Netflix expected to release a Watch Instantly video streaming app

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch

There are at least 27 Netflix related iPhone apps according to Macworld. Their purposes differ but most of them are designed to let you manage your movie queue.

A new player is about to enter the arena: Netflix itself, who intends to bring "Watch Instantly" video streaming to the iPhone/iPod touch and the Nintendo Wii. At present Netflix streams over 12,000 movies and TV shows over a large variety of devices including Intel-based Macs.

Todd Spangler of Mutichannel.com speculates, and I agree with him totally, that when released, streaming will be limited to Wi-Fi only. This is not because there's any technical reason not to stream over the AT&T 3G network, but like the SlingPlayer Mobile app, streaming will probably be hobbled to prevent massive data overloading of the AT&T network. This being the case, I wonder why Apple/AT&T allowed streaming of full baseball games using the MLB.com At Bat 2009 app over 3G as well as Wi-Fi?

It also brings up the question of why AT&T has been concerned about the issue of video streaming while Verizon, Sprint, Nextel and T-Mobile don't seem to have any problem with it. Perhaps AT&T is having seller remorse over their $30 all-you-can-eat data plan for the iPhone.

Putting corporate technological politics aside, I really look forward to the Netflix app. Even if limited to Wi-Fi streaming it will be a welcome addition to the stable of useful iPhone/iPod touch applications.

Note: Netflix only does business in the United States, so whether you are looking for a red envelope or streaming media, if you don't have a US zip code...never mind.

[via Ars Technica]

Netflix expected to release a Watch Instantly video streaming app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Netflix expected to release a Watch Instantly video streaming app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.1 Beta Reveals Reference to new Apple Device “iProd”

Apple Revokes Developer License of App Store’s 3rd Most Prolific Developer

Review: CheckSheet for iPhone

CheckSheet is a simple checklist manager gone terribly complicated. While it can get the job done, it’s hard to use and often frustrating.

Review: CheckSheet for iPhone

CheckSheet is a simple checklist manager gone terribly complicated. While it can get the job done, it’s hard to use and often frustrating.

New ‘iProd1,1′ Reference Found in iPhone OS 3.1 Beta Configuration File

Image from Ars Technica
Ars Technica reports that the latest version of the iPhone OS 3.1 beta seeded to developers last week contains an updated configuration file that references two mysterious products known as "iProd0,1" and "iProd...

AT&T Data Outage in California? Is Your iPhone Offline?

TiPb is getting reports of an AT&T data network outage in California. If you’re having trouble connecting to EDGE/3G with your iPhone, let us know where and when in the comments, and if it comes back up, let us know that as well.

[Thanks to Luke for the tip]

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

AT&T Data Outage in California? Is Your iPhone Offline?

Apple Launches iTunes Store (Music) in Mexico!

Apple today announced that they’ve added Mexico to growing list of international iTunes Stores. And we say… it wasn’t there already?

“The iTunes Store in Mexico is off to a great start with music from all of the majors and hundreds of indie labels,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “And the revolutionary App Store in Mexico gets bigger and better with great new apps using amazing new features, and we can’t wait to see what developers come up with next.”

So, Mexican Readers, if you liked the App Store, tell us how you feel about music coming your way…

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

Apple Launches iTunes Store (Music) in Mexico!

Intuit offers free credit card processing app for iPhone

Intuit has released GoPayment for iPhone, to let iPhone-using merchants process credit card transactions straight from their iPhone.

Intuit offers free credit card processing app for iPhone

Intuit has released GoPayment for iPhone, to let iPhone-using merchants process credit card transactions straight from their iPhone.

Crazy Rumor Tuesday: Apple to Turn iTunes Accounts into Paypal Competitor?!

Crazy rumor of the day, courtesy of Silicon Alley Insider, has Apple considering turning iTunes accounts into a Paypal competitor. Though they’re careful to classify it as gossip and not confirmed news (heh), it’s not beyond imagination that someone, somewhere, wanted to gauge a little public reaction to this idea.

Now, TiPb has given Microsoft a lot of negative feedback for losing focus and getting into areas they have no business getting into (pun intended). So, we have to do the same for Apple.

Does iTunes need to become a Paypal competitor? No doubt someone has to, given the more onerous sides of Paypal and the lack of Google Check Out, and still vaporish Pay with Facebook making eBay sweat enough to straighten up and behave properly, but Apple?

The link above suggests maybe Apple is interested in using the iPhone platform itself as a real-world payment system (they’ve only been doing that outside North America for years, after all), or they wish to diversify a la General Electric and this may be an easy and logical way to do it.

If it’s the former, and it works with typical Apple magic, then yes please and now. If it’s the latter then Apple should likely remember that focus, not diversification, has led them to tremendous success so far, even as their competition has floundered.

What do you think?

Should Apple use iTunes Accounts to Compete with PayPal?(surveys)

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

Crazy Rumor Tuesday: Apple to Turn iTunes Accounts into Paypal Competitor?!

Apple bigwigs on the way to China for iPhone deal

Filed under: Apple Corporate, iPhone

The International Business Times is reporting today that Apple execs, including Greg Joswiak, Apple's VP of iPhone and iPod product marketing, are expected to meet with China Unicom this week to try to cement an iPhone deal there.

The iPhone hasn't been available in China, at least officially, and Apple is eager to gain a foothold. China trade officials say there are one billion phone users in the country, and Apple would love to have an extensive bite of the market.

Apple already has telecom approval in China, and Apple has localized the iPhone software to work in Chinese.

China Unicom is one of the country's large, state owned mobile carriers. There have been some pictures of purported Chinese iPhones posted on Chinese websites, but it isn't known for sure if they are legit. Engadget noted last week that there appears to be a regulatory approval in place for the iPhone in China, complete with the requested Wi-Fi block from the Chinese authorities.

Apple said last April that it hoped to have the iPhone in China by next year.

Apple bigwigs on the way to China for iPhone deal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple bigwigs on the way to China for iPhone deal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TiPb Poll Results: Verizon Couldn’t Handle the iPhone Either

In light of AT&T’s continuing challenge to support the iPhone and provide adequate coverage and service to iPhone users, TiPb asked our readers whether they thought Verizon could better handle the iPhone. Rumored to have been Apple’s first choice, Verizon’s advertising focuses specifically on the reliability and reach of their network. Could things have been different if Apple went with them instead?

The results of TiPb’s poll to date are:

• 34% (901 votes) thought Verizon’s network would be crushed by the iPhone, same as AT&T has been.
• 22% (604 votes) thought Verizon could handle the iPhone better than AT&T, but not without problems of their own.
• 22% (588 votes) thought Verizon could indeed handle the iPhone reliably.
• 17% (451 votes) thought no single network, Verizon or AT&T could handle iPhone level traffic alone, and that it needed to be spread out over several networks.
• 5% (142 votes) thought that it didn’t matter, since they were outside the US and their carriers handled the iPhone with no problem.

Taken together, fully 73% (1956 votes) feel Verizon would strain under the weight of the iPhone to one degree or another. These results seem to match the consensus that iPhone users use more features and consumer more data than any other handset user, putting a significantly higher demand on cellular networks. In large cities or at large events, this demand can result in the network failing to provide service. Only building more network capacity faster, or splitting up iPhone usage over several networks, are likely to solve this problem.

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

TiPb Poll Results: Verizon Couldn’t Handle the iPhone Either

Apple Investigating a Range of Tablet Screens From 4 to 12 Inches?

AppleInsider reports on a research note from analysts at Kaufman Bros. claiming that Apple has investigated a range of tablet screen sizes from 4 to 12 inches over the past several years. Many of the orders have reportedly been large enough to accou...

Twitter at the heart of new, cheap smartphones

Mobile phone outfit INQ Mobile has launched two new affordable smart phones that feature tight integration with social-networking site Twitter.

Quick App: Twitbit 1.1 iPhone Twitter Client with Push Notification

Twitbit [$4.99 - iTunes link] is a Twitter client for iPhone and iPod touch that includes built-in push notification for not only @mentions but direct messages as well.

It was not long ago that Rene introduced us all to the app, and we wouldn’t be telling the truth if we didn’t say things started off pretty rough with the initial launch. TiPb is happy to report, however, with the latest upcoming update, 1.1, things have changed greatly.

• More granular push configuration
• Selectively push DMs, mentions, neither, or both.
• Better push support while the app is running (new message badges, vibrations, etc.)
• New direct message workflow
• Summary/inbox view that’s modeled after the built-in “Messages” app, organized by user
• Threaded conversations
• Landscape tweet and direct message composition
• Built-in photo browser with landscape support
• Landscape mode in the built-in web browser
• Saved searches
• Person search
• Saved timeline position
• More tweet actions (open in browser, send in email)
• More browser actions (send in email, post link in tweet)
• Customizable tab order
• Customizable re-tweet format
• Fix for the “HTTP 401″ error when posting tweets and direct messages.
• Lots of other UI enhancements and bug fixes

TiPb has been putting this latest beta through it’s paces the past two weeks and so far so we’ve been impressed. Look for Twitbit 1.1 to hit Apple’s App Store any day now.

Pictures of Twitbit 1.1 in action after the break!

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

Quick App: Twitbit 1.1 iPhone Twitter Client with Push Notification

The Competition: Microsoft Gives Devs Guide to iCloning iPhone Apps for Windows Mobile

According to sibling site WMExperts, Microsoft has released a developers guide for porting iPhone apps to — shock and horror — Windows Mobile.

Can’t blame them, though, 65,000 apps via a unified, on-device store, fart apps and rejected apps aside, is a huge competitive gap to make up, especially when your previous generation was stuck in a Windows 95-style user experience.

Selfishly, we hope the competition helps force out those fart apps and get those rejected apps back into Apple’s iTunes App Store where they belong…

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

The Competition: Microsoft Gives Devs Guide to iCloning iPhone Apps for Windows Mobile

Find your iPhone with Beep My Cell

Always forgetting where you put down your iPhone? With Beep My Cell, all you need is a web browser and your ears to find it. Beep My Cell uses push notifications to make your phone emit a constant beeping sound. To find your phone, just log in to BeepMyCell.com, click “start beeping”, and listen. When you’ve [...]

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Handmark Astraware Casino app comes to iPhone

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