iPhone iPod Download

Geohot Discovers Working Exploit For iPhone OS 3.1.3 Baseband

2010-02-21T00:25:00.000-08:00

If you accidentally upgraded your unlocked iPhone to iPhone OS 3.1.3 that was released two weeks back then we have another good news.

Geohot, the iPhone hacking expert who had released popular jailbreaking and unlocking tools like blackra1n, blacksn0w and more has discovered a working exploit for baseband 05.12.01 that was bundled with iPhone OS 3.1.3.

Geohot has tweeted the hash tag of the baseband crash for safekeeping:

d8b50dc95d7906e3ff6155331a534b55d0f6cac1=good. And motorama this weekend!

You might remember that Sherif Hashim had also discovered an exploit for iPhone OS 3.1.3 baseband last week and MuscleNerd of the iPhone Dev Team had confirmed that it is working.

iHackintosh has also published the conversation between Visnet (iHackintosh reader), Geohot and MuscleNerd:

What does geohot tweet mean?
<%geohot> its my bb exploit for safekeeping
<%Par4doX> geohot: did you turn that over to the dev team or are you doing something with it?
<%geohot> my days of turning things over are done
<%geohot> i hope its different from the one they have
<%geohot> but they prob already have it
<%geohot> its the one i orig wanted to release blacksn0w with
<%Par4doX> it’s still there in the new bb
<%geohot> yep, just checked
<%geohot> but then opted to use xemn since it was public
Oo, it carries over from 05.11 to 05.12?
<%geohot> why wouldn’t it, apple doesn’t fix things proactivly
<@MuscleNerd> geohot we prob should figure out a way to know if we have same exploit double blind, otherwise we may release 2 different ones at same time
<%geohot> any suggestions?
<@MuscleNerd> not sure how to do that without making it easy to brute force though
<%geohot> yea, i salted the hash
<@MuscleNerd> yeah
<@MuscleNerd> hmm maybe if we both hash the stack dump
<@Confucious> Can you two take this out of public sight?
<@MuscleNerd> the stack itself, not the header before it or the registers after it
muscle: any notice about the exploits are the same ?
<%geohot> we are working on it
<%geohot> cryptography, perfect for people who don’t trust each other

The conversation indicates that both the iPhone Dev Team and Geohot have a working exploit for the latest baseband and could release tools to jailbreak and unlock iPhone OS 3.1.3

WARNING Vroom Paid Cydia App Is Fake

2010-02-21T00:23:00.000-08:00

Today some developer released a “pay” package called “Vroom” which sounded too good to be true. Unfortunately, it is. Do not install this package. Not only does it not do what it claims, but it is also somewhat dangerous and will wear out your iPhone with limited use. Read below for details. (Note: Zodttd has removed this package from Cydia, but it may creep up somewhere else).

First, this package claims to speed up your iphone, increase your free memory by managing your daemons, and increase your battery usage. Sounds amazing right? Who wouldnt want this?

So what does it really do? It enables memory swap on your device.

What are the results of memory swap on your device? The free memory will appear to be better. That’s because it is using your disk as memory. But that’s not all. This package is actually just a stolen file that is already on your device, renamed. So that means the “developer” decided to take a file off his iPhone, rename it, and sell it to you for $1.99.

Here is proof that the file is stolen. The original file is dynamic_pager that is provided by Apple in your /sbin folder. The new file from this app is called Vroom_data. Check out the md5sum of both proving that the files are identical:

BigBoss-iPhone:~ root# md5sum /sbin/dynamic_pager
e57afa9289e98fbd336eff14b996370a /sbin/dynamic_pager
BigBoss-iPhone:~ root# md5sum /sbin/Vroom_data
e57afa9289e98fbd336eff14b996370a /sbin/Vroom_data

Ok so the package is fraud.

But if you already have dynamic_pager, whats the harm in enabling it? The reason you don’t want memory swap enabled on your iPhone is this:

1) Memory swap will create a disk file on your flash disk. The CPU will need to spend I/O cycles reading and writing to this disk file

. The I/O cycles will cost you battery because it takes battery power to do disk writes.

2) Flash disk has limited life span. They say some 100,000 writes per sector then it is dead. Having a swap file running will be quickly writing to the same sectors wearing out your flash disk.

3) Writing to a page file takes some CPU cycles.

Now, lets examine the developer’s claims and compare them to what the package actually does:

Claim #1: Increases memory. Sort of. It creates a disk swap. Result is iphone will appear to have more memory. Some apps may crash less. This isn’t all bad. (I think I will release a free package that enables disk swap with a strong warning on it for those that want this).

Claim #2: Manages your daemons. FALSE / lies. It is the apple dynamic_pager file. It does only that. It does not manage your daemons.

Claim #3: It speeds up your device: FALSE. In fact, disk swap actually slows down the device because there are extra disk write used in order to access memory.

Claim #4: It provides better battery performance: FALSE. In fact it actually causes your battery to drain faster because of the disk write I/O cycles and the extra CPU required.

Claim #5: It allows your iPhone to boot at 2% rather than 15% battery. FALSE. This is built into the device not the iPhone OS. (Just like DFU mode). You cannot make changes to this.

Claim #6: It allows your iPhone to run until there is 1% battery rather than 5% before it shuts off. FALSE. See #5 above.

Finally, the package in Cydia was packaged incorrectly. Daemon plist was owned by user 1000. Launchctl will not load any daemon not owned by root. This caused the daemon to not start. With that bug, the paging system is not even enabled resulting in no change in performance! (LOL again). Anyone claiming to install this and finding a boost in speed, battery, etc is experiencing the placebo effect.

This all reminds me of the scam last year with the fake app I dont crash. At least that guy wasn’t trying to charge you money.

Adobe Photoshop 1.0 Running On The iPhone

2010-02-19T15:12:00.001-08:00

Russell Brown & Ansca Mobile teamed up to make Photoshop 1.0.7 (released Feb. 19, 1990) run on an iPhone.

“I’m gonna demonstrate a nostalgic look at back in time at an application we created here on the iPhone. It’s Photoshop 1.0.7″

“We put this together as an experiment to see if this were possible. It’s not available on the Apple website”

[Via iclarified.com]

Apple Banning Sexual Content In The App Store?

2010-02-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

Jon Atherton, the developer behind Wobble iBoobs, has just told TechCrunch that he received an email from Apple stating his application was being removed from the App Store because of a new policy change: “We [Apple] have decided to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store.”

The full email:

The App Store continues to evolve, and as such, we are constantly refining our guidelines. Your application, Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored), contains content that we had originally believed to be suitable for distribution. However, we have recently received numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content, and have changed our guidelines appropriately.
We have decided to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store, which includes your application.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter. If you believe you can make the necessary changes so that Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored) complies with our recent changes, we encourage you to do so and resubmit for review.

Sincerely,
iPhone App Review

At this time it’s unclear if Apple is removing all apps with the “over the age of 17″ warning that contain sexual content, or just specific apps whose sexual content is deemed “overt” by Apple. While iBoobs has been removed, I was still able to download an app called “Sexy Screen Wash Lite” at the time of this writing. TechCrunch has also been able to download other “sexy” apps, which makes Apple’s working definition of “overtly sexual content” unclear.

This isn’t the first time iBoobs has been removed from the App Store. In 2008, Apple rejected it on the grounds of “objectionable content.” The app was later allowed back in the App Store.

I wish Apple would either remove these apps, or file them all under a special “sexy” section in the App Store that remains hidden unless enabled. Of course a free T&A app is going to be a popular download, but when I’m searching for cool new free apps, it’s annoying when the top list is populated by “sexy” junk apps.

[Via tuaw.com]

Apple Store Manager Calls Mall Cops On Jailbreaker

2010-02-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

This is a great story, true or not take your time in reading this as this is very very entertaining. We have all been to the mall at some point to kill some time just like this gentleman and i’m sure everyone has been to the apple store to kill some time but until now I haven’t heard of such a thing so enjoy guys. Thanks to @hotrod1964 for sharing his story.

@SebastienPage tweeting 2U since U have so many followers.Feel free 2 RT my experience. Went to local APP STORE about 2 weeks ago. For nothing other then I was in the area and had an hour to kill. Figured I’d browse around. Obviously, they were very polite and a salesperson approached me to see if I needed some help (store was not busy at all). Told him “Nope, just browisng”. Being that they were not busy he starts asking me what type of comp I have, what kind of phone and etc…When I told him I dont have an iphone he asked why and if I was interested in 1. I explained why and told him I am not interested due to apples unwillingness to allow owners to ‘do their own thing’ and that I have no intention of paying for an iphone if apple is going to handcuff me….he kept going on and on about what I was missing out on……I then told him I was more then happy with my new droid and I was more then happy with my Itouch. he said “Oh, so you do have an iTouch then?” I said yep and pulled it out. Flipped the case open and hit the home button and he saw my lockscreen, which is the Grateful Dead with some other ‘goodies’ on there. he sort of stepped back and his eyes popped wide. he asked if he could look at it..I would NOT hand it to him, but what the hell, it is my device so screw em….I slid the lockscreen to access the device and very obviously (i’m sure he knew as soon as he saw my lockscreen) at first look he knew it was JB’d. he didnt say anything other then going sort of quiet and saying “wow”……He walked away…..I was then approached by the manager. He said ” I was informed you have an ILLEGAL iTouch”…..I replied “I do have an iTouch but that it was not ILLEGAL”. he then asked if it was ‘modified’…..I said ( and happily I may add) “Yep, it IS MODIFIED…You should get one yourself as you dont know what you are missing out on”….he then said “Sir, that is an ILLEGAL device”….I said “Your NUTS….It is my device I paid for. I own it and can do anything I damn well please with it”…..he then said “Sir, the device you have IS illegal….I must now ask you to turn over the ILLEGAL device at once”. I responded and said “Dude, your nuts, it is not illegal and if you think I am giving it to you, I have a bridge in the sahara desert I’d like to sell you”….he then said “sir, if you refuse to turn over your ILLEGAL device I must have a copy of your drivers license”……I said ” Dude, you really are nuts..your not taking my itouch and you have no right to ask for my DL”..he then said I had to either give him my itouch or my DL or he will contact security…LOL..Oh boy..the MALL POLICE!!!…..I told him “go right ahead..I’ll make myself comfy and wait”…..Instead of the MALL POLICE..and actual Police Officer came….They spoke to the manager..then came to me…..I told them I am breaking no laws and there is no way in hell anybody is taking my itouch unless the COURTS order me to turn it over…I said..here is my info…take me to court…..Otherwise, get off my friggin back or I will sue apple and file complaints against you as just because you have a badge does NOT give you the right to detain me or ask me to give you my personal possessions unless you can tell me WHAT LAW I AM BREAKING…..They walked away…..talked to the manager…came back and said “sorry for the inconvenience. You have a pleasant day”……and I left………Anyway, just thought I’d share this since I see others posting about geting banned from their stores and etc, and I want to make sure everybody knows..DO NOT LET THEM CON YOU INTO GIVING UP YOUR DEVICE…some are intimidated by the authorities so may give up their device out of ‘fear’….DONT DO IT…..Tell them to explain what law you are breaking and to either arrest you or get F*cked…do not let them CON you into giving up YOUR PERSONAL iphone/itouch!!!!!

iBlueNova 2.0 Cracked DEB

2010-02-17T04:06:00.000-08:00

iBlueNova Cracked DEB

RENAME FILE iBlueNova2.0.deb

Installin with ifile

1.wscp pc or cyberduck mac
the move crack deb to var/mobile and then open ifile and install in repring or reboot iphone

install with mobile termial

type su press return
then enter password defalut pass is alpine unless u changed it
type dpkg -i iBlueNova2.0
repring or reboot

Download Link:

CLICK HERE 4 LINK

iBluetooth or iBluenova 2.0 For iPhone OS 3.0 And Above Released

2010-02-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

iBluetooth or iBluenova 2.0, which will allow users who have jailbroken their iPhones to transfer files from their iPhone to other Bluetooth devices is finally available on the Cydia Store.

The iPhone OS 2.0 version was called iBluetooth and it was the first iPhone application that allowed users to transfer files via Bluetooth. But due to trademark issues, the iPhone OS 3.x.x version has been renamed as iBlueNova.

As we have mentioned before, the iPhone 3G comes with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (short for Enhanced Data Rate) wireless technology built-in, while iPhone 3GS comes with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR built-in. But they only supports the Bluetooth Headset Profile, A2DP and Bluetooth Hands-free Profile 1.5.

So the most commonly requested application in the Bluetooth stack by iPhone users is the ability to transfer files to other bluetooth devices.

iBlueNova developed by MeDevil will enable jailbroken iPhone users to transfer files via Bluetooth to other Bluetooth devices.

Here are some details about iBluenova:

iPod Touch 2g is supported (no support for iPod Touch 1g, since it has no bluetooth hardware). iPod Touch 3g support is experimental.
iPhone 2g, 3g & 3gs are supported.
Firmware 3.0 and above are supported.
Music library is read-only, no received music or video will be saved in the library.
iBluetooth licenses will STILL be valid for iBlueNova.
1 license = 1 device (doesn't matter if you will use the old license on a new device).
Downloading from cydia store is independent from purchasing on cydia store. This will allow you to download and try iBlueNova for 15 days BEFORE purchasing a full license.

iBluenova is available on the Cydia Store for $5.99 and as mentioned above, if you had purchased iBluetooth for iPhone OS 2.0 or above then the license should be valid for iBluenova.

You can checkout the demo video of iBluenova:

[via iSpazio]

OS 3.0 Update Now Free for iPod Touch Owners??

2010-02-16T15:08:00.001-08:00

Apple has reportedly started allowing older iPod touch owners to upgrade to iPhone OS 3 for no charge.

The information comes via PocketGamer’s Tracy Erickson,

Syncing a second generation iPod touch today with an older version of the software prompted me to accept the free upgrade. How exciting.

Just as when asked to download and install the latest firmware on an iPhone, iTunes simply asks for confirmation – no signing in to pay for the software.

If anyone can independently confirm this please let us know in the comments…

[Via iclarified.com]

iPhone Beats Nexus One in 3D Frame Rate Test

2010-02-16T15:07:00.001-08:00

A test done by the UK mobile games house Distinctive Developments shows that the iPhone has much better 3D rendering capability than the Google/HTC Nexus One. As described by Engadget, the test showed that the iPhone was able to sustain a frame rate almost one and a half times faster despite the Google phone having a more powerful 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU. The main difference appears to be the lack of optimized code that takes advantage of the ARM processor core.

DD ran the same 3D animation on both devices. Side-by-side pinpoint tests revealed that the iPhone 3GS was able to render 60 frames per second (fps) while the Nexus could only achieve between 30 to 35 fps. As more models were added to the scene, both phones’ frame rates dropped until at 8 models theiPhone was running at 29fps on the iPhone and the Nexus at only 21fps, yielding a result of 138% faster frame rate for the iPhone.

In investigating the results, DD first noted that a significant difference is the fact that the Nexus has a much higher resolution screen. Thus, rendering the same models, the Nexus has 2.5 times the number of pixels to draw than the iPhone does. However, after changing the viewport size to 480×320 on the Nexus, the engineers at DD saw an improvement to 40 fps with two models on screen, but the performance was identical at 21 fps with 8 models.

Since the resolution of the screen did not affect the outcome, DD tested the hypothesis that there was a CPU-related bottleneck. By turning off the “animation bone & skinning calculations,” the CPU was less stressed, but even so drawing to the full screen on theNexus with the animation disabled yielded the exact same frame rate count as before. Doing the same test on the iPhone saw the frame rate increase from 20 fps up to 25fps.

The conclusion that the DD engineers drew from their test is that the Nexus is primarily limited by fill-rate processing that was done by the Snapdragon’s integrated GPU. Apparently the Android Native Development Kit (NDK) has no access to floating-point instructions in the ARM Neon single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instruction set, which means the CPU is overtaxed by rastering operations and writing pixels to the screen.

As a result, DD is recommending that Google update the NDK to a new version of GCC in order to take better advantage of Neon float-point instructions. They expect that if that’s done, Droid andNexus phones will enjoy an advantage over iPhones, at least until faster ( A4?) processors are added to a future Apple phone.

[Via modmyi.com]

Street Fighter IV Coming To The iPhone

2010-02-16T15:06:00.001-08:00

Set to arrive in the App Store sometime next month, Street Fighter IV is no quick port, hastily tossed at the iPhone in the name of getting a mobile version out on the streets. Capcom has apparently taken the iPhone conversion of their brawler quite seriously. They’ve spent months perfecting the on-screen virtual control systems, alone, realizing that the game demands highly precise controls for true mastery. And, despite the iPhone’s diminutive screen, visual assets have been taken directly from the existing, high-resolution games. The character models are reportedly the same as in the other versions, only slightly scaled down, and with little color or detail loss, to speak of.

While Capcom has not listed the full roster of fighters to be included in the iPhone version, they have confirmed that Ryu and Ken will be aboard. The studio indicates that the iPhone version will include both classic characters from past installments, as well as new characters from existing versions of Street Fighter IV. Each character will include their complete move set, as well as their highly-animated Ultra Combos.

Friends who want to tear the virtual stuffing out of each other are in luck, as the iPhone version fully supports Bluetooth multiplayer for head-to-head brawls, in addition to the standard tournament matches.

We’ll keep readers updated with additional details on this exciting upcoming release as we get them. See a gallery of iPhone Street Fighter IV screenshots over at IGN.

[Via toucharcade.com]

Apple Bans Hackers From App Store

2010-02-16T15:05:00.001-08:00

“Banned” might not be the right word, but that’s what user serif_hashim is saying.

He says he’s been denied access to the App Store from their iPhones by Apple. When sherif_hashim tried to connect, he was greeted with the image at right, which he explained via Twitter:

“Your Apple ID was banned for security reasons”, that’s what i get when i try to go to the app store, they must be really angry )))) and guess what my apple ID was, “sherif_hashim@yahoo.com”, what a fool was me not to notice )), can’t help laughing, they are babies ))”

Sherif Hashim recently found an exploit in iPhone OS 3.1.3 to unlock 05.12.01 Baseband for iPhone 3G and 3GS, which was later confirmed by the iPhone Dev-Team.

Hacker iH8sn0w was the second to report the issue, saying on Twitter:

“@sherif_hashim lol, they did that to my ih8sn0wyday[@t]googmail.com too. (right after I posted XEMN)…”

iH8sn0w is the user behind Sn0wbreeze, the jailbreaking tool for Windows. It should be noted that these users aren’t typical jailbreakers. One has publicized an exploit and the other maintains a jailbreaking tool. Plus, they used their handles in the account emails, which wasn’t the best choice. We’ll see if the issue becomes more widespread.

We question serif_hashim’s used of “banned” because this message can be triggered by entering a bad password several times across any service that uses your Apple ID, like the App Store, iTunes, Apple Photo Services and MobileMe. It’s not likely that he entered a bad password enough times, but it’s possible. Users in this situation can use iForgot to regain access.

[Via tuaw.com]

Microsoft Might Develop iPad-Version Of Office

2010-02-12T13:54:00.001-08:00

Microsoft may launch an iPad version of their popular Office productivity suite.

This was conveyed by Mike Tedesco, Senior Product manager at Microsoft to folks from T3 website during their private presentation of the new Office for Mac 2011.

In his statement, Mike said:

"Yeah, it's something that we're looking at. Obviously the announcement (of the iPad) is really fresh and there's nothing to announce or nothing that I can talk to you about today. We've had tablet technology forever and both Windows 7 and Windows Vista automatically detect that and you can be running your Office on there."

Mike's statements clearly imply that there is nothing on the cards for the immediate future. However, the acknowledgement of the iPad as a platform that Microsoft is looking at into the long term could be reassuring to Cupertino whose target group also includes business users.

Having said that, Apple's position on an iPad version of Office is still unclear. It may be recalled that the company launched an iPad-compatible version of their iWork productivity suite when the tablet device was unveiled last month. Apple has indicated that iPad users may download separate apps for Pages, Numbers and Keynote for $9.99 each from the App Store. With Microsoft Office being a dominant player in this segment, Apple might see Redmond as a potential threat to sale of iWork.

However, it is also to be seen if the iPad would retain its utility value in the absence of valuable software like Microsoft Office. What are your thoughts on this? Do you see an iPad without Office retaining its value for business users? Tell us what you think in the comments.

[via T3]

Use FindMyiPhone Directly on the iPhone

2010-02-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

FindMeiPhone is an app which lets you access MobileMe’s Find My iPhone feature directly from the iPhone.

Keep track of your kids, keep tabs on your employees, or use a friend’s iPhone to find out where you lost yours!

Locating an iPhone using FindMePhone requires that the iPhone you wish to locate is linked to an active MobileMe subscription with Find My iPhone enabled.

[Via iclarified.com]

Final Fantasy for iPhone: Screenshots and Video Trailer

2010-02-12T13:51:00.002-08:00

Square-Enix has posted a video trailer for the upcoming Final Fantasy game for iPhone and iPod touch.

Little information has been shared about the release other then its coming soon.

iPhone/Bing Search Deal May Actually Happen???

2010-02-12T13:51:00.001-08:00

Collins Stewart analyst Sandeep Aggarwal says the likelihood of Microsoft winning a search deal for the iPhone is high. He made these comments after spending a day with Microsoft executives on Feb. 10.

“Likelihood of Microsoft winning Apple search deal for iPhone is high. Though Microsoft did not confirm or deny any chatters on the likelihood of Microsoft wining Apple search deal for iPhone, Mr. Apter told us that for right economics Microsoft would like to win the Apple search deal. We note that a Bing launching a search App for iPhone sometime ago. In our view, Apple search deal can be strategically very significant win for Microsoft not only because of Google and Apple’s history of working together but also because Microsoft has been lagging behind in terms of making in roads on fast growing mobile Internet market.”

[Via iClarified.com]

Update: Info On iBlueNova

2010-02-12T13:50:00.000-08:00

Some info on iBlueNova:
- iPod Touch 2g is supported (no support for iPod Touch 1g, since it has no bluetooth hardware). iPod Touch 3g support is experimental.
- iPhone 2g, 3g & 3gs are supported.
- Firmware 3.0 and above are supported.
- Music library is read-only, no received music or video will be saved in the library.
- iBluetooth licenses will STILL be valid for iBlueNova.
- 1 license = 1 device (doesn’t matter if you will use the old license on a new device).
- Release is near, we are defining the last items needed for publications.
- Downloading from cydia store is independent from purchasing on cydia store. This will allow you to download and try iBlueNova for 15 days BEFORE purchasing a full license.
- No previews are released to other blogs, follow iSpazio for iBlueNova images, videos or updates.

Pocket-Sized HyperMac Battery Packs For iPhones

2010-02-11T20:08:00.001-08:00

Sanho has introduced the HyperMac Nano, HyperMac Micro and HyperMac Mini – three pocket-sized, lithium-ion battery packs for charging iPhones, iPods, iPads and other USB-powered devices on-the-go.

All three models are exquisitely encased in aluminum and available in any of Apple’s nine iPod nano colors (black, silver, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) plus a darker (iPhone) black color. Users will be spoilt for choice when choosing the right battery pack to match their iPhone or iPod.

The 1800mAh HyperMac Nano is the world’s only iPhone/iPod lithium-ion battery pack with a built-in charging cable and holds enough power to fully recharge an iPhone 1.5 times. Unlike traditional battery packs with built-in rigid connectors, the HyperMac Nano features a flexible connector cable to allow the battery to move freely from the device, instead of simply sticking out of the base of the iPhone/iPod, which increases the chance of damage to the iPhone/iPod socket.

When not in use, the male iPhone/iPod 30-pin connector sits perfectly into the female 30-pin recharging socket, and with the cap closed, the HyperMac Nano is a sleek piece of metal without any exposed slots or buttons, reminiscent of a Zippo cigarette lighter. The HyperMac Nano’s patented design also features a magnetic base to hold the cap in place during charging.

The 3600mAh HyperMac Micro holds enough power to fully charge an iPhone up to three times, while the 7200mAh HyperMac Mini can fully charge an iPhone up to six times. Both output 5V/1A power through a USB port and the user can charge any iPhone, iPod, iPad or USB-powered device with the provided iPhone/iPod and USB cables. The batteries are rechargeable via USB or wall outlet with the provided USB cable and AC adapter.

Unlike most iPhone battery packs or iPhone cases cum battery in the market, HyperMac batteries works with virtually all iPhone cases, does not add bulk or affects the antenna of the iPhone.

“iPhone users have long suffered from the iPhone’s short battery life and dull utilitarian plastic battery pack solutions,” states Daniel Chin, President of Sanho Corporation. “HyperMac will no doubt breathe a fresh air to this tired industry,” he adds. “With its striking colors and attractive non-battery-like looks, for once there will be a battery pack that appeals to both women and men alike,” he concludes.

Like its big brother, the HyperMac Nano/Micro/Mini batteries uses the same “Grade A” high-end lithium ion cells that are supplied to the U.S. military, providing unsurpassed reliability, safety and longevity. It is rechargeable up to 1,000 times and comes with a ONE-year warranty – comparing to industry standards of only 300 recharges and 3 months warranty. All HyperMac batteries also support pass through charging so the user can charge both battery and device at the same time.

The HyperMac Nano, HyperMac Micro and HyperMac Mini are now available at HyperMac.com for $69.95, $89.95 and $119.95 respectively. As a launch promotion, there is currently a $20 discount on all HyperMac Nano/Micro/Mini batteries.

Specifications
Capacity: 1800mAh (Nano), 3600mAh (Micro), 7200mAh (Mini)
Battery Chemistry: Lithium Ion
Standby Time: Up to 450 hours (Nano), 900 hours (Micro), 1800 hours (Mini)
2G Talk Time: Up to 18 hours (Nano), 36 hours (Micro), 72 hours (Mini)
3G Talk Time: Up to 7.5 hours (Nano), 15 hours (Micro), 30 hours (Mini)
Wi-Fi Internet: Up to 13.5 hours (Nano), 27 hours (Micro), 54 hours (Mini)
3G Internet: Up to 7.5 hours (Nano), 15 hours (Micro), 30 hours (Mini)
Audio Playback: Up to 45 hours (Nano), 90 hours (Micro), 180 hours (Mini)
Video Playback: Up to 15 hours (Nano), 30 hours (Micro), 60 hours (Mini)
Dimensions/Weight
Nano: 3.4 x 1.5 x 0.55″ (85 x 38 x 14mm) / 2.4 oz (67 g)
Micro: 3.7 x 2.7 x 0.6″ (94 x 69 x 16mm) / 4.7oz (134g)
Mini: 5.2 x 3.1 x 0.55″ (132 x 79 x 14mm) / 8.4oz (237g)
Input Power: 5V/500mA (Nano), 5V/1A (Micro/Mini)
Output Power: 5V/1A

[Via iclarified.com]

Rumor: Google Pays Apple $100M/year For Search On iPhone

2010-02-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Having Google as the default search engine on the iPhone is rumored to earn Apple more than $100 million per year in a revenue sharing deal between the two companies, a new report alleges.

Downplaying rumors that Apple could be working on its own search engine, Silicon Alley Insider cited an anonymous source Thursday as stating that the iPhone maker has no intention of getting into the business that Google dominates. That same source claimed that Apple earns more than $100 million a year in a revenue sharing deal with Google.

In addition to being the search provider for Safari on the iPhone, Google also powers the native Maps application included with Apple’s handset. The source claimed that making Google Maps a provider for the initial iPhone in 2007 was a simple two-week process. But when GPS was added to the iPhone 3G, negotiations between the two technology giants allegedly lasted six months.

“Google wanted access to all sorts of data from the maps, but Apple didn’t want to give it up, according to this person,” the report said.

While the $100 million in annual revenue is cited as a reason for Apple to not develop its own search engine, it’s also a fraction of the $15.68 billion the company posted in revenue last quarter alone.

The news follows rumors from weeks ago that Apple and Microsoft were in talks to make its Bing search engine the default provider for the iPhone. Control of the handset’s Maps application was also said to be a part of those ongoing discussions.

In spite of their ongoing partnership, a perception of rivalry between Apple and Google has grown in the public’s eye since Google CEO Eric Schmidt resigned from Apple’s board of directors last August. Both Google and Apple were the subjects of a Federal Trade Commmission investigation for potential antitrust ties. Schmidt chose to resign because Google’s Android mobile operating system and forthcoming Chrome OS netbook operating system look to compete with Apple’s iPhone and Mac OS X, respectively.

Apple, too, showed signs in 2009 that it intends to tread into Google’s territory soon. Last summer, Apple purchased Google Maps competitor Placebase. Later in the year, it sought to hire a full-time employee to take its iPhone Maps application “to the next level.”

Apple has also entered the mobile advertising business after its purchase of Quattro Wireless, believed to be worth $275 million, in December. Through the acquisition, Apple also named the former CEO of Quattro Wireless, Andy Miller, to a new position: vice president of Mobile Advertising.

[Via appleinsider.com]

iPhone Baseband 5.12.01 Exploit Found??

2010-02-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

So earlier today there was a little rumble in the unlock world,via Twitter, as a new exploit was rumored to be found for the new iPhone 3.1.3 firmware’s baseband 5.12. Sherif Hashim managed to crash the baseband, which in turn could possibly be used for an unlock.

A little while later MuscleNerd of the iPhone DevTeam, confirmed that it was a legit find.

What does all of this mean? Well, maybe an unlock for the early up graders of iPhone 3.1.3 that relied on the unlock and are now stuck. But, with the time it takes to actually develop it into an unlock, my guess is that no one will burn the exploit, and tip their hand to Apple this close to the release schedule for a new device and firmware. But, stranger things have happened.

[Via fsm.com]

Hulu Working on a Non-Flash Player for iPad?

2010-02-11T01:01:00.000-08:00

TechCrunch reports that an “industry insider” has revealed that Hulu, the second largest video service in the US is working on a non-flash player to bring its content to iPad and hopefully the iPhone.

Hulu currently requires Flash player, which is not supported on the iPhone or iPad.

TechCrunch reports:

One rumor I've heard from an industry insider is that Hulu is working on an iPad-friendly version of its site that should be ready by the time the iPad hits the market. Hulu itself is still vague about its plans. When asked directly by Om Malik whether Hulu has any plans for the iPad, CEO Jason Kilar recently hemmed and hawed about how he is a big believer in mobile, but wouldn't confirm or deny anything.

YouTube had recently released a new video player (currently in beta) that supports HTML5 and doesn’t require the Flash plug-in. However, the HTML5 version does not support ads (they can only play on the flash player), which is a major source of revenue for Hulu. So it will be interesting to see if Hulu chooses to adopt HTML5 or develop a native iPhone app.

TechCrunch notes that "putting Hulu on the iPad boils down to a business decision, not a technical one" as Hulu’s videos are already encoded in the H.264 format that is used on the iPhone and iPad.

YouTube iPhone app has been available ever since the iPhone was launched so it’s high time Hulu’s website works on the iPhone and soon-to-be-available iPad.

http://www.5min.com/Video/Tech-News-Update----January-28-2010-248863156

[via TechCrunch]

PhoneSuit Primo micro iPhone and iPod battery pack impressions

2010-02-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

We've been playing with PhoneSuit's Primo micro battery pack on our iPhone 3GS for a few days. As the name suggests, this thumb-sized battery is the smallest we've seen in its class, but somehow it still packs 800mAh of juice -- almost two-thirds of the iPhone's built-in cell. Feature-wise you'll only find battery level and charge status indicators on the front, and a mini-USB port on the back for charging. Unlike the slot-in case-style battery packs for the iPhone, this battery pack's dock connector is on a flat top, which makes it compatible with "all iPhones and most iPods." We also noticed a 2mm gap when plugged in, and apparently this is to allow space for your iPod's / iPhone's protection case -- too bad our iPhone didn't have one.

While the battery life lived up to its promise for us, this broad-compatibility design backfired on us -- the battery pack was thicker than our iPhone 3GS, so the overhanging sharp edge on the back often caught our trouser pocket while the phone was being pulled out. Alas, we were more worried about our battery pack coming loose than our iPhone's own battery life. Hopefully PhoneSuit will consider making device-specific adapters to give us a peace of mind, or maybe offer baggy pants at discount prices.

Opera To Launch Faster Browser for iPhone

2010-02-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

Opera Software says it will launch a version of its Mini browser for the iPhone next week, according to Reuters.

The browser is said to offer consumers up to six times faster download speeds than Apple’s Safari, and cut data traffic by up to 90 percent.

“This is a provocative move by Opera which will result in a tricky and high profile PR exercise for Apple should it decide not to allow Opera mini through the App Store,” CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber said.

Opera said it saw no reason why its browser, the world’s most widely used on cellphones, should be rejected. “We have not submitted it yet to the Apple App Store. However, we hope that Apple will not deny their users a choice in Web browsing experience,” said Jon von Tetzchner, co-founder of Opera.

This app may actually be a difficult for Apple to reject. The company is already being investigated by the FCC for the refusal of Google Voice and unfairly restricting the market for competing web browsers could cause serious legal problems.

[Via iclarified.com]

iPhone SDK 3.2 beta 2 busts loose

2010-02-10T00:53:00.000-08:00

You've got to be one of the cool kids that shelled out a Benjamin to get into the iPhone Developer Program to get access, but if you're already a card-carrying member, it looks like you've now got a green light to download beta 2 of the iPhone SDK for OS 3.2. We don't know what's new, changed, or removed, but presumably, most of the updates would center around the sundry changes Apple has made to support the iPad in the latest version of its mobile platform -- so drop us a line and let us know what you find, alright?

TUAW

Apple

Adobe got 7 million iPhone and iPod touch download requests for Flash in December

2010-02-10T00:52:00.000-08:00

A touch of history might be appropriate here. Back in March 2008, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen proudly proclaimed that his team was about to start coding a Flash player for the iPhone, only for his company to promptly backtrack on those words a day later. Then, about this time last year, Apple and Adobe again announced that they were collectively working on putting the ubiquitous format on Cupertino's mobile devices, but you won't be surprised to hear that hasn't born any fruit yet either. In fact, relations seem to have grown a lot frostier thanks to the iPad's Flash-less introduction, and an escalating war of passive aggressive words culminated in Steve Jobs calling Adobe lazy. Lazy or otherwise, Adobe is keeping track of its download stats, and it's taken the chance to boast that it received a cool 7 million download requests for Flash player from iPhone and iPod touch devices during December. We're hardly shocked by this number, but it seems to illustrate well the fact that so long as the two heavyweights continue playing an increasingly complacent form of hardball with one another, the only winners will be their competition.

San Francisco Chronicle

Navigon keeps MobileNavigator iPhone app fresh with 3D terrain views, Facebook / Twitter integration

2010-02-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hey, software engineers of all shapes and sizes -- are you keeping an eye on this? Navigon is releasing yet another significant update for its continually improving MobileNavigator iPhone GPS app, and at this point, we reckon these guys and gals should get some sort of medal for pursuing innovation on an existing product rather than leaping to "the next best thing." The latest refresh adds in three primary features: 3D terrain views, a 3D panorama view ($9.99 extra) and in-app connectivity with Facebook and Twitter. As you'd expect, the latter enables users to broadcast current position, destination and ETA to social media outlets, which should make existing Foursquare addicts overwhelmed with joy. Version 1.5.0 also throws in MyRoutes, which is said to analyze your driving habits, patterns, location and time / day in order to provide "up to three routes clearly displayed in-map with ETA, distance and driving times for each." Best of all? It's just $69.99 ($20 less than normal) until February 15th, while the real-time traffic add-on is reduced $5 to $19.99 for the same duration.

Business Wire

iBlueNova Submitted To Cydia Store

2010-02-09T13:52:00.000-08:00

Last night MeDevil sent us the latest beta version of its program, iBlueNova. Now it is ready to be released and have to wait only a few days that we can talk Saurik for publication in Cydia Store.

In this new and final version:

Resolve the timeout sending a file with authentication enabled
Fixes an issue with the approval of the BT on 3G
Completing the integration of licenses
Fixed bug with opening files from iFile.
Removed backgrounding native.

[Via ispazio.net]

iPhone Game Devs Outnumber DS and PSP two-to-one

2010-02-09T01:04:00.000-08:00

Game Developer Research has published its 2009/10 survey of video game developers, and the results are pretty impressive for the still relatively fledgling iPhone platform: The number of developers who are working on mobile games increased by 12 percent, and there are actually twice as many developers working on iPhone games as are working on the Nintendo DS and Sony’s PSP handheld consoles.

That’s a pretty amazing number, though it’s not quite a surprise when you consider it. First of all, Nintendo DS and PSP publishing takes a much larger investment than Apple’s $100 developer fee and an SDK download. Second, while the DS and the PSP are certainly selling a lot of games, they’re not actually releasing nearly as many as the hundreds of thousands of apps on the App Store. Finally, new DS and PSP games sell for $30 or $40, while new App Store games sell much closer to 99 cents. So the fact that there are lots more people moving to the much more open and accessible platform isn’t really that surprising.

But a figure like that does show just how much Apple’s handheld platform has changed the mobile gaming environment. I would argue that there’s still a place for handhelds like the DS and PSP — devices essentially meant to play games rather than check email or browse the Internet. Even with the iPad coming, Apple still isn’t actually focusing on games, though the iPod touch is probably closest to that idea. Whether Apple focuses on gaming or not, there’s no question that there’s a huge new player in the mobile gaming space. Sooner rather than later, Nintendo and Sony may have to sweeten their deals to keep premium developers on their platform.

[Via tuaw.com]

iPhone OS 3.1.3 Sees 14% Adoption In 6 Days

2010-02-08T15:47:00.002-08:00

Released last Tuesday, iPhone OS 3.1.3 was a minor update, bringing a battery reporting fix, fixing an issue where third-party applications would not launch, and patching a number of security holes. In its first six days of release, an estimated 14 percent of users opted to upgrade, mobile ad group Medialets reported Monday.

As of Feb. 6, most iPhone users — 72.3 percent — were still running iPhone OS 3.1.2, while 3.1.1 has 0.8 percent of users, and 3.1.0 has 4.6 percent. About 13 percent of total users are running a version prior to 3.1.2.

The company also noted that it saw a 13 percent drop in installs of 3.1.2, meaning 87 percent of the upgrades to iPhone OS 3.1.3 came from users who were already running the latest version of the mobile operating system.

The statistics were obtained through developers’ applications the service tracks through the App Store.

Following the release of the latest iPhone OS upgrade, the Dev Team, which is the leading group of hackers that work to “jailbreak” the iPhone and allow users to run unauthorized code, released their latest hacking tool. Dubbed PwnageTool 3.1.5, the Mac OS X software allows users to upgrade to Apple’s latest release while preserving a jailbreak and carrier unlock.

Last summer, the first jailbreaking tool for the iPhone 3GS was released. Apple later quietly updated the iPhone 3GS to thwart potential hackers, but a workaround was discovered in November.

Last year, Apple posted a job listing to hire a new iPhone OS security manager to help lock down its mobile operating system. While jailbreaking an iPhone can allow unauthorized capabilities such as multitasking and custom wallpapers, it can also be used to pirate software from the App Store.

[Via appleinsider.com]

ZoomIt SD: Allows Your iPhone To read/write To Sd Memory Cards

2010-02-08T15:47:00.001-08:00

The accessory, goes along with the free app ZoomIt [iTunes Link ]:

Copy or move files from the SD card to a Local File Manager;
Delete or rename a file in File Manager or SD card;
View a file in a format thats SDK3.0 compatible;
Interfacing with the photo album to move / copy pictures to / from SD card to iphone or iphone to sd card.
Interface with the iPhone camera to take a picture and store to SD card
Interfacing with Mail to share a file or a picture

Zoomit DS is expected to ship in April for $ 60, but until you can pre-order from the official site.

[Via ispazio.net]

iPhone 4G Parts Revealed, Could The Next iPhone Be Bigger??

2010-02-08T15:46:00.001-08:00

iPhone repair site iResQ claims to have obtained parts for the fourth generation iPhone. Its unclear if these are authentic parts; however, you can find the pictures and their observations below.

1) The LCD appears to be factory glued to the digitizer which is more similar to the first generation iPhones than the iPhone 3G and 3GS. The digitizer can be separated from the LCD on the 3G and 3GS models, which should be interesting to all, but for the repair folks like us–this means that the 4G screen repair price will be higher since both parts will have to be replaced at once.

2) The iPhone 4G front panel seems to be about 1/4″ longer than its predecessors.

3) There is an interesting reflective, mirror-like surface directly above the speaker. This is likely a spot for the proximity sensor. If that’s what is is, it’s in a different location than previous models.

Sn0wbreeze 1.4 Released to Jailbreak and Unlock iPhone OS 3.1.3

2010-02-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

iH8sn0w dev team have released Sn0wbreeze 1.4 to jailbreak and unlock iPhone OS 3.1.3. However, please read the post carefully before proceeding.

Sn0wbreeze allows users to upgrade from a jailbroken iPhone OS 3.1.2 or lower to iPhone OS 3.1.3, which was released few days back to fix some minor bugs.

sn0wbreeze is a tool for Windows that will jailbreak your iPods and iPhones, setup custom boot logos, activate your iPhone, root partition size, build custom IPSW, and more!

As mentioned earlier, Sn0wbreeze will work ONLY if you have an iPhone or iPod touch running iPhone OS 3.1.2 or lower, which has been JAILBROKEN or PWNED. It will NOT work if you have already upgraded to iPhone OS 3.1.3. It allows users to upgrade their jailbroken iPhone runing iPhone OS 3.1.2 or lower to jailbroken iPhone OS 3.1.3.

It can jailbreak the following devices:

iPhone 3GS (OLD BOOTROM ONLY. If the 4th/5th digits of the serial # are before 40 then you should have the old bootrom. If your current jailbreak is tethered DO NOT try this.)
iPhone 3G
iPhone 2G
iPod Touch 2G (OLD BOOTROM ONLY. If your current jailbreak is tethered you have the new bootrom so stay away and/or If your model # starts with MC you have the new bootrom so stay away!)
iPod Touch 1G

And it can unlock the following devices:

All iPhone 2G
iPhones with 04.26.08 Baseband
iPhones with 05.11.07 Baseband

(You can find your baseband via the Settings app (General->About->Modem Firmware)

You can download the latest version of Sn0wbreeze from iH8sn0w’s website.

Please remember hacking your iPhone could void its warranty. So please proceed with caution and at your own risk and don’t forget to take a backup of your iPhone (refer to this post for more details).

[via ModMyi]

Touch Mouse iPhone App - Turn Your iPhone Into a Wireless Keyboard And Mouse For FreeTouch Mouse iPhone App - Turn Your iPhone Into a Wireless Keyboar

2010-02-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Remember BTStack Keyboard - the app that let jailbroken iPhone users connect a wireless keyboard to their iPhones?

Now here is an App Store application that lets you turn your iPhone or iPod touch into a keyboard or mouse. Peripheral device manufacturer Logitech has released an iPhone app that helps you do exactly this.

Called Touch Mouse, this free iPhone application lets users substitute their keyboard and mouse with their iDevice, which can now be used to type or control mouse actions on a Mac or PC via a Wi-Fi network. To enable this communication, you will however have to install the Touch Mouse Server software on your computer. The server software comes in both Mac OS X and Windows versions.

The iPhone app itself is very simple and easy to use. The top part of the screen displays the three mouse buttons while a keyboard can be invoked on the bottom half of the screen whenever required by tapping on the corresponding icon. The rest of the screen can be used as a touchpad to control the mouse cursor.

This is not the first iPhone app that makes this funtionality possible. Air Mouse Pro [$1.99] and Rowmote Pro [$4.99] are some of the popular iPhone apps that lets you turn your iPhone into a Wi-Fi mouse. However, this is probably the best free iPhone app that is available for the purpose and that should get a lot of users interested.

New Password Breaker Tool Claims to Break Into Password Protected iPhone Backups

2010-02-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

Elcomsoft, a Moscow based provider of corporate security solutions has just released a free beta version of their iPhone Password Breaker tool.

The company says this new tool will enable forensic access to password protected backups of iPhone and iPod touch.

The modus operandi of the software is not particularly new. The software attempts to break through password protection by an elaborate wordlist-based attack. This would mean an incessant trial-and-error method using several dictionary words as well as other commonly used password terms. As MobileCrunch notes, several variations of words are also tried out till the tool is able to crack the password.

While this is no doubt a utility tool for those who lose their passwords, for a wide majority of users however, this can in fact serve as a security hazard. With a software like Elcomsoft's, dedicated attacks on iPhone backups that are not protected with sufficiently complex passwords can help attackers gain access to secure information pretty easily.

Users can protect their backups by choosing more complicated passwords that are difficult to guess as this is the first time iPhone backups have been targeted. Frankly, there is nothing to be worried about but there is no harm in choosing a better password.

Anyways, coming back to the main purpose of the tool, it enables forensic access to password protected backups of iPhone and iPod touch.

Do you encrypt your iPhone backups? Let us know in the comments.

[via MobileCrunch]

Could HD Video Recording Be Coming for iPhone 4G???

2010-02-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

Almost lost in the enormous hype surrounding the iPad release and subsequent Apple ‘town hall’ was the pre-announcement of the fourth-generation iPhone, which Steve Jobs declared would be an “A+ upgrade.” Rumors had been going around about a possible CDMA version of the phone which did not emerge of the iPad event, and there’s scanty evidence even to base a rumor on. The iPhone 3.2 SDK, though, at least provides some clues as toApple ’s internal development. Hidden in the details is an increased maximum video width for an unknown device believed to be the 4G iPhone, at a resolution that indicates that the new phone’s camera will be capable of HD recording.

The property lists in the SDK’s simulator bundle are stored in separate folders corresponding to specific iPhone OS models, organized by internal codes: N82 for the iPhone 3G, N88 for the iPhone 3GS, K48 for what is believed to be the iPad and something new called the N89. Based on the code it appears to be a new iPhone model, and parameters in the various plists tend to support that assumption.

Engadget reports on a closer look at the MediaValidator.plist file in the new iPhone SDK showing video parameters. The maximum video width has been increased from 768 pixels on the iPhone 3GS to 1280 on the N89, and the maximum number of pixels per frame is increased to 921,600. Dividing the two gives 720 lines, and given that the AVCHD profile version is shown as 3.1, which includes 720p support, there’s adequate reason to deduce that there will at least be development support for a future HD video output feature, whether or not that will be released with the device, which is expected this summer.

In other news, DigiTimes – which keeps its eye on the China/Taiwan supply chain – reports that the ASUS spin-off Pegatron has been given a contract to manufacture the next-gen iPhone, joining Foxconn, the company that has manufactured every iPhone since the device was announced. Pegatron, long a source for OEM PCs, started manufacturing LCD TVs and mobile phones over a year ago, and reportedly will produce Natal Xbox 360 controllers for Microsoft later this year.

[Via modmyi.com]

| Qik Video Camera Adds iPhone 3GS Effects, Facebook Sharing

2010-02-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

Qik Video Camera, an application which provides video recording capabilities for any iPhone, has been updated to version 4.5

Finally, a quality Video Camera for any iPhone! Facebook and SMS sharing, Effects, Zoom, up to 15 FPS, Brightness control, Audio boost, Landscape mode, Email sharing and more!

What’s New In This Version:
• Effects now for 3GS too
• Share to Facebook, SMS, email
• 5 cool new effects
• Even better video quality, especially with effects
• New UI with on-screen effects
• Better handling of large videos over email
• Improved playback of rotated videos on various video players
• Other enhancements and fixes

You can purchase Qik Video Camera from the App Store for $1.99.

[Via iclarified.com]

Geohot: “iPhone OS 3.1.3 Jailbreak Is Easy”

2010-02-05T00:14:00.000-08:00

Geohot has tweeted saying that the jailbreak is easy but only helps those dumb enough to upgrade.

I hear rumors going around that the 3.1.3 jailbreak is hard. It isn’t. But the only people it helps are those dumb enough to upgrade. Sorry.

These comments indicate that it’s unlikely the BlackRa1n jailbreak will be upgraded to support the new firmware.

iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3G users – please be very careful you do not upgrade. Most other users can still jailbreak using RedSn0w. See here for more information.

[Via iclarified.com]

Apple Releases iPhone 3.2 SDK, Next Gen iPhone Codename Found

2010-02-02T21:23:00.000-08:00

Apple has released the iPhone OS 3.2 SDK (software development kit) and code hounds are shuffling through the update looking for any news regarding a potential new feature or new model. It seems as if they have discovered not one, but two new devices, along with the code name for the iPad. Within the simulator are folders representing specific iPhone OS models. They’ve found “K48″ which represents the iPad. They’ve also discovered the “N89″ which they believe is the next generation iPhone. Previous versions were named “M68, N82 and N88″. Nothing beyond that information is available.

Among other things, there was also a new model codenamed “N80″, which is likely and iPod touch.

We know it’s there and it’s being tested in some form or fashion. Now, when can we have it.

[via Engadget]

Jailbreakers Do Not Update To Firmware 3.1.3

2010-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Apple iPhone Firmware version 3.1.3 is now out. Please do not upgrade until further notice by the iPhone Dev Team.

This update for iPhone and iPod touch contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:
• Improves accuracy of reported battery level on iPhone 3GS
• Resolves issue where third-party apps would not launch in some instances
• Fixes bug that may cause an app to crash when using the Japanese Kana keyboard

[Via iClarified.com]

Photo of The 4th Gen iPhone??

2010-02-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

A photo of the next generation iPhone has been in the wild for nearly a week, according to ‘impeccable’ AppleInsider sources.

The reason no one spotted the photo is because it was overshadowed by the company’s new iPad.

Engadget obtained a leaked photo of the iPad just before it was announced. It appears that the iPhone in the photo is a prototype of one of the handsets due to hit the market in about five months.

Cosmetically, the iPhone in the photo appears without its iconic aluminum bezel. Instead, the device is surrounded by a black plastic of aluminum material. Either that, or the handset is wrapped 80 percent of the way in a rubberized protective holder like the iPad prototype it rests on top of, though the quality of the image leaves this assertion to considerable debate.

AppleInsider suggests the whitish blotch immediately to the left of the earpiece grill could suggest a camera lens, though it could also be just a reflection.

A new version of the iPhone is expected around July of this year.

[Via iclarified.com]

Android Style Unlock Screen Pattern for Jailbroken iPhone

2010-02-01T15:39:00.000-08:00

iPhone and iPod touch users currently have to slide-in and enter a password(if enabled) in order to unlock the device. But now you can also unlock your favorite gadget just like the way you do on an Android phone like Droid and Nexus One. For the latter, you have to connect 9 dots in some custom specified way to unlock your phone.

AndroidLock for iPhone: iPhone 3GS on left, Nexus One on right.

AndroidLock is a new app which has just been released on Cydia and Rock and it brings this Android style unlocking to iPhone and iPod touch. It will convert your iPhone lockscreen into an Android 2.1 Styled one as found on Droid and Nexus One. You will have to join the dots in the customized pattern which you have set in order to unlock the device.

You will need to have a jailbroken iPhone to in order to install AndroidLock. Follow the instructions posted here to first jailbreak your iPhone (if you haven’t already) and then install it.

AndroidLock is available on Cydia for free in Zmaster and the BigBoss repository. If you have these repos installed, simply search for “AndroidLock” in Cydia and install it. After installing the app, go to Settings -> AndroidLock, to set the pattern. It requires 4 or more dots to be used. Disable your iPhone lockscreen password set if you don’t want to be asked for entering pass code twice.

How to Force Quit When iPhone App Hangs or Free up Resources Used by an iPhone App

2010-02-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

What do you do when an iPhone app hangs? In older versions of the iPhone OS, namely iPhone OS 1.0 and iPhone OS 2.0, a 'press and hold' of the home button would most often do the trick. It was also a good trick to free up resources used by an iPhone app.

However, users who have iPhone OS 3.x.x installed (that's almost everyone of us) will notice that this no longer works as holding down the Home button activates Voice Control on iPhone 3GS and does nothing in case of iPhone 3G.

So how does one force quit an application in iPhone OS 3.0 and above? Here is a simple solution to force quit an iPhone app when it hangs or if you want to free up resources used by it.

Step 1 : Press and hold Sleep/Wake button of your iPhone

Step 2 : You will now be shown the 'Slide to power off' screen

Step 3 : Press and hold the Home button for 5-6 seconds.

How to Turn Your iPhone or iPod Touch Into an iPad Look-A-Like

2010-02-01T15:37:00.001-08:00

Though a lot of discussion has happened over the iPad in the past one week, a vast majority of us will not get to lay our hands on the device for at least another month.

If you are curious to check out the look and feel of an iPad in the mean time, folks at Redmond Pie have a nice solution - Turn your iPhone or iPod touch into an iPad look-a-like.

As we know, the iPad runs on iPhone OS 3.2, which is an updated version of the operating system that drive the iPhone and iPod touch. This apart, the iPad has a few things different from the iPhone like an iBooks store, a different interface background, etc. By making these changes on your iPhone, you can have an idea of what to expect on an actual iPad.

First and foremost, you will need to jailbreak your iPhone. You can check out our tutorial on jailbreaking your iPhone by clicking here. Please note that hacking your iPhone could void its warranty and hence proceed at your own risk.

Once you have jailbroken your iPhone, you will need to download and install these jailbreak apps on your iPhone

Winterboard app from Cydia to install custom themes
"Simple iPad theme" via Cydia
FakeCarrier app via Cydia to change the carrier name. Alternatively, as folks at Redmond Pie suggest, you can also MakeItMine app to achieve this
Shrink app via Cydia to reduce the size of the icons. This helps to provide the more spaced out layout as available on the iPad
ProSwitcher app via Cydia for multitasking
NYTimes app for iPhone from the App Store
"Classics" iPhone app from App Store
Kindle iPhone app from the App Store

Folks at Redmond Pie also have a nice video that will take you through the process.

[via Redmond Pie]

iTunes 9.0.3 Released: Includes Important Bug Fixes

2010-02-01T15:34:00.000-08:00

Apple has just released iTunes 9.0.3, which according to the release notes includes number of important bug fixes.

It is available via Apple Software update and is 98.03 MB in size. The latest update fixes the annoying bug where iTunes used to ignore the "Remember password for purchases" setting.

According to the release notes, iTunes 9.0.3 includes number of important bug fixes such as:

• iTunes no longer ignores your "Remember password for purchases" setting.
• Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
• Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
• Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.

As you might know, Apple released iTunes 9 back in September, which was a major update that included many new features and improvements such as:

• An improved look and feel, including a new Column Browser for easily browsing your artists or albums, movies, TV shows, and more.

• iTunes Store has a brand new look, with improved navigation for quick and easy exploration.

• iTunes LP and iTunes Extras create unique experiences that feature exclusive interviews, videos, photos, and more — available with select album and movie purchases on the iTunes Store.

• Home Sharing helps you manage your family's iTunes collection between computers in your home. iTunes can automatically transfer new purchases, or you can choose just the items you want.

• Genius Mixes are created for you by iTunes and play songs from your library that go great together.

• iPod and iPhone syncing now allows you to organize your iPhone and iPod touch home screens directly in iTunes. Syncing is now also more flexible, allowing you to sync individual artists, genres, or TV show and Podcast episodes.

• iTunes U items are now organized into their own section in your iTunes library.

• Sync with iPod nano (5th generation), iPod classic (Fall 2009), and iPod touch (Fall 2009).

• iTunes 9 also includes many other improvements, such as HE-AAC encoding and playback, more flexibility with Smart Playlists rules, simpler organization of your media files inside an iTunes Media folder, and more.

You can download iTunes 9.0.3 from this link or via Apple Software update.

Cyder 2: PC Program That Lets You Download Cydia Packages

2010-02-01T15:33:00.001-08:00

Some of you might remember that we talked about Cyder before, a software that allows us to manage Cydia straight from our PCs. Today Cyder was updated to version 2.01 RC2 and improved.

The improvements are related to the to the software itself. You will get a new UI and pretty much all the problems that you encountered in the previous version were fixed. The video above shows you what this software is capable of, but the presentation is in french. The good this is that you pretty much don’t need to speak french to get it.

Download Cyder: multiupload

[Via Funkyspacemonkey.com]

Dev-Team Releases Official RedSn0w 0.9

2010-01-31T17:26:00.000-08:00

The iPhone Dev-Team has released RedSn0w 0.9, a cross-platform jailbreaking, unlocking, and customizing tool for iPhones and iPod touches. This version adds support for the iPod touch 3G as well as IPCC tethering.

How is it different from blackra1n?
- It offers custom logos and verbose boot
- It installs Cydia, afc2, and the IPCC tethering hack without needing separate downloads. Because they’re all installed in one go, redsn0w doesn’t need the multiple levels of installs that blackra1n requires.
- It uses their original Pwnage bootrom exploit for iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, and iPod 1G. (Because it’s a bootrom exploit, it can’t be fixed by Apple without a new hardware release.) Note that redsn0w 0.9 does use the USB exploit for iPhone 3GS and iPod 2G+3G running 3.1.2, but that exploit will be fixed in Apple’s next FW release.

What is the IPCC tethering hack?
It allows you to install cellphone Carrier Bundles that aren’t officially signed by Apple. This lets you, for instance, install a Carrier Bundle that allows you to use your iPhone as a way to connect your PC to the internet (through your 3G cell connection).

Remember if you have a late-model iPhone 3GS, or if you have an iPod touch 2G whose serial number begins with “MC”, or any iPod touch 3G, you can use redsn0w to jailbreak but you are currently restricted to “tethered” rebooting. That means you need to connect your device to a computer to complete the boot after a reset.

Now that RedSn0w is out of beta we will be posting tutorials shortly. In the meanwhile you can download RedSn0w 0.9 from here:
- Windows
- Mac

[Via iclarified.com]

iRealSMS 3.0.1 Update Now Available In Cydia Store

2010-01-30T22:54:00.001-08:00

A new version of iRealSMS, a full messages app replacement for the iPhone, is available on the Cydia Store.

Do you love your iPhone but hate the limited Messages app? Frustrated that your missing basic functions that are available on most other cell phones? iRealSMS 3.0 fills the gap, and then some with features such as QuickReply, QuickSend, Contact Pics, Smileys, Templates, Forward/Reply via Mail, Privacy Settings, Password Lock, Search Feature, Character Counter & much more! Use it as a FULL Messages app replacement or just take advantage of the QuickReply & QuickSend.

What’s New In This Version:
* fix – Templates / drafts bug caused by iPhoneDelivery conflict.
* fix – QuickReply when touching area between keyboard and QuickReply popup, sometimes resulting in unintentional hiding of keyboard.
* new – QuickReply keyboard toggle for more intuitive functionality (now you can also tap the REPLY on the QuickReply to toggle the keyboard/textfield).
* new – Camera function in quickreply / quicksend (only portrait support for now).
* new – QuickReply / QuickSend now supports insertion of video mms from camera roll/albums.
* new – Button graphics updated.
* new – Insert options added to in-app camera / smiley menu (for faster access).
* new – Lockscreen feature, can now slide to unlock with QuickReply onscreen.
* new – Hidden in-app ui toolbar: activate in settings and tap the top/header bar in Conversations or Folders menu to toggle hide/unhide.
* new – Improved caching of contact pics.
* new – In app bulletin system – (purpose: it will alert you upon launch if any new betas or releases are available in cydia).

You can download and purchase iRealSMS from the Cydia Store for $14.99.

[Via iclarified.com]

PushFix 2.0: Real Push Notification Fix For Unlocked iPhones

2010-01-30T22:53:00.000-08:00

If your one of the many iPhone users who have unlocked your iPhone on OS 3.x, then chances are you’ve lost the ability to receive push notifications. I for one lost this ability with my unlocked iPhone 3GS. This was a big disappointment for me as I used the feature every day. I spent countless hours trying various fixes out there, including the PushFix found on various cydia repos (which really just made things worse), manually installingpush certificates, and even trying to generate my own certificates.

After pulling out my hair and bashing my head into the wall trying to figure out why I couldn’t get my Push notifications working again, I stubmled upon Pushfix.info.

Quote:

“For the push notification service to work, every device needs a unique 1024 bit certificate. The certificate does not contain any information about your device, so I can provide certificates without any information from your phone…. If you used blackra1n and have lost YouTube, I have free YouTube fixes for that. My free youtube keys don’t cause excessive battery drain unlike the originalpush fixes.”

I was skeptical at first I must admit. The cost to get these unique Push Notifications working again would be $5.99USD. After completing a payment, I was welcomed with instructions to add a Cydia Source, and simply download PushFix 2.0. (Assuming your payment was instant, this works instantly as well). There is an entire support system available if anything goes wrong and the service is actually quite pleasant.

That being said, I was prompted to reboot after installation, and upon doing so, was given a new app called PushTest which allowed me to test my PushFix installation. In a few seconds i was greenlit and good to go. I went and downloaded a crapload ofPush apps and voila! My Push Notifications were working once again!! I was amazed at how simple this was and felt that my $6.00 was well worth it. This PushFix can be installed again no matter how many times you restore as your iPhone’s ID is associated with the cydia repo to download this pushfix.

Quote:

Important notes for purchasers in certain countries
Carriers which REQUIRE the iPhone data plan on that carrier (or you can use WiFi only push):Push does not work properly on regular data plan.
US – T-Mobile (requires $19.99 a month plan at this time)
UK – Orange
France – SFR

Carriers in which push over CELL DATA is not supported – Do not purchase at this time (WiFi only is still supported):
Brazil – Vivo (possibly)
Columbia – Comcel
Germany – Vodafone
Nigeria – MTN
Poland – Polkomtel

[Via modmyi.com]

Firewall IP 1.30 Free

2010-01-27T01:04:00.000-08:00

Download:

Thanks to sp4m over at xsellize for the upload. If you like it buy it, this is brought to you buy a very respected person in the iphone scene.

After downloading rename the deb to block.deb
Copy it to var/mobile on your iphone and install using ifile or do the following
Open Mobile terminal
Type in su (press return)
Type in alpine (press return)
Type in dpkg -i block.deb (press return)
Reboot or Respring and enjoy

Description:
- Block outgoing TCP & UDP connections selectively
- Shows you the hostname for the connection
- Block analytic providers which PrivaCy can’t
- Block unneeded content
- Easy to use interface & control app
- Edit the rules you did set
- Add apps manually
- Low memory & CPU consumption
Cydia itself and Apple’s native apps are excluded for obvious reasons.

Zune Software Update Reveals Proof of Zune Phone?

2010-01-27T01:03:00.000-08:00

A new Zune software update today contains references to the illusive “Zune Phone”, according to I Started Something.

As some of you might know, an .INF file is essential component of a driver package responsible for identifying the driver and associating it with compatible USB hardware IDs, and in this case, the Zune.inf file is responsible for associating devices with the Zune driver.

New to this version of the driver (generated October 20, 2009) are several lines which reference a phone device.

[Microsoft.NTx86]
%Zune.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\MS_COMP_MTPZ
%Zune.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_0710
%Zune.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_063E
%Phone.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_0640
%Phone.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_0641
%Phone.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZUSB, USB\VID_045E&PID_0642
%ZuneIp.DeviceDesc% = ZuneMTPZIP, umb\urn:microsoft-com:device:mtpz:1

; Localizable strings
Msft = “Microsoft”
Zune.DeviceDesc = “Zune”
…
Phone.DeviceDesc = “Phone”

I Started Something believes that the three unique class IDs and specifically Product IDs (PID) identify three potential “Zune Phone” models not just capacity variants (since various Zune capacities are all grouped under the same PID).

[Via iClarified.com]

The End of Install0us

2010-01-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Yes, you read well, this is the end. The end of Install0us.
Most of you would not appreciate what follows, just as we definitely do not, yet some of you will be strangely happy…

Why is this happening?
Legalities. When I started up solo, it was for legal reasons, and that still stands: I was fed up of hiding behind other people and wanted the freedom to develop apps without being in the shadows of the law.
For Install0us to offer the same services as other installer apps : browse / download / install, without providing any links to cracked materials, I thought we had something legal and legitimate to offer.
Some really nice people proposed me their help, and from a small blog we evolved to these forums, which just kept growing and maturing, thanks to a wonderful team. That was not appreciated by everybody…but anyway, that is another topic. During all this time I have been actively searching for a lawyer to know how legal we were. Not the lawyer you can find just anywhere, but one that understands Internet legislations and specializes in copyright laws. Trust me, these people are rare, very in demand, and very expensive.
As such I have been looking for three months, and I finally found one recently. Unfortunately our discussion left me sad and even feeling stupid to have invested so much effort into this, and involved people with me… You see, after talking for more than an hour with him, I’m sorry but the conclusion is that

what we do would be very hard to defend against in court.
I am at the moment already at risk, and would risk even more with the exposure that an Install0us v3 release will definitely bring me. Call me a coward, but as I said, hiding under covers is not a life for me. Moreover, these days in my country piracy is a hot subject among politicians… I do not want to be flamed in a trial for something that I do as a hobby, and I do not want to involve any people with me in this. I am sincerely sorry to the people who followed me thinking we were legit, my honest mistake.

What’s going to happen?
These forums will close, and repositories too. Just a few more weeks, and everything will be shut down and deleted.Install0us v2.5 has already been unleashed to you, and it will continue to run. We cannot do anything about it, so be happy!The bad news is, however, Install0us 3 will not and cannot ever be released. It all must end here. This is extremely disappointing for all of us, considering the time and energy we have spent on it.Soon after, the server behind Install0us 3 will also be shut down. We are very sorry, beta testers.

On a brighter note, we have introduced some concepts in v3 with native interfaces that have revolutionised what people will be expecting, and I am sure you will see these conceptualisations sooner or later in similar apps, although of course not done by us. In short, we feel we have made a positive contribution to the community we now leave.To make things clear, we have never shared our source code, and we can never do so, simply for legality’s sake. I know from experience that no one is irreplaceable.
But if there were to be one concept I would really like to see one day out of all this, it is the plugin system. An open application not dedicated to any one website.

About Donations
We raised donations and understandably we now have no use for them. Many of you have noticed that recently we have been refunding most of them. In fact we are refunding all refundable donations.
Only very few will not be refunded, mostly because of Paypal rules which restricts refunds to the last 60 days of transaction, or eChecks that just cannot be refunded. (Please be patient if you haven’t been refunded yet, Paypal is incredibly slow, blame their staff not ours!)
Once again, thank you very much for your willing support, but our expenses has been covered and since our activities are ending, we just want to be fair with you and refund as much as we can. We are not salesmen, we did all of this for fun, nothing more.

Thanks (a lot)
I have always wanted to do a credits/thanks screen in Installous since the first version. But apologetically, I am a lazy developer who always preferred to code features over making a thanks screen.
I cannot stop all of this without repairing that fault. First of all, many thanks go to all of you for making this journey what it has been, without the users and your continued support and encouragement none of this could have ever been reality.
A group of people that I’d like to take the time to individually thank for their support throughout my time are :

CCW, for being a friend and all that time spent on the appDB adding missing apps by hand .
cdecl, for being in #ipa on that first day, for his skills and leaking Crackulous source code (lol).
crash-x, for the nice chats, sharing knowledge with you have been a real pleasure, you are so right to be on the bright side .
csmithdesigns.com for the awesome v3 graphics.
Doosje, for being a friend since almost the beginning, and then to have joined Install0us and bringing along that amazing database .
fareal, for pressuring me to create these forums (would still be a blog without him lol), and helping so much to create these forums and make them alive (I’m not really a forum administration guy ).
Flawless, for creating AppShare a long long time ago that we all have such fond memories of.
Hackulo.us community, I remember a time when it wasn’t all about money and power… but a community.
hostjf, from iphonecake, for all your time and help. You are right to be far away from that “scene”…
lsemtex, that was a real fun day 0 to see that agitation to reproduce The Monkey’s Ball crack .
Kyek, for teaching me a bit of php, for everything you have done. Words cannot express what you’ve done for us and the community. You will never be forgotten.
Monster (aka furballinatOor), for his nice contribution to the forums.
Puy0, For being my tutor, friend and so many other things.
RealZg/Poxy, for being nice even when the whole world was standing against him (even if he was responsible for some leaks I disapprove of).
Sadam, from xSellize, for his advices and participation A true man in every way.
Secretss, for being the heart and soul of this community in recent times. Yay!
skram, for his friendly attitude and being a great AppStore dev sharing his knowledge freely .
WYSE, your dedication is something to be admired, I will always have a place in my heart for you.
You, for reading this.
Sorry if I forget you…there’s always going to be someone

Just a couple of extra little bits

Questions > If you have any questions please pop by our IRC channel #Install0us on the server Rizon. We will be hanging around a little longer in case there is anything more you would like to ask or know.
Forums > If there are any posts you would specifically like a copy of after we close, please just ask as we would be glad to provide them. If you are looking for somewhere nice to go, why not try xSellize.com?
Hackulo.us *Has been* a nice community. The core staff has gone nuts at money making. Today they just consider members and even their moderators as puppets. I am really happy to have left them, what happened after Install0us was created is just proof of it.
TDDebug / dissident > I have always been polite with you, but what a waste. Continue to bring down hackulo.us, people will eventually understand who you really are, a salesman/bullshitter. One sincere advice, you really need a psychotherapist. (Our good friend venusanann was right).

Adieu.

[Via install0us.com]

App Store Devs Finding Ways To Profit From Pirates

2010-01-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

Faced with a large number of users stealing their applications, iPhone developers have found ways to earn money even from those who pirate App Store software.

Developers of popular iPhone and iPod touch applications Tap Tap Revenge and Shazam were a part of the MIDEM Music Conference in Cannes recently. According to Moconews.net, when Tap Tap Revenge garnered 2.5 million downloads in its first two months, a million were pirated copies.

But Tim O’Brien, head of business development with game maker Tapulous, said many of those pirates now buy legal music downloads from within the game. In the end, the developer is making a profit from many of those who initially stole their software.

“We’ve started running ads to the pirate users more aggressively,” O’Brien said. “Some of those users, because we sell virtual goods, have become high-volume users.”

Sales from pirates have helped the company to earn nearly $1 million per month. The $0.99 rhythm game Tap Tap Revenge 3 has more than 25 million users and it is one of the most popular titles on the App Store. Tapulous has been profitable since June.

It’s also helped Shazam, which sells songs through its music identifying software. Company officials said 13 percent of those who identify a song with their software buy it through an in-app purchase.

The ability to offer in-app purchases through free software was added in October. Prior to that, the iPhone OS 3.0 update gave the capability for paid applications. Developers praised the feature as an important revenue opportunity within the App Store.

This month, one analysis estimated the App Store has lost nearly $450 million in revenue due to software piracy. It said some apps have come with piracy rates as high as 90 percent. Software can be pirated through a process known as jailbreaking, which allows users to run unauthorized code on their handset. Apple and the hacking community have been in a long back-and-forth battle over running unsanctioned software on the iPhone.

[Via Appleinsder.com]

Proswitcher Updated To 1.1

2010-01-25T15:53:00.000-08:00

Ryan Petrich and Chpwn have released an update to their ProSwitcher utility to easily switch between background iPhone apps.

ProSwitcher 1.0 can be installed from the BigBoss Cydia Repository. It is a Palm Pre-styled application switcher which integrates with SpringBoard for a simple and smooth experience.

To force applications to run in the background you must use the Backgrounder application which can also be installed from Cydia.

What’s New In Version 1.1:
- Many bugs fixed
- Lock SpringBoard card
- Better LA support
- Improved settings
- Return of a few settings
- Check git commit logs for more!

[Via iclarified.com]

$100,000 Prototype Laptop Stolen From Apple’s Campus In 09?

2010-01-23T22:30:00.000-08:00

Zirana, a startup company with the goal to make Zirana.com “a one stop shop for all local information” for “residents of small and medium sized towns all across the world,” including Cupertino, is reporting that a prototype laptop was stolen from Apple’s campus sometime in 2009:

Trade Secret Theft/Possession of Stolen Property – Infinite Loop
Between 1/1 and 12/18, unknown suspect(s) took a prototype laptop worth about $100,000 from Apple Computers on Infinite Loop using an unknown method. The suspect(s) sold it to another suspect. Deputies recovered the laptop from the second suspect and he was released pending further investigation.

Given that the laptop was a prototype, it’s no surprise that it could be worth $100,000. And if Apple is having internal theft problems, it’s no wonder they acted so swiftly and decisively to stop Gawker’s (coincidentally) $100,000 bounty on Apple’s tablet.

As Zirana states, the prototype laptop has since been recovered. It should be noted, however, that Zirana’s information on the theft is user generated and does not originate from an official police report or an Apple spokesperson. Then again, maybe that 3GS commercial took its inspiration from real life events?

[Via tuaw.com]

Charge Two iPhones From One USB Using Dualink

2010-01-23T22:29:00.000-08:00

It’s two iPhone chargers in one! Yes, the DuaLink cable for the iPod and iPhone serves up its own fun-sized USB hub that, as you would expect from a title like the one above, comes with a sole USB connector on one end and two iPod/iPhone connectors on the other.

From MacWorld:

Quote:

Cable vendor CableJive has introduced the DuaLink, a USB dock-connector cable for iPods and iPhones that lets you charge and sync two devices simultaneously.

As one can clearly see from the image of the DuaLink in action, CableJive was thoughtful enough to “bulk up” the cables used
for DuaLink, which seem capable of withstanding more wear and tear than the flimsy default cable that Apple packs with iPhones
and iPods.

Quote:

According to CableJive, the $26 DuaLink works its magic by including a two-port USB 2.0 hub inside the cable itself. The DuaLink also uses heavy-duty cable and includes a lifetime warranty.

Obviously practical (and pretty cool to boot) the concept of being able to charge or sync two Apple devices simultaneously
is borderline revolutionary. And given the affordability (according to some ) of the DuaLink, this nifty thing could catch on.

The DuaLink measures nine inches in length and, in case you’re wondering, it is, indeed, compatible with all iPhones and iPods – but not the iPod shuffle.

[Via modmyi.com]

iPhone Dev-Team Releases RedSn0w 0.9 Beta iPhone Dev-Team Releases RedSn0w 0.9 Beta

2010-01-22T23:36:00.000-08:00

The iPhone Dev-Team has released a beta of RedSn0w 0.9 which performs jailbreaking, unlocking, and customizing for the latest iPhone firmware.

Customizations include boot logos, recovery logos, and “verbose” boot.

The beta supports:
- All iPhones and iPod touches except the iPod touch 3G
- Windows and Mac OSX (x86)
- Apple firmware 3.0 and 3.1.2

When it’s out of beta, it will support the iPod touch 3G, PPC OSX, and Linux.

How is it different from PwnageTool?
redsn0w doesn’t require a system restore like PwnageTool does (it doesn’t even use iTunes at all). On the other hand, PwnageTool can prevent your baseband from being upgraded when you upgrade your firmware, preserving your unlock. (redsn0w doesn’t touch your baseband but it doesn’t help preserve it during an upgrade either). redsn0w works by modifying your current filesystem, so your existing baseband, data and applications should remain intact.

How is it different from blackra1n?
- It uses our original Pwnage bootrom exploit for iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, and iPod 1G. (Because it’s a bootrom exploit, it can’t be fixed by Apple without a new hardware release.) Note that redsn0w 0.9 does use the USB exploit for iPhone 3GS and iPod 2G running 3.1.2, but that exploit will be fixed in Apple’s next FW release.
- It offers custom logos and verbose boot
- It installs Cydia without needing a separate download
- It’s not as fast (but redsn0w handles more variations )

If you have a late-model iPhone 3GS, or if you have an iPod touch 2G whose serial number begins with “MC”, you can use redsn0w to jailbreak but you are currently restricted to “tethered” rebooting. That means you need to connect your device to a computer to complete the boot after a reset. Also, these devices cannot have custom logos.

We will be posting detailed tutorials on how to use RedSn0w 0.9 shortly. Please stay tuned for more information.

You can download RedSn0w 0.9 Beta from here: Windows, Mac

[Via iclarified.com]

Make Your Personal iPhone App In Just 10 Minutes

2010-01-22T23:35:00.000-08:00

Have you ever secretly wished that you could have your own personal iPhone app? An app that you could give to friends, relatives, and your adoring fans?

Now you can have your own iPhone (or Android, if you swing that way) app featuring all of your personal feeds from sources such as Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Posterous, Tumblr, and more. The really cool thing is that it’s not going to take you much time, nor will you need to learn how to program. Through a new service called iSites, you can take all of your life feeds and have an iPhone app created just for you. The cost? Only US$25.

If you think that your hordes of faithful followers are going to download and use the app, you can spend another $99 to integrate AdMob ads into your personal app, meaning that you might be able to become rich (you’re already famous, right?) beyond your wildest dreams by giving away your app in the App Store.

Everything about the iSites app you create is customizable; the feeds that make up the content (see photo above), the colors, even your icon and store banner. Anyone using your app can easily share an article with others via Twitter, Facebook, or email, and the app has support for video, image thumbnails, and the ability to mark a post as a favorite.

I’m not sure that I’m ready to bore the world with my personal iPhone app, but when I finally get to that point, I’ll probably use iSites to create it.

[Via tuaw.com]

Bing to Replace Google As Default Search Engine on iPhone?

2010-01-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

Businessweek reports that Apple and Microsoft are currently in negotiations to replace Google as the default search engine on the iPhone with Microsoft’s Bing.com. The talks have reportedly been underway for weeks.

Businessweek cites the increasing rivalry between Google and Apple as one of the reasons behind the discussions.

“Apple and Google know the other is their primary enemy,” says one of the people, who’s familiar with Apple’s thinking. “Microsoft is now a pawn in that battle.”

If the negotiations are successful, it could also mean that Bing could eventually replace Google as the default search engine for Apple’s desktop version of Safari as well.

With Google’s entry into the mobile phone business as well as Apple’s recent acquisition of a mobile ad company, the two businesses have encroached on each other’s territories. Apple has even been said to be working on distancing itself from Google’s Maps data in the iPhone.

Even if Apple and Microsoft do come to an agreement, Businessweek notes that this may just be a time buying move on Apple’s part who is reportedly working on their own “skunk works” search technology.

[Via macrumors.com]

Official Sega Emulator Coming To The Appstore Soon

2010-01-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

Ask any Sega fan and he or she will tell you – this one is long overdue. The official (and by “official,” we mean sanctioned by the video game maker) Sega emulator is headed for theiPhone next month. Sega’s Ultimate Genesis will take vintage video game lovers on a stroll down memory lane with this new offering that has excited gaming enthusiasts young and old – but mostly old.

From USA Today:

Quote:

A new app, due the first week of February, will let you hold the game publisher’s legacy in your hand. The Sega Genesis Ultimate Collection will launch for free with the game Space Harrier II. Inside the app — or sold separately for older iPhones — are other games Sonic the Hedgehog ($5.99), Golden Axe ($4.99), Ecco the Dolphin($2.99) and Shining Force ($2.99).

Yes, all the classics will be there. And published reports indicate that more will soon become a part of this “ultimate collection.” While some fans are calling this sanctioned release a “miracle,” others suspected that it was only a matter of time before the video game maker stepped up to do for itself what it wouldn’t let others do on its behalf. Gizmodo puts it this way:

Quote:

Apple’s finicky about emulators in the App Store, but most of the candidates have been unofficial, and dubiously legal. Sega’s Ultimate Genesis, though, is official, and looks like a full virtual console for youriPhone.

Although many of the games lumped into this new collector’s package haven’t necessarily been missing in action, Sega fans now have a centralized location to serve as their video game time machine and venture back to the bygone era of video gaming enjoyed amidst leg warmers, new episodes of Alf, and bedroom walls adorned with “Back to The Future” posters.

Quote:

Ultimate Genesis is really just a new way to package old apps, and a focused sales channel for new ones. But that’s exactly what a Virtual Console-styleemulator is! And why this is a fantastic idea.

[Via Modmyi.com] Image by gizmodo.com

Earthquake Survivor Says iPhone Helped Save His Life

2010-01-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

“Usually, when someone says their iPhone is a life saver, they are talking about the phone helping them find a good takeout spot or an emergency bathroom,” Todd Wright reports for NBC Miami.

“When Dan Woolley says it, he really means it. He used a medical app saved on his phone to treat a leg injury after the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince collapsed around him,” Wright reports. “Woolley, who is from Colorado Springs, is one of the Americans who survived the massive earthquake that hit Haiti last week, and he did it with an iPhone application. Woolley is now recovering at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, but it was his fast actions with the app that may have saved his life.”

“Woolley used the light from his iPhone to show him his injuries and diagnosed it properly as a broken foot. Then, he used the instructions from the app to treat the excessive bleeding from cuts on his legs and the back of his head,” Wright reports. “He said he also looked up ways to stop from going into shock. ‘I kind of had some time to do some self-diagnosis down there,’ Woolley said. ‘God was with me.’”

“Woolley also used his camera to take pictures of the surrounding rubble to piece together a way out. He eventually took refuge in an elevator shaft until rescue crews found him 65 hours after the earthquake,” Wright reports. “On Tuesday, Woolley told The Today Show he knew he was going to die and decided to write a journal on his notepad to his wife and young kids in the event someone found his corpse under the rubble. ‘I was in a big accident. Don’t be upset at God. He always provides for his children even in hard times,’ Woolley wrote in the dim light. ‘I’m still praying that God will get me out but he may not but He will always take care of ya.’”

[Via macdailynews.com]

GTA Number 1 On The Top-Grossing List In Appstore!!

2010-01-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

For some reason there’s a flood of gaming news coming from the App Store this afternoon. So we’ve rounded it up for you to take in all in one read:

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars [iTunes link] has reached the top-grossing spot on the store in just two days, which means it’s probably taken over the previous record holder. Good news for full-scale gamers: we can expect to see more direct ports from other handheld platforms like the DS and the PSP. Still not sure if GTA is worth the $10? Stay tuned for our review later tonight.
Sega is releasing an Ultimate Genesis Collection on the App Store, which is more or less an official emulator. You get Space Harrier II with the free download, and then in-game purchases allow you to pick up other Sega games: Sonic for $6, Ecco the Dolphin for $3, and so on. They’ve released these games separately before, but this will give them a one-stop hub for official versions of older classics.
Assassin’s Creed II Discovery, the iPhone version of the Ubisoft hit, will reappear on the App Store in February at $9.99. In this interview with Appmodo, producer Ben Mattes talks about the iPhone and what Ubisoft plans to do with it.
Finally, Magnacarta II is an RPG for the Xbox 360 that now has a character guide iPhone app. We’ve seen PC titles release complimentary apps before, but this is the first instance (I know of) where a console game has supplemented their release with an iPhone guide. Something to keep an eye on.

Exciting news all around! Looks like some major developers are finally starting to figure out some interesting and profitable ways to take advantage of Apple’s handheld platform.

[Via tuaw.com]

Police Raid Counterfeit iPhone Workshop

2010-01-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

Zhenzhen police raided a fake iPhone workshop in Huaqiangbei taking twenty eight people into custody, according to Shenzhen Daily.

Seven people were arrested by police and more than 1,000 iPhones and 6,000 phone batteries were confiscated.

Apple officials expressed their appreciation for the officers’ “commendable” efforts.

In early January, police were notified that Chuanglida Communication Tech Co was operating the illegal workshop in the Modern World Window Mansion. Inside there was a clear division of work including accessory purchase, assembly and sales. During the inspection retailers were seen queuing to pick up merchandise.

Each counterfeit iPhone sells for 500 yuan (US$74) in Huaqiangbei, significantly cheaper than 5,000 yuan for the genuine product.

[Via iclarified.com]

First iPhone OS 4.0 Details Leaked?

2010-01-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

The first details about the upcoming iPhone OS 4.0 reportedly been leaked online by the BoyGeniusReport.

Here is what their ‘trusty’ source has told them:

● There will be multi-touch gestures OS-wide.
● “A few new ways” to run applications in the background — multitasking.
● Many graphical and UI changes to make navigating through the OS easier and more efficient.
● The update will supposedly be available for only the iPhone 3G and 3GS, but will “put them ahead in the smartphone market because it will make them more like full-fledged computers” more than any other phone to date. Everyone is “really excited.”
● The last piece of information is the most vague, but apparently there will be some brand new syncing ability for the contacts and calendar applications.

The iPhone OS 4.0 firmware is expected to be announced at Apple’s special event on January 27th.

[Via iClarified.com]

Apple Secretly Moving iTunes Into the Cloud?

2010-01-19T16:18:00.000-08:00

Michael Robertson, founder of MP3.com, predicts that a new version of iTunes will copy all your iTunes media to the cloud.

An upcoming major revision of iTunes will copy each user’s catalog to the net making it available from any browser or net connected ipod/touch/tablet. The Lala upload technology will be bundled into a future iTunes upgrade which will automatically be installed for the 100+ million itunes users with a simple “An upgrade is available…” notification dialog box. After installation iTunes will push in the background their entire media library to their personal mobile iTunes area. Once loaded, users will be able to navigate and play their music, videos and playlists from their personal URL using a browser based iTunes experience.

Robertson believes this is the true reason Apple purchased Lala. Clearly, Apple could have developed this technology on its own; however, time is of the essence. Lala’s talent provides Apple with a starting codebase and a team of engineers already knowledgeable in the field.

Steve Jobs is very aware that applications and services are moving from the PC to the cloud. It is rumored that an online version of iWork is being developed. Moving iTunes online as soon as possible will be essential to maintain its massive lead over the competition.

[Via iclarified.com]

Apptrackr Officially Open To The Public!!!

2010-01-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

Apptrackr has been released. Go to apptrackr.org.

If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, earlier this month I announced apptrackr, a replacement for Appulous. We took the time to make apptrackr very nice looking, and I’ve done my best to optimize it and increase its performance to handle a large, large audience of users.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank all of our beta testers (Advancements) for not only their contributions but for making so many great suggestions and finding quite a few bugs for us to fix. Without you, apptrackr would not be here today!

Apptrackr is advantageous to Appulous for several reasons. In theory, the website should be faster than Appulous (considering we’re on three times the hardware that Appulous is) and the website’s caching functionality is advanced (it uses ideas from Kyek’s RECache algorithm). The website is much better looking, running a theme that we’ve refined for the best presentation and user experience. We also support most iTunes stores, instead of just the US store, for app submission.

You can use apptrackr by visiting http://apptrackr.org/. Make sure that you’re going to apptrackr.org and not a scam website!

Details, details, details….

Here are a few screenshots from the Apptrackr desktop template (some things aren’t exactly the same as they are now):

Some things you should know!

You may already be registered!

Apptrackr runs on a backup of Appulous from a few days ago, so if you registered on Appulous before last week (or so) you may already be registered. You can log in and use the website without a hitch!

Apptrackr is a bit cleaner.

Appulous has a ton of applications, but a lot of them are dead links on old filehosts that we no longer support. Only good filehosts were migrated to Apptrackr, and only apps with links were migrated as well.

How do I access apptrackr on my iDevice?

Apptrackr has a mobile template which allows you to surf the website using MobileSafari. We suggest installing Installous from our cydia repo, cydia.hackulo.us. Note: Installous does not use Apptrackr yet. It will automatically be moved over in the next 24 hours.

If you use install0us 3, MadHouse has released a plugin.

The API is available.

Apptrackr has an API which will allow developers to support apptrackr on their websites and applications. Documentation can be found here.

If you want an API profile, please read this thread.

We have support forums!

Apptrackr has an “Apptrackr Talk” forum here on Hackulous. Please visit that forum if you have any questions, suggestions, or if you find any bugs. If you want to tell me something in confidence, you can private message me on here. I get lots of PM’s, so please only message me if it’s important!

Why haven’t you added _______? or When will you make a _______?

The goal of initial release was to completely replace Appulous’ functionality, so advanced features (such as ratings, reports, statistics, requests, comments, etc.) have not been included. I will be happy to work with our staff to develop features similar to those which add content to the website and make it easier for people to share applications. While we’re open to suggestions, please make sure I haven’t already recognized a suggestion (don’t repeat what someone else has said).

You can view a list of features being considered here.

One of the top priorities of apptrackr is protecting the security of our users. Therefore, any features that we consider will only be applied if we can do it in a way that does not jeopardize user privacy.

I want to contribute!

I realize there are a lot of people out there that have web development and design skills, and I appreciate their suggestions and feedback. What I can’t do, though, is include people outside of the scene on this project. We have to protect the project’s integrity, so we only work with people who we trust and have worked with for a long time. Those people include the Hackulous staff and various other well-known programmers and reverse-engineers in the scene.

What’s going to happen to Appulous?

Kyek runs Appulous, but it is was funded entirely by Hackulous. Now that apptrackr is the main community resource for iPhone and iPod Touch apps, donations will be diverted from Appulous to apptrackr. A problem that Kyek pointed out is that users donated in faith that their donations would go to Appulous, and to rectify this I am not and have not accepted any donations to apptrackr that were made toward Appulous.

Back on topic, I’m not entirely sure what Kyek will do with Appulous. He probably should redirect it, but it is his website and he can do whatever he wants with it. Apptrackr serves as a replacement of his website, and is now the official Hackulous appdb.

Where can we keep track of updates?

I’m very eager to make continuous progress with the website, with the help of our staff. I have created an Apptrackr Blog which will maintain all updates (including some technical details for fellow nerds) about the operation of Apptrackr.

Why were you searching for ‘Russian Girls’ in one of the screenshots?

Shut up.

Again, I am sincerely grateful for our large, supportive community which has motivated me to make apptrackr. Enjoy!

[Via Hackulo.us]

Apple's App Store said to have 99.4 percent of all mobile app sales, more like 97.5

2010-01-19T01:44:00.000-08:00

The latest research from Gartner indicates that, for the year 2009, only 16 million app sales were executed on mobile devices not bearing the infamous bitten apple logo. In reporting this data, Ars Technica inadvertently conflates Apple's latest announcement of three billion apps downloaded with the notion of three billion apps sold and pegs the App Store's market share at a whopping 99.4 percent -- but more realistic calculations still show it to be somewhere in the vicinity of 97.5 percent. Going off estimates (obtained by GigaOM) that a quarter of App Store downloads are paid-for apps, and taking a rough figure of 2.5 billion downloads in 2009, leaves us with around 625 million app sales performed by Apple, which comfortably dwarfs all its competition. Considering the fact 18 months ago there wasn't even an App Store to speak of -- whereas today Cupertino is gobbling up the best part of $4.2 billion in annual mobile apps revenue -- maybe you can now understand why we're covering every tiny drip of info about that mythical tablet.

Ars Technica, Gartner

snes4iphone v6.5.0 Cracked

2010-01-19T01:41:00.001-08:00

Download:

Thanks to schnedi over at xsellize for the upload.

After downloading the deb rename it to snes.deb
Copy it to var/mobile on your iphone and install using ifile or do the following
Open up mobile terminal
Type in su (press return)
Type in alpine (press return)
Type in dpkg -i snes.deb (press return)
Respring or Reboot and enjoy

GV Mobile + Cracked

2010-01-19T01:40:00.000-08:00

Download:

Thanks to soh20 over at xsellize for the upload.

After downloading deb rename to gv.deb
Copy it to var/mobile on your iphone and install using ifile or do the following
Open up mobile terminal
Type in su (press return)
Type in alpine (press return)
Type in dpkg -i gv.deb (press return)
Respring or Reboot and enjoy

iPhone 4G Rumors Roundup

2010-01-19T01:39:00.000-08:00

After last week’s roundup visual Tablet, the Frenchies over at Nowhere Else put together an iPhone 4G equivalent. While I’m not sold on their likeliness evaluations, it’s definitely a nice overview of all the crazy ideas bloggers have came up with. While I’m not sold on their likeliness evaluations, it’s definitely a nice overview of all the crazy ideas bloggers have came up with.

Check it out and tell us what you think ( click to enlarge )

[Via Appadvice.com]

Apple Event to Bring Tablet, iPhone OS 4.0, and iLife 2010??

2010-01-19T01:38:00.000-08:00

FOXNews is reporting that the Apple Event on January 27th will focus on three projects: the Tablet, iPhone OS 4.0, and iLife 2010.

The “Come see our latest creation” event was just announced and takes place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco at 10AM Pacific Time.

I spoke to a source at Apple this morning, before the invite hit my inbox, who said the event would likely focus on three projects: The tablet device, iPhone 4, and a new round of iLife 2010 software. While we won’t see new iPhone hardware just yet, we will see the next-generation software.

While you early wait in anticipation you can check out some of the latest tablet rumors here

[Via iClarified.com]

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Released for iPhone

2010-01-19T01:37:00.000-08:00

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has been released for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Following his father’s murder, Huang Lee has a simple mission: deliver an ancient sword to his Uncle Kenny to ensure his family retains control of the Triad gangs of Liberty City. Huang is a spoiled rich kid who expects everything to run smoothly, but his trip does not go exactly as planned. After being robbed and left to die, he will search for honor, riches and revenge in the most dangerous and morally bankrupt city in the world.

You can purchase Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars from the App Store for $9.99.

[Via iClarified.com]

Wind OS Let’s You Emulate Windows on your iPhone/iPod Touch

2010-01-17T21:06:00.001-08:00

Wind OS is a new application/emulator that has been released onto the AppStore. This emulator replicates Windows on your iPhone/iPod Touch and allows you to play Minesweeper, use Internet Explorer and edit notes using NotePad.

The application even emulates the Blue-screen-of-death. When you start up the emulate, it replicates all the noises of a computer through the speakers of the fan speeding up, the whirl of the hard-drive and such.

Then you come to a familiar looking screen where you can start launching applications in a Windows-esque GUI.

To use the applications, simply double tap on the icons. To make the Blue-screen-of-death popup, you could to continuously open up Internet Explorer and then it will show up.

You can get the application for only $0.99 on the AppStore [iTunes Link].

GV Mobile + For iPhone Available In Cydia Store

2010-01-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

We saw the preview, but now it’s for real — GV Mobile + (2.0) for Jailbreak is available via Cydia via the ModMyI repo. Originally an App Store app before the Great Google Voice Rejection of ‘09, GV Mobile has thrived on Cydia, and the latest release shows no sign of slowing down. What’s new?

First, it costs money. The developer has worked long and hard on GV Mobile + and since he can’t rely on the App Store for income, he has to get the Jailbreak community to support him. If you like GV Mobile +, please do.

Second, it has a ton of updates:

Favorites
New tab system for Contacts, Favorites, Keypad
Landscape SMS
Call & Add Contact from SMS main view
International support for SMS (until Google blocks it)
Call, Text, & Add Contact from History
Voicemail transcriptions, new voicemail screen layout
Call, Text, & Add Contact from Voicemail
Local archiving of voicemail (doesn’t download every time)
Offline dialing (via dialing GV #)
Default Area code (for those that don’t need to dial the area code in you area)
More data sync options (Interval, Startup, Startup on demand, manual)
Multiple Accounts
User selectable tab to open to
More Google Settings : Do Not Disturb, Call Screening, Call Presentation
The core of the updates reside in the back end programming of the app – completely rebuilt from ground up.

[Via TheiPhoneBlog.com]

G-Fi Puts GPS On Your First Gen iPhone/iPod Touch

2010-01-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

I love my iPhone, but I have to say that there is one little thing wrong with it: it’s a first generation. That means that I can’t quite play all of the games, or record video, or do all of the cool GPS things you kids can do nowadays. It’s not a really bad thing — I can still do a good 99% of the things that a 3GS can do, and I get plenty of usage out of mine anyway — but it is kind of a pain waiting for my Google maps to update over Edge, or not having turn-by-turn directions when I want them.

Fortunately, there are already ways to get GPS going on my 1st gen, and here’s another one. The G-Fi is a little box that will add GPS to your first generation iPhone or iPod touch. Unfortunately, this one is probably a little too hardcore for me — it creates a mobile wireless point that will spin out GPS locations to any number of devices in the area, up to 200 total. The catch: it requires a specific app called Navmii, selling in the App Store now for $33. That’s in addition to the little box itself, which is $100.

Unfortunately, while this might work for a large number of roaming devices, it’s way more than I need. A single unit add-on like the Magellan kit works with any app that uses GPS and will probably cost less, too. But if this one floats your boat (maybe you have a fleet of bounty hunters rocking 1st gen iPhones who need GPS to track down crooks together?), you can pick it up right now.

[Via Tuaw.com]

Teen Arrested For Leaving Threat On Apple Store Computer Screen

2010-01-16T16:06:00.000-08:00

A teen in New York has been arrested for leaving a threatening note on the screen of a computer at an Apple Store. The 17-year-old boy was joking around with friends when he typed a note on screen promising “a bloody death” to anyone working in the store via a “bomb loaded with C4, strapped to my chest.” The note was then signed with the name of one of his friends’ fathers. He claims he typed it just to be funny, and then forgot to delete it when he left, but the District Attorney in Staten Island says it’s no joke — the kid faces up to seven years in prison.

I can’t help but think they’ll let him off the hook eventually. Sure, it was a stupid (really stupid) thing to do, and they should come up with a punishment that teaches the kid a lesson, but time in prison labeled as a terrorist seems a little much for showing off to friends in an Apple Store. Maybe they can have him do some in-store lip synching performances as a community service.

[Via Tuaw.com]

iPhone 4G Could Come With Touch Sensitive Back Panel Casing

2010-01-14T20:11:00.001-08:00

The next generation iPhone could come with a touch sensitive casing and a 5-megapixel camera. These claims were made by Goldman Sachs Group analyst Robert Chen in an interview to Bloomberg based on information from his sources.

According to Chen,iPhone 4G could see some innovation in hardware as the existing back panels shall be replaced with touch sensitive plastic panels much on the lines of Apple's Magic Mouse, which debuted back in October of last year.

Chen also insisted that the new iPhone could come equipped with an advanced camera and an updated operating system - something that most of us would have guessed.

These rumors come close on the heels of speculations in South Korea earlier this week about the launch of iPhone 4G in April of this year. Chen on his part claims that production of the device will rather begin in April for a June-July launch. Chen's statement also did not make any mention of the dual core processor that was mentioned in the article on The Korea Times newspaper.

[via Bloomberg]

Apple Releases MobileMe Gallery App

2010-01-14T19:21:00.001-08:00

Apple released its fifth first-party App Store application Thursday with the free MobileMe Gallery, allowing users to view photos and videos from the cloud-based service on their iPhone or iPod touch.

The MobileMe Gallery app (iTunes link) lets users select an album with a tap and flick back and forth through photos, pinch to zoom, or rotate into landscape view. The software also automatically stores photos that have been viewed, so they can be accessed again even without a network connection.

Friens’ publicly shared content can also be accessed by choosing their name from contacts or entering their MobileMe member name. It also includes a scrolling sampler at the top that gives users access to recent photos.

Users must enter their MobileMe member name and password to see their list of published movies and photos. A MobileMe subscription is required.

Beware Of Facebook 3.1 Contact Syncing

2010-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

As if Facebook 3.1 for iPhone and iPod touch didn’t have enough problems, dmackdaddy let us know this potentially embarrassing problem he’s experiencing with the new contact picture syncing functionality:

Beware of your profile pics, or your boss might get one of you doing something you don’t want them to see! What happens is, [Facebook 3.1] takes [all] the emails and phone numbers on your iPhone and sends them to Facebook. It then cross-checks and syncs them back to your iPhone. That’s a major security flaw right there! It should only sync the ones you’re friends with.

So for an example I have my coworker’s email and cell but I am not her Facebook friend. All of a sudden when I got a call from my coworker I saw a picture of her in a bikini because that was her [Facebook] profile pic!

I’m using Outlook 2010 and it has a new feature called Suggested Contacts where it keeps all your emails you been using. Those sync to my iPhone via exchange 2007. So now I have Facebook profile pics in Outlook 2010 for a bunch of folks that I don’t even really know just because I have emailed them.

Given the more casual (read: sometimes drunken and debauched) profile pictures that appear on Facebook, and the potential from cross-contamination between trusted friends and respected colleagues, if this is widespread the potential for embarrassment is high. Even if this is an isolated or semi-isolated incident, as more and more social network contact pools are integrated together, its worth remembering that anything — and everything — you put on the internet will eventually be seen by those people you least want to see it.

Remember, if though Facebook thinks privacy is dead, it may still be important to you and yours. So think twice and practice safe pics!

[Image above is a mockup based on the story -- no real coworkers were embarrassed in the making of this post]

[Via theiphoneblog.com]

Apple Removes iPhone App for Giving Access to Porn - Like Any Normal Browser

2010-01-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

App Store controversies are not new to Apple. However, for a while it seemed that the company was trying to stay away from such incidents. However, today the company has courted fresh controversy over the removal of an iPhone app from the App Store. The reason behind the removal? The iPhone app could be used to access porn from third party servers - very much like any normal web browser.

The iPhone app in question, forChan, is developed by the app development company iHustleApps. This iPhone app, which retailed at $0.99 at the App Store, let users connect to any imageboard site and surf through the pictures from their server. To put it simply, it was photo-viewing web browser. The app was not completely innocuous though. It listed all the popular imageboards in categories and there were close to 15 "adults only" sections. The app was initially approved by Apple only to be later pulled off over concerns that the iPhone app was giving users access to porn.

While the app developer was without doubt offering users access to porn implicitly, it does not actually make this a porn app. As folks at Gizmodo have noted, the app offers access to third party porn in very much the same way as iPhone's Safari web browser does. On a similar line of thought, the Google iPhone app too could serve to deliver results that are not family-friendly when the SafeSearch filter is not turned on. That being the case, Apple's decision to pull out forChan from the App Store does not make much sense.

[via Krapps, Gizmodo]

Samsung Introduces It’s New 64GB NAND Samsung Introduces It’s New 64GB NAND

2010-01-13T14:16:00.000-08:00

Samsung, has announced a new 64GB memory moviNAND that could be used in next-generation iPhone that may be arriving in the summer like every year.

The new chip measures 1.4 millimeters in height, composed of 16 30nm-class 32Gb MLC NAND chip and a controller. Each presentation of an Apple iPhone has always doubled the size of the maximum capacity. We expect, therefore, that the next generation iphone will have a 64GB model and these could be the chips that could be used.

Toshiba, meanwhile announced the upcoming release of 64GB NAND chip, so Apple will have the opportunity to choose between the two. We’ll see!

[Via ispazio.net] Translated by google

Cost Of App Store Piracy Pegged At $450 Million

2010-01-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

24/7 Wall St. reports that Apple and App Store developers appear to have lost approximately $450 million to piracy since the marketplace for iPhone and iPod touch application opened in July 2008. The rough number is based on several estimates regarding the proportion of downloads that are paid applications, the piracy rate for paid applications, and the proportion of pirated app users who would have paid for the applications had pirated versions not been available.

There have been over 3 billion downloads since the inception of the App Store. Assuming the proportion of those that are paid apps falls in the middle of the Bernstein estimate, 17% or 510 million of these were paid applications. Based on our review of current information, paid applications have a piracy rate of around 75%. That supports the figure that for every paid download, there have been 3 pirated downloads. That puts the number of pirate downloads at 1.53 billion. If the average price of a paid application is $3, that is $4.59 billion dollars in losses split between Apple and the application developers. That is, of course, assuming that all of those pirates would have made purchases had the application not been available to them for free. This is almost certainly not the case. A fair estimate of the proportion of people who would have used the App Store if they did not use pirated applications is about 10%. This estimate yields about $459 million in lost revenue for Apple and application developers.

Based on Apple’s take of App Store sales of 30%, the report concludes that piracy has cost Apple itself in the neighborhood of $140 million over the past year and a half, a significant loss for the company, especially considering Apple’s estimated total App Store revenue of $500-$700 million.

The report also notes that Apple has remained silent about the issue and taken no significant steps to address the issue beyond the initial security measures deployed in the App Store. Assuming Apple’s true goal is to sell iPhones and iPods, then like the original iTunes Music Store, the App Store may very well be viewed as a means to that end. Consequently, the hit to Apple’s bottom line may be considered somewhat acceptable to the company if it continues to drive device sales, leaving developers to bear the brunt of the revenue loss.

[Via Macrumors.com]

[Image via theiphoneblog]

Apple to Introduce 4G iPhone in April?

2010-01-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

KT, the second largest mobile carrier in South Korea, indicates that Apple may launch its fourth generation iPhone as early as April.

The KoreaTimes has heard that talks over sales volumes are underway and that KT is set to sell the new devices to its bigger local corporate clients as a “litmus test” in April. It plans to provide the new iPhones to local distributors in June.

“We don’t see any bigger hurdle to introduce 4G iPhones here, as legal issues were completely cleared. It’s possible to launch the devices within the first half,” a high-ranking KT executive told The Korea Times, asking not to be identified.

“Still, there are some 3G iPhone stocks. But KT and Apple have reached a broad consensus to introduce the advanced models as early as possible,” according to the executive.

The 4G iPhones will reportedly be equipped with OLED screens, live video chat functionality, dual core processors, more powerful graphic chips, as well as higher video resolutions and better “still” images. A removable battery is also highly likely.

If this report is accurate, Apple may be trying to counter the rush of new smartphones such as the Google Nexus One device.

[Via iClarified.com]

Infinidock App for Jailbroken iPhones Lets You Enable a Horizontal Scrolling iPhone Dock

2010-01-11T22:20:00.000-08:00

If you are the kind who has several dozens iPhone applications on your iPhone at any point, it can become quite cumbersome to sift through several home screens every time you want to launch one of your favorite applications. How about bookmarking all your frequently used apps on the iPhone dock to easily locate them?

Infinidock, a new project from chpwn, one of the developers of popular multi-tasking iPhone app, ProSwitcher does exactly this. Available on Cydia for jailbroken iPhones, the application lets you add as many icons as you choose to the iPhone dock without needlessly cluttering the interface. All of the apps added to the dock are arranged horizontally and users may choose how many apps be visible at any given point. To surf through the rest of the list, you may simply swipe across the dock horizontally.

The note about the jailbreak app by the developer reads:

"Full dock customization: scrolling, adjustable icon amounts, and more! Add as many icons as you want, and the dock will grow to accommodate them, and set how many you want on every page. The ultimate dock customization tool, by one of the developers of ProSwitcher. Please report all bugs and submit all feature requests via email so we can take a look!"

The Infinidock app is now available on Cydia for $0.99.

[via ModMyi]

New PowerVR Chip May Be Headed For 4th Gen iPhone??

2010-01-11T22:18:00.000-08:00

The company whose graphics processing units have powered every iPhone unveiled its new chip at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday. The HD-capable PowerVR SGX545 GPU has full support for both OpenGL 3.2 and OpenCL 1.0 and can render 40 million polygons per second at 200MHz. Speculation has already begun that this will be the graphics engine used in the fourth-generation iPhone expected this summer.

The graphics on the iPhone – which have garnered praise over the years – are widely considered overdue for an upgrade: the iPhone’s 320 × 480 display pales in comparison to the Motorola Droid’s 854 x 480 pixel screen. An HD-capable iPhone would be a logical next step for the device. The PowerVR core’s OpenCL support in the holds out the possibility that the GPU could be used to relieve the main processor on a futureiPhone that runs OpenCL software. The SGX545 also supports multithreading, and so could further maximize performance when installed alongside a multi-core processor like the ARM Cortex-A9, which has itself been rumored as the CPU thatApple will use in the 4G iPhone.

The company expects its chip to be used not just in phones but in netbooks as well, touting the core’s DirectX support.

Quote:

Combining our many years of experience in the embedded, mobile and PC-based DirectX graphics worlds, PowerVR SGX 545 takes the possibilities of hand-held graphics to a new level by delivering a full DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.x feature set as well as delivering GPU powered OpenCL heterogeneous parallel processing capabilities for themobile and embedded markets. This makes PowerVR SGX545 a compelling solution for application processor SoC designers targeting the next generation of netbook and MIDmobile products demanding exceptional graphics capabilities.

Imagination has not yet begun production of the SGX545, but says it has begun licensing the chip and, notably, has already produced some test units for a company it refers to as a “lead partner.” Given thatApple has used PowerVR cores in every iPhone and iPod touch to date and owns almost ten percent of Imagination, it’s not unrealistic to speculate that they are talking aboutApple.

Via[ Modmyi.com]

App Approval On Steroids - iPhone Apps Approved Within Hours

2010-01-10T21:44:00.001-08:00

A lot many app developers have had bitter experiences to share about Apple's app approval process.

It was either because of the unusually long times taken to approve apps or because the developers never received the complete information on why one of their iPhone apps was rejected.

We saw a glimpse of a changing approval process late last year when we reported that Apple no longer automatically rejecting iPhone applications that made use of private APIs. Back then we had written that these apps were approved with a note to developers that such violations should be rectified in the subsequent updates.

Now we are hearing that the approval process overall has become a lot more quicker as well. According to an article on the Next Web, newly submitted apps no longer take weeks to be approved. Instead, it has taken only a matter of few hours for developers to get their apps approved by the app review staff.

It is not exactly clear what has caused this sudden improvement in app approval time. You might recall that Apple has a normal approval duration of 14 days and in worst cases, it has also taken over a year for some iPhone apps to be approved. Apple has not commented on whether this new change is simply because of a better optimized approval process or because more reviewers have been added. In either case, this is very good news for app developers worldwide.

[via The Next Web]

Google Nexus One Vs. iPhone 3GS

2010-01-10T21:42:00.000-08:00

iBlueNova Formerly iBluetooth Review

2010-01-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

These days we have talked a lot about the new version of iBluetooth MeDevil that has almost completely finished. The application is entered in beta and we got to try so hard to find below the full review exclusively on iSpazio. The changes are really a lot starting from the GUI, continuing with the icon, functions and even the name. Fact no longer defined as “iBluetooth” but will be called iBlueNova.

iBlueNova is the only application in the world that allows us to send and receive files, pictures, videos, and photos via Bluetooth with all other phones, smart phones and computers. It is therefore a complete release of Bluetooth natively blocked by Apple for the only communication between two iPhone or iPod Touch.

As soon as we start the application by clicking on the switch we turn on the bluetooth place on top of the menu item “Enable”. At this point we can set the visibility of our iPhone, to appear on all other devices and receive files.

The application has a very complete File Manager, which will allow us to quickly select the images you want to send the songs to our iPod library, ringtones, videos and other files in your phone. Let us examine for example the delivery of an image via Bluetooth to a Nokia any or a Desktop Computer.

First click on “Pictures”, after which we will choose one of our albums, or the photographic film. Then view the various thumbnails of photos and we can select the preferred one. At this point we do not have to do is click the last icon on the bottom bar to find ourselves in a new page where you will upload the list of available Bluetooth devices nearby.

We select the preferred device and within seconds receive the image!

By clicking on the “Music” view our media tracks divided into:

Songs
Artists
Album
Ringtones

It will therefore be easy to find the files we need and it appears in its original name (song name) instead of the strange renaming using iTunes and do not allow us to distinguish which song it is. After trying to work along this we can say that the File Manager of media files is done really well.

If we intend to transfer any files (other than photos, music or video), we need to click on “Other Files”, where viasualize a new manager and we can browse through all the files and folders as root.

The application also incorporates another section called “Activity” where they are grouped two items:

Transfers
Device Discovery

The first takes us on a screen where we can watch the status of all transfers made or those still in progress. Device Discovery however, is the area where we can run the refresh of the devices to find new phones or computer with Bluetooth active in our neighborhood. These devices can also be saved to favorites for faster selection when transferring multiple files. From tests performed, the transfer rate has reached 100 kb per second and is therefore quite satisfactory.

Finally we can choose in Settings:

the name of our device,
enable automatic search for Bluetooth devices to send files,
activate a vibration as soon as we receive a file from someone
choose a PIN for pairing of devices
Send images as JPEG or original
Automatically save all the images received in the library
choose different paths to save the videos, photos, music and other files that we receive

What to add .. Lacks only the code for managing licenses and other minor changes, otherwise the application is really great and also integrates support for Ifile and the possibility of using copy / paste native And ‘quite different and significantly better than the previous version, not crashed every two seconds and works with all devices. People who bought the old version should get the upgrade for free. The price for new users will be notified later.

We will continue to try the various beta and will be updating all the news that will be additions to the current version. Finally, when it reaches perfection, you can download exclusively via Cydia and the repository of iSpazio.

Via ispazio.net [translated by google]

Facebook App Version 3.1 Released - Introduces Push Notification And Contact Syncing

2010-01-08T17:26:00.002-08:00

One of the most popular free iPhone applications on the App Store just got a face-lift.

Facebook iPhone app version 3.1 is now available on the App Store for download and it has introduced a feature that users had been demanding for a long time - Push Notifications. The push notification will make it easier for users to follow their friends activities on Facebook.

You no longer have to constantly check back on your app for new updates.

Users will now be able to receive a popup notification whenever somebody writes on your wall or comments on your status messages. As MG Seigler from TechCrunch notes, this could let you to interact more passively with your Facebook data.

One of the other significant introductions in the new version of the Facebook app is the ability to sync your Facebook friends with your iPhone address book. This new syncing feature allows you to replace your address book contact pictures with those from Facebook.

These are no wonder very exciting updates to the existing platform. But it is interesting that it has taken quite a while for the updates to be implemented. Our readers might recall that Joe Hewitt had hinted at an impending push notification feature back in October of last year. It is not clear if the delay had something to do with Hewitt's exit from the Facebook app development team.

Users looking to download the iPhone app can check out the iTunes link here. As always, do let us know what you feel about the new features in the comments section below.

[via TechCrunch]

Cydia App: Resupported Enables iPhone Video On Unsupported Cables

2010-01-08T17:26:00.001-08:00

Resupported allows you to display iPhone video out using unsupported video cables.

—–
There are plenty of accessories on the market that allow you to play video out with iPods, but when plugged into the iPhone, display “This accessory is unsupported by iPhone”, and refuse to play video out. Or at least used to.

Resupported is a safe and cheap alternative to paying the Apple tax. It enables video out through many unsupported AV cables and devices, and it does not modify system files!
—–

Here’s a simple check to see if your cord is likely to be supported:
-Does it plug into the dock connector?
-Will audio play through it when connected to your device?
-Does it have a video output or a screen?

Resupported is available from the Cydia Store for $1.99

Via iclarified.com

Burglars Stealing From LA Apple Store Customers

2010-01-08T17:25:00.001-08:00

I better be careful next time I walk out of my Apple Store here in Santa Monica — apparently burglars are targeting Apple Store customers here in the Los Angeles area. Over 100 customers have apparently been targeted after leaving the store and keeping a computer or other purchase in their car. The thieves wait for customers to walk away from Apple Store bags in their car, either at home or at another store, and then they break in and take them. For some reason, no computers have yet been returned, either, which makes cops think that they’re possibly being “shipped out of the country or fenced right away.” But of course that would require an organized ring, and police aren’t even sure these are all related yet.

How to prevent this from happening to you? Don’t leave an expensive computer unattended in your car (duh), or just make the Apple Store the last stop on your list. I’ve made a few pricey purchases while driving around out here (most recently, I picked up a PS3), and no matter what the neighborhood, I didn’t feel safe about leaving it unattended. Even when I’m just carrying my iPod around, I always lock it out of sight in the glovebox before parking the car. As with all of these types of situations, a little bit of care goes a long way.

Via tuaw.com

Next Generation iPhone to Finally Get Camera Flash?

2010-01-08T17:24:00.000-08:00

Apple has moved to obtain large quantities of LED camera flash components, according to an AppleInsider report.

The site has learned that Apple is seeking allotments of LED camera flash components in the tens of millions for delivery during the 2010 calendar year. Due to their sales volume the iPhones and maybe even the iPod touch are the most likely recipients.

Their same sources believe that the Philips’ Lumileds Lighting sector may have already secured the win for this contract.

Its thought that Apple will use the Philips LUXEON LED camera flash technology which combines the brightness of regular lighting with the long life and tiny size of LEDs. This technology is commonly used with 5+ megapixel cameras and has successfully shipped over 200 million units worldwide.

The LEDs could also be used to provide light for video recording and flashlight applications.

Via iclarified.com

iRealSMS 3.0 Cracked

2010-01-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

Download:

After downloading the deb rename it to ireal.deb
Copy it to var/mobile on your iphone and install using ifile or do the following
Open up mobile terminal
Type in su (press return)
Type in alpine (press return)
Type in dpkg -i ireal.deb (press return)
Open up irealsms, exit it and respring or reboot your iphone
Enjoy irealsms 3.0

Speculation On Apple Tablet Costs

2010-01-07T19:42:00.002-08:00

With a rumored Jan. 27 event fast approaching, speculation regarding Apple’s still-unannounced tablet continues to mount. This week, one analyst shared alleged information on the device’s internal components, while another attempted to project the cost of its parts.

Analyst Ashok Kumar of Northeast Securities spoke with AppleInsider this week about the device, which is expected to debut this month and ship in March. Kumar said the tablet processor will be manufactured by Samsung and will be based on the Cortex-A8 ARM architecture. He believes it will have a speed of about 1GHz.

However, some have assumed that the tablet, along with the next iPhone, would be based on ARM’s new Cortex-A9 architecture. The reference designs for the next-generation chip allow either two or four cores with a more power efficient design.

Though Intel and its low-power, low-cost Atom processor were rumored in 2007 to be a part of Apple’s forthcoming products, it never happened. Since then, it has been believed that Apple’s $278 million buyout of fabless chip designer P.A. Semi would allow the company to create its own ARM-based designs for devices.

Ashok also said sources have told him that the tablet will be sold in two ways: a carrier-subsidized model with a wireless data contract, and an unlocked, more expensive model not tied to a wireless provider.

“They’re going to have one subsidized and one direct to the consumer model,” he said.

Kumar also said the hardware will have a baseband supplied by Infineon, the same as in the iPhone.

In November, he also told AppleInsider that a CDMA-only iPhone with a chipset from Qualcomm will be released for the Verizon network in the U.S. in 2010. He said a new dual-mode chip from Qualcomm will not be available in time for a summer 2010 launch for the new iPhone.

Last fall, Kumar correctly stated that Google would release its own custom-built handset. The Nexus One was officially unveiled by Google Tuesday. However, Kumar was also criticized after he noted that iPhone sales in China were “disappointing” before the device was even on sale.

Also this week, Jeffrey Fidacaro of Susquehanna Financial provided a projection of how much the internal components of Apple’s tablet might cost — without even knowing for sure what they are. The details were revealed in a note to investors this week, as relayed by Fortune Brainstorm Tech.

While the calculated $340 cost of components has been widely reported, that total is based on the inclusion of a 4200rpm 160GB hard disk drive. Given Apple’s push for solid state drives and NAND flash memory in its mobile devices, it is unlikely that the Apple tablet would include a spinning hard drive.

Fidacaro said if Apple opts for a 128GB SSD, it would add several hundred dollars to the cost of the device.

The analyst also assumes the device will run on an Intel Atom processor, would include 2GB of DRAM, and sport a 3.2 megapixel camera. If Apple went with an ARM-based processor, Fidacaro said, the tablet’s cost could be reduced by as much as $50.

Via appleinsider.com

iBluetooth Beta Coming This Weekend

2010-01-07T19:42:00.001-08:00

Medevil the iBluetooth dev has finished the full iBluetooth UI so now all that is left is the beta testing and qualification before it is released.

Redsn0w & PwnageTool May Be Updated for iPhone 3.1.2

2010-01-06T21:18:00.001-08:00

MuscleNerd is reporting that he has recovered the long lost source code to redsn0w and may update it to support 3.1.2.

yay, managed to recover the long lost source code to redsn0w ..will port it to 3.1.2FW if there’s any interest (mac+win+linux)

Redsn0w is an easy to use, multi-platform, multi-device jailbreaking and unlocking tool for the iPhone 2G (original iPhone), the iPhone 3G/3GS and also the iPod touch (first and second generation). It is available for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows but has not been updated for the latest firmware.

*Update: Looks like Redsn0w will be updated and get a new boot logo feature. Take a look at the screenshot below…

*Update 2: Seems PwnageTool will be ported to Windows and Linux as well.

Via iclarified.com

Apple App Store Downloads Hit 3 Billion

2010-01-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

Apple on Tuesday revealed that more than 3 billion applications have been downloaded worldwide from its App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch.

“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months — this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” said Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs. “The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”

The iPhone and iPod touch are currently available to customers in 77 countries. Apps are available in 20 different categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel.

The 3 billion milestone represents a billion since the end of September, or a span of just over three months. It was in late September that Apple revealed that over 2 billion apps were downloaded from the App Store.

That means in the last 99 days, software from the App Store has been downloaded at a rate of more than 10.1 million per day. That’s well up from the rate of 6.9 million downloads per day Apple achieved from April to July.

Tuesday’s announcement shows that the rapid pace of growth of the App Store continues to accelerate. In July, just as the App Store turned one year old, Apple announced that more than 1.5 billion downloads were offered through its online application download destination.

The staggering totals are thanks in part to the sheer number of applications available. In early November, Apple revealed that more than 100,000 applications were available on the App Store.

Via appleinsider.com

iRealSMS 3.0 – Full Messages App Replacement Released In Cydia

2010-01-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

Features of iRealSMS Version 3.0 (9.99 € / ~12.50* $)

QuickReply:
- View and Reply to an SMS from any application without having to exit your current app.
- Supports Lock Screen!
- New Landscape Layout
- Hide/Un-Hide Function allows you to background QuickReply so you answer at your convenience
  (press home button to hide / tap status bar to unhide)
- Option to Call Contact instead of reply
- iRealNetwork QuickSwitch allows you to switch network setting directly from the QuickReply
  (long press/hold of the REPLY key will initiate the QuickSwitch)
QuickSend:
- Compose a new SMS from any application without the need of going into the messages app.
- Supports Lock Screen!
- New Landscape Layout
- Favorites List
- Option to Call Contacts from QuickSend for added convenience
- iRealNetwork QuickSwitch allows you to switch network setting directly from the QuickSend
  (long press/hold of the SEND key will initiate the QuickSwitch)
MMS Support:
- Send & Receive MMS(for MMS enabled iPhones)
- Reply to incoming MMS messages via QuickReply!
- Insert MMS content directly into QuickReply & QuickSend!
Contact Pics:
- Added to Conversation List
- Added to QuickReply
- Added to Single SMS View(via Folders Mode)
Smileys:
- Smileys Available via App, QuickReply, QuickSend
- Smiley Filter Converts Incoming ASCII Smiley into iPhone Emoji Equivalent.
- Customizable to Send Outgoing Smileys as either:
  - iPhone Smileys: Only other iPhones can view them (network restrictions may apply as some cell networks iPhone emoji is not compatible with one another)
  - ASCII Smiley: Will Show on Recipients Phone as ASCII equivalent (for use when sending to other types of phones)
  - ASCII Short Strings: Uses a shorter ASCII script for those that want to save on character usage
Templates:
- Create Templates & Insert them into your Conversation via the App!(QuickReply & QuickSend Support not yet available)
- Supports Multi-Contact Lists, so you can easily make a template and use it as a SmartGroup
Insert Option:
- Insert Option added to the Paste UI Callout.
  (Double Tap or Long Tap the Text Field to reveal the PASTE | INSERT options. )
- Select Insert for 3 Options: (only available via App)
  - Insert Contact: add a contacts info from your address book
  - Insert Draft: Insert an unfinished message and complete it for sending
  - Insert Template: Easily insert your pre-defined Templates!
Privacy Settings:
- Control the way your iPhone handles the Incoming SMS Alerts.
- Add Password Protection to your iRealSMS 3.0 Main Application and keep your conversations from prying eyes
Blacklist:
- Our in-app Blacklist allows you to suppress certain numbers from producing an Alert of any kind and keeps it out of your Conversation List. Customize it to Auto-Delete the messages or to Hide them in the BlackList folder
Folders Mode:
- The Standard for Most Phones: View Your SMS using a Folders format: INBOX / DRAFTS / TEMPLATES / OUTBOX / SENT
- Allows You to Control how you want to use your SMS app!
- Easily Reply and Forward by SMS or by Mail!
Search Feature:
- Easily Search Your SMS Database by NAME | TEXT | ALL
  (search function found in folders tab)
Character Counter:
- Counts the amount of Characters Being used in the Text Field as well as the Total Number of SMS messages that will be Sent
- Available in App, QuickReply, QuickSend
Credit Counter:
- Displays the amount of remaining iRealNetwork SMS Credits.
- Available in App, QuickReply, QuickSend
Time Stamps:
- Displays the Time Stamps for All Messages!
- Displays in Conversations mode by pressing the EDIT button
- Displays Time Stamps for Incoming messages in QuickReply
Hide Keyboard:
- Option to Slide to Keyboard back off screen so as to show a full screen view of the conversation bubbles
  (While in a Conversation simply tap on one of the text bubbles to have the keyboard slide off screen)
Orientation Settings:
- Use your app under auto-rotate as normal or lock it into portrait or landscape mode.
- QuickReply & QuickSend can only Auto-Rotate or Portrait lock at this time
Built-in Background Feature:
- For INSTANT launch times use the built in background feature! (utilizes some available memory)
SAVE MONEY with RealNetwork:
- iRealNetwork is a new service bringing SMS to your iPhone as you are used to but MUCH CHEAPER. With 8 EuroCents per SMS it is a great deal for national SMS and unbeatable for international SMS. A common rate for int. SMS is 39 EuroCent which is 500% of our rate. It is in the nature of SMS services that we cannot support every destination in the world – therefore it is our policy to REFUND any Credit purchases which cannot be used because our service doesn’t support the destination country or network you require. We are supporting over 570 networks worldwide though. So try it out and save your money!
- Have them handy for those of you that are only allotted a certain number of SMS messages a month! Why pay overage charges for SMS ala cart when you can just switch over to the iRealNetwork at usually a cheaper rate than what your carrier offers!
- Enable in Settings or by Long Pressing the SEND or REPLY button you can initiate a Quick Network Switch!
  (iRealNetwork sends via your Internet connection so WI-FI, 3G or EDGE is necessary for use.)
- QuickSwitch:
  - Long Pressing the SEND or REPLY button you can initiate a Quick Network Switch to easily toggle between sending via your carrier or iRealNetwork
  - Available in App, QuickReply, QuickSend
Compatible with iBlacklist
Compatible with WinterBoard

Via xsellize.com

Appulous Closing Its Doors!! Welcome AppTrackr

2010-01-04T22:41:00.001-08:00

Greetings to everyone in the cracked apps scene! My name is TDDebug, and it’s my pleasure to come forward today with some optimism and signs of progress. Today is a landmark.

What’s with Appulous?

Appulous is the largest iPhone and iPod Touch application database in the entire world (except for iTunes, of course ) and has been the scene’s number one source for over a year now. It was created by Kyek, who knew that the scene needed a large application database to ensure quality and organization.

However, due to Kyek’s personal life becoming more and more hectic, he is unable to manage, optimize, develop, or scale Appulous to meet the demands of millions of users. The website has suffered from his inactivity, and has gotten extremely slow and periodically unavailable. This isn’t just pissing off normal users, this is bothersome to crackers who find it difficult to make submissions to Appulous due to its slow speed.

What’s the solution, then?

We can’t just wait another half a year for things to get better like last time. After the introduction of the troll bridge, Appulous quality and speed has gotten so poor that we have been begged to solve this problem.

The solution: I have created a new website called apptrackr which will completely replace Appulous, which is shutting down soon. Apptrackr will inherit the Appulous database and be managed by not only myself but several designers and programmers from all-around!

Where to begin?

We need to ask ourselves the question: if we could redo Appulous, what would we change? There are many answers to this question that I can make as a software engineer, and there are a lot of suggestions that all of you could make in regards to the user experience. But one thing we can agree on is that the most important thing to improve is the speed of the website. Appulous is so slow now that users can barely ever submit applications. In order for apptrackr to succeed, we must do what Kyek has been unable to do recently and scale out the website. We need state of the art caching, a better static data distribution model, and heavy software optimization. This kind of stuff doesn’t just happen overnight, though, and it will take a while to perfect. But so-far, I believe I’ve given it my best shot.

Other areas of improvement include management. Policy decisions (whitelist, budget) need to be managed properly and securely. For this reason, policy decisions will be left to an advisory committee which contains many responsible and well-known figures in the scene. Aside from this, we need transparency and continuous progress.

Additionally, we need to focus on functionality. We need a working API, a faster and more optimized mobile website, and to leave room for improvement in the future. Not just plans, but implementations.

As an added bonus, we need to improve the user experience and graphical quality of the website significantly.

It does everything Appulous does, and more!

All of Appulous’ core functionality has been replicated in apptrackr, but not copied. I have created my own iTunes scraper which is compatible with all iTunes stores, while Appulous only supports the US store. Our application database has been populated with information that Appulous has extracted for well over a year now. There are also some subtle changes here and there which differ significantly from Appulous. These changes were made to improve the user experience and/or make deployment easier.

In order for Apptrackr to scale out, it must scale out static content. Therefore, our submission system has a built in queue system which processes new submissions within a minute or two, and will distribute content like screenshots and app icons to the appropriate servers. This allows us to, later, add automated link analysis and moderation.

The user experience is a lot better.

Apptrackr has an improved template which makes it easier and nicer to browse and search for applications. It uses as much AJAX as possible to ensure efficiency, and content changes in quick fade-ins and fade-outs. You will now see never-before-seen (outside of staff and a select few) screenshots of apptrackr. Click on a thumbnail to see a full-sized image.

Highlights of the user interface

Ajax is used for almost all operations, making the website more responsive and faster. Javascript will render and construct the page instead of our server.
App icons are fully rounded instead of being sometimes rectangular and ugly (like on Appulous).
Screenshots are viewed in a small frame which can be navigated with buttons. The screenshots will fade/slide in from each other.
Categories and sorting options are easy to access and manipulate.
Search is easy to operate.
Default options on submission are tailored for mass-submission.

When is apptrackr being released?

Apptrackr beta is online now, but only our Advancements, Developers, Moderators, and Staff can use it. More information can be found here. Want to be an advancements user? Donate! (proceeds go to apptrackr, obviously)

Apptrackr isn’t done yet and can’t be fully released until it is. We still need to make an API, a mobile template, and add usergroup specific functionality (like, for example, moderator tools). We may still touch up several things with the interface, optimize components, and much more. We should be able to finish all of that and release apptrackr to replace Appulous this month (if all goes well).

via hackulo.us

Nokia Files One More Lawsuit - Calls for Ban On Import of iPhone, iPod and MacBook

2010-01-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Nokia's at it again. Close on the heels of filing a lawsuit against Apple with the US International Trade Commission, the company has filed yet another lawsuit; this time with the Federal Court.

In the filing, Nokia has claimed that Apple has infringed upon several of their patents in the manufacture of virtually all of their devices.

Nokia's filing reads:

"Apple has infringed and continues to infringe each of the Asserted Patents by engaging in acts constituting infringement under 35 USD § 271, including but not necessarily limited to one or more of making, using, selling and offering to sell, in this District and elsewhere in the United States, and importing into this District and elsewhere in the United States, certain electronic devices, including but not limited to Apple's iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iMac, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air."

Here is a list of patents that Nokia claims Apple has infringed:

Patent 6714091 : VCO with programmable output power
Patent 6834181 : Mobile communication device and related construction method
Patent 6895256 : Optimized camera sensor architecture for a mobile telephone
Patent 6518957 : Communications device with touch sensitive screen
Patent 6073036 : Mobile station with touch input having automatic symbol magnification function
Patent 6262735 : Utilizing the contents of a message
Patent 6924789 : User interface device

The list of patents here is not different from the lawsuit filed last week with the ITC. However, Nokia's strategy at this point seems to be in taking on Apple on more than one legal front to see what sticks. As folks at Engadget note, the case with ITC is very crucial for Apple where Nokia has requested for a ban on import of all of Apple's devices; something that could be disastrous. However, knowing Apple's response to an earlier lawsuit filed by Nokia, we expect yet another counter-suit to be filed by Apple this time as well.

What do you think about Nokia's latest lawsuit? Please do tell us in the comments.

[via Engadget]

Apple Prepping iPhone OS 4.0 Beta? SDK

2010-01-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

In a brief report [Google translation], French site Mac4Ever claims that Apple’s special media event now reportedly scheduled for January 27th will see both the introduction of the company’s much-rumored tablet device and the launch of beta versions of iPhone OS 4.0 and the associated Software Development Kit for developers.

According to the report, the SDK will include a “simulator” to assist developers in adapting their existing App Store applications to support the tablet’s screen resolution. The deployment of tools for supporting multiple screen resolutions could also pave the way for a higher-resolution iPhone in the future.

Several of our sources give us two pieces of information concerning the famous Apple tablet: In late January, in addition to its tablet, Cupertino should have a beta of iPhone OS 4, accompanied by an SDK. Our informants also tell us of a “simulator” specifically adapted for the tablet. Evidently, the major novelty of the SDK therefore concerns the interface, making it easier for developers to adapt to different screen resolutions. The new iPhone could also benefit from a higher pixel density.

Mac4Ever is careful to note, however, that the information should be taken with a grain of salt, suggesting that it is not entirely confident in the claims. The site has, however, been remarkably accurate recently, nailing several of the details of Apple’s new iMac models and peripherals nearly a month before their release.

Other rumors published by Mac4Ever at that same time that have yet to come to fruition relate to Apple’s plans for its iLife and iWork suites, as well as a claim that Apple’s tablet will be “far different” than concepts floating around the Internet have depicted. The tantalizing hint may have received additional support in recent weeks after a source reported that users would be “very surprised how [they] interact with the new tablet.”

Reports of the fourth-generation iPhone and updated operating systems in the wild have also begun appearing over the past few weeks, with hints of unreleased iPhone hardware and software appearing in App Store analytics data.

Via macrumors.com

iPhone Controlled By Bluetooth Magic Mouse

2010-01-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

Matthias Ringwald, developer of the BTstack Keyboard utility, has posted a video demonstrating the use of both a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard with the iPhone.

You can find our instructions on how to use BTstack to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone here.

Take a look at the video below to see the Bluetooth mouse in action. No word yet on how or when mouse capabilities will be released.

Via iclarified.com