Saturday, March 10, 2012

iTunes iOS update has NO RESUME!!

How often has it happened that iTunes is busy downloading the update file for your iOS device, and it fails, with NO RESUME!! So you have to start all over.

This page might help, because you get a direct link to the file on the Apple site, and you can use a download manager to get the file with resuming.

iPhone Direct Download Links

iPad Direct Download Links

iPod Direct Download Links

Thanks to OSXDaily

Firmware files have an .ipsw extension and can be found at the following locations:

On Windows XP :
Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates

On Windows Vista/Windows 7:
Users\[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates

On Mac:
~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates


Thanks to iPhone FAQ

You can then place the file in that location and run the update, iTunes will pick the file up, verify it and skip the download portion of the update.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Apple iPad Event 7 March 2012 - Lets see how I did

Apple will announce a next gen iPad - TRUE
  • Not sure if they will go with iPad 3 or iPad HD - FALSE
    • Seems they were not sure either its just called "The New iPad"
  • It will have a retina display - TRUE
    • 2,048 by 1,536 or 3.1 million pixels
  • It will have better camera's - TRUE
    • 8MP at the back, 3MP in the front - FALSE 5MP, didn't mention the front
  • It will have Siri - FALSE
    • But it does get voice dictation
  • Not sure about LTE or 4G
    • Gets 4G LTE for US and Canada
  • It will have a faster processor (CPU) - TRUE
    • A5X Chip said to be 4 times faster
  • It will have faster/better graphics processing (GPU) - TRUE
    • Now has a Quad Core GPU

Apple will announce an update to iOS - TRUE
  • iOS 5.1 available today

Apple will update the Apple TV - TRUE
  • Apple TV will be updated with new hardware - TRUE
    • Overall package will remain the same - TRUE
    • Dual core A5 chip - They didn't say
    • 1080p Video output - TRUE
    • iOS 5 in line with the rest of the devices - There is an update not sure of the version
    • Would love to see an Apple TV app store, but that's unlikely - TRUE

 Apple will announce something new - TRUE
  • There is a lot of speculation on this one, my money is on a 7" touch device. - FALSE
    • I suspect this will be a new iPod Touch
    • This will remove a link to it being a "small iPad" and having to call it iPad Mini or something
    • This will breath some new life into the iPod Touch.
    • It would probably be WiFi only.
  • Announced iPhoto for iPad
    • Looks very nice
    • Only works on "New iPad" - UPDATE - Downloaded on iPad2 works fine
    • Will work on iPad 2 and iPad "3", iPhone 4 and 4S. Requires iOS 5.1
 Didn't do to badly I thought

My feelings on this are, if you have the bucks, then upgrading from your iPad 2 will give you an awesome screen and better performance. There is not a massive difference between iPad 2 and iPad 3.

If you are considering a tablet for the first time, the iPad 3 will have the best screen experience., nothing else compares at the moment. But you will pay for that.


I will be keeping my iPad 2 for now, unless I get some bucks to blow, because I would love the iPad 3. Oh and by the way, the price stays the same.

Apple March 7 2012 Event Predictions

Apple will be hosting an event later today, so I thought I would put down my predictions before hand and see how accurate I was.

Apple March 7 2012 Event

Apple will announce a next gen iPad
  • Not sure if they will go with iPad 3 or iPad HD
    • I think iPad 3 would be an all new device, with the updates being mostly internal I think iPad HD more likely.
  • It will have a retina display
    • I think this is a given bringing the iPad in line with current iPhones.
  • It will have better camera's
    • 8MP at the back, 3MP in the front
    • Given that the cameras on the iPad 2 are really bad for still images, this is a must.
    • Upgrading the front camera would be in line with better Facetime quality.
  • It will have Siri
    • Apple needs to put Siri on more devices to get more widespread use, but this does present a problem for WiFi only iPads being off the internet now and again. Given that users understand that web searching won't work from the browser anyway, they should not be surprised that Siri can't search either.
  • Not sure about LTE or 4G
    • Given that these technologies are different around the world and in the USA, it would be surprising if they could make a one iPad fits all LTE model.
    • This might just be too much for this iPad update, maybe the iPad 4 (or iPad 4G)
  • It will have a faster processor (CPU)
    • I say a faster dual core processor not quad core.
    • Quad core is too much of a change to the way the operating system and apps would need to effectively use all the cores.
  • It will have faster/better graphics processing (GPU)
    • This is a given with the retina display, plus they will need it for all the HD games and movies users will be getting.

Apple will announce an update to iOS
  • This will be an update to iOS 5 not an all new iOS 6, that should come with iPhone 5

Apple will update the Apple TV
  • Apple TV will be updated with new hardware
    • Overall package will remain the same
    • Dual core A5 chip
    • 1080p Video output
    • iOS 5 in line with the rest of the devices
    • Would love to see an Apple TV app store, but that's unlikely

 Apple will announce something new
  • There is a lot of speculation on this one, my money is on a 7" touch device.
    • I suspect this will be a new iPod Touch
    • This will remove a link to it being a "small iPad" and having to call it iPad Mini or something
    • This will breath some new life into the iPod Touch.
    • It would probably be WiFi only.

Well lets see how many I get right