Blog Archives
Hackstore: Is it Cydia for the Mac?
When you hear the Hackstore; the first thing that comes to mind i s well…Hacks. That however is not the case with this off the grid store. HackStore is one a centralized place for third-party developers of OS X applications to showcase applications that Apple will not approve. This of it as Cydia but for software. Cydia is the alternative to app store on your jailbroken iDevice. Apple may not approve of jailbreaking or the Cydia store but that has not stopped them from blatantly stealing ideas from its developers. The most recent example is Wifi Sync for the iPhone. It was such a good idea that Apple incorporated it into iOS 5. They even kept the same logo that the developer came up with.
The point is that alternative app stores are where developers can get their apps out into the world. Its a way around the wall garden that Apple has setup. Also known as Apple’s approval process. The developers of Hackstore say that piracy will not be tolerated in their app store. Although just like Cydia, there are a lot of “crack” repos. If you want to give the Hackstore a try. You can Download it for the Mac OS X.
Facebook post information on Project Spartan then takes it off; We say staged
Information on Facebook’s new HTML mobile Web interface was posted online. Who would leak such information? Facebook was the person behind its own leak. It posted the info to its own developer webpage. We are going to go ahead and say that this was staged to build more hype for the project. It’s a clear outline of Project Spartan. The only thing missing was a timeline. I mean the post even had screenshots of Web app. it has already been removed by Facebook but TechCrunch pictures as a PDF file. Thank you guys
Like this:
Padzilla Interactive Case turns your iPad to a 70″ touchscreen
This might be just a little over the top but hey, whatever. This interactive case allows you to use your iPad/iPhone with a massive screen that is multitouch capable. Shown in the video is a 70″ version but can be made in any size up to 150″. Jailbreak is not required. This unit can be positioned vertically or in a table mode with a special mounting system from Crunchy Logistics.
Like this:
App Review: Book Creator for iPad
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The app Book Creator for iPad comes highly recommend by our readers. So we thought it would be a good idea to get a hold of the developer for a little 1 on 1. For those that have not heard about this great app; 1st what? 2nd we will explain.
Book Creator for iPad is the simple way to create your own beautiful iBooks, right on the iPad. Read them in iBooks, send them to your friends, or submit them to the iBookstore. Ideal for children’s picture books, photo books, art books, cook books, manuals, textbooks, and the list goes on.
FEATURES
* Quickly add pictures from the Photos app, or grab them from the web, then move and resize them with your fingers.
* Edit text using the onscreen keyboard, and apply rich formatting to make it look great.
* Choose from all of the iPad’s fonts – over 50 to use.
* Layout your book exactly as you want it with guidelines and snap positioning.
* A quick tap and you’re reading your book in iBooks!
* Send your books to your friends over email, or sync using Dropbox.
* With your books created using the international ePub standard you know they will be readable now and in the future.
* Full support for iBooks’ fixed layout format, including double page images.
The developer and one man team over at Red Jumper Studio is the very talented Dan Amos. Here is what he had to say about the app and it’s future.
Where did the idea for the app come from?
From a trip to the London Book Fair with my wife, a YA novelist. We were struck at still have prohibitively expensive and complex it is to produce a good quality e-book.
How many developers worked on the app?
Just myself.
Will the app be on other platforms?
Perhaps Amazon’s tablet – let’s see when it arrives!
What are the future plans for the app?
I’ve had fantastic feedback from users of the app and I have a long list of requests.
Next up will be adding support for audio and video to your iBooks, along with rounding out the text and image formatting tools.
What sets your app apart from the others out there?
It’s the only tool that enables you to create fixed layout iBooks, and with its simple and intuitive interface anyone can do it!
Company Questions: How did the company come together?
Red Jumper Studio was started after leaving my role at Nokia as a Product Manager for their digital music service and the N9 device. For me this is a great opportunity to work in a fast lean way, involving my customers directly in the product’s future.
How many developers do you have not counting contracted sources?
Just myself.
What can we expect next from your talented team?
Making Book Creator the best app it can be!
Pro: Book Creator for iPad is the simple way to create your own beautiful iBooks, right on the iPad. There could not be any easier way to self publish a book at the moment.
Con: The only con I have is crashes sometimes when you try to open a created book in iBooks. It seems to be an issue with iOS 5. There was no issue with my other iOS 4 iPad 2. I am sure this will be fixed by the release of iOS 5 to the public.
Cost: $6.99
Aye/Nay: This is a Aye. This is a great program. One of those that make you wonder “why did I not think of this?” $7 worth it.
iTunes Link: Book Creator for iPad
Facebook For iPhone Updated; Hidden iPad code Removed
Facebook has released a new version of their iPhone app.
Facebook 3.5 brings some new features such as the ability to tag friends and places in photos and finally the ability to add privacy controls on posts. Facebook has fixed a number of annoying bugs and improved the overall performance and stability of the iPhone app.
Facebook app v3.5:
[ Made it easier to share with who you want - Added the ability to tag friends and places in posts - Added the ability to share external links from a web view - Added new design for Profile and Group Walls - Improved the sharing tool to add privacy controls on posts and match your settings on the web site
Improvements and bug fixes: - Improved Notifications speed - Fixed a number of Chat bugs - Made it easier to select filters in News Feed - Fixed a bug with the Notifications bar disappearing - Fixed a number of Photos bugs - Improved performance and stability overall ]
This is not however the Facebook’s iPad app. In fact Facebook has gone out of it’s way to removed the iPad app code from the latest version. That means if you update to this new version. The jailbreak tweak FaceForward to enable the Facebook for iPad app won’t work. So I would skip updating the app on your iPad for now.
Skype for iPad is back in the App Store but not for Jailbroken devices
Skype was up then it was down now it is up again. The only thing is if you were one of the millions of people who jailbroke your device. You are out of luck. It will not work on it. I think that is a just bad for your user base. I mean didn’t they get brought by Microsoft who welcomes tinkers and modders. Just take a look how well they handled the Kinect and Windows Phones being modded. Skype take note, change your tone. You are only limiting yourself.
iPlayer: Now for the rest of Europeans but still no US love…
The iPlayer expands to more of the world. Just not the US. Not just yet anyway. You can always use a proxy to get around that. The subscription grants access to a wealth of TV classics like EastEnders and Spooks.
The app will allow for downloading as well as streaming, and marks a “pilot phase” for the service. I did a review of the app already a few weeks ago. Not much has changed other than the expanding of the places it’s offered.
BBC iPlayer App for iPad expands
“Based on the soaring success of the UK’s pioneering BBC iPlayer service, the app combines technical innovation with editorial creativity to transport users to the heart of the BBC and British television and on a journey of discovery, wherever and whenever they want”
This brand-new video on demand subscription service, launching first in Western Europe, will deliver the award-winning programming upon which the BBC’s history and heritage is built, to viewers in 11 markets. For €6.99 a month (or €49.99 for an annual subscription), the app will initially be available in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
Subscribers will be able to access a rich selection of captivating English language programmes across eight genres: News Specials & Documentaries; Entertainment; Drama; Comedy; Science & Nature; Family & Kids; Music & Culture and Lifestyle. The app brings together classic comedies such as Fawlty Towers and Only Fools & Horses, thrilling drama series Sherlock, Luther and much loved Pride and Prejudice, recent episodes of the UK’s famous soap EastEnders, global motoring phenomenon Top Gear, the Doctor Who archive and the adorable children’s show Charlie & Lola. Hours of new programming will be added to the service every week, along with imaginatively themed collections curated from the BBC’s extensive archive, including David Attenborough and the story of the Royal Family.
Designed to be intuitive and easy-to-use, a key feature of the app allows subscribers both to stream and to download shows for offline viewing for when they can’t access Wi-Fi connectivity. The stylish and simple interface enables users to build a personal library of shows.
John Smith CEO BBC Worldwide said: “I’m proud that we’re one of the first international broadcasters to give access to our shows in a perfectly packaged app. This launch is an important route to market in our strategy of pursuing multiple platforms for our programmes and brands, taking British programmes to new digital audiences around the world. Today marks a significant next step on a digital journey that has already seen 12m BBC Worldwide apps downloaded across brands as diverse as Lonely Planet and Good Food.”
“Based on the soaring success of the UK’s pioneering BBC iPlayer service, the app combines technical innovation with editorial creativity to transport users to the heart of the BBC and British television and on a journey of discovery, wherever and whenever they want,” said Jana Bennett, BBC Worldwide President of Worldwide Networks and Global iPlayer “We have an exciting vision for what this service could become and will develop it based on feedback from within the markets.”
The global BBC iPlayer App is now available to download for free from the App Store in the launch markets on iPad at www.bbc.com/iplayer/tv.
The global version of the BBC iPlayer app launched today marks the start of a pilot phase for the service.
How to enable Facebook for iPad: The easy way with no errors in 3 easy steps
Note: You must have a jailbroken iPad to enable this version of Facebook. If you have a tethered jailbreak. Don’t do this until you are next to a computer.
1. Go to Cydia
2. Click Search and look for FaceForward
3. Click FaceForward and install it
You will be asked to reboot your iPad (you really have no choice)
After rebooting the hidden Facebook for iPad app will launch without the login error.
Facebook for iPad: It’s real and this is how to enable it [Updated]
The rumors are true. There is a hidden native Facebook iPad app. It works great and looks even better. The article was first published by MG Siegler. This is how you enable it on your iPad. Note: You must have a jailbroken iPad to do this.
[UPDATE] There is an easier way: Enable Facebook for iPad in 3 steps
- Install the Facebook app from the App Store on your iPad
- Go to Cydia and install iFile
- Start iPhone iFile go to settings change it to show app names
- Go to Apps, Facebook, Facebook.app.
- Click a file called info.plist, open it with Text Viewer
- Click edit then go down to where you see UIDeviceFamily
- change 1 into 2
- Exit ifile
- Start Facebook
- If you get the error Login Failed, click sign up for Facebook, under that you will see “I already have Facebook” click that log in as normal
[UPDATE] There is an easier way: Enable Facebook for iPad in 3 steps
Review: King of Fighters-i is good but could be great
King of Fighters-i by SNK packs a major punch. It is one of the few games that have taken advantage of the virtual controls on the iDevice. While this game is meant for the iPhone or iPod Touch. I could not bring myself to play on such a small screen. That is not the fault of the game in anyway just preference. I tested it out on the iPhone for all of two minutes before making the jump to the iPad 2. The game does a job of taking advantage of the bigger screen. It the buttons are well placed. The speed of the game is fast without any lag and the graphics are great. Although I must say the game does look better on the iPhone due to the having to 2X on the iPad.
There are 4 different single player modes to choose from. There is Team Battle which puts 3 fighters on 3. The Single Battler is classic 1 on 1 fighting. Endless is a fight that never ends until your powerbar is all clear and your dead. I recommend that you start in “Training” mode. There you can learn how to play without anyone fighting you back. Its painless and worth the effort to try it.
Overall this is a great game. The controls are precise and responsive. The Graphics are on par with Xbox Live Arcade games and remind me of the hay days of SNES Street Fighter tournaments. The only thing this is lacking is size. I can’t wait for them to port it to the iPad with an HD version.
Pro: The game is fast action, killer graphics and great control.
Con: The game is not not meant for iPhone. It could be so much more on the iPad.
Cost: $7.99
Aye/Nay: This is a Nay. I can not recommend this game for the iPhone. Your fingers will get cramped hold out for an iPad version. It’s good but $8 is not worth it.
iTunes Link: King of Fighers-i
