Mobile Apple Me

Section: Apple News, Apple Online and Retail Store, iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad

We trust all of you hoping to get your iPad on the release day of April 3rd got your pre-orders in. According to Apple’s website, those placing pre-orders now won’t see their iPad ship until April 12th. This is not surprising, as Apple sold a reported 120,000 iPads on the first day. Quite frankly, I’m surprised it took this long for the rest to go. There’s still the chance you can pick one up at your local Apple store on April 3rd, but as an Apple rep told me, you’ll likely be facing long lines and limited supply.

Of course, if you’ll be waiting for 12th for your unit to even ship, it might be worth waiting for the 3G version, which is still due later this month. If you haven’t made up your mind, Appletell’s Ed McKell offers some helpful thoughts on the iPad WiFi vs. 3G debate.

In the meantime, be sure to join us at Appletell all this week as we lead up to the launch. On Saturday, April 3rd, we’ll be offering our early hands-on impressions and have a video or two to show you that on which you’re missing out.

Via iPadInsider

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

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Mac Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for March 26, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• Award winning Mac repair and upgrade company TechRestore, Inc. has announced that they have begun offering the first 1 Terabyte Drive Upgrade service for MacBook and MacBook Pro systems that includes same-day and overnight installation, data transfer and free shipping. The new 1 Terabyte laptop drive is compatible with 13 and 15 inch MacBook and MacBook Pro Unibody systems and the original MacBook Pro 17” models.
• Zevrix Solutions announces the release of Graphic Inspector 1.7.3, an update to its quality control solution which checks entire folders of graphic files for potential problems according to specific workflow requirements. The software provides graphic professionals of any trade with the most exhaustive info on multiple images and vector graphics, saving the time and hassle of checking them manually. The new version addresses stability issues related to metadata extraction routines.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• Originally titled Pacman KO, Slasher Derby is an iPhone boxing game built on the Unity 3D game platform. Slasher Derby is a boxing game on the iPhone with full 3D graphics.
• Life-Giving Studios has released Armored Warfare 1.0.9 for iPhone and iPod touch. Armored Warfare is a tactical artillery game that uses physics and 3D imagery. Each of the armored units are designed based on real tanks and comes with stats indicating size, firing power, armor and secret weapon. Version 1.0.9 adds even more to the already realistic tactical artillery game. Players will appreciate the increase in tank selection and maps to help them defeat the enemy in this challenging app.
• DigitalDeejay has announced Mix.DJ Pro 2.0, our latest app for for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Mix.DJ Pro is an unlimited music streaming app with over 16,000 pro and amateur DJ mixes from around the world. Perfect for parties, relaxing or discovering music anytime, Mix.DJ Pro is a true paradise for music fans wishing to explore thousands of DJ mixes straight from your iPhone, streaming whenever and wherever you want via WIFI or 3G.
• Renditions Design has announced that Magic Card, the best selling magic trick on the App Store, is dropping in price in a gambit meant to claim the top position in the highly competitive Entertainment category. The clever iPhone illusion has always been popular with professional magicians, but the recent feature in Apple’s New & Noteworthy on iTunes has triggered a 100-fold sales spike. Moving quickly to cement its position as the top trick on the store, iPod support has also been added.
• TimeStream Software has announced Disneyland Park Guide 2.0, a major update of its popular Notescast for iPhone and iPod touch. The Disneyland Park Guide Notescast provides a wealth of interactive in-depth information and for the first time, over 300 colorful photos, a small set of which are of park features off limits to Guests and required special permission to photograph. Another of the bonus photos is a special photo of the Haunted Mansion exterior.
• HomePipe Networks, Inc., has announced the public availability of its free Secure Home Access Service. With HomePipe, anyone with access to a Web browser or mobile device can now securely access everything on their home network without having to purchase expensive hardware, software, or cloud-based products. Consumers can finally access their photos, videos, music, and documents without the hassles of moving, uploading, or copying files to the cloud or mobile devices.
• ThatsMyStapler has announced NIOSH Chemical Hazards Pocket Guide 1.0 for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Chemical Hazards Pocket Guide provides a concise source of general industrial hygiene information for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. As a fully tested and recommended application by Laboratory Safety personnel, users will find it easy to use with full utilization of the iPhone’s native look and feel.
• Stranded Without A Phone from independent developer Gilligames is a desert island survival game set in the Space HoRSE universe. Four passengers on a space ship were on a mission to colonize a new planet when the ship crash landed on a planet that is almost completely covered by ocean. You, yes you, are the sole survivor, an upper-management executive from the Decoo Corporation, the company that sponsored the original mission. In this visually attractive game you must use your survival skills to stay alive long enough to get rescued. Build shelter, find food and drink, and collect salvageable parts from the wreckage that wash ashore. Use the parts to build a space radio and call for a rescue team to win the game.
• Gamedoctors has announced a new update to their hit undead castle defense game, ZombieSmash. Keeping in the spirit of Easter, players can now destroy the zombie masses with several Easter egg-themed weapons: falling rocks, grenades and a wrecking ball disguised as Easter eggs (don’t worry—they still kill zombies just fine). In addition, the game’s first update includes a brand-new Easy mode for the campaign.
• iDuel Online is a free massively multiplayer dueling RPG for the iPhone and iPod Touch featuring live PVP (player vs player) combat. Players challenge and duel other players live directly in RPG-style battles online. Players create a custom character when they start and then buy gear using credits they earn from dueling to change their look, improve stats, and add new special abilities.
• Use your first-generation iPhone and older iPhone 3G to record higher quality video than ever before with the newest version of Video Genius. Best of all the brand-new release remains the only free video recorder for those iPhone models.
• PressOK Entertainment and Lima Sky have released a brand new iPhone Game collaboration that brings Doodle Jump’s Doodle the Doodler to an entirely new set of Finger Physics levels. Grab the new update from the App Store today.
• InterLingua Medical Publishing has announced Medical Point2 Spanish 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. Medical Point2 Spanish allows medical and emergency assess the condition of Spanish-speaking patients simply by pointing to questions and answers on the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. The answers are stored in the application for later transfer to a computer and future reference. It offers total mobility to interview patients anywhere from emergency rooms, outdoors, and hospitals.
• Independent software developer David Palmerio today announced E-Blues 1.2, his new blues music learning tool for iPhone and iPod touch devices. Discover and learn the Blues guitar in nearly five minutes. This method presents 8 pieces of progressive levels, and each lesson is explained and the difficulties analyzed. The musical notation and theory is accompanied by audio and movie recordings.

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

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Originals

Another great week for the App Store. There are enough apps and games this week to keep you busy while waiting for the iPad next week. Soon, I’ll be able to include iPad apps as well, which is very exciting indeed.

• Depict - It’s an online multiplayer pictionary-style game.  Need I say more?  Instead of typing the answer, all you have to do is tap the correct answer, which is much faster and easier than typing.  Plus no spelling errors.  Each game is 5 rounds long, so you can squeeze a game in anytime you have a few minutes.  Multiplayer is handled with Open Feint, which is supported on tons of game on the App Store.  This game looks like a ton of fun.
• Alice Free Fall - Follow Alice and jump down the rabbit hole.  There, you’ll find a fun, dreamy time while falling through this game.  You’ll see all of the beloved characters along your way.  This game supports Open Feint as well.
• Digg - Geeks everywhere are rejoicing at the release of the Digg app for iPhone.  Yes, you can finally browse and digg all of the latest social news on Digg.com with a native app for iPhone.  There’s an integrated browser, ability to save stories to be read later, and integration with Facebook, Twitter and email.  Plus, you can log into your Digg account to keep track of it all.  This is really how Digg was meant to viewed on iPhone.
• Bing - It’s like Google, only from Microsoft, so you know it’s good!  You can use this app to search the internet using the Bing search engine to find stuff.  The app is especially tailored to finding images and local points of interest.  You don’t even need to type your query, you can speak it.
• Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search - Here’s Yahoo saying “me too” with their latest search app.  But to distinguish themselves from the rest, they’re offering a new way to search.  Don’t type or talk, just outline the region in which you’d like POI results in.  Clearly not as useful as Bing or Google, but maybe you hate typing.
• MIDI Memo Recorder - This is the companion app to Line 6’s newest product, the MIDI Mobilizer.  It’s an iPhone accessory that allows the iPhone to record MIDI data.  This could be patches for your guitar processor, or musical data from your keyboard.  Find out more at Line 6.
• World Fact Book - Quick access to information about nearly every country on the planet.  You could probably just use Wikipedia for all of this, but it seems like a fun app.
• Crazy Traffic - This is a frantic puzzle game that puts you in charge of traffic lights during rush hour.  Your job is to prevent traffic jams, which in real life are inevitable.  Thankfully, you’re better than the automation of downtown traffic signals, right?
• 3D Graph Surface View - When I was in high school, I would have loved this app.  It does one thing: it graphs in 3D.  And really, the only time this will likely interest you is in a math class.  If that’s you, enjoy.

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

Section: Apple Business, iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad

According to a Korean reporter, Apple has signed a deal with Samsung to purchase 3 million more 9.7 inch touch screen displays for their iPad device. The deal is worth $240 million, with each of the screens costing around $80—five times as much as the iPhone and iPod Touch displays. The reasoning behind this deal is most likely to give Apple some wiggle room should supply shortages or problems occur. Until now, Apple was getting these displays solely from a company known as LG Display, who holds a $800 million deal with Apple for displays, due to their in-plane switching technology. However, Samsung did agree to boost development of their screen that allows for a nice, 178 degree viewing angle.

This deal brings the total number of available iPads on order to 13 million, and is also good news for the market in general. By going to more than one supplier, Apple is not only safeguarding themselves against potential supply issues, they are also increasing competition in the market. This, in turn, brings down wholesale prices for Apple and, eventually, consumers.

The wait until April 3rd is in single digits now, folks!

Via AppleInsider

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