Friday13: Customize Your Calendar App Icon

It has nothing to do with the movie.

Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you about Friday13, a recently released jailbreak tweak for the iPhone.

Friday13 is a way to alter the iCal icon on your iPhone’s Home screen, nothing more, nothing less. You’ll find various color combinations, custom date listings, etc.

If you’re growing weary of that boring old red and white iCal icon on your Home screen, then the following video walkthrough is catered towards you.
My main issue with Friday13 is that it requires a respring to see your changes. There’s really no way to preview your changes, so it can be time consuming to find just the right combination that works for you.

The good news is, there is a respring button conveniently located at the bottom of Friday13′s settings panel, so for those of you who don’t have SBSettings, or another easy way to respring, this is good workaround.

Are your interested in configuring your iCal icon? If so, and you’re jailbroken, head over to Cydia’s BigBoss repo and download Friday13 for free.

Sky News for iPad – Another News App Hides Behind the Paywall

BSkyB’s Sky News iPad app has been so well received by both users and industry pundits alike that the company has now taken the decision to put the app’s content behind a paywall, removing the free content that has been available since the app’s release.

The move had been planned, according to Pocket-Lint, and now the app’s 500,000 users will have to pay £4.99 a month to continue using the app, unless they happen to be a Sky Television subscriber, in which case the app will continue to be free…
In a blog post yesterday, the head of digital media at Sky News, Andrew Hawken, justified the decision to put the iPad app behind a paywall, saying that his team has “created a truly premium product.”

“Our dedicated team of iPad journalists at Sky News are quite rightly proud of what they’ve achieved so far with the app. I believe we’ve created a truly premium product that consumers genuinely value, and this week we are making some changes to how users can access it. For the 10.2 million Sky TV subscribers, it will continue to be available free of charge driving even more value into a Sky subscription. All Sky subscribers need to do differently is enter their unique Sky ID the first time they visit the app.”

I wouldn’t really want to try and argue with that. Anyone who has used the app will have to admit that it has taken news to a whole new, interactive level. The team behind the app have somehow managed to take an often mundane subject and turn it into a beautiful, video-laden resource that is a pleasure to use.

If I weren’t a Sky TV subscriber that’s continuing to get the app for free, would I pay £4.99 for it if I had to? Probably, yes. Many may not like Sky News as a source of reporting, but it serves a purpose, and that app is just so well done, I’d pay to play with that regardless of the content!

What about you? Are you going to stump up the cash, or are you going to look elsewhere for your news?

GameLoft and EA Labor Day Sale: Lots of iPhone and iPad Games for Dirt Cheap

Like they do for every major holiday, the folks at GameLoft and EA are having a massive sale on a selection of iPhone and iPad games selling for $0.99-$1.99 each in the App Store.

It’s a great deal that you can’t miss, especially if you’re on a tight budget, or even if you’re just a deal hunter. Check out the list of games on sale below…
GameLoft games on sale at $0.99:
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®: Shadow Vanguard – iPhone / iPad
Shadow Guardian – iPhone / iPad
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within – iPhone / iPad
Zombie Infection – iPhone / iPad
James Cameron’s Avatar – iPhone / iPad
Rogue Planet – iPhone
Action Pack – iPhone
Sports Pack – iPhone

EA games for iPhone on sale at $0.99:
BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY™ 2
Dead Space™
Dragon’s Lair II
FIFA 10 by EA SPORTS™
FIFA 11 by EA SPORTS™
Fight Night Champion by EA SPORTS™
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
NCAA® Football by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
SHIFT 2 Unleashed
Need for Speed™ Undercover
Real Racing
RISK
SCRABBLE
The Sims 3
The Sims 3 Ambitions
The Sims 3 World Adventures
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 12
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

EA games for iPad on sale at $1.99:
BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY™ 2
BATTLESHIP
COMMAND & CONQUER™ RED ALERT™
Clue: Secrets & Spies
Coconut Dodge
Dead Space™
Draw Jump
FIFA 11 by EA SPORTS™
Flight Control
THE GAME OF LIFE™
Max and the Magic Marker
Mirror’s Edge™
MONOPOLY
MONOPOLY HERE & NOW: World Edition
NBA JAM by EA SPORTS™
Need for Speed™ Hot Pursuit
SHIFT 2 Unleashed
PICTUREKA!
Real Racing
Reckless Racing
RISK™
SCRABBLE
SimCity™ Deluxe
SNOOD
TETRIS®
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR™ 12
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
Ultimate Mortal Kombat™ 3
YAHTZEE™

Which ones are you going to buy?

Foxconn Expected to Manufacture 20 Million iPad 2s in 3rd Quarter

Foxconn, the manufacturer of all Apple products, is expected to manufacture 20 million iPad 2s in Q3.

This report, which originally surfaced from DigiTimes, comes after Foxconn released their financial earnings for the first half of the year. Their earnings were a whopping NT$27.38 billion, or about $945.93 million in US dollars…
The iPad 2 is currently a hot item, and the upcoming holiday shopping season should give sales a boost. Apple is making a lof of money from iPad sales alone. If this all plays out correctly, Apple could be making $9 Billion dollars in one quarter alone.

What do you think? Pretty crazy sales, huh?

Help Make this Cool iOS Jailbreak Game

It’s a rare occasion that we stumble across a good game in Cydia, so it caught our eye when iEnthusiast mentioned that developer “ntrfc0″ is working on a Zelda-themed iOS game for jailbreakers.

He has good ideas for the game, but he needs help from the community…
“I intend for the game to have a jailbreaking backstory. Instead of trying to save a princess the main character will be on a quest to free (jailbreak) his phone.

Now here’s where you come in. I need to contract a few people to help with things such as artwork & sound effects but I don’t have any spare funds available to do so. I’m looking for a few trustworthy people that would be willing to donate a few $$’s to the cause and help get this game created.”

So, if you help, what’s in it for you? Ntfc0 says that contributors will be listed as ‘producers’ in the game’s “About” section. He’s taking donations towards the project, and the two people that donate the most will get characters named after them.

Depending on how well the game does in Cydia, the developer will try to compensate those that contribute money to the game’s development. Also, if the game does really well, extra compensation will be given to contributors.

This is a perfect project for the iDownloadBlog community to jump on board with and make happen. We’re sure that the developer could use all kinds of help — iOS developer experience is probably a plus.

Contact the developer to donate and ask questions: ntrfc0@me.com. You can also contact him on Twitter: @ntrfc0.

Let’s help make the best jailbreak game in existence!

Good Mockup of Alleged iPhone 5 Design Compared with iPhone 4

Remember that alleged next gen iPhone 5 icon we showed you in the Photo Stream beta yesterday? It was an interesting find because it was designed by Apple internally, and it looked to be a slightly redesigned iPhone with features that match rumors we’ve been hearing about the iPhone 5.

9to5Mac has put together a comparison of the blown up iPhone ’5′ icon and the iPhone 4. You’ll notice a slightly smaller screen and a redesigned home button…
While it is worth noting that this render is just a blown up imagining of the small icon that was spotted yesterday, it does say some interesting things about what the iPhone 5 will potentially look like. (Apple doesn’t put icons like this one into its products for no reason. If so, this would be one very, very sloppy move.)

First off, rumors have been saying that the next flagship iPhone will feature an edge-to-edge screen, redesigned home button (with possibile multitouch gestures), a tapered back, and a 3.7 inch screen. 9to5′s render fits the bill.

If the iPhone 5 ends up being a bigger device, it could potentially stack up like this.
You have to love the iPhone 5 fever.

Suspects in Last Year’s iPhone 4 Prototype Scandal Plead Not Guilty

Two men charged with misdemeanor theft charges on the leaked iPhone 4 prototype scandal from last year have pled not guilty in court. If you recall, an iPhone 4 prototype was found in a bar in Redwood City, California and then sold to gadget blog Gizmodo for $5,000.

Gizmodo was cleared of charges last month, but two suspects that allegedly found the prototype are now being charged…
CNET reports:

“At an arraignment here this morning, lawyers for Brian Hogan, the man who allegedly found the prototype in a bar after it was left there by an Apple engineer, and Robert Sage Wallower, who is accused of that charge as well as possessing stolen property, entered their pleas before Superior Court Judge Jonathan Karesh.”

Oddly enough, CNET also reported the news yesterday that another iPhone prototype (supposedly the iPhone 5) was lost in another bar in the San Francisco area. This is not to be confused with the ongoing case of the leaked iPhone 4 prototype of last year, and we’re sure that Apple is doing everything it can to avoid another prototype leaking to the press. At this time, the ‘lost’ prototype reported yesterday has not been found.

In terms of this iPhone 4 case, Brian Hogan and Robert Wallower are pleading not guilty. Hogan has said that he found and sold the device, while Wallower is being accused of trying to sell the device to various tech sites. California law states that anyone who finds lost property and knows of the likely owner must return said property and not use it for personal gain. Hogan and Wallower’s court conference is set for October 11.

Did Apple Hire Jailbreak Hacker Comex Out of Embarrassment?

Apple recently hired prolific jailbreak hacker Nicholas Allegra, aka Comex. He is well known for his work on the web based jailbreak tool JailbreakMe. He was also the first person to publish a jailbreak for the iPad 2.

Comex’s hacking abilities have been compared to that of high-level cyber criminal that attacks government infrastructures. Being singlehandedly responsible for Apple releasing new versions of iOS to patch his exploits, many believed that Comex was hired by Apple to work on patching security vulnerabilities from the inside.

We’ve learned that Apple could have hired Comex for more than just his talent.
We’ve received word from an anonymous tipster inside Apple that Comex was mainly hired out of embarrassment. For years, the cat and mouse game between Apple and jailbreak hackers has raged on, with Apple releasing new iOS versions only to have the software exploited again by the brightest minds in the community.

Here’s what our tipster had to say:

“I hear we didn’t hire Comex for his skills, but to ensure that he won’t reveal embarrassing exploits anymore.”

If you think about it, this makes sense. Apple is a company built on a perfectionist mentality. Jailbreakers are a thorn in the side of Apple’s philosophy, and Apple has become more aggressive at patching uncovered exploits in recent months.

While it’s true that Apple has borrowed ideas and stolen talent from the jailbreak community for years, jailbreakers have continued to embarrass Apple with almost every iOS release. What’s most embarrassing to a company with billions of dollars in the bank and some of the most talented engineers in the world? How about a group of hobbyists, freelancing developers, and teenagers that hack iOS from their basements?

We find it very probable that Apple hired Comex for more than his abilities alone. What better way to slowly suffocate the jailbreak community than by taking away one of its most talented leaders?

What do you think? Has the jailbreak killer struck again?

Jailbreak iOS 5 Beta 7 With Latest Version of RedSn0w

Apple released iOS 5 Beta 7 to developers this afternoon, and the good news is that the latest beta can already be jailbroken with RedSn0w. Actually, the RedSn0w beta that was released for iOS 5 Beta 6 will also jailbreak Beta 7.
MuscleNerd dropped the news on Twitter:

“Today’s iOS5b7 can be JB with last night’s redsn0w b7,  but point it at b6 IPSW”

You can find RedSn0w Beta 7 in our downloads section. To jailbreak with RedSn0w, refer to our tutorial. Make sure you point RedSn0w to the Beta 6 IPSW to jailbreak iOS 5 Beta 7. The jailbreak is still tethered.

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments. And let us know what you find in iOS 5 Beta 7!

Sprint Raises Early Termination Fee to $350, iPhone Incoming?

Sprint has increased its early termination fee from $200 to $350, bringing it in line with both AT&T and Verizon. The new fee only applies to ‘advanced devices’ which, we assume, means smartphones and tablets.

According to an article on CNET, the fee will be prorated for now, depending on how long you have left on your current contract, which kind of makes sense. And that’s the reason we’re surprised Sprint is making this move…
This leaves T-Mobile as the only carrier sticking with its $200 ETF, though that will presumably change when, or should that be “if“ the AT&T merger goes through.

Speculation as to the reason for the change is widespread, with a logical assumption being that Sprint is getting ready to launch a major new device on its network – a device which could see many current customers wishing to upgrade. Could that device be an iPhone, with an announcement perhaps in October?

Sprint does already have plenty of hot Android devices up its sleeve, with the Samsung Epic Touch 4G being the hottest of the bunch. Having just been announced yesterday, Sprint will be hoping the Epic Touch 4G will be a hit. And if the carrier isn’t going to get the next iPhone, they’ll be relying on the next wave of Android handsets to hold their own.

Sprint’s new early termination fee comes into effect on September 9th, so if you’re wanting out of your current contract, now might be the time to do it!

iPad 3 Production To Start in October, Samsung Ousted as Component Supplier?

When it comes to hardware news, it is not only the iPhone 5 who has been grabbing the headlines lately because its tablet sibling, the iPad is getting quite a bit of coverage as well. Just last week we have covered a report that Apple has already started the production of the iPad 3 and is about to enter trial phase by the last quarter of this year. Now according to a report, Apple's suppliers will start assembling the iPad 3 except Samsung.
As you may already have known, major hardware companies such as Apple do not make and assemble their own products. Instead they outsource the manufacturing and assembly process to their partners who are usually based in Asia. This is presumably to cut down on manufacturing cost and to enable them to focus on other aspects like research and development. As of this moment, the companies that are in-charge of building the displays for the iPad are Samsung and LG Display. Now according to the report, LG Display will continue to supply the display for the iPad while Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd will take care of assembly. Take note that the South Korean company Samsung seems to be out of the picture.

Samsung is also currently the supplier of the A4 and A5 processor chips which are used to power the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 respectively. There have been previous reports as well that Apple might be axing the South Korea-based with regards to their involvement as a prospective supplier of the A6 chip which is rumored to power the iPad 3. Apple has allegedly contracted other suppliers who will be providing the said chip. Now this is either just a measure of the Cupertino company to have secondary suppliers to prevent production mishaps or it could a step to phase out the involvement of Samsung with the company altogether.
If this report is any indication, it is highly likely that Samsung won't be involved in the manufacturing process of the iPad 3. As of now, Apple can't just oust Samsung because of the latter's intellectual properties being the main supplier of the A4 and A5 chips. So why take Samsung out of the picture? Well, Apple and Samsung isn't exactly at the best of terms lately. For the past months, both companies are currently under legal battle against each other over Samsung's alleged infringement of Apple's intellectual properties with the former's Galaxy Tab which is in direct competition with the iPad. So it is understandable for Apple not to do business with its main competitor.

The iPad 3 is said to enter trial production by October which means that it will be produced in limited quantities for the purpose of testing. The next Apple tablet is expected to launch next year which falls in-line with the same release cycle as the previous iPad. The iPad 3 is rumored to be powered by the new A6 chip and will be supporting a higher resolution screen. [via AppAdvice]

iTunes Match Beta Goes Live for Developers

Apple just sent out an email to developers signifying that iTunes Match is now available to developers.

As you know, iTunes Match is the matching service that allows you to stream the tunes that you already own without uploading all of your music. The service works by “matching” the music contained on your local computer with what’s already available in the Cloud via iTunes.

For those more obscure songs that iTunes doesn’t already have, you can still upload your music for streaming. As usual, we have a video of iTunes Match in action, so be sure to check inside to see how it works!
Keep in mind that this is beta software, so obviously some things are bound to change and bugs will have to be worked out before the final release hits the public. I think it’s a good indication of what we can expect come launch day, though.

Overall, I was fairly impressed with what I saw. It’s a painless process that works pretty much as advertised.

I think that if Apple can educate customers properly, loads of people wouldn’t think twice at shelling out $24.99 for a year’s worth of matching service; it’s going to be a very convenient thing to have.

The whole point of iTunes Match is to make it so you can access your music from anywhere, without the lengthy upload process required by competing services like Google Music and Amazon Cloud Player.

Here is the verbiage from the email that Apple just sent out to developers:

iTunes Match stores your complete music library in iCloud, allowing you to enjoy your collection anywhere, anytime, on any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or computer.
iTunes Match beta is currently available to developers in the United States. Beta subscribers will receive iTunes Match service during the beta period plus an additional 3 months for free with their 12 month paid subscription.

To get started with iTunes Match, download the current version of iOS 5 beta and iTunes 10.5 beta 6.1 with iTunes Match. Once installed, choose Turn On iTunes Match from the Store menu, and click “Subscribe for $24.99.”

Please note that you must maintain a local backup of your iTunes library as well as any music you add to iCloud. Apple will periodically reset your iCloud library during the beta and it is critical that you backup your music regularly. Some features and optimizations of iTunes Match will not be available during the beta.

Again, iTunes Match is only available for developers thus far. Personally, this is one of my most anticipated iOS 5 features, what about you?

Why You Should Never Buy an iPad in a Parking Lot

The fact that Apple products are highly sought after and typically more expensive than similar electronics make them the perfect tool for scam artists. An Apple gadget offered at a significant discount is enough to make anyone oblivious to scandal.

That certainly seems to be the basis of an epidemic that has Grand Prairie police officers scratching their heads. The North-Texas city has seen over a dozen instances of a recurring scam involving fake Apple products…
MacRumors passes on the police report:

“A car load of two or three males will pull up to someone at a convenience store or shopping center parking lot and it’s “Psst, hey buddy. Want to buy an Apple iPad or MacBook? They will tell the victim they are for sale for $300 each or both for $500. The Apple products are actually painted wood or loose leaf note books with the Apple logo on top and wrapped in bubble wrap. They are in a Fed Ex or Best Buy box and sealed up with tape. By the time the victim figures out the purchase wasn’t what they bargained for, the crooks are long gone.

Grand Prairie has had over a dozen such crimes committed since January of this year. The suspects have been mostly black males. However one offense involved a black female as well. The vehicles used vary in most cases. There appears to be several groups of thieves and sometimes the suspects never even get out of the car.

The public should be advised that it is unwise to purchase anything from the trunk of a car, no matter how good the deal seems.”

The scandal reminds me of the old “white van” grift, which involves a similar tactic of selling “high-end” speakers at a ridiculous discount. The scam has been around for years, and has been documented in countless cities around the globe.

As MacRumors has done, we will mention that the Chrysler 300 in the above photo was allegedly used in one of the crimes. And if you happen to live in the area and have information about the suspects, you can call Crime Stoppers at 972-237-8877.

While most of us believe our common sense would stop us long before we bought something from a person in a parking lot, the scam is obviously working. What would you do if someone offered you a new iPad or MacBook for $300 bucks?

DashBoard for Maps Brings Heads-up Display to the Maps App

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen an increase in interest from jailbreak developers regarding the iOS Maps application. We’ve seen Speed for Maps, which adds a speedometer to the Maps app, and a Compass tweak that does the same thing.

Now there’s is a utility available that will not only tell you how fast you are going and where you’re headed, but also display your elevation. It’s called DashBoard for Maps, and it just went live in Cydia…
If you happen to be a hiker, or you just find yourself using the stock iOS Maps app a lot, you’re going to love DashBoard for Maps. The tweak overlays a heads-up display on top of the application with three very handy tools.

It includes a compass, a speedometer and a gauge that displays your current elevation. I have to say that the graphics look pretty sharp, but the gauges themselves are fairly large. Even at the bottom, they kind of get in the way.

The utility had issues judging my speed correctly, but the compass was spot on (obviously). And I live among the flatlands, so the elevation gauge stayed comfortable at 0mi.

As aforementioned, this tweak is geared at a particular audience. Obviously if you don’t use the Maps app very often, I wouldn’t recommend it. But for those that do, you’ll have no problem dropping $1 on Dashboard for Maps.

Have you tried it? What do you think?

iPhone 4S Parts Indicate Evolutionary Design Changes

We’ve gotten our hands on some leaked iPhone 4S parts, courtesy of our friends at iFixitDirect. These particular parts match up with previous leaks, and we believe they indicate that the next iPhone will be an evolutionary update to the iPhone 4, rather than a completely revolutionary design change.

These iPhone parts come from the same source as the leaked white iPod touch parts we showed you earlier. We have a prototype of a lower tier iPhone 4S back and flex cable. Let’s take a closer look…
While we weren’t able to get our hands on the device’s front, the backing and flex cable indicate several things about the next iPhone.
The flex cable indicates that there will be changes made to the front screen of the iPhone 4S, as the current sensors in the iPhone 4 for light dimming and shutting off the screen when in close proximity to the face are no longer there. It’s been rumored that the next iPhone will feature a larger display, and device will most likely have sleeker edges.

Our source did indicate that Apple may be working on a special paint to blend sensors with the device’s color. This paint would need to allow light through for the device’s display senors as well. We find this speculation to be probable, as the iPhone 4S will most likely be an incremental upgrade with different design aesthetics and internals. A cleaner design with sensors blended behind the paint would definitely be something up Apple’s alley.
The iPhone 4′s proximity sensor has been a huge pain for Apple, and there were many cases of users reporting problems with the sensor randomly turning on and off. ‘Antennagate‘ has also plagued the iPhone 4, and this leaked back corroborates previous leaks that the iPhone 4S will feature an antenna redesign. We also affirm previous reports that Apple’s next smartphone will be a global device enabled to run on both GSM and CDMA basebands.

This back is very similar to the current Verizon iPhone 4′s design, which would mean definite changes to the device’s logic board. There is also a flash diffuser present. Our source said that light leaking into the camera is most likely no longer an issue, hence why Apple has not changed it in this 4S design.

These parts negate the previous rumor of a separated flash in the next gen iPhone. It looks like Apple will keep the current camera/flash placement on the device’s back.

This back looks identical to a recent leak, minus certain labeling and the allusive N94/N93 labels, which have previously indicated Apple’s next gen device. The lack of these labels does not detract from this leaked back’s authenticity.

Our source told us that there is word among suppliers that this back may in fact by part of the device’s antenna, which would defy all rumors of a redesigned antenna design. Apple is a company that throws curve balls all over the place to maintain secrecy, so decrypting everything proves to be very difficult.
The iPhone 4S will most likely be an evolutionary update with a faster A5 processor, larger display, and minor aesthetic changes, as we have mentioned. Rumors are that Apple could also introduce a redesigned home button with multitouch gestures, but that feature may only be present in the iPhone 5.

There’s a very good chance that Apple will unveil two new iPhone models at once this Fall, with the announcement expected to take place in late September or early October. Out source feels that it’s “safe” to say that there will be an 8GB iPhone released alongside a totally different iPhone 5 device.

Apple Was Given the App Store Trademark and URL

It’s no secret that Apple is very protective of its App Store. Its submission guidelines have to be some of the toughest in the industry. The Cupertino company even took Amazon to court over the moniker.

But while you might know those stories, chances are you’ve never heard this next one. It’s the tale of how Apple acquired the App Store’s trademark and URL. No, it wasn’t won in a high stakes poker game. It was actually given to Steve Jobs…
9to5Mac passes on the interesting story, originally told by Bloomberg television in an interview with Marc Benioff. The Salesforce.com CEO shared some kind words about Jobs before beginning his anecdote:

“He has probably given me more help and more advice than just about anybody. And when I get in trouble and I kinda get lost in my own vision, I’ve been fortunate to be able to go and see him and he’s been willing to show me the future a couple times.”

Benioff then explains that back in 2003, Jobs raved about Salesforce’s “fantastic enterprise application” and urged him to dream bigger and consider a broader “ecosystem. He took the idea and ran with it, launching an enterprise app store called App Exchange.

But the company loved the “app store” term so much that they trademarked it, and bought the matching URL. Fast forward to 2008, Benioff was in the crowd when Apple announced its new App Store.

After the keynote, Marc went up to Steve Jobs and told him that he could have both the App Store trademark and URL. He considered it payback for the help Jobs gave him back in 2003.

In this day and age of frivolous lawsuits, it’s cool to hear a story like this. It’s also interesting to hear that Jobs was talking about an end-to-end ecosystem for distributing apps, 5 years before Apple launched the App Store.

Apple Quietly Discontinues 99-Cent TV Show Rentals

Several websites reported yesterday that Apple has discontinued its TV show rental program. The service launched last Fall and just never really garnered support from the major networks. They felt that the $0.99 price point was too low.

TV Show rentals were available through both the iTunes Store and Apple TV, but that is no longer the case. And Apple’s website has even been updated to remove mention of the rental option. So, what happened?
AllThingsD received a statement from an Apple Spokesperson on the matter:

“iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said. “iTunes in the Cloud lets customers download and watch their past TV purchases from their iOS devices, Apple TV, Mac or PC allowing them to enjoy their programming whenever and however they choose.”

Right. Or, as MacRumors points out, maybe it was the fact that ABC and Fox were the only major networks on board. Warner Brothers, NBC, and Viacom all opted out of the program. With such little studio support, why wouldn’t Apple cancel it?

The move is definitely interesting, considering all of the recent rumors going around that the company is looking to start a TV subscription service. Maybe Apple doesn’t have as much pull in the industry as it (and everyone else) thought it did.

Will you  miss the ability to rent TV shows?

RapidContact: Quickly Dial or Text a Contact

You don’t have to be jailbroken very long before you hear about Activator. The popular tweak allows you to initiate frequent tasks with button taps or on-screen gestures.

What’s cool about Activator is that it’s compatible with hundreds of other Cydia packages, including the one we’re going to be discussing here — RapidContact. The tweak allows users to quickly call or text a favorite contact…
RapidContact is just a simple utility that allows you to launch the SMS composition screen or dial pad with a pre-programmed number. You can preset the number from the Settings app, or tell it to automatically recall the last number you called.

The package would’ve received bonus points if it had a BiteSMS-style quick reply keyboard. The fact that it just launches the stock SMS app is kind of pointless comparatively. However, the quick-dial function would be useful for folks who frequently call the same person.

I won’t be trading SMSPlus in for this tweak, but I think other users will find it handy. The price is certainly right. You can download RapidContact from Cydia for free.

Have you tried RapidContact yet?