iPad versions of Comic Zeal, Synotes in the works

Both Bitolithic and Synocode unveiled their iPad plans in blog posts. In Bitolithic's case that means an iPad-optimized version of its Comic Zeal comic-book reading and storage app, while Synocode is releasing an iPad only version of its Synotes note-taking app.

iPad Unsurprisingly Registering Most Popular With Affluent Young Adults Already Owning Apple Products

A new market research study of approximately 2,000 consumers released today by NPD unsurprisingly reveals that awareness of Apple's forthcoming iPad tablet is highest among current owners of Apple product...

Review: Star Walk for iPhone

If you're interested in learning more about objects in space -- and the Earth's relation to them -- this is a great app to download. It's also intuitive enough for kids to easily navigate.

Warships: Sea on Fire to set sail on the iPad

A naval strategy game from I-Play and Tequlia Mobile, Waships promises a dedicated iPad experience when Apple's tablet arrives next week.

Review: Reiner Knizia’s Topas

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

We don't mind it when iPhone versions of board games differ from their realspace counterparts, but the Topas app ($2.99) takes the basic ideas behind Reiner Knizia's 2009 game Topas and twists them into a mash-up of Tetris, the standard line-up-three-of-a-kind video games, and dominoes. The dominoes thing was in the original, but the video game vibes are all new.

Is this a good thing? Well, it kind of is. We like the variety that the app brings to basic Topas, but we don't understand why it was apparently impossible to carry over original gameplay from the physical card game. Even the game mode that comes closest to the card game version - weakest link, which is very similar to the card game's solo play - changes one minor rule. As to why, we have no idea. Still, Topas offers a decent amount of challenge and fun in an attractive package - maybe slightly overpriced in the App Store's admittedly low-cost ecosystem - for people who like their puzzle games to sparkle.

Keep reading to find out more about how Topas works and doesn't work as an iPhone game.

Continue reading Review: Reiner Knizia's Topas

Review: Reiner Knizia's Topas originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Review: Reiner Knizia's Topas originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Executives Cash in Over 1 Million Shares of Apple Stock

In a series of filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Apple revealed that a number of its senior executives have cashed in on over a million shares of Apple stock as shares gr...

How Much Will You Pay for iPad Apps?

How much will you pay for iPad apps? Steve Jobs said the iPad was a new category between the iPhone and the laptop, so will iPad software be a new category between the two as well?

PC software for Windows or Mac can range from free to well over a thousand dollars for a suite — looking at you Adobe CS5 — or more. iPhone apps on the other hand have raced to the bottom, with free being common and cheap being the biggest alternative. Most apps hover around $0.99. Only a few apps dare go over $5, let along $10 or more.

Apple might have given us some indication with the pricing they announced for their iWork productivity apps for iPad. On the Mac, iWork is bundled at $79 for a single license and $99 for a 5 license family pack [Apple Online Store link]. On the iPad, the apps won’t be bundled. Pages (word processing), Keynote (presentation), and Numbers (spreadsheet), will each be sold separately for $9.99. There’s no single or family license; just like with iPhone apps (or iTunes DRM content) you’ll be able to install them on up to 5 authorized devices.

By contrast, iPhone and iPod touch productivity suites currently cost $14.99 for QuickOffice [iTunes link] or Documents to Go [iTunes link]

So, roughly, $99 gets you 5 Macs with iWork while $30 gets you 5 iPads with iWork, and puts the price scale for iPad apps significantly higher than iPhone apps (200%) but significantly cheaper than Mac apps (30%).

We’ll know more when we start to see what third party developers charge for Mac/Windows apps they bring to the iPad, and for iPhone and iPad touch apps that are ported over as well.

In the meantime, let us know what you think. Edge cases aside, what would you consider a fair price for a quality app on the iPad?

How Much Will You Pay for iPad Apps? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple Ramping Up Hiring for North Carolina Data Center

As noted by 9 to 5 Mac, Apple has begun ramping up hiring for its new data center in Maiden, North Carolina, posting ten new job openings at the site over the past few days. While rumors have suggested that the new $1 billion center might be used to...

Line2 iPhone VoIP App Hits App Store — Sort Of

Line2 is new VoIP app for the iPhone and iPod touch that allows you to make calls on your iPhone over your 3G data connection while avoiding using up your ever important voice minutes. The app itself will cost you $1 but unlike Google Voice or Skype there is a $15 per month fee (after the initial free 30 day trial) but most of you will find that you do get your money’s worth with all of the following features.

• A dedicated number that finds you on any phone. Get a local number, an 800 number, or transfer an existing number.
• Powerful office phone features including call waiting, call transfer, caller ID, call forwarding, and more.
• A second number for your cell phone that allows you to place and receive calls on your cell phone from your Toktumi number. Now you can keep your personal cell number private without having to carry two cell phones.
• Auto Attendant (”Press 1 for…”) that’s like a 24/7 receptionist – managing and routing incoming calls to the right person or department automatically. -Instant conference calls for up to 20 people — you can even record your conference calls for future reference (windows only).
• Voicemail by e-mail that simplifies your communications and helps you easily manage your important messages.
• Virtual Assistant that screens and announces calls and provides different greetings for business and personal callers.
• PC-based calling for conducting calls and conferences from your PC anywhere worldwide. You can even dial numbers by name or keyword (windows only).
• Unlimited calling and conferencing to the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as to other Toktumi users worldwide.
• Simultaneous call forwarding to up to six numbers
• Ultra-low rates for international calls, e.g. $.02 per minute for calls to China, Italy, and the U.K. See rates here.

All of the above are great features but not everything is a bed of roses. Two major drawbacks are as follows – until Apple allows for multitasking you must have the app running in order to receive incoming calls and currently you can not receive or send text messages (the latter should be fixed in a future update).

Now before you head into the App Store looking to download Line2 you should be aware it has been pulled by the developer, Toktumi. The blame goes to a DNS attack and not Apple like you may have thought so it will be back once the attack is cleared up.

Once it is up and running and you decide to give it a try, let us know how it works for you in the comments below!

[Via New York Times]

Line2 iPhone VoIP App Hits App Store — Sort Of is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Apple’s iPad Touch Panel Supply Woes Continue, Shifts Production From TPK to Wintek

DigiTimes reports that TPK Touch Solutions, one of Apple's suppliers for touch panels in its new iPad, has been experiencing delayed shipments. As a result, Apple has shifted orders to its other touch pa...

TiPb Live Podcast #91: Gift This!

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Chad and Rene discuss Steve Jobs’ customer service, iPad approaching, gifting apps, Android goes 4G, 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:

• I Called You — iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

TiPb Live Podcast #91: Gift This! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Google Paying Carriers to Go Android, Apple Still Charging for iPhone

Well technically Google seems to be sharing revenue generated from services like Search, Gmail, Maps, etc. with their carrier and manufacturing partners to incentivize their “going Android”. If rumors of Apple making a cool $100,000,000 a year from Google for iPhone search are any indicator, the money may be nothing to sneeze at either.

Apple by contrast also gets $400 from AT&T per iPhone customer (the part AT&T subsidizes off full list price so those who sign contracts can get the iPhone 3GS for $199 instead of $599). So Apple is making money, Google is paying money (offsetting manufacturer cost), but the revenue — and the access to Android users’ data — is likely so valuable to Google that they consider it well worth the investment.

Given how many and how fast new uber-Android devices are hitting the market, the carriers likely don’t mind one bit. (Android aficionados who just bought the Nexus One and now want the EVO 4G, on the other hand, might prefer a bit of a breather.)

Either way, both companies are so obscenely positive that their respective business models must be doing something right. Still, it’s interesting to see the differences in those business models. RIM tries to sell their small network footprint, Apple their brand cache, Google their free OS with revenue sharing services. Which one will prove most successful? We’ll have to wait and see.

[MocoNews via Phone Scoop via Android Central. Photo credit.]

Google Paying Carriers to Go Android, Apple Still Charging for iPhone is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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TiPb Apps 6.4: Flight Control for iPhone… and Flight Control HD for iPad!

Live from GDC 2010, Rene talks to Alexandra Peters of Firemint about Flight Control for the iPhone… and Flight Control HD for the iPad!

YouTube link

TiPb Apps 6.4: Flight Control for iPhone… and Flight Control HD for iPad! is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

Geohot Announces Untethered Jailbreak For iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 2G, iPod Touch 3G; That Might Also Work On iPad