Empowering your iPhone with Scosche’s passPORT

Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, iPhone

iPod car stereo integration is great. You can control your music library with your car stereo's controls. In some cases, you can see track info like artist, song and album information. Best of all, your iPhone's charging via a dock connector while all of this is happening -- that is, if you have a fairly recent integration kit.

While many older car stereo integration kits can play and control music through their iPods and iPhones, they've lost the ability to charge newer models. The reason for this is that Apple re-engineered the dock connector for the iPhone 3G, second generation iPod touch and fourth generation iPod nano onward.

However, you can empower yourself against this annoyance with Scosche's passPORT. The passPORT is a dongle that serves as an intermediary between your car's dock connector cable and your iPhone, charging it while you're enjoying your music.

Scosche has a list on its site with car compatibility information. While my car's kit -- the original iPodYourBMW factory kit -- isn't on the list, it worked flawlessly with the passPORT.

The Scosche passPORT is available at the Apple online store, and at some Apple retail stores for US$19.95.

Empowering your iPhone with Scosche's passPORT originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Empowering your iPhone with Scosche's passPORT originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First impressions of iPhone 4

Filed under: iPhone

For those of you whose preordered iPhone 4 arrived early, just realize that the rest of us were jealous ... incredibly, incredibly jealous. It's one thing to hear it from Walt Mossberg and David Pogue, but seeing countless others rave about the iPhone at about the same time made me that much more anxious to get my hands on the iPhone 4.

Was it worth it to get in line at the Apple store at 3:45am with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning? In a word, yes.

Continue reading First impressions of iPhone 4

First impressions of iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

First impressions of iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If I couldn’t use an iPhone…

Filed under: iPhone

I was at a bar the other night having a beer with friends, during which we talked about things guys talk about at bars. Would you rather have the power to see the future or to read someone's mind? Who's better, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant? And, lastly, if you couldn't use an iPhone, which phone would you use?

The four of us sat there confused trying to answer the last question, and actually never got around to answering it.

The reason we never finished our answers was that it became more a question about how ingrained and integral the iPhone is in our lives than a feature-for-feature comparison of the iPhone against its competitors.

But if there was no such thing as an iPhone, which would you pick? Here at the virtual TUAW bar, we each have our own picks and reasons for them.

Continue reading If I couldn't use an iPhone...

If I couldn't use an iPhone... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If I couldn't use an iPhone... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling

Filed under: iPhone

There's good news and a little bit (just a little bit) of bad news. Good news first: the iPhone Skype app has been updated to allow for calls using AT&T's 3G data network.

AT&T's restrictions on cell data usage have evolved over time. Recently, download data caps have been eased, from 10 MB to 20 MB. And since October 2009, VoIP apps have been allowed to use AT&T's data network to place calls.

The elephant in the airwaves, however, has been Skype. Several months after AT&T allowed VoIP apps to use cell data, Skype was still without an update. The company, via a blog posting on its site, stated that it wanted to take the time to ensure that audio fidelity was at the best quality.

I made several calls over AT&T's 3G network this afternoon using the updated app and was surprised at how good the quality was. Each person I spoke with said they could barely tell the difference between this and a call using AT&T's voice network.

Continue reading Skype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling

Skype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Skype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple employee #66: Mac, iPhone and iPad created in similar way

Filed under: Cult of Mac, iPhone, iPad

In his latest post at AskTog.com, Bruce Tognazzini highlights the similarities between Steve Jobs's approach in bringing to market the original Macintosh, the iPhone, and now the iPad. For Tognazzini, known as "Tog" in computing circles, the success of these products is a byproduct of this approach. Like the original Mac, the original iPhone shipped with only a handful of apps. The iPhone also lacked common features on other smartphones, such as copy and paste, searching, MMS support, and contact search.

Also, like the original Mac, the iPhone was created by a very small group -- most of them young and driven -- who worked in an ultra secretive environment. The small team environment meant that some capabilities had to be left out of a first release in order to focus on the most important features. The tradeoff, however, produces a superior user experience instead of a "rambling labyrinth of disjointed features." The result was a core that could be built upon for years without the need to start from scratch.

While Tog doesn't mention it, this focused and "essential feature" mindset also serves a marketing function. It gets people talking. Think about how excited you were when an iPhone firmware upgrade presented you with something new, such as copy and paste. Remember, too, how much buzz this generated in the media and how Apple touted these features.

These highlights and more, including details on the decision to add arrow keys to the Mac, are detailed in Tog's post.

Bruce Tognazzini's knowledge of the Mac stems from his experience at Apple. During his 1978 to 1992 tenure at Apple as employee #66 (Steve Jobs is #0 and Steve Wozniak is #1), he founded the Apple Human Interface Group and acted as Apple's Human Interface Evangelist. He went on to work at Sun Microsystems, led the design of WebMD, and is currently a principal at the Nielsen Norman Group.

Apple employee #66: Mac, iPhone and iPad created in similar way originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple employee #66: Mac, iPhone and iPad created in similar way originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fixing a broken iPhone screen doesn’t have to be a pain in the glass

Filed under: iPhone

That old saying about absence making the heart grow fonder: it couldn't be more true of the relationship that I have with my iPhone. It's become such an integral part of my life that I don't know how I ever managed to get by without it. Not since Fox cancelled "Arrested Development" have I missed something this much.

Two nights ago, I cracked the screen on my iPhone.

I was working out on the elliptical trainer and watching "Sanford and Son" clips on my iPhone, which was perched above the machine. As I reached over to it to choose the next related clip, the earphone cord snagged onto the arm pedal of the elliptical trainer.

T-minus two seconds before glass off.

2.00 seconds: Elliptical trainer's arm pedal snags onto earphone cord.

1.50 seconds: Earphone jack doesn't disengage from iPhone, and pulls iPhone down with it.

1.00 seconds: iPhone wobbles in the air as it makes its descent.

0.75 seconds: My right leg, straddled onto the elliptical trainer's plastic foot pedal, is on its upward path.

0.50 seconds: iPhone's screen and the right plastic foot pedal of the elliptical trainer meet at the apex of the pedal's upward movement.

0.25 seconds: iPhone goes air born once again.

0.00: Glass off!

Now, I've owned an iPhone (first generation iPhone and iPhone 3G) for nearly three years now. During that time, I've dropped it numerous times: sometimes on dance floors at nightclubs, sometimes while running, and other times while getting out of cabs. I've dropped it in many different ways. It's been through it all and survived many a fall, all without a case no less. This time, however, things were different. It's as if the iPhone was a football, and I tried to kick a field goal with it while wearing plastic shoes.

Cracked glass notwithstanding, my iPhone still worked: multitouch gestures were still recognized, and I could do everything I'd normally do. Except, of course, with a cracked display.

I had four choices: 1) bring my BlackBerry out of retirement (temporarily), 2) wait it out until the next generation iPhone is released and use a broken-glassed iPhone in the interim, 3) order parts and fix the iPhone myself, or 4) take it somewhere for repair.

Continue reading Fixing a broken iPhone screen doesn't have to be a pain in the glass

Fixing a broken iPhone screen doesn't have to be a pain in the glass originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fixing a broken iPhone screen doesn't have to be a pain in the glass originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone OS 4.0: No multitasking for iPhone 3G and second gen iPod touch

Filed under: iPhone, SDK

While Apple will be serving up a hearty meal with iPhone OS 4.0, not all iPhones and iPod touches will be able to offer up the full experience. Only the iPhone 3GS and third generation iPod touch will be capable of handling all seven features highlighted at the event today (multitasking, folders, mail enhancements, iBooks, better enterprise features, Game Center, and iAd).

While the iPhone 3G and second generation iPod touch "will run many [of these] things...there are some things they won't run," according to Steve Jobs at the event. The most notable of these things is multitasking, which Apple said the iPhone 3G and second generation iPod touch just can't handle (of course, we know they can on jailbroken units, but Apple didn't acknowledge that possibility). There was no mention of the first generation iPhone and iPod touch, with the implication being that if you want multitasking on the iPhone, it's 3GS only... or perhaps some new hardware that might be announced later this year.

As one who balked at the iPhone 3GS -- both because I didn't qualify for AT&T's upgrade price and because I don't find its features compelling enough to justify a purchase -- this certainly shortens my purchase cycle. There are probably many in the same boat. While I was going to purchase the next generation iPhone anyway, I'm now contemplating upgrading to an iPhone 3GS or better.

iPhone OS 4.0: No multitasking for iPhone 3G and second gen iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone OS 4.0: No multitasking for iPhone 3G and second gen iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo: Apple isn’t a viable gaming platform

Filed under: iPhone, iPad

When asked about the impact that the iPhone and iPod touch have had on Nintendo's stranglehold on portable gaming, and whether or not there is any concern about the iPad, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said that Apple "is not having an impact on Nintendo when you look at our business, our volume, our hardware, our software." Fils-Aime elaborated on this by highlighting the app store ecosystem and gaming experience. For him, the existence of free games makes it "[clear that] it doesn't look like their platform is a viable profit platform." The iPhone platform also serves up games that aren't even a "mouthful," when compared to the in "between snacks of entertainment and full meals" that Nintendo's portable experience provides.

While the availability of lower priced substitutes, and free ones at that, will invariably have an impact on the sales of other goods, many a developer has made hearty revenues from the app store. They range from the large and more-established like Electronic Arts, to the smaller Lima Sky, makers of the the popular game Doodle Jump. As a result, it's no surprise that many developers made a push to get iPad apps ready for launch day, as well as racing out to buy iPads during launch day in order to test out their apps on the device (as opposed to the simulator).

Then there's Fils-Aime's take that the platform's gaming experience leaves much to be desired. Here, a snack would be something akin to Brain Age, while a game like World of Warcraft would be like going to Hometown Buffet. While there is many a game on the iPhone that leaves much to be desired, the platform features a diverse library to whet the gaming appetites of many.

The iPhone's success as a gaming platform is an offshoot of its wide ranging appeal and versatility, born from the convenience of the app store and multitouch differentiation. However, unlike the iPhone, the iPad isn't something that will always be on the physical person of its owners. One of the distinct exceptions, however, are students. If the iPad makes inroads in the education market and becomes as ubiquitous as textbooks, then it can have a substantial impact on gaming. What better way to pass the time away while waiting for mom to pick you up or when you're in between classes than to use your iPad -- which also happens to house all 5 of your textbooks -- to play some games. This is something that has the potential to impact Nintendo's portable gaming.

Picking sides in a Nintendo-Apple fight is no fun, as both are companies that share much in common and have many shared fans. It's like picking between Shaq and Kobe. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) that brought me the joy of The Legend of Zelda and Metroid -- as well as the joy of having to blow on the games for 10 minutes before they'd work -- shared the same room with my original Macintosh. It will be interesting to see how this game plays out.

via [Kotaku]

Nintendo: Apple isn't a viable gaming platform originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nintendo: Apple isn't a viable gaming platform originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon

Filed under: iPhone

Get ready for the "VeriPhone." The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will be releasing a new iPhone this summer, and "appears to be working" on a model for Verizon Wireless. They claim it's a CDMA-based iPhone, and that mass production is slated to begin in September, but it's unclear when Apple will make the model available. The report notes that one Pegatron Technology Corp. (no relation to Deceptacon Megatron) is contracted to build the model.

There have been plenty of rumors already about a Verizon compatible iPhone, but this is the most credible report that we've seen, saying it's happening sometime this year.

Since its launch, the iPhone has seen two major refreshes, both occurring during the early summer period, and it appears that Apple will be keeping with this trend. However, if true, the release of a Verizon compatible iPhone marks a significant break from the single-carrier, AT&T life that the iPhone has lived in the U.S. since its launch. In addition, a Verizon-compatible model opens the door for Apple to appeal to an audience that, whether due to a coverage, rate plan or any other issue, did not find the iPhone compelling enough to switch to AT&T. As always, we'll have to wait and see -- the WSJ says a product announcement will take place in "June or July" as usual.

WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Found Footage: Ridiculously fast iPhone typist

Filed under: iPhone

According to an IBM-University of Michigan study [link to PDF], when transcribing, those using a traditional hardware QWERTY keyboard type at an average rate of 33 words per minute. This means that YouTube user "konceptzoflife" is 152 percent faster than the average typist.

The only thing is, he can do it on his iPhone.

Using iTextSpeed to test his typing speed, the Usain Bolt of iPhone typists registered 83 WPM; his ultimate goal is to hit 90 WPM.

The 83 WPM, which is the fastest I've seen on an iPhone, is still markedly shy of hardware QWERTY keyboard record holder Barbara Blackburn. The late Blackburn, whose fame made her a guest on Late Night with David Letterman (when he was on NBC after Johnny Carson), can maintain 150 WPM for a full 50 minutes, and can top out at 212 WPM.

[via 148Apps]

Found Footage: Ridiculously fast iPhone typist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Found Footage: Ridiculously fast iPhone typist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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reMail may be reIncarnated as it goes open source

Filed under: iPhone, App Store

Several weeks back, we noted that Google had acquired reMail, and had placed founder Gabor Cselle and others from the reMail team on other Google projects. The reMail app distinguished itself from the iPhone's built-in Mail.app in several ways:

• It could download all of your emails in a way that takes up a much smaller footprint than in Mail.app on the iPhone.
• Its search feature is much faster than Mail.app, and is accompanied with niceties such as autocompleting the names of your contacts, remembering your past searches, and text mark up matches in your search results.
• And lastly, reMail's search is full text, unlike the header search like in the Mail.app.

Though reMail is no longer being offered in the App Store, we may see its likeness spring up in other ways in future apps. As had been rumored shortly after the acquisition, reMail is now open source. Its source code now lives at the Google Code and is available for your viewing here. By making reMail open source, Gabor Cselle hopes that those interested in "making email-related apps can use reMail code as a starting point."

reMail may be reIncarnated as it goes open source originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

reMail may be reIncarnated as it goes open source originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iLuv iPhone dock includes “bed shaker”

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone

The iLuv iMM178 shares a lot in common with many iPod docks available in the market today:

• Play and charge your iPhone or iPod -- check.
• Alarm clock scheduling based on full-week, weekdays and weekends -- check.
• Alarm clock with customizable sounds -- check.
• Alarm clock that vibrates to wake you up -- wait, did I read that wrong, or did that say that this alarm clock will vibrate to wake me up?

That's right, folks. The iLuv iMM178 (couldn't they have thought of a more friendly name?) is equipped with a corded "bed shaker" that, as its name suggests, will vibrate in tandem with your alarm. As the iLuv iMM178 wakes you up to The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," it can also literally give you some good vibrations of its own with its bed shaker. iLuv suggests that the bed shaker be placed underneath your pillow.

In addition to these niceties, the iLuv iMM178 also plays FM radio, and has a time sync feature that reconciles time between it and your iPhone or iPod.

iLuv's website lists the iMM178 at US$99.99, where it's available for purchase.

Alternatively, you can improve your sleep habits with Sleep Cycle (available for $0.99), a bio-alarm clock iPhone app that analyzes your sleep patterns and wakes you when you are in the lightest sleep phase.

iLuv iPhone dock includes "bed shaker" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iLuv iPhone dock includes "bed shaker" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PC World study: AT&T network has undergone “drastic makeover”

Filed under: iPhone

According to AT&T's commercials, they provide both "a better 3G experience" as well as "the nation's fastest 3G network." And, based on PC World's latest 3G wireless performance study, they've got more meat and potatoes (as if Luke Wilson wasn't enough) to back up their claims.

The study, a collaboration between PC World and wireless analysis firm Novarum, took place from December 2009 to January 2010, and compares the four major U.S. wireless carriers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile) in 13 "broadly representative" cities in the U.S. During the study, 51,000 separate tests were run, in which 850 square miles, and 7 million wireless subscribers, were covered.

AT&T showed marked improvements over their figures from a similar study conducted during March and April 2009. Highlights of the most recent study include:

• Using notebook computers (e.g., with a built-in or external 3G card), AT&T had the fastest download speed in 11 of the 13 cities, and the fastest upload speed in all 13 cities.
• For smartphones, AT&T had the fastest download speeds in nine of the 13 cities, and the fastest upload speed in all 13 cities.
• Of the smartphone-carrier-based combinations, the AT&T-iPhone pairing had the fastest download and upload speeds, although its reliability slightly trailed the T-Mobile-G1 combination, which posted the highest figures.

Given the nasty back-and-forth between AT&T and Verizon Wireless, which resulted in AT&T taking legal action (which they dropped in December 2009) against Verizon Wireless, the study could serve as a feather in AT&T's cap.

Readers, what do you think? Does the study mesh well with your experiences with AT&T Wireless? Let us know in the comments!

[Via PC World].

PC World study: AT&T network has undergone "drastic makeover" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PC World study: AT&T network has undergone "drastic makeover" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tricking your iPhone to play TV shows and movies in portrait view

Filed under: How-tos, iTunes, iPhone, iPod touch

By default, movies and TV shows in the iPod portion of the iPhone and iPod touch play in landscape view. The biggest change with respect to video orientation came about with iPhone OS 2.0, which provided the option for landscape-right viewing (that is, with the volume and silent/vibrate buttons facing up). While most videos could, and should, be viewed in landscape, there are times that call for a portrait perspective -- for example, when placing your iPhone into a dock, which is what I do when working out.

Getting your iPhone to play a movie or TV show in portrait mode requires a simple change in the video's tag, from TV Show or Movie to Podcast. Simply right-click on the file and select "get info "(or you could use the Command-I shortcut). Then, in the "Media Kind" section within the "Options" tab of the video, select Podcast. Now, the videos will show up in both the Podcasts and Videos section of the iPod portion on your iPhone.

Obviously, this isn't something you'd want to do with every movie or TV show in your library. So, to revert the file back to its old self, you'd want to follow the same process and change the video back to a TV show or movie.

Tricking your iPhone to play TV shows and movies in portrait view originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tricking your iPhone to play TV shows and movies in portrait view originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultratimer: a must-have for interval training

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

While Plain and Simple Software's UltraTimer [iTunes link] can't do your workout for you, it'll certainly provide you some guidance to help you follow your workout.

Let's face it. Working out is hard, and can sometimes get boring -- very boring. Especially when spending half an hour or more on the same machine, be it a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical trainer. To this end, I've recently taken up interval and circuit training to help liven up my workout.

While planning out interval and circuit training workouts is a fairly straightforward and easy task, following them isn't.

Wait a minute: Which exercise do I do next, and how long do I do it for?

Of the timers that I've tested, UltraTimer is my favorite. Its combination of ease-of-use and functionality make it the benchmark fitness timer app.

At the top of the list is the ability to create multiple sets of timers. Which means that you can have a timer with different intervals for CrossFit, a timer for boxing, or any other unique time-based routine. And each interval within a timer can be set for a specified time period, with corresponding sounds and display options. For example, say my boxing timer has four different intervals: jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts. I'd like to do jabs for a minute, crosses for one and a half minutes, hooks for 45 seconds, and uppercuts for 30 seconds.

In addition, the screen can be customized to display a different color for each interval, which complements its ability to display the name (which you can customize) of the interval, alleviating the need to peer over at your workout sheet.

However, you needn't look at your iPhone either. Besides associating an interval with one of the app's many built-in sounds, you can record your own voice. So, if you want the app to speak the word "uppercuts" when it's time to do them, you just need to record your voice to say "uppercuts." I've found the app's voice features to be a particularly nice feature, as I like to put my iPhone's screen to sleep and listen to music when I work out; UltraTimer will run when you put your iPhone's screen to sleep, and also features controls to play your music.

Creating intervals is facilitated by the ability to copy and paste intervals. So, if you wanted to repeat each of the intervals in the above example, you could just select all four and paste them. Similarly, if you just wanted the first, third and fourth intervals repeated, you can do that as well.

Lastly, the app allows you to share the timers you've created with other iPhones either via Bluetooth or via import/export. In the case of the latter, the app will copy the specified timer's contents onto a clipboard, which others with UltraTimer can import.

UltraTimer is available for purchase at iTunes for $1.99.

Ultratimer: a must-have for interval training originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ultratimer: a must-have for interval training originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iSaidWhat?! lets you put a twist on words

Filed under: iPhone, App Review

Arguments happen, words are thrown, and words are sometimes misconstrued. "Stop putting words in my mouth!", someone might say to you. With Tapparatus's iSaidWhat?! [iTunes link], now you can put words in someone else's mouth.

Well, sort of.

In addition to serving as a basic voice recorder, iSaidWhat?! also allows you to cut and rearrange audio snippets. Take the following interaction between Jerry and Dorothy:

Jerry: I love you. You complete me. If I had just...
Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at hello. You had me at hello.

Using iSaidWhat?!, you could break down recorded audio into blocks of words or into individual words. So, the above conversation can rearranged into the following:

Jerry: You love me. I complete you.
Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up.

The app is very polished and a delight to use. Users are presented with two tabs, one a list of their recordings and the other a list of their arrangements. A snappy and intuitive interface allows you to mark in- and out-points; and after you've completed marking these points, you're asked what you'd like to name it.

After completing an audio compilation, you can share it with the world. The app allows you to share your creation via email (which it encodes as a .wav file), over the network, Facebook and Twitter. iSaidWhat?! is available for purchase at the iTunes store for USD $1.99.

iSaidWhat?! lets you put a twist on words originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iSaidWhat?! lets you put a twist on words originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Apple tablet said to be “iPhone on steroids”

Filed under: Rumors, iPhone

If there's anything consistently consistent about the purported Apple tablet, it's that it's said to be, in essence, a larger iPhone. Expanding on this, Boy Genius Report cites its "close Apple contact" that claims the device is "an iPhone on steroids."

Like its iPhone brethren, the tablet is said to sport an ARM processor, adding the caveat that the processor will be "incredibly fast." Also according to the report, the tablet will support multi-touch gestures that are said to be "out of control." Back in 2005, Apple acquired FingerWorks, a company that specialized in gesture-based computing. According to former Apple engineers, FingerWorks will have its footprint -- er, fingerprints -- on the purported tablet.

The meat behind these potatoes is said to be the iPhone OS kernel. For this reason, there hasn't been an updated build of the iPhone OS out of fears that tablet-related references in the code would leak.

Rumor: Apple tablet said to be "iPhone on steroids" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumor: Apple tablet said to be "iPhone on steroids" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Runmeter

Filed under: iPhone, App Review

New year, new you, and there are a host of location-based iPhone apps that can help you look a bit more lithe at Point B than you did at Point A. Runmeter [iTunes link] is one of them. Like almost all apps in its genre (Nike+ and RunKeeper Pro [iTunes link]), Runmeter's main purpose is to track the distance you run and provides you such niceties like your pace and time. It doesn't get any simpler than that. However, Runmeter is also equipped with some features that separate it from the crowd.

While there exists a host of location-based running apps on the iPhone, in my experience RunKeeper Pro serves as the benchmark GPS-based running app on the iPhone. It strikes a nice balance between ease-of-use for those who just want to get out and run while also providing some advanced features for the more training-oriented runner.

The most obvious difference between Runmeter and RunKeeper Pro is price. At USD $4.99, Runmeter's price is half that of RunKeeper Pro. But this lower price doesn't necessarily translate into a lower quality product. Rather, Runmeter just has a different focus.

Compared to RunKeeper Pro, Runmeter is less interval-training focused. Rather than getting your splits at a set distance, or your distance given a specified time interval, Runmeter allows you to race against yourself and tells you if you were faster this time around. And if your overall run was faster or slower, it's indicated as such within the app's built-in calendar.

Another differentiating feature is customized announcements. In other words, if you just want to hear your elevation and pace, you can do that. And if you want to hear your competitor time, pace, remaining time and calories, you can do that as well. And you can arrange them in whichever order you want to hear them.

But my favorite feature in Runmeter is its integration with clicker-enabled iPhone earbuds. You can squeeze the clicker to trigger announcements, like the aforementioned customized arrangement. One thing that I like about running with the Nike+ kit on the iPod nano is that, whether it's in your pocket or strapped via an armband, you can feel your way to the center button and press it to get your distance, pace, and time.

However, Runmeter is not without its quirks and annoyances. In particular, the app doesn't announce the beginning of a run. On most running apps I've used, starting a run will initiate a voice telling you that you're good to go -- something along the lines of "beginning run" or "activity started." But on Runmeter, there is no such audio cue or feedback; you have to look at the screen to see if it's tracking you.

At its $4.99 price, Runmeter will likely get the attention of those who are a bit hesitant toward RunKeeper Pro because of its $9.99 price tag. Whether or not Runmeter is the right running app for you, however, will depend on the way you train. If you like to race against yourself and monitor your improvements on a specified course, then Runmeter will likely serve as a better option. For the more interval-minded (be it time or distance), however, I find RunKeeper Pro a better option.

Hands-on with Runmeter originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hands-on with Runmeter originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Discover new running trails with the WalkJogRun app

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

There are many apps (like RunKeeper and RunMeter) that track where and how much you run, but not many to help you discover new places to run. Luckily, there's the WalkJogRun app [iTunes link] ($.99US), which gives you the ability to navigate through over 500,000 user-submitted map-based running trails.

The iPhone app shares much in common with its desktop browser counterpart. Like WalkJogRun.net, the WalkJogRun app allows you to view specific running trails that you've created, as well as those created by others specific to a certain address, city or landmark (i.e., Golden Gate Bridge, MGM Grand Hotel, etc.). But iPhone technologies provide new layers of functionality and interaction lacking on the site, such as geolocation for finding nearby running routes, which I find very useful in areas I'm not familiar with, and the niceties that come with navigating a map with the iPhone's multitouch display.

Nonetheless, the WalkJogRun app could use some improving. The most needed improvement is the ability to save or bookmark a running trail, which one can do via WalkJogRun.net but not on the iPhone app. My workaround for this is to take screenshots of running trails that I like in the event that I navigate away from the map and can't remember the name or location of the trail. Another improvement, though more of a "nice to have" than a "must have", is the ability to create a trail on the iPhone.

These things aside, at its USD $.99 price tag, the WalkJogRun app serves as an ideal complement to GPS-based iPhone running and biking apps, as well as the Nike+ kit.

Discover new running trails with the WalkJogRun app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Discover new running trails with the WalkJogRun app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on (and feet-on) with RunKeeper Pro

Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Review

The $9.99 pro version of RunKeeper [iTunes link] serves as a nice alternative to Nike+, especially for the interval-training minded runner.

While the Nike+ kit serves a means to an end for many runners, it may not suit everybody's needs. There's the additional cost of the transmitter and receiver (USD $30) for iPod nano owners -- iPhone and iPod touch owners need only purchase the transmitter for USD $19. Then there's the cost of Nike running shoes, which are the only shoes that accommodate the Nike+ transmitter; or as a workaround, you could get a pouch that fits the transmitter on your shoelace; and these usually run about $10.

And then there's the issue of accuracy. I personally find a calibrated Nike+ kit very accurate. For instance, during a 4 mile run (I mapped out the trail on walkjogrun.net prior to running) RunKeeper Pro showed that I ran 3.95 miles while Nike+ showed 3.90 miles. Others, however, have not been as fortunate. And this is understandable, as the kit works by detecting the steps a person takes; and as runners' gaits and strides can sometimes change during a run, this may affect the kit's accuracy.

Accuracy issues aside, RunKeeper Pro, at face value, appears little different than Nike+: at its core, RunKeeper Pro aims to track your running progress, albeit with different technology than Nike+. But dive a little deeper, and what you'll find is a training gem, especially for interval-based workouts.

Continue reading Hands-on (and feet-on) with RunKeeper Pro

Hands-on (and feet-on) with RunKeeper Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hands-on (and feet-on) with RunKeeper Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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