iPhone

Tim Cook: What, me worry?

For the last few years, Tim Cook has masterfully steered Apple through a difficult transition period following the death of Steve Jobs. Apple's products continued to define their categories, sales set new records, the stock spent a short time above $700, and the company has managed to garner the majority of industry profit for smartphones and tablets.

But Cook is now facing his biggest challenge since taking over as CEO, for a number of reasons, including "What have you done for me lately." But he doesn't seem to be too worried about the competition or the … Read more

The 404 1,279: Where we get Spherical bacterial (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Steve endorses the VPI Industries turntables built in Cliffwood, N.J., and the VTF-3 MK4 subwoofer from HSU Research.

- Sony MDR-R10: The world's best headphone?

- The top 10 reasons why music is compressed.

- Compare your favorite albums in the Dynamic Range Database.

- Catch Steve on a panel with Avery Lipman, COO of Republic Records, at the New Music Seminar 2013.

- Follow Steve "Sphere" Guttenberg on Twitter.… Read more

Crave giveaway: Rugged Incipio Atlas case for iPhone 5

Congrats to Thomas W. of Dayton, N.J., for winning a Boombotix Boombot Rex portable speaker in last week's giveaway. Got an iPhone 5 that you'd like to take camping or swimming? This week's prize is for you.

We're giving away a rugged waterproof Atlas case from Southern California device accessory maker Incipio. The adventure-ready case for iPhone 5 has been engineered with a hard-shell exterior and water-resistant enclosures while maintaining access to all ports, buttons, and controls. It meets U.S. military standards for drop protection and water and dust resistance and is waterproof up to 6.56 feet for an hour. … Read more

The 404 1,278: Where we take a ride to Margaritaville (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Everyone panic: a Web site that leaks and archives your "deleted" Snapchat photos.

- You'll never guess which song is the most lucrative ever recorded.

- The world's richest songs.

- Someone's trying to sell a stolen CitiBike on Craigslist.

- Hospitals install video cameras to ensure that employees wash their hands. In related news, DOCTORS AREN'T WASHING THEIR HANDS.… Read more

Apple screen could react to the force of your touch

Your future iPhone or iPad could offer an interactive touch screen that reacts to the pressure exerted by your touch.

Published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, an Apple patent application called "Embedded force measurement" takes the concept of tapping on your touch screen at least one step further. Instead of just lightly tapping on your screen, you would actually press down on it to activate a command. The phone would measure the force of your tap and respond accordingly.

As one example, an on-screen icon could let you control the volume of your device. … Read more

Apple reportedly taps Pegatron to make new low-cost iPhone

Apple is reportedly reducing its dependence on electronics manufacturer Foxconn by throwing more business to Foxconn competitor and Apple partner Pegatron.

Pegatron, which already makes some iPhones and iPad Minis, has been chosen to be the primary assembler of a low-cost iPhone expected to be unveiled later this year, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Despite Apple's longtime business relationship with Foxconn, CEO Tim Cook wants to achieve greater balance in the company's supply chain by shifting more work to Pegatron, the Journal reported.

The shift is also reportedly due in part to Foxconn's production troubles … Read more

The good, the great, and the gah of iPhone cases

Almost six years ago, Apple's iPhone hit the scene, introducing a whole new category of device and unlocking an almost endless stream of applications that put a multifunction computer right into our pockets.

Today, there are apps for just about everything -- banking, dating, gaming, monitoring health vitals, putting mustaches on pics of people and pets. Who knows what's next for smartphones? Today, there are literally tens of thousands of digital tools we can put inside our phones. Sometimes though, we need something a little more, well, tactile.

Enter the iPhone case, a place for many of the … Read more

Rumor Has It: Who wants to play used games on the Xbox One? Everybody!

What a week it's been, amirite? Microsoft held an hour-long event where it introduced the next-generation Xbox, called the Xbox One, and we're left with as many questions as when we started.

The most important question on everyone's lips, however, is whether the Xbox One will play used games. What do you think? If it doesn't play used games, would that be a deal breaker? Leave a comment below.

We revisit some colorful iPhone rumors, for no other reason than that they just keep popping up. Google might do something awesome across the world, and iOS … Read more

Smashed? Self-breathalyzer uses cops' sensors for accuracy

We've all been there. We're out on the town, had a few drinks, and just wish Siri could tell us if we're over the legal blood alcohol limit for driving.

Of course, given her requisite levels of snark, it might be better to hear it from a voice other than Siri.

A company with offices in Italy and America is launching a product today called Floome that it hopes will bridge that dangerous gap between trying to guess if you're safe to drive and finding out later from the professional breathalyzer operated by a police officer that it turns out you weren't.… Read more