News tagged ‘fun’

Want to know some more about Apple’s upcoming iTablet device? There are many rumor names (iTablet, iPad, MacBook Touch, etc), but not much details. Site ilounge claim to receive some new rumors from a reliable source:

1. Apple has created at least three separate prototypes of its tablet computer.
2. Version 1 was designed with a 7” screen, which was judged to be too small. The latest version has a 10.7” screen.
3. It runs iPhone OS.
4. There have been reports that it looks like an iPhone. They’re sort of true. It looks like an iPhone 3G, complete with a curved back.
5. It will come in two different variations: one with 3G networking capabilities, and one without 3G networking capabilities. Think of the 3G version as a bigscreen iPhone 3GS, and the non-3G version as a bigscreen iPod touch.
6. Screen resolutions will obviously jump considerably from the iPhone and iPod touch 480x320-pixel displays, enabling easy reading of full-sized book and magazine pages, plus cropped newspaper pages. Expect something like 5-6 times the resolution of an iPod touch or iPhone screen (720p or thereabouts) and 7 times the touchable surface area.
7. It is designed to expand the iPhone and iPod touch media concept to its next potential level: as a slate-like replacement for books and magazines, plus all of the media, gaming, app, and web functionality of the iPhone and iPod touch.
8. It is not meant to compete with netbooks. It’s an iPhone OS media player and light communication device.
9. Apple is currently planning to announce it on or before January 19, 2010, and to use an iPhone-like hype buildup period to start selling it in May or June.
10. It is apparently awaiting a final green light from Steve Jobs; chances of it appearing in the market are believed to be 80% at this point.

Not bad. But still this is unofficial..

iFunBox is a Windows application to easily access iPhone file system. It allows you to manage the iPhone and the various folders via a USB connection. With iFunxBox you can transfer files or music to the iPhone or copy pictures and video from it on your PC without using an SSH connection.

The last version is iFunBox V0.9.257.241 and it is compartible with firmware 3.1 and iTunes 9.

Here is a download link.

Action Menu, utility that extends traditional Copy / Paste functionality, is updated to version 1.0.1.

Here is an official changelog:

• No longer allow copying secure text fields
• Add option to disable extended menu support
• Support for launching Birdfeed via the Tweet action
• Remember language in Translate service
• Allow carriage returns in Lookup (for supported services)
• Option to sort Favorites alphabetically
• Translations now work (Italian, German, Japanese, French)
• Additional Support for more apps
• Fix for Facebook crash
• Fix for copying song or album name in iPod app
• Fix biteSMS-button related crashes
• Fix crash when Lookup action is used inside SpringBoard
• Fix Copy All breaking copy in the Photos app
• Fix crash in iTunes password dialog
• Fix for freeze in Fast Notes
• Fix annoying popup on Wifi network/ringtone cells in Preferences
• Revert 1Password to value-only copying
• Prevent Safari freeze when invoking inside a window.prompt (temporary fix)

Action Menu can be installed or updated via Cydia on a jailbreaked iPhone (iPod Touch).

Here is a funny video with extracts taken from Apple's Keynote in September 2009:

via deepapple

DevTeam released PwnageTool 3.1. This utility will allow users of iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G, iPod Touch to run jailbreaked firmware 3.1. We still recommend staying on firmware 3.0/3.0.1 for as long as possible. The 3.1 firmware is not worth it. But if you really want 3.1. Here are the details:

1. If you are using a 3G iPhone with ultrasn0w and rely on ultrasn0w to obtain cellular service, then you should only upgrade to 3.1 with a PwnageTool created .ipsw. Never update using Apple's unmodified firmware. Stay away from Apple’s direct updates.
2. This version of PwnageTool WILL NOT work for the iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 2G/3G.
3. PwnageTool WILL work for Original iPhone (1st Generation), Original iPod touch (1st Generation) and the iPhone 3G.
4. It works only with Mac OS X.
5. Future releases of PwnageTool and RedSn0w will be soon with more functionality.

Here is per device info:

iPhone 3G (unlocked): This model of iPhone 3G doesn’t have an Service Provider lock (aka factory unlocked) and you are able to put any SIM card into the phone and get service. Your phone is already unlocked so you do not need to worry about baseband updates, simply upgrade to 3.1 using iTunes and then use PwnageTool to create an ipsw and then use this to jailbreak your phone.

iPhone 3G (locked): You need to preserve 3.0 baseband. Create a custom firmware.

iPhone 2G (1st Generation): Use PwnageTool to do the magic and then restore with iTunes using your newly created .ipsw, you don’t need to worry about anything, the baseband will be unlocked, the phone jailbroken.

iPod touch 1G (Original iPod Touch): Use PwnageTool to create a firmware image and restore with that .ipsw using iTunes.

iPod touch 2G: Sorry, no support at this time within PwnageTool, use Redsn0w for an earlier (pre 3.1) firmware release instead.

iPod touch 3G (New iPod Touch): Sorry, no support at this time within PwnageTool.

You can download PwnageTool 3.1 in our utilities page.

Taiwan Economic News reports new rumors about Apple iTablet (MacBook Touch).

The tablet PC features a 9.6-inch screen, finger-touch function and built-in HSPDA (high speed download packet access) module, built-in 3G wireless connectivity, adopts a P.A. SEMI processor chip and long lasting battery pack. The expected price is between US$799 and US$999.

The report claims that DynaPack International Technology Corp. will make up to 300,000 'long lasting' battery for the Tablet per month. Wanshih Electronic Co., Ltd. will be supplying the mini coaxial cables. Layers Scientific-Technics Co., Ltd. and Wintek Corp. will be supplying the Power Chokes and the lovely 9.7 incher Touch Panel.

iTablet will probably appear some time in February 2010.

Action Menu is a new utility that extends traditional Copy / Paste functionality. You can now "Copy All" or add text to a stack ("Favorites") that allows you to paste phrases frequently at any time and in any application.

The application is free but you can also buy an extension pack (costs $2.99) which will add new features, such as:

• History: keep the history of all copied sentences / words / numbers;
• Lookup: find online matches for phone numbers and words, using Google Search, Wikipedia, Dictionary, and Google Translate;
• Tweet: send selected text through a Twitter client installed on your iPhone (currently support Tweetie, Twitterific, Twittelator and TwitterFon).

We found this utility quite useful. It can be installed via Cydia on a jailbreaked iPhone (iPod Touch).

Anders Hejdenberg, the lead designer of Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, released a trailer for his upcoming iPhone game today.

Dark Nebula is described as a "skill-based action game" which appears to be a much enhanced take on the ball-rolling games we've already seen for the iPhone. Anders writes:

“The iPhone has always intrigued me as a gaming platform, both in terms of how you can interact with it as well as what it is capable of technically. So I felt quite compelled to try it out and see what we could do with it. It was a lot of fun to come up with a new game concept with a control mechanic that feels great on the device.”

The game will be released as a series of episodes with the first being 10 levels for $0.99. The first episode is expected in September.

via toucharcade

Same style, functionality, hands, music... Bell version of Palm Pre ad looks just like an iPhone ad:

The video above is too funny not to share:

The iPhone app being used in the video is iGun (costs $0.99, AppStore link). There’s a free version available (AppStore link).

via wired

Apple iTablet is a rumor codename for Apple Tablet PC, notebook with a sensor display. Some name it Apple MacBook Touch. Gizmodo claims to have received some information about Apple iTablet. Here it is:

• 10 inch screen
• Looks just like a big iPhone (though that may change)
• 2 versions: with webcam and without (for education?)
• $700 - $900 price tag
• May function as secondary touchpad/screen for Macs
• OS is still big question mark
• Super-secret product code name.

via theiphoneblog gizmodo

A robot hobbyist has developed an application that lets the iPhone 3GS function as the brain and face of a miniature humanoid robot.

The body of the robot — named “Robochan” — consists of a Kondo KHR-2HV humanoid. The iPhone head, which attaches to the body via the dock connector, displays various facial expressions while functioning as the controller. Using Robochan’s iPhone interface, the user can program it to function as an alarm clock, dance to music, and perform other moves based on user interaction.

via pinktentacle

Apple releases new iPod Touch / iPhone firmware - 3.1 beta 3, just couple weeks after firmware 3.1 beta 2. As usual it is only for and avaliable via developer.apple.com. iPhone 3.1 Beta 2 expires tomorrow, July 28 at 12am (device local time). The OS weighs is around 307MB.

You can now copy/paste videos into email like pictures. Previously you could only use the share option which would compress the video to a lower resolution. New functionality was tested with a 33 second video clip (14.7MB), sent via gmail. The recieved file was 640×480 / 30fps. Sending the same file via the share function resulted in a size of 3.21MB and 480×320 / 30fps. Here is a video demo:

UPDATE: Firmware 3.1 Beta 3: What's new?

via theiphoneblog, whenwillapple

While the Palm Pre running webOS was initially able to sync directly with iTunes by presenting itself as an iPod. Later Apple disabled the functionality just last week with the release of iTunes 8.2.1.

The cat-and-mouse game between Apple and Palm continues today with release of Palm webOS 1.1. It brings many new features and improvements to the Palm Pre including restoration of iTunes media syncing. Here's a quote from official changelog for webOS 1.1:

Resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with latest version of iTunes (8.2.1).

What's next, iTunes 8.2.2?

PS: There is another method to enable Palm sync with iTunes called doubletwist.