Reviews posts

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

MLB is about to make a million dollars off an iPhone app

by Mike Schramm on Apr 28th 2009 at 9:45PM

Lots of developers are saying that they can't sell their apps at $9.99 in the App Store, but Major League Baseball is apparently the exception -- the $9.99 At Bat app is not only gaining accolades from users, but it's selling like nachos at the ballpark, too: with 130,000 copies sold so far this year, MLB is about to break a million dollars in revenue, even after Apple takes its cut.

Pretty impressive for a pricey app. Of course, that's chump change when you consider exactly what MLB is dealing with -- the app integrates the Gameday Audio service, which sells for $14.99 on its own, and baseball's television and video content makes much, much more than a million dollars. The iPhone revenue, big as it is, is just a drop in the bucket for MLB, really.

But nevertheless, the MLB app stands out as proof that, even if you have to include exclusive live audio content from major sporting events around the country, it is possible to make an app that people will happily pay $9.99 for. Stands to reason that if developers can make their app at least as functional and useful as At Bat, they too can make a million dollars.

Tags: 999, app-store, at-bat-2009, customers, gameday-audio, major-league-baseball, mlb, revenue, reviews

Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review

Verdict on Consumer Reports iPhone app: Helpful but incomplete

by Mel Martin on Apr 13th 2009 at 6:30PM

I enjoy Consumer Reports magazine, even though sometimes the camera and electronics reviews drive me crazy. The ratings seem sometimes arbitrary, and don't always take what I think are the 'right' features into account and don't weigh those features the same way I would. Nevertheless, I find their reviews useful and another data point to throw in when I'm about to make a purchase.

Some months, ago, Consumer Reports launched an iPhone/ iPod touch app, and updated it again recently. The app, appropriately called Consumer Reports, [App Store link] is free, and has a lot of interesting info, but you don't really get links to the wealth of data back at the magazine. Even if you are a subscriber, you can't log in from the app and see magazine content.

You do get a lot of worthwhile news about consumer products, leaning heavily toward Electronics, Cars and products or services for the Home. You also get videos that are sometimes interesting, sometimes bizarre. I didn't make it all the way through the toilet paper tests.

There is some up to date reporting on topics of interest to consumers, like retailer bankruptcies, and what I would call 'tip' articles, like how to shoot a panoramic photo or tips on buying a Netbook.

There is a bit of Mac coverage, most recently a test to see if the MacBook Pro really lasted for 8 hours running on batteries. It didn't in the CR test.

Strangely, the app doesn't have any kind of search function, so if you are looking for just news about Mac laptops, for example, you're out of luck.

I still find the app full of beneficial news, and I give it a browse a couple of times a week. I wonder how Consumer Reports would rate this app? 'Recommended', 'predicted reliability good', but 'could be much better with a few changes'. On the app store users gave it an average rating of 2 stars out of 5. A bit harsh, perhaps. It's generally downgraded because there is no access to the magazine content.

Also interesting is that CR has not been a great fan of the iPhone, complaining, for example, about call quality when it first came out, but they did feel compelled to do this iPhone app. Funny old world.

Here are some screen captures:

Gallery: Consumer Reports app screen shots

Tags: Consumer Reports, iPhone, iPod touch, news, reviews, video

Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look

TUAW First Look: Cha-Ching Touch

by Dave Caolo on Mar 26th 2009 at 3:30PM

Several years ago, I had a simple but wonderful checkbook app for my Palm. It was nothing more than money in and money out with some simple categorization (food, clothing, automotive, etc.). In other words, an electric alternative to a checkbook. Since I don't really write checks anymore, I no longer carry a register around. Plus, that old Palm is dead and gone (having accidentally spent one night in my rainy front yard), so I need an alternative.

We've reviewed mobile financial apps before, like Pennies and Mint. Cory and Mike got to play with those, but I was lucky enough to nab Cha-Ching Touch for review.

The Good

First things first. It's pretty. Every screen and icon is nice to look at and easy to navigate, even the Get Smart-style vault that requires a passcode at launch (note that this is off by default).

To get started, create an account. Choose either Checking, Savings, Credit, Online, Loan or Cash. Each is represented by a unique icon which is a nice little touch. From there, enter an account number and associated URL if applicable.

Gallery: Cha-Ching Touch

Continue reading “TUAW First Look: Cha-Ching Touch”

Tags: cha-ching, cha-ching touch, Cha-chingTouch, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, reviews

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, App Store

Fighting sockpuppet reviews on the App Store

by Mike Schramm on Feb 3rd 2009 at 10:00AM

In this modern age of information, it's easier than ever to see what people think of a product, whether it be a new lawnmower, a console game, or an App Store app. But it's also easier than ever to try and tweak public opinion, and while there are many official avenues that will accept anonymous opinions, there aren't so many that will help you weed out the legit from the not-so-much.

App Store reviews have been controversial from the beginning -- while they can be helpful for buyers, you often have no idea just who's leaving comments or what their real agenda is. Njection, the makers of Nmobile (which we played with a while ago) are having a huge problem with what they're calling "sockpuppet" reviews on the App Store.

Someone (they believe this person is in cahoots with their competitor) is posting bad reviews on their app and trying to trash them and their product elsewhere (including in a comment here on TUAW). And unfortunately, as they say, they don't really have much recourse against this behavior -- they've appealed to Apple, who've replied that they'll leave comments up, unless they're offensive or extremely false. Apple's own guidelines for reviewing apps asks that the reviewers deal with apps on their own merit rather than attacking competitors, but that seems to be more of a recommendation than a firm rule.

Njection says the comments have kept consumers from trying out their apps, though it seems difficult to actually track how many people haven't tried your app (and why). It'll be interesting to see if Apple makes other changes to the review system if this sort of thing rears its ugly head more often. At this point, it seems devs just have to deal with it by doing damage control when necessary and making their app good enough that "sockpuppeting" doesn't strongly affect public opinion.

Continue reading “Fighting sockpuppet reviews on the App Store”

Tags: app-store, apple, competitors, information, njection, nmobile, policy, reviews, sockpuppeting, tuaw

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, App Store

TUAW Hands on with FlipBook for iPhone

by Erica Sadun on Aug 5th 2008 at 2:00PM

Josh Anon's $9.99 FlipBook [App Store link] offers a well-designed animation building tool. Like other flip book drawing products, it lets you create movement frame by frame. What makes FlipBook stand out from the crowd of iPhone drawing tools is its fine attention to interface details and the addition of the flipbook.tv sharing site for the animations you create.

Read on for TUAW's take on this new AppStore offering, and see the gallery below for some screenshots of the delightful interface.

Gallery: FlipBook

Continue reading “TUAW Hands on with FlipBook for iPhone”

Tags: animation, drawing, flipbook, onionskin, Reviews

Filed under: Reviews, iPhone, App Store

Mossberg, Pogue, Baig review the iPhone 3G

by Cory Bohon on Jul 9th 2008 at 6:00AM

While most people are waiting in line for their soon-to-be new friend, pal and everyday communications device, the world's top tech reviewers have already been playing with the long awaited device. Below is a summary of their findings along with links to their full reviews of the iPhone 3G.

Walt Mossberg (Wall Street Journal)

Pros: Faster cell network data speeds, GPS
Cons: Weaker battery life due to 3G/GPS
Bottom Line: If you don't already have an iPhone and can live with the weaker battery life, then you should go ahead and buy; otherwise wait out for the 2.0 firmware update (hmm... I think I've heard this advice somewhere else)

David Pogue (New York Times)

Pros: You can talk and access 3G data network simultaneously, cheaper, improved audio quality
Cons: 3G isn't wide-spread, AT&T pricing,
Bottom Line: "iPhone 3G is a nice upgrade," 2.0 firmware update will make your original iPhone in most ways similar to the iPhone 3G

Edward Baig (USA Today)

Pros: Faster data network, cheaper, GPS, Visual Voicemail
Cons: Slow EDGE speeds when not in 3G area, no video, no memory expansion
Bottom Line: "The Sequel, is worth the wait," he also shows a side-by-side comparison between EDGE and 3G speeds

As an interesting note: David Pogue says that the iPhone's GPS antenna is too small to provide you with turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps -- this is something that Apple has failed to note until now.

Tags: 3G, att, Cons, David Pogue, DavidPogue, Edward Baig, EdwardBaig, GPS, iPhone 3G, Iphone3g, New York Times, NewYorkTimes, Pros, reviews, USA Today, UsaToday, Wall Street Journal, WallStreetJournal, Walt Mossberg, WaltMossberg

Filed under: iPod Family, TUAW Business, iPhone, App Store

TUAW: iPhone AppStore Testing and Reviews

by Erica Sadun on Jul 8th 2008 at 4:00PM

Dear Developers,

Until Apple introduces ad-hoc distribution, should you want to have TUAW test your software, start by contacting us at our tips line with general information about your software.

One of us will write back to you with a test unit device identifier. You will need to provision that device for Development and then send us a copy of the mobile provision and a zipped Release version of your iPhone application (not a Distribution version).

Other welcome items include:

Pricing information and system requirements
Website URL for the software
A basic press pack
Corporate/PR contact information for TUAW
General contact information for our readers

We love you all,

Auntie TUAW

Tags: App Store, AppStore, Reviews

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Portables, Macbook Pro

Reviewing the new MacBook Pro

by Dave Caolo on Mar 12th 2008 at 12:00PM

Blogger Shawn Blanc has written another one of his thorough reviews. This time, it's the new MacBook Pro.

The interesting thing is that he's using it to replace his Mac Pro. Most tech professionals have a primary machine (often a desktop) and a secondary (usually a laptop). After living with this setup for some time, Shawn noticed that the laptop had become his main machine:

"I don't need the Mac Pro. The loss in horsepower is negligible for what I do, and the gain in simplicity cannot be expressed with words. I'm selling the tower and going back to being a one-computer consumer, and connoisseur of fine laptops."

The same thing eventually happened to me. My MacBook Pro is the machine I use most often, and my iMac is the machine I use to sync my iPhone, make iTunes purchases and upload photos. Other than that, it pretty much just sits around.

Shawn goes on to describe setup, migration of his older data and (much, much) more. The whole thing is written in Shawn's comprehensive and readable style. Check it out.

Tags: macbook pro, MacbookPro, portables, reviews

Filed under: Apple, MacBook Air

MacBook Air review round-up

by Scott McNulty on Jan 24th 2008 at 4:00PM

Ah, it is that magical time after an Apple announcement: the big media reviews are starting to roll in. As you might be aware Apple loans out new hardware to technology journalists to put through their paces. The MacBook Air, being a new product, was delivered to a few tech heavy hitters (with the slightly less heavy hitters having to wait a little longer to get their review unit. And no, TUAW doesn't get any review units from Apple) sometime last week, and have been subjected to lots of prodding. The first few reviews are up, and they all pretty much say the same thing: the MacBook Air is really thin, and a great machine so long as you don't need the ports it doesn't have. The good news seems to be that Apple's estimate of 5 hours of battery life doesn't seem to be too far off.

Read 'em' for yourself:

Edward Baig's review in USA Today
Steven Levy's review in Newsweek
Walt Mossberg's review in The Wall Street Journal

Our friends at Engadget just received their review unit, and have confirmed what we suspected: the external SuperDrive will not work with other Macs. They also list what you can and can't do with Remote Disc.

And finally, the groovy folks at Gearlog have received their review unit and kindly posted unboxing pictures. Who doesn't like a good set of unboxing pictures?

Tags: macbook-air, reviews

Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, Apple, iPhone

iLounge reviews Apple Bluetooth Headset

by David Chartier on Jul 31st 2007 at 9:30AM

Those unstoppable cats over at iLounge (whom I am convinced are using genetically modified oompa loompas) have gone and reviewed themselves an Apple Bluetooth Headset. For $129, you get a pretty darn sleek headset that one-ups the competition by including only a single button for control (or perhaps that's 'one-downing' the competition...), a Dual Dock for charging both the iPhone and headset and a travel charger that can handle the same job. iLounge's verdict? Well, it's a mixed bag. The headset doesn't blaze any trails in the places it matters, such as audio quality or battery life, nor is it as functional as many would expect from a typical bluetooth headset (it doesn't even have on-board volume buttons; that's controlled from the iPhone). However, the headset's performance does rank in at around average, and the included accessories are certainly a leap beyond the rest. The headset also features some unique integration with the iPhone in that charging both via the dock or cable will display the headset's battery level right alongside the iPhone's. Also, to some people's surprise, the headset (just like most bluetooth headsets) can be paired with a Mac for audio chats with the likes of iChat and Skype.

All that said, it seems like Apple's Bluetooth Headset will be a good buy for the general customer who can make use of the rich set of extras that come with it. Personally, I'm counting my pennies for one of those Jawbone headsets with the crazy noise cancellation technology. In my opinion, every bluetooth headset on the market sucks. Period. I've tested a very hefty portion of them from the bottom of the barrel to the premium $100+ models (return policies are a beautiful thing), and they're all terrible because both the caller and myself sound horrible to each other, especially when there's anything louder than a pin dropping in the background. Given Apple's tendency to try and solve some of the major problems plaguing a particular technology or industry (i.e. - Visual Voicemail), I'm surprised they didn't at least try for something like the Jawbone with the Bluetooth Headset.

But I digress - if you're on the Apple Bluetooth Headset fence, iLounge's review might be able to help you out with the decision. Check it out.

Tags: bluetooth headset, BluetoothHeadset, headsets, jawbone, reviews

Filed under: Wireless, Apple, iPhone

Why the iPhone Will Fail

by Chris Ullrich on Jun 27th 2007 at 1:00PM

With all the mostly glowing and semi-glowing reviews starting to come in about the iPhone, I thought it might be interesting to read and provide to you a little counter perspective. Not that reading this article at Suckbusters gave me much reason to doubt my love for all-things iPhone, but its still nice to hear opposing viewpoints -- especially those that actually make a bit of sense and some good arguments.

In the article, author David Platt outlines three key reasons for his prediction that the iPhone "is going to be a bigger marketing flop than Waterworld and Ishtar combined." If you know those movies, that's saying quite a bit. That said, what are his three key reasons? For starters, he complains that the designers of the iPhone have ignored the simplicity and ease of use demonstrated by the iPod and have instead designed a device that is not simple or easy to use.

Second, he feels the iPhone "crams" too many features into a single unit which when used in combination will require "far more dedication than a user is willing to invest and remember." This, he says, "condemns the iPhone to a tiny niche at best." Lastly, Platt laments the iPhone's touch screen and lack of "tactile feedback" which will force users to look at the screen at all times while using it -- something, he says, they will "detest."

Some valid points to be sure and perhaps worthy of consideration. But does any of it change your opinion about the iPhone? Or is it still the shiny, touch-screened soon-to-be love of your life it always was?

Tags: apple, chris ullrich, ChrisUllrich, iphone, reviews

Filed under: iPhone

More iPhone reviews coming in -- Newsweek & USA TODAY

by Michael Rose on Jun 26th 2007 at 8:30PM

Two more reviews of that loveable scamp of a cellphone are out on the Interwebs, and it's more more more of the same: Steven Levy of Newsweek and Ed Baig of USA TODAY are saying it's time to start believing the hype. Both writers, like Pogue and Mossberg, point out the iPhone's weak spots (EDGE, no one-touch or voice dialing, limited apps, no video capture) while furthering the basic premise: by and large, the iPhone experience lives up to the insane advance billing. Levy's long and thorough review states it plainly early on, as he reports on the reaction to his iPhone use during a visit to Pittsburgh, PA:

"[W]hen I showed the iPhone to people during that trip and in the days afterward-especially people under 25-the most common reaction was, "I have to have this," sometimes followed by a quick, if alarmingly reckless, consideration of what might need to be pawned in order to make the purchase.... And there it is: one of the most hyped consumer products ever comes pretty close to justifying the bombast."

Baig puts it this way: "[W]ith a few exceptions, this expensive, glitzy wunderkind is indeed worth lusting after... That's saying a lot. After months of hype, Apple has delivered a prodigy - a slender fashion phone, a slick iPod and an Internet experience unlike any before it on a mobile handset."

Interesting tidbits from both reviews: Levy got a call from Steve Jobs during his evaluation period, just to check on how he was doing (!), and he noted the new thinking behind Apple's buy-it-and-go-home iTunes activation plan. Baig's article includes a sidebar entitled "The Quest Begins" with the get-an-iPhone strategies of a few would-be buyers, and Baig encountered a feature I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else; when he finished watching A Bug's Life (it would have to be a Pixar film) on his iPhone, the device asked him if he wanted to clear the movie from memory to reclaim the space. Nice.

via Apple 2.0

Tags: iphone, levy, newsweek, reviews, usatoday

Filed under: Retail, Apple, iPhone

First "official" reviews of the iPhone are out

by Chris Ullrich on Jun 26th 2007 at 7:20PM

Sure, there's been a lot of speculation and discussion about the iPhone, its features and its usability in the mainstream and online press. We might even be guilty of a little speculation here at TUAW, too. I know, try to contain your surprise. Fortunately, speculation time is coming quickly to an end as release day approaches and we get real announcements of data plans and other details. In addition to all the "official" announcements, we've got some actual reviews of the device hitting the wires this evening.

Some of the lauded Apple pundits dropping reviews today are Walt Mossberg and Katherine Boehret of the Wall Street Journal, who call the iPhone "a breakthrough handheld computer," and New York Times columnist David Pogue, who says the iPhone "matches most of its hype." To be sure, I expected these rather notable Apple fans to express positive reviews about the device. Still, it's good to see actual reviews in print which confirm what I, and many others, hoped the device would be. Reading these reviews, I'm even more convinced I want an iPhone on Friday. Of course, if I really want one, I probably should get in line now -- especially if more reviews like these come out.

What about you, the highly intelligent and discerning TUAW reader? Do these reviews give you any more reason to get an iPhone, or do they make no difference at this point?

Thanks Scott

Tags: apple, iphone, mossberg, pogue, reviews

Filed under: iPhone

NY Post says don't get "hung up" on the iPhone

by Erica Sadun on Jun 26th 2007 at 3:00PM

NY Post contributor Glenn Fleishman writes that tens of thousands of customers will line up for the iPhone and he recommends that you not be one of them. It might be flashy, it might have lots of features, but with its small screen (compared to a laptop) and its high price tag (compared to an iPod), its lack of 3G and minimal onboard storage, and its two year calling commitment, Fleishman thinks you should wait for the next iPhone rather than buying this first release. If we weren't so busy trying to get our own iPhones to play with, TUAW might even admit that Fleishman makes several good points.

Thanks, SimDan.

Update: Fleishman has written a follow-up post on his personal weblog. He has used the iPhone (briefly) and the column was not meant as a review.

Tags: reviews

Filed under: iPod Family, Reviews

O'Reilly posts iPod microphone shootout

by Erica Sadun on May 22nd 2007 at 8:30AM

Over at O'Reilly, Mark Nelson tested all three major iPod microphone add-ons and wrote about his results. He tried out the Belkin TuneTalk stereo, the Griffin iTalk Pro, and the XtremeMac MicroMemo. When all was said and done, all three solutions performed well despite the fact that they were all horrible battery hogs.

The $50 iTalk Pro offered one-touch recording and three input levels but its built-in microphone picked up a lot of hard drive noise. The $60 MicroMemo used a handy boom that avoided picking up iPod noises but had no level controls and could only record mono audio. The $70 TuneTalk Stereo offers a USB port that allows you to record while your iPod is docked and charging but had stability issues for positioning and the microphone, like the iTalk Pro, picked up iPod hard drive noises.

TUAW readers: have you bought an iPod mic? Which one did you buy? And are you happy with your purchase? Let us know in the comments.

Full disclosure: I write for O'Reilly.

Tags: Microphones, O'Reilly, Reviews, Shootout

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