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Posts tagged with "iPhone"

fring Update Brings fringOut, Allows Cheap Calls to Landlines and Mobiles

In its latest update, the iPhone app fring which allows instant messaging and VoIP calls between users has added the ability to call people on regular landline or mobile numbers. The new feature, fringOut isn’t free but the rates are fairly competitive starting at 1c a minute for users in the US and UK and users can still call other Fring users at no cost.

Rates vary from country to country so be sure to check out the full list of rates, but the service should work from any country, but be careful to note that calls are charged in one-minute increments. The service also currently does not send SMS messages and calls cannot be made to premium, toll-free or emergency numbers.

For more information visit the fringOut website.

iPhone Exploit Puts Passwords At Risk Within Minutes

German researchers have demonstrated the ability to reveal passwords stored in a locked iPhone in six minutes and without needing to crack the passcode. The attack targets Apple’s password management system known as keychain and is based on existing jailbreak exploits that gives the attacker wide access to the iPhone’s internal data.

Once jailbroken, the researchers installed an SSH server on the iPhone and install a keychain access script. This keychain access script utilizes functions that are built within the phone to access passwords and other data stored in keychain which is then outputted to the attacker. For a demo of the exploit,  jump the break.

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#MacStoriesDeals - HUGE Wednesday

Another great day for app savings! Today Gameloft, Capcom & Sega have started their 99¢ sale. Here’s today’s deals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot!

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Verizon iPhone Sales Expected To Top 1 Million In First Week

As reported  by AppleInsider, a note to investors issued by analyst Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets suggests that the Verizon iPhone’s sales might top 1 million in the first week of availability of the device. Basing on estimated numbers from last week’s pre-orders and available inventory at Verizon and Best Buy stores, Abramsky predicts the 8 month old iPhone 4 can sell 1 million units from February 10th to the 17th, quickly go out of stock and then sell between 3 - 4 million units in the first quarter.

For calendar year 2011, Abramsky sees between 9 million and 10 million Verizon iPhones being sold, though he cautioned the number could be conservative. Those sales figures assume smartphone penetration among Verizon’s customer base will grow from 26 percent in 2010 to 40 percent in calendar year 2011.

The analyst also sees Apple surpassing Google Android’s smartphone share on the Verizon network in 2011. He has forecast the iPhone to represent 40 percent of smartphone sales on Verizon, versus 37 percent for Android.

Other numbers shared by Abramsky include 75 million iPhones sold in 2011 with Verizon accounting to 12 - 13 percent of iPhone sales worldwide. Apple and Verizon haven’t disclosed the official numbers of pre-orders for the iPhone 4 yet, but we guess we’ll be hearing about sales soon, probably as soon as next weekend.

Walmart Will Offer Verizon iPhone Starting Tomorrow In 600 Stores

Retail chain Walmart announced this morning that, starting February 10th, they will carry the Verizon iPhone in nearly 600 stores across the United States:

We’re excited to bring iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network, one the most anticipated mobile phone launches in recent history, to Walmart customers,” said Gary Severson, senior vice president, Home Entertainment, Walmart U.S. “As customers continue to embrace smart phone technology, we’ve added nearly 20 smart phone models to our assortment, including the new Verizon Wireless iPhone 4.”

iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network will be available at nearly 600 of the retailer’s in-store wireless areas starting at $199 for the 16GB model.  Walmart will offer a variety of iPhone 4 accessories including cases, car chargers, wraps, and hands free accessories from variety of accessory manufacturers. Walmart currently carries the AT&T iPhone 4 in select stores nationwide.

Walmart joins Apple, Verizon and Best Buy as a distributor of the new device. Orders for the Verizon iPhone went live again last night on Apple’s and Verizon’s websites.

Nokia CEO’s Leaked Memo Mentions Apple, iPhone Marketshare→

Nokia CEO’s Leaked Memo Mentions Apple, iPhone Marketshare

An allegedly leaked memo of Nokia CEO Stephen Elop sets the record straight on Nokia’s position on a “burning platform” and the success of Apple in the past three years:

In 2008, Apple’s market share in the $300+ price range was 25 percent; by 2010 it escalated to 61 percent. They are enjoying a tremendous growth trajectory with a 78 percent earnings growth year over year in Q4 2010. Apple demonstrated that if designed well, consumers would buy a high-priced phone with a great experience and developers would build applications. They changed the game, and today, Apple owns the high-end range.

The first iPhone shipped in 2007, and we still don’t have a product that is close to their experience. Android came on the scene just over 2 years ago, and this week they took our leadership position in smartphone volumes. Unbelievable.

Awareness is the first step to build better products. Full memo available here.

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“Death Hug” Impossible Grip Affects Verizon iPhone Antennas, Third Hand Rumored To Enable Secret Features

Antennagate is over, right? Steve Jobs told everyone that just about any phone suffers from signal attenuation if you cover the antenna with your skin, and people who had issues with their iPhone 4s got a free Bumper case to resolve the “Death Grip” problem. And Apple’s 2010 numbers tell us Antennagate wasn’t really a problem for iPhone sales.

Still, someone is saying Death Grip is still alive, kicking and affecting the mythical Verizon iPhone’s antennas. Not just the 3G radio antenna, the WiFi one as well. How’s that possible? That’s the magic of the Death Hug, a new kind of grip that can be activated with two hands wrapped around the phone and its screen. Look at the video below. It’s a full-phone hand hug.  iLounge reports:

The problem with Wi-Fi reception appears when the device is held snugly in landscape orientation with two hands, a position common when playing games or using the widescreen keyboard. Prior to the Verizon iPhone 4’s launch, sources told iLounge to be on the lookout for the issue, which was being referred to as the death hug.

We’re just going to leave you with the Youtube video after the break. But let me say that, frankly, that’s one kind of grip that requires some serious skills. Honestly, we at MacStories don’t hold our phones like that. But then again, we don’t disdain hugs either. Read more

Google Launches Official Translate App for iPhone

A few minutes ago Google announced the availability of the official Translate app for iPhone. Built on top of the HTML5 webapp  that’s been around for quite some time now, the native application allows you to “speak to translate” in 15 different languages with output translation supported up to 50 languages. You can listen to your own translations spoken out loud by the app , enable full-screen mode to get a larger view of the translated text (that’s quite useful) and even check on single words dictionary entries from within the app. The interface design resembles most of Google’s apps for iOS – nothing exceptional to note there. It’s got a clean and minimal UI.

Google Translate for iPhone is a better version of the popular mobile-optimized webpage packed into a useful package for iOS that comes with a few additional features. It’s a free download in the App Store. Full list of supported languages below. Read more