Fruit Ninja: The Movie Trailer

You’re most likely familiar with the iOS hit game Fruit Ninja, in which your goal is to cut in half a variety of fruits that are being thrown at you while avoiding bombs.
But did you know that a movie is being made about the game? Well, that’s not actually true. As far as I know, no one is planning to make a movie out of it, but that didn’t prevent SAX Jewell and his friends from creating a Fruit Ninja trailer, and it is hilarious…

Funny, isn’t it?
[Thanks for the tip, Domo!]
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SemiTether Jailbreak Updated For Stability

The popular SemiTether jailbreak was updated to v0.9.1 this morning, and it’s quite the update.
Working with Saurik, the team was able to fully incorporate the new mobile substrate, which allowed them to get rid of the daemon patching and restarting.
Mobile substrate now does all of the heavy lifting when it comes to the SemiTether. There’s even an option to patch Safari to work in non-jailbreak mode now.
Perhaps most importantly, the new version of SemiTether will protect your iOS 5 Notification Center plugins…
Along with that much needed feature, the team also says that they are looking into patching Mail, and working with the developers of MyWi and AppSync.
Per BigBoss here are is the summary of changes:

1) Much more stable with new mobile substrate
2) Can patch safari so it works in the non-jailbreak reboot mode
3) App to monitor the status of your semitether and reapply. Check after Cydia installs.

The team states that this update will certainly address the “flakiness” of the previous versions of SemiTether, but to keep in mind that this is still a beta package, and a complete rewrite of mobile substrate.
If you haven’t seen the video that we created that shows how to SemiTether jailbreak your device, then check it out below:

Remember, the source for the SemiTether package is as follows: http://thebigboss.org/semitether
Have you used SemiTether? What do you think about it?
[BigBoss]
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Apple Airs Commercials Featuring iCloud, Siri, iPhone 4S Camera

With each new product release, Apple launches a whole new advertising campaign around whatever fancy new features have been added, and the iPhone 4S is no exception.
Starting today, Apple is airing three new ads to help spread the word about the “most amazing iPhone yet.” The 30-second spots feature iCloud, Siri, and the supercharged 8 megapixel camera packed into the iPhone 4S. And in typical Apple fashion, we’re not sure where real products end and the hype machine begins…
The iCloud ad revolves around syncing and downloading, with the ad showing off iTunes in the iCloud as well as iWork syncing across iPhones and iPads. Apple is also keen to show off Photo Stream, too, with photos being taken of adorable kids and being instantly beamed back to an iMac.
Magical, indeed.

The second of the three ads shows off Siri, in an unusually muted video. That is, you don’t hear the ad’s voice-over guy until right at the end, with Apple seemingly happy to let Siri do the talking for itself.
All the usual demo material is present: checking a calendar, reading a text message, and asking what the weather will be doing at a random point in time. We’ve all seen it before, but it is the exact kind of thing that will get people interested.

The final ad covers the iPhone 4S’ new 8 megapixel camera, with red-eye reduction and cropping also shown off for good measure.
Apple also points out that perhaps you don’t need a separate camera if you own a 4S. A point that many have made since getting their hands on Apple’s latest iPhone.

Apple’s ads always attract —not that the iPhone 4S has been struggling—and showing Siri off to people that might not already understand it is probably a very good idea.
Now we just wait for the next quarter’s earnings call to see how well these ads have payed off!
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Top 10 iPhone & iPad News You Might Have Missed This Week

This is a summary of the most popular news stories published on iDB this past week.
Please make sure to spread our iPhone, iPad and iOS wisdom by sharing our posts on Twitter and Facebook…
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Apple Stores Looking to Enable Self-Checkouts Via iOS App

Apple Stores are already considered trendsetters in the retail space. From their awe-inspiring architecture to their product-focused environments, the Cupertino company’s world-wide chain has other retailers turning green with envy.
Now it seems like the Mac-makers are looking to start another fad: self-checkout. No, we’re not talking about those big machines at your local Walmart. We’re talking about customers paying for items using their iPhones without the help of a sales clerk…
MacRumors is reporting that Apple is planning on releasing an update to its Apple Store application that will allow users to purchase accessories in-store without needing to flag down an Apple employee. Here’s how it will work:

“According to our source, self-checkout purchases will be charged via the Apple Store app to the customer’s iTunes Store account. It is not entirely clear what will happen once a user has checked out via the app, although store employees will of course be on the lookout for store visitors walking out with merchandise in hand, as they are already. Customers who have made a purchase through self-checkout will be able to show an emailed receipt to any employee, confirming their purchase.”

Obviously, Apple’s higher-end products won’t be eligible for the service due to being tucked away in the stock room, but accessories and other small purchases will be fair game.
Even current NFC-enabled checkouts generally require the presence of a store employee, so it’ll be interesting to see what Apple’s experience will be like. And with a predicted start date of November 3rd, we may not have to wait long to find out.
Theft concerns aside, Apple’s self-checkout project could be a big hit if it’s successful. The Cupertino company could potentially open the service up to other retailers or even convenience stores, allowing customers to make purchases through their iTunes accounts.
What’s your take on Apple’s self-checkout project?
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Apple Purchases Another 3D Mapping Company

Aside from small additions like displaying alternate routes and the Show Traffic option, the Maps application received little attention from Apple during the recent iOS update. Some pundits expected the app to at least receive turn-by-turn directions.
But a revamped Maps app might still be in Apple’s plans. 9to5Mac is reporting that Apple has just quietly acquired “mind-blowing 3D mapping company” C3 Technologies, and that the Cupertino company is looking to take iOS maps to the next level…
The news comes shortly after the company’s website went down in July of this year, spawning tons of speculation. An announcement was made that C3 had indeed been bought-out by a Western-world company, but nothing more was ever revealed.
You might recall that Apple has made similar purchases in the past. Last year the company acquired Poly9, another 3D mapping startup team. And the year before it scooped up Placebase, a firm known for its mapping software.
Just as Apple did with Siri, you can bet that we’ll see the work of these companies eventually make their way into iOS — which is exciting considering some of their talents. Here’s a video of C3 Technologies rendering New York City:

If you recognize C3's work, it’s because it powers Nokia’s popular Ovi Maps. The Finnish handset maker has been praised for its high-powered 3D mapping software. It’ll be interesting to see how their relationship continues post-Apple acquisition.
With three strong mapping firms now in its stable, Apple is definitely setting the stage for something major. As 9to5Mac points out, Apple doesn’t scoop up companies nearly as often as its competitors. But when it does, it has a specific goal for them in mind.
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Sync Photos and Video Between iDevices With PhotoSync

While Apple’s Photo Stream is a great way of getting photos to sync across multiple devices, there’s one glaring problem. Photo Stream doesn’t support video, presumably because Apple doesn’t want its servers full of hours and hours of 1080p videos showing cats sleeping.
It makes sense from a technical standpoint, but that doesn’t help you if you need to get a video from one device to another. There’s syncing with iTunes, and doing the iPhoto jig in the hope that everything works as planned, but it’s a pain, and not always practical.
That’s where PhotoSync comes in…
Priced at a reasonable $1.99, PhotoSync fills in the gaps left by Photo Stream by allowing the sharing of video and photos between iOS devices, and even Macs and PCs, wirelessly.

Operation is about as easy as it gets. Set the receiving devices up to be able to accept connections via the app’s settings, and it will show up as a potential destination for others. You can even have PhotoSync send content to web-based services like Flickr and SmugMug, should you wish.
All transfers are done over your Wi-Fi connection, so keep that in mind when moving huge video files between iDevices. If you’re happy with Wi-Fi iTunes syncing, chances are you’ll be fine with this, too. Once you’ve initiated the transfer you can even close the app, with the files continuing to copy in the background.

This is a great little app for getting photos and videos from one iDevice to another. It’s perfect for sharing baby photos and similar memories between iPhones and iPads.
Do you use another app to serve the purpose of Photo Stream on your iPhone?
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