Apple Talk

Another Apple product launch is in the bag, and now is a good chance to take a look back at how some of the biggest rumors leading up to today actually panned out.

In case you missed it, Apple this morning announced a new, third-generation iPad, a follow-up to the iPad 2. The company also introduced an upgraded version of the Apple TV set-top box and an iPad version of its iPhoto software. You can watch how the whole event shook out right here, or catch CNET's trusty recap here.

Below are some of the big claims that circulated … Read more

Apple still has no subscription video service, and without it, Apple TV is nothing to get excited about, one industry analyst says.

As part of Apple's press event for the iPad today in San Francisco, the company announced that Apple TV would get an upgrade. The system will support 1080p movies and TV shows. Navigation was improved. Movies and TV shows will be supported in iCloud so they can be accessed from iPads and iPhones as well.

Dan Rayburn, principle analyst for research firm Frost & Sullivan, is unimpressed. He argues that Apple TV could be so much more, … Read more

Adding to previous chatter, a new report says Apple will unveil a new Apple TV set-top box alongside its next iPad.

In a report this afternoon, The Verge says both devices will get their debut at tomorrow morning's special event and that there's a reason for that: they both use the same chip.

Citing anonymous sources, The Verge says the chip will be the previously rumored (and photographed) "A5X," versus the A6--the latter being the expected quad-core chip and successor to the dual-core A5, currently used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.

Separately, a source … Read more

Apple today was awarded a patent for "parental controls," a system that lets adults manage purchases made on and made with a phone.

The patent, which was discovered by Patently Apple, outlines a system that lets adults control access to particular linked credit cards, as well as limit the stores at which goods are purchased. Apple originally filed for it on January 9, 2009.

In its filing, Apple makes the case that society is becoming "more mobile" and "fast-paced," with parents giving their children payment cards instead of cash--a solution that can result in … Read more

It's looking more and more likely that Apple's next iPad will be able to connect to next-generation cellular networks, according to a new report.

Citing a source familiar with the upcoming tablet, Reuters today reported that the next iPad will support 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networking, a technology that is faster than 3G, and that has become prevalent inside smartphones and tablets made by Apple's competitors.

This is the latest in a series of claims saying Apple's next iPad--which a reliable source yesterday told CNET (and separately VentureBeat) is called the "iPad HD"--will … Read more

CNET has learned that Apple's next tablet will be called the iPad HD instead of the iPad 3.

A developer who's previously provided reliable information with respect to things Apple and otherwise tells us the next iPad uses the HD moniker instead of going with "iPad 3."

That matches up well with a report from Gizmodo last week (and an item just posted on VentureBeat) that included an alleged list of upcoming cases from Griffin, listing the product as "iPad HD (3)", as well as corresponding usage reports from an application called Tapatalk that … Read more

A mysterious pricing sheet that emerged earlier this week suggesting Apple's next tablet will cost more than the iPad 2 is now being countered by another rumor that says otherwise.

Pointing to parts and pricing information provided by an anonymous source who has proved reliable in the past, 9to5Mac says that Apple's new lineup of iPad models due to be unveiled next week will carry the same capacities and price tags as existing versions.

Without weighing in on features, the blog's source "Mr. X" offers the following part numbers, with the "A" models presumably offering built-in cellular modems. … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--Apple today began adorning the outside of San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts ahead of its media event next week.

That event, which is widely expected to bring the next version of its iPad, is once again taking place here. Apple has used it as its venue of choice for the iPad, as well as for its music-themed events that have brought new versions of the iPod.

In typical fashion, Apple has covered up the front of the building with its logo, once again choosing a multicolored paint splatter design similar to the one it used … Read more

The U.S. Air Force plans to replace some of its paper manuals with digital editions in the cockpit, and has just laid down the funds to make that happen.

Bloomberg reports that Phoenix-based Executive Technology was awarded a $9.36 million contract from the Air Force today, which it plans to use to purchase iPads that will then be loaded up with flight manuals and navigation software.

The move follows a request for proposals put out by the Air Mobility Command last month, asking for digital replacements for in-flight materials.

In an interview with Bloomberg, a military spokeswoman said … Read more