Techno Babble

The iOS 4.3 Software Update from Apple, has been released a couple of days before the iPad 2 hits the streets.

Main enhancements to iOS4.3 include:

• Faster web browsing with Safari incorporating the new Nitro JavaScript engine. This will run JavaScript up to 2x quicker than the speed of Safari in iOS4.2.
• iTunes Home Sharing allows iOS 4.3 users to play media on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch from their iTunes library on a Mac or PC over a local wi-fi network.
• There are also improvements to AirPlay that allow you to stream additional content including video from 3rd party apps, to AppleTV (which requires a 2nd generation Apple TV running the latest software).
• There is a new Personal Hotspot feature. This allows you to share an iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to 5 additional devices in a combination of a maximum of 3 over Wi-Fi, 3 over BlueTooth and 1 USB device.
  Note: Personal Hotspot requires a supporting hotspot tethering plan from your carrier
• The iPad side switch can be customised to allow you to either use it to lock the screen in landscape or portrait mode or to use it as a mute button.
• Also on iPad, you can use 4 and 5 finger gestures that allow you to pinch to reach the Home Screen. Swipe Up to show the multi-tasking bar and Swipe Left or Swipe Right to switch between running applications.

As always, to install the updates it’s simply a case of connecting to your Mac or PC and using the software update feature for your device in iTunes.

Note: The iPhone 3G or 1st and 2nd generation iPod Touch are no longer supported in this version of iOS.

Full details about iOS 4.3 are available from:

http://www.apple.com/ios/

A simple tip that allows you to create your own library of PDF files and read them on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad using iBooks.

From iTunes, select File…Add to Library, navigate to the PDF file(s) and pick Choose.

This will load them into the Books section of your iTunes library and syncing with your device will copy them into your iBooks library under a new section called PDFs.

Job done.

And another thing, if you have a Mac you can add a PDF directly to the Books section of iTunes, using the following approach:

Make an alias of the iTunes program (ctrl click on the iTunes program in the Applications folder)

Drag the alias to your [home-folder]/Library/PDF Services folder and rename it, if required.

Now you will have an iTunes option when, for example, you pick the PDF button in a Print dialog.

This is a simple readme text file which I’m going to add to my Books collection, and here it is in iTunes. (note: it works with text files too!)

Job done

Apple recently announced the next major software update for the iPhone, namely OS 4.0, currently scheduled for release in the Summer (2010).

Claimed to contain more than 100 new features for iPhone and iPod users to enjoy but not if you’ve got an iPod Touch 1st generation (I’ve got 2) which does not seem to be supported in OS 4.0 at all.

Is this a mechanism by Apple to phase out those laggards who still have the 1st generation iPod Touch?

In addition, if you have an iPhone (not 3GS) or 2nd generation iPod Touch you won’t be able to use the multi-tasking feature which comes in OS 4.0

With those limitations out of the way, let’s look in more detail at what’s coming.

An SDK, providing more than 1500 new APIs, is currently available in Beta form, and can be downloaded from the iPhone developer site.

Arguably the biggest feature will be the provision of multi-tasking.

Multitasking

Developers will be able to access seven multi-tasking services which will allow tasks to be performed in the background. This means, for example, that you will be able to make a Voice over IP call while playing a game or checking for email.

Folders

Apps can be organised into folders using drag-and-drop. This will allow a user to manage up to 2160 apps rather than the currently allowed limit of 180 apps.

Better eMail

Messages from all email accounts can be displayed together in a unified inbox. Messages can also be organised by thread and attachments can be opened in third party applications.

iBooks

The ability to browse, buy and read books. Flip through the pages of a book you’ve downloaded from the iBookstore while listening to your music collection. You will be able to browse tens of thousands of books, by title author or genre, check reviews and read sample pages before you buy.

Watch the Apple iPhone OS4.0 Keynote at

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/1004fk8d5gt/event/

Noticed a couple of recent articles which add fire to the usual Apple rumour mill about the imminent release of an Apple Tablet.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/12/analyst-apple-tablet-launching-in-spring-to-crush-kindle.ars

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/12/09/tablet_rumors_february_production_start_10_inch_lcd_screen.html

These have been sparked by Yair Reiner an analyst with Oppenheimer who indicated

…the manufacturing cogs for the production of a tablet are creaking into action and should begin to hit a mass market stride in February. Reiner said Apple would likely need at least five or six weeks of inventory built up before it can release the product, positioning a likely launch in March or April.

He also said that Apple has been reaching out to book publishers with a “very attractive proposal” for offering content on a forthcoming ebook platform. 

So currently, the strongest rumour is for a 10.1 inch display using similar technology used for the iPhone and aimed as a Kindle e-book basher. Maybe we should just call it an iPod Touch with a 10.1 inch display.

But if the device were also to use a hybrid touch/stylus interface, what opportunities would then become available…