Kelly Hodgkins

Earlier this year, Apple was rumored to be in negotiations with chipmaker Renesas Electronics to acquire its Renesas SP Drivers division, which produces chips for smartphone displays including the iPhone. Talks between the companies reportedly "failed to make progress," with touchpad and touchscreen maker Synaptics entering the picture as the likely acquirer. As noted by Reuters, that deal is now ...

Nearly six months post launch, base configurations of the new Mac Pro are now available to ship within 24 hours from Apple's online store for its North American and Asia Pacific regions. Base models in other countries are still listed at 3-5 business days, but those should also move to 24 hours soon. Custom-configured models are listed as available to ship in 1 -2 weeks in most countries. In ...

Amazon has updated its Kindle app for iOS to version 4.3, adding the ability to listen to the Audible version of Kindle books that you own. According to Amazon, there are over 45,000 Kindle/Audible titles eligible for this new in-app listening feature. The new Audible feature ties into Amazon's Whispersync technology, which automatically syncs progress between the Kindle and Audible versions ...

Apple's quarterly iPhone sales may beat Wall Street estimates, based on new data from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. According to the firm's AlphaWise Smartphone Tracker, Apple could sell as many as 39 million iPhones in the second calendar quarter of the year, beating Wall Street's predicted 35 million and topping the 31.2 million sold in the same quarter last year. Huberty believes...

Building on the success of its wireless Stratus controller, SteelSeries today introduced the Stratus XL, a full-sized gaming controller for the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Similar to its pocket-sized counterpart, the Stratus XL connects to your iOS device wirelessly through Bluetooth instead of the Lightning port. The Stratus XL features a larger, console controller-inspired design that...

Apple continues to explore the various ways solar cell technology can be used to enhance the operation of electronic devices with a new patent application no. 20140152632 published on Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. The document describes a method of using solar cells as ambient light sensors for an iPad, iPhone, or other display-equipped device, reports Patently Apple. The...

Keyboard developer Fleksy today announced that the company has its iOS keyboard alternative running on iOS 8. Apple revealed earlier this week during its WWDC 2014 keynote that iOS 8 will support the system wide implementation of these third-party keyboards. An alternative to a traditional keyboard, Fleksy boasts improved typing speeds through the use of automated word suggestions and a...

At Computex in Taiwan this week, Intel demonstrated a variety of wireless accessories that will be enabled by the company's future Skylake processor platform, reports CNET. Reference designs for the Broadwell successor will include the possibility of eliminating all of the cables that currently connect to a personal computer, replacing both data and power cables with wireless options. Wireless ...

While rumors have pointed to a late 2014 or early 2015 launch of Apple's rumored 5.5-inch iPhone 6 model, several months later than a 4.7-inch model, Cantor Fiztgerald analyst Brian White points out in a new research note that companies are already beginning to ramp up their production of accessories for the larger device. Based on this observation, White believes the larger-sized iPhone 6 model...

Last week, Apple confirmed its plans to acquire Beats Electronics and Beats Music in a $3 billion deal that would bring a successful headphone business and a fledgling streaming music service under Apple's umbrella. While many have pointed to Jimmy Iovine as the acquisition target, Apple may also be using the deal to boost its "coolness" factor among younger users, as suggested in a survey by...

Intel today showed off a new reference PC design built around the company's upcoming Broadwell Core M processor. The Core M is based on a 14 nm process and will the first Broadwell chip to be made available to manufacturers, who are expected to debut the chip in retail products by the end of this year. With Intel experiencing difficulties and delays with the development of Broadwell, the...

Walter Isaacson, known to the Apple community for his authorized Steve Jobs biography, believes the Apple co-founder would have approved of Apple's acquisition of Beats. Isaacson shared his thoughts on the Beats deal during a CNBC interview earlier today (via Fortune). Isaacson points to the close relationship between Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, both of...

iPhone rumors this year have included a steady stream of mockups, case designs and alleged schematics for the iPhone 6 emerging from China and other Asian countries. Sonny Dickson, well-known source of Apple hardware rumors, claims this wellspring of leaked information may be drying up due to increased security efforts by Apple and Chinese authorities. iPhone 6 mockup (left) obtained by ...

Apple today removed the link to the iPod classic from the sidebar of its U.S. and Canadian refurbished stores, perhaps offering an indication that the ancient hard drive-based MP3 player is finally on its last legs. Though the link is gone, the actual page for the refurbished iPod classic remains on Apple's website. The sidebar link is still present in Apple's international refurbished stores...

Following the announcement that Apple was acquiring Beats Electronics, the audio accessory company is not slowing down, announcing a new version of its most popular set of on-ear headphones. The new Beats Solo² offers a new physical design and improved acoustics that promise to deliver "a wider range of sound and enhanced clarity." An early review from Engadget suggests the new cans tone...

Apple reportedly is close to inking a deal with Beats Electronics for $3 billion, an acquisition that Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty believes is important if Apple wants to further monetize its 800 million iTunes user base and boost revenue in its increasingly important online services division. Apple's online services segment, which includes iTunes, is often overlooked because it...

Based on Taiwanese supply chain sources, analyst Brian Blair of Rosenblatt Securities believes Apple's iWatch will feature a round face, similar to a traditional watch (via Business Insider). The iWatch design will resemble Motorola's Moto 360 smart watch, with the Apple version shipping with a slimmer profile. Traditional watch-style iWatch concept based on TRIWA's Havana Nevil Brown watch, ...

Ahead of WWDC 2014, shipping estimates for Apple's iMac models have slipped to 3 to 5 business days, fueling speculation of a possible announcement of new iMac hardware next week. As noted by AppleInsider, dwindling inventory is also evident at authorized Apple resellers, with some retailers selling the latest iMac models with steep discounts.As we have seen with Apple may be clearing out...

According to a new report from Digitimes, Foxconn will again be the primary manufacturer for the iPhone 6, supplying 70 percent of the expected shipments of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model in 2015. Shipments could begin as soon as July for the 4.7-inch model, with the 5.5-inch following shortly afterwards.The 4- and 4.7-inch iPhones will be the main sales force of Apple for 2014. Foxconn's plants in...

Apple kicked off a new promotion in time for Father's Day that offers free shipping on all online purchases placed through May 29. This limited time offer waives the $50 minimum purchase Apple usually requires for free shipping. Besides the Father's Day branding and shipping promotion, Apple also updated its website with a gift guide that showcases the top gifts this year for Dads. Items...