IPhone news and information

Archive for June, 2010

Filed under: iPhone

Core77 had a chat with Apple's Jonathan Ive about the iPhone 4 and the materials that it's made out of, and Ive says that the process is very holistic; Apple has really gone from start to finish with the types of metal and glass that make up the latest iPhone, and they've worked at every step of the process to try to make them better designed.

He says that the glass on the front and back is "scratch-resistant aluminosilicate glass," and the metal around the edges is one full band of stainless steel. (The "seams" are just cosmetic -- it's all one piece, apparently.) "That understanding, that preoccupation with the materials and processes," Ive says, "is essential to the way we work."

Ive does have his usual ethereal lightness about how hard design is to grasp. "You cannot disconnect the form from the material -- the material informs the form," he says. If nothing else, though, the interview definitely shows just how obsessive he and Apple are about designing and manufacturing these devices.

iPhones become commonplace so quickly after launch that you tend to forget all of the work and thought that has gone into every single feature of their hardware. Apple isn't really doing anything magical here; it's just sitting down and grinding out exactly what materials work best in which ways in order to make a really beautiful and functional object.

[via 9to5Mac]

TUAWJonathan Ive on Apple's material obsessions originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPhone

Core77 had a chat with Apple's Jonathan Ive about the iPhone 4 and the materials that it's made out of, and Ive says that the process is very holistic; Apple has really gone from start to finish with the types of metal and glass that make up the latest iPhone, and they've worked at every step of the process to try to make them better designed.

He says that the glass on the front and back is "scratch-resistant aluminosilicate glass," and the metal around the edges is one full band of stainless steel. (The "seams" are just cosmetic -- it's all one piece, apparently.) "That understanding, that preoccupation with the materials and processes," Ive says, "is essential to the way we work."

Ive does have his usual ethereal lightness about how hard design is to grasp. "You cannot disconnect the form from the material -- the material informs the form," he says. If nothing else, though, the interview definitely shows just how obsessive he and Apple are about designing and manufacturing these devices.

iPhones become commonplace so quickly after launch that you tend to forget all of the work and thought that has gone into every single feature of their hardware. Apple isn't really doing anything magical here; it's just sitting down and grinding out exactly what materials work best in which ways in order to make a really beautiful and functional object.

[via 9to5Mac]

TUAWJonathan Ive on Apple's material obsessions originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We'll get right to the point: the Facebook app for your iPhone / iPod touch is now drinking the iOS 4 Kool-Aid. Fast app switching, high resolution icons (better than the one seen above, since that's pre-update), Korean / Russian localizations, and... that's about it for now. Maybe background image / video uploading is on the list of to-do's, but at least it won't look quite as pixel-deficient on the home screen next to Twitter.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Facebook for iPhone / iPod touch now iOS 4 compatible originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: App Review

Celebrity endorsements fail to impress me, and Poker 1 on 1 with Vanessa Rousso is no different. Despite being on the teevee (as we say around these parts), all I'm looking for is her expertise in creating a great poker game for the iPhone. Well Headlight Software and Vanessa have a nice, attractive and fast poker app on their hands here. Highlights include easy access to another player via Bluetooth for head-to-head action and a cool meter for newbies that'll let you know how risky your bets are.

Another nice attribute of Poker 1 on 1 is the ability to move quickly through a hand. If you're an experienced poker player you don't need all the jibber jabber or fancy animations some apps provide. Poker 1 on 1 has animation, but it is only to recreate the feeling of being at the table, really playing poker and yet faster. Everything moves, just faster. Watch the video for the game in action. The AI is good, the graphics are good and here are unlockables. For a couple of bucks it's a good deal.

TUAWApp demo: Poker 1 on 1 with Vanessa Rousso originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UberGizmo (blog)

Facebook for iPhone adds support for iOS 4 MacNN Facebook has updated its self-titled iPhone app, which now supports several features in iOS 4. Version 3.1.4 now works with fast app switching, while adding ... Record voice memos on the iPod, iPhoneComputerworld Favorite iPhone Apps of The Global GlitteratiHuffington Post (blog) Tips & Tricks – iPhone Secrets Review for iPhone and iPod Touch (iOS4 Updated)Appmodo CNET (blog) -MacDaddyNews.com (blog) -Fone Arena (blog) all 224 news articles »

Filed under: iPhone

Earlier this week were discussing the Death Grip and comparing how we hold our iPhones. I thought we should pose the question to you. Several readers added photos of their preferred method to our Flickr pool, and we noticed two main styles among them: the Cradle and the Death Grip.

The Cradle is pictured at right. The iPhone rests on top of the pinky while the other fingers support it like a stand. The thumb is then free to reach and tap.

The Death Grip is any hold that contacts the lower left-hand corner of the phone and bridges the gap between the two antennas, as that's what appears to trigger the signal issue. The results were nearly split: 9 of you used some variant of the Cradle, while 8 employed a full-on Death Grip. One fellow followed Apple's suggestion to a T, as you'll see in the gallery below.

Thanks for sharing your photos with us, everyone. Now ... who's got antenna issues? Take our poll from earlier today and let us know.

TUAWHow you hold your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPhone

Earlier this week were discussing the Death Grip and comparing how we hold our iPhones. I thought we should pose the question to you. Several readers added photos of their preferred method to our Flickr pool, and we noticed two main styles among them: the Cradle and the Death Grip.

The Cradle is pictured at right. The iPhone rests on top of the pinky while the other fingers support it like a stand. The thumb is then free to reach and tap.

The Death Grip is any hold that contacts the lower left-hand corner of the phone and bridges the gap between the two antennas, as that's what appears to trigger the signal issue. The results were nearly split: 9 of you used some variant of the Cradle, while 8 employed a full-on Death Grip. One fellow followed Apple's suggestion to a T, as you'll see in the gallery below.

Thanks for sharing your photos with us, everyone. Now ... who's got antenna issues? Take our poll from earlier today and let us know.

TUAWHow you hold your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PC World

Handicapping the mobile music services CNET I struggle figuring out which 500 songs I want on my 8GB iPhone at any given time, and the problem gets worse as as I download more apps. ... MOG Music Service Headed for Android, iPhone, RokuPC World iStockphoto: Film, sell, and profit from your iPhone 4ElectricPig.co.uk MOG service lands on iPhone, Roku playerElectronista (blog) Spacelab -The Associated Press -UberGizmo (blog) all 234 news articles »

Boston Globe

Motorola makes fun of iPhone reception issues with its latest Droid X ad IntoMobile (blog) In the midst of the new iPhone 4 and Apple getting ridiculed for a handful of issues, namely the “Death Grip,” Motorola decided to take out a full page ad ... Motorola advert revels in anti-iPhone schadenfreudeRegister Motorola and Verizon's Droid X marks all the right spotsUSA Today Zing! Droid ad mocks iPhone's 'handling' issuesFortune Examiner.com -Phandroid.com -Everything Android all 202 news articles »

It hasn't gotten quite the attention of the iPhone 4's antenna problems or its proximity sensor troubles, but iOS 4 has caused some heartbreak for corporate users who connect to Exchange servers -- checking mail or syncing contact and calendars can stall out interminably, with no option but to restart and try again. We've definitely had this problem ourselves, but happily Apple's right on the case with this one -- iOS 4 users who need to get their Exchange on can download an updated configuration file that seems to make things better. The new settings don't seem to do much other than increase iOS 4's idle timeout, but if it works, it works -- and in our limited testing things appear to be going swimmingly. Okay, that's one -- now let's polish up the rest, shall we?

[Thanks, Paul]

Apple patches iOS 4 Exchange issue originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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