Appletell

Who’s on Crack in Tech: 07.03.09

NEWS — 2009-07-04T00:40:18+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Welcome to this week’s edition of Who’s on Crack. This week was overflowing with what clearly was drug-induced euphoria. Maybe we can blame it on summer vacations? Maybe we can blame it on the torrential rains in the east. Maybe we can just blame Milli Vanilli. Whatever the blame, we’ll… MORE »

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So Hot Right Now: Top 10 Appletell posts for the week of June 28, 2009

NEWS — 2009-07-03T20:40:29+00:00

Section:

Haven’t caught all of the Appletell news this week? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

Looking for an iPhone 3GS? Check availability online.
” The launch for the iPhone 3GS seemed a little quiet at first, but the numbers seemed to tell a different story. AT&T reported that they sold “hundreds of thousands” on the first…” MORE »
Is Microsoft just skimming the Surface of multi-touch?
” Microsoft is really good at dreaming about the future; their track record on delivering it is not quite so shining. Seen ubiquitous Tablet PCs? Anybody remember SPOT? (No, it’s not a dog, it was the Smart Personal Object Technology…” MORE »
Appletell’s Red, White and iBoo giveaway
” It’s the 4th of July again, that time of year when the British celebrate losing control of us bothersome Americans, and we celebrate paying taxes to our own government, thank you very much. And what better way for you to…” MORE »
Micro projector specifically for iPhone and iPod touch coming soon
” Phonesuit have made a name for themselves in producing high quality iPhone and iPod touch accessories; to improve battery life, offer stylish bluetooth handsfree, and, of course, protect your precious iPhone. Now, they’ve decided to join forces with…” MORE »
Apple remains silent on apparent iPhone 3G S overheating issue
” Although I do not own an iPhone 3G S (yet) to confirm this issue, many iPhone 3G S, users are reporting overheating issues with the device, which is apparently dramatically affecting battery life. Reports of this issue…” MORE »
Appletell reviews FileMagic for iPhone/iPod touch
“Category:Productivity Seller: SplashData Requirements: iPhone OS 2.1 or later Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch File Size: 3.7 MB Version Reviewed: 2.0 Age Rating: 4+ Price: $4.99 Being the geek that I am, I…” MORE »
Walt Mossberg on MacBook Pro’s sealed in batteries
“Walt Mossberg has his official review of the new MacBook Pro batteries written and published, and his results and insight are very interesting. He makes some very good points regarding how well the built-in batteries in these machines will work…” MORE »
iPhone 3G S video capability exponentially increases mobile YouTube uploads
” It was obvious that when the iPhone 3G S was released that YouTube would see a nice little increase in traffic. Just as Flickr received a huge amount of traffic from iPhones uploading straight to their site, so…” MORE »
App it Up: Stuck Genie
“Category: Puzzle games Developer: Cobra Mobile Requirements: iPhone OS 2.0 or later Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch File Size: 9.0MB What is it? Stuck Genie is a unique puzzler that kind of combines those labyrinth marble games…” MORE »
New Apple ads tout copy and paste and voice control features
“Apple has posted two new iPhone advertisements on their website. This time around, they are touting Voice Control and Cut, Copy, and Paste—two new features on the iPhone that have existed on other phones for plenty of years now. That…” MORE »

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Does this case reveal the next generation iPod touch?

Kirk Hiner — 2009-07-03T11:30:41+00:00

Section: Rumors, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Accessories, Cases, Originals

We’ve received a tip with a link to uxsight.com, an online retailer that is marketing a silicone skin for, apparently, the iPod touch 3G. The case is on backorder, of course (until a random Tuesday in September, perhaps?), and is selling for $1.69. The big difference between this and other cases? A hole at the top back that our tipster feels could indicate the inclusion of a camera.

Of course, a camera in an iPod touch doesn’t make much sense at this point. Apple won’t want the touch to come too close to the iPhone’s feature set, and the addition of a camera could pull even more customers away from the iPhone and its rate plan. A weaker argument is that the site states the case fits the 8GB and 16GB iPod touch 3G model. When Apple does release the next iPod touch, it’s likely they’ll follow their typical upgrade policy and drop the 8GB model from the lineup, bumping instead to 16GB and 32GB.

Better evidence that this isn’t real is the fact that Apple tends to not release model designs to case manufacturers this early. Indeed, many companies with whom I’ve spoken have no idea what a new model will look like until it’s released. And these are top name accessory developers. After all, it wasn’t until a few days to a week after the release of the iPhone 3G S that case developers were able to announce that their 3G cases were compatible. Why so long? Because they had to wait like the rest of us to get their hands on one to test. If they couldn’t even get that basic bit of information early from Apple, am I’m to believe uxsight.com somehow got this info in time to design, develop and manufacture a case possibly months before we even see a new touch?

So, why even post this? Because we love the conversations they generate. New Apple products are fun to anticipate, and the touch is due for an upgrade. Of course, the Classic is in more desperate need of something new, but we’ll save that conversation for the next anonymous tip.

Product [Anti-slip Silicone Skin Case for iPod Touch 3G 8GB 16GB Red]

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Leaked AT&T memo discusses record iPhone sales for the 3GS

Josh Holat — 2009-07-03T11:21:51+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, iPhone, Carriers, iPhone

Until now, there have been guesstimates of how many iPhone 3G Ss were sold on its launch day this year. Apple and AT&T have been keeping quite, and we do know that the devices are being sold out around the globe. However, after seeing a recent memo leaked to MacDailyNews, it appears as if the sales were of great quantities.

The following text was what was included in that memo:

1. Fact of the Week: On June 25, the day Michael Jackson died, text messages sent on our network spiked at 65,000 messages per second — the largest volume ever recorded — surpassing events like American Idol voting and New Year’s Eve, when millions of our customers wish their friends and family a happy new year via text.”

2. “iLaunch day 2009 was one for the record books, as AT&T customers scrambled to get their hands on the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet.

Here’s a look at some of the milestones we achieved:

* Best-ever sales day in our retail stores
* Second-largest traffic day in our retail stores
* Most transactions processed via our IT systems in a single day
* Most upgrade eligibility checks in a single day
* Largest order day in att.com history
* Largest features sales day in att.com history

On this year’s launch day, iPhone sales exceeded sales recorded on 2008’s iPhone launch day, Black Friday 2008 and Dec. 26, 2008 — all heavy-volume sales days. In fact, this year we surpassed 2008’s launch day sales at about noon Central time, and sustained our previous peak hour record, also set in 2008, for 11 straight hours.

As you can see, there are a few pieces of information in this memo, and it appears as if AT&T has been having a pretty great month in their company. It also appears as if the iPhone 3GS sold extremely well both online and in brick and mortar stores - so well that it may have outsold the original iPhone 3G from launch day.

Via [MacDailyNews]

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Free Apps roundup for July 3rd, 2009

Jake Gaecke — 2009-07-03T10:47:44+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

A slow week yet again on the App Store. But never fear, ~~underdog~~ I’m still here, digging up some goodies for you to download. Actually, I found a fairly exciting app for anyone who is jealous of Beejive IM’s functionality, but not its price tag.

eBuddy - The free app of the week for this week, in my opinion. It’s the answer to all of your IMing needs. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; it’s not Beejive IM, but it is free. It has support for all the major services, including MSN, Yahoo, AIM (free SMS), ICQ, Gtalk, and Facebook, and it lets you log in to multiple accounts (even on the same service). You can stay online after you exit, and yes, you can even get push notifications for free. If you don’t already have Beejive IM, this is a must download.
Fast & Furious The Game Test Drive - Spin some tires for free. Seriously, they want you to test drive the Fast & Furious game. You might be tempted to buy, but you also might just move from one demo to another to another to…
TouchChords Free - If you don’t already know how to play guitar, you need to learn. What better way than to learn on your iPhone? Well, I can think of at least one, but this is a nice way of learning the basics when you’re away from a real six string. You get four sequences in this free version.
Turnstyle - It’s a virtual mechanical counter. You press the button, it increments upwards. Short and simple.
Target Practice - This one has been available for almost a month, but it slipped past me. Use your iPhone’s motion sensors to control a gun and, well, practice shooting targets. Looks like fun.
AppConnect - You have me, but perhaps you need just a little bit more when it comes to tracking apps on the App Store. This app helps you to follow price drops and recommended apps from other users of the app. Price drops are awesome, as many paid apps can be had for free at various times. Check it out.

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - July 2, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-07-03T02:03:12+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for July 2, 2009:

Macintosh

Selznick Scientific Software, LLC has announced PasswordWallet 4.4.7, a major update to their incredibly popular password management solution for Macintosh, iPhone, WindowsMobile and Palm Pre. With a focus on simplicity and ease-of-use, PasswordWallet encrypts and stores passwords and other private information in one, convenient location. Version 4.4.7 sports many new improvements across all platforms, including self-decrypting HTML export support for the Palm Pre.
ExactCODE GmbH has released ExactScan 2. ExactScan Pro grows to a product-family: Professional version with OCR and Barcode recognition to create searchable document on the Mac, or just to convert existing files into searchable PDF, multi-page PDF or TIFF. Together with the Spotlight indexing services built into Mac OS X, this features form a document management solution suitable for small-office and home-office environments.
equinux has announced TubeStick Map, the brand new digital television availability tool. This interactive map lists which free-to-air TV channels existing users of equinux’s innovative Mac USB TV Tuners are able to receive in their area.
Macvide has announced FlashVideo Converter 3.1, an update to its professional Flash to video conversion utility for Mac OS X. The FlashVideo Converter is a powerful and versatile program for converting any flash video file to one of many popular video formats including iPhone/iPod mp4, Mobile .3gp and MPEG2. Converted movies can be saved for custom editing, or recorded for use in DVD players, or on iPod, iPhones and other mobile devices.
wuonm has announced the v1.1 release of Layers, featuring “WebShots,” a new core feature added to its yet unique Photoshop layered capture mode. WebShot is a fast and accurate full web page capture mode for major Mac browsers: Safari, WebKit, Firefox and Opera. Layers grabs the image as rendered by each different browser—pixel-by-pixel accurate—exactly as it appears on screen. Most, if not all existing solutions, use the visited URL to reload the page in an internal webkit instance.

iPhone/iPod

Neon Chicken, the iPhone application studio, has announced its latest app, POKER FACE, now available in the iTunes App Store. POKER FACE is a feature-rich, multimedia reference guide that enables you to read people’s tells during a poker game.
Ibis, Inc., has just released Shuffle Ball in the App Store. Shuffle Ball is a 3D air hockey game in which you hit a smash by shaking or flipping the device as if it were a real racket.
QuickerTek has announced the Apple Juicz External Battery for the first, second and 3G iPhones, iPod and iTouch. With this external battery users get up to three times the battery life. 30 extra hours of music, 6 extra hours of video and 3 extra hours of talk time on the iPhone. The External Battery features a high capacity 2200 mAh Polymerized Lithium-ion battery, LED status indicator and is compatible with all iPod models with a 30 pin connector, iPhone and iTouch.
RG Entertainment has announced the availability of the “Super Capers Comic #1 - Back to the Feature” for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed exclusively for the iPhone/iPod Touch, this Interactive Motion Comic is the official prequel/sequel to the independent film Super Capers. The traditional 2D art style comes alive as you watch and listen as the action pops-in, hovers, bounces, and rockets off, with full sound effects and music from the film.
Readdle has announced the immediate availability of Cheiftent version 1.2, the latest version of their popular online project management tool for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The application allows Basecamp subscribers to manage their projects wherever they are directly from the iPhone, bringing the Basecamp look and feel directly to the iPhone screen. Chieftent stands out thanks to the native Basecamp look and feel optimized for the iPhone screen.
Izatt has announced MileBug 1.4, the latest release of it’s flagship iPhone app in both full and lite versions. Version 1.4 is compatible with iPhone OS 3.0, includes a new Lite icon, easy access to the MileBug blog, and more. MileBug helps those driving their own vehicles for business, charity, medical, or other reasons receive their reimbursement and/or tax deduction. MileBug provides the option to track miles or kilometers as well as enter custom rates.

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Apple developing “active packaging” for mobile devices?

Josh Holat — 2009-07-03T01:16:52+00:00

Section: Apple News, Retail & Apple Store

According to a new patent application from Apple, the company we all know and love wants to create a new type of packing for their iPhones and iPods. As we have seen through the years, normal packaging is designed to put some sort of advertisement on the outside while also keeping the product inside safe and sound. With this new “active packaging,” Apple would be able to both power the device and send data to it in order to have it display some sort of media, such as a video, while sitting on shelves waiting to be purchased. As Apple puts it:

The power may be provided by a direct power connection to an external power supply or by one or more wireless power techniques. A data signal may be provided by one or more direct data lines to the electronic media device within the packaging, or the electronic media device may enable an integrated wireless network interface to receive a data stream while housed in the packaging.

In theory, this sounds pretty awesome, why not put the device to use while it is on shelves? However, in my opinion it will take a lot of research and development to work correctly and efficiently, the way most Apple products do. For example, Apple may have to get retailers such as Best Buy to offer some way to charge these devices while they are on shelves, which could be expensive and unpractical. That said, I would love to see this sometime in the future.

Via [AppleInsider]

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Hail to the red, white, and blue gadgets

NEWS — 2009-07-03T01:14:13+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - With Independence Day fast approaching here in the States, I thought it would be a nice time to have our own red, white and blue display. Of gadgets, of course. Ready for some bright, fun toys? Here’s a rundown of five I found. 1. The ScandiPhone This thing has apparently… MORE »

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Appletell reviews the Mophie JuicePack Air iPhone battery charger/case

Jake Gaecke — 2009-07-02T14:32:58+00:00

Section: iPhone, iPhone Accessories, iPhone, Reviews

Provides: Additional battery life
Developer: Mophie
Minimum Requirements: iPhone 3G or 3GS
Price: $79.95
Availability: Now

A little low on juice? Just can’t make it through the day? Are your mornings filled with smile and sunshine, yet your afternoons filled with darkness and a constant grimace (no, I’m not talking about the mysterious purple creature we all know and love…or am I?). Sounds like you need more battery life on your iPhone. Mophie can help.

The Mophie JuicePack Air is one of the premiere external battery solutions for the iPhone 3G and 3G S. It’s a case with an extra battery in it. The whole package couldn’t get much more simple, though that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

All you do is slide your iPhone into the bottom portion of the JuicePack Air and follow it closely by the cap on the top. Fits like a glove; a super tight glove that isn’t coming off anytime soon, so I hope you like it. On the bottom are the Micro USB slot and power switch, and the back has a button that lights up the battery guage (four LEDs).

On the bright side, it’s simple, it works, and it adds a layer of protection to the iPhone’s backside as a result of it being a case. You’ll get about a full recharge or so out of this battery, or supplemental battery, for some time. I’m told the iPhone uses more energy when charging, so you might be able to squeeze more time out of it by only flipping the switch to on when you actually need more power. And batteries like the iPhone’s rapidly charge to almost full, but take longer to top off, so you also might consider not filling up to full.

Did I mention you get to choose which color you want? As long as that color is Black, White, or oddly enough, Purple. So you can make a mild color adjustment if you wish, or just match your iPhone’s color.

On the not so bright side, it’s slim for a battery pack, which means it’s large for a case. You’ll definitely notice this in your pocket. A minor bonus is that you’re iPhone will feel super thin when you finally take it out. The case is very tight around the iPhone, which makes it fairly difficult to remove. And finally, it uses a Micro USB cable, because why, oh why would you want another dock connector cable on your iPhone when you can have something else?

I think this is not the sort of “case” you would use on a constant basis (not that this scenario doesn’t happen), so the relative thickness of this guy isn’t that much of an issue. The tightness is quite annoying, because it’s very difficult to remove your iPhone from the case without feeling like you are going to break or scratch something. And the Micro USB cable? That’s just irritating; it should have been a dock connector.

I don’t think anyone who doesn’t honestly need extra battery life is even considering this, mostly because it’s not priced at an impulse buy price point; $79.95 is far from cheap. But if you need the extra battery life, I think the Mophie JuicePack Air is a great choice. It works very well, adds battery life, and protects your iPhone in the process. You just have to decide if doubling your battery life is worth the price, or should you just pick up an extra iPhone cable to charge in the car or from the wall for significantly less money.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Mophie JuicePack Air

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Apple remains silent on apparent iPhone 3G S overheating issue

Patrick Lutz — 2009-07-02T10:22:38+00:00

Section: iPhone, iPhone

Although I do not own an iPhone 3G S (yet) to confirm this issue, many iPhone 3G S, users are reporting overheating issues with the device, which is apparently dramatically affecting battery life.

Reports of this issue first came up on Nowhere Else, but has been confirmed by tech editors David Coursey and Melissa J. Perenson of PC World, who have both personally experienced the problem. According to Perenson, the iPhone became so heated that she couldn’t even touch her face with it. Coursey believes the issue has to do with the new and improved processor in the 3G S, which seems to work overtime in some iPhones when working with memory-intensive applications. Others have said that the problem is with the battery itself, which seems to be supported by evidence of a white 3G S that turned brown along the back around where the battery is located (shown in the picture above).

Apple has been asked to issue a statement on the issue, but they have yet to give one. It’s hard to know if this is a major problem and how many iPhone 3G S devices are in danger of damage from overheating. It is not yet known if this is just a defective problem in some devices or if all iPhone 3G Ss are at risk of this problem when running certain memory-intensive apps. Most importantly, it is not yet known if people are at a physical risk because of the overheating.

Apple is known to have had battery problems in the past, such as with the Sony batteries used in the iBook G4 and PowerBook G4. However, the main problem in this situation is that the iPhone’s battery is sealed in, and replacing it yourself would void your warranty. Whether a recall is ahead is unknown, but this could potentially be a major inconvenience for 3G S users.

If any iPhone 3G S owners are experiencing overheating issues, feel free to tell us about it in the comments.

Via [Wired]

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - July 1, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-07-01T23:04:12+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for July 1, 2009:

Macintosh

Nisus Software has announced the release of Nisus Writer Pro 1.3, the latest version of their critically acclaimed word processor. To celebrate, Nisus also announces a sale on Pro. Nisus Writer Pro 1.3 adds a completely new document manager. The document manager now can manage any file on your drive, regardless of its location. You can create file groups, or use the predefined smart groups. There is also a style library, and an advanced search that leverages Apple’s Spotlight technology.
Maintain has announced Cocktail 4.4 (Leopard Edition). Cocktail serves up a scrumptious mix of maintenance tools and interface tweaks, all accessible via a comprehensive graphical interface. Version 4.4 adds ability to reset home directory permissions and Access Control Lists, adds ability to set Time Machine’s backup interval and to modify other Time Machine settings, adds support for more network interfaces, adds support for Safari 4 and ability to disable Safari 4 webpage previews.
iPresentee has announced iWeb Intros 1.0 to be used with Apple’s Web site building application. iWeb Intros is a part of iWeb Suite package. Visitors will like your web site more if they will get a nice welcome for them. iWeb Intros 1.0 includes five terrific welcome intros: Desert, Groove, Paint Splatter, Dreamy Intro and Multilingual Greetings. These intros can stand alone as intro page for your website or can be incorporated into any iWeb template.
RapidWeaver Themes has announced Bravado, a brand new theme for the popular website creation tool RapidWeaver. Serving as a professional theme with easy to use features. Bravado offers users some new and unique options which make creating their website as easy as possible. Numerous color schemes and beautiful theme styles come pre-installed to help you get up and running in the shortest amount of time possible.
Be.ez, designers of stylish accessories for the mobile lifestyle, is proud to announce two new additions to the LEvertigo notebook bag collection: LEvertigo Lime Art and LEvertigo Black/Pumpkin. Available in 13” and 15” sizes, LEvertigo boasts a unique design that positions laptops in a vertical orientation, instead of the horizontal layout common to most bags. The Lime Art and Black/Pumpkin bags are the first in the LEvertigo collection to be PVC-free, made from reengineered materials and packaged in recycled paper packaging.
The makers of Welcome to Macintosh announced that the documentary will be available to all US Comcast Cable TV subscribers on Pay Per View beginning July 1st 2009. Comcast Subscribers can find it in the Pay Per View channels as well as the Movie section of their On Demand service. Welcome to Macintosh is a feature length documentary that explores the many ways Apple, Inc. has changed the world.
Close on the heels of Apple’s release of the Safari 4 Web browser, TidBITS Publishing Inc. has published Take Control of Safari 4, ($10.00 USD) by Sharon Zardetto. The 92-page book helps beginning and intermediate Mac users learn new Safari 4 features like Top Sites and searching the page content of bookmarks and history, and it provides essential advice on smart ways to manage bookmarks, load multiple Web pages at once, fill out forms automatically, keep track of passwords, download files, keep up with favorite Web sites via RSS, and manage Web-browsing history.

iPhone/iPod

Njection LLC has announced that Njection Mobile (NMobile), their worldwide speed trap notification system for iPhone 3G, will release version 1.1.3 for free before the 4th of July weekend. In addition, Njection has released an Ad Engine that specifically uses NMobile’s unique localization features for displaying area store discounts and coupons for its users to take advantage of. This will assist more traditional “Brick and Mortar” companies to compete for customers.
Brainjuice has announced that the official release of Blogo 1.2.8, its Mac desktop blog editor and Twitter client, is available to the public. Awarded “Pick of the week” by Leo Laporte on Macbreak weekly, the application makes blogging on the Mac easy even for those with no knowledge of HTML. This release adds support for custom fields with WordPress, a much-requested addition and an essential feature for probloggers. Custom fields are used by plugins like the All in One SEO Pack and WP Post Thumbnail, and give bloggers the flexibility to add additional information to posts.
TimeStream Software has announced free downloads of its popular “Walt Disney World Secrets” Notescast for the iPod Classic and iPod nano for a limited time. Now iPod Classic and iPod nano owners can tour all of Walt Disney World Resort using their iPods in hand as their personal interactive tour guide as they discover one new secret after another throughout all of Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Nickelodeon’s AddictingGames will extend to the iPhone this July with the launch of several games and a cross-promotion publishing network for iPhone game developers called the AddictingGames iNetwork. Game developers will now be able to tap into the AddictingGames.com’s promotional reach, upsell capabilities and social gaming features—including: high scores; reviews; and player matching—in order to reach iPhone users with their game applications. Games based on properties from Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, MTV and other divisions of MTV Networks will also be part of the AddictingGames iNetwork.
Last Legion Games (LLG) and their patented cloudMMO technology are delivering state-of-the art game play to the iPhone via Amazon’s cloud. Not only did LLG pioneer MMO game play on the cloud, they were the first to take cloudMMO to the iPhone with the acclaimed Watchman game to accompany Warner Bros. blockbuster release earlier this year.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell’s Red, White and iBoo giveaway

Kirk Hiner — 2009-07-01T17:45:15+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Family, iPod Accessories, Docks & Speakers, iPod, iPod nano, iPhone, iPhone Accessories, iPhone, Mac + Computers, Peripherals, Features, Giveaways

It’s the 4th of July again, that time of year when the British celebrate losing control of us bothersome Americans, and we celebrate paying taxes to our own government, thank you very much. And what better way for you to join the festivities than to pay taxes on your very own giveaway prize…an iBoo iPod Docking Station and 2.1 speaker system from Speakal ($89.99 value). The winner will be able to make his/her selection from the red, white or blue model.

The Prize

iBoo is compatible with all iPods with a dock connector, but can also be used with the iPhone, gaming systems, other music sources, etc. via a 3.5mm auxiliary input. The 2.1 speaker system offers 15W of total power, including a 9W subwoofer with Bass Reflex Technology.

Other features include:

Humanized Touch Volume Control and iPod control
Remote to control the iPig and iPod functions
Airflow optimized design for consistent sound performance
Eco-Friendly and RoHS Compliant
Multiple cradles to fit your iPod
30 day Money back guaranty
1 year limited warranty

How to Enter

To enter to win your iBoo, first make sure you’re registered with Appletell, then make sure you’ve read the Dabble LLC giveaway rules. Done that? Awesome. Then just comment below to let us know what will be the first song you play over the iBoo if you win. Maybe it’ll be a song of revolution and freedom. Maybe it’ll be your country’s national anthem. Maybe it’ll be “The Curly Shuffle.” Whatever. It doesn’t really matter because the winner will be selected randomly from all registered entrants.

Entries will be accepted through Sunday, July 12th, and the winner will be announced the following week. The IRS is willing to wait until next year for Americans to declare the taxes on your winnings.

Appletell 20% Discount

Yes, only one person can win a free iBoo, but aren’t we all winners, really, when Speakal offers Appletell readers a 20% discount on all of their products? From now through July 30th, 2009, enter the code “appletell20off” when ordering from Speakal’s online store to receive 20% off your order.

Product [iBoo]

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

EA discouraging used Sims 3 game sales with registration

NEWS — 2009-07-01T16:11:10+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - Users who purchase a used copy of The Sims 3 that has already been registered by the previous owner will be unable to access The Sims 3 website and online store.
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

App it Up: Stuck Genie

Kirk Hiner — 2009-07-01T12:09:27+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

Category: Puzzle games
Developer: Cobra Mobile
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.0 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch
File Size: 9.0MB

What is it?

Stuck Genie is a unique puzzler that kind of combines those labyrinth marble games with Tetris, without really being anything like either.

How does it work?

Mostly, you just stare at it. This is definitely the type of puzzle game that requires more thought than interaction, but that’s a good thing. After working your way through an oddly cumbersome options/set-up menu, you’re presented with a grid of obstacles and balls resting on individual playing squares. You goal is to guide your yellow ball through the obstacles and next to all of the blue balls. This is done by flicking the touch screen in the direction you want to move. But you have to be careful; where you touch the blue ball is where it will stay in proportion to your yellow ball as you move on, so you need to line things up properly in order to advance.

That, then, is the Tetris bit; you can rotate all of the balls currently touching your yellow ball, but only clockwise, and the mass will retain its shape. For instance, if you have four blue balls in a vertical line beneath your yellow ball, rotating them will give you four blue balls in a horizontal line to the left of your yellow ball (the yellow ball is always the pivot point). So, as you carry these balls through the maze, you need to account for how you will reach all of them through the obstacles, and plan your pick ups accordingly. The board has to be cleared within a certain time frame, and you get more points for faster completion.

Features

73 levels.
Colorful graphics and lively audio with a polished presentation.
Simple gameplay makes it fun for children and adults, although many of the later puzzles are quite devious.
Ability to save multiple players.

App it Up, Sum it Up

Stuck Genie will not be a top app for the majority of iPhone gamers. Rather, it’ll likely become one of those games you play infrequently, but that you never delete from your iDevice because it’s always good for a quick gaming session. It’s very well designed, it’s stable, and it’s perfectly suited for killing time in 5 to 15 minute bursts.

Cost - $1.99
Worth the Money? - Yes, especially for puzzle gamers seeking something new.
Availability - Now, at the iTunes App Store.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Is Microsoft just skimming the Surface of multi-touch?

Aaron Kraus — 2009-06-30T23:08:49+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, Features, Operating Systems, Windows, Originals

Microsoft is really good at dreaming about the future; their track record on delivering it is not quite so shining. Seen ubiquitous Tablet PCs? Anybody remember SPOT? (No, it’s not a dog, it was the Smart Personal Object Technology that Microsoft envisioned us all using to read stock quotes on our watches. Seriously.) Okay, they kind of called the current netbook trend (a little early), but they were wrong about most of the details of what was then called the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC); they envisioned something between a smartphone and a netbook that was too small to be really useful and too big to be really portable. Microsoft also has a track record of blowing smokescreens to distract attention from gaps in their own product lines while they work to crush competition, and that list is exhausting in length: Cairo and Longhorn, with all their promised glamorous features, top the list. Given this track record, it is virtually not impossible to pose the question: what impact, if any, will Microsoft’s Surface have on everyday computing?

When you get right down to it, the computer-user interface has seen no major advances since the introduction of the mouse in the 1980s. Major advances in technology/capabilities have been made, but for the most part we still type stuff on keyboards and point & click things on the screen with a mouse/pen tablet/other mouse-equivalent device. The computer desktop, and most programs, present metaphors: files to double click, page turn buttons/scroll bars, and buttons that make some action occur. Microsoft and Apple both delivered touch-sensitive GUIs in handheld devices, with Windows CE and the Newton OS, respectively, in the mid 1990s. These UIs, however, were not really revolutionary; instead of mousing to an on-screen object, you touch it with a stylus. With the introduction of the iPhone, Apple is taking a step in UI design—all the multi-touch gestures are real world gestures. The metaphor of interacting with some elements is metaphor no longer; the user actually flicks a page to move to the next one. But this is only a small evolutionary step. There are still buttons to tap to launch apps or make configuration changes. Baby steps, in other words, while Windows Mobile is still stuck on the stylus as a mouse replacement.

Intro the Surface, which Microsoft promises will “[break] down traditional barriers between people and technology, changing the way people interact with all kinds of everyday information — from photos to maps to menus.” It looks, on the surface (sorry, but as usual Microsoft has burdened us with a name that makes conversation challenging—think “Word” and “Office”) like a brand new way of interacting with a computer. There is a great ars technica article about a design firm, Teehan+Lax, and their thoughts on the challenges of developing applications for this new Surface interface. The real problem that they see is one mainly of orientation: typical computers have up, down, left, and right on the screen, and one (maybe two) users. Surface allows a full 360 degrees of freedom, meaning that the number of users and their viewing angle is only limited by the size of the actual table (and maybe by how well Vista, which underpins Surface, can deal with that much input). How would two users, on opposite sides of a table, use Word, for instance? The text will be upside down for one user, as will all the tool bars. Writing a letter suddenly becomes a study in hieroglyphics and hand-eye coordination!

In theory, this challenge could be overcome by each user getting his own window to work with, but that just leaves us with a traditional computer and a huge screen. Hardly revolutionary. Some have suggested that content be the central focus of the computing environment, and UI could be personalized—each user gets hi own toolbar/menubar/whatever other interaction. But this does not cover the basic difficulty that the user may need text/media oriented to his viewing angle. Just because I have my very own text formatting toolbar in Word doesn’t mean I can apply Arial Bold 12 pt. to some text if it is upside down! Upon closer inspection, under the surface of Surface (just can’t help myself!) there is a dearth of substance (though there are some cool applications for this technology, no doubt). And while the product itself is real, and hence not vaporware, there is a strong odor of smokescreen about the world-changing credentials of the whole Surface idea that just can not be denied!

Microsoft would like to promote the advances that Surface brings as advances to the overall Windows ecosystem. There is just one tiny little problem: the devices where multi-touch and gesture-based computing are truly useful, like phones and media players, will not directly benefit from any of the technology in Surface. Windows Mobile, Zune, and the XBox all run their own, independent operating systems, while Surface is running a variant of Vista. This stands in stark contrast to Apple’s development strategy, which places a light version of OS X on iPhones, iPod Touches, and AppleTV (even though marketing jargon calls it iPhone OS, it’s still an OS X variant). This means that any mutli-touch improvements in one device can easily be ported to any of the others. And Apple’s approach of evolving multi-touch where it makes sense, rather than attempting to totally upend traditional computing paradigms, is introducing more fundamental changes in user interaction than Microsoft’s more heavy-handed approach in Surface.

Which brings me back to the main point: is Microsoft really pushing the envelope here, or are we supposed to follow the flashy effects while the man behind the curtain struggles to make truly useful product enhancements? In reality, does Surface just have a flashy—albeit niche—role to fill in computing as a big touch screen? Or is it the next big thing? Your thoughts?

Full Story » | Written by Aaron Kraus for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - June 29-30, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-06-30T22:07:26+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for June 29-30, 2009:

Macintosh

restoroot.com has announced the release of Letter Opener 2.2, their winmail.dat converter plug-in for Apple Mail. At its basic, Letter Opener processes Microsoft Outlook winmail.dat files without the requirement for a separate, standalone application. Implemented as a plug-in, Letter Opener lives right inside Apple Mac OS X Mail, allowing users to seamlessly convert winmail.dat files to attachments, iCal files, vCards, and more.
Xeric Design has announced EarthDesk 5.0, a major upgrade to its award-winning, real-time dynamic desktop map for OS X. Version 5.0 has been entirely rewritten in Cocoa, adds many new features and is fully compatible with both Leopard and the upcoming Snow Leopard. EarthDesk replaces your static desktop with an image of the Earth showing current sun, moon and city illumination, as well as real-time global cloud coverage, allowing you to track hurricanes and other weather systems.
unmarked software has announced the release and immediate availability of TextSoap 6.2.2, an update to its text processing utility for Mac OS X. The TextSoap 6.2.2 update is a maintenance release that fixes a number of reported issues and adds support for using Services on rich text with images. Take total control of text and its style. With a single menu selection TextSoap 6 brings unique processing power to users from within their favorite application.
Cooliris, the fastest way to browse photos and videos Facebook, Google Images, YouTube, Flickr, and even your desktop, has been updated. Available at cooliris.com, it comes as a free plug-in that transforms your browser into interactive and infinite 3D Wall of content so you can search and browse thousands of images and videos without flipping from page to page.
Cadent Computing Inc. has announced wineCellar 2.0, a major update to their popular wine collection and organizer for Mac OS X and Windows. Perfect for wine aficionados and connoisseurs alike, Cadent wineCellar is a unique application for storing, viewing and retrieving information about anyone’s wine collection. The application can store up to 2000 wine entries (100 during the free 30-day trial).
Ergonis Software has released Typinator 3.5, the fastest and most robust version of its highly acclaimed text expansion tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos. Typinator has always shined for its speed and robustness as well as compatibility with arbitrary applications. The new version of Typinator introduces a new technology that makes the expansion and insertion of text even faster than before, reinforcing Typinator 3.5 the fastest and most compatible text expander ever.
Yazsoft has announced Speed Download 5.2, a major update to their flagship download manager. Speed Download 5 redefines the Mac OS X download manager by combining four amazing products; a turbo-charged download manager with auto-resuming downloads, a fully featured secure FTP client, a file sharing utility with full encryption, and complete .Mac/iDisk/WEBDAV connectivity into one small and easy to use application. And now with RSS newsreader integration.
Dale Webb, Director of The Protocol Centre in Coral Gables, Florida, has announced the debut of Etiquette Avenue 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Etiquette Avenue puts screens of professional protocol advice in the hands of millions who can use it in ever-more competitive times. It is the first App dedicated to the rules of professional and workplace protocol. Etiquette Avenue’s information is a version of the company’s Best Protocol Practices curriculum updated and adapted to an App.
If you think computer security has improved in recent years, The Myths of Security (O’Reilly, US $29.99) will shake you out of your complacency. Longtime security professional John Viega, formerly Chief Security Architect at McAfee, reports on the sorry state of the industry and offers concrete suggestions for professionals and individuals confronting the issue.
QuickerTek has announced Quicky Junior II, a new wireless internet and networking USB device that triples the wireless range. This new Quicky Junior II is compatible with the Apple Extreme Base Station as well as almost every other 2.4GHz wireless equipment users are likely to run into while traveling. Whether using a coffee shop network or tapping into the network in the office, Quicky Jr. II provides increased range while maintaining speed.
Millard Grubb and Backyard Gazette Publishing have released a free audio CD for Mac owners that will help make their lives a little brighter. 7 Secrets Of Making Cash With Your Mac looks at using a Macintosh specifically to grow an information business right from your home. This CD explains how to use a Macintosh computer to start an information publishing business.

iPhone/iPod

Atom Software has announced the release of Boat Mania 1.0, a new boating game for iPhone and iPod Touch. You’ve played traffic control games in the air. Now it’s time to have some addictive fun at the marina. Gameplay is simple yet challenging which is great game for beginners and pros alike. Trace a path for each boat to land at the correctly colored pier. But don’t let them crash into each other or you’ll lose a life. Boat Mania includes two exciting modes of game play.
Freeverse, Inc., has announced the release of the new game Warpack: Grunts from UK partner company Strange Flavour. This pick-up-and-play squad based shooter springs to life on iPhone and iPod touch with colorful art, addictive gameplay, extensive content and iPhone OS 3.0 exclusive features! Players control a squad of four soldiers as they seek to complete 40 levels of explosive missions, from grenade-bombing the enemy, sniping the main antagonist Evil Dude, to commandeering tanks and helicopters.
eCOMPOSITE has released 321Run Lite 1.0, a free version of their health based running app for iPhone and iPod touch. 321Run Lite is the free version made for users of 321Run, a GPS-enabled version that also records the distance, calories and tells you and your friends what distance you ran. 321Run Lite is your coach on our iPhone. Plug your earphones and listen to it tell you when to change rythm, and how long you’ve run.
Mobila Interactive has announced release of its Tyrian port of iPhone OS. Tyrian is an arcade-style vertical scrolling shooter which was originally developed by Eclipse Productions and published by Epic MegaGames on the PC platform in 1995.
About Objects has announced a new public schedule for iPhone Programming Workshop, a hands-on developer training course on the iPhone SDK. The course has been updated to reflect Apple’s recent release of the latest 3.0 version of the SDK. Classes will be conducted July 27 - July 31, and August 10 - August 14, at the About Objects headquarters in Reston, VA, and August 24 - August 28 near the Apple campus in Cupertino, CA.
Robosoft, in collaboration with Virtual Programming, is bringing the classic game Pipe Mania to the iPhone. In this game, the player is provided with pipes of different shapes, which he/she must lay onto a grid to form a connection between a tap and a drain. He/she must do this before the time runs out and a slimy green liquid called Flooze oozes out of the pipes.
Joystick Ninjas has released myMotivator for iPhone and iPod touch. myMotivator is a unique application with the purpose to boost morale of users, and give them motivational and inspirational lift. The main feature is a clip, consisting of affirmative text and synchronized with music, specifically written for myMotivator. It also features over 100 related quotes. Joystick Ninjas is planning an update to bring the quotes to over 300.
Sonic Boom, a leading publisher and creator of mobile games and applications, today announced its partnership with Bight Games and the release of its stellar line-up. Big Top 10 is available now for iPhone and iPod Touch. The highly anticipated Kill All Bugs and Puzzlings are expected to launch in the App Store in the coming week, and will be published on major wireless carriers throughout North America this fall.
Contest winners and concertgoers at the July 18 San Francisco Symphony Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy concert will participate in the first ever Ocarina Master Class and an Ocarina Orchestra post-concert performance, to be led from the Davies Hall stage by the iPhone app developer, Smule.
Loopt has announced that its service is available on the iPod touch—offering all the core Loopt social mapping features, including the ability see where your friends are via interactive maps, explore places recommended by services like Yelp, and meet new people nearby on Loopt Mix
Universal Electronic Accessories (Uniea) is set to unveil updates of four classic Uniea cases that will work with the newly-released iPhone 3Gs from Apple. The collection of cases includes the U-Suit Premium, U-Skin, U-Motion, and the U–Suit Folio Premium, all popular Uniea cases offered for previous generations of the iPhone that will now join Uniea’s new U-Glance iPhone hard case. A classic hip-case with leather-clip on the back will also be available as an alternative option.
Universal Electronic Accessories (Uniea) has announced the unveiling of a brand-new hard case to protect and hold the new iPhone that debuted on June 19th. Uniea’s new U-Glance promises to deliver an innovative list of new features to complement the buzz surrounding the iPhone 3Gs, both in styling and function. The release of the case will follow soon after the new iPhone.
Edovia has announced Rocket Taxi 2.0 iPhone and iPod touch. Rocket Taxi uses the device’s Location Services to find nearby taxi companies. Search has been extended to taxi companies and the biggest new feature is the new map system that is powered by Apple’s MapKit. This new version represents a much more mature product and includes a lot of improvements that users will enjoy.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

New Apple ads tout copy and paste and voice control features

Josh Holat — 2009-06-30T16:52:29+00:00

Section: Apple News, Commercials, iPhone, iPhone

Apple has posted two new iPhone advertisements on their website. This time around, they are touting Voice Control and Cut, Copy, and Paste—two new features on the iPhone that have existed on other phones for plenty of years now. That said, Apple’s implementation of them is once again above that of their competitors. For example, Voice Control is very English-like in that you can tell it to call people, play songs, or a variety of other things. Also, copy and paste also copies images and font styles.

As you can see, these iPhone ads feature the usual style with just a hand and the iPhone. These two features for the iPhone are surely long-awaited, and I think Apple did a fantastic job with both of them. I never really realized how much I would use copy and paste until I was able to on the new iPhone software. Hopefully, we see some more exciting features from Apple in the future. You can check out these and other iPhone ads over at Apple’s website.

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Steve Jobs back at work

Kirk Hiner — 2009-06-30T12:33:51+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Steve Jobs

In a rambling, largely off-topic article, The LA Times reported this morning that Apple, Inc. co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is spending a few days a week back in his office, according to Apple spokesman Steve Dowling. “He’s currently at work a few days a week and working from home the remaining days,” Dowling said. So…Steve’s keeping my schedule, which is cool. I wonder if his dog sleeps against his desk and if Steve has to deal with cheerleading practice going on down the street.

This news comes just a week after the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tennessee confirmed that Jobs had received a liver transplant. Obviously, it’s good news to Apple fanboys and Apple shareholders that Steve’s back on the job. But it’s better news to Steve and his family, and it’s great to see that he was able to return a few weeks sooner than expected.

Read [LA Times (but only if you want more conjecture on why Apple products are too expensive and unnecessary)] Via Cleveland Plain Dealer]

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Walt Mossberg on MacBook Pro’s sealed in batteries

Josh Holat — 2009-06-30T02:33:34+00:00

Section: Mac + Computers, Laptops, MacBook, MacBook Pro

Walt Mossberg has his official review of the new MacBook Pro batteries written and published, and his results and insight are very interesting. He makes some very good points regarding how well the built-in batteries in these machines will work for various users. He also describes the growing trend of laptop manufacturers to have built-in batteries, as research has shown that less than 5% of laptop owners purchase an extra battery anyway.

Yet, the most fascinating thing is what he found to be true of Apple’s batteries. He wrote:

I’ve been testing these two new Apple laptops, the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 15-inch MacBook Pro, using my own harsh battery test, which I apply to all laptops I review. The results were excellent. These two new Apple laptops scored among the highest battery lives between charges of any laptop I have ever tested with a battery that fits entirely inside the machine’s dimensions, without sticking out of the back or bottom and adding weight.

If you ask me, that sounds like a pretty great performance for a battery. However, he wasn’t able to put Apple’s claim that the battery will charge 1,000 times before losing capacity to the test because that would simply take way too long. Also, Walt points out that one major downside to built-in batteries is that the whole machine must be sent in if there is an issue with the battery or it needs replacing.

Check out everything else he has to say in his review; it’s rather fascinating.

Via [All Things Digital]

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Couple slaps Apple with lawsuit over $0.30 price increase

NEWS — 2009-06-29T21:28:17+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - The latest entry in the book of frivolous lawsuits is one filed against Apple by an Illinois couple. They are accusing the company of gift card fraud and they are seeking monetary damages for what they call Apple’s “wrongful, illegal and fraudulent acts.” The charges in the suit include one… MORE »

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Appletell reviews FileMagic for iPhone/iPod touch

Ed Parry — 2009-06-29T17:57:13+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Reviews

Category:Productivity
Seller: SplashData
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 3.7 MB
Version Reviewed: 2.0
Age Rating: 4+
Price: $4.99

Being the geek that I am, I generally have a USB flash drive alongside my keys, wallet and iPhone. When I began testing FileMagic, it felt strange not needing a flash drive too; everything I needed was simply stored on my iPhone. With the majority of file types supported, you’re unlikely to come across any issues while transferring files, as long as you have a WiFi connection and the extra software.

Extra software, you say?

Unfortunately, FileMagic does require a small desktop application to connect to your iPhone. It’s free and is available for both Mac OS X and XP/Vista, but it’s a shame that you can’t access FileMagic through Finder, or Explorer on XP/Vista. This means that you’ll need the little desktop application installed on each computer that you’d like to transfer files to and from. This may cause an issue at work, if your internet access is restricted, and installing software is not permitted, but at home you should be fine. The desktop application is happy to run in the background, being around when you need it.

What about the iPhone app?

The iPhone/iPod touch application is very nice. It’s simple and easy to navigate, following the usual design layout of the typical iPhone application. While you can store pretty much any file type, a few of them will actually show/play on the iPhone itself. For example, you can view pictures, play .mp3, .aac and .wav files, watch .m4v movie files and read your Microsoft Word/Excel/Powerpoint files and PDFs. Very handy to familiarize yourself with material before you sync it to your work desktop to finish, for example. There’s no ability to edit these documents on the device, but reading them is simple, with the usual pinch-to-zoom feature we’re all used to.

Are my files safe?

You’ll be happy to hear that you can set a password to protect your documents from prying eyes. Unfortunately, the password cannot be specific to a folder, but rather the entire application. Once you’re in the app, you have full access to your files. When connecting to a desktop, you’re asked to confirm the connection on your device, so you’ll know if there’s anyone around you trying their luck on FileMagic. With FileMagic, your files are stored on your iPhone or iPod touch directly. There’s no cloud syncing available here, so you know exactly where your files are and who has access to them. Even if you lose your iPhone, MobileMe’s new Find My iPhone function should give you a helping hand to getting your iPhone, and important documents back.

What options do I have to transfer files?

You of course have the option to transfer files via the FileMagic desktop application and a WiFi connection, but with the latest update (2.0), you can also send and receive files to nearby iPhones also running FileMagic provided both devices are on the same WiFi connection. This could be updated to use Bluetooth on iPhone OS 3.0, but for now, you’ll need WiFi. You can also email files as attachments directly within the FIleMagic application.

Anything else?

If having the ability to store files on your iPhone or iPod touch wasn’t enough, there are a couple of other features that enhance FileMagic. On the desktop application, you can import your address book as a .txt file to then sync to your iPhone for safe keeping. You can also sync emails from your desktop to your iPhone if you’re unable to send them on your desktop, or you’re just collecting drafts for later use.

FileMagic is a great application from SplashData. It fills a whole on the iPhone very nicely, with a simple, clean iPhone app and a user-friendly desktop companion.

Let’s not forget. though, that Apple is expected to release its own file transfer application into the App Store, named iDisk. We don’t know too much about its release as yet, but it’s sure to be a solid application, providing a connection to your MobileMe iDisk (if you have one) and to your desktop computer, possibly directly into Finder or Explorer. If Apple pulls it off, other file transfer applications such as FileMagic may find it difficult to compete. But FileMagic has a solid feature set already, and will certainly be a worthy competitor to a possible contender from Apple.

If you’re in need of a simple solution to store documents, images, video and audio to have with you where ever you go, FileMagic from SplashData for your iPhone or iPod touch is an excellent solution, and is sure to fulfill your needs.

Appletell Rating:

Buy FileMagic

Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Apple App Store gaming update for the week of June 22 - June 28, 2009

NEWS — 2009-06-29T17:56:36+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - Another week and another list of gaming apps for your iPhone and iPod Touch!
MORE »

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Windows Mobile doesn’t want your silly apps

NEWS — 2009-06-29T17:56:05+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - We at Gadgetell talk a lot about third party applications for mobile phone operating systems and how they might make or break a platform. The news comes today that Microsoft Product Manager for France let slip that Windows Mobile Marketplace will launch with 600 applications. Microsoft is expected to launch… MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Looking for an iPhone 3GS? Check availability online.

Ed Parry — 2009-06-29T02:24:29+00:00

Section: Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, iPhone, iPhone

The launch for the iPhone 3GS seemed a little quiet at first, but the numbers seemed to tell a different story. AT&T reported that they sold “hundreds of thousands” on the first day, with that number growing significantly over the weekend. That said, I’m sure there are still lots of you out there trying to get your hands on one, whether it’s because you need an upgrade, or just can’t resist the latest device to come from Infinite Loop.

To simplify the process of finding an Apple store with iPhone 3GS stock, Apple have made stock information available on the website again. Once you’ve chosen your nearby store, you can view which models, if any, they have in stock. A quick check before you leave to pick one up may save you some time and disappointment, so it’s certainly worth a look to ensure you get your new iPhone as soon as possible.

Read [iPhone 3GS Availability]

Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iJector projects 50 inch video from your iPod

NEWS — 2009-06-29T02:23:58+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - The iPod and iPhone are great devices for watching video on the go, that’s never really been much of a secret. But, what about when you want to watch that episode of “30 Rock” on a large screen rather than the max 3.5 inch screen on the touch and iPhone? … MORE »

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Popular technology industry news for the week of 6-21-2009

NEWS — 2009-06-29T02:10:52+00:00

Section:

You know what’s going on in the wonderful world of Apple, but what’s going on throughout the technology industry? Gadgetell‘s got you covered. Here a list of their top stories from this week…

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Double the YouTube: Now you can upload 2GB videos

NEWS — 2009-06-28T18:12:44+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Fans of YouTube should be happy, since they have just doubled the size of uploads for users from 1GB to 2GB. The change counts for regular account holders, no fancy account status needed. According to the company, the increase is to compensate for users’ HD uploads. This is a pretty… MORE »

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Micro projector specifically for iPhone and iPod touch coming soon

Ed Parry — 2009-06-28T17:13:49+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Accessories, iPhone, iPhone Accessories, iPhone

Phonesuit have made a name for themselves in producing high quality iPhone and iPod touch accessories; to improve battery life, offer stylish bluetooth handsfree, and, of course, protect your precious iPhone. Now, they’ve decided to join forces with BeamBox to produce the first micro projector specifically for the iPhone and iPod touch, due to be released at the end of July 2009.

While your iPhone or iPod is docked, it would charge while projecting an image at 640 x 480 resolution on a wall or screen up to 40 inches in size - not bad for such a small device. There will also be options to connect the projector to your computer, via a VGA connection, and to most DVD and VHS players though a standard AV cable.

Micro projectors have yet to take the world by storm, but are becoming more popular with people on the move who may need to show presentations at various locations, and who could do without the hassle of carrying a lot of equipment and setting it all up. Showing a short film to people would be a breeze with this micro projector from Phonesuit and BeamBox—simply dock your iPhone or iPod, select the required media, then sit back and relax.

Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Hot Apple gaming news for the week of 6-21-2009

NEWS — 2009-06-28T14:10:15+00:00

Section:

Miss out on any Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPod gaming news this week? Here’s a look at this week’s top Apple stories from our friends at Gamertell...

And don’t forget to check out our App Store updates.

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iPhone 3G S video capability exponentially increases mobile YouTube uploads

Josh Holat — 2009-06-28T14:04:58+00:00

Section: iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

It was obvious that when the iPhone 3G S was released that YouTube would see a nice little increase in traffic. Just as Flickr received a huge amount of traffic from iPhones uploading straight to their site, so did YouTube with video when the iPhone 3GS launched. There are already hundreds to thousands of videos on YouTube from the iPhone 3G S, and one was even used in a newscast. Just how much of an increase has YouTube seen? Check their announcement after an example of one of these videos.

According to the YouTube blog:

In the last six months, we’ve seen uploads from mobile phones to YouTube jump 1700%; just since last Friday, when the iPhone 3G S came out, uploads increased by 400% a day.

That’s a huge number, and YouTube is even saying that this growth was exponential compared to previous growths. I’m sure Google is happy with these numbers, as it is bringing much more traffic to YouTube.

Via [The YouTube Blog]

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Who’s on Crack in Tech: 06.26.09

NEWS — 2009-06-27T11:24:50+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Welcome to this week’s Who’s on Crack. This week we look at some of the stuff they tried to pull over our eyes yet again and who is headed for a month program “upstate.” Here we go: Nokia to buy Palm? One analyst thinks so. I think Nokia is doing… MORE »

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Panasonic’s iPod compatible HDTV, the VIERA X1 (with video)

NEWS — 2009-06-27T00:32:03+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - iPod integration is absolutely everywhere and hooking up an iPod to a television is pretty much a trivial task. However, controlling the iPod may not be too easy from across the room using the iPod’s small screen. Panasonic has introduced its VIERA X1 LCD line of televisions at three different… MORE »

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - June 26, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-06-26T22:58:34+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for June 26, 2009:

Macintosh

Coladia has released Return to Mysterious Island for Mac OS X. In this first-person survival adventure, players will encounter recognisable locations from the famous novel by Jules Verne, including the granite house, the volcano and the Nautilus. However, Return to Mysterious Island goes beyond Verne’s storytelling, as players take on the role of Mina, a courageous young woman on a solo round-the-world sailing expedition.<
app4mac has released the final version of Sequence 2.1 and Twin 1.1 for Mac OS X Leopard. Sequence is a quick and simple way to capture and save a screenshot or a screencast of your screen to the format of your choice. Twin is an innovative online backup solution for Mac OS X. It comes with an elegant user interface and a powerful assistant.
Pogoplug has announced support for journaled HFS+ formatted drives. Since journaled HFS+ was the last bastion of unsupported formats, this means that Pogoplug works with any type of drive. Anybody—whether on a Mac or a PC—who has any USB drive can plug into Pogo and access their media from anywhere in the world.
Macgamestore.com has announced the release of CLUE Accusations and Alibis for the Mac through its website and digital download service, Mac Games Arcade. The game was created and published by Real Arcade. Starting today until July 3rd, customers who order CLUE Accusations and Alibis can get the original CLUE Classic game absolutely free when they order CLUE Accusations and Alibis.

iPhone/iPod

Chillingo’s Knights OnrushM is on sale for the next couple of days; you can get it over weekend for 99 cents This action-strategy game takes tried and true gameplay mechanics and molds them into something completely new. The game well designed, graphics are crisp, explosions make you lust for more carnage. And now, at its new price, it’s a total steal.
The coolest new app for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch lets users perform famed magician David Blaine’s amazing card effect that astounds audiences everywhere, thanks to the skills of software engineering firm Partners 1993. The user-friendly app—Street Magic: See A Card—works on supported iPhones, including the new 3G S, and iPod touch devices, and allows users to become a magician, like Blaine, in boggling the minds of those who see the effect performed.
SherylApps has announced a price slash its business strategy game, A Business Tycoon 1.1, their investment-based business stimulation game for iPhone and iPod touch. A Business Tycoon is simple to understand: the gamer’s sole motive is to maximize profits generated through buying and selling assets with the help of price charts and other tools. The reduced price is said to be valid for a limited time so all the business game fans should grab it right now before it’s price goes up again.

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Casual Friday: Update for June 20-26, 2009

NEWS — 2009-06-26T22:30:04+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - The Casual Friday casual game update for June 20-26, 2009 includes Avalon (PC), Rangy Lil’s Wild West Adventure (PC, Mac), Create a Mall (PC) and Family Mystery - The Story of Amy (PC).
MORE »

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Free Apps roundup for June 26th, 2009

Jake Gaecke — 2009-06-26T16:40:39+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, Apple TV, iPod touch, iTunes, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

You might want to grab some popcorn and a few extra napkins this week. Why? Because Showtime has released their iPhone app that allows streaming of full episodes of some of their TV shows. Oh, and the extra napkins are for the butter that will enevitably end up all over your iPhone. So maybe you want to skip the popcorn. I also have another virtual instrument for you to play, and some more goodies. Check it out…

Showtime - If you watch Showtime now, or want to start, this is the app for you. You can watch hundreds of clips, even over 3G! And by clips, they sometimes mean full episodes of shows like Dexter, Weeds, etc. Enjoy.
Ukulele - Guitars are cool, and a ukulele is pretty close. This is a surprisingly well made virtual instrument app. Don’t hate me for saying that a ukulele is kind of a novelty instrument anyway, so it’s almost fitting to be on an iPhone. If you have any interest in musical instruments, download this one right now.
B&N Bookstore - Your favorite bookstore now has it’s own iPhone app. You can search for all of your needs, find the closest B&N and even view their upcoming schedule of events.
DigDug REMIX Lite - Remember DigDug? Yeah, great game. Random fact, I once beat level 99. The original game reset itself to level 00, but the difficulty kept increasing. Here’s a challenge for you, if you buy the full version, try to beat level 99.
MobileRice - It’s the mobile version of FreeRice.com. Prove your vocabulary knowledge to earn grains of rice for those in need. Everyone wins here.
Remote - Finally, don’t forget to grab the updated version of Apple’s Remote app, especially if you have an Apple TV. Now you can control it with touch based gestures!

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Palm advertises Pre in major newspaper, takes jabs at Apple and AT&T

NEWS — 2009-06-26T16:36:41+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Competition is integral for a healthy market, right? The Palm Pre is the latest and greatest super-smartphone released and is a serious competitor to the current king, the Apple iPhone. Palm isn’t hiding the fact they are gunning for Cupertino. Take a look at this ad that ran in today’s… MORE »

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So Hot Right Now: Top 10 Appletell posts for the week of June 21, 2009

NEWS — 2009-06-26T16:36:06+00:00

Section:

Haven’t caught all of the Appletell news this week? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

Appletell reviews SlingPlayer Mobile app for iPhone
” Provides: TV over Wifi Developer: Sling Media Minimum System Requirements: A Slingbox, WiFi connection, iPhone OS 2.2.1 Price: $29.99 Availability: Now Version Reviewed: 1.0 Nothing quite compares to a big screen TV and some great…” MORE »
Find My iPhone in action
” iPhone owners (who also use MobileMe) were excited to hear that the two products could combine to help you find, recover, or remotely erase your iPhone if it was lost or stolen. Now there’s one man’s story of actually using…” MORE »
iPhone 3.0 push notifications delayed? [updated]
“One of the most talked about and anticipated features of the new iPhone OS 3.0 is the push notification system. By using push notifications, app developers will be able to notify iPhone users when they have received new information relating to…” MORE »
The History of Mac Games [video]
” There’s both good and bad to be found here. Good, in that a ambitious fellow named applemctom put together a rather impressive video of The History of Mac Games. Bad, in that it’s only…” MORE »
iPhone Porn: “Yeah, we’ve got an app for that” [updated]
” Cover your eyes, kiddies, because Apple has opened Pandora’s Box on iTunes. With the new parental controls feature built into the iPhone 3.0 SDK, Apple seems to have decided that they can go beyond risque to actual nudity in their apps. The…” MORE »
More than one million iPhone 3G Ss sold, Steve Jobs gives a quote
” In just three days, from Friday to Sunday, Apple is reporting that over one million iPhone 3G Ss have been sold. Not only is that outstanding for a hardware update that offers only two real benefits…” MORE »
Appletell reviews TextExpander for Mac OS X
“Provides: Auto-fill/placement of frequently used text strings and images. Format: Download Developer: SmileOnMyMac, LLC Minimum System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.4 Processor Compatibility: Universal Price: $29.95 Availability: Now Version Reviewed: 2.6.2 Demo: MORE »
App it Up: Wild West Pinball
“Category: Games Seller: Gameprom Requirements: iPhone OS 2.1 or later Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch File Size: 6.6MB What is it? It’s pinball. With a western theme. Isn’t that obvious? How does it work?…” MORE »
iPhone video used in newscast
“When Apple launched the new iPhone 3GS with video and the iPhone OS 3.0 software with the Voice Memos app, they probably never realized how these apps would go hand in hand. WFOR’s 5PM News did, though. A recent…” MORE »
Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - June 23, 2009
“Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for June 23, 2009: Macintosh Altec Lansing, a division of Plantronics Inc. and a market leader in digital audio, has announced the latest member of its acclaimed Expressionist…” MORE »

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App it Up: PixPop Dogs

Josh Holat — 2009-06-26T11:15:51+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

Category: Games
Seller: Spinapse
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod Touch
File Size: 4.0MB

What is it?

PixPop Dogs is a game based on images of dogs and the small details within those photos. It contains an intuitive user interface and an addicting gameplay.

How does it work?

PixPop Dogs works by first displaying an image of a dog. On the right hand of the screen there are certain, smaller square portions of the larger image that the user must find within that larger image. Users tap the larger image where they think the smaller portion is, and then tap the smaller portion that they believe it is. If they are correct, the small portion on the right hand of the screen will disappear, and the user will receive points. If not, nothing happens and you continue playing. Once an image it fully completed, another one appears, and the process starts over again.

Features

Scoreboards: There are local and worldwide scoreboards you can check out from the application to see how your PixPop performance compares to other users around the world.
Interesting Gameplay: The images are very high quality, and the idea is very addicting. The UI helps to complement both of these.

App it Up Sum-Up

If you love dogs and games, I would recommend getting this game. It is sort of like a treasure hunt game as you search for the smaller parts within the larger image, and this is very addictive. Some of the portions are harder to find than others, but this all adds to the gameplay.

Cost - $0.99
Worth the Money? - Yes
Availability - Now, at the iTunes App Store

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - June 24-25, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-06-26T02:08:34+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Developer, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for June 24-25, 2009:

Macintosh

Veenix Technologies has announced a special summer software bundle for its highly acclaimed TypeBook Creator software for Mac OS X. Purchasers of the Studio Version or Corporate Version of TypeBook Creator will receive a free copy of Veenix Font Tools, font management tools featuring a unique fast-font-previewing system. Veenix TypeBook Creator was developed for Mac graphic professionals and allows them to easily create and print type specimen books and font sample sheets of their fonts.
Zevrix Solutions has announced the release of Instant Backup 1.6, an update to its simple solution to securely back up selected data on-line and locally. Instant Backup is designed to back up the most valuable and sensitive projects just when you need it, to ensure they’re always extra safe. And FTP backup assures that the data won’t be lost in the case of theft, fire or flood. The new version allows users to process data without creating the compressed disk image.
Boxee has announced users can now watch live baseball games with MLB.TV Premium on boxee. MLB.TV Premium, MLB.com’s online streaming service for baseball fans, delivers high quality video streams of live games and premium features like DVR functionality and HD Video (where available.) This addition brings live sports content to our rich content platform. Boxee hopes other sports follow MLB.com’s lead of giving fans a choice of how they enjoy watching their favorite teams.
TheMacBundles first bundle was released in early June and has received widespread praise from journalists, consumers, and developers for the unique marketing model and value that it brings to both consumers and software developers. TheMacBundles is pleased to announce that the next bundle will be released on June 29th and will continue in the footsteps of the first bundle by bringing consistently high quality programs to consumers at a bargain price.
locr is continuously offering new geotagging software solutions for Apple Macintosh, Windows PCs, and mobile phones. The new locr “DropBox 1.0” for Mac OS X allows users to upload photos directly from the desktop to the locr website, using drag and drop. Within the locr community people from all over the world share their travel experiences. Photo locations are displayed on digital maps and information about motif and surroundings are provided.
BinaryNights today has announced a special promotion for ForkLift, their popular file and FTP manager for OS X. Forklift is a powerful file manager and ferociously fast FTP client clothed in a clean and versatile UI that offers the combination of absolute simplicity and raw power expected from a well-executed Mac software. This grandiose experiment cuts software prices with a mindboggling offer on ForkLift for a week. The singular promo ends on June 30.
Dragan Milic today announced Springy 1.5.3, a powerful archiving utility for Mac OS X. Springy integrates seamlessly with the Finder and includes some incredibly useful features. Users have the ability to see at a glance, the contents of an archive or disk image without being forced to extract any file from it, add, and/or extract files of choice from an existing archive, as well as previewing them. All archiving tasks can be done via Drag and Drop or through Finder contextual menu plug-in.
Delivering on the specialized requirements of the Mac community, Seagate has introduced an advanced line-up of mobile and desktop FreeAgent for Mac storage solutions and accessories: the FreeAgent Go for Mac with USB, FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac, the 2TB FreeAgent Desk for Mac and FreeAgent Go Dock+, a powered USB-hub and dock for the FreeAgent Go. Providing a complete storage toolkit for today’s creative professionals, such as web designers, musicians and graphic artists, as well as multimedia enthusiasts, these enhanced FreeAgent for Mac external hard drives each include performance and capacity improvements to help store, record, protect and share creative inspirations.
Humble Daisy has announced ProfCast 2.6.0, a adding Podcast Producer support to their flagship lecture recording and podcast creation solution for Mac OS X. ProfCast is a versatile, powerful, yet very simple to use tool for recording lectures including PowerPoint and/or Keynote slides for creating enhanced podcasts. ProfCast offers an integrated workflow that makes creating, recording, and publishing podcasts easy.
Vemedio today release the first major improvement update to Snowtape, the easiest and most intuitive software for recording internet radio. Snowtape enables the user to quickly find and record his or her favorite music, add album artwork and exports it right into iTunes.
Macware is kicking off the summer with a huge summer savings sale through their website. Save on your favorite Macware software titles with this special, limited time offer. Now until July 7th, you can take 50% off your entire Macware purchase through the Macware website. This is a special summer offer that won’t be repeated. Simply enter MACB2 at checkout to receive your discount.
Josh Lockhart has announced RapidSearch 3, an upgrade to his popular RapidWeaver search plugin. RapidSearch 3 is the easiest way to add powerful Google search to any RapidWeaver website. RapidSearch 3 retrieves Google search results immediately and displays the search results inline on your website. Your visitors never leave your website, and your branding remains intact. Version 3 includes many new improvements and a recommended download.
KavaSoft has released HyperImage 2.1, an application for downloading web photo galleries. HyperImage is an industrial-strength tool for downloading entire websites worth of pictures all at once. Just point HyperImage to any website, and watch as thousands of pictures stream down to your computer. HyperImage includes a built-in image browser with infinitely resizable thumbnails, so you can easily browse through all the pictures from a particular page or website.
KavaSoft has announced KavaMovies 1.3, an update to their Mac movie database. KavaMovies lets you organize the movies you’ve seen, the movies you want to see, and the movies in your collection. It connects to the internet and downloads tons of information about each of your movies in realtime. Click a movie to see who’s in it. Click an actor to see what they’ve been in. Directors, genres, keywords, charts, awards, languages, years - everything is connected.
Other World Computing, a leading PC and Mac technology company, announced today lower pricing of up to $300 and a new 0TB “Add Your Own Drives” Kit for the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 desktop hardware RAID storage line. Featuring Hardware RAID 5 redundancy to protect against data loss, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 has four SATA hard drive bays for up to 8TB of storage; a “Quad Interface” of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, and eSATA ports for Mac and PC compatibility; and data transfer speeds of up to 300MB/s. With this combination of features, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 offers the highest level of data capacity, performance, and reliability in a Plug and Play desktop hardware RAID solution.
Dockland Software has announced Fantasktik 1.4, an update to their taskbar for Mac OS X Leopard. Fantasktik is an innovative toolbar that shows all open documents and applications on the Mac and allows users to switch between windows with a single-click. Version 1.4 adds the ability to close windows from the taskbar, launch Expose on any open application directly from Fantasktik, and more.
Paradigma Software has released Valentina DB 4.2 for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, the ultra fast columnar database for business and developers, and Valentina Reports 4.2, the cross-platform database reporting solution for Windows and Mac OS X. Cocoa Developers now receive Valentina iPhone Library for building client-server iPhone applications free. New options for PHP and Director developers.
Zevrix Solutions has released BatchOutput Server 4.2, an update to its output workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. The software automates printing and exporting to PDF and PostScript by processing InDesign files from watched hotfolders. BatchOutput Server automates, simplifies, and streamlines output workflows of publishing houses, printers, prepress service providers and ad agencies. The new version allows users to keep entire job folders after output for further processing.

iPhone/iPod

ustwo, the design team behind iPhone app MouthOff, has invited twelve of the biggest names from the illustration world to create a “signature” mouth to add to the game. MouthOff is a realtime sound reactive app offering players a set of animated mouths to choose from. The idea is to hold your iPhone in front of your mouth and talk, shout, laugh, scream or sing, and the mouth animates in time with the sounds you make. There are currently 25 mouths on the game, plus the 12 new SIgnature Series mouths.
On June 3, 2009, independent software developer Danilo Campos announced the release of GlobeJot 1.0, the new travel organizer for iPhone and iPod touch. After a day of sales, it was discovered that the application suffered from a critical bug in its final version, causing a faulty app to become a generous donation. Version 1.0.1 includes multiple bug fixes and improved data save behavior. GlobeJot will be returning to the iTunes App Store today, June 24th, 2009.
Andesigned has announced Total Baby 1.0, the newest addition to their Baby Tracker Family for iPhone and iPod touch. Total Baby combines 11 essential logging and tracking functions for your child’s care through a smart and sleek interface that makes tracking easy and fun. With innovative new features unmatched on any platform like dual timers for multiple children and twins. Welcome to the future of Baby Logging.
G-Monkey Productions has released iBacon 1.0, their novelty game app for iPhone and iPod Touch. iBacon uses 30 fps video loops to cook real bacon. Users can pinch virtual cooking tongs to flip individual slices and even tilt to pour off the bacon grease, tilt to eat bacon, as well as shake to turn off the smoke alarm, and more. Vegetarian approved, eat bacon guilt free.
START MOBILE has announced the launch of the Pride mobile art gallery for the iPhone. The Pride Wallpaper Gallery features sixteen rainbow images created by digital artist Samala. At the request of the artist, 100% of START MOBILE revenues from this mobile gallery are being donated to The Courage Campaign. The mobile art wallpapers are optimized for display on the iPhone, and all the images can be ‘flipped’ to reveal additional information about the artist.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

iPhone Porn: “Yeah, we’ve got an app for that” [updated]

Jodie Andrefski — 2009-06-25T16:17:47+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

Cover your eyes, kiddies, because Apple has opened Pandora’s Box on iTunes. With the new parental controls feature built into the iPhone 3.0 SDK, Apple seems to have decided that they can go beyond risque to actual nudity in their apps.

The first app to bare it all is called “Hottest Girls.” Although the app has been around for a while now, it used to be just a bunch of Asian girls in lingerie. Now, you’ve got topless and completely naked women after a huge app update about which the developers brag, “You should be happy to know that the new update contains 99% non-Asian images,” (okay, equal race porn distribution now?), and it’s fully sanctioned in the iTunes store.

It does, however, come with a 17+ rating. So, presumably, Junior shouldn’t be able to download the app for himself and his buddies to ogle without you knowing about it. However, parents, don’t be deluded…this “restriction” doesn’t do a lot if you don’t set the parental controls on the phone; it just warns that you are supposed to be over 17, which may just make the content seem all the more interesting to a curious adolescent (as if the name itself didn’t work). Not like kids aren’t pretty adept at figuring out a way around parental controls anyway. But until Junior does figure that one out, he’ll just have to get his fix the old-fashioned way…from all the free sites on the web. Or maybe by using a video search in Bing.

It’s not really like this app offers anything you couldn’t already get on your iPhone, which is confusing to lots of people. Apparently, all you needed to do before if you felt the need to check out topless chicks on your phone was run a search in Safari (see iPhone = iPorn?). And, that was free. But, whatever floats your boat.

Views on Apple taking this course seem to be all over the place—from, the “They never should have made this available!” to the “They should let people decide what they want to download and this is a good move” standpoints. Yep, it’s gonna make the developers a lot of money. Yep, I can see lots of people downloading this immediately. But also yep, I’m not sure how long it will stay in the store due to the fact that they pull the images right from sites on the web, and I wonder if those sites either know or are compensated for the use of the images. Because, that is kind of not allowed otherwise. You can’t make money off of someone’s else’s photography.

What do you think? Good idea on Apple’s part or not?

Editor’s Update: Guess it doesn’t matter, at this point. The app has already been removed from the store.

Via [TechCrunch]

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »