iPod

Apple has applied for a patent on wireless listening.

Dubbed "Detachable Wireless Listening Device," the patent application, which popped up on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office site today, describes methods by which users of portable media players would be able to listen to tracks through earbuds connected to or disconnected from the device. In the event the earbuds were disconnected from the device, users would still be able to listen by way of a wireless data transmission, such as Bluetooth.… Read more

Biosecurity firm Microlatch is rumored to be in talks with Apple to introduce fingerprint technology on future products to secure mobile payment via near field communication (NFC).

The news was first reported by The Australian.

David Murray, former head of the Commonwealth Bank and lead investor of the Australian firm, told the publication Microlatch owns patented technology that meets rigorous banking security standards. According to Murray, the technology does not need central processing or storage, describing the biometric technology as "self-registering."

"There have been acquisitions that suggest that people are positioning themselves around these biosecurity products securing … Read more

When the "Father of the iPod" Tony Fadell unveiled Nest, the "learning thermostat" last fall, it was likely the first time anyone had ever thought of a thermostat as sexy.

Now, less than a year after the first version of the product arrived, bringing Apple style design and user interfaces to what had traditionally been one of the most staid home appliances, Fadell's Palo Alto, Calif.-based company today announced Nest 2.0, a slimmer version of the thermostat that was built to work in more homes and brings new flexibility and features to the … Read more

Apple is once again rumored to be looking into carbon fiber as a material for use in a future product. Citing a source within a Japanese company that produces carbon fiber, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara today says Apple has ordered up "large" samples of the product.

The outlet didn't into specifics about where that carbon fiber might be headed, short of noting that Apple has filed for patents that make mention of carbon fiber, and is on the lookout for a senior engineer to work on carbon in Japan.

Rumors about Apple and carbon fiber have been … Read more

Since Apple's iPhone 5 became official on September 12, it's been an emotional roller coaster for tech enthusiasts. There have been plenty of highs -- It's so light! It's got 4G! Beautiful screen! -- but they've been tempered with some disappointing lows, too.

On the software side, Apple's decision to move to a Google-free maps app has been the biggest sticking point. On the hardware front, there's still grumbling about the death of the venerable 30-pin dock port, which has been a mainstay of iPhone (and iPod) design since the early days.

For many, the transition from 30-pin to Lightning has meant an express trip through the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, and even depression. But now that the iPhone 5 is here, it's time for acceptance -- let's make the best of this.… Read more

Apple's new Lightning cable technology has gotten kudos from reviewers for its smaller size and reversibility, though some users are experiencing troubles getting the USB end of the cables to unplug from their computers and other devices.

CNET readers have e-mailed us, pointing to a pair of support threads on Apple's site (here and here) in which several people describe problems getting the cables out of the USB ports on their computers, with some going so far as to break out pliers and even take their machines into one of Apple's retail stores to get the cable … Read more

For those who haven't yet upgraded to Apple's iOS 6, or who can't upgrade because they're using an older device, there's an air of uncertainty about just how long they'll get to be able to use one of its most useful features.

That feature is maps, something that used to be powered by Google in iOS versions 1 to 5, but which now uses data from Apple in iOS 6.

Love it or hate it, Apple Maps are here to stay. But can you say the same about the old version?

Neither company is … Read more

It's only been a day since iOS 6 went live, but the world has sounded with a Greek chorus of complaints over the new Maps app made by Apple.

In case you don't already know, iOS 6 makes a big change in your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch's mapping features. It removes the Google Maps app that you've long used and replaces it with Apple's home-baked mapping service. At first, you may not notice the change since the app's icon, and much of the interface looks almost the same. Once you try to use … Read more

Just a day after the release of Apple's iOS 6 mobile operating system, 15 percent of iOS users have upgraded to the new version, a new report says.

Advertising and analytics company Chitika today says that 15 percent of iOS devices are now running iOS 6, which was released for download in the early morning Wednesday.

That number comes from what Chitika says is "a sample of millions of mobile ad impressions" from its advertising network between yesterday and today.

"This level of adoption is a significant development and a testament to the vertical product structure … Read more