When Apple buys a technology firm, it’s usually for very good reasons: to start making its own chips , to improve its music technology while shuttering a possible rival or to create a new ad platform and really annoy Google . So what are we to make of the news that Apple’s bought Polar Rose, a specialist in facial recognition systems? On the face of it – no pun intended – the Polar Rose acquisition might not be that interesting. Polar Rose offers facial recognition and tagging software that’s designed for end-user photo libraries; Apple already has similar features in iPhoto, so the acquisition could well be to improve what Apple’s already up to.
Virgin Media has launched what is calling an ‘unbeatable BlackBerry deal’, slashing the cost of the BlackBerry Curve 8520 – and offering it free on a 24 month contract for £12 a month. As an increasingly prominent phone service provider, Virgin Media is keen to target students that want to get a BlackBerry on the cheap. To that end, the company is backing its offer with a further 15 per cent off to holders of an NUS card. Shaking up the mobile market “Virgin Media is shaking up the mobile market by offering the most competitive pay monthly deal for a BlackBerry smartphone,” states Virgin Media’s release.
Social for the iPad Object Factory Genre: Social Networking Price: $1.99 Release Date: August 24, 2010 SPECIAL SALE! 33% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME! Social is the best and biggest Facebook client for the iPad, and makes it easier for you to stay in contact with your friends and family. Delivering the full Facebook experience, but with native controls and a presentation tailor-made for the big touch-screen. With Social you can: • Add friends, groups and pages to your favorites for quick and easy access • Post new messages • Send private messages • Upload pictures and create new albums • Create groups, events and pages • Easily search through your friends, groups and pages • Browse the full Facebook page, but customized to the iPad touch-screen ★★★★ “A much much better experience than using the webpage on the iPad, in fact it might be better than using the webpage on the desktop” ★★★★ “Wouldn't go without it!” Updates with new features and bugfixes will be added continuously in the coming weeks and months. Get Social today!
Apple recently unveiled a brand-new iOS gaming site . The site, which is little more than a place to market some apps, was revised to coincide with the launch of the fourth generation iPod touch this week. Apple has titled the site: “Get your game face on.” It features trailers for twelve different iPhone/iPod touch games
Mayorama ($0.99) by Daniel Luxemburg is an app to let you see all of your Foursquare mayorships at a glance. Let’s face it – foursquare is hot. And one reason behind this is the mayorship.