Inside the all-new Apple iOS 5

Exciting news for Apple users! Scott Forstall took the stage at WWDC 2011 to announce some new upgrades and improvements in the Apple iPhone’s operating system. The new Apple iOS 5 is compatible with iPhone 4, 3Gs, iPad 1 and 2, and the iPod touch and will be available for download this fall. Check out a few of the cool new features that can be expected on the new operating system so far.

1. PC Free
With iOS 5, users can activate and set up their device wirelessly without a computer, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Users can get free iOS software updates directly on their device, and back-up and restore their devices automatically using iCloud.

2. Notification Center
Just like on Android devices, there’s a new Notification Center where users can get all of their alerts, all in one place: new email, texts, friend requests and more. Just swipe down from the top of the screen to enter the Notification Center.

3. Twitter Integration
For Twitter users, there’s an integration of Twitter to iOS 5. Sign in once in Settings, and tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps. (*crowd cheers*)

4. Safari Reader
iOS 5 brings even more web-browsing features to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Safari Reader displays web articles sans ads or clutter, and Reading List saves interesting articles to peruse later, while iCloud keeps your list updated across all your Apple devices.


5. Reminders
“A better way to do to-dos.”  Next time you need to remember something important, use your iPhone, iPad or iPod to make a note of it. Even better, the reminders are location based – so you’ll get an alert the next time you’re in the supermarket to pick up that milk you probably forgot about. Pretty sweet, huh?

6. iMessage
Finally! Apple users can BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) like BlackBerry users. iMessage is a new, exclusive service for iOS users, that has options like an indicator showing when the other party is typing.

7.  Camera features
There’s now a camera button right on your screen lock! Since your phone is always with you, it’s the best way to capture unexpected moments. Use grid lines, pinch-to-zoom gestures and single-tap focus to compose pictures on the fly. Then, press the volume-up button to snap a photo right in time.

8. Photos 
Turn your snapshots into frame-worthy photos in just a few taps right from your Apple device. Crop, rotate, enhance and remove red-eye without leaving the Photos app.

9. iCloud
There’s also amazing innovation in iOS 5 using cloud-syncing solutions. With iOS 5 and iCloud, enter your Apple ID and password, and – voila! It integrates your apps to wirelessly keep all your contacts, mails, photos, apps, books, music and updates across all your devices without connecting to a computer.

10. Newsstand
Extra extra, read all about it! iOS 5 organizes magazine and newspaper app subscriptions into one folder that lets users access their favorite publications quickly and easily.

We’re sure this is the first of many updates that can be expected before the fall release of iOS 5, but we still can’t wait! What new features are you most excited about?

Got Your Head in the iClouds?

Apple recently unveiled a new system for automatic wireless syncing of all Apple devices. The iCloud will now allow for the sharing of photos, videos, music, apps, books, calendar events, mail and contacts. This unveiling also represents the end to the dreaded MobileMe, replacing its $99 annual charge with free services of the iCloud.

While all iCloud capabilities will not be released until the fall, some new aspects are available now. Music, apps and books can all be shared now by downloading iTunes 10.3 and changing the purchase settings in iPhones, iPods, iPads and Macs.

Find out more here.

Raising The Bar - AT&T’s LTE Comes to Five Cities This Summer

Just in time to cure our blues from thoughts of being without a new iPhone 5 this summer, AT&T announced today its new 4G network, with the addition of LTE, will be released in five markets this summer – Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio.

AT&T hopes to add another 10 markets and cover more than 70 million Americans with this new network by the end of year. To sweeten the deal, AT&T plans to add 20 4G devices to its offerings as well.

Just last fall, Verizon Wireless launched its LTE networks in dozens of cities. The company said the service offers download speeds of up to 12Mbps and uploads of up to 5Mbps. Lab tests show AT&T’s LTE rates offer double the speed of Verizon’s advertised rates with  28.87 Mbps download speeds. A little healthy competition, perhaps?

AT&T’s Chief Technology Officer, John Donovan, posted a blog on AT&T’s Innovation Space about the LTE launch.

AT&T's 4G Evolution
Dallas, Texas, May 25, 2011 

AT&T has delivered five mobile broadband speed upgrades in recent years, including our HSPA+ deployment last year. And average nationwide speeds on the AT&T network have increased – more than 40 percent over the past two years alone.

The next network evolution will arrive this summer with the addition of LTE in five markets – Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio. We plan to add another 10 or more markets in the second half of the year, and cover 70 million Americans with LTE by year-end. We also have plans to add 20 4G devices to our robust device portfolio this year, with some of those being LTE capable.

We're positioning to deliver a great mobile broadband experience in the near term with HSPA+ and a growing LTE footprint.

We've invested $75 billion in our wireless and wired networks over the last four years – more capital invested in the U.S. than any company in any industry. And we plan to invest $19 billion in our wireless and wireline networks and other capital projects this year. The investments we've made to evolve our mobile broadband network in recent years, plus what we have planned for the future, put our customers in position to benefit fully from a host of coming mobile broadband innovations.

Does this “real 4G” network mean less dropped calls and faster tweeting, AT&T? If so, this summer may be a great one! Hold on to your seats, boys and girls.

Thanks from Privus Mobile

We tallied up the numbers, and we just hit 131,000 total Privus Mobile downloads!! We wanted to take the time to thank all of our AWESOME users! You guys rock. Thanks for your continued support, and stay tuned for announcements we have coming soon!

Love Privus Mobile and want to share it with your friends? Send them this link to get started.

While you’re at it, send it on over to Billy Reid, too! Somehow we get the feeling he would totally dig Privus Mobile Caller ID.

Sprint makes it easier, quicker for Android customers to purchase apps

Looks like Sprint has jumped on the carrier billing band wagon with AT&T and T-Mobile and rolled out support for their Android devices. Customers using phones powered by Android OS now have the option to purchase applications from the Android Market and charge it to their monthly Sprint bill. The carrier billing option supplements Google’s Checkout, which has seen limited success compared to other mobile payment methods. While the service is still currently rolling out, Sprint customers shouldn’t expect the services to be fully implemented for a few days.

The addition of this service support to Sprint Android devices is welcomed, as it becomes much easier for Android owners to purchase apps on their phones. Instead of setting up a Google Checkout account or entering credit card information on the device, the ability to add purchases to a monthly phone bill makes downloading applications a one-click transaction. In turn, this will help application developers to create and sell more software in the Android market, as a recent survey from Strategy Analytics shows that 38 percent of customers prefer carrier billing, and are therefore more apt to make purchases.