Remember Diamonds are a girls best friend

If it's love you are in, the economy is no excuse. Austrian jeweller Peter Aloisson has crafted the "Kings Button," a diamond-encrusted iPhone whose name refers to the 6.6-carat diamond planted on top of the handset's Home button. There are a few apps, quirks and possible scams out there that encourage ...

iTunes 8.1 DJ + Apple Remote for iPhone = Party 2.0?

One of the new features in Apple’s iTunes 8.1, released just today, is iTunes DJ. Replacing the old Party Shuffle atop the Playlists heap, it also integrates with the Apple Remote app for the iPhone for shiny party goodness.

How does it work? At first look, anyone at your party with the Apple Remote app can request songs from your iTunes library, and everyone with the app can vote for which song gets played when. Genius seems to work with it as well.

Jeremy was kind enough to grab us some screenshots, after the break! If you’ve given it a go already, let us know if you’ve found anything else in there!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iTunes 8.1 DJ + Apple Remote for iPhone = Party 2.0?

Wednesday Fun Video: Star Trek iPhone!

This… is… allkindsof… awesome! A Star Trek’d to the Next Generation iPhone.

Gizmodo has the details.

Now if it just had a working phaser app…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Wednesday Fun Video: Star Trek iPhone!

iTunes 8.1 and Front Row 2.1.7 Now Available

Ready. Set. Software Update!

Yes, as expected this morning, Apple has released iTunes 8.1 (and Front Row 2.1.7) with support for the new iPod shuffle 4G with VoiceOver, also tied into the updated Apple Remote app [iTunes link] released earlier today for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Anyone got it yet? Is it really faster, stronger, and better for you? Let us know!

[Thanks to Blake for the tip!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iTunes 8.1 and Front Row 2.1.7 Now Available

iTunes 8.1 Now Available for Download

As foreshadowed by Apple earlier today, iTunes 8.1 has been released and is now available from the iTunes download page.

The supporting documention included with the download details the changes present in the update:

i...

Apple’s New Headset Controls Rewind Tracks… Control Moon Rockets?

Yes, that title is a totally sarcastic way to say the new controls on Apple’s new iPod shuffle 4G reach NASA-like complexity levels. (Insert ancient telegraph sounds here).

So complicated are they, in fact, Apple has a knowledge-base article up about it along with a chart that while it resembled the periodic table of elements, is no where near as simple. Granted, most of that complexity doesn’t apply to the iPhone controls… yet, but we’re assuming its on its way.

Anyone who still says Apple hates buttons ain’t got nothing on these tiny little trouble-makers… How long until you can dial with them using some horrendous mutation of T9?

[Via Engadget]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple’s New Headset Controls Rewind Tracks… Control Moon Rockets?

TUAW Tip: Fixing syncing between iPhone and iPhoto ‘08

Filed under: Hardware, How-tos, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, TUAW Tips, iPhone

This is a pretty selfish tip, because this issue has happened to me personally a few different times, and despite my many searches around the 'net, I've never found a quick, simple solution. So here you go: my suffering can be your gain.

Basically, iPhoto '08 and the iPhone don't always play nice -- sometimes, you'll take a bunch of pictures on your iPhone, bring them back to sync up with iPhoto '08, and whoops, iPhoto doesn't see them at all. You can see them on your iPhone, but iPhoto's "Import All" button is greyed out, and they're not showing on your screen (sometimes, I've gotten dotted lines where the pictures are -- I think this all has something to do with a corrupted cache that iPhoto keeps of what's on the iPhone). Fortunately, though it's frustrating, there's an easy fix. Open up Image Capture (you can find it in Spotlight or even Quicksilver if you swing that way) with your iPhone connected, hit the "Devices" menu item, and then "Browse Devices." You'll get a screen just like the one above, with your iPhone's name instead of mine.

Uncheck the "Connected" box, and then recheck it, and boom. Image Capture, and thus iPhoto, will see all of your pictures and happily upload them. Is it voodoo? Sure -- we still don't know why iPhoto loses its place every once in a while (like I said, I'm thinking a corrupted cache somewhere along the line). But it works.

TUAW Tip: Fixing syncing between iPhone and iPhoto '08 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Tip: Fixing syncing between iPhone and iPhoto '08 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iBluetooth Released - First iPhone App to Allow Users to Transfer Files via Bluetooth

Review: LDAPeople for iPhone

Apple’s Open Directory is great for maintaining a contact list for company employees. But accessing that valuable info from an iPhone can be a hassle. Fortunately, LDAPeople lets you use contact information from your LDAP directory on your iPhone.

Radar.net wants to be your iPhone’s photo sharer

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Features, Internet Tools, iPhone, App Store

We're at a new juncture in the course of iPhone development, I believe. Twitter has basically monopolized the "text exporting" function of your iPhone -- if you want to broadcast text from a mobile device, most of us do it through Twitter. But now, we're seeing a whole host of sites and services aiming to be the distributors for your richer media: photos, audio, even video (as well as the iPhone can handle it, anyway).

Radar is one such service, and they'd really like to handle any photos you want to send out into the world. But unlike a site such as Twitpic, they're not content with being just the repository. They want to host, share, and deliver. Whenever you want to mess around with pictures on your iPhone, whether that be taking them and sharing them, browsing your friends' pictures from Flickr, or looking at funny shots from CollegeHumor, Radar wants to be there.

They gave TUAW an early look at their new software, just released to the App Store, and we were duly impressed -- they've got hooks into a surprising number of places, and it's clear they've worked hard to make themselves fit somewhere into your photosharing flow. But is it worth it to have yet another site acting as a go-between for you and your photo content? Read on to find out.

Continue reading Radar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer

Radar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Radar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Makeover of Apple’s iPhone

iPhone app update: JetSet Expenses 1.2.1

Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch

TUAW did a first look of BriteMac Software's JetSet Expenses 1.1 for iPhone last September, and with time the app has added functionality and stability. JetSet Expenses 1.2.1 (click opens iTunes) has recently appeared in the App Store, and the changes look great:

• Expense type detail reports now have totals so that they have the same level of detail as summary reports
• Mileage totals are now in the detailed expense report
• Billable expenses are now broken out and totaled separately
• A report is now marked as submitted when it is emailed or sent to Google Docs
• Now supports up to 6 different payment types
• A personal balance shows the difference between the expenses you paid versus expenses allowed to you
• Can now mark expenses as either billable or reimbursable
• Mileage support for business, medical, charity, and one more user-defined type
• JetSet Expenses now follows local currency and date formatting
• An improved user interface; you can enter as much or as little data as needed for reporting

I use JetSet Expenses to track my business travel expenses, and the latest version has improved an already good app.

There's a two-week sale on JetSet right now -- the usual US$9.99 price has been halved to US$4.99. BriteMac has also released a free version for those who want to test-drive JetSet Expenses. Version 1.3 is forthcoming in the future, with support for multiple currencies.

iPhone app update: JetSet Expenses 1.2.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone app update: JetSet Expenses 1.2.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A different kind of Voicemail

Filed under: iPhone, App Store

A new app for the iPhone has made its way to the App Store. VoiceMail, $0.99, lets you record a message and send it to a friend on a PC or Mac, or even on an iPhone.

I tried the app several times and found it a frustrating experience. First, you click on 'send mail' and the app brings up a list of your contacts. You are still within the VoiceMail app, and if you have a long contact list, all you can do is scroll up or down. No shortcuts. You select the contact, and are instructed to add a short line of text. I entered 16 words, and got an error telling me the limit is 25 words. Grrrrrrr. I shortened my message, then proceeded to record a voice message. After hitting the' send' button I waited for it to go out. Then I waited some more. I noticed my network signal was dipping below 2 bars, so decided to quit. Unfortunately, there was no option to cancel. I forced quit the application and went back in. No sign of that message, so I had to start from scratch.

By this time, I was in a better signal area (4 bars, solid 3G) so I sent another message. This one succeeded, but it took 24 seconds to send a 4 second message. I don't think this app is designed for long, detailed voicemails. Maybe on Wi-Fi.

For further testing, I sent myself a message. It arrived in my mailbox, and it said if I wasn't on an iPhone to click on a URL to retrieve it. Well, I WAS on an iPhone, and saw no indication that there was an attachment to click on or listen to. There is an in box on the app, so I checked there, and hit the refresh button. No message there either. In desperation, I clicked on the URL and got a web page with no way to listen to a message. Grrrrr.

Continue reading A different kind of Voicemail

A different kind of Voicemail originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A different kind of Voicemail originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Netbook Touchscreen Rumors Continue to Gather Steam

Close on the heels of rumors from the Commercial Times on Monday and Dow Jones Newswires on Tuesday, Reuters reports on a source close to touchscreen manufacturer Wintek saying that the company has received orders from Apple for 10-inch touchscreens ...

iTunes 8.1 “Coming Soon”: Faster, More Genius-y, Rip to iTunes Plus

Apple’s new iPod shuffle 8GB with VoiceOver comes with a little something else: the requirement for iTunes 8.1, which is yet to be released. However, in somewhat uncharacteristic style for Apple, their iTunes product page already has a teaser up for just what we can expect in the (presumably immanent?) new version:

• Speed improvements: iTunes gets a speed boost. Now when it comes to loading large libraries, browsing the iTunes Store, and syncing your devices, iTunes responds faster than before.
• Genius sidebar for movies and TV shows: In addition to music, the Genius sidebar now introduces you to movies and TV shows you might also enjoy.
• Import as iTunes Plus: Automatically import music from your CDs as higher quality, 256-Kbps iTunes Plus files. Watch a tutorial to find out how to

Looks like only tangential love at best for the iPhone — not even any Genius for Apps feature! Anyone find anything particularly compelling?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iTunes 8.1 “Coming Soon”: Faster, More Genius-y, Rip to iTunes Plus

Yelp Review

For fans of location-based (GPS) restaurant and business finder applications, Yelp is one of the more polished apps available in the Apple iTunes AppStore. This program works best with the iPhone 3G although I'm pretty sure it works with first generation iPhones and iTouches. If I'm incorrect, please let me know. ...

Beejive, Inc. BeejiveIM Review

One of the more noticeably missing applications from Apple's wunderphone, the iPhone is a solid instant messenger client. Thankfully, since the iPhone SDK was released, third-party developers have more than stepped to the plate and provided iPhone owners with an dizzying array of options.In any case, today's review features the ...

Contracts not open to renewal

iPhone Developer contracts are not as easy as one would hope if looking to renew. As the year closes since the doors opened for developers to make their own iPhone Applications, some may not be able to renew. On the one-year anniversary of third-party iPhone App development, developers need to renew ...

iTunes 8.1 “Coming Soon”: Speed Boosts, TV/Movie Genius Feature and More

As noted in its technical specifications, the new iPod shuffle released today requires iTunes 8.1, which is yet to be released. Apple's iTunes download page also includes a note about the upcoming release on the download button itself.

...

TiPb Presents: Phone different Podcast #35 — App-ocalypse Now

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• Download Directly
• Subscribe via iTunes

Dieter and Rene rant about the App Store, rumor about iNetbooks and iTablets, and recap the CEOh-Snaps! of the week. Plus, how-to’s and forum news!

Bonus Links

• Bertrand Serlet shows how Windows Vista copies Mac OS X Leopard. We wonder if Scott Forestall will do similar with the Palm Pre UI come WWDC next…
• Also, check out Dieter in the crossword leader boards! Can you challenge his mad skillz?

News

• App-ocalypse ‘09
  • Tweetie 1.3 rejected by Apple due to language on Twitter
  • Human Weather too — they built their own filter(!)
  • AMBER Alert stuck in Limbo? Not any more! But what is the “pocket rejection”?
  • Sirius StarPlayr App not approved, dev stops trying, offers WinPho refunds
  • App Store iTunes Connect contract renewals an epic failure for Apple?
  • Cydia starting their own App Store for Jailbreak
• iTunes Gift Cards hacked — would you buy that for $1?
• Speculation Palooza!
  • What’s happening on March 24th? We speculated on iPhone 3.0 beta. Maybe just Pro Apps?
  • Apple is ordering netbook panels, and sources say iNetbook might come this fall
  • Could it still be an iTablet? Or a combo with removable screen?
  • TiPb’s dream Apple iNetbook/iTablet
• CEOh-Snap
  • Roger McNamee goes prestal on iPhone, but Palm walks him back from the brink
  • Bill Gates bans the iPhone
  and Funny or Die responds!

Early iPhone prototype on Ebay (Now with Video!)

U2 ditches Apple… er… Dell… er… Palm for BlackBerry bucks

AT&T cracking down on iPhone unlockers?

Nokia and Verizon merging to form iPhone 4G killer?

How To

• iPhone 101: Enable the Passcode Lock on your iPhone

TiPb Forums

• Forums have been re-arranged for even more bettery goodness!
• iPhone battery life by jstac
• What are your top 5 App Store apps by BBexUser

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You — iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb Presents: Phone different Podcast #35 — App-ocalypse Now