Courtesy of The Early Edition developer Nick Takayama, here’s how to setup a shared Reminders list for shopping, and keep it updated via Siri. Hey, relationships are hard enough, so easy, fun, and geeky ways to reduce the friction are always appreciated.

The Setup

1. Get an iPhone 4S
2. Create iCloud account for you and your significant other (or whomever you want to share the list with)
3. Create an iCloud synced Reminders list called Shopping
4. Go to iCloud.com and, in the Calendar, share that Shopping list with your significant other’s iCloud account

The Use

1. Tell Siri to “add donuts to shopping list” (or add whatever you want on the list!)
2. That’s it!

Adding donuts (or whatever) to your Shopping list automagically shares it to your significant other’s list, and checking it off on your list automagically checks it of on the shared list, and Siri makes it super easy to keep adding more stuff as it occurs to you. Sure there are a bunch of apps for that, but if you want Siri to do it for you, this is how to do it for now.

Source: @ntakayama

Wondering how to us iOS 5‘s new AE/AF lock to stop your iPhone’s auto-focus from wrecking your perfectly set up shot? Fret no more! With iOS 5, locking exposure and focus couldn’t be easier, and after applying the lock, you can even recompose your shot without the camera kicking in the auto-focus.

Here’s how!

1. Launch the camera app and get your subject in the frame
2. Tap the object/person you want to focus on and hold your finger on the screen for a few seconds
3. Release your finger after the blue focus square pulsates
4. The square will disappear and AE/AF Lock will appear at the bottom of the screen
5. Perfect your composure and snap the photo!

The times I find this feature most helpful is when taking photos of my daughter or dogs, because anytime they move, the camera wants to refocus – even if it’s just a head turn. I’ve lost a countless number of shots because of this. Now I just trigger the AE/AF lock and snap away!

Let us know how this tip worked out for you, and if you have any questions, ask them in the comments below!

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward…)

Marc Edwards of Bjango has put together a nerd-ily in-depth look at how different screen sizes — original vs. Retina display on iOS, new vs. old Android displays, and Windows 8 Metro standards — challenge designers who strive for pixel perfection in their work.

As you can see, scaling to any size other than exactly double is detrimental to the accuracy of how your original design is represented on screen. The asset scales of 140% and 180% required for Windows 8 Metro hit their target less than 25% of the time. Android's 150% scale lands on a neat pixel boundary half the time.

I’ve discussed the tradeoffs before when rumors claimed Apple was going to release an “HD” but not 2x Retina display iPad 2. Marc takes it far further however, with charts, spreadsheets, and examples of what exactly all these different screen sizes do to the integrity of the design.

At the end of the day, would someone moving up from a feature phone to an Android or Windows 8 phone notice or care about blurry pixel grids? Many probably won’t. I still think Apple does, however, which is why we’ll either get the same size screen on an iPad 3, or a Retina display, and nothing in between.

Hit the link below for Marc’s full rundown, and stay tuned for the next episode of the Iterate podcast where he goes over his findings.

Source: Bjango

Former Apple board member and current Google Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, has denied that Android is a “stolen product”, charges levied by the late Steve Jobs in his biography.

“I’ve decided not to comment on what’s been written on a book after his death. Steve is a fantastic human being and someone who I miss very dearly. As a general comment, I think most people would agree that Google is a great innovator and I would also point out that the Android effort started before the iPhone effort,” Schmidt said.

Apple announced the original iPhone in January 2007, saying it had taken 2.5 years of work. That places iPhone development (or iPad/iPhone development as it started off as Safari Pad) somewhere around July 2004. Schmidt joined Apple’s board in late August, 2006.

Android was founded in 2003 by Andy Rubin, formerly of Danger (who made Sidekick, which was subsequently bought by Microsoft, and abandoned as the Kin) Google purchased Android in 2005 and showed it off for the first time in November, 2007.

The huge however in all this — and something everyone but Eric Schmidt and Google seems to remember, and point out whenever they fail to remember it — Android was originally designed to look like and compete with BlackBerry and Windows Mobile Standard. It was a front-facing QWERTY device with none of the full screen, multitouch, app-centric trappings… until iPhone came around.

Just like Apple and iPhone built on what came before with Palm and Treo, Google and Android built on what Apple brought to market. Google was smart enough to buy Android in 2005 and skate to where that mobile puck was absolutely going to be by 2010.

Whether Schmidt — who reportedly recused himself from Apple board discussions about the iPhone and was deliberately kept in the dark about the iPad — engaged in questionable ethics to get that positioning, that fast, and whether or not Google and their ODM partners violated any Apple intellectual property to implement it is a question for the courts and the bank accounts to decide.

Jobs was obvious livid at his perceived betrayal by Google, no doubt informed by his relationship with Microsoft over GUI interfaces on computers in the 1990s, and his desire to go “thermonuclear” highlights those feelings. While Schmidt and Google aren’t (yet) involved in direct litigation with Apple, their ODM partners are, so he’s presenting the facts as best suits their, and perhaps one days his, case. Apple is doing likewise.

But it remains that, absent iPhone, all our Droid and Galaxy and Nexus loving friends would be typing — not tapping — their their little thumbs off on tiny tictac keyboards to this day. Much like, without Google, all us iOS users would be searching Alta Vista and complaining about it over Yahoo! mail…

Source: Reuters

So which email services are you using on your iPhone? Apple gives away iCloud‘s me.com addresses for free now, geeks love their Gmail (though not the app!), Yahoo! mail is still going strong, even if Yahoo! isn’t, and Microsoft recently said 2 million iOS 5 users were using Hotmail, and growing at the rate of 100k a day now that it’s easier to setup (go figure!). Then there’s corporate Exchange, your ISP’s email, home-spun servers, and all sorts of other stuff.

Do you have just one main account? Do you have separate accounts, and/or use separate services for work and for personal use? Do you have multiple accounts for a bunch of different stuff? Do you forward most or all of them to the same place? Do you even setup all your email accounts on your iPhone or do you leave some off? Would you recommend what you’re using to a friend, or something else?

How are you handling email on your iPhone? Vote in the poll up top and then give me the details in the comments below!

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

• Easy Spending Expense Tracker: Track your expenses. Now with bill reminder, multiple account summary, and nice reports. [$0.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

• Flourish: A music-maker designed for anyone creative. With the perfect blend of exploration and control, Flourish makes it easy to produce impressive musical compositions. [$2.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

• My Very Own Name: Entertaining animals bring letters one by one to spell out your child's first and last name in rhyme in this pesonalized, educational storybook! [$4.99 for iPad - App Store link]

• SuperNimbus: It’s been a hard season for Farmer Cow, the drought has left the farm dry and in need of rain! Wake up SuperNimbus and water Farmer Cow’s crops! Gather helper clouds, avoid airplanes and balloons, and bring the rain! (Try and avoid raining on weddings, though. They hate that.) [$0.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Word Finder for Scrabble, Word With Friends, etc: Allows you to find and check valid words in crossword games such as Scrabble® and Words With Friends. [$1.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

AT&T Call International is AT&T’s new iPhone app aimed to help customers save money on International phone calls. It’s is a VoIP app, so calls must be made over Wi-Fi when traveling Internationally. The is but a small inconvenience for the potential savings when using this app.

The AT&T Call International™ App allows you to make inexpensive international long distance calls from the U.S. with your iPhone®, using your existing wireless service. There's no monthly recurring charge, prepaid balance or commitment term required.

AT&T's Lowest International Calling Rates – Enjoy our lowest international calling rates to more than 220 countries.¹ – Rates are just 2¢ per minute to Canada and as low as 4¢ per minute to wirelines in countries like China, France, Germany and the U.K. – See all our great rates at www.callinternational.att.com.

AT&T Call International App Features

• No monthly recurring charges, hidden call fees or packages of minutes to purchase.
• No special codes or PINs needed to place a call. Dial family and friends directly from your iPhone's contact list.
• Convenient billing directly to your credit card.
• Online account management includes prior statements and near real-time call billing.
• When traveling internationally, calls can be placed over Wi-Fi in select countries.²

Using the AT&T Call International App

• Download the app and follow the simple instructions to set up your AT&T Call International account.
• You're now ready to start making calls! Simply open the app and dial the international number using the AT&T Call International dial pad. Press "Call".
• Or, open the app and select "Contacts" to choose a number from your address book.
• The app will route your call over the wireless network to the AT&T Call International gateway, using a routing number that will appear on your screen. The gateway will complete the call to your dialed number.
• International long distance charges will be billed to the credit card associated with your AT&T Call International account.
• For additional information and details, including the AT&T Call International App End User License Agreement, visit www.callinternational.att.com.

AT&T Call International is available on the iPhone for free.

[App Store link]

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

As rumored, Apple has updated its Apple Store app to include Personal Pickup, EasyPay in store payment facilities and the ability to track your orders right from the app.

• Personal Pickup: Buy in the app and choose to pick up your order at any Apple Retail Store. Most in-stock orders are available for pickup within an hour. (U.S. only)
• EasyPay: Purchase select accessories in store quickly by scanning the barcode and completing your transaction right in the app. (U.S. only, requires iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S)
• Track your stuff: View the status of current and previous orders from the order status section in the More tab.

There is also added support for Canada and China, although Personal Pickup and EasyPay are U.S. only features. The app is available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It is not a universal binary either so you will need to hit the 2x button on the iPad; a very strange decision!

[App Store link]

 

Hello everyone and welcome to TiPb’s weekly celebrity iPhone and iPad sightings roundup! Time to take a little break from your daily routine and relax with a little gossip from the world of the rich and famous. What do all of these celebrities have in common? They all were spotted with an iPhone or iPad, of course. Check out a ton of pictures after the break, and if you spot a celebrity rocking an iPhone or iPad, drop us a note at news@tipb.com so we can include them in the next roundup, next week!

Please note: Some pictures may from time-to-time be NSFW (Not Safe For Work) so use discretion when viewing.

Singer Christina Milian was spotted with her iPad.

 

Austin Russell, better known as Chumlee on Pawn Stars, tweeted a self-portrait with his iPhone recently.

 

Singer Debbie Gibson keeps her iPhone safe in a pink bumper.

 

Ex-wife of Tiger Woods, Elin Nordegren, carries her iPhone in her back pocket.

 

I know, I know, I’m sorry… it’s Justin Bieber again with his iPhone. At least you can make fun of his ridiculous hair and glasses.

 

As discussed recently on Girls Gone Gadgets, Megan Fox has some funky thumbs. The rest of her is ok, I guess. Thanks to the brother for the tip!

Selena Gomez makes her way down some stairs with her pretty pink iPhone. I still don’t know what she sees in the Bieber.

 

I’m pretty sure the real Pocahontas didn’t have an iPhone, but Sophie Turner doesn’t look too concerned with historical accuracy.

 

Jim and Robert California stare at Robert’s iPhone during last week’s episode of The Office.

 

Katey Segal’s character Gemma has been using an iPhone on Sons of Anarchy the last couple of episodes.

Speaking of Sons of Anarchy, creator/writer/actor Kurt Sutter (also Katey Segal’s husband, which I didn’t know) is seen in a recent video on his YouTube account using an iPhone. Thanks to @evb624 for the SOA tips!

An iOS security exploit, unveiled by security researcher Charlie Miller, allows an app to download and execute unsigned code from a remote unknown server. What's even more astonishing, to prove the exact details of this hack, Charlie Miller developed and submitted an app containing the exploit to Apple. The app was approved and available in the App Store. (It has since been removed, and Charlie Miller has also now been removed from the iOS developer program.)

Miller became suspicious of a possible flaw in the code signing of Apple's mobile devices with the release of iOS 4.3 early last year. To increase the speed of the phone's browser, Miller noticed, Apple allowed javascript code from the Web to run on a much deeper level in the device's memory than it had in previous versions of the operating system. In fact, he realized, the browser's speed increase had forced Apple to create an exception for the browser to run unapproved code in a region of the device's memory, which until then had been impossible. (Apple uses other security restrictions to prevent untrusted websites from using that exception to take control of the phone.) The researcher soon dug up a bug that allowed him to expand that code-running exception to any application he'd like. "Apple runs all these checks to make sure only the browser can use the exception," he says. "But in this one weird little corner case, it's possible. And then you don't have to worry about code-signing any more at all."

Miller plans on demonstrating the exploit at the SysCan conference in Taiwan next week. In the mean time, take a look at the video below which shows the exploit in action. Using the app he can take a copy of a users address book, direct them to a YouTube video or steal photos from the device running the app.

We are sure Apple will be releasing a fix very soon to plug this exploit, now that it is out in the open!

Source: Forbes via Daring Fireball

Wondering how to re-open a recently closed tab on iOS 5 Safari for iPad? When Apple released iOS 5, it included some nice new updates to mobile Safari, especially on the iPad. One of the best features on the iPad is tabbed browsing, it makes opening and using multiple web pages a breeze. What happens if you accidentally close one of them down and need to quickly open it back up again? Well there is a way to it very easily. We will show you how.

• Open up Mobile Safari
• Look to the far right of the screen about an a half inch down from the toolbar
• There should be a + sign

• Hold your finger down on the plus sign and a box will open up

• The box now shows a list of the web pages that you recently had open and its scrollable
• Click on the one you want to re-open and there you go
• That's it, you are done

An easy tip and one that has been kept a little quiet!

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward…)

 

 

iPhone hacker @conradev has found a way to enable the “secret” panorama mode within the iOS 5 camera app. At the moment, you can only enable it on a jailbroken iPhone by tweaking a plist file, com.apple.mobileslideshow.plist, and setting ‘EnableFirebreak’ to YES, but an easy-to-use hack should appear on Cydia at some point tomorrow.

Don’t worry, if you’re not on #ATeamJailbreak — hopefully Apple will officially enable Panorama Mode in an iOS 5.1 or iOS 5.2 update at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Source: Twitter

Bloomberg has offered some details on the advice Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg sought from Steve Jobs on how best to build the social network.

"I had a lot of questions for him," Zuckerberg said in an interview with Charlie Rose that's due to air today. The topics included, "how to build a team around you that's focused on building as high quality and good things as you are." [...] Jobs and Zuckerberg also talked about "the aesthetics and kind of mission orientation of companies,"

Apple is well known for focusing on tight product lines in order to create a clear path for consumers. Facebook has been narrowing their focus on products and design in similar ways with features like Chat and the new Timeline. Still, it’s interesting that Jobs offered advice and Zuckerberg sought it after the obvious differences the two companies have had in recent year.

Source: Bloomberg