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What the iPad can and can’t do

Jan 29, 2010 Information, iphone

Apple’s iPad tablet computer will be available in March starting at $499, but it already has sparked a range of questions about how it will work. The touch-screen multimedia device uses the same operating system as Apple’s popular iPhone and can access the 140,000 apps available to the iPhone and iPod Touch. USA TODAY reporter Jefferson Graham offers some answers:

Q: I need a data plan to get 3G wireless service on the iPad, but don’t I already have one from AT&T for my iPhone?

A: You’ll need an additional one. Prices are $14.99 for 250 MB of service (good for just e-mail) or $29.99 for unlimited access.

The good news: You’re not under a contract and can cancel at any time. Additionally, because the device works with Wi-Fi, you don’t necessarily have to spring for 3G.

Q: There’s no USB or SD slot. How do I get my photos, video and music files into the iPad?

A: Through iTunes and your PC or Mac computer. Think of the iPad as a giant iPhone or iPod (which of course, it is). Apple hasn’t changed the transfer system. You need to connect the iPad to your computer and sync the video, music and photos through iTunes.

But here’s a potential time-saver: Apple will release a 30-pin adapter — think of the wide end of the cable that syncs your iPod to your computer — to connect digital cameras and the iPad. Apple says it will work only with digital cameras, but can a hack for all sorts of media really be far behind?

Q: I already have my photos and videos stored online. Can’t I access them in the same way I do on the iPhone?

A: Photos on sites such as Facebook, Shutterfly and Phanfare will be easy to pull up — and even quicker if you go through one of their apps — but videos stored on Facebook and Shutterfly won’t play because they’re in the Flash format, which the iPad doesn’t support.

Q: The iPad is billed as the ultimate multimedia device, but I can’t play most Web video or animation? What’s up with that?

A: The iPhone and iPod Touch leave big white holes when you try to access video and animation on popular websites such as Hulu, Vimeo, Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon, which are displayed in Flash video.

Apple says it supports HTML5, a new Web video standard, and not Flash, without giving any reason.

Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey says that with all of the criticism about the strain on AT&T’s 3G network, Apple is better off not offering Flash support.

“It would kill the network,” he says. “People would be watching all day. Maybe two years from now, they could handle the traffic, but not now.”

There is a work-around for watching Web video: Use an app. YouTube, Break.com, CNN.com, MSNBC.com and many other big video sites have apps that let you watch video.

Q: The new iBooks app that will sell new releases of e-books sounds great. Since the store is in iTunes, can I buy the books and read them on my iPhone or iPod Touch?

A: No. Apple says the application for reading the books is only on the iPad.

Q: Can I listen to online music from Pandora on the iPad and compose an e-mail at the same time?

A: Nope. There’s no multitasking, just as there isn’t on the iPhone or Touch.

That has been one of the biggest criticisms of the iPhone and a selling point for competing devices such as those using Google’s Android system, which does have multitasking.
SOURCE: usatoday.com

More on DynDns and Utorrent

Jan 23, 2010 Information, iphone

A lot of my readers are asking what dyndns is and what is it for. Well let me devote an entire post to that and clear things up.

DynDns is a free service offered to those that have a dynamic IP address that changes often.

See if you visit http://www.ipchicken.com right now it will show you your ip address. This is your address on the internet. Its like your home address only its in a digital world.

DynDns.com gives you a free sub-domain that points to that number so that you don’t have to remember it and especially remember it each time it may change.

In a previous article I wrote about downloading torrents remotely, I discussed how I use dyndns.com along with my router to keep my IP address pointing to the name thebatchfile.homeip.net which I got for free from dyndns.com. This way I could always access Utorrent while away from home using my iphone without the worry of remembering an IP address that could possibly change on me from time to time since I do not pay for a static IP address with my internet provider.

In order for dyndns.com to work for you, you will need to first visit their site and sign up for a free account. Then you will need to either use one of their free IP address update applications to run on your computer to keep your IP address changes synchronized with their database OR you may can set it up in your router if you have one.

I think its safe to say that almost all routers have a configuration page you can access from your web browser. To be able to access your routers web configuration you need to know its address internal to you network.

To figure out the address of your router do this. If you are on a windows computer click START then RUN and type the letters CMD and press enter. This will bring up a command prompt window. Now type in ipconfig /all in the window and press enter.

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Tags: dyndns, iphone, torrents

Iphone Car Dash Mount

Dec 17, 2009 Gadgets, Hacks, iphone

Ok I think through all my trials and searching I have finally found a really good windshield or dashmount for the iPhone.

I was shopping in Target this week and noticed that they had one that looked very interesting. It was from a new brand I have never heard of called Speck.

I had been seeing a lot of Speck cases and what not for the iPhone all the day long as I shopped today. This however looked like something I had been searching for, for quite some time.

This kit provides you with a base that can be mounted on the dash or suctioned to the windshield, a belt clip, a snap on case for the iPhone, ipod touch, or ipod nano, audio aux cable, and also an additional swivel attachment so that you can get every possible angle you need out of this thing.

As soon as I got to the car I took it out of the package and pretend to mount it on the dash to see how well this was going to workout. I could see right away that I didn’t want to give up my Incipio Case for the one they provide. The one that they provide is almost perfect for this.  See on the pack of it there is a square piece of plastic and it happens to fit in the other square on the mount.

This was not a deal breaker for me. I like to modify things, and I had been looking way to long for a decent mount.

All I had to do was take the piece that came with the kit for the ipod nano, widdle it down a bit with a grinder, super glue it to my Incipio Case and I was done.

I tried to find a good link to provide you with so you get pick up one for yourself but I had no luck. I guess the easiest thing to do is visit Target and see if they have one there.

Here is the exact same thing but its by a different company.

http://www.iq-ss.com/index.aspx?menuid=12&type=introduct&lanmuid=66&language=en

I included some photos from my setup.

The iPhone Is Amazing

Dec 17, 2009 Information, iphone

I know I have said this time and time again but it really is and it can only get better and better.

Yesterday I went out of town to go shopping before all the last minute hustlers and bustlers ruled the road as well as the mall. I cant stand to be in the mall or on the roads with too many people that are aimless. I mean I see them walking in the malls like zombies with no clue as what they are doing there other than to be in my way. Same goes for the roads. I saw several drivers that failed to yield or even stop at stop signs. It was a mess.

This is how it is year after year. I started Christmas shopping early several years ago to avoid this mess but this year I have slacked a little. Luckily before the week of Christmas I am done.

Anyways back to why the iPhone is amazing, I was traveling yesterday and I had this song rattling in my head for several days now. I had this song in my collection at home once but I have somehow lost it. The day before this trip I looked hard for it as I was preparing my iPhone and my USB Flash DriveUSB Flash Drive full of music to listen to while traveling.

My car stereo is amazing too. It can receive music from my iPhone over bluetooth as well as play music back from a USB flash drive.

So I had just about shuffled through all of my music and I was still thinking about that song that I didn’t have that I really wanted to hear.

As I was traveling down Interstate 240 and cars were zooming all around like it was the Autobahn or Indy 500 I did a semi dangerous thing and decided to use my iPhone while driving, and launch the iTunes app within it (which I never use) and see if I could find that song and say what the hell and purchase it if I found it. Can I do this while driving down the road? You bet your jiggawatts you can and with ease too! Just a few clicks and 4 minutes is all it took.

Here is the song. Its Amerie 1 Thing. Very catchy tune.

I think later of course used my TomTom app on the phone to navigate to another store. Listing to music while navigating, and I get a phone call in the middle of it all and the music fades, I answer the call over the stereo that is also kick butt, and after the call, the TomTom app goes right back the where it was, and the music resumes.

This phone is just amazing!!!

Operation Chokehold

Dec 16, 2009 Information, iphone

Operation Chokehold: Hey its worth a shot right?

I’ll tell you something — I’m really sick of the sorry ATT network as of late. It is extremely pathetic. I hear the engineers are friggin livid. And, because they’re engineers, and they can, they’ve come up with a plan to teach AT&T a lesson. They’re calling it Operation Chokehold. Last night I got this email that they’ve been sending around inside Apple, encouraging people to join the crusade:

Subject: Operation Chokehold
On Friday, December 18, at noon Pacific time, we will attempt to overwhelm the AT&T data network and bring it to its knees. The goal is to have every iPhone user (or as many as we can) turn on a data intensive app and run that app for one solid hour. Send the message to AT&T that we are sick of their substandard network and sick of their abusive comments. THe idea is we’ll create a digital flash mob. We’re calling it in Operation Chokehold. Join us and speak truth to power!

If anyone has ideas, use the comment strings. Tell your friends. Get people involved. We have a few days to create a movement and plan a major assault.

Remember to turn OFF your Wi-Fi during that hour. There would be NO point if a bunch of people are browsing YouTube in their office or home and they are using their daily Wi-Fi without knowing. This would not affect ATT in the least bit.

Turn off your Wi-Fi, if you have no better choice, just browse through the YouTube app

Remeber folks this is to be done at NOON pacific time, that’s 1 p.m. Mountain time, 2 p.m. Central time and 3 p.m. Eastern time.

I myself plan on watching some YouTube videos or listening to Slacker radio for an hour.

Now With More iPhone Goodness!

Nov 15, 2009 Information, iphone

UserBytes.com just became more easily visible on most cellular devices, especially the iPhone.

Check it out

Try it now! Visit the site from your iphone.

Stay tuned…. I have lots of drafts that are about to be published here on the site, some really good stuff that I am excited about.

Anti-Glare Film for Iphone

Nov 4, 2009 Information, iphone

I think it was over two months ago that I was in the Apple Retail Store and saw some Anti-Glare film sets for the Iphone all generations. I had seen these before on a friends Iphone and it looked great. There was no glare like a mirror and it resisted fingerprints and face oils usually left on the screen.

I recently installed the Tom Tom navigation application on the Iphone and thought that the Anti-Glare would make it easier to see in the day time.

I picked up a set of two for around $16 and that was the best money I have ever spent. To this day the one that I put on my phone is still as pristine as that day I applied it. My wife who is using the other one feels the same way. It is in and out of her purse all day long and there is not a mark on it. Fingers rub across the screen with ease, no dragging on the glass. I love it!

Now if only I could get compensated by Apple for expressing my feelings for a wonderful product in my blogs.

Check them out here

Power Support Anti-Glare Film Set for iPhone

Tags: anti-glare, apple retail store, film sets, iphone, navigation application, screen protector, tom tom navigation

Transfer Voicemails from the Iphone to your Computer

Oct 29, 2009 Information, iphone

Once you’re connected to the device using the iphone browser tool, browse to /private/var/mobile/Library/Voicemail/ to view the list of VM files.

The Manual Record Way

If you’re iPhone is not jailbroken (or not even an iPhone at all), you can also utilize your phone’s headphone jack and your computer’s line in.

Tags: iphoen browser, iphone, iphone voicemail, Voicemails

iPhone Earbud Replacement

Aug 9, 2009 Hacks, Information, iphone

I absolutely love my iPhone. It is the first phone that I have ever had that didn’t make me want to throw it against a wall at some point. However, the earbuds that same with it have bothered me since the beginning. They never stay in my oily ears and one of them already sounds like its busted and that was around month 5.

I run trails, hike, and bike ride a lot, so its very important to me that the earphones stay in my ears at all times. Sure I could use other sets of earbuds and be happy, but this is where Apple has you. See the ones that come with it control the built in ipod an phone calls perfectly.

You can buy the more expensive($80) apple in ear headphones (which I did and wished I hadn’t) which will surely stay in your ears and sound great, but believe it or not the volume control does not work using these and its well documented. Shame on you APPLE!!

For the longest time I have had great success running with a cheap $10 set of Sony earbuds that wrap around your ear. They sound great too, very loud. Now if only these were attached to my iPhone Cable so I could answer calls and skip tracks, this would be perfect. Hrmmm if only …..

Wait a minute…how hard can this really be? Surely someone else has done this before right? YES it has been done and its been documented already on YouTube.

After watching the video you will know all you need to know about completing this project. It took me all of 20 minutes to complete and its well worth it.

Here is the video.

Here are some photos I took with the iphone of the newly wired set with the blue sony wrap around the ear speakers, and I also took the Apple earbuds and put them back on the Sony cable so they were not a complete waste.

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Tags: apple earbuds, earphones, shame on you apple, sony cable, sony earbuds

How To Jailbreak The Iphone 3G with Redsn0w

Jul 6, 2009 Gadgets, Hacks, Information, iphone

Hey everyone, sorry for not posting in such a long time. I have a good one today for you Iphone users out there.

In today’s article I will explain how I jailbroke my iPhone 3G.

What is jailbreaking you ask?

The jailbreak is a term used to refer to devices that can freely install and run whatever application the user might want or need. Read more on that here

Please understand that JAILBREAKING is not UNLOCKING your device.  Unlocking is when you free the iPhone to run on other cellular carriers other than ATT. Jailbreaking is a risk free process where you will open the OS of the phone to install and run whatever applications you wish. Also, you can ALWAYS restore your device to the factory state using iTunes, which will vanish the jailbreak modifications.
Everything that was working before this process will continue to work, including all the default applications and pre-installed software’s like AppStore and it’s applications. Jailbreaking will simply just open another door for you to choose a path.

Recently I was visited my my brother-in-law and he had just jailbroken his iPhone. I had always thought I might try this one day but I was scared it would mess up a lot of things like my Itunes account, syncing, corrupt the phone OS, slow the phone down, etc. He showed his phone to me and it was totally fine. He was able to carry on just like before but now there were lots of new tweaks on his phone that I always wanted the iPhone to do, like video record, the ability to block calls like many of my older simpler Nokia cell phones uses to do, and also have a simple battery percentage meter(see below), which just came out on the new 3GS by default but not in the new 3.0 OS update from Apple for the current 3G iPhone. Why Apple Why? See the bottom of this post to see how to enable this nice little feature.

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Tags: cydia, installous, iphone 3g, jailbreak, redsn0w