Apple screws shut the Iphone 4 on the sly

CONTROL FREAK FIRM Apple doesn't want owners of its precious Iphone 4 to fiddle with their internals, so it is locking the devices shut with oddly headed screws.

Some Americans who have sent in their devices for repair will not be able to open them up in the future, said repair firm Ifixit. This is because Apple, in a move that some would describe as breathtakingly arrogant and sneaky, is switching the screws for tamper-proof ones.

You aren't told about the switch, which involves techies swapping the regular Philips Torx screws with 'Pentalobular' screws. These are already shipped with Japanese versions of the Iphone 4, and there are no readily-available screwdrivers that can remove them.

Apple has used a similar type of screw before, in the mid-2009 MacBook Pro to prevent you from replacing the battery, said Ifixit. The company uses another tamper-proof screw on the outer case of the current Macbook Air.

Jokingly described as an "Evil Proprietary Five Point Screw", it has a rounder shape than your regular screw and five points instead of six. Apparently, you won't be able to find this screw from any supplier, with Apple having chosen a design that only its technicians are using.

If you've bought a new Iphone 4 recently, then you might find that Apple has used these screws in your device. Whether you think that locking people out of their own hardware is a good thing depends on what kind of love you have for the cappuccino techno-fashion cult.

If you were locked out of your own car you wouldn't be happy, but Jobs' Mob apparently either believes this will be acceptable or just doesn't care what its paying customers might think.

Security breach in iPhone 4 Safari browser

Device control compromised through loading a PDF file through browser

The first jailbreak for the iPhone 4 was just barely released, but it has already drawn attention to a serious flaw in iPhone 4 security that allows a website to take over an iPhone just by loading a PDF file.

This new security breach is quite serious because it seems so innocuous. Here's how it works: The user simply visits a site in the built-in Safari browser for the iPhone 4, or any iOS 4 device including the iPad and iPod Touch, which opens and displays a compromised PDF file. The font in the PDF document hides special code that causes what is called a stack overflow. It's a bit complicated, but basically that means the code embedded in the font is granted access to the iPhone itself and can control the device.

This could lead to any number of problems. The malicious code can delete files, steal and transmit private information or even install other malicious software.

The JailbreakMe.com method of jailbreaking the iPhone 4 actually uses this method to circumvent iPhone controls and allow the user to install unauthorized software, but it turns control over to the user instead of surreptitiously stealing information and altering the phone.

Apple reports say that there are over 100 million iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices in the world, so this exploit could potentially affect a large number of users. That also makes this security breach an attractive target for hackers.

There has been no official response from Apple, and there is no clear fix at the moment. But there is a way to avoid this problem: Don't open links to PDF files when using the iOS 4 browser, and don't load any PDF files from untrusted sources.

If users want to jailbreak their iPhone 4, they can also install a program from Cydia called a PDF loading warner. Basically, the app alerts users when they are about to load a link that contains a PDF so that the action can be canceled.

Korean Film Shot on iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 was used to shoot an entire movie. South Korean director Park Chan-wook said he has completed a 30-minute film shot entirely on the video camera of an Apple iPhone 4.

Park, director of the hit film “Oldboy,” said the new film, “Night Fishing,” was shot using only an iPhone and took 10 days to complete with a crew of 80 people, South Korea JoongAng Daily reported Monday.

The director said the film, which depicts the story of a fisherman and a female shaman, will be released to a limited amount of theaters in the coming weeks.

“This is a great example of how companies that haven’t been involved in movies are cooperating with artists,” Park said. “Now aspiring directors and those with small budgets will be given a chance to create high quality movies with just an iPhone on one-hundredth of the costs for a normal movie.”

New Antenna on Verizon's iPhone May Avoid Antennagate

The iPhone 4 that hits Verizon Wireless stores next month won't be plagued by the antenna problems that caused red faces at Apple last summer, photos of the unreleased device suggest.

That's the opinion of an expert on antennas who noticed a different configuration in the images of the new device. Engineer Spencer Webb told Computerworld that there appear to be two cellular antennas in the device's stainless-steel frame, compared to one in the original iPhone 4 that has been sold since June by AT&T.

Dual Antenna?

The iPhone 4's unique design has the antenna contained in the frame to make it thinner. On AT&T's GSM model, the left side of the iPhone contains an antenna used for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS, while the right side is for cellular connectivity. Holding the phone with fingers touching the lower left side causes a bridge between the two antennas that caused reception bars to drop and inhibited performance, some customers complained.

But slots in the band suggest that, in the CDMA version of the iPhone, the band is broken into four segments, with a cellular antenna on each side.

"They've moved things around, and my guess is that they went to a dual [ceullar] antenna," Webb told Computerworld.

In its year in review, CNN called Apple's Antennagate the number-one Tech Fail of 2010, and Consumer Reports has declined to recommend the iPhone 4 because of it. Apple initially downplayed the problem, insisting that less than one percent of users experienced trouble and told them to try holding the device differently.

Apple later said the problem appeared worse than it is because of a software issue that affected how the device calculated the display of reception bars. Then the company offered a free bumper case to cover the antenna bands, or a refund to those who had already purchased cases. Sales exploded, with 1.7 million sold in just the first three days, regardless of the bad press.

In response to our inquiry, Verizon spokesperson Albert Aydin commented on the antenna design.

'Optimized' for CDMA

"The iPhone for Verizon has been optimized to work on our CDMA network," Aydin said. "We expect iPhone for Verizon customers to have the same great calling experience they would have on any of Verizon's 3G CDMA devices. I can't speak on the topic of the GSM build or other versions that are in the marketplace since I do not have that knowledge."

Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison said, "iPhone 4 has a great antenna that allows it to have an amazingly thin design, great battery life, and reception. We designed the iPhone 4 external antenna to work great on Verizon's CDMA/EVDO network."

Avi Greengart of Current Analysis attended the Verizon launch event in New York City and had a chance to try the new device.

"I tried attenuating the signal by bridging the gaps with my fingers during the demo session after the launch, but was unable to replicate the problem," he said. "However, the signal strength in the room was exceptionally high -- Verizon Wireless obviously wanted to ensure its network would be presented in the best possible light."

In "real-world conditions," he said, it's possible that signal strength could be different, which would mean the iPhone could be a boon not only to Verizon but to bumper-case makers. But Greengart is doubtful that will happen.

"Antennagate, while describing a real phenomenon, still seems to have been more of a press attack on Apple than a significant consumer concern," he said.

Polaroid decal gives iPhone a '70s flair

If you like modern gizmos but still hold a place in your heart for the gear of yore, you might go for a new decal that makes your iPhone look like an old Polaroid camera. It sells for $6 at Photojojo, which promises that the sticker's easy to apply and remove, and won't leave any residue. It's also supposed to guard your device from scratches, but don't expect any heavy-duty protection from dings and drops.

The decal, which is specially designed for the back of the iPhone 4, assumes the look of a Rainbow OneStep Polaroid Land camera, which was originally produced between 1977 and 1982. Surely there's an app that automatically plays KC and the Sunshine Band every time someone comments on your uniquely shaped retro shooter.

Android 2.4 Ice Cream Update May Battle iPhone 5

It's not the latest flavor from Ben & Jerry's. But Android Ice Cream is bound to be a hit when it debuts this summer, the latest in Google's dessert-named updates for its mobile operating system.

Android-powered devices are currently running 2.2 (Froyo) or 2.3 (Gingerbread), and at last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Motorola unveiled the Xoom tablet, the first device to run the major update, Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), optimized for larger-screen tablet use.

Cold War

There are now reports that the next release, 2.4, will either be called Ice Cream or Ice Cream Sandwich. But however they are labeled, future Android updates will have their work cut out in competing with Apple's iOS, which powers the iPhone and iPad. The iPhone 4 is currently distributed by AT&T and soon by Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. wireless carriers.

If Android 2.4 arrives this summer, it will compete with the anticipated iPhone 5, which will pack the latest hardware and software from Apple's labs at Cupertino, Calif.

"The iPhone 5 will come out in June, at the same time 2.4 will become common," said technology consultant Ron Enderle. "The stakes are high. They're going to have to up their marketing game."

U.K.-based gadget news site Pocket Lint, citing "multiple sources familiar with the matter," reported Jan. 10 that Google will debut 2.4, code-named Ice Cream, this summer at its IO conference in May, with a June/July release date.

In a brief interview Wednesday, Google spokesperson Randall Sarafa couldn't tell us much about future Android updates. "We haven't set a timetable," he said, also declining to comment on the Verizon iPhone.

The latest data from Nielson shows Android and iOS almost neck-and-neck in the race for smartphone dominance in the U.S., with Apple ahead by a nose at 28.6 percent, compared to Android's 25.8, based on data from June through November.

Close behind is Research In Motion's BlackBerry, at 26.1, although Android is leading with new purchasers, 40 percent of whom chose Android during that period, compared with 27 percent for Apple and 19 percent for BlackBerry.

Apple's share is more impressive since its operating system runs on only one smartphone and currently one U.S. carrier, compared to the roster of manufacturers offering Android devices on all major carriers. That's also a marketing advantage for Apple.

"Google has the problem of too many products and not enough focus on any one of them, while Apple has the advantage of focusing on one device," said Enderle. "The customer gets confused with the Android product line."

Honeycomb vs iPad 2

Another Google-Apple matchup will play out in the next few months as Motorola's Xoom and other tablets running Honeycomb face off against the second-generation iPad, which could be announced as soon as next month for spring release.

Android 3.0 is the first version to require dual-core functionality, allowing the device to perform multiple instructions at the same time, meaning it cannot be used as an upgrade for existing single-core devices.

"The expectation is that Apple should be able to have a multi-core solution in place in time for iPad 2," Enderle said. "But microprocessors aren't their core business, so there is a possibility they could miss this."

Sarafa said devices running Android 3.0 will roll out on additional devices according to the timetables of manufacturers. "Everything you see in Honeycomb is definitely the future of Android," he said.

Apple's iPhone comes to Verizon

Verizon has announced Apple's iPhone 4 will be sold on its network.

Since its debut in 2007, the iPhone launched a new age in mobile communication, but the device has been exclusive to AT&T customers until now.

The age of the iPhone has begun for Verizon. "Had I known that it was going to happen for sure two weeks ago, I wouldn't have bought the Droid I bought two weeks ago," Grand Blanc resident Kevin Smith said.

The much-anticipated announcement came down Tuesday morning from Verizon, which had previously been rather coy about plans to offer the popular device.

Financial and tech analysts think Verizon could easily sell several million iPhones in 2011.

"I'd probably switch to it. It's very useful to look stuff up," U of M-Flint student Nicole Smith said.

"I would think the only, the one real advantage to maybe having an iPhone is all the accessories and infrastructure that's built up around the iPhone," Smith said.

This version of the iPhone 4 will only run on Verizon's current 3G network, not the new and faster LTE 4G that is rolling out over the next few years.

That fact and the introduction of several new Android phones for Verizon at the Consumer Electronic Show in Vegas last week could mean some stiff competition from Android phones.

"It was simpler to use and it had some better camera capabilities and thought it was a better fit for myself," Flint resident Cindy McPheeters said.

Customers with other carriers probably won't make a switch. "No, I mean I like AT&T's service. I used to have Verizon and I didn't like Verizon," U of M-Flint student Amber Benscoter said.

Pricing is expected to be the same as other new phones - about $200 with a two-year contract. Pre-orders will be accepted on February 3, with availability online and in stores one week later.

Apple breaks Iphone 4 promise

GETTING the rubber band powered Iphone 4 alarm clock to work is still proving to be a challenge too far for the software geniuses at Apple.

Yesterday we reported that Iphone 4 users were treated to the formerly hidden feature that their alarm clock did not go off after 1 January.

At the time, Jobs' Mob promised users that the alarm would start working again on January 3 and that it did not need an software upgrade. Unfortunately it turns out that the software 1/11/11 bug has not gone away at the request of the Apple press office, nor by faith of Apple fanbois alone.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Apple has been unable to get the most simple bit of technology in its Iphone 4 to work.

A similar problem hit the Iphone alarm when the clocks went back in November, again causing many users to be late for work or transport arrangements.

The Herald quotes Kyle Wiens, who runs the popular Apple repair site Ifixit, as saying that the alarm glitch is likely due to a bug in the date code of the IOS software that runs the Iphone. The date code is not very stable, he said.

Apple's last official statement was that it was aware of an issue related to non-repeating alarms set for January 1 or 2, but it should be okay by January 3. It did not release a software update.

Even a cheap Chinese alarm clock can manage to cope with a yearly date change without breaking, but apparently Apple is unable to tackle the crisis.

What amazes us is not only the fact that the Iphone 4 programming is so bad that it can't tell the time, but when Steve Jobs has four days to fix the problem his teams of geniuses remain bewildered. Either that or he fails to lose any sleep over the possibility that his fanbois could be fired for turning up to work late on the first day of the year.

An alarm clock is the sort of software exercise they give high school students to write. Jobs' Mob should have fixed it in about five minutes, not three days (and counting).

Meanwhile Apple fanbois have been telling us that it is only an alarm clock so we should get over it. Just like they told us it was only a few dropped calls during antennaegate.

"Apple's share price just went through the roof, you should be writing about that and not minor glitches, like this. Apple is popular and while it is popular and doing well no one can complain," one "Flame the writer" email said.

Maybe Steve Jobs is right after all. Apple doesn't have to be competent, it just has to be cool.

Verizon iPhone 4 parts leaked?

A video was recently posted to YouTube from a firm called GlobalPartsDirect. In it they show what appears to a new iPhone 4 design–what could be the Verizon (CDMA) iPhone 4 or possibly, as they call it, the iPhone 5.

Of course none of this is even remotely confirmed (or confirmable) but they have a 5-minute video up with what is either a leaked handset or a convincing fake, complete with the metal frame and interior components. They take the supposed iPhone apart and compare it to a legitimate iPhone 4 noting internal changes as well changes to the antenna. You can see below that a gap in the antenna looks to have been moved–from the highly problematic spot on the lower left hand corner to above the mute switch.

Smartphonemedia has posted a image comparing the gaps in the external antenna, note the extra one on the handset’s right side (last image):






Strangely the new device has a micro-SIM slot, just like the iPhone 4, which means it’s either a global CDMA device or it’s not for Verizon at all. The new design also has 4 antenna breaks, as opposed to 3 in the iPhone 4.

Rather than getting further into the analysis let’s keep in mind that as convincing as this might be we’ve all seen too many fakes to take this without a grain of salt. The timing is perfect–right when the CES news is heating up and everyone is talking about Android phones–which could be evidence for or against it, but let’s not get too excited just yet.

Iomega Intros SuperHero iPhone Backup

Today Iomega introduced a novel iPhone dock with charging and backup capabilities. The Iomega SuperHero looks like a standard iPhone dock with a brushed metal look so it will look good next to your Mac or standing alone. The SuperHero is a charger for the iPhone that also backs up important info between syncing sessions.

We all know that you should sync your iPhone to make sure you have a backup of your contacts and photos. However, that isn't always an option, especially when your Mac or PC is at home (or in the office, or your parent's house, etc.) The SuperHero can backup your photos and contacts every time you charge the iPhone, which is a daily occurrence for most users. The SuperHero can support multiple iPhones, with its included 4GB SD card, but you can upgrade that card yourself if you need more space. 4GB should be enough for many iPhones, at least right out of the box. The SuperHero doesn't backup iTunes music and videos, since those may be DRM protected on your computer. Your music and videos should be backed up in your iTunes library in any case.

The SuperHero works with Iomega's SuperHero iOS app, which is available free from the iTunes app store. Backup, naming (for multiple iPhone support), and restore are all handled by the SuperHero app automatically after an initial setup. Backups after the initial setup are incremental, saving time over full backups. If you lose your iPhone or have to reformat it, you can use the SuperHero app to restore your photos and contacts from the backup.

The Iomega SuperHero is now available for a MSRP of $69.99. The SuperHero is compatible with the Apple iPhone 4, 3GS, and 3G. The SuperHero will also work with the Apple iPod Touch (third and fourth generations). The SuperHero has a 3-year limited warranty.

iPhone alarm glitch leaves users snoozing

Some iPhone users in Asia and Europe complained of malfunctioning alarms on the first working day of 2011, even after Apple reassured users that its phones' built-in clocks will work from Monday.

Bloggers, Facebook and Twitter users complained they missed flights or were late to arrive at work, as the alarm built into Apple's iPhone failed to go off for a third straight day for some users.

"My iPhone alarm didn't work again," user sueannlove from Singapore tweeted on the social networking site. "Time to dig out (the) old school alarm clock."

Similar messages were sent by iPhone users in Britain, Netherlands and other European countries.

The problem was not limited only to the iPhone, with some owners of other Apple products, such as its iPod music players, also complaining of a similar problem with their alarms.

"Apple certainly needs to fix it as soon as possible, but I doubt this will impact sales or reflect negatively on Apple itself," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.

Previous alarm failures
Apple was not immediately available for comment in Asia and Europe, but it said on Jan. 2 that it was aware of the problem with non-recurring alarms and that the iPhone's alarm will begin functioning normally again on Jan. 3.

Some users said their alarms worked properly on Jan 3.

"This is not a major issue for Apple, but it is sad that they have the same error on vital dates," said John Strand, founder and chief of Danish telecoms consultancy Strand Consult.

The iPhone alarm system failed to recognize changes in daylight savings time in 2010, causing some users to sleep in an hour longer, according to media reports.

The last time Apple was embroiled in publicity problems was in July last year after the launch of the iPhone 4, when reports about bad reception snowballed and forced the company to call a news conference to address the issue, dubbed "antennagate".

This had no visible impact on Apple's sales as the firm sold more than 14 million iPhones in July-September quarter, more than ever before, and is now the world's second largest smartphone manufacturer behind Nokia.

Facebook for iPhone gains million users on Christmas day, and other festive stories

Christmas cheer for Apple and Apple fans

Apple sold a ton of iOS devices, one iPhone caught a thief, Verizon's on the horizon, and Kindles are doing okay, too. The remainders for December 27, 2010 aren’t under the tree, but you can find them right where you left them.

Facebook for iPhone Usage Statistics(AllFacebook)

As John Gruber points out, the Facebook app for iPhone gained another million users on Christmas day, suggesting that St. Nick left a lot of iOS devices under trees this year. Would it kill all of you to write a thank-you note before you start poking your friends from high school?

A Find My iPhone Christmas Miracle(9 to 5 Mac)

When some coal-in-the-stocking-worthy thieves stole a Texas man’s Land Rover, he remembered the iPhone he’d left between the seats. Using the Find My iPhone feature, the man directed officers to the stolen car, and then helped again when one of the cuffed suspects escaped, and drove off again in the stolen car—running over an officer in the process. Guiding police to your stolen car and then to the escaping perp? There’s an app for that.

Report: Apple to ship 5-6 million Verizon compatible iPhones (Loop Insight)

Verizon customers need to track their stolen cars, too! Based on rumors from the various Taiwan-based suppliers, the latest thought is that Apple will start shipping CDMA-based, Verizon-compatible iPhones sometime in early 2011. Which means, if you will, that perhaps Verizon is on the horizon. (Apple, you’re free to use that in a press release.)

Third-Generation Kindle Now the Bestselling Product of All Time on Amazon Worldwide (Amazon)

If you’re a techie and you didn’t get an Apple product this holiday season, perhaps you scored a third-generation Kindle instead. If so, you’re not alone; Amazon says its latest Kindle is now the bestselling product in Amazon.com’s history, outselling even the seventh Harry Potter book. Of course, Amazon’s still not saying how many Kindles it has actually sold. Even more damning: the company has thus far not released a single story about finding a stolen car by tracking the forgotten Kindle inside.