Jun 27

iOS 5 beta 2 blocks Gevey SIM Unlock, brings photo album curation to iDevices

Posted in: Apple, developer, ios, ios 5, Ios5, ipad, iPhone, jailbreak, ota, Today's Chili, update

It’s only been a few days since Apple released iOS 5 beta 2, but we’ve already received a bevy of tips from developers who’ve spent some quality time with the update and uncovered a few of its more salient features. Here are some highlights.

  • It looks like Apple has blocked Applenberry’s Gevey SIM software, which allowed users to unlock devices running iOS 4.3 or iOS 5 beta 1 without having to jailbreak. (Read)
  • According to Dev Team member MuscleNerd, iOS 5 beta 2 can still be jailbroken using the RedSn0w 0.9.8b1 tethering tool, released earlier this month. (Read)
  • The beta refresh also brings a few tweaks to iOS 5’s notifications system. Traditional alerts and reminders now pop up on the lock screen in larger typeface, alongside their appropriate icon. If left unattended, the notifications will eventually be added to the Android-like banner menu, at the top of the lock screen. (Read)
  • Users can now create and curate photo albums directly from their iDevices, though the feature isn’t without its quirks. A tipster informs us that photos added to new albums remain in the original collection, as well. If you migrate an image from one album to another and delete the original, both pics will disappear.
  • The next beta release might be issued over the air. When a tipster checked for updates on an iPad running beta 2, he received a “No updates were found” message, suggesting that users may be able to find future refreshes without syncing their devices with iTunes. (Screenshot after the break.)

Update: We’re hearing from many of you that the gallery functionality was actually a part of beta 1. But, you’re encouraged to continue enjoying it here, in beta 2.

[Thanks to everyone who sent these in]

Continue reading iOS 5 beta 2 blocks Gevey SIM Unlock, brings photo album curation to iDevices

iOS 5 beta 2 blocks Gevey SIM Unlock, brings photo album curation to iDevices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 24

Google Reader Updated for iPhone

Posted in: iPhone, mobile, Today's Chili, Web Sites

This article was written on May 13, 2008 by CyberNet.

new google reader.jpgGoogle has always been pretty good about catering to iPhone users, and the Reader team is kicking it up a notch with a new AJAXy interface (pictured to the right). Other good news is that it’s not only supposed to work with the iPhone, but any mobile device that has an advanced browser. You can even use it in your desktop browser if you feel so inclined (ex. works in Firefox).

To use the new version you need to point your browser specifically to google.com/reader/i/, because they’re not going to automatically redirect you since it’s still in Beta (of course). I’ve been using the new interface this morning and I have to say that it’s a nice improvement over the previous version. The ability to quickly star an item is very much welcomed, and when you tap on an item it expands in place.

The whole Google Reader experience on the iPhone now feels much more like it does on the desktop. I’ve noticed that it will take a few extra taps/clicks to do some of the same things that you could on the Google Reader mobile interface, but I think it’s worth it in the long run. The only bad thing that I have to say about the new service is that the initial load time is much longer than it was.

I’m guessing this step was taken to help compete with Newsgator, who has had an AJAX-driven iPhone feed reader for nearly a year. Newsgator also has the benefit of full synchronization with their desktop feed readers, which are freely available for both Windows and Mac.

Gotta love the (free) things that competition brings. ;)

[via jkOnTheRun]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Jun 22

MightyText pushes messages and incoming call alerts to your computer (hands-on)

Posted in: Android, android market, AndroidMarket, app, Google, hands-on, market, Today's Chili

Have you ever missed an extremely important phone call or text because you were too busy finishing those TPS reports on your personal computing machine? There’s a Chrome add-on for that. We went hands-on with a new extension (and accompanying Android app) called MightyText, a free notification service launched today that syncs your phone’s texts and calls to your computer in real-time. The idea is crazy simple, yet adds unyielding convenience: incoming SMS messages appear on your screen as a pop-up, giving you the option to read and reply to them without touching or even looking at the phone. The full extension will show each conversation thread in its entirety, as well as call logs.

When sent from the computer, texts are still patched through from your phone number, so your colleagues will still see your messages coming through with your name on them. To make the service even more appealing, pop-ups alert you to incoming calls, so you can either hurry to find your phone or just send the caller a canned auto-text reply. It sounds like a great concept, but does it do the job? Head on past the break to learn our first impressions of the program.

Continue reading MightyText pushes messages and incoming call alerts to your computer (hands-on)

MightyText pushes messages and incoming call alerts to your computer (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 15

Download Vista SP2 Beta via Windows Update

Posted in: blu-ray, Features, Pre-Release, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on October 30, 2008 by CyberNet.

vista sp2.jpgIf you like to stay on the bleeding edge of technology (and you’re running Vista) you may want to consider modifying two registry keys on your system so that you can participate in the Vista SP2 Beta program. To join the program all you have to do is download this batch file, and run it on your Vista machine as an administrator. Then just check for available Windows Updates (it may take 30 minutes or so for it to show up in the Windows Updates).

Think carefully whether you want to do this or not. There will likely be some bugs that could cause problems with your system, but at the very least it will cause Vista to expire on 4/2/2010 (or around then). Plus it will place the “Evaluation copy” message on your desktop wallpaper. You can always uninstall Vista SP2 to remove the evaluation message and expiration date, but it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you try to install it.

So what’s new in Vista SP2? Here’s a brief rundown that the Vista blog provided last week:

  • Windows Vista SP2 adds Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches.
  • Windows Vista SP2 contains the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology.
  • Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista.
  • Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration.
  • Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.

Windows Vista SP2 is expected to be released in final form sometime in the first half of 2009. Judging by the expiration date of Vista SP2 Beta I’d say that sounds about right.

[via WinFuture – English Translation]

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Jun 13

Swype 3.0 gets Honeycomb support, intense promo video (video)

Posted in: Android, app, apps, Google, keyboard, Today's Chili, video
Swype: Get to da choppa

The folks at Swype sure know how to get our attention. The Android keyboard app has always inspired us to get a bit dramatic, but we had no idea that predictive text and moveable QWERTY pads were this intense. To celebrate the beta release of Swype 3.0 it appears the company hired Doug Liman (or at least some one who has studied the Bourne Identity very closely) to whip up a promo video. Enjoy the thrills of a resizable input area! Be wowed by the Honeycomb support! Get stunned by the auto-correct! Oh, and don’t forget to head after the break to watch the clip.

Continue reading Swype 3.0 gets Honeycomb support, intense promo video (video)

Swype 3.0 gets Honeycomb support, intense promo video (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 13

CyberNotes: Extensions that Don’t Work with Firefox 3

Posted in: CyberNotes, Firefox 3, Firefox Extensions, Software, Tips and Tricks, Today's Chili

This article was written on June 04, 2008 by CyberNet.

CyberNotes
Web Browser Wednesday

With the Firefox 3 release right around the corner I thought this would be a good time to look over the extensions available, and see which ones haven’t been updated. There’s actually a descent amount that still need to be updated before they will work with the final release, but if you look around many have pre-release versions that they are getting ready to roll out.

So what we’ve got for you today are instructions on downloading/installing extensions that aren’t officially compatible, a list of extensions that currently have Beta versions that work with Firefox 3, and finally a few extensions that already appear to be extinct. The lists are by no means comprehensive, but I also figured that everyone can chime in below with your own findings.

–Forcing Compatibility–

Using the trick we’re about to show you it’s possible to bypass any compatibility checking, which means you’ll be able to install (not necessarily run) any extension. This is obviously not recommended for everyone, and you should only use this as a last-ditch effort.

  1. In the Address Bar type about:config followed by the Enter key. Continue through the warning message if it’s shown.
  2. Right-click in the main area, and select New -> Boolean
    firefox new boolean.png
  3. Enter extensions.checkCompatibility into the box that appears, and click the OK button.
    firefox checkcompatibility.png
  4. Then choose false in the next window.
  5. Now you can install any extension, but remember that they are not guaranteed to work. I’ve seemed to have pretty good results with this though.

One problem that you might notice is that when you go to install an extension that’s not compatible with your version of Firefox the “Add to Firefox” button will be grayed out. This is quickly remedied by going to the “All Versions” page, and you’ll find a link to that following the description of the add-on:

firefox all versions.png

Once on that page you can download the most recent version of the add-on without the site checking what version of Firefox you’re running, but you’ll need to follow the steps outlined above before being able to actually install it.

–Currently in Development–

I know that some of you are waiting for certain extensions to get upgraded before you’ll make the jump to Firefox 3, and so I’ve assembled a list of eight rather popular ones that will definitely have new versions coming out. Each of these already have a pre-release version publicly available, which may persuade you to make the switch a little early. ;)

  • Sage [Homepage]
    This is the much beloved RSS feed reader, but it hasn’t been updated since January 2007. Someone else has begun reworking it to make it play nice with Firefox 3, and the new version can be downloaded here.
  • FEBE [Homepage]
    You can use this to backup your extensions, and for some people it’s a rather critical extension to have. They are currently working on the next milestone release, and the Beta version is available which works with Firefox 3.
  • FireFTP [Homepage]
    Ever want to have an FTP client in your browser? With FireFTP you can, but you’ll need to download the preview release if you want Firefox 3 compatibility.
  • FoxyTunes [Homepage]
    Controlling your media player has never been so easy, but Firefox 3 users were starting to get worried that this add-on wasn’t going to be updated. Despite not having released a new version in almost a year they do have FoxyTunes 3 Beta publicly available, which includes Firefox 3 support.
  • Firebug [Homepage]
    Most web developers absolutely love this extension, and the good news is that a version for Firefox 3 is right around the corner. If you’re a bit anxious you can hop on over and download Firebug 1.2 Beta.
  • ColorfulTabs [Homepage]
    Make your tabs more identifiable with this extension, and Firefox 3 users will find a Beta version here.
  • Tab Mix Plus [Homepage]
    It’s safe to say that this is the all-in-one solution for anything you want to do with tabs. And work for a Firefox 3 version is always going on.
  • Smart Bookmarks Bar [Homepage]
    Save some room on the Bookmarks toolbar by only showing icons. The latest release, available from here, is compatible with Firefox 3.

–All Good Things Must Come to an End–

There are a handful of extensions that I have come across which you shouldn’t hold out too much hope for. These three look like they will become extinct:

  • VideoDownloader [Homepage]
    With this extension you can download videos from 60+ movie sites, but it has been kicked back into the “experimental” stage (meaning you’ll need a Mozilla account to download it) even though it has an astounding 13 million downloads. It would likely be one of the most downloaded extensions right now, but it hasn’t seen an update in nearly 2 years. So don’t get your hopes up for this one.
  • MinimizeToTray [Homepage]
    A lot of people are going to be disappointed to hear that the MinimizeToTray extension doesn’t work with Firefox 3, and it doesn’t look like there are any plans to fix it. The last update was in October 2006 just in time for Firefox 2, and there’s been no mention of a new version being worked on. Yikes!
  • Tab Groups [Homepage]
    This project didn’t last very long, and that’s disappointing because it’s an extension that I really enjoyed. It’s only had one release, and there’s no sign that the developer is still working on it.

–Overview–

And now we turn the keyboard over to you, our trusty readers. Let us know in the comments below which extensions you’re holding out for, and which ones have pre-release versions that you’ve been tinkering with.

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Jun 08

Free Secunia PSI: Monitor for Software Updates

Posted in: Freeware, Internet Explorer, Opera, Pre-Release, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on July 27, 2007 by CyberNet.

SecuniaWe’ve talked about Secunia’s online software inspector before. It doesn’t require that you download any application, and it operates completely through your browser. The purpose of using it is to find out-dated software on your computer. You may not see much of a threat in running an older version of an application, but your computer can be left vulnerable to attacks when it comes to things like web browsers or instant messengers.

A report by Secunia back in May stated that 28% of the applications being used are out-dated. With more than 33% of users running an old version of QuickTime, Secunia said "all it takes is one unpatched Quicktime vulnerability and a provocative video title to compromise a lot of visitors."

A new tool by Secunia called the Personal Software Inspector (PSI) hopes to make it easier for Windows users to know when there are new versions of their applications available. PSI is currently in a Beta state, but it is a free downloadable application that a user installs instead of being web-based like before. It examines the files on your computer (mostly EXE, DLL, and OCX files), and collects version information from them to be sent to Secunia’s File Signatures engine to make a comparison.

The great thing about this tool is that it sits in your System Tray constantly monitoring for more insecure software installations. If one is found it will give you the instructions needed so that you can upgrade to the latest version.

It’s important to know that this does not check for malicious software or whether your computer has already been compromised…it is just checking to see if you’re running the latest version of more than 4,200 applications.

Here are the benefits of using Secunia PSI:

  • The Secunia PSI will be available free of charge
  • Calculates your unique Secunia System Score
  • Automatically scans your computer
  • Enables you to update Insecure/End-of-Life software
  • Provides Direct Download Links to security updates & patches
  • Detects and advises on more than 4,200 applications
  • Direct correlation between thousands of Secunia Advisories and your specific system and software
  • Secure SSL encrypted connection to Secunia

I decided to try this out for myself on a computer I knew was running an out-dated version of Firefox (it’s my server which I don’t use for anything other than backups). I wanted to see what it would do, and what upgrade option it would offer me. It actually found that Internet Explorer 7 was out-dated as well as the version of the .NET Framework I was running. Firefox was the only one that offered a direct download link (clicking on it pulled up my default browser and initiated the download immediately), but the .NET Framework offered a link where I could receive more information:

Secunia PSI

Overall, I’m really impressed with this application and I think it has earned its place on all of my computers. It’s nice that Secunia is developing such an extensive application that is capable of monitoring more than 4,000 different programs for updates. I believe that it is the first of its kind to do this on such a large scale, and hopefully people will begin using it.

Download Secunia Personal Software Inspector
Thanks for the tip ’s’!

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Jun 07

iTunes (in the Cloud) 10.3 beta available for download, we go hands-on

Posted in: Apple, hands-on, ios, ipad, iPhone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, itunes, Today's Chili

If you live in the US or Canada then the iTunes 10.3 beta is ready to rumble on your PC or Mac. Automatic downloads and access to your purchase history is limited to iOS 4.3.3 users on the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM only, sorry Verizon subscribers), iPad and iPad2, and 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch devices. Once you meet those requirements, the iTunes in the Cloud beta promises to keep all of your newly purchased iTunes music in sync between devices while giving you the choice to download previously purchased tracks whenever you want at no additional cost. 10.3 beta also brings the Automatic Downloads feature to your apps and books, now allowing you to purchase tomes from your desktop while keeping them in sync with the iBooks app running on your iOS devices.

Naturally, we couldn’t help but test it out ourselves from both a Mac and iPhone 4, so click through for our first impressions.

Continue reading iTunes (in the Cloud) 10.3 beta available for download, we go hands-on

iTunes (in the Cloud) 10.3 beta available for download, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 07:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jun 05

Locationbar² Updated for Firefox 3

Posted in: Firefox 3, Firefox Extensions, Freeware, Pre-Release, Screenshots, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on March 19, 2008 by CyberNet.

One of my favorite Firefox extensions, Locationbar², has finally been updated to work with the recently released Firefox 3 Beta 4. It can be used to make the domain that you’re currently viewing stand out more than the rest of the URL, which makes users less susceptible to phishing attacks.

You may recall that midway through last year we saw a feature very similar to this make its way into the nightly builds of Firefox 3, but it has since been removed. I’m not sure if Mozilla intends to reimplement the feature, but at this point it’s not looking very likely. What’s interesting is that the new Internet Explorer 8 Beta went ahead and added in this feature.

One thing that really makes Locationbar² stand out though is its ability to generate breadcrumbs from the URL that you’re currently viewing. To do this just hold down the Control or Shift key, and then hover over the address bar. You’ll notice that you can click on the different segments of the URL, which makes it a little easier to go back to the main domain or up a “directory”.

If you want your address bar to look like mine does in the screenshot you’ll want to add http:// into the Hide protocols box in the Locationbar² settings, and then also check the strong box.

Locationbar² Homepage (look for the 1.0b1 download link)

Copyright © 2011 CyberNetNews.com

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Jun 02

Nokia Play To adds DLNA streaming to waning Symbian (video)

Posted in: app, apps, nokia, streaming, symbian, Today's Chili, video
Nokia Play To

Still rockin’ a Symbian phone from Nokia? Don’t let Android and WP7 owners hog all the media streaming fun. Nokia Play To brings DLNA’s push features to Symbian^3, albeit in beta form. Hit up the source link, install the app, and you’ll imbue your handset with the surprisingly rare ability to beam videos, photos, and music to any DLNA-capable receiving device jacked into your TV — heck, it could be your TV. Check out the video after the break if you want to see it in action before you click download.

Continue reading Nokia Play To adds DLNA streaming to waning Symbian (video)

Nokia Play To adds DLNA streaming to waning Symbian (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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