Skyfire, a company dedicated to leveraging the power of cloud computing to redefine mobile browsing on smartphones, claims to have “the world’s hottest mobile browser”. The browser is already a huge hit on Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian platforms. The company recently submitted an iOS version of its mobile browser to Apple’s App Store capable of playing Flash video while adhering to all Apple’s guidelines regarding HTML5 open-video standards on Apple devices.

Given Apple’s anti-Flash stand, does Skyfire stand any chance of being approved on the App Store?

I must say that Skyfire has been really smart in its “Skyfire for iPhone” submission to the App Store. The company built the browser in tight compliance with Apple guidelines, including the use of a WebKit browser core shared with Safari, and H.264 adaptive streaming to negate the risk of Apple’s rejection. Skyfire for iPhone plays Flash video by transcoding it to HTML5 on the fly.

Steve Jobs’ primary concern regarding Flash is that it’s a performance hog. Skyfire smartly avoids this concern by leveraging the cloud network infrastructure in order to improve performance and maximize battery life while playing video. What’s more, Skyfire also avoids alternate runtime environments and other security vulnerabilities.

Is the Skyfire browser a competitor for Apple’s own Safari browser? Yes and No! Steve Jobs knows that the lack of Flash capabilities is hurting the iPhone and iPad badly. Further, since the browser was developed in accordance with Apple’s rules, rejecting it is likely to raise a few eyebrows and questions are likely to be asked regarding company’s judgment.

Check out the video below to see ‘Skyfire for iPhone’ in action.

Skyfire is pretty confident that Apple will approve its web browser for placement on the App Store. I hope they do so sooner than later. After all, “Some Flash” is better than “No Flash” on the iPhone.

The ball is in Apple’s court for now.

If you are a regular runner, you probably are using the built-in Nike+ support on your iPhone. I love to run with my iPhone and use the feature to track the running distance, calories, pace and workout duration of my run. But one feature I always wish to have to the ability to map my run.

Today, Nike released a new running app called Nike+ GPS for iPhone and iPod touch. With nearly every feature you have for the default Nike+ app, by using the accelerometer and GPS, the new Nike app also lets you visually map the run routes on Google Maps. Not only it can record where you run, the app even shows you where you sprinted and slowed down. This is an awesome feature and exactly what many runners are waiting for.

While you need to purchase an iPod sensor to pair with the existing Nike+ app, the new GPS app can work without sensor. Just ensure you enable the Location Service in Settings and the app can record your run route.

As you run, the app also offers voice feedback on how you are doing and you can tap the map to see where you are. Another interesting feature that worths mentioning is the “Challenge Me” feature. The app lets you challenge yourself to run farther, faster or longer to better reach your goals.

Unlike the built-in Nike+ app, you can now sync the run data up to Nikeplus.com using WiFi or 3G network. Simply tap the “Connect to nikeplus.com” button after your run, the app will automatically upload the statistics of your run. At nikeplus.com, you can share your run with friends and other community members.

The Nike+ GPS app supports iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or up. The app is now available on App Store for US$1.99. If you are a regular runner, I am sure you will love the new Nike app. Go ahead and download it!

What do you think about the Nike+ GPS app?

Yesterday, I got an email from a reader. He’s lucky enough to receive a promotional code for an iPhone app but he had no idea how to redeem the code.

For those who haven’t heard of promotional code, it is a code that allows you to download a paid app for free from App Store. Usually, the promo code is given by an App developer to let some reviewers to try out the app for free.

In case you are lucky enough to get a promo code, Apple offers two ways to redeem an app. You can either redeem it on iTunes or right from your iPhone if you are using iOS 3.0 or up.

Redeeming the Promo Code using iTunes

It is very straightforward to redeem the code on iTunes. Simply launch iTunes and click “iTunes Store”. You should see the “Redeem” link under the “Quick links” section. If you can’t find the “Redeem” link, it is quite likely that the “Redeem” feature is not supported in the iTunes store of your country.

Once you click the “Redeem” link, iTunes will prompt you to fill in the promo code. Simply enter the promo code and hit the “Redeem”. That’s it! iTunes will automatically download the app for you and save it in the library. You can then connect the iPhone to computer and sync it to your iPhone.

Redeeming the Promo Code on iPhone

Since the debut of iPhone OS 3.0, Apple provides an alternative way to redeem the promo code right from iPhone. Simply launch “App Store” on iPhone and tap the “Featured” section. Scroll to the bottom of the page and you should find the “Redeem” button.

Tap on it and you’ll be prompted to enter the promo code. Simply fill in the code and tap the “Redeem” button. That’s it. The app is then automatically downloaded to your iPhone.

Does this tip help? As always, please leave us comment and share your thought.

With the debut of iTunes 10, it is widely reported that Apple has removed the “create your own ringtone” feature. The feature was first introduced in 2007 after the launch of the original iPhone. It allows iPhone users to create custom ringtone from a track purchased from the iTunes store for $0.99.

As MacLife realized, the feature is still found on iTunes 9.2.1 but is no longer built into iTunes 10. For ringtone fanatics, don’t worry. You can still use a manual method to create custom ringtone for your iPhone using iTunes 10. And, most importantly, it is completely free.

If you want to create your own ringtone for iPhone, simply follow the step-by-step procedures. As I am a Mac user, the guide is written particularly for Mac user. That said, it should also work for those using Windows. I have highlighted the difference (if any) so Windows user can also follow.

What if you are using the older version of iTunes (say, iTunes 9)? Despite the guide is specifically written for iTunes 10 user, you can also follow it to create ringtone on older iTunes version. The procedures are very similar.

Okay, let’s get started.

Step by Step Procedures to Create Free Ringtone on iTunes 10

1. Launch iTunes and pick a song you want to convert to ringtone

2. Right-click on the song and click “Get Info” to view the song properties

3. Select “Options” tab. Check and fill in the “Start time” and “Stop time” to extract the portion of song you want to create as ringtone. Ensure the length is not longer than 30 seconds. Otherwise, iTunes will not recognize it as a ringtone. When you are ready, click “OK” to confirm.

4. Again, right-click on the song and select “Create ACC Version”.

5. iTunes then automatically extracts the portion of song you have instructed in the previous step. The new song file is just 30-sec in length. That’s the song you work on from step 6 and onwards.

6. Next, right-click on the song and select “Show in Finder”. This will launch Finder and locate the song file you just created.

Note: For Windows user, you should choose “Show in Windows Explorer” instead.

7. Rename the file extension from “.m4a” to “.m4r”.

8. Next, go back to iTunes. Right-click on the song you have created and select “Delete”.

9. Click “Remove” to confirm the removal and then click “Keep File” when you’re prompted. This instructs iTunes to remove the song (the 30 sec version) from iTunes library and keep the actual file.

10. Go back to Finder and double-click on the ringtone file (.m4r) you have just renamed. The ringtone will automatically add it to iTunes’ ringtone library. You can now sync it to iPhone using iTunes. Enjoy your new ringtone!

Does the procedures work for you? In case you have any problem, feel free to leave us comment.

We have covered the “Slow Issue” after iPhone 3G is upgraded to iOS 4. There are some interim solutions that may make it running a little bit faster. But for now the best way to solve the slowness issue is to downgrade the 3G iPhone back to iOS 3.1.3.

Earlier in the special event, Apple has shed some light on the issue. With the upcoming release of iOS 4.1 next week, the performance issue is expected to be resolved. The iPhone 3G should run much faster on iOS 4.1 than its predecessor.

Ahead of the public release of iOS 4.1., Lifehacker has performed some basic tests on iPhone 3G to compare its performance on iOS 4.0 and 4.1. As you will see from the video, it showed that iOS 4.1 does improve the overall performance. The iPhone 3G runs much faster and more responsive on iOS 4.1. Here is what Lifehacker mentioned about the test result:

The video demonstrates the results, but here they are in all their glory:

Messages: iOS 4.1 Wins (By a Little)
Maps: iOS 4.1 Wins (By a Lot)
Photos: iOS 4.1 Wins (Just Barely)
Safari: iOS 4.1 Wins (Just Barely)

While the speed advantages ranged from marginal to significant, iOS 4.1 clearly outperformed iOS 4.0. It’s still significantly slower performance than you’ll get from a 3GS or iPhone 4, and we’re still not sure it’s a big enough improvement that 3G owners will want to ditch iOS 3. The most obvious difference was UI responsiveness. The UI didn’t get stuck nearly as much on an interface element or when trying to enter text. If you are set on using iOS 4, the upgrade is worthwhile for that alone.

It is expected Apple will officially release iOS 4.1 on September 8. I do not have an iPhone 3G to test the performance. If you are an iPhone 3G owner, do try out the iOS 4.1 and let us know how it goes.

Everybody wants custom ringtones, right? Alright, I guess not everybody because you do encounter those people wandering around out in public that, for some unfathomable reason, still sport the same old boring default tones that came with their phone. Granted, those people annoy me and I shake my head in something like pity as I pass them by, but hey, it takes all kinds.

I’ve been in and out of the ringtone loop on the iPhone,  but it’s never been as easy and painless as it should have been. Why, for instance, should one have to purchase a track then purchase it again, basically, in order to create a ringtone from it has always been beyond me. Of course there have always been work arounds, with some more successful than others; I gave the free version of ImTOO’s Ringtone Maker a go and found it a breeze to use, but couldn’t really justify the $15 price tag for the full version. And before anyone rises up to smite me for being lazy…yes, I’m sure there are a plethora of workable and totally free(well, aside from properly paying for the music in the first place) solutions out there on the interwebs. The smiters would be correct in this case, I’ve been too lazy to do an in depth search for said solutions; I usually look around and latch onto something that looks promising pretty quickly. Which is why I decided to throw down the $1.99 for Blackout Labs Ringtone Designer Pro.

Ringtone Designer Pro can take any track on your phone and turn it into a custom ringtone. The controls couldn’t be much simpler, you’re presented with one button when you open the app and tapping it takes you to the tunes in your library. Just select a track and Ringtone Designer Pro gives you a cool little interface with the waveform of the song and a changeable duration window with which you can tweak until you have just the right part of the song you want for your ringtone. Tap save and Ringtone Designer Pro automatically converts and crops your selection into a new ringtone. Your ringtone won’t actually be available for use, however, until you connect your phone with your computer and use iTunes’ filesharing option to transfer the new ringtone over to your hard drive somewhere and then open the ringtone track with iTunes or simply drag it from your saved location into your iTunes library. Lastly, just sync up your phone with iTunes and your new custom ringtones will be ready to go.

Actually a relatively painless ringtone creation process, although the extra step(yeah, I know whiny right?) of having to transfer the ringtone from your phone onto your hard drive then back into iTunes and the phone seems a little fiddly, I can probably live with it. I was disappointed and frustrated by the lack of any track time display when you’re trying to find that sweet spot in a track; it turns the process into an even more trial-and-error-type exercise than it already is. But again, for a buck ninety-nine [iTunes link], it’s not too fiddly and I’ll probably be using it again…unless I turn un-lazy and find a better solution.

I think my mouse was moving over the Purchase link in iTunes even before I really knew what was happening. The uber-classic side-scrolling shooter R-Type has finally been ported over to the iPhone! Geeks of a certain age range(which is not to say old mind you) all over the world are rising up out of their cobweb covered chairs to do the happy dance. I remember playing this insanely difficult favorite at the arcade when I was younger, that is when I could get my Mom to cough up some quarters, which she seemed to value almost as much as I did for some reason. She never was much of a gamer as far as I could tell, I mean what else was she going to use the quarters for, it’s not like they were money or anything. Sheesh.

R-Type is a classic side-scrolling shooter in which, like several side-scrollers from the 80’s gaming era, the player is given command a tiny little plane/ship/Big Wheel which also happens to possess the power of a couple of Death Stars and is upgradeable along the way. If God had a jet he flew around in smiting people, or planets, it would the R-9a ‘Arrowhead’. Lasers, bombs, seeking missles, you’ve got it all, not to mention these awesome little pod upgrades that can attach or detach from your ship to help you rain death and destruction down upon your enemies. Seriously, the amount of fire power you can dish out is stupid insane which might make you wonder why the game is so difficult.

Well, most things crumble when so much as spit on them, but there are a few hardened enemies running about that take licking and keep on ticking. Not only that, but you have to constantly dodge stray bullets and missles and avoid hitting the floor or ceiling of the strange floating deep space structure you find yourself fighting in. There are something like 8 levels and two difficulty settings, and trust me, as you progress, it just gets ugly.

The game looks and plays great on the iPhone. They’ve even thrown in the original music, which is totally rad dude. It’s a blast from the past and I feel like I’m 10 years old again waiting for some junior high punk to get out of the way so I can get my turn. There’s a couple of different control style choices: you can move and fight by tilting the iPhone, or chose to move about the screen with fingertip drags. In my opinion the fingertip method is the way to go as the tilt option seems to be way to sluggish. With either of those options you can chose to fire constantly and concentrate on directing your flying death across the levels while avoiding obstacles; I highly recommend this setting as well since it’s just one less thing you have to worry about. The fire button is still shown in the lower right corner of your screen so you can hold it down and charge your super weapon should you feel the need, but other than that there’s no need to bother with constantly tapping to destroy your enemies.

R-Type is $1.99 [iTunes link], and totally worth the price in just nostalgic value alone. Highly recommended!

Twitter yesterday announced the release of its much anticipated official iPad app. The Twitter for iPad app is available for free download from the iTunes Store and is bound to give third-party apps such as Tweetdeck, Flipboard and others a run for their money. In reality, this is not a new app. Twitter has modified its existing app for the iPhone to an “universal app” with native support for the iPad’s large display. The standout features of the Twitter for iPad app are the revamped UI and support for gestures.

I’m mighty impressed with the updated user interface of this app, especially the neat use of slide-out panes to view content within tweets. Just tap along on multiple tweets and it will open a new pane for each of them. Swipe left/ right to move around between panes – really cool, I’d say.

Twitter has optimized its media viewing capabilities for iPad users. To cash in on the iPad usability aspect, the app plays videos in-line with other content and allows videos to be loaded while you’re browsing through your timeline. Want to view the video in full screen, just pinch it – as simple as that.

I personally believe that a large majority of apps do not leverage the fantastic touchscreen capabilities of the iPad. Thankfully, Twitter is not one of them. The Twitter for iPad app lets you pinch on a Tweet to quickly view details about the author and to reply or retweet it. In fact, I reckon that the Twitter for iPad app will serve as a benchmark for future iPad apps on how to make best possible use of the gesture capabilities.

Finally, if you’re a Twitter newbie or just don’t have the time to create your Twitter account, you can still use the Twitter for iPad app by using anyone of the “great Twitter accounts that you can see in various categories, such as Art & Design, Sports, and News.”

The Twitter for iPad app is compatible with iPad running iOS 3.1 or later. It is completely free and you can download via this direct iTunes link.

As you know, the iOS 4.1 for iPhone will be publicly available next week. For iPad user, are you feeling you are left with a dated operating system? Wait, during the special event, Apple also announces the upcoming update for iPad – the iOS 4.2.

Needless to say, the new iOS update will come with all features already available on iOS 4.1 for iPhone such as multitasking, folders, unified inbox, etc. What’s more is it also adds two exciting features:

Wireless Printing – How often do you want to print a document right in the Pages app? For now, you can’t do the printing within the app. While there are a number of third-party apps such as Print that brings the printing capability, the best way is for Apple to build the feature into the mobile OS. In iOS 4.2, it will come with a Print Centre that lets you manage all print jobs. You can easily choose a printer and print out the document.

AirPlay – You may already heard of AirTunes that lets you stream music from Mac to your stereo system wirelessly via Airport Express. I love AirTunes so much as you can reveal from my earlier post. Now, Apple is rebranded the AirTunes with AirPlay. Other than streaming music, AirPlay lets you stream both music, video and photos over WiFi from iPad. Along with the new Apple TV, you can stream any video from iPad to your TV with just a single tap. To see the demo, don’t forget to check out Steve Jobs’ keynote video.

Love the new features, right? While the iOS 4.1 for iPhone will be delivered next week, the iOS update for iPad will only be available in November. Can’t wait for the upgrade and try out the AirPlay feature!

What do you think about the iOS 4.2 for iPad? What feature do you love most? Remember to leave us comment and share your thought.

[Image via Apple's keynote]

Update: To clarify, the iOS 4.2 will also available for both iPhone and iPod touch in November. Finally, the iOS is unified.

Other than the announcement of iOS 4.1, Apple also unveiled the new iTunes – iTunes 10.

Not only it comes with a new logo, the iTunes 10 adds a very exciting feature called Ping, which is a social network for music.

Just like other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, Ping allows you to follow your friends’ activityr and let others to follow your. The core difference is that all activities are related to music. It’s music-centered. You can get to know what songs your friends are listening to or what concerts they are going to. You can also follow your favorite artist and get to know what they are up to.

Ping is an amazing feature built right into the iTunes 10. It will be available for 160 million iTunes users in 23 countries. What’s more is that the feature will also available on both iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4.1.

The iTunes 10 is available today. To upgrade, you can download a copy from the official iTunes website.

For those using jailbroken iPhone, however, I suggest you to hold off the upgrade until iPhone Dev team confirms it is safe.

Steve Jobs just announced the iOS 4.1 during the special event today. The iOS update for both iPhone and iPod touch will be available next week via iTunes.

According to Steve Jobs, the new operating system will come with the following features:

• Lots of bug fixes including those relating to the proximity sensor, Bluetooth and the iPhone 3G (performance improvement).
• High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photos – If you do not heard of HDR photos, check out Wikipedia for details. In App Store, you can already find plenty of apps supporting HDR such as TrueHDR. With the release of iOS 4.1, HDR is now built into the system.
• HD video upload over WiFi
• TV Show Rentals – Each show only costs $0.99
• Game Center – Game Center is all about multiplayer games. You can challenge your friends or they can challenge you. Even if you don’t have any friends Apple will match you with someone.

Here is just a brief update of the OS. I will further walk you through the feature later next week. Stay tuned.

As usual, if you are using jailbroken iPhone, please DO NOT upgrade to iOS 4.1. Otherwise, you will lose jailbreak and unlocking.

In less than three hours, Apple will kick off the special event at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. For the very first time, Apple will broadcast the event online using the industry-leading HTTP Live Streaming.

The live broadcast will begin at 10:00 a.m. PDT on September 1, 2010 at www.apple.com. You can watch the event on your Mac running Safari on Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard, iPhone or iPod touch running iOS 3.0 or higher, or an iPad.

During the event, it is expected Apple will announce a revamped model of Apple TV, a new model of iPod touch with Retina display and front camera for FaceTime. Perhaps, Jobs will unveil a $0.99 TV show rental service.

If you prefer to reading text rather than watching the streaming video, you can also pick any of the live blogs to enjoy the event:

• Live from Apple’s Fall 2010 Event by Engadget
• Live blog by Ars Technica
• Live blog by TUAW
• Live blog by CNET

Pick your preferred channel, grab a coffee and enjoy the event!