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OtterBox announces acquisition of waterproof case-maker LifeProof

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

This is pretty interesting. It appears that OtterBox, a well-known maker of heavy-duty smartphone and tablet cases, has announced this afternoon that it will be acquiring LifeProof. The San Diego-based startup makes durable cases for Apple's iPhone and iPad.

OtterBox, the brand, has become synonymous with device protection in recent years, thanks to hit cases like Armor and Defender. The company claims that it is the #1 selling smartphone case in the US, and that it controls over 20% of the global case market...

New hack enables support for iOS push notifications in Google Glass

Cody Lee ∙ May 22, 2013

You knew this was coming. Well-known developer Adam Bell has figured out a way to route push notifications from iOS through Google Glass. By design, the pricey accessory—which is only currently available to devs—doesn't communicate with Apple's mobile OS.

Bell, known for jailbreak tweaks like Stride and Blackout, is working on a hack that will allow Glass users to receive all app push notifications from their jailbroken iOS devices. It's not quite finished yet, but he's just posted a demo video showing the mod in action...

Vudu iOS app updated with ability to download movies for offline viewing

Cody Lee ∙ May 22, 2013

Folks who use the streaming video service Vudu will be happy to hear that it has updated its iOS client with a major new feature this week. The Walmart-owned content delivery company has added the ability for users to download movies for offline viewing.

For those unfamiliar with the service, Vudu is similar to iTunes in that it allows you to rent and purchase movies a la carte—no monthly subscription fee. Rentals typically run between $2 and $5 and can be played back on a number of electronic devices...

Badger lets users view unread notifications by tapping the app icon badge

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 21, 2013

Ladies and gentlemen, after much wait and after even more debate, it's finally here. I am, of course, talking about Badger — a tweak that we initially previewed some months back. After some very intense development and design, the final version of Badger has shipped. It's now available for purchase on Cydia's BigBoss repo for $0.99.

If you've been keeping your ear to the proverbial street, then you already know what Badger is and what it does, but let me jog your memory anyway. Badger is an iOS tweak that allows users to view unread notification alerts by swiping on the app icon displaying the badge. Once the app is swiped, a highly stylized pop-up menu containing unread notifications will appear on screen.

That's what Badger is capable of doing in its most basic form, but as you might guess, the tweak contains quite a few hidden goodies and options under the hood. Check inside as I provide you with an in-depth look at Badger and show how you might benefit from its usage.

Video Filters app launches with over 100 real-time video effects

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 20, 2013

Lots of avid iPhone photography fans don't just use their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to capture stills, but shoot video as well.

I usually fire up Apple's excellent iMovie application ($4.99 universal binary) whenever my clips need touching up, but now a new software has come along to go beyond what you thought was possible on your iOS device.

Video Filters by i4Software packs in over a hundred fully customizable video effects with live previews, which is kinda big deal because only a few years ago nobody thought we'd be able to edit full HD footage on tablets, in real-time...

Siri vs. Google Now video faceoff

Cody Lee ∙ May 19, 2013

Siri was all the rage when Apple unveiled it alongside its iPhone 4S in the fall of 2011. The digital assistant was highlighted in a number of commercials for the handset during its 11-month life cycle. But since then, we've seen a number of competitors arise.

One of those competitors is Google Now, which launched in the summer of last year. And a lot of folks believe that it's superior to Siri—both in speed and accuracy. But is that really the case? Find out in this new head-to-head comparison video of the two...

This is how SemiRestore allows you to restore without losing your jailbreak

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Recently there has been a pretty big buzz about an upcoming release dubbed SemiRestore. We posted about it a few days ago. It's not out yet, you can check its progress here, but I wanted to use this post to prove to you that it does indeed work as described.

SemiRestore claims to be able to let you restore your device without necessitating the need to upgrade your iOS device's firmware. This is extremely appealing for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason of them all is that it would allow you to restore your device without losing your precious jailbreak.

As you know, Apple stopped signing iOS 6.1.2 after iOS 6.1.3 was released. iOS 6.1.2 was the last firmware susceptible to the evasi0n jailbreak, so it's a precious firmware in the eyes of those who like to tinker with their phones. From Apple's standpoint, it's obvious why they opted to fix the exploits used to make evasi0n function. Apple owes it to its users to ensure that iOS is the most secure platform that it can be. Nonetheless, that doesn't make the jailbreak community any less disappointed at the loss of an untethered jailbreak

To make matters even more grim, Apple has rendered downgrading virtually impossible, and that includes simply restoring your iOS 6.1.2 firmware back to iOS 6.1.2. So what if your iPhone or iPad starts running really slow? What if you genuinely needed to restore your device? If so, then kiss your jailbreak goodbye. That pretty much sums up the predicament that we find ourselves in. For that reason we're always extra careful not to install any tweaks or apps on our devices that might cause problems.

And that, folks, is where SemiRestore has come in to save the day. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I've tested it out myself, and I can assure you that it works pretty well. It's not a genuine full restore — hence its name — but it's probably the next best thing to a legitimate restore, and will help you regain the stock feeling of a fresh installation of iOS. The best thing about it? You won't need to upgrade your firmware, and because of this, you won't lose your jailbreak. Full demonstration inside.

Fast & Furious 6: The Game lands on iOS

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

I never thought I'd be saying this, but we are now just a week away from the release of Fast & Furious 6. I don't think anyone could have predicted the adrenaline-pumping street-racing hit of 2001 was going to blossom into a 6 movie franchise. But here we are.

As it seems customary these days, the folks behind FF6 have released a game to go along with the feature film. The 3D racer takes you through the mean streets of London, where you must race your way to money and respect. And it's now available on iOS...

Balances: a new App Store app from the mind of Filippo Bigarella

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated May 3, 2017

Balances is a new App Store app from the mind of popular jailbreak developer Filippo Bigarella. Bigarella is the same developer behind such jailbreak staples like CleverPin and Springtomize 2 to name a few.

Needless to say, when such a well-known and well respected developer ventures into the so-called "legit" waters of the App Store, it's hard not to take notice. His first foray — Balances — is a way to maintain personal debts and credits within the confines of a simple, straightforward, and easy to use app.

If you've ever found yourself writing down how much you owe someone, or how much someone owes you on random scraps of paper, then you probably need a better system. That's where Balances comes in. It helps you get rid of the sticky note system and maintain your balances using the iPhone. Check out our video demonstration of the app in motion...

Another concept imagines iOS 7 running on next-gen iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2013

Following recent budget iPhone concept by Martin Hajek (itself based on nice iOS 7 mockups by 3D artist Dámaso Benítez), German blog Apfellike.de yesterday shared a similar rendition by Jürgen Ulbrich. Like many 3D artists before him, Dámaso is striving to envision what iOS 7 running on the next iPhone might look like. I'm liking his work a lot and have included a few images and a nice video mockup right after the break...

Googiri is Google voice search meshed with Siri

Jeff Benjamin ∙ May 15, 2013

I don't think I've left it up to sleuthing to understand that I pretty much loathe Siri. It's a great idea no doubt, but the execution is so poor that it makes me hate the service. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but Siri rarely, if ever, does what I want it to. I ask her for directions to Starbucks, and she replies with "I can't find a place called scarred duck." It's really pathetic.

So imagine how ecstatic I was when I first tried out the voice search embedded into Google Now. It was amazingly accurate, fast, and it didn't sound like an old worn out robot from the 70's. Sad to say, but this is the how Siri should be. Google owns the new gold standard for voice recognition...

Cydia Substrate makes its way to Android [Video]

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Big news in the world of Mobile Substrate, but oddly enough, it has nothing to do with iOS and everything to do with Android. Yes, you heard right, Android. The creator behind Cydia and Mobile Substrate, Saurik, has released Substrate for Android, and he's created a brand new website to document the new addition to the family.

What does this mean for Android users? It means many of your favorite jailbreak apps and tweaks could make it to Android, (WinterBoard is already available!) with the potential for many more...