Apple Trademarks The Design Of Its Retail Stores

In the aggressive copycat battlefield that is the tech industry, Apple has went to the extreme of protecting the image of its consumer-crowded retail establishments by filing for a couple of trademarks for the unique and minimalist design of its brick and mortar retail stores that feature a glass storefront surrounded by a metal paneled facade, and a clean interior layout. The description of Apple's retail store trademarks is detailed below:

A clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and, within the store, an oblong table with stools...set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall.

The trademarks were filed in 2010, and were granted this month on January 22 by the USPTO. It's no secrete that Apple's success with showcasing its products in brightly lit, convenient interior stores attracted the attention of other big time tech companies. Microsoft and Samsung were both known to have copied much of Apple's retail store design theme and minimalist environment layout of product placements in recent years.

In 2003, Apple was granted a design patent for the German-engineered floating glass staircases many of its retail stores feature.

Apple Announces 128GB iPad 4 With Retina Display

Just like that, Apple has released a 128GB version of its 4th-generation iPad with Retina Display that'll cost you $799 for the WiFi only model, and $929 for the cellular model. The 9.7-inch 128GB iPad models will become available on February 5. The news comes shortly after Microsoft announced its 64GB and 128GB Surface Windows 8 Pro tablet, and we bet it's no coincidence.

Report: Kindle Fire Holds 33% Of Global Android Tablet Marketshare

A study released today by Localytics, a mobile apps analytics firm, revealed that Amazon has continued to be a force to reckon with in the tech sector. Their latest statistics show that Amazon controls roughly 33% of all Android tablets used in the world with their Kindle Fire line of tablets. Think about that. Amazon controls nearly 1/3 of ALL Android tablets sold in the world and 89% of that exists in the US. This percentage is likely to change in the near future as Amazon’s VP announced at their Kindle Paperwhite event in Canada, that they are working to launch the Kindle Fire family of products worldwide. It's never too late to start working on an app for the Amazon App Store, and this news should excite developers worldwide.

iOS 6.1 Update Released, Additional LTE Global Carrier Support

Apple has released iOS 6.1 today for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices. The update brings improvements and bug fixes as usual including LTE support for more global carriers. 

• LTE support for more carriers (complete list of supported carriers at www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/)
• Purchase movie tickets through Fandango with Siri (USA only)
• iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud
• New button to reset the Advertising Identifier
• New LTE carriers supported in the update include: 
  
  - USA: Alaska Communications, Alaska GCI, Bluegrass Cellular, C Spire, Cellcom, Pioneer Cellular 
  - Canada: MTS, Sasktel 
  - Puerto Rico: Claro, Open Mobile 
  - Croatia: T-Mobile, VIPNet 
  - Denmark: 3, Telenor, Telia 
  - Finland: DNA, Elisa, Sonera 
  - Greece: Cosmote 
  - Hungary: T-Mobile 
  - Italy: 3, TIM, Vodafone 
  - Kuwait: Zain 
  - Luxembourg: Tango 
  - Philippines: Globe, SMART 
  - Portugal: Optimus, TMN, Vodafone 
  - Saudi Arabia: Mobily, Zain 
  - South Africa: Vodacom 
  - Switzerland: Swisscom 
  - UAE: DU, Etisalat

Magpul iPhone 5 Field Case Brings Tactical Magazine Styling To Everyone

Magpul's highly anticipated Field Case for the iPhone 5 got the green light. The tactical case is inspired by Magpul's famous PMAG rifle magazines in that it features the same rib styling which is designed to provide additional grip. Magpul's Field Case for the iPhone 5 is made from a semi-rigid, durable thermoplastic (TPU) material and features a slim protective profile. The iPhone 5 Field Case is known for its bang for your buck bargain pricing of just $13. It'll be available in the coming weeks.

In additional, Magpul will also introduce a more expensive yet similar in style iPhone 5 case called the Bump Case. A $30 case that'll offer more protection than the Field Case with its dual-layer and co-molded construction. It combines a hard protective outer shell with a shock-absorbing interior. Both cases are designed and manufactured in the USA.

First Clip Of ‘jOBS’ Showing Ashton Kutcher Playing The Role Of Steve Jobs

t’s been well known in the tech world and entertainment industry alike that Ashton Kutcher had been filming for the movie, ‘jOBS,’ for quite some time now. Today, Entertainment Weekly unveiled the first clip of the highly anticipated movie that will be premiering this Friday at the Sundance Film Festival. The part of Steve is probably the most talked about role in the movie but without Steve Wozniak (played by Josh Gad), Apple would have never come about. Take a peek below of the exclusive first clip of 'jObs.'

In the clip, we can see Jobs trying to convince Wozniak that together they could create and sell an amazing device, now known as the Macintosh, to the world. Gad noted in the interview with EW that he had to read iWoz, Walter Isaacson’s book, Steve Jobs, and watch hundreds of hours of footage in preparation for the role. The film hits theaters April 19.