Verizon Starts Throttling Heavy Data Users

Following their announcement made in February that the company would be throttling data for the top 5% of its users, Verizon has officially started what they call “Network Optimization Practices”, just in time for the iPhone 5 launch sometimes next month.

These Network Optimization Practices consist in reducing the data speed of the top 5% of Verizon users, those who are on an unlimited data plan and use more than 2GB of data per month…
Verizon sent the following email to its customer:

Beginning 9/15, we will start identifying customers who meet these criteria and will expand to others in the base after customer communications are completed. Network Optimization Practices only goes into effect when an Internet or Smartphone device with an unlimited plan/feature falls into the top 5% of data usage and is on a congested cell site.

Verizon Wireless is always looking for ways to give customers the superior experience they expect from our network – an amazing resource that – shared by tens of millions of customers. To achieve this, customers within the top 5% of Verizon Wireless data users, may have their data speeds periodically reduced. This reduction will last for the remainder of the current billing cycle as well as the one immediately following. This is to make sure all users enjoy high quality network performance even when on a congested cell site.

So yeah, technically it’s still unlimited data, but at a lower speed once you hit the 2GB mark.

Data throttling is already used in many countries around the world, and like it or not, it’s not going away. With devices such as the iPhone getting more and more data-hungry, this was a predictable move from major carriers.

AT&T also announced a couple months ago that it will also throttle data for its top 5% users. Even though Sprint has been priding itself in its truly unlimited data plans, they will most likely follow AT&T and Verizon’s lead should they get the iPhone 5 this year as rumored.

The Chronic Dev Team Talks iPhone 5 Jailbreak and New Exploits at MyGreatFest

P0sixninja and iOPK took that stage at MyGreatFest earlier today to talk about the Chronic Dev Team and jailbreaking. Chronic Dev frontman Joshua Hill (p0sixninja) had some important announcements to make, including the news that the team has found a record breaking 5 new exploits for an iPhone 5 and iPad 2 jailbreak.

The Chronic Dev Team is ready to jailbreak the iPhone 5 with the new exploits that have been discovered, and the exploits already work on the iPad 2…
The exploits that the Chronic Dev Team have found can be patched by Apple in future iOS updates, as they are not hardware-level exploits. The good news about this type of exploit is that an updated bootrom in the iPhone 5 won’t compromise the jailbreak.

Since it’s a software-level exploit, the iPhone 5 running iOS 5 should be susceptible to what the Chronic Dev Team has cooking in the exploit department. Joshua himself said, “It’s a record breaking number of exploits found.” This news reflects what we’ve already heard that the Chronic Dev Team is “actively working” on jailbreaking iOS 5.

Greenpois0n, developed by the Chronic Dev Team, was originally the only tool to provide a completely untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1. Key member of the Chronic Dev Team, P0d2g, has apparently found a new exploit for iDevices running the A4 processor (iPhone 4, iPod touch 4th gen, iPad 1st gen), including multiple exploits for the iPad 2 and presumably the iPhone 5.

Joshua said that the upcoming untethered jailbreak for iOS 5 will be the “most amazing jailbreak yet,” and, assumedly, the Chronic Dev Team will be able to push out an untethered jailbreak for the iOS 5 public launch. The Chronic Dev members will obviously need the iPhone 5 in their hands before they can actually test an untethered jailbreak, but a jailbreak for the iPhone 5 will most likely be released shortly after the device’s unveiling to the public.
When it comes to the Chronic Dev Team itself, Joshua noted that funding is a huge problem. The team is trying to expand, but additional funding will be needed to continue adding more hackers to the roster. At MyGreatFest, Joshua announced “Chronic Dev Team LLC.” The team is looking for more talented hackers, and bright things are definitely in store.

The New York Times: A “Fairly Different” iPhone 5 is Due for Release in a Few Weeks

By now, you are probably tired of all the reports that involves rumors, leaks, predictions and so on regarding the iPhone 5 and probably wishing that Apple should just release it already. But we all know it's coming and it is bound to be announced by the Cupertino company some time later this month. One aspect of the iPhone 5 that everyone seems to want to know is the final design. Just a few days we've brought to you a report about a reputed iPhone case maker who published images of cases for an iPhone with a new design. Now another report has been published that claims that a "fairly different" designed iPhone 5 is due for release in a few weeks time.
Now we know that you've heard this sort of iPhone 5 information before, but this particular report came from the The New York Times. The report indicates that The New York Times were able to talk to an Apple employee who stated that its only a matter of a few weeks before the iPhone 5's announcement. Not only that, an Apple engineer has also stated that the new iPhone will be "fairly different" from the iPhone 4 in terms of design, including the inside. This jives with past rumors that the iPhone 5 will be sporting a new design and a modest hardware upgrade. Lastly, the Apple employee also confirmed that the iPhone 5 will feature an upgraded 8 megapixel camera, a decent upgrade to the iPhone 4's 5 megapixel one.

Again, these are all information that one would already know granted that they have been actively following the rumors surrounding the iPhone 5. But at least, these rumors were given additional weight so it would be fair to expect that the iPhone 5 will have a different design when it comes out.
Another long standing rumor regarding the next iPhone is the possibility that Apple will introduce not one but two iPhones this coming fall. 9to5Mac has also come across some information that there are indeed two different iPhone models that will be coming on October and will be announced later this month. Now if you have been reading our blog for the past few months, then you'll know that there are buzzes that a lower-end iPhone will be sold alongside the next generation iPhone. The lower-end is speculated to be basically very identical to the current iPhone 4 but will instead have an 8GB internal storage.

The folks at 9to5Mac were allegedly told that the iPhone 5 will be a striking piece of hardware. It will be a lot thinner and lighter yet it will much firmer than the Samsung Galaxy smartphones. As usual, Apple doesn't have anything to comment with regards to the iPhone 5, so Apple fans and the media tend to depend on rumors and leaks to get their iPhone 5 fix. As we approach the expected announcement of the next-gen iPhone, expect to see more rumors and reports such as these.

Apple Quietly Hits the $400 per Share Mark Again

In the months and years leading up to Steve Jobs’ resignation, most of Wall Street seemed pretty nervous about Apple’s fate, post-Jobs. His ongoing health issues garnered constant speculation on whether the company could keep pace without him.

Last month, everyone was forced to confront their fears. Jobs sent out a somber resignation letter, admitting he could no longer carry out his CEO duties. But as the last few weeks have shown, Apple seemingly hasn’t skipped a beat…
Obviously, the true test for newly appointed CEO Tim Cook will come in the coming months and years. Chances are we’ll get a good look at the Jobs-less team at the company’s upcoming Fall event, where it’s expected to unveil the iPhone 5.

But the good news is that Wall Street and investors alike have complete faith in Cook’s abilities to move the company forward. In rather quiet fashion, Apple matched its highest stock value ever today, closing at $400.50 per share.

Apple’s stock prices reached $403 per share back in late-July, shortly after the company announced its record quarter. Since then, the stock has dipped as low as $356 due to a volatile market and of course, Jobs’ resignation.

While the news may not mean much to folks outside of Apple’s investor base, it is a milestone for the company. For years people feared that the iPhone-makers would flounder without Jobs at the helm. But now, it seems like they are just getting started.

Why the Case-Mate iPhone 5 Mockups Are Probably Fake

If you ask me, the iPhone 4′s design is the epitome of phone designs. It’s why we’re going on a year and a half since it was released, and there still isn’t a device that truly rivals its beauty or function.

I wasn’t really worried about Apple straying too far from this design, because in general, they tend to stick with what works for a decent length of time, e.g. the iMac, Mac Pro, etc. All of those products have basically remained the same over the past few years, sans a few minor tweaks here and there.

But then Case-MateGate happened; purported iPhone 5 mockups along with them, and stuff just got real.
In the Case-Mate press photos, they depict what many are assuming to be an iPhone 5 mockup, complete with iPod touch styled volume rockers. iPod touch styled volume rockers? Yes, and in my opinion, that’s why they can’t be true depictions of the real deal.
There’s no way that Apple would force such an atrocity upon its most prized customer base. Have you tried to use an iPod touch after using the iPhone 4? Have you tried to adjust the volume? The volume rockers on the iPod touch are some of the worst in the business.

They offer basically no tactile feedback, they blend in with the side of the device, and they’re not even the same color as the rest of the device. When you use an iPod touch, Apple lets you know that you got their low-budget cousin’s brother to their flagship device. You might want to upgrade now.

Of course, this isn’t a knock against the iPod touch. It serves its purpose well, and I’ve willingly bought one. I just don’t want iPod touch buttons on my iPhone, that’s all.

Crazier things have happened, but I’m going to go out on the limb and say that Apple can’t be crazy enough to do this to us; it’s just unthinkable.

Hence, I’m hoping that the photo above is that of a redesigned iPod touch, or maybe even an artist’s rendition when he or she has had one too many. I don’t care about the reason, as long as it’s not a true depiction of the iPhone 5.

What about you?

Looking to Sell Your iPhone 4? You’d Better Act Fast

It’s that time of year again. Although it’s a few months later than previous years, all of the pre-iPhone launch festivities have begun. We’ve seen blurry spy shots, several glimpses of leaked parts and cases, and heard countless rumors.

Now, all that is left is for Apple to announce the media event. But as we get closer to the iPhone 5 unveiling, folks are pondering what do with their soon-to-be-old iPhones. Well, if you plan on selling your iPhone 4 online, you may want to do that in the near future.
It’s essentially the circle of life in the world of Apple gadgets. A new device purchase is usually justified by selling off its older model to recoup the cash. And naturally, people take to sites like eBay and Craigslist to handle the task.

But BGR is reporting that if you are planning to sell your old iPhone, you better act fast. Based on research done by electronics recycler NextWorth, the value of iPhones decrease as much as 15% immediately following an announcement of new models.

Those looking to sell the iPhone 4 specifically online might have an even tougher time, as there have been countless rumors of a low-cost, updated version of the device coming this Fall.

What do you plan on doing with your old iPhone? Selling it as an unlocked device always helps.

Apple Employees: “Fairly Different” iPhone 5 is “Just Weeks Away”

We know. You’ve heard this already. In fact, it would be downright crazy for Apple to not hold an iPhone announcement in the next few weeks.

The difference this time around is that two Apple employees in Cupertino have told The New York Times that a “fairly different” iPhone 5 is “just weeks away” from launch. Now we’re getting somewhere…
“We’re just weeks away from the announcement of the new Apple iPhone 5, according to an Apple employee who asked not to be named because he was not allowed to speak publicly for the company.”

A credible accessory maker for the iPhone temporarily published what it claimed to be iPhone 5 cases earlier today.
It’s unusual for a company like Case-Mate to pull such a stunt, and the fact that the case renders were quickly pulled hints at their authenticity.

The New York Times has been told by one of its sources inside Apple that the case leaks from earlier today were most likely legitimate:

“From descriptions I’ve heard of the new iPhone from Apple employees, the images seemed potentially authentic. But it seems that Case-Mate might be sneakily trying to take advantage of the excitement over the phone by posting and then unposting the images. These things rarely happen accidentally, especially when it comes to new Apple products.

Sneaky public relations tactics aside, an engineer familiar with the new iPhone said it would be fairly different from the iPhone 4 — including on the inside.”

The source goes on to say that the next iPhone will have a 8 megapixel camera, with either this model or the next sporting a new Qualcomm chip with NFC communications technology for mobile payments. The NFC tech is expected to work with users’ iTunes accounts for authentication and processing transactions.

Apple’s next event can’t come fast enough!

iOS Hacker MuscleNerd Visits Apple

A few minutes ago, MuscleNerd tweeted the picture above, showing a name tag with his nickname instead of his real name. But the most interesting part of this tweet is not the name tag, it is that MuscleNerd was at Apple’s HQ in Cupertino.

What was he doing there? Simply paying them a courtesy visit, or having a serious talk about future employment?
At this point, no one but him can tell, and we’re certainly not trying to spread rumors. But with the recent hiring of jailbreak developer Peter Hajas and iOS hacker Comex, we thought it was interesting to note that MuscleNerd was indeed at Apple today.

Did the jailbreak killer strike again?

Purported iPhone 5 Screen Protector Echoes Redesign Theory

With an official announcement from Apple expected in the next few weeks, the tech world at large still doesn’t have any firm knowledge of details regarding the iPhone 5. Tim Cook’s team has done an excellent job of concealing their plans.

But outside of concrete information, there has been a lot of purported leaked parts and accessories that all point to a similar redesign. And this morning, another puzzle piece surfaced that appears to confirm the change…
Unwire.hk uploaded some images of what they claim may be screen protectors for Apple’s upcoming smartphone. While no one can confirm their authenticity (obviously), the accessory seems to match up perfectly with previous evidence.

Not only did the site provide snapshots of the screen protector, they also provided photos of the accessory compared with the iPhone 4. Like many of the rumors and “leaked” cases, the protector suggests a wider body than its predecessor.
The accessory also has a spot for the elongated home button we keep hearing about. The wider button is expected to be capable of reading finger swipes and gestures to make on-screen actions more convenient.

Of course, nothing is for certain until Apple shows off the device at their late September event. But you have to admit that the evidence of a substantial change in design from previous models is overwhelming. Our fingers are crossed.

What do you make of this new “puzzle piece?”

Priceline for iPad Drops in the App Store

The Priceline Hotel & Car Negotiator app for iPad has dropped in the App Store. Priceline is a service that allows you to find the best deal on plane tickets, hotels and car rentals. There is already a Priceline app for the iPhone, and both versions have been integrated into one app, making it a universal download.
Though the titile of the app suggests that you can rent a car, you actually can’t do that in the iPad version. Priceline asks you to use its website for that, or use the iPhone version.

The app features a beautiful map interface for booking hotels. It also allows “Name Your Own Price” booking, giving you the best hotel deals available.

A cool bonus included in the app is that it gives you a $25 bonus for booking from the iPhone or iPad. Unfortunately, this can only be used for a hotel that you book in advance.

You can download the app for free in the App Store.

What do you think? Do you use Priceline?

Chronic-Dev Team “Actively Working” on the iOS 5 Untethered Jailbreak

As we near the public launch of iOS 5, many jailbreakers are wondering what the future holds. It was originally thought that Apple was out to kill jailbreaking in iOS 5, and many became even more worried when famed hacker Comex announced that he had been hired by Apple. Was the end drawing near?

We can all rest assured that jailbreaking is alive and well. And after months of there being no untethered jailbreak for iOS 5 or the last two releases of iOS 4, the Chronic-Dev Team has said that it is “actively working” on an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5…
Apple has released seven consecutive betas for iOS 5 so far (with an eighth expected to drop Friday), and each release has had an accompanying tethered jailbreak via tools like RedSn0w and Sn0wbreeze. These jailbreaks have allowed developers to already begin innovating on iOS 5 with third party widgets and other tweaks.

If you don’t know the difference between a tethered and untethered jailbreak, it essentially comes down to this: A tethered jailbreak requires you to re-jailbreak every time you reboot your iDevice, while an untethered jailbreak lasts as long as you don’t upgrade your iOS firmware. Obviously, an untethered jailbreak is the preferred option for the end user.

The art of a good untethered jailbreak is a very complex and masterful one, as hacker i0n1c’s exploit research paper has revealed. i0n1c was a key figure in the development of the iOS 4.3.1 untethered jailbreak.

While the Dev Team and other prominent hackers, like Comex, have been responsible for the untethered jailbreaks since iOS 4.3, the Chronic-Dev Team is now actively working on an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5′s public launch.

As noted by iPhoneItalia, Chronic-Dev member pod2g has echoed the previous statement of Chronic-Dev frontman P0sixninja that jailbreak developers are working on an untethered exploit for iOS 5.
In case you didn’t know, pod2g was a key hacker behind the iOS 4.1/4.2.1 untethered jailbreak that was released with the GreenPois0n tool.

Additionally, Dev Team frontman MuscleNerd has affirmed the same news.
Comex was the last hacker to provide a widely used untethered jailbreak in the form of JailbreakMe for iOS 4.3.3. He also pioneered the first untethered jailbreak for the iPad 2. Now that he is gone from the jailbreak scene, it will be up to the rest of the Chronic-Dev and Dev Team members to keep finding exploits in iOS 5.

While no official timeframe has been given for the iOS 5 untethered jailbreak, recent reports suggest that Apple will release its final GM build of iOS 5 for public launch in two weeks. After Apple’s next announcement, the software will be released to customers. Then, depending on the results of the Chronic-Dev and Dev team’s efforts, an untethered jailbreak will be released shortly after Apple makes iOS 5 available.

How to Steal $60,000 in iPads in 60 Seconds

Florida Police are looking for three men that stole $60,000 in iPads from a local Best Buy in 60 seconds. The trio of culprits broke into a Best Buy early in the morning Monday and made away with 60-90 iPads.

That’s one way to avoid Apple’s online shipping dates. The cast of Oceans 11 would be proud.
Naples News reports:

“Lee Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an alarm activation at Best Buy located in Coconut Point, 8000Mediterranean Drive, Estero, just before 5 a.m. They found the rear door pried open and merchandise on the ground.

The store’s manager said an initial check showed a cage door pried open and 60 to 90 Apple iPads missing. The manager estimates the value to be about $60,000.00, according to reports.”

The men were dressed in black, and the report notes that they made “a specific search for the iPads” upon entering the store. According to Best Buy surveillance, it took the thieves one minute to grab the iPads, drop them in a black bin, and walk out the back door.

As Cult of Mac notes, while this was a fast grab, it doesn’t break the record. Back in May, burglars in Ohio stole 24 MacBooks and an iPad from an Apple store in under 30 seconds.

Now it’s time for you to try and break the record! Just kidding. Don’t do that.

Apple Working on an iOS Scanner Application

Those folks over at 9to5Mac are at it again. After single handedly revealing the unannounced iOS 5 Nuance and Siri features, they have uncovered another secret project that Apple is working on.

Apparently, the Cupertino company is looking to release an application that would turn your iDevice into a digital scanner. Patent filings have suggested its interest in such an app, but 9to5Mac got the skinny from a source inside Apple…
Here’s how it works:

1. The user opens the app and holds the iPhone over the document or object they want scanned. They then snap a picture of it. Apple’s on-board software then resizes the image to ‘letter’ or business card, A4 or whatever depending on original document. Resizing includes aligning edges that get skewed by a single scan point rather than traditional scanning methods. The user can then manually change the size of the document or the use (biz card?)

2. On board software then separates images blocks from text.

3. This is where it gets murky. At last word, Apple was trying to do OCR both on-device and using alternative cloud methods for recognizing text. Third party Optical Character Recognition (OCR) vs. in house solutions were also being tested.

4. The resulting file can then be saved as a PDF, .Pages, exported to contacts (in the case of the business cards for example).

There’s been no word yet on if the application will be bundled with iOS 5, the iWork suite, or offered as a standalone title. Regardless of its release strategy, the news has to be devastating for makers of third party scanning apps.

Not only would a native application from Apple tie directly in with Contacts and the iWorks bundle, users wouldn’t have to deal with external software. Not to mention that it sounds like Apple has been putting years worth of research into this.

I personally haven’t found a way to utilize a scanning app. I generally work from home, so I don’t see many business cards, and I can’t see scanning full-sized documents with my phone. That would take ages. We’ll see what kind of spin Apple puts on the concept.

Would you be interested in an Apple-flavored scanning app?


GameStop is Now Buying Back Used Apple Devices

GameStop is a popular videogame retailer that has been in the business of buying and selling used gaming equipment. They deal in everything from used consoles, accessories, and of course video games.

But in the wake of declining console and game sales, the chain has decided to expand its business. The Wall Street Journal reports that GameStop is now buying back most models of iPhones, iPads, and even iPods, in exchange for cash or store credit…
The buyback service started out as a pilot program in Dallas, Texas earlier this year, and today it goes nationwide. That means that all 6,5832 of GameStop’s retail locations will be offering cash and credit for your old Apple devices.

Wedbush Securities research analyst Michael Pachter thinks it’s a smart move:

“This thing about taking in used Apple products is a gigantic business. What’s the market for a fat, white iPod? Well, that market is in Latin America.”

In fact, there are several countries that would be interested in used Apple products, especially the ones where import tariffs on new electronics are outrageous. I’d even throw the United States in the mix.

There aren’t a lot of brick and mortar chains that offer a reliable place to buy used Apple products. If a person wants to buy discounted devices, they are usually forced to take their chances with sites like Craigslist or eBay.

There doesn’t seem to be many details on the program available yet, nor is it clear whether or not GameStop will sell used Apple gear here in the US. But given the fact that there would be almost no competition, it may not be a bad idea.

What’s your take on GameStop’s new Apple buyback program? Have you heard anything from your local store?

HTC Executive Says Kids Don’t Want the iPhone “Because Dad Has One”

Why is it that people in the most visible positions in the tech industry sometimes say the dumbest things? First there was Nokia’s U.S. president, Chris Weber, who claimed that Apple’s focus on apps in iOS was “out-dated.”

Now we have HTC America’s acting president Martin Fichter telling an audience at this week’s Mobile Future Forward event why college kids don’t think iPhones are cool anymore. GeekWire relays Fichter’s ridiculous comments…
“Apple is innovating. Samsung is innovating. We are innovating. Everybody is innovating. And everybody is doing different things for the end consumers. I brought my daughter back to college — she’s down in Portland at Reed — and I talked to a few of the kids on her floor. And none of them has an iPhone because they told me: ‘My dad has an iPhone.’ There’s an interesting thing that’s going on in the market. The iPhone becomes a little less cool than it was. They were carrying HTCs. They were carrying Samsungs. They were even carrying some Chinese manufacture’s devices. If you look at a college campus, MacBook Airs are cool. iPhones are not that cool anymore. We here are using iPhones, but our kids don’t find them that cool anymore.”

Ok, and as 9to5Mac‘s Seth Weintraub said, “They must also have no interest in dad’s Porsche either.” Although Fichter’s comments come from in-depth scientific research (I’m obviously being sarcastic), recent reports beg to differ.

We just told you this morning that the iPhone 4 is selling better than ever. Analysts have actually had to readjust their projections because they figured iPhone sales would decline in anticipation for the upcoming refresh, but they haven’t.

I don’t doubt that kids, teens and adults are all trying different handsets out. Anyone can peek into a wireless retail store and see that. But I don’t think that asking a few kids in a college dorm what devices they are using is enough evidence to back up these kinds of comments.

What do you think? Has the iPhone’s “cool” factor gone down?

iPhone 5 Will Likely Take Samsung Galaxy S II’s Fastest GPU Trophy

In the ever-changing world of Android handsets, there has been one device that has consistently stood out among the crowd — The Samsung Galaxy S II. The phone has been dominating European sales charts for several months, and has recently landed stateside.

Nearly 4 times as fast as the iPhone 4, the Galaxy S II’s processor/GPU combo is the fastest in the industry according to Anandtech. But how will the speediest smartphone in the business stack up against Apple’s yet-to-be-announced iPhone 5?
9to5Mac passes on Anandtech’s GL Benchmark results:

“Samsung implemented a 4-core version of the Mali-400 in the 4210 and its resulting performance is staggering as you can see above. Although it’s still not as fast as the PowerVR SGX 543MP2 found in the iPad 2, it’s anywhere from 1.7 – 4x faster than anything that’s shipping a smartphone today.”

Given the fact that Apple’s upcoming smartphone uses the same A5 chip found in the iPad 2, it’s safe to say that the Galaxy S II won’t be able to hold a candle to the iPhone 5′s speed. Notice that the S2 gets half the FPS (Frames Per Second) of Apple’s latest tablet.

Of course, this is all still speculation at this point, as the iPhone 5 has not even been officially announced by Apple. But the company is expected to unveil the device within the next few weeks. And if there is one thing we are sure of, it’s going to be really, really fast.

What do you think of the tests results? Does it renew your excitement for the iPhone 5?

OS X Lion Ultimatum’ is the Best iPhone Theme Ever

I’ve reviewed tons of DreamBoard themes over the last 6 months, and I’ve stumbled upon some really spectacular work.

Themes such as Asymmetric HD and AppleWeb HD set high bars for what to expect out of the DreamBoard framework.

As good as those themes are, nothing could prepare me for the meticulously detailed OS X Lion Ultimatum, which is far and away the best iPhone theme I’ve ever seen or used.
If you’ve ever wanted to run OS X on your iPhone, this is as close as you’ll ever get. The detail on this theme is second to none; obsessive, even.

Everything from the folders, to the menu bars work as expected. There’s even a subsidized Mission Control baked in for good measure.
To pull off this amazing feat, the developer orchestrated a collection of other tweaks to do things like hide the status bar, and add a custom lock screen. It’s possible that this could be a turnoff for some, but if you want the full effect of the theme, it’s a compromise I recommend making.

As of now, OS X Lion Ultimatum is still in the beta phase, but you can snatch up the pre-release version for $3.50. Check out the ModMyi forums for more details on how to get the theme for yourself.
If you’re interested in yet more DreamBoard themes, head over to our themes page for addition information.

What do you think? Impressed much?

Shoot Pictures on Your iPhone and Send Them Directly to Photoshop with Acquire

Photographers are a finicky bunch. Always editing and always changing images until they get them just right.

Adobe’s Photoshop is used for all the heavy lifting, but more and more people are just using an iPhone to take the shots in the first place. We already know just how popular a camera the iPhone 4 is, and that’s only going to improve with the release of the iPhone 5.

A new app from FlyingCarLTD aims to help budding photographers and professionals alike, by making the importing of iDevice photos into Photoshop as easy as possible. It’s so easy in fact, that you don’t even need to think about it…
Acquire, available to download right now on the App Store for a mind-bogglingly low $1.99, uses Adobe’s Remote Connect feature to send images wirelessly over your network, right into the waiting Photoshop app on your Mac or Windows PC. There’s no user interaction from you, and the full image is sent over – no drop-in resolution here folks.

“Acquire is a simple, powerful utility for instantly ingesting images from your camera-equipped iOS device into Adobe Photoshop CS5. Using Adobe’s Remote Connect feature, an image shot with your device’s camera is instantly, wirelessly transmitted into Photoshop so you can work with it without delay.”

At less than $2, Acquire is a bargain even if you only ever use it once! That’s assuming you already have a copy of Photoshop, of course!

FlyingCarLTD has even put together a tutorial video, showing just how easy Acquire is to use.
Acquire is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPad 2, and 4th generation iPod touch.

NBC Lets You Watch Full-Length TV Shows for Free on the iPad

NBC has just updated its iPad app adding the ability to watch full-length TV shows. Also with this update adds performance enhancements and bug fixes. One good thing about this is that watching full-length TV shows is completely free and doesn’t require any subscriptions.

The app lets you check your local listings, so you can see when your favorite shows are on. NBC’s iPad app also lets you play trivia, to the show of your liking.

Vodafone UK Almost Confirms iPhone 5 to Come With 16/32GB of Storage

An interesting little tidbit this Sunday morning, and as is so often the case recently, it’s more iPhone 5 news. This particular story comes courtesy of one of the UK’s largest carriers, Vodafone.

A product listing on Vodafone UK’s website appears to have dropped the bombshell that the iPhone 5 will come in 16GB and 32GB flavors only, meaning no 64GB storage bump this time around…
The product in question is Vodafone’s Sure Signal unit, which is built to extend Vodafone’s coverage in more signal areas. The product’s web page has a list of compatible products, and there you would have found listings for the iPhone 5 in 16GB and 32GB models, and in black and white. We say would, because if you hit the page now, all mention of the iPhone 5 has been removed. A smoking gun, perhaps?

Also worth noting is the inclusion of both colors, meaning none of the crazy delays just for a spot of white paint this time around.

None of this really means anything of course, with Apple expected to hold an announcement event sooner rather than later, and an early-October release date very much looking on the cards.

Just a couple more weeks of rumors, hopefully!

Contre Jour by Chillingo is a Hauntingly Beautiful Game for the iPhone and iPad

Chillingo has quite a variety of games in the App Store. It looks like their newest game, Contre Jour, may soon be the staple title for those looking for something more than a casual gaming experience.

This gorgeously designed puzzle game ups the App Store anty for creativity and artistry in game development, and it does so in a simply designed game that it makes you wonder if other devs are sleeping on the job.

Contre Jour welcomes players to a dream-like, animated world of inky darkness and beautiful aesthetic.  In the game, it’s your job to help a mysterious little fellow called Petit…
Petit may not sound like an exciting hero, but Contre Jour somehow makes it so.  Petit’s goal is to exit each level safely, and the player must use the tools at his or her disposal to safely swing to the goal.  These tools are, more often than not, other Petit-like creatures.
The creatures share the one-eyeball syndrome that is epidemic in the Contre Jour universe; they have different talents which will help Petit progress.  Rubbery arms swing Petit safely along, while some will directly carry Petit from one point to another.  Petit will also need to be on the lookout for blue-white orbs, which should be absorbed or collected along the way.

The controls are mainly drag and drop; the challenge in Petit’s puzzles comes down to predicting Contre Jour’s physics and outwitting the tricky landscape.  Players will also need to experience each new situation solving tool (or creature) as it’s presented to get the hang of utilizing the game’s dynamics.
Contre Jour sets out to be art-like and haunting, and it acheives this goal without looking like it’s tried too hard.  The challenge of the puzzles presented won’t rack your brain entirely, but they do give enough challenge to go beyond the typical, Doodle Jump-like, casual gaming experience.

I was quickly hooked by Contre Jour and found it difficult to put down before beating the game, which was all too soon in my opinion.  It could have had more content, but the content it had was of such exceptional quality I can’t lodge a true complaint.

It’s a clever game with beautiful visuals and a soundtrack to match. That said, you’re only going to love Contre Jour if the style appeals to you.
Contre Jour sets out to be art-like and haunting, and it acheives this goal without looking like it’s tried too hard.  The challenge of the puzzles presented won’t rack your brain entirely, but they do give enough challenge to go beyond the typical, Doodle Jump-like, casual gaming experience.

I was quickly hooked by Contre Jour and found it difficult to put down before beating the game, which was all too soon in my opinion.  It could have had more content, but the content it had was of such exceptional quality I can’t lodge a true complaint.

It’s a clever game with beautiful visuals and a soundtrack to match. That said, you’re only going to love Contre Jour if the style appeals to you.

TNT Releases Official iPad App, Lets You Watch TV Episodes and Movies

TNT has just released an app optimized specifically for the iPad’s larger screen, bringing with it full-length episodes and movies for TNT satellite and TV subscribers.

The app provides features you’ve probably come to expect from similar apps, including episode guides, clips, behind-the-scenes footage, show schedules with reminders, and Facebook, Twitter, and GetGlue social network integration.

You will of course be prompted to authenticate your TNT subscription with your cable provider in order to get access to the app’s collection of full-length content. Current supported providers include DirectTV, Optimum, Dish, Comcast, Cox, Verizon, Suddenlink, and AT&T U-verse TV.

AppAdvice notes that the app’s iPhone counterpart unfortunately doesn’t have access to full-length episodes as of yet, although we’re sure support will come in a future update.

You can grab TNT for iPad in the App Store now. Early customer reviews don’t see to be too positive. That seems to be mostly due to lack of Time Warner support, however.

Have you gave the TNT for iPad app a go yet? We want to hear your experience in the comments.

Did Apple Try to Buy Dropbox For $800m to Help iCloud?

In the build-up to Apple announcing its MobileMe replacement, iCloud, the Cupertino firm apparently considered a move for the acquisition of syncing-in-the-cloud king Dropbox, according to reports.

Apple was so impressed with Dropbox, and its expected $100 million/year income, that they decided to offer $800 million in order to buy the company. The claim comes from Business Insider, and the report is quick to point out that the rumor is unconfirmed, but it is interesting to consider, nonetheless…
Dropbox has since raised a massive $4 billion valuation, and Apple has announced its own cloud and syncing service, iCloud. Was Apple planning on taking the Dropbox technology and talent under its wing in order to help iCloud bring document and file syncing to its iDevices?

We’ll probably never know what was really going on in the minds of the Apple hierarchy, but many pundits, including more than a couple of us here at iDB, thought that Apple should have just bitten the bullet and bought Dropbox.

What do you think? Should Apple have bought Dropbox? Or will iCloud end up becoming the king of cloud sync?

Android Apps Make Less Money than App Store Apps, Piracy to Blame

It’s a story that’s been told before, but it seems that Android developers aren’t getting much love, with a new report suggesting that they are making only a fraction of what their iOS competitors are raking in.

The reason that Android apps are less profitable than App Store apps? Oddly enough, piracy…
A report from Yankee Group and Skyhook found that sales of apps in the United States are booming, with 40 apps being bought per user, per year. The results aren’t equally as good reading for Android and iOS developers however, with users of Google’s mobile OS buying less apps.

A survey of Android developers points the finger squarely at app piracy – 75% of which believe illegal downloading of paid apps is costing the industry some serious cash.

Other findings are equally as discouraging:

■Piracy is a problem for Android. Among the Android developers surveyed, 27 percent see piracy as a huge problem and another 26 percent see it as somewhat of a problem.
■Google isn’t helping. Fifty-three percent of developer respondents say Google is too lax in its Android Market policies.
■Piracy hurts developers’ top and bottom lines. About a third of developers say piracy has cost them in excess of $10,000 in revenue. Additionally, 32 percent say it increases their support costs, while another quarter say they see increased server costs due to heavy loads imposed by pirated copies.
This isn’t the first time that piracy has been blamed for a lack of developer interest in the Android Marketplace, with many developers deciding against the hassle that can comes with piracy. Apple’s iOS has proven less susceptible to the age-old problem, with jailbreaking required to do the deed.

Do you agree with this research? Are you a developer who has decided against Android because of the piracy problem? Let us know in the comments.

Sprint All But Confirms the iPhone 5

All of the evidence is beginning to point toward an October release for the iPhone 5, and Sprint has all but confirmed that fact, with the nation’s third largest carrier telling its staff that they cannot take any vacation time between September 30th and October 15th.

The news comes via Sprintfeed, who has managed to get its hands on an internal memo informing employees of the blackout…
As far as memos go, this is a brief and to the point affair, simply saying that, “Due to the possibility of a major phone launch in October we are blacking out September 30th through October 15th.”

Given the dates, and persistent rumors that Sprint will be a launch partner for the next iPhone, it doesn’t take deduction of Pink Panther proportions to connect the dots. Are we going to get a new iPhone during those two weeks? It’s a fairly safe bet.

Sprint is also rumored to offer an unlimited data plan alongside its new handset, a move that instantly makes the carrier a top choice amongst the likes of Verizon and AT&T.

If an early-October release is indeed on the cards, we’d expect Apple to be sending out invites to an event fairly soon, even if they intend to release the handset almost immediately after.

It doesn’t look like we have much longer to wait, folks!