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iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler
Submitted by jive on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 22:02
Continue reading iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler
iDongle hardware iPhone jailbreak tool makes hacker life a little simpler originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Future Of Camera-Based Input [IPhone Apps]
Submitted by jive on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 19:40
Not entirely dissimilar to the 2008 patent which showed an iPhone being controlled by camera-based input, is this German student's app, which controls the Maps app being controlled by the camera tracking hand movements through the app.
It's probably easiest if you watch the below, which demonstrates—in a slightly limited fashion—a hand being moved in front of the camera, controlling a dot moving around the iPhone's Google Maps app. The iPhone is connected to a laptop, which has the Map interface displayed. Interestingly, moving the hand further away from the camera zooms the map out, and moving it in zooms the map in.
I can't see how this app could be used any further though—or maybe I'm being too obtuse? The idea of having another way to control a touchscreen phone just seems a little crazy to me. [Daniel Bierwirth via Recombu]
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DARPA looking to develop iPhone and Android apps, App Store
Submitted by jive on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 19:09
Sure, in the past we've got a hearty chuckle out of initiatives that involved Redfly terminals and Clippy variants, but the question remains: how can we get cutting-edge tech into the hands of soldiers faster? We've recently come across some RFIs for DARPA projects aimed at developing apps and an App Store for Android and the iPhone OS, with two in particular -- Mobile Apps for the Military (DARPA-SN-10-27), and Transformative Apps (DARPA-BAA-10-41) -- catching our eye. The agency is calling for apps for battlefield, humanitarian, and disaster recovery missions, including command and control, mission planning, surveillance, reconnaissance, and language translation. Of course, if you start taking commercial smartphones out to the field there's the small matter of network coverage -- if you thought that getting a reliable connection in midtown Manhattan was an issue, what about downtown Kabul? Looks like DARPA also has plans for a military that brings its own towers with them, light-weight mobile base stations that could create a "secure mobile tactical network ... compatible with commercial smartphones." What do you think? Looking to help your country out, make a bit of money, or maybe a little of both? Check the links below to start your lucrative career as a military contractor. And tell 'em Engadget sent you.
Google Mobile Search Reveals What's In Stock Nearby [Google]
Submitted by jive on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 18:59
Google Product Search was already a handy shopping aid, but today's addition of local inventory info makes it essential. And like most great ideas, it's only going to get better with time.
The new feature works on the iPhone and any PalmOS or Android device. When you search for Shopping results, Google now returns not only pricing information for the item you're looking for, but a blue dot indicates which retailers have it nearby and whether they've got it in stock. It's basically there to save yourself a trip.
The catch—there's always a catch!—is that currently only a few retail partners are signed up. There are some major ones in there, like Best Buy, Sears, and Williams-Sonoma, but the feature needs participation from both big box stores and local merchants to be truly helpful. You hear that, sellers of goods? Go here now to sign up. Buyers of goods, you're beautiful. Just keep doing what you're doing, and look for that blue dot. [Google Mobile Blog]
iPhone 4.0 Firmware to Bring Multitasking This Summer? [Rumors]
Submitted by jive on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 14:59
According to AppleInsider sources, iPhone firmware 4.0 will bring multitasking to the platform this summer. And it may look at lot like Exposé.
The "full-on solution" to multitasking will support "several" third party apps running at once in a "multi-tasking manager that leverages interface technology already bundled with its Mac OS X operating system." To us, that sounds a lot like Exposé, a multi-window view that's already found its way into phones like the HTC Legend, which would be quite different from the proof-of-concepts we've seen thus far (like our lead shot).
But frankly, I don't really care what it looks like, so long as I can pull up my email while web browsing as easily as I can on any Android phone. The iPhone's uni-tasking Gmail support is straight-up punishing in comparison. [AppleInsider]
