iOS Devices

Been hitting the check for update button since the keynote ended…waiting for that juicy Touch 2.1 update that Stevo promised TODAY?  Wait no longer, move to the front of the line. 

click here.

We are like 90% sure this is the legit 2.1 version that Apple wants to release as soon as there is some bandwidth left over from us fanboys watching all of the new videos.

Once you download the file you have to do an option restore and choose the file to restore it to your iPod.

See it works right?

http://stream.qtv.apple.com/events/sep/0809dt4bs89/m_08091776wrvx_350_ref.mov

Lost amid the rainbow colors and stainless steel iPod Touches is the fact that all of the new iPods have Audio-in.  While this is nifty on a Nano (record notes?), it is downright intriguing for the Touch. 

The first thing that obviously comes to mind is the Voice over IP possibilities.  Truphone(iTunes link), the Voice over IP application that was originally made for iPhone *should* work for iPod Touch 2G.  Cool.

But this leaves a lot more interesting gaming possibilities as well.  Specifically, will MMORPG games and such that use audio to communicate incorporate these features?

These are exciting times to be an iPod developer… or user!

http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/ipoditunes/2008/touch/guidedtour/apple_ipodtouch_guidedtour_20080909_640x360.mov

Hot off of the presses..

You see? Our source told us rainbow Nanos and double sized flash storage..We were too dumb to understand that the rainbows were the whole line, not on one single device. A case of the game of operator. Shame on us..

https://9to5mac.com/rainbow-iPod-nano

Hey everyone, we’ve set up our 9to5Mac livepanel again for those of you with substantial monitors who want to view all of the liveblogs at once.  Yes, it is decidedly low-tech frames but you can’t get information into your head any faster unless you are at the show itself. 

Click here to see the Liveblogs…

What is "FM"?  All kidding aside – well most anyway…Microsoft preempted Apple’s Tuesday iPod launch with a little launch of their own.  The new Zunes are officially announced with some interesting new features.

First up is wireless syncing over WiFi.  Not a bad trick actually.  This is an area Apple could take from Microsoft (and they might already have by later Tuesday).  We’ve yet to see it work properly so we’ll reserve judgment for a bit later.  Zune owners can currently buy tunes one at a time, or pay $15 per month for a Zune Pass subscription, which gives access to every song in the catalog – something that Apple is also rumored to be exploring. With the new wireless features, Zune Pass holders will also be able to stream songs to their devices.

The second big feature is the ability to buy tracks directly from FM radio stations.  Another good concept, at least on the surface…   the only problem is that only 450 radio stations in the US are currently participating.   Again, implementation and execution seem like a stretch.

They are both ready for delivery soon…

Starting Sept. 16, Microsoft says, the new Zunes will be available in configurations and prices ranging from $249.99 for a 120-gigabyte model to $129.99 for a 4-gigabyte version.  You would know that if you had seen one accidentally on put on sale at Fry’s over the weekend.

The Zune is still a small fry.   Since its launch two years ago, Microsoft has sold 2.5 million units of the device.
Apple, meanwhile, sold 11 million iPods in its fiscal third quarter and many more built into its wildly popular iPhone.

RWWeb points us to a new iPhone application called "Say Where!" That takes most of the typing out of finding driving directions.  The application works by using voice recognition to decipher the point in which you want to travel.  From there, it uses a plethora of tools (Google Maps, MapQuest, Ask.com, CitySearch, Yelp, and others) to give you directions to where you want to go.

It isn’t yet turn by turn GPS but it is a big start – maybe Apple will have something to add to this tomorrow?.  It also is nice to not be typing as much on the iPhone while you are in the car (which is illegal in most states if you are the driver).  You do have to press a nice big button to start speaking and of course open and close the application…but it is a big improvement.  Video of "Say Where!" in action after…well you know…

This Week’s App of the Week:
IMPlus

Ever want to Instant Message your friends while on the go? Tired of watching your friends IM using their Sidekicks? Need an IM application? Don’t fret, my friend. Look no further. IMPlus enables you to Instant Message your friends, all from your iPhone or iPod Touch. Because you have the choice of using AIM/iChat, MSN/Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber, Google Talk and MySpaceIM, you’ll always be connected to your friends. After trying this application out, I have to say, I love the interface. It is simple and easy to use. It even has an Inbox, which keeps track of open chats and any unread messages. It’s about time an application like this was created, because I have always wanted to IM my friends, while on the go. My old phone just did not cut it. It was also very costly, and I hated using the three letters to-a-key keyboard. This is the perfect application for the iPhone or Pod touch because of the keyboard they possess. Also, you’re not paying crazy internet usage fees. 

Surprisingly, I don’t have any real cons for this application, except that it could look a tiny bit better. We should also have the option to change the settings, like our pictures, fonts, sizes, ect. Other than that, this is the perfect Instant Messaging application out there, (that I know of) so far. Search for it in the Application Store. You definitely need to try it out. The best reason: It’s free.
 

iPhone users – your platform is the new hot ticket for games developers – and the Chinese developers behind massive multiplayer roleplaying game (MMORPG) Anrufen Online have their eyes set on the Apple device.

The game is huge in China, and developer WiStone plans to make it available for Symbian devices next year – and word from Pocketgamer is the company is also developing a version for the iPhone.

"The game takes an isometric viewpoint and a fantasy theme, and promises rich community features around its core battles, as well as a detailed storyline, and the ability to raise your own familiars to do battle on your behalf," the report states.

The company was founded in 2006, with a development team of 30-40 people. Besides the mobile online game Anrufen Online, the company has also developed 12 mobile single-player games, including Bubbles in the Sea, The New Three Kingdoms, and Eternal Life Revival.

The video that follows shows an early beta build of the game working on a Symbian phone – we reckon they’ll shift more copies once they take it to the iPhone, though.

Slovenian manufacturer Gorenje caused a stir at IFA this month when it launched its iPhone-controlled fridge – but the company aims to produce everything you need for your kitchen – all controlled by your iPhone.

Electric Pig reports on Gorenje’s other products, a washing machine and oven, all of which can be controlled by the iGorenje software the company produces, which is free to download and works with the iPhone and (naturally) the iPod touch.

The software offers a range of presets for different uses and gadgets – cooking times, for example, or laundry cycles, and because you can control your devices from wherever you happen to be, Gorenje has taken a ‘Made For iPod/iPhone’ license, twinned the software to hardware, and created a kitchen system fans of home automation seem likely to get excited about.

Oh – and one more thing, the software is a web application, so you can still keep control over your domestic appliances using any internet-connected device that’s equipped with a web browser.

(Oh, and finally, trivia fans may be interested that Sony has launched its own ‘Made for Walkman’ scheme – we’ll see how many manufacturers sign up for that one…

 This is a rerun – but a splendid one. It shows how Apple could implement copy-&-past on the iPhone – using 15-year old technology put together for the Newton MessagePad. Hats off to BoingBoing’s Mark Frauenfelder for the spot.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sue2BR1AHUE&hl=en&fs=1]

 Microsoft plans to develop games for the iPhone, a senior executive revealed at E3 earlier this year.

Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s games studios said the company is "waiting for the right opportunity to do cross-platform games," and suggested this could include extending Xbox 360 titles to the iPhone.

"We’ve done things like the pub games in Fable," he said "which aren’t cross platform but it’s playing an arcade game, building currency that works for you in the Fable game. You could imagine doing that from another device as well."

He added, "It’s thinking about the right opportunity. Where it makes sense is more important than just proving that it can be done."

Via: Xbox 360

We’re not sure what Apple’s long term strategy involves, but they are rampling up their engineers with skills in wireless technologies including CDMA, WiMAX.  Two recent (well, one is from 2007 one is from last week)  job postings have emerged on Apple’s website.

CDMA is curious because

EA has been hard at work on iPhone Applications and has made and announcement that, along with Spore Origins, it has nine applications that will be ported to the iPhone.  SimCity is the one we are really excited to see.

Here’s hoping that they totally redo these application for iPhone.  We are sick of the 200mb sized Sudoku type games that take 20 minutes to start and slow down our whole synching process.  Gameloft, we are looking at you.  EA games announced:

• YAHTZEE Adventures
• EA Mini Golf
• Lemonade Tycoon™
• Mahjong
• MONOPOLY: Here & Now The World Edition
• SimCity
• Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09
• Need for Speed™ Undercover
• The Sims™ 3.

Engadget surely thinks so….Apple lawyers, would you like us to take this down?

We’ve been hoping someone would get this together, so we figured we should shout about Shape Services, which has introduced a free instant messaging client for the iPhone which is compatible with many different IM services.

"The award-winning IM+ All-in-One Mobile Messenger for chats within AIM / iChat, MSN / Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo!, ICQ, Jabber, Google Talk and MySpaceIM from any iPhone and iPod Touch.

"Communicate with friends and colleagues wherever you are regardless of location and mobile operator," the App Store blurb says – the product’s doing pretty well – it has shot straight into the top 25 downloads on the service.

Main features include:

– All public IMs in one client. 

– No cost per message.

– Simple and user-friendly interface.

– Inbox view to keep an eye on all open dialogs and unread messages.

The developer behind the software develops a wide range of solutions, with particular regard to mobile platforms.

 The developer of Pull My Finger, an iPhone application, told MacRumors that Apple decided to reject his application from the App Store because it was of "limited utility to the broad iPhone and iPod touch user community".

The puerile application generates different sounds of flatulence, and while the developer knows its not world-shattering, he (rightly) argues that it’s only a bit of fun – and there’s many other limited use apps in the App Store. We ask, has Apple become far too judgmental? Comments…