Can Your iOS Device Be Jailbroken?

DCR reader Ro found this helpful iOS jailbreak compatibility guide from jailbreakmatrix.com while surfing Gizmodo.  The guide lists all iOS devices, firmware versions, and jailbreak options.  Great job jailbreak matrix team!  Please remember, jailbreaking your device may result in a bricked device and Apple has said it will void warranties on jailbroken devices.

Microsoft Is Hard At Work On Windows Tablets

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer spoke about tablets at a company financial conference. CNET reports that Ballmer recognized the success of the iPad and said Microsoft based tablets will be shipping when they are ready.  Ballmer did provide some details into the company's tablet plan.  The tablets will not run the Windows Phone OS, but Windows 7. These computers will also be Intel based opposed to using ARM processors.  Ballmer also stated that Microsoft will not allow hardware to be a limiting factor in its plans and will design hardware where it needs to.  Lightly joking, Ballmer said that the tablets will be able to print because "some people actually like to print every now and then."

I'm not sure if Microsoft understands what consumers want in this category.  They basically invented the form factor but have been trying to jam a desktop operating system into it for over a decade.

Amazon Announces New Kindles

Last night, Amazon announced 2 new versions of the 6" Kindle eBook reader.  Amazon has decided to take the Barnes & Noble and Apple approach by offering 3G and WiFi only models.  Both devices are supposed to offer "50 percent better contrast than any other reader".  Additionally, the new models are 21% smaller than the previous version, have double the storage (3,500 books), are 15% lighter (8.7oz), and offer an enhanced PDF reader. The WiFi Only model will sell for $139 and is available in graphite, while the 3G model will sell for $189 and is available in graphite and white.  Both models can be pre-ordered now and will ship August 27th.

DVD reVIEW: Hot Tub Time Machine

If you are looking for a good sci-fi based drama at the local redbox or for your Netflix queue, think about picking up Hot Tub Time Machine.  The movie stars Crispin Glover as Phil, a down on his luck bell hop.  A group of friends travel back to the 1980s in a hot tub to help right Phil's life.  Will the Motley Lou help prevent Phil from losing his arm, allowing him to provide the proper applause at his favorite opera?  Bring a box of tissues for this emotional journey.  Hot Tub Time Machine has a good supporting cast consisting of John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, and Chevy Chase.

 

6" Amazon Kindle Out Of Stock, New Model Coming?

The base model Kindle is listed on Amazon as out of stock.  Is this due to increased demand from the recent price drop to $189, or is there a new model coming soon?  There have been rumors about a new color display device, so it is possible.  Amazon has recently updated their iOS app to allow audio & video in some of the eBooks on their store.  Stay tuned for any updates.

Apple Empties Vault With New Releases

 

 

Images Courtesy of Apple 

 

Today, Apple updated the iMac, announced Mac Pro updates & 27" LED Cinema Display, released the Magic Trackpad and Apple Battery Charger.

The iMac line was updated to the following base specs:

• 21.5" 3.06GHZ i3, 4GB RAM, 500GB HD, 8X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 4670 256MB Video card - $1199


• 21.5" 3.2GHZ i3, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD, 8X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 5670 512MB Video card - $1499


• 27" 3.2GHZ i3, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD, 8X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 5670 512MB Video card - $1699


• 27" 2.8GHZ i5, 4GB RAM, 1TB HD, 8X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 5750 1GB Video card - $1999


• An i7 model is available for build to order.

 

An update to the Mac Pro was announced with expected ship dates some time in August. Base configurations of the models are: 

• Quad Core 2.8GHZ Xeon W3530, 3GB RAM, 1TB HD, 18X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 5770 1GB Video card - $2499


• 8 Core 2.4GHZ Xeon E5620, 6GB RAM, 1TB HD, 18X Double Layer SuperDrive, ATI HD 5770 1GB Video card - $3499


• 12 Core Option as a BTO available starting at $4999.

Apple also announced a 27" LED Cinema Display that will be available in September for $999.

 

The Magic Trackpad was released bringing gestures to desktop Macs.  The Bluetooth Trackpad sells for $69 and is powered by 2 AA batteries.  I wonder if this will lay the foundation for iOS apps to replace the current dashboard in OS X?  Along with the Magic Trackpad, the Apple Battery Charger was released and sells for $29. The charger comes with 6 rechargeable AA batteries and claims to reduce its standby power usage to 30mW, compared to 315mW for the average charger.

Quick Tip:Remove Playlist Item From iTunes Library

Here is a quick tip for deleting an iTunes playlist item from the main iTunes library.

For Mac OS X:

Press the option and delete keys for the selected track to remove it from the library.

For Windows:

Press the shift and delete keys for the selected track to remove it from the library.

DMCA Updated To Allow Mobile Phone Mods & Limited DVD Copying

Every three years, the Librarian of Congress reviews the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998.  If needed, the DMCA is modified to reflect changes in technology.

This year the DMCA has been updated with the following changes: 

• DVD decryption/copying - Users are now permitted to decrypt the CSS encryption on a DVD and use part of the content in educational use, documentary film making, or non commercial videos (hello Youtube).


• Jailbreaking Rooting Mobile Phones - Modifying mobile computing devices such as the iPhone to enable additional operability and install 3rd party programs (jailbreaking) is now permitted.


• Video Games - Video game encryption can be bypassed to test the game or to correct a security flaw.


• eBook Accessibility- eBooks that have the read aloud function disabled can have this function turned back on if all versions of the book have the function disabled.

Since I am not a lawyer, I can only interpret the changes as I read them.  Please take time to review the original document yourself and if this impacts you, you may want to consult an attorney for further clarification.

StreetMuseum App Gives Peek Back In Time

The Museum of London has released an iOS app that allows users to see historic photos from London. Through Geotagging, users can locate the cordinates of the photo and take a current snapshot of the location.  The StreetMuseum app will overlay the historic photo on top of the current image.  Gizmodo has a few examples of this on their site.  This is pretty cool and I can't wait to see more software like this in the future.

iPhone 4 Free Case Program

Apple has sent an email to iPhone 4 customers with a link to download an app for the free case program.  Cases must be ordered via the app and current ship time is 3-5 weeks.  Better get your order in now before ship time gets pushed out.

LG Responsible For iPad Shortage

In a recent Reuters article, LCD manufacturer LG stated that they are running at full capacity but are unable to keep up with demand for iPad displays.  LG does not expect to be able to produce enough displays for the iPad until the 2nd quarter of 2011.  This will keep waiting lists for Apple's tablet going until then.  LG commented that Apple may need to delay the launch of the iPad in additional countries because of limited supply.  I'm sure this will not sit well with people in those countries.

BP's Photoshop Fakes

So BP faked their photos showing company employees hard at work.  Now Gizmodo has a comment thread up allowing readers to post their own version of the photos.  Pretty funny photos of an unfortunate incident.

New Editorial Posted: Is The iPod Touch Dead?

Take a look at the article located in the Editorial section and let us know what you think.

Is the iPod Touch Dead?

Is the iPod Touch dead?  Well it is still alive, at least until the annual September iPod event. I believe that the iPhone's little cousin will be retired this year.  Many people don't want the iPhone's annual contract to have a pocket sized iOS computer, so what are they going to do?  

Apple will announce a new device this fall.  This device will give you the portability of an iPhone with brains and brawn of an iPad.  What will this product be called; the iPad Nano of course!  With all of the hype surrounding the iPad, it makes perfect sense to call the device an iPad since it is more of an iPad than iPod.

What will the iPad Nano look like? The overall "look" of the product will stay the same. There will be one major design change to the Nano, its size.  The iPad Nano should have its screen size increased to 4-5 inches.  This form factor in currently being used in some of the top Android smartphones and many people are happy with the additional screen real estate. I've had an iPod Touch since it was released and the only thing I would change is the screen size.  Web browsing is great on the device, but another inch of screen space would be perfect.

How can Apple benefit from rebranding the Touch as an iPad?  Besides the obvious marketing benefits, calling the iPod Touch an iPad can help sell more Apple products. iBooks would certainally benefit from a larger screen and since the iPad is seen as an eBook reader (amongst other things), this would help Apple gain more market share in this category.  In addition,  the iPad Nano may help Apple sell more iPods.  The iPod Touch is a good size for an mp3 player, but the iPad Nano may be too big.  Is the iPod functionality the most important feature of the Touch?  No, the application enviroment is the winner here.  New iPad Nano customers might end up picking up an extra accessory with their purchase, an iPod Nano.

What will this new device cost?  I don't expect to see any change in the cost of the iPad Nano over the iPod Touch, at least in the base price.  We may actually see a 3G/GPS version of the iPad Nano.  If we do, let's hope it's not a $130 update.  Could this be another reason AT&T killed the unlimited data plan?

What do you think?  Could this really happen?  Leave a comment below on what think about the possibility of an iPad Nano. 

New Power Strip Design Uses Slots Instead Of Holes

Image Source: YankoDesign.com

I came across this slot design power strip on Gizmodo.  The strip uses slots instead of holes so you can fit more plugs.  This also reduces the need to shuffle cables around for a new odd sized power brick.  Now where can I find one of these!

Asus Eee Pad To Use Android

Netbook News reports Asus will be shipping the EP101TC Eee Pad (what a product name!) with the Android OS instead of an embedded version of Windows CE.  The posting claims that Asus is wating for Android 3.0 to ship the tablet.  The expected launch date is in the first quarter of 2011 with a preview of the product at CES.

Hopefully we will start to see some of these tablets come to market.  There have been a lot of product announcements and prototypes, but very little has actually has been released.

iTunes 9.2.1 Released

Apple has updated iTunes to version 9.2.1.  It has been reported that jailbroken devices will still be able to sync with this version of iTunes; however, it is not recommend to jailbreak a new iOS device.  This update is expected to delay the release of new jailbreaks for iOS 4 and iOS 3.2.1 for iPad.  

 

The update provides numerous performance fixes including:

• Addresses minor issues with dragging and dropping items


• Addresses a performance issue when first syncing to some devices with iTunes 9 .2


• Addresses an issue upgrading to iOS 4 on an iPhone or iPod touch with encrypted back-ups


• Addresses other issues that improve stability and performance

Vibration Powered Battery Size Generator

Image Source: TechOn

TechOn reports Brother Industries has developed small vibration powered generators that can be used in place of AA or AAA low power batteries.  The generators are capable of producing 10 to 180mW power.  While you can't use these in a digital camera or remote control car, these should work fine in TV remotes or even small LED flashlights.

RIM Responds To Apple's Claim Of Industry Wide Antenna Issue

CrackBerry.com has released this offical statement from Research In Motion, in response to Apple's iPhone 4 press conference. 

"Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple's claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple's difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage. One thing is for certain, RIM's customers don't need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple."

- Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie

Black iPhone Bumper Appears On Apple Store, Currently Unavailable

The Black iPhone 4 bumper is on the apple store, but is currently unavailable.  The bumper is now listed as free with iPhone 4 purchase.

Recap Of Apple's iPhone 4 Press Conference

Apple started their iPhone 4 press conference playing the above video.  Steve Jobs announced that Apple has sold 3 million iPhone 4s since it was launched.  Jobs also showed a chart of other popular phones that have the same problem (Blackberry Bold & HTC Droid). Apple was aware of the effect of holding the iPhone (and any other smartphone) a certain way and they plan to contribute efforts to help address the issue.  The iPhone 4 drops slightly more calls than the iPhone 3GS.  The increase in dropped calls is less that 1 additional call per 100. Steve Jobs believes this may be due to the lack of cases for the new iPhone.  80% of new iPhone 4 sales are sold without a case.  There was a large selection of cases available for the 3GS when it was released.

 Apple has implemented the below solutions to address user's signal issues: 

• Free case for anyone who puchased an iPhone 4 at least until September 30th.  Plus there will be a choice of cases since Apple cannot manufacture enough cases


• If you purchased a bumper case you can get a refund


• iOS 4.01 was released to address inacurate signal strength


• Software update coming to address proximity sensor issue


• If you still are not happy with the phone, you can return it for a full refund

iOS 3.2.1 Released For iPad

In addition to releasing iOS 4.01 for the iPhone, Apple has released iOS 3.2.1 for the iPad. The update will hopefully resolve the WiFi issues many users are experiencing.  

The update should resolve the below issues:

• Improved Wi-Fi connectivity


• Addressed an issue that could cause video playback to freeze


• Improved reliability of video-out when using iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter


• Bing added as a Safari search option

One note of caution; if you have jailbroken your iPad, do not update it to iOS 3.2.1. The Spirit Jailbreak page is warning users that it will break Spirit if you do so.

Apple Release iOS 4.01 For iPhone

Today, Apple released iOS 4.01 for the iPhone.  This update will correct the formula for calculating "the number of bars of signal strength".  The iPhone has apparently been adding extra bars of signal strength since it was originally released in 2007.  Apple has a press conference scheduled for tomorrow 7/16/10 at 10 am PST to discuss the iPhone 4.

iPad Buying Guide

Recently, multiple people have asked me the question "What iPad should I get?", so I decided to put together a quick overview to help people make their decision. 

Below is a list of the available models and a brief summary of who would benefit from each model.

16GB WiFi ($499US) - People interested in web browsing, eBook reading, email & iOS apps.

32GB WiFi ($599US) - This model is suitable for most users.  There is enough space for everything mentioned in the 16GB model plus storage for some music and movies. (I use my iPod Touch for music so I don't need to fill up my 32GB iPad with mp3s.)

64GB WiFi ($699US) - The 64GB version adds additional space for people with large music & movie libraries. I recommend this model if you have a large music collection and do not have a sepate mp3 player.

3G Option - Adding 3G (This is a separate model and cannot be added at a later time to WiFi only models) to any of the 3 iPads costs an extra $130 US and provides "anywhere" access to AT&T's (Only current US carrier) network for $15 (250MB data limit) or $25 (2GB data limit) a month. This option also includes a built in GPS.

 

 Optional Accessories

iPad Camera Connection Kit ($29US) - This accessory allows you to download photos from your digital camera via SD card or USB. You can also connect a USB keyboard, microphone or headset via USB.  There are other uses for this if your device is jailbroken.

Case - You may want to consider a case for your iPad.  I found the aluminum backon the iPad causes my hands to sweat after holding it for a while.  A rubber case solves this issue.  Also, a sleeve can help protect the unit in the event it is dropped. 

Now the trick is to find one. Apple currently sells iPads in their Apple Stores, online, and at select Best Buy locations.  There is currently a 7-10 business day wait for orders placed on Apple.com.

Hand Held Items HHI iPad GriponPad iPad Case

When I purchased the GriponPad case, I wasn't expecting much.  At best, I was hoping for a case that would help me grip my iPad better.  This case fit that need perfectly plus threw in a little extra.

The iPad easily slides into the case and is properly secured.  A flexible rubber material covers the back of the iPad with the exception of a hole left to display the Apple logo.  The left and right sides are almost completely covered leaving a cut out for the volume and orientation lock switches.  On the top and bottom of the case, only the corners are covered.  This leaves the dock connector, speakers, and headphone jack unobstructed.  

The case also comes with a screen protector (I never use these, so mine is still in the package) and a kick stand that allows the iPad to stand in portrait, landscape, and typing positions.  My only concern with the stand is the iPad feels top heavy in portrait mode.  I fear this may cause the iPad to tip over, so I will only be using it in landscape view (great for watching movies).  The rubber material can be a fingerprint magnet, so you may need to wipe it off when you clean the screen.

 Overview:

• Rubber construction


• Improved grip while holding iPad


• Stand (landscape works great, portrait is questionable)


• Screen protector


• Fingerprint magnet


• Low Cost

 

Purchased from: HandHeldItems.com

Price: $16

Rating: 4/5 

Demo Of Pressure Sensitive Drawing On An iPad

Ten One has released a demo showing it's possibile to develop an application with pressure sensitive drawing capabilities.  Their plan is to release this capability as a free library that could be used in any application.  Currently, the technology uses private Apple APIs, so it is unclear if Apple will allow the technology.

Please Notify Microsoft's Next Of Kin

CNET reports Microsoft has decided to pull the plug on its Kin platform feature phones.  The decision comes just 2 months after the launch of the product.  Kin was marketed towards teenagers and college students.

The feature phone seemed to be designed as "training wheels" for future smart phone users.  It had social networking applications and the Zune software built in.  Since the phone was designed to be a feature phone, you could not install additional apps on the phone.  The downfall of the Kin may of been its data contract.  The cost of the contract was on par with smart phones like the iPhone.  RIP Kin.

If You Have Not Seen Idiocracy, Where Have You Been?

Seriously, you need to watch this movie.  Warning: Contains Crude Humor