iOS

FaceTime freezing on iPad 2, iOS 4.3

A growing thread on the Apple Support Discussions forum suggests that FaceTime for Apple's iPad 2 may not be working as expected. The issue, which occurs during video calls made with Apple's FaceTime, may be a bug in iOS 4.3, not limited to iPad 2 owners.

ASD forum user chucknelson writes:

I had this problem on my iPad 2 as well. I restored the iPad and it was fixed, but during a FaceTime call I switched to the back camera and it froze the video on both ends of the call (but NOT the local video / video … Read more

Workaround for using camcorder movies in iMovie for iOS

Apple's release of iMovie for iOS was greatly welcomed and it has been a popular download for numerous iPad users; however, people have noticed that the program does have some limitations, one of them being movies not working if they were directly imported from camcorders and other video devices.

Recently Apple posted a short but to-the-point knowledge base article that acknowledges this limitation:

iMovie for iOS is designed to work with video recorded with iPad 2, iPhone 4, and iPod touch (4th generation). To ensure optimal performance, the app filters out certain non-Apple video clips from the Video browser. … Read more

6 things the Nintendo 3DS needs to beat Apple at its own game

Not so long ago, Nintendo was king of the hill in video game land--especially when it came to handheld games. Back in those magical days, the Nintendo DS was the pinnacle of kid-friendly fun, and even casual gaming for those who normally didn't find games appealing.

Then came Apple. While some might debate the quality games in the App Store versus offerings for the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the success of Apple's seemingly endless supply of cheap games has been undeniable. Nintendo even acknowledges that Apple is its chief rival, now.

Enter the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo's next-gen 3D handheld. Can it change the equation and recapture the Nintendo magic--and, most notably, kid appeal--that's worn away a bit in the wake of shiny gadgets like the iPhone and iPad?

The 3DS goes on sale in America on March 27, and it's been on shelves in Japan for weeks. We've reviewed the system already at CNET, and I've been playing around with one for the last six days, along with a handful of launch games.

At this year's GDC, Nintendo delivered a keynote literally across the street--and on the same day--as Apple's iPad 2 unveiling. Nintendo's focus on handheld gaming has had to take into account the meteoric rise of Apple's App Store. The App Store redefined the landscape of game pricing and effectively stole some of the casual-gaming crowd from Nintendo. Now that the 3DS is about to arrive, can it help fix what Nintendo's been missing?

After a week playing with one, my feelings are mixed. The 3DS has technical tricks up its sleeve that no iDevice can lay claim to yet--namely, its 3D camera and glasses-free 3D screen--but 3D is a divisive technology. Some people prefer their entertainment without a third dimension forced onto it. Also, Nintendo has been intent on not using 3D as an essential element in its 3DS games, making it a less integral technology than motion control on the Wii. The system has its advantages, and it has impressively improved graphics, but that alone isn't enough.

If the Nintendo 3DS is to effectively answer back to the juggernaut of affordable, diverse iOS gaming and offer up a convincing alternative, this is what I think it still needs to stand a chance.… Read more

Prizefight: Motorola Xoom vs. Apple iPad 2

We know this will only end in nasty, partisan comments, but we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't put the Motorola Xoom and Apple iPad 2 in the ring for an official CNET Prizefight.

Out of the gate, you guys can probably guess my feelings on these two tablets. I wrote CNET's rated reviews for both devices, and although I was optimistic enough about the Xoom to nominate it for CNET's Best of CES, the iPad 2 ultimately received my Editors' Choice.

The wild cards in this Prizefight are the other two judges. Eric … Read more

Report: Apple to release iOS 4.3.1 within 2 weeks

Apple is reportedly set to release an update to its iOS mobile operating system within the next two weeks to address minor bug fixes and jailbreaking vulnerabilities.

According to Boy Genius Report, Apple's iOS 4.3.1 update should fix some minor bugs and increase stability for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches running iOS 4.3. BGR lists several changes, including base-band updates for iPhone 3GS and iPad and an iPad 2 jailbreak vulnerability fix.

Also said to be included in the update:

Fixed memory hang that results in memory corruption when reading large files from USIM filesystem Fixed … Read more

Change your screen and battle on Europa: iPhone apps of the week

Maggie Reardon wrote a post today on her Signal Strength blog about AT&T beginning to crack down on customers using the iPhone's tethering capabilities without paying for the service. Apparently the company has begun sending out e-mails and text messages to the offending customers inviting them to sign up with its tethering plan--$45/month for what it calls a "DataPro" 4GB service.

I haven't used this feature at all yet on my iPhone and I probably never will at $45 a month. But this story also brings up the old "Unlimited Data" plan argument. I think I was grandfathered in with an Unlimited Data plan (which frustratingly doesn't include texts for no reason I can understand accept that AT&T is nickel-and-diming us to death), but as you can see, my "unlimited" plan has very clear limits when it comes to tethering (and texting!). I don't know about you, but last I checked, unlimited meant without limits. Also, if the connection is going through my iPhone to my laptop, how is that any different than simply using the same connection on my iPhone without a laptop? It's the same connection, right? If not, is it really a $45-per-month difference? Somehow I doubt it.

Anyway, I just thought I would (vent) put it out there and see what readers think about the new tethering features, the pricing, and the highly limited "unlimited data" plans. Let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include a unique background image collection app, and a combination first-person shooter and role-playing game that's set on Europa, the ice-covered moon of Jupiter.… Read more

Android still No. 1 smartphone OS on ad network

Android led smartphone platforms last month with a 51 percent share of all ad impressions tracked by mobile ad network Millennial Media, according to its Mobile Mix report released today.

That number was down a few percentage points from January but still surpassed the 27 percent grabbed by Apple's iOS. But Apple and iOS took the top spot in other areas.

Among other major players, Research In Motion's BlackBerry OS claimed 17 percent of all impressions, leaving Nokia's Symbian with 2 percent and Microsoft's Windows Mobile with just 1 percent.

Beyond its standard findings, Millennial Media … Read more

Use iPhone 4 Personal Hotspot to add GPS to Wi-Fi-only iPads

Zachery Bir, on his Urbanape blog, explains how he used an iPhone 4 with the new Personal Hotspot feature in iOS 4.3 to add GPS to his Wi-Fi-only iPad. A tweet from Bir earlier in the day caused some skepticism when he posted:

From a technological standpoint, I must admit I was a bit skeptical as well. When deciding on which iPad 2 to get, I debated many of the same pros and cons as other customers wondering if the $130 upgrade to enable 3G on an iPad was worth the money.

Ultimately, I decided to put the extra money toward more storage and I settled on a black, 32Gb, Wi-Fi-only iPad 2. Upon seeing a post from Daring Fireball's John Gruber about Bir's findings, I feel as though my decision may well be completely justified. … Read more

Mac App Store low on freebies, high on games

A new report released by market research group Distimo shows that Apple's now three-month old Mac App Store is off to a slower start than its iOS counterparts in terms of app volume, though is becoming a bellwether for more gaming opportunities on the Mac OS platform.

The report, which tracks data from the App Store on both iOS and on Mac OS, also evaluates Google's Android Market, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, Nokia Ovi, and Palm's App Catalog for the month of February.

According to Distimo, the Mac App Store reached 2,… Read more