Month: January 2013

Apple releases iOS 6.1 with more LTE support and Siri improvements

Cody Lee ∙ January 28, 2013

Following up Saturday night's release of the fifth iteration of the iOS 6.1 beta, Apple has seeded the final version of iOS 6.1 to the public (download link). The release comes nearly three months after the initial beta of iOS 6.1 was issued to developers.

So what did Apple do to its mobile operating system during all of that time? Well, most of the changes here were expected. There's now more carrier support for LTE, and Siri is now able to purchase movie tickets through Fandango.

Keep reading for the full change log...

Apple TV updated: use Bluetooth keyboards, queue up songs, access purchased music

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 21, 2017

Hot on the heels of releasing the new iOS 6.1 software with iTunes Match improvements, Siri movie ticket sales and enhanced LTE carrier support, Apple just posted a matching firmware update for its $99 Apple TV set-top box.

As indicated back in December 2012, one of the biggest new features the new software brings out is awesome support for Bluetooth keyboards, making the little hockey-puck much more than a "hobby" device. Other improvements include enhanced iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes Up Next. Go past the break for the full breakdown...

Photos of alleged next-gen iPad shell surface

Cody Lee ∙ January 28, 2013

Even though it's only been a few months since Apple unveiled the fourth-generation iPad, the rumor mill is already rife with iPad 5 talk. The tablet has reportedly been redesigned to look like the iPad mini, with a thinner profile and smaller bezels.

Well if that really is the case, then this purported next-gen iPad shell fits the bill perfectly. It's dipped in the same black & slate color as the iPad mini, and features a similar design with chamfered edges and a smaller overall footprint...

Is Asia tiring of the iPhone?

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 28, 2013

Are iPhone owners going through the Asian version of the 7-year-itch? Once head over heels in love with Apple's iPhone, many consumers in Singapore and Hong Kong are straying, increasingly adopting Android devices. The iPhone could be a victim of its own success as some Asian Apple fans increasingly turn to Samsung as a way to show they are different from the crowd.

From Hello Kitty to crazy game shows, the West traditionally turns to the East for cutting-edge trends. The latest import could be a wave of anti-iPhone sentiment sweeping the Pacific Rim. One Asian nation has gone from one of the world's largest iOS markets to a doubling of Android devices. Are we witnessing the beginnings of 'iPhone fatigue?'...

Jailbreak developer says 7 out of 8 users pirated his Remote Messages app

Mike Schnier ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

Remote Messages is a jailbreak tweak that allows users to access full SMS and iMessage functionality on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S from a desktop browser. It's a clever utility that allows the iPhone to run as a server, which creates a chat window front-end on desktop browsers. This front-end comes complete with support for profile pictures, attachments, and Emoji icons, as well as for sending and receiving texts. This utility is especially handy if you like to have your phone connected to a stereo away from your desk or if you prefer typing with a full keyboard and screen.

Unfortunately, it seems the $4.99 app is mostly popular with pirates. According to a Reddit thread by the developer, 7 out of 8 installs of Remote Messages are pirated copies...

Google Drive update brings multiple media uploads, QuickOffice integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 28, 2013

Five days ago, Google updated Drive for Android with the ability to create, edit, comment and present Google slides in offline mode. Today, the search firm has given some love to its iOS counterpart by adding a few new features you should know about. These include pinch-to-zoom on slides, multiple media uploads, QuickOffice integration and more. Additional information after the break...

iOS 6.1 restores Passbook Welcome screen, making it easier to find apps

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple released the long-awaited iOS 6.1 firmware this morning, and the update brought about a handful of changes. iPhones and iPads now support LTE on a number of new international carriers, and Siri can now order movie tickets through Fandango.

The new software also includes a minor change to the Passbook application. It seems Apple has restored the former "Welcome" screen in the app, making it easier for you to discover Passbook-enabled apps in the App Store...

Facebook iOS app gains in-app voice and video recording capabilities

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 28, 2013

Facebook's universal iOS client for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and iPad mini has just been updated with the useful ability to share your favorite places using the improved Nearby tab. More important than that, you can now record a voice or video message right in the app and send it to your friends. The ability to share audio snippets first appeared in an update to Facebook's Messenger app on January 3, 2012 so having it now in-app via the official client is a welcome addition...

Over 300 million devices now on iOS 6 and above

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

In addition to seeding the public version of iOS 6.1 this morning, Apple also published a press release announcing a number of interesting stats and milestones. The most notable landmark is that there are now more than 300 million users on iOS 6.0 and above.

That's pretty wild, considering that last week the company said there are now more than 500 million iOS devices in the wild. That's well over a 50% take rate in less than 6 months, which certainly bodes well for app developers. Keep reading for more details...

New report claims WhatsApp Messenger violates privacy laws

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

WhatsApp Messenger is a wildly popular cross-platform SMS replacement service. It allows you to group chat and send media files to other users, and it's estimated to have in upwards of 300 million users.

Well if you're one of those 300 million users, you might be interested to know that according to a new report, the app violates international privacy laws due to the way it handles Address Book data...

5 things ‘Apple TV 3,2’ could be

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 28, 2013

A firmware release is always a nice starting point to hunt for code strings referencing yet-to-be-released hardware. Apple today released iOS 6.1 and an accompanying Apple TV 5.2 software, adding more LTE carriers and improving upon Siri (iPhones, iPads and iPods) while introducing enhanced iCloud features and bringing support for Bluetooth keyboards to the Apple TV.

Watchful hackers immediately spotted references to 'AppleTV 3,2'. As the current third-generation 1080p Apple TV hardware is designated as 'AppleTV 3,1', the newly discovered string might mean a minor Apple TV update could be in the works.

How minor? That remains to be seen and we can only speculate until Apple shows its card. Here, my top five picks as to what 'Apple TV 3,2' might represent (and, please, do feel free to add your own)...

New H.265 video standard approved, when will Apple adopt it?

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 28, 2013

The International telecommunications Union (ITU) has approved the new H.265 video standard, known informally as ‘High Efficiency Video Coding’ (HEVC) and a successor to the H.264 codec that Apple and other industry heavy-weights back heavily. In fact, more than 80 percent of web video is now encoded with nearly a decade old H.264.

Little wonder that Apple due to H.264's efficiency, quality, features and modest bandwidth made it the preferred iOS and OS X video standard. H.265 builds on that by promising to deliver high-resolution video with half the bit rate of H.264...