Thursday, October 22, 2009

AT&T Beholden to Steve & the iPhone? Seems like


Updated: AT&T has reported its fourth-quarter 2008 results, and they show how dependent the company is on Apple and the iPhone for its future growth. For instance, AT&T added 2.1 million new wireless subscribers during the quarter. Nearly 1.9 million 3G iPhones were activated during the three-month period, and 40 percent, or about 760,000, were new to AT&T. That works out to a whopping 36 percent of total new customers for the company that has been bleeding landline customers and is facing serious problems because of the economic downturn. AT&T points out in the press release: “iPhone exclusive continues to deliver high-value subscribers with ARPU approximately 1.6 times higher and churn rates significantly lower than the company’s overall postpaid subscriber base.”

Update: However, the iPhone subsidies cost AT&T about $1.3 billion in 2008. AT&T is banking on those subscribers both buying expensive plans and sticking around long enough to make up for the subsidy. A quick look at fourth quarter numbers show that iPhone subsidies cost about $450 million for about 760,000 new subscribers. Those subscribers need to stick around for more than10 six months (given the Q4 average revenue per user of $59.59 $95.34 for iPhone users) to offset the subsidy. Think of it as indentured servitude.

Kill desktop clutter

Let's play a fun game. Take note of your Windows desktop. Now count how many shortcut icons are on it. If there are more than 20 icons, you need a new system.

Allow me to direct your attention to Fences for XP, Vista, and Windows 7. This freeware app helps you create flexible boxes, or "fences" on your desktop that help you cleanly organize your shortcuts. You can rename these fences easily, and drag and drop shortcuts in and out of them.

The free Fences 1.0 is a unique desktop enhancement app because more than adding style and sheen to your work space, which it does, it's also straight-up practical. At a little larger than 8.6MB, it's also smaller than many other enhancement apps, including Fences' publisher's own CursorFX. Watch our Fences video for a walk-through of all the features.

Apple redesigns iMac and 13-inch MacBook, revamps Mac Mini

Update (2:30pm PT): We've obtained review samples of the new iMac, MacBook, and Magic Mouse released today. Follow-up coverage--including hands-on impressions and videos--is included below.

First impressions of Apple's new 27-inch iMac [includes video]

Hands-on with the new Apple MacBook [includes video]

Hands-off analysis of Apple's new Mac Minis

First Look: Apple conjures up Magic Mouse with a dose of multi-touch

Apple Time Capsule, Airport Extreme receive small (possibly significant) upgrades

Original story follows.

Apple revamped its desktop and laptop lines Tuesday, dramatically redesigning the iMac all-in-one and MacBook laptop, and also adding a few updates to its Mac Mini line of small-scale desktops. It also introduced a handful of updated peripherals, with a multitouch mouse bringing the most thorough changes.

Apple's redesigned iMac echoes the MacBook Pro.

(Credit: Apple)

New iMacs
The biggest news Tuesday will be the new iMacs, which move from aluminum and polycarbon design to aluminum and edge-to-edge glass, mirroring the look of Apple's line of MacBook Pro laptops. The new iMac will come in 21.5 (1,920x1,080) and 27-inch (2,560x1,440) models, each with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Starting price for the 21.5-inch model is $1,199, with the 27-incher beginning at $1,699. Apple will also offer step-up models for each screen size, coming in at $1,499 for the beefier 21.5-inch model, and $1,999 for the higher-end 27-inch iMac.

As for specs, Apple has mostly opted for raw speed over adding more processing cores. All but the $1,999 iMac come with Intel Core 2 Duo chips, but the CPU speed in the lowest model now starts at 3.06GHz. That used to be the fastest chip available in Apple's previous highest-end iMac. The one exception is the $1,999 iMac, which starts with Intel's most recent quad-core chip, the core i5 at 2.66GHz, and upgrade options for that model go all the way to the even faster Core i7 at 2.8GHz.

Other new iMac features are relatively straightforward for the systems themselves. There's no Blu-ray option, as was rumored, but you do get an SD Card slot on all new iMacs. The 27-inch version also lets you use its mini-Display Port input as a video input (via a dongle from Belkin), which means you can use the larger iMac as a second monitor. The GeForce 9400M remains the standard graphics chip, with upgrades available to Radeon HD 4670 and Radeon HD 4870 chips. Storage options go as high as 2TB on the 27-inchers.

13-inch Unibody Polycarbonate MacBook
Apple has also revamped its best-selling laptop, the 13-inch MacBook. The new version retains the white polycarbonate look, as well as the $999 price.

The new polycarbon MacBook laptop.

(Credit: Apple)

With every other laptop in Apple's current lineup using the "Pro" moniker, the single non-Pro MacBook was starting to look a bit dated. While many industry watchers expected Apple to lower prices on the white polycarbonate version, the company has given the system an upscale makeover, keeping the price the same.

Like the aluminum MacBook Pro models, the MacBook now has a unibody chassis, although in this case, it's still made of polycarbonate. A separate bottom panel has a matte non-slip feel, as opposed to the glossy white upper body. The unibody construction means the battery is no longer removable--also like the current Pro lineup.

We got a chance to get our hands on one of the new MacBooks this morning. While still recognizably a MacBook, the new version has more gently rounded edges on the lid, making it look slightly thinner from a side angle. The touch pad is the same large glass multitouch version found on the MacBook Pros, and is dominated by the wrist rest. Also like the Pro versions, the 13.3-inch display is now LED backlit, which is better for both power consumption and environmental concerns.

Internal components, including the Nvidia GeForce 9400, are either the same, or very similar to, current models. Some features found in the 13-inch MacBook Pro that you won't find in this new MacBook include the SD card slot and backlit keyboard.

While consumers have long called for lower entry prices for Mac laptops, Apple has always been reluctant to stray into the lower-margin sub-$1,000 market. With this new upscale version of the MacBook, Apple is giving a slight recessionary nod to buyers, without having to dive into the Netbook price wars.

The new touch capacitive Magic Mouse.

(Credit: Apple)

The new Magic Mouse and wireless keyboard
You'll also find new peripherals in the box with a new iMac. Apple has made a wireless mouse and keyboard the default options, and both have received redesigns. The keyboard now has an all aluminum body, but the new mouse, dubbed the Magic Mouse, is far more interesting. The sleek, touch capacitive design behaves similarly to the track pad on Apple's laptops. Of course the standard two-button usage model works as you'd expect, but you can also simply drag your finger down the middle of the mouse to scroll up and down. It also supports accelerated scrolling, like the iPhone, along with a few gestures for lateral and 360-degree movement, depending on the application. A new aluminum body Apple Remote is also available as a $16 extra

New Mac Mini
Finally, Apple gave a nod to the Mac Mini. The core design remains the same for the most part, with a few minor tweaks to its CPU, memory, and hard-drive capacity. Prices remain the same at $599 and $799. Far more interesting is the new server iteration of the Mac Mini. This model starts at $999, and instead of a DVD burner, you get the Snow Leopard version of OS X Server, along with two 500GB hard drives.

All of these new products are available today, except for the Core i5-based iMac, which goes on sale in November. We'll also be posting hands-on slideshows and videos of the new MacBook and the new 27-inch iMac shortly, so stay tuned.

ps2 dumping method

ps2 dumping method use it very carefully or your ps2 get corrupted not mine responsibility

DUMPING YOUR BIOS THROUGH USB

Things you need:

* USB mass storage device
* DumpBios-USB.rar
* CD-R
* Modded PS2 (Else, A way to load up homebrew apps)


Ok, let's start

Step 1: Extraction
Extract the DumpBios-USB.rar by using WinRAR
Then, you will get the file DumpBios-USB.iso

Step 2: Burning ISO to CD-R
Burn the ISO file that you get from step 1 to CD-R

Step 3: USB Mass Storage Device
Your Flash Drive should :

* Have atleast +8MB Storage Space
* Be Formatted into FAT/32
* Been allocated the Maximum Space Available. i.e, Have No partitions


Step 4: Dumping

* Insert the Burned CD-R from Step 02 to your PS2
* Insert the Flash Drive from Step 03
* Start Your PS2 (P.S Only a modded PS2 could load a CR-RW)


Now It should load up like the following Screen
On that screen press SELECT


On the Next Screen, The pointer should be pointed to Defaults, Just Press O.


Note: This is an Important Step, Scroll Down to mass:/ and Select O.


When You selected the mass:/ directory, it should go in to the device and should be able to be explored as in the following Screenshot. If you are not able to do so, you must check whether it has been formatted to FAT/32. If it is try changing the Flash Drive into the second USB hole.


Now press X and go back. Browse to cdfs:/. This is the Directory of the Inserted disc. Inside the CDFS Directory you should have, DUMPBIOS-MASS.ELF. Select It and Press O


Once You Have pressed O. You would have come to the Second Screen But slightly different Which you would notice. The DUMPBIOS-MASS.ELF would be selected in the Default Boot


Now Press up twice, or a lot more times down and at the OK function press O. Now you should come up with this screen


All you gotta do now is wait for 10 seconds and If you did it correctly Your Bios would be Dumped.

Android phones roundup

Nokia Sues Apple Over Patent Infringements

Nokia is suing Apple over the alleged infringement of patents held by the Finnish handset maker pertaining to WLAN, GSM and UMTS. Nokia said in a statement:

The ten patents in suit relate to technologies fundamental to making devices which are compatible with one or more of the GSM, UMTS (3G WCDMA) and wireless LAN standards. The patents cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption and are infringed by all Apple iPhone models shipped since the iPhone was introduced in 2007.

“The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for,” said Ilkka Rahnasto, Vice President, Legal & Intellectual Property at Nokia. “Apple is also expected to follow this principle. By refusing to agree appropriate terms for Nokia’s intellectual property, Apple is attempting to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation.”

Nokia is holding a conference call about the suit; we’ll be back with more details in a little while.

Resetting Apple iPod's Forgotten PassCode


iPod PasscodeIf you managed to forgot your Apple iPod screen-lock passcode combination here is a nifty little hack which allows you to reset the old password saving you from trouble of restoring iPod to factory defaults loosing everything stored in it.

iPod Screenlock

Similar to the iPod Volume Lock PIN reset hack we will need to open iPod file-system and change the file where the device stores its lock settings as shown below:

  1. Connect your iPod to your computer.
  2. Make sure you have enabled viewing of Hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer, if not Open Windows Explorer -> Tools (Menu) -> Folder Options -> View -> Show hidden files and folders.
  3. Open "My Computer" and then double-click your iPod device icon to open its file-system, now navigate to folder "iPod_Control" -> "Device" folder.
  4. iPod Disk Drive
  5. You will see a file named _locked rename this to _unlocked, now to reset the password open the file in notepad and delete all contents in it and save.
  6. iPod Folder Location
    Reset iPod Screenlock
  7. Now, Eject the iPod and reset it.
  8. Your iPod Screenlock is now disabled.