1. http://www.google.com/profiles/playboyp
Just the good stuff
Yesterday, new exemptions were added to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and much of the Web and the blogosphere went a bit wild over the new legality of jailbreaking the iPhone.
Today, Apple wants to reinforce that, while no longer a potential breach of the DMCA, jailbreaking your phone will void your warranty. The thing is, restoring your iPhone to factory conditions is simple and jailbreaking your phone lets you do a lot of things that Apple, for one reason or another, doesn't want you to do...without paying.
For those of you unfamiliar with the term, to "jailbreak" a phone is to hack a smartphone in order to gain access to additional features or install unapproved applications. Up until now, however, Apple claimed that jailbreaking an iPhone allowed people to install unapproved apps and should not be permitted. That claim has been rejected, with the Copyright Office saying that jailbreaking is actually fair use.
An Apple spokeswoman told Cult of Mac's Leander Kahney that, aside from possibly degrading the user experience, jailbreaking can void the warranty.
Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably."
While Apple has a valid point - that jailbreaking the iPhone and installing unverified third-party apps "can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably" - there is something bigger at stake here. Apple is saying it wants to preserve the quality of the user experience, but it also wants to protect its assets.
Apple and AT&T started offering wifi tethering at $20 per month in June. With a jailbroken iPhone, 10 spare minutes and $10, you can turn your iPhone into wifi hotspot and avoid the monthly fee. There are even other tethering apps that are completely free (though we've found MyWi to be reliable). How about those apps that Apple will only let you run over wifi connections, like FaceTime? Apps for jailbroken iPhones, such as My3G, allow users to run wifi-only apps over 3G. There are even apps to block Apple's new "iAd" advertising on jailbroken phones. It's even feasible that, with jailbreaking officially off the DMCA list of offenses, alternatives to programs like Apple's MobileMe could enter the market at less than the $99 per year pricetag.
In essence, a jailbroken phone is something that Apple can't closely control and it's a threat. Apps that would never make it through the App Store, for any number of reasons, can be installed onto a jailbroken phone. Say "hello" to third-party browsers, porn, bittorrents, direct-downloaded podcasts and TV shows and more.
The reality, so far, is that only a small percentage of iPhone owners have jailbroken their phones, but the flip-flop in legality could change this. As Kahney suggests, maybe "legitimate software companies will publish jailbreaking software, instead of shady rings of underground hackers" and maybe a "healthy market for unofficial and banned apps" will come from all of this.
Oh yes, the warranty. While Apple is quick to say that jailbreaking an iPhone will void the warranty, there's one thing - it's but a simple step to restore your iPhone to its original condition and have that be that. As ReadWriteWeb's Sarah Perez writes in her latest jailbreaking guide, "if you have a jailbroken phone, you can't get support from Apple for any issues you may have. However, jailbreaking isn't permanent. You can revert your phone to its factory settings at any time via iTunes with no one the wiser."
Our suggestion? Go backup all your data and jailbreak that iPhone. There's a million reasons you should, it's not illegal and, if you run into trouble, you can easily restore everything to a clean slate.
Software developers say move is step towards removing ‘handcuffs’ Apple places on app market
U.S. owners of the iPhone will be able to legally unlock their devices so they can run software applications that haven't been approved by Apple Inc., according to new government rules announced Monday.
The decision to allow the practice commonly known as “jailbreaking” is one of a handful of new exemptions from a 1998 federal law that prohibits people from bypassing technical measures that companies put on their products to prevent unauthorized use of copyright-protected material.
For iPhone jailbreakers, the new rules effectively legitimize a practice that has been operating in a legal gray area by exempting it from liability. Apple claims that jailbreaking is an unauthorized modification of its software.
Mario Ciabarra, founder of Rock Your Phone, which calls itself an “independent iPhone application store,” said the rules mark the first step toward opening the iPhone app market to competition and removing the “handcuffs” that Apple imposes on developers that want to reach users of the wildly popular device.
Unless users unlock their handsets, they can only download apps from Apple's iTunes store. Software developers must get such apps pre-approved by Apple, which sometimes demands changes or rejects programs for what developers say are vague reasons.
Mr. Ciabarra noted that Google Inc. has taken a different approach with its Android operating system, which is emerging as the biggest competitor to the iPhone. Google allows users of Android phones to download applications from outside the Android Market.
Although Apple has never prosecuted anyone for jailbreaking, it does use software upgrades to disable jailbroken phones, and the new government rules won't put a stop to that. That means owners of such phones might not be able to take advantage of software improvements, and they still run the risk of voiding their warranty.
Apple spokesman Natalie Kerris said Monday that the company is concerned about jailbreaking because the practice can make an iPhone unstable and unreliable.
“Apple's goal has always been to ensure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience,” she said.
In addition to jailbreaking, other exemptions announced Monday would:
— allow owners of used cell phones to break access controls on their phones in order to switch wireless carriers.
— allow people to break technical protections on video games to investigate or correct security flaws.
— allow college professors, film students, documentary filmmakers and producers of noncommercial videos to break copy-protection measures on DVDs so they can embed clips for educational purposes, criticism or commentary.
— allow computer owners to bypass the need for external security devices called dongles if the dongle no longer works and cannot be replaced.
— allow blind people to break locks on electronic books so that they can use them with read-aloud software and similar aides.
Apple Inc.'s control over its iPhone and other devices via its iTunes store was undercut Monday by a federal ruling legalizing jailbreaking, or altering the devices to install unapproved software, a practice used now by a small number of customers.
The Library of Congress, which helps oversee copyright law, removed a legal cloud over altering of iPhones, iPads and iPods, to install and run software not purchased from Apple.
Jennifer Granick, civil liberties director at Electronic Freedom Foundation, the digital-rights organization that pushed for the change, said the ruling could open the door for third-party app stores. "Innovators now know that there will be customers for them," she says.
It's unclear how many companies will take advantage of the ruling, which affects a law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. By one estimate just 8% of iPhones have been altered to allow such downloads.
"I don't think it's that big a deal," said Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. "The mainstream iPhone customer isn't complaining about apps they can't get because of Apple's restrictive policies."
Apple has reviewed and maintained veto power over apps for the iPhone since it opened the device to outside developers in 2008. These apps can only be downloaded from Apple's App Store. Monday's ruling applies to other smartphone makers but only Apple now restricts what apps can run on its devices.
Computer experts have found ways to get around the code that tethers iPhones to the App Store, however, allowing device owners to download and run programs that haven't been approved by Apple. The legality of the practice was not clear, so it hasn't caught on widely.
Mario Ciabarra, president of Rock Your Phone Inc., which sells apps for jailbroken iPhones, says close to $2 million worth of about apps for about four million iPhones have been downloaded from his store. He said the company felt that what it was doing was legal, but was not eager to argue that point in court. What this ruling does "is make it very clear that it is okay," he said.
Apple, which says it has sold about 50 million iPhones worldwide, has discouraged jailbreaking. A spokeswoman did not address the ruling directly, but explained the company's policy.
"Apple's goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone," she said, adding that "jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience" of the iPhone and that it "can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably," she said.
In 2008 the EFF, asked the Library of Congress to authorize jailbreaking, arguing that the rights of Apple and other smartphone makers wouldn't be infringed because any changes to the devices are for the personal use of the phone owner. Apple disagreed, arguing that jailbreaking its iPhone would open up consumers and Apple to harm and that the practice was a violation of the law.
The U.S. Copyright Office, a unit of the Library of Congress, on Monday said that Apple's objections appeared to be rooted partly in the potential "harm to its reputation" which isn't protected by copyright law.
It said that phone owners have the right to run whatever legal programs they want on their devices and that "modifications that are made purely for the purpose of such interoperability are fair uses."
The action was in the form of a final rule, which would require a legal challenge to overturn.
The Library of Congress also ruled that it was legal to modify software on a used phone so that it can run on a different carrier's network, although other technical barriers make it difficult to use an iPhone with networks other than that of AT&T Inc., the sole carrier authorized by Apple in the United States.
The government said the use of snippets of DVDs and other videos for use in universities and schools have fair use protections under the law. However, it rejected other applications for fair-use protections, including a request that consumers be allowed to use their own software to access streaming online video from Netflix Inc. or other providers.
Apple Inc appears to be deliberately distorting the issues surrounding the iPhone 4's antenna design by asserting that Research In Motion's BlackBerry has similar reception problems, RIM said."Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable," RIM co-Chief Executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie said in a statement emailed late Friday.
"Apple's claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public's understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple's difficult situation."
Since the June 24 launch of the iPhone 4, some users have reported drastically reduced signal strength when they held the touch-screen phone a certain way, leading to dropped calls.
In response to the complaints Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said Friday the entire smartphone industry shared such reception problems, naming specifically Research in Motion, Samsung Electronics and HTC Corp.
At a rare, 90-minute press conference, Jobs maintained there were no problems with the iPhone 4's wraparound antenna design and accused the media of trying to "tear down" a company that had grown so successful.
"This is life in the smartphone world. Phones aren't perfect. Most every smartphone we tested behaved like this," Jobs said.
In response of Jobs' comments, RIM's co-chief executives issued a statement defending the BlackBerry's design and criticizing Apple's approach to dealing with the iPhone 4's antenna issue.
"RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage," they said.
"One thing is for certain, RIM's customers don't need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity," the statement said.
RIM, based in Waterloo, Ontario, was referring to Jobs' offer to provide iPhone 4 users with free phone cases to address the reception complaints.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, could not be reached immediately to comment.
A lawsuit alleging that Apple and AT&T secretly formed monopoly with their exclusive iPhone agreement has received class-action status, meaning the plaintiffs now represent everybody who’s bought an iPhone in the United States.
Judge James Ware of the U.S. District court for the Northern District of California on Thursday granted class certification of plaintiffs’ antitrust claims seeking damages and injunctive relief for the complaint titled “Apple & ATTM Antitrust Litigation.” (.pdf)
In an interview Friday with Wired.com, Mark Rifkin, lead counsel representing the plaintiffs of the suit, highlighted that the terms of AT&T’s two-year customer contract say that customers have the option to terminate whenever they wish for a fee to switch to another carrier.
By only offering the iPhone on one carrier, iPhone customers are still essentially locked in despite having the termination option, the suit argues.
“The court has allowed [multiple] plaintiffs to represent 20 million consumers who have been forced to use AT&T for iPhone voice and data service, despite an agreement that allows them to terminate at any time and presumably switch carriers,” Rifkin said.
Ever since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, AT&T has been the exclusive carrier of the handset in the United States. Neither Apple nor AT&T have disclosed official details of their exclusive agreement to carry the iPhone.
Originally filed in 2007, the class-action lawsuit alleged that Apple and AT&T had illegally exerted a monopoly by telling customers their iPhone contract was two years long when in actuality the companies’ exclusivity agreement was for an indefinite, undisclosed amount of time. That means even after iPhone customers’ two-year contracts have expired, they still don’t have the option of switching to another carrier because AT&T is still Apple’s only U.S. partner.
However, earlier statements made by Apple’s legal team noted it was publicly reported in a USA Today article that the agreement was five years long, as first discovered by Engadget, which implied that AT&T would be the exclusive carrier of the iPhone from 2007 to 2012.
In a response filed by Apple’s legal team in 2008, Apple claimed the allegations of monopoly were contrived.
“[T]here was widespread disclosure of [AT&T's] five-year exclusivity and no suggestion by Apple or anyone else that iPhones would become unlocked after two years,” Apple said in a response. “Moreover, it is sheer speculation – and illogical – that failing to disclose the five-year exclusivity term would produce monopoly power.”
Apple and AT&T declined to comment on the latest developments of the class-action suit.
“We’re not going to discuss pending litigation,” an Apple spokeswoman told Wired.com.
Congratulations, you're a new iPhone 4 owner! Now what do you do with it? The iPhone 4 operating system introduces a number of new features, some, like FaceTime video calls, which are entirely unique to the iPhone 4 hardware itself.
Plus, there are several reports now surfacing about issues with the iPhone 4's hardware. Are these credible? Should you be concerned? How do you resolve these issues?
Below, we'll answer these and more of the most burning questions new users may have about their iPhone 4.
Yes. Apple has officially gone on record with a statement that reads as follows:
Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.
This comes after an outpouring of reports from new users, gadget sites and technology news outlets, all discussing the same exact problem with the new Apple phone. Left-handed users have it the worst, due to the antenna placement. (The issue is worst when gripped in your left hand, with your skin pressed against the outside steel band.) Even Steve Jobs himself is now responding to user email complaints with the simple advice: "Just avoid holding it in that way."
What way? The way the Apple commercials show? Yes, that's right. Apple's own marketing material shows people happily chatting on their iPhone 4's while holding the phone in the way that would actually lead to signal loss.
Instead, here is the proper method.
Is there a solution? Of course. Why do you think Apple got into the bumper biz? Reportedly, using a plastic iPhone bumper (the outer rubberized protection product sold for around $30 at the Apple Store) solves the problem.
FaceTime, the video calling feature introduced in the new Apple operating system can only be used on iPhone 4 hardware. Simply upgrading your iPhone 3G or 3GS is not enough - you must purchase the new phone. That's because FaceTime takes advantage of the iPhone 4's new dual-camera system, allowing to you to broadcast your face while watching your screen.
To actually use FaceTime, when you're on a phone call, move the phone away from your face and press the FaceTime button that appears on screen amid the menu of choices (like Keypad, Hold, etc.).
The recipient, assuming they also have an iPhone 4, will receive a request to initiative the FaceTime session, which they can then either accept or deny.
You can also start a FaceTime call directly from your Contacts list. Just scroll to the bottom of a contact card and tap the FaceTime button.
Remember though, FaceTime is a Wi-Fi only application for now (Jobs said it's Wi-Fi only "in 2010," hinting at Apple's future plans), which limits its functionality for the time being. However, FaceTime calls don't eat up your wireless minutes, as we recently found out. You can also test FaceTime out by calling 1-888-FACETIME.
The iPhone 4 operating system (iOS) offers a new feature called multi-tasking. This works on the iPhone 3GS as well, but not the 3G. Not all apps multi-task - they must be designed that way by their developers first. To launch the multi-tasking interface, double-tap the "Home" button (the round button at the bottom of the screen). To kill an app that's running in the background, press and hold the app in the multi-task interface until it starts jiggling. Then, you'll see a red minus icon appear on the app icon's top-left. Tap the minus icon and the app closes. All the multi-task enabled applications stay open after you close them, so this menu can get filled up quickly if you're a heavy app user.
No, it records 720p HD video, up to 30 frames per second.
Location services, which use information from the phone's GPS, cellular and Wi-Fi data to determine your location, are used in applications like Maps and Compass, as well as in other Apple apps like Camera and any number of third-party applications, too. If the Big Brother-esque tracking has you worried, you can turn location services off using the global switch located in Settings > General > Location Services. Otherwise, you can use the settings below this switch to individually shut off location services for select apps.
The multi-tasking interface is now revealed when you double-tap the home button, but your playback controls are still there. Just swipe to the right from within the app switcher to reveal them.
Follow the instructions in step six above to reveal the playback controls. To the left of the controls is a black icon with an arrow making a circle. Tap this button to lock the screen into portrait or landscape mode. You'll know the screen is locked because an icon appears next to the battery meter at the top right of your screen.
Given disk space, you can theoretically install up to 2,160 applications on your iPhone now, using the new "Folders" feature. Folders let you organize apps into folders simply by dragging one app on top of another and then providing that folder with a name of your choosing (or keeping the suggested name that appears).
The antenna issues plaguing the iPhone 4 have infuriated many iPhone users (and rightfully so), but have you ever wondered how Apple is training its employees to deal with the fiasco? Well thanks to one of our Apple connects, we now know the exact procedures AppleCare reps must follow when dealing with any reception complaints regarding the iPhone 4. Hit the jump to check them out.
1. Keep all of the positioning statements in the BN handy – your tone when delivering this information is important.
a. The iPhone 4’s wireless performance is the best we have ever shipped. Our testing shows that iPhone 4’s overall antenna performance is better than iPhone 3GS.
b. Gripping almost any mobile phone in certain places will reduce its reception. This is true of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, and many other phones we have tested. It is a fact of life in the wireless world.
c. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 3GS, avoid covering the bottom-right side with your hand.
d. If you are experiencing this on your iPhone 4, avoid covering the black strip in the lower-left corner of the metal band.
e. The use of a case or Bumper that is made out of rubber or plastic may improve wireless performance by keeping your hand from directly covering these areas.
2. Do not perform warranty service. Use the positioning above for any customer questions or concerns.
3. Don’t forget YOU STILL NEED to probe and troubleshoot. If a customer calls about their reception while the phone is sitting on a table (not being held) it is not the metal band.
4. ONLY escalate if the issue exists when the phone is not held AND you cannot resolve it.
5. We ARE NOT appeasing customers with free bumpers – DON’T promise a free bumper to customers.
Clearly Apple is taking the position that nothing is wrong with the antenna, although that’s not surprising since most companies will never willingly admit their flagship product is potentially suffering from an unfixable flaw. But does anyone else find it interesting, if not troubling, that there is no mention of an impending software fix?
Via:Mashable
If you haven’t yet had a chance to upgrade your device — or you’re waiting until later this week to get an iPhone 4, we’ve got a full walk-through of the new version of iOS and its biggest features in a video below.
We’ve also created an extensive gallery that shows what’s new and different in iOS 4. What do you think of the upgrade?
Research In Motion is readying a slate of new devices and software as it looks to keep its BlackBerry smartphone from losing more ground to touch-screen devices like Apple'siPhone and iPad. Sarah Silver has details.
Research In Motion Ltd. is readying a slate of new devices and software as it looks to keep its BlackBerry smartphone from losing more ground to touch-screen devices like Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad.
RIM is testing a touch-screen smartphone with a slide-out keyboard, according to people familiar with the device. The phone runs on a new version of the BlackBerry operating system and works much like an iPhone, letting users swipe through screens and expand images with their fingers, these people say. It also has a universal search bar that lets users scour all the phone's data and some data online as well, these people say.
RIM is also experimenting with a tablet device to serve as a larger-screen companion to its BlackBerry phone, say people familiar with RIM's plans. That device, which is in an early stage of development, will connect to cellular networks via a BlackBerry phone, these people say. It could come out as soon as the end of the year, these people say.
A RIM spokeswoman said the company doesn't comment on rumors and speculation. RIM executives have said they will ship a phone running a new operating system and a new Web browser in the quarter ending Sept. 30, but haven't provided details of the device. They haven't discussed plans for a tablet.
The new offerings come as the Waterloo, Ontario, company, which has long led the U.S. market for smart-phones, faces increased competition from devices built by Apple and those that run on the Android operating system from Google Inc. On June 24, Apple will release the latest version of its smartphone, the iPhone 4.
RIM still sells more smartphones globally than any company besides Nokia Corp., and last year grabbed 19% of the world market for the do-everything devices, according to the research firm Strategy Analytics.
But its share of the key North American market is slipping, as RIM has been slow to match Apple and Android's touch-screen technology, smooth Internet-browsing capability and add-on software. RIM has just one phone line with a touch screen, the BlackBerry Storm.
The iPhone's mountain of applications, or apps, and slick user experience in particular are enticing new consumers. RIM's share of the North American smartphone market by shipments dropped to 38% in the March quarter from 54% in the year-ago quarter. Apple's share has climbed from 18% to 23% in that same period.
Apple boasts 225,000 applications on its apps store. RIM, by contrast has around 7,000 apps, and users complain its BlackBerry interface is clunky and hard to use by comparison.
Most of the iPhone apps also work on Apple's iPad tablet device, which has sold more than 2 million units during the 2-1/2 months it's been on the market—bolstering Apple's strength in mobile computing.
RIM's upcoming smartphone and operating system—dubbed BlackBerry OS 6.0—is aimed at addressing many of the complaints critics have leveled at the company's devices. RIM executives unveiled the software at an investor conference in April.
Users can put icons for the apps they use most frequently on the new device's home screen, and scroll down that screen with a swipe of the finger, say people familiar with RIM's new phone and operating system.
Users can also swipe sideways to access separate screens with other collections of features and apps. One screen could have a collection of games; another could have a group of messaging applications, these people said.
The home screen also contains a search bar that allows users to look up everything on the device—from contacts and calendar data to songs—that relates to the name or keyword they type in. The search may also be able to locate occurrences of the keyword on sites like Facebook or Twitter, some people familiar with the device said.
The new device will have a Qwerty keyboard that slides out from the bottom of the touch screen. Users can also type on a virtual keyboard in landscape mode, which requires the device to be turned on its side, people familiar with the device said.
The device comes with four gigabytes of storage space and a five megapixel camera, these people say.
RIM is also readying a new Internet browser that renders Web pages much faster than the current browser, and allows users to access more than one Web page at a time, people familiar with the device said.
With the introduction of the iPhone, Steve Jobs achieved something that might be unique in the history of business: he single-handedly upended the power structure of a major industry. In the US, before the iPhone, the carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) had an ironclad grip on the rest of the value chain – particularly, handset makers and app makers.
Ask anyone who ran or invested in a mobile app startup pre-iPhone (I invested in one myself). Since the carriers had all the power, getting any distribution (which usually meant getting on the handset “deck”) meant doing a business development deal with the carriers. Business development in this case meant finding the right people at those companies, sending them iPods, taking them to baseball games, and basically figuring out ways to convince them to work with you instead of the 5,000 other people sending them iPods and baseball tickets. The basis of competition was salesmanship and capital, not innovation or quality.
The carriers had so much power because consumers made their purchasing decisions by choosing a carrier first and a handset second. Post-iPhone, tens of millions of people started choosing handsets over carriers. People like me suffer through AT&T’s poor service and aggressive pricing because I love the iPhone so much.
I’ve talked to a number of mobile app startups lately who say their former contacts at the carriers are shell shocked: no one is knocking on their doors anymore. I guess they have to buy their own iPods and baseball tickets now.
Yes, Apple has rejected some apps for seemingly arbtrary or selfish reasons and imposed aggressive controls on developers. But the iPhone also paved the way for Android and a new wave of handset development. The people griping about Apple’s “closed system” are generally people who are new to the industry and didn’t realize how bad it was before.
1. http://www.google.com/profiles/playboyp
Theme created for Posterous by Obox
