Expert Blogs
Apple has plans to launch a new music streaming service this summer, according to many reports last week. A detailed account from CNET said Apple is close to signing deals with two music labels: Warner Music and Universal Music Group.
The tech site says the service will be most like Pandora, which lets you create free radio stations for a particular kind of music but doesn't offer specific songs on demand.
T-Mobile, the only one of the country's four largest carriers not yet offering the iPhone, has now begun taking preorders ahead of its April 12 launch. Unlike other carriers, T-Mobile has switched to a new model: customers pay the full cost of the iPhone rather than the subsidized price of $200, but their monthly cost for unlimited voice and data is much lower. Over time, you can save quite a lot of money.
If you're looking to buy an iPad, now might be a good time as several models are currently heavily discounted. The best deals, according to 9To5Mac, can be found at a Best Buy clearance sale. Best Buy is offering as much as 30 percent off a number of 3rd generation iPad models (the first iPad to have the Retina display). That includes the basic 16GB model for $314 and the 32GB model for $384, which is $165 off the retail price. It's also offering cellular data models, mostly AT&T but also a 64GB Verizon unit for $546. One iPad 2 model is available: a 64GB Verizon for $511. Two tablets from Amazon are also on sale, along with one from Acer as well as Asus.
Rumor season is heating up, fueled by typical leaks from the Asian supply chain. The most amazing rumor this week says Apple will launch an iTV this year that you'll control by wearing a special ring.
As I've reported in the past, two Steve Jobs biographical films are in the works and slated for theatrical release. But now a third biopic is coming: iSteve, a spoof scheduled for online release April 15. Created by the humorous website Funny or Die, the movie stars Justin Long, who was the "stand-in" for Jobs in the famous "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" TV commercials.
A slew of rumors circulated last week, the most notable of which said the iPhone 5S will launch June 20 and be available early July. According to CNET, the provenance of that rumor is the Japanese website MacFan.
I posted last month about "Apple's secret eBay store," which was selling refurbished iPads and iPods at prices below Apple's own refurb store at Apple.com. The great deals apparently disappeared over the weekend though, as the store — called Refurbished Outlet — is no longer available. The page only shows an FAQ about Apple Certified Refurbished products. The store's profile is still visible.
T-Mobile, the only of the four major carriers not to offer the iPhone, has finally joined the club. At a media event today in New York City, the company announced it will begin selling the iPhone April 12 — but with a difference. Unlike the other carriers, which sell the iPhone for a subsidized price of $199 if one signs a two-year contract, T-Mobile is switching to only selling unsubsidized, contract-free phones. You make a $99.99 downpayment, and then pay $20 per month for two years to pay for your phone. That works out to a total cost of $580.
I'm starting to believe rumors of a forthcoming low-cost iPhone, as a number of market analysts continue to get word of the device from their contacts in Apple's supply chain.
March Madness, otherwise known as the NCAA Basketball Tournament, has spawned a number of useful apps, including:
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