Motorola Reports Second-Quarter Financial Results
July 31, 2009
No joke: ‘Funny or Die’ coming to iPhone
July 31, 2009
Good news for humorists–a dedicated mobile app for comedic video site Funny or Die will be coming to your iPhone, eventually.
Web content platform Babelgum announced on Thursday an exclusive wireless deal with Funny or Die to bring videos from the latter to mobile applications like the iPhone. Look for a Funny or Die app to hit Apple’s iPhone App Store sometime in the near future, though Babelgum hasn’t yet revealed when it plans to submit the software to Apple.
The license agreement also allows Babelgum to integrate Funny or Die videos into the comedy channel of Babelgum apps. Babelgum, which streams videos in film, music, and other categories, says it will also feature a Funny or Die section on its online comedy channel.
The exclusive wireless partnership between the two companies will last for two years.
Note: Funny or Die features some video clips with mature themes.
Finally, a fix for iPhone OS 3.0 sync error
July 31, 2009
(Credit: Apple, Inc.)We recently encountered a new problem syncing with iTunes after updating an iPhone to OS 3.0. After updating, the iPhone began to sync properly, then stalled, ending in “error 13019.”
(Credit: David Martin)We researched the issue and found an Apple support document with details about error 13019 and two possible solutions. The document explains that the problem is usually caused by syncing music and recommends that you remove all music syncing, sync your iPhone, then add music back and sync one last time. If you’re lucky, this step may fix the problem. We weren’t so lucky, however, and found ourselves hunting for other iPhone media–apps, voice memos, ringtones, podcasts, movies, TV shows, audiobooks–that might have caused the problem.
Troubleshooting this issue is tedious and involves going to each media type (listed above), unchecking it in iTunes, syncing to remove the media, then adding back the media by checking it in iTunes, and finally syncing again. Eventually, you’ll find the media type that is causing the problem. Apple recommends then leaving that media type unchecked to prevent it from syncing with your iPhone–not a thrilling solution.
We found the error 13019 being discussed on Apple’s discussions boards here and here and–as luck would have it–there is an easier solution.
iTunes music tab
(Credit: David Martin)
Users discovered that voice memo syncing, specifically, causes error 13019 and it occurs whenever voice memos are selected in the Sync Music panel by selecting Include voice memos in iTunes (see photo above). If you uncheck them, your iPhone will likely sync normally. However, we ended up deleting our voice memos from our iPhone before it would sync without errors again. Once we did this, iTunes syncing no longer produced the 13019 error.
Due to this bug, we don’t recommend using the Voice Memo app on your iPhone or syncing voice memos in iTunes until Apple fixes the problem. If you absolutely have to use the app, consider turning off voice memo syncing in iTunes first.
Are you experiencing any other problems with iPhone OS 3.0? Tell us about it in the comments or write to us at iphoneatlas@cnet.com
Apple cautions iPhone users about jailbreaking
July 31, 2009
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)Apple published Thursday a support article cautioning users about jailbreaking the iPhone (as well as other Apple handheld audio devices).
Unlike the company’s recent filing to U.S. Copyright Office that suggested that jailbreaking the iPhone might pose a national threat and be the cause of AT&T’s unreliable service, the article states that “customers who have installed software that makes these modifications have encountered numerous problems in the operation of their hacked iPhone.”
This means that if you get your iPhone jailbroken, for example, you will cause yourself, not others, problems. This is such a relief for me.
The problems that Apple mentioned include:
- Device and application instability: Frequent and unexpected crashes of the device, crashes and freezes of built-in apps and third-party apps, and loss of data
- Unreliable voice and data: Dropped calls, slow or unreliable data connections, and delayed or inaccurate location data
- Disruption of services: Services such as Visual Voice mail, YouTube, Weather, Stocks as well as push-based third party applications have been disrupted or no longer work on the device
- Compromised security: Security compromises have been introduced by the modifications that could allow hackers to steal personal information, damage the device, attack the wireless network, or introduce malicious software or viruses
- Shortened battery life: The hacked software has caused an accelerated battery drain that shortens the operation of an iPhone or iPod Touch on a single battery charge
- Inability to apply future software updates: Some unauthorized modifications have caused damage to the iPhone OS that is not repairable
Personally, I haven’t seen much difference in performance as well as other issues with my iPhones (both the 3G and the 3GS) between when they are jailbroken and when they are not. I did notice that my iPhones offer a lot more features when they are jailbroken. For example, my 3G now can also record video, and I can use both phones to store my files (as external storage devices.)
However, if you install many third-party applications made for jailbroken phones, chances are you will run into some badly developed applications that can cause trouble.
Unlike unlocking, jailbreaking is just the modification of the operating system, which is software, and can be always be undone by restoring the device. Unlocking is when you want to have the code of the cell-connection baseband chip altered or fooled by an intermediary SIM card so that the iPhone works with other GSM cell services. (Unlocking, unfortunately, can also most of the time be undone when you upgrade the phone’s firmware). While I haven’t had any issue with this, either, Apple claims that opens the door (PDF) to many security issues.
Well, there wouldn’t be any problems at all, really, if the devices were shipped without being locked down to a carrier or to Apple’s App Store. People just want to use their devices the way they want, and they should be able to do so. This is why the Electronic Frontier Foundation has asked regulators (PDF) to basically legalize the jailbreaking practice of the iPhones.
If you own a jailbroken iPhone/IPod, please share your experience with it in the comment section.
The iPhone’s best neo-retro game: Space Invaders Infinity Gene
July 31, 2009
While Taito has already released an iPhone port of the original Space Invaders, we’d recommend you slide past that and buy, instead, a spectacular revamp that launched this week on the App Store by the name of Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
As you’ll quickly see from the trailer above and gallery below, this shooter is Space Invaders in spirit and design, but in execution it’s a full-fledged arcade onslaught of power-ups, boss battles, and a thumping techno soundtrack that pulses along perfectly. This isn’t Taito’s first reinvention of Space Invaders: its Space Invaders Extreme was received with warm reviews and a cult following, and currently lives on the Nintendo DS, PSP, and Xbox Live Arcade.
Infinity Gene is a port of a Japanese cell phone game, with more minimal line-drawn graphics than Extreme. The title screen is actually a direct port of the original Space Invaders, before transforming into a start menu that consists of a branching level tree. Based on how you perform across dozens of levels, new weapons variations and options will become unlocked. Your ship can move all across the board, unlike the original Space Invaders, and while your ship autofires, your finger can drag anywhere onscreen to move your ship around. This keeps your digits from getting in the way of the finely rendered artillery attacks.
One of the most exciting new features, something that extends the life of this title to the near-infinite, is Music mode. You can pick any song on your iPhone or iPod Touch to play along to, and Infinity Gene generates a unique level matched to your music. I’m not sure what the secret sauce is to this mode, but I took some screenshots to show what levels were created for some of the tracks that live on my own musically cluttered iPhone 3GS.
Infinity Gene is available now for $4.99, and it’s easily one of the best neo-retro experiences on the iPhone yet.
VoiceCentral iPhone developer frustrated with Apple
July 31, 2009
The mystery surrounding Apple’s approval process on the App Store is legendary. What gets approved or rejected on any given day can be a source of bewilderment for developers and consumers alike. But the company still surprised everyone when it rejected Google’s Voice app for the iPhone on Tuesday.
(Credit: Apple)The story doesn’t end there. Apple then proceeded to remove third-party apps from the App Store that it said duplicate features of the iPhone. One of those apps is called VoiceCentral, and the developer is understandably upset.
Riverturn’s VoiceCentral has been available in the App Store for the past four months. The app integrates Google’s GrandCentral and Google Voice with the iPhone.
Until this week, everything was going fine for the developer. He submitted the app and was approved by Apple. He released updates and they were approved by Apple. Then, all of a sudden and without warning, his app was pulled from the store.
What seems to be the most upsetting part of the whole situation is that the developer can’t get any answers from Apple. In a telephone conversation with the Apple representative who was tasked to inform him the app was being removed, the most common answer from Apple seemed to be “I can’t say.”
In a blog post on Riverturn’s Web site Tuesday, the developer paraphrased the call. At one point the developer asks the Apple rep if there’s something he can change in the app so it can be resubmitted to the App Store. The response: “I can’t say.”
The developer then asks, “if we can’t figure out the issue then how will we know whether to resubmit the app. And how will we know whether to invest in any other development efforts? Future apps could be impacted.”
The response: “I can’t help you with that.”
As if that wasn’t enough, The Unofficial Apple Weblog is reporting that the developer is now being flooded with refund requests from customers. The problem is Apple keeps its 30 percent commission, but the developer has to refund the entire amount to the customer.
Originally posted at News - Apple
Apple makes finding iPhone apps easier
July 31, 2009
Yes, yes. "Arvale: Journey of Illusion" was exactly what I was looking for…
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)
Ever had trouble finding a particular app at the iPhone App Store? Who hasn’t? A couple weeks ago I spent like 10 minutes trying to find a game a friend had just shown me. That may have had more to do with me being intoxicated and less about the App Store’s search functionality, though.
Still, things may be improving. According to AppleInsider, Apple is now asking iPhone developers to enter 255 comma-separated characters as keywords to iTunes Connect to be used for search in the App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch.
iTunes Connect is the application that developers use to upload and submit their iPhone and iPod Touch apps to Apple.
Definitely a welcome change, and it can only improve sales, so I’m sure most developers will be taking advantage of it. I would not be surprised to see some developers exploit this, though, by entering popular keywords for apps that are completely unrelated just for the chance of added exposure.
Hopefully this addition will also improve my app-finding luck as well. Whether I’ve been drinking or otherwise.
My6Sense puts smart RSS reading in your pocket
July 31, 2009
Editor’s note: This post was amended to reflect a later release date for this app. My6Sense for the iPhone was originally expected to be on the app store Thursday morning, although it remains in Apple’s approval process. For the purpose of this review I was using the same version which was installed using a testing provision.
My6Sense, a company that previewed its RSS recommendation technology at the Under the Radar Mobility conference back in late November, is finally ready to get its tools into the hands of users. The company soon plans to release its first native application for mobile phones (currently for the iPhone only), which pulls in RSS feeds and adjusts what it presents based on your reading habits.
To make those adjustments, the product revolves around a machine learning algorithm called “digital intuition.” As you read, it slowly builds a profile for recommendations on other items you should check out, and ranks them accordingly.
There are six levels of digital intuition in all. Any time you check for recommendations it updates a small bar that tells you how far along its cold, robot brain is to knowing your deepest reading desires. In the hour or two I spent with the app, I nearly got to level three. Apparently it takes much more browsing than I was willing to give it before it could offer expert recommendations. Nonetheless, after just that short amount of time it was doing a pretty good job pointing me toward articles I did, in fact, want to read.
Feeding frenzy
Finding feeds to begin with is quite easy. You can enter URLs manually, download packs of RSS links that have been curated by My6Sense, or import the news feed from places like Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, and Flickr. It’s also got a tool for grabbing your feed collection from other RSS services like Google Reader, My Yahoo, NewsGator, and Netvibes. I just used my feed collection from Google Reader, which was as simple as plugging in the credentials for my Google account. My6Sense was even nice enough to keep all my folders and meticulous feed organization intact.
Now the real heart of the app is feed reading. My6Sense wants you to give up using any other readers, and do everything inside of its app, since that’s what makes its recommendation engine tick. This would be fine, except for the fact that the app can get intolerably slow when it comes to loading headlines.
Over a healthy 3G connection it took around 12 seconds to load up a list of just 10 stories. It took even longer to pull in an additional 10 results. And this was just the text–images don’t load until you open up a story to read. In comparison, Google Reader in Safari is not that much faster, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to use this somewhere with a lackluster mobile connection.
Despite its slowness, one nice feature is that once a feed has loaded, it’s cached for the next time you visit that category. This includes all of the stories within that particular feed, so you can browse even with limited connectivity.
Verdict
As a pure feed reader, My6Sense is great for beginners. It’s really easy to add new feeds and get going, even if you’ve never used another feed reader before. But it can be (and usually is) slow–almost to a fault. If this is your first mobile feed-reading experience after using a peppy desktop RSS reader, you’re bound to be disappointed.
The inclusion of the recommendation engine is a nice touch for individual articles, although I would like to see it be expanded to cover feeds as well. Maybe offering something that pops up and says “hey, I notice you really like reading about cameras–you might like this.”
The good:
• App learns your tastes, and shows how well it knows you
• Easy to share articles you’re reading without leaving the app
• Sucks in feeds from feed readers you’re already using
• Fast set-up with packs of feeds by genre
• Capability to unread things you don’t want to impact the recommendation engine
• Built-in browser for reading outbound links
The bad:
• Feeds can be slow to load
• No downloading option to read feeds offline
• Portrait mode only
• Photos and inline videos can sometimes be lost in translation
• No toggles to change text size or page contrast
Originally posted at Web Crawler
Apple quietly squashes MobileMe Find My iPhone bugs
July 30, 2009
(Credit: Apple, Inc.)Among the bevy of problems–some large, some small–reported by iPhone users following the release of iPhone OS 3.0 and the iPhone 3GS lurked a bug I encountered in Find My iPhone on Apple’s MobileMe service.
Find My iPhone remembers all your devices, including any old iPhones turned off or sold after you upgraded to the iPhone 3GS. Until now, there was no way to make Find My iPhone forget that old iPhone.
Apple has quietly released an updated Apple support document, “MobileMe, iPhone OS 3.0: Troubleshooting Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe,” which now states:
Previously-owned iPhone/iPod touch appears at me.com/account
If your iPhone/iPod touch was linked with your MobileMe account, it may still appear when you log in to www.me.com/account, even if you no longer possess the iPhone/iPod touch. If the device is offline, you can choose to remove the device from the Find My iPhone section of www.me.com/account by clicking Remove below the name of the iPhone or iPod touch.
Note: If your device is still configured with your MobileMe membername and password, the next time the device connects to the Internet, it will be added to the Find My iPhone page again.
The old iPhone 3G I sold to a T-Mobile employee
(Credit: David Martin)
If you accidentally delete a current iPhone, you can add that phone back by making sure that your MobileMe member name and password are still configured on the iPhone before reconnecting it to the Internet. Once that connection is made, the iPhone will reappear on the location page with the rest of the devices you are tracking.
You can see our previous coverage of iPhone OS 3.0 and iPhone 3GS problems here and here.
Have you or someone you know found new problems? Let us know about them in the comments.
iPhone-friendly Klipsch Image S2m is a great value
July 30, 2009
There’s nothing like good, old competition to keep tech prices in check. Case in point: earphones. The headphone market is heavily saturated, and that’s why there are so many worthy earbud contenders in the sub-$100 price range. Klipsch is one company in particular that has impressed us with earphones in this price range, and its latest entry is no exception. The Image S2m is a stereo headset with an integrated mic and call button that sells for a very reasonable $60. Like its Editors’ Choice award-winning sibling, the Image S4, these ‘phones offer impressive sound for the money, though audio is not quite as crystal clear.