Thanksgiving yaya!!

Brace yourselves: Thanksgiving is coming!

You guys probably don’t really need to brace yourselves though, cos thanksgiving means yummy foods and cool leaves and family (maybe brace yourselves a bit).

It also means holidays! And this year, like many in the past, Apple employees are in for extra special thanksgiving- with extra days off to be thankful for!

Thanks Tim Cook! (Is what we’d say if we were given days off for thanksgiving. And we worked for apple).

Apple employees all over the world get the entire week of thanksgiving off WITH pay. WHHHOOOOOOOP!

Peeps who work in retail and customer service, as well as those for whom thankgiving means, well, not a lot, i.e. those in other countires, can take those paid days leave at other, convenient, staggered times.  Whoop.

Here’s the email Tim Cook Sent to his loved and thankful staff regarding the extra paid days off, thanks to 9to5mac.

Team-

It’s been an exciting summer. For the first time, we’ve launched two new iPhone product lines. iOS 7 was created from a deep collaboration between our design and engineering teams, bringing to our customers a stunning new user interface and amazing new features. We unveiled OS X Mavericks and the most powerful Mac ever. The App Store celebrated a new milestone — 50 billion downloads. And we continued to express our love for music with iTunes Radio and the iTunes Festival.

I had the opportunity to visit a few of our stores during the iPhone launch. There is no better place to see and feel why Apple is special. The best products on Earth. Energy. Enthusiasm. The best customers in the world. Passionate team members focused on enriching people’s lives. Innovative products that serve humanity’s deepest values and highest aspirations.

And I am proud to tell you that Apple is also a force for good in our world beyond our products. Whether it’s improving working conditions or the environment, standing up for human rights, helping eliminate AIDS, or reinventing education, Apple is making a substantial contribution to society.

None of this would have been possible without you. Our most important resource is not our money, our intellectual property, or any capital asset. Our most important resource — our soul — is our people.

I realize many of you worked tirelessly to bring us this far. I know it required great personal sacrifice. In recognition of your incredible efforts and achievements, I’m happy to announce that we’re extending the Thanksgiving holiday this year. We will shut down with pay on November 25, 26, and 27 so our teams can have the whole week off.

Retail, AppleCare and a few other teams will need to work that week so we can continue to serve our customers, but will receive the same number of days off at an alternate time. Please check with your manager for details. Our international teams will schedule the vacation days at a time that is best suited for their specific country.

I hope you find the extra time restful and relaxing. You deserve it. Details will be available on AppleWeb soon. I am exceedingly proud of all of you. I am in awe of what you’ve accomplished and couldn’t be more excited about the future.

Enjoy the time away!

So that’s cool. But hey, even if we’re not Apple employees and aren’t getting more full paid days off over Thanksgiving, at least we’ve got Captain Halloween to look forward to.

And, if you guys are anything like us, lots to be thankful for.

Shenanigans!

Shenanigans!

Yes, we really like that word, but also, Samsung and others are totally participating in SHENANIGANS! And so we thought we should tell you about them. The SHENANIGANS!

The smart phone market is one wrought with lawsuits, competition edging on plain schoolyard bullying and lots and lot of money. Hence, the top competitors in the smartphone industry put a lot of work into making their product seem the best.

‘Seem’ being the operative word.  Sometimes, the competitors just wanna make sure it seem like their product is doing really well. Take Samsung, who recently have been caught artificially increasing the CPU speeds on it’s Galaxy Note 3 smart phone when benchmark apps are running. 

Benchmark apps are apps that measure the performance of your device and compare the scores with similar devices, in this case, other smartphones.

Ars Technica have found out that inside Samsung’s operating system on their smartphones sits a special little code. this little code identifies when benchmarking apps are being used, and in turn boosts CPU clock speeds and prevents CPU cores from entering low-power modes.

They’re big fakers, basically. In this specific case, anyway. Allegedly. And stuff.As a result of this special code, the Galaxy Note 3 benchmarks report CPU performance roughly 20 percent faster than most apps will experience on the device.

According to the guys at Ars:

“The difference is remarkable. In Geekbench’s multicore test, the Note 3’s benchmark mode gives the device a 20 percent boost over its “natural” score. With the benchmark boosting logic stripped away, the Note 3 drops down to LG G2 levels, which is where we initially expected the score to be given the identical SoCs. This big of a boost means that the Note 3 is not just messing with the CPU idle levels; significantly more oomph is unlocked when the device runs a benchmark”.

AND HERE”S THE BEST BIT:

According to Apple exec Phil Schiller via Twitter-

“shenanigans”.

Awesome.

Now… Anandtech has published evidence suggesting that nearly all mobile manufacturers, WITH THE EXCEPTION of Apple and Motorola, use CPU/GPU optimizations to game benchmark tests.

WHAAAAAA? IT’S ALL A LIE!

“With the exception of Apple and Motorola, literally every single OEM we’ve worked with ships (or has shipped) at least one device that runs this silly CPU optimization. It’s possible that older Motorola devices might’ve done the same thing, but none of the newer devices we have on hand exhibited the behavior. It’s a systemic problem that seems to have surfaced over the last two years, and one that extends far beyond Samsung.”

Way to destroy our trust and beliefs everyone except Apple and Motorola. What else can we believe in if not technical benchmark data? At least we have Captain Halloween coming soon. Gosh we love Captain Halloween. You know, the guy.

You know the guy.

Image courtesy of gsmnation

Virgin offering shiny new iPhones at shiny new prices!

Virgin Mobile USA, a subsiduary of Sprint Mobile, has begun selling the shiny new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C!

And here’s the extra good bit- the pre-paid brand are offering a$100 discount from the normal (unsubsidized) pricing!

Sahweeeeht!

The 16Gb phones will be available both online and in retail stores whilst the 32 GB and 64 GB iPhone 5s and 32GB iPhone 5c are only available at Virgin Mobile’s website.

As is to be expected, stock is somewhat limited, especially on the gold iPhone 5s and the yellow 16Gb iPhone 5C models.

Another Sprint subsidiary, Boost, is expected to be offering a similar deal in the weeks to come.

Yay for Virgin!

Image courtesy of 9to5mac.com

Apple is now the most valuable brand in the universe

Who’s the most valuable company in the world? Who is?! Apple is! We always get Run DMZ in our head when we read that sentence for some reason. So, naturally, now you guys get to have it in your head…

There! Ok, so last week Apple was named the world’s most valuable brand. In the world. Technically, in the universe. Alf got nothing on you, Mr Cook.

We miss Alf.

Back in 2000, a company called Interbrand began compiling a ‘Best Global Brand’ survey of the top 100 brands worldwide. The company that produces that sweet, sweet, black gold, Coca Cola, has been number one every single year.

Until now. BUM BUM BUUUUUUUM

This year, Coca Cola has fallen to the number 3 position and Apple has taken place at the top of the brand castle, thank you very much.

Apple climbed from the number 2 position in 2012, and all the way from the number 8 position in 2011.

According to Interbrand’s report, Apple’s brand value has increased by 28% from last year, sitting at 98.3 Billion. That’s… a lot of apples.

Google, with 93.3 billion, placed 2nd this year, and 5 of the top ten were tech companies, a trend that should only become more clear in the years to come.

Major Simpsons character to die?

We’re a tech website, and this is not particularly techy, except that it’s like animation? Does that make it pass? Cos we wanna share this with you guys!

It’s important!

A regular character on the Simpsons is going to DIE!

That’s right, joining Maude Flanders in the big, donutty, yellow people filled wonderland in the deep cloudy yonder will be one of our beloved characters.

Who is it?

Well, we’re not sure. Obviously. And we wouldn’t tell you if we knew, cos we’re cool about spoiling things for people like that. D’uh.

What we can tell you is the suspense catalyzing hint, given by  exec. Producer Al jean.

“The actor playing the character won an Emmy for playing that character, but I won’t say who it is,”

OOOOH.

Here are the actors that have won an Emmy for their work in the simpsons:

* Anne Hathaway as Princess Penelope (2010)

* Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson (2009)

* Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob (2006)

* Dan Castellaneta as “various characters” (2004)
* Hank Azaria as “various characters” (2003)

* Hank Azaria as “various characters” (2001)

* Hank Azaria as Apu (1998)

* Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson (1993)

* Nancy Cartwright (Bart)

*Jackie Mason (Rabbi Krustofsky)

*Julie Kavner (Marge, Patty, Selma and Marge’s Mother)

*Yeardley Smith (Lisa)

*Marcia Wallace (Mrs. Krabappel)

*Dan Castellaneta (Homer and Grandpa Simpson).

The good news is that we’ll probably find out in this, their 25th season, although there is a possibility we’ll have to wait until the 26th season.

Who do you think it will be?

Our vote is on Mrs. Krabappel…. sorry Edna…

Happy watching!

Image courtesy of Simpsoncrazy.com & Goodreads.

New Logitech iPhone controller sneak peak!

Gamers!

Hi!

You guys by any chance remember the leak about Logitech’s groundbreaking iOS 7 controller way back around WWDC in June? Ya? well it happened, way to be up to date so called gamers.

Just kidding. C’mon, smile! Here’s a leak of what the controller looks like!

Logitech appears to have left space for the camera, which means possible future augmented reality compatibility and games that allow for the use of the camera! Sweet!

Apparently there will be 2 types of game controllers offered for play in coordination with iOS 7 devices- the above form fitting controller where the iPhone slides right in snug as a big, and a second controller which is standalone and connected through bluetooth.

There will apparently be space allowing for joysticks, yay, but there is as of yet no hint about when these bad boys will be released, or how many bucks they’ll ask us to cough up.

It will be interesting to see how iOS 7 games will change with the increase of control these guys will allow, or if they will sell, even.

Hands up if you’d want/use/really really need one of these?

Image courtesy of Appleinsider.

MORE GOLD DEVICES?

Gold iPhone, Tick.

BLING SOPHISTICATION

Well, tick only for realllllly lucky people so far, but tick in general. There are even companies offering gold stickers for the rest of us shmoes… do you think it’ll have the same effect? huh? hmmm.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

Could we be getting a gold iPad?? Some people think so! Chinese website DoNews recently posted photos of a golden colored iPad Mini 2nd Gen with a Touch ID!

As per usual, there’s going to be lots of rumors starting to swirl before the next Apple release.

NEXT APPLE RELEASE WHA?

Well, yeah. It’s coming. It won’t be as big as the iPhone 5C and 5S, but it will more than likely focus on the iPad slate of products, including a new retina screen iPad Mini and a 5th Gen iPad. AND MAYBE SOME GOLD STUFF TOO SORRY WE’RE IN A CAPILIZATIONY MOOD

The announcement regarding these product upgrades is suspected to be kinda sorta around October 15th.

And we wait!

Image courtesy of iMore.com

So can we use our iPhones on planes now or wha?

Ok, so the advisory committee for the Federal Aviation Administration have come through with something that looks like it could be positive at some point in the future for most travelers.

The bird is not the word- Vague is the word! ( Just kidding, The bird is still the word )

Basically, this special advisory group made up experts within the industry have recommended that the rules regarding electronic device usage of commercial aircraft be relaxed, that passengers should be allowed to use personal electronic devices in all parts of flight, including taxi, take off and landing.

So that’s pretty cool.

The FAA does not, however, need to actually do anything about these recommendations at all. Some rules may be relaxed and some might not – so you might be able to use an e-reader on take off but not an iPhone unless it’s on flight mode. You might not be able to talk on the phone but you could use it to play a game or listen to music

They could decide to just leave everything as is, because it’s easier to control. If they do make changes, it will more than likely be a while before we as passengers see any change.

So for the moment, it’s all… up in the air…

p.s.

Image courtesy of sodahead.com

iTunes Festival is over, boo. But here’s a highlight reel, yay!

Remember when we told you guys about the 2013 iTunes Festival in London? Yeah? Well, it’s almost over. Boo.

Hopefully you guys caught some of the awesome acts that shone during the 30 day festival – Kings Of Leon, The Lumineers, Queens of the stone age et al, and if you didn’t – well, here’s a highlight reel from Apple of what you missed.

Apple is also expected to have an E.P of the performances available in the Apple Store by the end of the year.

Yay Music!

We might be able to do what on planes now?

There are three types of travelers in the world-

1, Those who turn their mobile devices off before they’re told to and place them neatly in their carry on bag with a smile.

2, Those who wait until the last minute to turn their devices off or (with a sneaky, guilty look) place them on airplane mode before ever so anxiously and reluctantly sliding them into their pocket.

AND

3, Those who smile as the flight attendant walks by, then checks their email whilst waiting to see when exactly during take off their phone will stop getting service, smiling calmly at anyone who looks in abject horror in their direction.

This, boys and girls, is because for, like, forever, everyone has had to turn off their phones and other devices capable of transmitting data during take-off and landing.

This is so that your device doesn’t interfere with the plane’s communication and navigation equipment.  These rules are, by all accounts, predominantly precautionary.

With the rise of portable devices and smartphone capabilities, there has been a similar rise in complaints from really busy business dudes and general everyday people that not being allowed to have their devices on is stupid and bad. Sometimes they even put it more eloquently.

Now some of the high up important people might have paid attention!

Smile! Because we might soon become one big happy flying family, friends! Except for the people who grab the top of your head from behind when they’re getting up or walking by. Or the people who steal your Apple juice AND blanket ( totally happened). God, those people. We’ll never be family.

Anyway.

By the end of next week, the FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration) will hear back from a panel of industry folk regarding the possible relaxation of the in-flight device rules. Um… AWESOME!

According to the FAA:

“The FAA recognizes consumers are intensely interested in the use of personal electronics aboard aircraft, that is why we tasked a government-industry group to examine the safety issues and the feasibility of changing the current restrictions. . . . We will wait for the group to finish its work before we determine next steps.”

( Statement was made to USA Today)

Well, independent panel of dudes from the flight industry, we eagerly await your results and suggestions!!

By the way, how awesome is this photo on a scale from 1-100?

Images courtesy of designboom.com, thesavoia.com & smh.com.au