Selena Gomez talks tech with TUAW

Before 2011, you probably only knew who Selena Gomez was if you had teenagers or younger children. But this year the young woman who plays Alex on Disney's Emmy Award-winning Wizards of Waverly Place has made her way into the mainstream spotlight.

In the last twelve months she's starred in her second feature film, been hounded endlessly by paparazzi because she's dating one of music's biggest stars, was active in her role as a UNICEF ambassador, released (with her band) her third studio album while touring around the globe with them, and hosted the EMAs. And almost as if she's trying to squeeze everything possible into this year, she'll be working until the stroke of midnight on December 31st in New York where she'll be performing at MTV's live New Year's Eve special. Disney has also announced that the series finale of Wizards of Waverly Place will air in early January.

All that would be a lot for anyone, yet there's still one more thing that Selena has done this year. This past November the 19-year-old pop star from Texas also became a tech venture capitalist. Along with CrossCut Ventures and a group of ten other seasoned investors, she took part in a first round of funding for the iPhone and Android app Postcard on the Run. The app, which I reviewed a few days ago, lets users turn any digital image on their iPhone into a physical postcard that can be instantly sent to anyone in the world.

I've recently been finishing up a book on the cult of celebrity in America (and for research, reading way more Daily Mail gossip than could possibly be considered healthy), so when I saw Selena Gomez's name pop up on one of my tech news feeds instead my celebrity news feeds, I was taken aback. The November announcement said that Selena had become an investor in an iPhone app. But for the life of me I couldn't figure out why a nineteen year old who has so much other stuff going for her right now felt the need to do something so -- well, compared to all she's done -- so relatively small; not to mention something most others in the tech industry don't do until their late 20s or early 30s.

Don't get me wrong, Postcard on the Run is a very good app. It's actually one of my favorites. But that's all it is -- a single app. And if you're doing it for the money, why not invest in a bigger app, or a developer who has lots of apps? I mean, Ashton Kutcher I get. He's another celebrity who is also a prominent tech VC. But his strategy is fairly obvious. Lots of investments (not to mention endorsement deals with tech-friendly companies like Nikon). Big portfolio. Big profits. But a single app with a first time developer? And at 19?

So I contacted Selena's representatives and she agreed to an interview with me early last week. What I found out was something all of us reading this are familiar with. It's why some of us are developers and all of us are users. You get into it because you love the product. Because you can't stop talking about it and you want to be part of it -- any way you can.

That's exactly what happened to Selena. In September she was stuck on her tour bus between performances; she came across Postcard on the Run in the App Store and started sending postcards with it. "I have my iPhone with my all the time that's why I think Postcard on the Run is such a great concept. The one thing people have with them at all times is their phone and the app makes it so easy to send cards and keep in touch with people in a more personal way," she tells me. "I got excited about something and wanted to be a part of it."

At first I think "what's wrong with email?" but then, perhaps channeling a bit of my mother, I do have to admit a physical note is more personal than an electronic one. I ask Selena if she thinks there's room for both traditional and electronic greetings in the future? Does one mean more to her than another?

"I really think it can be a combination of both," she says. "There's something really nice and special about sending and receiving mail the old fashioned way. Who doesn't like getting things in the mail?"

A Twitter fan base of 9 million. Check. 25 million "Likes" on Facebook. Check. Likes to wait for something in the mail? Uh, check. Who knew?

After deciding she wanted to get involved it was time to contact the app's creator, Josh Brooks. I ask her if Josh thought someone was playing a prank on him at first. I mean, if I got an email from "Selena Gomez" saying she wanted to help any way she could on my next book project, I wouldn't take it too seriously.

She laughs at my question, but shrugs off the suggestion. "I actually talked to my stepdad about it and he and I reached out to Josh directly," she says. "But yeah, Josh was pretty excited."

For his part, Josh tells me that he didn't disbelieve the email, but he did admit to using Google for what it does best. "And so I checked it out and everything made sense. It was way interesting and we had a couple more emails and then hopped on the phone."

When asked how long it took from that first email to the time she officially came on board Selena says, "Not very long at all. I guess it took three or four weeks."

But the timing turned out to be serendipitous. Before Selena contacted Josh, he already had a number of angel investors committed along with CrossCut Ventures, and they were looking to finish up the financing so he could take the app further. Though Selena nor Josh are releasing individual investment numbers, the closing round that Selena invested in was $750,000.

I asked Selena why so many celebrities seem to be getting into tech investing. From an app developer's standpoint, it's good press. But besides financial incentive, is there any other reason for the celebrity to do it?

"I can't speak for others but for me, having grown up in the 'digital age' it feels like a natural," she says. "I'm always on the go, and the one thing always with me is my phone and I'm excited about being part of a technology that helps people stay in touch in a real way. Postcard on the Run's technology has the added benefit of working in conjunction with projects or initiatives I'm working on directly."

As she tells me about the features of the app, you can tell her love for Postcard on the Run is clear. "I genuinely like [POTR's] approach to the online/offline space. It's super simple -- that's key."

Like anyone else, I understand liking a product and wanting to get involved, but I ask Selena what an actress and singer could bring to an iPhone app? Especially one that had it's territory invaded by Apple and its Cards app. I mean, she's already conquered television, movies, and music. Did she really feel like she needed another challenge?

But this is where she gets back to that something no one can argue with: "I don't think it's as much about taking on Cupertino, but creating a product that people will use, love and share."

In other words, worry about the product, not the competition.

As for what she can contribute, Selena doesn't pretend to be a Silicon Valley wiz or tech titan. She openly admits that -- at least in the app world -- she's still a fresh face. "This world is somewhat new to me, but Josh and I have a really comfortable relationship. We're constantly in touch regarding everything from product updates to looking at new ways to incorporate Postcard on the Run into other projects and campaigns. More than anything, at least for now, our main goal is build the profile of the company."

And with star power like Selena's, building the profile of the company shouldn't be much of a problem. I ask her how her name recognition has affected download numbers, to which she modestly replies, "There's been a jump."

When I asked others who know Selena what she is really like I got answers of "great person," "super sweet," "family oriented," and "She's one of the most warm individuals at her level that I've ever met." Add "humble" to that list too.

So I ask Josh how much Selena's involvement has helped.

"Selena's strength is not only her ability to reach a younger audience, but it's also to speak to just a different culture that is so digitally friendly. I almost look at her as an ambassador to Postcard on the Run as she can help carry our voice to a different audience," he tells me. "When she makes an announcement about Postcard on the Run you see [download] spikes that are ridiculous. It's out of control. It's tens of thousands of downloads as a result of her supporting or pushing out something cool that's happening with Postcard on the Run. People really want to engage with her and she has fun doing it."

There's the boastfulness I was looking for. But Josh, who has a deep history in the talent and music industry, is also earnest in his reply about Selena's role as a creative advisor as well. "If you're between the ages of 16 and 22 your skill sets are just different than ours. She personifies this really interesting, multi-thread of a talent like no other. She's extremely real and genuine about how she sees this stuff working."

For now, Selena is happy working to help make Postcard on the Run a success and told me she has no other plans for any other app investments at the moment. She'll be busy performing and promoting well into 2012. However, if you're hoping to get her attention with your app she did tell me generally likes word games and photo apps. Just make sure those apps are built out of a passion and not solely for profits.

Note: Love Selena? Love postcards? Check back the Monday after Christmas for a sweet promotion and giveaway from Selena, Postcard on the Run, and TUAW!

Selena Gomez talks tech with TUAW originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Selena Gomez talks tech with TUAW originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Postcard on the Run

I've traveled to over 30 countries since 2009, and today I wish I had brought Postcard on the Run with me. I've been using the app for the last few weeks and have become infinitely fond of it. Postcard on the Run lets you take a picture on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and turn it into a postcard that can be instantly snail-mailed to anyone in the world. I know, I know; that sounds suspiciously like an app by a certain company in Cupertino. But Postcard on the Run succeeds where Apple's Cards app consistently falls short. It's fun, it's uncomplicated, and it's even kinda kooky.

When you launch the app, you're asked to select a photo to use as your postcard image. You can choose to either take a new photo, use an existing photo from your camera roll, or choose any photo you've posted to Facebook. That Facebook integration alone makes the app more useful than its closest competitor. Once you've chosen a photograph, you can zoom in or out of it and position it as you please.

From there, write a short message of up to 200 characters, and choose your font and color. The next screen is particularly cool, as it lets you sign your name with your finger (or even draw little doodles on the card itself), which adds a level of personalization that you don't find in other apps.

What's really nice about the app is it offers you some unique tools and lets you apply some unique features to your postcards to make them more memorable. The most handy tool is called "Postal Gopher." If you choose a recipient from your address book whose address you don't have, the Postal Gopher feature will send a text or email to that individual requesting their address. When they reply, their address will instantly be added to your saved postcard order, which will then be automatically processed and sent.

Another nice feature is the ability to add a GPS photo map right onto the back of the postcard, particularly handy if you take pictures of lots of things you see when out and about. For instance, I can snap a picture of a cool, old bookstore in Germany to use as the postcard and the recipient can see right where I took the photo.

But perhaps the most fun element is the ability to add smells to your postcard. Using the appropriately-named "Smell Mail" feature, users can choose to add one of eleven scratch and sniff scents to their postcards. It's an old throwback to the time when scratch and sniff was "high-tech." But that's really the point of Postcard on the Run: With the digital world moving so fast, receiving another quickly written email isn't that meaningful anymore. If you don't agree, just ask your mother (or mine). She'd much rather get a letter or postcard from me while I'm on my travels than an email. And even in this instant-everything, living-behind-a-touchscreen world, it's still really nice to have a physical memory that you can thumbtack onto your wall or hang on your 'fridge.

The quality of the postcards is also top notch, with the same glossy goodness that you'd expect from any you'd find in a souvenir shop. I've already sent several holiday greetings to friends around the country using them. Each postcard costs between US$0.99 and $1.69, including postage. It's only another 50 cents if you add a Smell Mail scent to it as well. Check out the gallery below, where you'll find more samples of the postcards plus also screenshots of the app.

Finally, those of you with keen eyes might notice that some of the postcards in the gallery are addressed to singer and actress Selena Gomez. That's because she's involved with the creative direction of the app, and those are some duplicates of postcards she liked that were sent to her from fans, which she was kind enough to share with me. If you're among the millions of her fans be sure to check back tomorrow for my exclusive interview with Selena about her involvement with the app, and keep an eye out for a sweet promotion and giveaway from Selena, Postcard on the Run, and TUAW in the very near future.

Postcard on the Run is a free download and the perfect app for sending a little holiday love.

Daily iPhone App: Postcard on the Run originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Daily iPhone App: Postcard on the Run originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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App Store hypothetical market cap beats RIM’s value

Research in Motion, maker of the once-ubiquitous BlackBerry, hasn't been doing so well this year. As each month goes buy, its smartphone continues to lose market share to the likes of Apple's iPhone and Android-powered phones. Just last week, RIM's stock sank after dismal quarterly earnings and a less-than-stellar outlook. That stock slump brought the company to a market cap of approximately US$7.04 billion last Friday. As smartphone market analyst Brian Hall was the first to point out, that's less than Apple's App Store is worth. Yeah, just the App Store alone is worth more than all of the BlackBerry maker.

Now, to be sure the App Store is not an individual company or subsidiary of Apple. But its value is estimated to be worth $7.08 billion to Apple. That estimate is based on an analysis by Trefis that says Apple's App Store makes up 2% of the total market cap of the company. And actually as of close of market yesterday, RIM is worth even less than on Friday when the numbers were first run -- about $6.7 billion -- and Apple is worth more, so the App Store has actually increased its lead.

Not to kick a company while it's down (too late) that means that not only is RIM getting its butt kicked by Apple's iPhone, it's getting it's butt kicked by just the App Store that runs on the phone that's taking all its market share. What's worse is that there's really no sign of a turnaround strategy for RIM, although some bloggers think they have the answer.

App Store hypothetical market cap beats RIM's value originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

App Store hypothetical market cap beats RIM's value originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype offers free Wi-Fi at select US airports this holiday

Skype is getting into the holiday spirit this year by giving anyone with a Mac, PC, or an iOS device free Wi-Fi at any one of 50 US airports. To take advantage of the deal, check out Skype's handy map of participating airports. When you're in one of them, launch Skype on your Mac or PC or the Skype WiFi app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and sign in with your username and password.

The free Wi-Fi is available at the select airports from Wednesday, December 21st to Tuesday, December 27th. You'll notice that the iPhone is the only smartphone on the list. That's because Skype isn't offering this to Android users. Who says the iPhone isn't the most useful smartphone in the world?

Skype offers free Wi-Fi at select US airports this holiday originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Skype offers free Wi-Fi at select US airports this holiday originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BBC’s iPlayer racks up 500k users, BBC shows how they made the app

The BBC's wildly popular iPlayer app was updated last week to include support for the iPhone and iPod touch plus the ability to stream TV over 3G. As a result of all the new features, iPlayer for iOS has been downloaded over 1.1 million times in just the last week alone. What's more interesting is that 500,000 of those downloads were to people who have never downloaded the app before.

Daniel Danker, BBC's General Manager of Programmes and On Demand, told The Guardian that the new 3G streaming support is the main reason the download numbers were so high: "Last week, 20% of all requests on iPhone were on 3G. That's amazing in such a short period of time. And yet when we look at the audience feedback, nobody has really reported streaming problems over 3G."

Stuart Dredge's Guardian article shares more numbers from Danker along with the BBC's thoughts about on mobile television and developing for Android versus iOS. For those who are more interested in the creation of the app from concept to implementation, read this excellent post by Chris Elphick, Senior Designer of the BBC iPlayer iPhone App project.

BBC iPlayer for iOS is a free download, though the app is not yet available to US users.

BBC's iPlayer racks up 500k users, BBC shows how they made the app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BBC's iPlayer racks up 500k users, BBC shows how they made the app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4S-specific iOS build is for “No SIM Card Installed” errors

Last Thursday Apple quietly issued a new build of iOS 5.0.1 specifically for the iPhone 4S. There were no release notes issued with the new build and users who had already installed and earlier build of 5.0.1 on their iPhone 4S couldn't update to the new one without restoring their iPhone. The release came one day before Apple rolled out the iPhone 4S in an additional 20 countries, which gave some hint that the build was useful for those markets.

Now the mystery has been solved as Apple released a new support document detailing changes in the new build. The build addresses an issue where the iPhone 4S wouldn't recognize a micro-SIM card that was installed and return a "No SIM Card Installed" or other similar error. It's also now apparent that the release of the build was meant to coincide with the 20 country rollout, as many new iPhone 4S owners would be upgrading from the factory installed iOS 5.0, to the new iOS 5.0.1 build when they bought their new iPhones.

The new build is still only available to people who have not previously updated to iOS 5.0.1, which suggests Apple considers the incidence of the "No SIM Card Installed" error fairly low. The fix for it will certainly be rolled into iOS 5.0.2 or iOS 5.1, whichever comes first. Until then, if you do want the absolute latest build on your iPhone 4S, simply restore the device to factory settings in iTunes.

iPhone 4S-specific iOS build is for "No SIM Card Installed" errors originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone 4S-specific iOS build is for "No SIM Card Installed" errors originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPad case claims to boost 3G performance, reduce radiation

Ars Technica has a really interesting article about the fabled proximity sensory in the iPad 3G. I know what you're thinking: "Why does the iPad 3G have a proximity sensor?" Well, if Ars did a proper job at finding and interpreting FCC papers (as I believe they did) it's there to protect users from electromagnetic radiation that emanates from the iPad's 3G antenna. Since distance affects how much radiation is absorbed by a person's body, the iPad 3G's proximity sensor is there to dial down the power of the 3G radio by as much as 75% when it detects that a user is close to the sensor. Less power means less radiation exposure. It also means a weaker 3G signal and slower data rate.

However, the 3G signal isn't only dialed down when the proximity sensor comes into contact with a human user. In fact, anything (like an iPad case) will cuts the 3G radio's power. That's why some iPad 3G owners report weaker 3G signals when using their iPad with a case attached.

But now a company called Pong Research has come out with a US$100 iPad case that it says will enable your iPad's 3G data to run at full speed even when the case is on. The case accomplishes this via a small hole right where the proximity sensor is located on the iPad. As Ars points out, any case manufacturer that knows about the location of this unadvertised proximity sensor can do the same. However, by just cutting a hole near the sensor you still have a radiation problem. That's where the second big feature of Pong's case comes in: an integrated circuit board designed to take that harmful radiation and redistribute it away from the user's body.

Arstechnica tested out both claims (the redistribution of radiation and the boost in 3G signals) and found that the case works as advertised. So if full 3G signal and a lack of pesky radiation is for you, go on over to Pong's site and order a case. If you hadn't heard anything after I said you iPad emits deadly radiation, check out Ars's article for an in-depth description of consumer electronic radiation (hint: you'll be fine).

iPad case claims to boost 3G performance, reduce radiation originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPad case claims to boost 3G performance, reduce radiation originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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“Timeline” feature comes to Facebook’s iPhone app

Facebook's new "Timeline" layout was finally rolled out globally this week. However, one thing that was missing from Timeline was iOS support. That has been remedied with the Facebook 4.1 app update released yesterday. Now when users who have enabled Timeline (it's live for everyone by default on December 22nd) launch their Facebook app on the iPhone they'll see their Timeline and other user's Timelines right in the app.

I've got to say I really am not a fan of Facebook's Timeline layout. However, strangely, I like it a lot when using the iPhone app. It's just laid out much cleaner and flows better in the iPhone app than it does on a desktop web browser.

Besides the Timeline, the Facebook 4.1 app adds access to friend lists, subscribers and subscriptions; easier photo uploading and viewing; a new (and much welcome) pop-up interface (as opposed to the "roll-up" screens) to friend request, messages, and notifications windows; and overall improved performance.

Currently, Timeline is only accessible through the iPhone version of the app, but Facebook promises an iPad-compatible update soon. Facebook is a free universal app.

"Timeline" feature comes to Facebook's iPhone app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Timeline" feature comes to Facebook's iPhone app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves keep your fingers warm, useful this winter

If you are looking for a gift for an iPhone-owning friend this Christmas or just want a useful iPhone accessory for yourself, I highly recommend the Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves. There are plenty of capacitive touchscreen gloves on the market, but Mujjo's gloves are the first I've tried that have never missed a tap of my fingers.

I've been using Mujjo's M/L glove for a few days and couldn't be happier with them. As for the fit and feel, they are comfortable and snug on my hands. But the beauty of these gloves is that you don't have to remove them to use your touchscreen device. That means no more freezing your hands off while you walk down the street trying to text your friend in 10 degree weather.

Mujjo's gloves can be used with touchscreens because high-quality silver-coated nylon fibers are knitted right into the fabric of the glove. Those nylon fibers carry the conductive properties of your skin through the glove and onto your touchscreen. You'd think that the gloves would make the touch surface larger on your device, but I haven't had a single problem touching individual keys on the iPhone keyboard (in portrait mode, no less), composing entire emails, playing games like Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift, and scrolling through my music.

Right now you can only order the Mujjo gloves from the company's website. They come in two sizes: S/M or M/L. They ship from Germany and cost €24.95 (about US$32.40). Though I only tried the gloves on my iPhone 4S and briefly on my iPad 2, the gloves should work just fine on any touchscreen device.

Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves keep your fingers warm, useful this winter originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves keep your fingers warm, useful this winter originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vietnamese carriers to launch iPhone 4S this week

Back in October, Viet Nam Business News reported that the iPhone 4S would go on sale in the country by the end of the year. Now Thanh Nien News is confirming that Apple's latest smartphone will go on sale in Vietnam by the end of this week. Vietnamese carriers VinaPhone and Viettel have both confirmed that they will begin selling the iPhone 4S this Friday.

As is the case with the iPhone in most foreign countries, users can expect to pay much higher prices than in the US. VinaPhone plans to sell the 16 GB iPhone 4S for VND15.6 million (about US$740) while Viettel will sell the same device for VND16.4 million (about $780) on contract.

Thanh Nien News also reports that Vietnamese iPhone users who want the device off contract will have to pay an additional VND600,000 to unlock the phone. However, it's not clear if that sum is correct, since it's roughly the equivalent of only US$28.

Vietnamese carriers to launch iPhone 4S this week originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Vietnamese carriers to launch iPhone 4S this week originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple says Motorola patent win won’t deter holiday sales

Last Friday Motorola won a default judgment in Germany blocking the sale of iPad 3G's and all iPhones before the iPhone 4S in Germany. The court sided with Motorola after the company successfully argued that Apple violated one of its 3G patents. The ruling was a blow to Apple, especially since Germany is the largest EU market for iOS devices.

However, as AllThingsD point out, the ruling isn't as devastating to Apple in the short term as it has been made out. First, Apple is immediately appealing the ruling. Second, if they don't win the appeal they could possible license the 3G patent from Motorola. But most importantly, the ruling won't have much of a material impact (if any) on Apple's holiday sales in Germany. That's because the ruling only applies to the importation of new iOS devices into the country. Any iOS device inventory that is already in the country can still be sold.

No doubt with the holidays here Apple already made sure that Germany had a healthy inventory of iOS devices on hand, and if they believed there was a possibility that they would lose the case they probably stocked up inventory in the country more than usual. As an Apple spokesperson told AllThingsD, "We're going to appeal the court's ruling right away. Holiday shoppers in Germany should have no problem finding the iPad or iPhone they want."

Apple says Motorola patent win won't deter holiday sales originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple says Motorola patent win won't deter holiday sales originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Use iFaith v1.4 to downgrade to iOS 5.0

The jailbreakers among you are probably anxiously awaiting the first untethered iOS 5 jailbreak promised by pod2g and MuscleNerd. However, if you've upgraded to iOS 5.0.1, you'll be out of luck because the first untethered jailbreak will be for iOS 5.0 only. Nothing later.

In iOS 4 and earlier, you could simply restore your iPhone to the base version of the firmware (ie: 4.0), but with the introduction of iOS 5, Apple made it so that once you upgraded the OS to a later version (ie: 5.0.1) it was impossible to downgrade via a restore to the base firmware. However, as Morpheus from the Matrix said, some rules can be bent and others broken. Hacker iH8sn0w has released a (currently) Windows-only tool called iFaith that allows users to downgrade to iOS 5.0. This will enable users to then apply the future untethered jailbreak patch to their iOS 5 device. For those of you who are interested in how iH8sn0w accomplished this feat (using SHSH blob vulnerabilities) you can check out this short YouTube video.

[via Engadget]

Use iFaith v1.4 to downgrade to iOS 5.0 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Use iFaith v1.4 to downgrade to iOS 5.0 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily iPhone App: Walkmeter 6.0

I'm not a big fan of running, but I love cycling and walking, so I'm always looking for nice iOS apps to compliment my activities. A beautiful app I've fond for tracking my walks is Walkmeter 6.0 by Abvio. If Abvio sounds familiar, it's because we've covered their Runmeter app in the past.

Abvio actually makes three apps (Runmeter, Walkmeter, and Cyclemeter) that all do the same thing: they use the iPhone's built-in GPS to track and record your favorite exercises. Though all of the apps actually track any number of sports (walking, running, cycling, skying, etc. -- no matter which app you have) the developer decided to make three separate apps because he thought the individual names and icons would appeal to people depending on their favorite sport. That's something I think is cool, even though others might think the developer is trying to snake people in buying multiple apps when he's not.

In our earlier review of Runmeter, we told you about the enhancements that came with version 5.0 of the apps, including the excellent voices feature, which reads various stats to you as you exercise, the tight social integration, and the ability to export .GPX files to share your exercise's stats and maps with others. Version 6.0, which were released last month, continue to add a myriad number of features.

One of the coolest features is ANT+ support, which allows Walkmeter to talk to the Wahoo Fitness ANT+ system. This means that heart-rate monitors and speed/cadence cycling sensors are communicated with in real time, giving you instant feedback. No need to wait until your walk is done to see your results. You can also set target announcements for heart rate, speed, and pace, which are read to you by the Walkmeter voice of your choosing. Another cool feature is Zones, which allows you to see how much time, distance and calories were spent during a pace within a certain range. Version 6.0 also adds Notification Center support, laps and interval training, along with dozens of other enhancements throughout the app.

Walkmeter and its brothers aren't the cheapest exercise tracking apps out there, but I believe they are the best. The interface is fluid, responsive and easy to navigate, something that matters a lot if you are interacting with the app during your exercise. I've tried a lot of GPS-enabled exercise apps, and I deleted them from my iPhone once I found Walkmeter. If your current exercise app isn't doing it for you, I urge you to give one of Abvio's apps a try. Walkmeter 6.0 is US $4.99 in the App Store.

Daily iPhone App: Walkmeter 6.0 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Daily iPhone App: Walkmeter 6.0 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Olloclip 3-in-1 iPhone camera attachment: a cool iPhoneography accessory

Earlier my colleague Steve wrote about the US$249 Photojojo iPhone Lens Dial, an iPhone accessory that gives iPhone photographers access to an array of three camera lenses on rotating dial. For those of you who like the ability to add lenses to your iPhone, but don't like the $249 price, I recommend the Olloclip, a $69 slip on 3-in-1 lens for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.

The Olloclip started off as a Kickstarter project and went on sale in May. The body of the Olloclip is made of anodized aircraft grade aluminum and it comes in two colors, red or black. On the front end of the Olloclip is the fish eye lens, which gives you a 180-degree field of view. The rear of the Olloclip houses the wide angle lens, which gives you a greater field of view than what your iPhone 4/4S camera would normally have. You can unscrew the wide angle lens to access the macro lens that gives you about ten times the magnification of the subject of your shot within 12-15mm.

To use the Olloclip, simply slip it onto the end of your iPhone, over the iPhone's camera. The notch in the Olloclip is made of plastic so you don't need to worry about it scratching the glass front or back of your iPhone 4 and 4S. The Olloclip's entire 3-in-1 lens solution is quite small, which is nice when traveling. It easily fits into your pants or shirt pocket. The Olloclip also comes with a small, draw-string bag/case made of microfiber material that also doubles as a lens cleaner.

The Olloclip's primary difference from the pricier Photojojo iPhone Lens Dial is that it comes with a macro lens instead of a telephoto lens. However, if macro shots are more important to you than telephoto shots, the Olloclip is a terrific choice for photographers who want to get more out of their iPhone4/4S camera. The quality of its construction, size, and features can't be beat for the price. You can order the Olloclip from Amazon or directly from the company's website.

The Olloclip 3-in-1 iPhone camera attachment: a cool iPhoneography accessory originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Olloclip 3-in-1 iPhone camera attachment: a cool iPhoneography accessory originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The high price of the iPhone 4S in India

The iPhone 4S is set to go on sale in India in just five days, but its recently-announced price has some Indian customers fuming. While prices for Apple devices in India have always been higher than in the US, iPhone fans aren't happy that the 16 GB iPhone 4S will cost a whopping Rs 44,500 (US$854.00) with a two-year contract through both AirTel and AirCel. That price point is roughly the same price as a contract-free 64 GB iPhone 4S in the US.

As noted by NewsTonight, Indian iPhone fans took to Twitter upon learning the news and quickly pointed out that the cost of the entry-level iPhone 4S was not only more than the high-end contract-free iPhone 4S in the states, but that the 16 GB iPhone 4S in India costs more than most LED TV's or a year's worth of gas. Fueling the anger over the price was the assumption that the already-high Indian iPhone price point would remain the same as the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4 was Rs 35,000 (US$672.00) -- significantly cheaper than the iPhone 4S. There's no word from the carriers or Apple as to why the iPhone 4S is priced significantly higher than the iPhone 4 was at its launch, as new iPhones usually keep the same price point as their predecessor.

The high price of the iPhone 4S in India originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The high price of the iPhone 4S in India originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T raises the price of iPhone 3GS from free to $0.99, refurb for a penny

Last Friday AT&T generated a lot of Twitter talk (and confusion) when it raised the price of the iPhone 3GS from free with two-year contract to US$0.99 with two-year contract. The "free" price of the iPhone 3GS was noted as being a major draw for price-conscious consumers by both AT&T and Apple when it was announced on October 4th, so the raising of the price to a nominal $0.99 was a bit puzzling. Adding to the confusion was the fact that the iPhone 3GS is still free with a two-year AT&T contract when bought directly from Apple.

When we contacted AT&T again today to get more specifics on the price change, a company spokesperson told us, "I can't share anything specific on the reasoning" and went on to reiterate AT&T's official response, "Our brief statement is this: 'iPhone 3GS is still available at an incredibly low price and we're confident consumers will agree that this remains one of the best deals for a leading smartphone.'"

MacRumors suggests that the price could be a way for AT&T to combat fraud, as the price of the phone cannot be applied to a user's AT&T bill and must be charged to a credit or bank-issued debt card. The requirement of a credit or debit card means that people using stolen identities to obtain the handsets have much less chance of getting one unless they've actually physically stolen the person's credit or debit card as well. This line of reasoning adds up considering the iPhone 3GS is still free through Apple. That is perhaps because Apple requires you to have an Apple ID with an associated credit or debit card tied to the account to make online purchases.

Lending further credence to the "anti-fraud" theory is the fact that refurbished 8GB iPhone 3GS models now cost $0.01 through AT&T. The nominal penny fee is also likely applied to refurbished models to combat similar identity theft fraud by requiring a valid credit or debit card to be charged a single cent.

Finally -- and perhaps unrelated to the new iPhone 3GS charge -- AT&T seems to be sold out of the iPhone 3GS online. We've asked the company what's behind the inventory shortage and are awaiting a reply.

AT&T raises the price of iPhone 3GS from free to $0.99, refurb for a penny originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T raises the price of iPhone 3GS from free to $0.99, refurb for a penny originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square adds customer loyalty, printable receipts

Mobile credit card transaction company Square updated its iOS app this week to include several new features for merchants and customers. Perhaps the biggest update to Square 2.2 is the ability for merchants to reward their regular customers with customized loyalty programs. The app now allows a merchant to define what a "regular" customer is (ie: five visits a week, twelve visits a month, etc) and assign an automatic discount to their tab when they check out.

Another big feature of the latest update is the ability to print physical receipts. Now the app can communicate with receipt printers so the customer can walk away with printed proof of their purchase instead of having to rely on an email or text message. Plus, the app has added the ability to wirelessly open the merchants cash register when the merchant taps "tender" on the app -- a small but nice feature at, say, cafés where a person might pay by card but want quarters in exchange for a dollar bill to get a paper. The feature also makes it easier for the cashier to store paper coupons in their cash drawer as some cash registers will not open a drawer unless the transaction is tendered in-register. Additionally the 2.2 update also allows merchants to create a "tips" field on the checkout screen.

Square recently surpassed US$2 billion in payments per year an usage by both customers and merchants is sure to increase as more people become comfortable making transactions on their mobile devices. Square is a free download from the App Store.

Square adds customer loyalty, printable receipts originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Square adds customer loyalty, printable receipts originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T concept store uses iPads, iPhones for checkout

An AT&T concept store opening this weekend in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights aims to "differentiate the AT&T experience," according to AT&T retail president Paul Roth. Roth told AllThingsD that AT&T needs to do more to lure the shopper into its stores now that most mobile phones essentially look the same (blocks of glass with software underneath). To that end, AT&T is borrowing heavily from the Apple Store model.

The Arlington Heights concept store has eliminated traditional cash registers in favor of a payment system using iPads and iPhones, just like Apple does in its stores. The store will also feature wide glass windows, so passersby can easily see what's on display inside and feel more "invited" to come in -- another Apple Store trait. Finally, the store will offer "bar stool-style seats and tables to try out the latest devices and services as well as a spot to get in-store support for devices and software," according to AllThingsD. Throw a logo of an atom with swirling electrons on it and you'd have a Genius Bar.

Some non-Apple Store features will also be included in the store, including two large touchscreen walls and an entire section of the store dedicated to "emerging devices," such as new Bluetooth and wireless accessories. Expect whatever features of the concept store that are a hit to make it into other AT&T stores in the future.

AT&T concept store uses iPads, iPhones for checkout originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T concept store uses iPads, iPhones for checkout originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NPD Group: iPhone 4, 3GS outsold Android phones in Q3

NPD's latest Mobile Phone Track service shows that Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS outsold other Android phones on the market in the US for the third calendar quarter of 2011 -- the same situation as results for the previous quarter. The iPhone 4 held the top spot, with Apple's two-year-old iPhone 3GS holding the second spot. It's no surprise the iPhone 4 claimed top spot, but it's a testament to how well the iPhone is revered among consumers that the iPhone 3GS -- which came out in 2009 -- outsold newer Android phones with higher screen resolutions and more processing power. The $49 price point through AT&T last quarter also must have helped.

Here's the entire top 5 list for the quarter that ended September 30th:

1. Apple iPhone 4
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
3. HTC EVO 4G
4. Motorola Droid 3
5. Samsung Intensity II

Results for this next quarter, which runs until December 31, will be very interesting to see. Given the strong sales of the iPhone 4S, the fact that the iPhone 4 is now only $99, and the fact that the iPhone 3GS is free on a two year contract, Apple may very well hold the top three spots when NPD announces its Mobile Phone Track results for Q4 sometime in January 2012.

NPD Group: iPhone 4, 3GS outsold Android phones in Q3 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NPD Group: iPhone 4, 3GS outsold Android phones in Q3 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unlocked iPhone 4S now available for pre-order in the US

Apple has begun taking unlocked iPhone 4S pre-orders in the US Online Apple Store. The preorders list a 1 to 2-week ship time and and are available for all three storage capacities in white and black. I just put an order in for my unlocked iPhone 4S and the confirmation email lists a delivery date of between November 28 - December 5. Currently unlocked iPhone 4S pre-orders are for delivery only and cannot be placed online and then picked up in an Apple retail store.

Unlocked iPhone 4S models come in both white and black and cost US$649 for the 16 GB version, $749 for the 32 GB version, and $849 for the 64 GB version. Unlocked iPhones allow a user to simply insert a carrier's micro-SIM card in to use the phone on any GSM network in the world. The unlocked iPhones will not work on CDMA networks, including Sprint and Verizon in the US.

Unlocked iPhone 4S now available for pre-order in the US originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Unlocked iPhone 4S now available for pre-order in the US originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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