Well, it’s that time of the year, WWDC time! Steve Jobs will undoubtedly have his famous keynote address and will wow the crowds with new products and fantastical promises. While almost all of the attention has been focused on the leaked iPhone, Jobs will likely be talking about more than a new iPhone at the event.  The following lists catalogs some of the other possible releases we will be seeing:

• iPhone OS 4

This one is easy, Steve will be speaking about the new Phone OS for quite a while.

• Mac Pro / 27″ Display

The Mac Pro line has not had an update in quite a while and Apple will most likely release a new, stronger and more powerful version at the event.

A report mentioned updating the Mac Pro display to 27″ as well. Mac Pro displays have been historically more packed but I guess we’ll see.

• Cloud-Based iTunes / MobileMe

Not very likely in my opinion. Some have mentioned a possible wireless syncing for the iphone but I don’t think Apple will release that quite yet.Another rumor tauted that Apple will be giving away free MobileMe accounts to advertise for this cloud. . . Apple. . . free . . . I think not.

• Apple TV

With Google announcing its Google TV, Apple may be dedicating more time and energy towards this field in the future, but I don’t think they are quite ready to role out a revolutionary device yet; maybe an update though.

If so, the new device is said to be based directly on iPhone OS 4.

• Mac OS X 10.7

The next major release of Mac OS X has been in use since at least October 2009. Web records for MacRumors show that Apple has been using 10.7 internally since that time. Recent reports have gone against this possibility.

Steve Jobs said we wouldn’t be bored, so lets see it (tomorrow)!

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iPod touch 4G

Finally, 250 days later, Apple shows us the iPod Touch with a camera. They were planning to release this version as the original 3G iPod Touch, but a size restricting manufacturing mistake left the camera housing empty.

The serial number of the Camera part indicates 2.0 megapixels, but this could easily change as newer models are developed. I certainly hope they upgrade to a slightly better camera.

Another issue is the camera’s actual function. Will it be restricted to purely video or will it have the ability to take pictures as well. Running a diagnostic mode, no internal specs are known as of yet.

I’ll keep you updated.

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The Android community is growing and the OS is improving greatly. Naturally, somebody thought it would be a great idea to run Android on their iPhone. Its still a bit unstable but if you want to test it you, here is very simple and therefore justifiably long tutorial provided by android-a-lot.

DISCLAIMER: Do this at your own risk

Downloads

Here’s a bunch of stuff that you’ll need before you start:

1. IMPORTANT! Jailbroken iPhone 2G only!!!!
2. VirtualBox Get the right version Windows/Mac
3. VirtualBox Ubuntu Image.  Download number 10, Ubuntu Linux 9.10 codename Karmic Koalax86
4. iPhone Explorer.
5. Android images and sources
6. Patched images.

Preparation

Let’s get some of the basics out of the way:

1. Open Task Manager
2. Kill the iTunes Helper process
3. Install iPhone Explorer
4. Connect your iPhone to your Mac/PC
5. Run iPhone Explorer
6. Click the Change Root button
7. Select “/” Real iPhone Root Directory
8. Browse to private/var
9. Copy ramdisk.img, userdata.img, cache.img and zImage from Downloads#5 (Android images and sources) to that var directory
10. Copy system.img and android.img.gz from Downloads#6 (patched images) to the that var directory
11. That’s all the Android files on your iPhone, now to make them run!

Setting Up Virtual Box

1. Install VirtualBox
2. Open VirtualBox
3. Go on File > Virtual Media Manager
4. Make sure Hard Disks is selected
5. Click Add
6. Locate the ubuntu-9.10.vdi file (download#3) and select it
7. Close Virtual Media Manager
8. Go on Machine > New
9. Click Next
10. Under Name enter “Ubuntu”
11. Select Linux Operating System
12. Select Ubuntu Version
13. Click Next
14. Set an amount of RAM, the default should be fine
15. Click Next
16. Select “Use existing hard disk”
17. Select the ubuntu-9.10.vdi
18. Click Next
19. Click Finish
20. Select that new machine to start up Ubuntu
21. The password to login is: reverse

Setting Up Ubuntu

Almost there – if this feels a bit long, just consider how short and simple each step is!

1. Click System (top bar) > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
2. Enter the password: reverse
3. In the quicksearch box, type libusb-1.0, click the Check Box next to libusb-1.0-0 and select Mark for installation
4. In the quicksearch box, type libreadline, click the Check Box next to libreadline5 and select Mark for installtion
5. Click Apply
6. When it’s all installed close the Package Manager
7. Open Firefox (in Ubuntu)
8. Download openiboot installer from here
9. Click Places (top bar) > Downloads
10. Right-click openiboot.zip and click Extract Here
11. Click Applications (top bar) > Accessories > Terminal
12. Without the quotes, type ‘cd Downloads/openiboot’
13. Restart your iPhone in Recovery Mode (power off, hold down Home button, connect to USB cable)

Getting Android Working!

Well done on getting this far! This is where the fun beings (credits to WinX Blog for these instructions –link)

1. In VirtualBox, the Ubuntu Window, go on Devices > USB Devices and select iPhone (Recovery Mode)
2. In the terminal type (without quotes): ’sudo su’
3. Enter the password: reverse
4. In the terminal type ./loadibec openiboot.img3
5. You’ll see the OpeniBoot screen appear on your iPhone
6. Hold down the power button a couple of seconds (iPhone)
7. The bottom option, openiboot console, will become selected
8. Press Home (iPhone).  You’ll see a bunch of text appear and stop at “Welcome to openiboot”
9. In VirtualBox, the Ubuntu Window, go on Devices > USB Devices and select iPhone (OpeniBoot Mode)
10. In terminal type su ./oibc
11. Enter the password: reverse
12. If this doesn’t work just type: ./oibc
13. You’ll see the same text from the iPhone in the Terminal
14. Type (without quotes) ‘nor_read 0×09000000 0×0 1048576? and press Enter
15. Wait for it to say Done
16. Type (without quotes) ‘~norbackup.dump:1048576?
17. This creates a backup of your NOR memory – save a copy on USB stick, or email it to yourself or something
18. Type install, press Enter.  When this is done you’ve got openiboot installed on your iPhone.  You’re done!

Finishing Off

What you’ve achieved up til now is Android files on your iPhone, and then installing openiboot so that you have an option to start iPhone OS or Android when you turn on your phone.  Openiboot was necessary because that’s the only way right now that you can boot into Android.  Here’s how to finish off and get into Android:

1. If you still have Terminal open with the oibc still running, just type ‘reboot’, press Enter and skip to step 3
2. If you don’t have Terminal open, disconnect your phone, turn it off and back on
3. When openiboot appears press Power button to switch to openiboot console (bottom option)
4. Hold down the Home button
5. Android will start to boot, but it might take a while

Thanks to:
planetbeing – the man who did all the hard work!
WinXBlog – guide for getting openiboot running
Geekoid – for the system images
and a huge thanks to Superhero

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The AppleBlog and MacRumors, as well as other sites, report that a new MacBook Air should be released tomorrow. The very trustworthy source, that accurately placed the release of the last MacBook Pro, says that this release could either be a new Air or a new Cinema display; according to the Mac Rumors buying guide, both are way past due.

AppleBlog states:

The MacBook Air was last updated in June of last year, and the biggest change wasn’t specs, but price. The low-end MBA saw its CPU increased from 1.6 to 1.86GHz, but it’s price decrease from $1,799 to $1,499. The high-end model with a 128GB SSD went from 1.86 to 2.13GHz, but saw a price drop of $700 to $1,799. Another price drop seems unlikely, as that would overlap with the 13? MacBook Pro. Far more likely, Apple will maintain the price of the MacBook Air and update specifications, starting with the CPU.

and

Besides that, a glass trackpad sans button would update the MacBook Air to match the MacBook Pros. Also, a Mini DisplayPort with audio out like the MacBook Pros seems a likely upgrade.

Tomorrow will tell.

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Well, they did it.
The Untethered jailbreak for the iPhone, iPod touch, and yes, the iPad is here!
This new jailbreak works on the latest firmwares.
The creator of Spirit, @comex, give us some advice about their his JB:

Spirit is an untethered jailbreak for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch on the latest firmwares.

Spirit is not a carrier unlock.

If you currently are using a tethered jailbreak, you have to restore to use Spirit. Do not upgrade if you use an unlock on an iPhone 3G or 3GS. (You can, however, restore to 3.1.2 if you have SHSH blobs for that version.)

. . . and the requirements for the JB:

Any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch on firmware 3.1.2, 3.1.3, or 3.2.

An activated device: one not stuck on the Connect to iTunes or Emergency Call screen.

Any version of iTunes 9 (including 9.1.1).

Syncing with iTunes before trying this is highly recommended.

Note: On iPad, all this is still sort of beta. Some packages in Cydia, not designed for iPad, might screw up your system and require you to restore. Be careful. (And no, Cydia’s appearance is not final.)

As noted above, this is all still in beta mode and so take heed of the above warning and be careful when installing iPhone Cydia packages on the iPad.

Here is the official site with the available Mac and Windows downloads!

IMPORTANT – Dev Team:
Unless you’ve backed up your SHSH blobs for vulnerable firmware versions, you’ll lose the ability to use the current Spirit jailbreak if you accidentally upgrade.

Please take the steps now to backup your SHSH blobs.  Use either Firmware Umbrella to create a local copy, or go through saurik’s server.  If you are getting an iPad 3G, it’s safest to backup your blobs using Firmware Umbrella, in case saurik’s server gets bogged down with requests.

• Spirit works on all devices.  (However, the redsn0w and PwnageTool flows will continue to work on those devices they’ve always worked on)
• Spirit does not include a carrier unlock.  (Please don’t bug @comex about that)
• Spirit requires your device to be activated or hacktivated

Thanks to all the developers esp. @Comex

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Steve Jobs submitted “thoughts on flash” today.

He gives a few reasons why Apple has not yet allowed flash on their portable devices:

I wanted to jot down some of our thoughts on Adobe’s Flash products so that customers and critics may better understand why we do not allow Flash on iPhones, iPods and iPads. Adobe has characterized our decision as being primarily business driven – they say we want to protect our App Store – but in reality it is based on technology issues. Adobe claims that we are a closed system, and that Flash is open, but in fact the opposite is true.

Then Gruber points out that:

We have routinely asked Adobe to show us Flash performing well on a mobile device, any mobile device, for a few years now. We have never seen it. Adobe publicly said that Flash would ship on a smartphone in early 2009, then the second half of 2009, then the first half of 2010, and now they say the second half of 2010. We think it will eventually ship, but we’re glad we didn’t hold our breath. Who knows how it will perform?

We know from painful experience that letting a third party layer of software come between the platform and the developer ultimately results in sub-standard apps and hinders the enhancement and progress of the platform. If developers grow dependent on third party development libraries and tools, they can only take advantage of platform enhancements if and when the third party chooses to adopt the new features. We cannot be at the mercy of a third party deciding if and when they will make our enhancements available to our developers.

I wouldn’t urge you to hold your breath either. Instead, some parties, like Netflix and Hulu, are planning on using HTML5 for their flash requirements.

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that’s right, that’s Cydia.

George Hotz, famously known as the first hacker to unlock the iPhone, shows that he has hacked the iPad. Although it may still be a while till it is released to the public, geohot shows us the following picture on his blog.  He also shows us that he has acquired the following keys for the 3.2 iPad Firmware:

iBoot.k48ap.RELEASE.img3
KEY: 1E3A1CA2F45D15452B16B9FE0A2C214A0AF897F09EE269F8E5967FC74B1022AC
IV: 36E1BCD042AC193F7305C8E6077D3DF7

018-7226-009.dmg
KEY: 31E7ECD9C364414205A8FA0092CC80C0D67EAE40E75FFA27B37048C42335A106
IV: 9C051576DDD94F48C324CF7AC3197FE1

And of course, the bootrom:
SecureROM for s5l8930xsi, Copyright 2009, Apple Inc.
03203A4EBC24BD2488EFDAAA19F0C9589496011F

He says that it should be as easy as Blackra1n. We’ll see soon. . . hopefully.

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So however ridiculous it may seem, some sources report that Apple may release a “Mini iPad”.

Now I know what you are thinking. . . . iPod Touch right, but no. This source reports that Apple is actually planning on releasing a smaller version of the iPad. The device should be a 5-7 inches and, of course, be appropriately cheaper than the current versions. The device is going to be marketed to group that needs a more portable device; one where text input may not be quite as important.

Digitimes quoted senior analyst Mingchi Kuo, who also works at Digitimes, as “citing talks with upstream component sources,” who have said the smaller iPad will measure between 5 – 7-inches, and will cost under $400 when it goes on sale early 2011. That price is not a stretch by any means of the imagination, considering the cheapest model of the iPad is available today for $499. Oh well, the idea of a mini iPad made me laugh.

Well Mr. Kuo, it makes me laugh as well.

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Hey iPodTouchHackers, it’s been a long time since I’ve updated but this summer should have a lot of Apple action and I hope to give you coverage, hints, tips, and tricks along the way!

iPhone OS is going to have a lot of updates that are really going to change the way people use the iphone.

1. Multitasking
Double click the home button and up pops a “fast-switch” tool bar for your currently running applications. Apple has introduced this update with the following possibilities. Available for Background Audio Streaming, VoIP, Background Location, Push notifications, local application notifications, task completion, fast app switching.

2. Folders
Drag and drop your applications into folders that are automatically subdivided into categories but can also be customized.

3. Home Screens
You can now chose a different home screen and lock screen. One analyst believes the new iPhone will have a sharper screen as well.

4. Finally a universal inbox

5. iBooks – the same app for the iPad . . . just smaller

6. Game Center allows you access to  50,000 gaming titles in the App Store. Game Center brings social aspects to games. Challenge friends, leaderboards, achievements etc.

7. iAd – Apple’s version of ads, makes them more consistent, creative, effective, and probably annoying but we’ll see.

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