Tech talk Digest

Well, iPhone OS 4 Beta 3 is now available for Developers with an updated version of SDK for iPhone and iPod touch. Only members of the iPhone Developer Standard or Enterprise Program can access these betas of iPhone OS 4 and SDK by signing into Apple Developer Connection.

iPhone OS 4 Beta 3 and SDK includes new API improvements, features and bug fixes.
Beta 2 of iPhone OS 4 was released last month on April 21st. The first Beta of iPhone OS 4 was unveiled in a preview event, held at Apple’s 1-Infinite loop campus in Cupertino. This announcement added lots of new features for both users and developers alike.

Well, What's new in the Beta 3.. Here's a collection of some new features that have been added to the new iPhone OS 4 Beta 3

File Sharing:
An exciting new feature in the latest iPhone OS 4.0 beta might finally address a long standing complaint of both users and app developers: the inability to easily move non-media files between the iPhone and a computer. According to Boy Genius Report, iPhone OS 4.0’s new File Sharing feature will allow you to transfer and sync files directly between your iPhone and your computer.

All you do is plug your iPhone into iTunes, go to the Apps tab and scroll down. On the left side of the screen, you choose an app from a list of supported programs, while the right side of the screen allows you to copy files into that app’s sandbox or save them from your iPhone onto your computer.

Media Player Widgets:
When you fire up the multitasking interface you see a new set of widgets that control the iPod application. To access it simply swipe to the left. From there you’ll be able to play, pause, move between tracks and open up the iPod app itself. Let’s hope this is just the first of many such widgets.



Multitasking: Closing Applications:
Shutting down applications that were running in the background was a huge pain in the butt in previous releases, but things have been simplified in beta 3. No longer do you have to press, hold and click close for each application. Instead you simply press and hold the icon of one of the many applications you’re currently running, and you’ll be given the option to close whatever ones you wish in rapid succession. A good way to describe it is by saying it basically now works in the same way you delete apps on the iPhone.

Orientation Lock:
A big new feature has been added to the multi-tasking user interface in iPhone OS 4, and that appears to be a widget interface for the iPod app. If you flick to the left of your first window of open apps, you are greeted with a few new buttons.

A stationary iPod button to quickly launch the app, iPod music controls, and Orientation lock. The orientation lock is just like on the iPad, but instead is controlled via this new menu. Tap once to lock in portrait, and again to unlock. The iPod music controls are similar to the ones that used to appear when you double clicked the home button.

Download:
You can download iPhone OS 4 Beta 3 from Apple Developers Center from Here.
Here we get hands-on videos for the the iPhone OS 4.0





Update 1: iPhone OS 4 Beta 4 is available for Download, More Details from Here.