(AnandTech)
Apple may now be using speedier solid-state storage chips, possibly manufactured by Samsung, in some MacBook Airs. According to AnandTech, the newer chips boast both faster read and write times than the Toshiba models used to date. But if you're in the market for a MacBook Air, there's no way to tell which units have which chips, making this the most annoying flash change since Wally West replaced Barry Allen.
(Toys 'R' Us)
If you don't ever want to grow up--because if you , you wouldn't be a Toys 'R' Us kid--well, then, here's some good news. As , the iPad 2 is now on sale at the retail chain's locations throughout the U.S. Sorry, parents, so much for trying to convince your kids "the iPad isn't a toy!"
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Despite adding more places where you can buy an iPad, it appears that Apple is still having a tough time meeting demand for the tablet. writer Nick Bilton writes that folks are still camping out at the Soho Apple Store in New York City in order to snap up an iPad 2 when new shipments come in. And then they turn around and sell them at an outrageous profit in China. Really, it's really only a matter of time before there are more iPad 2s in China than in the U.S.
(TechCrunch)
Upstart payment processor Square has scored quite the coup: Apple will reportedly begin carrying the company's iPhone- and iPad-compatible credit-card reader in both its online and brick-and-mortar stores. The reader, which is , will supposedly cost about $10 at the Apple Store, but will also come with $10 worth of Square credit. We expect this to be a huge win for Square, right up until Apple unveils its own personal payment system, Rectangle.
(YouTube)
Not Steve Jobs, mind you, but jobs. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) said in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives that the iPad "is now probably responsible for eliminating thousands of American jobs," since it's made in China. You know, maybe he's right. Let's stop using all that high tech manufactured in China! That'll show 'em! By which I mean "show 'em how much further our children's math and science test scores can fall."
- The 1.2.2 update for the plays-everything QuickTime codec for Mac has added support for the WebM/VP8 video format, compressed MKV tracks, and FFv1 lossless video. It also now incorporates an internal decoder for Theora and fixes several bugs. Free.
- The cloud-storage service has updated its iOS app, now allowing you to upload multiple photos and videos in bulk, as well as import files from Mail and other apps. Free.
- The latest update to Good.iWare's reader application for iPad adds support for iOS's ability to encrypt individual files, the ability to flatten PDF annotations so other apps can display them, AirPlay video support, and a handful of bug fixes. $5.