Apple Patent Reveals Swype-like Keyboard

Android users are probably familiar with the Swype keyboard which basically allows users to type on their phones just by swiping (or “swyping”) between characters versus pecking at individual letters one at a time. In fact one iOS developer has event attempted to port Swype onto iOS devices although it didn’t exactly take off. However it seems that Apple did think about keyboard alternatives back in the day, and thanks to a recent patent that was published, it looks like Apple’s idea was pretty similar to Swype. According to the patent filing, it was filed for back in 2007 which is the same year that the first iPhone debuted, suggesting that Apple was already looking for keyboard alternatives for touchscreen devices back in the day.

However given that it’s 6 years later and the only revision to the Apple keyboard on iOS would be its design, it’s safe to say that Apple decided not to pursue this idea, or other keyboard ideas the Cupertino company and its team might have cooked up then. In any case Apple’s keyboard is more than functional and is pretty accurate as far as onscreen keyboards are concerned.

Source: Ubergizmo

How to turn off iOS 7 frequent location tracking and increase your privacy

By default, iOS 7 will track and record places that you visit most often to provide better location-based data such as in the Today summary of Notification Center. If you value your privacy more than you do location-based data, you can turn the feature off. Turning off features like these can also help save a bit of battery life too.

Here’s how:

1. Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap on Privacy.

3. Now tap on Location Services at the top.

4. Towards the bottom of the next screen, tap on System Services.

5. Again, towards the bottom of the next page, tap on Frequent Locations.

6. At the top of the next screen, turn the Frequent Locations option to the Off position.

That’s all there is to it. Locations you travel to most will no longer be tracked. While this comes at the expense of not having as accurate location data in places like the Today Summary screen, it also preserves your privacy better and to a lot of us, that’s more important.

Source: iMore

Apple Job Listing Hints At Plans With Solar Technology

Could solar technology power our iPhones or iPads in the future? Or perhaps even Apple’s Mac computers? While that question remains unanswered for now, it seems that at the very least Apple is interested in the technology, thanks to a recent job listing on Apple’s website which calls for a “thin films” engineer who has experience in the solar industry to join Apple’s Mobile Devices group, with the job description reading, “assist in the development and refinement of thin films technologies applicable to electronics systems.”

Given that the job was for a position in the Mobile Devices division, it has been speculated that perhaps it could be used on future iPhone or iPad products, although others have suggested that maybe it could see integration in display and touch technology as well, maybe for future iWatch devices, perhaps? Solar technology is not new to Apple as the company has in the past used the technology with its data centers, so to see Apple trying to find a way to incorporate the technology into their other products would not be a stretch of the imagination.

Source: Ubergizmo

Another, New iOS Lock Screen Vulnerability Uncovered

Hot on the heels of a vulnerability that gave snoopers the ability to bypass the iPhone’s passcode in iOS 6 and make calls, view and modify contacts, and even access to photos via the Contacts app, is a new one that allows the entire contents of the handset to by synced with iTunes.

“The vulnerability is located in the main login module of the mobile iOS device [applies to iPhone or iPad] when processing to use the screenshot function in combination with the emergency call and power button,” said Vulnerability Lab, who initially discovered the flaw.

The vulnerability allows anyone with physical access to the iOS device the ability to easily bypass the passcode lock and use  a USB cable to get access to the data stored on the iPhone or iPad from a Mac or PC.

Below is a video demonstrating the vulnerability.

This is a very serious vulnerability indeed, as it means that someone could get access to data stored on an iOS device without leaving a trace. While home users might not like the idea of family and friends snooping through their data, it’s businesses who use iPhones and iPads that need to be really worried. This vulnerability means that storing sensitive information on an iOS 6 is not a good idea, and additional steps need to be taken to protect the data.

Source: Forbes

Turn Your iPad Mini Into A Dashboard Console

An F150 Forums user who goes by 2011SuperCrew, found a fantastic use for the small 7.9 inch touchscreen on the iPad mini. As an in dash display that serves as an entertainment system in a way, similar to the Google Nexus 7 that was made into the entertainment system in a Dodge Ram, the iPad Mini relies on the apps available on the tablet.

The most important part of this project is the frame to mount the iPad Mini in the right place. This required some careful measuring of both the iPad Mini and the width of the car’s dashboard, particularly the area just above the CD player where the iPad is located.

Interestingly, 2011SuperCrew started the project before he even owned an iPad Mini, so he used a wireframe template that’s available online.

2011SuperCrew had to completely gut his truck’s stereo control console. He then made his frame by cutting holes in the original dash, then applying body filler. He added a home button and after sanding and painting the frame, he attached his iPad Mini to the frame and placed the entire assembly in his truck.

The iPad draws power from a Lightning connector attached to the stereo system and 2011SuperCrew uses a MiFi hotspot to enable Wi-Fi connectivity to his truck. The rest of the features used on the iPad Mini simply rely on the apps installed on the tablet.

Via: Tech Hive

Apple Applies for iPad Backside Controls Patent

Apple has applied for a patent that would allow users to control various aspects of their iPad using backside controls. This looks to help iPad users experience a new way of gaming on their tablet. The sensor-based controls are positioned right under the surface of the iPad so that it does not resemble physical buttons.

Of course since this is just a patent application, rest assured that this technology won’t be on any iPad in the near future. An issue Apple must face in developing these controls on the iPad is that in order to detect where your hands and fingers are, more sensors are required to come into play, which means more battery life will be drained from the device. Apple will have to find a way to implement these backside controls to be easy to use while gaming and also not run out the battery in hurry.

I really like the idea of having backside controls on a tablet, just the way a tablet sits in your hands, depending on the size, it seems to me that extra buttons on the back of the tablet could really help while playing games or for whatever other use Apple may have in mind.

I always like the idea of the backside control on the Motorola Charm, although the phone itself may not be the best device I still like the control panel on the backside and I have always found myself in situation where I find it would be convenient to have back controls on my BlackBerry. Also Sony has the PS Vita which introduced many to a new experience in gaming with their backside control panels (shown off in photo below).

Sony PS Vita backside controls

Tablet Comparison Chart 2012 (Amazon, Apple, BlackBerry and Samsung)

This is a chart that Research In Motion has made and they call it their “Sales Battle Card”. It is a comparison chart between the 4G LTE BlackBerry PlayBook, Apple’s New iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Amazon Kindle Fire.

As you can see the BlackBerry PlayBook definitely blows the competition away. But sadly most people won’t see this chart or they won’t take time to look and compare for themselves. The PlayBook really is an amazing device, I just don’t think people are going to give it the notice and credit it deserves, not trying to be too bias here, but mainly people won’t except the PlayBook for what it is because it isn’t an Apple product and it’s not called the iPad.

BlackBerry phones do have there fair share of problems, I am definitely a hardcore BlackBerry user and my Bold 9900 is constantly giving me problems. So I can understand peoples frustrations with BlackBerry devices. But honestly if BlackBerry 10 is anything like what is promised and since it is built with QNX software like the PlayBook is and it will have similar functionality as the PlayBook, I think BlackBerry 10 is really going to be a smartphone worth trying even if you dislike BlackBerry.

Study Finds iPad Used for Internet Surfing, Not Business

According to a new study from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, which reportedly looked at activity patterns among iPad owners earlier this month, found that the majority of iPad owners surf the internet and entertainment rather than for business use or educational use.

CIRP found that among the participants, 40% of iPad users use their iPad for surfing the internet, entertainment uses and for playing games. As far as business use goes, 14% of iPad users use their iPad for business purposes. More users of the newest iPad are using them for business purpose with 16% and also the users who have bought the iPad’s with more storage were more likely to use them for business. While only 4% of iPad owners said they use their iPad primarily for apps and less than 4% of users said they use their iPad primarily for shopping.

The study also found that iPad owners with the 3G and 4G variants showed very similar usage behavior to the owners with the Wifi only iPad.

Blackberry PlayBook vs. iPad

The upcoming Tablet the Blackberry Playbook vs. the existing iPad and the soon to be released iPad 2. The Playbook in my opinion will be the best Tablet on the market when it releases soon, there are many features about it that out weigh that of the iPad. One of the biggest of the features is that the Playbook has Adobe Flash Player built-in and also has great features because of the smooth integration of HTML 5. The iPad doesn’t not have any built-in Flash player which makes the Tablet render very mundane websites, not really like that of a PC like the Playbook does.