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Refresh Resource: week of October 10, 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 at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Motorola Xoom owners who swapped in their devices for one with LTE capability may have found an OTA enhancement waiting for them when the tablet arrived. It included a few minor changes, such as updates to Android Market and some additional browser security measures. The full changelog can be found at the link. [AndroidCentral] The update to the Motorola Droid 2 Global was pulled last month due to an Exchange encryption issue, but we're hearing reports that it's once again resuming the rollout with that concern resolved. [Droid-Life] Motorola's Photon 4G on Sprint is on the receiving end of a minor bug fix update, which includes video chat capability for Google Talk. [PhoneArena] The good news for unlocked Dell Streak 7 users: the official update to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) is now rolling out and you should see it over the course of the next couple weeks. the coming weeks. [Dell] The bad news for T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 users: Honeycomb isn't coming to your tablet, for unknown reasons. [Android Community] According to a tweet from LG, there's a small refresh in the works for the Optimus 7 which will finally enable WiFi tethering. [WPCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery A new piece of firmware for the AT&T Galaxy S II was leaked via RootzWiki, and includes a few bug fixes. Sadly, it adds some bugs as well. [Android Community] Samsung's officially released the kernel source for the Stratosphere, Transfix and Galaxy Y Pro. [Android Community] And now for the best news for TouchPad owners: after several weeks of progress, it appears that CM7 is now ready to roll on the HP TouchPad. As always, download and install at your own risk -- we have a feeling this may be a bit more involved than your typical Android custom ROM. [Redmond Pie] Other platforms Redsn0w 0.9.9b5 is here, giving you the go-ahead to jailbreak iOS5. Up for the task? Head to the link for all of the details on how to make it so. [Redmond Pie] Some Windows Phone users have noticed a few bugs popping into their updated devices ever since they received Mango. The main concerns seem to be found in the keyboard and live tiles, though the reported issues are much more numerous. Have you experienced any of these on the list at the link? [WMPowerUser] Refreshes we covered this week Motorola a bit slow boomerangin' back with LTE update iOS5 now available for download
Box rides on iCloud's coattails, offers 50GB of free cloud storage to iOS users
No, your eyes don't deceive you -- Box is offering 50GBs of free storage inside its cloud for iOS users -- just like it did for TouchPad owners back in June. Anyone who downloads the latest version of Box's app for iPad and iPhone will receive their massive lot for data storage after registering a personal account (existing accounts can join in on the fun as well). To make better use of that extra space, Box will also be bumping upload capacity from 25MB to 100MB per file and baking in AirPlay support. Look, Box is obviously skitching on iCloud's tail, but it sure seems like a crazy good deal considering that space is yours "forever." The promotion will last for 50 days, officially starting at 12AM on October 14th -- although, we're already seeing the update on our end. Full details in the source link.
Poll: Have you upgraded to iOS 5?
We've heard plenty of you are receiving various error messages while attempting to install iOS 5, and some of us haven't had much luck either. But have you been able to upgrade? Let us know in the poll below, and jump past the break to sound off in the comments.%Poll-69801%
iOS 5 review
Snow Leopard review Apple: Six million copies of OS X Lion downloaded since launch Auto-suggestion keyboard found hiding inside iOS 5 Now well into its fifth year of life, iOS has always been known for its exceptional polish -- and also, its glaring feature holes. But, just like clockwork, each year since its 2007 debut, those shortcomings have been addressed one by one in a sweeping annual update. In 2008, the platform was opened up to developers giving us the App Store, 2009 saw the introduction of copy and paste -- which we'd argue is still the best implementation to date -- and last year "multitasking" finally made a presence. So what has Apple chosen to rectify in 2011? Well, for starters, notifications gets a complete overhaul with Notification Center, tethered syncing dies at the hands of iCloud and messaging gets a do-over with the birth of iMessage. If you recall, we first got acquainted with iOS 5 in May after downloading the developer preview, but how does the final release stack up? And does it have the chops to compete with the latest from Mountain View and Redmond? After drudging through seven betas, we're ready to conquer all that the final release has to offer, so join us, if you would, past the break.
iPhone 4 and 3GS still selling strong
The iPhone 4S hasn't even launched yet, but it's already the fastest-selling Apple product in history, at least if you go by the preorders. That doesn't mean customers have abandoned Apple's older phones, though. Analyst T. Michael Walkley of Canaccord Genuity did some digging, and after checking around the US carriers he found that sales of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS haven't slowed down even in the face of the new iPhone 4S's debut (hat tip to AppleInsider for their coverage of his analysis). In years past Apple has seen sales slumps in the quarter preceding the launch of new iPhone models, but even though the iPhone 4S launched later in the year than its predecessors, iPhone sales remained robust. Walkley and other analysts have repeatedly found that old iPhones continually outsell new Android phones. Though it's well over two years old now, the iPhone 3GS continues to be second only to the iPhone 4 in US sales. Even though it's no longer a phone I'd recommend to new users, the 3GS is likely to remain popular given that it's now available for free with a two-year contract.
Apple's iPhone 4S, iOS 5 and iPod roundup: details, specs and release dates
Phew, what a day! Apple's done its fair share of introducing today, and now it's on us to distill everything down into something understandable by folks who don't have the time to pore over every single morsel of iPhone and iOS 5-related news oozing from Cupertino. You can relive our liveblog right here -- for everything else, get schooled below. iPhone 4S iPhone 4S officially announed, lands October 14th in sizes up to 64GB Sprint iPhone announced, getting both iPhone 4 and 4S Meet the new iPhone 4S AirPlay Mirroring coming to iPhone 4S iPhone 4S hands-on iPhone 4S vs. the smartphone elite iPhone 4S vs. iPhone 4 Post-event live broadcast iPhone 4S event video posted online iPhone 4S makes its way through the FCC Upgrade to AT&T iPhone 4S: there's an app for that iOS 5 iOS 5 will be available October 12th, iCloud launches the same day Cards app for iPhone introduced Find My Friends announced iTunes Match hits US 'end of October' for $24.99 Apple brings Siri voice recognition iPod / Mac / other news Six million copies of Lion downloaded since launch Macbook Pro and iMac are the best selling notebook and desktop in the US 16 billion iTunes songs downloaded, 300 million iPods sold 250 million iOS devices sold, 18 billion apps downloaded iPod Touch available October 12th in black and white, maxes at 64GB / $399 iPod nano now $149 for 16GB and $129 for 8GB iPhone 3GS 8GB is free, iPhone 4 8GB $99 AppleCare+ debuts for $99, covers accidental damage for a fee
AppleCare+ debuts for $99, offers to cover accidental damage in addition to the standard fare
Once upon a time, the AppleCare Protection Plan was a service provided by Cupertino to extend out the life of your iPhone warranty for an extra year and enable Apple reps to help with additional customer service concerns. It still offers all of that, but now a Plus has been added to the title. The new plan was revealed as the cloak over the Apple Store lifted after today's keynote, with the boxes shipping out the same day as the iPhone 4S. What's so "plus" about it, you might ask? It's plus $30, for one, getting a price bump from $70 to $100. The good news, though, is that it also now offers two instances of protection from accidental damage... for a $49 fee each time. It's a fair deal less than shelling out full retail price for a fresh one, of course, but there doesn't appear to be any other new features beyond what we're already used to getting. Oh, except for "one more thing": whereas its predecessor could be obtained and activated anytime within the first twelve months of your purchase, it appears that AppleCare+ has to be bought at the same time as the valuable treasure it's protecting. We're still sifting through the fine print, so we'll holler if we come across any other changes. This raises the question: does the accidental damage handling justify the higher cost? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
8 GB iPhone 3GS now free with contract, iPhone 4 price dropped
With the announcement of the new iPhone 4S today, Apple has also dropped the price on the previous versions of the iPhone. The iPhone 3GS version with 8 GB of memory is now down to the low, low price of absolutely free (as long as you're willing to sign up on a two-year contract with the cellphone service providers), so you've really got no excuse to join the rest of us in the smartphone future. The iPhone 4 has had a price drop as well -- the 8 GB version is now just $99. Apple's iPhone is cheaper than ever, and while yes, you won't be able to run some of the sexiest new features with these older phones, they're still excellent devices.
Apple drops iPhone prices: 8GB 3GS free, iPhone 4 now $99
No big surprises here, but the iPhone 4S' older siblings are getting drastic price reductions. An 8GB 3GS is now free on contract, while the iPhone 4 is now only $99 with a carrier agreement -- that one bill gets you an 8GB iPhone 4. We've received no indication of cuts for other flavors of the old guard, but we suppose congratulations are in order for bargain hunters with limited iTunes libraries. Update: According to the Apple Store, the iPhone 4 is also "coming soon" to Sprint.
Samsung files French patent complaint against Apple
Samsung and Apple continue to fight a heated legal battle overseas. In the latest skirmish, Samsung filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in France. The complaint claims Apple violates three UMTS patents held by the Korean company. UMTS is a 3G technology used on GSM-based cellular networks. Samsung targets Apple's 3G-capable mobile devices including the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and the 3G-capable iPad models. The complaint was filed in Paris District Court and the first hearing is scheduled for December.
Samsung files French patent complaint against Apple, targets iPhone, iPad
Samsung has retaliated against Apple once again -- this time, in France, where the Korean manufacturer has filed a complaint alleging that Cupertino infringed upon a trio of its patents. Originally filed with a Paris district court in July and announced yesterday, the complaint claims that the UMTS technologies featured in the iPhone and 3G-enabled iPads violate three of Samsung's patents. Unlike a previous case in Germany, which recently resulted in a nationwide injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1, this filing "focuses on three technology patents, and not on the design of the tablets," as a Samsung spokesperson was quick to point out. Details on the patents in question remain blurry for the moment, but it'll probably be a while before the case progresses anyway, with the first hearing scheduled for December.
Daily Update for August 22, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
iPhone 4, 3GS outsell competition in Q2 says NPD Group
NPD's just published their Q2 2011 Mobile Phone Track service report, which lists the top five selling smartphones in the U.S. for the months of April-June of this year. They are: Apple iPhone 4 Apple iPhone 3GS HTC EVO 4G HTC Inspire 4G Samsung INTENSITYII Many people would correctly assume that the iPhone 4 would be on top, but it's interesting that Apple's iPhone 3GS -- which launched more than two years ago in June 2009 -- is sitting at the #2 spot and outselling more advanced, more powerful, 4G android smartphones. Sure, the fact that the phone now sells for $49 with a two year AT&T contract (or free if you buy today) can account for some of its popularity, but there are several newer Android handsets that would be on the list if price were the only factor. The fact that the iPhone 4, which is 14 months old, and the iPhone 3GS still top NPD's smartphone chart is a testament to Apple's combined hardware and software ecosystem. When the 26-month old iPhone 3GS is still outselling dual-core 4G Android handsets it suggests that, in a post-PC world, regular consumers care about tech specs less than ease-of-use and good design. [via SplatF]
Ad suggests free iPhone 3GS at Best Buy Mobile on Aug 22
TechBuffalo has posted a photo of what appears to be a genuine ad, announcing that the iPhone 3GS will be free with a two year contract at Best Buy Mobile stores on Monday, August 22. This is the second time Best Buy has offered the iPhone 3GS for free with a two-year contract. The first was back on December 10, 2010. However, while the December sale was good in all Best Buy stores, the flyer for the August 22nd sale only shows the Best Buy Mobile logo, so we'll have to wait and see if the sale extends to the regular stores as well. If you want an iPhone, this is a great deal. The iPhone 3GS runs iOS 4 just fine. However it will run iOS 5 without some of its marquee features. For example, the iPhone 3GS will not have the ability to edit images using the red eye removal, crop, and enhance tools in the iOS 5 Photos app. Also keep in mind that the iPhone 3GS will probably not be upgradable after iOS 5. If that stuff doesn't matter to you and you just want a free iPhone, head to Best Buy Mobile stores on August 22nd!
Nokia still ahead of Apple in smartphone sales, according to Gartner
Whoa there, Apple, we know you're starting to feel pretty darn good about besting Nokia and Samsung for the title of world's largest smartphone manufacturer, but hold on for just one minute. Gartner has a different idea of how the numbers game really works, and its interpretation makes all the difference in determining who earns the title. Rather than measuring the number of units each manufacturer ships out to the distributors (as IDC, ABI Research and Strategy Analytics do), Gartner gauges its numbers by how many devices were actually sold to end users instead. Thus, Nokia still keeps its title -- for one more quarter, anyways. The firm is confident Espoo won't be the top smartphone contender for much longer, thanks to the company's grim Q3 outlook as it continues to await the transition to Windows Phone. But hey, there's always Q4, right? Right? Check out the full press release after the break.
iPhone resellers eagerly await iPhone 5
When you consider that there are four different versions of iPhones out there (original, 3G, 3GS, and 4), and all of them have sold a ton of units, it's clear that there are a whole lot of used iPhones around. That's probably why, as GigaOm reports, iPhone resellers are very excited for another new version of the iPhone. Reseller site Gazelle says that just minutes after the announcement of the latest iPhone 4, over 10,000 old iPhones flowed in. If an iPhone 5 is announced soon, Gazelle plans to see another big bump in items for sale. While resales go up a lot when a new iPhone update is announced, the time in between isn't nearly as successful. Over 32,000 iPhones were traded on Gazelle last year, but this year there have only been 18,000 trades. A new iPhone would boost that number, especially since we already know consumers are hungering to buy it, no matter what the new features. Meanwhile, resellers will have to wait. We've heard plenty of rumors, but there's no official announcement yet of a new iPhone 5 -- or even a new iPad, which would certainly inspire plenty of resales on that device as well.
3 Sweden offers half-price sale on iPhone 3GS contract
Tired of expensive mobile phone contracts? Maybe you should move to Sweden, where mobile provider 3 Sweden is offering a half-off sale on a two-year contract for an iPhone 3GS. The new pricing makes a "3 Surf" package 99 krona or about $15.36 a month, with a more capable "3 Pott" package running 199 krona or around $30.68 per month. That cheap package gives you "free surfing" of up to 1 GB of data (more data at a reduced rate), but you need to spend .39 krona or about six cents per minute for voice. That would work great for me, since I rarely use my iPhone to talk to other humans anyway. The other package includes a "pot" of service that can be spread around different services including voice, SMS, and MMS. There's also free data with that package, but only up to .5 GB, after which your service is at a reduced speed. Basically, as with most worldwide mobile carriers, there's always fine print to look at. With 3 Sweden's half-price sale with an iPhone 3GS, though, the impact on the wallet is less than what most of us have to put up with.
Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity
MobileMe's impending demise just got one step closer, folks. Apple's updated iCloud.com to now sport an official login page with what we're assuming is Cupertino's rendition of a CNC-machined aluminum unibody badge. It looks like those of you rocking iOS 5 or OS X 10.7.2 and who've also created an iCloud account are probably already busy frolicking through email, editing contacts and slinging calendar events all from the comfort of your browser. Those services already existed under its predecessor, but it looks as if Cupertino has spruced 'em up with fresh paint jobs. A screenshot from MacRumors also shows the addition of an iWork section, which we'd surmise means the previously siloed iWork beta now has a new place to call home. We couldn't get past the migration step with our trusty MobileMe account (disappointing proof is after the break), but you're more than welcome to tap the more coverage link and have a go yourself. Oh, and if you're wondering how much it'll cost you to claim more than those 5GB that Apple's tossing in gratis, the folks over at Electronista have confirmed that an extra 10GB will cost $20 per year, while an extra 20GB runs $40 / year and an extra 50GB will demand $100 per annum. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPhone price cuts hitting Radio Shack, Target tomorrow?
Let the speculation begin! It may not be a sign of an iPhone refresh, but we've received multiple tips today about an imminent price drop for Apple's flagship smartphone. According to a pair of trusty tipsters, Radio Shack is prepping to cut the cost of AT&T's 16GB iPhone 4 to $169.99, with a two-year contract, from $199.99. The 32GB version will likewise take a $30 plunge at the Shack, ringing in at $269.99, and the price of the 8GB 3GS will drop to $19.99. Phone Arena is likewise reporting on Target slicing up the old Apple price tag, but lists varying numbers based on carrier. If all this talk turns out to be true, those prices should be ripe for the picking starting tomorrow. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
MIDI Mobilizer II stores your musical stylings, plays nice with CoreMIDI apps
Much music making progress has been made since we first saw Line 6's MIDI Mobilizer -- namely, Apple put MIDI APIs in iOS and iPads started slinging super funky synthesized songs on the regular. In order to embrace the Cupertino-curated CoreMIDI standard, Line 6 has unveiled the MIDI Mobilizer II dongle. It looks like the original and uses the same MIDI Memo Recorder app to store and dispense your sonic musings, but this $70 piece of kit only works with the 3rd and 4th gen iPod touch, the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, and the iPad and iPad 2. Most importantly, the MIDI Mobilizer is compatible with GarageBand and all the latest CoreMIDI apps the kids are crazy about. Still not sold on the device's ability to help you make a dope digital ditty? Peep the PR and video after the break to learn more.
