Evernote Offering Automatic Document Scanning With New ‘Scannable’ iOS App [iOS Blog]

Evernote today released a new iPhone and iPad app that adds scanning to its repertoire of available services. The new Evernote Scannable app debuted last year as a beta service and is now publicly available in the iOS App Store.

Similar to competing scanning apps, Evernote Scannable includes an automatic scanning feature that allows users to scan a document simply by launching the app. Upon launch, the app will locate the document in the camera’s field of view, initiate the scan and sharpen the contents to improve image quality.

Once scanned, the document can be uploaded to Evernote in a format that makes it searchable. Alternatively, scans can be uploaded to iCloud or shared via AirDrop, text messaging or email. If the scanned document is a business card, the Evernote service will automatically associate the scanned information with the contact’s LinkedIn account. The new Scannable app also will serve as a controller for the ScanSnap Evernote Edition Scanner.

Scannable moves paper forward. Scan contracts, receipts, business cards, and any paper that comes your way. Save or share documents instantly and move on.

Automatically capture high-quality scans anywhere
– Scan fast: Point your camera at documents, Post-it® Notes, or whiteboards. Scannable immediately captures them.
– Save time: Scannable automatically rotates, crops, and adjusts images so your scans are clear and easy to read.
– Share or save: Send documents to colleagues via email or text, or save them to Evernote and other apps.

The Evernote Scannable app is available for free from the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]

Upcoming Ultra-Thin 12-Inch MacBook Air Design Imagined in New Renderings

Following a set of artist renditions that gave fans a basic look at Apple’s long-rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Air earlier this week, well-known 3D modeler and designer Martin Hajek has created a set of realistic renderings of the unannounced notebook on his blog.

Hajek follows details found in previous reports of the machine, creating the model with an edge-to-edge keyboard relocating the on-board speakers to grilles above the keyboard. Though the display will be 12 inches diagonally, the new MacBook Air will keep roughly the same footprint as the current 11-inch model thanks to slightly narrower bezels surrounding the screen.

Apple’s further attempt to thin out the next generation of MacBooks continues in the Retina MacBook Air’s alleged lack of a USB and MagSafe ports, amongst other traditionally expected inputs. The new MacBook will reportedly have just two ports: a headphone jack and a USB Type-C Port, alongside a pair of microphones lining the sides of the device.

Hajek’s renderings also mirror rumors suggesting the Retina MacBook Air will come in multiple color options that include the same Space Gray, Gold, and Silver colors the company has used since the iPhone 5s. Apple has yet to comment on the rumors swirling around the device, though supply chain sources believed the 12-inch MacBook could enter production sometime in early 2015. The full suite of Hajek’s renderings can be found on his blog.

Apple Celebrates Successful Year with Record-Breaking App Store Sales, Strong Job Creation

App Store customers worldwide set a new record in the first week of 2015, Apple announced today. According to the company, customers spent nearly half a billion dollars on apps and in-app purchases in the first week of January, with New Year’s Day marking the biggest day ever for App Store sales.

As noted by Apple, this opening salvo for 2015 follows in the footsteps of a successful 2014 that saw billings rise 50 percent to generate over $10 billion in app revenue for developers, pushing total developer earnings since the App Store’s inception to over $25 billion. The steady climb of user acceptance for iOS 8, along with the strong success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and App Store specials like the (Product) RED Holiday Campaign, undoubtedly contributed to the company’s App Store success of the App Store over the past few months.

“This year is off to a tremendous start after a record-breaking year for the App Store and our developer community,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We’re so proud of the creativity and innovation developers bring to the apps they create for iOS users and that the developer community has now earned over $25 billion.”

The company points to innovations like the new programming language Swift, graphics technology Metal, beta-testing program TestFlight, and the introduction of HealthKit and HomeKit as major reasons behind the flourishing of App Store development in the past year. Outside of the U.S., the addition of UnionPay as a payment option for App Store customers in China was a significant move by the company in establishing an overseas presence in the country.

Apple Pay’s growing popularity in the U.S. has also been a factor in the App Store’s success, especially with its added integration in popular apps like those from Target, OpenTable, and Ticketmaster.

Apple isn’t just celebrating a successful monetary year, but a job-creating one as well. The company has created or supported 1,027,000 jobs in the U.S., 627,000 of which are directly related to the inception of the iOS ecosystem and the App Store. Apple directly employs 66,000 employees in the United States.

We’re proud to create 1M+ US jobs in all 50 states and ring in another record-breaking year for developers globally. http://t.co/kQeHQVCGou

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 8, 2015

Beyond the App Store ecosystem and Apple’s own employment, the company calculates it supports 337,000 jobs at other companies resulting from Apple’s own spending and growth through the years. And with Apple Campus 2 under construction, the company expects to continue employment growth, supporting 41,100 jobs in the area upon its completion.

CES 2015: Kensington Announces ‘KeyFolio Thin X3 Plus’ Battery Case for iPad Air 2 [iOS Blog]

Following on the heels of a recent announcement for its next-generation mobile security lock, security-focused accessory manufacturer Kensington also announced a new line of iPad cases for the iPad Air 2, called the KeyFolio Thin X3 Plus.

Building on Kensington’s similarly-titled products for the original iPad Air and iPad Air 2, the X3 Plus features a larger 4,500 mAh battery inside of its attached Bluetooth keyboard, alongside an integrated USB port that allows users to fully charge an iPhone up to three times or a 50 percent charge to an iPad. A free-to-download app lets users monitor how much battery the keyboard has left to charge their devices.

“Today’s iPad and iPhone users don’t want to risk running out of battery life. They want to know that they have the power they need to get the job done, regardless of where they are,” said Jim Murakami, Global Product Marketing Manager, Kensington. “With the new KeyFolio Thin X3 Plus, we’re taking power to the next level while also giving users the high-performance keyboard they want to be more productive. It’s the perfect mix of function, style and efficiency.”

The keyboard features six rows of scissor-switch mechanical keys, including a row of dedicated shortcut keys for improved productivity. The company promises secure protection as well, with “a sleek and form-fitting, hard-shell exterior” that’s also not bulky.

Kensington has not given a specific launch window for the KeyFolio Thin X3 Plus for iPad Air 2, but did confirm the new case will cost $119.99.

Manufacturing Mold for ‘iPad Pro’ Rear Shell or Dummy Unit Shown in New Photo

A user on China’s Weibo microblogging site today posted a new photo (via Letem svetem Applem) simply labeled “iPad Pro”. The photo shows what appears to be a mold for the rear shell of Apple’s rumored larger tablet with a display in the range of 12-13 inches, although it is unclear whether this mold is supposed to be for an actual iPad Pro shell or for a dummy unit such as the one that surfaced in a photo last May.

Few details can be discerned from the relatively poor quality photo, although it does appear to show faint details that could represent an Apple logo in the center and perhaps a rear camera feature in a corner. Exact size is also unknown, but it certainly appears larger than an iPad Air.

The relatively simple design of the mold suggests this may be an unofficial mold being used create dummy units for manufacturers. Such units frequently, but not always, turn out to be accurately based on information leaking out of Apple’s supply chain.

Timing on a release for the iPad Pro has been in question for some time, with The Wall Street Journal reporting last October that Apple had pushed back production on the device in order to allow its suppliers to focus on the popular iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Reports have indicated the device could still launch in the April-June timeframe, but there have yet to be any apparently legitimate part leaks for the device.

Philips Unveils Lightning-Based Fidelio NC1L Noise Canceling Headphones With No Need for Batteries

Philips today added to its lineup of Lightning-equipped headphones with the new Fidelio NC1L. Similar to its predecessor the Fidelio M2L, the NC1L headphones use a 24-bit digital to analog converter to provide high-quality audio playback.

As detailed by The Verge, the Fidelio NC1L headphones plug directly into the Lightning port, providing a direct digital connection to the phone and a power supply for the headphone’s onboard noise cancellation technology. The Lightning connector power allows Philips to provide a valuable feature like noise cancellation without requiring the additional bulk of a battery.

Digital Trends went hands-on with a prototype of the new headphones and found they offered solid performance.

As for the performance, our initial audition of the cans impressed, as they blocked out an immense amount of ambient noise even at low volume levels. The set we tried out is only a prototype, and the final version will undergo some interior and exterior design changes. But even at the early stages, we’re excited about this technology.

Designed for usage in a variety of environments, the Fidelio NC1L headphones also include multiple noise profiles suitable for making phone calls and for allowing ambient noise when awareness of your surroundings is necessary. The Fidelio NC1Ls should launch in North America in April for $299.

iPod Shuffle Shipping Times Worsen as Retail Stores Run Out of Stock

Supplies of Apple’s lowest priced iPod, the $49 iPod shuffle, are temporarily dwindling as shipping times on Apple’s website drop to 7 – 10 days and Apple Retail Stores run out of stock around the country, reports 9to5Mac.

According to multiple sources, supplies of the iPod Shuffle are dwindling across Apple’s physical retail and online channels. In fact, Apple has warned its retail employees that Shuffle supplies will be short for an unspecified period of time and that customers seeking to buy a Shuffle via a retail store should be directed to Apple’s online store.

The other two iPod lines, the nano and touch, aren’t seeing the same dwindling of supplies as they both display 24 hour shipping times and are available now in most of Apple’s retail stores. It’s unclear why the shuffle is seeing supply problems, but one possibility is that Apple is seeing a temporary shortage of iPod shuffle components, impacting the company’s ability to make new iPod shuffles.

New York City appears to be the city mostly suffering from the iPod shuffle shortage, while the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Chicago seem to have a sporadic number of stores without any stock.

Apple hasn’t updated the iPod shuffle since September 2013. In early 2014, CEO Tim Cook said that the iPod was a “declining business”. In September 2014, Apple discontinued the iPod Classic due to the difficulty in purchasing parts to manufacture it and a shrinking audience for the device.

Apple Seeds OS X Yosemite 10.10.2 Build 14C94b to Developers

Apple today seeded a fourth beta of OS X 10.10.2 Yosemite to developers, nearly four weeks after the previous beta release. The interval between seeds was slightly longer than usual for recent updates, presumably due to the holiday pause.

The new beta, build 14C94b, is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Dev Center.

Apple continues to ask developers to focus their testing on Wi-Fi, Mail, and VoiceOver. Wi-Fi in particular has been an issue for some OS X Yosemite users since the operating system’s October launch, and OS X 10.10.1 released in November failed to resolve all of those problems.

iOS 8 Now Installed on 68 Percent of Active iOS Devices

Since launching in September alongside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, iOS 8 has seen its adoption rate grow to 68 percent of compatible iOS devices, according to new numbers posted on the Apple Developer Support page.

With Apple updating data publicly every few weeks, this latest data point represents a four percentage point bump in adoption since the last update on December 23. The significant increase highlights Apple’s strong performance in device activation numbers over the holidays to add to the company’s iOS 8 user base.

Over the longer term, installation numbers are up 5 percentage points over the past month and up 12 percentage points in the past two months. iOS 7 usage has seen an understandable decline as its successor has gained ground, with the older operating system dropping from 33 percent in December to 29 percent in January. Earlier iOS versions represent just 4 percent of the current App Store user base.

Apple initially faced multiple issues following iOS 8’s launch, including what has progressed to a lawsuit over storage space needed to install the OS on smaller GB devices, but the adoption rate has steadily increased as users have decided to upgrade and purchases of devices with iOS 8 preinstalled have increased.

Apple has brought a number of bug fixes and addressed some more significant flaws with recent updates such as iOS 8.1, iOS 8.1.1, and iOS 8.1.2. The company is also continuing to work on iOS 8.2, seeding a third beta to developers in mid-December. In addition to bug fixes and other improvements, iOS 8.2 will include support for integrating with the upcoming Apple Watch.

August Launches ‘Connect’ Wi-Fi Bridge to Add Internet Connectivity to Popular Smart Lock [iOS Blog]

August, the company behind the popular August Smart Lock sold in Apple retail stores, today announced the upcoming launch of August Connect a new $50 bridge that will allow August Smart Lock to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

August Connect plugs into a power outlet inside the home of an August Smart Lock user and connects to their home wireless network and the Internet. This connection enables several new features such as the ability for a user to check the status of their lock remotely and operate it from the August mobile app for iOS or Android on their smartphone or tablet. This allows users to ‘buzz-in’ guests, and such service providers as contractors, dog-walkers, and others remotely while also receiving notifications around all lock activity.

Until now, August Smart Lock has supported only Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users to operate the lock from their iOS and Android devices only while in relatively close proximity to the lock. With the addition of August Connect, however, users will now be able to interact with the lock from anywhere they have a connection to the Internet.

In addition to August Connect, the company is also releasing a private API that will allow select third-party partners such as Nest, SmartThings, and Logitech Harmony to integrate with August to seamlessly automate integrated home entry and exit procedures.

August Connect is priced at $49.99 and is available for pre-order today with shipping beginning in mid-February. August Smart Lock is priced at $249.95.