Recently in Tips Category
Apple today rolled out the latest software update for the iPhone, OS 3.1.3. The firmware ugrade fixes a number of bugs (see image below) and, according to reports, wreaks havoc on jailbroken iPhones.
The former is entirely welcome. And, while the later isn't welcome, no one should be surprised that Apple's once again reasserted control over the iPhone. Now it's up to hackers to reassert themselves and enable iPhoners to run their unofficial apps again. No doubt they've already gotten to it.
Today's update follows one released by Apple for iTunes earlier in the week. iTunes 9.0.3 provides a number of important bug fixes, including:
--iTunes no longer ignores your "Remember password for purchases" setting.
--Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod.
--Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected.
--Addresses issues that affect stability and performance.
TUAW's posted a useful tip for iPhoner's who find their cellular-data access sluggish or not working. It recommends users hit the "Reset Network Settings" button, which cleans the slate on the iPhone for Wi-Fi as well as cell phone reception. That button is located here: Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. I've tried it and it's done the trick on a few occasions. See here to learn more.
Do you remember Rick Astley? He had a big fat hit that was ghastly He said I'm never gonna give you up or let you down. Well I'm here to tell ya that d#%k's a clown --Nick Lowe "All Men Are Liars"The first iPhone work is upon us, and the face of it 1980's crooner Rick Astley. The worm, called ikee, is based on an iPhone wallpaper hack developed in the Netherlands. Aparently, it only effects jailbroken iPhones in Austrailia that have SSH (Secure Shell) installed with a password that hasn't been changed from the default word alpine. See here for a definition of SSH, which is supposed to secure networks and devices. The fairly innocuous malware changes the iPhone's wallpaper to a picture of Rick Astley with the words "ikee is never going to give you up," and then searches for other iPhones on the network to do the same. According to SophosLabs, at least four variants of the worm are floating around. The best thing you can do to protect your jailbroken iPhone from this worm, or the possibility of one with more malicious intent, is to change your root password. See here to learn more about the ikee worm and below for Nick Lowe singing his song "All Men Are Liars."
Unfortunately, there's still no tethering for the iPhone. Tethering, available for many other smartphones, is a long sort after feature that allows you to use your handset as a modem to connect a notebook computer to the Web. While you can't tether officially, there is a way to do it if you've jailbroken your smartphone to run unofficial software. This link will lead you to a multi-step process outlined by MobileCrunch to enable tethering for your iPhone. According to the writer, it isn't difficult, but is time consuming. The first step is to hack your iPhone using the blackra1n jailbreak.
The iTunes app store contains numerous apps that promise to help you track the H1N1 virus, better known to many as the cause of rapidly spreading Swine Flu. It is a worldwide pandemic President Obama recently declared a national emergency. One of the latest apps to address H1N1 is from Harvard Health Publications (a division of Harvard Medical School).
Aptly called The Swine Flu app ($1.99, available here), the application includes science-based information (via videos, animations, text and realtime updates) on the state of the pandemic's spread; practical steps people can take to mitigate their risk of infection; key symptoms to watch for; and how to act in case of a suspected infection. In addition, the application provides businesses with specific information on how to best prepare their enterprises for managing through the pandemic.
Harvard's H1N1 app is the first in series of iPhone applications called HMS Mobile that promises to promote public health.
Google greatly enhanced the browser-based version of Gmail for the iPhone and smartphones powered by its Android platform last spring. As part of its ongoing effort to update the mobile edition of Gmail with one or two improvements at a time, Google today introduced a new feature called auto-expanding compose boxes.
Previously, Gmail sported a fixed-size compose box that restricted the number of lines of visible text you could see on an iPhone display. The new auto-expanding compose box promises to make creating longer messages easier, as it allows you to see more of the text you've typed at a time. Simply type until you get close to the bottom of the Gmail compose box, whereupon the compose box will automatically by a few lines, as if by magic.
For iPhoners, Google's auto-expanding compose box also takes away the need to press and hold to scroll with the magnifying glass. Instead, according to the Google Mobile Blog, you can do that by flicking with your finger on the display to scroll.
To try out the new auto-expanding compose box by visiting gmail.com in Safari on your iPhone or iPod touch.
Create a home screen link for easy access.
2. Tap the + at the bottom of the screen
3. Select Add to Home Screen
4. Tap Add to confirm
5. A new Gmail icon appears on your home screen
Que Publishing has a pair of new books out by Brad Miser that are geared toward beginning to intermediate users of Apple's popular mobile devices. The first - "My iPhone "- is on its 3rd Edition and covers how to use the iPhone 3G/3GS and iPhone OS 3.1. Click here for the sample chapter: Connecting to the Internet, Bluetooth Devices, and iPhones/iPods. The second - "My iPod Touch" - appears to be a brand new paperback. It is supposed to teach you how to use the iPod touch with OS 3.0. Click here for the sample chapter: Listening to Music, Podcasts, and Other Audio. Both books list for $24.99, but can be had for considerably less at Amazon.com, for example.
Facebook 3.0 for iPhone is out, according the app's developer, Joe Hewitt. If you've had no luck finding it in App Store (on PC or iPhone), you are not alone. It is there, though.
You see, on the PC if you click to download the app, you'll get version 3.0 even though the App Store's Facebook app page is still for version 2.5. If, like with me, Facebook 3.0 isn't appearing as an update on the iPhone, try deleting it and then looking for it at the App Store again.
Like with the PC, the app's page will say Facebook 2.5. However, when you download and install it, what you get is Facebook 3.0.
I have to say, Facebook 3.0 is a major improvement over the original. It is elegant, easy to use and places a lot of information at your fingertips. The software is also much faster than the previous edition. It is a vast improvement. You even get landscape mode!
Below is a list of features (from the Facebook for iPhone Facebook page) that will, eventually, appear in the "What's New" text for Facebook 3.0 on the App Store:
- See your upcoming Events and RSVP
- See your friends' birthdays
- See Pages and post updates and photos to Pages you administer
- Write Notes and read your friends' Notes
- Upload videos from an iPhone 3GS
- Upload photos to any album
- Complete photo management (create albums, delete albums, delete photos, delete photo tags)
- Change your Profile Picture
- Zoom into photos
- Like posts and photos
- See the same News Feed as the Facebook website
- Visit links in a built-in web browser
- See all of your friends' friends and Pages
- See mutual friends
- Easily search for people and Pages
- Make friend requests
- Become a fan of Pages
- Quickly call or text your friends
- Create shortcuts to your favorite friends and Pages
- Friends sorted by first or last name according to your settings
- Chat friends sorted alphabeticaly
Yelp (free, available here) is social networking service that pools ratings and reviews from users to help folks find places to eat, shop, drink, relax, entertain and play. Popular among iPhoners, the application will even map out the locations of businesses.
The latest version of the Yelp for the iPhone contains an unexpected (and hidden) treat: It is first Augmented Reality app available for U.S. customers in the iTunes App Store. Metro Paris Subway was the first augmented reality app for the iPhone.
With Yelp 3.0, shake your iPhone three times to bring up a view, called Monocle, that marks and lists rated businesses for users on top of the iPhone's camera view. It does all this in real time, live (see above picture from blogger Josh Bancroft).
Apparently, the feature, which leverages the iPhone's GPS and compass capabilities, only works with the iPhone 3GS. Yet another reason for me to want to upgrade once the contract for my current iPhone runs out.
Developers Layar and Wikitude each offer augmented reality apps for Google's Android platform, but not yet for the iPhone. Although these companies are based in Europe, their apps are said to include U.S. content.
In related news, Yelp is now available RIM BlackBerry and the Palm Pre. Both are reportedly much more basic than the version for the iPhone, focusing on the apps core features rather than interactivity. You can get the BlackBerry edition of Yelp by pointing the smartphone's browser to http://m.yelp.com and the version for the Palm Pre through the device's App Catalog.
[via Robert Scoble via ReadWriteWeb]Pretty soon we intend to replace the broken display of an iPhone 3G with a brand new screen from DirectFix.com. Below is a video that outlines the process we plan to follow in detail. It shows you how to perform a complete screen repair. The steps shown apply equally to the new iPhone 3Gs as the iPhone 3G. Whether you need a screen replacement now or may need to later, it is worth checking out. The procedure doesn't look all that difficult.
