iPhone SDK 3.1.2 Available for Developers

To go along with iPhone OS 3.1.2 (and the iPod touch equivalent) released earlier today, Apple has sent an email to registered developers informing them that:

Phone SDK 3.1.2 is now available on the iPhone Dev Center. If you have updated your development devices to iPhone OS 3.1.2, you will need to download and install the new iPhone SDK to continue your development.

A version of iPhone SDK 3.1.2 is also available to developers who are running Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Please ensure you select the appropriate SDK based on your development environment.

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

iPhone SDK 3.1.2 Available for Developers

TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #70 — Got VoIP?

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Join Chad and Rene for AT&T’s VoIP over 3G announcement, Flash on iPhone and Jailbreak updates, and all the week’s news and views! Listen in!

Congratulations to Greg who gets an XGear Nitrous Oxide Case courtesy of the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store. You never know when they’re going to give something away, so join us live for your chance to win!

(And remember, you can watch live on your iPhone via the Ustream Viewer app [Free - iTunes link] as well!)

Credits

Thanks to the the iPhone Blog Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You — iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

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

TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #70 — Got VoIP?

iBike Rider case for iPhone aims at bikers, people with their arms full

Filed under: Cellphones

iBike Rider case for iPhone aims at bikers, people with their arms full originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Penn & Teller Chat Magic Trick for iPhone

This app from the magic team is a fun way to incorporate the iPhone into your next card trick.

Rock Band ready to rock out on the iPhone this month

EA Mobile says the iPhone version of the popular music game should hit the App Store sometime this month.

Mac power tools: charge up your workflow

Filed under: Software, Productivity, Tips and tricks, Reviews, iPhone

I recently bought a new Mac, and I decided not to migrate years of cruft over to a pristine Snow Leopard install. I also decided to shed years of stale workflow and adopt a new way of doing things. Enter the power tools: software that augments the power and performance of OS X to do things faster and smarter. I'll examine some general system enhancements and look at a couple of powerful Mac/iPhone app combos that really work well together.

Step one was finding a replacement for my beloved QuickSilver. I had abandoned QS well over a year ago due to performance issues on most of my Macs, but after a nagging pain in my wrist surfaced, I realized I had to find more keyboard shortcuts. Enter LaunchBar, which fills in for 90% of what QuickSilver used to do for me. LaunchBar is one Ctrl-Space (configurable, of course) away from Spotlight searching, Google searching, application launching, math calculations and much, much more. LaunchBar is $25 per seat, and worth taking 15 minutes to learn the basics. Go ahead, hate me for giving up QS, but try LaunchBar before you hurl the insults.

Next I needed a better way to juggle 3 Gmail accounts. But I also needed a way to track the metric ton of inbox items that flow through those email conduits. The solution was the combination of MailPlane and Things. I had really dedicated my heart to Toodledo, but there's one trick I couldn't replicate on any setup (The Hit List included): when I get an email in MailPlane, I can select some text and press Shift-Ctrl-Opt-Cmd-0 and the Things HUD pops up and autofills the notes section with a link to the email itself. It is awesome. Not perfect, mind you, but a huge thing for me.

Read on for more power tools and tips.

Continue reading Mac power tools: charge up your workflow

Mac power tools: charge up your workflow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mac power tools: charge up your workflow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T defends network, lays out HSPA plans

AT&T's CTO defended the carrier's network performance and detailed its planned rollout of HSPA 7.2.

Verizon-Apple deal less likely after Google move?

IDC analysts say that the announcement that Verizon and Google plan to bring more Android smartphones to market means Verizon is less likely to sell the iPhone any time soon.

Announcement: App Store Livechat, Friday @ 12PM

Filed under: iPod Family, Interviews, iPhone, Liveblog, App Store, SDK

Is the App Store working just right? That's what Mike Schramm wondered the other day after this Newsweek article appeared, discussing the state of publishing apps on App Store. Tomorrow, we'll be hosting a live chat with real App Store developers, both successful and struggling. Please join us. You'll have a chance to hear about the current state of iPhone development and ask your questions about whether App Store is a gold rush, a business opportunity, or a disappointment.

(Full disclosure, I was interviewed for the Newsweek article, although I do not appear in the article itself.)

Announcement: App Store Livechat, Friday @ 12PM originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Announcement: App Store Livechat, Friday @ 12PM originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone tops J.D. Power smartphone customer satisfaction surveys

J.D. Power and Associates has released its semi-annual statistics on customer satisfaction for business and consumer smartphone users, and the iPhone topped both categories.

AT&T on iPhone tethering: Not yet

AT&T today announced that 'fine-tuning' of its network is needed before the carrier can enable iPhone tethering.

At Bat ramps it up for the playoffs

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

Major League Baseball's At Bat for the iPhone and iPod Touch is one of my all-time favorites. I've sung its praises before, so I'll spare you the details. Just know that At Bat brings real-time stats, streaming audio and video of pro baseball games to your iPhone and iPod touch. Last month they added in-app purchases that let you grab a live game for $0.99US.

Now that the post season has begun, they've improved the app again. You can watch live post season games through the World Series with 7 camera angles to choose from. Or you can watch a split screen of four camera angles simultaneously. Admittedly, those four screens are tiny on an iPhone's screen but it's still fun. Switching from one angle to another is quick and simple.

At Bat costs $9.99 per season and is completely worth it. I use it every day to watch games, get stats, read stories, check standings and more. There's a free "lite" version as well [iTunes link], which provides real-time scores and schedules.

At Bat ramps it up for the playoffs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

At Bat ramps it up for the playoffs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dev Team Issues Warning to iPhone Jailbreakers or Unlockers to Avoid Upgrading to iPhone OS 3.1.2

iPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like?

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch

For the most part, I've been disappointed with iPhone fitness applications. I'm not talking about Nike+ but rather the third party apps found in the Health & Fitness section of the App Store.

Apps that track your routes tend to be battery-killers (not really their fault, more due to the way the SDK insists they work). The ones that create exercise playlists depend on time-exhausting Mac-based solutions that have to analyze your iTunes tracks for their beats-per-minutes, creating a heavy investment with a minimal payoff. Genius on the iPhone does a decent job, without that time commitment.

I don't quite get the food and exercise logging apps -- I find that it's simpler to do all that on my primary Mac, using a physical notebook (you know: paper, pen, old tech) when I'm on the go. As for the stretching and exercise guides, I find them awkward. I'd rather use a DVD or a Wii-based game (I adore Gold Gym's Cardio Boxing, for example) where I don't have to keep referring to a 4-inch screen all the time and the sound is clear, and the instructions are easier to follow.

So what am I missing here? What are the really good iPhone-based fitness apps? I feel like all the ones I've tried just keep missing the point: to make exercise better or funner([TM] Apple). Yes, they make exercise more portable, but do they provide a better win over Nike+, a bike computer or a garmin?

Please do chime in in the comments. Let me know what iPhone Apps I have been missing, and which ones will improve my exercise experience, whether in the home or on the jogging path. Surely, there have to be some winners out there, and I'd love to hear about which apps are working for you, and why.

iPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.1.2 update now live, fixes sleep, network issues

Apple's just posted up iPhone OS 3.1.2, which purports to fix some of iPhone OS 3.1's Greatest Bug Hits, including: Don't Wake (From Sleep), Lost Network Access, and everyone's all-time favorite, Video Stream Crash Dance. We're updating now, let us know how it goes for you in comments -- and there's an iPod touch update too, we're sure it's just as fun.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Cellphones

iPhone OS 3.1.2 update now live, fixes sleep, network issues originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T Wants to Throttle iPhone Data… or Just Charge More for Heavy Usage?

PCWorld has an article up saying that, based on AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega’s comments during yesterday’s CTIA Keynote, AT&T was laying the groundwork to “manage” or “throttle” iPhone users’ data.

de la Vega did use most of his time, after announcing VoIP over 3G for iPhone, to rail against the FCC’s net neutrality push. He claimed a small percentage of heavy data users (i.e. iPhone users) were hogging most of the limited data resources, and “crowding” out regular (i.e. non-iPhone users). He also stated that AT&T would need to “manage” the network so that the few couldn’t crowd out the many.

This is what makes PC World think:

In the face of exploding data service demand and scarce wireless spectrum, does AT&T intend to quietly begin rationing the data usage of bandwidth hogs like the iPhone? Will AT&T begin to quietly “manage” the duration and speed of my 3G connection based on how much data I’ve used in a given day, or on the type of content or services I’m using the bandwidth to access?

Aside from “AT&T should spend some of their billions making a better network and getting 4G here faster”, it’s hard to argue that the iPhone hits the network like a freight train, and when you multiply that by tens of millions of users, it’s a huge load (something RIM emphasizes to carriers when pitching their highly compressed, proxied BlackBerrys as “better network citizens”).

That’s an immediate problem for the iPhone on AT&T, but arguably if another device with a great internet experience ever succeeds enough to reach those numbers on a single network — Android or webOS for example — it will become an everyone problem everywhere.

Dieter Bohn, editor-in-chief of our Smartphone Expert network was live at AT&T’s keynote yesterday, but his takeaway was a little different:

It’s pretty clear from [de la Vega's] complaints about the top percentage that he would want tiered data prices instead of unlimited for everybody. That seems more likely what was meant by ‘managing.’ I think that rather than rationing, ATT would just like to charge that top percentage more.

What do you think? Do you want AT&T “managing” your iPhone usage? Does it sound fair to charge heavy users more for that heavy use?

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

AT&T Wants to Throttle iPhone Data… or Just Charge More for Heavy Usage?

Apple releases iPhone software 3.1.2

Apple on Thursday released iPhone 3.1.2, the latest software update for its iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS.

MapQuest jumps into navigation pool

Filed under: Software, iPhone

MapQuest is now offering a GPS navigation system for iPhone users in the U.S. and Canada. MapQuest Navigator [iTunes link] is U.S. $0.99 for a 14 day trial. After than you have to buy it for $3.99 a month, $9.99 for 3 months, or $29.99 a year.

According to the company, key features include:

• Streamlined 3D Interface: Features voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation that speaks directions and street names.

• Regular Data Updates: Search 16+ million points of interest and utilize up-to-date street maps.

• Full Route Corridor Download: Quick route re-calculation for missed turns as well provides continued service in areas of no cellular coverage.

• Traffic Incident Based Routing: U.S. routes are optimized to avoid traffic incidents that might delay your travel.

• MapQuest Place Carousel: Easily displays locations for hotels, movie theaters, gas stations, and more with a single tap.

Most of the data for the app comes over the internet, so MapQuest Navigator has a small 2.9MB footprint. If you'd like to see a video demo of the app, go here.

We've asked for a copy so we can put it through our rigorous review trials and compare it to the other systems we've used, so more to come.

MapQuest jumps into navigation pool originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MapQuest jumps into navigation pool originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 3.1.2 is out

Filed under: Software Update, iPhone

In just a little under a month after iPhone OS 3.1 was released, Apple has just released an update for the iPhone OS, upgrading it to 3.1.2. This update fixes the widely reported issue where the iPhone would not wake from sleep, and also fixes an issue involving video playback and cellular service. This update is available for the original iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, and the iPod touch.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

iPhone OS 3.1.2 is out originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone OS 3.1.2 is out originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Releases iPhone OS 3.1.2; Includes Fixes And Improvements [Updated]