Patent Reveals That Apple Does Have Interest in NFC

In the months leading up to Apple’s Fall iPhone announcement, there were several rumors that claimed Apple’s next smartphone would feature NFC technology. Competing devices have had the wireless payment tech for years, but it’s only recently started to gain traction.

Obviously, the gossip didn’t materialize, as there isn’t any kind of NFC chipset in the iPhone 4S. But that doesn’t mean that Apple is ignoring the technology. The company was recently awarded a patent regarding Near Field Communications in mobile devices.
According to Patently Apple, this is Apple’s first NFC patent it has won related to retail transactions. The document explains a method of establishing a master/slave relationship between two smartphones using NFC, similar to the popular Bump file-sharing app.

The patent also refers to the technology in retail situations. Could this mean that Apple is working on a NFC-based mobile payment system? It’s possible. Apple did just update its retail application with a self-checkout feature. Perhaps that’s just the foundation for something bigger.

AT&T Raises Contract Price of iPhone 3GS to $0.99

A lot of folks expected Apple to introduce an all-new handset this year. But instead of unveiling a completely new iPhone model, Apple announced that it was going to make its iPhone 3GS free with contract to appeal to the low-end smartphone market.

The $0 handset has reportedly been doing very well for AT&T. One can only imagine the marketing power of the phrase “get a free iPhone today.” But it doesn’t look like the carrier will be able to use such a tagline anymore, as it’s mysteriously raised the 3GS’ price tag to $0.99…
MacRumors points out the change, calling it a “curious move” on AT&T’s part. As aforementioned, the free iPhone was reportedly doing extremely well for the carrier. Here’s what AT&T’s CEO had to say about the promotion during the company’s recent earnings call:

“I also mentioned in my notes that we have another device that I think is going to dramatically change those people that are on smartphones and quick messaging devices, the 3GS, which is free with a 2-year contract. We’ve seen a tremendous, tremendous demand for that device even though it’s a generation old. And actually, we’re getting more new subscribers coming on the 3GS on the average than other devices.”

The $1 price increase shouldn’t hurt 3GS sales at all this holiday season, as it’s still the cheapest iPhone available (by far). And a recent study has shown that Apple’s smartphone is item number two on kids’ wish lists this year, right behind the iPad.

How to Unlock Your GSM iPhone 4S, No Jailbreak Required

Early GSM-flavored iPhone 4S adopters may be happy to hear that Twitter user xoicos has found a way to unlock the new handset using a bug in iOS 5. Of course we know that Apple sells unlocked phones outright, but they are considerably more expensive.

Unlocking a device means that you are be able to activate it on other wireless carriers outside of the one you purchased the phone from. Initially, unlocking the iPhone required complexed baseband tweaking, but now it could be as easy as following these steps…
OSXDaily claims that several users have reported success with this unlock method, but it does warn readers to follow the guide at their own risk. We haven’t been able to confirm its safety or success either, so we are going to issue the same warning.

This tutorial describes how to unlock an AT&T iPhone 4S to work on T-Mobile’s network, so results with other carriers may vary. Obviously you’ll need a GSM iPhone 4S, and both an AT&T and T-Mobile SIM card (or one from a compatible GSM carrier).

“Step 1. Insert your AT&T SIM card. Dial 611 for customer service, and once it starts ringing, hang up.

 Step 2. Turn on your iPhone’s Airplane mode, take out the AT&T SIM card, and replace it with a T-Mobile SIM.

 Step 3. Make sure Wi-Fi is off, and clear any remembered networks to ensure it doesn’t auto-connect later.

 Step 4. Turn off Airplane mode. The handset will search for a network, and the Activation Required screen will popup.

 Step 5. Once you notice the device has found an EDGE network (E symbol), wait about 30 seconds and turn off the phone.

 Step 6. Power the handset back on, and you should see the same Activation Required screen.

 Step 7. Once you notice you have 1 bar of signal, tap on the Use Cellular Connection option. Then eject the SIM card.

 Step 8. The Activation Required screen should pop up again. Re-insert the T-Mobile SIM card, and you should be unlocked.”

It’s worth noting that some users had to repeat this process multiple times for it to work. We’ll keep you updated on our findings once we can test this out for ourselves.

Did this guide work for you?

You Can Take Free iOS Developer Courses From Stanford University Through iTunes U

When the App Store launched in the Summer of 2008, it turned (some) developers into millionaires practically overnight. Steve Demeter, the creator of Trism, reportedly earned a cool quarter million in just two months from his app sales.

And the number of success stories has multiplied over the last few years, as both the iOS platform and App Store have grown exponentially. Needless to say, business is good. So good, in fact, that more and more people are looking to get into app development…
Where do you go to learn the skills necessary to build iOS applications? Well, you could always enroll in programming classes at your local college. Or try taking some fly-by-night computer courses online. But why pay for education when you can get it for free?

iTunes U, the educational section of iTunes Videos, is a great resource for folks looking to get into programming. In fact, Stanford University has its entire iOS App Development course on video and available for download in the iTunes U library. And it’s completely free.

Stanford says that its online learners are offered the same course materials that attending students are, but don’t iTunes U learners don’t receive any course credit for their work (obviously). Also, note that the classes don’t cover the basics, so you’ll likely need some kind of programming experience to follow along.

But if you’ve been wanting to further your app developing skills, or just brush up, why not learn from the teachers at a top-notch university like Stanford. For folks who are interested, you can head on over to the school’s iTunes U page and start downloading.

Verizon’s New iPhone 4S Commerical Takes a Jab at AT&T’s Bad Coverage

Verizon has aired a new commercial that takes a playful jab at its main competitor, AT&T. Touting the iPhone 4S on its network, Verizon’s ad shows a group of stranded boat passengers helplessly floating in the ocean.

They all have iPhones. One of the iPhones is on Verizon. We’ll let you guess which one is able to actually make the call for help
Strangely, AT&T still isn’t losing that many iPhone customers to Verizon and the other competition.

Research Finds That 62% of iPads Never Leave Home

Apple designed its tablet to be a portable device. It even shaved inches (and weight) off of the original iPad to make its second generation tablet more mobile. But still, at nearly one and a half pounds, with a 10 inch display, how portable can it really be?

The results from a recent survey by McKinsey and Company suggests that there aren’t many folks using their iPads on the go. In fact, the living room was found to be the number one place that people pull out the iPad…
According to the report, McKinsey surveyed over 15,000 consumers across 15 countries as part of its “iConsumer” profile project. The firm presented its findings yesterday morning at Forbes’ Techonomy conference.

Here’s GigaOM on the results:

“Of the iPad owners McKinsey surveyed, it found that 62 percent never take their iPad outside their house. In other words, it’s being used as just another home computer, like a replacement laptop for tasks such as watching video or browsing the web. While the iPad is “finding its way into places in the home we didn’t have computing in the past,” the living room is where people use their iPad: 70 percent of usage takes place there.”

Are the results really all that surprising? Who wants to lug a 10″ tablet around town when they can perform many of the same tasks on their iPhone? It would be interesting to see similar data for smaller tablets, like the newly-released Kindle Fire.

Where do you use your iPad?

How to Enable Native FaceTime Over 3G Feature in iOS 5

In the onslaught of rumors that we saw leading up to Apple’s Fall iPhone announcement, there was talk that iOS 5 would finally allow users to make FaceTime calls over 3G. As most of you know, FaceTime has been limited to Wi-Fi since its introduction.

As it turns out, the option actually exists in iOS 5, it’s just hidden. Apple obviously isn’t ready to release it to the public. But as usual, hackers have figured out how to enable the secret feature…
Sure, jailbreakers have been using utilities to make FaceTime calls over 3G for quite a while now. But unlike those apps, enabling the native iOS 5 feature won’t cost you anything. And you won’t need to open third party software to make calls.

But you will, however, still need to be jailbroken, as you will be editing a .plist file inside your device. That means this tip is for iPhone 4 users only at this time.

Step 1. Using iFile or any other file browser, navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/SpringBoard.app/

Step 2. Locate the N90AP.plist and open it.

Step 3. Below the <dict> line, under <key>capabilities</key>, add in <key>3Gvenice</key><true/>
Step 4. Make sure to save your changes, and then exit the file browser.

That’s all there is to it. Remember to watch your usage if you aren’t on an unlimited data plan. Video calls can really rack up the MBs.

Apple TV Gets Price Drop, New Model on the Way?

If you are in the market for an Apple TV 2 this holiday season, you may want to check out Amazon.com. As 9to5Mac points out, the online retailer is hosting quite the sale on Apple’s media hub, knocking its price down 9%.

The ATV2 typically runs a penny under $100, but Amazon has the device going for $89.99. And it seems like there could be more to the markdown than just a holiday sale, as the retailer has re-branded the ATV2 as a 2010 model
The price reduction and model change could be another sign that a new Apple TV is on the way. You may recall that evidence surfaced last month claiming that code inside iOS 5 pointed to a new TV device from the Cupertino company. The new box would likely include the Apple’s A5 dual-core processor and other hardware improvements, making it finally capable of streaming full 1080P video.

At the very least, Amazon’s markdown is a sweet deal. Even if you don’t plan on renting videos from iTunes or watching NetFlix, an Apple TV is required to use AirPlay. And with game developers starting to take advantage of iOS 5′s new mirroring feature, there’s never been a better reason to snag one.

Apple Pulls Fake Jailbreak App From the App Store

A few days ago a $9.99 jailbreak app surfaced in the App Store. The app was clearly a fake, and we quickly told you that the app had nothing to do with jailbreaking anything — it was a crappy, 2D scrolling game.

Apple has now pulled the app from the App Store, so people will be unable to get duped by the app’s false description. The real question is this: How did Apple let an app called “Jailbreak” in the App Store in the first place?
As pointed out by MuscleNerd, if you visit the App Store link for the fake app you’ll get the message that “the item you requested is currently unavailable.” It’s honestly surprising that the app lasted as long as it did (about 4 days) in the App Store with such a name.

Apple has always had a firm stance against jailbreaking because it sees jailbreak exploits as security problems (which they are), and it doesn’t want its ‘walled garden’ ecosystem to become contaminated with unapproved code.

This fake app claimed to jailbreak all kinds of iOS firmwares, which makes no sense if you know anything at all about how jailbreaking normally works. Not only that, but the $9.99 price tag should have been a huge indicator that it was a huge scam. (We’ve already told you to never, ever pay for a jailbreak.)

The fact that such an app made it past Apple’s review team is a mystery.

India Set to Get Apple’s iPhone 4S on November 25th

Those living in India won’t have much longer to wait before they can get their hands on an iPhone 4S, according to reports.

The Times of India is reporting that Apple will begin selling its latest iPhone through at least one of its usual carrier partners in the country on November 25th, with both Bharti Airtel and Aircel set to offer the popular handset.

Aircel has already begun teasing the iPhone 4S to customers via its official Facebook page, similar to what UK and other international carriers did before their respective launches…
November 18th is the date pencilled in for the beginning of pre-orders, according to reports.

The Next Web has done the math based on the US selling price of an iPhone 4S 16GB, and it believes that the same model will retail for around  ₹35,000 and ₹40,000. The devices will be unlocked, with the unusual reverse subsidy used to bring customers’ monthly payments down over a two-year contract.

As is the case in other countries, Indian carriers are expected to begin offering the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS at discounted prices once the 4S has gone on sale, giving Apple fans an entry point into iPhone ownership, no matter their budget.

Indian customers will no doubt be relieved at the news that they will receive the new iPhone much sooner than they have in the past. Customers have had waits of up to 11 months after the initial US release date before now, a trend which Apple seems to be leaving behind this time around.

Users Now Watching More Video on Tablet Devices Than Desktops

When Apple first unveiled the iPad in January of 2010, the world immediately began debating whether the first real mass-market tablet was going to be used as a content consumption device, or whether it could also be used to create that content. Almost two years later the argument has almost settled on the side of consumption, and video is one of the types of content we’re consuming.

In fact, according to a new report by analytics firm Ooyala.com, we’re watching more video on our tablets than on desktop computers these days.

To be exact, the report suggests that we’re now watching around 30% more video on our tablets, such as the iPad, than on desktops…
The report is based on plenty of data, too. Ooyala.com used over one billion analytics to come to the conclusions outlined in their report, which can be downloaded from their website for free, should statistics and the like float your boat.

Equally as interesting is the news that users who watch video on their tablets are twice as likely to watch the entire video than those on desktop machines. These videos aren’t two-minute YouTube clips of cats playing the piano, either, with 55% of the video watched on a tablet being of ten minutes or more in length.

This is just another metric showing that people are beginning to make the switch from ‘real’ computers to tablets like the iPad, especially for consuming the kinds of internet content that have become so prevalent over the last few years. Consuming content is one thing, but until iPads and other tablets become viable ways of creating that content, there will always be a role for our MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Pros.

Someone might need to tell that to Apple, though.

ATARI’s Asteroids: Gunner Now Available on the App Store

ATARI is one of the biggest and oldest names in the gaming space. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs even worked there before starting Apple way back when, and all these years later ATARI is happily releasing some great games for Apple’s touch-based iOS devices.

The latest release to come out of the team at ATARI is Asteroids: Gunner, which the company describes as “a free-to-play, dual-stick action shooter for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.”

Bringing a spot of the old arcade magic to the iDevices, Asteroids: Gunner is sure to be a real hit amongst those looking for a shooter that won’t break the bank, and with 150 waves of enemies, the game shouldn’t be one that’s over in a flash, either…
Players can pilot one of three crafts, choosing from the Miner, the Dart, and the Bomber, and will fly around three all-new galaxies while shooting various different asteroids and alien ships.

Another iPhone Wallet-Case Combo With Aerodynamic Flair

With the holidays just around the corner, expect to start seeing an onslaught of iPhone accessories. Apple is entering the 4th quarter of 2011 with more handsets on more carriers than ever before, and manufacturers are looking to cash in.

One of the more popular iPhone accessories we’ve been seeing as of late is the wallet-case combo. We’ve seen offerings from TwelveSouth and Waterfield Designs, and now we have one from the popular laptop bag-maker, Timbuk2…
The manufacturer describes its new Mission Cycling Wallet as “an aerodynamic smartphone wallet that protects from the elements and was built for speed.” The ballistic nylon case features a zippered compartment for your iPhone and slots for your I.D. and credit cards.

While the case may not be for everyone, it certainly has some nice features for those in the market for a wallet-case combo. For starters, it’s not real bulky. And if you’ve seen some of the other cases in this category, you’ll know why that’s such a big deal.

Timbuk2′s case also keeps your iPhone extremely well protected, in its own zippered compartment, from sweat, dirt, and other elements. And it even features a touchable plastic window so you don’t have to remove your handset to access it while on the move.

If you own an iPhone and live an active lifestyle, (or know someone that does) you might want to take a look at Timbuk2′s Mission Cycling Wallet. And at just $30, it’s one of the cheaper wallet-case combos we’ve seen. Order it now from Timbuck2‘s website.

What do you think of this wallet-case combo?


Are New Bugs Joining the iPhone 4S Battery Drain Issues in iOS 5.0.1?

Apple recently released iOS 5.0.1 to the public in an attempt to fix the battery life issues that have been plaguing iPhone 4S owners on iOS 5.0. Prior to releasing 5.0.1 to the public, Apple seeded two developer betas of the software.

While iOS 5.0.1 was intended to fix poor battery performance on particularly the iPhone 4S, Apple released a statement after the fact saying that, “We continue to investigate a few remaining issues.” Now, it seems that a new host of bugs have joined the mix for many users on iOS 5.0.1.
As reported by GigaOM, poor battery life isn’t the only problem that many are facing on the newly-released iOS software. Some users seem to also be experiencing microphone failures, random Wi-Fi and cellular data dropouts, and a particularly weird bug involving contact recognition on the Verizon iPhone 4S. Many are still experiencing bad battery life as well on iOS 5.0.1

An Apple Support Discussions thread has hundreds of pages of complaints about bugs in iOS 5, with 5.0.1 not appearing to fix most of the problems. Apple didn’t specify which bugs it still needed to fix after releasing 5.0.1, so there’s no telling how long it will be before these random bugs and glitches are fixed.

The Startup Foundry details a bug on the Verizon iPhone 4S in which performing an OTA update to iOS 5.0.1 causes the phone’s contacts to become unrecognized. Besides this particular report, it seems that over-the-air updates worked very smoothly for most users when upgrading to iOS 5.0.1.

Jailbreakers and unlockers have been warned to not update to iOS 5.0.1, as Apple has removed the ability to downgrade iOS 5 versions. Apple has apparently already stopped signing iOS 5.0, so those that are on 5.0.1 are now stuck.

On my personal iPhone 4S, I haven’t noticed any differences in battery life performance. My iPhone’s battery lasts about the same as it did before when I used the time zone settings tip we detailed in iOS 5.0.

If you’ve updated to iOS 5.0.1 already, how’s your iDevice’s battery life? Have you found any other bugs? Share them with us in the comments below!