Archive for January, 2011

At the latest CES, InteraXon (a Canadian company) has announced and demonstrated a headset that can connect to iPhones and iPads and allows you to control apps and games with your mind. Technically, this custom EEG headset pairs with a thought-controlling framework that has been added to the popular iPad game Zen Bound 2 game, letting users control the wooden shapes on screen with their brainwaves. Now the real question is: are you willing to put a headset on to control stuff with your brain? Doesn’t it look a little bit, well, weird?

New driver has been found in the first beta SDK for iOS 4.3, which allows system to support Imagination Technologies' POWERVR SGX543 GPU. All the iOS devices starting from iPhone 3GS sport POWERVR SGX535 graphics processor that appears to be a predecessor of SGX543.

POWERVR SGX543 was introduced in January 2009 and only now has reached mobile devices. The benefits of the SGX543 were described by MacRumors:

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Yesterday Apple launched a new 10 Billion App Countdown promotion to celebrate the upcoming milestone. Nearly 10 billion apps have been downloaded from the App Store, which was launched in 2008. In January 2010, App Store downloads topped 3 billion; during Summer 2010, Apple reached the 5 billion milestone. Now, it’s time to get to the 10 billion figure. Apple will award the user who downloads the 10 billionth app a $10,000 iTunes gift card which is also valid for the Mac App Store. As noted in the official rules for the contest, users can make up to 25 contest entries per day; entrants have to be at least 13 years of age and resident in a country where the App Store is available.

Yesterday Engadget has revealed new information from its reliable sources on the next generation of Apple devices. While we can't be sure whether its true, many of these suggestions support previous rumors. So, here is what Engadget reported:

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This Friday Dutch website called deVolkskrant published a report, where it was revealed that Apple will soon bring in new rules for publishers. According to it they won't be able to offer free access via iPad for their paid print subscribers anymore. The changes will be made because in this way publishers currently avoid to pay Apple a 30% cut for an access through its device.

Another Dutch site nrc.nl also revealed the date when all the new restrictions will take effect - it will be after April 1.

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According to Apple daily, which is a Hong Kong-based newspaper, some components for the next-gen iPhone will come from Taiwanese supplier Kinsus, which is currently working on a new processor called A8.

The latest processor used in the iPad and iPhone 4 is called A4. It's a SoC (socket on a chip) that includes CPU, RAM and GPU. Apple have got an ability to produce this chip due to the acquisition of such chipmakers as PA Semi and Intrinsity.

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There exists a vast diversity of different pro travel online resources where a traveler can search for hotel listings and reviews in a certain area, flights in different airports and car rentals info along with other useful tips. However if you intend to get such data in the quickest way via your iPhone you are advised to appeal to Kayak for iPhone application. Its latest version features totally new and redesigned interface (the previous tile-like design was not very appreciated by users) with the innovative quick search system making it easier to build your travel plans.

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Being number-one rumor among users of Apple’s iPad the long-expected release of the first exclusively pro-iPad newspaper The Daily by News Corp. which was supposed to be debuted at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art upcoming Wednesday was delayed again and not for few days but weeks. Such disappointing for many iPad users information was announced today according to the sources which are closely related with the plans of the both companies (Apple and News Corp.).

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Many users of the  popular and visited photo sharing/hosting and social network concept based Web resource – Flickr – have already enjoyed the special iPhone application which was released earlier and that is why will definitely estimate its latest version 1.3 which was launched few days ago.

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The iOS 4.3 beta was released a couple of days ago. But the update isn’t available for second generation iPod touch and iPhone 3G installation. iOS 4.3 beta 1 noted that AirPrint was the dominant component of attention. AirPrint requires an iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3G iPod touch, or 4G iPod touch. AirPlay and Game Center require an iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 2G iPod touch, 3G iPod touch, or 4G iPod touch. General multitasking an iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3G iPod touch, and 4G iPod touch. Two of the three dismiss the 2G iPod touch and all dismiss the 3G, however, AirPlay and Game Center are important features. Take it as at least a warning that the second generation iPod touch and iPhone 3G are nearing the full “end of life” designation.

Some users found the iPad 2's Camera app in the iOS 4.3 beta and made some screenshots which you may see above and below. 9to5Mac reports: "These screenshots are 1024 x 768 which indicate the same screen resolution as the current iPad. That might upset those hoping for more a retina-ish display in iPad 2. This may only be because the current simulator only simulates 1024 x 768 so those hoping for more pixels shouldn’t lose hope."

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A Norwegian woman was driving her car, with the iPhone plugged in the stereo playing some music when suddenly, her iPhone explodes. The glass shattered, the iPhone broken on its back. Of course, she took the iPhone to the nearest Apple Store but the assistant said that they couldn’t repair it under Apple’s policies because an iPhone wasn’t meant to be working under such temperatures. Apple does not replace a device if it has been used under normal conditions. But freezing is normal in some countries.

People are beginning to dig into the newly released iOS 4.3 developer build and has revealed settings for a new feature called "Find My Friends, " which is tied to Apple’s MobileMe service. Apple may be looking to offer a location-based friend-finding service like Loopt and Google Latitude. Moreover, such services have seen incredible growth and interest in the recent years, with several companies like Twitter and Facebook offering location-based features. Location-based services allow you to find your friends by leveraging your mobile phone’s GPS signal. The constant updates can broadcast your location to your friends to know who is nearby.

This week U.S. Patent and Trademark Office made public another patent application from Apple. It is entitled "Touch Sensing Device Having Conductive Nodes" and reveals a new way of creating new capacitive touchscreens that allow to make devices even thinner than before.

It is noted that existing capacitive sensing technology works very well, but it can be further improved, and not only to make devices thinner, but also to achieve better results in power saving and therefore battery life.

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Today German website MacNotes has suddenly revealed new information on the next-gen iPad. It is said in its report that iPad 2 will be presumably launched in the first week of April, or, to be precise, on the 2nd or 9th or April, and both of these days are Saturdays. As you may remember, first-gen iPad appeared in stores on April 3, which was also a Saturday.

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