Group Text! – the easy way – iPhone App available

Redbits today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of Group Text! 1.0 for iPhone devices. Group Text! – the easy way. With Group Text! you can send SMS to address book groups, to handpicked set of contacts or to custom distribution lists that don’t affect your groups. You can also create some [...]

Unofficial Lemmings for iPhone gets C&D

Filed under: Gaming, iPhone

Developer Aaron Ardini pulled off the crazy feat last week of porting the classic Lemmings game from Palm OS not only to the iPhone, but also to Windows and the Mac ... in just 36 hours. That's 36 hours straight -- he liveblogged the whole process, and did actually pull it off, sending the iPhone app, which you can see above, into the App Store for approval.

There's just one hitch -- Ardini doesn't actually own the Lemmings property. Sony does, and as soon as the company heard about his port, it dropped a cease and desist letter on him, commanding him to remove all ports he's hosted and not to port any other Sony games. So there's no way, as of now, that we'll see this app in the App Store.

Of course, if Sony knows what's good for them, the company could pay Ardini to release the port for them, and we could all play the old version of Lemmings on the iPhone (and pay for the privilege). Ardini says he'll "open communication" for such a deal, so we'll have to wait and see.

Unofficial Lemmings for iPhone gets C&D originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Unofficial Lemmings for iPhone gets C&D originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone live podcast #106: Re-revolutionized

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iPhone 4 is here and we spend the show reviewing it, from FaceTime to multitasking, Retina Display to camera, and iOS 4 and iOS 4 ready apps! Listen-in!

…because once again, the week is done and so are we!

(Feel free to chat away while we’re unconscious though, pick any topic above or just talk the night away.)

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory 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

iPhone live podcast #106: Re-revolutionized is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

TUAW review and giveaway: Quirky Beamer iPhone case

Filed under: Reviews, iPhone

We're starting off the Independence Day holiday with a bang -- a giveaway to one lucky TUAW reader of the Quirky Beamer iPhone case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. Before you enter the contest, however, I'm sure you'd like to know what makes the Beamer different and how it works. That's the purpose of this short review.

The Beamer is one of Quirky's community-designed projects. We've talked about Quirky before -- anyone can make a suggestion for a new product, and if enough people like the idea then it goes through a community design and review process. The Beamer, suggested by Canadian Jenny Tyler, solves an issue for those who don't have an iPhone 4 to complain about; it supplies a very bright LED light that is amazingly useful in taking photos with the 3G and 3GS.

Continue reading TUAW review and giveaway: Quirky Beamer iPhone case

TUAW review and giveaway: Quirky Beamer iPhone case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW review and giveaway: Quirky Beamer iPhone case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iOS 4 updated Apps: Twittelator Pro, GoodReader, Echofon, Reeder, Apple Store Mobile App

We’re still lurking the App Store for signs of apps that have added iOS 4 support and we’ve found some more good ones. Some apps are only adding compatibility while some really take advantage of the new APIs Apple is offering to developers. Adding compatibility isn’t the same as adding new APIs and features to increase not only user experience, but productivity and ease of use.

Read on to see what ones intrigued us this time.

Apple Store Mobile

I just received this update today and it adds retina display support for images within the Apple Store for iPhone 4 users as well as fast app switching. If you haven’t downloaded this one yet, it’s definitely much more convenient than trying to browse the Apple website within Safari, and it’s free.

[iTunes Link]

Twittelator Pro

Twittelator Pro has always been a serious contender in the race for best Twitter client. A lot of people are hardcore users and follow the platform faithfully. They’ve updated their app with support for fast app switching along with the promise of faster speeds within the app. That’s all they’ve announced, but to me, the icon and app looks a heck of a lot sharper on the iPhone 4. Anyone else notice this?

[iTunes Link]

Reeder

Reeder has been my all-time favorite RSS app on my iPhone for quite a while now. I was happy to see they have now issued an update for iOS4 that supports fast app switching. Reeder would always cache the page even under OS 3.0 but the app just loads so much quicker now, and if you’re actually viewing the real page within the Reeder browser, it won’t kick you out of the article if you close it out, thanks to multitasking.

[iTunes Link]

Echofon

Echofon, like Twittelator Pro is also one of the more popular Twitter clients you’ll find in the App Store.  Recent updates in the past few months have made this client all the better.  They offer a free version and a paid version (sans the ads).  Echofon also offers push notifications and many of the advanced features clients like Twitter for iPhone and Twitteriffic offer.  This update added fast app switching and retina display support for iPhone 4 users.  If you haven’t updated, go check it out!

[iTunes Link]

GoodReader

GoodReader is not only a PDF viewer but a program that will allow USB file transfer between devices.  It also provides wifi syncing as well which is awesome for transferring large PDF and text files to your iPhone from your computers.  I find this especially useful for work documents such as Excel files and large resolution images.  GoodReader also carriers a free version, but you’re limited to transferring 5 files at a time.  The iOS4 update allows for fast app switching.  It does appear they have a bug in iOS4 that affects USB file transfer, and I’m not sure whether they’ve fixed that and just not updated the description, or if it’s still present.  I haven’t had any issues, how about you guys?

[iTunes Link]

iOS 4 updated Apps: Twittelator Pro, GoodReader, Echofon, Reeder, Apple Store Mobile App is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Why I gave up my iPhone

Filed under: iPhone, iPad

A month ago I was planning an iPhone upgrade/trickledown plan like this: I would get the iPhone 4, my wife would get my 3GS, and our son would inherit her 2G (aka "original iPhone") to be used like an iPod touch.

Today we cancelled the iPhone 4 order, my wife inherited my 3GS, the boy has the 2G, and I... well, I have a Nokia 2320 (which, despite Nokia's claims, instructs me not to hold it certain ways).

What happened? In a word: iPad.

Since the release of the iPhone I have really wanted an iPhone without the phone. I rarely use the phone (we live in an AT&T dead zone, so we have to keep a landline). In fact, my wife and I shared 550 minutes per month and recently we expired 351 minutes. My guess is that most of those few minutes we used were to call each other. In the three years since the iPhone was released, AT&T has refused to offer a voice plan with fewer minutes, even now that they're offering tiered data plans. With the advent of the iPad, I can get the mobile data that I want without the voice minutes that I don't need or use.

Read on for the rest of the story...

Continue reading Why I gave up my iPhone

Why I gave up my iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Why I gave up my iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 Reception Problem: Multiple Class-Action Lawsuits Filed Against Apple

Readers: How to get satisfaction from Apple support on iPhone 4 issues

Filed under: Apple, iPhone

Contrary to Apple's official word on iPhone 4 reception issues, an adjustment in the way signal strength is displayed may not fix dropped calls and slow data for those who are having problems. A few TUAW readers have let us know that they have gotten complimentary Apple iPhone 4 Bumpers from Apple Store managers and Geniuses when they've come in with severe 'death grip' signal issues. Why? These same Apple employees appear to realize that the bumper does indeed fix connectivity issues in low-signal areas, and offering a bumper instead of a replacement phone is making both Apple and the consumer happy.

Apple's rumored policy is to not give away the $29 bumpers to consumers, and DIY bumpers may not suit your style. So, how do you get the golden ticket, in this case the free bumper? It seems that documenting your case carefully and showing that you've performed all of the recommended fixes in advance of your Genius Bar appointment helps a lot. Click on the read more link below to see our suggestions on what you need to do to best represent yourself before heading off to the local Apple Store.

Continue reading Readers: How to get satisfaction from Apple support on iPhone 4 issues

Readers: How to get satisfaction from Apple support on iPhone 4 issues originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Readers: How to get satisfaction from Apple support on iPhone 4 issues originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4 cases, iPhone 4 pictures, reception woes, iPhone 4 jailbreak – From the Forums

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven’t already head on over and register now!

• Still on the hunt for a new iPhone 4 case? Look no further than the following thread: iPhone 4 Cases.

• The iPhone 4 has one of the best smartphone cameras currently available so after you’ve taken advantage of it’s camera why not post some of your pictures in our forums? Show off your iPhone 4 pictures here.

• The whole reception issue debate continues with some people effected more than others. Chime in on this poll thread and let us know if you are one of those who are suffering with poor reception.

• Miss your jailbreak on your new iPhone 4? Sound off in this poll thread!

See you in the forums!

iPhone 4 cases, iPhone 4 pictures, reception woes, iPhone 4 jailbreak – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Review: TheaterMania for iPhone

This free app can guide you to live theater and other performances, though it seems to work best in major metropolitan areas.

GoodReader is bringing syncing back

Filed under: iPhone, SDK, iPad

GoodReader was one of a handful of apps which had figured out how to do USB syncing to iPhones, but their solution was in violation of Apple's iPhone SDK rules. Apple eventually required all 3rd party iPhone apps to remove this functionality. Some apps, like GoodReader, could sync via iTunes but it was very limited. Wi-Fi syncing was also an option, but it was slower and prone to configuration issues.

GoodReader has released a free utility named GoodReaderUSB which, as the name implies to any who haven't suffered a traumatic blow to the head, allows you to connect to GoodReader via USB. The software is free and available for Windows (XP, Vista, and 7) and Mac OS X (10.4, 10.5, and 10.6).

The interface is simple enough, and if you have more than one iDevice you can connect more than one at a time. In my initial testing it worked as expected. The UI is fairly straightforward and allows for drag & drop access, folder creation, and deletion.

GoodReader is available for iPad and iPhone/iPod touch. There's a free "lite" version but the app is easily worth more than the $0.99 asking price. One of the "hidden gems" of GoodReader is that it's not just a reader, but will allow you to download just about any file to your iPhone or iPad by pasting in the URL. I use it for downloading PDFs and then sending them to iBooks on the iPad.

GoodReader is bringing syncing back originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GoodReader is bringing syncing back originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Info-Mac announces iForum 1.0.6 for iPhone

Info-Mac(R) today is pleased to announce the release and immediate availability of iForum 1.0.6 for Apple iOS devices. This new update brings several new features to the iForum application, including native support for iPad, optimized graphics for iPhone 4’s high resolution display, support for all orientations on all devices, access the the forum user control [...]

How To Resolve Syncing Issues With Microsoft Exchange In iOS 4

Visualized: iPhone 4 spills its guts

The most beautiful iPhone art of all time? Likely. And the best part? There's no lower left corner to grab and kill your reception.

[Thanks, Mads]

Visualized: iPhone 4 spills its guts originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google CEO: We don’t have a plan to beat Apple

Google CEO Eric Schmidt said in a recent interview that they’re not in competition with Apple, even while taking a little shot at the company on whose board of directors he sat during the iPhone’s development.

We don’t have a plan to beat Apple, that’s not how we operate,” Schmidt says. “We’re trying to do something different than Apple and the good news is that Apple is making that very easy.”

“The difference between the Apple model and the Google model is easy to understand – they’re completely different. The Google model is completely open. You can basically take the software – it’s free – you can modify whatever you want, you can add any kind of app, you can build any kind of business model on top of it and you can add any kind of hardware. The Apple model is the inverse.”

Which is poppycock, really.

I’m as invested in Google’s services as I am Apple’s products, but come on. Completely open? Like any company, Google is open in what doesn’t make them money and proprietary as heck in what does. Android is open (under the Apache license, not GPL — which should give the philosophical FOSSies pause) but Google certainly hasn’t opened their search or AdWords platforms. Likewise Apple open sources WebKit (which Google uses for their browser) and OpenCL and Grand Central and FaceTime, but keeps their crown jewels equally closed. So enough already with the open stuff. You give me free services so you can mine my data, I sell my soul to you to use them. Deal. Just don’t insult my intelligence while doing it.

Much like the silly Google I/O comments, Google needs to compete on technology, not fake ideology. Android 2.2 sounds smoking hot and Android 3.0 might finally look as good as it works. Compete on that.

(Which, of course, is Google’s plan. It’s the plan they claim they don’t have — the one that had them go from a BlackBerry-esque prototype to an iPhone-like model almost immediately after Macworld 2007.)

They are opposites when it comes to go-to-market strategy, however. Apple is doing the (almost) bottom-to-top solution, lacking only their own carrier. Makes for great, integrated, singular vision. Google is partnering on hardware and implementation. Makes for excellent, diverse, flexible options.

We’re lucky to have both. We’d be luckier if Google just said so straight out.

[Telegraph.co.uk via Android Central]

Google CEO: We don’t have a plan to beat Apple is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Nokia on long comeback trail after smartphone misses

Nokia's inability to produce smartphones that can compete head-to-head with Apple's iPhone and Android-based smartphones is causing it major problems.

Rumor: Apple has a CDMA iPhone ready for Verizon

Filed under: iPhone

Just as every new day is met with a rising sun, every Apple event elicits rumors of an iPhone carried by Verizon. Some believe that a Verizon-compatible iPhone already exists and is merely waiting for a deal to be finalized.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg suggested that Verizon would debut its iPhone offering in January of 2011. AT&T has been the exclusive iPhone carrier it the US since its introduction in 2007. January is another six months away. What would be keeping this deal from going through?

John Gruber of Daring Fireball believes it's not the hardware. You'll remember when Steve Jobs revealed that "...Mac OS X has been leading a secret, double life," and he announced the move to Intel chips. John believes that a Verizon-compatible iPhone has been quietly existing at Apple, receiving the same refinements and improvements as its brother on AT&T.

The Loop's Jim Dalrymple agrees with John, adding that ongoing negotiations are the current stalling point. "It's reasonable to assume," Jim writes, "that the two companies are in negotiations and the Bloomberg article is just another negotiating tactic, but I don't think a deal has been signed."

Of course, they're both right. It wouldn't make any sense for Apple to finalize a deal with Verizon and then run around like a bunch of headless chickens to get a piece of hardware out the door. Speaking of that deal, Apple is in a great position. The iPhone continues to sell phenomenally well, and since the beginning fans have expressed an interest in the iPhone on Verizon.

Steve Jobs is notorious for hard-line negotiations. It's reasonable to assume that's where the Verizon deal is currently mired.

[Another possibility is that the Verizon iPhone in the underground labs is an LTE/CDMA hybrid device, and Verizon would use it as the flagship 4G phone for the network in the same way that Sprint is currently promoting the EVO 4G Android phone. -Ed.]

Rumor: Apple has a CDMA iPhone ready for Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: Apple has a CDMA iPhone ready for Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple: iPhone 4 Reception Problem Due To Incorrect Display Of Signal Strength; iPhone Software Update Coming Soon To Fix It

Review: Despicable Me: Minion Mania for iPhone

Though Despicable Me is a kids movie, this game will certainly challenge and entertain adults as well.

Yellowing issues with the iPhone 4’s camera

Filed under: iPhone

There's more trouble for the iPhone 4. Some users are reporting that poor white balance is affecting some of their photos; specifically, indoor shots taken, both, with and without the LED flash have a predominately yellow hue. This typically happens when a digital camera has trouble reading the type of light in a given environment.

As Macworld explains, all types of light -- fluorescent light, sunlight, tungsten bulbs, etc. -- create different hues in photographs. The digital camera's job is to notice which hues are present and calibrate accordingly (that's a rough overview, but you get the idea). You can see the yellowing in the photo above, which shows the same photograph taken with an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 3GS, an iPhone 4, and a Canon 5D.

Apple has not yet responded to Macworld's inquiries about the issue, but we'll let you know if and when they do. In the meantime, have you seen this issue?

Yellowing issues with the iPhone 4's camera originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Yellowing issues with the iPhone 4's camera originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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