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  • Is Apple Buying A Third-Party App To Fix iOS Notifications?

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Rants & Raves No Responses

    It is no secret that Android’s, WP7’s and webOS’ notification system offers far better experience than iOS’ current notification system, which is intrusive at best. Sources close to CultofMac has informed them that Apple is buying a small company to revamp the much criticized notification system of iOS. here is what they had to say:

    UPDATE: I sent an email to App Remix’s CEO Jonathan George asking whether his company was going to be bought by Apple. His response? “No comment…” he said.

    Apple is working on a new notification system for iOS and will be buying a small company to build its technology into the operating system, according to one of our sources.

    Apple’s pop-up notification system for new text messages, voicemails and the like has often been criticized as one of the weakest parts of the iOS. Notifications are intrusive, modal and often cryptic. It’s a mess.

    HP/Palm’s webOS banner notification system, on the other hand, has been widely praised for its utility and ease of use. And from this week’s preview, it looks to be getting better.

    There were rumors last year that the iPhone’s notification system would be fixed after the chief architect of Palm’s system, Rich Dellinger, returned to work at Apple. However, the system still hasn’t been fixed, and according to our source, Apple is now trying to buy a small app developer to fix it.

    Our source, who asked to remain anonymous, didn’t know the identity of the company, except it already has an iPhone app in the App Store.

    One candidate is Boxcar, a free app from App Remix that enables push notifications for Twitter, Facebook, and email. Boxcar’s system has been highly praised, especially the new iPad version.

    Other than that, we couldn’t find other obvious possibilities for the company Apple is buying. If anyone has a good idea, please leave it in the comments.

  • Apple To Launch Smaller, Cheaper iPhone?

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Gossips, iPhone, Rants & Raves 1 Response

    It’s definitely not as big and as old an Apple rumor as the Verizon iPhone was, but we’ve heard speculation about Apple releasing a second, smaller iPhone “nano,” just like they did for the iPod.

    We’re hearing this rumor again thanks to Bloomberg, who reports that sources familiar with the matter, confirmed to them that Apple is prepping a second, smaller iPhone:

    One version would be cheaper and smaller than the most recent iPhone, said a person who has seen a prototype and asked not to be identified because the plans haven’t been made public. Apple also is developing technology that makes it easier to use the iPhone on multiple wireless networks, two people said.

    Apparently cheaper, or about $200 without a contract, this new handset would be aimed at Android, which is available in many different form factors, and is often cheaper than the iPhone. Apparently it’s not a done deal:

    While Apple has aimed to unveil the device near mid-year, the introduction may be delayed or scrapped, the person said. Few Apple employees know the details of the project, the person said. Apple often works on products that do not later get released.

    The prototype was about one-third smaller than the iPhone 4, said the person, who saw it last year.

    Bloomberg’s story goes on and rehashes many other rumors we’ve been hearing, such as the universal SIM and dual GSM/CDMA capability.

    All in all, this sounds really fishy. We know that Apple doesn’t even want to release a smaller iPad, as apparently the user experience is poor on smaller screens. We’d believe the same thing applies to smart phones. Yet, HP/Palm recently released a smaller form factor smart phone, so who knows, maybe that’s where the industry is going?

    [via: appadvice]

  • Egypt: TGIF

    // Gradly // blog, News 1 Response

    From Al Jazeera English: Scenes from Cairo, hours after president Hosni Mubarak ceded power to Egypt’s military following 18 straight days of popular protest.

    Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, has resigned from his post, handing over power to the armed forces. Omar Suleiman, the vice-president, announced in a televised address on Friday that the president was “waiving” his office, and had handed over authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

    Suleiman’s short statement was received with a roar of approval and by celebratory chanting and flag-waving from a crowd of hundreds of thousands in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as well as by other pro-democracy campaigners who attending protests across the country. The top figure in Egypt’s new regime is now Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, the country’s defense minister.

    Image courtesy of Reuters

  • Steve Jobs Still Actively Involved in Apple Day to Day

    // Gradly // Apple, blog, Rants & Raves, Steve Jobs 1 Response

    The WSJ reports that Steve Jobs is “still calling the shots from home”.  He’s actively involved in iPad 2 and iPhone 5 according to the report.

    The 55-year-old Mr. Jobs, whose ailment hasn’t been disclosed, has been taking business meetings at home and on the phone, these people said.

    He also has been seen on Apple’s Cupertino, Calif., campus and in public in Palo Alto, Calif., with a company executive, said people familiar with the matter.

    Among products he is continuing to work on are the next version of the iPad tablet computer, expected out in the next couple of months, and a new iPhone, expected to be released this summer, said two of these people.

    Jobs was apparently seen on campus last week and looked like he was in great shape according to an author who was visiting Apple’s campus.  Today’s WSJ report may have been to dispel rumors that Jobs was hospitalized.