Tuesday Recap: Skype Adds Photo Sharing, Best Buy Q2, German iPhone LOL

New iPhone rumors seem to be at a fever pitch this month, especially with the rumored September 12 Apple media event now three weeks away. While we're going to wait for Apple to make it official, it seems the carrier leaks have begun, with at least one German provider mentioning a new iPhone in an email to customers today. Looking for some stories with a little more meat on their bones? Then keep reading our recap for this Tuesday, August 21, 2012.

Skype for iPhone, iPad Add Photo Sharing, Better Battery Life

Skype's The Big Blog announced a new version 4.1 of their iPhone/iPod touch and iPad apps today, allowing users to share photos with loved ones while also tweaking performance so the apps no longer sip so much battery life while sitting idle in the background. "The new Photo Share feature will let you send photos you've shot on your iPad or iPhone directly to friends or family members via Skype," the blog notes. "There's no limit on the size of the file you can send, so you can send photos without reaching email size limits or paying expensive MMS charges." Version 4.1 also "improves the app start and the contact list loads even faster," so jump over the to App Store and grab the update to take advantage of the changes.

Best Buy Stumbles in Q2, Profit Drops 91 Percent

Bloomberg is reporting that Best Buy's second-quarter financials show an astounding 91 percent drop in net income to only $12 million compared to the same quarter last year when the company raked in $128 million profit. Best Buy is feeling the pain as consumers buy fewer HDTVs and notebook computers amid accusations that shoppers are simply using their stores as showrooms for buying through e-tailers such as Amazon.com. Best Buy announced a new CEO this week and plans to suspend forecasting its profits for the remainder of the year as a result.

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Tuesday Recap: Amazon Cloud Player Upgrades, The Daily Scales Back

It seems as if Amazon has waved the white flag of surrender against Apple's iTunes Match today, beefing up its Cloud Player service with a few features that sound awfully familiar to iTunes users. But hey, the more the merrier, and we're quite happy to have all of our Amazon MP3 purchases available for redownload just the same. While you wait for Cloud Player to scan and match your own music library, why not take in today's recap for this terrific Tuesday, July 31, 2012?

Amazon Cloud Player Adds Past Purchases, Scan & Match

E-tailer Amazon is stepping up its MP3 music game today, announcing upgrades to its Cloud Player service. Thanks to agreements with all of the key music labels (as well as 150 indie music publishers), Amazon is introducing the same type of "scan and match" technology used in Apple's iTunes Match (goodbye, uploads!), and those matched tracks will also receive a free high-quality bump to 256Kbps MP3. The new deal also allows previous and future Amazon MP3 purchases to be automatically saved to Cloud Player, which doesn't count against any storage you might be paying for. Tracks can be streamed to any web browser, Kindle Fire or iPhone and Android apps, with the Roku and Sonos players soon joining this elite club. Amazon Cloud Player pricing has also gotten a tweak, with free users allowed to import up to 250 songs, while Cloud Player Premium users can fork over $24.99 per year to import up to 250,000 songs.

The Daily Regroups, Cuts 29 Percent of Staff

We never like to report on folks losing their jobs, and today AllThingsD has brought us the unfortunate news that tablet news publication The Daily is putting 50 full-time employees on the chopping block. That amounts to 29 percent of the organization's staff, but the changes don't stop there. The onetime iPad exclusive is reorganizing its Sports and Opinion sections, which it claims saw the lightest traffic; partners like Fox Sports will now provide this content, while the standalone Opinion section has been given the axe. The tablet app is also ditching the extra work it's taken to be viewed in landscape, and will feature content in portrait-only mode from now on.

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Tuesday Recap: iOS 6 Features Return to 3GS, NOOK for Web, 1Password Retina

Doesn't it feel a little bit like the calm before the storm? We pretty much know that OS X Mountain Lion will be arriving on our favorite Mac computer next week unless Apple pulls a rabbit out of its hat later this week, and the tech world is enjoying a somewhat quiet lull otherwise. But that doesn't mean we can't scrounge up some worthy contenders for today's recap, so read on for everything happening this Tuesday, July 17, 2012.

iOS 6 Beta 3 Brings Shared Photo Streams, VIP Mail to iPhone 3GS

We already know that iOS 6 will be compatible with the iPhone 3GS, but Apple made it clear that certain features won't be invited to the party this fall -- among them are shared Photo Streams and Mail's VIP list as well as VIP and flagged mailboxes. Well, wouldn't you know it, Cupertino may be having a change of heart. MacRumors is reporting that iPhone 3GS users installing iOS 6 Beta 3 have discovered that these handy features do indeed work with the new developer-only update, and Apple has updated the iOS 6 preview page from their website to reflect the change.  After the June 11 announcement, that page contained eight footnotes regarding the iPhone 3GS, which has now been reduced to only six. You know what? We're guessing iPhone 3GS users are not gonna complain about that.

Barnes & Noble Introduces NOOK for Web with 6 Free Best Sellers

Although Barnes & Noble offers very fine Nook apps for iOS and other platforms, that doesn't help should you want to take in a few quick pages on your desktop computer. That's why the company announced today the availability of Nook for Web, which gives readers instant access to the e-reader platform from any Mac or PC browser with no sign-in, download or additional hardware required. And hey, even if you prefer to use your iPad, iPhone or other device, Barnes & Noble is enticing you to try the web version by offering six bestsellers absolutely free until July 26. Titles include The Vow, Sex and the City and a junior novelization of Pixar's Brave, and the good news is that these free purchases get synced to your NOOK app or device as well. Nook for Web doesn't yet support Mobile Safari, but iPad support is listed as "coming soon."

1Password for Mac Gains Retina Display Support

If you've rocking one of those swanky MacBook Pro with Retina Display models, the folks at AgileBits have some great news for you today. 1Password for Mac version 3.9.6 just hit the Mac App Store and adds support for all those luscious extra pixels, while also adding support for the Chrome Web Store version of the 1Password extension. Not a huge update, but certainly a welcome one for Retina Display fans everywhere.

German Court Says Motorola Xoom Doesn't Infringe on iPad Design

Fox Business is reporting that Apple has suffered another defeat in its efforts to get Motorola Mobility's Android-based products off the market. This time it's a ruling in Germany that claims the company's Xoom tablet doesn't infringe on three design patents related to the iPad, squashing any hope Cupertino might have had for getting the device banned throughout Europe. But it's not a total loss, since Motorola's claim against Apple has also been tossed, with the newly-owned Google manufacturer ordered to pay one-third of legal costs, while Apple must pick up the tab for the remaining two-thirds. But it's not over yet, since the German case was focused strictly on the actual hardware design -- Apple still has plenty of ammunition in its coffers where software is concerned that could drag this thing out for awhile.

Firefox 14 Brings Native Full-Screen for OS X Lion

Mozilla is back with another new build of its Firefox browser, and this time it's taking aim at security while beefing up tools for developers. According to The Mozilla Blog, Firefox 14 (actually 14.0.1) is now available for Mac, Windows and Linux, which adds support for HTTPS secure Google searches and a Pointer Lock API to allow web apps such as first-person games to better control the mouse. Last but not least, the Mac version finally plays nice with OS X Lion 10.7's full-screen mode, promising "a better experience with videos and web games like Mozilla's BrowserQuest." The latest version is now ready for download on the Mozilla website.

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Tags: News1PasswordBarnes & Nobledaily recapFirefox 14iOS 6iPadiPhoneiphone 3gsMacmotorola xoomnookphoto streamretina display Here's What You'll Get:The latest Apple news, reviews and how-tosThe hottest articles from MacLife.comYour recommended daily dose of awesome Also, send me e-mail announcements and special offers from Mac

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Tuesday Recap: Retina iMac Rumor, iFixit Nexus 7, iCADE Mobile, Beats + MOG

Before we all take a mid-week day off here in the United States for eating hamburgers and hot dogs, drinking beer and watching stuff explode in the night sky, the tech world is busy grinding out plenty of news for this lazy Tuesday. And hey, you don't want to miss a single scrap of news, right? Without further ado, let's dive right into today's news for Tuesday, July 3, 2012.

Rumor: Retina iMac Could Arrive in October

iMac fans are likely green with envy at notebook lovers enjoying the new MacBook Pro with Retina Display, wondering when their desktop models might get the same kind of luscious high-resolution screen. DigiTimes is reporting that Apple will start pushing components down the supply chain for just such a Retina-equipped iMac sometime this month, and sources at those suppliers say it could be launched around October of this year. That runs counter to previous reports that seemed to indicate additional Retina Display Macs would arrive in 2013, but one thing's for sure: Apple is definitely planning to make this a reality. "Sources also noted that Apple plans to expand Retina Display into all the product lines, meaning that the new iMac will have a high chance of featuring Retina Display," the report reveals, while overstating the obvious that Apple has not confirmed such rumors.

iFixit Gets Its Hands on Google Nexus 7, Tears It to Shreds

You'd think the gurus at iFixit would be exhausted after tearing apart Apple's latest notebooks last month, but they're kicking July off in style by gutting the new Nexus 7 tablet from Google and Asus. Not even a week old yet -- and not even shipping to customers until mid-July -- the Nexus 7 would up being slightly less repairable than Amazon's Kindle Fire, which scored an eight out of 10 on the company's "Repairability Score." (The Nexus 7 nabbed a seven out of 10 instead.) iFixit also gives props to Google and Asus for making the slim tablet infinitely easier to repair than Apple's own iPad, despite the fact that the Nexus 7 is a mere one millimeter thicker. Amazing what you can do with that kind of space, we figure...

Beats Paid a Mere $14 Million for Music Streamer MOG

You may have heard that Beats Electronics purchased streaming music service MOG on Monday, but neither company coughed up a figure to go with the acquisition. According to TechCrunch, that's likely because the money in question was somewhat paltry compared to competitor Spotify's recent valuation of $4 billion. Beats parent company HTC was more than happy to spill the beans to investors, however, letting slip on Tuesday that MOG fetched a mere $14 million. The Taiwanese handset maker also confirmed the purchase was made "for certain assets belonging to MOG" and primarily as a "strategic investment" through Beats subsidiary Daisy. Whew! That's a whole lot of companies involved in a simple transaction, but it will be interesting to see what becomes of MOG next.

iCADE Mobile Now Ready for Your iPhone, iPod touch

ThinkGeek.com is at it again, this time appeasing iPhone and iPod touch owners with the $69.99 goodness that is iCADE Mobile. The Bluetooth-enabled physical controller is now in stock and ready to ship, and arrives with eight action buttons and a D-pad ready to give your thumbs a major workout on your favorite App Store titles. Well, that's assuming you fancy one of the more than 100 titles with iCade support, and jailbroken users can also enjoy a much wider variety thanks to the iMAME4all app, which adds support for just about any ROM you can throw at your device. Be sure to find something small to pad out your order with, since orders over $75 also get free shipping as well.

RIM CEO Says "We're Not in a Death Spiral," While Crickets Chirp at Retail Store

Research in Motion's co-founders may be gone, but the company's "everything's okay" attitude appears to persist. Canada.com published a story today in which new CEO Thorsten Heins insists that, indeed, "everything's okay" at RIM -- or more specifically, "there's nothing wrong with the company as it exists right now." Never mind the fact that RIM is laying off 5,000 more employees and announced last week it would delay its already tardy BlackBerry 10 software to next year. While critics continue to insist RIM is in the throes of a "death spiral," Heins will hear none of it, claiming the company is simply in a transitionary period. If that wasn't enough, The Detroit News took a quick stop by RIM's lone BlackBerry retail store in Farmington Hills, Michigan, which continues to be a bit of a ghost town during the handset maker's death spiral -- oh, sorry, "transitionary period"...

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Image courtesy of iFixit)

 

Tags: NewsBeatsCEOdaily recapiCadeifixitiMaciPadiPhoneMacmogNexus 7Research in Motionretina displayRumorsThorsten Heins Here's What You'll Get:The latest Apple news, reviews and how-tosThe hottest articles from MacLife.comYour recommended daily dose of awesome Also, send me e-mail announcements and special offers from Mac

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Tuesday Recap: Marvel Connects Web to Mobile, Tim Cook at D10, 4-Inch iPhone 5

After a relatively quiet morning on the Apple front, Tuesday wound up being quite busy with related news, including the announcement of Tim Cook’s appearance at this year’s All Things Digital conference and the availability of updates for the company’s pro video apps. Ready to read more? Then click on through to the other side and enjoy the day’s news for Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

AllThingsD Snags Apple CEO Tim Cook for D10 Conference

The late Steve Jobs was a frequent visitor to Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher’s ritzy All Things Digital conferences over the years, and that mantle seems to be passing down to his successor as well. AllThingsD announced today that current Apple CEO Tim Cook will be the opening night speaker at this year’s D10 Conference in Ranchos Palos Verdes, California from May 29 to 31.

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Tuesday Recap: Instagram on Android, Amazon on PS3, Faster Tagging on Shazam

The heavens parted for Android users today, and Instagram was delivered unto them. The news seems to have stirred up hateful emotions for some of the Google faithful who shun fraternizing with the more than 30 million iOS users already sharing photos with the service, but you can’t please everyone, right? Meanwhile, there are plenty of other tech-related stories for this fine day, so let’s launch right into all the news for Tuesday, April 3, 2012.

Instagram Makes the Leap to Android

That loud cheering you heard earlier today was probably Android users whooping it up over the news that Instagram has finally arrived on Google’s mobile platform. While the company is touting more than 30 million users from the iOS side of things, they’re sure to have quite a few more now that the Play Store has it on their virtual shelves. Personally we’ve always preferred Path to Instagram, but most everyone we know swears by the latter, so what do we know? If you haven’t downloaded it yet, hit the link to grab it from the Google Play Store right now.

Amazon Instant Video Now Available on PS3 -- But Where’s the iPad App?

On any given weekend evening while taking a break from writing the very news recap you’re reading each weekday, we can be found sprawled out on the couch enjoying streaming movie rentals from Amazon Instant Video. The e-tailer offers a different recent feature film for only 99 cents each Monday through Thursday, and a trio of $1.99 offerings for the weekend, so it’s a great way to get caught up for cheap. While we already have a Roku box and LG Blu-ray player both capable of doing this, what’s not to like about one more home theatre device being blessed with it? Today, Amazon Instant Video is finally available on the Sony PlayStation 3, where it joins the ranks of Netflix, Hulu Plus and Vudu for your hard-earned dollars, complete with more than 17,000 free movies and TV shows available with your Amazon Prime membership and another 120,000 paid titles available. While it might help us get a few more hours of use out of our PS3, what we’d really like is an Amazon Instant Video app for the iPad -- what do they expect us to do, own a Kindle Fire, too? (Oh yeah

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Tuesday Recap: Apple Speaks on iPad Charging, Korg microKEY, Paid Upgrades

Finally! Apple has weighed in on all of this new iPad overcharging controversy, and as usual it’s much ado about nothing yet again. Meanwhile, the new iPad has been cleared for sale in China -- though Cupertino is mum on exactly when that will happen. But fear not -- today’s news is all about the new iPad, so read on and find out everything that’s making news for this terrific Tuesday, March 27, 2012.

New iPad OK’ed for Sale in China, But Wi-Fi Only

AllThingsD is reporting that the new iPad has been cleared for sale in mainland China, which has certified the Wi-Fi only model as ready to sell.

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