On Tuesday of this week, Australia’s aviation safety watchdog stated that it is currently investigating an Apple iPhone due to it “glowing red and emitting smoke on a passenger plane” last week. The device started melting and was doused by a flight attendant with a fire extinguisher.

While aboard Regional Express airlines flight ZL319, from the New South Wales town of Lismore to Sydney, the device began glowing red hot and was dropped by the person whose it was. This all happened shortly after landing in Sydney. The phone was then given to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) as part of an investigation into the incident in cooperation with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, who is also investigating the same case.

“We are investigating, it’s quite early on in the investigation,” a spokesman for the ATSB confirmed to AFP.

“However, we do have the phone, it’s in our custody, and we will be undertaking a technical examination of it.
“We will be interviewing directly involved parties and also in our technical examination of the phone we are going to be consulting with the manufacturer as well.”

This incident became known around the internet shortly after Regional Express put out a press released titled “Mobile phone self combustion.” This press release included a photograph showing a broken and scorched phone, which is the same picture as is located at the top of this post.

Regional Express stated that a flight attendant had to rush to grab a fire extinguisher, in which she then extinguished the red glow in line with standard procedure. No one was injured from the incident, and the phone’s owner is not being identified at this time.

Apple stated that they are looking forward to helping and working with investigators, as they have never seen something like this before. They are interested and especially concerned if it is something on their end, though they are doubting that at this time.

The ATSB spokesman did not state which generation iPhone the unidentified owner had that started emitting the red glow, but did say that this was unusual. “We have no previous records of iPhones undergoing spontaneous self-ignition,” he said.

Source: Fox News

For one reason or another, Apple has officially approved an app that lets users bypass monthly carrier tethering plans in order to share your iPhone’s wireless connection with your computer.

The name of this app is iTether. It connects to Mac and Windows software to share the iPhone’s web connection for a one-time $14.99 fee. In comparison to the app, AT&T and Verizon offer iPhone tethering functionality for an additional $20-a-month. It’s moves like this that shows the power that Apple truly has on the mobile industry.

Apple has previously banned apps that ran similarly to this one. According to Tether.com, the Canadian company that developed the app, Apple knew exactly what the app was trying to do. “We were very clear with Apple what our app did. They asked us a bunch of questions and then approved us,” the company stated on Twitter last night.

This app only works over USB, so Wi-Fi or Bluetooth tethering are not available. Apple may have thought that since iTether doesn’t allow any sort of wireless tethering, it wouldn’t be much of a threat to the plans given by mobile carriers.

Despite the thoughts, iTether’s homepage has been overloaded with traffic since the app went live last night. As MacRumors pointed out, the app seems to authenticate with iTether.com whenever you launch it, so the actual tethering service has been facing issues as well. Tether.com says it has had to add 20 additional web servers because of the “insane demand.”

Even though Apple approved iTether, that doesn’t mean AT&T and Verizon will take it lightly. While the carriers cannot stop the app from working, they can scrutinize users who use lots of mobile data without purchasing a tethering plan. Data used via the app will count against your monthly allotment of mobile data, so keep an eye on your bandwidth limits.

Make sure you check if you have an unlimited data plan as well, for some that are named “unlimited” can have caps of 10GB or 20GB.

Source: VentureBeat

Finally, developers have managed to crack the Siri security protocol, making it possible to install Siri on an iPhone 4 or an iPod touch. However, it isn’t a nice and easy process as people were hoping for.

The team from Applidium are the ones who claimed first that Siri has been cracked. If you want to install Siri on a device, you can use their tools to do the job. However, you will need to have access to a unique device identifier key (UDID) for an iPhone 4S, making this nifty little hack somewhat pointless for people who simply own an iPhone 4.

According to Applidium:

To sum up, you need an iPhone 4S or access to someone who is willing to give up their iPhone 4S UDID. Not too many people are willing to give you their iPhone 4S UDID, so don’t expect to simply get them off of the internet.

Whatever security hole that Applidium is using, it probably won’t be around for too long. My guess would be that Apple will be patching this is not too long. Otherwise, Apple will start blacklisting identifiers. We have yet to see a Siri hack that simply enables someone to put it on a jailbroken device. For now, I can see this being useful for people with iPhone 4S’s putting it on their iPod touches. That’s about it, really.

Source: Macgasm

Qualcomm unveiled the 4G LTE compatible Gobi 4000 platform, which will have API compatibility with its current 3G Gobi 3000 platform.

Qualcomm also revealed its roadmap for the MDM chips that power the Gobi 4000 platform. The current MDM9600 and MDM9200 already offer integrated LTE and 3G support, but package size and power requirements exceed those of the MDM6600/6610 used in the CDMA iPad 2, the CDMA iPhone 4, and the iPhone 4S. Even several of the recently launched Android-based LTE devices have instead relied on separate LTE baseband chips in conjunction with a 3G baseband.

Apple has stated that LTE isn’t a good fit for the iPhone even though AT&T and Verizon continue to develop and integrate LTE support. ”LTE would force design compromises we’re not willing to make,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in February, and he has not wavered from that stance since.

Source: Ars Technica

It’s official, folks. The rumors have been going for quite awhile, but it has been confirmed. The Gmail app focuses on speed, efficiency, touchscreen actions and iOS notifications. Google is boasting that this app will find emails in a user’s inbox in seconds. It comes with email autcomplete and the ability to even upload photos with the app’s attachment button. The iPad version even has the familiar split-screen inbox and email view of its web app counterpart.

Source: USA Today

Ars found that each Siri query is approximately 63KB of data, on average of course. What does that amount to? Well, if you use Siri 2 or 3 times per day, you will might to use 126KB to 189KB per day, or 3.7 to 5.5MB per month. If if you use Siri 4-6 times per day, that might come to 252KB to 378KB per day, or 7.4 to 11MB per month. And finally, if you use it 10-15 times per day, you may end up using 630KB to 945KB per day, or 18.5 to 27.7MB per month.

27.7MB comes to a little over 1 percent of a 2GB plan, which is about the standard data plan nowadays. In conclusion, feel free to use Siri, as it uses data, but not as much as people first started thinking.

Oh, and before I forget, the network connection. These rates are for the standard 3G internet connection. If you are connected to Wi-Fi, your data usage will not be affected at all.

If you plan on using Siri to check the weather or the simple features advertised over and over on the ads, then feel free to do this wherever you please. You won’t run over your bill unless you are completely careless. Now, if you think you’re going to carry out an intimate relationship with Siri and talk and talk for no apparent reason, it’s suggested to either get an unlimited data plan (like the no-longer-available unlimited data Verizon plan I have) or just connect to Wi-Fi. If you don’t have internet at your home, you may have to run to the nearest Starbuck’s or McDonald’s to call Siri back. I’m sure she’ll understand. After all, she’ll be in your pants the entire time.

The iPhone 4S was a huge success for Apple. However, it turns out that maybe not everyone was as happy for the device as others. Shoppers literally went insane trying to get their hands on the newest device. One man in particular thanks Apple and the App Store for the new phone, and with amazing reason.

It turns out that “ThomasMetz,” a MacRumors forums member, was suspicious about his wife remaining faithful to him. Now, he saw an opportunity when out of his own money, he bought her an iPhone 4S.  He then proceeded to install the Find My Friends app on the device without his wife knowing.

According to ThomasMetz:

“I got my wife a new 4S and loaded up find my friends without her knowing. She told me she was at her friends house in the east village. I’ve had suspicions about her meeting this guy who live uptown. Lo and behold, Find my Friends has her right there.”

So he had caught her in a lie. Interesting. Then, he took the screenshots, located at the top, shared them with us, and finally mentioned that they would be getting a device on the forum.

“Thank you Apple, thank you App Store, thank you all. These beautiful treasure trove of screen shots going to play well when I meet her a$$ at the lawyer’s office in a few weeks.”

The wife (soon to be ex-wife) knows nothing about what he knows. As far as she knows, everything is fine and she just went to her friends house.

Source: The Escapist

Today was Apple’s big “Let’s Talk iPhone” event, and boy did they ever talk about iPhones, among other things. They have officially announced the iPhone 4S, which is close enough to an iPhone 5. There are quite a few upgrades, but it is still the same, great phone.

The iPhone 4S has a dual-core A5 chip, which clocks in at 1GHz. This processor is capable of delivering graphics seven times faster than the iPhone 4, which was already fast. Screen mirroring can also be done via AirPlay on an Apple TV or a wired connection. There will also not be a need for separate GSM (AT&T) and CDMA (Verizon) models. The device will be a world phone, hence the addition of Sprint.

The camera was delivered as 8 megapixels, but also has a backside illuminated sensor that lets the phone gather “73 percent more light per pixel than the iPhone 4′s version.” This is to help low-light photos. The iPhone 4S also captures images 33% faster than before, with 0.5 seconds in between shots. The iPhone 4 was already the fastest smartphone whilst taking photos, and now Apple has gotten even faster. The iPhone 4S is even capable of capturing 1080p video with built-in image stabilization.

Siri is a new piece of software included in the device. It is not clear whether this will become available for users on the iPhone 4 as of yet, but it is certain for the iPhone 4S. Siri is an “intelligent personal assistant” that is capable of finding the answers to your questions. Scott Forstall, senior VP of iOS software, asked the app “What is the weather like today?” Siri responded with the correct weather based on his location by pulling up the forecast. He then told the device to “wake me up tomorrow at 6AM,” in which the device stated “Ok, an alarm has been set for tomorrow at 6AM.”

Siri is capable of sending e-mails and text messages, make calendar entries, take notes, set reminders, and take dictation in apps that “normally require keyboard entry.” It is not clear whether or not developers will be able to support Siri in their applications as of yet.

Battery life? Well, it has 8 hours of talk time over a 3G network, 6 hours when browsing the Internet, and 9 hours browsing over WiFi. Paul Schiller claims that the iPhone 4S is able to reach 14.4 Mbps download speeds. This speed is roughly what carriers have as their non-LTE 4G networks. Thus, as expected, the iPhone 4S is not LTE-capable.

The iPhone 4S will be available in both black and white right off the bat. The prices will be $199 for 16Gb and $299 for 32GB. There is also a 64GB iPhone available for $399. All of these will require a two-year contract from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. The 8BG iPhone 4 and 3GS are now $99 or free with a two-year contract, respectively.

When will this amazing device be available? Well, preorders in the US, Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany and Japan will begin October 7th. The actual retail release date of the iPhone 4S is October 14, which is just two days after iOS 5 becomes available. Apple has stated that the iPhone 4S will be in 70 different countries by the end of the year, which will be their fastest rollout to date.

Source: Ars Technica

Upon much speculation and many months of rumors, Apple has officially announced its next media event, which will take place on Tuesday, October 4th at 10AM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time). This event will take place on Apple’s campus in Cupertino, just as the latest rumors predicted. The event will be led by Apple’s successor to Steve Jobs and new CEO, Tim Cook.

A graphic of the invitation to the event is shown above, which includes four iOS app icons, representing Calendar, Clock, Maps and Phone. It also has the quote “Let’s talk iPhone,” which hints at the rumored iPhone 5 and the iPhone for Sprint’s network. It’s also interesting to note that Apple decided to be very detailed and creative with the invitation. If you notice, the Calendar app reads October 4th, for the closest upcoming 4th that is on a Tuesday is in October 2011. Then, the Clock app has 10:00AM (Pacific due to their location). As for the Map app, it actually describes Apple’s campus location. And last but not least, the Phone app, which symbolizes the invitation and the “Let’s talk iPhone” idea.

While rumors exist and some are more credible than others, fans are still wondering what exactly will be released or talked about in this event, especially when it comes to the iPhone it seems. For example, it’s expected that iOS 5 will be made available to the public and that an all-new iPhone 5 will be released, which basically is an iPhone 4 with a better camera, though it doesn’t really need one. However, people are still left guessing.

iPhone’s aren’t the only speculations being drawn about this event. A lot of people are thinking that we may see the release of a white iPod touch. This event is annual and is usually all about the iPod and its new generations. Thus, this color change would be just like Apple and be fairly simple to do. It would key in on the history of the iPod event. Who knows, they may even release new generations for us. Apple is also expected to tell us what is going to happen to all of its products, whether they will be upgraded, discarded, or remain the same this year as they did last year, which could definitely be interesting.

Source: Ars Technica

The parent company to Broken Thumbs Apps, an iOS app developer responsible for games like Zombie Duck Hunt, Truth or Dare, and Emily’s Dress Up, has settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over its apparent collection of children’s personal data in its iPhone and iPod touch apps. The FTC has gone after other companies for similar violations, but oddly enough, this is the first case focused on mobile apps.

This parent company, W3 Innovations, was targeted with an FTC lawsuit on Friday, and the settlement was announced yesterday morning. The FTC alleges that W3 “collected, maintained, and/or disclosed personal information” entered into its various children’s apps. As an example, the complaint claims that the company collected and maintained a list of more than 30,000 e-mails as well as personal information from more than 300 Emily’s Girl World App users and 290 Emily’s Dress Up users.

What kind of information and why does it matter? Well, according to the complaint, some of W3′s apps ask their kids to enter names before beginning the game. In the case of Emily’s Girl World, the users are then allowed to leave comments on a blog that correlates to the app, whose details are saved to W3′s archives.

The FTC notes that the apps by W3 Innovations are clearly marketed towards children and that the company has seen over 50,000 app downloads since it began offering games on the iPhone and iPod touch. Because the apps send and receive information on the Internet, the FTC states they are in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC’s COPPA Rule, which requires parents to give consent before the company collects or uses the personal information of children. With W3 Innovations and Broken Thumbs Apps, parents were unaware that their children’s details were being collected and used for marketing purposes.

W3 didn’t even try to fight the accusations by the FTC, either because they knew they were wrong or because it was the FTC and they wouldn’t win anyway. W3 immediately agreed to settle, resulting in a $50,000 fine. They also agreed to delete all personal information that was collected that violates the COPPA Act and COPPA Rule. W3 also agreed that they will not make any future COPPA violations.

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has been working to prevent deceptive in-app purchases on mobile devices. “This settlement is an important victory for online and mobile privacy. Mobile apps can be great tools for kids to learn and have fun, but parents should never have to worry that their child’s personal information is being collected or violated. I will continue to make sure we have clear rules of the road that allow consumers to have more control over their online and mobile information,” she said in a statement.

Source: Ars Technica