Apple released iPhone unlocked, but blocked!

The first iPhone that Apple sold for a carrier other than AT&T was the iPhone 4. You could use it on Verizon but only if you bought that version of the iPhone. Starting with the iPhone 4S, things changed. Rather than having two versions of the phone, there was one that worked on both networks. A single iPhone that had antennas for both GSM and CDMA, toted as a "World Phone" by Apple. But if you wanted the best of both worlds, you had to buy from Verizon or Sprint, as the AT&T "version" didn't work with CDMA (according to Apple's website). Well it seems the same is true if you buy an unlocked iPhone.

Apple has recently released an unlocked iPhone 5 on their website for U.S. residents, and retail for Canada. Start at $649 for 16GB, and going up to 64GB at $849. However, these "world phones" as Apple calls them are blocked from CDMA networks. I'm not sure if Apple ripped out the CDMA antenna or what, but if I bought an iPhone unlocked I should have the right to go to Verizon or Sprint and get it activated. However Apple says I can't.

The reason I have yet to buy an iPhone (or any smartphone for that matter) is because I'm always in an area that has Wi-Fi, so it seems stupid to me to buy a data plan. However if you get some subsidized with any of the major carriers, they require you get a data plan. As is their right, since they are paying for the majoring of the iPhone bill. However with an unlocked iPhone, one I paid full price for, I was hopping I could get away with not paying for date. But since the unlocked iPhone is actually "locked" to AT&T, that won't happen any time soon. I despise AT&T for reasons I mentioned before.

iTunes 11 finally released

First promised by the end of October, then pushed back to the end of November, iTunes 11 has finally been released. This is the first major cosmetic change since iTunes was first released in 2001 as a simple jukebox app. Back then iTunes was simple; there was no iPod or iTunes Music Store. You just ripped your music from CD to your computer and played it in iTunes.

Apple seems to have simplified things again, making it easier to find your stuff. Now instead of scrolling through a huge list of apps to find just the iPad or just the iPhone apps, you can simply just click on a button at the top.

Another change is the icon itself, it looks more metallic now.

An odd new addition is a "Home Videos" seconds in the Movies area.

One thing I dislike though is that Apple removed the Cover Flow feature. It's one of the features I loved most about iTunes. To scroll my music or movies via the cover art, I found that much more enjoyable that other ways of selecting what I wanted. I disliked cover flow in other apps, such as Finder, but I loved it in iTunes. And it will surely be missed.

Verizon finally allows TV streaming on an iPad, but it's limited

Verizon has finally started to keep up with other cable providers as far as features. Nearly every other provider allows their shows to stream to the iPad, and Verizon was one of the last hold outs. Today an update to the FiOS Mobile app allows the ability to watch TV on your iPad, however you're limited to what channels you can watch. Screen shots of all the channels are below:

Facebook and Twitter get updates at the same time on iOS

For those annoyed that you couldn't share any stories on the Facebook iOS app, now you can. Facebook and Twitter have both been updated today to add new features. You can see a list of the updated features in the screenshot below

Blogger app updated to support iPad

In the update description for the iOS Blogger app it lists support for the iPad as well as landscape mode for the iPhone. However it doesn't yet support the 4" display of the iPhone 5 Nd iPod touch 5th generation. Black bars are still present.

Mozilla says screw the troops and celebrate Firefox instead!

Whilst most companies are giving their thanks to U.S. Vets today, Mozilla picks Veteran's Day to announce their Firefox Friendship Day. There have been several comments saying how horrible it is of Mozilla to do this, yet they haven't removed the post nor have they put up anything to acknowledge that today (Sunday, Nov. 11) is Veteran's Day. The entire day have gone by, and the only announcement from Mozilla is about their Friendship Day.

Way to take the spotlight away from Vets there Mozilla. Several comments from people angry at you, and you still don't acknowledge your poor choice to declare today a friendship day. Though "event days" is a popular trend on Facebook, you chose the wrong day to do this. There are around 300 non-holiday days you could have chosen, and you chose Veteran's Day? Shameful!

Siri, you suck!

Between Maps and Siri, Apple is totally letting Google win. Here's are some comparisons between Siri and voice search in the Google app.

Voice Control vs. Siri, the downside of the new iPod touch

Since it's introduction in 2007, the iPod touch has been the best iPod around. Not only could you listen to your music and watch videos, but for the first time you could go online and check your email on an iPod. One of the best thing for gym goers came with the 3rd generation iPod touch, Voice Control. Using the supplied earbuds with microphone, you could bring up Voice Control by holding the button on the remote and speak who you wanted to listen to. Example: "Play Billy Joel" and your iPod would start playing without ever having to look at your device or take it out of your pocket. This allowed you to easily change songs whilst on a treadmill or exercise bike. You didn't even need the Internet to do so.

With the 5th generation iPod touch came Siri. Overall Siri is a great tool for quick searches and opening apps with your voice; however there is one problem, and it effects gym goers most of all. Siri requires Internet, even to play songs. All voice commands go directly to the Apple servers, get interpreted, and travel back to your device to execute said command. Since most gyms don't offer Wi-Fi, this renders touch-less music control useless on the iPod touch. If you have an older model, don't throw it away when you update to the 5th generation. That older model will be perfect for when you want to go to the gym.

Photo Stream vs. the original

As you can see, the Photo Stream version loses a little of the resolution. However, it's still pretty good quality. This is just a quick post because the comparison photo can pretty much speak for itself.

Apple complies to U.K. order, fixes what they didn't like.

On October 26th, I wrote that Apple complied to a U.K. court order with their own twist and it seems that it wasn't good enough for the U.K. judge that issued the order.

According to The Guardian Apple must now publish a correction within 48 hours on their website. It seems U.K. wasn't pleased that Apple mentioned court rulings from Germany and the U.S. in their original letter. The part that seems to anger the U.K. judge the most is reposted below:

However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple's far more popular iPad.

The reason Twelve South doesn't produce iPod touch cases

I recently reached out to Twelve South to ask why they don't make cases for the iPod touch. Here is the reply:

Hi, and thank you for your interest in BookBook!

I believe the reason for the lack of a BookBook for the iPod Touch is simply a matter of not yet wanting to throw our hat into that already over-saturated iPod-case ring. We're a tiny company (12 employees only) and quite new (three years), so we're trying hard not "bite off more than we can chew". We've currently got our hands full with BookBook for iPad, BookBook for iPhone, and BookBook for the two MacBooks (Pro and Air), along with all of the other MacBook, iPad, and iMac products.

I wouldn't ever want to say 'never', but I CAN say not imminently.

I'm so sorry… :-(

If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Regards,
Bridget

Twelve South Support

That would be a reasonable answer if not for a few facts:

1) The iPhone case market is just as saturated (if not more) than the iPod touch case market.

2) Twelve South spends resources on unneeded products all the time (such as the MacBook vertical stand or the new HiRise stand. Both useless products which few will buy.

It makes no sense for Twelve South to waste resources on products that don't sell well, when there is a huge market for other products they choose not to make.