Category: I-phone

From coming soon, to coming eventually, to arrives tomorrow, to finally here, the white iPhone 4 landed on Thursday with a promising premiere.

Only one day after it became available, wait times for the pale iPhone 4 reached five days in several of Apple’s European online stores, including the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Ireland. Currently, customers in the U.S. and Canada must wait a slightly more modest 3-5 days before their white iPhone 4s board a delivery vehicle. In contrast, the black iPhone 4 ships within a day or two.

The iPhone 4 in white began shipping in 28 countries on April 28, delayed by about 10 months after the popular black version hit the market. The long delay for the alabaster phone, caused by various technical hurdles, created extra “mystique” and perceived “scarcity value” for the device, according to analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities. The appropriately named White expects the new color to incrementally boost iPhone 4 sales by 1 million to 1.5 million units per quarter.

The sellout crowds in Hong Kong and mainland China and expanding shipping times in Europe and North America certainly support the idea that consumers were holding out for their preferred color of iPhone 4. Did you wait patiently for the vanilla-flavored iPhone 4? Let us know why in the comments below.

White iPhone shipping times grow in Europe originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple is set to open its largest Australian Apple store in the historic MacArthur Chambers according to papers filed with Brisbane City Council. While the plans don’t mention Apple by name, and in fact were filed on behalf of the MacArthur Central Shopping Centre, the details of the plans all point to an Apple store.

Among the plan highlights that suggest an Apple store are “feature stairs” ala the staircase in the 5th Avenue New York Store and “new colour scheme of shades of white.” The plans also mention stone floors, twin glass doors, and a space for what are presumably Genius Bars. The total size of the store would be 1900sqm, making it the largest in Australia.

The MacArthur Chambers building itself has historic connection to World War 2. General Douglas MacArthur commandeered it in 1942 and it was used as an Allied Forces’ headquarters until 1944. Apple isn’t pushing the history of the building to the wayside either. The plans for the store also include a $3.8 million addendum to remove the “current modern additions” and return the space to its original form. Those plans include getting rid of the tiled ceilings and escalators and restoring the original stone wall panels and bronze doors. There’s no word yet on when the store might open.

Apple planning huge Brisbane, Australia Apple Store originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

I wrote about VoxOx earlier this year when I saw the Mac app at CES, and the company has now released an iPhone version that replicates the company’s call back service — they’ll connect two different voice lines to each other over your phone. The app can even accept SMS messages, pull off a 20-way conference call, and even take in faxes. There’s a video demo of the app online, and it’s a free download, though you’ll need a VoxOx account to call out.

A few of the reviews on the app say there might be an issue with some incoming calls, but given that it’s a brand new release, there may be a few hiccups that need to be fixed in future releases. That said, if you’re a user of the VoxOx service, this app is a no-brainer, and even if you’re not, but still looking for an all-in-one communication solution, it might be worth a look.

VoxOx releases iPhone app originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Square is running into some problems with its new investment partner Visa. An executive at the mobile payments company confirmed it is re-working its system to encrypt credit card data on the fly. Square now uses a dongle that plugs into a headphone jack and an iOS application to process credit card transactions. While this system complies with industry regulations, it does not take the extra step to encrypt the credit card data.

Now that Visa has joined Square as a strategic investor, the mobile payments company will be redesigning all its dongle to include this built-in encryption. Square did not comment on the financial impact of this change, but it could be costly. Square gives away the dongles for free and makes its money off a 2.75% per transaction fee. It is not clear how Square intends to absorb this extra cost.

In light of the recent high-profile security breach of the Sony PlayStation network, Square is wise to add this layer of encryption and ease customers fear of having their transaction data inadvertently compromised.

Square encryption hinders Visa deal originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

EA Mobile’s popular Madden NFL 11 for the iPad is now available for $6.99 for a limited time. Grab it while you can as this price drop is almost 50% off the regular price of $12.99.

The app brings the gameplay of the Madden iPhone football series to big screen of the iPad. The iPad version makes it easier to draw hot routes for passing, running and defense and includes a vintage football mode that emulates those long-lost days of electric football games.

The game features 32 NFL teams and a roster of over 2,000 current players. You can play head-to-head against friends or play through a 16-game season that lets you make trades and monitor performance stats. Interested Football fans can grab the iPad version of Madden NFL 11 from the App Store.

EA Mobile drops the price on Madden NFL 11 for iPad to $6.99 originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Senator Al Franken released a statement today thanking Apple and Google for agreeing to attend a hearing on mobile technology and privacy. According to Franken, the goal of the hearing is to “serve as a first step in investigating if federal law protecting consumer privacy-particularly when it relates to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets-is keeping pace with advances in technology.”

The hearing is set for May 10 in Washington, D.C. and has the catchy title “Protecting Mobile Privacy: Your Smartphones, Tablets, Cell Phones and Your Privacy.” We’ll keep you posted on the result of that hearing and we’ll reach out to Sen. Franken for comment after they conclude. Full press release below.

Apple, Google to testify at Congressional hearing on location tracking originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dear Aunt TUAW,

My entire machine is just dog slow lately. I want an MBA sooooo bad. But I’m waiting for Thunderbolt *sigh*. Why can’t Apple hurry up and ship those babies?

Help a nephew out. What should I do?

Love & kissies

Your nephew “V”.

Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Should I wait for the next MacBook Air?

Dear Aunt TUAW: Should I wait for the next MacBook Air? originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Earlier this week, we reported on a circulating rumor that suggested Apple bought the icloud.com domain name. Today, All Things Digital added to that rumor with a report of its own. According to AllThingsD, “sources in position to know” have confirmed to them that Apple did buy the icloud.com domain name from Xcerion, a cloud computing company based in Sweden.

The original rumor suggested Apple paid up to $4.5 million for the domain name, but AllThingsD was unable to corroborate that figure with its source. Presumably, Apple will use this domain name for the rumored iTunes in the cloud and digital locker service it is supposedly gearing up to launch. Would you be excited to use your iCloud account to sync your iPhoto and iTunes content with your iPad while you’re on the iGo?

Second source suggests Apple purchased icloud domain originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Apple kicked off sales of the white iPhone 4 yesterday and the launch in China was marked by long lines and steady sales. According to interviews from those in line, many Asian consumers passed on the black version of the handset and waited for the white variant to make its debut. Sales were so strong that the white version is reportedly sold out in Beijing, one of China’s largest cities. Hong Kong sales were also brisk with reports suggesting the available stock of the white iPhone 4 sold out in one hour.

This demand for the white iPhone 4 was forecast by Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities. The analyst predicted sales of the white version would be strong in Asia where white is a desirable color. Besides delivering on a promise to launch the white iPhone 4 this spring, the launch of the white model will also keep Apple iPhone sales strong in the current quarter. Last quarter, Apple sold over 18 million iPhones globally.

White iPhone reportedly sells out in China originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Not only is this really cute, it made me think to myself, “Man, I wish I’d thought of that first.” Sean Ohlenkamp put a folder on the desktop of his wife’s Mac as the gateway to expressing his sentiments on their third wedding anniversary. The video above walks through a whimsical nest of folders in the Mac OS X Finder, occasionally taking non sequitur (and hilarious) side trips before winding up at an awww-inducing conclusion. There’s no indication of how Sean’s wife reacted to his message or the way he delivered it, but if she’s a keeper, I’m sure she loved it.

You can watch the video after the break.

[via Neatorama]

Continue reading Declaring love with the Mac OS X Finder

Declaring love with the Mac OS X Finder originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Unpleasant Horse is the first iOS game put together by a division of the developer PopCap Games, the folks behind hits like Bejeweled and Plants vs. Zombies. The app was originally rejected due to some violent content, but it’s back on the App Store, rated appropriately and ready for a free download right now.

The game was put together in a 24-hour game jam session, and as much as it pains me to say this about a game essentially put together by PopCap developers, this rushed development schedule shows in Unpleasant Horse. You play a horse jumping through the clouds with a few wrinkles in gameplay, like “pleasant horses” that you need to drag down as far as possible to earn points, or birds that give you an extra mid-air jump. It’s all pretty straightforward — you jump from cloud to cloud for as long as you can. I’d like to say the game feels like Tiny Wings, but it’s not quite that elegant, despite some colorful art. There are no real extras either, with no other game modes and no Game Center integration.

Still, PopCap started 4th & Battery because it wanted to experiment with some edgier ideas, and since the game is being given away as a universal version for free, I can’t really complain too much. Here’s hoping PopCap finds what it set out to find with 4th & Battery, and then gets back to making the well-crafted games that it’s known for.

TUAW’s Daily iOS App: Unpleasant Horse originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

A lot of publications are adding iPads and other portable devices to their distribution chains. As a result, we’re beginning to see some solutions for small- and medium-sized companies that are starting to approach the idea of offering a self-publishing solution. You can always send people a PDF, but that’s really not a magazine, and it won’t show up in the App Store.

One interesting product is from some former Apple employees who have started MagAppZine. You submit a PDF, and the company quickly converts it to a magazine and submits it to the App Store for you. You can see some customer examples in the App Store here. Using MagAppZine is not inexpensive, but it’s far cheaper than hiring a programmer and managing an App Store submission. Costs are about US$3000 for a magazine, plus charges each time you add a new issue. You get to keep 75% of the revenue if your magazine is a paid creation, MagAppZine gets 25%. That’s after the Apple’s 30% cut. Naturally, MagAppZine can’t guarantee that your app won’t get rejected from the App Store, so customers need to understand Apple’s rules on content.

Continue reading Making your own iPad magazine

Making your own iPad magazine originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Last week Samsung countersued Apple in Korea, Japan and Germany for infringements on up to five Samsung patents. The countersuit came after Apple lobbed a massive suit against Samsung for copying the iPhone and iPad. Apple wasn’t pulling any punches either. “It’s no coincidence that Samsung’s latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging. This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas,” a Cupertino spokesperson said.

Well, Samsung brought its patent infringement countersuit against Apple to the US yesterday. As Bloomberg reports, the new US suit expands the number of alleged patent infringements by Apple to 10. Among the alleged violations: a patent that covers improvements to text messages and their attachments, another that covers technology that allows a user to place a phone call and surf the Web at the same time, and another that allows for increased capacity of mobile networks.

How this is all going to play out is anyone’s guess. All I can say with certainty is that this is a great time to be an IP lawyer.

Samsung brings Apple patent suit to US soil originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

We have a very cool give away today. The guys over at Mobile App Icons are offering 10 lucky Mobile Orchard readers a pack of their icons. These are must haves for any app developer, check them out:

How To Win:

1. Follow @mobileappicons on Twitter.

2. Leave a comment on this post telling us why you want to win.

10 winners will be selected on next Friday, May 6th.

Good luck everyone!

The white iPhone has finally been released. Is it really that big of deal?

Apple has started internal testing of iOS 5.0 with third party apps.

Is demand slowing for the CDMA iPhone?

Apple possibly creating a fitness training and sales iPhone app.

Steve Jobs and gang defend the collection of location information in an interview with All Things Digital.