MLB releases iPhone app with game audio

Major League baseball has released an iPhone app with built-in game audio

What If: RIM Released BlackBerry Connect for the iPhone?!

It’s WWDC 2009. Steve or Phil or Scott or Joz or whomever is handling the heavy lifting for the iPhone 3.0 section and release-date announcement smiles and says — “There’s one more thing…

“Last year we showed you Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support. Nobody expected it, but we were blown away by the reception. This year, we’re announcing BlackBerry Connect support for the iPhone. With this, not only can you chat with your team over BlackBerry Messenger, but you can push data right from your Corporate BES. And to tell us more about it, ladies and gentlemen, here’s CrackBerry Kevin the Co-CEO of Research in Motion–”

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? It does to me. I know it does to Kevin. No way in Hull (it’s in Ontario — look it up!) this happens, right? It’s not like Apple would ever do business with a competitor such as RIM… or Microsoft… or Google…

Would Apple even want BlackBerry Connect — a software layer that emulates varying amounts of BlackBerry functionality on other devices like Symbian, Palm, or Windows Mobile — on the iPhone? They’ve certainly got some degree of business integration now with the aforementioned Microsoft ActiveSync. And from RIM’s side, while they have licensed BlackBerry Connect in the past, it’s not like they’ve been putting any emphasis on it in the present, have they?

Aside from letting iPhone users instachat more seamlessly with BlackBerry users — dogs and cats living together, as Dieter would say — is there anything really in it for consumers either? It wouldn’t give the iPhone a keyboard or the BlackBerry the ability to run more than a handful of tiny, on-memory apps. And, instead of breaking down more proprietary communication protocols, it would just be extending PIN the way it’s already extended ActiveSync.

Still, crazier things have happened. What if this did? Would you want it?

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

What If: RIM Released BlackBerry Connect for the iPhone?!

Best of SPE, 29 March 2009

Each week we round up the best of the Smartphone Experts Network in a few pithy paragraphs designed for your reading pleasure. Everything from a new leaked Storm ROM to waiting on any number of new smartphones to finally arrive to a comprehensive look at iPhone 3.0 can be found here.

You’ll want to stay tuned to the Smartphone Experts family of sites next week - we’ll be live at the CTIA Wireless convention, bringing you all the latest from every manufacturer on all of our sites. Will Android finally have its coming out party? Will Palm finally tell us when the Pre is being released? Will the AT&T Nokia E71 ever get official? Whatever happens, we’ll give you the scoop.

Read on for the Best of SPE!

Android Central

Yes, everybody, Flash on Android is coming - let the party begin! If you’re planning on picking up balloons, the Shop Savvy update will keep you apprised of local inventory. If you’re wondering if your cell phone bill will eat into your balloon budget, T-Mobile’s new account app can help with that. You won’t be at the party alone, either, since 5% of the mobile web trafficshare now belongs to Android. If your flash party does get lonely, the new Palringo IM app will let you talk to your non-attending friends. We’re still hoping Samsung will come to this Android party soon, too, so be sure to dress accordingly.

CrackBerry.com

Another week, another “unofficial operating system” surfaces for the BlackBerry Storm. 4.7.0.113 is a numeral down from .114, but has been fairly well received by hardcore Storm users. On the application front, the popular Nobex Radio Companion saw a major update and Slingplayer Mobile for BlackBerry has finally moved out of beta and is now official. Next week’s update should be exciting following CTIA, where it’s fully expected that RIM will announce the BlackBerry App World and hopefully make official announce, not release, another device or two (CDMA Pearl Flip or BlackBerry 9630?!).

Nokia Experts

Our launch contest ended a few weeks ago and our Nokia N85 winner chimed in with his initial thoughts on the device and thanks for the contest. Nokia’s free Exchange sync client, Mail for Exchange, was updated this week with some updates that include improved battery life, pictures in contacts, and more. I was all excited about the launch of the Nokia E71x on AT&T that was rumored for 24 March, but unfortunately the rumor mill was wrong and it may be another 8 to 10 weeks, if at all, before we see this device on AT&T. A couple more lucky folks were able to get hands-on with devices I can’t wait to see including the Nokia E75 and Samsung OMNIA HD.

I was also getting a bit discouraged with Nokia here in the US with the lame Nokia 5800 launch and the non-appearance of the E71x. A Nokia 5800 NAM arrived on Friday and after several hours of setting it up and using it, my passion for Nokia devices was rekindled with a passion and I could almost care less whether or not carriers come out with full support for these awesome devices and this highly customizable platform.

PreCentral.net

Want to read some rumors on the Pre’s potential release date? We have you covered, because they are flying in fast and furious. Taking a break from all that, we examined how voice and data will work on the Pre and mourned the imminent passing of webOS-alike TealOS. Interest in the Pre is holding steady and even Howard Stern wants a look — plan on PreCentral.net bringing more Pre details next week at CTIA!

The iPhone Blog

Previously on theiPhoneblog.com: Apple finally announced WWDC 2009 for June 8-12. Last year, WWDC gave us the iPhone 3G and MobileMe. Could Apple have new iPhone hardware ready again for this year? And could it have a “laptop-class” CPU?

Meanwhile, TiPb’s got a massive iPhone 3.0 walkthrough for you, and a warning for non-developers thinking about trying it early. (Don’t worry, though, we have 5 more must-have Jailbreak apps to keep you happy while you wait!). We also take a look at what 3.0 means for gamers and — pay attention Kevin and Craig — for business. Still, it would be nice if we could toggle connections faster, and something needs to be done about the notification system, okay Apple?

TreoCentral

Over at TreoCentral, we heard about an odd story from DigiTimes reporting that “shipments of Palm’s two smartphones will be delayed as Compal is waiting for Qualcomm’s new chipset..”. Not quite sure which two phones they’re refering to, but the Pre sure isn’t one of them since we heard that it is being manufactured by CMCS, not Compal. Dieter and Mike talked about the Pre and iPhone 3.0 in the latest PalmCast, Episode 62. We also heard that Palm brought down the ax on TealPoint Software’s TealOS, the app that makes your Palm OS Treo/Centro look like it’s running Palm’s WebOS.

WMExperts

This week, WMExperts sported a bunch of browser news, with Silverlight’s Deep Zoom browsing; getting inside IE6 on Mobile 6.5’s hybrid nature and we learned that Opera 9.7 is coming and will support Flash and Ajax. In other news, Dell’s on-again, off-again smartphone rumor is back on; and we’ve seen a couple of interesting alleged WM7 shots. Oh, and we saw just how powerful a Snapdragon platform can be.

Finally, we compared the upcoming iPhone 3.0 software to the upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 release, and we talked to some developers to find out what they think about the upcoming Windows Marketplace and its pricing structure. (More on that soon, we’re told.)

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

Best of SPE, 29 March 2009

iPhone’s Scrabble gets a Facebook boost

Electronic Arts' iPhone version of Scrabble now supports Facebook Connect, enabling users to play head-to-head against anyone on either Facebook or the iPhone/iPod touch. The Scrabble update is free,  available to users who already purchased the $5 application. Announced Tuesday at the Game Developers Conference, the update to the Scrabble app ...

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone submitted to App Store

Sling Media’s SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone page has recently been updated to announce that the application has been submitted to the App Store and is awaiting approval. We’re been working hard to bring the SlingPlayer Mobile experience to the iPhone and iPod Touch. We’ve submitted the first release of our application to the iPhone App Store. [...]

iBluetooth Allows iPhone users to Transfer Files via Bluetooth [iPhone App Review]

Apple may be developing biometric security measures for future iPhones

Apple has developed a new technique that would hide a biometric reader inside an iPhone or a Mac and let owners lock down their systems with fingerprints or even facial recognition — all without ever having to break from their usual routine. Published for the first time this week, a patent filing for the process reveals [...]

AT&T “bending” contracts and allowing early upgrade pricing on iPhone 3G

In the latest move aimed at helping Apple clear inventory of iPhone 3Gs ahead of new models anticipated this spring, AT&T retail stores are now offering some customers early upgrades to the Apple handset at subsidized pricing. The silent offer, which began this week, is being extended to customers on a case-by-case basis. Typically, the carrier [...]

i.TV Makes Nice With Comcast, Shakes Up Advertising

It’s interesting to see how developers try to monetize their work in the iTunes App Store. With the downward pressure towards $0.99 or free apps, many turn to advertising to make up the difference, but users are getting increasingly oblivious to advertising at the same time.

i.TV, as part of their recent update, has tried to make advertising more compelling by making it more interactive. It’s an interesting strategy:

: i.TV introduces the world’s first “shakable” ad. This limited release “Shake-down 2 Get Down” campaign from Dockers features Dufon, from the dance expressionist group “Circle of Fire.” When you see the ad pop up, just shake your device to make Dufon dance!

Even if that loses its appeal after the first few times, it will likely still make a stronger impact than static text or banners. Can developers keep the pace of advertising innovation in line with that of the apps themselves? That remains a question.

The i.TV update also includes a dedicated tab for Comcast subscribers, the world’s first “shakable” advertisement, AT&T U-verse listings and major performance improvements.

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

i.TV Makes Nice With Comcast, Shakes Up Advertising

Quick App: Rasta Monkey for iPhone

Cheese on bread, I find the concept of this game irie enough, though the lack of articulation in the eponymous character… nothing a go so. Shouldn’t a Rasta Monkey be a wee bit easier now star?

Rasta Monkey is set in the jungle of Jamdown. The gameplay is focused on a happy Rastafarian monkey who swings around and grabs onto branches to move his way through different jungle environments. Using monkey-swinging skills, players must snag some delicious fruit along the way to score points and move to different levels.

If anyone has tried it out, let us know what you think. Nice and crisp, or go back a yard?

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

Quick App: Rasta Monkey for iPhone