Hello everyone. Today's post is second in a three part series focusing on iDevice Voice features. This week, Bruce T shows you how to add Voice Notifications (jailbreak req'd) and Voice to Text (no jailbreak req'd) features to your iDevice.
First up, Voice Notifications. Envious of your friend's phone that says who is calling or who the incoming text message is from? Tired of fumbling for your phone when you are on the go? Looking to improve your hands free iPhone experience? If so, then this Jailbreak tweak is for you. This tweak requires a Jailbroken iDevice.
If you are Jailbroken, launch Cydia and search for "Voice Notifications", authored by InfectionsFX. This tweak is only $0.99 and is well worth it. This tweak will add voice notifications for incoming text messages, voice calls, and Push notifications. Here are the details, as well as InfectionsFX demo video. I hope you enjoy this tweak.
After you check this out, keep reading below for Voice to Text
Now on to one of my favorites, voice to text, no Jailbreak required. APP Store app, Dragon Dictation for iOS. Click HERE for a direct link to more information. ---and it's Bruce T's favorite price, FREE.
Download and install Dragon Dictation from the iTunes App Store.
Here's our brief video, I hope you enjoy it.
And that's how Bruce T does Voice Notifications & Speech to Text.
Stay tuned next week for the final chapter in our Voice App & Tweak series when we will show you TEXT TO VOICE tweaks.
This week's video was completed using Veency from Cydia, Tight VNC viewer for PC, and CamStudio.
Veency is available on your Jailbroken phone, download via Cydia app.
Today's post is the first in a series that will focus on iDevice Voice Control, voice notifications, text to speech and speech to text options.
Are you tired of your friends showing you how their Android based phone has system wide voice commands? It's the latest craze. Voice control, voice notifications, voice to text, and even text to voice. I'm going to show you how Bruce T does it.
This week we will show you how to expand the Voice Control features in Jailbroken iDevices. Also, stay tuned next week when Bruce T shows you how to add Voice Notifications to your Jailbroken iDevice.
Lets start with your stock iDevice. Apple's Voice Control, we all know it's there, but rarely use it. Basically, you press and hold the home button and you have access to features without having to fiddle with your home screen. Here are a few of the stock voice commands:
"Call"...say name or number
"No", "Nope", "Not the one"
"Stop", "Cancel"
"Play Songs by" .....say artist name
"What time is it?" iDevice tells you the time.
Rumors are circulating that the next generation iPhone will have stronger native voice controls as well as native voice based navigation.
Here's a brief video on iOS Voice Controls:
On to the more impressive stuff. The following App requires a Jailbroken iDevice, and is yet another reason to Jailbreak your iDevice, if you haven't already. Click here for information on the latest Jailbreak.
Earlier this month, iPhone Dev Chpwn released "VoiceActivator". Wacth the official launch video:
If you want to give this a try, grab your Jailbroken iDevice and launch Cydia.
Install the tweaks, Activator, and VoiceActivator. Once installed, they will be available in Settings.
So last week, if you follow me on Facebook, you know our XBox died.... Red Ring of Death, often refferred to as RROD. At our house, the XBox controlls our Media Center used to for DVR and music through the XBox, we watch Netflix all the time, and we like to GAME.
The most common cause of the RROD, E74, and other issues is a faulty or "cold" solder connection on the motherboard.
What to do now??? Not too many options. I'm out of warranty.
1. Throw it in the gutter and go buy another
2. Send it out for a "reball" solder repair for $100 or more [this is the best repair BTW]
3. Send it out or take it to a local gamer shop for a reflow at a cost of about $60-$90
4. REFLOW IT MYSELF.
You know how Bruce T does it, that's right, HIMSELF. And I did. We got out our new Flip HD Slide video camera. The videos will be posted at the end of this post. I know, there are several XBox repair videos on YouTube, but this is Bruce T, and I have street cred with my followers. We did this in under an hour, not including the time it takes for the unit to cool off after reflowing.
So I spent a few days doing my home work. I did not come up with this method, but I put all my research in to get it done RIGHT, just for my followers.
Here's what I found:
DON'T do stupid stuff like the "towel trick" or block your fans to overheat the CPU and GPU. It doesn't work, I tired it. It was a fix that lasted for about 30 minutes. Luckily, I didn't permanently destroy anything.
X-Clamp Mod??? Yes, but only if you are getting overheating errors. This won't fix an error like 0102-"cold solder joint" on CPU. It will put more pressure on the processor, but not fix the solder connection.
Also, don't purchase and X-Clamp mod kit, I'm going to give you the parts list in a moment.
If you are under warranty, send it in and wait. I know that sucks, but that's what I would have done had I been under warranty.
What I am about to show you can permenantly damage your Xbox. I will not be responsible if you completely destroy your XBox.
Special thanks to Paul D, my cousin, for donating the test Xbox we performed this method on first. The video in this blog is of our actual Xbox. We have now successfully repaired the E74 code on the donor Xbox and the 0102 cold solder joint on CPU & the E74 code on our home Xbox.
Here is what you need.
X-Clamp replacement parts list [Lowes part numbers in X-Clamp Mod link below]:
8pcs M5 x 10mm philips head screws
16pcs #10 Nylon washers [16mm were too long for the second unit we repaired]
You may need 8-16pcs M5 Flat Washers, depending on how thick the nylon washers are.
If you use the fasteners and washers from Lowes, you should have no problems. In our video, we used some washers from out local mom & pop hardware store and they were too thick. It is really important to make sure that when you put your heat sinks back on, that they touch the chips. And yes, you really need to use the Arctic Silver 5 compound. Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, found at your local radio shack, click here.
Heat Gun with a High and Low setting.
A Griddle, the kind you cook on, no, seriously.
Furnace Tape
Basic tools like T8 and T10 Torx screw drivers.
Aluminum Foil
And old catalog or magazine.
Q-Tips
Isopropyl Alcohol
View the videos below for the rest of the story.
Comment and email if you have any questions or anything to add. I hope this helps.
If you get an over heating code as soon as you turn it on, or if you fans are louder and stuck in high speed once you get to the dashboard, chances are you heat sinks are not properly seated on the processors.
Thanks again to the orginal posters and ideas.
And that's how Bruce T does it!!!!
Update: 11/16/2013
The original unit we did is still running and the one from died and we successfully brought it back to life using this procedure on it one more time.
We also recently purchased an HD camera and put together our first video. It's uploading to YouTube right now. If you have an Xbox 360 with the Red Ring of Death, stay tuned........
Our YouTube channel is going live soon, stay tuned.
We are also moving the blog to it's own twitter account, stay tuned....
Thanks again everyone, we are getting some good hits. We have had just short of 300 hits in our first five weeks. to some that isn't much, but I am happy with that considering I'm only sharing content on Facebook and Twitter.
Sharing is caring, please share the posts you like and help increase traffic to the blog.
And as always, if you have something to add or need help with anything, send me a message!!! About anything, iPhones, computers, life, anything [within reason]. We don't have to be iPhones and technical everyday.
Yesterday, the Chronic Dev Team has released Greenpois0n RC5 for Windows. This jailbreak will work on all newer devices. Stay away from this if you require a carrier unlock.
The best part? This jailbreak does NOT rely on your SHSH blobs. That means you can jailbreak your new devices as well, right out of the box!!!
I successfully ran Greenpois0n RC5 on my 3GS over the top of my 4.2.1 tethered Redsn0w 0.9.6rc8 jailbreak. No issues what so ever. I no longer need my laptop or PC to reboot my phone. Thank you Chronic Dev Team!!!!
On a side note, it does take a while for your iDevice to reboot after the initial jailbreak. No worries. Once you get to the rotating Apple/Greenpois0n logo, you are good to go.
So if you are are currently on the Redsn0w 0.9.6 jailbreak, go download and run Greenpois0n RC5.
Here is a great site from comex & chpwn, JAILBREAK QA. Go here for questions and answers about jailbreaking your iDevice.
Here is a tutorial video posted on YouTube by Xadget.
Please follow these tips BEFORE you jailbreak:
1. If you are already jailbroken, use PKGbackup or some other back up app in Cydia to back up your Cydia apps. I prefer PKGbackup [$7.99] because it backs up your settings and preferences, APT does not.
2. Transfer purchases & backup your iDevice in iTunes.
3. If you are using 4.2.1 onRedsnow0.9.6, rung Greenpois0n and you will be untethered, your will not lose your data or apps.
4. If you are currently Jailbroken on 4.1, upgrade your firmware to 4.2.1 using iTunes. You will have to start from a fresh jailbreak and restore from backup.
5. If you used PKG backup[or some other app], install it from Cydia after your new jailbreak and use it to restore your Cydai apps.
Enjoy your Jailbreak. Be sure to comment on how Greenpois0n worked for you.
Greenpois0n RC5 Untethered 4.2.1 Jailbreak for Windows went live early this morning. This has been a long awaited Jailbreak. I'm currently on the road without my laptop and will not be testing this Jailbreak until later this evening.
We are on my birthday getaway this weekend and I was not allowed to bring any technology other than my iPhone. In fact I am currently dictating this blog post with the handy iPhone app Dragon Dictation. It's speech to text recognition is awesome!! Free in the iTunes App Store.
I will run this Jailbreak later this evening. If you get a successful Jailbreak, please post comments about your experience.
Get it at www.greenpois0n.com or search Google for mirrors, the servers will be jammed with traffic.
Before you upgrade your firmware and Jailbreak, be sure to:
1. Backup your apps from Cydia using PKGBackup.(or APT Backup)
2. Create a free DropBox account to use with PKGBackup.
3. Run PKGBack up using both the option to save in contacts and to save in DropBox.
4. Transfer purchases and backup your iDevice in iTunes.
If you are already jailbroken using the tethered Redsn0w 0.9.6, you can run Greenpois0n over the top of it. DO NOT reinstall Cydia when completed.
Let me know how you do, and as always, thanks for reading. I will update this post this evening when I get a chance to run Greenpois0n.
