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Understanding the Force Touch Technology created by Apple

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Don’t you love how Apple manages to capture so much creativity and imagination in their labels and terms? The Force Technology is a new feature launched with the Apple Watch. Basically, it senses force through tiny electrodes strategically placed on the Retina display. These electrodes are able to tell if you are pressing lightly or applying a deeper force and this give you quicker access to specific pressure-sensitive controls.

The Force Technology also brings specific firm touch sensitive apps like Music, Messages, and Calendar; access to features that will allow you to change watch face, search for information, and end or pause your workout timer.

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Apple Watch with Force Touch
Difference Between Multi-Touch and Force Technology

Multi-touch technology first came out in 1977 as and developed in CERN, a particle physics research lab in Switzerland but was developed into a functional multi-touch, human-input system  in 1982 by the University of Toronto in Canada. Multi-touch allows a user to use more than one pressure point on a screen to accomplish certain moves like the “pinch to zoom.”

Apple uses the multi-touch technology in its iPad and iPhone and also owns a few patents on the technology as far as implementation on user interfaces. These patents are currently being challenged after Apple tried to register the term “Multi-Touch” as part of their trademark and was denied.

While there is a “long tap” gesture used with multi-touch technology, it is not the same as the Force Technology. Here’s why:

  • The Force Technology has a feature that allows you customize the sensitivity level.
  • It can tell which finger you are using and will adjust to the corresponding programmed sensitivity level.
  • The force sensors or electrodes can detect your click and also move laterally to mimic the motions of a trackpad.
  • It works in synch with haptic feedback technology so you get the sensations of clicks, vibrations, or other motions
  • It has Taptic Engine which is a tiny device found at the back of the trackpad

There is talk that Apple is planning to make Force Technology exclusive to the iPhone 6 Plus even though it is already part of the Apple Watch, MacBook and MacBook Pro, 13 inch. There are still conflicting reports but one thing is for sure, the iPhone 6 Plus will have exclusive features like the landscape mode for homescreen and the optical image stabilization camera.

Some ways you can use the Force Technology are to create pressure sensitive drawings, customize a Force Click, and customize your zoom and accelerator just like a fast forward on a DVD movie.

News

Rumors and spy shots circulate of iPad Pro and iPhone 6C

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As far back as 2013, there have been rumors circulating about a jumbo iPad from Apple which started when an Apple’s Asian supplier began talking about requests for a larger screen prototype. Obviously Apple has other products that could use the 13 inch screen but somehow the idea of a larger iPad stuck.

According to this Asian supplier, the giant iPad being worked on would be the same size as the MacBook Pro, will be available in several attractive and bright colors and be priced affordably. This is why it has been referred to several times in the past as the “Artist’s Apple” or the “iPad Professional.” Around the same time this rumor came out, there was another rumor about a cheap and plastic iPhone, the iPhone 6C.

The iPad Pro

There have been spy shots supposedly of the iPad Pro and it shows what experts believe to be a second USB C-type port. From the original 13 inch, the spy shots from Weibo reveal a 12.9 inch screen. Weibo is a micro-blogging website with more than 200 employees in China making it one of the country’s most popular sites with a following of 56.5% of China’s Internet market as of 2011.

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Spy shots of rumored iPad Pro

The spy shots also reveal a possible second Lightning connector, Apple logo, microphone, camera and switches on the right edge of the device. On the left side are the USB slot, headphone jack, and speaker grilles similar to the one found on the iPhone 6. Unfortunately, these spy shots cannot be verified and could only be a shell. What is almost confirmed is that if there is a jumbo iPad, it will have a stylus, A8X processor, fast charging technology, and be equipped with the IGZO technology from Sharp.

The Plastic iPhone 6C

Will Apple really go “budget friendly?” Steve Jobs once said, ” When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.”
Using plastic seems to be at odds with the Apple identity, as does the idea of a budget Apple smartphone. Of course, the rumors say that the budget phone will still be out of range for many budget-conscious consumers because of its rumored price tag of almost $700. However assuming that the rumor is true, this plastic Apple phone is expected to have a 4 inch display, TouchID, NFC connectivity, and Gorilla Glass 3.
Seeing that the rumor once again came out from a Chinese source, it would be far off to speculate that it could just be a case for a copycat Apple.

iPhone 6C photos
Leaked photos from Future Supplier
News

Beats and Apple said to be creating new Music Streaming service

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In 2002, visionary Apple Chief, Steve Jobs, knew that music would be big on the Internet. He tried to convince record companies to sell their music online. At that time, Apple was a relatively small company and not very influential. At that same time, the music industry was upset that piracy over the Internet was rampant and they were understandably willing to sit down and discuss terms but it took some time before record labels agreed to sell one song at a time at 99 cents thru the iTunes Store. Up to 2014, Apple has sold over 35 billion songs on iTunes and its Radio has more than 40 million followers.

Today new technology and upstart business have changed the way users listen to music online. Streaming music has taken over because of smartphones and other portable devices. According to NPD Group, a research company, over 52% of Americans were streaming music using their smartphones coming into 2014 and Apple was not offering any music subscription service nor appearing to be in any hurry to corner the market which is how Spotify and Pandora found their way into the hearts and pockets of millions worldwide.

To compete with upcoming websites like Spotify, which has over 60 million global users and 15 million paid subscribers, and Pandora, which has 250 registered users and 81.5 active listeners as of 2014, Apple bought Beats Electronics in 2014 for $3 billion. The plan was to offer Apple customers the Beat’s streaming music service alongside iTunes radio streaming service. This purchase is Apple’s biggest billion dollar takeover deal so far. Strangely, the rest of 2014 was uneventful for Beats and Apple….

Fresh, Exciting News for Apple and Beats in 2015

Apple has finally announced its plans to move forward with its digital music service so music lovers should expect something exciting as the company is going head-on to woo Spotify and Pandora members.

Some of the changes that have been taking place in the back offices of Apple include an enhanced regional iTunes Radio, a subscription-based streaming music service, amazing aesthetics, curated playlists, and new albums ahead of their world launch dates. The man behind these changes aside from Apple engineers is Trent Reznor who was the Beats Chief Creative Officer.

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Trent Reznor on stage (dameetch/flickr)

The rumors swirling around the music industry was that Apple was negotiating for lower licensing costs by $2 from the standard $10 a month but has not been able to get companies to agree. One reason for the hesitation comes from record labels that don’t see Apple as the current driving force in digital music. According to music insiders, Apple is playing catch up as far as digital music streaming is concerned and cannot dictate terms but if Apple does it right, it could jump straight to first place since iTunes has over 800 million accounts.

News

Apple updates Campus 2 construction timeline and posts new photo

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The Apple Campus is the term used to describe the corporate headquarters of Apple Inc. The first Apple Campus is found in Cupertino, California in 1977 and looks like a university campus or a modern business park. It served the company well but in 2006, Steve Jobs revealed plans to build an Apple Campus 2 to start construction in 2013 and be open in 2015. However, there were several delays and construction only started last year and is expected to finish by 2016. The initial cost of the project was $500 million but this has since ballooned to $5 billion because Apple bought more land for the new campus.

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Construction Timeline

The new campus has been described as a “spaceship” because of the circular design and the energy source which will be mostly natural gas in the campus’ own energy plant. It will have space for 13,000 employees, a coffee shop big enough to accommodate 3,000, extensive parking and open area, an auditorium that can seat 1,000, a fitness center, 300,000 feet of space for research and development, and its own orchard.

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Traffic delays are also updated

Recently, Apple revealed more about the Campus 2 and even shared images of the progress, which were taken using a drone. The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, also said that the design of the new campus is meant to be casual and collaborative where “people run into each other – not just at the meetings that are scheduled on your calendar, but all the serendipitous stuff that happens every day in the cafeteria and walking around.”

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New arial photo provided by Apple

The company has also said that the opening will be in 2017and it is supposed to be the greenest building on earth according to Cook. How Apple plans to do this is still a bit unclear since Cook speaks in general terms of improving carbon footprints. However the little that has been mentioned is that Apple has converted to 100% renewable energy for its power source and the Campus 2 will be completely powered by renewable energy sources. Some of the figures released by Apple include:

  • The company has recycled 75% of its demolished materials for the new Campus 2
  • About 90% of the old Campus is being used for the new campus including the concrete which will be the foundation of the campus and the trees that were felled to be used as construction material
  • Apple will have a solar farm
  • The new campus will use natural ventilation for 75% of the year

Tim Cook has also released an Earth Day video stressing the need to improve environmental responsibility and being the narrator of the video, also serves to emphasize the role Apple sees itself now and in the future.

Apple TV

Philosophy of Steve Jobs evident in latest Apple TV subscription service

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Steve Jobs remains a visible presence in the Apple 1 Infinite Loop office literally as even now, 4 years after his death, the company celebrates his birthday and his office remains exactly as it was when he was alive. In a recent interview with chief executive of Apple, Tim Cooks, the legacy of Jobs was to train everyone at Apple to reject a limited mindset. It was this “big idea” philosophy that drove the company to succeed as well as it did and today, this same philosophy is evident in new products or changes in Apple.

The Apple TV Service

Apple is rumored to be on the edge of offering a TV service as company executives have hinted at being in talks with programmers about a bundle offer with different networks to be launched sometime in the fall. What this means is that with the Apple TV service, customers have more choices including abandoning the TV altogether with streaming!

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Currently, there are the following services: Sling TV ($20/month), CBS ($6/month), Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Netflix. With the rumors of Apple cutting a partnership deal with Comcast, chances are high that Apple could be the key to online video finally making it big.

Wall Street Journal has reported that Apple is currently negotiating with major TV networks to come up with a bundled 25 channel package to be launched in September. However, as early as April, HBO Now will be available to all Apple users for a minimal charge of $15/month.

All the talk about the Apple TV service has led to a rash of activities as large networks are said to be considering changing the terms of their agreements with cable companies. Also, stocks of some top cable companies have dropped following the news of Apple’s plans for streaming.

This whole scenario appears to mimic the time when Steve Jobs launched the iPod and iTune in 2001. It caused the music industry to work even harder against music piracy and get involved with the retail of digital music.

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Of course, the problem with Apple today is that their loyal customers have a very high expectation unlike in 2001 when the iPod was launched. Cook has addressed this concern by saying that Apple develops new products but is also very serious about reinventing what is available like the TV and the watch. History shows and will continue to show that Apple never gives up. It will keep plodding on to improve because that is what Steve Job did and did well.