It’s not everyday you see these for sale! An Apple I will be auctioned off by Sotheby’s in New York on the 15th of June and could reportedly fetch up to $180,000! The lot includes the instruction manual, a BASIC programming manual and a cassette interface.

An Apple I auctioned off in 2010 sold for a huge $213,000, so it’s very likely the $180,000 estimate will be met. That’s 270 times the original price of $666.666 back in 1976.

The second lot is a memo hand written by Steve Jobs while he was working at Atari discussing the World Cup Football game, and that’s expected to fetch a much more affordable $15,000. If any of you Apple fans have a lot of money to burn, you might want to check these out.

Thank you for reading Apple I Motherboard and Steve Jobs Memo Up For Auction from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Siri may not work the way some lawsuit happy schmucks want her to, but she does just fine for the purposes of this column! Let’s enjoy some more wit and wisdom from everybody’s favorite personal assistant, Siri! But watch out for that new movie she’s in, it’s a killer!

Did he sleep here?

Everyone is a star! Or a whisp of water vapor…

Play that funky music!

Drinking buddies forever!

Siri: The Horror Movie!

We thank Siri Humor for the the above screenshots. It’s a very funny site, be warned if you do visit, that it’s possibly NSFW, mostly for language.

What do you have Siri call you? We’d love to find out. Let us know what Siri calls you. We’ve had some great emails from our readers, but we’d love to see more! Send your replies to: chris@mactrast.com, and we’ll publish the best ones. Let’s hear it!

We’ve been appreciative of the Siri remarks you’ve submitted to us, and we want you to keep them coming! But, before you take the time to send your screenshots, check in the MacTrast archives and see if we’ve already published it. (And if we’ve published it twice, please let us know.) Just search for “Siri Says the Darndest Things” on MacTrast, and you’ll be able to see what we’ve already used.

Please keep them coming though, send them to: chris@mactrast.com. If you see a video or article showing an interesting way that users have bent Siri to their will, or a funny cartoon or video starring Siri, send us a link! We’ll give you credit for the heads-up!

Thanks, see you next week!

Thank you for reading Siri Says the Darndest Things: Cloud Couture, Funky Beats, and Siri the Homicidal Maniac! from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Wallpaper Weekends is a post series intended to bring you stunning, high quality wallpapers for your iPad, iPhone, and/or iPod Touch.

This week, we present a WWDC inspired wallpaper for iPad and an American flag iPhone wall for Memorial Day.  Show your American pride this Monday with high resolution stars and bars!

Full Resolution

iPad / iPhone

Wallpaper Weekend Posts

The series is posted by MacTrast’s own Jim Gresham and can be found in the Wallpaper Weekend section of the MacTrast webpage.

Download Instructions

From your iDevice, link to the full resolution image. Tap and hold on the image until the “Save Image” option appears.  Saving the image will place your new wallpaper in the Camera Roll. From your desktop, link to the full resolution image.  Right click and save the image to your iTunes photo sync folder.

Thank you for reading Wallpaper Weekends: Memorial Day and WWDC Backgrounds for iPhone and iPad from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

The Apple assembly lines within Foxconn’s manufacturing plants are very closely guarded, and getting a chance to actually see one of these assembly lines is very rare. A new video has surfaced, however, in which a Chinese reporter tours the facility with Foxconn CEO Terry Gou (via TheNextWeb, MIC Gadget).

The video shows a number of fascinating things – the sheer size of the factory from aerial view, some footage of iPhone frames and logic boards on the production line, and more. The entire video can be found below. All of the dialogue is in Chinese, however – but if we’re able to find a translation, we’ll let you know!

Thank you for reading A Rare Look at Foxconn’s iPhone Assembly Line (Video) from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Some of you might remember a Kickstarter project we wrote about a while back called the cellhelmet – a unique and ultra-tough iPhone case included a full year of accidental damage coverage. We’re thrilled to tell you that the cellhelmet is now a reality – and we’ve teamed up with cellpig to give away 3 of these cases to three lucky readers!

cellhelmet’s official website explains how everything works:

Every cellhelmet includes one (1) full year of accidental damage coverage for iPhone 4/4S, regardless if it’s new, used, unlocked or jailbroken. Also, never wait to file a claim. If your device breaks on day one of ownership – go ahead and file a claim. We’ll never make you wait.

If your iPhone 4/4S is beyond repair, we will replace it (limit one (1) replacement per policy).

The case is pocket sized, features 3 layers of protection for your device, and is available with several different colors of protective backplate so you can personalize the case and make it your own! It’s also manufactured entirely in the United States!

Enough chatter – we want to give you the chance to win a cellhelmet of your own! Here’s how you can enter!

How to Enter

So how can you snag a protective cellhelmet case for your precious iPhone? It’s easy! Just follow @MacTrast on Twitter and tweet the following phrase:

Win a cellhelmet case for iPhone 4/4S – the only case with built-in damage coverage! http://mctr.st/M4PFuI #MTCell

Entries are open to anyone and everyone regardless of location (although damage coverage is only available to winners in the U.S. and Canada). The contest is open immediately, and will run until Monday morning at 8 AM MT. Winners will be randomly selected and notified shortly thereafter.

Good luck!

Thank you for reading Giveaway: cellhelmet – The Only iPhone 4/4S Case With Built-In Damage Coverage! from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

With the emergence of QR codes, the link between something physical and something digital has got ever greater. Many areas have taken advantage of this, especially advertising, but for the first time ever the technology has made the switch to card games. Bicycle’s Jacked Up Cards use the QR codes on the pack and on a card as well as dedicated iPhone and iPad apps to add another dimension to the rules, delivering a whole new gameplay experience.

Layout

The first thing you see when you open the app on both iPhone and iPad is the friendly Bicycle Joker, who guides you through the game and also tells you what the rule changes when you scan the appropriate QR code. Going through the menus is a nice experience, as the layout is modelled on a deck of cards, and it really embodies the category of the app.

It is also a relatively intuitive experience – relative only because it is sometimes not immediately obvious which button you have to press, something which can at times be problematic. I for one ended up getting lost at times and had to restart the app. However once you know what you’re doing it’s fine.

Functionality

There are no serious issues with the functionality of the app. The most important thing, that QR codes read properly, could not be better and once you have it lined up correctly, it reads it in a second.

The app allows you to set up multiple players, and the great thing you can play without using the QR code if you feel like it. Ultimately it is just a normal deck of cards, and it’s only right that you get to play how you want.

The other nice feature is that even if you don’t know how to play the game, you can learn. It lists the rules, however after I read through them they weren’t perhaps as clear as they could have been. I’m a great one for video tutorials, and if they had included one, it would have been even better.

The final unique feature worth mentioning is the ability to take a photo of yourself as you play, or after you’ve finished. I would have to class this as a slightly pointless feature- if you want to take a photo, you might as well just use the dedicated Camera app, especially as the function does not add any cool effects. The time could have been spent on something more relevant to the game itself if you ask me.

Verdict

If you like card games and want to try out something different, then Jacked Up is definitely for you. It gives the game a different dimension, and the sudden rule changes make the game more exciting.

I would like to point out several things though: firstly the iPad and iPhone versions are exactly the same (from what I can tell), but clearly the former has simply been adjusted to fit the bigger screen. Secondly, you can get three different versions – Solitaire, Hearts and War. Which once you choose is down to personal preference (I used Solitaire for this review). Thirdly, don’t bother with this app if you haven’t got the cards. The app is free, but you have to order the cards from Bicycle to enjoy the experience.

On that topic though, I discovered a serious flaw with their system. It’s nothing to do with the functionality of the app, but if you take a photo with normal camera of the QR codes, the scanner in the Jacked Up will pick them up, even off the photo. As a result, you only really have to buy one deck, then send photos around to your friends and they can use any old deck to play. Potentially, that’s one seriously rubbish business plan.

Rating: 4/5

Price: Free (iPad link, iPhone link, Cards must be purchased separately)

Pros

• Puts a new, interactive edge on card games.
• Friendly Bicycle Joker guides you through the process.
• Allows you to play without a Jacked Up deck.

Cons

• Rules could be explained better with a video tutorial.
• App navigation can sometimes be tricky, especially when you first start using it.

Thank you for reading Review: Bicycle Jacked Up – An Interactive Card Game For iPhone and iPad from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

We’re back with another Amazing Apple Anecdote from the time of the original Macintosh. This week, we learn about an incident involving Steve Jobs and handicapped spaces, as well as the prankster that is Steve Wozniak.

Andy Hertzfeld recalls (via Folklore.org):

Most of the anecdotes that I’ve written for Folklore are based on incidents that I observed myself, but sometimes a second or third hand story is just too good to pass up. I have to issue a disclaimer here that I didn’t actually witness the punch line to this one, and it certainly seems too good to be true. 

Steve Jobs was not the most considerate individual at Apple, and he had lots of ways to demonstrate that. One of the most obvious was his habit of parking in the handicapped spot of the parking lot – he seemed to think that the blue wheelchair symbol meant that the spot was reserved for the chairman.

Whenever you saw a big Mercedes parked in a handicapped space, you could be sure that it was Steve’s car (actually, it was hard to be sure otherwise, since he also had a habit of removing his license plates). This sometimes caused him trouble, since unknown parties would occasionally retaliate by scratching the car with their keys.

Anyway, the story is that one day Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee, who had recently transferred to Cupertino from Paris, had just parked his car and was walking toward the entrance of the main office at Apple when Steve buzzed by him in his silver Mercedes and pulled into the handicapped space near the front of the building.

As Steve walked brusquely past him, Jean-Louis was heard to declare, to no one in particular – “Oh, I never realized that those spaces were for the emotionally handicapped…”.

One day in October 1983 I got a phone call at my desk at Apple from the Cupertino police department saying something like, “You reported that Mercedes parked in the handicapped space at your lot at Apple. Well, we sent a car out there but we can’t really tow it away because the handicapped space is improperly designated.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. A few hours later, I found out that Apple’s other cofounder, Steve Wozniak, who was a prolific prankster, called up the Cupertino police and reported that a silver Mercedes was illegally parked in a handicapped space and told them the person reporting it was Andy Hertzfeld, giving them my phone number at work. I decided not to inform Apple’s facilities department about the improperly marked space, just in case Woz decided to try it again.

This is great story that sums up the personalities of both Steves, and also epitomises the types of funny things that Apple employees got up to back in the day. We’ll be back next week with another amazing anecdote, but for now, enjoy!

Thank you for reading Amazing Apple Anecdote: Steve Jobs and Handicapped Spaces from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

The Chronic Dev Team has released a minor update for the iOS 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak released earlier today. The update contains bug fixes, specifically addressing an issue that could cause the software to freeze up while jailbreaking.

some fixes have been pushed for a couple of little bugs, #Absinthe 2.0.1 is now live greenpois0n.com

— Chronic-Dev, LLC (@chronicdevteam) May 25, 2012

Those who have already successfully jailbroken their devices need not be concerned, but for those of you that may have been having trouble with the jailbreak, this just might be the answer. Updated download links can be found below:

• Mac
• Windows
• Linux

Thank you for reading Absinthe Untethered iOS 5.1.1 Jailbreak Updated to 2.0.1 from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Apple has applied for patents on an advanced stylus, (yes, you heard right,) that will sense movement and provide feedback when it passes specific points on a screen.

The Telegraph:

The patents, which were announced yesterday by the US Patent & Trademark Office, were filed a few months after the original iPad launch in 2010 and show that Apple is considering potentially adding an iPen to it’s current range of accessories.

An Apple stylus would definitely be a change of direction for the Cupertino electronics giant. Apple’s former CEO Steve Jobs once said of such an accessory: “Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, you lose them, yuck! Nobody wants a stylus.”

Apple’s patents suggest that the stylus would be able to sense the amount of pressure the user is applying, as well as the angle the stylus is being held. The results could change what the touch screen is displaying to the user. The stylus would also be able to provide feedback to the user, such as vibration, “when the device is over, near or passes the boundary of a window or application.” Apple’s patent says this could be used to “emulate the sensation of moving a pen across a smooth surface while a lower frequency signal may emulate the feel of moving a pen across a rougher surface.”

The same patent shows a speaker embedded into the device that would play different noises, based on user actions. Apple says this could be used to “to simulate the sound of moving a pen or a paintbrush across a piece of paper or a canvas, with the speaker emitting different sounds for emulating a pen or a paintbrush.”

Thank you for reading Apple Files Patents for Advanced Stylus from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Following our report from early last month that 15-inch MacBook Pro supplies appeared to be getting pretty scarce, Amazon is now running extremely low 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros as well – a strong indicator that new MacBooks will launch very soon.

As of the time this post was published, one model of the 15-inch MacBook Pro (MD318LL/A) showed that only 3 units remained in stock, while one of the 17-inch models (MD311LL/A) showed an inventory of just 5 units.

Supply constraints of current products serve as an excellent indication that Apple is reducing their inventory of a product either because it is being discontinued, or (more likely in this case) because Apple is preparing to release new models and is trying to eliminate stock from their channel inventory.

Considering that numerous reports all seem to agree that Apple will announce new 15-inch MacBook Pros in June at WWDC, and that they’re very likely to feature Retina displays, it’s hardly surprising to see these sorts of shortages. Even so, it does tend to build the excitement!

With WWDC just a couple of weeks away, Apple fans are in for some pretty exciting times between now and then, as additional information comes out prior to the event – and as WWDC actually arrives and we can find out from Apple themselves!

Thank you for reading MacBook Pro Supplies Running Dry at Amazon Ahead of Anticipated June Refresh from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Apple CEO Tim Cook has requested to not be issued dividends on his restricted stock units when the company pays out its planned dividend to shareholders this summer. He will be sacrificing a nearly $75 million payout by refusing the dividends.

The Mac Observer:

Facing growing concerns over its immense cash balance, Apple announced in March a stock buyback and dividend of $2.65 per share to begin “sometime in the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2012, which begins on July 1, 2012.”

In an amendment filed with the SEC Friday, Apple’s compensation committee declared that the dividend would also apply to restricted stock units (RSUs), a form of compensation granted to some company employees that issues shares in the future based upon certain vesting requirements.

Cook’s 2011 compensation from Apple included a $900,000 base salary, and over $376 million in restricted stock units. Those vest in increments over a 10-year period so long as he remains with Apple. By deciding to grant dividends on RSUs, Apple is compensating employees based on requirements that the employees haven’t as of yet satisfied.

Apple states in its SEC filing: “As restricted stock units are not outstanding shares of common stock and thus would not otherwise be entitled to participate in such dividends,” the amendment explains, “the crediting of dividend equivalents is intended to preserve the equity-based incentives intended by the Company when the awards were granted and to treat the award holders consistently with shareholders.”

The same filing revealed Cook’s request to refuse dividends on his RSUs: “At Mr. Cook’s request, none of his restricted stock units will participate in dividend equivalents. Assuming a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share over the vesting periods of his 1.125 million outstanding restricted stock units, Mr. Cook will forgo approximately $75 million in dividend equivalent value.”

The financial industry is divided on Cook’s move. Some see it as altruistic, while others see it as an attempt to avoid the type of negative press Cook received earlier this year, when his compensation numbers were revealed.

Thank you for reading Tim Cook is Refusing $75 Million Dividend Payout from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

TSA, the agency in charge of airport security, are planning a $3 million spending spree on 1,000 Macs and another 1,000 Apple handheld devices as part of a secure mobile computing pilot, it has revealed (via NextGov).

The justification and approval document (pdf download) also declared that TSA was only interested in Apple products and that other manufacturers were not invited to bid.

The devices will be used for forensic investigations, security testing, iPhone app development and video and graphics production.

TSA also mentioned that Apple TVs and iPads would be piloted for training and presentations.

The pilot will use ‘several hundred’ iOS devices across the entire agency, and if it goes well, it could turn out to be a real money maker deal for Apple.

Thank you for reading TSA To Spend $3 Million On 2,000 Apple Devices Including iPhones And iPads For Mobile Computing Pilot from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

What is #Friday5?

#Friday5 is a weekly giveaway that rewards 5 of our Twitter followers with a free copy of either a Mac or iOS app each and every Friday! Cool huh? But wait, there’s more…. one of the lucky five will also pocket a $20 iTunes voucher! Hurrah!

#Friday5 – Gemini!

We have hooked up with MacPaw to give away 5 copies of Gemini - an easy-to- use tool for finding duplicate files on your Mac! Gemini would normally set you back $9.99, but we’re giving away 5 copies today for free!

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is follow @macdrops (our new giveaways and discount deals Twitter account) and RT the below message on Twitter.

Gemini by @MacPaw is this week’s @MacDrops #Friday5 – A great duplicate file finder for Mac! http://mctr.st/KLXog0

What is Gemini?

From the developer:

Most probably, you have many duplicate files that consume valuable disk space with no purpose. Gemini can help you find and remove them with the same pleasure you listen to the music or watch movies. Isn’t that what your Mac is for?

Enjoy the fascinating process of finding and removing duplicates with Gemini!

Main features include drag-and-drop support, a powerful search engine, a secure file shredder, a beautiful, simple, well-designed interface, and more.

WINNERS!!!

Congrats to @Caateryna, @3Dimension, @flib99, @Marcus_Shoel & @SaraLeeC! They won a copy of Gemini for Mac in today’s Friday5! And an extra congratulations to @SaraLeeC, who also won a $20 iTunes voucher!

The Winners

We will pick out the 5 app winners at random, and we will also reward one of the lucky 5 with a $20 iTunes voucher. The competition is open to everyone (there is no regional restriction).

The competition runs for two hours after this post is published. Winners will be announced on this page and on Twitter.

In order to claim the $20 iTunes voucher you must have an iTunes account. If you do not have an iTunes account (or can’t create one) we will draw another winner at random from the four remaining app winners and reward one of them with the voucher.

Thank you for reading #Friday5 – 5 Copies of Gemini for Mac to Give Away + a $20 iTunes Voucher! from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

While much of the focus as far as Apple’s hierarchy is concerned is focused on the US, it’s worth taking a look at what’s happening over the pond, as there is some pretty big restructuring going down.

MacGeneration reports that following the resignation of Paul Cagni, the VP of Apple’s EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India, Asia) division, Hervé Marchet (pictured), the president is also being pushed out, Apple having asked him to resign.

Apple’s first international branch (Apple France) was created by Jean-Louis Gassée back in 1981 and has been an important part of the company ever since. However Apple’s latest move could suggest that it is trying to merge itself and the EMEIA subsidiary back together, something which would truly kick off the Tim Cook era.

Steve Jobs hired Cagni in person back in 2000, and remained on close terms until the former’s passing. Marchet also arrived at the company in 2000, with both representing important figures from the jobs era.

Rumor has it that Tim Cook didn’t get on well with Cagni and his colleagues on his numerous trips to Europe in recent months, and as Cagni himself puts it, it seems that Apple is no longer ‘the eldest daughter of the Apple church’. And the relatively recent transfer of the Apple EMEIA HQ from Paris to London could be seen as illustrating that.

According to Cook, one of the last things Steve Jobs said to him was not to try and think what the latter would have done. Jobs wanted cook to make decisions based on his judgement, and it certainly seems that he has been doing that so far. You have to credit him for that, as not many people would have been able to put Jobs’ legacy aside and think for themselves.

Thank you for reading Apple Start EMEIA Division Restructuring, VP Pascal Cagni Gone, Departure of President Hervé Marchet Imminent from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

A report from the most recent issue of Fortune magazine profiles Apple CEO Tim Cook as a capable leader who is in the process of leaving his own mark on the company. However, the article also quotes a former Apple employee as saying that Apple employees are “embarrassed by Siri” and that Steve Jobs would have “lost his mind over Siri.”

AppleInsider:

The Siri voice assistant feature launched as a beta with the iPhone 4S last October. However, some consumers have been unsatisfied by the service’s performance, especially as compared to television advertisements touting it, and have filed class-action lawsuits against the company.

“People are embarrassed by Siri,” author Adam Lashinsky quoted a “former insider” as saying. “Steve [Jobs] would have lost his mind over Siri.”

Users have been testing Siri by attempting to replicate requests put to the service by the celebrities in the current crop of commercials. AppleInsider says, “developer Paul Kafasis followed actor Samuel L. Jackson’s lead in asking Siri for a reminder to “put the gazpacho on ice in an hour,” but he was unable to have the sentence understood, as noted by Daring Fireball. Kafasis even went so far as to use the audio from Jackson’s commercial to submit a request to Siri. The service responded by attempting to call names that were combinations of his phone’s contacts.”

(Authors note, I just tried it with Siri, and was able to get the proper response, an offer to set a reminder in an hour, the first try. And I am a notorious “low talker” who jumbles his words regularly.)

The most recent commercials feature simple one-word requests to Siri from actor John Malkovich. It is not known if this was an intentional move by Apple to nip criticism, or if they were merely playing off of the quirky actor’s image.

Thank you for reading Former Apple Employee: Steve Jobs Would Have ‘Lost His Mind’ Over Siri Performance Issues from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

I took an interest in computers and technology at a very early age. As such, I love hearing about young people that have also taken an early interest, especially those who have applied that interest to accomplish amazing things! I’ve recently been fortunate enough to meet just such a person.

Meet Jonathan Buchanan: A driven, ambitious 10-year-old boy who may very well be the youngest person to ever develop their own iPhone app entirely from scratch! I took the opportunity to ask Jonathan a few questions about his app (ChipTrading: $0.99, App Store link) and why he created it – and I hope you’ll find his answers as fascinating as I did!

I began by asking him to describe his app and what he designed it to do. His answer providing fascinating insights into not only the app itself, but how he created it by analyzing and then digitally recreating a game he enjoyed from school:

My app, ChipTrading, helps kids my age and younger learn place value in math. I wanted to create this app because I play a physical version of the game with my friends a lot in math class, but we could only play it there. Then I had the idea to create an app so we could play it in other places and I could share the game with others.

He then went on to describe the app in detail, explaining the mathematical principles that make the game work. One of the things that I found most fascinating is that Jonathan wasn’t just developing a fun game, such as Doodle Jump. His application actually teaches math skills – multiplication, division, equations and pairs!

One question into the interview, I was already completely fascinated by Jonathan and his ability to explain things – as well as his ability to recreate the game from scratch, handing all of the coding and design himself. I went on to ask Jonathan how he became interested in technology, and how he learned the art of app development at such a young age.

My dad showed me a simple web script when I was about six. I was not very interested when I first saw it. But I thought about it for about three months and finally told my dad that I would be interested. He said that he was glad that I was and showed me how to make a basic website.

About a year later, I decided to learn a language that my dad didn’t know about. 3/4 of a year later, I said I wanted to make an iOS app because I only was able to make websites and I wanted to have a new challenge. So we ordered an iOS book and I started studying the iOS programming language.

I doubt very much as if many 6-year olds would be interested in creating their own website, even a basic one. Beyond that, the fact that he stuck with his project long enough not only to create a basic website, but also move on to newer and more complex challenges seems pretty amazing to me.

Before reaching the age of 8, Jonathan had moved far past what his father had taught him, and began teaching himself how to develop iOS apps. Developing his first app wasn’t without its trials, either – he found a huge bug in his app right after he first submitted it to Apple, and had to patch the bug and submit it again!

When we submitted the app to Apple, the approval process took about a week [...] We would check Apple every morning and night to see if it was approved. We were nervous when we submitted it because a day later, we found a bug in it!

It was very bad because if you had any chips in the purple column and then created a new game it would say all of your answers were wrong even if they actually were correct. So we had to swap out the code, but when we did that we had to start the review process at the very beginning again.

Jonathan also offered some sound advice to others his age that are interested in learning how to develop apps:

One piece of advice that I would give to kids that would like to create apps is that you need to start out at the basics like learning about making websites. My dad always says that if you start at the basics you will have an easier time understanding the harder things.

In the end, all of Jonathan’s hard work and determination paid off. His app, ChipTrading ($0.99, App Store link), has been available from the App Store since May 5th, and currently has a 100% positive rating from everyone who has reviewed it so far.

I don’t know about you, but I know what I was doing when I was six years old: watching cartoons and playing tag with the neighbor kids. It’s people like Jonathan that restore my faith in the next generation by putting themselves to the test and proving just how much can be accomplished if you put your mind to it.

Congratulations on developing your first app, Jonathan! Here’s to hoping it’s the beginning of much greater things to come.

Jonathan’s app ChipTrading is available now for $0.99 from the App Store (direct link). Personally, I can’t imagine many better things to do with a dollar than purchasing this app and helping Jonathan start saving for college!

Thank you for reading Meet Jonathan: The Ambitious 10-Year-Old Who Developed an iOS App From Scratch! from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

Now that Absinthe 2.0 has finally been released, giving users the ability to jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 untethered on the latest iOS devices, those of you unfamiliar with jailbreaking may be wondering how to get started. This tutorial provided by the developers of the jailbreak  will walk you through the process.

Before you begin, make sure your device is compatible by checking the list in our original post, or at the Chronic Dev Team website.

How To Use Absinthe 2.0 (if you’re unjailbroken):

1. Make a backup of your device in iTunes by right clicking on your device name under the ‘Devices’ menu and click ‘Back Up’.

2. Once your backup is complete return to your device and go to Settings – General – Reset – Erase all Content and Settings. This will make the jailbreak process much faster.

3. Open Absinthe and be sure you are still connected via USB cable to your computer.

4. Click ‘Jailbreak’ and wait…. just be patient and do not disconnect your device.

5. Once jailbroken return to iTunes and restore your backup from earlier. Right click on your device name under the ‘Devices’ menu in the left panel of iTunes and click ‘Restore from Back Up…’ then select the latest backup you created before. (restoring this backup will return all the content previously on your device ie, apps, photos, etc.)

6. Thanks for using Absinthe, enjoy your jailbroken iDevice! 

How To Untether 5.1.1 (if you’re already jailbroken):

Just search for and install “Rocky Racoon 5.1.1 Untether” from Cydia.

The best thing about the Absinthe jailbreak tool is that it is extremely straightforward and easy to use – in most cases, it only takes one click to make all of the magic happen! For those of you looking for a visual tutorial, check out iDownloadBlog‘s excellent step-by-step instruction video below.

Note: Jailbreaking or modifying your device in any way is done at your own risk, and we accept no liability in the event that something goes wrong.

Thank you for reading How to Jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 (Untethered) Using Absinthe 2.0 (Video) from MacTrast. Why not follow us on Twitter and fan us on Facebook?

While Apple normally offer app-related promotions via their Facebook page, it has now started posting promotions directly in the App Store itself, with “Free App of the Week” and “Editors’ Choice” the two categories offered so far. Apple tweeted the promotion earlier today, with Cut the Rope: Experiments being the first app to go free.

In addition to those changes, the Staff Favourites section has now disappeared. The Editor’s Choice is also visible on the Mac App Store, with Cobook featuring. Unfortunately, there is no free app of the week on the Mac App Store.

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Following his formal Knighthood at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, Apple design guru Jony Ive spoke to James Naughtie of the BBC (via 9to5Mac), discussing what motivates and inspires him to create the iconic designs he’s come to be known for.

Ive revealed that from as young as seven years old, he knew he loved to draw and create things – which, of course, he became extremely adept at. Among the more interesting ideas that Ive conveyed is that Apple’s goal in developing products isn’t about money – it’s a drive to make the best products that they can. Money is merely a side benefit that comes from doing things correctly, and designing products that are simple and intuitive.

He also shared his thoughts on beauty, and specifically about the beauty of an efficient and intuitively designed product: “There is beauty when something works and it works intuitively.” He also revealed that he plans to stay at Apple for a while – which I think all of Apple’s current and future customers can be thankful for!

You can listen to the entire six minute interview for yourself using the embedded player below. I’d say it’s definitely worth a listen – even if it’s just to hear Jony Ive’s lovely British voice!

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The moment many of you have been waiting for has finally arrived. As hinted yesterday, the untethered iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak (called Absinthe 2.0) has finally arrived! The jailbreak works on almost all iOS devices, including the new iPad and the iPhone 4S!

The Chronic Dev Team made the announcement this morning:

After copious amounts of work and many sleepless nights Absinthe 2.0 is finally here to jailbreak your device. This release has been a large collaborative effort between Chronic-Dev Team and iPhone Dev Teams (Jailbreak Dream Team).

Even better, since it is an untethered jailbreak, you will be able to use your jailbroken device normally without the need to tether it to your computer each time you need to restart!

The jailbreak is a team effort with contributions from pod2g, p0sixninja, planetbeing, pimskeks, iOPK, and others. Head on over to the official website and download Absinthe 2.0 for yourself! We’ll have a tutorial on how to apply the jailbreak available shortly.

Download Links

• Absinthe2.0 MacOSX (10.5, 10.6, 10.7)
• Absinthe2.0 Windows (XP/Vista/Win7)
• Absinthe2.0 Linux (x86/x86_64)

The full list of support devices is as followed (iPad 2,4 will be added at a later date):

• iPad1,1 – 2,1 – 2,2 – 2,3 – 3,1 – 3,2 – 3,3
• iPhone2,1 – 3,1 – 3,3 – 4,1
• iPod3,1 – 4,1

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