Texas firm suing Apple over call forwarding feature found in iPhone 4S/5

By Cody Lee on Jun 19, 2013

Apple’s no stranger to being on the defendant side of patent infringement lawsuits. In addition to its ongoing court battle with Samsung, there are a number of smaller companies hoping to squeeze some money out of the tech giant via patent suits. And today, we’re adding another one to the list.

Texas-based Bluebonnet Telecommunications filed a lawsuit against Apple yesterday in an [surprise] Eastern District Texas courtroom, claiming that the call forwarding feature found in the company’s iPhone 4S and 5 handsets infringes on one of its patents it has owned for over a decade… Read More

 

AT&T installing solar-powered charging stations around New York

By Cody Lee on Jun 19, 2013

This is quite interesting. It appears that AT&T has begun installing charging stations in parks throughout New York to help keep smartphones and other mobile devices up and running. The stations are solar-powered and capable of charging a wide range of gadgets.

The carrier says that the new Street Charge project was born out of its work during the recovery from Superstorm Sandy. After the hurricane ripped through most of the eastern US, AT&T setup charging stations in the blacked out areas. And now it’s expanding on the idea… Read More

 

Apple’s IP chief leaves for patent troll Technicolor

By Ed Sutherland on Jun 19, 2013

After sparking its long-running patent war with Samsung, Apple’s intellectual property chief has left to head a similar job at a French media company. Boris Teksler, who in 2012 testified Samsung was copying iPhone technology, left his job of four years Wednesday.

Teksler had no immediate comment on why he left to become president of the Technology Group for Technicolor, a media and entertainment company based in France.

Technicolor’s CEO said the former Apple IP chief was well-suited to the firm’s plans for expanding use of patents… Read More

 

Default iOS hotspot passwords can be cracked in under a minute

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 19, 2013

You may want to reconsider using a default password iOS provides for hotspot functionality as researchers at a German university warn of the weaknesses that let attackers crack any default iOS hotspot password in under a minute. Although Windows Phone uses even weaker passwords and some Android vendors weaken their device’s security by modifying the Wi-Fi-related components, Apple’s problem is that iOS generates “random” hotspot passwords using a dictionary of only 1,842 different entries… Read More

 

Interactive iOS 7 demo lets you play with the update without a dev account

By Cody Lee on Jun 18, 2013

Since Apple unveiled its next generation mobile operating system, iOS 7, it seems like that’s all anyone can talk about. Some folks love it, and think it’s a step in the right direction. And others dislike it so much that they’re considering switching to Android.

For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, and are feeling left out of the conversation, we’ve come across something that may help. The folks over at Recumbo have put together an interactive demo of iOS 7 that lets you play with the software update without a dev account… Read More

 

New Apple patents granted, covering multitouch, iPhone 5 and Lightning

By Ed Sutherland on Jun 18, 2013

Among the nearly 40 Apple patents granted today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) are ones covering multi-touch technology, as well as designs for the iPhone 5 and the Lightning connector. The widest-ranging group of patents involves the multi-touch technology for the iPhone 5 and latest iPads and iPods.

Meanwhile, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Design, Jonathan Ive, is given lead credit for designing the iPhone 5… Read More

 

Digg’s Google Reader replacement launching June 26 on iPhone first

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 17, 2013

In spite of die-hard users screaming and crying foul, Google quite unapologetically remains on track to shut down its popular news aggregation service dubbed Reader come July 1. But don’t worry, there are plenty of alternatives to Google Reader such as the popular Mac/iOS app Reeder, the unavoidable Flipboard and many other apps.

The social news aggregator Digg is among the companies looking to exploit the opportunity. In March, Digg announced that work had begun on its own Reader replacement. Today, the firm said the app will be rolling to everyone by June 26, giving Google Reader refugees almost a full week of head start before the July 1 cut-off deadline… Read More

 

Shazam updated with new ‘Pulse’ feature for discovering new music

By Cody Lee on Jun 17, 2013

It seems like music discovery is all the rage these days. Twitter launched a new iPhone app back in April, and Apple launched its iTunes Music service earlier this month, both of which place a large focus on helping users discover new music.

And today, Shazam pushed further into the space. The popular song, album and artist identifier released a significant update to its iPhone and iPad apps this morning with, among other things, a new ‘Pulse’ feature for discovering new music… Read More

 

iOS 7 beta GUI PSD file now available for download

By Cody Lee on Jun 17, 2013

Heads up all of you designers and concept artists. The entire GUI (graphical user interface) for iOS 7 has just been uploaded to the web.

That’s right, all of the buttons, menus, icons and anything else you can think of graphic-wise in the developer beta are now available for download… Read More

 

iPhone 4S/5 users to get Wireless Emergency Alerts via AT&T

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 14, 2013

U.S. carrier AT&T announced Friday that its subscribers will soon start receiving Wireless Emergency Alerts to their iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 devices. Text notifications will include AMBER, Imminent Threat and Presidential Alerts and will be enabled following an upcoming carrier update pushed out to iPhone devices running iOS 6.1 or later.

Of the three types of alerts, users will be able to disable AMBER and Imminent Threat alerts. Presidential alerts, which are sent straight from the President, can’t be turned off… Read More

 

AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid sevice now available on 4G LTE and HSPA+

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 14, 2013

GoPhone, a prepaid wireless service from U.S. carrier AT&T, used to be a 3G-only affair. But not anymore.

Just like clockwork, the carrier Friday announced that GoPhone customers can now enjoy fast data speeds not only on its third-generation HSPA+ network (unfairly billed as 4G), but also on the fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network.

Compared to 3G, 4G LTE offers ten times higher data throughput. The telco also added Samsung’s Galaxy Express to its GoPhone device portfolio and said folks can also bring their own HSPA+ or LTE smartphone… Read More

 

Office Mobile for iPhone review

By Jeff Benjamin on Jun 14, 2013

As you’re likely well aware of by now, Microsoft dropped Office Mobile for iPhone today. The actual name of the app is Office Mobile for Office 365 subscribers, which is a crazy mouthful, so I’ll be referring to it as Office Mobile throughout this write up.

As someone who’s been an iWork user during most of their Mac tenure, I’m approaching this review from a different perspective than perhaps most. I don’t currently use Office 365 on the desktop, because iWork is suitable for all of my needs. Why pay $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year for something that I have no real need for? I know some people argue that the Office suite is superior than iWork, and I do tend to agree in some cases. But for the basic need of editing documents and the occasional spreadsheet, iWork can, for the most part, handle my needs.

So with all of this in mind, I’m approaching this review as someone who’s mainly interested in editing and creating new documents on the iPhone. If the iPhone version is superior to the current iWork experience, then I may be interested in making the switch to Office 365 beyond the scope of my free 30 day trial. Take a look inside as I break it down further on video. Read More

 

Microsoft releases Office 365 for iPhone

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 14, 2013

After months of speculation and years of waiting, Windows maker Microsoft has finally relented and released the official Office suite on iOS. But don’t get your hopes up too high, it isn’t what you’ve been looking for.

As the lengthy name suggests, ‘Office Mobile for Office 365 subscribers’ (seriously, Microsoft?) requires an Office 365 subscription, is iPhone-only and is more of an Office companion than a full-blown productivity application.

You can edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the go, though we’re talking limited editing capability here. Go past the fold for the full info… Read More

 

Give your iPhone an iOS 7 makeover with this new theme

By Cody Lee on Jun 13, 2013

Folks feeling left out of all of the iOS 7 beta festivities will be happy to hear that there is now a way you can get in on the fun—no developer account required. A new theme just popped up in Cydia that promises to give your jailbroken iPhone an iOS 7-style makeover.

Now, obviously it’s not going to be exactly like iOS 7. You’re not going to get any of the new features that come with the major update, like the control center or the revamped Notification Center. But if you just want your iPhone to look like iOS 7, this theme is for you… Read More

 

Prosecutors combine to fight smartphone thefts

By Ed Sutherland on Jun 13, 2013

While its no case of Elliot Ness against Chicago’s rum runners of Prohibition days, prosecutors in two major U.S. cities are teaming up with local police to fight a wave of violent smartphone thefts. Law enforcers Thursday issued an SOS of sorts, or ‘Save Our Smartphones’.

The announcement comes as Apple and other smartphone makers meet with the New York State Attorney General and San Francisco’s District Attorney. It’s unknown whether Apple’s new Activation Lock feature unveiled during Monday’s WWDC keynote as part of iOS 7 will be enough to satisfy calls for handset makers to create a kill switch to disable stolen smartphones… Read More

 

‘Intensive delivery’ of budget iPhone parts reportedly underway, August availability

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 13, 2013

There’s no escaping budget iPhone talk today. Reuters opened the morning discussion with a write-up calling for two large-screen iPhones in 2014 and citing sources insisting that an elusive less-pricey iPhone will get released later this year at a somewhat unbelievable price point of just $99.

Shortly after, the reliable Japanese blog Macotkara learned from its sources that the alleged budget iPhone will come in five colors borrowed from Apple’s iPhone 5 bumpers: black, white, pink, orange and blue. A Chinese newspaper now seemingly corroborates the chatter, writing that a bunch of Taiwanese suppliers are now shipping parts ahead of the handset assembly… Read More

 

Budget iPhone thought to borrow colors from iPhone 4 bumpers

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 13, 2013

Just as Reuters ran a story this morning claiming Apple is planning to release two phablets next year and build  a budget iPhone in variety of colors in 2013, the reliable Japanese blog Macotakara piggy-backs with its own story asserting that Apple’s inexpensive iPhone will actually borrow colors from those iPhone 4 bumpers.

This apparently means such color choices as black, white, pink, orange and blue. The story goes on to note that Apple is shooting for a September launch of the budget iPhone… Read More

 

Reuters: Apple considering phablets, $99 colorized budget iPhone

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 13, 2013

According to a Reuters report Thursday, Apple is talking to its suppliers and manufacturing partners about producing multiple iPhone models in the next year or so, including a long-rumored less expensive iPhone in a range of color choices and two larger-screen models. The report asserts Tim Cook & Co. are adamant to iPod-ize the iPhone by offering more screen and color choices in order to appease to those smartphone buyers who are increasingly considering larger form-factor devices to enjoy their media, surf the web and enjoy their content on a bigger screen… Read More

 

Apple posts new video: ‘Making a difference. One app at a time.’

By Cody Lee on Jun 12, 2013

Apple has posted a new, lengthy video to the iOS section of its website today. The 10-minute clip is called ‘Making a difference. One app at a time.’ and it highlights how folks around the globe are using apps on Apple’s mobile products.

As usual, the videography in the short film is beautiful and the message is concise. Apple is showing how iOS apps help make the world a little bit better, and things a little bit easier, for people from all different walks of life. Watch it… Read More

 

Apple devices top Android on 3G networks

By Ed Sutherland on Jun 12, 2013

We’ve always contended that while Android has a numerical advantage over Apple’s iOS, the iPhone and iPad see much greater usage.

More evidence of that belief: more than half of all 3G cellular traffic comes from Apple devices.

When combined, the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 account for about 53 percent of all 3G cellular traffic. Adding the iPad boosts the number to nearly 60 percent, according to a firm that analyzes cell network traffic. Where is Android? Samsung’s Galaxy S, S2 and S3 combined make up a bit over eighteen percent of 3G traffic… Read More

 
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