WELCOME!!

Downgrade iOS 6 To 5.1.1 On A4 iOS Devices Using Redsn0w

2012-09-30T12:11:00.000+05:30

Downgrade iOS 6 To 5.1.1 On A4 iOS Devices Using Redsn0w

Apple is pretty adamant that once a user opts to upgrade, they don’t want them to be able to roll-back the software on their device to a previous version of iOS. In a lot of circumstances, this wouldn’t be an issue, but there are a number of legitimate reasons for users wanting to downgrade to an older version, in this case, from iOS 6 to iOS 5.1.1. Potential reasons for downgrading firmware could range from wanting the iPhone or iPod touch on a version of iOS that currently has an untethered jailbreak* available or could just be because updating to iOS 6 has brought with it some unexpected battery drain or caused other problems. Thankfully, it is entirely possible for owners of specific devices to downgrade with Redsn0w, and we have covered the complete process below.
Apple is pretty adamant that once a user opts to upgrade, they don’t want them to be able to roll-back the software on their device to a previous version of iOS. In a lot of circumstances, this wouldn’t be an issue, but there are a number of legitimate reasons for users wanting to downgrade to an older version, in this case, from iOS 6 to iOS 5.1.1.
Potential reasons for downgrading firmware could range from wanting the iPhone or iPod touch on a version of iOS that currently has an untethered jailbreak* available or could just be because updating to iOS 6 has brought with it some unexpected battery drain or caused other problems. Thankfully, it is entirely possible for owners of specific devices to downgrade with Redsn0w, and we have covered the complete process below.
There a few little things to note and take into account: This downgrade process only applies to iOS devices that are bundled with Apple’s A4 SoC or below. This includes iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 4G. Later generation devices such as the iPhone 4S or iPad 3 are not susceptible to the limera1n exploit. The downgrade process relies on the SHSH and APTickets being saved for the relevant firmware version that the user is attempting to downgrade to. For those that may not know, the APTicket is something that Apple introduced in iOS 5 as part of the restore process with iTunes and their activation servers. So yes, you need to have SHSH blobs for iOS 5.1.1 firmware saved for the device you want to downgrade. If you don’t already have SHSH blobs saved for iOS 5.1.1, you are out of luck for now as Apple has stopped signing this firmware. Owners of an iPhone that requires a software unlock by using Ultrasn0w must first create a custom built firmware that doesn’t contain the upgraded baseband. The custom created firmware will be the one to which Redsn0w is pointed to in step 5 below.
Step 1: Before going through a downgrade or jailbreak process, it is always a good idea to backup the device in question. Depending on your preferred method, use either iTunes or iCloud to save all relevant files and data from the device.
Step 2: Download Redsn0w 0.9.14b2 version of the iPhone Dev Team’s Redsn0w tool that is relevant to the operating system of your computer (Windows/Mac). You will also need to download iOS 5.1.1 firmware.
Step 3: Connect the device to your computer using the supplied USB cable. Extract the contents of the downloaded Redsn0w file from step 2 and run the application. Enter your device into DFU mode.
Step 4: From the main Redsn0w interface; select the Extras then select SHSH Blobs from the middle of the available buttons. http://cdn.redmondpie.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Redsnow_Extras_screen.pngStep 2: Download Redsn0w 0.9.14b2 version of the iPhone Dev Team’s Redsn0w tool that is relevant to the operating system of your computer (Windows/Mac). You will also need to download iOS 5.1.1 firmware.

Step 5: The next stage of the process is to select the Stitch option. Redsn0w will now be split into two sections, one dedicated to the IPSW that the user is attempting to downgrade to and the other for the SHSH blobs for the firmware. Click on IPSW and select the relevant firmware file. If relying on a software unlock then this firmware file will be the custom file that was created at an earlier time using Redsn0w, as mentioned in the notes above.

Step 6: If the SHSH blobs for the firmware are saved locally then select Local and point Redsn0w to the place where they are saved. If the blobs are saved within Cydia, then place the device into DFU mode and click on the Cydia option.

Step 7: Redsn0w will create a new IPSW file that has the relevant and correct permissions stitched into it. Users now need to apply the Pwned DFU state to their device by selecting Extras and then Pwned DFU from the Redsn0w main interface.
Step 8: As part of the process, the restore is verified with Apple so that it can be returned as genuine. For this to happen, some additional info needs to be added to the Hosts file stored on the computer. Windows users need to navigate to Windows > System 32 > drivers > etc and open up the Hosts file. Mac OS X users will simply need to open the etc folder.

Step 9: Locate the Hosts file in the aforementioned directory and open it up using your favorite text editor on your computer. At the very bottom of the file add the following text: 74.208.105.171 gs.apple.com. Save the file to its original location.

Step 10: The final step in the process is to apply the newly stitched firmware to the A4 device through the restore process. Open up the iTunes application on the computer, select the connected device from the left-hand side and invoke a manual restore by pressing left Alt + Restore (OS X) or left Shift + Restore (Windows). When prompted, select the IPSW that Redsn0w has saved and allow the restore process to complete within iTunes.
iTunes may throw an error during restore. This is normal. The firmware should be restored on the device. To exit your device from Recovery mode, start Redsn0w again and navigate to: Extras->Recovery fix to exit your device from Recovery.

World’s First 24kt Gold-Plated iPhone 5 Now Available [IMAGES]

2012-09-26T09:13:00.002+05:30

World’s First 24kt Gold-Plated iPhone 5 Now Available [IMAGES]

Critics often berate Apple for retailing its smartphones, tablets and computers, at higher price brackets than some would estimate their worth to be, and although it’s a topic of fierce debate, there’s little denying that your average Cupertino product costs a considerable amount more than a similar alternative created by a rivaling company. The new iPhone has sold in excess of five million units hitherto, and the most recent purchase will have left many iPhone 5 owners short of a few dollars, but had they waited for London-based Gold and Co.’s special gold plated edition of the iPhone 5, they may have ended up parting with even more of their hard-earned cash. The company is renowned for adding sheets of gold plating on some of the most sought-after gadgets on the market, and the iPhone 5 – which released on Friday – is certainly the most-wanted device on the market at this point in time. As you can see from the images, the already aesthetically-pleasing device looks stunning laden in solid 24k gold, and although we ourselves don’t have that kind of cash to splash on gold-plating, we’d have to prefer the black model, based on the images. The White & Silver model seemed to be your favorite based on the poll we threw up on Facebook over the weekend, but alongside the gold plating, the darker of the two iPhone 5 configurations certainly oozes the most sophistication. G&Cip51

Prices have yet to be revealed, although having contacted the company personally, I was advised the iPhone 5 would cost $4600 for the gold, with the Rose gold weighing in at around $5000. Considering a 64GB iPhone 4S gold plated by the same company will set you back around $4,300, it seems the predictions aren’t too far off what they’ll retail for, but nevertheless, you’ll really have to push your usual smartphone budget out should you wish to add such a luxury touch to your prized asset.

PassWallet Brings iOS 6 Passbook App To Android [VIDEO]

2012-09-26T09:11:00.001+05:30

PassWallet Brings iOS 6 Passbook App To Android [VIDEO]

iOS 6 has, among a slew of new features and enhancements, brought two significant new native apps to the table. The first was Apple’s publicly-flogged in-house Maps app displacing the popular Google offering, while the second – which has been viewed much more favorably upon – was Passbook. Billed as the answer to general pocket clutter like tickets, vouchers and such, it provides an easy way for such passes and gift cards to be stored digitally, utilized with ease, and readily located when required. In essence, it’s another example of Apple attempting to change everything, again. Although it’s only taking its baby steps into adoption (thus, not widely accepted just yet), many big retailers jumped on the bandwagon – and why wouldn’t they? Over the past few years, everything Apple has made has seemed to turn to gold, and it’s little surprise to see the likes of Starbucks, Target, American Airlines, and Live Nation jump aboard the Cupertino gravy train by offering very prompt Passbook support. Whenever a new feature arrives for iOS or Android, an adaptation for the other respective ecosystem seldom seems to be far behind, and developer Attido Mobile has created a Passbook app for those running on Google’s Android. As you may already know, Passbook for iOS 6 stores all wallet fodder within Apple’s “.pkpass” mime type, so it was pretty easy for Attido take advantage of the idea and essentially port it through to Android.Passbook for Android The “.pkpass” mime type can be embedded within digital receipts you find on your everyday web pages. The app, which is called PassWallet, keeps on the lookout for such receipts, importing them via your e-mail accounts as well as websites you happen to visit. One suspects PassWallet, which isn’t exactly brand-new, won’t last very much longer once Apple gets wind of what’s going on, but if you’re on Android and feel like you’re missing out on Passbook, then grab PassWallet from the Google Play link provided below!For those who’ve been using Passbook over the past few days, what do you think? Does it have the potential to be another game-changer? Please share your thoughts via the usual mediums below!

Nokia To Reportedly Sue HTC Over New Windows Phone 8 Handset Design

2012-09-26T09:05:00.002+05:30

Nokia To Reportedly Sue HTC Over New Windows Phone 8 Handset Design

The smartphone industry is no stranger to legal wranglings, with Apple and Samsung duking it out in the courts in a very high-profile battle over certain patent infringements. Samsung has already been ordered to pay Apple more than $1 billion in damages after being found to infringe upon various Apple held patents, but that doesn’t seem to be enough as Apple is seeking to extort an additional $707 million from the Korean electronics giants. If recent reports are true, then it looks like Nokia and HTC could be heading for their own legal battle. The information comes from a so-called previously reliable source who has knowledge of the impending court case and says that Nokia is about to launch some legal action against HTC over the look and design of their recently announced Windows Phone 8 smartphones. Nokia and Microsoft have recently held a joint media event to announce the Lumia 820 and 920 devices that will be powered by Windows Phone 8, with the 920 hopefully being the device that propels the Finnish handset maker back to the top of the smartphone charts. HTC-WP-8X-3V-multicolor HTC also held their own event in the last few days with Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer in attendance. The purpose of the event was to announce their own Windows Phone 8 handsets, the HTC 8X and 8S. There is no denying that the newly announced HTC devices look extremely attractive, but you would laugh out of the office for claiming that the 8X has more than a passing resemblance to the Nokia Lumia 820. Much to the possible detriment of HTC, it looks like the similarities haven’t gone unnoticed by Nokia.The source in question is stating that Nokia is preparing their case in an attempt to try and get the HTC 8X banned from sale in certain territories. The device in question isn’t due to go on sale until November, but if Nokia gets their way, then that won’t happen, at least in the parts of the world that their design patents are enforceable. With both sets of devices scheduled to hit the market in November after Windows Phone 8 has officially launched, it’ll be interesting to see how this one pans out and if the legal action actually comes to fruition.

Android Jelly Bean For Galaxy S III Begins Rolling Out, Coming To More Samsung Devices Later This Year

2012-09-26T09:04:00.002+05:30

Android Jelly Bean For Galaxy S III Begins Rolling Out, Coming To More Samsung Devices Later This Year

iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users are just becoming acquainted with iOS 6, released by Apple last week, but for Android users, accessing a new firmware is a different ball game entirely. Android Jelly Bean (4.1) arrived some months ago, with the fledgling Google Nexus 7 among the first devices to ship with the new OS as standard, but thanks to the fragmented nature of Android, users of even the most powerful devices have been left waiting. While fragmentation isn’t always a bad thing, it certainly is when you’re waiting for an Android OTA, and it’s a problem which plagued Jelly Bean’s predecessor – Android Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) – from the get-go. Astonishingly, at present, many devices – notably the Motorola DROID Bionic – still await even an ICS update – a firmware which released towards the latter stages of last year, and although the focus of many Android users’ attentions is now the buttery-smooth Jelly Bean, the flawed updating system is still a point of frustration to many running Google’s mobile OS. In order to offer some clarification to its millions of worldwide smartphone and tablet owners, Samsung has listed a total of fifteen devices set to see Android 4.1 along its flagship Samsung Galaxy S III. Unfortunately, no details have been revealed with regards to a time bracket, but here, via SlashGear, is the apparently classified list: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 Galaxy Note 10.1 Galaxy S II Galaxy Note Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Galaxy S Advance Galaxy S II LTE Galaxy Music Galaxy Chat Galaxy Ace 2 Galaxy Beam Galaxy Ace Plus Galaxy Mini II Galaxy S DUOS Although, not mentioned in the list, the Galaxy S III has already started to see the Jelly Bean OTA as pointed out by a member over at XDA-Developers (via TheNextWeb). It’s also worth noting that Samsung revealed that the Galaxy S III will get Jelly Bean in October but they’ve already started to push out the update a little earlier. Sit tight, as the complete roll out will take some time to complete. The roll out may be further delayed due to carrier review of the update. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is surprisingly omitted, although the slate – subject to much controversy during the court case with Apple in San Jose – has been superseded by the significantly advanced Galaxy Note 10.1. What’s more, sales of the slab have hit a brick wall, and with the embarrassing story that consumers had returned in their droves it having erroneously thought it was an iPad, it’s little surprise the Korean company seems to be silently shuffling it into obscurity.

If your device is unlocked, then naturally, you’re likely to see Jelly Bean first, since carriers like to spend days / weeks / months – or an infinite amount of time – adding their own software, which causes so many delays.

DisplayMate: iPhone 5 Display Is Better Than “Any Consumer Display” You Own, Beats Galaxy S III

2012-09-26T09:03:00.001+05:30

DisplayMate: iPhone 5 Display Is Better Than “Any Consumer Display” You Own, Beats Galaxy S III

From its internal hardware, software to its design, and camera, we’ve covered just about every possible aspect of the iPhone 5. One aspect that hasn’t been covered in more technical detail is its display. We know that it’s 4-inch tall, has a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio, a resolution of 1136 x 640 and a corresponding pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, but we weren’t sure just how much of an improvement it is when it comes down to visual quality and fidelity, until now that is. DisplayMate – a company that produces state of the art calibration tests for evaluating and setting up video hardware – has very closely and technically evaluated the iPhone 5’s display and compared it against the iPhone 4 to see how much Apple’s display technology has improved, and the Galaxy S III to see how it compares with what is often perceived as the king of smartphone displays because of its sheer size and HD resolution, even though it has a lower pixel density than even the two year old iPhone 4.
According to DisplayMate’s tests, the iPhone 5 display is a considerable improvement over the displays of the iPhone 4 and 4S. Every category that they measured – save for Brightness Decrease with Viewing Angle – was improved “by a bit” and sometimes “by a lot”. Color accuracy has improved, color gamut has received a boost, “Screen reflectance” has decreased by 52%, and contrast has increased by 57%. Save for a “minor gamma intensity” and increased power consumption at max. brightness over iPhone 4, it is more accurate than any consumer display, with it being second only to the new iPad.

The Galaxy S III test DisplayMate conducted mentioned its brightness being “about half” of the iPhone 5, having a smaller color gamut with green being dominant over red / blue giving the display a green tint of sorts. It also isn’t calibrated well with the Standard sRGB color gamut, resulting in overly saturated images. Power efficiency is also lower than the iPhone 5.
DisplayMate gave the Galaxy S III, iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 an overall display grade of B+, A- and A, respectively.

Even anecdotal tests – which put the displays side by side showing the same content

Security Flaw In TouchWiz Can Remotely Wipe Galaxy S III And Other Samsung Smartphones

2012-09-26T08:59:00.003+05:30

Security Flaw In TouchWiz Can Remotely Wipe Galaxy S III And Other Samsung Smartphones

Security – as if it needs to be said – is one of the most important aspects to any electronic device. With many of us reliant on our smartphones and tablets in order to function from day-to-day, it’s of paramount importance that our sensitive data is secure, safe, and locked away from prying eyes. When it comes to mobile devices, it’s fair to say Android gets a lot more negative publicity than its main rival – iOS – and although outbreaks of malware and such are more commonplace on Google’s market-leading mobile operating system, one has to expect this in an open-source ecosystem. The very nature of Android, with its large following and very mod-friendly environment, certainly makes it a more viable target for the unscrupulous and code-savvy, but that doesn’t excuse the nature in which one single line of code can supposedly prompt an infallible factory-reset of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S III. That’s right, security bods have found the hole which, potentially, could allow dodgy websites to wipe out a user’s device with apparent ease.
Ravi Borgaonkar gave an insight into the flaw at the Ekoparty security conference, and by means of a basic USSD code which could be sourced from a website or pushed via NFC / QR code, a Samsung Galaxy S III – or any Samsung device for that matter – could be factory reset. Although most of us have the presence of mind to back everything up at least once, this isn’t always the case, and if one hasn’t backed up and loses all data, it can be a living nightmare. Photos, videos, music, contacts and such are very cumbersome to recover if the correct steps have not been taken to regularly safe-keep via a computer or cloud-based infrastructure. The news will certainly worry those running a Samsung smartphone, and despite the fact the user of breached smartphone would be able to see the attack taking place, they wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it. Before mass panic ensues, it should be noted that it only seems to be affecting Samsung devices running the TouchWiz aftermarket firmware. Those on stock, untouched version of Android will find the code shown in the dialer screen, but it won’t run automatically.
Borgaonkar also adds that the attack can be worsened still, since another USSD code can also defunct the SIM attached to the handset. One simple line of code can wipe a smartphone and finish off its SIM for good measure – it’s a scary thought, isn’t it? If you’re worried about it happening to your device, ensure your deactivate automatic site-loading in all QR and NFC-related software, and if a link looks a bit suspicious, do not click it. The Samsung Galaxy Beam, S Advance, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III are all said to be affected, although the Galaxy Nexus is apparently not. TeamAndIRC claims the issue in the Galaxy S III “is patched, and has been for some time,” adding that “Current i747 [AT&T Galaxy S III] and i9300 [European Galaxy S III] firmware are not vulnerable.” We’ll keep an eye out for any further updates, as well as an official Samsung comment on the matter.

Garmin Navigation App For iPhone Updated, Now Features Google Street View And Public Transportation Info

2012-09-26T08:56:00.001+05:30

Garmin Navigation App For iPhone Updated, Now Features Google Street View And Public Transportation Info

When Apple announced its very own Maps app for iOS 6, featuring turn-by-turn navigation and sumptuous 3D maps, companies behind some of the biggest sat-nav apps must have been quite concerned about future business. As it turns out, now is a pretty good time for said companies to plug their map-centric software, since the iOS Maps offering by Apple hasn’t been particularly popular, to put it mildly.
Garmin has come through with one such timely update to its StreetPilot navigation app for iOS, which now includes Google Street View and public transportation support, among a slew of new and intriguing features. One of my favorite new quirks to what has always been a pretty solid navigation app, is the so-called “urban guidance,” which novelly takes into consideration public transport options, such as trains, trams, buses and even boats when trying to find a practical pedestrian route.

Including the word “Google” in an app focused on navigation is certainly a good idea at this point in time, thus the inclusion of Google Street View into the StreetPilot fold wouldn’t have done the app’s image any harm whatsoever.
The advantage of Garmin, TomTom etc. over Apple Maps is that all the info is downloaded, so even if the cellular signal goes kaput, your journey won’t be interrupted whilst your device strengthens its signal.

Garmin is certainly looking to capitalize on Apple’s sub-par app, and as such, is offering Garmin for a cut-price until October 7th. Garmin North America costs $44.99, where it’s normally priced at a cent under the $60 mark. Meanwhile, Garmin USA, UK & Ireland, and Western Europe are also $15 cheaper than usual, costing $39.99, $59.99 and $84.99. Additionally, the Urban Guidance feature, which is supported a bunch of the world’s major cities, is available in the form of in-app purchase for less than normal – $2.99 as opposed to the usual $4.99.

Good savings indeed, although personally, I’ll stick with the well-functioning, and altogether more aesthetically-pleasing from TomTom. Yes, looks aren’t the end-all, be-all – particularly when you’re trying to get from A to B – but I think that cluttered look would be a bit too distracting when driving.
(Source: Garmin StreetPilot onDemand for iPhone on App Store) (via Garmin)

The Free-To-Play Storm and the Freecore Gamer

2012-09-24T11:15:00.000+05:30

The Free-To-Play Storm and the Freecore Gamer

What’s the biggest change that Zynga, ngmoco, Playfish, Wooga and a brace of other social game publishers have managed to effect in the games industry? It’s not distribution. While many social game publishers have proved expert at finding players, social always had a half-life based on novelty versus irritation. Many social game publishers are ordinary advertising-driven operations today, still using social but seeing low rates of return. It’s not game design. True, there are a couple of mechanics to do with time-delays and gating which have spread around social games like memes (formally, game designers call them “ludemes”). Yet the ordinary day-to-day gameplay of most big social games is pulled straight from Dungeons and Dragons, Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, The Sims and casinos. It’s not aesthetic. Where indie PC games are wildly experimental in theme and tone, social games are usually interchangeable in look and style. A few manage to raise above that (for example: Dragonvale), but few in social are making a horror game, a genuinely quirky game, an unconventional fantasy or anything that isn’t cute, friendly and mainstream. They tend to lack a real culture of their own. Ain’t none of the above genius. The really big change was proving that the Asian model of monetising games through virtual goods and other free-to-play business models worked just as well in the West. Social games brought pay-as-you-go, pay-to-cheat and pay-to-skip to games, and the consequent explosion in free play has fundamentally changed what many players expect. The question is whether the so-called mainstream games industry can really survive it. The Oncoming Storm Prior to 1997 there were essentially two models for selling gameplay. One was to sell tickets and the other was to sell season passes. The ticket model happened in arcades, where a coin got you a couple of minutes’ play (maybe more if you were really good) and the game tested your physical skills. The season pass model was the console and PC game. You bought the machine, bought the game and it was yours to play with for as long as you liked. In the late 90s the economics of games started to expand. Massive multiplayer games like Ultima Online emerged and introduced the idea that you could subscribe. While online play had existed for a few years prior, these massive games were more persistent, and so naturally focused on roleplaying games and the like. They slowly started to eat into what was considered the traditional PC market, and then console. At first it was strictly subscriptions, but around the edges (circa 2003 and forward) some people started to talk about micro-transactions. The initial idea of this revolved around selling game levels (going back to the arcades), and in the West was mostly ignored. However word kept coming from the East of games that sold frivolous digital items and upgrades. To Western ears they sounded ridiculous, but then games like Nexon’s Kart Rider popped up and announced numbers like $250 million a year in revenue. Many of us assumed this must have been a typo. But of course it wasn’t. It was the tip of the iceberg. Massive multiplayer games increasingly experimented with free to play, then casual games like Puzzle Pirates and then Zynga. Whole conferences were formed just to talk about virtual goods, how they worked, what sold best or worst. The language of classifying players as “whales” or “minnows” emerged, and all the while many in the mainstream games industry looked on in bafflement. You see, they couldn’t understand this: free to play games were (and mostly still are) objectively pretty bad. They tended to be simplistic rather than elegant, blatantly manipulative rather than earning player loyalty. They lacked a really robust game dynamic. And yet players flocked to them, and so did investment money. Free to play called into question many foundational assumptions about the industry, while working on free to play games became a little bit like the perceived loss of status that movie people used to feel about working in television. The model was also unavailable. If you worked in Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii there simply was no path to free to play. None of the platforms supported it as standard, and the odd toe-dip into micro-transactions was usually only the sale of extra content in purchased games. Since those sales were often small (with one or two exceptions), it seemed as though this whole free-to-play thing was either a fad or low-rent. Believing that its content was of premium value, the “proper” games industry largely left Zynga and a few others alone. They thought the storm would pass. Tough Times If you are lucky enough to work at one of five or so premium studios (Blizzard, Bethesda, Valve, etc.) then you probably don’t see it, but for most of the rest of the industry these are miserable times to be in AAA games. Big-budget game sales are down at least 23 percent on the previous year, and some months have been truly miserable. Some peg this on the cyclical nature of the industry and point to the aging Xbox and PS3 hardware, the relatively short lifespan of the Wii and the overall damp squib that was Kinect. They say that gamers are probably waiting for the next round of hardware to be announced, and so 2013 will be a bumper year. I’m not so sure. For one thing, the handheld industry (Nintendo 3DS, Playstation Vita) has recently had a fairly significant hardware refresh, but reactions were apathetic. Nintendo had to drop the price of the 3DS massively, and Sony’s Vita is essentially dead. It seems that players don’t want to pay premium prices for handheld games in a world where the iPod Touch sells games for 10 percent of the price. Meanwhile the Wii U certainly looks amazing and has many among the hardcore stoked. Yet there’s much rumbling over the price of the unit ($300). Secondly, I’m not sure the specs argument really works. PC gamers still cling to their rigs, to Steam and to perceiving themselves as having the best machines. Yet they are mostly doing so with mid- or low-range hardware. PC sales have stalled where traditionally it used to be gamers who pushed the PC forward. Not any more it seems. If it transpires that the would-be console purchaser has the same reaction to the PS4 (“I can’t really see the difference”) then that means something. If technological power is no longer a competitive vector, then price is the primary one. That plays into digital platforms’ hands, especially digital platforms that give their gameplay away. It means that parents are more likely to buy their kids iPads and have them play apps rather than shell out for consoles and TVs (and have the family TV taken over by video gaming). It means that the expectation becomes that the game is free so that the player can know what she’s buying before she buys it. It means that the price of game development itself has to drop. And that changes the dynamic of the games industry, probably permanently. The storm will not pass. The “Freecore” Publishers need long-tail revenues to avoid betting the farm every time they go to market. Activision figured this out a long while ago in merging with Vivendi so that they could get access to that World of Warcraft money. Electronic Arts also saw the light and jumped in feet first by acquiring Playfish. So, too, did Disney with Playdom. Many mid-tier publishers have not. In mobile and tablet, lots of games are released into the app landscape for prices ranging from $0.99 to $4.99 but then disappear. The ones that remain on top of the Top Grossing charts are usually free to play, like Clash of Clans, Dragonvale and CSR Racing. Many of these are not great games, but what they lack in smarts they make up in offering themselves for free on the understanding that maybe 1 in 20 players will ever get around to paying anything. The upshot is that you get a lot of okay games trawling users and finding the few who like the experience enough to buy something. That mechanism is one that an increasing number of big game makers are looking at, and wondering if they can be a part of it. They want to find the hardcore gamers who will not be put off by free to play. They have to. Their livelihoods are at stake. But does that freecore really exist? “Core” or “Hardcore” describe a type of gamer that has not significantly changed since Doom, who has a fixed set of values about what games are. Core gamers are very vital, often the kind of people who power Kickstarter games and indie successes like Minecraft and Steam. They are passionate and believe in gameplay innovation as a key value. They also believe in the idea of objective fairness. A core gamer prefers to have ground through a game to get the special sword as a badge of honour than to buy it. He considers buying his way through shameful in terms of cultural status and legitimacy. That core market (which is an umbrella term for a much more complicated landscape) buys a lot of games per capita and is very influential. It serves the function of the evangelist. Many in what I call the muggle market take their cues from whatever the core is excited by, which helps propel a Call of Duty or a Borderlands 2 to success. However the core by itself probably (by my own rough estimate) comprises no more than 20-25 million players worldwide. Whereas the muggle console market is easily 150 million or more. Free to play is no threat to the core (outside of massive multiplayer games), or for the game developers who focus on it. Mojang software (of Minecraft fame) or TellTale Games (of the Walking Dead) can rely on the audience to stay where it is and keep buying games on PC for many years to come. This is great news for Steam, and it’s not too bad for platform holders like Nintendo either. There’s enough room in that end of the market still for retailing to work, at least for first-party (i.e. published by the platform holder) games. However free to play is a big threat to large parts of the muggle market. It is much more likely to fragment for reasons of price and so to be attracted to free to play games. And for the mid-level publishers who are used to using the core as a springboard into the muggle market, that represents a massive problem. They often have no idea how to talk to muggles, so if the core gamer is not interested in their free to play proposition then they have no way to really market them. Core gamers seem perfectly happy to watch the rest of the industry burn as long as they get their FTL, Torchlight 2 and so on. Those are the games they want at the price they want to pay, with the culture that they want to see reflected in their games. Free to play is of zero interest to them, and that situation is likely to remain in the long term. In a sense, many of them would prefer if the games industry got smaller, stopped trying to pretend to be Hollywood and got back to its roots. They want to see what’s happening at PAX, not E3. So AAA publishers who have used the hardcore as a springboard want them to become a freecore that fills the same role. But the hardcore is not interested. Those publishers can try as much as they like to make big splashes in the market with graphics and sounds and all the rest of it, but there’s nobody really there to take that message in. This leads some to say that companies like Kabam and Kixeye are the future, that they will either find the new hardcore or create it. Maybe. I think core gamers will simply become the sub-culture that they want to be and promote many smaller developers that reflect its values. I think free to play will continue to go from strength to strength, anointing many new developers and publishers and it does so. I think the next generation of consoles will prosper with a combination of first-party big-budget games and also working with those new free-to-play publishers. But the current mid-level publishers? The ones who can’t sink low enough to make free to play games and can’t control their own destinies? Those companies will be devoured by the storm

apps Comment 2 inShare17 Intel Confirms Medfield x86 Chips Don’t Support LTE Yet — But Says It Won’t Be Long Coming

2012-09-24T11:13:00.000+05:30

Intel’s second bite at the smartphone market has been more akin to a gentle nibbling around the edges. At the end of last year the chipmaker teased a smartphone reference design running its Medfield x86 Atom SoC. Nine months later Intel chips have found their way inside six real world smartphones, yet none apparently destined for the U.S. The six smartphones are the Lava XOLO X900 (an exclusively Indian device), the Lenovo K800 (targeting China first), Megafon’s Mint (a Russian carrier-branded device), the Orange San Diego (a UK carrier-branded launch), the ZTE Grand X IN (heading to Europe first) and Motorola’s RAZR i (coming to select European and South American markets). Aside from Intel internals, the RAZR i closely resembles the recently announced Droid RAZR M (the latter is a U.S. device) – which further flags up the U.S.-shaped hole in Intel’s smartphone strategy. What’s going on here? The likely explanation is there’s no support for LTE in Intel’s current Medfield chips. And with 4G such a dominant force in the U.S. you need to command a brand as massive as Apple to get away with flogging LTE-less phones (the iPhone 5 being Cupertino’s only 4G phone). The lack of LTE support in Medfield chips was confirmed to TechCrunch by Sumeet Syal, Intel’s Director of Product Marketing (he wouldn’t be drawn on explaining the politics behind Medfield’s current geographical spread). He also confirmed 4G support is in the pipeline, noting that Intel will be “shipping some LTE products later this year and ramping into 2013″ – so that particular barrier to U.S. entry may soon be removed. Multicore chips vs hyper threading Syal said Intel is also readying a dual-core Medfield chip. Its current chip architecture is single core, although the SoC includes a technique to boost multitasking called hyper threading which — Intel claims — allows it to out-perform some rival multicore chips. “Even though it’s a single core it has hyper threading technology so essentially you’re able to do multitasking through a hyper-threaded environment. So that’s how we’re able to demonstrate that a single core from Intel outperforms a lot of the dual-core and quad-cores out there,” said Syal. “Our next gen product will be a dual-core but again that product will also have hyper threading so essentially… you will also have dual-core with four threads. So again just like we demoed that a single core hyper-threaded can outperform dual-core/quad-core I think we’ll do it again when we introduce the dual-core product with four threads.” But if hyper threading is as good for performance as Syal says it is, why does Intel need to invest in making multicore chips at all? “You have to take a look at how many instructions per clock can the architecture handle — our belief is that others are throwing cores at the issue in terms of getting more performance. We make that determination based on our architecture so we felt very comfortable coming out with a single core dual-threaded for our first product, and as we’re able to get more and more performance in the right implementation of the architecture we believe putting in dual-core would be the right thing for our next generation product,” said Syal. On the question of quad-core, it seems likely Intel sees four cores in Medfield’s future but Syal would not be drawn. “We’re not disclosing any plans yet of quad-cores,” he said. Android app incompatibility App compatibility is another area where Intel is having to play catch up. Despite working closely with Google to optimize its chip architecture for Android, not all Android apps are compatible with Intel’s SoCs — including, in a recently flagged example, Google’s own Chrome for Android browser. This was noticed by Android Central – after some hands on time with a pre-release version of the RAZR i. (Chrome compatibility is due to be fixed in time for the RAZR i’s launch, says Motorola.) Syal said the “majority” of Android apps are compatible with Medfield chips but refused to specify an exact percentage — although Intel has previously claimed 95 per cent of apps are compatible (which was a correction of a previous Intel statement pegging Android app compatibility at just 70 per cent of apps). “We’re not quoting any numbers — but the majority of all the apps we’ve tested work just fine,” said Syal. Syal added that Intel’s internal software and services group has been working “since the launch of our product and constantly round the clock to make sure that all these apps work… so those numbers [of incompatible apps] are changing by the day”. Asked to sum up Intel’s current performance in the smartphone space, he described the company as “comfortable” with how much progress it’s made this year. ”We’ve just gotten into the game, since the beginning of this year, right now we’re really comfortable with how we see our penetration — six products have now been publicly announced into the marketplace. There’s more stuff to come — but we’re not talking specific numbers.” Intel is currently in a quiet period, ahead of its Q3 earnings report (scheduled for October 16) which may be one reason for keeping its powder dry.

iPhone 5′s A6 Chip Has Triple-Core Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

2012-09-24T11:06:00.001+05:30

iPhone 5′s A6 Chip Has Triple-Core Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

iPhone 5 is powered by Apple's next generation A6 system-on-chip, which Apple says is twice as fast as A5 chip that powers iPhone 4S. The A6 chip also offers graphics performance that’s up to twice as fast as the A5 chip. Early iPhone 5 benchmarks have revealed that it may be powered by a dual-core 1.02 GHz ARMv7 processor with 1GB RAM that has 33% faster memory bandwidth. It has also been speculated that Apple has used a custom designed ARM CPU core for iPhone 5's A6 chip. As far as the graphics processing unit (GPU) goes, AnandTech had speculated that Apple may have used a triple-core PowerVR SGX 543MP3 GPU rather than doubling the clock speed of the dual-core SGX 543MP2 found in the A5 for the iPhone 4S or using the quad-core SGX 543MP4 found in the A5X for the third-generation iPad. AnandTech now reports that the first diffusion images of Apple's new A6 SoC seems to confirm that it comes with triple-core GPU running at 266MHz as they had predicted. The image shows two 32-bit LPDDR2 memory channels and three GPU cores. We're likely looking at a PowerVR SGX 543MP3 running at 266MHz. UBM estimates the die size at 95.04mm2 and the manufacturer as Samsung. UBM TechInsights' Technical Research Manager Alan Yogasingam notes that "it's a very unique processor design which was expected from Apple's custom approach to it."

iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: Data Speed Tests

2012-09-24T11:03:00.002+05:30

iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: Data Speed Tests

Apple's iPhone 5 finally supports faster 4G LTE network. Apple puts the download speeds at 100 Mbps - more than twice as fast as the 42 Mbps Apple says you can get from a 3G connection. But as we've told you earlier, even though iPhone 5 may be capable of supporting those download speeds, you are unlikely to get those speeds in real world usage as a lot depends on proximity of towers, the strength of the network and availability of LTE network in your area. Verizon and AT&T both say their LTE networks will deliver about 5 to 12 Mbps download speeds and 2 to 5 Mbps upload speeds. That’s two to four times higher than the rates AT&T expects even with its faster HSPA+ 3G deployments, and two to six times faster than Verizon’s current 3G network. Folks at CNET have just published the results of the data speed tests between iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, which supports HSPA+ and Samsung Galaxy S3 on Verizon's LTE network (CNET plans to publish similar data speed tests on AT&T and Sprint's network shortly). Here's how CNET conducted the test: For each phone -- as a reminder, that's the iPhone 5, the iPhone 4S, and the Galaxy S3 -- I conducted 5 tests in the same location using Ookla's SpeedTest.net (available free from the iTunes App Store and Google Play). Each test pinged the same San Francisco server and recorded the download and upload speeds in megabits per second. These were the results:

As you can see from the table above, as expected iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 deliver much faster data speeds than iPhone 4S. iPhone 5 did slightly better with download speeds compared to Samsung Galaxy S3, while Samsung's flagship smartphone did better with upload speeds.

But given the fact that carrier performance depends on so many factors, it is difficult to conclude that iPhone 5 offers faster data speeds than Samsung Galaxy S3 and vice versa.

We would love to find out what data speeds you're getting on your iPhone 5, so download the SpeedTest.net app [direct iTunes link] and let us know in the comments (you can even attach the screenshot from the app in the comments).

Black iPhone 5 Anodized Aluminum Back Scratch Test [Video]

2012-09-24T11:02:00.000+05:30

Black iPhone 5 Anodized Aluminum Back Scratch Test [Video]

Ever since the iPhone 5 went on sale a number of users of the black model have raised concerns over the durability of the device's anodised back. The folks at iFixit conducted their own set of tests on the black iPhone 5's anodised back panel, and the results aren't very encouraging. They also conducted the same tests on the iPhone 4S' glass back, which was much more resistant to scratches. Their testing actually involves a two year old trying to scratch the device's back with a bunch of keys and a metallic ring. Here's the video:
Although the scratching in the video is deliberate, it's a pretty good representation of the daily wear and tear your iPhone might undergo.

Chameleon Is The Most Complete And Feature-Rich Launcher For Android Tablets With Next-Gen Widgets [VIDEO]

2012-09-24T10:58:00.002+05:30

Chameleon Is The Most Complete And Feature-Rich Launcher For Android Tablets With Next-Gen Widgets [VIDEO]

Custom launchers, or home screen alternatives, are aplenty throughout the Google Play Store, and if ever you’re weighing up the Google side of the ongoing Android vs. iOS debate, the launchers are certainly apart of what makes the Big G’s mobile OS tick. Don’t get me wrong, not all custom launchers are mind-blowing, but there are a growing number of launchers in the wild that can enhance the usability of a device twofold. Nova Launcher, which we’ve featured before here at Redmond Pie, is a prime example of a custom launcher done properly, and today, we bring you a tablet-specific launcher of the same class.
Chameleon Launcher allows you to create multiple home screens, and you can apply your own layout of widgets and apps within each. Windows 8′s tiled interface not only looks the part, but presents your most relevant info in a more prominent manner. The Chameleon Launcher, in essence, takes that same idea in offering its own "context-based" home screen system, which shows you the most important info as you require it.
To elaborate, Chameleon also allows you to create rules based on specific events, such as GPS locations, Wi-Fi networks and time ranges, so your home screen can be programmed to change with you – no matter where you may be. The manner in which widgets are laid out within Chameleon is also something to savor, and it’s as customizable as they come. If you’ve ever delved into building custom widgets, then you’ll be pleased to know the Chameleon Launcher team has also laid on a custom API, enabling you to easily add any widget you desire.
So, how much will this beautiful interface set you back? Well it doesn’t come cheap, that’s for sure. It’s currently retailing for $9.99 over at the Google Play Store, which translates to £6.32 if you reside in the United Kingdom. Then again, the Chameleon Launcher is packed with features, so if you’re in the market for a nicely-polished home screen alternative for your Android tablet, it’s certainly worth checking out.

iOS 5 Maps App Port For iOS 6 In The Works [VIDEO]

2012-09-24T10:56:00.000+05:30

iOS 5 Maps App Port For iOS 6 In The Works [VIDEO]

The iPhone 5 has been officially available through Apple and the carriers for two days now and although it has been heralded as a success, there are still a few issues that have some users expressing a little concern. One of the biggest talking points has been the removal of Google Maps in favor of Apple’s own vector based mapping system, which in itself wouldn’t be too much of an issue but Apple have gotten things drastically wrong in some users opinion. A lot of the negativity is centered around the fact that the Apple Maps don’t contain a great deal of information in certain areas. We have already seen comparison images being posted to the web that show a location on both Apple and Google Maps, with the Google version containing in-depth coverage of the area with street names, local business and multiple points of interest. On the flip side, the new Apple mapping system shows very little information or detail for the same area.
There was always going to come a time when users looked to the jailbreak community for an interim solution to this mapping problem until Apple manage to push significant updates to their Maps. It shouldn’t then come as a surprise that the call has been answered by Ryan Petrich who has shown off a video of the iOS 5 version of Google Maps running on an iPhone 3GS that has iOS 6 installed upon it. Petrich is not only well known in the jailbreak community for being one of the hardest working developers but also getting in early on releases like this that greatly help out the community. The video starts with the obligatory demonstration of the Settings.app to show that the showcased device is indeed running iOS 6. Further proof is given that the device is running by iOS 6 by the existence of the Passbook app, the fact that the Do Not Disturb setting is running and displayed on the status bar as well as the Apple Maps app opened and demonstrated. The Google Maps application is shown running with a lot of the features like zooming into areas of the map shown to be working as well as seamlessly switching between Standard and Satellite map types. Petrich himself has indicated that the port of Google Maps to iOS 6 is nowhere near ready for a public release as it does still suffer from some crashing issues, but it provides comfort for those that badly miss the old mapping system. Using Google Maps in this manner on iOS 6 would require a jailbreak which is currently only available on A4-based devices. To jailbreak iOS 6, you can follow our step by step guide. A iPhone 5 jailbreak is also in the works. Let’s keep out fingers cross for a fast and stable untethered jailbreak for iOS 6 that can be enjoyed by all.

Jasmine Is The Best iOS 6 YouTube App Available On The App Store For iPhone 5 And iPad

2012-09-24T10:54:00.002+05:30

Jasmine Is The Best iOS 6 YouTube App Available On The App Store For iPhone 5 And iPad

Those of you who have installed iOS 6 or purchased a device like the iPhone 5 will notice that it no longer has the YouTube application bundled as part of the OS. Google have released a fairly decent app onto the App Store, but at the moment it doesn’t come with a native iPad version meaning that users needs to run it as an iPhone app on the iPad. It is also yet to be updated for the new iPhone 5. There aren’t a great deal of alternatives for YouTube fans on the iOS App Store, but for those who consume a lot of videos on their devices then the Jasmine YouTube Client for iOS is definitely worth checking out. The Jasmine application is fully iPhone 5 compatible and looks beautiful on the new 1136×640 display. It is also a universal app meaning that it is fully compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The user interface that ships with Jasmine is minimal yet stunning and highly easy to use and navigate around. It also contains a number of small, yet perfectly executed animations that add a little touch of magic and flair to the user experience. A perfect example of this is selecting the Search option to find a video. The Search button flips on its head and a new text field and two new buttons animate into position. The animations last long enough to look great but not delay the user or affect the experience.

All of the expected functionality is covered by the application, such a being able to search and filter through videos, search by different categories, view related videos and read and leave comments. A comprehensive settings panel within the application also allows users to set the application up to their liking with the great option of choosing between a night and dark mode that switches the interface between a light and clinical setup to a dark and sombre creation. All in all, a great little app that also offers an excellent iPad experience for those who are running iOS 6.

(Source: Jasmine for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad on the App Store).

How To Root Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 / 8.9 On Android 4.0.4 ICS

2012-09-24T10:51:00.000+05:30

How To Root Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7 / 8.9 On Android 4.0.4 ICS

Among the first things hardcore Android enthusiasts do after unboxing their shiny new smartphone or tablet is to look for ways of gaining root access to it. “Rooting” is the Android equivalent of “jailbreaking” (an iOS term) which lets users run apps that can make changes to or access system level data and resources. Now, Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD is one of the most recent new Android-based devices. It has received mostly positive feedback from critics and consumers, who praise its unbeatable price and strong digital library of music, movies, books, and TV shows. Those of you who bought it recently and like their device to run more than just usual apps will be glad to know it was rooted a few days ago. We’ve got a friendly guide ready for this after the jump.

This guide assumes that you already have ADB installed and set up on your computer. If not, please do so by grabbing the Android SDK from the official website.
DISCLAIMER: Redmond Pie will not be held responsible if you damage your device in following this guide. Proceed at your own risk.
Step 1: Enable ADB from Settings > Security.
Step 2: Download Kindle_Fire_HD_ADB_Drivers.zip from the source link at the end of this post. Extract the contents of the file and launch the executable file within it.
Step 3: Download Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip from the source link at the end of this post. Extract its contents to reveal a system folder. Within that, you will find Superuser.apk and an su file.
Step 4: Copy and paste both Superuser.apk and su to the platform-tools folder under the directory where you have installed Android SDK.
Step 5: Connect your Kindle Fire HD to your computer.
Step 6: Launch a terminal program like Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Linux). Navigate to platform-tools folder under the directory where you’ve installed the Android SDK.
Step 7: Enter the following commands one by one:

adb shell
rm -r /data/local/tmp
ln -s /data/ /data/local/tmp
exit
adb reboot
adb shell
echo ‘ro.kernel.qemu=1′ > /data/local.prop
exit
adb reboot
adb shell mount -o remount,rw /system
adb push su /system/xbin/su
adb shell
chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
rm /data/local.prop
exit
adb reboot
adb install Superuser.apk

If you followed the steps correctly, your Kindle Fire HD will now be rooted. To confirm, look for a SuperUser app in your apps list.
For any queries or issues you are facing, please visit the official thread on RootzWiki.

Shared Apple Maps Links Redirect To Google Maps On Desktops, Other Smartphones; Even On iOS 6!

2012-09-24T10:50:00.001+05:30

Shared Apple Maps Links Redirect To Google Maps On Desktops, Other Smartphones; Even On iOS 6!

One of the possible reasons why Apple shifted to their own mapping solution in iOS 6, besides reports suggesting that their five year long Maps license from Google had expired, is the company’s general preference to having complete and absolute control over how user’s use their products. In addition to that, data from users of maps is very valuable; data that Apple would like to keep to itself rather than hand it to a third party.
iOS 6 Maps hasn’t been received positively by the community. While a few select number of high-profile cities get awesome, detailed coverage, the rest are left with barren maps and inaccurate data especially when compared to the data available for the same cities on Google Maps. Google Maps has transit directions, up to date maps and, most of all, a significantly larger number of points of interest such as petrol pumps, restaurants, banks etc.

Now, since there is no way to access Apple Maps outside of an iOS 6 device, TechCrunch has discovered that when Maps links from iOS 6 are shared online, they redirect to Google Maps.
We’ve tested this ourselves and were a little surprised at this design decision. maps.apple.com links shared to Twitter, email, via text message or iMessage all redirect to Google Maps on desktops and other smartphones. Oddly, if iOS 6 users open up a maps.apple.com link from Facebook, it takes them to Google Maps instead of opening up in Apple Maps like it should. In addition to that, iMessage / text messages get the location in the form of an attached vCard which contains the same link that has to be opened with an extra couple of taps in Google Maps.
These inconsistencies will certainly go away in further updates to iOS 6 and Maps, but don’t expect the redirection from maps.apple.com to maps.google.com on desktops to go away until Apple brings iOS 6 Maps to desktop users in the form of a proper website.

Apple Maps will certainly improve with time, but until then users who rely heavily on GPS navigation are recommended to use the more reliable and accurate Google Maps on their iOS 6 device by going to maps.google.com.

AquaBoard For iPhone Adds Beautiful Water Ripple Effects Throughout iOS

2012-09-23T09:52:00.001+05:30

AquaBoard For iPhone Adds Beautiful Water Ripple Effects Throughout iOS

With all the talk focused around the iPhone 5 lately, it is easy to lose sight of all those individuals who are running devices like the iPhone 4 or 4S on earlier versions of iOS and are still enjoying their untethered jailbreak. The jailbreak dev teams will be looking for ways to liberate the iPhone 5 that’s for certain, but in the mean time, the show must go on, and thankfully the release of yet another great little package from Elias Limneos is ensuring that it goes on in great style. The AquaBoard Water Effects tweak is something that doesn’t bring a huge amount of functionality to a jailbroken iPhone, but it does offer insane amounts of fun using OpenGL graphics rendering when the user interacts with the screen. The main purpose of the package is to bring a little light-hearted fun to the device and it’s easy for me to think of this new enhancement along the same lines of the fantastic Barrel tweak that exists to offer visual and eye-catching animations when interacted with the device.
When downloaded and installed, AquaBoard applies a gorgeous looking ripple effect to the screen whenever the user chooses to interact with an icon, or drag from one home screen to the next. The tweak manifests itself over the top of the current display and captures the user input whenever they touch the screen to invoke the animations. From a technical aspect, the package is extremely advanced, with Limeos integrating OpenGL 2.0 technologies to present the most life-like water animations possible. The tweak also has additional options to allow the user to customize the ripple effect that they see, with ten different patterns being available that are a combination of size and depth changes.
lthough, I have yet to put the package through rigorous testing, it is claimed that it is also extremely friendly on the device’s battery due to the fact that it actually only processes any sort of rendering when the animation is occurring. With packages like these, it is easy to get things wrong and have the OpenGL rendering running permanently, therefore depleting the battery very quickly. Hopefully this won’t be the case with AquaBoard. AquaBoard is available as a $2.99 download from the BigBoss repository and requires iOS 5.1 or above.

Project Austin App For Windows 8 Brings The Microsoft Courier Project Back To Life [VIDEO]

2012-09-23T09:48:00.004+05:30

Concept ideas are dreamed up, worked on, and scrapped by companies all the time, but when a project has a certain unique quirk or charm, it’s always worth going back for a second look. At least, that’s what members of Microsoft’s C++ team have done in creating Project Austin – an app designed and heavily influenced by the old codename: Courier. For those who’ve never heard of the Microsoft Courier, perhaps a little background information is in order. First reported back in 2008, it was a tablet-esque booklet PC which would have catered to the creative. Featuring two touchscreens hinged to function like a book, it would have included a stylus and touch-screen operations, allowing users to read, take notes and make annotations and drawings. In essence, it was like an early adaptation of what you now get with devices like the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note 10.1.
The idea was scrapped in 2010 by the Redmond company, and little has really been heard of it since. With the iPad arriving that year, Apple really changed the way consumers see mobile computing, and as such, Microsoft went back to the drawing board, creating the soon-to-be-released – but as yet, unpriced – Microsoft Surface. Like many conceptual ideas before it, the Courier still has something of a cult following, and those individuals – along with the new age of the digitally-creative – may be intrigued to learn that the Microsoft Courier has been resurrected. Well, sort of.
The Project Austin app is said to enable users to add, move, or delete pages to a notebook, and use digital ink to write or draw and add photos. Those notes can then easily be shared with other Windows 8 apps, including the software maker’s SkyDrive cloud service.
Like the courier, the focus seems to be on creativity as opposed to typing and note-taking per se, thus it should not be seen as a replacement or outright competitor to OneNote. Visual C++ developer Jorge Pereira notes of the project:

We believe in the beautiful simplicity of just a pen and a piece of paper, and that’s what we tried to recreate with it. Much of the inspiration and code for the Austin app draws from an earlier project code-named Courier

Much of the Austin Project’s source code can be had already over at CodePlex, and the team is also planning to release a blog series outlining how Austin was built.

It certainly looks to be an intriguing app indeed, and with the stylus being a significant part of the Surface experience, it could turn out to be a must-have for the overwhelming majority.

Twitter: Users Will Be Able To Download Their Tweets By The End Of This Year

2012-09-23T09:30:00.001+05:30

Twitter: Users Will Be Able To Download Their Tweets By The End Of This Year

Twitter may be in the midst of a rather dramatic fall from grace amongst the technology community, but the company has announced at least one piece of news which is certain to bring a smile to the faces of the Technorati. Since Twitter made it big, we’ve all been wishing it was possible to download an archive of all the tweets we ever posted. Twitter itself has not offered such a feature, while web-apps such as ThinkUp have tried to bridge the gap for those willing to setup their own web server in order to keep their 140-character musings for posterity.

Now though, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo has confirmed for the first time that users will indeed be able to download their history of tweets for safekeeping. What’s more, they’ll be able to do just that by the end of the year. Finally!
One of the arguments laid at the feet of Twitter since day one has been the fact that our tweets just disappear into the ether after a set period of time, with no way of retrieving tweets from months or years ago, even though Twitter itself does keep them. Now it seems the social network is in agreement that this is a feature that should be available to all, and is bringing it to its millions of users within a couple of months.

This is some welcome good news for Twitter, with something of an internet backlash currently underway over the company’s treatment of those utilizing its APIs. Various developers have been forced to change their products due to Twitter’s new stance on clients hooking into its service, which has let to a furor of sorts across the web. With Twitter having been built into what it is thanks to some great third-party clients for the iPhone in particular, the move to lock some out has been seen as a slap in the face for those that helped build Twitter in the first place.
We’re not sure Twitter itself really cares about that, and with the firm still scrambling to find a real way of monetizing its service, we suspect it has bigger fish to fry.

Motorola Slams iOS 6 Maps In Its Latest DROID RAZR M Advert [IMAGE]

2012-09-23T09:28:00.001+05:30

Motorola Slams iOS 6 Maps In Its Latest DROID RAZR M Advert [IMAGE]

It has, by and large, been a pretty good past week or two for Apple, and with stocks rising thanks to high sales forecasts of the iPhone 5, Tim Cook and his team have plenty to feel positive about. Having said that, iOS 6 hasn’t released to such critical acclaim, and although it offers quite a few minor improvements in many key areas, one of the most anticipated changes – the new Maps app – looks to have been a marked fail. Google Maps has been present on iOS from the very first iPhone, but it has long since been public knowledge that Apple wished to eradicate Google’s software at stock level on its iDevice range. It does, on one hand, make sense for Apple to want everything in-house – particularly with the large sums Google received for both Search and Maps – but in practice, Apple’s replacement has left much to be desired.

Beta testers of iOS 6 have known for a while now that Apple Maps – despite offering 3D mapping as its main, significant feature – doesn’t really measure up to the Google iteration, but many had hoped Apple would sort things out before iOS 6 finally began rolling out to the end-user. That has not turned out to be the case, though, and as Google promises iOS users its Maps app will it the App Store in the near future, many have opted to use the web version as opposed to utilizing the native app. With Apple’s main rivals having taken it in turns to slander the company in the run-up to the iPhone 5, such a furor presents a golden opportunity for competing brands to capitalize. Motorola, owned by Google after the recent acquisition was finally completed, has seized its chance to poke some fun at Apple, and is trying to get a little Twitter trend going in the process. A tweet, which can also be found on Motorola Mobility’s Google+ page, reads: Looking for 315 E 15th in Manhattan? Google Maps on DROID RAZR M will get you there & not #iLost in Brooklyn.
With plenty of comedians having been born over the past 48 hours thanks to their humorous take on the apparent Maps fail, it’s more than likely the #iLost tag will soon catch on, and although the release of Google Maps for iOS 6 will no doubt see an end to the debate, don’t be surprised to see the #iLost parade gather momentum.

Xbox Music Pass Is Coming To Windows Phone 8 [IMAGE]

2012-09-23T09:25:00.004+05:30

Xbox Music Pass Is Coming To Windows Phone 8 [IMAGE]

Fans of Microsoft’s Xbox Music Pass appear to be in luck, if they also plan on picking up one of the new Windows Phone 8 devices that will be hitting the streets shortly. The Windows Phone 8 hype is beginning to reach a whole new level of, well, hype. We’re not too far away from new smartphones packing Windows Phone 8 reaching stores, and we’re still learning new and somewhat interesting things about what features will and will not make their way into those handsets. Microsoft recently released its Windows Phone 8 SDK Preview to select developers, and a Hyper-V version of the Windows Phone 8 emulator was also seeded at the same time. It’s this emulator that has given us some encouraging news regarding Xbox Music Pass.

For those who don’t know, Xbox Music Pass is a Zune-like service that gives users access to millions of music tracks which can be streamed to a variety of devices. Turns out, thanks to the aforementioned emulator, that those who pick up Windows Phone 8 smartphones will also have access to Xbox Music Pass. Spotify just got some competition! It remains to be seen what the state of play will be internationally, but it is worth noting that Zune never really found its way out of the United States, presumably due to licensing issues. Will Xbox Music Pass suffer a similar fate? Lets hope not.

One feature not confirmed but rumored, is something called ‘scan and match.’ Similar to Apple’s iTunes Match, this would let people scan their own music collection and then stream that from Microsoft’s cloud servers also. We’re still playing something of a guessing game when it comes to Windows Phone 8, and the biggest question is still one of app support. Windows Phone 7 was widely liked for its unique approach to the mobile OS, but the lack of quality apps let it down. It remains to be seen whether the next generation of Windows Phone will suffer the same fate. Fingers crossed it’s a different situation this time around.

iOS 6 Sees Record-Breaking Adoption Rate, More Than Twice As Quick Compared To iOS 5 In The First Two Days

2012-09-23T09:21:00.001+05:30

iOS 6 Sees Record-Breaking Adoption Rate, More Than Twice As Quick Compared To iOS 5 In The First Two Days

Despite the shockingly-bad Maps app upsetting a vast number of iOS 6 users, the Cupertino company’s latest and greatest mobile firmware has been downloaded and installed in record numbers. Fuelled by the frenzied consumer rush for the new iPhone 5, the new operating system has been adopted at a rate 122 percent faster than iOS 5, which released last October. Such figures are pretty flabbergasting, and features such as Siri for iPad, Facebook integration and Passbook will no doubt have swayed some of those sitting on the fence. One app which probably prevented the number of early adopters from soaring even further, however, is Apple’s new Maps offering.

Apple does like a gimmick or two, and in waving 3D Mapping in everybody’s faces, grossly underestimated consumer reliability on the native Maps service. If Apple had realized iOS users like their app to be smooth and functional as well as offering a fancy feature or two, perhaps the current backlash would never have ensued. Having today managed to spend an hour or so with an iPhone 5, I’m not nearly as impressed by the new software as I am with the hardware. At present, it’s certainly cool to slate Apple Maps, but in reality, the criticism is justified. Google’s Maps app was never mind-blowingly exceptional, but it did a good job, and despite 3D mapping and turn-by-turn navigation from Apple’s new Maps service, I – along with many iDevice users – will put my faith in the Mountain View-based company delivering a solid Maps app over at the App Store in the near future. The YouTube app, which was also ditched as a native offering, has been significantly improved and is now slicker than ever, and I think most iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running iOS 6 will be holding out more hope for something similar in the mapping department.

Meanwhile, Apple has promised it will update and improve its Maps offering in an almost apologetic press statement, but is certainly in a race against time to convince consumers scrapping the old Google Maps was the correct decision. Ultimately, with such a high adoption rate, the Cupertino company will be pleased, but there’s still much work to be done if this launch is to be as successful as billed.

Camera Test: iPhone 5 vs iPhone 4S vs iPhone 4 [VIDEO]

2012-09-23T09:16:00.001+05:30

Camera Test: iPhone 5 vs iPhone 4S vs iPhone 4 [VIDEO]

APPLE made a song and dance of the new iphone 5′s camera improvements, and although the resolution remained at 8-megapixels (translating to "unchanged" among the overwhelming majority), Apple not only improved its build quality by incorporating a Sapphire lens, but also claim it performs much better in low lighting conditions.
Of course, Apple said its new Maps app was the real deal, but we all know how that has transpired, so of course, the only way to properly gauge its performance is to test it in the real world. What better cameras to compare with than those of the i phone 4 & 4S, the two predecessors to the iPhone 5 having released in 2010 and 2011 respectively?

In the following video, Redmond Pie’s Steven Chi recorded various settings using the three apple smartphones and although there is little separating the three solid snappers, the iPhone 5′s is noticeably sharper and more vibrant than the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s When all is said and done, the camera is certainly one of the lower-key improvements in a device boasting a brand new processor, 1GB of RAM, and 4G LTE. That said, with the likes of Instagram and its parent company, Facebook, popular among mobile users for uploading photos on a daily basis, it was important that Apple delivered some enhancements to the main, rear-facing camera – if only small – and that definitely looks to have been the case.
It does look as through apple– along with most other mobile vendors – are close to hitting a plateau in terms of what can be offered to consumers. Sure, the processor, GPU, and camera can always be bumped up a notch or two – as has been the case here – but when a smartphone performs seamlessly, delivers sharp graphics and offers very high quality image and video recording, it’s hard for Apple et al to deliver that "wow" factor every time.
The device – in the eyes of many – certainly does have that, but I think you’ll agree the improvements to the camera are negligible at best. Amateur photographers will continue to take snaps of their lunch, the aficionados will still use their Canon or Nikon DSLRs, and everybody will remain happy.