How to Gift Apps in iOS6

It's Christmas time, the perfect time to send gifts to your friends. And although Apple had misteriously removed the "gift app" option from its iOS 6, we're glad to see it's back - even if it might now be as visible as before.

If you're used to sharing apps with your friends, then you'll know where to find it. You nee to go the app detail page, and select the "send to" button on top. There you'll find the send as gift option (for paid apps of course) and... with a nice special touch. Not only can you buy and send the app for multiple people, you'll also be able to select the delivery date. That's something that will sure come in handy to send gifts for iPhone and iPad owning friends, and that will allow you to never miss their birthdays again.

So, whether you're dealing with a avida iOS user longing for a specific App for Christmas, or your gift-shopping spree didn't go according to plan - it's nice to know you'll be able to quickly fix it (for iOS-friendly friends) with just a few simple clicks on your touchscreen.

[via TNW]

iOS6 Limitations and Missing Features per iPhone Model

The new iOS 6 brings several improvements to the iOS devices (and also some "not so improved" improvements - as in the new Apple Maps), but before you have to worry about that you might want to know exactly what iOS devices can be upgraded to iOS6, and which of the features might not be available in older devices.

So, to start with... which iOS devices can be upgrades to iOS6?

• iPhone Models: iPhone 3GS and later
• iPad Models: 2nd generation and later
• iPod touch Models: 4th generation and later

What features will be unavailable/limited/restricted in older device?

• Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation features - only on the iPhone 4S or later, 5th gen iPod touch, and iPad 2 or later
• FaceTime over cellular networks and Siri - only on the iPhone 4S or later, 3rd gen iPad
• Siri - iPhone 4S or later, 5th gen iPod touch, 3rd gen iPad
• Panoramic photo mode - iPhone 4S or later, 5th gen iPod touch
• Safari offline Reading List - iPhone 4 or later, iPad 2 or later

Hope that helps you know exactly what you'll be getting.

For everyone with a 3GS worrying about it will get to slow with iOS6, quite the opposite, I've upgraded all my iPhones (3GS, 4, 4S), and even the 3GS handles quite well. So, unless you really can't live without the native Google Maps app, upgrading to iOS6 is highly recommended.

Tim Cook Apologizes for iOS 6 Maps

Looks like all the criticisms made regarding the new iOS6 maps have finally become a issue Apple couldn't no longer denyt, and Apple's own Tim Cook has finally came forth and... apologized for it!

In his message he states that strives to make world-class products but fell short on this commitment with the new iOS6 maps. While he promises Apple will do everything to make it better, it will take time... and until then he even went as far as suggesting alternatives like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps via their mobile websites - and not even forgetting to remind everyone that you can create an icon on the home screen to their web apps.


The full message follows:

To our customers,

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Tim Cook
Apple’s CEO

iOS6 WiFi Drops Out and Apple Login Shows Up

The new iOS6 may come with hundreds of improvements, but it also comes with a very annoying bug: just after installing the new iOS6, and as I was checking that everything was working as it should, as soon as I made the mistake of checking the new App Store, my iPhone 4S suddenly went into berserk mode, dropping out of my WiFi network, and popping up some sort of Apple web login page (that shows a page not found error).

No matter what I do to try and get it to "stay" on either of my WiFi networks, it jumps out just a couple of seconds after being connected. I was going crazy, rebooting my routers, checking the wifi settings, etc... until a cry for help on twitter quickly revealed a lot of my friends was also having the exact same problem.

Maybe this is just a glitch caused by overloaded servers in Apple's Data centers... but it certainly is annoying as well, and.. as there are dozend and dozens of pending App updates, I'm not afraid some of them have already been done via cellular and not over wifi.

If anyone finds a fix for this issue, please to let me know.

Update: seems like that there's nothing we can do on our side, just got a tweet saying: "Apple’s WISPR captive portal (i.e. coffee shop internet) check page is broken. Not iOS 6 related. Apple needs to fix the page."

New Twitter iOS6 Notifications

Seems like the new Twitter App is now using some nifty new notification methods on the iOS6 beta. Instead of the usual iOS notifications, that show up with a nice rotating effect, but have the drawback of partially hiding whatever's on screen at the time (and trust me, sometimes they do get in the way of what you're trying to do), these new notifications take up the space on the top status bar, and possibly "compressing" the entire screen, just like when you have a double height status bar.

Maybe this is yet another indication that the new iPhone 5 will indeed have a more fluid "vertical" alignment (with added vertical resolution)?

Navigon brings Streetview to its iOS Navigation App

If you were worried about the upcoming iOS 6 and saying goodbye to Google Maps, which many would surely miss - particularly the quite convenient street view - then you might like to hear that there seems to be a way to fix that.

Although one will expect Google to eventually launch an official Google Maps App (even possibly with navigation, just like on the Android version) for the iPhone and iOS6, if you can't wait for it you can head out to Navigon's navigation app that in its latest update introduces - you might know what - Google streetview imagery.

And in case you had already bought Navigon to serve as your official iOS offline navigation App, then you'll like to hear that you'll be receiving this update free of charge. So... it seems that choosing this App when you considered all other GPS apps might have been the best thing you ever did. :)

The Wrong Navigation Icon in iOS6

We usually associate Apple with an almost obsessive attention to detail, and where each tiny aspect of all their products usually has a lot of thought, from a number of people, put into it.


That's why it's particularly strange to find quite a strange mishap in the icon of the new map/navigation App on iOS6 - which finally will bring us turn-by-turn navigation.


The issue is that the route shown on the App icon shows... an impossible route, that would force someone to turn left while driving through an overpass over an highway.

Maybe this icon designer is a big fan of the Terminator 2 movie, and wanted to remind us of the famous scene where a truck indeed performs a similar manouver - or -  ... maybe it's a sign that Apple is working on another secret project in their top secret labs... something like... a flying car, maybe? :)

Or yet another hypothesis... maybe Apple does indeed plan to pressure the transit authorities into changing the road, so that it matches what they have done in their icon. ;P

Gay and Lesbian Emoticons on iOS6?

Looks like Apple has gone wild with their emoticon symbols on the latest iOS6. Besides the regular couple icons, iOS6 now has lesbian and gay couple symbols as well. (Although some people argue these represent just children and not adult couples.)

Truth be told... I never had really noticed what "kind" of couple there were on these emoticons - I hardly ever use any of them, other than the occasional "smiley face" or "sad face". But... if you're indeed into smileys and emoticons, I'm sure you'll appreciated the extra attention to detail you'll soon be able to use... once iOS6  goes public (which is expected to happen around the time the new iPhone is launched.)

If you have an iPhone, just how much do you rely on emoticons on a daily basis?

Find My Friends to get Geofence Alerts on iOS6

Find My Friends on iOS 6 is about to become a lot more useful - and to once again raise some privacy concerns, for sure.

If you don't know what Find My Friends is, it's the Google Latitude equivalent for Apple's iOS users: a service that allows you to see where your friends/family are, in real time, provided they've allowed it, of course.

This service offer a bit more control over Google's Latitude however, by allowing you to create time-specific events, that allow you to share your location with a group of people you might now want to share your location permanently. For instance, if you're throwing a party somewhere, you might want to let "everyone" where it is and how to get there. But when the event expires, you don't have to manually take care of it, and your location goes back to being shared with just your most trusted friends.


With iOS6 you'll be able to create geofenced zones that alert you when friends exnter/exit those areas. For instance, you might set up a zone around your home, to know when a friend is arriving; or instantly find out when your kids get to school or leave it; etc.

Indeed useful... but before you start imagining the "stalking" factor such system would allow, let's keep in mind that's exactly what you could already do by simply keeping an eye on your friends location on Find My Friends/Google Latitude. Besides, these services require each users express consent so that their location is shared, and with whom. So... if you're not confortable knowing some "friend" might be keeping tabs when you go somewhere... simply stop sharing your location with them.

The New iOS 6

Besides the new OS X, the new MacBooks, and the next generation "retina display" MacBook Pros, Apple's WWDC opening session showed as the new iOS 6 as well.

And, without further ado, here's what Apple has showcased:


Smarter Siri

Siri has been one of the most touted iOS features, and Apple didn't let go of that, opening the iOS presentation with a better and smarter Siri. Siri can now answer to sports questions, showing stats for players, and even answer is a NBA player is taller than other. Sport's buffs will surely be giving Siri a spin.

But, it's not only sports. Siri also gets smarter restaurants integration, in which you can even make reservations thanks to Open Table.

But, for movie buffs like me, the one that caught our attention is Rotten Tomatoes integration.

You can now ask Siri for movies, and even ask which movies have a particular actor or director, and even ask for movie times in specific movie theaters.

Eyes Free

You can truly appreciate Siri whenever you're driving, and Apple knows it. So, iOS 6 will come with a Eyes Free mode, which will work together with several major car manufacturers (BMW, Mercedes, GM, Toyota, Audi, Honda, etc.) that will provide a button in the steering wheel for instant access to Siri without having to take your eyes off the road.


Facebook Integration

As expected, the new iOS also comes with system-wide Facebook integration - just like Twitter on iOS 5. However, Facebook goes a step further, as you will be able to "like" Apps and iTunes store content, seeing what your friends like, have conctact integration, birthdays and events showing up on your iOS calendar, etc.

Sending tweets and Facebook updates is also easier and easily accessible from the notification center..


Phone

One might even forget it sometime, but the iPhone is a phone as well, and in iOS6 we get some interesting new features: like being able to answer with preset messages when you're unable to answer the call; or setting up a reminder for later (either by time or by location: for instance "when you leave the office").


Do Not Disturb

And if you're tired of waking up in the night due to impromptu notifications chiming in at the worst possible time, we get a Do Not Disturb mode where you can set up the time you wish to be left alone.
Don't worry, you can still set it up so a group of important callers can still reach you, or define that multiple calling attempts in a short time should still get through.

Facetime over cellular networks

At last, Facetime will prove useful when you're out on the street. No longer you'll have to be in a WiFi network to use it... and now, all that is missing is the long forgotten promise that the FaceTime protocol would be open for other to use (allowing for cross-platform FaceTime, and more).
C'mon Apple... what are you waiting for?


Improved Mobile Safari

Safari also gets an update. You get synchronized tabs over iCloud, offline reading list, a fullscreen mode (apparently just in landscape mode?)... and you can now upload photos in web forms!


Other stuff

Photostreams gain a social dimension, as you can share it with friends and "like it"; you get a VIP email section, that makes sure you'll never miss an email from selected people (as well as a flagged section for important emails).

Even more important, you can now insert photos and videos right from the composing email area, as well as open password protected docs.

Also, one of my long "wishlist requests"... the mail apps gets the pull to refresh! :)


For special needs users, iOS also improveson the accessibility department, allowing you to mask out parts of Apps you don't want people touching by mistake; as well a a single-app mode that makes iPads a prime contender for kiosk use (as well as many other scenarios... like quizzes at schools?).


Passbook

Making its way into a digital wallet, Passbook will be the place where you can add your digital tickets, passes and vouchers. The most interesting bit of it is that those tickets can be "live". For instance, your plane ticket can warn you there's been a delay or flight change.
Although useful and a glimpse of the future, I thinks such systems should be based on open source/standard  technology that made it accessible to every other platforms as well. That would be the best way to make this sort of stuff more appealing. Or else... what good it will be if this only caters for iOS users?


The new iOS 6 Maps

Last but not least... the new iOS maps that mark the end of the Apple-Google relationship in the iOS.

The new iOS maps look a bit different and come from TomTom. You'll also get crowd-sourced traffic info, and... the thing most where hoping for: turn-by-turn navigation (with Siri integration as well). A curious nice detail, you get the navigation screens even on the lock screen.

If anyonde still doubt it, the end for paid GPS navigation apps is nearly here - all that is missing is some sort of offline mode, like Google is adding to its Android navigation.

As for the revolutionary new 3D mode, you get two. One is similar to Google Maps 3D mode, where you can see rough sketches of buildings in maps... The one most people were eager to see is the "Fly By" mode, that renders cities in amazing 3D life-like detail.

A feature I'm afraid os more spectacular than... useful. Although we might use it to impress friends, how many times will we be actually using in our daily lives? I sure find it much more useful to have Google' Streeview, that allows me to see where stores are located, or where a particular door number really is. I surely hope that Google doesn't leave iOS users hanging, and that will offer a iOS Google Maps App (or even one with navigation built in!)

Also, don't forget than navigation and Fly-by is only available to iPhone 4S and iPad 2 (and above) users... which is also kind of annoying...

These are just the highlights of the new iOS 6, which will came in the fall - and surprisingly, it will still support the iPhone 3GS (albeit at the expense of reduced features, I'm sure...)


Just a ending handy feature for anyone losing their iPhones: the Lost mode, that allows you to send a phone number to a lost iPhone, so that whoever founds it can contact you with a single touch. Nice... but it won't turn a thieve into a honest person... So, you're better of not losing it! :)


[photos via theverge]