Jailbreak 5.1.1 Untethered - iPad 3,2,1, iPhone 4S,4,3GS, iPod Touch 4,3 - Absinthe 2.0 NEW

The untethered Jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1 is finally released. All newer Apple devices are supported. 

Disclaimer: Jailbreak at your own risk. Research before attempting for the first time. Apple does not support Jailbroken devices and can void your warranty if you do not unjailbreak the device before taking it in for service. 

Jailbreak 5.1.1 Untethered - iPad 3,2,1, iPhone 4S,4,3GS, iPod Touch 4,3 - Absinthe 2.0 NEW

How To Jailbreak iPad 3 (New iPad), iPhone 4S, and ALL other devices devices on iOS 5.1.1 Untethered. This jailbreak process uses Absinthe 2.0 to jailbreak your iPhone 4S,4,3GS, iPad 3,2,1, & iPod Touch 4,3. This is an Untethered Jailbreak!

Absinthe Download (Mac/PC/Linux):http://bit.ly/AbsintheDownload

Compatible Devices:
iPad 3,2,1
iPhone 4S,4,3GS
iPod Touch 4,3
Apple TV 2

Thanks,

 

Carl W. Brooks

Kickstarter - Slingshot is a One-handed/Table-Top Tripod Phone Accessory

I am an avid photographer, but I am not a typical photographer. I take tons of photos during every event  I often take a few videos as well.  I never take my traditional digital camera. I rely only my camera phone. 

As most of you know, camera phones present some challenges when taking either photos or videos. With photos, you will often have your finger in the way of the lens or make a blurry picture because you move the picture is competed. With video, you are more likely to take a shaky video that is difficult to watch. 

Today I have a small tripod and a GIlF holder for my iPhone. These two items cost be about $35. The GIlf is nice, but I never feel secure when my all-glass iPhone is sitting in it; especially when I am moving about with. 

As you know I am a big fan of Kickerstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com).  The Gilf was produced as a Kickstarter project, although I bought it well after it was funded. At the time it was funded, I was carrying an Android phone for which the Gilf would not work with. 

Today I am waiting for the replacement for these two devices. The item I am waiting for is called the Slingshot.  

The SlingShot(tm) allows you to shoot one-handed, turns into an instant table-top tripod, and allows you to mount your phone on any tripod.

The SlingShot's phone cradle fits ANY smartphone, with or without a case and allows charging cables to be plugged in during use.

It's the perfect Android AND iPhone accessory.

So this single device will replace my two items and is more than half the price of the pair.  With a pledge of $14 you can get your own Slingshot. Heck for $26, you can get two and still pay less than my current setup.

This project ended on May 20, 2012.  I can't wait to receive this and do a review. 

Kickstarter project:  http://kck.st/H7NbML   

WOXOM website: http://woxom.net

Video:  http://vimeo.com/woxom/time-end

Thanks,

Carl Brooks

Learn more about your iPad and other Apple products at http://www.iamthereforeipad.com

If you are a huge Amazon buyer like us, please help support us by using our affiliate link when shipping at Amazon - http://amazon.iamthereforeipad.com

Two Dozen Features Apple Could Add to iOS 6 to Make it Better

Before Apple had its AppStore or even it's multitasking ability to play Pandora in the background while you typed an email or surf the web, we had these features in the Jailbreak community. Even though Apple spends a lot of effort trying to kill the Jailbreak community, they secretly get a lot of innovation from it. Their resources would be best spent "borrowing", licensing or hiring from this talent pool to bring the best features into their operating system. The following features should be standard in the iOS 6.x software. These things make so much sense that it is senseless for Apple to continue to not include them in the iOS 6.

1. Fast Toggle of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, etc.

We definitely should have quicker access to toggle on and off the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane modes. This should be added to the notification drop down area. How efficient is it exit your application to turn on Bluetooth? Let's say I am listening to music with the sound playing through the built-in speaker. I want to listen to the music through my Bluetooth headset or my Jambox Bluetooth speaker. Currently I will have to close the music player or the other application (if I have the music playing in the background) and then seek out and find the Settings app. I would have to navigate to the Bluetooth area under General settings to toggle Bluetooth on. Then I have to navigate back to the app I was working in. This is not very efficient. Shouldn't I be able to quickly toggle this without exiting my program? Of course! It should be just as simple to do the same for WiFi, Airplane mode and more.

The amazing thing is that I don't launch the Settings app as often as non-Jailbreakers and yet the Settings app is the 4th most accessed app on my iPhone.

2. More Information in the Status Bar

I also use SBSettings to display the date, the hotspot name that I am connected to and the free memory available next to the clock in the status bar. On the iPhone the status bar is smaller, but I still am able to show the date and free memory along with my time. There is tons of wasted space in the status bar area. I love to be able to see which hotspot I am connected to on my Jailbroken iPad; why shouldn't every iPad owner?

3. Memory Management

I also love the "Processes" option in SBSettings that allow me to free up memory. As much as Apple would like to think that we don't need it, there are times that we need to free up memory. Give us a "kill all" button to close all open apps.

4. Make Siri more useful

In the Jailbreak world, there is a free tweak called SiriToggle. It allows Siri to toggle radios like Bluetooth, Airplane and WiFi. Also ask about battery life and even adjust brightness with Siri (aka your voice). Also you can launch apps with Siri. I listen to Stitcher Radio and since it automatically plays upon launching, it is very convenient to have Siri launch this app.

5. Move Multiple icons around the Home Screens

Multiiconmover does just what the name implies, lets you move multiple icons around the home screens. If you ever tried to move a single app between Home screens, you know how frustrating this can be. Moving multiple icons around is a task most iOS device owners avoid like the plague. This ability has existed almost from the very beginning of the Jailbreaking the Apple mobile operating system. This one should have been included by now.

6. Lock Down Apps and Folders

AppLocker let me lock any icon (app) or folder. Who says that everything on our device should accessible the initial pass code at the lock screen? This oversight on Apple's part is huge considering they keep insisting we live in a post PC world. On a regular computer, you can make things less viewable to a causal user. On the iPad, everything is right there to be explored once you hand them your device. AppLocker locks down your sensitive data. Come on Apple, it is not porn that people want to hide on their iOS device, but their personal data from those who don't need to see it.

7. Clear Notification Area Faster

Man we were thankful that Apple finally gave us a Notification area to hold our popups. Now that we have them tucked away and the fact that it is a bit painful to clear many of them, we just let them pile up. The Jailbreakers have FastClear to remedy this. As you're aware, you have to first tap on the Clear button and then tap on the x button to clear notifications from the Notification Center. FastClear is a nifty little jailbreak tweak that makes it easier and faster to clear the notifications from the Notification Center by replacing the x button with the Clear button, thus enabling you to clear notifications with a single tap.

8. Enhance Folders

FolderEnhancer - iOS 4 brought with it the ability to put apps and bookmarks into folders. Unfortunately, the implementation is quite limited. FolderEnhancer takes this feature and improves upon it, making it a viable solution for organizing and accessing your apps. You can add up to 320 icons to a folder (20 pages, 16 per page), create folders inside of folders and more. If Apple did this, you wouldn't have to have 5 games folders, you could simply have one that held all of them.

9. Add Permanent Number Row on Keyboard

iKeywi adds a customizable 5th row of keys to the virtual keyboard. This allows you to use numbers without toggling the whole keyboard. A fixed set of number keys are always present. Come on Apple, do we really have to ask for this after all these years - you use the product and hate the shift and toggle dance too. I toggle the number key so often that I would gain a month back from the year if Apple added this. At least make it an option that one could turn on or off in Settings.

10. Slide to Do MORE

LockSliderz: all of us know about the slide to unlock feature on the lock screen. What if you could add additional functions to this slider? You can with LockSliderz. On my lock screen, I have two sliders stacked on top of each other. Both has an icon on both ends of the slider. The top one has an icon for a flashlight and another for Stitcher Radio. The lower slider has an email icon and a lock for unlocking. Sider either icon to the opposite side will launch that app once the pass code is entered (the lock just unlocks). Double clicking the home button will display a third slider which has a camera icon on one end and the Messaging (SMS) icon on the other end. I love this, especially for quick access to the Flashlight (using the camera flashbulb) and Stitcher Radio.

11. Make the Keyboard a Touchpad

There is a cool Jailbreak app called SwipeSelection that allows you to make your on screen keyboard behave like a touchpad. If you need to go to a word within the text you just typed, you don't have to lift your hand of the keyboard to the screen. You simply drag your finger backwards on the keyboard to the spot you want to place the cursor. Holding the shift key and dragging your finger on the keyboard will select the text. Apple would wise to implement these or similar features into iOS 6.

12. Windowed Multitasking


Sometimes I want to watch a movie or YouTube video while writing a note or surfing the web. With the current iOS, I have to choose one or the other. The Jailbreak app Quasar lets iPad owners launch apps into windows. I think it is time for this in iOS, but maybe Apple doesn't need to call them windows; how about panes, panels or even screen slices?

These are just a few of the tweaks that Apple can implement into thier operating system that will make more modern and fresh.

Judge Rules in Favor of E-Book Consumers in Price-Fixing Case

NEW YORK, May 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today a United States District Court judge flatly denied court petitions by several of the nation's largest book publishers and Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) to dismiss a nationwide class-action lawsuit that accuses the companies of conspiring to illegally fix the prices of e-books.

The 56-page ruling, issued by Judge Denise Cote of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, is the first substantive ruling in the litigation. It denies the companies' motion to dismiss the case, allowing the litigation to move forward.

The case was originally filed on Aug. 9, 2011, and seeks to represent purchasers of e-books who the complaint says were forced to pay tens of millions of dollars more for their favorite titles because of a price-fixing scheme organized by the e-book publishers and Apple.

"We thought that Judge Cote's ruling was spot on, especially when she noted that we've gone above and beyond in illustrating the legitimacy of our case," said Steve Berman, lead counsel representing consumers in the nationwide class action and managing partner of Hagens Berman, a consumer-rights law firm. "We are eager to push forward with the case."

In April, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York making very similar allegations to Hagens Berman's case and citing much of the same evidence. It describes Apple and the publishers actively conspiring to wrestle control of the e-book market from Amazon while artificially driving up prices for consumers.

Unlike the actions filed by the DOJ and the states, Hagens Berman's case was filed without discovery. "We look forward to uncovering additional evidence in the discovery phase of this litigation," said Berman. "We litigated this case because we strongly believe that consumers were harmed by Apple and the publishers' tactics and we will not settle without an effective plan to repay consumers for their losses."

According to the class-action suit, the publishers believed that Amazon's wildly popular Kindle e-reader device and the company's discounted pricing for e-books would increase the adoption of e-books and permanently set consumer expectations for lower prices, even for other e-reader devices.

"Fortunately for the publishers, Apple was also terrified of Amazon's pricing and the popularity of its Kindle device," said Berman. "Rather than compete on merit, price and convenience, we intend to prove that the cabal simply tried to game the system."

The case seeks to compensate e-book purchasers for losses incurred as a result of the alleged price-fixing scheme.

You can learn more about this case by visiting www.hbsslaw.com/ebooks. The ruling is available here.

About Hagens Berman

Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP represents consumers, whistleblowers, investors, workers and others in complex and class-action litigation. The firm has offices in ten cities and has been named to the National Law Journal's Plaintiffs' Hot List five times. Founded in 1993, HBSS continues to successfully fight for consumer rights in large, complex litigation against large corporations. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Visit the firm's class-action law blog at www.classactionlawtoday.com.


Thanks,
Carl Brooks

Learn more about your iPad and other Apple products at http://www.iamthereforeipad.com

If you are a huge Amazon buyer like us, please help support us by using our affiliate link when shipping at Amazon - http://amazon.iamthereforeipad.com

Check out SCOtutor for iPad - Free for a limited time.

If you are new to the iPad and/ or Mac, then have a couple of iPad apps that you just may love: SCOtutor for iPad and SCOtutor for Mac.

These are iPad based training video apps on the respective subjects. There are free for a limited time.

Normally $2.99 USD, you can get this awesome app for free.

Check out this application on the App Store:

SCOtutor for iPad ScreenCastsOnline Category: Education Updated: May 8, 2012 11 Ratings

iTunes for Mac and Windows

Thanks,

Carl Brooks

Learn more about your iPad and other Apple products at http://www.iamthereforeipad.com

If you are a huge Amazon buyer like us, please help support us by using our affiliate link when shipping at Amazon - http://amazon.iamthereforeipad.com

Apple Continue to Market Siri and Files Motion to Dismiss Case Against Siri

Apple has filed a motion to dismiss in a case filed by customers over alleged misleading advertising depicting the Siri technology in the iPhone 4s. The lawsuit, filed in March, alleges that Apple's advertising of Siri doesn't reflect real-world usage. When asked for directions or to locate a store, "Siri either did not understand what the Plaintiff was asking, or, after a very long wait time, responded with the wrong answer."
In a motion to dismiss (via Scribd), Apple attempts to shoot down the Plaintiff's arguments, reports the Wall Street Journal:

They offer only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of their alleged—and highly individualized—disappointment with Siri. Tellingly, although Plaintiffs claim they became dissatisfied with Siri’s performance “soon after” purchasing their iPhones, they made no attempt to avail themselves of Apple’s 30-day return policy or one-year warranty—which remains in effect. Instead, they seek to take an alleged personal grievance about the purported performance of a popular product and turn it into a nationwide class action under California’s consumer protection statutes. The Complaint does not come close to meeting the heavy burden necessary to sustain such claims

.


Apple continues to heavily advertise Siri and the iPhone 4s. The two latest ads for the product feature celebrities Samuel L. Jackson and Zooey Deschanel using Siri to plan date night and to get tomato soup delivered.

Editor's note: I think the suit is pretty silly. What if I saw a cell phone commercial showing people making calls on their phones without a single dropped call, and then when I bought my phone I had dropped calls? Do I then have a case against the carrier? Of course not. Do these carrier have to state "Usage may vary"? No.

Siri works great when it (I am most said "she") does and it disappoints me when it doesn't, but do have a lawsuit? Of course not. What I do have are some fingers that can do the task instead. Why didn't the plaintiff sue Sprint for charging us $10 extra a month for the last two years to have the 4G service they never provided? Oh the plaintiff must not have been here in Michigan. Anybody want to sue Sprint here in Michigan? Sprint changed the wording to "Enhanced Internet" from "4G", but you still have a case. Any takers?

Thanks,
Carl Brooks

Learn more about your iPad and other Apple products at http://www.iamthereforeipad.com
If you are a huge Amazon buyer like us, please help support us by using our affiliate link when shipping at Amazon - http://amazon.iamthereforeipad.com

Fing for iOS is Great Network Tool

Whether your personal network is secured or unsecured, you are always better informed when you know which devices are present on your network.  I've been using an app called Fing and thought you might like it. It's an excellent tool to discover network devices, scan services and analyze hosts.  As Systems Managers, this is an awesome tool; whether I am on site in the corporate office or on the road fixing someone else's system. This tool can assist with knowing the environment you are working in.

Figure A: List of devices found (Landscape)

At home, you might be tempted to think that you don't have many devices on your network, but you may be surprised to find that you have more devices than you realized. How? In the past, the only devices most people had on their home networks were a desktop, a laptop and maybe a game system.


Figure B: List of devices found (Portrait)

Today, you may find your TV, home theater, tablet, smartphone, and many other devices on your network because we now have more connected devices in our homes than ever before.

Figure C: App Settings

When you run the device, it will discover the available Wi-Fi network and report and devices it finds.  You can edit the names of the devices, add notes for the devices and even see which services are running on each device.

You can export any device or all the devices to an email so that you can send the data for use with other systems.

Here is the report for my system.

Network: Iamthereforeipad (172.16.66.0/24)
BSSID: 30:46:9A:XX:XX:XX
MAC Address: 60:C5:47:XX:XX:XX
Location: Florida, United States
ISP: BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC
Internet Address: 75.xxx.xxx.xx (75.xxx.xxx.xx)

Name: Netgear N300
IP Address: 172.16.66.1
MAC Address: 30:46:9A:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Netgear
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM
Type: Wi-Fi

Name: My iPhone 4s
IP Address: 172.16.66.2 (You)
MAC Address: 60:C5:47:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Apple
Host Name: Carl Brooks’ iPhone
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:50 PM
Type: Mobile

Name: AppleTV2
IP Address: 172.16.66.3
MAC Address: 28:CF:DA:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Apple
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM

Name: ACN Video Phone
IP Address: 172.16.66.4
MAC Address: 00:20:F0:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: UNIVERSAL MICROELECTRONICS CO.
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 7:18:41 AM

Name: iMac - Wireless
IP Address: 172.16.66.5
MAC Address: E4:CE:8F:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Apple
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 7:14:10 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 7:14:10 AM

Name: Carl's iPad 3
IP Address: 172.16.66.6
MAC Address: 4C:B1:99:XX:XX:XX
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 7:14:10 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 7:14:10 AM

Name: Dell Precision M6300
IP Address: 172.16.66.7
MAC Address: 00:1C:BF:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Intel
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 8:17:57 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 8:17:57 AM
NetBIOS Name: CH13LT-D8V8DYD1
NetBIOS Domain: WORKGROUP
File Server: Yes

Name: Wii
IP Address: 172.16.66.8
MAC Address: 00:1F:C5:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Nintendo
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 11:10:54 AM

Name: Dell Latitude D810
IP Address: 172.16.66.9
MAC Address: 00:14:A5:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Gemtek Technology
State: Node is Down
First Seen: May 12, 2012 11:10:54 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:51:05 PM

Name: Wife's iPad 1
IP Address: 172.16.66.10
MAC Address: D8:30:62:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Apple
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:22:02 PM

Name: Inspiron 8600 Ubuntu
IP Address: 172.16.66.11
MAC Address: 00:0E:35:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Intel
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 1:22:02 PM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:22:02 PM

Name: iMac - Wired
IP Address: 172.16.66.12
MAC Address: C8:2A:14:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Apple
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 11, 2012 10:40:52 PM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:23:05 PM

Name: Toshiba Z830
IP Address: 172.16.66.13
MAC Address: 88:53:2E:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Intel
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 8:02:04 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:43:00 PM
NetBIOS

Name: CH13LT-YB129276
NetBIOS Domain: CHAPTER13
File Server: Yes
IP Address: 172.16.66.14
MAC Address: 00:0C:29:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: VMware
State: Node is Up
First Seen: April 23, 2012 6:39:15 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:43:00 PM
NetBIOS
Name: CH13VM-IMACPC
NetBIOS Domain: WORKGROUP
File Server: Yes

Name: SA-BT230
IP Address: 172.16.66.15
MAC Address: 70:58:12:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Panasonic AVC Networks Company
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 7:18:44 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:44:55 PM
Notes: Blu-ray

Name: HP Compaq tc4200
IP Address: 172.16.66.17
MAC Address: 00:16:6F:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Intel
State: Node is Up
First Seen: May 12, 2012 11:10:54 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 1:43:00 PM
NetBIOS Name: CH13TB-6332D9M
NetBIOS Domain: BROOKS
File Server: Yes

Name: PS2
IP Address: 172.16.66.21
MAC Address: 00:15:C1:XX:XX:XX
Vendor: Sony
State: Node is Down
First Seen: May 12, 2012 8:22:16 AM
Last Update: May 12, 2012 8:29:12 AM

Fing for iOS is free of charge, has no Ads and works on most major platforms!
You may install it from here:  Fing for iOS
Check out also Fing for other platforms at: Overlook Website
Share this post and/or site with someone you know whom has an IPad or iPhone.
Thanks,
Carl W. Brooks

HAND Stylus by Steve King — Kickstarter

Most of you know I am a huge fan of Kickstarter because I understand that we have some very creative people out here that have great ideas and without a platform like this, the products may never make it to market. Additionally, I believe strongly in people keeping 100% ownership of their ideas without Sharks and Venture Capital bleeding them of their rewards. There is a great need for those avenues too, but they shouldn't be the only road available for people. What better way to raise capital for your idea than to get customers to say "I'll pay now so you can build it for me and the market". 

Many of you have expressed interest in researching or buying a stylus for your iPhone and/or iPad. Here is an interesting idea that may appeal to some of you. The project is called Hand Stylus and it has already well surpassed it's goal and therefore will get funded. The pledge drive ends June 17, 2012. The pledges start at $25 and some upgrades includes a set of tip replacements and/of laser engraving. There is a few color options as well. 

The $25 starting price is $5 less than what the product will retail for once it comes to market. 

In a quest to find a stylus that performs less like a blunt finger and more like the fine-tipped pens and pencils I use in my design work, I've purchased lots of styluses. Surprisingly, none of them has all the features I'd like. So I created the HAND Stylus—which sports the world's smallest tip, a mere 4mm in diameter, plus a host of other features that set it apart from all other styluses.

The slim tip is retractable, a feature found on no other rubber-tipped stylus. The exceptionally small tip provides superior precision, is easy to replace, and lasts longer than fixed tips because it rotates slightly each time it's retracted, so it wears more evenly. Again, a feature no other stylus offers. The HAND Stylus is nicely balanced, has a knurled collar for fine fingertip control, and has a removable, stainless-steel pocket clip that magnetically holds the stylus in place on an iPad's Smart Cover.

With its small tip, the HAND Stylus works exceptionally well with touch-screen tablets for drawing and sketching, taking notes, retouching photos, accepting credit card signatures, or making presentations. It also performs well on smart phones for clicking on tiny internet links, selecting small text, and typing on diminutive keyboards. And the HAND Stylus is great for when you're wearing gloves, if you have long fingernails, or if you just like to keep your touch-screens free of fingerprints.  

With its small tip, the HAND Stylus works exceptionally well with touch-screen tablets for drawing and sketching, taking notes, retouching photos, accepting credit card signatures, or making presentations. It also performs well on smart phones for clicking on tiny internet links, selecting small text, and typing on diminutive keyboards. And the HAND Stylus is great for when you're wearing gloves, if you have long fingernails, or if you just like to keep your touch-screens free of fingerprints.

Six-packs of replacement tips come packaged in a handy aluminum container that you can keep at the ready in a book bag, backpack, purse, or desk drawer.

Every HAND Stylus comes packaged in a handsome tin gift box and will work well on iPads, iPhones, Android, Kindle, Nook, and Windows touch-screens.

To pledge or learn more, visit:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hand/hand-stylus?ref=popular 

Thanks,

Carl Brooks

Learn more about your iPad and other Apple products at http://www.iamthereforeipad.com

If you are a huge Amazon buyer like us, please help support us by using our affiliate link when shipping at Amazon - http://amazon.iamthereforeipad.com

Would a 7" Mini-iPad Fragment the iOS and Apple User Experience?

Apple's long-rumored 7-inch iPad might be more than just a rumor, according to Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes.


Discussing the iPad in a research note yesterday, Reitzes said the investment firm is still holding out hope that Apple will add a 7-inch tablet to its lineup. "Our global research team still sees some evidence of this product in the supply chain -- and we wouldn't be surprised if it wound up in the iPod Touch category if it indeed sees daylight," the analyst said. He did not provide any further details in the research note.

The iPad will also continue to cannibalize PC sales, Reitzes added. As such, he sees little need for Apple to create a "hybrid" Mac with a detachable screen, believing that iPad users will increasingly dock their iPads to keyboards.

Of course the iPad cannibalizes the laptop and desktop market, before the iPad there was no other choice but to buy one or the other. The iPad for a huge number of users can and is there only computer. For many others, the iPad makes a fantastic second or third computer for the household. In the business world, the iPad is a great solution for executives and IT support personnel who primarily maintain or support remote computers and servers.

The iPad can stretch the life of an aging computer or laptop by allowing users to use the iPad as the primary device while only using the slow and aging computer for those tasks that have to be done on that computer.
Will these users demand to have a hardware or a "real" keyboard? Some will. One of the advantages of buying an Apple iPad is that there is a huge accessories market for Apple's products. There are and will continue to be laptop-like accessories for the Apple iPad, so there is no need for Apple to create a "hybrid" device. These users have enough options, from the after market, to satisfy their thirst for a keyboard or laptop experience.

Looking at the tablet market, Apple stayed on top in the first quarter with a 68 percent share. Samsung took back the No. 2 spot, while Amazon dropped to No. 3 as Kindle Fire sales dropped. The analyst expects Apple to hang on to its top market share over the near term as the Android tablet landscape becomes even more fragmented.

Fragmentation is a serious issue in the Android world. Almost every month, some one shows me an Android device that they saved tons of cash on. They ask me, "did I get a good deal.". My response is always the same, "the proof is in the using". These people barely use it and hardly take it out in public to use it. It basically become a paper weight; an expensive paperweight at $79 to $179. The biggest issue that these devices suffer from is "the experience".

The touch experience is poor, with sluggish or non-responsive feedback being the top issues. Another area that suffers from poor experience is in the "store" area. Some devices don't have the "Google Play" or "Official store" which means there little to no apps available to the devices. Some have no store at all or simply point to a website to pretend they do. Users of one Android Tablet cannot simply say "download this app" or "do this" to another user of a different Android device. In most cases, the other person cannot duplicate the task. Each device maker does it own magic or lack of magic to its version of the Android operating software - making it a very fragmented OS.

In order for Apple to product a mini-iPad or max-iTouch, the new device must come very close to the same level of user experience for the buyer that they would have with the iPad or iPod Touch. Apple benefits from the marketing it receives when a sister or mother tells a brother or son to get the iOS device because you can do "this" (whatever that magical "this" is). Apple does suffer from some form of fragmentation though. The original iPad doesn't have a camera, so it can download certain apps and can not emulate what a new device could do. The original iPad is strategically missing gesture controls that the newer models got with iOS 5, even those they all use the same iOS. This is the exception as opposed to the rule.

A 7" inch device should avoid the exceptions and emulate the exceptional.
Also, the developer currently have to create a version of their software for the iPhone or for the iPad or make it universal. The rumored device must allow the developers' current software to work without having to create a third iteration. There is definitely a market for a tweener device that is sized between the iPhone and the iPad. Whether Apple is going to do so, is not known outside the Apple Design group and related partners, but it they are to be successful they should avoid anything that will fragment their advantageous and user experiences.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Jailbreak Apps and Tweaks for the IPad and iPhone 4s (iOS 5.0.1)

On May 8, 2012, at 8:21 AM, Tony wrote: "What Jailbreak tweaks did you use on your iPad? My 4S is jailbroken primarily for SBSettings, a nice toggle"

Oh Boy, my 4s has some great stuff from the Jailbreak world. There are some great Jailbreak tweaks and apps available. Not all are free, but it is interesting that some of these things are not built into the iOS by now.

All work on my iPhone 4s, while most work on my iPad 1. They should work on the iPad 2 and even the iPad 3 when joins the ranks of the Jailbreak devices.

Please note: Not all are free tweaks and apps. Some require you to have different Cydia sources added. As always, research via your favorite search engine and see them in action on YouTube. Add one at a time and run for awhile to determine if there are any side effects before adding another.

Some side effects I experience are white icons (I call Ghost icons) that appear periodically. These are apps that are used when setting up the iPad. You can ignore them. Occasionally I get a message that says the Springboard crashed, but only takes a few seconds to restart. I typically remove and tweaks that cause this to occur more frequently.

These are some tweaks and apps that Apple would be wise to add into the iOS 6.x, but they should already be included in current iOS by now:

SBSettings: Allows quick access to toggle radios. I use it to display date, connected hotspot and memory usage data along with the clock in status bar. I also love the "Processes" option which I use to free up memory.

SiriToggle: Use Siri to toggle radios like Bluetooth, Airplane and WiFi. Also ask about battery life and even adjust brightness with Siri (aka your voice).

Shrink: lets you shrink the size of icons and folders on SpringBoards and dock.

Multiiconmover does just what the name implies, lets you move multiple icons around the homescreens.

AppLocker let me lock any icon (app) or folder. Who says that everything on our device should accessible the initial pass code at the lock screen? This oversight on Apple's part is huge considering they keep insisting we live in a post PC world. On a regular computer, you can make things less viewable to a causal user. One the iPad, everything is right there to be explored once you hand them your device. AppLocker locks down your sensitive data.

F.lux makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and brighter like the sunlight during the day.

FastClear - As you're aware, you have to first tap on the Clear button and then tap on the x button to clear notifications from the Notification Center. FastClear is a nifty little jailbreak tweak that makes it easier and faster to clear the notifications from the Notification Center by replacing the x button with the Clear button, thus enabling you to clear notifications with a single tap.

FolderEnhancer - iOS 4 brought with it the ability to put apps and bookmarks into folders. Unfortunately, the implementation is quite limited. FolderEnhancer takes this feature and improves upon it, making it a viable solution for organizing and accessing your apps. You can add up to 320 icons to a folder (20 pages, 16 per page), create folders inside of folders and more.

iKeywi adds a customizable 5th row of keys to the virtual keyboard. This allows you to use numbers without toggling the whole keyboard. A fixed set of number keys are always present. Come on Apple, do we really have to ask for this after all these years - you use the product and hate the shift and toggle dance too.

LockSliderz: all of us know about the slide to unlock feature on the lock screen. What if you could add additional functions to this slider? You can with LockSliderz. On my lock screen, I have two sliders stacked on top of each other. Both has an icon on both ends of the slider. The top one has an icon for a flashlight and another for Stitcher Radio. The lower slider has an email icon and a lock for unlocking. Sider either icon to the opposite side will launch that app once the pass code is entered (the lock just unlocks). Double clicking the home button will display a third slider which has a camera icon on one end and the Messaging (SMS) icon on the other end. I love this, especially for quick access to the Flashlight (using the camera flashbulb) and Stitcher Radio.

The following make the device fun and interesting and at least should available for purchase in the AppStore:

DeepEnd allows you to add a 3D effect to your iPhone homescreen wallpaper. Using your iPhone 4′s gyroscope, it appears to change your iPhone’s screen orientation based on the angle you hold your handset at.

Display Recorder: record your iPhone or iPad display activity and save videos as .avi files that you can publish to Youtube from within the app or browse from your desktop browser using the built in web server. The app is very complete and full of options: you can setup custom activation gestures, enable OpenGL capture, choose video quality and orientation, enable taps and adjust the frame rate. You can choose to record audio or not. You can setup all these preferences from the Display Recorder tab in Settings.app. I do most of my iOS how-tos with this app.

Graviboard: Cydia tweak that brings gravity to the homescreen and is guaranteed to amaze not only you but your friends as well. When activated, all the icons on your homescreen will fall down (or up). You can use your fingers to drag and fling icons. If you tilt your device, the icons will follow! If you desire, you can change the force of gravity – even to negative gravity! When I launch my homescreen launcher, the icon explode - it never gets old.

Gridlock - Let you place your icon anywhere on the Springboards without snapping to the grid top to bottom. This is nice if you have a picture on your background that you don't won't to cover with app icons.

xCon - my cable provider has an iPad app that allows me to watch some of my cable channels from the iPad The app works only if you have active service and only when accessing from a device connected to their cable modem via a wifi router. In other words, you can not take the iPad outside the range of your wifi and watch TV programming. Despite all this, they feel a need to mandate that you cannot do so from a Jailbroken iPad. xCon removes this discrimination and allow me to watch the content from my Jailbroken iPad.

Infinidock lets you have an infinite number of icons in the dock. I only need a few more myself.

3G Unrestrictor: Let you use FaceTime, iCloud backup and other apps that normally force you to connect to WiFI first before you use the app.

NoNewsIsGoodNews: Simply removes the NewsStand icon from Springboard. You can still search for it in Spotlight.

Poof: allows you to hide any app from the Springboard. You can still search for it in Spotlight.

IFile: File management app that is extremely useful. It is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

MobileTerminal (NEW): Terminal access (dos prompt like) app that I use every no and then. This is an advance tool and not needed by most users. Te same people who need a DOS prompt on Windows or Terminal access on a Mac will like this. The one thing that all Jailbreak can use this for is to change the default root password from alpine by typing passwd at the prompt. This is used with the free Cydia app called OpenSSH.

MirrorWidget: Uses the front facing camera to let you check out your hair, teeth, nose, eyes, etc. It adds this "mirror" to the notification area.

PDaNet: Lets you use your device as a hotspot. I have a Verizon MiFi device, but just as I carry backup power, I like to backup Internet. There is a separate SBSettings toggle app that adds a switch for this in SBSettings.

Switcher Sense: Replaces Apple's Multitasking bar at the bottom of screen with a middle of the screen solution. Slide to close open apps instead of the wiggle and tap the "x" of Apple's way. Add the SwitcherLoader app and you cab slide to the left provides the brightness, AirPlay, rotation lock like you would expect, but the best add-on is the "Kill All Apps" button. Why even swipe when you are done with all open apps? Kill them all.

Zephyr: adds swiping for closing apps, switching between apps and multitasking

Thanks,

Carl W. Brooks
http://www.iamthereforeipad.com

Apple Releases iOS 5.1.1

This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:

Improves reliability of using HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut

Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks

Fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances

Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List

Fixes an issue where 'Unable to purchase' alert could be displayed after successful purchase

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

iOS 5.1.1 Released. Don't update if you Jailbreak or plan to Jailbreak soon.

Share this post and/or site with someone you know whom has an IPad or iPhone.
Carl W. Brooks

Logitech uses Sun/Light to Charge iPad Folio

You won’t be replacing batteries on most Bluetooth wireless keyboards on iPad cases, but you will have to plug it into a computer or power supply at some point. Not unless you have Logitech’s newest iPad keyboard case, the Solar Keyboard Folio. It uses light to maintain its battery charge. Logitech indicates that it will last two years on a complete charge. Two small solar panels integrated into the Folio use either indoor or outdoor light to keep the Bluetooth keyboard juiced up.


The solar cells are on the outside of the cover, so they’re not in your way when using the wireless keyboard. When using the folio to prop up an iPad at one of two angles, the cells face outward to capture any available light. The bottom keyboard row of the Solar Keyboard Folio works as dedicated music and volume control keys when used in a specific angle for media consumption.


Logitech is taking pre-orders now for the $129.99 setup, which isn’t too bad when you factor in the convenience of never having to charge the batteries for it. The product works with either the iPad 2 or the new iPad and features the same instant off/on as Apple’s own iPad cover.


The two-year battery life claim is based on two hours of daily use, so if you’re an all-day typer on the iPad, you’ll surely see the battery run down faster.

Share this post and/or site with someone you know whom has an IPad or iPhone.

Carl W. Brooks

EuroSmartz's Facebook IPad Giveaway

I really do like EuroSmartz, they have some great apps. They are running a social campaign to get noticed. They are giving away a few iPad 3s for liking them on Facebook.

Like EuroSmartz on Facebook to win a new iPad 3 with retina display: http://t.co/GkmvNaD2 or http://www.facebook.com/eurosmartz

They are drawing the winners after they get 1500 likes.

Thanks,

Carl W. Brooks

Thanks,

Carl W. Brooks

Spotify's Long-Awaited iPad App Debuts in App Store

Streaming music service Spotify
, which gained a loyal following in Europe before debuting in the United States last July, has launched its highly-anticipated iPad app. Spotify's app arrives in the form of an universal free app, but like the iPhone version a Premium subscription is required for mobile access after a brief trial period.

"Today we’re extremely proud to present our native iPad app in all its green-hued glory."
Features include:
- Retina graphics for iPad - dazzling display, razor sharp images, richer colors
- Even easier to browse and explore Spotify’s entire 18 million* song catalogue
- New ‘Now Playing’ full-screen view with high-definition cover art
- Search for playlists, users and music - all from the same view
- Check out what's hot and find trending playlists & songs amongst your friends
- Inbox grouped by user for easy searching
- Gapless playback and crossfade
- AirPlay integration
Spotify Premium is available through the app
as a free 48-hour trial, with users able to extend the trial to 30 days by signing up through Spotify's website. Continued Premium service is priced at $9.99 per month.
Download the Spotify
app from the AppStore.

Pandora
offers a free music streaming service with 40 hours listening, periodic ads and the ability to create 100 stations. It allows you to upgrade to an ad free plan called Pandora One with a low cost annual fee.

Share this post and/or site with someone you know whom has an IPad or iPhone.

Carl W. Brooks