Apple Stores Defy Recession's Bite on Retailers

Angry crowd is told 4S sale canceled

(NEWSER) - If notorious perfectionist Steve Jobs was still alive, today's bungled launch of the iPhone 4S in Beijing might have given him a heart attack. Would-be customers who waited all night in freezing temperatures became furious when Apple's flagship Beijing store abruptly announced that the phone would not go on sale as scheduled, AP reports. Police cordoned off the store after the angry crowd pelted it with eggs. More»

Former boss of stores says it's all about customer relationships

(NEWSER) - Apple Stores’ success is about much more than Apple products; after all, you can get Macs, iPhones, and iPads elsewhere for less money. What draws customers is the fact that an Apple store is “more than a store to people,” writes Apple's former VP of retail, Ron Johnson. “People come to the Apple Store for the experience—and they're willing to pay a premium for that," writes Johnson in the Harvard Business Review . More»

Users complain it's 'unusable'

(NEWSER) - Google finally released its long-awaited stand-alone Gmail client for iPhones, iPads, and iPods today—only to immediately pull it down after a flood of complaints over bugs. “The iOS app we launched today contained a bug with notifications. We have pulled the app to fix the problem,” Gmail’s official Twitter account said. “Sorry we messed up.” A brief message on Gmail’s blog said much the same thing. More»

Apple also unveils new version of Mac OS

(NEWSER) - Steve Jobs took a break from his medical leave to show off some major new Apple software today, including its hotly anticipated new cloud computing service. The service, predictably dubbed “iCloud,” lets users keep all manner of data online, including books, apps, and music, syncing it all across multiple devices instantly. “We are going to demote the PC to just be a device,” Jobs said, according to the New York Times . “We are going to move… the center of your digital life into the cloud.” More»

The iKey? Why not?

(NEWSER) - Steve Jobs may be stepping back , but that’s no reason to stop being jazzed about all things Apple: The company snagged a whopping 563 patents last year, some of which are sure to eventually see the light of day. Mashable reports on 10 you should be particularly excited about:

• iBike: A smart bike concept that tracks data like your heart rate, the bike’s speed, and distance on your iPod or iPhone.
• Wand remote: A remote control for your Apple TV that functions like a Wii remote, using motion control.