Apple Gives $29 Snow Leopard Upgrade Away for Free to Some

If you still haven't upgraded to Snow Leopard, and you paid for Apple's cloud-based MobileMe service back when it still cost money, you can now snag the OS X upgrade for free.

Macgasm reports that Apple has been sending out emails to MobileMe users who have yet to upgrade to the three-year-old OS X update. The reason for this offer--Apple's MobileMe service will end on June 30, 2012, and Mac users will need the latest version of Mac OS X (Lion) to take

How to Create a Bootable Mac OS X Flash Drive

A bootable Mac OS X thumb drive comes in handy when you need to troubleshoot OS issues for yourself, your family, or your friends. It's also extremely useful for keeping your basic setup consistent across multiple computers, if you find yourself switching hardware regularly; and I've had fun in the past setting up a bootable USB keychain loaded with all the apps and files I need to turn any Mac-compatible computer into a viable media center quickly and easily.

Tethered Jailbreak Already Available For iOS 5.1 With Redsn0w

Well, that was quick. Despite iOS 5.1 being available for less than 24 hours, developers at the iPhone Dev-Team blog have already managed to get a tethered jailbreak working, using redsn0w, for non-A5 jailbreakers.

The team originally posted a warning pre-Apple event, stating that those with jailbroken iPhones, iPods and iPads should not update, due to the possibly of a firmware update undoing your hack. Since 

Apple's New A5X Chip May Be for iPad Only, Analysts Say

Apple delivered a performance breakthrough Wednesday with its new A5X processor for the iPad,but it's possible that this chip won't make its way into the next iPhone, analysts said.

The chips used in the first two iPads, the A4 and A5, both made their way into a new iPhone soon after. But the A5X, with its heavy focus on graphics, may not be ideal for smartphone use, and Apple may wait for a more power-efficient chip built with a new manufacturing process.

Apple iPad: How It Stacks Up Against the Android Tablets

Scores of new tablets have appeared in the past few months, and now that we know what the third-generation Apple iPad will offer when it ships March 16, here’s the verdict: Android tablet vendors, get busy. Apple’s specs blow past most rivals, whether shipping, announced, or on deck. Expect competing tablet makers to rush back to the drawing board and get a plan B in order to compete.

Apple's New iPad Stays Comfortably Ahead of the Tablet Pack

Apple takes the tablet lead over the Android masses with its third-generation iPad announced today. Thanks to an impressive hi-def Retinal display coupled with a bounty of iPad-optimized apps, Apple once again has the tablet to beat.

Apple Unveils its Next iPad

Apple on Wednesday announced the next version of its popular iPad tablet, which will be faster than its predecessor and have a higher resolution screen.

The new tablet will be able to display images at a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels, which is around 3.1 million pixels, the company said at an event in San Francisco. That should enable the device to play sharper video.

iPad 3 Appears -- in Social Network Scams

A security expert has criticized Facebook, Twitter and other social networks for letting scammers lure unsuspecting surfers by using the as-yet-unannounced iPad 3 as bait.

Graham Cluley, senior security consultant at Sophos, writing on the company's Naked Security blog drew attention to the large number of scams that are already promising the iPad 3 to get social network members to fill in surveys.

Apple is expected to announce a third-generation iPad at an event in San Francisco next week and as Cluley points out, scammers used similar tactics before the announcement of the iPhone 4S.

A quick search of Facebook proves his point -- there are dozens of results for the search term "free iPad 3" and the same is true of Twitter.

iPad 3 'Frankenslate' Assembled Ahead of Apple Media Event

Apple's media event, during which the company is expected to unveil the iPad 3, is only a few days away but some people just can't wait to add to the feverish speculation of what the device will look like.

The website M.I.C. Gadget has gotten its hands on what it says is a pile of iPad 3 components and put them together in what SlashGear is calling "Frankenslate."

iPad Sales Forecast to Hit 55 Million in 2012

Apple will sell 55 million iPads this year, with sales driven by a "significant" upgrade in the shape of the iPad 3, an analyst has predicted.

Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee issued a note to investors, picked up by Apple Insider, saying that the third-generation iPad -- which is expected to be unveiled next week -- will have a Retina display, Siri voice recognition, and 4G capabilities.

Apple "will unveil 8GB iPad 2 as well as iPad 3 next week"

Wu believes that the 4G connectivity -- based on the LTE (long-term evolution) standard -- will be the most significant of the new features, differentiating it from many Android-based tablets and the Kindle Fire.

Beefier iPad 2 May Accompany iPad 3 Next Week

Reports from Apple's supply chain suggest that the company will introduce an 8GB iPad 2 next Wednesday as well as a third-generation iPad.

Apple sent out official invitations to a press event in San Francisco that will take place next Wednesday, March 7. But the possibility that Apple might launch something else other than the iPad 3 has been considered, with some suggesting that a new Apple TV or even a smart TV set could be

Samsung Shows Off Galaxy Tab 2 Series

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 series of tablets will be on display in Barcelona starting Monday, the first day of Mobile World Congress. News of the 7-inch model came a couple of weeks back; now, Samsung confirms that the 10.1-inch Tab will get a facelift as well. Both tablets will ship in the UK starting in March, followed by other parts of the globe. The new Galaxy Tab 2s come with Android 4.0

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1: First Look

The Galaxy Note 10.1, announced Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is the second entry in the company's pen- and touch-capable Galaxy Note line. Now that it's here in a full-size tablet with a 10.1-inch screen, the Note seems set to shine in a size and design that makes more sense than the 5-inch phone that Samsung inaugurated the line with two months ago.

Mercedes to Integrate Apple's Siri into New Cars

Mercedes will integrate Apple’s Siri voice-assisted technology into future A-Class models of its cars. This will be done via a special app that will also translate an iPhone’s screen onto the in-car display, so you can listen to music, change radio stations or update your Facebook and Twitter status.

Huawei, The Latest Android Player: Who Are These Guys?

Huawei, a multinational telecommunications company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, has been generating a lot of mobile buzz lately.

At this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Huawei launched its Ascend D quad-cord smartphones, which the company claims are the "world’s fastest." It also unveiled the MediaPad 10 FHD, a 10.1-inch, quad-core tablet that will run Android 4.0 when it ships in the second quarter.

CoPilot GPS to Deliver Free Route Planning, On-board Mapping App

Starting next month, ALK Technologies hopes to take iOS device owners in a new direction. At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the navigation software maker announced plans for a free route-planning and on-board mapping app that it expects to be available for the iPhone and iPad next month. The company sees it somewhat as a alternative to Google's Maps.

New Mac Malware Exploits Java Bugs, Steals Passwords

A new version of a well-known family of Mac malware exploits vulnerabilities in Java to steal usernames and passwords for online payment, banking and credit card websites.

Flashback.G is the first variant of the Trojan horse to use an attack vector that doesn't require any user interaction, said Intego Security, a French firm that specializes in Mac antivirus software. Most Mac malware needs help from users to get on a machine, if only to okay an installation by entering the system password.

Apple iPad 3 Shipments Heading to the United States?

Foxconn is preparing to ship the first iPad 3 units to the United States, reports say.

The Apple Pro blog has published a picture of what it says is official documentation showing a shipping schedule, with several shipments from Foxconn heading to the U.S. and due to arrive no later than 9 March.

Dolby Moves From Smartphone Audio Into Smartphone Camera Technology

Dolby is getting into the smartphone camera game with a new mobile imaging technology, announced today at Mobile World Congress. The new technology enables High Dynamic Range images to be saved in JPEG-HDR, which preserves the high contrast effect better than saving them as JPEGs.

Microsoft Likely to Limit Windows 8 Edition Selections

Microsoft will probably trim the number of Windows 8 editions it will sell later this year, but won't mimic Apple's online-only approach to OS upgrades, a retail sales analyst said last week.

In developed countries, including the U.S., Microsoft offers Windows 7 in four SKUs, or editions: Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate. All but Enterprise -- available only to volume licensees such as major corporations -- are sold to the general public.