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How to Enable iOS 5’s Hidden Panorama Feature Without Jailbreaking

Cody Lee ∙ November 8, 2011

Yesterday, a hidden feature was revealed in iOS 5. It turns out that the panorama camera mode that Apple was rumored to be working on is actually baked into iOS. Shortly after the feature was exposed, jailbreakers were able to download a tweak to enable it.

But what if you're not jailbroken? With no iPhone 4S jailbreak available, and no word on an iOS 5 untether, not everyone's iPhone is hacked at the moment. Luckily, the folks over at FSM just posted a method to enable the Panorama feature — no jailbreak required...

Vooma’s Peel Case Gives Your iPhone a Second SIM Card

Cody Lee ∙ November 8, 2011

TechCrunch spotlights an interesting new case from the folks over at Vooma. The accessory adds a second SIM card slot to your iPhone. You might recognize some of Vooma's previous work, which includes other iDevice products like the iPod touch Peel 3G case.

We've seen cases like this before, which add a second line to the handset via an integrated SIM card slot. But this is the first time that we've seen one that is compatible with the new iPhone 4S. Don't get too excited though, as it does have one major caveat...

Google: Android Doesn’t Copy the iPhone Because We Were First

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

And the plot thickens.

The battle between Android and the iPhone has raged for years, with it being unveiled in his recent biography that Steve Jobs was planning to wage "thermonuclear war" on Google and Android. The heat felt between the two companies stems from the fact that Apple confided in Google in the early years of the iPhone's development before Android was released. Steve Jobs felt that Google stole Apple's ideas, calling Android "grand theft."

According to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Android doesn't copy the iPhone at all. Why? Because Android was started before the iPhone...

Apple Giving iPhone 4S Supply Priority to Its Own Stores

Alex Heath ∙ November 8, 2011

If you're still in need of an iPhone 4S, you're best shot is probably your local Apple Store. With Apple's latest smartphone selling out around the world, many are still unable to get their hands on the iPhone 4S.

According to recent industry checks, retails stores are still running out of iPhone 4S supply on a "daily basis." Apple seems to be giving supply priority to its own stores, meaning that the Apple Store should have the most available stock for customers. And even then, your chances are slim...

How to Manually Backup Your iDevice to iCloud

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 8, 2011

We love iCloud here at iDB, and we love backups, too. That said, it isn't really surprising that we're huge fans of the ability to backup our iDevices to iCloud.

It has been said before that the best backup strategy is the one you can set and forget. That's where iCloud comes into its own, with backups being done automatically each night, so long as the device is plugged in.

There are times when you might want to be absolutely sure that the backup in the cloud is up to date, and Apple has thought of that, too. Here is a quick guide that shows you just how to manually perform an iCloud backup...

China Unicom Getting Ready for the iPhone 4S

Sébastien Page ∙ November 8, 2011

An article on 9to5Mac this morning reports that China Unicom is dropping the 16/32GB iPhone 4 in preparation for the 8GB iPhone 4, prior to offering the iPhone 4S to its customers.

State-owned China Unicom, the world’s third-largest carrier and Apple’s sole iPhone partner in the country, has dropped both the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 model and will be introducing the 8GB iPhone 4 later this month. The move comes in anticipation of the iPhone 4S launch on the China Unicom network, due by the year’s end. iPhone 4S is currently pending regulatory approval in the country. The move would indicate that China Unicom will focus on the new iPhone 4S and carry the 8GB iPhone 4 as an inexpensive entry-level handset.

China is a huge market for Apple and there is no doubt this deal will increase the company's bottomline. China Unicom is the country's number 2 carrier. China Mobile, the country's leader, has yet to reach an agreement with Apple.

How Some Developers Are Already Taking Advantage of Siri

Cody Lee ∙ November 8, 2011

Siri is arguably the hottest smartphone feature of 2011. Even those without an iPhone 4S are familiar with Apple's edgy digital assistant. But although Siri has received a lot of media attention, it's still not anywhere near where it could be.

Not only can the feature not launch apps, it's not compatible at all with third-party software. And while folks are expecting Apple to eventually give developers access to Siri's APIs, some app builders have already found ways to take advantage of it...

As Predicted, Apple Store App Updated to Support Self-Checkout

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

We've been hearing about Apple's plans to implement some sort of a self-checkout system in its chain for over a week now. As a matter of fact, we've been expecting to see the feature added in an Apple Store app update since November 3rd.

As they say, better late than never. MacRumors was the first to spot the update in the App Store, which must have been uploaded sometime late last night. As promised, Apple added a number of features to the app, including self-checkout...

Belkin’s LiveAction Camera Stand and Remote For iPhone Coming Soon

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

iPhone photographers rejoice, Belkin has a new iPhone accessory in the oven that will take your picture-taking abilities to the next level. And judging by the company's recent FCC filing, it seems that the product is nearing completion.

The LiveAction is a two-piece combo accessory that includes both a camera stand for the iPhone and a remote control. Not only will this allow you to snap pictures from a distance, but it will also open up the doors for creative movie-making...

Picks of the Week: Activity Monitor Touch, Modern Combat 3, Katamari

Alex Heath ∙ Updated February 21, 2018

It’s time for our app picks of the week! We frequently comb the far reaches of the App Store to bring you awesome apps for your downloading pleasure.

This week, we’ve got a cool app for monitoring your iPhone's system resources, and two particularly fun games for the iPhone and iPad. We hope you enjoy this week’s picks!

Siri Has Been Successfully Ported to the iPhone 3GS

Cody Lee ∙ November 7, 2011

Siri has certainly been at the forefront of tech news over the last few weeks. Since Apple introduced the digital assistant at its iPhone 4S event in October, it seems to be everyone's favorite subject. And the question on everyone's mind is, can it be ported to other devices?

To make a long story short, yes, it can. Although it's not available to the public (and likely won't be for some time, if ever), developers have managed to successfully port Siri to the iPhone 4. And as we've seen, it works really well. But why stop there?

The i+Case Aluminum Bumper Adds a Touch of Class to Your iPhone

Oliver Haslam ∙ November 6, 2011

We're big fans of Kickstarter here at iDB. If there's a great iPhone, iPad, or iPod accessory to be had, the chances are it has originated from one of the numerous extremely clever guys and gals who are looking for a way to get a project underway on Kickstarter.

One of those projects is the i+Case, an aluminum bumper turned case that we think adds a touch of class to any iPhone 4 or 4S. Hey, it's got to be better than one of Apple's rubber band bumpers, right?