No matter which way you look at, there’s likely a divorce coming between Apple and Google, onetime pals whose relations have soured the more Android gains a foothold in the smartphone and tablet markets. Thankfully for Apple fans, developers seem to have already chosen a side and continue to do their best (and first) work on the iOS platform. So saddle up to the bar and drink in some facts and figures on these great tech titans in our recap for this Thursday, June 7, 2012.
Well, that was fun while it lasted. Bloomberg is reporting that U.S. Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner has had enough of the bickering between Apple Inc. and Google’s Motorola Mobility division and decided to scrap the patent infringement trial slated to begin on Monday, June 11. “You have to prove injury,” Posner explained to attorneys. “I’m sorry that it seems to be petering out like this.” The judge effectively rejected arguments over damages from both sides, cutting short the lengthy pre-trial drama that has been making headlines for months. Neither company nor their attorneys were available for comment, but the report notes Judge Posner is “still considering whether to go forward with an Apple request for injunctive relief,” a decision he’s expected to make later today.
3D is all the rage these days, but while there are a number of software tools available for editing such content with the aging Final Cut Pro 7, nothing existed for Final Cut Pro X -- until now. This week, Noise Industries and Dashwood Cinema Solutions have announced the availability of Stereo3D Toolbox, the industry’s leading stereoscopic 3D grading and mastering plugin which now works directly inside Final Cut Pro X as well as Motion 5 and After Effects CS6. The update is free for existing users, and for a limited time, Noise Industries is offering a 33 percent discount when purchased through its FxFactory software ($999, discounted from $1499). A more basic LE version of the software is also available for prosumers priced at only $99.
Apple and Google continue to duke it out on numerous fronts, but according to the latest data from Flurry, developers have already taken sides -- and most of them remain squarely in Apple’s camp. A chart showing new project starts on both platforms reveals Apple holds a commanding lead over Google’s Android platform in the first quarter of this year, with 69 percent of developers choosing iOS first compared to 31 percent on Android. And those numbers haven’t changed all that much since the same quarter in 2011, where Apple held 63 percent to Google’s 37 percent -- a number that fell to 27 percent the following quarter, then 25 percent in Q3 2011 before rising slightly over the last six months. So what’s the draw? Money continues to be a big one, with Android developers taking home a mere 24 cents for every dollar earned on iOS.
Edovia has released version 2.1 of its gesture-based Screens VNC app for iOS, adding an observe mode for viewing a remote computer’s display without actually moving the cursor or sending keystrokes. The update also supports SSH keys that include passphrases, fixes password saving issues and improves support for international keyboards, not to mention the screens management toolbar on the iPad. To use the $19.99 app (free update for existing customers), you’ll also want to download Screens Connect 2.1 for Mac or Windows, which you’ll need installed on the computer(s) you wish to control. The update also restores the ability to customize public port settings for advanced users (Mac only).
Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is planning to add Baidu as the default search engine on iPhones sold in China when iOS 6 launches later this year. The deal is expected to be announced at next week’s WWDC 2012 keynote, where Apple is widely expected to preview its sixth-generation operating system for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. While Google and Bing slug it out here in the U.S., Baidu accounts for 78.5 percent of the search engine market in China. The move is expected to further diminish Apple’s reliance upon rival Google, whose Android platform continues to go toe-to-toe with iOS.
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