Month: May 2010

Wirelessly Sync Your iPhone With iTunes With Wi-Fi Sync

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

Wi-Fi Sync is a new application available in Cydia that enables seamless wireless syncing between your iPhone and iTunes.

You may have heard of this application before. It made the headlines a couple weeks ago when it was submitted to the App Store. Obviously it wasn't approved by Apple and it now is on Cydia for everyone to enjoy.

To have Wi-Fi Sync work, you will have to download the $9.99 app and also the free software for Mac OS X. A Windows version should be available soon.

Wi-Fi Sync works with the iPhone and iPod Touch but it doesn't work with the iPad.

Thanks Alex for the tip.

iPhone + Verizon Really Coming in June?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 27, 2018

While we, here at the blog, don't typically chime in on the endless next-gen iPhone rumors, I felt compelled to do so on this particular piece of gossip. Talk about an Apple iPhone on the nation's largest network dates back to, well, the origination of the iPhone.

In fact, legend has it that Apple had originally approached 'Big Red', with the iPhone, exclusivity and all, and they turned it down. Now why exactly a cell phone carrier would want to turn down the opportunity to add 4% of their competition's customers to their network is up for speculation. Reported reasons have ranged from Apple's phones not having a removable battery to the lengthy warranty process for malfunctioning devices.

Fast forward to 2009. The iPhone had sold in record numbers, but Verizon definitely didn't go home and eat Ben and Jerry's and watch chick flicks. With a struggling smart phone line up consisting of aging Blackberrys and Windows mobile devices, they struck up a friendship with search engine and now mobile giant Google. Interesting.

Interesting because today they now carry 5 Android handsets with more promised later this year, as well as confirmed reports that the two are collaborating on a tablet device. Throwing an iPhone and other Apple products (iPad?) into the mix will be like putting a scorpion and brown recluse in a glass jar together and watching them fight. Giving customers freedom of choice between the 2 would produce interesting results.

Another fact to consider is that we have all seen the photos of at least a prototype of the next iPhone and the device appears to have a front facing camera. Before you go and dismiss this as a 'for self portraits' kind of camera, better check your tech blogs a little closer, tons of developers and home brewers have already discovered tons of evidence in the code of the new iPhone 4.0 software pointing to video chat.

Nationwide video calling would be pretty sketchy on a 3G network, no matter how fast or reliable. But Verizon is definitely making noise with its LTE network it plans on rolling out in a handful of markets later this year. Still sounds like we are a year or 2 away from it being anywhere close to nationwide, would Apple waste time making a CDMA handset available this summer with LTE on the horizon? I suppose theres a possibility of a dual band 3G/LTE iPhone.

But none the less all of my skepticism get sidetracked by all the latest gossip that streams through my RSS Feed reader. CrunchGear is reporting that they have received tips that an advertising agency is working on an advertising campaign for Verizon and new iPhone HD. Not to mention numerous Verizon Wireless employees reporting that they are blocking out vacation dates around Father's Day weekend but their not saying why.

If you're asking yourself "Cody, what do I make of all of this information?" You're asking the wrong person, I'm about as on the fence on this one as they come. Unless you've been hiding under rock for the last year, you are aware that AT&T has been reporting customer complaints in all of its larger markets for dropped calls, no service, and slow data speeds.

They have been long since criticized for their older network infrastructure not being able to handle the millions of new iPhone customers they have added. You should also know that the original 5 year contract AT&T and Apple signed in 2007 has been publicly reported to have been renegotiated to expire this summer, June 2010 to be exact.

Putting their phones in front of an industry leading 90,000,000 wireless customers would seemingly be a smart business move for Apple. But only time will tell, and the clock couldn't possibly tick any slowly on our count down to Apple's June event. In the meantime, post some comments, I will try to put any updates I find on this topic in the comments section!

10 iPhone Apps for Travelers

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

The iPhone is one of the most popular devices that has been made in the last decade and there are now literally thousands of applications designed for it. But with all of those apps to choose from, which ones are best to make sure you take with you on your travels?

Take a look at this list of some of the 10 most powerful iPhone applications available for you to download today.

1. Cheap Gas! (Free) Cheap Gas! helps you locate the lowest priced gas closest to wherever you're at and then display a map showing you the specific location. The application utilizes the built-in GPS feature to discover the ten nearest gas stations with the lowest prices according to GasBuddy.com. You even have the option to search based on zip code and determine whether the fuel is unleaded, premium unleaded, or diesel.

2. ExpenseBay (Free) Developed by Expense Cloud, this application removes the demand to maintain an actual collection of receipts and bills gathered throughout your travels, which puts a stop to any potential misplaced reimbursements. You can easily add transactions and receipt images to your ExpenseBay.com account in a matter of a few clicks, and also modify existing expenses that still require to be billed to a client or submitted for reimbursement.

3. GateGuru (Free) GateGuru is an application that provides intricate detail about services available at different gates at more than 80 major airports in the United States, as well as several others throughout the world. This application is extremely useful when you want to get a quick bite prior to boarding your flight and you're not familiar with the airport.

4. HopStop (Free) Similar to the website service available at HopStop.com, this particular application offers in depth public transportation directions and advice. Regardless of whether you are journeying by bus, subway, cab, or even walking, this iPhone application will enable you to get to exactly where you are heading.

5. Flight Track ($4.99) Flight Track monitors every part of your domestic and international flights together with live updates and gorgeous, zoomable maps. Examine gate numbers, flight delays and cancellations for more than 5,000 airports worldwide.

6. FlightCaster ($1.99) This app uses an innovative formula that tracks information on every single domestic flight within the last decade and then matches it to current conditions to predict delayed flights. At the moment FlightCaster only supports U.S. domestic flights.

7. Free Wi-Fi Finder (Free) Free Wi-Fi Finder does exactly as the name implies. No matter where you are in the world, it will use both your iPhone's GPS feature and network capabilities to to uncover free Wi-Fi Internet access.

8. SitOrSquat (Free) SitOrSquat allows you to track down the closest restrooms nearest to your present location. You can check out close by restrooms on the map or in a list categorized by distance and see which ones are open for use. Not only that, but you can read reviews and ratings, and even see photos of the toilets so that you know what awaits you.

9. AroundMe (Free) Developed by TweakerSoft, AroundMe easily determines your location and helps you pick the closest bank, gas station, hospital, hotel, restaurant, supermarket, and so on. You can view a comprehensive listing of all of the businesses inside the chosen category and see how far they are from where you are at.

10. Urbanspoon (Free) Urbanspoon uses a unique slot machine system that determines a high quality restaurant that you can try when you're hungry, but not sure what exactly to eat. Just shake your iPhone until you find a suggestion that suits your tastes. After locating the restaurant, you can read ratings and even compare your choices with friends. At the moment it is available in most cities in North America, along with London, Melbourne, and Sydney.

This is a guest post by Melissa Tamura. Melissa ranks online schools for the Zen College Life Directory. She most recently wrote about becoming a Massage Therapist.

Make Your iPhone Icons Smaller With Shrink

Sébastien Page ∙ May 11, 2010

Shrink is a new application available in Cydia that lets you size down your iPhone icons in order to fit more on the screen. Well, at least that's what it says in the description as I was not able to fit more than 4 icons per row, but I might be missing something.

After installing Shrink from Cydia, simply go to your Settings.app. From there, you can reduce the size of your iPhone icons to up to 25% of the actual size (see screenshot).

The good thing is that Shrink is fully compatible with WinterBoard and InfiniDock. The downside is that it also shrinks your badges, making it almost impossible to see how many unread emails you have, for example.

All in all, I think Shrink does a pretty good job at reducing the size your icons, if that's what you're looking for. If not, then save yourself $0.99, which is the price to download Shrink in Cydia.

Have you tried Shrink? What do you think about it?

Featured iPhone Theme: iAwesome

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated October 16, 2017

I found out about a very nice theme called iAwesome thanks to AIS so I wanted to share it with you.

iAwesome is a WinterBoard theme that contains 304 redesigned icons (though all icons are modded… more to come on that), wallpaper, status bar, lock screen wallpaper, lock screen battery, badges, pop-ups and quite a few UI mods.

The nice thing about this theme is that it contains an icon overlay which means that all icons are modded… not just icons that have been designed for the theme. If you go into the App Store, you will see that even the icons in the AppStore are modded with the overlay.

What do you think of this theme?

Turn Your iPhone Into A Fan

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

Want to turn your iPhone into a fan? There's an app accessory for that! Actually, German company HMB Tech has enough original accessories to make Inspector Gadget jealous.

For 20 Euros, my favorite is the iPocketFan for iPhone.

But HMB Tech as something for everyone:

LED Pocket Flashlight Laser pointer Thermometer Heart rate chest strap IR remote control Stethoscope Breath controller

Like Gizmodo says, "there's enough add-ons and apps here to open a doctor's surgery".

It's incredible what you can do with an iPhone. I think this is just the beginning. We're probably going to see more and more of these accessories in the future.

If you could create your own iPhone accessory, what would it be?

QuickLauncher: A Smart App Launcher for iPhone

Sébastien Page ∙ May 9, 2010

Have you ever wished your iPhone was smart enough to figure out what apps you want to launch at any given time? If so, read on because QuickLauncher might be the right app for you.

QuickLauncher is a revolutionary launcher for your iPhone or iPod Touch that automatically learns what your most used apps are and shows you a SpringBoard-like view of them.

No more flicking through your springboard pages to find your most used applications, QuickLauncher knows them and sorts them out accordingly to allow you to quickly access them from anywhere.

For quick and easy access, you can configure the way you launch QuickLauncher with Activator.

QuickLauncher is available for download from Cydia. At $1.99, it's one of these simple apps that make a great productivity tool. If you try it, please tell us what you think by leaving a comment.

WiCarrier Displays Wifi Network in Status Bar

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 19, 2010

Earlier today I told you about FullForce, a new app by Ryan Petrich. Ryan is very prolific these days as he has yet another app available in Cydia.

Ryan's new application is WiCarrier, a very simple app that displays the name of the wifi network you're connected to in your status bar. Additionally, it can display your IP address as well.

After installing WiCarrier from Cydia, you will notice that if you're on wifi, your carrier name has been replaced by the name of the wifi network. If you tap on the network name, it will display your IP address.

While it's not a breakthrough app that will change your life, it's still a nice little tweak.

FullForce Forces Your iPhone Apps to Display in Full Screen Mode on iPad

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 19, 2010

A few days ago I shared with you a hack to make your iPhone apps run in full screen mode on your iPad. This hack requires a few steps that might scare away those of you who don't feel like playing with the core files of applications.

Lucky for us, one of my favorite jailbreak developer, Ryan Petrich, created FullForce, an application that "force selects applications to show in full screen iPad mode, even if the developer hasn't certified them as compatible".

The result? Even if an application like Facebook can't be properly displayed in full screen mode on your iPad, FullForce will work its magic and make the app fit the whole screen without pixelizing it.

You can download FullForce from Cydia for free. Once installed, go to the settings.app and in the FullForce options, select the applications you want to force.

Note that FullForce doesn't work with all applications. Just like the hack, text based apps such as Facebook and Tweetie work best in full screen mode.

FullForce is developed specifically for iPad so it can safely be added to the list of iPad compatible jailbrak apps.

Android Running On iPhone 3G

Sébastien Page ∙ May 7, 2010

A couple weeks ago, iPhone hacker and Dev Team member PlanetBeing made the headlines when he successfully ran Android on an iPhone 2G.

With the help of other developers, PlanetBeing is back at it, this time showing us Android running on an iPhone 3G. In an article published on PC World, he explains the hack has come a long way since its initial release.

Now you can use the Android OS to browse the web and run any application that does not require audio support, as well as send and receive SMS text messages over the cell phone radio. [...]

We've also made several other improvements to the original port in this version. Along with many under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes, the Wi-Fi driver has been fleshed out with all the Android-specific extensions, making it more stable and reliable. We've also added an Android icon to the boot menu to make it more easily accessible.

If you feel up to the task, instructions on how to do this yourself will be published soon.

While this is still very buggy, PlanetBeing hopes to be able to release a stable and "usable" version of Android for your iPhone 2G or 3G soon. Will keep you posted!

[via Linux on iPhone]

How to Recover Pictures Deleted by Spirit

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

Although Spirit is probably the easiest and fastest jailbreak ever, it does come with its share of problems. After jailbreaking their iDevice with Spirit, many people reported the loss of their pictures. This issue was fixed by Comex when he released an update to Spirit, but what happens to those of you who lost their pictures before the update?

I spotted an article that explains how to recover those missing pictures after jailbreaking your iPhone or iPad with Spirit. The process is pretty simple and it shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.

For this to work, you will have had to backup your iPhone or iPad before jailbreaking. If you did not backup your device before jailbreaking with Spirit, then this will not work for you.

How to recover deleted photos from your iPhone or iPad after jailbreaking with Spirit

Step 1: If you haven't already, install OpenSSH from Cydia.

Step2: Download iPhone Backup Extractor (for Windows 32 bit or 64 bit - for Mac OS X).

Step 3: Launch iPhone Backup Extractor. It will automatically find backups available on your machine. Select the right one.

Step 4: Navigate to Media/Media/DCIM and select this folder. Click next to save it on your computer.

Step 5: Using CyberDuck for Mac of WinSCP for Windows, SSH into your device.

To find your IP address, on your device, go to Settings > Wifi > Tap on the blue arrow of the network you're on. Username is root. Password is alpine

Step 6: Navigate to User/Media and replace the existing DCIM folder by the one you downloaded to your computer in step 4.

Step 7: Reboot your device.

Done! All your lost pictures after using Spirit should be recovered.

How to Mount An External Hard Drive on the iPad

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 23, 2016

Yes, you read it right, you can mount an external hard drive on your iPad. This hack isn't the easiest one to perform but it's not very complicated either. If you know your way around Terminal, SSH and the likes, you should be fine.

Maxwell Shay wrote a very good tutorial on how to mount an external hard drive to a jailbroken iPad. I haven't tried it myself but I wanted to share the info with you as I think it's a pretty nice accomplishment. You can read the full tutorial here.

If you try to add an external hard drive to your lovely iPad, let us know how it went by leaving a comment.