iPhone

[OZCUBAN]

Hi All

After the success of the iPad Thread, thought i would start a thread on the iPhone ,being such a controversial little gadget at launch time there was a whole lot of stuff going down ,proved and unproved,and was hard to keep up with

Being a separate thread it can compliment the already successful ipad one started by Mika,

I bought one on launch night and cued up outside optus till 11:59 +1

It is truly a beautiful thing, whether the "Antenna problem will be just that,time will tell

To start it off look at this amazing case

Vapor4 May Be The First Bumper Worthy Of The iPhone 4

By Jesus Diaz on July 1, 2010 at 11:20 PM

The iPhone 4 shatters easily, and its tiny plastic bezel offers no protection. On top of that, touching its metal rim causes interferences. The Vapor4 bumper – made of aluminium – may solve most of these design problems. And it looks great:

Of course, nothing looks as cool as the iPhone 4 on its own, but if you want to avoid the antenna problems and the shattering, you are going to need one of these. They are made of aluminium, and they have an interior liner that separates the metal from the antenna, insulating it. The manufacturer – who also makes the beautiful Joule iPad stand – told me that their tests showed no interference whatsoever across all models of iPhone:

We basically wrapped it in an inch thick of anodized aluminium all around with our special secret liner inside, nothing impacted the reception.

We will have to test this, but it definitely is the first bumper that actually looks cool. Especially the way you put it together with those hex screws.

The Vapor4 is not cheap, although not as expensive as the beautiful exotic wood back replacement: It starts at $US80. For $US100 you get the V4Carbon, a carbon fibre back plate that will further protect the iPhone 4 fragile glass back. [Elementcase]

Where do i sign up

Its like an F-1 phone case

Cheers

OZ

[MIKA27]

They look amazing OZ!

Great thread by the way bud.

[SandmanTR]

Now THAT's a case!!! Nice find. I love it!

[SamuraiJack]

I think they should make a phone that doesn't require and bunch of extra stuff to make it usable. And that goes for non-iPhones as well. Granted, most accessorizing is merely part of our gadget-worshipping culture.

[CanuckSARTech]

I think they should make a phone that doesn't require and bunch of extra stuff to make it usable. And that goes for non-iPhones as well. Granted, most accessorizing is merely part of our gadget-worshipping culture.

Here, here. For the price you pay, it would be nice for it to work correctly.

[sloth]

oh awesome the iPhone is the new Honda Civic. Do they have any Type-R stickers?

[El Presidente]

oh awesome the iPhone is the new Honda Civic. Do they have any Type-R stickers?

!LOL!

Put some mags on the Honda civic...big exhaust...dark tint windows ....big woofer....and all that is missing is the "Bad Boy" sticker on the rear window

[CanuckSARTech]

oh awesome the iPhone is the new Honda Civic. Do they have any Type-R stickers?

x 2

[Habanakane21]

I love me iphone. I still have the 3G. Wasn't really looking to upgrade either. But man those pictures you put up are sweet. Very cool phone and case. I may just have to get the new one now. My daughter's been pestering me to upgrade to the 4g. That way she can have my 3g.

[Warren]

I love my old 3G but I think it is inexcusable that apple released the 4G with such a stupid and avoidable fault.

[MIKA27]

I love my old 3G but I think it is inexcusable that apple released the 4G with such a stupid and avoidable fault.

My question is tho.... IS IT REALLY 4G with its current faults?

I love the iPhone and the new one too, but I'm happy to wait for v1.2

[Mr. Japan]

I'll wait for the 4GS as I have the 3GS.

[OZCUBAN]

Survey: iPhone 4 antenna hubbub more noise than signal

5 August, 2010 by Dan Moren Comments

NEWS

The iPhone 4 has certainly been the subject of much contention in the tech arena, but how about the average iPhone 4 owner? How do they feel about their purchase of Apple’s latest handset? Surprisingly good, actually, according to a new survey by research firm ChangeWave Research.

The company’s latest poll talked to 213 iPhone 4 owners in the US about their likes and dislikes of the device, and at least a few of the results were surprising. ChangeWave conducted its poll between 19 and 28 July because it wanted to wait for the firestorm over the iPhone 4 antenna issues to die down a bit, said vice president of research Paul Carton.

Still, the antenna issue itself was a major part of the survey. When asked about their dislikes of the iPhone 4, 24 percent of respondents pointed to it. However, that only placed it at third on the list of overall dislikes, where it was topped by 27 percent who disliked having to use AT&T and 24 percent complaining about the coverage, speed, and quality of AT&T’s 3G network.

However, Carton cautioned that much of the focus on the iPhone 4’s antenna could be the result of the attention it had gotten in the media. “It would have been astonishing to us to ask about dislikes and not have the antenna issue appear in the grouping,” said Carton. “This is what happens when the issue becomes one of the biggest issues in tech for a few weeks.” But he added that he was actually surprised that the impact wasn’t bigger.

In addition, ChangeWave’s results showed that the antenna problems weren’t necessarily as prevalent as it had been made out to be. While one in five iPhone 4 owners reported that they had been affected by the antenna issue, only 7 percent described it as a very big problem. By contrast, 64 percent said that they hadn’t experienced any problem at all.

Furthermore, when ChangeWave surveyed users about the rate of dropped calls, iPhone 4 owners reported dropping fewer calls — 5.2 percent — than iPhone 3GS owners surveyed after that device’s release last year; they reported a dropped call rate of 6.3 percent. ChangeWave’s Carton described the figure as “an interesting counterpoint” to much of the buzz around the antenna issue.

Since the survey was conducted just a few days after Steve Jobs held his July 16 press conference about the antenna issue, ChangeWave was also able to poll the reaction to Apple’s solution. A total of 73 percent deemed themselves either very or somewhat satisfied with the company’s response, with 18 percent saying they were very or somewhat unsatisfied.

Among the particular likes and dislikes, the iPhone 4’s Retina display got the most love, with 49 percent of respondents giving it a thumbs up. Just 15 percent of those polled picked FaceTime, though Carton acknowledged that the survey’s sample didn’t include teenagers or young people. “My gut tells me that if we had a larger percentage of young people in this particular survey sample, we probably would have seen [FaceTime] higher than it is.”

The iPhone 4’s battery life also got a bump over its predecessor: last year, 41 percent of iPhone 3GS owners said that the battery life was too short, which put it at the top of the dislike list. By comparison, the battery life on the iPhone 4 nabbed complaints from just 15 percent of iPhone 4 owners, dropping it to fifth.

Overall, though the iPhone 4 didn’t reach the stratospheric levels that the iPhone 3GS achieved after its release — the previous handset yielded a 99 percent overall satisfaction — the iPhone 4 still did very well, with 72 percent of those polled describing themselves as very satisfied and 21 percent as somewhat satisfied. Just 3 percent said they were somewhat unsatisfied, and another 3 percent said they were very unsatisfied.

The same was true of meeting owners’ expectations: 34 percent of iPhone 4 owners said that the device exceeded their expectation, compared to 38 percent of iPhone 3GS owners surveyed last year at around the same time. In addition, 50 percent of iPhone 4 owners said that their expectations were met, compared to 56 percent of 3GS owners, and 13 percent were disappointed, compared to 6 percent of 3GS owners.

In the end, ChangeWave doesn’t see the antenna issue having a long-term impact on the iPhone 4’s success. “Despite the bumpy release,” said Carton, “the iPhone 4 is outperforming almost every other smartphone in the industry in terms of overall customer satisfaction.” It was an accomplishment, he said, that the ratings remained this high after the whole antenna ordeal.

Ultimately, he added, the iPhone 4’s customer satisfaction could actually pass that of the iPhone 3GS as the antenna furore dies down over time.

OZ

My point is how much is fact and how much is a media beat up,and how good is AT&T's network

[OZCUBAN]

Snap Send Solve helps you report issues to your council

3 August, 2010 by Xavier Verhoeven

NEWS

Ever found a dodgy parking meter, hard-rubbish in need of collecting, or a multitude of other issues you needed to report to your local council, but didn’t know how to go about it? Well, now there’s an app for that. Snap Send Solve, by Melbourne-based developers Outware Mobile, lets you report issues to your council in under 30 seconds.

Thanks to the iPhone’s GPS and camera, it’s the perfect device to report back to the council on all manner of problems, or just to provide general feedback when the urge arises. The app finds your local council’s email and contact details via your GPS location, and lets you report just about any ‘incident’ via the following categories: animals, beach cleaning, general feedback, general request, hard waste, litter, noise, parking, street cleaning, and trees. You can easily add notes and a manual address, before taking or attaching a photo and sending it off.

The app is already in use in parts of Melbourne, and has already been used for some surprising reports: “Just yesterday I found a dead possum on the footpath and used Snap Send Solve to take a photo and send council an email.” said St Kilda-based user Lindy Susskind. “It’s never been so easy to let my council know about problems in my street.”

The reports are all sent via email, so the councils can communicate directly with the users to fix local issues. That also means it works well with the councils’ current systems: “Snap Send Solve will make it easy for councils to gather reports and can be easily integrated into reporting systems that councils already run,” said Outware Mobile’s Gideon Kowaldo.

Snap Send Solve was also a runner up in the App My State contest recently run by the Victorian government. It’s currently available via the App Store, and more information can be found at www.snapsendsolve.com.

Here is a Video of the app in action

Oz what a great little app all councils beware

All we need now is an app for Ken with Telstra

[OZCUBAN]

Next-Generation iOS Device Rumors: New iPods Soon, Smaller iPad and iPhone 5 in Early 2011?

iLounge has put together a summary of recent information it has received regarding Apple's plans for the next generation of its iOS devices. Among the claims are a set of revised iPod devices possibly including a touch screen iPod shuffle, a new 7" iPad set for launch early next year at the latest, and a fifth-generation iPhone release scheduled for as soon as January.

- iPod: Apple reportedly has three new models of iPods ready for release, with the company presumed to be introducing them at an early September media event as it has for the last several years. The new models include a new iPod touch and iPod nano, while the third model could be a new iPod shuffle, possibly including the diminutive Apple-branded touch screen that appeared in a leak last month.

The report also claims circulating rumors of a three-inch touch screen for an iPod device, which would be a curious shift from the standard 3.5-inch screen of the iPhone and iPod touch if the device were to run iOS, unless the device offered the same number of pixels at slightly higher density. Issues would likely still remain, however, with buttons and other onscreen touch items at the smaller size.

- iPad: A new 7-inch iPad is reportedly scheduled for launch later this year or early next year. Previous reports have similarly indicated that Apple is planning to launch a smaller iPad with a screen sizes in the range of 5-7 inches early next year.

- iPhone: The fifth-generation iPhone may be set to launch as early as January in order to address antenna issues with the iPhone 4. It is unclear whether the new iPhone would be a major redesign or simply a tweak to address the antenna problems. While not mentioned in the report, the redesign could coincide with the much-rumored Verizon iPhone highly anticipated by many potential customers.

The report also addresses the iPhone 4 bumpers, with claims that Apple may be preparing to release a new, all-silicone bumper for the iPhone 4 that would provide the company with a cheaper solution to address the device's antenna issues. The report's source also claims that Apple considered shipping the iPhone 4 with bumpers from the very beginning, implying that the company was aware of a potential antenna issue.

Ordinarily, we would be highly skeptical of several of these claims, but while we are still taking them with a grain of salt, iLounge has had some remarkably accurate information on Apple's iPod pipeline over the last several years. The site accurately revealed the design change of the fourth-generation iPod nano, as well as the larger screen and unique camera placement of the fifth-generation iPod nano months before their respective releases. The site also offered some correct details on the iPad, although not all of its information on that product did turn out to be accurate.

[MIKA27]

I dont know about wanting a smaller iPad tablet.

The reason why I purchased mine was for the size as its not too big or small. The 9" screen is fantastic, going down to 7" is too small. If thats the case, one should just use their iPhones to surf the net etc IMO.

Great posts however Steve.

Do you find your iPhone 4 cuts out mate with your service provider?

[OZCUBAN]

iPad halo effect brightens iPhone prospects

by Gregg Keizer on 10 August, 2010

Apple’s new iPad casts a “halo” over the iPhone, with owners of the tablet about twice as likely to want the company’s smartphone as consumers who own neither, a Nielsen analyst said today.

“It’s the common operating system,” said Roger Entner, head of research for Nielsen’s telecommunications group. “That, and the ability to share apps between the two. Any investment you make in an app for the iPad, you can leverage on the iPhone, and vice versa.”

According to a Nielsen survey of more than 64,000 mobile subscribers conducted between April and June, 51 percent of those who own an iPad but not an iPhone said that their next smartphone would be Apple’s. That number was almost double the 26 percent who currently owned neither an iPad or iPhone , but who tagged the latter as their next smartphone.

Those numbers, however, were puny compared to the loyalty of consumers who already own an iPhone.

Of people who own both an iPhone and an iPad, 91 percent said that they would buy a new iPhone the next time they purchased a smartphone. And 85 percent of those who own an iPhone but not an iPad said the same.

“The big thing is that people with an iPhone really don’t look anywhere else,” said Entner, for their next smartphone. “It’s like having the most beautiful woman in the world on your arm. Why would you look anywhere else?”

In a blog post last week, Entner said that Apple has created a “mutually-reinforcing ecosphere” that attracts new customers and retains current customers. The common operating system – now dubbed iOS – on all its mobile devices, including the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, is a primary factor in Apple’s ability to keep customers, and get buyers of one device to purchase another in the line-up.

But the App Store plays a big part, too.

“Being able to share the same applications they purchased on all their other devices free of charge leads consumers to add more devices from the same universe, and effectively retains them as upgrade customers,” said Entner.

Applications purchased for the iPhone can run on the iPad, although they take up only a portion of the tablet’s screen; if expanded, they can look pixelated.

Other findings from the Nielsen survey confirmed that consumers aged 25 to 36 who reported incomes over US$100,000 are the most likely to buy Apple, a fact Entner called a “no brainer”. Almost 40 percent of iPad owners reported earning more than US$100,000, for example, compared to about 20 percent of mobile subscribers overall.

But Apple has a solid shot at convincing older consumers to also tap the iPad, Entner maintained. Currently, just 15 percent of iPad owners are 56 years old or older, compared to the 33 percent who own a mobile phone.

“I see this as similar to text messaging, which started out with the under-18 age crowd,” Entner said. “The 25-to-36 group will show [the iPad] to their parents, tell them, ‘You’re always complaining how hard it is to use a PC, look how easy this is.’ If iPad owners go out and evangelise, parents is the first segment they’ll evangelise.”

Other research analysts have argued an iPad halo exists. In May, consumer spending research firm ChangeWave claimed that rather than cannibalise sales of Macs, especially Apple’s laptop line, the new tablet was actually contributing to Mac sales because of the publicity it attracted last spring and the traffic it routed into Apple’s retail stores.

According to Apple’s latest earnings statement, the company sold nearly 3.3 million iPads in the second quarter of 2010, along with 8.4 million iPhones and a record 3.5 million Macs.

[OZCUBAN]

Jailbreaking your iPhone: the pros and cons

9 August, 2010 by AMW staff

Last week, the US Librarian of Congress ruled that those who defeat the digital protections of today’s smart-phones for non-infringing purposes can not be threatened by the anti-circumvention portion of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). In short, regardless of how little Apple and other companies may like it, if you live in the US, you’re welcome to jailbreak your phone to install third-party apps not offered by the Apple Store. You’re just as free to then unlock your phone for use with another carrier. (Jailbreaking and unlocking are not the same thing. Jailbreaking opens the phone so that you can access and modify portions of the phone that are normally off-limits. Unlocking is a step further that allows you to use it with a different carrier.) It’s less clear whether it’s legal to do so in Australia – Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) says there’s no definitive answer.

Either way, the question remains: although it’s now relatively easy to jailbreak your iPhone, is it a good idea? Consider these pros and cons.

The bright side

Overseas use: When you use your iPhone in another country, you are subject to data roaming charges. Use your iPhone as you do in its home country, and you’re in for a nasty surprise when your next mobile bill arrives.

If you jailbreak and unlock your phone, you have the option to purchase an inexpensive pay-as-you-go SIM card in the country you’re visiting. Pop out the old SIM, plonk in a new one, and you’re in business (using the new card’s local phone number, of course). Of course, we’re lucky in Australia as we can just request our phones to be unlocked by our carriers (though this may cost you, depending on your plan). iPhones can also be purchased outright and unlocked from Apple.

Access to forbidden apps and services: The App Store has a remarkable collection of apps and Apple’s slogan, “There’s an app for that”, is close to the mark. But it’s not entirely true. There are things Apple won’t let you do with your iPhone via apps sold at the App Store.

For example, although Steve Jobs can project every element of the iPhone’s interface on a big screen, you can’t. Video output on the iPhone is limited, by default, to select apps. This can be done, however, with a third-party app found via the Cydia app. (Cydia is an application installed when you jailbreak your iOS device that provides access to third-party applications not submitted to/approved by Apple).

If you have a Wi-Fi iPad, you might think it reasonable to tether to your iPhone and use its data on the go. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t allow this either. But there are apps available via Cydia that will let you share your iPhone’s data over a private Wi-Fi network ready to connect up your iPad.

Jailbreaking also lets you customise the iPhone’s interface in ways not allowed by Apple. You can, for example, apply themes that change the iPhone’s wallpaper as well as its icons. You can also enable video recording on older phones like the iPhone 3G that don’t natively support it. And, with the installation of SSH, you have the ability to access every part of the iPhone — as you can with your Mac — rather than just those specific areas allowed by Apple.

It’s not difficult: Thanks to a couple of iOS vulnerabilities you can unlock your iOS device simply by visiting jailbreakme.com with your web browser and sliding a switch that jailbreaks the device and installs a copy of Cydia. There hasn’t been a jailbreak this easy in years. (At least until Apple delivers its promised update that will patch those vulnerabilities.)

The dark side

Who do you trust: When you jailbreak an iOS device using a tool such as the jailbreakme site or one of the tools offered by the iPhone Dev Team, you don’t really know what’s happening to your device. At the end of the jailbreak you should have a more open iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and a copy of the Cydia app. But what else has gone on in the background?

Up to this point, nothing, it seems. We’ve jailbroken iPhones and iPod touches for years and are yet to have a problem where our data was exploited. But, as they say in the questionable-investment business, past performance is no guarantee of future results. It’s possible that a jailbreak will come along (though not likely from the iPhone Dev Team) that does The Bad Thing.

Your phone is more open to attack: When you jailbreak your device and enable SSH, its more accessible from the outside than it once was. Far too many people jailbreak their phones (or purchase jailbroken and unlocked phones) without then changing its default “alpine” password. And some of those people have suffered in the form of baddies breaking into their devices.

If you’re going to jailbreak your iPhone, do your future self the very big favour of changing its password. Cydia’s home screen provides a Root Password How-To button. Tap it to learn how to change the device’s password.

Your battery life could suffer: Some third-party apps and processes care very little about how much power they pull from your iOS device. If you’re running some of these things on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, your battery could drain in short order.

Your phone could become less stable: Say what you will about the sometimes-quirky nature of the App Store’s approval process, at least apps have been vetted — hopefully to the point where they shouldn’t take down the entire device when they crash. There’s no guarantee that apps offered via Cydia will be as stable.

Apple and your warranty: In a recently released--Knowledge Base Article — which outlines the risks of jailbreaking an iOS device — Apple states:

“It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iOS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.”

Anecdotal evidence suggests that if you walk into an Apple Store with a misbehaving and jailbroken iPhone in the hope of getting some help with it, you’ll be politely turned away. In most cases, you can return your jailbroken iPhone to its original condition simply by restoring it in iTunes, thus leaving no evidence. However, this presents an ethical issue. You did something to the iPhone that broke your warranty. You should therefore not expect support for it.

Updates and jailbreaks: Apple hasn’t gone out of its way to issue updates that intentionally damage jailbroken iPhones. (These updates certainly undo jailbreaks, but they haven’t permanently damaged iOS devices — though one update did put jailbroken 2G iPhones out of commission until a subsequent jailbreak became available weeks later). Given the company’s history of largely turning a blind eye to jailbreaking and the added ruling that jailbreaking and unlocking are legal in the US, it’s highly doubtful that Apple will take any deliberate action to decommission jailbroken phones.

At the same time, Apple’s just as unlikely to spend much time thinking about the effect an update may have on jailbroken iOS devices. It’s possible that an update will come along that does threaten a jailbroken or unlocked iOS device. And that means that those with these jailbroken devices must be vigilant about how and when they update their gear. They will certainly want to hear about the experiences of others before updating, as well as possibly wait for a jailbreak or unlock that’s compatible with that update.

Oz

I have the iPhone 4,but it is not jail broken, I have never jail broken one even my old 3G.I guess i am a play buy the rules sort of guy ,there are pro's and cons to both sides of the argument ,but for the time being I am in Apples camp at the moment,Internet crime is rampant at the moment ,and i can only see it getting worse.

I for one want to keep my devises as safe as possible

OZ

[OZCUBAN]

Apple Acquires Rights to Liquidmetal Technologies' Advanced Metal Alloys

Monday August 09, 2010 12:12 PM EST

Written by Eric Slivka

The Baltimore Sun reports that Apple has signed an exclusive agreement with California-based company Liquidmetal Technologies for the firm's advanced "amorphous" metal alloys. The news comes as part of a filing made by Liquidmetal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in which the company reveals that Apple has obtained the right to use essentially all of its intellectual property in the consumer electronics field while Liquidmetal retains usage rights in other fields.

On August 5, 2010, Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Liquidmetal"), entered into a Master Transaction Agreement with Apple Inc., a California corporation ("Apple"), pursuant to which (i) Liquidmetal contributed substantially all of its intellectual property assets to a newly organized special-purpose, wholly-owned subsidiary (the "IP Company"), (ii) the IP Company granted to Apple a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products in exchange for a license fee, and (iii) the IP Company granted back to Liquidmetal a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in all other fields of use (together with all ancillary agreements, the "Master Transaction Agreement").

According to Liquidmetal's description of its technology, the company has developed new metal alloys exhibiting an "amorphous" molecular structure differing from the crystalline structures of traditional metals.

This amorphous atomic structure leads to a unique set of characteristic properties for the family of Liquidmetal alloys.

These characteristic properties are:

- High Yield Strength

- High Hardness

- Superior Strength/Weight Ratio

- Superior Elastic Limit

- High Corrosion Resistance

- High Wear-Resistance

- Unique Acoustical Properties

The company also points to the advantages of using Liquidmetal alloys in consumer electronics, citing its ability to deliver stronger and harder device casings while also offering thinner designs of excellent durability and corrosion resistance. The relatively low melting temperature and other characteristics of Liquidmetal alloys also permit them to be easily cast into a variety of forms while retaining their strength and durability.

It is unknown exactly what Apple plans to do with Liquidmetal's technology, but Apple's focus on industrial design with extensive use of metal in its device casings suggests a number of opportunities for the technology to make its way into the company's products.

OZ

Apple obviously have a use in mind for this technology hmmm

Cheers OZ

[MIKA27]

Jailbreaking your iPhone: the pros and cons

Oz

I have the iPhone 4,but it is not jail broken, I have never jail broken one even my old 3G.I guess i am a play buy the rules sort of guy ,there are pro's and cons to both sides of the argument ,but for the time being I am in Apples camp at the moment,Internet crime is rampant at the moment ,and i can only see it getting worse.

I for one want to keep my devises as safe as possible

OZ

I've jailbroken mine ages ago and I love the fact that I can download anything and everything.

The downside of this and one would not assume this, is that, since jailbreaking my iPhone, I have that many apps, I don't really get to appreciate them as if I were to have paid for them individually. That in effect is a downsider and as such, I have not and will not jailbreak my iPad.

[MIKA27]

Apple Acquires Rights to Liquidmetal Technologies' Advanced Metal Alloys

OZ

Apple obviously have a use in mind for this technology hmmm

Cheers OZ

On a funnier side, this all kind of reminds me and sounds like the humble begginings of the Terminator but rather than Skynet, we have Apple making smartphones that may one day get a mind of their own and take over the world with a T1000 in the image of Steve Jobs!

[OZCUBAN]

On a funnier side, this all kind of reminds me and sounds like the humble begginings of the Terminator but rather than Skynet, we have Apple making smartphones that may one day get a mind of their own and take over the world with a T1000 in the image of Steve Jobs!

[MIKA27]

Apple says it has patch for remote attack on iPhone, iPad

Source: usatoday.com

Apple is quietly wrestling with a security conundrum. How the company handles it could dictate the pace at which cybercriminals accelerate attacks on iPhones and iPads.

Apple is hustling to issue a patch for a milestone security flaw that makes it possible to remotely hack —or jailbreak — iOS, the operating system for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch.

The patch is completed, Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said in an interview. But Kerris said on Friday that she was not able to give a time frame for its public release.

Jailbreaking refers to hacking iOS to download Web apps not approved by Apple. This used to be difficult. This spring, a website came along called JailbreakMe.com that made it trivial to jailbreak your own iPhone or iPad. Last week, a technique for remote jailbreaking appeared on the site. It's now possible to access the operating system of an iPhone or iPad owned by someone else.

An attacker would get "fairly complete control of affected devices," says Michael Price, an operations manager for McAfee Labs. No such attacks are known to have happened yet, he says.

For the moment, the most visible concern for Apple has been pranksters going into Apple and Best Buy retail stores and jailbreaking display models, according to tech blog Engadget. Yet, the security and privacy issues are serious.

Security experts expect the pattern that has come to dominate the PC world to begin to permeate smartphones. Bad guys continually flush out new security flaws in PCs, then tap into them to launch malicious attacks. Good guys, meanwhile, scramble to patch and block.

Now, cybercriminals are rapidly adapting PC hacking techniques to all smartphone platforms, including Symbian, Google Android, Windows Mobile, RIM BlackBerry and Apple iOS.

"It's a brand new game with new rules," says Dror Shalev, chief technology officer of DroidSecurity, which supplies protection for Google Android phones. "We're seeing rapid growth in threats as a side effect of the mobile Web app revolution."

IPhones, in particular, have become a pop culture icon in the U.S., and now the iPad has grabbed the spotlight. "The more popular these devices become, the more likely they are to get the attention of attackers," says Joshua Talbot, intelligence manager at Symantec Security Response.

Apple's problem is singular. The company has made a big deal about hiding technical details of iOS, allowing only approved Web apps to tie in. This tight control initially made it easier to keep iOS secure. But now Apple may have to share iOS coding with anti-virus firms, says Sorin Mustaca, development manager for anti-virus firm Avira.

Windows, Google, Nokia and RIM share such coding to help anti-virus firms develop protections. "Apple does not allow this, making it challenging for anti-virus vendors to create third-party protection for iPhones and iPads," Mustaca says.

Pressure is building. Mikko Hypponen, senior researcher at anti-virus firm F-Secure, says hackers are likely working on a worm to take control of jailbroken iPads and iPhones. "My guess is we'll see it within a week," Hypponen says. "There's very little users can do to protect themselves beforehand."

Apple is aware of the threat, but not saying much publicly. "We'll do everything we can to make sure this is not an issue for our customers," Kerris says.

Apple must coordinate patching with some 15 phone companies worldwide, says John Hering, CEO of mobile security firm Lookout. And iPad and iPhone users likely will have to manually install the patch via iTunes. "We're in a cat-and-mouse game with openness and security at odds, and consumers stuck right in the middle," Hering says.

[MIKA27]

Apple employee sold secrets

An Apple employee has been charged with selling secrets to Asian suppliers of the tech giant in exchange for at least $1 million in kickbacks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

Paul Shin Devine, an Apple global supply manager from California, was charged in a federal grand-jury indictment in the United States "with offences that include wire fraud, money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions," starting in 2006, the Journal reported online.

"Devine came up with a scheme in which he supplied companies such as Cresyn Co in South Korea, Kaedar Electronics Co in China and Jin Li Mould Manufacturing Pte Ltd in Singapore with confidential information that would let them negotiate favourable contracts with Apple," the report said.

"The indictment and civil suit claim that in return, Mr Devine demanded payments, which were sent to bank accounts in his wife's name in amounts that were small enough to avoid attention," it added.

Devine, 37, "shared part of the money with Mr Ang, who was an employee of Jin Li, and helped broker deals with Jin Li as well as others, according to the indictment and civil suit," the report said.

The indictment names Andrew Ang, who worked for an Apple supplier, as accused of wire fraud and conspiracy, the Journal report added.

"Apple is committed to the highest ethical standards in the way we do business," company spokesperson Steve Dowling said in a statment.

"We have zero tolerance for dishonest behaviour inside or outside the company."

[BeeStinga]

My new iPhone lasted 8 days. It decided to lock me out - slide bars unresponsive. Then upon reboot flickers in a disturbing way and still kept me locked out. I hadn't had a chance for a full backup either. It has been sent back so I am now with a crapy loan phone with no contacts. Hope to get a new one that lasts a bit longer. Technology can't live with it can't live without it....