When it comes to using FaceTime video chat there is only one way to do it and that’s through WIFI- or at least it was the only way. Starting with iOS 6, cellular network access of FaceTime video chat will now be enabled, although it sounds like AT&T is planning on controlling the use of the service and may likely require an additional charge to enable it, at least according to 9to5Mac.

Apparently 9to5 tried to enable cellular use on AT&T using the latest iOS 6 Beta and received an error asking users to contact AT&T to enable it use. To make matters a little more confusing, not everyone using a Beta copy has ran into this problem on AT&T’s network, so it’s hard to say at this point. AT&T hasn’t officially confirmed or denied whether they plan to charge for the use of cellular FaceTime chat or not, but it wouldn’t be that surprising.

As for other major carriers’ plan regarding FaceTime use? There hasn’t been anything said about it yet, but more than likely all the other carriers will follow suite with a similar charge to use the feature, just like most networks require additional charges to use a smartphone’s cellular network hotspot options.

What do you think, would you be willing to pay an additional charge just to use FaceTime through your high-speed cellular network?

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Siri has been updated and upgraded, including a port over to the iPad. There’s more integrated search for sport scores, restaurants, movies, and so on. Apple has buddied up with Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes (among others) to get more up to date information. Siri can launch apps too; just say “Launch Facebook” and you’ll be posting embarassing pictures in no time.

The Phone app for the iPhone has some new features too, like being able to reject a call and immediately “Reply With Message.” There’s also a “Remind Me Later” function that will remind you to call the person back when you’ve left your current location. Related to that is the “Do Not Disturb” function where you still get your messages, but the screen doesn’t light up, the phone doesn’t vibrate, and there are no audio alerts.

FaceTime can now be used over 3G/4G.

Mobile Safari has support for offline reading lists, taking square aim at services like Instapaper and Pocket (formerly Read It Later). They’ve also introduced “Smart App Banners” where developers can alert users that there is an app for that site.

Other highlights include the Shared PhotoStream, the Passbook digital wallet for store loyalty cards, and the all new non-Google Maps app, complete with local business data, 3D views, and turn-by-turn navigation.

The beta version of iOS 6 is being released to devs today.

[Source]

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It seems that a new iOS 5.1.1 error message has shown up that leads the tech world to speculate that Apple is considering implementing FaceTime support over 3G. The warning message is for when you enable or disable Wifi. When you first disable 3G it will tell you it might end your current FaceTime session, but obviously it doesn’t affect it at all. The same happens when you go to re-enable 3G.

FaceTime is a great way to talk to other users using video and the front-facing cameras on your favorite iDevice, but there has always been one limitation- you absolutely must use WiFi to use the service. Steve Jobs had originally stated that the service would be limited to WiFi until it had mobile carriers that were actively interested in the service. Perhaps the time has finally come? It’s hard to say at this point, but if you really want to use FaceTime over 3G now, it is certainly possible, provided you have an unlocked device and make use of a special download that, obviously, isn’t authorized or approved by Apple.

[ source ]

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You’ve already seen the crazy MacBook Pro Touch concept, but what if Apple were to extend the touch to some of its other products. Not to be confused with the iPod touch, what you’re looking at here is a concept for the next-generation iPod nano. More specifically, it’s being touted as the iPod nano touch for obvious reasons, but it’s even smarter than that.

Coming by way of designer Enrico Penello, the concept device naturally comes with a touchscreen display. The UI appears to be somewhat similar to the current clippy and touchy iPod nano, but the shape has been extended into a longer stick, not unlike the shape we used to have with the old iPod shuffle. The concept is smarter, though, coming with Wi-Fi, a FaceTime-ready front-facing camera, and a new weather app. Yes, Nike+ support is there too.

With the longer body shape comes a longer clip on the back. Rounding out the specs are the trusted home button and a couple of volume buttons, as well as the power button on top. I’m not sure I like the idea of the extended clip, but I think I can get into the extended touchscreen interface and Wi-Fi capabilities. This is totally an unofficial concept, though, so who knows if Cupertino is paying attention?

[Source]

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The rumors and speculations about the Apple iPad 3 will definitely keep on coming till the day it is finally officially announced. The latest info suggests that the much anticipated device will arrive sometime in March equipped with impressive specs.

According to Bloomberg, production of the iPad 3 has already started and Apple’s manufacturing partners will work at full capacity by next month before the release of the tablet in March. Some sources are also claiming that Foxconn’s factories will run round the clock to produce the tablet, although a break is coming for the Lunar New Year holidays.

A launch in March for the iPad 3 has been rumored several times earlier. And rumors are also flying around regarding the October arrival of an iPad 4 from the company.

It is being claimed that the iPad 3 will arrive with a quad-core processor, the long rumored Retina Display and it will feature 4G LTE support as well. But no hints regarding that speculated HD FaceTime camera.

It will be interesting to see how Apple will manage to fit all the above said specs into their upcoming tablet without affecting its battery life. As you might know, the longer battery life is one of the iPad’s strongest points. And all the high-end features also mean a higher price tag.

And what about the device’s thickness, you ask? According to some, Apple has decided to go with Sharp’s IGZO technology for bringing out a thinner display. While some have indicated that they have chosen a dual light bar design which will result in a thicker iPad 3.

Stay tuned for updates.

Concept Photo: Guilherme Schasiepen

The post iPad 3 Release Date And Spec Rumor Update appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The rumored specs and release dates of the Apple iPad 3 are definitely going to be a hot topic for the next couple of months. Especially over the next week as Apple fans and perhaps even underground marketing agents persist to steal the spotlight and pull the carpet from all the electronics companies knee deep in sand out in Las Vegas @ CES.

The latest rumor on the much anticipated device has come from iLounge’s Jeremy Horwitz.  This isn’t as much of a real discovery – like the iPhone 5 having a quad-core A6 – but more along the lines of what someone “thinks” could happen.   Horwitz believes that the next iPad will come equipped with better cameras, not much of a shocker there since every Apple device that follows its predecessor has a better camera.

According to Horwitz, who gave life to the new rumors via his Twitter account, the iPad 3 will boast a FaceTime HD camera on the front of the device and its rear camera will be upgraded to either the 8MP cam on the iPhone 4S, or the camera unit in the iPhone 4.

As you might already know, the iPad 3 has been long rumored to be coming with a Retina Display. If Apple decides to stick with the iPad 2′s front camera for the iPad 3, the images would look extremely bad.

But if a combination of an HD FaceTime camera and Retina Display is coming, the new tablet will definitely be a head turner.

Horwitz also claims that the new iPad will be slightly thicker to accommodate new internal parts, but will retain a case design similar to the current iPad. He said: “Curve radiuses on the body will change only a little to accommodate the added thickness, not dramatically. Think iPad 2 Pro, not a redesign”.

But a thicker iPad will be against Apple’s rules. They will always try to go thinner, because that is perceived by the majority as an improvement.

We expect the iPad 3 to be released in March. And as we reported before, Apple could possibly lower the price of the iPad 2 to $399 to fight off lower-priced competing devices such as the Kindle Fire.

The post Today’s iPad 3 Rumors appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ever since the release of iMessage for iOS 5, it seems likely that Apple has plans to integrate some of their messages into a unified solution that will work for both Mac OS and iOS. Recent coding discovered by John Heaton strongly suggests that such a solution might be on the horizon for both OSX and iOS users.

The string of code doesn’t specifically mention iChat, but it does make reference to other instant messaging services such as Jabber, FaceTime, AIM, and iMessage. This at least hints that a possible integration is in the works.

It has been speculated that iMessage may soon be added to OSX either as a separate program or integrated somehow into the existing iChat program, although just a rumor the arrival of this coding does suggest Apple is working on something. Apple has a history of unifying its services when possible and streamlining it all together so it just works, without the hassle of multiple programs and services running.  Imagine opening up just one app and having access to all your favorite IM clients, including the iMessage service. Sounds a bit like Trillian.

For now the unification of iMessage and other chat solutions is simply a rumor. While I advise that we don’t get our hopes up just yet, it seems very likely that this integration will happen. For now, we will just have to keep our fingers crossed and wait.

The post What Is Apple Hiding Within Its Coding? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Despite some increased competition, Skype remains as the de facto VoIP and video-chat platform. The app for the iPad was released and pulled a while ago, but now it’s back in the App Store and ready to let you chat it up with your friends around the world again.

There’s already a Skype app for iOS, but this version has been optimization for the iPad’s specs and dimensions. The extra screen space certainly helps for two-way video calling, for instance, but it’s also handy for all the instant messaging and such. And unlike FaceTime, Skype for iPad can legitimately do video chat over 3G without any modification.

As always, Skype for iPad is free on iTunes. You just have to pay for the services as you normally would when using Skype on any other platform. And also unlike FaceTime, your chat buddies don’t have to a part of the iCrew to talk with you over Skype.

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The announcement a couple days ago of the new Apple iPad 2 did two very important things. First, it allowed Steve Jobs to appear in public, taking the stage despite his medical leave. Second, it laid to rest all the rumored specs about the second-generation tablet by showing off what it really was. Unfortunately for Apple, “what it really was” was lacking.

Chris Taylor of Mashable has a special article up on CNN that points out the things that “Apple hopes you didn’t notice about iPad 2.” The article doesn’t go quite as far as the Conan O’Brien roast last night (seriously, you need to watch that vid), but it does confirm that the iPad 2 isn’t nearly as groundbreaking as Cupertino would lead you to believe.

First, despite selling its “seamless” interface, the iPad 2 still needs you to use that sync cable to sync your music and videos via iTunes. Could they have not made it sync to the cloud a little easier? Second, while there’s a faster A5 processor in the second iPad, it still has the same 256MB of RAM as the original. That’s not exactly a performance boost. Remember that both the Xoom and HP TouchPad have 1GB of RAM each.

Other shortcomings? No improvement in the screen resolution, no mention of megapixels for the rear camera, and mono speakers. I’m not saying that the iPad 2 is a bad product, per se, but it only represents some really tiny baby steps compared to the first one. Bring on the Android army, I say.

The post The Significant Apple iPad 2 Shortcomings appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Along with the revamped MacBook Pro line of computers today, Apple has released the first full-version FaceTime app for the Mac App store.

The app comes as an update to the Beta version for Mac computers released last October, which allowed users to place video calls to other Mac computers, iPhone 4s and fourth-gen iPod Touches. Now, thanks to HD webcams built into the new MacBook Pro computers, FaceTime will also support 720p HD video calls.

FaceTime’s setup will remain the same as in the Beta version, using an Apple ID and any number of other email addresses as the computer’s “phone number.” When receiving a call, every running Mac and iDevice signed into an Apple ID ring simultaneously even if the FaceTime program isn’t open.

Despite the fact that the app comes pre-installed on the new MacBook Pros, it’ll cost everyone else 99¢ in the Mac App store.

Consensus seems to be that FaceTime should be integrated into iChat, which would definitely make sense with the upcoming release of OS X Lion. That would bring together two of Apple’s communications programs. But what about other communications programs on other operating systems?

Skype is still standing as fierce competition to FaceTime. It allows video calls over 3G; FaceTime needs WiFi. Now there’s Fring in the mix, too.

Why not allow video calls between any and all of these programs? An Android phone can make a phone call to an iPhone. Skype VoIP can phone a landline and vice versa. Hell, you can email any other email address from any email address hosted by any company – Gmail on an iMac to Hotmail on an Android tablet forwarded to Yahoo Mail on a Windows Phone 7. You can chat through MSN to those on Yahoo Messenger and sign into iChat with an AOL account.

Why is it that video calling has to have these limitations? If video calling is truly the communications medium of the future as the Jetsons so famously prophesied, this needs to be addressed. You should be able to sit at your shiny new MacBook Pro and videocall through FaceTime to anyone using Fring on their Galaxy Tab, MSN Messenger on their PC or Skype on their smartphone over 3G.

But for now, 720p video calling from MBP to MBP or standard video calling to other iDevices and macs on WiFi for $1.

[iTunes]

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