Friday, September 28, 2012

Apple Adds Maps Section to App Store



If your maps experience in iOS 6 hasn’t been on a par with your expectations — Apple admitted it hasn’t met the company’s stringent standards — there’s an entire new section in the App Store teeming with alternatives. Bing is there, and so is the long-forgotten MapQuest, among other popular navigation apps.

Many folks are perfectly ok with the experience Apple Maps provides, but if you’ve been left wanting more, it looks as though there are enough choices to meet your traveling needs. It’s a small and self-effacing move that shows Apple clearly realizes there’s much work to be done.

Source

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Google Maps for iOS 6 set to be released by the end of 2012?



Google was blissfully unaware that its maps would be ditched in favour of Apple’s own offerings until the firm announced the news about iOS 6 Maps to the world. That’s according to the New York Times anyway.

But far from deterring Google, the search engine giant has remained confident in its maps prowess in the face of the Apple Maps app’s spectacular flop and is said to be readying an iOS 6 version of Google Maps, which could be released by the end of 2012.

Google’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, has said that Apple’s decision to dispense with Google Maps was far from a shrewd one.

“In my opinion it would have been better to retain our maps,”


Google Maps for iOS 6: Is it a done deal?

When questioned about a potential iOS 6 version of Google Maps, Schmidt said the company had not taken any action to bring Google Maps back to iOS 6.




Schmidt also put a question mark over whether Google would remain Apple’s search partner on the iPhone. He said:  “I’m not doing any predictions. We want them to be our partner. We welcome that. I’m not going to speculate at all what they’re going to do. They can answer that question as they see fit.”

With so much potential change afoot, the only thing that remains clear is that many disgruntled iOS 6 Maps users will welcome Google Maps back with open arms.



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

How And When Should You Use Your Laptop Battery.


Should you leave your laptop plugged in and charging when you’re not on-the-go? What’s best for the battery? What’s best for your user experience? Read on as we investigate.


The Questions
When your laptop’s battery is 100% charged, should you leave it plugged in so any battery power doesn’t get used, or will that cause overcharging, overheating, etc.? Should the laptop be unplugged when the battery level is 100%?

When I’m at home, is it better to use the laptop plugged into AC power, or with just the battery, for the overall battery life?

So what was the verdict? Should you leave your laptop almost perpetually tethered to the wall or only charge it when the battery charge is running low?

The Answers
The answers to the questions isn’t a cut and dry “Yes, leave it tethered” or “No, unplug it”  because of the variety of laptop designs, their battery types, and the integrated charging circuit that recharges the battery.


It won’t make all that much difference. What will shorten battery life is temperature: If it gets hot, it will shorten the battery life. Best thing to do, if you are able, is to remove the battery while you’re at home and keep it somewhere cool.

If it’s a Li-ion battery, then they don’t like to be completely discharged, so make sure you charge them regularly.

Wikipedia on Li-ion batteries

Lithium-ion batteries should not be frequently discharged fully and recharged (“deep-cycled”), but this may be necessary after about every 30th recharge to recalibrate any electronic charge monitor (e.g. a battery meter). This allows the monitoring electronics to more accurately estimate battery charge. This has nothing to do with the memory effect.


Question
What about the “Remove the battery!” camp? It turns out that while removing the battery can be beneficial, the situations in which it is beneficial are fairly limited.


Answer
Having a battery fully charged and the laptop plugged in is not harmful, because as soon as the charge level reaches 100% the battery stops receiving charging energy and this energy is bypassed directly to the power supply system of the laptop.


However there’s a disadvantage in keeping the battery in its socket when the laptop is plugged in, but only if it’s currently suffering from excessive heating caused by the laptop hardware.

So:
In a normal usage, if the laptop doesn't get to hot (CPU and Hard Disk around 40ÂșC) the battery should remain in the laptop socket;
In an intensive usage which leads to a large amount of heat produced (i.e. Games) the battery should be removed from the socket in order to prevent unwanted heating.
The heat, among the fact that it has 100% of charge, is the great enemy of the lithium battery and not the plug, as many might think so.


The best plan of attack then, is to monitor your hardware to ensure you’re not overheating your battery and be concious of the limitations of the type of battery in your device–for the majority of users, a Lithium-Ion battery.

10 things you need to know about the BlackBerry 10

Prior to our hands-on time with BlackBerry 10 phones, we were already working on our list of the top ten things we're looking forward to in BlackBerry 10. Having now experienced BlackBerry 10 for real, we can tackle this list with conviction. Here it goes, in no particular order.


1. Choice
When RIM showed off the BlackBerry 10 touchscreen keyboard at BlackBerry World (and not a physical keyboard version), it had some people incorrectly assuming this meant that BlackBerry would be abandoning the physical keyboard moving forward. RIM's CEO was quick to go on record the next day and tell the media that there will be a full keyboard version of BlackBerry 10.

We love the fact that BlackBerry is giving users the ability to choose how they want to experience BlackBerry 10. Among the existing BlackBerry user base, for many the physical keyboard is specifically what has kept them from switching to another platform. Having both full touchscreen and physical keyboard models available from the get go makes sure everybody is happy.

As for which model most people will end up migrating towards, we're not so sure just yet. Historically, all of us on the CrackBerry team are huge fans of physical keyboards. After going hands-on with both BlackBerry 10 phones, both Adam and Zach said they're 100% going for the full touchscreen BlackBerry 10 phone when available. On the other hand, James was sold on the physical keyboard model. As for myself... well, I'll just buy both and keep one in each pocket.


2. Flow
I don't think we can overstate just how much we're loving the "flow" experience of BlackBerry 10. It's unlike anything on the market today. One of the previous criticisms against the BlackBerry PlayBook's operating system user interface was that it took a little too much inspiration from webOS. Of course we'd argue that the average person on the street doesn't even know what webOS is, but it was hard to find a review of the PlayBook (CrackBerry's review included) that didn't make mention of the similarities. In our opinion, this previous resemblance goes away with BlackBerry 10.

In BlackBerry 10, RIM has created a user experience that is truly unique. And it's not just unique. It's better. Wayyy better. Taking advantage of the multi-tasking power of the QNX-based software and the high performance hardware under the hood, BlackBerry 10 delivers an "always in" app experience that is faster and so much more compelling than the "open and close" experience which is standard today on other mobile platforms.

There's a big difference between seeing the flow demonstrated and actually putting it to use. Once you start to experience the seconds saved during every interaction with the phone, going back to any other mobile UI feels almost painful by comparison. It only takes a moment to learn the touchscreen gestures that pull the flow experience together. And that's ok. As we've said before, RIM isn't trying to out Apple Apple here in the simplicity department. Rather, they are addressing the needs of BlackBerry People - people who want to get things done while on the go. And it's clear to us that a little bit of time invested upfront in learning a new user interface is well worth it in terms of the enhanced user experience it delivers.

Let us be clear here. We don't want to scare anybody into thinking BlackBerry 10 is complicated either. It's not. Any former or current BlackBerry user will immediately find it familiar. And any first time BlackBerry owner will be able to learn the ins and outs of the new operating system quickly. The flow rocks.


3. Unified Messaging
BlackBerry phones have a reputation for being the best communication tools on the planet, and thanks to the accessible from anywhere unified inbox on BlackBerry 10, that accolade isn't going away. With BlackBerry 10 you have the ability to jump into your inbox from anywhere on the device -- literally from within any application -- with a quick swipe gesture. We all love this feature and it's one that again makes BlackBerry 10 unique. There's no need to pull down a notification box and tap into a different app. There's no need to go back to the home screen or go into a task switching mode to then jump into another app to check your message. With BlackBerry 10 it's always right there, instantly accessible, no time wasted.


4. Touch Keyboard
The BlackBerry 10 touchscreen keyboard was pretty good on the Dev Alpha demo, but the performance is much improved on the actual BlackBerry 10 hardware and software (on the Dev Alpha device the touch keyboard was actually written in Adobe Air. Since then it has been re-written in OpenGL which combined with actual BB10 hardware makes a big difference - it's much faster, responsive and smooth). The physical size of the touchscreen device makes for a spacious keyboard that permits comfortable and speedy two thumb typing. As we mentioned earlier, we are longtime physical keyboard guys but we had no trouble adapting almost instantly to the BlackBerry 10 touchscreen keyboard.

Overall, it's a great touchscreen typing experience. RIM is working with SwiftKey for the predictive text engine, but the UI and design of the keyboard is all RIM. They've taken what they've learned from over a decade of making the best physical keyboards and applied that knowledge to the touchscreen. RIM knows people are looking at the keys when they type, so they have placed suggested words near the keys you'll be hitting next (having to break eye contact from the keys to look up at a row above the keyboard breaks your typing flow). Brilliant. When typing with two thumbs we actually found our cadence so fast and typing so rhythmic that we didn't feel the need to use the suggestions that appear on the keyboard all that often unless it was for bigger and harder to spell words (for the most part our thumbs are typing faster than our brains can process the suggestions). However, when holding the phone in one hand and typing with one thumb we found the placement of these suggested words to be extremely useful at increasing our typing speed. Again, BlackBerry 10 offers choice. Whether you type one handed or two-handed, you're supported.

The touchscreen keyboard is also smart and continually learning. As you type it learns where you actually strike on the glass and refines your strike targets over time for improved accuracy. The keyboard can scan your communications to better learn names and vocabulary that you use regularly. The touchscreen keyboard can support three languages simultaneously too. So for those people who tend to mix languages in while messaging will easily be able to do so. And yes, Chinese will be supported at launch. Like we said, so far it appears this touchscreen keyboard has the ability to make believers out of the most hardcore physical keyboard people.


5. Optimized for one-hand use
Another hallmark of the traditional BlackBerry experience that users love is the ability to use the phone one-handed. Back in the day I'd cite examples such as using the phone inconspiculously under the board room table during meetings or in the car while driving (not cool, we know). These days, as I learned from Gary Klassen, Principle Architect at RIM, on my recent trip to Waterloo, a better illustration of the need for one-handed use takes place in the grocery store. You need to be able to message back and forth with your wife to figure out what you're supposed to buy for dinner while holding your grocery basket and screaming toddler in one arm. This means you need to be able to communicate and carry out important tasks effectively with just one hand.

BlackBerry 10 is designed and optimized for one-handed ease of use. If you want to use the device with two hands you can, but you absolutely can have full control over the phone holding the phone in one hand, comfortably using one thumb on the touchscreen to get things done. We can't get into all the specifics, but we can say this notion is continued throughout BlackBerry 10, beyond the home screen and flow experience.

This is yet another unique to BlackBerry 10 feature that we are gaga for. Other mobile platforms think of mobile as meaning "away from your computer." BlackBerry takes the meaning of being mobile literally - you need to be able to really use your phone while literally being mobile, while doing things. It's a phone and OS designed for people on the go. BlackBerry 10 does not require that you stop what you're doing to use your phone.


6. QNX Performance, Stability and Simplicity
There are 78+ million BlackBerry phone users in the world. In comparison, there's (approximately) two million BlackBerry PlayBook owners out there. This means the vast majority of current and former BlackBerry phone owners have never fully experienced how different a BlackBerry device built on the QNX platform is compared to the traditional BlackBerry OS. The difference is HUGE. The QNX-based BlackBerry OS is a power house among mobile operating systems. All of the historical gripes about BlackBerry phones -- hour glassing, the need for battery pulls, not enough app memory, pain in the butt OS updates, etc. -- all go away with BlackBerry 10.

In terms of underlying code, BlackBerry 10 is all new compared to BlackBerry 7 and older phones. Visually there is continuity -- people who know BlackBerry will recognize it as BlackBerry -- but none of the baggage is carried over. And while the traditional BlackBerry OS was never designed from the get go for touchscreen input (RIM adapted it to be touchscreen friendly), BlackBerry 10 has absolutely been designed as a touchscreen OS.


7. Designed for people who value their time and want to have fun
"We need tools, not toys." The Martinez brothers dropped that line during a Be Bold BlackBerry commercial earlier this year, and the message resonated with the CrackBerry community. Over the years BlackBerry has always been seen as a communication and productivity tool first and foremost. With BlackBerry 10 phones, BlackBerry can now be as unproductive as it can be productive, equally well. It still excels at productivity and communication. But you can most definitely use it to have fun and kill time, whether it's playing games (BlackBerry 10 is a great platform for gaming) or watching a movie. What we're loving about BlackBerry 10 is that it never loses sight of its priorities. It's a tool first, toy second. But it does everything 100%.

All of us who went hands on with BlackBerry 10 have also spent plenty of time on the competition, be it Android, iOS and even Windows Phone and webOS. And though there are things we like about the competition, when we use these other devices we always feel like there's something missing from the experience that BlackBerry does a better job of delivering. Our collective realization is that the other platforms don't think enough about how you will actually use the phone while out and about and they tend to treat all apps equally. They don't prioritize the mobile experience enough.

BlackBerry historically, and even more so in BlackBerry 10, doesn't lose sight of the fact people first and foremost want a smartphone to communicate and get things done. We've already mentioned the many ways BlackBerry 10 pays attention to these priorities. The BlackBerry flow experience saves you time. Unified messaging that's accessible from everywhere does too, and it makes it painless to always stay on top of your correspondence even while doing other things. Designing a user interface that's friendly to one handed use is another example where BlackBerry is paying attention to how people will actually use their phone in the real world. Heck, even the ability to swap out a battery if need arises is a nod to this notion of being a tool before a toy.


8. Working Smarter, Not Harder 
On the current BlackBerry phone OS, there are a couple of areas where RIM has tried to be really clever in terms of helping out the user. The best example is on the BlackBerry menu. When you hit the menu button, though multiple options are available it's often the one you want that's already selected (this was more prevalent on older devices and versions of the BBOS). Heck, with the old track wheel BlackBerry devices like the 7290 and 8700 these pre-selected actions were so freakishly accurate you could almost use the phones with your eyes closed. It's a subtle feature, but these kinds of details make a world of difference on device like a phone which gets used literally 100+ times per day.

BlackBerry 10 makes a marked return to this notion of working smarter for the user. We already mentioned the intelligence behind the learning keyboard. Another thing we're liking (that we can talk about) is the way BlackBerry 10 tries to pull in useful information for you without making you go look for it. The prime example is in the calendar app. If you have a meeting scheduled with an individual, BlackBerry 10 pulls in everything it can find about that contact from the various social sources connected to it so it's right there. Again, we can't get into the details, but there are a lot of little things like this in BlackBerry 10 that users will appreciate.


9. Quality App, Gaming and Multimedia Experiences
The BlackBerry 10 platform is capable of delivering app, game and multimedia experiences that are best in class across mobile platforms. It's a massive difference comparing BlackBerry 10 phones to current BlackBerry phones. While BlackBerry phones to date don't technically lack much in the way of features and capabilities, the experience delivered trying to use these features to their fullest is often frustrating. Because of this, you find a lot of "average" BlackBerry users don't use their BlackBerry for much more than the basics. It's clear that BlackBerry 10 phones will deliver a great experience across the feature set. You're going to want to download apps and play games on your BB10 phone. You're going to want to snap a bazillion photos and videos. You're going to want to watch movies. And way more.

The ongoing challenge for RIM of course is getting as many quality third party apps and games on the platform as possible leading up to the launch of BlackBerry 10. BlackBerry is doing everything they can to woo developers. The app development tools available are much improved. RIM is giving out Dev Alpha devices to developers who attend BlackBerry Jam events. RIM is proactively working to get those must-have apps onto the platform.

Mobile apps are out there today and they are expected. That being the case, we don't think it's the app selection in App World come January that will cause people to run out and buy a BlackBerry 10 phone, at least not initially. But a lack of apps might prevent potential customers from buying it. We really hope developers continue to jump on board and support BlackBerry 10. There's no doubt to us that BlackBerry 10 has legs and the people who buy the phones are going to be hungry for apps, games and content. Next month RIM is holding the BlackBerry Jam Americas conference in San Jose, where we'll hopefully get a good update on how they're progressing. If you're a mobile developer and reading this, listen to us... you need to get your apps on BB10!


10. Putting the crack back in CrackBerry... in a good way 
BlackBerry got the nickname CrackBerry for a reason - because it's addictive. In our limited time spent on BlackBerry 10 so far, we all agree this is the most addicting smartphone experience we've used.. well... EVER.

It's not just the blinking red light that pulls you in anymore. The device is addictive because it's literally so fun and enjoyable to use.

You just want to turn on the phone and aimlessly flick at it even when you're not doing anything. The whole BlackBerry flow, peek and glance experience is not only productive, but fun (and to use Adam's words, "it's swipey"). Even the lock screen, which we can't give any details on, is something you just want to play with. Typing on the touchscreen keyboard is actually addictive. Swiping up words becomes a game.

Historically, and especially in enterprise where individuals have been handed their BlackBerry as a work phone, fun and enjoyable would be the last words used to describe a BlackBerry. But we think that all changes with BlackBerry 10. You can have fun while getting work done. And if there's one thing we all love more than being productive, it's having fun.


We could tell you more but we'd have to kill you
Seriously, we could tell you way more and would love to, but we've probably already said too much.

The bottom line is that all of us on the CrackBerry team who went hands on with BlackBerry 10 are genuinely more excited having used the phones than we were going into it (and were pretty excited for it to begin with).

There's no doubt in our minds that BlackBerry 10 will win back a lot of mobile mindshare when it's officially unveiled. We live in a world where every phone will soon be a smartphone, and with BlackBerry 10 RIM will show the world they've created a smarter smartphone experience.

When BlackBerry 10 hits the market it won't be BlackBerry by Choice. Our new mantra will be BlackBerry because it's Better.











The New BlackBerry 10 Features


RIM (RIMM) on Tuesday gave the world a first glimpse at some new key BlackBerry 10 features during its BlackBerry Jam developers’ conference, including a new feature to help users keep track of all their running applications and a message center that lets users manage messages sent through multiple accounts. The first big feature, dubbed BlackBerry Flow, provides a series of minimized windows on users’ screens that show them all the apps they’re currently running, and it lets them easily flip through them without having to return to a central home screen and clicking on separate icons.

BlackBerry Hub, meanwhile, is a one-stop message center that lets users handle messages from multiple email accounts, BlackBerry Messenger, social networking sites and text messages all in one location. The Hub also serves as an event notification center that lets users know when they have an appointment of a meeting coming up and also gives them a list of any of their contacts slated to attend.

Finally, RIM said that its BlackBerry App World store will start selling music, movies and television shows just as the Apple (AAPL) App Store and Google (GOOG) Play shop currently do.

RIM says that BlackBerry 10 is still scheduled for release in early 2013 and the company will begin testing the operating system with carriers this fall. RIM will start accepting submissions for BlackBerry 10 applications on October 10th.


All What You Need To Know About BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha Device


Carrying on with our commitment to the developer community we are excited to provide BlackBerry® 10 Dev Alpha devices to qualified developers who attend BlackBerry® Jam Americas 2012!

The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device is a prototype device created for the purpose of testing BlackBerry® 10 applications during development. The device is not a BlackBerry 10 smartphone for end users, nor does it run the final BlackBerry 10 software. It's been created exclusively for developers to help them prepare for the launch of the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform.

Qualified developers will be determined by Research In Motion® (RIM®) using applicant information from the conference registration system. If you have already received a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device at a previous BlackBerry event or from RIM, you are not eligible for this offer. Quantities are limited.

In order to be considered for this offer, developers must have registered online by Friday September 21st (11:59pm EST). Qualified registrants must check-in at the event and collect their device in person in order to receive the device. Photo identification must be provided at the time of collection.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q.
How do I qualify for a Dev Alpha device?
A.
Priority is given to qualified developers and eligibility is also based on applicant information collected during the online registration process. If you have already received a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device at a previous BlackBerry event or from RIM, you are not eligible for this offer. Quantities are limited and priority will be given to qualified registrants.
All qualified registrants must check-in at the event in order to receive the device and cannot be picked up outside of the scheduled distribution hours or picked up by another individual.

Individuals who register after the deadline, Friday September 21 at 11:59pm EST, will not be eligible for a device.

Q.
My colleague can no longer attend the conference; can I pick up their device?
A.
Each qualified individual must pick up their own device at the conference during the scheduled distribution hours. If a colleague cancels or does not show up at the conference they forfeit their device.
Q.
Do I still qualify if I am already registered for the event?
A.
Yes, if you registered prior to the announcement you will be considered for this offer. No action is required on your part. RIM will use applicant information from the conference registration system to consider you for a device.
Q.
When will I be notified if I receive a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device?
A.
All qualified registrants will receive notification on Monday September 24 via email.
Q.
When will I get my device onsite?
A.
You will be notified during the conference when and where you can pick up your BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device.
Q.
Can I have my BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device shipped?
A.
No. Your device must be picked up in person at the conference.
Q.
What should I expect to receive?
A.
You will receive a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device, a North American wall outlet charger and a USB cord.
Q.
Do I have to sign any agreements?
A.
If you qualify for a device you must agree to a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha Device and Software License Agreement in order to claim the device. These terms are specific to the non-commercial product nature of the device. If you would like to review the agreement in advance please email blackberryconferences@rim.com.
Q.
Can I exchange my current Dev Alpha device at the conference if I'm experiencing hardware issues?
A.
No exchanges will be permitted at BlackBerry Jam Americas. If you are experiencing issues please visit the BlackBerry Developer site at https://developer.blackberry.com/blackberry10devalpha/ for resources and support information.


Monday, September 24, 2012

Unlocked iPhone 5 will be officially available from Apple.

As we all know that Apple has started taking iPhone 5 pre-orders from 14th September and has already sold whooping 2 Million iPhone 5 in first 24 hours after it went up for pre-orders. These are the iPhone 5 which are available with a service contract with partner carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, Sprint in US and others in some regions.

The unlocked iPhone 5 is yet to go on sale and people all around the globe is just waiting to get their hands on to the new super cool thing of the street. It is expected that Apple will start selling the unlocked iPhone 5 from their stores worldwide by the end of September as well.





Unlocked Prizes for the iPhone 5
People have already started lining up in front of the Apple stores to get an iPhone 5 in their hands as soon as possible. The unlocked iPhone 5 16 GB is priced at $649, 32 GB at $749, and 64 GB at $849 officially from a blog post from Apple.

It is expected that in the grey market, the price of iPhone 5 unlocked will go up to $850 for 16 GB model. The iPhone 4S is still priced at the same price in the grey markets even after the announcement of iPhone 5 but the availability will soon bring the price of iPhone 4S down.

Even T-Mobile is preparing to offer Nano-SIM cards to the owner of unlocked iPhone 5 in US. The Nano-SIM will be soon available at all T-Mobile stores across the nation worldwide.


All What You Need To Know About The New iTunes; iTunes 11

A completely redesigned player. A newly remodeled store. And even more iCloud features. The new iTunes looks easy, because it is easy.


iTunes hasn't been a fan favorite in recent years, adding in layers of cruft and slowness as Apple has packed in new features into the software. Apple itself began the process of lowering the app's importance with the release of iCloud and the ability to sync iOS devices directly to the cloud.

The iTunes desktop app for Mac and PC is getting a visual makeover that brings it more in line with the mobile versions. The app features a new edge-to-edge design with more visual cues for albums and a darker theme throughout. Albums can be clicked on and expanded in place to see details (not unlike how folders are handled in iOS or the Launchpad in OS X Mountain Lion) and it is now possible to add tracks to playlists while browsing your complete library in a new split screen mode. The redesign also features more modal boxes to avoid the confusion and jumping around that was required in earlier versions of the software. There is also a new version of the iTunes mini player that is cleaner and simpler than before and includes a search box.

Apple has built in its iCloud features to the new iTunes, so users can sync their purchases between their mobile devices and desktop computers with ease. The iTunes App Store offers apps, books, music, movies, and television shows all in one place and now features Facebook Likes integrated into pretty much everything.


The New User Interface

Expanded view. See it. Play it. Explore it.


The new iTunes User Interface has been given a makeover, and it looks more like the iTunes Store than the app of old: the Store has been given a makeover too, and the line between App and Store is getting rather blurry. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though: if Apple had made iTunes 11 look like PoundLand it’d still be prettier than the current version.


The whole UI has been simplified, and one of the most noticeable differences is the lack of sidebars. They’re not gone completely, however: they’re just missing from the Grid View, which is the view Apple clearly expects you to spend most of your time in. It looks very much like the current Grid View, but when you click on an album cover the new Expanded View appears in much the same way folders show their contents when you touch them in iOS.

As you’d expect, Expanded View shows you the track listing, but it also shows your star ratings, the running time, and an iCloud download button if you own tracks but don’t have them on your Mac. If the album is incomplete you’ll also see a “complete my album” link as well as individual buy buttons for the tracks you don’t own. If that gets annoying, which we’re sure it will, there’s a “Hide iTunes Store songs” option.

In a nice touch, iTunes’ Expanded View tries to make its background match the selected album art – so if it’s a dark cover you get a dark background, and if it’s like a luminous banana you get a yellow one. Album art also appears in the MiniPlayer and even in search results, so this would probably be a good time to sort out your iTunes album art: version 11 is going to look pretty rubbish without them.


The Mini Player

New MiniPlayer. Small On Space. Big on Control.


This is a little list icon that also appears in the main view’s status window: click it and you’ll see the next three tracks iTunes intends to play. If you don’t fancy what’s coming up, the MiniPlayer now has a search button you can use to find and queue a specific track without opening up your library.

Now you can click the Up Next button to see which songs are playing next. And if what you see isn’t what you’re in the mood for, you can search your collection and choose a different song without having to open your library.


Facebook integration and Galleries
You knew this one was coming: Ping goes and Facebook takes its place. iTunes 11 will let you see if any of your friends have hit Like on any iTunes content you’re considering buying, and when you buy something you can then share the earth-shattering news with everybody you know on Facebook. We know. We’re excited too.

Facebook isn’t the only social media feature appearing in iTunes 11: you can post to Twitter too, and artist pages now have Galleries that will be able to provide photos and tour details as well as music. Could concert tickets be in iTunes’ (and PassBook’s) future? Imagine: we could end up loving Apple as much as we love Ticketmaster!


iCloud integration

Easier to Play. Whether you are online or offline.


We’ve already mentioned the iCloud download links for media you own but don’t currently have on your Mac, but iTunes 11′s iCloud integration goes deeper than that: in many ways iTunes 11 is just a window into iCloud, with tracks automatically appearing in your library when you buy them on any iCloud-enabled device and giving you the ability to move seamlessly from one device to another, for example by watching the beginning of a film on your iPod touch, pausing it, and resuming playback on your Mac.

With iCloud, you can access your content on all your devices. And now, when you buy an album, song, movie, or TV show on any device, it’s instantly accessible in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC. Just double-click to play. Or if you’re going offline say, taking your notebook on a plane, click the new Download button and bring a copy with you.

This feature works for movies, TV shows, audiobooks, podcasts and iTunes U lessons.



Released Date and Price
Apple says October, and as ever iTunes 11 will be free for both Windows and Mac users.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

All What You Need To Know About The New iPhone, The iPhone 5.















The most awaited and rumoured smartphone in history is here. We have been reading about this since the launch of the iPhone 4S “it will be taller, transparent, it will have a projector, holographic display… etc.” Apple is calling it “Biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone”
According to Jony Ive (Senior Vice President, Design, Apple INC) –“We don’t want to make just a new phone, we want to make a much better phone”
Now that it has been announced, pre-ordered and in stores, I have compiled the most “complete and informative” article about the iPhone 5.



1. 4-Inch Retina Display

























This time apple has made the screen taller without making it fatter, the width being same allows us to hold the iPhone easily and one hand typing remains as easy as it was. This iPhone is not "just taller", the pixel density at 336ppi (pixels per inch) is so high that it's practically impossible for the human eye to distinguish pixels. This pixel density is 18% higher than the previous iPhone. This ppi density combined with an amazing 1136x640 resolution gives the colors and saturation a boost making the display 44% better than the previous iPhone.



2. Connectivity



















The iPhone 5 is the first apple product to support 4G LTE network. LTE Network is a wireless network which gives very high downloading and browsing speeds (upto 100mbps). iPhone 5 also supports other networks such as HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA (in other words 2G, 3G, 3.5G), hence making it usable for almost every part of the world. This iPhone has Bluetooth 4.0, which can only be used to connect it to iTunes (as always). iPhone 5 has an impressive wifi connectivity which supports a wide bandwidth from 2.4ghz to 5ghz. The amazing connectivity plus the powerful A6 processor makes this phone very fast in browsing, it appears as if the webpages load instantly.




3. A6 Chip

















The new A6 processor is twice as faster as compared to the A5 chip used in the iPhone 4S, so everything you do on this phone is noticably faster than the previous phone, browsing, loading apps, also the graphic performance is enhanced, mail attachments load instantly. It offers higher frame rates for video playback and gameplay, thus enabling smoother and more realistic videos and gameplay.




4. Battery
 3.8V - 5.45Wh - 1440mAh.
Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G.
Standby time: Up to 225 hours.












The iPhone 5 should last as long as the iPhone 4S for talking, and longer than the iPhone 4S when it comes to browsing the web.

Talk time: Up to 8 hours on 3G
Standby time: Up to 225 hours
Internet use: Up to 8 hours on 3G
up to 8 hours on LTE
up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 40 hours




5. Lightning USB Cable Connector



















This USB 2.0 cable connects your iPhone or iPod with Lightning connector to your computer's USB port for syncing and charging or to the Apple USB Power Adapter for convenient charging from a wall outlet.
With its Durable design and Reversible direction, the adapter lets you connect devices with a Lightning connector to many of your 30-pin accessories. Support for analog audio output, USB audio, as well as syncing and charging. Video output not supported.



6. Camera



















Camera hasn't gone through a major innovation, the iPhone 5 has an 8MP iSight camera (same as iPhone 4S). This cam can record 1080p HD videos at 30fps (frames per second). It has face detiction in photo as well as video mode. Video stabalization has been improved which prevents "shaky" effects in the video. And the front "Facetime" camera is 1.2MP which can record 720p HD videos at 30fps. The camera app has many new features and is capable of capturing images in 40% less time as compared to iPhone 4S. iPhone, being the most popular camera phone in the worlsd has made an drastic innovation to the camera app, this time around the app has PANORAMA MODE. Which can shoot around 240 degrees, and create pictures with resolution upto 28MegaPixels. The front camera now supports facetime calls on the cellular network, earlier facetime could be used only on WiFi network. So you can stay in touch with your loved ones wherever you go.



7. iOS 6









iOS 6 gives you more features to make the things you do every day even better. It’s free and easy to upgrade wirelessly on your iPhone.
iOS6 will be reviewed in my next post.


Comment, Share, Rate & Lets Take This To The Next Level.



Saturday, September 22, 2012

Updating To The iOS 6 and Any iOS


with reference to your comments on twitter on how to update to the new iOS6. So i have decided to show you how you can update to the new iOS 6. feel free to comment, and suggest as we take this to the next level.

In this post, i will be showing two ways you can update the new os.
The first is online through itunes and the second is offline also through itunes.
Make sure you have the latest itunes on your pc, whether windows, mac or linux.

Updating to iOS 6 Online via iTunes
1. Launch iTunes on your computer, Check for Updates from the drop-down menu. If there is an update to iTunes, install it before continuing.
2. Connect the iPhone to the computer using the usb data cable that came with the device.
3. Navigate to the iPhone summary page and click on check for updates, a pop up appears new updates available.
4. Download the update to install the newest version of the OS for your iPhone. Follow any onscreen prompts. Do not disconnect the iPhone until the process is complete.
5. Successful, you are now running on the latest iOS, the iOS 6.

Updating to iOS 6 Offline via iTunes
1. Follow steps 1 - 2 on updating online
2. Download the iOS 6 in my recent post.
3. Navigate to the iPhone Summary page and shift click restore.
4. Locate your downloaded iOs and click okay.
5. Follow the onscreen prompts and steps to update to the latest iOS 6.
6. Successful, you are good to go.

The Last thing is that you can update on your phone if only you are connected to an unlimited wifi connection and a reliable power source.
To do this, Go to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS will automatically check and download the new update.
After the download has completed tap Install to update your iOS.
Sucessful, You are now running on the latest iOS 6. To view that Go to settings, General, and the Software version.

Disclaimer
No matter what version of iOS software was on your iPhone when you bought it, incremental improvements and fixes likely have been released for the software since that time. Keep your iPhone iOS software up to date to avoid potential security risks and to take advantage of new features. Update the iPhone software using iTunes on your computer.

 Comment, Share, Rate and Lets Take This To The Next Level.

Friday, September 21, 2012

iOS 6 is Ready for Download!


As we all know, Apple has released iOS 6. After months of seeding beta versions of the new software to developers, it has finally made the update available to the public.

iOS 6 is the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, and it adds over 200 new features to the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. But there are a few things you should know before you update.

Note: If you’re not seeing iOS 6 yet, don’t worry. It’s a rolling update, so it will get to you eventually. Also, downloads might be running slow right now given Apple’s servers are slammed.

Download your co responding iOS 6 firmware below;














iPad
iPad 3 (WiFi): 6.0
iPad 3 (GSM): 6.0
iPad 3 (CDMA): 6.0
iPad 2: 6.0
iPad 2 (GSM): 6.0
iPad 2 (CDMA): 6.0



iPhone
iPhone 5 (GSM): 6.0
iPhone 5 (CDMA): 6.0
iPhone 4S: 6.0
iPhone 4 (GSM): 6.0
iPhone 4 (CDMA): 6.0
iPhone 3GS: 6.0



iPod touch
iPod touch 5G: 6.0
iPod touch 4G: 6.0


Stay Tuned for the iOS 6 Jailbreaking Tools.


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Apple iOS 6 What You Need to Know




Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 6, is ready for download as a free update today via the iTunes App Store for the iPhone 3GS onwards, the 4th-gen iPod touch, and the new iPad or iPad 2.

With some great new features and a couple of fantastic improvements on iOS 5, Apple’s latest operating system could be the making of the iPhone 5. So what can we expect in iOS 6?

iOS 6 features and improvements
Boosted by GPS hardware and a collaboration with TomTom, Apple Maps is an impressive feature that easily rivals Google.

It’s strengths lie in the fact that it operates well in 3D mode and includes turn-by-turn voice-guided directions.




The camera on iOS 6 snaps 28MP panorama photos on the iPhone 5, and also includes 10-face detection on the rear and single face detection on the front camera, as well as video stabilisation.

iOS 6 expands to include a new shared photo stream, giving users the ability to share photos with other iOS devices, or via Macs, Apple TV and Aperture.

The images can also get the seal of approval from users’ friends, who are able to ‘like’ photos in the same way as they would for Facebook.

iOS 6: Siri and social media
The Siri update in iOS 6 brings a raft of improvements to the voice command service. This includes information on movies, reservations, as well as app launching abilities and sports scores and highlights.




After building Twitter into iOS 5, Apple has now followed suit with Facebook for iOS 6. With 200 new features packed into iOS 6, Apple may have every chance of clawing back some the 68% share of the smartphone market occupied by Google’s Android.

iOS 6 also adds Siri language support for French, German, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. Users can also interact with their iPhone using a new hands-free functionality.