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iOS 5.0.1 now available for download (Updated)
The first update to iOS 5 is now available for download. iOS 5.0.1 has been released, and will be making its appearance on your iOS devices shortly. To install the update, launch the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap General, and then open Software Update. If the update has made it to your part of the world, you'll be able to do an OTA (over-the-air) update of your device without resorting to the old method of syncing it to your Mac or PC. Here's what Apple says the update will do for your device: iOS 5.0.1 Software Update This update contains improvements and other bug fixes including: • Fixes bugs affecting battery life • Adds Multitasking Gestures for original iPad • Resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud • Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation Products compatible with this software update: • iPhone 4S • iPhone 4 • iPhone 3GS • iPad 2 • iPad • iPod touch (4th generation) • iPod touch (3rd generation) For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222 Update: Here are direct links for downloading the update if you're anxious to get the jump on the iOS 5.0.1 update (courtesy of Macstories.net): iOS 5.0.1 build number 9A405 iPhone 3GS iPhone 4 GSM iPhone 4 CDMA iPhone 4S iPad iPad 2 (also iPad 2 AT&T and iPad 2 Verizon) iPod touch 3rd gen iPod touch 4th gen
Apple releases iOS 5.0.1, fixes bugs plaguing battery life and document syncing
Get ready to fire up iTunes and plug in that iOS device, because Apple's just released iOS 5.0.1. The release notes are identical to the two beta releases, which include fixing bugs relating to battery life and document syncing, while also re-enabling app switching gestures that developers previously had access to on the original iPad. And for those down under, voice recognition has apparently been improved when dictating with an Aussie accent. Those not interested in the 790MB download from iTunes, can look for a 44.6MB delta -- including only the changes -- from their device Settings. You'll find photographic evidence of the latter after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Auto-complete keyboard found in iOS 5
It seems iOS 5 is full of hidden "gems" (aka features Apple didn't deem worthy of making publicly available yet), like the earlier panorama camera stitching feature. This time, hacker Sonny Dickson found an Android-like word suggestion bar tucked away in iOS 5. Personally I'm not a huge fan of these, but some people feel it speeds up typing and is helpful. I think it takes up too much real estate and looks clunky. There are instructions on how to enable this, and just like enabling the panorama mode you'll be using iBackupBot to ensure you don't louse anything up permanently, then editing a plist file in your Library. In our brief testing we found the feature crashed Notes and Mail, and wouldn't show up in Safari, indicating it probably only works in Text Views, not Text Fields (like the Safari URL field). Neat, but is it really necessary? Let us know in the comments if you'll be enabling this feature on your iPhone or iPad.
Auto-suggestion keyboard found hiding inside iOS 5
The panoramic camera mode isn't the only thing to be unearthed from within iOS 5. A familiar-looking predictive typing option has been unlocked by iOS tinkerer, Sonny Dickson, who tweeted several shots of the new keyboard in action. Like the rough-around-the-edges panorama mode, jail-breaking isn't necessary, requiring only the iBackupBot program to tweak your configuration settings. Tick yes to Library/Preferences/com.apple.keyboard.plist, and you're away. We'd advise speed-typing obsessives to back up their devices to iTunes first, naturally.
iOS 5's panorama enabled with backup hackery, jailbreak not required
Did you want in on iOS 5's hidden panorama feature, but weren't down with the whole jailbreak shindig? You're in luck, because RedmondPie found a roundabout solution. All interested parties need is an iTunes backup, a little elbow grease and a program called iBackupBot. That last item will allow you to bust open your device backup, where you'll find a preference file that needs an "EnableFirebreak" value changed from "false" to "true." Once that's done, a quick restore is all that stands between you and some epic panoramic vistas, bro. A full step-by-step guide awaits you at the source, just triple check that backup's recent before you obliterate and restore, okay? [Thanks, Brian]
Siri ported to iPhone 3GS, likes to kick it old school
Still clutching that 3GS in a jealous rage over your iPhone 4 and 4S toting mates who've been hooking up with Siri? Qwell your anger, friends, as iOS 5's favorite sidekick has been successfully ported to a 3GS by the same hacking pros (Steven Troughton-Smith included) that got her going on the 4 and iPod touch. Not only does Siri work on the older model iPhone, but the device also is able to connect to Apple servers. Take look at the video to see the action for yourself as we wait for our 3G to help us find the best waffle in Kansas. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Jailbreakers unearth hidden panorama mode in iOS 5 camera app
Somewhere deep within the bowels of iOS 5 lurks a panoramic camera function, and hacker Conrad Kramer has unlocked it. The trick, according to Kramer (AKA Conradev), is to set the "EnableFirebreak" key to "Yes" within an iOS preference file. Alternatively, you could just grab fellow hacker Grant Paul's Firebreak tweak, which just hit the Cydia storefront this morning. Once installed on your jailbroken phone, Firebreak will allow you to take full panoramic shots directly from the iOS interface, as pictured above in Paul's screenshot. No word yet on if or when Apple plans on flipping this function live, but in the meantime, you can check out the links below for more details. [Thanks, Charlie]
Panorama mode for camera found buried within iOS 5 code
Numerous third-party camera apps already exist on the App Store which allow users to stitch together multiple photos into a panoramic image. 360 Panorama is the best example I can think of, and it does a really good job of creating panoramas from multiple images. It seems Apple considered including photographic panorama functions in iOS 5 but hasn't made them available to end users -- at least not without tweaks. Developer Conrad Kramer found the code for panorama functions buried within iOS 5 and posted a series of screenshots on Twitter in addition to the finished panorama above. According to Kramer, iOS developers can enable panorama functions in iOS 5 by setting "Enable FireBreak" to "Yes" in com.apple.mobileslideshow.plist. Non-developers with jailbroken phones can instead download chpwn's "Firebreak" from Cydia when it becomes available. It's not 100 percent clear why Apple didn't include this panorama function in iOS 5's public release. It's difficult to judge how well Apple's own solution works from a single panoramic photograph, but it certainly doesn't look as impressive as the panoramas that 360 Panorama generates. [via MacStories]
Charlie Miller's latest iOS hack gets into the App Store, gets him tossed out (video)
This isn't the first brush Apple's iOS platform has had with apps that exploit security holes to run unsigned code, but according to the developer of InstaStock, this may be the first to get a security researcher booted from its developer program. Charlie Miller shared his discovery with Forbes earlier today, showing off an app which successfully made it through Apple's approval process despite packing the ability to download and run unsigned code. That could allow a malicious app to access user data or activate hardware features remotely. Apple pulled the app after the findings were published, and according to Miller, revoked his developer access shortly afterward for what seems to be a clear violation of the guidelines. He told CNET that he alerted Apple to the exploit three weeks ago, however it's unknown whether or not a fix for the problem is included in the new 5.0.1 version of iOS that's currently in testing. He'll be explaining his method in more detail next week at SysCan, but until the hole is confirmed closed we'd probably keep a tight leash on our app store browsing. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Refresh Roundup: week of October 31, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout attips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates LG's got plenty of Gingerbread coming to its premier Optimus devices, beginning with unbranded models in Europe. This week, the Optimus 2X began rolling out. The week of November 21st will be the timeframe for owners of the Optimus 3D, and the Optimus Black is expected to get its dose of Android 2.3 beginning the week of November 28th. [Facebook] A Motorola Droid Bionic bug fix update is expected within one to two months, according to a post on the Motorola Owners Forums. [Phandroid] The original Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Tab (y'know, the first seven-incher) should now be bestowing gifts of Gingerbread -- Android 2.3.5 -- upon its users. It aims to improve the front-facing camera, power management and device security. [Droid-Life] Extra security is to be had on Rogers' HTC EVO 3D, as version 1.20.631.3 is ready to download. This is the security fix which HTC has been working on for the past month. Additionally, it increases performance and fixes a force close issue. [MobileSyrup] Gingerbread has arrived on the Samsung Galaxy S... on Cellcom of Wisconsin. Yep, the regional carrier's offering up improved battery life, miscellaneous performance enhancements and download management. [AndroidCentral] The ASUS Transformer's nabbing a maintenance release known as 8.6.5.18. Along with the usual list of bug fixes, it also adds app backup support. [Droid-Life] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery HTC made kernel source available for the Rhyme, myTouch 4G, Jetstream, Sensation XE and XL, EVO 4G+ and the Thunderbolt. [AndroidCentral] Samsung Galaxy Nexus boot, recovery and system dumps are now available. [AndroidCentral] Also, the Motorola Droid RAZR's been rooted. [Droid-Life] The LG Optimus 3D's much-awaited Gingerbread update (Android 2.3.5) is expected to roll out on November 21st, but it's already been leaked via XDA. As a disclaimer, the build -- as it currently stands -- has been reported to be rather unstable. Once it does officially arrive in stable form, it promises HSPA+ support for speeds up to 21Mbps as well as a few other video enhancements. [AndroidCentral] An XDA forum member has compiled a manual root method for the Motorola Atrix 2. [AndroidCentral] Other platforms The HTC Freestyle, an AT&T-branded BrewMP device, has a ROM update up for grabs. It doesn't specify what exactly has been enhanced, but make sure to back up all of your data before updating. [HTC] Along with the latest beta of iOS 5.0.1 comes its obligatory Redsn0w jailbreak, version 0.9.9b8. [Redmond Pie] Refreshes we covered this week Which devices will get Ice Cream Sandwich? Apple seeds iOS 5.0.1 beta 2 to developers Apple confirms iOS5 bugs causing battery drain, promises fix in a few weeks webOS 3.0.5 clues point to integrated Twitter, better TouchPad performance Sony Ericsson brings gesture input to Xperia line
Deep dive: Aperture and Photo Stream, how do they work?
I'm a bit of a shutterbug, so Photo Stream is something I was really interested in when it was announced as part of iOS 5's feature set way back in June. Frictionless, automated sending of photos from my phone to my computer? Sign me up! Of course, as is too often the case with Apple, the nitty gritty of how this would work wasn't explained in any detail -- particularly for Aperture, which often takes a back seat to iPhoto when Apple is showing off its apps. Hopefully, this article will answer all your questions about how these two products interact. If not, please leave a comment pointing out what I've overlooked. Before we start, some basic housekeeping. Photo Stream isn't going to appear in your Aperture at all if you don't first upgrade to v3.2. You'll also need OS X 10.7.2 or later, and iOS 5 on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. You'll also need to go to the iCloud pane in your System Preferences and make sure that "Photo Stream" is ticked (thanks to commenter 'kootenayredneck' for the reminder). If you've done all that, you're all set. Accessing Photo Stream within Aperture This is Photo Stream's marquee feature: snap a photo with your iOS device and have it show up on your Mac. It's easy to do, though it comes with one small wrinkle. In Aperture, go into Preferences | Photo Stream and tick the appropriate boxes. The caveat is that you can only have Photo Stream active for iPhoto or Aperture, not both at once. Turning it on in one app turns it off in the other. With that setting in place, a Photo Stream entry should appear in your Aperture Library list. Clicking on this will show you all the photos in your Photo Stream, which you can look through. You can't make any edits, however, until you import them into your library: Clicking "import photo" brings the photo into your library and allows you to do all the usual range of Aperture adjustments to it. Note that the Photo Stream implementation on your iOS devices will only be active when they are connected to a Wi-Fi network. If you only have cellular 3G access, no photos will be transferred in either direction. However, don't forget that tethering creates a Wifi network. In a pinch, you could use an iPhone to create a tethered network and connect a second iOS device to it. That would give the second device full Photo Stream access. Note also that "Automatic Import" means Aperture is constantly copying Photo Stream pictures to your Aperture library. It creates a series of Projects, one per month. As long as you start Aperture at least once per month and once per 1000 photos, this guarantees you can never lose a photo placed in Photo Stream. Non-destructive editing Here's a neat trick that isn't immediately obvious. If you take a photo on the iPhone and use the new built-in photo editing features of iOS 5, when you bring the photo over to Aperture the edits are preserved as edits, in the usual Aperture master-and-version-file manner. So you can choose to change them as you please, perhaps replacing iOS's rather crude "enhance" wizard with Aperture's fine-grained adjustments. I would very much like to see this functionality available to third-party devs. It'd be great if the likes of Instagram and Camera+ were able to save clean copies of their filtered output without cluttering up your camera roll with duplicate versions. Of course, as those filters aren't directly comparable to Aperture's, that would only be possible via a single image file that is basically just two JPGs stuck together -- whereas I imagine the native Photos app is doing something more sophisticated. Putting photos into Photo Stream from within Aperture By default, when the third checkbox in my first screen grab above is ticked, all new photos imported into Aperture are automatically added to the Photo Stream by default. More on this "feature" in a second. If you untick that box, you can still manually choose to add specific versions by dragging and dropping them within Aperture to the Photo Stream entry in the navigation tree. However, before you go adding files en masse, remember that by default everything in the Photo Stream is going to be downloaded to all your iOS devices; that there's no way to delete images from Photo Stream except for a full purge; and that Photo Stream only deletes images when it's holding more than 1000 pictures or after 30 days. This can add to create quite a headache. It means that if you pull 400 1.5 MB JPG shots into Aperture, it's going to immediately upload 6 GB 600 MB of data to iCloud. If you're not on fast, unmetered Internet, that could be at best inconvenient (as it'll choke your Internet connection up for a prolonged period) and at worst expensive (if you go over your ISP's bandwidth cap). It's then going to download all of those photos, albeit at an "optimised resolution" to each of your iOS devices, exacerbating the problem. Testing on my iPhone 4 and iPad showed that Photo Stream optimised images are around 500 KB each. Continuing our example, then, if you have an iPhone and an iPad that's a further 4 GB 200 MB download for 10 GB 800MB of bandwidth used overall. (Thanks to commenter 'IhatePundits' for catching the mistakes in my mathematics.) This can also lead to problems with your iOS devices running out of disk space, which then has knock on effects that can start deleting app data you wanted. Overall, it's probably a good idea to leave "automatically upload imports to Photo Stream" to the iPhoto-using casual shooters. I'd go so far as to question Apple's decision to enable this feature by default in Aperture. RAW files and Photo Stream The problems with Photo Stream and bandwidth start to look much worse when you examine how it handles RAW files. According to the Aperture documentation, how RAW interacts with Photo Stream isn't immediately obvious -- but it is very important that you understand it. If you send a RAW file from Aperture to Photo Stream -- either automatically via the "import all" checkbox, or manually -- and if that RAW file has no edits applied, then it's the full-sized original RAW that ends up in Photo Stream. On the other hand, if it has had edits applied then Photo Stream ends up holding a JPG copy instead. This surprising handling also applies to RAW files imported to the iPad via the Camera Connection Kit. This is a common workflow for me when I am travelling, as I typically do not bring a laptop. Several times a day, I import all the images from my cameras into my iPad, partly for proofing but also partly for backup purposes. It's not unusual for me to shoot 15-20 GB of photos on a week long vacation (I'm very much a statistical photographer). With Photo Stream enabled, this means I'll be choking up the hotel's Internet connection for hours on end as well as making my iPad run slowly as it manages the upload process in a background task I cannot control or suspend. In my experience, hotel Wi-Fi isn't either the fastest or most reliable, so this could become quite hard to manage. Even at home, if you're on metered Internet, you could easily (and accidentally) chew through multiple gigabytes of your bandwidth allocation. Note, however, that as Apple states here, RAW files (like full resolution JPGs) are never delivered to iOS devices. If you put a RAW file onto the iPad or if you tell Aperture to add one to Photo Stream, it's an around-500-KB optimised JPG that ends up synced onto the other iOS devices. Most irritating of all is it is that unlike in Aperture, the Photo Stream option for iOS doesn't have a "download all photos but do not automatically upload new ones" option. It's on/off only. So I have to micro-manage the setting depending on whether I'm using my iPad to import photos from my camera en masse (in which case I want it disabled) or work with iPhone snapshots (when it has to be enabled). There's also a subtle interaction with the "automatic import" setting in Aperture. Files brought in like this are managed copies, i.e. with the master file living inside the Aperture library. If (like me) you maintain your Aperture library file on a small laptop drive and use external reference masters held on a network share or a larger external drive, then allowing Aperture to import a lot of RAWs through Photo Stream may cause you to suddenly run out of room on your laptop's drive. Now, it's only fair of me to note that if you are in the luxurious position of not caring about upstream Internet bandwidth, then there is an significant upside to this -- cloud-based backup of your photos. Even if you managed to lose your camera, your memory cards, and your iPad, up to 1000 RAW files are still safely in Photo Stream ready to be pulled into Aperture when you get home. There's definitely perks to this system, I just wish Apple had given the end users a little more control because we don't all live in Infinite Bandwidth Land. Remember also that Photo Stream storage does not come out of your main iCloud disk space allocation (the 5 GB you get free or any extra you pay for). That's admirably generous of Apple -- a full stream of RAW files could easily be 10-20 GB depending on your camera. Photo Stream and Apple IDs One final note. I've seen a few professional photographers around the web getting excited about using Photo Stream as a sort of low-rent proofing service -- for example, to consolidate work from multiple cameras tethered to laptops onto a single workstation back at the office where another member of staff is compiling picks in real time, or for a supervisor to keep an eye on pictures taken on a shoot in real time. Remember that for this to work well, you're going to need a lot of bandwidth at the shooting site -- particularly upstream bandwidth, which is often not that fast on low-end and medium range Internet connections. It also requires all the different devices and Aperture installs to be connected to the same Apple ID. Depending on the setup you are contemplating, that might not matter at all, or it could be a significant limitation.
US Cellular: we don't need no stinkin' iPhone
Dost a company actually dare turn down the seductive wiles of the iPhone? As a matter of fact, there is at least one US carrier that has the audacity to say no to Tim Cook's face: US Cellular. During her company's quarterly earnings call, CEO Mary Dillon mentioned that the mobile provider was given the opportunity to sell the iPhone, but Apple's "terms were unacceptable" when considering the risk and profitability involved. It's bad news for anyone on US Cellular that was remotely interested in grabbing one; the good news, however, is that the fact the opportunity was even available -- paired with C-Spire's intentions of selling the devices next week -- will at least give hope to customers of the little guys. Cricket? Cincinnati Bell? Who's up next? [Thanks, Cliff]
Apple seeds iOS 5.0.1 Beta 2 to developers
Coming roughly two days after releasing the first iOS 5.0.1 beta, Apple has pushed a second version of the beta to developers, presumably as the company works to correct battery issues with devices running iOS 5. MacRumors states this version is build 9A404 and is available as an over-the-air update for those with iOS 5.0.1's first beta installed.
Apple seeds iOS 5.0.1 beta 2 to developers, beta 1 was so yesterday...
If you downloaded yesterdays iOS 5 beta you might want to check that iPhone / iPad / iPod touch for an OTA update. No word on what's new in 9A404 -- a mere two builds from yesterdays 9A402 -- but the updated build should still bring solace to those suffering from battery-drain issues. We're getting errors trying to download the developer notes, but we'll update if we find anything new or noteworthy. [Thanks, Haseeb]
Sky mobile apps on the way include Movies channel companion for iOS, Go for Android
Back in June,the UK's Sky TV said we would see an Android version of its mobile viewing Sky Go app, and while it may not have arrived in time to fall back (in Europe, don't ask us to explain DST around the world, it makes our heads hurt) the company says it's still on track. Telling Tech-Radar the app is still due "in the coming months", Sky has already indicated in a recent earnings report that it has more than 1.6 million viewers of its aggregated mobile VOD on iOS. Speaking of, iOS users will be getting a new app designed to work alongside the Sky Movies channel. It can show what movies are on the channel at the moment, schedule recordings, display info on movies in theaters, and even launch streaming flicks in the Sky Go app when it hits iTunes next week. The screenshot above gives a hint of what it will look like and expect more like it -- the company plans more individualized companion apps that work together, as opposed to the all-in-one approach of a DirecTV or TiVo.
Eight cool ways to dine with Siri
Steve Sande and I have been collaborating on "Talking to Siri," an ebook that just recently hit the Kindle store. It's a how-to that helps you get the most done with your Siri intelligent assistant. We're sharing some of our favorite tips with TUAW readers. Today, we're looking at Siri's ability to help you pick a place to eat, meet up with friends, and calculate your total at the end. Without further ado, here are eight ways Siri can help you dine. Find restaurants. Tell Siri, "I'm in the mood for Ethiopian food," or ask "What is the best Ethiopian food in Denver?" If you ask more generally, as in the first statement, Siri looks for business near you, sorted by distance: "I found 15 Ethiopian restaurants. 10 of them are fairly close to you." If you search the city as a whole, Siri sorts by Yelp rating: "I've found 15 Ethiopian restaurants. I've sorted them by rating." Get directions. Once you've decided on a restaurant, tell Siri, "How do I get to 'Queen of Sheba.'" Siri replies, "Here are directions to Queen of Sheba," transferring you to the Google Maps application, with suggested routes laid out. Meet up with friends. Ask Siri, "Where is Steve Sande?" Siri uses Find My Friends to see where Steve is -- hopefully on the way to meet up with you and not too far away. Remember, you must log into your Find My Friends account to use this query. Your authenticated session will last for a good long time once you do so. Understand the menu. Curious about something on the menu? Want to learn more before you order? Say, "Search for Ethiopian Injeera on the Web." Siri doesn't handle foreign phrases as well as you might hope, but Google does very good "Did you mean?" analysis, and can help you move from Siri's interpretation to a solid web search about oddball food items. Calculate sales tax. Once you've eaten, say, "How much is $18.95 plus Denver sales tax?" Siri uses the local city rate to add it to your tab. Add a tip. A simple Siri request returns a list of tip amounts including 10%, 15%, 18%, 20% and 25% of a given total. Say, "What is tip on $20.41?" You can also say "What is an 18% tip on $86.74 for four people?" in case you want to split the bill. Find a dessert place nearby. Say, "Where can we go for dessert?" Siri searches through Yelp reviews to find mentions of desserts and lists them (along with their reviews) sorted by proximity. "I've found a number of restaurants whose reviews mention desserts fairly close to you." Get home safely. Once you're done with your evening, tell Siri, "Take me home." Siri provides directions to your home address. If you say, "I'm drunk," Siri will find you taxi cab listings to help you travel in a safe and responsible manner.
iOS 5.0.1 beta seeded to developers, battery life fixes and multitasking gestures in tow
Well that didn't take long. After officially commenting on iOS 5's battery woes, Apple's gone and issued a beta of iOS 5.0.1 for developers to help fix the flaw. Per the changelog, build 9A402 fixes bugs relating to battery life and iCloud document syncing, improves voice recognition for Aussies and re-enables multitasking gestures on the original iPad. That last item is of particular interest to iPad devs, who had their ability to enable four-finger gestures unceremoniously yanked by Apple in iOS 5's final release. We welcome these goodies with open arms, but here's hoping universal Siri support comes in iOS 5.0.2. Update: According to 9to5Mac, the iPad 2's Smart Cover passcode vulnerability has also been fixed. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Apple confirms iOS 5 bugs causing battery drain, promises a fix 'in a few weeks'
Anecdotal reports have been pouring in since iOS 5 landed that battery life had suddenly dropped off on some people's iPhones. A full 15-percent of you who responded to our poll reported suffering from the issue. Now Apple has officially confirmed that several bugs are negatively affecting battery life. In a statement given to All Things D the Cupertino company acknowledged the problem and said it would "release a software update to address those [bugs] in a few weeks." In recent days the complaints in both the Apple forums and our own tips box have reached a deafening volume but, sadly, Apple isn't offering any temporary work arounds or advice for those constantly attached to a charger. So there you go folks -- Apple is working on it. You're the patient type, right? Update: Well, iOS 5.0.1 Beta, which includes the aforementioned bug fixes, just landed for devs. So Apple isn't just working on it, they've fixed it... theoretically. Lets hope this test run is a bit shorter than expected.
Apple promises fix for iOS 5 battery issues, releases iOS 5.0.1 beta
Apple has just confirmed with All Things Digital that it is aware of the battery issues some iPhone owners have noticed under iOS 5 and is working on a fix. "A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices. We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks." According to MacStories, Aapple has also just released a beta of iOS 5.0.1 to developers. We haven't had a chance to check this out yet to see if this update fixes the battery life issues that some iPhone users have reported, but the timing of the beta release seems a bit too coincidental for this not to be the case. If you've been experiencing unusual battery drain in iOS 5 and the 5.0.1 beta fixes it for you, let us know in the comments.
Siri driving iPhone 4S sales
One compelling feature of the iPhone 4S is Siri, the new voice control assistant that has taken iOS by storm. The technology powering Siri was acquired by Apple in early 2010 and lets users interact with their phone using voice control and natural language commands. According to analysts, customers are so interested in Siri. So much so that they are passing on the $99 iPhone 4, which does not offer Siri, and upgrading to the $199 iPhone 4S just to get the voice assistant. Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu says, "Talking to industry sources, what's driving the 4S is better than expected reception of its new Siri software." Wu is so optimistic about the iPhone 4S that he predicts Apple will sell a record-breaking 26 million iPhones in this holiday quarter. It's not surprising that people are enthralled by Siri. The voice assistant can help owners send text messages, schedule appointments and set alarms merely by talking to their phones. Siri is also programmed with a sense of humor and can be as amusing as it is helpful. And though it's not perfect, the voice assistant represents a jump in technology and is better than the voice control systems found on competing mobile platforms.
