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Launch Center puts Messages, Facebook, Twitter, a flashlight and more in your iPhone Notification Center [Macworld 2012]

Launch Center, a new shortcuts app for iPhone, aims to make everything from sending messages and mail to posting on Facebook and Twitter, to turning on your LED flashlight, faster and easier via an extremely clever, borderline audacious use of URL schemes and iOS 5′s Notification Center.

Produced by David Barnard of App Cubby fame, it boasts an absolutely gorgeous user interface that lets you easily set up which actions you want to appear in your Notification Center from a robust set of shortcut that include Phone, SMS/iMessage, Email, Twitter, Facebook, Flashlight, Google search, and Custom URL schemes. (That last one, for more advanced users especially, should make Launch Center an instant buy.)

Live from Macworld|iWorld 2012, David showed off some of the new features in the recent Launch Center 1.1 update, including scheduled launch actions — for example if you know you need to SMS your wife every morning or email your boss the report every friday at noon.

David’s keeping Launch Center in his dock now, since using Launch Center to quickly call a favorite or send a message is faster than tapping and pecking through screens of apps and layers of menus.

Hopefully Apple finds a way to balance security and accessibility in the next version of iOS so apps like Launch Center can start to do even more fantastic, time saving things.



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 28 Jan 2012 | 2:52 am UTC

Penultimate talks iPad stylus

Rene and I are at Macworld 2012 and had the pleasure of talking to Penultimate developer Ben Zotto. You, the iMore nation, asked us to ask Ben his thoughts on styli for the iPad, so we did! Check out the video above for Ben’s insights on the personal decision of choosing a stylus.

Here’s a list of the ones he mentioned:

What’s your favorite stylus to use with Penultimate?



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 28 Jan 2012 | 2:39 am UTC

Google’s new privacy policy and “don’t be don’t be evil”

Google's new privacy policy and of "don't be don't be evil"

Probably like many of you, I received my new Google Privacy Policy via email this week, and while couched in language about creating a more “beautiful” experience for us, the users — read: products — it’s also clearly about Google leveraging their popular services like Search and Gmail to help their new services, like Google+, become competitive with Facebook and Twitter.

Because Facebook and Twitter scare the shit out of Google and when companies, like people, are scared they do dumb things.

Google in particular, once the brash, brazen upstart that gave the proverbial middle finger to old, portal-style search sites and promised to always deliver the best results, not just the best Google-owned results, is struggling with their inner demons now. They don’t want to be replaced by social search the way their authoritative search replaced Yahoo! and Alta Vistas of old.

I’ve riffed before that any company sufficiently large is indistinguishable from evil. As they grow, as they face competitive pressures, the interests and agendas of their shareholders, stakeholders, and executives increasingly and more noticeably diverge from the interests of their users. From us.

They, like many of us, become the parents they used to despise.

Why does this matter to me and why am I posting it on iMore, an iPhone and iPad focused site? Because I’m a huge user of Google services and iPhone and iPad users in general are huge users of Google’s services. We use Google Search, Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and other services every day. We give Google massive amounts of personal information. We give them our trust. And that absolutely means we have both the right and obligation to hold them to that trust.

According to Sarah Lacey at PandoDaily, Google’s new, “don’t be don’t be evil” direction has become a concern even for many Googlers past and present, and the silence surrounding it is stymying even internal PR.

Good. This shouldn’t be easy. It should be messy and public and painful, and if Google wants to keep getting and using our data, they should keep earning that privilege.

Hopefully the rumors of Larry Page not wanting to hear any opposition to their new Google+ strategy are false, and like Apple and Facebook have sometimes done in the past, Google’s more unpopular new policies will be reversed, and soon.

Check the source link below for more on the issues surrounding Google’s new, more publicly evil direction, and read on for the new privacy policy in full.

More: Page Rage Escalates As Google Cancels Twitter Android Meeting

Dear Google user,

We’re getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that’s a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience across Google.

We believe this stuff matters, so please take a few minutes to read our updated Privacy Policy and Terms of Service at http://www.google.com/policies. These changes will take effect on March 1, 2012.

One policy, one Google experience

Easy to work across Google

Our new policy reflects a single product experience that does what you need, when you want it to. Whether you’re reading an email that reminds you to schedule a family get-together or finding a favorite video that you want to share, we want to ensure you can move across Gmail, Calendar, Search, YouTube, or whatever your life calls for with ease.

Tailored for you

If you’re signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries – or tailor your search results – based on the interests you’ve expressed in Google+, Gmail, and YouTube. We’ll better understand which version of Pink or Jaguar you’re searching for and get you those results faster.

Easy to share and collaborate

When you post or create a document online, you often want others to see and contribute. By remembering the contact information of the people you want to share with, we make it easy for you to share in any Google product or service with minimal clicks and errors.

Protecting your privacy hasn’t changed

Our goal is to provide you with as much transparency and choice as possible, through products like Google Dashboard and Ads Preferences Manager, alongside other tools. Our privacy principles remain unchanged. And we’ll never sell your personal information or share it without your permission (other than rare circumstances like valid legal requests).

Got questions?

We’ve got answers.

Visit our FAQ at http://www.google.com/policies/faq to read more about the changes. (We figured our users might have a question or twenty-two.)

Notice of Change

March 1, 2012 is when the new Privacy Policy and Terms will come into effect. If you choose to keep using Google once the change occurs, you will be doing so under the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Please do not reply to this email. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. Also, never enter your Google Account password after following a link in an email or chat to an untrusted site. Instead, go directly to the site, such as mail.google.com or www.google.com/accounts. Google will never email you to ask for your password or other sensitive information.



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 28 Jan 2012 | 1:21 am UTC

Yahoo cancels some of their mobile apps, plans to keep moving and keep innovating

Yahoo has announced that they’re canceling some of their mobile apps in an effort to — wait for it — keep moving and keep innovating. Some of the apps that will be discontinued include:

Yahoo has been in the mobile space for quite some time and managed to amass a good amount of apps so looking to cut some of their weight and move on isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The decommissioning of these apps, as Yahoo noted, will allow them to put more effort into creating other applications, like LiveStand in the mobile space. Of course, the apps that Yahoo! cut weren’t really up there in terms of usage and it’s hard to imagine anyone will be sad to see any of them go.

Source: Yahoo via: Android Central



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 11:55 pm UTC

Apple claims top smartphone vendor spot after Q4 results, iPhone is now 8.3% of all mobile phones

Strategy Analytics has crunched most of the fourth quarter results announced this week (including Apple’s), and figures the iPhone maker is now the top smartphone manufacturer, but only by a sliver. In Q4 2011, Apple claimed 23.9% of global smartphone market share, and Samsung trailed only slightly, with 23.5%. That’s just counting Q4, too; for the whole year, Samsung beat out Apple by a single percentage point.

Beyond smartphones, in the world of mobiles at large, Apple was relatively far behind. iPhones constituted 8.3% of the world’s handsets, while Nokia still clung the top spot with 25.5%, followed by Samsung with 21.3% global market share. Although that shows the iPhone still has a long ways to go, it did boast the best growth out of the three; during the same quarter last year, Apple only constituted 4.0% of the global market.

The folks at Strategy Analytics stepped in for a few comments. Associate Director Alex Spektor said “Apple’s growth was fueled by intense demand for its refreshed iPhone 4S, as well as the availability of three generations of iPhones at a variety of price points at operators like AT&T in the United States,” but there’s a lot of promise internationally, too. Tom Kang, another director, said ”China is becoming a key market for Apple this year, and we expect Apple’s share to grow rapidly in 2012, despite countless copycat rivals.” Nokia’s having a rough time holding onto their top spot, despite generally positive reviews of their first Windows Phones. According to Executive Director Neil Mawston,  “Nokia’s global handset shipments declined 8 percent annually to 113.5 million units in Q4 2011. Volumes were buoyed by the sales of Nokia’s low-end dual-SIM models in emerging markets like Southeast Asia, but were a little soft overall, as initial shipments of Microsoft Lumia phones could not offset declining Symbian sales.”

It’s rarely a surprise to see Apple doing well in terms of sales, but they’ll have to keep working hard in order to stay ahead of Samsung. We’re seeing lots of different Android phones coming out of Samsung to address different price points, and though Spektor’s right that there are older iPhones still on the market, they lack the forward-compatibility of many Android handsets.

It’s worth noting that according to Strategy Analytics, the overall smartphone market grew 63.1% in 2011, versus 71.4% growth in 2010. Do you guys think smartphone momentum is starting to plateau, or is this just a slight bump in the road?

Source: Strategy Analytics via Apple Insider



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 11:43 pm UTC

Forums: 16GB vs. 32GB, Jailbreak help

From the iMore Forums

We’ve rolled through this week and now we’re heading on into the weekend, we’re gathering up plenty of MacWorld coverage for you all so you’ll want to stay tuned for that.  You can register now to get started today and while you’re at it, check out some of the threads below:

If you’re not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 11:17 pm UTC

Siri guest stars on CBS’s Big Bang Theory

In the latest episode of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” titled “Beta Test Initiation”, Raj Koothrappali starts a relationship with a well-known woman – Siri.

After buying an iPhone 4S, Raj starts building a creepy relationship with Siri – taking her out for coffee, inviting her on double dates, and even dressing her, in “a nice black case”.

If you are a fan of the show, you’ll know that one of Raj’s personality traits is that he has difficulty talking to women, so when Siri makes a human appearance, hilarity ensues.

You can check out the clip of humanised Siri below, but be sure to watch the full episode on CBS.

 



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 10:17 pm UTC

New Sam & Max iOS game pits dog and bunny P.I.s against Santa Claus

Sam and Max, the quintessential dog and bunny duo, are coming back to iPhone to start the next season of their episodic game series. Episode one of “Beyond Time and Space” is called “Ice Station Santa”. The illustrious personification of Christmas has gone on a rampage, so Sam and Max hoof it to the North Pole to find out what’s going. Hilarity ensues, as it is wont to do. On top of the game, Ice Station Santa also includes a soundboard with which you can create bizarre phrases with sound bytes from characters. Beyond that, there’s a “Whack da Ratz” mini-game, where you shoot up a simple carnival game with an oversized revolver.

I’ve got a particular soft spot for the Sam & Max series, not only because I played the original PC game when I was a kid, but because the dialogue is snappy, the scenarios are hilariously absurd, and Max’s homicidal tendencies hold an indescribable charm. The one downside that I find to the new Sam and Max episodes is that if you haven’t played previous seasons, you’ll miss out on the appeal of many of the recurring characters and inside jokes. Otherwise, it’s a fine point-and-walk adventure game, with memorable dialog trees and puzzles that come at you out of left field. To get a sense of their humour, you should take a look at this comic series written when the franchise was revived in 2005.

Episodes 2 – 5 were already built for consoles and PC long ago, so hopefully we’ll see the rest of the season in the iOS app store soon. In the meantime, you can snag Episode 1 – Ice Station Santa at the link below, or get a taste of the game at the video after the jump. ”Ice Station Santa” is a universal app, so iPad owners, have at it!



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 9:39 pm UTC

iOS beats Android in enterprise activations

Many big-name companies are switching to the iPhone, and though BlackBerry is the biggest competition in the enterprise arena, iOS is doing a great job of cutting Android out of the picture. According to the latest data from Good Technology,  the iPhone 4S was just as popular new device among businesses as it was among consumers in the last quarter, commanding 31% of enterprise activations. The iPhone 4 has had a bit of a head start, but even then, only accounted for 17.6%, followed by the iPad 2 with 14.9% share. The top Android phone was the Samsung Galaxy S II, which only accounted for 1.7% of Good’s business customers. The data spanned October 1 through to December 31, and included thousands of companies that had at least 5 activated devices.

The Good data also broke down smartphone activity by sector, which showed that 35% of all mobile activations in the last quarter were in financial services, followed by business and professional services at 16.2%. The iPhone 4S specifically managed to be fairly popular in the business and professional services market, snagging 25.7% of all corporate iPhone 4S activations. Unfortunately, Good didn’t have any metrics on BlackBerry activations, but seeing as they’re essentially the alternative to RIM’s enterprise server software, I would wager their BlackBerry activation data would be lower than average anyway.

While Android smartphones were still pulling in more interest than iPads, it was a pretty close race, and combined with the massive popularity of iPhone activations, iOS is firmly planting itself in businesses. I’d love to see some more large-scale studies comparing iOS penetration in enterprise compared to BlackBerry, especially internationally, since RIM claims much of their popularity abroad. Data from November (PDF) suggests iPhone is leading BlackBerry in businesses, but there haven’t been a lot of other studies backing up that research.

How many iPhones are you guys seeing around the office? Is it a common sight, or does BlackBerry still reign supreme? Maybe Android has started to make some inroads…?

Source: Good



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 8:05 pm UTC

89% of iPhone shoppers pick iPhone 4S

As you might expect, anyone in the market for an iPhone is leaning towards the latest and greatest. A recent survey conducted by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners shows that 89% of U.S. consumers who bought an iPhone between October 14 (the day the iPhone 4S launched) and December went with the 4S, while 7% picked up an iPhone 4, and 4% bought a 3GS. Of the iPhone 4S buyers, 21% bought the 64 GB model, 34% went with 32 GB, and 45% bought the 16 GB version. The CIRP co-founder, Mike Levin, provided some additional context to the study.

“An amazing 19 percent of all iPhone buyers upgraded from the iPhone 4, a phone barely a year old at the time of the launch. Forty-two percent of iPhone buyers broke existing carrier contracts to get the new iPhone 4S. And 19 percent of these iPhone 4S buyers sold their old iPhone in the secondary market. Early upgrades, broken contracts, and selling used phones — all allow buyers to purchase the new iPhone 4S, when conventional wisdom suggests that these users would follow the two-year contract cycle, or at least purchase the cheaper models.”
It’s surprising to see such a disparity between the iPhone 4 and 4S, given form factor is the same, most of the capabilities are intact, and the 4S is significantly more expensive. On the other hand, Apple fans aren’t well-known for skimping on their gear, if only by virtue of the traditionally high pricetag their devices. Plus, there’s bound to be a bit of a spike, as the study’s timeframe includes the iPhone 4S launch day; maybe over time things will even out a little bit.

Quick show of hands – how many of you upgraded from the iPhone 4 to the 4S? Know any friends who did? Any regrets? Other surveys show iPhone 4S satisfaction is through the roof, so I doubt it.

Source: AllThingsD



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 6:30 pm UTC

Speck Products PixelSleeve Plus for iPad only $22.95 [Daily deal]

Speck Products PixelSleeve Plus for iPad only $22.95 [Daily deal]For today only, the iMore Store has the Speck Products PixelSleeve Plus for iPad on sale for only $22.95! Get them before they’re gone!

Get the Speck Products PixelSleeve Plus for iPad now!

The Speck PixelSleeve Plus is protective, portable and lightweight. A stretchy neoprene skin snugs up to the Apple iPad, while a tough, flexible reinforced middle layer guards against rough handling and impacts.

Inside, a soft micro-fleece lining and padded zipper protect against scratches. Easy to stash and easy to carry with its integrated handle, the Speck PixelSleeve Plus also makes airport security check points quick and easy.

Features:

Three layers of protection help keep your iPad looking new Lay-flat airport checkpoint-friendly design — keep iPad in sleeve without removing during security checks Integrated low-profile carry handle for comfort and convenience Textured neoprene exterior is soft, grippy and stylish



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 4:43 pm UTC

Apple strikes second win against Samsung 3G lawsuit

Apple has successfully defended the second UMTS (3G) patent infringement claim from Samsung in Germany today, though the battle’s far from over. The first complaint from Samsung was dismissed last week, and Apple promptly fired back at Samsung with a slide-to-unlock infringement claim. The Galaxy Nexus isn’t one of the phones in Apple’s countersuit, though there are still plenty more Android devices Apple’s complaint does include. Even if Apple manages to chew through the other 3G-related complaints, Samsung has another two lawsuits lined up related to smiley emoticons.

Apple and Samsung haven’t only been duking it out in the courtrooms, either. Samsung has been running a tongue-in-cheek set of ads that depict desperate, near-sighted Apple fanboys being faced with the grim reality that the Galaxy S II is plainly a better phone. Yeeeeeah, because we’ve all seen how Android’s voice-to-action implementations are way better than Siri.

While Apple is duking it out in Germany, Dutch courts have sided with Samsung in Apple’s design patent infringement claims against the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Patent squabbles are a natural part of the high-tech game, but Samsung and Apple in particular seem to really be going blow-for-blow against one another – although I’m sure Apple would be equally willing to attack any manufacturer siding with Android. Steve Jobs, as you might recall, had an intense loathing for the Android platform, and that mission will likely live on in Apple.

It sure would be nice if we could all just get along, if only to avoid having to figure out who’s suing who for what and where.

[via FOSS Patents]



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 4:33 pm UTC

Best jailbreak apps for new iPhone users

Need help figuring out what the best apps and tweaks are for your newly jailbroken iPhone? Cydia can be overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start. Whether you’re jailbreaking to theme or add more functionality, we’ll have you on your way to becoming a jailbreak ninja in no time.

Quick toggles and gestures

Utilities like Activator and SBSettings should be at the very top of any jailbreaker’s list. Who likes to tap all the way into Settings to disable Wifi or 3G? I know I don’t when I can just use SBSettings to disable it with two taps from virtually anywhere on my iPhone.

SBSettings has a limitless amount of toggles available in Cydia and can be customized and tweaked until your heart’s content. If you want a quick toggle to turn off SMS alerts, you’ve got it. It also allows you to monitor free memory and clear it out. All with a simple swipe on your status bar.

Activator is also a staple in the jailbreak world when it comes to accessing information and applications quickly. You may already have it and not know it. A lot of jailbreak applications and utilities require it. The main function of Activator is to allow you to set gestures for different functions. For example, I double tap on my status bar and a quick reply window for BiteSMS pops up. I can set virtually any gesture I want for any application that supports Activator gestures (a lot of the popular ones do).

SBSettings and Activator are must have utilities for any jailbreaker. They’re typically the very first items I install on my jailbroken devices.

SBSettings – Free – Cydia Search Link

Activator – Free – Cydia Search Link

Notification enhancement applications

While iOS 5 added a ton of enhancements to the way notifications are handled and presented, Apple still left a lot of room for improvement. This is where apps like LockInfo and IntelliscreenX step in to give you even more control over how notifications are handled.

I’ve never been a fan of how iOS 5 discards notifications from the lockscreen immediately after unlocking. I like them to stay there until I dismiss them myself. LockInfo and IntelliscreenX both allow this behavior. You also have the ability to add widgets and other information to your lockscreen and notification center (called Infoshade in LockInfo). IntelliscreenX takes it one step further and adds a “top shelf” that allows you to add quick toggles you can access with a quick swipe down on notification center. This is a convenient place to stick SBSettings.

LockInfo also allows you to access your favorite contacts directly from the Infoshade or lockscreen. Both apps are great notification enhancers but they differ in some areas and feature sets. Choose the one that’s personally right for you. To help you decide which one may appeal to you more, you can check out our LockInfo vs IntelliscreenX comparison.

LockInfo – $7.99 w/ free trial – Cydia Search Link

IntelliscreenX – $9.99 w/ free trial – Cydia Search Link

Text message enhancements

While multitasking in iOS 4 made switching between applications a lot easier, you still have to completely exit whatever you’re doing to reply to a text message. Apps like BiteSMS and Messages+ aim to close that gap with quick reply functionality. Instead of having to exit out of an app a quick reply keyboard pops up, you type your message, away it goes, and you’re back to whatever you were doing before without interruption.

If you’ve purchased IntelliscreenX, you also get a license for Messages+ as well. While there are other quick messaging applications available in Cydia, BiteSMS and Messages+ are the best of the best. BiteSMS allows you to purchase credits as well if you don’t want to pay text messaging fees. It can add up to be a lot cheaper than text messaging plans.

BiteSMS – Free or $9.99 (ad free) – Cydia Search Link

Messages+ – $7.99 (free w/ IntelliscreenX purchase) – Cydia Search Link

Theming your iPhone

If you want to customize the look and feel of your iPhone, there are thousands of free and paid themes in Cydia. You can also choose from a few different utilities to theme. Some themes may require Winterboard while others will require Dreamboard. There are also applications like Theme It available in Cydia that aim to bring the best of the best themes straight to your iPhone all in one place.

If you don’t necessarily want an all in one theme but still want to customize to your liking, you can check out Springtomize 2. Springtomize 2 allows you to customize individual aspects of your iPhone’s overall appearance. There are tons of add-ons and built-in options to choose from. If you tend to be more picky, Springtomize 2 is probably a better bet as it offers far more control.

Winterboard – Free – Cydia Search Link

Dreamboard – Free – Cydia Search Link

Springtomize 2 (iOS 5+) – $2.99 – Cydia Search Link

Extras

If you’re looking for tweaks that just make your iPhone that much cooler when jailbroken, here’s some extra tweaks we’ve found that are just cool in general.

Cyntact

Adds contact pictures to your address book next to each contact.

$0.99 – Cydia Search Link

BlurriedNCBackground

Blurs the background of notification center. Nothing to configure and doesn’t add any additional icons.

Free – Cydia Search Link

Shrink

Change the default size of icons in your dock and on your homescreen. I find this particularly useful if you have a background you’d like to see without huge icons being in your way.

$1.49 – Cydia Search Link

Barrel

Add cool transitions when tabbing through pages on your springboard. Make your icons roll, fall away, and more.

$2.99 – Cydia Search Link

If you’ve got any cool tweaks or utilities you think beginner’s would benefit from be sure to let us know! This is just the beginning of what you can do with a jailbroken iPhone.

Additional resources:



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 4:02 pm UTC

PocketCPR app by the British Heart Foundation hits the App Store

The British Heart Foundation has released an app that provides detailed instruction on how to give CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) should the need ever arise. Performing CPR could save the life of a friend or relative and is a practice everyone should know how to perform.

The British Heart Foundation PocketCPR provides REAL-TIME feedback and instructions on Hands-only CPR that empowers ANYONE to learn and practice CPR, so that they can be READY when seconds really count!!! The technology is the same as that used in the ZOLL PocketCPR for actual rescue from sudden cardiac arrest. This version teaches Hands-only CPR skills according to the latest American Heart Association and European Resuscitation Council CPR and ILCOR Guidelines as published on October 18, 2010.
The British Heart Foundation PocketCPR app is available free for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires and  iOS 4.3 or later. Have an app you’d love to see featured on iMore? Email us at iosapps@imore.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

CPR2 CPR 3 CPR 1 CPR

 



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 1:23 pm UTC

Thieves using Apple Stores to replace stolen iPhones

Acoording to a report by Reuters, Apple’s generous customer service may be causing huge problems for victims of iPhone theft. The warranty plan is tied to the iPhone and not the person who owns the phone; this means anyone can take an iPhone to an Apple Store for service or replacement.

The ease of trading in stolen iPhones and selling their replacements makes them nearly as tempting as grabbing cash. In cities from coast-to-coast, reports of iPhone thefts are common. While some thieves sell the phones through the traditional channels of fencing stolen goods, examples abound of stolen iPhones being brought back to Apple, as if broken, for either replacement or a discount on a new unit. ”Apple seems to have not considered stolen devices and instead is relying on the honor system,” says Robert Siciliano, a consultant for Intel Corp’s technology security unit McAfee and an identity theft expert. “The honor system is devised with the mindset that we are all sheep and there are no wolves.” Siciliano says he has known of this problem for a while, but doesn’t see any immediate solution. “Until consumers scream loud enough about this issue, Apple probably won’t do anything about it.”
While this approach is fantastic for the honest iPhone owners, thieves are using Apple’s good nature to carry out a type of laundering for stolen iPhones. When a phone is reported as stolen, a carrier can blacklist it as stolen and disable it by using its device specific IMEI number. If the device has been swapped or replaced at an Apple Store, that security measure has now been bypassed. This enables a thief to sell on or use a brand new iPhone without fear of recrimination.

Apple has yet to comment on the findings within the report but let’s hope a simple solution can be found that will not cause pain for the honest amongst us. The last thing we need is for Apple to change its policies and make life more difficult when it comes to iPhone service and replacement.

Source: Reuters, Image Wikipedia



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 7:56 am UTC

Tim Cook speaks out against claims of factory worker mistreatment

Apple CEO Tim Cook has followed up on the New York Times story about the human cost of manufacturing iPhones, iPads, and Macs in China with an email to Apple internal employee. In short, he takes issue with the Times.

As a company and as individuals, we are defined by our values. Unfortunately some people are questioning Apple’s values today, and I’d like to address this with you directly. We care about every worker in our worldwide supply chain. Any accident is deeply troubling, and any issue with working conditions is cause for concern. Any suggestion that we don’t care is patently false and offensive to us. As you know better than anyone, accusations like these are contrary to our values. It’s not who we are. For the many hundreds of you who are based at our suppliers’ manufacturing sites around the world, or spend long stretches working there away from your families, I know you are as outraged by this as I am. For the people who aren’t as close to the supply chain, you have a right to know the facts.

Cook went on to note that Apple wants to educate workers about their rights. Apple wants to empower them to speak up when they are unfairly or mistreated. Cook claims more than a million people have already been trained under Apple’s program. Cook was also sure to mention that it’s his belief that no other company has taken more or better steps than Apple has with their workplace efforts.

The employee emails were semi-frequent under the late Steve Jobs and they’ve been regular under Tim Cook as well. Jobs was also fond of the open letter. Perhaps we’ll start to see those from Cook as well, and this incredibly important issue will get the attention and publicity it deserves.

You can read Tim Cook’s full email sent out to Apple employee’s via the link below.

Source: 9to5Mac

Team,



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 5:54 am UTC

Celebrity iPhone and iPad sightings: Olivia Wilde, Vanilla Ice, Megan Massacre, Jake Gyllenhaal, and more!

Hello everyone and welcome to iMore’s weekly celebrity iPhone and iPad sightings roundup! Time to take a little break from your daily routine and relax with some gossip from the world of the rich and famous. What do all of these celebrities have in common? They all were spotted with an iPhone or iPad, of course. Check out a ton of pictures after the break, and if you spot a celebrity rocking an iPhone or iPad, drop us a note at news@iMore.com so we can include them in the next roundup, next week!

Please note: Some pictures may from time-to-time be NSFW (Not Safe For Work) so use discretion when viewing.

Fabio is still around, rocking an iPhone.

 

Actress Hayden Panettiere did a bit of shopping at Whole Foods with her white iPhone.

 

Jake Gyllenhaal knows to come to doctor appointments prepared. He brought his iPhone and his iPad.

 

Jennifer Garner looks like she's ready to have her baby anytime!

 

This picture of Katherine Hiegl being smooched by this guy is just awkward. She has her iPhone in red to match her dress.

 

Megan Massacre uses her iPhone on NY Ink to call an old friend.

 

Pregnant actress Molly Sims has her iPhone in a red case.

 

I can't tell if Nicole Kidman is waving at someone or what in this picture. She appears to have a white iPhone.

 

Olivia Wilde stops on the sidewalk to use her iPhone.

 

Amanda Seyfried has a white iPhone with a black case.

 

It's a bit blurry, but Vanilla Ice was using an iPhone in a sketch he did recently for The Soup.



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 1:17 am UTC

NAMCO Arcade now available for iPhone and iPad: Free-to-Play classic arcade titles

Namco Bandai have released Namco Arcade to the iTunes App Store for iOS devices with a free-to-play model in effect. If you’re a fan of retro gaming, this is certainly one you won’t want to miss as Namco has re-created many 1980′s classics and wrapped them all into one app. NAMCO Arcade includes the four titles XEVIOUS, The Tower of Druaga, Motos and Phozon, and more titles are panned for future release.

The pricing structure for the included games is interesting, each day you get one free game to play and if you wish to continue – or play a different game, you can purchase play coins right within the app. Prices for the coins that allow you to play any game start at $.99 for 10 with the outright game purchases pricing starting at $1.99 and going up as high as $4.99.

In addition to the cool games available, Namco has also added Game Center integration and uploadable user data so that you may share your scores across the globe with other playing the games. Just in case you feel like bragging about your high scores. Namco Arcade is available in the iTunes App store now for free.



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 27 Jan 2012 | 1:10 am UTC

How to use AutoFill to automatically fill out web forms on iPhone and iPad [Daily tip]

Tired of filling out one tedious web form after another, and wondering how to get Safari on iPhone and iPad to automatically fill them out for you? Luckily, deep within the settings of Safari there is a way to setup AutoFill, something which allows you to automatically input your personal data on sites that permit its use.

Daily Tips range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@imore.com.



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 9:34 pm UTC

Crazy rumor pegs Siri-powered Apple OLED iTV television set for spring release

Crazy rumor pegs Siri-powered Apple OLED iTV television set for spring release

Could Apple have an Siri-powered, OLED equipped iTV television set to debut this April or May? So a source within a “major electronics retailer” would have TechnoBuffalo believe.

Speaking on conditions of anonymity, the source said they’ve seen “gorgeous, very thin” pre-production versions of the set in person, and that they employ OLED panels at various sizes up to 42-inches.

In addition to Siri artificially intelligent, voice controlled assistant, they claim it will sport facial recognition, and be able to use the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad as a fallback controller. But wait, there’s more!

Our source said Apple is exploring the notion of using the set to control other connected devices in the home; think along the lines of ovens that pre-heat while you’re watching TV before dinner, and garage doors that can be closed by voice command while you sit on the couch. No details were given as to whether Apple would consider manufacturing such devices, though given their history, a “Made for iPod” style accessory program would be a natural fit for a TV-based connected home system.

In Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography, the late Apple co-founder did claim he’d “cracked” the television interface, and rumors of an Apple television have certainly picked up steam ever since. However, Jobs has also spoken about how difficult a challenge it is to deal with regional cable and satellite monopolies and oligopolies, never mind paranoid, anachronistic Hollywood executive who believe Apple is out to destroy their business, and consumers to steal their content.

The part about “other connected devices” is interesting in so far as Google’s Android at Home might one day compete at doing just that.

With iPad 3 likely to be the star of Apple’s spring schedule, however, it’s hard to see a new product like an iTV television getting jammed in alongside. Still, these kinds of rumors do get us thinking, even as we wait for them to get smashed. Or for a follow up claiming it will be exclusive to Sprint. Or that an iTVS Pro with Retina display will also hit before the end of the year. Whichever comes first…

Source: TechnoBuffalo



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 9:19 pm UTC

Tweet from anywhere on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with TwitkaFly [jailbreak apps]

TwitkaFly allows you to tweet from virtually anywhere with a quick swipe or tap on your jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It will add a Twitter shortcut to your notification center pull down and allow you to program a quick gesture for composing straight through Activator. The interface is clean and very iOS 5 like. It isn’t bogged down with too many buttons or cheesy graphics either.

The utility supports the following features –

Twitkafly ties into your existing Twitter app so you can handle notifications through it once you choose your client through Settings. Currently TwitkaFly supports the official Twitter app, Tweetbot, and Tweetings. I’m assuming more clients will eventually be added. It’s compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4 or higher. The only issue I’ve had so far is when I link it with Tweetbot. Whenever I click a notification it re-springs my device. If I link it with Twitter or Tweetings, it works fine. Hopefully that’s just a bug that’ll be hammered out pretty quickly.

If you’re using LockInfo or IntelliscreenX you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues and it should just tie straight into your existing notification program. You’ll just notice the addition of a QuickTweet button in the bottom left or right hand corner of notification center.

TwitkaFly is already available for purchase in Cydia. They’ve got a lite version available for free and a paid version for $1.99. Hit the link below to check it out and then let us know what you think! You can also check out more jailbreak apps and utilities in our apps, hacks, and themes forum.

Twitkafly – $1.99 – Cydia Search Link



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 8:56 pm UTC

Valve’s Steam Mobile hits the App Store, connect with your Steam Friends on the go

Valve has released Steam Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch into the App Store. Sort of. It is available to download and install on your iOS device, but unfortunately you need to be part of a limited beta to actually begin to use it. We are sure this will change fairly soon but it is very frustrating for those gamers that use Steam and want to use the app now.

With the free Steam app for iOS, you can participate in the Steam community wherever you go. Chat with your Steam friends, browse community groups and user profiles, read the latest gaming news and stay up to date on unbeatable Steam sales.

The Steam Mobile app is available for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. It is not a universal binary so you are looking at 2x mode on your iPad. Hopefully Valve will rectify that soon as well.

Have an app you’d love to see featured on iMore? Email us at iosapps@imore.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

Steam 5 Steam 4 Steam 3 Steam 2 Steam 1

 



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 8:44 pm UTC

44% of iPhone apps lose revenue during sale

Distimo released an interesting report today that examined the overall effects of different app promotions across the iPhone and iPad App Store, as well as the Android Market. One of the most striking stats from the report was that “44% of the iPhone applications that have been on sale lost revenue during the sale, and 23% saw a decline in revenue by more than 20%”.

Distimo factored in how much of a price cut each app received, and put it into the above graph. As you might expect, the sharper the price cut, the greater the revenue. The graph shows that, among those that cut their price by 80%,  just as many apps lost 20% or more revenue as gained more than 100% revenue.  On the whole, putting apps on sale is still a good thing, though; the average iPhone app increased revenue by 22%, iPad apps increased by 19%, and Android app revenue went up by 29%. As you might expect, all three categories see a significant spike on the first day.

The report also examined the effects of having apps being featured. As it turns out, Android apps see a much higher boost in rank from being feature than on the iPhone or iPad. On average, an iPhone app has its rank bumped up 15 spots in the first three days of being featured, while iPad apps go up 27. Android apps? They climb 42 spots, on average. Only 11% of featured iPhone apps climbed more than 50 ranks, compared to 26% of featured Android apps.

Any app developers in the house reconsidering putting their app on sale now? I’m definitely more inclined to do my app shopping when cuts are down at the $0.99 range, but what about you guys?

Source: Distimo



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 8:03 pm UTC

The human cost of manufacturing the iPhone, iPad, and other electronics in China

The New York Times is reporting on the human cost of manufacturing iPhones, iPads, and other electronics in China. While Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Toshiba and others are also mentioned, Apple gets most of the focus, no doubt because they have the highest profile. The article details how suppliers approach Apple and what Apple requires of them to produce the devices we all use on a daily basis — the cost of parts, salaries, and more importantly, the impact on human lives.

“The only way you make money working for Apple is figuring out how to do things more efficiently or cheaper,”

“And then they’ll come back the next year, and force a 10 percent price cut.”

Many of these cuts come at not only the expense of their workers but to their safety as well. A former Apple executive familiar with the supply process agrees that safety and cutting margins has long been an ongoing issue in China -

“You can set all the rules you want, but they’re meaningless if you don’t give suppliers enough profit to treat workers well,”

“If you squeeze margins, you’re forcing them to cut safety.”

A recent explosion in an iPad 2 facility resulted in 2 fatalities with many more injured. The advocacy group Sacom in Hong Kong also published a report warning of unsafe conditions, issues with aluminum dust, and poor ventilation. Debby Chan Sze Wan of Sacom says a copy of the report was sent to Apple. After receiving no response, she flew to Cupertino.

“A few months later I went to Cupertino, and went into the Apple lobby, but no one would meet with me. I’ve never heard from anyone from Apple at all.”

Apple has been making moves to address some of the concerns, including publishing a Supplier Responsibility Progress Report that lists several companies that have continually been found in violation of safety regulations every year since 2007. The problem doesn’t just lie with Apple but with many technology companies that continuously pressure suppliers to cut their margins. It’s worth pointing out that Apple is the only company that’s releasing a supplier list and providing transparency. We’re still waiting on other companies to do the same.

And the countries themselves can’t be let off the hook either. They want the jobs and money Apple and other manufacturers are creating and providing, and have not yet put in place regulations to safeguard their citizens and workplaces. Perhaps they fear if they do, Apple and other companies will just go elsewhere. But that’s a reason, not an excuse.

Source: The New York Times



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 6:20 pm UTC

iPad production in Brazil gets tax breaks

While Brazilian-made iPads might be a bit behind schedule, they’re shaping up to be ready shortly. The government has recently confirmed that Foxconn has qualified for local tax breaks, which they’ll be happy to get after pouring $300 million into the country to make its third factory in São Paulo and hiring 1,400 local workers. Foxconn has earned exemption or reduction from IPI (a federal tax added to production materials) and PIS (a tax to pay for unemployment insurance and low-wage workers). Apparently the rule will apply to all tablets weighing less than 750 grams, so in theory, Foxconn could benefit from these tax cuts when building tablets for competitors, too.

Foxconn has invested more than $12 billion into the whole affair, which was all put at risk as the manufacturing giant demanded special treatment from the Brazil government before setting up shop.

No doubt a manufacturing facility will do wonders for Apple’s penetration in Latin America, but I would be curious to see how much it helps us here in North America – after all, shipping from Brazil would be much faster than from China, at least on paper. I would be a little surprised if the Brazilian shipping infrastructure was as strong as Shenzhen’s, so it might actually be a close race. Even as a back-up to the main supply line from, this Brazilian plant will do good things for making sure iPads are well-stocked around the world.

Source: Folha via AppleInsider



Source: iMore - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch blog | 26 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pm UTC

iStrategy Conference Sydney 2012

Strategy’s Australian Conference will return to Sydney in February. iStrategy offers speakers with expertise in every online channel, a wide-range of attendees for exclusive networking opportunities and workshops with actual learning scenarios.  If building a high-performing, integrated marketing strategy is important to your company, then iStrategy Sydney is a worthwhile investment of your time.

Date : 21st to 22nd February, 2012

Location : Sydney

For more information visit:

http://www.iabaustralia.com.au/index.php?/events/item/istrategy_conference_sydney_2012

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 21 Nov 2011 | 7:32 am UTC

Effective Information Management Training

Information Management & Data Quality is one of the most

important issues confronting modern organisations today. We collect an ever increasing amount of data but are we really getting the information that we want?

This 3 day course will:

Prepare you for IAIDQ certification

Date: 5th - 7th November 2011

Location: Melbourne

For more information visit: http://enterprisearchitects.com/WhatWeDo/Training/tabid/70/language/en-AU/Default.aspx

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 16 Nov 2011 | 1:38 am UTC

December Melbourne Python Users Group Meetup

Topics are still to be confirmed but mark in your diary to head along to the Melbourne Python Users Group Meetup in December. Keep an eye out on the website link below for more details.

Date: 5th December 2011
Location: Inspire9 at 1/41 Stewart Street in Richmond, Victoria.

For more information visit: http://wiki.python.org/moin/MelbournePUG

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 15 Nov 2011 | 1:05 am UTC

Mobile Advertising - IAB

Come along to IAB’s mobile event with a great lineup of key industry speakers. You’ll hear their insights into what’s happening now, what the opportunities are and what’s next in the world of mobile advertising. With Morgan Stanley forecast, that by 2014, global internet access from mobile devices will exceed internet access from more ‘fixed’ (computer, laptop) devices. It’s critical to understand the future direction of how this plays a role in the advertising industry.

Sydney - 22nd November

Melbourne - 23rd November

For more information visit: http://www.iabaustralia.com.au/index.php?/events/item/iab_event_leading_edge_-_mobile_advertising

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 14 Nov 2011 | 11:33 am UTC

Making Online Measurement Make Sense Roadshow

This seminar will provide the background on why a new measurement methodology is required, top line details on Nielsen’s new hybrid methodology known as Nielsen Online Ratings as well as a high level guide to the new measurement terminology and insights from the MFA.

Sydney - 15th November

Melbourne - 16th November

Brisbane - 25th November

Adelaide - 29th November

Perth - 30th November

For more information visit: http://www.iabaustralia.com.au/index.php?/events/item/making_online_measurement_make_sense_roadshow2

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 14 Nov 2011 | 11:27 am UTC

iPhoto and iMovie - AUSOM Mornington

Join the AUSOM Mornington Group to hear a presentations from Elizabeth Clydesdale on iPhoto and iMovie. There will also be a pilot session for AUSOM ‘Beginners’ Course.

Date: 17th November 2011
Location: Mornington Community Information & Support Centre - 320 Main Street, Mornington.

For more information visit: http://ausom.net.au/nextmeetings/

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 14 Nov 2011 | 11:05 am UTC

SydPHP November 2011 Meetup

Join the SydPHP meetup and hear two presentations on Topics Filtering HTML Input and Open Source Developers Conference wrap-up.

Date: 24th November 2011
Location: Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney, Australia

For more information visit: http://sydphp.org/

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 14 Nov 2011 | 10:45 am UTC

November Beginners Workshop and OpenShot – LUV

Come along to the LUV Beginner’s Workshop and OLPC Corner with a presentation from Alex Garber on editing video with OpenShot.

You’ll work with other Linux enthusiasts so you can set up your system the way you want, so bring your laptop.

Date: 19th November 2011
Location: The Hub @ Docklands, cnr Bourke St and Harbour Esplanade, Docklands

For more information visit: http://luv.asn.au/2011/11/19

Source: TechEvents.com.au | 14 Nov 2011 | 10:35 am UTC

Popular iPhone and iOS Forensic Tools

With the ever increasing popularity of the Apple iPhone and iOS devices, there are a growing number of tools that specifically address the needs of security professionals.

Even free tools now allow an end user to explore data, perform data recovery and run security tests and audit reports.

It’s important that as a security or IT professional that you understand how these tools work so you can better safeguard business data and educate your users if you’re responsible for managing a large number of iPhones (or other iOS devices).

Below are a few of the more popular iPhone and iOS forensic tools. Most of these tools are very easy to use and even end users can analyze collected data and generate detailed audit reports that can be used for either data recovery, security auditing or for legal purposes.

Oxygen-forensic suite

This is one of the most popular mobile forensic suite and is widely used because of its rich feature set. Some of the features of Oxygen-forensic are: recovering phone basic info, multimedia messages, contact lists, call logs, web browser cache, email recovery and geographical coordinates. Besides iPhone and iOS devices, it supports other mobile platforms such Symbian OS, Android, Windows Mobile and RIM BlackBerry devices.

More information: http://www.oxygen-forensic.com/en/

iXAM

iXAM (ig’zam) deals with non-invasive data recovery from various iPhone models as types like 2G, 3G, 3GS and 4 plus iPod Touch. It creates a full image of the iPhone that needs to be analyzed, this created image can then be stored for future references. An audit report is created by iXAM that outlines the whole recovery process as well as documenting audits of various iPhone system components.

More information: http://www.ixam-forensics.com

Lantern

Lantern is a newer iPhone forensics solution developed by Katana Forensics. It creates a physical RAW dd and .dmg image files of all iOS Devices (iPhones as well as iPads and iPods). It is possible to start inspecting data while Lantern is processing any iOS device which makes it very useful to process large number of devices. Mapping of geographical co-ordinates as well as timeline analysis make this tool very powerful and comprehensive. It also has additional support for third party installed applications.

More information: http://katanaforensics.com/forensics/lantern-v2-0/

iPhone Analyzer

This is a handy iPhone forensics tool that can do most of the basic tasks like backing up files, examining different files types as well as the internal structure of iPhone. It is free to download and use and it’s also open source which gets a thumbs up from us!

More information: http://sourceforge.net/projects/iphoneanalyzer/

Summary

There are many more iPhone and iOS tools on the market since we first created this site and we’re sure there will be many more new tools appearing in the future. These tools are only a sample of what’s out there, but it’s more than enough to get you started with exploring your iPhone and iOS devices.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 7 May 2011 | 7:02 am UTC

Top 5 iPhone Apps Used Daily

Niiiiiiiiiik.com has posted his top 5 apps he uses daily.

I use Facebook and foursquare, will be taking a look at Twittelator.

You can read the full post here:

http://niiiiiiiiiik.com/2011/02/20/top-5-iphone-apps-i-use-daily/

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 20 Feb 2011 | 5:53 am UTC

Blogging with your iPhone

Darren Rowse from ProBlogger posted what is perhaps the most thorough review of blogging using your iPhone I’ve come across. As with all good blog posts, the comments in this particular post have great value.

I’ve been Tweeting a little about my initial experience of the iPhone and quite a few of my Twitter buddies have asked me to write a review of the iPhone as a blogging tool. I am not writing a general review here of the iPhone as a phone - but want to focus this upon it as a tool for bloggers.

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/08/05/the-iphone-3g-as-a-blogging-tool-my-review/

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 11 Aug 2008 | 2:27 pm UTC

CAPS Lock on the iPhone Keyboard

Did you know that the iPhone keyboard does have a CAPS Lock function? Just go into Settings > General > Keyboard and you will see the option there hiding, switched off by default. Just switch it on and enjoy having the ability to type in capitals buy double tapping the Shift key.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 2 Aug 2008 | 5:05 am UTC

British Airways iPhone App

Yet another iPhone application has been released that seems to be getting quite a bit of attention. It’s interesting to see how many people pay attention to a mobile application released by someone other than Google, MySpace or YouTube - that is someone whose core business isn’t technology.

British Airways iPhone App

British Airways iPhone App

The app provides real-time information on all of the British Airways flights’ arrivals and departure times, and a full interface to current timetables.

You can download the British Airways app for free from the App Store. You can also check out the official British Airways site for more information.

Those watching the iPhone app space have seen lots of these sorts of applications popping up over the past few weeks, and as many predicted, it’s evidence of the start of a true mobile wave.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 27 Jul 2008 | 4:55 pm UTC

How Tough is an iPhone? iPhone Stress Test Video

It’s a question I’ve been asked quite a few times, usually related to questions about what sort of iPhone case or iPhone protector screen is the best. If you’d like to see what happens to an iPhone after it’s been thoroughly abused (dropped and scratched), check out the original iPhone Stress Test at PCWorld.com.

This video is a classic and should give all new iPhone owners a little more confidence handling their new gadget.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 27 Jul 2008 | 4:24 pm UTC

Review - QuickSend App

QuickSend is a simple app that lets you send quick email messages from your iPhone. It’s interface is extremely simple, and for what it does, that’s all it needs to be. You simply select the recipient and a predefined message, such as “I love you” or “I’m running late”.

For a mobile application, it’s simplicity nails it, however it would be good if you could add to these messages. Another useful feature would be the ability to select “favorite” recipients. I’d also like to see this have “Email it!” as well as “SMS it!”, that would really rock.

All in all, worth installing if you use your iPhone for sending email and frequently find yourself sending simple messages to people.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 27 Jul 2008 | 4:12 pm UTC

iPhone Wallpaper Collection

Following on from the post on creating your own iPhone wallpaper, if you’d prefer to check out a gallery of iPhone wallpaper that others have already created, check out the massive collection at the Flickr iPhone Wallpapers pool. Get yourself a cup of coffee, it’s real big. Actually, 6,437 items at the time of writing to be exact.

NOTE: Remember, once you have an image in your photo collection on your iPhone, you can click the icon with the arrow (bottom right hand corner) and select the option “Use As Wallpaper”.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 27 Jul 2008 | 4:43 am UTC

Creating Your Own iPhone Wallpaper

Here’s everything you need to know if you want to make your own iPhone Wallpaper. There are hundreds of tutorials on creating iPhone Wallpaper with gradients or reflective text, but if you already have a grip on creating custom images and know what you want to do, all you really need are the dimensions.

Save your image as a JPG and transfer it to your iPhone using iTunes (add it to your Photos). Once it’s transferred, you will be able to view it as a regular photo and set is as your Wallpaper (by hitting the bottom right hand icon and selecting “Use As Wallpaper”).

As you’d expect this also works for the iPod Touch as well.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 27 Jul 2008 | 4:40 am UTC

Taking Screenshots with your iPhone

If you want to capture an error message or just a plain screenshot, iPhoneMad.com has a tip that tells you how to capture a screenshot using a built-in iPhone feature.

You can read the article here:

http://iphonemad.com/taking-a-screenshot-with-your-iphone/

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 25 Jul 2008 | 12:22 pm UTC

4 Ways to Extend Your iPhone Battery Life

Want to squeeze a little extra juice out of your iPhone battery? Follow this simple points taken from intomobile.com and tuaw.com.

1) Turn off “Ask to Join Networks” in Settings > Wi-Fi. Unless you really need this feature, it’s going to be prompting you to join networks as you move from place to place.

2) Set “Fetch New Data” to Manual. Of course you will have to manually request a refresh, but it will cut down on automated fetching.

3) Kill all applications by holding down the Home button. You will notice s light fade effect when it’s complete.

4) Turn off “Location Services” under General > Location Services. This is used in “Locate Me” type of applications (i.e. Maps), however it depends who you ask if this is actually a battery drain. Some say it is, so I’m listing it here.

This list is a work-in-progress so I will add to this and adjust it if necessary!

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 25 Jul 2008 | 12:13 pm UTC

iPhone Forensics Book Rough Cut

O’Reilly’s have just released a “Rough Cut” version on their upcoming “iPhone Forensics” book. Looking at the TOC, it looks very cool. I’ve only just started reading it myself, but already I can clearly tell that if you have an interest in security, you will love this.

iPhone Forensics gives IT professionals, security personnel, and law enforcement the knowledge needed to conduct forensic analysis of an iPhone. This book shows the reader how to recover sensitive information from the device and perform disaster recovery, and walks the reader through various scenarios for recovering different types of information. With this guide, the reader will be able to effectively recover live, lost, or deleted email, photos, voicemail, Google Maps searches, typing cache, and other sensitive data retained by the iPhone. The reader will learn advanced techniques including data recovery, properly preserving and preparing evidence, and technical techniques such as bypassing basic passcode security or recovering data even after a full restore (by say, a disgruntled employee). Finally, the reader will learn how to properly wipe an iPhone clean of all data for resale or reissue - something Apple’s own restore process fails to do.

You can order the book yourself online here.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 25 Jul 2008 | 11:47 am UTC

iPhone Style Graphics for Photoshop

Kudos to BittBox.com for creating some nice iPhone style graphics and making the Photoshop files available to all. These will definitely save time if you’re working on a project and need this sort of thing.

iPhone Style Graphics

iPhone Style Graphics

They are available for Photoshop CS1, CS3 and PNG here. If you end up using them, give the folks at BittBox.com a yell, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.

Source: iPhoneMad.com | 25 Jul 2008 | 10:38 am UTC

First Anti Virus Application for iPhone

A recent article from Hack In The Box talks about the first anti virus application for the iPhone, although technically it resides on an OS X desktop.

The application, called Virus Barrier has been developed by a French company called Intego.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 21 Jul 2008 | 4:14 pm UTC

Useful iPhone Security Settings and Information

Xeno Kovah has published a little gem of a collection of iPhone security tidbits.

For example, one of the questions is “what is the NMAP output?”.

Nmap output?:
Nothing. The iPhone is not running any services listening on any TCP ports, and silently drops all unrequested packets.

Other questions include Bluetooth capability, Safari options, network fingerprint and other goodies.

Props go out to Xeno!

Read the full thing here: http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~xsk/iPhoneSecuritySettings.html.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 4 Jul 2008 | 1:36 pm UTC

iPhone in the Corporate Environment

Builder AU have posted an interesting article titled “The boss’s iPhone: Your worst security nightmare” which talks about the popularity of the iPhone making it a juicy target, and the implications of iPhone’s being used in a corporate environment.

As employee-owned portable devices become more sophisticated they become less secure, according to one analyst — and the more senior an employee, the less compliant they are when it comes to protecting the information on those devices.

You can read the article here: http://www.builderau.com.au/news/soa/The-boss-s-iPhone-Your-worst-security-nightmare/0,339028227,339284001,00.htm.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 4 Jul 2008 | 1:24 pm UTC

Robert Vamosi on iPhone Security

Robert Vamosi has written a piece on the pros and cons of iPhone security.

The iPhone is likely to be one of the most complex smart phones that we’ve seen to date. As such, it will be challenging to have to a completely secure code base.

You can read the article here.

It was written a while back now, but interesting reading withstanding.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 22 Jun 2008 | 9:39 am UTC

Thoughts on iPhone Security from TUAW

The Unofficial Apple Weblog has a post on iPhone security that has some interesting comments. To summarise the article, with great power comes great responsibility.

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/02/11/thoughts-on-iphone-security/

It’s well worth reading the comments.

Source: iPhoneSecurity.org | 22 Jun 2008 | 8:48 am UTC