Apple Posts iOS 6.0.1 Downloads for Cellular-Capable iPad Mini and Fourth-Generation iPad

Apple has just posted new downloads of iOS 6.0.1 for the forthcoming cellular-capable models of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. The downloads, which arrive as Build 10A8426, signal that Apple is preparing to launch the devices, which are scheduled for a "Mid-November" debut in the United States. We've seen signs that Apple will be delivering pre-orders of these devices as soon as Friday, November 16. 


The new downloads include: 

iPad mini 
- iPad2,6 
- iPad2,7 

Fourth-generation iPad 
- iPad3,5 
- iPad3,6 

Apple posted downloads of iOS 6.0 for the Wi-Fi models of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad three days before they launched on November 2.

iPhone 5 Coming to China in Late November or Early December

The Wall Street Journal reports that China Telecom is preparing to begin offering the iPhone 5 in late November or early December, adding to the potential for a blockbuster holiday quarter for Apple.

Government officials haven't offered guidance on when the iPhone 5 might win final approval. But China Telecom Chairman Wang Xiaochu said Friday in a brief interview on the sidelines of the Communist Party's 18th Party Congress in Beijing that the phone should be by early December if not sooner. 

China Unicom Chairman Chang Xiaobing was less certain. "We hope to offer it this year, but what I say doesn't matter," he said on the sidelines of the congress, adding that his company was waiting for the government to grant the remaining licenses for the phone to be released in China.

The report notes that China was responsible for $5.7 billion in revenue for Apple last quarter, 16% of the company's total. 

Apple has committed to a rapid rollout of the iPhone 5 to at least 100 countries by the end of the year, despite continuing production issues that have resulted in shortages where the device has already launched. China is typically well behind the lead pack of countries when it comes to new Apple product launches, but the compressed launch schedule for the iPhone 5 means that this gap may only be roughly two months from the first round of launches in the U.S. and other countries. 

The introduction of the iPhone 5 in China is also likely to reduce the number of units being siphoned off from other countries by gray market dealers purchasing the devices elsewhere for resale in China. Despite Apple's efforts to limit their ability to soak up supplies, scalpers are still working to secure as many iPhones as possible from retail stores in Hong Kong, the U.S., and other countries to send back to China.

Think Siri Sucks? Replace It With Google Voice Search Using NowNow Tweak [Jailbreak]

If you’ve found Siri to be completely useless, and you’ve decided it’s easier to avoid it than to shout at it, then why not replace it with Google Voice Search? If you’ve got a jailbroken iOS device, it’s as easy as installing a new tweak called NowNow.

NowNow gives Siri a swift kick up the backside and then replaces it with Google Voice Search, Google’s Siri substitute, which many find is far more accurate. Once installed, holding your home button will instantly bring up Google’s service as opposed to Apple’s.

AppAdvice demonstrates NowNow in action:

There are some caveats, of course. Firstly, Google Voice Search won’t communicate with other iOS apps like Siri does, so you can’t use it to set timers, Reminders, or alarms, or to call your mom. Also, you must have Google’s official Google Search app installed on your iOS device.

The good thing about NowNow, however, is that you can use a different Activator shortcut to use it; you’d don’t necessarily have to use Siri’s shortcut. So if you want to, you can have Siri and NowNow installed and use them both for different tasks when you see fit.

Isn’t that awesome?

NowNow is free, and you can find it now within the BigBoss repository in Cydia.

Use Google Voice Search from anywhere in iOS.