Apple iOS 4.3.4 Fixes PDF Security Glitch, Still Jailbroken

Earlier today, Apple launched an update to Apple iOS enabled devices that fixes a security flaw in viewing PDF files. Apple indicates that the fix should prevent any potential threats when viewing 'maliciously crafted PDFs.’ However, this is not the first time Apple has had to fix its PDF viewing technology. The iOS 4.3.4 is now available for download as a free update for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users. The update is also available for iPhone 4 users, as well as third-generation iPods running on iOS 3.0 and higher.  Apple claims that because of this security breach, hackers were able to remotely control iPhones, iPads after using manipulated PDF files. Jailbroken in no time at all The flaw was uncovered by 'Comex,"  a member of the hacking group who exploited it to create ways for users to jailbreak iOS devices and run unauthorized software. Apple however, has dealt with the problem fairly swiftly. The update means that the JailBreakMe tool will no longer work on updated devices but will prevent users from potential attacks. Even though this new patch has been released, it didn’t take hackers more than 12 hours to jailbreak the iOS 4.3.update. Pretty much every device has been unlocked except for the recent iPad 2.

Foursquare for iPhone Updates: Gets Newsfeed

Foursquare for iPhone got an update and now comes with a newsfeed. It also comes with a new system for notifications. This 'notification tray' was available for the Android app, earlier this month and tracks comments on check-ins, new comments on posts you've commented on (like Facebook), completion of tips by friends and mayor status. The app now also lets you know when your Facebook friends join Foursquare. For the iPhone app, notifications will also show up in a bubble on the right of the Foursquare logo just like it would on the Facebook app. In addition to the notification tray, the new version of Foursquare has a new venue page with better access to tips, photos and your to-do list.

Foursquare feeds up on iPhone

Ever since Facebook launched Places, Foursquare, of course has had to step up its game. However, will adopting some of Facebook's features themselves really help the location networking app? WIll you use Foursquare with these features more than you otherwise would? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple Thunderbolt Displays Coming Soon

Apple’s MacBook Pros already have Intel’s new high-speed data interface, Thunderbolt. Now, rumours have cropped up that Apple is going to launch Thunderbolt enabled displays in the near future. Apple’s 27-inch LED displays, for example are very popular among Apple Mac users. MacRumours has unearthed a few images of a new LED-backlit display that haven’t been published on the site yet.  The image as can be seen below shows a screen with a wallpaper found on Mac OS X Lion, instead of Snow Leopard. 

For specific users only

There are also images of two similar displays being connected to a MacBook Pro. The displays seem to be connected to a single display using a single connector. Now, the 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros are the only ones built with the Thunderbolt interface.  The display is likely to come built with a Thunderbolt interface at the rear instead of the existing DisplayPort connects. There’s no official launch date on the new Thunderbolt display, but one thing is for sure it’s bound to be happen soon after the official OS X Lion update. The only ones who’ll be able to use the new display will be those with the recently launched MacBook Pro.

Apple's Upcoming MacBook Air to Have More Storage

People considering to buy the new MacBook Air will be in for a treat. Not only will the new model be coming out with the new Lion OS, but there’s bound to be a bunch of improvements and additions. Reports have suggested that the new MacBook Air will be upgraded from 2GB RAM to 4GB RAM, an upgrade which previously cost users $100.

New MacBook Air

Ming - Chi Kuo, an analyst from Concord Securities noted that the memory upgrades along with the new Lion OS should yield good performance. Kuo also stated that Apple will be upgrading the SSD of the 11.6-inch model from 64GB to a 128GB one. Reports from CNET also state that Apple will sell 128GB and 256GB SSD versions of the notebook. The new MacBook Air will be coming out later this week.

This second generation model will be more refined and will be completely redesigned. It’ll include a high-density screen, an additional USB port and SD card slot. The new Macbook Air will also have upgraded new-generation processors, graphics cards and a Flash-based storage. About the battery life, Apple have stated that it would give users up to 7 hours of usage time and up to 30 hours of standby time. Along with these features, Apple will also include a back-lit keyboard.

Apart from the new MacBook Air, other Macs will also be recipients of the new Mac OS update. Reports note that Apple will be launching Lion, sometime this month, Although so far, no additional information has been given on the official date of release. We did however make a trip to our local Apple retailers and were informed not expect the new MacBook Air with Lion before August.

Nokia Ovi Maps Available for iOS and Android Users Now

Although Nokia’s market share might not be doing as well as it used to, that’s not stopping the Finnish company from rolling out new devices and sharing their technology with others. By the latter statement I’m talking about the very recent discovery that Nokia’s own mapping software i.e. Ovi Maps is soon going to be available for other smartphone OS'. That means Apple and Android mobile users without any navigation software loaded onto their devices can avail of Nokia’s generosity. It was already quite obvious that Nokia WP7 devices would not be losing out on this system either so I guess Nokia decided, why should anyone lose out. However, here’s the catch, if you can even call it that – although there doesn’t seem to be an application in the works just yet, according to thehandheldblog, the Finnish company has announced an HTML5 powered, mobile optimized Nokia Maps website. The site can be accessed from your iOS or Android powered device, activate your GPS settings and you’re good to go. iOS offers multi-touch zooming but Android will have suffice with Zoom-In and Zoom-Out buttons. Ovi Maps on Android and iOS You can access the maps via your device's browser here – m.maps.ovi.com, and you’ll be able to find your way around your location with ease with a-GPS services aiding you. Switch on your GPS module for accurate readings though. I’m sure most of you are wondering why bother with Ovi when Google Maps comes preloaded with iOS and Android? The answer is for those using smartphones with these operating systems in countries where the search giant has not yet managed to dole out navigation for their maps. This is where this online service will be most handy. So far Nokia has made no official announcement about this latest update in the Ovi Maps segment, but it won’t be too long a wait I’m sure. And I have to agree with the mobile community, it’s only just rolling out so if you find bugs, chances are that they’ll be weeded out with a few updates that shouldn’t be too far behind. Right now, it’s extremely basic and very simplistic so don’t expect too much, but with a few updates over time, Google could be looking at some serious competition, especially if Nokia also decides to take it to the “streets”, if you know what I mean. You can take a quick look at how Ovi Maps runs on Android (LG Optimus Black used for test) and the iPhone 4 -

Exploring App Stores: Travel Apps for the Week

Some travel apps for you, to make that trip memorable.

Travel Memoir

Travel Memoir

Travel Memoir, application on captures precious memories of your travel and organizes them so you can enjoy them with your family and friends.  With Travel Memoir, you can create various artifacts during your travel: Photo, Video, Waypoint, Journal, and Postcard.  Also, at any point during your travel, you can view all your activities through timeline view, map view, or journal view.  Ability to visualize your travel in various ways makes Travel Memoir unique and fun to use.

Tuk Tuk Meter

TukTuk Meter

No more haggling for your auto ride thanks to the Samsung Tuk Tuk app. Transport within a city is cumbersome and slow, especially after a full day’s work when the city  erupts  into a hub of endless traffic. Resorting to auto rickshaw’s a necessity. However it is not just a convenience anymore as while in a rickshaw, the customer is at the mercy of the driver. Well, not anymore!!!

Now Samsung Galaxy and Wave Series users can make use of the Tuk Tuk  app- simple, useful and a must have app created especially for the Indian traveler for  Auto Rickshaw- the three wheeled compact and ubiquitous urban transport vehicle  called as Tuk Tuk in many parts of India. That’s where the app gets its name from. If you are frequent tuk tuk traveler, then you can’t leave home without this app.

The Tuk Tuk app does two things – It calculates not just the distance based on GPS but also calculates the fare. Calculating fare is simple math and calculating the distance is based on GPS satellite.  The app works amazingly well. It has a simple interface with just three screens. The user simply needs to start the app up after getting into the tuk tuk  the app goes along with the meter of the tuk tuk. Once users hit the play button, the app calculates the distance and the fare for them. At the end of the journey users can tally the fare and pay the correct amount and not get deceived by the driver.

Tuk Tuk app is a glimpse into the future of possibilities. With an app like that, users you really don’t have to depend on a meter you know you can’t trust

CarFinder

CarFinder

This application is very useful for people who forget where they have parked their cars. This app is available on Bada and Android Operating system.

The Car Finder app helps you to find places you have been to easily by navigating you back to previously visited locations. You can save up to four different locations. 

Wipolo

Wipolo Travel App

The must-have application to get all your trip information on your phone. Works online and offline on both Bada and Android platforms.Currency converter, weather forecast, timezones and phone prefixes list
Wipolo Pro: Check your flight status in real time and visualize alternative flights by subscribing to our real time services offer! For a limited time: 1 month free with your download!
 
Centralize all your travel data by simply forwarding your booking emails to mail@wipolo.com (flights, trains, hotels, ferries, car rentals...)

We will automatically add weather forecast, currencies and timezone to your trip files. Go to www.wipolo.com to update and share your trips, see your travel stats and much more! Travel peacefully! Check your flight status, consult alternative flights with Wipolo Pro!

How does it work?

• You must have to forward your trip booking emails to mail@wipolo.com (flights, trains, hotels... eveything works!)
• We will automatically parse your emails and build a personalized itinerary for you
• What you need: a valid email address to create your account and forward your trip bookings

Bing Updates iPad App with Interesting Lasso Feature!

Bing had announced its iPad app, in April and in the first three months it had more than 5000 ratings and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5. Bing has announced an update to the app and in the latest release they have made some improvements that users asked for and introduced a new feature called Lasso. The new feature is designed for touch friendly devices and Lasso is a new way to search with the touch of a finger.

The interesting Lasso feature!

According to a post on Bing Community, the company says, “It can be somewhat painful to search on a tablet when you’re engaged in reading something; just copying and pasting pieces of text from a webpage to a search box can take up to nine steps on the iPad. With Lasso, you can circle and search in just two steps. Lasso moves Bing beyond the search box.” In addition to Lasso, the update will also include a better movie experience that allows users to view multiple showtime days and theatres and ability to swipe through the last six Bing homepage images. With the update, Bing also claims that there are hundreds of quality and performance improvements.

The Bing update is available from today through the App Store in iTunes and alternatively one can click here to download it. The company says that as of right now there is just an iPad version available; however, they are thinking of taking the Lasso feature even further.

JailbreakMe 3.0 Available for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4

Good news for all you iPad 2 users. You can now jailbreak your beloved tablet and customize it the way you want. JailbreakMe’s latest version, brings the goodness of bringing a lot of unapproved-by-Apple applications and tweaks to your iPad 2.

Free the prisoner!

According to sources, all iPad 2 tablets that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can easily be jailbroken and the software is working fine on these devices. All you have to do is log on to their website through your Apple device and follow the instructions. It obviously means that JailbreakMe 3.0 is untethered, so you won’t have to sync it with your PC through iTunes and go through a lengthy procedure.

The goodness has not been restricted to the iPad 2 only, though. iPhone 4, 3GS, iPod touch 3G and 4G that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can be jailbroken. Check out the video below to see how jailbreaking takes place.



If you have jailbroken and found freedom on your iPad 2 (or any other iOS 4.3.3 device for that matter) please share your joy in our comments section.

LOLcats Now Purrs on the iPhone

Cheezburger's "LOLcats" site has enough furry goodness to keep you entertained for hours (if that is your kind of thing). The site already has fans make apps for it and this is the offical Cheezburger Network's effort to build an app for the site. The cats will now be available on iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. The app itself is free and is a simpler version of the I Can Has Cheezburger's website. It carries content from ICanHasCheezburger.com, IHasAHotDog.com, RoflRazzi.com, and more. The Cheezburger Network says that with this app, users can check out content from LOLcats, LOLdogs, Daily Dose of Cute, LOLcelebs and more. The app presents the same memes with the ability to share them over Facebook and Twitter. It's already on version 2.0.

Cats do the darndest things... on iPhone!

The Cheezburger Network is looking to expand its app repertoire by building apps for its other sites like FAILblog and Memebase. The network was able to get $30 million in funding in January, so it does actually have the ability to build apps. They may even expand to other mobile systems like Android and maybe Symbian. Does LOLcats make you chuckle and would you download the app? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tumblr for iOS Gets Huge Update

Tumblr for iOS devices got a huge update. It is now at version 2.0, and has a completely new interface making it a lot easier to blog from multiple accounts. The new UI also helps you easier browse the blogs you follow, create new blogposts and manage multiple blog accounts. In the previous version of Tumblr, there were two navigation options, Post and Dashboard, from which you had to click multiple times to get to where you wanted to go. However now, almost everything is presented at the surface. It's formatted a lot like Instagram with the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen.

Note the Instagram like layout and importing phone contacts

Also, previously, to manage multiple blogs, you had to go to Advanced Options within a post to choose which blog you wanted to publish to. You also had to choose Advanced Options to save as draft. Now, when you hit post, you'll be presented with a list of your blogs and you tap on whichever one you want. And you swipe now, to save as draft.

Version 2.0 also allows new Tumblr users to sign up from within the app. Users can read and reply to messages, as well as find users via their phone's address book. The Tumblr app for iOS is free and is available from the iOS App Store

Friendthem Allows You to Add Facebook Friends Around You

Friendthem is an iPhone app that allows you to friend people around you on Facebook. The goal of the app is to reduce the friction involved in friending people on Facebook, which is usually an important step in keeping in contact with people you meet for the first or second time. The app is free and is designed to allow users to friend people around them on Facebook, right away or file the friend request away for later. The idea is that when you meet someone, and want to keep in touch over a social network, you could go home and forget their name, or find a million results for that name. Location-based Facebook friend adding The way to get it to work is pretty simple, you just sign into Facebook and that's how you connect with the app. However, the other person also needs to have Friendthem on their phones in order to work. Once you sign in, you choose what information you want visible and if you don't want people to find you say at the office, or on vacation, you can put up 'geo-fences'. There are of course, two downsides to this application that are somewhat interrelated. Firstly, this is yet another application people have to download to be social. Also, people can find each other and friend each other on Facebook mobile apps a lot easier. And if there are multiple results for the same person, you can always just ask the other person which result they are (without being too terribly dorky)

Microsoft Allows You To Search for iPhone Apps

Microsoft's including search results for apps, including iPhone apps in its Bing search engine. The feature is called "auto app discovery" and it surfaces apps along with regular web queries. For example, a search for "Hotels in Mumbai" will pull up a section called "app results" which shows results like Expedia and TripAdvisor. You can also search specifically for "Top iPhone Apps" and "Download Fruit Ninja" and you'll find the apps.

Search results in Bing lead to iPhone apps

Bing will also help you directly download the app where if you perform a search on Bing on your phone, it will give you a link to download the app. Clicking that link will take you to the app in the App Store. If the app is already downloaded on your phone and the developer's integrated the launch functionality, Bing will launch the app on your phone. Apps like Facebook and Yelp can be launched directly from Bing. Some of these apps will launch within context, so if you search for "X-Men", IMdB will open up to a results page for "X-Men".

5 iPhone Apps for Baba Ramdev

Baba Ramdev is a very busy, angry man and it seems he's not one of those 'holy people' that like to 'get by with the help of his friends'. From trying to build armies to fight corruption, to curing cancer with yoga and recriminalizing homosexuality, Mr. Ramdevji quite literally has his dhoti full. However, thanks to a certain Mr. Jobs-ji, Baba Ramdev can achieve Nirvana ahead of schedule. Yoga Baba-ji began his career with yoga, He's just such a huge fan of yoga. He claims his yoga can cure cancer and homosexuality. He wanted to replace sex education in school with yoga education, so children could learn how to cure AIDS with yoga (you know, instead of preventing it). Now, people with hot bodies everywhere will agree that clearly Baba Ramdev is doing it wrong (I mean, look at his body!). What he needs is a little "Hot Body Yoga" ($1.99 or Rs. 89). Hot Body Yoga promises to help you "fry fat on the mat". That's also more productive than all the satyagrahis he's been getting fried with teargas and lathicharges. It also has pictures of scantily clad women in all sorts of yoga poses. He probably gets that a lot in real life anyway, but these days while he's under police custody, he might need a little dose. Some "breathe in, breathe out. Breathe, breathe breathe!" might follow suit. Yoga's homie But since we're talking about his body, another app, "The Little Black Dress" which is also $1.99 or Rs. 89. Ramdev wears his cloth with a very particular style, showing off some parts of his body while covering others. Now, if he wants the parts he shows off to be 'assets', here's the app for him. This app is meant to help women look best in the little black dress they already own, but have said nothing about the big, orange umm, cloth that Baba Ramdev wears. And when you're not excluded, why exclude yourself eh? He'll learn how to tone Fashion Mr. Ramdev has a very distinctive style. He has one outfit, or at least many versions of the same outfit. Unless he's got a little lady in the corner washing his clothes every 6 hours, he's going to need to buy more of the same stuff (orange cloth). And really, he deserves to get a deal on orange cloth for being loyal to orange cloth for so long. Here's where the eBay Fashion app comes in. The eBay Fashion app would not only help him get the best deals right away on his orange cloth, but also show him ways to accessorize. I'm not saying full out bling out, not at all, but I'm sure he'd get some better deals on his beads on eBay fashion than say the back alleys of the Ganges, shipping and handling included. He can heart which orange cloth he wants Countdown There are a dozen countdown apps for the iPhone, let's just go with the free one (since tax payers rupees do in fact run out, because everyone's painting their money black). It's pretty obvious why Baba Ramdev needs a countdown app. He's fasting from June 4th for a month or till he dies, whichever comes first. Now after a while of fasting, he's going to become delirious and even the yoga won't help. If he survives the month, he's going to have to know when to stop. The little ringing that his iPhone will make in the pocket of his orange cloth, will hopefully help him remember. Of course, this is assuming he hasn't become so delirious, he's already hearing little ringings in the pockets of his orange cloth with no iPhone in them. Time moves so slowly when you're fasting Since he's fasting, he should also know what he's missing out on. And who better to tell him/torment him than Miss Nigella herself? Geolocation Tracker Baba Ramdev's been moving around a lot. Usually he's being moved by law enforcing personnel and usually he probably doesn't know where they're taking him until he's there already. Why be in the dark eh? Especially when you're a yogi trying to achieve the light and you have a smartphone. All he really has to do now is find a way to learn what the coordinates that the app show him mean. The app will also show him how high up he is, so he'll know a little bit ahead if law officials plan to throw him off a cliff (also assuming he hasn't sharpened his levitation skills). Best of all, the app is free. No tax payer money going into Baba Ramdev knowing he's going to be thrown off a cliff. For in case he's on a cliff Gandhi This last one is a more serious one. Baba Ramdev is calling his followers satyagrahis, just as Mahatma Gandhi did his. Ramdev is fasting just like Gandhi did. The trouble is, now Baba Ramdev is saying that he wants to raise "arms" which is not something Gandhi did. He's been accused of black money, whereas Gandhi was never accused for wanting the Brits to actually stay. Clearly Ramdev needs to learn who Gandhi actually was and what he actually was all about. The Gandhi biography app costs $0.99 (Rs. 45) but this is one app I'll actually shell out my money for. I'm going above and beyond my taxes for you Baba Ramdev, I'm giving you my income. A history lesson is required So there you go Mr. Ramdev-ji. These are a few things beyond yoga that will make your life a little better.

Apple's New Patent to Use Infrared Sensors

The iPhone maker is apparently working on a new patent idea. Apple’s new patent intends to bail the recording industry out of the illegal photography and video recording of concerts by the general public.

C(S)ensored..

If all goes as per plan, then very soon Apple products, which include the iPhones, the iPod Touch and iPad 2 will include invisible infrared sensors integrated into mobile iOS devices which come with a built-in camera. The system would be principally functioning on the system of sensors, wherein the sensor on one mobile device will be used to look for another signal which would instruct the user if it O.K to click and image, or record a video of the concert, or any other private gathering. If found to be illegal to do so, the camera would be automatically disabled.

The success of this technology would end the woes of the recording industry, which stems from the fact that there hasn’t been any significant move towards curbing illegal photography, or video recording yet.

Tamil Daily Dinamalar Unveils iPhone/iPod Touch App

Creating applications for a smartphone OS seems to be the new strategy leading Indian newspapers are following. Latest to join the bandwagon is Dinamalar, which unveiled an application for iPhone and iPod Touch so that users can access the news while on the move.

The app gives readers access to news from around the world, India and Tamil Nadu. Also the app has social network integration, which allows users to share news and updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Talking about this new app, Adimoolam Lakshmipathy, Executive Editor, New Media, Dinamalar, said, "People are always on the move today and moving into the mobile space was a natural progression. For decades now Dinamalar has been acknowledged as a pioneer in various dimensions and the move to create an iPhone & iPod, is just an extension of our commitment to keep people informed 24x7."