xSellize: xNews

If you are interested in joining The xSellize Repo team then read below


Firstly, this task demands a lot of time. It must be worked on daily, doing updates and adding new packages. It's not for the lighthearted

Secondly, you must have a lot of knowledge in apt and making packages because no one will be there to hold your hand along the way. You must be able to show that you are capable in this post otherwise dismiss this post and feel free to carry on browsing the forum, you can be a just as valuable member by contributing in other ways.

We aim to gain the reputation of 'The Best Repo' which we unfortunately cannot do in the repo's present state. Please remember this when applying. It's a job which requires much dedication. We've considered many options about how to go about this and here's how it's going to go.

If you'd like to join the repo team, you must already know how to make a Debian package. Take the package of your choice and PM me (PigPox) the deb we will test and release on the repo within 24hours. Only Packages that are bug free and comply with the control file will be accepted on the repo and you entered for the post. If it all works well, you've made a successful application for the post and will be actively considered.

BUT this deb must be compiled with our control file which an example is posted below.For those that will be making packages only submit ones that work to me. The xSellize repo has 5 sections:
X Apps
X Fonts
X Games
X Graphix
X Vip (Only apps that cannot be hosted on the normal repo will be posted here)

An Example is as Below:



That is an example control file for megafont v2 obviously everything would need to be changed to match the app you are making.

Remember that certain privileges and responsibilities come with this job and you'd be expected to be able to fill those shoes, we would require you to be in the repo IRC room as often as possible in order to help coordinate the team.

P.S. When PMing me the deb i need to know the app name, version, and what the depiction url you have entered so I can verify it's correctness.

Note: I will state this very STRONGLY!. If you DO NOT have the adequate amount of time for the repo then DO NOT waste my time by posting that you can help occasionally. Whilst we do accept 'guest additions' to the repo occasionally, this post does not concern that.
Also, all repomen are required to be in IRC all the time during repo maintaining. So if any issues arise they can be delt with accordingly, then and there.

When applying, please include which of the 5 above sections would be your preference to manage, we are looking to recruit for all of them.

Thanks for you help and looking forward to hearing from you,
PigPox

One of the most popular iOS Apps of all time got its biggest upgrade yet, moving to version 3.0 and adding prime iOS 4 status. The app got some mad fast-app switching skillz as well as support for that hott iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 retina screen.




Shazam also gets a fresh new look that adds features while simplifying the controls.




[Via 9To5Mac]

Many of us saw the member of Hackulous called "CodeBlue" post on BigBoss about his "way to downgrade to a lower firmware without SHSH blobs". Saurik and Semaphore have both tweeted and posted saying this is impossible, as BuildManifests do not contribute to the SHSH request (CodeBlue's method changed the BuildManifests). Semaphore's post reads below:

Quote

Sorry to anyone who thought this method was real.

Yes, it is finally here. iPhoDroid, the application that automates the installation of Android OS on iPhone, was finally released for Windows, and it works with both Windows 32bit and 64bit.
iPhoDroid only works with the iPhone 3G and it works the same as the Mac version. All you need to do is plug in your iPhone, run iPhoDroid and click on ‘Shoot!’. An automated process will begin, and a few minutes later you will have a dual-boot iPhone 3G running iPhone OS and Android OS 2.2 Froyo.

[Via FSM]

Ars got the official word from an Apple spokesperson: there will be no new software update for old AppleTVs. That means no sexy Netflix, though you'll be able to keep on buying movies and TV shows instead of renting.

Now you don’t have to feel guilty about hacking your AppleTV now that Apple has abandoned it.

[Via Gizmodo]

Links to Facebook have been excluded from Ping because of "onerous terms," according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. When Ping was launched yesterday, it was promoted as having Facebook Connect support; the language is still present on Apple's official page. For a short time on Wednesday night, the option existed to invite new friends to Ping through Facebook.

Ping is now effectively devoid of hooks to other social networks however, including even Twitter. In an interview Jobs explains that Apple spoke with Facebook about partnership opportunities, but that the talks ultimately produced nothing. Facebook was after "onerous terms that we could not agree to," according to the executive.

Though not describing what the terms were, Jobs suggests that Facebook Connect could be implemented as genuine option in the future. "We could [add it], I guess," he comments. Some executives at Facebook are reportedly angry, however, at how similar Ping is to their site in terms of look and layout.

Jobs also remarks that Ping could be the most important thing to come out of yesterday's Apple announcements, despite some other major shifts. The company overhauled the Apple TV, for example, and made the iPod nano a touch-based device. The iPad should also become a more practical handheld with the advent of iOS 4.2.


[via ipodnn]

During this morning's event, Steve Jobs tossed out the factoid that the iPod touch was trouncing traditional handheld gaming, claiming that the system had sold more than Nintendo and Sony's portables combined. If, like us, you thought that meant Apple had sold more devices than traditional game makers, then Steve was wrong -- he mentioned in the same event that Apple has shipped 120 million iOS devices, and while that's very impressive, it's not quite as big as the 125 million Nintendo DS systems the Japanese company had sold around the world as of January. That doesn't even count the 62 million PSP units Sony has sold worldwide. In terms of gaming devices sold, Apple has a long ways to go.

But Steve can't have been that wrong -- he said that the iPod touch had sold more than Nintendo or Sony combined. He can't be off by over 60 million, right? It's more likely that he meant software sales. There have been about 718 million DS games sold in the system's history, and about 252 million games sold on the PSP. And there have been 6.5 billion downloads of iOS apps so far (with 1.5 billion of those being game and entertainment apps). When you compare the numbers that way, yes, Apple is far outselling Nintendo and Sony in terms of game sales. But of course, iOS apps tend to be much cheaper than Sony and Nintendo's software (if not free), and gamers could probably argue all day about the difference in average quality of the two platforms.

Either way, Steve was stretching the truth a little bit on that stat. Apple has done a terrific job making inroads on portable gaming (some of it even without planning to do so), but the Cupertino company has a little way to go yet before it starts really competing with the established console manufacturers.

A few commenters suggest that Apple has sold more iPod touches than both other systems combined recently, as in the last quarter or so. But the other two devices are a few years older than the oldest iPod touch, so that doesn't seem like a great comparison either. Again, Apple has made really incredible strides into handheld gaming, but the company isn't quite overwhelming its competitors in this market yet.

[via tuaw]

The new, smaller Apple TV announced Wednesday will stream 720p HD video thanks to the same custom-built ARM A4 processor found inside the iPhone 4, iPad and the new iPod touch.

On the technical specifications page for the new Apple TV, the company prominently advertises that the new $99 device features the A4 processor. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs also noted during his keynote Wednesday that the fourth-generation iPod touch has also gained the A4, but that feature is not listed on the product's tech specs page.

The previous generation Apple TV was based on an Intel processor and included a 160GB hard drive.

The A4 processor first appeared earlier this year in the iPad. The creation of it was made possible through the purchases of chipmakers Intrinsity and PA Semi.

Its inclusion in the new Apple TV makes it the first A4-powered device that does not have access to the App Store.

Prior to its announcement, there were rumors that Apple would run the its iOS operating system and make the App Store available for the new iTV. While the software behind the new Apple TV was not detailed, the company made no mention of iOS or the App Store in Wednesday's presentation.

The new Apple TV will offer compatibility with iOS devices, however, which can be used as a remote control for the set top box and will also be able to stream photos and videos to a user's HDTV over Wi-Fi.



In addition to an A4 processor, the new Apple TV also includes HDMI for 720p high definition video out with 5.1 sound. It also has separate optical audio for compatibility with receivers that do not accept 5.1 over HDMI.

The device also has an Ethernet port and 802.11B/G/N Wi-Fi for streaming. Because the cloud-centric device has no available internal storage, it is intended for renting and streaming content.



The new Apple TV also has a built-in infrared receiver that works with the aluminum remote control that ships with the product. And the device has a micro-USB port that is intended for service and support.

Apple said the device, which ships later this month, will be compatible with three highlighted video formats:

* H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
* MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
* Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format


It is also compatible with a variety of audio formats: HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through. Finally, it supports photos that are JPEG, GIF and TIFF.


[via appleinsider]

Apple's upgraded wireless media streaming feature, now known as AirPlay, will soon offer video and photo streaming to Apple TV directly from iOS 4.2 devices, and allows users to send music and album art to third-party hardware.

Announced on Wednesday, AirPlay is the improved and rebranded AirTunes, which allows users to stream music from their computer to other locations in their home. Previously, that streaming required an Apple-branded AirPort Express or another computer running iTunes.

With AirPlay, users will be able to stream to speaker docks, AV receivers and stereo systems from companies including Denon and Bowers & Wilkins.

Like with AirTunes, AirPlay allows users to simultaneously stream music to multiple devices in different rooms throughout the house. All of this is done via a computer running iTunes and connected to a network over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

As before, users can select "Multiple Speakers" in the bottom right corner of iTunes to stream to multiple locations throughout the house. Users can also control the volume for individual AirPlay devices by using the free Remote application for the iPhone and iPod touch.



AirPlay also streams information about music to external devices, including song titles, artists, album names, elapsed and remaining time, and album artwork. AirPlay-enabled speakers with graphical displays can then show this information as a track plays.

In addition to Denon and Bowers & Wilkins, featured partners with AirPlay include Marantz, JBL and iHome.



And listed as "coming soon" is the ability to stream music and video from an iOS device to the new Apple TV. During his keynote Wednesday, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs demonstrated this by streaming the movie "Up" instantly from an iPad running iOS 4.2 over Wi-Fi. iOS 4.2 is set to ship for the iPad this November; no date was given for the iPhone or iPod touch.

Users can start watching a movie or TV show on their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and tap the AirPlay icon in the video. By choosing Apple TV, whatever they are watching will instantly begin streaming to their widescreen TV.

[via appleinsider]

Developers have reportedly begun receiving the iOS 4.1 golden master, a final pre-release version before the software is released to customers. The update will introduce Apple's new Game Center gaming service and HDR photography capabilities. Users will also be able to take advantage of HD video uploads via Wi-Fi, while a number of bug fixes address sensor problems and performance issues with the iPhone 3G.

The official iOS 4.1 public release is expected to be ready by the end of next week. The company is already working on v4.2, which will bring the iPad up to speed with the iPhone and iPod touch.




[via macnn]

SkyFire has announced that its self-titled browser has been submitted to Apple for approval on the App Store. The browser brings indirect support for a wide range of Flash content, working around Apple's prohibition of Adobe's multimedia platform on iOS devices.

To circumvent Apple's Flash ban, SkyFire remotely converts Flash-coded content into HTML5-friendly standards or other compatible formats. Content is then brought back to the browser and presented to the user without loading Flash on iOS. The current system is primarily focused on serving videos rather than games or embedded music players.

The company has voiced confidence in an imminent approval, as developers worked directly with Apple to ensure compliance. A release date has yet to be confirmed, however.


[via macnn]

Twitter has just released their official Twitter client for the iPad. It’s a free universal binary (one download for all devices) and it looks amazing!



The iPad version uses a lot of multi-touch so tweeting is fun again. We’re skipping the in-depth walkthrough (Giz has one) and going right to download. You should do the same if you want to be cool!


[via 9to5mac]

As you know, Apple introduced today iTunes 10. During the keynote I tweeted, saying that all jailbreakers and unlockers shouldnt updated right now. And everybody was asking why. The answer is simple: once your are jailbroken, you never update to new releases until the iCommunity gives you a green light. Fortunately, iTunes 10 is safe for all jailbreakers and unlockers ( DFU mode, syncing, selecting IPSW, all okay ), and it comes with the following changes:

NOTE: STAY AWAY FROM iOS 4.1 NEXT WEEK

* Introducing Ping. Use Ping to follow your favorite artists and friends or connect with the world’s most passionate music fans. Discover the music everyone is talking about, listening to, and downloading.
* Rent HD TV episodes for just 99¢ each. Watch them on your Mac or PC, on-the-go with iPhone or iPod touch, or in your living room with the all new Apple TV.
* Play your favorites on the all new iPod touch, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and Apple TV.
* Play music wirelessly with AirPlay on AirPlay-enabled speakers, home theater receivers, and iPod accessories.
Explore many look-and-feel improvements throughout iTunes.
* Enjoy performance improvements which make iTunes faster and more responsive.
* Additional voice support with VoiceOver Kit for iPod.


[via FSM]

Thought i'd post this for those of you not lucky enough to own a fairly recent device, and who haven't seen this video.

I've been playing around with this on my 3GS and its absolutely astounding what Epic has been able to do.

This is footage taken off of an iPhone4, highest quality i could find. Best watched in HD on the actual YouTube site.

In case anyone was wondering the demo is called Epic Citadel, and its available for free in the AppStore.

Not satisfied to simply trump Google's daily device activation numbers, Steve Jobs added insult to injury at the Apple press conference this afternoon, claiming that unspecified "friends" have been counting handset upgrades in their statistical totals and not just newly activated phones.

As you might imagine, Google was not terribly pleased at this turn of events, and issued the following retort:
"The Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services."

Now, we don't honestly know who's telling the truth here and we'd like to be able to take both companies at their word, but this isn't the first time even during this particular Apple shindig that questionable claims were thrown out as fact.

[Via Engadget]