iPad Wi-Fi Issues to be Addressed in Software Update

Apple recently updated a support document detailing current solutions to Wi-Fi connectivity issues surrounding the iPad. There have been several distinct Wi-Fi issues reported on various discussion forums. The new support document lists a ...

360-degree gaming on a projector-equipped iPhone

Filed under: iPhone

Our friends at Joystiq found this one -- it's a jailbroken iPhone hooked up to a picoprojector, with the software using the compass and the accelerometer to determine exactly where the projector is aimed. That brings in a fun augmented reality touch -- you can move the iPhone around real space to determine where a turret is pointed in the virtual one. It's a little harder to explain than to show, but the hardware in the iPhone tells the projector what you're looking at, so moving the iPhone moves the view.

How do we get from this interesting jailbroken solution to a real game? The iPhone hardware needs an upgrade, and best-case scenario is that it gets a projector built into the iPhone itself. There are already phones that have projectors built in, but as I learned at Macworld when I used this projector, the limiter isn't the projector hardware; it's the battery. The power source was as big as the iPhone itself, and even then only lasted about the length of a movie. So it'll be a while, probably, before Apple is convinced to include a projector in the phone, and then delivers hardware that can actually keep it sleek and streamlined.

Until then, this demo makes the old gears go about what's possible with a setup like this. Very cool.

360-degree gaming on a projector-equipped iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

360-degree gaming on a projector-equipped iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad Live Podcast #3: Educate and blame

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iPad goes international on May 28, Steve Jobs explains taxes to the masses, yet more Flash clash, Spirit Jailbreak, and app of the week. Listen in!

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iPad Live Podcast #3: Educate and blame is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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AT&T’s original deal on iPhone was for five years

Filed under: iPhone

It's what we thought... until the Wall Street Journal told us we were wrong. It's what USA Today originally reported, although nobody else was ever able to confirm it... until now. Nilay Patel at Engadget has unearthed some 2008 filings in a 2007 class-action lawsuit that clarify the matter: the AT&T/Apple deal for exclusive domestic service on the iPhone, which has caused much wailing and gnashing of teeth, was originally set for a five-year term. That would put the earliest appearance of a Verizon iPhone into the summer of 2012 -- assuming that there wasn't any reason for one or the other party to break off the agreement.

Those disclosures are a couple of years old now, and the circumstances may have changed a bit (exclusivity may have been extended since then), but at least there's some grounding for what the original half-decade setup was intended to be. Even though recent analyst musings led to the surmise that the iPad's bargain data plans, which are delivered sans contract, might have been a carrot in extending AT&T's hold on the iPhone for a few more months, it's not at all clear that an extension would have been necessary to lock in sales through the end of this year.

AT&T's original deal on iPhone was for five years originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T's original deal on iPhone was for five years originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad Wi-Fi issues, iPad cases, iPhone leak, Words with Friends, Jailbreak and unlock – From the Forums

From the Forums is a great way to see all of the current hot topics within our forums are. In order to create any new threads of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is a simple process that will only take a few minutes out of your day, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now!

• iPad Wi-Fi issues – There is no denying there is something going on with Wi-Fi on the iPad so whether you do or do not have issues staying connected to your Wi-Fi, let us know.

• What do you use to protect your iPad? Screen protector? Hard case? Flip case? We want to hear what protective measure you are taking!

• What are your thoughts on the next generation iPhone leak? Was it legal? Illegal? Vote in this poll that is split 50/50 at the moment.

• Words with Friends ID – Share your ID with the latest gaming craze on the iPhone and iPad.

• iPhone Jailbreak and Unlock – for all of your jailbreaking and unlocking needs visit our dedicated forum on the topics.

See you in the forums!

iPad Wi-Fi issues, iPad cases, iPhone leak, Words with Friends, Jailbreak and unlock – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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HyperMac external batteries add iPad support

Sanho has updated its HyperMac line of external batteries to support iPad charging.

Does Apple’s App Store Have A Spam Problem?

AT&T iPhone Exclusivity Originally Scheduled Through 2012

Engadget digs up some 2008 court documents that confirm that Apple and AT&T's original exclusivity agreement did, in fact, extend into 2012. From a court order (PDF):

The Agreement, which lasts until 2012, ...

Confirmed: Apple and AT&T signed five-year iPhone exclusivity deal — but is it still valid?

digg_url = 'http://digg.com/tech_news/Apple_AT_T_had_a_5_year_iPhone_deal_but_do_they_still'; The term of Apple and AT&T's iPhone exclusivity deal has long been a mystery -- although USA Today reported a five-year arrangement when the original iPhone came out in 2007, that number has never been independently confirmed, and it's been looking suspect in recent weeks as Verizon iPhone chatter has gotten louder. But we've been doing some digging and we can now confirm that Apple and AT&T entered into a five-year iPhone exclusive in 2007, based on court documents filed by Apple in California. Read on!

Continue reading Confirmed: Apple and AT&T signed five-year iPhone exclusivity deal -- but is it still valid?

Confirmed: Apple and AT&T signed five-year iPhone exclusivity deal -- but is it still valid? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will WiGig make future iPhone, iPad Wi-Fi faster?

From the fine folks at the Wi-Fi Alliance, in collaboration with the Wireless Gigabit Alliance, comes WiGig, the the awkwardly names but drool worthy new standard that aims to take our cable-free data transfer into the next generation:

At a speed of 7 gigabits per second, WiGig can easily handle the transfer of high-def video. That positions it as a replacement for wired HDMI connections or optical audio cables. [...] The WiGig standard, which runs on the 60 GHz spectrum, could be made compatible with existing devices that support Wi-Fi, but those gadgets wouldn’t see the speed benefits of WiGig.

Apple is seen as a likely candidate to implement the new spec-to-be as they embraced even the draft 802.11n early on in its life cycle.

Those hoping this gives us truly wireless iPhone and iPad sync, and video streaming to our living room TVs, well, we’d love that too but the realities of battery technology probably means there’s still a charger or plug in the equation somewhere…

[LA Times Blog, thanks Steph for the tip!]

Will WiGig make future iPhone, iPad Wi-Fi faster? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Review: Glee for iPhone and iPad

This app turns your iPhone or iPad into a mobile karaoke machine. It's undeniably fun, but Glee would be better served by shipping with a wider selection of songs.

Voodo 2 – New Todo Magic for iPhone

I Wonder Phone today is pleased to announce the release of Voodo 2, a big new version of its simple yet powerful GTD/todo app for iPhone and iPod touch. It is celebrating the new Todo Magic with a 50%-off price in the App Store. Voodo perfectly combines a simple, clean user interface with a rich [...]

AT&T touts network improvements found in survey results

Gripe all you want about poor cellular service for the iPhone on AT&T, but the carrier says its wireless networks are improving.

Jailbroken iPad Gets Bluetooth Mouse Support

Gowalla for iPad – App Review

Gowalla for iPad is a social app from some fine folks in Austin, TX that allows you to check-in to locations, see where your friends are checking-in, collect items and complete trips. Gowalla for iPad is available now in the App Store for free [Free- iTunes Link]

Gowalla is the newest entry into the whole “check-in” craze. Why check-in? With Gowalla the main goals are to see where your friends are and to collect items. However, this process is mainly reserved for the iPhone app. The iPad version of Gowalla provides beautiful access to view your activities (where you and your friends have checked-in), see what spots are in your area (spots are places to check-in) and your Passport (a summary of where you have checked in, stamps, pins and items collected.

This app is an excellent companion app to its iPhone cousin. The large screen really gives you great access to view where your friends are in real-time across the world. You can pinch and zoom from your city to the whole world in a breeze. You can learn more about a location or friend by tapping on their name on the map. Spots also dynamically appear when the map is moved to a new location, very slick.

One of the nice advantages of Gowalla compared to its competition is that Gowalla’s main focus is not becoming a Mayor’ but rather on collecting items left behind by other users. When you check-in with Gowalla you have an opportunity to swap an item you have with an item you are checking-in at. If it is a new location, there may not be an item but you can leave an item behind for another user and you then become the founder for that location.

If you are up for a challenge you can complete a Trip in Gowalla. Trips consist of checking into a series of locations in a city. Once complete, you get a trip badge to add to your collection. If you don’t have trips in your city, you can create your own and submit it to Gowalla. Regretfully, trips are not accessible at this time in the iPad app.

Gowalla renders all of this with beautiful icons and graphics that really allows you to enjoy the experience of the application. It is important to remember that this really is not meant to replace the iPhone version of Gowalla, at least in its current state, but to enhance your experience with Gowalla. There is a substantial amount of functionality missing from this application and we look forward to what Gowalla will bring in future versions. Check out the video and pics below!

Pros

• Wonderful artistry
• Get directions to a spot
• Check-in
• View leaderboard
• Awesome companion app to the iPhone version

Cons

• iPad app is “read only”
• Trips are not viewable
• Cannot edit Spots
• Cannot save Items to your vault

Gowalla for iPad – App Review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Quirky unveils Cradle lap desk for iPad

A community-designed lap desk, the Quirky Cradle features a twistable centerpiece to rotate your iPad.

Android OS pulls ahead of Apple in smartphone market

Filed under: iPhone

It's not a stunning surprise, but the Android OS has knocked Apple out of the number 2 slot and slid just behind RIM.

Market Researcher NPD says first quarter sales give RIM (Blackberry) 36% of OS sales. Android has 28% while Apple has 21%.

These percentages are only smartphone numbers and do not include the iPod touch.

NPD says that the Droid, Droid Eris and Blackberry Curve are flying off the shelves, largely because of a 2-for-1 sale at Verizon. At the same time, customers are hesitant to buy iPhones with a new model rumored to be available soon.

The NPD Group compiles and analyzes mobile device sales data based on more than 150,000 completed online consumer research surveys each month. Surveys are based on a nationally-balanced and demographically-representative sample, and results are projected to represent the entire population of US consumers. Note: Sales figures do not include corporate/enterprise mobile phone sales.

This is a good wake-up call for Apple, and things may change when the new iPhone with OS 4.0 ships, most likely in June. Apple shouldn't get too comfortable, as HP may be doing some interesting things with Palm, and later this year the Windows Phone 7 will arrive with a highly-motivated Microsoft behind it.

Ultimately, competition is good for everyone, and iPhone owners can expect to see better phones and features as Apple continues to see it does not have the smartphone market to itself. It might also help Apple in any pending antitrust case.

Android OS pulls ahead of Apple in smartphone market originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Android OS pulls ahead of Apple in smartphone market originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Found footage: Next-gen iPhone middle plate assembly

Filed under: iPhone

Just like the iPhone LCD leak back in March, SmartPhone Medic got their hands on another piece of next-gen iPhone hardware. This time they've posted a video of the middle plate assembly for the upcoming iPhone. SmartPhone Medic notes that the part looks identical to the one in the prototype iPhone Gizmodo bought, and from what I can see it looks like they're right. The visible black seams in the case are still there (yuck), and it appears that the SIM card slot has moved from the top of the case to the side, similar to the layout on the iPad. The metal plate fits perfectly into the iPhone front face and LCD assembly that SmartPhone Medic showed off in March, so it looks like that leaked part was the real thing.

Other than the "guts" of the iPhone (which won't see the light of day again until its official release), the only part SmartPhone Medic has yet to show off is the iPhone's rear casing. There's still no definitive word on what the material of that rear case is -- some have said glass, while others are saying it might be some type of ceramic. We should know the answer to that question very soon: WWDC starts on June 7, and almost everyone expects the next-gen iPhone to have its (official) debut at the keynote.

Found footage: Next-gen iPhone middle plate assembly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Found footage: Next-gen iPhone middle plate assembly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 10 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming on the iPad: What works, what doesn’t

After a month's worth of iPad gaming, Chris Holt has a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't when it comes to playing games on Apple's latest device.

Android sales growing, but Apple holding steady

The latest sales numbers for the smartphone industry show Android gaining ground, as iPhone sales appear to remain flat. But there are plenty of factors to take into consideration.