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iPhone Alarm Problem After Daylight Savings

Khaled Mahmud Tuhin — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:55:26 +0000

Recently the iPhone users are suffering from alarm problem specially from New Year 2011 for daylight saving. The people who are rely on the alarm clock will be affected. Apple has failed to fix a Daylight Saving Time bug in the iPhone’s Alarm app and but it has been said that the problem will be fixed on 3 January 2011.

The Daylight Savings of iPhone already disrupted mornings for many users in Europe and Australia. The internal clock of iPhone is turning back to Sunday because of a bug. Those users are suffering much who are not using non-repeated alarm. Alarms set to repeat every day, or one-time alarms, are reportedly unaffected by the bug.

Apple suggested to their users that they should use “repeat for one time alart” till the problem is not fixed. This is happened for twice, will iPhone users excuse Apple?

Apple Boosts iPhone 3G Download Capacity

shopon — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:54:45 +0000

Apple has increased the cap for downloads over 3G networks on the iPhone from 10MB to 20MB, in what some think is a sign of heavier multimedia content appearing for the upcoming iPad.

By now, every time you wanted to download a podcast or application from the App Store that was over 10 MB, you got an annoying message asking you to use Wi-Fi because the file was too large. But not anymore.

Apple lifted the 10MB cap, only to double it to 20MB, which should be a more reasonable figure for video and podcast downloads when out of Wi-Fi range. If you try to download files over 20MB though, a message will prompt you to switch to Wi-Fi.

Besides giving iPhone users a wider variety of content they can download over 3G networks, the cap increase may be a sign that the iPad will require larger file

downloads over 3G because of higher resoulation graphics and more complex applications.

The initial 10MB cap was put in place so that iPhone downloads won’t put too much strain on wireless networks, such as AT&T, which is struggling to handle the traffic. For example, AT&T iPhone tethering, which would produce even more traffic on the network, hasn’t been adopted yet, despite operators around the world enabling the option.

But despite difficulties with the AT&T network, Apple decided to forge a deal for 3G connectivity with the carrier again, this time for the 3G-enabled iPads arriving late this spring. Also, Sling Player 3G streaming has been enabled on the iPhone this week, after AT&T allegedly held back this feature because of fears of increased traffic.

AT&T must be under pressure to keep up with Apple’s traffic-demanding products because the carrier’s exclusivity with the iPhone in the U.S. is soon coming to a close.

without Wi-Fi high price Apple’s iPhone

shopon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:44:22 +0000

The iPhone saw its formal debut in China Friday on carrier China Unicom, with the Wi-Fi-less hardware sold via 2,000 stores at a starting price of 4,999 yuan, or $730.

That high price was cited by The Wall Street Journal as the “buzz-killer” over the handset’s debut. The high-end iPhone 3GS sells for 6,999 yuan ($1,024) without a service contract, which is how most people in China purchase their phones. The same handset can be bought for about $800 in Hong Kong.

“When wrapped together with a service plan, as is generally done in the U.S., the phone will cost Chinese subscribers at least $3,120 over two years, compared with the roughly $2,600 cost for the same period for customers in the U.S.,” the report said.

The average cost of a smartphone in China is $350. And Apple must also compete with an estimated 2 million imported iPhones that were already in China as of the summer of 2009.

The cheapest iPhone runs 4,999 yuan, or $630, according to The Associated Press. And all of the officially sanctioned models come without Wi-Fi. But an imported iPhone 3GS with Wi-Fi can be bought from Chinese street markets for 5,700 yuan, or $835.

China Unicom said it hopes to have Wi-Fi in the next batch of iPhones it intends to release by the end of the year. The feature was left out of the hardware because the government’s regulations temporarily banned the system in favor of a rival Chinese offering known as BDA. That ban, however, was relaxed in May, after manufacturing of the new iPhone model began.

The iPhone’s debut in China has been delayed not only by Chinese government regulations, but also talks with the nation’s carriers. The country of over 1 billion is the largest cell phone market in the world, and one that Apple has been eager to take a crack at, despite a number of setbacks.

The agreement between Apple and China Unicom was made official in August. The non-exclusive agreement has left the door open for Apple to turn to competitor China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless operator. Apple has been in negotiations with China Mobile for some time. China Mobile has 508 million wireless subscribers, while China Unicom has 143 million mobile accounts.

Disney launching iPhone, iPod touch applications

shopon — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:57:50 +0000

Walt Disney Co is launching free iPhone and iPod touch applications, giving fans access to Disney content and interactive features anywhere.

Disney.com, part of the Disney Interactive Media Group, said it will offer users of the popular Apple Inc devices items like the new “Click2Life” feature that lets fans take pictures of images from the Disney.com Web site, and eventually in the physical world, and unlock exclusive content.

For instance, a teenager may one day see a poster of an upcoming “Pirates of the Caribbean” film in a mall, snap a picture of the poster with an iPhone and then generate video content related to that picture or character.

Jason Davis, vice president of Disney.com, said in an interview that the media giant realized it already had a huge audience of iPhone and iPod touch users for its content on its existing mobile application on Disney.com.

Disney.com reaches nearly 31 million unique visitors per month and said that among mobile Web sites, it ranks as the No. 1 entertainment mobile site.

It also has an expanding lineup of many paid applications currently available in Apple’s App Store including Toy Story Mania!, Disney Fairies Fly, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Breakspin.

“Our iPhone and iPod touch traffic is heavily made up of kids and moms. The iPod touch has a very specific demographic geared to the tween,” he said, adding that within Disney content, there are various safety controls.

“Because the applications are self-contained, once you’re in the application, you can’t get into anything else,” he said.

The new application organizes Disney-branded content within one destination on each device, lets users interact with Disney characters through customizable photo frames and audio greetings, listen to Radio Disney live, watch music videos and buy Disney music on Apple’s iTunes Store.

Microsoft selling crapware-free PCs in its stores

shopon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:00:45 +0000

The computers at Microsoft Stores don’t have the crapware that Windows PCs typically come with, but they still have an assortment of Microsoft and Adobe software. Most controversially, they include Windows Live Essentials and Microsoft Security Essentials.

By Emil Protalinski | Last updated October 28, 2009 8:15 AM CT


Not only is Microsoft reselling select Windows 7 PCs normally sold by its hardware partners, but the company is making sure they come only with the software it wants. Yes, that means that if you buy a PC from Microsoft, it won't come with the usual "crapware," though it won't be a clean install either. Microsoft is still bundling its own software, including Windows Live Essentials and Microsoft Security Essentials, as well as Adobe software.
Last Thursday when Windows 7 officially arrived, Microsoft opened up its first store in Scottsdale, Arizona (a second store is to follow in Mission Viejo, California). As expected, the store was stocked with Windows 7 PCs from various OEMs, and Microsoft even went the extra mile by selling them at its online store, though only in the US. It didn't become clear until recently, however, that Microsoft was doing more to these PCs than just picking them up and putting them on display.
The new "Microsoft Signature PCs" initiative means the software giant is removing all preinstalled software from the computers it is selling, and loading them instead with full versions of programs of its own choosing. We decided to check for ourselves, and there are indeed Microsoft Signature PCs from every PC maker Microsoft's stores sell: Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba. They're all crapware-free.
For the uninitiated, "crapware" is the term used to describe bundled software, usually trial versions or unwanted programs, which other companies pay computer makers to preinstall on their PCs. This keeps PC prices competitive, but it also clogs up computers with useless… well, crap. A typical PC from an OEM can come with any number of third-party applications, many of which are a pain to remove.
Our favorite way to deal with such software is PC Decrapifier, a freeware program designed to remove or uninstall a specific list of unwanted software in an unattended fashion. It currently can remove a total of 63 applications (though this spans different versions) that it labels as crapware, eight of which are Microsoft's own software (most are Office trials). None of those, however, are being installed on Microsoft Signature PCs.
According to the Microsoft Store, Redmond is bundling the following applications on the PCs it is reselling: Microsoft Security Essentials, Bing 3D Maps, Zune 4.0, Playready PC Runtime (for WMC), Adobe Flash Player for IE, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Windows Live Sync, and Windows Live Essentials (which includes Windows Live versions of Messenger, Mail, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Writer, Family Safety, Toolbar, as well as the Office Live Add-In and Silverlight). Of that list, the first and the last are the ones most worth noting.
Microsoft announced in September 2008 that Windows Mail, Photo Gallery, and Movie Maker would be stripped away from Windows 7 and the company would instead be offering Windows Live versions of the products as part of Windows Live Essentials. The company said it would not force (but would encourage) OEMs to include the suite on new PCs, and it would be including links in Windows 7 to download it. Microsoft Security Essentials, on the other hand, does not have its own download link in Windows 7, and the company said the software was being specifically targeted at users who did not already have an antivirus. Microsoft also said it was perfectly happy with consumers choosing other security software, as long as they were protected.
While slightly different decisions were made for the two Essential suites, Microsoft's reasoning for both has been quite clear: no deals regarding bundling in order to avoid antitrust issues at all costs. It looks like Microsoft has found a loophole for its own rule. The company's lawyers have apparently come to the conclusion that Microsoft as a retailer won't have to worry about antitrust issues when including its own software on PCs that it sells.
Most Windows PCs will of course not be purchased from Microsoft stores, so the initiative will only really be successful if users see real value in the software Redmond is preinstalling. We personally prefer the software that is being offered on Microsoft Signature PCs compared to the usual crapware, as there are no trial versions and most of it we install on the Windows PCs we encounter anyway. That said, we would still end up uninstalling some of the applications Microsoft is listing.
In March 2008, Sony decided to offer consumers the opportunity to pay $50 to get a PC without all the useless software installed. The test didn't get very far though; the company killed it after the move raised the question as to whether or not crapware is acceptable at all. Microsoft has been angered by crapware on machines for ages, but it particularly got annoyed in January 2007, at the start of the Vista age.

The company made a lot of changes in the development of Windows 7 and marketing of Windows 7; now it appears the company is trying to change the software that comes with Windows 7. It's a shame that OEMs are unlikely follow suit.

Verizon Droid Smartphone Could Give iPhone a ‘Jab in the Ribs`

shopon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:17:10 +0000

Elgato’s EyeTV 1.0.1 for the iPhone finally appeared on Apple’s App store on Tuesday with the promised fix that prevents live TV streaming over 3G. The update also fixed bugs and improved overall performance.

The 1.0.1 update fixed an issue where audio continued to play after leaving Live TV mode, fixed crashes related to changing channels and zooming, added DVB and ATSC programming guides, accepts iPod Best variants when streaming to the iPhone, and more.

The EyeTV app temporarily disappeared from the App Store over the weekend because it included code that let users stream live TV shows over 3G.

“Some test code that enabled live TV streaming over the cellular network was accidentally left in the the EyeTV App,” David Fanning, Elgato’s press contact, told The Mac Observer. “Apple requested that we remove the code since their agreement with AT&T does not allow redirecting TV signals over the cellular network.”

Elgato submitted a version 1.0.1 update to Apple without the test code on Saturday, and by Sunday EyeTV was available at the App Store again. The version number for the app, however, was still listed at 1.0. The application was available at the App Store for about a month before it was pulled.

EyeTV 1.0.1 Plugs 3G Streaming Hole, More

shopon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:17:46 +0000

The EyeTV app temporarily disappeared from the App Store over the weekend because it included code that let users stream live TV shows over 3G.

App of the Day Makes It Easier To Find iPhone Apps

shopon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:53:25 +0000

Daniel Brusilovsky

TechCrunch.com
Sunday, October 18, 2009; 6:33 AM

The App Store is crowded with tens of thousands of applications, many which do the exact same thing. Just do a quick search on the App Store for Twitter, and you’ll find over 170 applications related to Twitter. But how do you figure out which Twitter application is best? That’s where App of the Day comes in. App of the Day highlights a different application every day for iPhone or iPod Touch users looking to discover high quality applications in the App Store.

Founded by Jordan Satok, App of the Day features community-nominated applications that get featured on the home page each day. Users are then able to comment on the application, and provide feedback for potential buyers.

You only get one nomination per day, reinforcing the goal of the site to only feature quality applications. Whichever application gets the most nominations, then becomes the App of the Day.

App of the Day also works directly with Gravatar, so users don’t have to upload their own picture ? their avatar is just affiliated with their email address, which they use to sign up with on App of the Day. You can find my user profile here.

The concept is quite simple, and is something the Apple community has been looking for. App of the Day provides quality applications that users want to use. Satok built the site in less then 10 days and it is hosted on the Rackspace Cloud.

In-App Feature Could Keep More Apps on iPhone

shopon — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 03:00:51 +0000

Jacqueline Emigh, PC World

While Apple’s new in-app purchase feature for iPhones is being widely touted as an antipiracy measure, Apple’s more overarching motive seems to be that of keeping the iPhone at the development forefront for the coolest new apps for mobile users.

At one time, the iPhone held that distinction more or less to itself. But particularly with the advent of online application stores for other smartphone applications, the iPhone now faces more and more competition — among app developers along with consumers — from Google’s Android, Palm Pre, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, and other rivals.

If you haven’t heard about it yet, Apple’s new iPhone feature lets users of free apps upgrade to expanded capabilities from directly inside the apps; a visit to the online Apple App Store is no longer needed.

Some are arguing that this approach will stop interlopers from stealing apps by involving servers on both the Apple and third-party developer sides, thereby making developers more aware of who is using their software and how. Although others counter that a truly determined and crafty thief can steal an app anyway, just about everyone seems to acknowledge that the in-app feature will at least help to slow down application piracy, if only by a little.

There’s much more agreement around the notion that the in-app upgrades will save time and resources for developers by ending the practice of creating free “lite” and non-free “full” editions of the same software program.

If either of these possible benefits for developers actually pans out, iPhone users could win, too, by continuing to be the first to get interesting new software apps.

Unthinkable as it might have sounded a year or two ago, this isn’t necessarily happening anymore. For instance, before this week’s announcement of a new content delivery app for iPhone, CBS News apparently introduced the app first — or at least concurrently — on the RIM Blackberry. The same app will be available later this fall for Android and Pre. Other examples are plentiful.

In fact, some app developers are now finding it so hard to make money on the iPhone platform that they’re leaving it behind entirely, in favor of other platforms in either the mobile or non-mobile space.

For one, Second Gear developer Justin Williams has just quit the iPhone fold, selling his Fitness Track and Emergency Information apps to BitBQ’s Patrick Burleson. According to Macworld, Williams complained that iPhone app development is “too much effort with too little reward when compared to distributing software on my own terms on the Mac platform.”

Maybe Apple’s new in-app purchase feature will help curb any emerging iPhone developer bleed.

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Adding FM to iPhone/iPod touch an easy bone to throw users

shopon — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:30:44 +0000

Not every iPod user is dying for FM radio—why listen to what some DJ or corporate programming manager says you should? But there has always been some demand for FM tuning in portable media players, and Apple could be adding the feature to recent iPhone and iPod touch models with a rumored app.

By Chris Foresman | Last updated October 15, 2009 9:59 AM CT

A new rumor this week suggests that Apple is developing an FM tuner app for iPhone and iPod touch users. Though not every device has the capability to receive FM signals, building the app is a simple way to add an extra feature to the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and second- and third-gen iPod touches.

An anonymous source for 9to5Mac says work on the app is mostly done at this point, and will likely take cues from the FM tuner interface of the recently introduced fifth-gen iPod nano. However, Apple is reportedly still working on integrating mobile iTunes Store purchasing into the app. This is an obvious extension to iPod nano’s song tagging feature, which allows a user to tag songs they like for possible later purchase via iTunes. Integrating direct purchasing would increase the impulse purchase factor.

The iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and second-gen iPod touch all use a Broadcom BCM4325 radio chip that combines low-power WiFi, Bluetooth, and FM capabilities. The newest iPod touches use the newer Broadcom BCM4329, which also has FM receiving. The original iPhone and iPod touch used chips from Marvell for WiFi, and the iPhone had a separate chip for Bluetooth, so those devices wouldn’t work with an FM tuner app.

While FM tuners have been features of a wide variety of other media players—cough, Zune HD, cough—they have never featured significantly in the iPod line-up. A separate FM tuner accessory Apple introduced in 2006 never sold in significant numbers and was quietly discontinued. However, Broadcom’s Chris Bergey told Ars late last year that FM tuning is particularly popular in other areas of the world, such as India; there phones with FM outnumber those with Bluetooth, for instance.

Since the hardware already has the capability, and the software design is most of the way there with work done on the iPod nano, it would be relatively trivial for Apple to offer up an FM tuner app for the iPhone OS platform. Integrating iTunes purchasing would also be the sort of compelling value add that should give Apple a good reason to make it happen.