The 404 903: Where the good Lord continues to bless the Internet (podcast)
In serious tech news, Google is putting more companies out of business with its new Flight Search service that went live yesterday. The tracker takes advantage of Google's other Web products, integrating with Google Calendar, Maps, and Mail to show you special deals and notify you about upcoming flights.In a related story, Virgin America just partnered with Lufthansa Systems' new BoardConnect platform to roll out the next evolution of its Red in-flight entertainment. Air travel is getting even swankier thanks to Virgin America, and next year all of their planes (Virgin calls them Nerdbirds) will have HD television monitors on every seat back and faster Wi-Fi for connected devices.Finally, we'll take you on the hunt for the rarest video game ever created: the gold Nintendo World Championships cartridge awarded to the winners of Nintendo Power Magazine's 1990 competition. Of the original 26, only 13 units have been found, and they're valued at around $20,000 by video game collectors. I think it's safe to assume that the other 13 games were sacrificed to the trash gods by the players' mothers.We want to hear about the valuable junk from your childhood that your parents have carelessly thrown away. Give us a call at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) and tell us about it!The 404 Digest for Episode 903DragCloseThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Google flight-search service takes off.Virgin America debuts Nerdbird airplane for 2012.The quest for the golden Nintendo game.Your daily 404 bathroom break: Chinese shoe trick.Episode 903PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
Plantronics Voyager Pro HD
Plantronics Voyager Pro HD
SAN DIEGO--Plantronics has just announced its latest flagship headset, the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD. It's essentially a more consumer-friendly version of its Voyager Pro UC product, which is currently for sale in certain business channels.Like the Pro UC, the Voyager Pro HD has a Smart Sensor technology that knows to automatically transfer calls to your headset once you place it on your ear. Other features also include A2DP audio streaming, noise cancellation, wind noise reduction, and more. The HD in the name points to improved high-definition audio for both streaming music and phone calls.The Voyager Pro HD does otherwise look very similar to the other Voyager Pro headsets. It has that iconic bulky design that we actually think helps improve comfort and stability. However, it does have a couple of additional features compared with previous headsets.Plantronics, for example, has made it compatible with its own InstantMeeting application that connects you to conference calls from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android. The app automatically scans your calendar and dials the conference number complete with passcode so you don't have to. You can even let your conference participants know that you're running a little late. The InstantMeeting app is $4.99 in the iTunes App Store, Android App Market, and BlackBerry App World. As part of a promotion, it is free for a limited time--until October 14, 2011. Another feature is compatibility with Plantronics Vocalyst service, which lets you send and listen to e-mail or text messages, send status updates to various social networks, check the weather, and more. It's a subscription -based service, but it's free for the first year. You can read our review of the Vocalyst service in our review of the Plantronics Savor M1100.The Plantronics Voyager Pro HD is available for $99 starting today.
SAN DIEGO--Plantronics has just announced its latest flagship headset, the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD. It's essentially a more consumer-friendly version of its Voyager Pro UC product, which is currently for sale in certain business channels.Like the Pro UC, the Voyager Pro HD has a Smart Sensor technology that knows to automatically transfer calls to your headset once you place it on your ear. Other features also include A2DP audio streaming, noise cancellation, wind noise reduction, and more. The HD in the name points to improved high-definition audio for both streaming music and phone calls.The Voyager Pro HD does otherwise look very similar to the other Voyager Pro headsets. It has that iconic bulky design that we actually think helps improve comfort and stability. However, it does have a couple of additional features compared with previous headsets.Plantronics, for example, has made it compatible with its own InstantMeeting application that connects you to conference calls from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android. The app automatically scans your calendar and dials the conference number complete with passcode so you don't have to. You can even let your conference participants know that you're running a little late. The InstantMeeting app is $4.99 in the iTunes App Store, Android App Market, and BlackBerry App World. As part of a promotion, it is free for a limited time--until October 14, 2011. Another feature is compatibility with Plantronics Vocalyst service, which lets you send and listen to e-mail or text messages, send status updates to various social networks, check the weather, and more. It's a subscription -based service, but it's free for the first year. You can read our review of the Vocalyst service in our review of the Plantronics Savor M1100.The Plantronics Voyager Pro HD is available for $99 starting today.
Original Apple 1 a steal at $127,000
Original Apple 1 a steal at $127,000
Another original Apple 1 computer is up for sale, and this time it's expected to fetch no more than $127,000, a steal compared with the last unit sold.Christie's is putting the rare computer -- each model was designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak with input from the late Steve Jobs-- on sale in October, the auction house announced today.The Apple co-founders produced about 200 of these units and fewer than 50 still exist, according to Christie's. Originally sold for $666.66 from July 1976 to October 1977, the computer that started it all is now selling for tens of thousands of dollars.This particular unit, serial number 22, comes from the home of Joe Copson, a former Apple employee, and Christie's expects to sell the model for between $79,000 to $127,000. In 2010, Another Apple 1 model, offered without a casing but with the original box, instruction manuals, and a signed letter from Jobs, sold for $210,700 at auction. Wozniak attended the auction and threw in an autographed letter with the sale.None of these figures can touch the sale of a working Apple 1 motherboard -- of which, Sotheby's says, six are thought to exist. The item was sold earlier this year for a staggering $374,500 after being listed with an estimated sale price of between $120,000 and $180,000.
Another original Apple 1 computer is up for sale, and this time it's expected to fetch no more than $127,000, a steal compared with the last unit sold.Christie's is putting the rare computer -- each model was designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak with input from the late Steve Jobs-- on sale in October, the auction house announced today.The Apple co-founders produced about 200 of these units and fewer than 50 still exist, according to Christie's. Originally sold for $666.66 from July 1976 to October 1977, the computer that started it all is now selling for tens of thousands of dollars.This particular unit, serial number 22, comes from the home of Joe Copson, a former Apple employee, and Christie's expects to sell the model for between $79,000 to $127,000. In 2010, Another Apple 1 model, offered without a casing but with the original box, instruction manuals, and a signed letter from Jobs, sold for $210,700 at auction. Wozniak attended the auction and threw in an autographed letter with the sale.None of these figures can touch the sale of a working Apple 1 motherboard -- of which, Sotheby's says, six are thought to exist. The item was sold earlier this year for a staggering $374,500 after being listed with an estimated sale price of between $120,000 and $180,000.
Opt out of Apple's iAds data collection for iOS 4 devices
Opt out of Apple's iAds data collection for iOS 4 devices
Apple has partnered with several big-name brands to provide content-based, personalized advertising solutions to your iOS-enabled devices. Apple "uses cookies and other technologies in mobile advertising services to control the number of times you see a given ad, deliver ads that relate to your interests, and measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns."While opting out of the iAd data collection program will stop Apple from collecting and analyzing data from your iTunes account habits, Apps that take advantage of the iAd program will continue to show iAds--but they may be less relevant to you. iAd advertisements will still use data from individual Apps to determine which ads are shown, though your personal data will no longer be used.Keep in mind that you will need to have iOS 4 installed to opt out of the iAd data collection and you must opt out from each iOS device you own. Opting out also does not affect other Internet-based advertising that may be incorporated into Apps.To opt out, simply navigate to the following link on your iOS 4 device: https://oo.apple.com/If you receive an error message, "Unsuccessful Opt Out", you may need to wait a few hours and try again.Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
Apple has partnered with several big-name brands to provide content-based, personalized advertising solutions to your iOS-enabled devices. Apple "uses cookies and other technologies in mobile advertising services to control the number of times you see a given ad, deliver ads that relate to your interests, and measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns."While opting out of the iAd data collection program will stop Apple from collecting and analyzing data from your iTunes account habits, Apps that take advantage of the iAd program will continue to show iAds--but they may be less relevant to you. iAd advertisements will still use data from individual Apps to determine which ads are shown, though your personal data will no longer be used.Keep in mind that you will need to have iOS 4 installed to opt out of the iAd data collection and you must opt out from each iOS device you own. Opting out also does not affect other Internet-based advertising that may be incorporated into Apps.To opt out, simply navigate to the following link on your iOS 4 device: https://oo.apple.com/If you receive an error message, "Unsuccessful Opt Out", you may need to wait a few hours and try again.Be sure to check us out on Twitter and the CNET Mac forums.Submit a fix to MacFixIt! Email Us.
T-Mobile employee blackout hints at Sept. 20 iPhone launch
T-Mobile employee blackout hints at Sept. 20 iPhone launch
T-Mobile employees are reportedly being kept from logging any vacation time between September 20 through the 22nd, the same weekend Apple's next iPhones are expected to go on sale.That's according to TmoNews, which citing unnamed sources, says it's likely iPhone related. A T-Mobile spokesman declined to comment on the report, calling it rumor and speculation.Employee blackouts can often times be a good indicator of when a major product is expected to launch. That was the case last August, when both Verizon and AT&T slated staff vacation blackoutsbeginning on September 21, which ended up being the same day the iPhone went on sale in nine countries.In T-Mobile's case, the carrier only recently began offering Apple's iPhone to its customers, a move that boosted subscriber growth in the company's second quarter. Apple is widely expected to debut its new phones at an event on September 10, with a release to follow shortly thereafter. The 20th would be the Friday on the week following Apple's rumored event date, and would match up with an earlier reportfrom Japan's Nikkei.According to a report earlier this month by The Wall Street Journal, Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn has already begun production on two different iPhone models, ramping up devices in time for a launch in early September. For more on what to expect, read CNET's iPhone rumor roundup.
T-Mobile employees are reportedly being kept from logging any vacation time between September 20 through the 22nd, the same weekend Apple's next iPhones are expected to go on sale.That's according to TmoNews, which citing unnamed sources, says it's likely iPhone related. A T-Mobile spokesman declined to comment on the report, calling it rumor and speculation.Employee blackouts can often times be a good indicator of when a major product is expected to launch. That was the case last August, when both Verizon and AT&T slated staff vacation blackoutsbeginning on September 21, which ended up being the same day the iPhone went on sale in nine countries.In T-Mobile's case, the carrier only recently began offering Apple's iPhone to its customers, a move that boosted subscriber growth in the company's second quarter. Apple is widely expected to debut its new phones at an event on September 10, with a release to follow shortly thereafter. The 20th would be the Friday on the week following Apple's rumored event date, and would match up with an earlier reportfrom Japan's Nikkei.According to a report earlier this month by The Wall Street Journal, Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn has already begun production on two different iPhone models, ramping up devices in time for a launch in early September. For more on what to expect, read CNET's iPhone rumor roundup.
Yowza! Apple sells 9M iPhone 5S, 5C units in first weekend
Yowza! Apple sells 9M iPhone 5S, 5C units in first weekend
Apple's iPhone sales topped 9 million over the weekend in what the company called "our best iPhone launch yet."Over the last three days, Apple sold a combined 9 million iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C units, the company announced Monday. Apple didn't break out specific sales numbers for the high-end 5S versus the colorful 5C, but did say that the combined unit sales set a launch-weekend record. Apple is also sold out of its initial iPhone 5S supply."The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we've sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5S, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly," Apple CEO Tim Cook said Monday in a statement. "We appreciate everyone's patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone."In addition to announcing iPhone sales, Apple said Monday that more than 200 million devices are now running iOS 7 -- the company's latest mobile operating system. Apple says that makes iOS 7 the fastest software upgrade in history, confirming a trend spotted last week by advertising and Web analytics firm Chitika.Although Apple wouldn't say Monday how its iPhone sales split between the two new models, others have already chimed in. Earlier in the day, mobile analytics firm Localytics said that its data analysis indicates that iPhone 5S activations were three times greater than those of the iPhone 5C over the weekend. AT&T proved the most popular carrier among U.S.-based consumers, according to the firm.Apple's shares are up 4.4 percent since the company announced the news this morning.This story has been updated throughout the morning.
Apple's iPhone sales topped 9 million over the weekend in what the company called "our best iPhone launch yet."Over the last three days, Apple sold a combined 9 million iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C units, the company announced Monday. Apple didn't break out specific sales numbers for the high-end 5S versus the colorful 5C, but did say that the combined unit sales set a launch-weekend record. Apple is also sold out of its initial iPhone 5S supply."The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we've sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5S, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly," Apple CEO Tim Cook said Monday in a statement. "We appreciate everyone's patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone."In addition to announcing iPhone sales, Apple said Monday that more than 200 million devices are now running iOS 7 -- the company's latest mobile operating system. Apple says that makes iOS 7 the fastest software upgrade in history, confirming a trend spotted last week by advertising and Web analytics firm Chitika.Although Apple wouldn't say Monday how its iPhone sales split between the two new models, others have already chimed in. Earlier in the day, mobile analytics firm Localytics said that its data analysis indicates that iPhone 5S activations were three times greater than those of the iPhone 5C over the weekend. AT&T proved the most popular carrier among U.S.-based consumers, according to the firm.Apple's shares are up 4.4 percent since the company announced the news this morning.This story has been updated throughout the morning.
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