Category: I-phone

Here’s a nice holiday present from Navigon. MobileNavigator for North America has just caught up with features recently added to the regional versions. In version 1.70 you now get an animated Active Lane Assistant and travel and restaurant guides through Zagat, which is a $5.99 in-app purchase. Also added is the ability to report changes in roads to Navigon for verification and distribution in a map update.

The new version of the app is universal, so it runs on the iPad as well as the iPhone. You can now share stores favorites between all your iOS devices, allowing you to plan a trip on your iPad, for example, and transfer that info to your iPhone via email.

MobileNavigator North America currently sells for $44.99. No date yet on an update to the USA only version, but it should arrive soon. The update is free for all owners of the Navigon North America app.

Navigon updates MobileNavigator North America with new features and iPad friendliness originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anyone who is familiar with the Squarespace hosted blog service knows how great it is. Themes are professionally designed and give bloggers an opportunity to tweak them for unique sites with beautiful typography, and the service keeps providing more and more capabilities to subscribers. Squarespace service starts at anywhere from $13 to $40 per month, with discounts for pre-paying for multiple years.

The latest gift from the company is Squarespace for iPad (free), which arrived yesterday and was touted in the Official Squarespace Blog. Like most of the other Squarespace products and services, the user interface design is top notch and the editor looks fantastic.

With some of the other blog editors available for iPad and iPhone, bloggers often need to depart from the editor in order to perform an action. The Squarespace app designers have used the wide open spaces of the iPad screen to let bloggers tag, categorize, and create excerpts without leaving the editor, and a quick tap on a post or comment now displays a tray underneath the post containing action options.

The Squarespace web editor is one of the better blog editors I’ve ever used, and a lot of that editor is included in the iPad app. There are four editing modes — Text, Markdown, Textile, and RAW HTML — and you can change text styles, insert photos and links, and set excerpts in any of those modes. Undo and redo buttons are always within sight if you happen to delete or change your blog work inadvertently.

A short video highlighting the major features of the Squarespace app in action follows on the next page, with some cheerful mariachi music that will make your day.

Continue reading Squarespace iPad app brings blog editing joy to subscribers

Squarespace iPad app brings blog editing joy to subscribers originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An update to Apple’s popular Remote application just went live in the App Store. Version 2.1 brings several new features to the table including AirPlay video support and Internet radio control. I’m not entirely sure what Apple is getting at with their “AirPlay video support to control iTunes on your computer to stream videos to an Apple TV” feature. It sounds a little Rube Goldberg but I look forward to giving it a spin.

Here’s a complete list of the new 2.1 features, courtesy of Apple:

• AirPlay video support to control iTunes on your computer to stream videos to an Apple TV
• Internet radio control to play thousands of internet radio streams in iTunes on your computer
• The ability to control iTunes on your computer to play Movies and TV shows that are rented from the iTunes Store
• Addresses issues connecting to an iTunes library or Apple TV
• Includes stability and performance improvements

Apple updates iOS Remote app to version 2.1 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The AmbiScience Music for Users app has been on the store long before the movie was released this month, but watching the movie over the weekend reminded me of it. Tesla Software, makers of the AmbiScience apps create several audio entrainment products for inducing sleep, giving you more energy, etc. They all work about the same and each features an interesting line up of electronic music to zone out on. But the Music for Users version is now my favorite, with songs such as Cycle Chase 010 and Aboard the Solar Sail clearly tying into the hype around Tron: Legacy.

These types of apps work off the concept of audio entrainment but this component is optional. You are first prompted to choose a selection of music, then you can add audio entrainment options for energy, focus or sleep (these noises are frequency-based hums designed to stimulate parts of your brain). You can adjust the mix between the entrainment sounds and the music, and save presets. Plus, there’s a sleep timer. It’s quite simple to use. While there is research behind audio-visual entrainment, I have found these are just as effective as pzizz or even Naturespace. In other words, it’s another noise generation app that’ll help put you to sleep if you need one. Does it help with focus or energy? In my limited testing I can say “maybe.” Your results may vary. The music, luckily, is pretty good!

For US$.99 this is a fun and potentially useful app for your iPhone or iPod touch (the app runs on iPad as well but isn’t native). If you want a sound generator and you love Tron, it’s an easy recommendation.

Ambiscience creates Music for Users, an homage to Tron originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW recently published a review of PhatPad, a new and very useful note-taking app for the iPad. Among the unique and useful features of PhatPad are handwriting recognition for converting handwritten notes to digital text; a shape recognizer for turning your hand-drawn circles, rectangles and triangles into nicely rendered shapes; and integration with Dropbox.

If the description of PhatPad and the accompanying video excited you about the app, that’s great. Now PhatWare and TUAW are teaming up to give five lucky readers their very own copy of PhatPad.

To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment below with your favorite phrase or line from a book, movie, TV show, song or poem — one that is memorable enough that you’d love to write it into a PhatPad notebook.

Here are the official rules:

• Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• To enter, leave a comment with your favorite phrase or line from a book, movie, TV show, song or poem.
• The comment must be left before midnight on Friday, December 24, 2010, 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.
• You may enter only once.
• Five winners will be selected. All will receive one promo code for PhatPad valued at US$4.99.
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Good luck!

PhatPad giveaway, just in time for the holidays originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today’s TUAW TV Live marks two special events — the upcoming Christmas holiday and the first anniversary of the show.

Yes, believe it or not, TUAW TV Live has been on the air almost every Wednesday afternoon since December 23, 2009, with commentary, demos, live reviews, and the occasional guest. Today’s show will feature more of the same, with some live and recorded demonstrations of new software and accessories for your favorite Apple products. And of course we’ll have a lot of the regulars visiting and hanging out in the chat room.

To join in on the fun and usually educational show, come on back to TUAW just before 5 PM ET (2 PM PT, 10 PM GMT) and you’ll find a post containing the live streaming video, the chat room, and instructions on how to join in if you’re on an iPhone or iPad.

TUAW TV Live at 5: The Christmanniversary Show originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the game Red Nova (for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) you play a lone ship against a bunch of flying enemies in a 3/4 angled, fast-paced arcade space shooter. Red Nova launched to some acclaim and I can see why. The sound is great, the graphics, while low-polygon, are good and the animation and feel is quite nice. You can tell a lot of time and attention went into the game. The story is pretty worn out (protect the mother ship) but the gameplay reminded me a bit of one of my favorite games ever: Lunatic Fringe. People have drawn comparisons to Asteroids, but Lunatic Fringe had the same angle, the same frenetic feel and the same attitude as Red Nova. Yet where Lunatic Fringe was simple, Red Nova is more complex. This is not necessarily a good thing.

Interface

I played both the iPhone and iPad versions and must say I found both challenging. The limited real estate on the iPhone made it sometimes tricky to see your enemies approaching. The iPad, on the other hand, could be tricky in that the control scheme requires you to use the screen in a set of quadrants, with each one allowing you to perform various tasks in the game. More on this in a moment.

The graphics look better on the iPhone due to the somewhat chunky nature of the low-poly models used in the game. Still, the frame rate at which everything happens is terrific if you like action. Unfortunately on the iPad, and to some extent the iPhone, the text is so washed out or small and in a funky font that you may find yourself squinting to read it. The usual meters for shields and energy are in the upper left while the upper right shows kills and power-ups. Incoming enemies have a warning indicator that moves along the edge of the screen when the baddies are in range.

Continue reading Red Nova is fast and fun but needs a little work

Red Nova is fast and fun but needs a little work originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More deals than you can shake an Ultra-wide SCSI cable at! Robotically generated by our partners at dealnews.com. Tons of app price drops, of course.

• iTunes Store: Navfree USA for iPhone / iPod touch for free
• iTunes Store: Free Lonely Planet City Guides for iPhone / iPad / iPod touch
• MacPromo: MacPromo Mac Time-Saving Bundle: 10 utilities for $50
• iTunes Store: iPhone App Store Freebies: 0.03 Seconds Pro, SeaWars, AngerOfStick, more
• iTunes Store: Spider-Man: Total Mayhem for iPhone or iPod touch for 99 cents
• iTunes Store: Gangstar: West Cost Hustle HD for iPad downloads for free, more
• iTunes Store: SEGA iPhone Game Price Drops: Super Monkey Ball, Sonic, more
• HandHeldItems: HHI Faux-Leather Case for Apple iPad for $12 + $3 s&h
• iTunes Music Store: iPhone App Price Drops: Dora’s Christmas Carol, Osmos, Pac-Man, more
• Meritline: OtterBox Impact Case for Apple iPhone 4 for $10 + free shipping
• Western Digital Store: Western Digital Outlet: 320GB USB HDD for $63 + free shipping, more (updated)
• HandHeldItems: HandHeldItems.com: Up to 70% off select iPad cases + 20% off coupon, $2 credit

Daily Deals for December 22, 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple is looking to hire several voice and speech recognition experts for iOS, according to four new postings on Apple’s job board. The new hires would join the iOS Application Framework team and would be working on “speech-related development activities.” These multiple listings come hot on the heels of the public release of several patents detailing contextual voice commands for the iPhone. If you add in Apple’s acquisition of Siri, you have the possible beginning of a robust voice control system for the iPhone and other iOS devices.

Improved speech recognition would be a welcome addition to the iOS platform. In my experience, the current implementation of voice command on the iPhone is mediocre. While third-party applications like Dragon Dictation are superb, native speech control is wrong as often as it is right. Apple needs to refresh this portion of its mobile OS as it is falling behind Android in voice control technology.

Google recently added support for personalized recognition to its popular Voice Search application for Android. In its current form, the app can be fine tuned to your voice so you can dictate a text, navigate to a destination or place a call with increasing accuracy.

[via 9to5 & CNET]

Apple looking to hire voice technology, speech recognition specialists originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steve Wozniak stepped up the plate earlier this week and spoke out on net neutrality. In both a written statement and a quick interview while at the recent FCC hearing on net neutrality, Woz singled out the telecommunication companies for their deceptive practices and monopolistic behaviors. Woz relates his own negative experience with local telecommunication companies in his attempt to bring Internet to his house. He called on the FCC to do the right thing and enact net neutrality rules that are in the best interest of the people of this country.

After the FCC issued its ruling, Woz praised the FCC for enacting some net neutrality rules to help keep the Internet open, but criticized the government agency for not applying these standards to wireless broadband. Wireless broadband is the Internet of the future and, sometimes, the only internet connection for those who live in outlying areas. This emerging network should be subject to the same rules and regulations as its wired counterpart. We embedded his 10-minute interview after the break and you can read his full written statement here.

Continue reading Woz speaks up on net neutrality (video)

Woz speaks up on net neutrality (video) originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide! We’ve sorted the treasure from the junk and are serving up suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving a little easier.

We’re about to enter what has been, in the past, the busiest weekend for App Store purchases. After people everywhere unwrap new iPhones, iPod touches and iPads during this Christmas weekend, they’ll run to their computers to set up iTunes, then go shopping out on the App Store for software for their new devices. But there are a lot of different games to choose from on the App Store, and especially for people who only use software casually, it may be tough to find a few solid titles beyond the usual suspects.

That’s what we’re here for, and we’ve got a list of 10 great iOS games meant specifically for casual game players. If you’re a more hardcore gamer, you’ll know that there are lots of other titles on the App Store to enjoy, from the recent Infinity Blade to the classic Plants vs. Zombies. But the titles below aren’t about strategy or action, necessarily — they’re just good, clean fun, using just one button (or in some cases, no buttons at all) to have a good time. Read on for some great suggestions on what to download first, even if you’re not a gamer.

Continue reading TUAW’s Holiday Gift Guide: Great casual games for iOS

TUAW’s Holiday Gift Guide: Great casual games for iOS originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have an 11-inch MacBook Air and want to jazz it up with a skinmod that propels you back to your school days? If you responded with an enthusiastic “yes,” then you need to check out this composition notebook skin from Beyondthetech. The skin will transform the outer lid of your MacBook Air into a traditional mottled black and white composition notebook. When you lift the lid, you are greeted with an interior skin that transforms your wrist rest into a piece of lined paper complete with two red margin lines. The look is not for everyone, but it is perfect for those that enjoy turning some heads.

The creator of this skinmod posted up the skin files on the Beyondthetech website and you can use them to create a custom ZAGGSkin perfectly suited for the latest generation MacBook Air. The MacBook Air skin is a free download while the custom ZAGGSkin will set you back $60 plus shipping and taxes. The designer of this skin also created the popular Leica camera skinmod for the iPhone 4, a clever printable skin that can be used with a Griffin Reveal case to make your iPhone look just like a Leica camera. Grab them both and really confuse your friends!

[Via The Daily What]

DIY Composition notebook cover for MacBook Air originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is a really useful iTunes 101 lesson for beginners and expert users alike. While iTunes makes it easy to remove duplicates in your song library, sometimes just because a few titles have the same name doesn’t mean that they are the exact same song. Because of this, it could take you a really long time to go through checking all your songs to make sure you are truly deleting duplicates and not songs that just happen to have the same name. Thankfully, a reader over at Lifehacker found a way to narrow down your search for duplicates to exact matches only, courtesy of the oft-used Option key. By holding down Option while navigating to File > Display Duplicates in iTunes, the “Display Duplicates” choice changes to “Display Exact Duplicates,” thus enabling you to carefully delete only those songs which are exact matches and not just in title alone.

This couldn’t come at a better time for me, as I have recently finished loading every CD I own into iTunes, leaving me with some titles that match in name only. For example, I have a ton of bootleg and underground Led Zeppelin songs on my computer. While all songs titled “Black Dog” are by Led Zeppelin, there are different versions from different concerts and old recordings. Without using the Option key to search for them, iTunes might have thought they were all the same, and I might have deleted them if I wasn’t paying close attention.

If you have a similar situation in your music library, you may want to give this tip a shot. I certainly am glad I know it’s there now!

iTunes 101: Display exact duplicate songs using the Option key originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You might have missed the fact that this classic adventure game was released on iOS, but just in case, here you go: it’s available now for iPhone and iPad. According to reviews on the store, this is a faithful recreation of the old full-motion video game from back in 1993. The game has you wandering around a mansion trying to solve puzzles, with a story slowly displayed through video clips featuring real actors in a real setting. The game was quite innovative for its time, being one of the first games to be distributed on CD-ROM. Unfortunately, the main reason for that was because the videos took up so much memory, and weirdly, iOS device owners are currently facing that same problem — the game needs 623 MB free on your device to install.

But it is an interesting game from the start of the modern PC gaming era, and if you’re already a fan of The 7th Guest, you’ll definitely want to pick this up and play it on Apple’s platform. The game is US$2.99 on the iPhone and $5.99 on the iPad. Andy Williams actually sings about “spooky ghost stories” for Christmas, so if you need one of those to play through this holiday week, try your turn at being the 7th Guest at Old Man Stauf’s house.

TUAW’s Daily App: The 7th Guest originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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