iOS 4.3: What it Means for You

Everything talks to everything.

Mar 2 2011, 4:11pm CST | by Robert Evans

Apple's just made their big iPad 2 announcement. And with it, came the announcement of a new update to iOS. The 4.3 software patch will launch on March 11 along with the new iPad. So what changes can iPad users expect to see? I4U has the breakdown:

Your iPhone 4 is now a Personal Hotspot. Once the update hits, you'll be able to connect your WiFi iPad to the internet via your iPhone 4's 3G. This personal hotspot feature will also allow connectivity to your Mac or PC. In all, you can share your connection with up to five devices via Bluetooth, USB or WiFi. No more than three devices may connect via WiFi, though. Apple has added in a power-smart feature that kills the hotspot once all connections have ended.

Over-Air Home Sharing: Your iTunes library now knows no boundaries. Or at least, fewer boundaries. With 4.3, you'll be able to stream your all your iTunes media over any iPhone, iPad or iPod touch via WiFi. Music, podcasts, iMovie clips, movies, TV shows, whatever you want. No download or syncing necessary. Apple makes the couch-potatoes life a little easier each day.

iPad Side Switch Control: In a rare move, Apple has elected to hand over MORE control to their customers. With 4.3, you'll be able to customize exactly what the switch on the side of your iPad 2 does. Sure, you only have two choices: it can mute your iPad or lock display orientation. But that's better than the zero choices we had before.

Faster Safari: Apple brags that the "new" Safari will run JavaScript twice as fast as it did in 4.2. That means faster page loads and more responsive websites.

Better AirPlay: For the first time, third party apps and services will be able to take advantage of audio and video streaming over AirPlay. There are new slideshow transitions, so you can use your HDTV as a giant picture frame, and further integration with Apple TV.

Conclusion: Both iOS 4.3 and OS X 10.7 seem focused on bringing the Mac and iGadgets closer together. Your Mac or PC is now a media hub for all of your Apple devices. Everything talks, and everything integrates. FaceTime works on your iPhone, MacBook and iPad. AirPlay connects your iPhone's camera to every TV in your house.

People don't want to just an iPhone or an iPad. They want to make and edit videos and share them with their friends. They don't just want to download a movie, they want to download a movie and then watch that movie on whatever device is most convenient at the time. Apple has acknowledged this, and they're taking great pains to ensure that their products represent the most pain-free way to make your technology do what you want it to do.

Updates

Apple Can Do More than a Traditional TV - the iPanel

Source: Softpedia

For many Wall Street analysts, it’s not a question of “if” Apple will ever release a full-fledged television set, but “when”. Yet many of them fail to consider the unexpected from Apple. Which is why there’s a good chance this rumored big ...
Full article at: Softpedia More like this 1 hour ago

Cox TV Connect live TV streaming app for iPad updated with new grid guide UI

Source: Engadget HD

Cabler Cox Communications joined in on the live TV streaming to iPad craze by releasing its own Cox TV Connect app late last year, and recently updated it to version 1.1.0. With the upgrade comes the new look shown above, so while ...
Full article at: Engadget HD More like this 2 hours ago

Seas0nPass Jailbreak Cuts the Cord for Your Apple TV 5.1.1 Software

Source: Softpedia

fireCore has released an updated version of Seas0nPass for Apple TV jailbreakers on iOS 5.0.1 / 5.1.1. The hack is untethered, meaning users don’t have to re-connect their set-top-box to iTunes with each reboot. “Today we are happy ...
Full article at: Softpedia More like this 3 hours ago

where to buy

Buy from Amazon

Don't miss ...

Apple

iPad mini Rumors continue

Robert Evans
The excitement about new smartphones, tablets and anything mobile drive Robert to unearth the latest rumors and developments in this fast moving space. He adopted 4G as soon as it become available and knows where the mobile market is going.
Robert can be contacted directly at robert@i4u.com.