Velvetwire Unveils First Smart USB Charger Powered by Apple HomeKit Technology

Smart energy company Velvetwire today announced Powerslayer Blu, the latest addition to its Powerslayer lineup of USB chargers. This new model offers Bluetooth low energy (BLE) connectivity and is compatible with Apple's HomeKit technology rolling out with iOS 8. Apple's vision for HomeKit is to make it easy for developers to allow users to control and interact with accessories around the home, leveraging BLE for energy-efficient communications.

"We are proud to be among the first group of companies to produce HomeKit-compatible devices," said Eric Bodnar, co-founder and CEO at Velvetwire. "By integrating Bluetooth technology into the Powerslayer, we're offering customers a new way to interact with their devices and be part of Apple's HomeKit. Velvetwire is committed to developing intelligent, energy-efficient devices that allow users to live more consciously without sacrificing convenience. We look forward to sharing Powerslayer Blu and future generations of our power-saving devices with the world."

The Powerslayer Blu improves upon earlier Powerslayer models with HomeKit integration and iOS app support that gathers information from the charger using Bluetooth LE. Users can receive notifications about the charging status of their devices and view energy level information via Velvetwire's iOS app. The device also includes the option to switch between a fast, high-power charging profile and an energy conservation mode that maximizes battery life.



The Powerslayer Blu will be available before the end of the year and will retail for $89. While the price tag is likely to be a hurdle for many potential customers, Powerslayer Blu serves as a good example of the potential of HomeKit to use iOS as a hub for bringing together devices from around the home.

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Foxconn Hiring More Workers to Help with Strong Demand for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus [iOS Blog]

Foxconn has begun another large-scale hiring effort for its factories in Shenzhen and Zhengzhou in order to help out with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus production, reports Digitimes .

Because working on assembly lines is no longer as attractive as before for workers in China, Foxconn is having issues recruiting sufficient numbers of workers. The company has been hosting hiring events recently to maintain its manpower, the sources added.

The report notes that Apple's goal to launch its new handsets in 115 countries by the end of 2014 also pushed Foxconn to start another round of large-scale hiring. The company was previously said to be bringing on 100,000 new employees in June ahead of the iPhone 6 launch.



The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus went on sale in the first wave of countries on September 19 and saw expanded availability to more countries last Friday, September 26. Overall demand for the new devices has been greater than supply to this point, as Apple's Online Store still shows a 7-10 day shipping estimate for new iPhone 6 orders and a 3-4 week delay for new iPhone 6 Plus orders in the U.S.

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Top Down: Ghost Pumpkin

Christian Stepien.com posted a photo:

Caleb says this is his favorite type of pumpkin. I agree, they're pretty cool.



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Samsung Supplying Apple with Panels for iPad Air 2 and 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro' Later This Year

Samsung will supply Apple with displays for the second-generation iPad Air and the 12.9-inch 'iPad Pro' starting later this year, reports Korean-news outlet inews24 (via Digitimes ). The Korean company will begin manufacturing the displays in the coming months, as the panels are said to feature IPS technology similar to Apple's current line of iPads.




Physical mockup of the second-generation iPad Air


If the report is legitimate, it is likely that Apple will have a steady supply of panels for its first batch of iPad Air 2 units, which may launch in time for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Some reports have also claimed that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro could be released in early 2015, which may lead to Samsung becoming the top supplier of displays for the new tablet if other suppliers are unable to meet Apple's demands.




Rendering of a 12.9-inch iPad next to a 13-inch MacBook Air


Apple has been attempting to reduce its reliance on Samsung as a component supplier due to tensions between the two companies as they have become top competitors in the mobile device market. However, Samsung's technological advantages and production capacity as a display supplier have proven valuable to Apple over the years, as the Korean company even became Apple's top iPad display supplier in Q1 2014.



The iPad Air 2 is rumored to feature a slightly thinner body, a faster A8 processor, 2GB of RAM, support for Apple Pay, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Meanwhile, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is said to include a more powerful A8X processor to power its large, high-resolution display.

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iphone_photo

Billy B. Cheung posted a photo:

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European Union Accuses Ireland of Giving Apple Illegal State Aid with Tax Deals

The European Commission today announced the results of its formal investigation into Apple's tax arrangements in Ireland, accusing the company of receiving illegal state aid from the country, reports The Wall Street Journal.



In its findings, the regulatory body stated that deals between Apple and Ireland struck in 1991 and 2007 helped Irish authorities "confer a selective advantage upon Apple" that resulted in a lowering of its tax liability. The Commission also added that Apple's increase in sales for its business in Ireland appear to be inconsistent when related to comparable operating costs that would come with growth. Furthermore, the Commission notes that there was a reported increase in "sales income" by 415%, but states that most of the profit-generating work was done elsewhere.

Accordingly, the Commission's of the opinion that through those rulings the Irish authorities confer an advantage on Apple. That advantage is obtained every year and on-going, when the annual tax liability is agreed upon by the tax authorities in view of that ruling.

Apple's tax policies have been questioned on numerous occasions throughout the past few years, as the company is said to utilize multiple subsidiary companies located in the Irish city of Cork to move money around without significant tax penalties. This in due in part to an exemption in the region's law, which allows companies that are managed abroad but located in Ireland to be exempt from taxes. CEO Tim Cook defended the company's tax practices in 2013, calling for a tax reform and simplified corporate tax policies along with lower rates for repatriation.



Apple and the Irish government will now have one month to respond to the findings published in the Commission's reports, as the case will likely take up to 18 months to reach a conclusion. In addition to its findings regarding Apple and Ireland, the European Commission also announced that it is investigating state aid cases involving coffee company Starbucks and car maker Fiat and their arrangements with the Netherlands and Luxembourg, respectively.



Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Apple Watch Makes First Public Appearance at Parisian Fashion Boutique Colette

As indicated by an announcement yesterday, Apple has teamed up with Parisian fashion boutique Colette to show off the Apple Watch at the retailer's gallery on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris for today only. The special event marks the first public appearance for the Apple Watch since being announced last month at a media event, as a long line began forming around Colette's before the event started at 11 AM local time.





According to Engadget , Colette is displaying both the 38mm and 42mm versions of the Apple Watch to the public, while MacGeneration (Google Translate) states that the models being displayed are mostly from the Apple Watch Sport Collection while some are from the Apple Watch Collection. Also on display are some watches from the Apple Watch Edition Collection, which feature 18-karat gold casings and a sapphire display.




Image taken by Elle magazine editor-in-chief Robbie Myers


Customers are only being allowed to look at the devices and will not have the opportunity to actually try out the smartwatch's capabilities. However, some journalists were allowed to try on the devices. Apple will also not be announcing any new details about the device at today's event, as info about full pricing and battery life remain unknown.




Left to right: Colette's Sarah Andelman with Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour, Jony Ive, and Mark Newson (via Vogue's Suzy Menkes)


A number of members from Apple's industrial design team are also present at the event, including Apple's Senior Vice President of Design Jony Ive and newly hired Apple designer Marc Newson. Both Ive and Newson were also pictured with a number of high-profile fashion personalities, including notable designer Karl Lagerfeld and Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Other fashion journalists present also include Jean-Seb Stehli of Madame Figaro and Elle magazine editor-in-chief Robbie Myers.



In addition to positioning the Apple Watch as a brand new product, Apple has also been pushing the wearable device as a fashionable accessory. The company invited top fashion editors and bloggers to its September 9 media event, and even allowed some to go hands-on with the smartwatch. Fashion publications including InStyle and Voguewere impressed with the Apple Watch, praising its design and the Digital Crown input method. However, others like The Doneger Group's Roseanne Morrison were unimpressed with the device, calling it "not pretty" and "future techno as opposed to feminine sexy."



At its event earlier this month, Apple said it is targeting a early 2015 launch for its wearable device. A report after the event stated that Apple would be "lucky" to launch the watch by Valentine's Day due to software development issues. The Apple Watch will start at $349 and may run up to $1,200 for the high-end Edition version.

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