Ios4
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Apple rolling iBooks out across iOS 4 devices, get your Winnie the Pooh now
No shock and awe here, Apple's already given us plenty of warnings, but we thought we'd drop you a friendly note to say that if you've upgraded to iOS 4 early, your copy of Winnie the Pooh is flying at you right this minute. Tipsters point out that they get a notification encouraging them to download the heretofore iPad-exclusive iBooks app, though they're finding they have to do it via their desktop iTunes client rather than over the air. Ah well, Apple's probably being extra cautious with moving those big wooden bookshelves into the smaller dimensions of your iPhone or iPod touch. We've not been able to get the app running on our iPhone 3G, so perhaps this is another of those features you're not going to be able to enjoy on older hardware -- we hope it's just us though. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Exclusive: mDialog Ad Developers' Toolkit for iOS 4 and iPad
If you've got video you're looking to put on the web and monetize, but you want to make sure said video is a) compatible with the iPad and iPhone and b) is nice and secure and c) is easy to deploy and can run ads based on a variety of criteria, then mDialog has a way. In fact, the company's Ad Developer's Toolkit is a complete solution for running ads and streaming video -- and running ads in the video. mDialog will put ads in streaming live video or prerecorded segments on your site, and give you stats and measurements on those videos. Plus, those videos can be seen on the iPad and iPhone. mDialog provides some snazzy tools to help you view metrics and control distribution of your videos and ads. I spoke to Greg Philpott, CEO of mDialog, about the analytics side of the equation, and you can see the video of that conversation above. Later Greg showed me how you can easily toggle ads on your video to be pre-roll, post-roll or in the body of the video itself. Greg also demoed the ability to limit your ads to a specific geographic area. You simply enable the control and click on where you'd like to target the ad. It's quite simple and cool to be able to control your ads so easily. mDialog is "Video as a Service" and is fully compatible with HTML5. They've baked-in security to protect your content (using AES-128), and you can control how your video is distributed and how ads run within it. Some of the security options: you could limit the dates available for a video, have ads run a certain number of times for a viewer (capping the number of views per person) or in certain locations only. All of this stuff is easily tracked with pie charts and maps. I have to say it's an elegant product and a compelling service for anyone wanting to get into the video biz -- especially on Apple's mobile devices.
iOS 4 gold works with any compatible iPhone / iPod touch via iTunes 9.2, jailbreak also updated
Want to get your hands on an iOS 4-equipped device now without being a registered Apple developer? As a number of readers have pointed out, it seems yesterday's gold build release works on any applicable iPhone / iPod touch whether or not its UDID has been sent to the dev center. Now that the previous restraint has been lifted, the only requirement now is a copy of iTunes 9.2 -- currently for Macs only and still blocked by the developer gate, but once you manage to obtain the appropriate files, the only thing in your path is time itself. Sure enough, we just got through installing the build on an unregistered iPhone without a hitch. Details available via Gumball Tech, and please, don't forget to back up your data ahead of time. In less rule-abiding news, the not-quite-surgical hand of the jailbreak community has taken a gander at the gold. A developer known as msft.guy, whose previous credentials includes recently-released binary "which enabled blacksn0w unlock port for iPhone 3GS on iOS 4 Beta 4" according to Redmond Pie, has updated PwnageTool for yesterday's update. As always, proceed with that one at your own risk, and if you're curious but hesitant, the ever-reliable iPhone Dev Team promise a full jailbreak / unlock suite later this month. Either way, video proof is available after the break. Update: Just to clarify, iOS 4 now works with any iPhone / iPod touch that's already been proven compatible -- the trick here is that you now don't need to register with Apple before trying. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Join the TUAW team for a post-keynote Talkcast tonight at 10 PM EDT
If you were one of the crowd who listened to the TUAW Talkcast this past Sunday evening, you'll remember that we promised to do a post-WWDC 2010 keynote Talkcast. It was supposed to happen Monday night, but we had all collapsed after the stress of churning out streams of news for our readers all day. Now that we're tanned, rested, and ready, we'll be hosting a special edition of the Talkcast tonight at 10 PM EDT. Topics will include Safari 5 (which I'm using to post this), iOS 4, iPhone 4, and anything else that we happen to think about. To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm tonight. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Note: For those who want to listen to the show on iPads or iPhones without calling in, you can try this MP3 streaming link once the show begins -- we're not 100% sure it will work, but do let us know.
iPhone 4 guide: preview, pricing, availability
In a lot of ways, Apple's iPhone 4 announcement was short on surprises. We've been playing with the new iPhone OS 4 (now dubbed iOS 4) for a while, and photos of the hardware had been widely disseminated, a rarity for an unreleased Apple product. Still, Apple managed to fill in the gaps and build up the hype, and there's plenty to know about this handset that extends beyond what you can glean from bricked hardware of dubious provenance. Follow along with us as we break it all down, including detailed impressions from our hands-on time with the device.
iTunes 9.2 on deck
Safari 5 dropped yesterday and its sibling, iTunes 9.2, is reportedly waiting for its turn. A gold master edition has been seeded to developers, signifying that it is as close to completion as it's going to get. What can we expect from the update? Compatibility with new iOS 4, of course, and the updated file structure that the new firmware will include. We also expect it to allow for the iBooks syncing between devices and PDF support that Steve Jobs discussed at yesterday's keynote. According to iPodNN, additional changes include faster sync times and faster scrolling through lists. When will it drop? iOS 4 is due on June 21st, so iTunes 9.2 should be released shortly before then.
Apple posts WWDC 2010 keynote stream
Apple has posted the stream of yesterday's WWDC keynote by Steve Jobs. During the keynote, Jobs unveiled iPhone 4 along with many new features of iOS 4, including the FaceTime video conferencing feature. Jobs also announced the iMovie app for iPhone and iBooks with PDF support. When Jobs was showing off the iPhone 4's new Retina display, there were some technical issues due to the number of people in the hall using mobile Wi-Fi hotspots. It was a slightly embarrassing -- and awkward -- moment for Jobs, but as you can see from the keynote stream, no editing of said moment was done, and you can replay the awkwardness in all its glory. As of the time of this writing, the keynote is not yet available in the Apple Keynotes Podcast series on iTunes, but it should be added shortly. Update: It's there now.
iOS 4 gold build now available to iPhone Developer Program members
You've got to wait a couple weeks to get this if you're the run-of-the-mill iPhone type -- but if you've ponied up the Benjamin for an iPhone Developer Program membership (who's probably suffered through a handful of iPhone OS 4 beta builds over the last few months), you're now able to download the Gold Master seed of iOS 4 directly from Apple's site. Let us know if you manage to sprout a front-facing cam on your 3GS to test FaceTime or anything cool like that, alright? Update: We just updated to iOS 4 GM and haven't noticed anything particularly new or crazy yet. The install requires a beta of iTunes 9.2 to be installed as well, which adds in support for app folders and backups, but otherwise life is proceeding just like it did when we had beta 3 installed. We'll let you know if we spot anything as we go.
FaceTime video conferencing coming to the iPhone
At today's WWDC keynote, a new feature of the iOS 4 operating system called FaceTime was announced and demonstrated, bringing iChat like video conferencing to the iPhone. FaceTime requires no set up or configuration and will work with either the front or back facing camera on the iPhone 4, but the front facing camera has been "tuned" for FaceTime allowing you to hold the camera at arm's length to get a perfect picture. It works in both landscape and portrait orientation, and allows anyone running iOS 4, if the hardware supports it, to seamlessly video chat with anyone also running iOS 4 on another iPhone. There will be a FaceTime button in the Contacts app and on on the Phone screen. Tapping it is all you need to do to initiate a video chat, even if you're already on a voice call. The recipient will get a message saying that a FaceTime session has been requested which can be accepted or rejected. Accept it, and you are video chatting.
Apple licensing 'iOS' name from Cisco, acquiring 'FaceTime' mark outright
Hey, look at that -- Apple's trademark attorneys actually called the senior owner of a trademark before Steve announced a product name and got everyone into a tizzy. See, Cisco routers and switches just happen to run an operating system called IOS, and that means Apple had to get permission to rename iPhone OS 4 iOS 4. Of course, the previous trademark tussle between Apple and Cisco over the iPhone mark probably means that all these guys are just good buddies now, so we're just waiting for Mac OS X 10.7 "Lynxis" to hit. Oh, and in case you're wondering, a company called "FaceTime Communications" actually sold its "FaceTime" mark to Apple and is completely changing its name in the coming months. Might we suggest "Apple TV Remote" as an intriguing possibility?
iPhone 4: are you getting one?
Now that the dust is beginning to settle on Steve Jobs' WWDC10 keynote, we thought we'd ask the most pertinent question of all: who's buying this new hero mobile device from Apple? We know the company's loyal fan base will not disappoint, but what about you, undecided voter? Did that 960 x 640 IPS screen make you look upon Cupertino's wares with a new level of appreciation? And let us not neglect the iPhone's detractors here -- have they been placated by the inclusion of HD video recording, video chat and a meaty new A4 processor? Tick the appropriate box below, then visit us in the comments and let us know what you thought. %Poll-47657%
iPhone 4 vs. the smartphone elite: EVO 4G, N8, Pre Plus, and HD2
We know how the iPhone 4 sizes up against the aging 3GS -- but how does it fare against its fiercest competitors from all the major platforms? We wish we had some production Windows Phone 7 kit to check out here, but in the meantime, take a look at the results against the gruesome foursome of the EVO 4G, N8, Pre Plus, and HD2. You might be surprised by some of the results -- and sorry, RIM, you don't get to play until you bring some fresh, media-heavy hardware to the table. Nothing personal!
WWDC 2010: Bing coming to MobileSafari search
The rumor was partly true, Bing is indeed coming to the iOS search party; however, it will not be the default option as was speculated in January. During today's WWDC 2010 keynote address, Steve Jobs announced that Bing would be alongside Google and Yahoo as available search engine choices for MobileSafari. While it may seem insignificant, mobile search is a huge market that Google is currently dominating and it appears that Apple wants to put a little competition into the mix. While he wasn't gratuitous with his praise, Steve did say that he was impressed by Microsoft's implementation of their search engine in the browser. And no matter what Steve thinks, this additional option is a huge win for the Bing team at Microsoft. And hopefully a huge win for us, too -- competition in the search race will help out consumers a lot in the long run.
WWDC 2010: Apple announces iMovie for iPhone 4
Today at WWDC, during the keynote address, one of the things Steve dropped upon us is the new camera in iPhone 4: Yeah, the 3G S did video, but the new camera does "full HD," at a sparkly 720p and 30fps. This means that little handheld video camera that's been on my Christmas list the last three years is now gone. Why get one when my new iPhone will do it? So you fill your phone full of video. What to do with it? If it was your Mac, you'd be flexing your iMovie muscles, wouldn't you? Now you can do the same on your iPhone: Steve showed some demos of iMovie for iPhone today, including one-click sharing, and the tap to focus that works in photos. Even the new LED flash gets in on it: You can leave it on the whole time you're shooting. Export options are 360p, 540p, and the original 720p resolution. And of course, the app also lets you run transitions, titles, and anything else the full version of iMovie will let you do. There are even themes and theme music to choose from -- Apple's video engineer says it's the best way to edit video on a mobile device he's ever seen. So now you can record beautiful video, edit down to the good bits, and email that video off to any of the tubes. As long as it goes through the app review process, that is -- according to Steve, "You'll be able to buy this for $4.99 ... if we approve it." Funny. When it appears on the App Store, we'll let you know.
AT&T: upgrade to iPhone 4 up to six months early
So look, we know the dilemma you're in. You nabbed that iPhone 3G or 3GS a little late in the game, and now you've got to wait until December in order to snag the iPhone 4 at a discounted rate. Lucky for you, Apple and AT&T have worked to give folks like you a little leniency, with existing AT&T users able to upgrade to the iPhone 4 "up to six months early." In other words, if your current iPhone contract expires at any point in 2010, you're now eligible to grab an iPhone 4 at $199 (16GB) or $299 (32GB) so long as you agree to stay faithful to a carrier you may or may not loathe for another two years. Good thing you've got until the 24th to really think it over. Update: Good news, addicts! AT&T just pinged us to clarify that so long as your upgrade date is anytime in 2010, you're now eligible to spend an additional two years paying dues to AT&T. In other words, a fair amount of you will be able to buy one of these at contract price on day one. The full statement is after the break, along with AT&T's full pricing release.
FaceTime video calling added to iPhone 4... and it's WiFi-only
That front-facing camera on the new iPhone 4 and a flood of leaks were a dead giveaway -- the new FaceTime app brings video calling to the iPhone. Unfortunately, it's WiFi-only at the moment, as Steve says Apple needs to work with carriers to support it on 3G. The FaceTime app is pretty cool -- you can flip the image between the front and rear cameras and between portrait and landscape orientation, and the video call system is built on open standards like SIP, H.264, and AAC so it'll work with other video calling apps as well.%Gallery-94599% Check out more from WWDC 2010 in our liveblog!
iPhone OS 4 renamed iOS 4, launching June 21 with 1500 new features
We knew it had to happen eventually -- iPhone OS has been renamed to iOS with the bump to version 4. Some 1500 new features are coming along with the name change, including biggies like multitasking, a unified inbox, app folders, and data detectors. Although Apple is encouraging devs to tweak their apps for the iPhone 4's new Retina Display, iOS4 will also automatically redraw text and controls for existing apps to make them play nice with the new higher pixel density. Bing search integration has also been added to iOS 4 in addition to Google and Yahoo -- Google is still the default, though. The golden master is available to devs today, and Steve says the 100 millionth iOS device -- that's iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad -- will be sold sometime this month. That's a lot of devices! We found out about most of the features of iOS 4 at the SDK event, so check here for the full rundown. Apple says iOS 4 will arrive for the iPhone 3G, 3GS, and the iPod touch on June 21 -- and it'll be free to iPod touch owners for the first time, which is nice. Not all features will be supported across all devices: the first-gen touch is left out entirely, and the 3G won't do multitasking, as we heard at the SDK event. We'll see if there are any other limitations and let you know. Amusingly, an iOS trademark is currently owned by Cisco -- just like the original iPhone trademark -- so we'll see if Apple's lawyers actually called ahead this time around or if they'll have to fake-tussle and make nice again.%Gallery-94591% Check out more from WWDC 2010 in our liveblog!
