Category: I-phone

TUAW reader Cory L. sent us an image today that he had captured from his web browser while perusing the i-Wireless prepaid cell phone section of the Cincinnati Bell website. The screenshot shows a placeholder for an iPhone 5 with no image and no “Add to basket” purchase button.

A quick look at the site now shows that the placeholder has been removed. There are some fascinating things about this — first, Cincinnati Bell is a regional carrier in the US, not a major carrier like AT&T or Verizon. Second, the website is for a pay-as-you-go program. Finally, the specs that are listed for the phone show an 8MP camera, 4G speeds (Cory notes that Cincinnati Bell’s network uses HSPA+), and a 4″ screen. Those specifications align with most of the previous rumors that we’ve heard about the device.

Whether or not this all means something will be determined on Tuesday, when Apple will hold its iPhone event in Cupertino. Be sure to join us on Tuesday beginning at 1 PM EDT / 10 AM PDT for our liveblog of the event.

iPhone 5 appears temporarily on Cincinnati Bell website originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today’s Smart Cover-compatible iPad 2 backplate, the SmartShell, is courtesy of Palo Alto-based Speck and has a neat trick up its sleeve.

Coverage

Like many of the other backplate-type cases, the SmartShell covers the back and edges well. It has good sized cut outs for the ports, mic, buttons, camera and speaker, as well as a cut out in the side to allow you to lift up the Smart Cover a little more easily. It has all the important things covered, but that opening in the side could be a potential vulnerability.

Thickness and material

The case is made of polycarbonate and is available in six different colors including clear and looks pretty good once on the iPad. The majority of the case is just 1.2mm thick, meaning it’s one of the thinner polycarbonate offerings available. At the edges, where the case meets the front of the iPad the plastic gets thicker and creates a noticeable edge around the smooth tapering of the iPad 2. Unfortunately there are also some sharp edges to the case, which feels cheap and makes the iPad uncomfortable to hold. This might be a one-off with our clear review unit, but it appeared to be a lack of finishing during manufacture, which we haven’t seen with other polycarbonate cases in this class.

Features

The SmartShell has a nifty trick up its sleeve that we haven’t seen in other backshell cases and that’s a magnetic metal strip on the back side of the case that holds the Smart Cover in place then folded around the back. This is the kind of thing Apple should have built into the iPad 2 itself, as it removes the annoying flop of the Smart Cover when it’s open and works wonderfully in the SmartShell.

Verdict

The Speck SmartShell has good coverage, is pretty thin and comes in a decent set of colors to match your Smart Cover. The magnetic strip on the back is great and improves the Smart Cover no end. It’s a shame then that the clear polycarbonate isn’t as well finished as we would have liked, and those sharp edges that make the iPad 2 uncomfortable to hold aren’t what we’re looking for. Your mileage may vary and indeed the “matte soft-touch” finish of the colored cases may be different. For the clear cases we hope this is a one-off production error, but the rest of our review unit seems perfect so we can only conclude that it’s cheap manufacture is to blame.

If you can get one out in a store and check the edges, or buy it from an online retailer with a solid return policy, then the Speck SmartShell is definitely worth a look and will set you back around US$25-35 plus shipping.

Speck SmartShell iPad 2 companion case with magnetic strip enhances the Smart Cover originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chart by Philip Elmer-DeWitt, CNNMoney, from Net Applications data

With all the attention on Apple iPads and iPhones, you might have missed reports that OS X is steadily increasing its share of web traffic, which means there are more and more Macs out there.

Net Applications reports a 25 percent increase in Apple global desktop share in Fiscal 2011. The firm thinks the bump may be because students and parents are getting ready for school, and notes that there was a similar jump in September 2010, but that increase was much smaller than what the research is showing now.

Net Applications puts OS X with a 13.7 percent share here in the US, and 6.45 percent worldwide. Those numbers are record highs for Apple.

This reports parallels similar research from Chitika which shows similar gains for Apple in September.

More proof of growing Mac OS X acceptance originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has released a fourth beta build of iWork for iOS to developers. This comes a little more than a day after iTunes 10.5 beta 9 was issued. The beta is available now through the Apple Developer Center.

iWork for iOS beta 4 released to developers originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has pushed out a small update to its iBooks app.

The official release notes only state that iBooks 1.3.1 includes a number of important stability and performance improvements, but we’ve heard reports that it also significantly boosts iBooks’ performance on iOS 5, which is expected to be unveiled in full at next Tuesday’s Apple media event.

iBooks is a universal app and a free download.

Apple releases minor update to iBooks originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Ask TUAW, our weekly (mostly) question-and-answer column. We’re nearing the release of iOS 5, iCloud, iTunes Match and the next version of the iPhone.

We get to as many questions as we can, so head down to the comments and tell us what Apple/Mac/iOS questions keep you up at night. If you’d prefer, instead of asking questions in the comments, you can email your questions directly to [email protected], or simply ping us on Twitter.

For our first question, Ryan asks:

I have a quick question, about moving from MobileMe to iCloud. I heard Apple will not support Keychain syncing via iCloud to multiple Macs. I know i can use 1Password, or Dropbox or rsync (yikes), but I loveeee things as is. Do you know if this is true, and if, so, if there is a seamless work around? I have been putting off transitioning to iCloud just for this exact reason.

Continue reading Ask TUAW: Replacement Batteries, Keychain Sync, AppleIDs, and More!

Ask TUAW: Replacement Batteries, Keychain Sync, AppleIDs, and More! originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to a report from CNET, Apple is actively negotiating with music labels to secure international licensing for both iTunes Match and iCloud. Currently, iTunes Match only functions for US-based developers; iTunes in the Cloud, which auto-syncs purchases across devices, is also a US-only affair. CNET believes the service may be able to roll out internationally and debut at Apple’s October 4 press event if negotiations can be completed in time.

CNET’s sources have said the service may roll out to the UK, France, and Germany initially. Hopefully it won’t take too much longer for licensing deals to enable service across all nations with access to the iTunes Store.

iCloud and iTunes Match are both expected to debut this fall, possibly soon after Apple’s media event next week. The services will likely launch alongside the public release of iOS 5 and OS X Lion 10.7.2.

Apple seeks international licensing for iTunes Match, iCloud originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Between the upcoming media event on October 4 and recent downtime on MobileMe, it’s looking likely that iCloud’s public launch is coming soon. An email sent to an AppleInsider reader, reprinted below, adds yet more evidence for an imminent debut of iCloud.

Welcome to iCloud. The Apple ID for your iCloud account is [redacted] and it’s what you’ll use to get your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and PC set up. Just follow these instructions and you’ll be up and running in no time.

Once iCloud is set up, it stores your content and wirelessly pushes it to all your devices. For example, buy a song with iTunes on your computer, and it will appear on your iPod touch and iPad. When you snap a photo on your iPhone it will automatically be sent to your iPad. You can start creating a Pages document on your iPhone, and put the finishing touches on it from your iPad. There’s no need to dock or sync to your computer. With iCloud, it just works.

AppleInsider obviously feels the email is legitimate, though it was apparently leaked early since the setup instructions page is not yet live on Apple’s site.

iCloud replaces Apple’s existing MobileMe services and is free to all users. Apple has given no firm release date for the service other than “fall,” but according to feedback we’ve heard from developers the service appears ready for launch should Apple decide to publicly debut it at the October 4 event.

‘Welcome to iCloud’ emails sent out prematurely originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yet again, the weekend brings with it some discounted (and even free) iOS games and apps. Here’s a roundup of apps you might want to try on the App Store.

• MLB’s At Bat 11 app has dropped in price down to $4.99. Kind of useless if your team didn’t make the playoffs, but if you haven’t grabbed this one yet and want to follow playoff baseball, there you go.
• Kickin Momma HD is a really excellent Peggle-style title from Hothead Games that’s on sale for just a buck.
• The cute match-three Zookeeper DX is also on sale for a dollar.
• And World of Goo is 66% off, also a buck, through the weekend.
• Swipe and shoot basketballer Slam Dunk King is free for the weekend, as is Reflekt, the Qix-otic (like what I did there?) Curvebot Evolved, and Ultimate Hangman.
• Dragon’s Rage is also free for the weekend.
• Kairosoft’s great Grand Prix Story is half off, only $1.99.
• Super Dynamite Fishing is also free.

Whew! That’s a whole lot of games for cheap or nothing. Isn’t being an iOS user great?

iOS games and apps on sale this weekend originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even though I do a lot of high end photo work, I still enjoy using the iPhone’s camera, and i was especially happy to see Apple add HDR capabilities to the iPhone 4. HDR lets you get good pictures under challenging conditions when there is a mixture of very bright light, like the sky, and objects in shadow.

I’ve also checked a lot of the third-party HDR apps, and most exceed the quality of the built in HDR feature. Today only, HDR Fusion is free, so it’s a nice Friday present for those thinking about going beyond the Apple HDR and trying something a bit better.The app is normally US$1.99.

HDR Fusion grabs two images, one underexposed and one overexposed, then tone maps them to a combined exposure that doesn’t blow out the bright parts or lose the shadows. In my quick tests, the app worked well in both the auto mode and manual mode. If you are manually shooting, you drag two markers around the field of view, one to the darkest shadowed area, the other to the bright highlights.

Processing is faster than most of the other third party apps I’ve tried, but not as fast as Apple’s almost instant implementation. Picture quality is pretty good — exceeding the Apple feature in some of my tests, in others about on par with it. In general, I still prefer Pro HDR on the iPhone, but at least today there is a free alternative.

HDR Fusion also includes a self-timer, which is a handy feature. The app is a pretty small download, just over half a megabyte. Free is good, so give HDR Fusion a try and save yourself two bucks. The free offer will expire at different times in different time zones, so be aware that the offer will likely end at midnight EDT in the U.S.

In the gallery, I’ve compared the app to the built-in Apple HDR and Pro HDR, which is still my go-to app for HDR on the iPhone.

HDR Fusion for iPhone is free today only originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s little black set-top box is due to arrive in seven more countries next week, according to a release from Apple sent to MacRumors. Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland are all on the list of those receiving the device for sale, so if you’re in one of those places and need more content on your TV, there you go. In Finland, the price will be set at €119 including the VAT charges, which is pretty standard for that region of the world.

AppleCare for the units will also be available, for an extra €29. The Apple TV is a pretty popular device worldwide at this point, and adding these countries into the mix should make for even more growth for the unit. Not to mention that since Apple TV is rumored to get some form of iOS apps in the future, now’s an excellent time to get in on the action.

Apple TV coming to seven more countries next week originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cisco is set to launch a free iPad and iPhone video app in late October, according to ComputerWorld. The free app will allow users of Cisco’s Show and Share software to upload, view, and exchange videos with each other.

Show and Share, which is currently available on some Android tablets, allows enterprise customers to create highly secure personalized video communities. In these personalized “YouTubes,” companies can share ideas from around the world by allowing employees to create and upload videos that other employees in the same communities can view.

In the desktop version of Show and Share, users are able to edit video they record before uploading it and also add transcripts to it. There’s no word yet if any basic editing or transcription capabilities will be available in the iPad or iPhone versions of Show and Share.

Cisco will launch free iPad, iPhone video app originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Andy Zaty of the Bullish Cross blog has done some interesting analysis on the AAPL stock price around Apple’s keynote events, and he found that for next week’s event, the pattern seems to have fallen apart. During the past four iPhone releases, Apple’s stock price has risen in the rumor-filled run up to the unveiling, as investors are taken in by the excitement and interest surrounding the possibility of a new iPhone. Then, once the event happens, the stock usually falls off a bit (though obviously in general, it’s risen over time). This time, however, the stock price has fallen, almost 17% from where it was at a few weeks ago.

Why is that? Hard to say — it could be that most Apple events are pretty mysterious, but on this one, rumors about the iPhone 4S or the iPhone 5 have been flying around for a while already. It’s also true, according to the research, that Apple’s events don’t have as big an effect on the stock price as they used to. As big as AAPL has gotten, more and more investors are somewhat savvy about the whole process, knowing that Apple’s fate doesn’t really depend on what it announces at any big event.

Still, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the stock price, both over the next week in the lead up and after the event. I don’t actually give out financial advice (and this post shouldn’t be considered as such, obviously), but I suspect we won’t see too big a jump or fall over this keynote — all indications are that besides a new iPhone announcement, this event will likely be business as usual.

Pre-event AAPL trading bucks trend originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been a while since there have been any updates to the 71Squared ParticleEmitter class, but today I can announce that a new version is available that makes use of quads when rendering particles. This means that ParticleEmitter now supports rotation of particles. Particle Designer has always output the rotation information to the PEX format […]

It’s been a while since there have been any updates to the 71Squared ParticleEmitter class, but today I can announce that a new version is available that makes use of quads when rendering particles. This means that ParticleEmitter now supports rotation of particles. Particle Designer has always output the rotation information to the PEX format […]