app-store posts

Filed under: Windows Mobile, Microsoft, Mobile, Web

Now you can browse Windows Mobile Marketplace on the web

by Brad Linder Nov 12th 2009

Want to know what kind of apps are available for Windows Mobile 6.5, but don't have a phone running the operating system yet? Or just want to look for apps on a screen with a resolution higher than 640 x 480? Microsoft has launched a web version of the Windows Marketplace.

Users can browse the web store without an account. If you sign in you can also purchase programs that will be installed on your mobile device wirelessly the next time you run the Windows Marketplace client on your mobile device.

One interesting feature is the ability to use the drop-down menu near the bottom of our page to change your locatino. SO if you want to see applications that are available in the Windows Marketplace for UK, Russian, Swiss, or Taiwanese users, you can do that.

[via Windows Team Blog]

Tags: app-store, windows-marketplace, windows-mobile, windows-mobile-6.5

Filed under: Mozilla, iPhone, Browsers

Mozilla getting ready to roll the dice on Weave for the iPhone?

by Lee Mathews Oct 19th 2009

Om Malik waxed poetic over the weekend about a chat he had with Mozilla CEO John Lilly. Among the topics that came up: a Mozilla submission to Apple's App Store.

Don't go getting all excited about a Fennec port for the iPhone. We're all well aware of Apple's stance on apps that ~~compete~~ ~~with~~ duplicate functionality of their own apps or offer ~~choice~~ "potential confusion for users." Fennec most certainly would stomp all over Safari's toes, so that's pretty well out.

Malik mentioned something based on Weave as a possibility, and he received a Nudge-Nudge style knowing grin from the Mozilla crew. Could it be true? Is Weave about to run the gauntlet that is Apple's approval process?

While it's a sync app and might step on MobileMe's toes ever so slightly, Weave for the iPhone should be able to wrangle an approval. After all, the only functionality they would likely share is bookmark syncing.

And what about Apple preferring not to let app out of the sandbox? Vic and I kicked this around, and a simple Safari-based front end to your Weave data in the cloud could very well be a workable solution. Mozilla's actual plan remains a mystery for now.

While I'm sure all Firefox fanatics with an iPhone are pulling for Mozilla, we probably shouldn't hold our breath. Apple's rejected plenty of apps on fairly tenuous grounds before, after all.

Tags: app-store, apple, fennec, firefox, iphone, mozilla, weave

Filed under: Photo, iPhone, web 2.0

Flickr releases slick new iPhone app

by Lee Mathews Sep 8th 2009

So Yahoo has finally given the iPhone a hearty high five for being the most popular camera on Flickr and produced a native Flickr app.

There's not a heck of a lot to it, but you probably wouldn't expect there to be, really. After all, you're probably on Flickr to either upload and share photos or look at what other people have submitted. The app does both of those things pretty well.

For added sizzle, if you leave Flickr idle on your iPhone, a nice slideshow of Creative Commons licensed images will pan and zoom around your screen.

Searches return 40 thumbnails, and about 16 fit on the iPhone's screen at once. Tap one to zoom and and view details like tags, the number of views, and where and when images where taken.

Comments load inline below the image and you can, of course, tap the talk bubble icon to add your own thoughts.

Viewing your contact's items is an even better experience, with buttons provided to display set and tag views as well as their favorite images. The initial display can also be swapped between thumbnails only or image with titles and view/comment stats.

If speed is your thing, stick to the Flickr mobile web interface in Safari. It's definitely speedier.

However, if you prefer a more dynamic visual experience, then download Flickr from the App Store [App Store Link].

Tags: app-store, flickr, iphone-app, photo-sharing, photos

Filed under: Windows Mobile, Mobile Minute, Mobile

Mobile Minute: Samsung launching yet another mobile app store

by Brad Linder Aug 31st 2009

You know what the world really needs right now? Another mobile application store. Because it's just too hard to find good applications for your iPhone, BlackBerry, Google Android, Palm Pre, Symbian, or Windows Mobile phone. Wait, what? It's not? Well, tough noogies. You're getting another app store anyway, this time courtsey of Samsung.

The store will launch for customers in the UK, France, and Italy on September 14th, and it wil open up to additional countries later. At launch, the store will support the Samsung Omni and Samsung I8910 HD phones. There are plans to support additional smartphones later.

The thing is, the Samsung Omnia runs Windows Mobile, which means that the Samsung app store, which will let users download, purchase, and install mobile applications directly from their phones, may eventually wind up competing with the Windows Marketplace for Mobile application from Microsoft. But since Windows marketplace isn't available to the public yet, it looks like Samsung will beat Microsoft to market.

On the other hand, Samsung says a whopping 300 apps will be available at launch. There are already tens of thousands of applications available for Windows Mobile phones that can be downloaded from various sources on the internet. I'd be surprised if Microsoft didn't manage to launch its mobile app store with at least a few more than 300 applications.

[via Engadget]

Tags: app-store, mobile-app-store, samsung, samsung-omnia, windows-marketplace-for-mobile

Filed under: Apple, iPhone, Education

Apple censors iPhone version of Ninjawords dictionary

by Jay Hathaway Aug 6th 2009

The saga of Apple's inexplicable App Store approval policies just got even weirder. This time, a dictionary iPhone app was rejected for containing profanity, and only accepted once a 17+ rating was attached, and the allegedly obscene words were removed from the app. Even more frustrating is that Ninjawords, the censored dictionary, distinguishes itself by using different sources for its definitions than any other app on the store right now. It could have been a great app.

It's true that it's Apple's store, and Apple is allowed to make the rules, but it's hard to see how such a crucial part of the iPhone business can continue to expand with rules so sporadically applied. Developers won't want to develop, for fear of having their apps rejected, or being asked to remove content or functionality before they're allowed into the store. These same arguments come up every time a legitimate-seeming app gets rejected, but Apple really doesn't seem to have learned its lesson: rejecting legitimate apps is bad for everyone involved. Censoring a dictionary to protect readers certainly isn't going to sell any phones.

[via Daring Fireball]

Tags: app-store, apple, dictionary, iphone, ninjawords, rejection

Filed under: Business, News, Apple, Google, VoIP

FCC demands details from Apple about Google Voice rejection

by Jay Hathaway Aug 3rd 2009

The FCC sent inquiry letters to Apple, AT&T and Google as part of an investigation into the rejection of Google Voice from Apple's App Store. The rejection was one of the now-typical "duplicates the functionality of one of Apple's apps" affairs, and the FCC is pressing for details on how Apple's seemingly inconsistent approval process actually works. Was Apple moving at the behest of AT&T to get rid of an app that might cut into the phone company's profits? Our sister site, TUAW, has the details on the questions each player was asked.

For Apple: What are the actual rules for app approval? Why was Google Voice rejected? Have any VoIP apps been accepted to the store? (TUAW points out that this question seems misplaced, because Voice is not a VoIP application.) Was AT&T consulted on the decision to reject Google Voice?

For Google: Have other Google apps been accepted to Apple's store? What's the approval process for Google's own Android app store? Are there other ways Google Voice might work on the iPhone without the app?

For AT&T: Did AT&T have anything to do with the rejection of Google Voice? Are any VoIP applications running on AT&T's network? What role does AT&T have in approving 3G-enable applications?

The companies have until August 21 to respond to these questions, and the answers should be quite revealing. It's funny that it might take an FCC inquiry to get to the bottom of Apple's mysterious, fickle-seemingly app store policies. iPhone developers will be watching closely.

Tags: app-store, apple, att, fcc, google-voice, iphone, rejection

Filed under: Fun, Apple, Commercial, iPhone, Humor

Passion - an iPhone app that rates your abilities in bed

by Jason Clarke Jul 29th 2009

You know what the world needs? The world needs an iPhone app that rates its users' abilities in bed. Well, okay -- you're right. The world ~~probably~~ definitely does not need that. But needed or not, Passion (iTunes link) is an iPhone app that is foisting itself upon the world.

The idea behind Passion is that you run the program before getting intimate with someone, and you either somehow wear the phone or at least keep it on the bed with you as you, well, you know. The phone will then sense movement, listen to the volume of the, erm, proceedings, and apparently use "many other" of the iPhone's "unique features" to generate a rating, sorry, an "accurate score" for your performance, which you can then compare against the other people using the app.

Okay, there are more than a couple things wrong with this concept. First of all, chances are if you're someone who is willing to wear your iPhone during sex, rating your performance is the least of your worries in that department. The idea that the rankings Passion generates will be of any use whatsoever is laughable; 90% of the "performances" or whatever the app chooses to call them will most likely be made by immature giggling teenagers violently shaking their phones while screaming at the tops of their lungs.

The funniest thing about Passion is the price. At $5US, this ridiculous and silly application is actually likely to make Chris Alvares, its creator, some real coin. Chris has created a silly toy that will appeal to a certain population with laser-like accuracy.

Tags: app store, app-store, apple, AppStore, iphone, passion, silly toy, silly-toy, SillyToy

Filed under: Developer, Apple, iPhone

iPhone devs share info to avoid App Store rejection

by Jay Hathaway Jul 29th 2009

Apple is notorious for its seemingly arbitrary review policies for iPhone applications, and stories of apps being rejected for unexpected reasons abound. Developers have trouble navigating the ambiguous minefield of App Store policies -- what's allowed or not allowed in a "lite" version, for example -- and there's nowhere to turn to for advice on successfully complying with the rules and getting your app ready for sale.

That's why developers are starting to help each other. There's now a Tumblr-hosted blog that posts app rejection letters from Apple, so the dev community can get a better sense of how these rules are being enforced.

The published feedback on the Application Submission Feedback blog is supposed to act as a necessary replacement for the rules that Apple has either left unclear or failed to state altogether. So far, it deals with tricky problems like 17+ ratings, lite apps and images of iPhones. As the site collects more data from people who have been rejected, it could become essential reading, and a kind of missing manual for the stuff Apple won't say outright.

Tags: app-store, apple, feedback, iphone, rejection

Filed under: Apple, Google, VoIP, iPhone

Apple pulls Google Voice apps from the App Store

by Brad Linder Jul 28th 2009

Apple doesn't particularly like it when developer release applications that compete directly with Apple's iPhone software. That's why you won't find any full featured web browsers in the App Store. And apparently it's why you also won't find any mobile apps for using Google Voice.

Of course, up until recently, there was an unofficial Google Voice app called GV Mobile that let you make and receive calls and access your Google Voice voicemail. But the developer says his app was removed, and Apple says it's because it duplicates features that come with the iPhone. Apparently Google ran into the same problem when the company tried to submit an official Google Voice application to Apple 6 weeks ago. TechCrunch reports that the app was rejected.

It makes sense for Apple to block a program like Google Voice, but not because it competes with Apple's software. Instead, Google Voice essentially lets users get around some of AT&T's fees by sending free text messages and making cheap phone calls, even to international locations.

But at a time when Google is releasing Google Voice apps for BlackBerry, Android, and other other platforms, does Apple really want to be the holdout here? Especially since Apple has already approved a Skype application, which also duplicates some of the iPhone's native features while letting users send messages and make phone calls without paying additional fees to AT&T.

[via TUAW]

Tags: app-store, apple, att, google-voice, gv-mobile

Filed under: Symbian, Mobile

App Stores for everyone: Symbian jumps on the bandwagon

by Brad Linder Jul 16th 2009

Symbian is the latest company to announce plans to launch a mobile app store... sort of. What Symbian is actually expected to announced today is more of an App Store platform that will allow developers to market and sell their applications through a variety of stores including Nokia's recently launched Ovi store.

Nearly half of the world's smartphones run the Symbian operating system, but a relatively small portion of US customers have Symbian-based phones. And while there are app stores for BlackBerry, iPhone, Google Android, and Windows Mobile phones, which make it easy for users to download and install applications directly on their devices, Symbian users (with the exception of Nokia owners) have been left out in the cold.

Symbian isn't looking to profit directly from its app store platform. It won't be taking a cut of profits from developers. Rather, the idea is to encourage developers to write programs for the platform to help keep Symbian competitive, although with Symbian's global smartphone marketshare hovering around 49 percent, this sounds like more of a long term goal than a short term one.

Tags: app-store, symbian

Filed under: Blogging, Apple, Social Software, iPhone

CP on your iPhone via an Apple-approved app? You betcha!

by Lee Mathews Jul 1st 2009

Yes, we've been over the App Store approval thing a hundred times already, but never quite like this.

Apple's got a pretty strong policy when it comes to nudity, right? Right?

So Beauty Meter - an application that allows, hypothetically, a fifteen year old girl to share a nude pic to be rated would be totally out of the question right?

You'd at least expect there to be a nudity warning if you installed an app like this. I mean, it could be a non-nude hot-or-not app, there's certainly a precedent for that. In the case of Beauty Meter, however, you'll just get a warning that it might contain mature content and it's not for use by anyone under the age of 17.

Heck, in some countries 17 isn't even old enough to look at naughty things.

Now, clearly neither Apple nor the devs behind Beauty Meter can totally control who uploads what (the app even says as much when you launch it), but it makes me wonder: if an app like this can be approved, why not Drivetrain?

It's remote control for Transmission. It doesn't actually do any torrent downloading. There's no way anything it does is remotely illegal. It's pretty similar to a single-app MochaVNC, which has been in the store for ages, and I can certainly use to control Transmission from my iPod. But I digress.

Three things for certain: Beauty Meter will soon suffer the same fate as Hottest Girls, the approval process needs an overhaul, and the screenshot at Krapps is going to live in Internet infamy for a long time.

[via Krapps - thanks, @thmonline!]

Tags: app-store, approval, drivetrain, fail, hot-or-not, iphone, legal, mochavnc

Filed under: Internet, Apple

It's no wonder Apple has app store approval jitters

by Lee Mathews May 26th 2009

There have been plenty of "Apple stupidly rejects app X" posts over the last couple of months. The reason for rejection may vary, though usually it's blamed on inappropriate content - which makes no sense if you take a listen to some of the albums for sale through iTunes.

What makes even less sense is Cartier (yes, the fancy-pants watch, jewelry, and knick-knack people) threatening to sue Apple for trademark infringement.

Apple didn't develop the apps in question, but since they allowed the apps into the store and possibly profited from them that gives Cartier all the legal ammunition they need to release the hounds. It doesn't matter that Apple's 30% take may have netted them ten or twenty bucks in this case.

What does matter is that Apple has deep pockets. Who can afford to pay damages - Apple, or the guy who skinned his watch app with a Cartier Tank? Apple, of course.

It's a good thing Cartier was successful with their threat. Maybe now they can go after Adobe for allowing users to Photoshop images of Tank watches.

[via the Register]

Tags: app-store, apple, cartier, iphone, itunes

Filed under: Business, Text, Apple, iPhone

Eucalyptus eBook reader recovers from silly app store rejection

by Jay Hathaway May 25th 2009

Eucalyptus, a gorgeous eBook reader for the iPhone, was initially rejected from Apple's application store for the most absurd of reasons. See, Eucalyptus' extensive library of great literature comes from Project Gutenberg, an open source book project, and one of the books in Gutenberg's library is The Kama Sutra. Apple apparently objected to this during the review process, despite the fact that other approved readers like Stanza and Amazon's Kindle can also access the book. So can Apple's Safari browser, because Project Gutenberg's books are all available through its website.

Fortunately, this mistake didn't stop Eucalyptus from eventually making it into the app store, where it's now available for $9.99. Buying the app gets you an extremely slick UI, great page-turning animations, and an organization scheme for books that works a lot like iTunes does for music. I actually totally buy into the Eucalyptus marketing pitch, which is that, for the price of one book, you can have 20,000 books in a great-looking reader.

Tags: app-store, Apple, books, ebooks, ereader, eucalyptus, project-gutenberg, rejection

Filed under: Text, iPhone

Buying Amazon Kindle books from an iPhone just got easier

by Jay Hathaway May 12th 2009

Amazon's Kindle app for iPhone is a great alternative to purchasing a pricey Kindle device when you've already invested in an iPhone, but it's still not quite as streamlined and easy-to-use.

Amazon seems to be changing that as quickly as it can, though, with the launch of an iPhone-optimized Kindle store. The new store still isn't part of Kindle itself, but it can be launched with the app's "get books" icon.

This seems like a small thing, but it's a big win for iPhone Kindle users, and possibly for Kindle book sales. As nice as it is to have your purchases delivered by WhisperNet to your iPod or iPhone, sometimes you're not at a computer, and trying to buy books from an iPhone in Safari was an aggravating experience until now.

Business Insider points out that Apple is planning new eCommerce features that iPhone developers will eventually have access to. Amazon might be able to use that to handle sales from within the app, making it even closer to the real Kindle experience.

Tags: amazon, app-store, books, iphone, kindle

Filed under: Mobile

Nokia's App Store will launch with 20,000 items

by Brad Linder May 9th 2009

RIM's doing it, Microsoft is doing it. Apparently launching mobile app stores is the thing to do, because now Nokia's doing it too. The cellphone maker is preparing to launch a mobile app store called the Ovi Store later this month. But there's one thing that will set Nokia's app store apart - it will launch with a catalog of 20,000 ote,s. Apple's iPhone App Store had just a few hundred programs when it launched, and Google's Android store had even fewer.

But not everything in the Nokia Ovi Store will be an application. The company is also loading it up with media files including short videos.

The Ovi Store will let Nokia cellphone users purchase and download programs directly from their mobile devices. An app store utility will come preloaded on newer phones, while customers with older, but still recent phones will be able to download apps using a mobile web browser.

[via MobileTopSoft]

Tags: app-store, nokia, nokia-ovi-store, ovi-store

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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