South Africa also has a couple publications you can download including:

• Finweek (English & Afrikaans)
• Sunday Times
• The Citizen
• Financial Mail
• The Witness
• Beeld
• Die Burger
• The Witness & Weekend Witness
• Volksblad
• Computaform

All of the above only cost $0.99 per copy, and are bought as in app purchases, whish means you would need credit in your iTunes account. This is a bargain in the case of Finweek & Sunday times., as these are well over the R7 mark.

Some of the features of the app include:

• Set up automated subscriptions to your favorite titles
• Flip pages like you’re reading real publications
• Pan, zoom or rotate pages, articles and photos and view in stunning clarity
• Easily browse publications using intuitive navigational slider
• Open full articles in easy-to-read text view
• Share articles by email, Twitter and Facebook
• Sit back and listen to publications using on-demand audio
• Print full pages and individual articles
• Search online across titles and select titles you wish to download

Reading these on the iPad or iPhone is awesome, and you get an exact copy, just without the horrible print all over your hands and reams of paper all over your lounge. You can also download editions of newspapers & magazines from over 94 countries worldwide.

The app itself free, and is another must have to your iPad & iPhone app collection.

There are hundreds of different QR Code reader apps available for the iPhone, and I have done some research around them, to see which are the best. I put 11 QR code readers which I had heard about and found on the app store, and tested various aspects of the apps, as well as trying to see if different types of codes can be snapped. These included calendar entries, contacts, URL’s and even a modified code (on the right).

Most of the readers managed with the basics like URL, text & SMS, but a lot of them struggled with the trickier codes like calendar entries & the modified codes. Here are the top 5 in my findings. To see the full results you can see the Google Doc test sheet here. All test codes were created using the Google QR Code API , except the altered image. I have also included QR code links to each app on the right of each app, to download them from the app store.

5. Quickmark – $0.99

Calendar – No
Contact Information – Yes
Email Address – Yes
Geo Location – No
Phone Number – Yes
SMS – Yes
Text – Yes
URL – Yes
Altered Image – No

This was one of the first QR code readers I ever used, thanks to Google who suggested it when they launched their QR code product in the US. The best thing about this app, and something very few of the apps do, is that i opens straight to the screen where you can snap the code. Despite it’s small limitations, this is one of the better designed apps, and a must have for QR Codes.

4. RedLaser – Free

Calendar – No
Contact Information – Yes
Email Address – Yes
Geo Location – Yes
Phone Number – Yes
SMS – Yes
Text – Yes
URL – Yes
Altered Image – No

Although this app isn’t designed specifically for QR Codes, it does a pretty good job with it. The app is fast and resolves the codes quickly as well. The fact that it scans normal barcodes and compares prices etc is a bonus, and another keeper in the QR Code folder on your iPhone

3. BeeTagg Reader Pro – Free

Calendar – No (Reads the image, but does not display the information correctly)
Contact Information – Yes
Email Address – Yes
Geo Location – Yes
Phone Number – Yes
SMS – Yes
Text – Yes
URL – Yes
Altered Image – No

Another favorite of mine, but the fact that it doesn’t read the calendar info correctly is a bit of a let down. The interface in the app is clean and simple, and you can also read codes from previously saved photos.

2. i-nigma – Free

Calendar – No
Contact Information – Yes
Email Address – Yes
Geo Location – Yes
Phone Number – Yes
SMS – Yes
Text – Yes
URL – Yes
Altered Image – Yes

One of the only 2 apps that could read the altred image gives this a nod at number 2, but still can’t read vCalendar events. Pity though, otherwise this would be right at the top. Another plus for this app is that it is also an “instant-open” app, which means no tapping before snapping your code.

1. Optiscan - $1.99

Calendar – Yes
Contact Information – Yes
Email Address – Yes
Geo Location – Yes
Phone Number – Yes
SMS – Yes
Text – Yes
URL – Yes
Altered Image – Yes

Although the price of this app might be a bit high, it is well worth the $2. The app is super fast, and is the the only app able to capture each of the tests successfully. I have to admit, this is by far one of the best apps I have used overall on the iPhone, and is a MUST have if you are going to be snapping QR codes. Just get it :)

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So as you can see a lot of the QR code apps are very similar, but the key for me is speed, which Optiscan delivers. There are constantly new QR code readers being added to the app store, so if you know of any I have missed, leave a comment below, and I will add them to the google doc for future reviews. If you want to keep up to date with the goings on in the QR world, I highly recommend http://2d-code.co.uk/ which delivers the best QR code news daily.

Related articles

• QR Codes — should you be using them? (iowabiz.com)
• What is a QR Code? – Qurify QR Codes – StumbleUpon (chimac.net)
• CNN testing QR codes on TV (redesignmobile.com)

To get started using Personal Hotspot you can follow these steps :

1. On your iPhone go to Settings -> Personal Hotspot
2. Turn your Personal Hotspot to ON. You will see a Blue bar at the op of your screen which shows you that Personal Hotspot is now active.
3. On you computer or iPad, choose iPhone from the list of network services in your WiFi menu.
4. Enter the password that is shown in the Personal Hotspot
5. You can now browse the net using your iPhone’s 3G connection. Try and make sure your 3G is on, otherwise things will really be slow.
6. Remember to turn it off once you are done.

You can also use Personal hotspot using Bluetooth or using the USB cable, to create an internet connection. You can have up to 5 devices connecting at any time (3 WiFi, 1 Bluetooth & 1 USB). Currentley there is no extra charge associated with this, but in the US, AT&T does charge an extra fee every month. Let’s trust & hope the SA Network providers don’t follow suite, as I think it makes absolutely no sense !

Have you used Personal Hotspot ? What do you think ? Leave a comment below with your findings.

Related articles

• iOS 4.3 spotlight: Personal Hotspot (tuaw.com)
• Apple releases iOS 4.3 with WiFi hotspot, improved AirPlay (venturebeat.com)
• Should You Buy a 3G iPad or Use Personal Hotspot? (macstories.net)

Here are some of the changes for iOS 4.3:

• Personal Hotspot
  • Share iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth,and 1 USB)
• iTunes Home Sharing
  • Play music, movies and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2)
• New AirPlay features
  • Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV
• Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript
  engine
• HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter
  • View 720p HD videos from Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display
• New Settings
  • Messages setting for number of times to repeat an alert
• iPad side switch setting to lock screen rotation or mute audio notifications and sound effects

You can use these direct download links (Thanks @MikeCTZA) to get the files now without having to wait, and then you can manually update your iPhone  or iPad

iPad
http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
Size: 625814678
MD5: 9a889ba48bc2715292f199f50c70ed60

iPhone 3GS
http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
Size: 443762287
MD5: 87ebb9b2c025fb5f87a4cab0631b1547

iPhone4
http://appldnld.apple.com/iPhone4/04…0_Restore.ipsw
Size: 702264955
MD5: e0a463bded8f5b1e076b466535b18c75

Source: http://www.felixbruns.de/iPod/firmware/

Looking forward to giving iOS 4.3 a run, and seeing how it works out.

Related articles

• Apple Officially Releases iOS 4.3, Grab It Now! (thenextweb.com)
• Hands-on With iOS 4.3 [PHOTOS] (mashable.com)

As so, FiXi was born. Fixi is a quick one stop shop for all your iPhone & iPad repairs. We offer a full services on all models of iPhones & iPads, usually fixed within a day. If we don’t have the necessary part, we can order, and have your phone fixed within a few days.

Some of the services we offer:

• iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4 & iPad Front & Back repairs
• Full LCD replacement on all models
• Battery replacements in all iPhone & iPad models
• Ad-Hoc repairs on all iPhone & iPad models (sensors, antennas etc)
• Same day repair (if delivered to us by 9am) (subject to availability of parts)
• Collection & return from Ballito to Durban (for a nominal fee)
• Full courier service throughout South Africa
• Full online tracking of your repair (coming soon)

We are also working on a referral scheme, so if you refer someone to us, we will give you a little something to say thanks.

If you have need your iPhone or iPad fixed, you can visit our website at http://www.FiXi.co.za or drop us an email, or give Sean a call on 082 777 8791.

Amongst some of the new features that were launched in the iPad 2 are:

• 1.2GHz dual-core Apple A5 processor
• 33% thinner than the iPad 1
• Two built-in cameras
• Thinner and lighter than its predecessor, weighing 1.3 pounds and measuring 0.35 inches thick
• Gyroscope
• 10 hours of battery life
• Choice between a black or white iPad.
• Pricing stays the same
• A nifty new cover has been announced which magnetizes to the frame of the iPad as well as keeps the screen clean

And that’s about it. The new ipad will be available on the 11th March in the US and the 25th in 24 other countries, except South Africa. No date has been given for South Africa yet. Steve also announced that iOS 4.3 will be available on the 11th March, for both the iPhone & iPad, and you will be able to use new apps like GarageBand & iMovie on the iPad2.

I can’t see myself rushing out to get an iPad2, but if someone is in the US and can get one, I will gladly take it as a new gadget. And let the kids an have the iPad 1 :)

For more info about the new iPad and specs about it check out the Apple iPad site

The latest update to the TomTom Southern Africa (iTunes Link $59.99) app brings a much-anticipated feature called HD Traffic (In-App purchase $37.99 for 12 months or $5.99 for 1 month). This service allows you to see where there is traffic congestion on the map, in REAL time. I know for the guys who travel a bit during the day, this is a must have. If you have a route selected, the app will also then re-route you on the best route available, according to the traffic congestion.

So, last week when I received my package, which consisted of a shiny new iPhone 4, and the TomTom car kit, I quickly unpacked it, and rushed off to the car to set it all up. The car kit is really simple to install, and has a great “suction mechanism”, which means that not once did I ever see the cradle bouncing up and down. The really cool thing about the car kit, is that is has a built-in Bluetooth hands free, which means no more talking and driving. Again, this was really simple to set up, as the cradle found the phone instantly, and paired the devices.Also built into the car kit is a GPS receiver, which extends your GPS signal when using the app. This is great and definitely helps with faster lock on when acquiring GPS signal on the iPhone.

The TomTom app itself is also really simple to use, and the functionality of the app is fantastic. The navigational controls are large and also easy to use. The TomTom iPhone app also offers street name announcement, which means it tells you what road to turn into when driving to a location. This is an awesome feature, which is usually only found on much higher end models of the physical GPS units. The app also runs in the background when you exit the app, so you won’t lose your position when taking a call, or have to use another app.

There are a couple of other features of the app, which I didn’t manage to use, that really make this app stand out above the rest. IQ Routes is a feature built into the app, which takes into various factors such as rush hour, traffic lights & even shopping crowds, when calculating your route. This means you will get to your destination faster, as it selects the best route. How cool is that !! Another great feature is called Map-Share which allows you to edit the map if there has been changes to the road etc. So if suddenly a road is closed or a boom gate is installed, you can pin point this on your map, which then gets uploaded to a central location, and is then shared with other users of the app. Crowdsourcing FTW !

All in all, I have to admit, I was very impressed with the TomTom iPhone app. The app, which costs $59.99 in the iTunes app store, is well worth the price it comes at. At today’s exchange rate this works out to around R425, which lets be honest is WAY cheaper than any physical GPS unit, you will find on the market. Add in the HD traffic for a year and you look at just under $100 for full-blown GPS app. The maps also get updated fairly regularly, which is a bonus in the chaos of ever-changing street names in South Africa.

The car kit, which can be bought at a number of stores, including Makro, Dion Wired & Cape Union Mart, retails for around R1,200. This may sound a bit high, but I can honestly say, that after using it for a week, it is well worth the price. For this you get a fully fledged iPhone cradle for your car with built-in GPS & Bluetooth functionality. I know that I will definitely be getting myself one of these for my car in the near future.

Overall, the app & car kit are both great buys, and if you are looking for a quality South African iPhone GPS app, then TomTom is the way to go :)

From the Apple iOS AirPrint page:

AirPrint on iPad makes it simple to print your email, photos, web pages, and documents. There’s no software to download, no drivers to install, and no cables to connect. With just a few taps on your iPad, you can go from viewing something onscreen to holding a printed copy. And because all the printing takes place in the background, there’s no waiting around. Instead, you can start printing and then go back to flicking through photos, surfing the web, or doing whatever you were doing before.

I came across an awesome little app, which is available for both Mac & Windows, that “spoofs” your printer into allowing you to “think” it is a compatible printer, and allows you to print from your iPhone or iPad to ANY printer. The app is called AirPrint Activator (Mac download/Windows Download), and works as simply as running the app/exe and sharing & activating your printer. Really, as simple as that.

Here is a short video that shows how to do it.

Easy. I have tested it on my deskjet printer at home, and it works like a charm !! Now you can print from an iPhone to ANY printer :)

During the week I had ridden twice along the beach front in Durban (at 6am), from Blue Lagoon to Ushaka & back. Although it was “flat” riding, it helps with understanding the bike, as well as it being constant peddling. It is an amazing time of the day, and so awesome to see so many people out at that time of day, running & cycling along the promenade. We really do live in a beautiful part of the world. So lucky !!

Anyway, before we started Rich mentioned we would be extending our route from last week, by adding on a few KM. He also mentioned we would be heading up “Vomit Hill”. Not thinking too much of it, and after a nervous laugh, I climbed on the trusty Cannondale, and set off. We followed much of the same route from last week, through the single track. The rains had caused much havoc with the trail, and mud was high on the menu. There were plenty of slides, and a few broken trees to climb over. I also had my first tumble after misjudging a stream. Nothing serious though :)

After we finished the single track, we turned left, and followed the rest of the “Orange” route. After a short while, Rich stopped and said “You see those trees at the top of that hill”, pointing to what could have easily being the top of Mount Kilamanjaro, “We need to get there !”. At first I thought he was joking, but alas, he wasn’t. The name, “Vomit Hill” immediately sprang to mind, and I felt my stomach repeat the tumble I took earlier.

We carried on, and needless to say, there was a bit of sweating, swearing, stopping, walking, and lots of moaning. But, (eventually) we did it, and I got to the top. The name “Vomit Hill” did not stand up to it’s name (yay) and from there on, it was pretty much plain sailing. I have to admit though, I felt a bit more broken at the end of the ride. But after gulping down a few glasses of ice cold water, an ice cold coke & a toasted bacon and egg, I felt (semi) human again.

"Vomit Hill"

Check out the elevation on the Runkeeper iPhone app activity below. The climb to the top of the hill was about 4km, and the total climb was around 282m. Although it doesn’t sounds that hectic to seasoned professionals, to a beginner, like me, it seems like Mount Kilamanjaro :)

A huge thanks to Sean & Rich for putting up and encouraging me, I knew it was gonna be a toughie, and am pretty stoked that I made it. I know next time, will be a bit easier, and I can’t wait to tackle it again !!

If you are using iTunes to download the latest firmware, you will notice, that if you get disconnected, more often than not, you need to restart the download every time, which can become annoying as well as expensive

So, I thought I would show you how to manually update your firmware, after downloading the update to your PC/Mac. I recommend a copy of Firefox, and this awesome download manager plug-in called Download Them All. This will help you download the actual firmware file from the Apple servers onto your PC/Mac and then update.

To download the latest firmware(file extension is .ispw) directly from Apple, you can go to this page at iClarified (bookmark it), and then choose to download with Download Them All. This way, if your connection gets interrupted, you can continue your download from the same place it stopped.

Once you have your file downloaded, open iTunes and plug your iPhone/iPad in. On your main info screen, you will see 2 options, Check for update  (which will download from Apple without a download manager, and break) or Restore.

If you are on a PC, you need to hold the SHIFT button in, and click on the “Check For Update button”. If you are on a MAC, you need to hold the OPTION key and click on “Check For Update button”. You will then be asked to locate the file you downloaded (using Firefox and Download Them All), and chose that file. Once you have selected the file, iTunes will continue the installation as per normal.

And that it is :)