Griffin’s $50 Helo TC iPhone-Controlled Helicopter Now In-Stock!

Those of you paying attention will remember how just last week we told you about the Griffin Helo TC, a wonderful little helicopter that’s controlled by the power of your mind! Well, it actually needs an iPhone between your mind and the Helo TC, but still, that’s cool right?

Last week the helicopter was out of stock, but now it’s back in stock, and available for purchase at just $49.99. Bargaintastic…
The one downside to Griffin’s ‘copter? It’s IR-based, which means that it needs line-of-sight with the iPhone controller. The A.R. Drone works using WiFi, which obviously doesn’t have such a problem. The A.R. Drone is considerably more expensive, though, so for 50 Bucks, you really can’t go wrong.

Perhaps just as impressive as the Helo TC is Griffin’s promotional video, which both entertains and indeed, informs.

Apple Interested in TV Subscription Service

In a recent article about Tim Cook, The Wall Street Journal dropped an interesting tidbit about Apple’s future plans to invade our living rooms. The article questioned if Cook was aggressive enough to muscle Apple into the TV industry.

As most of you know, Apple is rumored to be working on a television set. And there has also been ongoing speculation that it is thinking of launching its own subscription-based content service, worthy of competing against NetFlix or cable.

The Journal’s article lends some more credibility to the latter theory by confirming Apple’s interest in a “subscription TV service…”
“Apple is working on new technology to deliver video to televisions, and has been discussing whether to try to launch a subscription TV service, according to people familiar with the matter.”

I know, the tip is damned by its “people familiar with the matter” source. But for the record, the WSJ has been fairly accurate in previous claims. They predicted the Verizon iPhone in February, and more recently confirmed the smartphone to be Sprint-bound.

Apple has been making some pretty interesting moves regarding its TV content lately. A few weeks ago it made purchased TV shows available for redownloading, and more recently it canceled the ability to rent them.

It’s important to note that CNET mentioned in an article on Apple’s rumored iTunes Replay service a few weeks ago that they haven’t heard anything about a “NetFlix-killer.” The site nailed the iTunes Match service months before it was announced at WWDC.

That being said, Apple easily has the money and the reach in the right industries to pull off a TV subscription service. They could push it out through iTunes, which has over 200 million active members. That’s not a bad starting audience.

The major question, is would you want an Apple TV service? In this day and age of high definition DVR’s and triple-play bundle packages, how many people are ready to cut-the-cable? For me it’s going to depend on price and content, obviously. What about you?

Purported Backplate of Next-Generation iPhone Surfaces

Earlier today, we saw photos of components that may or may not pertain to one of Apple’s upcoming smartphones. The frame resembled that of an iPhone 4, but with a modified antenna.

Now another purported next-gen iPhone part has surfaced — the backplate. And like the aforementioned frame, it looks extremely similar to its predecessor. So how do we know it’s a next-generation component? Because it says so…
MacPost originally published the photo, along with several others of what they claim are iPhone 5 parts. But the back casing in particular stands out because it has the markings of an Apple prototype.

The cover is labeled EVT and is dated June 7, 2011. EVT stands for Engineering Verification Test, which is followed by the Design Verification Test. The date makes sense in the device’s timeline we saw leading up to production.

Perhaps the biggest clue on the case is the N94 marking. A few months ago, 9to5Mac uncovered two new Apple devices codenamed N93 and N94 buried deep within iOS 5. The iPhone 4′s (GSM) internal codename is the N90.

Add this new back casing to previous evidence, like the T-Mobile-branded N94 device BGR exposed earlier this year, and things start coming together. Sort of.

Whether Apple releases one smartphone this Fall, or two distinctly different handsets, you can bet we’ll see the iPhone 4′s design reincarnated. The second scenario is obviously more exciting, as it leaves the door open for a major refresh.

But maybe Apple doesn’t need that this year. Maybe Apple’s big play this year is to expand carrier partners, which would have more of an impact on sales than a major redesign.

What do you think we’ll see this Fall?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Choose iPad Over Playbook (Not the Blackberry Kind)

iPads find their way into all kinds of places, and they’re going to be an integral part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ kit when the season begins. The team and its staff got sick of carrying around the old fashioned Yellow Pages-like playbooks of yesteryear. What could they replace them with? Well, iPad 2s of course!

Now, the 90-strong team will each receive an iPad 2 for referencing plays and NFL video archives…
Not only will the team be able to dump that boring old paper playbook, but they have also discovered that the iPad 2 has an ace up its sleeve in the form of video.

The iPads will be used to show video of plays, video of training sessions, and probably even videos of their huge checks hitting their bank accounts if they get their own way!

Unfortunately, no one at the Buccaneers thought that BlackBerry’s ‘PlayBook’ would be the perfect fit for the job, which perhaps once again proves that RIM’s choice of name was a monumentally bad one!

Steve Jobs Biography to Include Details of Resignation

The highly anticipated official Steve Jobs biography will get an update to include the former CEO’s resignation and new job title, according to a PCMag report.

Publisher Simon & Schuster told the site that the book, titled Steve Jobs: a Biography, will reflect the events of yesterday when it finally goes on sale November 21st…
The book’s author Walter Isaacson spent three years working closely with Jobs and those around him, and the book promises a never before seen insight into the mind of Apple’s co-founder and former CEO.

The biography goes on sale November 21st for $20.40 on Kindle, or $32.50 in the dead tree edition. And remember folks, this is the real deal, none of that fake stuff!

We’ve already ordered our copies, have you?

Comex, Father of JailbreakMe, Has Been Hired by Apple

It was only a matter of time. 19-year-old Nicholas Allegra, better known as infamous iOS hacker Comex, has announced that he has accepted a job with Apple in Cupertino.

Comex has been responsible for many famous jailbreaks, most notably his web based tool called JailbreakMe. He is a well respected member of the jailbreak community, and we wish him the best with his future endeavors at Apple.
Comex announced the news on his Twitter account moments ago, and he seems to be receiving mostly positive responses from his followers. Other famous jailbreak developers, like MuscleNerd, have congratulated him on his new job.
Apple has been known to hire talent from the jailbreak community, with the Cupertino company most recently hiring developer Peter Hajas — as we uncovered first — for his work on a system of notifications for iOS called MobileNotifier. Peter is assumedly now working on improving iOS notifications in Cupertino.

It’s a bittersweet thing for the jailbreak community to lose Comex. In one way, we’re happy that he’s been given such a wonderful opportunity to showcase his talents and further his career. On the other, we’re sad to see such an invaluable jailbreak hacker go.

We don’t know what Comex will be specifically working on at Apple, but we can only assume that he will be assigned to fixing security holes in iOS. It’s funny to think that he will help patch the vulnerabilities he exploited. Everything comes around, I guess.

We congratulate you on your success, Comex. Best of luck at Apple!

Sprint to Start Offering the iPhone 5 by Mid-October

Unless you've been living under a rock, you should know that Apple is close to unveiling their next trendsetting smartphone, the iPhone 5. And as we approach the expected date of the iPhone 5 reveal, we can also expect that more news will be coming in with regards to the much awaited device. If anyone can recall, there have been several reports that Apple has been planning to add another telecommunications company that will carry the iPhone in addition to AT&T and Verizon. And one such carrier that is long rumored to partner with Apple is Sprint Nextel.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Sprint Nextel Corp. will start selling Apple's iPhone, once the next generation version hits the market in mid-October. The information source is said to be someone who's allegedly familiar with the situation. This particular partnership should be instrumental not only in filling the hole that's present with Sprint's U.S. carrier lineup but it should also allow Apple to open yet another income stream.

Sprint Nextel had about 52 million subscribers by the end of the second quarter, significantly trailing behind Verizon with 106 million and AT&T with 99 million subscribers. Sprint blames the "competitive headwinds" of its major competitors for such a huge gap in subscribers. As you all know, both Verizon and AT&T have been offering the iPhone for the entirety of the year's first half.

So landing this partnership with Apple is indeed a successful move for Sprint. Just the mere revelation of the deal resulted for the company's stocks to increase. The addition of the iPhone to Sprint's lineup will most definitely help in retaining many of its subscribers who have plans for upgrading. To say that Sprint needs the iPhone would be a huge understatement.
And of course, this particular partnership is not only beneficial for Sprint but for Apple as well. As you all know, the iPhone being available only in two carriers (albeit the top two largest) is still considered to be a significant limitation with regards to reaching a larger portion of the market. Now with Sprint, the third largest U.S. carrier being on board, the iPhone market should now be accessible to more subscribers.

Lately, Apple seems to be taking measures in order to shake the iPhone's reputation as a luxury item. We have of course been hearing about reports that Apple is planning to release a low-end iPhone that will be marketed towards developing markets. And now that the iPhone will be made available to one more carrier, those who have been holding out to buy an iPhone will certainly be given something to think about.

It's a win-win situation for both parties. Sprint will be able to capitalize on the hype surrounding the iPhone 5 which could only yield impressive sales. On the other hand with Sprint joining in, Apple opens yet another sales channel which will most definitely drive more sales for the iPhone 5.

This report however indicates that Sprint will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, which also applies to Verizon and AT&T as well. So we could be looking at a mid-October iPhone 5 release as opposed to largely expected September release date. [via TheWSJ]

The Coolest Cat: Dev Team Bids Steve Fairwell

Steve Jobs only sent his resignation letter out a few hours ago, but the tech world is already feeling the effects of his exit. Tech pundits, bloggers, and Apple fans have taken to the internet to share their thoughts on the CEO.

Even though it sounds like Steve will still be very involved in major decisions at the company, he will be missed, as evidenced by the several trending Twitter topics regarding his announcement. Even the Dev Team has turned out to pay their respects…
From the first iPhone update (firmware 1.1.1), Apple’s fearless leader and the jailbreak community have been at odds. It was the first firmware update for the iPhone and iPod touch, and it disabled the first jailbreak. Since then, we’ve all watched a game of cat and mouse between basement hackers and Cupertino’s finest.

And even though the back-and-fourth game will likely continue, it just won’t be the same without Steve Jobs. Fittingly, The Dev Team posted the above image accompanied by these words:

“The coolest cat. We loved the chase! Good luck, Steve. Signed, Jailbreakers and tinkerers everywhere.”

The feeling is certainly mutual throughout the entire community. Thanks for everything Steve, and good luck.

HELO TC: Get Your Own iPhone Controlled Helicopter for Only $50, Pre-Order Now!

If you have been an iOS device owner for quite some time, then you are probably aware of most of the cool things that you can do with it. Even the most hardcore hobbyist find themselves engaged with iOS devices because of its various functionalities that complements their hobby. Did you know that you can actually use your iPhone as a remote in order to control RC vehicles? With the App Store's expansive app selection and the innovation of 3rd party developers, RC vehicle enthusiasts are given another way to enjoy their hobby. Today we will introduce to you a new iOS powered RC helicopter.
Controlling a remote controlled toy with the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch isn't exactly a new technology. Last year an RC helicopter was made available called Parrot AR.Drone quadricopter. It is a remote controlled toy housing some seriously advanced technology and is being controlled using an iOS device. The Parrot AR.Drone is a seriously cool toy that would make any RC geek drool in envy. Unfortunately there is one caveat, such advanced technology doesn't come cheap. The Parrot AR.Drone comes with a $300 price tag which is enough to shun away everyone except hardcore enthusiasts.
Fortunately, famed accessory maker Griffin came into a realization that toys like the Parrot AR.Drone ranks high in the coolness scale. But of course, they are also aware of the major barrier that keeps gadgets like AR.Drone from attracting more customers, the price. So they made a similar product that that falls into the category of being affordable. And the result is the HELO TC which costs $50. First check out this fun advert for the HELO TC.
Compared to the AR.Drone, Griffin obviously have taken several cost-cutting measures in order to bring down the price of HELO TC to $50. As expected, the technology behind the HELO TC won't be as advanced as the one found in the AR.Drone. Instead of utilizing WiFi to fly the toy, the HELO TC comes with a case-like transmitter that clips into your device through the headphone jack. Using a companion app, the transmitter then sends tone from the headphone jack to the IR transmitter which then talks to the chopper.
There are two ways to control the chopper. First, you can use a virtual joystick on your iPhone's multi-touch display to maneuver the toy. Second method is through motion where you can tilt your device accordingly in order to control the chopper. The mandatory app that comes with HELO TC can be used to record and store flight plans which you and your friends can replay anytime.

The HELO TC Touch-Controlled Helicopter is a really cool gadget that has the potential to be fun. Granted that it won't work as well as the expensive AR.Drone in terms of maneuverability but at least you get to enjoy some fun flight action for a mere fraction of the price. If you have $50 to spare, the HELO TC should be a good buy. The product is currently displayed as Out of Stock but if you're sold on this gadget, you can head over to Griffin's website and place your pre-order. No exact release date were given but it was mentioned by a PR person that it will start shipping this holiday season.

Retro Favorite Theme Park to Get iOS Remake

We can’t be the only ones who spent an inordinate amount of time playing games like Theme Park and Sim City when we were kids. There was a real thrill to building your own city or amusement park, and in the case of Sim City, destroying it with a selection of disasters, ranging from floods to alien invasion.

Sim City has already made its iOS debut, thanks to Electronic Arts, and Theme Park will soon join the ranks of other PC titles that have been ported to iOS…
Originally released on the PC way back in 1994, Theme Park became a cult classic, and the iOS game will be based on that classic, while receiving a completely new 3D makeover, according to Digital Spy.

Not many details have been release by EA yet, but one thing has been shared: Not only will in-game currency be available for building new rides and the such, but real money will be used too, with in-game purchases helping to pay Theme Park’s way. The game itself will be free to download.

Theme Park will hit the App Store as a universal app later this year, and will feature EA’s cloud service for sharing saved games across devices.

iPad 3 Enters Trial Production in Q4 2011, Slated for Early 2012 Release

In case you haven't been paying attention, the market for tablet computers have been growing at a rapid rate and the competition is tougher than ever. But of course, you can't talk about tablet computers without mentioning Apple's offering, the iPad. A device that certainly leads the competition of tablet computers. And as expected, the Cupertino company looks to stay ahead of the competition by already making its move for the iPad 3. According to a report, Apple is already gearing up with its suppliers and assemblers in Asia for the trial production of the next generation, high-resolution iPad which is planned for release early 2012.
This report comes from The Wall Street Journal who claims that they have been talking with people who are "familiar with the situation". The Cupertino company is said to have already began ordering key components for the next-gen iPad such as display panels and processor chips. The iPad 3 is largely expected to feature a high-res display of 2048 by 1536 which is twice the resolution of the previous generations which is 1024 by 768. Apple is said to have already received small shipments of processor chips and the 9.7-inch, high-resolution displays samples. This is allegedly for the trial production of 1.5 million iPad 3s which will be kickstarted this coming October.

This particular report again points out to the possibility of the next iPad to debut with 2048 x 1536 resolution which is a fairly reasonable thing to expect. As early as February, there have been talks of the iPad 3 having a 9.7 inch IPS panel with FFS (fringe-field switching) technology which would yield benefits such as clear visual quality and wider viewing angle. If anyone can recall, Apple had plans to incorporate iPad Retina Display for the iPad 2 but wasn't able to do so due to constraints in manufacturing yield rates.
One can imagine that incorporating such high quality display without affecting other factors such as the screen size, form factor and battery life can be very difficult and expensive. Just a few days ago, we have brought to you a report that Apple has already canceled their supply schedule for the iPad 3 which is supposed to be slated this year. This is due to the shortage of Retina Display panels and that if the company insists on releasing the next iPad this year, it won't be able reach a satisfactory manufacturing yield rate.

This report is yet another strong evidence that the iPad 3 won't be making it this year and instead on early 2012 which is in line with the iPad release cycle (the iPad 2 was released in March this year). Aside from the rumored high resolution display, the iPad 3 will also be powered a new A6 mobile processor chip (allegedly also the iPhone 6). With a higher resolution Retina Display and a more powerful new processor chip, Apple looks to secure the position of the iPad 3 as the tablet computer to beat. [Source: TheWSJ via AppleInsider]

Sprint Will be Getting the iPhone 5

As of right now, the iPhone is only available on two major wireless carriers here in the United States. AT&T, which was originally the sole carrier of the iPhone, and now Verizon both offer the device.

Rumors have been circulating over the past several months suggesting that Apple will finally extend the iPhone to both T-Mobile and Sprint this Fall, but so far there has been no official announcement.

Now, The Wall Street Journal has decided to chime in on the matter, and is reporting that a Sprint-branded iPhone is a lock for this October…
WSJ editor Dennis Berman sounded the alarm from his Twitter account a few minutes ago. Apparently, the publication has concrete evidence that Sprint will be carrying a smartphone from Apple this Fall.

“Sprint Nextel Corp. will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, people familiar with the matter said, closing a huge hole in the No. 3 U.S. carrier’s lineup and giving Apple Inc. another channel for selling its popular phone.”

According to the report, the device won’t be available to Sprint customers until mid-October. And since the iPhone 5 has been slated to launch October 7th, it sounds like Sprint might be late to the party. But better late than never I always say.

The news isn’t that surprising, given the recent reports floating around that the iPhone 5 will support both GSM and CDMA networks. Why wouldn’t Apple want a shot at Sprint’s 50 million+ subscribers?

With Sprint getting Apple’s smartphone this Fall, you have to assume T-Mobile won’t be far behind. And with the addition of two major carrier partners in the U.S., expect Apple to do big things this holiday season.

Are you currently a Sprint customer? Would you switch to Sprint if it got the iPhone 5?

Study Shows Apple Users More Likely to Use Mobile Payments

A new study suggests that iPhone owners are the most likely to be open to the idea of mobile payment systems, according to GigaOM.

The study, conducted by UK firm YouGov, reported that 46% of UK iPhone owners would be willing to pay bills using their handsets, while 62% would happily transfer funds. 69% would check their balances, with 45% keen on using their iPhone to pay other people…
The report found that, surprisingly, just 31% of owners would be willing to use NFC technology to purchase items, perhaps due to uncertainty about how the technology actually works. Many are, mistakenly, under the impression that unscrupulous people can steal information via NFC just by walking past a device.

Blackberry and Android owners also show signs of being willing to make the move to mobile payments, though as TUAW notes, their numbers are lower than those of the iPhone owners.

Both NFC and other mobile payment technologies are eventually going to come along to all devices, and we may not have a choice some time in the future. Users will clearly need educating about the security aspects of upcoming payment options, but anything that cuts down the amount of plastic in my wallet has to be a good thing!

Lenovo CEO Isn’t Afraid of Apple, Plans to Dominate Tablet Market

There was no shortage of media coverage last week as Apple officially passed Lenovo in revenue by hitting $3.8 billion on their home turf of greater China (thanks largely in part to the iPhone and iPad).

However, according to a report from FinancialTimes, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanquing doesn’t want to believe the numbers claiming the comparison is unfair. His reasoning? Basically, Lenovo’s phone business doesn’t make as much money as Apple’s…
“Lenovo’s main focus is in PCs; our phone business isn’t that strong even in China,” Yuanquing continued, “If you compare the PC business we still have a lead far ahead of any of our competitors.”

So he isn’t exactly denying the numbers, but rather saying the calculations aren’t fair because Apple continues to dominate the smartphone market. How’s that for a reason?

What about tablets? Apple of course has Lenovo beat when it comes to tablet sales as well, although Yang does have plans for Lenovo to “be one of the strongest of the players” in that market too. Specifically, it appears they plan to target the bottom-tier, low-priced tablet market where apparently Apple’s $500 iPad can’t compete.

Yang explains:

“Apple only covers the top tier,” he says. “With a $500 price you cannot go to the small cities, townships, low salary class, low income class. I don’t want to say we want to significantly lower the price, rather our strategy is to provide more categories, to cover different market segments.”

Has Lenovo learned nothing from HP’s TouchPad? With other companies already having a tough time providing a viable alternative to the iPad at a competitive price point, that rumored second-gen Lenovo LePad tablet better have some pretty decent specs to even stand a chance against any generation of iPad in the US. While Yang may have a point about lower class markets, perhaps someone should tell him about those refurbished iPads going for $399…

What do you think of Yang’s take on Apple’s market lead being fueled by mobile products? Does it make a difference?

There has been much controversy over whether or not tablets (especially iPad) should be included in industry stats related to PCs, specifically laptops and notebooks.

Is it fair to compare tablets to PCs when discussing market share?

FunnyCaller: Customize Caller ID for Incoming Calls

If you’ve had an iPhone (or any smartphone) over the last few years, chances are you’ve seen Caller ID spoofing. Basically, it’s an app that will change your outbound Caller ID information when making a phone call.

But most of the apps for the iPhone are sketchy, and usually require money after the first few calls. Luckily, infamous jailbreak developer moeseth has created a similar tweak to help feed your inner prankster…
The major difference between this jailbreak tweak and other utilities like iSpoof, is that FunnyCaller only lets you customize the caller ID for incoming calls — not outbound. So, essentially, your victims have to be in the room to catch the joke.

FunnyCaller is just a simple tweak that allows you to customize the name of incoming callers. Once installed, simply pop into your Settings app and change the name to whatever you’d like. “Excuse me, I have to take this. It’s Mr. Jobs.”

The utility is another TweakWeek submission, meaning it was put together in under 24 hours. Obviously it lacks the features found on other spoofing apps, but it also lacks the price. FunnyCaller is available in Cydia for free.

What do you think of FunnyCaller? Useful for a good prank?

Alphacon Jailbreak Tweak Makes Your App Icon Labels Disappear

Have you ever wondered what your iDevice’s springboard would look like if your icons didn’t have any labels? Think of how much less cluttered your home screen would feel without all of that text.

There are already packages in Cydia that could help you go label-free, but there’s a new kid on the block. Alphacon allows you to change the transparency level of your icon labels, or make them disappear all together…
The nice thing about this utility is that it’s free-standing, meaning it doesn’t require Winterboard. It also doesn’t add any extra icons to your homescreen, and can be tweaked from within the stock Settings app.
Once downloaded, you’ll have to pop into your Settings app to enable Alphacon. From there you can select the alpha (transparency) level of your icon labels, or you can just flat out hide them.

The customization extends far beyond the homescreen. You can customize transparency levels of app icon labels in your folders, dock, and even your multitasking bar.

I have to say I’m really diggin’ the clean, no-label look I have going on. I might just keep Alphacons around for awhile. If you’re thinking you might want to go label-free, Alphacon is available for free in Cydia.

Have you tried it yet?

Bell and Virgin Mobile Drop iPhone 4 to $99

As we’ve known for several months now, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 5 this Fall. More recently, we’ve heard rumors of a late September pre-order opening, which places the announcement earlier in the month.

With a new iPhone set to be unveiled in a matter of weeks, expect its predecessor to receive some major discounting. Originally offered for $199, we’ve seen the 16GB iPhone 4 go for as low as $147.

Now we are hearing that multiple Canadian carriers are offering the device for just $99…
iPhoneinCanada is reporting that Virgin Mobile, along with Bell and Telus, have dropped the price of the iPhone 4 to under $100 bucks. This marks the lowest price we’ve seen to date.

It appears that only the 16GB model has received the price drop, as the 32G is still selling for $269. And you better make sure you won’t want to upgrade anytime soon, since the $99 price tag locks you into a 3 year contract.

I’m wondering how long it will be before other carriers follow suit. Even with an impending iPhone 5 announcement, the iPhone 4 at $100 dollars is a slick deal. Especially compared to other handsets that carriers are hocking for that price.

Would you buy an iPhone 4 on contract for $100?

PowerLock: Access System Toggles From Your Lockscreen

We’ve seen a flurry of lockscreen tweaks over the past few weeks. There was StyleUnlock, which adds multitouch gestures to your lockscreen. And then there was FlashCam, which adds quick access to your camera.

Next up on the chopping block is a package called PowerLock. This jailbreak utility adds system toggles to your lockscreen, allowing you to do things like respring and restart your device without unlocking…
PowerLock embeds 5 icons into your iDevice’s lockscreen. The buttons enable you to unlock, turn off, respring and reboot your iDevice, or kick it into Safe Mode.

The default UI isn’t too shabby, so it doesn’t clash with anything on my lockscreen. It’s even theme-able, so if the stock look doesn’t work for you, you can make or find something that fits.

PowerLock’s major downfall, however, is that it only supports low-level system settings. So that means no bluetooth or Wi-Fi access, which seriously cripples it against competing utilities.

I’m a SBSettings user, which also works on the lockscreen, so chances are I won’t be switching. But the tweak does work as advertised. If you want to check it out for yourself, PowerLock is available in Cydia for $0.99.

Have you tried PowerLock yet? What do you think?