iStat for iPhone now useless — Apple removes “free memory” option

Ya know, while I really enjoy using my Macbook Pro and a few other Apple pieces of hardware, I am really, really beginning to despise this piece of shit called an iPhone and the company that makes it. Why the harsh, colorful, anti-elementary language? iStat Pro was a great little memory management app (I use that term loosely because Apple’s BS restrictions restrict any “memory management app” being used to their fullest potential) that would show you all sorts of information about the memory being used at any given point by your iPhone. But the best feature was the “free memory” option that allowed users to reclaim several to ten’s of megabytes of memory back from applications that had already closed, or were simply nibbling away at available memory for no reason at all.

Apparently Apple loves to make their apps suck, has a sick fascination with negative publicity, or is actively trying to push users to other platforms. If you haven’t guessed by now, let me spell it out for you: Apple forced the developers of iStat Pro to remove the free memory option from their app. So, if you liked/used that particular option a lot, you’re going to want to never upgrade iStat Pro again. Shame I know.

Seriously, now it’s getting ridiculous. I can’t wait to get rid of this stupid, locked device where I have absolutely no control some control (jailbreak FTW) over my device. While many other companies would get a hailstorm of bad press, and Apple probably will in the blogosphere, the mainstream media will continue on, loving their little shackled devices.

The iStat developers said they thought long and hard about their options. I would have seriously stopped all iPhone development, lose some cash, and cut some employees if I had to. That’s the hard honest truth. Maybe then that stupid fruit would get a clue. For Apple to first approve an app and approve several updates and then all of a sudden go “oopsie” and take away the only real reason for buying said app in the first place, well, FUCK YOU APPLE! Maybe if we bitch loud/long enough, Apple will change some of their ways (don’t hold your breath) and we can finally get some common sense to infiltrate the iron curtain of stupidity that surrounds Apple HQ.

Anyone else a bit angered? Join in below!

Source: BGR

Yelp has secret AR abilities

Seems like the Yelp development crew pulled a fast one on Apple. It appears that the current version of Yelp available in the App Store has a secret feature dubbed “Monocle”. This hidden feature can only be accessed by shaking your iPhone 3GS (S only?). Once the feature is active, little boxes pop up telling you all sorts of goodies about restaurants around you. What’s pretty strange is that technically, AR isn’t really supposed to go mainstream until 3.1. Seems Yelp is doing the dirty testing now so it can enjoy sweet success later. Try it out and let us know how it goes!

Source: Gizmodo

Run for the hills — WPA encryption cracked [From the department of: It's not really that bad]

At first, the title may start your heart into a flurry of disassociated beats leaving you lost, scared, and hopeless. While a team of researches in Japan did in fact crack WPA encryption, the world is far from over. First, how did they do it? Simple. By exploiting a flaw in the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) they managed to blow a WPA TKIP protected network wide open. Now again, this is easily fixed — simply switch to WPA AES or move on to greener, more heavily fortified WPA2 pastures. WPA TKIP is sort of like the “new WEP” in that it is becoming pretty much useless as a security method for protecting a wireless network.

Of course, as CrunchGear highlights, you could be ultra secure and forget this stupid password nonsense all together by using SSL or TLS to keep snoops off of your network. Whataya’ say?

Source: CrunchGear, Yahoo News, Image Source

Hedone Designs unleashes another amazing theme: Digital [BlackBerry Theme]

If you’ve been in the BlackBerry scene for at least a few months and are in to the whole customization of your precious little Crack gadget, chances are you’ve changed the wallpaper and/or theme at least a couple times. Some can go weeks with the one theme. Others change themes like they *hopefully* change underwear. Whichever type of person you are, Hedone Design has just released another amazingly polished and professional looking BlackBerry theme dubbed “Digital”.

Featuring a sort of HTC TouchFLO-ish style, Digital brings crisp and modern lines to the mobile workhorse. What makes this theme even better however is the fact that Hedone has 8 stylish wallpapers available for free download in the store that alter the theme and give it a different appearance — almost like a different theme with each wallpaper. After giving the theme a quick rundown for the last few minutes, I can honestly say this is one of my favorite themes from any designer so far. With the quality, fit and finish, and overall simplistic yet functional design of this theme, I highly and enthusiastically recommend the Digital theme to any BlackBerry user. Such eye candy is well worth the $6.99 asking price.

For your convenience, inside is a gallery of the 9000 version of Digital in action. Come inside and take a peek…

Palm: “We want to marry you Google Voice”. Google: “….uhhhh. How about a lunch date”.

With all of the publicity surrounding Apple, the iPhone, Google, and the rejection of the Google Voice app from the App Store, one can understand why other platforms such as Android and BlackBerry are tooting their horns happily crying out regarding their support for the Apple shunned service. Naturally, those who are trying to catch up to the success that has rained down on Apple and the iPhone (pretty much everyone), have begun talking up the fact that Google Voice will work flawlessly on their platforms. Palm, being the fact they needs some major boosts in the popularity and monetary departments are joining in and announcing that they plan on having full and deep Google Voice integration on the Pre and future devices. The only catch….? Google isn’t even working on a full fledged Pre version of Google Voice at this point and time.

Motorola: “AT&T nixed our Android devices”.

Motorola was gearing up for a game changing holiday season fueled by new Android devices on all four major wireless carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint. Sprint is rumored to be getting the HTC Hero any week now and T-Mobile already has two Android devices with a couple more on the way before years end. Verizon not to be left out is also set to have a pretty awesome Android handset that so far has gone by the name Shules. That leaves AT&T the loner thus far as they don’t currently sell any Android devices nor have they even announced any up and coming devices yet. Thankfully for us, Motorola however has come forward to clear the air. Whether out of malice because AT&T delayed/canceled some of their handsets or for simple public knowledge it doesn’t matter. The news isn’t particularly pleasant…

“Guilty until proven innocent….no such thing as legal downloads”….So says U.S. Government

While the war against illegal downloads rages on between consumers and the organizations suing the pants off of everyone, one can easily see that this “war” will never end. It is and always will be a constant cat and mouse game. Many consumers however opt to avoid confrontations and instead go the legal route by paying for their digital downloads through the online media store of their choice. However, if you work for the U.S. government, prepare to sing a new song — a song that says any and all downloading, no matter if you pay or not, is illegal. Say what?