Tag Archives: ipads

Australian plane aborted landing because its captain was “preoccupied with his phone”

A mobile phone was to blame for an aborted landing in Singapore but, in contrast to what you might expect, it was the captain’s own device that set things off.

According to The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, the May 27 2010 Jetstar flight JQ57 cancelled its landing 150 metres from the ground following a series of events that began when the captain received text messages during the flight.

What happened next — after the autopilot had been switched off — is a concerning tale, as The Age explains:

Somewhere between 2500 feet and 2000 feet, the captain’s mobile phone started beeping with incoming text messages, and the captain twice did not respond to the co-pilot’s requests.

The co-pilot looked over and saw the captain “preoccupied with his mobile phone”, investigators said. The captain told investigators he was trying to unlock the phone to turn it off, after having forgotten to do so before take-off.

At 1000 feet, the co-pilot scanned the instruments and felt “something was not quite right” but could not spot what it was. At this stage the captain still did not realise the landing gear had not been lowered, and neither pilot went through their landing checklist.

At 650 feet, the captain moved the undercarriage lever “instinctively” but then a “too low” ground-warning alarm sounded as the plane sunk through 500 feet, indicating the landing gear was not fully extended and locked.

The landing was subsequently aborted and, though the lack of communication and failure to follow the check-list is to blame for the incident, it is interesting to see the havoc that the mobile phone played.

Jetstar has since introduced pre-flight warnings that prompt pilots to switch phones off…just like us passengers.

The issue of in-flight phone usage continues to rumble on with little sign of change. As the New York Times‘ Bits blog recently reported, airlines are constrained by rules that require them to test every version of each device (mobile and tablet) separately on every type of plane within their fleet.

That’s a lot of hassle and expense for airlines, as each test flight must be conducted with no passengers. Unsurprisingly, none have begun tests.

For now, we can conclude that pilots shouldn’t get a pass on the mobile phone ban, even if some in the US are now using iPads in-flight.

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Australian plane aborted landing because its captain was “preoccupied with his phone”

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Amazon now lets you trade in your old CDs

cds by wanderingone 520x245 Amazon now lets you trade in your old CDs

Amazon‘s Trade-In Program will now include CDs, the company has announced. Until today, it was available for a large range of electronics, such as iPads, but it is the first time that users have been able to trade recorded music for Amazon’s gift cards.

While customers can use these cards to buy anything they’d like, Amazon seems hopeful that many of them will opt for buying MP3s from its digital music store.

The feature doesn’t seem to be live yet, but we expect an update very shortly. We have also asked Amazon about its plans for returned CDs, and we will update this post when we hear back from its PR staff.

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Amazon now lets you trade in your old CDs

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After just days, the new iPad already accounts for over 5% of all iPads on the internet in the US

IMG 6081 520x245 After just days, the new iPad already accounts for over 5% of all iPads on the internet in the US

Apple’s new iPad has captured nearly 5% of the market and is climbing at a steady rate, according to live metrics from advertising network Chitika. The company is analyzing iPad traffic over its network in 12-hour segments to track the adoption of the new iPad.

The live graph up at the network’s New iPad Tracker shows that Apple’s new tablet has captured as much as 5.26% of internet traffic that touched its code in the last 12 hours. This shows a remarkable adoption of the new iPad in the US so far, and could mean that Apple has sold millions of the new tablet so far.

Screen Shot 2012 03 18 at 11.44.22 AM 520x248 After just days, the new iPad already accounts for over 5% of all iPads on the internet in the US

The network explains its methodology in gathering the numbers here. Basically it identifies the new iPads through the use of their ‘user agent’ that pass long a string of data identifying the hardware. It then narrows them down geographically to the U.S. based on network locations that they access the data from. It also checks the pixel density of the ad impression, as the new iPad still reports at 1024768, much like the old one, but shows a detectable increase in density.

Screen Shot 2012 03 18 at 12.10.43 PM 520x404 After just days, the new iPad already accounts for over 5% of all iPads on the internet in the US

The chart is updated live and shows the ‘current’ percentage over a rolling twelve-hour average of iPads on the internet in pie-chart form. The line chart above shows the number it charted on a per-hour’ basis. The network says that it will continue to delve deeper starting tomorrow, Monday the 19th, presenting the results in a state-by-state breakdown as well.

Apple normally shares early sales numbers in the days after launch weekend, so we may get some official numbers from the company soon, perhaps even tonight. Until then, you can hit up the live tracker here if you want to see how the new iPad is doing in the US.

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After just days, the new iPad already accounts for over 5% of all iPads on the internet in the US

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Suddenly, the storage on your old iPad or iPad 2 is going to feel a lot smaller

ipad2 520x245 Suddenly, the storage on your old iPad or iPad 2 is going to feel a lot smaller

Now that the new iPad has hit the shelves of stores around the world, equipped as it is with a Retina display, it’s going to have a frustrating effect on otherwise happy owners of the original iPad or the iPad 2 – and that’s not just blind envy of those who bought the shiny new version.

As we’ve previously reported, the 2048×1536 pixel resolution on the new iPad’s Retina display means that developers will have to submit updates to their apps that feature ‘@2x’ graphics. With a quadrupled pixel count, they’ll look great on the 2012 iPad, but all those extra pixels mean greater storage requirements on your iPad. The result? You’ll be able to fit fewer apps on your iPad.

Now, if you have a new iPad, at least that reduced app number is counteracted by the fact that the ones you do have will look beautiful in their higher resolution. If you’ve got an original iPad or iPad 2, you’ll be using a load of extra storage space for high-resolution graphic you’ll never get the benefit of.

details 520x4611 220x195 Suddenly, the storage on your old iPad or iPad 2 is going to feel a lot smallerDevelopers need to update their apps to support the new iPad – their apps just won’t be competitive without that boost in resolution when rival apps look so much better on a 2012 iPad.

Apple has already approved a bunch app updates with improved resolution – indeed, the update list on my iPad 2 just now inspired this post; app after app with ‘Support for Retina display’ as the main improvement. Well, that’s just dandy for new iPad owners, but for the rest of us, our iPads suddenly have a lot less potential storage.

Last week, our own Matthew Panzarino reported that apps could almost double in download size thanks to the Retina graphics – that’s why the 3G download limit was increased to 50MB. I struggle with storage space on my 16GB iPad 2 as it is, trying to balance apps with TV shows and other content. Is it fair that I have to fill some of that space up with graphics I’ll never get the benefit of? Shouldn’t Apple intelligently serve a version of an app that’s optimized for my device (and yes, I’ll admit that’s easier said than done)?

I didn’t really want to upgrade just for a better display, but as the Retina updates to my favorite apps continue to roll in, suddenly a 32GB or 64GB new iPad feels that little bit more appealing.

UPDATE: Of course, as @simon_harper notes, iPhone users with universal apps (those designed for all iOS devices) will be equally blighted by hi-res iPad Retina graphics they don’t need.

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Suddenly, the storage on your old iPad or iPad 2 is going to feel a lot smaller

UPDATE 1-Apple gets record iPad pre-orders – Canaccord Genuity

Wed Mar 14, 2012 12:42pm GMT


* Raises price target to $710 from $665

* Pre-order wait times reach 2-3 weeks

* Shares rise 2 pct in premarket trade

March 14 (Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is seeing
record pre-orders for its latest iPad with wait times for
shipping the tablet now reaching two to three weeks, said
Canaccord Genuity analysts, who now expect the company to sell
65.6 million iPads this year.

Last week, Apple’s Chief Executive Tim Cook introduced the
highly anticipated third iteration of the iPad, which is
available for pre-orders from Wednesday and will hit store
shelves March 16. [ID:nL2E8E79M9]

“With our checks indicating record pre-orders and 2-3 week
wait times for new iPads, we anticipate a record iPad launch
this weekend,” said analysts T Michael Walkley and Matthew
Ramsay.

They raised their iPad unit estimate to 65.6 million from
55.9 million for 2012, and to 90.6 million from 79.7 million for
2013, saying rivals will likely struggle to introduce
competitive products over the next couple quarters.

The analysts raised their price target on Apple stock to
$710 from $665, and maintained their “buy” rating.

Apple’s pricing of the new iPad will help the company to
maintain dominant share of the growing tablet market, and
further penetrate verticals such as enterprise and education,
the analysts said.

“While Samsung appears to have the most competitive Android
tablet offering, we view Windows 8 as a greater longer-term
threat to Apple’s dominant iPad share than Android tablets,”
they added.

Apple shares rose about 2 percent in premarket trade. They
closed at $568.10 on Tuesday on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore; Editing by
Tenzin Pema and Gopakumar Warrier)

((chandni.doulatramani@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S. +1 646
223 8780; outside U.S. +91 80 4135 6385; Reuters messaging:
chandni.doulatramani.reuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: AAPLE/RESEARCH CANACCORDGENUITY

(C) Reuters 2012. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of
Reuters content, including by caching, framing, or similar means, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters
and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of
the Reuters group of companies around the world.

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UPDATE 1-Apple gets record iPad pre-orders – Canaccord Genuity

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Apple has now completely sold out first online shipment of new iPads worldwide

Screen Shot 2012 03 09 at 12.00.44 PM 520x245 Apple has now completely sold out first online shipment of new iPads worldwide

Apple has run through its initial shipment of the new model of iPad worldwide. The shipment dates on Apple’s site have now slipped to March 19th from the March 16th in the US.

We first reported that iPad shipping dates for the 4G iPads had begun slipping, then that the UK shipment dates had all been pushed back to the 19th, now the US has followed suit and the UK shipments are now ’2-3 weeks’.

This indicates that Apple’s first complete online batch of new iPads has sold out in the US and UK, with the next round arriving a week later. Since Apple normally dedicates a (large) allotment of iPads for sale in its physical stores as well as a lesser amount for retail partners like Best Buy and Radio Shack.

Screen Shot 2012 03 09 at 11.59.42 AM 520x325 Apple has now completely sold out first online shipment of new iPads worldwide

Screen Shot 2012 03 09 at 11.59.27 AM 520x325 Apple has now completely sold out first online shipment of new iPads worldwide

This all points to massive demand for the new iPad, which features a Retina display, 4G connectivity, increased processing and graphics capabilities and more.

The new iPad is priced at $499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB. And $629, $729, and $829 for 4G. It will be available on March 16th in the US and available for pre-order today. It will be available from March 23 for 32 other countries. The iPad 2 will continue to be sold for $399 in a 16GB flavor and $529 for a WiFi + 3G 16GB model.

You can read all about the new iPad in our roundup of Apple’s announcements this week.

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Apple has now completely sold out first online shipment of new iPads worldwide

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The world’s first ‘Nike+ FuelStation’ opens in London, designed for digitally-enabled athletes

Feature 520x245 The world’s first Nike+ FuelStation opens in London, designed for digitally enabled athletes

Nike has opened the world’s first ever Nike+ FuelStation, launching at London’s Boxpark – a ‘temporary’ pop-up mall.

For the record, Boxpark strips and refits shipping containers to create “low cost, low risk, ‘box shops’”, and puts them together with a mix of international fashion and lifestyle brands, galleries and cafés. Its basic building blocks are movable, so they can – and will – literally ‘pop-up’ anywhere in the world.

That said, Nike tells us that it has a 5-year lease sorted for its digitally-focused store, so it may not be as short-term as you’d first imagine. So, what’s the store all about? See for yourself here:

The FuelStation has been built with the technologist-athlete in mind. This means that Nike+ is very much the order of the day – the idea is that you can show up at the store and get kitted out with all the correct running gear and associated products such as the Nike+ FuelBand. But the store itself is a full-on interactive experience.

There’s a motion-sensitive installation that lets visitors see a life-size, digitized reflection of themselves on an LCD wall. This reacts to movement, and the resulting digital art can be shared with your friends across your social networks.

nike plus fuelstation boxpark shoreditch london england 04 520x410 The world’s first Nike+ FuelStation opens in London, designed for digitally enabled athletes

There are also iPads fitted into the walls, letting visitors peruse for information on Nike products and the Nike+ Run Club sessions. Nike will be operating weekly run clubs, which are free and open to all East London runners.

On a more practical level, there’s also an in-store treadmill which gives potential customers the chance to be fitted for the right shoe to suite their running style.

The FuelStation was designed in-house by Nike, and it’s certainly a sensory experience. It blends a futuristic ‘Back to the Future 2-style’ layout with features inspired by the first ever Nike store, which opened in Oregon, USA, in 1973.

nike plus fuelstation boxpark shoreditch london england 05 520x410 The world’s first Nike+ FuelStation opens in London, designed for digitally enabled athletes

Nike has also opened a NIKEiD Studio just above the FuelStation on the first floor at Boxpark, where you can design and customize your own (Nike) footwear.

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The world’s first ‘Nike+ FuelStation’ opens in London, designed for digitally-enabled athletes

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New iPad orders now take as long as 3 weeks to ship

photo 23 520x245 Snapseed1 New iPad orders now take as long as 3 weeks to ship

A little more than a day after the new iPad was announced, Apple is already facing intense supply shortages. According to iMore, new orders are now shipping in 1-3 weeks, so if you haven’t ordered yours yet, you’d better get to it asap!

We reported just this morning that all white, 4G-enabled iPads on AT&T are delayed through March 19th, and it’s no surprise to see things get even worse now that customers have had a second to think the purchase over — that is, since everyone has apparently decided to go ahead and buy one.

Right now, this is only in the UK, but the US is expected to follow suit. As TNW’s own Martin Bryant wrote:

While you may shrug your shoulders and say “So what?”, it does mean that if you’re looking to get the device delivered to you on day one in the USA, you’d better get your skates on.

2 3weeks 520x483 New iPad orders now take as long as 3 weeks to ship

For a full breakdown of what Apple announced yesterday, check our handy guide. You can also check out our first look at Apple’s brand new iPad.

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New iPad orders now take as long as 3 weeks to ship

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ComScore: iPad ownership up 74% year-on-year in Europe’s top 5 markets

ipad by yto 520x245 ComScore: iPad ownership up 74% year on year in Europes top 5 markets

Since February 2011, ownership of first- and second-generation iPads has grown by 73.6% among the mobile audience across Europe’s top five markets, comScore reports.

This means that 11.4 million French, German, Italian, Spanish and British mobile users own an iPad for personal use – almost double than February 2011′s figure of 6.5m.

While this growth is very impressive, it is also worth noting that the numbers may be slightly underestimated, since comScore’s study only takes mobile phone subscribers into account and doesn’t include devices used for corporate purposes.

Among the 5 markets it observed, the UK registered the fastest growth (+115%) and has the largest iPad audience (2.8m owners). Here are comScore’s detailed findings:

ipad growth eu5 feb11 to jan12 520x410 ComScore: iPad ownership up 74% year on year in Europes top 5 markets
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ComScore: iPad ownership up 74% year-on-year in Europe’s top 5 markets

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Apple could lose $9 billion in one day if aliens descended from the skies to steal it

Photoxpress 10941434 520x245 Apple could lose $9 billion in one day if aliens descended from the skies to steal it

I personally don’t often write about Apple because I think people like our own Matthew Panzarino, my former colleague MG Siegler and John Gruber have way smarter things to write about the company and its products. You wouldn’t believe how often I’ve wished more people were like me in that regard.

Take this moronic take on the impending launch and estimated shipping date of the ‘iPad 3′, courtesy of Cult of Mac’s Charlie Sorrel.

Headline: Apple Could Lose $100 Million Per Day If The iPad 3 Doesn’t Ship Tomorrow

Bit of a strange hypothesis at first glance, but interesting! Click.

What if Apple launches the iPad 3 tomorrow and it doesn’t ship for another week and a half? The company could lose almost $1bn in sales.

Hmmm, ok, well … I’m pretty sure this is going somewhere. Scroll.

Apple sold 15.43 million iPads in the first quarter of this year. Divide that by 14 weeks (98 days) and you get 153, 450 per day. We’ll take the price of an iPad as being halfway between the $499 model and the most expensive $829 model. That gives us a figure of $664.

So, crunching the numbers Apple is making around $104,546,122 per day. That’s $100m per day Apple stands to lose if people stop buying the iPad 2 to wait for the iPad 3.

Did I really just read this? We’ll just assume that the price of the iPad is $664, estimate that Apple is thus making about $100 million from selling the tablets on a daily basis and then conclude that’s how much they’d lose in 24 hours if not a single person on planet Earth buys an iPad that day, as if that would happen?

You know what? This is going somewhere, but it’s not a beautiful, well-scented place I’d personally recommend people to ever go and visit.

In all fairness, Sorrel kinda sorta acknowledges that his assumptions are absolutely void of logical reasoning at the bottom of his post – his “numbers are not entirely accurate” and apparently his “math is terrible” – but then why did this excuse for a blog post see the light of day at all? Did he just really, really want to write a headline people would click on, and somehow, something would then magically prevent readers from seeing through the bullshit that followed?

Why not point out Apple will lose every single one of its customers this year if the Mayans will be proven right about this end-of-the-world-in-2012 thing? Or that the production of iPhones and iPads might just experience a significant slow-down if a solar superstorm shut down all the electricity on the planet?

Sales of the iPad 2 won’t suddenly stop as soon as the iPad 3 is announced or starts shipping. Thus, it is pointless to even consider how it would affect Apple’s sales numbers. And it’s absolutely idiotic to just pull some numbers out of a hat, slap them onto a baseless assumption and somehow morph it into a blog post.

But do let us know as soon as there’s a UFO sighting near Apple’s cash reserves, Charlie. The effect of theft on the company’s bottom line might be devastating.

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Apple could lose $9 billion in one day if aliens descended from the skies to steal it