During the Q&A following Apple's Q3 2012 conference call, CEO Tim Cook was asked about the competition the iPad faced from smaller, lower priced tablets like the new Google Nexus 7. Cook's answer, paraphrased, was that there remains no competition to the iPad.

The iPad 2 was reduced in price to $399. It's done very well. The new iPad is the most popular but the iPad 2 did very well, particularly in K12 (primary education). Apple sold 1 million units in that space. Apple's been very aggressive and they don't see changing that.

And what competition? Apple has seen many tablets. 100s of them over the last year. They've yet to see any of them gain any traction. When it comes to apps and experience, Apple feels most customers aren't looking for a tablet. They're looking for an iPad.

Cook also once again pointed out the phenomenal growth curve the iPhone, which has been faster than both the iPod and the iPhone, and had a blow-out 17 million in unit sales this quarter alone (which didn't even include this week's launch in China).

Neither Cook nor Apple Chief Financial Officer, Peter Oppenheimer would discuss future product plans, and fended off any attempts to probe them about rumored devices like the iPad mini.

However, Oppenheimer did mention that there would be a product transition coming up that was factored into Apple's next-quarter forecasts. iPhone 5 could certainly fit that bill of materials. But so could other devices.

Apple, of course, remains excited about their future product pipeline. If they do, in fact, address even lower price points, we all might be...

During Apple's Q3 conference call today Apple announced that they had sold 1.3 million Apple TVs for a total of 4 million. This figure is up 173% from last quarter even though many are still considering the Apple TV to be a hobby device.

The Apple TV, which got updated with support for full 1080p this year, has made its way into many homes so far but still doesn't have the market penetration Apple's other product lines do. When asked why Apple would produce a hobby device for the sake of hobbies, Cook responded that he doesn't think the numbers are insignificant unless compared to other iOS devices.

Do it because they think it will lead them somewhere. 4 million isn't small, just small compared to iOS devices. Lots of believers.

The first generation Apple TV was anything but a huge success. It wasn't until the 2nd generation Apple TV came out that people seemed to start taking it as a serious contender when it came to content consumption. If you compare the current and 2nd generation Apple TV to other contenders like Roku, the numbers look better. Apple managed to sell a little over 2 million Apple TV units last year while their competitors managed to just hit the 1.5 million mark before year's end.

Of course these numbers won't stack up to devices such as the iPhone and iPad which have a much larger market but compared to other competitors in the industry, the Apple TV seems to be holding its ground rather well.

As content becomes more readily available online, it will be interesting to see if Apple expands what is available for purchase or streaming on the Apple TV. How many of you have one or more Apple TVs in your home currently? If not, do you use something else?

During Apple's Q3 2012 conference call, Apple CEO Tim Cook repeatedly addressed the rumors and speculation surrounding new iPhones (and other Apple products) and how they cause Apple to lose sales of current generation products. Rumors likely refers to the stories sites like iMore post that reveal potential Apple product plans like the iPhone 5 and iPad mini. Speculation likely refers to customers noticing Apple's habit of releasing new iPhones and iPads every year, and then anticipating similar release schedules the next year.

While Apple Chief Financial Officer, Peter Oppenheimer, seemed less amused by the cost of these rumors and speculation, Tim Cook took a more pragmatic view. To paraphrase Cook:

We try very hard to keep our roadmaps secret and confidential, go to extreme actions to do that, however that doesn't stop people from speculating and wondering. We can never stop that. That's one of the great things about this country. So we won't spend any energy trying to stop that. I'm glad people want the next thing. I'm super happy about that.

Oppenheimer might see the money Apple lost from people delaying purchases in hopes new products come soon, but Cook clearly sees the money Apple will make in the future from those same people. And more. As the excitement they bring to Apple's brand is an essential part of Apple's marketing. It's what gets them line ups around the block and far more headlines than any competitor.

Apple has released a new iPhone every year since 2007. Savvy shoppers know Apple is likely to announce another new iPhone this year. Cook isn't upset those shoppers might be holding off buying an iPhone today. He knows they'll be lining up to buy a new iPhone later in the year.

Apple has announced in their Q3 financial earnings press release that OS X 1.8 Mountain Lion will be released tomorrow. It will be available in the Mac App Store for $19.99 to all Snow Leopard and Lion users.

We're thrilled with record sales of 17 million iPads in the June quarter," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We've also just updated the entire MacBook line, will release Mountain Lion tomorrow and will be launching iOS 6 this Fall. We are also really looking forward to the amazing new products we've got in the pipeline.

Mountain Lion brings even more of the iPad and iOS experience back to the Mac, including renamed Contacts and Calendar apps, and new Reminders, Dictation, AirPlay, Game Center, and Notification Center, and unique features like PowerNap and Gatekeeper.

Are you planning to upgrade to Mountain Lion or will you be sitting this one out?

Apple today announced their third quarter earnings for 2012, which included 26 million iPhones, 17 million iPads, 6.8 million iPods, and 4 million Macs. Quarterly revenue was $35.0 billion and quarterly net profit was $8.8 billion, or $9.32 per diluted share. Comments from Apple executives included:

We're thrilled with record sales of 17 million iPads in the June quarter," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We've also just updated the entire MacBook line, will release Mountain Lion tomorrow and will be launching iOS 6 this Fall. We are also really looking forward to the amazing new products we've got in the pipeline.

We're continuing to invest in the growth of our business and are pleased to be declaring a dividend of $2.65 per share today," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the fourth fiscal quarter, we expect revenue of about $34 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $7.65."

There will also be a cash dividend of $2.65 per share.

Apple will be holding their usual conference call in a few minutes to repeat and expand on these results. As usual, we'll be blogging it live at on iMore.com

Conference call starts at 2pm PDT / 5pm EDT / 10pm BST. Join iMore for our usual color, commentary, and analysis.

If you're tired of waiting for Infinity Blade: Dungeons to come out and have already played the snot out of Dungeon Hunter 3, I've got a great fantasy hack-and-slash game for you. ORC: Vengeance will be released soon by Chillingo and Big Cave Games, a new developer with some extensive experience from the PC and console gaming world. ORC: Vengeance features gesture-based combat, highly polished graphics, a novel equipment upgrade system and a unique angle on the usual goody-two-shoes fantasy plotline.

ORC: Vengeance follows Rok, a green-skinned warlord that has been captured by the undead hordes that have taken over the lands of Argon. Human empires fell long ago, but there is still an orc resistance, faltering as it may be. Rok has to return to his clan, rescue his fellow banished warlords, and take the fight to The Dark One. The usual RPG elements are here: kill bad guys, earn experience points, level up, choose abilities to improve, and pick up new gear along the way. New equipment can be purchased between levels with the coins players pick up throughout battle or acquired through in-app purchases. Weapons and shields will also occasionally drop, though duplicate items are automatically translated into coin, cutting down on inventory clutter.

Gameplay and controls

ORC: Vengeance breaks the traditional joystick mold for iOS action games. Players tap where they want to move, long press to initiate autorun, and tap on enemies once to start automatically attacking them. Instead of relying on an action bar for special abilities, they can be assigned to gestures such as double-tap, swipe, circle, and zigzag. This added level of complexity is key to making the game more than just tapping on bad guys until they die, but they can sometimes be a little too tricky to execute properly and quickly. It would be nice to be able to remap long-press along with the others, since for whatever reason I find myself double-tapping when I want to run. Auto-run also seems to automatically quit a little sooner than I would like.

Progression is more or less standard, with a circular experience graph letting you know how close you are to levelling up. Once full, players get four ability points to spend on attack, defense, greed, and vengeance attributes - wait, greed and vengeance? Yup, greed affects how much gold is dropped by enemies as well as the prices offered by the inter-level vendor. Vengeance determines how often Rok can use special abilities; it's expended when he uses an ability, and regained for killing enemies. Mana is for wussy humans. New powers are discovered in chests throughout gameplay, and can be upgraded the same way as weapons, minus the level 5 cap on upgrades. My only qualm about progression is that it feels kind of lame when after leveling up for kicking open a barrel - should I really be getting experience points for that?

There's a particularly great equipment system in place.  Every single piece of gear can be upgraded at any time with gold acquired from adventuring or through in-app purchase. There are five upgrade tiers for each weapon, with costs and level requirements increasing with every upgrade. Skills can be upgraded in a similar way, though they aren't limited to five levels. Between stages, players can visit the shop to offload excess loot and pick up new weapons and armor. ORC: Vengeance really cuts down on inventory clutter by automatically selling anything picked up that's already owned. Approaching items on the ground pops up a window that shows how it compares to what's currently equipped, and buttons to toss it in the backpack or start using it right away. 

Kitting out Rok is perhaps a little oversimplified. There are only two slots that can be equipped with gear (shield and weapon), which is a huge step down for people that are used to other fantasy games where it's the norm to equip boots, leggings, body armor, helm, two rings, gauntlets, and either weapon and shield, dual weapons, or two-handed weapons. I've only played through until level 7, so more options may open up down the line, but nothing beyond the two slots so far. Axes, swords, and maces are the three weapon types, each with their own balance between speed and power. Though weapons don't have a laundry list of bonuses like many RPGs, some will provide a bonus to one of Rok's four stats. 

The storyline deserves a shoutout. I have a soft spot for orcs, so maybe putting them front and center already engenders me to the concept of the game, but it's refreshing to have a party that's normally the villain taking up the protaganist's role while still maintaining a level of badassery. While exploring dungeons, players will find lore books with bits and pieces of the story that gradually paint a larger picture beyond the intro video. The action isn't bogged down with an excess of story, though - so far one level has moved on to the next without any cutscenes.

ORC: Vengeance is universal and has iCloud sync enabled for those of you that want to pick up where you left off between iOS devices. Game Center is enabled for leaderboards and achievements, but no multiplayer just yet unfortunately. 

Graphics and audio

I was really, really impressed with the graphics in ORC: Vengeance. The environments are gritty, detailed, and full of dynamic lighting effects. Character animations are convincing and show a ton of personality. Environmental effects like weather and camera shake really set the mood. All gear is faithfully reproduced on Rok, which makes your loadout all the more personal. Many of you will be happy to hear that the visuals are optimized for the new iPad's Retina display. 

The soundtrack is high-grade, and matches the dark, gritty atmosphere of an orc laying waste to the undead. Sound effects and the few bits of voice acting are equally awesome.  There are lots of rain effects in the early levels, and aside from the continual pitter-patter, Rok's footsteps also have their own distinct splashing sound effects. 

Pros

• Excellent graphics
• Fresh take on classic fantasy storylines

Cons

• No multiplayer
• Few equipment slots

Conclusion

ORC: Vengenace manages to deliver all of the action and fun of a classic dungeon romp game on PC, while paring down just enough to keep things optimized for a touch interface. There's also a few new spins on the classic fantasy action game, such as new attributes, gesture-based attacks, a focus on orcs (traditionally the bad guys) and simplified equipment upgrades that make ORC: Vengeance a truly fresh experience even for grizzled gaming veterans. Multiplayer would be nice to have down the line, but as it is this game is great. I'd love to see the developers stick with the engine and expand with new episodes made available through in-app purchases. Microtransactions are done in a classy way - that is, buying coins with IAPs is entirely optional and not remotely required to succeed or have fun playing the game. 

ORC: Vengeance comes out July 26 for $2.99. Get it! I double-dog dare you. 

Anatomy & Physiology REVEALED: Skeletal & Muscular is a new education app by book publisher McGraw-Hill that will help students learn the skeletal and muscular systems of the human body. It features a beautiful layered UI that is jam packed with over 5,000 anatomical structures, videos, and animations.

With Anatomy & Physiology REVEALED: Skeletal & Muscular you can peel away layers of the human body to reveal all structures. You can also explore interactive slides to learn microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues, correlate dissected human anatomy with quality histology and radiologic images, and watch high quality videos and animations that demonstrate muscle actions, joint movements, and anatomical relationships, and the animations integrate physiologic function. When you're ready to test your knowledge, Anatomy & Physiology REVEALED will quiz your ability to identify anatomical structures.

There are four additional modules available as in-app purchases for $12.99 each: Nervous system, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic & Respiratory systems, Integumentary, Digestive, Urinary, Reproductive & Endocrine systems, and Body Orientation, Tissues, and Cells & Chemistry.

$12.99 - Download Now

If you've got an iPad 2 with a broken or cracked screen, AppleCare or insurance won't help, and you're interested in saving some money and fixing it yourself, we can help walk you through a DIY repair. iPad repairs aren't easy, but they aren't impossible either. So if you didn't opt for AppleCare+ and an outright replacement isn't an option, replacing the screen yourself may be worth considering.

Disclaimer: As with any repair, neither iMore nor PXLFIX can be held responsible for any damage you may do to your device. It's also worth considering that opening up your device to perform any repair or modification can and will void your Apple warranty. If you don't feel comfortable opening your device, don't. Use extreme care and caution when performing a repair on any device.

What you need to perform an iPad 2 screen replacement

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have quality parts, tools, and much more for all your repair needs.

• iPad 2 (Wi-Fi or 4G model)
• Replacement digitizer - Link to black digitizer replacement, Link to white digitizer replacement - The parts we have linked to come complete with adhesive, camera hold, and Home button assembly. If you order these exact parts you will not need an iPad replacement adhesive kit
• Hair dryer or heat gun - Link to part
• iPad opening tool - Link to part
• iPad replacement adhesive kit - Link to part - there are several types of adhesive kits you can buy or you can cut your own but we recommend using a pre-cut kit as it will make the process much simpler
• Double zero (#00) Phillips screwdriver - Link to part
• Metal spudgers - Link to part
• 4-6 pry tools - Link to part

Power off your iPad 2

Before performing any kind of repair on any device you should always power it off first.

Take note of caution areas

Underneath the digitizer of the iPad are a few caution areas you want to watch out for. These areas have either sensitive cables or components that can be damaged very easily. So memorize where these areas are and move extremely carefully when working around them.

Cellular antenna (3G models only)

You'll only need to worry about the cellular antenna if you've got a 3G model. If you've got a Wi-Fi only model, this isn't a caution area for you.

Along the top you will find the cellular antenna. It runs along both sides of the front facing camera. It can easily become attached to the adhesive on the underside of the digitizer and pull up with it. To avoid this from happening you'll want to use a pry tool to hold them down when prying around it. This ensures that it doesn't come up with the screen.

Power button cable

The power cable sits at the top right of the iPad 2 and can easily be knicked with a pry tool or iPad opening tool. You'll want to work very cautiously around it to prevent tearing it. You can see in the image how thin it really is. Taking care around it will prevent issues with the power button after reassembly.

Wi-Fi antenna

The Wi-Fi antenna in the iPad 2 is located along the bottom directly to the right of the Home button. Just like the cellular antenna, it can get caught on the adhesive and be pryed up with the digitizer when you're removing it. Make sure when you're working around this area that you are extra cautious not to tear it.

Digitizer cable

The digitizer cable is located towards the bottom left corner of the iPad about 2 inches up. Even though you'll be removing it and replacing it, still take care not to push it too hard as it can push into the LCD and damage it or pull up on components underneath the LCD. It's best to work around it.

Remove the cracked display

This is the most difficult part of performing an iPad 2 or new iPad screen replacement as the screen is held in with nothing but adhesive. We are going to have to heat it up to soften the adhesive and slowly remove it with our iPad opening tool. Make sure you perform this step extremely carefully and take your time.

Make sure you have made a good mental note of the caution areas mentioned above.

1. The best place to start is the lower left hand corner of the iPad. Use your heat gun to heat up this area. Use circular motions about an inch from the surface of the iPad and don't stay in any one area too long.

2. Now take your iPad opening tool and very carefully insert it in between the digitizer and plastic frame right below where the digitizer cable should be. Take great care not to push too hard or stick the pry tool under too far as you will nick the LCD. If the pry tool does not want to slide in easily, heat up the iPad a bit more.

3. Once you've got your pry tool inserted, gently rock it back and forth in order to break the adhesive around it. There is also a foam type of adhesive that runs around the LCD that needs to break. Looking at eye level you will be able to see it separate.

4. After a tiny section is free you can slip a plastic pry tool underneath it to hold it up.

5. Now move on to the next section and repeat taking care not to damage any of the caution areas we mentioned previously. Depending on how bad the iPad is cracked and where, you may have to jump around and heat up different areas and work your way around in opposite directions. If glass breaks, that's ok. Just make sure not to ever bend it in the direction of the LCD.

This is the longest process and the most tedious. Take your time and make sure each area is heated thoroughly before you move to another section or attempt to remove the digitizer.

Once you think you've gotten all or almost all of the adhesive broke we can pry up the digitizer.

1. Carefully lift up the right side of the digitizer in order to swing it to the left. Be careful to wath the caution areas to make sure they aren't being pulled up along with the broken digitizer. If they are, break the adhesive holding them onto the screen before prying any further.

2. Once the digitizer is completely separated from the frame you can go ahead and cut the digitizer cable with a pair of scissors to remove it from the iPad. Don't throw it away just yet as we will need a few things off of it in a later step.

Remove the LCD assembly

Before we proceed any further into cleaning out the frame, we want to get the completely exposed LCD out of the way and place it somewhere safe.

1. Remove the 4 screws in each corner of the LCD with your #00 Phillips screwdriver.

2. Use a pry tool to grab hold of the LCD along the right side and gently lift it up but not all the way out as the cable is still attached.

3. With the LCD lifted with one hand, use the other to gently pull up on the LCD cable. There is a tiny bit of adhesive holding it into the iPad. Don't pull up hard though as the LCD is still attached.

4. Now use your pry tool to lift up the clasp holding the cable in place and slowly back the LCD cable out of its socket.

5. Place the LCD somewhere you know is safe until we are ready to place it back in the iPad.

Remove what is left of the old digitizer cable

1. Flip up the two clasps that hold the two sides of the cable in place.

2. Slowly back the end of the digitizer cable out of the socket and discard it.

Clean out the frame of the iPad

Before moving on you'll most likely have a lot of glass and left over adhesive in the frame. You will need to remove all of it before placing in a new assembly.

If you need to, use your heat gun in order to heat up any left over adhesive on the frame to make it easier to peel off. There's really no nice and tidy way to do this. Use a pry tool or metal spatula to whittle away the excess broken glass and adhesive.

Once you are positive that the entire frame is free of old adhesive and broken glass, we can move on.

Ready the new assembly

You'll only need to use this step if the new digitizer assembly you ordered did not come with the Home button and camera hold pre-assembled onto the new one. If it did, skip this step and move on. If it didn't, continue reading this section.

Remove the following items with your pry tool off the old digitizer assembly taking care not to bend them.

• Home button bracket
• Home button
• Camera hold (located at the top of the digitizer where the front facing camera would sit underneath it)

Place the Home button on the new assembly

1. Start by placing the actual Home button on the new assembly. Use the edge of the frame to make sure it is lined up correctly and straight.

2. Once you've gotten the new Home button lined up correctly, flip it over to make sure that it's straight in the frame. If it's not, adjust it accordingly.
3. Make sure the adhesive is pressed down all the way so it doesn't come loose.
4. Now place the Home button bracket on top of the Home button adding more adhesive if you need to (you probably will). Any type of strong two-sided adhesive will work.

5. Again, use the edge of the frame to make sure the bracket is lined up straight and directly over the Home button and press down firmly.

6. Flip over the assembly and test it by pushing down on the Home button. If the Home button depresses normally like it should and feels okay, you've got it on correctly.

Place the camera hold on the new assembly

To put the camera hold on the new assembly, apply new adhesive to the back of it if necessary (again, it's recommended). Use the top of the frame to make sure it's lined up correctly and push down firmly.

To make sure it's in correctly, you can always lay it down carefully in the iPad frame and make sure the top lines up without getting caught up on anything around the camera hold.

Apply new adhesive to the iPad frame

If you have ordered a new iPad digitizer that already has the adhesive applied, you can skip this step.

1. Start in any corner you'd like and start carefully laying the new adhesive around the edge of the screen. Pre-cut strips work the best but you may cut your own as well.
2. Make sure you don't cover up any components around the Home button area that shouldn't be covered. Also take care around wires so you don't nick or cover them in adhesive.
3. Once you're done applying the new adhesive, don't peel off the backing of it just yet.

Attach the new digitizer assembly

1. Once you've gotten the new assembly ready to go we can attach it to the iPad.
2. Carefully insert the two ends of the digitizer cable into the socket you removed the old one from. In order to get the cable to fit correctly, part of the cable will need to be tucked underneath the metal frame.

3. Most replacement cables will have white lines on each side. Make sure the digitizer cable is pushed in to or a little past the white lines or the touch screen may not fully respond.
4. Once you're sure the cable is pushed in all the way you can use your pry tool to snap back down the clips that hold it in place.

Replace the LCD assembly

1. Just like you attached the digitizer assembly, carefully re-attach the LCD assembly in the same way.
2. Make sure the cable is pushed all the way in. Once it is, fasten the clip that holds it into place.

3. Lay the LCD into place carefully and replace the 4 screws around the edge of the LCD.

Test the digitizer assembly

Before peeling off the backing to the adhesive, now is a perfect time to test the assembly instead of waiting until you've stuck down the screen with adhesive before realizing it's defective.

Gently flip over the digitizer and power on the iPad. Once the slide to unlock screen comes up, go ahead and slide your finger to unlock to make sure the screen responds to touch. Tab through the Home screens for a minute to make sure everything is working like normal.

If everything is in good shape, go ahead and hold down the power button and slide to power off again.

If you had issues, double-check the digitizer cable again making absolutely sure it's all the way in place and secured. If you still have no touch capability, you may have a defective unit and need to send it back. This is very uncommon if you've used a good supplier that offers quality parts. It does happen from time to time though. If this is the case, place your iPad somewhere safe until the supplier sends you a new replacement digitizer assembly.

Remove adhesive backing, protective shields, and secure the new digitizer

This part can be a bit tricky as well so make sure you're careful and that you lay the digitizer down very carefully.

1. Pull the backing off all the adhesive taking care around the digitizer cable and making sure that the cable doesn't get stuck. Now remove the protective backing off the inside of the digitizer that protects the screen from getting dust on the inside.
2. Carefully flip the digitizer into place making sure that you are lining up the frame at the top and the bottom. Pay specific attention around the front-facing camera and by the bottom around the Home button. Test the Home button and make sure it depresses ok and look at the front-facing camera to make sure it's lined up correctly.
3. Continue working your way around the frame gently pushing it into place.
4. The bottom left corner where the digitizer cable sits may need a bit of extra pressure to make sure it secures over the cable.
5. Once you're satisfied with how the digitizer is sitting, pull out your heat gun and gently heat around the frame one last time.
6. Use a cleaning cloth so you don't burn your fingers and slowly work your way around the frame applying even pressure in each section to secure the digitizer to the frame. I'd recommend heating up small portions at a time and holding each section down for 30 seconds until you've made your way around the entire iPad.

And ...done!

Once you've made sure the digitizer is secure you can go ahead and power on your iPad 2. If all was done correctly, you should now have a working iPad 2 again without a shattered screen.

This ranks as one of the hardest most ninja level iOS device DIY repairs so if you succeeded, give yourself a huge pat on the back. The good news is, if you performed this repair with great results, you shouldn't have any issue performing any other iPhone or iPod touch repair in the future.

More DIY help and how to's

If you run into issues with this repair or need additional input or help, our mod and DIY repair forums are a great place to start.

Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally@imore.com.

To ask us questions or to inquire about mail-in repairs through PXLFIX, please follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or e-mail us directly! Of course, you can like us and follow us just because you think we're cool too!

Additional Resources:

• How to replace a cracked screen on a new iPad (iPad 3)
• How to replace a cracked screen on a GSM/AT&T iPhone 4
• How to replace a cracked screen on a Verizon or Sprint (CDMA) iPhone 4
• How to replace a cracked screen on an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS
• How to replace a cracked screen on a 4th generation iPod touch
• Even more DIY tutorials

Apple is reportedly planning to present at this year's Black Hat security conference. This is unprecedented for Apple, who has never attended the conference before. According to Bloomberg:

Dallas De Atley, manager of Apple's platform security team, is scheduled to give a presentation on key security technologies within iOS, the operating system for iPhones and iPads.

As the popularity of OS X increases, and as iOS has become one of the biggest platforms on the planet, Apple is under increasing pressure. They've managed to avoid most of the malware and security exploits that have plagued other platforms, but they've also faced everything from Mac trojans to in-app security man-in-the-middle attacks.

Apple has been criticized in the past for not taking security seriously enough, or responding fast enough to vulnerabilities. However, Apple has has made a series of security improvements over the last few years.

Microsoft first spoke at Black Hat in 1998. Google in 2010. There aren't many details yet of what Apple or De Atley will be speaking about, but it's good to see them engaging with the community on such an important issue.

Apple usually keeps their flagship lines on a strict palette -- just metal for MacBooks lately, and metal and black or white for iPhones, iPads and iPod touches. The lower end lines get to have much more fun, with cool, chromatic options like silver, pewter, blue, green, yellow, pink, and red.

During the first few years of the iPhone there were always rumors a product Red version would ship around the holidays, but nothing ever came of them. To this day, if you want to add a splash of color to your iPhone, you have to go with a case or skin or sticker or after-market color swap.

Now, as the iPhone 5 approaches, is it time for Apple to revisit their color palette? Is it time to give iPhone owners the same options iPod nano and iPod shuffle owners have enjoyed for years? Is it time for the iPhone to get as multi-colored as the old Apple logo and original iMacs?

Or would that ruin the simplicity, class, and elegance of the iPhone line? Are even black and white one too many options?

Vote up top and then leave a comment below telling me why you voted the way you did, and which color you'd buy if you could!

Developer David Barnard of App Cubby, a frequent guest on our podcast, has offered some insight into the recent Sparrow acquisition by Google, how it fits into the greater realities of indie app development, and what it bodes for the future of hand-crafted software on the iPhone and iPad. Suffice it to say, it's not all Angry Birds, all the time. In facts, it's hardly ever any level of Angry Birds, any time.

Given the incredible progress and innovation we've seen in mobile apps over the past few years, I'm not sure we're any worse off at a macro-economic level, but things have definitely changed and Sparrow is the proverbial canary in the coal mine. The age of selling software to users at a fixed, one-time price is coming to an end. It's just not sustainable at the absurdly low prices users have come to expect.

If Apple hadn't allowed or encouraged the devaluation of the App Store. If so many developers hadn't raced to the bottom. If so many users hadn't failed to support great software at reasonable prices. If. If. If.

Any time a model fails to provide sufficiently for all parties involved, that model changes. David does an excellent job explaining how it's failing, how he, as a developer, is dealing with the realities of the App Store economy, and what that means for the software we love.

Go read it.

Source: App Cubby

Today Only: Buy the Seidio SURFACE Plus Case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 and Save $20.00!

The SURFACE Plus is the right case for those who are looking for sleek protection plus additional battery life for their iPhone 4S or iPhone 4. This case protects your device from scratches while also providing you with up to 6 hours of additional talk time. The newest innovation adds convenience in addition to power and protection. This rechargeable case also allows you to switch out the battery included in the case with a spare battery to continue powering your device. Comes in black, blue, red and purple.

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Back in May when iMore head about the iPad mini release schedule and pricing goal, we also heard that the iPod touch wasn't going anywhere. We covered what the iPod touch means in an iPad mini world a couple of days ago, and what an iPod touch with iPhone 5 class flagship device with 4-inch, 16:9 display and amped up internals, could mean. Macotakara is now reporting something very close to that, but with specifics:

CPU or other spec is considered to be same with iPhone 4S, and has different back-case design, which will be not mirror polished but buffed alminum one. And it seems to be prepared black and white color model.

They also report a hole on the back of the case, though cite no know reason for it yet.

Other than a white option, Apple didn't update the iPod touch last year, leaving the 4th generation model on the market at the same $200 starting price as the year before. Getting the iPod touch 5 on track, specs wise, will be important for it to properly support the latest and greatest games -- a major consideration of the platform.

While the iPod touch represents roughly half of all iPod sales, iPod sales as a whole have been trending down for a while now. Could refreshed hardware go at least part of the way towards turning that around?

Source: Macotakara

AT&T has announced their second quarter results, and this time around the iPhone accounted for 3.7 million or almost 73% of the 5.1 million smartphones sold. 22% of those were to new AT&T customers. Net income was $3.9 billion, up from $3.6 billion, in the year-earlier quarter, and consolidated revenues totaled $31.6 billion, up 0.3 percent . Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive officer, said:

We executed well across the business and posted another strong quarter with growing revenues, expanding margins and double-digit earnings growth. Our mobile Internet leadership continues, with solid gains in smartphones and tablets, plus our wireless margins have never been better. And most impressive, with this growth, we also achieved our best-ever postpaid wireless churn, which points to the premier experience customers receive on our network. All of these things add to our confidence and enthusiasm looking ahead.

In addition, with disciplined cost management our cash generation continues to be strong. This allows us to invest aggressively in our growth platforms while returning substantial value to shareowners through dividends and share repurchases.

Obviously AT&T no longer enjoys iPhone exclusivity in the U.S., but compared to Verizon, who just recently reported a 45% mix of iPhones in their smartphone mix, the relationship remains lucrative.

The numbers are down slightly from last quarter, when AT&T sold 4.3 million iPhones with a 78% mix. The current iPhone 4S was released back in October of 2011 and the next generation iPhone 5 is widely expected to be released in October of this year. Generally, iPhone sales can slow as rumors of a new model increase and shoppers hold off on purchases until the next generation device appears. Also, rival platforms like Android put out a more consistent stream of new devices, and this year AT&T and Nokia recently launched the Windows Phone powered Lumia 900 as well. (An interesting question is how much, if any, of that 5% different went to Microsoft as opposed to Google.)

Apple announced their earnings later today, and iMore will be providing our usual color and commentary.

More information on AT&T's earnings, including video and full press release, is available via the link below.

Source: AT&T

Charging your iPad every other day only costs you around $1.36 for a full year's use according to a report by the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute). We already knew that the iPad had amazing battery life but it is always interesting to find out approximately what it costs to keep it charged for a full year. The EPRI carried out extensive tests and discovered that it only consumes 12 kWh of electricity in a year.

The analysis shows that each model of the iPad consumes less than 12 kWh of electricity over the course of a year, based on a full charge every other day. By comparison, a plasma 42" television consumes 358 kWh of electricity a year. EPRI conducted the analysis in Knoxville, Tenn., at its power utilization laboratory. Costs may vary depending on what region that a consumer resides and the price of electricity in a particular location.

The assessment was conducted to determine the load requirements – the amount of power needed to operate the devices -- of the increasingly popular iPad. According to Apple, 67 million of the devices have been purchased worldwide.

EPRI calculations show that the average energy used by all iPads in the market is approximately 590 gigawatt hours (GWh). In a scenario where the number of iPads tripled over the next two years, the energy required would be nearly equivalent to two 250-megawatt (MW) power plants operating at a 50 percent utilization rate. A quadrupling of sales in two years would require energy generated by three 250-MW power plants.

This came as a bit of a surprise to me; I assumed it would cost a lot more during the course of a year. Obviously if you use a charger in your car it will cost you nothing to charge it up but given that its only $1.36 a year it's really not worth worrying about.

As a comparison, notebook computers use approximately 72 kWh of electricity which is six times more than the iPad. The next time you are thinking about getting your notebook out to do something that can easily be done on an iPad, think again. It could save you a few dollars each year just by using your iPad more.

Source: EPRI

Apple has begun airing a new iPhone 4S commercial, again focusing on celebrities using Siri and this time featuring director Marty Scorsese having a busy day. The ad continues the campaign begun with Samuel L Jackson and Zooey Deschenel, and a double dose of John Malkovich and highlights:

• Showing today's calendar
• moving appointments
• Finding friends
• Checking traffic

With nary a network glitch nor misunderstood word to be found. That Apple is continuing to focus the latest round of iPhone 4S commercials on Siri, a feature still in beta that's experienced more than its fair share of growing pains in interesting. The celebrity aspect may or may not help, but showing viewers how Siri can be used in real-as-in-tv situations probably does increase interest.

For more on Siri and what Apple's virtual personal assistant can do, check out our ultimate guide to Siri.

So what do you think? Does Scorcese, a director, work better than actors like Jackson, Deschenel, and Malcovich? Does this ad do anything for you?

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