Welcome to the new TiPb Forums!

As most of our TiPb Forums regulars probably noticed, we’ve been moving things around on a fairly massive scale lately. Basically, we’re going from a nice home in the burbs to a big party house in the hills. That’s because you deserve more — more space to play and more features to play with.

We’ve done some work on the blogs already and started a new Mobile Nations podcast, so it was about time we gave the forums some love.

First of all we’re bringing things more in line with the other Smartphone Experts communities. Many of you use multiple platforms and several devices now and as you move through our network we want you to feel at home no matter which site you’re on. That means you’ll see the same types of device forums on TiPb now that you’ve always enjoyed on Android Central, CrackBerry.com, PreCentral.net, etc.

It also means, like any move to bigger digs, some of the rooms will be a little empty for a while. We can only stretch the furniture so far! We’d love you to help us with the decor, though, so jump in, start some threads, and get posting. There will be some great contests coming up, and it just might be a good idea to keep busy now… hint. hint.

New features are also coming, along with a fresh coat of paint. Again, we’ve got a lot of great new stuff in the pipeline and we can’t wait to show it to you.

Huge thanks to the SPE team, Kevin, Tom, Marcus, Steph, and Cory, and to Jeremy and the TiPb Forum mods for all the help, front and back of house. Jeremy is going to introduce some of the new forums, features, and topics to you in the coming weeks, but for now, head on over to the all new, all awesome TiPb Forums and let us know what you think.

Security Metal Scanners Need Updated, More Convenient Rules for Phones

Until this point, I had always thought that the iPhone would set off metal security scanners. Because of that, in the past for the few times I had to go through those annoying scanners that are useful .00001% of the time but important I would simply put my iPhone in the tray (encased in a full sleeve or at least a hard case) and walk through. Though being curious and untrusting of the tray aspect, I couldn’t help but wonder if iPhone 4 sets off the alarm at those security checks. And the short answer from my experience is: no.

To be veracious, I do have to mention that fortunately I do not have to pass through many security checks. Actually, today was the first time I had the uh opportunity to bring an iPhone through a scanner. To my surprise, I walked through without any issue.

With the iPhone 4 being a glass and metal construction, it seems like it should have set off the alarm in comparison to other phones since it is not recommended to have any kind of phone on you while passing through. The device’s metal band, a special type of stainless steel really does not have much of a magnetic quality, is not as bad as many other phones covered in plastic with a metal-filled interior. iPhone 4 is deceiving in how it would seem unlikely for it to be able to pass through a metal scanner without any problems, but it does in at least some cases.

I do have to wonder why security checks still strictly recommend we put our phones to the side when it seems like we are past noticeably magnetic phones with the latest era of smartphones since I do find it slightly interesting how annoying security checks can be and how outdated such an important and seemingly high-tech thing is. Of course, if a lot of what we usually carry with us really does not pose any issues in security as we have been led to believe, then the process becomes less of a hassle if we ignore everyday items.

This may come as a surprise to people who have the luxury of dealing with security scanners daily and have been stopping to put their phone away. Sure, every metal scanner is different. It is worth a try to see where does not recognize the iPhone 4, if only for the sake of curiosity.

Yup, it has been a slow news week. Anyway, has your iPhone 4 been an object of security tocsin-enabler or are we past the days where you had to basically remove everything you’re carrying to get through a security check?

XGear Smart Cover Enhancer Review

Apple’s Smart Cover is a conveniently functional, well, cover that only protects the onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ipadngravy.com');" target="_blank" title="iPad" href="http://www.ip4help.com">iPad 2′s display. With XGear’s Smart Cover, the company looks to present customers with an option for a case that protects the iPad 2′s back designed to be used in conjunction with the Smart Cover to make your tablet fully covered. It’s like boosting said cover’s IQ since, yeah… me and my metaphors.

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_5.jpeg');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_5.jpeg" alt="" title="XGear Smart Cover Enhancer" width="227" height="312" class="alignright size-full wp-image-19600" />Snapping the Smart Cover Enhancer onto the back of the iPad 2 is a snap. (Couldn’t say a metaphor then not add a pun to the next sentence.) There are cut-outs for all controls and ports, along with cut-outs for the speaker and camera of course. However the main draw of the Smart Cover Enhancer is the generously, precisely cut portion for Apple’s cover.

Adding its standard functionality to the tablet, the Smart Cover can be fully used while the iPad 2 is inside of the case. So you get all of the same flipping and standing action along with a peace-of-mind regarding the aluminum chassis.

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_4.jpeg');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_4.jpeg" alt="" title="XGear Smart Cover Enhancer" width="185.4" height="208.1" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-19599" />We were sent the black rubberized variant to review, and it can be said that this is not the best quality material we have seen. There are minuscule bumps across the back, which are noticeable whilst holding the case and slightly annoying. The rubberized texture was not velvety enough in my opinion, as it feels cheap. There is also a clear hard plastic option, which may not have the same caveats as this model.

XGear’s Smart Cover Enhancer is certainly not a bad choice if you are looking for something that will complement your Smart Cover. Though we may have to recommend checking out the XCase (which we also href="http://www.ip4help.com">reviewed) by the same company instead.

 

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Enhancer1.jpg');" target="_blank" href="http://www.ip4help.com">src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Enhancer1.jpg" alt="" title="XGear Smart Cover Enhancer" width="280" height="280" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-19607" />onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.xgearlive.com/products/ipad/smart-cover-enhancer');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">Buy from XGear

XGear XCase Review (iPad 2)

Another choice from XGear for a case that also allows you to use Apple’s popular Smart Cover whilst the onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ipadngravy.com');" target="_blank" title="iPad" href="http://www.ip4help.com">iPad 2 is encased in it is the XCase. XCase looks to be one of the more solid choices for such a case. Read on to find out how it compares.

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image1.jpeg');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">class="alignright size-full wp-image-19587" title="XGear XCase" src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image1.jpeg" alt="" width="181" height="198" />The silicone-esque plastic that the XCase is made out of is the first thing that stands out. It strikes a good balance between softness and a thick rigidness despite how it still maintains an overall thin profile. All of the cut-outs you would expect are here, plus of course one for the Smart Cover so that it can still be used in all its origamic (I invented that word just for Apple’s cover) glory.

One of XCase’s best selling points is perhaps how it can be purchased in black, blue, frost, green, orange, and red. If you weren’t counting, that’s a total of six. This is a plus since there is a choice to semi-match your Smart Cover or create a particular dual-tone look.

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_12.jpeg');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">class="alignleft size-full wp-image-19589" title="XGear XCase" src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image_12.jpeg" alt="" width="193" height="149" />Since XCase is certainly on the thin side, which is a give-and-take for any iPad case, I could not say that there is a lot of drop protection to be found here. Though it will definitely do a good job of keeping the aluminum nice and scratch-free.

At $20, XGear presents a good value for a protective iPad 2 case that can be used in conjunction with a Smart Cover. With color options that work well with Apple’s line of covers and every basic necessity covered at a reasonable price, the XCase is not a case you can go wrong with.

 

onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/downloads/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/XC_ORANGE_5.jpg');" target="_blank" href="http://www.ip4help.com">src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/XC_ORANGE_5.jpg" alt="" title="XGear XCase" width="250" height="250" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-19591" />   onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.xgearlive.com/products/ipad/xcase');" href="http://www.ip4help.com">Buy from XGear

Ringtonium – Professional Ringtone Designer free for a limited time

Ringtonium is a professional ringtone designer that lets you create ringtones from your music or even record your own. It is now free until Sunday!

If you pick this one up, let us know what you think! Check out the screenshots after the break.

Have an app you’d love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

[Free - iTunes link]

Full Console Games on the iPad, Play Them Yourself in Fall

If by now you have not heard that full console games are going to be playable on the onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.ipadngravy.com');" target="_blank" title="iPad" href="http://www.ip4help.com">iPad (and Android tablets) through a certain cloud gaming service that processes games remotely while streaming video of the game to any compatible devices, then you have not been keen in your news-reading. If you don’t even know what that service is since it has been around for awhile in the tech world before the iPad demos, well I won’t go there… but its name is OnLive in case you need a refresher. I do have to say that OnLive manages to continue getting more exciting, as a demonstration of the upcoming OnLive player app running on an iPad proves.

When the app comes out in fall, most if not all of OnLive’s games will be playable through virtual controls or with a Bluetooth controller designed by the company. That brings a good variety of a constantly-expanding console/PC title selection to the iPad in one fell swoop. For hardware and more particularly storage space issues, most of these titles could not practically be natively brought to the iOS platform in its current state.

Since all OnLive does on the iPad side is play a video stream and present a user with controls, both generations should be able to use the app without a hitch.

In CNET’s brief time spent with the app, they had found that there was no noticeable lag once they really got into their session, which is a very impressive thing considering the number of factors in play, not counting yourself. (Bad joke.) Of course, as any users of the service are accustom to, games launch instantly and every title can be tried for as much as a player can get through in a half-hour.

Since OnLive already has good deals and does not typically add an up-charge for its cloud service, I can’t help but wonder if Apple will require its 30% cut of purchases made through apps. (That is, if Apple requires OnLive to utilize in-app purchases rather than the service’s marketplace payment options, then it would hold true.)

Watch target="_blank" href="http://www.ip4help.com">CNET‘s video of the app in-use below.

width="728" height="512">name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" />name="background" value="#333333" />name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" />name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50106973" />src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="256" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50106973" />

Gamers, is this something that you could see yourself paying (per game or through a PlayPass subscription) to use once it is released?

Disney brings its comic collection to the iPad and iPhone with the launch of Disney Comics

Disney has launched another gem into the App Store, the Disney Comics app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The app is a universal binary and is a free download. Some of the comics are free however most cost an additional $0.99 per issue or $3.99 bundles are available too. This is all done through in-app purchase.

If you’re planning a summer road trip or long haul flight, this app could be worth every penny if it keeps the kids occupied. Let us know what you think of the app if you decide to pick it up!

[Free – iTunes link]

 

Conan Mocks Final Cut Pro X

Apple’s newly rewritten Final Cut Pro X has received substantial criticism from many different sides, the most recent of which was late night host Conan O’Brian.

[via TNW]

Card.io Will Let You Pay By Photo Of Your Credit Card

Square? Psssh, who has time to swipe their credit card in a dongle. How old fashioned! Meet Card.io, which takes a photo of your credit card, reads off the numbers, encrypts them and sends them out to whomever you’re buying things from — without saving any of the information. Would it be any quicker than manually typing out all 16 numbers? Well, that’s debatable, but it should reduce the incidence of sausage-finger related mistypes.

Card.io is releasing the API to developers so that you can get this into your app as soon as possible, and get people paying in another easy way.

[via TUAW]

Hacker Pleads Guilty in iPad Hacking Case

Way back in June of 2010, a hacker discovered a breach in the iPad 3G AT&T security system, exposing the details of 114,000 users. The exploit released the users email addresses, and their network identifying ICC-ID, which is linked to their MicroSIM number.

The 26-year old man who was at least partly behind the actions has now pleaded guilty to fraud and hacking charges. He’s one of two men charged for the hack, the other is still hashing out a plea bargain.

The hack itself doesn’t sound particularly graceful:

According to reports and court filings, they wrote a script that guessed the ICC-ID numbers (used to identify the iPad’s SIM card) and then queried AT&T’s website until it returned an e-mail address. Spitler had been accused of co-authoring this software, called “iPad 3G Account Slurper.”

Yeah, that’s pretty brute force.

More Evidence That Apple Is Making Their Own iOS Map

Despite recent confirmation from Google that they’re sticking with providing maps for iOS, the old rumor that Apple will make their own GPS/Mapping app has reared its ugly head again. This time it comes via the folks at MacRumors who have sifted through the legalese for iOS 5, and found reference to a number of other mapping companies. Tucked away in a new section called “map data”, were references to the following GPS and mapping companies:

• CoreLogic offers Parcel data which marks boundaries for of properties to provide positional accuracy in location-based solutions.
• Getchee provides location and market data on China, India and Southeast Asia.
• Increment P Corp provides location and traffic data for Japan.
• Localeze provides local business listings.
• MapData Sciences Pty Ltd. Inc provides mapping data for Australia and New Zealand.
• DMTI provides postal code data for Canada.
• TomTom offers global TeleAtlas mapping data which is also licensed by Google for their map solution.
• Urban Mapping provides in-depth neighborhood data such as crime, demographics, school performance, economic indicators and more.
• Waze offers real-time maps and traffic information based on crowd sourced data.

This doesn’t mean for sure that Apple will be looking at any of these other companies to help them move away from Google, but it does raise an eyebrow.

Apple Posts iCloud Transition FAQ

If you’re already part of the MobileMe faithful, then you probably have a boatload of questions aimed at Apple about transitioning from their paid cloud-based service to a free one. Apple has just uploaded a FAQ about what services will remain, which will get renamed, and which will get lost. Alas, goodbye Gallery and iDisk, among others.

Even for those who haven’t used MobileMe before, there’s some good information within the article, like this little tidbit:

Will I be able to access iCloud services on the web?

Yes. Web access to iCloud Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone will be available at icloud.com this fall.

So all those nifty services will be accessible through your browser.

[via TC]