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How-To

How to fix an iPhone PDP Authentication Failure

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When you want your old mobile number assigned to a brand new sim, PDP Authentication Failure can happen. Usually, you will need to wait 24 to 48 hours before all the information is transferred from the old sim card to the new sim card. During this process, you may experience some difficulties such as the PDP authentication failures in iPhone. If this happens, you will get an error message while attempting to connect to the data network.

Possible reasons for PDP Authentication Failure in an iPhone

  • Wrong phone settings
  • Lost connection or network outage
  • High volume traffic on the current network

This problem is very common when you buy a new phone and you have to change your SIM. Usually, the error stems from the APN settings. You must make sure that the APN is set up properly. To check if the APN is set up correctly, you must try to synch your new phone to iTunes while using the new SIM. If the problem persists after doing this, then you may need help of an expert.



Another reason why PDP Authentication Failure occurs is because of data outage. If there is no data to use, then the authentication will fail. This error is common in iDevices such as iPads and iPhones.

To counter this problem, you must verify if you have data available on your account to begin browsing. You can trying reaching out to the SIM Company or visiting their website. Checking both your data and APN will ensure that you prevent PDP Authentication Failure for your device.

Helpful Tips to Stop PDP Authentication Error

  • Try re-inserting the SIM
  • Try to reset the network settings on your device. Make sure all settings are in default. For iPads, the default APN is prepay APN
  • Call your SIM Company for more assistance if these steps did not work
Mac

Which Mac should I buy?

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Apple has 6 Macs to select from and choosing one can be difficult. They are the iMac, MacPro, MacBook, MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, and the Mac Mini. Each Mac targets a specific market but there are no set rules about crossing over to enjoy the features of a professional Mac like the Mac Pro as long as you can afford its much higher price tag. The choices have many potential buyers asking – Which Mac should I buy? To help you figure out the best Mac product for your needs, here’s a brief summary of each.

Apple MacBook Pro

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Macbook Pro

This month Apple is launching the new MacBook model. It will have the Retina display and the Force Touch haptic trackpad. You can also expect a new basic processor and upgraded battery life.  From all appearances though, the 2015 MacBook Pro looks exactly like the 2012, 2013, and 2014 models so that take a wee bit out of the excitement. Also the new MacBook Pro will only be sold with the 13 inch display and does not compared well to the new 12 inch MacBook which has an absolutely beautiful new design. However, the new MacBook Pro is all about what’s inside which is the Force Click, 97% sRGB coverage and 73% Adobe RGB, and contrast ratio of 880:1 – all of which are slight improvements from the 2014 model.

Apple MacBook

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MacBook

The new MacBook just came out this April 2015 and focuses more on portability and aesthetics. Read more about the design and new innovations in our recent write up.

Apple MacBook Air

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MacBook Air

The MacBook Air laptop by Apple first came out in 2008 and was the first laptop from Apple with the SSD flash storage. There was an upgrade released in 2014 and a new 13 inch released in early 2015. Aside from better quality graphics, faster storage, and a change from Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt 2, there is nothing significantly different with the precious model.

Apple Mac Mini

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Mac Mini w/ Apple Thunderbolt Monitor

This is the compact desktop from Apple which first came out in 2005. It is also the cheapest Mac and can be plugged into your TV monitor if you want to create a home movie/media theater. The last update was in 2014 and is actually priced lower than the 2012 versions. One reason could be because the 2012 Mac Mini has a faster processor and is more upgradable.  The RAM of the 2014 model is soldered on to the motherboard making it impossible to upgrade memory after purchase.

However, the newer Mac Mini has 3 models from a 500GB drive to a 2 TB Fusion drive. It also has build to order options so the 2TB Fusion drive is actually an upgrade of the high end 1TB that can be ordered with a corresponding fee.

Apple iMac

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iMac

This desktop was first released in 1998 and is known for streamlining the design of the computer and away from the bulky-looking monitor. There were 2 new improvements introduced in 2014: the entry level, low cost iMac without Retina display and the 27 in 5k Retina. There are rumors of a possible new iMac this 2015 but nothing specific has been revealed.

Apple MacPro

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Mac Pro without Monitor

The MacPro is the professional’s computer is a high-end Apple product where the base model costs almost $3,000. Apple has labeled it as the “pro-level desktop” with 6 Thunderbolt 2 ports, a built-in HDMI output, Wi-Fi antenna, and faster SSD storage. It is known to be very quiet, powerful, and if fully loaded, can cost over $8,000.

News

Apple Pay and the Apple Watch: Initial Feedback

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Apple Pay is the mobile payment option by Apple. It is available on Apple Watch, iPad Mini 3, iPad Air 2, and iPhone 5 & 6 models. To use Apple Pay, your Apple device has to have the NFC radio antennae or the Touch IS sensor and the correct iOS. It has tie-ups with American Express (ExpressPay), MasterCard (PayPass), and Visa (PayWave). The Apple Pay on the Apple Watch is automatically disabled when you buy it and will have to be activated using a special code. Sensors on the watch ensure that Apple Pay can only be used by the watch’s owner so anyone who wears the watch other than the owner activates the disable feature.

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Paying with an iPhone 6

The Apple Pay was revealed last September 2014 by CEO Tim Cook and was launched the following month when the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus was released. According to Apple, a security code is generated for every transaction and Apple has no intention of tracking transactions. A small transaction fee is charged to the owner which is fractionally lower than normal bank charges for online payments. If the Apple device is lost, Apple Pay can be disabled remotely using the Find My iPhone service.

Last year, there were over 220,000 places in the US where the Apple Pay was accepted. Apple Pay can only be used in US stores although the company plans to expand the service eventually to other countries.

As of April this year, the feedback on Apple Pay has encouraging with 66% of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus owners signing up for the security code. Of the 66%, 2/3 has tried Apple Pay. Compared to other mobile wallets, Apple Pay has done significantly better on its virgin run. The biggest issue thus far with Apple Pay is the cashiers’ unfamiliarity with the payment scheme which leads to payment delays, double postings, or incorrect postings. Obviously these are just birthing blues similar to what happened with LoopPay and other mobile payment methods.

Also this April, Apple added more banks and credit unions to Apple Pay which means there are now 180 financial institutions that support Apple Pay across the country. To make 2015, the year of Apple Pay according to Tim Cooks, more interesting a new mobile payment system is set to be launched by the middle of the year. It’s called CurrentC by Merchant Content Exchange. They plan to be a very aggressive competitor to Apple Pay and uses bar codes to complete the transaction. This could very well make 2015 the year mobile payments take over.

News

Understanding the Force Touch Technology created by Apple

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Don’t you love how Apple manages to capture so much creativity and imagination in their labels and terms? The Force Technology is a new feature launched with the Apple Watch. Basically, it senses force through tiny electrodes strategically placed on the Retina display. These electrodes are able to tell if you are pressing lightly or applying a deeper force and this give you quicker access to specific pressure-sensitive controls.

The Force Technology also brings specific firm touch sensitive apps like Music, Messages, and Calendar; access to features that will allow you to change watch face, search for information, and end or pause your workout timer.

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Apple Watch with Force Touch
Difference Between Multi-Touch and Force Technology

Multi-touch technology first came out in 1977 as and developed in CERN, a particle physics research lab in Switzerland but was developed into a functional multi-touch, human-input system  in 1982 by the University of Toronto in Canada. Multi-touch allows a user to use more than one pressure point on a screen to accomplish certain moves like the “pinch to zoom.”

Apple uses the multi-touch technology in its iPad and iPhone and also owns a few patents on the technology as far as implementation on user interfaces. These patents are currently being challenged after Apple tried to register the term “Multi-Touch” as part of their trademark and was denied.

While there is a “long tap” gesture used with multi-touch technology, it is not the same as the Force Technology. Here’s why:

  • The Force Technology has a feature that allows you customize the sensitivity level.
  • It can tell which finger you are using and will adjust to the corresponding programmed sensitivity level.
  • The force sensors or electrodes can detect your click and also move laterally to mimic the motions of a trackpad.
  • It works in synch with haptic feedback technology so you get the sensations of clicks, vibrations, or other motions
  • It has Taptic Engine which is a tiny device found at the back of the trackpad

There is talk that Apple is planning to make Force Technology exclusive to the iPhone 6 Plus even though it is already part of the Apple Watch, MacBook and MacBook Pro, 13 inch. There are still conflicting reports but one thing is for sure, the iPhone 6 Plus will have exclusive features like the landscape mode for homescreen and the optical image stabilization camera.

Some ways you can use the Force Technology are to create pressure sensitive drawings, customize a Force Click, and customize your zoom and accelerator just like a fast forward on a DVD movie.

News

Rumors and spy shots circulate of iPad Pro and iPhone 6C

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As far back as 2013, there have been rumors circulating about a jumbo iPad from Apple which started when an Apple’s Asian supplier began talking about requests for a larger screen prototype. Obviously Apple has other products that could use the 13 inch screen but somehow the idea of a larger iPad stuck.

According to this Asian supplier, the giant iPad being worked on would be the same size as the MacBook Pro, will be available in several attractive and bright colors and be priced affordably. This is why it has been referred to several times in the past as the “Artist’s Apple” or the “iPad Professional.” Around the same time this rumor came out, there was another rumor about a cheap and plastic iPhone, the iPhone 6C.

The iPad Pro

There have been spy shots supposedly of the iPad Pro and it shows what experts believe to be a second USB C-type port. From the original 13 inch, the spy shots from Weibo reveal a 12.9 inch screen. Weibo is a micro-blogging website with more than 200 employees in China making it one of the country’s most popular sites with a following of 56.5% of China’s Internet market as of 2011.

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Spy shots of rumored iPad Pro

The spy shots also reveal a possible second Lightning connector, Apple logo, microphone, camera and switches on the right edge of the device. On the left side are the USB slot, headphone jack, and speaker grilles similar to the one found on the iPhone 6. Unfortunately, these spy shots cannot be verified and could only be a shell. What is almost confirmed is that if there is a jumbo iPad, it will have a stylus, A8X processor, fast charging technology, and be equipped with the IGZO technology from Sharp.

The Plastic iPhone 6C

Will Apple really go “budget friendly?” Steve Jobs once said, ” When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.”
Using plastic seems to be at odds with the Apple identity, as does the idea of a budget Apple smartphone. Of course, the rumors say that the budget phone will still be out of range for many budget-conscious consumers because of its rumored price tag of almost $700. However assuming that the rumor is true, this plastic Apple phone is expected to have a 4 inch display, TouchID, NFC connectivity, and Gorilla Glass 3.
Seeing that the rumor once again came out from a Chinese source, it would be far off to speculate that it could just be a case for a copycat Apple.

iPhone 6C photos
Leaked photos from Future Supplier