Appletell

Navigon announces Traffic Live for MobileNavigator North America

Jake Gaecke — 2009-11-10T04:01:07+00:00

Section: iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

The best GPS app on iPhone just got a little bit better. Navigon’s MobileNavigator is already an amazing GPS routing app with its voice prompted directions, smoothly animated maps and excellent everything-I-can-think-of, but Today they’ve added Traffic Live for North America.

Traffic Live is Navigon’s real-time crowdsourced traffic information feature. If you want it already, then you probably know it’s used to calculate better routes, especially when traffic is bad. GPS directions are good, but ones that get you around traffic congestion are great. Just think, for $24.99 you can avoid back ups and rush hour(s) forever (in theory).

The feature works seamlessly. There are on screen alerts that warn you of construction, accidents or other congestion. The severity of congestion is also detailed. This updates estimated times of arrival, and if necessary, the user can choose an alternative route to avoid ~~people~~ traffic.

If you’re interested in where the data comes from, well, it, like Soilent Green, is made of people. Other GPS units across the country, or preferably close by, share their data, along with taxi drivers, traffic cameras, road sensors and the like to construct an overall picture of traffic movement. With over 1.4 million drivers uploading their data, it should be sufficient to get you from home to coffee in record time.

In addition to the Traffic Live, the latest update adds at least two other features. First is in-app purchases. Unfortunately, Traffic Live isn’t free, but at a one time fee of $24.99 (or $19.99 for the next 4 weeks) it isn’t too bad. In-app purchases could potentially be used for map updates in the future, as well. They’ve also added the ability to route to indefinite locations. You can essentially drop a pin onto the map and route yourself towards it.

It’s nice to know my favorite GPS app is constantly getting better. The update is available now in the App Store, just waiting for your purchase/upgrade.

Product [MobileNavigator North America]

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 9, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-09T22:45:32+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 9, 2009:

Macintosh

Conceited Software has announced HealthNut 1.0, a diet aid and calorie tracking application for Mac OS X. HealthNut comes with thousands of built-in food items, each with predefined nutrients and energy values. Browsing this huge database is as easy as opening the HealthNut bar and typing a few characters. HealthNut remembers everything you’ve eaten and lets you review diet changes by jumping days, or years, back.
Independent game developer Enkord, Ltd. has announced Zodiac Tower 1.91, its new action puzzle game for Mac OS X. Zodiac Tower is a unique match-3 puzzle game. Uncover the secrets of ancient Zodiac Tower and solve all of its fascinating puzzles. Explore a just uncovered ancient continent searching for valuable treasures and Relics. Zodiac Tower features 2 game modes, includes over 100 mysterious levels with 10 Mechanism parts to uncover.
Geeksuit has announced Client Folder Maker 3.5, a significant update to their popular folder creation and management utility for Mac OS X. Client Folder Maker is a simple to use, general purpose folder creation and management tool for the busy desktop publisher, prepress operator or web designer. It allows the user to set up a hierarchy of folders once, then re-create that hierarchy anywhere in the filesystem with just a few clicks from the Finder.
Disk Doctors has announced that its Norcross, GA Data Recovery Center is offering a flat rate for one week only. Any Hard drive shipped directly to or dropped off at their Norcross, GA lab will benefit from this steeply discounted special. This Super Special does not vary with drive size, operating system, or type of drive problem. Offer is good only at Disk Doctors, Norcross, GA Service Center.
XChange UK has announced a new unprecedented promotion which offers users of any other 3D software product the opportunity to own the powerful, new Strata Design 3D CX. The offer gives users the chance to move to 3D design with an affordable and intuitive solution. With an interface that Adobe users will recognise, Design 3D connects to a user’s creative toolset with links to Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash.
Reggie Ashworth has announced AppDelete 3.0.1, an update to his popular application deletion utility for Mac OS X. With a simple Drag & Drop, AppDelete will uninstall anything along with all of the associated items. Mac users will no longer have to hunt through their system to find and delete these items manually. AppDelete is a must-have utility for beta testers and the perfect companion to any Mac fanatic’s toolbox.
The Mac Sale’s latest bundle comes to a close on the 13th, so this is your last chance to get an amazing bundle for a silly price. The apps in this bundle are HoudahGeo, MacJournal, CrossOver Games, Picturesque, Morph Age Regular, Searchlight, Vinoteka, iMaginator, Opacity Express and Stor. Read interviews with the 10 developers involved in this bundle and check out the rest of the software in the deal.
Online video tutorial site MacSupportCasts is excited to celebrate their streamlined, easily navigated new look by giving away a free membership each week until the end of the year, plus a 32gb iPod Touch, a 16gb iPod Nano, a iTunes gift certificate, and two serial numbers for 1Password from Agile Web Solutions. According to Lead Caster Larry Pollock, MacSupportCasts’ easy-to-use video tutorials just got even easier to use, thanks to the recent homepage redesign.
Zevrix Solutions has announced BatchOutput Server 4.2.4, an update to its output workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. Originally developed for a major publisher in the U.S., the software automates InDesign output by processing files from hotfolders. BatchOutput Server offloads printing and exporting to PDF and PostScript to a central system leaving operator workstations free from the output process. The new update adds support for Snow Leopard and improves error reporting.

iPhone/iPod

Zurich-based cyclus.ch has announced WorkLog 2.1, an update to their popular time tracking utility for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, WorkLog is a powerful and easy-to-use time tracking tool. It supports user definable custom fields for each category, client or project. Logging time with WorkLog can be as simple as pressing Start to initiate a task and pressing Stop when done.
Muli Mobile has announced Snob-O-Meter 1.0, the social personality test for iPhone and iPod touch. Snob-O-Meter is a personality test designed to poke fun at the egos of users and their friends. Do you have Facebook friends who aren’t real friends? Do you tailgate others unprovoked? Users are scored based on their answers to questions. Users can also rig the test for their friends to expose those who deserve it!
Very Alien Productions has introduced Geometrics 1.0, their new geometry education and productivity app for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone interface, Geometrics is a powerful tool to construct and then calculate the area and perimeter of both regular and irregular two-dimensional shapes. Geometrics joins Very Alien’s very successful first app, Trigonomics, which is currently featured on the App Store in the New and Noteworthy section.
Nor Eagle has announced Insulting Monk 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. Insulting Monk features a hand-animated monk delivering humorous insults whenever he is touched. It is also possible to give the monk a smacking when you’ve had enough of his venomous tongue. Users can now carry an insult-spewing monk with them at all times. The app is classified as an entertainment app and the title character is eager to share his insults with anyone willing to part with their hard earned buck.
Coresoft has announced Blood Beach 1.0, a simulated World War 2 game for iPhone and iPod Touch users. As much research as is humanly possible has gone into giving Blood Beach a true-life feel. Weapon firing, flight attack patterns, audio sounds, enemy behavior, ammunition and weaponry are all based on actual real life models. There are twenty different missions to be completed and users can keep track of their scores, as well as compete against others, online.
Active Gaming Media Co., Ltd. has launched Barkeep 1.0, the new iPhone/iPod Touch app for drinkers. As a first-of-its-kind application, Barkeep has casual drinkers, recipe collectors and wine connoisseurs alike excited about the capabilities. With Barkeep, you can access a database of drinking recipes and add your own. Personalize it with your own photos, notes and dates. Barkeep keeps track of all your drinking information in an easy-to-use format.
Pingo, the prepaid international calling service from iBasis, has introduced Pingo EZ Dial, a new smartphone application that delivers automatic access to discount international calling rates for users of popular mobile devices including the iPhone, Blackberry, Treo and phones using operating systems such as Nokia Symbian, Windows Mobile and Google Android.
Dive into a tranquil undersea environment with the newly updated iPhone application, MyReef 3D Aquarium. The new portrait display function allows users to view their fish tank vertically as well has horizontally. Paired with the ability to play music from the iTunes music library, the portrait setting enables users to watch beautiful tropical fish while listening to music on an iPhone docking station. The update also includes five exotic new fish species: the Threadfin Butterflyfish, Royal Gramma, Orange FireFish, Clown Trigger, and Porkfish. To celebrate the new update, MyReef 3D Aquarium will be available for a limited time for 99 cents in the iTunes App Store.
Have you ever been involved in a steamy online romance? What would you do if your secret love letters were uncovered and published for the world to see? New media publishers First Fifteen are releasing the provocative e-mails of a true-life online love affair carried out 14-years ago during the advent of the Internet; published as a series of four tantalizing Appisodes to be enjoyed in the privacy of your own phone.
M.O.C. Interior Designer, LLC has released Mark On Call 2.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch, a major update to the incredibly popular interior design app. Now room designs can be published and stored on the Web where owners of the application can peruse the new Rooms Gallery, an aggregated area of all users’ published rooms. From directly inside the app, users can download, customize and apply the room designs of others to their own personal space.
Bitnotic Mobile has announced Octavian 1.1.0, an update to their music theory app for iPhone and iPod touch. Octavian makes musical scales and chords instantly accessible to musicians of all skill levels. It is an essential musical reference tool for any musician, student, composer, songwriter, pianist, keyboard player, or hobbyist. Version 1.1.0 now features high-quality piano sound playback, so that users can listen to scales and chords as they explore them.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell reviews iStoragePro’s Pocket HDD

Jake Gaecke — 2009-11-09T19:59:40+00:00

Section: Mac + Computers, Peripherals, Reviews

Provides: Portable HDD
Developer: iStoragePro
Minimum Requirements: USB 2.0 or FireWire (400 or 800)
Price: $145-220
Availability: Now

iStoragePro’s pocket hard drives replicate the look and feel of the G-Technology line of Mac inspired portable hard drives, but are they as good?

Before me there are two brushed aluminum, portable hard drives. Both look like they belong with a Mac. Both are bus powered over USB 2.0 or FireWire and include all possible cables (USB, FireWire 400 and 800). Both are well made and attractive. The designs are different, but the only obvious, external difference is the brand name. One is made by G-Technology and the other is made by iStoragePro.

And honestly, on the inside, they are pretty similar too. Both house 2.5 inch hard drives (laptop size) and have varying storage capacities. The iStoragePro Pocket comes in 5400RPM models of 320GB and 500GB and 7200RPM models in 250GB and 320GB. All of which have USB 2.0 and FireWire (400/800) ports.

Now I’ve made it seem that the G-Technology and iStoragePro mobile drives are pretty much the same thing, but that’s not really the case. Sure, they are both mobile hard drives with USB and FireWire connections, but there are three notable differences. For one, the iStoragePro is the only drive to have an On/Off switch. I’m still scratching my head as to why it has one, though. Sliding a switch is not really the recommended way of unmounting an external drive from your Mac. This could, in a rare event, cause you to lose data. But let’s say you do turn it off; there’s no real reason to have it connected. So, there’s a switch…that you’ll never use.

The second difference is the hard drive on the inside. iStoragePro’s hard drive is much noisier than the G-Technologies hard drive I’ve tested. It sounds like a small fan is constantly running. This could be a soothing “white noise” background for you, I suppose, if it weren’t accompanied by a high pitched squeal. It’s not ear splitting or anything, but after about a half an hour of being plugged in, I found myself searching the room to figure out what that awful noise was. For some reason, I had a hard time remembering that the hard drive was the source of this annoyance, as every time I plugged it in I wondered what was causing this noise. Eventually, I just stopped plugging it in.

The third difference is the price points. Strangely enough, they aren’t consistently lower. I’ve found the G-Drive mini to be cheaper for all 5400RPM models, and the iStoragePro to be cheaper for all 7200RPM models ($20 to $40 less). And just to make it worse, try to find a retailer that actually offers this drive. Almost none of iStoragePro’s “Where to buy” retailers actually sell the Pocket line of drives.

Going into this review, I expected (or maybe wished that) the iStoragePro Pocket to be a cheaper alternative to the G-Technologies G-Drive mini. For reasons I still don’t understand, it is not. It’s not consistently cheaper, when it clearly should be. G-Technologies has a brand name and reputation worth charging for, but I just don’t get the same feeling from iStoragePro. It’s not that it’s a bad product (in terms of storing data), but to compete with G-Technologies, it needs to be as good and cheaper. It’s a mobile hard drive that looks nice and functions mostly like it’s supposed to, but the drive really sealed its fate in my mind when I realized it wasn’t cheaper across the board and how annoying its noise became. So, while I wish I could tell you that the iStoragePro Pocket is both a great and cheaper alternative to the stellar drives that G-Technologies puts out, I can’t.

Appletell Rating:

Buy iStoragePro’s Pocket HDD

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Spore spawns on Facebook

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-09T17:23:18+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Games, Web

Not content with just one “weedy species” franchise in the form of The Sims, Electronic Arts now wants to take over your gaming garden with Spore. EA studio Maxis announced last week the open beta for Spore Islands on Facebook. Spore Islands invites Facebook users to experience the Spore universe in a new way by competing against each other in the “ultimate survival of the fittest game.”

Designed by Maxis and Wil Wright, Spore is a multi-genre single-player metaverse god game available for Windows and Macintosh, with variations available on the iPhone, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii and others. The Spore Islands version—set in a vibrant, playful 2D world—will follow the format of most Facebook games, in that it focuses on player-to-player interaction:

... users choose their own island to live on, create creatures and evolve them, invite friends to live on their island, and send their own creatures to friends’ islands, all in a quest to dominate as many islands as possible. In Spore Islands, much like in other Spore games, parts matter. Throughout the game, players can earn and purchase DNA points that they can use to modify their creature’s stats or customize their creature’s appearance with fun accessories such as hats, animations, holiday-themed items, and more. Players’ progress is tracked on both Global and a Friends-only leaderboards, which can be viewed by players and their friends, upping the ante in the race to the top of the food chain.

Caryl Shaw, senior producer of Spore Islands, doesn’t see this as another Farmville, however. “What sets Spore Islands apart from other social games is that it offers a different kind of social interactivity where a player’s gameplay experience is directly affected by the choices and decisions their friends make. It’s an ongoing game, so player’s creatures and islands will be active at all times, whether the player is logged into Facebook or not.”

So, I guess you won’t have to annoy your husband by taking over the computer to find the owner of a pink cow and water your eggplants every night when he needs to be doing his Appletell work, Tieraney.

To learn more about the Spore franchise, visit www.spore.com. Spore Islands can be played at Facebook.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Apple App Store gaming update for the week of November 3 to 9, 2009

NEWS — 2009-11-09T15:50:20+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - Short list this week with not a whole lot to pick from. Highlights include Jelly Car 2, EGO City Invasion, RPG Quest Minimae and Anagram Fun…
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Car stereo built for iPhone

NEWS — 2009-11-09T15:49:56+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Integrating your phone into your car isn’t clean. For most of us, power cords, FM transmitters and dashboard holders are all involved to get the job done, only to have to futz with the FM station during lengthy drives. Thankfully, a new stereo is on the market that is smart… MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

App it Up: Yoritsuki

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-09T13:24:52+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

Category: Entertainment
Developer: Hybrid:Works
Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 18.7MB

What is it?

It’s a view from the guest room of a Japanese Inn. I’m guessing there are few locations where the view from a hotel window could be an app (certainly wouldn’t work from the Comfort Inn & Suites in beautiful downtown Akron, Ohio), but it works with Yoritsuki.

How does it work?

Launch it, and enjoy the sounds and sites of a Japanese hot-spring inn. This is actually better than it sounds for various reasons. First, the graphics are gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. This is the first time I’ve looked at an app on the iPhone wished the screen was four times larger.

The image changes with the seasons and the time of day (not gradually, unfortunately), as do the sound effects. You don’t need to wait for summer to roll back around, however, as you can manually change the image at will. There is some animation involved, as well. Water doesn’t flow and trees don’t sway, but you will see birds fly by, leaves and snow fall, fireflies hover, etc. This, combined with the soothing natural audio, provides a nice bit of momentary relaxation.

There’s some interactivity involved, as well, as you can adjust sliding windows and doors (called shoji). Slide them with your fingers, or cycle through your options with a tap. There are 15 total designs, each of which works with the lighting in its own unique way. Working your way through them is surprisingly compelling for a bit.

Finally, there’s a clock mode that replaces the UI with a black border, in which it displays the time. Plug in your iPhone and set this up on your nightstand, and now you’ve got a very pleasant clock. You’ll have to rely on your normal iPhone alarm, however, as Yoritsuki doesn’t include its own. The time display is also a bit too small to be of much use. I think I’d rather there just be a mode that replaces the entire screen with the view through your windows. The ability to save your view and shoji positions as your wallpaper would also be great.

Features

Beautiful and relaxing graphics and audio
View changes with time of day and the seasons
Natural animations
Clock mode
Ability to customize the view by changing/sliding shoji

App it Up, Sum it Up

Yoritsuki is a fairly pointless app, but it’s one I’m glad to have on my phone, nonetheless. It’s beautifully designed; easily one of the all-around best looking apps I’ve ever tried. It’ll relax you, whether you’re using it as a calming break during your day or as a way to lull you sleep at night. I’d be happier if it were priced at $0.99, but that extra dollar shouldn’t dissuade you if you need help imagining you’re someplace more pleasant than you currently are.

Cost - $1.99
Worth the Money? - It’s not the most useful app you’ll own, but the design alone is worth the purchase.
Availability - Now, in the iTunes App Store

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Christmas comes to the online Apple Store

Ed Parry — 2009-11-08T22:10:14+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, Originals

This morning, the online Apple store went offline for a short time. When it came back, there were no signs of an Apple tablet, but it seems the Christmas elves had been speaking to Mr. Jobs about gift options. If you’ve thought about buying gifts from Apple this festive season, you’ll be happy to hear of the elegant gift wrapping options, Christmas-styled gift cards and, of course, the personalization options available for several Apple products.

So now you have all you need to get your Christmas shopping started nice and early. Apple makes it simple to send gifts to friends and family outside of the U.S., too. According to the online store, simply navigate to the store of that country (for example, for the U.K., head to store.apple.com/uk) and purchase the gifts using your U.S. credit card. If you decide against gift wrapping, you can write a small free gift message with the package, but rest assured Apple won’t send any pricing information with that product.

With the great range of iPods, the newly updated line of laptop and desktop computers, and more accessories than you could possibly want in one go, the online Apple Store is the place to shop this Christmas. You’ll be guaranteed to gain the “cool” status from your friends and family for buying them an Apple gift.

Stay tuned on Appletell over the coming weeks for tips and tricks on the best holiday gift ideas, the best festive software from the App Store, and the best collection of music to suit your holiday spirit from iTunes.

Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Popular technology industry news for the week of 11-01-2009

NEWS — 2009-11-08T15:36:45+00:00

Section:

You know what’s going on in the wonderful world of Apple, but what’s going on throughout the technology industry? Gadgetell‘s got you covered. Here a list of their top stories from this week…

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell reviews Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac OS X

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-07T22:52:27+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Design, Home and Personal, Mac + Computers, Software, Reviews

Provides: Photo editing, manipulation and sharing
Format: DVD or digital download
Developer: Adobe Systems, Inc.
Minimum System Requirements: Multicore Intel processor, Mac OS X v10.4.11, 512MB RAM, 64MB VRAM, 1GB available hard disk space, DVD drive, QuickTime 7 (for multimedia features), Internet connection for Internet-based services
Processor Compatibility: Multicore Intel only
Price: $99.99 (currently $79.99 with rebate)
Availability: Now
Version Reviewed: 8.0

Photoshop is work. It’s fun work, quite often, but it’s work nonetheless. There’s a lot to know, more to learn (and relearn), and plenty of trial and error. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t have it any way; I love the program, and I love watching its capabilities grow as my skills grow. But quite often, it’s overkill. And for the many Mac users who out there who have never used it, it’s quite intimidating (and, of course, too expensive).

Thus, Adobe has been bringing us Photoshop Elements. This is a friendlier image manipulation program. Cheaper. You don’t get nearly the amount of power and control you get with Photoshop, but you do get enough to have some fun and produce some very cool images. With this iteration, Adobe has not only added some great new editing tools, by also improved the way you organize and share your photos, as well.

It starts off poorly, however, with no active support for iPhoto. In order to import your iPhoto library (or portions of it) to Elements, you have to drag the photos out of iPhoto to your hard drive, or dig into the archaic iPhoto folder hierarchy from within Elements. It’s a pain, but it’s what you’ve got. The hidden benefit is that your iPhoto images remain unharmed, as all Elements 8 work will be done on the duplicates.

Cumbersome as it is, though, it’s worth it. Because Elements offers some great tools that are fairly simple to use once you get the hang of them. For instance, you can recompose your photos without harming key elements. Let me explain visually. In the original photo below, I have a picture of me and my kids, but we’re fairly separated.

Let’s say I want to put this in a portrait frame, not horizontal. Recomposing allows the user to alter the orientation by simply dragging the frame, keeping the important elements without distorting them, and merging the rest. Sometimes, dragging is enough. More often than not, however, it’s better to tell it what to keep and what to lose. You can see below that I’ve painted over what I want with green what I don’t want with red.

Then, I dragged from right to left, and watched my son and daughter magically slide closer to me, while those in the background disappeared…sort of.

It’s not a perfect science, so there will be some practice involved (note the trails over my left shoulder, and the heads directly behind me didn’t disappear). But the fact that you can complete procedures such as this on software so inexpensive is very, very cool.

Elements 8 gives you other powerful tools as well, such as photo-merge, which allows you take multiple images at various exposures to get a perfectly lit image. The image below from Adobe’s samples shows a before and after.

You can control which elements to carry into your final product, so it would’ve been quite simple to highlight the girl without brightening the fence behind her, for example.

The same basic tool and procedure can be used to remove unwanted elements from an image. Take the same shot multiple times to sample various elements and clean up the background. The image below from Adobe’s samples also shows a before and after, although there were a total of about five images used to produce the clean image on the right.

You certainly would want a tripod to make sure the photos are as similar as possible, but it need not be perfect. Photoshop will make some pretty good blending guesses, and you can guide it along, as well.

Not all of the features in Elements 8 are quite so drastic. Many are simply traditional Photoshop filters to touch up or add interesting effects to your photos. You can correct red eye and brighten teeth with a simple click, or you can add some pop to your photos, as with the samples below.

This picture was taken with my iPhone, so the lighting was not the best and the image was a bit blurry. By running it through the “Poster Edges” filter, I’ve given it a more striking look that hides the deficiencies of the source image.

There’s far more to Elements 8 than I can cover in this review, and you can read about the new features, see video demos (that I recommend you watch so you can see how easy all of this is to learn, if not perform) and compare product versions at Adobe’s website. Many features are purely for fun, but others are there specifically to make your photos look better: bluer skies, more striking black-and-whites, etc. I do, however, want to quickly cover image sharing, as Adobe has gone out of their way in Elements 8 to make sure you can show off your work.

Of course, you can print your images, but you can also create photo books, collages and scrapbook pages, make a PDF slideshow, publish them to a web gallery, share them via iPhone, and more. And as if to spite Apple (the inability to communicate with iWeb and iPhoto apparently wasn’t enough), you can create CD/DVD jackets and labels. Take that, Apple! Adobe actually wants to burn discs!

My only complaint with Elements 8 is that the included Getting Started guide is useless. It mentions only a couple features, and provides no detail on any of them (the last 13 pages of the guide are literally blank). You’re going to need a third-party manual for Elements 8, but should be able to rely on the online video tutorials in the meantime. This is fairly common these days, yes, but considering many Mac users are used to the intuitive interface and capabilities of iPhoto, Adobe is shooting itself in the foot by not providing a smoother transition to Elements 8.

Regardless, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 is a great program that provides some amazing capabilities. It’ll be a bit frustrating at first when your results aren’t as impressive as those in the samples, but with some practice and the acceptance that every image will require a slightly different approach, you’ll be surprised by what you’re able to accomplish. Just don’t tell anyone how easy it was. This is your chance to use “Photoshop” as a verb, and I suggest you do it.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Adobe Photoshop Elements 8

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell reviews three accidentally educational games for iPhone, iPod touch

Ed Parry — 2009-11-07T17:20:22+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Reviews

In this review, we look at three educational iPhone games: Polynx, QuizQuizQuiz and Whirly Word. Each is slightly different, but each is, in its own right, a great title to play. Whether you’re looking to extend your general knowledge or language vocabulary, or to test your basic arithmetic ability, there’s certainly (as Apple themselves would say), “an app for that.”

Polynx

Category: Games
Seller: Christopher Urbanek
Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later 
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
 File Size: 7.0 MB 
Version Reviewed: 2.1 
Price: $0.99

Polynx would be considered the most challenging of the three applications here, as it takes more skill and a problem-solving ability to get your head around it. To solve the puzzle, you must connect each individual piece to other pieces so the total of the connected pieces is the number of the original piece. Confusing? Take a look at the screenshot below. From the left-hand-side of the screen, we are told the piece with the number 6 must equal 4. So that piece must be connected to a number of other pieces to equal that total. As you can see, there are several possibilities for this result, as there are three individual 1s the 3 could connect to so it equals 4. There’s only one full solution to each puzzle, so you’ll need a little trial and error to get to the right answer.

The graphics are pretty basic, with two themes from which to choose: a blackboard or “zen.” Since all three of these applications are educational, there’s not much need for insane graphics or intense animation. The good thing with Polynx is that you don’t notice anything is missing. The graphics are clean and stylish, and they fit well with the style of the game. The user interface is intuitive, and within the first couple of goes, you’ll have no worries navigating the menus and completing the levels. Maybe the screen could be used a little more effectively; there’s a lot of blank space when you’re playing, but it does give you a little more room to navigate the puzzle and to see what you’re working with.

I quite enjoy playing Polynx. It’s something new I’ve never really tried before. The iPhone’s interface is the perfect starting point for the game; you quickly forget you’re on your iPhone, as it could easily be a board game on a glass surface (a little exaggeration, but you get the idea). If you think you might even just slightly enjoy this game, I guarantee you will. Since there’s a lite version available too, you really have no excuse not to try it out.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Polynx

QuizQuizQuiz

Category: Games
Seller: Four Door Lemon Ltd
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later 
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch 
File Size: 5.5 MB 
Version Reviewed: 1.0
 Price: $1.99

If haven’t already figured out what QuizQuizQuiz is about, maybe it’s not the best title for you. QuizQuizQuiz could be the ultimate quiz application for the iPhone and iPod touch, with over 28,000 questions in five languages. Whatever you consider your strength, there’s sure to be a category that suits your style, such as “Beautiful People,” “Pirates” and “Music for Losers.” With difficulty ratings going from beginner up to mastermind, you’re sure to find a level that you can answer.

There are also quite a few methods of play; you can either simply play by yourself, go against the clock, challenge another friend or play a “passaround” with a group. The last two options offer more of a social experience, while the first two could be used to enhance your knowledge (so you have a better chance of winning against your friends). If there are no pub quizzes near you, you could host your own using QuizQuizQuiz and the “passaround” feature that supports up to five players.

The graphics are pretty simple, and don’t distract from the questions. It uses all original graphics, with none of the menus or frame styles from Apple’s usual design features. I might like more of Apple’s design showing through, but their original graphics look great and do the job just fine.

I’ve enjoyed using QuizQuizQuiz, despite not being much of a quiz mastermind. I still found levels and subjects that suited me, and trying out new levels allowed me to expand my knowledge of various areas. If you’re a fan of quizzes or enjoy the occasional pub quiz with friends, you’ll deffinatley want to check out QuizQuizQuiz. For $1.99, it’s certainly worth the purchase.

Appletell Rating:

Buy QuizQuizQuiz

Whirly Word

Category: Games
Seller: Mighty Mighty Good Games (Darren Sillett)
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.0 or later 
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
 File Size: 2.0 MB
 Version Reviewed: 1.0
 Price: $0.99

Whirly Word is, for the most part, a lot more relaxing than QuizQuizQuiz. You’re not under so much pressure, despite it being more difficult to fully complete. So, what is Whirly Word? Well, basically, you’re given six individual letters that form a rotary dial, and you’re left to find all the possible words (3 letters and upwards) that can be made from those six letters. As an example, you might be given the letters: CPCEOD and be asked to find all 16 words that can be made up from them. Think of many? How about copped, dope and doe? The more you find, the better your score. The first few words are pretty simple to find, but you’ll find yourself racking your brains for some time to think of more, then you’ll kick yourself when you ask for the answers. You don’t need to find all the words to progress to the next level, either, so it’s not completely impossible.

The graphics for Whirly Word look great. It’s exactly how you would expect a word/puzzle game to look; it wouldn’t look out of place if you played it by an open fire sitting on a rug. The dial for the letters is a golden brown color, elevated over a black and gray background. There’s no need for much animation, so everything is kept pretty simple, and the end result looks fantastic.

Whirly Word is not suited to everyone. Some people might find it a little tedious, saying games are meant to be fun, not educational. But if you’ve ever played Scrabble (and who hasn’t?) or have any sort of interest in language—or are even just looking for a new game to try out that could even enhance your vocabulary—you’ll want to look at Whirly Word.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Whirly Word

Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Droid appearing on Google and causing lines, what about iPhone?

Josh Holat — 2009-11-07T15:04:45+00:00

Section: Apple, iPhone, Carriers, iPhone, Originals

The day of the Droid came and left with relatively little press coverage compared to what we’ve seen from the iPhone in previous launches. However, that isn’t to say the Droid isn’t receiving its fair share of publicity, and for good reason. While I haven’t personally gotten my hands on one of these devices, I’ve heard many great things not only about Android 2.0 and the hardware, but about Verizon’s great coverage as well. With a large touch screen and nice camera, it’s not really a surprise that small lines formed by customers waiting to get their hands on one of these.

It’s clear that having the Verizon network behind it, Droid is going to offer more competition to the iPhone than the Pre did on Sprint. However, the Droid phone also has the advantage of having Google and their Android project behind it. And with Google comes the ability to send an advertising message to millions upon millions of people around the U.S. Yes, Google is placing Droid text advertisements on their main home page much like they did when Chrome was released. This certainly can’t hurt.

It will definitely be interesting to watch this one play out. Droid being based on an open platform has a ton of potential, but the iPhone already has a huge user base from being on the market for a longer period of time. What do you think will happen?

Image via [Engadget]

Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Hot Apple gaming news for the week of 11-01-2009

NEWS — 2009-11-07T15:02:59+00:00

Section:

Miss out on any Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPod gaming news this week? Here’s a look at this week’s top Apple stories from our friends at Gamertell...

And don’t forget to check out our App Store updates.

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 6, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-07T00:45:03+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 6, 2009:

Macintosh

SpeedRunGames has announced that Grappling Hook for Mac OS X and Windows is 50% off this weekend. Grappling Hook is a first-person action puzzle / platform game, where you use a grappling hook to overcome various challenging obstacles by performing incredible moves and fast combinations of daring tricks. The game features 30 dynamic, animated, and unique levels, 30 achievements and 240 challenges.
Troll Touch has announced touchscreen systems for the new 21.5 inch and 27 inch Apple iMacs and the 13 inch Unibody MacBook laptop. All systems feature analog resistive touchscreen technology and 12 bit touchscreen resolution. Standard warranty is one year, extendable to three years. The iMac systems are available as both a fully integrated, Troll factory installed internal package or a user-Installable, external “SlipCOVER” touchscreen system.
Macworld has released the Total Snow Leopard Superguide, the latest installment in its popular series of tutorial books. Macworld’s team of experts take you inside Apple’s latest update to the popular Mac OS X operating system: Snow Leopard, Mac OS X 10.6. Snow Leopard is an OS X update unlike any in recent memory. Inside these pages you’ll find all the information you need to install Snow Leopard smoothly and get started with its most important new features.

iPhone/iPod

Appliya Studio has announced a partnership with the The Art Festival of Street Children, a humanitarian effort supporting poverty-stricken street children worldwide. Appliya has developed an iPhone application that gives users a new way to support this outstanding charity. This app is an innovative donation method, and a sign of the future of charitable donations.
Riptide Games has announced Gravity Sling 1.0 for iPhone and iPod Touch. Gravity Sling is an inertia based puzzle game where the player must use the gravity of nearby planets to sling the astronaut through space and safely back to the space shuttle. Gravity Sling incorporates the popular OpenFeint platform enabling integrated leaderboards and achievements throughout the game.
Independent developer Brice Milliorn has announced the sale of JBMJBM, LLC. This is a well established company whose sole purpose is creating consumer applications for the iPhone platform. The business is currently listed for sale on eBay as a 10 day auction. 87 apps in all, some of his best-selling applications are Friday Night Lights, iSpy Game, iReferee, iSexyRef, iSexyRef2, Pro Rodeo Fan, Sit Up Counter, Shake 2 Count & several College oriented apps for sports enthusiasts.
OutOfTheBit has announced Checkers! 1.2.4, their versatile and highly customizable game app for iPhone and iPod Touch. OutOfTheBit, turns an age old favorite into a versatile, modern gaming experience. Checkers! four different playing rules, drag and drop playing, choice of three languages and varying graphic features makes Checkers! a unique application for gamers everywhere.
Big Blue Clip has released Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker 1.5 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Gas Log - MPG Fuel Tracker keeps track of gas and mileage for multiple vehicles, all in one convenient spot. You always have your mileage and expenses at hand, which you can view by trip or year, break downs per vehicle or as totals. Via an easy to use interface, individuals enter their data into their iPhone or iPod Touch, rather than stuffing receipts into pockets or something similar.
Readdle has announced the release of Scanner Pro 1.1, new version of their popular iPhone application that transforms the device into portable scanner. Version 1.1 introduces highly anticipated Evernote integration that lets people convert printed documents, receipts and even handwritten notes into searchable information accessible from anywhere. Scanner Pro is available on the App Store to the new customers and as a free upgrade for existing users.
Macsoftex has announced iAlcohol 1.1, an update to their blood alcohol content app for iPhone and iPod touch. Intuitively easy to use, iAlcohol determines the level of alcohol in a person’s blood and calculates the required break in driving. The formula calculates the influence of factors on the duration of the phases of alcohol intoxication, providing 90% accuracy. The application will help you choose a suitable drink and the amount you are allowed to consume within this interval of time.
Independent game developer Glenn Corpes has announced Ground Effect 1.0, developed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Ground Effect is a unique 3D, classic arcade-style racer inspired by ekranoplan technology wherein craft fly on a cushion of air at breakneck speeds. Utilizing the platform’s trademark accelerometer as well as touch controls, Ground Effect boasts amazing graphics and incredibly smooth frame-rates as well as a host of gameplay features.
Use your iPhone or iPod touch to write a message in the air with the magic of POV (persistence of vision). Move the iPhone in front of your friends or your camera and your message magically appears into the air. You can have a message with an unlimited number of characters and in any color. Be creative and make original photos for any occasion or simply to say hello to a friend or family.
Infinite Labs has announced their winter line-up by releasing Mover 3.0, an update to the critically acclaimed iPhone data transfer app. Version 3.0 adds video transfer support.
Apple’s gotten the world hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven’t delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your sleek little entertainment center. That’s where this book comes in. J.D. Biersdorfer and David Pogue come to the rescue with the latest edition of their chock-full-of-tips, full-color guide: the world’s most popular iPod book. iPod: The Missing Manual (O’Reilly, US $19.99), now in its 8th edition, provides a no-nonsense view of the latest iPod line, including the tiny Shuffle, the video-capable Nano, the high-capacity Classic, and the Wi-Fi-enabled Touch. With crystal-clear explanations and easy-to-follow color graphics, the book provides expert guidance on all of the amazing things you can do.
Jokemaster and industry pioneer Al Lowe has released an update for his latest venture, Al Lowe’s CyberJoke 3000™, currently available for download on the iTunes App Store. Comedy fans can listen to over 110 of Al’s favorite jokes, with more updates on the way. Experience Al’s unique sense of humor in a collection of gutwrenchers that will entertain you and your friends for hours on end.
365 Puzzle Club [iTunes App Store link] is the new number puzzle game App from Connect2Media containing thousands of Sudoku, Tenpenki and Kakuro puzzles, making it the only puzzle game you’ll ever need. Pit your wits against fresh puzzles every day in a variety of modes.
Zinc Roe Games has released Tickle Tap Apps: three preschool apps for iPhone and iPod Touch. Sound Shaker is a delightful and hilarious sound making game, Sort Slider is a mesmerizing shape matching game and Count Caddy (makes counting rewarding).
Sunstorm Interactive has announced the launch of their second iPhone and iPod touch game: WW2 Beachhead [iTunes App Store link]. It is a fast-action arcade game with amazing graphics and dynamic war-time sound effects in which players have to defend their position against overwhelming enemies.
The World’s Hardest Game can now be played on the iPhone and iPod touch. Avoid Impact with Impending Blue Balls. Keep your Red Square away from the Blue Balls, and pick up yellow balls on your way to the Green Zone or you’ll die! And trust us, you’ll die. A lot. As in often. But even if you beat it, how many times did you die? The lowest score wins that battle.
App Popular, LLC has announced App Popular 1.0, their new all-in-one solution for navigating the application universe for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Users can now share, monitor and track every iPhone application available in any of Apple’s 77 online App Stores. Features include social networking utilities to share apps via email, tracking functionality to monitor price changes, App Store rankings, App Popular rankings, categorization tools and more.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Warhammer Online’s free trial now endless

NEWS — 2009-11-07T00:05:33+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - Mythic Entertainment and EA are no longer offering a free 10 day trial for the MMO Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Instead, there is now an endless free trial option available.
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Hypertension headed to the Dreamcast and all computers

NEWS — 2009-11-07T00:03:59+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - TDGMods is working on a reimagining of Blood and Blood II: The Chosen called Hypertension. It will be released in 2010 for the Sega Dreamcast and PC, Mac, and Linux computers.
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Free Apps roundup for November 6th, 2009

Jake Gaecke — 2009-11-06T22:25:50+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals

Another great week for freebies on the App Store. Lots of information, apps and games, which is good news if your weekend was going to be bland. Now it can be full of icons instead! Cameras, toys, religion, games, and Family Guy. You couldn’t ask for too much more.

Eliminate Pro - Undeniably the best free app of the week. This is the first online FPS for iPhone. It looks awesome, and logically, it’s free. Yeah, I’m surprised too. It has all the features of an app that should cost at least $10, if not more. You can kill others online any time you have a connection. That’s one of the only two drawbacks. It’s online only, and there are in app purchases, so it’s not completely free. Still, it’s definitely worth a look.
Toys ‘r’ Us Big Book Favorites - No, I don’t want to, and have thus far refused to grow up, so I can still look at the Toys ‘r’ Us big book. Apparently, this is the biggest book ever; thus, they had to move some of it to an app. You can find deals, makes lists and otherwise drool over all the reasons you’re still single. I mean, all of those awesome action figures and toys and stuff!
Logos Bible - If the Toys ‘r’ Us book just isn’t big enough for you, perhaps this possible end all, be all Bible app is. It has access to a ton of Bible versions, will compare between them, and lets you search. You can tap and hold a word for various forms of information on it. There are more features here than most would dare shake a stick at.
Hebrew Alphabet QuickRef - And while you’re at it with the Bible app, why don’t you brush up on your Hebrew too?
Nikon Learn & Explore - What’s with all of the information apps this week? I’m not sure. But Nikon has a great app here for learning about photography, and you don’t have to own a Nikon to get use out of it. Give it a download, and do some more learning this weekend, it’ll be good for you.
GeoGeo Wars (LITE) - In the same vein as games such as Geometry Wars, this app is a free version of a space shooter. Move around and shoot all of the enemies that appear on screen. Oh yeah, try not to have a seizure from all the bright colors and flashes and stuff too. That’s like the secondary goal, I hear.
Gravity Sling - An app that takes advantage of in app purchases, this app comes with 15 gravity based levels. Use inertia and gravity to slingshot your astronaut to the space ship.
Family Guy: Uncensored Free - I make no promises on the quality of this app, but hey, it’s Family Guy, it’s uncensored, and it’s free. Enough said.

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

So Hot Right Now: Top 10 Appletell posts for the week of November 01, 2009

NEWS — 2009-11-06T17:14:43+00:00

Section:

Haven’t caught all of the Appletell news this week? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

An open letter to the Verizon “There’s a Map for That” ads
” Dear Verizon, First, let me congratulate you on a fairly witty pun-based ad campaign. You’re making a point, and with quite a bit of gumption, given the lack of cool smartphones available on your larger-than-life network ( MORE »
Appletell reviews augmented reality games for iPhone 3GS
“Augmented reality. If you’re not familiar with the phrase, get there. It’s a fairly new trend in games in which the computer generated graphics are laid on top of what you actually see around you. There are other more detailed and possibly more accurate definitions, but forget about them. What…” MORE »
Appletell reviews two deer hunting games for iPhone, iPod Touch
“Category: Game Developer: Super Happy Fun Fun, Inc. Requirements: iPhone 2.2.1 software or later Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch File Size: 15.5MB Version Reviewed: 1.56.0 Price: $2.99 Big Buck Hunter for the…” MORE »
Apple prepping $30/month iTunes TV subscription service?
“According to sources for All Things Digital, Apple has been pitching a $30 per month TV subscription service via iTunes in the past weeks. The sources are saying that various TV networks have been approached by Apple about the deal, and if enough…” MORE »
Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 2, 2009
“Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 2, 2009: Macintosh Ringce has announced Slammer 0.9.6, an update to their designer’s layout and geometry utility for Mac OS X. Suitable for graphic designers,…” MORE »
AT&T sues Verizon over “there’s a map for that” advertisements
” Verizon first attacked Apple’s iPhone via an advertisement for the new Motorola Droid phone they will be selling this month. Then, they proceeded to attack the iPhone’s carrier, AT&T, with their “there’s a map for that” advertisements. While…” MORE »
Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 4, 2009
“Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 4, 2009: Macintosh TheMacBundles has announced the release of its November Bundle. TheMacBundles provides users with the best software bargains on the platform while also…” MORE »
Is RFID the next feature for iPhone 4?
” Apple could already be testing next generation iPhones equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) capabilities if a less than rock solid rumor is to be trusted (as if rumors could be solid in the first place). 9to5Mac admits their source,…” MORE »
Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 3, 2009
“Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 3, 2009: Macintosh Apparent Software today is proud to announce Cashculator 1.0, a new kind of personal finance application for Mac OS X. Cashculator is…” MORE »
Appletell reviews “And Another Thing…” H2G2 audio book for iPhone, iPod touch
“Category: Books Seller: Hyperion Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch File Size: 475MB Version Reviewed: 3.0 Price: $14.99 Age Rating:…” MORE »

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Gamertell Review: Opticon and IntelliScanner Mini handheld laser barcode scanners

NEWS — 2009-11-06T17:13:53+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - The only differences between the products are tiny cosmetics, the accompanying accessories and the prices. But are the worth it?
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell reviews the BookArc Desktop Stand for MacBooks

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-06T15:09:25+00:00

Section: Mac + Computers, Laptops, MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Peripherals, Reviews

Provides: Small footprint placement of your MacBook or MacBook Pro
Developer: Twelve South
Minimum Requirements: MacBook (black, white, aluminum and many previous models), MacBook Air or MacBook Pro (13, 15 or 17-inch)
Price: $49.99
Availability: Now

I like the BookArc; let’s start with that. This device from Twelve South is a simple but solid heavy gauge steel arc in which your MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air can rest in its closed position. Why would you need that? You wouldn’t be asking if you use an external monitor and keyboard with your MacBook. Small is good when you’re considering portability. But when doing work at your desk, it’s better for your eyes and your posture to hook your laptop up to a larger monitor.

The trouble with this is that you’re suddenly dividing desktop space between the monitor, your keyboard and mouse, and your laptop. Also factor in speakers, perhaps a scanner, etc., and…well, something’s got to go. Twelve South thinks it should be the computer. No need to have it open if you’re not using its keyboard or monitor. No need to have it lying off to the side where your papers or iPhone or coffee should go. So, close the MacBook up and rest it on its side.

Doing so with the BookArc, you’re now only taking up around 10 x 4-1/2 inches. Your cables are higher off the desk and behind your second monitor, or wherever you decide to place the BookArc. Plus, your MacBook is safe. The BookArc comes with rubber inserts for each model in Apple’s current lineup, so you’re guaranteed a secure fit. The inserts are easy to apply and remove, don’t budge when in place, and will prevent scratches. The steel frame is exceptionally strong and looks great holding your aluminum laptop or sitting next to a current Apple LED Cinema Display. Rubber pads hug each corner of the BookArc, but they’re simply glued on. I’m a bit nervous these could pop off after prolonged use.

This is all very easy to set up and start using, providing instant relief from desktop clutter. But the BookArc has another benefit, as well. You’re forced to keep your laptop shut when it’s in the BookArc, allowing all the video power to be transfered to the external monitor. This means a decent speed increase in your graphics-intensive applications and games. You’d get the same increase by simply closing your MacBook on your desk, but again, you’d be losing that retail space.

The BookArc isn’t so great that it creates a need for itself. If you don’t use your MacBook with an external monitor, there’s absolutely no need for this. If you’ve got plenty of desk space, you can save yourself $50 by just leaving your MacBook sitting there. But if you’re running out of room when hooking your laptop up to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, the BookArc is a solid, elegant and safe device for reclaiming a good portion of that.

Appletell Rating:

Buy the BookArc

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

8GB iPhone 3G soon to gain an S?

Jake Gaecke — 2009-11-06T11:42:42+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Rumors, iPhone, Carriers, iPhone

Currently, Apple’s most affordable model of iPhone is the 8GB iPhone 3G, also known as “last year’s model.” But that could change soon. Pat, I’d like to buy a consonant.

The Boy Genius Report has received a number of unconfirmed tips—along with a few, not so blurry, pics—that seem to confirm that Rogers in Canada is draining their 8GB iPhone 3G stock to make way for the new 8GB iPhone 3GS. I think it’s fair to assume this rumor would apply to AT&T and elsewhere too.

This just makes sense. It’s not like Apple to keep an old model around when they can instead force you to buy a new one. I’m just hoping this works like Wheel Of Fortune, you know, where the consonants are free! I’d say there’s at least a fair possibility that a new 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99 just like the current 3G model, but that’s completely my own speculation. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see an extra $49 tacked on.

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Is RFID the next feature for iPhone 4?

Jake Gaecke — 2009-11-06T03:09:33+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Rumors, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

Apple could already be testing next generation iPhones equipped with RFID (radio frequency identification) capabilities if a less than rock solid rumor is to be trusted (as if rumors could be solid in the first place).

9to5Mac admits their source, Einar Rosenberg from Nearfield Communications, isn’t exactly the end all, be all source for inside Apple info, but they have a pretty interesting rumor. Read:

A highly reliable source has informed me that Apple has built some prototypes of the next gen iPhone with an RFID reader built in and they have seen it in action. So its not full NFC but its a start for real service discovery and I’m told that the reaction was very positive that we can expect this in the next gen iPhone.

Cool. Let’s assume this to be true, just for the sake of discussion. What exactly would you do with RFID in your iPhone? A host of things actually, but the most useful for regular users would likely be how it could simplify device discovery and syncing. You could just bring your iPhone within close proximity of your next gen Mac (presumably also equipped with RFID) and syncing could happen wirelessly. Now that’s something I think we’ve all wanted for some time.

Adding to the believability of this rumor is the fact that Apple has a patent for a “Touch Screen RFID Tag Reader.” But hey, that could be for any of the other touch screen devices Apple makes…

Another use could potentially be a form of credit “card” or ever a credit card reader. This also explains the rumor source, since Einar Rosenberg is the CTO at Narian Technologies. They are all about mobile advertising and payments, two things that could leverage RFID in devices like the iPhone. I’m sure Apple wouldn’t mind using RFID to accept credit cards with a future version of their already new iPod touch mobile scanners they’ve recently started using in Apple Stores. And using the iPhone like a credit card wouldn’t be a bad idea either. I’m never without my iPhone. Never. I can think of several times I’ve forgotten my wallet at home but somehow managed to have my iPhone with me. Now that I think about it, I really wish I could have paid via iPhone the last time I did that, too.

RFID presents a lot of opportunities for devices and accessories to work seamlessly with each other, and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see this rumor pan out.

Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 5, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-06T01:51:13+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 5, 2009:

Macintosh

Arten Science has announced ContaX, their new CRM for individuals, clubs and small businesses. ContaX will let you store, view, interact and communicate with your contacts, customers, prospects and suppliers more easily and efficiently than ever before. It features an elegant, intuitive user Interface and seamless integration with the other R10Office products. Your database can be stored wherever you like, including hosted and/or synchronized services such as iDisk and DropBox.
Jumsoft has announced Aperture Themes 2.0. Aperture Themes allows Mac users to explore new ways of communicating their love for photography, and offers an extensive collection of design options for arranging their photos and pictures in Web galleries. All 16 themes were developed by a team of skillful designers with originality and sophistication to evoke a mood of professionalism and excellence. Version 2.0 features ten new styles added to the six designs from the previous version.
Mariner Software has announced its latest product offering—a software and hardware bundle containing the popular digital documents manager, Paperless, with Fujistu’s ScanSnap S300M mobile scanner or the S1500M sheet-fed scanner. Paperless seamlessly integrates with both ScanSnap scanners, creating efficient and easy-to-navigate organization.
Maintain has announced Cocktail 4.6 (Snow Leopard Edition), the latest maintenance update of Cocktail for users running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. This version adds ability to clear data detectors and QuickLook caches, as well as several new QuickTime X and Apple Mail settings. The update is highly recommended for all users of Cocktail (Snow Leopard Edition). Cocktail is an award winning general purpose utility for Mac OS X.
IntelliScanner Corporation has announced their new IntelliScanner Comic Edition 200 is now shipping worldwide in custom metal lunchbox packaging. IntelliScanner Comic Edition 200 is a smart barcode scanner and software package that automatically organizes comic book collections and other media items. It automatically identifies comic books by issue number, providing full details like the title, date, writer, penciler, inker, and more.

iPhone/iPod

Traveling around the world to experience exotic foods and local life in different countries, how many language tools you have to bring? The answer is one. You only need PixTalk. One picture is worth a thousand words, and PixTalk carefully selects 100 pictures that could tell almost everything needed when traveling. You simply have to point at the pictures to indicate what you need.
Matrix Knowledge Management Pty Ltd has announced the launch of V Phone, a new application that lets iPhone users make VoIP calls and send SMS messages over IP. Rather than locking iPhone users into working with a single VoIP provider, it lets users choose between multiple providers of their choice for voice calling. With an intuitive, attractive user interface and simple installation, the V Phone makes it easy for anyone to save money and start getting more out of their mobile or cell phones.
Rosebrae Technology has released Clocks - Multi Time Zone Alarm Clock 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Clocks is a distinctive fusion between a world clock and a bedside clock which combines all the functionality expected of both types of application in one place. Perfect for business people and other frequent travellers, Clocks allows users to keep track of the time in many places at once, whilst doubling as a gorgeous LCD display for bedside clock use.
Quapps Interactive has released MagiCam - Augmented Reality - Photographs with props for iPhone devices. MagiCam allows users to take live photographs with added props such as ghosts, UFO’s, Beards and the big fish that got away. Using MagiCam, users are able to scale, rotate, move and blend several props over their camera and take ultra realistic photographs. Version 1.0 has 18 props with 1.1 offering camera roll editing as well as live, many more props and a camera timer mode.
TapFactory has released Stick It 2.1 for iPhone and iPod touch. Stick It is an iTunes Top 100 Utility App that allows you to quickly and easily take notes, customize their look, and create beautiful wallpapers for your lockscreen to function as quick reminders. Create fully customized notes with over 20 note styles, over 30 backgrounds, and plenty of fonts to choose from. Stick It will automatically save your notes so you can pick up where you left off. Email your notes directly from the app.
syncRage has released Sorty 1.1, morphing two concepts to create new gaming excitement for iPhone and iPod Touch users. Although it has a basic concept that involves rapid relocation or chaining of colored balls, the speed and split second strategizing involved seems to be very pleasing to syncRage customers. Bejeweled and Tetris may have been the inspiration for Sorty but there’s nothing old school about the app.
Improve your mental capabilities in a fun way with infeCCt. Enter the mysterious temple ruins and solve the ancient puzzles by connecting all tiles—a challenge made harder by impassable blocks, intersections and tunnels. If you are to solve all the tricky challenges, you will not only have to think ahead, but you will also have to train your brain to apply what you’ve learned to new situations. Want to train your brain? Get infeCCted.
Shiny Development Ltd. has announced Balloons!, the new iPhone app that lets you launch virtual helium balloons and track their progress around the world. Choose a balloon, attach your photo and message to it, then launch it into the sky. It then drifts around the world where it gets caught by other users. They add their own photo and message and send it on its way again. Where will it go? Who will it meet? How far will it travel? Balloons! the world just got smaller.
After bringing the Artusi cookbook, Dreams&Lotto, Forex Alert, the Constitution and Italian Law Codes to your iPhone, Intermundia has introduced Project OperaM. Opera-lovers and newcomers alike will have the chance to download 24 applications from iTunes with librettos of the most famous operas.
Beamer—a community developed, iPhone case with a built in light—has been released. This light can function both as a flash for your iPhone’s camera as well as a light to brighten things up when necessary. Dropped something under the table, squinting to read a menu in candlelight, can’t find your keys, or just frustrated by those dark mobile photos? Beamer is the case that shines.
The OtterBox Commuter Series interactive case for iPhone incorporates three tough, yet sleek layers of impact-absorbing materials which combine to completely safeguard your device. First, a self-adhering transparent film covers and protects the touch screen. Next, a firm silicone skin completely encases the iPhone’s housing. And finally, a one-piece, molded polycarbonate shell snaps tightly over the whole assembly.
Chillingo and Tetraedge Games have announced the availability of Jules Verne’s Secrets of The Mysterious Island [iTunes App Store link] for iPhone and iPod touch on the Apple App Store. Secrets of the Mysterious Island is the sequel of Return to Mysterious Island launched earlier this year. For approximately 700MB, the player will find out the end of the adventure of Mina, a sailor who finds herself stranded on the shores of a wild and apparently uninhabited island somewhere in the South Pacific.
Logos Bible Software has released a free iPhone app designed to help people get more into Bible study than ever before. Unlike most Bible related iPhone apps, which are merely Bible readers, the Logos Bible Software iPhone app delivers tools and resources to help you study the Bible with your iPhone or iPod Touch in ways never before implemented on a mobile device.
RingtoneFeeder has announced distribution of audiobooks in the same format as its popular ringtones and Dynamic Albums. The first title is The Caffeine Collection, which is a collection of audio short stories covering a wide variety of genres produced by Steve Saylor and is available via RingtoneFeeder. RingtoneFeeder is an innovative approach to ringtones offering a subscription model which automatically installs new original ringtones on the iPhone via iTunes every week.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Fortune Magazine names Steve Jobs “CEO of the Decade”

Ed Parry — 2009-11-05T17:43:17+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Steve Jobs

Fortune Magazine has decided to call the 2000s “the decade of Steve” for his role with Apple, Inc. As they mention, he has overcome being forced to leave his own company, returning back for a salary of $1, a securities-law scandal, two close calls with death, and his “own often unpleasant demeanor” to earn himself the title of CEO of the Decade.

In the last ten years, Apple has stretched out into the areas of media and cell phones. But they didn’t just enter these markets; they changed them. I don’t need to remind you of the huge success the iPod continues to have, and with over 100,000 applications available in the iPhone App Store, it seems obvious their venture into the cell phone market has proven a success, too.

It’s often noted that he’s a showman, a born salesman, a magician who creates a famed reality-distortion field, a tyrannical perfectionist. It’s totally accurate, of course, and the descriptions contribute to his legend.
Fortune Magazine.

In 2000, Apple was worth $5 billion. Not a small number by any means, but just ten years later Apple is now worth around $170 billion, putting themselves just ahead of Internet giant, Google. Thanks to being debt-free, Apple has around $31 billion in cash and investments, which is the highest amount for any technology company.

So, in ten years, Apple has gone from a relatively small computer company—with no Apple Stores, iPod, iTunes, Mac OS X or iPhone—to being a technology leader with a range of great products, while being the most valuable company in Silicon Valley. I think, looking back, it’s no wonder Steve Jobs is Fortune’s “CEO of the Decade.”

Via [AppleInsider]

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Droid vs. iPhone: the big hitters weigh in

NEWS — 2009-11-05T17:42:15+00:00

FROM GADGETELL - Yesterday, two tech greats chimed in on reviews of the Droid. Both Walter Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times reviewed the phone and both came away with an overall positive overview. Neither reviewer could stay away from constant iPhone comparisons. Mossberg’s review… MORE »

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Appletell reviews Scholastic vocabulary apps for iPhone, iPod touch

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-05T15:59:47+00:00

Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Reviews

There’s no shortage of iPhone apps available to keep kids occupied while you wait for your bloomin’ onion to be served. There’s also no shortage of apps available to explain why you shouldn’t be eating a bloomin’ onion. In this review, though, we’ll focus on the kids, and take a look at a couple of Scholastic apps that can teach them a few things while they’re entertained: WordGirl Word Hunt and Clifford’s BE BIG with Words.

WordGirl Word Hunt

Category: Education
Seller: Scholastic, Inc.
Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 38.6MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Price: $1.99
Age Rating: 4+

What I dig about WordGirl is that she believes bad vocabulary is a crime, and she’s dedicated her life to fighting it. This game shouldn’t be aimed at just children, there should be a version for adults, as well. Of course, don’t tell most adults that. Want to lose your friends quickly? Occasionally correct their grammar or let them know they’re using “comprise” incorrectly. See how quickly you quit getting invited to parties.

So, WordGirl saves only the children, as I guess she does on PBS. I’ve never seen the show, despite having kids the appropriate age. If the show is like the game, then WordGirl flies around to “crime” areas to help people come up with the right word for that situation. It’s a fun little premise that translates into a fun little game.

Each vocabulary lesson is accompanied by a story that helps kids determine the right word based on context. Get it wrong, and the player is gently urged in the correct direction. Get it right, and it’s on to the action sequence; by tilting your iPhone or iPod touch, you control WordGirl as she flies through the air, punching words and avoiding obstacles.

There are 40 rounds of this, teaching kids the definitions of over 100 words. I’m not sure of the actual educational value, as there’s little here to reinforce memorization of the definitions. But fans of the show will likely be entertained by the familiar characters, and kids in the 4- to 8-year-old target range will likely be into it for a few words at a time.

Appletell Rating:

Buy WordGirl Word Hunt

Clifford’s BE BIG with Words

Category: Education
Seller: Scholastic, Inc.
Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 32.0MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Price: $1.99
Age Rating: 4+

Now Clifford, I am familiar with. As a child, I read books about him when he just happened to be a really big red dog with no hidden agenda. These days he’s a cartoon who teaches kids how to share and behave and respect and all those other lessons that are completely lost on real-life children. Not that Scholastic should be faulted for trying, of course.

In this game, though, Clifford just wants to teach kids to spell and read. The premise is that Jetta wants to paint stuff, but has hit a creative wall. It’s up to you and the other characters from the show to give her ideas by spelling words. The kicker, though, is that you don’t have to know how to spell to do this. You simply select a letter from Jetta’s paint palette, and it’s written to the canvas.

The letters on the palette then change accordingly, so that each option for the next letter will still spell a word. Each word is only three letters, and the player can’t do anything wrong here. Rather, he or she will learn each letter by its sound, and see how those sounds come together to create the word.

Once the three letters are chosen, Jetta completes a painting representing that word. Some of these are a bit of a stretch, as with the image below.

If I show that image to my kids, they’re not getting “boo” out of it. But I imagine there’s a shortage of three-letter words that can be easily represented on the iPhone. Scholastic managed to come up with 315. I couldn’t do that…even with WordGirl’s help.

Although I preferred the design and the lessons of WordGirl Word Hunt over Clifford’s BE BIG with Words, my kids play the latter more often. Perhaps that’s because of their familiarity with Clifford, or perhaps it’s because of the simple gameplay and constant postitive reinforcement. Regardless, if you have children who are at the age where they’re just starting to identify letters and words, this is a great app to assist them with language development.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Clifford’s BE BIG with Words

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How Apple got to 100,000 apps, and why it won’t stop

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-05T14:47:30+00:00

Section: Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

You have a map for that, Verizon? Okay, well I see your map, and raise you an app. 100,000 apps, actually. Apple has announced that developers have created over 100,000 apps for the App Store, the largest applications store in the world. Apple did not comment on whether they’re including the myriad “fart” apps in that number.

From the release:

iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. App Store users have downloaded well over two billion apps, continuing to make it the world’s most popular applications store.

And it likely will be for quite some time. Apple has done two smart things, here, both of which their competitors haven’t figured out. First, they made the cell phone appeal to people who otherwise wouldn’t need one, and certainly not at the iPhone prices/rates. Before I bought my first iPhone, I was using a Virgin Mobile “pay as you go” plan on a $20 phone. It’s all I needed or wanted. But the 100,000 available apps on the iPhone has turned the device into something that never leaves my side. I’ve got books, music, games, health info, work schedules, hockey schedules, voice files, recipes, movies and much, much more at my fingertips at any given time. Some smart phones can handle some of that, but not at the volume the iPhone can, and not with Apple’s ease of use.

Second, via the iPod touch, Apple made all of these available to users who don’t have an iPhone. This creates much greater demand for iDevice applications, which leads to more developers, which makes the devices that much more appealing to consumers. Is there a non-cellular companion to the Pre? Will there be for the Droid? It’s unlikely, so even if those devices do start to rival iPhone sales, they simply won’t be able to withstand with the one-two punch of the iPhone + iPod touch. Therefore, I don’t see that they’ll have an app selection as robust as what we see in the iTunes App Store.

Of course, the other hidden benefit to the iPod touch is that when it comes time for owners to upgrade their cell phones, they may as well consider the iPhone if it’s available to them. They already have all those apps for their iPod touch, so why not move everything onto one device?

100,000 is an impressive number, but iPhone and iPod touch owners don’t need me to tell them that. They already know they’ve got “...an app for everything.”

Even farting.

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App Store now has more than 100,000 applications available

Josh Holat — 2009-11-05T12:42:56+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iTunes, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps

Ah, I remember not so long ago when we heard news of the App Store surpassing 2 billion downloads. However, the App Store has now reached another very important milestone: 100,000 available applications. In a marketplace where other companies are struggling to get 1,000 applications available for purchase and download, Apple and the developers with accounts have once again risen to the occasion. 100,000 certainly isn’t a small number, and it undoubtedly has brought much success for Apple and the iPhone OS platform.

In a statement, Apple SVP of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller said, “The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world. The iPhone SDK created the first great platform for mobile applications and our customers are loving all of the amazing apps our developers are creating.”

While there may be 100,000 apps on the App Store, this isn’t all good. With so many applications available, it’s safe to assume some (if not the majority) of basically crap or useless. This makes it hard sometime to navigate through all the cruft to find the real winners among the crowd. Thankfully, Apple has done pretty well so far adding features to the App Store to help discover some of the best apps, such as the Top Selling (free and paid) and Top Grossing lists.

I’m sure it won’t be long until we see posts reading of 200,000 applications available.

Via [Ars Technica]

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 4, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-05T00:22:55+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 4, 2009:

Macintosh

TheMacBundles has announced the release of its November Bundle. TheMacBundles provides users with the best software bargains on the platform while also providing developers with an exceptionally high percentage of the revenue produced from the sale of their software. The November bundle contains 12 outstanding and diverse titles and will be available for 4 weeks. All titles in the November bundle work with OS X 10.6.
This year, Mac-users can send out their Christmas greetings conveniently via Mail. Following the overwhelming success of our Stationery Pack Greeting Cards, Equinux is pleased to announce the release of Season’s Greetings Vol. 2—a collection of 22 wonderfully festive greeting cards for Mail in Leopard and Snow Leopard.
Macware has announced MacTuneUp 3.6, a free update to the leading Mac disk utility software. MacTuneUp quickly discovers and fixes problems, restores hard disk space, creates bootable disk backups, and maximizes Internet and network connections to squeeze the best performance from your Mac. Easily prevent system instability and speed up your Mac with a few simple steps. Snow Leopard users can update by downloading the updater from the Macware support center.
Boinx Software has released iStopMotion 2.1, an update to its wildly popular stop motion animation and time lapse software. iStopMotion 2.1 features markers–a convenient new way to structure the timeline–and improves compatibility with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. It is the first Boinx Software product to provide a full Japanese localization. The update is free and strongly recommended for all iStopMotion 2.x users.

iPhone/iPod

1 pixel. 4 colors. That’s a minimum. Alexandre Minard has announced Minima for iPhone and iPod touch. Change your color to survive in the jungle of pixels? Yellow, pink, violet…make the right choice at the right time. 10 different levels are waiting for you. Would you be able to thwart the trapped pixels? Go and compare your score to the rest of the world in the world web ranking. That’s a Minima.
Sean Maher has released Dead Panic: Survival 1.1.3, an update to his zombie game for iPhone and iPod touch. The undead are back with a vengeance. The updated game offers more playing modes, a new arsenal of kick-ass weapons, and a new set of twists and challenges to overcome. It also offers players a survival mode with unlimited waves of those persistent, shambling flesh-eaters.
The Right Bite, Inc. today introduces The Right Bite 1.0, their revolutionary behavior modification & weight loss tool for iPhone/iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, The Right Bite achieves weight loss results differently than alternative diet/programs. Based on proven scientific research, the system helps users lose weight by controlling the pace of their eating rather than typically focusing on what they eat.
Energize Software has announced Christmas Experience 1.2, an update to their multi-game Christmas iPhone app. While listening to holiday music you can decorate a snowman, play Christmas hangman, solve a puzzle, and tilt your device in one of eight directions to hear different holiday sounds. Create your own snowman with 30 pieces that utilize pinch and rotate gestures, as well as save, load and replace up to 9 different snowman creations.
Fore by Cobra is a pretty special game; it not only looks amazingly detailed, but it plays just so well on the iPhone using the touch and accelerometer control to perfection. On top of that, peer-2-peer multi-player adds a new dimension to the game along with fully integrated Plus+. Oh, and if you pull off a hole in 1 or any other great shots, the game automatically saves these for you to replay your best moments.
JL Software has announced Edition 1.65 of their popular Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics for iPhone or iPod touch. Version 1.65 adds ultrasound images of fetal anatomy and H1N1 Flu information. Handbook of High-Risk Obstetrics is a new and original reference source for the medical student or resident physician who needs a comprehensive yet concise guide to perinatal care. The Handbook covers all major areas of high-risk pregnancy, and is cross-referenced and indexed with over 3600 search keywords.
Ivan Karpan and Evgeniy Lebed have announced GlobeMaster 1.1.1, an update to their popular travel guide for iPhone and iPod Touch. GlobeMaster is an offline world-wide travel guide featuring 1400+ cities in more than 260 countries, including 4100+ photos, tips calculator and adviser, units converter and much more. It offers a wealth of information, such as traditions, rules of behavior, ways of getting in, out and around, how to stay healthy and safe and more.
Sony Creative Software has announced the availability of 1,000 Ringtones, a DVD containing ringtones grouped into three categories: music, sound effects, and spoken words and phrases. Users can select tones for incoming calls, emails and text messages. Developed for iPhone users, the 1,000 ringtone files are included on the DVD in the popular .m4r and .mp3 formats, and are ready for immediate use without any additional fees, downloads or editing after the initial product purchase.
Chillingo and MusiGames have announced a deal to publish DJ Nights games for iPhone and iPod touch via Chillingo’s mass-market brand, Clickgamer. The first release in the series—DJ Nights: Global Tour—will showcase world-famous electronic music stars including, Emilio Fernandez, Tom Cloud and Tiësto when it releases later this year.
A new twitter account—@3WordAppReviews—sums up iPhone and iPod Touch apps in just three words. The service aims to make it quick and fun to learn all you probably need to know about many iPhone apps. Each tweet contains a link to the app, and a link to a full review, when available. The feed will have one new review each day, and might increase the daily number of reviews in the future.
TimeStream Software has turned the iPod Classic, iPod nano and iPod Video into eReaders with its popular Notescast titles. Installing to the “Notes” feature found on nearly every iPod in use world-wide today, Notescasts are interactive books on the iPod, each containing up to hundreds of pages of digital copy linked to related photos and additional text.
iSkin Inc. has introduced the latest evolution in its line of its trend-setting solo iPhone 3G/3GS protectors: the glamorously elegant iSkin solo FX Special Edition (SE). The iSkin solo FX SE debuts with a brilliant new look and feel thanks to a luxurious outer surface treatment, which combines an elegantly understated matte finish with a subtle embossed designer pattern. This elite edition of the solo line-up is available in three exclusive color options designed to enhance the iPhone’s natural beauty: Onyx (black), Cosmo (pink) and Ice (white).
TechPad Productions has announced that an expansion pack based on the video game Overlord II is now available for iMEvil for iPhone and iPod Touch on the Apple iTunes App Store. TechPad Productions worked closely with the team at Codemasters, publisher of Overlord II, to create the expansion pack, which is exclusive to iPhone. The pack is an optional free update for those who already have the iMEvil application on their devices.
JustPurePics.com, a development studio delivering personalized easy to use photo gallery packages for iPhone and iPod Touch, has recently released a new amazing application: Beauty Unleashed. Beauty Unleashed features selected works by a world famous photographer, Paul Buceta, whose pictures frequently appear on the pages of Glamour, Playboy, Penthouse and a number of other glossy publications.

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Sorenson Squeeze 6 video encoding solution now available

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-04T12:43:44+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Video, Web Applications, Mac + Computers, Software

Sorenson Media has announced the immediate availability of Sorenson Squeeze 6, a significant update to the gold-standard video encoding software application. Sorenson Squeeze 6 provides the first total workflow solution for video professionals, enabling customers to employ innovative tools—such as email and text notifications and a secure review and approval process—that simplify the overall workflow and allow them to more easily encode and publish video files on the Internet. Optimized video codecs and new filters have also been added, significantly improving video quality and encoding speed.

Having dabbled in previous versions of Squeeze, I participated in an online demo of v6 with the developers a couple weeks ago. I can’t verify the encoding speed and improved video quality yet, as I haven’t tried out a full version, but I can say with certainty that the user interface is greatly improved. The workflow is much more intuitive, making it easier than ever for users to achieve optimal results with their video encoding. The presets are easier to read and offer more logical default options, while still providing full customization for those who want to dig deeper.

Updates in v6 include:

Video quality and encoding speed have been significantly improved
New review and approve capabilities and notification features simplify the encoding workflow
New direct publishing and syndication of professional-quality video to YouTube, Twitter, Limelight, Akamai and Sorenson 360
The enhanced interface makes encoding and managing video files easy
A new integrated online preset exchange gives users video encoding “recipes” of experts
Users will receive a complimentary Sorenson 360 review and approval account

Highlights of the demo I received include the ability to have Squeeze notify you via e-mail and text when a lengthy encoding job is done. Start the job, go to lunch, and hang out until the software lets you know the project is complete. Pretty cool. The videos can be automatically posted to an approval account, and an e-mail with password access can be sent to specified clients for approval. The videos can be previewed via computer or iPhone, and client comments are then automatically sent back to the user…while you’re still at lunch.

Sorenson claims that by incorporating and optimizing the latest On2 VP6 and MainConcept H.264 codecs, Squeeze 6 is up to 500 percent faster than Sorenson Squeeze 5 when encoding in the H.264 and VP6 formats, both of which are standard formats included with every copy of Squeeze 6. New input formats include AVC-Intra and WMV with VC-1 for use in Blu-ray and Microsoft Silverlight, and new output formats include AVI, AIFF, DV Stream, Image Sequence, Wave, and WMV with VC-1.

To coincide with the release of Squeeze 6, Sorenson Media has also launched a new Preset Exchange, an online repository of professional “video encoding recipes,” or presets. This is a great way for those new to video encoding (or who simply don’t want to take the time to optimize their settings via trial and error) to grab the settings used by video professionals. The Preset Exchange is new, so choices are limited for now, and users don’t have the ability to upload their own. As the Exchange grows, that could change.

And finally, Apple users will be happy to know that Sorenson Squeeze 6 also now works seamlessly with Apple’s Final Cut Pro and iMovie. This process eliminates the need for cumbersome exporting and importing between applications by enabling users to tap into the powerful Squeeze feature set directly from within their editing software.

Sorenson Squeeze 6 and Sorenson Squeeze 6 for Flash are available immediately for electronic download or for shipping in CD form. Sorenson Squeeze 6 is $799 and Sorenson Squeeze 6 for Flash is $499. Upgrades from previous versions of Sorenson Squeeze begin at $199. The complimentary one-year Sorenson 360 Review & Approval account includes 5GB of storage, 100 streams per month and a maximum video length of 30 minutes. A free trial is available.

For additional information about purchasing Sorenson Squeeze 6, or to find a reseller, visit www.sorensonmedia.com. Appletell’s full review of Sorenson Squeeze 6 will be posted soon.

Product [Sorenson Squeeze 6]

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A closer look at Apple’s new mobile checkout solution for brick and mortar stores

Josh Holat — 2009-11-04T11:27:13+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Retail & Apple Store

A while back, we wrote about how Apple is transitioning from Windows based EasyPad checkout systems to iPod Touch based mobile checkout systems. While it’s still unclear as to what manufacturer has helped Apple create the product you see below, we do know this is what Apple will be using for their new point of sale solution.

As you can see, the device contains hardware to slide credit and debit cards in the back while still allowing the user to have access to the normal buttons and connecters (via a dongle). It also manages to have a barcode reader in the top of it to allow for easy scanning of products. Furthermore, the device has its own battery with a strength indicator on the back to tell employees when they should recharge. A pen that allows customers to sign their names to their purchases is also included with the unit.

Don’t worry, though; the unit will still be able to go through cash transactions via cash registers throughout the store that can be opened from the application. According to AppleInsider, this will be rolling out to select stores over the next six months.

These systems are great in that they allow Apple to get rid of the regular cash register stations and open up more room for both employees and customers to move about the store. Also, it means that nearly every employee will be able to conduct sales and transactions with customers, so they can hopefully have a more pleasant experience without lines. On top of that, it is also a first-hand experience as to how useful iPod Touches can be to potential customers. That said, there are also some downsides to becoming entirely dependent on systems like this. Since they use WiFi to communicate with the purchase servers, a loss in signal means no transactions can be processed.

It will be fun to watch these in action when (and if) they make it to my local Apple Store.

Via [AppleInsider]

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AT&T sues Verizon over “there’s a map for that” advertisements

Josh Holat — 2009-11-04T00:56:29+00:00

Section: iPhone, Carriers, iPhone

Verizon first attacked Apple’s iPhone via an advertisement for the new Motorola Droid phone they will be selling this month. Then, they proceeded to attack the iPhone’s carrier, AT&T, with their “there’s a map for that” advertisements. While Apple didn’t take any sort of action against Verizon that we know of, it appears as if AT&T isn’t going to stand for it. According to Engadget, they have taken action through complaint letters and are now suing Verizon for their advertisements.

AT&T’s complaint said this about the issue:

In essence, we believe the ads mislead consumers into believing that AT&T doesn’t offer ANY wireless service in the vast majority of the country. In fact, AT&T’s wireless network blankets the US, reaching approximately 296M people. Additionally, our 3G service is available in over 9,600 cities and towns. Verizon’s misleading advertising tactics appear to be a response to AT&T’s strong leadership in smartphones. We have twice the number of smartphone customers… and we’ve beaten them two quarters in a row on net post-paid subscribers. We also had lower churn—a sign that customers are quite happy with the service they receive.

The real problem here was that although AT&T may not have as expansive a 3G network, they do have a 2G network that covers a much broader area than shown in the advertisements maps. Apparently Verizon has already changed some of the wording on their ads to make AT&T a little more happy, but it doesn’t appear as if they will be fully content until these ads either stop airing or take into account their whole network. I can’t wait to see what ends up happening here.

Via [Engadget]

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 3, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-03T20:40:02+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Development, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 3, 2009:

Macintosh

Apparent Software today is proud to announce Cashculator 1.0, a new kind of personal finance application for Mac OS X. Cashculator is a Mac way to track a cashflow. It is a different kind of personal finance application - instead of focusing on the past and logging previous transactions, it focuses on future by forecasting your financial situation. It allows making better decisions regarding your personal finance or small business. Version 1.0 is first release of the application.
Macware has announced DiskTools Pro 3.5.1, a free update of its popular Mac utility suite for OS X. Version 3.5.1 supports Mac OS X 10.3.9 and later, including Apple’s new Snow Leopard. DiskTools Pro is a total system utility for the Mac, and the only one that allows you to schedule when to perform important tasks such as file defragmentation, backup and bad sector repair in a single, easy-to-use interface.
Yazsoft has announced Playback 1.2, an important update to their zero configuration media server for Mac OS X. With a focus on ease-of-use, Playback allows anyone to share their media with any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or other supported UPnP compatible device. Playback can also share media stored in folders or even make entire disks available to a Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. By default, Playback will share almost any content on the users system. Version 1.2 includes many new improvements.
SuperMegaUltraGroovy and toastycode have announced the immediate availability of TapeDeck 1.3, an update to their popular audio recorder for Mac OS X. Answering the requests of many professional and hobbyist users, version 1.3 adds the ability to record full-quality audio using lossless compression. Recordings from TapeDeck will preserve their full fidelity when dragged into Garage Band, Logic Pro, or any professional audio application that supports ALAC audio.
Malkinware has announced Reference Tracker 1.5, an update to their academic reference manager and research tool for Mac OS X. Reference Tracker documents store all the citations and references in an essay, research project, or book and creates reference lists in a variety of formats when needed. Version 1.5 adds support for the newly updated APA 6th edition and MLA 7th edition referencing styles.
XChange UK has announced a new exclusive PitStop Pro 09 Competitive Upgrade from FlightCheck Pro or FlightCheck Designer. This competitive upgrade gives existing users of FlightCheck Professional or FlightCheck Designer the opportunity to upgrade to the power of PitStop Pro 09 and save. PDF has become the standard for delivering press-ready files and PitStop Professional allows users to make minor edits to a PDF job at any stage.
Karelia Software has released Karelia iMedia Browser 1.2.1, a free utility that adds the familiar “media browser” experience to just about any Mac application. The new 1.2.1 version provides full compatibility for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, adds Brazilian Portuguese and Russian Localizations, and fixes several other issues. A stand-alone utility, the Karelia iMedia Browser lets users quickly and easily browse and drag photos, music, movies, and bookmarks into most applications.
newPCgadgets.com has introduces The Rail, a new cable management product for the iMac. The Rail is a stylish cable organizer designed to match the look of your iMac. Designed from polished steel, The Rail attaches directly below the center slot on the iMac pedestal. The Rail holds up to 8 small cables in the stainless steel wire clips. Larger cables like the power cord are held in the center section. Easily stores cables for future use and fast access on the sides. Excess wires can be wrapped around the posts. The Rail is available for $24.95.
Emmy Award-winning Toon Boom Animation Inc. today announced the release of Flip Boom All-Star, an easy-to-use animation software for teens and up. Flip Boom All-Star offers exciting features that will engage users and allow them to use animation to communicate with their friends.

iPhone/iPod

To help promote the ringtone creation software PocketMac RingtoneStudio 2 for iPhone, PocketMac is giving away a legally, factory-unlocked iPhone 3G. In addition, second and third prize winners will win a $50 and $15 iTunes gift card, respectively. The contest is structured so existing fans of PocketMac RingtoneStudio will help talk it up and recommend it to their friends. That is, the more copies of PocketMac RingtoneStudio sold during the month of November, the cooler the prizes get.
mLab emantras has launched their first paid iphone app called Lucky Me lite. It’s a game which rates your luck and gives a score as well as a Lucky quote which can be shared on Facebook.
IvySkin has announced the SmartCase, a new iPhone 3G/3GS accessory that brings a premium power and protection experience to iPhone owners. It offers IvySkin’s newest Glass Touch-Thru case called Quattro-T4 bundled with the new Quattro battery. This advanced power distribution system enables the iPhone to receive an additional 200% battery life. The SmartCase includes the SmartPac, Quattro-T4, USB cable and full manufacturer’s warranty.
RemObjects Software, LLC has introduced Data Abstract for OS X, their new framework for Mac and iPhone developers. Data Abstract allows developers to concentrate on data presentation and business logic without having to worry about the intricate details of dealing with the underlying database. As a fully native OS X framework, Data Abstract was designed from the ground up to fit in with the tools that Mac and iPhone developers use, such as Xcode, Cocoa and Objective-C.
TimeStream Software has turned the iPod Classic, iPod nano and iPod Video into eReaders with its popular Notescast titles. Installing to the “Notes” feature found on nearly every iPod in use world-wide today, Notescasts are interactive books on the iPod, each containing up to hundreds of pages of digital copy linked to related photos and additional text.
Independent software developer Eknath Kadam has introduced Grammar Express: Tenses 1.0, his new grammar and course testing application for iPhone and iPod Touch. Designed specifically to leverage the iPhone’s unique capabilities, Grammar Express: Tenses is a complete course in mastering English grammatical tenses. This guide contains over a 100 pages of lessons with several examples, and serves to help improve the understanding of tenses and make use of correct form of verb.
Extropia Games has released Bar Defender exclusively for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Bar Defender boosts castle defense games to an entire new scene. It’s going to be easy for gamers to identify with the bar fly who is threatened by the system and is struggling to hold on to the only place he feels safe: his favorite bar. Each level achieved, Bar Defender rewards gamers with more powerful weaponry and an even more audacious enemy, inciting them to polish the screen clean and shiny every time the game is afoot.
MultiEducator has announced the release of Electrical Pro 1.0, their new information calculation tool for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Building on the success of Electrical Formulator, the Electrical Pro program adds 35 essential charts to the 100 electrical formulas in the standard Electrical Formulator. It also includes parts of the National Electric Code. The application has been designed from the ground up to leverage the iPhone’s unique abilities and interface.
Orb Games has released Kamikaze Race 1.0, an exciting racing/action game for iPhone and iPod touch. The game puts players into a seat of an extremely fast car, amidst the busy road, with jammed accelerator pedal and brakes that refuse to work. Players have to survive as long as possible, challenged to earn achievements and to compete against other players in online leaderboards.
Halloween has come and gone, but there are still zombies lurking in the dark, ready to eat your brains! Welcome to Zombie Dash, a top-down dungeon crawler where players can defeat the undead using the handy trackball control mechanism, as well as magic spells which can be cast with skill and dexterity via intense multitouch control. Trapped in a tomb infested with ghoulish pursuers, players must search for treasure and most importantly a key to the next level.
VFSoftware LLC has announced Beat the Swine ‘09, the first iPhone app to raise monetary donations for H1N1 relief. VFSoftware LLC will donate to the CDC Foundation’s H1N1 relief fund for all downloads, increasing donations as a player’s score goes up. Similar to the classic Asteroids, Beat the Swine ‘09 has a medically inspired theme and updated pandemic information, making it the first to target gamers to help combat the spread of Swine Flu.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

The Sims really are taking over the world

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-03T12:46:21+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Games, Mac + Computers, Software

No longer content to have relationship and bladder problems at home, The Sims are now set to take their issues around the world. EA’s The Sims Studio has announced that The Sims 3 World Adventures, has gone gold for the PC and Mac and will be available on November 17, 2009. The Sims 3 World Adventures is the first expansion pack to the #1 best-selling PC game of calendar 2009, according to NPD data.

And in what kind of crazy adventures can your Sims engage? Well…

They can run from mummies in Al Simhara, Egypt, fill the sky with fireworks purchased from locals in Shang Simla, China and master the art of nectar-making in France.

Nectar-making France…is that what the kids are calling it these days?

If so, we’ll get photographic evidence, as Sims can now take advantage of the brand new photography skill. They can then bring their treasures home to reminisce and share with other fake people. Players who register their copy of the PC/Mac version of the game online will receive exclusive extra game content with the Explorer’s Loot Set and 1,000 SimPoints to be used in The Sims 3 Store to customize their game with additional in-game items.

And what would an exotic vacation be without the Simlish musical stylings of Nelly Furtado and LeAnn Rimes? Why, it would be an epic fail, I tell you, so The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack has you covered there. It also features Matt + Kim, Fefe Dobson, Pixie Lott, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Katie Melua, Esmee Denters, Young Punx!, Evan Taubenfeld, Madina Lake, and more. And I’m sure if you look hard enough, you can probably make your Sim characters look like Natalie Portman’s shaved head.

The Sims 3 World Adventures will be available for purchase on November 17 at retail and online through digital distribution. To pre-order the game visit www.thesims3.com. The game is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and will require the full version of The Sims 3 to play. For complete PC and Mac system requirements, visit the official website.

Product [The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack]

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Apple App Store gaming update for the week of October 26 to November 2, 2009

NEWS — 2009-11-03T01:29:12+00:00

FROM GAMERTELL - This first week of November 2009 brings us the biggest update we have seen in a while.
MORE »

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An open letter to the Verizon “There’s a Map for That” ads

Aaron Kraus — 2009-11-03T01:28:03+00:00

Section: iPhone, Carriers, iPhone, Features, Originals

Dear Verizon,

First, let me congratulate you on a fairly witty pun-based ad campaign. You’re making a point, and with quite a bit of gumption, given the lack of cool smartphones available on your larger-than-life network (several blogs have called you on this). It’s also interesting to see how both you and Microsoft have tacitly conceded that Apple now owns the conversation; imitation, however sarcastic, is still the sincerest form of flattery. Second, I’ll acknowledge our past relationship; nine good years with excellent coverage and several fairly decent phones. You still insist on sending me flyers trying to lure me back, but I’m just not that into you right now. And here’s why:

Recently, I took a trip to NYC that was going to involve some serious subway time. It was a personal trip, so I couldn’t expense cab rides all over, and I was staying in New Jersey, so my options for getting into the city were fairly limited. But you know what? There’s an app for that! Called HopStop, it’s an on-the-go version of the excellent HopStop.com website, which provides public transit route planning for several global metropolitan areas, including NYC/NJ. The website wasn’t always available, given that much of the subway runs underground, and reception in NYC can be somewhat spotty, but luckily the iPhone app caches your trip, so you can verify your directions even deep underground. The interface is also cleaner, with less text entry and no zooming required to navigate. And this, dear Verizon, is why I just can’t be with you right now.

You see, it’s not the size of your network that matters. It’s how you use it. (I can use clichéd puns, too!) And your woeful selection of crippled phones really just doesn’t cut it. The bullet point list of features and capabilities on the phones/your network are worth next to nothing compared to a phone that actually changes the way you live your life. AT&T’s poor service is a stumbling block, yes, and I’ve had several not-so-nice thoughts about them when my calls are dropped/won’t go through or I have no service. But I’m staying in this relationship because I’m getting what I need. Your new Android-based phone is interesting, and I might be tempted to look at it, but doubtless it carries some dumb limitation. Why couldn’t I get my pictures off my old VZ phones without using your expensive MMS service? Why were my ringtones locked to one phone, and one phone only? Why were the Bluetooth features of all your phones artificially limited to the point they were virtually useless? Maybe we could enroll in couples therapy and get to the root of your control issues?

Really Verizon, the problem here is that with the iPhone, I’m happy. Why? Because whatever I could conceivably want/need/wish to accomplish or dream of doing is possible. When Apple & AT&T say, “There’s an app for that”, they’re really saying, “You want it, you got it.” In this relationship, I feel an adequate sense of give and take. I give them my money, and in return, I get a phone that gets me, makes my life easier, better, more entertaining, less spastic (flailing to get a cab in Times Square is, let’s face it, not at all dignified). As a sidebar, the maps app built into the iPhone has some pretty sweet NYC transit direction abilities as well, though they’re not as good with covering other places I frequently visit (Washington DC and Atlanta, mainly). When I was with you, I felt like you took took took, and all I got in return was a semi-functional hunk of plastic that always looked better in the store than it did when I brought it home. So you can keep your map. We can still be friends, but please, stop with the mailers trying to win me back. I’ve moved on, and quite frankly, you’ll get me back when you pry my iPhone from cold, dead hands.

Yours most sincerely,
~Aaron Kraus

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Apple prepping $30/month iTunes TV subscription service?

Josh Holat — 2009-11-03T01:04:38+00:00

Section: Apple, Apple News, Rumors, iPod + iTunes, iTunes

According to sources for All Things Digital, Apple has been pitching a $30 per month TV subscription service via iTunes in the past weeks. The sources are saying that various TV networks have been approached by Apple about the deal, and if enough support is gained, this could potentially rival the way we’ve accessed our TV through cable for years now. The good news about this information, though, is that Apple apparently hasn’t been tying a service such as this in with the Apple TV hardware, but rather would make it available through iTunes, which has 100 million users already. Furthermore, the sources state a service such as this may be available as early as this coming year.

This idea poses a couple of interesting ideas. For one, it would introduce a new source of revenue to the cable networks who have been eager to do such a thing for a while now. However, it would also potentially conflict with currently existing relationships with cable providers such as Comcast and Time Warner. That said, companies such as Disney have shown a willingness to experiment with things such as this in the past, so it could happen. There still remains the issue of how this would affect actual TV viewers and ratings, then, which would have to also be figured out by Apple and their possible agreements.

Via [All Things Digital]

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Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 2, 2009

Kirk Hiner — 2009-11-02T23:32:07+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod updates and announcements for November 2, 2009:

Macintosh

Ringce has announced Slammer 0.9.6, an update to their designer’s layout and geometry utility for Mac OS X. Suitable for graphic designers, web and application developers alike, Slammer is a universal layout tool which can be used as an overlay on top of any application while tweaking a design. Make blueprints by sectioning a canvas using grid systems, fibonacci series, golden sections or harmonious sections. It features rulers, a magnifier and a color picker to help further refine any layout.
Mo Media has launched Custom Headers by M, a service to help those who are building template style websites but lack the skills to create an extraordinary header. Experienced Photoshop designer Karen Kaufman of Mo Media considers the design being used, then works with the customer’s image, logo and text to create a look unique to any website. Clients can check out the gallery of customizable designs, or commission their own.
RemObjects Software, LLC has announced RemObjects SDK 1.1 for OS X, a significant update to their popular networking framework for Mac and iPhone developers. RemObjects SDK makes it easy for developers to create networked applications that communicate with each other. Version 1.1 sports improved APIs and allows for the creation of SOAP clients for both the Mac and iPhone platforms. Developers can easily have their applications talk to virtually any web service that uses SOAP.
Readdle has announced ReaddleDocs 1.6, a new version of their popular document and file management solution for iPhone and iPod touch. Version 1.6 adds a professional PDF document viewer that supports full text document search, password protected documents, navigation through embedded PDF bookmarks and handling large PDF files. ReaddleDocs combines a number of powerful document viewers, network file server, web storage client, web browser and file manager within a single application.
Ben Software has announced the release of RemoteSight 1.0, a new product for video and audio streaming over a network. RemoteSight can stream video from a variety of devices, such as the built-in iSight cameras included in many Macintosh computers. Designed to be part of a video surveillance system, RemoteSight integrates seamlessly with SecuritySpy, the premier multi-camera video surveillance software on the Macintosh platform.
Eltima Software today announces Flash’In’App promo campaign. Starting from today, with each purchase of Flash’In’App you get a license for Flash Optimizer for Mac for free. Flash’In’App is a Cocoa framework for managing Adobe Flash movies in any application on Mac OS X. Flash Optimizer allows compressing SWF files up to 60-70% as it offers total control over each and every optimization algorithm.
Mac Bundle Box has launched Mac Daily Box, a new sister site to its unique quarterly software promotions bundle. Mac Daily Box is a Deal-A-Day on Mac Software. Every day at midnight, a new application will be posted to Mac Daily Box at a heavily discounted price. It will remain discounted for twenty-four hours until the next promotion is published on the website. Mac Bundle Box will continue to do its discount bundle promotions, but on a less frequent basis.
Nova media today announces FoneSync, which synchronizes contacts and calendars with Samsung phones. The new synchronisation tool offers relief for those who could not synchronise their contacts and calendars with Mac OS X before. FoneSync supports the most recent Samsung phones and sports a clean and easy to use interface. It is possible to restrict the synchronization to single address book goups and/or calendars as well as to define the time frame of the calendar sync.
Vinotekasoft has announced Vinoteka 1.5, a major update to their ultimate wine cellar management solution for Mac OS X. In a unique and gorgeous interface showing bottles, cellars and tasting notes, Vinoteka brings the best wine cellar management experience to Mac users. Customizable and user-friendly, straight-to-the point and nevertheless very professional, Vinoteka is the ultimate companion every wine lover needs. The new major version 1.5 sports many new feature improvements.
Veenix Technologies has announced TypeBook Creator 1.9, its highly acclaimed Macintosh font specimen book and font sample sheet creation software for graphics professionals. The new version has been updated to support Mac OS 10.6. Additionally, specimen layouts were recoded using Apple’s latest font and text imaging technologies, Core Text, several new customization features and options were added, and more.
Apparent Software has announced Cashculator 1.0, a new kind of personal finance application for Mac OS X. Cashculator is a Mac way to track a cashflow. It is a different kind of personal finance application - instead of focusing on the past and logging previous transactions, it focuses on future by forecasting your financial situation. It allows making better decisions regarding your personal finance or small business. Version 1.0 is first release of the application.

iPhone/iPod

LukPlus has announced Hyakkiyagyo, a Japanese style 3D shooting game in which the player becomes a shrine maiden. The game features two methods of attack—magic circle and shot—and you won’t die even if you recieved enemy’s attack.
Hydrix has released Roto, a new and original solitaire game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Roto is a challenging and addictive game developed by international best seller Dr. Reiner Knizia. Roto was designed from the ground up for the iPhone. The rules are simple so anyone can play, but mastering all the challenges and planning ahead to use the best possible combinations is harder than it may seem.
Hot Chili Apps GmbH has announced C@rds Master 1.1.2, an update to their free mobile eCard utility for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone’s unique capabilities and interface, C@rds Master is an easy-to-use yet sophisticated postcard creation and delivery tool. C@rds sets includes 10 topics for nearly every occasion to create and generate individual and fancy digital postcards.
Technical Made Easy has announced the release of Easy Stitch 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now anyone can learn Embroidery, Knitting and Crochet using their iPhone and iPod Touch. Easy Stitch provides step-by-step instructions with full color illustration for learning Crochet, Embroidery and Knitting. Included with each category are descriptions of various materials, supplies, tools, conversion charts from U.S to Metric and Tips & Tricks.
Marware Inc has announced the SportShell carrying solution for the iPod touch 2G is now shipping. This low profile, three-piece shell case is made of resilient polycarbonate with a smooth rubberized finish. The sturdy 360-degree ratchet clip ensures that the iPod touch stays securely on a belt or strap. Use the SportShell with or without the clip, or without the back piece for showing off the Apple logo.
The iTunes App Store has just received a heavyweight addition to its roster of games, as Speed Bag: Urban Gym [iTunes App Store link] is now available for download. Speed Bag: Urban Gym offers the most authentic boxing experience found on the iPhone/iPod touch. Whether you are new to the ring or a boxing professional, Speed Bag: Urban Gym simulates what it is like to hit the bag wherever you go.
Pong Double is a new take on an old classic. But Pong Double is so much more, and with the extra play modes, it will keep you playing for a very long time. There is an online high score list where you can compete with the rest of the world.
appsNminded has launched Jonesing Daily 1.0, a coupon app that highlights and promotes exclusive and hip on-line shoppes that were only known to trendy insiders and fashionistas. Jonesing Daily offers not just a coupon but exclusive deals. Hip online shoppes such as Terra Plana, Viv & Ingrid, GoGo Gear, Fuz, Stanton James, Tucker Paisley, Moby Wrap, blabla kids and Josh Jakus are just a few of the featured retailers.
iLounge has debuted the brand-new 2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide, the latest in its multi-million-downloaded series of publications. The 200-page Guide is available immediately as a free, hassle-free download from iLounge, and will be featured at the iLounge Pavilion of the January 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Coinciding with the release of the 2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide, iLounge’s sixth annual guide to Apple’s top media players, accessories, and software, the editors of iLounge proudly announce the winners of the prestigious iPod + iPhone Best of the Year Awards. From cases to speakers, games and applications, the Awards spotlight top picks across major Apple hardware and software categories, and were selected by iLounge’s editors without any influence from advertisers, Apple, or other interests. Recipients were selected purely on the basis of merit from thousands of candidates, and represent the outstanding efforts of small and large developers from a variety of different countries.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell reviews Adobe After Effects CS4

Bill Stiteler — 2009-11-02T17:52:23+00:00

Section: Software + Apps, Video, Mac + Computers, Software, Reviews

Provides: Video effects and manipulation
Developer: Adobe
Minimum Requirements: Multicore Intel processor, Mac OSX 10.4.11; 2 GB RAM, 2.9GB free hard-disk space for installation; plus 2GB of space for optional content; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on flash-based storage devices), 1280x900 display resolution with OpenGL 2.0-compatible graphics card, DVD-ROM drive, QuickTime 7.4.5 software required for multimedia features, Broadband Internet connection required for online services
Cost: $999 full version ($299 upgrade)
Availability: Now

To use Adobe After Effects is to stare into the face of madness. And I mean that in the best way possible.

The simplest way to describe it is as Photoshop for video; you can import it, add special effects, or even use it to create video from scratch. One tutorial I followed allowed me to mock up rolling storm clouds like you’d see on a commercial for a storm report.

But the ability to manipulate video is geometrically more complex than manipulating an image; you can control time, speeding up or slowing down the motion (popular in action movies today, where a character’s furious attack slows down to allow the viewer to savor a brutal hit—After Effects lets you do that). If you’re working with 3D objects, you can control both the objects movement through space, and control the “camera” (the point of view) that moves completely independently—think of it as the Death Star moving towards a planet while an X-Wing (the camera) zooms over its surface. In addition to the raw power to manipulate and create video, After Effects CS4 comes with over 250 effects to do everything from alter the hue/saturation, to knocking out color for a green screen effect, to adding lightning.

So wrap your mind around that, then add to it the idea that, like Photoshop, you can work in layers, manipulating several images, effects, and video files independently, and you’ll begin to understand why this program is so mind-bogglingly powerful, and how—and I’m being completely sincere, here—awe-inspiring that it not only exists, but that it works compfortably on something like my Macbook Pro.

Okay, enough with the genuflecting. What can you use it for? Special effects. Fun things like lightsabers and laser blasts, adding muzzle flashes for gunshots. Playing with text, making letters fly in and out, explode. Teleport, throw fireballs. Pretty much anything you’ve ever seen happen in the opening credits to a movie, After Effects can do. If you can think of an effect, AE can do it with enough rendering time.

One thing After Effects isn’t built to be is an off-line film editing. I mean, you could do it that way, since you can layer different movie files and determine where they begin and end; it just isn’t built for that. It’d be like trying to type a term paper in PowerPoint, technically possible, but there are better tools for that job. After Effects is primarily for manipulating a movie, so if you have a whole scene built around a showdown, you’d edit the scene in Final Cut or Adobe Premiere, edit in an effect where the hero’s gun flashes, then render that small part out and drop it back in to your completed movie.

All of this, of course, takes a lot of processing power. A “simple” smoke effect, for example, can require your computer to generate tens of thousands of individual particles, then apply a blur effect to make it look like mist. If you want to see what this looks like as you’re playing with the settings, you’re going to want a fast processor and a lot of RAM, which will pre-render as much of the effect as possible. But the truly great thing about AE is that even if you don’t have the latest and greatest multi-core Intel processor, it’s still functional; you just have to have more patience. Because while you won’t be able to view as many complicated effects “live,” you can still queue up the effects you want, get an idea of what they’ll look like by skipping through the footage, and then render them out as a finished movie file. I did this several times on my older white Macbook, and while the lack of a graphics processor and minimal RAM slowed me down, I was still able to produce amazing, professional-looking effects as I learned to use the program.

Speaking of learning the program, this is definitely one where you’ll want the voice of experience to walk you through the basics. As someone who taught himself to use Photoshop and Quark Xpress, I was completely baffled by the After Effects interface: it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before; even other Adobe programs. Fortunately, I was able to take a beginner’s class at a local film school, as well as buying the Classroom in a Box book from Adobe itself to demystify the program. If I’d tried my usual sink-or-swim process, I’d have drowned. That said, once I got the gist of how AE imported footage, dealt with layers, and manipulated effects, it became really simple to arrange them as I wanted.

After Effects CS4 is an insanely powerful tool for manipulating and altering video. At a suggested retail price of $999 it costs as much as the new Final Cut Studio, but you can find it at significant discounts from places like Amazon, and, for people who need professional-level effects, the amount of power that AE CS4 gives you is quite simply staggering for that price. This is not a tool for the iMovie crowd, but if you see your Mac as a computer built around Final Cut, those with a serious interest in filmmaking will be impressed with the amazing toolkit After Effects gives them… once they figure out how to open it.

Appletell Rating:

Buy Adobe After Effects

See more Adobe CS4 product reviews.

Full Story » | Written by Bill Stiteler for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Appletell

Navigon announces Traffic Live for MobileNavigator North America

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 9, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

Appletell reviews iStoragePro’s Pocket HDD

Spore spawns on Facebook

Apple App Store gaming update for the week of November 3 to 9, 2009

Car stereo built for iPhone

App it Up: Yoritsuki

What is it?

How does it work?

Features

App it Up, Sum it Up

Christmas comes to the online Apple Store

Popular technology industry news for the week of 11-01-2009

Appletell reviews Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac OS X

Top 10 Gamertell posts for the week of November 01, 2009

Appletell reviews three accidentally educational games for iPhone, iPod touch

Polynx

QuizQuizQuiz

Whirly Word

Droid appearing on Google and causing lines, what about iPhone?

Hot Apple gaming news for the week of 11-01-2009

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 6, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

Warhammer Online’s free trial now endless

Hypertension headed to the Dreamcast and all computers

Free Apps roundup for November 6th, 2009

So Hot Right Now: Top 10 Appletell posts for the week of November 01, 2009

Gamertell Review: Opticon and IntelliScanner Mini handheld laser barcode scanners

Appletell reviews the BookArc Desktop Stand for MacBooks

8GB iPhone 3G soon to gain an S?

Is RFID the next feature for iPhone 4?

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 5, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

Fortune Magazine names Steve Jobs “CEO of the Decade”

Droid vs. iPhone: the big hitters weigh in

Appletell reviews Scholastic vocabulary apps for iPhone, iPod touch

WordGirl Word Hunt

Clifford’s BE BIG with Words

How Apple got to 100,000 apps, and why it won’t stop

App Store now has more than 100,000 applications available

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 4, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

Sorenson Squeeze 6 video encoding solution now available

A closer look at Apple’s new mobile checkout solution for brick and mortar stores

AT&T sues Verizon over “there’s a map for that” advertisements

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 3, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

The Sims really are taking over the world

Apple App Store gaming update for the week of October 26 to November 2, 2009

An open letter to the Verizon “There’s a Map for That” ads

Apple prepping $30/month iTunes TV subscription service?

Macintosh/iPhone software update roundup - November 2, 2009

Macintosh

iPhone/iPod

Appletell reviews Adobe After Effects CS4