iPod Observer

Netflix Pokes Apple in The Eye Again

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:00:58 -0500

LG and Netflix announced on Monday that, soon, LG TV sets will be available that can stream Netflix movies directly, without a set-top box. Models will be demoed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Meanwhile, at Macworld San Francisco, Apple had nothing new to announce regarding its "hobby," the Apple TV.

iTunes Goes DRM-Free With Multi-Tier Pricing

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:46:59 -0500

Taking a cue from Apple CEO Steve Jobs' previous Macworld keynotes, Vice-President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller saved "one more thing" for the end of his Tuesday morning talk: DRM-free music on iTunes, with multi-tier pricing: US$0.69, $0.99, and $1.29 per song. Eight million of the iTunes Store's 10 million songs are DRM-free today, with the rest losing their restrictions by the end of March.

Eos Converge Streams Music to Multiple Sources

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:40:29 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO -- Eos Wireless on Tuesday introduced Eos Converge, which streams music from an iPod, iPhone, AppleTV, or computer to home audio systems or to any Eos receiver within 150 feet. The system also supports Internet and satellite radio, such services as Pandora and Rhapsody, and other brands of MP3 players.

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, SlingPlayer for Mac HD to be Shown at Macworld

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:44:20 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO -- During this week's Macworld Expo, Sling Media will demonstrate SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone as well as a prototype of SlingPlayer for Mac HD, which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream content to a Mac. The latter is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be available for free during 1Q09.

Eye-Fi Announces iPhone App For Photo Syncing, Sharing

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:47:11 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO - Eye-Fi announced Monday that the company was developing an iPhone application that will automatically upload pictures from your iPhone to both your computer and the Web-based sharing site of your choice. The application will be available from the App Store for free to Eye-Fi card owners.

Apple CEO Receiving Hormone Imbalance Treatment

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:50:13 -0500

Apple CEO Steve Jobs offered the world a rare glimpse into his life on Monday when he revealed that he is being treated for a hormone imbalance. He claims the issue is under control, and is the cause of his weight loss during 2008. Our sister site, The Mac Observer, has the full story.

Apple Files Patent for iPhone-Compatible Gloves

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:13:42 -0500

A recently published patent may answer users' concerns about being able to use gloves with an iPhone or iPod touch handset. The patent, as noted by AppleInsider, would allow users to interact with Apple's multi-touch devices via the use of specialized gloves and describes how capacitive touchscreens like those found on the iPhone and iPod touch are problematic in colder weather.

Happy New Year from iPodObserver.com

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:15:13 -0500

Happy New Year from the staff of iPodObserver.com! It was a great 2008, and we're looking forward to 2009. Covering the world of Apple, the iPhone, and iPod wouldn't be possible without you, our readers, and we appreciate your support.

wurdle

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:20:58 -0500

wurdle is a reasonably-priced ($1.99), totally addicting, fast, fun word game in the tradition of Boggle with a touch of Scrabble.

Massive Zune Die-off Precedes 2009

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:36:19 -0500

Owners of Microsoft's 30GB Zune media player received an unexpected surprise on December 31 when their devices stopped working properly and locked up during the startup process. The self-bricking appears to have begun 24 hours before the date rollover into 2009, and so far there aren't any fixes available.

Review: Buggled and FriendZoo

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:00:06 -0500

Buggled is a fun game, and for US$0.99 (the price as of this review), it's worth the money, even if there isn't a lot of depth here. FriendZoo is a little harder to justify, even with the same $0.99 price tag.

Vaja Posts iPhone nano Info Page

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:29:48 -0500

High end iPhone case maker Vaja added some credibility to the rumors that Apple is preparing to unveil the fabled iPhone nano now that it has a Web page visitors can use to sign up for more information about cases for the unreleased product.

Developer Sells 39K Copies of iFart Mobile on Christmas Day

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:06:56 -0500

Developer Joel Comm announced over the weekend that he sold some 38,927 copies of iFart Mobile on Christmas Day. Sales of the sound effect and prank application began growing by leaps and bounds in the days leading up to Christmas, but as boys, girls, and adults alike opened up their iPod touches and iPhones, those sales increased by threefold on Christmas Day itself.

Apple Now Offering Carrier-Free iPhone in French Marketplace for 799 to 899 Euros

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:50:16 -0500

French retailer FNAC announced on Monday that the company would be selling a contract-free version of Apple's iPhone 3G handset. The units, which are available at a significant markup, retail for €799 ($1,125.60) and €899 ($1,266.23), respectively.

Walmart Starts Selling the iPhone

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:56:45 -0500

Retail powerhouse Walmart began selling Apple's iPhone 3G in its stores on Sunday, December 28. The company is offering both the 8GB and 16GB model at a discount, although a slim one at only US$2 off Apple's list price.

Ivyskin Quattro-T1 iPhone 3G case

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:28:07 -0500

I've reviewed dozens of iPhone cases and few are so good I don't want to have to take them off so I can test the next one. The Ivyskin Quattro-T1 is only the second one I can recall this year.

Happy Holidays from iPodObserver.com!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:20:06 -0500

iPodObserver.com is taking Thursday, December 25 and Friday, December 26 off to celebrate the holiday season and to give our staff of top-notch editors a much deserved break before jumping into Macworld Expo in January. We'll return to our regular publishing schedule on Monday, December 29.

Hewlett-Packard Releases HP iPrint Photo, Allows Wireless Printing from iPhone/iPod Touch

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:20:47 -0500

Printer industry mainstay Hewlett-Packard has recently released HP iPrint Photo, a small, free program that allows iPhone and iPod touch users to print to HP inkjet printers attached to local Wi-Fi networks.

Snapture Labs Intros iPhone Camera Flash

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:37:43 -0500

Snapture Labs introduced its SnaptureFlash for the iPhone on Wednesday. The sled attachment adds a camera flash to the iPhone, and is designed to work with the Snapture Lab's own camera application.

Research Firm: Smart Phone Market Now Dominated by Apple & RIM

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:52:33 -0500

The smart phone market is now dominated by just two companies -- Apple and research In Motion -- according to a research firm Changewave Research. In a survey released by the company Tuesday, the firm said that RIM has some momentum due to a slew of new products, but found that RIM's market share was down 1% from its last survey, while Apple's had risen 6%.

Animoto Productions Brings Animoto to the iPhone

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:17:05 -0500

Animoto Productions announced the immediate availability of Animoto for the iPhone on Tuesday. Animoto lets users make videos from the photos and music on their iPhone, and then share and view Animoto videos, much like the Animoto.com Web site. Animoto is free and available at Apple's iTunes-based App Store.

Apple Adds Trivial Pursuit, Crystal Defenders, Chinese Checkers to iPod Games List

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:40:26 -0500

Apple on Tuesday continued to stock the shelves at the iTunes Store with three more clickwheel iPod games: Trivial Pursuit (US$4.99), Crystal Defenders ($4.99), and Chinese Checkers ($0.99). The first two were published by Electronic Arts and Square Enix, respectively, while the third is another original title from Apple. All three are compatible with fifth generation video iPods, iPod classic, and third and fourth generation iPod nanos.

Macworld Expo Unveils iMacworld for iPhone

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:25:58 -0500

Macworld Expo introduced iMacworld for the iPhone and iPod touch on Tuesday. The application lists all of the exhibitors that will be at Macworld Expo & Conference in January, shows their booth numbers, and also shows which hall they will be in. Updates are planned before the expo in January that will add a show map along with a calendar showing conference sessions. iMacworld is free and available at Apple's iTunes-based App Store.

Twittelator Pro 1.6 Adds Sub Groups, More

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:38:47 -0500

Stone Design announced the immediate availability of Twittelator Pro 1.6 on Tuesday. The update for the Twitter client application for the iPhone and iPod touch added the ability to group the people you follow into sets.

Car Care 1.2 Adds International Currency Support, More

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:43:55 -0500

KB Productions announced the immediate availability of Car Care 1.2 on Tuesday. The update for the gas mileage and maintenance application for the iPhone and iPod touch added support for all International currencies, along with customizable service types, custom fuel octanes, custom reminders, improved data entry, and Japanese translation. Car Care 1.2 is priced at US$4.99 and is available at the iTunes-based App Store.

Case Maker Lists iPhone nano on Web Site

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:05:37 -0500

Case maker XSKN has listed a case for an iPhone nano, an as-yet unreleased iPhone model, on its Web site. The slip (or purposeful) inclusion of this product on the company's Web site immediately renewed speculation on the Internet that Apple would release such a device.

Star Walk: A Planetarium for the iPhone

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:30:50 -0500

Star Walk 1.1 for the iPhone and iPod touch is a guide to the night sky, very similar to the traditional programs such as TheSkyX and Starry Night. It has great graphics, the ability to go forward and back in time, and has an informative catalog of deep sky objects.

ForeFlight Mobile 2.1 Downloads Airport Data

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:59:46 -0500

ForeFlight announced the immediate availability of ForeFlight Mobile 2.1 for the iPhone on Monday. The update added the ability to download and store the global airport database, improved flight plan filing, and added more weather imagery and winds aloft. ForeFlight is priced at US$74.99 and is available at the iTunes-based App Store.

Light Year Intros In Season for iPhone, iPod touch

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 09:45:58 -0500

Light Year Software announced the immediate availability of In Season for the iPhone and iPod touch on Monday. In Season is a produce shopping guide that tracks which fruits and vegetables are currently in season. It also explains how to select produce and store it once you get it home. In Season is priced at US$1.99 and is available at the iTunes-based App Store.

RIAA Ceases Mass Lawsuit Campaign, Strikes Deal with ISPs

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:41:41 -0500

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has ceased its campaign of mass lawsuits against music fans. The industry trade association, which has launched more than 35,000 since 2003, generating enormous amounts of bad press in the process, stopped the mass lawsuits earlier this Fall, and instead began striking deals with ISPs

Watchmen, TGRtv, Scam School and More

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:16:28 -0500

This week I am all over the map when it comes to podcasts, but after you see some of this stuff you'll see why I couldn't concentrate on a single theme like I usually do. I look the Watchmen, some skiing stuff, and some podcasts that teach how to scam, and more.

Two New iPhone Games Arrive: Rolando, Motocross

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:05:32 -0500

Synium Software and ngmoco have introduced a pair of new iPhone games: Rolando (US$9.99) and Motocross ($3.99), two games that use the built-in accelerometer to maneuver through the gaming environment.

Integrating Your Apple Gear with HDTV

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:30:23 -0500

For those who are fortunate enough, this year, to be working with some new Apple gear or some high definition TV goodies, getting them working together can be a lot of fun. The Apple TV is straightforward, however, some of the other options will require some tinkering.

Speck SeeThru case for iPod nano 4G

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:01:30 -0500

The Speck SeeThru is a unique, thoughtfully designed hard shell case for iPod nano 4G. It's made out of a very hard plastic that resists impact quite well and includes a built-in clear hard plastic screen protector, a nice touch. On each side is a rubberized rail for improved grippiness, also a nice feature.

Star Walk 1.1 Adds Night Mode

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:58:52 -0500

VITO Technology announced the immediate availability of Star Walk 1.1 for the iPhone on Friday. The update for the celestial map application added a new night viewing mode along with additional deep space objects including star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Star Walk is priced at US$4.99 and is available at the iTunes-based App Store.

Analyst: RIM Sales Could Gauge iPhone Sales

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:15:11 -0500

RIM appears to have been pushing sales of its newer Blackberry smartphones at the expense of older models, and that could turn into a positive for Apple's iPhone 3G sales, according to UBS analyst Maynard Um. Both companies could, however, see a downturn in sales due to weaker demand from the slowing economy.

Orange Launches iPhone 3G in Jordan

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:23:34 -0500

Apple's iPhone 3G officially went on sale in Jordan on Friday as part of an exclusive deal with cell carrier Orange. Orange is offering both the 8GB and 16GB versions with its service packages, and like many other carriers, is imposing caps on monthly data usage.

French Regulators Rule that iPhone Must Be Available to All Carriers

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:26:20 -0500

Regulators in France issued a ruling Wednesday that Apple must end its exclusive distribution deal with French cell carrier Orange, and make the iPhone available through other carriers in the Gallic state. The ruling is effectively more of a temporary injunction while the Competition Council further examines a complaint.

Konami Announces Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Dance Dance Revolution and Frogger for iPhone

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:23:51 -0500

Longtime gaming industry mainstay Konami announced on Wednesday that it would be bringing four major titles to Apple's iPhone platform in the form of Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Dance Dance Revolution, and Frogger.

EA Publishes 3 New iPhone Games: Monopoly, Yahtzee, SimCity

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:16:26 -0500

Electronic Art division EA Mobile on Wednesday published three new iPhone games: Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition (US$7.99), Yahtzee Adventures ($4.99), and Will Wright's seminal classic, SimCity ($9.99).

The Dark Knight: Batmobile Game Roars to the App Store

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:30:27 -0500

Glu Mobile has introduced two new games to the App Store: The Dark Knight: Batmobile Game (US$0.99) and the action puzzle title Bonsai Blast ($3.99).

iPhone Game Review: Spore Origins

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:45:14 -0500

Spore Origins is the kind of game the iPhone was built for: simple, engaging gameplay that takes advantage of the handheld's advanced technology. You get what you paid for: a game whose production values stand head-and-shoulders above the versions produced for all other platforms, including other cell phones. The long-term value isn't there, but not all games are designed for that.

Telekom Kenya Announces iPhone 3G Pricing

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:38:22 -0500

It appears that Telekom Kenya is a step closer to launching Apple's iPhone 3G now that it has revealed how much it will charge for the combination iPod and smartphone. The company had hoped for a Kenya iPhone rollout in September, but missed its goal and is still working to put together its iPhone 3G launch.

iPhone Dev Team Announce Yellowsn0w iPhone 3G Unlock

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:01:58 -0500

The iPhone Dev Team, a group of hackers dedicated to the iPhone, announced Tuesday Yellowsn0w, a hack to unlock the iPhone 3G the group plans on releasing New Years Eve of 2008. The group said in a blog post that it is ready to go, and, "currently being packaged into a user-friendly application with the simplicity that you see in QuickPwn or BootNeuter."

Lode Runner, Wonder Blocks, Reversi Come to Click Wheel iPods

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:47:44 -0500

Apple on Tuesday continued to stock up the iPod Games section of the iTunes Store with three more click wheel titles: Lode Runner (Hudson Soft), Wonder Blocks (Gameloft), and Reversi (Apple).

Why is Microsoft Developing iPhone Apps?

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:15:25 -0500

Some might conclude that Microsoft has released an iPhone app thanks to iPhone envy, the desire to make a few bucks, or just jumping on the bandwagon. However, there could be another reason.

Paramount Places Iron Man: Aerial Assault on the App Store

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:52:06 -0500

Paramount Digital Entertainment has released Iron Man: Aerial Assault on the App Store. The game puts players in the role of the Marvel Comics character as they fly and shoot their way through 12 levels of airborne combat. Available weapons include repulsor blasts, missiles, and the Unibeam.

Macworld Prognosis: Going with What Works

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:28:18 -0500

Macworld is ordinarily a time for dreaming and even fantasies about what Apple might bring forth based on all the juicy rumors, patent filings, and even the pulse of the Mac community. However, Apple is likely to focus on realistic technical windows and iPhone mania this time around. The full story is at the Mac Observer.

Katamari Steamrolls Onto iPhone

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:30:57 -0500

Katamari Damacy fans, rejoice, as Bandai Namco released a version of the underground hit console game for iPhone last week. Titled "I Love Katamari," the iPhone version uses the device's built-in accelerometer for game play, the touchscreen for menu controls, offers four game modes, and the same sort of oddly translated messages from the King of All Cosmos that players expect.

Microsoft Makes the Move to iPhone with Seadragon

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:57:05 -0500

Microsoft joined the iPhone camp over the weekend with the release of its Seadragon Mobile app for the iPhone. The app lets users view giga-pixel images on their iPhone, zoom in on images, browse Photosynth libraries, making Apple's combination iPod and smartphone the only handheld device currently taking advantage of Microsoft's Seadragon technology. Seadragon Mobile is free and available for download at the iTunes-based App Store.