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.
Posts Tagged ‘Apple-iPhone’
Will Apple’s Anti-Sexting Patent Be Used?
Thursday, October 14th, 2010Apple iPhone and Facial Recognition: Do We Really Want It?
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
It 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.
Updates on OS Updates: Orange HTC Desire and Apple iOS 4.2
Friday, September 17th, 2010
Does anyone remember the launch of Android 2.2 Froyo for Orange’s HTC Desire has been delayed? Well, today is a second round of that same news. Once again, Orange HTC Desire users are going to be subjected to another indefinitely long wait.
For those who may remember, the issue began on the very first day that Orange officially launched the update. Several excited handset owners had already gotten the patch and sadly, their handsets all crashed. While other Android devices have not faced a similar issue with the Froyo update, it seems that Orange has a very peculiar problem on their hands.
Now, Orange is tactfully (well, not so much) saying that the cause for the issue is not their problem, but HTC’s. While it is hard to understand how that is specifically HTC’s problem (seeing that other HTC Desire handsets are doing well with the update), all the market really needs to know is that the update is still not available.
In any case, it seems that the network operator is confident that the issue will be resolved very shortly as they are promising that the delay will only be for a few days instead of another couple of long weeks.
On Apple’s side of the world, it seems that an update for the iOS is going to be made available. For now, version 4.2 of the iOS is still exclusive to the iPad touch screen tablet and from the looks of it; it seems that the update will be skipped by the iPod and the iPhone for a much later version.
The reason for this is due to the fact that the 4.2 iPad update actually places iPhone and iPod features on the tablet. It would be pretty redundant for the update to bring in features that are already present in the two other devices.
Apple Ping, Nokia-Intel MeeGo and More
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Despite the fact that the iTunes is not getting much use as music source (people access it for apps, otherwise, they rely on services such as Spotify for music), it is surprising how Apple is still trying to push Ping forward.
In what is apparently a substitute social networking tool, Apple is promoting the Ping service as a way for users to connect and reach out to their friends and contacts to compare and share listening preferences on anything. As interesting as that may sound, it is not exactly an enticing enough reason to pull out one’s Apple iPhone just to see which new music tracks your friends are listening to –and people would prefer to use Facebook instead.
In any case, it is not that bad having Ping around (though it will mess up with your bandwidth and data allotment a by a bit), though its usability is understandably quite low.
In other news, it seems that videos and images of the upcoming Nokia and Intel developed MeeGo operating system have been made available online in order to show us what the new system might be looking like. The new OS certainly looks stylish and sleek, though it is hard to determine from images how intuitive the user interface controls will be.
At the very least, seeing the upcoming MeeGo OS does prove that it was a right move for Nokia to drop Maemo and for Intel to hold development on the Moblin OS.
Lastly, it appears that the merger between T-Mobile and Orange UK is pushing through with the emergence of the Everything Everywhere company which stands as the UK’s largest network operator.
What makes this move quite impressive is that users will now be able to connect to any available network that they have in the vicinity –pretty much akin to local roaming. The merger is considered to be a long term plan for the two companies.
Apple Takes on NFC for iPhone 5
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Smart phones can be used for a lot of things and according to Apple, it is time that the technology starts playing a more integral part in our lives on a more physical level.
Before, losing a mobile phone was an issue because it contained phone lists, messages and of course, it costs money. These days, losing a phone becomes a bigger issue as it often contains passwords, account information, map details, schedules, and many other private data. Apple is just about to up that ante of losing a phone by adding the keys to the rest of the house and possibly the car as well into the mobile phone.
Enter the concept of NFC technology. This is the same tech that allows for those impressive identification cards that are detected by sheer proximity as opposed to being analyzed visually by ocular scans. While the signals and frequencies used may vary, the idea is the same –a portable item becomes a wireless, non-contact trigger for something else. And that something else is usually a lock to a room, house or, as stated above, a vehicle.
While it is just as easy to lose physical keys as it is to lose a mobile phone, the technology is still not all that safe. Being able to duplicate a key without actually having it on hand is nearly impossible, and short of a wax impression, scanning a key from all angles is the best thing that one can do and even that is hard to pull off with little chance of success.
Wireless technology on the other hand, may make use of encrypted signal technology, but there are far easier ways of circumventing that. This is most probably what Apple is currently working on before they are able to make NFC technology a part of their next iPhone.
Apple’s iAds: Successful and Slow
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
According to Nissan, the click through rates for the iAds content for their products are quite impressive, despite the marginally steep price that Apple demands for the service, the car manufacturer is certainly seeing a good return for its advertising based investment.
Other companies however, are seeing something to worry about: a very long production lead time. The fact is that Apple takes at least two months to create iAds content and sometimes, that value goes all the way up to 10 weeks. It is a hard call to make for some companies –while some that sell the same product or service for years would have not issue, those with regularly updated content would need something more dynamic.
In any case, it is surprising that the issue about iAds is not with consumers. Consumers are usually the first to go up in arms when it comes to advertisements being loaded into apps and games. Ironically, more people seem to prefer iAds on their iPhones over the conventional advertisements and this is a testament to the vision of the folks at Cupertino who saw the potential of such an ad platform.
Right now, Apple is still able to sell the ad system because it actually attracts more users. But with the Google ad service about to be implemented on the Android, the iOS needs to get the iAds system working faster.
Companies are still unsure about having Apple as part of the production process when it comes to ads -after all, marketing conceptualization is rarely something that companies would openly team up with Apple.
The system is about to be released in the UK later this year and we will finally get to see how practical the new ad system will be and whether local companies will adapt to the Apple advertising platform as well.
Apple Takes Decisive Action on Jailbreaking
Monday, August 16th, 2010Jailbreaking iPhones is a practice that has been around since the earliest versions of the Apple smart phone. While not officially allowed by Apple, it is something that is pretty common among users of the device, as it allows users to download content that is otherwise not sanctioned by Apple’s iTunes store or for using paid apps without having to pay the cost.
Both a tool for homebrew development and software piracy, the act of jailbreaking is often looked down upon by those who stick with the iTunes store offerings and of course, by developers who lose income due to their apps being downloaded for free. While Apple’s operating system already has security features in place to deter hackers, those who develop jailbreak software have shown grit and tenacity in their quest to break into Apple’s tough outer shell.
With the iPhone, that shell was cracked pretty early, with the jailbreak software officially confirmed working within the first week of launch and spreading across the internet by the second week.
However, the success of the jailbreak software is a double edged sword for many: it exposes a major vulnerability in the iOS 4. This vulnerability is being used by the jailbreak software to access the OS, but at the same time, other malicious content could do the same.
Apple is now encouraging users to update to version 4.0.2 of the iOS in order to remove the security issue. Of course, this latest version of the OS is also immune to the jailbreak software as well. This is because the same PDF issue that the jailbreak software uses is no longer present.
It will definitely be a while before the next form of the jailbreaking software gets released. In the meanwhile, Apple, and many developers, can celebrate the major step towards pushing out those who download paid content for free.
Apple Needs a New Senior Executive
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010And by senior executive, we all mean the same position held by the man who invented the Apple iPod. We all know that Tony Fadell left the company about two years ago for reasons that are still pretty much difficult to pinpoint –though publicly, Fadell announced that his decision was personal (he wanted to spend more time with his wife and also wanted to focus on the things he wanted to do).
Anyway, when Fadell left, Apple had a long list of potential replacements, and among them, one stood out, Mark Papermaster. While hardly the man on top of the list, Papermaster was the ultimate go to guy when it came to the several of Apple’s biggest moves. However, the fact that he had to take on the post of the iPod maker meant that expectations would always be a lot higher than he could achieve.
For various reasons, it has been announced that Mark Papermaster will be taking a bow and exiting on stage right as he resigns from his position at the Cupertino based company. The announcement just came out a while back and is considered to be linked to the antenna gate issue.
In light of the recent situation with the Apple iPhone 4 antenna, one could easily assume that Papermasters’ resignation was caused by it. And with the hardware issue being permanently unresolved –unless Apple is willing to lose money on it for recalls and repairs, this little blunder will leave a permanent mark on Papermaster’s career.
As for Steve Jobs and the rest of Apple, the company is still in denial about the whole issue –insisting that the antenna problem is an issue for the entire mobile industry and not just Apple. It will be a while before Apple is able to find a good replacement for the position; though we might to see the post being filled up before the end of the month.
Apple Opens Largest Store and the Misleading Vodafone Update
Monday, August 9th, 2010
London now holds the claim to having the largest Apple store in the whole world. According to the Cupertino based company, the new store in London will be offering not only the Apple iPhone, but also the entire line of Apple’s products as well. So expect to see major launches for the next Apple smart phone, tablet, iMac and MacBook6 devices to come out from the big Apple store for the next few years.
Despite the bad reputation that Apple gained after the whole antenna incident (which is not really over considering the fact that the antenna has not been fixed at all), Apple is still one of the world’s most successful mobile phone makers in the world –and they have to thank the power of the iBrand for that. Apparently, any Apple device (with half-decent hardware) with the i-prefix would be able to sell millions and be a successful product overnight. The iPhone 4 and the iPad are just two examples of this.
In other mobile phone news, it seems that the Vodafone HTC Desire update was not all that we originally expected. While many believed that the announcement meant that the Android 2.2 Froyo would finally be available for the HTC Desire, all that was made available is the Vodafone 360 update.
For those who do not want unnecessary applications on their handsets, the best tip would be to avoid this update. This will install 360 features into the very firmware and it will be nearly impossible to delete without technical assistance. For those who already use the 360 service (such as those who started with the Samsung 360 devices), then download this update only if you intend to use it.
So far, there is no confirmation as to when the actual Froyo update will be released, but many are hoping that the HTC Desire, Legend and Wildfire all get the update before the month ends.
Apple iPhone 4: Coming this Friday on 3 UK
Thursday, July 29th, 2010Virtual mobile network operator 3 UK has confirmed that the Apple iPhone 4 is indeed coming to their network and that the smart phone will be ready for release on Friday.
The big launch is going to see 3 UK stores opening early and plenty of people queuing up for the device. However, 3’s representatives have announced that interested buyers should call ahead in order to schedule an appointment that would allow them to reserve a handset in advance. There is no official statement from Apple or 3 UK regarding how many stocks will be available in the stores so it is important for people to book in advance as queuing up will not ensure that buyers will receive an iPhone 4.
Considering how much issues the iPhone 4’s antenna has, it is surprising how the demand for the product has not gone down. According to reports, Apple’s stocks have taken a dip after the issue of the antenna problem got out of hand and that despite the large demand for the iPhone 4, Apple needs to consider changing their production methods.
A couple of weeks back, the Cupertino based company held an emergency conference with Steve Jobs at the helm of the event. According to Jobs, the antenna issue is something that affects all mobile phones and that this is not just a problem for Apple, but for the entire industry as well. However, it has to be noted that the average smart phone will lose about 10% to 30% of signal strength when the antenna comes into contact with human touch. The iPhone 4 however, loses a solid 90% due to the way that the antenna and the handset were designed.
Apple has since stated that they will be giving out free bumper cases for iPhone 4 owners. The bumper case will prevent the antenna from being accidentally touched during phone operation.