Apple makes changes to stores in time for holidays

Image source: Tony Shi's flickr photostreamAs Microsoft begins rolling out their retail stores, Apple is allegedly preparing to make some changes to their own store, just in time for the holiday season.

The first reported change is phasing out multiple shirt colors that employees wear in order to differentiate themselves by their roles. These color coded uniforms tend to confuse shoppers as to who handles each task. Allegedly there will be only one color of uniform for all employees, although ifoAppleStore reports that the color may change every few months just to keep things fresh. 

The other change will involve the checkout system, which will be switching from the Microsoft EasyPay handhelds to iPod touches that will be custom-equipped with a barcode reading accessory. This checkout system will also allow customers to pay with cash on the spot, rather than having to maneuver to the cash register. Apparently, the Windows CE-based devices were "prone to crashes and non-responsiveness by employees." 

Surprise!

So in the near future, you'll be able to go in and out of an Apple Store even faster with all your shiny new goods!

via MacLife.com

Dropbox Drops into the App Store

Dropbox users rejoice!

On Tuesday, Dropbox finally got their iPhone app approved by Apple after being in limbo for over seven weeks. The app is available for free in the App Store [link].

If you're not familiar with Dropbox, it's an in-the-cloud file storage service, which creates a folder on multiple computers that you choose to have files automatically sync with. When you launch the app you can sign in or create a free account if you have never used the service before (account creation is easy.) There are several sizes of storage to choose from - a free account with 2GB, $9.99/mo for 50GB, and $19.99/mo for 100GB.

The app lets view all of your Dropbox files, as well as mark "Favorites," which will download a local copy to be stored on the device [within the app] rather than in the "cloud". This is so you can have those important files with you even if there is no data connection available. Even if you make changes to that specific Favorite file from a computer, you can download any new changes and keep it in the Favorites.

There is no way to edit files unfortunately, but viewing any file is a pleasure in the app. You can even upload photos and videos (3GS) to your Dropbox to use on your computers later, rather than have to plug in your iPhone or iPod Touch. When uploading photos and videos, it will also put "Mobile Photo" (or video) and the date you uploaded it, which is much better than just the generic "PHOTO__" that is the default. 

The app will let you email links to files in your Dropbox to others as well, though the links will expire after a set amount of time.The service is great with simple syncing across multiple computers, and now you can take your files wherever you go with the Dropbox iPhone app. If you haven't already got it, what are you waiting for?

via Maclife.com

Ready for MMS Tomorrow?

According to Engadget, the new carrier settings for the iPhone 3G and 3GS to enable MMS will be available "late morning" Pacific Time tomorrow, Sept. 25. 

Users will need to connect their iPhone to iTunes (per cable) in order to receive the update. The file is relatively small (a few kilobytes) so there shouldn't be any problems updating the .ipcc like there usually is with major iPhone OS updates.

So check your iTunes feverishly tomorrow, and then get your MMS on!

via MacLife.com

AT&T deploying 7.2Mbs in 6 major markets

AT&T may actually be doing something good, for once.

Randall H. Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, announced at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference that the wireless carrier is opening up 7.2Mbs in six major markets by the end of 2009. 

This means that the iPhone 3GS will be able to take advantage of these super-fast speeds while older models of the iPhone will be capped at the 3.6Mbs limit.

So what markets are getting the "7dot2" lovin? According to the press release: Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.

via 9to5mac

from maclife.com

More Sources Point to Apple Event on Sept. 9

Mark September 9 on your calendars, because a second super-secret souce pegs this as the day Apple decided on for the annual iPod/iTunes event, after teetering between September 8 and 9 for quite some time.

The biggest expectation for this year will be the iPod touch and iPod nano, both of which are allegedly getting cameras, which will make both devices dual-purpose point-and-shoot cameras for the first time ever. Sources at AppleInsider are also claiming that the camera is just going to be one piece of this year's iPod story.

We are also expecting the announcement of iTunes 9, which has been rumored to integrate social networking services for the first time. There were also rumors of Blu-ray support and iPhone/iPod touch app management in this new version, but no confirmation until the event.

What to NOT expect according to numerous sources, is any sort of Apple Tablet announcement, since this product is likely to not make any appearance until the first quarter of 2010.

The event has no set place yet, though from past events, it is highly possible that San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center may hold the event, or even the Moscone West. Analysts and members of the media will be getting their invitations with full details of the event about a week prior. 

John Paczkowski on the D | All Things Digital blog was the first to report of the September 9 date.

via MacLife