MacRumors

A newly-published patent application from Apple discovered by AppleInsider describes methods that would allow an iPhone to buffer a series of photos before the user presses the shutter button for the device's camera and then automatically select the best one.

It is not uncommon for camera-shake or a less than optimal angle to result in blurry or dark photos in low-light conditions, even on the relatively capable camera on the iPhone. What the patent allows for is for the camera to start taking a series of photos before the user presses the shutter release, then automatically compare them with the one taken at the moment the button was pressed. If the system judges that one of the buffered photos is better, it stores that one in place of the one taken at shutter release.

In particular, the system seeks to minimize the camera shake that can accompany press the iPhone's volume button or tapping the screen to trigger the shutter by capturing images before the button or screen is even touched.

The algorithm described in the patent application uses a scoring system which measures contrast (the usual method used to judge focus), image resolution, dynamic range (the balance of light and dark tones in the image) and color rendering properties to determine which is the best version of the photo. The others are then discarded.

While the selection of the image is an automatic process, the system could allow the user to confirm the device's choice of the best available photo.

The patent application was filed in October of last year but references an earlier application filed in 2009, so it is possible that elements of this approach are used in current iPhones and iPads, although it is clear that the current Camera app for iOS does not include all aspects of the system.

Yesterday, Jailbreak Nation highlighted a bug with iOS 6.1 that allows users to bypass a passcode lock on an iPhone to access the phone function and contacts on the device. While the bug allows only limited access to the device and can require several attempts to achieve the correct timing to exploit, it is gaining significant attention today.

1. Lock device
2. Slide to unlock
3. Tap emergency call
4. Hold sleep button until the power down prompt shows. Click cancel, you will notice the status bar turn blue. Type in 911 or your emergency number and click call then cancel it asap so the call dosen’t go through.
5. Lock your device with the sleep button then turn it on using the home button.
6. Slide to unlock then hold the sleep button and in 3 seconds tap emergency call. This will spazz out the phone and cause it to open.

[Make sure to continuously hold the sleep button until you are done looking in the phone]

MacRumors encourages users to refrain from experimenting with the technique, as emergency calls that are not canceled soon enough may go through to operators.

The issue does appear to have been present in earlier versions of iOS as well, as Gizmodo points to a YouTube video posted in late January claiming that the method also works on iOS 6.0.1 and 6.0.2.

Similar bugs have appeared in previous versions of iOS, and Apple has generally moved fairly quickly to incorporate fixes into subsequent software updates once it becomes aware of the issues.

Update: One MacRumors reader notes that the technique does not appear to work if the user has turned off the "simple passcode" option to allow for more complex passcodes.

Update 2: AllThingsD notes that while Apple has yet to make an official comment on the issue, "sources close to the company say it is hard at work on a fix."

Update 3: AllThingsD has now updated its report with a response from Apple.

“Apple takes user security very seriously” spokeswoman Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. “We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”

Just a day after Microsoft offered workarounds for an iOS 6.1 Exchange syncing bug and said that it was working with Apple on a solution, Apple has announced on its support page (via ZDNet) that it has identified the problem and is working on a fix.

Apple has identified a fix and will make it available in an upcoming software update. In the meantime, you can avoid this bug by not responding to an exception to a recurring event on your iOS device. If you do experience the symptoms described above, disable then reenable the Exchange calendar on your iOS device using the steps below.

Apple details its own workaround until that update is available, advising users to go to "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" under "Settings," selecting the Exchange account from the accounts list, turning the switch for "Calendars" off, waiting 10 seconds and then turning it back on.

The bug, which caused iOS 6.1 devices to continuously loop when syncing a recurring calendar meeting invitation to Microsoft Exchange, isn't the first bug to stem from the two-week old iOS 6.1. iPhone 4S users were affected by a bug that hampered 3G performance, although that was fixed with Apple's release of iOS 6.1.1 a couple of days ago. There is no timeframe for when the fix for the Exchange bug will be released.

As promised late last year, Chevrolet is the first company to deliver Siri 'Eyes Free' to consumers. 2013 Chevy Spark and Sonic cars allow owners to perform a number of tasks via Siri using the car's built-in entertainment system.

In the 2013 Spark and Sonic vehicles equipped with MyLink, owners can use Siri in Eyes Free mode to:

- Make voice-activated, hands-free calls to Contacts on their iPhone
- Play songs in their iTunes libraries, and even switch music sources automatically from AM/FM/XM radio to iPod mode
- Listen to, and compose and send an iMessage or text message to a phone number or anyone in saved Contacts
- Access Calendar and add appointments
- Minimize distraction even more by keeping the screen of the iPhone from lighting up even when Siri answers simple questions such as game scores or the dates of national holidays

Chevrolet doesn't specify exactly when new Sonic and Spark cars will get 'Eyes Free' support, but the company says existing 2013 owners will be able to upgrade their MyLink radios with Siri capability beginning in March.

Honda has promised that the Accord and the Acura RDX and ILX cars will get 'Eyes Free' later in 2013, with some current 2013 Accord owners getting to beta test the service ahead of a wider rollout.

Following today's report from Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claiming that Apple will be holding a television-related product event in March, perhaps to introduce developer tools for the Apple TV and a future television set lineup, The Loop's Jim Dalyrmple has weighed in with one of his typical one-word answers to refute the claim: "Nope."

Dalrymple has impeccable accuracy with such comments, so it appears certain that there is no such event planned by Apple.

Earlier this month, we highlighted some comments from Valve founder Gabe Newell noting his view that Apple had the potential to take over the traditional gaming market by leveraging its existing ecosystem to deliver a "dumbed down living room platform" more quickly and efficiently than others can transition from the console to streaming via PC as Newell believes is the future.

Nat Brown, one of the first engineers to join the Xbox project back in 1999, has now published a blog post offering similar thoughts in noting the Microsoft is missing out on a major opportunity by not opening up that platform to small developers, an issue that Apple could easily exploit to gain tremendous momentum in the home gaming market.

Why can’t I write a game for xBox tomorrow using $100 worth of tools and my existing Windows laptop and test it on my home xBox or at my friends’ houses? Why can’t I then distribute it digitally in a decent online store, give up a 30% cut and strike it rich if it’s a great game, like I can for Android, for iPhone, or for iPad?

Brown notes that the terms of the Xbox developer program are so onerous that it is essentially impossible for an independent developer to succeed on the platform.

Brown also believes that the user experience on the Xbox platform leaves much to be desired, with Apple's emphasis on simplicity giving it an advantage with users.

Apple, if it chooses to do so, will simply kill Playstation, Wii-U and xBox by introducing an open 30%-cut app/game ecosystem for Apple-TV. I already make a lot of money on iOS – I will be the first to write apps for Apple-TV when I can, and I know I’ll make money. I would for xBox if I could and I knew I would make money. Maybe a “console-capable” Apple-TV isn’t $99, maybe it’s $199, and add another $79 for a controller. The current numbers already say a lot, even with Apple-TV not already an open console: 5.3M sold units in 2012, 90% year-over-year growth — vs. xBox 360 — about 9M units in 2012, 60% YoY decline.

Just today, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claimed that Apple will be holding a TV-related special event next month, speculating that the company could announce developer tools for the Apple TV platform to set the stage for a full television set product later this year.

The iFixit team today tore apart the Microsoft Surface Pro, which began showing up in stores last week, to reveal what's inside of the PC/tablet hybrid. Microsoft has touted the Surface Pro's power and compact design, which has come at the cost of easy consumer access to the device.

As it turns out, the Surface Pro is sealed with what iFixit termed "a metric duckload" of adhesive, which took more than an hour to overcome.

We tried every method we could think of to free the display, including cutting the adhesive — to no avail. This Pro required a pro method, and thankfully we had the required heat gun and guitar picks ready.

The black glue we found around the perimeter looks like tar, and is unbelievably close in function, appearance, and smell to its road-paving cousin.

Because of the adhesive, which holds both the battery and the display in place, and the more than 90 screws that hold the Surface Pro together, the tablet earned itself a repairability rating of 1/10. As TechCrunch notes, that is even less than Apple's iPad, which scored a 2/10 in repairability.

The battery is not soldered to the tablet so it is technically removable, but iFixit warns that removing the battery or upgrading the SSD might kill the tablet because of the proximity of several cables. Other highlights of the teardown include:

The removable Micron RealSSD C400 we found inside is responsible for the 64 GB of storage capacity. The tiny 1.8″ form factor SSD can read at 500MB/s and write at 95 MB/s. Digging a little deeper, we found that a Marvell 88SS9174 SSD processor keeps all those Micron flash ICs running smoothly.

This Surface Pro is all party in the front, business in the back — cooling business that is. Two small fans help this Pro keep its cool.

Microsoft spared no expense when it came to keeping the Surface Pro going. They sourced the Cadillac of batteries from LG: an Escalade 42 Wh unit. The battery is rated for 7.4 V and 5676 mAh. Impressive specs? Note that the iPad 4 has a 43 Wh battery, albeit at 3.7 V. Even with all this battery juice, the reported battery life of the Surface Pro is less than 5 hours.

iFixit declared some of Microsoft's choices, like the glued-in battery "completely unnecessary." Apple's products have been similarly criticized by the site in the past, such as the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, which also received a repairability score of 1 out of 10.