Cydia App Store to Rival Apple's Mac App Store "Within Weeks" - PC Magazine

Time to start jailbreaking your Mac? We kid, but that's only because Jay "saurik" Freeman—author of the popular Cydia repository that allows jailbroken iPhones to download apps they otherwise wouldn't be able to find on Apple's App Store—has decided to bring his mobile talents to the desktop world.

A Mac-based version of Cydia should be available within a few weeks, announced Freeman at the 360|MacDev conference Friday morning. And with more than 30,000 different packages currently on the mobile version of Cydia, it stands to reason that a desktop-based version of the repository could find popularity amongst those looking for third-party or open-source apps. According to Freeman, approximately 10 percent of all iPhone users—or around 10 million devices—already connect up to Cydia.

And it's not as if Apple hasn't given Freeman a bit of an edge to carve out his own space in the package management market. According to the company, app developers will be forbidden from offering in-app purchases during the initial incarnation of the company's Mac App Store. That essentially rules out demos-to-paid-versions of apps—though demos, beta versions, and promotional code are also banned from the store at first—which is a fairly common way to go about application sales with Apple's mobile App Store.

The Mac App Store itself is expected to open in late January 2011. If Freeman gets his timing right, he might very well be able to beat Apple at its own App Store game—and, better yet, you won't even have to hack your system just to get Cydia to work this time around.

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Verizon Fixing Two-Minute Connection Delay for LTE Network - PC Magazine

Verizon's LTE network—short for Long Term Evolution—is fast. It's very fast. We've previously reported that you can blow through your entire five-gigabyte monthly allotment of data in about 32 minutes, with download speeds on our own tests maxing out at around 21 Mbps.

Well, perhaps we should have said "34" minutes, because Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said late last week that those using USB modems on their laptops could experience delays of up to two minutes when switching between 3G coverage and Verizon's LTE network. As well, Business Insider's Matt Rosoff has reported that one sometimes has to physically unplug and reconnect said USB modem in order to switch back to the LTE network.

According to Nelson, a fix for the issue is currently being looked into. As well, the company expects to release USB modem drivers for those running Apple's OSX "relatively soon," he said. Verizon currently sells two different USB modems—a device from Pantech and a device from LG—and it's unclear whether the issue affects both equally or whether one device outperforms the other. Rosoff's issues occurred on the LG version of the modem, for what it's worth.

It currently costs users $250 to pick up either device sans contract. A two-year service agreement discounts either of the two USB modems to approximately $100. However, a user will then be paying—at minimum--$50 per month for Verizon's five-gigabyte data plan. The ten-gigabyte plan jumps up to $80, and both plans come with a $10 per gigabyte penalty for going over the monthly allotment.

On our own roundup of LTE testing around the country, we've noted that the network's download speeds can hover anywhere from five to 12 Mbps, with upload speeds sitting somewhere in the two to five Mbps range.

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Faster Forward: First whispers of the iPad2? - Washington Post

Apple component suppliers gave Reuters a Friday morning scoop on an Apple tablet that could be the next-generation iPad.

Sources from five companies in the Apple supply chain spoke to the news agency's branch in Hong Kong. Three companies -- chip designer Wintek, battery maker Simplo and cover manufacturer AVY Precision -- confirmed they were preparing for the next round of iPads. Two camera companies, Genius Electronic Optical Co Ltd and Largan Precision, confirmed they had started a new supply deal with the Cupertino, Calif.-based, company.

Two of the companies said they were making new parts for the next round of iPad production. The main upgrades? Front and rear-facing cameras and an overall improved device: slimmer, lighter and with better resolution.

Further fanning the iPad2 rumors, Apple Insider reported Thursday that leaked images from two case manufacturers, Shenzhen MacTop Electronics and Kodowarisan, also suggest a rear-facing camera and a spot for an SD card slot.

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