BargainBin [Free - iTunes link] keeps an eye on App Store apps and lets you know about sales and price drops. So, if there’s an app out there you’re waiting to try, but are watching your budget, this might be a way to keep track of any discounts coming your way. With push notification, you’ll also know quickly when to pounce on the right deal.
If you give it a try, let us know how it works for you!
UPDATE 2: GPush’s developers posted in the comments with the following info:
On Saturday August 8, 2009 GPush made it into the App store. We are currently experiencing a server issue and have temporarily pulled the app from the store while we work on the problem. This is an issue with our servers not the application and we will not need to go through the approval process again. If you have already downloaded the application, please know we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
UPDATE: According to the developers on Twitter:
GPush made it to the App Store, we are aware of a server issue & we temporarily pulled the App off the store while we work on the servers
ORIGINAL: GPush [$0.99 - iTunes link] provides a work-around for Gmail push notifications for iPhone 3.0 users. GPush is not an email client in its own right; it serves only to notify a user via sound/vibrate, text alert pop-up, and/or numerical badge, but the user still has to manually launch the iPhone’s built-in Mail app to actually download and interact with the email.
We’ve only had a chance to try it very briefly, but it worked well, notifying us incoming GMail messages very quickly. Job. Done.
Unlike Boxcar, for example, which provides similar intermediary push notification for Twitter clients, GPush doesn’t have the option to automatically launch Mail when you get an alert (only an “okay” button, not a “view” button). We also couldn’t get it to work with Google Accounts, the paid version of Gmail that uses custom domain names. (GPush makes no mention of Google Accounts support, but if it occurred to us to try it, we figured it would occur to readers as well).
Lastly, GPush keeps asking to know our location. Why does it need that information? (Update: per the developers comments below, location is used to determine the closest and hence fastest push server for the service).
All in all, GPush does exactly what it claims to — it provides near instant notification for Gmail for iPhone users. Until Google adds Gmail to Google Sync, or Apple and Google get off their duffs and build IMAP IDLE into the Mail App proper, if you want “push” Gmail on your iPhone, check out GPush and let us know what you think.
More pics after the break!
[Thanks John-Fox for the tip!]
Twitbit [$4.99 - iTunes link] is a Twitter client for iPhone and iPod touch that includes built-in push notification for not only @mentions but direct messages as well.
It was not long ago that Rene introduced us all to the app, and we wouldn’t be telling the truth if we didn’t say things started off pretty rough with the initial launch. TiPb is happy to report, however, with the latest upcoming update, 1.1, things have changed greatly.
TiPb has been putting this latest beta through it’s paces the past two weeks and so far so we’ve been impressed. Look for Twitbit 1.1 to hit Apple’s App Store any day now.
Pictures of Twitbit 1.1 in action after the break!
Apple has released MobileMe iDisk [Free - iTunes link] for iPhone and iPod touch. Announced during WWDC 2009 back in June, with nary a peep — though lots of questions and conjecture — heard since then, MobileMe iDisk showing up in the App Store today should be the kind of surprise that no longer comes as one.
Using the app, similar to how 3rd party solutions worked previously, you can log into MobileMe, see the contents of your iDisk, view any supported file formats (the typical jpg, png, Microsoft Office, iWork, and audio/video files), swipe to delete, and otherwise move through the file system.
When you tap on a file, you can also choose to share it or trash it. Sharing opens up an Email Link window where you can forward on access information via email. Shared files show up with a green Shared label and icon in list view there after. (Expired shared items show up with orange labels and grayed-out icons.)
Like Remote (and unlike Keynote Remote and Texas Hold’em), Apple’s fourth App Store entry is free. If you try it out, let us know how it works for you. If you already use a 3rd party iDisk utility, let us know how it compares.
Screenshots after the break!
[Thanks to AppAdvice for the tip!]
UniWar [$4.99 - iTunes link] is a turn-based strategy game for the iPhone and iPod touch that provides a great challenge and three races to choose from.
UniWar is quite the little gem of a strategy game. You have four modes of play: Online, Campaign, Solo and Vs. and three species to choose from: Sapiens, Titans and Khraleans. The variety of units is very diverse. You have units that can bury them selves underground and move a space at a time to units that can teleport across the screen. One of the great things I enjoy about this game is the plethora of maps you have to play; 50+!!! That is plenty to keep me busy. As of this writing, I have only played about 10 maps, so I have a long way to go!
This game is very polished and I have lost many hours playing it. If you like StarCraft, this is an excellent diversion to keep you busy. The developers are quite active in delivering updates (they are up to 1.0.4 already). They have also added the little extra touches that can make a difference such as the ability to play in portrait or landscape in real-time; just rotate your iPhone. Nice.
When you play online you register on the UniWar website and it keeps track of your stats and even has a ladder to see your ranking. You also have the ability to save multiple active games and resume them at your leisure.
If I were to mention some areas of improvement it would be the AI’s time to play; it can be lengthy at times (I once waited 20 seconds). Though trivial, I think with the modern hardware of the iPhone, that the AI can be sped up a bit for mobile gaming. Also, though the graphics are good, the animation appeared to be a bit jerky. Perhaps this could be improved with more animations per unit. If i had to guess, there are only a few frames of animation each. The fluidity of movements would make the play that much more immersive.
Overall, if you like Sci-Fi turn-based stragatey games, this is a steal at $4.99! Check it out now! Sreenshots after the break! Read the rest of this entry »
Comics [$0.99 - iTunes link] serves as both an iPhone formatted comic book store and reader. (Think iTunes but for comics). comiXology was kind enough to give us a preview of the app, which will be officially announced tomorrow at the San Diego Comic Con, home of all things good and geeky in the ‘verse.
First, Comics costs $0.99 because it uses in-app purchases to allow you to buy paid content (more comics). Apple says “free apps stay free”, so anything using in-app purchase has to be a paid app. Hence, the minimal price. On to the app.
There are multiple ways to find comics, featured, free, top 25, and browse/search. Lots of information and a few preview images are provided for each, along with a link to buy print versions, which opens a WebView to Amazon.com with an option to move it into Safari.
A good amount of free comics available — I went immediately for Robert Kirkman’s excellent Invincible. You need to set up an account before you can download comics, but it’s fairly quick (it does ask your birthdate, presumably for age-based ratings reasons). Once you’ve set up your account, you can download away. It took me 25 seconds over Rogers 3G to get a comic. Not bad.
A tutorial walks you through the “guided” mode of comics reading, and then away you go. It took me a second to get used to the animated way in which Comics takes you through panels, but it works well. You can turn to landscape when wanted, or disable rotation if it bothers you.
Of course, there’s no Marvel (think Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man) or DC (Batman, Superman) titles to be found, and for that I blame the same kind of slow thinking that long plagued music and still plagues other media to some extent.
It does give the independents a little room to shine, however.
Note: The developers are currently reporting problems with in-app purchases and the iTunes servers behind them, but say they’re working with Apple to resolve them. In the mean time, the free comics are all working just fine.
If you’re a comics fan, and you give Comics a try, let us know how you like it!
Tons of screen caps after the break!
Navigon just sent word that their turn-by-turn GSP navigation solution, MobileNavigator for iPhone [$69.99 on sale - iTunes link], North American edition is now live in the iTunes App Store.
Previously available in European flavor, the North American edition features the same NAVTEQ maps, Reality View Pro, Lane Assistant Pro, Speed Assistant and Day & Night Mode component, points of interest (POI) along the route, and a host of other features.
Pricing is set at $99 — on sale for $69 through August 15. So, if you prefer to pay up front rather than entering into a subscription service, and you give MobileNavigator North America a try, let us know how it works for you.
TiPb just got word from Azuki Systems, the folks behind Sports Illustrated’s SI Swimsuit 2009 [$2.99 - iTunes link] that it’s hit the App Store a tad before schedule.
it’s the first mobile application in the lifestyle category to deliver video of SI’s Swimsuit models, hundreds of SI Swimsuit photos as well as scores, schedules and team information.
The app is rated 17+ since swimsuits and body paint may not be appropriate for every age in every geography, so proceed with all due advanced notice. Additional screenshots, after the break…
James Thomson wrote in to tell us about PCalc 1.7 [$9.99 - iTunes link], and as usual, the prose is almost as good as the app. Almost.
One year ago, as the doors of the iPhone App Store first opened to the public, PCalc was there. One of only four hundred applications available, and a mere handful of calculators. Now, there are more than sixty-five thousand applications in the store, and calculators are second only to Twitter clients in terms of near-pestilential ubiquitousness.
Metaphorgeddon aside, while we mentioned the new version already, after using it for the day, it was obvious it deserved a closer look. Here are the updates again:
It is indeed. I’m not a mathmagician like Leanna, but this really is the built-in calculator on Hulk-serum. Check out the screenshots after the break, and if you give PCalc 1.7 a try, let us know what you think!
A daily double of ringtone makers today, this one focusing on Ringtone Expressions, from the developers behind iPhoneRingToneMake. (And for those of you with a longer memory, the developers behind GX5, which kept PalmOS looking modern longer than it had a right to).
Ringtone Expressions includes support for creating ringtones faster than ever with Drag and Drop from iTunes or right click to create ringtone, creating ringtones from songs purchased on the iTune store( iTunes plus only), sharing your ringtones to friends on Facebook and Twitter, creating ringtones from YouTube videos, creating ringtones from your computer’s mic.
Support is also included for BlackBerrys and Windows Mobile should you duel wield or otherwise favor portability.
If you try out Ringtone Expressions for iPhone, let us know how it works for you.
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The iPhone blog (TiPb) is for those who dare to phone different.
Send us news:
Tip line - @theiphoneblog
Rene Ritchie, Editor
rene@tipb.com - @reneritchie
Chad Garrett, Writer
chad.garret@tipb.com - @ichadman
Jeremy Sikora, Writer
jeremy.skiora@tipb.com - @JFSikora
Dieter Bohn, Editor in Chief, SPE
@backlon
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Copyright 2008 Smartphone Experts Ltd. All rights reserved.
