App Store

Cydia Store Applications vs. The App Store – The Download Showdown

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 29, 2016

[digg-me]UPDATE: The Cydia Store is now open! I invite you to read this post for more details.

If you didn't read the title to this article in the deep voice of the movie previews guy, please go back and do so at this time, just to give you an idea of how huge this is. Now, if you've navigated to our blog and are reading this article, hopefully you have some idea of what Cydia and the App Store are. For those of you who don't, I will provide a brief breakdown of each program before I list their stand out features.

Both programs offer a sizeable library of applications and games that can be downloaded directly onto the phone from virtually anywhere you can get a cell phone or wifi signal. Please no hate mail from Installer fans, as it's obvious it has not garnered near as much support as Cydia since the iPhone was updated in firmware over the summer. But now to the main event, the Download Showdown. Who will take home the title as the Champion of iPhone applications? Let's get it on.

You've seen the commercials, you've seen it in the world-reknowned iTunes software, heck you see the icon everytime you look at your iPhone, it's the App Store. Riding the coat tails of success of Apple's enormous online music store, is the online application store that has redefined software distribution for the mobile market. Never before has an online library of mobile software been so accessible, as it can be reached from any mac or pc, or from any iPhone or ipod touch with web connection.

Another reason it is so groundbreaking is the 70/30 deal it has made with iPhone platform developers. That means that Apple keeps 30% of the profit from the software sales, and gives the remaining 70% to the people that make them. On top of attracting big name software companies like EA and THQ, this 70/30 deal has made several independent companies like Tappulous and The Blimp Pilots (koi pond creators) extremely wealthy.

The App Store's main advantages have got to be it's stability and ease of use, two of the most important things you can find in any software.  I can't tell you the last time my App Store crashed or froze, and its interface is about as simple as you can get. You'll also find that most applications fall in the $0.99 - $9.99 price range, keeping purchases from breaking your bank. For the froogle audience, there is also a large FREE section of applications and games that has yet to disappoint me.

Finally, the fact that Apple, is the company behind the App store has its ups and downs. For example, Apple pre screens all apps submitted to the App Store, minimizing malicious code and low quality software epedimics. This also prevents very good software from reaching the App Store due to opinions held by Apple (see R.I.P article). Downloading is also kept very quick and simple by Apple, as typing in your iTunes password, ok's any download, free or not. You also don't have to jailbreak or "hack" your iPhone to access the App Store, how charming. So bottom line here is that the App Store is easy to use, extremely reliable, has a huge library of free and non-free applications, and it's not against AT&T's TOS (terms of service) to access.

Now for the challenger. A product of James Freeman, or Saurik, Cydia has been around since the original jailbreaking days of Ziphone and iBrickr. Originally, Cydia stood in the shadow of the Installer application by the Dev Team, which did the exact same thing (offered 3rd party downloads). Now, thanks to its I-got-to-firmware-2.1-before-you-did attitude, Cydia is flourishing.

But these guys [devteam, Saurik, Spazio, etc.] really opened the eyes of the world to the possibilities of the iPhone, and let users unlock their iPhone's potential with 3rd party applications, a touchy subject in the beginning of the life of the iPhone due to Apple's lack of 3rd party support.

Enough history, how does it stack up today against the colussal App Store. Size? Nope. The size of Cydia's library of software doesn't hold a candle to Apple's App Store. Price? Nope. While a majority of Cydia downloads are free, some are only trial versions that demand paypal payments to continue using them. So then why in the world would you even want Cydia? Exclusivity. Boom. Cydia is the only place to download applications like Winterboard and Cycorder, software that goes against Apple's guidelines for App Store approval. I couldn't have a see-through dock with a customized icon set without Cydia. I couldn't have recorded a video of my dog doing cart wheels without Cycorder, and it's only available through Cydia. Is VIP access to cool customizeables enough to make this underdog a Champ? Let's review.

It seems on paper Apple's App Store should win by a landslide. Thousands of more software titles, the technical and customer support of a Fortune 500 company, and its overall ease of use should give Apple the belt hands down. But you can't forget about the little guy. If a firmware update prevented the downloading of Cydia or a similar program, how many users would be devastated? How many would avoid updating? If you're like me, chances are you have App Store, Cydia, and Installer (at least the first 2) icons sitting on your springboard right now, and aren't likely to delete any of them any time soon. I like having all 3 for the simple fact that if I read about an application and want to download, I know I am covered, and can find it in one of the 3 libraries.

It looks like a split decision here, but I am going to give the nod to Apple's App Store for a number of reasons I already listed. Once again in an ideal world we could have a united application that would offer the best of both worlds. For now, it seems the App Store will hold the download Showdown title. Thanks for reading, this article is a treasure, so digg it!

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mBoxMail Lets you Access your Hotmail with an iPhone App

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

I have a Hotmail Plus account so I have been able to access my hotmail account on my iPhone but I couldn't access my folders and I had to go back to the web interface to permanently delete my mail.  It was an okay solution so that I could at least read it on the go, but nFluent just came out with a new app mBoxMail [iTunes Link].

I installed it yesterday and I love this app. It is a bit pricey at $9.99 but I have to say that I didn't even hesitate to buy it. It is very easy to setup and very intuitive and straightforward to use.

nFluent created a short demo on their web page so you can see how it works.

Here are the features of the software according to nFluent's website:

Security In today's world, your information is only as secure as your email account. There is no middle man with m•Box Mail. This application speaks directly to the Windows Live Hotmail servers so you do not have to worry about your confidential information getting stored elsewhere. Your email, user name and password are not stored outside your mobile device. Passwords are securely kept in iPhone’s key store so they do not get into the wrong hands.

Sync your Hotmail and Live Mail Sync your Microsoft Hotmail or Live Mail to iPhone, including all the read and unread flags. All your folders also are available through m•Box Mail so you can stay organized even while on the go.

Fast and Efficient m•Box Mail is highly optimized for mobile platforms so access to your email is the best possible experience. For example, you will be amazed at how fast your email is synced onto your iPhone.

Attachments View emailed image attachments right on your iPhone.

Hotmail Contacts All your Hotmail contacts are available so addressing an email from your iPhone is now as easy as doing it from your computer.

Send from Hotmail m•Box Mail supports sending email from your Hotmail account. Your signature also can be customized on your iPhone for outgoing messages, and you can edit your sent messages folder – keep email for review or delete them as wanted.

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Create an iTunes account without a credit card

Sébastien Page ∙ October 18, 2008

[digg-me]So you have a spanking new iPhone or iPod Touch and you can't wait to download all these applications from iTunes until you realize you need a Credit Card to have an iTunes account. Or, maybe you do have a Credit Card but the app you want is not available in your country? Don't panic, there is an easy solution to this problem, and best of all, it's totally legit and should take you about 2 minutes to set up.

This tutorial will teach you how to create an iTunes account in any country whether you have a credit card or not. All you need is 2 minutes, an Internet connection and have iTunes already running on your computer.

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iBeer creator Hottrix leaves Molson Coors Brewing Co. with Bitter Beer Face

Cody Lee ∙ October 16, 2008

So let's pretend you are a start-up iPhone software developing firm. Now, let's say that you have developed a hot application. So hot, that Apple actually uses it in an iPhone commercial for a nationwide marketing campaign. I mean, your foaming at the mouth trying to predict your first month sales numbers.

But, when the App store launches in July, there is another application that looks exactly like yours. What's worse is, yours cost users $2.99, and their app is a free download.

My guess is that you would be Hottrix, creators of iBeer, and you'd probably be pretty steamed.

And they are. They are suing the Molson Coors Brewing Co. for 12.5 million dollars in lost profits thanks to iPint. iPint was identical to Hottrix' iBeer, but with a Carling Beer advertisement banner.

What's funny is Steve Sheraton, inventor of iBeer, was actually approached by Beattie McGuinnes Bungay Ltd. ad agency for promission to use iBeer to market Coors products. Obviously Sheraton didn't say no loud enough, and after just a short life on the App store, iPint was removed due to a cease and desist order.

After months of trying to settle the matter outside of court, the Arizona based software company has decided to bring in the attorneys.

I believe that if there is a direct correlation between Hottix declining iBeer profits, and a copyright law broken by Molson Coors, this should be a no brainer.

One thing is clear, as Sebastien stated in his Tap Tap Tap divorce article, this iPhone software developing game is "serious business."(now accepting applications for my new start-up iPhone software company ;op)

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WiFinder Sets You FREE

Guest Author ∙ Updated February 14, 2018

I know that WiFinder [Itunes Link] has been out for a few months and we have discussed it here before,  but a new version recently came out and I thought it was time to discuss this amazingly simple but quite useful app again.

I have been using Wifinder (by Lars Bergstrom) for about a month now. It was only .99 cents, and I have to say it is one of my most useful apps.

I have been traveling a lot lately and due to signal issue, I have had to frequently look around to find an available wifi signal. This was especially true when I went to Canada. This time because I didn't want to pay the enormous cost of Data Roaming so I had to find wifi if I wanted to use my phone's Internet connection.

When I can find an AT&T hotspot, I'm all set, but what do you do when there isn't one available and you can't use your data connection.

Internet skunking (the act of stealing some time on someone's open wifi network) isn't actually legal, but who does it hurt if you are only going to use if for a few minutes to check your mail or lookup something in Google?

Finding those "open" signals when you are traveling can be hard, especially when you are in a populated area.  In some parts of NYC, you can see hundreds of wifi signals, but most of them locked. The ones that aren't locked, usually require a login on a web page the first time you access the connection.

You know the drill.  You find an available network and when you try to use it, you get shunted to login web page where they want you to either pay or promise your first born child.

But also out there are those wonderful individuals who just plugged in their wifi hub and didn't set up any authentication and those kind hearted individuals, who, out of the goodness of their hearts, created a guest login.

WiFinder lets you quickly find and identify those that are not only not using authentication but don't try to force you to login to a network page as well.  For those of you who don't know, Wifinder locates Wifi signals, and it sends a quick html post message to each connection to see if they are really available.  It shows a green check icon next to the Wifi networks that are not restricted by either an authorization requirement Or a web login requirement.

When I was in Halifax getting ready to set sail on a fishing trip, I needed to quickly find the phone number of the boat owner. At the time I didn't have WiFinder and, using just the built in Network Browser, it looked like there was 20 free Wifi Connections.  I had to systematically try each one, (connect to the network, open safari, try to browse to Google).  Out of the 20 available networks only 2 were really Open. WiFinder would have identified the two in a matter of seconds.

That was it for the functionality of the first version, but the newest version, you can actually get information about the network and use Wifinder to establish a connection to it, without having to back out of it and select it again in the Network Settings.

This latest version also lets you set a time for automatically rescanning intervals and lets you setup an alert to let you know when a new network is found. Cool feature when you can't find a free one right away, but want to be notified without having to check every few minutes as you move around town.

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Apple’s Dropping of the NDA Has Echoing Effects

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 13, 2019

For a long time, developing software for the iPhone seemed like a members-only activity. Even when Apple introduced the App Store and released the SDK for public download, the iPhone developing club still seemed pretty exclusive.

A majority of this secrecy was forced upon developers by way of Apple's Non Disclosure Agreement: a binding contract that said anything developers came across while programming iPhone software 'better not leave the room'. Apple claims this was to protect many inventions and innovations embedded into the iPhone software.

But as we all know, after hearing all the moans and groans from developers, and probably reading thousands of angry blog posts, Apple has removed the NDA. In fact, Apple is now planning to tour the world with seminars and workshops for iPhone developers of any skill level from independent game developers, to IT professionals.

But the benefits don't stop there. Now with the NDA lifted, several Authors are given the green light to publish books on iPhone developing. Alicia mentions one of the more popular ones here, set to be released the 15th of this month. Another one, Beginning iPhone Development, is due out the 27th. In fact, a quick search in Amazon for the topic 'iPhone development' brings up a long list of new iPhone-programming-related books due to release in the next month.

I can't imagine the improvements we'll see in the quality and complexity of future iPhone applications. Hopefully this will encourage Apple to drop another rediculous App Store practice ::cough:: App store rejection policy ::cough::

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Finally a good TV guide application

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated January 27, 2019

I've been waiting for this since June 29, 2007; a good, useful, TV application for iPhone! It seems that i.TV [iTunes Link] made my wish come true, and even more...

Before i.TV (pronounce "i dot tv"), I used the mobile version of TVGuide.com and although it served its purpose, it was a very unpractical web app. Then came What's On, for which I had big hopes. My hopes just remained hopes as What's On wouldn't have some basic features such as setting channels as "Favorites".

All my past frustrations are now long gone thanks to i.TV. I downloaded this FREE app this morning from the App Store and instantly fell in love with it. According to the company's website:

i.TV is a TV and movie guide for the iPhone and iPod touch.

i.TV helps users discover entertainment options by providing up-to-date information on television shows and movies. Users also benefit from feedback and information provided by other i.TV users who utilize i.TV’s community-focused features. These features enable customers to write reviews and give star ratings to visual media. In addition to this, i.TV allows users to directly access entertainment such as television previews and movie trailers through their iPhone or iPod Touch.

Let's see how it works...

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Creating an iPhone-Controlled Wireless Home Audio System

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

I am a bit of an audio geek and I have been longingly looking at the multi-room music systems for years. They have really started to get a lot cheaper lately but the price for most systems still start at $1,000.00.  It is hard to convince my spouse that the idea of having a central music server and music piped into other rooms is $1,000 cool. So when I got the Remote [iTunes link] Application for my iPhone, i started to think about what I could do for a lot less money. Remote lets you control your iTunes library using wifi anywhere in your house.

We had already encoded all our music into MP3 and placed it on a central computer in our kitchen.  We installed some really great speakers there, but what happens if we want to listen in the bedroom or living room? We could run speaker wires throughout the house, but we have an older house and it is expensive and/or unsightly to run speaker wires throughout the house.  Also if we did have speakers wired in, we would need a multi-room receiver and we would still have to run back to the kitchen to change the song or pick another playlist.

I had looked in the Apple Store at Airport Express recently and read about how you could use it to create "wireless" speakers and noticed in my iTunes settings dialog box,  the ability to send music to these "Airtunes" speakers. After purchasing a refurbished Airport Express from Apple Store, and a few hours fiddling with them, I came up with a pretty nice and cheap solution.

I used Airport Express and a pair of old but cute PC speakers to create a remote speaker set. I bought and installed Remote on my iPhone, configured it and now I am able to control my iTunes, sitting right next to the remote speakers.

It works pretty great so I thought I could share with you what worked for me. These instructions will let you broadcast music in iTunes. You can use Airfoil to broadcast music from other music players to your Airtunes Speakers.

What you you'll need to get started:

Apple Airport Express Airport Express Stereo connection kit (or a Monster mini-to-RCA left/right audio cable or  Monster mini-to-optical digital Toslink audio cable A Mac or PC with wireless connectivity (Mac with AirPort or AirPort Extreme wireless capability - PC with 802.11a, 802.11b, or 802.11g card) Powered speakers (computer speakers work great!) or a local amplifier and non-powered speakers. iPhone or iTouch with Remote [iTunes link] application installed.

Getting started:

Plug in the airport express wherever you want to place your remote speakers. Install the Airport Utility application on your Mac or PC.  You can either download it at this link or use the accompanying CD to install it. Use the Airport Utility to scan for the Airport Express Hub. When it is located, click Continue to set it up. The Utility will read the configuration information and prompt you for a name and password. Name it something that will instantly let you know which speakers you are turning on and off. For example, "Downstair speakers" or "Kitchen Speakers" works well.  Click Continue. Use this guide to continue making choices as you set up the Airport Express. The easiest path is to just add it to an existing wifi network, but if you don't have one you can set up one between your pc/mac and the Airport Express.  When done, the airport Express lcd light should be a solid green. Plug in your speakers and then using either the Airport Express Stereo Connection Kit or individual connectors you can purchase at Radio Shack, connect the Airport Express to your speakers. Repeat steps 1 through 6 for each airport Express you want to install (ie for each set of speakers you want). Test that you can broadcast to your remote speakers from iTunes. Go to iTunes and purchase Remote application. Follow these steps to set it up and connect it iTunes on your PC or Mac. Launch Remote on your iPhones. Using Remote Settings, turn on the speakers you want to control. Sit back on your couch and pick playlists and songs to play.
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Mind Maker Mindmap application for iPhone/iTouch

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Although many people I work with use mind mapping software, i am much more of a "draw it out on paper" person and it has never felt spontaneous to capture my thoughts using such a tool. I don't like to lug my laptop to every meeting and when I got spontaneous ideas while walking or working out, paper always seemed to be the best approach.

So as I was browsing through new apps in the App Store, I saw the Mind Maker [iTunes Link] app developed by Ultravague, and the idea of having mind mapping software that is a lot more portable and always accessible might make the difference in usability for me.  So I decided to give it a try.

So for two days now I have had it installed on my iPhone and I have tried to use it for all my meetings (which are considerable these days!).  It takes some time to reorient yourself from linear written notes to the relationship-based tree concept but I like the end product.  Much easier to navigate through when you are trying to drill down and go back and add more detail later.

The tool is pretty intuitive.  It was easy to make new branches and nodes.  I kept trying to connect a node to more than one parent and I guess you can't do that.  I think that  one of my problems with these types of tools is that my mind doesn't always link things in an hierarchical fashion.

But my personal issues aside, I was able to create a tree really quickly and and organize it the way I wanted to.  I couldn't figure out how to export it so after a quick browse at the web site I found out that the next version 1.1 (which they say is almost ready to submit to Apple), will support exporting mind maps to images and the following version 1.2, will allow mindmaps to be published to the web and exported in a variety of formats.

Features that I would like to see added:

The ability to associate a text, images, or url's with the nodes, this will be especially useful when version 1.2 comes out and I can publish my mind maps to the web. The ability to create cross associations (a node has more than one parent) so that I can map more complex relationships The ability to name the relationships because connections are sometimes the most important thing to remember.

All in all it is a good deal at $4.99.

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But I still want to check out the new iPhone Apps!

Guest Author ∙ Updated March 27, 2017

If you are like me, i was looking in App Store at least once a day to see what new apps were out.  I would go to the iTunes Store and click on App Store in the left hand column.  I would then click on "All Iphone Applications" and sort by "Most Recent" so that I could look at all the latest updates and new apps.  When I logged on the other day and couldn't find the All iPhone Applications option, i was a bit shocked. However I have figured out a few ways to still let me get my new app fix.  Here is my advice to those with the same OCD need to see what is new.

1)  Use the View Menu/Show Browser Feature in iTunes to see a list form of apps. From there, click on the App Store list item in the iTunes Store listing.  Click on "Release Date" column header in the browser row area.  Now click on the different Category list items to see a sorted list by date of all the applications in that category.  It is a bit slower than seeing all categories at once, but maybe we can convince Apple to put in an All Category option here.

2) Subscribe to the Pinch Media's New Application RSS feed. These are really useful app store feeds.  They also have a feed for free new apps and one for updated apps.  Here is how they describe this great service:

We’re happy to announce today the release of a few new RSS feeds which provide a way to view activity in the Apple App Store without having to load up iTunes or the App Store on the iPhone yourself. The first two feeds are the most recent stream of new and updated applications added into the App Store updated hourly.

Check it out.

Either way, I can still get my fix.

3) Follow our New Apps & Games category :-)

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Web Apps Rock!

Guest Author ∙ Updated February 14, 2018

A lot of talk has been centered around the App store and Jailbreak Apps but what i find really exciting is the web apps that are being designed and formatted for the iPhone/iTouch. No installation, no jailbreaking, no disk space is necessary.  And with the iPhone's/iTouch's ability to store a bookmark on the Home Screen, these apps can appear and be accessed just like any other app.

There are several different ways to locate web apps.  First, Apple has a web page that allows people to register their web apps.  I highly recommend those with RSS readers subscribe to this feed.   Some very cool apps are showing up.  Another cool way of seeing these web apps are using the Web Apps [iTunes Link] application that you can download from the Itunes App Store. It allows you to create a list of favorites and navigate to them easily (if you don't want to have a direct bookmark icon on your desktop) and lets you see what is out and try out the apps on your iphone.

Some of these apps are just web pages reformatted for you iPhone/iTouch, but some of them really take advantage of the IPhone GUI and technology.   One that caught my eye yesterday is the Dominos Pizza Tracker.  According to the Apple page "The Domino’s Pizza Tracker takes a phone number as input and connects to Domino’s Pizza Tracker XML backend to return information regarding your order, including time of creation, cooking, and delivery status. "  I haven't tried it yet, but i think i'll be having Pizza tonight!

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