iPhone 4 Delayed Again: Now July 14th

The iPhone 4 order disaster continues, now with a new delay after AT&T suspended all sales for the device. The iPhone 4 arrival was delayed to July 2 for many pre-orders already. Now there's a new date: July 14.
A real delay
Yesterday, many customers were promised iPhone 4 units for launch date. Later, those customers received letters saying that the date was being pushed back for them, presumably following the realization that they couldn't cope up with orders. Now we are receiving reports on Apple Store iPhone 4 June 24 pick-up orders being cancelled via email.
That's the real problem here: Many users who ordered yesterday have found they are not going to receive their phones on the promised day. Others have had their orders completely cancelled. Now they have to order again, with the July 14 date instead of the initial June 24 or July 2.
The question now is: Is the iPhone 4 a victim of its own success? Or maybe this huge clusterf*ck is a product of Apple and AT&T's incompetence? I'm inclined to think it's mostly the latter for a simple reason: There was a huge group of iPhone 3G users who never upgraded to the iPhone 3GS.
That's millions of users with two-year old iPhone 3G cellphones, waiting for this generation to update. In addition to those, AT&T authorized millions of iPhone 3GS users to upgrade to the iPhone 4. Heated up by expectation caused by the lost iPhone 4 prototype and Apple's own PR machine, It was only logical to expect this level of sales, if not even more.
But to top it up, an AT&T insider revealed that the ordering system was upgraded over the weekend, with no real testing before the launch:

I do know that there was absolutely NO TESTING of this system done before the launch of the new iPhone. I know it's just heresay at this point, but I can confirm that there was a major outage over the weekend that impacted all ordering systems and programs, and I can confirm that there were multiple systems being upgraded/updated, with some updates being related to fraud.

That's not only a bad projection in iPhone 4 upgrades. Any IT person knows that this is reckless.
The questions now: Would the order cancellations continue? How would they fix the mishaps? Are there going to be any more delays?

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iPhone 4 to Double iPad's RAM With 512MB

MacRumors is reporting that iPhone 4 will pack 512MB of RAM, twice that of the 3GS and the iPad and on par with competitors like the Evo 4G. That's huge, for you and developers both.
We already know that the iPhone 4 will have the same processor as the iPad, but if the report bears out it'll also accommodate twice as much memory. That means developers can keep more data cached and manage graphics changes more effectively, and that you'll be able to browse without the iPad's often frustrating refresh times. The memory boost will also enable smoother multitasking, and is likely why iMovie won't come to the 3GS. In fact, it sort of reminds you—and makes you wonder why—the iPad's RAM is so relatively limited.
We'll know for sure in a week (or less) what the actual number is, but given how many of the iPhone's competitors have 512MB, it'll be a big disappointment if the iPhone 4 hasn't kept up with the Joneses. [MacRumors]
Send an email to Brian Barrett, the author of this post, at bbarrett@gizmodo.com. 

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How to install iOS4 NOW. [Mac Only]

Want to get a crack at that iOS4 goodness that Steve Jobs graced us with just yesterday, but don’t have the developer account that you need? We have good news, you can get your hands dirty now thanks to the powers of the internet.

 

 

The only problem is this, you need a Mac to pull off what we are about to describe. If you do have a OS X machine, read on. Why the Mac component? iTunes 9.2 is required, and as it stands that iTunes build is Mac only. Sorry Windows users, step aside.
You do not need your UDID to execute the installation, which means that Apple should not (no promises) be able to nail you against the wall for doing what we are about to walk you through.

Guide:

1. To commence, download and install iTunes 9.2 (Mac only, download links here, here, or here).
2. Now you need to download the right gold master for your device and save it on your desktop:

• If you have an iPhone 3GS, download this.
• If you have an iPhone 3G, this one is for you.
• iPod Touch 3G, get yours here.
• And finally if you have the iPod Touch 2G, download this.

3. Now let’s actually install iOS4:

• Plug in your iOS device, and then tab over to iTunes.
• In iTunes, alt+click on the ‘restore’ button, and then when promoted to locate the file select the IPSW file we just moved to your desktop.
• Wait for between 10 and 15 minutes for the new OS to be moved over.

All Done. How cool is that?
A few warnings, this is a hack, so if something goes wrong do not come crying to us about it. If Apple gets mad at you, we warned you. Finally, have fun. The real version of iOS4 is scheduled to drop for the public on June 21st, but who wants to wait that long?
A special thanks to GumballTech for doing all the legwork.

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AT&T, In Your iPhone 4 Order, Canceling It After You Made It

This is rumor at the moment, but given the very rough last few days for AT&T (and therefore Apple), we are inclined towards believing it. Reports are coming in that AT&T is canceling some iPhone 4 pre-orders.

Just when you thought that having the whole ordering system break down, watching AT&T ejaculate your private information to random people, and then run out of iPhones was not enough, now your order might be shot down like the Red Barron. Dark times, it could be said.

Here is the bulk of it: due to information mix-ups, AT&T has not been able to verify the information of a good number of people, and will thus been forced to rescind their order. To use AT&T’s supposed words:

    “Unfortunately, we were either unable to verify the information you provided or you have exceeded the number of lines of service that we allow customers to purchase online. As a result, your order has been canceled.”

So there you have it ladies and gentleman, the last straw. It literally cannot get worse from here on out.

Or can it? Put on your tin foil hat, and ask yourself this: is it possible that AT&T just sold too many iPhones on day one? The confusion alone makes it quite likely. It may be that AT&T just sold to many devices, and is now canceling orders to make the supply and demand columns line up. Who knows, maybe not even AT&T.

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iPhone 4.0: Multitasking Tops List of New Features

Apple also updates the Mail app, adds a Game Center, and will let users create folders to organize all of those apps.

Apple on Thursday gave a sneak peek at a developer preview of iPhone OS 4.0, the next major version of its operating system for mobile devices.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted over 1500 new application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers in iPhone 4.0, letting them access features like the iPhone's calendar, photo library, video-camera data, and more. App creators can also take advantage of OS X features like Quick Look, in-app SMS, and more. Plus, there are over 2000 APIs for hardware-accelerated math functions.
In addition, iPhone 4.0 boasts more than 100 new user features, such as playlist creation, 5x digital zoom in the camera app, tap-to-focus for video, auto photo-geotagging, the addition of Places functionality, the ability to change the Home screen wallpaper, improved spell-checking, and support for Bluetooth keyboards. Many of the features added are already available on the iPad, which currently runs iPhone OS 3.2.
Instead of running down the entire extensive list, Jobs focused on seven "tentpole" features that iPhone 4.0.
Multitasking
Perhaps the most long-awaited iPhone feature, iPhone 4.0 will bring multitasking capability to Apple's devices. As with copy-and-paste, Jobs acknowledged that Apple wasn't the first to implement multitasking, but he insisted that Apple would be the best, by coming up with a way that doesn't degrade the performance of the app users run in the foreground and doesn't drain battery life as significantly as it might.
In order to switch applications, users double-click the Home button which summons a dock-like window showing all running applications; tap on an app to switch to it. If you're playing a game, it will pause when you switch, and you'll be able to resume right where you left off when you switch back.
By default, that dock shows you four running applications, but if you have more running at one time, you can swipe left to see the rest of them.
Apple senior vice president of iPhone software Scott Forstall went into how Apple implemented multitasking while avoiding the potential pitfalls. Forstall said Apple looked at existing iPhone applications in the App Store and tried to identify what services are needed in the background-Apple then wrote their own code to implement those services, which it turn made available to third-party developers as APIs. That way, the system is responsible for maintaining battery life and performance, rather than having each additional app try and figure it out.
Forstall enumerated seven areas where it would be providing background APIs. The first was audio, for apps such as Pandora. Pandora founder Tim Westergren showed off how the app used Apple's new technology, a change he said took only a few hours. In addition, controls are even available: by double-tapping the Home screen, you can summon the familiar floating iPod control window with controls for Pandora. You can even buy media from iTunes without interrupting the playback.
The second background task is Voice over IP (VoIP). Apple showed off the Skype app taking advantage of background processes. Users can be on Skype calls and do other tasks; in fact, users can even receive Skype calls while the iPhone is locked and Skype isn't running. When users receive a Skype call, they are alerted via a pop-up notification with a custom sound, which allows them to answer the call. The iPhone also displays a red status bar to alert the user that they are still in Skype.
Location services are the third background API. You can continue to get directions from turn-by-turn GPS apps, even while performing other tasks such as listening to music in the iPod app.
The fourth background API is also location-based. Some applications use location information, such as Loopt, but they don't require GPS to be always-on, so instead Apple uses cell phone location information. When a user switches cell phone towers, it can indicate to the service that location has changed.
Apple realizes that privacy is important when it comes to location information, so it's adding an indicator in the menu bar, next to the battery icon, to let you know if an application has requested your location any time in the past 24 hours. And preferences will allow you to disable or enable location for each app.
The fifth background API is push notifications, to which Apple has added a new service called Local Notifications. This lets apps launch notifications without the need for an external server: so, as Forstall suggested, you can have a TV guide app that alerts you when a show is beginning.
Task completion is the sixth background API, and it's designed for apps that can take a while to finish certain tasks: for example, uploading photographs to Flickr. Now you can switch to other apps and let Flickr finish its business.
Then there's the seventh and final background API, Fast App Switching, which allows an app to dump all information related to its current state and then go into a sleep-like mode where it consumes no processor power. But, when you switch back to the app, everything returns to exactly the point where you left it.
Folders
Finally, an answer to the problem of having too many apps. Steve Jobs showed off a Folders feature for the iPhone's Home screen, allowing users to group applications. When you're editing your Home screen, you can drag one app on top of another app to automatically create a folder. The iPhone automatically names folders based on the categories of the apps.
So, for example, you can create a Games folder merely by dropping one game on top of another. The folder icon displays a small set of tiles showing you which apps are inside, and you can drag the folder anywhere on the Home screen, just like an app icon. There's no limit to the number of the folders you can have, and it's even possible to put one in the iPhone's Dock. The addition of folders means the iPhone now lets you easily see up more than 2000 apps.
In a move borrowed from the iPad, iPhone 4.0 also lets you change the background wallpaper on your iPhone's Home screen-this can either be the same as the lock screen's wallpaper or an entirely different image.
Mail
Apple severely revamped the Mail application in iPhone 4.0, adding support for new features such as a unified inbox, that allows you to see all incoming mail from multiple accounts; you can also quickly jump between inboxes for multiple accounts. In addition, Mail also now supports more than one Exchange account at a time, and you can also organize by thread.
Attachments are enhanced as well: you can now tap files attached to e-mail messages to open them in a separate application, including third-party apps.
iBooks on iPhone
In another borrowed feature from the iPad, Apple will be making iBooks available to the iPhone in iPhone OS 4.0. It's a smaller version of the iPad app, but allows the same features, including purchasing from the iBookstore. And you'll be able to sync your place and bookmarks between multiple devices: leave off reading a book on your iPad, and you can start reading it in the same place on your iPhone.
Enterprise features
iPhone 4.0 has added new features for business users. At the top of the list is better data protection: all e-mail, including attachements, can be encrypted with your PIN code. And Apple will make encryption APIs available to third-party developers, allowing them to do the same with data stored in those apps.
Apple's also rolling out improvements for mobile device management, for those companies that deploy large numbers of iPhones. Companies can now wirelessly distribute applications anywhere in the world from their own servers. In addition, there's the aforementioned support for multiple Exchange accounts, and support for Exchange Server 2010. Plus, Apple is supporting SSL VPN for both Juniper and Cisco.
Game Center
Billed as a "developer preview" in iPhone OS 4, Apple announced a social-gaming network called Game Center, which seems poised to compete with services such as Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. You'll be able to invite friends, participate in online matchmaking, compete in leaderboards, earn achievements, and more. While available first to developers-presumably so they can integrate the functionality in their apps-Game Center will roll out to end users later this year.
iAd
As was widely rumored, Apple announced its own built-in advertising system for the iPhone OS, iAd. Developers to incorporate ads into their application and use both video and interactive elements without taking users out of the current application. And the system is built entirely on HTML5.
"It's all about helping our developers make money through advertising so they can keep their free apps free," said Jobs.
Availability and compatibility
While Apple is releasing a developer preview of iPhone 4.0 on Thursday, it won't be available to end users until this summer. And not all devices will be able to reap all the benefits. Owners of the iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch should be able to run all the features, but iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch owners will only support some of the features-for instance, those devices will not be able to use the multitasking features.
As for Apple's newest device, the iPad, Jobs said that iPhone 4.0 will arrive on the tablet device sometime this fall.
Updated at 11:05 PT with information on availability and compatibility.
Macworld will update this report with more details as they become available.

For more Macintosh computing news, visit Macworld. Story copyright © 2010 Mac Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.
 (PCWorld)

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How to Install Android on Your iPhone(p3)

Android on iPhone, Continued

16. Reboot your iPhone. As a safety precaution, check to make sure that the files are still present after the reboot and that they all have the right sizes. An incorrect file size is one that does not exactly match the source file size (for example, system.img is not 71327744 bytes, android.img.gz is not 2161556 bytes, or zImage is not 2364280 bytes on the 3G or not 2356044 bytes on the older iPhone).
Many people have trouble with this process because not all of the files reached their iPhone in one piece.
17. Extract utils/oibc, utils/loadibec, and prebuilt/openiboot.img3 from the prebuilt tarball into your 'idroid' folder.
18. Shut down the iPhone and place it into Recovery Mode: With the iPhone powered off and plugged into the computer via USB, push Hold and Home simultaneously, and then let go of Hold after the backlight turns on. Continue holding Home until the 'Connect to iTunes' image appears on the screen.
19. Run the following commands in Terminal (you'll need to install libusb-0.1-4 with Synaptics or 'apt-get' if you haven't already):
cd ~/idroid
sudo ./loadibec openiboot.img3
If all goes well, the 'openiboot' boot menu should now appear!

20. Use either the volume-control buttons or the Hold button to select the second menu option, Console. Tap the Home button to launch it.
A text-mode console should start running on your screen, ending with a 'Welcome to openiboot' message.
21. Type sudo ./oibc in Terminal.
The same messages that appeared on the iPhone screen should now appear in Terminal. You should next make a backup of the NOR (the device on which the iPhone's bootloader is stored) in case something goes wrong, so you don't brick your iPhone.
22. Type nor_read 0x09000000 0x0 1048576 in Terminal/oibc. This will read the entire NOR into main memory.
23. Type ~norbackup.bin@0x09000000:1048576 in Terminal/oibc. A file will appear in the 'idroid' folder called norbackup.bin. Keep this somewhere safe.
The command uploads the NOR to the computer. After you make this backup, you are now free to modify the NOR. The next step installs OpeniBoot onto the NOR, supplanting the existing Apple iBoot bootloader.
24. Type install in Terminal/oibc.
This process may take a few minutes. Wait until the installation-complete message appears.
25. Type reboot in Terminal/oibc and then exit out of it by pressing Ctrl-C.
The OpeniBoot menu should now come up whenever you boot your iPhone. Note that you can uninstall OpeniBoot from oibc with the 'uninstall' command. Type help for a list of all OpeniBoot commands.
You can still get into the iPhone OS's recovery mode by holding down Home on the iPhone OS option in the menu until the 'Connect to iTunes' image appears (instead of just tapping Home).
You should be finished! Use the OpeniBoot menu to boot Android by selecting that OS from the menu whenever you wish. Unfortunately, no good method to shut down Android exists yet, so the only way to turn it off is to hold down the Hold and Home buttons until you've forced the phone off.
Check out iDroidWiki for more tutorials and tips on what you can do with your new Android iPhone.
David Wang is a hobbyist hacker better known as "planetbeing." For the latest developments, visit his blog, Linux on the iPhone. (PC World)

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How to Install Android on Your iPhone(P2)

Android on iPhone, Step-by-Step

The first steps collect the multitouch and WLAN firmware for the iPhone. We cannot legally redistribute these binary blobs, so it is necessary for you to extract them from the .ipsw file and Marvell's Website.
1. On the Linux machine, create a folder named firmware in your home directory.
2. Extract SD-8686-FEDORA26FC6-SYSKT-GPL-9.70.3.p24-26409.P45.tar from SD-8686-LINUX26-SYSKT-9.70.3.p24-26409.P45-GPL.zip to a temporary folder.
3. Extract FwImage/helper_sd.bin and FwImage/sd8686.bin from SD-8686-FEDORA26FC6-SYSKT-GPL-9.70.3.p24-26409.P45.tar and put them inside your 'firmware' folder.
4. Rename helper_sd.bin to sd8686_helper.bin.
You have your WLAN firmware at this point. Now for the multitouch firmware.
5. On the Linux machine, create a folder named idroid in your home directory and extract utils/dripwn from the prebuilt tarball (.tar archive) you downloaded into it.
6. Copy or move the 3.1.2 .ipsw file you obtained from Apple's Website into the same 'idroid' folder as dripwn.
7. Start a command-line shell (Terminal under Ubuntu) and navigate to the 'idroid' folder you created. You can type cd ~/idroid to do this.
8. Go to this page if you have an iPhone 3G or this page if you have an older iPhone. Copy the VFDecrypt key.
9. In the shell you started earlier, if you have a first-generation iPhone, type the following:
./dripwn iPhone1,1_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw [the VFDecrypt key you copied]
If you have a iPhone 3G, type the following:
./dripwn iPhone1,2_3.1.2_7D11_Restore.ipsw [the VFDecrypt key you copied]
10. After a while, the command will finish and you will have zephyr_main.bin, zephyr_aspeed.bin, and zephyr2.bin in your 'idroid' folder. Move these files into the 'firmware' folder.
You now have all the files needed for Android, and you can begin installing it.
11. If you haven't already, install the OpenSSH tool on your iPhone via Cydia.
12. If you just installed OpenSSH, connect to your iPhone via SSH, log in as root with the password alpine, and type passwd root to change the password for root. Then, enter passwd mobile to change the password for the mobile user.
Don't skip this step. All of the iPhone worms out there affect you only if you haven't changed the SSH password from the default.
13. Extract prebuilt/android.img.gz, prebuilt/cache.img, prebuilt/ramdisk.img, prebuilt/system.img, prebuilt/userdata.img, and zImage from the prebuilt tarball.
14. Use the 'scp' command or an SFTP client to upload all of these files into the /private/var folder on the iPhone.
You can use these commands on Linux, if you wish to use scp instead of an SFTP graphical-interface client. Assuming you're in the same folder as the files, enter:
scp android.img.gz root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
scp cache.img root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
scp ramdisk.img root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
scp system.img root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
scp userdata.img root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
scp zImage root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/
15. Using the SFTP client or scp, create a folder called firmware in the /private/var folder on the iPhone; afterward, upload all the files from the 'firmware' folder you created earlier to it.
If the 'firmware' folder you created earlier is inside your home directory, you can use the following command:
scp -r ~/firmware/ root@[ip address of iPhone]:/private/var/firmware

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