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Apple releases iOS 7.0.3 with iCloud Keychain, iMessage fix, Touch ID tweaks

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 7.0.3 features

Alongside all the major news coming out of today's Apple iPad event, the company has also released an iOS update. iOS 7.0.3 bring a few new features to the platform, like iCloud Keychain, which works alongside the same feature in OS X Mavericks (which was also released today on the Mac App Store) to keep your account names, passwords, and credit cards synced across your devices, while protecting them with your Apple ID. Here is a rundown of all the changes in iOS 7.0.3:

  • Adds iCloud Keychain to keep track of your on account names passwords and credit card numbers across all your devices
  • Adds Password Generator so Safari can suggest unique hard to guess passwords for your online accounts
  • Updates lock screen to delay display of "slide to unlock" went Touch ID is in use
  • Adds back the ability to search the web and Wikipedia from Spotlight search
  • Fixes an issue where iMessage failed to send for some users
  • Fixes a bug that could prevent iMessage from activating
  • Improves system stability when using iWork apps
  • Fixes an accelerometer calibration issue
  • Address is an issue that could cause Siri and VoiceOver to use a lower quality voice
  • Fixes a bug that could allow someone to bypass the lock screen passcode
  • Enhances the Reduce Motion setting to minimize both motion and animation
  • Fix is an issue that could cause VoiceOver input to be too sensitive
  • Updates the Bold Text setting to also change dial pad text
  • Fix is an issue that could cause supervise devices to become unsupervised when updating software

You should be able to check the Software Update area on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to grab the update now.


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Fitbit Force fitness band features iPhone call notifications

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Wireless / WiFi,

Fitbit Force

The Fitbit Force is a new fitness tracking wristband from the company that started this whole quantified self fitness gadget craze. About half a year ago, Fitbit launched its first fitness tracking wristband, the Flex, which was a little feature-barren when compared to its other offerings. The Force changes that, as it does everything that any other Fitbit can do, plus more. That means that it will keep track of your steps, distance traveled, how many minutes you were active, how many floors you've climbed, how well (and how long) you are sleeping, and even call notifications from your iPhone, as long as yo are running iOS 7 on an iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, or iPhone 5s--that last feature will be introduced soon through a software update.

The Fitbit Force should last for about 7-10 days on a charge, thanks to its Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy profile and low-powered OLED display. You can order it now in one of two colors (black and slate blue) for $129.95.

Click to continue reading Fitbit Force fitness band features iPhone call notifications

Read More | Fitbit Force

Apple now giving away iPhoto, iMovie, and iWork iOS apps for free with iOS device purchase

Free iWork and iLife apps

Apple has announced that it's iWork suite for iOS devices will be free with the purchase of a new device going forward as announced at this morning's iPhone 5S event. This means that Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iPhoto, and iMovie will all be downloadable for free to those who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. To give you an idea of what you are saving, that is $39.95 worth of apps that Apple now gives new buyers for free to all iOS 7-compatible devices activated after September 1, 2013, including current devices, as well as the new iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S.


Bleeding Edge TV 488: Poppy turns your iPhone into a 3D camera

We give you a behind-the-scenes look at Poppy, a device that turns your iPhone into a 3D video camera, 3D image taker, and 3D viewer. We chat with the co-creators, Joe Heitzberg and Ethan Lowry about what it took to make Poppy, the inspiration behind it, how it works, and how you can get your hands on one through Kickstarter in this episode!

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AT&T enabling FaceTime over cellular for unlimited data customers beginning next month

Facetime over cellular unlimited data

AT&T will finally be lifting its almost 3-year ban on FaceTime (and other pre-installed video chat services like Google Hangouts on ANdroid) for its customers on grandfathered unlimited data plans. Over time, AT&T has made stock video chat apps available on its cellular network only to customers on tiered data plans, or its newer Mobile Share plans, while unlimited users looked on in disappointment. That all changes starting next month, when customers with LTE devices get access to pre-installed video chat services:

For video chat apps that come pre-loaded on devices, we currently give all OS and device makers the ability for those apps to work over cellular for our customers who are on Mobile Share or Tiered plans. Apple, Samsung and BlackBerry have chosen to enable this for their pre-loaded video chat apps. And by mid-June, we’ll have enabled those apps over cellular for our unlimited plan customers who have LTE devices from those three manufacturers.

So if you've got an iPhone 5, you're in luck. If you are on an older iPhone 4S or iPhone 4, you have a bit more of a wait ahead of you. In fact, it appears that even if you have a current LTE device that isn't made by Apple, BlackBerry, or Samsung, you've got a wait ahead of you. Recent buyer of the awesome HTC One? Sorry:

Throughout the second half of this year, we plan to enable pre-loaded video chat apps over cellular for all our customers, regardless of data plan or device; that work is expected to be complete by year end.

We've been getting reports that some AT&T customers with unlimited plans and LTE devices are already seeing FaceTime over Cellular enabled.

Read More | The Verge

Bleeding Edge TV 478: Sensus Touch Case for iPhone

We got a look at the Canopy Sensus Touch Case, and walked away impressed. The Sensus Touch Case gives iPhone users 10-point touch input along the back and sides of the device, which means you can do things like play games by swiping along the back of the iPhone, leaving the display free and clear of your fingers. You can also do things like snap images by tapping the side of the phone, or zoom in and out of objects with a slide of your finger. Expect to see the case launch later this summer, priced somewhere between $59 and $99.

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T-Mobile offering free iPhone 5 to users who trade in iPhone 4, 4S

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Hot Deals,

T-Mobile free iPhone 5

T-Mobile USA is set to launch the iPhone 5 this Friday, and in anticipation of the long-awaited event, it's offering current iPhone owners a free iPhone 5 if they switch from another carrier. Here's how it works: you bring in your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S between April 12 and June 16, and you get a T-Mobile iPhone 5 at no cost up front, and a $120 credit that you can choose to apply towards your bill, extra accessories, or even an outstanding bill. The iPhone 5 would typically cost $100 up front, and an additional $20 per month over 2 years, so you are basically getting it with no up-front cost, and then a six month break on the monthly fee.

Of course, if you are mid-contract elsewhere, you have your early termination fee to worry about, which might put the kibosh on this one for you. However, if you have a spare iPhone 4 laying around, this could be an easy way to try T-Mobile's new smartphone plans out.

Read More | T-Mobile

T-Mobile USA to launch iPhone 5 on April 12, LTE in 7 cities

T-Mobile officially launches iPhone

T-Mobile, the fourth largest US carrier, has officially announced that it will carry Apple's iPhone, beginning on April 12 with the iPhone 5, 4S, and 4. T-Mobile was the the last remaining holdout of the the big four, that includes Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, to sell the iconic smartphone. The delay was due to a variety of reasons, one being the economic ramification of the iPhone potentially outselling other handsets that are heavily branded by T-Mobile, which the carrier heavily relies on. The iPhone 5 will be able to run T-Mobile's LTE which, coincidentally, finally went live today in 7 cities: Washington DC, San Jose, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Houston, and Baltimore.

The unique twist is how T-Mobile will manage to sell both the iPhone and the other handsets it carries. T-mobile will allow customers to pay the full price or pay $20 installments over 24 months with a down payment of $99 and will not be requiring a two year contract. Along with this announcement, T-Mobile will also sell the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S in certain markets with HSPA+. Despite its small LTE markets, T-Mobile boasts very competitive service plans that might entice new customers to defect from other carriers. Example, $70 for unlimited calling, data and text. One perk for the switch is that T-mobile is marketing that it will be the only carrier with HD Voice deployment on the iPhone 5. Now the iPhone 5 will officially sell on an equal playing field in the US. Pre-order starts now.

Read More | T-Mobile

Apple iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S are the two best-selling smartphones in the world

Strategy Analytics already reported that the iPhone 5 was the best-selling smartphone in the US, but now it's saying that Apple extends its dominance worldwide as well. As such, the iPhone 5 sold an estimated 27.4 million units during the fourth quarter of 2012, as compared to Samsung's Galaxy S III selling 15.4 million units. What's more, the iPhone 4S also outsold the S3 with 17.4 million units moved. This gives Apple the two most popular smartphones on the market, with a little over a 20 percent share in the global market.

We reported earlier on how Samsung will be announcing its Galaxy S IV in March, so the tides may change very soon. Until Apple releases the iPhone 5S, that is.


Apple releases iOS 6.1.2, fixes Exchange calendar sync bug

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,

iOS 6.1.2

iOS 6.1 introduced an odd Exchange calendar syncing bug, and today Apple released iOS 6.1.2 to fix it. The issue resulted in heightened network usage that would significantly reduce the battery life of affected devices. If you use an Exchange account with your iPhone, you'll wanna grab this over-the-air update now. No word yet on if iOS 6.1.2 also fixes the lock screen bypass bug that was discovered last week as well, but we'll check on that as soon as we're updated.


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