2010年3月16日 星期二
2010年3月14日 星期日
Dead iPad battery? Never mind replacing it, Apple just sends another iPad for $99
Now, let's compare that to the verbiage found in the iPhone's battery replacement program details:"If your iPad requires service due to the battery's diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee."
We can see the puzzled look on your face from here, and we're sharing in the same disbelief. Apple is actually saying that it won't bother cracking open your withered iPad, replacing the battery and sending it back your way; instead, you'll pay $105.95 (including shipping) for a completely different iPad, which certainly has its pros and cons. On one hand, you're getting a new (or potentially refurbished, actually) iPad in around "one week," but on the other, you'll be waving goodbye to every morsel of personal data on the device that you send in -- unless you backup beforehand, of course. Here's Apple's take on answering "will the data on my iPad be preserved?""If your iPhone requires service only because the battery's ability to hold an electrical charge has diminished, Apple will service your iPhone for a service fee."
Lovely, don'tcha think? Head on past the break for the full text."No. You will receive a replacement iPad that will not contain any of your personal data. Before you submit your iPad for service, it is important to sync your iPad with iTunes to back up your contacts, calendars, email account settings, bookmarks, apps, etc. Apple is not responsible for the loss of information when servicing your iPad."
[Thanks, David]
Battery Replacement Service - iPad: Frequently Asked Questions
What is iPad Battery Replacement Service?
If your iPad requires service due to the battery's diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee.
Note: Your iPad is not eligible for Battery Replacement Service if the product has been damaged, for example, as result of an accident, liquid contact, disassembly, unauthorized service or unauthorized modifications, or if the product is not operating correctly as a result of a component failure. Please review Apple's Repair Terms and Conditions for further details.
How much does it cost?
The service costs $99, plus $6.95 shipping. The total cost is $105.95 per unit.
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are subject to local tax.
How do I arrange iPad Battery Replacement Service?
Battery replacement service may be arranged via your local Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or you can contact Apple Technical Support. Please do not send any accessories with your iPad.
Will the data on my iPad be preserved?
No. You will receive a replacement iPad that will not contain any of your personal data. Before you submit your iPad for service, it is important to sync your iPad with iTunes to back up your contacts, calendars, email account settings, bookmarks, apps, etc. Apple is not responsible for the loss of information when servicing your iPad.
How long will it take to receive my replacement iPad?
If you arrange service by calling Apple Technical Support, you can expect service to be completed within approximately one week from the time you send your iPad to Apple.
2010年3月11日 星期四
Google street View of HK and iPhone Usage
香港及澳門的朋友們，Google Map Street View 終於來到香港及澳門了！從今天開始，大家便可以利用 Google Map Street View 看到香港/澳門街景圖片，從另一個角度了解香港/澳門，看看香港/澳門。
閒話少說，快點進入 Google Map，利用 Street View 看看你家到底長什麼樣子吧！（澳門現時僅支援部份地區，著名的大三巴還未能透過 Steet View 看到啊！）
對了！如果你看到什麼奇怪的照片，像 Google Car 的自拍、特首的踪影、電影拍攝、天降異物等等，記得留言給我們。讓癮科技香港為大家做一個 Google Map 香港風景大全吧！
如果你在使用 Android 或 iPhone 的話，你同樣可以使用手機來觀看 Google Street View。只要你預先選定地方，然後如上圖選擇 Street View 字樣或公仔，你便可以在手機看到 Street View 情況了。快點試試看吧！從今以後，找路不再是麻煩事！
iPhone Google Maps Street View 使用方法
1. 開啟 Google Maps 後按右下方叫出選單。
2. 點取 "Drop Pin" 或 "Replace Pin"，一粒紫色的大頭釘便會放入地圖中，你可以移動大頭釘的位置來改變 Street View 的地點。
3. 按一下大頭釘，Popup 出來了，右面橙色的便是 Street View 按鈕，如果此地方不支援 Street View，它是會暗掉的，以前當 Street View 不支援香港區時，它永遠也是暗掉的。另外，你也可以按現在位置，search result 或 bookmark 的大頭針。
4. 在 Street View 中，可以拖拉 Screen 轉動畫面。
5. 拉下一點有行車線，按行車線上的箭咀可以移動自己站立的地點。
6. 看，已經向前行了一點點。
不要忘記，在 iPhone 上按 Power Button ＋ Home Button 是可以把畫面儲存到相簿的，那你便可以把這 Street View 和人分享。
原網址
2010年3月10日 星期三
Augmented Reality and FengShui
或許年青人較少相信風水，但若果有相關風水的資訊，大家應該不會太過抗拒。有公司正打算推出DIY家居風水程式，本網站有機會作全港率先試玩。DIY家居風水主要讓用家了解家居的不同方位，應放上那些的風水物品。其好處是活用了iPhone的Augmented Reality增強實景，用家只要拿起iPhone，然後對著不同方位便可以知道，不用熟識任何風水知識。於檢視時，用家會看到該方位上有物品的圖片，只要按下方的文字即可看到詳盡資料。
程式的資料是來自風水師陳癸龍，而其正式推出日期和售價暫未公佈。若果將來有更多類似的程式推出的話，將來風水師上門睇風水的時候，可能用iPhone已經足夠。最後，老套一句也要說：風水只供大家參考而已。
蘋果為影片將來的顯示廣告方式申請專利
蘋果剛申請了一項專利，或可揭示將來影片加入的方法。該專利提到影片可以分成多個不同的部份，而他們開始時為完全鎖上的。當用家看了指定的廣告後，有關部份的封鎖便會解除，用家可以更快跳到想看的部份。其實有廣告的影片也沒關係，只要不要太煩就可以了。
[來源：Macrumors]
蘋果新專利顯示他們想把iPhone變iKey
似乎蘋果想我們進一步活用iPhone的方向感應器，他們在申請的新專利中，想用iPhone打開不同的鎖。用家只要轉動iPhone，依指定的程序，即可打開不同的鎖。但用這些電子鎖始終有一個問題，就是當iPhone無電時，便會相當麻煩。
[來源：Electricpig]
2010年2月26日 星期五
Apple Patent Application Details iPhone Control Via Finger Swipes Over Camera
Patently Apple points to another interesting patent application from Apple filed in August 2008 and published this morning detailing means of controlling an iPhone or other handheld device by swiping one's finger across the camera lens. Most prominently, the document suggests the use of the proposed functionality to control voicemail options such as rewind, fast forward, pause and other options while the handset is held to the user's ear. The patent application also describes integration of an accelerometer to detect tapping input to supplement the finger swipes.
In one embodiment, to access his voice mailbox, a user may tap the phone to cause playback of a message to pause, tap the phone again to resume playback, swipe his finger over the camera lens in one direction to fast forward playback, and swipe his finger over the camera lens in another direction to rewind playback. These actions allow the user to control functions of voicemail review without removing the device from over his ear.
In another embodiment, functions for controlling call features utilize similar user actions or motions. Features such as merging multiple calls, putting a call on hold, and switching between or among multiple simultaneous calls may be controlled by single or double (or any number of) taps of the device, as detected by an accelerometer of the device. These taps may be preprogrammed by a manufacturer, or selected and programmed by a user.
Apple's patent application also describes the use of swiping over the device's camera for navigation in a document or application. Finger swiping over the camera lens could be used to navigate Web pages or other content such as contact lists.In another embodiment, functions for controlling call features utilize similar user actions or motions. Features such as merging multiple calls, putting a call on hold, and switching between or among multiple simultaneous calls may be controlled by single or double (or any number of) taps of the device, as detected by an accelerometer of the device. These taps may be preprogrammed by a manufacturer, or selected and programmed by a user.
Apple has clearly been researching methods of input for its handheld devices that do not directly involve a touchscreen. Several years ago, Apple filed a patent application describing the use of "back side touch" for controlling an iPod, while earlier this month the company was granted a patent for a touch-sensitive bezel. One analyst has also claimed that Apple's next-generation iPhone will include a touch-sensitive casing.
From MacRumors.com
2010年2月22日 星期一
Apple A4 ArmCPU+GPU
與其說蘋果今天是發布了一款新產品，不如說他們是憑借著 A4 CPU 敲開了無廠半導體領域的大門——說到 A4，其實它並不是一塊單純的 CPU。
在拉斯維加斯采訪 GlobalFoundries 合並案期間，我們與 ARM 公司的 CEO 沃倫·伊斯特進行了一次對話。除了業界趨勢之外，我們也談到了「家族中的新成員」——現在我可以告訴你，那就是蘋果公司。考慮到蘋果的子公司 P. A. Semi 與 ARM 之間的淵源（P. A. Semi 的創始人 Dan Dobberpuhl 在 DEC 工作時曾是 Alpha 和 StrongARM 處理器的首席設計師），這並不讓人感到意外。
回到 A4 上來——史蒂夫·喬布斯錯誤地稱呼蘋果 A4 為一塊「CPU」，不知這樣說是不是為了保持主流媒體的熱情——但 A4 其實並不是一塊「CPU」。或者我們應該這樣說，它不止是一塊「CPU」，而 P. A. Semi/蘋果公司也和它的 CPU 組件部分的開發沒有任何關系。
A4 是一塊「系統級芯片」，或簡稱為 SOC——它在一塊芯片上集成了主處理器（一塊與 nVidia Tegra 及高通 Snapdragon 中的主處理器相同的 ARM Cortex A9 處理器）、顯示芯片（ARM Mali GPU）以及其他諸如內存控制器之類的組件。這與 Intel 試圖首次在 LG 的智能手機中集成 「Moorestown」 Atom 處理器的方式並沒有什麼不同。
是的，其實這塊 P. A. Semi/蘋果芯片中所涉及的大部分專利屬於 ARM——考慮到這是自 08 年 4 月 P. A. Semi 被收購以來拿出的第一塊全新芯片，這是非常合情合理的一步棋。不知在未來的計劃中蘋果會不會比 ARM 佔有更多的知識產權，但說實在的，我們懷疑蘋果能否做到這一點——ARM 在移動芯片領域越來越強勢，這是所有這一領域的「新玩家」有目共睹的。我們甚至可以斷定，蘋果將采用與 nVidia 開發 Tegra、高通開發 Snapdragon 以及三星開發他們自己的 1GHz Cortex-A9 核心相同的方式來經營他們自家的 SOC。順便提一句，為何所有廠家都不約而同地將這塊 A9 核心的時鐘頻率定在 1GHz（nVidia、高通、三星、德州儀器），這不是很有趣嗎？這與這塊芯片的發熱量平衡點有關——如果將它升至芯片的最高設計頻率，1.3GHz，將帶來顯著的發熱量方面的問題。
類似架構的 SOC 芯片已經在 iPhone 和其他智能手機中被廣泛使用，如 Google 的 Nexus One 和摩托羅拉的 Droid。它們也將在近期發布的一系列平板電腦以及上網本中出現，如 ICD 的 Vega、Ultra 以及聯想的 Skybook。
在舊金山的蘋果發布會上，A4 被描述為蘋果有史以來開發過的「最先進的芯片」，不但快，而且在電源管理上也同樣出色——感謝三星代工生產了如此先進的處理器。順便說一句，由於合並後在 28nm 工藝以及次世代 ARM 處理器生產上處於業界領導地位，GlobalFoundries 很可能有機會包下蘋果芯片的代工制造訂單——就像你在文初讀到的。用蘋果公司尊敬的 CEO 史蒂夫·喬布斯的話來說：「A4 芯片的能源效率是如此之高，令 iPad 續航能力達到了 10 小時之多。」
在 CNET 上的一段發布會視頻中，史蒂夫·喬布斯也將用 iPad 上網形容為「你所擁有過的最棒的瀏覽體驗——整個網頁呈現在你面前，你可以用手指操控它，那是種比筆記本電腦更好的操控方式。」當未來的 iPad 用戶訪問網上的各種圖片和視頻時，他所提到的那種瀏覽體驗的實現將主要取決於芯片對後台任務的處理能力。我們得承認：「的確是那麼回事，只要你瀏覽的不是基於 Flash 的網站。」
對我們來說，看著 EE Times 因為洩露關於 iPad 的消息而被禁止報道蘋果的發布會實在是件有趣的事。那個用「戈培爾式」的手段控制著信息的史蒂夫·喬布斯再一次懲罰了那些沒有偏向他的媒體——這一點兒也沒有令我們驚奇。EE Times 曾爆過許多關於蘋果的料。而 BSN*——我們曾爆過「Mac 稅」，現在又揭密 A4（一塊集成了 ARM Cortex-A9 核心與「Mali」GPU 的芯片——它的確是屬於蘋果的知識產權嗎，還是通往「ASIC/專用集成電路」的一塊積木？），所以我們也不指望以後能夠再進入蘋果發布會的會場了。
原網址
若果可以把錯誤還原的話…
在Windows中，按Ctrl+Z按鍵可以還原。若果在生活中，也能夠按Ctrl+Z按鍵還原就好了。這張卡就印上Ctrl+Z，下面則有一句I’m sorry，專門為道歉而設。這張卡售US$3.75，設計雖然有創意，但大家也未必要花錢買這張卡，自製一張類似的也不太難。
2010年2月20日 星期六
iWedding
The happy couple is Josh and Ting Li, who confirm to EW that this was their real wedding. They first bonded over a mutual fascination with all things clickwheel, Josh says. “We got to know each other because Ting was looking to buy an iPod…and I managed to strike up a conversation that way.” Romance blossomed for the two iLovebirds. “I used to joke that the Apple Store is my church because I am not religious, and I loved everything Apple,” Josh adds. “Ting then came up with the idea of having the wedding there.” They haven’t decided yet where to have a reception, but I hear Cupertino is lovely this time of year.
2010年2月17日 星期三
Jobs Is Said to Assist With Book on His Life
But those efforts lacked one important ingredient: cooperation from Mr. Jobs himself.
Now Apple’s chief executive is set to collaborate on an authorized biography, to be written by Walter Isaacson, the former managing editor of Time magazine, according to two people briefed on the project.
The book, which is in the early planning stages, would cover the entire life of Mr. Jobs, from his youth in the area now known as Silicon Valley through his years at Apple, these people said.
Mr. Jobs, who will turn 55 on Feb. 24, has invited Mr. Isaacson to tour his childhood home, one person with knowledge of the discussion said.
Mr. Isaacson declined to comment.
Mr. Isaacson is currently the chief executive and president of the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit education and policy studies organization based in Washington.
He is the author of two best-selling biographies, “Einstein: His Life and Universe” and “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life.” He also wrote “American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane,” a collection of essays written last year delving into the roots of great leadership. All of his books have been published by Simon & Schuster.
The unauthorized accounts of the life of Mr. Jobs published over the years have included “iCon: Steve Jobs, the Greatest Second Act in the History of Business,” by Jeffrey S. Young and William L. Simon, and “The Second Coming of Steve Jobs,” by Alan Deutschman.
Mr. Jobs has reacted angrily to some of these books, and in some cases has directed Apple stores to temporarily remove other books from the same publishers from their shelves.
Cooperation with Mr. Isaacson could be a sign that Mr. Jobs has emerged from his recent health battles with more of an interest in shaping his legacy.
Katie Cotton, an Apple spokeswoman, said the company does not comment on rumors.
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