Following the news earlier this week that Apple might offer a laptop-tablet hybrid based on the iPad, details have now emerged of a project to port the full-blown OS X environment to run on ARM processors, which might hint at a future ARM-based MacBook Air.

Citigroup analyst Richard Gardner sparked much discussion with a research note in which he speculated that Apple might offer an ARM-based version of MacBook Air at some point. However, he concluded that the company felt that the iPad better met the desires of consumers at the moment.

Now, many sources on the web have seized on the publication of a research project by a student intern working at Apple during 2010 to port OS X to an ARM-based chip.

The student found that much work would need to be done to get OS X successfully ported to run on ARM-based systems, but the very existence of the project is likely to fuel speculation that this is something Apple may still be planning for the future.

However, application compatibility could be a stumbling block. While iOS is derived from Mac OS X and both are based on the Darwin core code, applications for the iPhone and iPad are not compatible with OS X, but are written and compiled specifically for iOS and the ARM architecture.

This would mean that while Apple could produce an ARM-based MacBook Air, such a device would be unable to run existing Mac applications, unless developers also undertook to port these to ARM.

Google has posted an update for the iPad version of its Search App.

The free App has been updated to include a number of additional features from the Google Search platform as well as a few unique features for the iPad.

Among the features offered by the update is Google Instant. The search tool allows users to see possible results as they type, the time-saving feature has proven popular since it was first introduced for Google online search in September of last year.

Additionally, the update will bring a new iPad navigation system which will sport result preview panels and allow users to view images on a carousel presentation screen which can be navigated through tap gestures.

Google has posted a video demonstration of the new App along with more information on its Mobile blog.

While iPad-optimised applications have existed since Apple first introduced the tablet, the practice seems to be picking up steam as both developers and iOS grow even more sophisticated and familiar with the iPad. We're anxious to see what features can to the iPad version of recently-ported applications such as Minecraft. 

Consumer Reports has issued a recommendation for the Apple iPhone for the first time in two years.

The influential reviews company said in a review of the iPhone 4S that Apple has finally addressed the antenna problems which had throttled reception and prevented Consumer Reports from issuing its 'recommended' status on the handset.

"In special reception tests of the iPhone 4S that duplicated those we did on the iPhone 4, the newer phone did not display the same reception flaw, which involves a loss of signal strength when you touch a spot on the phone's lower left side while you're in an area with a weak signal," the company said.

Consumer Reports also overlooked the reports of battery draining software bugs, and noted the improved camera and Siri voice control system. As a result, the iPhone 4S has received the recommendation which eluded the iPhone 4.

The site did note, however, that the iPhone 4S failed to match up with the top-rated Android handsets from Samsung and Motorola.

While the review will be a nice feather in Apple's cap, it is not likely to have much of an impact on sales. The iPhone 4 racked up record sales despite the snub from Consumer Reports, and thus far the iPhone 4S has set records of its own even without the 'recommended' label.

Apple has admitted that several bugs in the recently launched iOS 5 operating system are to blame for the battery power problems experienced by users of the iPhone 4S and other Apple devices.

Thousands of iPhone 4S buyers reported problems with the smartphone on the Apple web site, complaining that the battery drains extremely quickly even with light use.

Some said that the 4S is unable to last a full day on a single charge when features such as push notifications and Wi-Fi are turned on for any significant period of time.

Apple finally responded to the concerns on Thursday in a brief statement.

"A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices," the firm said.

"We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks."

V3's tests of the iPhone 4S confirmed the battery issues. The phone needs charging more frequently than older models, and using the notifications feature to the maximum 15 minutes wipes the battery within half a day.

Apple has extended its GarageBand music platform into the mobile space with the release of GarageBand for iPhone and iPod Touch.

The iOS port of the home recording tool is available for $5 on the App Store platform, and follows the unveiling of GarageBand for iPad earlier this year. It also rounds out iOS availability for GarageBand.

Users will be able to record sound from an amplifier or mixing console through the handset's input jack or built-in microphone.

Mobile handsets might not be the ideal platform for sound recording, but there are some situations where having GarageBand on your iPhone could come in very handy. Performing musicians are one likely audience, as are podcast producers looking to record on location or at events.

Additionally, the iPhone app provides another option for capturing audio and then transporting it to a desktop or other large workstation.

There have been accusations for decades that Microsoft rips off Apple's ideas in its products. The latest reports out of Redmond may not kick off any lawsuits, but they do indicate that the rest of the market continues to follow Apple's lead.

Windows boss Steven Sinofsky announced via a blog posting yesterday that Metro, the version of Windows 8 designed for tablets, will not support plug-ins. The post hardly mentions any specific plug-ins, but it's pretty obvious that Adobe Flash played a large part in Microsoft's decision.

Perhaps Apple did as well. Early on, when the iPad maker vowed not to support Flash in iOS, Apple took all sorts of heat and many predicted that sales would suffer as a result.

As it turns out, people don't use Flash as much as they thought they would. Sites that rely on the technology are usually able to develop a workaround by creating special mobile and iPad versions of their sites with HTML5. Apple also avoids the security risks and performance worries that have dogged Flash in recent years.

Now that Microsoft has announced it will drop Flash support for its tablet OS, the reaction is very different. The move has drummed up some attention in the press, but it most certainly was not the firestorm the Apple's announcement caused, and there is little to no speculation that the move will have any substantial negative consequences for Microsoft.

Adobe, meanwhile, may need to pick up the pace on its corporate makeover. It looks like the market for Flash may be drying up faster than it thought.

Apple is reportedly looking to extend the retail reach of its iOS platform by offering iPhones, iPods and iPads through games retailer GameStop.

News blog 9to5Mac reports that the retailer will sell new devices and accept trade-ins and used sales.

The partnership will be good news for Apple buyers who don't live near an Apple store or official reseller. GameStop has around 6,500 outlets around the world, which will greatly extend the availability of iOS devices.

The deal also offers a way for customers to prepare for upcoming releases and upgrades by getting a bit of extra cash from their old models. Even if you don't need the extra coin, trading in hardware is a good way to make sure it's disposed of in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.

The move also makes an interesting point about iOS, and by extension Apple's place in the gaming world. Ten years ago the gaming crowd that frequented places like GameStop wouldn't be caught dead playing games on an Apple device. If you weren't a console owner, you played your games on a PC. Apple had no use for GameStop, and vice versa.

But along with the rise of iOS as a consumer platform has come the rise of Apple in the games world. What started as a niche market for casual games has become a serious platform with exclusive titles from some of the largest games studios in the world.

Suddenly iOS is a serious option for gamers, and everyone, including GameStop, is taking note.

Apple's iCloud has been eagerly anticipated since it was unveiled in June at WWDC alongside iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion.

Pitched as a key addition to the Mac OS and iOS platforms, iCloud offers a way to backup, synchronise and manage Apple devices on the web. 

Despite the hype, Apple has avoided setting a hard release date for the service, but if recent developments are to be believed an iCloud launch could come sooner rather than later.

A quick visit to iCloud.com shows that Apple has moved the project into the beta phase. While it may currently be limited to developers, the move indicates that in all likelihood we are just weeks away from a public launch.

When it does arrive, iCloud could bridge an important gap in Apple's lineup. The company has established itself in the mobile and desktop spaces, but the only thing connecting the iOS and OS X brands thus far has been a small white USB cable.

The success of iCloud could bring Apple that much closer to having a single platform to connect and manage all its future devices.