Chris Ward
Articles by Chris Ward
iPod touch owners report graphics issues under iOS 4.3
Reports are coming in of iPod touch users having graphics glitches after updating to iOS 4.3. As you can see in the picture here and in this video, the problem looks like overlapping icons and "interference" on the screen. There's a growing thread on the Apple message boards of fourth-generation iPod touch users who aren't happy. Resets and factory restores don't solve the problem, it seems, and users are looking to Apple to fix the problem with an update soon. "I've noticed in the lock screen, certain notifications seem to have some sort of flash thing (almost looks like it's blinking in some cases)," says one user. "Similar to other posters in this thread. After rebooting it many times, the same issue is happening." "The graphics for some reason have a snowy and animated outline," says another. "This iPod is not hacked or dropped or anything I don't understand why this is happening. I've turned it off and turned it back on and still having the issue. It is NOT a major issue, it is odd though and having issues with the display on this type of device still can't be a good sign right?" No, it's certainly not a good sign, since the display is pretty much the only way to interact with an iPod touch in the first place. Here's hoping Apple figures out what's causing this and issues a fix. [via Engadget]
RIM called the iPhone 'badly flawed' before launch
If you were one of the iPhone's early adopters way back in 2007, you were the proud owner of a "badly flawed" device. Well, you were according to BlackBerry manufacturer RIM, anyway (see image for RIM's advice on how to best use your iPhone). A Reuters report on RIM's future (PDF) quotes an anonymous former employee as saying RIM thought the iPhone was "so badly flawed from day one. [...] Users wanted great battery life, great security, great mail handling, minimal network use, and a great keyboard experience." Two years before the iPhone launched, Mike Lazaridis, RIM founder, refused to develop a web-enabled smartphone with a larger screen. Instead, he insisted on concentrating on the BlackBerry's main strengths, its keyboard and email capability. Luckily for us, Apple struggled on with its badly flawed device, and for quite some time afterward, RIM still failed to see the desire users had for getting the full web experience on their smartphones. You can take your iPhone back out of the wastebasket now, by the way. [via Boy Genius Report]
Development courseware updated for Xcode 4
Shiny Development has updated all of its training courses following Apple's release last week of the latest version of its development tools, Xcode 4. "We have been working with Xcode 4 for a while now and I am very pleased to announce that all of our training courses are now fully updated with materials that are written specifically to target the new version of Xcode," says Dave Verwer, owner of Shiny Development and developer of several successful iPhone and iPad apps. "All of the slides, lab notes and sample code have been updated to be compatible with all of the new tools included in Xcode 4."
Zynga, Ngmoco donating to Japan through iOS games
Giant gaming company Zynga has joined the Japanese relief effort by enabling in-game donations in FrontierVille, FarmVille, CityVille and other games. A full 100 percent of the virtual goods' purchase prices will be donated to Tsunami relief, and Zynga is partnering with the Save the Children to raise money for its Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund. Charity-minded players can donate by buying specific virtual goods, like a sweet potato crop in CityVille, a Kobe cow in FrontierVille, radishes in FarmVille and a royal flush for Zynga Poker. Ambitiously, Zynga is aiming to raise US$2 million. Zynga representative Dani Dudeck says the campaign was created in under 24 hours and is their largest charitable campaign to date. This will be the first Zynga.org CityVille initiative. "The recent earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck Japan brought unimaginable devastation and loss to the country and its citizens," says Zynga. "Our collective hearts at Zynga go out to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by this tragedy. Immediately following the earthquake, Save the Children, an organization that Zynga has worked closely with in the past, quickly sprang into action and created the Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund. We at Zynga are grateful that we can offer some assistance to Save the Children by mobilizing our technology, people and amazing community of players to support this organization in providing aid to the children of Japan."
How the iPad 2's gray market works
You may have noticed, as you were queuing for your shiny new iPad 2 over the weekend, that you were surrounded by rather a lot of people of a foreign persuasion. There is, it turns out, a reason for this -- the gray market in selling iPad 2s abroad. Because the latest magical product from Apple came out in the US first, a couple of weeks ahead of the rest of the world, foreign dealers were keen to scoop up as many as they could and quickly ship them overseas to make a killing. M.I.C. Gadget has done an interesting analysis of how the process works. Hong Kong vendors are making a killing -- bottom-of-the-line 16 GB Wi-Fi models sell for over US$1,000, which is more than twice the original price. "Mr. Lo, the 'master' of the gray market in Hong Kong, who distributed hundreds to thousands of iPhone 4s and iPads to China's gray market last year, has already received 200 orders before the launch," they say. He paid eight couriers in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles to hop on planes to Hong Kong after securing about 200 iPads, which he planned to have on sale by March 13. When asked why he can charge more than double for most models, Mr Lo replied, "Apple fanboys are willing to pay our prices to have the iPad 2 earlier. That's how we earn money." [Via CNN]
Chipworks tears down Apple's A5 chip
Your inner (and outer) geek will thank you for checking out Chipworks' teardown of the A5 processor inside the iPad 2. Chipworks confirms that it is, in fact, made by Samsung and not by TSMC despite Apple's new deal with the latter. This may change in the future, however, especially if the A5 features in the next-generation iPhone. The 120 square millimeter processor is more than twice the size of the original iPad's A4 processor (53 square millimeters). While it's still a fairly uncustomized, off-the-shelf version of the A5, its contributions to the impressive performance gains of the new iPad 2 are not to be sneered at. Chipworks says "we have to de-layer the chip down to a level where we can see the block layout of the chip; not an easy thing when there's nine layers of metal!" Sounds like fun. "In fact, these days it's easier to go in from the back and remove the substrate silicon, and look at the gate level from below. Then we can identify the circuit blocks that make up the full device." Don't try this at home, children. [via CrunchGear]
Apple highlights AirPlay apps, but our wishlist is longer
iOS 4.3 is finally with us (along with a flagship device to run it on), and now we're looking forward to seeing our favorite apps start using AirPlay. (Verizon iPhone owners, you'll have to be patient.) Apple has put up a special App Store section to highlight the current crop of AirPlay-friendly apps. It includes some of our favorites like AirVideo and Discovery Channel HD, along with some interesting but unheralded apps (Authentic Yoga with Deepak Chopra and Sony's new movie-lover app My Daily Clip). Oddly, in the first version of the list Apple did not include a marquee app for 4.3 and the iPad 2: iMovie, which does support AirPlay playback. Update: Looks like someone on the App Store team was paying attention, as iMovie now has pride of place at the top of the list. This is a great start, but there are so many possibilities. Here are some of the apps we'd like to see using AirPlay as soon as possible -- let us know yours in the comments below. Slingbox: Stream your TV to your iPad and back to your TV. It sounds daft, but it adds in lots of possibilities when visiting friends or family who don't have your home TV programming. Plus it gives a neat way to remotely control your TV right on your iDevice. PBS for iPad: This one's nice for catching up on shows you've missed. TED for iPad: TED is one of my personal favorite websites, and the iPad app gives access to more than 800 TEDTalk videos from some of the world's smartest people. Its "Inspire Me" button is just right for when you've got 10 minutes with nothing to do apart from improving your mind. Real Racing HD: A favorite with some at TUAW towers, the new iPad 2's added lightness should make playing the game more comfortable -- AirPlay is what it needs to give that big-screen racing thrill. ABC News, CNN, MSNBC and The Daily: These are obvious but useful. NCAA March Madness On Demand: Undoubtedly constrained by licensing agreements (likewise Hulu and other streaming services), but still. Any movie-trailer app, like Movies by Flixter.
iPad 2s selling for silly money...
It's not just Apple that's making a fortune from sales of the new iPad 2 -- some regular punters are raking in the dollars, too. College student Amanda Foote queued for nearly 41 hours for the iPad 2 release at Apple's flagship store in New York, had a stranger eat her doughnuts and slept for a total of 3 hours 10 minutes -- and then sold her number one spot for US$900 to app developer Hazem Sayed who said he needed an iPad 2 for a business trip. Foote says she plans to spend the money on tickets to see Lady Gaga. Ahem. Others in the New York line were being paid $100 to wait for friends, and Craigslist was littered with similar "I'll stand in line for you" offers priced at up to $1000. With shipping delays increasing to 3-4 weeks, others are turning to eBay to get the tablet computer of their dreams and spending up to $4,000 (with free shipping!) for the privilege. The $4,000 auction is for a 64 GB model -- see the image above. Others are trying to sell iPad 2s on eBay for up to $200,000 (including $0.01 shipping), although that looks like one Buy it Now price that may not result in a sale. Others are more realistically asking a $200 premium for most models, promising full availability of all models.
Security firm warns lack of iOS 4.3 update leaves iPhone 3G vulnerable
Security company Sophos is warning iPhone 3G and older iPod touch owners that their devices could be vulnerable to attack following Apple's decision not to make the iOS 4.3 update available to them. In addition to AirPlay improvements and iTunes Home Sharing, the iOS 4.3 update fixes a number of security holes, but it's only available for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, the iPad and more recent iPod touch models. "[I]f you have an earlier iPhone or iPod touch your device is probably vulnerable to attacks which exploit these security holes, and there is no official patch available for you to protect yourself. That's bad news for the many people who still have an iPhone 3G, for instance," says Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos. The security fixes are detailed in an Apple knowledgebase article. They protect against maliciously-crafted TIFF image files, which could be used to run malicious code on your device, as well as fixing many memory corruption issues in WebKit, the basis of the Safari web browser. Sophos warns this could lead to unauthorised code being executed. Although none of these exploits have been found in the wild so far, owners of older Apple devices are still potentially vulnerable. "If you were looking for an excuse to upgrade your iPhone or iPod touch, maybe you've just been given a good one by Apple," says Cluley. "But if you were happy with your iPhone 3G, I doubt you're feeling too good about having to reach into your pocket." [Via Computer Weekly]
OWC introduces 8 GB RAM modules for 2011 MacBooks
If, like many who've just purchased one of the brand new MacBook Pros released last week, you still have US$1,600 rattling around in your change purse, OWC have just the thing for you - a pair of 8 GB SODIMMs. A 16 GB memory upgrade is just what you need to give your shiny new MacBook the oomph it really needs. Even though Apple says the new machines have an 8 GB upper memory limit, OWC says its testing confirms the MacBooks can use 16 GB of RAM. Larry O'Connor, founder and CEO of Other World Computing said, "Our initial confirmed results, using the same 'diglloydMedium' CS5 testing parameters employed by macperformanceguide.com, reveals a nearly 50% performance improvement with 16 GB of RAM installed vs. the factory maximum of 8 GB. This upgrade truly lets owners of the latest MacBook Pro models unleash the power of their machine with performance approaching that only previously available in Apple desktop and tower models." Those with slightly shallower pockets can go for the 12 GB upgrade, a mere $879.99. [via MacStories]
Certain USB hubs could cause system instability on Macs
Stumble up to your Mac first thing in the morning, tap the keyboard to wake it up and -- what? I incorrectly disconnected my Time Machine backup drive? I never touched it, I swear! Turns out, this is not my fault for once. Apple has just released a support note explaining how, in a certain combination of circumstances, third-party USB hubs may incorrectly disconnect after wake from sleep, causing system instability. Basically, if you have a third-party USB hub that doesn't wake properly, is connected via another USB hub, and you wake your computer with an external USB mouse or keyboard, voilà, system instability. So waking my MacBook Pro by tapping the Space bar on my Microsoft USB keyboard (wait... OK, I see the problem here) is enough, sometimes, to make my Time Machine drive choke. The solution Apple offers: connect all USB input devices directly to a USB port on the computer, wake it by pressing the power button instead of waggling the mouse or tapping the USB keyboard connected via a third-party USB hub, and connect USB storage devices directly to a USB port on the computer to prevent third-party USB hubs from affecting them. All I need now is for the next version of the MacBook Pro to have about 17 USB ports. [via ZDNet]
Verizon, AT&T iPhones load web pages at same rate, firm reports
Verizon's network may reach areas that AT&T doesn't, but people stuck with AT&T have told themselves at least AT&T's data network is faster. While this is indeed the case, it doesn't make web pages load any faster on AT&T than on Verizon, according to a phone testing firm. Metrico Wireless confirmed that data speeds on Verizon's CDMA network are indeed just half those on AT&T's network, but that this made no difference when it came to browsing the Web. Users will only notice the difference if they're downloading large files on their iPhones. Verizon boasts that its network is more reliable than AT&T's, and Metrico's testing confirmed this. But, without revealing exact percentages, the firm said that the difference in terms of dropped or unconnected calls wasn't that great. Metrico tested with 4,000 calls and 10,000 web page downloads in New York, Seattle, Washington, Baltimore, Chicago and Dallas and surprisingly found that the Verizon iPhone was 10 percent less reliable than the AT&T model when downloading a file in a moving vehicle.
iPhone app helps the blind ID currency
Identifying different denominations of dollar bills has long been a problem for the sight-impaired in the US. A US$1 bill is the same size and shape as a $100 bill, making them hard to differentiate. Many use techniques like folding different bills into different shapes, but this doesn't help when receiving change in a store. LookTel now has an app called Money Reader for the iPhone 4/3GS and fourth-generation iPod touch which will check bills and speak their values out loud. LookTel says its Money Reader can use the iPhone's camera to "read" currency and speak its value aloud in real time, and the app doesn't need an internet connection. It currently recognises $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills, and it costs $2 from the App Store. The Treasury Department was ordered last year to change US currency to make it easier for the blind and partially-sighted to identify it -- other countries make their notes different sizes and shapes to help with this -- but until then, this could be a big help.
EightBit goes HTML5 for SXSW
Sure, Foursquare is fun if you like that sort of thing (me, I'm too embarrassed to show my friends that I barely leave the house, let alone reveal to them where I go when I do drag myself out of my pit). But really, what you want to have is not just more fun than Foursquare offers -- you want twice as much fun. Right? And not just a cool badge or something but Cash, cold hard cash for playing the game. Right? So enter EightBit, the all-new location-based game that's going to take the mobile HTML5-space by storm just in time for SXSW. Like Foursquare it's a location-based check-in app, but instead of getting mere badges and mayorships you can win coins which, right now, just let you keep score. But eventually you'll be able to buy virtual goods in the game, and buy more coins using micro-payments. The company has planned a virtual scavenger hunt for five NES-style game cartridges (8-bit - geddit?) to coincide with SXSW in (virtual) Austin starting this weekend. Play the game, create an avatar, check in and you could win a 250 GB hard disc. [via TechCrunch]
iPad stand on Kickstarter is for the bathroom
Go on. Admit it. Where do you use your iPad the most? Sure, instead of watching TV. Yup, while saving lives as a doctor. But we're being honest here, you're among friends, so we know that the real answer is -- in the can. And because we all know this is the truth, why not throw a few bucks into Meglio's Kickstarter project to fund their new iPad stand designed to make it easier to do just that. It'll allow you to keep your hands free for -- well, whatever it is you do with your hands while you're comfortably seated on the throne, and allow you to watch a movie or read an ebook while keeping your precious iPad free of coliform bacteria. Add a cupholder and you're set for the day.
Roxio's Toast 11 offers improved import, iLife browsing, more
Everyone's favorite media toolkit, CD- DVD- and (heretical) Blu-Ray burner and breakfast food (apart from porridge) has turned the volume knob up to 11 with the latest version of Roxio's Toast. The update aims to allow you to take more or less any piece of media in any format and transform it to use on almost any device anywhere you like. Toast 11 has been re-designed from the ground up with a new interface which, say Roxio, "we believe users will find modern and intuitive." There's a new tutorials section with videos and step-by-step PDFs to guide you through Toast's sometimes impenetrable interface, new presets for producing video in a suitable format to watch on your iPhone, among other devices, and 'Videoboost' to speed up H.264 video conversion. "Toast 11 adds many requested features such as recording to multiple drives simultaneously, a streamlined product update mechanism, and the ability to save custom video profiles, which is very useful for those that are often converting video for a particular device," says Roxio. "The latest version now also offers built-in features for directly uploading media to social networking sites such as YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook." Other new features include the ability to capture, save, and convert Web-based video content, disc spanning, one-click backup of HD camcorder footage and TiVo-to-Go support. [via MacUpdate]
Rumor: iPhone 5 to have 64 GB?
Recently-revealed engineering samples of iPhone 4s have been found to have 64 GB of memory -- see picture above from Unwire, and this M.I.C. Gadget story -- showing that there's no physical reason why the iPhone 5 couldn't have this much memory. The iPad 2 has already been criticised for sticking with the earlier version's 64 GB limit, and releasing an iPhone 5 with the earlier model's 32 GB limit would be bound to increase the complaints. Previous speculation about the 32 GB limitation on the iPhone's memory capacity centered on lack of physical space, production capacity and cost. With capacity due to almost double this year and prices falling, it looks like the third barrier may now have fallen if Apple can secure enough supplies. The 64 GB engineering samples are very similar to the (in)famous Gizmodo iPhone 4 from last year (with a similar serial number) and appear to date to early 2010, showing that it was indeed constraints other than physical ones which kept Apple from releasing an increased-capacity iPhone 4. It was apparently obtained from sources at Apple manufacturer Foxconn rather than on the Hong Kong grey markets - you can watch a video of it in action here. Update: Engadget spotted a 64 GB iPhone prototype in Hong Kong's Sin Tak shopping mall. Upon investigation it appears as though it was made in 2010 but the serial numbers were invalid. Perhaps if prices on memory drop the iPhone 5 could still sport a higher capacity. [via MacRumors]
Apple selects Taiwan's TSMC to produce its A5 chip
Apple is reported to have inked a deal with Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC to produce the A5 dual-core chip for the iPad 2, in a substantial blow to former producer Samsung. TSMC was apparently chosen over Samsung because tests showed it was consistently producing the chips more efficiently at 40 nanometers than was Samsung at 45 nanometers. It had the most capacity and highest yields in each batch. There are now suggestions that the deal between Apple and TSMC could stretch into the future, with the Taiwanese company producing the next generation of 28 nanometer quad-core chips. Samsung made the A4 chip in the original iPad along with the processor for the iPhone, but as a competitor producing the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab, it's probably in Apple's interests to move away from Samsung if Apple feared the company would give production priority to its own devices in the future. Apple still depends on Samsung for the majority of the flash memory it uses in iPads, iPhones and iPods, but it has switched manufacturing partners in the past when it sees a commercial or technological advantage. [via Electronista]
iPhone 4 officially coming to Korea's SK Telecom on March 16
SK Telecom has now set March 16 as the date for its launch of the iPhone 4 in Korea. After revealing earlier this year that it was to finally sell the iPhone 4 in addition to rival network KT corp, Korea's largest wireless carrier confirmed in a press release that pre-registrations opened March 9. "SK Telecom is proud to offer iPhone 4 on the nation's top network," said So Jin-Woo, President of Platform Business and co-CEO of SK Telecom. "Our customers will benefit from flexible tariff plans tailored to their unique usage needs along with a high level of customer care." Rival KT corp has thus far enjoyed exclusive sales of the iPhone, starting with the 3GS in late 2009 and selling more than a million units. SK Telecom hasn't yet confirmed whether it will be offering the CDMA or GSM version of the iPhone 4, although GSM seems most likely at the moment. [via AppleInsider]
Making custom alert sounds for your Mac
When you're fed up with your Mac telling you it's not about to open the pod bay doors and wondering if, Dave, you really want to do that, you may want to think about making some custom sounds for it yourself. And as luck would have it, there's a great tutorial on how to do just that over at Macworld. The article looks at both recording your own sounds and using GarageBand to convert your sound files, and how to add the resulting sounds to your system. The article walks you through capturing your own sounds using a microphone and QuickTime Player in Snow Leopard, including how to get rid of initial pauses and the sound of you clicking your mouse at the end of the recording. It goes on to discuss how to convert your recordings to the AIFF format needed for system sounds in OS X using iTunes or GarageBand, and then it explains how to insert the sounds into your system and attach them to specific events. Again, it's a nice tutorial that we recommend you check out. Have fun.