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Apple fixing security flaw in iPhones, iPads after German IT firm warning

Posted by Unknown
Thursday, July 7, 2011
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Apple is rushing to fix a security hole found in its iOS mobile software following a stern warning from a German IT security department.
The Associated Press is reporting that Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security found that flaw stems from clicking on an infected PDF file, which “is sufficient to infect the mobile device with malware without the user’s knowledge.” That opens the door for the user’s passwords, emails, text messages, emails and almost anything else stored on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch in question.
Apple’s response:
Apple Inc. spokeswoman Bethan Lloyd said Thursday the company is “aware of this reported issue and developing a fix that will be available to customers in an upcoming software update.”
Apparently this is damaging on “several versions” of iOS, but not all. The Guardian has cited specifics:
The problem may occur on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPad 2 and the iPod Touch with software versions including iOS 4.3.3, and it “cannot be excluded” that other iOS versions – including the iOS 5 due in September – have the same weakness, said the Bonn-based federal bureau.
The security gap was originally uncovered by a group of hackers trying to jailbreak an iPhone. Some third-parties who produce jailbreaking software have already posted patches. However, it appears that this problem, related to PDF files, is different from the recent zero-day font vulnerability found in JailbreakMe.com. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are unrelated, but just different.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes reports, there is a debate over whether or not jailbroken iPhones and other iOS devices are actually safer or not. But a patch from Apple for this specific problem is still needed immediately.
All of this follows the recent discovery that Apple could also be a target of the AntiSec campaign, adding fuel to the theory that the Cupertino, Calif.-based company could be the “Holy Grail” for hackers.

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LulzSec leaked AT&T documents outline LTE rollout and iPad 3

Posted by Unknown
Friday, July 1, 2011
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After 50 days of continuous assault on websites from corporations to government departments around the world, the six hackers known as LulzSec disbanded late last week but not without a parting gift.
Among the final release of leaked documents were ones from AT&T outlining its rollout of the LTE network as well as mention of the iPad 3 according to iFan.
iFan reports that in one document titled “2011 Weekly Calendar – LTE Milestones,” it said the “production launch will take place in July” and that ten more markets that were “promised LTE this year are on track to go live in September.” Verizon’s LTE network is already up and running so this information could very well be true.
Last week we told you that the next iPad is rumored to have an even higher resolution retina screen than the iPad 2, but if AT&T is rolling out a new network, the next iPad could very well be LTE-enabled according to iFan:
On a slide of a completely different PowerPoint presentation (pictured above), titled “LTE Status,” we see mentions of an iPad. This is where things get slightly more cryptic. Depending on how you interpret the message, it would seem as if AT&T is planning for an LTE iPad (probably the iPad 3, which is being rumored for a release either around March of next year, or this fall). Remember that this slide’s title is “LTE Status.” It wouldn’t make sense for a 3G iPad to be detailed on a page devoted to information on the 4Gstatus. With that in mind, this might confirm the rampant rumors of the iPad 3 being an LTE device. Given the timeline of the leaked information, it would also stand to reason that this new evidence points towards a March release, and not for the fall.
From what I can see in the leaked slide from AT&T, the carrier also makes mention of USB mobile broadband sticks and netbooks on the same “LTE Status” document so it seems the telecom will also be launching LTE-compatible devices to complement its handset offerings.
While we can’t confirm whether these leaked AT&T documents are up-to-date and contain reliable information considering that they were obtained illegally by hackers, the information contained in them certainly seem plausible.

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iPad Hidden Features !!

Posted by Unknown
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
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Here are some fun iPad features that a friend showed me last night. As per some of my previous iOS 5 tips, they’re tucked away in Settings > General > Accessibility. Below is the main Accessibility pane with Zoomand Triple-click Home annotated:
Zoom - Double-tap three fingers. Touch the Zoom setting in Accessibility to turn this one on (it’s off by default) and you can easily zoom in on an area on the iPad by double-tapping three fingers. This feature seems to have trickled down from Mac OS X’s System Preferences > Universal Access > Zoom and is great for giving demos to someone across the table or room.
The zoom itself is only one level deep (roughly 175%) and isn’t customizable. It zooms directly in on the area that you double-tapped and is reminiscent of double tapping to zoom in Mobile Safari on the iPhone. The zoom itself can’t be captured in a screenshot, but above are its settings.
Triple-clicking the Home button. Another fun setting hidden in Accessibility is the ability to map triple-clicking the Home button to one of four macros. In the screenshot above I have mine set to Toggle White on Black, a featured designed to help the visually impaired. I sometimes find black-on-white mode (pictured below) to be easier on my eyes for reading - especially at night.
Like the Zoom setting above, the black on white mode also trickled down from Mac OS X’s System Preferences > Universal Access > Display.
Since black-on-white mode isn’t screenshot-able, I’ve simulated it using Photoshop’s Image > Adjustments > Invert. Below is my normal iPad desktop, followed by it in black-on-white mode.

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Apple's patent reveals possible gaming accessory for iPhone and iPod

Posted by Unknown
Monday, April 5, 2010
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It seems as if the upcoming GameBone accessory and the gaming needs of thousands of iPhone and iPod Touch users have finally inspired Apple Inc. to develop a similar product, one that will allow users to operate their favourite Apple phone or media player with a variety of button-based controls, and give them the edge they’ve always wanted.

sneak peak on the patent application


Closer inspection however reveals that Apple filed this design, patent #0081505, in September 2008, and has been sitting on the concept for quite a while, way before GameBone detailed its own concept in June 2009.


The patent details various other functions and applications for the accessory, and it could contain force feedback actuators, accelerometer (for the iPod Touch), speakers, camera, microphone, even a mini keyboard, as well as infrared/Bluetooth wireless media controllers.

Check out the full patent and all its designs here [PDF] or here.



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