A new, smaller Micro USB port was spotted on the bottom of leaked iPhone 5 parts in a post on Mobilefunas well as in this video. Now TechCrunch hasconfirmedthat Apple is indeed switching to a "19-pin" (presumably Micro USB) port on its forthcoming iPhone 5.
I've always detested Apple's dreadful 30-pin "Dock Connector" and its associated cable. Here are some of the reasons why:
It's proprietary. This means that if you want to charge or sync your iOS device, you need to buy one of these puppies from Apple. Sure, there are copies made by third parties, but they're usually lower quality, don't always work well and rarely last as long as the Apple OEM version.
It's expensive. The OEM Dock Connector to USB Cable (Apple PN MA591G/B) will set you back $19 (plus shipping). That's a King's ransom considering that a 6-foot Micro USB cable can be purchased for $0.59 (with free shipping!) That makes the Apple Dock Connector cable half as short and 32 times more expensive than Micro USB.
The cable's too short. At a paltry 39" (0.9m), the Apple Dock Connector cable is a hair over a yard (and under one meter) in length. Which is about long enough to reach from the surge protector on your floor to a short table. Heck it barely reaches to the top of a standard 32-inch high desk. Most people need to buy a longer version -- which Apple doesn't make -- leading to the aforementioned quality and power problems (especially with the new power-hungry iPad 3).
It's a crutch. Apple relied on its proprietary, expensive Dock Connector cable as the only way to sync its revolutionary iPhone for far too long. Especially for a device with three (count 'em) wireless radios.
The connector itself is enormous. At 26.1mm x 5.7mm the Dock Connector itself is almost 4 times larger (in each dimension) than a Micro USB plug, which measures a svelte 6.85mm x 1.8mm, which is over 12 times larger in volume (148.77 cubic mm vs. 12.33 cubic mm). The Dock Connector is the only reason that the iPod nano is as large as it is.
It was antiquated in 2007. Micro USB connector technology was announced by the USB Implementers Forum on January 4, 2007.
It's illegal. The European Commission approved a policy requiring all mobile phones to adopt the standard Micro USB charging connector beginning in January 2011. In October 2011 Apple began bundling European iPhones with an iPhone Micro USB Adapter to comply with the new law.
(The new Apple dongle, incidentally, is available in the US on eBay and Amazon for around $13.)
Although today's news is sure to send shockwaves through the third-party accessory community, I will happily dance a jig on the Dock Connector's grave when it happens.
I assumed that the smaller charging port on the bottom of recent iPhone 5
leaks was a Micro USB port but Apple might not dump its lucrative
licensing business so quickly after all.
It looks like I might have started dancing a jig a little
prematurely. After seeing the new, smaller opening on the bottom of some
leaked iPhone 5 components, I assumed that Apple was dropping the venerable Dock Connector port on its iOS devices in favor of the Micro USB standard.
Well, I might be wrong.
Terry Flores noted in the comments that Micro USB isn't 19-pins (as TechCrunch confirmed the new port on the iPhone 5 is). MobileFun notes that the new connector on the iPhone 5 is "much smaller, similar in size to micro USB."
In a comment under the TechCrunch post, Robert Scoble throws water on my Micro USB theory.
Scoble quotes an engineer "working in the phone world" as saying that Apple is moving from the Dock Connector to a MagSafe-like magnetic latch
(like the one on the MacBook Air and Pro) -- and even worse than the
Dock Connector it replaces -- the new cable will "include chips to
verify licensing of accessories to be used with the devices" (like
Apple's current Thunderbolt cable, pictured above). His source goes on
to explain that "there is a chip in both ends of the new power supply
that ensure that it is an official device."
Dear Lord.
If this pans out, it means that instead of embracing a worldwide
standard for syncing and charging smartphones (Micro USB) Apple will
adopt an even more expensive and even more proprietary port and cable to protect its highly lucrative "Made For iPhone" (MFi) licensing program.
I'm not thrilled that it's still proprietary and it'll certainly be expensive, but the MagSafe part is a good idea. Or isn't it?
What the heck will Apple do in the EU? Include another dongle?
Apple has won a preliminary injunction barring U.S. sales of Samsung's iPad rival, the Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Apple has prevailed in seeking a preliminary sales injunction against
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet over the alleged infringement of the
iPad's patented design.
The
win marks a major victory for Apple in the ongoing "thermonuclear war"
against rival mobile operating system Google's Android.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh previously rejected Apple's attempt to block the tablet in the U.S., but was forced to reconsider her position following an appeals court ruling.
Once Apple posts a $2.6 million bond to protect Samsung against
damages should the injunction be appealed and overturned, the sales ban
can come into force.
"Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to
compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products," Koh wrote on Tuesday.
"While Samsung will certainly suffer lost sales from the
issuance of an injunction, the hardship to Apple of having to directly
compete with Samsung’s infringing products outweighs Samsung’s harm in
light of the previous findings by the Court."
Samsung will likely appeal the ruling, though a spokesperson was
unavailable for comment at the time of writing to confirm the company's
next move.
A Samsung statement said: "Should Apple continue to make legal
claims based on such a generic design patent, design innovation and
progress in the industry could be restricted."
An Apple spokesperson said that "this kind of blatant copying is
wrong and, as we've said many times before, we need to protect Apple's
intellectual property when companies steal our ideas," reiterating an
earlier company statement. The Cupertino-based company did not say when
--- or even if --- the bond would be posted.
The case hinges on a single design patent owned by Apple that
protects the aesthetics of its iPad tablet. But many have argued the
patent is too broad and could stifle innovation in the burgeoning tablet
market.
Apple has more than 60 percent of the tablet market and sold more
than 13.6 million iPads in the first calendar quarter. Samsung only sold
1.6 million tablets, giving the Korean-based technology giant just over
7 percent of the overall market share.
A new website allows anyone to create passes for iOS 6 Passbook (for
boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, etc.)
ahead of the public release of the API.
At WWDC12 last week -- alongside the iOS 6 Developer Preview -- Apple debuted a new app called Passbook that has the potential to disrupt mobile payments ("m-commerce") and to turn the iPhone into the digital wallet of the future.
Here's the description of Passbook from Apple's iOS 6 preview page:
Your boarding passes, movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards,
and more are now all in one place. With Passbook, you can scan your
iPhone or iPod touch to check in for a flight, get into a movie, and
redeem a coupon. You can also see when your coupons expire, where your
concert seats are, and the balance left on that all-important coffee bar
card. Wake your iPhone or iPod touch, and passes appear on your Lock
screen at the appropriate time and place — like when you reach the
airport or walk into the store to redeem your gift card or coupon. And
if your gate changes after you’ve checked in for your flight, Passbook
will even alert you to make sure you’re not relaxing in the wrong
terminal.
When I first launched the Passbook beta I was underwhelmed because it
didn't do anything besides display a splash screen. As it turns out, the
app requires retailers and vendors to release passbook compatible files
(called "passes") to enable the app's functionality.
iPhoneHacks published an article on how business owners can jump on the Passbook bandwagon ahead of Apple's pubic release of its Pass Kit APIs.
Some enterprising developers created a website called PassSource that allows users to create test passes for the Passbook app today. Here's how.
Point your iOS 6 device's Safari browser to passsource.com
Tap on Individual Passes
Here you'll see different types of test pass options. Select one of the them.
You will now see several fields that can be edited. Leave everything as default and tap on the Create button at the bottom.
Once the pass is created, you will see the preview of the pass. Tap
on the Add button at the top right corner to add the pass to the
Passbook app.
Launch the Passbook app and you should see the test pass in the app.
You can tap on the Settings option in the bottom right corner to set
Notifications when there are updates to the pass or to show up in the
lock screen based on time or location.
Smart retail establishments and businesses would be well served by
getting ahead of the curve on Passbook by creating their passes now.
Once created, passes can be distributed by email or by posting them on a
website and vendors can set them to appear at certain times or
locations and update items with push notifications.
In typical fashion Apple released little information about the iOS 6
beta 2 update other than that it contains "bug fixes and improvements."
Apple tonight pushed its first major update of iOS 6.0 out to
developers. The beta 2 update appeared in the form of an Over The Air
(OTA) update that was pushed to devices running iOS 6 beta 1.
Developers running the first iOS 6 beta received a push notification of the update at around 9:45 p.m. ET (pictured at right.)
MacRumors notes
that iOS 6 beta 2 is labeled as build 10A5338d (Beta 1 was build
10A5316k.) Oh and the gears in the Settings icon spin in a spiffy new
animation when you're downloading the new beta (video).
iOS 6 beta 2 weighs in at 299MB on the iPhone 4 and 497MB on the iPad 3 (below).
9to5Mac is tracking
the new features in beta 2 (including a Shared Photo Streams toggle,
new Twitter icon, new TweetSheet in Siri UI, Reading List syncing over
3G, Calendar item ending times in Notification Center, Guided Access
mode and more). Feel free to post any that you find in the TalkBack.
Apple also released Xcode 4.5 Developer Preview 2 and Apple TV Software beta 2.
Apple has released a new standalone Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad. Apple announced the iOS 6
earlier this month that would not have the podcast feature inside the
iTunes app, instead users can download this app to subscribe to and play
your favorite podcasts. You can subscribe to podcasts from the
wide catalog based on your country in over 40 languages. Features of Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad
Audio and video podcasts in a single app
Explore hundreds of thousands of podcasts including shows in over 40 languages
Find new podcast series in a variety of topics, including arts, business, comedy, music, news, sports, and more.
Browse by Audio or Video podcasts, or see what’s most popular in Top Charts
Tap subscribe for your favorites and automatically receive new episodes for free as they become available
Stream episodes or download to listen while offline
Skip forward and back using simple playback controls
Turn on Sleep Timer to automatically stop playing a podcast while listening in bed
Share your favorite episodes with friends using Twitter, Messages and Mail
Optionally sync your favorite episodes from iTunes on your Mac or PC
Sync your episode playback for seamless transition between devices
Download Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad from the Apple iTunes Store for free.
Chrome for iPhone and iPad is now available for download in the App Store.
Chrome Vice President Brian Rakowski announced Chrome for iPhone and iPad (free, App Store) at Google I/O 2012 today in San Francisco.
According to reportage by The Verge Chrome for iOS will require iOS 4.3 or higher and will support Chrome sync. Blurry photos of the slideware don't provide many more details other than the fact that it's strikingly similar to Chrome for Android. No surprises there.
Possibly the most newsworthy part of the announcement is the fact that Chrome for iOS is available today.
Although it has a lot of potential for Chrome users on the desktop, I primarily use Safari on OS X and like its iCloud bookmark syncing. Plus iOS 6 is adding iCloud tab syncing which will be an added bonus.
Mashable
notes that Chrome for iOS is basically a skinned version of Mobile
Safari (UIWebView) minus the Nitro JavaScript engine -- which Apple
restricts to Mobile Safari for "security reasons." Also since Apple
doesn't provide an option to select default apps in iOS touching links
in apps (email, messages, etc.) only opens them in Safari.
This inexpensive app turns the iPad (iPhone too) into a full-featured scanner that connects to the cloud. It prints to make copies and can fax documents cheaply over the web.
Freelancers and others who work from home sometimes need standard business tools
such as scanners, copiers, and fax machines. These can be expensive, especially since
most aren't needed very often. A cheap app for the iPad can turn it into all of those
office tools.
Scanner Pro ($6.99) uses the iPad (or iPhone) camera to snap high-resolution images
from
documents. I prefer the iPad with Scanner Pro as the larger display makes it easier to
manipulate the recorded document.
Once a document is snapped using the app, it can be sent to the cloud (Evernote,
DropBox, Google Docs) for storage. The scanned document can be printed to
any printer that supports Air Print, turning the iPad into a simple copier.
Documents can also be sent directly to any computer over the local Wi-Fi network.
This is an easy way to get PDFs into the computer using just the iPad.
Scanned documents can also be faxed over the web for $0.99 handled as an in-app
purchase.
The fax recipient can be manually entered or picked from the user's contact list. The
faxes
are sent in just a few seconds once paid for in the app.
When a document is snapped by the app (multiple pages are supported), the app
automatically determines the document borders before saving. They are clearly
marked on the document image and can be easily moved by touch. This is important as
it provides a great way to limit a copy/ fax to only a portion of a scanned page if desired.
Scanner Pro can save scanned documents as either JPEG images or PDF documents. It is
possible to open the scanned image in an appropriate app for handling the selected
document
type from within Scanner Pro. This allows further manipulation of the resultant file when
necessary.
The iPad with Scanner Pro has been serving me as a capable scanner, copier, and fax
machine for a while. I don't need any of these functions often, but when I do this method
works quite well and for a low cost. Just as importantly it takes almost no desk space,
unlike the equipment it has replaced.
Designed by Apple from the ground up, Maps gives you turn-by-turn spoken
directions, interactive 3D views, and the stunning Flyover feature. All of which may just make this app the most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever.
iOS 6 gives you more features to make the things you
do every day even better. It’s coming this fall, and it’s free and easy
to upgrade wirelessly on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch — the moment
it’s available.
A Retina display with 5.1 million pixels. An all-flash architecture. Quad-core Intel Core i7 processors. In a design that’s just 0.71 inch thin and 4.46 pounds. It’s not just the most advanced notebook Apple have ever made, it’s the most advanced Mac we’ve ever made.
Apple wanted this MacBook Pro to have a screen as vivid as your
imagination. A screen where everything you see is remarkably vibrant,
detailed, and sharp. What Apple created was the world’s highest-resolution
notebook display — and our most jaw-dropping Retina display yet.
One screen. Five million pixels.
When you pack over 5 million pixels into a 15.4-inch display,
the results are positively stunning. The pixel density is so high, your
eyes can’t discern individual pixels. Images take on a new level of
realism and text is pin sharp. And with a 2880-by-1800 resolution, you
can see more of your high-resolution images onscreen with
pixel-for-pixel accuracy. So your best ideas can become your best work.
More color and contrast. Less glare.
The new Retina display reduces glare while maintaining
incredible color and quality. In fact, it has a 29 percent higher
contrast ratio than a standard MacBook Pro display. Blacks are blacker.
Whites are whiter. And everything in between is rich and vibrant. IPS
technology gives you a wide, 178-degree view of everything on the
screen, so you’ll see the difference at practically any angle. And
you’re going to love what you see.
After the purported leak of an iPad version of Office in February ,
rumors have existed that the extremely popular software might be making
an appearance on tablets soon. Speaking to a source , BGR reports that
long awaited app might be making its debut on both the iPad and Android
tablets sometime in November.
BGR’s source claims to have seen a version of the software running on
an iPad and says that it looks identical to the previously leaked
version. Microsoft refused to comment on the information stating “We
have nothing to share at this time as we do not comment on rumors or
speculation.” Considering the increasing usage of tablets in educational
and office situations , there is strong demand for Microsoft’s popular
suite of word processing , presentation making tools on these platforms.
If the iPhone ever had a real challenger to its lofty
position atop the smartphone throne, it was last year's impressive
Samsung Galaxy S2. With the Galaxy S3 now fully revealed, Apple's mobile
monster has renewed competition. Both the iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy S3 have
a lot going for them, each with unique bonuses and drawbacks. We
compare the key features and specs of both to help you decide which you
should be splashing the cash on.
Videos
Design and Build Quality iPhone 4S
Though it's a rehashed version of the iPhone 4 (with the dreadful
antenna issues all ironed out) it's hard to fault the iPhone 4S design.
Whether you grab it in black or white, the angular unibody design with
chrome trim oozes style. It's arguably hit the sweetspot for
mobile-phone size at 115.2 mm x 58.66 mm x 9.3 mm too. It does however
lack a HDMI-out port, pretty much a standard with high-end Android
handsets these days, and it's a little delicate, with its glass prone
to shattering if dropped from even a modest height. Galaxy S3
Thin at just 8.6mm and light at 133g, the Galaxy S3 feels great in the
hand, and slips almost invisibly into a pocket. Available in Pebble Blue
and Marble White, its curved edges are meant to conjure memories of
nature. However, its plasticy "Hyperglaze" finish lacks that premium
feel, and some may decide the Galaxy S3 is a little flimsy, albeit
unfairly. Winner - iPhone 4S Screen iPhone 4S
The latest iPhone's Retina Display is pretty much as good as it gets for
mobile display technology right now. Measuring 3.5 inches diagonally,
it uses LED backlit IPS TFT LCD technology to deliver images at a
staggering 326ppi. What the screen lacks in size it more than makes up
for in detail, with vibrant colours, lush brightness and deep blacks. Galaxy S3
A 4.8 inch Super AMOLED HD display sits on the front of the Galaxy S3
and it's gorgeous. Though its extra size and resolution mean it "only"
hits a 309ppi pixel density, to the naked eye that won't make a
difference. Vibrant and colourful, it dwarfs the iPhone 4S screen, which
is a far less comfortable size to view videos on. Bigger, in this case
at least, is better. Winner - Galaxy S3 Processor iPhone 4S
Apple's 800Mhz dual-core A5 chip may sound a little dated in this age of
quad-core mobile CPUs, but thanks to Apple's careful marriage of
software and hardware, you'll never find the iPhone 4S being overly
taxed. You'll fly through menu screens, tap away at breathtaking
polygonal-3D gaming apps and playback detailed HD video without a
stutter. Galaxy S3
Samsung have popped a quad-core 1.4Ghz Exynos processor in the Galaxy
S3. And despite having to push more pixels than the iPhone 4S (and
running off the sometimes temperamental Android OS) there wasn't a
stutter or hang to be seen. This is one powerful phone, best presented
by the Pop Up Play feature that offers true picture-in-picture
multitasking, offering windowed HD video playback. Impressive is an
understatement. Winner - Galaxy S3 Storage iPhone 4S
Though Apple's iPhone 4S doesn't offer expandable storage, they at least
offer three different configurations when it comes to size. 16GB, 32GB
and 64GB iPhone 4S models are all available, with pricing rising
appropriately. It's a crafty tactic though, as those opting for more
storage space have to pop money directly into Apple's coffers, rather
than picking up cheaper expandable storage elsewhere. With the iCloud
back-up feature too you've got a little leeway with which to store files
remotely too, though extensive cloud storage through Apple doesn't come
cheaply. Galaxy S3
Samsung's generous storage options make Apple look very cheap here. For
starters, you've got the same 16GB, 32GB and 64GB handset options. Add
on to that the option of popping in as much as an extra 64GB from a
microSD card. Then pile on top the 50GB of FREE Dropbox cloud storage
that comes as standard with every Galaxy S3 purchase. There's no
competition here. Winner - Galaxy S3 Battery iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S is said to have 200 hours worth of battery standby time, 8
hours talk time on 3G, 14 hours talk time on 2G, 6 hours 3G browsing, 9
hours Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video playback or 40 hours of audio
playback. In reality however, you're going to be juggling through all
these tasks (at times simultaneously) throughout a day, meaning that
you're going to need to recharge that battery long before the day is
done. Galaxy S3
Samsung have popped in a whopping 2100mAh battery in the Galaxy S3. It
sounds awesome, but remember there's a massive screen to power, as well
as a quad-core processor draining juice all the time. Touches like the
Smart Stay tech should keep battery usage as low as possible, but we
can't pass judgement here till we've put the phone through its paces for
a bit longer. We'll call it a tie for now. Winner - Tie Software and Apps iPhone 4S
Apple say there's an app for everything, and with the iOS App Store,
that's pretty much true. With over 500,000 different apps available in
Apple's store, there's pretty much an app to cater for every potential
need. From fitness to finance, arts to archaeology, you name it, there's
a shed load of apps for every possible niche. Gaming in particular is
well served on the iPhone, with it more than a match for handhelds like
the Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita these days. Just check out Infinity Blade 2
if you need convincing.
The iPhone 4S also features the much-publicised Siri voice control
app. With it, you can search the web, set calendar reminder, dictate
emails and much more with just your voice alone. In the US it's a
fully-featured service that has a giant database of details on local
businesses and events. In the UK, it's far less comprehensive in terms
of what it can do, making it a bit of a novelty for the time being.
As for the iOS operating system itself, it's incredibly easy to use
and looks beautiful. It pretty much invented the grid-based app layout
that everything from the Xbox 360 to Roku entertainment players have
ripped off since. It is also however incredibly limited in terms of
customisation, and if you're a tinkerer who likes to get under the hood
of his device and tweak every property and potential UI layout, it's not
a patch on Android. Galaxy S3
The Galaxy S3 runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich. When it comes to apps,
Android just can't compete with iOS. For starters there are fewer apps
available, and they tend to be uniformly less visually appealing than
similar ones available on the Apple App Store.
Likewise, Android is a far less user-friendly OS, but what it lacks
in dummy-proofing, it excels with customisation options. You can make
your Android look and act pretty much however you want it to, freely
adding widgets and personal touches throughout the device.
Samsung have also gone a long way to stamping their own touches into
the software of the phone too. As well as the aforementioned Pop Up Play
feature, there's superfast data sharing over NFC with S Beam,
intelligent facial recognition and photo tagging capabilities,
eye-tracking screen dimming tech called Smart Stay and their own Siri
rival called S Voice. Winner - iPhone 4S Camera and Video Recording iPhone 4S
Though its megapixel count of 8 isn't any higher than the majority of
top-tier smartphones the iPhone 4S's imaging systems consistently
deliver stunning results. Using a lens with an aperture of f/2.4, and
combining that with clever HDR and Macro software, you get excellent
still image results almost every time. A super-fast shutter speed that
lets you snap multiple images directly after each other sweetens the
deal, as do the many superb photography apps on the App Store. However,
you can't tweak sensitivity settings like white balance and exposure,
which may irk pro photographers.
1080p video recording with anti-shake functionality likewise returns
brilliant results on the iPhone 4S, with the iMovie app letting you make
a few simple edits on the go. Galaxy S3
Samsung's top-tier smartphone camera seems every bit as good as the
iPhones. Again, it's an 8MP offering, with impressive start up speeds of
990ms, and the ability to fire off 3.3 photos a second. A 20 in a row,
six photos per second, burst mode also features, alongside Best Shot,
which takes 8 pictures and picks out the best based on framing, lighting
and blur, as well as elements such as open or closed eyes on the
subject.
Then there are the facial recognition features. Snap a friend, tag
them in one photo, and every subsequent picture you take of them in the
future should automatically be tagged accurately by the handset. Groups
of people appearing in the same shots can also have group tags
associated with them, making organising large photo libraries incredibly
easy. Images can quickly be shared via email or social networks using
this feature too.
Elsewhere, more standard features like High Dynamic Range (HDR),
panorama, Smile Shot and Beauty Modes are onboard too, as well as plenty
of manual settings for things like Exposure values.
Though we spent less time with it, 1080p video recording is also
onboard. Just like the S2 before it, the results from our early tests
looked a real treat, with video stabilisation options working superbly.
Up front, a 1.9MP camera for video calling and shooting 720p video is
also available. Winner - Tie Price iPhone 4S
Unlocked, the iPhone 4S in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB sizes cost £499, £599 and £699 respectively. Galaxy S3
We're still waiting for official pricing for the Galaxy S3, but if the
Galaxy S2 was anything to go by, expect premium pricing. The S2 started
at around £500 SIM-Free too depending on retailer, so we'd imagine
things to be similar with the Galaxy S3. Winner - Tie
Overall Winner - Samsung Galaxy S3 There's not much in it, and the Apple faithful will likely
see nothing that will make them change their ways, but my first
impressions of the Galaxy S3 suggest it may be the best smartphone on
the market today. A great camera, superb screen and innovative software
features show Samsung have really pushed the boat out with the Galaxy
S3. If the price proves right, and the battery is up to scratch, we
could have a new smartphone king on our hands. Remember though, the
iPhone 4S is based on a design (that of the iPhone 4) that is now a
couple of years old. With the iPhone 5 launch almost certainly looming,
the tables could turn yet again very quickly...
With the release of iOS 5.1 there is already a jailbreak. The downside to this jailbreak is that it does not work on the iPad 2 or 3, and the iPhone. 4s. The Dev Team states to stay on 5.0.1 at all costs if you would like a jailbreak for one of those devices. This jailbreak is also semi tethered meaning you will need to follow the last steps every time your device turns fully off. If you use an unlock we highly recommend that you stay on iOS 5.0.1.
The Avengers Iron Man Mar VII http://www.netbooknews.com Marvel's
The Avengers: Iron Man - Mark VII includes 15 pages of new storyline, dozens of
interactive elements and a "read to me" mode for kids. Another reason
that you should really be picking up this free app is that it's got full
optimization for the new iPad's retina display.
The Quasar windows manager allows standard iOS apps to be run in separate windows. They can also be moved, resized and manipulated in all the ways that you might play with windows on a Windows or Mac system.
A few weeks ago I suggested that the killer feature missing from the iPad is multitasking. For owners who have jailbroken their iPads, such a feature is now available.
Multitasking is brought to the iPad thanks to an application called Quasar, from BigBoss developer Pedro Franceschi. Quasar is a windows manager that allows standard iOS apps to be run in separate windows on the iPad. These windows can be moved about the screen, resized and manipulated in all the ways that you might interact with applications on a Windows or Mac system.
Quasar is fully integrated with the iOS Notification Center, which means that clicking on notifications will open the app in a window. It will also automatically open App Store, YouTube, and web links in the appropriate windowed app.
Quasar is also optimized to run iPhone apps on the iPad at the correct resolution.
For anyone who wonders whether the iPad has enough processing power to handle multitasking, this video should answer that question. In fact, even the first-generation iPad has enough horsepower to multitask applications.
The multitasking effects appear smooth and responsive, with no lag or visual artefacts visible on screen. The iPad’s hardware is clearly up to the task, meaning this omission is a limitation of iOS platform and not of the iPad itself.
Be warned that there do seem to be a few bugs in the application. For example, moving a window off the screen causes the app to be annoyingly chopped in half. Bugs are to be expected given that this is a first release, and the developer has promised fixes.
The only drawback to this app is that it requires a jailbroken iPad. If you’re running a device with iOS 5 or earlier then this isn’t going to be a problem. For those on iOS 5.1 — which includes all iPad 3 owners — things look bleak. The only jailbreak available for this iOS release is untethered — which means that if you reboot your device you will need to connect it to a computer to reinstate the jailbreak — and only works for a limited selection of hardware.
This app is the single best reason I can think of to jailbreak your iPad.
Quasar is available from the Cydia Store and costs $9.99.
If a jailbreak app can bring multitasking to the iPad, It’s hard to come up with a compelling reason why Apple can’t do the same.
Watch your back, Siri – there’s a new kid in town.
On Friday, Micromax, India’s fourth largest mobile phone company by market share, introduced a new smartphone with an application that takes a page out of Apple’s book: it’s called, Aisha. That is, Artificial Intelligence Speech Handset Assistant (not to be confused with Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface).
Micromax’s A50 Superphone Ninja can be yours for about Rs5,000 ($95) – just one ninth of what you’d pay for the iPhone 4S with a contract from Airtel. Around these parts, they call that frugal engineering.
With that users get a dual-SIM touchscreen phone that runs Android’s 2.3.6 Gingerbread operating system on a 650MHz processor (compared to the 4S’s 800MHz) and a 2.0 megapixel camera.
But Aisha’s the selling point. She needs an internet connection through which she can look up movie reviews or make calls or answer simple questions, according to the company’s release, just like Siri.
Still, Aisha is Indian, and so she can also look up your horoscope, which will come in handy if you are searching for a spouse – something else Aisha is equipped to help with.
For that, Micromax has tied up with the matchmaking site SimplyMarry.com – simply tell Aisha you’re looking for a bride or groom and she’ll show you the profiles of potential mates (complete with questions that help you choose which caste you’re looking for).
Unlike Scottish, Siri has always been able to understand the Indian accent – so Aisha doesn’t have a leg up there (though she was designed specifically with the Indian accent in mind).
But tell Siri you’re looking for a wife, and what does she say?
“I don’t know what you mean by ‘I’m looking for a wife’.”
Rumors that the iPhone 5 or the 2012 refresh of the MacBook Pro
could feature case components made of the high-tech amorphous alloy
called Liquidmetal has generated a lot of interest in this material. Liquidmetal
is the commercial name given to an alloy that is almost twice as strong
as the strongest titanium alloys. It was developed by Caltech in 2003
and has been used in a broad range of military, medical, luxury,
consumer, industrial, and sporting goods products.
Let's take a look at some of the uses that this fascinating material has been put to.
Airtel has launched India’s first 4G service in Kolkata. It is based on TD-LTE. The Airtel 4G website went live yesterday and the 4G plans starts from Rs. 999. It would allow superfast access to High Definition (HD) video streaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos and much more
Airtel 4G LTE plans
Plan name
Rental (Rs.)
Free usage quota (GB)
Charge after quota (INR)
Speed after quota completion (kbps)
Break free
999
6
Nil
128
Break free max
1399
9
Nil
128
Break free Ultra
1999
18
Nil
128
These plans are available in Prepaid and Postpaid. On the Rs.999 postpaid plan , customer will get a money-back for a value equivalent of one month’s rent, spread over first 6 bill cycles. Customers will get a bill discount of Rs.167/ bill for 6 bills.
On the Rs.1399 and Rs.1999 postpaid plans , customer will get a money-back for a value equivalent of two month’s rent, spread over first 6 bill cycles. Customers will get a bill discount of Rs.466/ bill for 6 bills in case of Rs.1399 plan , and Rs.666 / bill for 6 bills in case of Rs.1999 plan.
Smartbyes packs would be available soon.
Device Pricing
Device
MRP (In Rs)
Indoor CPE with wi-fi
7750
4G Multi Mode Dongle
7999
Airtel won BWA license spectrum in Kolkata, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai) circles in 2010. It plans to launch 4G services in other circles in India. You can visit your nearest Airtel Relationship Center (ARC) or call 1800-103-0405 (toll-free) to get more info.
