If you catch even a little bit of technology news in passing, you’ve probably heard headlines touting the explosion of apps in Apple’s App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch. At the time of this article, the App Store recently surpassed the 100,000-app milestone. While many of these apps aren’t unique or even particularly useful (you’ve probably heard of the plethora of fart, flashlight, and tip calculator apps available), there are quite a few fantastic ones on those virtual shelves. This installment in our Learning iPhone series will go over finding and downloading them right on your iPhone while you’re on the go.
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 by Christopher Meinck
Are you an iPhone Shutterbug? If so, you might want to check out Color Splash (App Store link). This week only, it’s available for $0.99, 50% off it’s regular price.
ColorSplash lets you quickly and easily give photos a dramatic look by converting them to black and white, while keeping your chosen details in color. The effect draws the viewers’ attention to the colored areas, creating striking images.
Remember those places where you could go to rent movies? Well, they’re getting pretty desperate to get you off of your computer and back into their stores. Part of said desperation? An iPhone app from Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video to aid you in your search for the perfect movie rental night.
The oddly named DidjaC? app lets users see what new DVD titles are available and coming soon at Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video, get recommendations for what to rent, and find nearby locations to go pick up their finds once they’ve made a decision. It doesn’t sound like a particulary marvel concept, but, surprisingly, this is the first major app from a movie rental store available for the iPhone. And it’s not half-bad.
In an interview with Business Week, Phil Schiller has come out in defence of the App store approval process. He claims that they are trying to create a store that “people can trust”. He says that 10,000 apps are submitted every week, of which 10% are rejected for being inappropriate, but most are technical. He says “Developers are generally glad to have this safety net because usually Apple’s review process finds problems they actually want to fix”. He also talks about the difficulty of keeping the approval process running, as the number of apps is constantly increasing, and the need for Apple to protect its trademarks.
One piece of news in the interview that may raise some hope with developers, is that Schiller says Apple is learning from the process, and attempting to become more flexible. It’s hard to find someone not on the Apple payroll who thinks the approval process works well, so even a hint of reform is a step in the right direction.
Saturday, November 21st, 2009 by Christopher Meinck
Vegas Baby, Vegas! That’s what you’ll get with “The Reel Machine”, a realistic slot machine for the iPhone and iPod touch. Members should head on over to our members onlyiPhone Promotional Codes forum, where the first 10 respondents will receive a free copy of “The Reel Machine” (App Store link). Hurry, they won’t last long. Slot machine goodness, without the quarters. Not a member, join for free.
Update: All codes have been distributed. Sign up now, so you can be ready for the next iPhone Promo Code Giveaway.
This week’s best iPhone app releases include experimenting with 50 Cent, random flying kittehs invading your fotos, and custom playlists for wining and dining.
Looking for a navigation app for your iPhone, but was hesitant given the hefty pricetag? Navigon’s MobileNavigator (App Store link) is one of the better navigation options for the iPhone and for a limited time it’s priced at $69.99. Still an expensive app, but this offer shaves $20 off the normal price. If you’re looking for more information on Navigon, check out Marianne’s review at Macgirl.net, where she suggests this app over the $99 TomTom’s app and Sygic’s Mobile Maps. We’re thinking this price break further tips the scales in favor of Navigon’s app.
Oh yes, we’re going there. The New Moon: The Twilight Saga flick has finally been released, and the months of preparation by TwiFans across the globe have finally paid off. So what does the App Store have to say about all of this Twilight hub-bub? A lot.
In an effort to aid moviegoers and fans alike, we found all of the iPhone apps you’ll need to tackle the opening day of New Moon. Utilize everything from Vampire Vocab apps to tips on when it’s safe to leave the theater to relieve yourself, in case you waited outside the theater for a few hours…or days.
"Bella, why can't you get a freakin' iPhone?"
"Just shut up and save me from these darn werewolves, Edward"
Having a camera in your iPhone really is a great thing. No more fumbling around with an extra device in your bag, easily take photos on the go, and share every snapshot with the touch of a few buttons. But the iPhone camera is far from magical: Photos can easily turn out a blurry mess, the iPhone’s awkward shape makes it difficult to hit that small capture button when taking a self portrait, and, of course, there’s no flash, leaving you mostly out of luck in dark scenery.
But with a few extremely reasonably priced apps, you can become a semi-professional iPhone photographer. Here’s a look at a few of the top-selling photography apps from the App Store.
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 by Christopher Meinck
The selection of music apps wasn’t complete until today. Now you can purchase It’s Britney, the official Britney Spears app. Shake it and hear, “It’s Britney Bitch”. You can also upload your photo and become one of Britney’s dancers. The resulting photo can then be shared via email, Facebook, Twitter and more.
You’ll also receive exclusive messages from Britney, updated photo galleries and hold your breath….a sparkler that’s dubbed the ultimate concert companion.
