23
Jul
2010
Post Antennagate: Apple’s Low Stocks are Good
Apple, and Steve Jobs, may have the meanest reputations in the mobile phone industry, but there is no doubt in the sheer marketability of Apple’s devices. Considering how much Apple’s sales are continuing to increase, some are speculating that even if the iPhone 5 was made out of cardboard, it would still hit over 2 million unit sales in a week.
Joking aside, the sales performance of Apple has recently been released and it shows that the company is practically selling most of the handsets that they are making. In fact, Apple stated that the low stocks that retailers are complaining about are a good thing: it means that the devices are being sold faster than expected.
At this point, it is hard to believe any statement that comes directly from Apple –after all, they have stated that the antenna issue is not unique to the iPhone 4 and that other handsets have it too, with a straight face.
Tim Cool, the current chief operating officer for Apple has stated that the Cupertino based company is easily selling devices as they are being made. The demand for the device is up and they are ‘seeing fewer returns than the iPhone 3Gs’. Steve Jobs gave a similar statement last Friday; it seems that Apple’s new motto is to remind people that less iPhone 4 owners are taking up the return policy. This however, does not reflect the number of actual owners who are unhappy with their handsets.
At the same time, Apple has also stated that the shortages are not being done in order to create a buzz. And in this case, we believe Apple. There is no point trying to cause further publicity for devices and gadgets that are literally flying off the shelves. In fact, considering how bad things got after the antennagate conference ended, Apple should be selling every phone they can before people start wizening up.
16
Jun
2010
The Icon: Gives Your iPhone Extra Power in Style
So many people have fallen in love with the iPhone. That being said, the number of third party accessories out in the market is almost endless. How can you tell if a product is really worth buying?
You would want to check if it has a thumbs up from Apple, such as the “Work with iPhone” guarantee. That being said, if an iPhone toting friend’s birthday comes up, you may want to consider giving this savvy gift.
Dubbed “The Icon”, the product is actually a portable battery charger. What makes it so special is its modern and, well, iconic design. If you have your own iPhone close at hand, look at the battery icon found on top of your screen. That is exactly how the product looks like, which makes it all the more dear to iPhone enthusiasts everywhere.
The Icon was made by the folks over at Essential TPE. Not only was it able to gain compliance certification from Apple, it was also able to get a Taiwan Good Design award. If that is not enough to get you curious, it does a pretty good job of juicing up your iPhone too, adding an extra 3 hours of nonstop talk time.
In addition, The Icon is able to give you an extra 18 hours to listen to your favorite tunes or 5 and a half hour to surf the web or keep up with the latest happenings in Facebook.
Using it is pretty simple, just plug it into the Dock Connector and you are ready to go. To be able to tell how much power is left in The Icon, just check the bar indicator powered by EL indicator lights. Trust us, you will find the design familiar.
2
Jun
2010
Another iPhone 4G Leak
Somehow, the news of Apple’s next generation iPhone getting leaked all over the world is no longer surprising. Just a couple of days ago, some folks in the Czech Republic were able to grab a prototype of the iPhone and even take extremely high resolution images of the device’s TFT display.
Yep, the new iPhone will not have an AMOLED touch screen as many had originally hoped, but the resolution has been reported to be super high so users need not worry that the new device will have bad visuals as compared to the newer smart phones that are being released. If we are to believe the initial results of the Czech news the leak, the screen has been upgraded from 320 x 480 all the way up to 640 x960 pixels.
Aside from that, there were no further details regarding the device’s specs and hardware features. Once again, the phone would not turn on so it was impossible to see the device in action. Several weeks ago, the iPhone 4G appeared in Vietnam. Some folks were able to take very nice shots of the device as well as show what it looks like from many angles.
After the big “left in a bar” news that ended with the raid in the home of Jason Chen, a writer for tech blog Gizmodo, many people have been wary about Apple’s prototypes. The Cupertino based company is known for being ferocious and diligent in protecting its technologies, and sending REACT agents to raid a house is hardly overreacting by the standards of Apple.
Still, it appears that there is certainly too much buzz for what might be a device that will not live up to the standard of the iPhone 3G. While the new handset will definitely be better, it does not look like it has been future proofed enough to last for a full two years in the industry.
15
Apr
2010
Sketch Nation Shooter for the iPhone brings Out the Game Artist in You
Good news to app freaks and iPhone gamers alike! Sketch Nation Shooter is now available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad. Yes, it is even on Facebook so nobody has to miss out on the zany action.
For those who remember Sketch Fighter, a game for the OS X, this midget version uses a similar concept. It allows users to design their own games by letting them draw all the level elements (meaning, the character design, enemies, level background, bullets, zombies, you name it) and integrates it into the game via a picture taken with the iPhone.
For iPod Touch faithful, an image may be imported from the device’s Photo Library. When the user is done transferring the images to the game app, they will now be able to use the user-friendly game editor in order to make their 2D creations live on the screen.
The level editor is comprehensive, giving the user total freedom to make customizations depending on the setting they have chosen. There is a “Simple” mode which gives casual users a self-explanatory editor to play around with and an “Advanced” mode which gives the more hardcore much more space to move and play around in.
This also gives people the advantage of being able to make games on the fly so they can share (and show off) their awesome creations to their friends.
The app also comes with default levels courtesy of its developers. The levels do not look like they are easy to replicate, but there are surely a number of talented individuals out there who want to try their hand at making something better.
With its uniqueness and the level of detail that went into its level editor, no wonder it is topping the charts. It is in second place as the most downloaded paid app in Poland and is at the sixth rank in Italy as well.
For more about this awesome app, head over to Gizmodo.
29
Mar
2010
Know What a Hutt wants to drink in the Upcoming Star Wars Cantina iPhone Game
Star Wars geeks and iPhone users have something to look forward to. THQ is putting their wireless Star Wars rights to good use by developing the next Star Wars app on the iPhone. After the announcement of the Lightsaber Duel app (you know, the one that lets you swing you iPhones at each other with realistic lightsaber sounds), this seems to be a good year for Star Wars nuts and app lovers alike.
The newest Star Wars iPhone app is dubbed as the “Star Wars Cantina” and players are tasked to keep the patrons happy on a cantina in Tatooine. This involves serving drinks to both popular and unpopular Star Wars characters. And yes, that includes your favourite race, the Hutt.
The official game description is as follows:
“Your task is to see that the right beverage finds its way to the right customer. And don’t keep them waiting. Some of the customers are real troublemakers! Working towards your daily quota, accuracy and speed are essential. As a reward for a job well done, [you can] outfit your cantina with decorations and attractions to appeal to even the most difficult customers.”
For the game play, think Diner Dash with a Star Wars vibe. You control the bartender Wuher and basically you have to keep your customer’s drinks filled and cater to everyone in the bar.
All in all it looks to be a promising app. The funky art style and bright colors make everyone seem to pop like a Facebook Playfish game.
Seriously though, the game screens are looking quite impressive at the moment. Aside from being a Star Wars fan, if you are the type to like managing virtual establishments, like say Restaurant City, give this app a try. Who knows, you may even see an in-game fight between Greedo and Han Solo.
See the screens at Gizmodo.
25
Feb
2010
Parental Power: Banning iPhone Apps
Are we really to take this kind of news seriously now?
Apparently, Apple caved in to the pressure from parents complaining about “inappropriate content” being hosted at the app store. So fans of the Wobble iBoobs app by Jon Atherton might want to hold on to their copies of the breast jiggling application since Apple has removed the app permanently.
Yes, according to reports, Steve Jobs fears the power of parents. In a surprising, and somewhat familiar move, Apple has removed thousands of applications from the online store due to objectionable content that many called “soft core” porn.
Ironically, the apps in question did not even contain nudity –simply women in skimpy clothing. While many would say that Apple does have the final say in terms of what happens to the app store, the purge was nothing short of a (pardon the language) retarded solution to a non-problem.
So what if Apple did not react to parents? It is not like parents all over the world would start abandoning their iPhones. It is not like they would cease buying applications. No, these parents would have to face the reality that at the end of the day, the responsibility of educating and helping their children grow is theirs alone.
This is not Apple’s responsibility. If anything, Apple has taken more than enough steps to ensure that children do not have access to the App store. All mobile stores will not accept minors. The mere fact that you need a credit card means that if a child has access the app store, then it is only through the enabling functions that the parent gave. Parents need to wisen up and mature, not only for themselves, but also for the sake of their children.
Read more at Times Online UK.
14
Dec
2009
Tesco Unveils Price For the iPhone
Mobile phone customers in the United Kingdom will start the coming week knowing they could now purchase the iPhone from one of the UK’s biggest stores, Tesco. It will be recalled that Tesco mobile has a 50-50 joint venture partnership with O2, and has now announced its planned iPhone deals.
According to the release, pay as you go users will pay £342 for the iPhone 3G 8GB phone and get £30 free credit as soon as they top up their phone with £15 in a month. For £20 a month, they get to buy it at £222 and at £60 monthly by two years they pay nothing to get it.
Though prices of the various packages can be found on the website, customers can still get all relevant details of prices they wish to as soon as the mobile phone becomes available with the company. The prices vary. The price for any of the Apple iPhone depends also on the package chosen by a user.
According to Cultofmac who commented on the offer from Tesco, “The headline they‘ll be using in adverts is that this iPhone is available for as little as Twenty Pounds per month. Whether you go for a contract or decide to pay-as-you-go, this gets you Sixty Pounds worth of calls and SMS messages (assuming PAYG customers top up at least Twenty Pounds per month, which qualifies them for extras – and obviously encourages them to switch to a contract). Also consider that the free credit is applied once a month and only last one month, then automatically expires.”
On the economic side of the prices released, the company seems to have taken into consideration the various classes of consumers and their financial ability. From the low income earner to the high income earner, the offer gives them the opportunity to choose what suits their needs and pockets.
2
Dec
2009
iPhone Conquers Korea
It came, it saw, it conquered; that is what can be said about appearance of the iPhone in Korean market. Warm reception that the device from Apple has received in the country has already heightened the heart of the manufacturers. Considerably large number of customers are lining up for buying the handset from KT, the Apple device exclusive carrier.
Multiple reasons contribute to adoption of Apple device in the Korean market. Most prominent among them is the low price offered. A simple comparison with the prices of other mobile phones available in the market can clarify the position quite aptly. For instance the prices of 32 GB iPhone in 3GS model come at $317 if one signs up for a two years contract with KT. The monthly plan costs a person $38 per month. Devices obtained from other vendors are even more expensive in nature.
Even this one attribute alone has contributed quite significantly in enhancing demands for the apple iPhones all over the world. Reportedly KT has already bagged nearly 60,000 orders on Apple iPhones alone. It might even inspire competing companies like LG Electronics and Samsung to go for a price cut on the sale of smart phones they are currently selling in Korea.
That is why the experts and economists foresee a price war commenced by the iPhones in the mobile phone markets in Korea. Such predictions are likely to come up true as it seems from the current high demands for the device. Experts like Dan Butterfield of iPhonAsia; ‘the country consists of a group of highly sophisticated consumers that are eager to enjoy the advantages provided by superior user interface as well as applications provided by iPhone.
In fact these unique attributes have opened up the avenue for Apple to showcase their iPhone specific efficiency and capabilities for public viewing.
16
Jun
2009
Apple iphone 3G S. Faster than fast
After lots of speculation (and some really silly guesses) we can now reveal that the ‘S’ in the new Apple iPhone 3G S stands for Speed. And seeing as how Apple are telling us that everything is now running at least 2.1 times faster (twice as fast just wasn’t good enough, obviously) we can understand why. The 600mhz processor and 256 RAM might not sound all that impressive (with some mobile phones already boasting processor’s of up to 1GB), but Apple has always managed to produce computers that far outperform what the numbers suggest, and the Apple iPhone 3G S does just that.
Applications launch in an instant, web pages render rapidly, email attachments can be downloaded and viewed in a flash. And there’s even been some whispers that the new 3D graphics chip can deliver a gaming experience to beat the PSP’s. Other features include:
- 3-megapixel autofocus camera (with a cool focus tap feature)
- Video recording (and on-screen editing)
- Voice Control
- Digital compass
- Cut, Copy & Paste
- Voice Memos
- MMS
- Spotlight Search
- Landscape keyboard
A few people might be disappointed to learn that there’s been no change in the physical design of the Apple iPhone 3G S. You can choose between white and black (as well as between 16GB and 32GB) but that’s it. Some thought it might get smaller, others were hoping for a matte rather than gloss finish, but the only change is invisible: an oleophobic coating has been added to the screen. This sounds a little scary but all it means is the screen will be more sticky-fingerprint resistant than ever before. Still doesn’t mean we’ll ever let a kid get a hold of ours though. There’s an Iphone 3G S review here. And if you think you can stand the smug presenter, check out this video that shows off some of those features. Just look at those in-game graphics!
Loading ...