iOS Devices

iPhone, iPod touch and iPad owners will soon have access to Sony’s growing library of free movies and TV shows on Crackle.com.  We just saw the news when browsing to the service on our iPad.

Crackle is a growing collection of Sony’s library of TV shows and movies including some recent hits and well as B-listers.  The content is monetized with ads just like Hulu.  Currently, the service is only available via Flash.

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source: chipworks

EETimes deep dives into the new(ish) Apple A5 processor that debuted in the iPad 2 last month.  While there is a lot there and not much new information to take away, they do offer an interesting take on the large size of the processor:

Bold is the only word that can be used to describe Apple’s A5. It was bold to design such a large device. Certainly the CPU+GPU combination is significantly larger than the comparable portion of the A4. However, this is only the beginning of the story. Going beyond these basic elements leaves an additional 34 mm² or 64 percent of the whole A4 die. Yes, there are very likely additional IP cores there, but there might also be some clever custom design that leverages Apple’s integrated approach.

The much larger A5 incited some back and forth amongst analysts on Wall Street.  Discussions of die cost miss the point. This is a very determined step in the emerging A-series SoCs. Apple is well aware of the costs of such a large SoC, but decided the overall system performance gains justify the increase in silicon. Is it also possible that the design has lowered other silicon, system or power consumption burdens?  The point is that we need to consider the entire system.

To me, this increased size is all about GPU.  Sure you have another core and more DRAM, but you don’t just flip a switch and get 9X graphics.  Read more at EETimes.

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We got a tip earlier today that there would be a white iPhone in a matter of weeks.  We weren’t able to verify it on the spot, but along comes Bloomberg who is saying the same thing.

Apple Inc. will begin selling a white model of the iPhone 4 in the next few weeks after a 10- month delay, according to three people familiar with the plans.

The new version will be available from AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless by the end of April, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. The release was stalled as Apple resolved manufacturing challenges, including paint that peeled under heat, one person said.

How many of these things should Tim Cook order?
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Camp fires and rock parties will never be the same with this nifty program that just hit the App Store. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame app comes with some 600 recordings cherry-picked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the most influential songs in rock history. An iTunes review reads:

Add in the fact that each song has a description of why it’s awesome and influential that you can read while playing a preview of the song, and it’s an app that you can easily lose hours in just discovering (or rediscovering those hits).

The app’s got built-in search and arranges songs by artist and song title. You can hear samples and download songs you like to your device. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame costs two bucks a pop, it runs on iPhone and looks great on iPad. Check out a video walkthrough below the fold.

Update: The press release said that 600 songs were included.  Upon inspection, these aren’t full songs.

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Remixation, the company behind video startup Vodpod, has a new iOS app focused on the social component of online video. It’s a frontend to the Vodpod.com service where one million users have shared videos from 20,000 different video sites. An engaging user interface sets apart the app from the crop of content aggregating programs on the App Store. It’s a Flipboard for videos, writes TechCrunch.

Indeed, a nicely laid out and customizable grid collects clips your friends share on a bunch of social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Or, you can get started by streaming clips from YouTube, TED and Vimeo, excluding licensed content. It’s a fun way of checking out clips from your friends in one place and it supports AirPlay so you can beam them to your TV set via an Apple TV. The complete list of features plus a cool promo video right after the break.

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I don’t get it, why all the fuss about cloud lockers from Apple and Google? In Amazon’s case, it’s just a hard drive in a datacenter that stores your data and streams your media files – and they don’t even have an iOS client. Big deal.

I’ve been using Dropbox for over two years, which is the ultimate cloud locker if you ask me. MobileMe subscribers can also stream video clips and music (sans cover artwork and song metadata) from their cloud locker to iOS devices using the iDisk app.

Today, another player jumps in – one that you might already use for backup.  Mozy, the Cloud backup specialists now have an iOS app.

“With Mozy’s mobile apps, you’ll be able to access your backup files from your iPhone, iPad or Android device,” a blog post reads. It works with both paid and free home accounts (business accounts aren’t yet supported). The free Mozy for iOS app packs in some cool features. 
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As the jailbreak community awaits patiently for Dev-team to deliver a stable unlock for the iPhone 4 baseband (a tough nut to crack), third-party solutions are gaining traction. We told you about CutYourSim, a permanent factory unlock that doesn’t require jailbreaking. If your comments are anything to go by, that service has captured your imagination.

Unfortunately, at $168 per device many folks tell us it’s priced above their comfort level plus it is unclear whether this is a legal solution considering it basically comes down to whitelisting your device’s IMEI in a carrier’s database. Rebel’s Micro Sim is a bit more affordable, costing about $65 in the pro variant or $48 for the lite version. What’s the difference between those two?

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Whenever Apple decides to produce a new gadget, they usually commission suppliers and manufacturers a few weeks or months ahead. Deals have to be made, parts have to be purchased and the whole supply and production chain needs to align with Apple’s production roadmap before the actual manufacturing can begin. That Apple has not yet released iPhone 5 roadmap to Asian partners is an indication there are no immediate plans to manufacture the handset. Sources told Asian trade publication Digitimes:

Apple has not yet released a production roadmap for iPhone 5 as shipment volumes of iPhone 4 have continued to mount and related suppliers are not yet ready to shift their production lines for new products, according to sources at Taiwan-based touch panel makers.

The sources noted that touch panel shipments for iPhone 4 have remained steady and that suppliers have not been given a heads-up to begin preparations for a next-gen iPhone. Read on…

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CutYourSim, a company that makes SIM cutters, is out with a service they claim permanently unlocks your GSM iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G – without the need for jailbreaking. It’s an “official iPhone unlock”, they explain, and will carry on forever. This lets you unlock your device for use with any carrier and update it to the latest iOS firmware and baseband without waiting for an unauthorized unlock to be released:

The unlock will work with any iPhone version, and any baseband version, no need to worry about updating to the latest version anymore.

The iPhone Dev-team seem to be endorsing this solution. It doesn’t come cheap and will set you back $169 per device. Best of all, the company says, the procedure won’t void your warranty. How’s that possible? MacStories.net offers one possible explanation. Read on…

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Digitimes reports that although rumors have claimed that Apple is preparing an iPad 3 for launch during fall 2011, Chinese part suppliers are calling the rumors false. Apple’s part suppliers have reportedly yet to receive orders for third-generation iPad components, and Apple coupled with the fact that Apple just released the iPad 2, these suppliers feel the rumors lack merit.

Sources from touch panel makers pointed out that Apple recently released its latest tablet PC plan and is asking the panel makers to provide products that are capable to support higher image quality than the current iPad 2 and Apple may even choose AMOLED panel or panel that support Full HD standard to accomplish the plan. However, since the project is still at the initial planning stage, the actual products are unlikely to appear in 2011.

The Chinese sources state that if a new iPad does happen to arrive during fall 2011 that it will be a minimal upgrade; perhaps a new version that “supports different communication format.” We are not entirely sure what to make of this new “communication format,” but we have heard that Verizon and Apple are toying around with LTE. Perhaps a 4G/LTE iPad for the holidays?

Another common rumor has been a future iPad with an AMOLED display and the report is pouring some cold water on that as well, saying this would be a great risk due to competitors holding the major it of AMOLED part supplies.

Some sources pointed out that since AMOLED technologies are still mostly controlled by Korea-based Samsung Electronics, while Apple has competition with Samsung over tablet PC sales, if Apple is adopting AMOLED panel into its device, Apple would be facing a great risk having the key technologies being held by its competitors.

Hot off the presses, new tidbits hit us following the launch of Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 and new iPad apps from Adobe, both announced this morning. TUAW reports that Adobe’s video training resources now support iOS-friendly streaming to iPhones, iPods and iPads. Creative pros can now learn new tricks as they commute on train, go for a lunch break and so forth.

It’s an interesting – and rather telling – departure from Adobe’s stubborn insistence on serving Flash-formatted content only to iOS users. Another tidbit comes from MacRumors which profiles Photoshop Remote, the first third-party iPad app built using the Photoshop Touch SDK. Check it out in action right after the break.

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Pictured above: Third=party iPhone 4 metallic back sticker

Research firm Avian Securities issued a note to clients today that will dash hopes of those that have been keeping their fingers crossed for the iPhone 5 this summer. According to the note based on checks with a key supplier , their analysts believe that the handset will go into production in September, which means it won’t land on store shelves before the end of this year, possibly even Q1 2012, reports Business Insider. Here’s what the note reads:

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A BGR Source has the 4.3.2 update and it appears to fix those Verizon iPad 2 issues that have 3G connections freezing. The update…

will fix the issues we’ve been hearing about with some Verizon iPad 2 models. Additionally, the new update is said to contain a fix for FaceTime in addition to security fixes for things like WebKit vulnerabilities and other minor changes.

It isn’t certain yet if this update is for Verizon iPhone 4s but that’s a bit …due as well.
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The gaming industry was served when Chair Entertainment launched Infinity Blade as the first iOS game built around the Unreal Engine. A number of iOS games utilizing the engine are now being developed, including Dream:scape that TouchArcade spotted today. The game puts you in the shoes of “a coma patient unlocking his past by exploring the dreamscape of his memories,” the publication explains.

Being developed by an indie developer, Dream:scape looks as a high-profile, big budget release, courtesy of the same Unreal Engine that powers Infinity Blade. It sports over 30 acres of explorable landscape and fully realized interior settings, with a bunch of secrets and new areas to discover throughout the game. More info plus awesome in-game footage right below the fold.

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If you can’t beat them, join them. Another great publishing brand has accepted Apple’s in-app subscription terms that require publishers to surrender 30 percent of proceeds from digital magazine subscriptions sold inside apps. The official Bloomberg Businessweek app for iPad app just launched with the unusual $0.77 price point for an introductory print subscription.

Other pricing subscription options include three bucks for four issues which is actually lower than the five bucks price at newsstands. Each week’s issue is available from 10pm on Thursday New York time. Other tidbits and a couple of shiny screenies right after the break.

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Adobe today launched Creative Suite 5.5. With it comes the new Photoshop Touch Software Development Kit that facilitates the creation of apps for smartphones and tablets that can talk to desktop Photoshop app. This opens interesting possibilities and Adobe announced three new iPad apps built using the new SDK that showcase several scenarios. Called Adobe Eazel, Adobe Nav and Adobe Color Lava, these programs will land on the App Store next month, priced between two to five bucks. Check out a video demonstration and brief app descriptions right below the fold.

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Last week, G-Form threw a 8lb. Bowling ball at the iPad covered in its new-fangled sleeve. But who really uses anything that light?

Today they’ve upped the bowling ball to a 12 lb. job. They’ve also compared results to a hard case made by one of their competitors.

Same results for G-Form.  Less so for the hard case.
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These are likely to be all over the Internet tomorrow but we’re posting them for discussion.  It seems that some believe the new iPod touch will have a capacitative home button. This shot looks pretty real when closely examined.

After looking at these, losing the button doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.  Still, fake. (click twice for full size).  More below:

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Cross-platform media center Plex is one of those programs that you’d expect from Apple. Sure, Mac OS X has FrontRow, but seriously – when was the last time you enjoyed your media in FrontRow? It’s a lousy media center replacement that most people avoid so no wonder it’s lingering in a state of limbo. I’ve been using Plex for years to manage and enjoy my media collections on my desktop. Their awesome iOS app that lets me stream my media effortlessly to iPhones, iPods and iPads was the only missing link.

They just updated the Plex for iOS app with a bunch of new features such as AirPlay and TV out. You can also search your device, media server and online media repositories. This lets you, say, use your iPhone to search your home media server miles away, find a movie in your collection, stream it to your device over 3G while beaming it to a friend’s big screen TV via AirPlay.

It’s a major upgrade with lots of new functionalities so hop over to the App Store and download the new Plex for iOS app version 1.1. You may also want to read a handy guide at MacStories.net or check out the full features list plus some screenies right after the break.

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You know how Apple sometimes freaks out about protecting intellectual property, even disabling certain features to discourage piracy and push users to their own digital content stores? A good example is the iOS ecosystem – desktop iTunes is to this day needed in order to load your device with movies, TV shows, music and other personal media collections residing on your computer. In the case of the iBooks app which supports industry-standard ePub file format, the only way to transfer ePub-formatted e-books to the iBooks app was through – you guessed right – desktop iTunes and its file sharing option. Not anymore, though. Read on…

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“For the price of a movie”, the holding company that bears the name of the classic gaming company, offers 100 classic 2600 and arcade hits for $14.99 or various “Game packs for $.99/ea.  Pong is free with the download.  The App is universal, though you aren’t going to see much improvement with 8-bit graphics on bigger screens.

Atari’s Greatest Hits brings the best of retro gaming to iOS with 100 Classic Atari Games. This suite brings you the hottest Arcade and 2600 titles from Atari. For those who love the classic gaming experience this handheld breakthrough is sure to guarantee hours of fun.

What we feature is:
• 18 Classic Atari Arcade Games including PONG
• 92 Atari 2600 Games
• Bluetooth Mutliplayer for head to head play for titles such as Pong, Warlords, and more!
• Original Cabinet and Box Art

If you want the full experience, why not bump yourself up with a Joystick or an iCade iPad enclosure from ThinkGeek.

Full description and screenshots below:
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