Thorsten Heins just broke what has to be the biggest news out of BBLive this morning: BBM is breaking out of its walled garden. Starting this summer, users running iOS 6 and Android ICS or higher will be able to download the BBM app for free and join in the messaging experience so highly curated by BlackBerry. Initially, however, only the messaging and group features will be accessible for outside users, but throughout the year, the company hopes to add BBM voice, BBM channels, screen sharing and video capabilities. You'll have to hold tight for a more specific launch date, as Heins didn't announce any concrete timing. But if you've waited for this news for years, what's a few more months?

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Blackberry

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Among the people affected by Apple's iOS 6 Maps debacle was claimed project head Richard Williamson, who was reportedly shown the door at the end of 2012. While the details were never directly corroborated outside of Williamson's exit in December, he may have found a new home at Facebook: Bloomberg's sources say that the director joined the social network's mobile software division within the past two weeks. We don't know what (if anything) Williamson might be producing when Facebook has so far declined comment, although there's no question that he has an appropriate pedigree when he managed interface development for key iOS apps and helped get Safari off the ground. Suffice it to say that the internet giant has plenty of projects that might benefit from his overall experience.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Apple, Facebook

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Via: AppleInsider

Source: Bloomberg

You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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It seems that every time Apple introduces a new version of iOS, it creates some new method to get past the software's lock screen. A YouTube tutorial reveals the rather simple combination of button presses and fake emergency calls necessary to give you access to anyone's iDevice -- or more specifically to the iOS phone module, from where you can make calls, view and edit contacts, send email and perform any other linked function. You'll have to be quick-fingered, however, as you have to push the home button rapidly after getting into the iPhone's contact list. You can learn how to do it after the break, but until Cupertino issues an update, we'd suggest keeping your beloved fondlephone close by.

Filed under: Apple

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Via: Gizmodo, S1riOS6 (Spanish)

It was only a matter of time before the iPhone 5 was freed from its rigid, stock iOS constraints, and months after first seeing the handset be liberated, any and all users can now do the same. That's right, folks, the evasi0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 6.0 and 6.1 is now just a download away at the source link below. To accomplish the task, you need only have a computer running Windows XP and up, Mac OS X 10.5 and up, or your favorite flavor of Linux x86 / x86_64. Of course, before you go hacking your hardware, it's advisable to back up your data -- and to check out evasi0n's FAQ first, so you know what you're getting into. After that, you're mere clicks away from total iPhone freedom. Enjoy.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Apple

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Source: evasi0n

Evernote acquired the Penultimate app for iPad last year with the conspicuous goal of making handwritten notes as easy to synchronize as to-do lists and snippets from the web. After several months of silence, the newly reworked Penultimate 4 is the result. The drawing tool now treats Evernote not just as a sharing option, but an integral part of its being. While it's possible to skip the sign-in, those who link their account get both cross-platform access to their work as well as cloud-based searches of their more legible writing. There's likewise a simpler interface with more realistic pen input. Truth be told, however, we suspect that many of Penultimate 4's would-be adopters will just care that the app is now free -- as of today, the biggest cost is that of an optional Evernote Premium account. As long as they're using an iPad running iOS 6, note takers yearning for the flexibility of a pad and paper in an era of cloud syncing and tablets can give Penultimate a try at the source link.

Filed under: Tablets

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Source: App Store

According to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) and the Dutch data authority College Bescherming Persoonsgegevens (CBP), the popular cross-platform messaging application WhatsApp violates privacy laws. A joint investigation between the two groups revealed that, with the exception of devices running iOS 6, the app requires access to a customer's address book in order to use the software. This stipulation results in non-user contact information being recorded to WhatsApp servers without permission, which contravenes Canadian and Dutch privacy laws. In September of 2012, the company added encryption to its services as a response to these investigations, but both the OPC and CBP remain concerned about unauthorized data collecting. As it stands, both organizations will continue to monitor WhatsApp's progress toward compliance, with the Dutch agency reserving its right to impose fines against the firm if necessary.

Filed under: Software

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Via: Reuters

Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Not only has Delta been eagerly embracing WiFi onboard its flights, the company's also been rolling out a digital makeover. Joining upgrades to its website, the airline has introduced a new iPad app, simply called Fly Delta. The free app lets you do the usual stuff like checking-in and booking flights, but it also goes a few miles further. Aside from serving as a light travel guide, offering up info on your destination, the app will also serve inflight needs, like purchasing WiFi and other onboard amenities. What's more, "Glass Bottom Jet" offers an interactive live-map view of the world below you with social networking integration. Best of all, Delta's iOS 6 iPhone App Passbook integration is now live, so you can leave that paper boarding pass at home. Full press release and video demos just past the break.

Filed under: Tablets, Transportation, Software

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Source: Delta, iTunes (App Store)

If you're running iOS 6, your smartphone, media player or tablet may be taking a bit longer than usual to shake that post-party hangover. Users are reporting that the latest Apple OS' Do Not Disturb feature remains engaged even after its scheduled period has ended, with the misstep linked to January 1st. As you can see in the screenshot above, the feature fails to flip off automatically, as confirmed by the crescent icon beside the current time -- adjusting the date does seem to offer a temporary fix. When enabled, Do Not Disturb flips the device to silent mode, so you'll need to keep an eye on the screen in order to catch phone calls, text messages and other notifications. The tool does not disable alarms set through the native Clock app, however.

There doesn't appear to be an official fix available, but if you're experiencing this issue, you can cancel that last-minute Genius Bar appointment -- Apple reps aren't likely to have a solution just yet. And, if you've been trying to reach an iPhone owner without success, expect a call back only once they've had a chance to check their device. New Year's bugs seem to be an annual tradition at Apple -- the alarm is a frequent target, and while this is the first year for an extended DND, the feature just launched in late 2012 with iOS 6.

[Thanks, Martyn]

Update: So, apparently Apple didn't get the memo. Cupertino's latest iPhone 5 ad, titled "Dream" and embedded after the break, transports you to the wonderful world of Do Not Disturb. Venus and Serena Williams are playing ping-pong and everything is white. So fun. And when was the ad first released? Just this morning. Didn't you get the notification?

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple

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Square payments have so far been self-centered affairs that won't let us share the wealth with others. In rather convenient timing for the season, updates to Square Register and Square Wallet for Android and iOS have made a little of that sought-after generosity possible through the introduction of gift cards. Americans can now give and receive credit for any location that uses Square Register to process payments: if friends would like nothing more than to treat themselves to triple-shot espressos at the local indie coffee shop, you can make their day. The update also brings a treat for the Apple-inclined who've kept up-to-date with iOS 6, letting them redeem their cards quickly through Passbook instead of diving into Square Wallet or QR codes printed on old-fashioned paper. We're still waiting on word of gift card availability for our Canadian friends, but most everyone in the US just hast to check for the relevant app updates to spread some affection.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Jack Dorsey (Twitter), Square

We've seen some creative use cases for Passbook in iOS 6. Modernizing the dreaded business card exchange is still fresh, though, and that's where the real estate agents at RE/MAX come into play. Using a platform from Vizibility, the realtor is reportedly the first company rolling out a large-scale, Passbook-based method that lets 4,500 of its staff share their basic details, contact files and social networks from their iPhones. Profiles won't just be inert listings, either. Geofencing can limit the lock screen shortcut to an open house or the office, while cards can include company directories and update contacts over time. NFC transfers and QR codes are available for those who can rely on short-range wireless or still have to dish out traditional paper stock. Vizibility's Passbook approach won't guarantee a sale for a cramped house -- but it might keep a good bargain from being lost in the business card shuffle.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

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Source: Vizibility

We aren't apt to ever hear this in official fashion, but Bloomberg has it on good authority that Apple's newly-promoted Eddy Cue has just fired the guy who was unfortunately leading the Maps team at the time of iOS 6's release. If you'll recall, Cue was placed in charge of both Siri and Maps during an executive shakeup back in October, and it seems that he's clearing the runway in order to make things better in the months to come. The report also mentions that Cue is "seeking advice from outside mapping-technology experts and prodding digital maps provider TomTom to fix landmark and navigation data it shares with Apple." It's assumed that the goal here is to install a new leadership team within the Maps group, but it's unclear if it'll happen prior to Google's own standalone iOS app becoming available. For those curious as to why such a drastic move had to be made, head over to Apple's Cupertino campus and use iOS 6's Maps app to search for "convenience store." Evidently, the closest one is some 1.5 hours north in San Francisco. True story.

Filed under: Software, Apple

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Via: 9to5Mac

Source: Bloomberg

AT&T's decision to let only its customers on shared and new data plans pick up FaceTime over cellular may have riled some, but at least it's been able to roll-out the functionality earlier than the two-month window suggested in early November. MacRumors' forums are abuzz with word that their iOS devices (mostly on the East Coast) are now able to make FaceTime calls without WiFi. Perhaps more importantly, according to these early reports, you might not have to wield an LTE iDevice to use it, with several non-4G devices running iOS 6 able to stream faces elsewhere. If you're still getting the pop-up of misery (seen above), forum users suggesting switching your phone off and on again.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, AT&T

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Via: iOS VLog

Source: MacRumors

Gift cards often get a bad rap as the last resort in holiday shopping, what we supposedly get only when all hope of a carefully considered present has gone out the window. Apple isn't quite so cyncial, and it may have injected new life into gift giving now that it has switched on buying gift cards through the recently updated Apple Store iOS app as of this weekend. Pick a color and a card value -- up to $2,000, if someone's been good enough to earn a MacBook Pro -- and the resulting email lets iOS 6-touting recipients load the card into Passbook. Besides saving some plastic, the Passbook entry adds some worth through geofencing that reminds recipients to splurge if they're near one of Apple's steel-and-glass stores. All told, the card may be more than welcome by iPhone fans and save the ignominy of a last-minute rush to the store. Just make sure the recipient doesn't mind going without a physical gift on the big day -- it wouldn't be right to drain all the romanticism out of a special occasion.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Apple

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Via: AppleInsider

Source: App Store

It's tough to find truly stellar mobile apps, no matter what platform you're running, and that's even truer when delving into categories. Apple has made a gesture towards giving more titles their moment in the sun through a low-key update to the App Store in iTunes and on iOS 6 devices. Jump to at least some categories, such as games or education, and you'll get the same carousels, banners and other promotions that would normally be reserved for the main portal. The shift is a simple one, but it theoretically helps App Store shoppers go beyond the surface -- and developers to reap the rewards.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple

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Via: TUAW

Source: MacStories

Just as Facebook did a while back, Tumblr, too, has decided to rebuild its iOS application from the ground up. Inside this new version (3.2), daily users of the blogging service will find a completely redesigned Dashboard, which displays larger pictures and offers faster overall speeds when loading posts. In addition, Tumblr's also added "spiffy" notification previews to its iOS application, allowing folks to see when other users reply, like or reblog their posts -- oh, and better yet, GIFs now automatically play on the all-new Dashboard. The new Tumblr app's now live on Cupertino's App Store -- all you have to do is either hit the source link below or snag it directly via your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

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Via: Venture Beat

Source: App Store

It was just a few days ago that Evernote proudly teased us by saying it's fifth major release on Cupertino's mobile platform would be "coming soon," but the good news is the revamped note-taking application didn't take too long to officially arrive on iOS. Starting today, Evernote 5 will be available for folks using an iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, bringing with it a completely redesigned experience, a more accessible home screen (with quick access to notes, notebooks and more), as well as new features tailored specifically for Apple's slate and Premium users. Evernote 5 is up for download now, so those of you looking to try the new app should give the App Store link below a quick tap or download it straight from your device.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software

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Source: Evernote, App Store

Well, it's no secret that AT&T ruffled some feathers with its decision to make FaceTime over cellular available only to those on shared data plans. After what we can only assume was some deep soul searching, the carrier has shifted gears... a little. Now you'll be able to fire up the video chat app on your iOS 6 device over LTE, so long as you're on one of the new tiered data plans. If you're still rockin' one of those unlimited data plans -- or if you're unable to hop onto LTE due to device choice or locale -- you're still out of luck. The company explained the decision to initially limit the availability of the feature was due to the number of iPhones on its network. In other words, it didn't think its infrastructure was ready to handle a sudden surge of video calls. FaceTime over cellular will slowly become available to those on Ma Bell's tiered data plans over the next eight to ten weeks. For a few more details, check out the PR after the break.

Update: AT&T tells us that you don't need to be actively using LTE, just have a device that supports it. That's an odd way to partition customers, although it does mean that there's more of a safety net for areas where LTE isn't widespread.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Apple, AT&T

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Via: Business Insider

Source: AT&T

Huge news out of Apple today, as its senior vice president of iOS software, Scott Forstall, will leave the company next year after putting in some 15 years. Furthermore, John Browett -- head of Apple retail -- is also on his way out. The memo was delivered late today, on a day that is littered with other news that the company may hope will bury the bulk of it -- and, on a day where trading on the New York Stock Exchange is halted due to Hurricane Sandy. It's practically a given that Forstall is taking the brunt of the impact from its decision to forge ahead with an obviously subpar Maps application, all while trumpeting it as one of the pillars of iOS 6 during his keynote speech at WWDC 2012. The introduction of Siri as a beta product is also on Forstall, and we all know what happens to executives who flub something related to iPhone....

As the shakeup unfolds, Jony Ive, Bob Mansfield, Eddy Cue and Craig Federighi will add more responsibilities to their roles. In other words, Tim Cook isn't about to usher in new help who may thwart the company's efforts to continue at its breakneck pace. Curiously, Mansfield will be heaping more on his own plate just months after he had originally planned to retire. As for Ive? He'll be responsible for providing "leadership and direction for Human Interface (HI) across the company in addition to his role as the leader of Industrial Design." Eddy Cue will be gifted burdened with Siri and Maps, while also keeping an eye on the iTunes Store, the App Store, the iBookstore and iCloud. Needless to say, he probably won't be seeing too many walls outside of Cupertino for the foreseeable future. Federighi is being tasked to lead both iOS and OS X, while Mansfield chairs a new Technologies group that bundles Apple's wireless teams across the company. (Of note, Dan Riccio -- who was scheduled to take over for Mansfield prior to his retirement retraction -- isn't among those who are gaining duties.)

Just months after Browett was brought in from Dixons in order to lead up Apple's retail efforts, he's on the outs as well. Of course, he's also responsible for the branch having to tell stores that it "messed up" when he fiddled with staffing levels back in August. A search for a new head of Retail is underway and in the interim, the Retail team will report directly to CEO Tim Cook.

Update: The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Forstall was asked to resign after refusing to sign his own name to Apple's Maps apology, leaving Tim Cook to sign his name instead. Yikes.

Gallery: Scott Forstall presenting iOS 6 at WWDC 2012

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Apple

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Source: Apple

Google undoubtedly upset the tablet market almost overnight with the Nexus 10: that record-setting 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, Exynos 5 Dual, Android 4.2 and all-important $399 starting price just tilted price-performance balance in a different direction than we'd seen even a week ago. But how does it stack up against its competition? We've included full details of the devices in a chart after the break; initial appearances suggest that pure performance hounds may like the Nexus 10 the most, although it doesn't have the most diverse options for cellular data or storage. We'll know the real tale of the tape once the Nexus 10 reaches our hands.

Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Samsung, Google, Amazon

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The traditional trail of inventory listings, leaked casings and internal components have teased us enough: it's finally time to get down to the nitty gritty specs, and see how Apple's latest (and daintiest) iPad shapes up to the competition. We've collected a trio of like-sized slabs to pit the device against, just for the fun of it. Read on to see how it stacks up against its peers.

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

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Well, hello there, the worst-kept secret in tech. Apple's iPad mini is the company's newest device, a 7.9-inch tablet that's designed to go toe-to-toe with Google's Nexus 7. For now, it'll sit alongside the iPad 2 and fourth-generation iPad, and as it packs the same 1,024 x 768 display as the second-generation slate, apps will carry across without any resizing. While Phil Schiller didn't mention Google or the Nexus 7 by name, the rival slate (and Google's app library) was compared to the newest iOS device. On stage, he claimed that the screen, which is .9-inch larger than the Nexus 7, gives the iPad mini 35 percent more display area than Google and ASUS' collaboration.

On the hardware size, the 7.2mm thick, .68 pounds device has been manufactured with an "all new" process that gives it the same anodized edges as you'll find on the iPhone 5. If you were hoping for equal specifications to the big-daddy iPad, you may be mildly disappointed. While it will pack a 5-megapixel camera and an LTE modem (if you opt to buy a cellular model), it's running the last-generation A5 CPU. However, the slower internals and less potent display may account for how the company has been able to squeeze out a claimed 10 hours of use despite the constrained space for a battery. Pre-orders for the $329, 16GB WiFi-only model begin on Friday (October 26th) and will begin shipping on November 2nd. The cellular-equipped models will begin shipping a few weeks afterward on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, with the 16GB base model costing $459, running all the way to $659 for the 64GB unit.

Gallery: iPad mini

Gallery: iPad mini press shots

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

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Citing this as the "fastest upgrade rate in history -- that we're aware of," Tim Cook has announced on stage in San Jose that 200 million iOS devices have been updated to iOS 6. If you're still on the last version, are you feeling the peer pressure?

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile

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When Swiss federal railway organization SBB and the Mondaine Group pointed out that the iOS 6 clock face looked remarkably like theirs, they weren't so much upset as clearing their throat politely -- it would be nice to get credit, if you don't mind. That kindness has been met with some reciprocity, as SBB has confirmed a licensing deal with Apple that gives the iPad builder rights to use the iconic timepiece in its mobile OS. Exact terms aren't forthcoming, although it's likely not a princely sum when SBB is better known for punctuality than wheeling and dealing. All we know is that Apple can at last live with a good conscience when it checks the time in Geneva.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Apple

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Via: The Verge

Source: SBB (translated)