Links Mentioned in this Episode:

YouTube - Wi-Fi Sync

Make: Online » iPad Home Button Child Lock

Android now more profitable than iOS for well-known game developer

ssnooZe for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

iPad 2 benchmarks trounce Xoom | Electronista

4 Ways to Protect the Back of the iPad 2

How To Use Smart Cover On iPad1

RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook prepped for April 19 launch | ZDNet

Apple planning NFC e-wallet functionality for a 'coming' iPhone, NYT

Apple - Press Info - iPad 2 Arrives in 25 More Countries This Friday

Lab Report: More IPad 2 Benchmark Results - PCWorld

iPhone falls 1000ft from plane, found undamaged in a forest | Geek.com

Apple is Already Replacing iPad 2s for Backlight Bleeding Issues

Want to use camcorder footage in iMovie for iPad 2? Apple says no

Verizon selling iPad 1 for as low as $299

Color™ for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Wooden iPad 2 cover

iOS 4.3.1 fixes iPod touch graphics glitch, TV flickering issue

XGear Smart Cover Enhancer Protects the Naked Backside of Your iPad 2

iPad 2: Out of stock in London - Pocket-lint

iOS 5 Likely Pushed To The Fall After A Cloud Unveiling At WWDC

Samsung fakes Galaxy Tab beta user testimony in video? | ZDNet

Funny Review of App Color

Verizon iPhone: 2 in 3 AT&T Customers Paid Termination Fee to Switch

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference to Kick Off June 6

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Kicks Off June 7

Report: No iPhone 5 at Apple’s Summer Conference | Wired.com

Report: Next iPhone not coming until October? | CNET News

iPad 2 arrives at 500 RadioShacks tomorrow | CNET News

Technolog - iPad 2 complaints include spotty Wi-Fi, display snafus

Teen iPhone app creator out of coma - UPI.com

Apple WWDC sold out, but tickets surface on eBay, Craigslist

UK cell operator O2 changes tariffs, offers free tethering - TUAW

Dell’s desperation shows, says the iPad will fail in the enterprise

Untethered iOS 4.3.1 Jailbreak Video

HandStand Unveils Rotating iPad 2 Case with Integrated Hand Strap

Joe Posnanski » Posts The First Sports Poscast «

Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App

Drawing iPad

Bingo Machine

Tip Rater

Golf Caddie Pro

Resister Converter

Data Dig

One Track

Wifi Sync - Cydia

ssnooZe

Note to God

Hey, Rob -

My wife loves to use the "Bell Tower" alarm to get up at 0'Dark-Thirty but the volume seems to be based on the ringer setting. Which is loud, especially with bell tower at 5am. 

Is there an independent setting for alarms vs ringing levels?

Love the show and thanks again for doing the work!

Cheers from Sean

Hi Sean,

One of the Carriers in the UK found a unique way to discourage Jailbreaking. That is the carrier O2.  

How are they discouraging jailbreaking?  Are they sending out emails saying if you tether they will automatically bump you up to the tethering plan and kill your unlimited plan - No that would be evil and I could not imagine anyone actually doing that.  

No what they are doing is letting you tether for free.  

What kind of bizarro world do you live in in the UK that your Carriers are kind of you know not Evil.  Must be nice.  Rugby, Shepards Pie and Free Tethering - Yup the UK is the place for me.  Some details:

Tethering is now completely free. If you have a 1 GB data allocation, then it doesn't matter if you use that data on the phone or on a connected device -- it's all charged the same.

Yup a very strange world indeed.  

Hi Rob,

Do you know how to retrieve or reset my password for my iPhone 4 for the restrictions. 
Thank you in advance for your time and as always great podcast! 

José

Good Luck,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I have a dilemma, I bought an iPhone 4 but had to sell it when my health failed and I had to go on disability.  Things are better now financially, but not so much that I want to spend $200. You were alerting your listeners about specials on the iPhone 4 a few months ago. I'm eligible for an upgrade, and wonder if you know of any specials going on now?  AT&T always seems to be sold out of refurbs.  

Thanks.

Jeff k

Hi Jeff,

Rob,

Wasn't the proximitor bug fixed since the release of the iPhone 4? 

I bought my iPhone 4 in February (AT&T) and have had quite a few dropped calls; today I even initiated a FaceTime call. 

Thought this issue had been fixed.

Regards,

Tim

Hi Tim,

It is still an issue for some users.  Yes iOS 4.2.1 solved the issue for some users.  But for others the issue continues.  

Some speculate it was both a hardware issue with some users (Those that still have an issue) and for others it was a software issue (For those iOS 4.1 or iOS 4.2.1 fixed the issue).  Here is a link from the Apple Supports forums. 

http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12997380

Cult of Mac also had an article where there is a poll of users and only 46% of those that took the poll said iOS 4.2.1 did fix the issue - but 54% did not feel it fixed the issue.

Please note if you are using a case that covers any of the front of the iPhone - that could also be your issue. Make sure any case you have just covers the sides and back - but not the front of the iPhone 4. There are many reports that the proximity issue for iPhone 4's with cases covering the front will go away when the case is removed.

Regards,

Rob W

Hello Rob,

My name is Davor from Neve Ilan near Jerusalem, Israel !! 

I have been listening to you for some months and are loving your show.

Thanks for very good work, a lot of info and other substance about iPhone.  Because of iPhone I got interested in Mac and bought an older MacBook.

Now have to learn about that too. What podcast that I can listen and learn with do you suggest?

Regards,

Davor

Hi Davor,

Thanks for listening to the show and the kind words.

For podcasts about the Mac - there are three I recommend.

Maccast

Mac OS Ken

Typical Mac User

Regards,

Rob W

Tii

While supplies last Verizon stores are selling Wifi iPad1's at $200 discount.

$299 - 16 GB

$399 - 32 GB

$499 - 64 GB

Good luck for those interested.  They likely will sell out before the end of the weekend. 

Some reports have the 16 GB versions already sold out at most locations. 

Hi Dave,

There was a question recently about iMovie - and if you could import video shot on another device and edit it on your iPad2.  

I say iPad 2 - because iMovie will NOT repeat will NOT work with the iPad1. Yes that sucks.  

Ok back to the question about externally shot video and editing it on iMovie.  Apple says yes and no.  Yes if said video was shot with another iOS device - iPhone 4, iPod touch 4th gen or another iPad2 - but no if that video was show with a camcorder or other smartphone.  

However you could always use handbrake to convert said video into the correct format on your computer and then bring it over - but if you are on a trip and it is just you and your camcorder and ipad2 - you are as they say S O L.  

If anyone is aware of any apps for the iPad2 that will allow you to import in video from a camcorder and convert it on the iPAd 2 for use with iMovie - and you have done this - please let us know. 

Hi Rob,

Is it me or is iOS v4.3 slower?

Regards,

Jeff B

Hello Jeff,

All the reports I have read and my own experience is that iOS v4.3 is noticeably faster then previous iOS 4.x releases. 

If it is slower on your browser.  Try the following.

1. Go to setting for Safari and Clear ALL,  Clear Cookies, Clear History.  Get it all cleared out.

2. Go to Settings and Reset network Settings.

That should help speed up performance with Safari.  

Regards,

Rob W

Tii

Rob,

I just got my iPad 2 on Friday (3/18), my new and old iPads are 64Gig Wifi only.

I have tested app opening speeds between the two, with the apps not running (closed in multitasking), launched both at the same time on both (well as close as I can).

With all non-ios apps I am seeing a ½ to 7 sec faster on the iPad 2; the iPad 2 got to the apps main user screen ½ to 7 sec before the iPad got to the same screen.

Some of these apps may use the internet during start up.

App name                                          (opening speed diff)

Angry Birds HD                                 (3sec)

The Weather Channel MAX+         (4sec)  [internet required]

Keynote                                             (2sec)

TII                                                       (7sec) [uses internet but not required]

Cut the Rope                                    (3sec)

Tron Legacy                                      (5sec)

Flight Control HD                             (4sec)

Amazon                                             (2sec) [internet required]

Apple Store                                       (2sec) [internet required]

Target                                                (4sec) [internet required]

Southwest                                         (3sec) [internet required]

Kindle                                                 (3sec) [uses internet but not required]

Netflix                                                (3sec) [internet required]

AutoDesk SketchBook Pro             (3sec)

Starwalk                                            (1/2sec)

Pandora Radio                                 (3sec) [internet required]

After the Apps are running in multitasking there is no opening speed diff between the two (well faster than my eyes).

Thomas

Tuscaloosa, AL

Hi Rob,

FIrst, I love the show!  I have been listening for about a year now, but as a Verizon customer, I had to wait until the iPhone 4 was available on Verizon.  Now that I have it, I am having a blast listening to your podcast and using the information that I learn to make better use of the device.  I have the Tii app and look forward to your weekly installment.

Now that iPad 2 is out, the iPad 1 has become much more affordable.  I would like to buy the 32 GB WiFi-only model.  Although I would like 3G data access, I am not willing to shell out the extra bucks for this.  

Here is my question:  Since I have the iPhone 4 with an unlimited data plan, can I tether it to the iPad so that I can get unlimited 3G data on it?  I am assuming that I will have to Jailbreak the iPad, which is no problem.

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Keep up the great work!

Darrell

 

Hi Darrell,

Per the following email and others I have heard from - it does seem AT&T is sending out their Tethering warning to users - not based on those they know are tethering - but rather those they think are tethering.  Here is one of those emails.

Hey Rob,

 
I received the text telling me about the tethering plan as well. I assumed they were just suggesting it since I consume so much data, so I disregarded it. I have an iPhone 4 that I've never even jailbroken, much less tethered. But after listening to your latest podcast, I'm convinced that they think I'm tethering. Which means the decision to warn me is based on nothing more than my data usage. I watch a lot of Netflix on my phone, as well as stream all my podcasts, so I'm sure they hate me, but I have unlimited data, so I really don't care what they think. 

 
Sincerely,
Steve in Knoxville

 

So it will be interesting to see what type of PR Nightmare and I would guess eventual Class Action lawsuit AT&T will be getting themselves into - once they start changing the billing on customers that are not actually tethering - but just heavy data users.  Fun Times 

Hi Rob,

Can you tell me what the digital av cable for the ipad 2 will be able to do on the iphone 4. Specifically what will play or show on your hdtv?

Also if the mirroring for the ipad2 will work for streaming video apps like slingbox and the nba league pass app onto a hdtv.?

Thanks Robert

Hey Rob,

I am planning on getting the iPad 2.  Do you know if I get the AT&T version of the ipad if it will also work with the Verizon or do I need to get the Version version.  

Also I have been locked into a unlimited data plan for $30 since the days of my iPhone 3G.  Do you know if I use the feature of making the iPhone 4 a wifi hotspot if I will have to give up my unlimited data on AT&T?

Thanks so much.

Regards,

C

Hi C,

The AT&T version will not work on Verizon and the Verizon version will not Work on AT&T.

You need to get the one for the network you plan on using.

Sadly it is not a dual mode device.  The Choice is GSM (AT&T) or CDMA (Verizon).

Per the Unlimited data plan.  Yes if you turn on the Wifi Hot spot on your iPhone - it will kill your unlimited plan and kick you into a limited data plan.  

Regards and thanks for supporting the show.

Rob W

Links Mentioned in this episode:

YouTube - Today in iOS Jailbreak App Demo - FBPhotoSave

iOS 4.3 available for download from Apple | ZDNet

Apple - Support - iOS 4.3 drains my battery

iOS 4.3 released, numerous security vulnerabilities patched

Apple iPad 2 GPU Performance Benchmarked - AnandTech 

Want new gesture controls in iOS 4.3 on your iPad? Here's how

iPad 2 totally sold out, 70% to new buyers - Fortune Tech

New “AirPlay Enabled Apps” Section Appears In App Store

Is iOS 4.3 Killing Your Battery Life?

'iPhone 5' cases show not much will change from iPhone 4

iPad - iPad WiFi - iPad WiFi + 3G - Apple Store (U.S.)

Apple iPad 2 Shortage Favors Motorola Xoom in Tablet War

Study comparing Android to iPhone Web browsing speed flawed

AT&T Cracking Down on MyWi Tethering?

iPad 2 3G antenna causing problems with mic clarity

Five iPad 2 Parts Sourced From Japanese Suppliers

Hackers steal nude photo from Scarlett Johansson’s iPhone 

AT&T aggressively moving against unauthorized tethering

AT&T cracking down on jailbreak tethering? [UPDATE] | Cult of Mac

AT&T Cracking Down on MyWi Tethering

Apple's iPhone again tops J.D. Power satisfaction ranking - Computerworld

Apple iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G - AT&T iPad Plans - Wireless from AT&T

Apple - NO AIRPLAY after update to 4.3

AT&T-Mobile: AT&T buys T-Mobile USA for $39B - Fortune

Teardown of Apple's iPad 2 reveals slightly bigger battery, 512MB of RAM

Apps Mentioned in this episode:

Tii App

Rocket Jock

A Hug and a Kiss

Sketchbook Mobile

Bingo Machine

Tip Rater

Golf Caddie Pro

Resistor Converter

FBPhotosave - Cydia

Calengoo

Taxi Magic

Hi Rob,

I have an iPhone 4 running 4.2.1. After backing up my device, I used redsn0w to boot cydia on my phone. I was able to do a tethered boot of cydia and it was working. I lost all service to my phone so I turned it off. When I turned it back on, it just boots to show the black screen with the apple logo and stays on that. I can't get iTunes to recognize the phone so I can't restore it. Do you think you could help me?

-- 
Thank You,

Jason F

If you have an old iPhone or iPhone 3G that you would like to put Android on because you need to do some testing of Android Apps.  Then you are in luck.  There is a nice tutorial at Redmond Pie on this.  Note you will need to make sure your phone is already jailbroken and it was not the Jailbreakme.com jailbreak. This does not work with that jailbreak.  

If you have an iPhone 3G you can find tutorials on doing compatible jailbreaks using Redsn0w here, Blackra1n here and PwnageTool here.  For those with an original iPhone you can find tutorials on doing compatible jailbreaks using Redsn0w here, Blackra1n here and PwnageTool here.

Once you have the proper jailbreak in place again this tutorial on Redmond Pie will walk you through getting Android 2.2 installed on your iPhone or iPhone 3G.  

Currently this is not publicly available for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or the iPad - but there are some videos out there showing it being done on the iPad. 

It is not likely Apple will announce any more updates to iOS devices in 2010 (beyond the actual release of iOS 4.2 in November) – so this of course means it is time for the preview of what updates there will be in the iOS universe in 2011. These predictions were made by analyzing the past words and actions from Apple while also looking at new technologies available, they are not based on any “unnamed inside sources”.  

iPad 2: 

When –The original iPad launched at the end of March 2010, as such the safe money would put the iPad 2 launching around mid March 2011. However if Apple feels the plethora of Android Tablets being showcased at CES in January will pose a threat to the iPad – they might be proactive and schedule the iPad 2 to be announced right around CES with availability by the end of January.  Either way you are looking at late Jan to mid March for iPad 2 to hit the Apple store near you.

What – 100% done deal – A front facing camera with Facetime support. However I do not see a rear-facing camera in the iPad 2’s future, just like there is no rear-facing camera on the Macbook Air. Expect a bump to 512 MB internal ram and a slight speed bump in the processor speed to around 1.2 GHz and a storage option of 128 GB on the top end. Back in June Steve kind of threw the iPad screen’s pixel resolution under the bus when comparing it to the iPhone 4’s Retina display. The iPod touch also has the retina display. I am guessing the Product Manager for the iPad is feeling a little left out, so there is an outside chance the iPad 2 gets a retina display. Finally, one last item that may make its way to the iPad 2 is a second dock connector so you can dock it in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Note - there is zero chance of anything other than the 9.7 inch screen size. Steve made that crystal clear on the October quarterly earnings call. 

iOS 5:

When - If the iPad 2 launches before the end of Feb expect in mid March a special Apple event to announce the future features of iOS 5.  If the iPad does not launch until March – then expect this event in mid April.  Either way Apple will need to start beta testing iOS 5 prior to the end of April to meet a public launch of mid June.

What – First off expect iBooks to be a native App with iOS 5. For other features for iOS 5 you can look to jailbreak apps for hints of what could be added, such as screensplitr that lets you mirror your iOS device on a monitor, or Lockdown that lets you password protect individual apps. Digital zoom for Video recording would also be a nice add.  Most of the other new features are likely to revolve around making the iOS devices even more enterprise / IT friendly. 

iPhone 5:

When – There are four years of tradition pointing to the iPhone 5 being available in late June 2011.  Enough said.

What – Pretty much a lock is the 64 GB storage option. I will also go out on a limb and say Apple will change the antenna design and go back to a metal back (Glass on both sides was like having a piece of toast buttered on both sides, no matter how it lands when you drop it – it is a bad thing).  There should be a bump in processor speed same as the iPad and an increase in internal RAM to 1GB. One outside possibility is adding LTE compatibility, which given all the other specs available now for the iPhone 4 this at least gives current users of the iPhone a reason to upgrade. One last rumor that could happen is the Near Field Technology rumor, this would turn your iPhone 5 into a virtual debit/credit card – I think LTE is more likely and I don’t think LTE is all that likely.   

Note - Forget about a removable battery and physical keyboard. Nor will there be an SD card slot or mini USB port – there is the dongle for those. Which is why you will not see an HDMI port either – if that support comes it will come via a dongle for the 30 pin connector.

iPod Touch 5^th Gen:

When – As sure as the sun rises in the morning – Apple has a music event in September and once again in September 2011 Apple will have said event at which time the iPod Touch 5^th Gen will be unveiled.

What – Bump in storage to 128 GB. Same processor bump as iPad and iPhone 5 – pushing to 1.2 GHz. Plus an internal RAM bump to 1GB.  Expect an improved rear-facing camera with a flash.  But honestly it would be hard for them to not improve the current camera. Finally expect a major change to the exterior of the iPod touch – the current design is a little long in the tooth.

Apple TV2:

I actually don’t see a hardware update for this in 2011 – but rather around the release of iOS 5 in June I think we will see a major software update that will allow for apps to be installed on Apple TV2. At a min expect to see Hulu and ABC added next to Netflix. But since the jailbreakers are already figuring out how to put apps on Apple TV2 – Apple will kind of be forced to follow suit.

While 2011 does not look to be as radical a year as 2010 was for the iOS universe (iPad, AntennaGate, Apple TV2) – there can and will be some solid updates for iOS devices and for the iOS itself.  Finally you might be thinking “Hey you did’nt include the Verizon iPhone” to which I respond “No - No I didn’t - Check back next year when I review 2012” 

This Article was originally published in September 2010

I read an article recently in Computer World titled “Devs bet big on Android over Apple’s iOS”.  If that is not the definition of “link bait” I don’t know what is.  Either way, with hook in mouth I surfed over to the article to find the opening paragraph proclaim that “A majority of mobile application developers see Google’s Android as the smart bet over the long run” The article makes it sound like Game Over - Android wins.  Well not so fast Computer World and others that misreported on this survey.  See these “developers” that were surveyed were developers who use Appcelerators Titanium cross-platform complier to produce iOS and Android Apps.  The same cross compilers that up until recently Apple said were not allowed – which was the case at the time of the survey.  So asking these developers anything about iOS is like walking into a Biker Bar  (A real Biker Bar the type that the women’s rest room looks worse than the men’s - and I know this because I actually worked in a Biker Bar in high school and cleaning the women’s rest room still haunts me) and asking the patrons if they like Honda’s over Harley’s.  The results will be skewed “just a tad”. 

If you read the A-list Tech blogs and listen to some of the key Tech Podcasts you would get the general feel there are as many if not more Android devices that have been sold to date then there have been iOS devices sold. But what if I told you the reality is far different with over three times more iOS devices sold to date than Android devices and that each month and each quarter the difference between the two platforms has the iOS devices increasing their lead?  You would if you read and listen to the aforementioned sources think I was daft – you might even at this point be looking for the comments section below to tell me as much.  But the reality is iOS is increasing its lead over Android.  Don’t believe me? Then lets look at the numbers:

For Android at the end of 2009 there were 8.5 Mil Android phones that been sold world wide according to Canalys. According to Gartner in Q1 2010 there were 5.2 Mil Android Phones sold and in Q2 2010 there were 10.6 Mil Android Phones sold.  Google said they were doing 200,000 activations per day this past quarter, that works out to 18.2 Mil Androids in Q3 2010.  Add this all up and the total Androids devices sold to date equals 42.5 Mil units.

For iOS Devices, as of September 1^st 2010, Steve Jobs said there were 125 Mil units sold and that they were selling 230,000 per day, which equals 7 Mil units for September, for a grand total of 132 Mil iOS devices sold to date.  So here is the real comparison:

132 Mil (iOS) vs 42.5 Mil (Android) – that is a 3.1 to 1 ratio in iOS’s favor. 

And when you look at the daily numbers there is a 30,000 unit net gain per day for iOS, which means a 2.7 Mil net gain for iOS over Android in the last quarter alone. This trend can be seen in some numbers from outside the US.  Comscores European smart phone market share which showed year over year increase for Apple iPhones  from 10.2% to 19.2% vs Androids increase from .5% to 6.1% which is a 5.6% gain in market share for Andriod vs a 9% gain for the iPhone. This is very important because in Europe there is a more level playing field - in that Apple is not hampered by exclusivity in all markets - just a few. Again Apple is pulling away from Android. Yes Android increased their share but not nearly as much as Apple increased theirs.  Note: this does NOT include numbers for the other iOS devices, which also are selling well in Europe. And just think what happens when eventually in the US the iPhone is available on the other 3 carriers. 

Granted 42.5 Million Android units is nothing to sneeze at, you do need to realize there were many 2 for 1 programs for Android phones including a few plans for carriers where you got the Android phone for free.  With the iOS devices – Apple and the Carriers sold each device with no special deals. In other words Apple got full price for each iOS device. Another issue for Android handset manufacturers is the number of manufacturers and devices vs iOS.

For iOS devices there have been a total of Nine devices to date. 4 - iPhones, 4 - iPod Touches and 1 - iPad.  From the developers perspective, there really have been just two different screen sizes and all have the same number of buttons for interfacing.  This makes it very easy to develop across the iOS platform.  More importantly for Apple there was just R&D and marketing costs for 9 devices, and really only 3 at any one point in time for marketing purposes.

With Androids things get a lot more convoluted; there have been over 72 models of Android phones from 22 manufacturers to date.  This means there are 8 times the number of devices from 22 times more companies that have to share in a pie that is currently 1/3^rd the size as Apple’s pie (Sorry for the bad pun).  What this means is Apple makes a lot more money than all the Android manufactures combined and that money can be used in extra and more advanced R&D that ensures Apple can keep and grow its tech lead over its combined competition. 

Another issue with Android is there seems to be a lot more buyers remorse then with the iPhone. Survey’s have shown a much larger percentage of Android users are looking to make the jump to the iPhone than the other way around. According to Nielsens 21% of Android owners are looking at the iPhone as their next smart phone with 71% wanting another Android. However just 6% of iPhone owners are looking at going to an Android phone for their next smart phone with 89% planning on getting another iPhone.  Throw in Blackberry users for a moment – as they are the biggest market share in the US currently for smart phones and you have 29% of Blackberry owners that want an iPhone for their next smart phone vs. 21% that want an Android phone and just 42% that want another Blackberry.  This all bodes very well for the iPhone for the immediate future. 

There are a few big differentiators with the iTunes App store vs the Android’s App stores. Key ones being ease of purchase on the iTunes side.  But even more important is one you never hear mentioned on TWiT or in any of the key tech blogs and that is the iTunes gift card factor. You can easily find iTunes gift cards in the check out lines of nearly every major retail and drug store in the US. iTunes gift cards are routinely given for birthdays, graduations, holidays, contest prizes and even just as a thank you.  iTunes gift cards are basically “funny money” users of iOS devices will then spend on iOS Apps without any real thought. Where as on the Android side it seems people look at it as they are spending hard earned money every time. This is a factor you never hear mentioned but is a key reason why App developers can get rich on the iTunes App store and why most developers know – it is iTunes first and if resources are limited, then iTunes only. That is not just a short-term plan – that is the plan for the foreseeable future by ALL of the developers I talk to.

I think one developer of a poker app explained it best to me.  He said that if your App is number one in the iTunes App store that is equivalent to winning the Word Series of Poker’s main event – it is that big of a life changer.  While being number one in the Android App store is akin to winning the Friday night poker tournament at your buddies house.  It is ok money but nothing that will change your life.  

This was originally published in August 2010

I like walled gardens they are safe and for the most part keep out the predators. However when one or more sneak over the wall the results can be to say the least ugly.  With iTunes App store one of the key supposed advantages to the end users is that it is a walled garden and Apple is providing a safe secure environment you can trust in.  They vet the apps that are approved and have a mechanism where users can review apps.  They even set up the review process such that only those that download the app can review it.  In theory this means they are app reviews you can believe in.  I say “in theory” because in reality that is not 100% true. 

This week the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reached a settlement with Reverb a public relations agency that was hired by a video game app developer. Reverb had its employees filling out bogus reviews in the iTunes app store with no indication the reviews were from someone connected to the App developer and paid by the app developer. 

“Companies, including public relations firms involved in online marketing need to abide by long-held principles of truth in advertising,” said Mary Engle, Director of the FTC’s Division of Advertising Practices. “Advertisers should not pass themselves off as ordinary consumers touting a product, and endorsers should make it clear when they have financial connections to sellers.”

Before you say Reverb was just one bad Apple and this is an isolated case, ummm – No.  This is not an isolated case.  Back on April 30^th 2010, on my website I posted an article that exposed a company by the name of YourAppReviewed, which was offering the service of reviewing apps on iTunes.  At that time they had apparently reviewed for pay over 50 different apps by over 20 different reviewers.  Some of the reviewers clearly were not using the products when you looked at all the apps they were reviewing.  Some combinations were actually humorous:

Like Amberg914 that reviewed apps for New Moms, a Wedding Planner, and how to find a man.  I guess that is possible.  After all - RSS Comm, Violin Lady and Bartsrock all reviewed the New Mom and Wedding planner apps - Maybe they should have reviewed a birth control methods app.     

Others were just disgusting:

I came across a review by apple user - RobbyRedPort.  It was for the app -  Overcome the loss of a loved one with prof McMurphys subliminal techniques - Thats right they appear to be paying to put up a fake review for an app that "prays" on those that lost a loved one. 

These reviews were brought to Apples attention. To which I was told Apple was reviewing.  Two weeks later all the apps, sans the loss of a loved one app, were still in the App store and there were another dozen or so apps that looked to be added to the group of bogus app reviews.  I did a follow up post here on this. To date it still appears all the App reviews are still up and that Apple has done nothing to police these bogus app reviews.

Again before you say well that is just one other company with no morals or regard to the FTC rules out there doing paid app reviews – I need to say nope there are others. There is one person going by the name Samwize that was offering for $5 to do twenty 5-star App reviews in iTunes for your app.  He also offered to mix in some 4-star reviews if you wanted.  Clearly this was to make the app reviews look as real as possible for the sole purpose of tricking the consumer (you and me).  Fortunately for this article Samwize was so hubris in his solicitation of his services he put up a screen shot showing one of his iTunes user names.  From there I was able to see many of the Apps he appears to have paid to do reviews for.  Many of those reviews happening in July and August 2010.  Quite a few of those were from the App developer LOLer Apps – which appears to have paid for the service.  Three of their apps – Baby Maker, Anti Theft Alarm and Amazing Human Calculator all have twenty 5-star reviews you can trace back to samwize. Ooooppps.

Per the App developer above I do not know for certain they paid for the App reviews – but it does appear that way.  And given that Apps can have access to very personal information about you – I would highly recommend staying away from any app from any developer that may be paying anyone to do bogus app reviews.  After all if someone is willing to mislead you about their app, you really have to wonder what else they are capable of.

I am sure the over percentage of apps doing this is small. But there are some signs you can look for to see if an App may have bogus App reviews.  When looking at the summary of the reviews in iTunes look for the letter “C”.  That is when you see just as many 1 star reviews as you do 5 star reviews – it looks like the letter “C”.  That is a clear sign something is not right.  Baby Maker and Anti Theft Alarm – both qualify for that – well except Baby Maker has twice as many 1 star reviews as 5 star reviews. 

Hopefully Apple will take action on this situation.  The FTC already has.  Now it is time for Apple to clean up their Walled Garden.  But even if they don’t – I have this message from the FTC I would like to send out to those looking to put up bogus App Reviews.  “Each violation … may result in a civil penalty of up to $16,000.”

Have a nice day.

Originally Published July 2010

I wrote part of this article while flying with my 4-year-old son. I saw something on the flight I thought was funny – on the package of peanuts it said “Ingredients: Peanuts Roasted in Peanut and/or Canola Oil, Salt.” Then the line right below that “Produced in a facility that processes peanuts and other nuts.”  Really the peanuts were processed in a facility that processes peanuts – who would have thunk.  I guess that is a product of our overly litigious society, which often leads to dumb rules and overly complicated ways of doing things. That is why I am such a fan of the iOS UI – it is just plain easy to use. I am also a fan of jailbreaking, which at times has been anything but easy. But now there is a new jailbreak where all you need to do is point your iOS device’s safari browser to – http://www.jailbreakme.com - Then slide the slider and the jailbreak starts. A couple of minutes later you are all done. That is it, no need for a computer, no need for SHSH blobs (if you don’t know what they are you are better off not knowing).

The Details:

The devices this works on are all the iOS devices running iOS 3.2 or later – that includes the iPad running iOS 3.2 or 3.2.1.  It also includes the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4, iPod Touch 2^nd and 3^rd Gens running iOS 4.0 and iOS 4.0.1.  Do not upgrade to any version of the iOS outside of those above if you want to keep using this jailbreak method. This method does not care what version of the boot rom you have or if you saved SHSH blobs. It does not care what version of iTunes you are using or if you are mac or pc. The entire jailbreak is done right from the iOS device itself simply by pointing the safari browser to http://www.jailbreakme.com. It is highly recommended when doing so that you have a WiFi connection. Also make sure you do a back up of your iOS device before attempting the jailbreak and make sure your device is updated to iOS 4.0.1 or iOS 3.2.1 (iPad) before attempting.

There can be issues:

As always I need to warn that jailbreaking will make your device less stable then if it was not jailbroken and the more jailbroken apps you download the more likely you are going to have issues. I recommend you only download the apps you need and delete out any you do not like ASAP.  Early on with this jailbreak there were reports of Facetime and MMS not working – those issues have been resolved. Some users have reported issues during the jailbreak process where it gives a server time out issue over and over – to resolve this issue you need to close out safari completely (best to restart the device) and then clear the cache and then go back to the jailbreakme.com site.  Again as with any jailbreak you are opening the iOS device up to new issues and that can mean the device locks up and needs a full restore. So if you are someone that does not like when things go wrong – this is not for you.  Apple states that if you jailbreak you void the warranty of your iOS device, however 3^rd party warranty vendor Squaretrade states they still honor their warranty if you jailbreak. Full and fair disclosure – Squaretrade is an advertiser on my podcast – but that does not make them any less cool for standing behind their warranty when you jailbreak whereas Apple goes running for cover – just sayin. But if voiding your warranty is the reason you don’t want to jailbreak, please note there is a 3^rd party solution for that.

Too Easy:

This is without a doubt the easiest jailbreak since the original jailbreakme.com jailbreak back in 2007.  Anyone and I mean anyone that uses an iPhone can do this.  This obviously takes advantage of a major security hole in the iPhone OS – which means Apple WILL patch this on the next update.  If you are at all interested in jailbreaking do not upgrade to the next iOS update. Obviously if you can do this by just going to a web page – then someone will come out with an exploit beyond jailbreaking and you should expect to read a lot of FUD about this until said update comes. 

Some Apps to Consider:

Here are a few of the important apps to consider once you do jailbreak:

1.     Five Icon Doc – Allows 5 icons in your lower dock

2.     Backgrounder – Real backgrounding of apps

3.     3G Unrestrictor / My3G – Both trick apps into thinking you have a Wifi connection when on 3G

4.     MyWi – Turns your iPhone / 3G iPad into a mobile WiFi hotspot (probably why you are jailbreaking)

5.     Screensplitr – Mirrors your iOS device on a monitor / computer.

6.     Multiflow – Scroll left and right through open Apps

7.     Lockdown – Lets you password protect individual apps

8.     Spoofapp – Allows for the recording of phone calls.

Its Legal:

Back to the beginning and the Peanuts – that was a process of too much legal intervention. However just last month the US government chimed in specifically about Jailbreaking and they said it is legal to Jailbreak. Kudos go out to the EFF for fighting the good fight and also to the US government for doing what was right.  This however does NOT mean Apple has to honor their warranty if you jailbreak – but it does mean those providing us with these great jailbreak services are protected a little more from the horde of Apple lawyers – not that Apple ever went after them in the past – but now at least they are even less likely to try.  One thing is for sure it has never been easier or more legal to jailbreak your iOS device than it is today. 

Originally Published June 2010

Sadly it is now impossible to do a review of the iPhone 4 (iP4) without mentioning the Antenna and the reported issues when you hold the iP4. Which is a shame because there is so much more to the iP4 than the Antenna.  That is not to make light of the potential issue – just I want to point out there is much much more to the iP4.  To start there is the Retina Display, which is “clearly” the best screen on any smart phone PERIOD. Then there is the improved 5 MP Camera with a flash on the back and the new front facing camera, there is the App Facetime, and there is a faster processor, double the RAM of the 3GS and better battery life.  But again it is sadly the Antenna that is getting all of the attention right now.

Antenna Issue:

Per the Antenna issue lets get this out there up front. For those not in the know – there are many videos showing people touching the lower left side of the iP4 and then the number of bars dropping like a rock and in some cases the phone loosing all reception. Now I need to say this does not appear to be the case with all iP4’s.  Personally I have not seen this issue with my phone – and I have a video up at todayinios.com showing me using it with my left hand and not being able to replicate the issue.  Here is a link to my post that covers this issue and has links to others covering this issue.

Apple has responded and said it is a software issue per iOS 4 and not a hardware issue per the iP4.  Clearly this is something Apple will need to address strongly and swiftly. Some have even started saying the iP4 has a hex on it – given the issue of the lost iP4/Gizmodo and now this. The good news is if you have not already purchased an iP4 chances are you will not be able to get one until Apple does address the issue.  So for you the rest of this article is sans reference to the Antenna issue and assumes that it is something Apple can address with a software update.

Retina Display:

The most stunning upgrade from the 3GS to the iP4 is the new “Retina Display” which uses the same IPS technology that is in the iPad. The IPS tech offers a very wide viewing angle range. However with the iP4 display Apple one-upped the iPad and I guess four-upped the 3GS with the “Retina Display” which offers four times the number of pixels as the 3GS. Holding the 3GS next to the iP4 it is as “clear” as night and day how much better the iP4 display is. It is like you are looking at something that was printed by a 300+ dpi laser printer. It is without a doubt the best display of any smart phone on the market and is in my opinion much better than the OLED screens. A big issue with OLED screens is that when you walk out in the sunlight they are completely unreadable. The iP4’s “Retina Display” is still very readable in direct mid-day sun – even in Las Vegas. Watching a movie on the new display is simply beautiful and even in heavy action scenes there are none of the digital artifacts you are used to seeing with LCD screens.

Cameras:

With the iP4 Apple not only upgraded the back camera from 3 mega pixels to 5 mega pixels, they also finally added a flash that works as a flash for photos and a light for video recording. But Apple did not stop there they also added the long sought after (at least by me) front facing camera. The camera app for the iP4 switches easily between the front and back camera for both still images and video.  The picture quality for the back camera is very good when compared to a stand-alone digital camera and as good if not better than any other smart phone on the market. Yes there are other smart phones with 8 mega pixel cameras – but tests show those pictures are no better than what you get with the iP4 due to sensors used.  There are many side by side comparisons of iP4 pictures vs. Digital Cameras / other smart phones where the iP4 comes out on top or just as good as the other devices. I feel I can now finally retire my Casio 5 mega pixel stand-alone camera something I did not even remotely consider with my 3GS.

Facetime:

One of the great new features with the iPhone 4 is Facetime – this feature takes advantage of the front facing camera and allows you to do video chats.  There are two caveats however, 1. You must have a WiFi connection, and 2. The other person needs to have an iPhone 4 as well, at least for now (Apple stated they will make the tech an open standard for all to use).  Apple realized that people who just got an iPhone 4 might not have anyone to test out the Facetime feature with, so they setup a number for you to call in and try it out.  1-888-FACETIME. I gave this a call from the LasVegas AirPort on Sunday morning and they answered quickly within a minute.  Facetime worked great!!  The video was really clear of the person on the other end.  And a nice touch was while doing the Facetime chat the smaller window, that shows you or what you back camera is seeing, was easy to move around.  Just touch and move it around if it is in the way of what you wanted to see. While in Facetime you can with one tap switch what the person on the other end sees - from the front camera to the back camera. As such there will be many uses of Facetime Apple never imagined or that at least they would not admit to, some likely involving posts on craigslist. But to me the most compelling one is still per the Apple commercials and that is connecting via video with loved ones.

Benchmark Tests –  iPhone 4 vs. 3GS:

Some quick benchmark tests for the iP4 vs. the 3GS showed a little surprising results.  The iP4 actually takes longer to boot up from a cold start than the 3GS.  The 3GS starts up in about 37.5 secs vs. 43.4 secs for the iPhone 4.  Both devices were running iOS 4.  Now I am sure the longer boot up times have to do with the additional code to support Facetime – but still I would have expected with the 1Ghz A4 processor that the iP4’s boot time would have been closer to 30 secs considering the iPad using the same processor boots up in 20 secs (Granted the iPad is booting up in iOS 3.2 not iOS 4). A good real world test of processor speed is to see how fast Apps start up. I looked at the load times for three different apps and took the average load times for each app on the iP4 and the 3GS.  The three apps were Blowfish, Crazy Hamster and Pocket Ants, all are games and each takes some time to load. Below are the results of those tests.

As expected the iP4 was faster than the 3GS but not quite as fast as you would expect when you consider how much faster the processor is. However these tests only tell part of the story, as the feel of the iP4 seems to be smoother than the 3GS which already felt fast. The iP4 feels equivalent to the iPad in the use of the interface. 

How long does the battery really last?

While the iP4 is significantly thinner than the 3GS Apple somehow still managed to put in a bigger battery. Apple claims the iP4 will give you 10 hours of video playback, same as they said for the iPad – which I actually tested out to 13.5 hours. So Apple tends to be conservative with their battery claims. As an example of real world use - Sunday I unplugged my iPhone from the charger at 7:00 AM. I had 4 phone calls with the wife, did the Facetime chat with Apple, received a few other calls for about a total of 52 minutes of calls. I also listened to 7 episodes of Daves Lounge Podcast (A great music podcast I highly recommend you check out) for a total of about 4 hours of audio playback. Additionally I surfed the web and checked emails, took some pictures and sent those pictures via email. At 3:03 PM (8 hours later) my phone was showing 78% battery life.  Sure other smart phones have removable batteries – but that is because they NEED them to be removable. But even if you are supper user and need better battery life – there will be many third party cases that have batteries built in – no better place to store the extra battery than right in the case. Interestingly enough if you have the original Mophie Juice Pack for the original iPhone - the iP4 fits in it perfectly.

There are four versions of the iP4. Black with 16 GB or 32 GB of storage or White with 16 GB or 32 GB of storage. Pricing in the US is $199 / $299 for the 16 GB / 32 GB versions respectively (Based on signing a 2 year contract with the Devil AT&T). One caveat is the White versions are not currently available and will likely not be available until late July. Apple stated they were have manufacturing issues with the White iPhone – because you know Apple has never made a white device before. (Yes I am a little bitter I wanted the White one.)  The iP4 is a big step up from the 3GS – which was really just a small step up from the 3G which was a small step from the original iPhone. If you are eligible for an upgrade I would highly recommend you do so now. If you are not currently an iPhone owner then there has never been a better time to drink the cool-aid and get one. You might also want to get a case or at least try not let the antenna touch your skin. Just sayin.

Originally Published in May 2010

One of the early predictions of a Verizon iPhone comes from ZDNet back on November 27^th 2007.  Back then ZDNet was predicting the iPhone would be on Verizon within a year. Since then there have been countless other stories like this where predictions / rumors / inside sources have talked about a Verizon iPhone “definitely” coming in the next week / month / year.  And all obviously have been proven to be false. When Steve Jobs does his WWDC keynote on June 7^th, one of the big questions people hope will be answered is what carriers in the US will be getting the next generation iPhone. As anyone who is even remotely interested in the iPhone knows you currently can only get the iPhone in the US on AT&T and depending on where you live that can be a good thing or a very very bad thing (NYC, SFO).  Many are hoping for a Verizon iPhone or a Sprint iPhone, and there are many of rumors out there about said devices.

First lets start with the facts.  Apple and AT&T in 2007 signed a 5-year exclusive agreement for the US deployment of the iPhone.  Apple admitted such in a court case even referencing a USA today article from early 2007 revealing said agreement.  So we know 100% without any doubt there was a 5-year exclusive agreement signed that was scheduled to last until 2012.  What we don’t know and what neither Apple nor AT&T are saying today is what is the status of that agreement and has it been altered in any way.  I have predicted on my podcast many times that Verizon would not get an iPhone until they had their LTE (4G) network built out.  Which also is scheduled for mass deployment in 2012.  So from both a contractual and a technical perspective a Verizon iPhone does not look likely until 2012. 

Here are some more facts that may have some influence with regards to potential Verizon and Sprint iPhones.  In the US there are over 140 Million subscribers on Verizon and Sprint combined, compared to just 87 Million on AT&T.  A recent survey of Verizon subscribers found 17% likely to get an iPhone if it was available from Verizon.  Assuming similar numbers for Sprint, you are looking at Apple selling 23.9 Million iPhones on those two carriers.  Assuming an average sales price of $599 per iPhone (what Apple gets per sale) you are looking at over $14 Billion in revenue for Apple.  That is clearly motivation for Apple to reconsider their original agreement and it more (much much more) than makes up for any costs to build and test a CDMA phone especially when it is calculated Apple gets better than a 50% gross margin on the iPhone.  It does not take $7 Billion, or even $1 Billion for that matter, to develop and test a CDMA version of an existing GSM phone.  Plus a CDMA iPhone would also give you a device you could run on China Mobile – the world’s largest cellular carrier with over 500 Million subscribers. 

Others have pointed out that since the iPad was exclusive to AT&T in the US – this is proof that the original AT&T / Apple agreement is still in place and still going strong. When you look at the very generous data plan and the terms of that data plan for the 3G iPad, it has others going so far as to say if anything AT&T may have actually successfully negotiated with Apple to extend the original 5 year exclusive agreement by a year or two. 

So then why all the rumors recently with regards to a Verizon or Sprint iPhone? One key reason appears to be that for the first time in the US, there were more Android powered smart phones “sold” than iPhone OS smart phones.  This per sales for Q1 2010.  In all fairness it should be pointed out there were many buy one get one free promotions for Android smart phones in the US in Q1 2010. Also if you throw in the iPod Touch sales – there were actually more devices sold in the US in Q1 that run on the iPhone OS vs the Android OS.  Still that Android smart phone sales are getting close to sales of iPhone OS devices in the US is something many speculate is not lost on Apple.  Also what is not forgotten is that Apple in its most recent quarterly conference calls has said in those markets that were exclusive to one carrier, that then were opened up to other carriers Apple saw incremental growth in sales of the iPhone.

Without knowing the exact details of the Apple / AT&T iPhone agreement it is hard for us to know the exact value to Apple to keep this exclusive agreement going. So all most people can do is speculate on what is known and those facts make it look like it is in Apple best interest to end their exclusive deal with AT&T and add Verizon and Sprint into the mix. Popular opinion right now is that Apple will announce the end of exclusivity on June 7^th and add Verizon and Sprint to iPhone party.  However that “popular opinion” is based on imperfect information, for example we do not know how much kick back per month per iPhone subscriber Apple is getting from AT&T.  Sadly for those holding out hope for a Verizon or Sprint iPhone I am guessing that kick back is significant enough to make it in Apples best interest to stay exclusive with AT&T for the next two years.  Here is hoping on June 7^th I am wrong.

Updated at 6:00 PM ET

We will be updating with reports from Lines at Apple stores and other stores today.  Add your info in the comments below. 

OnLine Status:

I ordered through the apple store at 6:30am EST and was getting a 5-7 day ship time. 

Keith R

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I noticed the shipping times on the iPads has gone from 1 - 3 business days to 2 - 3 weeks. 

John  11:00 AM ET

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Store Lines:

Apple Store - Woodland Mall - Grand Rapids MI.

At 11:00 AM EDT there are 27 in line.  I'm #2

Best...

Tom G

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Apple Store - Louisville KY - 40 in line at 11:05 ET

Update - 140 People in line - 1:56 PM ET

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Best Buy - Topeka - 1 Person in line 11:30 AM ET

Lot of unhappy people that thought they'd be getting one at 10am.

Got here at 7:30, so far the only one to stay. Got my lawn chair,
blanket, water and determination.

They are handing out numbers at 4:30 PM
Jeffrey
aka The Amish Phonebook Guy

==========

Best Buy - Hadley MA - No Line at 11:30 AM ET. Handing out numbers at 4:30 PM.

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AT&T - Hadley MA - No iPad2's coming today. 

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Apple Store - Lexington KY - Fayette Mall - 40 in line - 12:12 PM ET

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Apple Store - Samta Rosa CA - 0 in Line 9:30 AM PT

Hi.
Just left the Apple store in Samta Rosa Ca. at 9:30am No lines 
They will close this afternoon at 3 to set up for a 5:00pm opening.
Cheers,
Ron

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Apple Store - Temecula CA - 12 in Line 10:00 AM PT

Hey Rob,

Chris in Temecula again, did a drive by on the Temecula Apple Store and there is less than 12 people in line with their folding chairs and black umbrellas. Looks like the store is ready for people to line up though as they have a cart of bottled water and more umbrellas outside the door. It is now 10 am. 

Thanks!

Chris

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Apple Store - Novi Michigan - 100 people in Line - 1:00 PM ET

My SIL is in line at the Apple store in Novi, Michigan. It's 1:00 Eastern time. Been in line since  10:00 am. Says there are 100 people in line. Caryl G

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Apple Store - Knox Store Dallas - 17 in line - 11:34 PM CT

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Apple Store - Natick Mass - 20 People in line - 1:12 PM ET

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Apple Store - Danbury CT - 12 People in line - 11:50 AM ET

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Apple Store - Wellington Mall - West Palm Beach - 67 People in line - 2:30 PM ET

186 people at 4:15 PM.

Rob,

I am in line at the Apple store in West Palm Beach at the Wellington Green mall. It is 2:30 and there are 67 people in line. The person in the first position tells me he got into line at 8:30 last night. 

Fred

I was 38th in line and when I got to the front I was told they have no ATT 3G models left at all. 

Sigh

Fred

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Apple Store - Chestnut Hill - 20 People in line - 1:26 PM ET

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Best Buy - Springfield MO - 50 in line - 1:57 PM CT

Here at 1100 today im number 10, i called att and sams club they do
Not have any, heard target had 4 , bb willnnot say how many they have. 1240 now 20 in line- Steve

Its 2:00 50 in line ,  they are believed to have 300 just a rumor sorry best buy not speaking. Steve

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Hey Rob,

Called the local Verizon store in Michigan and they have no iPads in the store. He said Apple release them so fast that they was unable to get them from the warehouse to the Verizon store in time for today. But he did say that you could call back after 5 and they would take your order and ship the iPad Monday. 

I ordered my iPad 2 from the apple website this morning and received a order acknowledge a few hours later. In the acknowledgment it claims to ship the iPad 2 in 3-5 business days with a estimated delivery of Mar 18-25! There is some good news, my smart cover has a delivery date of Mar 18-21 lol. I guess apple didn't want to leave me empty handed and hopes the smart cover will hold me over until my iPad 2 comes!

Quincy

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Apple Store - Palm Beach Gardens Mall - 40 in line at 3:00 PM ET

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Apple Store - NJ - 50 People in line at 3:15 PM ET

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Apple Store - Chestnut Hill, MA - 90 in line at 3:30 PM ET, 150 people at 4:00 PM ET.

About 50th in Chestnut Hill, MA
About 40 behind me now.  
Are being told that there will be enough.  

No line at Target in Watertown, MA.  I just called them.  

Apple just gave out 20oz bottles of SmartWater to all. 

-- Marc via iPhone 4

Apple store at Chestnut Hill, MA

They ran our of black 64GB+3G. 
I guess they proud to have whites :-)

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Apple Store - Flatiron Xing - Denver - 70 People in line at 2:30 PM MT

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Apple Store - PeachTree City GA - 30 people in line 4:45 PM ET

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Apple Store - Birmingham AL - Summit store - 100+ in line at 4PM ET

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Best Buy - San Antonio TX - 17 People in line at 4:00 PM CT

Hey Rob!

Just wanted to give u a status update from San Antonio, TX. Just showed up to BEST BUY @ the Forum about 4:00pm. Line isn't bad - about 17 people ahead of me laughing and joking with each other just trying to beat the heat. Best buy is handing out tickets @ 430 and product @ 500pm. Im hopeful, but it's not the end of the world if I don't get one. 
Take care and keep up the good work - thanks for being you!

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Apple Store - Tucson, AZ - 145 in line at 3:28 PM MT

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Apple Store - Greensboro NC - 200+ people in line at 5:33 PM ET

The line is wrapped around the Apple store at Friendly Center. There must be over 200 people in line. I don't think the locals got the message about Walmart or Target selling it. 

Brent

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Best Buy - Burnsville MN - 3 People in line at 4:56 PM CT

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Apple Store - Schaumburg, IL - 75 people in line at 4:33 PM CT

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Apple Store - Raleigh NC - 500 People in line at 5:00 PM ET

================

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

YouTube - Today in iOS Episode 168 Jailbreak App Review iCallAnnounce

Verizon iPhone 'death grip' fixed by Apple

Solved: The iPad 2’s Memory Mystery - Brian Caulfield - Shiny Objects - Forbes

iPad 2 to Match iPhone 4's 512 MB of RAM? - Mac Rumors

Apple Retail Store - Joint Venture

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/03/just-bought-the.php

Samsung Chief Calls Galaxy Tab 10.1 ‘Inadequate’

Just how bad is the iPad 2 camera? - CNN.com

ATandT to Support Tethering on iPhone with Apple iOS 4.3 Release

AT&T to allow grandfathered unlimited iPad data plans on iPad 2

Verizon iPhone 4: Thoroughly Reviewed - AnandTech

Hands on photos with the iPad 2, reader questions answered

iPad 2 Launch Details: Data Plans for Verizon and AT&T, Online Ordering

The First iPad 2 Lines Are Forming | Cult of Mac

iPad 2 Owes Speed Boost "Mainly" To iOS 4.3 | ITProPortal.com

iPad 2: Will there be long lines? - Fortune Tech

Asustek: Google Has All the Chances to Beat Apple on the Tablet Market

Early Wednesday release expected for Apple's iOS 4.3 iPhone, iPad update

iPad 2: Where and when you can buy one

iOS 5 and Revamped MobileMe to be Announced Early April | Touch Reviews

Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App

Draw Free iPad

Ball Catcher

Event Bookings

Gentle Reminder

Rocket Jock

A Hug and a Kiss

Voyager Pro Plus - Bluetooth Headset

ScreenSpltr - Cydia

DirecTV

iCallAnnounce - Cydia

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Apple - iPad2 specs

Comparison Chart: Motorola XOOM vs. iPad - Droid Life

XOOM vs. iPad vs. iPad 2 | ZDNet

YouTube - Today in iOS VoiceActivator Tutorial

GoToMyPC Hits iPad | socalTECH.com

Random House Embraces Apple's E-Book Pricing

Verizon Wireless Will End Unlimited Data Plans for IPhone - Businessweek

Transfer iPod to iTunes, copy iPod to PC and iPod to computer

Live from Apple's iPad 2 event -- Engadget

Original iPad reduced to $399/$349 refurb

Hands-On With The iPad 2 [Update: Now With Video!]

Apple’s New HDMI Adapter Also Works With iPods and iPhones | Cult of Mac

Apple Digital AV Adapter - Apple Store (U.S.)

AppleInsider | Apple delays iOS 4.3 for CDMA Verizon iPhone

More than 50 Android apps found infected with rootkit malware 

Google yanks over 50 infected apps from Android Market - Computerworld

You Can Stream March Madness on Your iPhone or iPad for Free 

Refurbished iPad - Apple Store (U.S.)

Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App

ToonPaint

PhotoGene

PB Lite

DoodleBuddy

Gentle Reminder

Ball Catcher

Event Bookings

GotoMyPC

Saisuke

Voice Activator - Cydia

With the iPhone 4 launching on the Verizon network on Feb 10^th (pre-orders starting on Feb 3^rd for special Verizon customers) now is a good time to go over some information on what you should and should not expect. But first lets make one thing very clear it is the iPhone 4 on Verizon – it is NOT the Verizon iPhone.  And that is a good thing for the end users. There is no crapware pre-installed, there is no Verizon logo on the outside of the iPhone – it looks, feels and has the same apps as the iPhone 4 on AT&T. 

There are however a couple of UI differences between the iPhone 4 on Verizon and AT&T.  First if you are used to the iPhone on AT&T you may like being able to talk on the phone while checking for and sending emails or accessing the web.  That was something that was possible due to the type of network AT&T uses (GSM). Verizon’s network is different (CDMA) and as such does not allow for simultaneous Voice and Data usage. Second with the iPhone 4 on Verizon you can set up your iPhone 4 to work as a WiFi Hot Spot for up to 5 devices. This actually is not really a technical limitation on AT&T’s part – but a business decision by AT&T to not allow this feature (They may allow it in the future if enough people complain).  This is a feature that has been the number one reason to jailbreak an iPhone so users could get an app called MyWi, which currently turns your iPhone into a WiFi Hot Spot. 

The biggest complaint about the iPhone on AT&T is clearly the issue of dropped calls or the inability to make calls to start with.  This is an issue typically seen in large metro areas like New York City and San Francisco. For the most part you do not hear about this issue with the iPhone on other carriers around the world. As such it is expected that the iPhone 4 on Verizon should perform better than the iPhone 4 on AT&T.  If you are someone that loves everything about your iPhone – but you need to you know actually make a call, then the iPhone 4 on Verizon is probably something very exciting to you. 

With AT&T you have been able to update to the latest iPhone each year at the reduced subsidized pricing. With Verizon it is being reported that if you get the iPhone 4 in February 2011 when it is released you would need to wait 20 months before you could upgrade again. (Note – I contacted Verizon for verification on this detail and it is not yet something they are releasing info on) That would put you out to September 2012 before you could get your next iPhone. By then the iPhone 6 will be about 3 months old. This brings up the dilemma do you get the iPhone 4 on Verizon now knowing that Apple traditionally updates the iPhone in June – just 4 months from now.  Or can you hold out until June to see what new wonders the iPhone 5 has to offer.  If you are an early adopter personality and you can manage to get by for the next 4 months and money is tight – then you are probably best to wait.  If you are on Verizon already and need a new phone now – then there really is no better phone available than the iPhone 4. 

Note - there are always services like Gazelle – where you could sell your iPhone 4 latter on and put that money towards a new iPhone 5.  Remember the majority of your cost is not actually in the phone itself – but rather in the voice and data plan.  Right now with Gazelle you can get $360 for your 32 GB iPhone 4, and even more than that if you sell it on Craigs list or ebay – especially if you jailbreak it first. If you do get the iPhone 4 now on Verizon and then want to upgrade in June – you would be looking at a likely un-subsidized price of $749 for the top end iPhone and probably about $300 to $350 if you sell your 32 GB iPhone 4 on Craigs list or ebay. 

While Verizon has not released all information on iPhone pricing they have said the following. Data plans will be unlimited to start and will cost $30 a month. Verizon did say eventually the unlimited plan will go away for new signups. But for now they want to steal as many AT&T customers as possible. AT&T has responded unofficially by offering back the unlimited plans to those that threaten to leave AT&T for Verizon. If you want the option of turning your iPhone into a mobile hot spot that will set you back another $20 a month and you will be limited to 2 GB of data via the hot spot set up. You will be able to pre-order your iPhone on Verizon starting February 3^rd at 3:00 AM ET.  Again not all details have been released yet but when they are you will be able to find the info at - http://www.verizonwireless.com/iphone - make sure to carefully review the plans before you sign up. As mentioned above the real cost with any smartphone is not with the smartphone – but rather with the Voice/Data plan required for said smartphone.

Links Mentioned on this Episode:

 AT&T CEO: Apple’s App Store Bad for Consumers

Exclusive: Verizon iPhone sales fail to meet expectations | BGR

Technology News: iPhone: Verizon iPhone Sales: The Untold Story

Mini iPhone: Conflicting Claims - PCWorld

Fisher Price releases iCan Play Case 

Cydia Blocked on Three UK, Ireland and China Unicom | Redmond Pie

Unblock Access to Cydia on Three 3G Network | Redmond Pie

iPhone and FiOS TV: A Perfect Pairing

Verizon iPhone Unlocked To Work On China Telecom’s CDMA Network

Look no further, the world's fastest iPhones are in Israel

Apple's new subscription service under DOJ and FTC scrutiny

Warner Bros launches Inception and The Dark Knight movie apps

Sixth Grader Finds Nude Pictures of Librarian on School iPad | PadGadget

Motorola's iPad competing Xoom won't immediately support Adobe Flash

Despite exponential growth, Android Market revenue remains low

Apple New iPad Shipments May Be Delayed, Yuanta Analysts Say

iPhone 5 Might Not Launch Until September

Apple to Unveil IPad 2 on March 2 in San Francisco | AllThingsD

Apple Event confirmed for March 2nd: iPad 2 incoming - SlashGear

FTC Investigating iPhone and iPad In-App Purchases | PadGadget

Farcical Xoom 4G Upgrade Plan Requires 6-Day Mail-In Operation

Consumer Reports slams the Verizon iPhone 4

Verizon says iPhone 4 launch largest in its history, LTE on the way

iPad 2: Will Apple Surprise Us Next Week with Immediate Availability?

Report: 1M Verizon iPhones Sold at Launch

First Jailbreak Convention To Be Held In September

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Scott Vest

Dagi Stylus - P601 / P005

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