Update

So it's been a while since I last posted here, mainly because of school. But my exams are almost over so I should be posting here regularly again. Thanks for being so patient with me guys!

HckrSvn

What do You Think?

I just changed the theme and layout of Computer Junkies and I wanted your guys' opinions on it. What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? Did you like the old layout better? Do you have any suggestions?

Shoot me an email or comment below and let me know what you think.

compjunkies@hotmail.com

iOS 5 Key Features

Key Points:

• To be released this fall as a free update
• Available for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 4G, iPod touch 3G, iPad, and iPad 2
• Contains over 200 new features, most notably being: all-new and improved notifications, iMessage text messaging between iOS devices, Twitter integration, and new camera and Safari features

This major update to Apple’s mobile operating system will be available in the fall as a free update for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 4G, iPod touch 3G, iPad, and iPad 2. There doesn’t seem to be any notion towards limited features for older-generation devices, but we’ll work on confirming this. If you want, you can enter your email address and Apple will notify you when it is released. iOS 5 contains over 200 new features, the following being the most notable: all-new and improved notifications, iMessage text messaging, a newsstand illustrating all of your App Store subscriptions, an official creative to-do application called Reminders, in-app Twitter integration, new camera features such as grids, photo editing and enhancing abilities, new Safari features included tabbed browsing on iPad, and the ability to setup and use your iOS device without a Mac or PC. Here’s a breakdown of some of these and other features:

Revamped Notifications

Currently, notifications can easily become a nuisance when you’re playing games or using other applications. They pop up, they’re obtrusive. In iOS 5, notifications are all-new and improved. There’s a new drop-down menu called Notification Center, which allows you to keep track of all of your notifications in one convenient location. Perhaps Apple took a lesson or two from the notification system on Android–they now have striking similarities. To reveal Notification Center, you simply swipe down and you can then choose which notifications you would like to see. If you want to delete the notification, you can simply tap the “x” button located next to it. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a “clear all” option for deleting your entire queue of notifications. This is something, however, that could be seen in a future update. New notifications also appear briefly at the top of your screen, without interrupting what you’re doing. Furthermore, they appear on your lock screen for quick access.

iMessage

This is an official application designed by Apple that allows you to send text messages to other iOS devices over Wi-Fi or 3G. It’s compatible with any iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad that is able to be upgraded to iOS 5. This is another new iOS feature that his strikingly resemblance to another company’s features, this time it being RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).

Newstand

Another application designed by Apple. This one adopts the iBooks bookshelf design as a convenient place to show you all of your App Store subscriptions. This includes newspapers and magazines, which the app will alert you about when there is new issues available. There is also a new section on the App Store that is specifically dedicated to subscriptions.

Reminders

You can create reminders for yourself in a neat and clear to-do list. There’s also integrated calendars for your convenience. Reminders also works with iCal, Outlook, and iCloud, so changes you make update automatically on all your devices and calendars.

Twitter

Twitter integration is another prominent feature of iOS 5. Of course, Twitter is already available on iOS devices in a variety of different formats—through Safari, the official Twitter app, or other apps on the App Store—but this is different. You sign in once in the settings, and you can then tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps. You’ll be able to tweet text, photos, videos, and more. It would be nice if this functionality was able to be added to third-party apps from the App Store, but we can’t confirm this functionality just yet. You can add a location to your tweets based on your iOS device’s location tracking ability.

Safari

There’s a variety of new features in this mobile browser from tabbed browsing on iPad to the Safari Reader. The latter allows you to display web articles without any ads or any other distractions. There’s also Reading List, which saves webpages offline for later viewing. These webpages can be synced with iCloud.

“PC Free”

This is perhaps the most creative feature of iOS 5. Thanks to a combination of Apple’s iCloud service, on-device software updates, and on-device setup, you’ll be able to use your iOS device without ever connecting or configuring it with a Mac or PC. You can do everything wirelessly and backup and restore your iOS device through iCloud.

Other Noteworthy Features:

• Wi-Fi Sync: You’ll be able to sync your iOS device with iTunes wirelessly, and automatic syncing is also available.
• Mail: You can now use text properties such as underline, italics, and bold. Your iCloud account is also connected to Mail.
• New Multitasking Gestures (using four or five fingers):
• Swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar
• Pinch to return to the home screen
• Swipe left or right to switch between apps

[via iFans]

Compjunkies Updated!

Hey guys,
I just recently changed a few things on the Computer Junkies blog and I updated the theme and layout as well. I'd love to hear from you guys about what you think of the new theme and layout, what are your thoughts? Are there any more changes you'd like to see? Suggestions? Let me know in a comment or an email, thanks.

*HckrSvn

iPhone os 4.0

(From: Appleinsider)

Apple this summer will go a long way towards silencing critics and catering to one of the most prevalent demands of its iPhone user base, when it introduces a multitasking solution through the handset's 4.0 software update that will finally allow several third party apps to run concurrently and in the background.

People with a proven track record in predicting Apple's technological advances tell AppleInsider that the Cupertino-based company has developed a "full-on solution" to multitasking on the iPhone OS but offered no specifics on how the technology would optimize resource conservation and battery life -- two of the most critical issues surrounding the matter, alongside security.

From a user-facing perspective, Apple plans to deliver a multi-tasking manager that leverages interface technology already bundled with its Mac OS X operating system, according to those same people. It was requested that specifics be withheld at this time, as the iPhone Software 4.0 remains under development and reportedly has a quite 'way to go' before it's ready for prime time.

Today's iPhone 3.x software is a fully preemptive multitasking operating system, but it artificially restricts apps (other than specific ones bundled with the system by Apple) from running in the background.

Not a technical issue

Controversy over "multitasking" within the iPhone OS has been brewing ever since Apple launched iPhone 2.0 with the ability to run third party software titles. While often reported as begin a technical flaw, the iPhone OS really has no problem with multitasking.

The system's phone, SMS, email, iPod, voice recorder, Nike+, and certain other bundled apps can continue in the background while the user launches another app. However, third party titles obtained from the App Store (including apps from Apple, such as Remote or iDisk) can not be launched at the same time.

This behavior is prevented by the iPhone OS' security model, which is designed to close the current app whenever the user returns to the Home screen or accepts an incoming call. This design prevents apps from being able to run in the background without the user knowing, and therefore erases any real potential for spyware, adware and viruses.

Enabling multitasking

By jailbreaking the system, the iPhone OS security model is compromised via an exploit, allowing the user to launch and run multiple apps. This also opens the door to both malware and widespread piracy, both of which have been contained by the default security system put in place by Apple.

While this has resulted in a secure platform and a commercially viable App Store for both users and developers, many vocal critics have cited a variety of examples of apps or features that can't work within these constrains.

Among these apps begging for background execution are: Pandora-style Internet radio; third party instant messaging features that are available at all times just like SMS or email; and Loopt or Google Latitude type apps that report the user's location at regular intervals.

New in iPhone 4.0

There are a number of ways Apple can address these needs. First is by allowing third parties to launch apps that actually run all the time in the background, just like the bundled Mail, SMS, iPod, or Voice Memos.

This isn't a technical problem for the multitasking iPhone OS, but does introduce new issues for users. Because the iPhone OS doesn't present a conventional windowing user interface, launching multiple apps requires the addition of a new interface mechanism that allows users to intuitively switch between apps without introducing too much new complexity.

The iPhone OS is intended to create mobile devices that are easy to use, not just small versions of the complex PC model of the 1990s. Apple mocked the unfriendly and complex Task Manager of Windows Mobile at the launch of iPhone 2.0. Today's Android users similarly find themselves diddling with resource and memory management to optimize battery life and performance.

Existing background-capable apps in iPhone 3.x paint a bar across the top of the screen that allows the user to return to that background app (such as a phone call, voice memo, or Nike+ session) when finished with their secondary foreground app. But that solution isn't going to scale to multiple apps all running at once.

Other multitasking issues to fix

In addition to a new graphical interface for switching (handled by the Dock in Mac OS X), a multitasking third party app model would also require a way for apps to communicate with each other or prioritize resource allocation. One reason why the iPhone and iPod touch are emerging as a successful mobile games platform is due to the fact that the iPhone OS' one-app model means that games can be more complex and sophisticated and yet still perform well on a mobile device.

Gaming has largely failed to take off on other mobile platforms because titles are limited to simplistic experiences, as they must either run in a poorly-performing layer of abstraction (such as the Adobe Flash/Flash Lite, Microsoft Silverlight, or Sun Java/Android Dalvik runtimes), or target a native platform that lacks an installed base big enough to attract significant development.

Installing lots of background processes will inevitably eat up battery life and performance, so adding multitasking features that are valuable without creating a mess for users to deal with requires solving a variety of non-obvious problems that are very apparent on other mobile platforms that claim to deliver functional multitasking.

Potential solutions include saving the state of and parking the foreground app, or scaling down the execution of a background app, so that multiple app execution does not overwhelm the limited resources available on mobile devices. Either one would allow the user to quickly switch between running apps without seeing much downside. Today's iPhone OS requires a brief layover to the Home screen before jumping from the current app to launch another one.

More system RAM and faster processors will also help to improve the experience of users who want to quickly switch between multiple apps.

Firefox 3.6 RC

Firefox 3.6 RC was released last Friday.

Here are the new features (as listed by the Firefox team)

Users can change the browser’s appearance with a single click using Personas.

Firefox 3.6 alerts users about out of date plugins to keep them safe.

Changes to how third-party software integrates with Firefox to increase stability.

Improved automatic form fill provides better options from your form history.

Open, native video can now be displayed full screen, and supports poster frames.

Support for the WOFF font format.

Improved JavaScript performance, overall browser responsiveness and startup time.

The ability to run scripts asynchronously to speed up page load times.

Support for the HTML5 File API

Support for new CSS, DOM and HTML5 web technologies.

iTunes 9.0.2 Released

iTunes 9.0.2 was released several days ago, it included several changes and updates. One of them is an option to change the background color to black, for those of us who can't stand the bright white.

iTunes 9 comes with many new features and improvements, including:

• An improved look and feel, including a new Column Browser for easily browsing your artists or albums, movies, TV shows, and more.

• iTunes Store has a brand new look, with improved navigation for quick and easy exploration.

• iTunes LP and iTunes Extras create unique experiences that feature exclusive interviews, videos, photos, and more – available with select album and movie purchases on the iTunes Store.

• Home Sharing helps you manage your family’s iTunes collection between computers in your home. iTunes can automatically transfer new purchases, or you can choose just the items you want.

• Genius Mixes are created for you by iTunes and play songs from your library that go great together.

• iPod and iPhone syncing now allows you to organize your iPhone and iPod touch home screens directly in iTunes. Syncing is now also more flexible, allowing you to sync individual artists, genres, or TV show and Podcast episodes.

• iTunes U items are now organized into their own section in your iTunes library.

• Sync with iPod nano (5th generation), iPod classic (Fall 2009), and iPod touch (Fall 2009).

• iTunes 9 also includes many other improvements, such as HE-AAC encoding and playback, more flexibility with Smart Playlists rules, simpler organization of your media files inside an iTunes Media folder, and more.

iTunes 9.0.1 Released today

iTunes 9.0.1 was released today, it fixed some major bugs and security holes. Read the full features list here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL927

Gifting iPhone apps?

iTunes has previously allowed giving albums as a gift, rumors say they may be doing the same with all iPhone apps in the next update.
Let's wait and see

iPhone 3.0 software review

The new 3.0 iPhone OS is a very nice upgrade, well worth the $10 for iPod touch users. It has updated push capabilities, enabling apps to display notofications on your iPod. I have found that this feature is very nice. I really like the new feel of the 3.0 OS, it's landscape email & notes makes it much more bearable to type on the iPod. The updated tilting sensitivity is also nice for some of the apps that require you to tilt your device. Video recording and editing has been added for iPhones only, video has surprisingly good quality for a cell phone, and editing couldn't be any easier. Voice memos have also been added for both iPod & iPhone, but is somewhat useless for the older iPods since thier headphones don't have mics built in, if you want a mic headset for voice memos it will cost you another $25, slightly annoying, but useful nonetheless. Spotlight search has also been added as well, spotlight is useful because it allows you to search your entire ipod/iphone. You can search for apps, notes, emails, songs, videos, and other. Apple has also enabled bluetooth in all iPod touches, cool but slightly annoying as well because that means that iPods were bluetooth capable the entire time but we just had to pay more to activate it.

These are just some of the many features that Apple has included, along with many bug fixes.

Pros - Landscape email & notes, updated tilt, better push notifications, Bluetooth, video recording/editing (iPhone only), voice memos, updated music player, spotlight search, compass (iPhone only), MMS (iPhone only), wireless syncing

Cons - can't doubletap the home button and have the iPod turn on with volume controls

[Posted from my iPod]

iPhone 3.0 OS Software

Today at 10AM Pacific time, apple will be showcasing their new iPhone OS, 3.0. We all have our wishes on what we want in the new OS, but none of know.... Yet.

Please note that Apple will not be releasing the OS today... They will just be showing it off.