Apple Exploring Ad-Supported Operating Systems?

In an unusual patent application filed in 2008, Apple explores the possibility of integrated ads into an operating system. The graphics provided even show how it might be integrated into Mac OS X (see above). In exchange for the ads, the u...

Windows 7 and the iPhone — Help and How-To!

Today’s the day — Microsoft is officially launching Windows 7! If you’ve been using the beta and release candidate for a almost a year already, then maybe today will be just another day. If, however, you’ve just received your party pack, or upgrade box, or just bought a shiny new machine and your next step is to figure out how to move all your iPhone content over — well, we have a fresh new iPhone Help Forum thread for you!

Whether you’re a newcomer to Windows 7 and/or the iPhone looking to fix a problem, or a seasoned Microsoft Guru with iPhone already sorted and willing to help, head on over and let us know your issues and your advice.

Have fun and happy launch day!

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

Windows 7 and the iPhone — Help and How-To!

Rock Band on iPhone is a hit

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

Disgruntled TUAW commenters, I'll save you some time: "OMG Mike of course a game powered by EA and one of the most popular franchises of all time is a hit. Try reporting some real news!" But not so fast -- Rock Band, which hit the App Store top 10 and conquered the Top Grossing list just days after its release this week, is actually a more unlikely hit than you think. For one thing, it sold at a price of $9.99 only -- no free versions, no trials, no pricing sales or schemes that have become the rule rather than the exception on the App Store lately. And for another thing, it had a comparable competitor in Tap Tap Revenge 3, selling for just 99 cents. TTR3 is a hit as well -- it's topping the list of paid apps that Rock Band is on -- but many people figured consumers would pass on the $10 app for the 99 cent one, and many people were wrong.

In short, even though, yes, Rock Band has EA's power behind it and it's based on an already popular game, it actually has bucked what we've seen so far: prices racing to the bottom, and tough chances of making a hit game, much less a profitable one, at the $9.99 price point. We don't yet know whether the game is profitable (or how either Rock Band's or TTR3's microtransaction models will do in the future), as it's just too soon.

But Rock Band is already seen as a game that stands as a shining example of what many were thinking wasn't true: big publishers with big name titles can put out big games at (relatively -- $10 is still cheap when you're talking about Rock Band at large) high price points and see them sell.

Rock Band on iPhone is a hit originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rock Band on iPhone is a hit originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CEOh-SNAP: Ballmer Says the Internet Wasn’t Designed for the iPhone

Steve Ballmer, whose company produced the single most internet-hostile program in history — Internet Explorer 6 — has the stupefying temerity to state:

Let’s face it, the Internet was designed for the PC. The Internet is not designed for the iPhone. That’s why they’ve got 75,000 applications – they’re all trying to make the Internet look decent on the iPhone.

Okay, Granted, Ballmer is likely looking at that Internet through a “compatibility-mode” colored screen, locked into SilverLight or ActiveX plugins, with ill-rendered box models and complete lack of support for anything approaching modern HTML5, and CSS support, so he probably doesn’t notice that stuff actually rendered using Web standards (Wikipedia it, Steve!) looks just fine on the iPhone.

Since Windows Mobile 6.5, brand new in 2009, uses Internet Explorer 6’s previous-century rendering engine (spare us the — it’s not the same as desktop IE6 — a poor browser by any other name hurts the web as badly), and Outlook 2010 (!) is transitioning to Word as its HTML email renderer (?!) we’re sure he has no clue what the internet is supposed to look like anyway.

But still, even for Ballmer, this is one ham fisted quote. The reason the iPhone has 85,000 apps is because it’s a modern, highly usable mobile device that developers want to develop for.

(For the record, what became the modern Web was designed on NeXT, the precursor to Apple’s OS X, the mobile version of which powers the iPhone, with computing power and screen real-estate we’re guessing might just be competitive with desktop power a couple decades old. B’okay Steve?)

[AP via Business Insider via Gizmodo]

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

CEOh-SNAP: Ballmer Says the Internet Wasn’t Designed for the iPhone

Mac OS X 10.6.2 Build 10C531 Seeded to Developers

Apple today seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.2, known as Build 10C531, to developers. The new update reportedly fixes the one outstanding issue related to Image Capture detailed in the previous build released last Friday, as well as a half doze...

Shure announces SE115m+ iPhone headset

Shure has announced the SE115m+ Sound Isolating Headset with Remote and Microphone, the iPhone-headset version of the company's SE115 Sound Isolating Earphones.

Apple Approves Rebtel’s iPhone App Nine Months After it was Submitted to the App Store

Halloween games for the iPhone

We take a look at a trio of iPhone games with a Halloween twist. Zombie Pizza delivers ghoulish fun, Halloween Chicktionary is an enjoyable word game (though its holiday trappings feel tacked on), and Scarecrow falls short.

iPod Touch sales catch fire with price drops, iPhone sales set new record

Apple’s latest financial report was pretty much nothing but good news, including setting an iPhone sales record with 7.4 million units moved last quarter, along with a 100% increase in iPod Touch sales, despite relatively flat iPod sales during the quarter. Dropping the price and advertising the Touch a bit more did the trick, helping [...]

Apple says competitors are still trying to catch up with the first iPhone in terms of technology

Apple’s latest financial report also featured COO Tim Cook stating (in response to a question about competitors like the new Android phone, Palm Pre, etc) that: “Frankly, I think people are still just trying to catch up with the first iPhone 2 years ago.” Now that’s quite a statement, given that phone didn’t have any of [...]

iDon’t Run Widgets - Does Apple Need To Rethink on Implementing Widgets on iPhone?

TomTom car kit appears in Apple’s store - but it’s not yet shipping

Filed under: Hardware, iPhone

The long-awaited TomTom car kit for the iPhone has finally arrived at the Apple store. The hardware software combination sells for US $119.95.

The cradle is designed to enhance the TomTom GPS app [iTunes link], which has been available since July.

The kit provides secure docking and enhanced GPS performance with its own built-in GPS receiver. The car kit will charge your iPhone and give you for hands-free calling. The unit also has an audio out connector so you can play your music through your car audio system, however, the cable that enables this is not included.

The TomTom solution has been criticized by some for being too expensive because the car kit plus the cost of the Tom Tom navigation application is more than $200. One could easily buy a standalone GPS for less than that, although you have more hardware to carry.

The TomTom has also fallen a bit behind the best-selling Navigon application which includes a text-to-speech feature and has received generally better reviews from consumers.

According to the Apple Store, the car kit is not yet available, and there is no time estimate of a ship date.

[Thanks to all our readers for tipping us to this story]

TomTom car kit appears in Apple's store - but it's not yet shipping originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TomTom car kit appears in Apple's store - but it's not yet shipping originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Stock Hits All-Time High on Earnings Strength

Apple's stock price has hit an all-time high today, surging over 4% at the moment to top $207 per share. The peak eclipses Apple's previous high set in late December 2007. Apple's stock subsequently sank to a low of under $80 per share in late 2008...

Review: Rock Band for iPhone

It's not that this iPhone version of the console sensation is a bad game -- it's just disappointing. Instead of pushing the genre forward, Electronic Arts has delivered a game that's not all that different from the many other tapping-interface apps you'll find in the App Store.

iPhone Live! Tonight at 8pm ET/5pm PT

Join TiPb tonight for all the week’s news, views, and rants. If you have any questions, leave a comment below, hit us up on Twitter @theiphoneblog, or better still — join us live in the chat room via http://www.tipb.com/live

Chat with you soon!

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

iPhone Live! Tonight at 8pm ET/5pm PT

After Verizon, Microsoft Now Makes Fun of Apple in New Humor Video

Reports: Google to launch music service and phone

Will Google gunning to become the next Apple? Google is reportedly set to unveil its own music service and is also working with a smartphone manufacturer on an...

Windows 7 Launches Tomorrow, Which iPhone Users are Making the Upgrade?

Do you plan on upgrading to Windows 7?(survey software)

Our sibling site, WMExperts.com is doing their part to balance TiPb’s Apple-centricity with a reminder that Microsoft Windows 7 launches tomorrow. However, since most iPhone and iPod touch users are also Windows users, TiPb’s fully on board this new release train as well.

I’ve been using Windows 7 since the beta, and have ordered but not yet received my upgrade licenses (oh, hai Amazon!). Not to get all Mossberg’y, but I’ve found it to be solid, stable, and yes — compatible. However, I liked Vista, so something that sought to make Vista better… it had me from announcement.

Those worried that there might be issues with Windows 7, it looks like both Apple and Microsoft have done everything they needed to do to make sure users would have no problems for iPhone, iPod touch, MobileMe, and/or iTunes 9 users. If you do experience any trouble, hit up TiPb’s iPhone Forums and we’ll be happy to trouble shoot with you.

For now, we’re just curious how many of you plan to upgrade?

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

Windows 7 Launches Tomorrow, Which iPhone Users are Making the Upgrade?

Quick App: Earthworm Jim Blasts its Way Onto the iPhone

Earthworm Jim [$4.99 - iTunes link], an iPhone and iPod touch remake of the classic Sega and Nintendo game of the same name, has just landed in the App Store.

Confession: I was a huge Earthworm Jim fan back in the day. The animation sold me instantly, and that animation looks just as good on the iPhone. I’m downloading it now. If anyone else gives it a try, especially old-school fans, let us know what you think.

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

Quick App: Earthworm Jim Blasts its Way Onto the iPhone

Find My iPhone: Questions, answers, and suggestions

Filed under: TUAW Tips, iPhone

Mobile Me's Find My iPhone is a wonderful (relatively) new feature which can help track down your iPhone if it is lost or stolen, but it is not foolproof, and it must be configured before you need it.

Q: "Is it true that Find My iPhone does not work if you have 3G turned off or lose your iPhone where there is no 3G service available (EDGE only)?"

A: False. Find My iPhone works with the original iPhone, which did not even have 3G or GPS capabilities, so it does work with EDGE. If you have a 3G-capable iPhone and disable the 3G (Settings > General > Enable 3G > OFF) to save battery life, "Find My iPhone" will continue to work.

Q: "Will find my iPhone work over WiFi?"

A: True... sort of... Maybe... Not really. In my home I have very little or no AT&T service (or Sprint, or Verizon, or any other cell provider). I do have WiFi all over the house, and Find My iPhone has never failed to help me locate my iPhone when it is "lost" in my house. In order to test it purely over Wi-Fi, I put the iPhone into Airplane Mode (meaning that both EDGE and 3G were both disabled) and enabled Wi-Fi. I asked "Find My iPhone" to locate my iPhone and was told that it was near Orlando, Florida. It was, in fact, in Ohio. I repeated the test and it came back with the same information. Later, I tried the "Wi-Fi only" test from my home, and Find My iPhone could not find my location at all.

However, even in Airplane + Wi-Fi mode I was able to use the "Display a Message" and "Remote Passcode Lock" features. So you may not be able to locate it on a map, but you still may be able to connect to it.

Proper setup is your first crucial step

All of this is a moot point if you don't have three crucial settings enabled on your iPhone. Without any one of these, Find My iPhone will not work.

1. Settings > General > Location Services has to be on (this one is obvious, right?)
2. Under Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > (Your Mobile Me account), you must set "Find My iPhone" to ON. This is not enabled by default.
3. Under Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data, you must either enable Push OR have fetch set to Every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or Hourly. If you disable Push and set Fetch to "Manually" Find My iPhone will not work.

Continue reading Find My iPhone: Questions, answers, and suggestions

Find My iPhone: Questions, answers, and suggestions originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Find My iPhone: Questions, answers, and suggestions originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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