The iPhone Blog


New iPhone 4S Siri commercials take you on a Road Trip and call your Rock God

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 04:26 PM PST

New iPhone 4S Siri commercials take you on a Road Trip and call your Rock God

Apple has released two new iPhone 4S ads, and like most of the previous commercials, they focus on Siri, the virtual personal assistant.

Road Trip shows a couple planning a cross-country trip, and using Siri to learn the best route, to find the best barbecue and find out about rodeos along the way, to find out where they are, to learn how big the Grand Canyon is, to find gas stations within walking distance (d’oh!), to learn what the constellation Orion looks like, and to remind them to do it all again.

Rock God shows a young man planning a music carrier, and using Siri to find out where to buy a guitar, how to play certain songs, creating lists of potential band names, to send messages to the ladies about when and where his band will be practicing, and to call him “Rock God”.

With Siri still in beta, there have been arguments raised against Apple making it the staple feature of their iPhone 4S advertising, saying it doesn’t work in real life anywhere nearly as well. However, Siri is also the most impressive, most demonstrable, most advertise-able feature of the new iPhone.



Best iPhone app for cloud storage: Dropbox

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 01:45 PM PST

Dropbox for iPhone

“When it comes to storing and syncing files online, Dropbox’s accessibility from multiple platforms, easy to use interface, free starting service, and reasonably priced professional services make it hard to beat.”

Dropbox is one of several high-profile cloud storage and sync solutions, but it comes out on top due to its fantastic iPhone (and iPad) support, multi-platform availability, easy to use interfaces, excellent availability and reliability, and highly competitive pricing.

Apple’s iCloud is a great way to keep your personal information, your device data, and a few, compatible files like iWork backed up and in sync. However, iCloud doesn’t provide anything beyond that. If you want to store files strictly online, if you want to access and edit them from other platforms, if you want past versions of files kept available, if you want an actual filesystem to work with, then iCloud isn’t enough. (Anything a previous user of iDisk on MobileMe or .Mac knows and laments.)

Dropbox does all this, easily and transparently, and more.

Dropbox looks just like an iPhone version of Windows Explorer or Mac OS X Finder... or the old iDisk app

Dropbox for iPhone opens up with a list of all the files and folders you have stored on their servers, arrange alphabetically. You can swipe up or down to browse, or just like Contacts, you can tap a letter on the right side of the screen to jump to files and folders that begin with that letter. It’s like a very simple, iPhone optimized version of Windows Explorer or Mac finder.

If you tap on a file your iPhone understands, like text, HTML, PDF, documents, music, or video, Dropbox will open it up and show it to you. If it’s an image file and the folder you’re in has multiple images, Dropbox will show you a small gallery button at the top left and if you tap on it, will switch to a thumbnail view for easier browsing. You can even delete files right from your iPhone if you want to.

Dropbox gives special treatment to images, including a gallery view option

If another app on your iPhone understands and can do more with that file, like edit it, Dropbox will list the app under the action button and offer to send it there for you. You can also tap the Link button to share the file via email or copy it to the clipboard, or the Favorites (star) button to store a copy of the file locally (so you can access it when offline).

If there's another app on your iPhone that can better handle a file, Dropbox will let you send it over.

You can choose how much local storage you want Dropbox to use in the options tab. This makes it really handy for not only stories work files or family pictures, but storing PDF copies of your travel documents (airplane, hotel, event registrations, photo of your passport, etc.) as a backup.

Dropbox Storage and Favorites

Allot a certain amount of local storage for quick offline viewing

Dropbox, smartly, made an open API (Application Programming Interface) so other apps could tie into their services. A lot of iOS apps have chosen to do so, including list-makers, password utilities, and text editors. Here are just a few of our favorites:

If you use multiple mobile devices, Dropbox also has apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry, as well as Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, and, of course, a website available from pretty much anything that can run a browser.

That means it’s really easy to access your files from pretty much anywhere. (Several of us here at iMore keep our entire local work directories in Dropbox, which means our computers are in sync at home, at work, and while traveling, and setting up a new computer is much, much easier.)

Dropbox also makes it easy to share folders and files. I’ve got several folders set up, some private, some shared. When I’m working on a website for a client I can share a folder with them so we can collaborate and they can preview what I’m doing and share back information I might need. This is far more productive than swapping emails and losing track of changes and versions.

Options vary depending on the type of file, but sharing with Dropbox is as easy as tapping and choosing.

You can move non-vital files off your iPhone (or iPad) an onto Dropbox to free up valuable local storage space. For example, if you have an iPhone 4S you have probably noticed how fast you can fill your phone with 1080p video and high quality images. While I was never able to fill 32GB on my iPhone 4, I’m quickly hitting a wall on my iPhone 4S.

Using Dropbox, I can simply upload photos and videos right from within the app, delete them from the Camera Roll, and still have access to them whenever I’m online. (The online part is key — if you absolutely, positively have to have something available, make sure you store it locally on your device. Dropbox is for the vast majority of stuff that’s okay to leave online.)

If you’re traveling and away from your computer, and you need to share a file, you don’t have to wait until you get back — just share a link from Dropbox.

Protect Dropbox with a Passcode

Add a passcode to protect sensitive files in your Dropbox

With any online storage solution, security is important. Dropbox encrypts files in transit and when stored on their servers. Dropbox also allows you to protect your files with a passcode on your iPhone. After so many incorrect attempts you can tell it to wipe your data off that device as well. I use Dropbox to store client files and business information so anytime I configure it on my iPhone, I make sure I add a passcode for added protection on top of my default iPhone password.

If that’s not secure enough, you can even store encrypted disk images in dropbox, though you won’t be able to open them on your iPhone.

Backup is also extremely important. With Dropbox, copies of all your files are stored on their servers. So if you lose your iPhone or your PC hard drive fails, you haven’t lost any important date. You just replace the device or the drive, install Dropbox, and all your stuff is back.

While Dropbox is free up to 2GB, there are paid plans available as well

The Dropbox app for iPhone (and iPad, it’s universal) is free, as are your first 2GB of storage. If you need more, they have several reasonable price plans available.

  • 2GB Basic account – Free
  • 50GB Pro account – $9.99/month
  • 100GB Pro account – $19.99/month
  • 1TB+ Team accounts – $795/year for first 5 users

Dropbox also has a referral program that allows you to net an additional 250MB of storage space for each person you refer. Free accounts can earn up to 8GB from referrals while Pro users can get an additional 16GB of free space on top of their paid storage. (So if you sign up for the free account, hit up your friends and family before they find out about it first!)

The good

  • Free basic service, reasonably priced plans for power users
  • Dedicated apps for iPhone, iPad, other platforms like Android, as well as Windows, Mac, Linux.
  • Online access via Dropbox.com
  • Wide ranging support from iOS apps
  • Referral program allow you to add quite a bit of extra space at no cost to you
  • Save images and video from Dropbox directly to your device when you need to
  • Easily create links to share files on the go straight from the app

The bad

  • File sharing only available on the website
  • iOS app lacks viewers for popular formats like Photoshop
  • Online file storage is always susceptible to connectivity issues.

Conclusion

When it comes to storing and syncing files online, Dropbox’s accessibility from multiple platforms, easy to use interface, free starting service, and reasonably priced professional services make it hard to beat. Other services like Box.net and Sky Drive are comparable but when it comes to iOS app support and native client ease of use, Dropbox comes out on top.

Free – Download



Earloomz brings art to Bluetooth earpieces [Contest]

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 01:09 PM PST

Earloomz Bluetooth earpieceWe all know that using a cell phone while driving is super dangerous, and in more and states than not, laws are in effect that make it illegal to do so. In fact, 40 states have some sort of hands-free law in effect, meaning that if you’re going to be talking on the phone while driving a vehicle, you must not have the phone in your hand. Luckily, newer cars come equipped with speakers the ability to connect to your phone and take or make calls using the car speakers. If you don’t have that option available to you, you may choose to use a Bluetooth headset or earpiece. This is a more versatile option, as you can use it outside of your car as well.

Choosing a Bluetooth earpiece can be difficult. You want one that will work seamlessly, as well as look good, and the options out there don’t always combine those factors in an affordable package. Plus, who wants to have the same earpiece that everyone else has? The creative team behind Earloomz saw this challenge and rose to the occasion, designing a Bluetooth earpiece with style and functionality all wrapped up in one. With hundreds of designs to choose from, you’re sure to find one that will suit your personality. Each image is mechanically painted onto the earpiece and finished with a moisture resistant coating, guaranteeing quality and durability.

Each Earloomz earpiece comes with 2 earhooks and 4 earbuds as well as a lanyard holder so you always have it handy. Compatible with most mobile phones, set-up is a breeze and took less than a minute when I paired mine. Multipoint technology allows you to stay connected with 2 devices at once, and the earpiece has a range of 33′. Headset controls include call/answer, last number redial, and call waiting, all in one button. Keep reading for technical specs of the earpieces, contest details, and information about Earloomz campaign for a national Hands-Free Initiative.

Technical Specifications:

  • Bluetooth Version v2.1+EDR
  • Headset & Hands Free Profiles
  • Rechargeable Lithium Polymer Battery
  • Video Game Compatible
  • Voice Prompt
  • Connects To Two Phones
  • Noise Reduction
  • Weight: Approx. 10g
  • Talk Time: 5 Hours
  • Standby Time: 120 Hours
  • Charging Time: 30-60 minutes
  • Dimensions: 53[L] x 18[W] x 9[H] mm
Earloomz is dedicated to not only providing fantastically designed Bluetooth earpieces, but they are committed to leading a national Hands-Free Initiative — "Be Aware" — aimed toward providing awareness to businesses and young adults – the next generation of cell phone users and drivers.

Earloomz is asking consumers, car dealerships, cellular phone retailers, non-profit organizations, corporations, small business owners, medical professionals, and municipalities to join the campaign "Be Aware" and encourage anyone that is mobile to go hands-free – regardless of state laws. Whether, it's encouraging someone to use a Bluetooth that conveys a personal interest, requiring an employee to wear a custom logo Bluetooth while driving a company vehicle, or setting an example for a child, Earloomz is helping keep cell phone users hands-free.

Contest: Earloomz is giving away two Bluetooth earpieces to iMore readers! The first thing you’ll want to do is head over to their website at the link below. Check out all the designs (there are a lot, approximately 400!), then come back here and leave a comment letting us know which one is your favorite. The contest ends Sunday at midnight PST. Good luck! (Please note, the contest is only for Bluetooth earpieces on Earloomz that retail for $59.99.)

More information/check out all the designs at Earloomz



Chrome for Android vs. Safari for iPhone: Browser shootout

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 12:45 PM PST

Chrome for Android vs. Safari for iPhone: Browser shootout

Google has just released the too-long-in-coming Chrome for Android browser, and Phil from Android Central wasted no time loading it up on his Galaxy Nexus, and putting it up against an iPhone 4S running Safari, for a classic head-to-head, phono-e-phono, Mobile Nations browser showdown video.

Both browsers are based on WebKit, the project Apple adapted from the old Linux KHTML Konquerer browser and has been sharing back with the open source community ever since. So it’s no surprise both score 100/100 on the Acid3 rendering test. Safari makes use of Apple’s Nitro JavaScript engine, however, while Chrome has Google’s V8 under the hood. That let Chrome edge out Safari in the SunSpider JavaScript benchmarks.

Safari and iOS in general still offer smoother, more closely-tracked multitouch scrolling, panning, and zooming. (No doubt due to iOS placing priority on interface rendering tasks, while they’re left to fight as equals on Android.)

Interestingly, Chrome, like Safari, offers no support for Adobe’s Flash player, or any other internet plugin.

Chrome is still in beta and only available for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich right now. No doubt the release version will be even better still.

Likewise, Apple isn’t slowing down. With iOS 5.1 on the horizon, Safari will improve as well.

Heck, now that BlackBerry has their new WebKit-based Torch browser, and Microsoft has embraced modern Internet Explorer builds on Windows Phone, it’s getting harder to find a bad browser out there.

Check out the video below for full out web rendering showdown.

Source: Android Central



FBI file on Steve Jobs released, was considered for special appointment to Bush I White House

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 10:05 AM PST

Steve Jobs’ FBI file has been released and is now available for public viewing on their web site. It contains information from a background investigation conducted in 1991 when Jobs was being considered for an appointment to the President’s Export Council during the Bush I White House. It also includes information relating to a bomb threat against Jobs in 1985.

The link comes via Gawker who pulled a lot of quotes from it about Jobs’ character and personal behavior. The issue of Steve Jobs’ character has come up on numerous occasions including his autobiography by Walter Isaacson. To many Apple fans his tendency to be abrasive and aggressive probably isn’t anything new.

Creating an empire like Apple and products like the iPhone and iPad isn’t typically done by killing everyone with kindness and constantly deferring to the needs and opinions of others. He was an entrepreneur, not someone running for sainthood, and I’m sure most of us, if we ever became that popular or successful, would get our fair share of the same treatment.

Hit the source link below for the full file.

Source: Jobs FBI file via Gawker



Mobile Nations fitness month: Week 2! [iPad 3 + Xbox Kinect giveaway]

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 09:49 AM PST

February is fitness month at iMore and Mobile Nations! [iPad 3 giveaway!]

The quest to get thinner, stronger, faster, and healthier with iMore and Mobile Nations continues!

We’ve survived the first week. We’ve set our goals and whether we achieved them (yay!) or are still working on them (take that!), we’re feeling better and doing better because of it. And we’re getting tons of great feedback. This might just be the year where mobile and lifestyle fully come together, where eHealth and eFitness — or iHealth and iFitness — finally start making the impact we’ve all been waiting for. It’s gone from being a token arm band case to being an entire ecosystem of highly specialized companion apps and accessories.

Jared took a look at what he considers the best calorie-counter app on iPhone (and iPad), MyFitnessPal, last week, and we’ll be looking at a lot more cool stuff this week and next.

We recorded a special edition of ZEN and TECH with CrackBerry.com’ Kevin Michaluk, where we answered a lot of questions, cleared up some big misconceptions, and went over a lot of dos and don’ts to get things going.

Also Kevin produced the single greatest (or most terrifying) fitness video in the history of YouTube. Watch his Sexy and you know it workout.

So let’s keep it going! Once again, we’re setting reasonable, attainable goals, and we’re going to take advantage of our awesome community to make sure we attain them. We have a special edition of our Superfunctional podcast coming your way this weekend to help keep you motivated, and as always we’re running everything through our Health and Fitness Forum to keep us focused, keep us accountable, and keep us keeping on!

Oh, and we’re still giving away a lot of great prizes

  • Weekly drawings for an iPod nano. We’re giving away 4 total, one each week!
  • Grand prize drawing for an iPad 3 IOU! (You’ll get it when Apple launches it!)

Our ZEN and TECH podcast has also added to the pot with an Xbox 360 Kinect giveaway, so be sure to enter that as well!

So hurry up and jump into our new Health and Fitness Forum now and pick your goal for week 2.

Mobile Nations fitness month continues!



Learn how to make your lattes more beautiful with Coffee Art for iPhone

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 09:39 AM PST

Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone

Your dreams of becoming the perfect home barista who offers up beautiful lattes to your guests will come true with Coffee Art for iPhone. This app will teach you, in great detail, how to add hearts, tulips, and even dragons to the top of your espresso drinks.

Art of Coffee is like attending a class. Before learning how to create your designs, the app teaches you the basics of espresso making and how to pull the perfect shot. It then focuses on how to steam the ideal pitcher of foamy milk. When it’s time to learn about the designs, Art of Coffee provides detailed, step-by-step instructions and photos, and a videos of the designs being poured and etched into perfection.

There are two levels of difficulty included in Art of Coffee. Essential Art will teach you designs like hearts, tulips and seagulls. The Advanced Art section is where you’ll go to learn the extra fancy designs such as butterflies, dragons, and double heart double rosettas.

Although any coffee lover would enjoy Art of Coffee, it’s important to note that accessibility to an espresso machine is required in order to attempt any of the designs. (If you have any recommendations, I’m guessing a lot of us are suddenly in the market!)

$2.99 – Download Now

Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone Learn how to beautify your latte with Coffee Art for iPhone


Poll: What hardware features do you want in iPad 3?

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 07:58 AM PST

Now that it looks like Apple is getting close to announcing the iPad 3, it’s time to get serious about what we’re expecting from it. Let’s start with hardware.

It pretty much sounds like a given that we’ll be getting a 2048×1536 Retina display, which means, at 9.7-inches it won’t be quite as dense as the iPhone 4S but you’ll likely be holding it further away from your eyes, effectively making the difference minor.

LTE 4G networking is harder to pin down. The Qualcomm chipset sounds like it’s ready, but LTE simply isn’t very widespread yet, and Apple has huge international sales. Apple currently offers three iPad 2 models: Wi-Fi, EVDO Rev. A, and GSM/HSPA. Could they switch to Wi-Fi, EVDO Rev A/HSPA+, and make the 3rd SKU an LTE model for carriers that support it (most importantly, Verizon?)

Quad-core Android tablets were announced earlier this year, does Apple have to meet that latest processor escalation? More cores open the door to more features, for example AirPlay uses the second core to mirror the iPad 2 display, but do we really need 4 yet? Since Apple controls both hardware and software, they can optimize the heck out of their processor and get performance that often feels better than greater spec’ed competition already.

Likewise 1GB of RAM and 128GB of NAND Flash memory storage. 1GB of RAM, especially with a Retina display, may open the door to even more spectacular gaming, especially if the GPU is also getting a boost as expected. The multitasking system could do with a healthy amount of available RAM as well. With Apple going to the iCloud it may not seem like on-device storage is as big a deal as it used to be, but with iBooks 2 making textbooks a reality, with the possibility of 1080p video support on the horizon, and with truly epic games needing a lot of storage space, it’s definitely something that should be on the radar.

Almost 3 years later, and USB ports and SDHC card readers are still something we get asked about. Apple has their Camera kit dongle and that’s likely all they’ll ever have. Wireless is their future for files. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, would be great for moving the largest of the large files, at least until next-generation Wi-Fi is ready. But Thunderbolt is based on PCI Express architecture, the kind you find in PCs, and doesn’t sound like it’s iPad compatible yet.

Better cameras, however, are certainly iPad compatible. Granted, few people will be replacing tiny, pocketable point-and-shoots with iPads, but the current cameras are barely serviceable. Facetime HD up front feels like table stakes at this point, and something in the 5 to 8 megapixel range would be much better in back. If either the Retina display or LTE radio requires a bigger battery, making iPad 3 even slightly thicker, hopefully Apple has the depth to put a decent piece of glass in as well.

The iMore Nation are a demanding people and we make no apologies for that. We love our Apple devices because they’re typically built beautifully and just work, and we’re going to keep Apple’s feet to the fire. Vote in the poll up top, and then tell us what’s most important to you and why in the comments below!



52% off Case-Mate Barely There Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 [Daily deal]

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 07:05 AM PST

For today only, the iMore Store has the Case-Mate Barely There Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 on sale for only $11.95! Get them before they’re gone!

Get the Case-Mate Barely There Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 now!

The Barely There is Case-Mate’s new line of sporty cases for the iPhone 4S, AT&T iPhone 4, or Verizon iPhone 4. These cases are designed to help protect the design of the iPhone 4S, AT&T iPhone 4, or Verizon iPhone 4 while allowing more of it to show.

Features:

  • Extremely slim profile
  • Impact resistant flexible plastic shell
  • Covers the back and corners of the iPhone 4S, AT&T iPhone 4, or Verizon iPhone 4


Mass Effect: Infiltrator coming to iPad and iPhone, will offer unlockable content for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 06:44 AM PST

Gamers in the house will be well aware that Mass Effect 3 is launching next month, and it will be adding a lot of new tricks to the established sci-fi game franchise. One of those tricks is going to be a third-person shooter for iPad and iPhone called Mass Effect: Infiltrator, and playing it will not only be a lot of fun in its own right, but will advance your progress in the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC game as well. As far as I’m concerned, this is the single best implementation of cross-platform gaming to date.

I’ve seen way too many game developers simply try to drag and drop the experience from consoles and PCs to mobile, but it’s obvious that Mass Effect’s developer, BioWare, understands that gaming on mobile is a different experience. Infiltrator looks like it will still be action-packed, but the fact is, gamers aren’t going to be spending hours on end playing it as they might on their proper gaming rigs. Datapad in particular looks like it will be a great way to stay involved in the game even if you can’t dedicate the laser focus needed for pitched combat. The closest any other developer has come to giving this high-quality interplay between gaming platforms is Call of Duty: Elite, and even that hinged on a subscription service to get the full functionality.

Mass Effect: Infiltrator involves rescuing prisoners from a human supremacist group on a hostile arctic planet, while collecting evidence to advance a war effort spanning lightyears. You’ll find a bunch of the same weapons and powers in Infiltrator as you would in any Mass Effect game, and likewise, you’ll be able to unlock items in the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, or PC versions of the game by playing on your iPhone or iPad.

Gameplay in Mass Effect 3 will be extended in multiple directions through a system they’re calling Galaxy at War. The game’s single-player story involves you fighting an intergalactic threat called the Reapers. By playing Mass Effect: Infiltrator on iOS (or co-operative multiplayer in the full game) you increase a score called Galactic Readiness, which will ultimately influence the final conclusion of the core campaign against the Reapers.  There will also be an iOS app called Datapad to keep tabs on your Galaxy at War progress, and allow you to deploy troops to particular regions of space, as well as get messages from in-game characters.

Combined with the cool Xbox Kinect controls Mass Effect 3 is going to offer, I’ll be having a really hard time saying “no” to this game when it comes out March 6. Be sure to check out some of the sweet trailers at BioWare’s site.

Source: BioWare, IntoMobile, Kotaku



Apple iPad 3 announcement event rumored for first week of March

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 06:30 AM PST

Apple iPad 3 announcement event rumored for first week of March

Apple will announce the iPad 3 in the first week of March according to All Things D, which has a superb track record when it comes to the timing of Apple events. Apple typically holds these types of events on a Tuesday or Wednesday, making March 6 or 7 likely targets. Apple iPad launches have so far been on Fridays, so possibilities include March 16 and 23.

Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2 and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple's preferred location for big announcements like these. No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that's what it's called), though my guess is retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: available for purchase a week or so after the event.

The iPad 3 is widely expected to have a similar form factor to the currently available iPad 2. The main differences are thought to be on the inside with a faster processor, improved graphics performance and the much sought after Retina display. That would give the iPad 3 a screen resolution of 2048 x 1536 at 9.7-inches.

Features like a quad-core processor and LTE networking have been the subject of conflicting rumors.

Come event day, what are you hoping to see?

Source: All Things D



Amazon joins the trend of knocking Apple in its latest Kindle commercial, three Kindles for the price of one iPad

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 04:05 AM PST

New Kindle

Amazon has joined the trend set by Samsung in knocking Apple in its commercials. Amazon's latest commercial for its range of Kindle devices goes all out to make the point that you can buy three Kindle devices for the cost of one iPad. That would be two Kindle Fire tablets and one Kindle which would come to a total cost of $477.

This is not the first time that Amazon has made comparisons with the iPad. In a previous Kindle commercial, Amazon made the point that the Kindle was easier to read in direct sunlight, is smaller, lighter and less expensive than Apple's iPad too. This time it is purely about the price and no mention of feature comparisons.

The Kindle Fire does appear to be the closest competitor to the iPad so far. It is extremely cheap to buy at just $199 however it also lacks a lot of the main features that the iPad has to offer. It will be interesting to see how it is selling if Amazon ever reveals any figures.

Source: TNW



Apple TV jailbreak package aTV Flash (black) gets updated with automated firmware backups, playback improvements and more

Posted: 08 Feb 2012 07:42 PM PST

aTV Flash (black)

The fine folks from Firecore have been hard at work on their aTV Flash (black) package for jailbroken AppleTVs and have just released a new update that allows all-new firmware backup options, new localizations for our international readers, and playback enhancements.

The Apple TV is an incredibly inexpensive way to easily get all your iTunes music and videos onto your big screen HDTV, along with special channels like Netfix, but you only get support for Apple’s own file formats, and for channel partners they select. Jailbreaking and using aTV Flash (black) opens up entirely new worlds beyond Apple.

If you’re looking for the full change log, you’ll find it past the break. If you really don’t need the full details and just want to get yourself updated, version 1.3 is available now from the Firecore website

Need help jailbreaking your Apple TV 2? If so, be sure to check out our full how-to guide today!

Source – Firecore

Full Changelog

  • Added automated firmware signature backups
  • Added Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish translations
  • Added support for advanced (learned) remote commands
  • Added support for multiple external subtitles (movie.en.srt, movie.de.srt, etc…)
  • Added support for folder based organization/playback
  • Added support for embedded DVD chapters
  • Added chapters section heading to Playback Menu
  • Added global zoom setting
  • Improved playback performance for movies with invalid timestamps
  • Improved appearance of VobSub subtitles
  • Improved metadata fetching for localized file names
  • Improved audio track filtering
  • Improved playback bar to match native player
  • Improved metadata and bulk folder fetching stability
  • Improved Media > Settings menu layout
  • Resolved issues with folder name changing on metadata fetching
  • Resolved issues with buffering
  • Resolved rare DVD related crash
  • Resolved floating AFP issue that was causing connection issues
  • Resolved floating buffer overflow in software decoder
  • Minor changes to Grid View appearance
  • Minor UI improvements
  • Other miscellaneous bug fixes



Path apologizes for taking your address book, wipes data from their servers

Posted: 08 Feb 2012 07:35 PM PST

Path apologizes for taking your address book, wipes data from their servers

There was a bit of noise yesterday about a popular mobile social networking app, Path, taking the address books of users wholesale, and storing them on their servers. Despite being transferred over SSL, and the data only being used to notifications when friends signed up, Path has apologized profusely and wiped any personal address book information from their servers. A patch to their iPhone app now provides a prompt if you’re interested in receiving notifications when friends sign up.

It’s good to see Path is being clear, prompt, proactive, and apologetic about the whole thing, but the whole situation still serves as a reminder that many of these mobile apps have access to a lot of personal information, and if you’re uncomfortable with that situation, it’s probably best not to go crazy signing up for every trendy new service to come along.

Personally, I’ve already surrendered to the fact that Google has an obscene amount of insight to my life, and if a few smaller software companies do too, fine. The worst they can do is deliver ads that are more relevant to my interests, and that doesn’t sound like such a bad thing.

Source: Path



Fotopedia Women of the World for iPhone and iPad is a tribute to the diversity, beauty and strength of women on this earth

Posted: 08 Feb 2012 05:39 PM PST

“Women make up 50% of the global population, 40% of the global workforce, yet women own only 1% of the world’s wealth”. This fact is the first thing you read upon launching Fotopedia Women of the World before diving into this tribute to the diversity, beauty and strength of women on this earth.

Fotopedia Womeon of the World is filled with hundreds of beautiful images and stories of women from 75 different countries. Through photographer Olivier Martel’s art, you will witness the fighting spirit of these women in the face of human, political, religious or dramatic events. In her words,

It’s about giving people their dignity in a photographic homage that takes the form of a search for beauty.

Some of the women you will discover in Fotopedia Women of the world include a woman whose daughter had just been saved from malaria, girl-soldiers in Mozambique, nuns in the convents in France, and Ivory Coast healers who are feared for their power.

This is a must have app for any photojournalism lover. Even if you don’t have time to read all the stories or flick through every photo, Fotopedia has equipped the app with a slideshow so that you can enjoy seeing the images displayed on your iPhone or iPad while going about your day.

Free – Download Now



iPhone & iPad Live podcast tonight at 9pm ET

Posted: 08 Feb 2012 05:30 PM PST

Apps & Accessories Live

Nothing in the ‘verse that should stop you from joining us for iPhone & iPad Live tonight!

Place: www.imore.com/live

Time: 9pm ET, 6pm PT, 2am GMT.

(ZEN and TECH will be on on immediately following iPhone & iPad live tonight, and you’ll really want to join us for the announcement of our big Xbox Kinect giveaway! Spoiler alert!)

If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to discuss, just leave them in the comments then come be part of the show!

Want to watch via iPhone or iPad? Grab the Ustream app and search for “mobilenations”!



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