Apps

Gambling Apps Coming to a Smartphone Near You

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In the near future, people will be gambling on their phones, winning or losing money with a few simple swipes of their finger. Big Fish Games, a company based in Seattle, is releasing a gambling app in the UK, where such actions are legal.

Potential For Big Bucks

It is estimated nearly 50 billion dollars will be gambled on mobile devices by the year 2015. This means companies want to get on the action and are eager to design applications that let consumer do just that.

Chris Chriffin, CEO of Betable, a partner company with Big Fish Games, says this is a huge opportunity for game developers. However, Big Fish is certainly not the only company on the market.

Zynga, the biggest maker of social games, plans to release real money gambling applications before 2013 is over.

Legal Issues

Betting money over the internet is illegal in many states in the US. That certainly will not stop everybody, however, and some states may relax restrictions. California, Nevada, and New Jersey are thinking about making it legal.

App Producers and Apple

Despite the lucrative opportunity, Apple is not getting any money from the sale of gambling apps. Apple would prefer to not worry about being part of a potentially illegal gambling operation.

Thousands of players already play for fake money on their phones. When real money becomes available, many of them will be among the first to buy gambling apps. Paul Thelen, CEO of Big Fish, says the opportunity for profit in the near future may be very large indeed.

See this page for more info.

If you do get involved in gambling apps, and in a heated moment, throw your iPhone to the ground, you’ll need to get it fixed so you can win the money back.  There’s always another day.  Or Gamblers Anonymous.

Accessories

4 Docks That Rock!

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Let’s face it, Apple has changed the way the world moves, grooves and shares information. Apple’s reach into the lives of the average Joe seems boundless. So, what’s next? You already have your iPod, iPad, iPhone and Macbook. It would seem that you have all you can possibly need, right? Well, think again because if the automotive salesman has shown us anything, there are always room for add-ons.

Amongst the countless accessories that have been manufactured to accompany Apple products, from cases to ear buds, no one thing holds more presence than the “dock”. This electronic hub, meant to enhance, amplify and charge your gadgets, can be the ultimate in elevating your experience.

 

ISOUND-4531 Power View Pro Charging Dock

This dock can charge 2 iPhones or iPods, and 2 iPads at the same time, plus 2 additional powered USB ports located on back allow you to charge any USB device.

 

Philips Fidelio Docking Speaker

This dock’s compact design is fit for iPod, iPhone and iPad. With PC synchronization with your Apple devices. this audio treasure is great for any space.

 

JBL On Air Wireless

This dock hosts 3 JBL transducers to provide ample sound. With HALO (Horizontal Acoustic Level Optimization) technology plus AirPlay wireless streaming, your iTunes collection will never sound the same again.

 

Acoustic Research Rotating Docking System

This dock’s motorized moving arm for vertical and horizontal viewing has 5 adapters for your  iPad, iPhone 3, iPhone 4, iPod touch and iPod Nano. Plus, a sound that will surely please.

As the world of Apple expands, undoubtedly the accessories shall follow suit. However, the accessories only hold value when your device of choice is working at optimal levels. If you are need of iPhone, iPad, iPod or laptop repair services, leave it to iFixYouri to save your mobile item from recycling.

Other Related Posts:

15 Cool Docking Stations for iPad, iPod, and iPhone

Best iPod/iPhone Speakers

Best iPod and iPhone Speaker Docks

Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab is Banned in US

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Now that the dust has mostly settled in the legal battle between Apple and Samsung, let’s explore one of the issues of copyright regarding the Samsung Galaxy Tab that was at the center of the debate.  Both the mobile phone giants tried their best to win this legal battle through depositions and court witnesses, which proved to be a difficult dilemma for Samsung.

Galaxy Tab and iPad Design Issues

Designer Testimony

According to Jin Soo Kim, the industrial designer who worked on the design of Galaxy Tab 10.1, the work for the Samsung tablet was started in October, 2009. He also presented an email dated 2006, which clearly shows that the work on the Tab was underway in 2006.

This was much before the scheduled unveiling of iPad 1 and iPad 2, which took place in January 2010 and 2011 respectively. Kim further added to his testimony that the major goal of Samsung was to get the largest screen on a fairly smaller piece of hardware.

Total Denial of Guilt

Kim acknowledged the fact that there were certain amendments and design changes done to the Galaxy tablet. He also clarified that it was done only keeping competitive factors in mind, while there were no intentions to replicate the iPad’s design. Kim denied allegations that he attempted to copy the design of Apple products at any point in time during the designing process of the Galaxy Tab.

Kim also did not acknowledge rumors claiming that Google had sent an email to Samsung asking the phone manufacturer to change its designs of the Galaxy phone series. The email from Google actually referred to the design issues relating to the original Galaxy Tab, which apparently never made it to the consumer market.

The Outcome

In the end, Judge Lucy Koh handed Applean injunction against Samsung selling their Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the US, agreeing that the device infringes on several of Apple’s iPad patents.

Since you won’t be able to buy a new one anytime soon, if you already own the Galaxy Tab and need repairs, contact iFixYouri for experienced technicians.

Uncategorized

An Overview of OS X Mountain Lion

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mountain-lion-osx-ifixyouriApple has kept true to its word and delivered a new OS X known as Mountain Lion. If the previous version of Lion did not meet your expectations, the new OS X is a different breed. To start with, the new OS X borrows a lot from Lion. This means that the new version feels quite familiar in terms of performance and features.

To ensure a smooth transition from Lion to Mountain Lion, the new OS X makes compatibility a breeze. By now, most developers have had time to fine tune and smooth out any app compatibility hitches.

Features

Notifications

One of the newest features in the new OS X is notifications. They make handling alerts from the apps running on your machine easy. Instead of a segmented, jumbled mess, it is all now a pretty streamlined operation. Built-in apps now include Twitter and Facebook as well. In addition, the notification center works well with Chrome and Safari. If you have a Gmail message, an alert will show up on your notification center.

To install unsigned apps, you will have to circumvent the new Gatekeeper feature. However, you can easily tweak the default setting that blocks unsigned apps. For developers, certification will set you back $99 a year for a developer account.

Cloud integration

Another new feature that you will notice quickly is the Documents in the Cloud feature. With this feature, everything from Preview to TextEdit gets OS integration. This means that your files reside within the app environment and in the cloud.

Apps

Some of the apps that have made a transition from Lion to this new version include Messages, Notes, and Reminders. Messages now replaces the iChat app that seemed to have stability issues — and it’s about time, even my old iPhone has these apps.

Airplay is a new feature that you cannot miss. You can now route live web events to your TV via Apple TV. There is no doubt that the new Mountain Lion is a big forward leap.

New Macs are shipped with Mountain Lion installed, or you can upgrade to the new OSX version.  The cheaper route would be to simply upgrade instead of buying a new system, but if your current desktop or laptop needs repairs, iFixYouri can help and save you money.

News

Apple Buys Rights to Use Fingerprint Scanner Technology

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iphone-fingerprint-ifixyouriApple has recently purchased AuthenTec, a biometrics security company, for $356 million or $7 per share. Within that purchase, Apple has received the rights to use hardware and software technology and has received the rights to the patents for its 2D fingerprint scanner, according to the SEC filing.

How Apple Plans to Use the Technology

There is plenty of speculation as to what Apple will do with the technology it garners by its purchase of AuthenTec. Perhaps the fingerprint technology will make it onto the next versions of the iPhone or iPad.

In addition to the fingerprint scanner technology, AuthenTec is well-known for its NFC (Near Field Communications) smart sensor. One rumor that had been circulating since the early part of 2011 was that Apple would add these capabilities to the iPhone 5, but it didn’t materialize.  Perhaps it will become available to the iPhone or iPad in the future.

In the meantime, if you’re holding out for a future generation that will include the new technology, and want to keep your current device, remember you can simply get your iPhone or iPad fixed if it fails in the interim.

When the Deal Began and Why

Before Apple decided to buy the company, AuthenTec had been trying to sell licenses for its, as yet unspecified, technology. It had approached several consumer electronics companies, but was unsuccessful in selling the licenses.

Many companies seem to have been unreceptive due to the pricing on the technology. Apple had expressed interest in buying the licenses, but negotiations fell through sometime in early 2012.

At that point, Apple considered another option, purchasing the company and everything that went with that purchase. Apple’s argument for the pricing was that it had a unique set-up to offer. Unlike other companies, which have several different platforms, Apple has a one-platform company set-up. This means there are less challenges in applying the technology AuthenTec has created.

Though it is unclear which technology Apple wanted most from this purchase, the fingerprint scanner or the NFC scanner, Apple insisted on a quick purchase. Is your next iPhone going to a) unlock via fingerprinting? or b) automatically communicate with nearby phones? Or is it something else entirely — what do you think?

Tips, laptops

Tips To Extend MacBook Battery Life

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The battery life of a Macbook depends primarily on its usage, as well as its configuration. All MacBooks have a battery status menu that displays the charge level of the battery as well as whether it is charging or not. The battery status menu and the menu bar lay side to side on the right side of the computer. It undergoes varying changes and updates depending on the system workload and screen brightness. Below are some tips that you can use to get the most out of your MacBook battery.

First Things First

Click on system preferences on your MacBook dock. A silver square with a gear train inside represents the system preferences. Next, click on energy saver and check the graphics settings. If they are set on the ‘higher performance’ option, change it to ‘better battery life’. In order to save the changes on your graphics option, you will have to log out.

Use Only What’s Necessary

Turn off unused technologies and features and maximize your MacBook’s battery life. This follows the same logic as switching off the lights in an empty room. Start by ejecting DVDs and CDs that you are not using. The optical drive will use battery power to read these media as long as they are in the drive. Disconnect all peripherals such as digital cameras, external hard drives, mice and printers. Connected peripherals draw power through the fire wire or USB ports. This reduces your battery life considerably. Shut down any running applications that are not in use as well as runaway applications.

Turn off Local Networks

Turn off your Bluetooth or AirPort to extend your battery life if you are not using them. Click on the menu bar and select the AirPort or Bluetooth option. Choose the turn off option of either feature from the drop-down menu to turn them off. You can also deactivate the two features from the system preferences option.

Reduce Brightness

Reduce your screen brightness to a comfortable level. The brightness of your MacBook screen has the greatest impact on your battery life when compared to any other setting. Pressing the F1 key will dim the screen to a comfortable brightness level. For example, reducing your screen brightness from 100% to 50% on a MacBook Pro will add up to three hours on your total battery life.

Pressing the F8 key on your MacBook will turn off the keyboard backlight further extending your battery life.

Check Your Battery Condition

If you are running Mac OS X v10.6.x or higher, holding the option key and clicking the battery status menu will display the condition of your battery. The MacBook should indicate normal battery condition for optimum performance. A ‘replace soon’ condition indicates that the battery needs replacement soon while a ‘replace now’ condition requires immediate battery replacement. If you see this sign, your computer may be getting old and you should check out iFixYouri’s Mac laptop repair services.

News, Tablets

Steve Jobs’ iPad Stolen for a Clown

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Barely weeks after the Apple co-founder’s home was broken into and valuables were taken back in July, evidence emerged pointing to one Kariem McFarlin. Police said the 35-year-old resident of Alameda stole items including a silver-colored iPad device that belonged to Steve Jobs. The mobile device was allegedly robbed from his home situated along Waverley Street.

Given to Kenny the Clown

The police said that Mr. McFarlin gave the iPad to his long-time friend, a 47-year-old man known as Kenny the Clown (whose real name is Kenneth Kahn). The professional clown recounts how his friend walked up to him and handed him the silver-colored iPad.  Kahn was unaware that the iPad belonged to Steve Jobs until four days later when the police came asking for the device.

Kahn, a well-known street performer, had a brief opportunity to use the stolen iPad for his clown routine.

The Court Hearing

Although Kahn admits that his friend is not “any type of menace”, records held in the courts show McFarlin has pleaded guilty to different offenses in the past. The police have added that the offender has confessed to his crimes and will require a sum of $500,000 to bail himself out.

The Concerned Parties

With a case like this that involves one of Apple’s greatest inventors, Steve Jobs, one would expect both the family and his Apple counterparts to comment on the incident. But to date, none of them have come forward to issue a statement on the matter.

Uncategorized

Opening Weekend of iPhone 5: Over 5 Million Sold!

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In its first weekend of being available to consumers, the highly anticipated iPhone 5 was quickly purchased by over 5 million fans across the US.  Apple stores in cities around the country reported selling out their Verizon and AT&T iPhones, while a few iPhones with Sprint service were still available on Sunday.

While the initial shipments were completely sold out, it is estimated that Apple could have sold an additional 2-3 million units if there was a greater supply available.  Apple CEO Tim Cook was naturally pleased with the results, but knows there were many consumers who were turned away.

“We are working hard to get an iPhone 5 into the hands of every customer who wants one as quickly as possible,” he said.  “We appreciate everyone’s patience.”

About a year ago, the iPhone 4S debuted to the public, who gobbled up over 1 million of the popular devices.

Already Disappointment with the iPhone 5

Naturally, there will be features to celebrate, as well as elements that will let down new iPhone 5 owners.  This time, the resounding disappointment comes from the new Map app, which replaces the Google Maps app that came with previous iPhone generations.  Apple’s version of the map app doesn’t include local transit information, and apparently the directions aren’t very accurate.

Apple’s response is that it plans to continue updating the app, and the features will develop over time.

iPhone 5 Sold Out – Now What?

The next shipments from Apple won’t likely appear on shelves for about a month, so those clamoring for the device will need to keep using their old models in the meantime.  Of course, when the new version arrives, so will the inevitable mechanical issues that accompany brand new complicated devices.  If you get your hands on the new iPhone and it doesn’t work properly, don’t spend time complaining about it in forums – just send it or take it in to the iPhone 5 repair professionals, iFixYouri.

Smartphone, Tablet and Computer Repairs and News