It really is touching the future.. Industry Pundits worldwide are already calling the iPad a big failure. People have gone on to say that the iPhone was one of the last great things we would ever see from the iconic Steve Jobs. The iPad in many ways is something that is radically new than just trying to innovate an existing market that the iPod and iPhone lines have done.

The iPad is Apple’s Computer for the rest of us. By the rest of us, I mean the people who aren’t in the Technology profession. Tech Enthusiasts world over have been crying foul that the iPad is not open and they cannot install apps of their choice. I’d have loved it if Apple allowed open App Development on the iPad without being dependent on the App Store, but the fact remains in doing so they would be jeopardizing the Experience that Apple has built around its platform.

I’m a student of Computer Science and I appreciate the power that my MacBook Pro or my Dell PC offers me, but everytime my Mom wants to send an email to somebody there are just too many steps involved with both of these platforms. But she understands how the iPhone works, it really is that simple. When I showed her the iPad video the only thing she said was I’d love to have this thing.

And it is then that realization struck me that Apple isn’t making the iPad for us Tech Enthusiasts who live by the night trying to code or to fix a bug but for the proverbial Mom who is looking for simple solutions to her problems.

Does she need Photoshop on her iPad? Does she need something like uTorrent running on her iPad? Heck No. I could easily say that atleast 80% of the Internet Connected Population uses the Internet for just EMail, Chat, Social Networking and Blogs. And the iPad solves the problem of the majority and not that of us minority who live by Technology.

Before I proceed further I want you all to watch the iPad Introduction Video. Watch it till the end, and try to gel everything that I’ve said thus far with what you see.

So why is that Tech Bloggers, the Media is calling the iPad a big failure?

First of all the print industry is scared to deaths that iPad will take over the Publishing industry. I can very well see the day when we will be reading magazines in full color and gloss on an iPad flipping through the pages just like what we do in a real magazine or a book.

And Second us the Tech Bloggers, Coders, Programmers, Computer Mechanics or whatever. We are obviously scared that we will loose our God like status in the society. Have you ever seen the pleasure that a Techie derives when he helps the average guy next door send an email or fix whatever the issue with his PC not booting up.

With the iPad, Apple is giving all these average next door neighbors a device so sexy and so easy that they won’t need us Techies anymore. Everything is so obvious and straightforward on the iPad. There are no crashes, no viruses, no weird phenomena that we have to come to associate with computing in general over the past decade.

And this is why the iPad is quite literally touching the future. No more confusing User Interfaces. Apple has taken a big step forward with the iPad. Having read elsewhere that iPad is what Apple set out to build, and the iPhone is actually is its child I can very well predict an exciting future for Apple’s MultiTouch Computing Platform.

But that does not mean iPad is not without issues. Here are some things I’d like Apple to fix before the iPad enters the market or atleast in the next product revision.

• MultiTasking
  Yes MultiTasking is a must on the iPad. It makes more sense on an iPhone to not have Multi Tasking with its limited screen estate, but the iPad a big no no. Multi Tasking is a must on the iPad.

  However there are already rumors that iPhone/iPad OS 4.0 will bring Multi Tasking to the platform. Here’s to hoping that these rumors are true.

• USB Interface
  A USB Interface is again a big request. I’d love to see an easy way to transfer my Photos from my Camera and upload it to Facebook or Flickr just like iPhoto already does on the Mac.

  I’d love to be able to complete my Spreadsheet on Numbers and plug in a USB Printer when I arrive at the office and take a quick printout to show it to my boss. The Applications are endless, so please Apple throw in a USB Connector.

• Video Camera
  This is more of a novelty though but it would be nice to do Video Chats with my friends while on the move. Ofcourse a Camera on the back is pretty much pointless because I don’t see people taking pictures with the iPad, but a front facing Camera will be welcome.

So does Apple have a Winner with the iPad? I’d say, Yes! The fundamental we compute is about to change. And Will I buy an iPad? Probably not the first revision, but definitely later. The iPad will make for an amazing second computer.

Well it goes after the personal data stored on your iPhone which includes email, contacts, SMS, Calendars, Photos etc. So if you have Jailbreak’ed your iPhone, you have to be concerned now.

Also the worm doesn’t need to be running on an infected device, the attacker could instead load it onto a Computer in a public network and scan for iPhone’s connected to the same network that are deemed to be vulnerable.

The attack vector is simply the Jailbroken iPhone, which is what you need to secure if you are running a Jailbroken iPhone. Since the iPhone runs on the trusted Unix Based Filesystem the fix is actually easier than it seems and you lose out on nothing with regards to the Jailbreak functionality.

So how do we do it? We just change the root password of iPhone to prevent hackers from getting access to the precious personal data on your iPhone. It’ll hard take you a couple of minutes but will save you a lot of trouble later.

• First up you need to Install the MobileTerminal application from Cydia.

  

• After it is installed, you’ll need to reboot your iPhone.
• Launch MobileTerminal from the springboard and type in the command: passwd
• When it asks you for the “Old Password,” type in: alpine
• At the new password prompt, type in a new password of your choice, but make sure its strong and secure enough
• Re-enter the password to confirm.
• You’ll now be returned to the Mobile$ prompt which means the change was successful.
• Now you’ll need to change the password for the root account. Type in the command login root.
• Once again, you’re prompted for the old password. Type in alpine.
• Now type in the command passwd
• You’ll then go through the change password routine a second time, entering in alpine as the old password, creating a new password and then re-entering it to confirm.
• Yup, that’s it. Once done, Close MobileTerminal and uninstall it from Cydia if you feel so.

P.S. I’ve personally tested this on my iPhone running iPhone OS. 3.1.2 Jailbroken using BlackRa1n. But I am pretty sure this should work other iPhones as well.

Let us know in the comments to explain how the process went for you. You really have to thank Dev Team and other teams working on the iPhone platform, with the increased power, they also make it relatively easy for us to secure our iPhones.

Surely the AppStore has a bunch of apps that you can’t live without.. But there are also apps that are nothing short of stinkers. Among the hundreds of apps at the Appstore these are the apps you don’t want to have on your iPhone, except for a good laugh maybe..

Sure enough Apple accepted them into the store for being well coded but again who needs them. Come on Apple get some interesting apps on the board rather than these bad apples which spoil the party…

So here are the 10 iPhone Apps you don’t want to have…

• Alarm Free

I’m completely at loss to explain the need for this app. The developer describes it as “self-defense/emergency alarm with freefall detector”. Confused? Yeah me too… Its even got a cool looking graphic telling you what you are supposed to do.. Yeah right! Imagine this neat conversation that I’m having…

“Hey there Mr. Mugger, one sec let me whip out my iPhone real fast(you knew I had an iPhone right?) and…. ok, unlocked the screen, launched this app, and BEEP BEEP BEEP! HAHA take that! A beeping sound far more quiet than the sound of my own voice! What? You want the iPhone now in addition to my wallet? Weird“

• Cow Toss

Another gem of an app at the App Store.. All you gotta do is move the cow and watch it fly around with space… I guess the guy who wrote this genius was probably practicing how to write real apps for the App Store…

• Crazy Mouth

Don’t take this as just another app. The developer asks you this question “Why waste money on an expensive facelift when you can get your Crazy Mouth on! ” Basically its got a series of 10 animated mouths which you are supposed to select and put the iPhone up to your mouth and give the onlookers a good laugh..

Have a look at this demo.. Surely this is not the reason you brought your iPhone right?

• Flashlight

Caught up in dark alley is it? Oh come on you can always use your iPhone as a flashlight can’t you? Pay 0.99$ for this cool little app and light up the dark streets.. Oh well there are other apps like Light that do the same thing for free. But paid apps are always better right?

• SimStapler

Perhaps you would like to staple the Declaration of Independence to the Magna Carta? Or, your phone bill to the Book of Kells? With SimStapler and your imagination its “no problem”

Meh! Basically a tool you can use to teach your kids how to staple two sheets of paper..

• Looky

All this really useful that costs 3$ does is bring you live search results from Google. I thought Google does it already.. Save those 3 bucks and fire up Safari and search Google..

Trust me it ain’t that hard..

• Banner Free

Getting bored? Display whatever text you like on a cool looking LED Matrix display. Thank god its atleast free..

• Hold On!

Seriously the whole point of this lovely little app seems to be holding that huge “Hold” button for as long as you can… Apparently it’s supposed to increase your productivity by increasing your concentration levels.

God gracious atleast this thing is free. You don’t want to pay a few bucks just to hold a button on your iPhone do you..

Tip: To get the highest possible score hold the button and walk along as though nothing happened..

• Handy Randy

Can’t think of a random number for your latest password? If you didn’t take math all that seriously when you were in school this app is made for you.. This super expensive application that costs you 10$( !! ) draws random numbers..

Also this cool little app gets my vote for the most horribly designed app in the App Store.. I wonder if the developer had ever seen an iPhone?

• Yes|No

Need to take a quick decision? Fire up this lovely little app and hold the question in your mind.. Once you are done with that it will tell you a Yes or a No.. Use this for questions like..

Should I call him?
Should I go to bed?
Should I push this huge red button?

My suggestion is once you have got the answer you needed delete this app to save precious space on your iPhone..

There you go, 10 iPhone apps that you don’t want to have. I keep wondering what the developers of these apps had in mind while developing these gems.. Maybe they were thinking “I guess if you’ve dropped that much money on a phone that looks cool, I guess you could spend a bit more and get some useless programs for it.”

Found some more useful useless apps for the iPhone? Please share with us in the comments..

With the iPhone on sale in over 22 countries today the day will not be complete without some launch day humor. The iPhone is already on sale in the US and some of you have already told us what you wish to do with your existing iPhone or your plans for the iPhone 3G.

Since the iPhone isn’t out here in India, i’ve been left with nothing less than hope to see the iPhone in my hands. Whatever that is, below are some comics courtesy Joy of Tech. After having a look at the comics make sure you visit the site for some geeky laughs. Whatever they meant!!

Rogers Rips of the Canadians!!

Sorry Boss, Don’t have enough $$

iPhone 3G WooHoo

Raiders of my Wallet

The Weekend Before a Keynote

So have you brought the iPhone 3G yet or is this just another gadget you must possess?

With the iPhone 3G all set to go on sale tomorrow morning, there are still some unanswered questions about the iPhone 3G.. Apple seems to have coordinated review spree from Walt Mossberg, Edward Baig, and David Pogue, all out with major hands-on reviews.

All the three of them feel that the iPhone 3G is a good hardware device and a good upgrade over the original iPhone that we saw an year earlier. But just like the original compromises with the iPhone still exist and that make it hardly a must-have device.

But that brings us to the important question.. Will you buy the iPhone 3G when it goes for sale this friday? If you are not planning to buy one what is it that is holding you back from buying one? Is it the cost, or is it the carrier choice or is it the design cues since you are going to have to acquaint yourself to a completely new experience of mobile phones..

Or are you going to rush to the nearest Apple Store first thing tomorrow morning and get the iPhone 3G? Or are you going to stay with your first gen iPhone? We’d love to hear what your plans are…

I for one will surely be lining up to buy the iPhone when it makes an appearance in India. Here’s a chance for all you guys to be a little bit of nostradamus..

Will the iPhone 3G be a hit or miss?

Which do you feel is the better? Is the Mac dude better than the Uncool PC Guy? Sound off your opinions..

Let the war of the fanboi’s begin

cartoon credit: ageekstoty

Share more videos and cartoons in the comments. I will update the post with more of them in the future.

Meanwhile my personal favorite is the Mac. Doesn’t mean I’m Gay Alright!!

When Steve Jobs had unveiled the original iPhone last year, I was completely bowled over. It was light years ahead of any other smartphone out there in the market. Since the initial release was US only, and unlocking of the iPhone wasn’t a good idea, I held off purchasing the iPhone and patiently waited, waited till this day.

With today’s launch of the iPhone 3G, the iPhone has become a more compelling device than it was last year, and here are 5 reasons why you must have the new iPhone..

Before I move onto outlining the 5 reasons, here is a fact. Many people world over held off from purchasing the iPhone, some for the lack of 3G, some for the lack of a good camera, some for its price. But the fact is that Apple managed to sell almost 6 Million iPhone’s last year which is no small feat.

But with the launch of the 3G iPhone, Apple has managed to shoot more than a couple of birds with one arrow, and that is why it is here to stay..

So here are the 5ive reasons why you must have the iPhone when it comes out this july..

• Price

Well the new iPhone comes in at a price that is hard to resist. The original iPhone was darn expensive for most people, but the new iPhone comes in at 199$ which is an amount most people can afford.

As Steve himself said during the keynote about 50 percent of people surveyed who didn’t buy an iPhone said that they didn’t because of price.

So now with 199$ price point, I’m sure Apple is going to sell a shit load of iPhone’s worldwide.

• Presence of 3G

3G was one of the most demanded features, when iPhone initially came out. With the most advanced browser on a smartphone, the original iPhone’s sole missing point was 3G.

With the latest iteration however Apple has managed to plug the hole. 3G is nearly 3 times faster than the EDGE that was a part of the original iPhone.

Time for some innovative web apps to see the light I guess.. and Mobile browsing got a whole lot better than it was..

• GPS and Location Aware Services

Google had once said that they have seen extremely high usage of Maps via iPhone. With just Cell tower triangulation and WiFi triangulation in the original iPhone we saw high usage of maps.

Now with GPS we’re heading off for a whole new era of Location Aware Services. We already saw a prime example of that during the keynote with the demo of Loopt.

With features like Search, Directions on a tiny mobile device that fits your pocket, the world just got a lot more smaller isn’t it?

• Applications Galore

The App Store will be the single most important feature of the new iPhone. We already some cool demos during the keynote like blogging apps, games, medical applications. The SDK is the most compelling mobile development platform ever.

You as a developer are only limited by your imaginations.

Add that with the distribution model that the App Store has, people are going to go crazy over the apps. Way better than downloading apps for your Windows mobile or Symbian phone.

The iPhone Apps will be a bigger success than the Facebook platform for sure..

• Sync via MobileME

The iPhone 3G brings about a new age of mobility never seen before by normal users. What has forever remained a feature for the enterprise for ages now is in the hands of normal people like you and me.

Complete sync between the iPhone, your PC and MAC and the internet. What more could you have asked for?

So are you going to stand in the long queues this July 11th when the iPhone 3G comes out?

As we’ve been expecting for months now, Steve Jobs finally unveiled the iPhone 3G today at WWDC. With the release of the iPhone 3G Uncle Steve managed to put an end to months of speculations of what we’ll see in iPhone 3G.

Here are the specs and my thoughts after the jump…

• Available in white/black
• No more recessed headphone jack
• All metal buttons
• 3G / GPS
• Comes in 8/16 GB models
• 5 hour talk time (3G) / 10 hours talk time (2G)
• New USB wall charger

Well I’m quite sure you might be a little shocked to see the specs. We were all expecting a little bit more from Apple for sure. Here are some of the features that I feel Apple should have improved upon.

• No improvements to the camera, its the same old 2MP. Look at your competition Apple!!
• No copy/paste. Is this all this difficult for you guys to develop?
• No MMS. Again this is dumb, considering the mobile media device Apple projects the iPhone, what’s the point without MMS?
• Note’s don’t sync! Why Apple? When everything else on the iPhone can sync why not Notes that is probably the easiest to sync

Apart from these minor gripes, I don’t really have any major complaints about the 3G iPhone. The expectations were running a bit high this time around, but Apple has more or less delivered.

Features that make my heart ache for an iPhone are GPS, and third party apps via the App Store. I can’t wait to see it in India, but I wonder we Indians aren’t used to contracts as such so how exactly are carriers like Bharti and Vodafone planning to sell the iPhone.

Well all said, I haven’t mentioned a word about the price have I? Well Apple has got the pricing right this time and the new iPhone will sell for 599$… 399$…. 199$. Yes you heard that right, the new iPhone will sell at 199$ subsidized for the 8GB model and 299$ for the 16GB model.

What are your thoughts about the new iPhone? Expect some more details about other announcements at the WWDC namely Snow Leopard, MobileME in the coming posts.

Oh yeah! You can buy the iPhone 3G on July 11th if you are in one of these countries or you got to wait a bit more longer.

Voice your opinions in the comments..

June 9th, the day when Apple’s annual developer event WWDC will kick start. During the four day event Apple will be making quite a few announcements. There are some we know for sure, but some that still remain a point of speculation.

Every passing day the rumors continue to swirl, and every day is a new day in the Apple land. Well here are my predictions for this years WWDC with my guess as to what chances are there it might be true..

Here they are :

• 3G iPhone (99.99% Sure we’ll see Steve Jobs Unveil this on June 9th)
• 3G iPhone available from Apple Stores on June 9th (50%)
• App Store (50% Sure)
• Mac OSX 10.6 (20% Chances)
• Redesigned Macbooks and Macbook Pros (75% Chance)

Well what else do you expect to see this WWDC? Let us know in the comments..

The iPhone is the sure to be the center of attraction. Rumors say that the new iPhone is expected to have support for GPS technology. News.com has a good point , “the combination of GPS and faster networking speeds should allow for a whole range of location-aware applications to proliferate on the iPhone, as they have on other competing phones.”

I’ll be all over Apple Centric blogs on June 9th trying to the get the latest information as WWDC progresses. June 9th to 13th are going to interesting days.

WWDC is scheduled to start 10:00 A.M. (PST).. Can’t wait any longer to see the latest Apple goodies. Bring ‘em on Apple..

Looks like the iPhone fever is not gonna die anytime soon. The Rumor mills have been abuzz over the past few months with talks about what features the 3G version of the iPhone would bring to the table. As everyone suspected the 3G iPhone would indeed reveal itself the coming June 9th.

According to Gizmodo who have got information from sources close to Apple, the second-generation iPhone will be available worldwide right after the launch, and not at year’s end, as previously thought. The new model will also herald new sales policies in some countries.

Also expect the upcoming iPhone to reveal a completely a new strategy on part of Apple. The iPhone will no longer be a carrier exclusive device in many of the countries it will launch in. Expect the newer iPhone to come with 3G(Obviously who doesn’t know that!!), Real GPS, A Better Camera and many more added goodies.

Also I’m not sure when we’d see iPhone Software 2.0 which is currently in beta. But I guess Steve Jobs would want to reveal what the new iPhone would have and also demo cool new additions into the iPhone Software.

Coming back to my native country India, I’ve been waiting for the iPhone ever since Steve Jobs first unveiled it, and I’m excited about the new iPhone. Considering that India won’t be getting 3G services anytime soon, WIFI is a hard commodity to find in India, I’d expect the Apple Marketing Team try different marketing techniques to promote the device, as Internet usage is still picking up in India, and mobile Internet usage is more or less unheard of in most circles.

But before June 9th, Apple has a serious problem at hands. Looks like Refurbished iPhones keep all the data from the previous user of the phone, making the refurbished phones a serious breach of privacy. For more details on this serious privacy issue visit TUAW.

Just 20 Days more to go for the whole world to see the all new iPhone. Bring it on Apple!! Sound off your views in the comments.

Image & News Credit : Gizmodo