http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVyBwz1-AiE

Pretty cool eh? However, as they have used the private APIs of the iOS SDK, they will not be able to release it to the App Store. No issues, we would rather want Apple to buy these designs and incorporate in iBooks .

[via TUAW]

Apple has launched an HD version of their podcast channel on the iTunes store. The podcast has HD versions of their keynotes starting from their WWDC keynote in 2011 where Steve Jobs unveiled Lion, iOS 5 & iCloud. Apple’s keynotes are probably the best way to launch new products to the world. It would be great to watch them in glorious HD. We just hope that they add more Steve Jobs keynotes to the podcast.

Here is the link to the podcast: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/apple-keynotes-hd/id470664050

The game is really fun. But don’t expect any new tracks/cars though, the last update to the game was 2 years back in 2009.

[Via EAMobile Deals]

Applidium, a french mobile development company (which brought us the famous iOS game Falldown 3D) has been successful at reverse engineering how Siri communicates with the Apple servers. The findings are pretty interesting.

How Siri works -

• Siri records and sends audio data in a compressed encoded format like any VoIP service – Keep an eye on your data usage, you don’t want to get billed crazy. With improved hardware on the iPhone 4S, the conversion from voice to text on the device itself should be possible too.
• Siri requires a unique id from a real iPhone 4S for the successfully talking to the server.
• Siri uses a modified HTTP protocol to communicate with the Apple Siri server – guzzoni.apple.com. The data is encrypted when transmitting.
• Siri can be misled to connect to a local HTTPS server (using a fake DNS server) if a custom root certificate for guzzoni.apple.com is injected on the iPhone. This is like a "Man-in-the-middle attack". Which also means that the encrypted data can be intercepted and the data de-encrypted on the local HTTPS server which uses the same custom root certificate imported on the phone.
• Apple may block (the iPhone 4S’s unique id) or change the existing Siri protocol which may inturn breaks this protocol.

How can this be used?

This protocol understanding enables Siri to be ported to any Mobile phone or a PC. You will still need a unique id of an iPhone 4S (has to be jailbroken to fetch the id). This even helps write custom commands which are intercepted by the server.

An enthusiastic hacker (@Plumoni) has created a Siri proxy server to intercept Siri’s communication with Apple’s servers. The developer was able to route Siri’s voice commands from the proxy server to his WiFi enabled thermostat to adjust the temperature.

Pretty cool eh? Catch the video below.

I can imagine other developers writing custom Siri commands to type emails, sending IMs, tweeting on their computers pretty soon. I’d love to be able to turn on my car with a voice command from Siri.

May be even support Siri for unsupported languages (say French) using a 3rd party speech to text API which outputs the text which is then translated to English, passed to Siri and then data sent back to the phone in French as text (Siri won’t be able to pronounce French yet).

How can I do it too?

While it may take more time for this to be "one-click" friendly, If you’re the enthusiastic type – go ahead and try these tools.

[Via iPhoneHacks and @Applidium, Original picture "Sandwich" by XKCD]

The iPhone 4S is available in both Black and White. The phone will be factory unlocked and doesn’t require any commitment to Aircel. The prices are

16GB – 44,500 INR
32GB – 50,900 INR
64GB – 57,500 INR

The pre-orders start today, so that means you need to pay the whole amount at an Aircel/Airtel store (can use cash/card) and get a pre-order confirmation receipt. As per the Aircel store, the iPhone will be handed over to you on 24th November 2011 mid-night, the official iPhone 4S launch date.  Airtel has a online pre-order system or you can go visit their store and book your iPhone 4S too .

They’re also re-introducing an iPhone 4 – 8GB version at a new price of 37,900 INR. Which is actually lame as iPhone4 16GB version has been available in the market officially for 34,500 INR.

Should you buy it in India?

An unlocked iPhone4S is priced at 649$ in the US. With taxes and a soaring dollar rate (1 USD = 51.37 INR at the moment) the phone will cost you around 35-36,000 INR. It’s your judgment call if you can spend the extra 7-8,000 INR and purchase it here to avoid all the hassle.

Would we buy it?

Still evaluating, Will keep you posted