iPhone 3GS reportedly limited to 384kbps

While the iPhone 3GS got a download speed boost—to 7.2Mbps—it didn’t get any upload power-up, according to PC World: Its upstream speed is limited by its hardware to 384Kbps. But don’t get out the torches and pitchforks yet. Most GSM-based cellphones suffer the same problem: No matter how fast they are at download, they will upload [...]

If you were to buy every iPhone app out there, be prepared to pay $144,326.06 - roughly

Just in case you felt compelled to assemble a collection of every push-to-fart program out there, the price of purchasing all 55,732 available iPhone apps to be $144,326.06. No volume discount? We’re afraid not. This is as of 7/6/09. That averages out to $2.59 per app or so, or $3.34 if you include the free apps [...]

Review: PhotoForge for iPhone

PhotoForge is almost like having a mobile version of Photoshop in your pocket. The easy-to-use app gives you some great editing tools previously not seen on a mobile platform.

Apple proposes iPhone/iPod touch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fixes

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch

Apple has just released a Knowledge Base document detailing a number of potential fixes for one of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth problems that have plagued iPod touch and iPhone handhelds. The article specifically addresses the inability to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth due to not seeing the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi address on the device. This includes getting a Wi-Fi signal but not being able to access the Internet, not being able to pair a Bluetooth device, and having the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth icon grayed out.

Four solutions are proposed in a step-by-step manner. The solutions range from resetting the network settings to restoring the device back to a bare 3.0 install, which erases all data. No worries there, since you can always re-sync your device with the information on its host computer, assuming you have a current backup.

The fourth solution is a bit darker. Call Apple for service. If this doesn't do it, you are directed to a second article which talks about re-doing your network settings and turning the network settings off and then on again.

Neither article deals with the basic problems of speed and sporadic signal strength. Please let us know if these solutions do the trick for you.

[via iLounge]

Apple proposes iPhone/iPod touch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fixes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple proposes iPhone/iPod touch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fixes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Appy Anniversary: Hockenberry on How the App Store has Changed, and What Still Needs to be Changed

Twitterrific developer Craig Hockenberry has written a long, considered essay on Furbo.org framing the changes Apple has already made to the iTunes App Store, what problems it still presents to developers, users, and Apple itself, and proposes some interesting solutions.

From the differences between selling music and apps, to the long delays and uncertainty surrounding the approval process, lack of viable upgrade options, ill-defined rules, inability to provide demos, inability to respond to iTunes reviews, and the lack of discoverability for apps, Hockenberry leaves few stones unturned — nor does he throw those stones, turned or otherwise, in Apple’s direction.

He comes off as a veteran developer more than a little frustrated not just at what is, but at not yet reaching the potential of what could be. One solution he proposes might be controversial — and we’ve heard it from him before — but is still more than promising:

Charge [developers] $999 for premium service. For professional developers, this cost is not prohibitive and would allow Apple to provide additional services…

He does, rightly, chastise Apple for not communicating effectively with developers — for failing to hold up their end of the platform partnership. However, by pointing out how far the App Store has come in just one year, it leaves us with hope that given Apple’s and developers’ shared passion for the iPhone, it can go further still in year two.

Right Apple?

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

Appy Anniversary: Hockenberry on How the App Store has Changed, and What Still Needs to be Changed

A year after opening App Store, Apple sitting pretty

The App Store celebrates its first anniversary this weekend, and it's safe to say the online retail site for iPhone and iPod touch apps has been an unqualified success.

The App Store Turns 1: A dozen distinctive apps

To mark the App Store's first anniversary, we pick a dozen apps -- one for each month the store's been open -- that have defined the iPhone platform.

WWDC Demo: two tip calculators

Filed under: WWDC, iPhone, iPod touch

What do Calcutipr and Gratuitous have in common? They are both tip calculators. Yet what seems like a simple thing shows amazing diversity on the App Store, with well over 3 dozen tip calculators available. What makes these two different from the rest? I have no idea, not having tested the dozens of other options available.

But I can tell you choosing a tip calculator has now become largely one of personal preference. Calcutipr (iTunes link), for example, has a sleek and functional interface with lots of options. You can hit a button to round up, for example. Gratuitous (iTunes link), on the other hand, is more "designed" and streamlines functions like splitting a bill. Both do the same thing, but in different ways and with different options. Tip calcs are like shoes: they all do essentially the same thing, so your decision boils down to what you like and what you'll pay. Calcutipr is free and Gratuitous is $1.99, which may make the decision a simple one for some. Both work on iPhone and iPod touch.

I don't know if you'll like either one of these, but they do the job. If you don't like them, you have plenty of other options (iTunes link).

WWDC Demo: two tip calculators originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WWDC Demo: two tip calculators originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: More iPhone public radio apps

Ben Boychuk looks at a pair of public radio apps, Public Radio and Public Radio Tuner. On the balance, Public Radio Tuner is the slightly better choice on the basis of its interface and (non-existent) price.

iPhone 3.0 users report Wi-Fi connectivity issues

Several iPhone and iPod touch users on the Apple discussion forums are up in arms about the weakened Wi-Fi capabilities of their devices post the 3.0 OS upgrade.

Dinner and a movie or… an iPhone?

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store

It was inevitable. One day the iPhone was going to turn into an impulse purchase. In two short years we've gone from the iPhone as a serious $500 commitment to a grab no more expensive than dinner and a movie. The AT&T store now has a refurbished 8GB iPhone 3G for $79, with free two-day shipping, a $20 savings over the cost of a factory-new iPhone 3G. (You'll have to enter your zip code on that landing page to click through and see the refurbished unit's price.)

Of course, your dinner doesn't make you return every month for two years, for a total outlay well over $2000. However, most people now consider cell phone plans -- even their associated data plans -- to be as utilitarian as the electric bill. So scoring a small hand held computer with a phone function on a whim just seems... as benignly impulsive as going out to dinner and a movie.

Ahh, the good ol' days. When people stood in lines to spend $499 (or, in my case, $599) just for the chance, nay, privilege of owning one of these. And back then it didn't even have iFart applications on it.

Dinner and a movie or... an iPhone? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dinner and a movie or... an iPhone? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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$79 iPhone 3G! AT&T Discounting Refurbs (Again)

Now don’t get too excited, the iPhone 3GS is not being discounted by AT&T. But if you are in the market for a excellent smart phone at a great entry level price, AT&T has the deal for you.

It looks like AT&T is trying to push the iPhone 3G’s out the door as they have just lowered the price of 8 GB and 16 GB phones to $79.99 and $129.99 respectively, with a two-year contract. Both white and black models are currently available while the discount lasts. Before you jump on this deal, keep in mind of the following:

Refurbished Phones and Devices Refurbished phones are previously owned devices that have been unused or lightly used and returned during the 30-day trial period. Each refurbished phone is independently quality tested and loaded with the latest software to meet current factory standards. Some refurbished iPhone 3G devices will have minor scratches. Refurbished iPhone 3G devices carry a warranty of 90 days or more. For details about the warranty on your refurbished iPhone 3G go to www.apple.com/support/oss/.

So if you are okay with the above and you want an iPhone at a great low price, jump all over this one - there is no telling how long it will last!

[Thank to everyone who sent this in!]

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

$79 iPhone 3G! AT&T Discounting Refurbs (Again)

Worms for the iPhone submitted to Apple

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Everyone's favorite battling invertebrates are coming to the iPhone and iPod touch very soon -- the game was actually announced a little while ago, but Team 17 now says the game has been sent off to be examined by Apple's eyes, and so, as long as it doesn't have any objectionable content (you can't object to exploding sheep, right?), we'll see it up for download very soon.

Exciting. Unfortunately, I'm coming off of a Worms 2 purchase on Xbox Live, so I'll probably be passing on this one, but if you haven't had a Worms fix in a while, the video on the next page shows what Team 17 is saying over on their Facebook page: it's "a full console-style experience," with extra options, including probably the ability to play your own music as you play. Multiplayer will only be pass-to-play to start with (bummer!), but they're hoping to add in both Internet and Bluetooth local multiplay at a later date. And there's no official word on price yet, but we should know it soon: look for Worms on an iPhone near you.

Continue reading Worms for the iPhone submitted to Apple

Worms for the iPhone submitted to Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Worms for the iPhone submitted to Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Appy Anniversary: One Year and How Many of those 56,000 Apps Later?

TiPb will be back tomorrow with our Picks of the Year, and Editors’ Choice in honor of Apple’s iTunes App Store one year birthday — and yes, we’re really calling it our Appy Anniversary coverage.

1 billion+ downloads and 56,000+ apps are the figures, but just how many of those downloaded apps have made it onto your iPhone or iPod touch?

Barely an extra screen worth, more than the expanded 180 even iPhone 3.0 allows, or $143K and change for the whole shebang? How many does iTunes show, and how many are actually on your device?

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

Appy Anniversary: One Year and How Many of those 56,000 Apps Later?

Hands on with Lyrics+

Filed under: iPod Family, Software, iPhone

I love singing along to my iPod. Not well, mind you, but loudly with lots of enthusiasm. I assure you my children love this exactly as much as you'd expect. So I was excited to test out Lyrics+ from SchroederDev. Lyrics+ helps find and display lyrics on your iPhone or iPod.

Although there are many Mac-based solutions that add lyrics to your iTunes library, Lyrics+ provides a simpler to use solution. You launch the app, choose "now playing song..." and *boom* the lyrics are right there for you. Or mostly there. Because there are significant breaks in their library of lyric coverage. For example, lyrics for the London Revival of Roger and Hammerstein's Oklahoma (yes, starring Wolverine) were completely MIA, as were those for the Drowsy Chaperone. Billy Joel's Ain't No Crime was also a no-show but Matt Wertz and Dixie Chicks lyrics were on offer.

Lyrics+ depends on several lyrics databases including LyricWiki.org. But for a $1.99 app (currently on sale for half price), were you expecting Gracenote Lyric Service? That kind of data base access could be offered affordably by major players like AT&T and Apple but for independent developers, Lyrics+ is about as good as you're going to get.

I found the app easy to use and fun, although I wish it would automatically update when the currently playing song changed. (I believe there are callback hooks and notifications in the Music Player frameworks that let you know when this occurs like MPMusicPlayerControllerNowPlayingItemDidChangeNotification.)

The interface is really basic. You can pick a song from your library, search by the currently playing song, and search by artist/song. Stability was just so-so. The application crashed several times during playback but it was easy enough to re-launch, and get back to the lyrics page and pick up with the currently playing song.

In the end, I really do like Lyrics+ despite its relatively limited feature set. Is it worth the two bucks (or one, during the current sale)? I'd say yes. With just a few taps, you can peek at the lyrics of the song that's currently playing and sing along to your heart's content and your children's dispepsia.

Name: Lyrics+ (iTunes link)
Developer: Bruce Schroeder
Platform: iPhone or iPod touch
Price: $1.99 (Sale: $0.99)

Hands on with Lyrics+ originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hands on with Lyrics+ originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Addresses iPhone and iPod touch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Problems - Reset, Redo, Restore, Repair

Apple has updated a knowledge base article for those “Unable to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth with iPhone or iPod touch because there’s no address listed for the device”, which is something we’ve heard quite a bit about lately. The four-pronged approach:

1. Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
2. Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.
3. Restore the device via iTunes
4. Take your iPhone or iPod touch in for repairs.

Apple finishes off with some extra advice:

If the device shows an address in the Wi-Fi Address field and you are still having issues using Wi-Fi, refer to article 305715 for additional Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips. If the device shows an address in the Bluetooth field and you are still having issues using Bluetooth, refer to articles HT1843 and HT1664 for additional Bluetooth troubleshooting tips.

If any of that works for you, let us know in the comments. If it doesn’t, let us know as well…

[via iLounge]

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

Apple Addresses iPhone and iPod touch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Problems - Reset, Redo, Restore, Repair

OS X Snow Leopard 10A402 Brings Visual Tweaks and Other Enhancements

With the release of the OS X Snow Leopard 10A402 beta yesterday, users have been poring over the new version looking for changes. Among the most obvious changes have been a few visual tweaks, although several other enhancements have also been discov...

CEOh’Snap: Google’s Eric Schmidt to “Talk with Apple People” Over Continued Role on Board

When he’s not borrowing CrackBerry Kevin’s personal handset to snap quick pics and give Android Cassey conniptions, Google CEO Eric Schmidt is responding to reporters about his role as a member of Apple’s Board of Directors in light of Google entering the operating system space — again:

“I’ll talk to the Apple people. At the moment, there’s no issue,”

Since Google Chrome OS is little more than announce-ware at this point, that may be true, but it’s hardly a tenable situation going forward. What this will mean to Apple/Google relations is unknown. Though right now the iPhone clearly benefits from Google data pipes, especially in the Maps app, how much do they benefit from Schmidt being on the board?

Our guess? Schmidt was using that BlackBerry camera to zoom on the unlicensed Mercedes — and glaring Steve Jobs — that’s been shadowing him since Tuesday, and carefully penning his resignation letter…

[via Macrumors]

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

CEOh’Snap: Google’s Eric Schmidt to “Talk with Apple People” Over Continued Role on Board

Google CEO Eric Schmidt to Discuss Role on Apple’s Board in Wake of Chrome OS Announcement

Reuters reports that Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who has served on Apple's Board of Directors since 2006, will discuss with Apple how his role on the board may change in the wake of increasing overlap between the two companies' markets. The report come...

Scoreloop introduces Scoreloop Community for the iPhone

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, iPhone, App Store, SDK

We've talked about OpenFeint quite a few times on the site before (and even interviewed the creators), but while they're definitely one of the biggest names in creating gaming communities for the iPhone, they're not alone. A company called Scoreloop has today announced a service called "Scoreloop Community," made up of two different features: a web presence, and a downloadable application for the iPhone that hooks right into other developers' games and apps and allows players to create avatars, view friends and their activities, and share challenges and high scores with others. Just like OpenFeint, Scoreloop says they're offering an easy-to-implement solution for push notifications, letting players send and receive messages (as well as promote and encourage usage of games in the service) and earn achievements and tokens.

Of course, the real test for services like this will be in the implementation -- while OpenFeint claims a nice stable of developers, we still haven't seen too many apps take advantage of the latest and greatest versions (Pocket God is an extremely popular app that has implemented OpenFeint, but they use an older version of the software that doesn't have nearly as many features as the latest). Scoreloop says they've got over 50 game commitments from third-party developers already (it sounds like Zombie Pub Crawl is their biggest title yet), but even then, it remains to be seen exactly how devs will implement their functionality, and how players take to the service.

If you're a developer looking to implement push notifications and social challenges and networking in your app, it seems that there's no shortage of companies willing to step in and help you do exactly that (you can download the free SDK, if interested, on Scoreloop's site). But in terms of how consumers view and will use these networks, it's still a very wide open field.

Scoreloop introduces Scoreloop Community for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Scoreloop introduces Scoreloop Community for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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