How Does Multitasking Work on the New iPhone OS 4.0?

Check out Gizmodo for the full rundown on how Multitasking works on iPhone OS 4.0.

For the user, multitasking works transparently. You will be able to answer an incoming SMS, or chat with a friend, or answer a call and keep playing the game you left to do any of those tasks. You will be able to upload photos to Flickr but you won't need to keep Flickr open. The Flickr application will keep uploading those photos while you go to read your email or check the weather.

The user interface to manage all this running apps at the same time is quite simple: Double-clicking the home button will open a tray showing all running applications. Switching to another running app is as simple as clicking on it.

Here's one example: If you are working on email and there's a link to a web page, clicking on that link will open Safari. In previous versions, that will close Mail and launch Safari. Once you were done watching that web page, you would close Safari, get back to the main iPhone menu, click on the Mail, and go back to your mail.

In this new version, however, Mail keeps running—turning into a dormant state—and Safari opens. To go back to Mail, you just double-click the home button: A dock will slide in from the bottom of the page, showing the running apps. Click on any app to switch to the app.

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GTA: Chinatown Wars for iPhone

GTA: Chinatown Wars is now available from the iTunes App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Here are the details:

• The graphics are much better than they looked in the early screenshots, falling closer to the PSP version of the game than the DS version.

• The plot and writing are classic GTA, which is to say decent, and gratuitously profane. In a good way!

• The controls aren't as awkward as they look. (Note: they look very awkward.)

• It's a full-fledged GTA title, with integrated minigames, hours of gameplay and an appropriately high price: $10.

[Gizmodo]

iPod Nano Video Fun

The newest iPod Nano has a built in video camera. So does the iPhone, but the cool thing about the iPod Nano camera is the effects functions it has. Here are some of the demos from Gizmodo.

iTunes 9.0 Available Today!

The new iTunes update will allow iPhone and iPod touch users to arrange their apps before they sync to their device.

You'll also be able to share content links through facebook and twitter.


New content will be available for music and videos purchased through the iTunes store. Liner notes, booklets, interactive dvd-type features will come along with purchases.

There is also a share from home feature that allows you to drag a song from another user's library into your library.

You won't see it in the software update right away, but you can download iTunes 9 here. [Gizmodo]

Playnice Auto-Updates Google Latitude Location for iPhone Users with Mobile Me

Developer Nat Friedman thought the same as you did (something along the lines of "f*cking stupid Apple morons"), and spent the weekend writing a script called playnice. The script will get the iPhone's location information from MobileMe, then sends it to Google's Latitude. Obviously, it only works if you are a MobileMe user, making it less useful for the rest of the mortals who are not willing to pay more dollars to Steve and his minions. [playnice via Nat Friendman via Gizmodo]

POTD: The Cops, Somebody Call Them

Oh Nintendo Wii, you're bringing pedophiles and kids together so well! So wrong! [image from Gizmodo]

Zune HD in Action

Zune HD Video Hands On from Gizmodo on Vimeo.

Gizmodo has posted this video of the new Zune HD, due out this fall, in action. The new player will feature a huge OLED touchscreen featuring playback of 720p video files and HD radio. [Gizmodo]

Slide to Unlock Underwear

Hilarious. Brilliant. Easy Access. [Gizmodo]

Help Stop Spam Calls

I think by now, everyone knows of the infamous spam call telling you (as if you weren't aware from their 23058725 previous calls) that the factory warranty on you vehicle is about to expire. Gizmodo has some suggestions to put a hopefully put an end to the spam madness!

These ridiculous people at National Auto Warranty Services (US Fidelis) are the only people to ever spam-call me on my cellphone. Now I know why.

After I told them to take me off their call list for the fifth time, I suspected something was fishy. This Reddit user finds out that they just don't give a sh*t about anything.

The company's been making calls since January '08, and has even been sued by AT&T and Verizon for spam calling their customers. For some reason, they still keep calling and making offers (legit or not, I'm not sure) about extending your factory insurance for your vehicle. If you've been getting these calls—and a lot of us here have been—hit up Reddit to see how you can file a complaint. [Reddit via Gizmodo]