Posts tagged with "iPhone"

iPhone Exploit Puts Passwords At Risk Within Minutes

German researchers have demonstrated the ability to reveal passwords stored in a locked iPhone in six minutes and without needing to crack the passcode. The attack targets Apple’s password management system known as keychain and is based on existing jailbreak exploits that gives the attacker wide access to the iPhone’s internal data.

Once jailbroken, the researchers installed an SSH server on the iPhone and install a keychain access script. This keychain access script utilizes functions that are built within the phone to access passwords and other data stored in keychain which is then outputted to the attacker. For a demo of the exploit,  jump the break.

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#MacStoriesDeals - HUGE Wednesday

Another great day for app savings! Today Gameloft, Capcom & Sega have started their 99¢ sale. Here’s today’s deals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot!

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Verizon iPhone Sales Expected To Top 1 Million In First Week

As reported  by AppleInsider, a note to investors issued by analyst Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets suggests that the Verizon iPhone’s sales might top 1 million in the first week of availability of the device. Basing on estimated numbers from last week’s pre-orders and available inventory at Verizon and Best Buy stores, Abramsky predicts the 8 month old iPhone 4 can sell 1 million units from February 10th to the 17th, quickly go out of stock and then sell between 3 - 4 million units in the first quarter.

For calendar year 2011, Abramsky sees between 9 million and 10 million Verizon iPhones being sold, though he cautioned the number could be conservative. Those sales figures assume smartphone penetration among Verizon’s customer base will grow from 26 percent in 2010 to 40 percent in calendar year 2011.

The analyst also sees Apple surpassing Google Android’s smartphone share on the Verizon network in 2011. He has forecast the iPhone to represent 40 percent of smartphone sales on Verizon, versus 37 percent for Android.

Other numbers shared by Abramsky include 75 million iPhones sold in 2011 with Verizon accounting to 12 - 13 percent of iPhone sales worldwide. Apple and Verizon haven’t disclosed the official numbers of pre-orders for the iPhone 4 yet, but we guess we’ll be hearing about sales soon, probably as soon as next weekend.


Walmart Will Offer Verizon iPhone Starting Tomorrow In 600 Stores

Retail chain Walmart announced this morning that, starting February 10th, they will carry the Verizon iPhone in nearly 600 stores across the United States:

We’re excited to bring iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network, one the most anticipated mobile phone launches in recent history, to Walmart customers,” said Gary Severson, senior vice president, Home Entertainment, Walmart U.S. “As customers continue to embrace smart phone technology, we’ve added nearly 20 smart phone models to our assortment, including the new Verizon Wireless iPhone 4.”

iPhone 4 on the Verizon Wireless network will be available at nearly 600 of the retailer’s in-store wireless areas starting at $199 for the 16GB model.  Walmart will offer a variety of iPhone 4 accessories including cases, car chargers, wraps, and hands free accessories from variety of accessory manufacturers. Walmart currently carries the AT&T iPhone 4 in select stores nationwide.

Walmart joins Apple, Verizon and Best Buy as a distributor of the new device. Orders for the Verizon iPhone went live again last night on Apple’s and Verizon’s websites.


Nokia CEO’s Leaked Memo Mentions Apple, iPhone Marketshare

Nokia CEO’s Leaked Memo Mentions Apple, iPhone Marketshare

An allegedly leaked memo of Nokia CEO Stephen Elop sets the record straight on Nokia’s position on a “burning platform” and the success of Apple in the past three years:

In 2008, Apple’s market share in the $300+ price range was 25 percent; by 2010 it escalated to 61 percent. They are enjoying a tremendous growth trajectory with a 78 percent earnings growth year over year in Q4 2010. Apple demonstrated that if designed well, consumers would buy a high-priced phone with a great experience and developers would build applications. They changed the game, and today, Apple owns the high-end range.

The first iPhone shipped in 2007, and we still don’t have a product that is close to their experience. Android came on the scene just over 2 years ago, and this week they took our leadership position in smartphone volumes. Unbelievable.

Awareness is the first step to build better products. Full memo available here.

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“Death Hug” Impossible Grip Affects Verizon iPhone Antennas, Third Hand Rumored To Enable Secret Features

Antennagate is over, right? Steve Jobs told everyone that just about any phone suffers from signal attenuation if you cover the antenna with your skin, and people who had issues with their iPhone 4s got a free Bumper case to resolve the “Death Grip” problem. And Apple’s 2010 numbers tell us Antennagate wasn’t really a problem for iPhone sales.

Still, someone is saying Death Grip is still alive, kicking and affecting the mythical Verizon iPhone’s antennas. Not just the 3G radio antenna, the WiFi one as well. How’s that possible? That’s the magic of the Death Hug, a new kind of grip that can be activated with two hands wrapped around the phone and its screen. Look at the video below. It’s a full-phone hand hug.  iLounge reports:

The problem with Wi-Fi reception appears when the device is held snugly in landscape orientation with two hands, a position common when playing games or using the widescreen keyboard. Prior to the Verizon iPhone 4’s launch, sources told iLounge to be on the lookout for the issue, which was being referred to as the death hug.

We’re just going to leave you with the Youtube video after the break. But let me say that, frankly, that’s one kind of grip that requires some serious skills. Honestly, we at MacStories don’t hold our phones like that. But then again, we don’t disdain hugs either. Read more


Google Launches Official Translate App for iPhone

A few minutes ago Google announced the availability of the official Translate app for iPhone. Built on top of the HTML5 webapp  that’s been around for quite some time now, the native application allows you to “speak to translate” in 15 different languages with output translation supported up to 50 languages. You can listen to your own translations spoken out loud by the app , enable full-screen mode to get a larger view of the translated text (that’s quite useful) and even check on single words dictionary entries from within the app. The interface design resembles most of Google’s apps for iOS – nothing exceptional to note there. It’s got a clean and minimal UI.

Google Translate for iPhone is a better version of the popular mobile-optimized webpage packed into a useful package for iOS that comes with a few additional features. It’s a free download in the App Store. Full list of supported languages below. Read more



This iPhone App Takes Pictures With The Microphone

Back in December we saw Apple approved an app called Quick Snap that allowed users to take pictures with the iPhone using the volume buttons instead of the regular camera icon on screen. As you know, Apple doesn’t really like applications that re-purpose hardware elements of the iPhone to perform specific tasks inside an app – just like, again, volume buttons used to snap pictures.

But it looks like they did it again, although we’re not sure whether or not Camera Mic violates Apple’s iOS guidelines. Basically, this app can take photos using the iPhone’s internal microphone; the app’s camera shutter can be triggered by a spike in volume caused by a quick tap on the mic or (this is the option I like the most) a quick whistle or a word like “click” or “go”. The app doesn’t offer much besides this functionality which, after a few tests, I have to say really works as advertised. You say something or tap on the mic, and the app snaps a photo. Of course, the downside is that if people are talking around you the results might not be so effective. But, and here’s another neat feature, it also supports the iPhone’s headphone cord, which can become a remote trigger cable so you don’t have to touch the iPhone’s screen when, say, the device is on a tripod.

There’s the possibility Apple will pull this app soon. So go download it here if you’re into this kind of things, while it’s still available at $0.99.

Update: As noted by our friend Jonatan Castro, Camera Genius offers a similar functionality inside the Settings. I have tested the feature in Camera Genius and it works similarly to Camera Mic, although I got better results with “tap on microphone” with Gamblus’ app. A few readers suggested using the mic’s audio to trigger the camera isn’t breaking any rules, as I wrote above. Still, this is an interesting (and curious) way to take pictures with an iPhone.