Sneak peek: VW's next gen infotainment system
Volkswagen infotainment system sneak peek...See full gallery1 - 4 / 4NextPrevFar from corporate headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, the engineers at Volkswagen's Electronic Research Laboratory (ERL) take advantage of their proximity to high-tech companies such as Apple, Intel, and Google to develop new infotainment systems and interfaces for VW cars. We got a look at ERL's latest work, a system developed with Intel called the Global Open Research Infotainment Architecture, or GLORIA. ERL Senior Engineer Eric Jensen walked us through the latest interface built on GLORIA. The test system we saw relied on a touch screen for all input, although a production system might use some hard buttons on the edges of the screen. But unlike standard touchscreen applications, this system allows for multitouch, making gesture control, similar to that used on the iPhone, possible. Jensen demonstrated tracing a lower-case 'h' with his fingertip on the display, which caused the system to bring up the home screen. Similarly, tracing an 'n' brought up the navigation screen.In this development stage, the system had applications for navigation and music, but Jensen explained that it could serve as a platform for third-party developers to build useful widgets that could be installed by the end user. This model would be similar to how iPhone owners can load apps from iTunes.Jensen pointed out that most automotive interface designers believe voice command will be the ultimate control paradigm, but until natural language processing advances, touch screens make the most sense. The system we saw was under heavy development, and would probably find its way into a production car in three years, at the earliest.
Improve iPhone backup and restore times by managing your Camera Roll
Improve iPhone backup and restore times by managing your Camera Roll
The iPhone Camera Roll can cause increased backup and restore times in iTunes if not properly managed. It's easy to mismanage the Camera Roll if you--like me--use it store media for showing later to friends or family. Apple did not intend the Roll to be used this way, however, and recommends that users use the Photo app, instead, for storing media you plan on showing off later.Per this support document, whenever you sync or perform a restore in iTunes, the app creates a backup of the contents of your iPhone. The more pictures, screen snapshots, or video you have stored on the Camera Roll, the longer a backup or restore takes.The solution to the problem is easy: Make sure that you regularly import the contents of your Camera Roll, delete that content, then sync the content that you must have in your pocket back to the iPhone using iTunes. I had nearly 200 media files in my iPhone 3GS Camera Roll and deleted all of these after syncing and importing using iPhoto on my Mac. I used iTunes to restore content that I needed into the Photo app and I saw an immediate decrease in the time it took my iPhone to back up. Apple provides detailed information on performing these tasks in their support document for Mac OS X, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.Moving Wiener dog photos and videos of my new puppy to the Photo app from the iPhone Camera Roll improved my backup times.David MartinThis simple housecleaning effort will reduce the number of media files in your Camera Roll and significantly improve backup and restore times in iTunes. It certainly did for me and it is possible that properly managing your Camera Roll would resolve the issue I wrote about previously where users were plagued by missing photos on their iPhones.It remains to be seen whether iTunes 9, annouced today, will help resolve this problem in a more elegant manner. Stay tuned.
The iPhone Camera Roll can cause increased backup and restore times in iTunes if not properly managed. It's easy to mismanage the Camera Roll if you--like me--use it store media for showing later to friends or family. Apple did not intend the Roll to be used this way, however, and recommends that users use the Photo app, instead, for storing media you plan on showing off later.Per this support document, whenever you sync or perform a restore in iTunes, the app creates a backup of the contents of your iPhone. The more pictures, screen snapshots, or video you have stored on the Camera Roll, the longer a backup or restore takes.The solution to the problem is easy: Make sure that you regularly import the contents of your Camera Roll, delete that content, then sync the content that you must have in your pocket back to the iPhone using iTunes. I had nearly 200 media files in my iPhone 3GS Camera Roll and deleted all of these after syncing and importing using iPhoto on my Mac. I used iTunes to restore content that I needed into the Photo app and I saw an immediate decrease in the time it took my iPhone to back up. Apple provides detailed information on performing these tasks in their support document for Mac OS X, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.Moving Wiener dog photos and videos of my new puppy to the Photo app from the iPhone Camera Roll improved my backup times.David MartinThis simple housecleaning effort will reduce the number of media files in your Camera Roll and significantly improve backup and restore times in iTunes. It certainly did for me and it is possible that properly managing your Camera Roll would resolve the issue I wrote about previously where users were plagued by missing photos on their iPhones.It remains to be seen whether iTunes 9, annouced today, will help resolve this problem in a more elegant manner. Stay tuned.
U.S. Patent Office withdraws refusal of iPad Mini trademark
U.S. Patent Office withdraws refusal of iPad Mini trademark
Apple should now be able to win custody of the "iPad Mini" trademark as long as it adds a disclaimer to its application.In a letter apparently sent to Apple last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Apple would need to make it clear that it seeks only to trademark the term "iPad Mini" and not the actual word "mini." Such a disclaimer would ensure that other companies could add the word "mini" to their own product names."Applicant must disclaim the descriptive wording 'mini' apart from the mark as shown because it merely describes a quality, characteristic, or feature of applicant's goods," the USPTO said.The alleged letter was obtained and posted online by MacRumors.Last month, the USPTO denied Apple's request to trademark the "iPad Mini," name arguing that the word "mini" simply describes a product sold in a miniature format.The ball is now in Apple's court. To avoid losing the trademark application, the company must respond to the USPTO's letter within the next six months. And as long as Apple adds the disclaimer, it apparently shouldn't run into any further trouble obtaining the trademark. Withdrawal of "iPad Mini" Trademark Refusal posted by MacRumors(Via MacRumors)
Apple should now be able to win custody of the "iPad Mini" trademark as long as it adds a disclaimer to its application.In a letter apparently sent to Apple last week, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Apple would need to make it clear that it seeks only to trademark the term "iPad Mini" and not the actual word "mini." Such a disclaimer would ensure that other companies could add the word "mini" to their own product names."Applicant must disclaim the descriptive wording 'mini' apart from the mark as shown because it merely describes a quality, characteristic, or feature of applicant's goods," the USPTO said.The alleged letter was obtained and posted online by MacRumors.Last month, the USPTO denied Apple's request to trademark the "iPad Mini," name arguing that the word "mini" simply describes a product sold in a miniature format.The ball is now in Apple's court. To avoid losing the trademark application, the company must respond to the USPTO's letter within the next six months. And as long as Apple adds the disclaimer, it apparently shouldn't run into any further trouble obtaining the trademark. Withdrawal of "iPad Mini" Trademark Refusal posted by MacRumors(Via MacRumors)
Two new lawsuits for Apple- a photograph and an Avril Lavigne song
Two new lawsuits for Apple: a photograph and an Avril Lavigne song
The first suit, filed on May 25 in a San Francisco court, names Apple only peripherally. James Gangwer and Tommy Dunbar, the members of a 1970s band called the Rubinoos, allege that Canadian singerLavigne's recent single "Girlfriend" borrowed a bit too liberally from their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Gangwer and Dunbar have charged Lavigne, her songwriter and her labels Almo Music and RCA Records in the suit, as well as Apple because it publishes and hosts the digital version of the song in its iTunes Store.The second suit, filed June 27 in a Boulder, Colo., court, could be a bit more serious for Apple. It charges the company with copyright violation over the easily recognized "wall of images" used in promotional materials and advertisements for its Apple TV media center, alleging that a photographer's intellectual property was compromised. The imagery in the Apple TV ad, the suit says, is remarkably similar to an artistic image snapped by professional photographer Louie Psihoyos, who counts a high-profile stint at National Geographic and portraits of tech luminaries like Bill Gates and Larry Ellison among his resume highlights.Louie Psihoyos' photograph, which bears a striking resemblance to AppleTV's promotional shots--minus the AppleTV in the center.Louie PsihoyosThe complaint says Apple had been in negotiations with Psihoyos to use the image but that Apple had retreated from the talks and proceeded to use the photograph anyway, potentially depriving Psihoyos of profits.Apple representatives did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
The first suit, filed on May 25 in a San Francisco court, names Apple only peripherally. James Gangwer and Tommy Dunbar, the members of a 1970s band called the Rubinoos, allege that Canadian singerLavigne's recent single "Girlfriend" borrowed a bit too liberally from their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Gangwer and Dunbar have charged Lavigne, her songwriter and her labels Almo Music and RCA Records in the suit, as well as Apple because it publishes and hosts the digital version of the song in its iTunes Store.The second suit, filed June 27 in a Boulder, Colo., court, could be a bit more serious for Apple. It charges the company with copyright violation over the easily recognized "wall of images" used in promotional materials and advertisements for its Apple TV media center, alleging that a photographer's intellectual property was compromised. The imagery in the Apple TV ad, the suit says, is remarkably similar to an artistic image snapped by professional photographer Louie Psihoyos, who counts a high-profile stint at National Geographic and portraits of tech luminaries like Bill Gates and Larry Ellison among his resume highlights.Louie Psihoyos' photograph, which bears a striking resemblance to AppleTV's promotional shots--minus the AppleTV in the center.Louie PsihoyosThe complaint says Apple had been in negotiations with Psihoyos to use the image but that Apple had retreated from the talks and proceeded to use the photograph anyway, potentially depriving Psihoyos of profits.Apple representatives did not immediately respond to calls for comment.
AT&T's off-contract iPhone 5 can be unlocked with an easy reset
AT&T's off-contract iPhone 5 can be unlocked with an easy reset
One would think that if you bought an iPhone 5 at full price and off-contract that it would already be unlocked. Apparently, that is only partially correct.While Verizon sells Apple's next-generation smartphone at full price already unlocked out of the box, that is apparently not the case with AT&T. Normally, AT&T customers who opt to pay the full $649 price instead of agreeing to a two-year contract for a subsidized iPhone must follow a lengthy process to get handset unlocked.Those AT&T customers must fill out a Web form, send a fax to AT&T, and wait as long as a week for word on whether it will allow the device to be unlocked.However, it now appears that unsubsidized AT&T iPhones ship unlocked and that off-contract customers can save a lot of hassle and time by simply restoring the device in iTunes.This little bypass was first reported by Tech Crunch, which says it confirmed the process with AT&T technical support and successfully reset an iPhone 5 with a T-Mobile SIM card, getting the usual unlock message: "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked."iPhone users can confirm the unlock by swapping in another GSM-compatible SIM card, Tech Crunch's Romain Dillet explained:After receiving the notification my new iPhone was unlocked, I cut a micro-SIM card into the shape of a nano-SIM by using the AT&T SIM card that was already in the iPhone 5 as a guide. The most difficult part was to make it narrower so that you can close the tiny nano-SIM tray, though some have reported that this step may be optional. In a couple of seconds, the iPhone was able to pick up the T-Mobile network, and calls and EDGE data connectivity worked as expected.CNET has not had the opportunity to independently verify that the reset process unlocks the phone, but the iTunes reset is necessary during an AT&T-approved unlock as well. It's unknown why AT&T would make customers go through the trouble of filing a request with the carrier when it could easily perform the process itself, or post the instructions online.CNET has contacted AT&T for comment and will update this report when we learn more.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
One would think that if you bought an iPhone 5 at full price and off-contract that it would already be unlocked. Apparently, that is only partially correct.While Verizon sells Apple's next-generation smartphone at full price already unlocked out of the box, that is apparently not the case with AT&T. Normally, AT&T customers who opt to pay the full $649 price instead of agreeing to a two-year contract for a subsidized iPhone must follow a lengthy process to get handset unlocked.Those AT&T customers must fill out a Web form, send a fax to AT&T, and wait as long as a week for word on whether it will allow the device to be unlocked.However, it now appears that unsubsidized AT&T iPhones ship unlocked and that off-contract customers can save a lot of hassle and time by simply restoring the device in iTunes.This little bypass was first reported by Tech Crunch, which says it confirmed the process with AT&T technical support and successfully reset an iPhone 5 with a T-Mobile SIM card, getting the usual unlock message: "Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked."iPhone users can confirm the unlock by swapping in another GSM-compatible SIM card, Tech Crunch's Romain Dillet explained:After receiving the notification my new iPhone was unlocked, I cut a micro-SIM card into the shape of a nano-SIM by using the AT&T SIM card that was already in the iPhone 5 as a guide. The most difficult part was to make it narrower so that you can close the tiny nano-SIM tray, though some have reported that this step may be optional. In a couple of seconds, the iPhone was able to pick up the T-Mobile network, and calls and EDGE data connectivity worked as expected.CNET has not had the opportunity to independently verify that the reset process unlocks the phone, but the iTunes reset is necessary during an AT&T-approved unlock as well. It's unknown why AT&T would make customers go through the trouble of filing a request with the carrier when it could easily perform the process itself, or post the instructions online.CNET has contacted AT&T for comment and will update this report when we learn more.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
AT&T steps up 850MHz spectrum upgrade for enhanced 3G
AT&T steps up 850MHz spectrum upgrade for enhanced 3G
AT&T has taken a lot of flack from iPhone users about the trouble its network has handling the iPhone's data-heavy needs. AT&T's network has been blamed repeatedly for poor call quality and dropped calls as well as for a rash of iTunes App Store rejections that included apps like Qik (where live streaming was a no-show) and Slingplayer (which isn't allowed to sling anything over 3G).Now, AT&T has stepped up its activation of its 850MHz spectrum service, which should improve 3G coverage in metropolitan areas. AT&T expects the project to be completed over the course of a year, and Mobiledia has reported that AT&T has started the much-anticipated upgrade in Atlanta this week. (A visit to AT&T's corporate Web site confirms the Atlanta upgrade and previous improvements over the summer in Fresno, Calif., Las Vegas, San Diego, and Stockton, Calif., but the site does not mention its time line for 850MHz network upgrades in other urban areas.)Atlanta's AT&T customers will be served by the addition of 540 cell sites that will increase network capacity and coverage, resulting in "improved quality and in-building coverage." These new cell sites will operate alongside the old, 1,900MHz spectrum cell sites.Keith Holmes, AT&T's vice president and general manager, said "We're enhancing our network every day to help customers do more with and get more from their wireless connections."TechCrunch has also reported AT&T service improvements in the SoMa district of San Francisco.The activation of the enhanced network is good news, but is it to little too late or even enough? Have you seen improved AT&T service in your area? Let us know in the comments.
AT&T has taken a lot of flack from iPhone users about the trouble its network has handling the iPhone's data-heavy needs. AT&T's network has been blamed repeatedly for poor call quality and dropped calls as well as for a rash of iTunes App Store rejections that included apps like Qik (where live streaming was a no-show) and Slingplayer (which isn't allowed to sling anything over 3G).Now, AT&T has stepped up its activation of its 850MHz spectrum service, which should improve 3G coverage in metropolitan areas. AT&T expects the project to be completed over the course of a year, and Mobiledia has reported that AT&T has started the much-anticipated upgrade in Atlanta this week. (A visit to AT&T's corporate Web site confirms the Atlanta upgrade and previous improvements over the summer in Fresno, Calif., Las Vegas, San Diego, and Stockton, Calif., but the site does not mention its time line for 850MHz network upgrades in other urban areas.)Atlanta's AT&T customers will be served by the addition of 540 cell sites that will increase network capacity and coverage, resulting in "improved quality and in-building coverage." These new cell sites will operate alongside the old, 1,900MHz spectrum cell sites.Keith Holmes, AT&T's vice president and general manager, said "We're enhancing our network every day to help customers do more with and get more from their wireless connections."TechCrunch has also reported AT&T service improvements in the SoMa district of San Francisco.The activation of the enhanced network is good news, but is it to little too late or even enough? Have you seen improved AT&T service in your area? Let us know in the comments.
Apple releases iOS 6.1.1 to fix iPhone 4S issues
Apple releases iOS 6.1.1 to fix iPhone 4S issues
Apple has put out a supplemental update to iOS 6.1 for iPhone 4S owners following issues with cellular performance. iOS 6.1.1, which was released to developers last Wednesday, went out to iPhone 4S owners as a free update this afternoon. In the release notes, Apple says the update "fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S." The update did not go out to owners on other iOS devices, including newer versions of the iPhone, or cellular-enabled models of the iPad. Apple's release of iOS 6.1 near the end of January brought 4G LTE support for more carriers on Apple's newest devices, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri. Apple also returned the option for iTunes Match subscribers to download individual songs from iCloud.Other changes included new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.Despite a quick uptake by iOS users, iOS 6.1 has been the cause of headaches for some companies, including phone carrier Vodafone. Last week the company sent a message to its subscribers, urging them not to update to Apple's latest because of "difficulty in connecting to the network to make or receive calls or texts or to connect to the Internet."Along with the Vodafone message, there were also some logging issues discovered between Apple's Mail app and Microsoft Exchange, forcing some corporate IT departments to outright block iOS 6.1 devices from accessing company e-mail.
Apple has put out a supplemental update to iOS 6.1 for iPhone 4S owners following issues with cellular performance. iOS 6.1.1, which was released to developers last Wednesday, went out to iPhone 4S owners as a free update this afternoon. In the release notes, Apple says the update "fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S." The update did not go out to owners on other iOS devices, including newer versions of the iPhone, or cellular-enabled models of the iPad. Apple's release of iOS 6.1 near the end of January brought 4G LTE support for more carriers on Apple's newest devices, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri. Apple also returned the option for iTunes Match subscribers to download individual songs from iCloud.Other changes included new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.Despite a quick uptake by iOS users, iOS 6.1 has been the cause of headaches for some companies, including phone carrier Vodafone. Last week the company sent a message to its subscribers, urging them not to update to Apple's latest because of "difficulty in connecting to the network to make or receive calls or texts or to connect to the Internet."Along with the Vodafone message, there were also some logging issues discovered between Apple's Mail app and Microsoft Exchange, forcing some corporate IT departments to outright block iOS 6.1 devices from accessing company e-mail.
Apple releases iOS 6.0.2 to fix Wi-Fi issue
Apple releases iOS 6.0.2 to fix Wi-Fi issue
Apple today released another minor update to iOS 6 that promises to fix a Wi-Fi issue affecting its newest devices.The software, which went out this morning to the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, says simply that it "fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi." No additional features or security fixes are part of the update, according to the company's release notes.The update comes just a day after Apple gave developers a fourth beta of iOS 6.1. That software, which is expected by the end of the year, or shortly thereafter, brings new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, ticket purchases through Fandango in Siri, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.Apple did not include specifics on which Wi-Fi issue the update addressed. Users have complained about a number of things, from poor reception to dropped connections.To install the update it appears that users must currently go through Apple's iTunes software. Users report, and CNET has confirmed, that attempting to receive the update through iOS' built-in updating tool results in an error message that says the device is unable to check for any updates. Apple's last update to iOS 6 was iOS 6.0.1 on November 1. That software fixed a handful of bugs, including one that kept iPhone 5 users from installing over-the-air software updates. It also fixed an issue with lines appearing on the software keyboard, and a bug that deleted meetings from calendars when accepting an invitation.
Apple today released another minor update to iOS 6 that promises to fix a Wi-Fi issue affecting its newest devices.The software, which went out this morning to the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, says simply that it "fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi." No additional features or security fixes are part of the update, according to the company's release notes.The update comes just a day after Apple gave developers a fourth beta of iOS 6.1. That software, which is expected by the end of the year, or shortly thereafter, brings new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, ticket purchases through Fandango in Siri, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.Apple did not include specifics on which Wi-Fi issue the update addressed. Users have complained about a number of things, from poor reception to dropped connections.To install the update it appears that users must currently go through Apple's iTunes software. Users report, and CNET has confirmed, that attempting to receive the update through iOS' built-in updating tool results in an error message that says the device is unable to check for any updates. Apple's last update to iOS 6 was iOS 6.0.1 on November 1. That software fixed a handful of bugs, including one that kept iPhone 5 users from installing over-the-air software updates. It also fixed an issue with lines appearing on the software keyboard, and a bug that deleted meetings from calendars when accepting an invitation.
Apple releases iOS 6.1 with additional LTE support
Apple releases iOS 6.1 with additional LTE support
After five beta test versions, Apple today released iOS 6.1, the first major update to iOS 6 since September.The software, which went out this morning as an over-the-air update as well as a download through iTunes, brings a few new minor features, along with bug fixes.Chief among the new features is 4G LTE support for more carriers, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri. Apple also returned the option for iTunes Match subscribers to download individual songs from iCloud, something that was quietly removed in a previous software release. CNETOn the privacy side, the update also adds an option to reset Apple's advertising identifier option, the "non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier" feature added as part of iOS 6. Other, minor changes in iOS 6.1 include new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.The update comes less than two days after the release of a fifth beta version of iOS 6.1, which Apple oddly put out to developers during the weekend. Apple's last update to iOS 6 was iOS 6.0.2 in mid-December. That software, which went out to users only on Apple's newest devices, fixed a handful of bugs, including one that kept iPhone 5 users from installing over-the-air software updates. It also fixed an issue with lines appearing on the software keyboard, and a bug that deleted meetings from calendars when accepting an invitation.
After five beta test versions, Apple today released iOS 6.1, the first major update to iOS 6 since September.The software, which went out this morning as an over-the-air update as well as a download through iTunes, brings a few new minor features, along with bug fixes.Chief among the new features is 4G LTE support for more carriers, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri. Apple also returned the option for iTunes Match subscribers to download individual songs from iCloud, something that was quietly removed in a previous software release. CNETOn the privacy side, the update also adds an option to reset Apple's advertising identifier option, the "non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier" feature added as part of iOS 6. Other, minor changes in iOS 6.1 include new boarding pass behavior in Apple's Passbook software, tweaks to Safari, reworked music playback controls from the lock screen, and a back-end change in Apple's mapping software.The update comes less than two days after the release of a fifth beta version of iOS 6.1, which Apple oddly put out to developers during the weekend. Apple's last update to iOS 6 was iOS 6.0.2 in mid-December. That software, which went out to users only on Apple's newest devices, fixed a handful of bugs, including one that kept iPhone 5 users from installing over-the-air software updates. It also fixed an issue with lines appearing on the software keyboard, and a bug that deleted meetings from calendars when accepting an invitation.
Apple releases fourth beta of iOS 7 to developers
Apple releases fourth beta of iOS 7 to developers
Apple's rolled out another beta version of iOS 7 to developers, its fourth so far.The software went out to developers Monday morning, though was originally anticipated for a release last week. The release was believed to be delayed given downtime of Apple's developer site, which is still coming back online following a security breach earlier this month. Per Apple's mysterious change log, the software brings "bug fixes and improvements." More specifically, the company's made some changes to the look and feel of the lock screen, camera and call functions. BGR has posted a full change log here.The software is under closer watch than previous iOS releases. iOS 7 brings an overhauled design for every part of the operating system, while remaining largely the same in terms of functionality. Onlookers are expecting a few more changes before it's finalized. Related storiesiOS 7 beta 3 brings bug fixes, other improvementsiOS 7 beta points to slow-mo cam feature in next iPhoneApple pitches iOS 7 features to schools, businessesThe public release of the software is scheduled for this fall. As a frame of reference, last year's iOS 6 went through five betas before it was released to consumers. Signs Apple intended to released the software appeared earlier Monday, with download links to the new build briefly appearing on Apple's developer site. Separately, BGR reported Monday that Apple's planning on two more developer betas, with a golden master (the version that's released to the public) planned for September. Updated at 11:08 a.m. PT to note some of the changes.
Apple's rolled out another beta version of iOS 7 to developers, its fourth so far.The software went out to developers Monday morning, though was originally anticipated for a release last week. The release was believed to be delayed given downtime of Apple's developer site, which is still coming back online following a security breach earlier this month. Per Apple's mysterious change log, the software brings "bug fixes and improvements." More specifically, the company's made some changes to the look and feel of the lock screen, camera and call functions. BGR has posted a full change log here.The software is under closer watch than previous iOS releases. iOS 7 brings an overhauled design for every part of the operating system, while remaining largely the same in terms of functionality. Onlookers are expecting a few more changes before it's finalized. Related storiesiOS 7 beta 3 brings bug fixes, other improvementsiOS 7 beta points to slow-mo cam feature in next iPhoneApple pitches iOS 7 features to schools, businessesThe public release of the software is scheduled for this fall. As a frame of reference, last year's iOS 6 went through five betas before it was released to consumers. Signs Apple intended to released the software appeared earlier Monday, with download links to the new build briefly appearing on Apple's developer site. Separately, BGR reported Monday that Apple's planning on two more developer betas, with a golden master (the version that's released to the public) planned for September. Updated at 11:08 a.m. PT to note some of the changes.
Apple rejects satire app Joyful Executions
Apple rejects satire app Joyful Executions
Apple's hard line on political satire apps --especially when they deal in even the most cartoony violence -- has brought down another hopeful called Joyful Executions, a parody game in which users execute North Korean dissidents by firing squad to appease The Divine Leader. The app's creator, Norwegian studio 8-bit Underpants, approached the subject with seemingly good intentions, as is the case with most violent yet satirical games, like the removed iOS title Sweatshop and the rejected app Endgame: Syria. The developer expresses on the game's Web site that Joyful Executions is meant to highlight how gamers ignore controversial subjects that are presented through the lens of gamification and to shed light on North Korean propaganda efforts directed specifically at children. Still, that wasn't enough to satisfy Apple, who rejected the game after a month of apparent deliberation due to paragraph 16.1 of the App Store guidelines that bars apps that present "excessively objectionable or crude content," the game's sole developer Frank Nordstrom told PocketGamer. Clause 15.3 -- which bars apps that solely target a specific race, country, government, or corporation -- may also have come into play with Apple's rejection. CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update this report when we learn more.The game was submitted to both the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store on July 15, and 8-bit Underpants only received notification of its iOS rejection Tuesday. As for the actual mechanics behind Joyful Executions, users play as Kim Bok Kyong, the head of a four-man firing squad in charge of dispatching enemies with a variety of methods while under the clock. It's not a visually realistic game by any means, but the gore when mixed with its context make for an undoubtedly touchy subject. The game is still available on the Google Play Store, while a toned down update to the rejected iOS version called Little Girl's Training Edition will be making its way to Apple's App Store later this month. This Apple-friendly edition will remove blood and replace the enemies with dolls. So much for the power of satire.
Apple's hard line on political satire apps --especially when they deal in even the most cartoony violence -- has brought down another hopeful called Joyful Executions, a parody game in which users execute North Korean dissidents by firing squad to appease The Divine Leader. The app's creator, Norwegian studio 8-bit Underpants, approached the subject with seemingly good intentions, as is the case with most violent yet satirical games, like the removed iOS title Sweatshop and the rejected app Endgame: Syria. The developer expresses on the game's Web site that Joyful Executions is meant to highlight how gamers ignore controversial subjects that are presented through the lens of gamification and to shed light on North Korean propaganda efforts directed specifically at children. Still, that wasn't enough to satisfy Apple, who rejected the game after a month of apparent deliberation due to paragraph 16.1 of the App Store guidelines that bars apps that present "excessively objectionable or crude content," the game's sole developer Frank Nordstrom told PocketGamer. Clause 15.3 -- which bars apps that solely target a specific race, country, government, or corporation -- may also have come into play with Apple's rejection. CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update this report when we learn more.The game was submitted to both the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store on July 15, and 8-bit Underpants only received notification of its iOS rejection Tuesday. As for the actual mechanics behind Joyful Executions, users play as Kim Bok Kyong, the head of a four-man firing squad in charge of dispatching enemies with a variety of methods while under the clock. It's not a visually realistic game by any means, but the gore when mixed with its context make for an undoubtedly touchy subject. The game is still available on the Google Play Store, while a toned down update to the rejected iOS version called Little Girl's Training Edition will be making its way to Apple's App Store later this month. This Apple-friendly edition will remove blood and replace the enemies with dolls. So much for the power of satire.
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