Vanity Fair releases Oscar predictions app

Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store

Film fans everywhere will be sitting before their TVs on March 7th to catch the Academy Awards. Now, as with so many other things, there's an app for that.

Vanity Fair Magazine has produced the free Oscars app called Vanity Fair Hollywood. Users can submit their predictions for winners, browse photo galleries, share comments and prediction results via Facebook and more. Of course, you can chat in real time during the show itself from within the app and watch trailers of the nominated films. I'm not an Oscars fan, but I often fire up Twitter when watching my beloved Red Sox because the accompanying chat makes the experience more fun.

For more iPhone fun on Oscar night, check out these apps:

• The Envelope (Free) Try and predict the winners and share results with your friends.
• Awards: Oscar Edition ($0.99) Search for winners and nominees in all categories quickly, search award histories and get up-to-date information and results.
• The Adademy Awards Bible ($2.99) lists all 850 Academy Award winners, organized by name, title, category, etc. It's quite the mobile tome for Oscar bufffs.
• Oscar Pool 2010 ($0.99) Invite your friends to bet on who will win. Create a profile, add photos and more.

[Via TechCrunch]

Vanity Fair releases Oscar predictions app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Vanity Fair releases Oscar predictions app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sling Media Denies Collaboration With AT&T on 3G Streaming

Yesterday, AT&T announced that it had finally decided to allow Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile to stream video over the carrier's 3G network. As part of the announcement, AT&T claimed that it had "worked with" Sling Media to develop a version of th...

Sling says it didn’t change iPhone SlingPlayer for AT&T

AT&T certainly made a few of us happy yesterday when it announced that the iPhone SlingPlayer app would now be allowed to run over its 3G network, but the carrier apparently embellished the facts a little when it said Sling had optimized the app to be "more bandwidth sensitive" -- Sling's John Santoro told Ars Technica that it "didn't change anything," and that "AT&T never discussed specific requirements with us." So much for that happy narrative -- we thought AT&T's line sounded odd, given that SlingPlayer has always run just fine on AT&T Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and S60 devices. It's cool, though, Sling isn't sweating it: "Whatever the reason, we're just glad AT&T has approved it." Now it's just up to Apple to let it through the App Store -- any day now, guys.

Sling says it didn't change iPhone SlingPlayer for AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Requests Google Android Mention Be Removed from App Store Description

Have the gloves officially come off with Apple demanding Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab’s developer remove a mention of Google’s Android from their App Store application’s description? This does come just days after Steve Jobs fired away claiming Google’s “don’t be evil” motto was “BS”. Coincidence? You tell us.

According to Cult of Mac:

In an email to the developer of “Flash of Genius: SAT Vocab” developer Tim Novikoff, Apple wrote “it would be appropriate to remove ‘Finalist in Google’s Android Developer’s Challenge!’ from the application’s description. Apple wrote that the edit was required to “avoid an interruption in the availability” of the flash card application.

As of this post Novikoff has removed the mention and the app remains available in the App Store. He does have plans to get in touch with Apple to figure out a way to sneak in his top 10 finish in the Android developer contest without ruffling any Apple feathers.

Is it just us or do you think Apple is going just a tad bit too far with this one?

[Via Cult of Mac]

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

Apple Requests Google Android Mention Be Removed from App Store Description

Review: Powermat Home & Office Mat, Portable Mat

Powermat's wireless charging mats allow you to power up your devices without fiddling with cables and connectors. But if you want to use it with your iPhone or iPod touch, it fetches a premium price.

TiPb Give-Away: Navigon MobileNavigator and Macworld Guided Tour!

MobileNavigator [$69.99 on sale - iTunes link] maker Navigon is going to be at Macworld 2010 next week and knowing them, they may just have a few surprises in store for the show! You’ll be able to find out all about them first hand from Navigon, February 11-13 at booth #575 (or second hand from TiPb if you’re following along online).

To celebrate, Navigon is giving TiPb readers a chance to get MobileNavigator for FREE!

If you’re going to be at Macworld, Navigon is offering:

• Two (2) lucky readers a FREE copy of MobileNavigator along with a hands-on demo at their booth from Navigon’s product manager, Bernd Hahn, who’ll show you all the tips and tricks you’ll ever need to know. (You have to be at Macworld on Feb 11 and/or 12 to claim it.)

If you’re following along online, Navigon is offering:

• Two (2) lucky readers a FREE copy of MobileNavigator as well!

Here’s how to enter:

• If you’re going to be at Macworld and want the FREE MobileNavigator, email rene@tipb.com with subject-heading NAVIGON and you’re entered to win — simple as that!

• If you’re not going to be at Macworld, but still want the FREE MobileNavigator, jump into the TiPb Apps Forum and tell us — where do you want to use Navigon to go? Name your driving destination!

The give-away begins now and lasts until February 10 at 12pm PT. US App Store account required to use Promo Codes (Apple’s rule, not ours!)

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

TiPb Give-Away: Navigon MobileNavigator and Macworld Guided Tour!

iPad Helping Book Publishers Gain More Control Over eBook Pricing

Last weekend, book publisher Macmillan won out over Amazon in a battle over eBook pricing, switching to an "agency model" in which book prices are set by the publisher with retailers receiving a percentage (30% in Amazon's case) of the sales price. ...

Review: Dragon’s Lair for iPhone

Dragon’s Lair is essentially an interactive animated film. Considering one of the most popular arcade games of all time, Digital Leisure has done a terrific job porting this stunning classic to the iPhone and iPod touch.

TiPb at Macworld 2010 Next Week — Join Us and Save!

TiPb heads off to Macworld 2010 in San Francisco next week, and we’ll bring you back all the latest in iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad news, apps, accessories. I’ll be there most of the week, from Conference to Expo, and Leanna will be joining in for the Expo this year as well.

If you’re a reader and you’re at Macworld, be sure to catch us and say hi! If you’re a developer with a great app you can’t wait to show off, let us know where you are and we’ll do everything we can to catch as many of you as we can as well.

Still not sure if you’re coming to Macworld? IDG was kind enough to pass along a discount code for TiPb readers, good for $15 off the Expo or 15% off the Conference.

Here’s what you’re going to want to check out:

• Macworld Special iPad Event: Exclusive iPad preview and analysis by Macworld editorial director, Jason Snell, plus… win an iPad!
• Market Symposium: iPhone App Business Development and Marketing
• Mobile Apps Showcase: an easy way for developers to get on the Expo floor, and a convenient way for app-lovers to find them!
• iPhone Super Session: Macworld’s Chris Breen teaches a ton of tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your iPhone

See you there!

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

TiPb at Macworld 2010 Next Week — Join Us and Save!

Apple: No Location-based Ads for Non Location-based Apps — Controversy de Jour?

Apple’s iPhone Developer News feed has posted a note saying developers should enhance their App Store apps with Core Location… but not if they just want to use it to serve up location-based ads. Of course, this has set off yet another round of conspiracy theories and Apple accusations. Here’s what Apple had to say:

The Core Location framework allows you to build applications which know where your users are and can deliver information based on their location, such as local weather, nearby restaurants, ATMs, and other location-based information.

If you build your application with features based on a user’s location, make sure these features provide beneficial information. If your app uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user’s location, your app will be returned to you by the App Store Review Team for modification before it can be posted to the App Store.

Since Apple bought mobile advertiser Quattro Wireless and said they were going to provide a seamless way for developers to earn advertising revenue, especially for free apps, chatter on the web has it the above is Apple’s way of locking out the competition in general, and Google-owned AdMob in specific.

And why not? Just a few days ago there was rampant speculation Apple was forcing Stanza to remove USB sharing to punish owner Amazon and get all anti-competitive due to their upcoming iBooks app. Turns out, however, Stanza was using a private API and misusing the camera roll to store eBooks instead of the image files it’s meant for.

So sure, maybe Apple is getting ready to be anti-competitive about advertising, and risk a ton of negative developer reaction and potential investigation, or maybe Quattro Wireless-powered apps will likewise have to make sure advertising isn’t the primary purpose of location-aware apps either. Maybe our location information is a fairly important piece of data and using it because we want to find a restaurant or friend is preferable to it being used because someone else wants to serve us an ad.

So yes, this could be a nefarious plot for unfair competition or it could just be Apple’s policy on all location-based advertising going forward — if you want to use GPS and CoreLocation, make sure the primary reason is for the user, not for the ads.

TiPb will keep an eye on this as it develops, but let us know your thoughts!

[Thanks to Fassy for the tip!]

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

Apple: No Location-based Ads for Non Location-based Apps — Controversy de Jour?

iPad GUI Design Recommendations, Templates, and Galleries

If you’re interested in iPad design or development, the internet is already offering up resources for you, including interface recommendations, icon templates, and galleries of Apple examples. And why not? The same people who love every pixel of interface on the iPhone are finding 1024×768 reasons to pour over the iPad’s beefy new canvas as well.

First up, Gizmodo highlights some of Apple’s new iPad Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) which suggest developers “think different” and not just big when it comes to the iPad. They have to “just work” no matter how a user holds the iPad, portrait or landscape, and they should remain just as focused and uncluttered as iPhone apps. It should be easy to share, both in terms of several people using the app on the same devices, and moving data back and forth from the app. Real world look and feel is encouraged; making contacts look like a book gives it tangibility. Multiple multitouch gestures are your friend (there’s a reason NOVA let the player touch the screen and turn the door latch). And while it is a computer, it shouldn’t present the user with file-systems or other computer management tasks.

Next, Cocoia has been generous enough to share a downloadable Photoshop PSD template for iPhone and iPad icons, everything from giant 512×512 to standard iPad and iPhone sizes, to iPad Spotlight and menubar variants.

Last but not least, developer Frasier Spears has painstakingly assembled a Flickr gallery of every iPad UI element he could get his screen-shot on, and presented them with commentary. No better way to get started than by checking out what Apple’s done so far.

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

iPad GUI Design Recommendations, Templates, and Galleries

TiPb on the Cell Phone Junky Unlocked

Frequent iPhone Live! panelist Mickey Papillon was kind enough to invite yours truly to come on The Cell Phone Junkie Unlocked podcast and talk about Apple’s latest iPhone OS device — the iPad.

It’s a subscriber’s-only podcast, but Mickey and his partner Joey also offer up the free Cell Phone Junkie podcast, and over the course of the last two months I’ve been on there as part of the Smartphone Round Robin, along with PreCentral.net’s Dieter Bohn, CrackBerry.com’s Kevin Michaluk, AndroidCentral.com’s Casey Chan, NokiaExperts.com’s Matt Miller, and WMExperts.com’s Phil Nickinson for a look at the past, present, and future of all the major smartphone platforms.

• The Cell Phone Junkie: Windows Phone
• The Cell Phone Junkie: Nokia
• The Cell Phone Junkie: SPE Round Robin Podcast Part 2
• The Cell Phone Junkie: webOS
• The Cell Phone Junkie: iPhone
• The Cell Phone Junkie: BlackBerry
• The Cell Phone Junkie: Android
• The first Round Robin Podcast! State of the Platforms

Check them out, and my thanks to Mickey for the invite!

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

TiPb on the Cell Phone Junky Unlocked

Apple, Google battling for mobile ads

In another stage of its mounting battle with Google, Apple has hired two mobile ad industry big hitters.