The unique privilege of jumpsuiting up and prowling the Foxconn factory floor may be reserved for the likes of Tim Cook and Nightline's Bill Weir, but thanks to American Public Media's Marketplace, we can all take a peek at the iPad production line. The above video is part of Rob Schmitz' ongoing look at Foxconn's factory conditions. Schmitz is partially responsible for debunking Mike Daisey's "theatrical" deception, and now hopes to educate readers on the reality of Foxconn's Longhua facility.

"When I gave examples of some of the American media coverage of the working conditions at Foxconn, many workers laughed, telling me it's not really that bad" Schmitz writes. "But that doesn't mean the workers don't have complaints." Through a series of interviews, Schmitz unveils how workers feel about their supervisors, jobs, pay, family back home and their dreams for the future. So, how's that iPad made? Check out the source link below, and find out.

Marketplace takes a look at how the iPad is made and who, exactly, builds it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple patent documentation made public this week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office indicates that the Cupertino-based company is exploring different ways to utilize the forward-facing camera on its devices. The patent, which was uncovered by AppleInsider, describes a system that could scan and detect a user’s face to unlock a device. If the user cannot be identified by the system, he or she would by asked to enter a security code, much like Google’s face unlock technology. Apple isn’t looking to use face detection to simply unlock a user’s device, however. After a user’s face is recognized, the software could be used to set pre-determined settings and launch various applications. “If the detected human face is recognized… an operation of the (device) can be modified based upon the recognized human face,” the patent application reads. “The modification can include executing a pre-defined set of operations such as opening email, opening text messages, and so forth.”

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It's annual satisfaction survey time for Consumer Reports, and the magazine has a few results to share in anticipation of next month's issue. It appears that regional provider Consumer Cellular topped the charts -- the survey rated scores from 66,000 online subscribers -- though Verizon was ranked the highest out of the four major players for the second year in a row, followed closely by Sprint and T-Mobile. According to the survey, the latter company was still "significantly better" than last-place AT&T. The full results will be published in the January 2012 issue. Your own personal experience with each provider may vary depending on your locale, of course, but 66,000 people have certainly made their voice heard.

Consumer Reports: Verizon has highest satisfaction rate among major US carriers, AT&T is lowest originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 02:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple is planning to sneak in a modest refresh of its high-end MacBook Pro line later this month according to a new rumor. AppleInsider cites multiple anonymous sources in claiming that Apple’s MacBook Pro line will receive a light bump in late September that delivers marginal speed improvements to the laptops’ Intel Core i-series processors and little else. Intel’s just-announced 2.4GHz, 2.5GHz and 2.7GHz quad-core Core i7 processors are expected to replace the current 2.0GHz, 2.2GHz and 2.3GHz chipsets found in Apple’s current 15 and 17-inch MacBook Pro models, the report says. Apple may also update the current 2.7GHz CPU in the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Intel’s new dual-core 2.8GHz Core i7 chip. If the late-2011 MacBook Pro refresh does occur later this month, AppleInsider says it will take place after September 20th when Apple’s back-to-school promotion is set to end.

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Backlit keyboards are a nice touch, which is why it was frustrating to see them yanked off newer MacBook Air models. But the impending newest of the new will bring back the light, says AppleInsider's anonymous source. [AppleInsider] More »

Apple's knack for filing patent applications has struck again, offering a pair of digital pens that could become a competitive one-up for HTC's Scribe pen. Both filed apps revealed by the USPTO involve styli for iOS displays, but if you're imagining a magical item that helps (or hinders) your typing, this is another ball of wax. The first stylus is appropriately called "stylus for touch sensitive devices" and includes a rechargeable battery that could be stored and charged by placing it in a dock embedded directly in the device. Curiously, the stylus is heated for "more consistent interaction between the capacitive-sensors in the computing device and the stylus," which sounds mighty nice on a cold day. By allowing the user to easily write real notes and draw pictures, this patent turns out to be much more than just a different method of inputting text.

Next up is the "communicating stylus," a digital pen equipped with accelerometers and wireless transmitters that send position data. This would enable it to be used for an iOS device without any physical contact or other accessories. In theory, you could take the stylus (shown after the break) across the room and still jot down notes or doodle on your iPad, even if it's out of sight. Finally, "the greatest pointing device in the world" -- our fingers -- will get a chance to rest.

Continue reading Apple patent apps describe 'smart' pens for notetaking and long-distance doodling

Apple patent apps describe 'smart' pens for notetaking and long-distance doodling originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple fans love to bash Microsoft, but they might have to hedge a bit if these latest iCloud rumors turn out to be true. AppleInsider is reporting to have confirmation that iCloud is powered by Microsoft's Azure. More »

Apple could begin manufacturing the next generation MacBook Air laptops in May, AppleInsider is reporting. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with Concord Securities, said recent supplier checks have suggested that Apple will soon upgrade its MacBook Air family to include improved Intel graphics, Intel’s Sandy Bridge CPUs, and the new Thunderbolt I/O tech that made its debut in Apple’s recently refreshed MacBook Pro line. Apple will begin “mass production in late May,” Kuo said, adding that Apple could announce the next computers as soon as June. Apple last refreshed its MacBook Air notebook family on October 20th, 2010.

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There's usually as much fun to be had before an Apple product launch as there is after, and this upcoming iPad 2 device is no exception. The latest scuttlebutt it has succumbed to comes courtesy of some cases that have cropped up in China -- AppleInsider and MIC Gadget have independently found iPad 2 shells that feature nearly identical cutouts -- with the resulting allegations pointing toward a rear-facing camera, an SD card slot, and perhaps even a Mini DisplayPort receptacle. Our own sources have confirmed the former two, but the latter, a miniaturized video output already featured in MacBooks, is a new development and less of a certainty. Then again, looking at the size of the hole leaves few alternative options (and a USB slot is extremely unlikely), so we're willing to believe that a Mini DisplayPort will be an inclusion Apple makes for the sake of offering choice -- even if it prefers you to send your video streams over an untethered AirPlay connection.

Continue reading iPad 2 cases surface, rekindle SD card slot fire and add a pinch of mystery with topside cutout

iPad 2 cases surface, rekindle SD card slot fire and add a pinch of mystery with topside cutout originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's be honest, Apple's claim that it neglected to preload Flash on the new MacBook Airs so that users themselves could download and install the latest (and safest) version was a bit of a red herring. Behind that thin veil of corporate courtesy, we're now seeing a pretty potent cause for Apple's dumping of Adobe's wares. Ars Technica's review of the 11-inch Air discovered that the machine could crank its way through six hours of web browsing when Flash was nowhere near it, but only four hours with Flash installed and giving it "the full web experience." The primary culprit was Adobe's penchant for using CPU cycles to display animated ads, which were typically replaced by static imagery in the absence of the requisite software. So yeah, it's not a surprise that a "richer" web would require more resources, but it doesn't speak well for Flash's efficiency to find a laptop loses a third of its longevity when running it.

MacBook Air battery shown to last two hours longer when browsing the web sans Flash originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, we've just been discussing the rumored, and long overdue, MacBook Air refresh with a trusted source. This person recently had a working model in their possession for a few minutes and managed to glean quite a bit of detail that would seemingly confirm Apple's plan to announce an 11-inch MacBook Air at the "Back to the Mac" event later today. Here's what we've been told to expect:

• Smaller 11.6-inch display.
• 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (with a 2.33GHz option possible).
• 2GB of memory in the base configuration.
• No optical drive, naturally.
• Mini DisplayPort, USB, and SD card reader along the left-hand side and USB and power on the right (that's 2x USB).
• The trackpad has been updated to match that of the new MacBook Pros.
• Although smaller due to the 11.6-inch display, it's still about the same thickness as the current MacBook Air.
• A black power key now sits immediately to the right of a smaller eject key on the MBA's keyboard -- the round aluminum power button is gone. A design decision that might support the MBA's rumored instant-on capabilities though our source didn't see this functionality exhibited (possibly because it was running OS X 10.6.4).

Unfortunately, our source couldn't identify the graphics or the storage related to the rumored "SSD Card." So where does that leave us? Well, it looks like a smaller (and presumably, cheaper) MacBook Air originally rumored by AppleInsider is in the bag for a Steve Jobs announcement later today as is a refresh to the 13.3-inch model we broke last week (pictured nekkid above). So check back in a few hours and watch the reveal live, won't you?

[Thanks, Anonymous]

11.6-inch MacBook Air detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A HDMI port has been rumored to be replacing the DVI port on the Mac Mini for some time now, but AppleInsider is reporting they've heard from four different sources claiming recent shortages are getting closer to a release date. More »

MacMini - Apple - AppleInsider - Macintosh - HDMI

According to information gathered by AppleInsider, not only will new MacBook Pros hitting later today each come with new processors and a 4GB RAM minimum—the models will also include three (rather than two) types of screens: More »

Allegedly found on Intel's Spanish Retail Edge Program site, this giveaway teases retailers winning two Core i5 MacBook Pros—which haven't been announced yet. It's either a marketing mistake or the most predictable leaked news ever. UPDATE

UPDATE: The same promotion went out in the UK with a completely different graphics package. Such certainly points to a wider Intel promotion mistake (leak) than a single isolated incident.
[faq-mac via AppleInsider]

Shocking news, people: Apple might hold WWDC in at Moscone West in June, as it has for the past several years. That's at least the word according to AppleInsider, which just noticed that Moscone West is mysteriously booked from June 28 to July 2 by "Corporate Event," which has signified upcoming Apple events in the past. If you'll recall, the original iPhone was released in June of 2007, followed by the iPhone 3G at WWDC 2008 and the iPhone 3GS at WWDC 2009, so the smart money is on another refresh this year -- and you can't have whispers of an iPhone refresh without rumors about it coming to Verizon, so there's tons of chatter in the air. We're staying out of that for now, since we haven't heard anything new or particularly interesting, but we'd like to point out that we're also due an iPhone SDK event in March on Apple's campus if Steve holds to pattern -- anyone care speculate on what iPhone OS 4.0 might bring to the table?

Apple already locking down dates for iPhone announcement at WWDC 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a very special episode of Remainders, we've got: A Verizon-iPhone quote from somebody who would actually know something (Verizon exec!), the anti-COFEE tool DECAF revealed as a hoax, Xperia X10 at the FCC, and (no lie) Three Walrus Moon.

Verizon iPhone Rumor From a Non-Analyst (Whaa?)

Analysts can blah blah blah about the Verizon iPhone all they want, but we ain't buying it until we see some hard proof. Now, Verizon's CTO made a statement that looks as if it's that proof we've been wanting:

"We have put things in place already," Melone reportedly said. "We are prepared to support that traffic."

Ah. Well, it's not exactly a confirmation that Verizon's getting the iPhone. It actually seems like another dig at AT&T's network problems—he's just saying that if a huge blockbuster handset like the iPhone were to come in 2010, Verizon's network could handle that kind of traffic. So, Remaindersed. [AppleInsider]

COFEE-Beating DECAF Software Revealed as Hoax

DECAF, which supposedly disabled Microsoft's COFEE forensics tool, has been revealed as an elaborate hoax by its creators. Looks like it was created to draw attention to the fact that COFEE is actually not as effective a tool as they'd like—in fact, the hoaxers view COFEE as vastly inferior to properly trained forensics experts. So, we, like everybody else, got duped. Seems to us that software that actually could defeat COFEE would be make a stronger statement than a hoax, but we'll never know now. [Seattle P-I]

Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 Android Phone Hits FCC

This one's simple: FCC posts are boring. They rarely give us new information, and the FCC photographers are notoriously artless. But the Xperia X10 is an exciting gadget, with its flashy Android skin, and it looks like we've got confirmation that the X10 should hit either T-Mobile or be sold unlocked, due to the support of the EDGE 850/1900 spectrum. More details as we hear more about the phone's eventual release. [Engadget]

Jesus Diaz Has Odd(ly Hilarious) Taste in T-Shirts

Three Wolf Moon is cliche. But our own Jesus Diaz has moved beyond the internet sensation to its logical sequel: Three Walrus Moon. Really, this t-shirt was just delivered to our HQ today, addressed to Jesus, and he's been elusive about offering official comment. All we can say is: Watch out, ladies.

As part of a legal maneuver worthy of Monster Cable, Apple has set its lawyers on Australia's largest supermarket chain because their new logo is (they say) a tad too similar to their own.

Exhibit A, Woolworths newly redesigned logo, is on the left. Apple's iconic apple logo is on the right. Not that similar at all, but the real issue, at least with Apple, is probably that Woolworths might expand its retail business into electronics and somehow threaten that lucrative iPod business.

"While we can't rule [computers, musical players, or other devices] out, we haven't got any plans at the moment," said a Woolworths spokesman in a statement to AppleInsider.

To Apple's credit, they've moved up from suing school systems to supermarket megachains. Bigger fish, and all that. [AppleInsider]