TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #77 — Apple Strikes Back!

Posted on November 26, 2009 by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Join Rene, Chad, and Michael Manna of the T4 Show for AT&T and Apple ads strike back, Schiller speaks, the WebApps alternative, Jailbreak worms, Chrome OS, and all the week’s news! Listen in!

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:

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

TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #77 — Apple Strikes Back!


Multi-tasking A la Palm Pre On iPhone With Multifl0w Jailbreak App

Posted on by Andy.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Review: Big Buck Hunter Pro for iPhone

Posted on by Curt Poff.
Categories: Uncategorized.
This iPhone version of the arcade classic features outstanding graphics and realistic movement, though the accuracy of where shots are placed is a source of frustration.

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Google Introduces Minor Improvements for Gmail and Google Mobile Web Apps

Posted on by Andy.
Categories: Uncategorized.

iPhone worm author really goes to work

Posted on by Aron Trimble.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Filed under: ,

While you have to go to quite some lengths to be vulnerable to it, jailbroken iPhones have been under fire for susceptibility to a particular SSH-based type of worm that has seen a lot of press lately. One of the developers, Ashley Towns, who helped to get the "rick" rolling, as it were, has just announced his employment at an iPhone game firm.

Sophos is reporting that he'll be taking up shop at mogeneration, the developer responsible for such hits as Xumii [iTunes link], a cross-social networking communication app, and Moo Shake! [iTunes link], a farm-based activity game for kids. It is an interesting turn of events given that mogeneration even reported on the topic of Ashley's now-infamous rickrolling iPhone worm.

I personally think that there is a lot of potential for coders of malware to embark on legitimate careers as developers coding for good. However, I don't favor the thought that malware developers are essentially getting 'rewarded' for their dangerous work. There is nothing from mogeneration to imply that Towns was hired based on the notoriety of his SSH-based worm, but I can't help thinking that there are other, more talented iPhone developers who have stayed below the radar by not writing malware.

I want to know what you think. Should developers of intentionally malicious software be given a clean slate and a new life? Or perhaps should they be feeling the effects of the law's very long arms?

[via Techmeme]

iPhone worm author really goes to work originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iPhone worm author really goes to work originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone Rejections Are Speaking Out

Posted on by Philip King.
Categories: Uncategorized.
The question of who is getting rejected and what makes one app better than another is something that is being asked quite frequently lately, and we now finally have a way to find out who is getting rejected and can see for ourselves what their apps are all about. While this will not change the [...]

What Exactly Does the iPhone’s Domination of Web Traffic Mean?

Posted on by Philip King.
Categories: Uncategorized.
Some recent numbers were released by AdMob that claim that the iPhone is taking up close to 50% of the traffic for mobile phones worldwide. At first glance, one would think that it means that the iPhone is in the hands of 50% of mobile phone users that are using the web, but that is [...]

NDrive intros low price iPhone GPS apps, Black Friday sale

Posted on by Nick Spence.
Categories: Uncategorized.
NDrive has released two new low cost GPS applications for the iPhone in NDrive New York City and NDrive Los Angeles and announced a Black Friday sale.

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TiPb’s Top Five First-Person Shooting Games!

Posted on by Chad Garrett.
Categories: Uncategorized.

tipb_top_5 FPS

Today’s TiPb Top 5 will be directed towards our iPhone and iPod touch wielding readers who love First-Person Shooting (FPS) games. Just like our other TiPb’s top 5 must-have posts, all of these applications are available in the App Store. For the full overview, follow us after the break!

Wolfenstein 3D Platinum

Wolf3D

Wanna kick it old, old school? Wolfenstein 3D (Wolf3D) started it all. What is great about this version of the game is that you get A LOT of levels. You get episodes 1-6 plus the Spear of Destiny add-on pack for a total of more than 60 levels. Wolf3D has customizable controls and a super-fast framerate. This is a great version of the original and a bargain price. [$1.99 - iTunes Link]

  • Old school fun
  • Customizable controls
  • So many levels!
  • Fast and smooth gameplay

DOOM Classic

DOOM

Ah, DOOM — one of my all time favorites. The iPhone version is top-notch. Fast and fun. The controls have been tweaked a little more than with Wolf3D, but are similar. If you can play one, you will be instantly at home with the other. DOOM takes the Wolf3D premise and adds a grand 3D element to it. Mars is invaded by devils form hell and it is up to you to eradicate them over 36 levels. Future updates in include Doom 2 with in-app purchasing! Doom as multiplayer support over local Wi-Fi, but sadly, no online deathmatches are planned at this time. [$6.99 - iTunes Link]

  • Just the way I remember it
  • Customizable controls
  • Fast gameplay
  • Totally fun!

Eliminate Pro

Elimiate

One of the most anticipated apps for the App Store, Eliminate has arrived! This illustrates what mobile online multiplayer can be about. This game revolves around playing matches and winning; that simple. The catch is having “energy” when you play. If you win a match (or actually play a match) with energy you earn credits. Credits are used to buy weapons, armor and stats. After your energy is depleted, you can buy more with in-app purchasing, or wait 90 minutes (the time keeps changing as ngmoco:) finds the right balance) for a partial energy recharge. You can play over the Internet with Wi-Fi or 3G. A new map is on its way, but no word on voice chat. [$Free - iTunes Link]

  • Internet multiplayer
  • Upgradable weapons and armor
  • Friend lists
  • Private matches with friends

Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies

COD Zombies

This game was a surprise that came out of nowhere! Like shooting zombies WWII Nazi-style? Well, look no further than Call of Duty: Zombies. You are in a room with boarded entrances. Zombies are closing in on every side. What do you do? destroy them of course! You can buy different weapons and choose from a few different control styles. This game gets tough fast, but in the end is hampered by a less-than-accurate control scheme. I have faith this will be fixed in a future update. You can play single player or multiplayer locally. Sadly there is only one map right now, but more are coming soon! [$9.99 - iTunes Link]

  • Top-notch graphics
  • Erie atmosphere make playing it stressful!
  • Continuous onslaught of zombies to kill
  • Local multiplayer

Modern Combat: Sandstorm

Sandstorm

Looking for a FPS with a good challenge? Sandstorm will give it to ya! This is not a run n’ gun game, you have to use strategy defeat the relentless AI. This game has great controls and graphics. You can crouch, zoom, carry two different weapons plus grenades; all intuitively with fun. You are placed in the Middle East set to take down the bad guys. What is the big news about this game? There is an online update coming out before Christmas 2009 that will add  Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes! This looks to be an amazing addition onto an already solid single player title! [$4.99 - iTunes Link]

  • Great control scheme with lots of functionality
  • 10 different missions
  • Great visuals  and story
  • Very challenging compared to other FPSs on the App Store

Conclusion

The graphics and gameplay for 3D games on the iPhone is really heating up. With so many good games, it is hard to pick a winner. Out of this patch, in their current state, I have to choose Eliminate Pro. The reason? Awesome online multiplayer action. I think once Sandstorm gets its update, it will be a real viable contender; for single player, it wains hands-down. Being able to play against anyone, anywhere is alway better then bots. Because if this, Eliminate Pro wins by a landslide. Hey, and it’s free -)

Winner: Eliminate Pro

There you have it, TiPb’s Top 5 FPS Games. Did we miss any of your favorites? Overlook any killer shooters? Drop us a comment and let us know your list, and your winner!

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

TiPb’s Top Five First-Person Shooting Games!


Giving Thanks for Steve Jobs Returning to Apple, Willing iPhone Into Existence

Posted on by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

superjobs

Techcrunch’s Michael Arrington takes the US Thanksgiving holiday to give sweet blog love to Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and everything he’s done for Apple — and for consumers:

What would our world look like without him? We’d likely still be in mobile phone hell. Chances are we still wouldn’t have a decent browsing experience on the phone, and we certainly wouldn’t be enjoying third party apps like Pandora or Skype on whatever clunker the carriers handed us. Even if you use an Android, Palm Pre or newer Blackberry today, you must thank Apple for pushing open the doors to mobile freedom. Think back to the phone you had in 2006, and then tell me you don’t love Apple for the iPhone alone (yes, I’ve moved on, but the iPhone was the genesis).

He manages to sneak in a few swipes at MobileMe (which now works pretty well), and the MacBook Air (which, since the second generation, has been magnificent), and still calls Apple irritating and sorta evil, but from Arrington’s fascinating lawyer-days working on the Apple/NeXT deal, to his admiration for their sexy new iMacs and iTablets to be, he gives the CEO of the Decade a lot of credit and is hard pressed to imagine an Apple, or a technology sector, without him.

We are too. For Apple II, Mac, Pixar, iPod, iTunes, Apple Retail, and of course, the iPhone, we join Arrington in saying — thanks Steve!

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

Giving Thanks for Steve Jobs Returning to Apple, Willing iPhone Into Existence


Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone

Posted on by Mike Schramm.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Filed under: , , ,

Back when the iPhone was first announced, there was no SDK, you'll remember. Jobs said that developers could just make web apps, and that they would be good enough. Of course, he was wrong -- given what you can do with your iPhone now compared to what you could do with your iPhone then, even Steve would be happy to say that yes, there is a native app for that. But let's not toss the projects out with the development platform, so to speak. Neven Mrgan, one of the devs over at Panic, has released Pie Guy, a free and surprisingly full-featured game for the iPhone that exists only as a Javascript web app. To play it, just point your iPhone 3GS (the page says you need one of those, and while I was able to play it on my 1G, it was too clunky to enjoy) to mrgan.com/pieguy, add that page to your homescreen, and there you go.

In case you haven't guessed from the pic above (or the name), the game itself is a straightforward Pac-Man clone. But what's most interesting here is the example this game sets. Think about it: a full featured, automatically updated game release, delivered straight to the iPhone without any approval required by Apple. The revenue model might need some work, but maybe we dismissed this whole "web app" idea a little too quickly. For devs looking to go around the App Store's process, maybe there's a solution here. Boy, Flash sure would help with that, wouldn't it?

Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Publishes iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for Developers

Posted on by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

iTunes LP and iTunes Extras Hero

Apple.com has published a new page with information on iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for Developers:

Here’s everything you need to know to create a rich, interactive experience around your music and movies. All right in iTunes.

It includes the latest version of Apple’s TuneKit (think WebKit HTML+CSS+Javascript with iTunes hooks), as well as templates, best practices, a development guide, and info on asset delivery and testing. It’s not all automagical yet, however:

Automatic, electronic submission of your iTunes LP or Extra is scheduled for the first quarter of 2010. Until then, the submission process is manual and limited. Please contact your label or studio rep for details and consideration. An existing iTunes contract is required. Your iTunes LP or iTunes Extras will be reviewed by the iTunes team for appropriateness of content and for technical quality.

Still, it’s nice to see the technology and supporting material made available, and the brouhaha from last month made farcical.

Now, all we need is for Apple to show some iTunes LP and iTunes Extras love to the iPhone. Where’s that iPhone 3.2 already?!

Anyone planning to get TuneKit’ty with it? Let us know how it works for your content!

[Apple.com via <a href="feed://www.9to5mac.com/feedburner.xml">9to5mac]

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

Apple Publishes iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for Developers


Apple Black Friday Sale Goes Live in Oz — Up to 10% Discounts on iPod, Apple TV, Macs

Posted on by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

aussiediscounts

Those waiting for the US (and UK, Canadian, etc. honorific) Apple Online Store’s Black Friday Sale — the only sale Apple ever does — can get a sneak preview as it’s already Black Friday in Australia and Apple’s deals are live. Call us down-underwhelmed (groan, we know) but really, who expected anything more than 8%-10% of iPod touch, iPods in general, Apple TV, and Macs?

If you’re in Oz and have been waiting to pull the trigger, pull away. If you’re in the UK or North America, check it out and see if there’s anything pull-worthy for ya.

[via TUAW]

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

Apple Black Friday Sale Goes Live in Oz — Up to 10% Discounts on iPod, Apple TV, Macs


Apple Black Friday Sales Begin in Australia and New Zealand [Updatedx2]


Apple has launched its "Black Friday" one-day sales in Australia and New Zealand, with other countries set to follow at the appropriate times. As expected, Apple is offering only modest discounts compared to the deals offered by many other r...

Apple Black Friday Sales Begin in Australia and New Zealand


Apple has launched its "Black Friday" one-day sales in Australia and New Zealand, with other countries set to follow at the appropriate times. As expected, Apple is offering only modest discounts compared to the deals offered by many other r...

Review: Touch KO for iPhone

Posted on by Tim Mercer.
Categories: Uncategorized.
With hard hitting gameplay, impressive graphics, and an inventive control scheme, Chillingo's boxing game is ready to take on all comers.

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Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service

Posted on by Chris Rawson.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Filed under: , ,

As you prepare to feast, it's not too soon to consider the impact of all that turkey and stuffing. The free Lose It! [iTunes Link] has been out for a long while now, and it's an app that people nearly always bring up when the conversation turns to good exercise/calorie tracker apps. With good reason: at one point I managed to lose over 15 pounds, and it was at least partly thanks to Lose It! on the iPhone. Its extremely intuitive interface and vast database of foods and exercises made it incredibly easy for me to track my progress and restrict my caloric intake.

The one thing I always thought was missing from Lose It! was the ability to sync information back to the Mac. The app itself had limited ability to track trends over time, so I always wished Lose It! had some way of getting that info off my iPhone and onto my computer so I could at least make a spreadsheet out of it.

Lose It! has gone one step farther than that -- they've created their own website, loseit.com, that allows you to view all sorts of information, synced directly from the 2.0 version of Lose It! on the iPhone. Not only are there heaps of information about your own weight loss, calorie consumption, and exercise trends, Lose It's website also allows you to view your friends' information and watch each others' progress, assuming you all have the Lose It! app.

Continue reading Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service

Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: Sony Ericsson Equinox mobile phone

Posted on by Damon Brown.
Categories: Uncategorized.
The Equinox is a very middle-of-the-road phone with solid call capabilities and mediocre Web and camera capabilities.

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How to: Make Your Own iPhone Capacitive-Compatible Gloves!

Posted on by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

500x_touchscreen_gloves

Whether its the big black leather above, or some woolly mitts, when the weather outside turns frightful and you need to operate a capacitive touchscreen like the iPhone, you can save yourself some cash — and frostbite — with a little bit of sewing and a bunch of conductive thread.

Instructables has the step by steps…

[Instructables via Lifehacker via Gizmodo]

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

How to: Make Your Own iPhone Capacitive-Compatible Gloves!


Microsoft “Worked with Apple” on Silverlight for iPhone — On the Server Side

Posted on by Rene Ritchie.
Categories: Uncategorized.

silverlight on iphone

Microsoft is working with Apple on getting Silverlight (their Flash-like technology) content onto the iPhone? Made our eyes widen as well, but it wasn’t what we expected. Unlike the debate over Flash, and a Flash player/plugin for iPhone, this doesn’t involve a Silverlight player/plugin at all, but what looks to be a much smarter backend solution. According to Microsoft User Experience Platform Manager Brian Goldfarb:

“So we’ve worked with Apple to create a server-side based solution with IIS Media Services,” Goldfarb continued, “and what we’re doing is taking content that’s encoded for smooth streaming and enabling the content owner to say, ‘I want to enable the iPhone.’ The server will dynamically make the content work — same content, same point of origin — on the iPhone. We do this with the HTML 5 <VIDEO> tag, in many ways.”

“We’re translating the content to support the MPEG2 v8 [decoder] format that the iPhone format; we’re moving it to their adaptive streaming format. So it’s the same IIS smooth streaming content, the same server, the same point of origin, but now I can get that content to play without any code changes, without any real work, on the iPhone. That’s the critical thing for our customers.”

Goldfarb clarifies that “worked with Apple” means his team did everything, but made sure Apple was “comfortable” with the solution.

TiPb clarifies that if this ends up working well, it gets more video to more iPhone users without the security, privacy, performance, and dodgy plugin architecture that plagues desktop implementations of code-interpreters.

So add to the list of YouTube, Ustream, Stickam, and Vimeo, we could now see all Silverlight video (including Netflix?) made compatible with the iPhone and H.264.

Rather than Flash 10.1, maybe Adobe should be looking to build this cleaner, safer-sounding solution into their next plugin as well?

[Betanews via 9to5mac]

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

Microsoft “Worked with Apple” on Silverlight for iPhone — On the Server Side