Plex For iPhone & iPad Coming Soon

For a long time now, Mac OS X has had many media center replacements to choose from that are far more robust that Apple’s Front Row. Now it seems that Plex Media Center is poised to take the lead in this very competitive arena.

Plex Media Center 9 is due for imminent release and with it comes a new app for iPhone and iPad. This mobile version of Plex will allow seamless integration between the iApp and desktop version. You will be able to start watching a show on your PC and pick up right where you left off on your iPhone or iPad. All of your viewing information will be synced up perfectly.

Plex mobile app will turn your iPhone into a full-featured remote. This means that you will be able to use your phone to control Plex on your PC via your iPhone anywhere in your house. Play media where you want, when you want, with one app, your iPhone, and your PC!

If the rumors of a new version of Apple TV are true, then this new version of Plex for Mac with iOS integration will be welcome for those looking to cut off the cable companies permanently, once and for all. I look forward to that myself.

Apple's iPod, iTunes Event September 1

That Apple September music event? It's happening earlier than anyone expected this year.

Apple sent an invitation moments ago inviting us to the event next Wednesday, September 1. It'll take place at the usual spot, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, at the usual time, 10 a.m. PDT.

We'll be there live-blogging the proceedings, so be sure to come back here a week from today.

What exactly will Apple announce? Well, it's a tradition for the company to release new iPod hardware in September. This year, it's widely expected Apple will add the "Retina" display and front-facing camera of the iPhone 4 to the iPod Touch. There's also been speculation about changes coming to Apple TV, including a scaled-down device, a much lower price tag of $99, and access to the App Store.
On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Apple would be introducing 99-cent TV show rentals at this event, but said that event would take place September 7.

Apple Releases iOS Patch To Fix PDF Security Flaw

Apple has quickly released a patch for the recently uncovered security flaw with how Mobile Safari handles PDF files in iOS 4.0.1 and earlier for the iPod Touch and iPhone, and iOS 3.2.1 and earlier for the iPad.

The iPhone Dev Team uncovered the flaw and released software that took advantage of it to jailbreak iOS devices when you visit its Web site.

A week ago, CNET reported that Apple was preparing a fix, but there was no mention of when Apple would release it.

The update to fix this problem should now be available via iTunes, and we recommended that you install it; however, be sure to back up your iOS devices before applying the updates.

Hackers Release Browser-Based iPhone 4 Jailbreak

The unlocked iPhone 4 is now technically legal and technically possible.

Just days after the U.S. Copyright Office ruled that bypassing a manufacturer's protection mechanisms to allow "handsets to execute software applications" no longer violates federal copyright law, the iPhone Dev Team on Sunday released a jailbreak for the iPhone 4 at JailbreakMe.com.

Unlike previous jailbreaks, which required the device to be connected to a computer to run the update, the latest jailbreak is accomplished completely via mobile Safari loaded on the device. The browser-based software bypass reportedly works on all iOS devices, including iPhones, iPads, and iPods running iOS 4 and iOS 4.01, but it will reportedly not work on devices running the iOS 4.1 beta.

Also, some users report the jailbreak disrupts FaceTime and MMS functionality on the device.

However, as of this writing, demand for the jailbreak is apparently so strong that the site's servers can't keep up, and many visitors report difficulty in getting through.

Jailbreaking allows devices to run apps not approved by the company producing the operating system--such as Apple, the main target of such bypasses. Jailbreaking also allows devices to run on nonauthorized networks.

While the U.S. Copyright Office has declared the software legal, Apple discourages users from loading the bypass, reminding them that doing so will void their device's warranty. "As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably," Apple said in a statement earlier this week.