Code Snippet: How to Track Battery Life Remaining

This weeks code snippet is a common question for new iPhone developers: A way to track the battery percentage!

// Calculates Battery Life
UIDevice *device = [UIDevice currentDevice];
device.batteryMonitoringEnabled = YES;
int batteryLevel = [device batteryLevel] * 100; // Battery Level is given as a value between 0.0 and 1.0

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Mac Wallpaper: Mountain Lions

As a Holiday gift from me to you, here are some free wallpapers of mountain lions that I think would look beautiful on almost any mac - and that can be used on almost any mac.  Why mountain lions? Incase you haven't noticed, Apple never put any images of mountain lions in their Mountain Lion OS and instead left the lion from the previous OS X! Continue after the break for the wallpapers.

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Mac Tips: 10 Keyboard Shortcuts You Probably didn't know Existed.

The Famous 'Command' Key
Source: http://drbl.in/fOQj

Hello and Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a good holiday because here is my present to all of you: 10 shortcuts that most of you didn't know existed. Every shortcut here is one that I use almost everyday because it is so helpful, and when I show my friends, they ask me why I haven't shown them it before. So read on if you want to know how to cut your time on a mac by a lot (I'm not that good at math to figure out the percentage). Please note that these commands were tested on Mountain Lion, and are not guaranteed to work on anything lower than OS X 10.8 but according to Apple's page (the link to it will be at the end of the article), these should work on all macs down to Mac OS X 10.5 (Which is really old!).

What do those Menu Symbols Mean?

If you have used the menu items on the top bar of the Mac before, you might have noticed symbols and letters on the right hand side of commonly used commands. Take a look at the file menu of Finder for example:

The File Menu of Finder.
Note the Symbols on the Right Hand Side.

While a little excessive if you ask me, this is a perfect example of those symbols. Those symbols actually tell you the key shortcut you need to press to perform the same command. For the command key, you can tell which ones use it by looking for the same symbol that is on the actual command key (which is actually called a Bowen Knot), however for the rest of them, the symbols are not on the keys and you need to know what they transcribe to. Lucky for you, Apple made a chart of all the modifier keys which I have put here:

 (Command key) - On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple () logo
 (Control key)
 (Option key) - "Alt" may also appear on this key
 (Shift key)
 (Caps Lock) - Toggles Caps Lock on or off
Fn (Function key)  - You will need to use this key if you use the function keys (F1, F2, etc.) as their images (such as brightness and volume).

Finder Shortcuts

If you don't already know what it is, finder is the core application that Macs run on. Finder is also the smily face at either the top or the left side of the dock -- depending on where the dock is located -- that pulls up all of your files. So now that you know what Finder is, here are some shortcuts for the finder window.

1.  Command-A: Select all items in the current finder window. This can be helpful if you want to move all, or most of your items in that window to another window, such as moving the items to a new folder. To deselect an item after you selected all of them, use Command-click, to deselect all items, use Command-Option-A.

2.  Command-Delete: Moves Selected Item to the trash. This one can go with number 1 if you wanted to do a mass cleaning of, for example, your Downloads folder.

3.  Command-Shift-Delete: Empty the Trash. This one also goes with both numbers 1 & 2. To delete items from the Trash without the annoying conformation prompt, use Command-Shift-Option-Delete

Web Browser Shortcuts

Please note that these may not work on all web browsers. Tested on Safari, Chrome and Firefox.

4.  Command-D: Bookmark the current page. You can also bookmark all tabs by using Command-Shift-D.

5.  Command-Shift-H: Opens the Home Page.
6.  Command-R: Reloads the current page.

7.  Command-N: Opens a New Window. You can also use Command-T for a new Tab.

     7a. To open a private window, the commands are a bit different for each web browser.

• Chrome: Command-Shift-N
• Firefox: Command-Shift-P
• Safari: Sorry guys, you don't get a shortcut, instead go to Safari -> Private Browsing... on the navigation bar.

Miscellaneous Shortcuts

These shortcuts can be used anywhere

8. Command-Shift-3: Take a snapshot of the whole screen and save it to the desktop. Also hides the mouse in the snapshot.

9. Command-Shift-4: Take a snapshot of a selected part of the screen and save it to the desktop. As a bonus, while the crosshairs are visible, it shows you the current pixel location you are on.

10. Command-Option-esc: Opens the force quit window to let you choose which application to force quit. To force quit the top-most application hold Command-Shift-Option-Esc for three seconds. Note: use only when an application is not responding!

Conclusion

These are ten of the most commonly used shortcuts that I use and that I have shown my friends that afterwards start to use themselves. To find out more commands that can be used, Apple created this page with a list of commands. To find out which commands can be used in any application on your mac and have at lease OS X 10.7, there is a great free app on the Mac App Store called CheatSheet that will pull up all the commands that can be used in that application - which is great for someone like me that likes to use keyboard shortcuts as much as possible.

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How to Jailbreak iOS 6.0.1 using Redsn0w

Today, I thought I would take a different route and talk about jailbreaking. While I personally have not jailbroken in about a year, getting the new iPod touch 5g (You can check out my review here) allowed me to jailbreak my old iPod touch for use for whatever I wanted to do that requires a jailbreak - including writing this post. To start off the jailbreaking page, I thought I would show you just how to jailbreak in the first place (there would be no use in reading it if you couldn't do it, right?). It's very simple to do, but unfortunately can't be done within a single paragraph, so read on to find out how to Jailbreak.

First off, Jailbreaking is NOT, repeat NOT illegal!

Before I show you how to jailbreak, I want to set the record straight. Some people may be wondering if Jailbreaking is illegal or not - it's not. According to Wikipedia, Canada, Singapore, India, The US, and New Zealand have all been found to allow Jailbreaking.  That's it! If you live in those countries, then you are safe, and most of Europe is believed to allow Jailbreaking as well.

Now, with that out of the way, lets get to the good part...

How to Jailbreak your iDevice

Part 1: The Initial Jailbreak

Note: It is recommended to backup your device to iTunes before you proceed in-case something goes wrong. I don't foresee anything going wrong but your better safe than sorry.

Note 2:  As of this writing, there is no Jailbreak for the iPad 4 or the iPad Mini. I will update this page if a jailbreak comes out for both devices before the official iOS 6.1 comes out, at which point I will come out with a new tutorial on how to jailbreak all devices running iOS 6.1.

Step 1: You need to download redsn0w and the iOS 6.0 version that matches your device, not iOS 6.0.1. The link for both of those are located at the bottom of this post for ease.

Step 2: Plug in the device, launch redsn0w 0.9.15b3, and click on the 'Extras' button:


Step 3: Once you get to the screen below, click on the 'Select IPSW' button:


Step 4: Select the iOS 6.0 firmware (even though you're on iOS 6.0.1) for the device you have plugged in and then click on the 'Open' button:


Step 5: redsn0w will alert you that the firmware you chose will be used for the rest of your redsn0w session. Click 'OK':


Step 6: Now you can head back to the first screen of redsn0w and click on the 'Jailbreak' button:


Step 7: Now you will see a new redsn0w screen that will have “Install Cydia” checked, if you are using an iPod and want to see the battery percentage, make sure "Enable Battery Percentage" is checked, otherwise, just click 'Next' to continue:

Step 8: Place your iOS device into DFU mode by following the instructions on the screen.  Note: the instructions move pretty fast, so make sure you can keep up.

Step 9: redsn0w will begin the process of jailbreaking your iOS device. This process may take a few seconds to a minute and you will see multiple loading bars in the application:


Step 10: Soon after, redsn0w will say that the process is complete, however, you are not yet. Click the Back button: 


Wait for the device to boot back up to the lock screen and then continue.

Part 2: Booting Tethered

While your device is now jailbroken, you may have noticed that Cydia is not in your Springboard. This is because your jailbreak is Tethered, which means that you have to boot your device with redsn0w every time you turn on the device.

Step 1: From the main window, click the 'Extras' button:


Step 2: Click on the Just Boot button to boot the device in a tethered state:


Step 3: Boot your device into DFU mode again using the steps provided by redsn0w.

Step 4: redsn0w will begin to boot up your iOS device, just wait:


Step 5: When redsn0w says you're done, you can wait for the device to turn back on and start using Cydia:

Congratuations! You're now running a tethered jailbreak on your iOS 6 device!

Update #1: This method also works with iOS 6.0.2

Download Links:

Redsn0w Downloads:

• Redsn0w for Mac
• Redsn0w for Windows

iOS 6.0 Downloads:

• iPhone 5 GSM
• iPhone 5 CDMA
• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4 GSM
• iPhone 4 CDMA
• iPhone 4 (3,2)
• iPhone 3GS
• iPad 3 LTE GSM
• iPad 3 LTE CDMA
• iPad 3 Wi-Fi
• iPad 2 3G GSM
• iPad 2 3G CDMA
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi
• iPad 2 (2,4)
• iPod touch 4th gen
• iPod touch 5th gen

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iPod Touch 5th Generation Review: Not too Shabby...

After a two year gap, Apple finally came out with the iPod touch 5th Generation (5th gen.) back in September.  A few days ago, I managed to get my hands on one and decided to review it since it is one of the best devices I have played with in a long time. Everything on this device was checked for quality, which is why this device is so powerful, while lacking phone and 3G/4G capabilities. With many new features over its older sibling, the 4th generation, this is definitely the best iPod touch to date.  Check out my full review after the break.

The new iPod touch is hands down, the best iPod touch to come out of Apple.  While, the price tag of $299 may be a little steep for some people, this is still the cheapest device to come out of Apple.

The Design

A look at the rear and sides of the iPod touch 5th Gen.

The 5th gen. has many design improvements over its predecessors - taking away the silver metal backing and making it a solid color of your choice (Black/Slate, White/Silver, Pink, Yellow, Blue, and (Product)^red).  The screen is also different as well, while keeping the same Retina Display graphics and the same width, Apple increased the height of the screen to make a 4 inch diagonal screen size, which adds a fifth row of apps to the Home Screen.  The depth of the iPod (how 'thick' the device is) is also different, but instead of making it bigger like the screen size, they made it smaller - 0.04 inches (1.1 mm) smaller to be exact.  While that may not sound like a big difference, it's a big enough difference for someone to notice. Probably the most noticeable feature of the new iPod, however, is the weight difference.  This little device now weighs a mere 3.1 ounces - down from the 3.56 ounces the 4th Gen. weighed at.

While the basics of the iPod haven't moved (i.e.:single lock button on top, volume buttons on the side, home button in the middle, etc.), many of those things have changed in their design.  For starters, the 5th Gen. no longer uses the 30-pin connector and instead uses the new Lightning Charger that fellow iPhones and 4th Gen. iPads and iPad Mini's use.  Another basic that was changed is the rear camera, which now protrudes a bit from the device as (I presume) Apple could not get it small enough to fit in the .24 inch (6.1 mm) thick iPod.  The main new feature of the now 5 megapixel camera is the flash. A feature that was missing from the old 0.7 megapixel 4th Gen. camera, it is a great new addition to this device flourishing with new features.  

The 'iPod touch Loop' in blue.

Another new feature on the 5th Gen. is what Apple calls the 'iPod touch loop.' The iPod touch loop is a safety wristband that can connect to your iPod touch.  Just press the button on the back and the button will pop up, allowing you to slip the protective wristband onto the button. While practical, the wristband feels cheaply made (at least to me) and is probably one new feature that I am not going to use that often as just getting a case for it makes more sense to me.  This is however, a good idea and I can see third parties making so-called 'iPod touch Loops' soon.

iPod Touch 4th Gen. and iPod Touch 5th Gen. Comparison

The Software

While Apple is still using the same iOS 6 on the new iPod touch 5th Gen. as on all of their portable devices, the larger screen and new design features allow the device to do more than it could ever do before.

Screen Size

A major new feature that the 5th Gen. has is also one of its most noticeable - the larger screen size.  But along with the larger screen size, Apple made iOS 6 take up the whole screen, since what would the larger screen be like without the software taking advantage of it?  With that, Apple was able to add a fifth row of apps to its home screen and a fourth row of apps to folders, allowing for over 3,500 apps on the device (which is still less than 0.01% of all apps on the app store) - all that's needed now is the storage space.  

Along with more space for apps, the apps themselves can take advantage of the larger screen. Most newer apps at the time of this writing have already made the switch, but the ones that haven't yet are centered on the screen and black bars are put on the top and bottom of the apps.  And those bars are almost unnoticeable on the Black/Slate iPod Touch.

Processor

The A5 Chip

Along with the larger screen, the new iPod Touch sports the dual-core A5 processor, a step up from the A4 processor the 4th Gen. contained (I should point out however, that the iPhone 5 contains the new triple-core A6 processor and the fourth generation iPad contains an even faster quad-core A6X processor).  While this processor is over a year old (and with Apple that is an old technology) you can still play your favorite games that were designed for the iPhone 4S.  One such example is Infinity Blade - while buggy and freezes all the time on the 4th gen., it is smooth and fluid on the new 5th Gen.  

Siri

Siri on the 5th
Generation iPod Touch

Besides the larger screen and the updated processor, Apple has added major additions to the 5th Gen. that make it seem more like an iPhone without the 'phone' or 3G/4G part than a new iPod touch.  One such feature has been in the iPhone's software since the 4S - Siri.  Siri, the personal assistant that can communicate with you as if it were a human being with a strange voice, has made a big splash in the iOS world - coming on the iPhone 4S, then the iPad 2 and 3 in a software update, and finally makes it onto the iPod touch.  While only usable with Wi-Fi, Siri is a great addition to the iPod touch software.

Conclusion

With many new features, the 5th generation iPod Touch is the best iPod Touch to come out of the fruit company, and may even be better than some of the iPhones that Apple made.  While several key iPhone features are missing from this device, such as an 8 megapixel camera, an internal vibrator, and 3G/4G, the iPod touch lineup is getting closer and closer to becoming one with the iPhone (minus the 'phone' part), and even has some unique features of its own.  Overall, the iPod touch is a great device for someone who wants an iOS device, but does not want to pay $650 for an iPhone.

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iTunes 11: A Whole New iTunes

iTunes 11

After a year of speculation that Apple was going to revamp its iTunes and months of waiting, iTunes 11 has arrived.  This version of iTunes is a huge improvement over past iTunes' that were considered slow, clunky, messy, and out-of-date.  iTunes 11 changes all of that, making iTunes a near-perfect media player.  This version of iTunes has so many new features that many people will say is a big improvement from the previous versions of the software.  Check out after the break for many of the new features.

New Look

The main feature of iTunes 11 is its look.  The people behind the scenes really deserve a lot of credit for making iTunes look so beautiful.  The new iTunes' look was redesigned from the ground up to make it look like a modern media player - and one that people can use with ease as well.

iTunes Library

Album View

iTunes 11 features a completely redesigned look for organizing your library.  This version of iTunes contains a sharper album view based on the iPad's album view in its music app.  Also, clicking on an album will create a popup under it that shows you all of your songs you have from that album - making the album view much more organized than its predecessors. From that popup there is also a button that shows you what songs are missing from that album (and songs that are recommended to you) and lets you purchase them right there - making the iTunes library more intertwined with the iTunes store.

iTunes 11 also gets rid of the dreaded side-bar.  Instead, putting everything in an easy to navigate top bar. This allows for a bigger space for album artworks and the iTunes store to be viewed in.  On the left side of the bar is a popup menu that allows you to navigate your library getting rid of the necessity for the side bar.  But do not worry you side bar lovers, you can still get your beloved side bar back by going to View>Show Sidebar.

The Top Bar

New Features

Along with the all new look, iTunes 11 also comes with an array of new features.  Rebuilt from the ground up, iTunes 11 is much faster than its predecessors and includes many new features.

Up Next

A new feature that I wish Apple implemented a while ago, Up Next is a great new addition to the new iTunes 11. Up Next, as the name suggests, allows you to view the next eight songs that are coming up after the current song playing is over. This feature also allows you to change what order the songs play in.  Want Born This Way by Lady Gaga to play before Some Nights by Fun? You can now do that with a drag of the mouse.

Redesigned MiniPlayer

Whether you used it before or not, the new MiniPlayer is nothing to pass over when listing the new features in iTunes 11. The new MiniPlayer contains many new features besides the 'play, skip, previous' in the last version of iTunes.  Some of those new features are the ability to see what songs are next using 'Up Next,' the ability to search your iTunes Library and select a new song, album artwork, and a 'more' menu with even more things you can do.  With all these features, the new MiniPlayer is now a real 'iTunes mini.'

The Redesigned MiniPlayer

iCloud

While iCloud is not a new feature, Apple made it an essential part of iTunes 11.  The new iTunes contains a new way to access your music in the cloud - by building it into the iTunes Library. Whatever you have in the cloud that is not already on your iTunes will appear in your iTunes library, while connected to the internet, with a cloud next to it. If you want that song in your iTunes library permanently, all you have to do is click the cloud to download it. This is just one of the new features that makes the iTunes 11 more intertwined with the cloud.

Conclusion

All of the features here are some of the biggest features that Apple included in iTunes 11.  With this being the biggest iTunes update since its inception, Apple has made huge leaps and bounds in one of the most important technologies of the modern era.  While those are just a couple features, Apple included many more features that I did not talk about here. If you want to check out those other new features download the new iTunes 11 today!

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Video: How to Connect Xbox to Xbox Live using a Mac

This video shows a little known secret buried inside the Mac's System Preferences: The ability to use the computer as a Wi-Fi Gateway to an Xbox!

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