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iPhone OS 3.1 update available; organize apps in iTunes, download ringtones, MobileMe remote lock, anti-phishing and more

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Wed, Sep 9, 2009, 2:59 pm
in Apple, Uncategorized and iPhone
. 0 Comments

While everyone’s following the blogs covering Apple’s announcements today, I checked iTunes to see if there might be an iPhone update available before the show’s over.

3.1update1

Low and behold, I’m downloading the iPhone OS 3.1 Software Update and installing it on my iPhone 3G as I write this.

Here is what appears in the dialog  after you click Download, or Download and Install:

iPhone OS 3.1 Software Update

This update contains bug fixes and improvements, including the following:

  • Genius recommendations for Applications
  • iTunes 9 support
    • Genius Mixes
    • Organize your apps directly in iTunes
    • Improved syncing options for music, movies, TV shows, podcasts and photos
    • iTunes U content organization
  • Redeem iTunes Gift cards, codes and certificates in the App Store
  • Display available iTunes account credits in the App Store and iTunes Store
  • Browse and download ringtones wirelessly from the iTunes Store*
  • Save video from Mail and MMS into Camera Roll
  • Option to “Save as new clip” when trimming a video on iPhone 3GS
  • Better iPhone 3G Wi-Fi performance when Bluetooth is turned on
  • Remotely lock iPhone with a passcode via MobileMe
  • Use Voice Control with iPhone 3GS with Bluetooth headsets
  • Paste phone numbers into Keypad
  • Option to use Home button to turn on Accessibility features on iPhone 3GS
  • Warn when visiting fraudulent websites in Safari (anti-phishing)
  • Improved Exchange calendar synching and invitation handling
  • Fixes issue that caused some app icons to display incorrectly
  • Products compatible with this software update:

iPhone
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS

The update completed just as I finished writing this post, and now when I check Settings > General > About I see Version 3.1 7C144) and Carrier AT&T 5.0. Stay tuned for more details.IMG_0715

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iPhone & iPod touch tip: Undo accidental Home button press

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Thu, Aug 27, 2009, 9:41 am
in Apple, How-to, Uncategorized, iPhone and iPod
. 0 Comments

It happens all the time: You’re using an iPhone app and you accidentally press the Home button, which takes you home whether you like it or not. Here’s an easy trick to undo an accidental Home key press:

Keep the Home button held down, then touch and hold on the screen for two seconds then let go of the Home button. You stay in the app rather than go home.

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One Minute Review: InCase Bamboo Slider Case for iPhone 3G

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Mon, Apr 20, 2009, 8:28 am
in Apple, Green Gadgets, Uncategorized, Wireless, green gadgets for dummies and iPhone
. 2 Comments

After accidentally knocking my original iPhone off my desk, which caused the glass screen to smash into a pretty spiderweb-like pattern that, thanks to my Invisible Shield screen protector, allowed me to continue using the smart phone as I stood in line to buy an iPhone 3G when it went on sale the next day, I decided it was time to surround the new one with a protective case.

Although I initially went with InCase’s leather-wrapped Slider Elan, I later chose the InCase black Slider (pictured on the left) as my iPhone 3G’s protective partner. The case’s tight fit adds minimal thickness to the 3G, and its lightly rubberized finish provides just enough grip to prevent accidental sleights of the hand, so to speak. I’ve also used Griffin’s Clarifi for iPhone 3G, but only on the couple of occasions when I needed to take a close up snapshot, thanks to the Clarifi’s built in lens, which corrects the iPhone camera’s farsightedness.

InCase recently sent me their new Bamboo Slider for iPhone 3G, and having just finished Green Gadgets For Dummies, I welcomed the new model’s reduced carbon footprint, thanks to the case’s composition of 40 percent recycled bamboo, 60 percent polycarbonate construction.

InCase says the bamboo pulp used to create the case comes from “reclaimed bamboo shards of materials such as construction scaffolding and chopsticks.”

In hand, the Bamboo Slider feels like plastic, though a deep whiff of the case’s backside betrays plywoody hints that evoke memories of under-construction new homes and lumberyards.

Bottom line: The inclusion of bamboo is an interesting novelty, but the case’s less grippy finish was reason enough for me to stick with the lightly rubberized Slider that’s served me well since acquiring my iPhone 3G.

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30-second review: Pogo Stylus for iPhone/iPod touch for the fingernail-challenged

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Sat, Sep 27, 2008, 12:05 pm
in iPhone and iPod
. 0 Comments

The Pogo Stylus is an aluminum stick with a small and fuzzy hairdo on one end that can be used in lieu of your fingertip to interact with iPhone and iPod touch screens.

The stylus comes with a slide-on holder to keep the stick close at hand yet isn’t exactly comfortable to hold in because it must be positioned midway or below rather than near the upper half of the iPhone (doing so presses on the volume keys, a no-no).

While my iPhone 3G responds to my fingertip with the lightest touch, the Pogo Stylus requires a firmer press to get the iPhone to recognize it. Bottom line: Unless you’re sporting fingernails of the Cat Woman variety that prevent you from making contact with your device, hang on to your $20 and let your own fingers do the touching.

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One-Minute Review: More-Thing Ultra Slim Silicone Case for iPhone 3G is as flimsy and useless as a used condom

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, 1:29 pm
in Uncategorized and iPhone
. 6 Comments

The title of this post is actually gentler than my initial title idea: “Objects are shittier than they appear.” And let me tell you, the More-Thing Ultra Slim Silicone Case is a piece of shit. It’s as flimsy and formless as a pair of stretched-out, decades-old Fruit of the Loom briefs (which are actually more useful than this crappy silicone case).

Don’t let the More-Thing website fool you: Those gorgeous, Penthouse-quality Vaseline-dabbed-lens beauty shots of the Ultra Slim Silicone cases in all their throbbing-colors glory with names like Tomato and Liquid Blue are bullshit. Ditto for the colorless choices like the black one I ordered for $11.90 plus nearly as much for expedited shipping from Hong Kong.

The fit is loose and anything but tight, and the finish – if you could call it that – is shameful. As the picture shows the cutout for the iPhone 3G headphone jack is just that – a crudely cut opening – and nothing like the cleanly round hole shown in the website pictures. Only after receiving this crappy case and slipping it onto my iPhone like a used condom found on the beach and then immediately removing it did it occur to me to check for other opinions and reviews. Low and behold, the company’s own product page for the crappy case revealed many other unhappy buyers.

Thanks for nothing, More-Thing.

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iPhone 2.1 update and my first bug: Apple iPhone Bluetooth headset travel cable isn’t compatible…then is

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, 10:31 am
in Apple, Uncategorized and iPhone
. 16 Comments

Since every gadget site on earth already spread the news that the iPhone 2.1 firmware update is now available to download and install there’s nothing more to say on that front in general.

But I do have a weird 2.1 update quirk to share.

After downloading and installing the update and restarting my iPhone 3G, I received the message: ”This accessory is not made to work with iPhone.”

(Also weird: When powered on the first time my iPhone 3G’s speaker is mute when I tap my password into the “Enter Passcode” screen to unlock my iPhone.)

The only accessory attached is my iPhone 3G is the Apple iPhone Bluetooth headset travel cable, and I find it hard to believe that at least some of the testing engineers at Apple aren’t users of the headset themselves, which means they’d experience the same hiccup. What’s more, the battery icon showed that the iPhone 3G was getting juice to charge, yet the Bluetooth Headset icon was missing.

Then again, my the travel cable is plugged into a powered USB hub (by Belkin), so maybe that had something to do with the bug. After all, the powered hub on its own doesn’t even recharge my iPhone 3G unless I have it plugged into my MacBook, so maybe the hub was the culprit.

Guilty as charged?

Guilty as charged?

First, I unplugged the iPhone 3G from the travel cable (still plugged into the hub) and plugged it in again, and this time I received no accessory incompatibility error (and the headset icon appeared).

I wondered if maybe the bug only occurs when powering on the iPhone for the first time. To find out, I powered off the iPhone, unplugged the cable from the USB hub and plugged it directly into my MacBooks spare USB port.

I powered on the iPhone 3G and once again I received the accessory incompatibility error.

And once again I unplugged the cable, plugged it back in, and as before received no error this time (and the headset icon appeared) – but still no sound when I typed in my passcode.

I powered off the iPhone, powered it on again, and I got the error again – yet this time there was sound whe I typed in my passcode.

Weird, right?

I’d be curious to hear from others about their own Weird iPhone 2.1 Update Tales.

UPDATE (10:51 AM): Further adventures in weirdness: When I power off my iPhone 3G and plug the Bluetooth Headset travel cable into the wall charger then power on the iPhone I still get no sound when I type in my passcode, and though I don’t get the accessory incompatibly error, the iPhone Bluetooth headset icon is absent until I unplug the iPhone then plug it back in.

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How-to: Reorder iPhone email accounts to your liking

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Wed, Sep 3, 2008, 10:59 am
in Apple, How-to and iPhone
. 16 Comments

One thing that bugs me about the iPhone’s email program is the inability to rearrange the order of email accounts to my liking.

Unfortunately there’s no “Edit” button like Phone Favorites to drag names up or down to reorder them.

But there is a way to reorder your email accounts to your satisfaction. Here’s how:

  1. Plug in your iPhone and launch iTunes.
  2. Select your iPhone in the Devices column on the left, then click the Info tab at the top of the screen.
  3. Click “Sync selected mail accounts:” if it isn’t already selected.
  4. Uncheck any mail accounts that may be selected except the mail account you want to appear at the top of your email accounts list.
  5. Click Sync.
  6. When iTunes finishes syncing leave the prior mail account checked then check the mail account you want to appear as the next account on your email accounts list.
  7. Click Sync.
  8. Repeat step 6 for each additional mail account until you’ve synced them all.
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iPhone 3G protection match made in heaven: Invisible Shield and Griffin Elan Form

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Mon, Sep 1, 2008, 12:15 pm
in Apple and iPhone
. 11 Comments

I’ve sung the praises of Zagg’s Invisible Shield screen protector for iPhone and most recently, for the iPhone 3G. Invisible Shield provides a nice touch and slightly watery effect that’s pleasant view, and most important of all it hides those ugly fingerprint smears. In my recent review of the new iPhone 3G shield I reported on how glad I was to see the new version closed the circle around the Home button, however I bemoaned the upper and lower flaps that gave me such a hard time I wound up slicing them off for my third (and successful) installation.

Good news: Zagg’s new revision ($14.95 for front shield; $18.95 for back shield; $24.95 for both) says goodbye to the flaps altogether. Nice.

In related iPhone 3G protection news I picked up Griffin’s Elan Form ($29.99) case a few weeks ago. The hard polycarbonate plastic case is finished with nicely textured leather that feels good in the hand – and integrates so tightly you’d think it was Apple’s own design. The lower half detaches to allow the iPhone 3G to stand in a dock, and though my retrofitted iPhone Bluetooth headset dock can accommodate my 3G, I’ve taken to using the travel cable instead rather than be bothered with removing and reattaching the lower half each time I reconnect my 3G. The Elan Form also comes with a shiny clear plastic shield (which shows finger smears) to protect the screen, but I’ve left that off in favor of the Invisible Shield.

Combined, these two iPhone 3G add-ons inspire a new take on the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup line: Two great fits that fit great together.

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One-minute review: Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset sounds better second time around

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, 9:09 am
in Apple, Audio, Uncategorized, Wireless and iPhone
. 0 Comments

In my quest to find the perfect Bluetooth headset I recently tried the Jawbone 2 but was less than satisfied with the results. Remembering the things I liked about Apple’s iPhone Bluetooth Headset that I owned (and promptly lost), I decided to buy another one. What I like most is how integrated the headset is – both the hardware and the user experience. Unfortunately the welcome price drop from $129 to $99 means Apple also dropped the bundled dual-purpose charging dock that accomodated both the iPhone and the headset. I still own my original dual dock, however the new 3G’s thicker base prevents it from fitting into the dock (though I managed to “fix” my old dual dock with a little chisel handiwork).

The Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset still comes with the handy Travel Cable, which has a small recepticle for plugging in the magnetized headset contacts to charge both the iPhone and headset at the same time.

Like the original the headset automatically pairs with the iPhone the first time you connect them together, and the headset’s battery level appears in both locked mode and in the upper right status bar beside the battery meter. A very nice touch.

As with the original there’s no ear loop, so it’s one-size-fits-all or nothing if the headset won’t stay in your ear. It fits fine in mine, and this time around I’ll be sure to always cover the rubber ring around the earpiece to protect it from deteriorating the way my original headset did after just a few weeks of use.

And like the original there’s still only one button for turning the headset on and off and handling calls.

But unlike the original there’s one very important improvement that makes it possible for me to see past the headset’s weaknesses: It sounds great.

The louder, clearer sounds probably owes itself more to the iPhone 3G’s improved audio quality than the headset itself, but whatever the reason, I’m pleased with the improvement over my first one.

All told, I’ll take the all-in-one charging solution, tiny form-factor and ear loop-less design over any of the other headsets I’ve recently tried. Now if only the iPhone 3G’s battery life lasted longer would I’d actually care whether the iPhone Bluetooth Headset really offers the estimated 5.5 hoursof talk time Apple says it does.

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iPhone apps hit $30-million; Jobs confirms Apples power to hit “kill switch”

Published
by
Joe Hutsko
on Mon, Aug 11, 2008, 9:40 am
in Apple, Mobile, Uncategorized, iPhone and iPod
. 0 Comments

The Wall Street Journal today reports sales of iPhone and iPod touch apps via Apple’s iTunes Music Store hit $30-million last month, and wiley Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs publically acknowledge his company does in fact have to power to hit a “kill switch” to zap on users’ devices applications the company deems dangerous. I wrote about antivirus and antispyware protection for portable devices for Salon two weeks ago, on how protection for smartphones has been around for some time and recently Intego announced a half-assed means of protecting iPhones and iPod touches (not quite), but the kill switch definitely rates as the biggest Big Brother means of active eradication ever. Here on the home screen one minute, gone the next?

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