Tag Archives | iPhone

Booyah Society Treats Life Like a Game, Sort Of

Posted by Jared Newman on July 28, 2009 at 6:59 pm

booyahlogoIn the same way that Booyah Society is rooting for me, I’m really hoping the new iPhone app can do better than it has.

It’s an idea with a lot of promise, which is why I was excited to meet with one of the creators, Keith Lee, for lunch last week. The “social game,” as he bills it, offers “achievements” — like the accolades you get within Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 games — but for real-life accomplishments.

In other words, instead of getting a symbolic pat on the back for becoming a Level 40 Sword Master or scoring five headshots in 10 seconds, you’re congratulated for going to the gym or eating organic food. Or so it goes in theory.

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Comcast’s iPhone App Somewhat Comcastic

Posted by Ed Oswald on July 16, 2009 at 1:56 pm

ComcastCable provider Comcast has joined the legions of service providers and companies creating their own iPhone apps to interface with their services and offerings. It would be most useful to those with the so called “triple play” package: cable, Internet, and phone service.

The main functionality of this application splits into three parts. The first is an email application that will allow the user to check his or her email. But it functions more than just an email inbox. The users phone voicemail also uses this setup, although you can either select to view those in a different tab or mixed in with your regular mail.

I’m sure most of us will opt for the separate tab: with the amount of junk mail these days, your voicemails will likely just get lost in the mix. Nice feature here is Comcast’s use of iPhone 3.0 functionality — meaning you’ll be able to type in landscape mode just like you could do in the standard Mail app.

More than just voicemail — users will be able to view their received/missed calls from the application. If you so choose, you may click on the number to call or text the caller back from the iPhone.

If you have a Comcast Address Book, you will be able to sync the data there with the standard iPhone Address Book. This is a nice feature — and could be useful to those who may not have MobileMe but would still like that syncing functionality nevertheless.

Other functions include a Guide app, which will tell you what’s on television right now, and an “On Demand” feature which allows you to watch movie trailers of upcoming programming on the service.

However, what’s missing here, and what makes the app less than fantastic — err, Comcastic rather — is the lack of DVR control. PC Magazine’s Sean Ludwig points this out and i tend to agree. If it had this, I’d consider it one of the iPhone’s killer apps.

Alas, there may be some kind of technical hurdles to getting this done, but I think it definitely should be a priority in a future release.

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Porn Still Available on the iPhone

Posted by Ed Oswald on July 3, 2009 at 11:30 am

logoAfter Apple removed “The Hottest Girls” application from the App Store, you may have thought that porn was gone from the iPhone. Think again: a company called iPorn pointed out today that it’s still in business.

These are the same folks that trotted a horse-drawn carriage in front of the Moscone Center during WWDC, complete with five scantily-clad women to advertise their product. You can bet that Apple was likely none too happy about that.

iPorn is able to stay afloat amid Apple’s likely opposition because it is a web application, which the company does not regulate. It’s one of the pitfalls of the Web Application structure — while it may have allowed Apple to give developers an “in” to the iPhone, it also made it possible for just about anybody to create an app.

It’s apparently a hit — iPorn claims some 45,000 registered users. Social networking tools are available, as well as your typical porn site offerings. So in essence, its everything “The Hottest Girls” was, and more.

The fact that applications like iPorn exist bring into question the possible need for more regulation of these Web Applications. Do these services act much in the same that regular ones do, so that parents can block stuff like this out? Faking your age to gain access to adult websites is pretty easy.

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Hey Apple, Pick an iPhone Game Controller

Posted by Jared Newman on June 24, 2009 at 1:40 pm

GameBoneProBannerAccelerometers and a touch screen have their place in iPhone games, but when a classic like Mega Man 2 has its gameplay drastically altered to accommodate for dodgy controls, there has to be another way.

A couple of companies have created pad-and-button controllers for the iPhone. Most recently, 22Moo introduced the GameBone Pro in hopes of getting worldwide distribution. The controller uses the iPhone 3.0 OS’s new Bluetooth capabilities to connect wirelessly (a 30-pin dock connector also works). 22Moo also said it’s making a clip-on accessory for holding the smartphone and controller together.

GameBone isn’t the only controller concept out there. The iControl Pad, which has a Web site but not a commercially available product, snaps to the iPhone to allow PSP-style controls on either side.

I like these ideas, but their success rests squarely on support from Apple. Without it, game developers won’t program for the controls and players can’t be sure that enough games use the controllers. The GameBone’s official Web site touts “Made for iPod” and “Works for iPhone” certification, but the fine print clarifies that Apple approval is pending.

Apple may not want to approve iPhone game controllers for several reasons. Ars Technica once argued that button controls are a “regression into an old way of thinking,” and Apple may not want any part of that. Along the same line, button controls could encourage more people to seek old console emulators, which aren’t available without jailbreaking.

Still, there’s a level of precision buttons provide, and games like Doom would be better off with the added tactile feedback. If Apple wants to step up the iPhone’s presence as a game machine, it’ll allow for games of all kinds, not just those that require multi-touch and wrist-twisting.

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Is the iPhone Accident Prone? Survey Says: Not Much!

Posted by David Worthington on June 23, 2009 at 8:23 pm

Falling iPhoneA TechCrunch article citing research by SquareTrade, a company that sells insurance plans for smartphones, says that Apple’s iPhone is “an accident magnet.” I wouldn’t have drawn that same conclusion.

SquareTrade’s report, “One-Third of iPhones Fail Over 2 Years, Mostly From Accidents,” should be viewed with skepticism. For starters, while SquareTrade used  a sample of many thousand smartphones covered by its warranty products, it didn’t cleanse its data (for instance by removing unlocked phones), and performed no statistical tests. Rightfully, the report includes the disclaimer:

SquareTrade has made efforts to ensure that the data we present is correct. SquareTrade makes no warranty, express or implied, about the accuracy of the data. SquareTrade is an independent third party, and has no affiliation with any of the handset manufacturers cited in this study. Users of the information in this document acknowledge that SquareTrade cannot be he liable for any damages whatsoever to any individual, organization, company, industry group or representative arising from the use of this data.

TechCrunch seized on the report’s findings that over 20% of iPhones have been damaged in the last 22 months, with cracked screens being the leading cause of damage. But the SquareTrade report doesn’t report on damage rates for other phone models, so it’s impossible to judge whether iPhones are any more likely to crack (or croak altogether) than other brands. Phones, after all, are more likely to get dropped than desktop PCs, HDTVs, or printers–no matter who manufactured them.

The study does say that iPhones are “significantly more reliable” than phones manufactured by Palm and RIM (9.9% of iPhones cited in the survey malfunctioned, versus 15.3% of BlackBerry and 19.9% of Treo phones). And it says that the iPhone 3G is a more reliable handset than the original iPhone.

My statistics are a bit rusty, but a common test called a T-test would have shown whether there was any significance difference between the iPhone’s likelihood of being damaged versus its competitors. The same goes for its supposedly higher manufacturing quality. Bottom line: It’s worth thinking twice before drawing conclusions about the iPhone from a single survey or news report. Colorful graphs always don’t tell us much.

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Microsoft Subsidizes iPhone 3G S

Posted by David Worthington on June 19, 2009 at 6:28 pm

File this one under “irony”‘ Microsoft’s is providing an incentive to purchase Apple’s iPhone though its Bing marketing campaign. In an attempt to entice users to try its Bing search engine, the company is offering 35% discount for AT&T’s online store, which sells iPhones.

When Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that Apple’s iPhone had “no chance” of gaining significant market share, no one would have expected that Microsoft would lend a hand one day.

The discount is valid for both existing and new customers. However, it is not immediately deducted from the purchase price for AT&T customers. Happy shopping. Could I also interest you in some Bing merchandise?

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Mama Apple, Please Don’t Take My iPhone Away

Posted by Ed Oswald on June 18, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Apple iPhone 3G SAT&T is trying to make the case for exclusive deals for phones, saying they “stimulate” innovation. Yes, you heard that right: by sticking it to the consumer and forcing them to a certain carrier, we’re enjoying innovative products. I’m not exactly following this, and neither is Capitol Hill either.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on Thursday in which AT&T made this exact case in front of bewildered Senators. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was one of them, saying that why he understood the economic benefits, he wasn’t seeing a benefit otherwise.

Kerry said that he failed to see why a manufacturer would develop innovative products for a single outlet rather than build it for the biggest market possible, to paraphrase his statements.

AT&T retail sales chief Paul Roth responded that often, carriers and manufacturers will work together closely in order to bring phones to the market. However, it’s pretty likely given the way Apple operates that this wasn’t the case with the iPhone.

Opposition just wasn’t a Democratic thing — even Republican senators like Mississippi’s Roger Wicker expressed displeasure, saying the deal could harm rural residents right to choice.

In addition the AT&T/iPhone deal opened a new chapter in the debate over exclusivity contracts. Rather than the typical several-month period, the iPhone deal gave AT&T several years. This concerns regional carriers most as they typically can not compete for these exclusivity deals.

It’s high time the government got involved in this debate. There really is no benefit to allowing carriers to shut out others when offering mobile devices. Yes, I understand the iPhone does require some network changes in order for it to work to its fullest extent, however to me consumer choice trumps all others.

A lot of folks on AT&T right now sure as heck wouldn’t be there if the carrier didn’t have a stranglehold on the device here in the US. Count me as one of them — I’d rather be back with T-Mobile.

(Hat tip: PC World)

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Random Idea: Bring Back Shareware for iPhone Doom

Posted by Jared Newman on June 11, 2009 at 4:34 pm

doomguySix years ago, an article in Wired held popular gadgets to a gold gaming standard: Can it run Doom? The article left open the question of when Apple’s iPod would achieve this technological feat.

That day is coming next week, when Doom: Resurrection goes on sale for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Using many of the same textures and sprites as Doom 3 for the PC, the handheld game will lead a wave of 3D titles designed for either the iPhone’s 3.0 operating system or the new, more powerful 3G S model.

The only problem is, Doom: Resurrection isn’t your typical 5-minute time-waster that usually flies through the App Store. It’s a five-hour game that took a lot of effort to build. John Carmack and Escalation Studios haven’t announced a price, but given that a remake of Wolfenstein 3D costs $5, I’m guessing — wildly, I’ll admit — that the new Doom won’t cost any less than $10. If I’m right, is Doom’s star power enough to justify the premium?

Practically, it’s too late for this, but maybe now’s an opportune time to bring back gaming shareware. I’m talking about a substantial chunk of the game, not a one-level demo. Instead of swapping discs in the old tradition, players could spread word of the game virally by messaging the download link to their friends. What gamer worth his or her salt wouldn’t download free Doom?

Once a critical mass is established, surely some of the players will spring for the full-featured game, which would include (in my mind) new weapons, more episodes and online multiplayer. With OS 3.0’s capabilities for downloading new content from within the game, it’s certainly possible. As more iPhone developers push the hardware, they’ll need more than a few screenshots, a price tag or even a brief demo to sell their product.

In the 1990s, shareware was a great tool for bedroom computer game programmers who had no other way to market their work to the masses. With the iPhone and iPod Touch, we’re seeing a resurgence of these small-time developers, looking to strike gold in an increasingly crowded playing field. If there was ever a time to bring back gaming shareware, this is it.

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AT&T’s Network Problems Aren’t Just in Big Cities Anymore

Posted by Ed Oswald on June 9, 2009 at 2:10 pm

AT&T FrownyThe AT&T hate is strong these days, especially following the carrier’s inability to deliver two of the most highly anticipated features to the single largest iPhone market in the world. But now even I am beginning to hate AT&T, and I still unfortunately have 16 more months to deal with these folks.

I’ve been hearing a lot of reports from people about network quality issues. I never experienced them, and I guessed it had something to do with the fact that I live in a relatively small market.

That’s no longer the case. In the past few weeks, I am noticing increasingly degraded service. I watch as my phone signal flails around, losing data connectivity or becomes so sluggish its unusable. Call drops have also become increasingly numerous — before late May I may have dropped one or two calls in six months.

I’m also having problems where people are calling me and the calls are going directly to voicemail, even if I have service. The only way I know somebody was trying to reach me is a seemingly phantom voicemail notification.

So my question for our rural readers: are you seeing these problems creep into your neighborhoods? I’m quite curious.

AT&T is apparently being brought to its knees by the iPhone, and can’t keep up. It is also becoming the single strongest argument to end the company’s exclusive grip on the device. Problems like this are not the Apple way.

Looking across the Web, its becoming clear that consumers ire for AT&T is now being transferred to Apple. While this may not necessarily be fair, it was bound to happen. It is now the company’s responsibility to demand results from the carrier or move on.

I am actually hoping that T-Mobile makes a move to get the device. Personally, I think that carrier would have been a better fit for Apple if it would have had a decent network: AT&T was more a marriage of convenience and necessity.

Apple, please listen. It’s time to move on.

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Apple Patenting Media Sharing During Phone Calls

Posted by Ed Oswald on June 4, 2009 at 10:20 am

Apple is looking into ways to allow iPhone users to share media during calls, according to a patent filing uncovered by entusiast site AppleInsider. The patent is titled “Methods and systems for mixing media with communications” and says that while media is portable, it still is not easily shared remotely.

Essentially, what the technology would add is an “Add Media” button which would allow the user to share media with another iPhone user on the other end of the line. Users would be able to share music files, video, images, voicemails, and podcasts under this system.

After the media is shared, the sharer has full control over its playback, and can even move to a different media type altogether if they so desire.

What may be interesting to some is the repeated references in the filing to video conferencing on the iPhone. This seems to indicate that future iPhone models will indeed include a forward-facing video camera, if Apple is actually serious about bringing this functionality to the device.

Media sharing is definitely an interesting concept. However, I question how the entertainment industry would feel about this. As prickly as they are, I’d venture to guess they would have some problem with it.

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