Every week I will be bringing you what I think are the week’s biggest stories and articles. Let’s get started, after the break!
All Articles in Regular Features
Lately the forums have picked up quite a bit of traffic so we have been getting more and more good conversations. Today on the forums is no exception.
First up we have forum regular cjvitek. More than likely if you are reading this you have your own iPhone, well what is your choice of computer? Mac? Windows? Chime in and vote in the poll!
This next thread is something right out of the National Enquirer, It involves a man, woman, and their marriage. Some people are really not the sharpest tools in the shed. Check it out, Man Cheating Via iPhone Gets Caught… yes you heard me correctly…
Next up is thread started by iPhone Nanite, lasvegasoutlaw, and he seems to be having Yahoo “Push” issues on his iPhone. Honestly, it has had issues since day one but how is Yahoo holding up for you? Let the “outlaw” know how your luck has been in the following thread – What is up with Yahoo Push?
Be sure to join our community to be able to post in theforums! It’s free and will only take a minute!
See you on the forums!
Every week I will be bringing you what I think are the week’s biggest stories and articles. Let’s get started, after the break!
Today on the forums we have a couple of “Official” TiPB threads. So these are some you do not want to miss!
First up , don’t forget to jump in on the action for your chance to win some free stuff! Everyone enjoys receiving free stuff right!? Check out the iPhone Live! #2 Contest Entry Thread. And for even more details regarding this new contest, please head on over to the Ultimate iPhone Accessory Give Away for all of the contest information.
Next up we have Casey’s very own thread, Round Robin: Casey Needs iPhone Help, Tips, Tricks, and Advice! What exactly does Casey need you help with you ask? How about your favorite thing about the iPhone 3G? Or how about your most used 3rd party app? So what are you waiting for? Please help out one of your beloved TiPB bloggers, and since this is an official ROUND ROBIN thread, posting will get you a chance to win a smartphone!
A few days back we mentioned that it’s possible we may see Apple’s latest firmware, 2.2, within the next week or so! So with that said, what do you think of the announced features? Disappointed? Not so disappointed? Whatever the case, make your voice heard!
Now before you can get in on the action, you have to join our growing community! It’s free and simple, so don’t waste another minute and add something to the conversation!
See you on the forums!
Michael Alvarez is the CEO of Avantar, the company behind iPhone applications like One Tap Movies, Showtimes, Calculator AXL, Yellow Pages, AirYell, and Munch. As part of TiPb’s ongoing interview series and our look at the iPhone App Store, Michael was good enough to discuss Avantar’s views on Apple’s new mobile platform, where it is, and where it’s going.
TiPb: Avantar has a wide range of apps on the market. Most appear to focus on quickly acquiring and succinctly displaying useful information like movie times, business listings, and restaurant options. What made Avantar choose these particular apps for your initial iPhone offerings?
Today on the forums be sure to help burgman make a decision, 8GB iPhone or 16GB iPhone? My take on that is the more the merrier. With my first iPhone I made the mistake of going with the 8GB only to find out that I wanted more! Chime in on that thread and help a fellow member out!
Next up is ExBBuser, and he wants to know is the iPhone your only mobile device? Lately I’ve been trying numerous devices to go along with the iPhone. You name it – Treo Pro [Sorry Dieter!], Blackberry Bold [Sorry Kevin! Does not hold a candle to Apple's gem!], etc… Each and every time I seem to find my home back at my iPhone 3G. What are your thoughts?
Johnny Football Hero started a thread asking if the Blackberry Storm is an iPhone Killer? If you are like me you are probably sick of hearing about all of these so called “iPhone Killers”. My quick answer? No chance… Wanna discuss it further head over to the thread and we will chat.
So there you have it folks, join our growing community to get in on the action!
See you on the forums!
Every week I will be bringing you what I think are the week’s biggest stories and articles. Let’s get started, after the break!
Recently our friends at sister site TreoCentral pointed us to this snippet: Apple was seriously interested in purchasing Palm back in 1997. This is interesting for all sorts of reasons, but chief amongst them for me is this: Had the deal gone through, we might have seen the iPhone not only come to market earlier, but possibly seen it prevent other smartphone manufacturers (like RIM) from being able to compete. It’s an interesting ‘what could have been’ scenario: just as Apple was killing off their Newton line, it would pick up the Palm Pilot and add functionality to it at presumably a more rapid pace than Palm did.
It’s also notable that even back in 1997, the powers-that-be in Apple recognized that they would need to transition from a strictly-computer company to a consumer products company:
A perhaps little known fact: in the Summer of 1997, Steve Jobs called Eric Benhamou, 3Com’s CEO (the company owned Palm). “Give me the Palm and come and join my Board of Directors. Only Apple can make Palm a true consumer brand.” Nothing happened. Apple’s foray into the product segment had to wait ten more years.
Of course, neither Apple nor Palm were in a position to really get things moving quickly at that time. Palm would have to wait until their first (of many) convoluted ownership shakeups sorted itself out and Apple itself was still in the midst of redefining itself for the Steve Jobs era. The parallels between Palm now and Apple then are also fun to think about — both in dire need of a turnaround, both written off by much of the industry, and both have/had Jon Rubinstein playing a key role in revitalizing hardware.
I could go on and on playing “What If?” but instead there’s something else that this little snippet brings to mind: Palm got something right with the original Palm Pilot way back in 1997 and I really wish Apple would take a closer look at that 1997 tech.
Read on to find out what Palm got right way back in the mid to late 90s.
Mark Jardine and Paul Haddad of Tapbots are the breakout designers and engineers behind Weightbot (iTunes link), one of the most original user experiences released on the iPhone App Store to date. Continuing the iPhone blog’s behind-the-scenes look at iPhone application development, Mark and Paul were kind enough to take time and discuss their ideas on interface and interactivity, and how what more we might expect from Apple’s next generation mobile platform.
TiPb: How was approaching the iPhone interface for this App different than how you would have approached an interface for another platform?
Mark: It was really different coming from a web design background. 320×460 isn’t a lot of space to work with and then you have to factor in the huge difference in input devices. A person’s finger is a lot less accurate than a mouse cursor. At the same time, I wasn’t designing a website so I was freed from a lot of rules and conventions I’ve been following over the past 8 years. So my initial approach was pretty simple. If Weightbot was an actual physical device, how could I make it usable and fun at the same time?
Paul: The thing I found challenging about dealing with the iPhone interface is that users want a silky smooth and yet the iPhone and iPod touch are both very slow compared to any modern Mac. I spent a lot of time juggling things around in order to get a consistent 60 fps for all the various animations within Weightbot. Coming from our current Multi Gigahertz, Multi Gigabyte and Multi Core world where for the most part you don’t have to worry about performance to a platform like the iPhone where every cycle and byte counts is a big change.
November 4th is only one day away, and it’s time for you to get out and vote. And if voting for the next President of the United States is not enough, head on into our forums over and get your vote on… TiPb style!
I am not one to complain but… I will admit there are some things that I would like Apple to add and change with the iPhone. Then again, there is not a single device out there that is perfect. That just does not exist. None the less, you have to give Apple credit for giving us frequent firmware updates to improve the phone. (Ask a Palm OS user how often they would receive major updates…) So what exactly are you looking for Apple to add to the iPhone in the next firmware release?
Is your iPhone getting old and boring? Or are you so in love with your phone that there is nothing that would separate you? What would it take for you to leave the iPhone and move onto something else?
How has your reception been lately with your iPhone 3G? Who really is to blame for the reception issues that you may be experiencing right now? Well head on over and let us know if you think it’s Apple or AT&T!
Next up, we have a thread from forum member Dizzy, he’s having a little problem with his iPhone 3G USB cable tearing. Anyone else have a cable that is tearing? None of us here at TiPb have had that happen. Hopefully it stays that way!
Last but not least, here is a thread that revolves around the iPhone and gaming. The most wanted killer iPhone game is…? You decide on this one. What would a sure fire hit for Apple and the iPhone? Let us know!
In order to vote for the next President of the United States, you had to register… well you have to register here as well! It’s fast, simple, and can be done right here!
See you on the forums!
