Normally, we’d be celebrating the next to the last day of February about this time, but 2012 is one of those pesky leap years, which means you’ll have a full 24 hours more of this month than normal. That could be a good or a bad thing depending on how the rest of the month has gone for you, but in this case it’s just an extra day on the calendar keeping us from a new iPad. And with that, let’s take a look at what’s making news for this Monday, February 27, 2012.
Ever wondered what life was like through the eyes of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs? Thanks to a new project called “Celebration of Steve,” now you can get some idea. Spearheaded by Mehmet Gozetlik, the online international exhibition project launched last Friday, February 24, in celebration of what would have been Jobs’ 57th birthday. The website is only one part of the bigger project, with plans to include an online exhibition, a book and even an iPad app. The project uses Jotun black and white high-gloss paints to imagine 100 everyday products seen through the eyes of Steve Jobs. While the project has a handful of members including photographer Emre Basak and web programmer Kadir Yardımcı, the group is actively seeking “both a curator with a thorough knowledge of design exhibition and a sponsor for the remainder of the project.” If you’re interested in the not-for-profit “Celebration of Steve” project, head to the website for more information.
MacRumors is reporting that Best Buy is now offering $50 discounts on the entire iPad 2 lineup, making the base model 16GB Wi-Fi only model a mere $449.99 (plus applicable sales tax). With rumors that an Apple event is coming next Wednesday, March 7, the move appears to be aimed at unloading existing inventory for a new model. And it may not just be a fire sale: Engadget is reporting that Best Buy’s internal inventory system now shows a “deleted” status for the iPad 2. If that doesn’t instill some confidence that a new model is on the way, we don’t know what does.
The Washington Post today announced a new iPad-only app called WP Politics, perfectly timed for the 2012 Presidential elections. “Ideal for both the general voter and the political junkie, the WP Politics App delivers an engaging news experience that showcases The Post’s definitive, award-winning political coverage in a rich iPad experience offering photos, graphics, animation and video,” the press release notes. While the 20.4MB app is free, premium content will be charged as a $2.99 per month in-app fee for those who choose to subscribe. “With our new iPad application, we're bringing our expertise, depth, analysis and original reporting to a platform that will enable us to engage our readers in whole new dimensions,” explains Marcus Brauchli, Executive Editor, The Washington Post. “With extraordinary new tools and features built around data, some of it going back two centuries, users of the WP Politics App can stay informed on the issues, candidates and dynamics of the 2012 election in an entirely new way and get beyond rhetoric and beyond spin.” WP Politics is now available for download from the App Store, compatible with all iPads running iOS 4.3 or later.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that AT&T’s wireless division is working on a service “that would let content providers and developers of mobile applications pay the wireless carrier for the mobile data its customers use.” The new plan, mentioned briefly today during an interview with network and technology boss John Donovan at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, is being compared to how toll-free calling works. "A feature that we're hoping to have out sometime next year is the equivalent of 800 numbers that would say, if you take this app, this app will come without any network usage," Donovan explained. The idea is to create new revenue streams for the carrier, while offloading some of the customer expenses for data-hungry apps -- though developers will surely want further details before being on the hook for all those downloads.
If you’re an Apple Mac developer, check your inbox! According to 9to5Mac, Cupertino has started notifying app creators about Developer ID, the new program designed to sign non-Mac App Store applications using the Gatekeeper feature in OS X Mountain Lion. “The Mac App Store is the safest place for users to get software for their Mac, but we also want to protect users when they download applications from other places,” the email explains. “Developer ID is a new way to help prevent users from installing malware on their Mac. Along with Gatekeeper, a new feature in Mountain Lion, signing applications with your Developer ID certificate provides users with the confidence that your application is not known malware and has not been tampered with.” While OS X Mountain Lion won’t be ready to roar until later this summer, Apple is encouraging developers to grab their Developer ID today using Xcode 4.3 or the Developer Certificate Utility.
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(Image courtesy of 9to5Mac)
