Blog Archives
Untethered Jailbreak for Verizon 4.2.7 NOW Available
As of last night, @iH8snow along with @pushfix released an untethered solution for Verizon iPhone users on 4.2.7. Sn0wbreeze v2.6.1 is now available on the iH8sn0w website at the following address:
It is currently only available for Windows users and hopefully will be transferred to a Mac client soon.
For those who are currently jailbroken on a tethered 4.2.7 can use a package by @pushfix to make it untethered. Follow the steps below to do this:
• Add this repo: http://cydia.pushfix.info
• Install the package “Verizon Untether for 4.2.7”
• Reboot
• And now you’re untethered
HBO Go now available for iOS, brings over 1,400 shows with it
HBO has finally released their much-awaited HBO Go iOS app for iPhone and iPad devices. The app gives HBO subscribers free access to over 1,400 shows in addition to many sports event and full-length films. What’s great is that the app offers up all of HBO’s quality programming — True Blood, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boardwalk Empire, and more — and the app streams over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi. It’s available now in the App Store if you want to get your Nucky Thompson on.
Microsoft Courier style comes to tablets with Tapose app
If you are a CES hound as we are you might recall at CES 2010 Microsoft showed off an interesting tablet with two screens called the Courier. At the time the Courier debuted, the indication was that the thing would actually go into production. Microsoft dashed those dreams when it later announced it had no intention of producing the dual screen tablet. If you like that dual screen style and the things that it could potentially allow you to do, you might like the Tapose app that has surfaced.
This app comes from a couple of engineers who are reinventing the cool Courier dual screen layout and usability with an app for current tablets. The app doesn’t have the stylus capability that the Courier offered, but it does have the dual screen style. The Tapose app is being designed for the iPad right now and there are reportedly plans for an Android version too. The idea is that the user of the tablet could open two things at once.
For instance, one side of the screen can run a web browser, while the other side runs a document that the user is working on. The user would be able to drag and drop things from one side of the window to the other. That is very cool and I know it would be useful for anyone who uses the web to research and write a document. Tapose is apparently in alpha form right now and won’t hit the market until late summer.
[via TabletPCReview]
Fring 4-way Video Chat, Out of Beta
We first mentioned Fring in July of last year. They have been working on an application that rocks videochat on a handheld to something of a new level. Then earlier this month they released the Beta. If this is all new to you like it is to me, they designed an application that will set up a video chat room for up to four people at once. It’s available for both Android and iOS.
Fring released this promo video showing you the way this will allow you to connect with groups of friends to create unique personal moments of joy and beauty. It’s a fun little advertising spot and really does showcase the possibilities with this kind of technology. I especially enjoyed the short scene that implies you should take your friends with you when you’re peeing in public. It reminds me of a friend who would tweet their toilet shenanigans with alarming regularity, pun intended.
One thing I noticed…
Fringing? Really? It always bothers me when marketers jump forward like that and try mutate their own memes. It always looks and feels hokey and artificial. Listen up, let the meme pools do their work, that’s what they’re for. Google never wanted “google” to be an English verb (publicly anyway), that just evolved naturally out of the language.
Linguistic foibles and tangents aside, this app seems to be a similar tool to Cloudtalk, except Cloudtalk is more focused on asynchronous messaging, where there can be a significant time delay in response. Fring is more about synchronous messaging, where all parties are streaming the video data up and downstream at the same time. This is a good sign for the app ecosystems. These are similar, but slightly different applications that might be competing to fill a similar, but distinctly different, niche. Which do you prefer?
Google Introduces Google Docs App for Android
Those of you who have been wanting an actual app to manage your Google Docs from your phone, your wait is over! Google has released Google Docs app for Android today to give you full control from the palm of your hand. Open and edit your documents on the fly with the built-in editor, and uploading content from the phone and sharing with your contacts all became even easier. It even includes OCR so you can snap a picture and have Docs create a text document within the app. You can also add widgets onto your homescreen to snap a pic, create a new doc, or jump to “starred” documents. Scan the QR code below or hit the market to download.
iSocialNet App Review
I have got this app for around a month now and it is one the best Social applications according to me.
It has both Facebook and Twitter integration which are the moat used used Social Networks by anybody on this World. It does not end here. It also has a Web Browser integrated which is also quite awesome.
It was recently updated and many new features were added. My favorite feature among this was the tabbed browsing. As i browse many websites side by side. That is why it is a very important feature for me. The tabs are not ordinary. They are just like the Safari ones.
This app has been made by friend Mike Dandy (@dandymike). And believe me it is one the best Social Apps you will ever find on the App Store or Cydia.
This app is available on Cydia on many repositories. So you won’t have a trouble finding it.
A must have from my side.
Features of iSocialNet
•Facebook integration
•Twitter integration
•Web browser
•Plays some Flash
•Tabbed browsing
•Bookmarks
•Multitasking support
And many more..
ipswDownloader New App to Download iOS Firmware IPSW Files
ipswDownloader is a new application that will allow you to download the appropriate firmware with few clicks to your device, moreover it will tell you if you can jailbreak and unlock the downloaded firmware or not.
There’s a micro-tool that allows you to easily know if you can run the jailbreak or not, by which jailbreak tool and if you can unlock the downladed firmware baseband or not.
Download ipswDownloader.
Skype Fixes Security Vulnerability For Its Android App
Skype addressed earlier today the security vulnerability discovered last week in its app for Android and has rolled out a new version that should safeguard your information. The security bug could have exposed sensitive user information such as names, location, e-mail address, chat logs, phone numbers, and more to malicious third party software.
Skype’s Chief Information Security Officer, Adrian Asher, sent out an e-mail to users regarding the security exposure.
After a weekend of developing and testing we have updated a new version of the Skype for Android application onto the Android Market, containing a fix to the vulnerability reported to us on Friday. Please do update to this version as soon as possible in order to help protect your information.
We have had no reported examples of 3rd party malicious application mis-using information from the Skype directory on Android devices and will continue to monitor closely. Please rest assured that we do take your privacy and security very seriously and we sincerely apologize for any concern this issue may have caused.
With this update also brings Skype calling to U.S. customers over their 3G data connections. This lets users on all carriers in the U.S. to make Skype calls, which was only allowed on Verizon until now.
[via MobileBurn]
Tweetbot Twitter client for iOS now available
Tapbot just lifted the veil on Tweetbot, the firm’s newest iOS Twitterclient. We’ve been using the client for a bit now and it’s definitely pretty versatile; it supports multiple accounts, as well as multiple timelines. So when we wanted to quickly pull up a specific list, we just had to tap the “Timeline” title at the top to quickly switch. The app offers “smart gestures,” too, which means you can triple tap a tweet to reply or swipe a tweet from left to right to view messages you’ve exchanged with that person. As with most Twitter applications, you can post your location, share photos, videos, manage lists, and more. Tweetbot also includes push notifications with support for Boxcar. We like the fast user interface, but wish that it supported active links within the timeline. The app currently forces you to click a tweet and then launch an embedded link. Otherwise we’re pretty pleased with Tweetbot so far. It’s available for $2.99 in the iTunes App Store and is supported on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Hit the jump for a link.
BlackBerry opens up the PlayBook tablet to Android apps
The whispers our pals at CrackBerry first planted in our heads last August are true (and again this spring) — Android applications are coming to the BlackBerry Playbook via BlackBerry App World.
We’ll let that sink in for a minute.
Here’s the deal: Any app that runs on Android 2.3 will work, RIM says. There will be a pair of optional “App Players” that provide the runtime for the android applications. There will be compatible APIs, so developers should be able to easily port their apps. The apps will be downloaded from RIM’s App World and run in a secure sandbox. So we’re not talking low-level stuff here.
From the press release:
Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users. Users will be able to download both the app players and the BlackBerry Java and Android apps from BlackBerry App World.
The PlayBook goes on sale April 19, but Android applications won’t be able to run at launch. Instead, RIM will show off the new App Players and demo Android apps at BlackBerry World in Orlando on May 3-5.
Said RIM president and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis:
“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today. The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform.”
So, yeah. Android applications will be able to run on the PlayBook. But the apps can’t be all that deep, and will be running in some sort of emulation layer. But perhaps it’s a all a middle ground to entice Android developers to go all-in with the BlackBerry NDK and do real ports, and not just emulation. We’ll just have to see. Full presser’s after the break.
More coverage at CrackBerry.com
RIM Expands Application Ecosystem for BlackBerry PlayBook
- BlackBerry PlayBook to support BlackBerry Java and Android apps
- Native C/C++ development support added, in addition to HTML5, Flash and AIR support
- Support from leading game engines: Ideaworks Labs (AirPlay) and Unity Technologies (Unity 3)
- BlackBerry PlayBook becomes a new market opportunity for all the developers who have already created over 25,000 BlackBerry Java apps and more than 200,000 Android apps
WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – March 24, 2011) – Developers wanting to bring their new and existing apps to the highly anticipated BlackBerry® PlayBookTM tablet will soon have additional tools and options to enhance and expand their commercial opportunities. Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced plans to greatly expand the application ecosystem for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The BlackBerry PlayBook is scheduled to launch in the U.S. and Canada on April 19.
RIM will launch two optional “app players” that provide an application run-time environment for BlackBerry Java® apps and Android v2.3 apps. These new app players will allow users to download BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from BlackBerry App World and run them on their BlackBerry PlayBook.
In addition, RIM will shortly release the native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook enabling C/C++ application development on the BlackBerry® Tablet OS. For game-specific developers, RIM is also announcing that it has gained support from two leading game development tooling companies, allowing developers to use the cross-platform game engines from Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to bring their games to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
Support for BlackBerry Java and Android Apps
“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet. The power that we have embedded creates one of the most compelling app experiences available in a mobile computing device today,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The upcoming addition of BlackBerry Java and Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook on BlackBerry App World will provide our users with an even greater choice of apps and will also showcase the versatility of the platform.”
Developers currently building for the BlackBerry or Android platforms will be able to quickly and easily port their apps to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS thanks to a high degree of API compatibility. The new optional app players will be available for download from BlackBerry App World and will be placed in a secure “sandbox” on the BlackBerry PlayBook where the BlackBerry Java or Android apps can be run.
Developers will simply repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World. Once approved, the apps will be distributed through BlackBerry App World, providing a new opportunity for many developers to reach BlackBerry PlayBook users. Users will be able to download both the app players and the BlackBerry Java and Android apps from BlackBerry App World.
The BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Tablet OS are built on the QNX® Neutrino® microkernel architecture with a 1GHz dual core processor and a leading OpenGL solution, which allows RIM to make this incredibly broad platform support possible.
BlackBerry PlayBook users and developers who are interested in seeing the new app players for BlackBerry Java and Android apps can see demos at BlackBerry World in Orlando, Florida (May 3 to 5, 2011) (www.blackberryworld.com).
BlackBerry Tablet OS Development Tools
The BlackBerry Tablet OS already supports an incredibly robust platform with support for Web development standard HTML5, through the BlackBerry® WebWorksTM SDK for Tablet OS, and Adobe® AIR®, through the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR. The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built from the ground up to run WebKit and Adobe® Flash® as well, giving developers a fast and true Web experience to leverage.
RIM is also announcing today that the BlackBerry Tablet OS Native Development Kit (NDK), which is currently in limited alpha release, will go into open Beta by this summer and be demonstrated at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to build high-performance, multi-threaded, native C/C++ applications with industry standard GNU toolchains. Developers can create advanced 2D and 3D applications and special effects by leveraging programmable shaders available in hardware-accelerated OpenGL ES 2.0.
Other features of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will allow developers to:
- Take advantage of the QNX POSIX library support and C/C++ compliance for quick and easy application porting and for creating native extensions for both BlackBerry and Android applications
- Easily integrate device events like gesture swipes and touch screen inputs
- Integrate the BlackBerry Tablet OS environment into existing code management and build systems using industry standard Eclipse CDT (C/C++ Development Tools)
- Leverage work done in standard C/C++ to make it easier to bring applications to the BlackBerry Tablet OS
- Find and fix bugs quickly with provided debug and analysis tools
“The response to the BlackBerry PlayBook from the developer community has been exceptional. Our commitment to supporting HTML5 and Adobe AIR development has resonated and spurred developers to create fun and innovative applications for BlackBerry PlayBook users,” said David Yach, Chief Technology Officer, Software at Research In Motion. “The upcoming BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK beta will add C/C++ tools to our repertoire and gives developers one of the broadest and deepest platforms to develop on.”
Gaming Engines
Building on the power of the BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK, RIM is working with leading gaming and application development technology providers such as Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to implement their native engines and application development platforms. Developers will be able to take advantage of these engines when building games and other applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook.
The Ideaworks Labs Airplay SDK is expected to include support for the BlackBerry Tablet OS soon, making it easy for publishers and developers to use their existing code to bring their games and apps to the BlackBerry PlayBook.
“Supporting a new OS can be a challenge for developers,” says Alex Caccia, President of Ideaworks Labs, “however, integration of the BlackBerry Tablet OS with the Airplay SDK makes this a non-issue. We think this is a far-sighted move by RIM: the BlackBerry PlayBook is a great device for games and applications, and combining this with content distribution via BlackBerry App World brings an exciting new ecosystem for developers.”
RIM has also been working closely with Unity Technologies, providers of the highly popular, multi-platform Unity development platform and Union, the firm’s games distribution service. Through Union, dozens of high-quality Unity-authored games are slated to make their way to BlackBerry App World for the BlackBerry Playbook.
“With a sharp focus on the multimedia experience, very powerful hardware, and fantastic games in the pipeline, the BlackBerry Playbook has all the right ingredients to be a mainstream hit,” said Brett Seyler, GM of Union at Unity Technologies. “Through Union, Unity developers have an opportunity to reach a new audience and grow with another great new platform.”
Availability
The new app players for the BlackBerry PlayBook are expected to be available from BlackBerry App World this summer. More information and demonstrations of the new app players will be shared at BlackBerry World. The BlackBerry Tablet OS NDK will be available in beta later this year and will also be showcased at BlackBerry World.
Useful Links
For more information on the BlackBerry Tablet OS and BlackBerry PlayBook developing, visit http://us.blackberry.com/developers/tablet/
To see the BlackBerry Tablet OS in action running conceptual applications from The Astonishing Tribe, please visithttp://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/5/uH7NKhNyygw andhttp://www.youtube.com/blackberry#p/c/8D8C3A23664E6761/0/mWJG-sB7H4Y.
For RIM insights into developing for the BlackBerry Platform, visithttp://devblog.blackberry.com or follow @BlackBerryDev on Twitter.
Visit the BlackBerry Developer Zone at www.blackberry.com/developers for the latest news, information and updates for BlackBerry developers.
Visit the BlackBerry Developer Video Library at http://www.blackberry.com/go/developervideolibrary to view a variety of instructional videos.
Sign up for the BlackBerry Developer Newsletter athttp://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/resources/newsletter.jsp.
For the latest news and information about the BlackBerry Developer Conference visitwww.blackberrydeveloperconference.com.
About Research In Motion
Rohan Sood 