The iPhone 4’s Quick Success

Although the iPhone 4S was announced to mixed reviews, the product’s early success has pushed aside any concerns Apple’s decisions to continue with the original iPhone 4’s enclosure would dampen enthusiasm for the new device. The iPhone 4’s eight-megapixel camera and dual-core A5 chip are among the significant enhancements to the iPhone’s features. The new iPhone holds its own not only as a point-and-shoot digital camera, but also as a competitive handheld console for gamers.

Siri

If there’s one particular feature available on the iPhone 4S that has generated a great deal of press, it’s Siri, the user’s “intelligent assistant.” Siri allows one to use voice commands to send text messages, arrange calendar appointments, and much, much more. Siri is among the reasons Apple will sell 130 million iPhones or more in the company’s current fiscal year.

iWork ’12?

We noticed it’s been a while since Apple updated iWork for the Mac. The latest Mac versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are suffixed with an “’09.” For those of us who choose to use iWork as our primary productivity suite, it’s time to give us an update. Numbers, in particular, has a simple elegance. But it could use a bit of an update and an upgrade in sophistication. iOS versions 1.5 of the iWork applications for Apple’s mobile devices were released in mid-October.

AAPL on Sale Now

Apple’s share price is on a holiday discount of its own. No matter the 82.7% rise in earnings per share last fiscal year and the roughly $87 in cash standing behind every outstanding share as of the end of the September quarter, at press time AAPL is trading at only 14 times trailing 12-month earnings.

During the current fiscal year that ends next September, Apple will surpass HP in revenue to become the nation’s biggest technology company. As much as 75% of Apple’s revenue in the current fiscal year may come from iOS-based products that include the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. All of Apple’s iOS products were first released within the past five years, and both the iPhone and iPad are in early stages of global market development.

Apple HD TV

We’re not talking about the $99 Apple TV that many of us use to stream content to the television in our living room. We’re talking about a full-fledged HD TV. The rumors that Apple is planning to enter the HD TV business have been consistent and persistent for the past few months. We’ll know early next year if an HD TV is coming to an Apple retail store near you.

iTunes Gift Cards

Among the most popular gifts to give and receive during the holidays are iTunes gift cards. No longer do you need to know a person’s size or favorite color. Chances are that they will appreciate an iTunes gift card in any denomination. iTunes gift cards are available at thousands of retail stores, and the recipient can choose from countless numbers of songs, movies, apps, and applications that suit their preferences and tastes. iTunes gift cards have become their own form of currency during the annual holiday season.

Our December issue includes:

MacMuser: The Best Thing About the iPhone 4S

While enduring a hospital procedure, Mark Tennent explains his favorite feature of the iPhone 4S.

MacMuser: Box-Shifting Causes Migration

A new Mac migration tale.

PEBKAC: Staying Connected in Africa

While in Africa adopting his third child, Chris Turner offers his experiences in staying connected back home and with friends around the world.

How To: Create Your Own Homemade Audio Book

Armed with a Mac, Automator, and a few other basic tools, Sylvester Roque shows you how to brew a home-made audiobook.

Segments: Getting to Know My First Macintosh

Dave Trautman’s tale of his first Macintosh—a Mac Plus, “a simple machine with a mouse to take over where the keyboard left off.”

Segments: Nowhere to Go But Up

ATPM receives many press releases each month. Most of them are merely informative, but we enjoyed this one so much that we had to publish it verbatim.

Desktop Pictures: Disney World

Armed with a Canon EOS 7D, a tripod, and an annual pass, Jeff Krause enjoys creating HDR images from the four Disney World theme parks near Orlando, Florida.

Out at Five

Matt Johnson’s series, Out at Five, looks at the workplace and its boundaries from all angles, revolving around many of the same characters from his former series, Cortland.

The Spinning Beachball

Are there any Siri jokes left?

Review: Comic Life for iPad 1.1.1

Make comics with the photo collection on your iPad or via the iPad’s camera.

Review: OmniFocus for iPhone 1.13

“OmniFocus for the iPhone is a zippy, quick way to drop in a few new tasks and see what’s on the horizon for the day—or whenever you have a free moment.”

Copyright © 2011 Robert Paul Leitao. Robert Paul Leitao is a contributing editor at ATPM and is author of the Posts At Eventide and The iPad Chronicles blogs.