Update: The iOS 4.2 update just went live for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

This is a day you’ve been waiting for all month. Apple [AAPL] has announced that the iOS 4.2 release date is actually today.

As well as being compatible with the Apple iPad, iOS 4.2 is also available for the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 as well as the later generations of the iPod touch. [Read more…]

If you are eagerly awaiting the update of iOS 4.2 for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch then you’ll need to wait about another hour and a half or so. It is widely believed that the release time will be 10am PST.

Earlier today, Apple released a press release about iOS 4.2 being made available today. Also, the Apple website was updated to indicate iOS 4.2 was available to download now… but you are probably still clicking the “Check for Update” button in iTunes. [Read more…]

Orange and T-Mobile (AKA Everything Everywhere) is expected to announce today a subsidized iPad.

Rumors are hinting that the iPad could launch with a long term (18 to 24 month) contract with a price of about £200. [Read more…]

Some interesting information has been found in the iOS 4.2 GM updates that have been available for the last few weeks to iOS developers. The new hints in the beta code hint that Apple [AAPL] could be moving towards a free version of MobileMe. In the original iOS 4.2 GM launched early November the MobileMe login was switched from a MobileMe username to an Apple ID username and password.

The latest GM build (numbered iOS 4.2.1) also now has hints in the form of some error messages that have been added as follows…

“The maximum number of free accounts have been activated on this iPhone” and “This iPad is not qualified for free MobileMe service.”

[Read more…]

Trademark details indicate that Apple [AAPL] could be using Carbon Fiber for the back cover of the iPad 2. What this would do is make the iPad 2 both strong and lighter than the original iPad.

The patent provides details of a unibody setup with a back panel that appears to be just about the right shape and fit for an iPad. [Read more…]

Digitimes has revealed the initial parts suppliers for the up coming iPad 2 that is expected to launch early next year.

The companies involved at the moment include Ibiden, Tripod Technology and TTM who are responsible for the PCBs. More companies are expected to join around February time when the iPad 2 will start being mass produced ready for a launch a month or two later. [Read more…]

Apple [AAPL] has released another version of iOS. This time iOS 4.2.1 GM can be found in the developers control panel at Apple and is ready for developers to download and test now.

Last week a second iOS 4.2 GM was released after a WiFi bug was found in the original iOS 4.2 GM seed. [Read more…]

We are still unclear exactly how Apple will launch AirPrint in iOS 4.2. At the moment, the last we heard was that shared printers are now not supported and the only way to print from the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch is to print to one of ten AirPrint compatible wireless HP printers.

If this continues to be the case then you might want to test out AirPrintHacktivator that manages to re-enable the service. To get it to work you’ll need a Mac along with the latest Max OS X 10.6.5 as well as iOS 4.2 GM of course. [Read more…]

Over the weekend, Apple [AAPL] introduced Ping to the iPad. Ping can be found in the iPad iTunes application and is positioned on the bottom menu bar around the middle (as pictured above).

The service matches that of iTunes on the desktop and is capable of connecting up to Twitter to push out tweets. It also includes your own feed of who you follow and who follows you. It lets you view your profile also. [Read more…]

OpeniBoot is some software that allows you to run the Google Android OS on your iPad or iPhone 4, or what we should say is that it will eventually be the doorway to letting you install Android on iOS devices.

The software is still in early stages of development and not quite ready yet from what we understand. However, a video has been created (and embedded below) that shows OpeniBoot opening up an iPad for usage. What OpeniBoot is, is the open source version of the bootrom on iOS devices. When injected in to the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch, it allows unsigned code to be booted on to the device, ie, Android could be booted. [Read more…]

In the past few days some details/rumours about AirPrint support in iOS 4.2 being partially pulled went around the Internet. The original rumours hinted at AirPrint not supporting printers shared on a Mac or Windows computer which left many reporting that only five current printers from HP would actually be compatible with the service. One upset user of MacRumors emailed Steve Jobs to see what was going on…

Q: As a release-day purchaser of an iPad, I was elated when you revealed iOS 4.2 would support AirPrint. Now comes reports AirPrint support has been pulled from 4.2. Between announcements/assurances of the white iPhone, and now the pulling of AirPrint, is Apple going to lose credibility and become known for announcing “vaporware”?

A: AirPrint has not been pulled. Don’t believe everything you read.

[Read more…]

The Skyfire browser allows users to play flash content on iOS based devices. Skyfire is a proxy browser that uses backend servers to convert flash based video in to the HTML5 format on the fly and deliver it to the browser.

What this allows users of the software to do is watch flash video on the iPhone or iPod touch. In a recent Tweet, Skyfire has now announced that the iPad version will also be coming soon. [Read more…]