Link: Apple’s First Retail Stores ⚛
It’s rather interesting to look at the store layouts from this MacObserver article from over twelve years ago—especially because the one closest to me started with this layout. Then again, there were plenty of naysayers.
Link: US-Made Macs Will Be Assembled in Texas ⚛
Yoni Heisler for TUAW:
During his opening remarks, [Apple CEO Tim] Cook highlighted all Apple has done for the U.S. economy, emphasizing how much the company already pays in domestic taxes and how it’s been responsible for the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the U.S.
Further, Cook noted that Apple was investing $100 million to begin manufacturing Macs in the US. While we had previously heard of Apple’s plans to do so, Cook for the first time fleshed out some more details, in a geographic sense, surrounding Apple’s plans.
Specifically, Cook noted that Apple’s upcoming “made in the USA” line of Macs will be assembled in Texas and will use components sourced from Texas, Illinois, Florida and Kentucky.
It’s no surprise Apple would set up shop in Texas—they already have a repair depot near Houston. They also have a campus in Austin (which is the capital of Texas), and Texas often thinks of itself as the capital of the United States. With apologies to Dan Benjamin and Haddie Cooke, anyone want to join me in a U-S-A chant?
More importantly, what Mac will be American-assembled one?
“John McCain (Rep., Ariz.), after a bout of tax dodging rhetoric, wanted to know why his iPhone was constantly updating its apps.”
Link: Microsoft Reveals Xbox One ⚛
Not only does it have beefed up gaming capabilities, but it’s being positioned as more of a living room hub. Microsoft has added voice commands for watching shows, added some interactive TV components (think Google TV, but better), and wrapped it in a handsome TiVo HD-esque package. Notable specs, as reported by Tom Warren on The Verge:
On the hardware side, Microsoft has included 8GB of RAM, a single custom 40-nanometer chip with an 8-core CPU and GPU system-on-a-chip, and a custom 500GB HDD. The system-on-a-chip is made by AMD and Microsoft designed its own HDD in-house. Microsoft claims a combination of three operating systems power the One with the kernel of Windows. The system also utilizes a Blu-ray drive, USB 3.0, and built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi for gaming and entertainment. Microsoft also has new Kinect to share, and it includes a 1080p wide-angle camera that’s designed to read your heartbeat while you exercise. Microsoft’s new Xbox controller includes 40 design changes and impulse triggers that let you feel the feedback directly in the triggers themselves. The controller and Kinect work together to recognize a player, allowing gamers to raise a controller and cause actions in games, and more.
Slide to Unlock: 13: It’s a Podcast, Old Sport! ⚛
In this episode, Lindsey and I are back and take our talents on the road after a long break to discuss The Great Gatsby, Lindsey’s laziness in high school, Siri’s mouthiness, Facebook Home, and much more…
Link: Yahoo Board Approves $1.1 Billion for Tumblr ⚛
Kara Swisher for AllThingsD:
As part of the deal, Tumblr CEO David Karp—who got a windfall of cash from the deal—will stay at Yahoo for four years at least and retain much control over the service, much in the same way Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom does at Facebook. But, as there, Yahoo will undergird Tumblr’s nascent advertising business with its large and established infrastructure.
So Yahoo is buying a popular community social site and integrating a few parts of it with its business? Where have I heard this before?