Apple just released a new iPhone 3.1.3 OS and updating will kill your chances of Jailbreaking if you are on either the iPhone 3GS or the iPod Touch 2G with “MC serial”.
iPod Touch Fans continues. . .
It also contains a new baseband that has not been hacked and so if you need to unlock your iPhone 3G you should avoid upgrading.
Blacksn0w has not been updated and does not work with 3.1.3 but the ever industrious Dev-Team have made a few tweaks to their recently released redsn0w 0.9 tool so that it will jailbreak OS 3.1.3 on iPod touch 1G, older models of the iPod touch 2G, iPhone 2G and contract (no unlock required) iPhone 3G.
If you’re a 3GS owner then you need to make sure you have backed up your ECID/SHSH signatures through Cydia or Rock to ensure that when Apple stop signing the 3.1.2 firmware you can restore or downgrade to 3.1.2 if required.
Sorry for the bad news, updates to come!
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As would be expected, the media is literally going crazy over the iPad. Some people are jubilant, others disappointed, and some downright angry. Reviews have been flying through the web at horrendous speeds focusing on this and the other. Of course, more people seem to be more excited about the iPad than seem disappointed. I myself am one of these excited people who was scanning article after article about the triumphs of the iPad. But then I ran into one article that seemed to outline exactly what I was ignoring . . . the bad stuff. And although this list is quite opinionated and harsh, I believe it does highlight some of the iPad’s disappointments. So here is a compiled list from Gizmodo that illustrates the iPad in a negative light:
Big, Ugly Bezel
Have you seen the bezel on this thing?! It’s huge! I know you don’t want to accidentally input a command when your thumb is holding it, but come on.
No Multitasking
This is a backbreaker. If this is supposed to be a replacement for netbooks, how can it possibly not have multitasking? Are you saying I can’t listen to Pandora while writing a document? I can’t have my Twitter app open at the same time as my browser? I can’t have AIM open at the same time as my email? Are you kidding me? This alone guarantees that I will not buy this product.
No Cameras
No front facing camera is one thing. But no back facing camera either? Why the hell not? I can’t imagine what the downside was for including at least one camera. Could this thing not handle video iChat?
Touch Keyboard
So much for Apple revolutionizing tablet inputs; this is the same big, ugly touchscreen keyboard we’ve seen on other tablets, and unless you’re lying on the couch with your knees propping it up, it’ll be awkward to use.
No HDMI Out
Want to watch those nice HD videos you downloaded from iTunes on your TV? Too damned bad! If you were truly loyal, you’d just buy an AppleTV already.
The Name iPad
Get ready for Maxi pad jokes, and lots of ‘em!
No Flash
No Flash is annoying but not a dealbreaker on the iPhone and iPod Touch. On something that’s supposed to be closer to a netbook or laptop? It will leave huge, gaping holes in websites. I hope you don’t care about streaming video! God knows not many casual internet users do. Oh wait, nevermind, they all do.
Adapters, Adapters, Adapters
So much for those smooth lines. If you want to plug anything into this, such as a digital camera, you need all sorts of ugly adapters. You need an adapter for USB for god’s sake.
It’s Not Widescreen
Widescreen movies look lousy on this thing thanks to its 4:3 screen, according to Blam, who checked out some of Star Trek on one. It’s like owning a 4:3 TV all over again!
Doesn’t Support T-Mobile 3G
Sure, it’s “unlocked.” But it won’t work on T-Mobile, and it uses microSIMs that literally no one else uses.
A Closed App Ecosystem
The iPad only runs apps from the App Store. The same App Store that is notorious for banning apps for no real reason, such as Google Voice. Sure, netbooks might not have touchscreens, but you can install whatever software you’d like on them. Want to run a different browser on your iPad? Too bad!
As I have mentioned before, I can’t wait for the Dev Team to start hacking!
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So, as previously hinted, Apple released its new Apple iPad today.
Here is the lowdown taken from Mactropolis:
General
-9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
-0.5 inches thick
-1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch (ppi)
-Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating
-Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
-Storage: 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB flash drive
-Processor: 1GHz Apple A4 custom-designed, high-performance, low-power system-on-a-chip
-Accelerometer
-Ambient light sensor
- On screen keyboard. Can use iPad keyboard dock accessory
-Runs all existing iPhone apps
-iBooks (books purchasable from online store. More details forthcoming)
Two models:
Wi-Fi model
-Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
-Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
Wi-Fi + 3G model
-UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
-GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz)
-Data only
-Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n)
-Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
Location
-Wi-Fi
-Digital compass
-Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
-Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
Battery and Power
-Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
-Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
-Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system
Input and Output
-Dock connector
-3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
-Built-in speakers
-Microphone
-SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)
Of course, we here at iPod Touch Hacks can’t wait for the possible dev hacks that will really open the iPad up for customizability!
But something was quitely changed by Apple today as well. . . .
Apple has removed the restrictions surrounding Voice Over Internet Protocol in the new iPhone OS SDK. This means that users may now use VoIP services over 3G networks. iCall, the first of a presumable plethora of VoIP apps to be released, is already available on the App store.
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Apple has recently let out that its next big release date will be January 27th!!!!!
Although Apple is not expected to release the MacPro, Macbook Pro, or new Desktop Monitor (all of who’s product cycles have come to an end) they are expected to release a the long awaited iPad, iPhone 4.0 software, and iLife 2010.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
… the screen is expected to be 10 to 11 inches and priced somewhere in the ballpark of $1000. . .
and
In short, it looks like this device is going to be a household appliance used by multiple people to consume media. The device may even have a built-in camera to identify the user.
But as you know, these are just rumors.
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Tablet Update
The Apple slate device is said to be missing a much anticipated camera. Unfortunately, it is also been said that the tablet will only house an operating system termed “the iphone OS on steroids” and not include an actual OSX off-shoot. The AppleInsider reports:
- The tablet’s multi-touch gestures are “out of control.”
- It’s powered by an incredibly fast ARM CPU
- It runs on the iPhone kernel.
- The internal model number is K48AP.
- There hasn’t been an updated iPhone OS build because there’s too much tablet-related code/references in the OS and Apple obviously didn’t want that to leak. Oops.
- The tablet is basically an “iPhone on steroids.”
John Gruber states:
And, for what it’s worth, I’m hearing there is no camera, webcam or otherwise, on The Tablet.
New Macbook Pro
Although Apple is supposed to only release the much-anticipated Apple Tablet at the end of this month, it is also speculated that a new Macbook Pro will make its appearance. This new MBP will most likely have the new Intel Core i5 processor, an update that will vastly speed up the whole system. Unfortunately, the already great battery life is not expected to improve.
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So Apple is the big brother. It has been leaking its own controlled rumors all along according to one Mactropolis report. Here is a quote from an ex Apple Employee:
I know, because when I was a Senior Marketing Manager at Apple, I was instructed to do some controlled leaks.
The way it works is that a senior exec will come in and say, “We need to release this specific information. John, do you have a trusted friend at a major outlet? If so, call him/her and have a conversation. Idly mention this information and suggest that if it were published, that would be nice. No e-mails!”
Another source reports that Apple will be making its tablet cross-network compatible:
Computerworld is reporting that a Broadpoint AmTech analyst claims that Apple will introduce the much-rumored Apple tablet with 3G wireless networking functionality with support for multiple network providers, Verizon being a “certainty” amongst them.
3G service in a device like this would mean that the device itself would be internet-centric, meaning web based media would be this devices primary purpose(As if no one already figured that out). It also goes without saying that here in the States, the only network supplier for the iPhone is AT&T, but the exclusivity documents tying iPhone to AT&T are expected to expire sometime in mid-2010.
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Apple recently released an update that allows web-apps to be more fully integrated unto the iPhone/iPod Touch. They have removed the obnoxious “web-bar” from the top and allowed an integrated bottom tool bar that doesn’t move when you scroll. Good move by Apple as this will surely boost App development since building a web app can be done in a graphical user interface while building .api(s) does take a considerable amount of manual Objective-C programming. But the biggest change this brings is the dis-intermediation of the Apple filter which rejects a huge percentage of offline applications.
Toshiba has announced its creation of 64GB chips. Since the iPhone only has one storage slot as opposed to the iPod Touch’s two slots, we will probably see 64GB iPhones and 128GB iPod Touches in the near future.
The World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) is rumored to take place on either June 28th or July 2nd.
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Better iPods
* AppleRumors.com reports that Apple “is working on improving the audio/video experience of their iPod andiPhones”. They give the following two examples for possible improvements:
For example, the usage metadata may indicate that a user skips, on average, the first 22 seconds of a particular song so the next time that song is played, the first 22 seconds will automatically be skipped.
&
The System Does not Have Sufficient Power for Playing the Entire Selected Video Segment.
Choose “Adjust Settings” for Lowering Power Consumption or Otherwise Choose “View Video” to View Selected Video for the Remaining Time.
In addition to these possibilities, Apple may also include a feature that makes the more frequently played songs more likely to show up on shuffle than those frequently skipped.
Apple insider also mentions:
Give the iPhone a battery that lasts longer than one day. “Apple has introduced advanced battery technology with its portable Macs,” he writes, “and we expect the company to dramatically improve the iPhone battery life with the next several hardware launches.”
Verizon
* A Silicon Alley insider, Chris Larsen, estimates an Apple / Verizon deal to be about 70%
RFID
* Although the idea of Radio Frequency Identification chip in mobile devices has taken a dive in popularity, sources report that:
Turn the iPhone into a digital wallet. Munster predicts that future iPhones will have built-in RFID technology, allowing them to make retail payments with a single swipe.
Tablet
* Many are expecting the MacTablet (or one of its 10 other names) will be released at a price level equivalent to that of its other hardware, but some boldly disagree by saying it may just be priced “shockingly low”:
I hope that’s Apple’s strategy, because I can’t help but feel that a $1000 tablet–without immediate price cuts–would almost certainly fail. The Kindle crowd wants a cheap ($200) device for reading books. Students need a conventional laptop for school work. And smartphone users wouldn’t swap their handsets for a large, bulky slate–nor would they carry two separate mobile devices.
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With Apple’s stock predicted to rise generously in the coming months, there must be some new releases pending; here are some rumors and recent updates:
iPod Touch with Camera - The Examiner reports:
We have heard from an inside source who claims the camera version of the iPod Touch 3G will be released this Spring. The source confirms to us that the iPod Touch 3G with camera had actually been planned for release this past September, but had problems passing quality control.
Unfortunately, the new iPod will only have the video-only capability of the new iPod Nano. However, I was thinking that merely playing the video and stopping it at a desired frame and then taking a screenshot (home+sleep) would probably work well enough.
iPod Click Wheel Games – Apple will no longer be making iPod Click wheel supported games…
MacTablet, and a cheap one at that? – Although it sounds very un-apple-ish, some sources have reported that Apple’s MacTablet will be priced, and I quote, “Shockingly low!” Sounds to good to be true, and although most rumors place the tablet at 9-10 inches in diameter, Macrumors reports that it may be as low as 7 in.
Faster Macbook Pro – The Macbook product cycle predicts a new release in 20 days or so. Releasing the new Macbook on Christmas is highly unlikely and so I would predict the new MBP to come some time in January. Macrumors reports:
Intel is planning on launching three Arrandale-based processors on January 3rd, 2010. These Arrandale processors are based on the advanced Nehalem architecture first introduced into desktop Macs earlier this year, and should represent a significant performance improvement over the Core 2 Duo processors that are currently found in Apple’s MacBook Pros.
The three new processors will be branded under the “Core i5″ and “Core i7″ names and range from 2.4GHz to 2.66GHz with prices ranging from $225 to $332 in quantities of 1000. While Fudzilla describes their TDP (thermal design power) of 35W as “not so attractive”, it matches up with the current high-end processors used in the MacBook Pro. This means Apple could use these processors in a new MacBook Pro update.
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So since jailbreaking news has been pretty dry lately I have been testing out some Google products.
Google Chrome: Absolutely Awesome. In my opinion this browser is by far the best. It is unbelievably fast and stable (even in the developer mode), has bookmark sync, and has some great extensions! Download Chrome here!
Extensions I use:
- Adsweep
- Alwitt’s Facebook enhancer
- Chrome Reader
- GetYouTube
- Gmail Checker
- Grooveshark Ad remover
- iMacros for Chrome
- SmoothScroll
- Switch HTTP Proxy.
Google Chrome OS: cool but not quite ready yet and runs really slow in virtualbox on my semi-decent laptop. Try it here.
Google Tasks in Gmail: a really nice little To-do list built right into your Gmail page. To activate this and many other handy add-ones for you gmail account go to settings>labs in Gmail.
Google Wave: Very very cool and fun. Although, I must admit it is frustrating to find only 2 other contacts online at any given point in time. Once Wave becomes more public it will probably be running side by side with Facebook more often.
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