. Last year, Apple relied on its workers to help improve its Maps app, and this year, certain employees have been given access to OS X Mavericks for beta testing purposes.

iOS 7, which offers a radical design overhaul along with a number of performance enhancements, is currently only available to developers. The final version of the software is expected to be released this fall alongside the next generation iPhone.

from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories http://www.macrumors.com

Linux 3.10 out with better SSD caching and Radeon support

Linux 3.10 was released by Linus Torvalds last night, bringing with it a new method of SSD caching and some upgrades to the Radeon graphics driver. "This release has been pretty typical and not particularly prone to problems," Torvalds wrote in his e-mail announcing the release. "No major new subsystems this time around, although there are individual new features."

As you may recall, Linux 3.9 (released in April) included an experimental feature called dm-cache that allows SSDs to act as caches for other storage devices. An additional SSD caching technology known as Bcache was also in the works for more than a year and has now merged into the Linux kernel with the newly released 3.10.

"Linux 3.10 will include the 'block-layer cache' Bcache, which can be used to configure one disk as a cache for another disk; a fast SSD, for example, could be used as a cache for a slower hard drive with more capacity," H-Online editor Thorsten Leemhuis wrote in his thorough roundup of the new kernel version."This kind of SSD cache can speed up access to frequently read data and take on write requests until a quieter moment when they can be written to the slower disk."

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from Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com

Facebook 5.0 for Windows Phone 8 now live, out of beta

Facebook's now out of beta and ready for primetime on Windows Phone 8, Microsoft announced today. It's known as Facebook 5.0 and, aside from exiting beta, the latest version of Facebook for Windows Phone adds a revamped UI, as well as, "improved navigation, support for high-res pictures, post sharing, Facebook Timeline view, and more." Should you wish to continue living just ahead of the rest of Facebook's Windows Phone 8 userbase, a beta version of Facebook will remain in the Windows Phone store -- it promises a look at "pre-release software." We also wouldn't be too surprised if this is a good look into what that upcoming Windows 8 app will look like. In any event, as you might expect, Facebook 5.0 for Windows Phone 8 is free and available now at the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Internet, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Facebook

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Source: Windows Store, Microsoft, Windows Store (Facebook beta)

from Engadget RSS Feed http://www.engadget.com

Egyptian Protesters Paint Helicopter With Hundreds of Laser Pointers

People in Egypt, in case you haven't heard, aren't too happy with the state of things under President Mohamed Morsi. Cairo has been beset with protests and riots since early this morning.

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from Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com

«Hasta la vista» στη θρυλική μηχανή αναζήτησης Altavista

Το Altavista κλείνει οριστικά στις 8 Ιουλίου, ανακοίνωσε η Yahoo, στην οποία ανήκει η άλλοτε δημοφιλέστερη μηχανή αναζήτησης παγκοσμίως. Η Altavista ήταν από τις πρώτες μηχανές αναζήτησης στο Διαδίκτυο και γνώρισε την ακμή της πριν από την εμφάνιση της Google.

from Ειδήσεις: Τελευταίες Ειδήσεις http://rss.in.gr/Netvolution.Site.Engine.PageHandler.axd?0.09319265788024988=1&rid=5&pid=250&la=1&si=1

Skype for Android gets a full 'Metro' redesign, looks more like Windows Phone

Microsoft is unveiling a new version of Skype for Android on Monday, with a redesign that looks more like the company's Windows Phone variant. The new design includes a "Metro" look and feel with flattened UI elements and the usual blue and white elements found in Skype for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Skype claims the new Android app is a lot faster, with improvements to trigger quick messages and access to contacts and favourites.

There's no mention of a refreshed Skype for iOS, but given the focus on aligning the user interface it's likely that a redesign is on the way. "This release is just the beginning," claims Microsoft, promising more updates in the months ahead to improve Skype for Android.

Continue reading…

from The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/

Medical Experimentation on Chimps Is Nearing an End. But What About Monkeys?

Monkeys share many of the traits that make experiments on chimps and other great apes so ethically troubling, yet their use in research elicits barely a whisper of public concern. That says less about the ability of monkeys to think, feel and suffer than our willingness to think about it.

from Wired Top Stories http://www.wired.com

Η Apple επιλέγει την TSMC το iPhone και iPad μετά το iPhone 5S

Apple και TSMC υπέγραψαν και συμφώνησαν να συνεργαστούν για την κατασκευή των επεξεργαστών των μελλοντικών iPhone και iPad. Δηλαδή των μοντέλων που θα ακολουθήσουν μετά το iPhone 5S και το iPad 5.

Τα τελευταία χρόνια η Apple προσπαθεί να ανεξαρτητοποιηθεί από την Samsung. Ο μεγαλύτερος αντίπαλος της Apple κατασκευάζει τους επεξεργαστές και τις μνήμες που χρησιμοποιεί το iPhone 5, το iPad και το iPad mini μαζί με τις οθόνες. Πρόσφατα η Apple κατάφερε σχεδόν να διακόψει την προμήθεια οθονών από την Samsung.

Σειρά έχει η κατασκευή επεξεργαστών που πλέον μεγάλο μέρος θα μεταφερθεί από την Samsung στην TSMC. Με αυτό τον τρόπο η Apple θα καταφέρει δύο πράγματα: α) να μειώσει την εξάρτηση της από την Samsung β) να περιορίσει την διαρροή μυστικών από την γραμμή ανάπτυξης και παραγωγής των επεξεργαστών Apple.

Οι πληροφορίες αναφέρουν ότι Apple και TSMC θα ρίξουν στην αγορά τα πρώτα iPhone και iPad με τους νέους επεξεργαστές από το 2014. Μέχρι τότε υπομονή για το νέο iPhone 5S με iOS 7 και την στιγμή που το iFixit θα το κάνει κομμάτια για να δούμε το λογότυπο της Samsung πάνω στον Apple A7.

from pestaola http://www.pestaola.gr

Internet Explorer 11 Will Use Your GPU to Make Everything Fast

Microsoft's next-generation web browser will use your graphics hardware for more than just Crysis.

from News Tom's Hardware http://www.tomshardware.com

Η Carl Zeiss γίνεται Zeiss για το Nokia EOS ή αλλιώς Lumia 1020 ZOOM

Όλα αλλάζουν, ακόμα και η Γερμανική εταιρεία κατασκευής φακών Carl Zeiss η οποία αποφάσισε ότι πλέον θα λέγεται απλά Zeiss. Οι Γερμανοί έχουν κάθε λόγο να ακολουθήσουν διαφορετική στρατηγική και marketing με σύμμαχο την Nokia.

Αν επιβεβαιωθούν οι πληροφορίες, το πρώτο smartphone με οπτικά μέρη Zeiss θα είναι το νέο Nokia EOS με την κάμερα των 41 megapixel. Υποτίθεται ότι το πραγματικό όνομα του smartphone θα είναι nokia Lumia 1020 αλλά αυτό μένει να το δούμε. Γιατί μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον έχει ο συνδυασμός Windows Phone 8 με κάμερα PureView 41 megapixel παρά οτιδήποτε άλλο.

Η Nokia έχει προγραμματίσει ειδικό event για τις 11 Ιουλίου 2013, για να παρουσιάσει το πιο εντυπωσιακό φωτογραφικό smartphone και φυσικά η Zeiss θα είναι εκεί για να εκμεταλλευτεί την ευκαιρία για το δικό της rebrand. Δεν συναντάς πολλές φορές smartphone με κάμερα 41 megapixel και σύγχρονο λειτουργικό όπως τα Windows Phone 8.

Η μετάδοση της παρουσίασης του Nokia EOS θα γίνει LIVE και σύμφωνα με την Nokia έχουμε 41 εκατομμύρια καλούς λόγους για να περιμένουμε την 11η Ιουλίου. Όσα και τα 41 megapixel της κάμερας. Προς το παρόν μπορείς να δεις τις leaked φωτογραφίες του Nokia EOS εδώ αλλά και βίντεο με την λειτουργία της PureView κάμερας.

from pestaola http://www.pestaola.gr

WakeVoice Is an Alarm Clock That Talks To You (and You Can Talk To)

Android: We've covered several Android alarm clocks, but WakeVoice is different. Instead of waking up to music, WakeVoice rings, then speaks to you when it's time to get up. It can play a personalized message, read the news headlines, or fill you in on the weather for the day, all while you drag yourself out of bed.

WakeVoice isn't new by any means—it's been around for a while, but we just haven't mentioned it. When WakeVoice goes off in the morning, you can speak to it to snooze or turn the alarm off, or you can pick up your phone and turn it off manually. If you tell it to snooze, you can go back to sleep before it rings again (but we all know you shouldn't use the snooze button). If you tell it to stop, the voice you've selected will take over and tell you what you want to hear, whether it's a little inspirational message to get your day started right, the latest news, or the weather so you know how to dress when you get out of bed.

WakeVoice is free, but the free version is limited to 10 alarms. You can also customize the speaking voice right from within the app, but for more voices you'll have to download new voice packs for Android. You can give it try at the link below—if you need more voices, the pro version will run you $3.

WakeVoice (Free) | Google Play

from Lifehacker http://lifehacker.com

Apple has filed an application for an 'iWatch' trademark in Japan—which adds a little more weight to

Apple has filed an application for an 'iWatch' trademark in Japan—which adds a little more weight to the rumors of Cupertino's forthcoming wrist wear.

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from Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com

Apple Has Also Filed for an 'iWatch' Trademark in Japan

Photo of the Pebble watch
Bloomberg reports that Apple has filed for a trademark for the term 'iWatch' in Japan:

The maker of iPhones is seeking protection for the name which is categorized as being for products including a handheld computer or watch device, according to a June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office that was made public last week.

'iWatch' is one of the possible names for the long-rumored Apple wristwatch that has generated increasing buzz over the past year.

The filing actually represents the second 'iWatch' trademark filing discovered from Apple. The first report of the 'iWatch' trademark came from Russia, also on June 3rd.

Bloomberg repeats their February claim that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch computer. The most recent reports have suggested we won't see the Apple watch until late 2014 and that the watch would feature biometrics as a key feature, allowing for increased security and opening the door to broader health-related applications.

from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories http://www.macrumors.com