Apple iOS 5 adds instant camera access from lock screen and shutter release to volume-up button

Apple’s just announced that iOS 5-enabled iPhones (and likely iPads and iPods, too) are getting a camera shortcut on the lock screen and a shutter button in the form of the volume up key — a feature that got Camera+ temporarily banned from the App Store last year on the grounds that it used unauthorized APIs. Also new to iOS: the ability to tap and hold to lock focus and exposure on a subject. Rounding out the list, Apple also added an optional grid to help frame photos, and a new photo editor with a basic feature set that includes cropping, rotating, red-eye reduction, auto-enhance features, and the ability to create albums on the device.

Continue reading Apple iOS 5 adds instant camera access from lock screen and shutter release to volume-up button

Apple iOS 5 adds instant camera access from lock screen and shutter release to volume-up button originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch

It’s been available on the iPad since that device launched, and now Apple has finally brought its iWork suite of productivity apps to the iPhone and iPod touch. That, of course, includes Keynote, Pages and Numbers, which are all now universal apps that run the same $9.99 apiece as their iPad-only predecessors — current users can simply upgrade for free, thankfully. Head on past the break for the complete press release.

Continue reading Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch

Apple brings iWork to iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer AppRadio hands-on (updated with video!)

We got a chance to experience Pioneer’s iOS-connected in-dash AppRadio in action this afternoon, and even got to see the thing running in a real-deal automobile. So did it meet our expectations? Well, to be perfectly honest, we didn’t know what to expect, but for what it promises, which is bringing the convenience and connectivity of iOS apps to your car, we suppose it does a fine job — even if it only supports a handful apps at the moment. More after the break.

Continue reading Pioneer AppRadio hands-on (updated with video!)

Pioneer AppRadio hands-on (updated with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer unveils its AppRadio, integrates iOS into your automobile

Rumors regarding Pioneer’s AppRadio hit the web last month, promising unparalleled iDevice integration for our automobiles. Pioneer has finally unleashed the double-DIN device, and it’s everything we thought it would be — namely a big car stereo that plays nice with iOS. There’s an 800 x 400 6.1-inch multitouch capacitive display, Bluetooth connectivity, and it teams up with your iPhone or iPod touch (running iOS 4.2) via a 30-pin connector and Pioneer’s AppRadio app. There’s also an external mic and GPS antenna, full iPod music control and Google Maps integration, and specially formatted apps from Rdio and Pandora. Pioneer suggests a price “below $500” when it goes on sale June 22nd. We’re going hands-on with the new stereo as we speak, so peruse the PR after the break and stay tuned for pics and impressions.

Continue reading Pioneer unveils its AppRadio, integrates iOS into your automobile

Pioneer unveils its AppRadio, integrates iOS into your automobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video)

i3D is a new app that can create a glasses-free 3D display on iDevices, using a technology known as Head-Coupled Perspective (HCP). Developed by the folks from the Engineering Human-Computer Interaction (EHCI) Research Group, HCP uses a front facing camera to track the movements of a user’s head, allowing the app to adjust the display accordingly. The result is a monocular 3D screen that creates the illusion of looking into a box. If the concept sounds a little familiar, it could be because Google unveiled a similar headtracking feature for Ice Cream Sandwich during the opening keynote at this month’s I/O event. And by “similar” we mean “pretty much the exact same thing.” i3D is now available for free in the iTunes Store and runs on the iPad 2, iPhone 4 and fourth generation iPod Touch. You can compare both iOS and Ice Cream Sandwich 3D generators after the break (Google’s demo kicks off around the 16:50 mark).

Continue reading i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video)

i3D app brings glasses-free 3D to iOS, tracks your gaze like a creepy portrait tracks Scooby Doo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 17:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kogeto Dot brings bite-size panoramic video recording to iPhone 4 (hands-on)

We’ve seen panorama add-ons for the iPhone before, but Kogeto’s offering is quite a bit more pocketable than other crowd-funded solutions. The Kogeto Dot snaps onto an iPhone 4 in your choice of pastel colors, and catches 360-degree video when placed face down. It’s got an accompanying iOS app that will un-distort the video for sharing, or even broadcast it on the net in real time. We got to check out a prototype, and though there’s still some residual distortion at this point in time, we’re assured that it’ll all get straightened out if and when the project meets its funding goal. Interestingly (and annoyingly), this implementation requires your iPhone be held perpendicular rather than upright, making previewing a capture virtually impossible until after you’ve stopped the recording, which seems unnatural to us. Combine that with a minimum Kickstarter pledge of $98 to secure one of your own, and suddenly the less-portable and lower-degree alternatives start sounding a little more attractive. If you’re still interested, hit the source link below and get in on the action. Promo video after the break.

Continue reading Kogeto Dot brings bite-size panoramic video recording to iPhone 4 (hands-on)

Kogeto Dot brings bite-size panoramic video recording to iPhone 4 (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mophie Juice Pack Plus iPhone charging case now Verizon-friendly

Until now, Verizon iPhone owners looking for the Mophie battery boost had three options: lugging around a Powerstation plug-in, settling for the Juice Pack Air’s measly 1500mAh battery, or slipping into an ill-fitting Juice Pack Plus AT&T case — an awkward fit, thanks to a slight difference in the handsets’ button placement. That long national nightmare is finally over, however, now that the 2000mAh Juice Pack Plus is compatible with both carriers, giving users up to eight more hours of 3G talk time and a few extra millimeters of thickness for around $100. The rubberized charging case is available in black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and a limited edition purple, of which only 2,000 were made. Oooh, exclusivity.

Continue reading Mophie Juice Pack Plus iPhone charging case now Verizon-friendly

Mophie Juice Pack Plus iPhone charging case now Verizon-friendly originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 May 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RecognizeMe unlocks your jailbroken iPhone using your face, anyone else’s (video)


We don’t often jailbreak our iPhones to test apps, but a facial recognition unlock tool seemed a worthy excuse, so we gave it a shot. RecognizeMe uses the front-facing camera in your iPhone 4 (and iPad 2, eventually) to unlock the phone for its owner. Unfortunately, it also unlocked the device for Brian Heater (center), our resident 900 number enthusiast, and Bianca Bosker, Huff Po‘s tech editor and our only other friend in the newsroom. The app includes a setting for verification threshold, so we played around with that, trying a dozen times to get the app to ignore Brian, but even at 80 percent it was recognizing both of us (65 percent was the cutoff for Bianca). Bumping the threshold up to 100 percent finally locked Brian out, but at that level, the device wouldn’t unlock for anyone, making it totally secure — and totally busted. Verification took a full 25 seconds to timeout (compared to 5-15 seconds to grant access at lower levels, depending on lighting conditions), so using this app requires p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e. At this point, RecognizeMe is a $7 gimmick that might impress your grandmother (assuming she doesn’t ask to try it herself), but if you need to keep your device under lock and key, a tried-and-true passcode is still the way to go.

Continue reading RecognizeMe unlocks your jailbroken iPhone using your face, anyone else’s (video)

RecognizeMe unlocks your jailbroken iPhone using your face, anyone else’s (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 May 2011 12:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple offers free repairs for iPhones, other products damaged in Japan quake


Apple customers with Macs, displays, and iOS devices that were directly damaged in the Japan earthquake and tsunami may be eligible for free repairs. The offer, posted on the company’s Japanese website, excludes iPod classic, nano, and shuffle, and only applies to customers living in areas covered by the Ministry of Health’s Disaster Relief Act. Originally posted in March, Apple’s announcement joins Softbank’s offer to replace lost iPhones registered to its network, and free calls to Japan from U.S. carriers, among others. Considering water and other accidental damage typically voids a device’s warranty, you’ll want to give AppleCare a call soon — the acceptance period only runs through June 30th.

Apple offers free repairs for iPhones, other products damaged in Japan quake originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 12:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Insert Coin: Olloclip three-in-one lens for iPhone 4 (video)

In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you’d like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with “Insert Coin” as the subject line.


We typically prefer to mount our macro, wide-angle, and fisheye lenses directly on a DSLR, but lugging around a pro-level kit isn’t always an option. The olloclip adds some flexibility to your iPhone 4‘s camera, complimenting the built-in lens with a three-in-one optic that clips onto the phone and can be stored in your bag or pocket when not in use. The attachment includes three lenses: a 180-degree fisheye on one side, a wide-angle lens on the other, and a 10x macro that’s revealed after unscrewing the top of the wide-angle. Based on the intro video, the wide lens appears to have some rather significant barrel distortion, so we hope inventor Patrick O’Neill and designer Chong Pak are able to work that out before this hits production. A $45 pledge to this Kickstarter includes one olloclip, which you’re getting at a 25 percent discount. Lenses should ship 4 weeks after the project hits its $15,000 funding goal — if it does hit that goal — and are expected to retail for $60.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Olloclip three-in-one lens for iPhone 4 (video)

Insert Coin: Olloclip three-in-one lens for iPhone 4 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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