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Posts tagged with "iPhone"

Here’s Why Gestures On The iPhone Are A Bad Idea

Rumor has it Apple may be willing to implement the multitasking gestures already seen in the iOS 4.3 beta for iPad on the iPhone as well. Those willing to believe that gestures will take over buttons on our mobile devices someday even claim that Apple may get rid of the Home button altogether on the next iPhone and iPad.

Four and five-finger gestures on the iPhone’s screen, however,  have always sounded like a terrible idea to us. And now there’s video proof that, indeed, the iPhone isn’t meant for all those fingers.

It goes like this: a Youtube user enables multitasking gestures on the iPhone (weren’t they supposed to only being tested internally?) and records a video of the multi-touch galore in action. The result is embedded below. And, quite frankly, we do believe the Home button is here to stay.

[Youtube via Engadget] Read more

Leaked Screenshot of Internal iPhone with Gestures?

Well after the 4.3 Beta that previewed multitasking gestures on the iPad, there is now some supposed evidence that suggests that the iPhone is also being considered by Apple to have gestures thanks to an internal build that BGR claims to have gotten some screenshots of.

Obviously there is an issue with the supposedly leaked pictures, gestures on the iPhone would likely have to be different to those previewed on the iPad that used four or five finger swipes because they would be pretty unreasonable to use on the iPhone’s smaller screen. That said it remains possible that the text is left over from the iPad and whilst being tested internally has not been edited to reflect the iPhone’s gestures.

Engadget notes that information from it sources says that since the lost iPhone 4 debacle Apple made significant changes to how it keeps track of it’s devices and that it added clauses to screens saying “Confidential and Proprietary, if found, please contact…” listing a Cupertino 408 number. The photo’s BGR have gotten a hold have this message, adding credence to this leak. All three pictures posted after the break.

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Cydia Adds Ability to Easily View All Your Past Purchases

Cydia, the App Store equivalent for all those jailbreak required apps that Apple has or would deny, has just received a handy new feature that allows you to view in one place all the packages that you have purchased from the Cydia store.

Jay Freeman, creator of Cydia has been working hard in recent months to improving Cydia in many ways from decreasing the all to common “Reloading” times, improving the polish and adding new features. This new feature has been a fairly common suggestion not only for Cydia but the App Store too, which whilst present in the Mac App Store has yet to reach iOS App Store - something which those of us at Macstories are hopeful Apple will add in the near future.

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Security Cam for iPhone Keeps An Eye On Your Stuff, With Motion Detection

Now this is an interesting app I’ve recently discovered in the App Store. Months ago, I began thinking about setting up a homemade wireless security system in my house; I saw that the system could be easily put in place with a couple of hundred dollars, and I was getting serious about purchasing all I needed to get it up and running. As usual with my personal projects I dream about and save in my “someday” list, it didn’t happen. Work got in the way, priorities changed, I didn’t set up a home security system. As my to-do list suggests, I may actually do it “someday”.

Home security and monitoring, anyway, is a personal requirement (and hobby, I guess, or obsession) that can change according to one’s needs, workplace and items to protect from unwanted eyes and hands. This is why I think Security Cam, a $0.99 app for iPhone, may be just what the average user is looking for. Read more

iPhone Case and Solar Charger Doubles Battery Life

We’re big fans of solar charging technologies here at MacStories: we got excited when Apple patents detailing screen-integrated solar charging surfaced last year, and we couldn’t help but be intrigued by the foldable solar charger for iPad. And even when someone tried to apply the same concept to the iPhone with an awkwardly huge accessory, we were curious.

The Eton Mobius iPhone battery pack is another take on the integrated solar charger for iPhone that looks better than anything else we have seen so far. It doubles your device’s battery life, it gives you 20 minutes of talk per sun hour and, most of all, doesn’t look that bad as an iPhone case. Sure it adds 20mm of thickness to the iPhone, but it sounds like a fairly acceptable compromise when it comes to keeping your phone alive, in the sun.

Too bad it’s always raining these days in my town. [Gizmodo via Geeky Gadgets]

New Guardian iPhone App Launches, Introduces Subscription Model

Early in December, rumors pointed to The Guardian about to launch an updated version of its iPhone app that was set to feature a new iTunes subscription model which could grant readers access to the app for either 6 or 12 months. The story was interesting because it was the same week blogs speculated Apple may unveil iOS 4.3 with the new rumored “iTunes app subscription” feature very soon.

The updated Guardian app is now live in the App Store and it comes with the previously reported £2.99 / £3.99 price point (for six and twelve month access, respectively), but it doesn’t seem to be using any of Apple’s upcoming subscription system. Rather, the Guardian publishers and developers have implemented standard in-app purchases to allow readers to enjoy the digital newspapers for a limited period of time. The app is a free to download with subscriptions for UK readers, but it’s ad-supported in the US. According to The Guardian, US readers account to only 8% of the downloads.

As explained by the team in an introductory blog post, users who downloaded the first version of the app will have free access for another six months.

The Guardian for iPhone is available here. Check out what’s new in this version below. Read more

MegaReader Update Redefines What Multitasking Is

For those completely obsessed iPhone users who literally cannot take their eyes off the phone there is a new app made for you; MegaReader. In it’s latest update (version 2.1) it’s developers have added a feature that allows you to experience real life multitasking by reading and walking at the same time so that you never have to take your eyes off your iPhone again!

All it does is overlay the text on a live video feed of what’s in front of the phone and is similar to the Samsung Galaxy app that allows you to text and walk and the iPhone app Email ‘n Walk, which as the name suggests overlays an email client over the live video feed!

Click through to see MegaReader’s developers demonstrate the new feature to its full potential!

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