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Future iPhone user interface could detect eye movement

2012-02-13T17:49:00.001-08:00

Future iPhone user interface could detect eye movement

iPhones of the future could have an interactive 3D user interface that utilises motion sensors and facial recognition enabling you to 'reach into' your device.

A patent application that has been assigned to Apple Inc. of Cupertino, CA, US, suggests that the company is working on a three dimensional user interface for handheld devices such as the iPhone and iPad.

The Register picked up on the patent application, which can be seen on the Free Patents Online website, late last week.

"With various inertial clues from accelerometer, gyrometer, and other instruments that report their states in real time, it is possible to track the Frenet frame of the device in real time to provide a continuous 3D frame-of-reference," the patent's abstract reads.

"Once this continuous frame of reference is known, the position of a user's eyes may either be inferred or calculated directly by using a device's front-facing camera. With the position of the user's eyes and a continuous 3D frame-of-reference for the display, more realistic virtual 3D depictions of the objects on the device's display may be created and interacted with by the user."

Effectively this means that the device will be able to work out how to project a three-dimensional image by working out where the user's eyes are in relation to the device, so it can send one image to the left eye and a different image to the right eye, giving the impression of depth. The Nintendo 3DS uses a similar system.

However, the system proposed by Apple is slightly more complex than that used by Nintendo, as motion sensors such as the accelerometer and gyrometer could help to detect the movement of your eyes and hands and expand various parts of the screen such as icons when you look at them.

The application for the patent was made by Mark Zimmer, Geoff Stahl, David Hayward and Frank Doepke in April 2010 and was granted last week.

Though the most obvious application of the technology is likely to be in handheld devices the patent also mentions portable music devices, televisions, gaming devices, laptops and desktop computers.

Motorola Droid 4 vs. Apple iPhone 4S: Verizon Smartphone Showdown

2012-02-13T17:47:00.001-08:00

Motorola Droid 4 vs. Apple iPhone 4S: Verizon Smartphone Showdown

To keyboard or not to keyboard, that is the question. At least, that's probably the question if you're deciding whether to get the newly released Motorola Droid 4 or the Apple iPhone 4S. But keyboard aside, how does the Droid 4 stack up to Apple's four-month-old 4S? We've compiled specs for each phone in the table below to find out.

Priced at $199.99, the Droid 4 is nowhere near as thin as the Droid Razr (or even the Droid Razr Maxx, for that matter). It measures 5.0 by 2.7 by 0.5 inches (HWD) and weighs 6.3 ounces. That extra bulk is to provide room for the phone's incredible keyboard. The keys are chiclet-style, which Motorola claims was done to mimic a laptop keyboard. They've been laser cut, so they're super sharp and precise. Coated in soft touch plastic, the keys are backlit by an LED light.

The Droid 4 has a 4-inch qHD (540-by-960-pixel) display. Motorola claims the device is enclosed in a water-repellant nanocoating, which should make it a bit more durable than the average smartphone. There's an 8-megapixel camera on the back of the phone with 1080p video recording, plus 16GB of internal storage, and a free microSD memory card slot expandable to 64GB.

The phone is currently running Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread), which was PCMag lead mobile analyst Sascha Segan's biggest knock against it in his review. But Motorola has confirmed that the phone will receive an update to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) early this year.

The iPhone 4S ($199.99 - $399.99 with a two-year contract), meanwhile, is powered by Apple's new dual-core A5 chip, which Apple claims can deliver up to two times more power and seven times faster graphics performance than the iPhone 4. In addition, the iPhone 4S is a world phone, meaning it supports CDMA and GSM networks. It has an 8-megapixel rear camera with 1080p video capture, and is available in 16, 32, or 64GB versions.

While the specs for both phones are relatively similar, one of the biggest differences is that the Droid 4 uses Verizon's 4G LTE network, while the iPhone 4S uses 3G. While Verizon's 3G network offers excellent coverage, it is no match for the blazing speeds devices can reach over 4G LTE. In testing speeds on the Droid 4, we saw download speeds average around 10Mbps down. That's significantly speedier than 3G, which averaged a just 0.4Mbps down when we tested the iPhone 4S.

So which phone is the winner? If you're looking for excellent network speeds and a keyboard, the Droid 4 is the phone to beat right now, regardless of carrier. Still, the iPhone 4S provides an unsurpassed app experience, and is available on three major U.S. carriers. So in the end, the choice is up to you.

How to send SMS on your iPhone 4S when iMessage isn't available

2012-02-13T07:21:00.001-08:00

How to send SMS on your iPhone 4S when iMessage isn't available

When iMessage isn't available, try sending via SMS instead with your iPhone 4S

That great thing about the iPhone 4S is that it comes with iMessage built right in. It's a great messaging application that works over your carrier's data network, so messages exchanged with other iOS users don't count against your SMS or text messaging plan. In fact, you can send and receive text or multimedia messages (audio, video, pictures) to iOS 5 users who are using an iPad or iPod touch.

But what happens when your data service is down, or you're in an area with bad data coverage? Sometimes messages don't get delivered! While the solution may be obvious to you already, some folks are still unaware that you can toggle the option to send messages as SMS - your basic text message.

If you want your messages to send as an SMS when data service isn't available (or if you want to disable the feature), just hit the following:

Go into your Settings
Scroll down and go into Messages
Turn on "Send As SMS"

Now when you send a message and your carrier's data network is weak or unavailable where you are, the iPhone 4S will automatically send it as an SMS or text message. Your message bubbles will appear green to show that it was sent as an SMS, instead of blue, which is the color for iMessage.

Apple iPad 3, with retina display, slated for February?

2011-12-11T01:22:00.001-08:00

Apple iPad 3, with retina display, slated for February?

According to a Citi analyst, Apple is prepping a next-generation iPad -- likely called an iPad 3 -- for a February release.

Such a device would be similar to the iPad 2, but include Apple's high-resolution retina display technology found on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S by doubling the iPad 3's screen resolution, said analyst Richard Gardner in a research note first reported on by Business Insider and PCMag.

Gardner reportedly said that "several sources" told him that Apple could launch the iPad 3 as early as February, which would put its debut ahead of the first two generations of Apple's tablet.

The first iPad hit stores in April 2010 after being unveiled the month before, and the iPad 2 was unveiled and released in March 2011.

The analyst also said that "there do not appear to be any significant technical hurdles remaining" to prevent the launch of a high-resolution iPad, which contradicts previous reports that fitting such a dense screen into an Apple tablet was one of the reasons Apple iPad 2 maintained the 1024 x 768 resolution of the first iPad.

Both the first iPad and iPad 2 displays have a pixel density of 132 pixels per inch (or ppi).
Apple's iPhone 4 and 4S have what is classified as a retina display, with a resolution of 960 x 640 resolution, and a 326 ppi. Any display with a ppi of 300 or greater is said be so dense that pixels are indistinguishable from each other to the human eye at a distance of about 10 to 12 inches -- and thus, those displays can be dubbed retina displays.

Tablets with higher screen resolution have been released by Apple rivals and more are on the way, but nothing close to a retina display tablet has surfaced yet -- though Samsung has been working on it for months.

Among the most anticipated iPad competitors coming soon is the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, which features a screen resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels.

Gardner also estimated that Apple would sell about 12 million to 13 million iPads in the final three months of this year.

The major sales competitor to Apple's iPad is widely considered the Amazon Kindle Fire, which boasts much lower specs than iPads and Eee Pads. The research firm IHS iSuppli has estimated that Amazon will ship about 3.9 million Kindle Fire tablets before the end of the year.

In the past, Apple normally released new generations of its products about a year apart, though the iPad 2 did arrive 11 months after the first iPad, and recently the tech giant waited 16 months before releasing the iPhone 4S after the iPhone 4.

Apple is currently the leading tablet seller worldwide, with an estimated 65% share of the market.

Thicker iPad 3 coming March, 4-inch iPhone 5 in summer

2011-11-25T01:38:00.001-08:00

Thicker iPad 3 coming March, 4-inch iPhone 5 in summer

Well look at this. A source has dropped some Apple-flavoured rumours regarding the iPad 3, iPhone 5, and next-gen MacBook Pro. They're all due next year, and they all sound awesome.

The iPad 3 will actually be thicker than the second generation, reports iLounge, though only by 0.7mm. This is to make space for a dual light bar system, apparently, needed for the higher resolution screen. There's no word on how much higher the screen resolution will be, but the device is expected to touch down in March 2012, a year on from the iPad 2 launch. Bring it.

So, iPhone 5. Word from iLounge's "most reliable source" is it won't resemble the heavily-touted teardrop design. Though it will have a 4-inch screen, and be 8mm longer than the 4S. (With everyone else going 4-inches plus, it would make sense for Apple to jump aboard.) It's expected summer 2012, which would make it under a year from the 4S launch, not that we're complaining.

And then the MacBook Pro. The source seems to fan the flames of the rumour we brought you a while ago that afar slimmer Pro will hit shelves. Though the Pro line was refreshed last month, without any fanfare whatsoever. Again, it's sounding like a March release.

If this is all correct, it's going to be an expensive first half of the year.

Last week it emerged the iPhone 5 was finished but Apple decided at the last minute not to launch it. A source speaking to Business Insider claimed to have spent two weeks playing with a prototype version. We've heard talk of a March launch for the iPad 3 before, and it might come with a smaller connector, annoying anyone who's bought accessories for it, helpfully.

The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store

2011-11-16T17:26:00.000-08:00

The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store

App Store Official Charts for the week ending Nov. 14, 2011:

Top Paid iPhone Apps:

1. Angry Birds (Clickgamer.com)

2. Scribblenauts Remix (Warner Bros.)

3. Flick Home Run ! (infinity pocket)

4.Camera+ (tap tap tap)

5.Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick Studios)

6. Hardest Game Ever (0.02s PRO — Ming Liang Chien)

7. Angry Birds Seasons (Rovio Mobile Ltd.)

8. Zombieville USA 2 (Mika Mobile, Inc.)

9. WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp Inc.)

10. TETRIS (Electronic Arts)

___

Top Free iPhone Apps:

1. Angry Birds (Clickgamer.com)

2. Scribblenauts Remix (Warner Bros.)

3. Flick Home Run ! (infinity pocket)

4. Camera+ (tap tap tap)

5. Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick Studios)

6. Hardest Game Ever (0.02s PRO — Ming Liang Chien)

7. Angry Birds Seasons (Rovio Mobile Ltd.)

8. Zombieville USA 2 (Mika Mobile, Inc.)

9. WhatsApp Messenger (WhatsApp Inc.)

10. TETRIS (Electronic Arts)

___

Top Paid iPad Apps:

1. W.E.L.D.E.R. (Ayopa Games LLC)

2. Scribblenauts Remix (Warner Bros.)

3. Where's My Water? (Disney)

4. Pages (Apple)

5. GarageBand (Apple)

6. Zombieville USA 2 (Mika Mobile, Inc.)

7. SHADOWGUN (MADFINGER Games, a.s.)

8. Contre Jour HD (Chillingo Ltd)

9. Keynote ( Apple)

10. Numbers (Apple)

___

Top Free iPad Apps:

iBooks (Apple)

2. Facebook (Facebook, Inc.)

3. Netflix (Netflix, Inc.)

4. Adobe Reader (Adobe Systems Incorporated)

5. Adobe Carousel (Adobe Systems Incorporated)

6. Tiny Village (TinyCo, Inc.)

7. Pandora Radio (Pandora Media, Inc.)

8. Asteroids GUNNER (Atari)

9. Kindle (AMZN Mobile LLC)

10. Google Earth (Google)

(copyright) 2011 Apple, Inc.

Stanford's latest iPhone and iPad apps course now free to the world on iTunes U

2011-11-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

Stanford's latest iPhone and iPad apps course now free to the world on iTunes U

Students may covet seats in Stanford's popular iPhone and iPad application development course, but you don't need to be in the classroom to take the course.

Anyone with app dreams can follow along online.

Stanford has just released the iOS 5 incarnation of iPhone Application Development on iTunes U, where the public can download course lectures and slides for free. Some of the most talked-about features of Apple's latest operating system include iCloud, streamlined notifications and wireless syncing.

When Stanford's first iPhone apps course appeared online in 2009, it made iTunes history by rocketing to a million downloads in just seven weeks.

Alberto Martín is an engineer and independent iOS developer in Salamanca, Spain. He has been a diligent student of the online app development class since it first appeared.

He has created applications, now for sale in Apple's App Store, that organize your photos and make navigating while driving less distracting. Or, for fitness fans, an app that counts your pushups.

His apps provide him with extra income. "I hope some day I can live off this, because I love doing it," he said.

"Although it's not impossible, I think it's hard to make a lot of money in the App Store," Martín said. "But I think it's a beautiful process because it gives you the opportunity to develop your own ideas, sell them and fight for them."

Martín has been eagerly awaiting the release of the new course and says that he will follow the classes for as long as they keep coming.

"You learn a lot by watching the lectures on iTunes U," he said. "If you want to have success you need to keep on learning new things."

Students check the results of their coding on their iPhones in the Developing Apps for iOS taught by Paul Hegarty

Online learners hear the same lectures as classroom students, but do not get Stanford credit or access to instructors.

Instructor Paul Hegarty attributes the course popularity to the appeal of Apple products and the instant gratification of creating apps for mobile devices. "There's something about developing for the iOS platform that's really exciting and fun because it runs on devices that everybody has in their purses or pockets, " he said.

"There aren't a lot of courses you can take that when you get to the end, to your final project, you can take it out of your pocket and show your friends."

Hegarty said that his students develop a wide array of applications for the iPhone and iPad, including many that improve or automate their daily lives. Those include apps that manage laboratory experiments, keep track of food choices at campus eateries, or access the works of Shakespeare. Games and social networking applications are also popular.

John Cast, an electrical engineering student who is taking the class in a Stanford classroom, said that he learned about the course by watching earlier versions on iTunes U. Cast is working on applications that archive historical memorabilia and improve FM radio tuning.

"One of the coolest things about teaching this class is just seeing the creativity that gets applied," Hegarty said. "It's really quite amazing."

Developers unfamiliar with Apple's operating systems must learn a new programming language, Objective-C, if they hope to master the apps course. Stanford students take a year of computer science classes and learn the technique of object-oriented programming before tackling the iOS development class.

Two Stanford prerequisite courses, Programming Methodology and Programming Abstractions, are available on iTunes U.

Nikil Viswanathan, a computer science student, said that the class is "really, really, good" in large part because Hegarty doesn't just teach students a new language, he teaches the "philosophy of how we program in Objective-C" and "puts it into the context of entire computer science program."

Most introductory computer science classes are abstract, but Objective-C is used to build applications for mobile devices, so students learn the programming basics and apply them right away. "I don't think that what I'm doing is just teaching them programming," Hegarty said. "It's an opportunity to teach them some computing fundamentals in a real world environment."

Hegarty said he enjoys that so many people benefit from the work he puts into preparing the course. "You really feel like as an instructor that the work gets leveraged," he said. "It's really rewarding."

Six iPhone 4S features you may have missed

2011-11-15T17:17:00.001-08:00

Six iPhone 4S features you may have missed

Despite its superficial similarity to the iPhone 4, three landmark features set the iPhone 4S apart from its predecessor: Siri, the new 8 megapixel camera, and the much more powerful A5 processor. The iPhone 4S also comes with a few more subtle design tweaks that differentiate it from the iPhone 4, and you might miss some of those changes if you didn't have an iPhone 4 and 4S sitting side-by-side for a comparison.

Antenna Improvements

Phil Schiller actually did talk about the new antenna in the iPhone 4S during the most recent Apple event, but the changes to the iPhone's antenna aren't really obvious until you have the handset in your hands. One of those changes literally requires you to hold the device in your hand before you'll see it: the dreaded "death grip" of the iPhone 4 is gone in the iPhone 4S.

A well-known and widely (over)publicized shortcoming of the iPhone 4's antenna design

caused it to attenuate wireless signals when held a certain way. Bridging the black gap on the lower left side of the iPhone's antenna band would cause signal strength to drop for some users. This so-called "Antennagate" dominated headlines about the iPhone 4 for months, and Apple eventually addressed the issue by providing free bumper cases to affected users.

Since I use my iPhone left-handed and without a case, with the iPhone 4 I always had to be mindful of how I held it. 3G signal strength at my home wasn't the best with my old wireless provider -- I'd get one or two bars if I was lucky -- so accidentally bridging that gap would cause my signal strength to drop to zero within a minute or less.

That's no longer an issue with the iPhone 4S. In fact, to get the signal strength to drop at all I have to hold the phone in a very unnatural two-fisted grip that requires bridging all four of the black antenna gaps at once. The "death grip" is a thing of the past.

The improved antenna design also equates to much faster 3G speeds, improved call quality, and lightning-fast Wi-Fi signal acquisition. 3G download speeds on my iPhone 4S are anywhere from two to four times faster than my iPhone 4 on the same network, and the murky "bottom of the ocean" call quality I got on the iPhone 4 was replaced with crystal-clear voice quality on the iPhone 4S. The newest iPhone also latches onto a Wi-Fi signal much faster than my iPhone 4 ever did, with essentially zero delay in connecting to networks it's connected to before.

Many critics lambasted the iPhone 4's antenna design in the wake of "Antennagate," but the iterative update of the iPhone 4S antenna shows that Apple has shaken out any deficiencies in the design.

Shifted Controls

One consequence of the antenna re-design is those antenna gaps have been shifted around. Rather than the asymmetrical three-gap design of the GSM iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S has four gaps arranged with bilateral symmetry, essentially identical to the gaps on the CDMA version of the iPhone 4. As a result, the mute switch and volume controls for the iPhone 4S have been shifted downward toward the dock connector by about a millimeter compared to the iPhone 4, similarly to how the CDMA iPhone 4's controls were altered.

As a result, many (if not most) cases designed for the GSM model iPhone 4 won't fit the iPhone 4S, including Apple's own bumper cases. Cases designed for the CDMA iPhone 4 should fit the iPhone 4S just fine. So should "universal" cases designed for both the GSM and CDMA versions of the iPhone 4; these cases feature slightly larger cutouts for the mute switch and volume buttons, so they should fit the iPhone 4S without issue.

Quieter Vibration Motor

Apple has swapped out the old vibration motor in the GSM model iPhone 4 with one that's either similar or identical to the one in the CDMA iPhone 4. The new motor features a smoother vibration which doesn't rattle the phone itself quite so much. The result is a much quieter vibration, one that you might not even hear from more than a few feet away if your iPhone's lying on a table; if you're holding the phone in your hand, you might barely hear the vibration at all.

Depending on your needs, that might not necessarily count as an improvement. If you loathe ringtones and instead listen for your iPhone rattling across a table or other flat surface for your notifications, this change may disappoint you. Personally, I appreciate the new vibration, because the old one always sounded as though it was trying to shake the phone to shreds.

The quieter motor in the iPhone 4S doesn't mean the phone's vibrations are weaker than those of the iPhone 4. I held the 4S in one hand and the 4 in my other; the strength of vibrations felt essentially the same, with the only difference being a distinctively loud BZZZZT coming from the iPhone 4.

Audio Improvements

The speaker on the iPhone 4S is NOTICEABLY LOUDER compared to the one in the iPhone 4. In some cases it's almost too loud; high-pitched notification sounds from apps like Tweetbot definitely have a piercing effect on my eardrums with the alert volume turned up all the way, which was never an issue with the quieter iPhone 4. The obvious upshot of the louder speaker is it'll be easier to hear ringtones and other sounds when you're in an environment with lots of ambient noise.

Despite that increase in overall volume, the speaker in the iPhone 4S also seems to produce sounds with higher clarity than the iPhone 4's speaker. Audio that used to overdrive the iPhone 4 speaker and make it sound "clippy" now sounds much clearer on the iPhone 4S speaker. Music and games sound much better on the iPhone 4S, but the improved speaker clarity also means some ringtones or other media may actually sound worse than on the iPhone 4. For example, I sourced some of my custom ringtones from low-fidelity mp3 audio files; while they sounded fine on the iPhone 4 speaker, the flaws in recording quality are much more obvious on the iPhone 4S speaker, with very audible background hiss in some cases.

Audio playback through both the iPhone 4S speaker and attached headphones produces a much less trebly sound than the iPhone 4. Music playback quality on the iPhone 4S also sounds subtly improved even through the included Apple-branded earbuds. Based on these sonic differences in music playback between the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, I suspected the iPhone 4S had a different audio processor; information in iFixit's teardown confirmed that though the audio codec chip is from the same manufacturer (Cirrus Logic) as the iPhone 4, the part number for the iPhone 4S is different. It's likely the updated audio codec chip is also part of the reason the iPhone 4S speaker sounds clearer than the iPhone 4.

Your personal tastes may vary from mine. It's possible we could review the same hardware and come to entirely different conclusions about whether the iPhone 4 or 4S sounds "better" over headphones. There's no mistaking the improvements in sound quality through the built-in speaker on the iPhone 4S, though; it sounds markedly improved compared to the iPhone 4.

Bluetooth 4.0

The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone to support Bluetooth 4.0, a low-energy Bluetooth spec that allows devices to sync via Bluetooth while consuming far less power than traditional Bluetooth devices. This low-power version of Bluetooth doesn't support voice -- headsets and other voice devices still have to transmit over one of the higher-power specs -- but it does support transmission of data from other peripherals like heart rate monitors, watches, and input devices like keyboards or game controllers.

The applications for health and fitness-related gear are virtually endless. As of now, many third-party accessories require a proprietary receiver to send data to an iPhone, or else they transmit via one of the older, more power-hungry Bluetooth specs. Using Bluetooth 4.0 would allow these devices to communicate directly with the iPhone, without the need for an intervening dock connector dongle, and such devices could have tremendously increased battery life compared to those currently on the market.

One example of a device that could greatly benefit from Bluetooth 4.0 is Jawbone's Up health monitoring band. The Up monitors a great deal of user health data, but syncing that data to the iPhone requires plugging a connector into the iPhone's headphone jack. Using Bluetooth 4.0 could theoretically allow a device like the Jawbone Up to be in constant communication with the iPhone 4S without the need for users to sync data manually.

Another possible implementation of Bluetooth 4.0 would be a wristwatch that can display certain kinds of information transmitted to it from a synced iPhone (notifications, for example), and send basic commands back to it, such as controlling music playback. This has been a popular dream of geekier users ever since the current iPod nano debuted; once it became clear the nano could be used as a watch, people almost immediately leapt to the next-level idea of using the nano to control another device and/or display data transmitted to it.

Not many Bluetooth 4.0 devices exist on the market as of yet, but expect to see a lot of them hitting the market once the standard becomes more widely adopted. The low-power spec allows devices powered by standard watch batteries to run with lifetimes measured in months to years rather than the hours to days of battery life current devices get.

Video Mirroring

The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone to support mirroring to an Apple TV via AirPlay, at 720p resolution. It also supports video mirroring or video out at 1080p resolution via Apple's Digital AV Adapter or VGA Adapter, the same connectors that allow for 1080p mirroring on the iPad 2. Video mirroring to an Apple TV will make it much easier to share content with people sitting nearby, and it also has great applications for gaming.

None of these features are anywhere near as headline-grabbing as Siri, but the minor details that you might not even notice are often where Apple's products excel. The iPhone 4S is no exception.

PlugBug

2011-11-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

PlugBug

Tired of carrying both a MacBook charger and an iPad/iPhone/iPod charger in your bag every time you leave the house? So were the folks at Twelve South. The PlugBug ($35) is a brilliant solution to this problem, strapping onto your existing MacBook charger to give you a high-power charging port for your iDevice, while still providing the right amount of juice to your laptop, and leaving the second outlet open for other stuff, like your ~~travel vaporizer~~ camera.

AirCassette

2011-11-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

AirCassette

Until now, folks who longed for a nostalgic tape-style experience were forced to carry around Walkmans, or better yet, ghetto blasters. Now you can get the same experience — kinda — on your iPhone or iPod touch with AirCassette ($2). Inspired by real 1980's cassettes, AirCassette fills your screen with a recreation of popular blank tapes, with simple controls, plus all the modern features you'd expect, like the ability to browse by artist, album, or songs, set up a queue, share a song via Facebook or email, and stream whatever you're playing around the house using AirPlay. All for less than the price of an actual blank tape.

iHome iP4 Boombox

2011-11-09T07:06:00.001-08:00

iHome iP4 Boombox

Not content to simply mimic the looks of an old-school, cassette-powered system, the iHome iP4 Boombox ($200) borrows the general shape and attitude of classic systems but belongs squarely in the 21st century, thanks to its subdued monotone design*, modern technology like SRS TruBass DSP, a flexible iPod/iPhone dock, four-inch carbon composite woofers and one-inch tweeters, an auxiliary input jack, backlit buttons, a five-band graphic equalizer with LCD display, and a decidedly low-tech FM radio.

*Applies only to the gray model. We don't do fuchsia.

Circumstances likely to see Apple push MacBook Pro refresh to November

2011-10-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

Circumstances likely to see Apple push MacBook Pro refresh to November

A refresh to Apple's professional line of notebooks once anticipated for an introduction as early as September may not roll out until early next month.

The late-2011 MacBook Pros, first detailed by AppleInsider back in September, will deliver marginal speed bumps to the notebooks' Core i-Series of Sandy Bridge processors but will otherwise introduce no material changes over the existing models, according to a person familiar with the products.

That person said that the notebooks' planned introduction in late September was put on the back burner once the release dates for iOS 5.0 and iPhone 4S were solidified, as Apple pooled all available resources to support the launch -- the largest and most rapid yet in the Cupertino-based company's history.

Since then, the launch date for the Late 2011 MacBook Pros has reportedly been a moving target. However, a second person with proven accuracy in predicting Apple's product launch dates says the Mac maker is now advising its partners not to expect availability of the new models until the first week of November.

It's unclear whether the latest holdup is related to the situation over at Catcher Technology. The Taiwanese casing manufacturer of uni-body MacBook enclosures was ordered to cease operations earlier this week after the local government received complaints regarding "strange odors" emanating from one of its factories.

Catcher has since vowed to invest $2-3 million to get the plant, which is responsible for churning out roughly 60% of Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air enclosures, back online by November. The manufacturer's president, Allen Horng, had previously said that total shipments would fall 20% in October and could drop by as much as 40% in November if the local government refuses to allow the plant to resume production.

The circumstances surrounding the MacBook Pro refresh are likely to see availability of existing models become increasing constrained over the next week or so. Apple is reported to have ramped down production of the 17-inch model over a month ago, with production of the higher-end 15-inch models following suit shortly thereafter.

As such, three of Apple's largest authorized resellers -- Amazon.com, MacMall and MacConnection -- have already run out of stock of both models, leading the former to offer to fill customer orders for the high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro through a third party for $2,699.97, or more than 20% above MSRP.

Though minor, the Late 2011 MacBook Pro refresh will bridge the gap between now and the time Intel launches its new Ivy Bridge mobile platform in the first half of 2012 -- the next time the world's largest chipmaker will offer a means for notebook vendors to upgrade their designs.

The speed bumps to this year's models will be made possible through a quite refresh to Intel's Sandy Bridge lineup of processors introduced in early September. The company added four new Core i7 branded chips that would be likely candidates to advance the MacBook Pro's performance. For instance, the latest 2.4GHz, 2.5GHz and 2.7GHz quad-core CPUs could respectively replace the 2.0GHz, 2.2GHz, and 2.3GHz currently found in Apple's 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros.

As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro Intel's 2.8GHz dual-core Core i7 CPU is a viable replacement for the 2.7GHz chip currently used in the high-end model. And the entry-level MacBook Pro could benefit from Intel's 2.5GHz and 2.6GHz Core i5 chips.

Up close with iOS 5: iMessage

2011-10-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

Up close with iOS 5: iMessage

Stay in touch with other iOS users without those nasty texting charges

Thanks to iOS 5, anyone with an iOS device can now easily keep in touch—for free!—by using Apple’s new iMessage service, found within the Messages app. iMessage works without any per-message charges from cellular providers or monthly texting plans; instead, you’ll send messages over your device’s 3G or Wi-Fi connection.

iMessage works with any iOS 5-capable device, sending anything an SMS or MMS can—text, photos, video, contact cards, or map locations. The feature allows iPhone users to talk to iPad users, iPad users to send video to iPod touch users, and so on. You won’t be able to use iMessage to contact people with Android devices or BlackBerry phones—that’s still the province of text messaging.

iMessage is easy to set up and use: All you need is an Apple ID, and you can start messaging your fellow iOS device users.

Setting Up iMessage

From the Messages Settings screen, you can turn on the iMessage feature, as well as indicate whether you want others to see when you’ve read their message or allow the app to send your message as an SMS if your iMessage can’t get through.

To start using iMessage, open the Settings app and tap the Messages menu. You’re prompted to enter your Apple ID—that’s the email address you use for buying apps in iTunes and logging in to iCloud. If you don’t have one, you’ll be prompted to create an account.

If you’re setting up iMessage on your iPhone, people who know your mobile number will always be able to use it to message you; you can also supply iMessage with an email address where other iOS device users can reach you. If you’re using an iPod touch or iPad, you can message people only by email address, so you’ll have to supply one during the setup. You can use any email address you own—such as your iCloud or Gmail account.

Once iMessage has verified your email address, you’re brought to the Messages settings screen. Here, you can enable or disable iMessage altogether; turn on Read Receipts, which lets others see when you’ve read their message; or allow the Messages app to send your text as an SMS if iMessage can’t get through. This applies to the iPhone only. Disabling this setting prevents your phone from automatically reverting to SMS—and racking up texting charges—should iMessage fail. It doesn’t, however, disable SMS entirely.)

Other settings let you choose the email address or addresses you’d like people to be able to reach you at. (You can associate multiple addresses.) There’s also an SMS/MMS section, which allows you to enable or disable MMS Messaging (iPhone only), Group MMS Messaging (iPhone only), Show Subject Field, and Character Count (iPhone only).

Sending Messages

That blue chat bubble next to a person’s name signifies that a contact is iMessage-enabled.

To start writing a new message in iMessage, tap the new message icon in the upper right corner. In the To field, type the email address or iPhone mobile number of the person you want to message. If you’ve never tried to send a message to this person before, the app will automatically spot-check the address when you finish typing, to ensure that it is iMessage-enabled.

If it is, you’ll see the email address, phone number, or (if the address is in your contacts) person’s name light up in a blue bubble, acknowledging that you can go ahead and compose your message. In the future, when you type that person’s name or email address, you’ll see a little blue chat bubble next to it in the drop-down menu, signifying that this contact is iMessage-enabled.

Type in an address or phone number that doesn’t belong to an iOS device when using iMessage on an iPad, and the name will light up in red. You won’t be able to send anything.

If you’ve typed in an address or phone number that does not correspond with an iOS device, one of two things will happen, depending on which iOS device you’re using. If you’re on an iPhone, your outgoing message will change into an SMS (or, if you’re messaging a group, a Group MMS), and your contact’s name will highlight in green. If you’re using one of Apple’s other iOS devices—an iPod touch or an iPad—your contact’s name will light up in red with an exclamation point next to it, and you won’t be able to send anything. When you get into a conversation with someone on an iPhone, you’ll be able to tell whether it’s an SMS/MMS or iMessage conversation by the color of your chat bubbles; green for SMS, blue for iMessage. On other iOS devices, the chat bubbles will stay a lovely shade of blue at all times.

Like MMS messages, you can send text, photos, video, contact cards, and map locations to a fellow iMessage contact. You can also carry on chats with a group—though be aware that you’ll need all your group members to use iOS devices; otherwise, you’ll fall back to an MMS message (on an iPhone), or the chat will fail.

iMessage Quirks

As your friend types out an iMessage, you’ll see a gray thinking bubble.

iMessage offers a few neat extras for users: If you enable the Read Receipts feature, your contacts will be able to see when you’ve read their messages; and if you’re carrying on a lengthy conversation, you’ll be able to see when your friend is typing, and vice versa, thanks to a gray “thinking” bubble.

The iMessage app also offers a bit of animation: If you want to consult a point earlier in the conversation but you have the keyboard open, you can just scroll upward; the keyboard will intelligently slide down into the bottom of the screen.

Because iMessage uses 3G and Wi-Fi to transmit its messages, it’s occasionally not the most reliable to use on an iPhone in the case of a natural disaster or 3G outage. This is where the Send As SMS toggle comes into play: If you have this option enabled, you’ll be prompted to send your message as a traditional SMS instead in the event that the iMessage app can’t transmit something over a data network.

iOS 5: iMessage

2011-10-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

iOS 5: iMessage

A big part of iOS 5 is iMessage, Apple’s new unified messaging platform for communicating between iOS 5 devices. It’s a great tool, but users new to the tech might have a hard time figuring out how to get started, since it’s tied so closely to the existing Messages app. Here’s how it works.

Setting up iMessage

To clear up one point of confusion I’ve been frequently asked: While the service is called iMessage, the actual app where you use it on iOS is called Messages. To setup iMessage, go to Settings and then Messages. Make sure you are signed in with your Apple ID email address. Tap Receive At and make sure your phone number (on the iPhone only) and relevant email addresses (on iPad and iPod touch) are correct.

You can set up multiple email addresses at which to receive the same iMessages. When you add a new email address, a verification email will be sent to that address. When you click on “Verify Now” in the email, you will be sent to an Apple site where you enter your Apple ID and password to verify the new address. I have both my me.com and gmail.com addresses registered in iMessage.

Using iMessage

To take full advantage of iMessage, all participants need to be running iOS 5. To send a message, in Messages press the New Message icon in the upper-right-hand corner of the app.

Start typing your recipient’s info, and the field will auto-fill with possible choices in a manner similar to the Mail app. If you’re sending the message from your iPhone, the Send button will turn green if it will be sent as an SMS, or blue for iMessage. On the iPad, if the address you’re trying to send to isn’t registered with iMessage, you’ll get an error message, like the one below.

Limitations of iMessage

To ensure your Message is received on all your connected devices, you must have them sent to your Apple ID email address. In limited testing, if someone sent me a test message to just my phone number, I only got the text on my iPhone. However, if they sent the message to my me.com address (which is my Apple ID address), I got it on all devices. This is because Apple can’t associate your phone number (assigned by your carrier) with devices other than your iPhone. Also, if you’ve added multiple email addresses to the “Receive At” setting on one iOS device, you’ll need to make sure you add them manually to any other iOS devices you own, too, if you want to receive messages at that address on all devices.

While AT&T has changed their SMS plans, most likely in preparation for people lowering their text message plans, for me, my SMS usage won’t change. Most of the people I text with don’t have an iPhone. Still, since it operates automatically behind the scenes, detecting who can and can’t receive iMessages, there’s definitely no harm in having it enabled, regardless of who you message with.

Apple's Siri service not working for some | Apple - CNET News

2011-10-15T02:39:00.000-07:00

Apple's Siri service not working for some | Apple - CNET News:

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Inside Apple's iOS 5: Notification Center, banner alerts

2011-10-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Inside Apple's iOS 5: Notification Center, banner alerts

Apple has revamped notifications in iOS 5, adding a pull-down Notification Center, banner alerts at the top of the screen and more detailed lock screen notifications.

Apple Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall acknowledged on Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference that notifications in iOS 4 had several problems. In response to customer and developer requests for an improved notification UI, Apple has developed the Notification Center solution for iOS 5.

Forstall touted the new solution as going "far beyond" simply resolving customer complaints about notifications in iOS. Apple has also tied in its new Reminders app to work smoothly with the Notification Center, allowing for due dates and location-aware alerts.

As before, notifications can be managed within the Settings pane of iOS. Users can choose whether applications can send notifications to the Notification Center and the lock screen. Apple also continues to offer the older alert notifications as a choice alongside the new banner notifications.

Banner notifications are fairly straight forward. Tapping the banner will open the corresponding app directly to the related message or alert.

The lock screen on iOS 5 now displays a list of recent notifications. Users can swipe a notification to be taken straight to the app from the lock screen.

Swiping down from the top of the screen opens the Notification Center, which sorts notifications by app. Apple has built a location-aware weather display and a stock ticker into Notification Center. The new iMessage feature, which allows unlimited messaging between iOS 5 devices, also makes ample use of notifications, though the feature appears to still be in development.

iOS 5 sports 200 new user features and 1500 new developer APIs. In addition to Notification Center, notable features include PC Free setup; updated mobile Safari with private browsing and tabs on the iPad and integration with iCloud for wireless syncing. The update wil be compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch (fourth generation) and iPod touch (third generation) this fall, though some features may not be available on all products.

Up close with iOS 5: Notification improvements

2011-10-14T08:16:00.001-07:00

Up close with iOS 5: Notification improvements

Banners, alerts, and Notification Center lead the changes in iOS 5

It took some time for push notifications to arrive on the iOS platform; they didn’t become a feature until the June 2009 release of what was then called iPhone 3.0. And it’s fair to say that, up until now, the feature hasn’t really been worth the wait. Push alerts—those notifications that pop up to inform you when it’s your turn in Words With Friends, your spouses birthday, or that someone messaged you on Twitter—have gone from minor annoyance to constant interruption.

With so many apps looking to notify us about so many things, the blue notification pop-up boxes demanding your attention have increasingly frustrated many iPhone and iPad owners. Sometimes you inadvertently swipe to unlock before reading your alert—and the message is then forever lost to the ages. Other times, so many alerts stack up, you’re not sure what you’ve missed.

These notification nuisances may be at end with iOS 5’s arrival. The mobile OS update aims to fix notifications so that they’re far less intrusive—and considerably more helpful.

Banner alerts

iOS 5's new banner notifications are far less invasive than the blue modal alerts of old.

In iOS 5, the default notification style employs what Apple calls banners. Rather than displaying an attention-demanding big blue box when a new alert arrives, banners get superimposed along the top edge of your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, rotating into view with a 3D effect. The banners remain on screen for about five seconds. While a floating banner is on display, you can tap it to launch the notifying app (such as Twitter, Messages, or Mail). Let’s say you receive a banner notification because someone mentions your name in a tweet: Just tap the notification, and your Twitter client of choice launches to show you the tweet in question.

If you don’t want to attend to a banner immediately, you can ignore it and keep working away in whatever app you’re using. Banners float on top of the screen for several seconds, and they vanish on their own.

Notification Center

Notification Center gathers all the alerts you receive, so you know you'll never miss an important Twitter mention or turn in Words With Friends.

If you don’t tap a banner in time, or want to see your past notifications, you can access Notification Center whenever your iPhone and iPad are unlocked. Swipe down from the menu bar at the top of your screen; you’ll head right to iOS 5’s new repository for notifications.

Notification Center groups your past notifications by app; you can sort those apps by time or sort them manually. (You can configure the order you’d like in the Settings app.) Each will group your notifications by app, with the most-recent app notification listed first. You can clear out accumulated notifications per app with a pair of well-focused taps: Tap the tiny X next to the app’s name, and then tap the tiny Clear button that appears.

You can choose the number of alerts a given app can show in Notification Center, though the controls are a bit limited. For example, you can choose how many upcoming Calendar events are displayed, but you can’t choose which calendar iOS pulls those events from.

Notification Center for the iPhone offers you two optional widgets to stick at the top of the section: Weather and Stocks. You can enable or disable either widget in the Settings app. If enabled, the Stock widget will display a scrolling ticker of any stocks you’ve configured from the Stocks app, and Weather will provide current conditions and a forecast for your current location. Third-party app widgets are not supported.

Customize Notifications

In Settings, you can configure precisely how each individual app shows notifications.

To define precisely how Notification Center and alerts work, on an app-by-app basis, head to the Settings app and tap Notifications. You choose which apps notify you, and you can configure all sorts of behaviors. For each app, you can set whether notifications should appear in Notification Center at all; how many items can be displayed there; whether there should be an alert, and if so, which type (the new banner or the old-school pop-up alert); whether to use an icon badge to signify alerts; whether new alerts should include sounds; and whether notifications should appear in your lock screen.

Lock Screen Notifications: Although lock-screen notifications existed in prior incarnations of iOS, they were limited to one blue pop-up alert at a time; iOS 5’s lock screen can stack all notifications received in the order that they arrived, with the newest on top regardless of which app it’s from—an option that’s not available for Notification Center itself.

From the lock screen, you can swipe to unlock your iOS device as you always have, but there’s a new wrinkle, too: You can swipe an individual notification to directly launch the app associated with it. Note that when new alerts arrive while your iPhone or iPad is locked, the standard swipe to unlock still launches the app associated with that just-arrived notification.

iOS 5's lock screen stacks up notifications as they arrive. Swipe on any of them to launch the app in question.

When a new notification arrives while your device is locked, it gets special treatment: The alert gets centered in the middle of the screen, a bit like the notifications of old. But other, previously arrived lock-screen notifications are still accessible. A small gray handle appears at the top of the lock screen when other notifications are temporarily hidden from view; drag it down (with a gesture much like the swipe to get to Notification Center) to expose them.

iOS 5 Rush Causes Logjam; Guide to New Features

2011-10-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

iOS 5 Rush Causes Logjam; Guide to New Features

Overstretched Apple servers worldwide ground to a halt Wednesday as iOS 5 upgrade requests from hundreds of thousands of users swamped the Web site. Tech fans' quest for the latest advances drove the upgrade rush, but experts say ordinary people should also upgrade to iOS 5 to make their devices more secure.

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(Photo: )
Photo: Apple. Newsstand

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The early rush to upgrade to iOS 5 that followed the release of the latest mobile operating system Wednesday afternoon resulted in glitches including hourlong waits and cancelled updates.

People who tried to update minutes after the iOS 5 release could do so successfully. But those who joined the bandwagon later in the evening faced download issues and many ended up getting Error Code 3200.

Tech observers said this "internal error" message signaled difficulties in accessing Apple servers, and that such rollout-related snags have happened before.

Even if you are not a geek who loves to get hands on the latest in tech, upgrading to iOS 5 makes sense from a security point of view.

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"In addition to introducing iCloud support and all kinds of other great features, iOS 5 also had a slew of security fixes. My count includes 98 vulnerabilities fixed in this release," wrote Chester Wisniewski on Sophos blog.

"While some users are reporting issues downloading these updates, you should still apply them as soon as possible. It appears Apple is under a denial of service condition from the number of people attempting to update all at one," Wisniewski added.

Apple has incorporated a slew of advanced safety measures in the iOS 5. It makes an iOS device highly secure from the moment a user turns it on. All apps run in a safe environment, so a Web site or app can't access data from other apps. iOS also supports encrypted network communication to protect the user's sensitive information. The user could set a passcode lock to prevent unauthorized access to the device and configure the device to delete all the data after too many unsuccessful passcode attempts. And in case a device is lost or stolen, 'Find My' device allows the user to locate it on a map and remotely delete all the data.

What Does iOS 5 Offer?

One of the most attractive features in iOS 5 is the Notification Center similar to one found in Androiddevices. During WWDC, Apple revealed that they pushed more than 100 billion push notifications in iOS 5 enabled devices, without any glitches. Apple says Notification Center is the best way to stay on top of your life's breaking news. New notifications appear briefly at the top of your screen, without interrupting what you're doing. And the Lock screen displays notifications so you can act on them with just a swipe.

And then there is iMessage, the new messaging service for all iOS users. It is an option similar to the BlackBerryMessenger. The new messaging service allows iOS 5 users to send unlimited text messages via Wi-Fi or 3G from the device. iMessage is built into the Messes app, so you can send text, photos, videos, locations and contacts.

With the Newsstand feature, reading newspapers and magazines will become more convenient. iOS 5 could organize the various magazine and newspaper app subscriptions in Newsstand, like a folder that lets you access your favorite publications quickly and easily. There's also a new place on the App Store just for newspaper and magazine subscriptions. And you can get to it straight from Newsstand. New purchases go directly to your Newsstand folder.

Reminders, a location-based organization tool, offers improved to-do lists that are compatible with iCal, Outlook and iCloud. Since Reminders can be location-based, you'll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot. Reminders also works with iCal, Outlook and iCloud, so changes you make update automatically on all your devices and calendars.

And then there is Twitter and iCloud integration. With a single sign-in, it allows a multitude of apps to make use of your Twitter credentials. That includes the Camera and Photos programs, finally letting you tweet images out directly from your galleries.
iCloud service is integrated into some key aspects of the iOS 5 -- photos, e-books, device backups, document storage and of course, the iTunes music program. The most popular iCloud-powered feature amongst users could well be the PhotoStream, an option that can be toggled on or off and which allows users to automatically synchronize photos across multiple devices.

With iCloud, you can push new photos to all your iOS devices. So if you're taking photos on youriPhone, iCloud automatically sends copies to your iPad, where you can quickly touch them up before showing them off.

iOS 5 gives access to the camera button right on your lock screen. Users can now capture a photo by simply tapping the "Home" button twice. Users can now also open the camera app directly from the "Lock" screen. "You can open the Camera app right from the Lock screen. Use grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks to compose a picture on the fly," says Apple.

With the iOS 5 rollout, AirPlay now supports video mirroring, which can be wirelessly streamed whatever is on iPad 2 or iPhone 4S to HDTV via Apple TV. Even if the device is rotated from portrait to landscape or zoom in and out, it could be visible via Apple TV.

The Safari Reader will display Web articles without ads, and there is the new tabbed browsing option in iPad to switch between WebPages. There is a "Private Browsing" option similar to Firefox and "Incognito" on Chrome. Also specific dates can be deleted from the history.

In Calendar, it is easy to create, manage and view events. iCloud syncs calendars to other devices, and even with select family and friends. The user gets more perspective on schedule with year view on iPad and week view on iPhone and iPod touch.

The Wi-Fi Sync option allows the user to wirelessly sync their iOS device to a Mac or PC over a shared Wi-Fi connection. The WiFi Sync feature eliminates the need of a USB cable to Sync your iDevice withiTunes on your computer.

Also the enhanced camera features bring a lot of value. Users can take photo on an iOS device or import a photo from their digital camera to their computer, and iCloud automatically sends a copy of the photo over any available Wi-Fi network (or Ethernet) to the Photos app on your iOS devices, iPhoto on your Mac, the Pictures Library on your PC, and the Photo Stream album on your Apple TV.

And then there is Game Center: iOS is the world's most popular gaming platform. With iOS 5, users can get their game face on with even more Game Center features. The user can post a profile picture and view their friends' recommendations based on the games he/she plays. New games can be discovered without leaving Game Center. This feature also includes friends-of-friends list, app store, new achievements, play turn-based games, delete saved games, and backup game saves to iCloud.

Apple updates iWork for iOS, iMovie, others

2011-10-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

Apple updates iWork for iOS, iMovie, others

(Credit: Apple)

Following today's release of iOS 5, Apple has also updated several of its own apps to include support for iOS 5. Apps include Pages, Keynote, and Numbers for iOS, iMovie, Find My iPhone, and Remote.

Pages, Keynote, and Numbers for iOS now include enhancements for use with Apple's iCloud syncing service. Now, users can automatically keep their documents and presentations synced between all their devices using iCloud. Users can also download their iOS documents to their Mac or PC via the iWork section of iCloud.

iMovie, now at version 1.2.2, not only provides support for the new iOS 5, but also includes extra support for videos imported with external cameras.

Find My iPhone, now at version 1.3, has added the ability to find your Mac and an option for email notifications when your offline devices go online and are found.

Remote, now at version 2.2, has been updated with general stability and performance enhancements.

As developers continue to work with iOS 5, expect most of your apps to get stability and compatibility updates. To take advantage of these updates, plug your iPhone into your computer and download the iOS 5 update.

Home How To How to get started with iOS 5's Notification Center

2011-10-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

How to get started with iOS 5's Notification Center

(Credit: Apple)

Notification Center is one of the most anticipated (not to mention long overdue) features in the upcoming release of iOS 5 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Apple has completely redone the alert system in iOS 5, taking away those annoying and intrusive alerts we all had grown accustomed to on iOS. In this post we are going to show you exactly what to expect from Notification Center once iOS 5 is released.

Alerts are now queued in the Notification Center, which can be quickly accessed by swiping down from the top of the device's screen, no matter which app the user is in. This allows for quick access to any alert the device has recently received. No longer are users required to click through each pop-up, expected to remember each individual alert.

Tapping on a given notification will take you directly to that specific app, message, e-mail, or the appropriate section of an app. You can clear any pending alerts for an app by pressing on the X and then Clear, located next to the app name.

The number of notifications per app, as well as order of notifications, can be customized by the user in the Notification Center settings. Go ahead and launch your iOS device Settings app, then select Notifications--it should be the third item on the list.

manually sort the notifications by app, or have them sorted automatically by time. If you select to sort them by time, the notifications will be placed in order of last received. If you decide to manually set the order of the alerts, you can do so by pressing the Edit button at the top of the screen.

After pressing Edit, you will see three lines appear next to each app. The three lines indicate you can rearrange the order of the apps by dragging them up or down. The same order you place the apps in here will be the same order notifications are displayed in the notification center. Press Done when you are satisfied with the order of the apps.

In the Notification Center settings, you can also customize alerts app by app. Select any app you would like to customize, and tap on it.

Once you are into an individuals app's settings, you can control a slew of notification options for that app. The options include the following:

Enable/disable Notification Center

Control the number of notifications shown (1, 5, 10)

Type of Alert: None, banner, or the old style alerts

Badge App icon: The red badge with number of unread items that appears on the app icon.

Show Preview: You can now hide details of incoming messages, including e-mail.

View in Lock Screen: Notifications will only be shown while the device is unlocked and being used.

Once you are satisfied with the settings for the app, tap on the back arrow to get back to the previous screen.

If you have turned off an app in the Notification Center, you will find it at the bottom of the app list in the Notification Center settings. You can turn the app's notifications back on by selecting it and sliding the toggle switch over to the on position.

The old notifications were ugly, weren't they? Luckily for Kai, dreams do come true.

The new notification is a small bar that shows up at the top of your screen, no matter what you are doing. If you are playing a game, your game will not pause as it did in the past; instead it allows you to keep playing or tap on the alert to be taken to the message.

If you elected to allow app notifications to remain visible in the lock screen, you will see them listed in a similar fashion to the Notification Center drop-down. From the lock screen, you can't tap on a notification to open it; you use the same gesture you use to unlock your phone to open a notification.

To unlock your device and view a message, place your finger on the app icon and slide left to right. The icon should mimic the unlock slider behavior; once you get to the right side of the screen, lift your finger. Your device will unlock, taking you directly to the app and message selected.

Notification Center is a great new addition to iOS. Anything that can be done to improve the overall user experience on any platform is always welcomed.

Amazon Kindle Fire vs. Apple iPhone 4S: New platforms for gamification?

2011-10-13T07:24:00.001-07:00

Amazon Kindle Fire vs. Apple iPhone 4S: New platforms for gamification?

Summary: There most common gamification platform may be your standard PC web browser, typically accessed via a laptop or desktop computer, but every new piece of personal tech hardware has the potential to open up new avenues. For example, mobile phones and tablets such as the iPad have had some gamification [...]

There most common gamification platform may be your standard PC web browser, typically accessed via a laptop or desktop computer, but every new piece of personal tech hardware has the potential to open up new avenues. For example, mobile phones and tablets such as the iPad have had some gamification success, especially when it comes to GPS-powered location-specific game features, such as check-ins at a specific place.

The two most recent big gadget announcements have the potential to introduce new audiences to both traditional games and the social and gamification experiences we’re particularly interested in here. One is the Amazon Kindle Fire, the first tablet that has a real chance of competing with the iPad, and the other is Apple’s just-announced iPhone 4S, a fairly significant upgrade (despite what some may say) to the iPhone platform. Now that we’ve had a week or so to digest the spec lists of each device, here’s why we’re excited (or not) about each device:

Amazon Kindle Fire:
While it shares the same Kindle name as the popular black-and-white e-book readers, the new Kindle Fire is a wholly different animal. It’s basically a 7-inch Android tablet, but taking a cue from Apple, it’s wrapped in what is essentially a curated experience. Android is covered with a custom touch interface, Amazon provides its own app store, and the system is priced to almost be an impulse purchase.

Amazon knows that embracing game makers is key (an conclusion that Apple took far too many years to embrace), and even the original e-ink Kindle has Scrabble and a few other basic games. But at the Kindle Fire launch, one of the biggest bullet points was its support for games such as Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies.

The Kindle Fire has some serious limits, however. The Amazon app store won’t have access to nearly as many apps as the Android Marketplace, and this fragmentation of Android app stores makes it harder make sure your game or gamification app is in all the right app stores for all the different devices you want to reach people on.

And even with some level of Flash support, we can’t imagine any web-based games will play particularly well on the Kindle Fire, if you want to use a Facebook or web-based game.

Apple iPhone 4S
The iPhone is already a great gaming platform, with access to a huge app store (albeit one with a rather high barrier to entry) and the kind of always-on location features that make check-ins easy and a built-in game platform in the underused Apple Game Center. That Game Center platform is getting some new updates in the form of iOS5, which we’ll talk about in a future post. Adding to the appeal is the new dual-core processor in the iPhone 4S, almost as powerful as the one in the iPad 2, which we would read as a win for game makers.

On the other hand, the iPhone has had a dedicated Facebook app for a long time (with an iPad version just joining it this week), but that app lacks the gaming features that we’re interested in using. And so much has been written about the platform’s lack of Flash support that we mention it only in passing.

If you’re a game maker or a marketer interested in adding gamification features, we ask: Are you planning to specifically target either of these two platforms? If so, why or why not? Is platform fragmentation a danger to the ubiquity of gamification, which needs to be easy to use above all else?

Start using Alternate Routes in Maps on iOS 5

2011-10-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Start using Alternate Routes in Maps on iOS 5

Apple released iOS 5 today, including a small but very useful update to Maps: users can now choose from multiple routes for driving and walking directions.

Turn traffic on to make the most of Alternate Routes in Maps.

This update makes it possible for you to pick from three routes in situations where there might be a detour, heavy traffic, or other obstruction in the first suggested route.

How to use alternate routes

The process for using Alternate Routes is simple. When you look for directions in iOS 5, you'll be presented with three possible routes. Tap a route (Route 1, Route 2, or Route 3) to view its path on the map, or tap the bottom-right button to view the list of directions for that route.

Once you choose your preferred route, hit "Start" to get directions. If you wish to change the route after you've begun the step-by-step directions, tap the back arrow until you return to the route selection screen.

Simple enough, but here's a tip to maximize this new feature: before searching for directions, tap the button in the lower-right corner of Maps and select "Show Traffic." Although this option hogs more battery life, you'll be able to pick a route that avoids the heavy traffic and gets you to your destination quickly.

After iPhone's debut, Cook must reposition Apple brand

2011-10-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

After iPhone's debut, Cook must reposition Apple brand

Apple Inc debuts its fifth generation iPhone this week minus its visionary leader for the first time. But CEO Tim Cook may already be thinking ahead to his greatest challenge: repositioning the company's fabled marketing apparatus to safeguard the brand.

With Google Inc Android phones gaining momentum, Cook is likely sticking to established battle plans at this critical juncture. But longer term, he may be better off moving the company out from under Jobs' gargantuan shadow. The Apple co-founder bequeathed a mystique and cachet to the brand that will be near-impossible to replace, cultivating a community of fans hooked on ease of use and rich content.

It's those perceptions Cook -- who in two months on the job has already shown Wall Street and Silicon Valley glimpses of what an Apple without Steve Jobs might look like --- must focus on preserving rather than the inimitable aura of the co-founder who died last week at the age of 56.

"There's no question Apple is going to go through a time of transformation. There's a lot of risk around the brand," said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management who has advised clients like Eli Lilly & Co. "A lot of pressure will fall on Tim Cook to step up. The hard part is, he's not Steve Jobs, nor can he try to be."

Cook has the luxury of time to ponder his next step. Advanced sales of the iPhone 4S -- despite disappointing fanboys and pundits hoping for more than an enhanced iPhone 4 -- surpassed one million in its first 24 hours globally, smashing the 600,000 for the iPhone 4, though that model was sold in fewer countries.

Sales in stores begin October 14 in Japan, Australia, France, UK, Germany, Canada and the United States.

Some analysts expect fourth-quarter iPhone shipments of as much as 30 million or more, almost double from a year ago.

The fifth iteration of the iconic smartphone comes with a faster processor and a better and more light-sensitive camera, but little else to separate it from its predecessor. But tech experts say the real gems lie beneath the phone's familiar sleek casing.

Influential reviewers Walt Mossberg and David Pogue raved about "Siri" -- a voice-command activated assistant that understands and responds to spoken commands and questions in context, such as queries about the weather or a friend's phone number. Pogue called it "crazy good, transformative, category-redefining speech recognition."

"Despite Siri, the iPhone 4S isn't a dramatic game-changer. Some new features are catch-ups to competitors," Mossberg wrote in the Wall Street Journal. "It isn't perfect, and is labeled a beta, but it has great potential and worked pretty well for me, despite some glitches."

Both reviewers marveled at Siri's ability to hold conversations, from basic "give me directions to ..." to quirkier discourses.

"When I asked it, 'What's the best phone,' it said, 'Wait ... there are other phones?'" Mossberg wrote.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Cook now faces the monumental task of not only preserving, but also advancing Apple's lofty status in the industry and among fickle gadget consumers. Moreover, he must do that while honoring his former boss and mentor, a master showman who time and again displayed an uncanny instinct for driving consumer tastes.

"Things for the next two years are pretty much set in stone in terms of what they want to achieve, and the new kind of product focus they are putting out. After three years, the new management is going to make its mark," said Jack Salzman, principal and founding member of Kings Point Capital Management. "If there is any pressure on the new Apple management, its probably going to be self-imposed, because of the void that was left by Steve Jobs."

The product pipeline is where Cook needs to stamp his own authority on the company. He can stick to script only so long before he risks stagnation and damaging the brand. Apple needs to find a formula divorced from Jobs' persona, observers say.

Indeed, during the iPhone 4S' media launch last week, Cook stepped back and allowed the supporting cast -- such as marketing chief Phil Schiller, software head Scott Forstall and design guru Jonathan Ive -- to tout the device, something Jobs would have sought to control from start to finish.

"They've got to find a new voice in the market. Steve Jobs was so much the face of Apple," Calkins said. "Protect the core elements of the brand, but at the same time, move forward."

"You can't turn Apple into a memorial for Steve Jobs," he added. Cook shouldn't "be afraid to make changes in the way the company communicates and reaches out to consumers."

Branding and marketing aside, ultimately Apple's products -- not their hype -- need to be judged on their own merits.

Apple's meticulously scripted marketing blasts are the stuff of Silicon Valley legend. After rumor and speculation builds across the Internet, the company sends out a cryptic email invitation to tease the product. That, in turn, is typically followed by a splashy extravaganza that culminates in a global first-day sales event across the globe that often has people lining up around the block days in advance.

"Past this launch, there isn't really a killer new launch. I am sure they have got a number of products in development," said Pat Becker, a portfolio manager at Becker Capital Management. "But once the phone is out, you will have all the price points covered, you have got the different carriers covered. To me, that's' a start toward reaching saturation in the phone market."

iPhone 5 Release Date in 2012: Top 10 New Features

2011-10-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

iPhone 5 Release Date in 2012: Top 10 New Features

Apple Inc. proved analysts and most tech sites wrong when it didn't unveil an iPhone 5 this year. New CEO Tim Cook last week unveiled an iPhone 4S that has a 3.5-inch screen; an 8-megapixel, 1080p high-definition camera; an A5 chip processor that is seven times faster than the processor in the iPhone 4; two antennae to transmit and receive data; CDMA and GSM connectivity; and new applications like Siri and Find My Friends.

View Full Image

Reuters
iPhone 5: 3 months after iPhone 4S? 6 Months? 9 Months? 12 Months? The waiting continues.

It's an iPhone 4 with an "S" -- meaning it has the same design as the predecessor, and "S" stands for the late Steve Jobs or software (same aesthetics but new operating system). As Apple has not released a new phone model in the past 15 months and with the outpouring of emotion for its creative genius, the iPhone 4S is expected to rake in record sales.

For fans frustrated with failure's to announce the iPhone 5 last at the "Let's Talk iPhone" event week, the 15-month wait for the fifth generation iPhone will get longer, by four to twelve months.

There have been reports that Apple will be releasing an iPhone 5 this January. Unless the iPhone 4S doesn't sell, Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 5 beyond January.

If the iPhone 5 is ready to go by January, why not put the device in the market in December holiday season when consumer spending is at its highest point? A December or January release date is just too soon.

Customers who lined up for the iPhone 4S will find their three-month phones obsolete. And for those not mad at this rip-off, who would want to pay termination fees three months after taking a two-year contract?

A March release date would also be possible although unlikely. The first and second generation iPads were released in March in the past two years, and the third one will be available in March next year. Having two new pricey devices simultaneously would cannibalize sales of one of the devices -- who would want to pay for a $649 (contract-free) iPhone 5 and a $499 iPad 3 at the same time?

A June unveiling at Apple's developers' conference would be a more plausible schedule. Prior to this year, Apple has been launching new iPhone models in June. Analyst Keith Bachman of BMO Capital Markets had said a few months ago that the all-new iPhone 5 would arrive only in 2012. "We believe the iPhone 5 will launch in mid-2012," Bachman had written in a note.

An October 2012 release date for the iPhone 5 also makes sense. Releasing a new iPhone 24 long months after the flagship iPhone 4 was made available -- and 12 months after the "interim" iPhone 4S -- would allow Android phones and Windows-based Nokia phones to gain ground.

With no iPhone 5, it's rumor-time once again.

HERE ARE THE TOP 10 RUMORED FEATURES OF THE IPHONE 5:

10. 4G LTE Connectivity. "Apple is saving the iPhone 5 brand for the LTE version, and the new model won't arrive until the 4G LTE technology is ready to be used in smartphones, which won't be out until next spring," Will Strauss, president of market research firm Forward Concepts told CNET. There have been reports that Apple was testing LTE but was unhappy with the first generation LTE chipsets from Qualcomm, which chipsets would make phones bulkier.

9. Quad-core processors and bigger RAM. The iPhone 4 has a single core A4 processor, while the iPhone 4S has a dual core A5 processor. Samsung Electronics and other Android device-makers are preparing to launch phones with quad-core processors with Nvidia's quad-core Kal-El chips.

iPhone 6 would have quad-core processors, Ars technica reported, after discovering that the Cupertino, California-based company has embedded support for quad-core chips in source code revealed in its Xcode developer tool. But Ars technica's report was based on the assumption that the iPhone 5 would be released this October.

With the iPhone 5 still due 2012, it would be more likely that the quad-core processors, which will give phones with desktop-like performance, will be in the iPhone 5. Linley Gwennap, founder and principal analyst at The Linley Group told PCWorld, told PCWorld that she expects the iPad 3 will have a quad-core A6 processor.

The iPhone 5, which will be released after the iPad 3, will likely have the same processor. As to the RAM, the iPhone 4S has the same amount of RAM as its predecessor, persisting at 512 MB. "Don't be deceived because inside it is all new", Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said about the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 5 will be a full-version upgrade over the iPhone 4. It will have a faster processor and a bigger amount of RAM.

8. Curved screen. Digitimes, citing sources in the glass industry, Apple's design team is working on a new iOS device with a curved glass screen. There were rumors earlier that Apple has been purchasing glass-cutting machines that specialize in curve screens. The iPhone 5 will have the external design changes fans have been looking for in this year's new iPhone.

7. NCF Chips. Apple will include near field communication (NFC) in the iPhone 5. Google has just announced that it has signed deals with Visa, Mastercard and others for NCF readers at stores. More people will flock to Android devices for Google Wallet if the iPhone 5 can't be a virtual wallet.

6. Operating system. Each new iPhone launched in the market comes with new software. Aside from the radical new design, the iPhone 5 needs the 200 new features from a new OS in order to entice Apple users to upgrade or Android users to switch. By the time iPhone 5 is available, Microsoft Corp. will already have Windows 8, a new operating system designed to work not only for personal computers but also for smartphones and tablets.

The Mac OS X Lion launched together with the new MacBook Air laptops in August incorporated many developments made in Apple's iOS. This indicates that Apple could go Microsoft way and possibly merge the platforms for its mobile devices and PCs. Apple's iCloud infrastructure would function perfectly with a common platform.

5. Teardrop design and no home buttons. Boy Genius Report months before had a report that the iPhone 5 that will be released this year will have a teardrop design. Although BGR and others never predicted the release date, BGR's "iPhone 5 will have radical changes" has not been proved wrong after Apple only unveiled the iPhone 4S this month.

The iPhone 5 is expected to come with an aluminum plate casing rather than the current glass backing. As to the home-button, Jobs removed the keyboard, so it's not surprising that the iPhone 5 won't have the home-button.

4. Display at 4 inches. It is expected that iPhone 5 will have a larger edge-to-edge display possibly with 3.7-inch to 4.3-inch screen. Samsung, HTC, and Motorola have launched new smartphones with 4.3-inch screens. If CEO Tim Cook keeps the iPhone's 3.5-inch screen, he'll be hearing "too small" criticisms everyday. Apple knows how to challenge boundaries, so a massive display on an iPhone is not impossible.

3. AMOLED screen technology. Apple is Samsung's number one customer. Samsung already manufactures the processor, the RAM and screens for Apple devices. It will make more money if it manufactures and provides the AMOLED screen technology for the iPhone 5. But the two have been at odds this year.

Apple has sought a ban of the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in its lawsuits against Samsung in three continents. Samsung has responded with a lawsuit seeking a ban of the iPhone 4S on account of Apple's infringement of Samsung's wireless technology.

2. Dual-LED flash camera. People were expecting an iPhone 5 that would have an advanced 8-megapixel this year. Apple only launched iPhone 4S and it came with an 8-megapixel LED flash camera and a secondary VGA one for video chat.

The iPhone 5 should have an upgraded camera, possibly at least a 12-megapixel. The iPhone 5 is expected to have a dual-LED flash and the flash unit will be separated from the camera sensor. The front-facing camera should At least have 2-megapixels rather than the archaic VGA.

1. 3D Experience. Toshiba has already unveiled the world's first glasses-free 3D laptop, which uses a lenticular screen and integrated webcam. And LG Electronics has already released the LG Optimus 3D, which claims to offer "the world's first 3D experience on a smartphone. Steve Jobs doesn't like to incorporate half-baked features on Apple devices.

3D technology on mobile devices is certainly in its infancy, making it unlikely that Apple engineers will add 3D features on the iPhone 5. But Apple filed a patent application related to 3D picture taking to the US Patent and Trademark Office later in March, according to an AppleInsider report.

The filing described a system that would be capable of capturing, processing and rendering 3D images with the additional dual-camera hardware. Apple will continue to lead the industry in innovation if its 3D feature works better than rivals.

The iPhone 5 will be awesome if the new virtual assistant, Siri, will be available in 3D. The sky's the limit for Apple if it has apps and cameras that provide 3D experience
.

Forget the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5, I Want the iPhone 4G

2011-10-10T04:13:00.000-07:00

Forget the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5, I Want the iPhone 4G

Apple will kick off its iPhone event and announce the next best selling phone (or phones) in just a few minutes. With a ton of pent up demand and bored iPhone 4 users out there, Apple doesn’t have to do a whole lot to sell tens of millions of these things, but there’s a good chance that Apple won’t release the iPhone may of us want: the iPhone 4G.

Assuming Apple sticks to its iPhone nomenclature, the introduction of an iPhone 5 would be a complete redesign. The introduction of the iPhone 4S would likely mean a specifications update, but not a lot of changes on the cosmetic side. Those are the two names for the new iPhone that are being thrown around by most pundits and analysts.

Most phone manufacturers are touting their 4G chops with good reason. Above is an example of my HTC Thunderbolt running the Speedtest app on Verizon’s 4G network.

And above is the same app on AT&T’s 3G network. Which one would you rather have? This is the reason why I carry an Android device in one pocket and my iPhone 4 in the other.

I hope Apple announces the iPhone 4G, something that directly targets users hoping to use their iPhones on the major carriers’ speediest networks. The difference between using a 3G network and 4G network is night and day. With Verizon’s 4G LTE service, for example, I can stream HD video the same way I can using my home’s Wi-Fi network. I can upload and download large files from anywhere. My Verizon 4G LTE service is much faster than many people’s home Internet connection, including my in-laws’.

Perhaps the iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S will come with 4G, but the only sure bet is if Apple goes ahead and names the new device the iPhone 4G.

Most American consumers probably don’t understand the difference between 3G and 4G, which may be one of the reasons Apple won’t include the newer technology in the new iPhones. For many users, 3G is good enough.

Another issue to consider is that Apple intentionally limits the size of its product portfolio. Americans are lucky in that Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are investing heavily in 4G rollouts. That’s not the case in a lot of countries, which means Apple would be shipping a bunch of 4G devices to locales where they’d have to roll back to 3G networks.

There are also technical reasons why Apple may be shying away from 4G. The new radio technologies use a lot more energy than 3G, which means shorter battery life. Most users would rather have an iPhone that lasts all day than one that runs out of juice by the afternoon. I’m in the minority and I want an iPhone with 4G now…not this time next year.

10 Best iPhone 4 Apps You Must Have

2011-10-09T04:32:00.000-07:00

10 Best iPhone 4 Apps You Must Have

Best iPhone 4 apps list are quite many. If you look around the web, you will find many such lists. If you are intent on filling up your iPhone with loads of great apps, then you can definitely begin here. Here’s a cool list of top 10 most popular and must have iPhone 4 apps which would help you improve your productivity and give you loads of other options too. Most of the below apps are available to download on Apple App Store for free.

Facebook iPhone App

This would top the charts almost everywhere! Talk about social networking and Facebook comes to your mind always. The free Facebook Mobile app for iPhone 4 is a must-have if you need to stay in touch with friends and family through the social networking giant.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

DropBox iPhone App

The reason DropBox is a hot favorite amongst a lot of people – both professionals and students – is the awesome interface. If you are quite specific about the security and backup of your files, DropBox is the best option. The fact that it has an iPhone app makes it even more impressive. With a free account, you get up to 2 GB of storage and backup.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

RunKeeper iPhone App

Run, jog, walk a lot? Want to keep track of your workout? Great! Nike-sponsored RunKeeper is an awesome app just to do this. As with most apps that come from great companies, the RunKeeper app provides a wonderful, neat, simple and elegant interface. The app comes as a Free download. It also features GPS tracking.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

Skype iPhone App

Skype is not just great software – it is the software to turn to, to make calls, video calls, send smses and do much more. Most businesses depend on Skype. And an iPhone app for Skype is a boon for most of us. You can connect to a lot of friends, make video calls for free, and by adding credit you can also make international calls through Skype for cheaper rates. The app is a definite must-have.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

IMDb iPhone App

An app to satisfy all your movie and entertainment needs. New releases, blockbusters, films you can watch now, old films that you forgot about, and much more. This app is almost full-featured – has everything that the normal website offers and comes with all the information, search and feature capabilities.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

Camera+ iPhone App:

If you thought the iPhone camera app was insufficient, this would do the trick. The Camera+ is great if you need better image stabilization, great zooming features and also, add to all of this, a clear way to capture fast-moving objects in good detail and clarity without blur. The app is available for $0.99 for a limited period so grab it right away!

Price: $0.99; iTunes Download Link

Photoshop Express iPhone App

Straight from Adobe, all your basic photo editing needs answered! Photoshop does not come with all the bells and whistles of Adobe Photoshop, but it sure lets you do quite a lot of things like remove noise, colorize, straighten images, and of course, share the pictures easily. Free app.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

Hopstop iPhone App

Hopstop is one of those special apps dedicated for those who get lost traveling! Well, not exactly, we were kidding. Hopstop lets you find routes easily, through its Maps. There are plenty of other features too, like taxi cost for the distance, time it would take to reach your destination, information about nearby services, and plenty more. This app too comes for Free.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

Mint iPhone App

The best money manager you could ever have on the iPhone. Keep a record of transactions, accounts, budget calculations and much more easily with this Free app. You can manage your money from anywhere and comes with tracking for investments and even tax deduction too.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

Springpad iPhone App

If at all there is something that improves your productivity by leaps and bounds, it would be Springpad for the iPhone. Keep a track of everything that you have to do, keep a track of todo lists, and improve the way you go about your day. This is also a free app which features photo uploads, or an audio memo, and even comes with a barcode scanner!! So much for a simple productivity app.

Price: Free; iTunes Download Link

iPhone 4S: Should I Upgrade from an iPhone 4?

2011-10-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

iPhone 4S: Should I Upgrade from an iPhone 4?

The iPhone 4S looks a lot like the iPhone 4 in your pocket, but looks can be deceiving. Many iPhone 4 users will benefit by making the move to an iPhone 4S, but there’s a lot to consider before you wait in line or pre-order an iPhone 4S.

iPhone 4S — Should I Upgrade?

The short answer is yes if you have the budget for a new phone, prefer the iPhone platform over Android and you don’t mind signing a two-year agreement. The iPhone 4S has some notable improvements over the iPhone 4, especially in the speed, photo and video departments. There are also parts of iOS 5, Apple’s new mobile operating system, that will only run on the iPhone 4S.

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest wireless innovations and aren’t 100% loyal to the iPhone platform you might want to consider an Android phone with 4G LTE technology. Those looking for a fast and reliable mobile Internet connection may be better served with a device like the Droid Bionic.

Cost of Upgrading to the iPhone 4S

The cost of upgrading to an iPhone 4S will vary dramatically depending on your carrier and how long it’s been since you last upgraded.

Are you eligible for the advertised iPhone 4S price? (Total Cost $379 to $579)

If you’re eligible for an upgrade, you’ll be able to pay the advertised iPhone 4S prices of $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB) or $399 (64GB) plus taxes and fees. But that’s not all you need to pay. Most states require mobile phone buyers to pay tax on the full unsubsidized cost of new phones. That’s an extra $450 you need to pay tax on, which means you need to budget up to $81 for tax on average (assuming a 9.6% state and local tax according to Forbes). Tack on another $18 for an AT&T activation fee and you’re up to $379 for an entry-level iPhone 4S.

Most people eligible for an iPhone 4 to an iPhone 4S upgrade are going to be AT&T subscribers. Most Verizon iPhone 4 owners won’t be eligible since Verizon started selling the iPhone 4 earlier this year. AT&T’s been selling the iPhone 4 since June of 2010.

AT&T does offer select customers the fully subsidized prices, even if they’re several months away from the end of their two-year contracts. The early discounts typically go to AT&T’s most profitable customers, such as those with expensive plans and extras, such as the mobile tethering option. AT&T isn’t going to offer you the lowest price on the iPhone 4S if you you have a bare-bones iPhone contract or are piggy-backing on a lower family plan. Some family plan subscribers will find that one iPhone 4 line is eligible for an upgrade while others are not.

Are you eligible for an early discount? (Total Cost $461 to $656)

If you have been with your carrier for a year, you might be eligible for a small upgrade discount on the iPhone 4S. This will vary from carrier to carrier, and even from line to line on family plans.

AT&T is offering some iPhone 4 owners a partial early discount of $250 off the unsubsidized price, bringing the 16GB iPhone 4S to $399. The 32GB iPhone 4S is $499 and the 64GB iPhone 4S is $599 if you fall into this camp.

Are you not eligible? (Total Cost $729 to $929)

If you are not eligible for an upgrade to the iPhone 4S at the end of your contract, or as an early upgrade, your only option will be to purchase the iPhone 4S at the off contract price.

The iPhone 4S off contract pricing is $649 (16GB), $749 (32GB) or $849 (64GB) plus taxes and any carrier fees. These prices are normally cut dramatically when you sign a new two year contract. In this case, you will need to plan for an extra $62 to $81 in sales tax.

Do You Hate Your Carrier?

Many AT&T iPhone 4 users are frustrated by call reliability issues, but refused to jump ship to Verizon since it didn’t make much sense to buy the same phone all over again and pay an early termination fee.

But it’s been eight months since Verizon started selling the iPhone 4 to non-Verizon subscribers, which means their early termination fees have decreased. AT&T subscribers need to pay $325, minus $10 per month if they want to cancel their contracts before the two-year agreement expires. Assuming you bought the iPhone 4 on launch day back in June 2010, you’d have to pay $175, which still hurts, but is worth it if you live or work in an AT&T dead zone that has a strong Verizon signal.

iPhone 4 users on Verizon’s network cannot access data while on phone calls. This is especially frustrating if you use your iPhone 4 as a mobile hotspot, which means you can’t share your iPhone 4’s 3G connection with your notebook or tablet while talking.

If you have limited data plans on AT&T or Verizon, the unlimited data plans that Sprint is offering may make it worth the switch for heavy data users.

Get $200 Or More For Your Old iPhone 4

Whether or not your eligible for a discount, you can sell your iPhone 4 back to Apple or any number of gadget buyback services (Gazelle.com and Nextworth are two of our favorites). Selling your iPhone on eBay or Craigslist will fetch even more if you’re willing to deal with strangers directly.

iPhone 4S Features

Upgraded Camera

The camera on the iPhone 4 is no slouch but Apple saw it fit to upgrade its successor with a camera that will have the competition playing catch up. In fact, Apple made it a point to point out how far behind the competition was at the iPhone 4S launch event.

The iPhone 4S has been outfitted with a new 8MP camera, which includes new optics and a better sensor. In short, the iPhone 4S camera is on par with many dedicated point and shoot cameras on the market. Don’t believe it? Here are several sample photos taken with the iPhone 4S, which show off the abilities of the camera in several settings. (click to enlarge)

If you like to record videos, you are able to record in full 1080P HD and the camera uses built in image stabilization to help produce prettier video.

We should also note that the iPhone 4S’ camera features face detection, something not found with the iPhone 4’s camera.

Faster Processor

The iPhone 4S has the same A5 processor found in the iPad 2. This means that the iPhone 4S is nearly 2x as fast as the iPhone 4, and has 7x faster graphics. This makes for a snappier phone and prettier graphics when you play games like Infinity Blade.

Gaming won’t be the only thing that will be made faster by the iPhone 4S’ A5 dual-core processor. Watching video content should be an even smoother experience than it was on the iPhone 4 plus switching back and forth between applications and multitasking will be quicker than ever. The time it takes to load an application will also be much shorter due to the A5’s powerful core.

The best part? There is no sacrifice in battery life. In fact, the iPhone 4S will last even longer than the iPhone 4.

New Antenna

Last year’s iPhone 4 was part of a debacle dubbed Antennagate that saw Apple hand out free bumper cases to please owners concerned about a perceived ‘death grip.’ So, we knew that Apple was going to find a way to improve its antenna for this new phone.

The iPhone 4S’ antenna has been changed in a way that allows the cellular radio inside the device to determine which of the two antennas, embedded in the stainless steel bands on the sides, will offer the best signal.

That means, at least in theory, that there should be no death grip on the iPhone 4S because the radio will use the antenna that’s not being blocked by the hand.

World Phone

The iPhone 4S will be a true world phone. It contains both GSM and CDMA radios which means that you can travel the globe and use it like you would in your hometown.

This is a feature that is not available on either the AT&T or Verizon iPhone 4. So, if you’re a world traveler or find yourself on planes and in hotels on business, the iPhone 4S is certainly a phone to look at.

New Assistant App – Siri

Perhaps the biggest reason to consider an upgrade is the iPhone 4S exclusive assistant app called Siri. The iPhone 4 won’t have this ability, even after you upgrade to iOS 5.

Siri is a virtual assistant for your iPhone. The app can respond to a number of requests including,

Ask for a Reminder – At a specific time or place
Ask to send a text
Ask or the weather
Ask for information – Like a restaurant
Ask to schedule a meeting
and much more

For more on Siri, check out why Siri could make the iPhone 4S worth the upgrade.

Bottom Line

Since the iPhone 4S isn’t a completely new phone, many may choose to wait until they can get the phone at the fullest discount. But if you can get a good trade-in price for your old phone that offsets the cost of upgrading early or even switching to a new carrier, go for it. There are enough advantages to the iPhone 4S to justify an upgrade that cost you much. But if you’re looking at having to pay the unsubsidized price or an early cancellation fee, consider holding off.

Siri is one serious feature for iPhone 4S

2011-10-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

Siri is one serious feature for iPhone 4S

Apple introduced the long-awaited next iPhone on Tuesday with the usual amount of fanfare. While the phone itself is an evolutionary step hardware-wise, it will come with a revolutionary new voice assistant technology called "Siri."

First, the specs. The iPhone 4S will sport the same design as the iPhone 4, has a dual-core processor and comes with an 8 megapixel camera with a new custom lens and larger aperture for sharper, brighter images as well as the ability to shoot 1080p video. It is a world phone (finally!) that supports both GSM and CDMA networks and has a completely redesigned antenna system, presumably to fix the "death grip" non-issue.

It will come in three varieties -- 16GB/32GB/64GB for $199/$299/$399, respectively, (with contract). Apple also dropped the price of the iPhone 4 to $99, and the iPhone 3GS is now free. The 4S sadly will not come with any support for LTE 4G networks, as Apple is still unwilling to sacrifice the iPhone's best-in-class battery life for the faster download speeds. Maybe next year. Also, if you're a Sprint customer, you can finally get an iPhone.

By far the biggest feature of the new phone (and one that of course won't run on any other iPhone) is Siri. Instead of reading off a list of preset commands to your phone, you can talk to it like you would a person.

Stuck in traffic? Activate Siri and say "Send a text to my wife telling her I'll be late," and Siri will do just that. When you're finally on your way and hear your new message chime, say "read new message" and your wife's reply will be read aloud to you.

How about asking Siri, "Do I need an umbrella today?" It might reply, "No rain in the forecast but you might want to wear a coat." It's perfect for reminders (which I constantly use on my phone) and is location aware, so as you leave the doctor's office you might say, "Remind me to put my next appointment on my calendar when I get to work" -- a reminder then will pop up when you get to your office.

Some more examples: Say, "I'm in the mood for Mexican tonight," and Siri will tell you the closest Mexican restaurant. Need a wake up call? Say, "Set alarm for 7 a.m." -- done. Want directions? "Where's The Island Packet office located?" and you'll be told how to get there. You can use Siri to control the phone as well, playing your music, setting a timer, dictating an e-mail, etc.

While watching it being demonstrated, my mind kept going back to old "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episodes where Captain Picard or Data would just sit there and have a conversation with their computer while trying to solve some problem. It's not quite Warp Drive or the Transporter, but it's still pretty amazing (come to think of it, Apple is probably working on those things anyway).

The iPhone 4S will be available on Oct. 14. While it's not quite enough for me to justify an upgrade from the iPhone 4, it's a no-brainer for anyone still rockin' the iPhone 3GS.

iPhone 4s vs Samsung Galaxy S2: AT&T 4G drama

2011-10-09T04:16:00.000-07:00

iPhone 4s vs Samsung Galaxy S2: AT&T 4G drama

AT&T wants a 4G iPhone 4S.

According to a report posted by This is My Next or also known as The Verge, AT&T wants its own iPhone 4S to indicate that the device is running in “4G” while on the HSPA+.

The new white iPhone 4S running the Siri built-in application.

“AT&T is working with Apple,” the leaked document said, “since iPhone 4S is an HSPA+ device,” it adds.

Apple is arguably not a fan of calling HSPA+ a “4G.” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said during the iPhone 4S event on Tuesday that Apple “is not going to get into a debate in the industry of what’s 4G and what isn’t,” but he added that the iPhone 4S whether HSPA+ is 4G or not, is “just as fast as all these phones.” Sounds like a play-safe statement, but filled with meaning.

AT&T is not just an iPhone 4S carrier, but also a Samsung Galaxy S II carrier. In fact, AT&T is the wireless carrier that offers the “purist” Samsung Galaxy S2, a US-only Galaxy S2 variant that includes the features present in the global Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone like the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen, Android Gingerbread 2.3.4 pre-installed with the latest TouchWiz skin version, 8-megapixel primary camera, a front-facing 2-megapixel camera and the original thin profile, but features Android’s 4 capacitive buttons instead of the global Galaxy SII’s physical home button. AT&T’s S2 is also the thinnest.

AT&T’s Galaxy S II is also an HSPA+ device, however, the phone’s data signal indicator is not flashing the “4G” while on HSPA+. Weird? Plus, the AT&T Galaxy S2 is also free from “4G” brand name unlike other HSPA+ devices like the Samsung Infuse “4G” and the Motorola Atrix “4G.”

AT&T gets an early iPhone 4S success.

According to a report posted by Bloomberg on Friday, the AT&T iPhone 4S preorders broke “sales record,” revealing that the original iPhone wireless carrier in the US received more than 200,000 preorders for the iPhone 4S in 12 hours, or less than 24 hours. No word on the iPhone 4S of Sprint and Verizon, and if the HSPA+ helped in AT&T’s record-breaking iPhone 4S preorders.

iPhone 4S is powered by Apple’s branded A5 dual-core chip, the same processor used by the iPad 2. Schiller said during the keynote, “the graphics can be seven times faster than in the previous iPhone (iPhone 4 with the A4 chip).” Other new features are the 8-megapixel primary camera, the iOS 5 operating system pre-installed, and the new Siri built-in app. Siri is, obviously, Apple’s app against the Galaxy S II’s voice command built-in app powered by Vlingo.

Apple releases Find My iPhone app

2011-10-09T04:12:00.002-07:00

Apple releases Find My iPhone app

Apple has released a new app to help users track lost iPhones on the go. Find My iPhone does what the Web application version, found on me.com, did previously but allows users to log in from another iPhone or iPad to help in the search.

True to Apple form, the interface is simple, elegant, and easy to use. Users need only log in to the application using their MobileMe user name and password to begin finding their lost iPhone or iPad. Each device connected to the user's account will show up and begin to be tracked, appearing on a Google Map once it is found.
At that point, users can display a message or play a sound, activate a Remote Lock or a Remote Wipe. The Find My iPhone app requires iOS version 3.1.3 or later, a MobileMe subscription (currently $99/year), and is available for both iPhone and iPad.

iPhone 5 release date holdouts pass up iPhone 4S for 4G LTE, new style

2011-10-09T04:12:00.001-07:00

iPhone 5 release date holdouts pass up iPhone 4S for 4G LTE, new style

The iPhone 5 faces a further four to twelve month gestation period before its release date (logical emphasis on six to nine), leaving Apple’s interstitial new iPhone 4S to benefit via sales to those who’ve come to respect the advances which the 4S does bring along with those who simply want or need a new iPhone now. If preorder numbers thus far are an indication of what’s to come, the 4S is set to become Apple’s biggest hit product yet. But iPhone 5 holdouts abound, and while some will ultimately change their mind and plunk down on a 4S in the next several months after all, others will continue to wait until Apple launches the next generation one way or the other. The reasons range from the strategic (they live in an area in which AT&T or Verizon offers 4G LTE and they don’t want an iPhone which doesn’t include it) to the superficial (they already have an iPhone 4 and they don’t want to replace it with an identical twin) to the situational (they’re on T-Mobile, and while the Sprint iPhone 4S is looking tempting, they plan to wait for a presumed T-Mobile iPhone 5 once their carrier’s merger is squared away). Here’s a detailed look at the various reasons for waiting for the iPhone 5 and the likelihood that each group of holdouts gets their way…

Picture leaks of iPhone 5 spare parts

2011-08-28T08:05:00.001-07:00

The next generation Apple iPhone are supposedly being announced later this autumn. Until the real thing appears, we will have to settle with rumors and spy photos of spare parts.

Live goes on. Even after Jobs, the CEO and major inspirator over at Apple has stepped down from the leading the company. The iPhone 4S/5 is expected to be announced on October 7th and even before an official announcement is made, third party spare part suppliers are selling iPhone 5 components online such as battery, lens proximity light sensor.
Macpost has dig up even more images of the back cover of the upcoming iPhone model. The white back cover has the text N94 printed on it indicating it is a fifth-generation iPhone spare part. Model specific info printed on the cover such as size, model numbers are anonimized with a couple of X-characters.

5 Things To Expect With The iPhone 4S

2011-08-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

5 Things To Expect With The iPhone 4S

This year at the World Wide Developer Conference, Apple surprised the audience when they announced iOS 5 and OS X Lion leaving no mention of a new iPhone. Since then, the media started a non-stop publishing spree with bizarre claims and rumors. Here are five reasonable things we can definitely expect with the iPhone 4S. Yup, you heard me. The iPhone 4S, not an iPhone 5.

Better Internal Hardware

The upcoming iPhone 4S will probably feature the next generation dual-core A5 processor, an upgrade to the existing A4. Apple will likely throw in a better graphics chip and double the RAM to 1 GB. According to rumors, iOS 5 has some hardware-exclusive voice control features which do not work on the current iPhone 4. The upcoming iPhone 4S is undoubtedly the key to unlocking the feature.

While everyone is hoping for 4G capabilities, it is hard to tell whether the iPhone 4S will support the faster network. Apple often adopts early technologies, but not unless they can get it right. If Apple does introduce a 4G enabled model, they would do so for all major networks. Unfortunately, that is not entirely possible since carriers are not entirely ready.
AT&T offers HSPA+ under the 4G brand name and has yet to deploy a LTE network. Introducing a model with only HSPA+ support would mean incompatibility for future LTE-based networks. Apple would also need a WiMax model for Sprint 4G and another LTE version for Verizon Wireless 4G.
After all, Apple did not seem to concerned about only having 2G on the original iPhone when most mediocre flip phones already had 3G at the time — it clearly did not hurt growth either.

Same Design, With Tweaks

Rumors suggest the next-gen iPhone will offer a completely new design. However, taking example from the previous refreshes, the iPhone 4S will offer the same design but with minor enhancements. The upcoming model will probably offer a new antenna design to avoid a rerun of the infamous “antennagate”.
In addition, after rumors of many complaints from customers regarding the somewhat-fragile glass back, Apple would have definitely taken notice. A change of material for the back piece is a given and we might possibly see a new aluminum plate introduced.

Better Camera

During WWDC 2010, Steve Jobs explained how megapixels are not what makes a camera better. The year-old iPhone 4 currently offers only a 5 megapixel sensor and which I think still continues to blows competition out of the water. With that being said, signs are pointing toward an 8 megapixel camera which will probably turn out to be true. With top-notch hardware, an even better camera is just one of the improvements Apple can bring to the table to get existing customers to upgrade.

The Same Display

Currently, the iPhone and iPod touch feature a display which I think is the best on the market. Going by the name Retina Display, it has a super high pixel density screen with a 960-by-640 pixel resolution on a 3.5 inch screen which equates to a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch (ppi). Steve Jobs during the WWDC 2010 keynote explained that after a certain point the human eye fails to distinguish individual pixels. In addition, Jobs explained the magic number is around 330 ppi when visible pixelation is no more. This is exactly why the iPhone 4S does not need a new display.
Since launch, Apple has not increased the screen size with any new version of the iPhone and they definitely will not with the iPhone 4S. Rumors have suggested that they will, but it would become a nightmare for developers. In addition, Apple’s stance on-screen size should be pretty clear by now. If they are going to increase screen size for any of their iOS devices, they would have already done so when competitors were using screen size as a selling point.

iPhone Name

The media is pretty confident about Apple calling the next iPhone the “iPhone 5,” but it will not be called that. The new model will probably go with the name “iPhone 4S” since the refresh will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. In fact, that is exactly what Apple did when they introduced the iPhone 3GS in 2009. The “S” in “3GS” was to signify the faster and better hardware compared to its predecessor the “iPhone 3G”.
I also predict that Apple, at some point, will get rid of the numbers after “iPhone” and will just call future generations the “iPhone”. They have already done just that with the iPod touch.

Bottom Line

If you are desperately looking for a new smart phone, I think it is still a great time to purchase an iPhone 4 since Apple will definitely continue to support it even after the launch of the next iteration even if the same set of features are not available. However, if you are like me and want the latest hardware I would suggest waiting. Apple will probably hold an event in early-October announcing the iPhone 4S and new iPod touch models. Those on a budget should keep in mind that Apple will likely reduce the current price of the iPhone 4 to $99.

New iPhone 5 images based on leaked design specs

2011-08-15T23:28:00.001-07:00

New iPhone 5 images based on leaked design specs

Just prior to the release of a major new Apple product, the internet typically becomes consumed with device mockups and plenty of heated speculation. A new set of iPhone 5 device mockups making the rounds could be giving consumers a glimpse of what’s to come on launch day.

MacRumors recently commissioned a professional set of mockup images based on leaked design specifications that are allegedly for the iPhone 5.

Not only do the images line up with previous interpretations of the handset, but they also have Chinese manufacturers hard at work on producing new iPhone cases, reports the site.

The design specs give precise measurements of the device as well as which portions need to remain open for power, audio/video inputs and button controls. As shown in the photo above, specs call for a wide space near the bottom of the phone, which could indicate that the home button will take on a more horizontal, oval shape. The screen is also wider and the device itself has a tear-drop thickness — with the bottom end of the phone being the thinnest part.

Assuming the case design specifications are accurate, the commissioned mockup images will look very similar to the final product. Many are speculating that Apple will release the iPhone 5 by mid September in the U.S. and internationally by the end of October.

Personally, I think the iPhone 5 renderings are gorgeous. If these images are a glimpse into the future, I’d be more than willing to camp outside an Apple store for a chance to become one of the first people to get their hands on it.

iPhone 5 release date sees Google buying Verizon Droid maker Motorola

2011-08-15T23:27:00.001-07:00

iPhone 5 release date sees Google buying Verizon Droid maker Motorola

Apple’s mobile strategy for 2011 is straightforward: pick a release date for the iOS 5 based iPhone 5 on Verizon and AT&T (and perhaps Sprint and T-Mobile) along with the iPod touch 5 and iPad 3. But mobile rival Google’s strategy for the rest of the year is suddenly more hazy, as the company just bought the mobile division of Motorola, the company which manufactures the Verizon Droid among other Android based phones. This changes the landscape both in terms of the role of the Droid even as Verizon has set its sights on the iPhone 5 as its flagship instead, and it puts the fate of Google’s own Nexus line of Android phones in question. But how does this all relate to someone who’s already decided the iPhone 5 will be their next smartphone? Indirectly, of course.

Verizon hasn’t given up on selling the Droid altogether, but its former in-house flagship smartphone (a joint project with Motorola) was getting abused at the hands of AT&T’s iPhone to such an extent that Verizon cried uncle. After seeing Droid sales which were only about forty percent of that of the AT&T iPhone 4, Verizon decided that not only did it want the iPhone as its flagship instead, it didn’t even want to wait for the iPhone 5. As such, the Verizon iPhone 4 launched as a bridge earlier this year. And now Verizon says that its hopes for future growth are pinned on the iPhone 5, even going so far as to blame its lack of growth this quarter on the fact that the iPhone 5 hasn’t yet seen its release date. And yet now here comes Google itself buying the company which manufactures the Droid. In other words, even as Verizon is less interested in pushing the Droid than ever, Google is now set to push the Droid on its own. So even as Verizon gears up to push the iPhone 5 as if its future depends on it, get ready to watch Google/Motorola incongruously push the Droid on Verizon users. Oh, and as Google can make it all back from its Android-based mobile advertising network, expect the Droid to get really cheap or even free. This could cause Apple to have to seriously consider making the iPhone 5 less expensive than previous iPhones. See, told you this could relate back to the iPhone. But there’s more….

Even as the Android platform has collectively enjoyed great sales success, the paradox has been that each carrier’s pet Android model has suffered at the hands on the iPhone. Even as Verizon’s Droid failed to match iPhone 4 sales, the same has been playing out with Sprint and T-Mobile and their respective flagship Android models, leading to widespread speculation that one or both will have the iPhone 5 before the end of the year. But even amidst the collective overwhelming success of Android, and the middling success of each carrier-based model, one Android variant has routinely flopped: Google’s own in-house Nexus line of phones…

So what will Google do with the Nexus now that it’s got the Droid and other Motorola-based Android phones in its pocket? That remains to be seen. Google recently made a deal with AT&T to sell the Nexus phone, but that could go by the wayside if the Moto acquisition means the end of Google’s Nexus focus. Whereas up until now, Google’s strategy was to get the Android OS onto as many different hardware variants as possible from as many manufacturers as possible, the fact that Google now has the Motorola Android phones and tablets in house means that that strategy could change. Android makers HTC and Samsung are in the midst of getting destroyed in the legal system over their Android-based phones and tablets which Apple says borrow way to heavily from the iPhone and iPad. With those companies now suddenly on the outside of the Android hierarchy looking in, could they end up dropping their Android OS based devices altogether so as to make the legal crucification go away? After all, with Motorola’s Android products clearly going to be the ones which Google is now pushing, Samsung and HTC and others will now need to rethink their Android involvement in terms of cost vs benefit. The benefit is likely set to shrink, and the cost may end up being the financial solvency of the company.

This makes for the prospect of far fewer Android-based phones on the market in the future, if not by the time of the iPhone 5 release date then almost certainly by the time of the iPhone 6 next year. Third party licensees are always less likely to get involved when the licensor has their own powerful in-house competing brand, particularly if it turns out that phones like the Droid end up seeing favoritism in terms of promotion, software updates, carrier negotiations, and so on. Instead the iPhone 5, iPad 3, and Apple’s other iOS 5 based devices could be competing with a smaller number of more centrally-promoted Android devices. Which come to think of it, means the Android lineup will come closer to resembling Apple’s tightly focused iOS lineup going forward than in Android’s comparatively “wild west” days up until now. From an iPhone user’s perspective, at least you’ll only have to be barraged by ads for a fraction as many Android phones you have no intention of ever touching. From an Android user’s perspective, we’ll see what this all means.

ABC to track iPhone and iPad app traffic

2011-05-08T03:02:00.000-07:00

ABC to track iPhone and iPad app traffic

Publishers now able to report smartphone and tablet figures as well as website and print statistics

ABC can now measure traffic on iPad apps, such as this one from the Financial Times

Newspapers and magazines with apps on the iPhone and iPad will soon be able to report traffic figures alongside print and website figures.

The Audit Bureau of Circulations, which reports the audience figures of most of the UK's national and regional media, began measuring smartphone app activity on 1 May – a sign of the booming importance of mobile publishing.

All of the UK's major national newspapers have iPhone apps, with most also having a product for the iPad. On Thursday, the Daily Telegraph launched an updated iPad app using Apple's strict subscription scheme.

It is not clear how many publishers have signed up to the scheme, or how many intend to report app traffic on a monthly basis, alongside website and print statistics.

ABC will measure how many "unique devices" – like unique users, but one user might mean more than one device – access the app, page impressions, the average duration of app visits, as well as ad impressions requested by each device.

Most national newspapers report their print circulation and website traffic monthly, although News International titles – the Times, Sunday Times, Sun and News of the World – pulled out last year ahead of launching website paywalls. Magazines report their circulation on a half-yearly basis.

ABC in the US began measuring iPad apps alongside regular magazine editions in March last year.

Apple Modifies iOS to Show It Doesn`t Care Where Your iPhone Is

2011-05-08T02:59:00.001-07:00

Apple Modifies iOS to Show It Doesn`t Care Where Your iPhone Is

In an unusual announcement on May 5, Apple announced that it was issuing an update to iOS that will reduce the information kept in the location cache on iPhones and iPads and that it will eliminate the backup of the information when the device is synced with iTunes. The company also said that turning off location services will erase the cache.

In addition to issuing iOS 4.3.3, Apple also issued a candid discussion of what the location cache does, why Apple uses it, and what information is gathered. The Q&A said that the location information is actually from a crowd-sourced location database, and what it’s storing are the locations of cell towers and WiFi access points.

This allows the device to tell you its location very quickly and it has the advantage of working indoors which GPS generally cannot. In the Q&A, Apple said that it never tracked the position of its users with iPhones or iPads, and that location data was used anonymously to build the database, subsets of which were provided to users for location services.

The company also said that the retention of huge quantities of location data was a bug, and the new version of iOS would reduce the retention time down to a week. The new version of iOS also prevents the iPhone or iPad from gathering location information when location services are turned off.

Apple’s announcement is good, if not unexpected news. It was hard to imagine what use Apple might have for a year’s worth of location data stored on a phone and it was harder to imagine what might be done with it on a computer. The location database that Apple keeps, as long as it’s anonymous, provides a convenience for users, and of course it allows targeted information that may be advertising or simply a note that the next burger joint is two blocks ahead.

I should also add that I was having trouble imagining why Apple might have wanted to know the location of every iPhone in real time. It seemed that the quantity of data involved would overwhelm any tracking or analysis the company might be doing. It was hard to see what conceivable benefit the company would gain from having this information.

'Final Fantasy III' now available worldwide for iPhone, iPod touch

2011-03-25T02:44:00.001-07:00

'Final Fantasy III' now available worldwide for iPhone, iPod touch

FINAL FANTASY III is now available for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Square Enix today announced the worldwide release of FINAL FANTASY III for the iPhone and iPod touch, with an iPad version available for download in April.

Originally released in 1990, FINAL FANTASY III was the first title in the series to become a million-seller. The Nintendo DS remake released in 2006 also sold over one million copies worldwide. FINAL FANTASY III was also the first in the series to feature monster summons and a job-change system.

The iPhone/iPod touch version of FINAL FANTASY III features fully-remade 3D graphics, intuitive touch-panel controls and retina display support.

Jobs Says 'No' to iPhone Radiation App

2011-03-25T02:43:00.001-07:00

Jobs Says 'No' to iPhone Radiation App

An iPhone app that measures smartphone radiation and offers tips on minimizing absorption has been nuked by Steve Jobs.

At least that's the story the makers of Tawkon are telling. Despite "great discussions with senior Apple executives at their Cupertino headquarters," the Tawkon team said Apple ultimately rejected the radiation-detecting iPhone app. An appeal to Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs went nowhere.

"No interest," Jobs reportedly wrote in an e-mail to Tawkon.

The Tawkon app measures a phone's Specific Absorption rate, environmental factors and physical position to determine how much radiation you're soaking up. It then provides tips, along the lines of "hold phone vertically" or "go back" to your previous location.

Neither Tawkon nor Apple are saying why, exactly, the app was rejected, but the issue could be the amount of information third-party iPhone apps are allowed to access. Tawkon's blog does mention that Apple "explored various technical solutions with us to overcome API restrictions," so my guess is that Tawkon needed to access certain data that most apps can't have, and Apple didn't want to relent.

Of course, that's not a problem for jailbroken iPhone apps, so with Apple's rejection, Tawkon took its app to the Cydia app store. It's also available for select Android phones and Blackberry phones.

Cell phone radiation is a touchy subject. There's no hard evidence that cell phone radiation causes cancer, but the Federal Communications Commission does limit the Specific Absorption Rate of all phones on the market. If you've got a non-jailbroken iPhone and are still afraid of radiation, consider using a protective case. It's probably safer than getting advice from an app, anyway.

Angry Birds Rio for IPhone and IPad

2011-03-25T02:40:00.001-07:00

Angry Birds Rio for IPhone and IPad

Sometimes it feels like this is Angry Birds' world, and the rest of us are just living in it.

The physics puzzle game is the 800-pound gorilla of the App Store. Whether in its original, iPad, or assorted spinoff formats, Angry Birds dominates the sales charts of Apple's mobile app outlet. You can buy Angry Birds plush toys. Amovie may be in the works. For all I know, Steve Jobs is going to invite one of the birds--the chubby, particularly irritated-looking red one, I'd guess--to join Apple's board of directors.

For now, though, Angry Birds and developer Rovio Mobileare content to lend their considerable rub to promote someone else's movie. In conjunction with next month's release of the animated motion picture Rio, Rovio has rolled out a new version of its popular game--Angry Birds Rio for the iPhone and iPod touch and Angry Birds Rio HD for the iPad.

The movie tie-in necessitates some changes to the usual Angry Birds storyline, in which the foul-attitude fowls do battle with an army of snickering green pigs. Instead of using your battalion of birds to crush the pigs and their assorted fortifications, you're on a mission of mercy in Angry Birds Rio--you're smashing through cages to free the exotic bird heroes that star in Rio.

Otherwise, gameplay in Angry Birds Rio will be familiar to anyone who's played any other game in the franchise. Your birds have different powers--some explode, some feature speed bursts, some split into three, and so on--which can come in handy when solving Angry Birds Rio's various puzzles. The cages confining your feathered friends are surrounded by various structures made out of wood, glass, and metal--some of which are easier to break through than others. You rack up points for freeing the birds while reducing those structures to rubble. Each stage you successfully clear earns a rating of one to three stars depending on how much damage you're able to inflict and how many birds it takes to do it.

As I write this, Angry Birds Rio features two episodes, containing a total of 60 levels. Four more episodes are planned throughout 2011 via updates to the app.

Angry Birds fanatics will probably enjoy this latest installment, and there's certainly plenty here to like, from the new puzzles to the jaunty tropical soundtrack. That said, I think the game loses something by not having the green pigs there to menace the birds--there's something about the way they giggle and smile when I fail to clear a level in other Angry Birds iterations that makes them seem like more worthwhile antagonists than unseen bird poachers. Also, the Smugglers' Den episode in Angry Birds Rio feels a lot easier to solve than other Angry Birds puzzles, though things may get tougher the deeper I progress into the game.

For my money, if there's one version of Angry Birds that captures everything worthwhile about the franchise, it's Angry Birds Seasons HD. This iPad-optimized offering makes great use of the tablet's screen. An update earlier this month added St. Patrick's Day-themed puzzles to a game that already includes Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day episodes. And there's an attention to detail--snowflakes fall in the Christmas puzzles, a catchy Irish jig plays in the background for the St. Patrick's Day levels--that really gives iPad gamers their money's worth.

Angry Birds Rio in its iPhone and iPad forms is a worthy addition to the series. But Angry Birds Seasons HD remains the pinnacle of Rovio's offerings.

Macworld.com executive editor Philip Michaels wants those green pigs to know that this isn't over--not by a long shot.

Isaac Newton’s Gravity Will Bring Even the Smartest Gamers Back to Earth

2011-01-24T02:38:00.001-08:00

Isaac Newton’s Gravity [iTunes Link] was created by Namco and is an intuitive physics puzzler in which you will need to successfully guide a ball across a board to hit a switch.

Each level will give you different shaped pieces such as cubes or blocks to place on a map. You will select each piece by simply tapping on it and then rotating it in any direction.

Next, drag, drop and place it on the map. Once all of the pieces are set, hit the play button and your ball will roll out and hopefully reach it’s destination…

Apple publicly addresses iPhone 4 troubles

2010-07-15T01:04:00.001-07:00

Apple publicly addresses iPhone 4 troubles

An Apple Press Conference scheduled for Friday July 16 looks set to officially address the iPhone 4 antenna issues - finally!

Media outlets across the U.S. have been invited to attend an Apple press conference on Friday July 16, scheduled to address the grip-of-death antenna issue.

Up until now Apple had been applying the old fashioned approach of putting their fingers in their ears and humming loudly whenenver anyone mentioned problems with their banner device but it seems all the crying, moaning and threats of legal action has finally woken the company up.

Sources have been hinting that a factory recall was all but impossible to avoid so it will be interesting to hear what the company has to say and what plans they are putting in place to fix the problem.

With some comparisons being struck between iPhone 4's release and that of Microsoft's doomed Vista operating system, it had better be decisive.

Apple’s iOS 4.1 rolled out to developers

2010-07-15T01:02:00.001-07:00

Apple’s iOS 4.1 rolled out to developers

Apple has released a beta version of its iOS 4.1 to developers – there’s still no antenna fix yet though

Apple’s first update for its iOS 4.0 software – iOS 4.1 – is now available to developers in beta mode.
Predictably, the new iteration of Apple’s iPhone OS has brought with it the new signal bar display – now, apparently, it’s right and not over exaggerated like before.
Nevertheless, this hasn’t got rid of the antenna issue, which is a hardware problem. So it looks like it’s still cases all the way for iPhone 4 users...
There is also a new look Game Center and the ability to turn off Check Spelling in Keyboard Preferences is now present.
There are also reports that the OS update comes with a whole host of security features that are designed to deter jailbreaking the device.
Allegedly, if a user attempts to jail break an Apple product with iOS 4.1 a nasty looking watermark will appear – and this applies to all iPhones and iPods running the OS, according to UnwiredView.
That said, there has been no confirmed cases of this jail break branding just yet, so we’re still waiting for that one to be confirmed...