Author Archives: Steve
TIP: Make your Xtra or Yahoo! mail push reliably to your iPhone
For as long as I have had an iOS device, I have had my Xtra mail configured as a Yahoo! account, which is widely advertised as providing push mail to the iPhone. The trouble is, I’ve found it incredibly unreliable, and so have others. And it’s not just Xtra mail that seems to be affected, but all Yahoo! mail – my wife’s own @yahoo.com email address suffers the same problem with unreliable push. Sometimes it works, albeit slowly, but most-times it simply doesn’t push at all. A few days ago I decided to do some experimenting and I found a solution – push is now instant and reliable. How? Keep reading for the instructions.…
Read MoreWas the New Zealand iPad 2 launch a success? A spectator’s point of view.
You’ve already heard from Dan and his iPad 2 launch-day experience, so now I thought I’d give you my opinion as an iPad 2-abstainer who got to observe the whole thing from the comfort of iPhonewzealand Towers.
iOS device launches in New Zealand are always far more cloak-and-dagger, and usually far more disappointing than they really need to be. In other countries, launch retailers are usually well publicised, have good amounts of stock, and queuing fans are made to feel welcome and assured that they’re not wasting their time. So why is it so different here, and how did the iPad 2 launch compare to past experiences?…
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Posted in All, iPad, Other News
WWDC San Francisco set for June 6th (7th for NZ) – Rumours say no hardware announcements
Apple have just sent out invites for this years WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) event in San Francisco. The dates to mark on your calendar are June 6th thru 10th (7th thru 11th in NZ time). The invite contains the text “Join us for a preview of the future of iOS and Mac OS X”, the latter of which was largely ignored at last year’s WWDC so Mac devs will be most pleased. Last year’s event saw the unveiling of the iPhone 4 however those hoping for something similar this year may be disappointed as rumours so far seem to be suggesting that no hardware announcements will be made with the focus firmly on software. It’s highly likely that we’ll see a lot more of OS X Lion and quite possible that we’ll learn more about iOS 5, but I guess we’ll find out soon enough. We’ll have all the coverage you need, of course, right here at iPhonewzealand.…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
Is this a bad time to renew your MobileMe subscription?
In the madness of the Feb 22nd earthquake and it’s aftermath, we managed to miss the news that on Feb 24th Apple discontinued retail boxes containing MobileMe activation keys. Since that revelation, speculation has been rife across the interwebs that Apple are wanting to clear these from shelves in preparation for an overhaul of the service and the possibility that the service will soon become free.
Yesterday, before finding out about this, I logged into the account section of MobileMe and got a warning that my account was due to expire in seventeen days. There was no link to renew the subcription so I was completely stuck as to how I might continue with the service. Then I remembered that Apple’s online store sold the retail boxes with activation keys (my preferred method of payment for MobileMe) so I went to the site only to find that the product was nowhere to be found. Confused, I hopped onto Apple’s ExpressLane service and had a conversation with a MobileMe support person, and my interpretation of the responses to my questions is that we’re less than 45 days away from the new MobileMe. But I’ll let you be the judge. I am going to share a transcript of the conversation: you read the questions and answers carefully and draw your own conclusions.…
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Posted in All
Apple confirms iPad 2 retail stockists
Where to queue up for your iPad 2 is no longer a mystery. Apple have just posted details of all stockists who will offer the iPad 2 from 5pm. Head over to this link and enter your city or check out our list after the ‘read more’. Easy. Hope you weren’t in a queue at the wrong place!…
Read MoreiPad 2 launch: user pictures
And so the queuing begins! We’re aware that some of you are queuing for your iPad 2′s already, which is mighty impressive considering they won’t go on sale until 5pm. This is where we’ll be posting your pictures so keep them coming to the following address: [email protected] When you send them to us let us know the following:
- Your iPnz username
- The Location
- The Time
Keep reading to see your pictures… the first one was added at 8am!…
Read MoreApple confirms iPad 2 coming to NZ this Friday with cheaper pricing, pre-orders begin 3am
After days of excruciating “will they, won’t they” speculation, Apple have finally issued a press release confirming that the launch of the iPad 2 is most certainly on for this Friday. Pre-orders will begin via the Apple Store at 3am and – joy of joys – prices have dropped to lower than the pre-GST-rise levels set when the original iPad launched last year. Keep reading for the full press release from Apple.…
Read MoreNZ Tech Podcast is a local tech blog… for your ears
We love local tech news – it’s what we’re all about, after all, so when we came across the NZ Tech Podcast we had to give it a listen. Rather than a podcast to accompany an existing blog (like ours), the NZ Tech Podcast is the blog and with it being audio it makes for a great chance to catch up on things whilst travelling in your car, on the bus, or just relaxing at home. Stay with me to learn more.…
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Posted in All, Other News
Sky iPhone app “very close to release” [poll]
This morning, I just happened to be looking at Sky NZ’s Twitter timeline when I found a juicy little nugget of information that I had to share with you. Somebody had tweeted Sky with a proposal for an iPhone app when Sky replied saying “we already have an app in development, very close to release.” What do you think the app could be for? Tell us your wish list in our poll.…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
iMovie for iPad 2 makes its screen debut in the NZ App Store
Hot on the heels of GarageBand for iPad, we’ve also found iMovie for the iPad 2 is also available: here’s the link. Existing owners of iMovie for iPhone don’t need to re-purchase, this is now a universal binary provided as a free update. For everyone else, it’s a mere $6.49. Yes, we know the iPad 2 isn’t even out yet but there’s no harm in starting your collection early! NOTE: This does not work on the original iPad, not even for editing existing movies.…
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Posted in All, iPad, Other News
GarageBand sneaks into the NZ App Store via the stage entrance
Just a very quick heads up to say that GarageBand for iPad is live on the NZ App Store right now for $6.49. You won’t find it via search (at time of writing this), but here’s the link. Remember: despite this being announced at the iPad 2 launch it is also compatible with the first-gen iPad, so go get it and start making that sweet, sweet music!…
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Posted in All, iPad, Other News
iOS 4.3 Now available
It’s been a long road to iOS 4.3, but it’s finally here – two days ahead of schedule. Get your iOS devices connected to iTunes, and prepare to fire-up your very first Personal Hotspot, share your iTunes library via Home Sharing, control your iPad orientation via the switch it was designed for, and browse the web at faster speeds with Safari improvements. Remember, though: this update won’t work for anything less than the iPhone 3GS, iPad or iPod touch 3rd gen. If your device makes the grade, get to it and share your experiences in the comments!…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
Facebook switches on ‘Places’ for New Zealand
John is at the chip shop. Mark is at the supermarket. Jane is on the loo. Yes, prepare for a flood of incredibly annoying location announcements from all your friends because Facebook has just flipped the switch on ‘Places’ for New Zealand – the location-aware feature announced last year that allows people with GPS-enabled mobile devices like the iPhone to announce their every movement, should they so wish. The service is live in the Facebook iPhone app right now, so if you’re that kind of person… get to it.…
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Posted in All, iPhone, Other News
TIP: Undo an app update using Time Machine [video]
Sometimes… just sometimes… app updates don’t quite meet your expectations (yes, Twitter, we’re looking at you). But if you’ve already updated an app you previously liked and now you’re regretting it, what can you do? Well, if you own a Mac and you keep your system backed-up with Time Machine, you’re covered. Read on for our video guide to recovering an old version of an app.…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
iOS 4.3 brings shorter “new” text tones [video]
iOS 4.2 introduced some new text tones for the iPhone 4, but these were met mostly with disappointment from users because most of them were simply too lengthy or too over-dramatic to be appropriate for a text message. Luckily, Apple appear to have seen the light and have shortened them – but some have been done with more care than others. Keep reading for a video where you can hear them for yourself.…
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Posted in All, iPhone, Other News
Why iOS devices suddenly just became a threat to Sky
Here in New Zealand, Sky operates a nice little monopoly on the pay TV market. It has been like that since 1990 and there are no signs of any new entrants. Feeding us with paltry meals of imported shows two-or-three seasons behind their expiry date, Sky has enjoyed fat profits and (compared to other countries) only few channels to buy programming for. But two announcements made yesterday could finally bring real alternatives to NZ, and Sky should take heed.…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
iOS 4.3 GM now available
Hot on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that iOS 4.3 would be released March 11, the GM (Gold Master) final release has been seeded to devs today. Paid-up devs know where to go so start your engines… the rest of you will have to be patient or go looking in shady corners of the internet. Enjoy!…
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Posted in All, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Other News
