AppleInsider is reporting that iCloud usage has jumped to 85 million subscribers. Sign-ups for the service have far out outpaced device sales.

During the conference call, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said, “iCloud is off to a great start with more than 85 million customers signed up as of today. With iCloud, customers can store their music and photos and documents and keep their personal information and content in sync across all their devices, automatically and seamlessly.”

The numbers don’t come from just new users signing up for the service, but also from MobileMe, Apple’s old data storage system, users.

AppleInsider states that iCloud is much more convenient than Apple’s previous two attempts at storage with .Mac and MobileMe which forced users to sync data manually across all platforms. The prior services also featured a clunky interface and users had to pay for storage. iCloud lacks all of those with its free easy-to-use interface.

“It was a fundamental shift recognizing that people had numerous devices and they wanted the bulk of their content in the cloud, and easily accessible from all the devices,” CEO Tim Cook said.

The service launched in October 2011 and as we reported then, iCloud synced users’ contacts, calendar and mail across all devices. It also allowed users to store personal data and purchased apps so they could access them across all devices.

Cook went on to say that iCloud is not just a product, but a “strategy for the next decade.”

In an effort to uncover what the environment that maintains all this secrecy is like, Fortune Magazine’s senior editor, Adam Lashinsky interviewed several past and present Apple employees. What he found was a family oriented environment, hell-bent on letting newbies find their own way, with a cult-like value for secrecy.

To begin with, new hires are seldom told about the projects they’ll be working on for Apple. Sometimes a “dummy project” is discussed as a way to screen applicants before they are hired. Once you arrive at your new position, you are issued a computer however; the surprise is, in many cases you will be the one hooking it up. Also, you will be expected to get connected to this network on your own, both technically speaking and socially. Apparently, the idea here is that you would have to be tech savvy to be hired at Apple to begin with.

It is common for new hires to be assigned an “iBuddy”, someone outside your work group who can answer questions and get you up to speed on the norms and values of the organization. Next comes the privacy and security briefing. In this meeting new hires are explained the trust the company has placed on them to maintain secrecy about all new products, services, and proprietary information at Apple. Leaking details about critical items, they are told, will result in immediate termination.

Employees will not need to be informed of new projects however, as they will see the workspaces around them being transformed. Construction crews work diligently erecting new walls, installing privacy glass, and closing off areas inside the facility. Yes, it seems secrecy is a foundation of Apples value system.

As institutional as all this may seem, the physical workspace conveys a much different picture. Inside the network of office spaces and work areas lies a bright, sunny courtyard filled with green grass and trees. It surrounds special food stations selling everything from sushi and salads to meat and desserts. But these lunches are not free. As one employee recounts, “There is only one free lunch at Apple, and it’s on your first day”. Though food is fresh and reasonably priced.

Apple may be one of the world’s most revered companies, but we know very little about what goes on there or how operations are run on a day to day basis. Steve Jobs was once quoted, saying of the organization, ” I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t say it’s the most fulfilling experience in their lives, People love it…”.

[Source: Fortune Magazine]

File this one under silly and unnecessary, the Invoxia NVX 610 being shown off at CES combines a desktop phone with an iPod, iPhone or iPad to make and receive calls.

The NVX 610 is a desktop phone with a port to fit your favorite iDevice in to replace the office phone. The calls are made from the iDevice and can be made to either office or phone contacts. The same is true for incoming calls as the device allows for integration of both contact lists. It uses Skype or SIP to make calls.

The phone’s main selling point is that it features excellent sound quality. The stand on which both phones sit is a speaker that can be used in hands-free mode for conference calls. It also allows the user to listen to all music and sound related apps on the iDevice.

The device can be remotely updated by the company so any and all future iDevices will be supported.

It features two USB ports on the back, one of which is taken by the corded handset. It also has two ethernet ports with one of them being a Power over Ethernet port to power the phone. Also features Bluetooth technology for wireless communication with your iPhone or iPod. It can also pair the phone with a wireless headset, thereby invalidating the need for the handset.

This may be the most needless device I have seen at CES this week. Every device has a market and I’m sure the NVX 610 will find a market. I just don’t see why we need to integrate a smartphone into everything. The NVX 610 represents the pinnacle of needless smartphone integration because it integrates the smartphone with a phone.

Is the NVX 610 a needless product? Are you tired of seeing smartphone integration with every other device? Does it seem useful to you? Let us know in the comments.

If you’re interested in the iNuke, it will set you back $30,000 which covers delivery and set-up of the 700 lb form factor. My question to everyone is, where will you put it once you have it in your house? Also, will you be on 24 hour surveillance trying to keep people from instinctively putting their drinks on it?

The device is powered by two 18-inch subwoofers which generate around 6,000 watts of power, with the entire device going up to 10,000 watts. It requires so much electricity that the speaker has to power on in stages so your outlet doesn’t blow. According to the YouTube video below, the company has two pre-orders as of now. Come on people, this iPod dock is the definition of need.

The iNuke is currently in production and will release Q3 2012.

We can only hope they’ll add an option to hook up a guitar to it before release.

Image via [iSource]

Sometimes, when the Grammys want to honor someone who was working behind the scenes of music production, they’ll award them a Trustees Award. For those not in the know, the Recording Academy describes the Trustee Award as a prize reserved for “individuals who, during their careers in music, have made significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording.” Careers in music. Producers, studio musicians, these are people I think of when I contemplate this award. Good to recognize their contributions, I suppose. Adds some relevance to the Grammys. Gotcha.

Apparently uncomfortable with the Grammys’ currently sclerotic state, the Recording Academy will attempt to liven things up for the forth-coming awards show albeit poorly and confusingly. This year’s award ceremony, which is scheduled to come vomiting out of your TV screen on February 11, 2012, will blur the distinction of exactly what is considered “significant contributions to the field of recording” music because they’re posthumously awarding the Trustees Award to the Pope of Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs.

Wait, what?

From the Recording Academy’s press release:

As former CEO and co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs helped create products and technology that transformed the way we consume music, TV, movies, and books. A creative visionary, Jobs’ innovations such as the iPod and its counterpart, the online iTunes store, revolutionized the industry and how music was distributed and purchased. In 2002 Apple Computer Inc. was a recipient of a Technical GRAMMY Award for contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field. The company continues to lead the way with new technology and in-demand products such as the iPhone and iPad.

I’m still confused. So because he introduced a popular device that is used to listen to music or spoken word whatevers he gets a Grammy? Did Andreas Pavel, the man who gave us the Walkman, get a Grammy for his revolutionary contribution to making music portable? You get two seconds to guess. Time’s up. Answer: No.

Awarding a lukewarm Grammy to Steve Jobs is shameless and opportunistic. If they really wanted to give him an award with any meaning, the Recording Academy could’ve done this after everybody realized the iPod was a pretty big deal. Like, five or six years ago. They shouldn’t even be giving him an award at all, but that’s beside the point. But whatever – it’s the Grammys’ show and they’ll cry if they want to. However, since the Grammys are bending their rules for Saint Jobs to receive an award, maybe his iGrammy will look a little like this.

Two weeks ago we brought you a rumor that Apple was preparing a retina display iPad 3, possibly for a February launch (though probably not until later). Then came the rumor that Apple was preparing to put a retina display in its MacBook Pro notebooks. That report appears to have been confirmed – or at least supported – by the discovery of references to “HIDPI” in recent beta builds of the latest version of OS X Lion, 10.7.3.

To this mix we can add re-vamped rumors of an iTV, and the unlikely story of a late 2012 launch of the long-rumored but never-appearing iPad mini.

As to the iPhone, rumors have been trickling in for over a month about some of its new features. One report suggests that Sprint was preparing its LTE network for a 2012 iPhone launch, suggesting that unlike the iPhone 4S, next year’s iPhone (which should be called the iPhone 6, despite the fact that many insist on calling the iPhone 5) will be able to access the 4G LTE networks of AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. Meanwhile, DigiTimes predicted late last month that Apple would be bringing NFC technology to the iPhone in 2012, a feature which had been rumored for the current-generation iPhone, but was not included.

Finally, fuel has been added to the fire by analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray. Munster sent a note to his clients today saying that he expected significant changes in Apple’s product lineup in 2012, including a revamped “iPhone 5,” and only one third-generation iPad (i.e., no iPad Mini). Munster also said that he believes a redesign of the Mac computer line could generate tremendous amounts of revenue for Apple in 2012 and 2013.

Munster predicts that after the changes coming in 2012, Apple will sell 142-162 million iPhones, accounting for 50% of Apple’s revenue, in 2013. He also expects 66-70 million iPad sals, 24-26 million Mac sales, and 29 million iPod sales.

What kind of surprises do you think Apple has in store for next year? Let us know in the comments.

According to some leaked details obtained by 9to5Mac, this year’s Black Friday sale at Apple Stores will resemble Black Friday sales of the past. The Mac line, including the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro and the iMac will receive the most significant discounts.

Here are some of the top discounts on devices:

• MacBook Air: $101 off, starting at $898
• MacBoook Pro: $101 off, starting at $1098
• iMac: $101 off, starting at $1098
• iPad 2: $41 to $61 off (depending on capacity), the 16GB starting at $458
• iPod Nano: $11 off, starting at $118
• iPod Touch: $21 to $41 off (depending on capacity), starting at $178

So the more GB you buy, the bigger the discount for the iPad 2 and the iPod Touch.

The Black Friday sale will also discount accessories including a Phillips Dual Dock Clock Radio for $98 ($52 off), a Michael Kors Clutch for you iPhone for $58 ($22 off), and $11 off an Apple Wireless Keyboard.

According to the leaks, iTunes gift cards will also receive a discount: $45 for a $50 card.

Like events of the past, these discounts are far from monumental. But hey, it is Apple we’re talking about here. Still, if you were planning on getting your loved one an iMac for the holidays, it doesn’t hurt to get 100 bucks off.

According to emails sent out by Apple on Tuesday, the sale will occur both online and in retail stores.

View more infographic round-ups here.

Cult of Mac looks at the life of the iPod:

[x]Cube Labs looks at The Android Story:

Finally, Salesforce shared this one about AppExchange surpassing 1,000,000 installs:

CEO Tim Cook opened the earnings conference call by noting that this was the first one since the passing of Steve Jobs. “The world has lost a visionary, a creative genius and an amazing human being,” he said, adding that his “spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Cook said he wanted to express gratitude for the condolences and expressions of support following Steve’s passing.

He then turned the call over to CFO Peter Oppenheimer to go through the financials.

Apple sold 17.07 million iPhones in the quarter – 21% growth year-over-year. They sold 11.12 million iPads (up 166% year-over-year). They sold 4.89 million Macs (up 26% year-over-year). They sold 6.62 million iPods (down 27% year-over-year).

Oppenheimer noted that Mac growth has been largely fueled by the Macbook Air and Macbook Pro, with 74% of Mac sales being portable Macs, though they also had record desktop sales. He also noted hat there were over 6 million downloads of Mac OS X Lion during the quarter.

The company says iPhone sales were better than they expected, as buzz built for the next-generation to come out in the fall. In other words, they expected people to hold off on buying an iPhone until the iPhone 4S came out.

Well, they may have been right, as the 4S is selling like hotcakes.

He did note that the Asia Pacific has contributed to strong iPhone sales growth. Sales in that region more than doubled year-over-year.

On the iPod front, the company says sales were ahead of their expectations, despite being down year-over-year. iPod still controls 70% of the portable digital music player market. iTunes also had record results.

Apple says it will continue to focus on international expansion of Apple Retail stores.

They also announced 250 million iOS devices sold.

During a Q&A session, Cook said he expects to have an all time record iPhone quarter this quarter.

They will continuously rebroadcast the earnings call here. See the whole earnings report here.

After you click the image you’re greeted with the following message, and an email address where you can leave your condolences.

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has loast an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com“

To read more about the passing of Steve Jobs or to share a kind word please go here.