The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comen-usCopyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/GDC 2010: The secret to App Store successhttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/gdc-2010-the-secret-to-app-store-success/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/gdc-2010-the-secret-to-app-store-success/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/gdc-2010-the-secret-to-app-store-success/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

For the last panel of GDC 2010 day two, David Whatley of Critical Thought took the stage to talk about the App Store success he found with his games geoDefense and geoDefense Swarm, and almost dared other iPhone developers to follow his "guaranteed plan" to go from "zero to Time Magazine." He's got quite a background in the trenches of coding and game development, having designed and run online mulitplayer games for over a decade with his "day job" at a company called Simutronics, but he decided to take to the iPhone in his spare time both to learn the platform and see what he could do with it.

First things first, he said, to make an iPhone game, you've got to figure out your goals as a business. He talked about the potential on the iPhone in terms of millions of dollars, but of course, since "99.9% of businesses on the App Store make no money," it's much more likely that if something goes wrong during development or something doesn't click right, the money will drop down to just "a few bucks." It's a balance of costs (which he relabeled as "risks") vs. revenue -- it's very easy, he said, to make money on the App Store, but the issue most developers have is that they let costs get away from them by having too big a team or by investing too much development time, and that comes straight out of their bottom line.

Continue reading GDC 2010: The secret to App Store success

GDC 2010: The secret to App Store success originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)GDC 2010: The secret to App Store success originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeappleAppStorebusinessdavid-whatleydevelopmentgamesgdc2010geodefensegoalsiphonemoneysalestouch arcadeTouchArcadetuawMike SchrammThu, 11 Mar 2010 22:30:00 ESTBarnes & Noble eReader for iPad coming soonhttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/barnes-and-noble-ereader-for-ipad-coming-soon/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/barnes-and-noble-ereader-for-ipad-coming-soon/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/barnes-and-noble-ereader-for-ipad-coming-soon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

That's the word from the giant U.S. bookseller. There is already a version for the iPhone and iPod touch, and Barnes & Noble says customers can expect the free software around the time of the iPad launch.

The reader will give B&N customers access to more than a million eBooks, as well as selected newspapers and magazines.

The Barnes 7 Noble Nook, which competes with the Amazon Kindle, has only been out a short time, but if the iPad is a success a heck of a lot more people may be reading B&N books on Apple's device rather than the Nook. Now we have to wait and see if there is a Kindle app for the iPad (other than the already-released and popular Kindle app for iPhone), but I think it is a foregone conclusion.

It sounds like Apple is going to allow these competing book apps on the iPad, rather than forcing people to only use the iBooks store; if so, that's a good thing.

[Via Engadget]

Barnes & Noble eReader for iPad coming soon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Barnes & Noble eReader for iPad coming soon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Barnes NobleBarnesNobleeReaderiPadKindleNookMel MartinThu, 11 Mar 2010 21:30:00 ESTPoynt for iPhone is a mixed baghttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/poynt-for-iphone-is-a-mixed-bag/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/poynt-for-iphone-is-a-mixed-bag/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/11/poynt-for-iphone-is-a-mixed-bag/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Poynt has come to the iPhone, after having been a very popular free app on BlackBerry phones. Poynt provides local searches of individuals and businesses. It also shares a database with Open Table, so you can use it to make reservations at restaurants. Unlike the BlackBerry app, it has augmented reality, but is missing some features beloved by the Blackberry crowd.

Like some of the other iPhone search apps, you can enter the name of a business, and get a phone number, links to a website (if there is one), a mapped location, or directions. If you use the theater search, you'll find nearby movie houses. You can also search by movie genres, or get a list of the top 10 box office films. You can't buy tickets, but you can stream trailers. (Note: The developer says you can buy tickets if a ticket icon appears next to the distance marker. I didn't see any offering from my local theater when I checked the app.)

When you search for restaurants, you get similar results to those of the business search. Results include phone numbers, restaurant websites, maps, and directions. You can also narrow your search by cuisine, or by distance.

Continue reading Poynt for iPhone is a mixed bag

Poynt for iPhone is a mixed bag originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Poynt for iPhone is a mixed bag originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>augmented realityGPSiPhoneiPod touchlocal searchLocalSearchPoyntsearch appMel MartinThu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 ESTGDC 2010: Ngmoco previews We Rule and GodFingerhttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-ngmoco-previews-we-rule-and-godfinger/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-ngmoco-previews-we-rule-and-godfinger/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-ngmoco-previews-we-rule-and-godfinger/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We stopped by Ngmoco's suite at GDC 2010 on the afternoon of the first day of the show, and got a chance to preview two upcoming titles they're working on testing and releasing soon. Both of the games follow Ngmoco's popular (and yet much-maligned) "freemium" model, in which you download the game for free with the option to buy in-game items or currency that can change up or speed your gameplay. Still, while the model might turn some players off, the games we saw were the kinds of games Ngmoco is slowly becoming known for: polished casual experiences that bring an established genre squarely into their business model.

The first game we saw was called We Rule -- it's currently "beta testing" in the Canadian App Store and will be available to users in other App Stores soon. It was described to us as "Farmville meets Age of Empires," but what we saw was much more like Farmville rather than the more combat-based RTS title. The game opens on a screen full of "realms," each one developed and grown by one of your Ngmoco Plus+ friends, and you can zoom into your own to start building it up.

Continue reading GDC 2010: Ngmoco previews We Rule and GodFinger

GDC 2010: Ngmoco previews We Rule and GodFinger originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)GDC 2010: Ngmoco previews We Rule and GodFinger originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStorefarmvillegdc2010godfingerhands-oniphonepreviewvirtual currencyvirtual itemsVirtualCurrencyVirtualItemswe rulewe-ruleWeRuleMike SchrammWed, 10 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESTGDC 2010: Real Racing and Flight Control on the iPad with Fireminthttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-real-racing-and-flight-control-on-the-ipad-with-firemi/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-real-racing-and-flight-control-on-the-ipad-with-firemi/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/10/gdc-2010-real-racing-and-flight-control-on-the-ipad-with-firemi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We got to sit down with Australian developer Firemint here at the Game Developers Conference 2010 in San Francisco -- it's a mobile game developer who hit it big last year with the very popular iPhone game Flight Control, and while it used to make mobile games for just a handful of larger game publishers like EA, the company is now trying to cement a reputation for making a smaller stable of high quality App Store games. "We like to joke that we went from ten customers to ten million," community manager Alexandra Peters told us.

She also showed us their second game, Real Racing, which has been winning all kinds of awards even in the crowded accelerometer racing game genre, and talked with us both about Flight Control HD (their upcoming "soon after launch" title for the iPad) as well as what's next for the company.

Continue reading GDC 2010: Real Racing and Flight Control on the iPad with Firemint

GDC 2010: Real Racing and Flight Control on the iPad with Firemint originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)GDC 2010: Real Racing and Flight Control on the iPad with Firemint originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>alexandra-petersapp storeAppStoredevelopmentfiremintflight controlFlightControlgamesgaminggdc2010high qualityHighQualityipadmobilereputationMike SchrammWed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 ESTSiri updated for iPod touch and gets some new featureshttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/05/siri-updated-for-ipod-touch-and-gets-some-new-features/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/05/siri-updated-for-ipod-touch-and-gets-some-new-features/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/05/siri-updated-for-ipod-touch-and-gets-some-new-features/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Siri for the iPhone was quite a hit when it came out earlier this year. You could ask it questions like, "where is the best pizza nearby?" and Siri would find the answer. My favorite response was when I asked if there was a God, and Siri gave me directions to the nearest churches.

As much as people loved the app, iPod touch owners were left out in the cold. Not now. The app has been updated to run on the iPod touch with OS version 3.0 or above. And if you've already been using it, the app has been improved with more data, a larger vocabulary and some improvements to its reasoning algorithms.

You can also give it integer math problems and you'll get an answer. The app uses Microsoft Instant Answers from Bing for the heavy lifting.

Siri uses the speech recognition from Nuance Communications, which also powers the Dragon Dictatation and Dragon Search apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. It is uncannily accurate in my daily use, so Siri has gotten a bit smarter and learned a few new tricks. For free, it's a must have.

Siri updated for iPod touch and gets some new features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Siri updated for iPod touch and gets some new features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>iPhoneiPod touchIpodTouchNuance CommunicationsSirisoftware updatespeech recognitionMel MartinFri, 05 Mar 2010 17:00:00 ESTBoston creates app to report road problemshttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/boston-creates-app-to-report-road-problems/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/boston-creates-app-to-report-road-problems/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/boston-creates-app-to-report-road-problems/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Since moving to LA, I haven't quite had to deal with the potholes that Spring in Chicago usually brings (not that roads are any better out here, but at least they don't have to deal with all of the freezing and thawing). But despite the yearly flat tires and ruined alignments, Chicago hasn't gone quite as far as Boston, where the city government has developed not one but two apps to enable its citizens to report on potholes and other city issues.

Citizens Connect is an app developed late last year by the city that enables locals to report graffiti, potholes, broken streetlights, and other urban issues in the Boston area, and now they're working on a new app, nicknamed BUMP (for Boston Urban Mechanic Profiler), that will automatically transmit road conditions to a central database using the iPhone's accelerometer and data connection. That seems tough to do with all of the extra noise that must come from an accelerometer, but they are working with a researcher from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, so maybe they will be able to pull it off. Interesting to see metropolitan areas like this using newer technology to keep an eye on what's up in their city. Of course, actually fixing the potholes will take a little more work, but knowing what's wrong is helpful.

Boston creates app to report road problems originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Boston creates app to report road problems originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appbostonboston urban mechanic profilerBostonUrbanMechanicProfilerbumpchicagocity-governmenthelpfulpotholesworcester polytechnic instituteWorcesterPolytechnicInstituteMike SchrammWed, 03 Mar 2010 16:30:00 ESTAssassin's Creed II multiplayer, Rayman 2 out now on the iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/assassins-creed-ii-multiplayer-rayman-2-out-now-on-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/assassins-creed-ii-multiplayer-rayman-2-out-now-on-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/assassins-creed-ii-multiplayer-rayman-2-out-now-on-the-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Two major league games have hit the App Store already this week, one of them for the surprise price of free. Ubisoft has released the multiplayer version of their Assassin's Creed II game on the App Store, and it's available for free for the first 48 hours. The game's a top-down multiplayer game that has you walking around the world of the console version, both targeting other players and being targeted yourself. All the reports say it's definitely worth a try, and if you can catch it before they raise the price back up (sounds like Ubisoft is trying to find a place for their releases), you should.

And as expected, Rayman 2 is also out on the App Store -- it's a port of the 3D Playstation platformer that was actually a Ubisoft property, but as you can see from the trailer above, this one's been ported by Gameloft. As with most iPhone platformers, the game uses virtual controls, but Touch Arcade says they work just fine. The save system is the biggest issue -- your iPhone is not the best platform for playing games for long stretches of time, and any game that kicks you back out to a menu if you happen to step away for a second will cause frustration eventually. Still, it sounds like a solid platformer port, and there are certainly fans of those out there. The game is $6.99 on the App Store right now.

Assassin's Creed II multiplayer, Rayman 2 out now on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Assassin's Creed II multiplayer, Rayman 2 out now on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app-storeassassins-creed-2controlsgameloftgamingiphoneplatformingplaystationportubisoftMike SchrammMon, 01 Mar 2010 21:00:00 ESTAT&T plans for SXSW 2010http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/atandt-plans-for-sxsw-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/atandt-plans-for-sxsw-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/01/atandt-plans-for-sxsw-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Happy March! The super hip and trendy South-by-Southwest music and tech festival is coming up this month, and like many tech conventions these days, AT&T is working on a plan to keep their network up and running as thousands of iPhones descend on Austin, Texas to send around voice, texts, and data.

GigaOM has a little insight into how they're planning to do it this year, and if you're interested in the nuts-and-bolts of keeping a cell phone network up and running (or at least trying to -- this is AT&T, after all), it's worth a read. They're beefing up the cell towers in the city's vicinity, setting up a whole new system around the convention center itself, and putting money into the backend as well, to try and increase bandwidth coming into the region. I don't know if they've done anything like this before (I can't really judge with Macworld -- while my iPhone worked fine most of the time, I still only have a 1G, and I was using Sprint MiFi on my Macbook most of the time), but it sounds like a pretty comprehensive setup.

Of course, the other reason AT&T is pushing to get ready for SXSW is that the convention has become sort of an unofficial testing ground for the next big social apps. A few years ago, Twitter made its first big push around SXSW, and last year, Foursquare was the app to use (which has since spawned a brand new genre of app, the "check-in" network). So what's going to be the app pushing data through the AT&T network this year? The buzz so far is around Twitter's coming ad platform, though it's hard to think that an ad platform could be a killer app. My money's on some sort of location-based social game -- while Foursquare has gaming elements, I think an app like MyTown could take the concept even farther, and we still haven't really seen an actual GPS-based RPG or MMO break out. Even those of us who aren't at SXSW this year will be paying attention to what people are doing on their iPhones there, because odds are good that the app that clicks with attendees there will be what we're all playing with in a few months.

AT&T plans for SXSW 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)AT&T plans for SXSW 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appsattdatafoursquareiphonesocial networkingSocialNetworkingsxsw2010texttwittervoiceMike SchrammMon, 01 Mar 2010 20:00:00 ESTTune Runner rises to the top on a wave of freehttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/24/tune-runner-rises-to-the-top-on-a-wave-of-free/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/24/tune-runner-rises-to-the-top-on-a-wave-of-free/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/24/tune-runner-rises-to-the-top-on-a-wave-of-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's been some interesting discussion in our comments section lately about Ngmoco's freemium model -- first they made headlines by endorsing it even to the detriment of one of their most popular games, and then they bought Freeverse and the conversation started up again. But while customers don't seem to like the freemium model very much, there's a growing number of examples that go the other way, and here's another: Appy Entertainment is a company that's been doing fairly well with a game called FaceFighter, but last weekend, they decided to drop the price of that game to free, and use the giveaway to promote their newest game, Tune Runner. And the plan worked extremely well -- after just a week, their original music game is rivaling Rock Band and Tap Tap Revenge for downloads.

FaceFighter hadn't been doing badly, but offering it up for free not only increased its downloads to several hundred thousand (which sounds like a lot for Appy), but put the new game in front of a whole bunch of people who otherwise might not have heard about it. And Tune Runner is a "freemium" app -- you get the first hit for free, and can buy more premium content inside the app. With an example like this, why would a developer not go with a freemium model? As Freeverse's CEO told us, customers may complain about the model, but assuming your game has the quality to support it, it's the best way to monetize the App Store's huge audience.

That's not to say that the paid model should be abandoned for good -- even Appy says they plan to release a paid version of their app with the in-app purchase content already unlocked. But for all of the murmuring about the freemium model, it certainly seems that customers' actions are different than words on the App Store.

Tune Runner rises to the top on a wave of free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Tune Runner rises to the top on a wave of free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app-storeappycontentfacefighterfreefreemiumhabitsin-app-purchasesngmocopremiumrock-bandtap-tap-revengetune-runnerunlockingMike SchrammWed, 24 Feb 2010 18:30:00 ESTFreeware find: Smith Micro Photo A.K.A. bulk file renamerhttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/23/freeware-find-smith-micro-photo-a-k-a-bulk-file-renamer/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/23/freeware-find-smith-micro-photo-a-k-a-bulk-file-renamer/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/23/freeware-find-smith-micro-photo-a-k-a-bulk-file-renamer/#commentsFiled under: ,

While I'm saving my pennies for a new 27" i7 iMac, I'm finding that "free is good." Software development house Smith Micro made my day this morning when I received an email telling me about their free Photo A.K.A. application for Mac (site registration required).

The app is a single-tasker -- it is a bulk file renamer, much like Dare to be Creative's Renamer (US$29). Like its more expensive competitor, you can rename any batch of files, not just photos. While I don't think that the user interface for Photo A.K.A. is as well-designed as Renamer, the former application does have several features that can't be found in the latter.

For example, Photo A.K.A. can rename files, stuff them into an archive file, and then email the information to someone. There's also a handy built-in function to directly upload your renamed photos to Flickr or Picasa.

But wait, there's more! Photo A.K.A. can also burn your renamed files to a CD or DVD, or create a disk image file containing the files. It can also do batch resizing of photo files, display the renamed images as a slide show, and even batch print the files. Finally, there's a sandbox mode for trying your renaming scheme without actually renaming the files.

While Photo A.K.A. might not fulfill all of your file renaming requirements, it is free, and it has many features you may find useful.

Freeware find: Smith Micro Photo A.K.A. bulk file renamer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Freeware find: Smith Micro Photo A.K.A. bulk file renamer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>file renamerFileRenamerfreefreewarephoto a.k.a.PhotoA.k.a.renamersmith microSmithMicroSteven SandeTue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:00 ESTKeep your eyes on the Sun safely with free 3D Sun apphttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/18/keep-your-eyes-on-the-sun-safely-with-free-3d-sun-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/18/keep-your-eyes-on-the-sun-safely-with-free-3d-sun-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/18/keep-your-eyes-on-the-sun-safely-with-free-3d-sun-app/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I really love to find cool, free apps, and I have a good one for you. 3D Sun, developed in collaboration with NASA scientists, will alert you to solar flares and storms which can disrupt communications on earth and trigger spectacular northern lights.

Activating the push feature provides instant notification of major solar activity.. Clicking on the app will give you detailed information, as well as a current picture of the surface of the sun provided by the NASA 'Stereo' satellites. You can rotate the view of the sun with your fingers, and pinch in and out to zoom. The 2 satellites don't have a 360 degree view, so there will be a dark sliver where the cameras can't see. Using this app is a lot safer than trying to see these phenomena with the naked eye or even using some of the not-so-safe solar filters that are around.

In addition to the 'live' view of the sun, you can view recent pictures of the sun in different bands of the spectrum, and you'll get a look at the rather fascinating magnetic field lines that are above the surface of our friendly orb.

The app also features a collection of stills and movies showing solar events and events triggered by the sun.

The app is just out, so grab it if you are interested. I'd also remind our scientifically prone readers of the terrific NASA app that Steve Sande reviewed in October. 3D Sun has scads of images, videos, launch information and more, and it's another freebie.

These apps run on the iPhone and the iPod touch.

I think you should go for launch on both of these. A-OK?

Check the gallery for more screen shots:


Gallery: 3D Sun

3D Sun Screen Shots

Keep your eyes on the Sun safely with free 3D Sun app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Keep your eyes on the Sun safely with free 3D Sun app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>3D SunastronomyiPhoneiPod touchIpodTouchscienceSolar flaresSolarFlaresvideoMel MartinThu, 18 Feb 2010 15:00:00 ESTWant to argue about Global Warming? There's an app for thathttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/13/want-to-argue-about-global-warming-theres-an-app-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/13/want-to-argue-about-global-warming-theres-an-app-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/13/want-to-argue-about-global-warming-theres-an-app-for-that/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I'm not sympathetic to the Global Warming skeptics. There's plenty of scientific evidence to contradict them. The trouble is, when you get into arguments about the subject, you're likely to be without facts and the arguments become emotional rather than rational.

Now, at least, you'll have some science to buttress your arguments. All you have to do is whip out your iPhone or iPod touch and tap a free app called Skeptical Science, and from there you can quickly navigate to the various arguments that are offered by the skeptics. 'It's the sun', or 'it's cooling', or 'there is no consensus.'

You tap on the argument, and up comes some scientific info along with links to more information, graphs, definitions and more. No matter what side you take on this subject, there is a lot of useful information. The app is updated on a regular basis to reflect new data as it's available.

Now the truth is, apps like this aren't likely to change minds. They reinforce your own beliefs, and the skeptics will just remain skeptics. They can drag out their own scientists and graphs and quotes, so nothing really gets settled.

On the other hand, this is a really good idea, and I learned some things reading the assembled material. The app is free, and worth a look if you spend a bit of time arguing about this subject. Actually, it would be nice to see apps dealing with other topics people argue about, like the death penalty, legalizing drugs, or UFOs. Now excuse me while I turn up the thermostat.

Here's a look at some of the screens the app offers:


Gallery: Skeptical Science

Want to argue about Global Warming? There's an app for that originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Want to argue about Global Warming? There's an app for that originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>global warmingiPhoneiPod touchscienceSkeptical ScienceSkepticalScienceMel MartinSat, 13 Feb 2010 14:00:00 ESTUse your iPhone and your iPod touch as a flash drivehttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/12/use-your-iphone-your-ipod-touch-as-a-flash-drive/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/12/use-your-iphone-your-ipod-touch-as-a-flash-drive/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/12/use-your-iphone-your-ipod-touch-as-a-flash-drive/#commentsFiled under: ,

There have been some other utilities that turn your iPhone/iPod touch into a flash drive, but this one is free and very easy to use. It's called iPhone Explorer. You install the app on your Mac, or your PC (there's an app for each platform) and you're ready to go. You'll see your iPhone appear when it's plugged into your computer. You can view the folder structure, and drag and drop items to or from the iPhone to your desktop or back the other way.

You can create, delete and rename folders on your iPhone. If your iPhone is jailbroken, you can access the real root and then recover things like your address book, emails and SMS messages.

if you want to do this over a wireless network there is Discover and Air Sharing. Discover is free, Air Share is U.S. $2.99.

I'm not really sure why Apple didn't allow this functionality to begin with, but that's Apple just being Apple. I tried iPhone Explorer on my desktop Mac and it connected to my iPhone 3GS in a split second and I was good to go. Don't expect to be able to interact with your iPhone with this app in any complex way. It's really just giving you flash drive capability, and if that's what you want, this is a good place to get it.

Use your iPhone and your iPod touch as a flash drive originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Use your iPhone and your iPod touch as a flash drive originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>flash driveiPhoneiPhone ExplorerIphoneExploreriPod touchstorageMel MartinFri, 12 Feb 2010 17:30:00 ESTSiri for iPhone is like the proverbial Genie in a bottlehttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/siri-for-iphone-is-like-the-proverbial-genie-in-a-bottle/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/siri-for-iphone-is-like-the-proverbial-genie-in-a-bottle/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/siri-for-iphone-is-like-the-proverbial-genie-in-a-bottle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We're getting closer and closer to some of the stuff we see it science fiction literature and films. Siri [iTunes link] is a small Silicon Valley startup with a really breakthrough product that for now only works on the iPhone.

Here's the deal. You download the free app, start it up, and tell it what you want. It could be "Will it snow in Des Moines today?" or "Where can I find the nearest burger" or it could be "Find the nearest parks". It parses your comments, runs out to the web for a few seconds and comes back with a lot of suggestions. It gives you buttons to call the places you've found, or to show them on Google Maps and get you directions.

I tried to get a bit fancier saying "Make me a reservation for 2 at the nearest Olive Garden tonight at 7." The app figured out Olive Garden didn't take reservations through their service, but it provided me a number for the nearest Olive Garden and offered to map it.

Continue reading Siri for iPhone is like the proverbial Genie in a bottle

Siri for iPhone is like the proverbial Genie in a bottle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Siri for iPhone is like the proverbial Genie in a bottle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>mappingpersonal assistantpoints of interestPointsOfInterestSirivoice recognitionMel MartinFri, 05 Feb 2010 13:00:00 ESTApple hires two more for mobile ad saleshttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/apple-hires-two-more-for-mobile-ad-sales/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/apple-hires-two-more-for-mobile-ad-sales/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/05/apple-hires-two-more-for-mobile-ad-sales/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In addition to their Quattro Wireless buy last month, Apple has picked up two more new employees that seems like additions to an incoming mobile advertising business. Theo Theodorou was picked up from Microsoft's mobile advertising sales department and will head sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. And Todd Tran, from mobile ad agency Joule, will serve as general manager in Europe.

Apple hasn't announced exact details of what they plan to do with all of this mobile advertising, but they did say in the conference call last week that they plan to use their Quattro Wireless acquisition to help app developers make money, especially on free apps. We don't yet know the exact specifics of that plan ("iAds," coming soon to an App Store near you?), but it looks like Apple is making a significant investment in putting mobile ads on their devices.

Apple hires two more for mobile ad sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Apple hires two more for mobile ad sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>acquisitionadsadvertisingappleeuropeglobaliadsmarketsmiddle-eastmobile adsMobileAdsquattro-wirelesssalesworldwideMike SchrammFri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:00 ESTMaComfort brings a little Mac back to your PChttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/04/macomfort-brings-a-little-mac-back-to-your-pc/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/04/macomfort-brings-a-little-mac-back-to-your-pc/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/04/macomfort-brings-a-little-mac-back-to-your-pc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Let's face it -- as much as we love our Macs, sometimes you've got to use a PC, whether that be for work or at a friend's house, or just for playing some games. But when you absolutely must use Windows, maComfort can make the transition easier. It's a free Windows application (with some premium options) that brings all of the nice software things you appreciate on your Mac back to your PC. It's got a QuickLook-style feature, translates the Windows key to all of your Command hotkeys, and even replicates familiar Mac features like one-button volume control and Spaces and Active Corners. And the app also has a add-on system, so you can download extra features like homemade Docks and shadows just like on your Mac back home.

Of course, it's not perfect -- QuickLook only works in Explorer, not everywhere, and obviously all of the less-superficial features on the Mac (like Terminal and Stacks) will stay in OS X. But if you have to use a PC away from home and are frustrated that hitting what's supposed to be the Command key keeps popping up the Start menu instead, try a little maComfort. The app is a free download with limited functionality, or $20 for full use.

[via LH]

MaComfort brings a little Mac back to your PC originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)MaComfort brings a little Mac back to your PC originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applicationcommanddownloadfreewarehotkeyskeysmacmacomfortpcstacksterminalvistawindowsxpMike SchrammThu, 04 Feb 2010 13:00:00 ESTSikuli can automate any UI by taking screenshotshttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/sikuli-can-automate-any-ui-by-taking-screenshots/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/sikuli-can-automate-any-ui-by-taking-screenshots/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/sikuli-can-automate-any-ui-by-taking-screenshots/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This is pretty impressive --of course there are already lots of ways to automate actions on your Mac, and odds are that you may have messed around with scripting or Automator more than once before. But Sikuli is a new app that makes automating as simple as taking screenshots. Instead of programming actions, all you have to do is put screenshots of the particular UI items that you want to automate in a list, and then the app will use visual cues to do whatever you want it to do. Not only does it make things much easier when actually writing scripts, but it also gives you countless options in terms of automation -- the app can automate any app that has a graphical user interface, because all it has to do is recognize that GUI on your screen. That includes web apps, too -- like I said, the possibilities are endless.

And since it's developed with Jython, you Python experts can insert any Python code that you like in the scripts as well. The whole thing is an MIT project, so it's available for free across all platforms, including OS X, Windows, and Linux. If you've been looking for an automator that'll do any rote task for you, give Sikuli a try.

[via LifeHacker]

Sikuli can automate any UI by taking screenshots originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Sikuli can automate any UI by taking screenshots originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>automationdownloadfreewareguijythonmacmitprojectpythonscriptsikuliweb appsWebAppsMike SchrammMon, 01 Feb 2010 18:30:00 ESTGowalla announces shared tripshttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/gowalla-announces-shared-trips/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/gowalla-announces-shared-trips/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/01/gowalla-announces-shared-trips/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's a growing battle lately on the App Store over "check-in" apps -- Foursquare, Gowalla, and MyTown have all seen big gains in users lately (and a few other contenders have been roaming the periphery), and it looks like we're starting to see some innovation in the mix. Gowalla recently updated their free app [iTunes link], and introduced a new feature called Shared Trips. These are more or less tours (or a line of check-ins at different places around a given city), but they can feature all kinds of things: a set of bars, interesting buildings to see, the old bookstore/coffeeshop run, or any other ideas Gowalla users have. Trips can be shared and rated, and you'll be able to browse through the most popular trips and even earn badges in the app for creating or going on a popular trip.

The new version also adds bookmarks, which will let you remember your favorite check-in spot -- while you can't add them from the mobile app yet, you can browse them from there, and they're hoping to get the functionality in soon.

Obviously, this might not appeal to everybody -- there are lots of iPhone users out there (including me) who aren't so keen yet on sharing their location with everyone they know every time they leave the house. But it is interesting to note that this is a burgeoning mini-industry, brought on almost completely by the ubiquity of the iPhone and its up-and-coming competitors. Any time you have more than a few apps vying for a growing audience, you're going to end up with some interesting innovation. It'll be fun to see what kinds of ideas Gowalla and its competitors can come up with.

Gowalla announces shared trips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Gowalla announces shared trips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeapp-storeappsAppStorebadgescheck-incompetitioncontendersfoursquaregowallainnovationiphonemytownshared-tripsMike SchrammMon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 ESTReview: Bankshot delivers a quick hit of funhttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/29/review-bankshot-delivers-a-quick-hit-of-fun/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/29/review-bankshot-delivers-a-quick-hit-of-fun/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/29/review-bankshot-delivers-a-quick-hit-of-fun/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


The other week I said a lot of good things about Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, but one of the great things about games on the iPhone is that they don't all have to be epic masterpieces. Such is the case with the free Bankshot [iTunes link], which is a simple and fun one-hit game that was created in just 36 hours: the only goal is to bounce a little neon "puck" into a target that gets placed on different sides of the screen. It's fun, it's easy, and it's the perfect kind of game to just pull up and play when you only need a few minutes of distraction.

The game does have a little bit of hidden depth (you can score more points by bouncing the puck off the walls more times before it hits the target, but if you go more than four bounces, the game is over), but essentially, this is an addictive little pick-up-and-play game (and it's even OpenFeint enabled, if you're into that sort of thing). The game is free with ads, but they were never distracting or in the way. If you want a quick arcade hit to play during your next few iPhone breaks, definitely pick it up.

Review: Bankshot delivers a quick hit of fun originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Review: Bankshot delivers a quick hit of fun originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>36 hours36Hoursapp-storearcadebankshotdevelopmentiphoneitunesopenfeintreviewsMike SchrammFri, 29 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST