We reported last week on the appalling actions of Lodsys. The patent licensing firm has been sending out letters to iOS developers, threatening legal action if they aren't paid royalties for the use of their invention.
The company's claim that iOS apps with in-app purchasing options are infringing on their patent has been causing an uproar in the developer community. While everyone holds vigilant to see what (if anything) Apple has to say on the matter, the EFF decided to speak up yesterday...
Card scanners have been around for quite some time and contrary to popular belief can be very useful. But to be honest, I gave up on card readers a long time ago due to bad experiences with clumsy apps.
If done right, however, card scanning software can make adding contact information and keeping track of business contact data a breeze. So naturally, I jumped at the chance when I was asked to check out ABBYY's Business Card Reader for iOS...
Have you ever stumbled upon an App Store app that was just so useful that you wanted to share it with the world?
Apple's figured as much, that's why they've included a "Tell a Friend" button at the bottom of every page for each app in the App Store.
Unfortunately that button often goes overlooked because it's still stuck in the 90's (it only does email).
As usual, a new tweak comes through to save the day; it's called ShareApp, a free jailbreak tweak available on Cydia, and it makes it easy to share your favorite App Store finds via Twitter...
Apple's TV line has been described as "just a hobby." However, strong sales of the company's 2nd iteration of the ATV has kind of changed the dynamics of the product.
AirPlay especially helped the Apple TV2's sales out, along with the device's $99 price tag. There are several apps available that take advantage of Apple's AirPlay feature, but this one probably does it in the most unique way...
Though using your phone while driving usually makes for a dangerous combination, this app hopes to have the opposite effect.
The application from State Farm, called Driver Feedback, uses the built-in accelerometer and GPS of your iDevice to grade your driving. Don't worry, the results gathered from the app won't impact your car insurance rates, you don't even have to be a State Farm customer to use it...
We've been talking about iOS gaming a lot lately here on iDB. After all, the platform has some serious records in the video game industry.
Following the news that Electronic Arts was purchasing Firemint, another console software company is apparently eyeing iOS for future development. Several tech sites are reporting that Bungie, developer of the hit Xbox 360 Halo series, is preparing to launch a title on the iDevice platform...
Lockitron is a solution that combines hardware and software to give you wireless control of your home's deadbolts. In fact, you can control the locks on your doors from anywhere in the world.
Using a Lockitron Self-install kit and compatible phone software, you can unlock your door with the tap of a button. We've seen wireless unlock solutions for the car before, but not for the home...
We've seen that the iPhone isn't just a popular smartphone, it's also an extremely popular camera. But apparently those aren't the only categories that Apple's Swiss Army Knife-of-a-device ranks highly in.
Gamasutra, the website for everything video games, has recently reported some interesting facts from the Guinness World Records 2011 Gamer's Edition. We knew that iDevices were popular gaming machines, but had no idea how popular...
Ever since Alex introduced me to Tweetbot, I've been smitten. While some folks claim the interface is too busy, I appreciate the sharp graphics and quick animations. However, the original version was missing some key features, like support for landscape mode.
This made tweeting kind of a pain because I tend to type much faster with my iPhone turned sideways. Luckily there was a jailbreak tweak available to force the app sideways. Now for all of you stock iPhone users, Tapbots has released Tweetbot 1.1 to let you join in on the landscape party...
Yesterday, Apple testified in a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing on mobile privacy. Senator Al Franken called the Senators, as well as both Apple and Google, to talk about mobile privacy in wake of the recent cell phone tracking panic.
While Apple was pressed hard by the panel on the recently exposed tracking file, they were also questioned on their App Store submission policy. Typically, the Cupertino company is criticized for their app entry policy being too strict, but not this time...
I'm sure everyone is familiar with iAds by now. The service that Apple launched last year promised to change the way customers interact with advertisements. As with a lot of new ventures, the mobile ad platform got off to a rocky start.
Advertisers didn't like the mandatory $1,000,000 buy-in on top of several other complaints. Finally, Apple compromised and made some serious adjustments to iAds, in favor of its partners. They cut the buy-in in half and even created an app showcasing iAds, but did the changes stop there?
In a shocking report, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that Microsoft has purchased Skype in a 8.5 billion dollar buyout. This deal gives Microsoft complete ownership of Skype Technologies SA, and this buyout is one of Microsoft's biggest purchases to date.
Skype has been a key player in the desktop and mobile space as one of the most popular VoIP services in existence. On iOS, Skype has always been a wonderful service for those wishing to make calls (both audio and video) over 3G and Wi-Fi.