Daily Tip: How to download previously purchased apps, songs, and books in iTunes

Heard about Apple’s iCloud beta and wondering how you can use it to download all your previously purchased apps, songs, and books in iTunes? Well you’re in luck, because with iTunes 10.3, it’s easy (although music is currently limited to US users only. Sigh.) Read on to find out how, after the break.

[Inside iTunes]

Here’s how to re-download your apps, music, and books:

Welcome to the cloud!

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you’d like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to dailytips@tipb.com. (If it’s especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we’ll even give ya a reward…)

Cube Dog now talks back!

Podotree has updated their iPhone app, Cube Dog, and your virtual pet now talks back.

Cube Dogs are adorable, 3D, interactive pets that you can customize to your hearts content! When you talk they repeat what you say! Tap them, and they do all kinds of cool stuff… like play baseball, and even fend of ninja attacks! Take a snap shot, and share with your friends!

I am a kid at heart and think this app is absolutely adorable. I particularly like the ability to take pictures of Cube Dog in the real world.

Cube Dog is availalbe for free for iPhone with optional in-app purchases. Screenshots after the break.

[iTunes link]

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.

“CandyShell-s Wrap” Up Serious Protection for iPad

SPECK Products Creates A Case To Protect iPads 1&2 Like A Tank

SPECKs CandyShell Wrap for iPads 1&2 started what other cases have only begun to address. Protect the whole device from soup to nuts while imitating Apples own Smart Cover. This ingenuity starts from SPECKs humble beginnings, before there even was an iPad. Many of you –like myself– are familiar with SPECKs CandyShell. For those of you who are not, The CandyShell starts as a simple iPhone case with special properties. A hard candy coated exterior made of polycabonate ABS plastic with a soft chewy silicone interior, which made a single piece case that was seamless as extraordinarily protective. So protective in fact that the only other case to top it would be an Otter Box. But the OB is extremely bulky and definitely causes the device to lose it’s cool style and look. The CandyShell however, actually made the phone retain it’s look so well, the case could have been an Apple OEM product.

Fast forward to today, and you’ll see that SPECK has taken it’s basic design and enlarged it to accommodate the iPads. So let’s get to the features and amenities it offers. First, let me warn everyone now, the CandyShell Wrap (CSW), is heavy. Weighing in at 14.8 oz. Which equates to litteraly just under a pound, combined with an iPad makes what was a 1.5 lb. package into 2.5 lb. one, and for the iPad two it does it the unwanted favor of increasing its weight to just over 1.5lb returning you to iPad 1 status in regards to weight.  However that added weight offer unbelievable protection and is probably worth the additional luggage.

What is probably the most interesting feature of the CSW, is SPECKs rendition of Apples, Smart Cover.  It operates the exact same way, but without magnets.  So when closed, if you tip the iPad to its side where the cover connects to the case, it will open.  Unfortunate I know, but do not let this small deter you in any way.  The cover –since it has no magnets– is connected to the case by use of a silicon rubber spine-flap which is attached to an ABS plastic “T-bar” that runs down the length of the case.  This “T-bar” is the male piece which slides down the length of the entire case of the female opening.  Yes that’s right, the case cover is removable.  Hot stuff, I know.  The cover –like Apples– is split into three sections to create a triangle shaped tube which permits a propped angle view of about 15 or 75 degrees.

My previous knowledge of the CS demonstrates clearly the protective capabilities of the CSW and I have no reason to doubt it in any way, considering the construction is identical to previous models.  All ports are amply exposed and accessible and the bottom port for the 9-pin adapter is exceptionally accessible due to SPECKs recent new design for a mini-door to be swung out from under, which not only afford access, but also enough room to allow the iPad to be fully encased and sit on a charging dock.  All buttons are covered with the silicon rubber and in no way hinders operation when pressing those buttons or rockers.  This as a result make the CSW amount to more than the sum of its parts.

The CandShell Wrap for iPad will run you $38.97, while the iPad 2 version will run you $54.95.  they run in colors of, Dark Lord Black, Nightshade Purple, IndiWhoa Blue, LoveHate Pink, GoGo White and Dark Heart Mahgony –not to be confused with monogamy–.  So should you be in need for super protective casing for your iPad with a quality function combined with a beautifully slick OEM look, the CandyShell Wrap is probably going to be your best bet.

PadProp (The Real Story)

PadProp Lap Stand Proves To Be Light, Luxurious & Limited

About 2 1/2 months ago my colleague here at Pi, hexakuemion, wrote a quick write up to announce the PadProp.  I felt there was a lot not being said about this product that I believed needed to be reviewed.  So since my reviews are pretty detailed and most of all honest, I contacted PadProp in order to offer you a detailed review of it, and as usual I have a lot to say.

So I received my PP –stop snickering please– and began to put it through my usual paces.  I kicked it around abused it, used it in all circumstances and environments and with the time I have had now to check it out, you can be pretty sure I have gotten a great handle on this product, so here we go…

The PP is a beautifully simple design to offer a really good performance. Weighing in at only 50 grams –man that is light– constructed of foam, when lying on the iPad itself, stays within its borders, makes this lap stand super easy to travel with.  While a tad bulky, it is so light it almost makes up for its lack of adaptability.  It cant be folded and it is pretty confined in its specific purpose.

You can’t fold it, and if you are looking for a stand that allows for portrait use, look elsewhere.  As a table top stand it works well but its foot print is pretty large making it an “iffy” item if you maintain a cluttered desk.  The seated position it offers is pretty limited, it wont work with crossed or one legged use, and bed use is a No-Go.  And you will be using your inner thighs a lot to keep it placed properly by squeezing them together –women who are into fitness will love that–.  These are all the negatives.  But the positives are abound.

The adjust-ability of the PP is one of its finest features.  Being able to angle the iPad from about 20-89 degrees it a sweet deal.  From well reclined to up-right positions while seated, the PP will offer any angle you need.  Slipping an iPad into its “pincer” like hold in a landscape position offers you just about any angle of viewing you would need.  Its sleek simple design, makes this lap stand a very nice executive travel accessory.

Its tough, no really.  I kicked the PP around and abused it badly.  It did not break, has some compression dents in it but is still works and very well I might add.  The positioning on the legs are comfortable and the stand maintains angled positions competently leaving you with confidence that your iPad is not going to move unless you make it so.  Typing is very good with a firm back for your iPad, dispelling any gradual slip or slide.  One nice amenity worth mention here –as limited as it may be– is that in the PP, space has been reliefed  in so you can wind up and place your earbuds in the yoke.  Yep, thats right, it will carry, contain and hold your earbuds out of the way but in a convenient and easily accessible place.  If you have large earbuds or the like, this feature will unfortunately not be of use to you.  But I believe that will only affect a small potion of the market.  Placing the PP in a larger iPad case of a portfolio to carry it around when not in use, is a breeze and simply put, performs extremely well in all the areas it addresses.

The PadProp comes in any color, as long as it is black and will run you about $24.15 –according to my converter, considering that PadProp is Brittish company and its prices are in pounds–.  So should you get a PadProp?  I say sure if it fits your particular needs and you do not mind the lack of portrait mode.  So get one.  Its light, Cheap, Looks pretty luxurious and best of all, it works well.

Will international app developers leave the US App Store over patent fears?

As expected Lodsys was but the first highly publicized patent troll to try its hand at getting licensing fees from small, independent iOS developers, and as more come creeping out of the woodwork, some international devs are considering leaving the US App Store to avoid the costs and potential legal nightmares.

Simon Maddox on Twitter:

All my apps removed from US app stores (all platforms). 0.575% of total revenue put in a spare bank account. Screw you, Lodsys.

While leaving the US market now may not prevent claims of past infringement, it certainly shows the increasing frustration experienced by developers whose livelihoods are threatened by an increasingly incomprehensible and irreconcilable system. Basic concepts of patent law, like obviousness and prior art, seem not longer to be consider when patents are granted, only when they’re litigated. Expensively.

Florian Mueller on FOSS Patents:

The patent troll problem gets worse by the day, and it’s turning into a think-global-sue-local business. Today, an Indian company named Kootol distributed a press release announcing that it sent “a notice” to a long list of companies large and small, claiming that they sell products and operate services on which a patent application pending in different jurisdictions around the globe reads.

At what point will Apple (and Google, among others) have to step up and offer support, perhaps even indemnification for code included in their SDK, or bend their billions towards reasonable patent reform in the US, or face the decimation of the app ecosystems that are at the heart of their collective mobile profit centers?

[@simonmaddox via The Guardian, FOSS Patents]

Apple Releases iOS 4.3.4 To Block Jailbreak Hole

Apple has just released iOS 4.3.4 to block the PDF security hole we heard of recently, which is also the door through which web jailbreak service Jailbreakme.com functions. Here’s the official description, courtesy of Apple:

Available for: iOS 3.0 through 4.3.3 for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 (GSM model), iOS 3.1 through 4.3.3 for iPod touch (3rd generation) and later, iOS 3.2 through 4.3.3 for iPad

Impact: Viewing a maliciously crafted PDF file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: A buffer overflow exists in FreeType’s handling of TrueType fonts. Viewing a maliciously crafted PDF file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

Available through the usual sources, but don’t upgrade if you’re jailbroken and want to stay that way.

New Patent Troll Kootol Targets Devs

Remember the Lodsys stupidity? Well, another, similar patent troll has popped up, and they’re targeting even more developers — indie and otherwise. Kootol software issued a press release, targeting (deep breath)

Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Apple, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Webaroo Technology (India) Pvt. Ltd., Amazon, AOL, Nokia, Bebo Inc., ExactTarget Inc., Ford Motor, Foursquare Inc., IBM, Linkedin, MySpace, NING Inc., Research In Motion Inc., Quora Inc., Salesforce.com Inc., Seesmic Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc., Sina.com Technology Co. Ltd., StatusNet Inc.,  PopBox Inc., Twitpic Inc., Peek Inc., The Iconfactory Inc., Ubermedia Inc., Yammer Inc., Facebook and Twitter.

You may say that’s a lot of very big names — but those are the ones who can afford to fight this. They’re also going after some smaller fish, like Iconfactory. What’s their patent? Oh, just the entire idea of a constant news feed/stream. Officially it’s “application number 11/995343, covers core messaging, publication and real time searching technology and effect whole products & services”, which amounts to the entire concept of a twitter or Facebook feed.

As MacStories points out, this patent hasn’t even been granted, only applied for, so Kootol is attempting to get in and grab money from people who don’t want a fight before it’s even an issue. FOSS Patents has done a pretty good writeup of the situation and how dangerous this is.

By the way, Kootol? Your logo looks mighty similar to Google’s. Just saying…

New and updated iPhone and iPad apps for Friday, July 15

Every day, TiPb gets flooded with announcements for new and updated iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad apps and games. So every day we pick just a few of the most interesting, the most notable, and simply the most awesome to share with you!

TUI Stopper: Do you have a habit of Texting-Under-The-Influence? Or maybe Calling-Under-The-Influence? This app allows you to hide some of your phonebook contacts for a given amount of time. [$0.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

Thorn: Zombie Dungeon Survival: Become Thorn, viking hero of notably short temper. Trapped in the zombie dungeon, you must employ a vicious arsenal of axes, blades, and bombs to hold off hordes of the undead. Find the exit, before time runs out! [$1.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

Harbor Madness: Dock as many water craft as possible without crashing them into each other or the shore lines. If you think that’s easy, think again. [$0.99 for iPhone - iTunes link]

Magic Academy: hidden object castle quest: A fascinating hidden object puzzle adventure game that mixes hidden object hunts with mini-games. [$2.99 for iPhone - iTunes link] [$4.99 for iPad - iTunes link]

Seamless Food Delivery: Order food for delivery or takeout from restaurants in your area quickly and easily. [Free for iPhone - iTunes link]

Any other big app or game releases or updates today?

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.

Rate and track your favorite beers with Brewski Me

AppsVersusRobots have updated their beer tracking app, Brewski Me, with the ability to give half-star ratings and more awards.

The update includes:

My husband is a huge beer fan (and snob), so I look forward to using this to keep track of his favorites. Now I won’t have to ruin the surprise of bringing beer home by calling to ask him which kind to get!

Brewski Me is free for the iPhone. Screenshots after the break.

[iTunes link]

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.

iPad at risk from over the shoulder password spies, new software can reveal all [video]

Your iPads’s secure passwords could be at risk from a new breed of thieves that peer over your shoulder as you enter passwords into your device. They could then steal your bank log in details, PayPal password or anything else that you have secured by a password.

The technique known as “Shoulder Surfing” could become a whole lot easier to carry out as demonstrated by a South African security research company. It has built an app that can decipher the key presses you make on your iPad. It works on a jailbroken iPhone, iPad or even on Mac OS. All you need to do is stealthily capture a video of a users key presses with your chosen device. The software can then get to work and reveal the password. In fact it gets even worse than that, the software can even be used with surveillance cameras or long distance lenses; making it even easier to capture the information without being spotted!

When a user types on an iPad’s touchscreen, each key glows blue for a fraction of a second after it’s struck, a helpful bit of feedback for any virtual keyboard. ShoulderPad’s image recognition algorithms, based on Open CV’s open source image recognition software, look for that flash of blue. “At any distance, if the blue is distinguishable, shoulderPad can detect that keystroke.

Of course software providers always protect a users password entry by showing asterisks on screen rather than the actual letters. If this sort of software gets in the wrong hands, that measure would not stop your passwords from being stolen and could open up a whole new phase of online crime! There is a short video demo after the break!

[thinkst via Forbes]

Apple releases iOS 4.3.4 and iOS 4.2.9 PDF security fix for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Apple has released iOS 4.3.4 for iPad, iPod touch, and GSM /AT&T iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS, and iOS 4.2.9 for Verizon iPhone, which addresses the dangerous PDF security exploit utilized by Jailbreakme.com.

Plug into iTunes and check for updates to get it. As always, if you’re Jailbroken already, stay away or you’ll lose your Jailbreak.

[Apple knowledge base article]

[Thanks to @brandon_m70 for the head's up]

The Super-Hideous $30,000 iPhone 4

Oh man, don’t you just love it when someone comes out with something that’s not only ludicrously expensive, but utterly hideous to? The Gresso Lady Blanche has both ugliness and expensiveness in spades. It’s a complete rear replacement made of solid diamond-coated mineral glass, with three Swiss movement clocks with pearl dials — each set to a different major city: Moscow, New York and London. Beside each clock is a small section filled with diamonds. And it’ll set you back $30,000.

If you can’t afford that extravagance, the comparatively budget version uses Swarovski’s instead, and costs a mere $7,000. What a steal!

Pshaw, $30k? Pocket change!

[Pocket Lint, via Engadget]

Apple Q3 2011 conference call set for Tuesday

Apple has announced their Q3 2011 conference call will take place Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 2:00 p.m. PDT/5:00 p.m. EDT. We’ll get updated iPhone and iPad sales numbers, almost certainly, and it will be interesting to see if Apple gets asked any questions about the Lodsys lawsuits… the kind Google’s Larry Page completely non-answered yesterday during the Google’s results call.

As always, we’ll cover highlights for you right here on TiPb. Anyone care to make any predictions?

[Apple PR]

Found Footage: An iPhone Inside A Guitar

Guitarist Kyle Jones put his iPhone into his guitar to see what it would look like, and the result is this awesome and trippy video. Thanks to the “rolling shutter” of the iPhone’s sensor, each time he plucks a string you can see the wave form travelling up and down it.

That’s pretty freaking awesome.

[via PetaPixel]

Superfunctional 2: The Walking Dread [iPod nano giveaway]

Superfunctional 2: The Walking Dread sees Geoff and Rene answer your questions about standing desks, then dive into the benefits of walking. Your body feeds on motion and you’ve got to fill it up, so grab your iPhone or iPod, load up some music, hit Nike Plus, and get going! We cover when, where, and how to walk, and what kinds of exercise equipment can — and can’t — fill the gap.

To help inspire everyone to get going, Superfunctional is giving away a brand new 8GB iPod nano! All you have to do to enter is jump on Twitter, follow us and our hosts, and re-tweet:

Jailbreak Tweak Adds Multiple Users For The iPad With iUsers

If you have more than one person in your house that uses a single iPad, you’ve probably wondered why Apple hasn’t introduced a multiple user system for the platform yet. Wouldn’t it be pretty simple to add a login screen to the device, and letting multiple sync their accounts?

As always happens, the jailbreak community has picked up the slack with iUsers, available from the http://cydia.iblogeek.com/ source inside Cydia. It’s not perfect, but it does seem to allow more than one person to log in on an iPad, and have all their settings preserved individually.

This is a feature that I really hope Apple picks up in the near future.

[via CultOfMac]

JailbreakMe 3.0: iPhone Stuck At Apple Logo? Try This Fix!

The release of target="_blank" href="http://www.iphonealley.com/news/jailbreakme-3-0-officially-launched">JailbreakMe 3.0 has made a lot of people very happy, however, some Verizon iPhone owners have been experiencing a bug that leaves their phone stuck at the Apple logo. If you have encountered this problem with your device, Comex, that hacker responsible for onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/www.jailbreakme.com//');" href="http://www.jailbreakme.com//">JailbreakMe.com, released this fix:

“A bug in JailbreakMe 3.0 could cause iPhone 4 (CDMA, i.e. Verizon) to get stuck at the Apple logo and be unable to boot. If you are in this situation, there are two options”

1. Hold down the home and power buttons until you see “Connect to iTunes”, then use iTunes to restore to the latest firmware. This will lose data stored on the phone.

2. Apply a quasi-experimental fix using redsn0w. Download:

redsn0w 0.9.6rc19: onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/redsn0w_win_0.9.6rc19.zip?attredirects=0&d=1');" target="_blank" href="https://sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/redsn0w_win_0.9.6rc19.zip?attredirects=0&d=1">Windows / onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/redsn0w_mac_0.9.6rc19.zip?attredirects=0&d=1');" target="_blank" href="https://sites.google.com/a/iphone-dev.com/files/home/redsn0w_mac_0.9.6rc19.zip?attredirects=0&d=1">Mac (do not use an earlier version)

Fix bundle, depending on firmware version: onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.6.tar');" target="_blank" href="http://a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.6.tar">4.2.6 / onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.7.tar');" target="_blank" href="http://a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.7.tar">4.2.7 / onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.8.tar');" target="_blank" href="http://a.qoid.us/fix-4.2.8.tar">4.2.8

IPSW for your firmware version, if you don’t have it: onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-0177.20110131.Pyvrz/iPhone3,3_4.2.6_8E200_Restore.ipsw');" target="_blank" href="http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-0177.20110131.Pyvrz/iPhone3,3_4.2.6_8E200_Restore.ipsw">4.2.6 / onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-0177.20110131.Pyvrz/iPhone3,3_4.2.6_8E200_Restore.ipsw');" target="_blank" href="http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-0614.20110414.B47xa/iPhone3,3_4.2.7_8E303_Restore.ipsw">4.2.7 /onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-1022.20110503.5g8k7/iPhone3,3_4.2.8_8E401_Restore.ipsw');" target="_blank" href="http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/041-1022.20110503.5g8k7/iPhone3,3_4.2.8_8E401_Restore.ipsw">4.2.8

Open redsn0w, select your IPSW, choose “Install custom bundle“, and select the fix bundle. Then follow the directions. If it works correctly, after installation your phone will boot normally.

“There is a separate bug where choosing “Re-jailbreak” would cause a device to be unable to boot. If you have this issue and don’t want to restore, onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/a.qoid.us/verizon-iphone.html');" target="_blank" href="http://a.qoid.us/verizon-iphone.html">contact me”

Griffin Announces iOS Controlled Helo TC Helicopter

Compared to, say, the Parrot AR.Drone, the Helo TC from Griffin seems positively underpowered — there’s no fancy AR app, no video camera attached to stream videos back to your iPhone, and it only has two rotors. So why in the world would you buy it? Because it’s $250 less than the Parrot. The Helo TC will only cost you $50, making it the perfect cost for birthday and Christmas presents for people who love the idea of controlling a little helicopter from their iPhone.

Powered by everyday AAA batteries, the Helo TC will be available for Christmas, and you can control the flights either using tilt controls on your iPhone, or an onscreen gamepad. You can also record flight plans for later use.

That actually sounds pretty freaking fun. And at $50, expect some shenanigans to occur.

[via TUAW, full press release after the jump]

Griffin takes your iOS device to new heights with the Helo TC

Fly a remote controlled helicopter with your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

14th July 2011, London, UK: Griffin Technology Inc., maker of innovations for everyday life, today announces the Helo TC, a touch-controlled helicopter that is operated by your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Part of Griffin’s latest range of AppPowered Accessories, the Helo TC app turns your iOS device into a remote for an indoor helicopter. Available to buy in time for Christmas, priced at £34.99.

The Helo TC is simple to operate; charge the helicopter from any computer or USB power source, before sliding your compatible iOS device into the included flight deck module. The flight deck transmits infrared signals to the helicopter giving you total flying control. There are two flight modes available, you can use the Multi-Touch display to control the Helo TC’s throttle and flight controlled joystick – the cyclic – or enable Helo TC’s Tilt-to-Fly, which uses the iOS device’s accelerometers,and tilt the device forward, back and side to side to control the helicopter’s flight.

The helicopter itself is built on a light weight metal frame with a black polycarbonate body. The twin rotor design is very easy to fly and gives a stable flight but just in case you get a little too over-zealous with your flying techniques; the Helo TC comes with replaceable main and tail rotor systems. And if you are interested in some night-flying the helicopter also has 5 super-bright LEDs. The Helo TC app can record and store up to 3 flight plans, perfect for launching flying-attacks on unsuspecting friends and family.

Product Spec
- Average flight time – approx. 8 minutes
- PolyLithium Fuel Cell – 3.7V @ 180 mAh
- Flight Deck Controller Sled powered by 4 AAA batteries
- Recommended for pilots aged 14 and up
- Suitable for use indoors only
- Helo TC app is a free download from the iTunes App Store; iOS 4.0 required.

Pricing and Availability
Priced at £34.99, the Helo TC will be available for the Christmas season.
For more information, visit www.griffintechnology.com.

About Griffin Technology
Founded on Paul Griffin’s kitchen table in 1992, Griffin Technology Inc., is today one of the world’s foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile, and personal technology. Unique products such as iTrip®, PowerMate®, iFM®, iMic®, and Evolve® Wireless Speaker System have broken new ground in consumer electronics and created loyal fans the world over. Today, Griffin products are conceived, designed, and developed in-house and continue to push the envelope of the industry they helped create. Learn more about Griffin’s entire range of ingenious designs at www.griffintechnology.com.
###

© 2011 Griffin Technology Inc. iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc. All other product names and trademarks are property of their respective companies.

Gameloft Mashes Up GTA And Max Payne With 9mm

Gameloft’s newest title is 9mm, a $6.99 universal app that looks like the bastard love child of Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne. You have the seedy (what I assume is) California locations of the former, and the renegade cop and slow motion shootouts of the latter.

You play officer John “Loose” Kannon — yes, that’s actually what they called him — and you’re cleaning up the streets your own way. Yeah, it’s pretty much every Dirty Harry ripoff plot from the 70s and 80s, but we’ll run with it.

Violent and foul-mouthed (as evidenced in the trailer above), the game also supports a multiplayer deathmatch mode, so you can kill your friends too.

iPhone 4 video camera captures guitar string oscillations from inside the guitar [video]

A guitarist decided to video himself playing an acoustic guitar and, to be different, he stuck an iPhone 4 inside to capture the action from behind the strings. The results are really dramatic. The video has not been edited to emphasize the guitars oscillating strings; it is a natural occurrence with the iPhone 4 video camera. It is caused by the way the iPhone 4′s rolling shutter works. Most consumer grade digital cameras do not take instant pictures; instead they scan the CMOS sensor diagonally from the top left to the bottom right. Fast moving objects create problems for this technique and produce these weird and wonderful distortion effects.

Take a look at the video after the break; it is definitely worth a few moments of your time!

[YouTube via TUAW]

TSMC to start trial manufacturing Apple’s next generation A6 chip

Reuters is reporting that Apple is conducting trials with Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC for its next generation A6 processor; according to sources familiar with the matter.

TSMC has got all the authorization and details ready. Whether Apple puts in a formal order will depend on the yield rate, said the source, who was not authorized to speak to the media. The source did not provide further details of the orders.

This could be a significant development in the ongoing “copy-cat” lawsuit between Apple and Samsung. Samsung is currently the sole supplier of the current generation A5 chip which is used in the iPad 2. The A5 chip is also widely rumored to be the chip of choice for the next generation iPhone 5 too. It appears that Apple may be looking to sever its ties with Samsung for its future chip production.

The A6 processor will likely debut in the iPad 3 when it is launched next year. Apple tends to introduce new processors to the iPad line of devices first, then introduces them to the iPhone and iPod touch when they are updated.

[Reuters]