iPad By Davis: “Walmart testing a new in store Scan & Go system exclusively for iPhone” plus 19 more |
- Walmart testing a new in store Scan & Go system exclusively for iPhone
- Nick Jr Draw & Play for iPhone and iPad review
- Sprint, Virgin tout unlimited, un-shared data, and ditching your un-iPhones
- Apple adds Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note to ongoing U.S. patent lawsuit
- Remains of the Day: Screening room
- Apple cracking down on App Store copycats
- The best iPhone and iPad time-wasters for Labor Day
- Browser plug-in and website warn about data harvesting by Facebook apps
- App Guide: College football apps for iOS
- iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Homework planner apps for iPhone shootout!
- Tweetbot for Mac beta is here. Sort of.
- Researchers find critical vulnerability in Java 7 patch hours after release
- Regarding iPad 2,5 and iPad 2,6
- Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Camera
- Bugs & Fixes: Safari Preferences solve two Safari-related glitches
- Opinion: Reconsidering FAA gadget guidelines is long overdue
- Summer of Mac Gems: Here's what you missed
- Turn your photos into drawings with Etchings for iPhone
- 4-inch, 16:9 iPhone concept video tackles how Apple might handle existing apps, content
- TechHive: Free camping apps for your Labor Day weekend
| Walmart testing a new in store Scan & Go system exclusively for iPhone Posted: 01 Sep 2012 01:33 AM PDT
The system works as a self-scanning system, shoppers go around the store as normal but instead of just dropping items into their trolley, they scan each item first with their iPhone first. Then they can put the scanned items straight into bags in their trolley or basket. When they have completed their shopping, they go to an express checkout and the app on the iPhone transfers the purchased item list to the checkout machine. Customers can then pay as normal using the usual checkout payment methods. As of yet, you can't use your iPhone to pay for your shopping but maybe it could be added in the future if Apple ever introduces NFC or an equivalent payment system to the iPhone. Of course let's not get carried away with the thought that Walmart is investing huge sums of money to give customers a better shopping experience. Walmart also stands to gain massively if it decides to roll out the system across its huge number of stores. If more shoppers scan their own items and make their own automated payments, Walmart could save millions of dollars in cashier wages; it currently pays out around $12 million in cashier wages every second across its stores in the United States. This is probably not great news if you are a cashier for Walmart. Would you consider using a system like this if you were doing a reasonably large shop at Walmart? Source: Reuters 
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| Nick Jr Draw & Play for iPhone and iPad review Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:32 PM PDT
Nick Jr Draw & Play is an iPhone and iPad by Nickelodeon that lets kids can team up with Dora the explorer, Diego, Team Umizoomi and the Bubble Guppies to create amazing artwork -- and have fun! It features an easy to use interact with 8 different brushes for drawing and painting, 60 animated stickers, effects such as fireworks and magic wands, parental controls, and more.
One of the things I really like about Nick Jr Draw & Play is that when you draw on a coloring book page, it forces you to stay on the lines without also automatically filling everything in for you. For example, in the screenshot above, once I start coloring in Dora's hair, all of my strokes made (without lifting my finger) were kept inside the outline of Dora's hair, even if my finger went outside of the lines. This is such a great feature for kids since staying in the lines when coloring on an iPad is much harder than with coloring with real crayons on real paper.
Nick Jr Draw & Play is packed with many different artistic options for your kids. The mediums they can draw and color with include chalk, crayons, markers, pencils, spray paint, and paint brushes. There are also stickers, animation buttons, greeting cards, and more for your child to get creative with. They can also choose to start with a blank canvas or one of the drawing from the coloring book that feature many Nickelodeon characters from the shows Dora the explorer, Diego, Team Umizoomi and the Bubble Guppies.
When you child first plays Nick Jr Draw and Play, s/he will be guided through a animated tutorial that teaches them how to use it. Personally, I think it's not necessary as everything is pretty intuitive, especially for kids. Luckily, there's an option to skip it. Unfortunately, even if you skip the tutorial, it will start over the next time you launch the app and there isn't an option to disable it in the settings.
The good
The bad
The conclusionNick Jr Draw & Play is a great iPhone and iPad app for kids to draw, color, and create with their favorite Nickelodeon characters. At first I was skeptical that it was going to be a little lame because Nickelodeon knows that kids would ask for it because of the characters, but I realized very quickly that I was wrong. Nick Jr Draw & Play is filled with features that are sure to keep your child entertained over and over again. $3.99 for iPhone - Download Now$6.99 for iPad - Download Now
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| Sprint, Virgin tout unlimited, un-shared data, and ditching your un-iPhones Posted: 31 Aug 2012 09:57 PM PDT Over the last week we've seen a couple of amusing new commercials from Virgin Mobile (above) and Sprint (below) touting their unlimited, un-shared data plans. Virgin goes so far as to suggest you arrange a "happy accident" for your old, non-iPhone.
Sprint just wants you to "say no to sharing".
Both are in response to tiered data plans, and new sharing plans, on America's biggest networks, AT&T and Verizon. Of course, Verizon, and to some extent AT&T, both have LTE data speeds, which might be useful come September 12. So what do you think of these two spots? Do they make you want to defenestrate your BlackBerry, Android, or feature phone and grab an un-shared, unlimited data plan, on America's smaller, and much, much smaller networks? 
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| Apple adds Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note to ongoing U.S. patent lawsuit Posted: 31 Aug 2012 08:23 PM PDT
Apple might have already won $1 billion dollars in one U.S. lawsuit against partner/rival Samsung, but they've still got others pending, and they've now added Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note devices to the list of products they claim infringe Apple patents. Reuters' Andrew Longstreth reports:
Here's the amended rundown, via Jerry Hildenbrand of Android Central:
The patents Apple is claiming are being violated are: In lawsuits, like any form of business dealing, it's not unusual to go in asking for the moon, figuring you're going to have to settle for less. Any company that bothers to sue is going to sue big. Depending on Samsung, all of it could disappear in one software update. Depending on the judge, it might get whittled back down before trial. Depending on the jury, it might get whittled down further in the verdict. That's if Apple and Samsung don't settle first. But in the global game of Apple vs. Samsung patent chess, we're still position pawns and trading pieces. And Google is still sitting safely beside its castle. Source: Reuters via Android Central 
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| Remains of the Day: Screening room Posted: 31 Aug 2012 04:30 PM PDT  Hardly seems fair that two companies may be working on iPad mini screens, while the next iPhone's screens might be encountering a delay. But at least Big Bob Mansfield isn't going anywhere soon. T
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| Apple cracking down on App Store copycats Posted: 31 Aug 2012 04:12 PM PDT
Those scam apps that have been copying icons and splash screens from legitimate apps, costing developers cash, and ripping off customers? Yeah, it looks like Apple is cracking down on them, at least the high profile ones that are most likely -- and most intended -- to cause confusion. Benjamin Mayo reported on the change when he was provided with a copy of a rejection notice that showed the App Store review team citing provision 22.2: "Apps that contain false, fraudulent, or misleading representations will be rejected."
Developer Brad Larson also noticed that Apple has added a new, dedicated content dispute form that developers can use to report App Store copyright violations.
Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web took the form for a spin, and while it looks like a powerful new tool, he notes:
Copyright is murky water. Apple needs to protect developers from outright violations of their intellectual property rights, but they also have to protect small developers from spurious legal challenges designed to force competition out of the store. Rejection or removal from the App Store is Apple's nuclear option in these disputes, and it's a weapon that should be used, but used carefully and wisely. Check the links below for more, and let's see where Apple goes with this. Source: Benjamin Mayo, Brad Larson, via The Next Web 
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| The best iPhone and iPad time-wasters for Labor Day Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:27 PM PDT
Don't let the name fool you -- the last thing you want to do on Labor Day is work. Family and friends, are one thing, todo-lists quite another. If you just want to relax and take a little time for yourself this holiday weekend, here are the absolute best ways to kill time with your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
If you want something new, but not too fussy, and you've ever had a hankering for some octogenarian X-Games-style action, look no further than Granny Smith for iPhone and iPad. The premise is simple enough: Granny has has her apples stolen for the last time and she isn't going to stand for it anymore. In fact, cane in hand, armed with baseballs and bananas (just go with it), she's strapped on roller skates and aims to run the thief down.
How do you take one of the best, most popular iOS games ever and make it even better? You make Fieldrunners 2, that's how. It's everything you love about the original, and about tower defense games in general, taken literally to the next level. The swarms are coming. The power ups are pending. Your world needs protecting. Are you ready? Hit play and find out!
Bastion
Bastion, the award-winning action RPG, has been brought, hacking and slashing, to the iPad. No mere port this, Bastion was been re-imagined and re-engineered to take maximum advantage of the Retina display and multitouch. Whether you've played Bastion previously on the PC and have been waiting for the iPad version, or you're just a fan of RPGs and want to try one of the best the genre has seen, hit the App Store link below and hold onto your socks, because you're in for one heck of an adventure.
Best Free games for iPhone and iPad
None of the above tickle your holiday fancy? Rather have a ton of free iPhone and iPad games to choose from? Well you're in luck. The staff here at iMore has spent days and days compiling dozens and dozens of the very best games for iPhone and iPad that can be yours for absolutely NO money down. Guilt free pleasures for iPhone and iPad
If games aren't your thing, and you absolutely have to spend Labor Day doing something productive, well, we have you covered as well.
And if you're looking to pick up a new hobby, Labor Day is the perfect occasion to learn all about iPhone photography, or to take your iPhoneography to a new level!
What's your Labor Day time-waster of choice?Have you already figured out which games or activities you're going to be spending time with this weekend? We'd love to hear your recommendations, so drop them in the comments below! 
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| Browser plug-in and website warn about data harvesting by Facebook apps Posted: 31 Aug 2012 03:00 PM PDT  Secure.me has launched a website and a browser plug-in designed to make Facebook users aware of the personal information that gets harvested by third-party applications.
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| App Guide: College football apps for iOS Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:55 PM PDT  College football is back, and these iPhone and iPad apps can help you keep track of all the scores, news, and video highlights from your alma mater.
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| iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Homework planner apps for iPhone shootout! Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:51 PM PDT
If you're a high school or college student, your iPhone can make a great tool not only for learning, but for keeping track of courses, assignments, and projects. Whether you're in high school or university, the App Store is full of apps to help you succeed academically, and homework planners are no exception. iStudiez Pro, Erudio, and iHomework all offer ways to help you get and stay organized. But which one is best for you? iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: User interface
iStudiez Pro consists of four main sections, Today, Calendar, Assignments, and Planner. The Today tab gives you a look at not only any assignments, quizzes, or projects you have due within iStudiez Pro but a look at your Calendar app appointments and entries as well. It provides a nice way to see everything all in once place instead of trying to coordinate between two apps. You can tap into anything on the Today screen including events from your regular Calendar app to get more info.
The Calendar tab is similar to the Today tab but gives you an entire calendar view of what you have coming up as a combined view between anything you have entered in your regular Calendar app and in iStudiez Pro. You can edit the way things show up on the calendar by changing the formatting options in the Settings section of iStudiez Pro. Along the top of the Calendar view you'll see an option to toggle between Schedule and Assignments. The schedule view will give you a list of what you have going for the day as far as classes and other events in your calendar. Toggling to the assignments tab gives you a detailed view of what assignments you have due for that day. The calendar will also show a small paperclip on any day that an assignment is due.
The Assignments tab does exactly what you'd expect it to do, show your assignments all in one place. You can sort things in a few different ways including by due date, course, and priority. Above that you can toggle between current and completed assignments. To bulk delete just tap the arrow button in the upper left and choose the assignments you want to delete, copy, or paste. The copy paste function is nice for assignments that are recurring instead of entering them new every time. The planner section has three tabs along the top that allow you to view semesters, holidays, and instructors. You can tap into any section and add new data using the "+" icon located in the upper right hand corner. From the semesters tab you can tap into semester to view all the courses you have that semester. Viewing all courses will also bring up grids next to each class showing the days and times you have class. Tapping into individual courses shows the same grid but adds a toggle along the bottom to view assignments for that course as well. From the main Today screen you can tap into Settings for iStudiez Pro at the top left. Here you have options to edit alerts, change formatting for the calendar, set up syncing, enable/disable grading, and more.
Erudio treats courses, assignments, and grading differently than iStudiez Pro. Upon launching the app you'll see a gorgeous main screeen with a list of your courses. Tapping into any one of them will give you an overview of that course with information such as the course name, section time, dates and times for that class, current tasks, and completed tasks. From inside an individual course screen you can also add tasks, mark them as complete, and switch between general task view mode and a view that shows when the assignment is due. Toggling the check mark box at the bottom of this screen will show and hide completed tasks. From the main Courses screen you can tap the menu icon in the upper left hand corner to see a slide out navigation menu. You'll spend most of your time in this panel. The menu items consist of Timeline, Courses, Tasks, and Gradebook. Underneath these items you've got configuration options for academic terms, locations, and settings. Before starting to enter assignments and courses you'll need to set up an academic term. After that you can add courses before finally starting to add assignments and projects. The one issue I have with Erudio is that you must enter a section number in order to add a course. It's frustrating and honestly, probably not necessary. Most high schools do not institute course numbers, only colleges. If you're in high school you can, however, just make up a section number.
The first Timeline tab will show a list of what you have due based on a week view that is divided into subsections for each month. Tapping into a week will allow you to view all the tasks you have due combined with your schedule for that week. The tasks section does exactly what you'd expect it to do, show all the tasks you have listed for all classes. You can further sort them by course or by due date. You aren't required to assign a due date if you don't want to. The last section is the Gradebook feature. This will give you a list view of all the classes you have set up in Erudio as well as an overall grade. Erudio takes an average of all the assgnments you've input grades for and gives you a percentage for that course. The settings tab doesn't have too much to configure but you can choose to sync with iCloud or enable Calendar sync which adds all your tasks in Erudio into your stock Calendar app.
iHomework's layout is more simliar to that of iStudiez Pro and utilizes a main row of icons along the bottom that allows access to all your main functions. By default the tabs along the bottom consist of Work, Reminders, Courses, Teachers, and More. You can tap into the More section and then tap the edit button in the top right corner in order to re-order tabs and drag them around in any order you want. You can change the tabs along the bottom or replace them with other options such as Reading, Completed, Calendar, Types, Sync, and Settings. This gives you more flexibility and customization which will be welcome by many users. The Work section will show a summary of everything you have assignment wise. iHomework allows you to sort work by day, week, and course. The next section which is Reminders is a place to list things you need to remember to do but aren't technically assignments. Perhaps you need to remember to pick up some books at the book store or buy a new graphing calculator. Reminders is the perfect place to put tasks like these. You can choose to set a reminder but you don't have to for things that aren't time sensitive. The Courses section in iHomework will show a view of all your courses with the icon you picked to represent that course. Underneath the course title and number you will see a grid showing which days you have that course. Tapping into a course shows the time, date, teachers list, locations, and any other information you've added for that course. You can also toggle along the bottom between course details, assignments, and grading.
The Reading section is unique to iHomework and worth mentioning. You can add all your course books, icons for them, and then add reading assignments that will aggregate into the Reading section. Once in a reading assignment you can use the page marker feature at the top that looks like a curled page to mark what page you're on. If you're like me and hate curled and crimped book pages, this is a super nice feature. You can also tack on assignments, what pages you need to read, and any bookmarks related to that reading assignment as well. The other tabs for iHomework are Settings and Sync. Settings allows you to edit icon badges, import or migrate iHomework data, and change sort and other preferences for assignments and reminders. When it comes to user interface, Erudio has the most appealing interface but iHomework has the most useable and customizable interface. It'll really depend on which is more important to you. From a productivity standpoint, iHomework wins. iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Adding terms and courses
iStudiez Pro allows you to easily add your terms and courses via the Planner section. Once inside the planner, make sure the Semesters tab is selected at the top and then click the "+" symbol in order to add a semester. You can name it whatever you like and then define the date range. After you're done you can go into a term and add your courses. You can also add holidays and instructors in the same manner.
Once you're inside a term you can click the "+" sign next to the term in order to add more courses. You'll be required to enter a course name and next to it you can pick a color label to assign it. Tapping the Add Class button under the Schedule section allows you to set up times and dates. You can choose between a regular repeating course or a single class. If you choose repeating you'll be asked to put days of the week and meeting times that will repeat each week. If you choose single course you can just assign a date and time to it. If you have a list of exam dates, you can quickly add them from this screen as well. Tapping into any course will then allow you to start adding assignments and other options. Erudio requires all course information to be entered before you'll be able to start entering assignments. And before you start setting up courses you'll have to pick a term. Tapping on the Academic Terms option under the Configuration section allows you to do this. Just like iStudiez Pro, you can choose time frames for academic terms and give them a short name. Once this is done you can tap into that term and add holidays as well.
Returning to the main screen you are now good to go in Erudio to start adding courses. Under the Courses section, just tap the "+" sign in the upper right hand corner to start adding course information. You can give the course a short name and a number. You can add in a website if that course has one for resources as well as set a reminder color. The one thing that really irritates me with Erudio is that you are required to include a section number. Considering you're the only one using the app I'm not sure why this is a must have field. It's nice that they offer it but it shouldn't be required. This alienates high school students and anyone who doesn't have section numbers. You can add a place holder in the event that you don't know or have a section number. Putting a placeholder like 1234 will let you proceed. You can also use this area to turn on and off weighted grading. Once you've added your courses and returned to the main menu of courses in Erudio you can now start adding assignments and tasks under each course.
iHomework has a courses tab along the bottom menu that allows you to easily get a quick view of all the courses you have set up. You aren't required to set up acadmic terms or any other information. You actually don't have an option for terms so if that's important to you and you'd like to have past data stored, you may not like the lack of this feature in iHomework. To add a course just tap the Add button in the upper right corner. You can name the course and assign times and dates as well as teachers and locations. Locations can use either GPS or you can manually enter the information. Tapping the icon for course will also give you the option of assigning one of many pre-designed icons to it. At the very bottom you can add a course website. Once you've added all your courses into iHomework you're ready to start entering assignments and tasks. When it comes to adding courses and terms, Erudio is the most complicated due to the need for section numbers. iStudiez Pro and iHomework are very simliar in format but iHomework doesn't have a terms feature. iStudiez Pro offers the best balance between ease of use and feature set when it comes to adding and managing academic terms and individual courses. iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Managing homework, projects, and reminders
iStudiez Pro allows you to add items not only from the Assignments section but the Calendar and Planner sections too. Once you've chosen to add an assignment you can give it a name, choose a due date, choose a notification time, and add a partner. You can change default notifications for assignments, exams, and classes within Settings or you can go with the defaults which are on the due dates or a few minutes before the course starts.
Partners will allow you to add someone from your contacts or a new person to an assignment. This is a nice feature for group projects as it gives you easy access to their contact information from directly within the app. Just open the assignment and click on the partner you need to contact and you'll be taken directly to their contact card in your Phone app. Once you're done with an assignment and have a grade to input, you can mark the assginment as done and a grading option will pop up as long as you have grading enabled under settings. You can enter a total number of possible points and the number you earned. iStudiez Pro will automatically give you the calculation in terms of percentage.
Erudio allows you to add an assignment or task from within any course or the Tasks menu. To add one just give it a name, choose the due date (you don't have to put one if you don't want to), choose a reminder and the course it goes with, and whether or not the assignment is graded. Once you receive a grade you can pop back in and enter what you earned and just like iStudiez Pro and it'll automatically calculate the percentages for you. Once nice thing that Erudio offers is repeat tasks under reminders. You can choose a repeat for every hour, day, week, month, or year. You can also choose to use location based reminders by ticking location instead of time along the bottom of the reminders menu. You can have the app use a list of places you've already set up or add a location. You can then choose to have the app remind you when you leave or when you arrive at a specific place. Erudio is the only app that offers location based reminders for assignments and tasks.
iHomework is better at organizing and sorting projects, reading assignments, and other types of tasks within the app. You can add any assignment or project to the work section while you can have other items such as reading tasks under the dedicated Reading tab. Reminders is also a separate section and a great place to put school (or non-school) related things so all your reminders are within one app. Things such as "Pick up a new pair of shoes after Chemistry" are perfect examples of things that iHomework can handle that don't really fit into apps like iStudiez Pro and Erudio. To add an assignment in iHomework just choose add under the Work section. Fill in the name, choose the course, and then a notification setting. By default it will be set to none but you can choose between many options including minutes, hours, or days before. Once you've completed an assignment and earned a grade you can pop back in and add grades and mark it as complete. You can always see and edit completed assignments under the Completed section anytime. When it comes to organizing and managing assignments, tasks, and notifications, iHomework provides the most flexibility and fine tuned control. iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Syncing and cross-platform support
iStudiez Pro is a universal download for both iPhone and iPad. They also offer a Mac counterpart as a separate purchase. iStudiez Pro syncs directly with iCloud so once you enable sync you're good to go and won't have to worry about whether or not your data is available on all your devices. Erudio also has a Pro version for both iPhone and iPad but they'll be separate downloads. There is no Mac version so if you want access on your computer, you should probably rule out Erudio as an option. If you're only using iPhone and iPad, Erudio supports iCloud sync natively so all your assignments, courses, and projects will sync seamlessly between them with no effort on your part. iHomework's app is a universal download for both iPhone and iPad and they also offer a Mac version that is available in the Mac App Store. As far as syncing goes, iHomework unfortunately only offers Wi-Fi sync while on the same network. While it's functional, it's nowhere near as convenient as native iCloud or private server syncing. When it comes to syncing, iStudiez Pro is the only app that enjoys counterparts for both iPad and Mac as well as full iCloud syncing. iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: Pricing
iStudiez Pro will only run you $0.99 and will work on both your iPhone and iPad without requiring a separate purchase. If you'd like the Mac version to complete the suite it'll cost an additional $9.99. Erudio's premium app for iPhone will run you $2.99. If you'd like it for iPad you'll also have to fork over another $2.99 since it's not a universal binary. While there is iCloud syncing, there is currently no Mac version to add to the mix. iHomework is currently priced at $0.99 in the iOS App Store and is a universal download for both iPhone and iPad. If you'd like to pick up the Mac version, it'll only cost you an additional $0.99 which is a great deal for any Mac app, let alone one with as many features as iHomework offers. When it comes to cost, it's hard to beat iHomework's $0.99 price tag, especially because it's available for Mac and iOS.
iStudiez Pro vs. Erudio vs. iHomework: The bottom line
If you aren't concerned with syncing and only need a homework planner app on your iPhone, iHomework provides the best solution at the most reasonable price. Separate reading and reminders lists make iHomework the go-to iPhone app for staying on top of things. The only thing that keeps us from recommending iHomework as the best homework planner app is its lack of native iCloud syncing -- Wi-Fi sync is a pain. Erudio does not offer a Mac app and the interface, although gorgeous, lagged during our tests. And then there's that pesky section number issue that can become annoying very quickly. That leaves iStudiez Pro. If iCloud sync and cross-platform support are must haves for you, look no further than iStudiez Pro. It's got a huge list of features that'll keep you organized and set you up for success not only this school year but every year after that. iStudiez Pro - $0.99 - Download NowErudio - $2.99 - Download NowiHomework - $0.99 - Download Now
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| Tweetbot for Mac beta is here. Sort of. Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:27 PM PDT
The Tweetbot for Mac alpha is set to expire today. Tapbots has released a beta to replace it, but it comes with a huge, Twitter-policy forced, caveat: You can't add any previously un-added Twitter accounts to it. Developer Paul Haddad explains why on the Tapbots blog:
So you can replace the Tweetbot for Mac alpha with the Tweetbot for Mac beta, but you can't add any accounts to it you haven't added already, or replace any you remove in the future (until the final version is released in the Mac App Store). The reason for all this hooha is, of course, and the reason Tapbots had to remove the alpha download previously, Twitter's new, developer-hostile API 1.1 rules which greatly restrict the amount of user tokens any 3rd party app can receive. Ever. That also means if you tried Tweetbot for Mac alpha, and didn't like it, you should got to Twitter.com and revoke access to it, and any other Twitter app you're no longer using, so the developers can re-use those tokens for future users. You can grab the new Tweetbot for Mac beta via the link below. Source: Tapbots blog 
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| Researchers find critical vulnerability in Java 7 patch hours after release Posted: 31 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT  Security researchers from Poland-based security firm Security Explorations claim to have discovered a vulnerability in the Java 7 security update released...
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| Regarding iPad 2,5 and iPad 2,6 Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:39 PM PDT
Apple has model numbers for all their products. The original iPhone was iPhone 1,1. The iPhone 3G was iPhone 1,2. The current iPhone 4S is iPhone 4,1. The next iPhone will be iPhone 5,1. Likewise, the original iPad was iPad 1,1. The iPad 2 was iPad 2,1. And the new iPad is iPad 3,1. The Retina MacBook Pro is MacBookPro 10,1. Following pre-production code names, that's how Apple classifies things internally. Within models, there are variants. The iPhone 3G was a radio variant of the original iPhone 1,1 but was fairly similar otherwise, hence iPhone 1,2. The iPhone 3GS got a whole new chipset, so also got a new, model bump to 2,1. Likewise, the iPad 2 was a leap ahead of the original, so it got iPad 2,1. At least the Wi-Fi version did. The GSM/AT&T version got iPad 2,2 and the CDMA/Verizon version got iPad 2,3. When Apple updated the internals again this spring for the newer, lower cost version, that variant was iPad 2,4. iPad 2,5 has been showing up in developer logs for months and iPad 2,6 was noted yesterday by Marco Arment on Marco.org. So what are they? Marco thinks they may be the iPad mini. Since we've already seen that Apple doesn't consider something like a boost in radio technology from 2G/EDGE (iPhone 1,1 -- the original iPhone) to 3G/HSPA (iPhone 1,2 -- the iPhone 3G) to be worth a full model number increment, but they do consider the switch from an Apple A4 chipset (iPhone 3,1 -- the iPhone 4) to an Apple A5 chipset (iPhone 4,1 -- the iPhone 4S) to be increment worthy. Marco's thinking seems to be, given the iPad mini will likely use all the components of the iPad 2, only shrunken down -- something iMore reported on back in May -- that Apple might just keep using the iPad 2 model series as well. iPad 2,5 would then be the iPad mini Wi-Fi, with 2,6 being AT&T/GSM, and theoretically we'd also see 2,7 for Verizon/CDMA, and perhaps other models for other regional radios. So where does that leave 4G LTE networking? The iPad 2 doesn't currently include a 4G LTE radio the way the iPad 3 does. Would Apple stick to the same HSPA+ and CDMA radios in the existing iPad 2? Not necessarily. We've already seen that Apple doesn't increment models a full number just for radio changes. So, if Apple is shrinking down the iPad 2 internals and re-packaging them into the relatively narrower iPad mini case, they could easily include LTE for both AT&T/GSM and Verizon in their respective models. And they could likely do so using the same newer, better Qualcomm 28nm MDM9615 chip that's expected to hit the iPhone 5 this September, and perhaps more products soon thereafter. Alternatives for iPad 2,5 and iPad 2,6 could include yet more tweaks for the existing iPad 2. iMore did learn Apple was planning to push the new, miniature Dock connector out across their complete iOS product line, but we didn't learn anything to specifically indicate older products like the iPad 2 and iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and iPhone 4S would be getting them as well. A Dock connector alone might not be worth a new variant indicator anyway. (There's no precedent for that on iOS devices, so it's harder to predict.) Would Apple really launch an entirely new product in the iPad mini as part of the year-old iPad 2 model line? Wouldn't an all new iPadmini 1,1, 1,2, 1,3, etc. be cleaner and less confusing? These are Apple internal designations that consumers can only find by clicking their way deep into product information inspectors. That means Apple will do whatever is cleaner and less confusing for them not for us. And we'll find out what that is this fall... Source: Marco.org 
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| Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Camera Posted: 31 Aug 2012 12:17 PM PDT  Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Camera, introduced at this week's IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, takes clear, colorful images but is buggy and slow.
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| Bugs & Fixes: Safari Preferences solve two Safari-related glitches Posted: 31 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT  If Safari can't manage the kinds of task that other web browsers cheerfully perform, it's time to delve into the depths of Safari's Preferences window, so says Ted Landau,
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| Opinion: Reconsidering FAA gadget guidelines is long overdue Posted: 31 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT  The rational for shutting down electronic devices was proved false years ago, PCWorld's Tony Bradley says. It's time to change the FAA in-flight gadget rules.
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| Summer of Mac Gems: Here's what you missed Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:25 AM PDT  We covered a lot of great Mac programs during our annual Gem Fest marathon. Here's a recap, just in case you missed a few.
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| Turn your photos into drawings with Etchings for iPhone Posted: 31 Aug 2012 10:23 AM PDT
Etchings is a fun photography app for iPhone that instantly creates beautiful etched illustrations from any photo. There are eight different styles you can tweek to fit your photo perfectly, converting your photo into a unique piece of art. Etchings is super easy to use which is great for people who just want to create a unique images and share it to the social networks of choice. For users who like more control and don't mind spending a lot of time tweaking a photo, Etchings may not provide as many options as you like, but the good news is that the developers have add an "Open In..." feature so that you can quickly start editing your photo in another, more robust app.
After choosing your photo, all you have to do convert your photo with Etchings is choose one of the eight different styles. Most of them are monochromatic, but a couple of them are in full color. Some of them also have borders, but all of them don't. Unfortunately, you can't choose to turn off the border. Once you've picked out effect, you can choose between seven different line thicknesses. And that's it! Once you've created your beautiful etchings, you can share it to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, email, your Camera Roll, or "Open In..." another app to edit further. Etchings are saved at a resolution of 1200 x 1200 pixels, which is decent, but MindSea Development promise to include higher-resolution output options in a future update. The good
The bad
The conclusionEtchings is a really fun app for creating unique photos/drawings. In just a few seconds, you can have a creation that's sure to wow your friends. $0.99 - Download Now
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| 4-inch, 16:9 iPhone concept video tackles how Apple might handle existing apps, content Posted: 31 Aug 2012 09:46 AM PDT If rumors are true and Apple announces a 4-inch, 16:9 iPhone 5 on September 12, it'll be interesting to see how it handles existing content and apps, including games. A couple of months ago, I spent some time making a ton of mock-ups to show how various interface elements might work. Now, MacRumors has put their take on it together for the video above. Some of the answers are obvious. Content Apple controls, like the Videos app, will just work at 16:9, adjusting letter-boxing as appropriate. Third party apps already built for the current 3:2 screen, however, will likely get letter-boxed (vertically) or pillar-boxed (horizontally). Updates to take advantage of the full screen will likely be simpler and faster for apps that use UITableView and UICollectView for lists and grids, and OpenGL for games, and likely more complicated and slower for apps that use a ton of custom, specifically sized and positioned interface elements. (AutoLayout in iOS 6 might help somewhat as well, if it's used.) While Apple doubled the screen density of the iPhone display when it went from the standard iPhone 3GS to the @2X Retina display of the iPhone 4, moving to 16:9 would be the first aspect ratio change. Since the density won't change -- there'll instead be 1136x640 instead of 960x640 -- individual elements likely won't have to be redrawn the way they had to be in 2010, but the interface as a whole will still need some attention, especially by pixel-perfect designers. Apple typically has at least a few, properly NDA'd developers up on stage at product announcements to show off samples of how new technologies look and work, so hopefully we'll see for ourselves come September 12. Source: MacRumors 
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| TechHive: Free camping apps for your Labor Day weekend Posted: 31 Aug 2012 09:30 AM PDT  Like many other procrastinators in Northern California, my fella and I were thinking about going camping over the long weekend. Being the geek that I am, I've already found seven free camping apps that should make our whole poorly planned attempt at a vacation go that much smoother.
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