News

Want Glasses-Free 3D on Your iPad 2?

Cody Lee ∙ April 11, 2011

We've shown you some pretty sweet iPad 2 hacks recently, but this one takes the cake. A couple of guys from the EHCI Research Group have managed to create basic 3D graphics on the iPad 2, using the front facing camera. Confused yet?

The technology is called head tracking, and has become fairly common verbiage among tech websites. Essentially your head movements can be captured and turned into commands for applications or controls for games.

These guys obviously didn't get the memo. They have decided to use head tracking to present 3D graphics on Apple's latest tablet. Their software uses the front facing camera to judge your position in relation to the iPad, and then it manipulates the graphics accordingly.

We track the head of the user with the front facing camera in order to create a glasses-free monocular 3D display. Such spatially-aware mobile display enables to improve the possibilities of interaction. It does not use the accelerometers and relies only on the front camera.

Still not impressed? You've got to check out the video below. Although many critics have brushed 3D technology off like a passing trend, companies like Nintendo are starting to take it seriously. But do we really need it in the iPad? If nothing else, this has to be one of the coolest non-jailbreak hacks I've seen.

It's currently just a tech demo, and has yet to be decided if/how it would be implemented in user software.

Would you want 3D graphics for your iPad 2?

[macstories]

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

Will We See Carbon Fiber on Future iDevices?

Cody Lee ∙ April 11, 2011

Apple made some big splashes with their all aluminum MacBook designs a couple of years ago. The original iPhone was even covered in the popular metal. It appears that aluminum is so 2007, as reports are circulating this morning that Apple is looking to go carbon fiber.

It's certainly not anything new, Apple has been rumored to be experimenting with carbon-fiber enclosures for quite some time. Back in 2010, Apple won a patent on improved composite materials that hinted that they were researching the use of carbon-fiber composites in electronic devices. Could we see the light weight material in future Apple products?

iOS 4.3.2 Update Should Fix Verizon iPad 2 3G Problems

Cody Lee ∙ April 11, 2011

We reported a few days ago on a developing story about the Verizon iPad 2. It seemed as though some iPad models, with the Verizon 3G service built in, have been having issues connecting to Verizon's network.

If you are one of the ones suffering from the problematic tablet, perk up. Popular tech site BGR has gotten their hands on the latest version of iOS, and has some great news for Verizon iPad users.

One of our Apple sources has just let us know that Apple's iOS 4.3.2, due within the next week or so, will fix the issues we've been hearing about with some Verizon iPad 2 models.

The site goes on to say that the new update should also fix a couple of FaceTime and WebKit vulnerabilities. But the good news is, it sounds like a fix is on the way for all of the folks struggling with 3G connectivity woes.

What I'm wondering is if an iPad 2 jailbreak is on the way, will Comex and participating parties wait until after 4.3.2 goes live before releasing anything?

If you remember Comex had previously found an exploit for the iPad 2, but the glitch was patched by Apple in the iOS 4.3.1 update. We will let you know as soon as we have more information.

Hopefully this doesn't delay the iPad 2 jailbreak anymore than it already is, what do you think?

Steve Wozniak Shares Insight on Tablet Revolution

Cody Lee ∙ April 10, 2011

The man who co-founded Apple still spends his days giving his opinions to high profile people. He is still on Apple's Board of Directors, and is listed on their payroll, so trust me when I say he's not out of the loop.

The genius credited with building the first Apple computer was asked his opinion on the new era of computing last weekend. During a keynote session at Storage Networking World in Santa Clara last week, Wozniak was asked how tablets would revolutionize the industry.

"The tablet is not necessarily for the people in this room,"

He told the audience of engineers.

"It's for the normal people in the world. I think Steve Jobs had that intention from the day we started Apple, but it was just hard to get there, because we had to go through a lot of steps where you connected things, and eventually computers grew up to where they could do... normal consumer appliance things."

Wozniak's remarks seem to be extremely in line (obviously) with what Apple has been saying all along, especially since the introduction of the iPad. Apple's goal hasn't ever been to be the fastest or have the highest tech specs.

They want to make products that appeal to the average consumer because there are so many more of them than there are people that care about the number of processors in a product.

Although the touch interface is quite nice on a tablet, it makes typing lengthy emails or putting together extensive spreadsheets tedious chores. The iPad is built for web browsing and viewing media content, things a normal person would do frequently. Thanks Steve for clarifying that for everyone, Motorola and company need to be taking notes!

What do you think? Is the tablet-PC meant more for normal people?

[Macworld]

Apple Snags Major Gaming PR Executives

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 16, 2017

It's no secret that Apple sees their iPhone and iPod touch products as gaming devices. Their unique combination of power and portability make them serious contenders in the handheld gaming market. But if you remember back to last fall, major console heavy weight Sony took some shots at Apple in a marketing campaign.

The popular TV ad referred to an iPhone-like device as "not built for big boy games." Well it looks as though Apple is planning something for the gaming community to put some points back up on the board. MCV, an overseas gaming site, reported yesterday that Apple has hired 2 high profile PR executives from the gaming community...

iPad 2 Jailbreak Release Coming Soon!

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

If you have jailbroken your iDevice before, you should recognize the name Chronic Dev. Much like the notorious iPhone Dev Team, Chronic Dev plays a large part in the jailbreaking community.

Their software, GreenPois0n, made jailbreaking as easy as plugging in your device to a computer.

Although they've been relatively quiet lately, it appears they plan to come back in a big way. Chronic Dev team member Joshua Hill, aka @p0sixninja, mentioned on Twitter yesterday that his team was focused on finishing their iPad 2 jailbreak.

Since a jailbreaking solution has yet to become available for the iPad 2, this is pretty big news. The 4.3.1 exploit released last Sunday by the Dev Team does not work on Apple's latest tablet, and there has been no word from Comex on his current progress.

When will the iPad 2 jailbreak be finished? @p0sixninja tells a Twitter follower that they are in early stages, and jokes that progress depends on which way the winds blowing. Since he uses the word "finishing" in his early Tweet, I have to assume he was just kidding.

Tech site Redmond Pie believes the iPad 2 jailbreak will be packaged in with the new version of GreenPois0n, which is expected to be released soon and work on all iDevices.

Keep checking back and we will keep you updated on the latest iPad 2 jailbreak news.

Anyone dying to jailbreak their iPad 2?

Apple Admits to Problems With Verizon iPad 2

Cody Lee ∙ Updated December 26, 2016

A complaint posted on an Apple forum back on March 15th has been getting a lot of attention over the last couple of days. The thread is about a customer's issue with his iPad 2 3G not connecting to Verizon's network.

Since its inception, hundreds of users have turned out to add their names to the list of affected units. All of them citing the exact same issues, and trying to offer each other home grown fixes.

One commenter writes:

"Add my name to the list. I've had problems after waiting to turn on my cellular service for a week. Tried to activate today and had all sorts of trouble getting the cellular service to come on..."

He ends the posting with:

"I paid too much for this kind of garbage."

I believe his feelings are shared throughout the forum, as the only known fix right now is to leave the iPad 2's 3G data service on all the time.

Otherwise users are reporting that they are having to wait anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours for their 3G service to activate after it's been shut off.

After weeks of replacing defective units, Apple has broken the silence. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Apple admits knowledge of the Verizon iPad 2 glitch and is looking into it.

The article states that an Apple spokeswoman claimed that a "small number" of Verizon iPad 2 customers have been experiencing connectivity problems. She said that Apple is aware of the issue and is investigating it. She wouldn't give The Journal the number of iPads effected or a release date for the patch.

But if you have a Verizon iPad 2 and are experiencing these issues, hang in there. Given the amount of media attention this glitch has received, Apple should be pushing out a fix in no time. We'll let you know as soon as it's available.

Have you been experiencing this issue on your Verizon iPad 2?

Show Off Your Jailbreak Spirit With an iDB Boot Logo

Cody Lee ∙ April 9, 2011

Everything is so much calmer now that the new jailbreak has been released. We've all upgraded and re-hacked our iDevices and, if you're like me, you are still in rebuilding mode. Re-customizing your iDevice can be fun though. You can change almost anything you want, from the icons to the start up screen.

If you've been looking for a new start up animation to try out, give our iDB boot logo by Ryan Pushong a try. It's located in the BigBoss Cydia repo, but there's just one thing you need to check first...

Toys R' Us to Begin Selling the iPad 2 Next Month?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The iPad 2 has been quite the success story. The device that had to live up to the name "magical," continues to do so with analysts predicting iPad 2 sales beyond 40 million units.

It appears like Apple is looking to meet the high expectations by making the device available almost anywhere. The iPad 2 has been sold in several retail chains so far, such as Target and Walmart. It even turned up at RadioShack late last month.

Now Apple could be looking to target a younger demographic by offering the iPad 2 at Toys R' Us retail stores across the country. ModMyi is reporting that they received a tip a few days ago from a Toys R' Us employee that the chain had been training its entire staff on the device.

The employee even sent the blog a picture (see below) of the iPad 2 training material as proof. The move would certainly be a logical one on Apple's part. Toys R' Us already sells iPod products, this would be a way for Apple to market their tablet to a different audience.

As the iPad 2 story continues, we will keep you updated on the latest place to buy the popular tablet, as we all await a jailbreak solution.

Have you snagged your iPad 2 yet?

Start Up Looking to Change the Way the iPhone 4 Shoots Video

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 10, 2017

If you've been looking for a way to shoot 360-degree videos with your iPhone 4, get out your checkbook. The start up company EyeSee360 has a working prototype of a lens that will fulfill all of your multidirectional photography needs.

The company isn't just hoping to change the way we shoot videos on the iPhone, they want to change the way we interact with videos completely. EyeSee360 has decades of research in robotic vision and image rendering under the hood of their GoPano micro concept. Their lens not only lets you capture 360-degree videos, you can manually pan around the video during playback...

iOS Expected to Trail 30% Behind Android by Next Year

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 13, 2019

We reported a few days ago on IDC's claims that Windows Mobile OS market share would one day overtake iOS. Now Gartner, a world leader in information technology research, is making similar predictions. But they've got Google's Android OS on top by a long shot.

The numbers are quite staggering. The firm predicts that in 2011, smartphone sales will reach 468 million units worldwide. That would be about a 50% increase from the 300 million units that analysts believe shipped last year. Why is Gartner predicting Apple's smartphone will only snag 19% of that market?

Time Warner iPad App Controversy

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The app has already been out for a few weeks, but Time Warner's iPad software is still making headlines. Although at first it offered most of the content available to their TV customers, they have recently been forced to pull several channels due to complaints.

Broadcasters Viacom and News Corp. have led the charge against Time Warner's new streaming application, Viacom even has a pending lawsuit with TWC, seeking damages.

"Viacom has made clear that it is willing to discuss extension of similar rights to others - including TWC. What Viacom cannot do, however, is permit one of its contracting partners, TWC, to unilaterally change the terms of its contractual relationship."

Viacom intends to block Time Warner Cable from distributing its content on new devices, from tablets to Smart TV apps, until additional payments have been negotiated. Time Warner Cable recently posted on their blog regarding their disagreement.

They claim that the networks are simply imposing new "artificial limits" on the screens its subscribers use. Apple Insider quotes the TWC blog as saying:

"Instead of rowing down the river of history and into the future, Viacom, FOX, and Discovery have chose to sit on the bank and kick rocks."

But TWC seems to have brushed off the quarrel. Shortly after removing programming, they added new channels including ABC, Disney, and A&E.

Time Warner Cable's free app has seen over 300,000 downloads since it was introduced in late March. It allows TWC subscribers to watch TV inside their homes and requires Wi-Fi.

It seems like the iPad would just be considered another TV in a household. If the app only works in subscriber's households, why are networks like Discovery and Fox so upset about it?

What do you think?