Year: 2012

Denmark, Sweden, UK, New Zealand also probing Apple’s “4G” marketing for the new iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Uh-oh, it looks like Apple is now facing additional probes by consumer watchdogs in other countries around the world for misleading 4G iPad buyers with false advertising. Yesterday, Apple of California was forced to bow to the pressure from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over the matter and is now offering refunds to those consumers believing they were misled.

According to the latest news reports, the company is now facing similar investigations in Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Both the Swedish Consumer Agency (SCA) and UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have now been confirmed as looking into complaints...

Nokia threatens not to license essential patents if Apple “imposes” its Nano SIM variant

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 28, 2012

Handset maker Nokia is increasing pressure on Apple ahead of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s (ETSI) ruling on the emerging SIM card standard, due later this week. The latest in the ongoing power struggle includes Nokia issuing another statement accusing Apple for bending unwritten rules and misusing the standardization process "to rubber stamp its proposal".

All that jazz for a smaller SIM card standard? Color me skeptical, but I'm questioning Nokia's motive here. Is the other Nano SIM variant backed by Nokia, Motorola and RIM really so much better than Apple's, which requires a tray (seen in the above shot)?

Here’s what Foxconn’s strategic deal with Sharp could mean for Apple, iPad and iTV

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 28, 2012

Yesterday's news that Apple's contract manufacturer Foxconn bought an eleven percent stake in the Japanese multinational corporation Sharp sent the tongues wagging. With a 46.5 percent stake in Sharp’s LCD plant in Sakai, Osaka, conventional wisdom has it that Foxonn, which just released its 2011 financial report, will bolster Sharp's LCD business and make it more profitable by securing the lowest prices on components.

Other folks think the two partners joined forces to battle LG Display and Samsung for orders of Retina displays for the new iPad. After all, Sharp is already been credited with small-volume shipments of 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution panels for the device and they're about to ramp up production in the second quarter.

Another intriguing possibility includes next-generation flat panels for a rumored Apple-branded television set, nicknamed the iTV...

Apple approves Taposé app that turns your iPad into a Microsoft Courier concept tablet

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2017

Remember Microsoft's Courier tablet project? And a particularly lovely concept video that had been making rounds in the months leading up to the 2010 iPad introduction? We were impressed with Microsoft's bold take on tablet functionality, calling for a dual-screen device with an innovative interface letting one easily jot down notes, set reminders, glance over your day's agenda, edit documents and so forth.

While the iPad popularized an entirely different user interface paradigm for the sake of simplicity and ease of use, some people have remained quite fond of Microsoft's concept, yours truly included. Well, how about an iPad app that essentially turns your tablet into a Courier-like thing? First announced a year ago, it only got approved yesterday and is now available for download, priced at three bucks...

Watch this security firm break an iPhone’s passcode in under 10 minutes

Cody Lee ∙ March 28, 2012

We all know that iOS is one of the most secure mobile platforms on the market, but it's far from perfect. How else do you think hackers are able to find exploits in the software that allows us to jailbreak our devices?

With that in mind, it's no surprise that the folks over at Micro Systemation, a Swedish security firm, are able to bypass an iPhone's passcode lock in under 10 minutes. Don't believe it? Watch this video...

Apple now offering refunds in Australia to “misled” 4G iPad buyers

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

Well that didn't take long. It was just this morning that we reported that the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) was taking legal action against Apple for "misleading" Australian customers with its 4G iPad advertising.

The Commission feels that since the tablet isn't compatible with Australia's 4G networks, Apple shouldn't advertise it as a 4G device. Apparently the Cupertino company agrees, because it's already offering some customers refunds...

Sprint says its network will be eligible for LTE iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

Even though Sprint became an official iPhone partner last fall, Apple snubbed the carrier earlier this month when it launched its new 4G-capable iPad to the masses. The tablet has been a staggering hit, breaking a number of various sales records.

There's also been some speculation that Sprint will be left out of Apple's LTE party again this fall — assuming the next iPhone features the tech — due to its lack of LTE coverage. But the Kansas-based operator doesn't seem to be too concerned...

iPad apps outperforming their Android counterparts

Oliver Haslam ∙ March 27, 2012

The iPad Vs Android tablet argument is one that has been waging for longer than we care to think, and it is one that shows no sign of going away anytime soon.

As if the fire really needed any more stoking, PC World's Sasha Segan has sought to fan the flames of fanboyism by comparing Android tablets and the iPad in the app stakes, with the number of apps and their perceived quality being put to the test across a range of categories.

The result? Well, the iPad comes up trumps as we would probably expect, but did we really expect a different outcome? Nope...

‘Aero’ lets you switch apps with style and grace

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 27, 2012

SBCoders — the same developer behind the highly anticipated Deck jailbreak tweak – is back at it again. Aero is the latest creation from SBCoders, and their aim is to bring significant style and grace to the mundane task of switching apps.

Do they succeed in accomplishing their goal? Check out our in-depth video preview of Aero for the answer...

Roughly 80% of iOS users are running on iOS 5 or later

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

Indie developer David Smith recently published some interesting statistics to his personal blog regarding the adoption rate of iOS versions 5.0 and later. Apple released iOS 5 last October, and has since seeded two incremental updates.

Smith pulled the data from the user base of his popular iOS app, Audiobooks. The app sees about 100 thousand downloads on a weekly basis, so admittedly, its users provide a nice little test market. Now, on to the numbers...

Apple dispatches VP of iPad marketing to set the record straight on Batterygate

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

In what could be described as a timely (and prudent) move to prevent the perceived battery issues with the new iPad from getting overblown, California-based Apple has dispatched its vice president of iPad marketing Michael Tchao, who went on the record to indicate that overcharging your iOS device won't harm its battery.

According to a statement provided to the AllThingsD blog, run by the Wall Street Journal network, this is by design and there's nothing wrong with the iOS battery gauge. It says 100 percent just before your device reaches a completely charged state, continuing charging to 100 percent. Then, it discharges a bit and charges back up to 100 percent...

SwitcherLand: a free landscape App Switcher tweak for the iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 27, 2012

Looking for a free way to invoke your App Switcher in landscape mode? If so, then check out this brand new jailbreak tweak entitled SwitcherLand.

Not only does it allow you to open the App Switcher in landscape mode, but it also allows you to lock your device orientation in landscape as well.

Take a look at our full video walkthrough inside...