Month: April 2013

Auxo version 1.4 released on Cydia

One of my favorite jailbreak tweaks of all time, Auxo, has been updated to version 1.4. This release, as we highlighted in our preview of the update, brings bug fixes, new toggles, and additional settings to the table.

The biggest feature in my opinion, is the adjustment that has been made with the tap zones on the brightness and music control sliders. in the past, those slider knobs have been really difficult to key in on with your finger, but after the 1.4 update, this is no longer an issue.

Let’s Talk Jailbreak 05: Technical difficulties

Our fifth episode of Let's Talk Jailbreak is proof that time flies when you're having fun. We have tons to talk about today, including an update on Sebastien's broken car window, the possibility of an iOS 6.1.3 jailbreak, the top tweaks of the week, Apple's use of widgets, and so much more. I think it's safe to say that you don't want to miss this episode.

iOS 7 toggles concept

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl2sNVED7bg

The idea is somewhat similar to Velox, which I still prefer over this concept. At this point, it's clear that iOS 7 needs an easy way to access toggles. Will Apple make it happen? That's the question.

What do you think?

Apple patents offline iTunes purchases

Could Apple be preparing a prepaid version of iTunes of sorts, one that could allow users to purchase music and other digital media from the Apple cloud without an Internet connection? Tuesday, the iPhone maker was granted a patent for a system permitting iTunes purchases using offline credits, according to the 2010 filing. At the heart of the system is the ability to buy credits while online. The credits would also get stored locally on your device, not just in your online iTunes account.

Those 'offline' credits can then purchase and enable various media that would first have to be cached automatically on your device, based on top sellers, recommendations, past purchases and other criteria.

In turn, people could make iTunes transactions whenever they happen to be, even when being online is impractical. Reportedly, the proposed technology could also increase iTunes sales by offering restricted usage of the material...

AT&T and Boingo team up on free Wi-Fi roaming

U.S. carrier AT&T and Wi-Fi provider Boingo Wireless Tuesday announced a new partership to provide the telco's customers with free access to Boingo’s network of global Wi-Fi hotspots in major international airports. Los Angeles-based Boingo provides global Wi-Fi services at more than 600,000 hotspots worldwide, including hundreds of airports, thousands of hotels and tens of thousand cafes and coffee shops...

Analyst: bowing to phablet trend, Apple’s iPhone 5S to come in three screen sizes

Apple's rumored S-upgrade to its iPhone, the iPhone 5S, is assumed to arrive some time during summer, possibly shortly after Apple presumably announces it at its annual developers conference in June or July (the company hasn't yet set the date for WWDC 2013). One analyst in a note issued to clients Tuesday wrote that supply chatter points to multiple screen sizes for the iPhone 5S in order to appeal to consumers who dig jumbo-sized handsets and improve its standing in the market...

Google accused of using Android as a Trojan Horse locking out competitors

Much has been said about Google's openness with Android, the mobile operating system the Internet giant gives away free of charge in the hope of spurring the ecosystem of devices with access to its many services.

But Google's rivals are now complaining to Europe that the search monster is using Android as a Trojan Horse of sorts to lock out competing services on mobile devices.

How? By contractually demanding that vendors who want Google Maps or YouTube or the Google Play store also preload its many other services. Such an approach to openness “uses deceptive conduct to lockout competition in mobile,” rivals argue...

Apple claimed $3 out of each $4 top app stores made in Q1

In the latest sign of the importance apps play in smartphone adoption, more than thirteen billion downloads were recorded during the first three months of 2013, according to a Monday report.

The survey of the four leading app stores also found Apple, Google and others earned $2.2 billion from apps, an eleven percent increase over the final quarter of 2012.

Whereas Apple leads in terms of revenue - and by a large margin, too - Google's Play Store, thanks to a large installed base of Android devices, has the upper hand in terms of download count. Specifically, the App Store collected 74 percent of the revenue of top app stores, while Google Play led registered 51 percent of apps obtained...

Supply chain report says production of 5th gen iPad to start in July-August

As we move into mid-April, the odds of seeing Apple unveil a new product this spring continue to dwindle. It feels like we're getting close enough to its June developer conference, that any major announcements could wait until then.

There is, however, still a rumor floating around that Apple has plans for an iPad event later this month. But according to a new supply chain report, that's not going to happen, as 5th gen iPads won't go into production until the summer...

WhatsApp says Google acquisition rumors are false

The internet was set ablaze last weekend with rumors that Google's close to acquiring the WhatsApp team and its popular messaging app. One report claimed that negotiations went on for several weeks, and a deal was finally reached for $1 billion.

Not so fast. According to a new report, the two companies aren't even holding talks right now, let alone discussing a buyout. WhatsApp's business development head Neeraj Arora told AllThingsD last night that the Google acquisition rumors are false...

Google talks Search iOS app design

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fpggknHC2c

When it comes to UI design, Google up until recently used to make what you'd call Spartan programs, more often than not resembling old-school software your parents might use. What a difference a leadership change makes: after co-founder Larry Page took over from Eric Schmidt as Google's CEO in April 2011, we started noticing radical changes to how the Internet giant approaches app design.

I think it is safe to say that some of Google's contemporary iOS apps are starting to look arguably better than Apple's. But what's so special about Google's newly found design language? To answer that question, Google recently uploaded an interesting video to its Life at Google channel on YouTube. The entire clip is dedicated to highlighting how the new app design philosophy lends itself to the nimble, streamlined and interactive search experience on the Apple tablet...

AppGratis CEO sheds further light on App Store removal

As most of you have probably heard by now, Apple pulled the popular app discovery app AppGratis over the weekend. There's been a few reasons given for the removal, including notification abuse, but not much else has been said about the situation.

Until today, that is. AppGratis CEO Simon Dawalt took to the company's blog this morning to talk about the recent removal of his team's app, and shed some light on what it means for them moving forward. And to be honest, it doesn't look good...