Riptide GP2 game indicates Android TV really is coming

Riptide GP2 game indicates Android TV really is coming
An update to the Riptide GP2 game indicates that yes, indeed, Android TV is likely to arrive at Google I/O on Wednesday.The Google Play store posted a version 1.2 update to Riptide GP2 that included "support for Android TV!" Android user Aaron Burrell posted a screenshot of the changes on Google+ before they were removed from the Google Play store.Sources told CNET that Google is expected to debut Android TV at its developer-focused Google I/O show Wednesday. The device, a Net-connected set-top box that brings streaming video, audio, and games to the living room, will compete against devices from Apple, Amazon, and Roku. No doubt Google hopes it'll fare better than its earlier foray into the market, Google TV.With some exceptions like Microsoft's Xbox game console, it's been tough for computing-industry players to branch out into home entertainment. With each passing year, though, the Internet and TV come closer. People don't just get shows on cable TV; they also stream them from sites like Hulu and Netflix and buy rights to them from services like the iTunes Store and Google Play.Bringing Google's mobile operating system to set-top boxes means that the large number of Android programmers will have a new domain to reckon with besides smartphones and tablets. That could mean new users and new revenue, but it also likely means new programming effort since big-screen TVs look very different than small handheld devices and lack the touch screen for controls.It's not clear exactly how Android TV devices will be controlled, but it seems likely people could link up their smartphones and tablets. They could be usedas game controllers, offer a touch-screen interface to browse shows,or provide a keyboard when it's time to type.

How to add missing album art to iTunes

How to add missing album art to iTunes
How many times have you ripped a CD in iTunes only to find no album art or the wrong art staring you in the face?iTunes is adept at finding artwork for albums that you buy through the service. But it can falter at tracking down art for music not in its database. There are a few different ways to add the right artwork, but here's one option for manually adding any image you wish as cover art for an album.First, right-click on the album in iTunes and select Get Album Artwork from the popup menu.If that doesn't work, fire up your browser and open your favorite search engine. We'll use Google for this example, but Bing, Yahoo, or any other search engine should work as well.Position iTunes and your Web browser so they're both viewable on the screen. In iTunes, right-click on the album and select Get info from the popup menu. In the Info tab, you'll see a white square for Artwork. Position the iTunes Multiple Item Information window so it doesn't overlap your Web browser.Return to your browser. In the search field for Google, type the name of the album and artist. Click on the images category. Look for an image you want to use. Click on the image so that it opens in its own page. Drag the image from your browser and drop it onto the Artwork square in the iTunes information window.You should see the new image appear as a thumbnail in the artwork square. Click OK to apply that image to all of the tracks in the album.If dragging and dropping the image doesn't work, you can copy and paste instead. Right-click on the image in your Web browser and select Copy from the popup menu. Right-click in the Artwork square in the iTunes information window and select Paste from the popup menu. Again, click OK to apply the artwork.Certain third-party utilities can also help organize and find artwork for your iTunes content. But if you simply need to find the right images for a few albums, searching for and grabbing them from the Web is one quick and handy option.

Silicon Valley throws a bash for Macintosh's 30th birthday

Silicon Valley throws a bash for Macintosh's 30th birthday
On January 24, 1984, Steve Jobs, ever the showman, pulled something called a Macintosh out of a canvas bag, grabbed a 3.5-inch disk out of his jacket pocket, and with the theme from "Chariots of Fire" playing in the background, personal computing was changed. Thirty years later, Silicon Valley is commemorating the event. On January 25, All Planet Studios, the Computer History Museum, and Macworld/iWorld are throwing a bash at the Flint Center in Cupertino, Calif., where Jobs first made the announcement.The night will include a panel with some of the original Mac developing team, and Ridley Scott, who directed the company's iconic "1984" commercial, will discuss the famous ad. Daniel Kottke, one of the earliest employees at Apple, will be one of the evening's main hosts. Other guests will include author and Wired writer Steven Levy and others from the early Apple team. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Coder Dojo, a not-for-profit organization that teaches Web development and programming to young people.[Via TUAW]

Showtime nears as Apple spruces up venue for iPhone 5

Showtime nears as Apple spruces up venue for iPhone 5
SAN FRANCISCO -- Ahead of its much-anticipated news event next week, Apple is already preparing the inside and outside of the venue.That event, which is widely expected to bring the next version of the company's iPhone, is being held in the theater at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Related storiesiPhone 5 rumor roundupApple invite hints at iPhone 5Apple's Sept. 12 iPhone 5 event: What to expectJust as it's done with past events there, Apple has begun covering the front of the building with colorful window dressings. Where March's iPad event brought splatters of paint, this time around Apple has gone with a decidedly more controlled style with what look like ribbons of color. CNET took a field trip down the street to snap a few shots of the venue getting all dressed up, which you can see in the slideshow below. There will be more to come as the adornment continues.The event itself is next Wednesday and kicks off at 10 a.m. PT. CNET will be there to cover it live. Expect more details on that early next week.Apple sets the stage for next week's iPhone...See full gallery1 - 4 / 15NextPrevUpdate at 2:17 p.m. PT: The outside is still getting wrapped up after a lunch break.

Apple honors Robin Williams with tribute Web page

Apple honors Robin Williams with tribute Web page
Apple has posted a Web page dedicated to the memory of Robin Williams.Williams died on Monday at the age of 63 after a long, hard battle with depression. A stand-up comic by trade and instinct, he first gained national fame on TV starring on the sitcom "Mork and Mindy" and then went on to act in several motion picture comedies, including "Good Morning Vietnam" and "Mrs. Doubtfire." He also proved his chops as a serious actor by appearing in such films as "Awakenings," "Dead Poets Society," and "Good Will Hunting." In a page simply called "Remembering Robin Williams," Apple offered the following short but moving tribute:Robin Williams1951 - 2014We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robin Williams. He inspired us through his passion, his generosity, and the gift of laughter. He will be greatly missed.But the Web page isn't Apple's only tribute to Williams. The comedian and actor is being remembered through a dedicated iTunes page that showcases several of his most popular and celebrated films, all available for purchase and some for rental. The iTunes page also honors Williams with the following passage reflecting on his career and other contributions:No one made us laugh like Robin Williams. His mile-a-minute comic energy -- a dizzying stream of jokes, impressions, and hyper-physicality -- left us exhausted from the fun of it, but always wanting more. Williams could make the most dramatic moments somehow hilarious, and the silliest moments deeply meaningful. His characters embodied his talent, from T.S. Garp in "The World According to Garp" to a father masquerading as a dubious English nanny to stay near his children in "Mrs. Doubtfire" to a psychotherapist cutting through a troubled young janitor's defenses in "Good Will Hunting." An Oscar, an Emmy, and a Grammy winner, Williams was also a generous philanthropist who performed with the USO for troops stationed overseas, and worked passionately with a variety of organizations such as Comic Relief and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.Apple CEO Tim Cook offered his own tribute to Williams on Monday with the following tweet: "Heartbroken by the news of Robin Williams' passing. He was an incomparable talent and a great human being. Rest in peace." (Via AppleInsider)

Apple gives developers an early taste of iOS 5.1

Apple gives developers an early taste of iOS 5.1
Apple has given developers a new version of iOS 5 to test out ahead of a release to the public. The new version, marked 5.1 represents the first significant update to iOS 5 since its release in mid-October. A supplementary software update that went out earlier this month fixed a number of bugs and security holes, as well as promised to fix poor battery life experienced by some users. BGR today posted the full release notes of the software, which developers must sign a nondisclosure agreement to use. The notes do not suggest any major new features in the build, despite anticipation otherwise. A report from German Mac site Macerkopf.de earlier this month suggested that 5.1 would bring extra features to Siri in the form of hardware controls, letting users adjust things like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios through the iPhone 4S voice assistant. One thing the update appears to have debunked is the release of an iOS 5.0.2, which Macerkopf.de said would be delivered last week, an estimate that was later adjusted to the end of this week. That update was said to bring continued efforts toward improving battery life for those saying iOS 5 is giving them usage time that was less than expected. As with other pre-release versions of iOS, expect this one to get another beta or two ahead of a public release, though Apple has a history of releasing these minor updates in quick succession.Last year's iOS 4.1 update came in September and introduced HD video uploading over Wi-Fi, TV show rentals on iTunes, GameCenter, and the capability to shoot high dynamic range photos on the iPhone's built-in camera application. That update also addressed a proximity sensor issue, and overall system speed issues for iPhone 3G users. Update at 4:31 p.m. PT: 9to5Mac has started going through some of the code strings in the new beta software, and has pulled out a reference to an "iPad 2,4" which the blog offers to be a version of the iPad 2 that works on Sprint's 3G network. Apple currently sells 3G versions of the iPad only on AT&T and Verizon's 3G networks in the U.S., though recently added Sprint as a carrier partner with the iPhone 4S.

Apple customer experience second to none, study finds

Apple customer experience second to none, study finds
Apple has won a second award for customer satisfaction in as many days.Beyond Philosophy, which assists companies in improving customer experience, announced today that Apple delivers the "most admired customer experience" in the marketplace, besting Amazon.com, Zappos, Starbucks, and Disney, respectively, in the top 5."Apple has married all the elements of its experience and connected with its customers in a deeply emotional, irrational way," Steven Walden, senior head of research and consulting at Beyond Philosophy, said in a statement. "Amazon put a stake in the ground when it announced it would become the world's most customer-centric company, and Zappos claims to be a customer service organization that happens to sell shoes."Amazon acquired Zappos in 2009 for about $850 million in cash and stock.Related stories:• Apple tops in customer satisfaction for 8th year• Apple, Samsung top J.D. Power satisfaction survey• Secrets of Apple's customer successBeyond Philosophy's findings come just hours after the American Customer Satisfaction Index awarded Apple a related distinction late yesterday. That organization, which conducted interviews with over 70,000 consumers, found that Apple's Macs have, for the eighth year in a row, satisfied more customers than any other company's computers, earning Apple a score of 87 out of 100 on the organization's scale.Apple's win in Beyond Philosophy's study was not determined by customers. Instead, Beyond Philosophy conducted 53 in-depth interviews with customer experience executives and experts. In addition, Beyond Philosophy's findings are bolstered by research it conducted on 8,000 customer experience executives and over 2,100 "customer-experience-active" companies in 239 countries and regions around the world.Earlier this month, Apple took the top spot in a J.D. Power study on customer satisfaction among smartphone makers. The iPhone maker has also been cited as delivering one of the top online-retail experiences to consumers.

Apple customer accidentally given store hard drive

Apple customer accidentally given store hard drive
An Apple store customer was given internal company media and documents by accident after getting his computer serviced at one of the company's Genius Bars, a new report says.Cult of Mac has posted photos from an unnamed individual who says he was given the hard drive alongside a computer that was being repaired, with that spare drive containing a backup of the store's internal file server as opposed to a backup of the machine that had gone in for repair. The repair was made at an Apple store in Stamford, Conn.The person told Cult of Mac the drive contains "confidential docs, internal manuals, Apple's sales [techniques], an Apple store work checklist, products layout, time schedules, pictures and videos of Apple corporate activities that only Apple employees can see, videos of store meetings, business structure and much much much more." The outlet says the man offered to sell it a copy of the drive's contents, but that the offer was declined."Cult of Mac does not pay for stories, and especially not things like confidential information or iPhone prototypes. As such, we strongly advised him to return the hard drive to Apple, and even offered to help facilitate the safe return of the disk if he was nervous about the exchange. We have not heard from him since," the outlet said.The drive itself is labeled "/Volumes/apple store/Backups.backupdb/teamserver/2009-11-23-095346/HD1/Server Users" and "/Volumes/apple store/Backups.backupdb/teamserver/2011-05-18-141707/HD1/Users/admin." Photos posted by Cult of Mac depict numerous backups made to the Time Machine device, dated from April to May of this year. CNET has contacted Apple with a request for comment.

Apple creating better-sounding speakerphone for iOS devices

Apple creating better-sounding speakerphone for iOS devices
iPhone and iPad users unhappy with their speakerphones may be treated to better sound in future models.Apple has invented a new speakerphone system for iOS devices, according to a patent published yesterday by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The patent application is filled with pages of the usual technical jargon.But in a nutshell, Apple is redesigning and repositioning the traditional speaker and surrounding components to enhance the quality of the audio possible in a relatively small space. Though the patent doesn't tout any specific benefits to consumers, "the new speaker positioning could provide iOS devices with generally superior sound, even when docked," according to Patently Apple.Speakers on mobile phones tend to offer weak sound due to their small size. Even laptops and tablets don't have enough space for high-quality speakers, a factor acknowledged by Apple in its patent application.There is a range of consumer electronics devices that are not dedicated or specialized audio playback devices, yet can benefit from improved audio performance. For instance, smart phones are ubiquitous. These devices, however, do not have sufficient space to house high fidelity speakers. This is also true for portable personal computers such as laptop, notebook, and tablet computers, and, to a lesser extent, desktop personal computers with built-in speakers.Related storiesSpeaker options for iPad 2Why iPhone speakers are ditching AirPlay for BluetoothDon't like the iPad's Music app? Here are two alternativesThe redesigned speaker could be used in "relatively small back volume enclosures" and "may have improved performance," the patent said.Apple is creating the new speaker system for its own mobile phone and tablet. But the technology clearly would benefit a wide range of small devices, certainly one reason why the company saw fit to patent the invention.

Apple counting up to 50 billion App Store downloads

Apple counting up to 50 billion App Store downloads
Apple once again is counting up to its next digital sales benchmark.This time it's to 50 billion downloads on the App Store, its digital software store that launched in 2008, and currently has about 793 million downloads to go. Similar to previous contests, the person who downloads the 50 billionth app gets $10,000 in App Store credit. The company is also doling out $500 gift cards to the 50 people who buy an app immediately afterwards.Apple's last big contest for the App Store was for the 25 billion benchmark last March. Chunli Fu, a customer from Qingdao, China was winner, and nabbed a $10,000 gift card and a trip to one of Apple's stores to pick it up. More recently, Apple paid out a 10,000 Euro iTunes gift card for the 25th billion song sold on iTunes back in February.Along with the giveaway, Apple's listed its top 25 all-time paid and free applications on both the iPhone and iPad. Rovio's Angry Birds and Facebook top that list on the iPhone, while Apple's Pages and Microsoft's Skype hold that spot on the iPad. For last year's contest, it took people 15 days to download approximately 700 million apps, and both the number of iOS devices and the library Apps have increased since then. As of January, Apple said it has sold more than 500 million iOS devices, up from 365 million at the end of last March. It's also currently up to 850,000 iOS apps as opposed to the figure of around 600,000 apps from last April.

Apple counting down to 25 billion app downloads

Apple counting down to 25 billion app downloads
Apple's begun a countdown--or count up in this case--to its 25th billion app download.Earlier today the company launched a timer that sits on its front page, counting to the metric. The person who downloads the 25th billion app gets a $10,000 iTunes Store gift card. Last January Apple ran a similar promotion for the 10 billionth app sold, awarding an identical $10,000 gift card. That was a follow-up to the company's 2009 award to the person who downloaded the one billionth app. That first time was a bit more generous, with 13-year-old Connor Mulcahey nabbing a $10,000 iTunes gift card along with an iPod Touch, MacBook Pro and one of Apple's Time Capsule devices.As with previous editions of the contest, Apple's set it up so that people can enter without actually making any purchases or downloads from the App Store by filling out a form on this page. In years past, Apple offered similar promotions for purchased songs.Related storiesMac App Store downloads reach 100 millionApple: 18 billions apps have been downloadedApple App Store hits 15 billion downloadsThe acceleration in App Store downloads has been swift. The store hit 1 billion downloads in its first nine months, reaching 5 billion downloads in June 2010. By January 2011, the company tallied 10 billion downloads, a number that topped 18 billion in October.During the Apple's first quarter earnings call last month, the company said it's paid out more than $4 billion to developers, who get a 70 percent share of each purchase, with Apple taking the other 30.Apple's other App Store, the one for the Mac, crossed the 100 million download threshold in December after just shy of a year in business. When releasing that number the company mentioned the other App Store was currently bringing in around 1 billion downloads a month.