Apple releases iOS 8.1 build 12B410 (iPad) and 12B411 (iPhone) with Apple Pay and Text Message Forwarding.
iOS 8.1: Text Message Forwarding
One new feature in iOS 8.1 is: Text Message Forwarding
Any text messages sent to a phone number on an iPhone will be forwarded to other iOS devices using the same Apple ID.
Go to: Settings > Messages
Enable Test Message Forwarding for other iOS devices. They have to be logged in to iCloud using the same Apple ID with the iPhone.
One thing I noticed is that at this point I cannot forward text messages to other (service-less) iPhones.
Getting Ready for iOS 8.1
Apple will release iOS 8.1 on Monday, October 20, 2014 along with the deployment of Apple Pay.
There will be a lot of people holding off from updating to iOS 8.1 for many different reasons. Some would be worried if iOS 8.1 update would be a repeat of the botched iOS 8.0.1 Over The Air (OTA) update. A lot of people are holding off from updating to iOS 8 because the do not have enough free space on their iOS devices, which are mostly 16 GB model or less.
I have the habit of updating my iOS devices using iTunes instead of over the air; which what I did to update to iOS 8.0.1.
Wait a few hours after the release of iOS 8.1 before proceeding with the update if you’re worried about some show-stopping bugs. Update your iOS devices using iTunes too. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes.
Flickr for iOS is now Optimized for iPad
No, Oracle, No!
Apparently this is still a thing for an application to add/change search provider. Java installer/updater is asking user to install search app by Ask.com.
This has to stop.
Doesn’t Oracle have enough money already? Why are they doing this?
Adobe used to do similar thing. Now Adobe offers Photoshop Lightroom when user downloads Flash Player. It goes something like this: “Your Flash Player is out of date, please update it and have a trial of Photoshop Lightroom to go with it.”
iWork for iOS and Third-Party Storage Providers
iPad Air 2
Now just 6.1 mm thin and weighing less than a pound, iPad Air 2 features an improved Retina® display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colors, and better cameras for taking stunning photos and videos. Available in gold, silver and space gray, the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini™ 3 offer Touch ID™ so users can unlock their iPad with just the touch of a finger and make purchases easily and securely within apps using Apple Pay™.
Inclusion of Touch ID is definitely a huge plus.
The improved Retina display features a fully-laminated design that brings images and content closer to the user’s fingertips, resulting in an even more personal and intimate experience. A custom-designed anti-reflective coating reduces glare by 56 percent² for a clearer display in the office, the classroom or outdoors.
Apple is finally including anti-reflective coating.
iPad Air 2 is powered by the new Apple-designed A8X chip, which delivers a 40 percent improvement in CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of iPad Air, and still delivers the up to 10-hour battery life³ users expect while working, playing games or surfing the web.
Apple ABX chip is a huge improvement even from last year’s A7X chip.
iPad Air 2 is at 6.1 mm thickness.
iPad Air 2 pre-order starts on Friday, October 17, 2014.