So, to help all of us figure out what tweak is causing the bug, we are listing all of our installed tweaks, and if you are having the same issue, and notice that you have common tweaks installed as well, then let us know!

• Activator (x3)
• AssistantExtensions(x2)
• bitesms(x2)
• Custom Siri Background
• CustomWidgetIcons
• Display Recorder
• FolderEnhancer
• Flowtation
• Gridlock
• iFile (x3)
• InfiniDock
• IntelliScreenX
• LockInfo
• LockScreen Clock Hide(x2)
• Locationholic
• MobileSubstrate (x3)
• SBSettings (x3)
• SiriToggles (x2)
• Springtomize 2 (x2)
• Substrate Safe Mode (x3)
• SlyCam For Notification Centre
• Winterboard (x3)
• WeeKillBackground for Notification Centre
• Wallpaper JPEGifier(x2)
• Yellow Siri Mod

Contact us via Twitter @MyGreatiPhone, @Nazaroth, @d900man, @LVCIFER, @DannyLargan, or you can leave messages for us on our Facebook page. Something important to note: while the suspect is a rogue tweak, it may also be the A5 jailbreak ITSELF. I, LVCIFER, jail broke using Absinthe for the Mac. Please contact us and let us know if you are having the same issues, and let us know what you think the suspected tweak is. Also, feel free to experiment, and add/remove tweaks until the problem stops. Either way, please keep us in the loop so that we can help others and get the word out as well.

A new 12″ figure of Steve Jobs has been made and created by Inicons.com and I have to say that this thing looks absolutely amazing.

Below is the picture of Steve that was displayed after he died in October on the Apple site.

Now here is the pic of the figure in the same pose from the Inicons.com website.

The figure is totally movable and comes with Balance shoes, Levi’s jeans, different hands and a keynote background which says “One More Thing”

Unfortunaty te figure does not come with and iPhone or iPad.

The Steve Jobs figure will set you back $100 which in my opinion is well worth it especially when the figure could and most likely will have a cease and desist order placed on it from the Jobs family.

Now the only question left to answer is….. where can I find $100!!!

Apple has been listed as the official publisher of ‘GameStore’ and it can be found within the utilities category of the App store. There is a brief description as well which reads:

‘This application allows you to buy different things from within the app’

When you open up the GameStore app there is a products list which appears to be used to test the in-app purchase functionality. Users have the option to buy stuff such as two extra lives for $2.99, awesome sword for $0.99, Ax for $19.99 and big gun for $1.99.

The application also includes a shopping cart, payment options and settings. Although it doesn’t feature any content it is rated for ages 12 and up. This is because it features horror/gore themes, simulated gambling, profanity or crude humour, realistic violence and mature/suggestive themes.

Any purchases made through the GameStore app does go through and the users account will be charged, although, there is no actual game to support the purchased content so they have no functionality.

The mistake was caught by a German language website, iFun.de, which revealed the error on Monday. As things stand the application is still currently available for 99 cents and it was released on the 31st of December.

Also worthy of note, because all of the focus will be to worldwide distribution, it is also expected that the Asian markets will not be receiving their own iPhone 5/iPhone 4[s] until “at least” a few more weeks after the initial launch, so it looks as if that launch date will be pushed back a little bit as well. As always, keep tuning in and we will notify you as new information becomes available.

And reported all over the internet, @MuscleNerd of the iPhone_devteam have already jailbroken most iDevices as of today to run on the newest version of iOS 5.0, beta 7. While there have been many times I have gone record in the past, criticizing the actions of the IDT, this season they seem to have been pretty much on top of their game, with each iOS 5.0 revision beta being jailbroken in seemingly record time, catering to the masses, and increasing the speed with each jailbreak. So, kudos to the IDT, you boys and girls deserve it.

In a tweet released by @MuscleNerd himself, it reads as follows:

Today’s IOS5b7 can be JB with last night’s redsn0w b7 http://t.co/qYExhrP but point it at b6 IPSW…annoying off-by-1 now

Using this world-famous tool, it should be noted that there is no solution for ow yet if you are looking to jailbreak UNtethered, as there is only currently a tethered jailbreak method available at this time. The only main difference between tethered vs UNtethered is that on a tethered jailbreak, any time your iDevice restarts for whatever reason (installing a tweak, running out of battery, etc.) you must be near a computer in order to run redsn0w again to re-jailbreak it. While this may be inconvenient, it is the only current method available, so for now, this is just a casualty of war.

Keep your eyes posted, for as always, we will keep you updated to any further news associated to iDevices.

With iOS 5.0 GM predicted to be released next month at some point in September/2011,  this is the beta that most people have been waiting for. It is likely to contain multiple security updates, fixes, and the like. Many are also expecting even more stability, and an improved (a/k/a “bug free”) user experience. While many people, including me, are too apprehensive to update via the “OTA” (over-the-air) method, most people are not, and here is a screenshot below, courtesy of RedmondPie.com, of what that OTA Update will look like. You can view this area of iOS by going into Settings>General>Software Update:

There are also other ways to instal this update, for example, by doing it the old-fashioned way and heading over to the Apple Developer Portal and downloading the appropriate firmware file for your device, and installing through iTunes, but ultimately, the choice is yours. Other additional notes that should be paid attention to are that after you update your iOS 5b7 firmware, in order to sync your device to iTunes, you are going to actually have to update iTunes as well, so that everything is simpatico.

In a statement released by Apple’s Board of Directors, previous Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tim Cook has been named as Apple’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective at the time of this writing.

Here are excerpts from the press release:

“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Previously, when rumors of Steve Jobs’ health had raised the questions of whether or not he would be able to continue his duties at Apple, Inc., the Board of Directors had set up a “succession plan”, naming Tim Cook as Jobs’ successor, and today, that is exactly what happened. Today, while Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board of Directors, he “strongly urged” them to follow their succession plan and go with Cook. Also at the time of his resignation, Steve Jobs requested that he stay on the Board of Director’s, and has in fact been elected as the Chairman of that very same Board, so in some form, Jobs will still be a large part of Apple, Inc.

Tim Cook may be in fact the best qualified person to take the reigns. As Apple Inc.’s COO, Cook oversaw just about every aspect of the company, from all of their sales activity all the way down to worldwide oversight in regards to Apple’s day-to-day activities. He was also responsible for maintaining a relationship with suppliers in order to ensure the success of the Macintosh platform.

While the reasons for Steve Jobs’ decision to resign has not been made public, one can only assume that the health issues he has been facing in the near-past may be playing a major factor in this. This is not confirmed, but in order for Jobs to step down from Apple, a company he saw literally grow out of his basement, his personal circumstances must be very influential to his decisions. We wish Jobs all the best in his future endeavors.

Also worth noting, it should be interesting to see how Apple, Inc.’s stock (AAPL) will be affected by such an event. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available. Until then, you can view the entire PR statement here: www.apple.com/pr

UPDATE 1: Steve Jobs’ open letter has just been released. This is what Mr. Jobs had to say about the matter, in his own words:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

And even further, here is the entire press release:

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple

Tim Cook Named CEO and Jobs Elected Chairman of the Board

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

“Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”
“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board today and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.

As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

The great people over at MobileFun.co.uk have loads of iPhone 4 cases, but this one they sent me is perfect for these summer months.

Introducing the Krusell SEaLAbox. The SEaLAbox has a qualified for IPX7 standard which means it is approved at 1 metres depth for 30 minutes, more than enough time to capture some underwater footage.

The case is made from a hard plastic which comes in 2 part and wrap around the the front and back silicone panels. These silicone panels allow users to not only see the screen but use it like they where never there.

The SEaLAbox comes supplied with a lanyard which is perfect for when your down the beach and may not have any pocket to put your device in.

The front and back silicone panels are slightly frosted, but Krusell thought about this when designing the SEaLAbox, because around the  front and back cameras they silicone is clear, allowing you to record footage at your pleasure with it being distorted.

When trying out the SEaLAbox I was really nervous as its my personal iPhone that I use to review all the products I get. But the SEaLAbox stood up to what Krusell said about it and how they designed and and I had no water leak into the case at all.

Check out our video review of the SEaLAbox below to see how it stands up in water.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If your going to buy any iPhone 4 cases this summer the grab the SEaLAbox. Its costs £34.95 from MobileFun which may sound pricey but if your think that one little accident down by the pool could kill your iPhone 4 then its well worth it.

Well now we have the answer to this problem and a small price.

The Bluetrek SurfaceSound Compact Bluetooth Car Kit  has been sent to us for review from MobileFun.co.uk.

The Bluetrek SurfaceSound retails from MobileFun for just £18.95 which I think is a great price to pay for such a excellent product (also for less than 20 quid you may save yourself a fine, points or even a serious accident)

I’ve been using the Bluetrek SurfaceSound for just about 2 weeks now and honestly I wouldn’t change it for the world. Its easy to use, easy to pair and just works.

The Bluetrek SurfaceSound works with any Bluetooth enabled phone and even with Apples Bluetooth crippling it worked magically with my iPhone 4.

The device is only 6mm thick so when attached to your sun visor by the  supplied clip you it will not get in the way. A great feature about this Bluetooth speaker is the way that it turns on, all that you need to do is pull down the mic arm and there you go the device is on and working.

Voice dialling and last number dialling are easy on the Bluetrek SurfaceSound, to initiate Voice dialling you just press the call button and away you go, for last number dialling just press and hold the call button.

The Bluetrek SurfaceSound gives you 24 hours worth of talk time and up to 30 days stand time.

The 2 watt speaker in the Bluetrek SurfaceSound provides great sound and even with my music up loud I was still able to hear people on the other end of the phone loud and clear. So what about people hearing me, well the SurfaceSound has 2 mics built into it. These pic up sound really well, in fact most people I spoke to didn’t even know that I was using the Bluetrek SurfaceSound when calling them.

So my final thoughts on the Bluetrek SurfaceSound Compact Bluetooth Car Kit  are that for £18.95 this is a excellent car kit and I see no reason why people would spend a lot more than that on a device that does the same.

MobileFun don’t just supply products for the iPhone, they deal with a whole range of stuff from the HTC Sensation accessories to Amazon Kindle stuff.

Check out our video review of the  Bluetrek SurfaceSound Compact Bluetooth Car Kit below..

Click here to view the embedded video.

The board incorporates a case/bag for your iPad and somewhere to keep all those accessories that you need to carry with you.

The Org Board is made from neoprene with the inside of the case being made from soft touch nylex so ensure that your iPad does not get all scratched up.

The Org Board works with both the iPad 1st Gen and the iPad 2 so if your thinking about upgrading your device there will be no need to buy a new case.

The STM Org Board  has a light weight design (0.5 lb / 0.25 kg) so that its easy to carry around in your hand or bag. The board stops your iPad from flying our with a overlapping flap.

One of the key features to the Org Board is the way is holds accessories that your bound to need to carry round with you. By flipping the board over there is a place to hold your iPhone, pen, earphones and charge/sync cable. This is a unique design and believe me the elastic that runs through the case is really strong, so none of your accessories will go missing.

The Org Board would make a great addition to one of STM’s Macbook bags.

MobileFun has some great iPhone 4 accessories including cases, speakers, cable and loads more. This time they sent us over the V-Smart Metal Bumper for the iPhone 4.

Now if you like the ElementCases then the V-Smart Metal Bumper will be right up your street. The only really difference between the 2 is the price.

The ElementCASE Vapor 4 retails for £59.99 and the higher end ElementCASE’s retail for around £100 yet the V-Smart Metal Bumper retails for £24.95, which is a huge saving for a product that is real similar.

The V-Smart Metal Bumper is made from Aircraft grade aluminium alloy that gives the bumper a strong structure to it, yet still giving it a light weight feel.

The bumper contains 2 small screws at the bottom which hold the bumper together when your iPhone 4 is in it.

The V-Smart Metal Bumper comes with 1 replacement screw (these are small and can easily be lost) and an Allen Key. Also in the pack comes a screen protector and back glass protector, both able to reduce finger prints.

The great thing about the V-Smart Metal Bumper is the amount of different colours that it comes in, you are able to choose from Pink, Black, Gunmetal, Red, Blue, Gold, Purple, Chrome and Silver so there is no problem in finding a bumper to suit you.

Now I have tried a few bumper cases out and this has to be my favourite so far, the V-Smart Metal Bumper makes the iPhone looks classy and gives it that extra something.

All the ports to the iPhone 4 are easily accessible other that the 30 pin dock connector, which will only take the normal Apple sync lead (or something with the standard housing).

The only small problem that I have had with this bumper is a small (and I mean small) drop in signal, now i’m not talking about going from 3G signal to nothing at all but lets say from 5 bars in 3G to 3 3G bars.

So overal I really like this case, it provide a great look to the iPhone 4 and just gives it something a little extra. If you want something similar to the ElementCASE but you just can’t get the money together then make sure you hit up the V-Smart Metal Bumper. So only because of the small drop in signal this bumper gets a 8/10.

For a more in depth look at the V-Smart Metal Bumper check out our YouTube vid below..

Click here to view the embedded video.

Recently, I had the opportunity to have a chat with one of the iCommunity’s most prominent and well-known themers out there. He has recently released in the past few months two of the best and most complete themes that iDevice’s have seen in a long, long time. The first of these themes being “revi-krs”, which was amazingly sleek, and elegant, and clean, making it one of the most used themes I have heard about in my 3-4 years as a part of this community. His other theme, “reviDX” will be reviewed very, very shortly after this article is released, but I can promise you that it is everything that the previous theme was and more. The themer I am about to interview is known simply as “Chris”, and he can be found via twitter as @KrsChris. Without further introduction, here is what he had to say in response to the questions I threw his way:

<begin interview>

Q: Hello Chris, welcome to this little digital interview here. Not sure if you follow the site but occasionally, we will interview tweak developers, themers, and people generally related with the jailbreak community. With that being said, let me start off by shooting the first question your way. What got you involved with the iCommunity as it’s called, and when do you remember first jailbreaking, roughly?

A:  Hi, glad to be here! Well, I always had Nokia phones and when I first bought an iDevice I was very surprised with the many limitations, like not being able to set a wallpaper for example and not being able to apply themes. So, looking around around the web I found out about the Jailbreak. That was back in December 08′ if I remember well.

Q: Once you were jailbroken, after seeing the work that everyone was putting out there on Cydia, what made you decide that out of everything you wanted to specifically dedicate your talent to theming iDevices?

A: I studied Photoshop in highschool, I fell in love with it. And after seeing  all the themes out, I decided to make mine. Just for me but I ended by sharing it with the world.

Q: If this isn’t too personal of a question, what do you do for a day job, and does it have any direct (or indirect!) correlation to the work you do as a themer?

A: No, my job has nothing to do with the themes nor photoshop. I work as cook assistant haha

Q: When you first got into it, who was your biggest inspiration, and what themes did you aspire to best once you started releasing your own?

A: It was a Windows vista theme. That theme was super complete and well done… I said to my self, I want to create themes like this. I don’t remember the name of that theme anymore.

Q: Are there any people now who’s work you still admire and appreciate? For example, if you didn’t have your own themes on your iDevices, who’s work would you put on your tech? Is there a “favorite theme”, per se?

A: The truth is, I don’t use other’s themes. But, yes I admire many, many themers!

Q: Recently, there has been a good amount of talk circulating the iCommunity about piracy, namely in specific an “Anti-Piracy Jailbreak” by @i0n1c. What are your thoughts on this?

A:  I love that idea.

Q: And more specifically, it is no big secret that themes are some of the most pirated packages downloaded off of Cydia. From the point of view of a wildly famous theme creator, how have you been affected by theme piracy, and if you could address someone who was thinking about pirating your theme, what would you say to them?

A: I’m ok only if the people downloading pirated themes can’t pay because, I don’t know, they don’t have CreditCards or they are really broke. The others…

Q: Despite the fact that you have just released your newest theme, “reviDX” in Cydia and on ThemeIt, are there any plans on releasing updates, extras, or even entirely new themes in the near-ish future?

A: Updates and extras for both themes yes, new theme not sure. Not for now.

Q: What are your thoughts on people who “dissect” pieces of themes, and basically steal them and pass your work off as their own?

A: That is not good. You can do it for own but you should not sell it nor say that you made it all from scratch.

Q: And this has been a question that has been burning a hold in me for a while. Without any exaggerations, from start to finish, about how long does it take you to create a complete and full theme?

A: It depends. If I’m really motivated and I have a fixed idea I can finish a theme from start to finish in one month. revi-krs took me almost 5 months!

Q: Something I have noticed about your work, and something that I happen to love, all of your themes seem to have a slightly “darker” feel to them. Meaning, if you take a look at Apple’s stock design, they are bubbly, and colorful, and vibrant, and whatnot. But your designs takes on a more “serious” and “elegant” and “adult” feel to them. What made you decide to go the route of experimenting with a darker theme experience instead of going the route of the happy shiny method so many other themers have duplicated?

A: Ha ha, I’ve been told this many times. Yes, I know my themes have not many color in them. I like simple and elegant things, beautiful things. I guess is my style.

Q: Have there ever been any designs that you have tried but that ultimately were too complex, or the technology was just simply uncooperative to the point where you abandoned the idea? If so, give us a taste.

A: Oh yes! Many many times! Actually I have a folder full of ‘unfinished’ themes.

Q: I’ve noticed that in both of your most recent themes, “revi-krs” and “reviDX”, you have been utilizing custom widgets to relay information at the top of the Springboard and LockScreen. What was it like making the decision to learn about widgets, and then further tweaking them to be more “user friendly” as time and modifications went on?

A: Widgets are an important part of any theme at the moment. I learn a little about coding and I like it.

Q: What would you say is the absolute, most unquestionably difficult part about creating a theme?

A:  The springboard look. The interface.

Q: Have you ever been creating a theme, and thought to yourself “Wow, if only this tweak existed, I could do such-and-such!” because you had an idea for an uninvented tweak? If so, what did you have in mind?

A: Yes! Before but many exist now, like gridlock or iconoclasm..etc.

Q: We’re almost done here, but on the way out, if you had to give any advice at all to people who are considering honing their talent and using it to create themes, and are still learning the processes, what would that advice be?

A: Keep working, keep learning and improve your last creations.

Q: Finally, I will end it with a question that has been plaguing me for some time: What exactly does ”revi” mean to you? It has been the name of your two most dominant themes of recent releases, what is the significance of “revi”?

A: This probably doesn’t sound very good but revi comes from revival so, revi-krs is kind of ” Chris revival” ha ha.

<end interview>

I also have to say, Chris has been nothing but helpful and friendly to me whenever I have had any questions for him, and he has on many occasions dropped little “hints” on twitter about unreleased information relating to his upcoming themes, so I highly recommend a follow. Once again, @KrsChris on twitter seems to be the best way to reach him.

I thank you again Chris, for that solid interview, and for giving us some insight into what motivates you to continually create such kick-a** themes for us iDevice owners to brag about to our friends. Keep up the great work, I’m sure we will be seeing great things from you in the future.

This times its the GumDrop Drop Series case for the iPhone 4.

The GumDrop retails for £24.95, which personally think thats a good price for a case offering this type of protection.

GumDrop say that the case offers shock absorption, drop protection and hard-core readiness in one package.

The nice thing about the GumDrop Drop Series case is that its got a fairly slim profile if you compared it with something like the Ballistic HC or the Grifin Survivor case.

The GumDrop offers a few layers of protection, the first being a hard internal case. This part of the case completely snaps round the whole of your iPhone and even incorporates its own screen protector.

The next part of the case is what is going to really protect your iPhone 4 though. The outer part GumDrop is a rubber that overs the back and side of the phone. The great things about this part is that you don’t have to worry about the possibility of the rubber coming off the case, GumDrop have designed the GumDrop Drop Series case so that the rubber clips and moulds to the inner case.

All of the ports of the iPhone 4 are covered with the GumDrop Drop Series case so you don’t have to worry about getting dust and dirt in those places. The covers also help keep water out of those area where the water indicators are.

The GumDrop comes with 2 screen protectors, the case and also a belt clip that can be used in both portrait and landscape.

The GumDrop Drop Series case is a great protective case and I have to say it has taken the place as being my favourite highly protect case from Ballistic HC due to its slim line look.

The GumDrop Drop Series case comes in 2 colour schemes, Black or Black and Red.

If your looking out for a protect case for your iPhone 4 that will not add to much bulk then this is the case for you. GumDrop also do a number of other cases for the iPhone and also the iPad 2 so make sure you head over to MobileFun.co.uk now.

Introducing the Padprop.

First before we get into this review I’d like to say a massive thanks to GearZap.com for sending the Padprop over for review.

The Padprop has to be one of the lightest stands that I have ever used. Weighing in at only 50 grammes (about the same as 2 bags of crisps) the Padprop can easily be carried around and you won’t even know that its there.

The Padprop is made of foam, which gives it its ability to be so light, but also stops it from scratching up our beloved iPad.

Now there are many iPad 2 Stands out there but this is probably the best one that I have ever used, in fact the Padprop works with both 1st Gen iPads and also the iPad 2. I’ve had the Padprop for about 2 weeks and I use it everyday, whether using my iPad to watch films on or using it to write articles. The best thing about the Padprop is the ability to use it at different angles, simple slide the Padprop up and down the iPad’s sides to find the perfect angle for yourself.

Its lightweight design and its compact profile lends it self to being the iPad stand for people on the move. Whether you use your iPad on the train, plane or even in hotel rooms (they don’t give you much desk space do they) the Padprop will easily fit on surface provided.

The Padprop also has another great hidden feature though and this is on the underside of the product. The designers of the Padprop have given us a neat little storage place for your Apple earbuds. Simple wrap the earbuds around the special cutout and they will never again get lost or tangled again.

So you may be thinking how much is this going to set you back, well GearZap.com sells the Padprop for £14.99 which I think is well worth it.

My final thoughts on the Padprop are that if your a person that travels a lot on public transport and needs a way to prop your iPad up then this is most defiantly the product for you.

GearZap.com also sells loads of other iPad 2 Accessories so head over there now.

Earlier today, on Saturday, July 02, 2011, the much-anticipated jailbreak for the iPad 2 was leaked out into the wild by someone who was not @comex. With my role for MyGreatiPhone.com being their “controversy writer”, I figured that this article was right up my alley, and I will explain why in a few moments. First, let’s get to the heart of the story. This has been sourced by multiple, reputable places on the internet such as www.9to5mac.com and www.RazorianFly.com. So, here we go:

For the past few months, @comex has been working to bring the iPad 2 jailbreak to users. In this process, he had selected a few people to “beta test” this jailbreak.  From what has been gathered, this particular jailbreak will yet again use another PDF exploit, which is the same type of exploit that www.JailbreakMe.com 2.0 used to jailbreak most iDevices running iOS 4.0.1 and 4.1. It has been reported that this jailbreak will only work on certain iPad models, and that it is still not without bugs – for example, multiple sources have confirmed that attempting to use Safari is useless, as it continually crashes. Here is a quick video demonstrating the jailbreak, taken from the 9o5mac.com article:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And for a quick update, here is a screenshot of Cydia running on the WiFi iPad 2, running iOS 4.3, and bragging Cydia 1.1.2.

Now, on to the “controversy” part: I think that this is long over due. Ever since March 11, 2011, the iPad 2 has been available to the public. Ever since March 13, 2011, @comex has had his iPad 2 jailbroken. Now, let’s do the math – March to April, April to May, May to June, and now June to July…. thats a whopping FOUR [4] MONTHS that @comex has been sitting on this jailbreak. He is taking his sweet time to release this exploit, and that is simply UNACCEPTABLE.

I have similar issues with @MuscleNerd not bothering to release any new ultrasn0w unlocks ever since iOS baseband 01.59.00, which I believe was iOS 4.0.1, but don’t quote me on that. What does that mean? It means that anyone who DID NOT PURCHASE THE iPHONE 4 ON LAUNCH DAY IS SCREWED OUT OF AN UNLOCK SINCE JULY OF LAST YEAR. If they purchased the iPhone 4 after that, it will have come with a different iOS version pre-installed by Apple, thus installing an updated baseband, and thus negating the possibility to software unlock. Once again, this is simply UNACCEPTABLE, and I have always thought that the iCommunity should have spoken up about this.

I know that I have been using a lot of bolding and italicizing in this article, but I cannot stress enough how ridiculous this is. The entire iPhone dev_team is basically playing with people’s cellular experience While there is also the argument that “they do this for free!” and “they don’t owe us anything!” can be made by whiney, loyal little fanboys, these were the same fanboys who waited by patiently while the Chronic Dev_Team prepared greenp0is0n, only to have GeoHot sweep in, and in less than 2 days release a superior jailbreak. They lauded GeoHot, they praised him, and they donated. Oh, did they donate. But donations isn’t what this is about. The dev_team has made it clear they do not want money, and that they do this because it simply needs to be done. They do this out of the goodness of their hearts. Except, they have taken a vacation this year. Ever since GeoHot released his limera1n exploit, all the dev_team has done is update their jailbreak tools to use HIS EXPLOIT, and make sure that existing software it current and up to date.

Case-in-point: A new device is released. The iPad 2. GeoHot has not jailbroken it. So what do the dev_teams (Chronic this time) do? They stage some lame “competition” and invite GeoHot to join. A/K/A, do all the work for them so they can update their software too.

While this is not the opinion of MGiP.com, I personally think that @comex deserved this. It was only a matter of time until someone behind-the-scenes got sick and tired of watching him twiddle his thumbs and waste more time while inventing more excuses to not release the jailbreak.

Would I use this new iPad 2 jailbreak? No! I don’t even have an iPad 2, but I do know that beta software is buggy as hell. Especially since people have already reported multiple bugs in this specific jailbreak already. Would I wait for @comex? Yes, I would, but ONLY because I don’t like using an imperfect iDevice, it would ruin the user experience. Would I do it out of loyalty?

He has left us hanging for FOUR MONTHS, while he has enjoyed the jailbreak himself and given it to his friends. That’s not loyalty, thats exclusivity. Why would I show loyalty to someone who has more or less abandoned us, with promises of something that has no substance? Maybe his train of thought was that if he waited long enough, GeoHot would come swooping in, and give them what they need to update their software – an exploit that works.

I will not be showing you how or where to get this done. If anything, if you choose to still pursue this after reading this article, you can do so by watching the above-mentioned video. But the truth is, the risk is on you, and whatever you do to your iPad 2 is your sole responsibility. You’ve been warned. And patience is a virtue for a reason.

Once again the good people over at MobileFun.co.uk have been good enough to send me some more iPhone 4 accessories to review and this time its the Hard Candy ‘CandySlider‘ case for the iPhone 4.

The CandySlider retails for £24.95 and is a great case to use. It has a simple yet elegant design to it that has a soft feel.

As the name of the case suggest it’s a slide on case. Inside the case are some soft runners so that the rear of the iPhone does not get scratched.

The CandySlider supports a full wrap round design so protect the sides and rear of the iPhone. It also has a small lip on the front of the case so if the iPhone is placed screen down, you can be sure that it what pick up any scratches.

The inside rubber stripes not only protect the rear glass of the iPhone but also help the CandySlider provide a snug fit for the phone.

All the ports are accessible while using the case however the 3rd part 30 pin dock connectors may have some problem being used (however the simple slide off bottom over comes this).

The camera cut out on the CandySlider is in the perfect place and the cut out is big enough so that no flash is sucked back into the lens.

The Hard Candy Case comes in 2 colours Red and Back.

Check out our YouTube vid of the case below…

Click here to view the embedded video.

My final rating for the Hard Candy CandySlider is a 4/5. The only thing that lets it down is the small dock connector cut out, other than that its a great case and has become my favourite case from my collection.

Remember that MobileFun.co.uk does loads of iPhone 4 accessories so head over to them now.

Thanks to the the good people over at MobileFun.co.uk we have another product to review for you.

This time they sent over the Jivo Executive Case & Stand for the iPad. The case is made from Brazilian Buffalo Hide and retails for just £29.95.

I’ve used this case for around a month now and its managed to withstand the most intense treatment. I have 2 children, an 8 year old and a 2 year old and I’m lucky if I can get a look in at the iPad with them around. They fight over it, pull it and my 2 year old even slams it to the floor, thanks to the Jivo Executive Case, my iPad is still in one piece.

The case is stunning and it truly deserves to use the word ‘executive’ in the name. I could take my iPad into a meeting and the only reason why people would stop and look would be because of its stylish appearance.

The Jivo Executive Case is both a case and stand like its full name suggests. When the case is open the inside of it has 4 sets of support ridges so it can prop the iPad up. These ridges allow the iPad to be supported at 4 different angles, this allows you to use the iPad in the perfect typing and viewing positions.

The Jivo Executive Case closes shut and is held closed by a press stud, it also supports a band which can be used to wrap the the case for extra protection to stop the case opening but can also be used to wrap round a car headrest so the iPad can be used as screen to watch films on whilst in transit (my kids love doing this).

The Jivo Executive Case allows you to access all of the iPad’s buttons, ports and switches without you having to remove the case.

To stop the iPad from falling out of the case one side of the iPad is held in with a strip of Buffalo Hide whist the other side has 2 corner bands to secure the iPad into place.

The Jivo Executive Case has to be one of the most professional looking cases on the market and for the price of £29.95 its not to be missed. The Jivo Executive Case definitely gets a 5 star rating from me.

If you don’t have an iPad 1st Gen then MobileFun.co.uk has iPhone 4 cases, Kindle cases and iPad 2 Covers plus main other top products for get prices so make sure you head over to them for all your mobile needs

I’ve been lucky enough to have another great product to review for you tech loving iPhone users.

Today’s product comes from the UK based company, Mi Suny, and they were good enough to send me the iPower4 for the iPhone 4.

The case retails at the £69.99 and comes in a Matt Black colour. The case works excellently as a case but also offers the feature of being able to charge your iPhone on the fly also. The iPower4 offers a stunning 2400mAh Lithium Polymer battery which will double the power of your iPhone 4, so you don’t get caught running out of battery anytime soon.

The case comes with a USB to Mini USB retractable cable that allows you to both charge and sync your iPhone 4 while it’s in the case. The iPower4 takes around 6 hours to charge with the USB cable from empty to full.

So with the doubling of battery power the iPower4 offers an extra 315 hrs Standby time, 5.3 hrs Talk time, 45 hrs Music playback, 15 hrs Video playback and 6.5 hrs of Internet surfing.

All this is impressive stuff but if your nowhere near a charger, lets say that your out camping then what the hell are you going to do when the battery in the iPower4 runs out, well this is where the iPower4 comes into its own. The iPower4 offers a solar charger on the back.

Now we all know that solar powered devices are a little hit and miss sometimes, but I have used the iPower4 for a week now and apart from the first charge of the device  (an 8hr over night charge) the unit still has around 75% battery power. I’ve used the device every day and I would say that I am a heavy users of my iPhone. In fact from a 9 hour day at work I regularly get home with only about 20% battery left in my iPhone 4.  I have therefore used the iPower4 to charge my device in the evenings before plugging my iPhone into charge overnight, the iPower4 has been used to charge my iPhone from about 20% to around 70 -75% each evening.

The iPower4 will not only charge from sun light but will charge from most ambient light sources. There is a small indicator on the back of the device that shines red when it is being charged, the brighter the indicator the better charge it is getting. Charging times for the iPower4 depend on the brightness of the ambient light.

With some battery power cases as soon as you plug your iPhone into them they start charging your device, well this is not the case for the iPower4 and that is a feature that I really like because its not constantly charging your iPhone, it doubles a a nice case. For the iPower4 to start charging your iPhone you have to double click the Power Control button on the back. This button if held down for 5 seconds while in charging mode will then stop the device from charging your iPhone.

The Power Control button will also show you how much charge there is left in the iPower4, by clicking it once the 4 blue indicators to the left of the button will light up indicating how much power is left, if the small blue bar is flashing Mi Suny recommend charging the unit with USB as there is only about 25% power left.

The unit surprisingly does not add much bulk to the iPhone and it only weighs in at 87 grams, So even if you did not want to use it as a case in itself it is light enough and small enough to carry in your bag.

The iPower4 provides a snug fit for your iPhone so you don’t have to worry about your iPhone slipping out the top of the case. Music playback from the case sounds excellent even though the original speakers of the iPhone 4 are covered. All ports apart from the 30 pin connector are accessible, and because the USB cable included allows you to sync your iPhone with iTunes then the 30 pin connector is being covered is not a problem. The case offers a place for a wrist strap to be attached also.

So would I do without the iPower4? Not at all. I have been looking for a battery power case for a while and the Mi Suny iPower4 covers everything I need. Because of the solar panel in the back of the unit I will now never be without power for my iPhone. I will now carry the iPower4 with me where ever I go in my gadget bag (yes that goes everywhere).

The iPower4 gets a 5 star rating from MyGreatiPhone, well it would if we did star ratings but you get the idea. If your are looking for the ultimate charging case look no further, the iPower4 will be the answer to your running out of battery in that time of need problem.

Now, before I go into details about this, I obviously asked Ryan the first question that came to my mind: If you can find this way to customize the text entry for the Mail.app, why couldn’t you also bring that over to other text entry apps, such as the Notes.app, et. al. Ultimately, his response was concise and to the point: Those apps don’t support rich text formatting. Now, with that being said, let me get to the meat of this review:

“Rich Text for Email” is an “add-on” to both your Mail.app, as well as users of Ryan Petrich’s other tweak, “Action Menu”.  What ActionMenu does is basically give you a whole new set of pop-ups when your highlight text in iOS. You can decide which popups you want to see by configuring them in the “Settings” application for the new entry this tweak adds. This is exceptionally useful for people, who, say, will NEVER use the “Strikethrough” option. See the screenshot below for an example:

Now, “Rich Text for Email” simply gives you more options in the ActionMenu pop-ups while using it in the Mail.app, so that now you can begin playing with your formatting a bit more. You can bold, italicize, underline, strikethrough, and format your text now, and in my opinion the most useful feature here is the ability to embed (not insert) photos directly from your media library into your e-Mail. See the screenshots below for some examples:

And, for those who are more visually inclined, you can view a YouTube video, created with another of Ryan’s tweaks, DisplayRecorder, which shows the video of how “Rich Text for Email” is interacted with while in the process of using it to compose an e-Mail.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And here is a completed e-Mail I created quickly using “Rich Text for Email“:

And yet another example, this time with a picture inserted directly into the e-Mail:

So, as you can see, this review isn’t the longest, or the most specific of the bunch, but that’s actually due to the fact that this tweak simply isn’t complicated. You purchase it on Cydia for $4.99, install it, and boom! That’s it. You crack open an e-Mail, and start using it. I personally enjoy the fact that using “Rich Text for Email”  in conjunction with “SIGnify” developed by our very own Nazaroth (@Nazaroth”) that now my e-Mails can be formatted exactly how I want them to be, HTML signatures included. This is invaluable to me, as I am vain and proud and like for my e-Mails to stand out more than your average user. So, to conclude, I would simply say: If you happen to use e-Mail a good amount on your iOS device, and you prefer to be able to have added features that help you emphasize your points and express yourself better through textual representation, this is absolutely the tweak for you. Search Cydia now, and give it a shot. If you need even more information, you can read even more about it at the tweak’s official website:

http://www.richtextformail.com/

The Ballistic HC case is the daddy of all cases. It has an awesome FIVE layers of protect to with stand most things that you can throw at it or should that be you throw your iPhone at.

You may be thinking what the HC of the Ballistic HC stands for well its HARD CORE and Ballistic say that HARD CORE protection offers the best drop protection there is.

The Ballistic HC is an iPhone 4 case that comes in 4 parts parts including a belt clip, silicone outer case and front and back parts with the front including a built in screen protector.

The silicone part of the case helps protect your iPhone 4 from shock, and dust. This silicone outer also is used to cover all the ports of your iPhone, including dock, headphone and volume silence switch.

The belt clip that is supplied with the Ballistic HC rotates through 180 degrees and can also be used with or without the silicone outer case.

The internal case is made of hard plastic with a rugged feel to it. This part of the Ballistic HC is the main protect of the case, and it surrounds almost every part of the iPhone 4. No area is the left unprotected by this part of the case and Ballistic has done a great design job behind it. This internal case boasts protect over the screen, home button, sleep / wake button, proximity sensor and ear speaker.

Also you will notice from the picture below that the inside on the internal section of the Ballistic HC has a soft rubber rim to protect the iPhone from shock but also to keep that glass finish of the iPhone 4 scratch free.

The Ballistic HC has the Ballistic logo on the inside of the case but also on the back of the case for all to see what company has made this ultimate protective case.

The silicone part of the case is made from think rubber and like I have said it covers all the ports of the iPhone. It wraps around the hard internal case for extra protection but also gives the case a soft and unslippy feel to it.

The holster part of the Ballistic HC is made from hard plastic to ensure it stands up all the knocks it can take. The Ballistic HC clips into the holster screen side first to add extra protection.

The Ballistic HC is available for £24.95 which is an excellent price for this type of protect. I have been using it for about 2 weeks now and the Ballistic HC sure does feel solid. When it was clipped into the holster I thought  that it may come lose and fly out but it way in there good. The only way to remove it is to lift the clip at the  top of the holster.

The Ballistic HC does add a bit of bulk to the iPhone 4 but hey… when you what ultimate protection thats the price you pay. This bulk however is not over the top and its feels just nice to hold in the hand.

My final thoughts on the Ballistic HC are that if Jack Bauer from 24 needed a case for his iPhone then this would be the one that he choose. In fact I would go as far to say he would only need this case his iPhone 4 and his gun so save the USA in 24 hours.

MobileFun.co.uk has kindly sent over the StuckBuddy a eview and also has given us some for a Giveaway.

So before we give some of these away let me tell you a little about them.

The StuckBuddy is a universal suction cup that will stick to almost anything. Its used mainly  to support your mobile device in an upright position for easy viewing, typing or watching movies, but also has a thousand other uses, for example you could us this to hold your iPad to a kitchen cupboard for when you are following that recipe.

The StuckBuddy costs just £4.99, which for how many uses you will get out of it is really cheap.

As you can see from the pics above the more of the StuckBuddy‘s that you use the more uses that they have.

The StuckBuddy‘s will even stick to cases that you may have for your mobile devices, such as iPhone, iPad and Kindle Cover. The StuckBuddy is a great accessory if you don’t have a dock to hold your device up on your desk. Lets say you have an iPad 2 you may use an iPad 2 Dock so that you can use your iPad as a extra screen, but with the StuckBuddy you get a great viewing angle like you would a dock.

So now you know a little about the StuckBuddy lets get one with the competition…

We have 5 StuckBuddy‘s to give away on the MyGreatiPhone and 5 to giveaway on our Youtube Channel.

To enter to win one of 5 here just send use a email to d900man[at]Mygre.at telling us how you would use the StuckBuddy, but for a little bit of fun we would like your email to be in poetry format.

This completion is only open to UK residents (sorry) and the closing date will be on Saturday 7th May 2011 at 7pm GMT.

Winners will be contacted via email and then names posted on MyGreatiPhone.

The other 5 StuckBuddy‘s will be given away via our YouTube channel so look out how to win there.

This time they send us the DAGi Stylus. The DAGi is a capacitive stylus so works with devices such as the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch but also devices like the HTC Desire, Nokia X6, Samsung Galaxy Tab and the 7 Mozart, to name but a few.

While looking though the MobileFun.co.uk site for iPad and iPad 2 accessories I came across the DAGi Stylus and was drawn to it because of its unusual design.

The Stylus is 120mm long with just a 6mm diameter, thus making this stylus super light and portable. The DAGi is made from top quality materials and feels strong to hold and use, it has a clip at the top allowing you to clip it in your shirt pocket, trousers or even to a case if you wanted to. It also has a small hole at the top of the stylus allowing you to hang the DAGi from a lanyard.

The nib of the DAGi Stylus is not your usual design, it is set to a slight angle allowing for better accuracy when drawing or playing games. The nib is also see through with a small red dot in the centre, this  allows you to be able to see what area of the screen you are touching with the DAGi. This makes it really easy to use the stylus to type with.

The DAGi Stylus looks really professional so will not look out of place in meeting room, but at the same time it doesn’t look out of place in normal day to day activities either.

The DAGi Stylus comes in 3 colours Black, Blue and Silver and costs just £13.95 from MobileFun.co.uk.

To see the Stylus in action have a look at our video below

Click here to view the embedded video.

I never thought that I would use a stylus with my iPad, but after using the DAGi, it really does change a lot. I find it easier to play puzzle games with the stylus and my children love to use it to do drawings with. Plus as a bonus I no longer get their mucky finger prints all over the screen.

The INCIPIO dermaSHOT iPhone 4 Case is made from high density silicone, that provides a strong yet flexible feel to the case. The dermaSHOT offers 2mm of shock absorbing protection which completely wraps around the iPhone 4.

The feel to the case is really soft and almost a velvet texture. The front of the box boasts an ‘anti-slip case’ and I have to say that is exactly what it delivers. With this cases wrapped around your phone you feel 100% better that the iPhone 4 is just not going to fly out of your hand.

The case comes with a screen protector, squeegee and cleaning cloth with the INCIPIO on it.

The dermaSHOT is a very plan looking case but that is not at all a bad thing, its almost stealth looking, with the only other feature being the INCIPIO logo on the back of the case.

The dermaSHOT has all the necessary cut out for your ports (dock, headphones and volume silence switch), the sleep/wake and the volume rocker switches however are covered by the case.

The cases offers a lip to the front of the screen so that if you lye your phone face down, its not going to get scratched.

The INCIPIO dermaSHOT is available from the MobileFun.co.uk for the excellent price of £15.31, so I suggest you head over there now and buy one. You won’t be disappointed.

Over the past couple of days, it has been confirmed by previously unheard of hacker that the iOS 4.3.1 untethered jailbreak is not only in the process of being beta tested, but that according to the iPhone_Dev_Team, it is “solid”. So ultimately, what does that mean? That means that it is only a matter of time until the general public, us “End Users” receive a new jailbreaking tool designed to allow us the freedom to jailbreak and reboot/restart our iPhones/iPods without being anywhere near a computer.

As it seems, of course via Twitter, @i0n1c has let loose some details about what was going on during the process of his coding, and all I can say about that is that I truly wish that the iPhone_Dev_Team were as frequent with their updates as @i0n1c is with his. At no point did he leave anyone out in the cold, he actually answers people’s questions instead of ignoring them completely, and perhaps his best asset yet, he works fast. It was little over a week from the time he decided to exploit the vulnerability he found to the time where he passed on his work to the iPhone_Dev_Team. It must be nice to have a whole new “Jesus” jailbreak quite literally handed to you.

Regardless, here is what the man himself, @i0n1c had to say about his work:

And here is what head of the IDT, @MuscleNerd said about the quality of the work which was handed to him:

And, in an interesting twist, I thought I would also share some of the other comments in which @i0n1c had made, because not only are they interesting, but some of them, such as the “Apple winning the jailbreak war” tweet actually makes you think.

And also something I feel is pretty important to note, the man responsible for this jailbreak claims outright and openly that he will NOT be working on any type of jailbreak for the iPad 2, especially since he doesn’t even own one.

With that being said, we, as always, will keep you updated on the release of any new jailbreak tools or delays to this upcoming jailbreak. Rest assured, we have a group of people monitoring every word of these wonderful people doing the work towards these tools. I don’t want to say that we are stalking them for updates, but hey, that’s what most social networking sites such as twitter and facebook are for, right? Keep your eyes peeled here, we will be updating as information becomes available.

First a big thanks to the peeps over at MyGrearStore for sending over the SwitchEasy Colors Case.

The SwitchEasy Colors case comes in 13 colours: Stealth (Black), White, Crimson, Fuchsia, Lime Mican, Saffon, Turquoise, Viola, Baby Blue, Baby Pink, Lilac and Mint. The Colors case retails for $14.99.

The Colors case is made from a soft coated silicone, which has a really good feel in the hand. Although the case is soft and smooth, the iPhone feels secure in the hand while wearing this case.

The 13 colours thats the Colors case come in are truly outstanding, with the colour staying bright even after a couple of weeks use (with most silicone cases they start to fade). Even the white case that I got sent is super white.

Each case somes with 2 screen protectors (excellent quality), Microfibre cleaning cloth, and 2 sets of port plugs (headphone and dock plug)

Its great that SwitchEasy are shipping the Colors case with the screen protector and the plugs as this truly stops the dirt getting into these parts. I thought before using the port plugs that it was just a bit silly but since using them, what ever case I now use I’ll always use port plugs (even if they don’t match the case)

The Colors case has a unique feature that no other case I have seen has, and that is the home button. The Colors Case has a hard ‘Jelly’ home button (see pic below)

At first I thought that I would not like the feel of this but in fact its excellent. To press ‘jelly’ home button feels strong and hardly any pressure has to be put on it for it to do its job. This ‘jelly’ button feels like that it will last forever even it you pressed it a million times a day (I haven’t tried it).

The Colors case offers full protection to the iPhone and as I have mentioned comes with the port plugs and screen protector. The complete back of the phone is covered with only a gap from the camera and flash (camera is NOT effected with using this case). The Sleep/Wake button and also the volume  buttons are also covered by the Colors case.

I have to say I have used a few silicone cases and always thought that they felt cheap and took away from the iPhone’s looks, but I can assure you that the Colors case does not do this. In fact if your are looking for a good feeling yet strong and stylish case then the Colors case will be for you.

Head over to MyGearStore.com now and grab yourself one.

One phone which was facing some confusion was our beloved iPhone. Certain functionality like setting up blue tooth, activating the phone initially and setting up email isn’t necessarily always easy to do, especially when coming over from the complexities of certain feature phones.

O2 Guru TV is a Youtube channel to make life easier for all phone owners, but here are some O2 videos tackling some more frequent problems specific to the iPhone.

Each video is excellently lit, and clearly presented making it the perfect alternative to reading the manual.

How to extend battery life on an iPhone

Click here to view the embedded video.

iphone battery life

How to back up an iPhone using iTunes

Click here to view the embedded video.

iphone backup

Check out more O2 Guru TV videos at their channel here: iPhone Tips

I think the level of after sales support O2 are giving here is excellent, and is something that will push other networks to do the same. It’s not all about profit, it’s about brand loyalty and when your brand goes the extra mile to make your life with a phone that much better, that can only be a good thing right?

Check out a huge selection of o2 phones at Dial-A-Phone.co.uk, and find out why their customer service has been so highly praised.

The rules are simple, there are no rules! You do not have to do anything but order your freebie and receive it through the post.

Simply go here and use the code BG8901MGI299 when ordering to receive your gift for free.

While your there you should check out some of the other gadgets available from BG, there are some crazy deals daily.

As many people may have heard, it is a black day in the world of the darkside of the iCommunity: While the newest mythical unicorn was released by Apple, the iPad 2, the moment that our favorite hackers and dev teams got hold of this device, they attempted to run either the GeoHot “limera1n” exploit, OR the Chronic Dev Team’s “SHAtter” exploit. As it seems, the unfortunate, foreboding news that the cryptic article title refers to is simple: none of the currently available exploits currently work. Apple has patched them all in one fell swoop.

As it turns out, the exploits may be burned, but GeoHot had actually predicted this. Back in October, upon the imminent release of greenpo1son, the Chronic Dev Team was about to release the jailbreaking tool which at the time was based around their SHAtter exploit. GeoHot, feeling that Apple was on the absolute verge of patching his limera1n exploit, released first by only hours and caused a huge conflict within the iCommunity. He claims to have done this as a way to benefit the iCommunity by not “burning” (a/k/a wasting) the SHAtter exploit so that it could be used for future iDevices. Unfortunately, when Apple fixed one exploit, presumably by changing their hardware, they modified the exploit to be ‘unexploitable’ with those particular methods.

While I have complete and full faith in both the Dev Team and the Chronic Dev Team to find new exploits, and absolute certainty that GeoHot will find a new exploit, I can also guarantee you that it will take some time. Nothing is going to happen overnight, and ultimately, we will have to wait for this to happen. Time is “of the essence” for most people who can’t bear to remain on the stock iOS, but trust me, it will bear its fruit and be worth every minute.

Here is the original tweet released by @ih8sn0w confirming that limera1n is no longer a valid exploit:

And even further, here are the tweets from @MuscleNerd which mention that the SHAtter exploit is also useless:

As we can see, though these exploits are no longer valid, the hackers who bring these tools to us do not seem all that worried, because as usual, it is only a matter of time until new ones are found. They have my complete confidence, and we will keep you absolutely posted should any new information arise. Most likely, it will be a “silent” discovery until the next iPhone is released, and we will then see what’s going on in the world of new exploits.

Ultimately, it is not a boatload of money that you would be saving, but in this economy, every little bit helps, especially since Apple doesn’t seem to know what the meaning of the words “sale” or “deal” mean.

Regardless, here is a tweet picked up by Verizon Wireless:

And furthermore, if you follow that link, this is what it brings you to:

So, has this or will this influence your decision on where you would like to get the iPad2 3G version?

For those of you who are waiting for the new 4.3 untethered jailbreak, guess what? As usual, you’re going to be waiting even longer. See, this entire topic really grinds my gears, because honestly, I remember back in the days when the original iPhone and even the iPhone 3G were released, you would have a new iOS released on a Monday for example, and by that Friday, there were new jailbreak tools available. Now, as we have previously seen, a new iOS will be released on, for example, March 02, 2011, and the jailbreaks for that iOS version will be released sometime in the middle-to-end of April, 6-8 weeks later. I personally think that this is unacceptable, but that’s just my opinion.

I will however, applaud the efforts of those involved with the actual technical process of this. I know the work they do is not easy. While some teams prefer accepting donations for their work, others are completely against them and make it known. Regardless, in THIS case, the hope for an untethered jailbreak lies with previously unknown hacker on Twitter, @i0n1c. According to @Chronic, the lead dev of the Chronic Dev Team,  @i0n1c is working independently.

And, even further than that, with the “Pwn2Own” annual event exploit being found in Safari, as per experience, @i0n1c is holding out his exploit/jailbreak until AFTER Apple will release their undoubtedly in-progress, incremental upgrade of the current iOS, bringing it to iOS 4.3.1. So NOW, we will have to wait until after 4.3.1 is released. Wonderful.

What are your thoughts on these new and frustrating developments? Do you agree? Disagree? Don’t care? Sound off in the comments below, our forums, or even on Twitter! We look forward to hearing where you guys stand on this.

There may be hope yet for iPhone unlockers!

As it turns out, only yesterday it was discovered that there may be a new method for unlocking your baseband if you’re on an iPhone 4. It was recently revealed by @MuscleNerd that there was no iPhone 4 unlock in the works, which contradicts every single report released on the internet that there would be an iPhone 4 unlock released “very soon after iOS 4.3 was released”. For the life of me, I cannot seem to find the exact tweet that @MuscleNerd posted stating this, which is suspicious in itself because I would bet my house that I saw it with my own two eyes about 2-3 weeks go, so I cannot provide proof of this, but regardless, this is the case.

After a massive wave of negative attacks directed toward @MuscleNerd which we will discuss in an additional post forthcoming, there was however, some silver lining. As it turns out, a new vulnerability was discovered only 24 hours ago in which the unlock hackers believe to be simpler than previous unlockers. Here is a tweet from @Musclenerd himself:

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with this information, basically, I’ll do my best to simplify it, and if I am incorrect in anything, this post will be updated to reflect the correct data. As it turns out, especially last year with the iPhone 3G[s], carriers all over the world got the go-ahead from Apple to “factory unlock” your device. You would pay the carrier a fee, and they would send you a permanent unlock code. Each code is specific to your device in conjunction with it’s relationship to iTunes. So there was almost no user interaction, the unlock code would be sent to iTunes, you would connect your device, select “Download unlock code”, and from that point on, your device is unlocked…….. forever. Regardless of firmware updates of new flashing of iOS, no matter what you did to the device, it would always be unlocked.

This is the code that everyone is working on, the NCK code. This would guarantee a permanent unlock, and the method that @Musclenerd is using is by attacking the 40-bit string via brute force, which basically automates every “experimental” chain possible until the correct code is found. This will result in multi-millions of “possibilities”, but don’t let that daunt you – the boys who are working on our unlocks know what they’re doing, and they seem very optimistic that it is only 40-bits.

We will keep you posted, as always.

The Cliq is a uniquely designed slider case, I say slider but its not like the other iPhone slider cases that slide together and meet in the middle. The Cliq allows the phone to slide in from the bottom, stopping the cracking and scratching that Apple removed the slider cases from their stores because off.

The Cliq allows your iPhone to slide in from the bottom by having a removable section of the case, once you have slid your phone in then the bottom securely ‘Clicks’ back into place holding your iPhone tightly.

The feel of the Cliq is like no other case that I have used before it has a soft velvet type feel to it that is really nice to hold. The case feels strong and and large in the hand, but not overly bulky, in fact I would go as far as to say that the designers have got this case size perfect.

Its not only how the iPhone 4 slides into the case that makes this stand out from the rest, its the way the iPhone is held in the case. Most cases hold onto the phone by touching the front and back glass but Proof Cases however have decided that this is not the best way. They have gone the along the lines of the Cliq holding on to the silver bezel of the iPhone. They have done this for 2 reasons, the first is to help with the reception problem and the second is that gripping the bezel of the phone is the best way to take any impact.

The Cliq has really great protection for the phone as the screen side of the case has raised edges so that if you lay your iPhone screen side down on a table or other surface then the screen will not get scratched.

Each Cliq case comes with an anti-glare matte screen protector and wiping cloth.

The cases have great access to all the ports, and the sleep / wake button cut out is sloped for easier access, which is a great little feature.

The Cliq retails for $14.99 at the moment from www.proofcases.com and comes in 6 colours, Black, White, Seafoam, True Blue, Shy Pink and Coral. Personally I love the True Blue one.

In my opinion , this is a great case, its cool looking, strong yet soft and is perfectly the right size (not to bulky), so if your looking for a new cases make sure you get over to Proof Cases now.

This case has to be one of the thinest cases there is on the market and what is it called I hear you say well its called the SwitchEasy Nude. The Nude case retails for $19.99 and comes in 6 colours: UltraBlack, UltraClear, White, Red, Pink, Lime Purple and Turquoise. They also do a Mirrored version.

The version that MyGearStore.com sent me was the Nude UltraClear, and I have to say I love it, it is up there with my favourite cases of all time.

The Nude is just 1mm thick so does not add any bulk to your iPhone at all, witch is great as the iPhone 4 is a true work of beauty.

The cases themselves are made of a strong GE Lexan PolyCarbonate, which in everyday use is excellent and does not scratch at all. The 1mm thickness is a nice size as it does not add bulk to the phone like I have said but makes the case flexible so it snaps on the iPhone nicely.

One thing I would say though it does not take to being thrown on a hard wood floor well like I did when I dropped it at work the other day and chipped the corner of the Nude slightly (but hay thats what the case is there for to protect the iPhone inside and anyhow who goes around dropping their iPhone all the time)

The Nude is a snap on case and has the SwitchEasy name and logo printed on the side. Each case comes with 2 screen protectors (and applicator) and 2 pairs of headphone and dock connector plugs. I love that SwitchEasy adds these small things to the Nude case, and its those small things that make the case special.

The screen protectors that come with the Nude are second to none, they are easy to fit (and they fit perfectly) and easy to get rid of those fingerprints on the screen. I also love the way that you can not tell that your iPhone is using a screen protector unlike some others.

So what are my final thoughts on the SwitchEasy Nude Case, well if you are after a case that adds no bulk, is stylish yet simple I would be heading straight for it.

Definitely a 5/5 for the SwitchEasy Nude Case.

If you have a product that you would like reviewing then head over to our Tip Us page and drop us an email.

This iPad bag is some seriously nice piece of kit, providing an excellent fit for the iPad.

The bag is made from a water resistant dot nylon material so that when carrying your iPad there is no way that its going to get wet.

The Jacket is an over the shoulder bag but also can be used in the briefcase way of carrying it also. Its lightweight so when carrying it over your shoulder it will not put any strain on your back.

The shoulder straps of the Jacket can be easily removed so that if you prefer to carry it in a briefcase fashion the strap will not get in your way.

The lining to the Jacket is super soft so there is no chance of your iPad getting scratched while its in there. There is also a quick slip pocket on the front of the Jacket for your iPhone or iPod, that is lined in the same super soft fabric to stop these precious gadgets getting scratched also.

The Jacket also have a large rear open pocket that allows you to keep anything else that you may wish to carry around with you such as charging lead, or pad and pens.

There is another pocket on the front of the Jacket, this one however is zipped, so that you can keep more confidential or important items in it such as your purse or wallet or even keys.

Below is the Specs for the Jacket …

main fabric: 600D water resistant dot nylon
laptop space: 7.8 x 9.9 x 0.6in 19.7 x 25.2 x 1.5 cm
external bag: 8 x 11.4 x 1.5in 20.5 x 26.3 x 2.4 cm
weight: 0.4 lbs 0.2 kg

The Jacket retails for around £20 for various stores and is available in 2 colour schemes: Black & Teal / Chocolate and Orange.

I love the design on this case / bag, and think that the design is very professional. With more business people taking on the iPad as their travel computer of choice then this is the carrying method for them.

I would definitely purchase this if you travel with your iPad a lot and wish to keep safe and secure.

London, February 16^th 2011 – iVogue (www.ivogue.co.uk), the fashion iPhone cases and covers website, has launched a new Frosted iPhone 4 case, giving protection and style to the iPhone 4. Available exclusively from their website for only £6.99

The Frosted iPhone 4 Case is a lightweight, yet strong iPhone case that adds protection and gives it a true sense of style. The high-grade polymer case is strong enough to protect from everyday bumps and scratches whilst remaining light-weight and comfortable to handle.

“This really is the ideal case for anyone after lightweight stylish protection,” commented Tim Wilton owner of iVogue, “and available in eight stunning colours to suit all tastes”.

The Frosted iPhone 4 Case is available in Black, Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Magenta, Purple and Clear. The cases have a vibrant frosted effect making them a perfect iPhone 4 case choice.

I have been using this case for the last week and I have to say it’s very sleek and lightweight. Usually I use a Casemate barely-there case to protect my iPhone, but this case comes extremely close to replacing it. The one thing I don’t like about the barely-there series is the hole in the back. This case does not have a hole and because it is frosted you can still see the Apple logo (If that is important to you of course), and for £6.99 these cases are a true bargain.

Below are a few images showing off the case. It is definitely ranked up there with my favourite cases as I prefer low profile cases that don’t add any bulk to my iPhone.

Introducing the Setgo Transport Bag. This uniquely designed bag retails at $80 from the Setgo website and I have to say after using it for a month it is the best bag that I have ever used.

The bag, even thou it may seem to have a high price tag is well worth the money that you will spend on it. It has a light feel to it and a truly unique design that that will turn heads.

The bag has an urban design feel to it, that wraps around the centre of your back, around your shoulder and then over your chest. It is made from high end materials so has a comfortable and yet strong wearing feel, this bag is not going to fall apart on you any time soon.

The bag itself has several different pockets to it so storing things in it safely is no problem at all, and things will not be bashing around inside the bag itself.

On the back of the bag it has one large main zipped compartment that can hold a number of things from note pads, pens, cans of pop to cameras, and other electronics. Inside the main compartment is 3 little storage slots. I myself like to use these slots to keep things in such as my digital camera, SD cards and Monster lil’ Jamz headphones.

The section of the bag that goes over your chest has 2 web strapped compartments you can easily slide in your iPhone and iPod for easy on the go access. There is then 2 hidden pockets on the inner section of the strap that goes over your chest and this can be used to keep money, keys, credit and business cards in. Last but not least the is an external pocket on the back of the bag that can be used to carry pretty much anything in.

The Transport Bag is slim and lightweight, great for people who have to commute, use a train or subway or like to do a lot of walking. It has a stylish yet urban hip hop feel to it.

Personally I use this bag to carry all sorts of tech with me, things like door passes to work, spare SD cards and thumb drives, iPhone connector cables, camera and snacks. In fact I don’t know how I carried all that stuff in before.

I use this bag everyday and everyday I am thankfull to the guys over at Setgo for sending it to me for review. I can’t stress how comfortable this bag is to wear, it almost feels like your not even carrying a bag at all.

If your looking out for a bag / holdall to carry your gadgets around in then this is definitely the bag for you.

If we did stars here at MyGreatiPhone then this would be getting a 10 / 10 from me, it is truly a unique, stylish piece of kit.

Here is the original tweet from @ih8sn0w:

In this tweet, he also releases details on where you can find the tool for download. At the current time, they are available at the current URLs:

http://greenpois0n.com/

http://mirrors.ih8sn0w.com/

For those of you who are also not 100% sure that this is a legit download, it has also been confirmed by @pod2g as being completely functional. Here is a photo of THAT tweet as well, just for your doubting Debbie’s.

And at the current time, it looks only as if the Mac OSX and Windows versions are available, so Linux users, hold out for just a little while longer, some love will be shown to you very, very soon.Feel free to leave some comments if you got your Verizon iPhone 4 early, OR if you have already taken the plunge and jailbroken it! We want to hear from you!

Today, I randomly checked twitter to find a very interesting post on www.tuaw.com in relation to Apple – a post that immediately piqued my interest, and had my ears tuned to any frequency that would broadcast the information I was attempting to obtain.

That’s right, fellow MacHeads, it seems as if there is a strong possibility that this years WWDC (World Wide Developer’s Conference) will be on or around the date of June 5, 2011.

This comes hot on the heels of an observation made by www.AppleBitch.com who spotted that the Moscone Center had empty slots in its schedule for the dates of June 5 to June 9 due to what seems to be reserved for “Corporate Meetings”. AppleBitch.com also states that in the past, similar bookings have represented the WWDC. They also go on to state that there are single-day events in May and June also attributed to “Corporate Bookings”,  so these dates may or may not be reserved for Apple events and/or product announcements.

As also referenced in www.tuaw.com’s article, last years WWDC focused mainly on iOS and iDevice upgrades, releases, and features. This year, it is expected that it will have a bit more attention to Mac products, such as the release of OSX 10.7 (“Lion”). I personally think that the Mac AppStore is going to have a lot to do with this year’s WWDC, what do you think?

Again we have another great case for review and again it comes from STM.

This times its the Glove for iPad.

The Glove for the iPad is just what is called a Glove. It comes in in 3 great colours (Magenta, Black and Teal)

The Glove is made from Neoprene which feels like a plastic sponge. The inside of the case has a has a small lip that fits nicely round the iPad to stop the zips from rubbing on the iPads casing.

The Technical Parts

* 3mm neoprene surrounds your laptop
* Durable YKK zippers for long lasting protection
* Internal zipper guards protects the iPad against abrasion
* Designed to fit the iPad

The Glove is available in 5 sizes iPad, XS (11″) S (13″) M (15″) and L (17″). The iPad Glove is priced at around £16 / £17 from various online retailers

If you have an iPad I would defiantly check out the Glove as a first option for a protect case / sleeve, its lightweight, stylish and classy.

As soon as I became part of MyGreatiPhone’s article writers and reviewers, the first app to arrive in my inbox was Practice Pro. And being a musician myself (some can debate this i’m sure), I couldn’t resist but snatch it up.

Practice Pro is an application designed for instrument players and singers to learn a track they love more easily. It lets you slow down (or speed up) a track to a tempo you are comfortable with to learn and improve your playing. A great thing about this app is that if there is a little riff you are stuck on or for example, an intro to a track you want to learn – you can easily loop the section by placing markers and then simply press between these markers to just loop that section.

Adding songs is easy and you can keep multiple songs in the app until you have finished with them!

Place 2 bookmarks, then press between them both to loop that section. Very easy!

You can even edit a bookmark to get it more accurately in place for even nicer loops!

The downside though, is the quality. Because you are slowing tracks down and keeping the pitch the same, you are effectively time-stretching it on the fly. This means that, because no algorithm is in place to generate a high quality time-stretch, the audio becomes a bit “wobbly” and can make it quite hard to get notes correct as the pitch can wobble between where you need it, as well as sounds quite jumpy. So an improvement to this app, which I hope they work out soon, is to invest in a decent time-stretching tool in the app so you will not lose the quality and thus making it sound nicer on the ear and more accurate to hear.

Luckily, though, this is the only issue I found with the app. It’s a great tool for all musicians to have and play with. Plus if you have a guitar, you can start to impress your friends a bit quicker .

There is a lite version of this app available for free, so do check it out!

We will start with what jailbreaking actually means to YOU. As you will be aware, Apple put some pretty hefty restrictions on all of their mobile devices. These restrictions are things such as having to use iTunes to transfer media to your device or not being able to use the Bluetooth functionality as you would expect to do i.e file transfers, and there are many more. These are pretty basic abilities that have been common place on almost all other devices on the market for years.

Now some people just can’t sit by and let this happen, so they spend hundreds of hours trying to free your devices from their “jail” hence the term jailbreak. As we all know Apple bring out many firmware revisions each year where they will, for the most part, add new features to the iOS. But under all of those new features, there is always a change which thwarts the current method of Jailbreaking at any given time. This is where you may have heard the term “Cat and Mouse game”. This refers to the sequence of events show below;

New Firmware > New Jailbreak > New Firmware > New Jailbreak > New Firmware > New Jailbreak

After every new firmware revision, Apple change things and close what they call “security holes” in the iOS. In every case Apple has succeeded in thwarting the current jailbreak. This is always going to be the case, the only difference is whether it closes an exploit completely which requires a new one to be found or just enough to force the necessary jailbreak tools to be updated.

The important thing to note though is that there is always extra work to be done by the hackers after any firmware update, this is usually taken for granted by most of the community. It is way too much to expect one jailbreak to just continue to work after any firmware update. It is extremely important to remember that at these times, especially if you RELY on an unlock, you MUST NOT update to the new firmware because you WILL LOSE YOUR JAILBREAK/UNLOCK!

A bootrom exploit will only last as long as a hardware cycle lasts. This means that no amount of firmware updates will stop it completely, it is only when Apple release a new device or silently revise a current model, that a bootrom exploit is stopped. This is where you will have heard the terms “old/new bootrom models”. This was previously the case with the iPhone 3Gs, where Apple started shipping devices with a new bootrom around 3 months after it’s initial release.

At any one time, the hackers have at least two exploits. In order to keep a jailbreak going they will conserve them until they are absolutely needed. This allows them to stay ahead of the game and keep a backup for when Apple do revise any device.

It is also important to remember that finding exploits, creating jailbreak tools and unlocks takes TIME, and any actions carried out by the hackers are done so for the good of the community. When you hear the term “burning an exploit” it refers to releasing a jailbreak too soon thus allowing Apple to squash it, in most cases this would be releasing a jailbreak during a beta period of a new version of the iOS.

It is not just a firmware update that can throw a spanner in the works though, even an iTunes update can cause issues and stop a device from being jailbroken or syncing properly while jailbroken. These updates should also be avoided until it is confirmed as harmless by the hackers.

Back in the days of 3.1.x, Apple stopped signing old firmwares, this meant that iTunes would not allow you to downgrade to an earlier firmware. This meant that if you were jailbroken but waiting for the newest firmware release to be jailbroken and you found yourself in a situation where you needed to restore your device, iTunes would force an update to the latest firmware. It was at this time that saurik created a way of storing a device’ shsh blobs and then make iTunes point towards his own servers, where it would believe it was speaking to Apple’s servers, thus allowing a downgrade, or installation of a custom firmware created by Pwnagetool. Cydia gave you the choice to do this by prompting you with the offer to “make my life easier”. If you find yourself presented by this, then choose YES, it really will help you out in the future.

A short time later a tool was developed called TinyUmbrella. This gave you the opportunity to save your shsh locally on your computer and also to Cydia. Since then this tool has come a long way and now allows you to save shsh blobs for firmwares still being signed regardless of whether they have ever been installed on your device. You cannot save shsh blobs for firmwares previous to your devices manufacture date, for example, 3.2.2 on an iPad sold with 4.2.1 preinstalled. It even allows you to save shsh blobs when you are not jailbroken!

It is here I make another important point. Whenever a new firmware is released, always back up your shsh blobs. You never know when you might need them. You should also note that if you update, then downgrade, your baseband will not downgrade with it, so you will not be able to unlock your device for use on unofficial carriers, this is why Pwnagetool was created so you can install a custom firmware thus preserving your baseband.

Now we all know how hard it is to resist the urge to update, especially when it comes to such a major update like 4.0 but if you do rely on an unlock so that you can use your device, then it’s not fair to the hackers for you to complain about the fact that you accidentally updated and they need to hurry up and release it already! They don’t need to do anything! I mean imagine if all the hackers just decided that the community was just too demanding and ungrateful and said screw it, we will no longer be creating jailbreak tools or searching for exploits, what then? Right, so you have as much of a responsibility as them to ensure everything runs as smoothly as it can. You can do this by following the tips outlined here today, I will even summarise them for you;

While we are on the subject of being patient, let’s just hit on app compatibility in Cydia. Just as the jailbreak tools have to be updated for each new firmware, so do all or most of the applications/tweaks in Cydia. Sadly there is no sure fire way to tell whether an app or tweak has been updated other than actually looking at the changelog that is posted with each update. This is down to the dev, and should hopefully be kept up to date. This is not always the case however, so if in doubt DON’T install, it is better to do a little reading around on some forums, check twitter or actually contact the relevant developer and simply ask. There are usually some people who have test devices who will risk a restore to test out the apps and tweaks, but even then it is best to wait for the dev to release an updated and stable version. Moaning and demanding updates will get you nowhere, as will complaining that the current version doesn’t work and has crashed your device.

Just like the jailbreak tools, it is just unfair to assume that an app will “just work” on a new firmware. Some apps are even killed off completely and are left either needing a full overhaul from scratch or just discontinued.

Well I hope that those who read this will take something away from it and understand a little better the effort that actually goes into each jailbreak.

Since my wife bought me my MacBook Pro a few months ago i have been looking round at all different types of bags to carry it round in and I have finally found one that I love.

This is the STM Scout Bag for the MacBook well I say MacBook it will generally hold any 13″ laptop.

The STM Scout Bag comes in 2 different colours Olive which you see in the pictures above and Ochre which is a sandy colour.

The bag retails for around £45 which I don’t think is to bad for a Laptop Bag of this quality. The bag pictured above comes in 4 sizes 10″ for the iPad, 13″ and 15″.

The STM Scout Bag has 3 large spaces including the space for the Macbook, 2 in the main body of the bag and one in the rear of the bag. All these spaces will fit A4 documents in. The case then has a zip compartment in to keep valuables in such as a wallet / purse, or peripherals such as leads, SD cards or headphones.

Thats not all the storage space that the bag contains though, it also has 2 smaller sections in, one that you can use to hold a charging brick for example and one that has an area for your iPhone, pens and other things.

The bag ‘lid’ connects to the main body of the bag with an adjustable buckle to protect and keep all your valuables safe inside.

The bags is made for a water resistant canvas material that has a cushioned felt area for protect your laptop or Mac.

So here comes the science part of the review:

Laptop Space for the 13″ STM Scout Bag is:

CM – 24.5 x 33.5 x 3

Inches – 9.6 x 13.2 x 1.2

There are a few other features that I love about this bag is the shoulder strap, I think I can safely say that all the bags I have ever carried this has to be one of the comfiest. The should strap is made from a nylon webbing giving maximum strength, but surrounding that is a highly padded shoulder pad that moves up and down the strap for easy positioning.

At either end of the strap on the STM Scout Bag where the main body of the bag connects are 2 strong plastic connectors that have a 360º rotation that stops the strap getting all tangled up.

I have been using this bag for about a month now and I have to say that I love it. It is so comfortable to carry round and has loads of space for everything that I need to carry around also.

The STM Scout Bag is clever at being both very professional looking yet at the same time would not look out of place on the street.

If you know somebody that has a Laptop / Macbook or even an iPad that is looking out for a bag I would recommend the STM Scout Bag in a second. In fact if you are doing some research for a bag and are looking to add one to your christmas list then make sure you add this one.

This one is more of a silicon style case that has a very smooth feel to it, like the name suggests, almost silky.

The packaging, as before, is a clear, thin plastic box allowing you to see exactly what it is that you are buying.

The contents of the box is much the same as their other cases. Apart from the obvious, you also get a screen protector for the front of your iPhone but you also get something very interesting too. Inside a little sleeve is 10 Mini Lens Hoods.

From the Instructions;

Mini Lens Hood for iPhone 4

When used with the iPhone 4 case, this product dramatically reduces the light particles from diffused reflection of the LED flash entering the camera, which can slightly increase the contrast ratio.

I think this is a great little addition to the case that provides the means to actually improve elements of the camera.

Lets get onto the case itself.

As you can see this particular colour in this range is also really bright and vibrant, no chance of misplacing your precious device with this case on it that’s for sure. The case, as i said is a silicon style case with a silky style feel to it which makes it feel nice to hold in your hand. With this case being very soft and flexible it will not damage your iPhone at all during application as it just fits nicely around it, taking the shape of your iPhone perfectly. Engraved on the back is the company logo and case name and series.

As you can see the iPhone 4 looks great in this case, it fits very snugly too, leaving no room for unwanted movement inside the case. All ports are easily accessible. The areas around the volume rocker and the power button are completely covered like you see with most silicon cases of this type, and are painted silver to match the actual iPhone buttons hidden underneath. The special High Polymer Silicon is coated to prevent lint, dust and fingerprints. It also provides impact protection by absorbing the force on impact.

This particular case costs just $19.99, which is a reasonable price to pay to protect your iPhone 4.

The Ultra Silke R Series Case comes in a variety of vibrant colours to choose from.

These are definitely some quality cases and you should go check out their website for even more choice of great cases.

I would like to say thanks to SGP for sending me this case for review. Keep an eye out for more reviews of the great products coming from SGP very soon.

SGP claim that their series of Ultra Thin cases are a rival for Case-Mate’s Barely There range at just 1/29″ thickness, I have both now, so lets see.

On looking at the packaging, you can see that, like other case manufacturers, they have opted for the clear, thin plastic box. This allows you to see exactly what it is that you are buying, which i think is a definite plus.

On the box is the usual logos and Case name etc, I mean what can I really say about it.

Ok, so onto the contents that you find when you open the box.

Apart from the obvious, you also get a screen protector for the front of your iPhone but you also get something very interesting too. Inside a little sleeve is 10 Mini Lens Hoods.

From the Instructions;

Mini Lens Hood for iPhone 4

When used with the iPhone 4 case, this product dramatically reduces the light particles from diffused reflection of the LED flash entering the camera, which can slightly increase the contrast ratio.

This is the first case for the iPhone 4 that I have come across which provides the means to actually improve elements of the camera. This is definitely a plus for SGP in my opinion.

Lets get onto the case itself.

As you can see this particular colour in this range is really bright and vibrant, no chance of misplacing your precious device with this case on it that’s for sure. The case almost looks metallic at first glance, but you soon realize that it is made of a very lightweight plastic with a shiny finish to it. The corners and edges are very smooth and rounded to the touch, which makes it feel nice to hold in your hand. On the inside of the case you can see there is a thin section of black paper with some info on it. to protect the back glass plate of your iPhone.

As you can see the iPhone 4 looks great in this case, it fits very snugly too, leaving no room for unwanted movement inside the case. All ports are easily accessible, and you even get the circular cut-out to show off the metallic Apple logo on the back of your iPhone. The area around the volume rocker is nicely molded to give you comfortable access to them and the silent switch.

This particular case costs just $19.99, which is a reasonable price to pay to protect your iPhone 4.

There are 3 Sub Series to the Ultra Thin Series : Vivid Series, Pastel Series, and Matte Series. Each series comes in a different variety of beautiful colors.

Here are links to different series of Ultra Thin Series.

SGP iPhone 4 Case Ultra Thin Vivid Series (Ultra Thin cases with Bright, Vivid Tone)

SGP iPhone 4 Case Ultra Thin Pastel Series (Ultra Thin cases with Soft, Pastel Tone)

SGP iPhone 4 Case Ultra Thin Matte Series

These are definitely some quality cases and you should go check out their website for even more choice of great cases.

I would like to say thanks to SGP for sending me this case for review. Keep an eye out for more reviews of the great products coming from SGP very soon.

Well now that the thanks are out of the way, lets get down to business – the review.

The Case-Mate Hybrid Tough case is a case like no other, it is made up of 2 parts for extra protection.

First things first, what does it come in and what do we get with it? Well the box is made from a see-through plastic with the Case-Mate logo at the top. You can see straight away what you are buying when you pick this package from the shelf.

When opening the packaging you are greeted with the case and and a little card what explains some of the features of the case, under the card is a little extra surprise. As well as the case you also get a cleaning cloth, screen protector and applicator.

So that’s the “what do I get for my money” here are the bits you really need to know…..

So like I said the case comes in two parts, the first part being a silicone skin that completely wraps round the back and side of the case to absorb impact. This part of the case also helps prevent small particles of dust clinging to the back of the iPhone. This silicone skin has cut outs for the docking port, mic, speaker, silence switch and headphone jack. The power button and volume rockers are covered by the case.

Once this part has been applied, you can then but the outer shell on. This outer shell is made from ABS plastic that is also impact resistant.

The outer shell covers only the back of the iPhone and wraps slightly around the side, this then has cut outs for the silence and volume switches.

The outer case is marked with the Case-Mate name and logo and has a textured feel to it, making it easier to grip.

Another great feature about this case is that the two sections can be mixed and matched to truly show the real you.

Head over to the Case-Mate site to select your colours. There are 9 silicone skin colours to choose from and 8 outer shell colours.

The case costs $29.99 (about £20) and is available from the Case-Mate website.

Overall I truly believe that this is a great case for people that live an active life-style. It does make the iPhone a little thicker, but if you are hiking for example its nice to know that your iPhone is well protected if you accidentally drop it.

Have a look at our YouTube review below …

Click here to view the embedded video.

So to win this case you need to do 3 main things and then post a small comment on the YouTube video above:

1. Like the Video Above on YouTube
2. Follow @MyGreatiPhone on Twitter
3. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Once you have done that you need to post a comment on the YouTube video starting with [Case-Mate]

The kind people sent us a Primo Battery Pack that works with both the iPhone and iPod’s.

The Primo comes in 2 colours black and white to suit both iPhones colours. The unit costs $34.95 which is great in my opinion for such a small charging unit.

I have been using the unit for about 3 weeks now just to get a feel for how much charge the unit really does give and the specs on the site are not to far away. The unit can take my battery from 20% to around 50 – 55% charge.

The unit comes complete with a cap and little lanyard so you can easily attach it to your keys.

The Primo has 3 little LED’s on the front that depending on what you are doing light up.

The middle and left LED’s light up if the unit is charging your phone and the Primo has more than 50% battery, when the Primo drops below 50% the left light will go out.

The right hand LED will shine red while the Primo is charging and then green when fully charged.

The Primo is a great looking unit that is small and light weight measuring in at 61mm long, 31.5mm tall and 17.5mm think. The weight is only 35g so you won’t even feel it in your pocket. The unit has a thin silver band round the top of the unit fitting in with the style of your iPhone.

The Primo is charged using a USB to micro-usb lead with is included in the unit.

Here is a little extract from PhoneSuit.com

The Primo Micro Battery Pack

The PhoneSuit Primo is the ultimate in iPhone & iPod power portability. It’s an ultra compact rechargeable battery that will provide immediate power to your iPhone or iPod. The Primo is so small it can easily be attached to your keychain or kept in your pocket for emergency use. The sleek micro design allows for a natural, comfortable feel while using your Apple devices. Take the Primo with you anywhere and never run out of power!

Enhanced Gaming Experience

The Primo’s design is perfect for playing your favorite iPhone or iPod touch video game in landscape mode. The side mount actually allows for a better grip and increased sound volume. Tired of accidentally covering up the iPhone speaker with your hand when playing in landscape mode? The Primo solves this issue by extending you grip on to the side of the Primo, allowing for full, clear audio.

I do have to say that this is a great piece of kit and I find myself not being able to leave the house without it. I would recommend this to anybody that feels they always seem to be running short of battery.

Bigs thanks to PhoneSuit.com for letting us review this great little accessory.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As you can see from the picture the MoviePeg is a little device that look just like a Peg. The Great thing about this peg though is that it will hold your iPhone 3G / 3GS.

The MoviePeg is a simple yet elegant stand that holds your iPhone in both a horizontal and vertical position.

The little device is made of a rubbery plastic type material that slides on the side of your iPhone. It is designed ergonomically to fit the curves of the iPhone, this then allows the phone to sit securely

When using the MoviePeg the cut out that the iPhone slides into is just perfect, it is not to tight and not to loose.

The MoviePeg is available in 6 colours: Black, Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink and Red.

One of the best things about the MoviePeg is that the cost is really low. The device only costs £4.99 plus P+P. MoviePeg ship worldwide.

One of the main reasons to use the MoviePeg is to watch movies without having to hold your iPhone, but this stand can also be used to turn your iPhone into a clock with apps like Night Stand or just to hold your iPhone at your desk.

Check out the vid below to see more…

Click here to view the embedded video.

I think this is a great little stand that is cheap and easy to carry around with an elegant design, and thats why I’m giving its a 4 star rating.

This cable is great for those of you who love Apple and their products so much that you own 2, maybe 3 devices, but when it comes time to charge them you either have to have them sat next to numerous power outlets or simply settle for charging one at a time.

Well, thanks to CableJive’s DuaLink Cable, this is one less dilemma to worry about.

Here is a list of features;

• Charge and sync an iPhone and an iPod with one USB port on your Mac or Windows PC
• Contains a custom USB hub to coordinate connecting, syncing, and charging
• Works beautifully with iTunes, which can access both devices
• USB 1.0 and 2.0 compatible
• Durable housing and heavy-duty wire holds up through wear and tear
• 9 inches long (23 cm)
• Works with all iPhone and iPod models except the iPod shuffle
• CableJive Lifetime Warrantee.

The DuaLink Cable comes in black rather than the white that you get with the stock Apple cable and works with all iPhone and iPod models except the iPod shuffle as it does not have the 30-pin port.

One thing that we did notice is that the cable isn’t very long, 9″ in fact, this could be a small issue for PC users who have to use the USB ports at the back of the tower which could be a little awkward if it is under a desk etc. Maybe CableJive should consider a longer version as well as this one just to give users the option.

You can get the DuaLink Cable for $25.95 from the CableJive website.

All in all we think that the DuaLink Sync Splitter Cable from CableJive is a great accessory for anyone that owns more than one iDevice so we give it 4/5 iPhones

As with all the cases from Proporta™, no expense is spared with the packaging. You get the durable and magnetic card like box, that opens like a book to reveal the case inside.

This particular case falls into what I would call the “my favorite type of case” category, by this I mean having a case that still shows off the fact that I have an iPhone, and this case does it brilliantly. To start with it looks amazing, very sleek and professional. It feels just as good in your hand too.

The case is very flexible and fits the Phone 3G/3Gs like a glove, meaning there is no room for the case to slide about in leaving your iPhone nice and snug and secure.

As you can see on the back, you have this stylish looking pattern moulded into the case with the middle part of the pattern having a rough texture to it, providing the grip needed to keep your iPhone from slipping out of your grasp. Featured in the top-middle of the case is of course the Proporta™ logo.

When you flip the case over and have a look inside it, you notice that instead of it being totally black, the whole of the inside is a light gray which offsets the black really well. Because of this, the featured areas like the volume rockers and camera now stand out, showing the gray mixing beautifully with the black.

If you look closely at the inside of this case there is a set of what look like Roman numerals that read; “III/III/MDCCCXLVII”, these translate to the production number of the case.

You can also see two holes featured in the lower half of the case, these act as vents allowing air to get in to the case, stopping it from becoming a suction cup against the glossy black rear housing of your iPhone.

One thing that stands out with this case is the way it covers the featured areas, in most cases, completely. If you take the volume rocker for example, it is completely covered by the case, but works perfectly as if it wasn’t even there. Again you can see the gray blending into the black around the buttons. The power button is also covered completely, leaving only the headphone jack, silent switch and the very base with the speakers and dock open.

I will now hand over to Proporta to give you some very exciting and important news concerning this case:

Proporta Passes SteriTouch Test with Flying Colours
It’s an alarming, but not entirely surprising fact that the filthiest things we encounter on a daily basis are our computer keyboards and our mobile phones. In fact, the average mobile has 25,127 germs per square inch whilst the average toilet seat has just 49. Nice.
To protect you against any nasties you could pick up from your mobile, Proporta has developed a range of Antimicrobial Silicone Cases – and a new report from the good people at SteriTouch, used in the cases, has shown just how effective the Proporta products are. In fact, tests on the cases showed a 99.99% reduction of MRSA and e-coli after 24 hours, which is as close as you can get to just about perfect. As you can see from the graphs below, when you compare the Antimicrobial Case sample with the control, the difference is genuinely remarkable.
So if you want to use your mobile in the safe and secure knowledge that it’s not harboring an invading germ army, then look no further. These Antimicrobial Silicone Cases not only look after your device and keep it safe from scratches, dirt and impact damage, they look after your health too. And that’s a good deal no matter which way you look at it.

So what we have here is a case that not only protects your iPhone, but it also helps to protect YOU from 2 of the most harmful germs of our time. I have been using this case for a week now and it still looks as clean as it did when i opened it, and that is saying something! Any dust that does get on the case simply wipes straight off.

We think this is a great case providing not only protection but the added assurance that you aren’t going to pick up any nasty germs along the way. For this reason we give this case 5/5.

You can visit Proporta at http://www.proporta.com/

You can buy this case here directly (use code MYGREATPHONE for 10% off) or browse though our MyGreatPhone case store. By going through our MyGreatPhone store you will get 10% off any case, that includes cases that are already on sale.

]]> http://www.mygreatiphone.com/featured/case-review-proporta%e2%84%a2-antimicrobial-soft-feel-silicon-case/feed/ 0 http://www.mygreatiphone.com/featured/case-review-proporta%e2%84%a2-aluminium-lined-leather-case/ http://www.mygreatiphone.com/featured/case-review-proporta%e2%84%a2-aluminium-lined-leather-case/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:40:19 +0000 Nazaroth http://www.mygreatiphone.com/?p=2304 Here at MyGreatiPhone.com, we believe that the best devices on the market, whether it is an iPhone, iPod or even your SatNav, deserve to be protected by the best quality cases on the market. This is why we are proud to be associated with Proporta™, the premier provider of quality cases and accessories for your favourite device.

We will be reviewing some of the best iPhone cases that Proporta™ has to offer, showing you every aspect of each case, making sure you make the right choice when it comes to protecting your precious device.

To start us off, we just received a great case from Proporta™, their Aluminium Lined Leather Case.

Packaging

Immediately you can see that the packaging is very well put together and the attention to detail is incredible, right down to the little rubber tab with the Proporta™ logo on it that you use to pull open the two sides.

The card like packaging is very sturdy and the case itself is featured in a clear plastic box. When you open the seal on the side and pull the box apart, the first thing you notice is that the two sides are magnetic! What a great quirky little design feature, perfect if you need to put the case back in.

You will also see that instead of the usual boring plain cardboard interior you get when opening products of this sort, you get a nice laminated and patterned interior, again showing the Proporta™ logo. This just echo’s the quality you know you are going to get with the actual product itself.

The Case

So on to the case itself. The case is primarily made from real leather, that has a sort of sleek, snake-skin design to it. Displayed on the front as a metallic badge is the brand name, “Proporta”. The white threading around the edges is very good quality and goes around the entire length of the case. Again the attention to detail is shown with the little red fabric label, showing the logo.

On the back you can see there is a hole cut out for the camera so it can still be used while seated in the case. In the center is a screw which holds the aluminium plate in place which covers the whole length of the case minus the hinged area which needs to move, it causes no obstruction at all when putting the case in or taking it out of your pocket.

Design

When you open the case, the quality and design shine out like a beacon. The top flap is covered in a great looking cream leather, with a cut-out showing a strip of brushed metal sporting the brand “Proporta” engraved into it. Hidden in the top flap is a magnetic strip that acts as the “clasp” you would find on most cases similar to this one. This is especially nice as it means that when you take it out of your pocket, there is no extra flap of material with a studded button on to get caught on while on the way out.

The bottom half is lined in a beautifully designed pinstripe material, which is a far cry from the bland plain black lining you would normally see. The section that houses your device is more of a matte effect leather with black stitching. On the inside of this is a black felt material to treat your device with the TLC it deserves.

Fit

This case allows full access to all functional parts of the iPhone such as; headphone jack, volume rocker, silence switch, camera, and speakers/dock while the device is seated inside it, thus keeping your iPhone protected even during use, like all good cases should.

The only minor issue that i can see is that the home button is slightly impeded at the bottom, but not enough to effect full functional use of your iPhone.

All in all, I can still give this case 5/5 for protection, usability and of course outstanding design.

You can visit Proporta at http://www.proporta.com/

You can buy this case here directly (use code MYGREATPHONE for 10% off) or browse though our MyGreatPhone case store. By going through our MyGreatPhone store you will get 10% off any case, that includes cases that are already on sale.