Southwest Airlines Offering In-Flight iMessaging for $2 Per Day

Southwest Airlines is offering passengers the ability to send and receive iMessages from their iOS devices in-flight for $2 per day. In-flight Wi-Fi access for all applications is available for $8 per device per day.

It’s likely that the airline is opening up iMessage related ports to users who pay the $2, while users who pay more receive access to in-flight email, social networks and the like. The $8 per day service also includes access to 13 live television channels on laptops and iOS devices.

Beginning today, Southwest is enabling iMessage for $2 a day!

Any Apple user that has iOS 5 or later with the iMessage feature pre-loaded on their device can take advantage of this option. Now you can stay powered up and connected to friends and family like you never left the ground.

In-flight Wi-Fi is not yet available on all Southwest flights, but the airline has a Wi-Fi finder on its website so flyers can check if their aircraft will support the service.

Southwest Airlines flies within the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Apple TV Roundup: Apple’s Plans for Television

Following last week’s addition of an iPhone 6 roundup, MacRumors today is publishing a new Apple TV roundup covering not only Apple’s current set-top box and rumors for future enhancements, but also long-running rumors of a dedicated Apple television set.

While Apple has been busy increasing the amount of content available through the current Apple TV, there is still uncertainty about timing for new television-related hardware from the company. A dedicated Apple television set has been rumored for a number of years, with Steve Jobs having been quoted in his 2011 biography as saying “I finally cracked it” with regard to a television interface concept, but signs continue to suggest that release is not yet imminent.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on Kinect-like motion control for the Apple TV, and Apple’s acquisition of PrimeSense, the company behind the original Microsoft Kinect motion control technology, last month has continued to fuel that speculation. But whether that technology will make its way into the next Apple TV as part of a radical revamp or if the next-generation box will primarily be an iterative update based on improved internals remains to be seen.

Continue reading our full Apple TV roundup…

Apple TV adds Watch ABC, Crackle and Bloomberg apps

Not to be outshined by Google’s announcement that more apps were joining the Chromecast revolution, Apple TV today made its entertainment repertoire a bit richer. As 9to5Mac points out, Cupertino’s tiny box is now giving viewers access to applications including Bloomberg (which will be streaming news 24/7 as well as offer on-demand content), Watch ABC, Crackle and, for Korean speakers, KORTV. These new additions show that Apple is getting increasingly passionate about its hobby, as over the past months we’ve seen more and more apps and features become available. It’s worth mentioning that being able to enjoy these in full depends on the country you’re in and whether you have the proper cable subscription. So, power on your Apple TV and let us know in the comments how you’re liking the fresh content thus far.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Apple

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Via: 9to5Mac (1), (2)

Death of Underage Worker Sparks More Accusations of Labor Violations at Pegatron

Chinese labor rights group China Labor Watch (CLW) is calling for answers from primary Apple supplier Pegatron after the death of five young workers in recent months, highlighted by the passing of a fifteen year old factory worker due to pneumonia related causes in October, reports The New York Times. The laborer, Shi Zhaokun, was able to secure a job at a Pegatron factory producing the iPhone 5c by presenting a fake ID stating that he was 20, reportedly working a total of 280 hours in his only month at the company.

Apple’s supplier responsibility statement bars employees of supplier companies in China from working more than 60 hours a week; so does Chinese law. But Mr. Shi worked 79 hours in his first week, 77 in his second and 75 in his third, all apparently in violation of the law, according to documents provided by his family.

Pegatron said that the work logs the family kept are records of when the young man clocked in and out, and may not include breaks. The company said his hours did not exceed the legal limit.

A Pegatron spokeswoman said that the death of the worker was “not related to the workplace environment“, while Apple has not officially commented on the incident. In July, China Labor Group alleged numerous safety and workplace violations at Pegatron, including the unethical holding of worker pay and identification cards, as well as poor living conditions within the factory including tight living quarters and packed cafeterias. Apple replied to the allegations, confirming various labor violations and vowing to investigate the incident.

Recently, Hong Kong-based Apple supplier Biel Crystal was also accused of workers rights violations, with a nonprofit watchdog labor group stating that the company made employees work forced 11-hour shifts without adequate compensation for injuries sustained on the job.

Apple announced in July that it was forming an academic advisory board for its Supplier Responsibility program, saying that it wanted to ensure “safe and ethical working conditions wherever its products are made.” Apple has also published Supplier Responsibility Progress Reports every year since 2007, tracking the ethical progress of its suppliers in order to bring transparency to its product manufacturing process.

Apple Adds ABC, Bloomberg, Crackle, and KOR TV Channels to Apple TV

Apple today added yet another set of channels to its Apple TV set-top box, including a “Watch ABC” channel to allow subscribers to certain cable services to watch content from their local ABC affiliate through Apple TV. Other additions include financial channel Bloomberg, streaming movie and TV show channel Crackle, and Korean channel KOR TV.

Today’s launches are just a few of the many additions for Apple TV over the past few months, with the most recent previous addition having been Yahoo Screen and PBS last month.

Rovio’s ‘Angry Birds Go!’ Kart Racing Game Hits the App Store [iOS Blog]

Rovio has released Angry Birds Go! for iOS, bringing a 3D kart racing game based off of the popular Angry Birds franchise to mobile devices. The game includes many of the usual bird and pig characters from the Angry Birds series participating in downhill kart races with various tracks and power ups, and also includes the ability to perform kart upgrades. A variety of game modes are present as well, with Angry Birds Go! also bringing support for Hasbro’s interactive “Telepods” toys that debuted alongside Angry Birds Star Wars II.

Welcome to downhill racing on Piggy Island! Feel the rush as you fling those freewheeling birds and piggies down the track at breakneck speed – with plenty of twists and turns in a thrilling race to the finish line! But beware! Look out for hazardous roads, mischievous opponents riding your tail and special powers to put the race leader behind the pack. Plus, go from soapbox car to supercar by upgrading your ride! Ready…Set…Angry Birds Go!

FIRST-EVER 3D ANGRY BIRDS WORLD! See the birds and pigs from every angle as Piggy Island comes alive in this rich and colorful 3D world!

RACE AS THE BIRDS OR PIGS! Jump behind the wheel and race as Red, Chuck, Terence, Stella, King Pig, Moustache Pig and many other favorites!

MASTER THE TRACKS! Plenty of racetracks, stunt roads, air courses and off-road races – each throwing big and unexpected challenges your way!

AWESOME SPECIAL POWERS! Smash your opponents off the road and take that winning position thanks to unique special powers for each character!

The title was first teased back in June, with additional information about the game released this past August. Angry Birds Go! a free download for iOS devices, and also features in-app purchases. [Direct Link]

AT&T CEO: Carriers Can’t Afford Big Subsidies for Devices Any Longer

Wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon will not be able to continue the smartphone subsidy model that has driven widespread smartphone penetration to this point. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, speaking at an investor conference today, said the current model is not economically viable,…

Larger Stonestown Apple Retail Store Opening in San Francisco on Saturday [Mac Blog]

Apple is vastly increasing the size of its Stonestown Galleria Apple Retail Store in San Francisco, going from one of the narrowest locations in the chain at 25 feet wide — a total of 3,160 square feet including back of house space — to a much larger…

Consumer Group Calls for Recall on iPad-Equipped Newborn ‘Apptivity’ Seat [iOS Blog]

A consumer group is campaigning for a recall on an infant bouncy chair that comes equipped with an iPad stand, reports AllThingsD. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) is calling on parents and supporters to sign a petition directed at Fisher-Price Vice President David Allmark…

Twitter for iOS Updated With New Design, Pictures in DMs, Search Improvements [iOS Blog]

Twitter for iOS was today updated to version 6.0, adding a refreshed design that incorporates a revamped navigation bar with new icons for easier access to DMs. The Discover feed, previously accessible from the navigation bar, can now be accessed along…