As Privacy Concerns Mount Over Google Glass, Media Mum On GS4′s Worrisome “Eye Tracking” Feature

 

Mobile tech users and the media are increasingly concerned about privacy issues surrounding the announcement of Google Glass. In the meantime, no one is raising red flags over Samsung’s new GS4′s always-on, front-facing camera.
Last week’s SXSW conference in Texas showcased Google Glass in its entirely, and while onlookers were amazed at its next-generation approach to mobile computing, early concerns about the technology — namely, that the glasses place the ability to photograph, record, and thoroughly cyber stalk anyone within range of view — have raised serious questions about the integration of technology with the human body, and whether or not such technology infringes on privacy and civil rights.
While these are all important questions to ask about Google Glass, what has been ignored in the media is the earlier release of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smartphone, and, more specifically, its front-facing camera and accompanying “eye tracking” software. Knowing that Google’s Android mobile operating platform is running behind a camera that is always on and always watching the user, why isn’t the tech community concerned about the GS4 as much as Google Glass?

Google has never tried to deny that they are after the collection of personal data. This movement, sometimes dubbed as “Big Data,” has become the virtual gold rush on the Internet these days, with the understanding that the more unique data a company has, the more nuanced and targeted its ad placements can be. This is exactly how Google has justified its collection of data — that ultimately it benefits the end user.
In this way, Google products, such as Gmail, the Android mobile operating platform, and StreetView have used the justification of serving the customer in collecting data in such a way that continues to raise eyebrows. As a result, the search engine giant has found itself at the center of numerous civil lawsuits and justice department enquiries — both in the U.S. and internationally.

Now with the Samsung Galaxy S4, Google potentially has a new channel of gleaning data and information from users: it’s front-facing camer and eye tracking software.
The new features, which allow users to pause video by merely looking away from the screen or scrolling the screen by angling the device, are novel at best, and worrisome at worst. While it’s true that the iPhone has boasted a front-facing camera for years now, its use has been limited to FaceTime — a feature that up until recently was only usable on wi-fi — and snapshots. Now, with the GS4, users who opt in to the new eye tracking features will essentially be exposed to the front-facing camera every time they interact with the device.
It may seem like an overreaction, but facial recognition and the artificial intelligence associated with the Google search algorithm suggests that a wealth of new “Big Data” could be gleaned from what that front-facing camera sees — both in the foreground and background of the frame. And because Google does not have a strong track record of restraining itself from capturing sensitive data when it has the chance, GS4 users should perhaps be as worried about their smartphone as others are about the implications of Google Glass.

Read more at http://iphone5newsblog.com/2013/03/19/as-privacy-concerns-mount-over-google-glass-media-mum-on-gs4s-worrisome-eye-tracking-feature/#HrRTU2mAIGb4pBxs.99

iPhone 5S Release Date Rumors Fragment; iOS 7 Beta Still A No-Show

iPhone 5S Release Date Rumors Fragment; iOS 7 Beta Still A No-Show

The tech media is juggling rumors of an iPhone 5S release for virtually every month starting with June. But for one of those early summer months to feature the iPhone 5S release date, we’ll need to see iOS 7 soon.
In a perfect world, we would already be seeing some agreement in the tech media about the iPhone 5S release date. However, as we enter into the spring, the rumor mill is bucking wildly, spinning out a wide range of new release date rumors that fragment any continuity that we hoped to gain from following the breadcrumb trail of production rumors. In spite of a few early reports, we still remain largely in the dark considering the iPhone 5S release date, as well as the viability of an accompanying “el cheap-o” iPhone.
And iOS 7 beta still remains elusive.

This morning, there are two stories competing for top syndication concerning the iPhone 5S release date. A piece from Apple Insider lays out a large swath of the release date intel, but they are keying on a new report from DigiTimes that alleges that components for the iPhone 5S aren’t going to start flowing until May:

The sometimes reliable DigiTimes citied upstream supply chain sources as saying the May timeline could yield a next-generation Apple handset by the third quarter, largely in line with analyst expectations and the company’s usual annual refresh cycle . . . Sources also cited their “latest specification data” and reiterated existing rumors that the handset’s design will remain largely unchanged from the iPhone 5. As for internal component upgrades, enhancements are said to include a higher megapixel camera and a faster processor.

If this report proves to be true, then obviously June and the WWDC is out as a release event. Most likely, a May production ramp-up means a reprise of a September iPhone launch.
Of course, we’ve been burned by DigiTimes in the past, but Apple Insider appears to be banking on the fact that the publication is on the scene in Asia gives them some level of credibility when it comes to keeping an eye on the flow of components and hardware production.
All of that being said, the thread of the story fragments a bit when a Mac Rumors article re-reports on some new alleged iPhone 5S pinups, revealing a nifty home button (pictured above) that could conceivably include that cool fingerprint sensor we keep hearing about. The article claims that, “The parts appear to have been posted by Japanese vendor Moumantai.”
They don’t just have the home button, either. They also have components for the vibrator and volume features as well, which, unlike most of these tech pinups, actually reveal some significant design advancements. The Mac Rumors article also reminds us that, “Part leaks from the iPhone 5S have so far been difficult to find, although speaker enclosures for both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 allegedly surfaced several months ago.”

So, we’ve got a relatively good amount of leaks, albeit unsubstantiated ones. If all of this stuff is really in the wild, how does it square with the notion that components won’t ship until May?
And going back to the Apple Insider article for a moment, it’s also worth noting that Apple Insider gives a pretty conservative list of upgrades for the iPhone 5S; if there’s one thing that the tech media appears to have settled on, it’s that we’ll be getting the refreshed 5S and not the beefed-up iPhone 6 in 2013. But there appears to still be enough fodder in the rumor mill to suggest that some kind of high-profile hardware upgrade could come to the 5S.
Yet, while it appears that we’ve shaken off any dreams of an iPhone 6, the el cheap-o iPhone rumors persist. I came across an article from DNA today that makes the impassioned claim in its headline: “‘Cheaper, plastic-bodied’ Apple iPhone 5 to launch in June-July.” Expectations were dashed, however, when the article reveals in the first paragraph that that commanding claim in the headline is backed by the best guesses of a few financial tech analysts:

A cheaper, plastic bodied iPhone costing roughly half the price of the standard Apple smartphone is set to be launched this summer, according to analysts.
Jefferies & Company analyst Peter Misek said that production of that cheaper iPhone is likely to start in June.
Separately, Amit Daryanani or RBC Capital Markets told investors that Apple plans to launch the cheaper phone as well as the iPhone 5S in June-July this year, the Telegraph reports.

Apple did enough crazy stuff with its product line in 2012 to make anything possible for this year, really. You’ll recall that I couldn’t imagine last year how they were going to fit the iPhone 5, iPad mini, and iPad 4 all into the final months of the year — and they still did it. Thus, it isn’t inconceivable from a release schedule standpoint to imagine the el cheap-o iPhone in June or July with an iPhone 5S release in September.
But for all of the various other sundry reasons, I still doubt the el cheap-o iPhone.

Finally — iOS 7. To me, it’s the lynchpin of the iPhone 5S release date. Apple has consistently used the iPhone release to herald a new mobile operating system. Chatter is definitely ratcheting up about it — particularly the look and feel of iOS 7. A new report claims that, because Sir Jonathan Ive (in italics because I just said it with a posh British accent) is at the heart of the new iOS 7 design, that it will have a markedly minimalist design, which I think would be in keeping with that of Steve Jobs’ own aesthetics. From The Wall Street Journal:

“Some suggested that in Apple’s next mobile operating system, Ive is pushing a more “flat design” that is starker and simpler, according to developers who have spoken to Apple employees but didn’t have further details. Overall, they expect any changes to be pretty conservative. For the past few years, Apple has unveiled versions of its mobile operating system in the summer.”

That’s all well and good, Jony, but where’s iOS 7 beta, baby?
I haven’t said this directly yet, but I very much want the iPhone 5S to be released at the WWDC this year. I want to see the iPhone release return to its original position in the release schedule. To this point, I also have not articulated why, but I think it’s because I always enjoyed the official launch of iOS, followed by the hardware piece that would really showcase it. I still believe that iOS is built mainly with the iPhone in mind, and I like the vibe of the developers’ own conference being the launching point for the whole package.
Maybe I’m also a little bit nostalgic for the days of Steve Jobs giving us one more thing.
I think we have to keep our eyes on iOS 7 as the barometer for the iPhone 5S release date. All of this other stuff is noise; without iOS 7 in the open, we can’t really even begin to triangulate a release date for the next iPhone. Let’s keep looking for evidence!

Read more at http://iphone5newsblog.com/2013/03/23/iphone-5s-release-date-rumors-fragment-ios-7-beta-still-a-no-show/#7ZmKw8GCh7d6DYf2.99

iPhone 5 Announcement Changes iPhone 5S Release Date Calculus

 

Posted by Michael Nace on Tuesday Mar 26, 2013 Under iPhone 5 News, iPhone 5S Opinion

T-Mobile’s announcement that they will offer the iPhone 5 starting in mid-April harkens back to Verizon’s 2011 announcement — which could push back the iPhone 5S release date.
Well, T-Mobile customers’ long wait for the iPhone has finally ended. Beginning on April 12th, the company will offer the iPhone 5, which will also benefit from T-Mobile’s newly, hyped LTE network. T-Mobile will also be carrying the iPhone 4S and 4 is select markets as well, giving the carrier the opportunity to compete with the likes of the big three in the U.S..
The T-Mobile announcement to carry the iPhone gives Apple the opportunity to widen its distribution and sales network in the U.S. — a kind of strategic pivot against Samsung, who appears to be slowly encroaching on the iPhone with its Galaxy S as a contender that can take on Apple mano e mano. For their part, T-Mobile’s new marketing pitch to be the “Uncarrier,” with incentives like only having to put up $99 bucks for the iPhone 5, is a way to take on the likes of Sprint as a price leader in the mobile network market. So, everyone is making their play.
This move by Apple to allow T-Mobile to sell the iPhone 5 come April has. other implications, however. Namely, how will it affect the iPhone 5S release date?
Ironically, Gene Munster weighed in on the iPhone 5S release date just in time for this announcement, and his analysis could not be more polar-opposite of what the T-Mobile iPhone 5 announcement suggests about when we see the iPhone 5S. CBS reports:

Apple will likely bring out its next iPhone in late June, projects Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
Assuming that forecast comes true, Munster believes Apple will sell 4 million units of the new phone before the month and the quarter are over. That estimate compares with the 5 million iPhone 5 handsets sold during that model’s opening weekend.

You’ll recall that I have been lobbying for a June release of the iPhone 5S, looking for signs from Apple, alla the iOS 7 beta release, to suggest that they might re-engage the WWDC as a launch pad for the new iPhone. On any other day, Munster’s analysis would have been an affirmation of my own feeling that Apple could indeed release the iPhone 5S in June.
However, the T-Mobile announcement today now gives me some major pause on June for the iPhone 5S release date.
It was back in early 2011 when Verizon announced that they would begin carrying the iPhone 4 — nearly six months after its initial release on AT&T’s network in the U.S.. This was a huge story for Apple (and Verizon), and at the time, the tech media assumed that it would be business as usual for a June iPhone release. However, the late-released Verizon iPhone, followed by the white iPhone release later in the spring, proved to be mitigating circumstances for why the iPhone 4S came to be released later in the fall of that year.
We don’t know for sure why Apple moved the iPhone release in 2011 from early summer to fall — it could have been because of Steve Jobs’ health, problems manufacturing the processors, or a voluntary choice that had nothing to do with the rumored iPhone 4S snafus. But I tend to think that Verizon’s late release of the iPhone 4 had a lot to do with the decision.

Read more at http://iphone5newsblog.com/2013/03/26/t-mobile-iphone-5-announcement-changes-iphone-5s-release-date-calculus/#XbM3MZu8CfML3ICE.99

Create a Super Strong Device Passcode with Accented and Alternate Letters

Most of us have a device password set. You know a four digit passcode to keep folks out of your iPad or iPhone when you’re not looking. There are some of folks who don’t think 10,000 different combinations of digits is enough. Some folks turn off simple passcodes and switch to letters too. Want to step it up another notch? Then throw in some accented and alternate letters too.

I’m going to tell you straight off the bat that I don’t think this is the best idea ever. Setting a passcode is a great idea, and if you really want an extra step going beyond four numbers (remember there are 10,000 different combinations of 4 digit numbers) and turn off simple passcodes, go for it. But…

Remember if you forget your passcode, like completely space it, the only option is wiping and restoring. The more complex the passcode, the more likely you’ll forget it. Through in a slew of accented or alternate letters…well you can imagine the trouble you could get in.

But, since we’re here to give you tips and tricks you can use…

Step 1: Turn off Simple Passcodes

Just go to General -> Passcode Lock (you’ll be asked for your current passcode if you have one set) and then tap “Simple Passcode” to “OFF”.

Step 2: Set the new stronger passcode.

Once you turn Simple Passcodes off you’ll be asked to enter a new passcode. You’ll notice that the on screen keyboard pops up for this.

Tapping out lowercase and capital letters (and numbers, etc) you’ve got by now I expect, but accented letters or alternate characters you might not be familiar with. Getting to the letters is actually really easy, just tap and hold on a letter (like i in this example) and drag over to the character you want. Finish the new passcode, tap “Next” and re-enter the new über strong passcode. That’s it.

How to: iMovie for iOS Basics

 

By and large I love the iWork and iLife apps for iOS, but… But iMovie confounded me at first (and still confuses me at times). Sometimes I’m not quite sure if it’s as easy as iMovie on the Mac or maybe it’s easier. One thing that is for sure once you get the hang of iMovie for iOS, it’s a great video editor for quick and dirty videos on the go. As powerful as iMovie on the Mac? Nope, but sometimes that’s okay. In this video demo I give you a few tips and hints for using iMovie for iOS

Much like GarageBand for iOS, iMovie for iOS is pretty powerful as tablet apps go (funny that Apple hasn’t updated iMovie or iPhoto to really take advantage of the A6X chip yet), but both are really intended as “lite” versions of their desktop counterparts. If you start with that idea at the beginning of a project you’ll be a lot less frustrated as you go along.

This video goes through a few of the basics of iMovie like pulling in a clip, making easy edits, adding a photo, and adding music to a clip. In the video I demo a “basic project” not making a trailer. Trailers are very cool, but also require more shots to pull together for a demo.
When making the video (after a few minutes refreshing my memory with all the features), I forgot to include how you add titles and text to clips. The rest of the take was awesome, so here is how that feature works.

Double tap on a clip and you will see menu pop up. Tap “Title Style” and you’ll see something like this:

How To Add Your Favorite Contacts To iPhone’s Home Screen Without Jailbreaking

While the phone app on your iPhone lets you select favorite contacts from your contact list to easily call them, it can take three taps to finally end up on the calling screen. In this article, we tell you a trick by which you can call people you frequently contact right from your homescreen, without the need for a jailbreak.
 To do this, you’ll have to first download iPhone Configuration Utility, a software developed by Apple, targeted for enterprise device management. You can download and install the Windows version from here, and the Mac version from here. After you’re done installing the app on your PC or Mac, follow the steps below. (Although the screenshots  below show the Mac app, instructions for the Windows version should be fairly similar.)
Step 1: Open iPhone Configuration Utility and click on the “Configuration Profiles” label on the left.
Step 2: Click on “New” at the top and you’ll notice a new profile has been created with default values.

Step 3: Fill in the required fields for the profile. I named my profile “Speed dial,” enter “com.yourname.profile” as the identifier and, if you want, you can fill in a brief description that explains the purpose of this profile.
Step 4: Now scroll to the bottom, click on Web Clips, and then hit “Configure.” You’ll see that there are a set of fields that you have to fill in values for.

Step 5: In Name, enter the name of the contact you’d like to call. In the URL field, enter “tel://” followed by the phone number. You can also choose the icon that will appear on your iPhone’s home screen for the shortcut. In my case, I chose a retro phone icon from here. Enable the “full screen” checkbox as well.

Step 6: Now connect your iPhone via your USB cable and wait for it to appear under devices at the left. Once it does, click on the “Configuration Profiles” tab on the right. If everything went right till now, you should see the configuration profile you created, along with an install button on the right.


Step 7: Click the install button and your iPhone should automatically get unlocked and prompt you with a screen that asks you for permission to install the profile. Once that’s done, you should see the icon along with the name you had entered.
Step 8: Tap on the icon and it should open a web view with an alert asking you to confirm whether you want to proceed with the call. Once you confirm, your call will be placed.
The flow would have been even better had Apple not put a confirmation alert every time you tap the web clip icon, but it still takes just two taps, where as the Phone app favorites could take two and at most three taps to end up at the calling screen. You can even use this trick to quickly message people, just enter “sms://” in the URL instead of “tel://”. When using the SMS url, iOS doesn’t even ask for a confirmation and directly redirects you to the compose window, making it a one-tap process.
If you have multiple iPhones, you can simply export the profile from iPhone Configuration Utility and mail it to all devices as an attachment, making this process work over-the-air without the need to be connected via USB.

Apple Reportedly Sees Four-Fold Jump in iPhone Sales In India

Apple may be plotting an agressive course in China, the world’s biggest mobile phone market, by increasing the number of retail stores in the country, but things seem to be falling in place in India, the world’s second largest mobile phone market.

The Economic Times, India’s leading business newspaper reports that the sales of Apple devices, especially the iPhone has gone up by three to four times in the last quarter.

The Economic Times reports:

[Apple] is in the middle of an extensive advertising and marketing campaign for its iPhone, pivoting away from a strategy that relied on tie-ups with mobile operators. This, analysts said, could be the beginning of a sustained effort by Apple, which also makes the iPad tablet, to compete in the top end of the smartphone market.

As we had reported last year, Apple had changed its distribution model in India. Instead of relying on carriers for distribution, Apple is now partnering with specialised distribution companies Ingram Micro and Redington for reaching out to a much larger market. This has helped in making Apple products more easily accessible to a broader base of consumers.

Apple launched the iPhone 5 in India on November 2nd, less than two months of the US release with an expansive distribution network, which along with the full-page advertisements may have also helped.

However, as some analysts have pointed out, Apple will struggle to grab market share in India due to its limited and relatively expensive product range. This may change if Apple launches the low-cost iPhone, which is rumored to be priced at $99 – $149 (though I think the realistic price range for a low-cost iPhone will be $250-$350 as Apple likes to make a profit on its products).

At some point of time, Apple will also have to open retail stores in India, rather than just relying on distributors. Back in 2012, an unnamed official from the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) had claimed that Apple has been keen to enter the Indian market, so it is quite possible that the ball is already rolling on that front.

But don’t expect it to happen in 2013 and maybe not even in 2014 as this is what Tim Cook had to say during an analyst call six months back “You know of course I love India, but I believe that Apple has some higher potential in the intermediate term in some other countries. We have a business there, that business is growing, but the sort of the multilayer distribution there really adds to the cost of getting products to market.”