Search Results for: apple

Fring Brings Face to Face Video Calling on iPhone 4

July 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Fring has updated it’s iPhone 4 app to allow 2 way video calling on the iPhone 4. What makes this update stand out is the ability to use Fring to do 2 way video calls from the iPhone 4 to other devices over 3G or WiFi.

Features include…

* Face-to-face video calls with friends on their Droids, Nokia (Symbian S60) and other iPhones
* Video calls over 3G or Wi-Fi (Performance over 3G is subject to mobile operators’ 3G coverage & quality)

What makes this version stand out is the ability to call across platforms. With FaceTime from Apple [AAPL], you are restricted to WiFi and iPhone 4 to iPhone 4 to make use of it. With Fring, those restrictions are gone making it way more handy than before. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

Next Gen iPod Touch could get Front Facing Camera

July 9, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When Apple [AAPL] launch the next-gen iPod touch, it is likely to follow the same design as the iPhone 4. We also expect that features from the iPhone 4 will also be added to the new touch such as a front facing camera, perhaps a retina display and a faster CPU.

The front facing camera rumour has been further strengthened by some leaked shots that show a glass iPhone 4 style front with what looks to be a camera hole in the middle at the front.

Two pictures were captured with one showing the glass and the LCD and the other just showing the glass, both with a small hole in the middle top of the unit. On the iPhone 4 the middle top section is where the speaker sits with a camera just to the left. The iPod touch of course doesn’t need a speaker at that point, so shifting the camera to the middle does make sense. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Music Gadgets

iPhone 3GS iOS 4 Update Causing Battery Issues for Some

July 8, 2010 by 11 Comments

Reports are showing that those who updated their iPhone 3GS to iOS 4 have been suffering with a shorter batter life when compared to iOS 3.1.3.

A Norwegian journalist asked Steve Jobs by email if any deterioration should happen when iOS 4 is installed to which Steve simply replied “Nope”.

Over on the Apple forums a thread has started with a number of people (26 pages worth of people) reporting that they are also having problems with battery life with iOS 4 on their 3GS.

It isn’t clear if there is a problem that a software fix can fix. Ideas on the forum include closing out multi-tasking apps that are still running as well as lowering screen brightness and disabling push notifications. It isn’t clear if those will fix it enough to return to 3.1.3 levels and it isn’t clear if all users are experiencing a drop in battery life. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

Android 2.2 Beats iOS 4 in JavaScript Speed Tests

July 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When Google [GOOG] announced Android 2.2 they demonstrated that the new OS managed to increase performance on devices that can run it. The speed increase is possible because of a high performance JIT in the Android Dalvik runtime environment.

When compared to the iPhone 4, the Nexus One performs better in terms of javascript speed. The tests performed over at Arstechnica show that JavaScript runs three times quicker on the Nexue One running Android 2.2.

We compared these findings with that of our tests of Apple’s mobile Safari browser on the iPhone 4. The results show that the Android device delivers significantly faster JavaScript execution than the iPhone, scoring over three times better on V8 and almost twice as fast on SunSpider. Apple has some work to do it if wants mobile Safari to retake the crown as the fastest mobile browser.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

iPhone 4 Signal Problems Wont be Fixed by Official Update

July 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Last week, Apple [AAPL] responded to the iPhone 4 signal/antenna problems. Their response kind of skirted around the real issue in that a problem was identified, but not the problem we were thinking of.

Apple basically said that the 5 signal bars that represent signal strength were being shown incorrectly. When signal was low the meter was still showing a good signal or maybe 3 or 4 bars when in fact, it should be just 1 bar showing. This error in calculation was due to the formula being used where the signal strength had smaller gaps on the higher bars (ie, a slight drop in signal could lose all bars).

What the fix will do is correctly represent the actual signal in bars with linear spacing between each bar. If your signal is low it will show 1 bar rather than the 3 or 4 bars you see now in low signal areas. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

Huawei S7 Preview

July 6, 2010 by 1 Comment

The Huawei S7 is an Android based tablet that has a 7 inch screen and sits in-between the likes of the Apple iPad and the Dell Streak.

One of the main problems with the Huawei S7 is that it appears the nice capacitive touchscreen that we expected to see has been replaced with a resistive screen which just doesn’t work that well on Android based devices. Hopefully the review unit is just a one off and that the S7 will have capacitive screens.

Battery life is also a downer with tests showing that just over 1.5 hours of active use can be achieved which is way below the 10 hours that other devices set. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tablets

Zlin iCub Plane gets an iPad Integrated in to Cockpit

July 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Zlin are unveiling a new plane soon. The new plane is called the iCub and as the name suggests, it integrates Apple [AAPL] technology in to the cockpit.

The iCub has a space available to fit an iPad that can be used to navigate around. When normally choosing navigation equipment the costs can run in to the $1000’s due to the amount of equipment you need. However, the iCub is not designed for mundane tasks of flying from a to b. Instead, it’s supposed to be a fun plane to fly. The iPad has apps that make it versatile enough to be used in the plane so that weather charts and navigation details can be displayed with the iPad 3G’s built in GPS sensor. The iPad 3G is far cheaper than the regular GPS equipment you buy for a plane. [Read more…]

Filed Under: iPad

Windows Phone 7 Could Arrive Earlier According to AT&T POS

July 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment

We’ve heard twice in the last couple of weeks that we will be seeing Microsoft [MSFT] launch Windows Phone 7 sometime in October. Prior to that it was expected the launch would be closer to the end of the year.

The first time we heard an October launch date was when the HTC Mozart WP7 device was spotted with a bad photoshop done on a slightly different handset. The second time was at a Microsoft Advertisers event where the company were discussing advertising options as well as how to sell apps etc… Early on in that presentation the October date was also mentioned.

We now see over on Engadget a picture posted that shows some AT&T retail materials relating to Windows Phone 7 which indicates the launch is sometime soon. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

Google Android 3.0 and Google Music Could Launch Together

July 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment

We heard today that Google [GOOG] could launch it’s music service and Android 3.0 (aka Gingerbread) together towards the end of this year. The information comes from Gaurav Jain who is the Android Product Manager where he confirmed the launch timing to an Israeli newspaper called Calcalist.

The reason that both are being launched together is that music will play a big part in the next version of Android perhaps making it a little more media centric.

‘Google will combine music download service next version of Android launched for the U.S. holiday season.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones

iTunes Accounts Hacked to Inflate Sales Numbers and Steal Cash

July 5, 2010 by 1 Comment

Over the weekend some interesting news started appearing about iTunes accounts being hacked. One of the hackers is believed to be associated with Thuat Ngyun who might be the hacker, or associated with the group. Either way, the apps published accounted for at least 42 out of 50 in the Books category charts which is odd considering none of the books had any reviews at all with the exception of the odd rating here and there.

Right now the books are not in the app store any more, so it appears that Apple [AAPL] have responded although Engadget are still waiting for a response when they reached out a couple of days ago.

The main problem is not so much the books being raised in popularity, but the facts of how they got there. The books sold cost money and the money was spent by hackers breaking in to iTunes accounts leaving some users with over $100 of sales in their iTunes account. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tech News

Cloud-Based iTunes Still Lacking Music Labels

July 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Yesterday we mentioned that Apple [AAPL] could be launching a new version of iTunes that would bring both wireless syncing for iDevices and cloud-based music and video. Greg Sandoval of CNET has said that the “soon” mentioned for a launch isn’t quite the soon we hoped for as the top four music labels have yet to agree and hand out licences to Apple.

To stream music, Steve Jobs likely needs licenses, and he doesn’t have them yet.

Apple however, is believed to have started up talks with the labels so it could be a matter of months or perhaps even longer. We simply don’t know for sure just yet. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Tech News

iPhone 4 Returns have Restocking Fee Wavered

July 3, 2010 by 1 Comment

When returning the iPhone to an Apple [AAPL] store, you would normally incur a 10% restocking fee. However, it seems like this restocking fee is being waved for the iPhone 4. The information comes from the letter that Apple published yesterday that says users can take their iPhone 4 back for “a full refund” within 30 days of purchase. Normally you’d be charged $19.90 to return the 16GB model and $29.90 for the larger 32GB model.

ComputerWorld contacted an AppleCare support rep who confirmed the ditching of the restocking fee. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Cell Phones