iCloud

Apple turns off push e-mail for iCloud, MobileMe in Germany

Apple has turned off push e-mail service in iCloud and MobileMe.

The company announced the move yesterday, saying that it only affects German customers who own iOS-based devices. The company offered a workaround for accessing e-mail on those services, which includes people changing their MobileMe and iCloud settings to "Fetch."

"Affected customers will still receive iCloud and MobileMe email, but new messages will be downloaded to their devices when the Mail app is opened, or when their device periodically fetches new messages as configured in iOS Settings," Apple wrote to customers yesterday. "Push email service … Read more

Apple confirms plans to build data center in Oregon

A 160-acre parcel of land has been signed over to Apple and will be used to build a data center, an Oregon TV station reported today, confirming a long-standing rumor.

The piece of land in Prineville cost the company $5.6 million and the deal, formerly known as "Project Maverick," has been quietly in the works for months, according to a KTVZ.com report. An Apple representative confirmed to the station that the company purchased the land for a data center but declined to comment further.

Before the deed was signed over last week, no one was allowed … Read more

Apple feels no need to offer lower cost iPhone, says analyst

Apple seems to have no desire to sell cheaper smartphones, according to a report from Citigroup technology analyst Richard Gardner.

Meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer yesterday, Citigroup analysts discussed a variety of topics with the two executives, notably the smartphone market.

Asked about the sustainability of Apple's average selling prices and margins for the iPhone, Oppenheimer suggested that the company will keep focusing on producing "great products," believing that customers are willing to pay more for them.

"We did not get the impression that Apple feels a burning need … Read more

Still plenty to see at Macworld 2012

SAN FRANCISCO--The Macworld expo isn't what it once was, but you wouldn't know it from the excitement of both vendors and Mac faithful attending this year's show.

The show started today at Moscone Center West here, and though Macworld no longer attracts the big crowds and big-name vendors it once did, I saw plenty of enthusiastic vendors and showgoers checking out the latest wares for Mac and other Apple products.… Read more

Apple in 2011: Huge momentum, and a tragic loss

It was a bittersweet year for Apple. In 2011, the company broke sales records and pulled in its biggest profits ever, but lost CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs, who passed away in October.

Jobs began the year by taking what would be his last medical leave of absence from the company, once again leaving COO Tim Cook in charge. Jobs maintained his position as CEO for most of the year, emerging in public only to help launch the iPad 2 in March, and iCloud and iOS 5 at Apple's WWDC event in June. His last public appearance was to … Read more

Apple looking for a few good cloud execs?

Apple is seeking to ramp up its cloud leadership as the company puts a greater emphasis on how customers store and access their data.

The company is looking to recruit executives with backgrounds in Web-based software, according to a Wall Street Journal report tonight. One prominent Internet entrepreneur has already been approached and recruiters have been briefed on the company's needs, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.

The talent search comes on the heels of Apple's launch of iTunes Match, a cloud feature that stores music tracks in the cloud and makes them available on any … Read more

Apple releases iTunes 10.5.1 with Match feature

Apple this morning released a new version of iTunes that adds the company's new scan-and-match service for music.

iTunes 10.5.1 includes iTunes Match, a feature that scans a user's library to find music that wasn't purchased from Apple. If it finds a match in Apple's own Music Store library, Apple provides a user with a cloud-based version at the same quality they'd find if they bought it off iTunes--at least so long as they're a paid subscriber to the matching service, which costs $24.99 a year.

The feature made its debut … Read more

Apple queuing up launch of iTunes Match?

Apple may finally be ready to launch iTunes Match, the subscription offering that will let users play ripped songs via Apple's iCloud service.

Apple has sent an e-mail to developers who are testing the beta version of Match, informing them that their stored songs would be wiped from iCloud servers and reminding them to back up their libraries on their computers. It's not the first time such a data reset has taken place, but the wording of the e-mail may suggest the service's debut is nigh.

"As we prepare for the launch of iTunes Match, we … Read more

Apple hires Yahoo data center chief

Apple has hired Scott Noteboom, the chief of Yahoo's Global Data Center Infrastructure, away from the Web company.

Noteboom, who had led Yahoo's data center operations since 2005, is now a "distinguished gentleman" at Apple, according to his LinkedIn profile. The job change was first reported by GigaOm.

He will likely be tasked with prepping Apple's servers as it ramps up its iCloud and iTunes push. Noteboom was the chief architect and founder of Yahoo's "data center self construct / operate initiatives," according to a conference bio on Noteboom.

"He also managed … Read more