Apple and IBM to offer enterprise support for business tools

Tim Cook and Virginia Rometty

Apple and IBM will begin offering a new support service as part of the enterprise app development partnership the companies announced earlier in the year. The service, AppleCare for Enterprise, offers 24/7 IT support for all Apple hardware and operating systems.

As part of the package, participating enterprises will be able to replace up to 10% of their fleet’s iPad and iPhone devices at no additional cost if the hardware is lost or damaged. Apple says it can exchange devices within one business day.

Participating businesses will be supplied with an account manager who will provide ongoing support for the organization’s IT infrastructure and device deployments. Support will be provided via phone or email, and Apple claims support will be provided within one hour for top-priority issues (I assume this includes Chinese malware destroying all of your Apple devices).

There is no immediate information on the plan’s cost.

Users can also pay an additional fee to receive onsite service coverage for two or three years from the date of hardware purchases. An IBM technician will arrive within one business day of a requested service call, according to the AppleCare for Enterprises website.

Support will be available at no extra charge for up to six in-house technical contacts. You can add more contacts for an additional fee.

In addition to hardware and operating systems, businesses can use the service to troubleshoot Apple apps and personal accounts.

See more software news Sign up to receive TechRadar Pro's free weekly newsletter with the week's IT insights.

View the original article here

OFFER: Bag yourself a deal this Christmas with these great magazine offers

Get some of these in your stocking

Everyone likes a deal and TechRadar is no different. In fact, we like deals so much we're bringing you five of them in one go.

Our sister magazines are serving up some wallet-pleasing Christmas discounts and we feel duty bound to pass them on to fellow Tech lovers. Whether you're treating yourself or looking for an unsubtle hint to drop to a loved one, there are impressive savings to be had on some top titles.

And don't worry if the prospect of subscribing to a print magazine feels as anachronistic to you as making notes on a Palm Pilot because digital subscriptions are also available with some equally hefty discounts. Here's what's on offer...

Gadget nuts need look no further than T3. For just £19.49 for a year you can enjoy both the print and interactive digital edition of the mag for six months – the saving of 62% surprised even some of our grizzled industry veterans:

Click here

If your tech world is dominated by a love of all things originating from Cupertino then MacFormat is your perfect match. Promising to satisfy all your Apple needs, it's packed with advice for all things Mac, iPhone and iPad, and available from just £10.99 for a year if you opt for the fully interactive digital edition:

Click here

And for anyone whose Christmas Day typically involves rushing through the cracker-pulling festivities in order to spend more time tinkering with a Raspberry Pi then a Linux Format subscription is a must, with prices starting at just £25.49 for the digital edition.

Click here

With the launch of Windows 10 likely to be a defining Microsoft moment in 2015, what better time could there be to stock up on Windows-focused information? Save 50% on a subscription to Windows Help and Advice right here

Click here

Last but not least, if performance computing is your particular poison then PC Format possesses all the rig-building, overclocking and GPU optimising advice you could ever want. Prices start at £30.99 for a year for the print and digital edition bundle:

Click here

See more world of tech news Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter with the week's hottest news, reviews and offers.

View the original article here

Apple to offer next iPad in gold -- report

The company is expected to announce new tablets this month and add a gold version to its current silver and gray models.

The gold iPhone 6 Plus James Martin/CNET

Apple is expected to unveil a new iPad this month -- and it may come in a new color this time around.

Apple plans to launch a gold version of its 9.7-inch iPad, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company's plans. The gold version, which would come with a white face, will flank the silver and gray models already available, according to the report.

Rumors have been swirling for months that Apple is working on the sixth generation of iPads. While major design changes are not expected, the new iPad is rumored to feature Apple's new A8 processor and updated specs.

By offering a gold version of the iPad, Apple would bring its tablets in line with its iPhones. The company's iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 models both come in gold versions. Several other companies, including LG, have also offered gold versions of their mobile devices. What the appetite is for gold models, however, has never been fully revealed by device makers.

In addition to launching a gold iPad, Apple may also boost the size of its upcoming tablet. The company is reportedly working on a model with a 12.9-inch screen. That device would be unveiled next year, according to Bloomberg's sources.

The idea of Apple designing a larger iPad doesn't seem especially outlandish. The company last month launched two new iPhone sizes -- a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. For now, it appears bigger is better at Apple -- at least in smartphones.

Apple did respond to a request for comment.

Don Reisinger Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications. See full bio

View the original article here

Staples to offer iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus

The iPhone 6 (left) and the iPhone 6 Plus. CNET

Staples is now officially on the list of retailers that will sell the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus starting Friday.

Announcing the news Thursday, the company said that both new smartphones will be available in limited supply at 250 Staples stores tomorrow. Staples added that the new iPhones can be preordered at any one of Staples' 900 locations. Staples is selling the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in store only, and an iPhone store locator will be available on Staples.com beginning Friday.

That adds Staples to the range of retailers selling the new phones, including Apple itself, the four major US carriers, Best Buy, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Target and Walmart.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have been available for preorder since September 12 and racked up a record 4 million preorders in the first 24 hours.

Staples is dangling a couple of deals to try to get iPhone 6 buyers to its stores.

Customers who trade in a qualifying smartphone can earn at least $50 in the form of a gift card, which can be used to help pay for the new iPhone. For example, an iPhone 5 in good condition can score a trade-in value as high as $280. In a deal that sounds less enticing, customers can also earn at least $30 when they trade in a qualifying laptop.

Verizon subscribers who trade in their old model iPhone can receive a Staples gift card for $200. That card would then be used to buy the new iPhone 6, which starts at $199 with the usual two-year agreement.

The retailer also offers as much as 5 percent back in Staples Rewards for customers who buy tech products.

Staples didn't indicate how easy or difficult it might be to score an iPhone at one of its stores starting Friday. The retailer first began selling Apple's smartphone in store with the iPhone 5S. As expected, demand for the new iPhones has outstripped supply. Apple's website shows a wait time of seven to 10 business days for online orders of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and a wait of three to four weeks for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus.

Staples customers should call their local store before dropping by to make sure the iPhone 6 model they want is actually available.

Update, 11:05 a.m. PT: Adds more details on buying the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at Staples.

View the original article here

Philips Android TVs will be the first to offer Spotify Connect

Tuning the TV

Android-powered Philips TVs will be the first to support Spotify Connect, letting you stream music from a mobile device straight to the television.

From September, Spotify Premium subscribers will be able to stream music on their compatible Philips Smart TV, in a move that will integrate the music service more into our homes.

And Spotify tells us that Philips is just the first in a "long line" of smart TVs that will be arriving with Connect support.

Because Connect draws on internet connectivity directly, the tunes will keep pumping even if your phone or tablet goes out of range, or you have to take a call - making it better than other connectivity options, such as Bluetooth.

On top of that, Spotify has announced some new Connect partners for home speakers, including Bose, Panasonic and Gramofon. More will be announced at IFA 2014, Spotify tells us, so keep an eye on this space.

And as for all you Windows Phone users, don't forget that Spotify has just opened up free streaming to your platform.

See more television news Sign up to receive our free weekly newsletter with the week's hottest news, reviews and offers.

View the original article here