Month: March 2011

Apple TV Now Has MLB.TV and NBA Live Game Streaming

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2016

Apple TV has been described, by Apple, as a hobby. But it seems to be a part of some master plan to take over your living room. What was once just a buffer between you and your desktop to stream iTunes content, is quickly becoming an extension of your iDevices.

Already known to be running a version of Apple's iOS platform, that runs on Apple's popular iPhone and iPad products, it can only be a matter of time before we see an Apple TV App Store. With one of Apple's latest software updates to the Apple TV, MLB.TV and NBA.TV (popular iPhone apps) are now available on its home screen. Could this mean other apps aren't too far behind?

Probably not. MLB.TV streaming has existed on Roku and Boxee for a couple of years already, but it's a nice touch. Users are able to watch full games without blackout restrictions and watch highlights from any game in the league. Wow if Apple gets the NFL Network, cable's in trouble.

My hope is that Apple is really considering the potential of an App Store for Apple TV. Imagine playing a racing game on your HiDef TV, off of your Apple TV, using your iPad as a steering wheel. Or imagine playing board games on the big screen, while the whole family uses iPod touches and iPhones as controllers.

Has anyone subscribed to either of these services? Is anyone holding their breath for an Apple TV App Store? Tell us below!

Trouble Snagging an iPad 2?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2016

Me too. After almost three hours of waiting (I know that's not much compared to some) at my local Best Buy, I was told there were no more WiFi-only models left at that location. Not only that but there were no more white iPad 2 available.

With only about 25-30 people ahead of me in line, and almost none of them walking away with white iPad, I had to wonder how small their drop shipment actually was. It also would have been lovely to know the model availability before I wasted most of my afternoon, waiting on the impossible. Determined to not accept defeat, I then proceeded across the street to Target....

My hopes that they somehow had some iPads left were crushed when I made my way to the electronics department. Not only were they sold out, they only had 6 units to start with, and none of them were the 16GB WiFi-only model I lusted after. So I went back to my car and although frustrated, quickly dialed every Walmart in town.

It was about 5:30 P.M. at this point, but I was desperate, and was hoping that the general public wasn't much aware of Walmart carrying iPad 2's on launch day. But with every phone call, reality crept a little bit closer. Finally, it was time to give up the chase, and I headed home. I had completely failed, or did I?

Yesterday morning, I mentioned that I had a feeling iPad 2 stock was limited, and I was spot on. So, did Apple drop the ball on their big launch day, or did everything go as planned? I'm going to go with the latter, because although the iPad 2 was just announced a week ago, original iPad sales had to give Apple some kind of insight to what demand was going to be for their new tablet.

Apple's plan, like many other major product launches, may have just been to release a limited number on launch day. Even though they may have warehouses packed with iPad 2's, they could be choosing not to ship to create a higher demand. Releasing iPads in rounds also makes Apple more agile. If they release a million units at a time, and there is a defect, they can quickly repair the problem.

But whatever the reason, I know that the hundreds of thousands of loyal Apple fans that flocked to their respective Apple stores and retailers, deserved better. My one opportunity to purchase an iPad 2 was a 64GB Black AT&T model, $829. That's almost double what I was wanting to spend, and I just didn't have any use for all the extra memory.

Were you able to snag an iPad 2 on launch day? Or did you have a similar, disappointing experience like myself? Tell us below!

Fix iPhone Error 1013

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Yesterday Tina decided it was time to update her iPhone firmware. It was probably the first software update she did since she got her iPhone 4, months ago. Because she doesn't need or even care about a jailbreak, her iPhone is clean. No jailbreak.

I was watching South Park when I heard her voice from upstairs: "honey, I have a problem, it's saying something about error 1013". Damn you, iPhone, for disturbing me while watching disturbing TV shows!

I had had this error 1013 before so I was confident it would be a one-minute fix...

iPhone 4 Gets Nearly Double the Battery Life of Some Android Phones

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

One of the biggest things I'm concerned with on my smart phone is battery life. What good is a wireless phone if it always needs to be plugged in? With some of my older iPhones (iPhone 2G, 3G), it was a major issue. But since I've gotten my iPhone 4, it's never really been a problem.

I've had Android and Blackberries for work phones in the past, and I can honestly say the iPhone 4 is the best when it comes to battery life. Well it looks like my experience are in line with most everybody else's, as cnet test results confirm that the iPhone is top dog...

iPhone 4 Hacked at Pwn2Own

Cody Lee ∙ March 11, 2011

Earlier today we mentioned that the iOS hacker, i0n1c, stated that he was going to wait until iOS 4.3.1 to release his jailbreak. This comes in wake of the events that took place in Canada at this years Pwn2Own contest. Of large interest to hackers and corporations alike, thousands turn out to witness the latest in cyber security fraud.

The name of the game is Pwn2Own, meaning if you are the fastest to hack it, you get it. These devices range from Blackberrys and iPhones, to MacBooks and laptops. Google was even on hand with a $20,000 reward to anyone who could hack their Chrome software. But day 2 was all about the iPhone 4, and was once again exploited by security expert, Charlie Miller...

Untethered Jailbreak Delayed Until iOS 4.3.1?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

If you have been keeping up with your iOS 4.3 news daily, you know that everyone is holding their breath for an official jailbreak and unlock. Although jailbreaking was possible with beta versions of 4.3, it required you to hook up to your computer every time your iDevice rebooted. Yesterday, we showed you a video of an iPad, running 4.3, that was untethered and running the jailbroken app store Cydia.

Well it appears that the iPhone hacker behind that video, i0n1c, tweeted this morning that he will be waiting until iOS 4.3.1 to release his jailbreak. He goes on to say that he believes Apple will release 4.3.1 soon, because everybody saw the iPhone 4 getting hacked at the Canadian Pwn2Own competition this week. So why wait until the next version of iOS?

iPhone 5 Renderings Leak, Show Larger Screen

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

If you are new to the Apple 'rumor mill', pay attention. Due to Apple's high profile products, and dedication to absolute secrecy on their projects, tech junkies are forced to look to other avenues for information. The interest surrounding Apple products really increased after they launched their original iPhone back in 2007. After changing the wireless industry, with an all in one touch screen device, people became extremely interested in what they would dream up next.

The latest target of the rumor mill, is the up and coming iPhone 5. After a major redesign with the iPhone 4 last June, one can only imagine what they might have in store for their next iteration. Luckily, overseas parts manufacturers are there to give us tidbits on Apple products, which is exactly what we have here.

iOS Notification Concept Based on the iPad 2 Smart Cover

Alex Heath ∙ Updated November 12, 2019

It's no secret that Apple's system for notifications in iOS sucks. Many other mobile operating systems, like Google's Android, use a more unobtrusive method for delivering new notifications.

Apple is definitely working on making the notification system in iOS better, but until then, we can only gawk at interesting concepts of what a complete iOS notification redesign would like like. The latest and greatest concept uses the iPad 2's new Smart Cover...

iPad 2 Supply Already Dwindling?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 30, 2016

If you weren't one of those people that got online at 1 AM this morning to snag an iPad 2, you may be waiting a while. Apple's second version of its popular tablet went on sale early this morning online, and will be available at 5 PM at retail stores today.

It appears it didn't take long for Apple fanatics to snatch up the first round of shippable iPad 2's. At about 7 AM PST this morning, customers trying to order the new iPad online were met with a 2-3 week ship time.

People who got their orders in before that, were able to have the product shipped in 3-5 days. After noticing the lengthy ship times, I decided to call my local retailers, and see what would be available for local purchase.

To my surprise, the wireless dealers I contacted stated they would have limited quantity on hand. They also stated that they wouldn't have any iPad 2 WiFi only models on hand for the big launch day.

When Apple announced a ship date of less than 2 weeks after the iPad 2 was made public, I expected them to be a little more prepared. Especially considering that the original iPad, was one of the fastest selling consumer electronic products in history.

Did you snag an iPad 2 this morning? Will you be venturing out to a retail store today? Let us know below!

Dev Team Investigating New Permanent iPhone Unlock Method

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Shortly after breaking the bad news about the iPhone 4 carrier unlock for iOS 4.3, iPhone Dev Team member @MuscleNerd announced that they aren't giving up just yet and are currently investigating a new method to unlock the iPhone 4.

This method, called the "NCK", is the key generated by Apple if they were to officially unlock your iPhone. Basically, it's similar to an IMEI unlock code, which permanently unlocks the phone...

How to Use Airplay with Your iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 2, 2018

One of my favorite features in iOS is AirPlay. I recently purchased an Apple TV2, and immediately saw the benefits. With AirPlay, you are able to stream content off of your iDevice, directly to your HiDef TV. This content can be photos and videos you've downloaded from iTunes, and even YouTube videos.

With Apple's latest iOS software update, 4.3, your AirPlay options just multiplied, exponentially. You are now able to take advantage of 3rd party apps and websites that are AirPlay compatible. Since the popularity of this feature has really been on the rise, I figured it was time for a quick tutorial to show you how easy it really is to use AirPlay with your iPhone...

iOS 4.3 Protects Against Accidental In-App Purchases

Cody Lee ∙ March 11, 2011

Apple's iOS 4.3 has been making headlines for weeks. From iTunes Home Sharing to mobile hotspot, new features keep pouring out of Apple's latest iOS update. With so many big changes, it's easy for the smaller firmware tweaks to go unnoticed. One of those features, which I was glad to see added, is a required password reentry for in app purchases.

In previous versions of iOS, in app purchases did require a password, but with one major drawback. Apple gave users a 15 minute window after password authentication to make in app purchases. This window was to prevent a choppy App Store experience, especially for users purchasing multiple items. What was so wrong then, that they went and changed it?