Author: Alan

WSJ: Apple Working on Inexpensive iPhone With Edge-to-Edge Screen

  • News
  • February 14, 2011
  • 3

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is working on a more affordable version of the iPhone with an “edge-to-edge” screen and a smaller size. The new phone could be as cheap as $200 without subsidized pricing or requiring a contract. The WSJ article corroborates with an earlier report by Bloomberg that Apple was working on a “cheaper and smaller” iPhone.

An inexpensive iPhone could be a strategic maneuver by Apple to expand ownership of the iPhone by lowering the cost barrier to better compete with not only Google’s popular Android smartphone handsets but cheaper “dumb phone” products by Nokia. Currently, a subsidized iPhone requires a 2-year commitment that, with monthly fees, brings the true cost of owning an iPhone close to $2000 based on the cheapest available plans from Verizon and AT&T.

According to the WSJ, the new iPhone would be “significantly lighter” than the current iPhone and would expand upon the iPhone’s limited voice controls, presumably to allow users to more quickly navigate the phone without using touch controls. The WSJ also says Apple has been working on a new cloud service that will let users store their media online. Users will be able access their media anywhere they have an Internet connection and an iPhone, iPad, or other Apple product. The iTunes cloud service would presumably allow Apple to include less memory in the new iPhone and therefore lower manufacturing costs. In a previous report, Bloomberg reported that the “prototype was about one-third smaller than the iPhone 4, and it had no ‘home’ button,” said a person who saw it in person last year.

The smaller form factor and cheaper cost of the new iPhone would presumably mean sacrifices in hardware. According to iSuppli, the most expensive parts of the current iPhone, which costs around $171 per phone to manufacture, are the memory and LCD screen, costing $40.40 and $37.80 each, respectively. Apple would be unlikely to shrink the size of the screen from it’s current 3.5-inch size, as the iPhone relies heavily on a touchscreen keyboard to input text. In addition to offering less memory to lower costs, the company could use a cheaper, non-Retina Display LCD screen. One area Apple presumably wouldn’t have to sacrifice in is the CPU, as Apple’s A4 CPU chip is one of the cheaper parts of the phone, costing only $8.46 to manufacture. Using the A4 would mean the new device could run Apple’s current iOS firmware and the latest apps.

To lower cost barriers for popular products and expand market share in the past, Apple has employed a manufacturing strategy of economy of scale. For example, Apple branched its popular iPod into a family of cheaper iterations like the Mini, Nano and Shuffle. Blog Cult of Mac has a good rundown of Apple’s product family strategy over the years that includes more hardware and software examples.

According to Bloomberg, a part of Apple’s strategy to lower the iPhone’s ownership cost could involve a new technology called a universal SIM, which would forgo the need to purchase and insert SIM cards into GSM phones, and instead allow users to buy cell service through iTunes. iPhone owners could easily switch carriers without traveling to a local cellular store to pick up a new sim. Not only would this be convenient for international travelers, who would save hundreds of dollars on international roaming rates by buying temporary local service, the universal sim could also expedite a bidding-war system Apple has been working on a system where users could, via iTunes, shop for the cheapest cell service in their area. Smaller regional carriers like Cricket and MetroPCS are examples of companies that provide cheaper local cell and data services in the US.

Q&A: Can the Verizon CDMA iPhone Be “Unlocked” to Work on Sprint?

If you get hold of a used Verizon iPhone, you may be interested if it can be “unlocked” to work on another CDMA network like Sprint. The short answer is that it’s possible, but a hack will be much harder and have different legal ramifications from traditional GSM-iPhone unlocking, (which is now legal). The reason is, due to the sim-cardless nature of CDMA networks, it’s up to the carrier to give an individual phone permission to connect to its network. With CDMA networks, you are identified by your device. With GSM, you are identified by your sim card.

For an iPhone to connect to Sprint’s network, Sprint would have to give that specific iPhone permission. Historically, Sprint has not allowed “foreign” smartphones to connect. Their probable motivation is they want you locked you in to a two-year contract by forcing you to purchase a new (subsidized) iPhone.

You could attempt to hack an iPhone so that it appears to be a device that it isn’t—a device with permission to connect to the network. But that is likely cellular fraud, as defined by the FCC.

Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID)

When it comes to locking down CDMA phones, networks previously used something called an ESN (Electronic Serial Number) to identify specific phones. Because those numbers ran out, they now use a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), which the Verizon iPhone uses. CDMA networks check a device’s ESN/MEID before allowing it to connect.

In the past, Sprint has not given permission for “foreign” ESN numbers to connect their network. Better possibilities are that the smaller regional CDMA networks like MetroPCS, Boost, or Cricket will look the other way and let the Verizon iPhone connect to their networks, but there could be legal ramifications from Apple/Verizon for doing this, especially if an exclusivity agreement is in place (Apple’s Tim Cook says there isn’t).

Can the MEID (or ESN) be Hacked or Changed?

In the past, people have hacked (switched) the ESN on cell phones, but it’s also likely illegal, possibly fraud. Because people have figured out how to switch an ESN, it’s no great leap in logic to think a MEID-switch hack is possible, or that an MEID can be changed to ESN, etc. But the legality question makes it unlikely that the common citizen would want to risk it.

The Best Verizon iPhone 4 Cases, Reviewed (CDMA)

  • News
  • February 12, 2011
  • 0

There are still few iPhone cases available that are compatible with the Verizon version of the iPhone 4. The cases below are all recommended cases that we’ve reviewed and which are compatible with the Verizon iPhone 4. We’ll keep adding more recommended Verizon cases as they are released. Be sure to check out our Best iPhone 4 cases reviews as well.

Picture Rating Review Summary and Link to Full Review

9.5

 The Otterbox Defender ($35) is a multi-layer case that combines a hard-plastic interior, silicone rubber exterior, and clear-plastic front screen to offer the most protection we’ve seen in a case. It’s the best designed case we’ve seen, and allows you to use all to functions of the iPhone as normal. Otterbox recently updated the Defender to create a “universal” version that will fit both the Verizon (CDMA) and AT&T (GSM) iPhone 4. The downsides to the Defender are that it increases the bulk of the phone and makes accessing some of the iPhone’s ports less convenient. Still, if you’re interested in the Defender, it’s toward the purpose of optimum protection, and the case is the best for that we’ve seen. Full review and photos.

8.8

 The >Case-Mate Pop! ($25) is a dual-layer case that combines hard plastic with silicone rubber to offer the best of both worlds. The case is lightweight and slim while still offering solid protection. It has a few minor flawsin the form of a hard-to-access ringer switch and a scratchable glossy surface (the scratches weren’t too noticeable in our testing). Overall, the Pop! is an excellent case we can highly recommend. It’s compatible with the CDMA (Verizon) and GSM (AT&T) iPhone 4. Full review and photos.

8.3

 The Speck Fitted ($20) is a stylish hard-plastic case that combines superb protection (thanks to a thicker form factor) with a fashionable cloth-covered back featuring an attractive plaid pattern. Available in 7 colors. The case has a minor flaw in that the sleep button is more difficult to press in the case. Overall, the Speck Fitted is a well-designed combination of function and style. Compatible with both Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

8.3

 The <ZeroChroma Teatro ($45) is the best case/stand combo we’ve come across. The stand rotates so that it can hold the iPhone in both portrait and landscape. When not in use, the stand lays perfectly flat and out of the way. The case has a svelte profile and stylish lines. Its only flaw is a thin profile that does not offer up much in the way of shock absoprtion. Overall, a highly-functional case that justifies its expensive price tag. Compatible with both Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

8.3

 The Case-Mate Vroom ($10) is an inexpensive silicone rubber case with a tire-tread pattern on its back. A solid all-around case, the Vroom offers good shock absorption for accidental drops, a good fit, and excellent accessibility to all the iPhone ports. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

8.0

 The Monaco Flip Style Case ($25) features a flip cover that offers privacy for your iPhone’s screen when not in use. The Monaco offers excellent protection via its thick form factor. A negative side effect of the bulk is less pocketability. Made of quality materials, the Monaco is a well-designed case, made of quality materials with a professional look. Full review and photos.

8.0

 The iChair ($25) is a case that includes a flip-out stand capable of supporting the iPhone in landscape and portrait orientations. The iChair offers excellent protection, which is rare for a hard-plastic case. We found it an all-around well-designed case, with only minor flaws in the form of a hard-to-press sleep button and limited angles for the stand (one each for portait and landscape). Compatible with Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

8.0

 The Scosche Kickback ($25) is a two-layer case combined with a stand that can hold the iPhone up in landscape orientation only. It’s an overall well-designed case that offers solid protection and good accessibility to all of the iPhone’s ports and buttons. The only minor flaws are that the stand offers a single viewing angle, and case’s rubber layer is thin, limiting its shock absorption. Full review and photos.

7.1

 The Splash Cruiser Slim-Fit ($15) is a thin hard-plastic case with a slide-off bottom perfect for use with iPhone docks. The case has a special coating on its surface that gives the hard plastic a soft feel. The case features a few minor flaws: a thin profile means little shock absoprtion and a few of the iPhone’s buttons become more difficult to press while in the case. Overall, a nice-looking case. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

7.0

 The iLuv Fusion ($15) is an attractive hard-plastic case with a functional stand that can hold up the iPhone in both portrait and landscape orientations. The case also offers better-than-average protection compared with most hard cases. The Fusion’s major flaw is that the stand’s hinge makes the iPhone wobble when rested on flat surfaces. If you’re willing to live with the minor annoyance, the Fusion is an overall nice, inexpensive case with high functionality. Compatible with both the Verizon and AT&T iPhones. Full review and photos.

Review: Splash Cruiser Slim-Fit Case for iPhone 4

The Splash Cruiser Slim-Fit ($25) is a hard-plastic slider case that is compatible with both CDMA and GSM versions of the iPhone 4 (Verizon and AT&T). The case has a convenient removable bottom for those who use iPhone 4 docks or oddly shaped third-party USB cords. Overall, the Cruiser is a comfortable case with a soft surface and attractive matte design, but a few design flaws involving the iPhone’s buttons keep it from being a premium case.

The Splash Cruiser is a slim slider case made out of polycarbonate hard plastic. As a slim case, it’s quite pocketable. But in the world of iPhone cases, thinness sacrifices protection, and the Cruiser lacks shock absorption for true protection from accidental drops. That’s not to say the Cruiser is totally without protection. Inside the case, your iPhone will be spared from everday wear and tear while bouncing around in bags and rubbing against car keys.

My favorite feature of the Cruiser is its remarkably soft touch. Hard plastic cases aren’t known for soft surfaces, but the Cruiser uses a special coating to provide a pleasant velvety feel. We’ve seen this special coating used in a few other hard plastic iPhone cases and have generally liked it a lot.

The Cruiser also offers a convenient feature in the form of a detachable bottom. Simply slide the bottom third of the case off, and you can dock the iPhone in any compatible dock. In our testing, we also noted that some third-party USB cables would not plug into the iPhone with the case on—just remove the bottom of the case and it works. One downside to a detachable bottom is that you’ve got to keep track of it while the iPhone is charging.

In terms of appearance, the Cruiser offers a pleasant matte-black look (it’s also available in red, blue, pink, purple, orange, and green). We liked the case’s smooth round corners that went hand-in-hand with its soft surface, giving the iPhone 4 an overall comfortable look and feel. The slim shape maintains the iPhone 4′s elegant form factor. The only downside is that, with the matte case on, you lose the black glass and silver chrome look of a naked iPhone.

The case does have some problems when it comes to the iPhone’s buttons—in particular, the sleep button. The cutout around the sleep button does not provide enough access for your finger, making the button difficult to press. I often found myself having to reposition the iPhone in my hand so that I could come at the button at an different angle. It even hurts a little to press the button down. There is a similar but not quite as bad problem with pressing the volume buttons as well. The good news is that the long rectangular cutout around the ringer switch and sleep buttons means it’s fully compatible with both the GSM and CDMA iPhone 4′s.

Conclusion

The Splash Cruiser Slim-Fit case for iPhone 4 ($257.1 out of 10, recommended.

Review: The Daily, iPad Newspaper, Good and Getting Better

Convincing someone to pay for news these days is a tough sell. Especially on the iPad where, via apps and a web browser, you can get an infinite, free supply of it. The Daily is the latest experiment by big media (and it doesn’t get any bigger than Rupert Murdoch) to get people to pay for their news. It’s a subscription-based, 7-days-a-week newspaper built from the ground up for the iPad that will cost $0.99 a week, or $39.99 a year for access.

Does The Daily warrant opening up your wallet? It’s getting there, and every day seems to get better. Much of the content is exclusive and original. Some of it is even useful (the apps section, the occasional fitness article). The graphic design and interactive features are attractive and cutting edge. The full-screen photos can be stunning. But The Daily also needs work in some crucial areas. There are the usual technical glitches (some people report repeated crashes—we always recommend restarting your iPad to fix app crashes). The content takes a while to load (a minute or more depending on your connection). The subject matter is a bit narrow for a general-topic newspaper (where are yesterday’s box scores? And no business news?). And some features needlessly complicate the app (the carousel, and a brief video introduction to every issue). But overall, The Daily is an attractive, informative, cutting-edge daily that provides at least a half hour’s worth of professional, magazine-quality content every day. There needs to be some fine-tuning, but the larger picture is that $39.99 a year for what is really a daily magazine is quite a bargain, considering what people pay for only 12 issues of other magazines a year.

The Good.

The photography is stunning. The developers recognize that the iPad excels at displaying photos—there’s something about the picture-frame shape, bright screen, and handheld intimacy that makes the iPad the best photo viewer I’ve experienced. And they exploit it. Turn the iPad on its side and you can swipe through photos full screen (although this feature can be confusing, as the occasional text ends up in the mix). Turning back to portrait lets you return to normal reading mode. There are top-notch stunning photos too—just check out the ones coming out of Egypt right now.
Continue reading…

Basics: How to Turn On Find My iPhone

>

Find My iPhone is now a free feature for anyone with an iPhone 4 or newer, and it’s something you’ll want to have turned on, as it can come in extremely handy—not only does Find My iPhone show the location of your iPhone should it be lost or stolen, it can remotely lock the iPhone, wipe its memory, or have the iPhone emit a beeping sound in case it’s lost between couch cushions. To use Find My iPhone, you’ll need to activate it on the iPhone first. Here’s how.

How to Activate Find My iPhone

1. On the iPhone, tap Settings:

2. Tap Mail, Contacts, and Calendars:

3. Tap Add Account:

4. Tap MobileMe:

5. Log in with your Apple account ID and password, which is the same ID you use to buy apps and music in iTunes. Note that your ID needs to be an email address to use Find My iPhone (if it’s not, go here for instructions on updating your ID to an email address). If you don’t have an Apple ID or account, tap Create Free Apple ID:

6. Tap MobileMe (you may need to verify your account first via an email Apple sends you):

7. Slide Find My iPhone to On:

8. Tap Allow:

That’s it. Once turned on, you can now use Find My iPhone’s features on the web, or via an official app on the iPad, iPod, and iPhone.

How to Use Find My iPhone Using a Browser:

1. Go to iCloud.com and log in:

2. Your iPhone’s location will show on Google Maps:

3. To access more features (remote wipe, lock the phone, or make the iPhone beep), click the arrow in the top right corner:

Now you can rest easy always knowing where your iPhone is.

Be sure to check more of our iPhone Tips.

Review: Denon AH-D310R Mobile Headphones

While in-ear headphones for the iPhone have slowly become abundant for iPhone users over the past few years, over-ear headphones, aka cans, that come with a microphone/music control dongle are still rare. That’s why we were pleased to review the Denon AH-D310R ($70)—headphones that, via a control dongle, give you the same music/phone-call functionality of the default iPhone headphones. Sonically, AH-D310Rs are entry-level headphones that deliver solid sound with a full low end, but which lack the build quality and premium sound of studio-level cans.

Continue reading…

iPhone Tips: How to Permanently Delete an App, From the iPhone and iTunes

When you delete an app on the iPhone, it’s not completely gone from your life. It lives on in your iTunes library. You’ll notice this the next time the developer of the app updates it. iTunes will signal you, often annoyingly, that there is an update available to download. As you collect more and more apps, it becomes quite a chore to download all their updates. Here’s how to permanently delete apps to avoid such hassles:

How to Permanently Delete an iPhone App:

1. In iTunes, select Apps from the left column:

2. Find the app that you want to delete. You can use the search bar in the top right to quickly find the app:

3. Right click the app icon (or name of the app) and select Delete:

4. A pop-up prompt will ask you if you want to delete the app from your library. Click Remove:

5. A second prompt will ask you if you want to move the files to the trash bin. Click Move to Trash:

Empty your computer’s Trash Bin if you want to say goodbye to the app forever. Pfwew! That was a lot of work to simply get rid of an app.

Be sure to check out more of our iPhone Tips.

iPad Basics: How to Always Display the Bookmarks Bar in the Browser

A seldom noticed feature of the iPad’s browser is the Bookmarks Bar—a bar that appears beneath the address bar and makes navigating to your favorite sites one tap away. It is seldom noticed because, by default, it only appears when you open a new tab, then disappears when you go to a website. It does this, presumably, in order to save screen space. But you can change the settings so that it will always appear. Here’s how:

1. Tap the iPad’s Settings:

2. Tap Safari:

3. Swipe the Always Show Bookmarks Bar tab to On:

And that’s it. Now the Bookmarks Bar will always show. To add bookmaks to this bar, tap the + symbol at the top of Safari, tap Add Bookmark, then tap Add to Bookmarks Bar.