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iOS 4.3.3 jailbreak available with redsn0w 0.9.6b15
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Mods / Hacks, Software,
If you're waiting for a jailbreak before updating to iOS 4.3.3, you might be happy to know that redsn0w 0.9.6b15 will do the trick. This is the same untethered jailbreak that we've seen since iOS 4.3.1, which we don't mind at all. Just download the latest version of redsn0w, and go for it. This'll work with iPhone, iPod touch, and first-gen iPad. iPad 2 is still being fairly unreasonable about allowing itself to be jailbroken for the time being.
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Deal of the Day: 73% off Mophie Juice Pack Air
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Hot Deals, Portable Audio / Video,
If you've grown tired of running out of battery power on your iPod touch, eBay has your answer. Today they're offering a whopping 73% off the Mophie Juice Pack Air, which essentially doubles the battery life of your device. These normally sell for $70, but today's deal brings it to you for $19, saving you $51--and shipping is included in that price. They've got limited stock, and this deal will only last for a few hours. If you're interested, head on over:
Save 73% on Mophie Juice Pack Air
Don’t forget, if you’re looking for other deals, be sure to check out our Newegg Promo Code thread. Oh, and if you're on Twitter, be sure to follow @TechPromos for the latest deals, or you can Like TechPromos on Facebook.
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iOS 4.3.3 now available (4.2.8 for Verizon,) fixes location tracking “bug”
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, GPS, Software,
Apple just released iOS 4.3.3, an update aimed to fix the location tracking issue that raised a bunch of concerns over the last couple of weeks. With this update, the consolidated.db database that stores the location data will be reduced in size, and that database will no longer be backed up to iTunes. In addition, if you turn Location Services off, the cache gets deleted entirely. Plug your iPhone in and have iTunes check for the update when you get a chance--jailbreakers, you'll wanna wait until there's a compatible fix.
Pandora now serving over 10,000 comedy clips
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, Music,
Today Pandora is expanding from Simon & Garfunkel to Seinfeld and George Carlin. The Internet radio service is adding 10,000 comedy clips from over 700 comedians to its existing music library.
A host of big names have already taken the stage, including: Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Cheech & Chong, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld, Joan Rivers, Richard Pryor, Mitch Hedberg.
"Adding comedians to the mix has been one of the top requests from our listeners," Pandora founder Tim Westergren wrote in a blog post. "We've taken the same approach to comedy as we have to music: carefully and deliberately analyzing comedic 'bits' across a very large number of attributes to capture the style, delivery and content of each performance."
Click to continue reading Pandora now serving over 10,000 comedy clips
Spotify unleashes music downloads with iPod syncing
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Music, Portable Audio / Video, Software,
European online music service Spotify on Wednesday announced a new MP3 download service, as well as the ability to sync music on iPods and the Spotify iPhone and Android apps.
With Spotify's download service, users can purchase tracks in bundles. Ten tracks will set you back £7.99, 15 tracks will cost £9.99, 40 tracks will be £25, and 100 tracks will be £50.
"Spotify's new MP3 download service makes it possible to own your playlists in one easy step," the company said in a statement. "By introducing a range of MP3 bundles, we've been able to offer you some of the most competitive prices available—from as little as 50p per song."
Spotify features include the ability to: search, browse, and play millions of tracks; stream over Wi-Fi or 2.5/3G; access offline playlists; on-the-fly sync; a what's new tab; wireless sync of your local files to your phone; and the ability to tag favorites into a special list.
One of the most frequent requests, however, was the abilty to sync that music to Apple's iPod, something Spotify said is now a reality. Just connect an iPod to your computer via USB and it will appear in the "devices" section of the Spotify sidebar. You can then sync MP3s in your Spotify playlists to the iPod.
Click to continue reading Spotify unleashes music downloads with iPod syncing
iOS 4.3.3 coming soon, will fix iPhone location bug
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Software,
As promised last week, Apple will fix location-tracking software on the iPhone and other devices in an update to its iOS mobile operating system in the next few weeks.
Apple will release iOS version 4.3.3 "within the next two weeks, possibly sooner," BGR reported Monday, citing a company source.
The update for iPhones and iPad tablets will address several location-tracking issues that came to light in April when two researchers publicized the existence of an unencrypted, hidden file on iPhones that stores location data taken from nearby cell towers and Wi-Fi hotspots. The cached data is also timestamped, backed up on iTunes and although associated with Apple's Location Services, cannot be shut off by users when they opted out of the service.
The iOS 4.3.3 update promises to end the backing up of the location database when devices are synched to iTunes, reduce the size of the cached data file and delete the database when users turn off Location Services, according to BGR.com.
Click to continue reading iOS 4.3.3 coming soon, will fix iPhone location bug
Bleeding Edge TV 380: Showyou for iPad review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Apple, Features, Podcasts, Product Reviews, Software, Videocasts, Videos,
Showyou is a video sharing network for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. After using it for just a few minutes, we immediately wanted to review it and give you a look at how it works. After you download Showyou, you connect it to your Facebook, Twitter, and/or VodPod networks. It will then pull in any videos that your friends on those networks link to or share. You can comment and share videos directly in the Showyou app. Even better, it support AirPlay, so if you have an Apple TV, you can pull up Showyou and go through all the videos your friends have shared, watching them on your television.
Big thank you to JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like.
Okay, what’s up with Apple creating its own traffic database?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, GPS,
Buried in Apple's statement on how the iPhone tracks a user's location data, the company admitted it was collecting anonymous location information to create a "crowd-sourced traffic database" that will be part of a future "improved traffic service."
The thing is, there's already a traffic service on the iPhone, provided by Google. If a user launches the Maps app and selects "Show Traffic," the map overlays colors on roads that show traffic congestion. Google gets the traffic data by—surprise!—crowd-sourcing it, aggregating information from Google Maps users who have approved the app for location services on their mobile devices.
Apple's statement reveals that the company is working on its own version of such a service. Whether that service will be something that Apple will use to improve traffic in Google Maps, or if Apple will launch a competing maps app, or something else entirely isn't known. Apple didn't respond to multiple requests for comment on the topic.
Click to continue reading Okay, what’s up with Apple creating its own traffic database?
Apple finally addresses iPhone location tracking, promises to encrypt data
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, GPS,
Today Apple released a Q&A about the location data that's stored on the iPhone. In the statement, the company says broadly that it does not track the iPhone's location, and that the data, which is currently stored in an unprotected file, will be encrypted in the next major update of iOS.
In the statement, Apple admits that iPhones send location data to Apple to maintain a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell phone towers, as many have suspected. However, the company says the locations recorded can be up to 100 miles away from the where the phone actually is, and that the data is sent anonymously.
Apple further explains that it's creating the database to provide better location services on the phone. By using the crowd-sourced locations of cell towers and hotspots, the phone can more quickly locate the user than if it were using GPS satellite data alone. Putting the entire database on every user's phone would be untenable, though, so an iPhone requesting location services accesses a subset, or cache, of the database. It's this data, not necessarily data specifically generated by the user, that's stored in the unencrypted file, "consolidated.db."
At the same time, though, the company effectively admits that retaining such a lengthy and comprehensive location record on the phone—ever since the user upgraded to iOS 4, or about a year for most users—is unnecessary to maintain such a database. Also, backing the file up to a user's computer is clearly not needed either. Apple says it plans to do four things in the next major update of iOS:
Click to continue reading Apple finally addresses iPhone location tracking, promises to encrypt data
Microsoft says Windows Phones don’t store location history
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, GPS, Microsoft,
Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Phones don't store location history in a manner similar to the iPhone, which records the location data in an unencrypted file. The news that some iOS devices keep location data came to light last week, although
Microsoft told us unequivocally that phones running Windows Phone 7 do not store location history. Like most other phones, the platform offers plenty of location-based apps, and those apps require user consent before they begin tracking. Windows Phones also offer the common feature of a "global switch" that lets the user disable all location services, and Microsoft says its "Find My Phone" service keeps only the phone's most recent location.
We also contacted Nokia, RIM, Google, and HP about how the companies' mobile platforms store location data, and none, save Microsoft, have responded. It's been confirmed independently that Google Android also tracks and stores location data.
Click to continue reading Microsoft says Windows Phones don’t store location history
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