News

Apple Sues Samsung Over iDevice Copycatting

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The smartphone industry is filled with ongoing patent suits. From Nokia and Apple to Microsoft and Motorola, it seems like all the major players in the mobile phone industry are currently in litigation.

Typically the lawsuits seem to be a stretch from patent infringement, but I think Apple's got a real case here. Have you ever noticed that the Samsung's Galaxy line of products look an awful lot like iDevices? Apple thinks so. So much apparently that they filed a trademark infringement suit against Samsung last Friday with a U.S. District Court in North California...

i0n1c Releases iOS 4.3.2 Untethered Jailbreak [Not Really Usable As Is]

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

While most of you haven't yet upgraded to iOS 4.3.2, there are a few folks out there that did by either accident or design. The minor update only contained fixes for FaceTime and Verizon iPad 2 connection problems.

However, for those that have updated, there are certainly signs that a jailbreak for the new firmware is close. We told you a few days ago that iDevice hacker i0n1c had confirmed via Twitter that the new iOS is vulnerable to his untether used in the 4.3.1 jailbreak. Now he has released the untether for 4.3.2 for anyone interested...

White iPhone 4 Shows Up On UK Carrier Website, April 20th Delivery

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

After 10 months of production issues and excuses, it appears that the white iPhone 4 may finally materialize. Engadget and several other media outlets have reported that wireless carrier Three UK has posted the white iPhone 4 on their website.

It wasn't just a place-holder either, a 'buy now' option with an earliest delivery date of April 20th was available. Although the white iPhone has made website appearances before, there hasn't been an option to order it...

iPhone 5 to Sport A5 Processor and 8 MP Camera?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

It might seem like the rumor mill is working over time on Apple's next smartphone, but it's really nothing new. Up and coming Apple products typically garner a lot of attention.

There is a ton of speculation about the next iPhone flying around the internet, but none of it has been confirmed. Without an official announcement from Apple, all the tech junkies and investors have to go on are the rumors...

Third Party Company Building BBM Compatible Messenger?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

For those who don't know what BBM is, take a seat. BBM stands for BlackBerry Messenger, and is RIM's exclusive messaging service that makes keeping in touch with fellow BlackBerry owners a cinch.

Last month we heard rumors tossed around that the exclusive messaging service would finally make its way to iOS at the end of April. The gossip was later denied by the BlackBerry maker in an official statement to BGR. Well, it looks like if RIM isn't gonna bring BBM to iOS, someone else might have to...

GeoHot Gives Left Over Donations to EFF

Cody Lee ∙ April 18, 2011

If you missed out on the Sony vs. GeoHot saga, let me quickly fill you in. GeoHot (real name George Hotz) was one of the first people to jailbreak the iPhone years ago. He's been in and out of the jailbreak scene since then, but had recently turned his attention to Sony's PS3.

After hacking the console, GeoHot released the code to the internet. Sony caught wind of this and took the infamous computer wiz to court. Hotz hopped online and asked for donations to help him in litigation, and received overwhelming support. He told supporters that he had received more than enough help to survive the first round of legal fees...

2Phone Case Gives Your iPhone Dual Sim Cards

Cody Lee ∙ April 17, 2011

Dual-SIM adapters have been available for the iPhone for a while. It's even speculated that we could see dual-SIM technology show up in the iPhone 5. If none of the current offerings for dual-SIM adapters appeal to you, you might want to see what Rebel Simcard has cooked up.

The Rebel 2Phone case for the iPhone 4 will give your device the ability to make and receive phone calls on 2 different lines, or 2 different carriers. The coolest part is that both SIMs are active at the same time, meaning you can make calls on both lines simultaneously...

Toys R’ Us and Best Buy iPad 2 Promotion

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 6, 2017

If you haven't been able to snag an iPad 2 just yet, pay attention. It looks like the rumors we heard about Toys R' Us becoming an iPad 2 retailer soon were spot on.

The Toys R' Us website is spreading the word that the toy store chain now has iPad 2 stock at many of its retail stores. It appears to just be specific locations, not completely nationwide. I also couldn't find a way to order online.

That wasn't the only retail chain gossip that seems to have materialized. MacRumors is reporting that Best Buy featured its rumored iPad 2 promotion in today's sales ads.

For those that don't recall, Best Buy was accused of withholding stock for sales purposes, then later revealed that they were holding onto local iPad 2s for an upcoming promotion.

Like Toys R' Us though, it seems Best Buy also has a limited amount of inventory. Engadget has gotten their hands on an employee bulletin that mentions the promotion :

"The iPad 2 will be featured on the front cover of the April 17 ad, and because of this, the reserve system will be turned back on" ... "Corporate Support Teams know that many stores won't be in the optimal situation to handle customers' requests"

The document goes on to say that multiple stores are quoting a minimum of 3 units per model of the device, but that is only at select locations.

If this round of shipments is anything like the last, they are going to go quickly. It appears that if you have been looking to get an iPad 2, today would be a great day to do it.

Have you gotten your iPad 2 yet? What do you think of it?

Time Warner Channels Back on iPad App

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

We told you about all of the fire Time Warner Cable was under after releasing its new iPad application. The popular software saw tremendous success until networks starting interfering.

Discovery and Fox networks pressured TWC into removing their channels from the app. Viacom forced Time Warner to remove 11 of their channels from the application, and is currently in litigation with the cable giant.

Today we bring you an update on the situation, as several media outlets are reporting that some of the pulled channels are starting to reappear in the iPad app.

The returning channels include Discovery Channel, TLC, and Animal Planet from Discovery networks, and National Geographic, FX, and Fox News from Fox. Obviously due to their legal dispute, Viacom channels still remain excluded.

What's really interesting is that competing cable company, Cablevision, has recently rolled out its own iPad application that allows customers access to close to 300 channels. TWC is currently offering around 50 channels, depending on the subscriber package.

The difference might be in the technology used to stream the content. While TWC broadcasts the video over the internet, Cablevision streams the media via Wi-Fi from their digital cable boxes. However, both methods require the user of the iPad app to be in their home to view the content.

The good news is that major cable networks are starting to realize that we are in the 21st century. Times are a changing, and only the companies that figure out how to adapt will survive. We'll keep you updated on future news regarding the iPad app lawsuit.

What do you think?

[Tuaw]

Adobe Looking to Finally Bring Flash to iOS, Sort of

Cody Lee ∙ April 16, 2011

We've talked about Adobe Flash on iDB quite a bit. The absence of the platform plugin in iOS products has been a hot button issue since the original iPhone was released. For those who have been living under a rock for the last few years, let me break it down for you.

Adobe's Flash is used in close to 80% of the top 100 most visited websites, so needless to say, it's pretty popular. Apple, the maker of some of the hottest portable electronics right now, has barred Flash from its mobile platform for several reasons. And now it looks like after years of watching home-grown tweaks bring Flash content to iOS devices, Adobe might finally have an answer of their own...

Wiimote and iPhone Make Beautiful Music Together

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

It seems like you can never get enough high-tech innovation, especially when it involves using ordinary products to accomplish extraordinary things. We've shown you 3D graphics on the iPhone 4 in the past and even lenses that give the iPhone 360-degree video capturing abilities. What could they possibly come up with next?

Let me introduce you to Tim Soo. On top of being a medical student, he also happens to be a hacker/musician. His Kickstarter video asking for donations to fund an interesting project has really been making its rounds on the internet recently...

Future Apple TV to Use Laser Projection Tech?

Cody Lee ∙ April 15, 2011

Although in many cases they don't make it to consumer products, patents kind of give us an inside look at what a company is working on. Trust me, there's no better company to peek in on than Apple.

Their latest patent filing to make its way around the web, describes hybrid laser projection technology. Before you start thinking Star Wars, let me explain.

Apple describes the hybrid laser projection technology as a system that can be used to display images using coherent laser light as opposed to incoherent incandescent light of normal projectors.

The benefits include lower production costs and higher quality images. It also notes that combining an incoherent light source with a coherent one would consume less power and could reduce the size and complexity of light projecting systems.

How could they use this technology in their products? 9to5Mac seems to think they might be integrating it in an Apple-branded TV set. That's not a bad prediction considering all of the recent Apple TV rumors, but I've got another idea.

Remember the LG Expo? It was an LG smartphone with a built-in micro projector. You could project captured and downloaded content onto any flat service, with quite a sizable viewing area.

The phone was essentially a flop but the technology was still fascinating. Now there are dozens of pico projectors on the market, many of them even compatible with Apple products.

I could definitely see Apple doing something along similar lines. They have a history of bringing innovative technology to the average person by making it simple and sexy.

Imagine an Apple TV device, much like the ATV2, that has a built-in high definition laser projector. It has outstanding battery life and content can be projected clearly on almost any surface. Maybe it even supports iOS apps and obviously AirPlay.

My head spins with the possibilities, you could have TV anywhere. You could set up multiplayer games anywhere. This would be a revolution, especially if it were priced and marketed properly, which Apple also has a knack for.

While the idea is intriguing, known projected light-obstacles like daylight and lack of available projection surfaces certainly stand in the way of it making its way to shelves anytime soon. Maybe Apple is just going to project the laser images into thin air, Minority Report-style.

What do you think?