Marvel Comics come to iPhone

Several Marvel Comics are now for sale on the iPhone via the free Comics app.

Apple iPhone/iPod touch Remote App Updated to Support iTunes 9.0.2 and Apple TV 3.0

To go along with the shiny new iTunes 9.0.2 and Apple TV 3.0 software released today, Apple has also bumped their Remote app [Free - iTunes link] to version 1.3.2, which: “provides bug fixes and compatibility with iTunes 9 and Apple TV 3″ If you have an Apple TV and haven’t tried the latest version [...]

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Apple iPhone/iPod touch Remote App Updated to Support iTunes 9.0.2 and Apple TV 3.0

TomTom Car Kit Not Compatible with iPod touch and First-Gen iPhone

AppleInsider is reporting that the car kit will not be compatible with the iPod Touch and first-generation iPhone. This is a complete turn around from early reports from TomTom claiming since the car kit contained it’s own GPS, you could indeed use the TomTom App Store software/car kit combo with an iPod Touch and first-generation [...]

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TomTom Car Kit Not Compatible with iPod touch and First-Gen iPhone

Happy puzzling holidays! Triazzle Holiday Edition is in the App Store

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

We loved Triazzle 3.0 [iTunes Link] when it came out in July, but with winter nearly upon us it's time to dust off the sleigh bells and dreidels because Triazzle Holiday [iTunes Link] is here in a new seasonally-inspired version. This slightly cut-down version of the US$2.99 app sells for US$0.99, and runs on any iPhone or iPod touch running OS 2.2.1 or higher.

Triazzle is a puzzle game where you are given a sectioned triangle board and 9 (down from 16 in the full app) smaller triangle pieces that fit in the larger triangle like a jigsaw puzzle. The pieces are moved to the board and rotated to get the proper orientation, when all nine are in place, you have won. The rub is that many pieces can look maddeningly similar and there is only correct solution to each puzzle. So even if it looks right, you can be wrong. When you are right, you are rewarded with an animation and the match counter increments.

This version of Triazzle is chock-full of holiday lights, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Dreidels, Nutcrackers, and a litany of other things to make you think of the holidays. The game has 4 difficulty levels ranging from one for kids to level 3, which is really quite difficult. Animated hints are available along with an option invoking the Triazzle Tiki Gods to solve the puzzle for you.

What sets Triazzle Holiday apart from just about anything else is its craftsmanship. Every screen is more gorgeous than the next, and the level of detail of the graphics can leave you breathless. If the visuals get too complex you can choose to display simpler backgrounds to make things easier to see. You can also adjust whether or not snow will fall, and you can set the volume level of music, ambient sounds, and game sounds.

Music is a large part of the game. Right after the splash screen you are advised to use headphones. Drag them out of the closet for this one -- it's worth it. The music is wonderfully recorded and reproduced using such favorites as Jingle Bells and the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies from The Nutcracker Suite. In addition there is a lot of original music, including a spirited Klezmer number backing up a game full of Dreidels.

Triazzle Holiday will only be available through the holiday season, so get your copy now, put on your headphones, and immerse yourself in this impressive game.

Happy puzzling holidays! Triazzle Holiday Edition is in the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Happy puzzling holidays! Triazzle Holiday Edition is in the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Motorola Droid smartphone

The Droid certainly lives up to its promises and does a lot of things the iPhone doesn’t. The iPhone will probably keep its smartphone throne for now, but it will have to deal with a powerful new competitor.

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

Boy, TomTom sure has chosen the worst possible time to release their Car Kit for iPhone, and to make matters worse, their decision to not include the iPhone app is now set in stone. That's right, the hardware alone will set you back the cost of a TomTom ONE nowadays, and the $99.95 app works on the iPhone 3G and 3GS without it. So here's the question: is the car kit worth the extra $119.95? To find out, we got hold of a review unit for a sunny road trip around London. Surprisingly, the car kit uses Bluetooth to connect the GPS receiver to the iPhone, even though there's a dock connector for charging. Bluetooth connectivity does have its advantages: according to TomTom it can work as a generic Bluetooth GPS receiver for any satellite navigation app on the iPhone, or any smartphones at all for that matter. They even confirmed that the car kit could potentially compensate for the first-generation iPhone's lack of built-in GPS, but since TomTom's app won't run on anything but a 3G or 3GS we'll have to wait and see if that's actually useful. Meanwhile, TomTom is cooking up a compatible app for the original iPhone and the iPod Touch, which could make the car kit more worthwhile. Read on for our hands-on impression and test videos.

[Thanks for being our driver, Sam]

Continue reading TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review

Filed under: GPS, Transportation

TomTom Car Kit for iPhone review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon-Apple Partnership - Could End of Carrier Exclusivity Shoot iPhone Sale Price Up?

Apple TV 3.0 is Here!

As rumored, Apple just announced Apple TV 3.0, with an all new interface and support for iTunes LP and iTunes Extras. “The new software for Apple TV features a simpler and faster interface that gives you instant access to your favorite content,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “HD [...]

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Apple TV 3.0 is Here!

Apple Releases iTunes 9.0.2 (Yes, it Kills Palm Pre Sync Again)

Apple this afternoon released a point update to iTunes, bringing the latest version to 9.0.2. iTunes 9.0.2 adds support for Apple TV software version 3.0, adds an option for a dark background for Grid View, and improves support for accessibility. Needless to say, according to our friends at PreCentral.net, it also kills Palm Pre [...]

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Apple Releases iTunes 9.0.2 (Yes, it Kills Palm Pre Sync Again)

Pictures from the Beijing iPhone launch

Filed under: Apple, iPhone

Reader Maik Lutze sent us some pictures from in front of "THE PLACE" shopping center in the CBD area of Beijing. As you can see, Apple is planning for a rather large event tomorrow! He notes the activation stations, with copiers for IDs and, sadly, Windows machines for activation. There's also a stage, presumably for live acts, and some very nice seats. If you're there tomorrow, tag photos on Flickr as "tuaw" (no quotes) or submit them to our Tumblr page.

Thanks for sending these in, Maik! His blog, in German, can be found here.

Pictures from the Beijing iPhone launch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pictures from the Beijing iPhone launch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lala Music Streaming iPhone App Launching Soon

Disney.com iPhone App: The Happiest Place on my iPhone

Filed under: iPhone, App Review

I admit, I am a fan of Disney and Disney-related paraphernalia. Theme parks, figurines, movies, all of them are popular at my house. Our honeymoon was to Walt Disney World, and in general we take vacations to go to Disneyland. Oh, I could go on, but I'll save it for anther post.

Yesterday the Disney.com iPhone app [iTunes link] was released. It's free, and it's pretty snazzy. When you first launch, you're given a ring of apps to scroll around in a nice 3D setup. You can take pictures and place them in character themed photo frames, play "name that tune" with Disney music, and get the latest news from Disney. There's also a section where you are shown an image from Disney's site and if you find that image and snap it with your iPhone camera, you get a little bonus animation. If I were a kid I would play with that all the livelong day. (I'm not kid-aged and I still had fun with it!)

Where it really gets fun though, is the games you can play. I went through all of them: A couple of personality quizzes, a matching up jewels that disappear game, and a trivia game are all included, with the option to buy or download further games. Yes, Dear Reader, in the name of a thorough review, I took the Jonas Brothers Rock Fashion Quiz.

Then there's Tigger Bounce. Tigger, perched on his tail, waits for you to tap the screen in conjunction with a power meter on the side of the screen. Then you tilt him side to side, bouncing off clouds and getting boosts from friends he goes by in the air. Once he runs out of momentum, Tigger falls back to the ground, the whole endeavor measured in "hang time". You are scored based on how long you were in the air. I found myself playing this over and over again to get just a little higher.

Overall what I liked best was that it had a nice mix of older and newer Disney properties. I cannot tell you how refreshing this is. As someone who has braved Disney Stores at the height of the High School Musical craze, seeing that Disney added content older than I am was a breath of fresh air. Bonus points for not using this as another angle to foist more princess or fairy stuff upon me!

My complaints are minor: navigation is super sensitive so the slightest touch sends the ring spinning pretty fast, the "interact" section is not as interactive as I'd like (quite a few characters are limited to photo-frames only), and it's called the Disney.com Mobile App but it isn't really a portal or interface to interact with Disney.com. Like I said, minor.

Even if this weren't free, I'd recommend it for Tigger Bounce alone. There is a lot of variety here, and if you have any young'uns around who like to play a game on your iPhone every now and then, this is a really good option. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to see a tiger about some hang time...

Disney.com iPhone App: The Happiest Place on my iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Disney.com iPhone App: The Happiest Place on my iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Launches Apple TV 3.0 Software and iTunes 9.0.2 [Updated]

Apple today announced the launch of Apple TV 3.0 software, offering a redesigned user interface and compatibility with Apple's iTunes LPs and iTunes Extras, as well as Genius Mixes and Internet radio.

"The new software for App...

Review: Words With Friends for iPhone

Words With Friends is a two-person crossword challenge that takes advantage of the networking capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch to help you take on far-flung opponents in a Scrabble-esque word showdown.

Lala music streaming app awaiting Apple approval

Online music service Lala has submitted its app, which allows you to stream tunes from the service's library, to Apple for approval.

New iPhone app translates English into Spanish as you speak

A new iPhone app translates English speech into Spanish, or vice-versa, without ever needing to go online.

Apple Revamping Retail Store Staffing and Checkout Tools

ifoAppleStore reports that Apple is tweaking several aspects of its retail store operations as it moves into the holiday sales season. Among the changes are an adjustment to color-coded t-shirts for various types of employees and a shift from using ...

Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis

There's just something about Apple that makes people go crazy whenever the company's lawyers do even the simplest things -- whether it's filing routine trademark oppositions, getting patents granted, or, uh, defending allegations that the company is in league with the Mafia, Steve and friends just seem to inspire a very different reaction when they end up in the courtroom. So of course things got a little wild last Thursday when Nokia announced it was suing Apple over ten patents related to GSM, UMTS (what you know as 3G) and WiFi -- the pundit class immediately set upon the idea that the lawsuit was some sort of reaction to Nokia's diminishing cellphone marketshare and the perceived dominance of the iPhone, perhaps best exemplified by John Gruber's flippant "If you can't beat 'em, sue 'em." Nokia can't compete against Apple, so obviously it's abusing the hopelessly-broken patent system get a little payback, Espoo-style -- right?

Well, wrong. As usual, the race to hype this dispute as a bitter standoff between two tech giants desperate to destroy one another has all but ignored the reality of how patents -- especially wireless patents -- are licensed, what Nokia's actually asking for, and how it might go about getting it. And as you know, we just don't do things that way, so we've asked our old friend Mathew Gavronski, a patent attorney in the Chicago office of Michael Best & Friedrich, to help us sort things out and figure out what's really going on here -- read on for more.

Continue reading Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia vs. Apple: the in-depth analysis originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lala iPhone Music Streaming App Coming Soon

Streaming music has gotten pretty popular among iPhone owners and today we’d like to introduce you to one more option, Lala. Lala gives you the ability to listen to any song for free one time. If you happen to like the song you pay $0.10 for unlimited listening. And at $0.10 per “Web Song” you [...]

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Lala iPhone Music Streaming App Coming Soon

Apple Engineers Increasing Trips to Asia Ahead of Tablet Launch?

Silicon Alley Insider issued a brief report yesterday sharing secondhand information of an Apple engineer's increased trips to Asia of late and apparent additional upcoming trips during the usually-slow holiday season.

Indeed, a sourc...