No surprises here as it's been rumored and covered to death in the media. iOS 4.3 is here! However, there is one feature that many may overlook or take for granted and that is the integrated Home Sharing. While I feel that Home Share could use a LOT OF WORK for sharing between computers, it's actually quite cool to use to stream content from your iTunes library directly and wirelessly to your iOS device. This goes a long way for the limited storage space on iOS Devices. This way you could sync just your favorite media to your device, but still have access to ALL of your media while you're at home. The first thing you'll need to do of course is plug in your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch and update to iOS 4.3 via iTunes. Then just go to your iPod preferences in Settings and enter your Home Sharing (iTunes) account email and password. It probably goes without saying that Home Sharing needs to be turned on in iTunes and iTunes needs to be open/running. Also this needs to be the SAME email and password that you use in both places. Now when you launch your iPod app you should also see your various Home Sharing libraries on the network. From there you can chose anything that you want to play and stream it wirelessly over your WiFi Network. On the iPad your libraries will show at the top of your left hand panel. On the iPhone you'll need to tap on the "Shared" icon under "More" to see your Libraries.
The New Features of iOS 4.3
This update contains new features and improvements, including the following:
- Personal Hotspot*
- Share iPhone 4 cellular data connection with up to 5 devices (combination of up to 3 Wi-Fi, 3 Bluetooth, and 1 USB)
- iTunes Home Sharing
- Play music, movies and TV shows from a shared iTunes library on a Mac or PC (requires iTunes 10.2)
- New AirPlay features**
- Play videos from the Photos app including the Camera Roll album, iTunes previews, enabled third-party apps and websites on Apple TV
- Play slideshows from Photos on Apple TV using transitions available on Apple TV
- Faster Safari performance with Apple Nitro JavaScript engine
- HD video out using the Apple Digital AV Adapter***
- View 720p HD videos from Videos app, iPod app, Photos, YouTube, Safari, Keynote, and enabled third-party apps on an HDMI display
- Ping features
- Push notifications for comments and follow requests
- Post and Like songs directly from the Now Playing screen
- Parental controls
- New Settings
- Messages setting for number of times to repeat an alert
- iPad side switch setting to lock screen rotation or mute audio notifications and sound effects <-Thanks for bring this back!
- Single tap conference call dialing with a pause to send a passcode
- Bug fixes
*Requires iPhone 4 with tethering data plan
**Requires Apple TV (2nd generation) running software version 4.2 or later
***iPhone 4, iPad, iPod touch (4th generation)
does it offer a way to make the stereo into mono, so two people can hear both channels in each ear bud ? I mean, you were talking sharing, a guy can hope, can’t he ?
I can’t wait to download it I have been looking forward to the hot-spot feature. Unfortunately, I’m working overseas (Kuwait) and the download is going to take forever!
I would love to use that feature, but I won’t give up my unlimited plan to do so.
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I’m very concerned that the free run will end in the next gen iPhone.
I updated yesterday and my Apple TV also arrived. My initial impressions are favorable. There aren’t many circumstances where I want to stream music from my iMac to my iPad, but I did it this morning and it worked fine – I just wish the iPad could kick out more volume.
However, now it has me wanting to find a secure way to stream music from my iMac to my iPad while I’m on the road. Makes me wonder if I can access my entire library while I’m in a hotel room.
You should try audiogalaxy. I use it with my iPhone, iPad and Macbook when I’m on the road. Allows you to access your entire iTunes Library while away from home. playlists, albums, artist, etc… Its free!
I was excited about the Personal Hotspot feature, thinking naively it was freebie with iOS 4.3. When you go to activate the feature in Settings, it sends you to AT&T (in my case).
Once there, you realize that you need to add tethering to your data plan. Bad enough, since it’s $45 per month. But worse, if you add tethering you need to give up your unlimited data plan, if you have it (which I do). So I would have to pay an extra $15 per month AND lose my unlimited data plan.
Ouch. No thanks.
So, if you want to connect to the Apple TV, you need to have the same email (or Apple ID) to both the Apple TV and the device that you are connecting to it? So, I can’t go to my friends house that has Apple TV and say, “hey! check out my new photos on my iPad/iPhone!” and show them on their Apple TV? Is that correct? If so, so much for sharing! Please let me know, I have stuff to share!
Thanks!
You’re referring to AirPlay and that’s streaming FROM your iOS device to an Apple TV. In that case you just need to be on your friend’s network. When you bring up your content and tap the AirPlay button you should see their Apple TV come up in the list. Just choose it and stream.
Thank you Rogers and Fido in Canada for letting us use personal hotspot for no extra charge. I guess it’s a reward for waiting an extra two more weeks for an iPad 2:)
Can I play movies from my iMac to my iPhone with the sharing feature?
Yes, you sure can. I’m streaming one right now as a test. Cool!
Thank you. I did it too. See you at ps world.