Apple’s relationship with Samsung has deteriorated, and the Cupertino giant may be working with Sharp on the next generation displays for upcoming devices such as the iPad 3, iPhone 5 and a little something called iTV, claims Jefferies analyst Peter Misek.
Since all of these products are unofficial and unannounced, such predictions fall into the realm of speculation. However, Misek claims that the mythical iTV – a future “smart TV” product from Apple that has been the subject of many recent rumors – is a real thing, and Sharp is working on modified amorphous TFT LCD panels for the device.
Furthermore, he suggests that iTV might be ready for commercial production by February 2012, which could mean a possible release date in mid-2012. Earlier rumors suggested a late 2012-2013 release date.
We’ve looked closely at the possible iTV scenarios, and we aren’t sure that such a device will see the light of day next year – or even that it should see the light of day in the near future. To give its customers a full TV experience, Apple would have to come up with a remote that supports its other consumer electronics devices, and give up a part of the interface control to other parties, such as cable companies.
There’s always the possibility that Apple is working on something revolutionary – as revolutionary as the iPhone, perhaps – which would likely make other TV manufacturers cringe in pain. “Other TV manufacturers have begun a scrambling search to identify what iTV will be and do (…) Mainstream TV manufacturers are likely to be at least 6 to 12 months behind in a best-case scenario,” says Misek.
It’s possible, but it will likely take a lot more than a LCD panel from Sharp, however advanced and beautiful it may be, to make it happen.
Apple iTV Concept Design 1
 All rights reserved by Guilherme Schasiepen
Click here to view this gallery.
[via GigaOm, All Things Digital]
More About: apple, Apple iTV, Apple TV, itv, Sharp, trending



from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2011/11/23/apple-sharp-itv/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_med...
PolygamousRanchKid writes with an article in CNN Money about Netflix's prospects in 2012. From the article: "Netflix warned in its last earnings report that it expects to be unprofitable 'for a few quarters' starting at the beginning of 2012. The primary culprit is Netflix's pricey plan to expand its streaming video service into the United Kingdom and Ireland, but a wave of subscribers jumping ship hasn't helped. The filing also revealed that Netflix is in the process of raising $400 million from investors to help bulk up its cash stash. While that will give Netflix more money to invest in content, secondary offerings are sometimes considered ominous signs."

Read more of this story at Slashdot. 
from Slashdot http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/11/23/1430219/netflix-expects-to-be-unprofi...
iOS/Android: If you like recording audio messages for yourself to help you remember important details, or you just want to send your friends something more personal than a text message, Blip.me allows you to record short voice messages and send them to anyone in your contacts list instantly. Alternatively, just record notes for yourself as personal reminders. More »
  
from Lifehacker http://lifehacker.com/5862154/blipme-records-voice-notes-on-any-phone-for-eas...
Key Links: Chase Sapphire Preferred Chase Ink Bold
A great companion to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which offers:
- 50,000 bonus points after $3000 spend within 3 months
- No fee the first year
- Double points on restaurants and travel (airfare, hotel, taxi, tolls, car rental, etc.)
- Points transfers to United/Continental, British Airways, Korean, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club
- 7% annual bonus on all points earned
- Access to the Ultimate Rewards shopping portal, which is now cataloged at EV Reward for easy comparison to other shopping portals (and often beats them)
- No foreign currency transaction fees
.. is the Chase Ink Bold small business card.
- 50,000 bonus points after $5000 spend within 3 months
- No fee the first year
- Up to 47,500 bonus points for hitting spending thresholds: 7500 after $25,000; 15,000 more after $50,000; and 25,000 more after $100,000 in a year
- Free One-Year Priority Pass Membership which includes 2 free visits to participating lounges and $27 per visit thereafter
However, the 50,000 signup bonus offer for Chase Ink Bold is expected to go away on November 28. Now, there may well be similar offers in the future! There have been similar offers in the past. But in terms of immediate expectations, it sounds like the best offer when this one is pulled will be a 25,000 point signup bonus.
I’ve been pretty busy and haven’t pulled the trigger on this card, though I need to, I had personally been waiting 90 days from my last application until making this one although that isn’t technically required. And I didn’t want to apply with an IP address from out of the country while traveling, I thought that might trigger some alerts. But I plan to hit this one before it expires, because 50,000 points is a really good offer for a no fee card with tremendous flexibility, Ultimate Rewards benefits are the same as I’ve described with the Sapphire Preferred card.

from View from the Wing http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2011/11/22/last-chance-for-5000...

See those nice art prints on the wall in the image above? They were all taken using Instagram on an iPhone, and then printed on canvas by CanvasPop. The canvas prints are a wonderful personalized gift idea, and come ready for hanging on your wall.
The introductory pricing for the Instagram prints is pretty nice, too -- a 12" x 12" print sells for US$29.95, while the 20" x 20" is a big bargain at $59.95. If you have an Instagram photo or three that you're particularly proud of, then CanvasPop turns them into works of art that are the ultimate in personalized gift-giving.
I have one of their prints, which is an Instagram photo of the Blue Yeti microphone that I use for TUAW TV Live and the Daily Update. As you can see from the photos in the gallery, these prints are high quality, featuring a canvas wrap over a wood frame. There's a braided hanging wire on the back, and it works well for hanging the print over a few nails or a picture hook. Canvaspop even puts little clear silicone bumpers on the bottom back of the print to complete the professional touches.
By the way, if you don't use Instagram, the folks at CanvasPop can take any of your other digital photos -- iPhone or not -- and do the same nice treatment for your other images.
If your budget (or your display space) isn't right-sized for large prints, on the other hand, you can get a lovely micro-magnetic version of your Instagram photos via Stickygram. $14.99 gets you a pack of nine magnets for your fridge or other metal surface. The company is running a 'Print My Feed' contest this month, where one winner will get his or her entire Instagram feed made into magnets. Time to get a bigger refrigerator!
CanvasPop's Instagram prints: Art from your iPhone originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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from TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog http://www.tuaw.com/2011/11/22/canvaspops-instagram-prints-art-from-your-iphone/
We've already gotten a large eyeful of Comcast's next-gen Xcalibur guide that's on the way next year with social networking tie ins and apps, but until that arrives, what can we hope for on the existing Scientific Atlanta, Cisco, and Motorola cable boxes? Sr. Director of Video Product Development Ted Hodgins has the answer, dropping in a link to the company's new Barcelona guide that it is already delivering to Anyroom DVR customers in Florida now, and will roll out in more markets before the end of the year. Like the upgraded guides we've seen for FiOS and TiVo, this iteration is built for HDTVs, with 16x9 graphics and far more listings information than was previously available on one screen. Other new features include the option to filter listings down to HD, premium, kids, movies, or sports content, easy jumping between days and saved searches. When we first laid eyes on another version of the software nearly four years ago we were impressed by its slick looks, but while it's still a major upgrade over the current decade-old cable box interfaces, in 2011 it takes more than a simple facelift to impress us. Hit the gallery for a few screenshots or click the source link below to meet the new guide before it rolls out in your area and see if its enough to hold you over for the time being.
[Thanks, cypherstream] Comcast shows off its new 'Barcelona' HD guide upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Comcast | Email this | Comments
from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/comcast-shows-off-its-new-barcelona-hd-gui...
Mark Suster is an investor in new net-based TV startups and in this 10 minute talk he breaks down ten reasons why Internet TV is ready to disrupt the industry. His full list of points and explanations is available on his blog, and in a presentation format.
It's a great bunch of ideas that take note of the weird transition period we are currently in. When I was giving away my old TiVo, I had trouble finding any close friends with a HD cable package that could even use the device. Almost everyone I know is either cutting cable completely for internet video, or cutting way back on their cable plans to the absolute bare minimums. My friends tend to be technology canaries in the coal mine, but the writing is on the wall, and in the next few years we'll definitely see a mainstream switch to online video (and cancelations of cable TV plans).
from PVRblog http://www.pvrblog.com/2011/11/mark-suster-on-the-future-of-tv.html?utm_sourc...
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