Monday, April 21, 2008

Hiding Pitures on iphone - Dead Easy

here is how to hide pictures or any type of file on your iphone, it can be accessed by the iphone Safari. this is for iphone 1.1.3/1.1.4:

1. go to the installer --> Tweaks 1.1.3 --> install the '1.1.3/4 Safari Patch. This will add the file:// support to your safari so you can access system files OFFLINE using Safari.

2. now you can use 'iphonebrowser' to access the iphone's system directory.
you can download 'iphonebrowser' from here: http://code.google.com/p/iphonebrowser/downloads/list

3. using the iphonebrowser you can create a folder - call it 'hidden' for example.

4. simply drag and drop the pics in this folder - example 'hot_Elyna.jpg'

5. Now.. when you want to access these pics all you have to do is go to iphone's Safari --> type in 'file://.....(here you enter the directory address)
As for this example you will enter 'file://hidden/hot_Elyna.jpg'

... so basically that's it... this method can also be used to access DOCs and PDFs on your iphone.

iPhone Almighty

What is iPhone?

The iPhone is an Internet-enabled multimedia mobile phone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. It has a multi-touch screen with virtual keyboard and buttons. The iPhone's functions include those of a portable media player (iPod), camera, in addition to text messaging and visual voicemail. It also offers Internet services including e-mail, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. It is a quad-band mobile phone that uses the GSM standard, and hence has international capability. It supports the EDGE data technology. The iPhone is a prime example of converged device.
Apple announced the iPhone in January 2007.[7] The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculations that circulated for several months.[8] The iPhone was introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007, with releases in the United Kingdom, Germany and France in November 2007, and in Ireland and Austria in March 2008.[9][1] It was named Time magazine's Invention of the Year in 2007.[10]

Features
The iPhone allows conferencing, call holding, call merging, caller ID, and integration with other cellular network features and iPhone functions. For example, a playing song fades out when the user receives a call. Once the call is ended the music fades back in. Voice dialing is not supported by the iPhone.
The iPhone includes a Visual Voicemail feature allowing users to view a list of current voicemail messages on-screen without having to call into their voicemail. Unlike most other systems, messages can be listened to and deleted in a non-chronological order by choosing any message from an on-screen list. AT&T, O2, T-Mobile and Orange modified their voicemail infrastructure to accommodate this new feature designed by Apple. A lawsuit has been filed against Apple and AT&T by a company called Klausner Technologies claiming the iPhone's Visual Voicemail feature infringes two patents.[11]
A ringtone feature was introduced in the United States on September 5, 2007, but is not yet available in all countries where the iPhone has been released. This feature allows users to create custom ringtones from their purchased iTunes music for an additional fee, the same price of a song. The ringtones can be from 3 to 30 seconds in length of any part of a song, can include fading in and out, can pause from half a second to five seconds when looped, and never expire. All customizing can be done in iTunes, and the synced ringtones can also be used for alarms on the iPhone. Custom ringtones can also be created using Apple's GarageBand software 4.1.1 or later (available only on Mac OS X)[12] and third-party tools.[13]
Apple has released a video explaining many of iPhone's features through a series of demonstrations.[14]

Multimedia

Cover Flow on the iPhone.
The layout of the music library differs from previous iPods, with the sections divided more clearly alphabetically, and with a larger font. Similar to previous iPods, the iPhone can sort its media library by songs, artists, albums, videos, playlists, genres, composers, podcasts, audiobooks, and compilations. Cover Flow, like that on iTunes, shows the different album covers in a scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by swiping a finger across the screen.
Like the fifth generation iPods introduced in 2005, the iPhone can play video, allowing users to watch TV shows and films. Unlike other image-related content, video on the iPhone plays only in the landscape orientation, when the phone is turned sideways. Double tapping switches between wide-screen and full-screen video playback.
The iPhone allows users to purchase and download songs from the iTunes Store directly to their iPhone over Wi-Fi with the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, but not over the cellular data network.[15]

Internet connectivity
Internet access is available when the iPhone is connected to a local area Wi-Fi or a wide area EDGE network. The iPhone is not able to use AT&T's 3G or AT&T's HSDPA network. Steve Jobs has stated 3G would need to become more widespread in the United States and much more energy efficient before it's included in the iPhone.[16][17] By default, the iPhone will ask to join newly discovered Wi-Fi networks and prompt for the password when required, while also supporting manually joining closed Wi-Fi networks.[18] When Wi-Fi is active, it will automatically switch from the EDGE network to any nearby previously approved Wi-Fi network.[19]
Before the launch, some reviewers found the EDGE network "excruciatingly slow," with the iPhone taking as long as 100 seconds to download the Yahoo! home page for the first time.[20] Immediately before the launch, the observed speed of the network increased to almost 200 kbit/s.[21] This is probably due to the new "Fine EDGE" upgrades AT&T had been making to their network prior to the launch.[22]
The EDGE network benefits iPhone users in the U.S. by providing greater availability than 3G, as carriers based in the U.S. do not have full 3G coverage.[23] By contrast, 3G coverage ranges from 60 to 90-percent in the United Kingdom.[24]
Since the iPhone's inception, the use of the handset for Internet connectivity has exposed one or more trends. According to AT&T and Google, the iPhone generated 50 times more search requests than any other mobile handset.[25] The iPhone also increased the average wireless data usage as much as 30 times higher than on other phones, or 100MB per iPhone customer.[26]

Web accessibility

Wikipedia on the iPhone's Safari web browser.
The iPhone is able to access the World Wide Web via a modified version of the Safari web browser. Web pages may be viewed in portrait or landscape mode and supports automatic zooming by pinching together or spreading apart fingertips on the screen, or by double-tapping text or images.[27] The web browser displays full web pages as opposed to simplified pages as on most non-smartphones.
The iPhone does not support Flash.[28] Although the iPhone does not include Java technology in its out-of-the-box configuration,[29] Sun Microsystems announced on March 7, 2008 that it would make Java available after June 2008.[30]
Apple developed an iPhone application for accessing Google's maps service in map or satellite form, a list of search results, or directions between two locations, while providing optional real-time traffic information. During the product's announcement, Jobs demonstrated this feature by searching for nearby Starbucks locations and then placing a prank call to one with a single tap.[31][32] Though Flash isn't supported in Safari on the iPhone, Apple also developed a separate application to view YouTube videos on the iPhone, similar to the system used for the Apple TV.

E-mail
The iPhone also features an e-mail program that supports HTML e-mail, which enables the user to embed photos in an e-mail message. PDF, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Excel attachments to mail messages can be viewed on the phone.[33] Yahoo! and Google's Gmail[34] currently offer a free Push-IMAP e-mail service similar to that on a BlackBerry for the iPhone; IMAP and POP3 mail standards are also supported, including Microsoft Exchange[35] and Kerio MailServer.[36] This is currently accomplished by opening up IMAP on the Exchange server; however, Apple announced it has licensed Microsoft ActiveSync and will fully support the platform in June of 2008 when the iPhone 2.0 firmware (currently referred to as 1.2) is released. -- iPhone to support Exchange The iPhone will sync e-mail account settings over from Apple's own Mail application, Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Entourage, or manually configured using the device's Settings tool. With the correct settings, the e-mail program can check almost any IMAP or POP3 account[37]

Others
The iPhone features a built in 2.0 megapixel camera, without a flash or autofocus, located on the back for still digital photos, but does not support video recording. It also includes software that allows the user to upload, view, and e-mail photos. The user zooms in and out of photos by "unpinching" and "pinching" them through the multi-touch interface. The software interacts with iPhoto on the Mac and Photoshop in Windows.
The built-in Bluetooth 2.x+EDR supports wireless earpieces (which requires the HSP profile), but notably does not support stereo audio (requires A2DP), laptop tethering (requires DUN and SPP), or the OBEX file transfer protocol (requires FTP, GOEP, and OPP).
Text messages are presented chronologically in a mailbox format similar to Mail, which places all text from recipients together with replies. Text messages are displayed in speech bubbles (similar to iChat) under each recipient's name. The iPhone currently does have built-in support for e-mail message forwarding, drafts, and direct internal camera-to-e-mail picture sending. However, it does not yet have capabilities for delivery reports, instant messaging, MMS, or copy/cut/paste.[38] Some of these functions are accessible via free Safari-based "applications" called "Web Apps," as well as by free "hacked" native applications, though at this time Apple only sanctions the use of Web Apps. Support for multi-recipient SMS was added in the January 2008 (v1.1.3) software update.

Interface
The display responds to three sensors: a proximity sensor that shuts off the display and touchscreen when the iPhone is brought near the face to save battery power and to prevent inadvertent inputs from the user's face and ears, an ambient light sensor that adjusts the display brightness which in turn saves battery power, and a 3-axis accelerometer,[39] which senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly. Photo browsing, web browsing, and music playing support both upright and left or right widescreen orientations, while videos play in only one widescreen orientation.
A single "home" hardware button below the display brings up the main menu. Subselections are made via the touchscreen. The iPhone utilizes a full-paged display, with context-specific submenus at the top and/or bottom of each page, sometimes depending on screen orientation. Detail pages display the equivalent of a "Back" button to go up one menu.
The iPhone has three physical switches on its sides: wake/sleep, volume up/down, and ringer on/off. All other multimedia and phone operations are done via the touch screen.
The iPhone interface enables the user to move the content itself up or down by a touch-drag motion of the finger, much as one would freely slide or flick a playing card across a table with a finger. Similarly, scrolling through a long list in a menu works as if the list is pasted on the outer surface of a wheel: the wheel can be "spun" by sliding a finger over the display from bottom to top (or vice versa). In either case, the object continues to move based on the flicking motion of the finger, slowly decelerating as if affected by friction. In this way, the interface simulates the physics of 3D objects, giving it a real world feel.
The photo album and web page magnifications are examples of multi-touch sensing. It is possible to zoom in and out of web pages and photos by placing two fingers (e.g. thumb and forefinger) on the screen and spreading them farther apart or closer together, as if stretching or squeezing the image. As can be intuitively expected from multi-touch sensing, the two fingers don't have to be from the same hand.

Text input

Virtual keyboard on the touchscreen.
For text input, the device implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has automatic spell checking and correction, predictive word capabilities, and a dynamic dictionary that learns new words. The predictive word capabilities have been integrated with the dynamic virtual keyboard so that users will not have to be extremely accurate when typing—i.e. touching the edges of the desired letter or nearby letters on the keyboard will be predictively corrected when possible. The keys are somewhat larger and spaced farther apart when in landscape mode, currently only available using the Safari web browser. Not focusing more on texting has been considered a chief weakness of the iPhone, while at the same time others believe the virtual keyboard to be a bold step and a worthwhile risk.[40]
David Pogue of The New York Times and Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal both tested the iPhone for two weeks and found learning to use it initially difficult, although eventually usable. Pogue stated use was "frustrating" at first, but "once you stop stressing about each individual letter and just plow ahead, speed and accuracy pick up considerably." After five days of use, Mossberg "was able to type on it as quickly and accurately as he could on the Palm Treo he has used for years," and considered the keyboard a "nonissue." Both found that the typo-correcting feature of the iPhone was the key to using the virtual keyboard successfully.[20][41]

Hardware

Rear view
According to The Wall Street Journal, the iPhone is manufactured on contract in the Longhua, Shenzhen factory of the Taiwanese company Foxconn.[42] Conditions for workers at the factory have been a matter of controversy.[43]
Touch screen
The 3.5 in liquid crystal display (320×480 px at 160 ppi) HVGA touch screen topped with optical-quality, scratch-resistant glass[44] is specifically created for use with a finger, or multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing. Because the screen is a capacitive touch screen, no stylus is needed, nor can one be used.[45][16] Bare skin is a requirement; users wearing gloves would have to remove them to use the touchpad,[46] unless they are wearing electrically conductive gloves.[47]
The user interface also features other visual effects, such as horizontally sliding sub-selections and co-selections from right and left, vertically sliding system menus from the bottom (e.g. favorites, keyboard), and menus and widgets that turn around to allow settings to be configured on their back sides.
Audio
The iPhone's headphones are similar to those of current iPods, but also incorporate a microphone. A multipurpose button in the microphone can be used to play or pause music, skip tracks, and answer or end phone calls without touching the iPhone. The 3.5 mm TRS connector for the headphones is located on the top left corner (as seen from front upright). Wireless earpieces that use Bluetooth technology to communicate with the iPhone are sold separately. The headphone socket on the iPhone is recessed into the casing and is narrow when compared to some headphone jacks, making it incompatible with most headphones without the use of an adapter.[48]
The loudspeaker is used both for handsfree operations and media playback, but does not support voice recording.
Composite or component video at up to 576i and stereo audio can be output from the dock connector using an adapter sold by Apple.[49]
Battery
The iPhone features a built-in rechargeable battery that is not intended to be user-replaceable, similar to existing iPods. If the battery prematurely reaches the end of its life time, the phone can be returned to Apple and replaced for free while still in warranty,[50] one year at purchase and extended to two years with AppleCare. The cost of having Apple provide a new battery and replace it when the iPhone is out of warranty is US$79 and US$6.95 for shipping.[51]
Since July 2007 third party battery packs have been available[52] at a much lower price than Apple's own battery replacement program. These kits often include a small screwdriver and an instruction leaflet, but as with many newer iPod models the battery has been soldered in. Therefore a soldering iron is required to install the new battery. Many such replacement kits are sold on eBay.
The battery is stated to be capable of providing up to seven hours of video, six hours of web browsing, or eight hours of talk time (depending on configuration). The battery life for music playing is stated to be 24 hours.[44] The battery also allows for up to 250 hours of standby time. Apple's site says that the battery life "is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity after 400 full charge and discharge cycles,"[53] which turns out to be the same as for the iPod batteries. When the battery reaches only 80% capacity, it would be providing approximately 5.6 hours of video, 4.8 hours of web browsing, 6.4 hours of talk time, or 19.2 hours of music playing, depending on configuration.
The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a consumer advocate group, has sent a complaint to Apple and AT&T over the fee that consumers have to pay to get the battery replaced.[54] Though the battery replacement service and its pricing was not made known to buyers until the day the product was launched,[54][55] a similar service had been well established for the iPods by Apple and various third party service providers.

The iPhone's SIM card slot having been ejected.
SIM card
The SIM card is located in a slot at the top of the device,[14] and the device is activated through iTunes.[56] The iPhone is usually sold with a simlock preventing the use of SIM cards from different mobile networks.
Storage
The iPhone was initially released with two options for internal storage size, either a 4 GB or 8 GB flash drive (manufactured by Samsung) model was available. On September 5, 2007, Apple announced they were discontinuing the 4 GB models.[57] On February 5, 2008, Apple announced the addition of a 16 GB model to the iPhone lineup.[58] The iPhone does not contain any external memory card slots for expanded storage.

Software
Main article: iPhone OS
iPhone OS is the operating system that runs on the iPhone and iPod Touch. It is based on a variant of the same basic Mach kernel that is found in Mac OS X. iPhone OS includes the software component "Core Animation" from Mac OS X v10.5 which, together with the PowerVR MBX 3D hardware, is responsible for the smooth animations used in its user interface. The operating system takes up considerably less than half a GB of the device's total 8 GB or 16 GB storage.[59] It will be capable of supporting bundled and future applications from Apple.
The iPhone is managed with iTunes version 7.3 or later, which is compatible with Mac OS X version 10.4.10 or later, and 32-bit Windows XP or Vista.[60] The release of iTunes 7.6 expanded this support to include 64-bit versions of Vista,[61] and a workaround has been discovered for previous 64-bit Windows operating systems.[62]
The iPhone's CPU is an ARM-based processor instead of the x86 and PowerPC processors used in Apple's computers. This means applications can not simply be copied from Mac OS X and have to be written and compiled specifically for the iPhone. Additionally, the Safari web browser supports web applications written with AJAX, which, by design, are platform agnostic applications.

Applications
See also: iPhone SDK

A photo on the iPhone.
There are several applications located on the "Home" screen: Text (SMS messaging), Calendar, Photos, Camera, YouTube, Stocks, Maps (Google Maps), Weather, Clock, Calculator, Notes, Settings, and iTunes. Four other applications delineate the iPhone's main purposes: Phone, Mail, Safari, and iPod.[63]
The YouTube application streams videos over Wi-Fi and/or EDGE after encoding them using QuickTime's H.264 codec, to which YouTube has converted about 10,000 videos. They are expected to convert the entire catalog by the third quarter of 2007.[citation needed] As a result, the YouTube application on iPhone can currently view only a certain selection of videos from the site.[64] Also, because YouTube displays videos using Flash, the iPhone can only view videos through the YouTube application as opposed to accessing the YouTube website using Safari.
At WWDC 2007 on June 11, 2007 Apple announced that the iPhone will support third-party "applications" via the Safari web browser that share the look and feel of the iPhone interface. On October 17, 2007, Steve Jobs, in an open letter posted to Apple's "Hot News" weblog, announced that a software development kit (SDK) would be made available to third-party developers in February 2008. Due to security concerns and Jobs' praise of Nokia's digital signature system, it is suggested that Apple will adopt a similar method. The SDK will also allow application development for the iPod touch.[65] The iPhone SDK was officially announced on March 6, 2008, at the Apple Town Hall facility.[66] The SDK will allow developers to develop native applications for the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as test them in an "iPhone simulator". However, loading an application onto the devices is only possible after paying a US$99 Apple Developer Connection membership fee. Developers are free to set any price for their applications to be distributed through the App Store, of which they will receive a 70-percent share. Developers can also opt to release the application for free and will not pay any costs to release or distribute the application beyond the US$99 membership fee. The SDK is available immediately, while the launch of applications will require waiting until a firmware update in June 2008. This update will be free for iPhone users, however, there will be a charge for iPod touch owners.
Many third party Safari "applications" and un-signed native applications are also available.[67] The ability to install native applications onto the iPhone outside of the App Store will not be supported by Apple. Such native applications could be broken by any software update, but Apple has stated it will not design software updates specifically to break native applications other than applications that perform SIM unlocking.[68]

Software updates
Main article: iPhone OS version history
Apple provides free updates to the iPhone's operating system through iTunes, in a similar fashion to the way that iPods are updated.[69] Security patches, as well as new and improved features, may be released in this fashion.[70]

History
Main article: History of the iPhone

iPhone quarterly sales
The genesis of the iPhone began with Apple CEO Steve Jobs' direction that Apple engineers investigate touch-screens.[31] Apple created the device during a secretive and unprecedented collaboration with AT&T Mobility—Cingular Wireless at the time of the phone's inception—at a development cost of US$150 million by one estimate. During development, the iPhone was codenamed "Purple 2."[71] The company rejected an early "design by committee" built with Motorola in favor of engineering a custom operating system and interface and building custom hardware.
The iPhone went on sale on June 29, 2007. Apple closed its stores at 2:00 PM local time to prepare for the 6:00 PM iPhone launch, while hundreds of customers lined up at stores nationwide.[72] They sold 270,000 iPhones in the first 30 hours on launch weekend.[73]
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom has signed up 70,000 iPhone customers during the eleven-week-long period of November 9, 2007 to January 26, 2008.[74] In the United Kingdom, it has been estimated that 190,000 customers have signed with O2 during an eight-week period from the November 9, 2007 launch date to January 9, 2008.[75]

Specifications

Size comparison between a first generation iPod nano, the iPhone, and a fourth generation iPod, from top to bottom.
The specifications as listed on Apple's website are:[76]
Screen size: 8.9 cm (3.5 in)
Screen resolution: 320×480 pixels at 163 ppi
Input method: Multi-touch screen interface plus a "Home" button
Operating System: iPhone OS
Storage: 8 or 16 GB flash memory (4 GB model discontinued)
Quad band GSM (GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800, GSM 1900)
Wi-Fi (802.11g), EDGE and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
2 megapixel camera
Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 8 hours of talk, 6 hours of Internet use, 7 hours of video playback, and up to 24 hours of audio playback, lasting over 250 hours on standby.[44]
Size: 115×61×11.6 mm (4.5×2.4×0.46 in)
Weight: 135 g (4.8 oz)
Digital SAR of 0.974 W/kg[77][78]
An analysis of the iPhone's firmware has revealed that the main Samsung chip (designated S5L8900) contains an ARM 1176 processor, together with a PowerVR MBX 3D graphics co-processor.[79]

Patents, copyrights and trademarks
Apple has filed more than 300 patents related to the technology behind the iPhone.[80][81]
LG Electronics claimed the iPhone's design was copied from the LG Prada. Woo-Young Kwak, head of LG Mobile Handset R&D Center, said at a press conference, “We consider that Apple copied Prada phone after the design was unveiled when it was presented in the iF Design Award and won the prize in September 2006.”[82]
On September 3, 1993, Infogear filed for the U.S. trademark "I PHONE"[83] and on March 20, 1996 applied for the trademark "IPhone".[84] "I Phone" was registered in March 1998,[83] and "IPhone" was registered in 1999.[84] Since then, the I PHONE mark has been abandoned.[83] Infogear's trademarks cover "communications terminals comprising computer hardware and software providing integrated telephone, data communications and personal computer functions" (1993 filing),[83] and "computer hardware and software for providing integrated telephone communication with computerized global information networks" (1996 filing).[85] Infogear released a telephone with an integrated web browser under the name iPhone in 1998.[86] In 2000, Infogear won an infringement claim against the owners of the iphones.com domain name.[87] In June 2000, Cisco Systems acquired Infogear, including the iPhone trademark.[88] On December 18, 2006 they released a range of re-branded Voice over IP (VoIP) sets under the name iPhone.[89]
In October 2002, Apple applied for the "iPhone" trademark in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and the European Union. A Canadian application followed in October 2004 and a New Zealand application in September 2006. As of October 2006 only the Singapore and Australian applications had been granted. In September 2006, a company called Ocean Telecom Services applied for an "iPhone" trademark in the United States, United Kingdom and Hong Kong, following a filing in Trinidad and Tobago.[90] As the Ocean Telecom trademark applications use exactly the same wording as Apple's New Zealand application, it is assumed that Ocean Telecom is applying on behalf of Apple.[91] The Canadian application was opposed in August 2005 by a Canadian company called Comwave who themselves applied for the trademark three months later. Comwave have been selling VoIP devices called iPhone since 2004.[88]
Shortly after Steve Jobs' January 9, 2007 announcement that Apple would be selling a product called iPhone in June 2007, Cisco issued a statement that it had been negotiating trademark licensing with Apple and expected Apple to agree to the final documents that had been submitted the night before.[92] On January 10, 2007 Cisco announced it had filed a lawsuit against Apple over the infringement of the trademark iPhone, seeking an injunction in federal court to prohibit Apple from using the name.[93] More recently, Cisco claimed that the trademark lawsuit was a "minor skirmish" that was not about money, but about interoperability.[94]
On February 2, 2007, Apple and Cisco announced that they had agreed to temporarily suspend litigation while they hold settlement talks,[95] and subsequently announced on February 20, 2007 that they had reached an agreement. Both companies will be allowed to use the "iPhone" name[96] in exchange for "exploring interoperability" between their security, consumer, and business communications products.[97]

Unlocking
While initially iPhones were only sold on the AT&T network with a SIM lock in place, various hackers have found methods to "unlock" the phone; more recently some carriers[98] have started to sell unlocked iPhones. More than a quarter of iPhones sold in the United States were not registered with AT&T. Apple speculates that they were likely shipped overseas and unlocked.[99]
On November 21, 2007, T-Mobile in Germany announced it would sell the phone unlocked and without a T-Mobile contract, caused by a preliminary injunction against T-Mobile put in place by their competitor Vodafone. In Germany, a company is not allowed to lock the SIM card to itself.[100] On December 4, 2007, a German court decided to grant T-Mobile exclusive rights to sell the iPhone with SIM lock, overturning the temporary injunction.[101] In addition, T-Mobile will unlock the iPhone at the termination of a customer's contract.[102]
The iPhone normally prevents access to its media player and web features unless it has also been activated as a phone with an authorized carrier. On July 3, 2007, Jon Lech Johansen reported on his blog that he had successfully bypassed this requirement and unlocked the iPhone's other features with a combination of custom software and modification of the iTunes binary. He published the software and offsets for others to use.[103]

NEED TO UNLOCK UR IPHONE?
I perssonally recommend the Ziphone (www.ziphone.org), perssonally tested on iphone 1.1.4 OTB. WORKS LIKE A CHARM.... with zero probz.....

Saturday, April 19, 2008

armor all

Grand Chase - New Events, New Equipment, 2 New Dungeons = 1 Amazing Chase!
Ntreev USA, Inc. announced the addition of new items, missions, events, new maps, and more for the exclusive North American release of Grand Chase, the Action Adventure MMO Brawler developed by KOG.
Two New Dungeons For The Price Of One!
In the newest content update and patch for the popular Action Adventure MMO Brawler, Grand Chase, two brand new Dungeons have been released! Consisting of the Ellia Continent Dungeon and the Temple of Fire Dungeon, these new areas offer even more action, adventure and challenges to the battle-hardened and steadfast forces of good, the Grand Chase Knights! Each Dungeon includes multiple rooms, branching paths, new monsters and their own unique Bosses!
To enter the new Ellia Continent Dungeon, Knights must complete the Partusay Sea Dungeon, while completion of the Ellia Continent Dungeon will unlock the Temple of Fire.
For more information regarding the newest areas to be released for the Grand Chase Knights, including new monsters, new Dungeons and new Bosses, make sure to check the official Grand Chase website.
Two New Dungeons Are Here!
New Dungeons Unleash A New Event! Are You Up To The Ellia Continent Dungeon Challenge!
The release of the new Temple of Fire and Ellia Continent Dungeons has spawned much enthusiasm amongst the Knights of Grand Chase, and to help celebrate this new expansion, Grand Chase is offering a brand new Event! This Event is known as the Ellia Continent Dungeon Challenge and will offer amazing, exclusive in-game rewards for all Knights who successfully complete the tasks before them. To gain these much sought-after and impressive in-game wears, Knights must complete a new challenge in the form of a Quest, on specified days between April 16th and May 1st 2008. Each eligible day a new Quest will be given to every Knight in Grand Chase who logs in to the game, and the successful completion of the Quest will unlock a piece of the Dragon Set. Each item is on a 15 day timer and exclusive to the Event itself. The Dragon Tail and Dragon Shield can be obtained from the Ellia Continent Dungeon Quests, while the Dragon Horns and Dragon Wings can be obtained from the Temple of Fire Quests!
For a complete listing of the available days of the Event, the missions and Characters that are require competition to qualify for the pieces of the exclusive Dragon Set and all other details regarding this brand new Grand Chase Event, make sure to check the official Grand Chase website.
Are You Up To The Challenge? Ellia Continent Dungeon Challenge Is Live!
New Items, Equipment, Armor, Accessories And Weapons Are Coming To Aid The Grand Chase Knights! Candy, Moonlight and Crystalline, Oh My!
As the newest areas for Grand Chase has been unveiled, as well as the new special Ellia Continent Dungeon Challenge Event, it should come as no surprise that Grand Chase is also releasing brand new Equipment, Armor, Accessories and Weapons for the Grand Chase Knights to help them improve their martial prowess! New items and equipment will be available in both sets and as individual purchases from the in-game Shop. These newest additions to the Knights' arsenal are available for purchase with both Ntreev Cash Points and with the in-game currency (GP) as relevant. Make sure to check out the new Crystalline Armor (All Characters), Candy Armor (Ronan) and Moonlight Armor (GP purchase!) sets!
For the best up-to-date information on these and all the newest items, equipment, armor, weapons accessories and more available to help the Grand Chase Knights defeat the forces of evil, make sure to check the official Grand Chase website.
New Items, Equipment, Armor And More - Get What You Need To Join The Chase!
Join The Chase, Save The World!
Grand Chase is a fast-paced, heart-pounding action brawler that combines elements of traditional RPG character advancement and customization, and adds new cooperative and competitive elements for players who aren't afraid to put their brawling skills to the test! Grand Chase raises the bar for free-to-play online gaming; setting itself apart from the pack with superior quality, design and execution. Grand Chase is title unlike any other and is poised to make its mark on the North American, English market!
The North American release of Grand Chase is not only the most enhanced and upgraded version of the game available in the English market, it is also a completely different and unique title that pushes the boundaries of traditional online gaming fare. A fully realized fantasy world sets the stage for high adventure and epic action as players join the forces of the Grand Chase Knights to fight the evil Kaze'aze and protect not only the land of Bermesiah!
This completely Free-to-Play, five star title is being brought to North America for the first time ever through online game publisher, Ntreev USA Inc.
Players who think they have the skill, who are ready to battle the forces of evil and protect the land of Bermesiah by becoming Knights of Grand Chase should immediately go to the official website, and Join the Chase to Save the World!

Friday, April 18, 2008

5.4 earthquake rocks Illinois; also felt in Indiana

(CNN) -- A magnitude-5.2 earthquake, centered 131 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, shook southern Illinois early Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
There were few reports of damage immediately after the predawn quake, which struck at 4:36 a.m. (5:36 a.m. ET), but CNN affiliate WHAS-TV in Louisville, Kentucky, showed footage of rubble left in a street after a cornice fell off a brick building there.
The epicenter of the earthquake was about three miles below ground, six miles northwest of Mount Carmel, Illinois, and 38 miles north-northwest of Evansville, Indiana, according to the USGS.
Don't Miss
WRTV: Earthquake felt across Indiana
iReport.com: Quake damage? Send your pictures and video
People as far north as southern Michigan and as far west as Des Moines, Iowa, reported feeling the quake, according to The Associated Press. Map »
Air traffic was halted for an hour at Indianapolis International Airport while the control tower was evacuated, CNN affiliate WRTV-TV in the Indiana city reported.
At least 30 people reported feeling the quake in Clarksville, Tennessee -- 227 miles south of the epicenter -- according to the USGS Web site.
Buildings swayed in Chicago's Loop and people were shaken awake in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the AP reported.
People as far away as southwest Michigan and northeast Georgia e-mailed CNN to say they felt the tremor.
"It shook our house where it woke me up," David Behm of Philo, Illinois, told the AP. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."
Radio talk-show host George Noory said he felt the quake in his St. Louis home.
"Everything shook," Noory said. "I thought the building was going to collapse."

iphone installer sources


List of All Rogue Installer Sources
This is a list of all of the known Installer sources in alphabetical order.
Remember to always be careful when using these sources,
we take no responsibility for what you do with them.
They are not official and may cause problems on your iPhone/iPod Touch.
To add these to Installer, check out this guide.

Original Secure
AppTapp Official: repository.apptapp.com
Conceited Software: conceitedsoftware.com/iphone
Ste Packaging: repo.smxy.org/iphone-apps/

Original Three
HighTymes: hightymes.org/iphone/plist/index.xml (NOT COMPATIBLE WITH 1.1.1)
iSwitcher: www.meachware.com/list.xml
Loring Studios: loringstudios.com/iPhone-schnapps/index.xml (temporarily shutdown)

All of The Others
AlliPodHax: ipodhackz.com/index.xml (Installs All Sources)
AlohaSoft: (Aqwoah theme available after donation)
Apogee LTD: apogeeltd.com
BigBoss: sleepers.net/iphonerepo (Bigboss' apps, themes, scripts)
BigBoss Beta: sleepers.net/iphonerepobeta (BigBoss' beta stuff)
Byooi Digicide: byooi.com/iphone/digicide.plist (Jiggy Apps)
BlackWolf m8an.de/ownrisk.xml (Use at your own risk. Extended Preferences)
Caissa: caissa.us (Caissa native chess)
CedSoft: prog.cedsoft.free.fr (iSnake/Bounce)
Code Genocide (Adults Only): repo.codegenocide.com (iSteamy)
CopyCoders: homepage.mac.com/hartsteins/copycoders/copycoders.xml (Network Apps)
Death to Design: iphone.deathtodesign.com
Dlubbat: www.dlubbat.com/iphone.xml (TextTwist)
Earth3D: s.imov.eu (Earth3D 3D representation of the earth)
Fight Club: dezign999.com/repo
Gogosoft: www.blackblack.org/gogobeta.plist (NetChess)
iApp-a-Day: iappaday.com/install
iBlackjack: patrickmccarron.com/irepo
iJailbreak: ijailbreak.com/repo.plist
iPodTouchMaster: ipodtouchmaster.com/files/repo.xml (1.1.3/4 Jailbreak & iPhone Apps For 1.1.1/2/3/4)
iPhoneDevDocs: idevdocs.com/install
iPhoneSurge: iphonesurge.com/installer.xml
iSolitaire: iphone.rustyredwagon.com/repo
iSpazio Official repo.ispazio.net
iThemes: imagine09.com/IndexAE.xml
iUnlock: i.unlock.no
Limited Edition iPhone: limitededitioniphone.com/lei.xml
Marco Giorgini: marcogiorgini.com/iPhone/plist.xml (Yeti3D, Pac3D)
Mateo: bblk.net/iphone (BeatPhone)
MNPlight: movenplay.gforge.inria.fr/iphone (MoveNPlay Client, Manage iTunes, contacts and so forth)
Mobile Stacks: mobilestack.googlecode.com/svn/repository/internal.plist
Moyashi: hpcgi3.nifty.com/moyashi/ipodtouch/repository.cgi
MTL: home.mike.tl/iphone
New Att iPhone: newattiphone.com/repo.xml (Tetris, Penguin Panic)
Niffob: niffob.com/triphone.xml (Themes and more)
Nuclear Design: nucleardesign.net/repository
PBF: polarbearfarm.com/repo (Showtime Video Recorder)
peeInMyPantz potty: potty.peeinmypantz.com (Guide to Singapore Public Transport)
Pyrofer's Projects: pyrofersprojects.com/repos/repos.xml
R4m0n: iphone.r4m0n.net/repos (iPhysics)
Robota Softwarehouse: iphone.robota.nl (Chess, Screenshot, iGo, iSpit, iLevel, Sysinfo)
scummVM: urbanfanatics.com/scummvm.xml
Shai's Apps: ride4.org/shai.xml (Customize Addons, and install over 70 sources)
ShopList: mazinger.cs.yale.edu/iphone-apps/index.xml (ShopList)
Simek's Graphic: simek.ddl2.pl
SimPort: install.ifon.no (Import contacts directly off your SIM card to iPhone)
SNES: frankssnesroms.890m.com/REPO/snesroms.xml (SNES Emulator)
SoSsiPhone: rep.sosiphone.com (ContactFlow)
SpoofApp: www.SpoofApp.com/source (CallerID Spoofing)
Studded: studded.net/installer/index.xml
Swell: lyndellwiggins.com/installer/Swell
Touch Fans: touchrepo.com/betarepo.xml
Touchmod Team: touchmods.net/rep.xml (Sip client for the iTouch)
weiPhone: app.weiphone.com/installer (weTools/weDict)
Wizdom on Wheels: iphoneapps.wizdomonwheels.com (Common website links)
Zodttd: zodttd.com/repo (Gameboy advance, openttd and psx4all)

Languages
Arabic: apps.iphoneislam.com
Chinese: iphone.org.hk/repository.plist
Danish: iphone.vildmedmac.dk/install
FrenchIphone: rep.frenchiphone.com
German: sendowski.de/iphone
Greek: greek-iphone.com/grloc
Hebrew עברית: ihebrew.net
Norwegian - iFon: install.ifon.no
Persian: s.myiphone.ir
Polish - iPolish(1.1.2): wakoman.ovh.org/iphone
Português-Brasil(1.1.2): iphonemod.com.br/forum/repo/installer.xml
Russian iPhone по-русски russianiphone.ru/beta
Russian Tools (in English) russianiphone.ru/beta/en
SimpleiPhone (in Spanish): simplezaweb.com/repo/installer.xml ¡¡PLEASE REMOVE THIS FROM YOUR INSTALLER, SORRY!!
Spanish Phyros iPhone-ES: iphone.frickr.es/index.xml
Swedish iFun: ifun.se/swe
Thai: pradt.net/iphone
Taiwanese: iphone4.tw/unlock
Taiwan: iphone4.tw/showme (SummerBoard Themes)
Türkçe: niffob.com/triphone.xml
Vietnamese: iphone.billydragon.net

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

US Army To Replace F-177 Jets With F-22 Raptor

US Army To Replace F-177 Jets With F-22 Raptor

Posted in: World fighter jets
After 27 years of service in US Army the famous fighter jets F-177 will be replaced by F-22 Raptor having the same stealth technology.

The Nighthawk has been in service for 27 years, and seen combat in the skies over Panama, Serbia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It was the first purpose built stealth aircraft designed to overcome radar by deflecting it away with its faceted appearance.

According to book description of "Lockheed-Martin F/A-22 Raptor: Stealth Fighter (Aerofax)" F-22 Raptor was initially referred as the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) and was designed to meet a USAF requirement for 750 new fighters to replace the F-15 Eagle.

"Work began in the early 1980s, and competition selection resulted in orders for flying demonstration prototypes of the YF-22 and the Northrop YF-23. The first of two prototypes was flown on 29th September 1990, and extensive testing and evaluation took place during that decade. In 1993 an air-to-ground attack role using precision-guided munitions was added to the original air superiority role, and the designation has been changed to F/A-22 to reflect this. The F-22 is designed to supercruise at up to Mach 1.5 without use of the afterburner, and its unusual layout is designed for agility as well as to incorporate stealth characteristics. A planned two-seat trainer version, the F-22B was cancelled, but production deliveries are now taking place, with service introduction planned for 2005. Author Jay Miller has followed the program closely to produce an extensively researched and well-illustrated review of this topical new fighter in the well-established and acclaimed Aerofax style and depth."

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

William F. Buckley, Leading Conservative, Dies at 82 (Update1)

William F. Buckley, Leading Conservative, Dies at 82 (Update1)

Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- William F. Buckley Jr., the syndicated columnist and intellectual whose studied mannerisms, verbal flourishes and polemics energized the American conservative movement for a half-century, has died. He was 82.

Buckley died overnight in his study in Stamford, Connecticut, according to the National Review Online. His son, Christopher, told the New York Times that Buckley had suffered from diabetes and emphysema, although the exact cause of death was not yet known. Buckley was found at his desk and might have been working on a column, his son said.

``If he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it: at home, still devoted to the war of ideas,'' said Kathryn Jean Lopez, editor of the Web site.

Buckley harnessed a belief in individual liberty, limited government and the defeat of communism into an organized voice of the right in the National Review, the biweekly opinion magazine he founded in 1955. He was also host of the Emmy Award-winning television program ``Firing Line'' for 33 years.

Buckley entered the political arena with the 1951 publication of ``God and Man at Yale,'' his first and best-known book. A rebuke of his alma mater for straying from its Christian roots, the book attacked the faculty as bent on secularism, collectivism and Keynesian economics over individualism and free- market capitalism.

His libertarian ideals were shared by Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, who went on to win the Republican nomination for president over Nelson Rockefeller in 1964, but lost the election to incumbent Lyndon Johnson. A year later, Buckley ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York on the Conservative Party ticket.

Vision Fulfilled

Much of what Buckley advocated came to pass with the election of Republican Ronald Reagan to two terms as U.S. president, the fall of the Soviet Union and the Republican Party's retaking of Congress in 1994.

Reagan, on the National Review's 30th anniversary, called Buckley a ``clipboard-bearing Galahad, ready to take on any challengers in the critical battle of point and counterpoint. And, with grace and humor and passion, to raise a standard to which patriots and lovers of freedom could repair.''

Buckley's wife, New York socialite Patricia, died in April 2007.

Legion of Followers

While Buckley drew a legion of followers, he remained independent of the movement he helped create. He favored legalizing illicit drugs at a time when the U.S. had declared a ``War on Drugs,'' and in a Feb. 24, 2006, column called for President George W. Bush to acknowledge defeat in the war in Iraq.

In the 1970s, he sided with President Jimmy Carter on his plan to hand the Panama Canal back to Panama. He also lamented opposing the 1964 Civil Rights Act and, in a further criticism of the second President Bush, warned of the foreign-policy entanglements of so-called neoconservatives:

``The neoconservative hubris, which sort of assigns to America some kind of geo-strategic responsibility for maximizing democracy, overstretches the resources of a free country.''

`On the Right'

Born into a wealthy Irish-Catholic family, Buckley acquired an erudite ease with both the spoken and written word. His use of unusual words, coupled with a New England prep-school drawl, came across as haughty to some, while an outward charm and urbane civility underlay his style of pointed public debate.

His column, ``On the Right,'' was syndicated nationally in 1962 and appeared in some 300 newspapers. In 1966, he began ``Firing Line,'' pitting liberals against conservatives, in which he played both host and interlocutor.

When U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy repeatedly refused to appear on the show, Buckley quipped: ``Why does baloney reject the grinder?''

``Firing Line'' guests included Goldwater, author Norman Mailer, former President George H.W. Bush and liberal economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

In his last article posted on the National Review Web site, dated Feb. 2, Buckley indulged in two favorite pastimes: jabbing Democrats and dissecting the use of the English language.

``Presidential candidates no longer even try to sound like the Lincoln-Douglas debates, yet it is not bad occasionally to subject them to such analysis, to learn what it is that is not being said,'' Buckley wrote, reviewing the Jan. 31 debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

``The two performers in the debate struck the observant conservative as intelligent, resourceful and absolutely uninterested in the vector of political force,'' he wrote.

`Aversion to Boredom'

Fluent in French and Spanish, Buckley's taste for the finer things in life extended to classical music and the wine he collected for his Stamford cellar. His greatest passion, sailing, was reflected in his ownership of five boats, four transoceanic trips and multiple races from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda.

Buckley published more than 40 books, including ``McCarthy and His Enemies'' in 1954 and 11 spy novels featuring a James Bond-like protagonist, Blackford Oakes, partly inspired by his own service with the Central Intelligence Agency.

He professed a ``cognate aversion to boredom,'' and learned to fly a plane, descended in a submarine to survey the Titanic's remains and took annual ski trips to Gstaad, Switzerland, and Alta, Utah, where he hit the slopes with Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman.

`Great Elm' to Yale

William Frank Buckley Jr. was born on Nov. 24, 1925, in New York, the sixth of 10 children. His father, a lawyer and oil baron, moved the family to Sharon, Connecticut, in 1923 after being expelled from Mexico City for his support of a revolution against President Alvaro Obregon.

He lived in a large, white-columned home called ``Great Elm'' and spent leisurely summers riding horses and competing in sailing races. With five pianos and one organ in the house, the children grew into ``music addicts,'' Buckley wrote in his 2004 memoir ``Miles Gone By.''

After early schooling in France and England, Buckley was sent in 1938 to St. John's, Beaumont, a Jesuit-run boarding school in Old Windsor, near London. He later wrote that the experience there fostered ``a deep and permanent involvement in Catholic Christianity.''

Buckley entered Yale in 1946 as a second lieutenant after serving two years stateside in the Army infantry. He became chairman of the Yale Daily News, joined the secretive Skull & Bones society and was a star debater. He studied political science, history and economics and graduated with honors.

CIA, National Review

While at Yale he tutored Spanish, landing him a full-time job as an assistant professor after graduating in 1950. In July of that year, he married Vancouver native Patricia Taylor.

Buckley served in the CIA in Mexico for nine months in 1951 before becoming an associate editor at the right-wing American Mercury magazine.

His opposition to unions, international organizations such as the United Nations, and the blurred partisan lines of Eisenhower-era ``progressivism'' helped to spawn the National Review four years later.

``It stands athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who so urge it,'' read the publisher's statement in the first issue on Nov. 19, 1955.

Buckley served as editor-in-chief of the Review for more than three decades, increasing readership from 18,000 in 1956 to 137,000 in 1990 when he stepped down.

He surrounded himself with like-minded writers and editors, including Russell Kirk and James Burnham, as well as Yale mentor Willmoore Kendall and his sister Priscilla, who was managing editor from 1959 to 1985.

Nurturing Talent, Critics

Known for nurturing writing talent regardless of political leaning, Buckley counted among his proteges conservative columnists David Brooks and George Will, liberal writer Garry Wills and early contributors to the magazine Joan Didion and Arlene Croce.

While his detractors came largely from the left, and included author Gore Vidal, Buckley was also criticized by supporters of ``Objectivist'' conservative Ayn Rand and the ultra-right John Birch Society.

Rand, an atheist, was driven out of the conservative movement after her fictional ``Atlas Shrugged'' received a scathing review by Whittaker Chambers, a former communist and a contributor to the magazine. John Birch Society President John McManus, in his 2002 book ``William F. Buckley Jr., Pied Piper for the Establishment,'' said Buckley's focus on defeating communism made him interventionist and pro-government.

`Stay Plastered'

During one of his most notable debates on ABC at the 1968 Democratic National Convention with Vidal, Buckley responded to being called a ``crypto-Nazi'' by saying, ``Now, listen you queer, stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I'll sock you in your goddamn face. And you'll stay plastered.''

A year later, both Buckley and Vidal wrote essays for Esquire magazine assailing each other. Vidal's lawsuit over Buckley's ``On Experiencing Gore Vidal'' was thrown out of court. Buckley's suit over Vidal's ``A Distasteful Encounter With William F. Buckley Jr.'' was settled in 1972 with an apology from the magazine and the payment of his legal costs.

When Buckley ran for New York mayor in 1965, his main goal was to derail the candidacy of liberal Republican John Lindsay even if it meant sending votes to Democrat Abraham Beame.

`Demand a Recount'

He wrote his own position papers to address a city plagued by the highest urban unemployment in the country, subway crime and a $256 million budget deficit. His proposals included adding to police ranks, ending school integration and relocating welfare recipients outside the city.

Buckley's presence in the campaign was largely symbolic, reflected in his tongue-in-cheek approach to press conferences and public debates. When asked what he'd do if he won, Buckley gamely replied, ``Demand a recount.''

Buckley contributed articles to most major American literary and news publications, including the Atlantic Monthly, the New Yorker and the New York Times, and was the recipient of 31 honorary degrees.

He served as a delegate to the UN in 1973 and in 1991 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the first President Bush. For most of his career, he averaged 70 public-speaking engagements a year.

In the late 1980s and early '90s, Buckley played solo harpsichord with six different ensembles, including the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and Yale Symphony Orchestra.

He continued writing columns for the National Review after handing over his stock to a board of trustees in 2004.

In a March 2006 interview with Charlie Rose, Buckley warned that the conservative movement was suffering from a ``certain sleepiness'' in the absence of a threat such as communism and the Soviet Union. Terrorism, he said, while affecting the ``whole corpus of America,'' was not an enemy that divided Democrats and Republicans.

He also is survived by his grandchildren, Caitlin and Conor.

hudson river virus

Hudson River Virus From Jericho and Big Brother 9 Veto Competition

I hear a lot about Jericho and I'm sure it's a great show. The fans are apparently pretty rabid. Well, tonight on one of MY favorite shows, Big Brother 9, they held a veto competition with a Jericho theme and it was ended with a pretty cryptic message about the Hudson River Virus. It was a pretty cool twist by CBS. Check out how it all went down and see what the Hudson River Virus really is below...
http://tardis-db.co.uk/2008/02/hudson-river-virus-big-brother-9.html
http://tardis-db.co.uk/2008/02/hudson-river-virus-big-brother-9.html

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

SAM ZELL

Sam Zell opines (with Jack Welch)
A few takeaways from today's interview on CNBC:
On business- It doesn't make sense for a debate to exist about what you will do with your asset. If you don't understand something find out where the information comes from, and stay agile to be able to adjust.
On the economy- The worries over the economy are unfounded and 2008 will be a "reasonable" year. Housing starts have already bottomed out and the recovery will start this spring.
On the markets- There are all kinds of market opportunities in this environment.
On the election- "I've been working on my wife for the last 12 years, and I'm making some progress...logic can overcome liberalism."

Monday, February 25, 2008

john mclaughlin

John McLaughlin: The Unknown Dissident
TrackThe Unknown Dissident
Group
John McLaughlin and The One Truth Band

CDElectric Dreams (Columbia/Legacy CK 48892)
Buy Track Musicians:
John McLaughlin (guitar), David Sanborn (alto sax),
L. Shankar (violin), Stu Goldberg (keyboards), Fernando Saunders (bass), Tony Smith (drums), Alyrio Lima (percussion)
.
Composed by John McLaughlin
.
Recorded: New York, November 1978


Rating: 98/100 (learn more)
"The Unknown Dissident" is one of McLaughlin's most fully realized compositions. The One Truth Band was also one of McLaughlin's most underrated units. It did not have the power of The Mahavishnu Orchestra. But its strong identity was formed by a rhythmic foundation that allowed it to "funk a groove." This tune, however, did not fall into funk territory.

The wobbly bleating of a European ambulance's siren opens the scene. Perhaps it is Northern Ireland in the '70s. Perhaps not. It is definitely some place bad, though. A soulful, plaintive guitar and sax tell a tragic tale of someone who has been fighting for a cause and has lost. Yet there is still hope. The fight has been worth it. This prisoner's struggle, though, is over. His last brave walk is brief and final. It is now left for others to carry on the righteous cause.

McLaughlin and guest David Sanborn have a wonderful rapport. They have recorded together several times. They should do so again.

During McLaughlin's 2007 tour with his new group The Fourth Dimension, "The Unknown Dissident" was played for the first time live. Its message is the same today as it was back then. Unfortunately, it is a message that will still be needed tomorrow. So you need to listen. You really do.

freeheld

Freeheld' wins Oscar



Cynthia Wade's documentary about the struggles of Lt. Laurel Hester took home the Oscar tonight for Best Documentary Short. "Freeheld" is the story of Hester's final struggles with cancer and her fight against the freeholders of Ocean County, N.J., who almost denied her partner, Stacie Andree, Hester's pension benefits. For a full story, see my related article from a few weeks ago.

Upon accepting the award (which came surprisingly late in the interminable evening), Wade said, "It was Lt. Laurel Hester's dying wish that her fight" would "make a difference for same sex couples." Andree was also present, and the camera cut to her towards the end of the speech.

It's been a long journey, I'm sure, for everyone involved with the film, and while the struggle for equal marriage rights continues, advancements are being made through the courageous actions of people like Hester, Andree and Wade.

The rest of the show had its typical ups-and-downs. One of the better ups was the Best Actress win for Marion Cotillard, who delieverd an electirc performance as Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose." Refreshingly, both Cate Blanchett and Julie Christie looked honestly thrilled when the French actress got the nod. Cotillard's speech sounded genuine: "Thank you life, thank you love. It's true that there's angels in this city."

Tilda Swinton's Best Supporting Actress award was somewhat of a suprise. Many thought Blanchett would win it, but Swinton's victory was well deserved for her role in "Michael Clayton."

This year's in memoriam ended with Heath Ledger in his iconic Ennis pose in the hat, leaning against a building, and it reminded me of the sorrow that will be forever associated with this fine young actor's death.

Just past midnight now (must we suffer through mini-docs on the workings of the Academy and tired routines from presenters?), I'll blog more tomorrow about the evening's other highlights and the fashions (few utter disasters with the exception of an inordinate number of unkempt mopheads).

Congratulations to Cynthia Wade, Stacie Andree and Laurel Hester, whereever she might be.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

AT&T CEO outs 3G iPhone: "You'll have it next year"



Of course the 3G iPhone is coming, that's clearly in the evolution plan. As Jobs said himself, it's only a matter of time until improved batteries allow for it. Still, when AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson says, "You'll have it next year," well, our ears tend to perk up. The remark was made at a meeting of the Churchill Club in Santa Clara. He didn't say how much it could cost admitting that Jobs and Apple "will dictate what the price of the phone is." However, it wouldn't surprise us if fits back into the $599 slot vacated by the 8GB iPhone while toting a full 16GB of flash like the iPod touch.