Booyah Society awards you points for the game of life

Released to the App Store Monday, Booyah Society is an iPhone/iPod tough game with a social networking aspect. You gain credit for the achievements you rack up in real life.

Is AT&T behind the rejection and removal of Google Voice apps?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Wireless, Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store

In the wake of TJ Luoma's report earlier tonight that the two independent Google Voice applications have been removed from the App Store, Jason Kincaid at TechCrunch says that the official Google Voice app has also been given the shaft. He theorizes that, despite the official Apple line that the apps "duplicate features that come with the iPhone," the real reason the apps were removed was because of squawking from AT&T.

While TechCrunch doesn't offer any definitive proof that AT&T is behind the Google Voice blockage, they do cite GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs' point that Phil Schiller himself, who you may remember from Apple events like Macworld '09 and WWDC, personally approved the GV Mobile app last April. In fact, Kovacs says that Schiller called him to apologize for the delays in getting the app approved.

Given that high-level support for the app, it's not hard to follow TechCrunch's logic and set sights on AT&T when looking for reasons for its removal. While few people would argue that Apple's app approval process is pretty broken right now, it's hard to believe that an application that was approved by Apple's VP of marketing was somehow magically unapproved because it "duplicates functionality."

As TJ said in his post, it's difficult to believe that Apple truly thinks users will be confused by an application that does the same thing as the built-in Phone app when they went out of their way to purchase and download it. Even setting that aside, it's not at all clear exactly what functionality is supposedly being duplicated. If it's the dialer, then that's a poor excuse; lots of other approved apps include dialers, including Skype. If it's the SMS functionality, again, poor excuse, as other apps provide SMS functionality as well.

It's true that Google Voice isn't necessarily as "scary" to AT&T as a true VoIP app like Skype, but some of the Google Voice functions that TechCrunch describes, like free SMS messages and cheaper long distance, certainly do sound like something that would rattle AT&T's cage.

Take into consideration that Skype was approved because it will only work over Wi-Fi, even though there's no technical reason it shouldn't run over 3G. Look at how crippled SlingPlayer is compared to the same app on other phones. Now, Google Voice is dead in the water on the iPhone. What we have is a very clear and disturbing pattern. Applications that provide innovative solutions to users, but which fall outside the bounds of what a traditionally-minded telecommunications company like AT&T considers acceptable, are being either hobbled by arbitrary restrictions like Skype and Sling or blasted out of existence like Google Voice.

Whether it's Apple's fault or AT&T's, it's getting tiresome to see innovative applications like Skype or Google Voice constantly kicked to the curb or kneecapped. Are we headed for an App Store with nothing in it except fart apps? Those, at the very least, don't duplicate any built-in iPhone functionality that I've heard of.

One more thing: who else thinks it's ironic that a company started by a couple of guys who spent lots of time phone phreaking in a garage in the 1970s now kowtows to AT&T and kills apps that help people make cheaper calls?

Is AT&T behind the rejection and removal of Google Voice apps? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Is AT&T behind the rejection and removal of Google Voice apps? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes

Perhaps the big G spoke to soon when it said its new Google Voice service was coming to iPhone. First, GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs relays a phone call he had with Apple where he was notified of his app being removed from the iTunes store for duplicating built-in iPhone features -- an app that was originally and purportedly approved by Phil Schiller himself. Next out the door was GVdialer, and if you thought that was all bad, now comes word that Google's official Voice app was flat-out rejected by Cupertino. Now it's hard to say with certainty who's to blame for these app rejections, but a good many fingers are pointing to the cellular carriers -- and given AT&T's previous statements about the SlingPlayer app, it's hard to argue with that. For its part, the company hinted at finding a workaround via web apps, much like they did when Apple gave Latitude a cold shoulder -- but doesn't that feel just a little 2007?

[Via Apple Insider]

Read - Official Google Voice App Blocked from App Store
Read - GV Mobile is getting pulled from App Store
Read - Sean Kovac's Twitter status on Schiller

Filed under: Cellphones

Google Voice iPhone app rejected, current GV apps lose connection with iTunes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 Reveals Improved Copy & Paste Feature for Videos?

Review: Rollercoaster Rush games for iPhone

It's fun to sit in the first car of a roller coaster, but ever wish you could control the throttle too? Now you can, thanks to Digital Chocolate's Rollercoaster Rush. In this game, you score points by how effectively you gun it down the track, while keeping people in their seats.

iPhone 3.1 Beta 3: Data Tethering Counter [-- Add AT&T Rumor Here!]

WhenWillApple has found another new goodie in the just released iPhone 3.1 Beta 3: Settings > General > Usage now shows Tethering Data alongside the previous Cellular Network Data counter.

Since countries outside the US, and carriers other than AT&T have offered tethering pretty much since the launch of iPhone 3.0, does this new addition, alongside the return of MMS settings in iPhone 3.1 Beta 1 released a month ago, hint that AT&T might finally be getting their iPhone offerings in order?

Insert your AT&T tethering rumor here!

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

iPhone 3.1 Beta 3: Data Tethering Counter [-- Add AT&T Rumor Here!]

Booyah releases Booyah Society, an app/game that tracks “life achievements”

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Developer, iPhone, App Store

Booyah is a company I've had my eye on for a while -- they're a couple of veterans from Blizzard Entertainment (makers of the popular Diablo and World of Warcraft games, two of my favorites) who have been teasing a big-time iPhone app. Just today, they've finally showed their cards, and have released Booyah Society, a 3D, interactive, social network-connected "achievement system for life." If that sounds like an idea that's pretty floaty, you probably heard it right.

Basically it's a game system that more or less overlays on what you're already posting to Facebook and Twitter. If you do anything from conquering a new videogame to doing a new exercise to visiting a new restaurant, you can earn achievements and points for an ingame avatar and scoreboard. In essence, they're aiming to take the things we already tell each other we're doing, and put this game/scoring system on top of that. There are plans to use the iPhone's hardware to do some self-reporting (GPS to track where you've been), but for now, everything's basically on the honor system.

Will it work? Who knows. The app is available for free right now, and they're planning to include microtransactions in the future to let you buy things to dress up your avatar with, as well as looking at partnerships with other business (i.e., you can get a certain achievement by going to Wendy's and ordering some fries). Very interesting -- as with most social app ideas, this one seems like it'll make or break it based on who chooses to play it faithfully. They've got quite a pedigree with the Blizzard background, and built-in audiences with Facebook and Twitter integration, but whether or not people will find themselves invested in tracking these achievements and scoring points for their avatars, only time will tell.

Booyah releases Booyah Society, an app/game that tracks "life achievements" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Booyah releases Booyah Society, an app/game that tracks "life achievements" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 3.1 Beta 3: Copy/Paste to Send Full Quality Video

Following up on the recent release of iPhone 3.1 Beta 3, WhenWillApple has posted up a YouTube video (embedded above) showing the new copy/paste functionality for videos.

Like copy/paste for images in iPhone 3.0, this allows you to send copies of your videos without the compression that goes along with the Share function. Just pick a video, tap and hold for “copy”, switch to email, tap and hold for paste.

Again, the size of the email boxes (sender and receiver) will likely still be a limiting factor. (MobileMe allows for 20MB per email, for example).

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

iPhone 3.1 Beta 3: Copy/Paste to Send Full Quality Video

Apple Tablet Launch to Coincide With iTunes Digital Album Enhancements in September?

In a companion piece to its report on Apple and record labels planning to launch interactive album booklets for iTunes Store music, The Financial Times provides additional details regarding Apple's planned launch of a tablet computer. Concurring wit...

Apple posts iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 for developers

Filed under: iPhone, SDK, iPod touch

Apple has just released Beta 3 of iPhone OS 3.1 for iPhone developers. As this remains under NDA, I cannot post any details about changes to the OS. The updates include the OS for the device, as well as the SDK used to develop iPhone applications. If you're a registered iPhone developer, head on over to the iPhone Dev Center to download your updates.

Apple posts iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 for developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple posts iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 for developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 Released to Developers

Apple Seeds iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3 to Developers

Apple today seeded iPhone developers with iPhone OS 3.1 Beta 3, termed Build 7C116a. Apple also released a new version of the iPhone SDK 3.1, Beta 3 (Build 9M2808). Both downloads are available to registered developers through Apple's iPhone Dev Ce...

Garmin flight-planning app winging its way to the iPhone

Pilot My-Cast, which offers important aviation weather data, flight planning, and flight filing services for private pilots, should arrive on the App Store in September.

Apple Release iPhone 3.1 Beta 3 to Developers (Beta 2 Expiring Tues, July 28!)

Apple has released iPhone 3.1 Beta 3 (7C116a) to developers via developer.apple.com, along with notification that iPhone 3.1 Beta 2 expires tomorrow, July 28 at 12am (device local time).

While Apple has previously released most of the betas on Tuesday, a desire to prevent the “pink screen of death” associate with expired betas perhaps necessitated an earlier release this time.

The OS weighs is said to weigh in at around 307MB. No word yet on what, if any, changes are found in the latest build, but we’ll update as always as son as we hear anything.

[Thanks to Davizzle for the tip!]

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

Apple Release iPhone 3.1 Beta 3 to Developers (Beta 2 Expiring Tues, July 28!)

Verizon: iPhone 3GS Cost us Money, Helped Drive Innovation

While all of the 2010 Verizon iPhone/Tablet rumors are still in the air, Verizon has seen a very real loss of profit this last quarter. Their total profit was $3.16 billion, which was down from $3.4 billion one year ago. According to Denny Strigl, Verizon’s president, this loss is partly due to AT&T and iPhone 3GS.

“When you think about what Apple has done in bringing the iPhone into the marketplace, it truly has accelerated innovation. And as we talk to all of our manufacturers, everybody has come out with their own iconic device, and I think that this has been very good overall for our customers.”

Verizon is planning to launch a few iPhone competitors in the near future with the Palm Pre and the new BlackBerry Storm 2, along with some Google Android phones. Make no mistake, those are some nice phones, but none of them have an Apple logo on the back side.

2010 should be a very interesting year…

[Via AppleInsider]

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

Verizon: iPhone 3GS Cost us Money, Helped Drive Innovation

New T-Mobile BlackBerry 8520 is Mac-ready

The BlackBerry 8520 will offer native Mac support when it arrives next month.

Review: Simple Songwriter for iPhone

While this music creation app offers some interesting features, on the whole it seems a bit too advanced for beginners, and much too rudimentary for experts.

iTunes Alternative Spotify Submitted to iPhone App Store

Still searching for that perfect online music streaming application for your iPhone? Spotify may be exactly what you are looking for.

Spotify is a online streaming music service that gives you access to over-the-air streaming of their entire music library, as well as playlist access. Where this application has a leg up on the competition is that you’ll be able to cache playlists locally on your iPhone while in WiFi areas so that you’ll be able to play them back at any time without any data connection. Spotify will be available as a free app download but will only be available to premium customers who pay £9.99 a month for the service.

Now comes the disappointing part of the story — Spotify is not available here in the United States or Canada due to licensing restrictions. Sorry folks, we will have to make do with Pandora, Pocket Tunes, etc…

How many of you, our valued readers, think Apple will let this one slip into the App Store? Will it get rejected for “duplicating functionality”? Or will it mysteriously disappear into the abyss like so many applications before it?

[Thanks to icebike & Sam for the tip!]

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

iTunes Alternative Spotify Submitted to iPhone App Store

Foxconn claims employee who committed suicide had history of misplacing prototypes, does nothing for their case

Filed under: Cellphones

Foxconn claims employee who committed suicide had history of misplacing prototypes, does nothing for their case originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan dials iPhone for car remote control

Nissan has developed a prototype iPhone application that allows electric car owners to dial into their vehicles and check battery levels.