Apr 22
Apple’s OS X beta program is now open to everybody. Previously, you needed a $100 per year developer account to try out Apple’s latest features buried in the beta builds of its operating system.
Apr 22
We reported last week that Apple was working on a new incremental software update for iOS. It would be the first such update after the company released iOS 7.1, the first major release since iOS 7.0 was pushed out to the public last last year. Just now Apple has released iOS 7.1.1 for compatible devices. It primarily brings bug fixes, as well as improvements for Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s.
Prior to this update a lot of iPhone 5s users had complained about Touch ID performance. They experienced gradual worsening of the sensor’s ability to recognize registered fingerprints. Today’s update brings improvements which means that users should no longer face those issues when trying to gain access to their device through Touch ID. It is not surprising at all that Apple has included improvements for this problem in iOS 7.1.1 since it was expected to do so.
The update also includes a bug fix which makes keyboard in iOS 7 more responsive. Apple overhauled the keyboard in iOS 7, giving it a much flatter user interface that is in line with major UI changes made to iOS. An issue that affected use of Bluetooth keyboard when VoiceOver was enabled has also been fixed.
iOS 7.1.1 release will be staged, meaning that it won’t go live across all regions at once. Once it does go live a notification will pop up on all supported devices. The update can be downloaded and installed on the device itself.
iOS 7.1.1 Update Brings Touch ID Improvements , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Cellphones, Tablets, iOS 7, iPhone 5S, touch id,
Apr 22
Over the past year, a number of devices similar to the Protag “Duet” have been released. They’ve all worked in a similar fashion – notifying you when you’re a certain … Continue reading
Apr 22
We know that texting while driving is bad and should be avoided at all costs. There are countless reports about the dangers of tapping away on your smartphone behind the wheel that it really shouldn’t be necessary to hammer this point home every time. Unfortunately there are still a lot of drivers out there that put their lives and the lives of others at risk. There are a lot of apps available that can stop users from texting while driving, and today the USTPO published an Apple patent about technology that can block users from doing just that.
The obvious advantage of this technology would be the fact that it would most likely be baked into iOS. So all compatible devices will get this feature without users having to pay for it. Titled “Driver handheld computing device lock-out” the patent explains a system that can “intelligently” determine whether the user is driving, and when it does, the system shuts off the function.
Apple lists two methods through which the lock-out system can determine if a user is driving. First would rely upon on-board sensors on the device to find out if a user is trying to text behind the wheel. The other method would utilize blocking signals being transmitted from the car to the iOS device.
The existing CarPlay feature can be leveraged to provide blocking signals to the iOS device. This way users won’t be able to access distracting functions like SMS messaging when they’re driving. Hopefully this will make roads safer around the world. Apple hasn’t confirmed as yet if it intends to add this feature in the upcoming major iOS update.
Apple Patents Tech That Can Block Users From Texting While Driving , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Cellphones, patents, texting,
Apr 22
This week Samsung has gone on the offensive with their suggestion that Apple’s FaceTime is a patent infringer. Samsung’s own patent for compression of video before transmission is being held … Continue reading
Apr 22
A number of publications being distributed across the UK this week are carrying an Apple-made advertisement coinciding with Earth Day. As Apple’s ongoing court case with Samsung rolls on in … Continue reading
Apr 22
![5.5 inch iPhone Delayed To 2015 [Rumor]](https://i0.wp.com/cdn2.ubergizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/iphone-6-side.jpg?resize=640%2C429 "5.5 inch iPhone Delayed To 2015 [Rumor]")
So according to the rumors, word has it that Apple is looking to launch two new iPhones later this year. There will allegedly be a 4.7-inch model and 5.5-inch model, although last we checked the 5.5-inch model could be delayed until the end of the year while the 4.7-inch model will launch around the same time that Apple typically launches their iPhones.
However according to a new report from Taiwan’s Industrial and Commercial Times, it has been suggested that the 5.5-inch model has been delayed even further and could see a release in 2015 instead. This is apparently due to Apple struggling to find a battery that will fit its design and provide sufficient battery life at the same time.
Now it is no secret that larger and brighter displays will consume more battery power, so obviously a battery powering a 4.7-inch display will most likely have a shorter life if it were to power a larger 5.5-inch display. Bigger batteries are not an issue but to have it fit inside the next-gen iPhone, which we can only imagine will be slimmer than its predecessor, might prove to be difficult.
In any case we have to wonder if the rumors are true, will Apple not announce the larger iPhone later this year and save it for next? Or will they announce it anyway and make it available later? After all we can only imagine iPhone users will be extremely miffed if they plonked out money for a 4.7-inch model only to find out that there’s a 5.5-inch model that will launch a few months later, right?
5.5-inch iPhone Delayed To 2015 [Rumor] , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Cellphones, Rumors, iPhone,
Apr 22
Jailbroken iOS Devices Vulnerable To Apple ID And Password Stealing Malware
Posted in: Today's Chili
One of the drawbacks to jailbreaking your device is that it is no longer running the way that Apple had originally intended for it to run. This means that your device could be open to more crashes, apps could modify it in a bad way, and there could be security holes as well.
According to a recent discovery by security research, Stefan Esser, it has been discovered that there is a piece of malware that has infected jailbroken devices, thus causing them to crash. Not only is a device that crashes pretty annoying, but it turns out that this piece of malware has a more sinister purpose, which is to steal Apple ID and password information from said device.
According to Esser’s discovery, “This malware appears to have Chinese origin and comes as a library called Unflod.dylib that hooks into all running processes of jailbroken iDevices and listens to outgoing SSL connections. From these connections it tries to steal the device’s Apple-ID and corresponding password and sends them in plaintext to servers with IP addresses in control of US hosting companies for apparently Chinese customers.”
However thankfully the malware does not appear to have originated from Cydia, but rather an outside source. It has also been discovered that the malware only affects 32-bit devices so if you have an iPhone 5s, an iPad Air, or an iPad mini with Retina display, you should be safe. Unfortunately removing the malware is not a particularly easy task and will require users to fully restore their devices, thus removing the jailbreak.
Jailbroken iOS Devices Vulnerable To Apple ID And Password Stealing Malware , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, iOS, malware,
Apr 22
Apple has been granted a new patent by the USPTO (via AppleInsider), and it’s one that could potentially prevent a lot of careless driving. The tech described in the patent would use a phone’s on-board sensors, or a direct connection to a car using a technology like Bluetooth to limit the device’s functionality, cutting off access to stuff like SMS and email while you’re… Read More
Apr 22
Apple and Samsung are currently embroiled in a legal battle with one another, with each side claiming patent infringement. This war between Apple and Samsung has been going on for quite a while now and it looks like things aren’t about to end anytime soon. That being said, it looks like Apple might have had enough of Samsung making fun of them and have recently released an ad that seems to poke fun at the South Korea tech giant.
As you can see in the ad above, the slogan reads, “There are some ideas we want every company to copy.” This is obviously a poke at Samsung whom Apple is accusing of copying their product designs and patents. The ad in question is with regards to Apple’s recent efforts at making their data centers greener. The company was recently praised by the folks at Greenpeace for having a green data center and we guess Apple is making efforts to keep it up.
In case the words are a bit too small to be read, the ad reads, “There’s one area where we actually encourage others to imitate us. Because when everyone makes the environment a priority, we all benefits. We’d be more than happy to see every data centre fuelled by 100% renewable energy sources. And we eagerly await the day when every product is made without the harmful toxins we have removed from ours.”
“Of course we know we can continue to do better. We’ve set some pretty ambitious goals for reducing our impact on climate change, making our products with greener materials and conserving our planet’s limited resources. So the next time we come across a great idea that can help leave the world better than we found it, we look forward to sharing.”
Apple has also recently announced that they will be accepting functioning and non-functioning older Apple products in their bid to recycle them to prevent the toxins from seeping into the earth and water.
Apple’s Latest Ad Is A Not-So-Subtle Jab At Samsung , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Green, Samsung,
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