The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

With over 100,000 apps in the app store, it's getting harder and harder to find something new; most apps seem to be 'me too' versions of something else. Balloons! US $2.99 [iTunes Link] for iPhones running OS 3.0 or better, is something I haven't seen before, and it's really very clever. TUAW first got a look at an early development version of Balloons! back at WWDC, including a video interview with the developer.

Balloon mail has been used, along with the more common phrase message in a bottle, to describe sending a message into the wind or sea and hoping that someone finds it and contacts you. It's sort of non-directional social networking with a hint of mystery built in.

In this app, you start making a balloon by choosing from a variety of balloon styles. Next you create a message that the balloon will convey. Tap in the middle of the screen and the camera activates to take a picture of what's going on in your life at the moment. Then add a bit of text and send the balloon out into the world. Other users, over 900 in the first 3 days of sales, are doing the same thing. Over 3500 balloons have been sent up from the US, Europe, and Japan already.

Next, you'll want to catch a balloon. When you do, you'll see the message from the person who made the balloon along with a separate flippable page from everyone who caught the balloon, added something to it, and let it fly again. As more people catch, add to, and release balloons, each balloon takes on a history and often has a story to tell.

The balloons don't travel randomly. If launched in New York City, you can't immediately grab the balloon in London; it needs time to travel.

If you want to see what has happened to your balloon, there is a balloon tracking option that tells you how long your balloon has been flying and if has been caught or not. Tap on one of your caught balloons and you'll see all the notes added by those that have seen your balloon. I found this to be a lot of fun.

There is a free, advertising-supported version of the app [iTunes Link] that doesn't include the tracking option. I liked the idea of giving out a free appetizer, since you can get a great idea of how Balloons! works and quickly realize that the best part of the app is the tracking option.

The graphics suit the app nicely. Screens are very cartoonish using bright colors and animated clouds. I was taken by the whimsy of this app, and can see it being great for kids as a nudge toward becoming interested in geography. It's also fun, tinged with a bit of longing for faraway places, for everyone.

Take a look at the video in the 2nd half of this post to see it in action.

Continue reading Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone

Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app reviewAppReviewAppStoreballoonsiphonevideoDavid WinogradSun, 08 Nov 2009 20:30:00 ESTWorm rickrolls unsecured jailbroken iPhones via SSHhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For the last few days, some jailbroken iPhone users have found their home screen background a little different than they remembered. A hacker, going by the name "ikee," created a worm that changes the home screen background on jailbroken iPhones whose owners failed to change the default password after installing SSH. Simply jailbreaking your iPhone will not make you vulnerable to this sort of hack. The iPhone OS, in general, is also immune to this hack. Still confused? Let's back up a bit.

On jailbroken iPhones, SSH is installable with a package from Cydia that allows you to connect to your phone and make changes to the filesystem. It does this by logging into the root user with the password "alpine." After installing SSH, it is always recommended that you change "alpine" to the password of your choosing. This hack can only affect people who chose not to change that password -- no one else.

This hack originated in Australia, the home country of ikee, and has possibly spread to other iPhones in other countries, but we've been unable to verify that. A gentleman by the name of JD held an interview with the hacker over IRC and posted it to his blog. In ikee's own words, here's how the worm has spread:
...The code itself is set to firstly scan the 3G IP range the phone is on, then Optus/Vodafone/Telstra's IP Ranges (I think the reason Optus got hit so hard is because the other 2 are NAT'd) then a random 20 IP ranges. I'm guessing a few phones hit a range that another vulnerable phone was on.
Basically, once your phone is infected, the worm starts looking for other iPhones on the cellular network that use the root:alpine combination. Once it finds another vulnerable iPhone, it installs itself and begins the process again... and again... and again.

Luckily for the jailbreakers in the audience who may have been affected, there's really no harm done -- at least not with this version of the worm. According to the hacker, this was more of an experiment than anything else. The worm changes your background and then disables inbound SSH, which is a good thing. If SSH was left turned on, a similar worm could follow along but conceivably do much more damage. For instructions on how to delete this worm, read JD's interview with ikee. I would recommend reading the interview just for the information it presents; I found it pretty interesting. If you've got a jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch and you've never changed the default device password, now's the time. Here's how, if you are using terminal:

Type: ssh root@(iPhone IP address)
When prompted for the password type: alpine
Now you're connected the phone...
type: passwd
It should then prompt your for a new password -- type one that you'll remember. There's no easy way to reset it if you forget it.

That's it. Please remember to be responsibly secure with your devices. Hackers like ikee are troublesome, but this could have been much worse. While I don't personally condone his actions, he's prevented a lot of people from being vulnerable to more malicious attacks later down the road.

Thanks, James!

Worm rickrolls unsecured jailbroken iPhones via SSH originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Worm rickrolls unsecured jailbroken iPhones via SSH originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>hacksiphonejailbreakpasswordvulnerabilitywormWormsJosh CarrSat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:00 ESTGokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the pricehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Several readers have urged me to try the Gokivo Navigator for the iPhone [iTunes link], so today is the day. The app is U.S. $4.99, but that only provides you with GPS navigation for 30 days. After that, the app costs $4.99 monthly or you can purchase a year of service for $39.99. That's quite a bit less that the AT&T nav solution [iTunes link], and makes the Gokivo app quite competitive. The app includes a Traffic Tracking Center, text to speech so street names are announced as you drive, and it has iPod controls so you don't have to leave the app to change your music.

Like the AT&T app, if you are out of range of the data network, you won't get maps. And like most of the competition, Gokivo gives you an estimated time of arrival, distance to your destination, and your current speed.

The map doesn't work in landscape view, which I consider a strong negative. It's easy to navigate to your addresses in your Contacts app, and the feature is nicely integrated.

Continue reading Gokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price

Gokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Gokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>GokivogpshggiPhonenavigationMel MartinSat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 ESTFor sale on eBay: One iPhone development business, batteries not includedhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/for-sale-on-ebay-one-iphone-development-business-batteries-not/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/for-sale-on-ebay-one-iphone-development-business-batteries-not/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/for-sale-on-ebay-one-iphone-development-business-batteries-not/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Want an iPhone app business without all the boring hassle of actually programming and releasing iPhone apps? Boy, does Brice Milliorn have a deal for you! He's auctioning off his iPhone app business, which he says has 87 different apps for sale, over on eBay.

Milliorn says he started out developing apps on his own, but the business is just too big for him to keep up so he's selling all of the apps and their rights, all of the source code, and technical support for two months to transition everything over to the new owner. He doesn't specifically say that he'll transfer the developer account on Apple's App Store to your name (he says he'll send over a DVD with the source code and transfer "the whole kit and caboodle" to you), but we presume that's what will happen -- of course if you go for it, you're doing this at your own risk.

What will a burgeoning App Store business, complete with apps like iSexyRef and Swine Flu cost you? Just a cool $100 grand. That's the starting bid in the eBay auction, which has just over a week left and no bids as of this writing. There are certainly less expensive ways to get started selling apps on the store. It only costs $100 to register in Apple's Developer Program for a year, and then you just need to find a developer you can pay -- or even do it yourself with a helper service).

If you'd rather start off with a bunch of marginal to silly 99-cent apps and happen to have an extra $100,000 lying around to spend (maybe for a nice holiday gift?), here's your opportunity.

For sale on eBay: One iPhone development business, batteries not included originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)For sale on eBay: One iPhone development business, batteries not included originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accountapp-storeappsauctiondeveloperebayhumoriphoneiphone-appsisexyrefjbmjbmmarginalsalesillysource-codesportsswine-fluMike SchrammSat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 ESTRumor: Smaller iPhone on tap for Verizon in Q3 2010?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you're tired of dropped calls and dead zones, and pondering the merits of turning in your iPhone for a DROID... hold on there, champ. AppleInsider says it's received a copy of a report by OTR Global, claiming that Apple has signed contracts to produce a UMTS / CDMA hybrid iPhone to be released in the third quarter of 2010.

The hybrid handset, built around a dual-system chip from Qualcomm, would allow the iPhone to run on virtually any GSM/UTMS cellular network worldwide -- and also on the CDMA2000 networks of US carriers like Verizon and Sprint. In particular, Verizon is cited in the report as the target carrier for the new devices.

The report states that Foxconn, the Taiwan-based sole-source provider of iPhone hardware at this time, will not build the new device. Instead, a subsidiary of Asustek known as Pegatron has been selected to kick off manufacturing. It's also rumored that the hybrid device uses a 2.8" screen, making the handset smaller than the current model which uses a 3.5" display.

Photos of the smaller display were first featured on iLounge in June of 2008 (see photo at right), sparking widespread rumors at the time that an "iPhone nano" was on the way. Over a year later, neither the smaller iPhone nor a Verizon model are available. However, if the leaked report is any indication, 2010 could be yet another year of incredible growth for the iPhone economy.

Rumor: Smaller iPhone on tap for Verizon in Q3 2010? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Rumor: Smaller iPhone on tap for Verizon in Q3 2010? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>AppleCDMA2000GSMiphonemanufacturingrumortaiwanVerizonSteven SandeSat, 07 Nov 2009 00:30:00 ESTSquarespace hosting/CMS service launches iPhone apphttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

After a long wait, Squarespace customers finally have an iPhone app of their own. Squarespace is a hosted blogging/CMS service that competes with the likes of WordPress.com and Typepad. Having used all three, I can say that interacting with Squarespace (posting, changing your site's look and feel, etc.) is unlike the others. Instead of a separate control panel/dashboard, Squarespace previews changes in real time on the same screen. It's really nice.

The iPhone app [iTunes link] seems to be an extension of its browser-based sibling. For example, check out the live preview mode pictured at right. You can also manage multiple accounts, post, upload multiple images at once (awesome) view stats and more. The UI looks nice as well.

While bloggers on other platforms have had compatible apps in the App Store for a while now, this is Squarespace's first solution. We're eager to play around with it. Squarespace for iPhone is free and requires a paid Squarespace account.

Squarespace hosting/CMS service launches iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Squarespace hosting/CMS service launches iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStoreblogbloggingcmsiphonesquarespaceDave CaoloFri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 ESTCoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and mapshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're seeing a lot of updates to navigation applications, and the latest is for the CoPilot Live app [iTunes link] for the iPhone. As promised, the company has updated the map data to fix mistakes or omissions that were reported by users. The latest update also adds iPod controls within the app, which many users were requesting.

The update fixes a reported address search issue, improves GPS reception and makes some improvements to the user interface.

The previous version of the U.S. $34.99 app added text to speech and a better method of text entry.

As we've mentioned before, the competition in nav apps is going to get very interesting if Apple allows the Google nav app into the app store. It will be free, and has a host of features that are not currently available in the paid apps that are shipping for the iPhone now.

With the FCC watching the relationship between Google and Apple, I'm thinking Apple will have to let the app in, but Apple has surprised me before, and not always in a positive way.

CoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and maps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)CoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and maps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>CoPilot liveCopilotLivegpsiPhonenavnavigationsoftware updateMel MartinFri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 ESTRFID coming to iPhones?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo courtesy of flickr: Thijs Jacobs
Back in April 2009, TUAW's Dave Caolo posted a video showing off the potential (and some of the potential annoyances as well) and possibilities of an RFID-enabled iPhone world via an iPhone RFID prototype by Near Field. And, according to a Near Field Communications blog posting, Apple is said to have equipped prototypes of the next-generation iPhone with RFID readers.

How awesome would it be if, instead of using my Mobil Speedpass, I could turn to my iPhone and swipe that against the gas pumping station to pay for gas? And, because there may eventually be "an app for that," I may also be able to view my current balance and fuel economy statistics. Or, instead of needing to put a FasTrak transponder atop my windshield (which is annoying), I could simply put my iPhone on the dashboard as I cross the toll road. I could then view my balance, as well as fill up my credits on the fly. These are just some examples of RFID applications in use today.

RFID coming to iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)RFID coming to iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>iphoneprototypeproximityrfidrumorSang TangFri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 ESTAT&T looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/#commentsFiled under:

Boy Genius Report is claiming that two separate sources have told them that AT&T is looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99 US before Christmas. While this news wouldn't come as a shock, it would certainly take more than AT&T to make it happen. As most of you know, Apple doesn't make an 8GB iPhone 3GS and it would probably mean the discontinuation of the iPhone 3G in general.

If you think back to the time of the first generation iPhone (it was so long ago now), you'll probably remember that Apple quickly discontinued the 4GB iPhone after realizing that most people were opting for the larger capacity. Not too long after that, Apple introduced the 16GB version and discounted the price of the 8GB. Now that the iPhones themselves are subsidized by the wireless carrier, the game is a little different.

I doubt that we'll see AT&T discount the 16GB iPhone 3GS to $99 US, even though it would be a huge strategic move before the holiday season, but I have a hard time believing that Apple would be willing to manufacture an 8GB iPhone 3GS. It's one thing for them to continue with the 8GB iPhone 3G because they already have the manufacturing in place, but for Apple to start manufacturing another iPhone 3GS at a capacity less than its current models -- that just seems out of place.

I've found it disappointing that the iPhone (a professional device) has had a smaller capacity than that of its sister, the iPod touch. Currently, the iPod touch is shipping at a top capacity of 64GB and the iPhone only 32GB. Here's the point: if AT&T and Apple could work together and release the 16GB iPhone 3GS at $99 then that could potentially allow for the 32GB at $199 and a 64GB model at $299. That would be a killer plan for the two companies just before the holiday season.

While this may be far-fetched, I don't think it's impossible: Apple did release a bump in storage to the 16GB iPhone in early 2008 without any warning. Here's hoping that they do that again.

AT&T looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)AT&T looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>8gbATThggiphoneiphone 3gsIphone3gSJosh CarrThu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 ESTG-Map East and West for iPhone updated with text to speechhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When the latest G-Map app covering navigation in the U.S. and Canada was updated with text to speech, it didn't make owners of the older East and West [iTunes store links for each] versions too happy. Now that has been corrected, and both iterations of the U.S. $24.99 app have text to speech, iTunes integration, and the ability to resume navigation automatically after a call.

Traffic will be added soon to both apps as an in-app paid update.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Canada version has been pulled from the app store. According to the company:

'we found a critical issue in the new update of G-Map US & Canada. In order to protect our current users, we have no choice but to temporarily pull the app from the App Store. We already corrected the problem and re-submitted the G-Map US & Canada for approval. Please allow us a few more weeks to serve you. We will do our best to minimize any inconveniences that might occur to you.'

All the G-Map apps have been reasonably priced, but a bit buggy which has not pleased buyers. I'm working on a holiday buyers guide for nav software for the iPhone, but the whole landscape will change radically if Apple approves the free Google nav app with turn by turn directions and photo realistic rendering of routes. The app is shipping in the new Android 2.0 phones, starting with the Verizon Droid, which is scheduled for release tomorrow.

G-Map East and West for iPhone updated with text to speech originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)G-Map East and West for iPhone updated with text to speech originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>G-MapGPSiphonenavigationtext to speechMel MartinThu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 ESTAndy Ihnatko on Verizon Droid "iDon't" ads: baloney (mostly)http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Most American television viewers have been treated recently to endless reruns of Verizon's "iDon't" advertisements. These ads attack the iPhone, playing music that's similar to that played in iPhone ads while displaying a series of messages stating such brilliant and cutting phrases as "iDon't have a real keyboard," "iDon't run simultaneous apps," and so on.

Mac fan and Chicago Sun-Times writer Andy Ihnatko was apparently as fed up with the ads as most of us here at TUAW, so he took Verizon to task in a Wednesday column. In the column, he takes on Verizon's claims and for the most part finds them lacking or at least overblown.In describing the faults of the ad campaign, Ihnatko says "Its claims about the limitations of the iPhone are baloney (Mostly.)"

Andy has been testing the new Motorola Droid phone for an upcoming review, and he does like the phone -- a lot. But his take on the ad campaign is right on the mark: "Verizon's 'iDon't' is a terrible commercial. It provokes experienced iPhone users like me to get all Tyra Banks on the phone and the Android 2.0 OS. That can't possibly be good for business."

Don't mess with us iPhone fans, Verizon...

[via Chicago Sun-Times]

Andy Ihnatko on Verizon Droid "iDon't" ads: baloney (mostly) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Andy Ihnatko on Verizon Droid "iDon't" ads: baloney (mostly) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisementandy ihnatkoAndyIhnatkodroidiphoneverizonSteven SandeThu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 ESTiPhone user survey gives excuses to dump gadget-undesirable romantic partnershttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/#commentsFiled under: ,

My beloved fiancé,

It is with great sadness that I write you at home to your Gmail account to inform you that I am intending to sell your ring on Ebay and we will part ways. You see, ours was a mixed relationship to begin with. You have your Windows 7, your Linux, your original Android phone from T-Mobile in the UK. I have my iPhone, my iMac and everything good that's Apple (and even a few pieces that aren't).

That's why I know it'll never work out between us. According to a recent study from Retrevo, iPhone owners believe that a "cool gadget" makes a person far more attractive than the measly doctorate you've spent years studying for. Every time we are together, I can't help but shudder over the fact that your Android phone is not of the latest generation.

So forget the four years of history between us, the months of separation due to our being in two different countries, and the fact that you are a wonderful, kind, sweet, and intelligent man with a bright future ahead of you. I have someone else I think the world of, and it is my iPhone. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go watch adult material and post up an ad at Match.com for someone with a 3GS.

Much love,
Your dear departed Megan

P.S. This letter is satire, I'm not dumping my fiance over his gadget preferences. Love you, honey!

iPhone user survey gives excuses to dump gadget-undesirable romantic partners originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iPhone user survey gives excuses to dump gadget-undesirable romantic partners originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>iphoneRetervosatirestereotypestudyMegan LaveyWed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 ESTN64 emulator for jailbroken iPhones on the way?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/n64-emulator-for-iphone-on-the-way/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/n64-emulator-for-iphone-on-the-way/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/n64-emulator-for-iphone-on-the-way/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's an exciting announcement at All Tech Related this week that has us saying, "We can't wait!"

ZodTDD, the developer behind GpSPhone (a Nintendo Gameboy Advance emulator for the iPhone and iPod Touch), announced the development of an N64 emulator for the iPhone and iPod touch. Zodttd believes that the current generation iPhone and iPod touch have the graphic CPU horsepower necessary to run those games. "...I can't promise it will run games top notch just yet, as things are too early to say. There's hope though, with a 3D accelerated graphics plugin, as well as an ARM dynarec."

As iPhone Savior points out, the toughest challenge could be fitting the controls onto the screen in an unobtrusive yet usable way. That was my main complaint about Resident Evil for iPhone [iTunes link] -- my hand is often in the way of what I'm trying to see.

Note that this will require an jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch.

[Via iPhone Savior]

N64 emulator for jailbroken iPhones on the way? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)N64 emulator for jailbroken iPhones on the way? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>3g3gsemulatoriphoneipod touchIpodTouchjailbreakn64nintendoDave CaoloWed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 ESTSony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass.http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Let's file this under 'really bad ideas done poorly.' Sony would like to sell you 1,000 ringtones, sound effects, and comedy voices on a data DVD that's just oh so ready to import into iTunes. Sony doesn't seem to offer a comparable product for other cellphones, like maybe the Sony Ericsson brand, so I can only conclude this is a plot by Sony to make iPhone owners look dumb when a call comes in.

I listened to some of the samples on the Sony website, and the DVD seems to be a collection of bad and unmemorable production music, obnoxious sound effects, and jokey voices saying things like "Dude -- everybody keep your voice down, I think it's my Dad calling."

Continue reading Sony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass.

Sony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Sony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>GarageBandiPhoneringtonesSony RingtonesSonyRingtonesMel MartinWed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 ESTWaveboard on the iPhone, Google Wave access slightly better than Mobile Safarihttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-on-the-iphone-google-wave-access-slightly-better-than/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-on-the-iphone-google-wave-access-slightly-better-than/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-on-the-iphone-google-wave-access-slightly-better-than/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're lucky enough to have a Google Wave account, you may be familiar with Waveboard. I started out using Wave via a Fluid SSB, running Wave Growl for Growl notifications and Dock badges. Then I found Waveboard, and it made things smooth enough that I haven't looked at Wave any other way since. So, obviously, I'd been anticipating the iPhone version of Waveboard. It's here, and it's, well, moderately interesting.

The desktop app is essentially a Single Site Browser, like a Fluid app, but it adds handy, Mac-like keyboard shortcuts, Growl notifications, Dock and Menubar notifications, etc. The iPhone app is the same, a webkit browser showing what Google already provides, but there just wasn't as much potential integration to take advantage of on the iPhone. They took advantage of the shake gesture to reload or log out. Websites can be opened in the same browser or sent to Safari. Landscape mode is supported. And you can kind of get push notifications, by using Prowl (which Aron has mentioned before). Setup instructions are available on the Waveboard blog.

That's about it, for now. Google hasn't offered an API, which seriously hampers a developer's ability to do cool things. More features are reportedly in the works, so we'll see if it turns into a truly useful counterpart to its desktop cousin over time.

Waveboard for iPhone is available on the App Store iTunes link for $0.99US. Under a buck, and it might be worth a look for avid Wavers (which I would be, if enough of my clients and cohorts had accounts to make it truly useful).

[via TechCrunch]

Waveboard on the iPhone, Google Wave access slightly better than Mobile Safari originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Waveboard on the iPhone, Google Wave access slightly better than Mobile Safari originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>googlegoogle waveGoogleWaveiphonewavewaveboardBrett TerpstraWed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 ESTApp Store smashes the 100,000 app barrier and keeps on growinghttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Apple announced early this morning that there are now over 100,000 apps available to iPhone and iPod touch users in the the App Store. Customers of the App Store have purchased over two billion apps, and it is the world's most popular applications store.

In this morning's press release, Apple senior vice president for Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller noted that "The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world."

Schiller's statement was echoed by top executives from EA Mobile and Smule. EA Mobile's Travis Boatman, VP of Worldwide Studios, praised the App Store as an innovative marketplace to over 50 million iPhone and iPod touch owners, while Smule's CEO Jeff Smith took the perspective of a small, new development house that has skyrocketed to success. "With 10,000 downloads a day, worldwide customer response to our I Am T-Pain App has exceeded our wildest expectations," said Smith. "The App Store has given us a unique opportunity to create and grow a very successful business, and we're looking forward to an exciting future.

By comparison, the Google Android Market had just over 10,000 apps as of early September, almost 65% of which were free. An analysis of iPhone and Android app purchases shows that iPhone users are more likely to purchase apps, while users of Android-based smartphones appear to like getting their software for free. Developers for the most part will go where the money is, and at this time, that appears to be the App Store.

[via Engadget]

App Store smashes the 100,000 app barrier and keeps on growing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)App Store smashes the 100,000 app barrier and keeps on growing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStoreiphoneipod touchIpodTouchSteven SandeWed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 ESTSurvey: Less than half of touchscreen users prefer touchscreenhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/survey-less-than-half-of-touchscreen-users-prefer-touchscreen/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/survey-less-than-half-of-touchscreen-users-prefer-touchscreen/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/survey-less-than-half-of-touchscreen-users-prefer-touchscreen/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here's a few interesting stats from a survey recently conducted in Europe. These aren't specifically about the iPhone, but given that smartphones relied on buttons almost exclusively before Apple's handheld came along (and nowadays, everyone's bragging about their touchscreen technology), a temperature-taking on what people think of touchscreen controls is more or less a referendum on what people think of Apple's influence.

At least in France, Germany and the UK, reactions are mixed. While 38% of those surveyed say they were planning to get a touchscreen on their next mobile phone, only 47% of people who already owned a touchscreen said they would get another one. In other words, less than half of touchscreen owners thought they'd stick with the technology on their next purchase. Apple remains an anomaly -- both HTC and Apple have a higher amount of current customers planning to stick with their touchscreen interface (with the full numbers being released at a conference later this month), but the fact remains: current touchscreen users aren't anywhere near 100% on living button-free forever.

Especially as a gamer, that makes a lot of sense. Touchscreens are great for a lot of things -- they allow for limitless flexibility in the kinds of interfaces on offer, and especially with multi-touch, a lot of the controls on the iPhone are extremely intuitive (you automatically know now that pinching equals zooming, and so on). But as nice as touchscreen is, there are a lot of functions on mobile phones, from adjusting volume or changing music tracks on a phone out of sight in your pocket, to hitting exact button controls while twitch gaming, that work much better with tactile feedback. Steve, as he always does, made a big deal about the iPhone being a one-button interface, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see future iterations of the iPhone include either a few more buttons, or, even better, a few more haptic interface technologies.

Survey: Less than half of touchscreen users prefer touchscreen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Survey: Less than half of touchscreen users prefer touchscreen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applebuttonscontrolseuropeanfrancegermanyhaptichtcinterfacemultitouchpocketsurveytouchscreenukMike SchrammWed, 04 Nov 2009 09:15:00 ESTiTunes 9.0.2 adds extra home screens to app managementhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/itunes-9-0-2-adds-extra-home-screens-to-app-management/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/itunes-9-0-2-adds-extra-home-screens-to-app-management/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/itunes-9-0-2-adds-extra-home-screens-to-app-management/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's funny -- when the iPhone App Store first opened up, the first thing I asked for next was a way to manage apps from directly within iTunes. But when that finally did show up, I was still left unsatisfied for some reason. I'm not sure why -- app management offers drag-and-drop functionality with your app icons, and that's about the easiest way to organize things across the home screens. But for me, it still seems unwieldy somehow -- dragging icons onto full pages stlll creates empty pages, and dragging icons between screens is awkward to me.

I'm not an interface designer, but having more than one home screen open at a time seems like it would be nice, and being able to assign my own tags and categories to apps (combined with an auto-sort function) seems nicer. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that we can manage apps from iTunes, but it just seems harder than it should be.

Fortunately, iTunes 9.0.2 snuck a few updates to the system under our radar last week -- you can now put more than 176 apps in the organizer, and those will move on to grayed-out homescreens. You can still access them on the iPhone by using Spotlight, but those grayed-out homescreens only serve as a buffer to hold your overflow apps while you're organizing them. Doesn't really help the actual experience of sorting apps, but it should give you some breathing space when dealing with lots and lots of apps.

Speaking of buffers, it would also be nice to have a "shelf" to store app icons on while you're moving them around (you can use the bottom 4 apps as a minishelf, but that's not really enough). Maybe you could pile them into different areas on a screen and then drag them in the way you want onto your homescreens. Like I said, it's great that we do finally have an app management system in iTunes. But my feeling is that it's a little too much like the awkward iPhone-based system, especially with large numbers of apps, to be much help.

iTunes 9.0.2 adds extra home screens to app management originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iTunes 9.0.2 adds extra home screens to app management originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app managementAppManagementappsfunctionsiphoneiphone app managementIphoneAppManagementipodipod touchIpodTouchitunes 9.0.2Itunes9.0.2Mike SchrammWed, 04 Nov 2009 08:30:00 ESTDo you fear when you fly? There's an app to help that.http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fear of flying is nothing to laugh about. Having a panic attack while on an airplane, or not being able to even board a commercial flight because of fear, are both more common than most people would imagine. One solution is to learn how to relax, and to become knowledgeable about the sights, sounds, and feelings of flying.

Virgin Atlantic has had an amazing 98% success rate in curing fear of flying though its Flying Without Fear classes. These are seminars held throughout the UK that provide flight knowledge through a Q&A session with Virgin Atlantic flight crews, followed by a psychology session to make attendees aware of what makes them afraid and provide techniques to combat the fear. At the end of the day, attendees are taken on a short flight to try out their new knowledge and prove to themselves that they can fly without becoming paralyzed with panic.

To reach a much larger audience, Virgin Atlantic has just released the Flying Without Fear app [US$4.99, iTunes Link]. While the app doesn't include a visit from a flight crew or a psychologist, it's designed to make the techniques that have been so successful in Virgin Atlantic's in-person classes available to owners of the iPhone and iPod touch.

Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson provides a video introduction, followed by video-based explanations of what's going on at every phase of your flight. There's a built-in FAQ section with answers to questions such as "What if all the engines fail?", a set of relaxation exercises, and even a fear attack button (at right) for those scary situations that can occur in flight.

Of course, the app can't be run during takeoff and landing when you're asked to "turn off all electronic devices," but hopefully you'll gain enough confidence through using the app prior to your flight that you'll be able to stay calm.

[via CNET]

Do you fear when you fly? There's an app to help that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Do you fear when you fly? There's an app to help that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appfear of flyingFearOfFlyingflyingiphoneipod touchIpodTouchSteven SandeTue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 ESTBlacksn0w unlocks iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/blacksn0w-unlocks-iphone-os-3-1-2-and-baseband-05-11-07/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/blacksn0w-unlocks-iphone-os-3-1-2-and-baseband-05-11-07/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/blacksn0w-unlocks-iphone-os-3-1-2-and-baseband-05-11-07/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For the last several months, anyone who had updated to iPhone OS 3.1 or greater without following a pre-update procedure lost the unlock on their iPhones due to new software in the modem firmware or the baseband. Using the at+xemn crash as an injection point, iPhone hacker Geohot (of the original hardware unlock) was able to unlock the latest firmware on any iPhone.

What does this mean? The iPhone can be unlocked for any GSM carrier, allowing you to use it on more than your country's authorized carrier or other carriers as you're traveling abroad.

Geohot suggests that you update to a fresh copy of iPhone OS 3.1.2 directly from Apple before performing his unlock. He has all the instructions available on his site.

Blacksn0w unlocks iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Blacksn0w unlocks iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>baseband 05.11.07 unlockBaseband05.11.07Unlockgeohotiphoneiphone 3.1.2 unlockiphone unlockIphone3.1.2UnlockIphoneUnlockjailbreakunlockJosh CarrTue, 03 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST