Category: I-phone

A mobile version of the first-person platform game Mirror’s Edge is already available for the iPad and iPhone, but the original version hasn’t made it to the Mac… yet. Court documents from a lawsuit filed against Electronic Arts by Edge Games state that “a Mac version of the original ‘Mirror’s Edge’ video game is currently under development and is slated for release later this year.”

Mirror’s Edge has been available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 for almost two years now, and the Windows version came out in January of 2009. Like Portal and a few other high-profile games that have recently released for the Mac, the availability of Mirror’s Edge for OS X is definitely a case of “better late than never.” Having recently played through the iPhone version of the game, I’ll be curious to see how it runs on the Mac… as long as the price is right for a game that’s been available on other platforms for so long.

[via Macgasm]

TUAWMirror’s Edge coming to the Mac later this year originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The last time I spoke with the folks at OpenFeint, we were all waiting for the arrival of Apple’s official Game Center app and wondering what effect it would have on third-party social networking platforms for App Store apps. Now, of course, Game Center is out. And despite the dire predictions of onlookers, OpenFeint is still rolling right along. The network continues to offer functionality to developers above and beyond what Apple’s official solution provides, and it provides cross-platform services even outside of Apple’s purview.

OpenFeint’s VP of Marketing, Eros Resmini, met up with me here on the floor of the Game Developers’ Conference (going on this week in Austin) for a quick chat about what he thought of Game Center’s launch, how OpenFeint is doing with Apple’s official network up and running alongside of it, and what’s next for the service and the network. Click “Read More” to read our interview.

TUAWGDC Online 2010: OpenFeint after Game Center originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seton Hall University (located in New Jersey) and Blackboard have developed the SHUMobile (free) app for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It’s also available for Blackberry, Android, and Nokia devices. SHUMobile provides a student portal to a wide variety of what Seton Hall has to offer. In effect, it’s one stop shopping for managing your education. The app is quite well designed and provides eight categories at present, including:

• A searchable phone directory
• Athletics, which allows you to drill down to each sport and break them into men’s and women’s teams, with a scrolling list of stories about each. Also provided are options to search for game schedules and scores.
• Listings of events of the day, which are broken down into the following categories: Academic, Athletics, Campus Tours, Conferences, Exhibits, Film, Lectures and Readings, Performances, Receptions, Religious, Student Government, and Workshops. A daily listing is provided along with an easy way to move forward or back by a day. Choosing one brings up a screen with specific information on that event.
• A pinch and stretch campus map that uses GPS to locate your position on campus
• A scrolling list of videos
• Seton Hall news (broken into categories)
• A searchable listing of 250 images of people and campus life
• The entire course catalog, which drills down to times, dates, instructors, and location

TUAWManage your Seton Hall University Education with SHUMobile originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of using Twitter as both a social platform and a means of archiving my life on the web. I’ve played with using favorites, searches, backup services, my own bots for archiving links and direct messages … I know it goes against the grain of the original vision of Twitter, but it’s grown to be something that really has the potential to be more than a flighty (excuse the pun) social network. I haven’t, however, really found a solid way to make Twitter work for me the way I think it could. That seems to have changed today, with my discovery of Tweet Library for iPad.

Tweet Library is a Twitter client, but its main feature set revolves around archiving and organizing your tweets. You can see your last few thousand tweets (3,000 tweets on import, which I believe is the limit of the API – Ed), and you can search and filter your timeline, lists, favorites and mentions, as well as search all of Twitter. When you run across words of wisdom, links of interest, general hilarity, or any tidbit you’d like to save, you can send them into custom Collections. Create as many collections as you need, and let them serve as a means of organizing the flurry of information you come across on a daily basis. You can archive and export your collections and timelines, too. I won’t list every feature here (there are a lot of them), but I’ll note that support for TextExpander and Instapaper is among a host of other niceties.

Manton Reece (Riverfold Software), the developer of Tweet Library, is no stranger to TUAW, nor to polished and useful applications. There’s obviously a good bit of his heart and soul in this latest endeavor. I’ve come across a couple of minor bugs in this initial version, but he’s been very responsive and is already working on the next update with more features and fixes. The app is priced at US $9.99 … a bit pricey for the timid, casual Twitter surfer, but a solid investment for anyone who spends more time there than they’d readily admit. If you fly with that flock, have a peek at Tweet Library on the App Store, and check out the website for screenshots and a short video.

TUAWTweet Library for iPad makes Twitter useful originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A few weeks ago, I had a chance to visit the Sonos offices in Cambridge, MA to speak with Jon Reilly, Sonos product manager, and get a demo of the ZonePlayer S5 and the iPad app (free). Sonos makes wireless home music systems, which we’ve covered here before. I’ve also spent the last month with 2 S5 demo units. I can say that it’s a fantastic product that could not be simpler to set up and use. With one in my office and one in my kitchen, my family has been rocking all month long. The S5 and iOS controllers are a beautifully executed union of hardware and software that’s as simple as it is powerful and just plain fun. In fact, I’ll be sad to ship these back! Here’s our full review of the Sonos S5.

Click the link below to read more, and to see a gallery of the iPhone app, the iPad app and the Mac desktop app!

TUAWTUAW review: Sonos S5 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s been out for a week, probed like a hillbilly picked up by aliens, and talked about on every Apple blog. What is it? The new Apple TV, of course.

Today’s TUAW TV Live is going to focus on the newest member of the Apple family, with video highlights of the device in action. You’ll be able to see how the Lowtide user interface works, view the Apple remote apps for iPhone and iPad, and see how the device settings can be configured.

Once I’m done with the video tour, you’re free to ask questions, speculate on the future of the Apple TV platform, and otherwise contribute to the chat.

How do you join on the fun? From your Mac or PC, just go to the next page by clicking the read more link at the bottom of this post, and you’ll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to join in on the fun by asking questions or making comments.

If you’re driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you’re stuck in traffic, please don’t — keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application.

iPad users haven’t been forgotten, either, as you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won’t have access to our chat tool. And one final note — if the show has started and you’re seeing a previously recorded show instead of the livestream, you can always pop on over to ustream.tv/tuaw to join the show in progress.

TUAWTUAW TV Live: A focus on the new Apple TV originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AXA Insurance and Financial Services (a company that just hired my son this morning) has come up with a very creative iAd* to introduce an app for their Belgium based auto insurance division. Their advertising agency, Duval Guillaume of Antwerp, has created a story that integrates newspaper advertising with an iPhone. The video explains it quite well, but the gist is that you come upon an engaging picture in print and are asked to place your iPhone on a blank space on the page which brings the story to life, and keeps eyeballs on the iAd for a full minute.

At the end of the ad, you are brought to a link to download the free app which doesn’t seem to be for the American market. The app will allow you to handle car insurance claims. This is really thinking outside the box and embeds a fast moving story right into the presentation. I think the idea is quite impressive. What’s your take?

[via 9to5 Mac]

*Hats off to semantics. While AXA touts their effort as an “i-Ad,” it is obviously not a part of Apple’s iAd platform (for example, it requires the user to open a website on their iPhone). We imagine that AXA’s enthusiasm and recognition of Apple’s love of the letter “I” prompted the misleading label. Our apologies.

TUAWFound Footage: AXA Equitable presents an innovative ad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As many of you have likely heard, actor Tony Curtis passed away in his home last week at the age of 85, due to cardiac arrest. Curtis was best known for his lead roles in movies such as Some Like it Hot and The Defiant Ones.

The late actor was put to rest Monday, the funeral being attended by family and friends. It’s reported that Curtis was buried with some of his most cherished possessions, including a Stetson hat, an Armani scarf, driving gloves, a copy of his favorite novel … and his iPhone.

I’m not really sure what’s more surprising about Curtis being entombed with his iPhone: that he’s buried with it for eternity, or that an 85-year-old man was so enamored with an iPhone that he (or others) felt it should remain with him.

Unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before the jokes of Curtis calling from the grave are in full force.

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

TUAWTony Curtis buried with iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tango is a video and audio chatting app that does what FaceTime should have done. It works on a 3G (or a 4G) network. This free app was released last week and I have been testing it over the weekend.

It performs pretty much as advertised using it on my iPhone 4. You can make and receive calls over either a WiFi network, or over the cellular network. Even better, the app works with a variety of Android phones including the Droid, HTC Hero, Evo and Nexus One so you’re not stuck with just iPhone users.

When you get the app you register for a free account. Your name and email address is all that’s needed, and the Tango contact list will instantly display friends who have signed up. Contacting them is as easy as clicking on their name. You have the choice to do an audio-only call or a video call. Both iPhone 4 cameras are supported, and just like FaceTime, you can switch cameras while a call is on progress.

How well does it work? I tried a call to an Android phone running Tango and it worked fine. An acid test was a call from a friend visiting China. He called me from the Great Wall, and the video was passable and audio was fine. He said he was in an area with intermittent 3G and Edge, and his connection kept switching, but given the conditions it did work well. If the Tango app notices network issues, it puts up a warning on screen. Eventually the video locked up and the call dropped, but it was better than expected under challenging international conditions.

TUAWWant FaceTime on 3G? Try Tango originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will start manufacturing a Verizon-ready iPhone by the end of this year, with sales to start early 2011. Based on the iPhone 4, the new phone would leverage CDMA technology instead of the GSM 3G mobile technology used by AT&T. Wireless telecommunications company Qualcomm will provide a key chip for the new device.

Sourced to “people briefed by Apple,” the WSJ story is thin on details but is published on a reputable site that usually doesn’t stick its neck out on unfounded items. If this report is grounded in truth, it indicates the end of AT&T’s exclusivity deal with Apple and the possible opening of the device in the United States for even further carriers.

This is a rumor we’ve heard several times before.

TUAWRumor: Verizon iPhone to debut early next year originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new iPhone 4 ad has hit the airwaves.

Rather than featuring FaceTime, which is now quickly making it into the mainstream on shows like Hawaii Five-O, the new ad focuses on the Retina Display. In the ad, the ability of the display to bring out the best of photos, movies, text, and games is vividly demonstrated on “the highest resolution phone screen ever.”

Seeing how other phone manufacturers are now using terms like “our high-resolution AMOLED display” in their advertising, this is a smart move on Apple’s part while they still have the lead in phone display technology.

TUAWNew iPhone 4 ad touts Retina Display originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When last week’s episode of TUAW TV Live was being streamed, my Apple TV had just been delivered and I hadn’t been able to do more than shoot a quick unboxing video. After a week, I’ve had an opportunity to put the new Apple TV through its paces and find what I like and dislike about the new unit.

This afternoon, join me for a special Apple TV edition of TUAW TV Live. I’ll show you the device, how it connects to the world, and give you a detailed tour of the Lowtide user interface. I’ll also demonstrate the use of Apple’s free Remote app in controlling the Apple TV, and then we’ll open the chat room to discussion of the device.

It all starts at 5 PM EDT today here at TUAW. Show up a few minutes early either here at TUAW.com, or visit the Ustream link below to watch — either way, you’ll be treated to a live video stream and a chat tool. If you can’t make it to the live show, all of the TUAW TV Live episodes are archived on our Ustream page so you can view them at your leisure.

TUAWTUAW TV Live this afternoon at 5 PM EDT: The Apple TV episode originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We received a heads-up from an Apple retail insider that Apple Stores are pulling all of the MacBook Air SuperDrives from shelves. These drives are exclusive to the MacBook Air and Mac mini Server, and the removal of the drives could be a sign that the long-awaited refresh of the MacBook Air is imminent. Recent rumors have it that an upcoming “MacBook” with an 11.6″ display might be the replacement for the MacBook Air.

We had a false alarm when the Apple Online Store was temporarily off-line this morning, and that could have been nothing — we didn’t see any changes — or work was being done behind the scenes to prepare for an upcoming announcement.

MacRumors AppleInsider also reports that supplies of the MacBook Air are getting very thin at Apple Stores. Be sure to stay tuned to TUAW for any fast-breaking news about a new laptop from Cupertino.

TUAWApple stores pulling SuperDrives, new MacBook Air imminent? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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