Tuesday, November 30, 2010
How to Activate Find My iPhone for iOS 4
As its name suggests, Find My iPhone is a tracking feature to locate a missing iPhone 4, iPad or fourth-generation iPod Touch. (Only the latest models get the free feature.) If you’ve dropped your iDevice in a cab, or if someone’s stolen it, you can hop on a computer to follow the GPS coordinates of the iPhone on a Google map (see above).
Or, if you’re just absent-minded like me and you misplace your iPhone as often as you lose your keys, you can use your computer to trigger a beeping sound to help you find it. It should be loud enough to hear from under a couch cushion. (You’ll never have to bug a friend to call your phone again.)
Of the many new features in iOS 4.2.1, I found this one to be one of the sweetest bonuses. Find My iPhone originally was only available as part of a MobileMe subscription, which costs $100 per year. Making it free was a nice move on Apple’s part: An iPhone can potentially contain a treasure trove of personal information, so losing one is a big deal.
You need to activate Find My iPhone before you lose your phone, so do it now. Since the steps to turn this useful feature on aren’t immediately obvious, here’s how to do it:
1. Make sure you have the latest iOS update (iOS 4.2.1) installed. Plug in your iPhone and click “Check for updates” in iTunes to get the software.
2. With iOS 4.2.1 installed, tap the Settings app on your iPhone. Then tap “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” and “Add Account.” Then choose MobileMe.
3. In the MobileMe account menu, enter your iTunes or Apple ID and password (i.e., the login you use to buy iTunes media on the iPhone).
4. The “Find My iPhone” option should appear. Slide it to “ON” to activate it.”
And you’re done! From here on, you can hop on a computer and enter www.me.com in a web browser. Then enter the same login credentials you used to register for Find My iPhone, and you’ll immediately get a GPS reading of the phone, along with a simple menu of buttons allowing you to lock, wipe, or send a message or sound to the iPhone.
Update: Corrected an error that stated MobileMe costs $10 per month. In actuality, it costs $100 per year.
See Also:
- Apple iOS 4.2 Arrives, Makes Find My iPhone Free
- Apple’s ‘Find my iPhone’ App Almost Impossible to Use
- IPhone and iPad Lost in the Trash, Found With MobileMe
- Geek and Thief Come Face to Face Thanks to ‘Find My iPhone …
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/gx8b2Q26R_w/
Publisher: Apple Banned My Android Mag App
Apple banned an iPhone magazine app because it contained content related to using Android phones, according to the app’s creator.
Apple refused to approve the magazine Android Magasinet, a publication about Google’s Android OS, according to Brian Dixen, managing editor of Danish magazine publisher Mediaprovider.
Dixen said when he asked why, an Apple executive replied, “You know… your magazine… it’s just about Android…. we can’t have that in our App Store.”
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
File this under “trivial” for now, because it’s questionable why an iPhone owner would want to read an Android magazine in the first place. However, Dixen said he’s concerned about the implications that this incident poses about editorial independence in the App Store. I’d agree the implications are more concerning than the end result: As I’ve argued before, the issue of Apple’s editorial control is poised to grow as the iPad matures into a major publishing platform.
From Fortune
Photo: laihiu/Flickr
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/cIQij9GqVmM/
NAO report highlights education success in STEM subjects
Dawinderpal Sahota, Computing, Monday 15 November 2010 at 14:09:00
Take up of Maths and Science subjects on the up, but Department of Education
not meeting its teacher recriuitment targets
The Department for Education has made good progress in improving take up and
achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects,
according to a recent report from the National Audit Office, although there has
been less success in attracting more teachers to these areas.
The report, entitled
Educating
the Next Generation of Scientists, recently published claims that take-up
and achievement in A-Level Maths and GCSE Triple Science has improved, and that
the knock on effect of the success has been that pupil take-up of the three
individual sciences at A-Level has increased by almost 150 per cent in the last
five years.
The NAO claims that there is evidence that pupils taking Triple Science GCSE
are more likely than those studying combined science to choose science subjects
at A-Level and to achieve higher grades. However, by June 2009, almost half of
secondary schools still did not offer Triple Science.
It is often said that qualifications in the pure sciences are a good basis
for a career in IT and technology.
Meanwhile, take-up of Maths A-Level has already exceeded the targets for 2014
set by the Department of Education, but take-up of physics A-Level has increased
only slightly since 2005-06.
The Department is not on course to meet the targets set by the previous
government for recruiting more mathematics and physics teachers by 2014.
?The Department for Education has focused its resources on improving pupil
take-up and achievement in school science and maths, and has made good progress
in areas such as A-Level maths and GCSE Triple Science,? said Amyas Morse, head
of the National Audit Office.
?To make further progress, what?s needed is a more joined-up approach,
bringing together key success factors to maximise successful results and
efficient use of public resources.?
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2273121/report-highlight-education
Cosmic Log: Virtual actor takes over in 'Tron'
Full story at http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/11/29/5544998-virtual-actor-takes-over-in-tron
Great tech gifts under $50
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40346044/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Bloomberg Wins Waiver For Schools Chancellor Pick
The nation's largest school district is getting a new leader. Hearst Magazines Chairwoman Cathie Black will become chancellor of the New York City public schools following weeks of controversy over her qualifications. Black has a long career in publishing but she's never worked in education.
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Full story at http://www.npr.org/2010/11/30/131687228/bloomberg-wins-waiver-for-schools-chancellor-pick?ft=1&f=1001
Monday, November 29, 2010
?Stud? Utility-Belt Hides Six Handy Tools
Forget Batman: This is a utility belt. The Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt is a leather and steel multi-tool. The buckle contains both flat-had and Phillips screwdrivers, and the bit that stops the end of the belt flapping about (what is that part called?) contains three wrenches, in 8, 10 and 11mm sizes. There’s even a bottle opener in the buckle’s rim, so you can “impress” people by popping open a beer with your crotch.
For such a utilitarian piece of apparel, the Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt isn’t nearly as dorky as its name suggests. But its name does suggest (and deliver) something far worse: Studs. Really? I guess you could buy this $55 belt as a gift for the DIY-crazed punk in your life.
Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt [686 via Geekologie]
See Also:
- Hands-On with the Drinkclip Belt-Mounted Cup-Holder
- Spider Holster, A Belt-Mounted Camera-Hitch
- $750 Folding Herm�s Travel-Belt Features Multiple Flaws
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/cdE1X8CjUVw/
Rumors: iOS 4.3 Will Offer App Subscriptions as Early as December
iPad owners have had less than a week with iOS 4, but a software update offering news and magazine subscriptions targeted at them could arrive in less than a month.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber reports that Apple’s Steve Jobs will join News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch onstage at a December 9 event to announce Murdoch’s new forthcoming tablet newspaper, The Daily.
According to Gruber’s sources, The Daily will be an app in the App Store, but make use of new recurring subscription billing on users’ iTunes accounts, and “developers at News Corp. building the app already have preliminary documentation on the new subscription billing APIs from Apple.”
Macstories’ Federico Viticci reports further that recurring subscriptions are part of a new version of iOS — iOS 4.3 — with a scheduled release date of December 13.
According to Viticci’s sources, iOS 4.3 wasn’t intended to be released so quickly after 4.2.1, which was originally internally slated for an early November release. It’s possible that 4.2.1’s later official release might also push back the release of 4.3. But with Apple playing such a large role in The Daily, both companies may stick with mid-December announcement and releases, after all.
Subscription-based recurring billing would likely increase the number of paid magazine, newspaper, TV, video and other media applications on iTunes. Really, any application that depends on continuous content or service delivery could introduce a subscription model: online gaming, data backup, GPS, office applications and more. Many subscription-based services already have iOS apps, but have to establish accounts and recurring billing separately from iTunes.
Another technical challenge posed by subscriptions that could require an OS update is automatic background content delivery. If you’re being billed every week for a newspaper or magazine, you shouldn’t have to go through a long, complicated routine just to download a new issue.
A final open question: How much customer information will Apple and app/content makers share with each other about their subscribers? This data has value, too — as does customers’ privacy.
Image by Apple.
See Also:
- Apple iOS 4.2 Arrives, Makes Find My iPhone Free
- iOS 4.2 Goes Gold Master, iPad Gains New Multitask Bar
- IOS 4.2 Update 'Delayed,' Despite No Official Launch Date
- IOS 4.2 Beta Adds Tethering to iPad
- IOS 4.2 Changes iPad Screen-Lock Switch to Mute Button
- Apple, Newspapers Reportedly Agree on In-App Subscriptions …
- Subscriptions Could Be Apple's Second Attempt to Conquer Video …
- Why Steve Jobs Will Never Offer Music Subscriptions
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/6mvbz-V-wAI/
NAO report highlights education success in STEM subjects
Dawinderpal Sahota, Computing, Monday 15 November 2010 at 14:09:00
Take up of Maths and Science subjects on the up, but Department of Education
not meeting its teacher recriuitment targets
The Department for Education has made good progress in improving take up and
achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects,
according to a recent report from the National Audit Office, although there has
been less success in attracting more teachers to these areas.
The report, entitled
Educating
the Next Generation of Scientists, recently published claims that take-up
and achievement in A-Level Maths and GCSE Triple Science has improved, and that
the knock on effect of the success has been that pupil take-up of the three
individual sciences at A-Level has increased by almost 150 per cent in the last
five years.
The NAO claims that there is evidence that pupils taking Triple Science GCSE
are more likely than those studying combined science to choose science subjects
at A-Level and to achieve higher grades. However, by June 2009, almost half of
secondary schools still did not offer Triple Science.
It is often said that qualifications in the pure sciences are a good basis
for a career in IT and technology.
Meanwhile, take-up of Maths A-Level has already exceeded the targets for 2014
set by the Department of Education, but take-up of physics A-Level has increased
only slightly since 2005-06.
The Department is not on course to meet the targets set by the previous
government for recruiting more mathematics and physics teachers by 2014.
?The Department for Education has focused its resources on improving pupil
take-up and achievement in school science and maths, and has made good progress
in areas such as A-Level maths and GCSE Triple Science,? said Amyas Morse, head
of the National Audit Office.
?To make further progress, what?s needed is a more joined-up approach,
bringing together key success factors to maximise successful results and
efficient use of public resources.?
Full story at http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2273121/report-highlight-education
Comcast Internet outage hits eastern U.S.
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40410491/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Slideshow: The Month in Space
Full story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40335255/displaymode/1247/beginSlide/1/beginChapter/1/beginTab/1/
South Korean Leader Outraged Over Attack By North
South Korea's president took responsibility Monday for failing to protect his citizens from a deadly North Korean artillery attack last week, vowing tough consequences for any future aggression and expressing outrage over the "ruthlessness of the North Korean regime."
» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
Full story at http://www.npr.org/2010/11/29/131660423/south-korean-leader-outraged-over-attack-by-north?ft=1&f=1001
Sunday, November 28, 2010
?Stud? Utility-Belt Hides Six Handy Tools
Forget Batman: This is a utility belt. The Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt is a leather and steel multi-tool. The buckle contains both flat-had and Phillips screwdrivers, and the bit that stops the end of the belt flapping about (what is that part called?) contains three wrenches, in 8, 10 and 11mm sizes. There’s even a bottle opener in the buckle’s rim, so you can “impress” people by popping open a beer with your crotch.
For such a utilitarian piece of apparel, the Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt isn’t nearly as dorky as its name suggests. But its name does suggest (and deliver) something far worse: Studs. Really? I guess you could buy this $55 belt as a gift for the DIY-crazed punk in your life.
Rocker Stud Snow Toolbelt [686 via Geekologie]
See Also:
- Hands-On with the Drinkclip Belt-Mounted Cup-Holder
- Spider Holster, A Belt-Mounted Camera-Hitch
- $750 Folding Herm�s Travel-Belt Features Multiple Flaws
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/cdE1X8CjUVw/
Rumors: iOS 4.3 Will Offer App Subscriptions as Early as December
iPad owners have had less than a week with iOS 4, but a software update offering news and magazine subscriptions targeted at them could arrive in less than a month.
Daring Fireball’s John Gruber reports that Apple’s Steve Jobs will join News Corp.’s Rupert Murdoch onstage at a December 9 event to announce Murdoch’s new forthcoming tablet newspaper, The Daily.
According to Gruber’s sources, The Daily will be an app in the App Store, but make use of new recurring subscription billing on users’ iTunes accounts, and “developers at News Corp. building the app already have preliminary documentation on the new subscription billing APIs from Apple.”
Macstories’ Federico Viticci reports further that recurring subscriptions are part of a new version of iOS — iOS 4.3 — with a scheduled release date of December 13.
According to Viticci’s sources, iOS 4.3 wasn’t intended to be released so quickly after 4.2.1, which was originally internally slated for an early November release. It’s possible that 4.2.1’s later official release might also push back the release of 4.3. But with Apple playing such a large role in The Daily, both companies may stick with mid-December announcement and releases, after all.
Subscription-based recurring billing would likely increase the number of paid magazine, newspaper, TV, video and other media applications on iTunes. Really, any application that depends on continuous content or service delivery could introduce a subscription model: online gaming, data backup, GPS, office applications and more. Many subscription-based services already have iOS apps, but have to establish accounts and recurring billing separately from iTunes.
Another technical challenge posed by subscriptions that could require an OS update is automatic background content delivery. If you’re being billed every week for a newspaper or magazine, you shouldn’t have to go through a long, complicated routine just to download a new issue.
A final open question: How much customer information will Apple and app/content makers share with each other about their subscribers? This data has value, too — as does customers’ privacy.
Image by Apple.
See Also:
- Apple iOS 4.2 Arrives, Makes Find My iPhone Free
- iOS 4.2 Goes Gold Master, iPad Gains New Multitask Bar
- IOS 4.2 Update 'Delayed,' Despite No Official Launch Date
- IOS 4.2 Beta Adds Tethering to iPad
- IOS 4.2 Changes iPad Screen-Lock Switch to Mute Button
- Apple, Newspapers Reportedly Agree on In-App Subscriptions …
- Subscriptions Could Be Apple's Second Attempt to Conquer Video …
- Why Steve Jobs Will Never Offer Music Subscriptions
Full story at http://feeds.wired.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/6mvbz-V-wAI/
Posts
