This is how SemiRestore allows you to restore without losing your jailbreak

By Jeff Benjamin on May 18, 2013

Recently there has been a pretty big buzz about an upcoming release dubbed SemiRestore. We posted about it a few days ago. It’s not out yet, you can check its progress here, but I wanted to use this post to prove to you that it does indeed work as described.

SemiRestore claims to be able to let you restore your device without necessitating the need to upgrade your iOS device’s firmware. This is extremely appealing for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason of them all is that it would allow you to restore your device without losing your precious jailbreak.

As you know, Apple stopped signing iOS 6.1.2 after iOS 6.1.3 was released. iOS 6.1.2 was the last firmware susceptible to the evasi0n jailbreak, so it’s a precious firmware in the eyes of those who like to tinker with their phones. From Apple’s standpoint, it’s obvious why they opted to fix the exploits used to make evasi0n function. Apple owes it to its users to ensure that iOS is the most secure platform that it can be. Nonetheless, that doesn’t make the jailbreak community any less disappointed at the loss of an untethered jailbreak

To make matters even more grim, Apple has rendered downgrading virtually impossible, and that includes simply restoring your iOS 6.1.2 firmware back to iOS 6.1.2. So what if your iPhone or iPad starts running really slow? What if you genuinely needed to restore your device? If so, then kiss your jailbreak goodbye. That pretty much sums up the predicament that we find ourselves in. For that reason we’re always extra careful not to install any tweaks or apps on our devices that might cause problems.

And that, folks, is where SemiRestore has come in to save the day. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I’ve tested it out myself, and I can assure you that it works pretty well. It’s not a genuine full restore — hence its name — but it’s probably the next best thing to a legitimate restore, and will help you regain the stock feeling of a fresh installation of iOS. The best thing about it? You won’t need to upgrade your firmware, and because of this, you won’t lose your jailbreak. Full demonstration inside. Read More

 

Song skipping feature reportedly stalling iRadio talks

By Cody Lee on May 18, 2013

Industry chatter regarding ‘iRadio’ is really starting to pick up. Yesterday, a report surfaced claiming that Apple is struggling to reach deals with record labels because such a service has never been tried before. And today, we have even more details on the talks.

Citing sources with knowledge of the negotiations, CNET is reporting that the labels are actually very keen on Apple’s music service, but there’s a single issue keeping them from signing on the dotted line. Apparently, they can’t agree on song skipping terms… Read More

 

Don’t know what to do this weekend? Check out these 7 apps

By Lory Gil on May 18, 2013

“Everybody’s working for the weekend…” Loverboy’s song never made more sense to me than it does now that I’m always looking for things to do on the weekends. Some of us want nothing more than to relax by the pool with a frosty beverage and a good book. Others want to turn their city into a playground.

Whether you are looking for a game to fill up your free time, an organizer for your movies, or a new photography app to take pictures of your cat with, we’ve got a list to keep you busy this weekend… Read More

 

Circul8: an outstanding theme for iPhone and iPad

By Max Kaslick on May 18, 2013

There are countless amounts of themes already available for iPhone/iPad with more emerging each week. It starts getting harder to find a theme that is truly worthy of your iDevice. That’s where we come in… Introducing Circul8. A theme that is well crafted with the perfect minimalism for a simple but effective look.

The best part? It’s free… Read More

 

Apple pulls controversial ‘Bang With Friends’ app from App Store

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

Apple has decided to pull Bang With Friends, a controversial app that lets users anonymously pick which of their Facebook friends they’d like to hook up with, and then notifies them when there’s a match, from its App Store this afternoon.

There’s no word yet on why the app was removed. But between Apple’s staunch attitude toward all things vulgar, and its app review team’s track record for pulling software on a whim, we’re not at all surprised to see Bang With Friends gone… Read More

 

Fast & Furious 6: The Game lands on iOS

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

I never thought I’d be saying this, but we are now just a week away from the release of Fast & Furious 6. I don’t think anyone could have predicted the adrenaline-pumping street-racing hit of 2001 was going to blossom into a 6 movie franchise. But here we are.

As it seems customary these days, the folks behind FF6 have released a game to go along with the feature film. The 3D racer takes you through the mean streets of London, where you must race your way to money and respect. And it’s now available on iOS… Read More

 

Balances: a new App Store app from the mind of Filippo Bigarella

By Jeff Benjamin on May 17, 2013

Balances is a new App Store app from the mind of popular jailbreak developer Filippo Bigarella. Bigarella is the same developer behind such jailbreak staples like CleverPin and Springtomize 2 to name a few.

Needless to say, when such a well-known and well respected developer ventures into the so-called “legit” waters of the App Store, it’s hard not to take notice. His first foray — Balances — is a way to maintain personal debts and credits within the confines of a simple, straightforward, and easy to use app.

If you’ve ever found yourself writing down how much you owe someone, or how much someone owes you on random scraps of paper, then you probably need a better system. That’s where Balances comes in. It helps you get rid of the sticky note system and maintain your balances using the iPhone. Check out our video demonstration of the app in motion… Read More

 

Tough negotiations could see iRadio miss WWDC launch

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

It feels like the summer of 2011 all over again. Both Apple and Google were rumored to be working on a music service, and Google has beaten Apple to the punch by announcing theirs well in advance. Back then it was cloud storage. This time it’s streaming.

Earlier this week, Google unveiled its new ‘All Access’ streaming music service. And according to a new report, unless Apple can reach a deal with the remaining hold-out record labels, it’s going to again have a several month head start on Apple’s release… Read More

 

New Apple Television concept surfaces

By Jeff Benjamin on May 17, 2013

Will Apple’s long rumored television set ever see the light of day? Who knows. But Sam Beckett’s new concept video shows off some of the awesome things that might be possible with a full sized Apple TV. It shows off scheduling recordings, swiping between channels, and of course, Siri integration. The best thing about it all? It’s fully controlled using an iPad mini… Read More

 

LSFlatAlerts improves single Lock screen notifications

By Jeff Benjamin on May 17, 2013

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been fond of the singular pop-up alerts that show up on the Lock screen when you receive a notification. It’s singular, weird, and way too imposing for my tastes.

The thing is, once you receive a second notification, the view switches to a more attractive flat list view. I much prefer this multiple notification view over the solo view. Considering this, I was intrigued when I saw a new tweak — LSFlatAlerts — make its way to the Cydia store. It’s a jailbreak tweak that makes all notifications, even single ones, appear in the more attractive flat list view. Read More

 

U.S. Air Force could save $50M using 18,000 iPads

By Ed Sutherland on May 17, 2013

Taking a lesson learned by civilian airlines, the U.S. Air Force has purchased 18,000 iPads expected to save more than $50 million over the next decade. The move from bulky paper flight manuals to tablets should save nearly $6 million each year in fuel and printing costs.

In an interview, the airlift arm of the U.S. military said the switch to 32GB Wi-Fi Retina iPads as electronic flight bags would reduce aircraft weight by 90 pounds per aircraft – up to 490 pounds for huge C-5 transports. In 2012, American Airlines received FAA go-ahead to use iPads in the cockpit… Read More

 

Pentagon clears iPhones and iPads

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

As expected, the Pentagon has finally approved Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices for use on the United States military networks, Bloomberg learned Friday. The clearance sets the stage for Apple to compete with Samsung and BlackBerry for military sales. According to the report, the Defense Department today approved the use of Apple’s portable products running the iOS 6 software… Read More

 

Apple reportedly cuts back on iPad mini screens ahead of next-gen model

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

The hit-and-miss DigiTimes, a Taiwanese trade publication, Friday reported that Apple is expected to cut back on iPad mini display orders in the third quarter of 2013 as it gears up to manufacture a second-generation iPad mini.

According to the publication’s supply chain sources, AU Optronics’ (AUO) shipments of panels for the iPad mini are expected to decrease from four million units in the first quarter of 2013 to 2.5-2.8 million units in the second.

AUO is also expected to see more order cuts going into the third quarter – not due to weak demand, but because it’s facing manufacturing issues so Apple is now expected to buy its iPad mini panels mainly from rival LG Display, which is also a rumored supplier of Retina-grade screens for the second-generation iPad mini… Read More

 

Corning launches Lotus XT Glass ahead of next-gen iPhone

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

Corning Glass, Inc. made a name for itself when Steve Jobs chose the Kentucky-based company to supply cover glass for the original iPhone because he wanted the device’s touchscreen to ooze premium quality. Nowadays, Corning glass is found protecting mobile screens used on the vast majority of smartphones and tablets out there.

Although the company unveiled the ultra-slim Willow Glass last June, that product is aimed at mobile devices that incorporate flexible displays and could theoretically be used for a rumored iWatch. Ahead of CES, the firm launched its 40 percent more scratch resistant and 50 percent stronger Gorilla Glass 3.

And just yesterday, they announced the commercial launch of Corning Lotus XT, a second-generation glass substrate aimed at high-performance displays… Read More

 

BlackBerry Messenger will be iPhone-only at launch

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

If you’ve been looking to enjoy BlackBerry’s upcoming Messenger app on your iPad, bad news. Blackberry’s software portfolio chief Vivek Bhardwaj tells Trusted Reviews that the app will only target the iPhone and Android smartphones, at least initially. Although he wouldn’t ruled out the possibility of an iPad edition down the road, he didn’t specifically mention it either.

That’s hardly surprising given BlackBerry’s lackluster PlayBook tablet and the firm’s general failure in the tablet space, though it’s hard to escape the feeling that BlackBerry Messenger for iPad would make sense for the business types who’ve come to depend on their Apple tablet for work… Read More

 

Can Knockdown 3 smashes into the App Store

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

The series (Can Knockdown, Can Knockdown 2) saw over fifteen million downloads and is still going strong – for a good reason, too. The game is just a blast of fun to play because its execution and gameplay offer the same can-smashing carnival experience you’ve come to love.

I still turn to the first two installments in the series every now and then, whenever a few minutes need killing.

And now, Polish-based development studio Infinite Dreams (they’re behind an awesome ceramics-making app (Let’s create! Pottery HD, Let’s Create! Pottery HD Lite) is out with Can Knockdown 3. The sequel will challenge your aim and hone your precision to new heights and I guarantee you won’t be able to put the game down so easily… Read More

 

Impossible Road: a game that redefines minimalism

By Lory Gil on May 17, 2013

Casual arcade games offer a great way to pass the time. They are usually simple games that you can pick up and play and not feel bad about setting back down at a moment’s notice. When you are in the mood for a casual game, the simple ones are the best.

IMPOSSIBLE ROAD is a simple casual game that requires very little thought, but might drive you mad. Although minimalistic in design, this game is anything but easy… Read More

 

Gone free: N.O.V.A. 3, Gangstar Rio, Pudding Monsters

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

If you’re on the lookout for not-to-be-missed price drops on premium iOS games, iDB has you covered. French games maker Gameloft has just reduced its two triple-A games, sci-fi shooter N.O.V.A. 3 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance and Grand Theft Auto-like Gangstar Rio: City of Saints to zero bucks each. Considering these titles are respectively priced at $6.99 and $4.99, you’re looking at a cool $11.98 saving right off the bat. Both are free this weekend only so go ahead and download N.O.V.A. 3 and Gangstar Rio: City of Saints now.

By the way, both are universal – meaning they run natively on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices. Last, but not the least, fans of casual games should definitely check out Pudding Monsters from ZeptoLab, the creators of the popular Cut the Rope physics-based puzzler series… Read More

 

iOS and Android gamers spend 3X as much as handheld console owners

By Christian Zibreg on May 17, 2013

I still remember vividly how industry heavy-weights Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft initially laughed off gaming on the iPhone. It was right after Apple slashed the iPod touch to the sweet $199 price point that it became clear to me that gaming on high-end smartphones and tablets would eventually outgrow that on dedicated handheld consoles such as Sony’s PSP and Nintendo’s DS family.

Enter a new report by research firm IDC and analytics service App Annie which reveals just how far along mobile gaming has come. According to the study, users of smartphones and tablets spend nearly three times as much purchasing games on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store as handheld device owners.

If these numbers are anything to go by, smart mobile devices will soon relegate dedicated handheld consoles to a niche market, if not eventually kill the category altogether… Read More

 

Virgin Mobile taking 15% off prepaid iPhone 4 and 4S

By Cody Lee on May 17, 2013

Apple is widely expected to unveil a new smartphone in the coming months, so it’s no surprise that we’re starting to see a flurry of specials on its older models. Verizon is knocking $100 off the iPhone 5, and T-Mobile will give you one for $0 with a trade-in.

In a similar fashion, prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile USA is hosting a promotion right now that will knock 15% off the price of the iPhone 4/4S. Now that may not seem like a very big discount, but it’s big enough to land you a no-contract iPhone for under $300… Read More

 
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