Poll: is the $799 128GB iPad a tough sell?

Whenever I but a mobile device from Apple, be it a MacBook Air, iPhone or iPad, I typically opt for the most capacious model available. I know storage comes at a premium when you're dealing with Apple, but with tons of photos, music and other media, plus a bunch of apps and games, it's better to be on the safe side, at least in my experience.

I know you can store your stuff in Dropbox and iCloud, but nothing beats local storage and you still cannot run a 2GB big-budget game from iCloud, now can you? In that regard, this new 128GB iPad 4 could be the perfect buy: for just a hundred bucks more you get an additional 64GB of storage over the previous $699 64GB Wi-Fi-only model (better than just 16GB more for those opting for a $599 32GB model versus the entry-level $499 16GB iPad).

But what about you? Is $799 to high a price to pay for a Wi-Fi-only tablet with 128GB of speedy flash storage? And who is it for?

The Daily Recap – Jan 28, 2013 edition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPYdVg7qYRM

Welcome to The Daily Recap for January 28th, 2013. Watch our video for a quick look at some of the top stories from the day in less than two minutes. If you missed out on any of today's big news, this is a great way for you to get caught up fast.

For your convenience, you'll also find links to all of the stories listed in today's recap inside...

Flex allows you to create your own jailbreak tweaks [Video]

Two weeks ago, we showed you an upcoming jailbreak app entitled Flex. The app, the first of its kind, allows every day users to dig into the code, and create custom jailbreak tweaks — called patches — on the fly, with little to no programing knowledge.

Usually when you encounter ambitious apps like this, something is missing. Either the app looks amazing, but fails in execution, or the app looks a hot mess, but is solid from an executional perspective. With Flex, I was happy to find little compromise in either direction. It's a beautifully designed jailbreak app that's extremely functional as well.

To be frank, not everyone agrees that end-users should be able to wield such power, especially those with no programing background. Ultimately, that's going to be a decision you're going to have to make when considering whether or not to use Flex.

Wherever you stand, you have to be impressed that such an idea has been executed with this level of precision. Take a look at our full video walkthrough of the Flex beta in action, and see for yourself.

How to jailbreak iOS 6.1 final using RedSn0w 0.9.15b3

Let me just preface this by telling you this is probably not the jailbreak you have been anticipating, but for the sake of being completionists, we are showing you how to jailbreak a pre-A5 device using the final public version of iOS 6.1.

As you know, the final version of iOS 6.1 just dropped for all devices, and that means that Sunday, we should probably expect a jailbreak of the untethered variety to hit all iOS 6.1 compatible devices outside of the obstinate Apple TV 3 (update: we now know the jailbreak will be called evasi0n). In the interim, however, for those of you wishing to jailbreak Apple's latest firmware on a pre-A5 device, we'll show you how.

Check inside for the full video and written tutorial that guides you step-by-step through the process.

How to prepare for the iOS 6.1 untethered jailbreak

It's almost here, ladies and gentlemen. I know we say this before every jailbreak, but this truly is the most highly anticipated jailbreak to ever hit the community.

Just consider it for a minute: There a more devices supported with this jailbreak than ever before, and there are perhaps many people out there that have never had a taste of jailbreaking before who are anticipating their first time.

Couple this with the fact that it's been a very long time since we've had a jailbreak to begin with, and you can kind of see where I'm going with this. We're all very excited, but don't get into so much a frenzy that you forget to cover some essential basics when it comes to preparing for the iOS 6.1 jailbreak. Be prepared, and take these steps.

It looks like Sunday is Funday

Oh how we love this time of year. iOS 6.1 was just released, in what is widely expected to be the last step that the hacking team behind the upcoming jailbreak needs to proceed.

To further intensify the aticipation, MuscleNerd, 1/4 of the team making up the evad3rs, just teased about the possible day in which we could see the jailbreak released. What are you doing this weekend?

TinyUmbrella updated with support for iOS 6.1

With a new jailbreak impending, it's nice to see that notcom has updated his SHSH blob-saving utility this afternoon. TinyUmbrella now supports the newly-released iOS 6.1 firmware, as well as iOS 6.0.2.

The developer also says that he is still hard at work on a TU revamp, which will include auto-updating and "much cleaner code."

Apple releases iOS 6.1 with more LTE support and Siri improvements

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

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

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?

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?'...