Tag Archives: Steve Jobs

Apple Acquires SnappyCam in Latest Company Buyout

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In one more buyout in which Apple keeps the competition down, the mega computer company purchased the company that created the popular photography application SnappyCam. The purchase of SnappyLabs is one more in a series of acquisitions and buyouts by Apple which keeps them current with the latest technology without requiring Apple itself to introduce anything new.

Apple Buys Popular App SnappyCam
Apple Buys Popular App SnappyCam

Users can purchase SnappyCam as a $1 app which upgrades their mobile phone’s camera functions. SnappyCam adds several useful functions, but it’s most well-known and popular is allowing a smartphone to take pictures in quick succession by holding down the on-screen shutter-button.

The tech blog TechCrunch first reported the Apple’s most recent purchase, but the amount of the buyout is still unknown. The buyout is further proof that Apple has diverged from the company’s traditional custom of avoiding acquisitions while Steve Jobs was the CEO. It appears that the company buyouts are taking the place of innovation as competition in the app marketplace only increases.

Apple has been teasing the marketplace with a soon-to-be-but-yet-to materialize smartwatch and TV product. The iWatch is due for release in late 2014, buy a Samsung iWatch has already hit the market. The response to the buyout of SnappyLabs was a 22 percent downturn in Apple’s share price, closing at $540.98.

In 2013 Apple purchased 11 companies. In 2011, the last year Jobs ran Apple the company only purchased two tech firms. In 2009 they bought one company, a music service known as Lala.com because it was in completion with Apple’s own platform iTunes. Apple predictably closed down Lala.com and maintained its tight hold on music delivery. In 2010 Apple bought-out four companies.

Apple iPad Mini Set to Hit Stores

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iPhone, iPad Mini and iPad

In an effort to protect its market share from such challengers as Amazon and Google, Apple Inc is releasing its own version of a smaller sized tablet device, the iPad Mini.

The iPad Mini is the rampart defending Apple’s control of the market on extra-portable personal computing devices just as Amazon’s Kindle and Google’s Nexus 7 are beginning to make inroads into that market.

The smaller device is considerably less expensive then Apple’s popular best-seller, the iPad 10-inch full-sized model, and is the first device added to Apple’s compact portfolio since the reins of leadership of Apple was handed over to Tim Cook, who took over from Steve Jobs just before his death.

"Apple sensed early that they had a real winner with the iPad and that has proven to be correct," said Lars Albright, co-founder of mobile advertising startup SessionM and a former Apple ad executive.

"They have a large market share, and to protect that market share they have got to be innovative," he added.

The Apple iPad Mini will be unveiled today, Tuesday, October 23,  at a “by invitation only” event scheduled to begin at 10am in San Jose, California.
 

iPhone 5 Hits Stores Around the World Triggering Long Lines and Happy Customers

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Tim Cook, New CEO of Apple
On Line in New York for iPhone 5

The much anticipated iPhone 5 made its appearance on Friday, exciting buyers and sellers as it was whisked off the shelves by the thousands.

The new Apple offering is not an astounding technological breakthrough, but just a bit better in many of the ways the customers already love their old iPhones: like a super-model, its thinner, taller and lighter, and that’s about it.

This is the first product launch since Tim Cook took over Steve Jobs’ position as head wizard at Apple, and it seems his skills might not quite be a clone of Jobs’ special magic, but Cook seems to have a bit of magic of his own up his sleeve.

“We are positively surprised regarding the pace of the rollout, since we had expected a bigger impact from component constraints,” Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes said.

And what at pace it’s been, and is going to be. On Friday the iPhone 5 went on sale simultaneously in New York, Japan and Hong Kong, and a few other hot spots. By next Friday expect to see this hot-selling phone in 31 countries, and by December 31st of this year, in more than 100. That exceeds by 30 the number of countries the iPhone 4s , the 5’s predecessor, was launched from during a similar time-frame.

“His skills fit the time period and the flow of product,” said Raymond Miles, professor emeritus at Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. He added that Apple may be at a stage where it needs “someone with a production vision.”

Cook’s magic seems to be working: He was able to supersede Jobs’ sales record as preorders for the 5s climbed to 2 million within 24 hours, twice the speed with which the 4s was pre-sold. Analysts and observers/investors are anticipating a similar successful launch of the smaller iPad mini in October.

Top Searches on Google for 2011

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An Apple Everyday

At the end of each year Google releases a list of which search terms garnered the most numbers in

Steve Jobs and iPad

a variety of different categories during the previous twelve months. In the top ten list of terms with the fastest growth in technology, the top six were all related to Apple, including “iCloud,” “Osx Lion” and “iPad 2.” In the eighth position was the term “Steve Jobs.”

Rebecca Black Most Searched Term Overall

Rebecca Black

On the overall top 10 list, “Google+” came in second place. Amazingly, the only search term growing faster than “Google +” was the search for “Rebecca Black” nabbing first place, proving that ‘most’ is not always ‘best.’  Apple took control here as well; with three of the top ten spots, including “iPhone 5” taking sixth place, and “Steve Jobs” in ninth place. “iPad 2” made it into the top ten at tenth place.

Kindle Fire Most Searched for Gadget

The list of top ten fastest growing searches in the gadget category was a better representation of what really happened this past year: Getting the gold was “Kindle Fire,” while “iPhone 4S” was the second place finisher. Also placing in the top ten list for gadgets were, “Sidekick 4g,” “HP Touchpad,” “HTC Inspire,” “Palm Pre 3,” and the “HTC Thunderbolt.” These are the electronic toys that fueled the minds of consumers and filled the pockets of the electronics industry this past year.

Sotheby’s to Auction Historic Apple Corp Contracts

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Ronald Wayne

The original contract which officially created Apple Corporation, signed in 1976, and another contract drawn up and signed eleven days after, are going up for auction by Sotheby’s on December 13th.

Valued at About $150,000

It is expected that the two contracts will earn about $150,000 for their owner, a private collector. The second document is a contract which officially removed one of the then three partners from the deal.

Some feel that now is the right time to auction off these documents, in light of the fact that one of the signatories on the documents, Steve Jobs, died only a few months ago, in October.

“Because of Jobs being so focused on in the news, and his accomplishments, it just seemed like the right time,” said Richard Austin, the head of the Books and Manuscripts department at Sotheby’s.

“People have been reminded of how important and how influential he is – someone who contributed to technology and to social history and had such a profound impact.”

Apple Began with Three Partners

The first contract which was signed created Apple Computer Company. It states that Steve Wozniak and Jobs will each be given 45% of Apple’s shares. The remaining 10% was given to Ronald Wayne, who wrote the contract.

Third Partner Backed Out

Just a few days later, however, Mr. Wayne decided to no longer remain involved in the infant computer company. He was bought out by Jobs and Wozniak for $800, and then another $1,500 later on. His release from his contract is the second contract which is up for auction. Today his 10% share would be worth 2 billion dollars.

In 1994 Ronald Wayne sold those documents to a private collector. It is not yet known if Apple is planning on bidding for the documents.

“Wonderful things always sell and there are wonderful and unique things in this sale,” Austin said.