iPhone Apps

This selection of iPhone applications will help you get the most out of your iPhone-motoring partnership. From starting your car's engine with a touch of the screen to measuring the speed of your vehicle, these applications will make your iPhone a valued motoring accessory.

The top five car applications on your iPhone:

Dynolicious
If you've ever wanted to see how fast your car can accelerate or to measure if your vehicle has more horse power than your mate's, Dynolicious can provide you with the tools to record and measure your car's performance metrics. Using the iPhone's accelerometer the application can record and track your vehicle's 0-60 acceleration, lateral G's and horsepower. Dynolicious costs $12.99 in the US App store.

Viper SmartStart
This newly released application allows you to remotely start your engine, set and disable your car's alarm, open the boot, and lock and unlock your car with a press of a button on your iPhone from anywhere in the US. The Viper SmartStart application requires you to have a Viper SmartStart system installed in your car (prices range from $300 to $500 including installation) as well as a yearly $29.99 service plan. Viper SmartStart is free in the US App store.

Trapster
Trapster is a location-based radar program that alerts you to the location of police, radars and red light cameras. The application provides you with (almost) real-time updates about hazards on the road and reminds you to slow down so you can avoid having to pay expensive speeding tickets. Live police positions and mobile radar locations are submitted by other users. Trapster is free in the US App store.

iGasUp
iGasUp helps you find the cheapest petrol, gas or diesel available in your area. The application provides users with the names of the 10 cheapest stations (and their current fuel prices) within their area or alternatively can list ten petrol stations located in the nearest vicinity. Once a station has been chosen, the application provides directions to the location using Google Maps. iGasUp is priced at $2.99 in the US app store.

Carticipate
While the community of users is still small, Carticipate could one day become a very helpful, eco-friendly and cost saving application for those wanting to share their car travelling costs and cut down the environmental impact of driving. The application lets both drivers and passengers organise and plan their shared car travel - from short, every day journeys to long road trips across country. Carticipate is free in the US app store.

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LOS ANGELES--Adobe Systems' announcement of tools to create applications for the Apple iPhone comes with some restrictions.

Adobe announced on Monday at Adobe MAX, the company's worldwide developer conference, that its Flash Professional CS5 developer tool will enable developers to create interactive applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. A public beta of Flash Professional CS5 is expected to be available later this year.

In an interview at the conference Monday, Anup Murarka, director of technology strategy and partner development in Adobe's platform development unit, spelled out some of the limitations of creating Adobe Flash-style apps for the iPhone. These limitations exist because the Adobe Flash player is not supported on the iPhone.

Murarka clarified that Monday's announcement was not a joint announcement with Apple. "This is an Adobe announcement. This is just something that's related to our tools and what they output, which is a native iPhone app," he said.

"So, we're not running Flash directly on the device. We're actually allowing our tools to output for native iPhone apps," Murarka explained.

He then described some limitations. "Let's take it from the developer's point of view. They have a very rich environment and language. That's in Flash today," he said. "You're not going to get all of the Flash feature set that would normally be there in the run-time."

Murarka continued: "For example, high-quality video, H.264, is not available with this product because Apple does not make available the decoders. They make you use their own UI (user interface) to play back high-quality video." Apple describes the H.264 video codec as delivering "stunning quality at...low data rates."

He also cited synchronization. "Being able to do synchronization between data and video. Those can be built as Flash applications. In sporting events (for example) using flash for data overlay. Those types of things are not going to possible because we don't have access to the APIs (Application Programming Intefaces) that would give us the video decode along with all of the individual frames so we can do synchronization," he said.

And he spoke about graphics effects. "Some of the filter effects. Some of the capabilities that as a programmer you would easily do within Flash are not available as they are not natural APIs that iPhone platform makes available to us."

Murarka concluded by saying that Adobe continues to work with Apple towards getting Flash on the iPhone. "We're not there as quickly as we would like. We're not able to put Flash in the browser. We're not able to put a Flash run-time on the device directly. But this is a good step," he said.

SOURCE : news.CNET.com

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I wonder if this is true? What do you think?

As many of you will be aware, Apple is hosting a music themed event in San Francisco on September 9th. The tagline on the invitations reads “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it,” which certainly suggests music will play an important role in the keynote. While there are certainly rumors surrounding an update to the iPod line, there are also many other rumors that have been circulating the Internet, so here’s a round-up of all the possibilities we could see from Apple tomorrow.

iTunes 9

The last major update to iTunes included the App Store, along with updates to iTunes DJ. This upcoming event is rumored to see the release of iTunes 9 which could include the option to incorporate your library and listening styles with your favorite social networks, such as Facebook and Last.FM.
A screenshot of what could be iTunes 9 featuring social network integration

A long-awaited feature from many customers has been to have the ability to re-organize your iPhone/iPod touch applications from within iTunes, which would then synchronize across to your device. According to the Boy Genius Report, this could also be making an appearance in iTunes 9, something I personally am certainly looking forward to.

It doesn’t stop there, however. The third major update that could feature in iTunes 9 is support for Blu-ray movies. This was rumored for the previous upgrade to iTunes, but with HD DVD out of the race, it’s more possible that Apple hase decided to jump on the band-wagon with Blu-ray support.

iTunes 9 could also see an iTunes Unlimited service come to life. Similar to what’s available with the Microsoft Zune, customers would have full access to the entire iTunes Store, with the option to buy the tracks to keep, if you’d prefer. A similar service to this has been launched in the UK, called Spotify, and has been incredibly successful.

iPod and Nike+ Refreshes

Previous to the iPod shuffle, the last iPod to receive an update was the iPod nano—a year ago on September 9th 2008. Sources believe that the iPod nano could see a slight update in its design, making it more convenient to hold and use, especially during sporting activities. It is also expected that Apple will add a camera to both the iPod nano and iPod touch, making them more useful and more media-based rather than simply music players. Apple Premium Resellers are reporting they are not replenishing their stock of the iPod nano, iPod touch or iPod classic, which leads to believe that updates will be appearing for all three models.

This could also include a refresh for Nike+ to include support for the iPod range, and also the iPhone 3G and 3GS. With the iPhone’s GPS capabilities, the Nike+ software could provide a lot more information that could synchronize back to your computer for you to review.

Apple iTablet

While rumors have been coming in about this for quite some time, it’s quite unlikely we’ll see such a device on Wednesday. If only because of the music theme for the event. It’s also plausible such a device would warrant its own event, possibly closer to the Christmas holiday season, if not in February 2010 at another event. It would be great for an iTablet, or iPad to be unveiled tomorrow, but, as I said, we’re clutching at straws for that one. It’s unknown at this point whether such a device would use a modified version of the iPhone OS or of Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Findings within the accessibility settings within Snow Leopard that reveal full-size keyboards lead us to believe Snow Leopard could be the basis for a tablet device upon its launch.

Apple TV

We mentioned this last week on Appletell that an Apple TV update could be the “outsider” of the event. Wall Street analyst Gene Munster believes Apple could be phasing out the smaller 40GB model to leave space for an update to the device. If an iTunes Unlimited option also included TV shows and movies, the Apple TV could become quite popular. Even if you were required to pay a monthly subscription to access the iTunes store via the Apple TV, it would still be a hit. It’s certainly an outsider at this point, but there’s always hope for the “One More Thing…” section of the media press conference on September 9th.

Tomorrow, all will be revealed

So there you have it; the most likely (and not so likely) updates that could be emerging from Apple HQ tomorrow. Is there anything in particular you’ve been waiting to see, or something else you wish would get a little love from Apple this September? Personally, I feel we’ll see a refresh for the iPod classic, iPod nano and iPod touch, along with iTunes 9. An update for Nike+ could also be likely, while I feel an Apple Tablet and a new Apple TV are less likely to appear at this particular event. Feeling the same? Let us know below in the comments.

SOURCE : APPLE'S SEPT 9 EVENT

Google announces from its Official Google Blog that they will be releasing an Adsense for Mobile Applications so that developers may earn revenue by displaying text and image ads in their iPhone and Android applications.

Here's the article from GoogleBlog.

You don't have to be a mobile expert to see how smartphones are revolutionizing our daily lives. Lower prices, faster network speeds and unlimited data plans mean that people often reach for their cell phone rather than their computer when they are seeking information. As a result, mobile applications have become more and more popular, helping people find music, make restaurant reservations or check bank balances — all on their phone.

We want to contribute to the growth of these mobile applications, which is why we're happy to announce our beta launch of AdSense for Mobile Applications. After all, advertisers are looking for ways to reach potential customers when they are engaged with mobile content, and application developers are looking for ways to show the best ads to their users. We have already had a successful trial of this service with a small number of partners, and are excited that we can now offer this solution to a broader group.

AdSense for Mobile Applications allows developers to earn revenue by displaying text and image ads in their iPhone and Android applications. For our beta launch, we've created a site where developers can learn more about the AdSense for Mobile Applications program, see answers to frequently asked questions and sign up to participate in our beta. Advertisers can also learn about the benefits of advertising in mobile applications.

We're excited to open up this beta to more developers, and look forward to offering new features for our mobile advertisers and publishers in upcoming releases. We also want to say a big thank you to the partners who worked with us on the trial stages of this project including Backgrounds, Sega, Shazam, Urbanspoon and more.

Check out this short video of Howard Steinberg, Director of Business Development at Urbanspoon, discussing his experience with AdSense for Mobile Applications.

Advertising lets Google and others supply lots of free services to users. Will it be as successful embedded in apps as it is in the browser? Developers, are you interested in Google AdSense monetizing your apps? Users, would you put up with Google advertising if it meant cheap or free apps?

Feel free to post a comment.

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Apple today announced that iPhone and iPod touch users have downloaded over 1.5 billion applications in the App Store's first year of operation. There are currently over 65,000 applications available in the store.

Apple today announced that customers have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications in just one year from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. The App Store is also growing at an incredible pace with more than 65,000 apps and more than 100,000 developers in the iPhone Developer Program.

"The App Store is like nothing the industry has ever seen before in both scale and quality," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "With 1.5 billion apps downloaded, it is going to be very hard for others to catch up."
Apple also notes that it has sold over 40 million iPhones and iPod touches capable of running App Store applications.

The App Store surpassed one billion downloads less than three months ago. Today's announcement suggests that the 500 million downloads since that time occurred two weeks faster than the previous 500 million, demonstrating continued acceleration in the download rate.

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If there was any doubt that that the video recording and upload capabilities of Apple’s new iPhone 3GS would signal a new chapter in mobile video sharing, the first statistics quantifying its impact are in, and they’re impressive.

Google said Thursday that in the first five days since the new Apple handset hit the market, its YouTube video sharing website saw a 400% increase in the number of video uploads coming from mobile handsets. This compares to 1700% percent growth in YouTube uploads in general over the past six months.

The iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone to support video capture and allows users to easily trim and then upload their recordings to YouTube or Apple’s MobileMe video sharing websites. Uploads are supported over both WiFi and 3G wireless connections.

Although the fourfold increase in mobile uploads to YouTube may stem early adopters familiarizing themselves with their new handsets, the iPhone 3GS remains in its infancy, having sold roughly a million units in its first week.

Source

iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update

This update contains over 100 new features, including the following:

• Cut, Copy & Paste with shake to undo
• Landscape keyboard in key applications
• Enhanced Messages application
- Send and receive photos, contacts, audio files, and location via MMS*
- Forward and delete single or multiple messages
• Added search feature in Mail, Calendar, Notes and iPod
• Spotlight search across iPhone
• Support for CalDAV and subscriptions in Calendar
• Improvements to Safari
- Performance
- HTML 5 support
- HTTP Streaming audio and video
- Auto-fill usernames and passwords
• New Voice Memos application
• Sync Notes with a Mac or PC via iTunes
• Internet Tethering over USB and Bluetooth*
• Browse and download movies, TV shows, and audiobooks from the iTunes Store**
• Stereo Bluetooth***
• Wi-Fi auto login
• Enhanced Stocks application
• More Parental Control options for Apps, Music, Movies and TV Shows
• iTunes account creation and login**
• YouTube account login and access to subscriptions, ratings and favorites**
• Shake to shuffle
• New languages, dictionaries, and keyboards
• Find my iPhone and Remote Wipe via MobileMe (subscription required)**
• Support for more Exchange policies
• Create and send Exchange meeting invitations
• Search mail on server (Exchange Server 2007 and supported IMAP servers)
• Search LDAP company directory
• VPN on demand and VPN proxy support
• Encrypted configuration profiles
• Encrypted iTunes backups
• 1,000 new developer APIs, including:
- In App Purchases
- Apple Push Notification Service
- Accessories support
- Peer to Peer Connectivity
- Embedded Maps
- iPod Library Access
• Bug fixes

Products compatible with this software update:
• iPhone
• iPhone 3G
• iPhone 3G S

* Compatible only with iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S and requires support from your wireless provider.
** Not available in all regions or in all languages.
*** Compatible only with iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S.

Apple’s new iPhone 3G S will go on sale June 19.

The new iPhone comes in 16GB and 32GB versions and will set you back $199 and $299, respectively. You can check whether you qualify for the upgrade here. However, Apple’s Web site seems to be buckling under the stress at the moment.

Here’s a rundown of the major hardware changes:

Speed

The iPhone 3G S comes with a bevy of new features including a speed boost of up to 2X on everything from viewing email attachments to launching applications. Probably the biggest improvement you, the end user, will notice is how fast Web pages load.

The new iPhone hardware builds upon a massive increase in javascript performance in the new software of iPhone OS 3.0. Combined, the two advancements should make the web even more accessible than it was before. If you upgrade from an original iPhone, the improvement should be even more astonishing.

It also allows for the 7.2 Mbps HSDPA standard, which means even faster 3G is supported. The iPhone 3G S should also allow for better 3D gaming as it includes hardware support for the OpenGL|ES standard.

Video and Camera

Phone 3G S shoots 30 frames per second VGA video with a 3 megapixel camera that allows you to tap anywhere on the screen to focus on a particular object. You can even scrub through the video and trim to just the parts you want and then share the video on YouTube or MobileMe.

People have been asking for this feature since day one. Now you can have it, no jailbreaking required.

Personally, I expect the ability to trim videos to revolutionize the quality and ubiquity of cell phone videos. Nobody wants to share a 4 minute video on the web when the last 20 seconds are the only bit worth watching.

Also, the new camera features autofocus and auto white balance while also allowing you to macro focus up to just centimeters away from an object. This means apps can really make use of text and photo recognition software. Expect these types of apps to really start to take off with the new hardware too.

Voice Control

While other phones have been voice dialing for years, iPhone has been sorely lacking. There have been apps which have tried to fill this gap, like Google’s Mobile App, but Voice Control looks to be the official answer.

You can activate Voice Control by holding the home button and then dial anyone in your address book. You can also play a song from your iPod too by saying, for example, “play songs by Queen” or “play playlist Top Rated.” You can even activate the Genius feature by saying “play more songs like this.”

Compass

A built-in magnetometer, or compass, had long been rumored to be in the works for the new iPhone. While iPhone 3G’s GPS is good, a compass adds one very important piece of information to users - direction. The built in map app, for example, will reorient according to the direction you’re currently pointing.

This should make navigation just a little bit easier.

Battery

The battery in the iPhone 3G S lasts somewhat longer. While talk time 3G is about the same (5 hours), if you chat on 2G your talk time improves from 10 to 12 hours. Using the Internet on 3G is about the same too (5 hours), while surfing the Internet on Wi-Fi improves from 6 hours to 9 hours. Video and audio playback will also see improvements - video playback goes from 7 to 10 hours and audio goes from 24 to 30.

Nothing amazing here but certainly some decent improvements.

Anti-Grease Support

Your fingerprints should have a harder time making the iPhone ugly thanks to a special coating on the exterior of the device. Now you can be greasier than ever. Oh happy day!
Nike + iPod

The iPhone 3G S also includes support for the Nike + iPod sensor. So if you buy a Nike shoe plus the sensor, it will communicate directly with your iPhone and provide you tons of information about your workout.

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For specification comparison between iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G click on this link.

If you are tired of being harassed on the phone by telemarketers and stalkers, iPrivus is offering a reverse call lookup application for the iPhone that delivers names and numbers for local and international callers.

Unfortunately, Apple's restrictions on background processes means that users will have to manually enter the numbers—but iPrivus does claim high accuracy due to a "unique database that is connected to every major carrier in the United States." Accurate or not, the real problem here is that a 12-month subscription is going to cost you $45. Yeah, I think I'll keep my money, continue to screen my calls and follow a few simple rules for avoiding telemarketers instead.

Dallas – May 18, 2009 – Privus Mobile, America's most popular Mobile Caller ID provider, has taken its innovative cellular technology and created an application for America's most popular phone, the Apple® iPhone™. iPrivus is the fastest, easiest and most accurate reverse caller lookup application on the market. The easy-to-use iPhone solution, now available at the App Store, enables users to input any complete phone number and quickly receive the person's or company's name registered to the number. After receiving a call from a number not in your contact list, iPrivus helps identify who just called, empowering users to make better decisions about handling missed calls from numbers not recognized.

Additionally, iPrivus can be used to identify unknown calls on your home or business landline phones as well as numbers received via text message that carrier Caller ID services do not identify. iPrivus can lookup any telephone number – even some international numbers with their appropriate country codes – that you choose to put into your iPhone.

"Whether you screen calls on your iPhone or just ignore them, that same question pops up every time you see a number without a name," said Privus Mobile President Greg Smith. "How many times have you stared at a telephone number and asked yourself, ‘whose number is this?' iPhone users now have an answer to that question. We've taken our innovative Mobile Caller ID technology and created iPrivus – a helpful iPhone App for anyone who's ever received a phone call and wondered who it could be. Whether it's calling an old friend back, ignoring an old flame or choosing to block a telemarketer, iPrivus lets you decide what to do with the numbers you don't initially recognize."

Similar to Privus Mobile's original Mobile Caller ID service for cell phones, iPrivus customers can purchase a year's subscription at the App Store. In addition to the iPhone, iPrivus also works on a Wi-Fi-connected iPod touch. source