Tuesday, July 15, 2008
iPhone Applications Crashing - Steps to Resolve
- The the iPhone crashes or freezes and tries to reboot displaying the black screen with the apple logo (iPhone Black Screen of Death)
- A black start screen with the Apple logo appears then immediately quits.
Here are the steps that I've been using to address these issues.
1. RESET APPLICATION
Press and hold the [Home] button for at least six seconds, until the application you are using quits.
2. TURN IPHONE OFF
Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button unti the Apple logo appears.
3. RESET IPHONE
Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple log appears.
4. REDOCK THE IPHONE
Reattach the phone to iTunes.
5. DELETE IPHONE APPLICATION AND RESYNC
Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.
Resync your iPhone.
6. DELETE THE APPLICATION FROM ITUNES AND RESYNC
Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.
Delete the application from iTunes. (note: if your application is deleted from both iTunes and your iPhone you can still re-download it without paying for it twice.)
Resync your iPhone.
iPhone Applications Freezing - iPhone Black Screen of Death
1. When iPhone applications are launched, they will show a black start screen with the Apple logo then immediately quit.
Here are two possible work-arounds:
A) Delete iPhone Application and Resync
1. Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.
2. Resync your iPhone.
B) Delete iPhone and iTunes Application and Resync
1. Delete the application from the iPhone by pressing and holding any icon until they start jiggling. Then click X in the top left of the application to delete it.
2. Delete the application from iTunes. (note: if your application is deleted from both iTunes and your iPhone you can still re-download it without paying for it twice.)
3. Resync your iPhone.
There is speculation that this issue is related to Digital Rights Managment embedded in the iPhone Applications. If you have multiple PCs with multiple versions of iTunes or multiple devices (iPhones, iTouches).
Saturday, July 12, 2008
iPhone 2.0 Black Screen of Death
1. Turn iPhone off and on -- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button for a few seconds until the red slider appears and then slide the slider. Then press and hold the Sleep/Wake button unti the Apple logo appears.
2. Press and hold the [Home] button for at least six seconds, until the application you are using quits. (This worked several times for me.)
3. Reset the Phone - Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button until the Apple log appears. (This worked for me serveral times).
4. Reattach the phone to iTunes. (This always worked but my laptop was always with me.)
Friday, July 11, 2008
iPhone 2.0 Upgrade - Restoring iPhone Software - won't restore

Here was the only option that worked for me today.
1. I synched my iPhone on my Dell. This is my main PC since I use Microsoft Outlook and all of my iTunes songs etc. on on this computer.
2. I synched my iPhone on a MacBook and downloaded the iPhone 2.0 Software but did not intall it.
3. I installed the iPhone 2.0 Software or firmware update on my Dell Laptop and started the upgrade process. It backed up my iPhone and started the upgrade process. When the screen appeared to lock (it was at the above screen for almost a hour) I disconnected the iPhone from the USB cable.
3. I connected my iPhone which displayed the Connect to iTunes screen to my MacBook and followed the screen prompts to install the iPhone 2.0 software.
4. The Apple Activation servers were down at the time so I had to click [OK] and Music and the iPhone until it finally gave me the activation screen.
5. When the activation and restore was completed, my iPhone was activated but my iPhone contacts, calendar and settings were missing. I connected my iPhone to my Dell laptop and followed the screen prompts to restore the iPhone software.
It worked! I am now running my iPhone Edge on the new iPhone 2.0 software! It's very cool!
iTunes Store Down - An unknown error occurred (-9838)
Mac iTunes Error Message

Windows Error Message

iPhone 2.0 5A347 218.2 MB Now Available
At 8:22 a.m. Eastern Time, I just downloaded this file from iTunes on my Mac. It was available from iTunes when I clicked Check Update. The file name is:
iPhone1,1_2.0_5A347_Restore.ipsw
The file size is: 218.2 MB on disk
I have a 4GB iPhone 1.0.
I just noticed as of 9:00 a.m., it is now available on Windows too.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
iTunes 7.7 now available on Mac OS only
If you are planning on upgrading to the new iPhone 3G, I would make sure you backup and synchronize your iPhone prior to upgrading. That said, it is possible that your phone can become locked or damaged during the upgrade process and if you are not technical, you might want to wait for several weeks to put on the upgrade since the Apple Stores and AppleCare Telephone Technical Support wil be very busy on and after the July 11, 2008 iPhone 3G launch.
See this link from the Apple website for more info on upgrading to the iPhone 3G.

Tuesday, July 08, 2008
iPhone 3G - July 11, 2008 Info
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Firefox 3 Rocks
Firefox 3 Download Page
It rocks, here is a list of all the features Firefox 3 Features.
Firefox 3 Download Link at www.getfirefox.com
According to the a mozilla developer center. Here is the official download link:
www.getfirefox.com
Although I couldn't get that page to load so here's where I downloaded my copy for Windows. In addition, here are some other Firefox download links "caveat emptor".
Digg.com Windows version
A download site with all versions
Firefox 3 Download Day June 17, 2008 Starts at 1PM ET, 12PM CT, 11AM MT, 10AM PT
Here is a link to download Firefox 3
Download Firefox
Here is a link to the Spread Firefox Site:

Monday, June 09, 2008
Steve Jobs Keynote - Key Highlights - iPhone 3G - $199 - 70 countries
- New iPhone 3G $199 8GB -- A black back, thinner at the edges, a full plastic back, and a flush head phone jack. Download times - 21 seconds on 3G 59 seconds on Edge (36% faster). Includes GPS support. Apple plans to make the phone available in 70 countries this year.
- iPhone 2.0 Software -- To be released in Early July 2008. A free upgrade. iTouch users will pay $9.95.
- iPhone MS Office Support -- The iPhone will now support, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- iPhone Enterprise Support -- Apple has added enterprise support so that corporate IT departments can authorize iPhones and then create and distribute applications.
- MobileMe -- A web or Ajax-based mail, calendar and address book that works with maill.app, iCal, Address book and MS Outlook. This service replaces .Mac. Current .Mac user will be automatically upgraded.
Steve Jobs Keynote - Best Links to Follow
LIVE AUDIO
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wwdc-2008-live-keynote-audio-stream
LIVE BLOG UPDATES
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/09/steve-jobs-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2008/
www.macrumorslive.com
Apple WWDC 2008 Keynote Steve Jobs - Best links
LIVE AUDIO
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wwdc-2008-live-keynote-audio-stream
LIVE BLOG UPDATES
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/09/steve-jobs-keynote-live-from-wwdc-2008/
www.macrumorslive.com
Friday, June 06, 2008
Wii Fit Cheats, Wii Fit Tips, Wii Fit Hints
Choose your Mii to reach the statistics screen. Notice the balance board character running on a treadmill in the background. Select him with the Wii-mote to participate in the Ultimate Balance Test.
Enter the "Balance Mode Games" menu, and select "Marble Drop Game". Intentionally allow time to run out to fail the first challenge. You are given one coin for every one minute of game play (win or lose), and the time used to fail Marble Drop is rounded up to a one minute value. Thus, you will get one coin for failing. Simply press A to continue and fail again for another coin.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding activity:
- Free Jogging: Successfully complete the Island Lap several times.
- Free Step: Play Step Plus Aerobics several times.
- Snowboarding Slalom: Accumulate two hours of total game time.
- Step Plus Aerobics: Play Step Aerobics several times.
- Tightrope Advanced: Successfully complete Normal Tightrope.
- Tightrope Super Advanced: Successfully complete Advanced Tightrope.
Accumulate the indicated amount of time in your Fit Piggy to unlock the corresponding bonus:
- Aerobics: Rhythm Boxing: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Aerobics: Super Hula Hoop: 30 minutes
- Balance: Balance Bubble: 1 hour
- Balance: Penguin Slide: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Balance: Snowboard Slalom: 2 hours
- Balance: Tightrope Tension: 15 minutes
- Balance: Zazen: 3 hours
- Muscle: Arm & Leg Lift: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Muscle: Parallel Stretch: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Muscle: Rowing Squat, Single Leg Twist: 10 minutes
- Muscle: Sideways Leg Lift: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Muscle: Single Arm Stand: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Muscle: Tricep Extension: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yoga: Bridge: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yoga: Chair: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yoga: Cobra: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yoga: Crocodile Twist: 4 hours
- Yoga: Downward Facing Dog: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yoga: King of the Dance: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yoga: Palm Tree: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yoga: Shoulderstand: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yoga: Standing Knee: 45 minutes
- Yoga: Sun Salutation: 10 minutes
- Yoga: Triangle: 2 hours 50 minutes
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding challenge:
- Jackknife challenge: Get a "Four Star" rank in the 10 Second Workout and 20 Second Workout.
- Parallel Stretch challenge: Get a "Four Star" rank in the 30 Second Workout and 60 Second Workout.
- Pressup challenge: Get a "Four Star" rank in the 6 Reps and 10 Reps.
Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding stamp:
- OK: Attend 2 Body Tests.
- Star: Attend 5 Body Tests.
- Heart: Attend 6 Body Tests.
Accumulate the indicated amount of training time to change the color of your Fit Piggy:
- Bronze: 10 hours
- Silver: 20 hours
- Gold: 40 hours
There are three (and possibly more in Free Jogging) alternate courses to take in the Jogging mini-game, one for each length of course (Short, Long, and Island Lap). To access these, enter the Jogging mini-game as normal, and start jogging. When you see a single dog overtake your character, run past your guide so that the "Oh! You've passed your guide!" message appears. It will then read "Now follow the dog" and take you on an alternate course. The dogs appear as follows:
- Short Course: As you run towards the single house with a Mii outside.
- Long Course : Immediately at the start.
- Island Lap: Immediately at the start.
The following alternate courses are on Island Lap:
- Follow the yellow dog at the start. Soon a black dog will appear. This is the first new alternate course.
- Follow as above, but after following the black dog for a while, a white dog will appear. This is the second new alternate course.
- Follow the Mii guide at the beginning until you get to the bridge, and a brown dog will appear. This is the third new alternate course.
- Follow as above, but after following the brown dog for awhile, another brown dog will appear. This is the fourth new alternate course.
When you stand on your Balance Board immediately after choosing "Body Test" (the first time it asks, and not the time that it weighs you), hold a heavy object. The Balance Board will know that you are holding the object and actually weigh it for you.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Wii Fit - Found at Target
morning. There was a limit at Target of one Wii Fit per customer. Of
course the Balance Board compatible We Ski game was today's impulse
purchase. We'll see if the Wii Fit Yogamat is a must have or a nice to
have.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Wii Fit - Street date May 21
Ugh, I hate standing in lines.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Sorry, the OpenID server couldn't be found
" Sorry, the OpenID server couldn't be found "
Does anyone know if there is a known work-around to this issue?
Monday, May 05, 2008
MacBook firmware Update 1.2 and Java Update 1
- MacBook EFI Firmware Update 1.2 1.6 MB
- Java for Mac OX X 10.5 Update 1 1.0 57.5 MB
According to Apple, it fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook. After the firmware is installed, the Boot ROM version will be: MB31.008E.B02