Tag: Mobileme »

Though most of us poor schmucks continue to wait around for Apple to release iOS 4.2 there are some media types who have had access to the update for a while now and have spent some quality time with the new tech. Thankfully, our friends over at TiPb have gone ahead and created a couple of videos to walk us through the new features that 4.2 will bring to the iPad and iPhone.

The iPad video goes in depth on a lot of new features, including AirPlay integration and multitasking. We're also happy that TiPb dove into the back-end a bit, showing off the new settings and other under the hood changes you might not have noticed had they not been featured in the video. Of course the iPad is also getting a few enhancements that have been on the iPhone for a while now, including Game Center and organizing apps into folders. While Apple's folder system isn't the most elegant solution in the world, it's still very space-saving and helpful to those who thrive on organizing their life.

The iPhone video is a bit shorter as iOS 4.2 is not quite as weighty of a change for Apple's smaller device. Some major inclusions are the introduction of MobileMe, as well as how to get to the volume and AirPlay controls via swiping the multitasking dock. There's also mention of AirPrint, though it is rumored this feature may be dropped or altered before iOS 4.2 actually launches. There are also a number of other small changes and improvements you may not have known about before.

So feel free to point your peepers at the video for your relevant iOS device(s) and prepare to amaze your friends when you're navigating the new system like a pro on launch day while they're still trying to figure out how to adjust screen brightness. For at least a brief time you can feel completely confident in the fact that you are better than them.

[via TiPb]

With all of the announcements and new iPods last week, 3.1 really seemed to slip through the cracks. Sure Steve made a special point to show off the new app store genius, which really is a cool feature, and of course the new organization in iTunes is pretty sweet but it also added a cool little security feature for MobilMe users.

Spawned from the days of the .Mac service that was really built for a niche market, MobileMe has quickly and quietly developed into a godsend in the iPhone world. With features like the automatic contact syncing, the Find My Phone, and Remote Wipe features, there was already plenty of reason to be looking in this direction. However, until now there was still a small security concern lurking. Find My Phone gave you the ability to locate your phone if you left it somewhere and the Remote wipe would clear it off if it was stolen, but what about if you're not sure which has happened. Maybe it was stolen but maybe you just left it at the bar. If you wipe it then you can't locate it any longer, but if you don't then someone could be looking through all those pictures you took last week in Vegas. BAM, Apple brings you Remote Lock. Via the MobileMe web page you can set a pass code lock that instantly kicks the phone out of any app it's running and locks it up nice and tight. Someone could still shut the phone off at this point but at the very least you know they aren't getting to your information. All and all, this is a great little feature that really completes the security circle Apple is trying to build for it's iPhone users. Here is the list of other features 3.1 add as well.

Apple has posted an iPhone and iPod Touch version of its online file storage system, iDisk, to the App Store. In an unexpected move by the company, the application gives users the ability to view and send their files that are stored remotely on MobileMe servers. Rumours had recently surfaced suggesting that an iDisk application would only be available in iPhone 3.1, of which Beta 3 has recently been released to developers.

Apple are inexplicably late to the game with the iDisk app, as the mobile version of www.me.com stated "You can access this information directly from the applications on your iPhone or iPod touch." Several third party developers have already built applications that allow access to a user's iDisk. Notably, Air Sharing Pro were quick to offer iDisk support and QuickOffice offered full iDisk viewing and editing, an important function, from within their app. Both applications were approved by Apple to the App Store with no fault.

It is not all bad news, though. The video playback feature alone warrants installation on any iPhone or iPod touch, where users can view video of any QuickTime supported file format (this includes the much-lacked AVI).