TiPb has been exploring issues surrounding the App Store, especially how developers can earn a living, the various attempts to market apps in a sporting manner, as well the gaming and foul play going on.
In the bright lights category, developer James Thomson (ha! spelled it right that time!) has taken a decidedly humorous approach with the launch of his updated PCalc 1.2 (iTunes link) calculator app:
I think we got off to a bad start last time with version 1.1. It was my fault entirely. I came out with this big release I’d spent months on, sent out my press releases, and not a soul ran a story with the exception of that nice Mr Gruber fellow [Although TiPb did run an interview -- thanks again, James!]. Sales were quite poor and we both said some things we regretted in the morning.
But I understand, don’t worry. You’re tired of the deluge of iPhone press releases, and everything you see just starts to look the same after a while. I didn’t do anything to make it an interesting read and, let’s face it, I’m kind of fighting a losing battle with a calculator which - I’ll be the first to admit - is next to the flashlights and to-do list apps in terms of reaching saturation point on the store.
Not quite. I rock PCalc on my iPhone, with narry a flashlight in sight!
While PCalc chose humor, some others have gone decidedly darker…
Fans of the classic card game, Uno, rejoice… the game is now for sale in the App Store! Gameloft brings us Uno in all of it’s glory along with a multiplayer mode! (Online via 3G or WiFi)
Play the classic card game that’s #1 for fun with friends and family. In single or multiplayer, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, thanks to a brand new gameplay system! Simply drag & drop cards using your finger on the screen for intuitive control, and be the first to get rid of all your cards.
All your favorite Action Cards are here: Wild, Reverse, Draw 2 and more! Customize your game with 9 different rules including 7-0 and Jump-in. Play against the AI or your friends: use only one iPhone or play with multiple devices through a WiFi connection. Take on increasingly hard challenges in Tournament Mode.
All of this Uno action can be yours for the fair price of $7.99. Feeling lucky and want to challenge me to a game? Head on into the iTunes App Store and get your game on!
Now after watching the above video, it seems as if Google has made one heck of a voice recognition app. But where the heck has it gone?!
It’s pretty clear Google loves the iPhone, that is something we all know. Now why would Apple go ahead and delay their latest App Store app, Advanced Voice Search? Or have the reports of a Friday release been greatly exaggerated? The app was “expected” to make it’s appearance in the App Store this past Friday. TechCrunch is now telling us to look for it tomorrow!
Google was under the impression that the application would be live on the App Store on Friday (obviously, since they pushed all significant press attention to it). Sometime Friday they found out Apple wouldn’t be pushing it, despite the fact that Google submitted it for review earlier in the week and got a thumbs up for Friday. One source says they’ve had little direct contact with Apple during the review, instead getting their updates via the standard iPhone developer tool, which has said “in review” for the last few days.
So what is your take on this? Why did Apple delay this app from Google? Or do you think it was never slated to be released this past week at all?
Note: This review was requested on the review request thread.
Search Dial is just that…a searching program for numbers to dial. But it adds a little more functionality into just looking through your contact list.
The Search Dial interface is very straightfoward. When you start the program, you are presented with a screen to select “call”, “SMS”, or “Email”. You then start to type a persons name (first or last) and as your type, contacts that match the description start to appear. The more you type, the more specific you are, and the more it narrows down the contact options. Let’s look at each of the options one at a time.
App Store, iPhone gaming, Apple in the enterprise, power saving pointers, ultimate accessories, and more. With Dieter, Chad, Brian, Rene, and special guest Box.net’s Sean Lindo. Listen in!
I will admit I am not the biggest fan of Photoshop but I am into all of these compositing apps in the App Store and this new application, Juxtaposer, [iTunes link] is one you can really have some fun with, especially if you like taking pictures of your friends and family and making them look ridiculous.
Along with all of that fun comes ease of use as well:
First, load in any two pictures - perhaps one of your dad, and one of your dog.
Next, use your finger to erase around your dog’s head. Quickly zoom in and out or move around using two finger pinching gestures. To cut out your dog’s head exactly, first zoom out and make a rough outline, then zoom in, and erase or un-erase with pixel-accuracy. Switch to move mode and use two fingers to move, re-size and rotate your dog’s head into place over dad’s. It’s easy, intuitive and fun, and you’ll have a great new Dog-Dad in about a minute.
The app will run you $2.99 but for that price you are getting the best compositing application in the App Store. Period.
[This is an iPhone blog App vs. App review! Last week, we ran our Shazam vs. Midomi showdown, with Midomi scoring the win. But which commenter won an iTunes gift certificate? Congratulations Patrick! Want your chance to win the winning app this week? Comment below!]
Ever used a laser pointer? Ever used a wireless mouse? Ever wish you could have both in one and more? Well, there are some apps on the iPhone that allow you to do just that! These devices work great! They turn the iPhone into a remote mouse with a virtual touch pad. You use your finger to control the mouse; left-click, right-click, scroll, it makes no difference! You can even create macros to automate launching applications! Let’s take a look at two of these apps: Air Mouse [iTunes Link] and Snatch [iTunes Link]
It allows you to apply several different filters to a picture you have already taken our one that you can take within the application itself.
Besides the filters themselves, you have the option to choose which resolution you wish to use. The higher the resolution the longer the app will take in saving your new photo, but the better the quality the picture will be. Personally I want the highest quality possible and it didn’t seem to take an unnecessary amount of time to save (the save time is shown in there video below.)
I watched the recent Apple iPhone commercial, the one featuring Loopt that promised to keep me in stronger, better, faster contact with all my similarly teched-out friends, and immediately fired my iPhone to download it.
But guess what? It didn’t show up in the App Store. Dieter was kind enough to send me a direct link, so I clicked on that, and know what happened? I got a pop-up telling me Loopt wasn’t available in the Canadian App Store.
So, either we Canucks have no friends to stay in contact with, Loopt has yet to expand their offering to our frozen shores, or Apple didn’t bother to make a commercial with wider appeal than AT&T’s network coverage (or all of the above?)
In a global village, is it odd that an App isn’t just an App, and often medieval licensing rights prevent real parity in services?
For our international readers, any other Apps you’ve been unable to get due simply to where you live? Any Americans ever come across an App you couldn’t get?
The iPhone Blog merged with the Phone different site in May of 2008. Both sites were founded on a premise that comes one from one of Apple's old slogans: Think different. The iPhone Blog: for people who dare to phone different.
