News

Your iPhone Speaks Klingon

Bob Bhatnagar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:38:33 -0600

Klingons are jerks. Now you can communicate with them using your iPhone. Don't be at a loss for words after some kid wearing tights grunts in your general direction.

Now you can tell him to go away in his favorite fictional language. Ultralingua offers a complete Klingon language suite on the Apple app store for $11.99.

Vimeo Comes to the iPhone

Thomas Estilow — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:53:09 -0600

Watching some of the incredible videos posted on Vimeo is now possible using your iPhone. The video sharing site is working on H.264 encoding its content for mobile viewers. Until now, watching Vimeo content required a web browser with Flash.

For the time being a selection of staff picks and HD showcase videos are available using iPhone and Android devices, with more videos on the way. Vimeo is known for offering streaming video in 720p HD quality and banning commercial content.

Verizon iPhone Blockbuster Coming Summer 2010

Bob Bhatnagar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:34:23 -0600

Apple's offerings next summer will include a Verizon-only iPhone compatible with the carrier's CDMA network technology. Dual-mode chips, announced this week by Qualcomm, might not be ready for prime time in 2010. Neither will LTE network technology, which is expected to enter widespread service in 2011.

This leaves Apple with only one option to expand to the largest US carrier after their exclusive contract with AT&T ends next year. Build a Verizon Wireless compatible iPhone.

Malware Secretly Copies Private iPhone Data

Bob Bhatnagar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:26:25 -0600

Only days after the ikee worm was unleashed on Australian iPhone users a tool has been discovered that steals private data from jailbroken iPhones. iPhone/Privacy.A is a malware tool that runs on computers (or on an iPhone) and scans the Wi-Fi network for vulnerable iPhones.

After discovering and accessing the devices in range it copies all private data including SMS messages, videos, email, calendars, music, photos and all other app data to the computer. The program does all this without ever making the iPhone user aware of its intrusion.

Ikee Virus Infects Australian iPhones

Bob Bhatnagar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:41:35 -0600

Rickrolling has finally made it to the iPhone. The first known iPhone worm has been released in Australia, spreading from phone to phone over the network. Only jailbroken iPhones running SSH with the default root password are affected.

The ikee worm exploits this security weakness to infiltrate the iPhone file system and search for other jailbroken iPhones in the vicinity. The malware also changes the lockscreen wallpaper to a photo of 80s pop icon Rick Astley with the message "ikee is never going to give you up."

Hybrid Chip Means Verizon iPhone is Coming in 2010

Thomas Estilow — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:41:16 -0600

The second half of 2010 could finally bring a much-anticipated Verizon Wireless iPhone. A new hybrid chip developed by Qualcomm makes it possible to communicate with several different network technologies using only one component.

This means Apple can manufacture one device, the "world mode" iPhone that will work on all of the networks it's currently compatible with as well as Verizon's CDMA network. Previous reports speculated that Apple would wait until at least 2011 for Verizon's launch of LTE technology.

Jailbreak and Unlock Any iPhone With Blacksn0w and Blackra1n RC3

Bob Bhatnagar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:38:22 -0600

George Hotz (Geohot) has released the newest update of his jailbreaking tool blackra1n, version RC3. In addition, he has made public a true carrier unlock for the latest firmware iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07.

Geohot's blackra1n RC3 software jailbreaks any iPhone running 3.1 or later in seconds on both Mac and Windows platforms. A reboot is all that's needed.

Bing Optimized for iPhone Touch Screen

Bob Bhatnagar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:18:44 -0500

The mobile version of Microsoft's Bing search engine has been revamped and now supports touch screen devices such as the iPhone. The touch-optimized interface (m.bing.com) is currently only available to users in the US.

Mobile phones that don't support the touch interface are forwarded to a simpler version of the site. Microsoft has also added additional features to the mobile search engine including a visual search movie finder and a real-time data search. Examples of real-time information available include airline flight delays and NFL scores and stats.

Comics Giant Marvel Cuts iPhone Deal

Bob Bhatnagar — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:16:55 -0500

Fans of comic books who have iPhones and live in the US will soon see Marvel titles come to their mobile devices. Three different comic book readers, Comics, iVerse Comics and Panelfly Comics have struck a deal with Marvel to bring its content to their apps.

Over 80 percent of published comics are released by comics giants Marvel or DC. This is the first time one of the two has entered the digital comics market on the iPhone.

iPhone's Apple Logo Will Survive the Droid Launch

Thomas Estilow — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:44:34 -0500

The Apple logo on the back of your iPhone now has competition. Next week it will be possible to carry around a mobile device with three corporate logos!

Verizon, Motorola and Google each get their own billboard space on the Droid, scheduled for release next week. In a brazen act of branding, two of these logos (Verizon and Motorola) actually appear on the front AND back of the Droid.