Next Generation iPhone Camera… Caught on Camera?

www.umpcfever.com [Google translation link] has posted what just might be the first pictures taken of the next generation iPhone… taking pictures. Highlights include the new auto-focus, both how it looks in action and the results of photos taken with it compared to the original iPhone 2G. The new digital compass, and a CPU log are also featured, along with some other new features we’ve already seen from 3.0 running on current iPhone 3G hardware.

Are these for real? We’d guess all of this was merely surfaced in iPhone 3.0 on iPhone 3G… except the iPhone 3G doesn’t have a digital compass and it’s camera doesn’t auto-focus. So, either it’s a combo-ruse, or we have just seen the first images of the next generation iPhone in the wild.

A few more pics below, hit up the source article for all of them…

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

Next Generation iPhone Camera… Caught on Camera?

Apple might Allow Movie and TV Show Downloads directly on the iPhone?

AppShopper.com, Evernote, TwitterFon, Air Mouse Pro, Pocket Tanks Deluxe, SpinRite –TiPb Picks of the Week

Every week a few of us from team TiPb, bloggers and forum crew alike, will bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone (or iPod touch) related, they’re fair game.

So who’s on deck this week and what are our picks? Find out after the break!

Chris’ Pick: AppShopper.com

just want to give a mention to the website www.appshopper.com. I love the ability to look at apps, price history, see other apps by the developer, etc. I really like the price history guide, because I can tell how much of a sale an app really may be having! It a great way to peruse apps other than using the App Store app. [web link]

James’ Pick: Evernote

One app lacking features is the stock note app. Evernote is a great replacement that contains more features then you could shake an iPhone at. The ability to capture text, picture and voice notes, Evernote is a free app that syncs your notes with Evernotes web service. The web service contains a free and premium service, along with a native Mac or PC program and web clipping browser addons. The perfect compliment that forgetful people like myself can use on a daily basis to remember everything. [Free - iTunes link]

Jeremy’s Pick: TwitterFon

TwitterFon has taken over my #1 Twitter iPhone application from Tweetie. It has to be the most under rated Twitter app currently available. Its straight forward, had a clean UI, and it displays number badges for mentions, messages, etc. Best yet, it’s free! [Free - iTunes link]

Leanna’s Pick: Air Mouse Pro

This application turns your iPhone into an “air mouse” or track pad. Air Mouse Pro uses the accelerometer to control the movement of the mouse on your computer. It also allows you to use your iPhone as a keyboard to type directly to your Mac or PC. Want common controls to your web browser or media player? Air Mouse Pro knows when you’re using such an application and shows the appropriate keys for that program. I personally love using Air Mouse Pro when I want to relax on the couch and browse the internet with my MacBook on the coffee table. [ $5.99 - iTunes link]

Matt’s Pick: Pocket Tanks Deluxe

Pocket Tanks Deluxe has been around for some time now as a PC & Mac game but now it is available on iPhone! Pocket Tanks Deluxe is a 2D tank artillery game. This isn’t just a port of an old game, the controls & interface have been completely re-done. The game finally follows it’s name - you can really take Pocket Tanks in your pocket! It is similar to iShoot, but it has better graphics, more weapons, & more colors; it has single (you vs. CPU) & dual-play as well as target practice sessions. If you are a fan of iShoot, this game will not let you down! [$4.99 - iTunes link]

Rene’s Pick: SpinRite

I’ve got a ton of media for my iPhone — music, movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. I store it on a hard drive. Hard drives get errors. This is a fact of life. Enter SpinRite. Whenever I buy a new hard drive, especially a massive one meant for storage, I run SpinRite to map out bad sectors and to make sure, if it fails, it fails right away when I can still exchange it. I also run SpinRite every 4-6 months for maintenance. Of course, it’s true value is saving hard drives that have already failed (platter gouges not withstanding), and more often than not, it’s saved my data when nothing else has. It might seem pricy, but what price can you put on your priceless data? [$89.00 - web link]

Your Pick?

You’re part of team TiPb too, so what’s your pick? What app was your absolute fav last week? Let us — and everyone — know in the comments!

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

AppShopper.com, Evernote, TwitterFon, Air Mouse Pro, Pocket Tanks Deluxe, SpinRite –TiPb Picks of the Week

Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, iTunes, iPhone

Yesterday, Megan noted a Fortune story saying that iTunes syncs flawlessly with the new Palm Pre. This, of course, got the water-cooler talk bubbling: "How did Palm pull it off? Will Apple allow this to happen?"

Turns out they already have. A tech note on Apple's website notes the two dozen or so third-party players that iTunes (for Mac OS X, at least) is compatible with, including Rio and Creative Labs Nomad MP3 players. True, many of the models listed predate the iPod, and the tech note itself was last updated a little less than a year ago. But third-party device compatibility with iTunes isn't without precedent.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber pointed to a story by Jon Lech Johansen that says Apple may block iTunes access to the Pre in a future update; Gruber himself said he "wouldn't be surprised if they did." I'm not so sure.

First, let's look at how it works. According to Johansen, a unique USB device ID allows iTunes to recognize MP3 players (including iPods) that it's compatible with. Johansen speculates that Palm is using one of these IDs when communicating with iTunes. If it's an iPod's unique ID, then it will work with iTunes for Windows, too; this is an important litmus test and we don't know the results yet.

I can understand Apple might not cotton to a Palm Pre specifically masquerading as an iPod USB device. Given that, allowing the Pre to freely communicate with iTunes isn't necessarily bad business sense, presuming Palm implements the functionality in a forthright manner (like other third-party MP3 players that iTunes already supports).

Why limit access to the Pre, aside from pure spite? If someone already uses iTunes, chances are they have some quantity of DRM-free iTunes Plus music on their computer. There's no technical reason why the music shouldn't be easily playable on the Pre. One of the upshots of removing DRM in the iTunes store is to facilitate device interoperability. Allow non-Apple devices to play iTunes music, and suddenly Apple has customers it didn't have before.

If Apple chooses to cut off just the Pre, and Palm is following the rules, Apple is unnecessarily cutting a stream of revenue. That's something I don't see Apple doing lightly.

Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Future iTunes versions could block the Pre, but why? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Check prices on your iPhone with Pricecheckah

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

This app does what you would expect from its name. It checks prices. You type in a UPS code, an ISBN number (books and video) or even a name of a product.

Pricecheckah [App Store] is US$4.99 At the set up screen you can choose online retailers like Amazon or Buy.com, and brick and mortar retailers like Target or Walmart. You can also add your own. I added Best Buy by just typing bestbuy.com.

I typed in a UPC code and the app made several suggestions and did find some better prices. Of course you could do this from any browser using a site like Froogle. This app, of course, is meant to be portable, but you might not be very popular at some retailers doing price comparisons. On the other hand, unless you are in a hurry to buy something, you will likely find a better price online.

Some things I don't like: The app wants my email address and a password. I'm not wild about giving someone my email when I'm not sure what they are going to do with it. Sometimes the app is very slow; I touched the settings button and it took several seconds to get to the settings screen. It didn't happen every time, but enough times to mention it. It also locked up a couple of times and said it couldn't find a network when WiFi was on, and my wireless router was right next to my iPhone.

I also think the app is pricey at US$4.99. There is a similar app called Checkout Smartshop [App Store] which is the same price but has many more negative reviews. The developers promised a bar code scanner and it hasn't arrived. We've also looked at RedLaser [App Store], which does have a barcode scanner. It worked OK for me, but many people are having problems with it. It's US$1.99.

In summary, it doesn't look like the perfect shopping app is here, but hopefully developers will keep trying. Pricecheckah works on the iPhone or iPod touch, and checks prices in either the US or the UK.

Check prices on your iPhone with Pricecheckah originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Check prices on your iPhone with Pricecheckah originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone used by Japanese school to keep track of students and their attendance

If American school children have to resort to some special mosquito ringtone to use cell phones at school, a university in Japan is doing the opposite: giving cell phones to students. And not just any cell phone–the iPhone 3G. According to Asiajin, about 550 students and staff members in the School of Social Informatics at Tokyo-based [...]

New iPhone video download training program released; confirms rumor

The iPhone 3.0 operating system release will include new support for direct downloads of movie and TV content from the iTunes Store, according to people familiar with Apple’s internal training materials. Last week, a Salon blogger covered initial reports of a new iTunes Store interface for downloading movies and TV directly on the iPhone, including support [...]

Diagram of the life of an iPhone App Store reviewer

Now this we can appreciate! Looking at this, if you’re familiar with the seemingly random app rejections that were (and sometimes are still) happening, you’ll get a really good laugh out of it. This writer especially appreciates the “sounds of flatulence” reference, and the “we feel threatened by it” bubble as well. We remain convinced that’s [...]

Regarding Steve Jobs and WWDC

There was some great news this week on the Steve Jobs front. According to the WSJ his Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak said Jobs sounded “healthy and energetic” while admitting he’d never asked directly about Jobs’ health.

SetteB.it ran a story saying Jobs had gone into Apple HQ for a meeting.

So, despite Apple consistently stating that Steve Jobs’ leave of absence would run through the “end of June“, despite WWDC running June 8-12, despite Apple announcing Phil Schiller would Keynote this year, rumors, speculation, and simple hope remains for a surprise appearance or cameo of any kind.

Obviously, that’s a tribute to the presence of Steve Jobs.

Could it happen? Never is never an answer. Could Phil Schiller pull out a next-generation iPhone to take a call or play a voice-mail from Jobs, the way Jobs has called Schiller at previous WWDCs? It would certainly give the audience — on location and on the internet — a huge thrill.

But all we know for certain at this point is Steve Jobs is still scheduled to return to Apple at the end of June and given his historical desire for privacy, that might be all we’re going to know.

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

Regarding Steve Jobs and WWDC

Matte Finish & Enhanced 3G in Next Generation iPhone?

If MacRumors.com is right, the next generation iPhone will have a matte finish and include enhanced 3G as part of it's new features to be unveiled sometime next month during the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC).  Additionally, if we are to believe other swirling rumors, it will also have a ...

Apple iPhone Activation Offline on Sunday, May 31?

TiPb just received a tip from inside one of Apple’s carrier partners on the memo reproduced below. We can’t verify it but are running it just in case anyone notices any problems and comes looking for potential causes.

Our tipster thought Apple might be using the downtime to prep for some iPhone 3.0 and next-generation iPhone hardware goodness. We have no way of verifying that either, of course, but with under 10 days to WWDC 2009, nothing — fact or fiction — surprises us anymore…

On Sunday evening May 31 / Monday June 1, in some time zones Apple will perform maintenance on the servers responsible for all iPhone activations.

This is a planned maintenance that begins at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 11:00 p.m., United States Pacific time.

During the scheduled downtime, attempts to activate a new iPhone will result in iTunes displaying a message that says activations are currently unavailable.

If a customer reports this as a problem please explain that:

Nothing is wrong with iTunes or the customer’s iPhone.

This is a scheduled downtime for system maintenance.

The iTunes Store, App Store, MobieMe, and www.apple.com are not affected.

Per the message in iTunes, the customer should try connecting again after the maintenance period has ended.”

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

Apple iPhone Activation Offline on Sunday, May 31?

The Future is Now: DSLR Remote for iPhone

The short of this one is that you plus your DSLR camera (Canon currently, Nikon in development) into your computer), run a server on your computer, and then run DSLR Remote on your iPhone and — Boom! — you can get the live preview right from the camera lens on your iPhone, adjust all sorts of settings like white balance, ISO, etc. and “fire” pictures off when you’ve got it set up, and set on, just exactly what you want.

The long of this is, with iPhone 3.0 coming and it’s APIs for peripheral connection via dock and Bluetooth, we ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s not hard to imagine more and more gadgets (and even appliances) suddenly taking advantage of what could be one of the most flexible and powerful “remote controls” on the market.

If iPhone 1.0 was multi-touch and the interface, 2.0 was App Store, 3.0 is still looking to be all about the accessories.

[via GeekBrief.tv]

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

The Future is Now: DSLR Remote for iPhone

Keep tabs on iPhone rumors with Top-Tens app

Top-Tens, a reference app that lets users follow lists of their interests and hobbies, has added a list of top rumored features for the next iPhone.

Comparison Photo of Apple’s New iPhone back cover with Matte finish and iPhone 3G?

Review: PocketGuitar for iPhone

PocketGuitar, which mimics a guitar fretboard and provided various types of guitar sounds, takes the metaphor a little too literally. Because of the size of the iPhone's screen, you can only access a few frets at a time, and you can't slide up and down the fretboard gracefully. Guitar players will find this app frustrating.

Sky Burger for iPhone/iPod touch free for the day

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

Hey, the weekend is coming, so how serious can we be? Sky Burger, [App Store] a pretty cute arcade game for the iPhone and iPod touch, is free today only.

The game involves tilting your iPhone to catch ingredients to make a sandwich with the required ingredients. There are 50 possible burger orders to try and get right. You cap it all of with a bun. It reminds a little bit of the theme of the 1982 game called Burger Time.

Sky Burger seems a bit silly but it can get pretty addictive as you try to build up points and tips. The game has good music and sound effects. Try it for free: even vegetarians will like it. Tomorrow the game goes back up to US$0.99. Even at that price, it's pretty good fun.

Thanks, Ian!

Sky Burger for iPhone/iPod touch free for the day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sky Burger for iPhone/iPod touch free for the day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Return of the iPhone 3.0 Direct Movie + TV Show Download Rumors!

Following last week’s crazy screen rumor that iPhone 3.0 would add movie and TV show direct, on-device downloads to the current music and audio and video podcast downloads, Apple Insider reports that they have:

…learned from people familiar with Apple’s training program that new self-guided training materials being distributed to familiarize AppleCare agents with the features of iPhone 3.0 software “definitely covered” the ability to directly download movies and TV shows on the device itself, rather than just syncing video content through iTunes.

And points out that “Apple never puts out product training this far ahead of a product launch.”

So what’s going on with that? We figure it’ll be Wi-Fi only, but could there be anything else going on here?

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

Return of the iPhone 3.0 Direct Movie + TV Show Download Rumors!

Early Palm Pre Review: WebOS Off to Great Start But Bad Keyboard

BoyGeniusReport publishes the first hands on review of the upcoming Palm Pre. Palm has been especially secretive about allowing media access to their device, so this represents one of the most detailed looks of the device.

BoyGeniusRe...

More Claims of Wireless Movie and TV Downloads to iPhone Surface

AppleInsider reports that Apple has begun internal training of its AppleCare staff to prepare for the deployment of wireless movie and TV downloads in the forthcoming iPhone OS 3.0. The report comes on the heels of a blog entry posted last week show...

Amsterdam Interactive City Guide 3D released for iPhone

Amsterdam now has an interactive city guide with 3D available for the iPhone and iPod Touch: the Amsterdam 3D Guide. This is the first three-dimensional panorama travel guide app in the world, specially developed for the iPhone. Users of the Apple iPhone don’t have to use their old guidebooks for the Dutch capital anymore with [...]