Apple

Exporting and Converting iPhone (iOS 9) Wallpaper Files

Posted on by Matt Woodward

I found myself needing to export and convert iPhone (iOS 9) wallpaper files from an old iPhone, and the source photos for these files no longer exist. As with most things Apple this turned out to be a horrendous pain but I was determined not to let Apple win. To paraphrase Ferris Bueller, “If I’m gonna get busted,  it is not gonna be by a company like that.”

Although getting here was pretty time-consuming, the end result is simple. I did this on Windows but it should work on a Mac as well, provided you can install Pillow and run some Python.

  1. Connect the iPhone to your computer
  2. Backup the iPhone using iTunes
  3. Grab iExplorer and run it, allowing it to connect to the iPhone
  4. In the Backup Explorer, navigate to HomeDomain -> Library -> Springboard
  5. In that directory you’ll see HomeBackground.cpbitmap and LockBackground.cpbitmap files, along with .jpg thumbnails of the files. Export these files from iExplorer to your computer.
  6. The .cpbitmap files are worthless (except to the iPhone) on their own, so finally you need to run a Python script to convert the .cpbitmap files to a usable image file.

I had to mess with some of the various Python scripts I found online to get it working properly (this one came closest), so if you’re reading this at a future date or using a different version of iOS, I won’t be surprised if it needs further tweaking.

Hope that helps others retrieve their wallpaper files!

Why I won’t buy an iPad (and think you shouldn’t, either) – Boing Boing

Posted on by Matt Woodward

The model of interaction with the iPad is to be a “consumer,” what William Gibson memorably described as “something the size of a baby hippo, the color of a week-old boiled potato, that lives by itself, in the dark, in a double-wide on the outskirts of Topeka. It’s covered with eyes and it sweats constantly. The sweat runs into those eyes and makes them sting. It has no mouth… no genitals, and can only express its mute extremes of murderous rage and infantile desire by changing the channels on a universal remote.”

The way you improve your iPad isn’t to figure out how it works and making it better. The way you improve the iPad is to buy iApps. Buying an iPad for your kids isn’t a means of jump-starting the realization that the world is yours to take apart and reassemble; it’s a way of telling your offspring that even changing the batteries is something you have to leave to the professionals.

These two paragraphs sum up my opinions about the iPad (and Apple in general these days) better than I ever could. I did find it curious that Doctorow left “Or by voting in presidential elections.” off the end of the Gibson quote, but it’s amazingly appropriate despite the omission of what I see as the punchline.

There’s another great reference in the post to the “Maker’s Manifesto,” which states that if you can’t open it, you don’t own it. “Screws not glue.” I used to like Apple, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that over the past 5 years or so they’ve locked down their products well beyond the point of ridiculousness. They want you to buy early and often, and spend spend spend on apps and content. Great business model for people who don’t care or don’t know any better, but definitely not for me.

Facebook iPhone Dev Quits Project Over Apple Tyranny

Posted on by Matt Woodward

My decision to stop iPhone development has had everything to do with Apple’s policies. I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer.

The web is still unrestricted and free, and so I am returning to my roots as a web developer. In the long term, I would like to be able to say that I helped to make the web the best mobile platform available, rather than being part of the transition to a world where every developer must go through a middleman to get their software in the hands of users.

Good for Joe Hewitt. Apple may like to say “our phone, our rules” but if Apple keeps up with the draconian behavior they may find a mass exodus on their hands. I hope the Pre and Droid start giving Apple a well deserved thrashing in the market.

Living in the Cloud: You Gotta Trust Somebody

Posted on by Matt Woodward

I’ve been rather vocal about “getting off Google” in the past, and it’s a battle I’ve been winning with my email for a few years now. But today I got my Droid (more on that later), and I thought long and hard before even ordering one because I knew what this would entail.

Obviously the Droid is using the Andoird OS, which means (surprise!) it’s Google-centric. Google offers a huge amount of convenience, and the Android OS itself is absolutely spectacular. Temptation rears its head.

I’ve been researching mobile phones like crazy over the last few months, and when it comes to “freedom” there really are no great choices. The Neo FreeRunner keeps showing promise, but ultimately you’re still going to be at the mercy of a cellular carrier, and picking the least amongst evils there isn’t easy.

The iPhone is a COMPLETE non-starter for me. AT&T coverage is horrendously bad, particularly where I live, and there is no way I’m diving into Apple’s cesspool of control. No offense to iPhone owners; if you’re happy with it, great! But it’s absolutely not for me.

I’ve had Verizon for years and been nothing but happy for years, so I’ve been suffering the crappy phones until the Droid came along. But the Droid has the Google problem I’ve been avoiding for so long, so what to do?

Well, on the Google fight I give up. I’m keeping my mattwoodward.com email address, but I changed that domain over to Google Apps for Domains today. That way I can get this all working seamlessly with my phone, and I guess I just have to trust that Google isn’t all THAT evil. I’ll keep using Scroogle for my searches when I’m at my desk though.

I guess the bottom line of this post is if you want the benefit of living in the cloud, you gotta trust somebody. So I suggest doing your research and choosing an option that works for you on all levels. Just make sure to have an out if the solution you align yourself with turns up the evil dial at a later date.

Steve Jobs, As Demonized By His Nemesis – doubletwist – Gawker

Posted on by Matt Woodward

Oh how the worm turns. Can’t say I disagree. Apple started out as an “alternative” with their “Think Different” campaign (to contrast with IBM’s “Think” motto), but between iTunes and the iPhone they want control over every aspect of people’s digital lives. High time Apple went back to their roots–I think the backlash has been building for quite a while and the tighter Jobs clenches his fist the more customers will slip through his fingers. Or something. 😉