FEATURED SPECIAL | 06/19/09 – 06/26/09

There seems to be a bunch of rain in the forecast for the next several days. The garden loves it (and so do the weeds) but motorcyclists don’t. I may have to just buck-up and do a rain-or-shine ride over to Laconia for the last day of Bike Week, but this could also be a good opportunity to do some chores before Grace gets back on Sunday. I think I’ll have to see what new cool iPhone 3.0 apps are released, too!

Thank you so much for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes.

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team
_Don, Kali & Ed_

The iPhone and iPod touch are amazing devices with many useful but hidden or undocumented features. Discovering these hidden features and having “ah ha” moments is part of the fun of owning an iPod touch or iPhone. It’s equally fun to share your iPhone tips and tricks with other iPhone owners, because you get to share their “ah ha” moments.

Most of the “hidden” iPhone features I know came from the following websites. They are worth checking out — you’ll almost certainly learn something new.

Here are some of my favorite websites for getting more from these devices, as well as uncovering some of their hidden features.

* “iPhone Alley has some great, easy to read tips and tricks.”:http://www.iphonealley.com/tips

* “iSmashphone.com also has some great iPhone / iPod touch tricks”:http://www.ismashphone.com/2008/08/iphone-tricks.html

* “Here’s a recent iSmashphone article about How To Use The Best 40 Features of iPhone 3.0”:http://www.ismashphone.com/2009/06/how_to_use_best_40_features_of_iphone_3.html

* “From iPhone J.D., some favorite iPhone shortcuts”:http://www.iphonejd.com/iphone_jd/2008/11/my-favorite-sho.html

* “Macrumors has a list of more than 100 hidden features in the iPhone 3.0 upgrade.”:http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=715629

* “Another list of hidden iPhone 3.0 tips.”:http://pcworld.about.com/od/phones/iPhone-3-0-Update-10-Hidden-F.htm

* “Tuaw.com often has useful iPod touch / iPhone information.”:http://www.tuaw.com/tag/iphone/

* “Of course, there is always Apple’s iPhone page, which has everything from basic to advanced tips. “:http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#basics.introduction

A few weeks ago, we posted an article about a critical security vulnerability in Java on Mac OS X. Morgan Aldridge wrote “It’s a couple of vulnerabilities that can be taken advantage of to run commands outside of the browser as the user that launched the browser.” Read the original post “by clicking here.”:http://blog.smalldog.com/article/java-vulnerability-on-mac-os-x/

The vulnerability was discovered in August 2008 and was patched by Sun and other developers several months ago. When Apple didn’t move on the issue, a former Apple engineer named Landon Fuller released a proof of concept exploit that could, in his words, allow “malicious code to escape the Java sandbox and run arbitrary commands” that would “result in untrusted Java applets executing arbitrary code merely by visiting a web page hosting the applet.” Read about this “by clicking here.”:http://landonf.bikemonkey.org/code/macosx/CVE-2008-5353.20090519.html

It’s taken a month since Fuller publicized this issue, but Apple has finally released updated versions of Java for both OS X 10.5 Leopard and OS X 10.4 Tiger.

To install this update, either run Software Update (under the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your Mac’s screen), or download the patch directly from Apple:

“Click here to download the Java for Mac OS X 10.5.”:http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_for_Mac_OS_X_10_5_Update_4

“Click here to download the Java for Mac OS X 10.4”:http://support.apple.com/downloads/Java_for_Mac_OS_X_10_4__Release_9

Click the following links to read Apple’s related security documents for “OS 10.5 Leopard”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3632 and “OS 10.4 Tiger”:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3633

FYI, for long-term Safari web browsing security, we suggest that Safari users leave the ‘Open “safe” files after download’ option in Safari preferences permanently disabled. Other vulnerabilities could remain in Safari’s handling of “Safe” files if someone figures out how to to trick Safari’s understanding of “Safe” files. While that scenario is rather far-fetched, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

*1. Cut and Paste.* Finally. Cut and paste of text on the iPhone works well, and is implemented in a way that could also work well on any touch-screen based computer.

*2. Notes Sync.* As many have said, it was silly/bizarre that this wasn’t supported on earlier versions of the iPhone OS. Notes is useful now!

*3. Shake to Undo/Redo Typing.* If you are typing something and wish to erase it and start over, all you have to do is deliberately shake your iPhone and it will be erased. If you want it back, simply shake again. I admit, the tactile experience of erasing a mistake by shaking it away is great. I wonder if Apple borrowed this idea from Etch-a-Sketch?

*Honorable mention:* swearing is now allowed on the new iPhone. Rod Blagojevich must be very happy.

*Start Soapbox*

The new MLB iPhone application will now stream live game video in addition to the audio feeds. The first game to be boardcast is the Cubs versus White Sox. We are in the midst of inter-league play and once again, that unfortunate mistake that will always make the American League the junior league becomes more apparent–the designated hitter rule.

Adopted in 1973, the rule has artificially inflated the hitting percentage of the American League and has allowed older players who can no longer play a defensive position to extend their careers unnaturally. This isn’t football where you have an offense and defense and different players for each–this is baseball where nine players play both offense and defense!

Baseball is the game of inches; the game of details. The strategy for managers of when to lift a pitcher, who to pinch hit, where that player might play are all integral parts of the game of baseball. The double switch is something American League teams just don’t know, yet it is an important part of baseball.

The national league has produced some great hitting pitchers. One of the best plays for my Chicago Cubs. Carlos Zambrano is one of the best hitters on the team and is their pitching ace, too. (He is frequently used as a pinch hitter!)

Hitting pitchers are rare, though and during inter-league play the American league home team automatically receives a significant unnatural advantage by shielding their pitchers and having that one-dimensional hitter on their roster.

I haven’t liked the American League since before the DH was instituted, but that rule is truly a travesty and should be repealed!

*End Soapbox*