As you’ve undoubtedly heard, one of the big new features of the iPhone 4 is FaceTime, the video chatting functionality. If you’re on a call with another iPhone 4 user (and both of you are connected to WiFi), you’ll see a new FaceTime button in the bottom row of the call options. But as some people have noticed, this new button replaces the “Hold” button found on all other iPhones. So how do you put a call on hold now? One reader, Jonathan Cowperthwait, emailed Steve Jobs today to find out.
Less than two hours later, he got a response. (Apparently, Jobs is on top of his emails even on days when he’s launching a massive new product.) In typical Jobs fashion, here’s his answer: → Read More
This is pretty funny. You’ve probably seen some of the propaganda over the last year or so about how GPUs are orders of magnitude faster than CPUs at certain tasks, due to their parallel processing engine. Intel got tired of hearing about it, I guess, and decided to debunk the myth. They set out to disprove the notion that a GPU can be 100 times faster than a CPU. They kind of did it, but I think this is what is termed a Pyrrhic victory. → Read More
Ah, the joys of first-batch Apple hardware. In addition to the hardware issues we’ve been seeing reported, there is now a group of users claiming that their rear-facing cameras are refusing to work at all. Apparently the shutter graphic just stays closed, and none of the buttons work. This occurs in the camera app or any app that calls in the picture-taking function, like Facebook. Rebooting and restoring are doing nothing, so I’m guessing this is an issue with the code shipping inside the iPhone 4, since we haven’t heard reports of any other handsets freezing up. If this happens to you, you can of course reset your phone by holding the home and power buttons down for a few seconds, but if it continues, feel free to return it for a new unit. I’ll update this post if a solution is found. Pretty borked rollout, Apple! Although to be fair, I played with one last night and it had none of the launch issues. So there’s one more data point, I guess. [Thanks, Brook] → Read More
Just a friendly reminder, Futurama returns to Comedy Central tonight. And while I made a joke about setting your DVR, please watch it live. Particularly if you are a Neilsen family. It’s only going to stay around if you watch the show, and the networks still think it only counts if you watch it live, and not record it on your DVR and watch it later. I think this is foolish, but whatever. At any rate, the Futurama’s triumphant return is tonight at 10pm eastern time. Try not to miss it people. [via SciFi Squad] → Read More
In terms of the hardware, one of the only completely new features on the iPhone 4 is the gyroscope. It’s so new, in fact, that third-party developers haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet because they didn’t have access to the iPhone 4 hardware until today (or at least two days ago). And because they didn’t have the hardware, that means there are a sad lack of apps that use the feature so far. But actually, there is one out there. Ngmoco’s Eliminate: GunRange. And it’s awesome.
The game itself is simple. You pick a gun (preferably a high-powered semi-automatic one) and head to the shooting range. But the game shines thanks to the gyroscope — which is required for you to play. Rather than dragging your finger around the screen to tell your gun where to aim, you simply tilt the iPhone itself. Sure, you could sort of do this previously with the compass built in to the iPhone 3GS — but trust me, this is much, much better. → Read More
Did you know that, according to Electrolux, a Swedish appliance manufacturer, there are gigantic piles of plastic debris floating about our planet’s oceans? Some of these are as big as the state of Texas! Way to go, humans! So, Electrolux’s proposal? Collect all that trash, then turn it into vacuum cleaners. You couldn’t make that up if you tried. → Read More
Ha! How did I miss this? Go ahead and search for something on Google, then scroll to the bottom of the page. Notice anything? And now we can all celebrate Italy’s elimination from the World Cup! (Thanks, Carlos!) → Read More
Medal of Honor, also known as Modern Warfare With Beards, has a public multi-player beta that’s happening right now. It’s exciting! (But not as exciting as seeing Italy knocked out of the World Cup.) GameTrailers has a couple of videos of the multi-player beta in action that may interest you. Hey, at least it’s not iPhone 4-related! → Read More
It’s finally here. After months of anticipation, the launch of Apple’s iPhone 4 is upon us, and dozens of people are currently lined up in front of San Francisco’s flagship Apple store to get their hands on one. Unfortunately, not everyone is fortunate enough to live close to an Apple Store (or has the time to go stand in line at this ridiculous hour). Which is why I’m braving the early morning once again to give you all a vicarious taste of Apple’s devotees at their finest.
I’m equipped with a Nexus One live streaming with Qik. Last time I faced this line during the launch of the iPad, I had an Apple sticker covering the Nexus’s Google logo to throw any particularly rabid Apple fans off the scent. Unfortunately it seems that I’ve exhausted my supply of Apple stickers — this could get nasty. → Read More
Thankfully, not much of the iPhone 4 is made of plastic but it still takes a lot of oil to make that fancy touchphone of yours. The guys at SquareSpace and a number of other partners are collecting money to help clean-up efforts in the Gulf and ask for our help, especially on this day of days. What will you be telling your kids happened fifty years from today, provided we’re all still alive and not living in some Road-esque fever dream of ecological collapse and cannibalistic blood cults? The beginning of the end of the Great Spill or the launch of a piece of silicon wrapped in metal?
That’s what I thought. → Read More
A forum poster claiming inside knowledge has explained the discolored displays on iPhone 4s as being a result of the devices being fresh out of the factory. The bonding agent (which the poster says he was involved in pitching to Apple) between the layers of glass hasn’t had time to dry yet, he says, and normal use for a couple days should clear it right up. Obviously this solution takes time, and we’ll only know that it worked if reports start rolling in that the blotches are spontaneously disappearing. If you have a discolored iPhone screen, keep a close eye on it and let us know if anything changes. [via MacRumors] → Read More
The odds that John Biggs will take home an iPhone 4 today? I think you’ll find that France has a better chance of winning the World Cup this year. The odds that Apple will sell more than 1 million iPhone 4s today? Well, according to Bookmaker.com, you’re looking at 50/50. Presumably these odds that into account that fact that the Apple hardware isn’t as robust as you’d like to see! → Read More
GetGlue, a social browsing assistant that shows ratings and recommendations of movies, books, restaurants, stocks, and more on the web, is going mobile today with the launch of a free iPhone app. You can find the app here.
With the new app users can to check-in to their favorite shows, music, movies and books, and see what their friends are enjoying in real-time. With each check-in, users earn points and stickers from GetGlue and other major brands. The app also allows users to rate their favorite shows, movies, music and books and receive personalized suggestions. → Read More
If you needed more proof that touchscreens are becoming ubiquitous, look at these new vending machines Coca Cola is planning to set up in all over Japan by year-end. They feature 46-inch LCD touch panels (1m high, 57cm wide) instead of buttons or knobs. → Read More
U.S. comScore video metrix stats are out today, with the number of video viewers rebounding in the month of May. According to the web metrics company, 183 million U.S. Internet users watched online video during the month compared to 178 million in April. ComScore reports that YouTube saw record viewership in May with an all-time high of 14.6 billion videos viewed and surpassing the threshold of 100 videos per viewer for the first time. The report also showed that 144.1 million viewers watched 14.6 billion videos on YouTube.com (which works out to 101.2 videos per viewer).
In May, U.S. Internet users watched nearly 34 billion videos, with Google Sites taking the top spot with 14.6 billion videos, representing 43.1 percent of all videos viewed online. ComScore says that YouTube accounted for the vast majority of videos viewed at the property. Hulu came in second with 1.2 billion videos, or 3.5 percent of all online videos viewed, a slight increase from April. Microsoft Sites ranked third with 642 million (1.9 percent), followed by Vevo with 430 million (1.3 percent) and Viacom Digital with 347 million (1.0 percent). → Read More
The first batch of iPhone 4s isn’t exactly wooing the world. The phones seem to be plagued with various deal-breaking issues. I’m not sure I would feel comfortable waiting in line for this Jesusphone right now knowing that these four hardware problems are so rampant. Hopefully the problems are being worked out right now in some Foxconn factory and later shipments won’t have so many issues. → Read More
The iPhone 4 comes out today. I knew when I woke up this morning I felt a disturbance in the Force! Anyway, John Biggs, noted gumshoe, is en route to the fancy Apple store in Manhattan to pick up his very own device, and he’s been been sending us surprisingly funny video updates of his journey. Come, let us view these videos over a spot of tea. → Read More
June has not been a good month for Linden Lab, the creator of virtual world Second Life. A few weeks ago, the company announced that it was laying off 30 percent of its staff and taking Second Life into a new direction. Today, Linden Lab is announcing that current CEO Mark Kingdon (pictured here) is stepping down. Company founder Philip Rosedale has been named interim CEO, and CFO Bob Komin has assumed the additional role of COO.
The company did not give a reason for the reshuffling of the executive team but it’s safe to assume that it reflects Linden Lab’s new strategic direction. When announcing the layoffs in early June, Linden Lab also said that it aims to make SeconfdLife more browser based, eliminating the need to download any software. The company is also pushing for Second Life to extend to social networks. → Read More
The FTC settled a lengthy investigation into Twitter’s lax security practices and protection of user accounts after two high-profile hacking incidents in 2009. The first one, which occurred in January, 2009, compromised 35 high-profile accounts, including those of President Barack Obama, Bill O’Reilly, Britney Spears, the Huffington Post, and Facebook. According to the FTC:
One tweet was sent from the account of then-President-elect Barack Obama, offering his more than 150,000 followers a chance to win $500 in free gasoline.
The other attack occurred in April, 2009, and involved a hacker gaining access to a Twitter employee’s email account which stored the employee’s administrative password. The hacker in question was the Frenchman who goes by the handle Hacker Croll. (Later, this was the same hacker who sent us c<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2009/07/16/twitters-internal-strategy-laid-bar → Read More
San Francisco-based startup Triggit has closed a $4.2 million funding round led by Spark Capital and Foundry Group. As part of the deal, Seth Levine (Foundry) and Santo Politi (Spark) will be joining Triggit’s Board. Triggit had previously raised $2 million in convertible debt; investors that convert as part of this round include Brett and Scott Crosby (Urchin); Asher Waldfogel (Peakstream, Tollbridge Technologies); Ben Narison (Fashionmall.com); Joe Spieser and Alex Zhardanovsky (Epic Advertising); Gilad Elbaz, (Applied Sematics); Reid Hoffman (Linkedin); TriplePoint Capital; DG Incubation, Joi Ito, Charles Sprincin, and Eric Stein.
As we’ve detailed before, Triggit is a demand side advertising platform that allows advertisers to bid on individual ad impressions in real time, based on the site the ad would appear on and who would see it. → Read More
