Apple's iOS 7.1 lands with CarPlay, improved fingerprint scanner
Apple on Monday released an update to its iOS 7 mobile operating system -- iOS 7.1 -- that adds new features such as CarPlay and fixes bugs.With iOS 7.1, Apple also tweaked its Siri voice assistant, iTunes Radio, and its Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The company streamlined the operating system to make it work better with the iPhone 4, made some user interface refinements, and included some stability and accessibility improvements. The update is available immediately, and the Apple devices will alert users about it over the next week. See alsoRobot flower girl looks adorable in pinkMac remote desktop solutions expand with Citrix "Gotomypc"With RealNetworks' influence waning, CEO departs iOS 7.1 marks the first major update following Apple's release of iOS 7 about six months ago. Apple initially unveiled iOS 7 at its developer conference in June of last year and released the operating system in September. The software underwent a complete design overhaul, with everything from the typography and color schemes getting an update. iOS 7 also added useful features like automatic updates to make everyday use easier, AirDrop, and iTunes Radio, as well as a new control center that gives quick access to most-used features. Since the introduction of iOS 7, Apple had released five beta updates of iOS 7.1 to developers.Apple CarPlay ready to hit the road (pic...See full gallery1 - 4 / 7NextPrevAbout 83 percent of Apple device users have downloaded iOS 7, Apple said. The operating system won't run on the original iPad from 2010 and any iPhones older than the iPhone 4.Apple streamlined functions in iOS 7.1 to make the experience faster for iPhone 4 users, which have a much less advanced chip than Apple's newest phones and tablets.Apple's iOS 7.1 update tweaks the month view in the calendar, allowing users to toggle over days to see appointments.Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNETA complete design overhaul brings iOS up-to-date...See full gallery1 - 4 / 28NextPrevWith iOS 7, Siri recognized that a user was done talking because the person paused for a couple of seconds. Now, users can hold down the home button the entire time they're talking to Siri. Once they lift their finger, Siri knows they're done talking. Both ways of interacting are available in iOS 7.1. Apple also included new male and female voices for Mandarin Chinese, British English, Australian English, and Japanese. iTunes Radio also got some tweaks. There's a new search field that allows users to create stations based on their favorite songs or artists. Users can buy albums with a single tap from iTunes Radio, rather than only buying singles. And for the first time, users can now subscribe to iTunes Match from their mobile devices rather than from the desktop.In the calendar month view, users can now toggle to see daily appointments. And the Touch ID fingerprint reader became more accurate with iOS 7.1. There should be fewer false rejections as well as quicker response times in reading fingerprints.iOS 7.1 also includes a camera update that's specific to iPhone 5S users. That's because the newer phone uses Apple's advanced A7 processor while older devices have less-powerful chips. HDR, or "high dynamic range," will automatically turn on when it's needed. That takes many photos at once in different exposures to create a sharp image that looks closer to what the human eye sees, as the varying highlights and shadows are all accounted for.Meanwhile, iOS 7.1 users will be able to take advantage of Car Play, which Apple unveiled last week at the Geneva Motor Show. The feature is a means for an iPhone (5 and newer) to power a touch screen on a new car's dashboard. The interface is iOS-like, but vastly simplified compared with what's seen on a phone or tablet. Functionality is limited too -- really just letting users access maps and audio, though Siri can read messages and take dictation for responses. Apple iOS 7See full gallery1 - 3 / 3NextPrevApple CarPlay ready to hit the road (pic...See full gallery1 - 4 / 7NextPrevUpdated at 10:40 a.m. PT: with additional details.
NBC's Zucker- 'Seinfeld' wouldn't make it today
NBC's Zucker: 'Seinfeld' wouldn't make it today
That also means shows have less time to mature, he said. Zucker noted that "Seinfeld" would probably not make it in today's environment, noting it did just so-so in an initial four-episode summer run."That doesn't happen anymore," he said. "It would be gone."Zucker said that doesn't mean the era of hit shows is over. "There can still be hits in network television," Zucker said. "They don't last as long."Asked about the fact his network is in third place, Zucker said that's obviously not where he wants to be. "We haven't done a good enough job of creating programs that people want to watch," Zucker said.Broadcast is more challenging than cable, he said, because it only has advertising as a revenue stream. Another change, Zucker said, is that broadcast networks used to show episodes multiple times. Now the reruns are on Hulu and other places."We're at our core a cable company," Zucker said. Sixty percent of its cash comes from cable, he said. "The cable model is just a better model."As for the economy, he said, "There is some light at the end of the tunnel."Asked about Hulu, Zucker said it is ahead of plan and should be cash-flow positive soon. "The first 18 months was getting it up and not getting laughed at," Zucker said. "The goal over the next 18 months would be increased monetization." Hulu is a Web video service from NBC Universal and Fox Entertainment Group. Zucker was also asked about his well-publicized spat with iTunes."We've always loved Steve," he said, referring to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "It wasn't personal." But Zucker said NBC didn't agree that a library copy of the "Rockford Files" should sell at same rate as a new episode of "Battlestar Galactica." "The pricing wasn't fair.""About a year later, Steve decided he was open to tiered pricing," Zucker said.He noted that 15 percent of NBC content sells at $2.99, the price consumers pay for HD content on iTunes.Zucker said that iTunes, Hulu, and other digital businesses are small individually for NBC. "You do have to have 10 businesses like this that make up for the one you've lost."He has said that the industry is replacing analog dollars with digital pennies. "I was just trying to be honest. I don't regret it at all because it was the truth.""What I have said is we are now up to digital dimes. I think that's progress...We still have a 90-cent gap. Hopefully I can come back and in a year or two we will be at digital quarters. The more people understand where we are, the better," he said.Zucker was asked whether he would put his shows on Facebook."We'll put our shows anywhere, frankly. We want to be paid for it. That's what will allow us to keep producing shows like "The Office" and "30 Rock." If we can't get paid for them, we can't afford that cost structure."As for teaming up with rivals on Hulu, Zucker said he wasn't worried about antitrust issues. "Half the day we spend bashing each others' heads in. Half the day we spend in business together."Zucker said it is important for the industry to embrace technology so as not to end up where the music industry did. "I don't think you can put the genie back in the bottle." He said that if the company tried to air its content only on its network, people would find more ways to pirate the shows."You can't stop progress," he said.Asked about Hulu's efforts to keep its service off TV sets, Zucker said: "Right now we are committed to Hulu being an online experience. That's where our vision is today. That will continue."Note: CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.
That also means shows have less time to mature, he said. Zucker noted that "Seinfeld" would probably not make it in today's environment, noting it did just so-so in an initial four-episode summer run."That doesn't happen anymore," he said. "It would be gone."Zucker said that doesn't mean the era of hit shows is over. "There can still be hits in network television," Zucker said. "They don't last as long."Asked about the fact his network is in third place, Zucker said that's obviously not where he wants to be. "We haven't done a good enough job of creating programs that people want to watch," Zucker said.Broadcast is more challenging than cable, he said, because it only has advertising as a revenue stream. Another change, Zucker said, is that broadcast networks used to show episodes multiple times. Now the reruns are on Hulu and other places."We're at our core a cable company," Zucker said. Sixty percent of its cash comes from cable, he said. "The cable model is just a better model."As for the economy, he said, "There is some light at the end of the tunnel."Asked about Hulu, Zucker said it is ahead of plan and should be cash-flow positive soon. "The first 18 months was getting it up and not getting laughed at," Zucker said. "The goal over the next 18 months would be increased monetization." Hulu is a Web video service from NBC Universal and Fox Entertainment Group. Zucker was also asked about his well-publicized spat with iTunes."We've always loved Steve," he said, referring to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "It wasn't personal." But Zucker said NBC didn't agree that a library copy of the "Rockford Files" should sell at same rate as a new episode of "Battlestar Galactica." "The pricing wasn't fair.""About a year later, Steve decided he was open to tiered pricing," Zucker said.He noted that 15 percent of NBC content sells at $2.99, the price consumers pay for HD content on iTunes.Zucker said that iTunes, Hulu, and other digital businesses are small individually for NBC. "You do have to have 10 businesses like this that make up for the one you've lost."He has said that the industry is replacing analog dollars with digital pennies. "I was just trying to be honest. I don't regret it at all because it was the truth.""What I have said is we are now up to digital dimes. I think that's progress...We still have a 90-cent gap. Hopefully I can come back and in a year or two we will be at digital quarters. The more people understand where we are, the better," he said.Zucker was asked whether he would put his shows on Facebook."We'll put our shows anywhere, frankly. We want to be paid for it. That's what will allow us to keep producing shows like "The Office" and "30 Rock." If we can't get paid for them, we can't afford that cost structure."As for teaming up with rivals on Hulu, Zucker said he wasn't worried about antitrust issues. "Half the day we spend bashing each others' heads in. Half the day we spend in business together."Zucker said it is important for the industry to embrace technology so as not to end up where the music industry did. "I don't think you can put the genie back in the bottle." He said that if the company tried to air its content only on its network, people would find more ways to pirate the shows."You can't stop progress," he said.Asked about Hulu's efforts to keep its service off TV sets, Zucker said: "Right now we are committed to Hulu being an online experience. That's where our vision is today. That will continue."Note: CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.
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