In-app purchasing has had kind of a rocky go of it since Apple announced the feature in late 2009. It was the reason behind multiple lawsuits and was even rumored to be investigated by members of the FCC.
Well it appears that its legal troubles aren't over just yet, but this time it's not angry parents threatening with legal action. This time it's a small license-toting company that says that in-app purchasing infringes on one of their patents...
While the stock Camera.app in iOS lacks many basic functions, applications in the App Store and Cydia usually do a good job of filling in for the missing features.
There are apps that allow you to take panoramic photographs and there are even apps that will automatically stamp your pics with the time and date. Well, word on the street is that another tweak is on its way to Cydia, and it's bringing some interesting photo-taking features to the stock Camera app...
There are plenty of applications in the App Store for making your own music on your iDevice. In fact, we reviewed a great one on iDB called djay by Algoriddim earlier this year.
But if you've been looking for a way to use your iPhone to create music in a way that's not quite so conventional, you've got to check out this concept that Stanford Researcher Nick Brian has come up with...
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...
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...
Jailbreak tweaks are a dime a dozen these days. There seems to be one of these iOS extensions for nearly everything, from uploading photos to Facebook to sharing your music on Twitter.
And in case you needed an app to give you a heads up when your iPhone battery is completely charged, Cydia has you covered there too. Full Charge Alert is a tiny tweak in the jailbroken App Store and I'll give you 3 guesses what it does...
You can rest easy. Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, has confirmed that the company will "continue to invest in Skype on non-Microsoft client platforms."
As we previously reported, Microsoft has acquired Skype to the tune of $8.5 billion. The technology juggernaut plans on implementing Skype's VoIP technology into its Windows Phone 7 platform, but the company also states that it will continue to support Skype on non-Windows platforms.
Adobe revealed their new Creative Suite 5.5 last week alongside their Photoshop Touch SDK. This was significant because with the new SDK, came a scripting engine that allows developers to make their own applications to interact with Photoshop. While the platform also supports Android and Blackberry Tablet OS, Adobe has chosen the iPad to debut their own Photoshop apps.
These 3 software titles are an extension of Adobe Photoshop, and not intended for stand alone use. The prices range from $2 to $5 and require Adobe PhotoShop CS5, version 12.0.4. Here is a brief breakdown of the 3 apps, courtesy of AppleInsider:
Adobe Eazel - This $4.99 app allows you to create your own masterpieces with Apple's tablet, and lets you quickly share your creation with Photoshop for further editing.
Adobe Color Lava - For $2.99, you can download this app that lets you use your fingertips to mix your own colors on the iPad, creating custom color swatches and themes for use in Photoshop.
Adobe Nav - At $1.99 this might actually be worth the price. This neat little app gives you intuitive controls of Photoshop tools on your iPad. Quickly switch between projects, zoom in, and adjust all kinds of Photoshop settings, right from your tablet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5cKOccvpY
I don't use Photoshop frequently enough to justify purchasing any of these applications, but for someone who uses it on a daily basis, they could be lifesavers. I really like the idea of being able to adjust Photoshop settings quickly from the iPad, maybe we'll see this in other software suites like MS Office.
What do you think? Have you downloaded any of the Photoshop apps?
There are 2 reasons why I like using a list maker on my iPhone. The first is because I am notoriously forgetful. Sometimes I have so much going on that I forget to do things if I don't have them written down, or set in a reminder in my calendar.
The second reason is that I like to stay organized. While most list makers are kind of overkill for me, I was persistent on finding one that met my needs functionality wise, with a sharp user interface. After loads of searching, I finally came across Droplist...
Typically, Apple's AirPlay function is exclusive to iDevices. Since the release of the inexpensive Apple TV2 last fall, Apple's AirPlay feature has really garnered some attention, both good and bad.
Good, because iDevice users can sling media content from their handheld devices, to their HDTV, without any kind of setup. Bad, because you must be using an iDevice with your Apple TV2, since the functionality is exclusive to the Cupertino company's products. Until now.
This is where doubleTwist comes in. The developers of the infamous "iTunes for Android" software just updated their already popular application in a big way. The new technology will allow users to wirelessly stream their media from their Android devices to Apple TVs and other DLNA-compatible products.
"doubleTwist now supports AirPlay for users who have upgraded to AirSync. When a supported device such as the Apple TV is recognized on the same WiFi network as your Android device, you can start streaming to it from the doubleTwist playback controls"
I would recommend grabbing this product while you can. I was surprised that Apple hadn't taken legal action against doubleTwist before, when they just allowed you to sync a non-Apple device with iTunes. Now that they have implemented AirPlay technology, I can't imagine Steve Jobs and company keeping silent.
Remember they're dispute with Palm? The original Palm Pre was able to sync natively with iTunes until Apple disabled the functionality via a software update. Maybe the folks at doubleTwist have all their bases covered. At any rate, the doubleTwist software is free in the Android market, but to get the new AirPlay compatibility you must purchase the AirSync feature for $5.
Has anyone tried this out yet?
[9to5Mac]