Monday, December 29, 2008
yellow sn0w
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wow..Just..WOW!….It appears Apple is taking cues from MS. Looks like the new iPhone OS 2.2 is laced with some serious problems. Bugs users apparently face are so significant that the list reads like a Rap-Sheet for a Con, which doesn’t seem far from the truth with this long list of complaints. This is just criminal! The problems involve not only third party apps, but standard iPhone functions as well straight from Apple! Some of which are internet connectivity issues, difficulty deleting emails, and more. Here’s a more detailed run-down:
3rd Party Apps: Some apps are now just broken. Kaput. SNAFU’d. FUBAR’d. They just do not work properly anymore since good ol’ 2.2. This is due to API changes and other “brilliant” mods. Many of these include apps that use the CoreAudio. So now the developers of these apps must update and reconfigure them to work. In some cases an uninstall/reinstall will fix the issue but honestly? Who wants that headache?
Connecting to the Web: Connection to the web is apparently stymied over cellular networks after 2.2. This can possibly be resolved by switching from 3G to Edge (Or to appropriate GPRS network carriers outside AT&T). So looks like slightly slower DL times over 3G, is now *poof*. Way to go Apple, great way to crush one of your own main selling points.
SIM Card Non-Detection or PIN Lock: Could you imagine this? Some users after “upgrading” are getting error messages stating that the SIM Card is not inserted. Pretty cool considering most iPhone users don’t even know how to access the SIM Card at all. (For those of you who don’t know while reading this here’s a hint: Paperclip) Or that a PIN lock is in place when none exists.
One work-around solution for the SIM issue is to REMOVE the SIM Card then connect the iPhone to ones system and then restore it. iTunes than MAY successfully restore the software successfully, to then which, you can reinstall the SIM and attempt a sync. Oi Vey!
If you get a PIN message? Try this here. Apple support. And good luck!
Kilometers in Google Maps, no Miles: Now if you’re a European reader, this means nothing to you. But us Americans? We just don’t do the Metric system unless it is for measuring illegal substances. This problem can be over come by going into settings and choosing “USA”. But then this leaves new issues for people outside the US.
Problems with Deleting Emails: Some users have reported an inability to delete emails out of certain accounts after upgrading. Some have reported being able to fix this by messing with the settings in how the iPhone handles IMAP and POP trash.
App Store Lagged: To end this lovely list of horrible “improvements”, the App Store is now bogged down to a crawl. Now this may be a server side issue that Apple will obviously have to correct but really…Man ALIVE!
To sum things up here, 2.2 is not on my wish list and I do not see me doing a jailbreak anytime soon nor an upgrade to 2.2. I buy products to make me happy and ease my daily life. Not create more problems. I am needless to say disappointed in Apple for releasing such shoddy work, considering the amount of time they spent this time around developing this release. I recently wrote an article questioning Apples state of mind in rejecting updates of apps which not only exist in similar form from other companies, but also in an earlier version from the same developer. Now that question has gone from a jibe to a certainty in my mind. Apple does not need Thorazine..A Frontal Lobotomy will fix them right up..
It seems that the issues of 2.2 are being reported en masse by iPhone users everywhere. After updating their precious devices users are suffering various and inconvenient shortfalls in the utility of their iPhones. Among the worst of these widespread malfunctions are:
- Disappearing Apps, both Apple and Thrid Party.
- Loss of WiFi connectivity.
- Loss of 3G and or Edge signal strength.
- And worst of all…..
- Inability to sync with iTunes.
If you are experiencing issues with 2.2, a downgrade back to 2.1 might be your answer. But be forewarned…..The procedure might not work and this may force you to have to once again restore to 2.2 losing your data. So attempt at your own risk.
The reports from hundreds of users claim how various and random apps just disappear after the upgrade. This also includes 3rd party apps. Some phones were Jailbroken, some were not. This could be the first look at Apple’s attempt at stopping us “hackers” from customizing and personalizing the devices in which we paid for.
Here are some reports of complaints (courtesy of iPhone Atlas Readers):
“When I upgraded, all my phone’s non-original apps disappear, except for google! When I tried to re-download and then resync them onto my iphone, only some of them would appear. After talking to support, we tried starting my computer (she said this was happening to some people) and then syncing. This added a couple more, but about 10 were still sitting in my iTunes and refusing to sync.”
“After the os 2.2 update. Safari suddenly disappeared. Syncing etc didn’t work or resolve the issue. I had to do a restore to get things back to normal.”
“After upgrading to 2.2 the iPhone camera app disappeared, and every program that uses the camera stopped working also. Restoring the phone brought it back but then the next Sync made it go away again. Very annoying. How much QA did they do before they released this upgrade? I can understand third party apps breaking but not the base applications.”
“I also have had a problem with a missing application. My camera application has disappeared and I tried restoring it, and it appeared for about five minutes, let me take one picture, then was suddenly gone again.”
Possible Fix: Set up iPhone as new: Try setting the phone up as a new device and then enjoy the inconvenience of RE-DLing any missing apps. Perform a restore in iTunes, then choose “Setup as new Phone”.
WiFi Non-Connectivity: What is the spread of Apple Joy without the love of no internet connectivity? This is the most widely reported issue complained about after the missing app problem. So if you suffer both of these? You’re in for a world of fun, because a lot of apps are above 10Mb and so you NEED WiFi to do the DL.
In some cases, “forgetting” the currently configured network and then reconfiguring it can resolve the issue. Other fixes include:
- Switch the router to WPA2
- Remove all spaces from the WPA pass phrase
- Remove all security from the router until a stable connection is attained then reconfigure the security.
Can’t Sync with iTunes: More and more users are reporting an inability to sync with iTunes. Several possible fixes are as follows:
- Reinstall iTunes 7.6.1 (Mac/Windows) Simply download the package run the installer and restart.
- Check the USB port Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a normally powered USB 2.0 port. If you’re using a hub, try connecting the iPhone directly to the computer or vice versa. Also try switching ports.
- Turn off auto-lock On your iPhone, tap Settings > General > Auto-Lock and set it to “Never” then re-attempt syncing.
- Restore the iPhone Click the Restore button under the Summary tab. Restoring the phone will erase contacts, calendars, photos and other data on the phone (including any third-party applications), but will restore automatically backed-up information including text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, etc. Some users have reported that restoring the iPhone, but not restoring custom settings data from the computer-stored backup alleviates this issue. Note that you’ll lose text messages, notes, call history, contact favorites, sound settings, widget settings, etc with this method, though you can restore them anytime by simply doing another restore and choosing to push the backup to the phone.
- Play the isolation game Leave your iPhone connected (or plug it in if it is not already connected). Deselect all sync options. This requires going to the Info, Ringtones, Music, Photos, Podcasts and Video tabs and unchecking every box. Sync your iPhone. Note that this may result in deletion of some data from the iPhone. Re-attempt a sync with all of your normal options. If it fails, try checking only one or two sync options and repeat the process until you find the problematic sync data.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
2.2 On November 21st !!??
iPhoneHellas is claiming to have confirmed from a credible source that iPhone OS v2.2 will be released this November 21st, although they say they cannot identify who their reliable source is. Some expert sites say that iPhoneHellas has made accurate predictions from credible sources in the past, others are unsure because they have not had experience with iPhoneHellas.
Anyway, here’s how the rumor goes;
First off, the supposed reliable source has indicated that the iPhone Firmware v2.2 will NOT be available to Greek keyboard or Greek menu.
Also rumored, according to iPhoneHellas,
“- New look for the Safari with the Google search bar now occupying its own space on the title bar
- Toggle On / Off to disable the auto-correction
- 461 Japanese emoji icons
- Support for new languages.
- Line-in audio is activated and can be used through the headphone jack
- Google Street View, Google Transit information - Routes public transport, Walking directions, Location sharing.
- App Store: 'Categories' now shows the icons of the Applications instead of the list, In each page of the Applications has been added by a button 'Tell A Friend' & 'Report A Problem', Added the possibility of scoring the application when the user chooses to delete from the device, Added the possibility for direct downloading of podcasts from the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store”
Well according to the rumor, the feature list remains the same as on the beta. Maybe a surprise copy/paste function will be added last minute? At any rate it seems that the futuristic versions of the iPhone that will turn on your coffee maker and lock the doors to your house that At&t recent interview are a long way off.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
iPhone Firmware 2.2 Jailbroken 10 Days Prior to Release!!!
A couple of days ago some choice developers started to receive the beta 2 of firmware 2.2 and the Dev Team obviously got their hands on it as well. They have already been getting dirty researching how to jailbreak it prior to its public release and they definitely have succeeded! So be ready to have a jailbreak prepped and ready when the new firmware is released in a matter of days!
Apples New Secret Weapon Against Jailbreaks?
Monday, November 3, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
nokia takes on iphone??
LONDON — Nokia, the world's top mobile phone maker, launched its free music package on Thursday, issuing a challenge to Apple's dominance of the digital music market.
The Finnish firm also launched its first touchscreen phone 5800 XpressMusic to rival Apple's popular iPhone.
Nokia said at an analyst and media event in London it would start selling the phone shortly, pricing it at the equivalent of $395 excluding subsidies and taxes, which it said was roughly half the price of the other main touchscreen phones on the market."The price and positioning of the product may result in substantial demand and will undoubtedly put some pressure on Apple," said Ben Wood, research head at CCS Insight.
The price means consumers in large markets will get the phone for free from operators when agreeing to sign a contract. The company also will be able to make a dent in emerging markets.
"We expect it to be listed with most of the (mobile phone) operators," Jo Harlow, head of music phones, told Reuters in an interview.
Nokia said all major music labels and most independent labels will offer their tracks as part of Nokia's "free" music bundle "Comes with Music," raising the total number of tracks to around 5 million.
"Apple's days of dominant digital music retailer outside the United States are numbered, if they don't do anything radical," said Rob Wells, head of Universal's digital music business.
Apple controls slightly more than half of global digital music sales through its iTunes store.
Nokia said it aims to offer the music service next year on Apple's home ground in the United States, the world's largest music market.
"In a market where price and selection are so much more important than brand to consumers, Apple cannot count on retaining users when competing with an offering which seems free to the end user," said Strategy Analytics' David MacQueen.
"Comes with Music" and similar products from other hardware vendors could help the music industry make up for falling CD sales and cut illegal downloads.
Crowded field
The battle for mobile music is increasingly crowded. Sony Ericsson launched its music package this month in Sweden, and South Korea's LG Electronics plans a service similar to Nokia's.
Nokia's package will differ from others on the market since users can keep all the music they have downloaded during the subscription period of 12 or 18 months. There are no charges for tracks downloaded as the cost is bundled to the phone price.
Analysts and music industry players said Nokia's offering could bring free music to millions of consumers and change the music industry significantly.
"The introduction of mobile handsets featuring unlimited music downloads out-of-the-box will bring about a fundamental change in the way the mass-market consumes digital music," said Rob Lewis, chief executive officer of British digital music firm Omnifone.
Push into services
The music download package is Nokia's first major push into the services business. Last year the company unveiled a revamp of its whole organization, aiming to build a new business from to internet services combat slowing growth in sales of handsets.
Nokia has acknowledged the impact Apple has made on the industry with its iPhone over the past year, saying the Cupertino, Calif.-based computer and consumer electronics company had done the mobile phone industry "a big favor."
"We have a new, credible competitor in this business," Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo told the Churchill Club on Wednesday, a speakers' forum for Silicon Valley civic leaders.
"Of course we need to be able to respond to any competitor and we will."
Nokia will launch the package in Britain, the world's third largest music market. United Kingdom retailer, Carphone Warehouse, will start selling the products on Oct 16.
Analysts said the choice of a relatively cheap model was a clear indication Nokia was trying to win over consumers who often are not paying for music but getting it through file-sharing sites on the Internet.
"If you have access to everything, what's the need for pirated music?" said Universal's Rob Wells.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
BlackBerry takes on iPhone!!!
After months of rumors, the Storm—the first-ever touchscreen BlackBerry—is finally official, and it's set for Verizon Wireless (exclusively, for now) later this fall. Read on for the details.
Verizon hasn't coughed up a hard-and-fast release date for the Storm—nor any pricing details, for that matter—but this much we do know: It'll pack in dual-mode CDMA and GSM radios for full-on world calling, 3G access (both EV-DO Rev. A and HSPA), GPS (along with turn-by-turn directions), Bluetooth (including the A2DP profile for stereo Bluetooth headsets), and a 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and autofocus.
Measuring 4.4 by 2.4 by 0.55 inches and weighing in at about 5.5 ounces, the Storm (which is also set to arrive in Europe through Vodafone) looks to be roughly the same size as an iPhone or the upcoming T-Mobile G1, so it should be reasonably pocketable.
The centerpiece, of course, will be the Storm's 480 by 360-pixel, 3.25-inch glass display, which will support multitouch (good for two-finger gestures, a la the iPhone). Even better, though, is a feature that RIM calls "ClickThrough": a design that lets you "distinctly feel the screen being pressed and released with a gentle click" for a "highly intuitive experience." Sounds promising, but whether the Storm's display actually delivers the tactile experience that's missing on the iPhone and the G1 remains to be seen (or felt, I guess); I look forward to trying it out in person. Update: Click here for initial ClickThrough impressions from the Web; so far, so good.
In addition to the multitouch display, the Storm will also come with an ambient light sensor, along with an accelerometer that'll automatically turn the screen when you hold the phone sideways. Speaking of which: When it comes to entering text, holding the Storm in a landscape view will give you a full QWERTY touch keypad, while in portrait mode you'll get a SureType keypad (or the same layout as on a BlackBerry Pearl).
Naturally, messaging will doubtless be one of the Storm's strong suits. Expect full-on BlackBerry e-mail support, complete with push e-mail and access to POP and IMAP e-mail servers. Also on board: SMS, picture and instant messaging.
Besides its 3.2MP camera, the Storm is set to arrive with full HTML Web browser (double-tap to zoom, tap and slide to scroll), a video and music player, with Verizon promising smooth, full-screen video playback. There's also a 3.5mm jack for your earphones, 1GB of internal storage, and a microSD expansion slot for another 16GB of flash memory.
All in all, sounds like a formidable package, although something's missing if you look carefully: Wi-Fi. Ugh.
So, what do you think? Likes and dislikes? Any guesses on the price? (I've heard $199 with a two-year contract, but that's not official
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
iPhone 2.2 Update Brings Google Street View to Maps?!!
After being sent out to developers last week promising only "compatibility testing" enhancements, the pre-release version of iPhone software 2.2 is starting to spill its secrets. The folks at Mac Rumors have dug up evidence that appears to indicate Google Maps' Street View finally making it into the Maps app, after popping up in the regular mobile Maps applications for non-iPhones as well as, of course, Android, with the cool Compass view feature. On top of Street View, they've also uncovered a few other new features, including the ability to disable the text auto-correction feature while typing.Pretty cool iRing design by Victor Soto
Apple lovers, keep in mind this is just a concept and not coming to stores any time soon so don’t go asking for it at the Apple store just yet.
The iRing, a concept design by Victor Soto, is meant to connect to the iPhone or iTouch via bluetooth. (although the iTouch doesn’t have bluetooth right now) It would control functions like volume, move back and forward through you songs or media, and mute. All this through touch sensitive controls on the surface of the ring; it also employees a lock mechanism so you don’t go changing the volume because you moved your hand.
A bit ahead of it’s time in terms of actual implementation, but I believe it is a nice idea on what the future can hold for device control. It was made with the Apple products in mind, but imagine music systems and TVs that can be controlled this way.
Imagine never running around the house trying to find the TV remote, it is always in your hand. I surely want to imagine that.
Is the ipod going to be nomore??!!
Woz is no stranger to iPhone Dev Team hacks. Some of you may remember his visiting the Dev Team’s ridiculously easy 1.1.1 jailbreak that required absolutely no PC or Mac at all…just a web page visit to: http://jailbreakme.comIn an surprisingly frank and fresh exclusive interview with the Daily Telegraph, Steve Wozniak has left us some new gems of wisdom regarding the past, present, and future of Apple. Among his thoughts on Apple's fanboyism, stock overvaluation, upcoming products, and the iPhone limitations, the most surprising is his prediction that the iPod success will die soon, just like the Walkman and transistor radio did:
The iPod has sort of lived a long life at number one. Things like, that if you look back to transistor radios and Walkmans, they kind of die out after a while. It's kind of like everyone has got one or two or three. You get to a point when they are on display everywhere, they get real cheap and they are not selling as much.
I have to agree with him that eventually, these wonderproducts die, although looking at the numbers, it seems that it still has a lot of life inside because the consumer electronics market that saw the Walkman and the transistors radio are not the same as today's. But obviously, Apple sees the same thing and the iPhone and iPod touch are efforts to keep the momentum going.
He also had some words for the fanboys out there who never question Apple's decision and defend its failures no matter what:
[Steve Jobs and I] don't like the fact that it's a bit of a religion. I would like to have the users influence the next generation. With a religion you're not allowed to challenge anything. I want our customers to challenge us.
Amen. But maybe some customers are challenging Apple already in products like the iPhone which, without an SDK, saw a flourishing industry of not-official third-party applications that are still coming out to solve the cellphone development's limitations. Woz compares the iPhone SDK limitations to Google's Android in the interview:
Consumers aren't getting all they want when companies are very proprietary and lock their products down. I would like to write some more powerful apps than what you're allowed.
Monday, October 6, 2008
well well.....;)
So welcome to my new page ive been buisy trying to get it togethter and as you can see its comming together nicely . already the first day and already i have came accross some good news for everyone using the 3g iphone the DEV TEAM is now on there way to trying to software unlock the 3g iphone although it seems that the hack actually shuts down the baseband chip’s SPI bus and renders the iphone usless they stated on there page: DEV TEAM-"We’ve been exploring different ideas with the 3G unlock, but this past weekend one of us hit a big snag. For whatever reason, all of our poking and prodding of the 3G baseband caused it to finally have a breakdown. After one specific exploit run, all of a sudden our baseband stopped responding to the OS. Even after multiple restore attempts, we were plagued with errors" DEV TEAM ALSO STATED: "Somehow our software hacking had caused the baseband chip’s SPI bus to stop responding (so it looked like a hardware problem). Even though BBUpdaterExtreme reported the correct baseband version, it failed basic tests like memtest." you can check out the links on my lower portion of this page and go directly to the DEV TEAMS PAGE for the full story. so stay tuned as i continue to put this page up and take care.:P
