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There is now a conclusion to the patent dispute between Apple and software company OpenTV. Back in March Apple lost its case brought on by OpenTV in a German court ruling, and today OpenTV owners Kudelski Group announced that the two companies have reached a patent license agreement and all pending litigation has stopped. As we noted after the March ruling, OpenTV in the United States was suing Apple over the same use of video streaming technology....

In Hot Mess, players step into the shoes of a firefighting robot who goes haywire, and mistakes the burning passion of romance as the flame that burns down houses. He thinks couples kissing is dangerous, and therefore tries to hose them down to avoid fires. The reason for this rejection was because there were 8-bit animated people kissing, and these said people were naked. So, after the first rejection, Atlanta-based indie game developer Secret Library fixed the problem (sort of) by putting underwear on the happy couples....

Apple just released an update to their iAd Producer developer tool that assists in the creation of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript-powered content for the company’s interactive, motion-rich iAd platform. Version 2.0 brings a number of enhancements to animations and effects, overall improvements to the “visual designer” editor, and enhanced Project Validation features that “automatically checks the size and type of image assets, and that pages and components are configured correctly”. There is also a new “Object List” providing one-click access to any element, improvements to JavaScript editing and debugging, and the usual fixes and performance improvements....

[UPDATE 10/5: iOS 10.1 beta 2 is now available for public beta testers as well.] Apple has released the second iOS 10.1 beta which includes the Portrait camera for iPhone 7 Plus that applies a DSLR-like blur effect over photos using the dual lens system. iOS 10.1 beta 2 is available to registered developers. A public beta of iOS 10.1 for non-developers is also currently active. tvOS 10.0.1 beta 2 for Apple TV and watchOS 3....

Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reported on Saturday about new iPad models coming this month, in addition to a new generation of the MacBook Pro expected to be introduced later this year. However, the journalist also revealed Apple’s plans to launch a new iPad docking accessory in 2023. An iPad docking accessory for the home While today’s Bloomberg report claims that Apple is still exploring the idea of combining an iPad with a speaker hub, it also says that the company now has another card up its sleeve to do so....

Well, I was sitting on my own watching Apple’s latest event, so who else was I going to talk to? And I’m always easily impressed. In this case, Angela Kyazike, Apple’s iPad engineering program manager, showed off the latest and clearly most wonderful iPad Air. She sold it with a script that contained all the aplomb of the small print you always click “agree” under. She said the new Air is “up to two times faster than the best selling Windows laptop in its price range....

Officially, Apple’s website cites compatibility with a slew of Mac and iPads, but it doesn’t mention Windows PCs. In fact, the company’s site says, “Studio Display camera features and firmware updates require connection to a Mac.” That leads to the impression that you’ll need a Mac to get firmware updates for the monitor, or even that it won’t work at all without connection to one of Apple’s computers. However, the company told The Verge that the monitor will work with just fine Windows PCs, including the webcam and speakers, though you will need a Mac to get updates....

Apple has officially launched its 2022 Back to School promotion for students, educators, and staff. This year comes with a switch from offering free AirPods to including a free $150 gift card with select Mac purchases and $100 gift card on iPad Air and Pro purchases. Update 7/8: Orders are now open for the M2 MacBook Air. Apple announced its long-running Back to School promo on its Education landing page today with the tagline “Only Apple gets you supercharged for college....

Apple has offered enhanced Apple Maps for a while now, which shows a basic 3D representation of buildings and other objects — similar to what Google Maps has supported for years. The feature is currently available in 10 countries, and it soon roll out to more countries and cities: Belgium, France, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. Apple Maps also has even better maps for select areas, which shows buildings as detailed 3D models instead of simple blocks....

Apple might leave the UK market if it is forced to pay too much money to a patent troll, after losing a case last month, says the company’s lawyer. The case relates to a claim by Optis Wireless, which initially won a $506M award against Apple in the US, before the judgment was overturned on appeal. Optis – which bought some standards-essential LTE patents in order to make claims like this – then won a separate case against Apple in the UK, this time claiming billions rather than millions …...

Blame the iPhone? Hit up Apple’s website for the details. http://www.apple.com/macbook/macbook.html Apple today updated its MacBook consumer notebooks with faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 1GB of memory and larger hard drives in every model. The new line of MacBooks remain just one-inch thin and feature built-in 802.11n wireless networking for up to five times the performance and twice the range of 802.11g. Every MacBook also includes a built-in iSight video camera for on-the-go video conferencing, Apple’s MagSafe Power Adapter that safely disconnects when under strain, and iLife ’06, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications....

Apple also announced that an enhanced App Store for China is also now available. This App Store has localized featured apps, sections, and top charts. The updated App Store is also now available in Simplified Chinese for the first time. Full press release after the break: CUPERTINO, California—October 26, 2010—Apple® today introduced the Apple Store® in China (apple.com.cn), the easiest way to shop online for Apple products including the revolutionary iPhone® 4 and the magical iPad™....

We don’t know too much yet about the long-rumored Apple over-ear headphones, but a patent published today describes a couple of features that the company has at least considered: gesture controls, and rotation detection. The two features would work in tandem … It’s always risky to use patents to get a steer on where Apple may be headed with new products. The company plays with a lot of different ideas, and patents many of them....

Apple has given the iPhone checkout page on its website a major overhaul. The new design features larger images, quicker access to shopping assistance, and more. There’s also a bigger emphasis on trading in other devices as well. The previous design for the iPhone checkout process featured a two-column view with static imagery on the left and configuration options on the right. This new design focuses much more on large imagery and more refined experiences for things like choosing a smartphone to trade in....

The US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple today (via PatentlyApple) detailing how a future iPhone could potentially utilize a virtual SIM card that integrates NFC technology. We reported back in October 2010 rumors of Apple experimenting with virtual SIM cards that would essentially allow consumers to bypass carriers when purchasing an iPhone and utilize a carrier-chooser App Store app to select the network of their choosing....

Podcast creators who use Apple Podcasts won’t be able to manage their content on a specific date later this month. That’s because Apple has just warned creators that Apple Podcasts Connect will go offline for a scheduled maintenance. For those unfamiliar, Apple Podcasts Connect is the platform used to submit podcasts to the Apple Podcasts app. In an email sent to podcast creators on Thursday, Apple reported that Apple Podcasts Connect will be “unavailable for up to three hours” on June 25....

In a detailed post on its newsroom, Apple broke down its plans for cracking down on people using AirTags for criminal activities. The first step is one that most criminals will probably ignore, and that’s a security warning during the setup process. That seems unlikely to deter someone looking to steal a high-end car, but it might make some people think twice about rising AirTags maliciously. Apple is also introducing a new feature called Precision Finding....

We’ve gotten word from sources that Apple is preparing to release (in some fashion) a single, additional iPad model. This would be a new SKU for the current fourth-generation iPad with Retina display line. At this point, we do not have pricing information, so it is definitely difficult to pinpoint exactly what this new iPad model is. Here is what we do know: It is a fourth-generation iPad, not a new design....

Apple has released the fifth beta of iOS 14 for public beta testers. The update arrives two weeks after the fourth public beta and just a day after the latest iteration arrived for developers. Beta 5 includes a few notable changes and even a new ‘Hidden Album’ toggle for the Photos app. Head to Settings > General > Software update to check if the fifth public beta is available on your device....

With OS X El Capitan releasing today, Apple has also updated iOS to version 9.0.2 with an over-the-air software update. This bug fix update marks the second release since iOS 9.0 launched earlier this month. The update includes bug fixes and performance improvements for iCloud Backup, iMessage activation, Apple’s Podcasts app, and issues with cellular data usage. The release cycle suggests Apple is moving faster to ship small updates to address specific issues with iOS 9....