GarageBand music app adds iPod Touch support

Apple has released an update to its highly popular GarageBand music creation app with support for iPod touch and iPhone. For starters GarageBand turns your iPod touch, iPad or iPhone into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio - so you can make music anywhere you go. You can use Multi-Touch gestures to play pianos, guitars, drums, and basses.

With the latest GarageBand version 1.1 a number of new features and enhancements have been added which include:

• The ability to create custom chords for Smart Instruments
• Support for additional time signatures: 3/4 and 6/8
• The ability to transpose songs in semitones or full octaves and additional quantization options for recordings.
• Users can now also take advantage of additional export quality settings for AAC and uncompressed AIFF output and adjust velocity settings for Touch Instruments.
• Arpeggiator available in Smart Keyboard
• Adjustable velocity settings for Touch Instruments
• Numerous enhancements, including automatic fade out and improved audio import options

GarageBand 1.1 music app for iPod Touch requires iOS 4.3 or later and is available from the App Store for $4.99.

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Watch the "Celebrating Steve Jobs" Memorial Special Event Video

Apple is now streaming the "Celebrating Steve Jobs" special event online.  You can watch this very touching tribute to the life and work of  the man who changed our lives and brought technology to the masses.  Watch the special event here, or at the Apple website:  "Celebrating Steve" with special guests; Nora Jones, and Coldplay.

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iPads: A new tool for writing and digital storytelling

We recently got a class set of iPads after writing a grant to the PTA. We have been trying to use them in different grades and subject areas to maximize learning across the school. They have been used in a Grade 1 class for digital storytelling. Many students love the camera app where they can take photos and videos of different books they read and using another app called Sonic Pics, weave them together into a story.

I also have decided to use iPads as a tool to help struggling writers as my Master's thesis this year. I am measuring the impact on students' attitudes, achievement and engagement in Grade 5.

We have been using them in Grade 5 most recently as a tool for writing. Students had already finished writing their memoirs and using an app called StoryKit, they are turning them into digital stories. They use text, photos, drawings and audio. Students were incredibly engaged and very excited to be using these cutting edge tools. They will publish their stories and put them on their digital portfolios when they are finished. Below are some photos and videos from the class.

Edit: Of course we gave them 10 minutes to play with the app before we actually used it in an authentic learning context. They made up their own mini-stories. I didn't know if using text would appeal to them or not but many of them found it easier than a keyboard!

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Infinity Blade Arena Update Version 1.4 New Content Pack #4 - for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

"This might be trouble"

ChAIR Entertainment, the folks behind the massively popular Infinity Blade Arena; is back with a new update version 1.4 Content Pack #4.  Expect all new enemies, weapons, and armor to test your mettle.  Can you survive the mighty RookBane? find out with the new Infinity Blade download.

This update requires iOS 3.2 or later, and is compatible with iOS 5 - also get a sneak peek at the upcoming release of Infinity Blade 2, and the new iBook Infinity Blade: Awakening, by Brandon Sanderson.  Download Infinity Blade Arena Version 1.4

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iPhone 4S Technical Specifications

 Dan Foy

Just purchased a brand-new iPhone 4S and want to know more about it? interested in iPhone 4S technical specifications for comparison to other smartphone models?  This page will show you the iPhone 4s tech specs you need to know including the contrast ratio, audio formats supported, video out support, video formats, language support and more.

This informative guide will allow you to "look under the hood" and see what makes your iPhone 4S tick. Another use for checking out the iPhone 4s specs comes in handy with repairs, or working with the right formats during content creation.  Check out your iPhone 4S Technical Specifications now.

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Apple's Earnings Fourth Quarter Results in Record Mac and iPad Sales

Public Domain Photos

Apple reported record earnings for Q4 2011 with quarterly revenue of $28.27 billion, and net profit for the quarter of $6.62 billion.  Consumers gobbled up 17.07 million iPhones, 11.12 million iPads, and a record 4.89 million Macs during the quarter.  Apple saw sales of 6.62 million iPods: a dip from last year as more users are upgrading to the iPhone, and iPad.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is proud of Apple's results, and upbeat about the future:

“We are thrilled with the very strong finish of an outstanding fiscal 2011, growing annual revenue to $108 billion and growing earnings to $26 billion,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Customer response to iPhone 4S has been fantastic, we have strong momentum going into the holiday season, and we remain really enthusiastic about our product pipeline.”

Thats a great quarter by anyone's estimate, and is further fueled by Apple's cash pile growing to an impressive $81 billion banked for a rainy day fund.  Download the Data Summary here

Do you own AAPL stock? are you impressed by Apple's quarterly earnings? please post a comment below.

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How to Jailbreak Your iPod Touch 3G Using RedSn0w (Windows) [5.0]

These are instructions on how to jailbreak your iPod Touch 3G on the iOS 5.0 firmware using RedSn0w for Windows. The Mac version of this tutorial is here.

This jailbreak is tethered which means you will need to connect your device to the computer each time you reboot. Finally, it may be prudent to save your SHSH Blobs by following this tutorial before continuing.

Step One
Create a folder on your desktop called Pwnage

Download RedSn0w 0.9.9b6 from here and place it in the Pwnage folder. Likewise, download the 5.0 firmware from here and place it in the Pwnage folder. (Note: you do not need to download the 5.0 firmware if you are already on iOS 5.0)

Extract the RedSn0w zip file by double clicking it.


Step Two: (Skip this step if you're on iOS 5 already)
Connect your iPod to the computer and launch iTunes.


Select your iPod from the list of devices on the left. Now hold down Shift and click the Restore button. Restore is preferred as it won't create any wasted space on your iPod.


Navigate to the Pwnage folder on your desktop and select the 5.0 firmware ipsw. Click the Choose button to continue.


iTunes will now update your iPod to the new firmware.

Step Three
Launch the redsn0w application from the redsn0w folder we extracted earlier.


**Windows 7 users may want to try running the redsn0w executable mode as an administrator in Windows Vista compatibility. You can do this by right clicking the executable and selecting Properties from the contextual menu.

Step Four
Once RedSn0w opens click the Jailbreak button


Step Five
Plug your iPod into the computer and make sure its OFF then click the Next button


Step Six
RedSn0w will now guide you through the steps to get into DFU mode.


Hold down both the Home button and the Power button for 10 seconds.


Release the Power button and continue holding the Home button until RedSn0w detects the device.


Step Seven
Your iPod will now reboot


Step Eight
RedSn0w will prepare the jailbreak data.


Step Nine
Select Cydia from the list of options and click Next.


Step Ten
Your iPod will now be rebooted again and RedSn0w will begin uploading the new RAM Disk and Kernel.


Step Eleven
Once this is complete you will be notified that RedSn0w is done. When your iPod finishes rebooting (5 minutes or so) it will be jailbroken with Cydia on the SpringBoard.



BOOT TETHERED
Once you have jailbroken you will need to rerun redsn0w to boot tethered.

Step One
From the main RedSn0w menu click the Extras button.


Step Two
Select Just boot from the Extras menu to just boot tethered.



*As usual a big thanks to the iPhone Dev-Team and Geohot for their hard work and contribution to the iPhone community.

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