Category: Mobile

Posts about mobile devices and smartphones

iOS 4.3 beta2

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software , , ,
iOS 4.3 beta2

On 19th of January Apple has released a second beta release of the iOS version 4.3 for anyone with an active Apple Developer account.

Some of the new features include:

  • Tether 3G connection over WiFi (making iPhone a personal wireless router)
  • Picture Stream – a service allowing publishing of photos to MobileMe
  • Video Streaming
  • The side switch on iPad can be assigned either for mute (like on iPhone) or for orientation lock (like it used to be in iOS 3.x)

Previous beta release of 4.3 also contained four- and five-finger gestures for switching multitasked applications and closing the active one. This feature was for experimental use only and has been removed from beta2.

Now some sad information for iPhone 3G and iPod Touch 2gen users: there will be no iOS 4.3 for your device. iPhone 3G suffered poor performance when running iOS 4.0, it did improve a bit in 4.1 and subsequently 4.2.1, but it seems that Apple has decided that iPhone 3G/iPod touch 2gen don’t have enough juice to power iOS 4.3.

Yet Another iPhone Alarm Bug

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software , ,
Yet Another iPhone Alarm Bug

Last weekend we had witnessed yet another alarm clock bug in IOS (All devices running 4.2.1 were affected). On 1st and 2nd of January, single non-repeated alarms did not sound, as a result many iPhone owners were late for work, school, date, etc. Similar problem was reported after daylight saving time change last autumn, but it affected only repeated alarm events.

There is no official statement from Apple yet, but rumours say there will be no patch for this bug, moreover the problem should correct itself on the 3rd of January.

EDIT: Both repeated and one time alarms already work fine on 3rd of January (iPhone 3G running iOS 4.2.1)

Note to self: buy a simple alarm clock, and never be surprised again.

iOS 4.2.1 released, Field Test is back!

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software , , ,

Last monday Apple has released new version of iOS 4.2.1 which is available for iPad’s, iPod touch 2gen and later, and iPhone’s 3G and later. This new software brings some minor changes listed below:

For iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

  • AirPlay (replacement of AirTunes, AirPlay will offer stream video, music, and photos over Wi-Fi)
  • AirPrint Wireless Printing with Print Center (select models)
  • Import .ics calendar files directly for events
  • Birthdays icon has been changed in calendar
  • Updated Carrier Settings (Orange Poland again shows as Orange instead of PL OPL)
  • New fonts for Notes in Settings (Helvetica and Chalkboard)
  • Added an indicator in the App Store which shows if an App supports Game Center
  • Support for CoreMIDI
  • YouTube voting
  • Minor improvements in UI graphics – new icons
  • New wallpapers
  • Fixes the alarm bug caused by daylight saving time changing, affected on a part of iPhone and iPod Touch owners located in Australia, New Zealand, and some European countries.
  • Improved iPhone 3G performance
  • Additions to multitasking tray: Volume controls & AirPlay controls
  • Assign different text tone alerts to each contact (iPhone only)
  • Restores full Field Test Mode

Daylight Savings Time Bug hits iPhone

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software
iOS 4.1 DST Bug
iOS 4.1 DST Bug

A bug ate my Apple. Fortunately the said bug did not hit me as hard as it did others, because in Poland 1st of November is a holiday. It was still a monday, so my iPhone tried to wake me up, as it was told to. Almost. I was really surprised to see that the time is one hour PAST the usual time of alarm. I am running most recent version of iOS 4.1 (8B117) on iPhone 3G. I have tested it a few times and found out the following:

  • Alarms with no repeating will sound properly at the right time
  • Alarms with everyday repeating will sound at the right time as well
  • Alarms set to repeat on selected days will sound at a different time

Additionally, after quick research on Google I found, that:

  • In Europe the alarm will sound one hour past the set time
  • In US, NZ and Australia it will sound one hour earlier than set
  • iOS 3.1.3 remains unaffected

Orange network now shows as PL OPL

Lukas Rox Mobile
Orange Poland now shows as OPL
Orange Poland now shows as OPL

Last friday I have noticed a small change in how iPhone shows the network. There is no longer “Orange” displayed, as it was for the last 2 years. Now it says “PL OPL”. OPL as in Orange Poland I suppose.

Curiosity requires me to check if this was operator related change or Apple changed iPhone’s carrier XML file.

FIX: Unfortunately it happened two times so far (running iOS 4.2.1 on iPhone 3G) and the only working fix is to Restore the iPhone from backup. It works, but takes some time.

Field Test back in iOS 4.1

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software
Field Test mode in iPhone OS 4.1
Field Test mode in iPhone OS 4.1

A few days after upgrade of my 3G iPhone to iOS 4.1 I tried activating the Field Test. To my surprise it worked, but as you can see on the screenshot – not quite what I expected. It seems that 3G’s baseband is not supported, or the Field Test app is not yet ready. Either way, it is a good sign, that Field Test is back. Too bad is not really useful, at least on my iPhone 3G.

Besides that, iOS 4.1 speeds up a lot the old good iPhone 3G. Both springboard and menus are much more responsive – it works just as fast as 3.1.3 did (finally).

Even more Sad Panda.

Lukas Rox Mobile, Software
Field Test mode in iPhone OS 3.1.3

On the previous iPhone OS versions there was a way to open Network Monitor, or so called Field Test. By pressing *3001#12345#* and <Call> you could activate a screen similar to the one on the right. Note, that the usual “bars” are replaced with dB indicator showing the signal strength.

Unfortunately the above code only works until iPhone OS 3.1.3. In iOS 4.0 there is no such thing. Sad Panda Face again…