Cody Fink

1547 posts on MacStories since January 2010

Former MacStories contributor.

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BBC Testing iPad Internally

I think of Steve Ballmer every time these articles come out. Oh, the iPad can’t do any work! People struggle to take notes on the virtual keyboard! These aren’t direct quotes of course, but the big man in Redmond has to realize that the iPad is more than a tool for consumption. Another big player, BBC, is internally testing the iPad and its value to journalists, producers, and related support positions.

BBC CIO John Linwood provides an example, “If a support engineer gets called into a studio, it would be handy to have a device where you could look up circuit diagrams or software help files.” The idea is to see a reduction in the use of desktop machines. Linwood also notes the benefits and cost effectiveness of a paper free office:

“On the west coast of the US, paperless meeting are the norm. If you brought paper to a meeting, they’d look at you strangely. If you actually handed paper out, they’d get upset.”

The iPad isn’t the only device Linwood is interested in, but sure it makes for a good benchmark as industries decide on whether tablets are functional enough to do real work. Though I think you already know the answer to that one.

[ITP via 9 to 5 Mac]

The Google Search History Link Makes Life Awesome

As if Google didn’t need to know any more information about me based on my search queries and the links I click, I pretty give them free reign when it comes to recording the sites I visit. Yes, I’m an pretty avid Google history fan, and their latest enhancement to the Google Mobile page gives me quick access to the things I’ve looked at on the desktop from an iPhone. With a Google history link now available to those logged into their Google accounts, you’ll be able to get a quick reminder of the sites you visited and starred items with a nifty list view.

You’ll have to visit Google’s Mobile Blog for more information, but keep an eye out for the new feature if you’re always connected to the Googleplex.

We Need More Details on This Wireless Music Station

When I saw The Wireless Streaming Music Centre on Gizmodo, I thought it was okay. But they point out something that I cannot find proof of anywhere: apparently this Bluelarix Designworks seats your iPhone or iPod in such a way that it appears to be floating. Consider my curiosity piqued. So I squinted my eyes and noted that the contraption they’re looking at isn’t an iPhone or an iPod, but the included touch remote (which appears to attach magnetically). So does this thing dock a floating iPhone or not? I mean, that’s a big deal.

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More Details on Foxconn’s Latest Zhengzhou Factory

We’ve talked about the new iPhone plant before, but a few more details wouldn’t hurt right? Soon to begin production in one year, Foxconn’s latest factory will churn out 200,000 iPhones a day, producing an estimating $13 Billion in export. The factory will employ 200,000 employees; 500 employees are currently employed at a temporary facility. Some speculate that as the factory begins construction on Aug. 20th, Foxconn will be using their temporary facility to test equipment and refine the manufacturing process for possibly new iPhone models (a la Verizon) to arrive in the future.

[Xinhuanet (English) via TUAW]

Apple’s Exercise in Engineering

I’ve been curious as to why certain Apple projects aren’t updated immediately as new products hit. Let’s take Apple’s Remote application for example. It’s something so simple yet so useful you think Apple would have updated the little guy for the Retina Display right? And just think about the potential of navigating your iTunes library on the giant iPad screen! None of these things have happened, and a lot of us feel that Apple has forgotten about some of their App Store utilities.

Today, we have an explanation.

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Pastebot: Clipboard Savvy Music Syncing

When iOS 4 landed on the iPhone and iPod touch, a lot of people expected there to be this explosion of multitasking applications that would enable us to do things like automatically copy information to our Pastebot clipboard. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. Private APIs are still a sorry subject for developers in Apple’s community, so the folks at Tapbots had to get creative. “How do we avoid touching Apple’s Private APIs?” It’s all done through the sound of music. Or the lack thereof.

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Not Surprising: The iPad is Getting a Camera

I suppose the question isn’t whether the iPad is getting a camera, but when? AppleInsider points out that possible camera capabilities will be available on a future iPad thanks to some assumably accidental information listed on Apple’s iPad profile management policies, though I think we can safely agree we knew this was bound to happen. We basically have a bit of proof, though none was needed when Steve Jobs basically guaranteed we’d be living in a FaceTime world through the upcoming years.

While iPhones do have cameras to disable, no iPad models currently do. However, among the profiles specifically included in its iPad documentation, Apple notes the ability to restrict camera use on the iPad.

Though it is possible to connect an external camera via the USB adapter Apple provides in the iPad, we doubt Apple would specifically target devices that weren’t intended for use with the iPad in the first place. And although people have been clamoring about the idea of “video conferencing” (which is a bit too corporate of a term for my tastes), I really haven’t missed it in the current iteration of the iPad – I rarely even use the MacBook’s built-in iSight. Though if seeing is believing, your subtle confirmation for the world’s biggest point-and-shoot has now been approved.

Now how about that iPod touch?

[via AppleInsider]