iPod Repair Blog

The life-ruiningly fun game is now available at the Apple store and those who are fond of Homer and his family can now get to play the game for free. Yes for free!

Gamers can now access Springfield and take a look at never-before-seen scenes in Springfield. Fans say that it is about time that there is a Simpsons game for Apple users and as I write this update, many are now accessing iTunes to get a hold of Tapped Out.

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There are a lot of rumors about the iPhone 5 –when it will be released, what specs it will have and all that but one of the most interesting things that caught our attention is that according to reports, the new iPhone will be a sim-less one i.e. it will be the very first worldphone. International Business Times said that the new smartphone from the Cupertino company will have two to three internal antennas. These antennas will have GSM and CDMA compatibility making the iPhone a worldphone. Fans are excited about the new iPhone but more excitement is building especially now that recent developments have been released albeit unofficially. Apple wants to reign supreme in the smartphone market and it seems it will never hand over the crown to the Androids. Apple is beefing up the iPhone 5, sources say.

Apart from being a worldphone which is a wonderful feature especially for those who travel a lot, the smartphone will also sport a range of other improvements.It will of course have the iOS 5.0 –a sign that Apple is not only aiming for hardware upgrades but software upgrades as well. The highly anticipated smartphone will come with an improved notification system, will be armed by a news stand and of course, iMessage.

Sources say that the iMessage addition is for the iPhone 5 to be able to compete with Blackberry Messenger. The said app will also allow iPod Touch and iPad users to talk to one another. This would be much like a free messenger service for Apple users. So aside from it being a wordlphone, users will be able to chat with friends and family for free without much fuss because it will be integrated into the phones SMS and MMS application. This is truly exciting especially now that the release of the new iPhone is near.

The iPhone 5 is expected to sport a better camera and most probably it will be an 8MP one, sources say. This is not really something one would consider as awesome because most of the Androids have 8MP rear cameras especially the high end ones. According to reports, the iPhone 5 will also have a front-facing camera. The said camera will be used for video chatting of course and will prove to be quite useful for those who always make video calls.

Another wonderful news for Apple fans is that the iPhone 5 will probably sport a 3D camera as well since Apple has been filing several patent applications that involves 3D capturing technology. Reports say that Apple has been doing this since March this year. This is an indication, according to these reports, that the device will be able to capture, process, and render images in 3D through the use of a dual camera hardware.

It is also interesting to note that the new iPhone to be released in early 2012 will have the capability of taking photos in Panorama much like the 360 Panorama in the App Store.

Aside from the iPhone 5’s camera, it will also feature a larger screen. This isn’t new if you compare the iPhones to the androids from Samsung but this is definitely a plus for the iPhone series.
Other rumored features include 4G and LTE support, face recognition security, an OLED screen, a sleeker body design rumored to have curved glass like that of the Nexus, extended battery life, scratch proof screen and a shatter proof one as well, flash support and a physical keyboard. According to those privy to the iPhone maker, the iPhone 5 will be a sim-less phone. That being said, the new iPhone will be a world phone because its sim will not be connected to just one country.

Before my iPhone , I had 4 BlackBerrys on the VZW CDMA network. No problems, no dropped calls. So I am a fan of the Verizon network. I made the switch to the AT&T GSM network for the iPhone 3Gs and have only experienced a few drops, nothing major.

Now that VZW is carrying the iPhone, I have thought about switching when my AT&T contract is up but have come to the conclusion that I will most likely stay with AT&T. But there is one feature that intrigues me with the Verizon iPhone, the Personal HotSpot.

I really think this is a really useful and practical feature that allows up to 5 wireless devices to connect to one hotspot. Your personal hub will allow you to set a security password and also allows you to connect via bluetooth or USB for a one-to-one connection. The interface is super easy like with all Apple products and the set-up menu gives you easy to follow instructions.

The Personal HotSpot comes with monthly pricing plans at an extra $20/month.This is feature is ideal for someone who travels and who currently uses their iPhone tethering feature. At an extra $20 a month, the price is reasonable and you gain another killer feature for your iPhone.

Verizon iPhone or AT&T iPhone??

Here are a few things to consider before making the jump from AT&T to Verizon Wireless.

Starting February 3, you will be able to pre-order your Verizon Wireless iPhone but before you make the change or even consider it, take a minute to review some of the points you should consider.

Because they are different types of networks, AT&T and Verizon have different pros and cons in the user interface. AT&T is on the GSM (Global Systems for Mobile communications) network which allows for simultaneous voice and data usage. If you talk on the phone while surfing the web or checking e-mails, you will have to stay with AT&T. The Verizon wireless network is CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) and does not allow for voice and data usage at the same time.

The biggest gripes I have heard about the AT&T network is low signal, dropped calls and a pokey network. Typically this is more of a concern for users in large metro areas like New York or San Francisco. However, it is expected that the Verizon iPhone will handle calls better and have better signal reception. Also, with some customers switching to the Verizon network the AT&T network should become less congested.

Another point to consider is that if you switch to the Verizon iPhone now you will have to wait 20 months until you can upgrade. AT&T lets you upgrade your phone to the newest iPhone at reduced cost, so if you want to get the iPhone 5 you may have to wait until you are eligible for an upgrade.

Last, we are still waiting to hear all of the final pricing details from Verizon. But it has been released that VZW will start with unlimited data plans at $30 a month to start but the unlimited plans will end after new sign ups. This is a ploy used to snag as many AT&T customers as possible.

It’s your dollar so why not make an educated decision?

This may be a favorite iPhone news story in a while. Enjoy.


It was reported Wednesday morning, December 29, 2010 that Police in Boise, Idaho took a man into custody after he struck a teenager in the arm for refusing to shut off his iPhone during a flight leaving Las Vegas. Other passengers aboard the plane said that the altercation began as the flight attendants announced the final decent into Boise. Everyone knows the drill at that point you are required to turn off all electronic devices, stow your tray tables and return your seat to its upright position. Apparently this rebellious teen had a problem with the instructions continued to play games and listen to music on his iPhone and did not respond to flight attendents’ requests. Eye witness accounts say the man, Russel Miller, became aggressive and struck the teen in the arm leaving a mark. While still in the air, pilots alerted the Local Boise Police and officers were waiting for the man when the plane landed. Miller was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery and was booked into the Ada County Jail.

I read this story and wanted to know…so…did he shut off the device or not? If he did not shut off his device how did the electronics in the plane not go crazy? That’s what I always imagined would happen if I didn’t shut my phone off. This kid is my hero, sticking it to “The Man“. He is the epitome of a rebellious youth, a true rebel without a cause. Not even a misdemeanor assault can bring this kid to shut off his iPhone. Bravo.

This was a very interesting year, to say the least, for Apple, Steve Jobs and the Cuppertino gang. 2010 was an ambitious year for Apple with highly anticipated new product launches of the iPad and a new installation of the iPhone. But the Year in Review also held some drama with an Apple test product making it out of the walls of the Cuppertino fortress and into civilian hands, as well as, a battle about Flash content on the iPad. Overall, Apple had a crazy year for sales and continue to exert their dominance over the rest of the gadget world year after year. With the holiday season “wrapping” up…(pun intended) I will not be surprised to see the inflated sales numbers after the year. The bottom line is, I know there will be millions of people opening up iPads, iPhones and iPods from under the tree.

The iPod Repair Blog Presents:

2010 Apple Year in Review Top Ten List:

10. Flash on Apple Devices

The uproar of not allowing Adobe Flash prompted Steve Jobs to post an open letter about Flash on the Apple website. It went something like this, “Flash was created during the PC era – for PCs and mice. Flash is a successful business for Adobe, and we can understand why they want to push it beyond PCs. But the mobile era is about low power devices, touch interfaces and open web standards – all areas where Flash falls short.” Said Jobs. He went on to also say, “New open standards created in the mobile era, such as HTML5, will win on mobile devices (and PCs too). Perhaps Adobe should focus more on creating great HTML5 tools for the future, and less on criticizing Apple for leaving the past behind.” I give Jobs credit here, he is moving forward and trying to encourage the creation of new platforms to challenge Adobe Flash which currently accounts for 75% of video and media on the internet.

9. iPad Frame with Hole for Front-Facing Camera

iPad repair specialists, Mission Repair, discovered that a replacement iPad Frame had a space for an iSight webcam/camera inside the device. Based on parts seemingly obtained through unofficial channels, the frame appears to have a very similar area to the MacBook’s existing iSight webcam enclosure. The second Gen iPad will be Face Time compatible but Apple decided to not implement the Face Time capability in the first generation.

8. iPad Delayed Ship Date

The iPad release was one of the most anticipated events of the year but some of the dedicated Apple fans who pre-ordered their iPads experienced some frustration. Apple began taking pre-orders beginning March 12 to have the device shipped directly to your house and have it arrive on your door step by the store launch date of April 3. Apple then announced that customers who placed pre-orders after March 27 had to wait until April 12 for their iPad to ship due to the high demand. Bummer.

7. Nasdaq Stock Rose from $210 a share to Over $300 a share in 2010

Apple enjoyed another great year in the Nasdaq. Apple’s share price rose from $210 in January 2010 to over $300 in December. This is due in large part to the release of two major products this year with the iPad and iPhone 4. Apple also continues to push the envelope when it comes to innovative, user-friendly products.

6. Face Time

Face Time may have been one of the most anticipated upgrades to the iPhone and iPod Touch. The front facing camera allows you to video chat with other iPhone users over a wi-fi connection. Face Time is now available to iPod touch and iMac desktop and laptop users. The second generation of the iPad will also have Face Time capability.

5. iPhone Death Grip Antenna Issues

An issue with the iPhone 4s external Antenna caused dropped calls. This problem, deemed the “death grip”, had iPhone 4 users grumbling. The external antenna on the iPhone 4 had a tendency to drop calls when users held the phone a certain way but to remedy this problem Apple offered users a free bumper case to help alleviate the “death grip”.

4. Multi-Tasking!

The iPhone 4 release also coincided with a new iOS release from Apple. iOS 4 allowed for multi-tasking, something that iPhone users had long awaited. The multi-tasking allowed users to open an App from the SpringBoard and then double click the home button to pull up a menu at the bottom of the screen. You could then switch apps and run more than one app at a time. Prior to multi-tasking, once you switched apps the app you were just running would close. Now you can go back to right where you left off.

3. iPhone Release

The release of the iPhone 4 was similar to the release of the iPad with lines spanning around the block and people camping out for days to be one of the first people to get their hands on the new iPhone. The iPhone 4 featured several revamped features including a new Retina display and a squared off casing with a stainless steel band. The iPhone took some of it’s styling cues from the iPad. Also, the iPhone featured an upgraded A4 processor and a Gorilla Glass backing to make it more durable and scratch resistant.

2. iPad Release

The long awaited iPad release garnered the most hype in 2010 and is one of the hottest products of the year. With the release of the iPad came several imitators such as the Samsung Galaxy and BlackBerry PlayBook. The most impressive number for the iPad this year was 1 million units sold in less than 30 days on the market. 1 million of anything is impressive but 1 million iPads is crazy. For comparison, the iPhone took almost three months to reach the million sales mark. The iPad moved off the shelves so quickly in 2010 Apple had to delay the International release. 300,000 units were sold on the first day.

1. Gizmodo Lost iPhone 4 Scandal

This was by far my favorite Apple headline in 2010. It just got better each day with more information coming out and the lengths that Apple went to to make it known that you don’t mess with Steve Jobs. A quick recap goes something like this: Apple software engineer, Gray Powell was enjoying a few drinks at a local watering hole and left his iPhone 4 test phone at the bar. The iPhone 4 was disguised as a 3Gs. Powell left the phone on a bar stool and the phone was recovered by a patron at the bar. The phone was then sold to Gizmodo.com for a reported $5,000 and photos were leaked out on Gizmodo.com. Apple then contacted Gizmodo editor Jason Chen to get the phone back and they also obtained a search warrant to seize Chen’s computers. Bottom line, Gizmodo ruined the surprise of the iPhone 4 for me but also broke a huge, entertaining story that gave me a weeks worth of great reading material.

I hope you enjoyed the Year in Review and hope you will check back in with the iPod Repair Blog for more entertaining content in 2011!

The hot ticket item this holiday season will undoubtedly be the Apple iPad. It will be interesting to see exactly how bloated and ridiculous the sales figures become. Apple has always done well around the holidays but this could be a bigger than usual year for Steve Jobs.

Let us not forget about the iPhone 4, which could also see a giant bump in sales during the holidays. It was reported by Yahoo! that the iPhone 4 took the top spot in the Top Ten Obsessions of 2010, with the iPad snagging the number three slot.

Regardless of the price point, the Apple iPad will be highly sought after this season and even though the release of Samsung Galaxy Tab is likely to give the iPad

Ray Displays Pico Projector

One of my favorite accessories for my iPod and iPhone is my Pico Projector from Ray Displays. Pico or Pocket projectors are super practical devices that allow you to project at 60″ image from your iPhone, iPod or other portable media device.

The Ray Displays Pico Projector is multi-talented, whether it is a presentation from your iPhone or a movie from your iPod, the Ray Displays Pico is about the size of a large cell phone and is equipped with an LED light source. The Pico projects at at full 640×480 VGA resolution which is higher than comparable 3M and Optoma models.

The Ray Pico Projector has a battery that lasts about 2 to 3 hours, which is long enough to watch a movie or give multiple presentations. The Pico comes with cables to allow you to connect with your iPod and any equipment with composite video output and stereo audio output using RCA plugs. Also, the Pico comes with a very useful small tripod that screws into the bottom of the projector, very cool. I love products that come with bonus extras like this.

I give the Ray Displays Pico Projector four out of five stars.

Since the introduction of the iPhone 4 back in June, there has been an incredible demand for the White iPhone. This buzz about the ever elusive White iPhone 4 has had the rumor mills turning since it was rumored that manufacturing issues were the cause for the delayed release. The release delay has been attributed to everything from proximity issues, light leaks, problems bonding the color to the glass as well as the inability to match the home button to the faceplate. These problems along with manufacturing mishaps have led to the White iPhone 4 never being released to date. The White iPhone has reached mythical proportions, like that of a unicorn or bigfoot. All of these factors only add to the mystique of the White iPhone.

Apple has continued to tease a release date and is hinting at a Spring 2011 release for the White iPhone 4. However, in an exclusive report from the Boy Genius Report, it is rumored that Apple could be canceling the release completely and has no plans to release the white iPhone.

Interestingly enough, the Apple Store app for the iPhone has included the 16GB and 32GB White iPhone 4 along side the black model. Some stores even show the White model and allow you to select the item before you are greeted with a pop-up that Apple is not taking reservation for that product.

So if you dream of one day owning the White iPhone 4 you may have to wait until the vague Spring 2011 release. My guess is that the Spring 2011 release is more likely than scrapping the white model completely. Apple would be losing out on a large number of sales by not releasing a the White iPhone 4. Good things come to those who wait.

For more information visit one of my favorite iPhone Blogs