News

Amazon Looking to Compete Head to Head with Apple's iPad?

Cody Lee ∙ May 3, 2011

You might not have seen this one coming. Amazon has been a long-time competitor of Apple's popular tablet, but never on even grounds. While Amazon was first to market with their Kindle device, Apple showed up with a product that was almost as portable and had way more functionality.

Amazon's Kindle currently sits as a black and white, e-ink reading device. The different models don't get more expensive than $200 bucks, with the Special Offers edition coming in at $114. Although Apple's tablet contains a book store, the 2 devices don't compete in any other features. The Kindle's main function is to read books and the iPad can... (where do I start?)

DigiTimes reported yesterday that Amazon is ready to take on Apple's popular slate with a full fledge Tablet PC all their own. According to their sources, Taiwan-based notebook maker Quanta Computer has recently received OEM orders from Amazon for an iPad 2 competitor.

Quanta Computer is currently the tablet OEM parter for RIM and their PlayBook, so they certainly have the means to produce a worthy iPad opponent. Upstream component makers expect Amazon's mystery device to be available as early as the 2nd half of 2011 and initially ship between 700,000 and 800,00 units.

While the sources point out that Amazon's Kindle is still selling strong, apparently the eBook reader isn't too popular outside the U.S. and parts of Europe. They go on to say that Amazon is planning to cut the price of the Kindle to attract consumer demand, and then push a tablet out to meet the iPad 2 head on.

Since they will be arriving almost 2 years late to the party, Amazon better have something really special up their sleeves.

What do you think? Are you interested in an Amazon tablet?

Apple and Time Finally Reach iPad Agreement

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The iPad was expected to be a new medium for publishers in the print business to reach their customers, but so far it has yet to catch on. Disagreements between Apple and major publishers on digital subscription terms have seriously crippled the device's potential.

The Cupertino company actually caused quite a stir in the magazine industry last February when they announced the conditions of their in app subscription policy.

Apple would reap 30% of the profits generated from in app subscriptions of an App Store application. They also required that publishers beat or match the prices of their subscriptions offered outside of the app.

One publication called these terms "economically untenable." In fact, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is currently investigating Apple's policies on their App Store subscription services.

Negativity aside, Apple achieved a breakthrough last month when Bloomberg stated that they would be launching a $2.99 monthly subscription service for their Bloomberg BusinessWeek application.

Since Bloomberg signed on, a lot of eyes have been on Time Inc., to see what their next move in the digital world would be. According to the Wall Street Journal, the country's largest magazine publisher has reached an epic deal with Apple.

Starting Monday, subscribers of Sports Illustrated, Time, and Fortune magazine will be able to access the iPad editions for free. The app will have an authentication process to determine if the user is a subscriber or not.

Time has still not reached a deal for selling digital subscriptions to the iPad editions of their magazines. Much like the TV networks' disputes over TWC's iPad app, it seems as though many major magazine publishers are having difficulties figuring out how to exist in the digital realm.

It'll be interesting to see what the print media industry looks like in 5 years.

What do you think?

GeoHot to Help with iPad 2 Jailbreak?

Cody Lee ∙ May 1, 2011

If you don't recognize the name GeoHot, you must be new around here. The infamous electronics expert first garnered public attention when he traded his ground-breaking, unlocked iPhone for a brand new Nissan 350z. Did I mention he was 17 years old at the time?

Since then, the New Jersey native has been in and out of the jailbreak scene, more recently grabbing headlines for dismantling Sony's PS3 system. The electronics giant took the young hacker to court over his PS3 exploit, and since then, GeoHot has been laying relatively low.

Chronic Dev team member, p0sixninja, is hoping he doesn't stay gone for long. The talented iDevice hacker has recently tweeted, "Damn, this one of the slowest progressing jailbreaks ever. I think I kinda miss geohot a bit."

It seems that p0sixninja and other jailbreakers are having a tough time with the iPad 2's A5 processor and associated bootrom. Apparently p0sixninja feels like GeoHot could be of some help, as he publicly challenged him in a race to see "who could dump the iPad 2 boot rom" the fastest. GeoHot has reportedly accepted.

p0six mentions that having a worthy opponent might motivate him to work harder, let's hope he's right. We are now venturing into the 3rd month since Apple launched its latest tablet, and there still doesn't seem to be an official iPad 2 jailbreak in sight. As always, we will keep you updated on the latest iPad 2 jailbreak news.

How to Spot a Failbreaker

Cody Lee ∙ April 30, 2011

For those who haven't been keeping up with the latest iPad 2 jailbreak news, let me bring you up to speed. Last week there was an unknown Twitter user proclaiming that he had created an iPad 2 jailbreak. He uploaded videos and pictures of what seemed to be an iPad 2 running Cydia.

He built up close to 1000 Twitter followers, and even had media outlets (including us) mentioning his work on Apple's tablet. Although we maintained a certain level of skepticism, a part of us wanted to believe the photos and the videos were real.

Some people got so wrapped up in their beliefs, that they blindly downloaded an unknown EXE file from the hacker. He claimed that this was the iPad 2 jailbreak everyone was waiting for. Luckily, it was nothing more than a simple app designed to error out. It could have easily been something much more malicious.

For folks who are looking for help to dismiss future fakes, the Chronic Dev Team have posted a video on their GreenPois0n website that educates the average joe on how to spot a fake video of a jailbreak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4St2eJA6geQ

The Chronic Dev Team's GreenPois0n software has been a staple in the jailbreak community for the last few years. They are currently working on a real iPad 2 jailbreak, but have stated as recently as last week that it is no where close to being done.

While the fake jailbreak from last week can be written off as a bad prank, the next time folks may not be so lucky. We encourage you to check back here for the latest information on an official iPad 2 jailbreak.

Foxconn Employees Arrested for Leaking iPad 2 Information

Cody Lee ∙ April 28, 2011

Have you ever wondered how case designers and analysts always seem to know information about Apple products before they hit masses? It seems like every solid piece of evidence we get about upcoming devices are from accessory makers or market analysts that have sources inside Apple's supply chain.

Being one of these "tipsters" could make for a really good side job, as long as you are compensated well and you don't get caught. Well, it looks like a couple of Foxconn employees missed the memo, as they were recently arrested on related charges.

For those who don't know, Foxconn manufactures electronics and components for many large tech companies including HP, Sony, and obviously, Apple. Many of the company's iDevices are constructed at Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen, China. You may recall all the negative attention the plant received last year after a string of work-related employee suicides.

Digitimes has translated a report from Chinese-langague sznews.com that tells the latest story. Apparently several online retailers in China had iPad 2 protective cases available to sell, well before the device was announced. This led Foxconn to believe that there were employees leaking information on Apple's latest tablet, and they reported it to the police.

After a brief investigation, local law enforcement arrested three suspects on December 26th of last year. Since then, the police have gathered enough evidence to officially charge the three former Foxconn employees for violating the company's trade secrets. The charges were filed at the end of last month, and the three defendants are currently awaiting trial.

Since Apple thrives on the secrecy of upcoming products, I can assume they are looking to prosecute to the full extent of the law. The fact that a Foxconn employee reportedly committed suicide 2 years ago after losing an iPhone, suggests that most folks would rather not cross the Cupertino company.

What do you think?

The iPad 2 Jailbreak Situation [Updated]

Cody Lee ∙ April 27, 2011

Yesterday we reported that an unknown hacker by the name of d0nfyxn announced via Twitter that he was almost finished with an iPad 2 jailbreak solution. This was fairly significant because well known iDevice hackers like Comex and p0sixninja have been having problems with Apple's new tablet.

The French hacker announced yesterday that he would be releasing beta software today that could jailbreak your iPad 2. Obviously there were a lot of skeptics, calling the videos and photos that were uploaded as proof of the jailbreak, completely fake. Most people were calling his bluff that he would release anything.

Even MuscleNerd chimed in last night, saying that the only iPad 2 jailbreak available to date is the one discovered by Comex. While Comex was the first to post pictures of a jailbroken iPad 2, he has since announced that he is no longer working on the project.

Well, to everyone's surprise, d0nfyxn actually posted a link a few minutes ago that he claims is an alpha release of his iPad 2 jailbreak software. He notes that it covers all versions of 4.3 firmware, and is only available to Windows users. Is it legit?

While we only have Mac computers here, we more than likely wouldn't attempt to download this file anyways. The file size seems too small to be an application. Known iDevice expert, MuscleNerd, warned the Twitter world that d0nfyxn is a known fraudster and that the download could possibly contain a malicious payload.

We definitely recommend waiting on an official release to come from the Dev Team or at least somebody more reputable than an unknown Twitter user. We'll keep you updated as this situation continues to develop.

Did anyone try downloading the mysterious jailbreak? What were the results?

UPDATE: Once again it's MuscleNerd to the rescue. It looks like he did some investigating and just tweeted a few moments ago that the mysterious file from d0nfyxn is indeed fake. Apparently the tiny app was written to display a message box that says "Failed to connect the device, please try again."

Possible iPad 2 Jailbreak in the Next Few Days?

Cody Lee ∙ April 26, 2011

iPad 2 owners, hoping to jailbreak, have had a rough go of it. Initially, we thought the exploit for Apple's latest tablet would be available soon after launch. Now, 2 months after its release, the latest Apple tablet has yet to have a stable solution.

If you haven't been keeping up with the iPad 2 jailbreak situation, let me quickly fill you in.

Comex posted a picture of his iPad 2 jailbroken last month, but he has since quit working on the exploit. With Comex out, all eyes turned to p0sixninja, who tweeted that he and the Chronic Dev team were working on the exploit. However, he has since commented that the iPad 2 jailbreak has been progressing extremely slowly.

Enter d0nfyxn, an unknown hacker with no previous history of jailbreak-related work. Over the last few days he's been uploading videos and pictures of his iPad 2 running Cydia and Installous, which are well known jailbroken applications.

He's not just bragging about his exploit either, he's promising an alpha release by tomorrow. Only time will tell if he's for real or not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iraAK5yS2qg

I'm definitely marking this down as a rumor until I see it working for my own eyes, it wouldn't be too difficult to fake something like this. The fact that this guy came out of no where, and has only been a Twitter user for a few days, also makes the whole story pretty sketchy.

We'll keep you posted on how this all unfolds, and let you know as soon as a stable jailbreak is ready.

Is anyone excited about the possibility of an iPad 2 jailbreak?

New iPad App Promises Courier-Like Functionality

Cody Lee ∙ April 25, 2011

We've covered some cool products and innovations involving Apple's tablet before, but this application could take the cake.

Does anyone remember that tablet concept from Microsoft that garnered so much attention last year? Well if you don't, let me give you a quick refresher.

The dual-screened device, dubbed the Courier, was an extremely interesting take on a tablet device. Resembling a notebook, the Courier allowed you to use your fingers or a pen-like device for input.

Although the concept received a lot of positive feedback, the project was eventually shelved by Microsoft. Lead designer, J. Allard, reportedly left Microsoft in wake of the scrubbing of the tablet project. The reason for the Courier's cancellation and Allard's departure are unknown.

Well it looks like a couple of software engineers liked the Courier's functionality so much that they didn't want it to go to waste. They have been working on an upcoming iPad app called Tapose, and hope to capture the essence of the Microsoft concept in their software.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTjRhANBQL4

If they do it correctly, this would be one of the most unique applications to land on the iOS platform. They are promising Courier-like features such as integration with native apps like Mail and Safari. Imagine dragging a photo from Safari, directly to an email to send off.

Unlike other Kickstarter projects we've mentioned, these guys don't need your help. They've already met their $10,000 goal. However, they are still taking donations, and any pledge of $10 or higher buys you a copy of Tapose when it gets released.

What do you think?

G-Form Extreme Sleeve Protects iPad From Airplane Drop

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 23, 2016

So you've got yourself a nice new iPad 2, what do you do next? While some folks moan at the mention of accessories, others couldn't live with out them. I've got a protective case on both my iPad and my iPhone 4.

I've dropped either device multiple times, and can't imagine what the outcome would have been, had they not been protected. You may not need a car charger, but I always recommend some sort of case.

Some users only need light protection, like an InvisibleShield. There is a lot to be said for the thin, scratch-proof protection of the Zagg product. But what if you need more protection than just a thin layer of plastic?

While there are dozens of heavy duty cases and sleeves, none of them can take a beating like the Extreme Sleeve for the iPad. We've seen the prototype soft-shell sleeve protect an iPad from an 8lb bowling ball, but the guys over at G-Form couldn't stop there.

Today they uploaded a video of their Extreme Sleeve's latest feat, which involves a 500 ft. drop out of an airplane. You've got to watch the video for yourself, I can't believe the iPad survives the drop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKNdknJI53Q

The company most known for their line of extreme sports protective gear, is venturing into the consumer electronics accessory game with this soft-shell sleeve for the iPad. Although not currently available, they are accepting pre-orders and expect to start shipping May 2nd.

What do you think? What's your heavy-duty case of choice?

How to Jailbreak iPad 4.3.2 with PwnageTool

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Just like RedSn0w earlier this week, PwnageTool has been updated to support the new firmware 4.3.2 for iOS. As previously stated, there wasn't much reason for folks on the original iPad to update to this latest software.

But for the people that did, PwnageTool is recommended to jailbreak your iPad. It is simple and about as solid as it gets when it comes to jailbreak applications. If you've never done this before, or need a quick refresher, check out the tutorial below.

If you are looking for reasons to hack your iPad, check out our article, The Top 5 Reasons to Jailbreak here.

Important note: PwnageTool is for Mac OS only, for those that use Windows and want to jailbreak, check out our RedSn0w tutorial. Again this jailbreak is only for original iPads, the iPad 2 has not yet been jailbroken.

Step 1. Obviously make sure your iTunes is up to date and your iPad is on the latest firmware (4.3.2). You're also going to need to download the latest version of PwnageTool from here.

Step 2. It's a torrent, meaning you'll need a client like uTorrent to open the file once it's downloaded. After it's installed, open it up and select iPad and Expert Mode and click next. Browse to HD/Users/$urname$/Library/iTunes/iPadSoftwareUpdates and select the 4.3.2 firmware.

Step 3. If PwnageTool likes the firmware you picked, it'll take you to a menu where you can tweak the jailbreak. If you choose Cydia packages, you can preinstall tweaks and apps so when the jailbreak gets loaded onto your iPhone, its already set up.

Step 4. Once you are done tinkering, select the build option and click next. This is where PwnageTool does its magic. It'll take a bit, so be patient.

Step 5. After the custom firmware is done building, PwnageTool will have you put your iPad in DFU Mode, but don't worry, the software walks you through this.

Step 6. If you do it successfully, iTunes should recognize that you have a device plugged in and ask you to restore. Hold down the Option key while clicking restore to get the option to choose your custom firmware. Once it installs, your iPad reboots and you are finished!

Any questions?

Dev Team Releases PwnageTool to Jailbreak iPads on 4.3.2

Cody Lee ∙ April 24, 2011

Apparently the Easter Bunny left something else in our baskets last night besides eggs and candy. The notorious iDevice hackers released an update late yesterday to their PwnageTool software to successfully jailbreak 4.3.2 firmware.

For those who haven't been paying attention to the recent software updates, Apple pushed out 4.3.2 a few weeks ago to correct the iPad 2 Verizon 3G issues. While most original iPad users haven't had a reason to upgrade, some have by either accident or design.

The PwnageTool software has been a staple in the jailbreak community for years, and is usually the most reliable out of all the software options. The Dev Team are well known for not releasing exploits until they've worked out all the bugs.

iPad 2 owners, there's still no word on the jailbreak for Apple's latest tablet. Hackers like p0sixninja have tweeted that this is the slowest progressing jailbreak they've ever seen.

For those who are looking to hack their original iPads with 4.3.2 software, sit tight. We will post an easy step by step tutorial on how to jailbreak your original Apple tablet with the latest firmware shortly.

5 Lessons the iPad 2 Could Learn From the PlayBook

Cody Lee ∙ April 23, 2011

The BlackBerry PlayBook launched last week to some mixed reviews. The latest formidable iPad competitor to enter the market has certainly heard its fair share of criticism. There's very few usable applications and the operating system isn't consistent.

Although the tablet doesn't offer any kind of threat to the iPad 2 in terms of market share at this point, I hope the folks over at Apple are taking notes. There are a few things that the juggernaut could learn from the rookie tablet.

1. Flash Video

You knew it was coming, so we'll get it out of the way first. Flash. Although I've never seen Flash work properly on a mobile device, the BlackBerry PlayBook plays back Flash videos effortlessly. While I admit I probably don't encounter many problems by not having Flash these days, it'd be nice to have access to Flash-based Videos.

2. Screen Resolution

Believe it or not, those folks over at Research In Motion, known for not being on the cutting edge of technology, produced a brighter and sharper screen than the iPad 2. I'd like to see Apple increase the next iPad's screen resolution substantially. Retina anyone?

3. Worthy Native Web Browser

While a wealth of 3rd party apps make up for the features Safari lacks, they don't have the ability to be the default browser. If you open a link from an email or application, you're tossed right back into Safari. The PlayBook's web browser, on the other hand, has tabbed windows and an easy way to manage them. The Safari multi-page browsing system works nice on the iPhone, but the iPad could use a different design.

4. Stereo Speakers

So the iPad is touted as a great portable media device that allows you to play games and watch movies, but the mono speaker is so last year. The PlayBook comes with stereo speakers and sounds amazing. I've always felt Apple's iDevice products could use better quality speakers, but I'm sure they just assume accessory makers fill that void.

5. Phone Pairing Capabilities

With the PlayBook, you're able to tether your BlackBerry smartphone and access all of your information in real time. I know it's also flawed in this area by not providing native PlayBook Calendar and Contact apps, but it would be nice if the iPhone shared this feature. Imagine not having to use a 3rd party application to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your iPad.

So there you have it, a few things that the BlackBerry PlayBook did right. Obviously RIM's tablet is in its early stages and the iPad 2 is clearly winning the tablet war. Hopefully though, we'll see some of the missing features listed above, in the next iteration of Apple's tablet.