Celeste 2 For iOS 6 Released! Takes Bluetooth File Sharing On iPhone To The Next Level [VIDEO]

Apple’s decision to make the iPhone into a decidedly closed platform has allowed it to do all kinds of weird and wonderful things throughout its six year lifecycle, but it’s also come at the cost of flexibility. Like it or not, there are just some things that devices running iOS simply cannot do when compared with most other smartphones, especially those running Google’s rival Android mobile operating system. One of the things it cannot do is send or receive files over Bluetooth. It’s also something that phones have been able to do for many, many years.

Even today, Apple is still trying to compensate for the lack of Bluetooth file transferring ability by adding things like AirDrop to iOS 7, but that isn’t going to stop some people from wishing that they could do something that they probably did using phones that cost a lot less than the iPhone they now own. If that iPhone happens to be jailbroken though, things may not be quite as bleak as they thought.

A big update to the original Celeste for iOS tweak, now called Celeste 2, promises to make it easy to send and receive files over the magic of Bluetooth on jailbroken iPhones and the whole thing is managed via Notification Center. The latest release brings full support for iOS 6, hence if you’re running the aforementioned firmware and have been waiting for this update, then your prayer has been answered.

Celeste 2 integrates with all manner of iOS apps and features, meaning people can send or receive photos, contacts, notes and all manner of other files. The tweak ties into plenty of apps too, such as iBooks and Dropbox. Perhaps most important though is the fact that Celeste 2 uses the original iOS Bluetooth stack, which means that you can keep those earphones paired at the same time, or keep that device tethered to your iPhone all along. It means less hacking has gone on to make the file transfer work, and in the process makes the whole affair seem more baked into iOS than it otherwise could.

Being able to send and receive files via Bluetooth isn’t something we miss from iOS if we’re honest, but we know plenty of people do. Celeste 2 will perhaps go some way to appeasing those that just can’t quite fathom why Apple won’t open Bluetooth up as standard.

Now here comes the best part, it’s free for those who already purchased Celeste’s first release, and new customers have to churn out $6.99. Available to download from the BigBoss repo, it’s a must-have if you want Bluetooth file transfer capabilities on Apple’s famed smartphone.

Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Flickr For iPhone Updated With New Live Filters And Other Enhancements

Although Instagram has taken the mobile world by storm over the past couple of years – enough so to prompt Facebook into shelling out a cool billion dollars to acquire it – Yahoo!-owned Flickr is a veteran of the photo-sharing game. It may not boast the kind of popularity of the app founded by Burbn Inc., but it does offer an altogether more full-on experience, rather than the simple crop-and-filter job offered by Instagram. Flickr’s position as the true service of choice for photography lovers has been outlined once again today in an update for the iOS app, which now offers a very robust set of editing tools for pro and wannabe photographers alike. More details can be found after the break.

Yahoo! may have been rather slow to establish itself as a force in mobile space, but with revamped email apps, and a recently-released (and rather gorgeous) weather app, the company is once again creeping back into contention.

Let’s be honest, Flickr is unlikely to be able to compete with the sheer dominance of Instagram, but for the purists, it certainly offers a richer experience – especially now on iOS. The iPhone, iPad and iPod touch app was already fairly solid the last time we checked it, and with more filters – so-called “live filters” which, by the way, can be checked out prior to taking a snap – it’s tailing the likes of Snapseed for all-round usability and range of options.

The camera itself benefits from a plethora of new tools such as grids and pinch to zoom, making the process of taking the perfect shot just that little bit easier. Additionally, some of the pro editing options have been added to the free app, so you now don’t need to pony up any of your hard-earned if you wish to sharpen photos, tweak color levels, and other such modifications.

Flickr for iOS is now available from the iTunes App Store, so download it, try out the new features, especially the new “live filters” features, and be sure to leave your comments below.

(Download: Flickr for iPhone on the App Store)

Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

BBM For Android And iPhone Landing Page Is Now Live [Update x1]

Despite the fact that BlackBerry looks in more than a spot of bother just now, the planned effort to bring the famed BlackBerry Messenger service, or BBM, to Android and iOS is still going ahead as planned. Whether owners of said devices actually require this impromptu resurrection of a dying brand – particularly in light of services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger – remains to be seen, but by the looks of a new landing page on the Canadian arm of the company’s website, the wait is almost over.

In light of BlackBerry’s recent move to sell up, the arrival of BBM for iOS and Android reeks of desperation. Back when the decision to launch BBM on both iOS and Android was announced, the recent cited at the time was that the company believed in the strength of BB10, and thus did not need to keep BlackBerry Messenger as an exclusive means of trying to wrangle new customers.

The claim, at the time, looked dubious at best, and in light of recent events, it’s clear that BlackBerry has descended to the point of simply throwing ideas against the wall, and hoping something sticks enough to help lift from its current slump. The signs of BlackBerry’s decline have been clear for all to see for some time now, but with the company failing to adapt to changing mobile industry quickly enough, the release of BBM for iOS and Android is looking like a last hope of exposure for a brand so strong prior to the iPhone.

With most settled into a routine of using Facebook Messenger, iMessage, WhatsApp and others, BlackBerry Messenger faces a tumultuous battle to win over consumers, but it’s worth remembering that, in terms of security and general usability, BBM is still very much up there. Additionally, since a large portion of smartphone users will, at some point, have owned a BlackBerry device, there’s likely to be an initial rush as intrigued consumers flock to check it out.

The new apps are expected by the end of the summer, and with the new landing page now allowing interested parties to check out FAQ section on how to get started using BBM on iPhone and Android, it could be just a couple of weeks away at max.

If you haven’t already signed up when the service was first announced for iOS and Android, you can do so by pointing your browser to: us.blackberry.com/bbm.html

Update x1: The landing page has now been taken offline. This is what it looked like in full before being taken down: http://i.imgur.com/UvOF1LO.jpg

(source: CrackBerry Forums)

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• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) For iOS & Android Download Rolls Out On Beta Zone, First Screenshots Emerge

SimCity For Mac OS X Now Available To Download

The first beta of SimCity first rolled out at the beginning of the year, and a short while ago, it was confirmed by EA that SimCity for Mac would be ready for prime time at the end of August. Right on cue, SimCity has just made an appearance over at the Mac App Store, and considering how badly the PC launch went down thanks to its requirement of an always-on Internet connection, the publisher will be hoping for a lot less controversy this time around.

Those who purchase through Steam using SteamPlay will be able to enjoy their copy on both PC and Mac, so if you aren’t an out-and-out Mac user, this is probably a better option than simply grabbing it from the Mac App Store and limiting yourself.

The PC version dropped in March, and fewer games dropped in recent memory have been fraught with quite so many issues. The move for the ever-unpopular always-on connection left many gamers unable to play the game, and the range of problems prompted Maxis, SimCity’s developer, to offer refunds to some customers.

With five months having passed since then, one would hope that such issues have been ironed out, and SimCity fans can instead get down to the more important issue of building and running their own virtual worlds. With Maxis’ general manager Patrick Buechner sounding off on Twitter that users should download early to avoid the imminent rush, it would seem those integral to the title’s creation are sure that a repeat performance of March’s antics is not on the cards.

There are two separate editions of SimCity available; the standard release, which costs $39.99, and the deluxe edition, which includes a healthy dose of add-ons and bonus packs.

You can grab the new SimCity right now from various outlets, including the Mac App Store, EA’s very own Origin Store, Steam, or SimCity.com, so if you’ve been waiting patiently for the game to arrive to your Mac, be sure to go and pick it up.

Be sure to check out our Mac OS X Apps Gallery to explore more apps for OS X powered computer.

Grand Theft Auto 5: The Final Trailer Drops Ahead Of Release [VIDEO]

Grand Theft Auto 5 is almost here, and Rockstar Games, the developer-publisher of the popular franchise, is doing its level best to generate even more hype in anticipation of the September 17th launch than there already is. While naturally dismayed by the news that 40+ hours of the game’s famed music content leaked online last week, the company’s mission to feed Grand Theft Auto 5 fans plenty of teasers continues, and with several GTA 5 trailers of the title already having been released, including the GTA 5 online gameplay video, another official trailer of the lively Los Santos-based title has just been uploaded to YouTube.

There was a general sense of disappointment when the original spring release date was pushed right back to fall, but to its credit, Rockstar has done a pretty good job of keeping long-time fans interested in the launch. A constant barrage of screenshots, now well into the hundreds, has ensured that GTA 5′s release is as ceremonious as it is unavoidable, and although Call of Duty: Ghosts is expected to become (once again, yawn), the biggest-selling title of the year, Grand Theft Auto 5 will certainly push heavy numbers when it finally drops for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Although you guys are probably as hyped as we are about the prospect of the next-gen Xbox One and PlayStation 4, there’s no word on when or if GTA 5 will arrive for those forthcoming consoles, and for the time being, Rockstar’s latest export should ensure that many owners of current-gen consoles don’t throw them out in haste just yet.

Unlike previous official trailers, this one-minute clip looks very much like it could be the one we’ll see on our TV screens and at theaters very soon. Giving a quick glimpse of the protagonists, weaponry, vehicles and activities, it offers a rounded look at what gamers can expect when GTA 5 arrives, and we simply cannot wait until it does.

In case a reminder was ever needed, Grand Theft Auto 5 will be available from September 17th for both the Xbox 360 and PS3, with most decent retailers having been running pre-orders for a good while now. NVIDIA recently insinuated that a GTA 5 PC version would be out before the end of the year, and although Rockstar has kept mum on the subject, we’ll be sure to let you know if there is any substance to these claims in due course.

Check the official trailer below:

Nokia Lumia 1520 Phablet With 6-inch 1080p Display Spotted In The Wild, And It’s A Beast! [IMAGE]

With the third Samsung Galaxy Note almost upon us and LG having just revealed the gigantic Optimus G Pro, the phablet season is well and truly upon us. Nokia, one of the few companies yet to delve into the world of preposterously large smartphones (or tiny tablets, depending on your point of view), is rumored to be plotting its inaugural effort with the Lumia 1520, and today, an alleged snap of what appears to be a working unit has been spotted in the wild.

It’s one of those leaks where, if it is indeed real, we certainly wouldn’t have baulked at a video demonstration. With that said, it’s one of the first plausible sightings of the device, and with Lumia devices struggling against a tidal wave of iOS and Android-based handsets, Nokia is trying to cover every corner of the market in its continuous catch-up efforts.

According to a report over at WP Central, the source of this particular leak, the Lumia 1520 will boast a 6-inch display, eclipsing the amount of real estate offered by both Galaxy Notes released hitherto. Naturally, the screen goes the whole nine yards with a full-HD 1080p resolution, although beyond that, precious little else is known of the Finnish company’s next big thing.

Apparently, it will pack in a high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC, and considering most phablets on the market, save the Galaxy Mega, are all running powerful chipsets, we’d suspect this rumor to be true.

Nokia has prided itself on ensuring most of its handsets feature a better-than-the-rest camera, and while Windows Phone will remain a stumbling block for the Lumia 1520, some may be cajoled by a device with a high-end camera and a large display.

The device is still not confirmed, although numerous reports have pointed to a launch at some point next month, just before Microsoft announces Windows 8.1. Also, we covered a report a few weeks back which also suggested that a Nokia phablet is to be released this year, and therefore, keeping today’s leak in mind, we’re certain this could be it.

It’s easy to write off such a large device, particularly one on a platform that is currently, despite its inherent strengths over rivaling ecosystems, tanking. But hey, when the first Galaxy Note arrived, people laughed it off, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Still, it will be interesting to see what the reaction will be to a 6-inch device from Nokia, and we’ll keep you posted on any more interesting tidbits regarding the Lumia 1520.

(Source: WPCentral)

OS X Vulnerability Offers Root Access To Intruders

Apple likes to keep its nose clean when it comes to security flaws, and prides itself on offering consumers a slightly better deal than rivals when it comes to keeping its products water-tight from potential attacks. By and large, the company manages to remain a top of any such issues, and when such time comes as they do arise, the response is usually swift and successful. However, an old, and as-yet unpatched security flaw within OS X offers intruders a route to root, so to speak, and the method, which involves playing around with certain clock and user timestamp settings, is rather alarming.

The security bug, which has been lying dormant for around six months, could potentially allow a hacker granting almost free reign of one’s computer files. The work of Metasploit, who have created a new module making it markedly easier for the issue to be exploited, means the previously low-key issue is now at the fore, and one hopes that Apple has plans to find the necessary resolution.

The bug can be exploited using a relatively simple UNIX workaround. Usually, a Mac user would put in a password to gain top-tier access to the machine’s files, but by setting the clock to Jan. 1, 1970, time restrictions limits on privileges can be readily bypassed. This will be of some concern to Mac users, and although the threat was fairly minimal up until now, Metasploit’s work will no doubt set alarm bells ringing.

H.D. Moore, founder of Metasploit, noted that the main issue with the bug is that “it allows any user-level compromise to become root, which in turn exposes things like clear-text passwords from Keychain and makes it possible for the intruder to install a permanent rootkit.”

Versions of OS X from 10.7 to 10.8.4 are affected, since there’s no password requirement on time changes, and while Linux is also susceptible, the fact that most builds offer mandatory password protection on clock changes means the threat is much less.

Moore also added that he believes Apple should take the vulnerability “more seriously,” and although the Cupertino company is yet to comment on the new findings, let’s hope something is promptly done by Apple to protect those on OS X.

(via: ArsTechnica)