iPhone News

Mercedes-Benz shows off CarPlay integration

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

After Apple formally announced its long-expected iOS in the Car initiative today at the Geneva Motor Show - rebranded as CarPlay - car maker Volvo was quick to post a video showing it off in action. Not to be outdone by Volvo, rival Mercedes-Benz has now shared additional tidbits pertaining to how it plans to integrate CarPlay into an upcoming C-Class.

And just like Volvo, Mercedes-Benz is keeping its options open by not pledging exclusive support for CarPlay. In addition to its own in-car entertainment system, the company is going to support not only Apple's CarPlay, but also Android-based in-car infotainment system when it launches later this year. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty...

Rumor: could iWatch be ‘Swiss Made’?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

A high-profile source in the watch-making biz has stepped forward with a rather surprising assertion that Apple may be looking to build its rumored iWatch in Switzerland, the home to world's finest watchsmiths.

According to the source, Apple's created a company in Switzerland for this purpose.

In fact, one industry executive claims Apple has already placed orders with subcontractors in a bid to market its rumored wearable device as 'Swiss Made,' a label used to indicate that a product was made in Switzerland, similar to the 'Made in USA' label, or 'Made in China' for that matter...

Vertex: hands-on walkthrough

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 3, 2014

It seems like we've started to hit the point in the jailbreak cycle where developers are starting to pull out the big guns. For instance, we had IntelliScreenX 7 released last night, Sentry teased a work-in-progress Auxo 2, and today, we're bringing you the first hands-on review of the highly anticipated Vertex—a new jailbreak release that brings Bill Labus' popular Mission Control concept to reality.

I've spent some considerable hands-on time with Vertex—putting it through its paces on my daily driver, bugging Timon Olsthoorn, its humble 16 year-old project manager from the Netherlands—and I have to say, I really like this tweak.

Timon, of course, is just one half of the team that responsible for taking Labus' concept and making it into something tangible. Memphis Tennessee native Ian Burns puts his stamp on the Vertex project by serving as the tweak's lead engineer. As you'll see from our hands-on video walkthrough that follows, Ian is pretty good at what he does.

Microsoft to make it easier to add Xbox Live functionality to iOS games

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 3, 2014

Software maker Microsoft last November released its companion free SmartGlass app on the App Store, giving Xbox One owners a way to connect to their console to browse the web, navigate the dashboard control content, access achievements and more, all from their iPhone and iPad devices.

But Microsoft isn't standing still.

According to a new report by The Verge, the Redmond giant is now looking to push the Xbox Live service cross-platform "in a big way" soon. For months now, Microsoft has been offering tools allowing third-party iOS and Android developers to integrate Xbox Live functionality into their apps and games.

But as games developers balked at Microsoft's required certification process, the company is now looking to "win back" their support by making Xbox Live "a lot easier" to integrate into apps and games...

Volvo posts video of Apple’s CarPlay in action

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 17, 2017

Hot on the heels of Apple's CarPlay announcement earlier this morning at the Geneva Motor Show, car maker Volvo has posted a video showing off iOS integration in action.

Unlike CarPlay implementations by other vendors such as Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, Volvo took the feature to the next level.

Specifically, Volvo's system allows for both CarPlay and Volvo controls to be available to drivers simultaneously on the vehicle's large touchscreen. I've included the video for your viewing pleasure right after the break...

WSJ: Apple hiring engineers from HTC and other Asian firms to speed up product launches

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 5, 2018

Unlike the specs-obsessed technology industry which has always been dependent on frequent product refreshes, Apple continues to traditionally update its iPhone annually. Now, some industry peers - such as Sony - warned that the company may be "missing out" by not updating the iPhone twice per year.

Playing on this sentiment, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is now adding "hundreds of new engineers" and supply-chain managers in China and Taiwan. The company is hiring away these people from various tech firms, including rival HTC, reportedly in order to speed up product development and launch a wider range of devices...

Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer lands a seat on the Goldman Sachs board

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 24, 2016

Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has joined the Board of Directors of investment banking firm Goldman Sachs. The appointment brings the Goldman Sachs board to thirteen directors, ten of whom are independent.

According to a newly published webpage over at Goldman Sachs, Oppenheimer will be a member of each of the firm’s Audit, Risk, Compensation and Corporate Governance, Nominating and Public Responsibilities committees.

“Peter’s 25 years of broad experience across important industries will add a valuable perspective to our Board of Directors,” said Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and CEO in a prepared statement. “We appreciate his willingness to serve as a director and look forward to benefitting from his judgment and counsel”...

Meet Cortana, Microsoft’s answer to Siri

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 3, 2014

The Windows giant Microsoft will be introducing its upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update at the Build conference next month.

With it comes Cortana, a Microsoft-branded personal digital assistant that includes functionality provided by Apple's Siri and Google's Google Now voice-activated assistants.

It also has a few nice features not provided by Apple so perhaps competition from Microsoft (and Google) will prompt the iPhone maker to roll out new Siri features sooner than later. The Verge has an exclusive look at Cortana's interface and some of its features, here are the highlights...

Apple launches ‘CarPlay,’ a smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

As expected, Apple has launched its iOS in the Car initiative today at the Geneva Motor Show. It's officially calling the offering 'CarPlay,' and is advertising the feature as a smarter, safer and more fun way to use your iPhone while in the car.

But looking at the press release, CarPlay will function exactly as we've been led to believe it would. Users will be able to control it through their car's native interface, or by activating Siri via the voice control button on their steering wheel...

Auxo 2 teased in videos

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 31, 2017

In October 2012, we posted a few images from a concept by an up-and-coming designer called “Rethinking the App Switcher for the iPhone 5." As the name suggested, the concept offered a different take on the then-bottom-loading app switcher.

That designer's name was Sentry, who is now one of the most well-known figures in the jailbreak community, and that concept went on to become Auxo, perhaps one of the most popular tweaks of all time. And yes, folks, a sequel is on the way...

IntelliScreenX 7 hands-on walkthrough

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 2, 2014

Intelliborn's IntelliScreenX has been around for a few years now, and it continues its reign as one of the most popular jailbreak releases of all time. Even if you have beef with the way IntelliBorn goes about updating its Cydia releases, slowly trickling out nuggets of information, there's simply no denying that it creates jailbreak apps more ambitious than only the most talented of jailbreak developers.

Even more so than iOS 6, iOS 7 was a radical departure from the status quo, and because of that, jailbreak developers have had to go back to the drawing board so to speak. Intelliborn hasn't been exempt from this problem.

After months or retooling and remixing, and after what has essentially been a build from scratch, IntelliScreenX 7 is finally amongst the living. In fact, we have a beta copy of the highly anticipated release in our hands right now, and we'd love to show it to you.

This latest version of IntelliScreenX is not only a rethinking of the app, it brings a fresh new feature to the table as well. Check inside for our full hands-on video walkthrough of IntelliScreenX 7...

Wallpapers of the week: natural photography

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated July 17, 2017

Continuing to grow with demand and reader input, the Wallpapers of the Week section is a quite popular place on the site for downloads. Additionally, the comment sections are becoming a repository of reader screenshots and images. For that, we thank you.

Over the past two weeks, super hero packs dominated the wallpapers of the week. They were met with much fan fair but it was suggested to move away from "themed" wallpaper sets. While I fully anticipate going back to the wallpaper themed pack options in the future, it is time for a change. Instead of created images, natural photography is stunning, when done correctly...