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.
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!
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
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.
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.
Although the Dev Teams has not posted any news on their site, iPod Touch Fans reports that they have seen a tweet that confirms that they have successfully jailbrocken the new 3.1 Software for the iPhone 3Gs. So expect a PwnageTool for that soon. The good news here is that this might lead the Dev Team to Jailbreak the 3.1 software for the iPod Touch 3G as well.
Dropbox arrives at the App Store:
I thought the release of this really cool new app is noteworthy as well. Dropbox is a free application that gives you up to 2gb of storage.
NEW iMACS!
Supposedly, since Apple has cut orders for their old line of iMacs, a new line is on the horizon (as early as Oct. 9th). My biggest question here is if they will incorporate Blu-Ray Technology AND cut costs. I’m hoping for both but only time will tell.
The following is long winded, somewhat complex, and for iPhone 3Gs users only.
Here is a small summary: Try not to upgrade to the 3.1 software if you want to be able to keep the ability to Jailbreak or unlock your iPhone 3Gs. & Make the necessary iTunes adjustments to “future-proof” your 3Gs Jailbreak.
Here are a few, well-noted, words from the iPhone Blog Dev Team:
If there’s one thing we’ve been stressing the last few weeks, it’s that if you want to keep the jailbreak or unlock on your 3GS, you should resist all urges to install Apple’s official firmware updates without knowing if a jailbreak exists for that version yet. Unless another (different) bootrom exploit is found for the 3GS that doesn’t require a “foot in the door” with a signed official iBoot, then accepting official updates willy-nilly may cause you to be cutoff from the jailbreak. And it will definitely cause you to be cutoff from the carrier unlock.
Now, there are ways to ensure that even after taking an official 3GS update (which you really shouldn’t do!), that you’ll nonetheless be able to revert to a jailbreakable 3GS (this is NOT true for the unlock, see NOTE #1 below). We’ve been explaining these methods (like the iTunes /tmp technique) over the last few weeks, and there’s been some great discussion and feedback for the methods in the comments.
Having said all that, we realize that some of you updated your 3GS to 3.1 anyway. If you want to come back to the world of the jailbreak (but NOT the sim unlock, sorry!) then saurik’s new “on file” server may be able to help. He’s got all the details in a new article so do check it out.
Even if you did not update your 3GS to official 3.1 (good job! You really shouldn’t do that!), then you should still read the article and make those changes today. We fully recommend redirecting your iTunes signing process through saurik’s “on file” server to future-proof your 3GS jailbreak through all future updates.
AFTER ADJUSTING YOUR ITUNES SETUP, YOU SHOULD STILL AVOID DOING AN ACTUAL FIRMWARE UPDATE. For all the reasons mentioned in this post, you’ll lose the unlock forever, and lose the jailbreak until a new one for 3.1 comes out. And there’s no guarantee that your 3.0 signed files were captured by saurik in time. This is more about protecting your 3GS jailbreak in future updates — it’s not a way to jailbreak 3.1 right now.NOTE #1: the carrier sim unlock is a different story. Jailbreaking and unlocking have two different security mechanisms, and if you update your 3GS (or 3G) to 3.1, you will lose your carrier unlock, possibly forever. Even if you downgrade from 3.1 to 3.0, you will have lost your carrier unlock. So if you think you’ll ever want to carrier unlock your 3G or 3GS (or maybe give it away or resell it later as an unlockable iPhone), then please stay clear of all official Apple IPSWs. You’ll soon be able to create custom 3.1 IPSWs using PwnageTool that let you pre-hack your 3.1 update in a way that preserves the carrier unlock.
NOTE #2: The custom IPSW flow using PwnageTool also ensures that even if Apple fixes all the iBoot holes, you’ll still be able to retain your jailbreak through later updates. That’s because a jailbroken iPhone will happily accept a custom (pre-jailbroken) firmware update even though it’s not blessed with Apples signatures. This is the “once jailbroken, always jailbroken” approach. It’s very powerful, but it requires you to only update to pre-hacked IPSWs.
NOTE #3: None of this applies if you have an iPhone 2G, iPod touch 1G, or iPod touch 2G. The iPhone 3G is also unaffected by Apple’s signing process for the jailbreak, but it is susceptible to permanent loss of the carrier unlock as mentioned in note #1.
Although Apple has not yet confirmed this date, it is expected that the next “release party” is to be on September 9th. On this day, Apple’s top release will most likely be the iPod 3G . They will mprobably also update the rest of iPod line. Whats more, it is also believed that the Beatles are finally coming to Itunes. Personally, I hope that they remaster this old Band and bring its sub-par quality up to current standards.
Oh, and Facebook 3.0 is finally in the horizon. A much needed update considering the current version does not support much that makes Facebook so cool.
Itunes 9 is rumored to have facebook support as well…. but don’t bet too much on this haha. It seems like a far shot.
Apple also released a software update that fixes the beeping and hard drive freezing issue that has been occurring on many 15in. MacBook Pros with the 7200RPM 500Gb Hard drive.
Snow Leopard is expected to be released August 28th, why…. I don’t know.
iTunes 9 – Will support Blu-Ray, Twitter/FB, App organization
iMac – Probable due for Blu-Ray update
Google Voice – Planned to be remade in the form of a web-app
8gb iPhone 3Gs – Contrary to my previous statement, I have now heard that it may just be a rumor. But, it is still up in the air.
Snow Leopard OS 10.6 - A sure September release
Macbook Pro - According to many studies and apple trends, Apple’s next release should include a new and improved graphics card. This is, according to LaptopCheck, the only place the Macbook Pro falls short of its otherwise sterling standards. As for the expected release date, I hope it will also arrive in September. . . with the full realization that this would be highly idealistic.
Macbook Pro 15 in. - Is now available with a matte screen just like the 17 in. It will cost you $50 extra but is well worth the green considering the glare on the shiny model.
Also, for anyone interested in a iPod Touch 32gb, that has never been touched, please contact me
(Price is negotiable, use the below email address to receive $25 off!)
Just a little update on the 3Gs Jailbreak from the Dev Team.
“We can jailbreak the 3GS right now. But making our jailbreak public at this point in time would benefit relatively few people. It would in fact be detrimental to many more people than it would help. So we feel it’s best to keep our version of the jailbreak out of Apple’s sights for the time being.”
Their intentions are pretty clear and so, for those of you already with the iPhone 3Gs, patience is the game.
We all know how Apple pumped up the gaming updates for the new iPhone 3Gs, but these updates may not be as useful as previously thought. What type of developer would restrict his target audience to just 3Gs owners? The answer: probably very few. So, although the new phone has the ability to handle better games, the market will most likely not see an enormous gaming graphics update until the majority of people have a device that can support them.
As for RedSn0w: Again I am sorry to announce that I’m currently unavailable to help you in great detail and that I only left some general instructions. As for the rate and timing of the updates: Please accept my apology but the times I’m allowed near the Internet are few and sporadic.
So I stumbled across a really interesting website today:Daringfireball.com. Apparently it belongs to John Gruber, a highly informed Apple follower. He hypothesizes the following about the upcoming apple developers conference:
32GB and 16GB instead of the 8gb and 16gb capacities
$199 and $299 price-points to be maintained
3.2 Megapixel camera
Video recording & editing capabilities
Ability to send a picture & video via MMS
Discontinuation of the metal band surrounding the edge of the device
OLED screen
1.5X The battery life
Double the RAM and processing power
Built-in FM transmitter
Apple logo on the back to light up
Rubber-tread backing
Built-in compass
Revolutionary combination of the camera, GPS, compass, and Google maps to identify photo and inform about photo locations.
Turn by turn directions
July 17th, 2009 release date
It is unlikely that the iTablet and iPhone mini will make their entrance
There is a clip that has been circulating of an iPhone running World of Warcraft (WOW). The clip which is below shows the user using Vollee which is used to stream the game over the AT&T 3G network on the iPhone. All of the rendering for the game is done via the PC, so it is up to the 3G network to handle the load which is seems to be doing a good job of.
The game has been completed but due to legal reasons it hasn’t been released. It will be interesting to see if the game ever does make an appearance in the App Store….it would need to get through Blizzard and Apple and that’s a battle in itself. But who knows, it may in some form become available to jailbreakers but at this point that’s just a guess.
