Finnish Prime Minister Again ‘Blames’ Apple for Country’s Economic Struggles
Finland’s Prime Minister Alexander Stubb told CNBC in an interview that Apple is to blame for the decline of the country’s two primary export industries, information technology (led by Nokia) and paper. “The iPhone killed Nokia and the iPad killed the paper industry, but we’ll make a comeback,” said Stubb in response to a question about Finland’s business environment following the country’s recently downgraded credit rating. While the comment certainly appears to be more of a pithy jest than an outright accusation against Apple, it does aptly describe how several of the country’s major boom industries have seen their fortunes slip in the face of a changing marketplace.
As noted by TechCrunch, this isn’t the first time Stubb has singled out Apple in reference to his country’s economic decline since he took over as Prime Minister in June of this year. Speaking in July, Stubb made a similar comment mentioning Apple.
“We had two pillars we stood on: one was the IT industry, the other one was the paper industry,” Stubb told Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri.
“Nalle Wahlroos, president of (Swedish bank) Nordea, described it quite well when he said the iPhone knocked out Nokia and the iPad knocked out the forestry,” accelerating the fall of paper demand.
In the same conversation with Dagens Industri, Stubb quipped “Steve Jobs took our jobs,” with the promise that “this is beginning to change.”
Apple may be an easy scapegoat for politicians to blame, but the Cupertino company is not responsible for Finland’s struggles. While Apple did lead a revolution in the mobile phone industry with the iPhone, the Cupertino company did so by focusing on high-end handsets and not the entry-level phones that Nokia was selling by the millions. With a plethora of Android handset options at a variety of price points, Samsung instead was much a greater threat to the long-term survival of the Finnish company. Nokia has since sold its devices unit to Microsoft, tying its future to that of Windows Phone.
Apple’s iPad also is not to blame for the downturn in the paper industry, which has been in decline for years. The reasons for the slowdown in paper manufacturing are myriad and include the increasing use of email over traditional mail, the adoption of digital documents, and the steady decline in print magazine and newspaper subscriptions. With tablet shipments reaching only 200 million globally, the proliferation of Kindles and tablets, such as the iPad, are not yet significant enough to decimate the paper industry as Stubb implies.
Ironically, Apple and other technology companies have been supporting Nokia even as its mobile phone sales decline. In 2011, Apple ended an ongoing patent battle with Nokia and has been paying the Finnish company an undisclosed amount to license cellular technology owned by the company. This intellectual property may be netting Nokia a collective $685 million per year from Apple and other technology companies.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
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No Retina MacBook Air Introduction Planned for Apple’s October 16 Media Event
With rumors of a new 12-inch Retina MacBook Air circulating in recent months and the latest reports suggesting small-scale production has already begun, many have been wondering about Apple’s plans for introducing the product. According to a new report from Re/code, the Retina MacBook Air will not be unveiled at this Thursday’s media event.
Apple may well have a new MacBook Air with Retina Display in the pipeline, but it’s not going to unveil it this week. Sources familiar with Apple’s plans tell me that the company’s latest reimagining of the ultralight laptop won’t be shown off at its Thursday event.
In line with previous rumors, the report claims Thursday’s event will focus on new iPads, Retina iMacs, and OS X Yosemite. One source has also claimed updated Mac minis could appear at the event, but there has been little additional chatter about the possibility.
Apple’s media event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on Thursday, and MacRumors will have full live coverage of the proceedings. There are likely to be additional leaks and rumors in the final lead-up to the event, so stay tuned as Apple prepares to finalize its product lineup for the holiday shopping season.
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Apple fines companies $50 million for leaks
For a company that’s obsessed with secrecy, it’s no surprise to see that Apple imposes tight restrictions on what its suppliers can say. If your company leaks a product, or starts boasting about producing components for a future iOS device, then you’ll be asked to pay a fine of no less than $50 million. That’s chump change for a company like Samsung, but a fortune for smaller outfits that may produce only one or two small pieces. Speaking of which, this fact only emerged thanks to GT Advanced Technologies, which has just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after deciding to close and sell-off its loss-making sapphire crystal manufacturing facilities.
GT had originally been tipped to produce sapphire crystal displays for the iPhone 6, but when both handsets launched, they were said to use “ion-strengthened glass.” The announcement sent GT’s share price tumbling, and now it needs the court’s help to save it from total collapse, since it owes Apple almost $600 million in advance payments for displays it won’t or couldn’t use. GT, however, has petitioned a New Hampshire district court to help declare Apple’s “oppressive” non-disclosure agreement to be null and void, saving it from the penalty and helping it to convince buyers that it’s worth picking up the valuable sapphire crystal production hardware. Of course, the knock-on effect is that the company will then be able to reveal what Apple was planning to do with the technology, which we imagine won’t sit well with those privacy-focused folks over in Cupertino.
Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Mobile, Apple
Source: The Financial Times, GT Filing (Scribd)
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NI’s latest Traktor DJ controller ditches old-fashioned jog wheels
Native Instruments’ Traktor Kontrol DJ decks have clung to old-school jog wheels for ages, in part to help you transition from vinyl and turntables to digital mixers. However, you’re probably not a stranger to modern technology these days — and appropriately, NI has a new controller to match. Its Kontrol S8 replaces those wheels with displays and touch-sensitive input that lets you control many aspects of the included Scratch Pro 2 software directly on the mixer, rather than having to switch to your laptop. Aside from embracing the digital era, this also lets you focus more on your performance (and, presumably, the crowd). Just be prepared to play some extra gigs to pay this off. The S8 will go on sale October 30th for $1,299, or about as much as the computer you’ll need to host the companion software.
Filed under: Peripherals
Source: Native Instruments
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Philips’ wearable sensor gives COPD patients constant health tracking
Philips is no stranger to the healthcare industry, and with a new sensor, it’s looking to further dive into medical wearables for real-world use. The company developed a gadget for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) sufferers that’s worn inside a disposable adhesive patch, continuously gathering diagnostic stats like heart rate, respiratory function and physical activity (or inactivity). All of the data is collected on the sensor, transferred to the patient’s mobile device and uploaded to a cloud-based healthcare repository. The tech, which was co-developed with Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, allows doctors to monitor patients from afar and assess an episode before things get too severe. According to Philips, this is just the first in a line of low-cost sensors in the works to monitor chronic medical conditions in real time.
Filed under: Wearables, Science
Source: USA Today
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OnePlus sends Cyanogen Camera app to the Play Store
Following the lead of other manufacturers that use the Google Play Store to distribute core apps, OnePlus has made the Cyanogen Camera app that is part of CyanogenMod 11S, the special version of the operating system used for the OnePlus One smartphone, available in Google Play. By using the Play Store, manufacturers are able to push out updates more quickly and easily to end users. This eliminates the need for an app to go through a carrier’s review process to be included in an OTA update, which tend to be sporadic in their timing.
For now at least, the Cyanogen Camera app is exclusive to OnePlus devices, so don’t expect to load it on your phone if you visit the Play Store with some other device. If you just want to check out the Play Store listing or you have a device that can use the Cyanogen Camera or needs to be updated, use one of the Google Play download links below.
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AT&T introduces new Passport plans for international travelers
AT&T has announced some new packages intended to help international travelers. The packages are part of a new AT&T Passport line of services with three levels available. The packages or primarily designed for travelers who may not travel frequently or when they do it is for short trips abroad. Each package is good for one to 30 days. AT&T will charge a one-time fee and the Passport package will expire automatically at the end of 30 days, so no need to worry about canceling the service.
The Passport packages come in three levels – Passport, Passport Plus and Passport Pro – for a one-time charge of $30, $60, or $120 respectively. The difference in pricing is primarily based on the amount of cellular data available, with the packages coming with either 120 MB, 300 MB or 800 MB of data. Moving to a higher tier has the benefit of lowering the data overage rate from $0.25 per MB to $0.20 per MB to $0.15 per MB.
In addition to the variance in data prices, the plans come with varying costs for talk minutes, from $1.00 per minute with the Passport plan to $0.50 per minute for Passport Plus or $0.35 per minute for Passport Pro. All three plans come with unlimited messaging and unlimited access to WiFi hotspots in countries where the hotspots are available like the U.K., France, Germany, Japan or Mexico.
The Passport packages can be added to an existing domestic plan for the one-time fee assuming a customer has a compatible smartphone. For more regular travel abroad, AT&T offers AT&T Global packages with the same tiers as Passport, but on a monthly recurring basis. Data-only Passport and Global packages are available as well for tablets, laptops or other data-only devices.
source: AT&T
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ilumini LED Smartbulb: Brighten your life with an intelligent light $79 [Deal of the Day]
Imagine waking up to an array of golden hues cascading across your bed and simulating an invigorating sunrise in the middle of a gloomy winter. With the ilumini LED Smartbulb, a color tunable lighting solution, complete control of the spectrum is in the palm of your hand.
Compatible with Android 4.3 and Bluetooth 4.0, this Smartbulb replaces your current bulbs and deliver a wide variety of features to your home. Schedule a sunrise, shape and craft unique scenes, or even synchronize a strobe effect to your favorite music. These bulbs are energy efficient, lasting up to 20 years, and are 5x “greener” than conventional bulbs. Backed by billionaire Mark Cuban, the ilumini A21 will revolutionize your home and surely impress guests. Regularly priced at $90, AndroidGuys readers now receive 12% off. The world’s smartest light can now be yours for just $79, shipped.
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OnePlus announce JBL partnership and E1+ Earphones
Just after announcing an update that inludes support for high-resolution audio, OnePlus have announced a partnership with audio pioneers JBL and are launching the E1+ Earphones tailor-made for the young company’s flagship device. The headphones feature 9mm JBL drivers with PureBass technology and a flat, tangle-resistant cable. Also included is an in-line three-button remote which does everything you’d expect it to, but can also take photos.
Click here to view the embedded video.
OnePlus could do worse than JBL in terms of partnerships, and it will be interesting to see what other products the team produces in the future. The E1+ Earphones will be available later this month and will go for $39.99. Sound off in the comments section with your thoughts on the partnership.
Source: OnePlus
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Oppo N3′s camera shown off in teaser
As we roll ever closer to Oppo’s announcement of the N3 flagship, we’re seeing more and more teasers from the company. From specs to an updated cooling system, to a aerospace-grade alloy (and steel), the N3 is shaping up to be an interesting and powerful device. Despite Oppo showing us various camera designs, the whole thing remained a bit of a mystery. Those that remember the N1 know that the camera swiveled, giving people unprecedented selfie power long before selfie phones became a thing. Well Oppo has finally taken a bit of the mystery away after it leaked the above image on Weibo.
We’ll have to wait and see what the front of the handset looks like, but as we can from the back, the rear camera is engrained in a patch of faux leather, much like the entire back of the Note 3/4. From what we can tell in the picture, the camera may be able to swivel like that of the N1. It also appears that the N3 will have a dual-flash setup like the N1′s rotating 13MP Sony Exmor RS camera sensor.
We’re a little over two weeks away from the announcement in Singapore. Is this your next Android device?
source: Weibo
via: Android Authority
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AIVAnet 