Happy New Year – Best Wishes for 2010 from TiPb!

On behalf of everyone here at TiPb, and the Smartphone Experts network, we wish you and yours a happy, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous 2010, filled with iPhone 4.0, iPhone HD, iPod touch HD, subscription TV, and iTablet goodness.

Happy — and app’y New Year!

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

Happy New Year – Best Wishes for 2010 from TiPb!

What is the Ultimate Role of the Apple Tablet?

While we normally avoid purely speculative pieces here on MacRumors, John Gruber has posted a particularly interesting opinion piece on what void or need the Apple Tablet might fill. Gruber acknowledges that this is not based on inside knowledge, bu...

Our favorite iPhone games of 2009

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

The first full year of the App Store is coming to a close, and so let's take a look back at our favorite games of 2009. Note that these aren't best-selling, most important, or even the best games of the year -- we'll leave those lists to other sites. But these are our favorite games -- the games we played this year that we feel stand out as our favorite experiences on the App Store.

The list begins after the read more link below, and be sure to agree, disagree, or share your own favorite games as usual in the comments.

Continue reading Our favorite iPhone games of 2009

Our favorite iPhone games of 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Our favorite iPhone games of 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone credit card reader to be demoed at CES

Filed under: Hardware, iPhone, App Store

Coming this CES (which is actually next week): a complete credit card transaction accessory and service for your iPhone. If this thing works as expected, you might actually see it in more than a few places (think: street vendors that will take credit card payments). A company called Mophie is planning to show off an add-on that works with an app to deliver credit card payments through Square, a payment service recently started up by Jack Dorsey, a Twitter alumni. This is one of a couple such systems that will be vying to fulfill the function (and probably take a few cents from each transaction for their troubles), but so far all we've really got is demos, no actual releases planned.

But maybe we'll hear more at CES. There's all kinds of applications here -- a solid, working implementation of a service like this could end up being extremely popular for anybody that regularly needs to conduct transactions out in the field.

iPhone credit card reader to be demoed at CES originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone credit card reader to be demoed at CES originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: News Fuse USA for iPhone

Having 54 news sources in one app is definitely convenient, and News Fuse USA delivers them in a snappy interface. But the absence of customization and social features is too noticeable.

ReelDirector Updates with Soundtrack Import for iPhone Video Editing

Yes, it’s a relatively minor update, but after I installed it I realized we hadn’t really mentioned ReelDirector for iPhone [$7.99 - iTunes link] on the front page yet, in its own right, and that’s a shame because any app that can even approach video editing on a mobile device deserves some love.

Now on version 2.4, ReelDirecter adds the ability to important soundtracks, toggle off pan-and-zoom, and increases speed for still photos. But you add to that 2.0’s multitrack, Ken Burns effects, trim and split for imported clips, and videos from synced folders, and you add all that to that its stitching, drag-and-drop reordering, titles and credits, transitions, and more, and this “video toaster” in your pocket deserves some attention. Sure, it won’t replace Final Cut Pro, but it could just be the iPhone’s first pro-sumer level cutter.

If you’ve tried it before, or just try it now, let us know what you think!

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

ReelDirector Updates with Soundtrack Import for iPhone Video Editing

Daring Fireball Weighs in on Apple Tablet

Daring Fireball’s John Gruber often “guesses” what Apple will be releasing, and those guesses are sometimes dead-on-accurate, but when it comes to the iTablet/iSlate, Gruber says Apple’s invoked a full on pre-January 2007-like “cone-of-silence”. Still he’s written up an interesting estimate of what, in his opinion, and iTablet just might be:

I say they’re swinging big — redefining the experience of personal computing.

It will not be pitched as such by Apple. It will be defined by three or four of its built-in primary apps. But long-term, big-picture? It will be to the MacBook what the Macintosh was to the Apple II.

I am not predicting that Apple is phasing out the Mac. (On the contrary, I’ve heard that Mac OS X 10.7 is on pace for a developer release at WWDC in June.) Like all Apple products, The Tablet will do less than we expect but the things it does do, it will do insanely well. It will offer a fraction of the functionality of a MacBook — but that fraction will be way more fun. The same Asperger-y critics who dismissed the iPhone will focus on all that The Tablet doesn’t do and declare that this time, Apple really has ****** up but good. The rest of us will get in line to buy one.

Gruber makes the kind of sense that does here. Apple will produce a large-sized, mainstream-targeted device that excels at handling the media iTunes excels at delivering, combined with the same type of (though not the same UI for) the ease of use the iPhone’s multitouch technology and user experience wowed us with in 2007.

If they’re making one. Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.

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

Daring Fireball Weighs in on Apple Tablet

Can’t find the apps you need? Of course there’s an app for that.

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

If you're like me, you find it impossible to keep up with the constant stream of apps being written for the iPhone and iPod touch. As a result, you wind up missing some useful or fun apps that you would buy if you just knew that they were in the App Store.

Searching the App Store using iTunes doesn't work very well, and there are plenty of sites that review apps (including TUAW), but there are so many apps out there that finding what you want can be a matter of luck rather than skill.

That problem has largely been solved with Appsaurus [iTunes link], a U.S. $0.99 app that can quickly focus on what kinds of apps you like and make decent suggestions for new apps to try or buy.

Here's how Appsaurus works. When you launch the app for the first time, it presents you with an explore mode. It displays a list of apps, and you tap the ones that are of interest to you. You may have some of the apps, but you probably won't have all of them. When you select a favorite you'll get a new list that includes apps that match the general description of the app you clicked on. Run through a few iterations of this process, and the app begins to learn your preferences.

Continue reading Can't find the apps you need? Of course there's an app for that.

Can't find the apps you need? Of course there's an app for that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Can't find the apps you need? Of course there's an app for that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What’s more intelligent than a Genius? Appsaurus

A new app available in the Apple iTunes App Store promises to help iPhone and iPod touch users find apps that match their needs and interests.

Apple Reportedly Addressing Fraud by Third-Party Service Centers

In a pair of articles published over the past week, Hardmac reveals that Apple has been working to fight against fraud perpetrated against the company by third-party authorized service centers. According to the initial report published last week, th...

Apple Considering Google Latitude-like Service for iPhone… with Front Facing Camera? — Patent Watch

Did Apple reject Google Latitude from the App Store because they’re getting ready to launch a similar service of their own… that also uses a front-facing camera? Maybe, maybe not, but Patently Apple found this latest application, and 9to5mac seems to think it’s a possibility:

In Apple’s implementation, it looks like the location data can be carried in an SMS or Instant Message (interesting news in its own right), which can then be opened in the Maps application to show the other person’s location relative to the iPhone user’s. Also, note what appears to be another instance of a front-facing camera on the iPhone image below. We’re calling it now: iPhone 4G (and tablet + maybe iPod touch) get front faing cameras. Who is with us?

We are. At least it makes sense in the iTablet/iSlate, and it’s always near the top of new iPhone hardware feature requests (though would it be WiFi only to prevent AT&T towers from melting?)

Of course, our wishing has never, not ever, made Apple make it so…

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

Apple Considering Google Latitude-like Service for iPhone… with Front Facing Camera? — Patent Watch

Minisquadron Side Scrolling Shooter for iPhone

Minisquadron [$2.99 - itunes link] is a 2D sidescrolling shooter for the iPhone and iPod touch, and my new gaming passion. If you ever enjoyed games like 1942 then you will love this game. Freaking sharks and freaking laser beams! Yes the game has it all. If you have ever wondered what it feels like to be shot down by a giant panda airplane (answer — humiliating), well then this game is a must.

More, and screenshots, after the break!

In minisquadon you fly around and try to shoot down enemy planes to complete a level. The control of the game is smooth and intuitive. One area on the right is for shooting and another area on the left for flying the plane.

As you complete the levels you also unlock enemy planes that then join your squadron and become playable.

If you get shot down, the enemy plane who shot you down gets a “shout out”. You also get shot outs when you have killed a lot of enemies or if you have unlocked a new plane.

The game has over 8 levels that increase in difficulty and tons of replay value due to the new planes you can unlock (some of which are UFOs, pitch forks and a shark!)

If you have not yet tried it, do so and tell me what you think!

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

Minisquadron Side Scrolling Shooter for iPhone

Review: Voltron for iPhone

Voltron doesn't wow with impressive visuals, but the retro graphics and gameplay suit the '80s cartoon series very well. Fans nostalgic for Voltron should definitely give this game a try.

AT&T tells FCC it’s time to cut the cord

In a filing with the FCC, AT&T said the death of landlines is a matter of when, not if.

The 12-hour iPhone app

Filed under: Developer, iPhone, App Store

Gizmondo has an interesting story from David Quinlan, a coder who decided sit down over a weekend with a few friends to crank out an iPhone app. It's an excellent read, not only for the little quirks and tips about organizing a collaborative project very quickly (they sketch out features and then prioritize them, and use Dropbox to keep all the files in the right places), but for the sheer push of how you actually go from idea to concept to code and finally to released iPhone app.

I won't say it sounds easy -- these guys had a good amount of experience at development and releasing software even before they started work on this app, and if you sit down with Erica's book and hope to release your very first piece of code after just a weekend of solo work, it's not going to happen. But it definitely sounds possible -- the iPhone's development platform is relatively easy to pick up (especially if you're already experienced with coding in other languages), and Apple's release process is open to anyone willing to spend the $100 to become an official developer.

The 12-hour iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The 12-hour iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s Tablet Looks Like a Large iPhone

Documents to Go Goes Premium, Adds PowerPoint, Gmail Support for iPhone

Documents to Go with Exchange Attachments is all grown up, has changed its name to Documents to Go Premium [$14.99 - iTunes link], and now offers support for PowerPoint and Gmail attachments for iPhone and iPod touch:

• Edit and create Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations
• Edit/add bullets and text in Outline mode (changes reflected immediately in Slide view)
• Edit/add speaker notes
• Sort/add/dupe/delete slides
• Edit/view Gmail attachments

About the only thing missing is a dedicated, multi-app accessible file repository on the iPhone akin to what the photo app does for images. Get working on that, would you Apple?

Meanwhile, it’s a free update for existing users so if you buy it or just upgrade it, and you try out Docs to Go’s new PowerPoint or Gmail features, let us know how they work for you!

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

Documents to Go Goes Premium, Adds PowerPoint, Gmail Support for iPhone

TiPb Presents: iPhone Live! #82 — Android and Windows and Tablets… Oh, My!

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Join Rene and special guests Phil Nickinson of Android Central and WMExperts and Keith Newman of the PreCentral.net PalmCast Round Robin Android Droid and Hero vs. iPhone and Windows Phone HD2 and Touch Pro2 vs. iPhone, more iTablet, iPhone HD, and iPhone 4.0 rumors, and all the week’s news and opinions. 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:

• 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! #82 — Android and Windows and Tablets… Oh, My!

Fox News “Confirms” Rumored Jan 26 Apple Event, Focusing on “Mobility”

Fox News’ Clayton Morris is upping the ante on the rumored January 26 Apple Media Event, not only saying it’s the real deal, but that it will focus on “mobility”:

I’ve spoken to a source inside Apple who confirmed a “big” event for January. While nothing official has been handed down from the notoriously tight-lipped company, my source took the Financial Times report one step further by saying this event will focus on the mobility space, meaning we’ll see something related to the iPhone/iPod touch product line.

An earlier than usual iPhone 4.0 preview to give developers time to go resolution-independent for an iPhone HD? A camera-toting iPod touch to p!$$ off everyone who got the camera-less version for Xmas? An announcement that Apple is taking itself fully to the cloud? Or just some iTablet/iSlate the entire interwebs have been gossiping about for years?

If you’ve Quantum Leap’ed or flashback’ed from this fictional future, let us know!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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

Fox News “Confirms” Rumored Jan 26 Apple Event, Focusing on “Mobility”

Review: iPhone bill trackers

In our round-up of mobile bill tracking apps, both BillMinder and BillTracker are very good options with features that some users may find more appealing than others. But in Ben Boychuk's estimation, BillMinder enjoys an edge over the competition.