Ever wondered of installing and running cracked apps on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad , and iPad 2 without Jailbreaking your iDevice ? Well now you can do that. Devs over iModZone have developed a new application “iReSign” which can install cracked .ipa bundles into your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad without needing jailbreak. Working of this application is much simpler than IPA GOD. What iReSign basically do is it signs or resigns .ipa files with Apple’s digital certificate to run them on your iDevice. iReSign works for both iOS 4 and iOS 5 which is still in beta phase. You’d be needing Mac OS X 10.6 or above, iReSign which you can download from via iMZDL, most importantly Apple’s Provisioning Profile and digital certificate with a registered UDID device. UDID is basically your iDevice’s unique identification number, you can view it in iTunes by double clicking your serial number, if you’re an iOS developer you can register your device’s UDID from iOS developers portal and if you’re not a Registered Apple iOS Developer you can get your device registered with Apple’s Provisioning Profile and digital certificate from here for $15.
Download your desired application’s cracked .ipa files from web and save them preferably on Desktop. Run iReSign and browse downloaded cracked .ipa file which you want to sign or resign. In the second field you’ll put Keychain Access for certificate For Example: iPhone Developer: Mike Fletcher (I7U4261P80). Click “Resign” button, now the app will start signing or resigning your .ipa file. After the completion of process your .ips file would be ready, simply drag and drop it in iTunes and sync your device with iTunes, if everything goes well you’ll have your App on your iDevice’s homescreen.
Here’s a video of this whole process for your better understanding:
There's major browser releases both on the mobile and on the personal computer front
These days the Mozilla Foundation is feeling the heat. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) has delivered a surprisingly sporty and compatible Internet Explorer 9. And Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Chrome browser is becoming the first new browser in some time to gobble up a significant market share. I. Firefox 5 Blazes Ahead on Schedule
But nothing lays concerns to rest better than adopting an aggressive schedule and sticking to it. That's exactly what Mozilla did, with the release of Firefox 5's second beta.
Delivered right on schedule, the new build features speed improvements and a number of new features, including:
* Added support for CSS animations * Added support for switching Firefox development channels * The Do-Not-Track header preference has been moved to increase discoverability * Improved canvas, JavaScript, memory, and networking performance * Improved standards support for HTML5, XHR, MathML, SMIL, and canvas * Improved spell checking for some locales * Improved desktop environment integration for Linux users
The inclusion of CSS animations support was particularly important, as the Webkit source (which Chrome and Apple, Inc.'s (AAPL) Safari browser are based on) already supports it. Mozilla and its collaborators also made some tweaks to the GUI art, which they say are subtle, but will be noticed if you return to FF4.
Aside from new functionality and speed-ups, the beta also resolves many stability issues and other bugs that cropped up in Firefox 4. A full log of these changes is found here. Full release notes can be found here. And last, but not least, the download can be found here.
Firefox 5 is scheduled to release June 21 -- less than a month from now. It will contend with Internet Explorer 10, which is currently being previewed, and Chrome 12, which is currently being beta tested.
II. Opera Mini 6 Hits the iPad, iPhone
Yesterday also saw the release of Opera Mini 6 for the iPad and iPhone. The first major release for the iOS platform since its launch title -- Opera Mini 5 -- Norwegian software company Opera Software ASA (OPERA) is hoping to replicate its previous success. Opera saw 1 million downloads of Mini 5 for the iPhone/iPad in a mere 24 hours after its release.
Available on the iTunes store now for free, the new browser features:
* Much faster and smoother panning and zooming * Share buttons which are compatible with My Opera, Facebook, Twitter or vKontakte * A new" jazzed-up" skin * Redesigned Opera menus
It also reportedly gives the browser a healthy injection of speed.
Opera’s, CEO Lars Boilesen compared the release to a rock concert, stating, "I would compare it to walking onto the stage and hearing the roar of the crowd. We have put in a lot of rehearsal and clever thought behind the new experience. The Opera Mini browser has always kicked up the tempo when downloading pages; now the browsing flows along to a smooth, easy beat."
While Opera is seeing a bit more competition these days -- namely from the Firefox Mobile browser for Android -- it's still makes the most used mobile browsing pair in the world, Opera Mini and Opera Mobile. These mobile browsers are unique in that they leverage heavy server-side compression, something the competition still hasn't embraced. The net effect for users is that in areas with poor signal or low data speeds pages load much faster in Opera Mini/Mobile than in their competitors.
Jailbreaking iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV) has now become a fun for kids as well. 11 Year old kid named Angus Gawdat jailbroke his iPod Touch to try and play games, only to find it has now been locked up for 40 years. He bought a new iPod as his previous device was permanently frozen after installing a jailbreak application. If you are unaware, jailbreaking is a process for installing non Apple Apps. Jail Breaking, the process of installing apps which Apple do not allow has now become a trend and a practice of geeks. But now children with almost no technical knowledge are trying it. Those who really do not like to jailbreak for some reasons says that the device becomes open to iOS viruses, unstable and sometimes completely frozen.
Eleven-year-old Angus Gawdat jailbroke his iPod Touch to try and play games, only to find it has now been locked up for 40 years. “The device shut down and said that it could only be restored in a squillion hours – I had to get Dad to get the calculator out to figure out it was 40 years,” Angus said. Dad Rick Gawdat said he called Apple to try to find a solution – but was told it couldn’t help. “They basically just said to us, ‘You shouldn’t be using applications not from iTunes’ and recommended that we buy a new iPod,” he said. In Sydney’s Chinatown there are a number of shops offering both jailbreaking and jailbreaking repair services. One shop ownersaid he would reinstall Apple’s operating system on jailbroken devices for $60. “Sometimes a third-party piece of software freezes the iPod or the phone,” he said. “We just flash Apple’s software back on to the device.” via
As you know, jailbreaking iOS devices is legal according to the US court. Apple can only forbid its users from installing un-authorized apps by telling them that their warranties are void once they operate it with some jailbreak tool. What is iOS Jailbreaking? iOS Jailbreaking is a process of installing additional applications, tweaks, extensions etc. which are not available in the official Apple App Store. Apple itself follows a standard and normally do not accept every sort of apps. All these applications finds their way to Cydia where you can download them and can do a lot of cool stuff.
What is Cydia?
Cydia ia a software application for Apple iOS devices that helps you to find and download applications, themes etc for your jailbroken iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Most of the applications in Cydia are free to use.
Greenpois0n RC6.2 for iPhone iPad and iPod Touch Jailbreak is on its way. It will be compatible with iOS 4.3.1 / iOS 4.3.2 and the latest iOS 4.3.3 firmware. Remember we already have iOS 4.3.x untethered jailbreak using Redsn0w 0.9.6 RC16, PwnageTool 4.33.1 and Sn0wbreeze 2.7.3. The upcoming Greenpois0n RC6.2 will also do the same thing but it will be a lot easier that the present tools. Greenpois0n website has been updated with the following text: In the past I have also said that 4.3.x support was on hold for greenpois0n to focus on iPad 2 jailbreak exclusively, our course has slightly changed (primary focus has never shifted from iPad 2 since it was released) it has now become possible to easily update and execute a workflow to enable RC6.2 (tentatively speaking… mmm #dirt) to be released “soon”…
As we said that this is not going to be a new jailbreak for iOS 4.3.3. Greenpois0n RC 6.2 will be a simpler one to use comparatively. You can jailbreak iOS 4.3.x with the already present tools which you can find below.
Jailbreak iOS 4.3.3 Untethered with Redsn0w 0.9.6 RC15
We cover all jailbreak and unlock news. Proof is our homepage VeryRite.com. Make sure you follow us. Stay tuned to VeryRite.com. We will update you as soon as they release Greenpois0n RC6.2.
Looks like Apple’s luck ran out once again. There was an explosion at the Foxconn factory in Chengdu, China, killing two workers and injured another sixteen. The company is taking the case very seriously and will continue to investigate the causes.
Things appear to be doing better at Foxconn as the production queue was stopped and all the power cut off. Both the iPhone 5/4s and the iPad 2 got to suffer from this tragedy and the full extent of the damage is yet unknown. It is estimated that the parts lost in the fire could lead to a deficit of a few million units as the factory produces parts for Nokia as well. In the statement Foxconn sent to CNET it becomes clear that the damage is of both physical and psychological nature:
“We can confirm that at approximately 7 p.m. on May 20, there was an explosion at our Chengdu campus. At this point, we can also confirm that there were two fatalities with injuries to 16 other employees. We are working with medical officials to provide treatment to the injured employees and we are working with government and law enforcement officials to contact the families of all employees affected by this tragedy.”
Apple also sympathises with the tragic loss of the two workers and the others who got injured. The company didn’t respond to CNET’s call but managed to release a statement for AllThingsD’s: “We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at Foxconn's plant in Chengdu, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are working closely with Foxconn to understand what caused this terrible event.”
The event was covered by Chinese news crews and the deflagration itself was revealed as “caused by a super-light dust explosion”. Rumors suggest that there was a lightning storm at the time the explosion happened or that the factory got engulfed in fire due to technical malfunctions at the inside ventilation system.
BBC reports revealed that the clouds coming from the factory were toxic and highly dangerous. The building itself got weakened by the fire and then by the water coming from the fire teams. More details will be revealed after a detailed inquiry of the eye witnesses.
Apple iPad 2 production is unlikely to be affected long-term by the explosion at a Foxconn production facility that killed three workers, according to an analyst.
An explosion at Foxconn’s production plant May 20 killed three workers and raised questions over whether production of the iPad 2 and other Apple products will be affected. Early reports cited combustible dust in the plant’s polishing workshop as the cause of the explosion, which also injured 15 workers. Foxconn manufactures iPads and iPhones for Apple, among other products. Its production plant is based in Chengdu, a city in southern China.
“Our current view is that this tragedy is likely to have some impact on iPad 2 production; however, we believe Hon Hal has the flexibility to shift manufacturing back to the Shenzhen facility if necessary,” Brian White, an analyst with Ticonderoga Securities, wrote in a May 23 research note sent to media. “As such, we currently don’t expect a material impact to Apple’s iPad 2 shipments.”
Apple has faced its share of Foxconn-related issues in the past. In 2010, it launched a high-level investigation into 12 suicide attempts that look place at the Foxconn facility throughout the first half of 2010, complete with Apple COO Tim Cook visiting in June 2010. Apple also claimed it commissioned an independent team of suicide-prevention experts to survey Foxconn workers about their quality of life.
Throughout 2010, Apple completed first-time audits of 97 suppliers and repeat audits of another 30, for an apparent total of 288 supplier facilities audited since 2007. Much of the company’s probing seems focused on weeding out underage workers, protecting the rights of migrant workers, and mapping the use of potential conflict minerals such as tantalum and tungsten; however, it also cites improperly maintained machines and violated engineering controls.
“Foxconn is not a sweatshop,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in June 2010. “You go in this place and it’s a factory but, my gosh, they’ve got restaurants and movie theaters and hospitals and swimming pools. For a factory, it’s pretty nice.”
Apple’s mobile devices helped buoy the company’s revenues to $24.67 billion for the fiscal 2011 second quarter, with a net profit of $5.99 billion. Apple sold 4.7 million iPads during the quarter, which saw the release of the iPad 2. Though Apple commands the lion’s share of the tablet market and continues to maintain a healthy presence in smartphones, it finds itself increasingly challenged by a variety of manufacturers pushing devices loaded with Google Android.
Apple is expected to issue a new iPhone and iOS later in the year, along with Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion,” the next version of its operating system for Macs.
“Demand on iPad 2 has been staggering,” Cook told analysts and media during an April 20 earnings call. Despite that demand, however, he expressed confidence that “we can produce a very large number of iPads for the coming quarter.”
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Unknown on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Popular iPhone developer and hacker Comex, who is known for his userland based jailbreak tools such as Spirit and JailbreakMe, today has confirmed in a series of tweets on Twitter that Apple has patched his kernel exploit starting from iOS 4.3.1. This was the same exploit which was used to jailbreak iPad 2 on iOS 4.3, right after its launch in United States.
The good news is that the ‘untether’ exploit found in iOS 4.3 by iPhone security expert and hacker Stefan Esser is still present in iOS 4.3.1, and at this point seems to be the only hope for the jailbreak community to look for forward to. Also in case you don’t already know, tethered jailbreak solution for iOS 4.3.1 on a variety of iOS devices is available already for both Windows and Mac users. You can follow our step by step tutorials to jailbreak iOS 4.3.1 on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch:
So we have a great news. iPhone Dev Team has just released Redsn0w 0.9.6 RC 13 & RC 14 for untethered iOS 4.3.2 jailbreak on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV. The download is available both for Windows and Mac OS. The 4.3.2 untether jailbreak works on all iOS devices which are compatible with 4.3.2 firmware except for the iPad2 device which includes iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 3G, iPod Touch 4G, iPad1. NOTE: Ultasn0w unlock users MUST STAY AWAY from Redsn0w RC 13 as it updates your baseband and it will get locked and you will not be able to unlock it again. iPhone Dev Team will release a new version of PwnageTool in this week. If you cannot wait then you can use Tethered jailbreak with PwnageTool. NOTE: People who are currently facing issues updating to 4.3.2 through saurik’s server, they need to remove the gs.apple.com entry in your hosts file in order to restore directly to Apple’s servers.
Apple seems to recruit experts on carbon fiber fame will open the way for a new page on its way to the world of technology. Most likely Apple will soon begin using ultra-light materials to produce for their handsets.
Follow 9to5Mac forecast page, a new generation MacBook will use ultra-light carbon fiber because recently, Apple has designed recruitment of carbon fiber - Kevin Kenny - into the board. His reputation Kenny severe enough to believe that Apple's technology will use ultra-light materials for the devices in the future - iPad, iPhone, MacBook.
Mr. Kenny moved on Apple in the position of a "composite Senior Engineer. " He has a history of 14 years in charge as president and CEO of the company Kestral Bicycles - which has made outstanding achievements in carbon fiber.
Material that Apple has long been selected from aluminum, stainless steel and glass to produce for his device, from Mac, iPhone, iPod. The first rumors about Apple is hoping plans to produce carbon fiber appearance since 2008. At that time information for production or Apple MacBook Air laptop using carbon fiber instead of aluminum. And, to return in February last there are many news items that iPad 2 will be made from carbon fiber. However, these rumors may have come true. Despite all the information has leaked on the basis of the ear. In 2009, Apple filed for patents on carbon fiber casing.
Two French researchers has found a way to use the camera in front of the iPad 2 to create a 3D effect without glasses.
Although the technical parameters of the camera mounted iPad 2 does not really impress people, but research results will make more people love the computer generation of the Apple board. Jeremie and Laurence Nigay Francone, two researchers at the Research Laboratory at the Informatics Research Group EHCI have created a 3D effect by tracking the user's movements through a camera mounted in front of the screen iPad tablet 2. Basically, this camera has become a style Kinect sensor.
This effect does not really stand as the current 3D displays, but instead, it creates a depth of 3 pm in the second screen iPad. Hopefully in the near future, users will get iPad 2 gaming experience with 3D effects of this type.
View video demonstration iPad 2 3D effect without glasses:
It appears that there’s something interesting for us, guess what? A jailbroken iPad 2! But well, like most of the jailbreak videos, pictures and claims coming from people other than the known development teams (like chronic and iPhone dev), this one may also be a fake.
Tabtech.de claims to have an exclusive news of iPad 2 jailbreak that’s coming from a not-so-known hacker. The so-called jailbreak is a single click, you connect the iPad 2 to your Mac, run the jailbreak tool and your iPad 2 is jailbroken. We don’t know if there’s some kind of magic that does not require you to enter your iPad into DFU or recovery mode or its something like Jailbreakme. That’s not all, the hacker claims to have custom boot logo option as well.
To support the claim, tabtech.de provides some close-up shots of the jailbroken iPad 2. We are not sure if the following custom boot logo is really a boot logo or an image in fullscreen view.
The other image even shows Cydia icon in the springboard. This one comes after well known iPhone hacker @musclenerd asked a faker to show Cydia running on his iPad 2 as a proof of jailbreak which he could not. May be the fakers have figured out a way to show cydia running in the springboard or this one is really a legitimate iPad 2 jailbreak ? Well, we are so suspicious about this one because our very much trusted name.
Logitech's leading computer Accessories Company did not want to miss a frenetic presence iPad 2. They released their first case for a tablet computer keyboards, the Logitech Keyboard Case.At first glance, the shape of this accessory keyboards similar to the case for the iPad Zaggmate first generation. Apparently Logitech is working with ZAGG in making his version of the ipad two
While many consumers have been dying to get their hands on an iPad 2, other customers are landing the devices long after they are dead.
With the Qingming festival at hand, Chinese families in Malaysia are snatching up paper copies of Apple's newest device. Apple's newest tablet is joining replicas of LCD televisions and expensive sports cars as the latest gift to the dead, Reuters reports. By burning the replicas, celebrants honor their dead ancestors, who they believe will receive the gifts in the afterlife. The popularity of expensive gifts like the iPad is a departure from more traditional gifts like clothing and money, which many Chinese see as more essential.
But celebrants looking to gift their deceased relatives with the iPad 2 have been frustrated as supplies of the paper replicas have dwindled. Similar to the supply constraints facing the actual iPad 2, shop owners have struggled to fulfill the demand for paper copies of the tablet. Most have only been able to offer customers replicas of the original iPad, which customers are less interested in.
According to research, iPad 2 top ranked as the most popular tablets, 10 tablets beat other competitors.As quoted from Softpedia, Tuesday (04/05/2011), a Consumer Reports test done most popular tablet placed above several other tablet competitors.From these tests is known that Motorola Xoom become the main rival to watch out for Apple with its iPad 2.The findings say Xoom more superior than iPad
April 2, 2011 12:11 pm – A fresh iPhone unlock software from Easy Unlock iPhone, has been introduced to enable users to explore the capabilities of the Apple iPhone’s customisation and application capabilities. This leading iPhone unlock specialist can "unlock and jailbreak iPhone 4.1, 4.2, 4.2.3, 3G 3Gs and iPhone 4 4.3.1".
To Unlock your iPhone 3G or 3Gs or 4 4.2 and 4.3.1 Visit: www.easyunlockiphone.net
Although jailbreaking and unlocking both provide added benefits to an iPhone 4.2 and 4.3.1, jailbreaking a mobile phone is different from unlocking. Jailbreaking is generally risk-free, as it only adds features to a mobile phone that is otherwise fixed on the exclusive functionalities that its manufacturer provides. With an unlocked and jailbroken iPhone, users can explore of what their iPhone can offer. For these reasons, unlocking and jailbreaking iPhones have evolved to be a trend among iPhone owners. Easy Unlock iPhone launched its very first iPhone OS 4.2 and 4.3.1 unlock software in July 2007. Since this date their software has been downloaded by over one million customers located in over 145 countries, making this company the most experienced and accomplished iPhone unlocking services in the industry.
Through their website, iPhone owners can be assured of safely unlocking their handset. With their iPhone unlocked and jailbroken, users will reap benefits of zero loss of features and functionality; free GPS Navigation application; zero roaming charges for overseas calls; enabled video chat on 3G and 3Gs iPhones; as well as having the Cydia application installed.
"I had lots of questions regarding the validity of this software, and they were all answered in minutes. After downloading the software, it was a painless two-minute process. I thoroughly recommend this," Martin McG of the United Kingdom says of the Easy Unlock iPhone freshest iPhone unlock software.
For More Information On How To Unlock Your iPhone visit: www.easyunlockiphone.net
This breakthrough software offered by Easy Unlock iPhone can be used on any GSM card, and features worldwide compatibility with the latest baseband. Upon unlocking their iPhone, users will be able to use any network provider of their choice from any location in the world.
As a bonus, customers of the Easy Unlock iPhone software means receiving access to free lifetime updates and support. Easy Unlock iPhone guarantees that an absolute illiterate can use its revolutionary Easy Unlock iPhone software with utmost ease, in as little as two minutes.
Here is a great news. The wait is almost over. iPhone Dev Team is going to release untethered iOS 4.3.1 jailbreak for iPhone iPad, iPod Touch and Apple TV 2G. PwnageTool 4.3 and Redhsn0w 0.9.8 for Windows and Mac will be available for download TODAY. Right now they are just teasing its arrival. We will update you as soon as they release it.
It will be compatible with the devices that include iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 3G, iPod Touch 4G, iPad 1 and Apple TV 2G.
It’s like Christmas for OS X and iOS developers. Each year, they flock to San Francisco’s Moscone Center, anxiously awaiting the pair of gifts that Apple annually bestows: the new iPhone, and a bundle of new features upon which they’ll build their next big thing.
If whispers and hearsay hold true, this year’s WWDC will only feature the latter; the iPhone 5, says the rumor mill, won’t be showing its face until Fall. Instead, this show is purportedly going to be all about iOS and OS X. While Apple doesn’t come right out and say it, it’s pretty safe to assume that by “iOS” they mean “iOS 5″.
Given that we’re writing about iOS on a regular basis and talking about it with readers and friends even more, we’ve got a pretty finely-tuned wishlist for iOS 5. We also happen to know that a heaping handful of Apple folk read TechCrunch regularly — and with the feature lock stage of iOS 5′s development cycle (wherein they absolutely refuse to add anything new and just focus on what they’ve already started) presumably riiiight around the corner, we figured there was no better time than now to put it out there.
1) A Better Notifications System
We’ve brought this one up a billion times, but I’ll bring it up a billion more times if we have to. Compared to even the weakest competitors, iOS’ current notification system is absolutely friggin’ laughable. It was understandable, up to a point; back in the ol’ days before the App Store, the only notifications iOS really had to worry about were incoming text messages and the occasional alarm. Toss in a dozen third party apps all crying for your attention, though, and it becomes nigh-impossible to finish a single game of Tiny Wings without wanting to send your handset itself flying off a hill.
2) Free Turn-by-Turn Navigation
While the idea is likely one that scares the pants off of the likes of Telenav and Garmin, free turn-by-turn navigation on iOS is pretty much an inevitability. Back in October of 2009, Google turned the entire GPS market on its noggin by bringin’ free (not to mention, fantastically well built) turn-by-turn support to Android 2.0+ devices. Nearly a year and a half later, it’s still an easy argument to drop in any Android-vs-iPhone flamewar for massive damage. Apple sort of backed themselves into a corner here. Google built the iOS Maps app, and they’re almost certainly not about to give up one of their platform’s finest, most easily pitched selling points by tacking in turn-by-turn. If Apple wants the voice guided goodness, they’ll likely have to build up a Maps app for their own — and with iOS users having grown accustomed to a Google-powered Maps for around 4 years and Apple having next to no experience in the area, they’ve got big ol’ shoes to fill. With all the recent chatter of Apple opening a $1 billion data center and hiring up Maps specialists, however, it looks like they plan on doing exactly that.
3) Custom Text Notification Sounds
Sometimes, when I’m bored enough to be wondering about hypothetical situations surrounding iOS in my off-work hours, I wonder if the absence of custom text alert sounds is a running joke amongst Apple’s iOS team. As in, I wonder if they’ve got a running list of features to build for iOS, with “Custom Text Sounds” hard-coded to always have the absolute lowest priority. Only once every other thing they’ve ever considered (including the built-in fart button and the hardware laser level) is checked off the list can they start working on custom alert sounds. That has to be it. Otherwise, I simply can’t understand how this feature is still missing.
4) Proper Native Gmail Support
Back when it launched in 2004, its relatively monstrous storage allotment and Beta exclusivity made Gmail the “cool” e-mail service for the Geeky-but-not-too-geeky crowd. 7 years later, it still holds that label. The crowd behind the iPhone — or any Apple product, really — is a strikingly similar one. OS X is for geeks (and the friends/relatives of geeks) who are geeky enough to want something beyond Windows but not geeky enough to swear their allegiance to Linux. iPhone is for geeks who want more out of their phone than what most offer, but don’t want to have to fight their phone to keep it working (Deep breath, Android users.) If you were to venn diagram out iOS users and Gmail users, I’d imagine the overlap would be pretty massive. And yet, iOS’ support for Gmail is pretty much bare bones. You see, Gmail has a handful of features (like flagging, starring, labeling, and archiving for example) that really make the service worthwhile. Of those, only archiving is supported in iOS’ built-in Mail app — and even that has only been available since iOS 4. Android, meanwhile, offers Gmail support that rivals that found on the desktop. Whatever chunk of that cool-kid geek crowd Apple holds, it’s not one they want to lose.
5) Sideloading of Third-party Apps
Next to free turn-by-turn navigation, the ability to run just about anything you want on an Android phone (unless it’s an AT&T Android phone) is one of the easiest silver bullets to fire off in any iPhone-vs-Android nerd-war. Apple’s shown time and time again that they’re willing to drop the App Store banhammer on any application that they deem offensive, or that dares use APIs that Apple reserves for their own use. And that’s fine: it’s their store, and they can moderate the content however they see fit. But when you’ve got the gall to lock down that store and make it the only way to get apps onto the device (especially when the other guy is saying “Hey, we’ll only let certain stuff on our store, but you can manually load whatever the heck you please!”), you become the bad guy. At this point, loading otherwise unobtainable applications onto the device is one of the few remaining legitimate (read: not piracy) reasons to jailbreak. As exploit after exploit have proven, the jailbreakers will always find a way in. Rather than battling them, why not just make jailbreaking less enticing? Hide the option to enable sideloading away, and make them click through a dozen warnings. Is there some danger to letting users run whatever they want? Of course! But it’s more dangerous to leave them with running a bunch of tough-to-verify hacks as their only option.
6) Wireless Media Syncing:
The iPhone has WiFi. It has Bluetooth. It has 3G. It has so many means of connecting to other devices wirelessly that it’s almost ridiculous — and yet, transferring even a single song into the built-in music app requires a silly, chintzy cable. With OS X Lion, Apple’s introducing a feature called “AirDrop” that allows you to drag and drop files to any other system in AirDrop mode. Hopefully, iOS 5 will get an AirDrop mode of its own. Tap a button (or launch an App) on the iPhone to drop into AirDrop mode, drag over the relevant media from your laptop, and away you go. No messy cable required.
7) Improved File Handling:
Once you’ve managed to get your files onto the device, iOS does all sorts of weird stuff to workaround the fact that there’s no real user-visible file system here. Want to put that photo you just took into an album? Nope. Want to attach a file after starting the e-mail? Nope!
8) Stop Wasting The Lockscreen
Jailbreak your iPhone, and your lockscreen can very well become one of your phone’s most important screens. See your latest e-mail at a glance! Scan blurps from your favorite RSS feeds! Check the weather forecast in an instant! Don’t jailbreak your iPhone, and your lockscreen can show… erm, a clock. By default, iOS’ lockscreen is pretty much just a means of keeping you from accidentally firing off garbled texts while the phone is in your pocket, with over 50% of the screen wasted. We get it: minimalism is cool. As the screenshot above (of the jailbreak-only modification, statusnotifier) show, things can be minimalist and useful.
9) NFC Support:
This isn’t so much an iOS thing as it is a hardware thing, and it’s still completely unclear whether or not the iPhone 5 will offer up NFC functionality. With that said, NFC (the short range communication technology that will eventually allow us to pay retailers with a quick wave of our phones) is coming. With huge namesthrowing their weight behind the tech, this long promised pipe dream is closer than ever to becoming part of our daily lives. The sooner that Apple jumps on the technology, the better. If Apple promises to support the technology — even if it’s just a promise to eventually support it — and to throw their army of iPhone users behind NFC, retailers will be that much more driven to adopt it quickly. Hardware manufacturers will be driven to add NFC to their own products, thereby driving down the cost for everyone. Developers will be able to build on the tech, taking things far beyond the standard tap-to-pay concept that everyone associates with it.
10) Automatic Content Syncing For Third Party Apps
It’s 3 A.M. Your iPad is plugged in. It’s on WiFi. It has more juice and bandwidth available to it than it will just about any other time.. and it’s doing absolutely nothing. And yet, any time I open up an application that isn’t Mail — say, CNN, Instapaper, or an RSS reader — it has to sync all the way back to the last time the app was opened. Why make me wait when I do want to use my iPad, rather than doing the majority of syncing when I’m not using it? There we have it — the top 10 things we’re hoping ‘ for in iOS 5. Think we missed anything? Drop us a comment and share what’s on your wishlist.
Co-blogger Steve Sande and I have been collaborating on our attempts to find a solid solution that allows iPad 2 owners to use the screen mirroring feature in tandem with a computer video capture tool; this would simplify screencasting, training, recording and scores of other things. Steve was looking for a way to integrate his iPad's screen into his TUAW TV Live shows. I need to create videos for demonstrations, reviews, and tutorials.
While this would be relatively straightforward if Apple's mirroring support included the older Composite AV and Component AV adapters for the iPad, sadly it does not. Only the HDMI-sporting Digital AV adapter and the VGA adapter are permitted to work with the mirroring option, which helps close the analog hole for purchased/rented digital video, but it doesn't make the job of DIY iPad recording any easier.
Steve recently blogged about our first solution, a quick and dirty approach that offered a "barely enough" 480p standard-definition video feed. As Steve pointed out, this basic setup is not a high resolution answer to our video capture needs. Text is barely readable, screens fuzzy -- not ideal for either product demonstrations or how-to-videos.
We were determined to nudge quality up. To do that, I turned to Elgato, who graciously provided an EyeTV HD unit (normally retails for $199), which allows Macintoshes to capture HD video from component sources. (Our original solution was built around composite video.)
Sewell Direct, manufacturers of the $40 PC to TV converter Steve bought, provided a SW-4280 unit (retails for $79.95) that offers plug-and-play VGA-to-Component conversion at 720p (60fps) and 720i (30fps) as well as 480p.
Using Apple's $29.00 VGA adapter, I connected from my iPad to the SW-4280 (a male-to-male VGA cable is included with the unit), and from there, I used component cables (included with EyeTV) to connect to the EyeTV HD.
In order to bring sound into the equation, I had to track down a standard 1/8" male-to-male audio plug cable. I had one on-hand, but you can buy one at Amazon for about two bucks shipped. The SW-4280 has an audio line-in jack, and I used the device's RCA output jacks to connect to the EyeTV. (The stereo RCA cable was also included with the EyeTV HD.)
The EyeTV unit runs off a standard USB 2.0 jack, pulling its power from that connection. You'll need a standard power outlet for the converter box, but the SW-4280's plug uses a nice sideways design and is very low profile.
Ergonomically, this setup is (as with all cable-driven solutions) a nightmare. I have used Apple's composite cable, VGA connector and new HDMI connector, and they are all very, very awkward, especially if you plan on manipulating your iPad in any way whatsoever, such as from landscape to portrait.
The problem is that the weight of the connector itself or, more usually, the cables attached to that connector, keep dragging the connector out of its socket. And, trust me, there's almost always a lot of cable weight involved. You can force the connector to stay in place with the use of rubberbands, but they do interfere with a significant portion of your touch screen. I'd heard the suggestion of taping a loop of the VGA cable to the back of the iPad to reduce the strain, and I tried it, but it didn't work well-unless you have gaffer's tape or another strong but residue-free option I wouldn't recommend it.
Add in a sound connector on the other side (unlike the iPod touch, the iPad places the audio jack at the top left of the unit, a la the iPhone), you have cables coming out from everywhere. Prepare to use a good iPad stand, preferably using landscape orientation.
As you'd expect, capture worked better in landscape than in portrait, as the source ratio better matched the destination. More pixels simply offer a better image. But also, when you have cables sticking out of both the top and bottom of the unit, landscape becomes the only practical solution for keeping the iPad still so the cables won't fall out.
So how good was the capture? Not only were there obvious compression artifacts -- as you would expect with any pixel-to-TV rendering, but as the screen shots at the top of this post show, there is definitely an aspect ratio issue. You can see the same problems in the embedded video that follows.
All in all, I'm really pretty happy with the quality of the captured video, even with the aspect ratio issue. The "No Signal" issue I show at the end of the video is easily solved by messing with the Picture button on the SW-4280. I had simply forgotten to do so during that video capture segment.
I still think we can do better though. I'm planning on trying out an HDMI-to-Component solution next. The big advantage of doing so is this: One cable. HDMI carries audio as well as video so you don't need cables coming out of two ends of your unit. I still expect to experience the connector port's inexplicable need to automatically disconnect itself from its attached cable, but I suspect it will be far easier to work with.
2011 is turning out to be a pretty good year for Motorola as they quickly becoming one of the powerhouse manufacturers of tablets and smartphones. Motorola has long had a presence in the wireless industry and has earned a reputation in delivering high quality communication devices. In recent years Motorola has shifted its gears to keep up with the growing demand of smartphones and now tablet computers.
Motorola’s latest tablet creation captured the minds of millions this past January as it made its first appearance at the 2011 CES Show. After being awarded best tablet award at the 2011 CES show and most anticipated tablet by its followers Motorola was sure to make waves in a no wake zone held by its fierce competition with the Apple iPad.
Prior to Motorola launching the Xoom news was released that Apple was finishing up its plans to start distribution of its second version of iPad, with the iPad 2. Motorola’s Xoom launch was overshadowed by Apple’s iPad 2 that was expedited to hit sales floors within weeks that resulted in “underwhelming” sales according to Analyst Peter Misek of Jefferies & Company. According to Analysts Peter Misek, Motorola is down, but not out.
