Apple Getting Ready For The Official Launch Of Game Center; Confirms It Is Not Compatible With iPhone 3G

Boston.com launches Big Picture iPad app, where it finally feels at home

No shame in saying it -- we're huge, huge fans of Boston's 'Big Picture' blog. Regardless of the subject matter, the photographs gathered there never fail to speak to something a little deeper within our souls, and now viewing them just because a wee bit easier. The portal has today launched a new version of their 'Big Picture' app that's fully compatible with the iPad, enabling Apple tablet owners to see new photographic essays on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week. Unfortunately, the app costs $2.99 (where it's free to surf on over to the website), and the current crop of reviews are less than glowing. Might we suggest waiting a tick to see if those early issues are ironed out in a subsequent release?

Continue reading Boston.com launches Big Picture iPad app, where it finally feels at home

Boston.com launches Big Picture iPad app, where it finally feels at home originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Extended iTunes Store Song Samples Held Up Over Licensing Issues

Just two days before Apple's media event last week, CNET reported that Apple was set to extend the length of song samples in the iTunes Store from 30 seconds to as much as 90 seconds, offering consumers g...

iPod touch 4 early review round-up

The new iPod touch packing iOS 4.1 should be hitting US stores tomorrow and that means some early reviews are hitting the web tonight. What’s the bottom line? Follow on after the break for the first batch and we’ll add more as they go live.

• Donald Bell of CNET says: “The Apple iPod Touch is arguably the last shot fired in the war of portable media players. There’s simply no catching up to it in terms of quality and capabilities. In fact, we sometimes joke around at CNET about how many product categories have been unintentionally maimed by the Touch, including Internet radios, PDAs, portable gaming devices, and GPS receivers.”

• Joshua Topolsky of Engadget says “The new touch isn’t magical or revolutionary, or even unfamiliar. What it is, however, is a product without a peer; a media player that does far more than media playing. Besides the smaller screen real estate, the touch might be better compared to a tablet or netbook — it has many of the same functions (more, in some cases).”

• Chris Breen of Macworld says: “Despite the cameras’ weaknesses, this is a very good iPod touch. If you have a third-generation iPod touch and lack an iPhone 4, this iPod’s FaceTime capabilities may tempt you to upgrade. If you’re unhappy with the performance or capacity of an even earlier iPod touch, this iPod is more compelling still. And if you’re without iPhone or iPod touch and have been holding out for a device thiiiis close to the iPhone—without the incumbent data plan and two-year commitment (and, of course, the phone features)—that realization has never been closer. It’s hard to imagine what more Apple could do to tempt you.”

• Tim Gideon of PCMag says: “The only real problem with the touch is its high price—especially if you want a decent amount of storage. But with an entry point of $229, you do get a camera, HD video recorder, music and video player, portable gaming console, Web browser, e-mail, and app device in one slick, pocket-size package. There’s just no other portable media player that can do what the iPod touch can do.”

• Vincent Nguyen of SlashGear says: “Finally, the iPod touch, and if ever there was a device to overshadow the iPhone 4, this is it. It’s tough to imagine Apple being able to shave anything more from the touch, and a brief hands-on with the PMP is enough to convince most that the Apple premium is worth it.”

• MG Siegler of TechCrunch says “For some people, [720p video] alone will be reason enough to part with at least $229 for the 8 gigabyte version. But when you add in the fact that it has the same “Retina” display that Apple made for the iPhone 4, and the A4 chip which Apple included in both the iPhone 4 and the iPad, and of course, FaceTime support, there’s no question that this thing is going to be a massive hit for Apple.”

• Ed Baig of USA Today says: “Steve Jobs noted during last week’s unveiling of freshly designed iPods that the iPod Touch has been called “an iPhone without the phone,” and an “iPhone without a contract.” Now that it’s even more like the iPhone 4, it’s sure to remain the most popular iPod.”

If you didn’t order yours already, do any of these make you want to stop by the Apple Store tomorrow and pick one up?

iPod touch 4 early review round-up is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

iPod Nano and Touch In Stores Tomorrow, Early Reviews

We've heard that the new iPod nano and iPod Touch will be arriving in Apple retail stores tomorrow, and the first reviews are starting to filter in.


The iPod nano is the most dramatically different device in Apple's lineup. ...

Apple Releases Safari 5.0.2

Apple today released a small software update for Safari, bringing it up to version 5.0.2. The update contains "improvements to compatibility and security" and includes the following:

- Fi...

iPod touch makes up 38% of iDevices shipped

Blogger asymco did a little calculating from last week's announcement numbers, and has hammered out a rough estimate of just how many of each iDevice are floating around the world today. According to Steve at last week's event, there are 120 million iDevices total in the world, and we already knew from SEC filings that 59.6 million of those were iPhones. The current number of iPads in the hands of customers around world is 3.2 million, which (with estimates for the past month on both of those devices added in), means that there are likely 45.2 million iPod touches around. That's 37.7% of iOS devices at large -- not as big as it used to be, as the iPad's arrival shook things up a bit, but still a very significant total.

It's somewhat surprising to me that the touch is so popular, given that the iPhone and the iPad have gotten most of the press for iOS. But then again, it makes sense -- the iPod touch, as Jobs himself joked during the event, is like an iPhone "without the contract," and it's the cheapest of all the devices. While it's lacking a bit of functionality, iOS, the main selling point, is still there and running, so all of the super popular apps like Angry Birds and Doodle Jump are able to be bought and played. It makes a lot of sense that the iPod touch would be so popular -- maybe what's surprising is that Apple has waited until now to update it with the iPhone 4's big features as well.

iPod touch makes up 38% of iDevices shipped originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPod touch makes up 38% of iDevices shipped originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XWave lets you control your iPhone with your noodle, levitate if you’re lucky

In the early, chaotic, primordial years of the mobile phone era, you had to press real, actual "buttons" to get things done. Almost barbaric to think about now, isn't it? As society advanced and we gradually became a more civilized species, buttons gave way to touchscreens and voice control, mercifully giving the atrophied sausages we call "arms" and "fingers" a bit of respite every time we needed to surf through cyberspace, place a phone call, or send a text message. Now, it seems the evolution of Homo sapiens is reaching its inevitable final stage with the release of the PLX XWave, headgear that plugs into your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and -- after a bit of training -- lets you control the device with your mind alone. As you might expect, the headset makes use of the NeuroSky technology that we've seen several times through the years and will be made available with a number of apps upon its release next month including a game, dedicated training app, a music controller (which will let you compare brainwaves with other XWave users, interestingly), and an "Om Meditation Timer." If none of those titles have captured your imagination, you'll be able to write your own apps with the device's SDK; needless to say, we'll be patiently waiting for the levitation app depicted here. Orders are online now for $100 with delivery in October.

Continue reading XWave lets you control your iPhone with your noodle, levitate if you're lucky

XWave lets you control your iPhone with your noodle, levitate if you're lucky originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG announces smartphones with dual-core processor

LG on Tuesday announced new smartphones with dual-core processors.


Smartphone - processor - Hardware - Components - Multi-core processor

TinyUmbrella Updated Ahead Of iOS 4.1 Release; Includes Baseband Protection For iPhone 4

Australian carriers feel heavy burden from iPhone 4

Stop us if you've heard this one. Apple releases the iPhone 4, and the tremendous demand from customers keeps store shelves bare. That's the case in Australia, where suppliers Telstra, Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia are struggling to keep up.

As online stores generate increasing backlogs, shipping times increase. As of this writing, most customers are being asked to wait between two and three weeks for their orders to arrive. It's beginning to wear on shoppers and store owners alike. "Even one to two weeks, or up to three weeks, waiting time is not ideal," said an unidentified representative from Vodafone Hutchison Australia.

Meanwhile, Apple is sending out fresh supplies weekly. "Shipments of the iPhone 4 continue to be made," an Apple rep told The Australian. Supplies were strained in the US for quite a while after launch, but Apple seems to have finally caught up, as customers can now find iPhone 4s in Apple Stores and AT&T stores.

The whole thing reminds us of Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch, in which a hungry patron is trying to buy cheese from a shop that doesn't have any:

Shop owner: "[Our cheese shop is] the finest in the district."
Customer: "Explain the logic behind that conclusion."
Shop owner: "Well, it's so clean."
Customer: "It's certainly uncontaminated by cheese."

Here's hoping our friends down under get their cheese iPhone 4s soon.

[Via MacDailyNews]

Australian carriers feel heavy burden from iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Australian carriers feel heavy burden from iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Retro new iPhone dock has pricey, film noir feel

If you're feeling nostalgic and have US$250 burning a hole in your pocket, perhaps we've found the iPhone dock for you.

The iRetrophone Skyliner, designed by artist Scott Freeland, is a retro-style iPhone dock (compatible with 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4) within a custom-designed, old-style desktop telephone. The iPhone connects via a standard connector within the dock, providing charging power and a working handset -- yes, the handset works.

Combine this dock with the aptly-named iRetroPhone iPhone app, and your iPhone retro-izing is complete. But for $250? They lost me there.

[via iPhone Savior]

Retro new iPhone dock has pricey, film noir feel originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Retro new iPhone dock has pricey, film noir feel originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poet’s Pad helps unleash your inner poet

Poet's Pad, by Dante Varnado Moore, is an iPad app designed to let poets write, arrange, and store all of their creative writings and poetry concepts, while offering a few tools to help provide inspiration.


Poetry - Arts - Literature - Online Writing - IPad

iPod nano not iPod OS, not iOS, something new?

Is it possible the new iPod nano isn’t running iOS, but isn’t running the old iPod OS, either? The latest firmware has hit Apple’s servers so developers are tearing into it and here’s what Steven Troughton-Smith had to say on Twitter:

The nano codename is N20 it appears; also labelled as “1.0″ of the OS. Definitely not iOS

Rusty Mercury also says it’s running on a Samsung S5L8723, a step up from the previous Samsung S5L8723.

So what is this OS 1.0? something new? Something hybrid?

[@stroughtonsmith via 9to5Mac, @RustyMercury]

iPod nano not iPod OS, not iOS, something new? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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

Expand your iPad’s storage capacity with HyperDrive

Sanho's new HyperDrive is a portable hard drive and card reader that connects directly to your iPad, giving you up to 750GB of extra storage for your media.


Hard disk drive - Storage - Card reader - Hardware - IPad

Fourth-Generation iPod Shuffle Teardown Unsurprisingly Reveals Tiny Components

Earlier today, we posted some photos of the new fourth-generation iPod shuffle, showing off the unboxing and some comparisons to other iPod models.


Unsurprisingly, iFixit is close behind with a detailed teardown of the diminuti...

App review: Nike+ GPS

Nike's dalliances with technology should be familiar to our readers by now, with the crowning jewel of course being the Nike+ run-tracking software that pairs a shoe-mounted sensor with your iPhone or iPod. Well, it was. The gargantuan sportswear company is moving with the times and throwing the hardware away with the introduction of its all-new Nike+ GPS application. No longer restricting our running shoe choice is groovy, but the app itself has the even loftier aim of simultaneously acting as your fitness guru, motivator and record keeper. And all it asks in return is access to the accelerometer and GPS modules in your iOS 4-equipped iPhone or iPod touch. So, let's see how this baby runs, shall we?

Continue reading App review: Nike+ GPS

App review: Nike+ GPS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QuickBooks 2011 for Mac to Bring Multi-User Options, Time-Saving Features, Enhanced Customization

Intuit today announced the forthcoming release of QuickBooks 2011 for Mac, the company's financial management software for small businesses. The new version, set to ship on September 27th, brings a numbe...

iOS 4.1: HDR Photos Available Only To iPhone 4 Users; Hack To Enable the Feature For iPhone 3GS And iPhone 3G Users

Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts

I admit it. I've always thought that the Nike+ shoe sensor thing was kind of lame. Even though I actually do own the right shoes, I never thought it worth while to pick up the optional pedometer sensor just so I could take advantage of the built-in iPhone feature.

I know that there are people out there who really loved using the Nike+ features on their iPhone but I've much preferred using other tracking apps and skipping the shoe tie-in.

Now, several years after GPS debuted on the iPhone 3G, Nike has finally made the move to shoe-less positioning. For $1.99, you can pick up a copy of Nike+ GPS. The reviews on the iTunes site have been generally positive, but it's clear that this is a slick yet limited application.

Continue reading Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts

Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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