YouNote for IPhone

Both the iPhone and iPod touch come with a built-in notepad app, which works very simply and efficiently. You type in your note, you save it; the app notes the date and time. Onward and upward. Who could ask for anything more?
YouNote answers that question with a bevy of features you may not realize you need until you use them. YouNote is Notepad injected with a super-soldier serum and exposed to dangerously high doses of gamma radiation. And this monster of an app is available for free.
I didn't expect to like YouNote as much as I do. But the app's appeal quickly becomes apparent with use. A diversity of note-taking features and powerful note organization tools make YouNote an essential productivity app and render the old notepad obsolete.
The power and appeal of YouNote is in the app's organization and diverse note-taking functions. YouNote offers six different note types, including the standard notepad (which, by the way, is blue-and-white). YouNote also has a camera and photo feature, a drawing pad, a simple digital audio recorder, a Web search and tag function, and a "MultiNote" feature, which lets you incorporate audio, images and text into one note.
As an organizer, YouNote cannot be beat. Not content with merely recording the date and time of a note, YouNote also allows for extensive tagging and color-coding. And YouNote makes use of the iPhone's GPS feature to add locations to notes, which is especially helpful with photos.
YouNote has limits, however. It occurred to me that YouNote's recording feature might make my iPhone useful for recording interviews. Yes and no--it's not a bad digital recorder. The sound quality is merely good, not great. Obviously, the amount of audio you can store depends on how much space you have available on the device. The larger the file you record, the slower YouNote gets. Also, the control buttons on the phone app are limited to play, record, stop and pause. The developers should consider adding a fast-forward and rewind feature in a future release.
Apart from the occasional crash--and I have yet to encounter an iPhone app that doesn't quit on a whim now and then--the one real drawback to YouNote is the difficulty of exporting notes from the app. If I could add one feature to YouNote, it would be an e-mail function. As it is now, you need embark upon a painfully slow back-up process that moves the entire contents of YouNote's database from one device to another.
If you want to transcribe a recording, for example, you need to back up your notes to a laptop or a desktop machine, unzip the backup director, and locate the sound file and open it in Real player or the player of choice. But before you do anything, you need to download the YouNote desktop application, which is available for free from Sophiacom's Web site.
The inconvenience of backing up YouNote's files is more than offset by the power and convenience of the application's features. Ditch the notepad and get YouNote.
YouNote is compatible with any iPhone or iPod touch running the iPhone 2.x software update.
[Ben Boychuk is a writer and columnist in Rialto, Calif.]


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iPhone apps of the week

by Jason Parker

• 5 comments

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

When I was at Macworld a couple of weeks ago, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I had my eyes peeled for upcoming iPhone apps. Certainly the new 17-inch MacBook and the updates to iWork and iLife were at the top of my priority list, but once I started walking around the show floor, my mind quickly turned to iPhone apps.
There were several on display, but one game at the Freeverse booth from developer Strange Flavour caught my eye immediately. I didn't say anything about it in previous posts because I wanted to wait until it was released to see just how good it was. Hint: The wait was worth it.
This week's apps are both games (big surprise there). One of the games recently made its way onto the iPhone "What's Hot" list at the iTunes Store, and the other game (from Freeverse) was released this morning and is on sale at a reduced price for the next 72 hours.

You'll never believe me, but I swear I found "words" when I went to make a screenshot!

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

WordsWorth ($1.99) is a challenging and addictive word game in which you make as many words as you can before time runs out by connecting letters together. Once you make a word and hit submit, those letters are removed from the board and replaced with new ones. Like the board game Scrabble, each letter has a number value, so making words using letters with higher-number values is part of the challenge. To add to the tension, some tiles have different properties, including a multiplier tile (green) and tiles that will explode (red) if you don't finish a round in time. You also can shake your iPhone to get new letters if you can't find any words, but there is a penalty. With excellent graphics, special letter tiles, and a haunting (though repetitive) soundtrack, WordsWorth is a great game for anyone who likes word games.

Be sure to let off on the throttle for the turns or your race might be over quickly.

(Credit: CBS Interactive)

SlotZ Racer is a slot-car racing game for iPhone with tons of tracks, unlockable cars, and a track editor for endless replayability. When the light turns green, use the touch screen to control throttle as you race around the track. Make sure to slow down for curves or (like old-school slot-car sets) your car will fly from the track, making you lose valuable time. You can choose from three different camera modes, including a full shot of the entire track, a moving camera that follows the action, or a trailing camera that follows right behind your car. Play a single race against the AI or play championship mode to earn trophies and unlock new tracks and cars. You can also play multiplayer on the same iPhone with up to three other people with throttle buttons at each corner of the iPhone screen.
Though I've said it before (and I will probably say it again), SlotZ Racer is probably my favorite game for the iPhone to date. If you grew up with slot-car sets or just like racing games, this game is a must-have for iPhone or iPod Touch. The ability to build complex tracks makes it an even better deal. The introductory price for the next 72 hours is 99 cents, but after that, SlotZ will be available for $2.99. It's a steal at both prices, but get it now!
What's your favorite iPhone app? How does WordsWorth measure up against other word games for the iPhone? Did you have a slot-car track as a kid? Let me know in the comments!

Originally posted at The Download Blog 

 

 

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Itunes App Store: 15,000 apps, 500 million served

Itunes App Store: 15,000 apps, 500 million served

by David Martin

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Apple's Web site now displays a banner that proclaims that the iTunes App Store has more than 15,000 apps and 500 million downloads. This is after only six months of the App Store's operation, so it's a significant milestone for Apple.

Before Christmas last year, Apple announced that the App Store had only 10,000 apps and 300 million downloads.
The new numbers show an amazing increase in downloads from the App Store when compared with the old milestone.
Apple did not break these numbers down by free versus paid apps, but regardless, this is a significant new milestone for Apple.

3rd-Party iPhone Web Browsers: What's Useful, What's not

by CNET staff

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Apple's decision to allow third-party Web browsers into the iTunes App Store has been met with developer enthusiasm. Coders, elated that Apple has reversed it's previous, anti-competitive stance with regard to at least one application sector (mail clients and SMS applications still appear to be off limits) have pushed through a series of Web browsers ranging from the valuable to the useless, and the promising to the devoid of potential.
We've put a few of the available browsers through their paces, and tagged them according to their usefulness and potential for significant improvement.
Shaking Web (iTunes Link) $1.99. Largely useless, Some potential. Uses an algorithm that compensates for any movement of the iPhone: shaking hands, bumps on a bus or train, or footsteps. In practice, the result of the accelerometer functionality is generally without utility. The browser is usually either overcompensating or under-compensating, and the effect is more jarring then soothing when walking with a page open, i.e. readability is not enhanced. If future versions can improve responsiveness and become more image stabilizer and less ship deck, the $2 price might justifiable.
SafeEyes Mobile Site Link (not yet available in iTunes)). No price yet. Looks Useful. Potential uncertain. We haven't yet had a chance to play with SafeEyes Mobile, but its purpose seems solid. Rather than parents blocking Safari completely on their young ones' iPhones, SafeEyes uses the traditional "blocked-site database" method to bar entry to specific sites. The app's developers say it should be available soon, and we'll report back with further information when it debuts.

WebMate: "Tabbed" Browser (iTunes Link) $.99. Useful. Some potential This browser simulates tabbing by queuing up websites inside a browser that uses backward and forward buttons to sift through the websites one at a time. The utility of this browser lies not in its navigation mechanism, but rather in its ability to load and store pages. Whereas MobileSafari must reload pages when the application is closed and reopened, WebMate can keep pages for later viewing and freely switch between pages without reloads. The current potential in this application relates to bugs. For instance, if a link is set to open in a new page using the _blank tag, it won't work. Some spit an polish could make this a $1 no-brainer.

Edge Browser (iTunes Link) Free. Largely useless. Some potential View web page or web apps in a full screen Safari Browser. No Address or navigation bars--'nuff said. If you find the Safari interface elements irritating, then the price is right for this application. However, the lack of a back button and the apparent inability to enter URLs (seriously?) make this an unusable browser. Check back when some significant feature enhancements have been made.

Incognito (iTunes Link) $1.99. Useful. Significant potential. Priviate browsing on the iPhone, allowing you to browse without leaving any history behind. Great for avoiding embarassing search and URL auto-suggestions after browsing... ahem... questionable content. The interface is somewhat shoddy for the time being, but could be easily enhanced.

Feedback? iphoneatlas@cnet.com.


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One iPhone, Two Computers, Many Solutions

by CNET staff

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It's a common dilemma: you have two computers--perhaps one at work, one at home--but only one iPhone, to which you'd like to sync music and other data from both systems. By default, Apple doesn't allow for this scenario in iTunes. When an iPhone is synced with one computer's iTunes library then connected to another's, all music is grayed out and cannot be synced. Other data are also inaccessible. There are a number of solutions to this problem, some easy but fraught with issues, others more complicated but with more pleasing results.
Trick the library One option is to trick your iPhone into thinking that it's connecting with the same library on both computers.
The easiest way to do this on two Macs is to copy the files

• iTunes Music Library.xml
• "iTunes Library"

from /Users/[your username]/Music on the Mac your iPhone is synced with to the same folder on the secondary Mac (the one on which the music is greyed out).
On two Windows systems, copy the files

• tt>iTunes Music Library.xml
• iTunes Library.itl

from \Documents and Settings\[your username]\My Documents\My Music\ under Windows XP or 2000, or \Users\[your username]\Music\ under Windows Vista on the primary synced machine to the respective (same-named) folders on the secondary systems.
This is a simple fix that works for many users, but it can cause other issues down the road. If you run into any issus after applying this procedure, you can rebuild your iTunes library via the instructions in this article.
Third-party transfer Another option is to use third-party software like TouchCopy. This tool, and others, can transfer music, playlists, album art and more from multiple computers to a single iPhone or iPod touch. It's available for both Mac OS X and Windows--a major boon for dual-platform users.
Deeper modification Finally, if you're willing to dig into text files and modify the iTunes libraries on your two systems, you can follow this procedure from Andrew Grant. The process will modify any iTunes Library so it can also be synced with the iPhone. Per Andrew "You can then either manually manage your iPhone on a second computer, or sync different data on different machines."


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Piracy prompts iPhone developer to put ads in game

by Elinor Mills

• 39 comments

When James Bossert saw he that his Whack 'em All iPhone game had 400 new users in one day last week he initially got excited. But that sentiment quickly changed when he saw that only 12 people had paid 99 cents for the game on Apple's iPhone App Store. Bossert e-mailed the person who claimed to have cracked and distributed it and posted the response on his blog.
"As many iPhone and iPod touch owners have discovered, Apple's iTunes App Store has many flaws which render it useless to the common user," the pirate, whose alias is "most_uniQue," wrote. "Apple has chosen to allow a multitude of ridiculous, worthless, poorly-represented applications through its 'strict' screening process, nearly all written by mediocre programmers with a dream of getting rich quick. Many of these programmers game the reviews system, misrepresent their application in the description, and generally try to swindle the honest buyer."
The pirate then suggested that Apple offer trial versions of the apps and that Bossert offer an ad-supported version of his game.
"Most_uniQue" said he used Crackulous, "one-tap" cracking software developed by Hackulous, to crack the app. After cracking 35 apps, he is retiring, he told Bossert in their surprisingly friendly e-mail exchange.
These pirated apps run only on iPhones that have been jailbroken, or opened up to third-party applications without Apple's authorization.
According to Bossert, this is not an isolated incident.
"Many developers are upset that the (Apple) digital rights management is broken and nobody has gotten a response from Apple, that I know of," Bossert, co-founder of Fairlady Media, told CNET News on Tuesday. "The pirates are so far ahead of Apple now that ... games are cracked the day or the day after they are released."
An Apple spokesperson said the company had no comment.
Bossert said he plans to release a free, ad-supported version of Whack 'em All within a few weeks as a result of the piracy. "I'll leave the 99 cent version out there and see what happens," he added.
Pirating of iPhone apps appears to have been going on since at least last July with the pirating of the Super Monkey Ball from SEGA.

Originally posted at Security 

 

 

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'Mew Mew Tower': iPhone gets greatest cat game ever

by Nate Lanxon

• 3 comments

Mew Mew: stacking cats was never so much fun.

(Credit: B3 United)

Build a tower of Japanese cats of varying sizes, while using the iPhone's accelerometer to ensure they don't topple to their demise. Game concepts don't come much simpler, more cute, or more addictive.
Mew Mew Tower (iTunes link) from B3 United is the latest cat-themed game to hit the iTunes App Store, and for $1.70 it might well be the best money you'll spend in January. We've been playing it for the last 24 hours, gleefully cheering as the ever-growing tower of cats meow in delight as another chubby puss is piled on to the apex.
Using your finger, it's simply a case of pulling a cat from a hot air balloon, strategically placing it atop your cat tower, then returning to the balloon for a fresh cat. Our record is currently a tower of cats about 23 feet high.
It's like Jenga, only with cats. The kitten physics leave something to be desired, but as stacking 20 cats on top of each other is as good as impossible in real life, you'd have to be a buffoon to complain that Moggy McFat-Paws didn't plummet to his doom quite realistically enough. What are you, a sadist? Get off our Web site!
You can buy the game from the App Store now for $1.70, for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and you really, really should--even if just for the insanely awesome sound effects and hand-drawn kitties. Once you play, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below.
(Via Crave UK)


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Slacker Radio slides onto the iPhone

by Jessica Dolcourt

• 6 comments

Updated 1/14/08 at 12:16 a.m. with U.S.-only service details.

(Credit: CNET)

Leave it to Apple to make Slacker look like a...you know.
Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, streaming Internet radio company Slacker Radio released Slacker Radio for BlackBerry (download), and announced that an iPhone cousin was coming out as soon as Apple approved it.
Announced on Tuesday, Slacker Radio for the iPhone and iPod Touch is just as lip-smacking good as anticipated, and is primed to give other streaming music apps like Pandora, Last.fm, and Tuner Internet Radio a beating.
The app makes the most of Slacker Internet Radio's customary dark, good looks on the iPhone's tall display. The album art is much more prominently displayed here than on the BlackBerry, and the controls take center stage. You'll be able to fine-tune a station while it plays, and pick a new station without terminating the current song.
Choosing the next station is incredibly easy--your favorite and custom stations are at the top of a vertically scrolling list, with a search option, top stations, and the Slacker spotlight just below. Keep scrolling down to flick through the genres.
The songs sounded great through the Wi-Fi connection, and fairly good through 3G. We're bummed you can't build a new station on the iPhone, and for more flexibility, Slacker Radio ought to flip over to landscape mode.
Also, though it's Apple's doing and not Slacker's, we miss the app's ability to cache songs onto a Micro SD card as on the BlackBerry, and furthermore its ability to play songs in the background while you work on other tasks.
The next best thing Slacker can offer is to resume playing your station when you reopen the app.
Slacker Radio is free and available now from the iTunes Store. Like other streaming music services born of the Web, you'll need to register to begin. It currently works in the U.S.; Slacker is not releasing details on when the service will internationally expand.
Note: Last.fm is owned by CNET's parent company, CBS.


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iPhone Nano on the way to China first?

by Tom Krazit

• 17 comments

A smaller, cheaper iPhone could hit China later this year, now that two companies appear to have gotten contracts to make its chips.

(Credit: Apple)

More iPhone Nano rumors are surfacing out of China, as some are starting to wonder whether the much-rumored diminutive iPhone will ship in that region only.
Digitimes picked up on a report from the Economic Daily News that chip makers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) are set to get the contract to make chips for an iPhone Nano, which was described as a "low-cost entry-level" iPhone. TSMC and UMC are perhaps the two most well-known chip foundries in the business, and are perhaps getting ready to execute Apple's first iPhone chip design put together by the P.A. Semi team.
No other details were reported. But what of the iPhone Nano itself? Rumors first appeared about such a device in 2007, shortly after the launch of the original iPhone, but quickly died. They were revived late last year when an iPhone case manufacturer added an "iPhone Nano" category to its products.
There's a theory that the real iPhone Nano is merely the knock-off versions sold in markets in China and other places in Asia, which has proven so popular that demand has grown for cases. But Brian Marshal of Broadpoint AmTech expects Apple to launch such a device at some point this year, and thinks Asia might be the first place it arrives.
Marshal said his checks with suppliers show that AT&T has not received the device yet for testing, which he believes indicates that China could be the likely launch venue for the iPhone Nano and a new Apple relationship with China Mobile or another carrier. If this iPhone really does exist, a June launch would make sense given the pattern set in 2007 and 2008.

Originally posted at Apple 

 

 

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Ballmer Sings a New Song on iPhone, says no Zune phone coming

We already know that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has taken shots at the iPhone calling it the "most expensive phone in the world" and contrasting it with aggregate sales of phones using Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, claiming Microsoft sales in the "millions and millions and millions of phones a year" while "Apple sells zero," and openly cackling at mere mention of Apple's handheld.
Fast forward to 2009 and you';; find Ballmer singing a new song about the iPhone. He recently spoke to the Financial Times (FT) (registered access required) and told them that the iPhone and BlackBerry have "clear market momentum" in the smartphone business.
What about a Zune phone? Ballmer told FT: "You should not anticipate that." Further discussion indicated that Microsoft probably would not be creating its own branded smartphone. Instead Microsoft "would stick to its strategy of developing software to support a range of mobile devices." Such software would then appear in devices created by mobile phone manufactures possibly sporting some of the Zunes music features.


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Review: Sonos iPhone Controller Better Than System's Own

by David Martin

• 1 comment

Sonos makes the best multi-room music system that I have ever encountered. Although expensive, the system can be started with only a few components then expanded later. It lets you wirelessly stream music into any "zone" in your house--independently, or together using a centralized full color controller. However, if you already have an iPhone or iPod Touch you can download a free application to turn either of these devices into a Sonos Controller.
Sonos Hardware
Sonos sent me a Sonos Bundle 150 (BU150 $999 retail) which included two Sonos ZonePlayers: a Zone Player 120 (ZP120 retail $499) with a 110W built in amplifier, which works in any room--just add speakers; and a Zone Player 90 (ZP90 retail $349), which connects to your home theater, stereo, powered speakers or any amplified audio device. A full-color wireless rechargeable Sonos Controller (CR100 $399 retail) was included in the bundle. They also sent a Sonos ZoneBridge 100 (BR100 $99 retail) to implement the wireless portion of the system and a pair of their Sonos LoudSpeakers (SP100 $180 retail), which I connected to the ZP120. My house was rocking and rolling in no time after I set up the system and gave it access to the non-DRM music in my iTunes music library.

If you are interested in starting out and you are on a budget, you should consider purchasing the ZP90 and using your iPhone or iPod Touch as a controller. You can, with some searching, locate a ZP80 at clearance prices; check BestBuy and others for those deals.
All of the Sonos hardware was well constructed and occupied a relatively small footprint. Keeping this in mind lets look at the iPhone and iPod Touch Sonos Controller app.
iPhone 3G as Sonos Controller and System Setup
I used an iPhone 3G on Wi-Fi to control the Sonos system for most of my testing, and I briefly tried my iPod Touch; no issues cropped up with either device. I decided to set the CR100 aside for this review referring to it only briefly during my testing. The iPhone app mimics the CR100 fairly well and the workflow is nearly the same touch screen vs. click-wheel. The desktop software, which we setup on a Mac running Leopard Server, was used to setup the system initially, build a music library accessible by the Sonos System, and was then set aside.

Sonos Controller App
The Sonos Controller app launches displays a brief splashscreen. If you have not setup your iPhone or iPod Touch as a controller before you will be prompted to do so and that process is incredibly easy. You press one or two buttons on the device you are trying to connect to and poof you're there! We tried it several times and each time it worked reliably with no hitches. Just be sure that Wi-Fi is active on your iPhone or iPod before starting.
In the Zone: Your Music When and Where you Want it
One you are connected to the Sonos network you'll be presented with the Zone Menu. The menu gives you an at-a-glance view of: each zone as you named it--living room, study, den or kitchen--what music is playing in each zone, and its status (i.e. paused or playing). This screen is important, because, at a glance, you can see the status of the entire Sonos system and what music source is being played in each Zone. There is even a button for pausing all the music in the entire system--a good thing if mom is calling everyone to the kitchen for dinner. Press it again and the music resumes where it was playing before.
The Zone Group button lets you add or remove rooms from a group. So say if you want the kids to have control of the music in their Zone you can configure their controller to omit your Zone.

The app is a beautiful example of what a good iPhone app can be and so Sonos deserves high marks for this part as well.
Sonos Controller App: a Closer Look
The Sonos controller app makes it very easy to select the music you want to play from any of the sources you selected. We favored using the iPhone over the CR100 especially when doing searches. On the iPhone you could use the pop-up virtual keyboard on the CR100 you had to use the scroll-wheel to select and click each letter tediously one at a time. Imagine trying to look for "Weird Al Yankovic" - that's a lot of scrolling and clicking. Once you found it save it as a favorite and find it quickly the next time!
The CR100 wasn't as easy to navigate as the iPhone, due to its eight additional buttons. It also weighs significantly more and does not fit into your pocket like an iPhone or iPod Touch. Hopefully, at some point, Sonos will offer a bundle without the CR100. Hint: throw in an iPod Touch.
Now Playing...
The Now Playing screen is where you get to control exactly what you want to hear. The screen displays cover art similar to iTunes and the iPod app on the iPhone and some information about what is playing now: artist, song, station, etc. It sports some important buttons: mute, a 3 bar icon representing your queue (not very intuitive--maybe a stylized "Q" would be better), pause or play, a plus sign for bookmarking favorites and music.

|

We'll look at the music button since the rest are easy to figure out.
Music Button
Selecting the music button and you are presented with a music menu which offers the following options: Music Library, Sonos Playlists, Radio, Line-In Sources and System Settings. We'll take a look at Music Library, Radio and System Settings.

Music Library gives you access to your music by artists, albums, composers, genres, tracks, imported playlists, search and folders. Basically, you have the same access to your music that you would have in iTunes or iPod.
Radio allows you to seek a large number of internet radio stations in all kinds of languages and in different countries across the globe. You can bookmark your favorites; I was able to listen to several Houston favorites and another in Bremen, Germany; I got to practice my German while doing chores around the house.
Sonos also gives you access to music services such as last.fm, Napster, Pandora, Rhapsody, and SIRIUS satellite radio. In some cases, a subscription might be required. You can find more information about that here. Free 30-day trials are available for some of the services.
System Settings lets you control all the settings on your Sonos system. You can manage your music library, setup a music service, adjust or add Zones, change the settings of the Sonos System devices, get online updates, change advanced settings and get information about your Sonos System for troubleshooting and tech support.
Conclusion
The Sonos system itself is a joy to use and it just works. I really liked the fact that I could have an MP3 playing in one room and internet radio in another if I wanted--all independently at different volume levels and all controlled from my iPhone.
The iPhone/iPod Touch Sonos Controller app is a must have for anyone that owns either of these devices and a Sonos System. It will definitely make you want to ditch the CR100 after you've used the app for a while. If you don't have the app yet get it now (iTunes Link).


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Better call quality for the iPhone

Wilson Electronics may not have the flashiest products or the glitziest booth at CES, but it does offer some of the best cell phone signal amplifiers around. At the show the company announced the iBooster, a new amplifier designed specifically for the Apple iPhone. The product promises to boost both reception and call quality, which are two very different things. Though it's designed primarily for use in a car, you also can use it inside a building.
In the box you'll find a cradle that can accommodate both the iPhone classic and the iPhone 3G. And thanks to a special adapter, it also fits the iPhone 3G with a case. The cradle has a dual purpose; not only does it keep the phone in one place while you're on go, but it also charges your iPhone. As with Wilson's other products, you must attach a stubby antenna to your car's roof and run a cord through your door to the cradle. It requires power through a cigarette lighter adapter, but that comes in the box as well.
The iBooster should be available by April for $349. That may sound like a lot of money for a signal booster, but the benefit of better reception may just be worth it. Wilson is also releasing a version of the product for the BlackBerry Curve and a universal model that will accommodate a variety of cell phones.


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iPhone Users Get Their Contact Data Whacked By MobileMe Cancellations

by David Martin

• 2 comments

Our friends across the pond at The Register are reporting about an issue that has been discovered surrounding Apple's much touted MobileMe trial especially when trying it for the limited time period and then canceling it.

Synchronization with MobileMe makes sure that all the devices are up-to-date regarding content, etc. However, something really bad happens "when an account is canceled; all the data is removed from the cloud, which is fine - unless the user lets their iPhone synchronize with the newly-created void. In that case they find their calendar unexpectedly clear, and a curious lack of any contacts with whom to make appointments."
This unexpected situation was reported by Register reader, Phil Blackman, "who suffered from just this problem" and did not find much help from Applecare." and it was discovered that "Apple only retains data for paying subscribers - those on the trial have lost their data forever."
The highly integrated nature of the iPhone to MobileMe is the reason for this problem; a fix would include ensuring that push services are turned off on the iPhone prior to canceling your MobileMe services. It would also be wise to back up one's personal data especially, contacts, calendar, etc. on the system used for syncing.


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Skype Coming to the iPhone; Other Options Available

by CNET staff

• 1 comment

Skype may be coming to the iPhone soon. Officials from the VOIP developer at CES are telling numerous attendees and members of the press that a native Skype application will soon debut for the iPhone, hot on the heels of an edition for Google's Android OS. It is not yet known whether the application will work over 3G and EDGE networks or only WiFi.
A number of Skype-compatible, VOIP applications are already available for the iPhone, though none support Skype's group chat functionality. Aong the current options:

• IM+
• Fring
• Nimbuzz
• Truphone (iPhone

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Microsoft Tag Reader for iPhone

Late last year Microsoft surprised us with the release of their first iPhone app, Seadragon. The company has now released its second iPhone app, TagReader (iTunes link).
Launch the app and point your iPhone's camera at a Microsoft Tag. The tag then instantly returns information that connects you to more information without typing long URLs. Interesting, but not exactly a new idea. It reminds me of the Radio Shack CueCat - a cute little plastic kitty cat that basically read barcodes and brought up information based on the code scanned. It was the first digital convergence device that I ever owned.

Radio Shack CueCat

(Credit: Wikipedia)

The Microsoft app would be handy in any kind of store--grocery, clothing, electronics, record stores, etc. Scan a food product, and you might be pointed to some recipes. Point it at some clothing and get some information or advice about accessories - belts, shoes, etc. Got something to sell? Tag it Scan the tag and the potential buyer gets all the information about the product that is for sale. .

You can download the app from the app store right now, but like everyone else I have not seen a lot of these tags yet. There is an example tag on this website Microsoft Tag; look for it near the bottom of the web page. If you want to try to create your own tags you can do so currently at this website. An account is required and the service is currently free during the beta period, but there is no information about when or how this might change later.

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AT&T Testing Enhanced Faster 3G

A report confirms that AT&T has begun to test enhanced 3G services in Chicago. The enhancements being tested give devices supporting HSDPA a theoretical peak 7.2Mbps download speed versus the 3.6Mbps of the current network. The report did not mention much about how upload speeds might be enhanced.
Unfortunately, this news might mean very little to current iPhone 3G users since the Infineon chipset in the iPhone 3G may not support these faster speeds that could top out at 14.4Mbps. A future chip update may allow future iPhones to support this speed or higher.
The report further details AT&T's intent to move toward the intermediate standard of HSPA+ before going to the new Long Term Evolution (4G) specification on AT&T's network. According to AT&T spokesman, Mark Siegel, ""We have some real advantages with our (GSM-based) technology path," Siegel said. "We still have plenty of room left to increase speeds" before moving to LTE."
AT&T refused to give any information related to the timing of the upgrade or really any specific details per the report. However, AT&T is probably going to be acting quickly to stay ahead of competitors like Sprint and Verizon. Verizon is said to be making a quick move to it's own 4G technology possibly completing the move before the end of 2009. Sprint on the other hand is moving along with it's own 4G under the guise of CDMA/WiMAX.
It remains to be seen what advantages if any current model iPhone 3G users will see from these network enhancements. However one could hope that while this is being tested that AT&T continues to add capacity to their seemingly already overtaxed 3G infrastructure. Any enhancements of network speed and capacity would be welcomed by iPhone 3G users.


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WebEx comes to the iPhone

Cisco has debuted an iPhone application that can make use of the company's popular WebEx collaboration tool. The new app, available free from the App Store, allows users click to join and actively collaborate in WebEx meetings. A company statement reads:

"The online meeting experience gives users the ability to take advantage of simultaneous web and audio conferencing capabilities from Cisco on both the 3G mobile and 802.11 wireless (Wi-Fi) networks. The solution supports multiple telephony configurations including SaaS-based telephony from Cisco WebEx Meeting Center, premises-based telephony from Cisco Unified MeetingPlace, or telephony from Cisco's service provider partners. "

The company says that a future edition will allow users to transfer Cisco WebEx Meeting Center and Cisco Unified MeetingPlace conferences from the Apple iPhone 3G to an office environment and back, by transferring the audio to a Cisco Unified IP Phone and the web conference.
A video demonstration of WebEx for the iPhone is available at http://www.webex.com/iphone/.


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Pandora 2.0 for iPhone releasedPandora 2.0 for iPhone released

As if being the No. 1 free iPhone app of 2008 wasn't enough for Pandora, it has launched version 2.0 of its app just six days into 2009.
New features in this release include a progress bar for songs (finally!), 30-second previews for bookmarked songs, the ability to create a new station from a song or artist, artist information, cover-flow view for song history, and some sharing features.
While this update isn't anything revolutionary, it certainly rounds out the cool features in the app, like embedded iTunes purchasing. With Tuesday's Macworld announcement of iTunes downloads, now being possible over 3G, this could prove to be a very useful feature.
Creating new stations from artists or songs will add a lot to the capability and usefulness of this app as well. The new cover-flow view for song history behaves almost exactly like Apple's. The album covers flip over to reveal information on the artist and why that song was played. One annoyance here is that you cannot bookmark or purchase songs from this view. I suspect that this is an easily correctable issue.
The 2.0 update for Pandora improves upon an already killer and must-have application for the iPhone. It's available in the iTunes store.


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Apple activates iTunes downloads over 3G, with a caveat

Though the addition of DRM-free music is grabbing the most iTunes headlines, there was more music news at the Macworld 2009 keynote on Tuesday.
Apple Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller also announced that beginning Tuesday iPhone users will be able sample and wirelessly download iTunes tracks over AT&T's 3G network or EDGE. Previously, iTunes song downloads, unlike apps, were available only over a Wi-Fi connection.
The process works relatively well, though we encountered a couple of hiccups. Like with the iTunes Apps store, you must use Wi-Fi or a wired connection to your computer to download songs over 10MB. When we tried downloading a longer song, we received a warning message advising as such. During our first download, our connection was interrupted once. We were able to reconnect and continue the download
We tried downloading a 6.4MB song over 3G. It took about one minute and 15 seconds, which is about the same as a Wi-Fi download. We then downloaded a 7.2MB over EDGE. As expected, it was painfully slow--after all, EDGE basically is dial-up speed. It took about 20 minutes to get our song, which is too long to bother in our opinion.

Originally posted at Crave 

 

 

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Macworld Keynote: iPhone Highlights

Although this years Macworld Expo keynote address didn't include any major iPhone-related announcements, a few important feature enhancements were introduced:

• iTunes over 3G Pushing ever-increasing data over the AT&T network, Apple is now offering the ability to push iTunes music files over 3G connections. Previously, the iTunes mobile app could only download songs over WiFi. First-generation iPhone owners are still out of the loop. This functionality requires no software update and works right now.
• Keynote remote control A new application, available through the App Store, allows users to control Keynote presentations from the iPhone. Priced at $.99, the app lets you advance slides via a Cover Flow-like interface.
• iPhoto integration Picturs taken on your iPhone and uploaded to iPhoto '09 include geotagging information. This lets you automatically organize photos by place and recognize landmarks in major cities. Slideshows from iPhoto also now work on the iPhone.

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AT&T 3G Upgrades Reportedly Degrade EDGE Service

by David Martin

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AT&T has been very vocal about its efforts to rapidly build up its 3G voice and data network. The reality really hit home with the advent of the iPhone, 3G which many feel overwhelmed AT&T's 3G network. The sheer number of iPhones on AT&T's network due to the popularity of Apple's handset was never before seen in the current mobile phone market. Complaints poured in, eventually leading to class-action lawsuits against both AT&T and Apple over performance complaints. This has led to AT&T's aggressive 3G infrastructure upgrades, which purportedly come at the expense of EDGE.
According to a report on Open for Business(OFB), AT&T is upgrading it's 3G voice and data network while intentionally reducing signal strength on its existing EDGE, which is used by many different cell phones including both iterations of the iPhone. This is happening because, in some markets, AT&T is switching some of its cellular towers from the 850 Mhz band used by EDGE to the 1,900 Mhz band. The result is that 3G users see improved signal reception while the EDGE users are seeing reduced signal reception. Users wishing to resolve the situation and remain as an AT&T customer have to upgrade to a 3G phone.
If an existing customer contacts AT&T technical support seeking a resolution to the problem, according to the report, AT&T will offer that customer a $200 one-time credit to upgrade their handset.
An excerpt from the report:
"AT&T's executive director of analyst relations, Mark Siegel, 'categorically' denied to OFB that AT&T was advising customers to dump 2G equipment such as the iPhone for 3G versions. In a follow-up message, Siegel added that the company was not requiring anyone to switch to 3G equipment. Although that is technically true, customers in affected areas are all but required to upgrade due to the dramatic signal strength drop over the last few months."

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Best Buy offers refurbished iPhones

by Jonathan Skillings

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Add electronics retailer Best Buy to the list of places you can get a used iPhone cheap.

Best Buy is now selling refurbished Apple iPhone 3G models at a $50 discount to brand-new, unused models, according to the Reuters news agency. The lower prices of $149 for the 8GB iPhone (normally $199) and $249 for the 16GB iPhone (normally $299)--with a two-year service contract with AT&T contract--apply to devices that were returned to the store within 30 days of their initial purchase.
The move comes a little more than a week after megaretailer Wal-Mart Stores began selling iPhones at $197 for the 8GB model and $297 for the 16GB model.
Refurbished iPhones are also available from AT&T, the sole wireless carrier for the devices. Apple itself has also sold refurbished iPhones in the past, but a check of its Web site shows no such offers at the moment.
Best Buy representatives were not immediately available for comment.
Update 11:05 a.m. PT: Best Buy put out its press release a little later in the morning. In addition to the pricing stated above, the company said that current iPhone users can upgrade to a "refreshed" iPhone 3G. It also said the refurbished devices are available now at 350 Best Buy stores and by the end of January will be available at all U.S. Best Buy stores that offer AT&T.

Originally posted at Apple 

 

 

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First "Two-Way" iPhone Application Set Debuts

by CNET staff

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Developers continue to push the envelope on iPhone application development, skirting the bounds of Apple's development guidelines and discovering means for implementing undocumented, pioneering functionality. The latest breakthrough comes from Innerfence software, and is best described by its author: "Go somewhere; do something; come back."
Most iPhone applications offer a one-way street when it comes to accessing other applications' functionality. Click on a URL in Mail, for instance, and you are transported to Safari. In order to get back to Safari though, you need to click the home button then tap the Safari icon again. In other words, once transported to a new app, you are (in a sense) marooned there.
Innerface gets around this limitation by exploiting Apple's URL-based method for applications to communicate with each other. Via URL schemes in applications' respective Info.plist files, said apps can communicate and pass control between one another.
Developers from Innerface have posted source code for the scheme, but they note a few security ramifications:

"By registering to handle a URL scheme, an iPhone app becomes a de facto web app, subject to many of the nasty attacks that work on the web. Apps implementing this scheme must be careful to validate any parameters they get from the URL lest they be vulnerable to old friends like SQL injection."

Feedback? iphoneatlas@cnet.com.


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Craigslist Hits the iPhone

by David Martin

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The popular U.S. online classifieds site where you can find just about anything imaginable for sale is now available on the iPhone via the Craigsphone app (iTunes link) from Next Mobile Web.

The currently free app makes the popular online classified service available on your iPhone or iPod Touch. The app allows you to browse and post listings on Craigslist sites across the globe. You can also upload photos and share your location information with the app. However, the best feature of the app is that it allows you to direct dial numbers posted in the classified ads. If you see an item that you are interested in learning more about and there is a phone number in the ad simply click it and the app launches the Phone app dialing the number for you. The app also keeps a history of ads you've viewed in case you need to take a look at an ad again.
Another major feature of the app which isn't perfect yet is it's "Nearby" feature that lets you browse ads closest to you. Unfortunately this feature only works if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area or Manhattan. The vendor's website indicated that this is only temporary so one can expect this feature to be expanded, but no timeline for this was given.
The app was initially released this past Friday and has already seen some substantial updates. We noted in our tests that the app performs some tasks better with a Wi-Fi connection especially when we changed our location and the app went to gather up the required city and state information for the US. The app would consistently time out trying to get the same information over a 3G connection. Hopefully a future update will resolve this issue.


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