News - page 75

At long last Apple has released iOS 4.1, which includes bug fixes for iOS 4 performance issues on the iPhone 3G.  Having suffered for months with 4.0 on my 3G,  I rushed home yesterday to upgrade when hearing that 4.1 had gone live.  After a day of use my impressions are definitely more positive than with the change from v3 to v4, but I wouldn’t describe the improvements as overwhelming.

The worst delays appear to be gone.  Under iOS 4.0 my 3G was experiencing delays of up to 10 seconds when opening  apps like Messages and Settings, these now launch in a few seconds.  Email messages load quicker, the on-screen keyboard is responsive with a shorter initial delay, and searching my contact list is relatively efficient again.  I was also able to start a song playing in iPod mode then jump around to several other apps without any skipping in playback.

I’m still experiencing notable delays when loading the Calendar app.  The iPhone appears to update my calendar via MobileMe each time I load the app, blanking out the screen before returning a few seconds later with my data.  I thought this was a bug in 4.0 but perhaps this is a change in the app’s behavior?

My overall (subjective) impression is that iOS 4.1 on the iPhone 3G is a tune-up of iOS 4.0, but isn’t a performance improvement over iOS 3.  The most egregious problems do appear to be fixed and the device is useable again.  That’s most important.

iPhone 3G owners, what’s your experience been so far?  Let us know in the comments.

Four school districts in California have teamed up with publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in a pilot project to test the use of iPads in math education.  400 iPads will be distributed among six schools in the program for use in algebra classes:

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt today announced a year-long pilot of the first-ever full-curriculum Algebra app for the Apple iPad. The pilot also represents the launch of HMH Fuse™, a new mode of curriculum delivery where interactive platforms and mobile devices bring learning to life for students by moving beyond the one-way experience of a print or digital textbook.

Through the revolutionary iPad environment, students can receive feedback on practice questions, write and save notes, receive guided instruction, access video lessons and more with the touch of a finger. The app’s multi-dimensional functionality combines instruction, ongoing support and intervention, allowing teachers and students to customize learning and meet individual needs.

The schools involved include Washington Middle School and Hudson K–8 in Long Beach Unified, Kings Canyon Middle School and Sequoia Middle School in Fresno Unified, Amelia Earhart Middle School in Riverside Unified, and Presidio Middle School in San Francisco Unified School District.

The iPad is a natural platform for use in education, it’s a magic sheet of paper which can display text, graphics and video, test students, provide internet access and facilitate student-teacher interaction.  Many colleges and universities have already begun exploring its possibilities.  I don’t doubt it will find a strong niche in grade school as well.

[via SlashDot]

From Vienna comes news of one of the most striking homes (and Mac home offices) I’ve ever seen. Designed by architects Najjar & Najjar, the owner of Villa F is an IT entrepreneur and aficionado of Macs and Lamborghinis.  He wanted a living space that reflected his passions.  The futuristic result is something which wouldn’t be out of place on the Starship Enterprise.

There is a vast open space that connects the entrepreneur’s working space with a lounge area, a bar and a kitchen.  Almost everything inside the Villa F is digitally controlled.  There are Plasma TVs, a huge aquarium with computer generated graphics, LED lighting and sound systems that respond at a click of the mouse. [Born Rich]

Well it didn’t take long after his Apple gig ended for Justin Long to switch to the Dark Side. Known for his portrayal of “Mac” along with John Hodgman as “PC” in Apple’s very popular “Get a Mac” ad campaign, Long is seen using (of all things) a Dell laptop in a promo shot for his new film Going the Distance.  We presume he’s calling his old pal PC for tech support in this photo.

First a jailbroken iPhone, now using a PC.  Justin, Justin, how did things get so bad so fast?

[via Macworld]

It’s official: the iPhone has joined the ranks of iFurniture.  Yesterday brought news of another iPhone coffee table, which joins a proud history of Apple-inspired furniture throughout the years.  In another Geek Trend, some members of the Cult of Apple can now kick their feet up both with and on their iDevices while lounging at home.

Steve Jobs confirmed in his press conference today that iOS 4.1 contains several bug fixes, including a fix addressing the poor performance of iOS4 on the iPhone 3G.  Alas we have to wait another week for the update to be released.  It will be hitting my iPhone as soon as iTunes says it is available.

I think it was notable that Jobs addressed this point very early in his presentation; the bugs mentioned are all major issues and need to be resolved.  The new Gaming Center and real-time graphics rendering of the A4 chip are impressive, but we 3G laggards are just looking to be able to send email and make calls again!

No comments about whether iOS 4.2 will support the 3G and older iPod touch models, the presentation merely included an asterisk that noted *not all models.   I think a cutoff at iOS 4.1 is appropriate for these devices if the performance problems are finally fixed.

Open source devotees, iPhone users and hedonists unite! News today that low cost, OpenBTS GSM cell phone service is being tested at Burning Man in a true trial-by-fire fashion:

Today I bring you a story that has it all: a solar-powered, low-cost, open source cellular network that’s revolutionizing coverage in underprivileged and off-grid spots. It uses VoIP yet works with existing cell phones. It has pedigreed founders. Best of all, it is part of the sex, drugs and art collectively known as Burning Man. Where do you want me to begin?

“We make GSM look like a wireless access point. We make it that simple,” describes one of the project’s three founders, Glenn Edens. [Network World]

The economic and environmental potential of the system is promising, particularly for remote and under-developed areas.

For those who like to work when they travel – and can afford a chauffeured Mercedes – news today of the iPad Car!  High end tuning shop Brabus has created iBusiness, a mobile office on wheels.

Based on the Mercedes-Benz S600, the Brabus iBusiness four-seater luxury sedan packs in a range of multimedia features, including two iPads in the rear seats with Bluetooth keyboards and mouse, an ultra-small Mac minicomputer under the rear shelf and a 64GB Apple iPod Touch. The German super tuners have fitted the Mercedes S600 iBusiness with a 15.2-inch TFT display with 16:9 aspect ratio and USB 2.0 ports in the rear compartment to hook up peripherals to the Mac. You can connect to the internet via UMTS and HSDPA. The two iPads control the complete BRABUS multimedia system and the car’s standard S-Class COMAND system with all functions such as radio, navigation system and telephone. [Born Rich]

With this setup, I don’t know that I’d want to get out of the car when I arrived at my destination.

Another story today of a dramatic, satisfying – yet sadly illegal – way to end one’s career: go out for some brews after a hard day at work, then return with a gun and shoot the company server.

A Salt Lake City mortgage company employee allegedly got drunk, opened fired on his firm’s computer server with a .45-caliber automatic, and then told police someone had stolen his gun and caused the damage.

I’ve often had this urge, but not owning a firearm nor wishing to go to jail, subtler methods of sabotage have had to suffice.

The light at the end of the tunnel seems to be glowing ever brighter for iPhone 3G owners running iOS 4.  In addition to Steve Jobs’ recently publicized email claiming a software update coming soon to fix the problems, the Blogosphere and Twitter are also carrying reports of big performance improvements with recent betas:

Tests with a beta version of Apple’s iOS 4.1 on a well-used 3G suggest that the new OS has increased the phone’s responsiveness. Indeed, apps load much more quickly, text entry is much smoother and the phone no longer slows down beyond the point of usability when more than one browser window is open. [The Next Web]

These have been among the most widely reported problems.

Another glimmer of hope for iPhone 3G owners running (or crawling with) iOS4; MacRumors reports today on another Steve Jobs email, this one sent to a disgruntled iPhone 3G user:

I’ve waited patiently through 4.0.1 and 4.0.2, looking for a fix that will make my phone work again. I’ve read the forums that advise me to jailbreak my phone or use some other method so I can downgrade back to a version of iPhone 3, however I’m not prepared to use a method that is not supported by Apple.

Jobs’ response is typically succinct:

Software update coming soon.

Sent from my iPhone

Presumably this means iOS4.1.  Apple acknowledged last month that it was aware of the performance problems with iOS4 on the iPhone 3G and was “looking into” the issues, which include very sluggish performance and poor battery life.

As an 3G owner myself this fix can’t come soon enough; I’m doing the double hard reset every other week and have disabled spotlight indexing, but this only makes things tolerable at best.  Is this ordeal finally going to end soon?

Desperate for a real keyboard on your iPhone?  Indian industrial designer Altamash Jiwani was too, and created a prototype of a snap-on sliding QWERTY keyboard for the iPhone 4:

[The] keyboard offers a QWERTY slider tactile keyboard and a stylish impact case to protect your Iphone from bumps and bruises along with access to all the switches and jacks on your Iphone. Just fit your Iphone in the case while connecting the QWERTY keyboard’s port to the dock connector of your Iphone.

Design also incorporates a finger rest at the lower end bottom of the case to get a comfortable hold while typing. If you don’t open the slider, you still have access to whole Iphone screen and the QWERTY keyboard for quickly typing something.

Jiwani put significant thought into choosing among three possible form factors: a flip keyboard, an elongated iPhone frame, or a sliding keyboard.  He documented the design process on his blog.

While the iPod is busy powering bar taps, the iPad gets in on the fun at Yelp powering an iPad controlled keg for the office.  During the 2nd annual Hackathon these serious beer-reseachers knew they had to do something equally productive with Apple’s latest iWonder:

At Yelp, we don’t mess around with our beer. To make sure we never run dry or get a bad pint, the geniuses on this team — John B., Gabe H., Alex D., Julien R., and Jeff M. — built the Kegbot. Controlled by an iPad app, you can tell how much beer is being emptied (and at what rate: cough, John), as well as leave a 5 star review for your brew.

Authorization for pouring your favorite brew comes from a swipe of one’s RFID employee ID badge (after hours, we assume).  Of course there’s also a webpage you can check from your desk to see the status of the KegMate.  I wonder if  Yelp paychecks now include a deduction for beer expenses?

Thanks for Geeky Gadgets for the tip.

Cheap Geek iPad Stand (photos: iPadFORUMS.net)

iPad furniture may be a growing trend, but not everybody can afford $2500 for an iPad Chair (myself included). Now the cheap geeks are getting in on the fun.  iVan at iPadFORUMS.net tells us of this useful domestic repurposing project:

I bought a microphone boom stand. Unfortunately this one is a little cheapish and not quite sturdy enough so I had to add a 5 pound counterweight to offset the iPad’s heft and that of the supporting panel.

That panel is cut from half inch MDF covered in black self adhesive felt material. So are the rails that maintain the pad. I affixed it to the boom with a speaker wall mount bracket.

Total cost of project, $80.

Armchair not included.  You knew you were saving that weight set in the basement for something!

Tired of couch computing while holding your iPad with one hand?  Now you can rest your posterior in style with the iPad Chair from Elite Home Theater Seating:

With the Luxa2 H4 iPad holder firmly securing the remarkable device in its tight grasp with its 6 rubber pins, you can now wield the power of the iPad in total relaxation with both hands free. The holder slides into the existing cupholder of the Elite HTS chair, and can then swivel and pivot 360 degrees. In addition, the iPad can be rotated vertically or horizontally, and can even be positioned flat like a table.

Company founder and CEO Bobby Bala explains:

We wanted to enhance the iPad experience by increasing the comfort level of the user.  Our testing indicates this increases the level of interaction and escapism with the device.

Pricing for your very own captain’s chair (with dual-seat-cushion support and powered footrest) starts at only $2495 – a more affordable luxury for those who can’t swing $20k for the iPad Bed!

Thanks to Low End Mac for the tip.

No need to resort to physical violence to escape from jail, just let an engrossing iPhone game do the work for you.  GamePron brings us of this tale of a gaming fix with a higher cost than usual:

Everybody knows that there’s a certain risk one takes when playing addictive, engrossing games when you’re meant to be doing something else.  The prevalence of awesome games on the iPhone hasn’t helped that risk – as a Philippines police officer has learned.

Five inmates recently escaped from a police precinct in Cagayan de Oro City, snatching up the officer’s keys where he’d left them while playing a quick few levels of Plants vs. Zombies.   Apparently, the convicts had no trouble getting the keys and gaining their freedom – although four of the five were recaptured shortly after.

A cautionary tale for those playing addictive games on the clock – though I suspect one (likely) former prison guard now has a lot more time to work on his high score!

[via SlashDot]

Finally, carbon and silicon based entities can repose and recharge side by side!  FurnitureWorld brings us news of one of the Ultimate iPad Accessories, the iCon Bed, a luxury offering from Hollandia International and mattress brand Therapedic.  Dual adjustable mattresses pair with a high tech headboard for the ultimate in sleep workstations:

The iCon Bed’s upholstered headboard is in a class of its own with its sleek, modern look, along with four fully enclosed speakers, 250 watt amplifier and docking stations for two iPads built into the furniture. It is available in more than 200 fashionable colors and fabrics to complement any bedroom decor.

Like the iPad, the iCon Bed is more about a lifestyle choice than it is about a product, and caters to consumers who know how to balance work, rest and play, said Hollandia CEO Avi Barssessat.

This trendy staple will set you back a cool $20k. Perhaps an opportunity for creative DIY projects?

Guy Kawasaki’s seminal book The Macintosh Way is a classic for technology marketers (“evangelists”) and Apple geeks alike.  It is fondly remembered from the Golden 68k Macintosh Era, and is used to this day as reference material for startup businesses and college courses.

The book went out of print several years ago, and Guy has been working since to get the rights back.  He has finally succeeded, and is making the digitized eBook available free to everyone for the asking.

The Macintosh Way has seen Apple and the Mac through many changes over its twenty year lifetime; to celebrate the re-release, Guy has also released this video detailing the book’s transformation from printed page to computer screen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnjyrcozHyA

To get your free eBook, follow Guy on Twitter and sign up at freemacway.com
You can also read the book in the OfficeDrop iPad app.

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Added bonus for this old Mac geek (and full disclosure): my own Vintage Mac Museum was used to film the opening of the video.  For a few enjoyable hours this spring the production team and I relived the Macintosh Way!  For more on filming the spot, see Vintage Macs Live Again.  Anyone up for Snood?