Month: January 2011

iFixit Begins Offering ‘iPhone 4 Liberation Kit’ to Tackle Apple’s Pesky Proprietary Screws

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 20, 2011

It's clear that Apple doesn't want folks fooling around with their iPhone's physical hardware, as the recently dubbed 'Pentalobular' screws that may rest on the bottom of your iPhone 4 prove.

Recently, Apple has switched over to an all-new screw set for the iPhone 4, similar to the screws that grace the battery covers of the older MacBook Pros, and current MacBook Air.

If you've owned an iPhone 4 for quite some time, then chances are you still have the normal Phillips screw set, but if you've just stepped into the game, you might want to give this a read...

New iOS 4.3 Features Uncovered, Apple Focusing on Social Media

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 20, 2011

The new features found in the latest beta version of iOS 4.3 keep trickling out as expected, and it's looking more and more like Apple wants to further establish itself in the social media circle.

For instance, the often mocked 'Ping' -- Apple's music and social networking mashup -- is now reported to send users push notifications when they receive news and alerts. But that's not all of the goodies that Apple has tucked away in their latest firmware version...

Internally Leaked Screenshots Confirming Multitouch Gestures in iOS 4.3

Alex Heath ∙ January 20, 2011

It looks as though the iPad won't be the only one to get the new multitouch gestures unearthed in the iOS 4.3 beta. Boy Genius has released some iPhone screenshots that are claimed to come from internal testing at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino.

We recently reported on the rumor that the next major version of the iPhone would have no home button. Instead, it was supposed that iOS would use multitouch gestures (two, three, four fingers, etc.) to replace the functionality of the home button.

This new report seems to support the theory of no home button on the iPhone 5. Apparently, Apple has been testing multitouch gestures on the iPhone (there is nothing to clarify if the screenshots are associated with new hardware) internally for quite some time...

The Best iPhone Apps For Movie Lovers

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 5, 2018

As a former film major, I love to get all the details on movies. Fortunately for me, the App Store is full of film-buff apps for the iPhone. Whether you love to watch, rent, buy, organize, or attend movies, there is an app for you.

Below I have compiled a list of my favorite apps with a few words on how they serve film buffs. Read on to see my favorites...

The Best of AirPlay: Getting the Most From Streaming

Guest Author ∙ Updated November 12, 2018

It seems that AirPlay, Apple's revamped AirTunes technology, has been catching on and rapidly expanding in the last few months that iOS 4.2.1 has been around. There are now many ways to stream media to and from devices, with functionality mimicking that of the Apple TV (and beyond).

With new solutions emerging on both the desktop and the iPhone, modern technology and innovative development have taken the legwork out of streaming and sharing. Here are the best ways to take advantage of this amazing technology and choose where YOU want to see your content...

‘SleepFX’ Gives Your iPhone New Sleep Animations With Sound

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 20, 2011

If you've been following the jailbreak tweak scene as of late, then you know that 'TV Tube Sleep' is one of the more beloved tweaks to come along in quite some time. Now, the same developer behind that popular tweak is seeking to outdo their last effort with an unofficial 'tweakquel.'

SleepFX, while not outright replacing TV Tube Sleep, is undoubtedly its spiritual successor; in fact, it contains a TV Tube animation, along with 7 other new sleep animations.

But is SleepFX worth it if you've already taken the plunge with TV Tube Sleep? Check out our full video inside...

Current Verizon Customers Should Be Eligible for a $200 Credit Towards the iPhone 4

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Good news for current Verizon customers: the latest U.S. iPhone carrier has posted its FAQ on the iPhone 4, and it turns out that a $200 credit will be given towards an iPhone upgrade. However, not everyone will qualify for this credit.

If you purchased a new smartphone from Verizon Wireless between November 26, 2010 and January 10, 2011, you should be eligible for a $200 credit towards an iPhone 4 upgrade. This credit should be available as long as your purchase the iPhone on Verizon before February 28.

Verizon's FAQ has some interesting answers for current (and potential) customers who might want to use their available upgrade on the iPhone 4...

New ‘Manage Account’ Option Shows Up in Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 19, 2011

When it comes to polish, there simply is no comparison between Apple's official App Store, and Cydia, the store used by those in the jailbreak community. The lack of polish is something that Cydia's creator, Saurik, is aiming to address in 2011, and this latest update gives us a nice preview of what's coming.

Placed smack in the middle of Cydia's homepage is a new 'Manage Account' option. From here you can log into your Cydia User Account, which is basically a means to authenticate purchases, not an actual account for login. The account can either be a Facebook or Google account linked to your past Cydia purchases.

At the moment there's not many options contained in the new section, but it does contain a handy list of all of your Installable Purchases. This feature will make it a lot easier to re-install all of your favorite jailbreak apps after a restore...

Apple Reveals the Top iPhone Apps of All Times

Sébastien Page ∙ January 19, 2011

Ever wondered what the most downloaded free application was? What about the most downloaded pad app? Well, if these questions ever kept you up at night, now rejoice because Apple is sharing this information with us.

As the company is counting down to the 10,000,000,000th app sold, Apple created a new page on iTunes that shows the top app downloads of all times. Spoiler: Facebook is #1...

Apple Releases iOS 4.3 Beta 2

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Apple just released iOS 4.3 beta 2 to developers. If you're a developer, hop over to the iOS Dev Center and download a copy of this pre-version of iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Apple TV.

I guess we'll find out relatively quickly if iOS 4.3 beta 2 brings anything new to the table from the first beta release.

Boost the Functionality of Your iPhone Camera With ‘CameraButtons’

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 19, 2011

There are many jailbreak tweaks that allow you to map the iPhone's volume buttons to the camera shutter. As far as I'm concerned, though, none of them have as much potential as CameraButtons.

CameraButtons takes the essential functionality of past tweaks, and ramps it up a few notches. Not only can you control your shutter with the iPhone's physical buttons, but you can also map a plethora of other camera-based functions to them as well.

If you're an avid user of the iPhone's stock camera, then you're going to want to check out this video of CameraButtons in action...

AT&T is Making Changes to Texting Plans in Preparation for the Verizon iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ January 19, 2011

It looks like AT&T is planning a preemptive strike in the upcoming Verizon iPhone battle, with the first big change being new text messaging plans. AT&T says their intent is to simplify and streamline their messaging plans, with the changes due to go into effect on January 23, 2011.

Check inside for the details on the new plans, and what this means for AT&T customers...