Iphone Updates

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone

Contrary to other analysts’ rosy comments about Apple’s supply chain, Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray is estimating that shortages in the supply of iPhone 3G handsets will last until mid-August.

Munster said that he’d wager “we’ll see problems for another two to four weeks,” adding, “early demand has been more than [Apple] expected.”

Apple’s own supply-checking tool reports that a little over a quarter of Apple Stores had iPhone 3Gs to sell today. The hardest model to find is the black, 16GB version. It was available in only 18 stores worldwide.

AT&T stores are also “nearly out.”

[Via Macworld.]

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, iPhone, App Store, SDK

I’m here at E3 in Los Angeles all this week (come say hi at the Joystiq meetup tonight if you’re in town!). Yesterday, I got to sit down with Brad Pitser, the Director of Global Production for THQ Wireless, a company that makes games for mobile platforms like the iPhone. Pitser has helped oversee two iPhone games so far: De Blob (now on the App Store) and Star Wars’ Force Unleashed (coming out later this year — Joystiq has my impressions of both). He said that developing for the iPhone so far has been “a dream.” They’ve partnered with Apple to publish on the iPhone and iPod touch as much as they can. “Apple was interested in our brands,” Pitser said, “and we were interested in their platform.”

One concern he does have about the App Store so far is the pricing — “everyone thinks $9.99 is too much,” he told me. THQ released De Blob at the $6.99 price point. He says THQ has a lot of licensing fees and costs to pay for every game they make, and when those games compete with software that sells for 99 cents, they don’t necessarily have a money-making proposition. But at the same time, he’d rather let the market figure things out — the App Store has a lot of settling down to do, and Pitser is sure that companies will find their place in the price plan soon enough.

I asked him what he thought of what he’d seen in the software that wasn’t his, and he said he really enjoyed the iPint visual gag, the UrbanSpoon restaurant finder, and Aurora Feint (all very nice choices). It’s great to have a bigger company like THQ interested in getting some good licenses on the iPhone, and hopefully we’ll see more come out of Pitser and the division he oversees.

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Filed under: iPhone, iPhone 101

Mobile Safari has always had a handy feature that i wished Mobile Mail would acquire. Apple must have read my mind, because it’s now available.

If you’re unlucky enough to receive lots of email, you can quickly jump to the top of the list by touching the menu bar (where the time is displayed) as of the iPhone 2.0 software. Ta-dah!

Remember, you can bulk delete mail with greater ease now, too. Both of these improvements are welcome, but it would be even better to be able to mark all messages as read (or unread) just as easily.

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The Pwnage Tool is ready for Mac Users and new iPhone 3G happy users…

Blog of the Dev Team.

Tags:2.0 firmware iphone iphone 3G jailbreak mac pwnage tool2.0, firmware, iphone, iphone 3G, jailbreak, mac, pwnage, tool

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, iPhone

You got your iPhone. You got your computer. Your emails sync. Your contacts sync. Your calendars sync. Your music, your podcasts, your photos, all your stuff: it just syncs. This is good.

Your notes? They don’t sync.

This. Is. Bad.

Not just bad, but actually driving me nuts. It drives me nuts because I can’t believe there’s a technical challenge to be overcome here. On the iPhone, you have your Notes app in which you write text notes. How hard can it be to sync them up with something on the computer to which the iPhone is attached?

A friend says to me: “Sync them where? With Stickies?” He has a point – there’s no obvious, existing place for text notes to go, but again, that doesn’t sound to me like something that need be a problem. Let’s have a simple desktop app called, um, Notes, with which the iPhone version syncs. OK, even Stickies if we have to. All I want to do is easily reach my iPhone-jotted notes when I’m working on the Mac.

Yes, I know about the work-arounds. I could use a Drafts folder in an IMAP account. I could add notes to a contact. I could just email stuff back and forth to myself. But none of these fits in with the way I work already, all of them are work-arounds. We’re talking about text notes here: there shouldn’t be any need for work-arounds. I look forward to a simple solution appearing in the App Store soon.

That said, despite the horrible Marker Felt font, I quite like the Notes app. I just wish it would sync. Is that too much to ask?

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Filed under: Video

Back in 2006 we covered the launch of the Amazon Unbox video service which was then being pitched as the best alternative to the iTunes Store. There was one big problem: it didn’t support Macs. Now, finally, Amazon is starting to rectify the situation with their new Amazon Video on Demand Service. PC Magazine has a First Look at the Service and, sure enough, it now supports Macs.

It appears that the new service will be similar to Netflix’s streaming (which does not support the Mac, though they have promised it a long time ago) in that you’ll be able to watch 40,000 movies and television shows in your browser. Unlike Netflix, however, the content will be priced individually with no subscription options. The video will be streamed with Flash 9.

Unfortunately, the program is still in beta and Amazon apparently has enough testers at the moment. However, you can sign up for their beta mailing list if you want to get in the next time they issue invitations.

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The C.E.O. Premiere for iPhone combines elegance and protection in a slim, classically-styled leather case.

In its special report on the IDEA 2008 winners, BusinessWeek reports that the iPhone, MacBook Air, and the Apple Wireless Keyboard won Gold awards and iMac won a Silver award in the prestigious annual competition sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

Filed under: App Store

A while back we noted that there some shady practices going on at the App Store. Basically certain developers were putting spaces or other characters in the front of their application names so that they would come up on the first page in the alphabetical sort at the iTunes App Store. According to Infinite Loop Apple has quietly rectified the problem.

It now seems that if you go to the App Store the default listing is by release date. However, if you change it to Name you’ll find that the first page basically has what it’s supposed to have. Right now displaying all iPhone apps (iTunes link) starts with the ebook 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Abacus second. It’s nice to see that Apple has been proactive in taking care of this.

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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, iPhone

Most of you will have heard of Fraser Speirs. He’s the developer behind FlickrExport and now Exposure for iPhone.

This week he’s made two consecutive and interesting posts that show what it’s been like to be a software developer during the first few days of the Store’s operation.

In one post, he complains about the review process imposed on not just every app, but every update to every app that gets submitted to the Store. Things are not being reviewed fast enough, he says: “If Apple can’t guarantee a maximum 24 hour review process, they should drop it.”

In the second, Fraser reveals that Exposure has been downloaded an average of 3,200 times per day since the Store opened. It already has more users than FlickrExport for Aperture, a much older and better-established product.

“These are crazy numbers,” he says. His point is simple: the iPhone as a platform is going to be huge. In fact, it’s going to be “Apple’s mainstream platform for 2012 and beyond.” Now there’s a prediction.

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Facebook has issued an update to its iPhone application, offering more features and greater stability. Main features include: Ability to write on friends’ walls View all photo albums (not just the one attached to the profile picture) See full profiles…

Hosted by Dr. Biology (CJ Kazilek) and brought to us by Arizona State University, “Ask a Biologist” features interviews of prominent scientists who discuss tiger beetles, marine biology, the history of fire, microbes, bird song, arachnology, and a wide range of other life science topics. Whether you listen to the shows, read the transcripts, or both, “Ask a Biologist” makes for an enjoyable and thought provoking experience.

Tags:crunchgear E3 game iphone star star wars warscrunchgear, E3, game, iphone, star, star wars, wars

With the first ones: Tetris, Scrabble and Sudoku.

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And 10 Million applications downloaded. So now we know why the activation servers were down. And we know what is the new business model for Apple, making a lot of money out of App Exchange, it’s the new iTunes cash machine but for iPhone…

Tags:3G app App Store applications iphone iphone 3G itunes million store3G, app, App Store, applications, iphone, iphone 3G, itunes, million, store

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Tags:blended iphone 3G will it blendblended, iphone 3G, will it blend

But manually…

Click Here to download it.

Tags:2.0 3G firmware iphone 2.02.0, 3G, firmware, iphone 2.0

If you download the new iTunes 7.7 and then click here…

Tags:2.0 App Store iphone itunes2.0, App Store, iphone, itunes

Exclusive photos from iSpazio today, have a look:

Tags:3G iphone unboxed3G, iphone, unboxed

A good article on Apple support for the migration from the iPhone 1 to the iPhone 2 (3G).

How to replace an original iPhone with an iPhone 3G

Tags:iphone iphone 3G replacementiphone, iphone 3G, replacement

Tags:3G complete guided guided tour iphone iphone 3G tour video3G, complete, guided, guided tour, iphone, iphone 3G, tour, video

Filed under: OS, Mac 101

Sometimes applications can install extras in the form of System Preference panes. However, when you remove the app from your Mac, you might be left with extraneous System Preference panes.

To uninstall System Preference panes, just right-click (or control + click if you have a one button mouse) on the preference pane icon and select “remove x preference pane.”

When you click “remove,” the preference pane will be instantly moved to the OS X Trash can where you can completely remove it from your system by emptying the trash. Please note that this will only work on System Preference panes located in the “Other” section of System Preferences.

Want to see more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW’s Mac 101 section today!

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Filed under: iPhone

Thinking of making the switch? No, not Windows to Mac, Blackberry to iPhone! There’s a great list of what you need to know to ensure a smooth transition at Web Worker Daily (WWD). Some of the highlights include the ease of moving applications between home pages and multiple calendar support.

It’s not all wine and roses on the Apple end of things, though, and WWD lists the email experience as the Blackberry’s domain. It’s a very thorough list, and one we’d recommend to the informed consumer looking to ditch the ‘berry. Read the full article here.

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From the new App Store to easier mail management to support for Microsoft Exchange and MobileMe, PC Advisor steps you through the major and minor additions and improvements offered by iPhone 2.0 software. Awarding it five stars for its value for the money, PC Advisor concludes that iPhone 2.0 offers “a welcome step-up for what was already arguably the best mobile platform on the market.”

So far as Ed Baig (usatoday.com) is concerned, “the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch” is “the killer app many of us expected,” an application that “turns the iPhone into an important new computing platform.” In his review, Baig takes a look at some of the apps — Pandora, AOL Radio, Super Monkey Ball, MooCowMusic: Band, Etch A Sketch, and five others — that can make “you feel like a kid in a toy store.”

“If you have an iPhone,” cautions Rik Fairlie (NYTimes.com), “you just might forget that the device is capable of making phone calls,” considering all of the diverting applications available on the new iPhone App Store. “Simple to use, thanks to its elegant and intuitive interface,” the App Store offers “an object lesson for other cellphone makers and carriers on how to make your customers’ phones indispensable.”

“iPhone 3G is the best touchscreen phone and media player by far on any network,” proclaims Mark Spoonauer (laptopmag.com) in his 4-star (out of five) review of iPhone 3G. “It delivers the best mobile Web experience on any smart phone,” offers “excellent App Store integration,” “vastly improved call quality,” and “Microsoft Exchange support.” And, he adds, iPhone 3G is a “stellar music and video player.”

Tomorrow, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight opens in theaters across the country. The eagerly anticipated film — with Christian Bale reprising his Batman role and Heath Ledger starring as the Joker — has already received rave reviews. Before you head to the theater, watch the trailers on the Movie Trailer site. You can even download them to take with you on your iPod.

PopCap Games has introduced the popular Bejeweled 2 for the iPhone. Available for £5.99 from the iTunes App Store. Read on to find out how it fares on the iPhone. Click on the image below to start….

In Mac OS X Leopard, Safari offers a great new search feature called Find. In addition to instant Google searches, Safari now lets you easily and quickly locate any text on any web page. Safari displays how many instances of your search term it found, and it highlights each instance on the page. To find out how you can take advantage of the new Find feature in Safari, read the latest Pro Tip of the Week.

With the first ones: Tetris, Scrabble and Sudoku.

Tags:ea electronic arts game games iphone scrabble sudoku tetrisea, electronic arts, game, games, iphone, scrabble, sudoku, tetris

With the first ones: Tetris, Scrabble and Sudoku.

Tags:ea electronic arts game games iphone scrabble sudoku tetrisea, electronic arts, game, games, iphone, scrabble, sudoku, tetris

With the first ones: Tetris, Scrabble and Sudoku.

Tags:ea electronic arts game games iphone scrabble sudoku tetrisea, electronic arts, game, games, iphone, scrabble, sudoku, tetris

In an interesting move, Apple has stated that it will no longer use the word “push” to describe the functionality of its MobileMe cross-platform synchronisation service. Given some of the problems users have had with the new service since it launched last week, Apple has backtracked on its initial song and dance about the product. It’s not entirely clear what word is going to be used instead, with Apple’s apology note to some customers simply reading, “Even though things are indeed instantly pushed to and from your iPhone and the Web apps today, we are going to stop using the word ‘push’ until it is near-instant on PCs and Macs, too.”…

Filed under: iTS, Features, Deals

Once again, TUAW is pleased to present you with a selection of free songs and videos from around the world. Many of these iTMS items won’t be free for long, so grab your copies before the week is up. And don’t forget: If you want to buy these on your iPhone or iPod touch, make sure to sign into your account in iTunes before you sync.

Follow the jump for all the iTune freebie goodness — and don’t forget. It’s Dr. Horrible time! (Thanks Eric G.) Not free — but it’s Whedon!

Continue reading iTunes: Free Tuesday

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Filed under: Software

TweakerSoft has updated VectorDesigner to version 1.4.0, which includes user-definable templates, multiple point selection in path editing, and fixes a few minor bugs.

VectorDesigner is a simple vector drawing application for illustrations and designs that can be scaled to any size.

I reviewed VectorDesigner in May as part of a faceoff among low-cost vector design apps. VectorDesigner did very well in our tests, narrowly edging out competitor EazyDraw.

VectorDesigner 1.4.0 is a free update for registered users, and $69.95 for new users. It’s universal binary, and Leopard is recommended.

[Via prMac.]

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It’s the software, maintains BusinessWeek’s Stephen Wildstrom, that “separates the iPhone from the pack.” And, he predicts, “the App Store will turn that gap into a gulf.” That’s because the iPhone “provides a unique combination of an extremely capable device, millions of customers hungry for ways to expand its usefulness, and an enthusiastic (crazed, one could say) community of developers.”

This screen protector not only protects your display of your iPhone 3G it also enhances it!

Introducing BodyGuardz scratch-proof transparent film for your iPhone 3G. Designed to custom fit each particular device, these protectors are made from the same material that is used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements.

According to reports online, the iPhone Dev Team could make hacks for jailbreaking the iPhone 3G public, thus continuing to piss off Apple and the mobile carriers, and potentially risking sanctions on future devices for those of us who just want to use the iPhone as it is. A number of users want to do one or both of two things: break away from the authorised mobile networks (AT&T in the US, Rogers in Canada, O2 in the UK, etc) and run their own applications on the iPhone without having to via the App Store…

Depending upon how you’re using your iPhone, a soft or silicone case just may not cut it. In that case, enter USB Fever’s Aluminium Case for the iPhone 3G. Though it’s certainly tough, being aluminium means it’s also light, and it is filled with neoprene lining to minimise the effect of vibrations and knocks, and to keep the iPhone’s shell from being damaged on the case itself…

The iPhone 3G earns a four (out of five) mouse rating from Jason Snell (macworld.com), who reports that the new iPhone “improves on the original iPhone’s audio quality, offers access to a faster data network, and sports built-in GPS functionality.“ It also provides access to “the exciting new world of third-party software” and to “new Exchange syncing features.”

“I would have posted this sooner, but I just can’t put down the new iPhone 3G,” relates Eric Benderoff (chicagotribuine.com). “Blame the 3G speed. The faster network connection is such an improvement over the first iPhone that you’ll be hard-pressed to stop using the new iPhone because it truly has become a mini Mac in the palm of your hand.”

Filed under: Hardware, Hacks, How-tos, Mods

Many Mac users have wanted a tablet for years, but Apple has definitely failed to deliver such a device. But if you think that the ModBook is too expensive, or if you’re the DIY type, then why not build your own Mac tablet? Hack-A-Day has posted a gallery of images showing some of the various types of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Mac tablets.

If you are too scared to start ripping apart a Mac notebook and blindly build your own tablet Mac, then why not take a peek at this Instructables project. If you have built your own Mac tablet before, be sure to tell us about it in the comments.

Thanks, Victor!

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Filed under: Gaming, iPod Family, iPhone, App Store

Today, I got a chance to play Mobile Age‘s two App Store games: Blackjack 21 and Shanghai Mahjong. As the names suggest, these two familiar classics were ported to the iPhone platform. I started off with the Mahjong, which is a solitaire game the goal of which is to remove all the tiles on-screen by matching pairs.

The game itself is beautifully presented but the interaction falls short. Rather than re-design the game for iPhone, it was ported. The tiles are tiny. When I placed my finger tip on top of the display, I covered about 6 tiles at once. The presentation made selecting individual tiles tricky and identifying them harder — especially for one as myopic as myself. Two on-board buttons at the bottom left and right of the screen proved particularly difficult to tap. The game does not offer zooming. In the end, I was unable to enjoy playing the game.

To play Blackjack 21, you need to learn an odd swipe language. Swipe down to hit, swipe across to stay, double-tap to double-down, and so on. Although it was a bit confusing to pick up (and a little anti-intuitive, since in our family games, we double tap the table to hit and swipe our hands to stay), I soon was betting, hitting, standing and so forth. In Blackjack 21, most of the gameplay is about the animation and sound effects. There are plenty of both. I’m not a huge gambler so I can’t really say much about the gameplay relative to real life. It seems to follow Vegas rules, offering you insurance, etc. at the proper places.

Neither game really blew me away. I was more disappointed in Mahjong because that’s normally a game I adore. Many wasted hours in Graduate School were dedicated to multi-player timed challenges. By porting the game rather than redesigning to meet the iPhone’s small interaction space, Mobile Age missed an opportunity to deliver a hit.

Blackjack 21 and Shanghai Mahjong each sell for $4.99 at the iPhone App Store and can be played on both iPhone and iPod touch.

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Hotel rooms and airport terminals never seem to have enough power outlets to charge all the devices today’s traveler brings along. Now you can add outlets and peace of mind on business trips and vacations with the Belkin Mini Surge Protector.

Carrying a piano around town has never been easier — now that MooCowMusic: Pianist lets you tickle the virtual ivories on your iPhone or iPod touch. Pianist offers a complete 88-key piano keyboard, each note sampled from a real piano. And Pianist, one of the more than 800 applications now available on the new App Store, offers multi-track recording, so you can even play a duet with yourself.

The iPhone 3G is great, but sometimes it’s just not practical to keep 3G turned on.

• Perhaps you’re in a region that doesn’t have 3G coverage, or the signal is very weak.
• It may be that you’d rather sacrifice cellular data speed and call quality for longer battery life and talk time.
• You may be dropping cellular connection all together because the iPhone isn’t switching between 2G and 3G automatically.

Here’s how to turn 3G off and on

Apple claims to have sold one million iPhone 3Gs over launch weekend, despite problems which plagued its debut in several countries. That’s 25 times faster than the original iPhone, which took 74 days to reach the million mark, albeit in just a few countries rather than the 22 privileged nation to the second incarnation…

The Sportsuit Convertible is the most versatile sport armband case for the iPhone 3G.