Apple released its latest update for OS X, 10.6.7. The relatively minor software update for Snow Leopard brings bug fixes and general maintenance updates for a number of system components, and addresses issues with the Mac App Store, which shipped with OS X 10.6.6 in January.
In addition to zapping Mac App Store bugs, the update also improves the reliability of Back to My Mac, the service which allows MobileMe users to access their computers remotely (including file and screen sharing) from anywhere they have an active internet connection, so long as their Macs are powered on and also connected to the internet.
Original iPads Beginning to Sell Out?
Despite assurances that the international launch of the iPad 2 is still on schedule, demand continues to outstrip supply in the U.S. Lines are still common at Apple Retail Stores, which are now holding iPad 2 stock until the next day to make it easier for prospective buyers to line up. Meanwhile, the Apple Store online has pushed shipping times back to between four and five weeks. For those who just want any iPad, original models have been selling with a shipping time of 24 hours, but that may soon be changing.
As of right now, the 16 GB Wi-Fi iPad is not available from the clearance section of the Apple Store online, though the front page of the Apple Store still lists prices starting at $399. All other original iPad models are still available at reduced pricing. The 16 GB Wi-Fi model is also currently not for sale refurbished, either, but all other models are.
AT&T, which is also selling original 3G iPads at a discount, is also seeing its stock depleted, with only the 64 GB 3G model currently available for sale. That one is going for $529, far less than the $729 at the Apple Store, or even the $629 Apple is asking for the 32 GB model. Don’t expect AT&T’s stock to hold out for much longer.
Apple has almost certainly ceased manufacturing of new original iPads and shifted efforts entirely to getting iPad 2s in the hands of customers, so if you want a new iPad — any iPad — in the next few weeks, now may be your last chance to get a firs
As of right now, the 16 GB Wi-Fi iPad is not available from the clearance section of the Apple Store online, though the front page of the Apple Store still lists prices starting at $399. All other original iPad models are still available at reduced pricing. The 16 GB Wi-Fi model is also currently not for sale refurbished, either, but all other models are.
AT&T, which is also selling original 3G iPads at a discount, is also seeing its stock depleted, with only the 64 GB 3G model currently available for sale. That one is going for $529, far less than the $729 at the Apple Store, or even the $629 Apple is asking for the 32 GB model. Don’t expect AT&T’s stock to hold out for much longer.
Apple has almost certainly ceased manufacturing of new original iPads and shifted efforts entirely to getting iPad 2s in the hands of customers, so if you want a new iPad — any iPad — in the next few weeks, now may be your last chance to get a firs
Wireless Phone Charging Gets Easier
Chances are, you plug that smartphone, tablet or other mobile device into an outlet at least once per day. The promise of wireless charging is supposed to make this an easier task: Just place your device on a charging pad to juice up the battery through magnetic coils. The theory is sound and it does work — Palm’s Touchstone charger from 2009 is a great example — although the charging pad itself must be plugged in via a wire. So why then hasn’t this solution, called inductive charging, taken off? The biggest challenge has been a lack of device compatibility, but Energizer is taking advantage of a new standard in the hopes of bringing wireless energy to handsets everywhere.
The standard, called Qi, was created last year by the Wireless Power Consortium, currently comprising 81 companies. Qi eliminates obstacles from proprietary wireless solutions because any device with the Qi logo can can be charged on a Qi mat, regardless of the device manufacturer. Without such a standard, consumers have to purchase device-specific cases that work only with charging pads from the same manufacturer. For example: an iPhone 4 charging case made by company A won’t work on a charger made by company B. The Qi standard eliminates that problem by making Qi-compatible devices interchangeable across products made by different manufacturers. (See: 10 Things to Know About Wireless Power)
So Qi solves the problem of using wireless charging cases with different manufacturers, but there’s still the issue of device-specific cases. As it stands now, if you switch from an iPhone to a BlackBerry device, the Qi case from your old handset won’t fit the new one, for example. Energizer’s answer to that problem is a new Qi-compatible Micro/Mini USB adapter, which it will be showing off later this month. The adapter will attach to the back of virtually any handset and uses the fairly standard micro and mini USB ports found on most phones to get wireless power to and from the mat to the handset battery.
This generic approach is sure to use some wire to route energy from the adapter to the phone, but that’s a small price to pay for the freedom of adding wireless charging capability to nearly any device. And it makes sense, given the recent adoption of micro USB as the universal charging method for phones. With the Energizer adapter, nearly any modern phone could gain wireless power. Now if we could just get our increasingly capable phones with multiple radios to easily get through a full day on a charge, we’d be in business!
The standard, called Qi, was created last year by the Wireless Power Consortium, currently comprising 81 companies. Qi eliminates obstacles from proprietary wireless solutions because any device with the Qi logo can can be charged on a Qi mat, regardless of the device manufacturer. Without such a standard, consumers have to purchase device-specific cases that work only with charging pads from the same manufacturer. For example: an iPhone 4 charging case made by company A won’t work on a charger made by company B. The Qi standard eliminates that problem by making Qi-compatible devices interchangeable across products made by different manufacturers. (See: 10 Things to Know About Wireless Power)
So Qi solves the problem of using wireless charging cases with different manufacturers, but there’s still the issue of device-specific cases. As it stands now, if you switch from an iPhone to a BlackBerry device, the Qi case from your old handset won’t fit the new one, for example. Energizer’s answer to that problem is a new Qi-compatible Micro/Mini USB adapter, which it will be showing off later this month. The adapter will attach to the back of virtually any handset and uses the fairly standard micro and mini USB ports found on most phones to get wireless power to and from the mat to the handset battery.
This generic approach is sure to use some wire to route energy from the adapter to the phone, but that’s a small price to pay for the freedom of adding wireless charging capability to nearly any device. And it makes sense, given the recent adoption of micro USB as the universal charging method for phones. With the Energizer adapter, nearly any modern phone could gain wireless power. Now if we could just get our increasingly capable phones with multiple radios to easily get through a full day on a charge, we’d be in business!
Apple launched iPad 2 in India 2011: Who should buy and who should pass
A lot of people are attracted to the Apple iPad 2, but not all them should get it. Here’s a look at the top candidates for the iPad 2, as well as those who should stick with iPad 1 or get a different device.
Nobody in the technology business does a better job than Apple of convincing people that they need to buy the next shiny new thing. However, despite the product magnetism of Steve Jobs and company, not everyone who thinks they need or want the new iPad 2 should actually buy it.In order to help some of those folks save some money and to help others decide whether or not they are a good candidate for iPad 2, I’ve put together a quick first take on the iPad 2 question.
Who should buy?
- Those who’ve waited - People who have already decided that the iPad is a good fit for their light computing and media consumption needs but have so far held out from buying the original iPad or any of the competing tablets are now rewarded for their patience. The iPad 2 maintains the same great catalog of apps and the same long battery life while doubling the performance, adding video calls, and slimming down the form factor — all while maintaining the same price tag as the original. If you’ve held out so far, you now get a lot more tablet for your money.
- Video callers - If you’re already an iPad owner and the Apple tablet has become an indispensable device that you already use on a daily basis, then there’s one big reason to upgrade: Video calling. Over the past year I’ve heard many iPad users complain that the biggest thing missing from the iPad was the ability to do video calls, using Skype or Apple’s FaceTime. These users have viewed the iPad, with its “lean-back” user experience, as an ideal device for making video calls to long distance family and friends, calling home during business trips, or doing one-on-one video conferencing for business. In my opinion, the iPad 2’s cameras are all about video calls. Apple certainly didn’t design this to be a device for taking high quality still photos. The front-facing camera is for face-to-face calling and the back camera is primarily for showing your video callers what you’re looking at.
- Mobile multimedia creators - With the upgrade to a dual core processor and the addition of Apple multimedia apps iMovie and GarageBand for the iPad 2, the Apple tablet is expanding beyond being primarily a consumption device to becoming more of a creation device — at least in the specialized area of multimedia creation (audio, video, podcasts, etc.). For those that who want to test the iPad as a mobile creation device that’s more accessible to more content creators than a traditional PC (because of multitouch), then the iPad 2 is a worthy purchase or upgrade.
Who should pass?
- Fans of iPad 1.0 - The worst reason for upgrading — and I’ve heard this a lot more than expected — is “I really like the original iPad so I’m going to get the new one.” If you’re not going to do much video calling and you’re not going to experiment with the iPad for creating videos and podcasts, then there’s really not much reason to upgrade from iPad 1 to iPad 2. You don’t really need the dual core if you’re not doing all the video calling and multimedia creation, and the slightly thinner/lighter form factor of the iPad 2 is nice but far from essential. The original iPad is still a great device and holding on to it for another year until the iPad 3 and the next generation of competitor tablets arrives could be a very wise choice.
- Heavy readers - If one of the main reasons that you want an iPad is to use it as an e-reader then I wouldn’t recommend the iPad 2. For hard-core readers who read 2+ hours at a time, who read mostly books, or who spend a lot of time reading outside in full sunlight, then I’d recommend an Amazon Kindle instead. If you’re an omnivorous reader who wants a tablet primarily to read Web pages, magazine articles, non-fiction books with lots of maps and graphics, and PDF documents, then I’d simply recommend picking up an iPad 1, which lots of upgraders are currently unloading for as low as $300.
- Supporters of open standards - Like the iPod before it, the iPad has appealed to a much wider audience than just traditional Mac and Apple fans. However, the thing to keep in mind before buying the iPad — especially if it’s your first Apple device — is that it will start to insidiously rope you into the Apple ecosystem. Sure, you can get content from outside the Apple ecosystem and use it on your iPad, using Amazon music and videos or Netflix or Barnes & Noble Nook, for example, but you’ll quickly find that it’s easier to just use the Apple ecosystem to buy content. Before you know it, you’ll have a small library of content with DRM that only works in iTunes and on Apple devices (this isn’t the case with music any more, but it is still the case with movies and TV shows). So, next time you upgrade you’ll be more likely to buy another Apple product so that you don’t orphan a bunch of your content. If you’re a supporter of open standards and use a lot of different platforms (e.g. Windows, Linux, Android, Xbox 360, etc.), then you’ll have a hard time wrestling with the iPad to make it work with all of your content and open file formats, and you’ll especially have a hard time getting content from the iPad to play nice with other platforms. You’re probably better off waiting for a really good Android tablet to emerge.
iPad 2 Global Launch To Be Delayed Again in UK 2011 ?
Last year when Apple Released the iPad there was a huge demand and they couldn’t make enough. Despite the 3G version hitting the market late and pre-orders happening well in advance, the iPad 1st generation launch was delayed in UK and the global rollout was affected (India got it in Jan 2011!). So its 2011. All new year, New iPad 2 out and within hours of the launch, Apple is again short of devices. Apple store currently shows the delivery estimate as 3-4 weeks on its site (US).
The 2010 story seems to be repeating itself all over again as it seems. Apple launches a new iPad, the demand is overwhelming – UK rollout date pushed back? PS: The same happened with iPhone 4 global rollout. Is Apple too big to make all its hardware itself?
IPhone unlocked for free after 3 months
Before the new law had to be Chatel subscriber for over 6 months for "désimlocker" his phone. Now since 01/03/11, no need to wait 3 months.
If you subscribe for more than three months, a simple phone call to your customer service by giving the IMEI of your phone only, and it will wait 1 week for the official unlocked or on your devices. Now that's good news. Know that if you want to sell your iPhone, simply because it is officially released any operator gives a higher value. It's free and you have the right to do so without special justification.
Hoping to have answered many questions from our readers. Who you going to play right?
How To Make iPhone Notifications Better
One of the most common complaints from developers and iPhone owners is the way iOS handles multiple push notifications.
We couldn't agree more. When notifications stack up, it's difficult to tell which app they're coming from. Android does a much better job, but it's still not perfect.
Until Apple fixes this (hopefully in iOS 5), we came up with three ways to adjust notifications on the iPhone and iPad.
Here's what you do:
Adjust Your Notification Settings
Make sure you're only receiving notifications from the apps you want. Not only will it save your battery, but it will also spare you from multiple badge alerts on your phone.
To adjust your notifications settings, tap the Settings icon, then tap Notifications. From there, you can switch notifications on and off for each individual app.
To take it a step further, you can select what type of notification you receive from each app: Sounds, Alerts, or Badges. Sounds and Badges are self explanatory. Alerts are the little numbers that appear next to an app when you have a new notification. Choose the combination that works best for you.
Jailbreak And Tweak iOS
Best of all, the app is free and open sourced. You can read more about MobileNotifier from the developer here.
This app is not for those who are too scared to jailbreak their phone. But if iOS notifications bother you a lot, now may be the time. You can learn how to jailbreak here.
Put All Notifications In One App
Comparison between AT&T iPhone and Verizon's
Study finds AT&T iPhone downloads twice as fast as Verizon's
We reported this morning on Verizon's iPad data rates crushing AT&T's, but if you're looking for raw download speed instead of cost savings, it might be worth checking out AT&T.
Network World reported that studies from Metrico Wireless in five U.S. cities showed that the iPhone 4 downloaded at twice as fast a rateon AT&T than Verizon. The AT&T phone had faster download speeds while moving, but the Verizon iPhone had the better upload speed when the phone is stationary.
For those following this since the Verizon iPhone's release, this is nothing new. A TUAW hands-on last month showed slower data for the Verizon iPhone in Los Angeles. Considering that CDMA is an older technology to begin with, the result of the survey is really no surprise. It is worth noting, however, if you're considering an iPad 2, since the Verizon models will also be CDMA.
Apple iPhone 4 16GB Black CDMA prices and details
Buy the Apple iPhone 4 16GB Black CDMA unlocked
The device gives users access to the Apple iTunes and App stores, Safari, iBooks, iMovie, and FaceTime. Other features include a 3.5" high-resolution Retina Display touchscreen, 5MP camera, 720p HD video capture and editing
| Size/Design | |
| Antenna | Internal |
| Headset Jack | 3.5 mm |
| Keyboard/Buttons | Touchscreen |
| Phone Design | Bar |
| Phone Type | Smartphone |
| Side Keys | Yes |
| Weight | 4.8 oz. (137 g) |
| Battery | |
| Standby Time | 300 hours (12.5 days) |
| Talk Time | 7 hours (420 minutes) |
| Type | Lithium Ion |
| Display | |
| 2nd Display | - |
| Colors | 16.7 million (24-bit) |
| Multitouch | Yes |
| Touch Screen | Yes - capacitive |
| Type | TFT,TFD,LCD (Color) |
| Other Features | |
| Adjustable Text Size | Yes |
| Flight Mode | Yes |
| Hearing Aid Compatible | - |
| Multiple Languages | Yes |
| Polyphonic Ringer | - |
| Push-to-Talk | - |
| Vibrate Alert | Yes |
| Data Messaging | |
| Instant Messaging | - |
| Predictive Text Entry | Yes |
| Swype | - |
| Text Message Templates | - |
| Text Messaging | MMS,SMS |
| Camera and Video | |
| Features | 720p HD video capture and editing, auto-focus, tap-to-focus, geo-tagging |
| Flash | LED |
| Live TV | Yes |
| Megapixels | 5.0 |
| Streaming Video | Yes |
| Video Sharing | Yes |
| Music and Multimedia | |
| FM Radio | - |
| GPS Navigation | Yes |
| Music Player | Yes,MP3,AAC,WAV |
| Speaker Phone | Yes |
| Connectivity | |
| Data/Fax Capability | - |
| E-Mail Client | Yes,POP,IMAP,Microsoft Exchange,push email |
| HDMI port | - |
| Infrared (IR) Port | - |
| Java Applications | - |
| Memory | 16GB internal |
| Memory Card Slot | - |
| Operating System | iPhone |
| PC Sync | Yes |
| Pop Port | - |
| Processor | Apple A4 |
| USB Port | Yes |
| Web Browser | Yes,Safari |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Organizer | |
| Alarm | Yes |
| Calculator | Yes |
| Calendar | Yes |
| To-Do List | - |
| Voice Recorder | Yes |
| Phone Book | |
| Capacity | - |
| Multi Numbers per Name | Yes |
| Photo Caller ID | Yes |
| Ringer ID | Yes |
| Ringer Profiles | - |
| Voice Dialing | Yes |
| Network | |
| Data | 3G,EVDO,1xEVDO |
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