Archive for the ‘iPhone’ Category

New company byte: Nubox

Friday, August 24th, 2012

With the opening of its 10th Apple Premium Reseller (APR) store in Sim Lim Square today, I have created a new company byte for Nubox.

Nubox is an arm of Newstead Technologies with Apple Premium Reseller (APR) and Apple Authorised Reseller (AAR) stores in Singapore.

Nubox is an arm of Newstead Technologies with Apple Premium Reseller (APR) and Apple Authorised Reseller (AAR) stores in Singapore.

Read a byte-sized profile and background information of Nubox for quick reference here.

You can also read articles related to Nubox on tech4tea.com here.

Nubox upgrades Sim Lim store from AAR to APR status

Friday, August 24th, 2012

Nubox today opened its 10th Apple Premium Reseller (APR) store in Sim Lim Square. Prior to this, it had an Apple Authorised Reseller store at the geek’s paradise.

The new Nubox APR store replaces the previous AAR store in Sim Lim Square.

The new Nubox APR store replaces the previous AAR store in Sim Lim Square.

To be awarded APR status, the store met stringent criteria from Apple: ability to offer impeccable service to customers, store location and size and availability of staff with Apple Certified Support Professional certification.

In addition to the complete range of Apple products, Nubox@Sim Lim Square will offer a quality range of third-party accessories and software as well professional services that include training and service support.

Newstead Technologies now has 11 Nubox stores across Singapore, comprising 10 APRs and one AAR in Funan Digital Life Mall. The Funan AAR will also be replaced with an APR next month.

Evelyn Chua, the Chief marketing Officer of Newstead, tells me that she plans to open a twelfth Nubox APR in Bedok Mall next year.

Store opening promotions for Nubox @ Sim Lim Square from 24-26 August, 2012.

Store opening promotions for Nubox @ Sim Lim Square from 24-26 August, 2012. Click on thumbnail to zoom in.

For the time being, the plan is to stop at twelve. You can read more about Nubox and its stores here.

As part of the store opening, there will be promotional offers from today till Sunday.

Apple misses analysts’ predictions amid wait for iPhone 5

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Apple has just announced its financial results for its fiscal 2012 third quarter ended 30 June, 2012. Profits missed analysts’ predictions.

“Shares of the world's most valuable technology company shed more than 5 percent of their value after Apple - which beats Wall Street expectations with near regularity - reported its second quarterly miss on results in less than a year,” Reuters reported.

Major news agencies reacted negatively towards Apple’s quarterly results.

Compared to analysts’ predictions for a profit of $10.37 a share on revenue of $37.2 billion, net income was reported as $9.32 a share on sales of $35 billion.

“Apple’s profit and sales fell short of analysts’ projections for only the second time since 2003 as customers held off on iPhone purchases while waiting for a new model to be introduced later in the year,” reported Bloomberg today.

The major news agencies don’t seem to have taken the results in positive light.

The consensus seems to be that customers are holding off on iPhone purchases in anticipation of a new model, which is expected to be introduced later this year.

Shares fell some 6 percent in late trading.

This is the first full quarter of sales for Apple’s latest iPad, which was released in March.

Note the 84% growth in iPad sales over the same quarter last year.

Some 17 million iPads were sold in the quarter alone!

Sales growth this quarter
Device Number of units sold Compared to year-ago quarter
iPhone 26 m 28%
iPad 17 m 84%
Mac 4 m 2%
iPod 6.8 m -10%

It’s interesting to note the 10% decline in iPod sales.

It is an indication that it may be made redundant by the proliferation of smartphones which can fulfil the functions of a mobile personal music player cum entertainment device.

On the other hand, Sony is still launching new models in its rejuvenated Walkman media players cum entertainment devices.

Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $2.65 per share of the Company’s common stock.

“Apple disappointed analysts despite reporting profits up 21% year-on-year to $8.8bn (£5.6bn) and revenues up 23% to $35bn, after missing targets that Wall Street had forecast,” Guardian reported.

The dividend is payable on August 16, 2012, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 13, 2012.

This continues Tim Cook’s announcement in March to pay dividends – something that Apple had not done in 17 years until then.

The dividends are estimated to cost Apple about $10 billion a year.

Apple has around $100 billion in cash which many investors have called over the years to be returned to investors.

tech@vogue wants to dress up and style your mobile phone & tablet

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

The one-stop specialty boutique selling covers, accessories and connectivity solutions for your mobile device at nex Mall (#02-22/23) opens today.

The new tech@vogue at nex Mall, #02-22/23

The new tech@vogue at nex Mall, #02-22/23

This store is the first of a new chain of specialty stores and caters for smartphones and tablets across various operating systems including Android, Blackberry, iOS and Windows.

For audiophiles

For audiophiles

The new stores will be managed by the same team that runs Nubox – an arm of Newstead Technologies.

Nubox currently includes 11 Apple stores in Singapore.

The cozy 898 square-feet tech@vogue in nex Mall (#02-22/23) will be open daily from 10:30am to 9:30pm.

For those who are unfamiliar with the area, nex Mall is a large shopping Mall located at 23 Serangoon Central, above the Serangoon MRT station.

tech@vogue Gallery

The new tech@vogue Gallery categorises accessories under eight zones.

These are: Blast It, Dress It, Gotta Have It, Hear It, Juice It, Link It, Perk It and Style It. Check out what each of these zones specialises in at the end of the post.

Personalise your smartphones and tablets.

Personalise your smartphones and tablets.

There will also be an “experience zone” at tech@vogue where shoppers can see, hear, and feel the various solutions first-hand.

Wireless and connectivity solutions

Wireless and connectivity solutions

A number of international brands including Belkin, InCase and Just Mobile will debut their first demo corners in Singapore at the new store.

Be inspired by the Belkin products that enable you to connect to your home electronics anytime anywhere with a smartphone.

Learn how InCase products protect and enhance the technology that is essential to our lives.

Immerse yourself in the suite of stylish and award winning accessories from Just Mobile.

“With over 45 stores in Singapore, we hear the frustrations of our customers in their relentless search for the perfect accessories for their mobile devices. Often, style is compromised by the need for function and that is something which tech@vogue is set to change … we have accessories that consumers may not even know they need before visiting our store,” said Evelyn Chua, Chief Marketing Officer, Newstead Technologies.

Other exciting displays include the Slingbox which allows users to watch and control their home television on their mobile devices; and a dedicated Samsung corner that demonstrates the integration of functions through technology to provide a seamless experience.

The second tech@vogue Gallery will open at Marina Bay Link Mall in August 2012. Evelyn tells me they are looking to add a third in the Orchard area.

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First Apple WWDC 2012 without Steve Jobs

Monday, June 11th, 2012

A year ago, Steve Jobs made his last appearance at an Apple WWDC. This year, Tim Cook helms his first WWDC as Apple’s CEO.

Apple's WWDC 2012 is from 11-15 June in San Francisco.

Apple's WWDC 2012 is from 11-15 June in San Francisco.

The annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this year is being held from June 11 – 15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Tickets were sold out in a mere two hours when it went on sale in April.

Here’s a quick roundup of some of the revelations from the opening keynote presentation on first of the 5-day conference.

MacBooks / OS X Mountain Lion

Refreshed MacBook Air & Next-generation MacBook Pro ships today.
In comes Ivy Bridge processor and USB 3.0, out goes Ethernet and FireWire 800 ports, MacBook Air becomes thinner and lighter, MacBook Pro gets 60% faster graphics performance.
Retina display in MacBooks: 220ppi with 2880 x 1800 resolution.
Highest-resolution notebook display in the world.
Retina Display support: Final Cut Pro, Aperture and Diablo3 now supports 220ppi display.
AutoCad and Photoshop support in the works.
iPad-style Dictation is introduced to Mountain Lion for Macs.
Speak directly into native Apple software, Microsoft Word and Facebook.
AirPort Express available now.
Pocket WiFi router supports simultaneous dual-band.
New OS X feature: Power Nap.
Mac updates emails, notifications and photos, and backs itself up while charging.
OS X Mountain Lion available on Macs in July.
Free upgrade for new Mac purchases between now and arrival of the new OS.

iOS 6

iOS 6 unveiled Beta today, full release in the fall.
More than 200 improvements: launch apps with enhanced Siri, and it comes to iPads, FaceTime over cellular data.
Supported: iPhone 3GS and up, 2nd gen iPads and up, 4th gen iPod touch.
Enhanced Siri launches apps and comes to new iPads and eventually into cars.
Siri to get into the car with Eyes Free: demo: Toggle Siri on by tapping a button the steering wheel.
iOS 6 to get Do Not Disturb feature from Mountain Lion.
Select which push notifications to mute and which to stay on.
iOS 6 integrates more tightly with Facebook, Twitter and App Store.
Share directly from core apps like Maps, Photos and Safari.
Safari offers unified search across the web, browser history and bookmarks.
Following in Chrome’s footsteps.
iCloud Tabs syncs Safari web-browsing across all devices.
Simultaneously see all the tabs open on any device.“IOS 6 will include Apple’s own mobile mapping software to compete with software from Google. TomTom will supply Apple with map data and related content.” – statement from TomTom.
Enhanced Safari features.
Multitouch to help navigate tabs, upload images directly, Offline Reading List.
Passbook provides one-stop purchase of tickets and boarding passes.
No more paper QR-codes and tickets.
Apple replaces Google Maps with own Maps app.
Maps comes with Yelp integration and turn-by-turn navigation, and 3D.

Nubox opens 11th store at JCube

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Nubox opened its 11th store in Singapore at JCube (#02-12) today.

Nubox opened its 11th store in Singapore at JCube today.

Nubox opened its 11th store in Singapore at JCube today.

JCube is located at 2 Jurong East Central 1.

Nubox is an Apple Premium Reseller and Apple Authorised Reseller company in Singapore.

It is an arm of Newstead Technologies and offers the entire range of Apple products from Macs, to iPods, iPhones and iPads to a wide range of accessories to complete the mobile media and computing experience.

Nubox was started by a small group of “Nuboxers” who are passionate about Macs and all things Apple.

The first Nubox opened in Sim Lim Square in 2008.

Today, Nubox has 11 stores in Sim Lim Square, Funan Digital Life Mall, Junction 8 Shopping Centre, Jurong Point Shopping Centre, Causeway Point, Raffles City Shopping Centre, Tampines Mall, nex Mall, MarinaBay Link Mall, 112Katong and JCube.

New TomTom App for iPhone/iPad available in iTunes

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

TomTom South East Asia V1.10 is now available in the iTunes store. Priced at US$69.99, existing V1.9 users can download the update for free.

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad South East Asia V1.10 available now on iTunes.

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad South East Asia V1.10 available now on iTunes.

The latest version of the TomTom App integrates TomTom navigation with social media applications such as Facebook and Twitter – allowing users to navigate to friends, places and events more easily.

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad South East Asia V1.10 First previewed during CES 2012 in January, the TomTom navigation app for iPhone and iPad fully supports social networks as a source for turn-by-turn navigation.

The new version automatically plans routes based on information from Facebook events and places.

Additionally, drivers can use the app to share their destination and arrival time on Twitter, Facebook, by email and by SMS text.

The app offers regional coverage and the update includes the latest maps of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei.

BlackBerry OS vs iOS vs Windows Phone vs Android

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Trend Micro has released the results of its study on the four main mobile operating systems in a report titled “Enterprise Readiness of Consumer Mobile Platforms”.

The security firm found the BlackBerry 7 OS the most secure mobile operating system, followed by iOS 5, Windows Phone 7.5, and Android 2.3.

Summary chart from “Enterprise Readiness of Consumer Mobile Platforms” White Paper by Trend Micro.

Summary chart from “Enterprise Readiness of Consumer Mobile Platforms” White Paper by Trend Micro.

Android 2.3 was used in the study because it was the dominant installed/supplied version of Google’s mobile OS at the time of the research.

Below is an excerpt from the White Paper summarising the findings about the four mobile platforms.

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Pit your phone against a Windows Phone for S$100

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Get ready to be smoked by a Windows Phone?!

Today and tomorrow, prove to the Microsoft Windows Phone crew that your smartphone (of any make and OS) is faster than the Windows Phone and walk away S$100 richer.

The video above is from a similar “Smoked by Windows Phone” campaign in the US, showing challengers with Android smartphones and Apple’s iPhones.

Paul Foster and his Windows Phone crew will be hitting the roads in Singapore looking for challengers to the cash prize. Catch them at the following locations and timings.

9 March (Friday)
11.30am – 1.30pm Boat Quay / Raffles Place / Chevron House
2.30pm – 5.00pm IT Show 2012, Level 6, Hall 602, Booth 6441
5.30pm – 7.30pm Raffles City / Marina Square
10 March (Saturday)
11.30am – 1.30pm Raffles City / Marina Square / Suntec City
2.30pm – 5.00pm IT Show 2012, Level 6, Hall 602, Booth 6441
5.30pm – 7.30pm Bugis Junction / National Library / Sim Lim Square

CES preview: TomTom App for iPhone/iPad goes social

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

The latest version of the TomTom App (V1.10) integrates TomTom navigation with Facebook and Twitter allowing users to navigate to friends, places and events more easily.

The new TomTom App will be available within Q1 2012. Customers who already have the App (V1.9) will be able to download the new features for free.

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad integrates with Twitter and Facebook.

TomTom App for iPhone/iPad integrates with Twitter and Facebook.

The TomTom app uses social networks as a source for turn-by-turn navigation.

The TomTom app uses social networks as a source for turn-by-turn navigation.

The TomTom App for iPhone and iPad will be the first to use social networks as a source for turn-by-turn navigation.

It can automatically plan routes based on information from Facebook events, places and friends.

Drivers can also use the App to share their destination and arrival time on Twitter, Facebook, by email and SMS text.

The current TomTom App for iPhone/iPad (V1.9) already offers drivers:

  • The updated and accurate maps with no need for a mobile signal or data plan.
  • Free daily map changes from the TomTom community through Map Share.
  • Reliable arrival times at all times of day with IQ Routes.
  • Real-time camera alerts via TomTom Speed Cameras.
  • A powerful search with Google and Facebook.
  • Clear turn-by-turn guidance while on the phone thanks to iOS Multitasking support.
  • Seamless integration with contacts, photos, music, email and calendar.