Apple Now Sells Unlocked iPhone In US

I for one was not expecting this rumor to be true in any fashion, glad to be proven wrong. Apple has now decided to offer its flagship device unlocked, free from the shackles of a new commitment with an phone carrier. As stated on the site, you can use the phone with any GSM carrier of your choice. Here in the States, the other main player besides AT&T is TMobile, which might be getting the iPhone anyway. You cannot use this phone with Verizon whose network is based on CMDA technology. Thephone if used on a carrier such as TMobile will only have access to EDGE data speeds unfortunately. However many folks have already been using an iPhone with TMobile due to better coverage or the only offering in their area. This gives those individuals the opportunity to use an iPhone without the hassle of jailbreaking and unlocking, the cat and mouse game I for one am tired of playing. The phone ranges in price from $649-749 and is available in 16-32Gb. Both sold in white and black and now ready for purchase.

iPhone 4 Unlocked Apple.com

Apple Passes 500K Apps In App Store.

Apple has passed 500K apps in the iTunes App Store. While no official statement has been released from Apple, 148apps and a few others have compiled a list of all approved apps and come to the conclusion of the passed milestone. Here are some main points from the graph.

For the full run down of the graph click here.

Apple Store Down

Its that time again. Apple is rumored to be updating the iMac line of computers with the Intel Sandy Bridge processors. A speed bump most would be interested in if looking to purchase an iMac. Even if it doesnt turn out to be the iMac update, waiting a day to order your 27 i7, 8GB, 2Tb iMac shouldnt be that big of an issue.

Apple: ‘Android Tracks You, Not Us’

There has been quite a bit of buzz going around the web recently about your iPhone or 3G iPad tracking your whereabouts. What was found is a database file stored in your iTunes backup folder which houses a detailed record of your movements for the past six months in some instances. So folks have gotten pretty upset when finding out the news, the government has already sent a letter to Apple requesting an answer as to why they are gathering this information.

So of course one person decided to go to the source and ask Mr. Jobs, as to why this was taking place. (This is the supposed email correspondence)

Q: Steve,
Could you please explain the necessity of the passive location-tracking tool embedded in my iPhone? It’s kind of unnerving knowing that my exact location is being recorded at all times. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me before I switch to a Droid. They don’t track me.

A : Oh yes they do. We don’t track anyone. The info circulating around is false.

Sent from my iPhone

I love all things Apple, however it seems this is starting to become a trend. When a problem arises with your company and/or products, deflect it back to your competitors. iPhone tracking and Antenna-Gate before it, hopefully this isn’t a pattern Apple. It’s quite sad. Personally I don’t care that my location is being stored on my iMac at home. I’ve got nothing to hide… except for those midnight trips to Arby’s for a Jamocha shake and curly fries, mmmm.

Fox Charlotte Visits Apple Data Center

My hometown news network recently had a segment about the Apple data center located in Maiden, NC. They briefly take a look into that possibly could be the true job of such a large data center.

Conan: Apple Unveils Product

It seems Apple is always giving Conan sneak peeks into their new product lines. And this newest commercial adds to the already hilarious show.

Why Google Wants The iPhone To Sell.

Much has been spoken of the ‘frenemy’ relationship that exist between Apple and Google. And of course many if not all of the major blogging sites play up the fight as much as possible. However you might not be apt to think Google indeed wants the iPhone to sell and sell well. Google’s Asia-Pacific president Daniel Alegre told AdNews:

“Whenever iPhone succeeds, Google succeeds. I actually don’t look at it as iPhone versus Android. iPhone is a very strong driver of query growth for Google. We also monetize apps through the iPhone. We actually benefit from the iPhone’s growth.”

And when he mentioned monetizing, he wasn’t doing so lightly. If you remember Apple and Google battled out for a bit to purchase the ad firm AdMob. Of course Google was successful in the bid, which gave them control of the largest advertising presence in iOS. Apple as we know then released iAds. It though isn’t as large as it’s competitors counterpart.

So do they want want Apple to fail, no. Do they want Apple to succeed, sure, just not as much as they hope to do.

White iPhone To Be Released Soon?

This elusive white whale seems to be closer than ever at being had. According to a few sources, Apple is in the final stages before shipping the white iPhone 4. Of course with as many times as it’s been pushed back, and in some people’s minds cancelled, we don’t know for sure what to think. The availability of the white iPhone was put into question at the initial release of the device. Apple has been dealing with manufacturing issues from the onset, color fading, paint pealing, etc. Bloomberg has reported:

Apple Inc. will begin selling a white model of the iPhone 4 in the next few weeks after a 10- month delay, according to three people familiar with the plans.The new version will be available from AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless by the end of April, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. The release was stalled as Apple resolved manufacturing challenges, including paint that peeled under heat, one person said.

This of course is just a rumor at this point. We can only wait and see if it pans out. Maybe this is the place holder Apple has in mind with the release of the iPhone 5 expected to be in late 2011 or even 2012.

Toys R Us To Sell iPad 2

In an effort to get the device into the hands of many more consumers, Apple & Toys R Us seem to be teaming up. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but an inter office flyer seems to state the obvious. At some point Toys R Us should be selling the magical new device. However if you can actually get your hands on one is a whole new thing. This comes right on the heels of Best Buy possibly holding back some stock of iPad 2s they had on hand because of reaching internal daily sales quotas. This could be Apple’s way of securing a new partner.

WWDC 2011 Announced

For the past few years the WWDC announcement has meant the arrival of our favorite device. So when Apple yesterday announced the 2011 WWDC, ears were of course perked. If you dont know what WWDC is all about, here it is straight from the source.

The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) showcases the latest innovations and the newest technologies in iOS and Mac OS X. Over 1,000 Apple engineers guide you through five exciting days of in-depth technical sessions and hands-on labs that demonstrate how to harness the incredible power of the world’s most advanced operating systems into your apps.

Redefine what you think is possible.
The new technologies in iOS and Mac OS X redefine the possibilities for your app development. The sessions at WWDC cover the latest technologies and development best practices on iOS and Mac OS X and will show you how to create great apps.

Bring your ideas to life
The hands-on labs at WWDC provide an unparalleled opportunity for you to meet and work with the Apple engineers responsible for creating the technologies that power iOS and Mac OS X. Take advantage of this collaborative working environment to apply the inspiration and knowledge you gain from the sessions to bring your new ideas to life.
Make new connections
Thousands of developers from around the world attend WWDC, creating a unique setting for you to make new connections. Strike up a conversation with other developers, create relationships that go beyond your week at WWDC, and gain inspiration from how your peers are using Apple technologies.

From Apple.com