Month: March 2012

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...

New patent reveals Apple’s work on quick refreshing LCD TVs

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

For those of you that are still skeptical about the rumors we've heard over the last few months that Apple is working on a full-scale TV set, you might want to check this out.

What we have here is a patent, filed by Apple, that details a significant advancement in a high refresh rate LCD technology called Fringe Field Switching, or FSS...

Black SMS keeps your iMessages locked away safe and sound

Oliver Haslam ∙ March 27, 2012

With security and privacy very much at the front of everyone's minds these days, the possibility of having your private SMS messages read is something that will send a shiver down the spine of plenty of people, especially if you are sharing sensitive information.

A new iPhone app plays to those fears, while also providing a workable solution that, as far as we can tell, isn't going to be as annoying as you might first think.

Black SMS is not an iMessage or SMS app replacement, and in fact, it could be used with email or any other encrypted text. What it does do is allow users to type text into the app and then have it encrypted, ready for decryption on the other end...

iPad App Store now matching growth pace of its iPhone, Android counterparts

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

The iPad section of Apple's mobile application store is growing steadily and now matches the respective growth rates of Google Play marketplace (formerly Android Market) and the iPhone/ iPod touch section of the App Store. That's the gist of a Distimo survey released Tuesday, which confirms the iPad App Store as by far the largest tablet app marketplace in the United States.

Check out the above chart pitting the growth rate of universal iOS apps (pink) versus native iPad software (gray). But it ain't just about app count: Android slates are still suffering from the lack of high-quality apps optimized for various tablet form factors. Contrast this to iOS developers who adopted concern for an optimal user experience right from the iPad's very beginnings.

Now, raise hands who's fond of scaled-up iPhone apps on their iPad? Didn't think so...

CBS chief (again) explains Steve Jobs didn’t want to pay a dime for iTunes deal

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 27, 2012

Back in November, CBS President and CEO Les Moonves confirmed in a conference call with Wall Street analysts that Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs approached the studio with a subscription-based iTunes content deal. It had been rumored at the time that Apple was looking for premium content partnerships to accompany a rumored Apple-branded television set, dubbed by the press the iTV.

Moonves was quoted as saying that CBS had decided against joining the initiative because it was based on an ad split. Yesterday, the executive shed more light on the matter. Confirming the original report, Moonves (portrayed as the man who said "no" to Steve Jobs) has revealed that Jobs actually didn't want to pay a dime for CBS content that the likes of Netflix spend hundreds of millions of dollars to license...

Apple’s favorite contract manufacturer Foxconnn secures 11% stake in Retina display maker Sharp

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 27, 2012

Japanese electronics maker Sharp said today it will form a strategic global manufacturing partnership with Foxconn parent Hon Hai Precision Industry Co that will see the latter take eleven percent ownership in the former. In a nutshell, an assembly company has just purchased a stake in a manufacturer.

Things get really interesting knowing that Hon Hai's Foxconn is Apple's long-standing manufacturing partner producing iPhones, iPads and Mac notebooks, but also PlayStation 3s, Xbox 360s and a host of other consumer electronics products for Western companies.

On the other hand, Sharp is currently on Apple's list of supply chain partners and has allegedly produced 2.71 million Retina display panels for the new iPad, with plans to ramp up production in the second quarter. This strategic partnership should also help Foxconn and Sharp together battle LG and Samsung for Apple orders.

Apple granted Nano SIM-related patent that Nokia is “not aware” of

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 27, 2012

Once again, the Finnish cell phone giant Nokia is opposing Apple's proposal for a new requirement related to the emerging Nano SIM card standard, dated back to 2011. According to a rumor yesterday, Apple wants to license its version of the Nano SIM to others royalty-free in exchange for any Nano SIM-related patents held by other companies.

Today, Nokia said in a statement it does not know of any Apple patent related to the iPhone maker's Nano SIM variant. Essentially, Nokia just slammed Apple's recent strides aimed at promoting its Nano SIM variant ahead of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute's (ETSI) ruling later this week...

Australian Government to sue Apple over “misleading” 4G iPad name

Cody Lee ∙ March 27, 2012

Well this isn't too surprising. TheNextWeb is reporting that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced plans to file a lawsuit against Apple in the next 48 hours regarding its "misleading" iPad WiFi + 4G advertising.

As most of you know, the wireless version of Apple's new tablet is indeed compatible with 4G networks here in the US and in Canada. But in other countries, including Australia, the slate is limited to 3G data speeds and, if available, HSPA+...

Almost 90% of iPhone 4S owners use Siri

Cody Lee ∙ March 26, 2012

Siri's popularity has been somewhat of a controversial topic over the last 6 months. Although the digital assistant dropped some jaws when Apple introduced it to the public last fall, a lot of folks have since written the feature off as a novelty.

But according to a recent study from Parks Associates, a consulting firm, Siri is much more popular than you probably would've guessed. Surprisingly, 87% of iPhone 4S owners surveyed use at least one Siri-related feature each month...

Meet the girl who downloaded the 25 billionth iOS app

Cody Lee ∙ March 26, 2012

Earlier this month, Apple's 25 billion app countdown contest came to an end. The winner, a Ms. Fu Chunli, was awarded a $10,000 iTunes gift card for downloading the 25 billionth app from the App Store — Where's My Water.

Up until now, not much was known about the China native. But that quickly changed this morning with a report from M.I.C. Gadget, which gives an in-depth look at the contest winner and how her life has changed in the last 20 days...

‘AppUpdateNotifier’ keeps you informed about App Store updates

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 26, 2012

First there was CydiaBulletin, and then there was the dead on arrival Aptdate. These jailbreak tweaks were conceptualized and/or created to provide notifications whenever an app or tweak had a pending updated waiting in Cydia.

Due to traffic concerns, it's unlikely that either of these tweaks will ever see the light of day. That's unfortunate, but it's the reality of the situation unless the developers can come up with a way that won't put too much stress on the repo servers.

But what about the App Store? This sort of functionality would be useful for pending App Store updates as well, would it not? Thankfully, someone was listening.

Check out our video walkthrough of AppUpdateNotifier, a jailbreak tweak that provides banner notifications when updates are waiting in the App Store...