Tag: ios5

iOS 5.0.1 is Now Available, Plugin and Launch iTunes to Download

I am downloading iOS 5.0.1, which I hope will alleviate the low battery life issues that I have experienced since getting the iPhone 4S. I will report back after the update.

UPDATE: Install went flawlessly after downloading 800+ MB update. Let’s see if I can go more than a day and a half to two days before needing to charge.

UPDATE 2: Downloading the iPad iOS 5.0.1 update over iTunes. However, AppleInsider reports here that Apple is also pushing updates via its i-devices wirelessly. I wish that I had thought to check Settings > General > Software Update on my iPhone 4S before plugging into iTunes earlier!

UPDATE 3: It is interesting that the iTunes update is so large, when the AppleInsider images in the link above show the over-the-air update to be only 55 MB. I assume that iTunes grabs the full iOS system install while the over-the-air update contains only the files/changes needed for the update.

Facetime, Apple’s Slick Teleconferencing Software, is for Cats, Too

In the image to the left, Miao and I are talking with Y with Apple’s Facetime technology. Y is visiting her family in Taiwan, so we are relying on Apple’s Facetime on Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and iOS 5 to talk face-to-face.

Facetime is integrated into the new device and computer operating systems so that you can “call” someone with Facetime and your iPad 2 or iPhone 4S will “ring” automagically with an incoming connection request. We have also used our MacBooks to handle Facetime conversations.

The quality of the video feed is largely dependent on Internet transfer conditions between Ohio and Taiwan. The video is sometimes fluid and sometimes strobe-effect like with lots of funny faces captured by our devices’ cameras. When it works well, Facetime is very slick, but it even holds up well for visual communication over long distance even when conditions create video freezes. The audio generally comes through clear and without stutter–I suppose it is prioritized over video.

Since audio seems prioritized, I would think that they are separate streams that have to be synced at the receiver’s end. Perhaps this is why Facetime spikes CPU usage–muxing the separate streams while simultaneously transmitting demuxed streams. Have you found an explanation Apple’s implementation of the technologies that make Facetime work? Let me know in the comments.

Apple Announcements from WWDC 2011: iCloud, iOS 5, and Lion

I missed the big announcements from Apple on Monday, because I went on a two day trip to Niagara Falls with my lovely wife and my emerging cosmopolitan parents. We had a great time in Canada and New York, but it is nice to get caught up with the digital goings-on tonight.

iCloud is probably the biggest announcement: 5GB of free storage in the cloud (Apps, eBooks, purchased music, and Photos are free). If this service really works as well as promised, you will be able to seamlessly access your content across any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, or Mac). More information is available here.

There was no iPhone 5 announcement, but Apple delivered the goods with iOS 5–the next iteration of the iOS platform. The big features include setting up an i-device without needing to own/use a computer and wireless syncing of your i-device data if you do use it with a computer. There will be new camera, gesture, and notification technologies built-in, too. Go here for a rundown of the new features.

Mac OS X 10.7 Lion was given a July 2011 launch date. Perhaps more interesting than the new technologies wrapped into the latest version of Mac OS X is the fact that it will be available for immediate download through the Mac App Store. This means you can purchase and download it over the Internet without needing to buy bits packaged in a cardboard box from the corner store (Larry Ellison’s biggest gripe about software distribution). TUAW, however, offers a guide here on how to burn a bootable Lion install disc after you purchase the installer from Apple.

Other tidbits: iTunes is now available as “iTunes in the Cloud beta” version 10.3 here. Also, iBookstore is now part of iTunes (finally!).