Category: I-phone

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This mid-week (as with most recent weeks) brought a slew of new and notable iOS releases. Here’s the roundup:

• Square Enix released Chaos Rings Omega, the sequel to its popular original RPG for iOS. It’s premium priced at US$11.99 (no kidding) on the iPhone and $14.99 on the iPad.
• Days of Wonder released an iPad version of its popular board game Ticket to Ride for a much more reasonable $6.99.
• Card battler Orions gets a sequel on iPad for $2.99.
• As mentioned in yesterday’s Daily iOS App post, Casey’s Contraptions is now available. It’s a terrific Rube Goldberg style iPad game for $2.99.
• Puzzler Push Panic got a free version on the App Store this week.
• Nom Nom is an interesting new $0.99 title where you have to align shapes to try to bounce food into the mouths of waiting animals.
• Burney is another new $0.99 game (with a free version available) that has you guiding an orb of fire through 45 platforming-style levels.

There are lots of new games to play this week. Quite a few of them are iPad-only, though that’s probably just a coincidence.

New iOS releases: Chaos Rings Omega, Ticket to Ride, more originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s a bit of a surprise. AT&T has dropped below Sprint in consumer ratings, at least according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, as reported by the Associated Press. Both T-Mobile and AT&T are ranked at the bottom, which makes you wonder about the wisdom of the announced sale of T-Mobile to AT&T. Think of the fun customers will have as the two worst companies on the list merge accounting systems and networks. Consumer Reports also ranks AT&T the worst of the cellular carriers.

Sprint and Verizon both get a score of 72 in the survey, which was done by polling 8,000 households in the first quarter of the year. AT&T is at the bottom with a score of 66, down 3 points from last year. T-Mobile scores a 70, also down 3 from a year ago.

At first glance I would have thought there would be some improvement in the AT&T score. We’ve been reporting on problems for years, and AT&T says it has spent millions in upgrades and says it has been trying to fill in the coverage gaps. What’s your experience? Is AT&T getting better or worse, and if you made the jump to Verizon, are you happier?

Is it possible? AT&T drops lower in customer satisfaction survey originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve looked at various food journals for iOS in the past, and Foodish is the latest entry into this market. It’s a food diary that focuses more on providing you a visual record of what you’ve eaten rather than counting calories.

It’s pretty easy to use and has an attractive UI. Launch the app, tap the add button and take a picture of your food or drink. You can group these into meals or snacks, and select whether or not you think you’ve made a good food choice by tapping a facial expression. You can share the pictures of your meal via Facebook or Twitter.

It’s a good, basic program to use if you want to keep a food diary but don’t care to count calories. Personally, I gravitate toward more feature-laden programs, such as Lose It (free), and I’ve also been using the Weight Watchers Mobile app (free download, requires subscription for food tracking) for keeping my food record since December.

Foodish is US $3.99 in the App Store.

Foodish takes the calorie counting out of meal tracking originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to Ask TUAW, your favorite weekly question-and-answer column. We can never have too many questions, so please go to the comments of this post and ask away. To get fabulous answers, we need your fabulous questions. You can also email your questions directly to ask [at] tuaw.com, or ping us on Twitter.

Now, off to the questions! Than queries:

I am starting to use my iPad to score my son’s baseball games, doing the scoring from the dugout/field. Any suggestions on a good case? Would really like something waterproof or pretty air tight. Some of the fields can be pretty dusty in the summer and I don’t want the dust getting into the iPad and I don’t want to have to worry about some rain drops.

Continue reading Ask TUAW: Durable iPad Cases, iPhone Mail Signatures and the ‘Insert’ Key

Ask TUAW: Durable iPad Cases, iPhone Mail Signatures and the ‘Insert’ Key originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our friends over at TechCrunch got the scoop on Gilt Taste, a high-end online grocery retailer that doubles as an online magazine. What’s intriguing, however, is an iPad app that it’s currently developing.

The folks behind Gilt Taste are working to perfect “motion-activated recipes” using the iPad 2’s camera. Instead of touching an iPad while you’re cooking, you would just make a hand gesture in front of the screen to go through the recipe. Those who use Microsoft’s Kinect are familiar with the technology.

This sort of technology makes perfect sense, and it’s the sort of app that I think the iPad 2 is made for. As someone who used to get flour and fingerprints on my iPad while cooking, it would be nice to have an app such as this.

Gilt Taste looking to introduce cooking app with “motion-activated recipes” originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Version 1.5 of Comcast’s Xfinity TV app for iPhone and iPod touch arrived on the App Store yesterday. The updated software allows Comcast customers to watch movies and TV shows on their iPhones or iPod touches while connected to any Wi-Fi network.

Comcast added on-demand video streaming functionality to the Xfinity TV app for iPad in February. Since then, Comcast’s library of streaming content has grown to include over 6,000 hours of video from 25 networks. The app, which also allows customers to remote control their DVRs and schedule recordings, has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times since it launched in November last year.

The newly updated Xfinity app for iPhone and iPod touch expands the cable provider’s goal to bring entertainment to practically any gadget with a screen — televisions, personal computers, tablets and mobile devices.

The launch of the highly-requested video streaming feature for Apple’s mobile devices didn’t come without a couple of glitches. Some users reported trouble launching the app after downloading the update. Comcast recommends customers delete any existing copies of Xfinity TV before installing version 1.5. And CNET’s Christopher MacManus reported some difficulties playing videos for more than 15 seconds, but attributed the issue to the massive number of people poking around the new on-demand streaming features at the same time. Lastly, like its iPad counterpart, on-demand video is only available through a Wi-Fi connection — 3G streaming or downloading for later offline viewing is not available with this release.

On the bright side, unlike competitors Cablevision and Time Warner, Comcast allows its customers to stream videos on any Wi-Fi network, not just the one you have at home. So, whether you’re curled up in bed or sipping a coffee at your neighborhood Starbucks, you can still catch up on the latest comedy stylings of Conan O’Brien or squeeze in an episode of Seinfeld using your iPhone (3G, 3GS or 4) or iPod touch (2nd, 3rd or 4th generation) running iOS 4.

[via Engadget]

Xfinity TV on your iPod, iPhone but Wi-Fi only originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today, we received an email from an organization calling itself the Apple Retail Workers Union. The organization is trying to garner enough support among Apple retail employees to unionize. From the email:

On May 19, 2001, Apple opened the doors to its first retail stores. It encouraged people to “shop different.”

Ten years later, the people of Apple are coming together to “work different.”

We are launching today to get fellow employees, shoppers, and the world know that we work in one of the most demanding retail environments while suffering through unfair treatment and compensation among many other various issues.

We deserve better. Our time has come.

This campaign is by and for the workers of Apple’s retail stores in the United States.

A spokesperson for the ARWU told Macworld that employees from “some stores in the Pacific Northwest may be talking amongst themselves” about forming a union, and that “an attempt at [the] Alderwood store… is the closest anyone has come to collective action” at Apple’s retail stores. The spokesman, who wished to remain anonymous, works at an Apple store “in the Bay area” and said the “unfair treatment” it cited in its email “included break schedules, training opportunities, the selection and hiring process for internal candidates for open positions, and wages,” according to Macworld.

With all the demonizing of unions going on right now, it’s probably not the best time for the fledgling ARWU to attempt this, but hey, at least they’re giving it a go in the Pacific Northwest first and not in more hostile places, such as Wisconsin.

Group looking to form Apple Retail Workers Union originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As part of the Reuters Global Technology Summit, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo today talked about data plan discounts, prepaid plans and the next-generation iPhone. During his talk, Shammo noted that the next iPhone model will be released simultaneously for both AT&T and Verizon.

This is an indication that the next iPhone supports CDMA and GSM networks, possibly using the same Qualcomm-produced dual-mode chipset that is in the current Verizon CDMA iPhone 4. While the GSM bands aren’t enabled in the current Verizon iPhone 4, bringing that capability to the next generation device would give the company a chance to sell a true “world phone” that can work in as many countries as the GSM-based iPhone.

Shammo also noted that although he is “happy” with sales of the Verizon iPhone, some customers held off on purchasing as they were waiting for a 4G device running on Verizon’s LTE network. The CFO isn’t concerned about the next iPhone not supporting LTE, stating that Verizon has enough high-speed alternatives to keep customers happy. Referring to the lack of LTE, Shammo was quoted as saying “I think it’s a bigger issue for Apple than it is for us.”

Verizon CFO: Next iPhone works on both CDMA and GSM networks originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When you’re in a noisy environment, such as a café or study room, or even when there’s just the odd sound to distract you in a room of silence, concentrating can be difficult. You could play some music, but often music can be just as distracting as the background noise, especially when you’re trying to put words down on a page. DeepFocus, a US$1.99 app available from the Mac App Store, aims to solve the problem without music, allowing you to concentrate without aural distractions.

It does this by creating a wall of sound, generating random sound patterns defined by a set soundscape or theme, overlaid on white noise. The white noise helps to block out background sounds, while the soundscape gives you just enough (but not too much) to focus on, allowing you to concentrate.

The app comes packing eight different soundscapes for you to choose from, with themes like the seaside to the urban landscape. You first select a soundscape from the menu bar and click ‘Enter DeepFocus!’ Headphones are, of course, a must, and a good set of sound isolators or noise-cancelling headphones will definitely enhance the experience. The white noise works to some extent, but you will still be able to hear a modicum of what’s happening around you.

Both the white noise background volume and the ‘auralscape’ volume can be independently controlled to taste, while an option for a ‘Low level noise mask’ is also present. A timer is included in the menu bar, showing you how long you’ve been in ‘DeepFocus,’ but thankfully, it can be turned off.

If you have trouble concentrating in a noisy environment, or even in a relatively quiet one, DeepFocus could be the answer if, like me, you can’t get by with music alone.

TUAW’s Daily Mac App: DeepFocus originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A patent has emerged that shows how Apple could address the buffering lag time that is a frequent bane to streaming media users. In the patent, Apple describes storing just small segments of media files locally on a user’s device. These segments would be the beginning of a song, for example, and would begin to play immediately while the device buffers the rest of the song from the cloud servers. Using this method, there would be no lag time between when a user taps on a song to play it on his iPhone and when the song actually begins to play.

Current cloud services often feature a noticeable lag time between when a user selects a song and when it begins to play, since the entire file is stored remotely. This patent is important given the rumor that Apple is soon to launch a cloud-based digital music service. If Apple implements this local file snippet feature into its service, it would be a significant advantage to the usability and quality of its service over rivals like Amazon and Google.

Apple’s cloud music service could address buffering with local files originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yahoo! rolled out a new Messenger app for iOS that includes support for the iPad 2. The tablet-optimized app will let you make voice and video calls using the front-facing camera. Yahoo! Messenger has a wide install base, and you will be able to make video calls to any device with a camera and a compatible version of the messaging app. Besides video calling, Yahoo! Messenger will also send SMS messages for free. The SMS feature is a quick way to message to a friend, but you have to remember these messages come from your Yahoo! account, not your mobile phone number.

Yahoo! Messenger lets iPad 2 owners video chat with PCs originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot thanks to @jaythenerd

The MacDefender malware has been causing trouble for Mac users all over the world; people are calling Apple Support in a panic, spending time visiting their local Apple Store Genius, and getting all stressed out about it. What’s worse: the malware is mostly harmless. It’s a scam trying to rip off your credit card number, not hurt your Mac.

The attack, which displays a message stating that your machine has been infected with viruses that only a “MacDefender” app can remove, has been spreading rapidly. MacDefender doesn’t infect Macs with a virus, nor does it run a keylogger as a background process on your machine. It’s simply trying to scare users into providing credit card information by registering an unneeded piece of software. MacSecurity and MacProtector are the same scam software, differing in name only.

It’s been reported by ZDNet’s Ed Bott that Apple is telling support reps not to assist with removing this malware. You’re on your own, but TUAW is here to help you. Read more to find out how to protect yourself from MacDefender, what a MacDefender attack looks like, and how to remove the app if it is installed on your Mac.

Continue reading MacDefender malware protection and removal guide

MacDefender malware protection and removal guide originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today marks the 10th anniversary of Apple’s retail stores. On May 19, 2001 the very first store opened in McLean, Virginia, followed later that same day by a store in Glendale, California. Even though the McLean store opened first, the Glendale store carries the designation “001,” causing a bit of controversy among statistics-friendly nerds.

Today the number of Apple Stores has grown to over 300 around the world, as our unofficial retrospective illustrates. Earlier this week, rumors suggested that Apple’s got something special planned to mark the anniversary, though we haven’t seen anything official yet.

Congratulations to Apple on this achievement. Here’s to 10 more successful years.

Happy 10th anniversary Apple Stores originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Senior Vice president Tom Kilroy revealed that Intel is working closely with Apple on future products. This relationship is so cozy that Kilroy claims Apple even “helps shape our roadmap.” Apple is an attractive customer for Intel as the Cupertino company is often regarded as forward-thinking and an influencer.

You only need to look at the recent quarterly estimates for the PC industry to see why Intel is interested in working so closely with Apple. The Cupertino company only holds a 9.3 percent market share, but its PC sales are growing while its rivals are slumping.

Apple and Intel have a proven working relationship. The two companies developed Thunderbolt, which could replace USB as the new standard for I/O technology.

Apple helping to shape Intel’s future originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 19 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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