Fairly or unfairly, Google’s Android often gets knocked for having a lagging or stuttering user interface when compared to Apple’s iOS on iPhone and iPad. TiPb’s previously guessed that this stemmed from very early architectural decisions made by Apple, who had a full screen, multi-touch UI — albeit it a highly limited one — in mind from the outset, as opposed to Google who originally had Android set up as a BlackBerry, Windows Mobile Standard, and Nokia competitor that had no need for high performance, sophisticated UI rendering.

That might turn out to be pretty much the case. In response to a Google+ post about hardware acceleration by Android engineer Dianne Hackborn, ex-Google intern Andrew Munn breaks down why Android’s way of handling graphics and event processing hinders the OS from offering users a more fluid, lag-free UI.

Android UI will never be completely smooth because of the design constraints I discussed at the beginning:

• UI rendering occurs on the main thread of an app
• UI rendering has normal priority

[…] This is the same reason why Windows Mobile 6.5, Blackberry OS, and Symbian have terrible touch screen performance. Like Android, they were not designed to prioritize UI rendering. Since the iPhone's release, RIM, Microsoft, and Nokia have abandoned their mobile OS's and started from scratch. Android is the only mobile OS left that existed pre-iPhone.

The iPhone changed things by introducing a dedicated thread with high priority for handling UI rendering, redirecting all power (CPU and GPU) to handling UI element rendering in realtime based on touch input. The result? Smooth-as-butter UI elements, transitions and animations as soon as you touch the screen — even on older hardware when paired with the latest iOS 5 software. The drawback: everything else, from app downloads to content rendering will pause so the UI can keep that high frame rate, high quality redraw pace.

Munn does disclose that he was only an intern with Google’s Android team and never actually got his hands on the raw Android source code, so this could be taken as supposition.

Indeed, our own resident Mobile Nations Android guru, Jerry Hildenbrand from Android Central says there might be a bit more to it:

The way it stands now, as long as you have free resources to run multiple UI threads [in Android] the UI is amazingly smooth — easily as smooth as the iPhone or WP7 phones. Problem is that nobody sets resource management up in a way to keep them free. A simple customization to the linux lowmemkiller kernel parameter fixes it, at the expense of huge memory hogs like Facebook or HTC applications. One day, when we have Octocore 12NM Cpu’s, DDR3 RAM, and huge batteries this way will prove better. For now, you have to hack at it.

So Android can be set up to prioritize UI, if that’s what’s wanted, but it’s not automatic like iOS. That might annoy user experience snobs, like our friends over on http://www.tipb.com/podcasts/ but it might be a fine tradeoff for those with other priorities, like the big screens, different skins, and high customizability that Android’s design does allow.

Hit the source for a full technical breakdown.

Source: Dianne Hackborn, Andrew Munn

Have an out of warranty AT&T or Verizon iPhone 4 that’s can’t seem to hold a charge and wondering how to replace the battery DIY (do it yourself) style? Changing out batteries is a service we provide at PXLFIX on a regular basis, but it’s actually a pretty simple repair and something most people with just a bit of technical know-how can perform.

What You need for a DIY battery swap

PXLFIX recommends using only quality and genuine parts from a reputable supplier like eTech Parts. They have the parts, tools, and all your other repair needs.

• A sad iPhone 4
• A new iPhone 4 battery
• A #00 Phillips screwdriver
• A mini 5-point screwdriver (you’ll only need this if you have five point screws in your dock connector instead of standard #00 Phillips screws)
• A plastic pry tool

How to remove the back of your iPhone 4

1. First remove the bottom 2 dock connector screens in your iPhone 4. Use either your #00 screwdriver or the five point depending on whether or not your iPhone 4 has security screws in the dock connector. Almost all newer devices will have security screws.
2. To remove the back simply slide the back upwards and lift it off gently.
3. Set the back and 2 dock connector screws aside.

How to remove the old battery of your iPhone 4

1. To remove the old battery you’ll need to remove the #00 screw holding the battery clip in place. Remove this screw located to the bottom left of the battery.

2. The metal clip on the battery is what clips the battery to the logic board. You’ll need to pop this clip up with your plastic pry tool. Simply stick the end of your pry tool underneath the clip and gently pull upwards until it unfastens from the logic board.

3. To remove the battery, I do not recommend using the plastic pull tab. There is quite a bit of adhesive underneath the battery and the tab will normally just rip off or you can bend the battery. Instead, run your pry tool along the right side of the battery and break the adhesive that way. Once the battery is free from the adhesive, you can pull the old battery out of the phone. There are no other connectors holding it in.

4. As a side note, there is a tiny grounding clip that sits right where you unscrewed your battery from. Do NOT lose this clip. It grounds your wifi antenna. You will need to make sure it is in place before installing the new battery.

How to install a new battery in your iPhone 4

1. Make sure your wifi grounding clip is in place. It should be lined up with your #00 screw hole for your battery. It goes under your battery clip.
2. Once your grounding clip is lined up you can snap your new battery in place. Just line up the clip on the battery to where it gets seated on the logic board and snap it down. You should hear it click into place.
3. Set the new battery in place and line it up.
4. Replace the #00 screw that holds the battery and grounding clip in place.

How to put the back cover back on your iPhone 4

1. Place your iPhone 4 back cover back on by lining up the clips and sliding it down into place. It should fall directly into the track. It should be easy to slide it into place.
2. Put the two dock connector screws back in.

And… done!

That’s it. You now have a new battery in your iPhone 4! Have you done this repair yourself? Let us know how it went! Want to know how to perform another type of iPhone repair or modification? Send me suggestions to ally.kazmucha@tipb.com.

• Egg Punch: Ack! Your feathers have been stolen by rascally rabbits! Put on your trusty old egg shell and roll out in pursuit of your feathers! [Free for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• The noisy book Games: A free adaptation of the famous international best-seller The noisy book. Created to entertain children between 2 and 5 years old… and a little bit more (and also for their parents of course!). [$3.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Intro Designer: Make beautiful HD intro movies, openers, end credits and more, using professional and stunning templates. [$3.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

• iQuick Tweet: Now you can quickly tweet a photo! [$0.99 for iPhone and iPad - App Store link]

• Spherical: A game that gives you power over a Black Hole. Use this power in this addictive arcade game to clear your territory of the ever-invading Spheres. [$0.99 for iPhone - App Store link]

Any other big apps or game releases or updates today? If you pick any of these up, let us know what you think!

On December 8, the BBC iPlayer app for iPad is expanding to add support for the whole iOS family, including the iPhone and iPod touch.

This platform extension shows how Global iPlayer isn't just about moving TV to tablet devices, it's also about a mobile strategy – about truly getting TV everywhere in a way that it hasn't been before. We also want the global BBC iPlayer to be truly representative of the whole gamut of British creative output, to represent everything that is great about British content – not just the Best of British TV but the Best of British Culture.

Bringing both current and classic content to iOS devices, the BBC iPlayer application is currently available in 16 countries for a flat subscription fee.

Source: The Next Web

The official biography of Steve Jobs authored by Walter Isaacson has made its way to number one among books sales from Amazon for the entirety of 2011, despite being released late in the year.

Originally slated for release in 2012, the date was moved up to October 24th after Jobs passed away and quickly rose among the ranks. By November it was already the #2 seller for Amazon before taking the top spot in December.



Source: MacRumors via Amazon

This is post number 6000 for me here at TiPb, and I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Thank you to our wonderful community, to everyone who participates and shares and discusses here on the blog and in the Forums, on Facebook and on Twitter. You’re the first, best, and only reason we’re here.

The site has changed a lot since I started — not the least of which was the transition from the original name of Phone Different to theiPhoneblog.com to TiPb.com — and we’re continuing to change and evolve and grow, to bring you more of everything you love about iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV.

We’ve been iterating our design so we can better highlight what we think matters most, and let you more easily find the stories you care about and skip the ones you don’t. From news to apps to accessories to how-tos to critical issues to pure fun, we have a diverse array of subjects to cover every day and a diverse audience to care for, and we’re always looking for the best ways to meet and balance those obligations. The ability to have big, widescreen stories and videos, and smaller, more numerous excerpts on the home page is one thing we’re experimenting with. The power boxes at the bottom are another — carefully curated by subject matter, we hope they let you get to the latest stuff you care about, quickly and easily.

The Forums have grown considerably as well, both in the number and range of topics we’ve added to the conversation. Technologically, we’ve done huge upgrades as well, bringing TiPb almost fully inline with the functionality enjoyed by other Mobile Nations network sites.

Speaking of which, we’ve added fancy new Mobile Nations headers and footers to TiPb and all of our sites, so if you want to keep up-to-date on not only iPhone and iPad, but Android and Windows Phone, BlackBerry and webOS, you’re always only a click away from the latest and greatest content and coverage in the industry.

We’ve also ramped up the production and scope of Mobile Nations broadcasting, bringing you some of the best live shows and audio and video podcasts on the internet for everything from iPhone and iPad Live to great new shows covering many more aspects of our increasingly rich and complex mobile lives.

On a personal note, I’d like to thank Dieter Bohn, Kevin Michaluk, Marcus Adolfsson, and everyone at TiPb and Mobile Nations past and present for this opportunity: to work with the best and the brightest in the business, and to share with our community what is inarguably the most exciting time ever in the history of mobile and personal computing.

And we’re certainly not going to slow down. We have more to come. Much more. I deeply love this community, this site, and this network, and together we’re going to dent our corner of the universe. Hard.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any feedback, any time. Tell me what you love, what you hate, and what you want more of. You can reach me via email at rene@tipb.com, on the forums at Rene Ritchie, and on Twitter @reneritchie.

Here’s to the next 6000!

Rene

For today only, the TiPb Store has the Case-Mate Tough Case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 on sale for only $17.95!. Get them before they’re gone!

Case-Mate Tough Case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 now!

According to Bloomberg, the European Union Anti-trust regulators will be investigating Apple, along with five of the major eBook publishers, for possible collusion to help stifle competition within the eBook marketplace.

The European Commission in Brussels today said it opened a formal probe to examine whether the publishing groups and Apple, maker of the iPad tablet computer, engaged in agreements that would harm competition in the 27-nation EU. The probe will examine deals between Apple and Lagardere's Hachette Livre, News Corp.'s Harper Collins, CBS Corp.'s Simon & Schuster, Pearson Plc's Penguin and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH.

The commission believes Apple and the publishers may have formed a sort of ‘cartel’ in the eBook market by practicing price-fixing techniques in order to ensure an ongoing revenue stream for all parties. Apple currently takes a 30% cut of eBook sales from within their own iBookstore.

This announcement comes after the EU conducted raides on a handful of publishers back in March along with a probe held by the U.K. Office of Fair Trading. The publishers, of course, say they haven’t done anything wrong and will work closely with the EU to help get to the bottom of it.

Fortune chimed in saying the reason the EU included Apple is because of a deal Steve Jobs set up with the five publishers shortly after the release of the original iPad in 2010, which was followed by a similar investigation in the U.S. looking into anti-competitive behavior with Apple and the publishers to help drive up eBook prices from Amazon.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out and if the impact, if any, has any direct relation to eBook pricing as it currently stands.

Source: Bloomberg, Fortune

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 some 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.

Here is Adriana Lima before the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with her white iPhone.

Blake Lively checks her iPhone while she soaks in some sun in a tiny bikini.

Courteney Cox flashes… her iPhone… at the paparazzi while exiting a car.

Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi enjoy an afternoon out.

Gwen Stefani rocks her iPhone in a white case.

Fitness expert Jennifer Nicole Lee keeps her iPhone safe in red.

Jessica Alba keeps her iPhone handy while she feeds the meter.

Kate Hudson turns her iPhone camera on the paparazzi while fiance Matt Belamy hides in a Tesco bag.

Maria Shriver strides along with her glasses and iPhone.

Loyal TiPb reader Erin got to meet the one and only Marilyn Manson at a signing. She was surprised to see he rocks a white iPhone, which she asked about. He loves it!

Sara Gilbert was spotted with 4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry. Is that an iPhone in Sara’s hand?

Country singer LeAnne Rimes shows off her..iPhone.

Something looks amiss with Miley Cyrus’ face, but I can’t figure out what’s up with her. Still got her iPhone though, so that’s good.

Darryl gets his iPhone game on while doing some leg lifts on The Office last week.

Thanks for the tips this week _heatherly, the brother, and Cafeina!

According to iPhoneiTalia, Facebook is working on an update to its Messenger app that will deliver Facebook video calls across multiple platforms. Facebook currently offers a video calling service between users on desktop web browsers using its agreement with Skype. According to sources, the update to the Facebook messenger app is already being tested in the wild and should be revealed in the not too distant future.

This update appears to be a natural progression for the Facebook Messenger app. The idea of being able to video chat with another Facebook user on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch would be extremely appealing to many. The app should be compatible with any iOS device with a front facing camera. We will let you know as soon as we hear any more information!

Source: iPhoneItalia via Cult of Mac

According to 9to5Google, the reason Google Wallet is nowhere to be found on the upcoming Android Samsung Galaxy Nexus is because… wait for it… Verizon has blocked it. That’s worth repeating. Google has allowed a carrier to prevent users from having a Google app on a platform marketed as being open, on a device meant to be the very flagship, the beacon of that openness.

If this story turns out to be accurate, it wouldn’t be the first time Google has caved to Verizon. They’ve turned their backs on the net neutrality principles they previously held dear, for Verizon. They’ve betrayed their users by allowing crapware to be indelibly pre-installed on Android, for Verizon and other carrier partners. They even allowed the delay of Galaxy Nexus in the country in which they’re headquartered, more than likely for Verizon.

And none of that would be a problem, none of it would even be noteworthy except that Google has used openness — complete openness — time and again as a weapon against Apple — a way to turn users away from iOS and rally them to Android. And now, as then, it’s deliberately misleading at best and a flat out lie at worst. It’s said in a way that suggests it’s better for end users when it’s not. It’s said in a way that suggests it puts control in the end user’s hands when it doesn’t. It puts in back in the carrier’s hands. It’s better for the carriers.

With the corruption of the Nexus line, it’s not even “openy” any more. It’s less than openy.

If you use Android rather than iOS because you like a choice of hardware form factors, or prefer the deep integration of Google services, or its UI better fits the way your brain works, or you just flat out think it’s better on any or many levels, that’s fantastic. If you use Android for philosophical reasons and a fundamental belief in it being nobler and more open, you’ve been bamboozled. Again.

Update 1: Google has confirmed that Verizon asked for Google Wallet to be excluded from the Galaxy Nexus [CNet]

Update 2: Verizon says they’re not blocking Google Wallet, they’re just not letting it on the Galaxy Nexus. Wait, what? [Android Central]

Source: 9to5 Google via Android Central

For those still holding out hope for a 7-inch iPad, noted usability guru Jakob Nielsen has run tests on the Amazon Kindle Fire‘s user interface and come away with the interesting observations about the challenges involved.

The most striking observation from testing the Fire is that everything is much too small on the screen, leading to frequent tap errors and accidental activation. You haven’t seen the fat-finger problem in its full glory until you’ve watched users struggle to touch things on the Fire. One poor guy spent several minutes trying to log in to Facebook, but was repeatedly foiled by accidentally touching the wrong field or button — this on a page with only 2 text fields and 1 button.

Nielsen believes tablets at the Kindle Fire’s screen size won’t be able to get away with showing standard web sites, like the iPad does, but instead need specialized mobile versions, like those often found for the iPhone. Whether or not the ~7-inch form factor becomes popular enough for web designers and developers to invest the time and resources necessary to support “yet another version” remains to be seen.

Interestingly, when [Steve Jobs] (in)famously threw cold water on the idea of a 7-inch iPad in Apple’s future, in addition to reducing the scope and scale of potential software, one of the reasons he gave was that the UI would be too small — that users would have the shave down their fingers to use it. He claimed Apple did a lot of testing before hand and determined the 9.7-inch iPad gave the best trade off between usability and design.

Nielsen’s research seems to bear that out. It’s possible, maybe even likely Amazon will lick this problem in a future update, but it’s something to keep in mind for now if you’re trying to decide between an iPad and a Kindle Fire for the holidays. Even at $300 cheaper, it’s difficult to put a price tag on frustration.

Hit the link below for the full Kindle Fire usability results.

Source: UseIt.com via Daring Fireball

Georgia and Rene discuss self-esteem, the differences between internal and external, global and situational, what causes negative self-esteem, and how you can start building positive self-esteem back. This is ZENandTECH!

• Our podcast feed: Audio | Video
• Download Directly: Audio | Video
• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video

Hosts

• @GeorgiaTiPb (Georgia)
• @reneritchie (Rene)

Contact

You can reach all of us @ZENandTECH, via email at podcast@zenandtech.tv, or leave a comment below!

Thanks everyone, you’re the best community on the web and we love having you with us!

Disclaimer

While Georgia is a therapist, she’s not YOUR therapist. Everything said or implied on this show is for informational and entertainment purposes only. And shouldn’t be taken in any way as a replacement for proper, professional care.

Credits

Music is Peace on Earth by wellman.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Annoyed that, by default, Notification Center seems to display alerts by some sort of weird app association method and wondering how to get them to follow a more sensible order? If you want to change this to sort your notifications by time of arrival, then there is a very easy way to do it.

• Swipe down on your home screen and take a look at how your notifications look now

• You can see that the times are all over the place and not in any sort of order
• To change the sort order by time descending, first go to Settings
• Tap on Notifications
• Tap on By Time under the Sort Apps heading

• That's it, all your notifications will now be in order of the time they came in, with the latest at the top of he list!

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.