Nano-SIM standard decided, ETSI chooses Apple’s 4FF SIM design

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ETSI, short for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, has decided on the next-generation SIM card, also known as the nano-SIM card. The fourth form factor, or 4FF, design will be 40% smaller than the current micro-SIM version, and it should help smartphone and tablet makers reduce the size of SIM trays in future devices and find a different use for the freed space.
The 4FF SIM card will measure 12.3 x 8.8 x 0.67 mm, will be backwards compatible with current SIM card models and it will offer the same functionality. While ETSI did not confirm that the design chosen was the one proposed by Apple and contested by various players in the mobile business such as Nokia, Motorola and RIM – these companies have proposed their own nano-SIM design – it appears that it was Apple’s model that was finally chosen by the European regulator. PC World reports that representatives of card maker Giesecke & Devrient have identified Apple’s design as being the winning proposition.

ETSI did say that the new standard was adopted “with the involvement of major mobile network operators, smart card suppliers and mobile device manufacturers.” The new design will soon be published on the institution’s website, but we have no idea at this time what the first Android smart devices coming with nano-SIM compatibility will be. Naturally, Apple’s future iOS devices will probably support 4FF SIM cards, although it may be too late for this year’s iPhone to pack a nano-SIM tray instead of the same micro-SIM tray that’s currently used in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S models.

Top 5 Best Free iPhone Apps For Fitness And Health In 2012

July 17, 2012

Perfect figure and good health seem impossible nowadays because of busy and hectic routine, as no one has extra time to workout and visit clinics to look after their health. But now you don’t have bother if you don’t worry for these stuff because the tiny iDevice in your pocket is enough to care for all these matters of yours. This means by downloading some extraordinary iPhone apps you maintain your good, with no investment, as all of these fully free. Thus, this time we bring you top 5 best iPhone apps for fitness and health in 2012.   

iPhone Health And Fitness Apps

5. Body Fitness Free iPhone App

Exercise is the first step towards a healthy living so get Body Fitness Free into your iPhone than you will realize how easy and enjoying is exercise. This iPhone app tells you about more than 320 exercises for each of your specific site. It also has images and videos so that the user can clearly get what should be the body posture while doing a particular exercise. Moreover, the beautiful calender based interface makes it easy and interesting for the user to use this free iPhone app.
Download Body Fitness for Free.  

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4. T2 Mood Tracker Free iPhone App

Not only your physical health but your emotional conditions are also very important in order to maintain a good hygiene and therefore in the list of top 5 best Free iPhone apps for health and fitness in 2012, we have added T2 Mood Tracker iPhone app that is going track your current mood and than will also give you tips to improve it so that you feel mentally peaceful and healthy. On the bases of six pre-decided mental conditions, the app monitors your mood and than displays a graph of the obtained result. Using this app you can also detect the affect of medication on your mood.
Download T2 mood Tracker for free.  

3. Relax With Andrew Johnson Free iPhone App

Many seem dull and sluggish though they don’t suffer any physical disorder but are mentally ill. They usually don’t have time to relax or some do not know about those ways which provide mental relaxation, but now you can use your iPhone to get the solution of all of these problems by just downloading this app, called Relax With Andrew Johnson.
This free iPhone app teaches you the techniques to fight with mental disorders like depression,  pain control, insomnia, post traumatic stress disorder and many other stress symptoms. So just relax and chill by using this app.
Download Relax With Andrew Johnson for free.

2. Digifit iCardio Free iPhone App

Now in the list of top 5 best Free iPhone apps for health and fitness in 2012 comes Digifit iCardio free iPhone app, that is fully loaded with everything you want while doing exercise.
When you jog or run it measures and shows you the distance, speed and time. Furthermore it also shows you the result through stats, which you can even share with your friends through e-mail and discuss your progress with them. The also have an option of commentary on your current activity as compared with the previous exercises. In order to keep you energetic the app also plays for you your favorite music from iTunes.
Download Digifit iCardio for free

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top 5 best augmented reality apps for iPad in 2012

1. DailyBurn Tracker Free iPhone App

The first in the list top 5 best Free iPhone apps for health and fitness in 2012 is DailyBurn Tracker, which is an all in one iPhone app that covers almost every single thing related to it. The app not only take cares of your exercise but also of the food you take in.
Using this app you can scan the barcodes of the food items and can get all the information of the nutrients present in it. Moreover, it also tells you about the calories in the food and the workout time you will be reading to burn them. It also provides you with diet charts and fitness plans so that you can carry on with a balance diet. For exercise, it gives you the option to set a target of loosing a particular mass, or working on the shape of muscles.
Download DailyBurn Tracker for free.

SiLight: Use Siri To Switch On iPhone Flashlight

We all know that introducing Siri, our very own virtual assistant, was a stroke of genius from Apple. Though she can do a lot of things and help us organize our lives, she has learnt new skills because of a lot of Cydia tweaks, which can be easily found in the jailbreak store. The good news is that she will be learning some new stuff when Apple’s ‘anxiously awaited’ iOS 6 is finally released to the world. We know that currently she can perform things related to the software aspect of your device, and she doesn’t do much when it comes to the hardware. That’s why a new tweak by the name ‘SiLight’ has been developed. This tweak allows users to toggle on the camera flash featured in their iPhones by simply requesting Siri to perform the task. Read on to know more!


According to the developers, this tweak is supposed to be the fastest solution when it comes to turning on the flashlight of a Siri-enabled device. This tweak is also an add-on which is based on the AssistantExtensions platform, and it will download it automatically if your device doesn’t have it. All you need to do is download and use. There aren’t any options to configure as this tweak doesn’t have any menu in the stock Settings app. It doesn’t even have an icon on the Springboard of the device. There isn’t any specific command list to make it work as commands such as ‘I need a flashlight’ or even ‘Switch on the flashlight’ or anything similar will make the tweak work. After the command, your virtual assistant will say ‘Will this help?’ and immediately the flash of the camera will turn on.
You will be able to turn on the flashlight; however, to turn it off you will require some other flashlight toggle or you will have to do it manually. You can get SiLight for free from the ModMyi repo of the Cydia Store. What do you think of this tweak?

iPhone 5 Nano SIM Rush to Europe

The autumn prepares us many surprises and iPhone 5 Nano SIM is on the list. In June this year, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), finally agreed to standardize the nano-SIM format. Ultra-compact SIM format called 4FF provides further SIM-card size reduction in order to maximize the interior space of mobile devices leaving more space for the other details like better Wi-Fi module in the upcoming revolutionary device.


According to the Financial Times, European mobile operators have already bought the bulks of nano-SIMs on the eve of release of the new iPhone. Thus, the newspaper notes, this confirms the fact that the sixth-generation Apple smartphone will apply the cards of nano-SIM standard and users with Apple devices will again move to a more compact version of the cards as it was after the release of the iPhone 4 micro-SIM slot.
Apparently, Apple has developed a new phone, using it own version of the nano-SIM before ETSI approved format 4FF. It also means that the organization is referred to the standard version offered by Cupertino engineers without any changes. Otherwise, the new iPhone would be a “pariah” among mobile gadgets with cards samples like Nokia, RIM and Motorola.
Exit the sixth version of the Apple-smartphone is expected this fall. It is assumed that the device will be markedly different from previous models: the device will receive a new design, increased display size and will support the LTE network.
All the facts that we continue receiving about the release of the most forward-looking smartphone by Apple point that this gadget will dramatically change the set of functions that is traditional for the devices that now rule the market. That reminds me of a classic ‘hit and run’ game but Apple transformed it to another kind of competition. Please welcome: the ‘release the new product and run’ by Apple, California. If all the features rumored to be included into the new iPhone all the competitors will have to overtake one more time.

Tap to Rap Using AutoRap App for iPhone | Download

Hey yo! All rap lovers now can rapping all the time. How? Just download AutoRap for iPhone and enjoy your rhythms. You can use it on iPad and iPod touch as well and the iOS can’t be lower 5.0 to use it.
New app from Smule company came to the App Store today bringing a lot of possibilities for those who had a desire to feel himself as a real Rap star like I did:

Here we go:
Microphone check
One, two check,
Now you can Tap to Rap
And if there is bad rhyme
Don’t worry about that
You can always download AutoRap for iPhone
And make rhymes on your own

                                               AndyMC 
This is what I tried while I had been testing this app. As for me the most amazing AutoRap feature is that you can just talk to it and then this app turns your speech into rap and corrects bad rapping.
It gather syllables of your speech to any beat and this helps AutoRap iPhone app to create a unique track every time you’re using it.
If you download AutoRap for iPhone you can see that there are two modes – Talk mode and Rap mode.

Talk mode allows you to talk into the app that will turn your speech into cool rap. You can create your own rap track with Freestyle beats or use Premium song of such kings of rap as Tupac Shakur, Chuck D, Ice T and Biggie. Just choose your beat using Plays. Try and choose the beat you like the most.
But if you feel yourself as skilled rhymes making MC you can use Rap mode and begin rapping reading the lyrics that scroll across the display. However Autorap for iPhone corrects your rapping to the beat. This mode is recommended using with headphones for better perception.
If you are satisfied with your just created rap song you can share it with your friends via Facebook, Twitter or email.
So if you like it you can download AutoRap for iPhone from the App Store for free and create rap for you and your friends.

iOS vs Android Security Comparison: the Winner Is…

News Mark Postman 18.07.2012

The question of iOS vs Android security comparison was way too tricky despite Apple’s OS security always seemed much stronger. For a long time, security concerns have been one of the major shortcomings of the Android operating system. But it seems that the situation may change soon: Jelly Bean is the most secure version of the Google’s mobile platform.


According to the Arstechnica site, in the latest version of the Android 4.1 operating system called Jelly Bean the developers paid attention to issues related to increased security levels.
Despite the fact that the official list of innovations to improve the protection can be attributed, perhaps, improve the reliability of coding devices, experts conducted a detailed study of the publication and found that in the Jelly Bean uses substantially improved mechanism for ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization), responsible for the accidental location of critical structures in the address space.
This approach greatly complicates the life of hackers and other criminals, since the use of ASLR malicious code or iOS viruses must be entered in a random area of ​​memory that makes the task of integrating viruses into the operating system extremely complex.
Nevertheless, ASLR is not the Android prerogative. In iOS full support for this method was applied starting with version 4.3. In addition, the development of Cupertino company uses code signing, which prohibits unauthorized applications without digital signatures to run on iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. The Android operating system has no such protection right now.
Despite the Android OS security system has more holes, iOS viruses began to appear pretty often these days. Let me remind you of the Find and Call virus app that stole users contacts or other iPhone viruses.
Mobile device users still have to be careful and double check whom do they give access to their phone’s data, no matter how safe their OS is claimed to be by developers. Special reminder for jailbreakers: don’t forget to change your root password while enabling SSH access to your device. The default password is the easiest way for hackers to get into your device and do everything they want with it. Beware!
What security methods do you use to make your device safer? We’ll be glad to discuss that with you in the comments under the post.

Apple Disappearing Scroll Bar Patent Here to Improve UI

United States Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. patent for Apple disappearing scroll bar feature. This application was filed in 2007, and in 2010 the corporation has updated it. The document describes a method of vertical scrolling display on the smartphone or tablet , which appears when the user scrolls down the list, and then it disappears. This technology is used in operating systems for mobile devices and Apple’s computers.


Meanwhile, the disappearing scroll bar is present on many Android phones (since the release of version 2.3). Obtaining a patent for this interface element will allow Cupertino to accuse Google of violating the patent rights and to demand royalty payments, or to compel a company to make changes in the graphical user interface of mobile platforms.
We will recall you, the day before Apple was granted a patent which is called “a portable digital device and methods for displaying lists and electronic documents in a graphical user interface.”
The paper deals with the basic tools of various information display on the touch screen mobile devices – smartphones and tablets. Apple engineers describe in detail the elements of the operating system interface for the gadgets with a touchscreen, which is also used in other mobile platforms, including Android.
Two weeks ago Apple also acquired two other patents namely Apple Glasses patent probably to beat Google’s incentive to create their own digital glasses. The other patent that can increase company’s positions on the market is the wireless charger for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It is called Antenna Insert and supposed to charge your Apple device without a need in any cables. Just put the device on the charging station and the device will begin charging.
That’s what MacObserver says about it:

This has been Apple’s goal, as articulated by CEO Tim Cook, who on several occasions has said that his company can’t be the developer for the rest of the world. At the 2012 D10 conference, Mr. Cook said, “From our point of view, it’s important that Apple not be the developer for the world. We can’t take all of our energy and all of our care and finish the painting, then have someone else put their name on it.

As we see the Cupertino company still doesn’t want to give up the patent wars considering them a nice weapon in every kind of market battles.

Ryan Matzer Taking About iPhone Apps vs Android Apps 2012

News Andy McGee 18.07.2012

Continuing our theme about Apple rivals and their possibilities to leave behind the Cupertino company. And today we will talk about iPhone apps vs Android apps 2012.
Google Android dominates the smartphone market, compared with a market share belonging to iPhone. Despite this, the most developers prefer to write applications specifically for iOS. None of the developers or customers have not yet preferred OS Android more. Perhaps it is because of iOS vs Android security fight?

Ryan Matzner, Director Fueled, who develops applications for mobile platforms on the order of some companies such as Conde Naste, Urban Daddy, or American Express talking about iPhone apps vs Android app 2012 said that apps for Apple are more popular. None of his clients ask to start to develop software for Android.
Customers are usually ask to create apps from Google, if iOS version was successful. Also there is some customers who ask to create both version of the app at the same time. However in iPhone apps vs Android app in 2012 is Apple. If the firm-customer is limited budget for such a project, the choice always falls on the utility for iOS.
According to Matzner, there are three reasons. First, iPhone users are willing to spend more on the application. This is due to their solvency on the one hand, and more convenient integration of the App Store with a plastic card with another. Second, iOS users are more open to new experiences and expertise, and, therefore, they ready to buy new apps. Third, to develop applications for Android takes more time (120% of the time spent on the creation of iOS apps) and facilities.

The conclusion in this case is simple: in iPhone apps vs Android apps 2012 battle can be only one winner. Android users are much less willing to pay for apps than iOS users. In my personal experience I would say that there really are high-quality Android apps too but not like iPhone apps. For example, there is no Tweetbot app for Android.
Perhaps if the developers paid more attention to quality of the mobile platform Google products, then it would be better to buy. I can only add that iOS is better protected than Android. For example, you can use cracked apps on Android without any problems however on Apple OS it is more difficult because first you need to jailbreak iPhone and then to find all add-ons to make it functional in the right form. But in other hand Android users can have all apps for free!
How do you thing who is the winner in iPhone apps vs Android apps 2012?

AT&T To Charge For Over-The-Air 3G FaceTime, New Pop-Up In iOS 6 Beta 3

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Still have that “unlimited” data plan grandfathered in on AT&T? Get ready to add another limitation to the list for the release of iOS 6. When enabling native FaceTime over Cellular in iOS 6, a popup appears informing the user that they will have to call AT&T or go to their website to enable this feature. Likely this means that they will have to pay to use the service.

AT&T initially had a similar approach to the iPhone’s built in Personal Hotspot feature, which allows the iPhone to act as a 3G modem for a tethered computer or devices connected via WiFi and bluetooth. The feature is currently restricted on 5GB data plans. AT&T has also throttled data used by the top 5% of its unlimited data users.
It’s absurd for AT&T to charge for bandwidth and then to charge additional fees for different features that happen to use that bandwidth. If I buy 3GB worth of data from AT&T, shouldn’t I be able to push those bits through AT&T’s network regardless of whether the content is a YouTube video or a conversation with a friend? Their network shouldn’t care if the bits are going to a phone or a laptop screen.
The only justification for charging for FaceTime over 3G is if AT&T provides a separate “pool” for FaceTime calls. Perhaps by offering optional minutes to keep data costs manageable. It is currently unknown if AT&T will charge customers for using unofficial methods of enabling FaceTime over 3G, such as jailbreak tweaks like My3G.
9to5Mac has attempted to replicate the error message on an iPad on Verizon’s network, but it did not seem to require a special service to activate 3G FaceTime calls.

Is AT&T justified in charging fees for special features, or should these fees be prohibited? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Hacker iH8Sn0w Mentions iOS 6 Beta 3 Firmware Expires September 30th, 2012

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Earlier today we told you that Apple seeded the iOS 6 beta 3 firmware to developers. In this new beta iteration of the iOS 6 firmware comes stability improvements and bug fixes. Among other things a few additions include new settings for the default Maps app, labels being changed to icons, and a slightly modified bookmarks bar for the iPad’s version of Safari.

Like all beta versions of Apple’s iOS firmware, they contain expiry timers. These expiry timers will force anyone who is running a beta firmware past a certain date to update to the next beta firmware or the latest firmware version available at that time. iH8Sn0w has recently tweeted that the iOS 6 beta 3 build 10A5355d firmware will expire on Sunday September 30th, 2012.

If you are running the iOS 6 beta 3 build 10A5355d firmware after September 30th, 2012 you will need to update (as mentioned previously). Please leave any questions you may have in the comments section below.

Applefied Ads Blog Gives Everyday Products The Apple Treatment [IMAGES]

Aside from elaborate keynote presentations or Sir Jonathan Ives‘ industry-leading design, Apple nowadays is known for its successful advertising. In a mediascape littered with flash and glare, set up in a frantic attempt to shock the viewing public into remembering brands, Apple is heard by speaking softly. Apple’s new billboards let their products speak for themselves, as if nothing could be more fantastic than the third generation iPad.

An example of a genuine ad for the original iPad, photographed by anitakhart on Flickr

You’d almost be disappointed if someone on the internet didn’t try to take the piss out of Apple’s marketing team. Applefied Ads is a blog that takes Apple’s minimalist branding strategy and applies it to common items. The ads feature the product, maybe a hand interacting with it, a an overwhelming white background, minimal copy, and branding in the corner.

It might be a parody, but what could McDonalds say that would be better than this ad?

The parodies were created by disgruntled Freelancer and Art Director Intern Bryan Evans. On his blog Evans wrote, “Lately I have noticed how relatively boring ultra simple Apple’s advertising has become. It has turned into Product + Product Name + Hands-Touching-Product-formulaic-advertising BS.”

BiC pens: they just work.

The lampooning features everyday items like french fries, BiC pens, and “incredibly thin” wheat thins. While the ads are meant to chastise Apple for formulaic advertising, the ads actually make me smile. Say what you will about Apple’s advertisements being boring, I wouldn’t complain if more public advertisements took a cue from Apple and whispered for my attention instead of begging and screaming.

Only snag: the Wheat Thins logo, text that says “wheat thins” looks out of place beside the copy with the product name.

What do you think? Are Applefied Ads an improvement over the usual marketing, or should Apple do something more interesting? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Battlefield 4 Announced, By Way Of New Medal Of Honor Trailer [VIDEO]

We all knew it was coming, but we didn’t know it would be this soon. A new trailer for the upcoming Medal of Honor: Warfighter contains an announcement that pre-orders of Warfighter‘s collector’s edition will grant access to the Battlefield 4 Beta. There’s no telling when exactly that beta will begin, but the fact that they’re talking about it means it can’t be too far off.
It looks like the Battlefield franchise may be taking steps down the road to becoming a Call of Duty-esque annual franchise. DICE, the Swedish studio behind the Battlefield franchise, has traditionally taken their time making games, and the quality level of most of their releases has reflected this. A more frequent release schedule may have a negative impact on the level of quality we can expect from DICE’s future games.

The game this announcement was buried in a trailer for, Medal of Honor: Warfighter, is already a very similar game to the current iteration of Battlefield. Developed on the same engine as Battlefield 3 - a DICE-built engine called Frostbite 2.0 – Warfighter seeks to be a similarly gritty modern FPS. The only discernible difference between the games is that Medal of Honor seems intent on selling you on the single-player campaign, which they promise will “put you in the boots” of elite armed forces units, while Battlefield is much more multi-player focused. The need for both of these franchises to exist was puzzling already, but an increase in the number of Battlefield games will make it downright ridiculous.

Inevitably, EA knows they can sell virtually any number of brown-tinged military FPSs, because that’s what folks are buying in the millions these days. We can only hope that they won’t resort to turning a prestigious franchise like Battlefield into an annual holiday sequel farm. And hey, it’d be nice if they let DICE make a sequel to their 2008 game Mirror’s Edge already.

How To: Jailbreak iOS 6 Beta 3 On iPhone 4 (CDMA/GSM), iPhone 3GS With RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 [Windows]

Yesterday Apple pushed the iOS 6 beta 3 build 10A5355d firmware to developers that includes a variety of bug fixes and stability improvements over beta 2. If you are a developer and have updated to iOS 6 beta 3 over-the-air or through iTunes you will be glad to know it can actually be Jailbroken tethered using RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3. The only downside to this Jailbreak is that it does not install Cydia, but you can still install Cydia yourself manually by following this guide. As such, in this guide you will learn how to Jailbreak your iPhone 4 (GSM/CDMA) or iPhone 3GS tethered using the Windows version of RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3.
How To Jailbreak iOS 6 Beta 3 With RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 On Windows
Step 1) Download RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 for the Windows operating system using the download mirror below or through the iJailbreak Downloads Section.
Download RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 (Windows)
Step 2) Once you have downloaded RedSn0w0.9.13dev3 you will need to launch it by first extracting RedSn0w, then right clicking on the RedSn0w.exe and clicking the Run as administrator option (if applicable).

Step 3) With RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 up and running you will need to click the Extras button. You will now see a few buttons presented to you. The button you are interested in is the Select IPSW button. Click this now and select your iPhone’s corresponding iOS 6 beta 3 firmware.

Step 4) Upon selecting the iOS firmware click the back button, followed by the Jailbreak button.

Step 5) After clicking the Jailbreak button RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 will begin processing the iOS 6 beta 3 firmware.
When the firmware has been processed you will come to a screen with a few options for your Jailbreak. Ensure that the “Install SSH” option is checked at the minimum, click the Next button and you will come to a screen where you will need to put your iPhone into DFU mode. Read through and follow the instructions presented to you which is to plug in and power off your iPhone and click the next button.

Step 6) When you click the next button you will need to follow the instructions presented to you to put your iPhone into DFU mode.

• Hold down Power (corner) button for 5 seconds.
• Without releasing the Power button, also hold down the Home (bottom center) button along with the Power button for 10 seconds.
• Without releasing the home button, stop holding down the power button for up to 15 seconds.

Step 7) After you successfully enter DFU mode RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3 will begin jailbreaking the iPhone. DO NOT interrupt or use the computer during this time. When the iPhone is finished being jailbroken it will reboot into a jailbroken state.
Optional: Booting Tethered - When you Jailbreak the iPhone running the iOS 6 beta 3 firmware you will have a tethered Jailbreak. Meaning in order for your iPhone to turn back on you will simply need to boot it using RedSn0w (this applies every time your iPhone loses power). To do this launchRedSn0w again and click the Extras Button > then click the Select IPSW button and select the iOS 6 beta 3 firmware again. Next click the Just boot button and you will need to put the iPhone into DFU mode again.

Note: Yes, you need to do this every time the iPhone loses power.

You should now have a jailbroken iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS running the iOS 6 beta 3 firmware. For more tutorials visit the How To Jailbreak Section. Leave any questions in the comments.

Remember: Upon Jailbreaking your iPhone 4 (CDMA/GSM) or iPhone 3GS with RedSn0w 0.9.13dev3, Cydia will not be installed. You will need to manually do this by following this guide.

AT&T To Charge For Over-The-Air 3G FaceTime, New Pop-Up In iOS 6 Beta 3

Still have that “unlimited” data plan grandfathered in on AT&T? Get ready to add another limitation to the list for the release of iOS 6. When enabling native FaceTime over Cellular in iOS 6, a popup appears informing the user that they will have to call AT&T or go to their website to enable this feature. Likely this means that they will have to pay to use the service.

AT&T initially had a similar approach to the iPhone’s built in Personal Hotspot feature, which allows the iPhone to act as a 3G modem for a tethered computer or devices connected via WiFi and bluetooth. The feature is currently restricted on 5GB data plans. AT&T has also throttled data used by the top 5% of its unlimited data users.
It’s absurd for AT&T to charge for bandwidth and then to charge additional fees for different features that happen to use that bandwidth. If I buy 3GB worth of data from AT&T, shouldn’t I be able to push those bits through AT&T’s network regardless of whether the content is a YouTube video or a conversation with a friend? Their network shouldn’t care if the bits are going to a phone or a laptop screen.
The only justification for charging for FaceTime over 3G is if AT&T provides a separate “pool” for FaceTime calls. Perhaps by offering optional minutes to keep data costs manageable. It is currently unknown if AT&T will charge customers for using unofficial methods of enabling FaceTime over 3G, such as jailbreak tweaks like My3G.
9to5Mac has attempted to replicate the error message on an iPad on Verizon’s network, but it did not seem to require a special service to activate 3G FaceTime calls.

Is AT&T justified in charging fees for special features, or should these fees be prohibited? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

iLostFinder Cydia Tweak Emails Pictures From iPhone, iPad’s Camera When Given An Incorrect Password At Lockscreen

Find my iPhone is a great service to use if you ever misplace your iPhone, but it can only ever tell you where your phone is, not who has it. iLostFinder is a good companion tweak, which promises to snap a photo of the thief and then email you the evidence. All they have to do is enter the password incorrectly and iLostFinder snaps a mugshot.

Click to expand

Having the geographic location from the phone’s GPS isn’t bad, but having a photograph is better. GPS coordinates go away when the phone eventually runs out of power, but a photograph in your email inbox can be used to find the theif indefinitely.
The options in Settings include a toggle to disable the tweak, an option to save a copy of the photo to the camera roll, an option to send the photo to an email address, and an option to set a custom alert.
I decided to test iLostFinder out with my iPad, wondering if the developers would take Apple’s tablet into account. As it happens, iLostFinder partially works. The tweak will snap a photograph from the front camera and store it in the iPad’s camera roll, but I wasn’t able to get iLostFinder to email me the photograph.
If iLostFinder gets an update that improves its email support, it could be one of the best security tweaks for the iPhone and iPad. As it stands, merely leaving a picture on the stolen device (which can be booted into DFU mode and factory reset) doesn’t help. iLostFinder is a free tweak and can be found in the Bigboss repository on Cydia. It goes without saying that you will need a device with a front-facing webcam.

What measures do you have prepared in the event your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch gets stolen? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sharp LCD Technology Will Make For A Thinner Screen On The iPhone 5

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We’ve heard these rumors before, but this time we’ve got it from a somewhat more reliable source: the Wall Street Journal. According to their sources, the iPhone 5 may well have a thinner screen, thanks to some new technology from Sharp and LG. Both electronics companies are currently making screens for the new iPhone, apparently, and they’re building in something called in-cell technology. The idea is that the touch sensors are built directly into the LCD display, rather than having touch membrane layer over top of the LCD.

The result is that the whole screen assembly can be thinner than previous models, which means a thinner iPhone 5 might be on the horizon. As the WSJ points out, the technology may uncomplicate Apple’s supply chain, too, since they’ll no longer need to source displays and touch membranes separately.
Meanwhile, Samsung is continuing to forge ahead with OLED, the next-gen display technology that will likely replace LCDs in most devices eventually. Their superior black levels and contrast, and the fact that they don’t need to be backlit, make them a great option when aiming for thinness. They’re also flexible, allowing for a possible future of bendy phones and TVs. Apple may be avoiding the display technology in favour of old-school LCD panels, however, because Samsung is the largest maker of OLED screens in the world.

Whether Apple eventually caves and buys Samsung’s OLEDs, or whether another OLED maker emerges to provide for Apple, remains to be seen. For this coming generation of iPhone, however, it looks like in-cell LCD touchscreens will be the chosen display technology.

Rumor: iPhone 5 Will Have 4G LTE, NFC, 1GB RAM

 A site called BGR claims to have an exclusive source that’s feeding them iPhone specs and production progress, and their info is about on par with what we’d expect to see. The new iPhone is currently going through the process of engineering testing, with sample devices being produced in small numbers. The fact that it’s at this stage of the process right now means it should be on track for a Fall release, as expected.

BGR also says their source has some details on the new phone’s specs. The test prototypes of the iPhone 5 are apparently holding 1GB RAM, up from just 512MB in the iPhone 4S. Two technologies we’ve been guessing would be included are on board, too: NFC and 4G LTE. Apple may be late to the LTE party, but it seems they have no intention of missing the boat entirely.
If we look at previous iPhone iterations, we can get a decent idea when the iPhone 5 will be retail ready. For example, the iPhone 4 was in engineering testing in February, and was released in June. If the iPhone 5 is in engineering testing now, we should be looking at a September release. That makes the earlier rumored August 7 release date look like a pretty tight squeeze.

Microsoft’s OneNote MX Available For Windows 8 [Download Now]

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The flow of Office apps with Windows 8′s new touchscreen-friendly Metro UI has begun. The first Metro-styled Office app was released yesterday, in the form of OneNote MX. The cloud-stored notebook app attempts to bridge the gap between touchscreen devices and desktop computers, allowing you to write notes for yourself with your keyboard or your finger.

You’ll need to have the Windows 8 Release Preview installed if you want to give OneNote a try, and don’t expect a completely finished piece of software. There’s still some missing features, with obvious places for them to be added in later. SharePoint integration is still completely absent, for example, and sharing things with other Metro apps isn’t possible yet.

However, the features that are there are pretty cool looking. There’s a new radial menu that hasn’t been seen before in other Metro apps, and it looks like a good execution of the Metro design vision. SkyDrive integration works without a hitch, and the app works more or less like it’s supposed to. You can put just about anything you want in the notebook, from hand-drawn doodles, to typed text, to screenshots and other images. It’s an interesting tool for the absent-minded, and the ability to sync everything across all Windows 8 devices will bring it to a new level of usefulness.
Download OneNote MX For Windows 8
If you tried OneNote MX share your experience with it in the comments section below.

Apple Adds iPhone 3GS Support For VIP Mail, Photostreams, In iOS 6 Beta 3

The iPhone 4 is only modestly more powerful than the 3GS. It has roughly the same graphics chipset, a slightly faster CPU, but it has double the memory. When Apple initially listed iOS 6 features that were barred from the iPhone 3GS, did they take away shared photostreams and VIP mail filters because of the 3GS’ minor limitations, or because Apple wanted customers to upgrade? Would Apple really do something like that to their customers?

Apple’s VIP Mail list, or starred contacts, will be available on the iPhone 3GS.

According to Mac Rumors, VIP mail and photo streams are now enabled on the 3GS in iOS 6 Beta 3. Think the inclusion was accidentally included by Cupertino? Think again. Apple’s iOS 6 preview page no longer lists the iPhone 4 as a requirement for VIP mail lists or photo streams. Why the change of heart? Doubtless, it would hurt to buy a new iPhone 3GS (which Apple is still selling from its online store), only to find that Apple is arbitrarily keeping updated features off of their old-but-capable hardware.
Of course there still are going to be feature restrictions that may-or-may not be due to hardware limitations. Siri will be exclusive for the iPhone 4S and 3rd generation iPad, which will also be the only devices to support FaceTime over 3G. This is despite the fact that both these features have long been available to the iPhone 4 through Cydia tweaks. Offline reading lists will be cut off to the iPhone 4 and second generation iPad. Flyover and native turn-by-turn navigation will be limited to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, even though apps like Gokivo Navigator manage support turn-by-turn on the iPhone 3G.

The iPhone 3GS will also be able to take part in the shared photo streams

Do you think that Apple should provide support for older phones, if the features can be ported over with minimal effort, or should Apple purposely hold back features as a reward for buying their latest phone? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Browse The Web From Your Lockscreen With The LockWeb Cydia Tweak

Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to browse the internet from the iOS lockscreen? Instead of unlocking the phone, launching the browser and then browsing the web, it would be much faster if you could do it right from the lockscreen. Well, this new tweak here, does just that!

LockWeb is a new tweak for jailbroken iOS devices that brings a fully functional web browser to the lockscreen. You can search the web, search for images and visit your favorite website right from the lockscreen. The tweak also lets you open links in Safari, has a fullscreen mode and much more. You can even check the source code of websites, which is useful for developers. No options to be configured, just enable the tweak and you should be good to go.

LockWeb is available in the BigBoss repo for $2.00. I’m not sure if the tweak is worth that much, because it’s not really that difficult to unlock your iDevice and launch Safari or Chrome! Nevertheless, it could be a useful tweak for some. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Create Beautiful Slideshows From Instagram Photos Using Flipagram

What’s better than adding awesome filters to photos using Instagram? Creating a video slideshow using those photos, of course! This new app called Flipagram promises to create stunning slideshows using your Intagram photos, without removing the filters, effects etc. We love Instagram, everyone with an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android phone, has it installed on their device, and thus this app is the perfect companion.

Since Facebook bought Instagram, the social networking sites integration within the app has become much better. It’s easy to click a picture, apply your favorite filter, add effects and share it on Facebook. As mentioned previously, Flipagram is a new app that creates video slideshows using Instagram photos and also adds audio to them. Login using your Instagram details, select photos, arrange them however you want, add custom title and font, increase/decrease speed of the event and upload directly to Facebook or YouTube.

Flipagram is available in the App Store for $0.99. Instagram lovers should totally check this app out.
Download Flipagram for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad [iTunes Link]
What do you think of Flipagram? Share your responses or further thoughts in the comments section.