If You Liked the Fake Apple Stores, You’ll Love this Fake Steve Jobs Biography

It appears fake Apple Stores aren’t the only aspects of the Cupertino outfit to fall foul to some dodgy dealings, with M.I.C. Gadget telling of an interesting new book being sold in Taiwan – a book that seems to be a fake Steve Jobs biography.

The impostor’s title loosely translates to Steve Jobs Gives 11 Advices to Teenager, according to the site, with the title appearing in the top five business books sold by Taiwanese book store KingStone…
Obviously, this book has nothing to do with Apple, nor its CEO. But that hasn’t stopped it from being snapped up by Taiwanese buyers since its release way back in April of this year.

Those preferring something a little more official won’t have long to wait, with Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs going on sale later this year.

How long before Apple goes after this latest knock-off?

Firefox 6 for Android Released, Features New Look and Interface Along with Other Improvements

Just a few days ago we have reported that Firefox 6 was made available for Mac and Windows users. Oddly enough, the version of the browser for the Android wasn't updated, well until now that is. Mozilla just announced that Firefox has been updated and it now features a fresh new look and a host of other features.
The announcement was made by Mozilla on their official blog where the global, non-profit organization also detailed all the changes made with the Android version of Firefox. Once installed, one of the most prominent change that you'll probably notice first is the overall look of the browser. Firefox 6 for Android actually looks like a native Android app. The signature Firefox look is now gone and in favor of an aesthetic design that quite resembles the default Android browser. Aside from that, Android users are also treated to a new welcome screen and a slightly redesigned interface which are now optimized for tablets.
Aside from the cosmetic changes, Firefox 6 for Android also have several improvements under the hood. This new version of Firefox for Android features high quality image scaling (on devices with NEON-compatible processors), crispier display including logo, smoother and faster zooming and less pixelation. Performance and memory management, both an ever present concern with the browser, were also improved as well as several bug fixes and enhancements.

Finally, Mozilla also provided better support for developer tools which should “help create rich, compelling mobile Web apps and websites”. Touch events are also mentioned which facilitates better interaction with web pages and services and should help with compatibility with existing web content. IndexedDB database storage for web pages is also added which allows web application and websites to be made available even offline. Click here to view the complete release notes of Firefox 6 for Android.
If you're an avid Firefox user and owns an Android device, then it is highly recommended that you get this app now. There is no reason for you to be stuck with the default Android browser. With Firefox Sync, you'll be able to synchronize your bookmarks, history, tabs and passwords between multiple devices and your desktop computer. In addition to that you'll also have access to various addons and plugins that should help in improving your web experience.

Starting with Firefox 4 which was released earlier this year, Mozilla adapted a faster release strategy in order to compete with the likes of Google Chrome, which also employs a faster release cycle. So now instead of waiting for months and even years before an update, Firefox fans can expect frequent updates and improvements albeit they are of minor nature.

HP Officially Kills Off the TouchPad Along with Other webOS Devices

Within the tech industry, one can say that the competition boils down to the survival of the fittest. While there are companies like Apple and Google who continues rake in success, there are others that just aren't so lucky. And one such company that belongs to the latter is Hewlett-Packard. Today, during the company's press release that lead up to their Q3 conference call, HP just made an announcement that they will be discontinuing the Touchpad and all smartphones that runs under webOS.
During the company's press release, HP has made it clear that they will phasing out all their products that runs the webOS which includes HP Pre 3 smartphones, HP Veer and the tablet HP TouchPad.

HP reported that it plans to announce that it will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.
This news is no doubt a gut punch to hardcore webOS fans who stood by to support its products with the hopes that things would eventually get better. But it never did. webOS is a unique and interesting operating system that were introduced back in 2009 in an effort to revive the relevance and profitability of Palm in the tech industry. Both software and hardware were designed to compete with industry bigshots, Apple and Google but somehow it came up short. HP bought Palm for $1.2 billion and it seems that it was all for naught.

The HP Touchpad was touted to be the iPad killer but when it was released it was met with mediocre reviews and suffered from poor sales. The same happened with Veer, it didn't exactly set the market on fire. Well as for the HP Pre 3, it hasn't even seen the light of day in the market. Slow sales, minimal media coverage and several price cuts, it was only a matter of time for the webOS devices to hit rock bottom. So one can say that this scenario was inevitable.
So what happens to webOS now? Despite not being the most popular operating system, webOS somehow found a dedicated fan base. Last year, HP was rather all praises about the system and how were they planning to integrate them into their traditional computers, printers and even cars. While HP confirmed that they will be killing their webOS product line, the company added that they will be exploring other options on how they can optimize the webOS software.

The webOS is technically not dead yet but unless HP finds a way to utilize it in any way, it might as well be. One option for them is to license the OS to its partners and rely on them to manufacture webOS devices. But with Android over the horizon, it would be a tough sell for HP. As of this writing, no official word yet from HP when are they going to pull out the webOS devices from the market.

It is indeed a sad day not only for the hardcore webOS fans but for the geekdom in general.

Grand Theft Auto III Makes its Way to the Mac App Store, Get it Now!

One of the most important landmark in the history of gaming is arguably the introduction of open world, sandbox-style games. With its go-anywhere-you-want gameplay, gamers everywhere has been given more freedom than ever. And of course, you can't talk about sandbox-style games without talking about the Grand Theft Auto series by Rockstar Games, especially GTA III. Released in 2001, GTA III changed how we play our 3D games and is definitely one of the most influential games of all time. And now after a decade, GTA III is now available for the Mac. Well, better late than never I guess.
While iOS gaming continues to flourish by the day, the same can't be said with the Mac. Due to its proprietary hardware and other factors, the market of games in Apple's desktop operating system isn't that huge. But it seems that game developer Rockstar came to a realization that it's never too late to port their critically acclaimed series to the Mac. So now, Mac fans all over the world will now be able to experience Grand Theft Auto III.
The Grand Theft Auto series is currently on its 4th numbered title although there are multiple spinoffs and expansions that were made for both GTA 3 and 4 spanning many different consoles and handhelds. From the looks of it, the Mac version is a direct port of the Playstation 2 and Windows version so you can't really expect any new features. GTA III was considered to be a landmark video game title because it is one of the pioneer of sandbox-style games. Due to its concept and gameplay, the game received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the media and customers. GTA III is no doubt a classic that any avid gamer should experience.

From the Mac App Store:

Crime does pay.

The hugely successful, highly controversial Grand Theft Auto franchise moves into three dimensions in the dark and seedy underworld of Liberty City.

With the freedom to go anywhere and jack anyone, Grand Theft Auto III puts the dark, intriguing and ruthless world of crime at your fingertips, if you have enough guts to take it.
The game is priced relatively cheap at $14.99 which isn't all that surprising due to how old the game is. Before you purchase and download the game, be sure that you have quite a little bit of space because you will be downloading around 700 MB worth of data plus installation.

So go ahead and download the game now and start roaming the streets of Liberty City, take on dangerous missions and all sorts of bad elements (even the law enforcements). Based on the current standard of games, yes it looks rather outdated. But if you can get past that, you are in for quite a fun time. Here's hoping Rockstar will port its spinoffs, Vice City and San Andreas as well.

Buy GTA III from the Mac App Store for $14.99. Requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later.

HTC Sues Apple Over Basically Everything

When will the patent cold war ever end? That’s the question we keep asking ourselves. In the latest patent battle, HTC is taking on Apple for infringing on.. well, basically everything.

HTC wants an injunction for blocking sales of Apple devices, and the Android-friendly handset maker is also suing for damages. Looks like someone is trying to tap into Apple’s Fort Knox…
TechCrunch reports:

“HTC has filed a suit (warning: PDF) in the U.S. District Court in Delaware claiming that Apple has infringed on three of their patents by producing what they refer to in legalese as “Accused Apple Products.” The list of said products is extensive, to say the least: it lists among other things “personal computers, mobile communications devices, wireless printers, streaming wireless capable television, wireless network equipment [and] portable digital music and video players.” In short, nearly everything that Apple makes allegedly infringes on the patents that HTC owns.”

Apple is already in a heated copycat lawsuit with Samsung, and HTC apparently wants to enter the foray. HTC is targeting the Mac platform and iOS devices in its lawsuit, and Apple will most assuredly fight back with every bit of legal power that can be mustered from the legal team in Cupertino.

Considering Apple has enough cash to just buy HTC outright, it’s a little surprising that HTC would make such a bold move and sue the pants off Apple with such a broad set of patent infringements.

This patent war is just getting started. There will be plenty of courtroom drama to come.

Maybe Apple should just buy Google, Motorola and HTC and be done with it all.

iPhone 5 to be Available for Pre-Order by the End of September, Launching in October

There is no doubt that the next generation iPhone is one of the most highly anticipated multimedia gadget these days. If you have been paying attention to the news about the tech industry for the past months, then you'll know that there have been a plethora of rumors concerning the iPhone 5. Especially now that the expected launch date fast approaches, it's time to for another rumor regarding the next iPhone. And this one concerns the date when the iPhone becomes available for pre-ordering.
According to a report by 9to5Mac, they have heard from a source that Apple has plans to make the next-gen iPhone available on the 7th of October, a release date which is actually in-line with previous reports. According to the source, the Cupertino company is still in the process of deciding between two release dates for the iPhone 5, which is either October 7th or October 14. But the good thing is, the latest stages of the next generation iPhone's pre-mass-production is said to be coming along nicely so it is likely that Apple will opt for the 7th of October release. And unlike the iPad 2, Apple is planning to make the next iPhone available for pre-orders.

So when can we possibly place our pre-orders for the iPhone 5? According to the report, Apple's next smartphone hit is most likely to be available for pre-order during the last week of September. The fruit company is allegedly still on the process of finalizing the starting date for pre-orders. But two dates seems to be the likely possibility: September 29th which is a Thursday and September 30th which of course falls on a Friday. According to the sources, Apple will probably settle with September 30. Apple's fall event will also be taking place in September which should be a good time for the company to officially announce the iPhone 5.

If that's the case, one has to ask a burning question: Will Apple launch one or two iPhones? If you have been keeping tabs on the iPhone 5 rumor mill, then you should know that there have been several reports that Apple is planning to release two iPhones this year. Past reports indicates that Apple will be launching a low-end iPhone which will cater to developing markets and to those with lower budgets. It is said to be pretty similar to the iPhone 4 but with minor hardware upgrades and changes to the design. The iPhone 5 of course will be the successor to the iPhone 4 and will the higher end product between the two. The next iPhone is said to be have an A5 chip processor, 8 megapixel camera and comes preloaded with iOS 5.

As we approach the month of September, the excitement for the next generation iPhone builds up. There's no telling if the iPhone will indeed be available on October 7th since it will likely to be changed again. As usual, Apple stays mum with regards to the issue but it should be safe to assume that they will be making the announcements next month. [via 9to5Mac]

Apple CFO: Google’s $12.5 Billion Motorola Buyout is “A Lot of Money”

The news that Google had picked up Motorola Mobility for a cool $12.5 billion is still reverberating around the tech world, with many wondering what this means for Android’s partner agreements with the likes of HTC and Samsung. The question on our mind: What does Apple think about all this?

In a conference call hosted by Gleacher & Company, Apple’s Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer weighed in on the Google purchase, and his response was pretty much the same as our’s…
Google dropped a whopping $12.5 billion on the mobile arm of Motorola, the firm behind the Droid series of Android smartphones, and Apple’s CFO is apparently as surprised about the huge sum as the rest of us.

When asked by an analyst on the aforementioned call, Oppenheimer replied with a typical Apple answer, by simply saying that “$12.5 billion is a lot of money.”

It is for us mere mortals perhaps, but when you’re rolling around in Scrooge McDuck amounts of money then perhaps it’s just a drop in the bucket?

Maybe Apple should buy both Google and Motorola?

Sn0wBreeze Jailbreak Updated With the Ability to Install iOS 5 Beta 5 Without a Developer Account

Sn0wBreeze 2.8 Beta 5 has been released by iH8snow for Windows users. This version jailbreaks iOS 5 Beta 5, and also includes a few handy features along the way.

This is a tethered jailbreak. A notable feature in this release is the abiltiity to install iOS 5 and skip the UDID developer check, meaning you don’t have to be a developer to install the iOS 5 beta (providing you have the firmware downloaded)…
Here’s the full change log:

■Now supports iOS 5 beta 5 (9A5228d).
■Added Hacktivation ability.
■Added option to remove UDID developer check/Beta Timer.
■Finally decided to fix Baseband preservation standalone mode.
■Tethered devices are booted via iBooty.
■Re-added afc2.
Supported Devices & Tethered?

■iPhone 3GS [Old bootrom] — NO
■iPhone 3GS [New bootrom] — YES
■iPhone 4 [GSM] — YES
■iPhone 4 [CDMA] — YES
■iPad 1G — YES
■iPod Touch 3G — YES
■iPod Touch 4 — YES
Although iOS 5 Beta 5 is fairly stable, we still would not recommend the use of beta software for your personal iDevices. If you have to Google search to learn how to install Apple beta software, you’re probably not intended to have access to the iOS 5 betas.

MultiWall: Showcase Your iPhone’s Photo Library From the Comforts of Your SpringBoard

Yesterday, Redmond Pie ran a story on an upcoming jailbreak tweak entitled MultiWall. Its premise is a simple, yet promising one: It allows you to showcase and swipe between the pictures in your Photos app directly from your SpringBoard.

Because it uses two-finger mutitouch gestures, the swiping doesn’t initiate page swipes, but instead changes between photos — either left or right — depending on the direction of your two-finger gesture.

According the YouTube video, MultiWall is still in beta stages at the moment. Check inside for a video sneak peak of MultiWall in motion.
As noted by Redmond Pie, the motions do seem a little jerky at this point, but we’ll just chalk that up to the tweak being in its infancy.

Like always, we’ll be back with a full video walkthrough of the tweak in action, as soon as it becomes available.

How do you think it looks thus far?

Official Steve Jobs Biography Will Be Available in Bookstores on November 21

If you are someone who have been closely following the tech industry, then there is no way that you haven't heard of Steve Jobs. The man is simply the CEO of one of the most valuable company in the world which is responsible for these curious little things called the iPhone and iPod. Steve Jobs is practically an icon but as far as industry CEO goes, he's really more of a private person. If you are a Jobs fan or somehow you are interested in the life story of the man who saved Apple Inc., then good news because the Official Steve Jobs biography will hit your favorite bookstores this coming November.
This news is according to well-known publisher Barnes & Nobles. As you can see from the cover above (yes that's the official book cover), the book will simply be titled Steve Jobs: A Biography with an equally simple but elegant photo of the man himself. The book was supposed to be slated for release in March 2012 but now it seems that it has been moved up to November 21 this year. Definitely a great news for those who wants to take a good peek at the life of a great innovator.

There have been numerous books that tells the story of Jobs, there is even an upcoming comic book to be released in the future. But what makes this one special? Well for one, this biography is actually authorized by Steve Jobs himself. The 448 page biography will detail not only the man's professional life but also his personal one as well. Yes, this should be your chance to take a glimpse of the man's personal life, who's usually very secretive when it comes to his personal affairs. The content of the book will be based off the author's exclusive interview of Jobs and his family members within the span of three years.

The author of Steve Jobs: A Biography is Walter Isaacson, the CEO of Aspen Institute and has also been the managing editor of Time Magazine as well as the chairman of CNN. Isaacson is a critically acclaimed biographer who's responsible for authoring various biographies of prominent personalities with books like Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and Einstein: His Life and Universe. So it is safe to say that the biography of Jobs is in good hands.

Considering the current success that Apple is experiencing, we all know Steve Jobs to be a very wealthy and successful man. But that's not to say that his road to success isn't paved with hardships and difficulties. Would you believe that this is the same man who was fired by Apple because they believed that it will save the company? But as he became the CEO of Apple in 1997, Jobs managed to turn the business around with the success of multimedia and communication devices such as the iPod and iPhone.

Steve Jobs: A Biography will be available from Barnes & Noble for $20.40 for the hardcover version,  and $14.99 for the eBook form. You can also pre-order the book in Amazon.

Apple Planning to Launch Mobile Web App for Online Store

Have you tried Apple’s official Apple Store app? It’s been available for free in the App Store for months, and it’s a great tool for browsing Apple’s online store and scheduling appointments at your local Apple retail store.

Apparently, Apple is planning to launch a mobile web app for its online store experience. This web app would presumably be based on HTML5, and it’s expected to roll out for users next year.
According to 9to5Mac, the Apple store web app will be optimized for browsing and making online purchases from an iPhone or iPad, and the new interface will make the store “experience even simpler.”

“Over the past months, we have observed Apple gradually shelving and re-touching a project to replace the native Apple Store application with a mobile web version of the Apple Online Store. Now it appears that Apple is working towards actually completing and launching the mobile version of the store.”

The obvious pro for a Apple store web app is that it removes the need to download an app from the App Store. This will make the Apple online store much more accessible to customers, and 9to5Mac speculates that Apple could even bring the location-centric features of the official Apple Store app to the web app experience.

Currently, users of the Apple Store app can find a local Apple store, schedule an appointment with a Genius, and receive in-store support — all from within the app. Hopefully Apple’s upcoming web app will be able to hold a candle to the official App Store app. Be on the look out for this in 2012!

The iPad 3 Won’t Make it This Year After All, Pushed Back to 2012

As you all know, rumors regarding Apple's upcoming hardware products are going haywire lately. This is especially true for the Cupertino company's next major smartphone release, the iPhone 5. But that's not to say that other Apple products does not get their fair share of rumors. Just a few days ago, we brought to you a report that Apple might be releasing the iPhone 5 later this year, together with the cheaper iPhone variety 4S and the iPad 3. But if this new report that came in is any indication, the iPad 3 won't be hitting the consumer market until next year.
The report came from Taiwan-based IT insiders, DigiTimes. According to the report, Apple has recently canceled its iPad 3 supply schedule which is supposed to be released in the 2nd half of 2011 in order to compete with other tablets. The supply volume for the launch of the iPad 3 during the 2nd half of 2011 was originally 1.5 to 2 million units for Q3 and 5 to 6 million for Q4. But now according to the sources inside the Apple's supply chain, the related figures have been already deleted which indicates of course that the supply volume for the iPad 3 has been canceled.

Apple was originally set to launch its iPad 3 in the second half of 2011 with a supply volume of 1.5-2 million units in the third quarter and 5-6 million in the fourth quarter, but Apple's supply chain partners have recently discovered that the related figures have all already been deleted, the sources pointed out.

According to several reports in the past, the iPad 3 is supposed to launch this coming holiday season but now it is highly likely that it will be pushed sometime next year. So what's the reason for the delay? Well the sources claims that the most likely reason is the shortage of Retina Display panels. One of the main focus of the iPad 3 would be the improvement of its display resolution. And just like the iPhone 4, better resolution should be achieved without altering the actual screen size or form factor of the device and without compromising battery life. Apple has marketed this technology as Retina Display which the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4th gen currently supports.

Because of the iPad's larger screen, manufacturing a Retina Display panel would be understandably more difficult and expensive. Currently, Apple's main supplier of the 9.7-inch panel is the Japanese company Sharp and they do so at a high price. Other supply partners of Apple like Samsung Electronics and LG Display also won't be able to reach a good yield of high resolution display panels. With this condition, Apple won't be able to make it into mass production with relative to the original 2nd half of 2011 launch schedule.

If this report is indeed accurate, then it really is a bad news for those who have been craving for the next generation iPad with higher resolution display. However, order for the iPad 2 seems to be standing strong as it is maintained at 28-30 million units. At best, Apple enthusiasts should be able to get their hands on the iPad 3 early next year which is actually in-line with the iPad release cycle.

Fortunately, this delay of the iPad 3 should in no way affect the release schedule of the iPhone 5 which is largely expected to launch this coming fall. [via DigiTimes]

iPhone 5 Pre-Orders to Start September 30, Launch October 7

The iPhone 5′s expected launch date has changed several times over the last few months. We’ve heard everything from August to October, and everything in between.

Recently, however, all of the rumors seem to be settling on a late September to early October availability date. And Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac all but confirms that timeframe in this new report…
“We’ve independently heard that Apple has plans to begin selling the next generation iPhone on Friday, October 7th; the date first reported by TiPb. According to our sources, Apple has been weighing between launching the new iPhone on October 7th or October 14th, but with the product’s latest stages of pre-mass-production currently moving along nicely, Apple is presently shooting towards a launch on the 7th.”

Gurman also reports that Apple plans to offer pre-orders for their upcoming smartphone, something they omitted during the iPad 2′s first weeks. Apparently the pre-orders are scheduled to start Friday, September 30.

The information certainly makes sense. Apple could hold an event in the first few weeks of September (their typical iPod event) and give it a few weeks to to sink in. Not to mention that the story jibes with a recent report from TiPb, who has also pegged October 7 as the launch date.

A September pre-order means that we’re just a few weeks away from ending this madness. Obviously the dates are subject to change in the event of any problems, but I will definitely be clearing my calendar for the first week in October.

What about you?

4G LTE Capable iPhone Currently Under Carrier Testing by Apple

Since last year, several smartphone manufacturers have decided to adapt the 4G LTE technology for their devices' cellular wireless standards. So what's the deal with 4G? As you may have deduced from its name, 4G is much faster than 3G with the potential of being ten times faster. Although several smartphone manufacturers have boarded the 4G, one prominent company hasn't adapted the technology to its devices yet, and that is of course, Apple.
The lack of 4G capable Apple devices isn't really all that surprising. Remember that this is the same company that only implemented 3G into the iPhone back in 2008. There have been reports that the iPhone 5 will have 4G LTE capabilities, but as it stands, those were nothing more but rumors. But all that may change as there's a report from BGR which indicates that Apple is in the process of carrier testing the iPhone on LTE. The evidence lies in an internal document that's found buried deep into a test build of the iOS.
Of course, this in no way indicates that the soon-to-be-announced iPhone 5 will have 4G LTE support. But with these internal documents as evidence, it should be safe to assume that Apple is already entertaining the possibility of launching a 4G capable device in the future.

Should this come as a surprise? Well not really. Apple is a company which is reputable for their thorough research that could take many years before they decide to release their products to the consumers. While 4G LTE is certainly the inevitable way of the future, the technology is not yet perfect. For example, one of the common drawbacks of LTE is that it is currently a battery killer. So who knows? Maybe when Apple finally releases an LTE capable iPhone, they will somehow overcome the problems that goes with the technology.

Of course if you have owned the original iPhone, this particular scenario will hit you with the familiar sense of Déjà vu. Back in 2007 when Apple released the original iPhone, many were caught off guard by one notable omission, the lack of 3G support. The reasoning of the company behind the omission is that they have no way of implementing 3G without considerably affecting the device's battery life. And of course after one year, the iPhone 3G was released with 3G support and better battery life. So it is likely that Apple is taking the similar approach with the implementation of 4G.

So will the iPhone 5 have 4G LTE capability? Well, chances are very slim. But once the company indeed decides to finally adopt the 4G technology, then their next logical step would be to find carriers worldwide that offer LTE such as Verizon. Considering just how successful the iPhone is, it shouldn't be a difficult task for Apple. [via BGR]

LTE Equipment Being Installed in Apple Stores

Until yesterday, I think the entire tech world had written off any chance of Apple’s next smartphone supporting a 4G platform. It’s a relatively new technology and it doesn’t quite have all the bugs ironed out yet — not typically something Apple dabbles in.

However, a recent BGR report rekindled 4G hopes, offering up proof that carriers were testing LTE-capable iPhones. Today, Engadget has even more evidence to add to the pile. Apparently Apple Stores are installing LTE equipment, and they have a picture to prove it…
The image you see above shows some LTE equipment that was recently installed in a major Apple Store. An anonymous tipster sent the photo into the tech site this morning, along with some other interesting information.

Although Verizon is the only major U.S. carrier with a deployed LTE network, Engadget’s source says AT&T installed the equipment. AT&T was expected to launch their new Long Term Evolution network this summer, but has yet to do so.

Of course the equipment could be part of a long-term plan to roll out LTE, and may not necessarily mean that the upcoming iPhone will be 4G-capable. But the new hardware mixed with the LTE files found in a carrier-build version of iOS really makes you think.

Will we see a 4G iPhone this year?

Update: The tipster who sent in the picture of the LTE equipment has asked Engadget to remove it. They in turn have asked us to remove it, so of course we have obliged. The picture above has been changed to a generic Apple Store photo.

Mozilla Firefox 6 Now Available for Windows, Mac and Linux, Download Now! [Direct Links]

Mozilla Firefox 6 Now Available for Windows, Mac and Linux, Download Now! [Direct Links]
Posted by Patrick on August 14, 2011

 If you have been an avid Mozilla Firefox user, then you should know that they have adapted the same release cycle as Google Chrome. In the past, with each new version of Firefox, one can expect major changes such as revamped user interface, loads of new features and better performance. But since Mozilla decided to adapt a faster release cycle, each version of Firefox would feature minor improvements with just a few new features. And now, a new version of Firefox is available, Firefox 6. This version of Firefox can't be obtained through the browser's automatic update but it should be officially available in a couple of days.
As with the recent versions of Firefox, this new release does not include major changes such as a new user interface or features. At least nothing noticeable for casual users of the browser. According to Mozilla, Firefox should be faster by 20% and should have a significantly reduced memory consumption, which should be reasons enough for most people to upgrade despite the lack of major changes or features.
Although there are not much new goodies for the regular users, it appears that there are a few new features catered towards developers. One of the most notable addition to Firefox 6 is Scratchpad, a tool built-in within the browser which enables developers to execute Javascript codes in real time. Another new addition to the Web Developer option is the Get More Tools selection which is basically a link to Mozilla's Web Developer's Toolbox where developers can download tools such as Greasemonkey, Firebug, Stylish and so on.
Keep in mind that once you have updated, you will directed to welcome page where it says you have successfully installed Firefox Beta 6. Just don't pay attention to it because this is due to the fact that Mozilla hasn't updated the page yet. Unless major bugs or issues are found, this is pretty much the final build of Firefox 6 so it should be safe to upgrade now. Also keep in mind that when you update, some of your addons and extensions may not be compatible with Firefox 6, so download at your own discretion.
Mozilla's Firefox became the must-have browser back in 2004 and it has successfully stole a significant user base from Microsoft's Internet Explorer. This is due to several innovative features such as tabbed browsing, its open source nature and wide array of addons and extensions that users can install. But then in 2008, along came Google Chrome with its minimalistic but smarter user interface, Webkit engine and a faster release cycle. Chrome gave Firefox a strong competition so the latter was forced to adapt a faster update cycle as well in order to keep its competitive edge. Mozilla adapted the new release strategy with Firefox 4 which was released earlier this year.

Direct Download Links:

Download Mozilla Firefox 6 for Windows
Download Mozilla Firefox 6 for Mac
Download Mozilla Firefox 6 for Linux

View Battery Life on your iPhone Lockscreen with LSBattery

If you’re always paranoid about the amount of battery life remaining on your iPhone, or you’d rather see the battery life percentage on your lockscreen, then you need LSBattery.

LSBattery is a new jailbreak tweak that replaces your lockscreen and slider text with the iPhone battery percentage.
The tweak is available for free in Cydia. No new repos need to be added. No new icons are added to the home screen and you can configure the tweak from the Settings app. As you can see from the screenshot, it’s pretty self-explanatory.

Has anyone tried this tweak out yet?

Apple to Release the iPhone 5 and 4S Next Month Along with the iPad 3? [Rumor]

If you have been paying attention to the iPhone 5 rumor mill, then you should be aware there have been reports floating around that Apple will be releasing not one, but two iPhones this year. Rumor has it that there will be the device that will succeed the iPhone 4 and on the other hand, the other device is a cheaper variety of the iPhone which will be marketed as an entry level to midrange smartphone. Now another report surfaces that Apple will not only release two iPhones in September, which are dubbed the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S, but the iPad 3 as well.
The report comes from Apple oriented Japanese blog Macotakara which suggests that the tech world will be treated to three new Apple products next month, which is of course the low-end iPhone 4S, the high-end iPhone 5 and the next major tablet release, the iPad 3. According to the blog, it is likely that Apple will be announcing the new iPhones and iPad around the first week of September and will be released around October.

According to Macotakara blog (which is roughly translated by Google):

Will new iPhone and iPad be started 4S produce at the 1st week in September, and October be Late Released?

Will iPhone 4S and new iPad be started produce at the 1st week in September, and be released late October?

DigiTmes has reported about new iPhone and iPad “are likely to make their debuts in September and to hit the market in October.”. I listened similar information which supports

According to sources, iPhone 4S which is based on iPhone 4(CDMA) and new iPad will be started produce since 1st week in September and will be shipped in late October.

The bit about the iPad 3 being released or announced next month feels somehow unlikely. The iPad 2 was just released in March earlier this year and sales are quite impressive. And for Apple to release a new iPad six months into the iPad 2's life cycle simply does not sound plausible. Besides there have been some reports that the A6 chip which will be used for the next iPad will not be ready until sometime the first half of 2012. Or perhaps we could be looking at an upgraded version of the iPad 2 next month?

As stated before, we have received reports that Apple will be releasing a cheaper iPhone this year so somehow the bit about the iPhone 4S is more likely to happen. Although Macotakara specifically mentioned that it will be CDMA based which is kind of odd. If the Cupertino company is indeed planning to release a cheaper iPhone it should definitely come both in CDMA and GSM version in order to ensure maximum profit. As for the iPhone 5, this report at least strengthens the September release date.

The Japanese blog Macotakara has offered some reliable and quality information in the past regarding Apple's products. So for us, as it stands, there will be no iPad 3 next month. An iPad HD or iPad 2 Plus makes more sense but still somehow doubtful. iPhone 4S (or whatever the cheaper iPhone will be called) however is kind of plausible. iPhone 5? Well, definitely that's a yes.

Screenshot Customizer: Add Colors and Patterns to Your Screenshot Flash

Jailbreaking your iDevice gives you the ability to customize it beyond your wildest dreams. Not only are there themes and icon packages that can change the look and feel of iOS, there are also tweaks available.

And if you really have an appetite for customizing, this next utility might just make your day. Now you can personalize something I’m willing to bet you would have never thought of, your screenshots…
Screenshot Customizer is pretty self explanatory. The simple tweak installs into your iOS Settings app, and allows you to — you guessed it — customize your screenshots.

You can toggle the utility on and off, as well as the accompanying vibrate option. You can even change the color and add patterns to the flash that appears when a screenshot is taken. Watch Jeff demonstrate.
The developer warns that this is his first tweak, but after using it several times I can confirm it works fine. What a cool way to add an extra level of personalization to your iDevice. Screenshot Customizer is available in Cydia for free.

Have you tried Screenshot Customizer yet?