Fortunately, there is an app for that! Semi-Restore comes to save millions of jailbroken iOS device owners’ neurons from premature death.

With Semi-Restore, jailbroken iDevice users can have a clean install of their current firmware without losing the beloved jailbreak. This doesn’t mean it will completely restore your device, but it is the tool to get close to a clean install without updating your iDevice to the latest firmware.

According to the Semi-Restore website, this only requires up to 10 minutes of your time, but there are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled for a successful semi-restore: you need to have OpenSSH and APT 0.7 Strict (Not the LIB) installed on your iOS device, and an SSH client on your computer.

Semi-Restore is currently in beta, but if you are ready to do a semi-restore as it goes live, you can prepare your device by installing the aforementioned apps from Cydia. Meanwhile, you can watch a video tutorial courtesy of Dom of AppAdvice.

Semi-Restore Keeps Your Jailbreak While Restoring iOS [VIDEO] is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

After hearing about the acquisition details well in advance, Yahoo has officially acquired Tumblr for a $1.1 billion cash deal. Marisa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo detailed the news today and reassured the Tumblr community things will only get better:

I’m delighted to announce that we’ve reached an agreement to acquire Tumblr!

We promise not to screw it up. Tumblr is incredibly special and has a great thing going. We will operate Tumblr independently. David Karp will remain CEO. The product roadmap, their team, their wit and irreverence will all remain the same as will their mission to empower creators to make their best work and get it in front of the audience they deserve. Yahoo! will help Tumblr get even better, faster.

David Karp, CEO of Tumblr was equally as ecstatic about the deal (he’s swimming in money now like Uncle Scrooge), as shown in his enthusiastic sign off:

Yahoo is the original Internet company, and Marissa and her team share our dream to make the Internet the ultimate creative canvas. I couldn’t be more excited to have her help. We also share a vision for Tumblr’s business that doesn’t compromise the community and product we love. Plus both our logos end with punctuation!

As always, everything that Tumblr is, we owe to this unbelievable community. We won’t let you down.

F*ck yeah,
David

Internet giants such as Google, Facebook and Yahoo continue to acquire booming web companies–who’s next to be acquired?

Yahoo Officially Acquires Tumblr, Promises “Not to Screw it Up” is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

As previous rumours have already highlighted, the fifth-generation iPad will be thinner and lighter than the currently available iPad 4, carrying design elements from the iPad mini. Now, Digitimes’s sources put that change into numbers: they claim the iPad 5 will be 25%33% lighter than the current model.

The display of the new iPad, which will hit market shelves as early as September, will still be a 2,048 x 1,536 Retina display, the same as the one used in the 4th-generation model, except that the new display is built on a glass substrate of 0.2mm, thinner than the 0.25mm one for the 4th-generation device, the sources said, adding the new table will has a narrow bezel.

The touch panel solution for 5th-generation iPad is GF2 (1 layer of glass and two layers of ITO film) instead of G/G bonding used in 4th-generation iPad, the sources added.

The new iPad will use one LED light bar for backlighting, compared to two LED light bars used in 4th-generation iPad, the sources noted.

The 5th-generation iPad is estimated to be 25-33% lighter than the 4th-generation one, the sources indicated.

Completing an April report, supply chain sources say the display of the iPad 5 will be provided by LG Display, Sharp and Samsung Display.

Back in January, iLounge’s Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy Horwitz has shared his thoughts about the iPad 5 after holding a “supposedly accurate and seriously intriguing” mockup of the completely redesigned tablet.

He spread the rumours of the iPad mini-like design — especially regarding the left and right bezels. Since then, we have seen a couple of examples of alleged iPad 5 front bezels and cover glass, as well as the device’s rear shell and a couple cases, all of which seeming to reinforce an iPad-mini-like design.

It remains to be seen whether earlier rumours of more efficient backlighting will materialize at the launch of the anticipated full-sized tablet.

iPad 5 Rumoured to be up to 33% Lighter than Current Model is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

The first report says RiTdisplay was supposed to receive orders for an 1.8-inch OLED display, but Apple has decided to go with a smaller, 1.5-inch OLED display that uses one-glass-touch sensors, allowing a thin design for the product.

This report appears to reinforce a December rumour noting that Apple’s smart watch will sport a 1.5-inch OLED display, manufactured by RiTdisplay.

The second report points to Foxconn, which allegedly received orders for Apple’s smart watch. However, the Taiwanese sources have knowledge only a small volume of smart watches (just over 1,000 units), which could mean the gadget is in the early testing phase.

Rumors of an iWatch surfaced earlier this year, when a couple of reports claimed that Apple is developing a smart watch. Bloomberg claimed that the company has a team of 100 designers working on the project.

Apple Rumoured to Test 1.5-inch OLED Display for Smart Watch is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Of course, the iPhone 4 is an old phone that is slow in today’s standards so smartphone snobs will ignore this. But if your parents or grandparents want an iPhone and don’t care about the latest and greatest, a free iPhone 4 with the $39/month plan is a decent start, plus you get paid $100 in gift cards. Let us know if you’re going to jump on this warm deal.

[via RFD]

Fido iPhone 4 for $0: Sign 2 Year Term, Get $100 Best Buy Gift Card is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

First things first: navigation. If you add a few extra words like “via transit,” Siri can help you choose the preferred apps for directions. It works like this: first you instruct Siri to, for example, “get me directions from San Francisco to Santa Barbara via transit.” With this command, Siri will launch the Maps application and display the routing pane. This allows you to choose the third-party app you prefer for directions.

Another tip when driving: if your car has a built-in speakerphone, you can enable Bluetooth on your iPhone and pair the devices. Now, the fun part begins: when you call Siri (hold the home button) a speaker icon will appear on the right of the Siri button. After pressing it, you’ll get access to a menu of all the available sound inputs your handset can use. By selecting one of them Siri will listen to you using that microphone, and will speak to you using the car’s speakers. In case your car doesn’t have built-in speakers, you can opt for a Bluetooth accessory that has both microphone and speakers.

[Via Macworld]

Two Powerful Siri Tips for In-Car Use is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

image via AllThingsD

Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer continues to move the web company forward–this time, with an acquisition of popular blogging platform Tumblr. According to AllThingsD, the Yahoo! board has approved a $1.1 billion acquisition cash deal, set to be announced tomorrow:

The Yahoo board has approved a massive $1.1 billion all-cash deal to buy Tumblr.

Sources close to the board said the deal was a foregone conclusion and was an unanimous vote by the Silicon Valley Internet giant.

The deal will likely be announced Monday morning, said numerous sources.

According to sources Mayer has said acquiring Tumblr was going to be “the stake in the ground of what her strategy is going forward for Yahoo,” to attract younger audiences and remain relevant and “cool”. Younger audiences continue to create popular unique generated pages such as Sh!t Siri Says.

Tumblr’s mobile usage has ramped up as ComScore notes a quarter of its traffic comes from mobile, helped in large part by its iPhone app.

Yahoo continues to ramp up its mobile offerings with recent updates to its mail app, a newly released weather app and also acquiring summary service Summly. The company has previously been reported to be engaged in talks with Apple to play a deeper role within iOS devices.

Yahoo! Board Approves $1.1 Billion Deal to Acquire Tumblr is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

“As a Canadian leader in mobile app development, The Weather Network and MétéoMédia continue to deliver the most innovative and up-to-date weather-related content across a range of mobile platforms,” said Gita Ashar, Director of Mobile Applications and Emerging Technologies at The Weather Network. “We are extremely proud to be one of a handful of Canadian-owned companies to appear on the Top 25 All-Time Free Apps in Canada list.”

Parent company Pelmorex Media Inc. says both their iPhone and iPad versions of the Weather Network receive close to a million active users per day and drives more traffic than their website; during busy weather periods the iPhone app receives 12 million page views per day, or over 200 million per month.

Originally released as WeatherEye, the app relaunched itself back in October of 2011 and in 2012 the iPad version of the app topped the Top 25 All-Time Free apps; this year, it ranked second.

Even though there’s a plethora of weather apps for the iPhone, The Weather Network app has consistently been one of my go-to apps. What’s your favourite weather app?

Click here to download The Weather Network iPhone app–it’s free.

The Weather Network iOS App Surpasses 7 Million Downloads is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

Last month Bell Mobility started its day in court in Yellowknife over a class-action lawsuit related to 911 monthly fees in the Whitehorse area. James Anderson launched the suit–which has about 30,000 people involved–back in 2007, as he argued a 75 cent monthly fee should not be charged to those without 911 service.

According to a ruling made yesterday, the Northwest Territories Supreme Court agreed with Anderson the 911 charges were not justified (via CBC):

On Friday, Justice Ron Veale ruled Bell is liable to nearly 30,000 cellphone users in the N.W.T., Yukon and Nunavut who paid for 911 services they didn’t receive.

Out of the territories only Whitehorse had a 911 operator, whereas other residents had to dial a 10 digit number for emergency services. The lawyer representing the Andersons, Keith Landy says the ruling sets a precedent:

“Cellphone has become a necessity today. And by virtue of them having monthly fees to pay, and then having to pay a charge where the service isn’t provided, is certainly something that needed to be corrected in our view.”

Jason Laszlo from Bell Media Relations, said the ruling goes beyond what he believes the trial was initially about–and the company will appeal the verdict:

“We’re pleased the court ruled in our favour on the main issues certified for trial, and found that Bell Mobility is not required to provide live 911 operators. That is the responsibility of local governments,” he said in an email.

“But we will certainly appeal its decision on a matter that hadn’t even been certified for trial – i.e. whether customers in those areas are exempt from paying the fees charged to all customers nationally.”

The class-action lawsuit affects Bell customers who signed contracts before April 13, 2010 across the North.

Bell Loses 911 Fee Class-Action Lawsuit, Will Appeal Supreme Court Ruling is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource

There are Slickwraps for a tonne of devices such as your iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, iMac, Apple TV 2, Mophie Juice Pack, PS3/Xbox controllers and other gadgets, even including the Pebble smart watch.

You may have heard about SlickWraps and their iGlowPhone glow-in-the-dark skin for iPhones, which has been one of their most popular line ups, exclusive to them. No more hunting for your iPhone in the dark! Check it out in the video below:

Shipping to the USA is $4.95 and International shipping (including Canada) is a reasonable $6.99. BUT, if your cart totals more than $40 after you’ve applied the coupon credit, you get free worldwide shipping.

Click here to jump on the Slickwraps deal while it’s still available.

Slickwraps Skins for Apple Gear and More: $50 Credit for Only $25! [Deals] is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog - Canada's #1 iPhone Resource