Apple Issues MacBook Air Update To Test For SSD Failures

Apple Issues MacBook Air Update To Test For SSD FailuresIt seems that there are some mid-2012 models of the MacBook Air that are having some issues with its SSD, where an unspecified issue will cause the complete erase of the SSD’s data. This is not a small matter as lost data can be incredibly frustrating and Apple has since released an update for the MacBook Air lineup which basically tests the MacBook Air’s SSD to see if the drive has the problem that would cause data to be erased. Should there not be any fault found, a fresh firmware will then be installed, but if a problem is found, Apple has stated that they will replace the affected SSD for free.

According to the update’s notes, “Apple has discovered that a small percentage of flash storage drives in these MacBook Air models have an issue that may result in data loss. This update tests your drive and, in the majority of cases, installs new firmware to resolve the issue. If your drive cannot be updated, Apple will replace it, free of charge.” It is unknown how widespread this issue is, but there are multiple threads on the Apple Support Community forums which shows that this is an issue that has been around for a while. In any case if you own a MacBook Air and would like to check your SSD for any problems, hit up Apple’s website for the download.

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  • Apple Issues MacBook Air Update To Test For SSD Failures original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Sharp To Deliver High Definition IGZO Displays To Smartphones

    Sharp To Deliver High Definition IGZO Displays To SmartphonesWe have seen some Sharp MEMS/IGZO displays at CEATEC 2013 which concluded earlier this month, and those were definitely mouth watering screens to feast one’s eyes upon. The resolution count is definitely a whole lot higher than what we are used to on regular smartphones, and it is nice to hear that Sharp will be delivering high definition IGZO displays to smartphones soon, as production of these displays are touted to begin later this year.

    IGZO, which is short for the indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor on which the display is based, happens to be a Sharp-developed technology which features smaller pixels compared to existing LCD (liquid crystal display) screens. In a nutshell, the smaller pixels would mean that one is able to cram in a whole lot more into a similar amount of space, hence leading the display to pack a higher definition capability. A couple of Sharp handsets that will go on sale in Japan will feature these displays, namely the Aquos Phone Zeta SH-01F that comes with a 5-inch IGZO screen with full HD (1920 by 1080 pixel) resolution, followed by the Aquos Phone EX SH-02F that sports a similar resolution count on a 4.7” display.

    That would mean a pixel density of 487 pixels per inch (ppi), compared to the iPhone 5S that has a 326ppi. Retina Display who?

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  • Sharp To Deliver High Definition IGZO Displays To Smartphones original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Alleged LG Nexus 5 Press Images Leaked, Carrier Branding Spotted

    Alleged LG Nexus 5 Press Images Leaked, Carrier Branding SpottedThe Nexus 5 smartphone, which will be manufactured by the folks over at LG, has been getting its fair amount of attention in recent days, and with good reason, too. It will be the next flagship device from Google, and we have just seen a new batch of press images leaked out, complete with carrier branding to boot. This will certainly add to more buzz about the upcoming Nexus 5, which will actually take just a few more days before it ends up as official.

    The leaked images do depict the Nexus 5’s front portion, but that is about it. However, the good news is, these press images look pretty realistic, so chances are it might not be a Photoshop job or a fantastic piece of artwork that was drawn up by an eager beaver of a Nexus 5 fan.

    Apart from the now trademark understated look of the Nexus range, the Nexus 5 that was depicted will also come with the Telus carrier branding, which means it will most probably be sold in a whole lot more of other places. Needless to say, there should also be an option to pick up this particular handset as an unlocked device from the Play Store, which frees you from monthly commitments.

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  • Alleged LG Nexus 5 Press Images Leaked, Carrier Branding Spotted original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Apple retains multitouch patent thanks to Patent Office ruling, forces competition to seek alternatives

    Sorry, anonymous Apple multitouch patent challenger — your victory isn’t only temporary, it’s also short-lived. The US Patent Office has decided to uphold patent No. 7,479,949 after tentatively invalidating it in December of 2012, which could mean bad news for many of Cupertino’s competitors. If …

    iMessage Might Not Be As Secure As We Think, According To Researchers

    iMessage Might Not Be As Secure As We Think, According To ResearchersAfter the government’s PRISM program was revealed, this only increased the paranoia in some people and raised many concerns for others who were worried that the government could be reading their emails and their messages. Apple has since released a statement claiming that iMessage and FaceTime users were safe, and that even Apple themselves weren’t able to access or decrypt iMessage or FaceTime conversations. However during a recent Hack the Box conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a group of researchers called Apple out on that statement and believed that Apple could access the encrypted iMessages if they wanted.

    As it stands, iMessage uses public key cryptography which relies on both a private and public key. The kicker is that Apple manages the public keys themselves and does not divulge them to the user, so there is no way of knowing if your messages are going to your intended recipient, or if Apple has substituted the key without the user’s knowledge. However the researchers note that while this is a possibility, at the moment there is no evidence to suggest that Apple or the government is reading iMessages for now. For some this is pretty disturbing news but we suppose if you’re not sending incriminating messages, you shouldn’t really have to worry, right?

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  • iMessage Might Not Be As Secure As We Think, According To Researchers original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Apple Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey For AT&T And Verizon

    Apple Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey For AT&T And VerizonWhile customer satisfaction does not always translate into more sales, it is a feather that is worthy of sticking into one’s cap and as far as AT&T and Verizon customer satisfaction is concerned, Apple has managed to grab the number one spot. This is according to J.D. Power’s recently released smartphone satisfaction survey in which the four major carriers were surveyed regarding customer satisfaction. While Apple might have the competition beat on AT&T and Verizon, that cannot be said for T-Mobile and Sprint.

    For the other two carriers, it looks like Apple’s rival, Samsung, has them beat. However it should be noted that on Sprint, Samsung edged Apple out with a ranking of 853, versus Apple’s 849, which is admittedly a pretty close call. It has been suggested that perhaps there is a good chance Apple might have beaten Samsung on Sprint as Apple’s new iPhones had only just gone on sale during the survey period, meaning that not as many units were sold yet. In any case the next survey might tell a whole different story so that will definitely be worth looking out for. In the meantime what do you guys think? Do you agree with J.D. Power’s findings?

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  • Apple Tops Customer Satisfaction Survey For AT&T And Verizon original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Sprint’s Messaging Plus App Could Arrive On Windows Phone In The Future

    Sprints Messaging Plus App Could Arrive On Windows Phone In The FutureNot too long ago, Sprint released their Messaging Plus app which is essentially a messaging app that allows users to send messages to one another, photos, videos, group messages, and more throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. The app was developed for iOS and Android and we’re sure some Windows Phone users are wondering if and when the app will make it onto their platform. Well according to the app’s developer, Jibe Mobile (via Tech Radar), “Timing-wise, I can’t comment on that. But absolutely. What we’re doing is all about multi-module communication. Whether Windows Phone, whether it’s the web. For us, this is kind of the beginning. With Windows, we’re definitely looking at that side.”

    In order to compete with the likes of other messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Skype, Line, Viber, and etc., Sprint is expected to preloaded Messaging Plus onto all of its Android devices starting from next month. Presumably they would love to preload it onto the iPhone as well but given Apple’s restrictions, they will not be able to. In any case what do you guys think? Will Sprint’s own messaging app be able to compete with the bigger names out there?

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  • Sprint’s Messaging Plus App Could Arrive On Windows Phone In The Future original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Watch People Freak Out When They See Ghosts Inside an iPhone Camera

    This prank is such pure evil genius that you can’t help but laugh. And feel bad because you’d get freaked out too. Funny man Jack Vale scared the creepy crawly goosebumps out of people by asking strangers to take his picture with his iPhone. Why’s that scary? Because Vale had pre-recorded a fake ‘ghost’ (or zombie) walking through the frame of the camera so people would think they just saw a dead person that wasn’t there in real life move across the screen. What the people thought they were seeing in real time was actually a horrifying recording.

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    Apple Campus 2 Would Bring People Closer Together

    Apple Campus 2 Would Bring People Closer TogetherApple is certainly a visionary company when it comes to design, so it is no surprise to hear that their carbon-balanced Campus 2 project will be “walkable”, making it unique in that sense since it will help foster collaboration between colleagues, according to Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer.

    When faced with some questions from the press, Oppenheimer replied, “The innovation that I believe that will come with the team, particularly in the collaborative environment that we’re going to build will be immeasurable. We have built the building to be very walkable. You might begin your day in one part of the building and as the day progresses you might find yourself in another part of the building working with other teams.”

    It goes without saying that a conducive working environment is crucial in getting the kind of high flying results that Apple has come to be identified with in recent years. Google too, has an office that has been deemed to be one of the best places to work, and we are excited to see what Apple will be able to conjure up with their Campus 2. Imagine starting work at one part of the building and finishing it the other end. Not too great when you just want to get home quickly and realize your car is parked all the way back, no?

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  • Apple Campus 2 Would Bring People Closer Together original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Facebook for iOS update lets you edit posts, add photos to comments

    Stop the presses. A new Facebook for iOS update hit iTunes today, and it brings with it a handful of relatively minor features. Now, you can edit your posts and comments through the app to fix any egregious mistakes you might make, after which a label indicating that the post has been edited will …