Year: 2012

‘Sparrow Plus’ now available on Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 30, 2017

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AfGbZv7gQM[/tube]

Sparrow+ — the jailbreak tweak that allows you to set Sparrow as the iPhone's default mail client, along with enabling push notifications — is now available on Cydia.

Sparrow is the 3rd party email client that has proved to be a popular alternative to the stock iOS Mail app, despite some glaring shortcomings.

You can download Sparrow+ for free from Cydia's BigBoss repo starting today. You can also download the Sparrow iOS app for $2.99.

Once you give it a try, be sure to share your thoughts on the combo in the comments section.

Analyst: iTV to be “a big seismic shift” in TV biz, gonna sell like hotcakes

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 27, 2012

The first quarter of 2012 saw Apple sell more than 50 million iOS devices, 11.8 million of which were iPads. But even at a high-price of an estimated $2,000, a rumored full-blown television set from Apple is projected to sell faster than the popular iPad, which begins at $499 for the third-gen model, or $399 in the case of the discounted WiFi-only iPad 2.

But what if Apple flexes its muscles with iTV, tapping the $110 billion cash hoard, its frightening buying power and efficient supply chain management to deliver a $1,000 TV set for the masses? If it comes to be, expect nothing if not "a big seismic shift", one analyst opines...

How to restore your SAM unlock activation ticket to unlock your iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 27, 2012

Since it appears that Apple has fixed the issue with their activation servers, latecomers to the SAM iPhone unlock party are left in the lurch. Fortunately, not all users have lost the potential to unlock their iPhones.

Those who were proactive enough to unlock their iPhone using SAM, and backed up their activation tickets can still easily restore those tickets and unlock their iPhones if they have to restore their device for whatever reason.

If you're currently unlocked on an unofficial SIM by means of the SAM unlock, backup your activation ticket now before you lose it. We can't stress this enough.

Keep in mind that you will still need a jailbroken iPhone to accomplish this, and you will need your backed up Lockdown folder that you saved-off after successfully unlocking your device the first go-round...

If you meet the criteria, step right inside and take a look at our easy to follow guide for restoring your iPhone unlock...

It looks like the SAM iPhone unlock no longer works

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 27, 2012

Many readers are reporting that — as suggested last night — Apple has fixed its issue with its activation server that the SAM unlock method relied on.

I've tested the tried and true unlock method that I posted yesterday, and indeed, it's not working for me either.

For those that did successfully use the SAM tool to unlock your iPhone before today, congratulations. Now we just hope that you are proactive enough to backup your activation ticket either manually, or via RedSn0w...

Guy says iPad Smart Cover violates his patent, sues Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

A guy from Colorado apparently owns rights to a seven-year-old patent he claims resembles technologies and ideas Apple employed to create the Smart Cover case for the iPad.

Feeling confident enough, this dude filed a suit against the iPad maker in the United States District Court of Colorado, aiming to squeeze ongoing royalties out of Apple or a one-time payment of a cool hundred thousand bucks...

Did Apple just kill Chomp for Android?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

As we told you, Apple in February acquired Chomp for an undisclosed sum. Chomp is a popular recommendation engine that makes iOS and Android app discovery a more efficient and pleasing experience.

Coincidentally or not, the California-based powerhouse has now pulled Chomp for Android from the rival Google Play marketplace, also removing the Android app search option from the Chomp website.

The iPhone maker also submitted a Form S-8 regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), detailing stock options to Chomp's twenty employees...

Apple snagged nearly 10% of mobile phone market last quarter

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 11, 2017

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone back in 2007, he said that Apple was looking to sell 10 million iPhones in 2008. This would've given it a measly 1% of the mobile phone market. Well Jobs would be happy to hear that Apple's marketshare is now roughly 10x that.

According to a new report from Strategy Analytics, the Cupertino company accounted for 9.5% of all global handset shipments in the first quarter of 2012. Apple also kept its spot as the third largest mobile phone manufacturer during the three month period...

Apple reportedly canceling WWDC tickets for some, citing no-transfer policy

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 27, 2012

Following a fiasco with WWDC 2012 tickets which saw West Coast-based developers gasping after seeing that WWDC tickets had already sold out by the time they woke up, Apple is now apparently emailing some developers to inform them that their ticket purchase was “not eligible”. Ouch!

Apple is apparently canceling the $1,599 ticket purchases over a no-transfer policy. WWDC 2012 tickets are in high demand this year so some people readily turn to eBay to make a quick profit, such as this guy...

Kindle Fire now accounts for over half of Android tablet market

Cody Lee ∙ April 27, 2012

Still wondering why Apple would want to enter the budget tablet market with a 7.85-inch iPad? Perhaps this will help shine some light on the matter.

ComScore, a highly regarded research firm, is out with a new report today regarding the current landscape of Android tablets. And guess which slate is leading the pack? The $199 Amazon Kindle Fire...

Surf the web in total privacy with Onion Browser

Cody Lee ∙ April 27, 2012

If a person wanted to browse the web discreetly on their iOS device, there are a number of ways to do so. For starters, there is the native 'Private Browsing' function in mobile Safari. And there dozens of third-party browsers available with similar features.

But if a person wanted to browse the web in an untraceable, highly-secure, super-stealth manner, they might have to turn to an app like Onion Browser. The software allows you to encrypt, block, and spoof your way to total anonymity on the web...

The new iPad becomes available in nine more countries today

Cody Lee ∙ April 27, 2012

As noted by TheNextWeb, Apple is launching its latest iPad in nine new countries today. This means that the tablet is now available in 30 countries within less than 60 days of hitting the market, making it one of Apple's fastest international product rollouts ever.

Apple missed iPad sales projections by nearly a million units last quarter. But between the upcoming educational buying season and increased availability, that shouldn't happen again. Keep reading for a full list of the new countries...

If you haven’t unlocked your iPhone with the SAM unlock, you better act fast before it’s too late

Jeff Benjamin ∙ April 26, 2012

iPhone Dev Team member, MuscleNerd, just tweeted that Apple is currently working on fixing their activation servers.

This means that sooner or later the SAM unlock will no longer work for your jailbroken iPhone.

The good news is that if you backed up your activation ticket like we instructed in our tutorial, your current unlock should be safe for good.