Macgasm

Has the world come to rely on their intelligent cellular telephonic devices to wake them on time for work, school, and life in general, all day and every day?

Apparently.

The iOS alarm clock bug that caused an outpouring of rage through Twitter on January 1 and 2 is taking its sweet time with a fix.

This is funny. This is uproariously funny, because Apple released the following statement yesterday:

We’re aware of an issue related to non repeating alarms set for January 1 or 2. Customers can set recurring alarms for those dates and all alarms will work properly beginning January 3.

Yeah, guess what, Apple!? It’s January 3, and there’s no fix for this bug!

I myself was one of thousands affected by the bug this morning. Last night, buffeted by Apple’s promise that all alarms would be operable today, I set my regular ol’ 7:15 AM ET alarm before sleep. This morning, I woke with a jerk at 7:20 AM ET, wondering why my alarm didn’t go off. I was lucky to wake up at the time I did, I know.

The worst part of the whole situation? Until Apple releases a patch for iOS (versions 4.2.1, 4.1 and 4.0.2), no solid workaround exists. Current knowledge suggests setting a new, recurring alarm. If it actually works, you can switch it off until the following night. However, there is no solid evidence for this solution.

Of course, quite a few alarm clock apps are available through the App Store. There’s plenty of free ones, but below are a couple worth their weight in time.

• Clock Pro (Alarm Clock Company): Not just an alarm clock, but also has chess clock, metronome, egg timer, GPS positioning and countdown clock functions.
• Radio Alarm (EnSight Media): I love retro styles, and this app is modeled after a 1950s wooden radio. You can choose to wake up to iPod tunes, a radio station, or “sounds of nature”. Additionally, for the heaviest sleepers, you can choose the “shake to wake up” function, which forces the user to physically shake the iPhone in order to shut off the alarm. (Please don’t break your phone!)

Also, in the meantime, if RadioShack hasn’t shuttered in your area, you can go buy a standalone alarm clock. Who can afford to be late two days in a row?

Good night, and good luck.

Have you been affected by the iOS alarm clock bug? Does the recurring alarm fix the issue? Let us know your stories in the comments!

Update: According to Mac Stories, rebooting your iOS device seems to fix the issue. It seems to have worked on an iPod touch here at Macgasm HQ, but your mileage may vary. - Editor

Article Via Engadget

Photo Credit: Engadget

Today, the United States’ Patent & Trademark Office filed a patent application from Apple. It details an application shoppers can use to communicate with friends about potential purchases through pictures, video, and comments. In addition, the app would allow users to check store inventories for product, which can then be put aside.

It Starts With a Kiosk

The application is part of a larger social network, one that begins with a “kiosk.” It appears as though the kiosk would be a physical fixture in-store, or inside a shopping plaza, so iPhone users could receive information identifying and recommending items of interest.

The store inventory checker and reservation system could allow users to cut down on shopping time, as potential purchases could be identified and held ahead of time. So instead of wandering around a two-story Anthropologie for that polka-dotted sundress, it would be ready for you to try-on in the fitting room.

Below is a graphic demonstrating the kiosk interface (click to enlarge):

Application Workflow

There are several potential methods for users to communicate with their friends about potential purchases. An illustrative display (as seen in FIG. 3, above) could identify an item with a photo, as well as a store ID and other pertinent information. Or, users can take their own photos or video to share with friends in the app’s network.

The purpose of sharing an item with friends is to receive feedback. For example, what if that polka-dot Anthropologie dress is cut unusually short? If a friend in your network can ping you with that info, she or he has saved you the time it would take to try it on (should you choose to take their advice, of course.) If you don’t end up purchasing the dress, one of your friends in-network could suggest another item for you.

The below graphic shows a potential interface design (FIG 4), feedback request (FIG 5), and reception of feedback (FIG 6):

“Put it on hold, please!”

Another feature of the social-networking/shopping app would be the ability to communicate with stores directly about potential purchases. Users could find stores with their item in stock, and have store employees put those items on reserve. This feature makes sense, as the ability to reserve iPhones is already available in Apple retail stores.

What do you think of this patent? Would you use the app? Let us know in the comments!

Article Via Patently Apple

Photo Credit: Patently Apple

In October 2009, Nokia complained to a United States federal court that Apple, Inc. infringed on 10 of their telecommunications patents.

The below graphic neatly summarizes the patent charges:

Fast forward to present day December 2010. Nokia’s grievances increased to 75 complaints of patent infringement over the past 14 months. Today, this is what the patent charges look like:

Currently, the finished document spans 19 pages (“moves”), 11 reference pages, 31 PDF slides, and more than 75 patents. Oh, and did we mention the various “moves” are being heard by seven different courts? (Among them: Delaware and Dusseldorf.)

Nokia must think they’re the victim in this situation, as this kind of case must carry hefty legal fees. As a company, they’ve got major cajones to stand up to behemoth Apple in court. At the least, they should be given respect for their attempt.

However, it’s not for us to say who infringed on whom. Rather, in an idealistic world, it’s hoped that the justice system will rule based on fact. A multi-billion dollar payoff would be nice, but intellectual property is priceless.

Article Via Fortune

Photo Credit: FOSS Patents

This week, it was announced that Japan’s Softbank will soon be debuting NFC stickers for iPhone 4.

NFC (“near field communication”) is a short-range wireless technology that allows for the “tap and go” method of payment via debit or credit card accounts. Although it’s been said that Apple has interest in adopting the technology, it has not been introduced in any of their iOS devices to date.

Softbank’s press release explains that their NFC stickers, while covering the iPhone 4′s back, will not impede its operation or prevent the use of a bumper case. (We’ll take their word for it, since the thing’s written in Japanese.) They’ll retail for $36, and look something like this:

According to the press release, the sticker is made from polyurethane, weighs 0.5 ounces and will be available for three different mobile payment systems, whose logos can be seen in the above photo. The sticker will act as a basic “tap and go” terminal, and will go on sale in February 2011.

I have to admit that I’m jealous of Japan right now. From the very minute I activated my first iPhone, I wished for a purchasing method that didn’t involve counting cash or finicky debit card swipers. Hopefully Apple will jump on the NFC bandwagon and create a standardized version for their users worldwide.

Article Via Boy Genius Report

Photo Credit: Softbank

It’s common sense to carry a credit card during trips abroad. Cash can be easily stolen, while canceling a credit card only requires a simple phone call.

But when you whip out that black AmEx, how do you know how many American dollars will be charged to your card? After all, €100 does not equal $100.

In comes Wallet Dilemma ($2.99), the latest offering from developer Taplicious.

The app’s premise is simple. Pick your country of origin (in my case, the U.S.) Pick your bank (Chase, Bank of America, etc) and pick the type of card (Visa, MasterCard, etc):

Next, pick the currency you’re converting to. Wallet Dilemma has every currency, from Argentine pesos to Vietnam dongs. The large interface and scrolling options make it easy to find the currency you’re looking for:

Additionally, you can tap the Withdrawal icon on the bottom of the screen to calculate how much it will cost in your native currency to take out cash in your current location. Fast, easy, and simple!

Below is my list of pros and cons for this app:

Pros:

• The app can function offline, which is perfect for iPod touch users, or iPhone users looking to avoid being hit with international data roaming fees in areas without Wi-Fi.
• Its simple design. Even the technology-adverse can use it!
• There is no display of your current balance on any credit cards you add to the app. Security is not an issue.

Cons:

• The price point is a bit high for an app which essentially performs one function.
• I wouldn’t spend more than a couple days with this app offline, as it may miss exchange rate updates.

That’s it! Happy currency converting!

Did you purchase this app? Let us know your thoughts, as always, in the comments. Feel free to share other currency conversion recommendations too!

Article Via Taplicious

Photo Credit: Taplicious

Yesterday, the Telegraph reported that Apple was recently granted a patent for a holographic display, one that produces the desired three-dimensional effect without the use of 3D glasses.

The desired effect of the holographic display would be realism, spawning a new generation of televisions, computer monitors and cinema displays.

The technology operates with a new kind of screen, created from pixel-sized domes. These domes deflect images at different angles, which will in turn appear different to the left eye and right eye. This presentation of images at different angles generates a stereoscopic image, which the human brain will decipher as three-dimensional.

Below is a schematic filed by Apple in 2008 regarding three-dimensional displays. As you can see, it makes use of stereoscopic images (click to enlarge):

Another proposal in this patent suggests the use of 3D imaging to track multiple viewers and the positions of their eyes in relation to the holographic display. The display can then adjust itself accordingly, to keep the picture sharp for all viewers.

Do you think the holographic display will be the new standard for all displays? Let us know in the comments!

Do you have more information about this patent? Email me.

Article Via the Telegraph

Photo Credit: Inition, CMPNet

Reports from insider sources at Apple claim the company has raised their shipment goals from 19 million units in Q1 2011 to a new target of 21 million.

5-6 million of the shipped units are expected to be CDMA models, in anticipation of a Verizon iPhone debut.

They stated:

The first-quarter shipment goal for WCDMA iPhones has been adjusted from 13 million units to 14-15 million units, the sources said. The shipment goal for CDMA iPhones, which will be launched in North America and Asia Pacific in the first quarter, is set at 5-6 million units, the sources added.

Note that WCDMA refers to the current iPhone models available through AT&T and other major world carriers.

If Apple has truly raised their iPhone shipment goals, it brings more credibility to the longstanding rumor of a Verizon iPhone. Apple has waited quite a long time to tap into Verizon’s millions of users. If the Verizon iPhone is a reality, it’ll be interesting to see how many of its subscribers will ditch Droids and BlackBerrys.

Are you planning to buy an iPhone if available on Verizon? Let us know in the comments!

Article Via MacRumors

Photo Credit: FastCompany

Still coveting the iPhone 4? Wanted one for the holidays, but no one from your extended family was cool enough to buy you one? Fly, don’t run to AT&T’s website. They’re currently hawking the 16 GB iPhone 4 for a measly $99:

If you’re willing to live with a “cosmetic blemish,” you can also pick up a 16 GB iPhone 4 for $79. (Editor’s Note: At time of posting, the $79 16 GB iPhone 4 deal seems to have disappeared from AT&T’s website.)

Additionally, you can purchase the 32 GB iPhone 4 for $199, or $179 with a cosmetic blemish.

Note that refurbished models are tested for quality and performance before being resold. Also note that the refurbished price breaks are only available through the AT&T website. Still an amazing deal!

These are most likely the lowest-recorded price points for the iPhone 4. If that’s possible, how about some white iPhone 4s?

Did you buy a refurbished iPhone 4? Let us know in the comments!

Article Via Boy Genius Report

Photo Credit: AT&T