Foursquare for iPhone Updates: Gets Newsfeed

Foursquare for iPhone got an update and now comes with a newsfeed. It also comes with a new system for notifications. This 'notification tray' was available for the Android app, earlier this month and tracks comments on check-ins, new comments on posts you've commented on (like Facebook), completion of tips by friends and mayor status. The app now also lets you know when your Facebook friends join Foursquare. For the iPhone app, notifications will also show up in a bubble on the right of the Foursquare logo just like it would on the Facebook app. In addition to the notification tray, the new version of Foursquare has a new venue page with better access to tips, photos and your to-do list.

Foursquare feeds up on iPhone

Ever since Facebook launched Places, Foursquare, of course has had to step up its game. However, will adopting some of Facebook's features themselves really help the location networking app? WIll you use Foursquare with these features more than you otherwise would? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple to Own Two Stylus Patents

Apple’s at it again. According to two patent requests to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the iPad manufacturer would soon be the patentee of the stylus. Apple had applied for the patent requests in January; however, it was not until late this week that the news of the same leaked out. Reports suggest that the first stylus patent request pertained to a possibly-heated conductive tip, using which the stylus can be powered.

Patented...

The second one, on the other hand mentions a stylus in the context of a tool to write on any surface, the impressions of which could be seen on another device, an example being a Livescribe pen. These patents are among scores of others, some of which have been taken up by popular brands like RIM (hybrid capacitive-resistive screen), and HTC being the patentee of magnet-on-a stick stylus.

JailbreakMe 3.0 Available for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4

Good news for all you iPad 2 users. You can now jailbreak your beloved tablet and customize it the way you want. JailbreakMe’s latest version, brings the goodness of bringing a lot of unapproved-by-Apple applications and tweaks to your iPad 2.

Free the prisoner!

According to sources, all iPad 2 tablets that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can easily be jailbroken and the software is working fine on these devices. All you have to do is log on to their website through your Apple device and follow the instructions. It obviously means that JailbreakMe 3.0 is untethered, so you won’t have to sync it with your PC through iTunes and go through a lengthy procedure.

The goodness has not been restricted to the iPad 2 only, though. iPhone 4, 3GS, iPod touch 3G and 4G that are running on iOS 4.3.3 can be jailbroken. Check out the video below to see how jailbreaking takes place.



If you have jailbroken and found freedom on your iPad 2 (or any other iOS 4.3.3 device for that matter) please share your joy in our comments section.

LOLcats Now Purrs on the iPhone

Cheezburger's "LOLcats" site has enough furry goodness to keep you entertained for hours (if that is your kind of thing). The site already has fans make apps for it and this is the offical Cheezburger Network's effort to build an app for the site. The cats will now be available on iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads. The app itself is free and is a simpler version of the I Can Has Cheezburger's website. It carries content from ICanHasCheezburger.com, IHasAHotDog.com, RoflRazzi.com, and more. The Cheezburger Network says that with this app, users can check out content from LOLcats, LOLdogs, Daily Dose of Cute, LOLcelebs and more. The app presents the same memes with the ability to share them over Facebook and Twitter. It's already on version 2.0.

Cats do the darndest things... on iPhone!

The Cheezburger Network is looking to expand its app repertoire by building apps for its other sites like FAILblog and Memebase. The network was able to get $30 million in funding in January, so it does actually have the ability to build apps. They may even expand to other mobile systems like Android and maybe Symbian. Does LOLcats make you chuckle and would you download the app? Let us know in the comments section below.

Mobile Grudge Match - Samsung Galaxy S II vs Apple iPhone 4

The mobile phone segment is bursting at the seams with sophisticated, smarter and faster handsets, at this very moment. Choices are getting harder and harder to make as the competition is heating up. But, even with all of the Android goodies making their way out from the likes of LG, Samsung and HTC, Apple’s good old iPhone is still somewhere at the top of the list. With that in mind, we recently reviewed Samsung’s latest and possibly greatest offering, i.e. the Galaxy S II and while it definitely impressed us, the “big” Apple still manages to loom over the little Green robot to quite an extent and queries have been flowing in with regards to making choices. So those of you with deep pockets looking for the ultimate powerhouse smartphone and tossing between the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S II, we pitted them against each other and here are our findings. Samsung Galaxy S II – Rs. 30,500 (16GB) Let’s forget about the fact that, as of now, the Galaxy S II is the slimmest Android phone in the market with a large display sporting the all new Super AMOLED Plus visual enhancement. Let’s also leave aside the fact that the S II is super light weight at just 116 grams. The Galaxy S II is designed and built for ease of use with high end components packed into this sleek body and that includes a Dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor with a GPU to boot. Super slim and sleek Samsung’s TouchWiz UI version 4.0 has also undergone a few UI changes adding kinetic scrolling, tilt zoom etc. With support for full HD i.e. 1080 video playback with files sporting DivX and Xvid codecs there’s never the need to convert and then transfer data between your PC and handset. The S II even sports 1080p video capture via the 8 Megapixel camera and TV Out in HD via MHL (Media Hi-Def Linking). Speaking of the camera, the S II also offers face and smile detection, as well as an auto-stitch panorama mode amongst its array of features. There’s also support for Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA compliance for hooking the S II up to HDTVs that support the same tech, for media streaming. Another important feature to take into account is USB-on-the-go that was previously limited to just a few Nokia N-series devices. So all of this in a very decently priced, sleek and comfortable looking device makes the Samsung Galaxy S II, a rather difficult device to avoid when choosing a high-end smartphone. It’s loaded with features and packs in 16 Gigs of internal storage plus support for 32GB more via micro SD cards. Apple iPhone 4 – Rs. – 34,500 (16GB) When one looks at the Apple iPhone 4 for the first time, one is easily impressed by its looks alone. The iPhone 4 sports a 3.5-inch Retina Display, the highest resolution in mobiledom today and is housed inside an elegant shell with brushed stainless steel bands at the sides. The phone is basically made up of two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass. This glass is the same type used in helicopter and train windshields, so we’re talking about serious durability. However, Apple shows that the iPhone 4’s looks are not just skin deep with it packing a 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor and an Apple A4 chipset which simply translates into performance and speed that few handsets can equal. The iPhone operates on iOS 4.3 and like all previous versions the operating system is really simple to use. One can get easily immersed in the wide range of apps available in the App Store from games to handy mobile tools. While there may be almost an app for all conceiveable mobile purposes, it's the sheer elegance of the UI that leaves you salivating. Though the iPhone has just a 5 MP camera, it is capable of capturing stunning high quality images and also has 720p HD video recording capabilities with touch focus extending into video capture, as well. Elegant, refined and what a User Experience While the cost of the iPhone 4 is somewhat on the pricier side, Apple has seemingly always targeted their phones at a selective audience. With all Apple products, it is more of a way of life than a handset and provides one hell of a mobile phone experience even if it does tend to empty your pockets. Click to enlarge Verdict So based on the simple scores and our own in-house testing, we’ve come to the conclusion that the Galaxy S II is definitely the handset you should be investing in. Of course, it also depends largely on personal preference as both these handsets are very capable, but the differences in their user experiences are also big factors and we’ve taken that into account, as well. As far as smartphones go, the S II offers the best possible mobile phone experience for the price tag it’s attached to. From functionality to ease of use and a plethora of features that are both built-in or downloadable off of the Android Market Place, rest assured, buyers remorse is not a feeling you’ll have to worry about. Sure the iPhone did provide us with the better overall user experience and with apps also looking and feeling more refined the fact is, as it is, the iPhone is still lacking in features. It’s undoubtedly a worthy contender but when it comes to absolute value for money the S II is the handset that wins hands down. We’d also like to invite all you readers out there to send in your comments and user experiences for either of these handsets. It’ll help those looking to buy either one to make an even more calculated decision. Feel free to leave your thoughts below in our comments section or your can follow the same thread in our discussion board. Next week we put the HTC Sensation and Galaxy S II through the ringer so stay tuned to this space for another tech2 Mobile Grudge Match.

WWDC 2011: Apple and Universal Sign Deal for iCloud Music Service

Apple announced that they're going to launch a service called "iCloud" at WWDC this year and speculations have been going around that it's a music based cloud service. Apple hasn't confirmed anything yet but to add to speculations, it's been revealed that Apple's signed a deal with Universal Music Group for iCloud. Apple's already reportedly signed deals with Sony, EMI and Warner Music Group and has agreements with many publishers. Device convergence for music? A few details on the service have emerged, as well. For instance, the percentage break up of revenue from the service will most likely be: Labels 58%, publishers 12% and Apple 30%. Amazon's Cloud Player and Google Music are similar services, but the difference is that Amazon and Google's services basically act as cloud lockers where users upload their music to access it on their other devices like phones and tablets. Apple would let users store their purchased content on Apple's servers and no uploading would be required. The service is reported to cost users $25 per year.

JBL Launches New Dock, the OnBeat

Harman International Industries Incorporated today, announced the release of its new JBL OnBeat loudspeaker docking station. This is the first JBL dock that works with any iPad, iPhone or iPod device. The OnBeat features dual Phoenix full-range transducers with computer-optimized DSP equalization. It has a universal connector that docks an iPad, iPod or iPhone and lets you rotate iPod and iPhone screens to portrait or landscape orientation according to how you would like to view your content. The OnBeat also has an infrared remote (IR) that gives you full control over system functions and music navigation.

A multi faceted dock

The OnBeat has a USB connection to sync and charge devices when connected to iTunes as well as a 3.5mm stereo auxiliary input which can connect to your other PMP or audio device. This dock features JBL Weave design styling and looks pretty nice as well. It also charges your iPod, iPhone or iPad while you use it. The JBL OnBeat loudspeaker dock is available in April in jus one colour, black for $149.95 (Rs. 6,698). There's no saying when this dock will hit our shelves here in India though.