Apps

Adobe today released a new iOS app dubbed CreatePDF that does right what the name suggest. Using CreatePDF, one can create PDF documents from scratch, right on their iOS device, down to images, links, formatting, footnotes, drawings and more. Adobe touts “the same high-quality PDF creation as Adobe Acrobat” and you can pretty much create any PDF document you could think of as the app works in tandem with the cloud to ensure quality PDF conversion.

Upon installing, CreatePDF registers as a default app to open Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, Adobe Illustrator drawings, Photoshop images and InDesign files, in addition to Open Office and StarOffice documents and JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF and TIFF images. This lets you send the aforementioned mail attachments or documents from other apps to CreatePDF using the “Open In…” feature of iOS. CreatePDF is a universal binary that costs ten bucks over at the App Store. More screenies and full features list after the break.

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er26FrPCuOc]

Sometimes we forget how much fun Cydia apps are.  This kid does a pretty good 15 minute demo of what’s happening in the Cydia world right now.
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As pointed out by The Next Web Apple has begun to role out a new redesign for category home pages in the App Store. The redesign follows suit with the home page of the App Store, displaying a large horizontal banner which runs through the category’s featured apps. As of now, the redesign is only appearing in the Education and Games sections.

Besides the banner, Apple has removed the section that displayed all of the category’s apps, and has replaced it with the “Staff Favorites” section. Now, the three sections for each category are: ”What’s Hot”, “New and Noteworthy”, and “Staff Favorites”.

The iPad is also seeing these updates — again for only the Education and Games section. The iPad’s “What’s Hot” section is now replaced by “Staff Favorites,” and the banner is displayed. This is most likely on its way to rolling out through the whole App Store.

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Several new enhancements have surfaced in the latest developer version of Google’s Chrome browser. As previously announced, the software now respects Apple’s multitouch gesturing philosophy in OS X Lion. This means you can flick your finger left or right on your Magic Mouse (or two fingers on a trackpad) to advance and go back in your history. Unfortunately, the browser won’t yet let you double-tap or pinch to smoothly zoom in and out of web pages iPhone-style, like Safari on Lion. Another nice-to-have: You can now rest assured that accidentally hitting the Command + Q combo won’t quit Chrome because a subtle overlay appears telling you to hold down the combo briefly in order to quit (see the above screenshot), which has been around for awhile since past builds. In addition…

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EdUKSwQcsg]

T-Mobile dissing the iPhone it will soon carry and the company that will soon buy it?

After yesterday’s Sprint story, MacTrast chimes in that the soon to be acquired by AT&T network will carry the iPhone 5 as well.

The informant, who requested to remain anonymous, went on to claim that the iPhone 5 would also operate at 3G speeds on T-Mobile US network. Current unlocked iPhone 4 units can only operate at at 2G “edge” speeds on T-Mobile’s network, and lack certain network-dependent features, such as Visual Voicemail.

That’s somewhat strange as the chips inside the Verizon iPhone and what are thought to be in the upcoming iPhone 5 support T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 14Mb ‘4G’ service (as well as AT&T’s ‘4G’).

We reported earlier this year that T-Mobile already had over a million iPhones running on its US network.

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Apple sent out an email to devs earlier today announcing a new tool available via developer.apple.com that will allow you to “retrieve your daily and weekly reports” from the iTunes Connect Sales and Trends module. The Java-based script runs on all operating systems running Java 1.6 and up.

Apple explains:

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When we reported the release of the Mac OS 10.7.1 update last week we were unsure whether or not new updaters would have to always grab additional updates through Software Update. However, it now looks like that won’t be the case as Apple has today updated Lion and the roughly 4GB installer to 10.7.1 on the Mac App Store. Apple will most likely carry on this new trend of releasing the delta update via SU first, followed by updating Lion in the Mac App Store for new downloaders.

The changelog from 10.7.1, which included the usual bug fixes and apparently improved issues users have had with Wi-Fi, is below if you’re interested.

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iTunes icon by Louie Mantia

Apple has posted the iTunes 10.4.1 incremental update on its servers. The update, which is available via Software Update from the Apple menu, contains several improvements that make the program more nimble in certain situations, in addition to fixes for known issues such as adding artwork to songs and videos. Standalone iTunes 10.4.1 installers for Mac and Windows are available from the iTunes download page. Full changelog right after the break…

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After teasing a big Apple hookup and delivering on the promise with the announcement of the brand new Square Register for iPad and hinting at Card Case, the latter app finally went live on the App Store. The 12.9MB download is provided free of charge and is “the easiest way to pay at your favorite local merchants”. Use it to browse daily menus integrated with merchants, store digital receipts and pay with your name. It’s sure the closest thing to a rumored NFC-enabled iPhone thus far and with iPhone owners most open to mobile payments, it should be off to a nice start.

Additionally, paired with the Square Card Reader dongle and this app, your iPhone becomes a powerful mobile payment terminal letting you accept credit cards for a 2.75 percent commission on each swipe. By jumping into the game early, Square could profit big from booming mobile payments, especially with Google muscling its way into the market with Wallet. Check out a video tour embedded below and go past the fold for more pretty screenies. Note that Square, the company, is also the new home of the man that designed your Apple icons.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRi_KXAqn2U]

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Apple and Google are clearly the two front-runners competing for market share in the mobile world, which is why it’s no surprise we think of iOS and Android when we think of apps. With the growth of the smartphone industry also came the resurgence of native apps (thanks largely in part to Apple’s App Store which still dominates the space). However, Mozilla hopes that web apps will soon mature to provide a comparable experience for end users and an even better alternative for developers.

“We are aiming at providing all the necessary APIs to build a basic HTML5 phone experience within the next 3-6 months”

While Chrome OS has shown promise, it isn’t the only browser-based platform planning on entering the web app space… If Mozilla has its way, developers can use the results of their new WebAPI project to build an “HTML5 phone experience” that’s compatible across all operating systems (whether it’s Android, iOS, Windows Phone, etc).

A report from CNET claims Mozilla has plans for the APIs to “interact with a phone’s dialler, address book, contacts list, and camera”, essentially giving you access to the same functionality of native apps but directly in your device’s browser.

The WebAPI project certainly isn’t trying to create a full-blown operating system. However, working hand in hand with Mozilla’s Boot to Gecko project, which aims to build a “complete, standalone operating system for the web”, it could create a potentially compelling alternative to Google’s browser-based Chrome OS.

It appears that Mozilla is serious about the project, as a report from CNET claims they’re in the process of hiring full time programmers and plan to have the basics in place by February…

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I was really excited finding out that Skitch went free on the Mac App Store as Evernote earlier this morning at a conference in San Francisco announced intentions to acquire the company. Both programs are actually high-quality pieces of software, each in its own right. I’ve been an avid Skitch user since its early (and free) beta days.

This über-cool screenshot taking, editing and sharing app later went down the paid route and as much as I’d grown dependent on its elegant labeling capabilities that capture attention (useful for blogging), I never did wrap my head around actually purchasing the software. Starting today, you can download Skitch for Mac free, a considerable saving over the previous $20 price tag.

In addition, our Android frenemies can download Skitch onto their mobile phones and Tech Crunch confirms an iOS app is in the works as Evernote remains devoted to bringing “Skitch to every desktop and mobile platform under the sun”. They will keep it as a separate app while integrating its features into Evernote over time. The full list of features, a couple of screenies and a promo clip right after the break.

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This photo hit the White house Flickr feed earlier today and we can’t help but wonder what they are looking at.  According to the description, it is an App.  Angry Birds?  iFart?

Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama look at an app on an iPhone in the Outer Oval Office, Saturday, July 16, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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We’ve been pretty envious of the Logitech Solar Wireless Keyboard that has been selling for months now for Windows PCs (though it does work on Macs with key mapping).   Amazon reviewers give it overwhelmingly positive feedback on the PC, it is thin and goes for three months without light.

Today, Logitech announced that a Mac version is on the way.  As a bonus, it is available in 5 colors including black, white and 3 different admittedly ugly pastels.  Interestingly, Logitech is selling it for $20 less than the list price of the $79.99 PC version at $59.99.  So much for the Mac Tax?

Besides the pastels, this product looks like a winner.  Sign us up.

Additionally, Logitech launched a $50 back mounted iPad speaker earlier this week.  It has batteries which last about as long as an iPad and also charges via USB.  I’m not immediately sure if I like this idea or more importantly, the implementation but, there it is:

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Details below:
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Mockup based on current Apple Store native application

Although Apple offers an Apple Store iOS application that provides full access in a simplified manner to iPhone and iPod touch users, Apple is looking to make the experience even simpler. Over the past months, we have observed Apple gradually shelving and re-touching a project to replace the native Apple Store application with a mobile web version of the Apple Online Store. Now it appears that Apple is working towards actually completing and launching the mobile version of the store.

This new online store, showcasing Apple’s belief in powerful and innovative web-based experiences, will largely mimic the Apple Store application of today, according to a proven source. The big difference is that it will be far more accessible, and the iOS App Store download process will not get in the way of people looking to quickly purchase products on the go.

We do have some concerns about some of the functionality from the native application being ported over to the mobile web version. Notably the feature that provides users with functionality (shown above) based on the physical Apple retail that they are currently visiting. Perhaps Apple will keep the App Store version around for that feature or will figure out a way to move it to the web browser. After all, iOS Safari can access a user’s current location.

Apple plans to debut the mobile version of the online store sometime in 2012. As aforementioned, the project has been shelved multiple times before, so it is possible that the project will once again be moved to the sideline in favor of other product development.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdT3eKdto4w&feature=player_embedded]

Historypin, a user-generated map displaying historical data of nearby locations, is now available as an iOS app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Created in partnership with Google by not-for-profit We Are What We Do, the app allows users to add their own historical photos by pinning them to a map, capturing historic moments as they happen, and creating replicas of historical images. The images are then shared with users requesting data for a specific location….

Historypin uses Google Maps and Street View technology to reveal the user-generated photos and data related to historical events that happened close to your current location. It does this by “overlaying them onto the live camera view”…essentially aiming to give you a live snapshot of what your surroundings looked like in the past.

Simply holding your phone up in the street will provide you with relevant nearby images. Selecting one of the images allows it to be overlaid onto the iPhone’s camera view. You can then fade between the image and your live shot for comparison, as well as pull up stories and data related to the image and your current location.

Full list of features and some shots of the app in action after the break…

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[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-VARh15ZJE&feature=player_embedded”]

LinkedIn has announced a new HTML 5 optimized page for mobile browsers and updated iPhone and Android apps with 2-10X speed increases.

The new app is now focused around four key areas: Updates, Inbox, You, and Groups & More.

The Inbox will allow you to view your messages and invitations in one centralized location. The You area presents your profile, connections, and to share updates. Lastly, LinkedIn is now introducing their most requested feature Groups, into the app.

Interestingly, LinkedIn also announced their mobile platform is growing 400 percent year-over-year. Check it out in your mobile browser, or hit the download links below:

Download iPhone — Download Android
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaPgVUJ9A8w&feature=player_embedded]

Today Google has announced “Google Catalogs”, a new app designed specifically for “tablet devices” (iPad only currently) that allows you to flip through digital versions of catalogs from a number of popular brands and “interact with new layers of rich-media content”. Not too long ago Google updated their Shopper app for iPhone… and now, with the Catalogs app, are providing an entirely new experience for browsing products and finding local retailers (presumably integrated with Google Offers).

Some of the more notable features include the ability to zoom, tap elements of a page to learn more, view and create photo albums, and most importantly, find products you’re viewing in nearby stores (an interesting approach to offering local deals).

There are currently a bunch of well known brands partnering with Google to create content for the newly launched free app… some of which include Urban Outfitters, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Williams-Sonoma, among others.

You can swing by the App Store to grab the free Google Catalogs app for iPad now. If you’re interested in getting your catalog included in the app, you can go here to learn more.

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Starbucks has been an Apple partner ever since Steve Jobs placed a prank call to a Seattle, Washington-based international coffee and coffeehouse chain using the Google Maps app during the original iPhone introduction back in January 2007. “I’d like to order four thousand lattes to go, please”, he joked with an operator before quipping, “Sorry, wrong number”, earning him enthusiastic applaud from the MacWorld Expo audience (see video after the break). Since then, Starbucks and Apple have been involved in a promotion offering free iTunes downloads to iPhone customers visiting their coffee shops.

Also, Starbucks released the official app, in addition to Starbucks Card Mobile, another iPhone program which lets you pay for drinks and snacks using a Starbucks Card associated with the handset. Yesterday, the two partners started a new promotion (via CNET) that allows customers to download a free iPhone app using the “Pick of the Week” cards waiting at the cash register. Just type in a code on the back of the card into the App Store app to redeem your free download of the day. Looks like they’re serious about providing real value here because the first app they’re giving away is Shazam Encore, a popular music fingerprinting app normally costing six bucks. Go past the break for a video snippet of that Steve Jobs prank call.

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As expected, Apple has released OS X Lion on a USB thumb drive via their online store. The $69 thumb drive ships in 1-3 business days and requires 7GB of available storage space. One caveat for users that install OS X Lion via this thumb drive, rather than for $29.99 from the Mac App Store, is that re-installs will need to be conducted via the thumb drive; the internet-based Lion recovery system will not function.

The USB thumb drive is currently available on Apple’s online store across the globe and will shortly make its way to physical stores as well. OS X Lion brings over 250 new features to the Mac including system-wide multi-touch gestures, Launchpad, Mission Control, and iPad-like mail client, native full-screen application views, an improved Safari web browser with Reading List, automatic file saving, and AirDrop file transfers.

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The FTC filed a lawsuit against W3 Innovations Friday, the parent company of Broken Thumbs Apps, for collecting the personal information of children in their apps. Broken Thumbs Apps have been downloaded more than 50,000 times in the iTunes App Store, and titles include  Zombie Duck Hunt, Truth or Dare, and Emily’s Dress Up. Monday, the company settled with the FTC for $50,000.

The FTC’s complaint includes W3 storing more than 30,000 children’s (probably parent’s) emails and personal information on their servers. In one game, the company asked for the child’s name. In the game Emily’s Girl World, it gave children the opportunities to make comments on a related blog, which were stored on a server.

The FTC says since these apps were directly marketed to children and transmitted information over the internet, the apps are in violation of the Children’s Online privacy Protection Pact (COPPA), and the FTC’s COPPA rules. Besides settling, the company agreed to delete all of the children’s personal information off of their servers. (via Ars Technica)

As you know, OS X Lion ships without Flash Player to the delight of fans in support of Apple’s ongoing argument against Adobe’s resource-hungry technology. This leaves us with three choices: Avoid Flash content altogether (possible, but hardly an option for mainstream folks), switch to Google’s Chrome browser that comes with the latest version of Flash Player built-in (a forced option for Safari fans) or just install the darn thing and deal with consequences later.

I’ve vowed never to install anything from Adobe again on my brand spanking new MacBook Air as I only allow Adobe software on my Mac mini, which I relegated to my testing machine and media center. That said, the FlashtoHTML5 extension from Joris Vervuurt was Godsent. The extensions has a sole purpose: It replaces the CPU-hogging YouTube Flash Player with an HTML5 video player. More info and screenies after the break

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