Friday, July 17, 2009

Apple Asks Microsoft to Stop Airing Laptop Hunter Ads?


Microsoft Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Turner, says Apple legal demanded that Microsoft stop airing its Laptop Hunter ads.

Turner recounted the events surrounding this demand during his Worldwide Partner Conference keynote

-----
I pulled this out of my Sunday newspaper. I have an old habit because I came from retail looking at the Sunday tabs and circulars that are in newspapers. This is straight out of my paper last Sunday. This is a comparison out of a leading electronics retailer that you can get a 13.3-inch Macbook for US$1199 from that retailer. Guess what. That same retailer, you can get the same PC with more RAM, a bigger hard drive, and almost a three-inch bigger screen for US$649. What an incredible opportunity.

And so we've been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? “Oh, I'm looking to spend less than $1,000.” Well we'll give you $1,000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials.

And you know why I know they're working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey -- this is a true story -- saying, "Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices." They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I've ever taken in business. (Applause.)

I did cartwheels down the hallway. At first I said, "Is this a joke? Who are you?" Not understanding what an opportunity. And so we're just going to keep running them and running them and running them.

This is out of last Sunday's paper, the Apple tax. It's getting out. And when we put Windows 7 in there, which we've got coming out in October, what an incredible opportunity for us to fight back. And it feels really good to be on the offensive here. And we know we've got plenty of work to do. We don't have it all figured out. But I want you to know, ladies and gentlemen, we're doing stuff and we're in the game and continuing to take some of these hard market share opportunities head on and compete because it's a test of will, as I said.

And we're going to showcase this opportunity of Windows simplicity, choice, value, and partners. And stay tuned, because we're going to have some retail stores opened up that are opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall. Stay tuned, just stay tuned. (Applause.)
-----

Read More [via ArsTechnica]





GeoHot Announces RC2 of His PurpleSn0w Unlock



GeoHot has announced PurpleSn0w RC2, the second release of his unlock for the iPhone 3GS.

Improvements:
- 3G(the network speed) issues fixed...i'm pretty sure
- Now only patches one file, CommCenter
- Leaves no traces on your baseband after it runs. Seriously
- Much more clean and reliable.

You find instructions on how to unlock your iPhone 3GS using PurpleSn0w here. Remember you must have an officially activated iPhone to perform this unlock. (ie no support for hacktivated devices).

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Tuesday, February 3, 2009

New iPhone in June?

In today’s Business 24-7 article, it stated that a new iPhone would be due out in June. It also stated that the current iPhone 3G will be available in UAE on February 15, as we covered here

June does seem like a logical time for the next iPhone, since Apple usually releases a new iPhone every year.

The latest 3G model will become available on February 15 according to Dow Jones, and etisalat will be targeting private and business users. Both post-paid and prepaid subscribers will be able to use the product and voice, data and SMS services will be available. And the next version of the device, which is due out in June, will be launched in the UAE at the same time.

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Polka Delivers User-Empowered Healthcare Apps


The Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego today announced that Polka is the first company created within the school's Lab to Market course to receive funding and it is making major inroads in the technology and healthcare industries. Polka is the first and only secure mobile aggregation and collaboration service to help users manage their health - anytime, anywhere, all the time.

Several companies have been formed out of Lab to Market projects, but the first to be funded is Polka. Mike Kirkwood (Rady MBA '08) launched the company two years ago, filed patents for core technology and started marketing the product as part of his Lab to Market course at the Rady School. He has since received a significant investment from private investors. Apple's App Store now carries four Polka applications designed for the iPhone and iPod touch. Polka has realized more than 250,000 installs of its applications from the App Store in the past five months alone.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Polka is the first and only secure mobile aggregation and collaboration service to help users manage their health -- anytime, anywhere, all the time. They provide the tools for consumers to create and manage complex personal health information with ease and the support of their health team. Polka's personal healthcare management solution is backed by a patent-pending Me Server (TM) technology, and delivers secure identity management, real-time collaboration and synchronization and sharing on an open standards record format.

Polka keeps users' important health information up-to-date and available anytime, anywhere, all the time. The company offers an integrated solution of Apple iPhone applications and a web portal, charging for the service of synchronizing data and collaborating with a user's team. Polka is the only company to provide a dynamic communication and collaboration tool that empowers users to keep personal logs and share real-time information with their medical team. Polka's key applications now include My Health on the Web, My Health for the iPhone, If Found for the iPhone, Close Call for the iPhone and My Emergency Info for the iPhone.

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Google Earth 5 (Beta) Now Available


Google has released Earth 5 (Beta), the most recent update to their highly successful satellite mapping technology.

Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places, and share with others.

Google Earth 5 (Beta) allows users to take placemarks a step further and record a free-form tour in Google Earth. Simply turn on the touring feature, press record, and see the world. You can even add a soundtrack or narration to personalize the journey.

Google Earth 5 (Beta) New Features:
- Dive beneath the surface and visit the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench
- Explore the ocean with top marine experts including National Geographic and BBC
- Learn about ocean observations, climate change, and endangered species
- Discover new places including surf, dive, and travel hot spots and shipwrecks


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TalkingPics Micro 1.3 for iPhone


Big Stone Phone has announced immediate and free availability of a free version of its popular program TalkingPics, the audio recorder/picture taking field data gathering tool that lets you make slideshows named TalkingPics micro (µ) V1.3.

Key features in the free version of TalkingPics micro:
* Make audio recordings of any length
* Attach notes and a photo to each recording
* Attach map of current location to recording
* Run slideshows on the iPhone

"In order to let iPhone and Touch 2 users experience the power of TalkingPics, we decided to deliver a lite version for free so people could decide at no cost if TalkingPics was the solution for them. We are committed to the highest quality products" said TalkingPics Project Leader Jeff Biggus (hyperjeff.net) of Big Stone Phone.

TalkingPics micro v1.3 features significant improvements to speed and stability of taking photos. In addition, the image format has been switched to high quality JPEG, saving space without sacrificing picture quality. As well, all entries show file size as well as audio recording length in the project overview, handy for managing project information.

Other improvements include a spruced up look to the project presentation slideshow.

TalkingPics remains the leading iPhone program for recording audio, taking photos and jotting down notes. Big Stone Phone is proud to provide high quality support to their products for all users.

TalkingPics µ is available for download and use today directly from your iPhone or computer at the AppStore.

TalkingPics µ is 100% free - TalkingPics Pro is just $6.99 at the AppStore.

Additional features in TalkingPics Pro:
* Organize entries into multiple projects
* Unlimited number of entries per project
* Upload projects to Desktop (Mac or PC)
* High resolution photos option
* Autosave snapshots to your Photos Library

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FlightTrack Pro Now Available in Apple App Store


Appropos Mobile has released FlightTrack Pro, their popular iPhone and iPod Touch flight tracker. FlightTrack Pro is great for busy travelers and casual vacationers alike. Just forward your airline confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com, and convenient TripIt flight itineraries will appear automatically on your iPhone or iPod touch.

FlightTrack Pro syncs upcoming flights from Tripit automatically, so that whenever you change, add, or delete a flight plan, FlightTrack Pro can give you up=to-date info on cancellations, delays, gate changes, and more.

FlightTrack Pro is available now on the iPhone App Store.

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Sector3 Announces Circuit Defenders



Sector3 has announced that Circuit Defenders is available on the iTunes App Store today for iPhone and iPod touch. Circuit Defenders is Sector3's original take on Tower Defence style games in which the action is set inside your computer.

An attacking virus army has infiltrated your computer via your communication ports and is trying to take over your main CPU. Only you stand between them and complete shutdown. Can you erect and maintain enough towers to keep your systems safe?

Using the unique touch interface on the iPhone and iPod Touch, drag and drop towers on to your circuit boards. As the armies increase in power and numbers, you'll have to manage your funds for upgrades and maintenance.

Circuit Defenders includes some amazing towers for use in your defence strategy. From artillery to flame throwers, you will find enough variation to support any strategic defence plan.

Feature Highlights:
* 10 fun and challenging levels
* Great assortment of tower types
* Comprehensive tower upgrade attributes
* Fast and intuitive controls
* Pinch/Pull for zoom in and out
* Game state saved between sessions and interruptions
* Global Online High Scores

Planned for future versions:
* More exciting levels
* New Towers and Enemies
* Challenge games
* Light version with limited levels and towers to try before you buy

Pricing and Availability:
Circuit Defenders for iPhone is only $2.99 (USD) and available exclusively through Apple's App Store.

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iPod Touch 2G Tethered Jailbreak Released



The iPhone Dev Team have released a tethered jailbreak for the iPod Touch 2G named "redsn0w lite."

Unfortunately, this is a tethered jailbreak, meaning each time you turn your iPod Touch on, you must connect it to your computer, and do some steps over again. The Dev-Team is still trying to find out a way to have an untethered jailbreak.

Adobe and Apple Collaborating on Flash for iPhone



At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Adobe's CEO indicated that Apple and Adobe are collaborating on Flash for the iPhone.

Chief Executive Officer Shantanu Narayen said that Adobe faces challenges in developing Flash for the iPhone.

“It’s a hard technical challenge, and that’s part of the reason Apple and Adobe are collaborating,” Narayen said today in a Bloomberg Television interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “The ball is in our court. The onus is on us to deliver.”

Apple CEO Steve Jobs had previously commented that Flash runs too slowly for the iPhone, and a slimmed-down version, called Flash Lite, “isn’t capable enough to be used with the Web.”

Windows QuickPwn for 2.2.1 firmware is Now Available




QuickPwn for Windows (version 2.2.5-2) has been updated to work with the latest 2.2.1 firmware.

You can download the official torrent here.

It offers support for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 2G, and the iPod Touch 1G.

I will update our tutorials shortly.

Add Light to Your iPhone Photos



Digital Film Tools has released Light 1.2, an iPhone application that can add realistic lighting and shadow to photos.

Light and shadow is introduced using digital versions of the gobo library created by Gamproducts. Gobos (patterns) are widely used by lighting designers in theatre, film/TV and photography to enhance the visual impact of their lighting. Normally used in front of lights during photography, gobos can be applied to the entire image or inside a selected area using Light. Gobos from the Gamproducts collection are arranged into the following categories: Breakups, Foliage, Lights, Sky and Windows.

Features:
- Control light brightness, blurring, and displacement for light wrapping effects
- Adjust light position, rotation and size with on-screen controls
- Isolate light using the selection screen
- Position slider determines where to put the light
- Range slider selects the amount of light
- Lum (Luminance), Hue, or Sat (Saturation) buttons change the selection method
- Shake on the Gobo screens to choose a random gobo
- Shake on the image editing screen to reset controls
- Edit in portrait or landscape mode

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Obvious Matter Releases DiskLibrary 1.9

Obvious Matter has announced DiskLibrary 1.9, their fun and easy to use disk cataloging application for Mac OS X. DiskLibrary is indispensable if you have a lot of media to keep track of. DiskLibrary catalogs not just your complete file structure, it also creates thumbnails, and stores metadata, for most popular media formats.

Where most cataloging applications stop DiskLibrary continues. Create beautiful thumbnails for your media files. Most popular image and movie formats are supported including leading RAW, EPS, HTML, Flash, and Photoshop formats. DiskLibrary also catalogs the album art stored inside your MP3 or AAC files. View the title page of your PDF files as a thumbnail. Indexing within archives (ZIP, RAR) is also supported.

DiskLibrary is capable of importing export formats from CDFinder, FileFinder, Disk Catalog Maker X, WhereIsIt and DiskTracker.

What's new:
* Improved startup and search performance
* Quick Look support for files on mounted volumes (Mac OS X 10.5 only)
* Catalogs can now also be deleted with the forward-delete key.
* Made Smart catalog/find panel more keyboard friendly
* Improved WhereIsIt import
* Migrated thumbnail files to new locations (subfolders)
* Added catalog column to file list view
* Fixed bug with smart catalogs in 10.5.6
* Rewritten FileFinder import
* Fixed Issues with DiskCatalogMaker X import
* Fixed other minor issues.

System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later
* Universal Binary for PowerPC and Intel

Pricing and Availability:
DiskLibrary 1.9 is available to order for $39 (USD). The DiskLibrary demo version is available as a free download from the Obvious Matter website.


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Thursday, January 8, 2009

How to Unlock the iPhone 3G - Mac and Windows

These are instructions on how to software unlock the iPhone 3G for use with any GSM cellphone carrier.

**Before you can follow these instructions you must have a jailbroken iPhone and you must be on the 02.28.00 baseband(modem firmware). This means that you must be running the 2.2 firmware. If you used PwnageTool to update to 2.2 from 2.1 you will have to rejailbreak using a QuickPwn jailbreak tutorial for the time being. **

To find your firmware and modem firmware(baseband) versions you can follow the following steps:
Step One
Press to launch Settings from your Springboard.
Step Two
Press to select General from the Settings Menu.
Step Three
Press to select About from the General Settings Menu.
Step Four
From the about screen you can find your firmware version under the Version label. Scroll down and you can find your baseband version under the Modem Firmware label.

If you are not on firmware version 2.2 and baseband version 02.28.00 then you need to follow one of these tutorials before unlocking: Mac, Windows
-----------------------------------------
Now, Lets Begin With the 3G Unlock:
-----------------------------------------

Step One
Press to launch Cydia Installer from your SpringBoard.

Step Two
Press to select the Manage tab at the bottom of the screen.


Step Three
Press to select the large Sources button


Step Four
Press the Edit button at the top right of the screen.


Step Five
Press the Add button at the top left of the screen.

Step Six
Enter http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/ as the source url and press the Add Source button.


Step Seven
Once the source has been added press the large Return to Cydia button.


Step Eight
Press the Done button at the top right of the screen.


Step Nine
Press to select apt9.yellowsn0w.com from the list of user entered sources.

Step Ten
Press to select yellowsn0w from the list of packages

Step Eleven
Press the Install button at the top right of the screen.


Step Twelve
Press the Confirm button at the top right of the screen.


Step Thirteen
After installation completes successfully press the large Return to Cydia button.


Step Fourteen
Now press the Home button then power off and power on the iPhone. You do this by holding down the power button for 3 seconds then moving the power slider that appears to the right. Press the power button again to turn on the phone.

Step Fifteen
You should now be able to insert the SIM of your choice!

***HINTS: It seems that getting your iPhone to pick up your new carrier can be helped by turning off 3G and perhaps toggling the Airplane Mode switch on and off. If you are still having problems try removing and reinserting the SIM or booting with the new SIM already inside. Finally, you can also try to Reset Network Settings from the Settings:General:Reset Menu.

***IMPORTANT: For those having trouble. The yellowsn0w application can simply be uninstalled. If you have tried all the hints and suggestions and still have problems just use Cydia to remove the package and then reboot. You will then have service with your locked carrier as always.

***THANKS: A big thank you to all the members of the iPhone Dev-Team for all their hard work! It is much appreciated by all.

***UPDATES: The Dev-Team has made the following updates...
1. Soon you’ll see yellowsn0w 0.9.1 in the repos. It uses a much longer delay to let your SIM card initialize. If you have problems with 0.9.0, try this one and wait a full minute after you see homescreen, then reinsert sim card. We need both success and failure reports to tune this across the world, so please be patient (but please also report result!)
2. If you are in the U.S. and are trying this with T-Mobile, you must turn off the 3G switch in Settings. Also if you are good with the command line, you can make it much easier by adding the line -q right after the /usr/bin/yellowsn0w line in /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/org.iphone-dev.yellowsn0w.plist (that’s and advanced tip, hopefully someone will make a boosprefs type of tool for it)
3. No PIN support yet. Remember how we said this was beta? Well we’re still working out the flow for SIMs with PINs enabled. Please disable any PIN you may have on that SIM before trying yellowsn0w, for now..

Keynote Remote for iPhone Now Available



Apple has made their Keynote Remote application for iPhone / iPod touch available from the App Store.

With Keynote Remote, you can control your Keynote slide presentation on your computer from your iPod touch or iPhone.

Swipe to advance or return to the previous slide. In portrait mode, see your presenter notes on your iPod touch or iPhone. In landscape mode, preview your next slide.

Keynote Remote works with your Wi-Fi network, so you can control slide playback from anywhere in the room.

Features:
- Control your Keynote presentation
- Swipe to advance or return to the previous slide
- See presenter notes on your iPhone or iPod touch
- Preview your next slide in landscape mode
- Pair your iPhone or iPod touch to any Mac with Keynote '09
- $0.99

NOTE: Keynote Remote requires Keynote '09, part of the iWork '09 suite. You will need a working Wi-Fi connection between your iPhone/iPod touch and your Mac.

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iPhone Dev-Team Summarizes Where They're At


The iPhone Dev-Team has summarized where they are at with the unlock: Past, Present and Future.

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Past
- As predicted in our beta release post, expanding yellowsn0w from dev team testing to worldwide usage revealed some unexpected situations.
- Thanks to specific feedback from you on our reporting page, we’ve been able to tweak the method by which yellowsn0w injects the unlocking payload. We believe we’re converging on a method that works for most cases.

Present
- The current beta version of yellowsn0w is 0.9.6, available via Cydia. Please refer to our beta release post for more technical info about how to install and use it.
- Although ultimately the payload is the same as in the very first beta, we’ve changed the way that it’s injected into the baseband.
- Although some of you have invested time and energy in coming up with a very specific flow that works for you, the best way to first try 0.9.6 is as-provided, straight out of the box with no special usage around it.
- Please continue to provide feedback on our reporting page so that we can iron out wrinkles.

Future
- One major feature we have left to provide support for is PIN locking. We have dabbled in this a bit and think we have a solution, but want to make that a separate effort from making yellowsn0w work with as many SIMs as possible.
- At that point, we can probably declare yellowsn0w out of “beta” status.
- The “permanent” unlock is still the ultimate goal for some of us. We’d like to break the chain of trust a bit earlier in the boot process (if only for the fun in trying).
-----

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iPhone Dev-Team Releases yellowsn0w v0.9.6


The iPhone Dev-Team has released yellowsn0w v0.9.6 which should fix 'EVEN MORE' problems that users may have experienced when unlocking their iPhone 3G. This new version is said to eliminate the need for switching AirPlane mode on and off to find service.

The iPhone Dev-Team is also using http://report.yellowsn0w.com/ to track the success rate of the iPhone unlock. You can submit your own unlock experience at http://report.yellowsn0w.com/submit.php to help them update and improve the yellowsn0w application for other users.

ChronoSync 4.0 and ChronoAgent 1.0 for Mac

Econ Technologies today updated ChronoSync, the automated synchronization and backup application for Mac OS X, to version 4.0 and released a new companion product ChronoAgent for Mac version 1.0. ChronoSync 4.0 adds many new features, most notably bootable backups, full Admin access, and speedier synchronizations. ChronoAgent for Mac is a brand new utility that runs on the destination Mac and communicates directly with ChronoSync, giving you full root access to the destination Mac.

ChronoSync and ChronoAgent for Mac will run natively on both Power PC and Intel-based Macintosh(R) computers running Panther, Tiger or Leopard. Download and try the demos, or purchase ChronoSync for $40 (USD) and ChronoAgent for Mac for $10 (USD). As always, all existing ChronoSync users update for free by obtaining a new ChronoSync 4 license from their website.



ChronoSync now offers bootable backups. Create a complete copy of your hard drive and boot directly into the backup. Additionally ChronoSync 4 gives you full access to the entire hard drive so any files can be copied. Nothing is off limits. ChronoSync also features a modified "Sync Engine" logic to use less memory and scan files faster, resulting in speedier synchronizations in most cases.

ChronoAgent for Mac is a brand new utility that runs on a destination Mac and communicates directly with ChronoSync. Normally, when you synchronize or back up to another Mac you mount it using file sharing. However, you only have the same access to that Mac as the user you mount as. Thus other user accounts and system files are off limits. ChronoAgent bypasses file sharing, giving you full access to the destination Mac and eliminating the need to mount via AFP, SMB or other protocols.

ChronoAgent can even match Users and Groups of files between two different Macs giving you full preservation of file ownership and permissions. ChronoAgent runs in the background as an invisible application and is controlled in the System Preferences of your Mac. ChronoAgent only communicates with ChronoSync, meaning you need to have ChronoSync 4 in order to communicate with ChronoAgent. ChronoAgent for Mac is a separate purchase and sells for $10. For all the details please visit the ChronoAgent for Mac overview page.

"ChronoAgent is not needed by everyone. Most users can simply activate file sharing on another Mac, mount, and then sync. But if you are having permission problems with your destination Mac or server then ChronoAgent can solve that. If you need to match Users and Groups between two different Macs then ChronoAgent can solve that. You can even create remote bootable backups," said Joe Japes, Marketing Director of Econ Technologies.

Additionally ChronoSync 4 now offers numerous other enhancements. Templates provide the ability to create Synchronizer and Container documents with customized settings. The Options panel as been redesigned with new features and a new layout. The Setup panel contains a Readiness status which displays any issues between the two Targets being synchronized. The Archive feature now supports file compression saving you disk space. For a complete list of features and fixes read the release notes available online at the econtechnologies website.

ChronoSync is the easy way to synchronize or backup files and folders. Synchronize between folders on your Mac, other Macs, PCs, external drives or anything you can mount on your Mac. Set up a Synchronizer document to schedule and automatically mount volumes so your syncs and backups are never missed. Archive your data and go back in time to restore and view older files. With ChronoSync, you can do a lot more than just copy data, you can manage data, too. Exclude files and folders, check the current sync status of files, even run trial synchronizations to see what will happen before it happens. ChronoSync will run natively on both Power PC (G3, G4, G5) and Intel Macintosh computers running Panther, Tiger or Leopard.

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iPhoto and iMovie Guided Tours

Apple has posted guided video tours of the new iPhoto and iMovie applications. Click the screenshot below to view the video.

iPhoto 09


iMovie 09

Werck BV Releases Checkout 2.3



Werck BV today released Checkout Server, a dedicated server application for Checkout, their Point of Sale software for Mac OS X, at the Macworld Conference and Expo. Additionally, Werck released Checkout 2.3, an update which includes German, French and Dutch localizations and a new API to create custom reports.

Checkout Server
Many Checkout users asked for a way to keep their valuable store data on a dedicated computer. Checkout Server allows just that, with more simultaneous connections, better performance and improved security.

With Checkout Server, up to forty computers can be connected to a store database at once. Users can schedule automatic store backups with Checkout Server that can run without interruption any time of day, even while employees are logged in to the store. Checkout Server can be administered with both a System Preferences pane and a command-line interface.

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