viernes, 2 de noviembre de 2012

iPad By Davis: “How to setup and start using your new iPad mini or iPad” plus 19 more

iPad By Davis: “How to setup and start using your new iPad mini or iPad” plus 19 more


How to setup and start using your new iPad mini or iPad

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:11 PM PDT

How to setup and start using your new iPad mini or iPad

If you just got your new iPad mini or iPad 4, tore it out of its box, turned it on, and... are wondering just what to do next, don't worry, iMore's here to help! Thanks to the introduction of iCloud whether this is your first iPad, or just the latest in a long line, it's easier than ever to set it up as a brand new iPad or restore it from a backup of your old iPad, and get going.

"Just works" is just the worst when it doesn't, so instead of wasting time, check out our help and how-to tutorials below, so you can start spending time with your iPad mini or iPad as fast as possible. And hey, if you already know everything there is to know about the iPad, just bookmark this page and share it with family and friends who don't. We'll do the heavy lifting so you don't have to!

iCloud: The ultimate guide

Siri: The ultimate guide

Notification Center: The ultimate guide

iMessage: The ultimate guide

Photography: The ultimate guide

How to get more help with iPad

Have more questions or run into more problems with your iPad? Here's where to get help:




Angry Birds Space updates with 10 new levels

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:06 PM PDT

The popular Rovio game Angry Birds Space has been updated with 10 new volcanic levels. The story is that the Bad Piggies are still hiding out on the fire planet with the Mars Curiosity Rover and there's a new boss level that features the robotic explorer.

The 10 new levels of Angry Birds Spaces are on the Red Planet and include a Mars Curiosity Rover boss level. Also if you get all three stars on all levels, a new antenna egg level will be unlocked and if you find the hidden rover, you'll unlock a super-secret bonus level. There is also a new space eagle bonus level in each episode that; if you get 100% on the space eagle destruction meter, you'll unlock 5 new levels.

Are you having fun with the new Angry Birds Space levels? Speaking of Angry Birds, there's only 6 more days until the release of Angry Birds Star Wars!

$0.99 for iPhone - Download Now

$0.99 for iPad - Download Now




Announcing the winner of the FREE color modified AnoStyle™ iPhone 5 from The Pod Drop!

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:53 PM PDT

AnoStyle iPhones!

Last week our own Ally Kazmucha and The Pod Drop offered up an incredible contest where one lucky iMore winner could win their own AnoStyle™ iPhone 5. AnoStyle™ is exclusively available through The Pod Drop, and is a brand new process that's anything *but* your typical color modification service. It not only adds color to your mobile device but also provides an anodized finish with enhanced durability that actually meets military grade requirements.

Without further ado, the winner of a 16GB iPhone 5 AnoStyled in his choice of color is...

word2u

Congratulations word2u! Ally will be in touch in the next few days to get all the details hammered out.

 




AT&T launches cloud-based storage service, offers 5GB of free space

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:17 PM PDT

AT&T Locker

These days, cloud storage options are pretty plentiful. Dropbox, Box and even Google Drive all offer up pretty reasonable amounts of storage for free but now AT&T is tossing their hat into the mix with the freshly announced AT&T Locker service.

AT&T Locker has been released for both iOS and Android, AT&T is offering 5GB of free storage to customers wherein they can not only store but also share files such as videos and pictures.

  • Easy access from your phone and computer - Now you can access content on your phone anytime from virtually anywhere. AT&T Locker provides easy access to all your photos, videos, documents and music. And uploads are synced and organized so it's easy to find what you want when you want it.
  • Sharing is fast and and easy - No matter what you want to share – first birthday videos, new puppy photos, important documents – with AT&T Locker, it's easy to share via email, Facebook and Twitter.

Just in case 5GB isn't enough for your needs, AT&T does offer paid plans as well. Upgrades to 30GB are priced at $3.99/month or 100GB for just $9.99/month. AT&T customers can download the app right now from the iTunes app store for free and its supports devices starting with the iPhone 3GS and up.

Free - Download Now

Source: AT&T via: Android Central




Waiting for an iPad 4 or iPad mini? Send us your pics!

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 07:20 PM PDT

Waiting for an iPad 4 or iPad mini? Send us your pics!

The iPad 4 and iPad mini goes on sale at 8am local time in US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Are you lining up for one? Waiting for one to be delivered to your door?

We've got a thread going on in the iMore forums, so head on over and tell us what's going on, how the lines are shaping up, where your package is for delivery, whether Apple gives you any coffee and treats, and, of course, your beautiful new iPad or iPad mini when it arrives.

We'll pick our favorite stories and pictures and giveaway a bunch of limited edition iMore t-shirts.




Path now available for iPad

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 06:49 PM PDT

The social network Path has been updated with support for the iPad. In portrait, it has a design that you would expect -- sidebar on the left with your stream to the right. In landscape, a summary of the posts for the day are displayed as a collage of photos, movies, music, locations, and book previews. It's a very visually appealing to consume the content shared by your friends.

Swiping left and right will advance between days and tapping on a post in the collage will display it larger with likes, comments, and other relevant information to the right. The design is very nice and functional.

Path was off to a decent start when it first released and was proving to be a decent alternative to Facebook and Twitter especially considering that it integrates with both services, but after it was discovered that Path uploaded users' entire address books to their servers many people deleted their accounts immediately and never returned even after Path apologized and fixed the security hole. It's a shame, because Path actually has a very nice interface and is a refreshing change to Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Is anyone planning to give Path another chance now that it's available on the iPad?

Free - Download Now




Seidio CONVERT Combo case for iPhone 5

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 05:56 PM PDT

I saved the donuts. I had my iPhone 5 in my hands, and a box of donuts, and everything began to fall, and I saved the donuts, and my iPhone 5 screen shattered. Apple replaced it for me, but it was expensive, and if I'd been using a case (or if I valued donuts less!) I could have avoided the cracked screen, the cost, and having to tell you this story now. But I didn't, it did, and I do. Sigh.

So now I'm looking for the perfect case to protect my replacement iPhone 5 without getting in my way about it. First up is the Seidio CONVERT Combo for iPhone 5.

The Seidio CONVERT Combo for iPhone 5 is actually two cases in one. First, you get the Seidio SURFACE case for iPhone 5 which is a two part hard case with soft-touch coating that provides pretty good protection all its own. There's even a screen protector to ward away scratches. Second, you get a rugged skin and skeleton which turns the protection up several notches with a silicone outer shell and plastic frame that keeps out pretty much everything you'd want to keep out.

Topping it all off is the the Seidio holster. As much as I make fun of holsters, this one is actually pretty cool and locks securely in place.

It's a two piece case with a soft inner layer and hard out layer. You can use the inner layer separately if you really want to, but for maximum protection you'll to use both.

Most of the time I'd personally stick to just the SURFACE part of the case, but I like the option for the added protection for hiking, camping, skiing, and, you know, donut carrying.

If you value protection but also want flexibility, check out the Seidio CONVERT Combo case for iPhone 5.

Seidio CONVERT Combo case for iPhone 5




FTC may sue Google over antitrust violations stemming from FRAND patent abuse

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 05:29 PM PDT

FTC may sue Google over antitrust

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recommended to the commission that Google should be sued for violation of antitrust laws regarding patents. Google is attempting to block import of products from both Apple and Microsoft, which rely on industry-standard technology, and the FTC may be inclined to sue Google in order to get them to offer reasonable licensing deals. Google's efforts are actually a continuation of those of Motorola Mobility, purchased by Google late last year. One of the key factors in Google's decision to buy the company was their portfolio of patents, many of which cover industry-standard technology such as 3G wireless and video streaming. The FTC investigation revolves around questions of licensing. Bloomberg's Sara Forden reports reports:

The FTC opened a formal probe into the matter in June, when it began seeking information from companies including Microsoft and Apple about whether Google offered licensing for technology under patents that help operate 3G wireless, Wi-Fi and video streaming on fair and reasonable terms, a person familiar with the matter said at the time.

For its part, Motorola Mobility says that they have offered reasonable licensing deals to both Apple and Microsoft, which neither company would agree to pay. This all comes as the US Justice Department has begun investigating Samsung's potential abuse of industry-standard technology patents, which are in addition to probes of both Motorola Mobility and Samsung in Europe over the same issues which began earlier this year. The FTC is expected to make its decision on whether or not to sue Google after next week's election.

Source: Bloomberg




How to manually update to iOS 6.0.1 over-the-air (OTA)

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 03:04 PM PDT

How to manually update to iOS 6.0.1 over-the-air (OTA)

Good news, iOS 6.0.1 has been released! It promises fixes for a bunch of annoying bugs, but if you're brand new to the iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you might be wandering how you can get it? iOS will popup an alert to tell you iOS 6.0.1 is available, but if you miss it, or you simply don't want to wait, you can start the update process manually as well.

iPhone 5 users only

Before updating to iOS 6.0.1, you'll be asked to install the iPhone 5 Updater which fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 users from being able to update over-the-air. If you are updating a device other than the iPhone 5, you can skip this section and continue on to the next one.

  1. Go to Settings on your iPhone 5.
  2. Tap on General and then Software Update.
  3. You'll be asked to install iPhone 5 Updater. Tap on Learn More.
  4. Now tap on Download and Install.
  5. A popup will come up asking you to confirm the install. Tap Install.
  6. Once the install is complete you can go ahead and move on to the next section.

How to manually update to iOS 6.0.1

  1. Launch the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. Tap Download and Install
  5. Agree to the Terms and Conditions
  6. Watch the progress bar (This part depends on the speed and quality of connection. Don't be alarmed if it takes a long time, speeds up or slows down, or appears to jump around -- be patient.)
  7. Once it's finished downloading, you'll be prompted to instal (and restart) your device. If you don't explicitly hit Later or Install within a few seconds, it will install on your behalf.
  8. Apple will verify the install.

You're done! Once your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch reboots you should now be on iOS 6.0.1.




Teardown Confirms iPad mini Has 512MB of RAM

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 01:19 PM PDT

iPad mini

The iFixit team has finished up their teardown of the iPad mini, and provided us with lots of the finer details on the new smaller iPad's internals.

Here are some of the highlights:

* Apple has reportedly been working to move away from Samsung as a primary supplier, so it's somewhat surprising to see a Samsung chip driving the LCD. We cannot 100% confirm that this display is made by Samsung, although it seems likely. Apple could be multi-sourcing this component, since supply chain reports indicate that AU Optronics and LG are providing displays.

* The battery is a large, single 16.5 Whr cell.

* Components:
        * Apple A5 processor–same as the latest iPod Touch, with 512 MB RAM
        * Murata 339S0171 Wi-Fi, same as the iPhone 5.
        * Multi-chip Broadcom BCM5976 touchscreen controllers
        * Hynix H2JTDG8UD2MBR 16 GB NAND Flash

As you can see, this confirms that the iPad mini has 512MB of RAM, just like the iPad 2. I was hoping we might see 1GB, though I knew it was a bit of a longshot.

Check out the full teardown for all the details on the iPad mini's innards.


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Facebook app crashing for some users

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 12:29 PM PDT

My Twitter stream is being swamped by people claiming the iOS Facebook app is crashing for them today. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the recent iOS 6.0.1 or iOS 6.1 beta 1 firmwares either, and people who haven't gone near either of those are reporting the problem. It also doesn't seem to be a problem for everyone, as other people are saying they're just fine.

Maybe some piece of content is causing a problem for those folks unlucky enough to have loaded it? Who knows. Let's hope it fixes itself, or Facebook fixes it, as soon as possible.

In the meantime, if you use Facebook for iOS, let me know if it's working for you, and if it's not, how it's not.

And if it's not, remember, you can always use facebook.com to get at least some of your fix in the meantime...




Apple releases iOS 6.1 beta 1 to developers

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 11:18 AM PDT

Apple has released iOS 6.1 beta 1 for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It's available to paid developers via developer.apple.com and carries build number 10B5095f. The iPhone version is over 1GB, so plan your bandwidth accordingly.

Speaking of iPhone versions, the iPhone 5 versions are listed by model number, so make sure to check Apple's iPhone 5 model number page to make sure you grab the right one.

Also, if you have a new iPhone 5, or you're getting a new iPad 4 or iPad mini, make sure you add the UDIDs to Apple's developer portal before you update (or you'll have to dig through Xcode, system profiler, or third-party deployment tools to find it.)

More: developer.apple.com




If you're competing with the iPad mini based on price, you're telling people to buy the BlackBerry PlayBook

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 11:09 AM PDT

Competing with the iPad mini on price is basically telling people to buy a BlackBerry PlayBook

Apple absolutely left an umbrella beneath the iPad mini's $329 starting price. From the moment they showed off the Google Nexus 7 on stage at the October iPad and Mac event, Apple was making the case that the iPad mini was worth more than smaller, cheaper competing tablets. Apple was arguing premium over discount, value over cost. It's the same argument Apple made against low-margin netbooks when they released the MacBook Air. And it's an argument that leaves Apple as wide open to competitors playing the "cheaper" card now as it did then.

Competitors can -- and already are -- claiming that they offer more for less with their products than Apple does with the iPad mini. Even if the argument is severely contorted, it can be compelling. For many buyers, price matters, and for some it matters the most. For some, price outweighs any other consideration.

That's the problem with it. If you compete based primarily on price, you can be competed against primarily on price. If you claim to be cheaper, but you're not the cheapest, you're going to reap what you've sown.

So while the iPad mini is indeed more expensive than the Google Nexus 7 or Amazon Kindle Fire HD, neither of them are the cheapest small form factor on the market, not even from a major mobile player.

The BlackBerry PlayBook is.

Sure, the BlackBerry PlayBook isn't the latest hardware anymore -- it's closer to the original Kindle Fire in specs than the Nexus 7 or any of this year's Kindle Fires -- but it's scheduled to be updated to BB10 in 2013 and that looks to be a much more functional tablet experience than what Amazon offers, and something that could rival Android for not-Apple in not-Apple lovers' hearts. Even the PlayBook as it stands today is arguably a better pure tablet experience than either the more-properly-defined-as-a-media-appliance Kindle Fire, or the "blown up smartphone" interface elements that still plague the Nexus 7.

And if you look around, you can find the Wi-Fi only version of the BlackBerry PlayBook on sale for only $150.

Sure, there are a lot of advantages to the Kindle Fire HD, especially if you're all in on Amazon and live in the U.S.. Absolutely, the Nexus 7 is the clear winner if you're a heavy Google user and want Android on your tablet.

But if you're arguing something other than value, if you're complaining that the iPad mini is way too expensive for a small tablet, if all you care about is the lowest cost, legitimate device possible, whether you're Amazon, Google, or anyone else -- right now you're arguing for the BlackBerry PlayBook.




Apple releases iOS 6.0.1 and Updater for iPhone 5

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:12 AM PDT

Apple releases iOS 6.0.1 and Updater for iPhone 5

Apple has released iOS 6.0.1, a bug fix revision, for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. If you're using an iPhone 5, Apple has also released an Updated for iPhone 5 which will download and run before the iOS 6.0.1 update. Here's what Apple has to say:

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including: - Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air - Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard - Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off - Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2 Wi-Fi networks - Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances - Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match - Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock screen - Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

You can update over-the-air (OTA), or you can update by connecting to iTunes and going old-school.




The iPad mini gets early teardown

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:14 AM PDT

The iPad mini gets the typical teardown treatment

The iPad mini is no exception when it comes to getting torn down just to see how repairable it is compared to its larger siblings. iFixIt managed to get their hands on a unit a little earlier than the rest of us and took to tearing it down. It should come as no surprise that it didn't fare much better than other iPads and only earned a 2 out of 10 repairability score.

Much like its previous predecessors, the iPad mini's screen is held in with nothing but adhesive. While many of us may have been holding our breath and hoping that it would follow suit with the iPhone 5 display, it sadly does not. You'll still need a heat gun and some serious prying time to get the display off.

Once you've gotten the display freed, not only will you face even more adhesive, but super tiny screws that appear to be hidden pretty well. You'll need to make sure you remove all of them before pulling up any components.

We had to do some sleuthing to find some of the screws on this thing--several tiny screws were hidden underneath covers and inside crevices. Apple wasn't joking about "mini"; this iPad contains some of the smallest screws we have ever seen!

After locating all the screws, iFixIt realized that mostly everything else was glued in.

The screen is glued to the case. The battery is glued down. The logic board is really glued down. The headphone jack is glued in. The only good news is that the LCD is not fused to the front glass.

When it comes to DIY repair, this probably doesn't mean much that we already didn't expect. A screen replacement will be possible for most experienced DIY'ers and repair shops considering the LCD is a separate component. Outside of that, it's probably something that many owners would rather not attempt.

Interestingly enough, the iPad mini's LCD is powered by a Samsung chip despite Apple supposedly ditching Samsung as a component supplier. Other internals include 512GB of RAM and an A5 processor.

There isn't any word on what Apple will charge for out of warranty or damaged iPad mini's just yet but I'd make an educated guess that it'll ring it right around the neighborhood of $179 plus tax. Apple typically charges half of the purchase price of a device to replace a damaged one. iPad 2 costs $249 to replace out of warranty and the initial cost was $500. The iPhone 5 replacement cost is $329 and the outright cost for the base model is $650 and so on. We can't be sure but that'd be our best guess for now.

Hit the link below to check out the full teardown complete with images.

Source: iFixIt




Display Recorder iPad App is Back (with an odd new name): Screen Recording on the iPad Demo

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 10:11 AM PDT

 

The Display Recorder app is back in the iPad App Store, though with an odd new name: Disp Recorder. This app lets you do screen recording right on the iPad itself, capturing both video and audio.

The app made a brief appearance on the App Store back in June and was quickly removed by Apple. At the time there were reports of a dispute over the app name and / or the app itself – as there was a jailbreak app by the same name developed by Ryan Petrich. I imagine the goofy new name may be related to that dispute.

In any case, for now at least, the app is back in the App Store and works mostly well at screen recording on the iPad. I say mostly well because I've found a few notable glitches with the app:

– Audio recording seems to start pretty much whenever if feels like. I tested several times starting to talk as soon as I tapped the Record button, waiting until I saw a second tick off on the recording timer,and could never see any rhyme, reason, or consistency in when it started. So as you may notice in the demo video above I started by saying some filler stuff and then let it record what I actually wanted to say.

– Direct upload to YouTube from the Disp Recorder app fails every time for me, with an export error.

– Saving it to the Camera Roll and uploading to YouTube works, but uploads in a format that won't play on the iPad. So I had to save the video to the Camera Roll, upload to YouTube, download it on my Mac and convert it to .mp4 with the excellent Handbrake app.

Hopefully these things will be addressed in an update to the app, if it sticks around long enough this time.

Here's an App Store link for Disp Recorder; it's priced at $9.99 and is a universal app designed for both iPad and iPhone.


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Apple chastised by UK court for sarcastic Samsung statement

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 09:12 AM PDT

Apple chastised by UK court for Samsung statement

Apple has been chastised by the UK court of appeal for the content of its acknowledgement that Samsung didn't copy the iPad. Apple was ordered to post the statement last month after losing an appeal in their UK patent case against Samsung. The issue with Apple's statement are the added details about other, similar cases around the world, which Apple has won. Because the mentions of these cases were additions to the original order, the court of appeal stated that Apple's statement was not compliant with the terms of the order, and they would have to correct the statement. Charles Arthur of the Guardian reports:

The acknowledgement put up last week, linked from the home page by a tiny link, was deemed to be "non-compliant" with the order that the court had made in October. The court has now ordered it to correct the statement – and the judges, Lord Justice Longmore, Lord Justice Kitchin and Sir Robin Jacob, indicated that they were not pleased with Apple's failure to put a simpler statement on the site.

At a hearing in the court in London on Thursday morning, the judge told Apple that it had to change the wording of the statement within 48 hours, carry it on its home page, and use at least 11-point font.

Apple originally added four paragraphs to the ordered statement when they posted it to their UK website. This included the declaration that Samsung's Galaxy Tab was not as "cool" as the iPad, made by the original trail Judge, was also added to the statement. It is unknown if that will need to be removed, though it is likely, considering it is an addition to the original order. Apple has been ordered to keep the amended statement on its website until December 14.

So, your move Apple. What will it be next, a nice Animated GIF off to the side maybe?

Source: The Guardian, via Android Central




iMore show 323: iPad buyers guide (late 2012)

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:56 AM PDT

Rene and Georgia present the 2012 iPad buyers guide. Again. This time it's for the new iPad mini and the newly updated iPad 4. Should you buy an iPad, which one, what color, what capacity, and which carrier? This is the iMore show.

Show notes

Hosts

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com or just leave us a comment below.

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including the iMore show, ZEN and TECH, Iterate, and more, see MobileNations.com/shows




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Arc Squadron review

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:49 AM PDT

Arc Squadron launched on the App Store today, summoning many memories for old-school Star Fox players. The on-rails space-themed shooter game takes players through a variety of treacherous interstellar scenarios, who must guide a variety of ships through obstacles with smooth and natural-feeling swipe-gestures, while unloading advanced weaponry and technology against the foes they encounter.

Steering your ship is as easy as dragging your finger around the screen. As your ship moves, so do the crosshairs, and if they rest on top of an enemy, you'll automatically start shooting. Secondary weapons and equipment are activated through taps, while you can get an extra bit of maneuverability with sideways swipes to execute barrel rolls. I was really impressed with the implementation of touch controls here, and was extremely happy that there wasn't some bastardized version of joystick controls. Controls are simple, intuitive, and allow players to focus on the challenging gameplay. 

Each level is scored out of four stars, depending on how many of the level's enemies you blow up, how much damage you take, and how many of the bonus cubes you pick up. Currency is earned for destroying alien ships or bought through in-app purchases. Those Arcbucks are used to buy new ships and secondary weapons, upgrade existing ones, or get one of the many different paint jobs available. The upgrade structure is really nicely streamlined and not too complicated while still offering a solid amount of tactical variety. Though level progression is fairly linear, there are a handful of branching bonus missions that aren't required in order to move along in the storyline. As linear as the gameplay may be, there's an obscene amount of levels to chew through - don't count on finishing this game any time soon. The game's replay value is stunted a little bit by the scripted nature of the combat encounters, but if you're the type of player that loves really digging in on a level and memorizing each tiny little detail of a stage and meeting those challenges flawlessly, there's definitely plenty of opportunity in Arc Squadron.

Game Center support extends as far as leaderboards among your buddies and tracking various achievements, though Arc Squadron itself keeps close tabs on specific stats, like how many of the total stars you've collected, how many enemies you've killed, and even how many barrel rolls you've made. No love on cloud saving unfortunately, so be sure to pick iPad or iPhone before you get started. The graphics and audio are both top-notch, and well-suited for the arcade feel the devs are going for. The soundtrack has an amply sci-fi feel, while effects are well-timed, electric, and diverse. The voice acting, though a bit hammed-up, is well done. UI elements are all large, bold, and readable. The wide range of fantastic weaponry and settings produce a bunch of exciting lighting effects, but by far the most impressive part of the game's graphics are the stages. They're all crafted with a rich amount of detail, and despite it all happening in space-themed regions, there's ample visual variety.

All in all, Arc Squadron has excellent graphics, smooth controls, tight, twitch-based challenges, and heaps of compelling upgrades. Pick this up for $0.99 before the price goes up to a regular $4.99.

$0.99 (on sale) - Download Now

 




Shared database will allow AT&T and T-Mobile to curb smartphone theft

Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:44 AM PDT

Shared database will allow AT&T and T-Mobile to curb smartphone theft

AT&T and T-Mobile are joining forces in order to try and curb the rising rate of stolen smartphones by way of a shared database project backed by both the CTIA and FCC. The system will allow either carrier to flag an IMEI number as stolen which will render the device useless on either network.

While CDMA carriers have the ability to flag an EIN number of a device as stolen, GSM carriers have long had no option since the service is technically tied to the SIM card instead of the actual device. Switching to an IMEI method will, for the first time, allow GSM carriers to take a strong stand against theft.

Even though CDMA carriers can flag EIN's, it isn't a fool proof system either so the FCC and CTIA plan on rolling out an initiative for CDMA carriers as well.

The database initiative was announced in April as a joint plan between the carriers, the wireless industry group CTIA, and the Federal Communications Commission. At that time, the organizations said that the GSM service would be up and running on October 31, followed by a CDMA option for Verizon and Sprint soon after.

Smartphones nowadays such as the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S often possess the capability to run on any network, GSM or CDMA. This means they can technically be unlocked for use on any network and the need for a shared database across all carriers is quickly becoming a much needed system to deter theft.

The database won't help to curb all kinds of theft, however:

The CTIA's warning highlights the key driving factors behind smartphone theft. Some steal devices to have the latest and greatest handset without needing to pay for it. Others steal devices to take sensitive data. The database initiative won't solve the latter issue.

To solve the latter issue, smartphone users should always have services like iCloud or another comparable service configured on their devices in case they need to perform a remote wipe. Passcodes are also a good theft deterrent against thieves that are after personal information.

Source: CNet




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