Archive for 2011

Rumors suggest that updated MacBook Pros appear later this week, most likely on Thursday. The new MacBook Pros will feature larger glass trackpads than those found on current models for greater flexibility and perhaps for more complex gestures. The lower-end models will have 8GB-16GB solid-state drives to house Mac OS X system files, and will also come equipped with a regular hard drive. This will offer the benefits of SSDs - instant on and super fast performance - while also providing lots of room for heavy users’ files. The idea of separate flash-based storage for system files is not a new one. Intel's "Turbo Memory", in 2006, offered similar functionality. The new machines will be up to a half-pound lighter than current models and there will be five different SKUs.

The United Kingdom wireless carriers have begun lowering their prices on the first-generation iPad in anticipation of the launch of the iPad 2 in April. Both T-Mobile and Orange are now selling the original iPad for £99 with a 24-month data contract. This £100 is a strongly indication that carriers know that their current iPad stocks will soon be in less demand. Though, there is no information on official launch of the iPad 2. But on April 3rd will be a year since the original iPad was released, the history of iOS product launches strongly suggests a late March or early April debut of the iPad 2.

A new leather case for the next-generation iPad appeared on German website Macerkopf.de. Design of the leaked case confirms all rumors about tapered edges, thinner design, rear-facing camera and flat back, but also provides some details on the actual name of the “iPad 2”. The terms iPad 2 was used by journalists and bloggers for indication of the second-generation iPad. That case comes with packaging with a simple label “For the new iPad” that might mean that iPad 2 will actually be called simply iPad.

It is also noteworthy to say that current iPhone 4 accessories don’t come with labels like “Made for the iPhone 4″. Instead, Apple went for a simple “Made for iPhone” that doesn’t point to the “iPhone 4” name in any way.

Bloomberg reports that the next-generation iPad might be delayed until June. Such delay might be caused by design changes made by Apple. The design changes that are allegedly causing delays could go from new display technology or Retina Display to rear-facing camera adoption and a Light Peak interface for the new iPad. To tell honestly, “design changes” could mean anything. Moreover, Apple usually releases new iterations of iPhone in June, so June sounds a little strange for the iPad 2. A new iPad in June would have to face the obvious competition generated by the iPhone.

Apple stopped to support original iPhone 2G and iPod touch 1G starting from iOS 4.0. Their decision was justified because of the low RAM and sow CPU in these first-gen devices released back in 2007.

iPhone jailbreak community has now come up with a mod, which brings the complete look and feel of iOS 4.2.1 for iPhone 2G, 3G and iPod touch 1G and 2G. The mod is basically based on the iPhone OS 3.1.3, to replicate the experience of iOS 4 on the first and second generation iPhone and iPod touch.

This custom firmware, named WhiteD00r, includes everything from iOS 4.x: wallpapers, new semi transparent dock (and UI), backgrounds, all new icons from iOS 4.x, Voice Control, multitasking, video recording, and more. Full list of features can be found here.

Moreover WhiteD00r was also relased for iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G. Regular iOS 4.х works really slow, on these devices, while modified 3.1.3 has much more chances.

WhiteD00r custom 4.2.1 firmware for iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, iPod touch 1G and iPod touch 2G can be downloaded from here.

Here is a video of it in action:

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CNet has recently reported that soon Apple will unveil a new high-speed connection technology for its devices, which is based on Intel's Light Peak technology. The latter should appear in products during the first half of 2011, according to Intel. But though Apple's new technology will be based on Intel's Light Peak, it was reported that Apple will brand it under its own name.

Light Peak allows to transfer information with 10 Gbps, which is almost three times faster than USB 3.0 (3.2 Gbps) and more than 10 times faster than Firewire 800 (800 Mbps). In practice it will allow to copy a full-length Blu-Ray movie in approximately 30 seconds.

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The Chronic Dev Team has released Greenpois0n RC6.1, a new version of their ‘untethered’ iOS 4.2.1 jailbreak tool which now includes an update that disables Apple’s means of protecting the iBooks application from jailbreakers.

Recent Greenpois0n changelog:

• RC6.1: comex 'hunnypot' iBooks fix, don't overwrite animate if it already exist
• RC6: Apple TV 2 support, fixed emulators compatibility issues with greenpois0n
• RC5.4: Verizon iPhone 4 is now supported !

Greenpois0n RC6.1 supports iPod Touch 2G, iPod Touch 3G, iPod Touch 4G, iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, Verizon iPhone 4 (iOS 4.2.6) and Apple TV 2G.

You can download the latest Greenpois0n RC6.1 here.

Last weekend Best Buy listed five new SKUs for Mac notebooks with price between $1,199 and $2,499. They can be found as "New SKU" in online Laptop Configuration tool, with availability of "Coming Soon".

Though in the past Best Buy's inventory systems weren't precise, new listings provide information on pricing that did not appear anywhere else yet.

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Apple recently filed a new patent application that describes a new feature, “Safe Deposit Box”, which will appear in a new Mac OS X Lion. “Safe Deposit Box” will allow users to secure important files. Users will be able to drag a particular file to a safe deposit icon - files could be automatically encrypted and hidden from access - that then secure the file and also upload the secured file to the cloud for backup that means that important files would be stored beyond the home computer. Users could then access secured files through a safe deposit box window by selecting the safe deposit box icon and verifying his or her identity. It seems that this feature would be included into Lion’s Time Machine but, as usual, there is no guarantee.

Today Apple should start delivering its sealed product line of MacBooks Pro to brick-and-mortar stores of its largest European resellers, according to the information sent by the company to those resellers last weekend.

But February, 21st is also a President's Day in the US, and Apple has been avoiding launching major products on federal holidays, so the partners were told that an official announcement will follow shortly after shipments will be delivered, according to AppleInsider that in turn cites a person familiar with the matter. It was also reported that Apple has vocalized its right to cancel reseller licenses from those dealers who will tamper with the sealed shipment before the announcement will be made.

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Apple today released a fifth beta of Mac OS X 10.6.7 to developers for testing. This time Safary was added to the list of focus area to concentrate on, joining Mac App Store, AirPort, Bonjour, SMB, and Graphics Drivers that had been included in previous builds. No known issues are listed in the documentation again. Fourth beta of Mac OS X 10.6.7 was released on February 11. An estimated target date for public release of Mac OS X 10.6.7 is still unclear.

This Wednesday Boy Genius Report revealed that the launch of the Verizon iPhone 4 did not meet the expectations of Verizon and Apple. Their unknown Apple source even provided figures of sales in five Apple stores, two of which are "very, very prominent" locations. Here are the provided numbers for sales of iPhones with contracts of different carriers.

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According to ABC News, today in the evening Steve Jobs is going to meet President Obama.

Google's current CEO Eric Schimdt, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt will also attend a business leaders' event, said people familiar with the meeting. The goal of the meeting was explained by White House official.

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One more creative photo of possible iPhone Nano or iPhone Mini. Similar fashion to existing iPhone 4, with 3.5-inch screen extended to the left/right edges. This image looks like a "spy" shot, but we believe is just another creative mockup.

There are many rumors about future iPhone 5 lately. One of them is that iPhone 5 will have a bigger 4-inch screen. Here's how it might look like compared to existing 3.5-inch screen iPhone 4: