Arkon car mounts for iPhone 4 [review] 0 komentar

Arkon is a manufacturer of car mounts for the iPhone. The company recently sent me a few mounting solutions for the iPhone 4 and I have tested you out for the last month.

The Arkon sent me package contain the following elements:

1. SM012 - mini weighted friction dashboard mount
2. GN014 SBH - travel mount mini swivel windshield suction pedestal
3. Ap013 3. 5 circular dashboard adhesive disk
4. GN015 HPB 2 Mini Windshield Suction pedestal
5. SM050 2 slim grip holder

First impressions

I must say I was a bit overwhelmed if I first the package due to the sheer number of parts. Weighted dashboard mount - first there is that, if I can be honest is far from "Mini" as the product name States. Then an adhesive is there to prevent hooks that the weighted mount sliding doors from the dashboard. Then there is the podium that still attaches to the mount. The base consists of several parts which have to set up, including of the plastic socket itself, the slim grip holder and four support legs, in the mount slide before you can deploy your iPhone.

Phew! That's a lot of parts. As Apple customers, we want products that, as the old Mac work slogan is "easy". I don't want to have an instruction manual to figure out how to use this thing to read. I just want to take it out of the box and use it.

Arkon iPhone rated 4 position

After mounting both (friction dashboard mount and adhesive dashboard disk) mounts, I found the friction Mount of dashboard to be cumbersome, far from "Mini" and not good to my dashboard equipped. On the other hand, I found the adhesives disk of to be a much smarter solution.

Friction mount was indeed too big for anywhere but right in the middle of my dashboard, and there it is difficult, was it hooks the security hook due to lack of space. Arkon advertises this Mount for more portable because you can use it in multiple vehicles, but my package security to prevent sliding doors is the mount from your dashboard hook that is not sustainable, nor important contained only one adhesive.

Arkon pedestals

One subtle difference between GN014 SBH and GN015 HPB 2 is that latter can you the angle of the holder higher or lower set in addition to the Pan, both ball socket function. I like the swivel ball because it allows the iPhone's position for easy manipulation.

The suction cup can either mount or attached to the windscreen. In my experience the suction cup was reliable and was never detached from the or the mount and the windscreen.

The slim grip holder

Only, the Arkon for iPhone 4 offers is the slim grip holder and I must say this part to assemble the Arkon a deal breaker for me. The slim grip holder requires that four supporting legs in grooves in the bracket to push, but I found this unpleasant be. The reason is obvious that this is a universal bracket and the support legs can be adjusted to any phone according to. The problem for me was that these legs were difficult adjustment without significant violence.

In addition to mount the iPhone, you have to drag the spring-loaded handle mechanism down and then it will return spring and attach the phone to the holder. (Das_klingt_in_der_Theorie_praktische,_aber_es_ist_nicht_ideal,_weil_a) it is a pain in the butt to the control mechanism with one hand your iPhone with the other down during Assembly and b) spring brings considerable pressure on the iPhone 4, makes me something unpleasant.

I'd much rather a holder who perfectly equipped for the iPhone 4 so that I could save the trouble adjusting the legs and the inconvenience of the Assembly of the phone with the spring mechanism.

In the conclusion

Finally, I swivel base and adhesive dashboard disk, but I was not a fan of friction mount or slim grip holder. Show me an equipped holder that I use too much, a violin, the "just works" and then I might change my mind.

Check you for sharing these mounts for the Arkon sincerely. I hope that the company is considering implementing some of this feedback in their product line. Visit the pricing and other details Arkon page for iPhone 4.

Arkon smart car mount for iPhone 4

Buy from Amazon: Arkon IPM515 windshield/dashboard / Console Mount for iPhone 4 with slim grip phone holder
Manufacturer: Arkon

What to do if your iPhone freezes [iPhone F & A] 0 komentar

This post is part of the iPhone F and A-series, where I iPhone-related issues, the reader me email address. I am not able to get all questions, but I'll occasionally answer one and post it here.

Casey writes:

What if my iPhone freezes? I was just switching between Facebook and Safari with the double click trick and my iPhone screen got stuck / froze. I would only take the battery with my old phone when it froze, but this is not possible with this phone. Do you know what I should do? I'm not good with technology. Thank you very much.

Sometimes the iPhone gets a little flabbergasted and freezes. It doesn't happen often, but if it does, it is not obvious what to do. Since the iPhone battery is not removable, you just can't take the battery out and reinsert it.

It is not clear what makes iPhone freezing, though it probably run simultaneously overuse of RAM because of too many applications. My MacBook has never in the year that I that it is frozen with the iPhone's small size, but is no surprise that there are sometimes a bit of trouble that handle heavy workloads.

What to do if your iPhone freezes

Simply start your iPhone keep the home button and sleep / wake button at the top of the phone at the same time. After a few seconds, the phone will restart and display the silver Apple logo. This is it. Now know what to do if your iPhone freezes.

Feel free to email your questions via the contact form.

Spider podium for iPhone by Breffo [review] 0 komentar

Breffo spider podium is not your average iPhone. It is advertised as "flexible gadget grip and travel dock", that can adapt to many different mounting situations. So as fare in the real world?

Spider rated podium for iPhone

You have to hand to Breffo for coming up with such a creative mounting solution there. As you might expect, the spider podium has eight legs that are multi-jointed and extremely flexible. It will raise iPhone, including those cases to each generation. And the possibilities for mounting with a spider stage are almost endless.

You can attach it in the dish rack so that you can refer to a recipe while you cook;

support it on your desktop while you crank your to do list;

or even you hang it from the Soundhole your acoustic guitar while you read the lyrics to a song you play.

The spider podium is great for creative people, because it's like play-DOH with a purpose. Once you use it for a few days, you will start to come up with unique installation setup for a number of different situations.

So is it ideal for creative people, but for the rest of us? "As my friend who me using observed said it seems interesting, but not practical." A problem with the spider podium is that it takes some time and provided some fiddling around to get the podium where you want it. If you hurry to get on the road, really have time to get to turn this thing to be mounted on the air vents on your dashboard a number of small parts? Better to get a car mount.

Nevertheless, get you a better spider podium depend on the, the more you use it. And despite the time that it takes, there are no other mount as versatile and fun to use spider podium than that.

Professionals

• Versatile, with eight jointed and bendable legs
• No annoying parts such as screws, brackets, etc.
• Fun to mount your iPhone on (almost) anything
• More affordable than ever different mounts for different purposes. Sold for ~$ 20 USD

Disadvantages

• Takes time, patience, mold and attaching
• Can be provided for only to objects in large objects which can break his legs
• Provide the most stable. I would take the chance, although Breffo used advertises it on a bike.

SPIDER PODIUM
The dock gadget grip and travel

Buy from Amazon: Breffo bot podium stand for iPhone
Manufacturer: Breffo

App store updates, remove functionality: Unethical business practices? 0 komentar

First it was Pandora Radio-app include annoying audio advertising in one APP store update. Then, after upgrading the SHAZAM this last summer I learned app recently that the app is now obsolete after five (per month) and forces you to pay $5 and update to restore its functionality. I think that is what you get as an "early adopter".

In General, if you think an update are expecting you features to your apps added. Occasionally, but corporations are apps remove update – rather than add - functionality of apps.

I expect that some people say the company has the right to do what you want, especially because it's a free app. I agree. Is however, this sound business practice? It is certainly a great way to piss off - or at least annoy - your most loyal users.

It is the classical loss selling trick - you advertise the product as free and unlimited, then swipe your privileges away and force to get the features, you enjoyed for free to pay. As a user in a Forum Thread about the question asked, "how white I requiring I no longer to your product in the future use to keep numbers?"

In a TechCrunch strategist David Dalka criticized post this same type of behavior among social networks digital business yesterday:

It's time for the Web community to stand up and scream that you are sick and tired of the constant terms of service changes, changes of privacy, steps backward in usability, affecting our mutual experience, comfort level with the sites we use and our enjoyment of the Web.

As social networks increasingly take advantage of users with constant terms of service changes, APP store app makers do the same. Sure, nobody will take these companies operating licenses, but it is a good way to hurt the image of the brand.

What do you think? Is unethical behavior? If app maker show more respect to their "early adopters", or are perfectly entitled, the proverbial carpet under your users feet with APP store pulling updates to remove the functionality?

iPhone 4 s eBay sell for $1,000 to $2500 0 komentar

Whether deliberately or not, Apple has failed, crank out iPhone 4 s fast enough to deliver millions of potential customers, you ask. How else you agree that the high that iPhone prices 4S for sell on eBay?

An advanced search from the finished offers for "iPhone 4? on eBay turns results for over a thousand iPhones before recently for somewhere between $985 to $2,650 have sold."

I estimated 1,200 iPhone 4s were between June and July 12 in the price range of $999 to $2,650 sold. The vast majority of those sold somewhere between $1,200 and $950 for.

Sale in the $2,000 ballpark generally those entitled to unlocked and "unlockable" It is difficult (if not impossible) to jailbreak and unlock an iPhone 4, so be careful, if you expect an unlocked iPhone from eBay sellers.

I received my iPhone 4 in the email and wait until August 5, in accordance with my purchase confirmation email from Apple. If the eBay iPhone market is any indication, my patience save me a considerable amount of money.

What is the highest you would be willing to offer for an iPhone 4 on eBay?

iPhone 4 unlocked 0 komentar

iPhone 4 has unlocked been. This is the message that the developers of Linux on the iPhone, which under the alias Planetbeing tweets via Twitter from:

Unlock of the iPhone 4 software allows you to use your iPhone on any GSM operators. The only problem: Planetbeing's iPhone 4 unlock solution has been released to the public. In addition, iPhone 4 has the list jailbreak solutions not joined.

The tweet that unlock the news about the iPhone 4 hole achievement praised this photo of unlock iPhone:

See Planetbeing showing off "the world's first and only carrier American iPhone 4? in this YouTube video he unlocked recently published:"

Will try to unlock your iPhone 4?

Prowl manages your iPhone push notifications, but it's a Catch… 0 komentar

In a recent post I described how the Lockinfo app recent push notifications on the lock screen of my jailbroken iPhone lists. Lockinfo fixes one of the major weaknesses in the iPhone operating system: the absence of a notification handling system. In the default iOS OS if you get a push notification popup after the other, the new notification will delete the previous one. And there is no way to view notifications recently received. I plan on the to be notified must handling systems on the iPhone, written something like page on Facebook lets you view all your current alerts.

Well, I learned recently to receive another way and manage alerts on iPhone without jailbreak. With a $3-app called prowl you can get notifications similar to iPhone's default push notifications, and you can view and manage within the prowl app. But there is a caveat…

Prowl depends on Growl

The prowl app only works if you have Growl, a free software (Mac / Windows), which receives push notifications from online services like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter and others.

What is prowl is to push your Growl notifications on your computer to your iPhone. Prowl handles notifications well but there's a problem: your computer must be constantly online. So you can receive notifications for a bunch of things but when your computer is sleeping or your ISP will miss the notifications you down because you will not receive growl. This is prowl's Achilles' heel, in my opinion. Despite which will strengthen its prowl app by its dependence on your home or impeded in the Office Internet connection.

I bought prowl in the hope, use it for my alerts and simply turn off iPhone's default push notifications, but apparently the computer will not send notifications to my iPhone when it sleeps (because the WiFi adapter goes to sleep, and therefore no Internet signal).

Prowl may be useful if you home to your work or computer when leaving, but in general I do my computer would like to sleep whenever I use it am. Energy-conscious or budget-minded people who may not like to let you find your computer on all day prowl are somewhat outdated.

If your computer on when you are away from your desk could prowl be useful. But if you carry your laptop in a backpack or is you on standby, then on most of the warnings, at least until your computer are missing is back online, but until then it might be too late.

Prowl notification

Prowl notifies you about events on your computer as a completed download updates for Firefox or its Add-ons and Web services like Twitter, Facebook and foursquare updated. As mentioned above, most require that notifications be your computer online for you sent by Growl to prowl.

Prowl supports certain Web Services, which will send you notifications when your computer is offline, but the list seems however limited to Twitter, Google voice, and USPS updates.

Prowl notifications look like iPhones standard notifications with the only difference that you can see your current notifications listed in the app. The prowl app shows a brief summary of your alerts. This may be sufficient, except that I want to be able to touch my alerts and go directly to the relevant app can't do.

However, you can set certain notifications to certain apps redirect if you get a popup. So, if you receive a notification from Twitter, you can set Echofon app, for example to open it.

Conclusion

If you search a notification handling solution prowl can be useful in certain circumstances, if you're a break at work and want to stay informed of events on your computer such as completed downloads, incoming calls from Skype or Google voice or warnings that your site is down.

Otherwise, it is generally unreliable as a notification to treat the solution because it your computer requires be switched on, send important notifications. Although some Web services notifications will send without the need for an Internet connection to prowl, prowl supports only a limited set of Web services. Also can not push notifications from iPhone apps are not supported by Growl or prowl are sent to prowl and listed in the app.

There is always the option to get the default iPhone push notifications in conjunction with prowl, but unfortunately there is little you can do, to unify all your alerts in a consistent location unless you have a jailbroken iPhone. Prowl is a step in the right direction, but not quite iPhones notification handling it solves.

Lockinfo: Great productivity app [only jailbreak] 0 komentar

I've recently jailbroke of my iPhone 4 with limera1n and have added a feature to my iPhone, which helps to remain productive me by using an otherwise poorly used space in which iPhone OS: the lock screen.

Lockinfo

The app is Lockinfo and it is available in Cydia.

What it does? Lockinfo grabs all your important data from your apps and syndicated on the lock screen you see when you turn on your iPhone's screen. Lockinfo see all kinds of data on your iPhone lock screen, including:

• The weather
• The last text messages
• Missed call and voicemails
• Mail
• Push notifications from any possible app
• Calendar items from iPhone's default calendar app
• To-do list items drawn from one of the three leading to do apps in the APP store
• Twitter
• RSS feeds

Should I believe Apple look at Lockinfo and make this default functionality in the next version of iOS. Currently, the iPhone lock screen is just wasted Realty and Lockinfo makes it much more useful.

Lockinfo of plugins

Lockinfo supports plugins to extend its functionality. By default, e-Mail messages, calendar, text messages, phone calls and push notifications appears, but everything else is available as a plugin. I like that Lockinfo runs on plugins, because there you is the option to select which features you want and let the extra stuff off your iPhone hard drive.

You can customize each plugin within settings, including the order, the information will be shown on your lock screen.

Using Lockinfo

Lockinfo is great, because it a summary of all your important information just a button click away placed. By pressing my home button, can I check the time of day, see my upcoming dates, show and check off my tasks for the day and read my last messages all without even unlock my iPhone.

You can customize the way your information is displayed by adjusting the plugin order, set the maximum amount of items for each plugin and expand / collapse sections on your lock screen.

The app has a useful feature called InfoShade, which lets the Lockinfo screen raising no matter what the time doing. You can define how you enable it in the settings. I set it to appear on the status bar at the top of my iPhone I pull.

Lockinfo solves another problem with the iPhone, namely the absence of a notification handling system. I the fact that deplores iPhone lack a notification handling system above. Lockinfo solves the problem by listing all your recent push notifications in a separate section on the lock screen. Now, your important meeting notification will be deleted for example from a Facebook message notification. With Lockinfo lists all push notifications on your lock screen until you turn off.

Lockinfo makes check e-Mail way faster, also because it read, mark as read leaving messages directly from the lock screen (without reading). This saves me lots of time because it prevents that me having to go to the mail app only to check an e-Mail I could never read in the first place. Suppose you're busy and you get a buzz on your iPhone alerts a new e-Mail message. If you look at your Lockinfo screen and see that there is only one promotional once bought e-Mail from an online store but don't care, then you can it as read, by going on the X and again just to without too distracted, and without ever unlocking your iPhone to work.

Because it helps me myself throughout day reorient all-in-all, I'm a big fan of Lockinfo. I can set my appointments and tasks to update at any time and I constantly and show, my right workload lock screen.

Believe Lockinfo?

One concern I have Lockinfo is that anyone who brings your iPhone can see all your important data on your lock screen. I tried would be setting to see a passcode lock as much Lockinfo access without a password enter me and it was more than I'd like.

Not just anyone can see my upcoming appointments, tasks and messages, but you can actually edit the data, by marking e-mail messages as read (but read the contents of e-Mails), to-do list items as complete select and type sending messages from Twitter, even without the password. (Update: David notes in the comments that you can make the mail plugin secure settings.) If you are dealing with sensitive information or are very strict about your privacy, then Lockinfo is probably not for you.

How to install and customize Lockinfo

Lockinfo is fully functional and highly customizable. There's a catch? Yes. Lockinfo is not free. Indeed, it is a little on the high end for an app for $7.99, but get a 14-day trial.

Can the app and plugins in Cydia will find in the search to "Lockinfo." Detailed instructions for installing and using Lockinfo check this out Lockinfo how-to guide from iClarified.

For more info on jailbreaking all iPhone, see my ultimate iPhone jailbreak guide.

iPhone Edition: Home button hard to press, has time to lose 0 komentar

I have over the last few months noticed that my iPhone Home button grows gradually stops responding. While my home button without activate a light fail, unnoticed the same amount of pressure now by the iPhone. I respond home button now harder to press on my touch and the constant double-tapping required to iOS4's app to bring switcher places stress on my thumb.

In November 2007 the key "home" problem mentioned Forum by any user in the MacRumors and the thread has 4 pages of related complaints from iPhone customers with faulty home buttons. The complaints ranging from first gen iPhone 3 g 3GS users, though I have found no reports of an iPhone 4 Home button topic as of this writing. It may be too early to say.

Although the weaker home button on my iPhone 3GS has apparent for a few months, it was tapped never once usually only the home button a great inconvenience since I at any time. Now, that the update iOS4 multitasking has brought to the iPhone by double-click on needed to enable the feature makes the key "home" issue, that much more aggravating.

Pressure on the bottom of the home button seems to improve, though not reliable.

These days, with my iPhone for a long period me on the wounds thumb as a child, I had play after too many video games. This is not a good sign because the hand health risks relating to video gaming. No one deserves to get carpal tunnel syndrome from your iPhone but is a real one if Apple has improved this problem with the iPhone 4.

I still tried, my iPhone to Apple store to take because it a store in my city and my expired warranty has discouraged me from driving to a remote Apple store just rejected. Although I soon one iPhone 4 (still on delivery) is go to, if possible I would like to clarify this issue so I can get a good price for my iPhone 3GS if I to sell it on eBay.

Your iPhone Home button is broken, too?

Is your fast responding iPhone Home button of less than when you originally the phone? If you were able to solve the key "home" issue, I would like it your advice for the establishment.

How to make a cheaper iPhone 4 with the help of a friend or family member 0 komentar

If you are like me and many other AT & T iPhone customers, you logged on to Apple.com to find have out how much a new iPhone 4 will cost you, and you have been startled by the exorbitant price tag. Apple ads say the iPhone 4 starts at $200 /$ 300, but the fine print reveals that this discount price applies only to new AT & T contracts.
If you're like me, your heart stopped as an unanticipated $700 price tag forced you to reconsider your iPhone 4 purchase. Well don't get discouraged just yet. There is still hope for getting a cheaper iPhone 4, if you're willing to ask a friend or family member for a favor.
Read on to find out how to save $200 on an iPhone 4 with the help of a close friend or family member:

Disclaimer: This story is for entertainment purposes only. I encourage everyone to abide by all the terms and conditions of their AT & T contracts. This article is not to be construed as counsel or advice. Attempt any of the following at your own risk.

First, let me outline some of Apple and AT & T's iPhone rules and regulations.

Apple's rules for iPhone 4 sales in the US:

• As most of you know, iPhone remains exclusive to AT & T as of this writing. That means you are not officially allowed to use another carrier on your iPhone. Note: It is not against the law to use another carrier. You can do so by jailbreaking then unlocking your iPhone, but be aware it will void your warranty.
  
• If you purchase an iPhone at your local Apple retail store, you must activate it (i.e. link it with an AT & T account via iTunes) in the store at the time of purchase.
• If you are on a family plan, the primary account holder must go to the Apple store to purchase iPhones for any of the other family members on the account.
• If you purchase online on iPhone, it must be shipped to the address of the primary account holder.

AT & T's rules for iPhone 4 sales:

• AT & T wants to subsidize the cost of an iPhone 4 and offer it to new contract signers at $200 for the 16 gb model or $300 for the 32 gb model.
• AT & T offers "early upgrade" eligibility to certain users, meaning they can get a reduced price on a new iPhone 4. Early upgrade eligibility is determined by several factors in addition to your contract length, according to ZDNet's guide to iPhone upgrade policies:
  

  AT & T takes into account your spending level, whether you are a good customer who pays his bill on time, and how far you are into your contract to determine whether you can upgrade early. AT & T has said that it will allow existing iPhone customers who are eligible for an upgrade between June 7 and the end of this year to get the best pricing for the iPhone 4 with a two-year term commitment.

• Upon purchasing the iPhone 4, you must select a data plan for your account. All iPhone customers must have a data plan.

As you can see, Apple and AT & T make it considerably difficult and nearly impossible for people to buy iPhones that are not linked to your own AT & T account. But there are ways to get around this.

How to get a cheaper iPhone 4

Imagine this scenario:
You have a friend or family member who is one of those "non-tech" people that is perfectly content with a modest cell phone with basic functionality. In my case, this person could be my mother. She has a basic camera phone that she is happy to continue using with her AT & T account, which has always served her well.
If you have a spouse, family member or close friend who fits this description, they may be able to help you get a $200 discount on the iPhone 4, assuming you are in the position to pay $600 /$ 700 with your own account AT & T.
Now imagine my mother has early upgrade eligibility and is allowed to purchase the iPhone for $400 /$ 500 instead of $600 /$ 700. I a send forth $427 (with taxes) check for a 16 gb iPhone 4, she purchases the iPhone and links it to her phone number, mails it to me and I place my SIM card in and activate it with my phone number.
As a result, I get an iPhone 4 for $200 cheaper, and she goes back to her old cell phone.
A couple of caveats:

1. She has added a $15 data plan to her account, which she doesn't actually need. To remove the data plan, will we call AT & T and simply tell them she has switched back to her old phone and no longer has any need for the data plan.
2. This may prevent her from getting an AT & T-subsidized cell phone in the near future.

Does this work?

Yes. Although the thought never occurred to me in previous years, my friend recommended I do this after learning about it from one of his friends who works at AT & T. many people are on family plans, so it is easy to do this "Bayt and switch" with a family member who does not care to get a fancy phone. Even if you are not on a family plan, this should still work. My friend has successfully reduced his iPhone price with this method a couple of times already.

Is this allowed?

To the best of my knowledge, the above strategy is not illegal, though it may technically go against your AT & T contract (who knows? did you actually read the whole thing?). According to ZDnet's iPhone upgrade guide, this is a tricky issue:

Let's say that I have an iPhone 3GS. I'm not Waren for an upgrade, but my husband who plan on my family is and has to LG flip phone is eligible for an upgrade. Can I use his upgrade to get a new iPhone 4 for $199 or $299 for myself?
This is tricky. Technically, the answer is no. The upgrade is only for the subscriber whose contract is expiring. But a way to get around this is to "replace" the old LG phone with the iPhone 4. Then you can switch the phone numbers and continue to use the LG phone and reduce the service on that line.
Source: Demistifying AT & T's iPhone upgrade policies (FAQ)

Who should you ask for the favor?

It takes a generous person to do this for you, and that's why I recommend only asking people who are close to you and who you think would not mind doing you the favor. Ask someone who is not tech savvy and is perfectly content with a basic cheap phone. I have a few friends and family members who just don't care to have an iPhone or a new cell phone. These are the perfect candidates to ask.

Conclusion

Again, please attempt this at your own risk. However, it is a shortcut that has worked for a friend of mine and that I expect would work for me, based on the research I have done.
Let me know if this works out for you and if you have any other tips for saving money on a new iPhone.