Logitech currently offers two fairly basic iPad keyboard accessories, but come September they’re launching two more accessories that are a little bit more unique. The first is another keyboard but with a little bit of a twist (literally), offering an iPad stand in conjunction with a foldable keyboard. The second is an attachable joystick for playing games on the iPad – similar to the Fling which was released earlier this year.

The new keyboard accessory is a full-sized bluetooth keyboard that cleverly turns off automatically when it is folded away and turns on when snapped open. It also charges through USB so there is no need for replacing batteries every few weeks. TechCrunch (which got some hands on time with both devices) does however note that the accessory is fairly bulky which is disappointing given that it is coupled with the very sleek iPad 2.

The Logitech Joystick for iPad on the other hand doesn’t share the bulkiness of the Fold-Up Keyboard and is very light, simply attaching to the iPad’s screen via suction cups. TechCrunch writes that the “thumb pad always returns to the center position, finally offering some tactile feedback on the iPad”.

The Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad 2 will launch in the US and Europe next month for US$129.99 whilst the Logitech Joystick for iPad will also launch next month in the US and Europe for US$19.99.

[Via TechCrunch]

Just after we reported on Samsung’s injunction in the European Union, FOSS Patents has dug up some hidden information pertaining to Apple’s patent battle (currently over 40+ patents are in dispute) with Motorola. In Apple’s complaint against Samsung, Apple details that prior to (or simultaneously) filing for the preliminary injunction against Samsung, Apple filed a similar complaint against the design of the Motorola Xoom. The passage uncovered by Florian Mueller doesn’t explicitly state whether Apple filed for a preliminary injunction against Motorola, although he assumes the complaint would be EU-wide.

A preliminary injunction, however, has been obtained by Apple against another company named JAY-tech for a tablet (the operating system was unspecified, but Mueller assumes it was Android).

Apple’s dispute with Motorola began in October 2010, but so far it was not known that it has also branched out to Europe — just like Apple’s disputes with Samsung and HTC. In the U.S., an ITC hearing was due later this month on Motorola’s complaint against Apple, but due to the retirement of Chief Administrative Law Judge Paul Luckern it was postponed.

Apple might not be able to file a preliminary injunction against Motorola in this case as the German courts frown upon cases where the rights holder has been aware of the infringement for a long time (over a month for example). The Xoom, released in the Spring, would have been on Apple’s radar long enough for them to be unable to seek a preliminary injunction since there’s no sense of “urgency”.

[FOSS Patents via The Next Web]

With the exception of the Netherlands, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been barred from distribution in the European Union after being awarded a preliminary injunction (a separate lawsuit in the Netherlands is already underway). After a district court in Dusseldorf, Germany, granted the injunction, Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet confirmed the injunction to Bloomberg. ”It’s no coincidence that Samsung’s latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging.” This comes shortly after the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launch was delayed in Australia after Apple pressured Samsung as they requested a preliminary injunction in that country. According to FOSS Patents:

Apple asked the Landgericht (district court) of Düsseldorf, Germany, to order an injunction under which Samsung is threatened with fines of up to EUR 250,000 (US$ 350,000) for each violation or imprisonment of Samsung’s management for up to two years in the event of continued infringement. Those are standard sanctions under German tort law for contempt of a preliminary injunction.

Huguet continued, “This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.” Florian Mueller over at FOSS Patents writes, “The Düsseldorf district court has a reputation for being our equivalent of the Eastern District of Texas in terms of a strong tendency to favor the interests of right holders over those of alleged infringers.” Apple and Samsung will have a court hearing in Northern California in mid-october.

[via Bloomberg, FOSS Patents, DPA]

We all love our Smart Covers for the iPad, but it only covers the front and not the exposed aluminum backing. What if we could have the best of both worlds: a smart cover that puts the iPad to sleep when we close it, and protective backing keeps the aluminum frame from getting scratched and dinged up? Griffin’s IntelliCase for the iPad 2 is an all-in-one case and cover wrap for the iPad 2 that provides the functionality of Apple’s Smart Cover via a three paneled cover, while covering the the back of the iPad 2 in a grippy finish that wraps around your iPad for full protection.

Instead of just having a cover that folds into a triangle, Griffin has implemented a tuck and fold solution that allows you to prop up the iPad for typing and watching video via a small pocket integrated onto the back of the polycarbonate case. If you want the functionality of the smart cover plus additional protection, I’d recommend giving Griffin’s IntelliCase for the iPad 2 a shot. It’s $59.99 through Griffin’s storefront, and available in black.

Skyfire has a new Flash player on iOS that queues up video you want to play on your iOS device by sending the video request through email! Yeah it’s old technology meets… old technology, but lets not dwell on the fact that we do want to watch Flash videos, and that iOS can’t play them. You have your YouTube and your Hulu, but those Funimation videos aren’t gonna play themselves. So whether you see a Flash video on the latest startup from TechCrunch, or you want to watch a segment of The Daily Show, VideoQ is there to convert your Flash video to a format compatible with your iPhone or iPad.

I gave VideoQ a chance on my iPod touch, and the first thing Skyfire asks is for you to send an email from an address you want to register with the company. Also sent in the email is your devices unique ID, which I find somewhat odd. I think that’s a bit skeevy, and I don’t know why Skyfire needs a device identifier, but it’s whatever right? With the email sent, you wait a few seconds to be registered, then VideoQ presents you with a tutorial you can watch to learn about the app.

So it breaks down like this: whether you use Safari or another web browser on iOS, you can email that webpage to Skyfire so you can playback that Flash video in VideoQ. VideoQ will show you the videos you’ve queued up (and you can also casually browse hot videos via the appropriate tab). Video playback isn’t spectacular: video is grainy, audio is muffled, and sometimes Skyfire can’t find the video, but in a pinch you can get your Jon Stewart fix on your iOS device. It’s not a replacement for a Mac or PC that can run Flash well, but it can give you some relief while traveling or when mobile. It works most of the time — it’s not perfect — but video is passable despite whatever conversion process Skyfire processes on their servers before serving the content back up to you on demand. I’d say if you watch a lot of flash video (and especially if you want to do it on the iPad), give VideoQ a try.

Skyfire’s VideoQ is $1.99 as a universal app in the App Store.

[found via Reuters]

The iTunes Store and the current generation Apple TV can currently playback 720p video without issue. 1080p video, however, is the apple in every blu-ray owner’s mind. If Apple doesn’t want to provide customers with high-definition video, then why bother streaming video from Apple to the big screen? Movie-goers may want to hold onto the cash in their pocket before they spring for an alternative just a little while longer. AppleInsider was advised that 1080p video could become the norm beginning this fall with the availability of higher definition content and an updated Apple TV.

A higher resolution format for video, dubbed HD+ for 1080p content, is rumored to be an option alongside SD and HD video. 20th Century Fox as well as other large movie studios are said to be submitting films encoded with with an average bitrate of 10,000 kbps at 1920 x 1080p resolution. An updated Apple TV with an A5 processor would have no problems in playing back high definition content — the rumor would also coincide with an updated iPad 2.

If Apple is going to be attacking the media front with 1080p video this fall, a higher resolution iPad to play that 1080p content on makes some sense. While it’s not a confirmation, Apple could roll out an updated Apple TV alongside an iPad 2 HD to play back HD+ video. The iPad 2 HD would be rumored to have a resolution of 2048 x 1536, well beyond the requirement to playback 1080p at full resolution. With the A5 processor already in place, the iPad 2 HD would need nothing more than a display adjustment in coordination with a new content launch.

[via AppleInsider]

According to a new report published today by Joshua Topolsky at This is my next, Apple is gearing up to release an “iPad 2 HD” this Fall alongside a new model of the iPhone, as previous speculation has largely confirmed with different reports about an “iPhone 5″ or slightly redesigned “iPhone 4S”. According to Topolsky, the contradicting reports of a major redesign for the next iPhone and a slight hardware refresh using the existing iPhone 4 design have generated from the fact that Apple has been secretly testing the iPhone 5 components inside an iPhone 4 case — thus leading to reports from several media outlets about a new iPhone that could either feature a thinner, radically different design, or something along the lines of the iPhone 4, only faster and with better cameras. This is my next had previously claimed the iPhone 5 would feature a new “tear drop” case design, as well as a 3.7-inch screen (versus the current 3.5-inch display), a different Home button and worldphone capabilities for CDMA/GSM compatibility. This last tidbit has also been hinted by Verizon’s CFO back in April. Topolsky says Apple is likely to abandon the iPhone 4′s industrial design as it’s “out of favor” with the company’s executives.

Our sources tell us that the company has been testing the new components in old iPhone cases, for obvious reasons. Some of those reports we’ve heard about a larger screen for the old design would make sense too, as a slight tweak of the size (say, to a 3.7-inch display), would be barely noticeable to the eye, but obvious in internal component design. So if you’ve been wondering why the rumors about the iPhone 4S rose to such a din, now you know.

(more…)

The long-awaited new version of popular jailbreak tool JailbreakMe has been released today and, as previously announced by developer and hacker comex and the Dev-Team, it is capable of jailbreaking a variety of iOS devices running iOS 4.3 and above, including the iPad 2. The procedure of jailbreaking allows users to install unauthorized software on their devices, like Cydia, an alternative marketplace that contains apps, tweaks and graphical modifications Apple can’t approve for sale in its App Store. The popularity of JailbreakMe raises from the fact that the tool is entirely Safari-based, enabling users to press a button in their browser to install Cydia with ease, without having to plug the device into a computer, restore, and follow other additional steps. JailbreakMe takes a few minutes to install Cydia, and it’s completely reversible in iTunes with a restore.

Because of the issues with people leaking the hack behind JailbreakMe 3.0 in the past week, creator comex was forced to accelerate the release, fearing a patch from Apple coming soon with a software update. Just like JailbreakMe 2.0, in fact, the new tool uses a vulnerability in iOS’ PDF display engine to allow the installation of Cydia from Safari. The hole will likely be fixed soon by Apple with a software update, perhaps iOS 4.3.4, but the same Cydia developers are offering a tweak called PDF Patcher 2 (available in Cydia) which patches the JailbreakMe vulnerability after the jailbreak.

JailbreakMe 3.0 supports the following devices as explained by a Dev-Team blog post:

• iPad1: 4.3 through 4.3.3
• iPad2: 4.3.3
• iPhone3GS: 4.3 through 4.3.3
• iPhone4: 4.3 through 4.3.3
• iPhone4-CDMA: 4.2.6 through 4.2.8
• iPod touch 3g: 4.3, 4.3.2, 4.3.3
• iPod touch 4g: 4.3 through 4.3.3

The Dev-Team also illustrates the current scenario of restoring a device to older versions and SHSH blobs:

Q: Will I permanently lose the jailbreak if I need to restore my device?

A: For all except the iPad2, saving your SHSH blobs should let you always restore your device to iOS versions where this jailbreak works. The iPad2 is a little more complicated. If you have a wifi-only iPad2 and saved SHSH blobs, you’re in good shape. But if you have the GSM or CDMA iPad2, you won’t be able to restore to 4.3.3 or lower once Apple stops signing its baseband. There are a few ideas that might work to get around this limitation, but for now it’s best to assume there’s no going back to 4.3.3 once 4.3.4 is out for iPad2 GSM or CDMA owners.

As we said above, the exploit will likely be fixed soon by Apple (some bloggers are already claiming as early as this week), so if you’re willing to jailbreak your iPad 2 on iOS 4.3.3 or iOS device, head over JailbreakMe.com now, and follow the steps to install Cydia. For Cydia app & tweak recommendations, check out our coverage from the past months, and give a try to Cydia Search to browse available software for your jailbroken device from your desktop.

According to a report in DigiTimes today, Pegatron Technology has landed an order from Apple for 15 million iPhone 5s, for a September launch. According to the upstream sources that revealed the information to DigiTimes, the iPhone 5 “does not seem to [be a] major update from [the] iPhone 4”. Component supplies are currently making their way to the Pegatron plant in Shaghai, with more hiring also underway.

Pegatron’s supposed involvement in the production of the iPhone 5 comes after they worked with Apple to satisfy an order of 10 million CDMA (Verizon) iPhone 4s. Because sales have been significantly less, roughly 4 million, Pegatron has been under some financial strain. As a result, Pegatron has apparently been aggressive in getting iPad and MacBook orders from Apple – although so far they haven’t had any luck.

In another report out today, DigiTimes notes that five million touch sensors of the iPad 2 will be shipped this month. TPK Holding and Wintek will supply the majority (roughly 1.5 million each) with the remaining produced by Cando, Sintek Photronic and Chimei Innolux.

[Via DigiTimes]