iDownloadBlog.com

Apple wins key SIM connector patent related to iOS gadgets, Macs – even TVs

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 26, 2012

The United States Patent & Trademark Office on Christmas Day granted Apple a key patent detailing a SIM tray solution for mobile products which incorporates connectors that "may allow SIM cards to be easily removed and replaced". The invention - which also may be resistant to damage by an improper insertion of a SIM card and may provide reliable mechanical performance - is viewed as a strategically important patent grant "in light of the battle between Nokia and Apple over the design of future miniature SIM cards for mobile devices", explains the PatentlyApple blog that tracks Apple's trademark and patent filings...

FlashArmyKnife has a hidden tethering feature [update: it’s gone]

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

You'll wanna act on this one right now coz Apple's gonna pull it sooner than later. The innocently titled FlashArmyKnife combines seven little utilities into one iPhone app: flashlight with adjustable brightness, built-in web browser with bookmarks, fully functional trigonometry calculator, satellite view map, currency converter, compass and battery indicator. As useful as these are, you'll want FlashArmyKnife for its hidden tethering feature.

We're not really sure how it managed to escape the attention of Apple's eagle-eyed censors, but you can bet Apple's gonna nuke the program out of orbit the instant they find out about tethering. So, if you've been looking to share your brand spanking new iPhone 5's Internet connection with other devices without purchasing a tethering plan from your carrier, this app gets the job done and without requiring a jailbreak, too...

Steve Jobs yacht now free to sail

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

The yacht Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs envisioned after returning from a 2007 cruise from Italy to Turkey should be free to go after a payment dispute with French designer Philippe Starck has been resolved.

According to a French newspaper report yesterday, the yacht has been cleared to leave the port in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where it was detained by authorities over unpaid fees. The 80-meter aluminum craft nick-named 'Venus' had been docked in the harbor since December 8...

How to track Santa’s progress tonight on your iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Put on the cheesy music and pour the egg nog, it's finally Christmas Eve! And for millions of kids around the world, that means that it won't be long now until Santa Claus shows up.

In this day and age of GPS technology, it's never been easier to track Santa on his 20,000+ mile route around the planet. In fact, you can actually do it right from your iPhone...

Milo, an elegant aluminum stand for iPhone [review & giveaway]

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Per my previous article, you are well aware of my iPhone stand obsession and on this Christmas week, we are excited to review the Milo iPhone stand by Bluelounge. An award winning international design studio, Bluelounge's goal is to combine forward designed accessories that are as functional as visually stimulating. The company recently revamped its iPhone stand with an aluminum base, which matches the Apple aluminum color and gives it a sleek, polished look. Check out our review below and enter for your chance to win one of your own...

Auxo now available on Cydia

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

Ladies and gents, it has landed. Yes, Auxo, the highly anticipated jailbreak tweak that reinvents the iOS app switcher has gone public on Cydia.

Last week we brought you an exclusive first look at the tweak in action, and needless to say, nearly 200,000 views later, many of you are looking forward to trying it out for yourselves. If you have a jailbroken iPhone running iOS 6, I'm happy to report that you can now download Auxo from Cydia's BigBoss repo for just $1.99.

Apple seen stepping up security in iOS 6.1

Cody Lee ∙ December 24, 2012

Apple seeded beta 4 of iOS 6.1 to developers last week. The word is, this could be the final beta, meaning a public release for the new firmware would be just around the corner.

Don't get too excited though. We've seen few changes in 6.1 that will be worth updating for. And if you're planning on jailbreaking, it looks like you'll definitely want to stay away...

Next-gen iPad said to arrive in March with iPad mini-like design

Cody Lee ∙ December 23, 2012

This is kind of interesting. According to a new report, Apple is preparing its fifth-generation iPad for an early-2013 launch, despite the fact that it just released the fourth iteration of the tablet back in October.

Citing insider sources, the report claims that Apple will be unveiling the next-gen iPad in March. And the slate will be both lighter and thinner than its predecessor, and feature a new, iPad mini-like design...

New iPhone gamepad flaunts Bluetooth 4.0 and solar power

Cody Lee ∙ December 23, 2012

The iPhone gamepad space is starting to get a little crowded these days, mostly thanks to Kickstarter. It seems like every week now we see a new controller pop up on the crowd-funded site promising to be better than the last.

But so far, none of them have managed to go mainstream — outside of maybe the iCade line — meaning it's still anyone's game. And this week, Justice Frangipane and crew decided to throw their hats into the proverbial ring...

Samsung sues Apple over Notification Center in Korea

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Samsung has reportedly filed a new lawsuit in its home country against Apple regarding its iOS Notification Center. It says that the feature, which Apple introduced last year in iOS 5, infringes on one of its active patents.

Of course, patent lawsuits have become commonplace between the two tech giants in recent years. Typically, however, Samsung has used its standards-essential, hardware-related IP to go after Apple. But this time it's software-related...

The iDownloadBlog top news stories of the week – Dec 23, 2012 edition

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Like every Sunday, we bring you the stories that were the most popular on iDB during this past week. Whether it is a news piece, an editorial, a tutorial, a new jailbreak tweak, or an accessory review, we sum it all up in one convenient place.

If you like what you're reading, please make sure to spread the love by sharing our posts on your favorite social network. We're usually hanging out a lot on Twitter and Facebook, more rarely on Google+...

JavaScript bug found in iOS 6’s Smart App Banners

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

This is kind of weird. A new bug has been discovered in iOS 6 that has to do with the Smart App Banners feature. It seems that the banners, which websites can implement to give users a direct link to apps, will turn on the JavaScript setting in Safari without warning.

On the surface, this may not seem like a very big deal. After all, most folks don't mess with the JavaScript settings on their iOS devices because a lot of web sites require it. But the fact that these Smart Banners are turning it on, unbeknownst to users, is a bit troubling...