The Apple iPad 2 is here, and so is the next version of the iOS operating system dubbed version 4.3. Among the bevy of new features to make it from R&D and into the final software version are enhancements to AirPlay which allows applications and websites to activate the future to stream content to an Apple TV and the ability for the iPhone 4 to create wireless hotspots for up to five devices to connect simultaneously.
The newest version of the OS also features Photo Booth and FaceTime for the iPad 2 as well. Photo Booth allows you to manipulate images even before they are taken and thanks to a wide range of effects, there should be no slowdown in fun. The new Photo Booth application also allows your iPad to handle up to 9 video streams at once and thanks to FaceTime’s update, the iPad now has the ability to chat with Mac’s, iPod Touch (4th Gen only), iPhone (4th Gen only) and other iPad 2 devices.
The iOS 4.3 download will be coming out March 11th, the same day as the iPad 2. I will be available for the iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 3rd Gen and iPod Touch 4th Gen.
Source: Apple
Posts Tagged ‘Apple-iPhone-4’
iOS 4.3 officially is here
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011Physical Keyboard Add-On for the iPhone 4
Friday, November 19th, 2010
Gadgets manufacturer BoxWave has launched the Keyboard Buddy, a physical keyboard accessory for the Apple iPhone 4.
The device is what you would think it is: small, easy to carry around and hooks up to the iPhone4 through Bluetooth. It is shaped liked a regular QWERTY keyboard seen in most smart phones. And unlike other keyboard accessories, the Buddy actually functions a lot like a physical keyboard that is connected to the handset.
The device literally hooks up to the back of the iPhone; this doubles the function not only as a QWERTY slider, but also as a back casing for the handset as well. Do not worry about the speakers or the camera being covered by the buddy as it actually has provisions for the lens as well as for the speakers on the back on the device as well.
We certainly love this add on because a physical keyboard is one of those phone functions that Apple has never bothered venturing into. While other phone makers create a variety of handsets (take the X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro), Apple has stuck to one form factor since the launch of the first generation iPhone. It is unlikely that any change could happen now.
For those wondering how the physical keyboard feels: it is amazing. Not quite on the same level as BlackBerry’s keyboards, but it still comes pretty close. The buttons are responsive and evenly spaced –though as with all physical keyboards, it takes a few uses before your fingers get used to the placements of keys. The layout is a typical four row setup with numbers on the top.
Overall, this is the perfect addition to the Apple iPhone. If you have wanted to switch to a keyboard phone but have become too attached to the iOS, then this is the perfect match for you.
Apple’s iAds to Come this December, White iPhone Panels on Sale
Friday, November 19th, 2010
Apple’s new iAds system has already been around for several weeks now, but in the UK, the advertising add-on feature for the iOS has yet to be introduced. This new system for Apple allows sponsors to have their advertisements showcased in the mobile platform without being intrusive or bothersome to users.
So far, users who have seen the iAds feature in action in other countries have yet to raise a major complaint. In fact, many feel that the system is actually effective and is able to display advertisements that are relevant to the interests of the user or are appropriate to the current content being shown on the device.
With many large companies such as Unilever, Renault and Louis Vuitton now backing the service, iPhone users can expect to see some interesting ads once the system becomes fully active.
The white Apple iPhone 4 is not yet available on retail, but an American teen has managed to get in touch with a Foxconn contact in order to acquire official iPhone 4 front and back panels, in white.
The news came through the vine as the online site selling the parts has become quite famous in the past couple of days. Despite the fact that Apple has already sent letters to the site owner to stop selling the panels, the parts are still available today; considering how menacing the legal arm of Apple could be, the site might want to consider shutting down or end up paying a considerable amount of possible damages in court fees.
For those interested in the getting the panels, the front and back parts are being sold separately and as a set –which is perfect for those who want to maintain the older look of the original back panel that comes with the device. Since the parts are originally made for Apple, they fit perfectly with the iPhone 4.
iPhone 4: Badly Made?
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
The iPhone 4 is quickly turning out to be one of the worst planned mobile devices ever made. The initial issues with the handset were pretty much tolerable as the availability issues had been pretty much expected and the display screen smudges was a problem that eventually sorted itself out in a couple of weeks.
However, the device feel victim to a very fatal flaw: a badly designed antenna. This hardware issue was something that Apple could not afford to fix directly as the only solution would have to be is to recall and refund several million units that sold within a week of release. This left the world wondering if Apple had really put the device through its paces or had the geniuses at Cupertino been so careless about the quality checks.
In the end, the major hardware issue ended up with media labeling the whole deal as the “antennagate” and Apple simply decided to give away free iPhone 4 bumpers until the end of September. Many are hoping that the iPhone 4 white will be sorting out the hardware issue but constant delays for the device and its removal from the Apple website is certainly not promising.
Now, a new major issue has arisen and while the problem is software based –and could be easily fixed, the damage has already been done. Folks are coming in to work about a full hour late due to the device’s inability to cope with the adjustment daylight savings time.
At the very least, the phone should still be reliable for all other alarm functions, as long as users delete existing alarm settings and create completely new ones. Simply editing the existing settings however will not solve the problem. In any case, Apple just cost the UK economy several hundred work hours’ worth of revenue. The same issue also affected users in Australia and New Zealand.
Is the iPhone 4 Real Competition for the Playstation Portable?
Thursday, October 28th, 2010One simply cannot avoid asking, is Apple a threat to Sony’s gaming division? The big skip to the bottom line simply reads yes, and a big one at that. Apple’s strong hold on the casual gaming market as well as the mobile phone industry is stealing the general user base that would have been attracted purchasing a PSP or a Nintendo DS.
But as for overall sales, the Playstation Portable does not need to worry about smart phones. Hard core gamers –that is the main target market for the gaming handheld would not be satisfied with the vanilla offerings on the iTunes store. Despite the presence of major companies such as Capcom, Namco Bandai and EA on Apple’s app market, the big consideration still lies in what kinds of apps are actually being launched in the first place.
Even ports of major game titles do not translate so well into touch phone controls. The use of tilt and touch is a novelty. And while it works for certain games, it certainly is a hassle for most. Try to get anyone to perform perfect maneuvers on Ace Combat Xi and they would need to spend plenty of time calibrating the tilt. The lack of a directional pad and actual buttons is a big deal.
Sadly for Sony, the market positioning of the Playstation Portable is not just games –it is also a multimedia device. It has a web browser, support for music and video playback; it even has a digital camera attachment for taking videos and images.
And this is where the iPhone’s overall practicality pushes in. The iPhone is still a phone and as such, sees far more practical use than the PSP. This is why the iPhone is selling in the millions over such a short period of time: because people will be using it more. Hard core gamers represent a small quantity of the overall market, and in that regard, Apple stands to make more money.
Apple Rakes in More Profits as Steve Argues with Google
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010It certainly did not surprise market analysts when Apple announced that they have sold about 14.1 million units this quarter alone –that brings a continued level of growth for the Cupertino based company. While the gross margin for Apple has dropped from 41.8% to 36.9% many believe that it will still pick up when the last quarter of the year rolls around.
In the meanwhile, CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs is busy once again making his stand about the concept of open source known. The man declared that Apple provides a more stable environment for end users as compared to the Android OS. This is quite true, considering that the number of customizable settings on the Apple iOS is quite limited, and the fact that the only way to use the iOS is on Apple devices, there is certainly a degree of uniformity to the way the experience is executed.
However, this does not support Steve’s argument that the iOS is more “open” than the already open source Google Android mobile platform.
Moving on to more Apple related news, there is plenty of excitement over the latest released images of what might be the newest iPhone handset in the works. The initial screenshots reveal little other than the fact that the internal seems to have changed a bit from the iPhone 4. However, some state that the new handset may just as well be a second version of the iPhone 4 that addresses the antenna issue.
For those who missed out on the whole antennagate controversy; it has been proven that the hardware of the Apple iPhone 4 was badly designed in regards to the antenna. The device’s antenna has a weak spot that would lose signal strength when it comes into contact with the finger –and that spot is located on the side of the phone most likely to be held when making calls.
Will Apple’s Anti-Sexting Patent Be Used?
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
It seems that an old patent that Apple has filed has recently been approved. According to reports, a patent for a phone feature that would monitor the content of text messages for adult oriented material was filed by Apple back in 2008. The patent has taken a while before it has been approved and now, a couple of smart phone generations later; the Cupertino based company has been given the green light on the feature.
But are we actually going to see this technology in play?
Apple has been known for having the habit of sitting on patented technology, and for the most part, they filed the patent two years ago –when the iPhone was first starting out, it is wholly possible that the concept that conceived for the very first generation of the Apple touch screen smart phone, but would have no place in with the new iOS.
Of course, many parents around the world would agree that there is a certain merit to such a function –especially today. It has been reported that sexting is a major issue among underage teens and a feature that would curb, limit or prevent the habit altogether would certainly be a welcome thing.
However, considering the concept of digital technology, it is likely that any form of electronic monitoring and censorship is more likely to be circumvented by the more tech savvy teens than their parents –thus rendering the feature moot.
There are also concerns as to whether such a feature could be used as a way to snoop on other people’s texting patterns and actual messages being sent –which is quite possible if the feature was to be altered or modified to a certain extent.
In any case, the patent has just been approved and Apple has yet to make an official statement regarding when and how they will make use of it.
New iPhone Promises CDMA Technology, Hopefully Better Antenna
Monday, October 11th, 2010Is the use of CDMA truly that significant?
In some ways, yes! Particularly in locations where HSDPA is not easily accessible, CDMA allows people to stay online more without worry about speed and stability in the connection. This is going to be the new promise that Apple will be giving to use come early next year as many predict that the next iPhone handset will be released early in 2011.
This little bit of news has already been preceded by the fact that rumors about an iPhone 5 smart phone have been spreading like wildfire. While the original iPhone 4 was a problem to deal with, an upgrade that fixes all the issues and adds in new functionality which is significantly great news especially for Apple’s fans.
While CDMA is not going to fix the antenna issue that has bogged down the iPhone, a second version of the handset could see quick edit in the way the Antenna was designed. After all, the only thing that Apple needs to change is the exposed portion of the antenna. If they can somehow manage to hide that portion and keep it from being exposed like in the original product, then the iPhone 4’s biggest issue will be solved.
Anyway, this new bit of information also comes with a quick debunking of the iPhone 5 rumor. While it is certainly true that Apple has got a new handset in the works, the device is not an entirely new phone, but a simple update to the Apple iPhone 4.
Despite this, it would be nice to see Apple’s other technologies such as the near field communication (or NFC) being used in the second version of the iPhone 4. With so many devices already out there on the market, having something truly unique is what Apple needs to get back on top.
Apple iPhone and Facial Recognition: Do We Really Want It?
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010It appears that Apple has recently taken over Polar Rose (and by taken over, we mean they literally bought the company). And while it is not uncommon for the Cupertino based supergiant to be eating up small businesses, there is one certain factoid that we have to point out: Polar Rose is a specialist when it comes to creating facial recognition systems.
Sure, the idea is not new, even the Google Android was supposed to offer the feature as a capability on the Google Goggles app. However, there is a reason why the feature was not included in Goggles, and the fact that Apple was prepared to buy a small company means that the technology will not simply be put on a shelf for years.
Apple obviously intends to use facial recognition for its iPhone devices. The only question now is how the new feature will be implemented.
The technical side is actually a lot easier to explain, after all, cameras are already able to identify key features of objects and locations to provide users with a decent visual search. The issue is here is not with how the system literally works however, the problem is with the ethics involved in being able to identify a complete stranger just by waving a phone in their direction.
For the most part, a face has to be seen at a considerable proximity to able to be identified properly. But thanks to optical zoom and other features, being able to take that shot is actually a lot easier than one would think.
The trouble here is when people do not wish to be identified. Individual privacy is a leisure that not a lot of people can afford once the technology is made available to the public –and with so many iPhone owners out there, this is going to be a serious concern.
White Color Variants: People Love Them
Friday, September 10th, 2010
While it is pretty hard to determine the reason as to why the aesthetic appeal of white color variants are so predominant, seeing that fact in application is pretty easy.
Take into account the whole fuss over the very-delayed release of the white version of the iPhone 4. Sure, the device has an extremely bad antenna design that drops calls when the device is held in the wrong way and that many phone manufacturers are looking down on the mistake. But the real consumer focus has been on the fact that only the black version of the iPhone is available.
Samsung, a very close competitor of Apple, has followed suit and has announced a white variant for the Galaxy S Android smart phone.
Not to be outdone, another major mobile phone manufacturer, Taiwan based HTC, has confirmed that they are now working on a couple of color variants that will certainly appeal to a lot of people: white versions of the HTC Desire and the HTC Wildfire.
For those not familiar with the two devices, these are most successful Android devices from HTC and are considered to be the best choices for Google fans this year –despite the launch of the Nexus One handset last January.
The HTC Desire is currently the best handset that HTC is offering and it packs a powerful set of hardware loaded on the device. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU clocked at 1GHz providing the handset with all the speed and power it needs while the 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen display is also perfect for viewing media and other content.
The HTC Wildfire on the other hand is a social networking smart phone. While it does not pack the same hardware prowess as the Desire, it has extra features for getting in touch with friends and family through Facebook.