Box For PlayBook Gives 50GB Of Storage Free

Posted By Ray Nicolini

The very popular Box Cloud services is at it again. For those of you who took advantage of this promotion the first time box came out with their app for the BlackBerry PlayBook last September knows what a great deal they received. For those new to the BlackBerry PlayBook or missed out on it the first time around you can take advantage of this great special again because Box.com is offering 50Gb of free storage when you sign up for an account on your BlackBerry PlayBook, so don’t delay. Follow the link below to pick up this app for FREE.

Box.com For The BlackBerry PlayBook  >>

How to load Android apps on your BlackBerry PlayBook from your Mac

Posted By Ray Nicolini

Via CrackBerry.com


CrackBerry's guide to sideloading Android apps from your Mac!

When it comes to sideloading Android apps on your BlackBerry PlayBook, using a PC has pretty much been the way to go. Sideloading is the process of getting PlayBook apps (which carry the .BAR format) onto your tablet without the use of BlackBerry App World. Well loading up BAR files from your Mac isn't quite so hard either. Originally, you had to install the PlayBook SDK on your Mac (which was pretty annoying) to have the ability to load up BAR files on your PlayBook. Well thankfully that isn't the case anymore and sideloading apps from your Mac just takes a few steps. You'll need to download the PlayBook Tools, a BAR file or two and know how to use Terminal. It may take a few minutes the first time you have a go at it, but after that you'll be able to load up files in a under a minute. Keep reading for the full turorial on just how to get this done.

How to sideload Android apps to the BlackBerry PlayBook from a Mac

• Make sure you Mac OS is up to date and then download the Playbook_Tools here.
• Unzip the files into you /user/ Directory (You can put them wherever you want, it's just easier this way).
• Move the files from the Playbook_Tools\lib\ folder to the Playbook_Tools directory.
• Put your BlackBerry PlayBook into Developer Mode by going to Settings > Security Settings and note the IP address of your PlayBook. You'll also be required to enter a password here if you don't have one already.

• Find the .bar file for the app you want to install (check our growing list in the forums). Move the .bar file you downloaded into the Playbook_Tools directory
• Open Terminal on your Mac (Applications > Utilities > Terminal). Your Terminal screen will show something along the lines of: new-host-2:~ adamzeis$
• Type cd playbook_tools and press Enter. Terminal should now read something like: new-host-2:playbook_tools adamzeis$
• Type the followin into Terminal: java -Xmx512M -jar BarDeploy.jar -installApp -devicePLAYBOOK_IP -password PB_PASSWORD appname.bar Be sure to add in your PlayBook IP address, password and the name of the .bar file.

• Terminal will do it's magic and when it's done, your app will be ready to roll on your PlayBook

So that's all there is to it. As we said earlier, after the initial setup, loading up Android apps on your PlayBook from your Mac takes just a few minutes. You can load great apps like Kindle, Words With Friends, Google Maps and even Skype on your BlackBerry PlayBook. Head to the forums to track down some BAR files for these and more.

Also be sure to hit up our BlackBerry PlayBook forums for more great tutorials and discussion. You can find help with anything you'll need to do on your PlayBook and may learn a thing or two along the way. Thanks to @mattyg for the tip!

FlyNumber.com

Posted by Ray Nicolini

One very clever technique to staying connected to Toronto and all its inhabitants is with a Toronto virtual phone number. That’s the idea behind FlyNumber, we offer DID’s and virtual phone numbers to the public so they can have a presence where they don’t have the luxury of having an address.  

Most  of us who fall under the categories of entrepreneur, webmaster or internet junkie know of the benefits associated with having a virtual number. We use them to post on our “Contact Us” pages or maybe you used one because the travel site you developed needed a Canada virtual number for local clients to call.

You want to make a phone call, not fuss around with apps, pins, usernames, and calling cards. The alternative used to be paying expensive local carrier "International Rates". Flynumber eliminates the high cost but keeps the simplicity associated with just making a single phone call using a traditional dial-er.

Nader Jaber is CEO of FlyNumber.com (DID provider) while also active in New York real estate and angel investing

BeatBlaster app turns your iPad into a jaw-dropping Hi-Fi sound system

Posted By Ray Nicolini

Via 9to5mac.com

Quality music players are far and few between on the iPad—especially ones with an interesting twist. Enter BeatBlaster for iPad. Born from the collaboration between mobile conception, development agency AppConcept, and communication and design agency StagLabel, it recreates the look and feel of those old Hi-Fi sound systems with stunning graphics, head-turning design and an assortment of useful features. First up, it plays your existing music, but it also lets you access lyrics, get detailed information about the artist, and more.

Moreover, the view switches to a new mode that animates huge speaker graphics when you play a favorite song. If you are really last century, you will like a turntable mode that spins vinyl records for the right mood. We also love visually flipping through CD jewel cases in the music library—a seemingly effective solution for sorting through huge libraries. Not everything about BeatBlaster is about looks, though.

BeatBlaster for iPad works well with the free companion BeatBlaster Remote app that connects wirelessly with your tablet over Bluetooth. Why is that cool, you ask? Well, how about docking your iPad to a home stereo system to control it from across the room using an iPhone? Better yet, hook up BeatBlaster to supported AV receivers through AirPlay for true cables-free nirvana. BeatBlaster will set you back three bucks and is available now from the App Store.

More information and screenies are below.

BeatBlaster for iPad

• Equalizer and speaker (based on the track’s volume)
• Background support (iPod and web radio)
• Search your iPod library by song, artist or album
• Discover new songs thanks to Radionomy web radios’ catalogue, which include a featured and a top 25 section

• Browse web radios by type or search by artist or keyword.
• Put a web radio in the “favorite” section to launch it faster.
• AirPlay support

 

 

• Player – It is the brain of the app, from where you can control everything. Switch from iPod to radio mode, adapt the volume, seek, enjoy the equalizer, follow the lyrics, and get information about the artist

• Turntable – For those of you who loved to watch your vinyls spinning on your turntable, we reproduced with fidelity this old school way to enjoy music.

• Speaker – That is where the sound comes from. We managed to make it move in sync with your iPod and web radio sound.

• Library – Where you will find your CD collection (Music synced with iTunes) and a variety of high quality web radios.

• Remote – Put your iPad on a docking station, launch the BeatBlaster and sit back on your couch. From there, use the “BeatBlaster Remote” to play music, go to the previous or the next song, change from radio to iPod mode or adapt the volume. “BeatBlaster Remote” is available free on the App Store for your iPhone or your iPod Touch.

How to check for water damage before purchasing a used iPhone 4

Posted By Ray Nicolini

Via iMore.com

“Checking for water damage is pretty simple and something everyone should do before forking over your hard earned cash for a second-hand iPhone 4.”

If you’re trying to save some money and are in the market to purchase a used iPhone 4 from either Craigslist, eBay, or some other local or online seller, one of the first things you’ll want to do is check for any signs of water damage. I see several people in my office each week that purchased used iPhones that mysteriously quit working after a few days. As much as we’d like to believe there aren’t people out there who would sell us broken or water damaged devices, it happens every day.

While online-only iPhone purchases are convenient, I highly recommend meeting up with someone locally, for example, someone off of Craiglist, before turning to eBay or any other online broker. This allows you inspect the iPhone device before you actually commit to purchasing it, and gives you a chance test it out and check for water damage yourself.

If you can’t meet someone locally and need to buy online, request that the seller inspect for water damage and send you images that allow you to see that the water sensors are still intact and that the internals have not suffered any damage or corrosion.

Apple has placed 4 sensors inside the iPhone 4 that make it pretty easy to tell if any part of the device has come in contact with liquid. These sensors are placed exactly the same in the GSM iPhone 4 and CDMA iPhone 4. You want to make sure the sensors are white as opposed to red. If you see a sensor that has turned red, that’s a sign it’s come into contact with liquid or heavy humidity.

How to check external iPhone water sensors

The easiest thing to check are the two sensors you can see without removing the back of the iPhone 4. I recommend bringing a small pocket or keychain flashlight with you in order to get a good look at the sensors.

Headphone jack sensor

The easiest sensor to check in an iPhone 4 for water damage is the one at the bottom of the headphone jack

Your first sensor is located inside the headphone jack at the bottom. It’s the easiest sensor to find and inspect. Shine a flashlight into it and make sure you don’t see anything but white. (Red is bad.)

As a side note, this sensor can come out or become dislodged occasionally. If you don’t see one, just move on and check the next sensor. I wouldn’t take it as a sign that the seller is trying to be dishonest (yet).

Dock connector sensor

The white part I've emphasized in the image is where you'll want to look for the water sensor in the dock connector

The next sensor is a square sensor in the dock connector. To see it, hold the phone screen down in your hand and look inside the dock connector towards the middle. On the upper side you will see a tiny white square (or red square if the device has come into contact with liquid). Make sure this one is white.

If both sensors are white, it may not be necessary to proceed any further. The device most likely has never been subjected to water damage. If the headphone jack sensor was missing or you couldn’t find one of the sensors, you may want to continue to the next section.

How to checking internal iPhone water sensors

It may seem silly to bring a screwdriver with you to check out an iPhone but it’ll seem a lot less silly when it saves the lost money and headache you’d get for buying a water damaged iPhone 4.

There are two sensors on the inside of the iPhone 4 that are easily visible once the back is removed. You can pick up a security screw driver online and a #00 Phillips screwdriver from your local hardware store for a few bucks. You’ll need one of the two in order to remove the back.

If you’re buying a CDMA iPhone 4 off of someone, you’ll most certainly need the security screwdriver. Older GSM models still have standard #00 screws while newer ones have security screws. Remove the 2 screws holding the back plate on and gently push the back up and pull it off. This will give you a clear view of the last 2 sensors and a lot of the internals of the device.

While you’re checking the last 2 sensors it’s always a good idea to look closely at the internals and make sure everything looks ok. You’ll want to avoid any devices that show signs of the following:

• Obvious corrosion
• Torn cables
• Missing screws
• The battery tab is torn off
• A large amount of debris or dust inside the device

If all those seem good, you’ll just need to make sure the water sensors check out okay.

Battery sensor

Check the sensor directly above the battery to make sure it hasn't turned red

The first sensor is placed directly over the clip that holds the battery down. Again, just make sure it’s white and move on the to next and final sensor. If it isn’t white but all the rest are, I’d probably still advise against buying the device as the battery or other internal parts could have come into contact with liquid at some point.

Logic board sensor

Never purchase a used iPhone 4 if the sensor over the screw holding down the logic board has turned red

The final sensor is located on a screw holding the logic board in place. If this sensor is white, you’re in the clear. If it’s not, you’ll definitely want to stay away from purchasing the device. This sensor is the closest one to the logic board. If it’s red, odds are the logic board has liquid damage and will eventually go out.

Wrap up

Checking for water damage is pretty simple and something everyone should do before forking over your hard earned cash for a second-hand iPhone 4. I would personally consider buying an iPhone 4 if only the headphone jack or dock connector sensor was triggered. If the rest of the device is in perfect condition and the inside has no sensors triggered, I’d say you’re okay. A lot of things including living in a humid climate can cause external sensors to be triggered. Apple will actually honor a warranty swap if only one external sensor is triggered due to these factors.

Just make sure if one external sensor is triggered or missing that you check the inside ones. As long as those are okay, the decision really lies with how comfortable you feel and how honest you think the seller is. If they seem irritated or worried about you checking out the device, find another one.

Interested in other DIY, repair, and modding info? Check out the resources below or if you ever decide certain repairs are beyond your skill level, contact PXLFIX regarding mail-in repairs and pricing.

Here’s a list of things that Mountain Lion killed today

Posted By Ray Nicolini

Apple’s merging of iOS with OS X continues today with our first glimpse at 10.8 Mountain Lion, the next major OS release for Macs. Of course, in the process of bringing the best of both worlds together, some things win out. In the case of Mountain Lion, several apps and features were replaced with their iOS counterparts. Here is everything from past OS X releases that died today at the hand of Apple’s iOS-ifying of Mountain Lion:

iChat: Mountain Lion introduces an OS X version of the iOS “Messages” app that replaces iChat and integrates your AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, and Jabber accounts when installed. It also introduces unlimited messaging to and from Macs and iOS devices. Although the FaceTime app still appears to be present in Mountain Lion, the new Messages app also integrates FaceTime video chats. Messages on OS X completes the merging of FaceTime and iChat with a Mac compatible version of iMessages from iOS, making iChat and just about every third-party messaging app obsolete in the process.

iCal & Address Book: In Mountain Lion Address Book and iCal were both replaced with names of their iOS equals, “Contacts” and “Calendar.” In this case, the change is mainly just the names, but improved iCloud integration gets the OS X Contacts and Calendar apps and the iOS versions closer to becoming one in the same.

Growl: For a long time, third-party, open-source notification utility Growl was the go-to solution for OS X users. It is hard to argue Apple’s integration of a Notification Center almost identical to iOS 5 does not completely replace the need for Growl. Apple is letting developers integrate notifications into their apps, and we will likely see further integration between Notification Center on iOS and OS X in future updates.

“Mac”: While it i’s not something the average user is likely to pay attention to, Apple’s decision to officially drop the “Mac” from “Mac OS X” signifies a big change. Mac was part of the OS name for more than 10 years, and dropping the “Mac” will surely make things easier when the inevitable unification of iOS and OS X is complete. There are even models of Macs that did not make the cut for Mountain Lion support.

HDMI out: With AirPlay mirroring support in Mountain Lion, HDMI out is on the way out. It might not be reason to throw out your HDMI cables right away, but the prospect of wirelessly beaming your Mac’s screen to the upcoming Apple HDTV means Apple is likely to keep improving it.

source 9to5mac.com