1)I've recently re-imaging my comp, had to update iTunes to the current ver and when I tried to re-sync my purchased apps ... every 3rd party app and data got wiped out. Didn't realize you need to un-authorize and authorize your computer for your iTunes account.
*** iCloud restore recovered everything ***
2)In iOS5 beta 6, something went wrong with one of my "image" back ups of my iPhone back up and all the data was lost.
*** iCloud restore recovered everything ***
3)Getting my IP4S before work, normally my data would be on my home computer and I would have to wait until I get home for activation.
*** iCloud restore got me up and running before lunch to my brand new IP4S ***
One day you'll see the bigger picture of how importaint iCloud is to our ecosystem.
EDIT: www.icloud.com is super nice for accessing all your data in one area.
E2EK1EL
Apple's Founding Documents Pull $1.6 Million at Auction
Google Wallet doesn’t properly protect personal data, security firm says
Security firm ViaForensics recently said Google Wallet does not properly protect personal data, including credit card balance information, on a rooted Nexus S smartphone. Google Wallet is an NFC-based mobile payment system for Android that is accepted by a number of retailers in the United States. It is currently only officially available on the Nexus S and Nexus S 4G. “While Google Wallet does a decent job securing your full credit cards numbers, the amount of data that Google Wallet stores unencrypted on the device is significant,” ViaForensics said in a recent report. “Many consumers would not find it acceptable if people knew their credit card balance or limits.” Read on for more.
ViaForensics also worries that hackers could use the unprotected information to successfully attack someone using social engineering. A hacker, for example, might call and verify your address, when you last used your credit card, the last 4 digits of your card and the expiration date and ask for your full credit card number.
Only a subset of users — those with rooted devices — should be worried, however. “The ViaForensics study does not refute the effectiveness of the multiple layers of security built into the Android OS and Google Wallet,” Google said in a statement provided to CNET. “This report focuses on data accessed on a rooted phone, but even in this case, the secure element still protects the payment instruments, including credit card and CVV number. Android actively protects against malicious programs that attempt to gain root access without the user’s knowledge. Based on this report’s findings we have made a change to the app to prevent deleted data from being recovered on rooted devices.” Google also said that another security issue revealed in the ViaForensics report has already been addressed in a software update.
(I would only trust a device with OEM non-jailbroken and root access if I used a NFC service.)
E2EK1EL
Google pulls Android Market malware that exploits SMS hole
Google's reportedly pulled 22 malicious apps after two security firms tipped them off that the malware was tricking users into sending SMS messages to premium-rate phone lines. Android.RuFraud poses as popular games like Angry Birds, Assassins Creed or Tetris and can affect users across Europe and Russia. Fortunately the apps are easily spotted and deleted, but were downloaded 14,000 times before being pulled -- so if you see anyone experiencing similar issues, you can let 'em know how to solve it.
More than $1 million stolen from Android users in 2011, mobile threats to increase in 2012
The Carrier IQ scandal has shifted attention from malicious mobile threats to carrier-sourced spyware over the past month, but a new report suggests the threat of more serious mobile malware continues to intensify. More than $1 million was stolen from Android smartphones alone in 2011 according to Lookout Security Mobile, which pulled data from more than a million apps and 15 million handsets around the world to compile its 2012 Mobile Threat Predictions report. The likelihood of an Android user encountering malware grew from 1% to 4% in 2011, and Lookout expects the trend to continue in 2012. Read on for more.
“2011 was a watershed year in terms of the types threats we saw emerging,” Lookout co-founder and CTO Kevin Mahaffey said in a statement. “Threats had greater sophistication and were deployed using more innovative and efficient distribution methods. In 2012, we expect to see the mobile malware business turn profitable. What took 15 years on the PC platform has only taken the mobile ecosystem two years.”
The firm highlights mobile pickpocketing — malware that steals money by making unauthorized use of carrier billing features — mobile botnets and browser attacks as specific threats that will intensify in 2012. Android users in particular now have a 36% chance globally of clicking an unsafe link, and those odds increase to 40% in the U.S. according to Lookout. The firm’s full press release follows below.
Lookout Unveils 2012 Mobile Threat Predictions: Mobile Pickpocketing, Botnets and Automated Repacking Will Be On the Rise
More than $1 Million Stolen from Android Users in 2011; Likelihood of Annual Malware Infection Rises to 4%
San Francisco – December 14, 2011 – Lookout Mobile Security, the global leader in mobile security, today unveiled its 2012 Mobile Malware Predictions, based on data collected from its Mobile Threat Network, which includes more than one million apps and 15 million user devices worldwide. Mobile threats are on the rise – Lookout estimates that mobile threats successfully stole more than one million dollars from Android users in 2011. In 2012, Lookout predicts that the criminal business of malware will be more profitable than ever before as the possibility of monetizing mobile devices grows and the cost of infecting devices lessens.
In the report, Lookout reveals that the annual likelihood of an Android user encountering malware today has increased to 4% up from a 1% likelihood measured at the beginning of 2011. Web-based mobile threats are also an important component of Lookout’s research, and the company found Android users worldwide have a 36% chance of clicking on an unsafe link in 2011. In the United States, the likelihood of encountering an unsafe link is higher than the global average at 40%. Additionally in the report, Lookout anticipates the methods that would-be thieves will use to target mobile users directly and discusses tips for consumers to protect themselves.
“2011 was a watershed year in terms of the types threats we saw emerging. Threats had greater sophistication and were deployed using more innovative and efficient distribution methods,” said Kevin Mahaffey, co-founder and chief technology officer at Lookout. “In 2012, we expect to see the mobile malware business turn profitable. What took 15 years on the PC platform has only taken the mobile ecosystem two years.”
Mobile Malware Monetization Trends
Mobile Pickpocketing (SMS/call fraud). In 2012, Malware writers will continue to steal money directly from consumers by accessing their mobile devices’ ability to charge phone bills via SMS billing and phone calls. Earlier this year, Lookout identified GGTracker, the first mobile malware that steals money from users in the U.S and earlier this week Lookout identified another Android Trojan, RuFraud, targeting Eastern European users.
Botnets. To date, Lookout notes botnet networks have yet to be used at scale. In 2012, Lookout anticipates malware writers could secretly integrate thousands of mobile devices into extensive botnet-like networks to distribute spam, steal private info, and install other malware. DroidDream and Geimini are examples of botnets.
Vulnerable Phones. Due to the difficulty of updating software and patching vulnerabilities on mobile phones, malware writers will continue to exploit iOS and Android OS at a pace greater than vulnerabilities can be resolved.
Mobile Malware Distribution Trends
Automated Repackaging. Malware writers will develop tools that enable the automatic repackaging of malicious applications. Lookout has seen instances where several infected apps were packaged by the same developer within a matter of seconds – quicker than someone could do manually – so the means for automated repackaging may already be in existence.
Browser Attacks. As with PC-based threats in the past, malware writers will attempt to profit via Web-based distribution like email, text messages and fraudulent websites. Even iOS devices have been targeted by websites designed to jailbreak them. In 2012, Lookout expects a continued increase in mobile phishing and messages linked to websites that automatically install malware.
Malvertising. Instances of malvertising (genuine-looking advertisements that link back to fraudulent sites) will continue to increase. Given this method has been successful with Trojans like GGTracker, we expect other malware writers to try similar distribution tactics.
For the in-depth predictions, data and accompanying graphics, please see Lookout’s Mobile Malware Predictions: http://blog.mylookout.com/blog/2011/12/12/2012-mobile-threat-predictions.
E2EK1EL
Google to Launch Siri Rival Soon?
Apple's artificial intelligence agent Siri was one of the key new features in the iPhone 4S. The impressive system has generated a lot of publicity and has put voice recognition technologies back into the forefront. Many companies are expected to integrate more voice enabled applications in the coming year.
Google's Android has long had voice dictation and command capabilities, but the company seems to be stepping up their efforts in the coming months. AndroidandMe reports on a secret project codenamed Majel which is meant to be an evolution of Google's Voice Actions with the addition of natural language processing. This natural language processing is what gives Siri an edge over other simple voice recognition systems.
In a Slashgear interview with Matias Duarte, Google's Director of Android OS User Experience, they describe their approach which won't try to mimic Siri's attitude:
The metaphor I like to take is – if it’s Star Wars, you have these robot personalities like C-3PO who runs around and he tries to do stuff for you, messes up and makes jokes, he’s kind of a comic relief guy. Our approach is more like Star Trek, right, starship Enterprise; every piece of computing surface, everything is voice-aware. It’s not that there’s a personality, it doesn’t have a name, it’s just “Computer.” And you can talk to it and you can touch it, you can interact with it at the same time as you talk with it. It’s just another way to interface with the computer.
The codename "Majel" comes from Majel Barrett-Roddenberry who voiced the Federation Computer from Star Trek.
Beware of iMessage On Stolen iDevices
Message is a messaging platform that is unique to iOS.
iMessage is a new feature that came out with iOS 5 that allows all iDevices to be connected via a text messaging network as long as your connected to an internet connection. With iMessage, all of your devices are linked under one Apple ID and that means that every device linked to that ID can see what's being sent to you if you're using iMessage. This of course, has some security risks on its own, but there's an even worse thing to be aware of. The good news is, it doesn't affect the iPhone's text messaging. This only affects iOS iMessage.
Using iCloud, you have the ability to remote wipe a stolen iDevice. This means that from a remote location, you can erase the data that's stored on the iDevice that was stolen. Unfortunately, that's all it does. It erases the data. It doesn't delete any settings or configurations and it doesn't remove your Apple ID. This means that your iMessage network continues to include your stolen iDevice. Do you see where I'm going with this now? Yes. A thief will be able to read every incoming and outgoing message that you send associated with the Apple ID of the stolen iMessage device. Pretty scary huh?
Ars Technica is the Web Site that found and reported on this issue and they asked iOS security expert, Jonathan Zdziarski, why this problem existed. Of course, Apple kept their mouth shut about it, but Jonathan Zdziarski had this to say:
Originally Posted by Jonathan Zdziarski
I can only speculate, but I can see this being plausible. Message registers with the subscriber's phone number from the SIM, so let's say you restore the phone, it will still read the phone number from the SIM. I suppose if you change the SIM out after the phone has been configured, the old number might be cached somewhere either on the phone or on Apple's servers with the UDID of the phone.
The only viable solution to keeping your iMessages secretive to yourself after a stolen iDevice has been the case, is to make a brand new Apple ID and register your iDevice under that new Apple ID. This means that your iMessages will now be sent to the new Apple ID. This or course comes with some prerequisites, for example, you won't be able to use the applications that you installed on the old Apple ID; another being that anyone iMessaging your old Apple ID will continue to go to the thief until you let them know that you made a new Apple ID.
This problem is of course a massive bug in the way that Apple's iMessage system works. We hope that Apple will respond to Ars Technica's request and fix the issue in a new iOS release that will have a new way of keeping iDevices in touch with each other. One way that I see this as being a viable option is to add a setting cell under iMessage in the Settings application with a master password and having the option to manually add or remove iDevices from the list. This would of course require that before you could add or remove a device that you would have to prove you were the owner by knowing the master password and on top of that, you would have the ability to remove a stolen device until you retrieve it to keep your privacy a number one concern. I can't wait to see how Apple personally answers to this problem and I hope that they come up with a conservative solution for it.
(From my testing: remote wipe totally wipes out everything, even the settings and the phone reboots as a fresh device asking you to plug in your Apple ID and restore from iCloud or your computer)
jester
Apple to open Israeli development center with semiconductor focus
I am enjoying reading BGR and Macrumors right now.
E2EK1EL
RIM investor says the company “should sell its handset business”, and once again calls for a change in leadership
Research In Motion will be announcing their Q3 results later today, something most investors are fearing as the company continues its downward spiral. The anticipation for their next generation BlackBerry 10 (BBX) smartphones is relatively high, but always out numbered by some sort of unfortunate luck – poor PlayBook sales, trademark infringement, service outage, rabid employees who cause mayhem on an Air Canada flight.
While we wait for the official numbers to roll in, one of their most outspoken investors, Jaguar Financial Corporation, has again sent out a press release that says the company should be split into several parts, plus declares that co-CEO’s Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis should resign because “investors have lost faith in the ability of the RIM management team to carry out a proper game plan to restore value” – the stock price dropped again yesterday by $0.40 to $15.08.
Vic Alboini, Chairman and CEO of Jaguar, said that RIM Board Members Barbara Stymiest and Dean Roger Martin “should step up and take the lead in making dramatic governance change”. However, it seems like this Alboini fella is a take-it-or-leave-it kinda guy, noting that if Stymiest and Martin fail to “step up”, they should then “resign from the Board if they are unable or unwilling to initiate appropriate governance changes.”
In October Jaguar noted the best route for RIM is to split into 3 divisions: network, device and patent. Now, a couple months later, the tone has completely shifted as “Jaguar believes that RIM should sell its handset business and monetize its patent portfolio, while retaining its service business under new leadership.”
Alboini says that RIM has “lost its ability to compete in the consumer hardware business” and a sale of the “handset business is recommended as an approach to restoring value”. RIM reported a couple weeks ago that Q3 estimation had approximately 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones shipped, but they also expect “the fourth quarter to be below third quarter levels.” In 2012 RIM is rumoured to launch five BlackBerry 10 devices: London, Lisbon, Milan, Nevada, Black Forest.
“Jaguar believes the service business is RIM’s most valuable business… If the hardware business were sold, RIM can focus on managing and delivering mobility solutions in the enterprise sector for all smartphones and tablets. With its secure messaging platform, Jaguar believes RIM could create considerable value as a software and service provider.”
We’re crossing our fingers for that some sort of good news will come out of the Q3 results later today. Something, eventually, has to give and we hope things turn around for the famed Canadian company.
Best trolling post I've seen, Posted by Alboini | December 15, 2011, 9:33 am
It used to be “Research in Slow Motion” but now The Wall Street Journal calls it:” Research in DeMotion”!
A senior executive at RIM has provided instructions on how to remove CarrierIQ software from its devices. The instructions are part of the BlackBerry Knowledge Base, under the general entry for removing third-party software. According to eWeek, the executive said that users would be able to remove the software just like any other third-party program. RIM said earlier this month that_it does not install CarrierIQ software_on its devices, and as part of its policy carriers are prohibited from installing it themselves — a policy that some carriers have apparently ignored._Check out the source link for the cure.
E2EK1EL
Microsoft: 3,200 Android malware victims replied to free Windows Phone offer
Microsoft’s senior director of Windows Phone communications Bill Cox said Thursday that more than 3,200 people replied to Microsoft’s request for stories about malware-infected Android smartphones. Microsoft had asked Android users to send in their malware horror stories and said it would provide free Windows Phone devices to those with the best tales. It isn’t clear if the number of responses actually represents Android users with malware troubles, or if the number of submissions was padded by people looking to get lucky and score a free phone. It’s no secret there are a number of malicious Android applications in the market; mobile security firm Lookout Mobile Security recently reported that more than $1 million was stolen from Android users in 2011_through the use of malicious apps. Still, Windows Phone isn’t exactly a post child for security, either._A flaw was_recently discovered that allows a simple text message sent to a Windows Phone to render its messaging hub completely useless._
E2EK1EL
RIM beats Q3 earnings; Q4 guidance worse than expected
Research In Motion on Thursday reported earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2012. The struggling smartphone vendor announced earlier this month that it would miss its third-quarter guidance of between $5.3 billion and $5.6 billion in revenue, and it said EPS would likely be in line with the low end of its earlier guidance. The numbers are now in, and RIM pulled in $5.2 billion last quarter while recording earnings of $1.27 per share, or $667 million, beating its lowered guidance. RIM shipped 14.1 million smartphones in the third quarter, in line with its guidance of_between 13.5 million and 14.5 million units. The vendor’s fourth-quarter guidance was worse than expected however, and shares of RIM stock dropped 7% as a result. Read on for more.
“RIM continues to have strong technology, unique service capabilities and a large installed base of customers, and we are more determined than ever to capitalize on our strengths to overcome the recent execution challenges surrounding product launches and the resulting financial performance,” the company’s co-CEOs said in a joint statement. “As part of our commitment to improving our performance to better meet the expectations of shareholders and customers, we continue to evaluate ways to improve in several areas of the Company’s operations. It may take some time to realize the benefits of these efforts and the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry.”
RIM’s global subscriber base grew to nearly 75 million customers during the quarter.
The lack of interest in RIM’s debut tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook, has finally come to a head — RIM took a charge of $485 million related to unsold PlayBook inventory in the third fiscal quarter. The Waterloo, Ontario-based company only sold 150,000 PlayBook tablets into sales channels last quarter after selling 500,000 units in the first quarter and 200,000 in the second.
During the second quarter, RIM total cash and cash_equivalents_dropped from $2.9 billion to $1.4 billion due in large part to $780 million spent on Nortel patents._At the end of the third fiscal quarter, RIM’s available cash was up sequentially to $1.5 billion.
In the fourth fiscal quarter, RIM has forecast EPS of between $0.80 and $0.95 compared to the Street’s earlier $1.08 consensus, and the vendor anticipates revenue of between $4.6 billion and $4.98 billion compared to Wall Street’s $5.12 billion. The company expects to ship between 11 and 12 million BlackBerry smartphones in the fourth fiscal quarter. RIM’s full press release follows below.
RESEARCH IN MOTION REPORTS THIRD QUARTER FISCAL 2012 RESULTS
Waterloo, ON –_Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported third quarter results for the three months ended November 26, 2011 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).
Highlights:
– Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 24% from last quarter — BlackBerry smartphone shipments of 14.1 million, up 33% from Q2 — GAAP net income of $265 million or $0.51 per share diluted; adjusted net income of $667 million or $1.27 per share diluted — Subscribers up 35% year-over-year to almost 75 million — Cash flow from operations of approximately $895 million — Total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments of $1.5 billion
Q3 Results:
Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 was $5.2 billion, up 24% from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 6% from $5.5 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 79% for hardware, 19% for service and 2% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 150,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.
“Despite the challenges faced in the third quarter, the BlackBerry subscriber base grew to almost 75 million customers around the world. In addition, RIM launched a range of new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones globally and introduced holiday promotions that helped drive growth in the installed base of BlackBerry PlayBook users,” said Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, Co-CEOs at Research In Motion. “RIM continues to have strong technology, unique service capabilities and a large installed base of customers, and we are more determined than ever to capitalize on our strengths to overcome the recent execution challenges surrounding product launches and the resulting financial performance. As part of our commitment to improving our performance to better meet the expectations of shareholders and customers, we continue to evaluate ways to improve in several areas of the Company’s operations. It may take some time to realize the benefits of these efforts and the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry.”
The Company’s GAAP net income for the quarter was $265 million, or $0.51 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $329 million, or $0.63 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $911 million, or $1.74 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year. Adjusted net income for the third quarter was $667 million, or $1.27 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $54 million ($40 million after tax) to revenue related to the service interruption experienced in the third quarter, $485 million ($356 million after tax) for the PlayBook inventory provision taken in the third quarter and $7 million ($6 million after tax) for the Company’s cost optimization program that was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. These charges and their related impacts on GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are summarized in the table below.
View data
Reconciliation of GAAP revenue and net income to adjusted revenue and net income (United States dollars, in millions except per share data) For the quarter ended November 26, 2011 —————————————- Revenue Net Income Diluted EPS (before (net of (net of taxes) income tax) income tax) —————————————- As reported $ 5,169 $ 265 $ 0.51 Adjustments: PlayBook Inventory Provision(1) – 356 0.68 Cost Optimization Program(2) – 6 0.01 Q3 Service Interruption(3) 54 40 0.07 —————————————- Adjusted $ 5,223 $ 667 $ 1.27 —————————————- —————————————
Note: Adjusted revenue, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and thus are not comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the presentation of adjusted revenue, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share enables the Company and its shareholders to better assess RIM’s operating results relative to its operating results in prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented. Investors should consider these non-GAAP financial measures in the context of RIM’s GAAP results.
(1) During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax provision of approximately $485 million, $356 million after tax, related to its inventory valuation of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. The charge was predominantly non-cash.
(2) Cost of sales, research and development, and selling, marketing and administration expenses included approximately $7 million in total pre-tax charges, $6 million after tax, during the third quarter of fiscal 2012 related to the cost optimization program to streamline operations across the Company. Included in the cost of sales, research and development, and selling, marketing and administration expenses for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were approximately $1 million, $3 million, and $3 million, respectively, of pre-tax charges related to the cost optimization program.
(3) During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company experienced a service interruption which resulted in the loss of service revenue and the payment of service credits in the quarter totalling approximately $54 million, $40 million after tax, related to the interruption in the availability of the Company’s network.
The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $1.5 billion as at November 26, 2011, compared to $1.4 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of $87 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations was approximately $895 million and uses of cash included strategic purchases of intellectual property assets of approximately $375 million, and property, plant and equipment expenditures of approximately $205 million.
Q4 Outlook
Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 ending March 3, 2012 is expected to be in the range of $4.6-$4.9 billion. Gross margin percentage for the fourth quarter is expected to be approximately 38%. BlackBerry smartphone shipments are expected to be between 11 million and 12 million units. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter is expected to be in the range of $0.80-$0.95.
RIM: BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't arrive until end of 2012
Some unfortunate news was revealed for those BlackBerry addicts who've waited patiently for a QNX-based smartphone from RIM. The company's co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis, reports that, due to a critical chipset that's not expected to be available in production quantity until mid-next year, we're unlikely to see a BlackBerry 10 device emerge until late in 2012. We know, ouch. When asked during today's conference call about the delay, the company leaders defended the decision and reiterated that a suitable alternative wouldn't be available that delivers a sufficient balance of processing power and battery longevity. As RIM's fans cope with the latest news, the firm promises that it's continuing to work on delivering a high-quality user experience and industrial design for its upcoming lineup. With the farm riding on this release, we can only hope so.
E2EK1EL
Open File System in iOS 5.0.1 Makes It Possible to Get Siri Files Without Piracy
This isn't the larger iOS 5.1 update that's currently in the hands of developers, but Apple has seemingly re-released 5.0.1 today with a new build ¡ª 9A406 instead of the earlier 9A405 ¡ª that's only available for the iPhone 4S, specifically. Well-known iOS hacker MuscleNerd recently tweeted an unusual observation about the update: it's the first official 4S firmware with an accessible encryption key for the main file system, meaning you can browse the file system from a PC unimpeded. Lots of folks are pointing out that this means users will be able to get at Siri's files without committing piracy, and that could lead to a field day for Siri hacks. There's no official word from Apple at this point on exactly what's changed.
(to clarify: wide open for inspection from a Mac/PC...not wide open security wise :) Can get Siri files and such without piracy)
iTunes Match Launches Internationally
Apple has reportedly begun the real launch of iTunes Match internationally, reports MacRumors. The service had been offered prematurely to customers yesterday; however, this time it appears that it's functioning correctly.
MacRumors readers in a number of countries have been reporting over the past few hours that they are being presented with updated terms and conditions for the iTunes Store mentioning iTunes Match. And now prominent links to iTunes Match have appeared on the front page of the iTunes Store in at least Canada, Ireland, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
iPad 3 parts leak as rumored 2012 release comes closer
As the rumored early 2012 iPad 3 release draws closer, Cydia Blog discovered a part for the iPad 3 on TVC Mall¡¯s website. What you see above is apparently a replacement part for the microphone on the iPad 3, and shows some pretty major changes compared to the iPad 2¡äs microphone ¡ª namely the shape. The apparent dock connector and ribbon cable for the iPad 3 also leaked this summer. Cydia Blog reports:
The new part, when compared with iPad 2, shows a different arrangement in internal circuitry, hinting a major re-design. The tail end of the part makes a ¡°U-turn¡±, whereas the iPad 2¡äs Microphone Mic Flex Cable makes almost 90-degree turn both ways. Except for few details, the leaked part so far doesn¡¯t offer a tantalizing tease.
The iPad 3 is rumored to launch early 2012 ¡ª maybe February ¡ª with a rumored higher res display and thicker form-factor. Other specs are rumored to be a dual-mode wireless chip for both CDMA and GSM, Apple¡¯s A6 processor, and more RAM. Citi¡¯s analyst Richard Gardner says he¡¯s heard from sources that a February launch is coming, but some have pointed to mid-summer. The updated mic form-factor above could point to pretty major internal changes. It should be worth noting, however, that manufacturer replacement parts aren¡¯t always in the final version. (via MacRumors)
Samsung markets Galaxy Tab as ¡°the tablet Apple tried to stop¡±
Last week Samsung got to breathe a sigh of relief as an Australian court ruled they didn¡¯t ¡°slavishly copy¡± the iPad with the Galaxy Tab 10.1, as Apple has been insisted from the onset in court documents. Yesterday, the South Korean company told the Sydney Morning Herald that the court cases have helped make their device a ¡°household name¡± and today we are seeing the Galaxy Tab maker taking advantage of the media spotlight and the fact that it¡¯s been in the headlines thanks to lawsuits and those cheesy commercials.
As tweeted by Martin Aungle, an Australian corporate and marketing communications professional, Samsung is now pitching its device as ¡°the tablet Apple tried to stop¡±. The above advert ran in the Sun-Herald newspaper this week. Samsung has obviously decided to up the stakes in this game considering they resisted up until now mentioning Apple by name in their marketing communication. We¡¯ll see, of course, whether publicly celebrating its courtroom victory at Apple¡¯s expense will have any effect on sales.
E2EK1EL
This new update on the IP4S, iOS 5.0.1 9A406 has been night and day since I've loaded it._
E2EK1EL
Today will be a tough day for RIM
It¡¯ll be a tough day for RIM today. The stock market just opened and showing a dip of 12%, down to a ridiculously low $13.30 ¨C sitting around the January 2003 era, and a far cry from the $144 price in June 2008. This now apparently brings their market cap around $7.01 billion. Investors clearly aren¡¯t happy with yesterdays news of our once leading edge, once admired Canadian tech leader. Q3 numbers showed that 14.1 million smartphones were shipped and 150,000 BlackBerry PlayBooks ¨C plus informing all that the anticipated BlackBerry 10 devices are now expected to ¡°reach market in the latter part of calendar 2012¡å.
Analysts are going crazy this morning, stating that ¡°This could be game over for the BlackBerry franchise¡±¡_ which might be a bit extreme at this point, but I can see where they are coming from. However, RIM now has 75 million BlackBerry subscribers and hands down have one of the most secure email platforms.
BlackBerry 10 could be ‘too little, too late’
Research In Motion confirmed part of an exclusive BGR report Thursday night when its co-CEOs announced during an earnings call that its first BlackBerry 10 smartphone would not launch until the “latter part of 2012.” Despite RIM’s earlier statement that a QNX-powered smartphone would launch in the first half next year, we reported in November that RIM’s first next-generation smartphone would not launch until the third quarter. RIM co-Chief Mike Lazaridis blamed the delay on new dual-core processors that were not yet ready to be manufactured in bulk, but the fact remains that by the time RIM’s first QNX-based smartphone launches it will be competing against Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone, a horde of new Android phones with next-generation features and specs, a variety of Windows Phones from Nokia, and more. According to one analyst, BlackBerry 10 may be “too little, too late.” Read on for more.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky went out on a limb and continued to see a potential upside for RIM long after other analysts were jumping ship. It now appears as though the Waterloo, Ontario-based vendor failed to capitalize on what little opportunity Abramsky had identified. The analyst recently began dropping his price target on RIM stock and on Friday, he cut it further to $16 from $20, troubled by RIM’s weak fourth-quarter guidance and the BlackBerry 10 delays.
“BlackBerry 10 is now pushed out to 2H/CY12 (from 1H/CY12), making RIM significantly late to the high-end smartphone market, risking further share losses and competitive developer momentum,” Abramsky wrote in a note to clients on Friday. He continued, “As visibility continues to decline with BB10 delayed, we see few catalysts over the next six months (valuation volatility may occur on newsflow) and recommend investors remain on the sidelines.”
RBC lowered its estimates for fiscal 2012 to $18.9 billion in revenue with earnings of $4.55 per share, down from earlier estimates of $19.3 billion and $4.40. Abramsky cut fiscal 2013 estimates as well in light of BlackBerry 10 launch delays; he now sees revenue totaling $18.1 billion and EPS coming in at $3.00, down from $20.0 billion and earnings of $4.30 per share.
Truck containing 5,200 BlackBerry PlayBooks was stolen, estimated value between $1.7 million – $5 million
A truck containing 5,200 BlackBerry PlayBooks has been stolen, and depending on the version (16GB, 32GB, or 64GB) the estimated value is worth between $1.7 million – $5 million. Apparently the situation went down something like this: the truck driver was enroute from Bright Point Distribution center in Plainfield, Indiana to Ontario and he decided to make a pit stop to eat and shower. One hour later he returned to find his truck, and precious cargo, was MIA. The Police and FBI Interstate Task Force are currently looking at surveillance video from the Pilot truck stop, but state that when electronics are stolen they usually end up in the Miami area… Somebody out there is now living in the lap of luxury!
E2EK1EL
Muggers don't want BlackBerries and Androids, opt for iPhones instead
Since the launch and rise of Apple’s coveted iPhone the mainstream media has been quick to jump on any story where thieves are specifically targeting Apple users. Usually due to the fact the iPhone is seen as high-end, luxury device in comparison to its Android counterparts, despite now having an entry price tag lower than most of its comparable competitors.
While the price isn’t preventing the average smartphone user from grabbing an iPhone anymore, thieves still seem to be targeting iPhone users, presumably for their high resale value, with a report from NBC New York profiling a pair of robbers in upper Manhattan choosing to not take Android and other non-iPhone devices found on their victims.
A_pair of would-be robbers targeting Columbia students in upper Manhattan seem to be rather picky as they prowl. Twice at 526 114th St., and once at 556 114th St., the suspects demanded the victims hand over their iPhones, police said. The first victim complied, but the second only had a Droid, according to police. The thieves apparently didn’t want a Droid — so they took cash instead.
While one student notes, “I think it speaks to the resale value of an iPhone,” another said, “It’s insulting they don’t want my BlackBerry.” Another student interviewed by NBC on the nearby Columbia campus said, “I don’t like mine [BlackBerry], I’m waiting to get an iPhone myself”. Police have yet to catch their two suspects, but are hoping someone recognizes the men shown briefly in snapshots in the video above, and one suspect caught on_surveillance_video here.
Apple grabs 61.5% of global tablet market in Q3, 10x ahead of closest competitor (Samsung)
Last time we checked in with research firm IDC, they had Apple at 68.3% of the worldwide tablet market with approximately 9.3 million units of the iPad 2 shipped in Q2 2011. While the firm’s estimates for Q3 see a drop to 61.5% of the market, Apple still leads the market and increased shipments from the 9.3 in Q2 to approximately 11.1 million units in Q3. To put that in perspective, Apple’s closest competitor, Samsung, is over 10x behind with just 5.6% of the market. The overall tablet market increased 23.9% to approximately 18.1 million units, representing a 264.5% increase over the year ago quarter.
As for where Apple stands in comparison to the overall Android tablet market, IDC expects Android tablet market share to increase rapidly in Q4 from just 33.2% in Q3 to 40.3%. It’s important to note that IDC recently included “media tablets” such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet in their worldwide tablet market estimates, which will more than likely account for much of the increase.
This morning Morgan Stanley significantly raised its forecasts for 2012, predicting Apple could possibly sell 90 million iPads during the year. (That’s in addition to 190 million iPhones). The analysts apparently have high hopes for Android 4.0′s ability to offer a competitive alternative to iPad going forward:_
“Apple’s larger portfolio of tablet-specific apps, upcoming iPad versions, and growing physical store presence in key emerging markets like Asia/Pacific will help maintain its global leadership. However, an improving Android OS experience and lower competitor pricing in an environment with worldwide economic concerns should help Android to increase its market share,” said Jennifer Song, research analyst, Worldwide Trackers.
New iOS 5.0.1 Build 9A406 Intended to Fix 'No SIM Card' Errors on iPhone 4S
Yesterday, we noted that Apple had quietly released a tweaked version of iOS 5.0.1. The purpose of the tweak was a mystery given that the update was not being pushed to all users and only made available to those newly updating to iOS 5.0.1.
But based on a new Apple support document, it now appears that the updated build may have been designed to address an issue some users have been experiencing with SIM card-related errors. With the update affecting a relatively small portion of users, Apple may have elected not to push it out to all users in the form of an iOS 5.0.2 software update, and instead rely on those users who are having problems following Apple's advice and obtaining the new build through the restore process outlined as a solution for the issue.
Last month, some attention was turned on Apple as a quickly-growing thread in Apple's discussion forums revealed a number of users experiencing problems with either a "No Service" or "No SIM Card Installed" warning popping up on their iPhone 4S devices. From Apple's new support document:
In certain situations, iPhone 4S may have difficulty recognizing a micro-SIM card, resulting in the following behaviors:
- "Invalid SIM" or "No SIM Card installed" alert appears intermittently.
- Status bar displays "No Service" or "Searching" in a location with good network coverage.
Apple goes on to describe the recommended solution for the issue, which involves backing up and then restoring the device, an action that involves iTunes pulling down the new Build 9A406 of iOS 5.0.1 and installing it on the user's device. Once the device's system has been restored, the user can then restore content and settings from a backup.
1. Back up your user content and settings using iTunes or iCloud. See this article for more information.
2. Restore your iPhone 4S using iTunes.
3. After the process is complete, restore your user content and settings from your backup.
4. To confirm that you've successfully restored, verify that the version is now iOS 5.0.1 (9A406) in Settings > General > About.
Unfortunately, user reports on the new build appear to be mixed, with some users reporting that it does indeed fix their "no SIM card" issues while others have seen no improvement. It is unclear at this time exactly why results are mixed and whether the fix addresses only some subset of the root causes of the issue or if some other factor is in play. Consequently, we may have to wait for more users to try applying the update before drawing more specific conclusions.
(Ppl in other countries who are getting the "no sim error" are caused by older sims that are not updated and have SIM PIN activated)
