• apple,  iphone,  itunes

    Custom Ringtones for the iPhone

    January 14, 2010 /

    Someone saw me with my iPhone recently and asked how to go about converting an .mp3 file they already had in iTunes into a ringtone they could use on their iPhone. Since I haven’t activated my iPhone’s phone service, I never checked out how to make a ringtone. Sure you can buy them from the iTunes store, but it seems silly to spend extra money for a 15 second song clip after having already purchased the full song.

    Turns out that the folks at Art of the iPhone have a good tutorial on how to convert a non-copy protected song in your iTunes library into an iPhone ringtone.

    Head over to ArtOfTheiPhone.com for more details.

    [Via ArtOfTheiPhone.com…]

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  • apple,  iphone,  rumors

    Rumor: Next Gen iPhone Due Up in April

    January 13, 2010 /

    File this under the WAG rumor department, but new rumors about Apple’s next generation iPhone and iPhone OS 4 are making the rounds on the Internet.

    “The Korea Times claimed Tuesday that sources at KT said the new phone would have an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen, would feature video chat functionality, and a removable battery is “highly likely.” The report also said the new iPhone would include dual-core processors, more powerful graphics capabilities, and a superior camera.”

    I can see Apple breaking out their design kung-fu to bring us new OLED screens and even a forward facing camera for video conferencing, but a removable battery? Apple? Come on. Apple is dropping removable batteries from their MacBook and MacBook Pro note books. Can you really see Apple switching to a removable battery on the iPhone? I’m less sure about the addition of a dual core processor on the iPhone. Sure, the extra horsepower could be used in next generation 3D games, but I’m concerned with how a dual core processor will impact the battery.

    Read the full article over AppleInsider.com.

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

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  • dataviz,  iphone,  itunes

    Documents to Go with Exchange Attachments Updated

    January 9, 2010 /

    DataViz has updated Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. This is a free upgrade to current owners of the Exchange attachments edition of Documents To Go.

    “[W]e are happy to announce that a new version (3.0) of our “Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments” for iPhone/iPod touch is available in the App Store. Documents To Go is now the only mobile Office application for iPhone with support for viewing and editing of all three Office formats (Word, Excel and PowerPoint). And we have no plans to stop there! In the next several months we will be adding some really exciting new features to the product, so be sure to stay tuned.”

    What’s new in version 3.0

    * Edit & create PowerPoint presentations:
    o Edit/add bullets and text in Outline view and see changes immediately in Slide view
    o Edit/add speaker notes
    o Sort, add, duplicate and delete slides
    o Promote/demote bullets
    o And more!

    * Added support for Gmail attachments
    o Edit/view attachments using Docs To Go

    * Product name change
    o From “Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments” to “Documents To Go Premium”

    Pricing and Availability

    “Documents To Go Premium” is available now for $14.99 from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at: www.dataviz.com/itunes. All customers who purchased a previous version of “Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments” will receive a free update to version 3.0. For more information: www.dataviz.com/GetiPhone

    DataViz is also working on finishing a free update to the base edition of the “Documents To Go” product ($9.99) with an in-app purchasing option for customers to upgrade to the features of the “Premium” version. The time frame for the upgrade for the base edition was not specified.

    For more information, please visit the DataViz website.

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  • apple,  iphone,  itunes

    Sherlock Holmes Mysteries

    January 8, 2010 /

    I was looking up the features of Apple’s QuickTime Pro for Windows (yes, this is work related) and I noticed a small ad in the QuickTime Player window for Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, a game for the iPhone and iPod touch.

    Clearly a tie-in to the movie now playing in theaters, skimming through some of the screen shots in the iTunes App Store you get the impression that this is a cool game to play. Best of all, Sherlock Holmes Mysteries is only $0.99 meaning that if the game isn’t what you expected, you’re out less than the cost of a gourmet coffee!

    I’m definitely going to check this game out over the weekend. For more information about Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, check out the iTunes Store.

    [Updated article with pictures from the game.]

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  • apple,  att,  iphone,  itunes

    iPhone Adventures

    December 29, 2009 /

    On Monday I picked up a used first generation 8GB Apple iPhone. (Thank you Shirley!) The phone is in good working condition. What I didn’t know, is that that you must activate the iPhone before you can use it; even if you plan on using it, essentially, as an iPod touch.

    So what did I learn with my adventures activating my iPhone? First of all, there is no problem with you walking into an AT&T store an signing up for a new service plan with the original G2 GMS iPhone. Secondly, you can use a pre-paid AT&T GoPhone SIM card in your iPhone. To use a pre-paid card, you will need to purchase and activate the pre-paid SIM card in a phone and then move it into the iPhone once it is setup and then activate the iPhone in iTunes as an existing customer. The CellFanatic blog has a good run down of how to do this.

    But what if you are like me and don’t want to have to deal with another monthly cell phone bill and just use the iPhone as a glorified iPod touch (with a camera), then you may want to go with the slightly shady jail breaking route. My SIM card was disabled because I hadn’t used it in 6 months or more and I wasn’t planning on throwing $15-30 away on a new one just to activate the iPhone. I used the Blackra1n jail breaking utility to by pass the activation process and make the phone available in iTunes. I did end up putting my “dead” AT&T SIM card into the iPhone to keep it from constantly reminding me that there was no card inserted.

    The good news is that everything, minus the Phone and Messages applications, are working normally. If I change my mind, and want to activate the voice and SMS text messaging features, all I need to do is to put in a new, activated 3G AT&T SIM card and I’m ready to rock ‘n roll.

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  • iphone,  itunes

    Citrix Receiver Updated for iPhone, iPod touch

    December 21, 2009 /

    Citrix has released an update to Citrix Receiver for the iPhone and iPod touch. As you can see, there is literally a boat load of enhancements and fixes in the new release.

    The things that I think users will like, include the seamless handling of Citrix accounts, the new user interface, and the ability to change session resolution.

    You can read more about Citrix Receiver for iPhone OS on the Citrix website. You can download Citrix Receiver 2.0 for iPhone OS from the Apple iTunes App Store. [iTunes link]

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  • general,  iphone

    Time: Year End Numbers

    December 21, 2009 /

    I ran across some interesting numbers in the December 28/January 4 issue of Time magazine. In the Year in Briefing: Numbers section (page 35) there are two stats listed that I think you will find interesting. They are:

    • 200 million people joined Facebook in 2009.
    • 13,505 email messages received, on average, per person in 2009.

    Wow! Those are both some amazing statistics. And to think, we couldn’t have done it without our smartphones!

    Don’t have “time” to slow down and read the print publication? No problem, you can download the Time Mobile application for the iPhone and iPod touch. [iTunes link]

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  • apple,  iphone,  pre

    PC Magazine: Palm Pre Most Innovative New Platform of 2009

    December 10, 2009 /

    It must be that time of year again…where everyone feels compelled to pick Top 10 lists for everything. Following up on Time’s declaration that the Motorola Droid is the top dog for their Top 10 Gadgets of 2009 list, PC Magazine has come up with their own list of top picks.
    This year, PC Magazine has selected the Palm Pre as the Most Innovative New Platform of the year, writing:

    “Palm has returned with the coolest handheld device we’ve seen in a long time. The Palm Pre has the same exhilarating sense of possibility as the iPhone—and it’s even worth switching to Sprint for. The Pre is the start of something genuinely new: Palm’s webOS, an innovative operating system that’s benefited a lot by what the company has learned from Apple’s smartphone successes.”

    The iPhone 3GS did take the top spot for Best Consumer Smartphone.
    You can check out PC Magazine’s top smartphone picks on the PC Magazine website.
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  • apple,  iphone,  motorola,  verizon

    Time: Droid Bests iPhone 3GS for Gadget of the Year

    December 10, 2009 /

    Ok, I really wasn’t expecting the iPhone 3GS to get knocked off it’s perch by a publication, especially by the likes of Time Magazine.
    Apple fan site AppleInsider is reporting that Time has named the Google Android powered Motorola Droid the top gadget of 2009, beating the iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre.

    “The Droid is a hefty beast, a metal behemoth without the gloss and finish of the iPhone, but you don’t miss it,” the magazine said. “The Droid’s touchscreen is phenomenally sharp and vivid, it has an actual physical (not great, but good enough) keyboard, and best of all, the Droid is on Verizon’s best-of-breed 3G network. It’s Android’s first credible challenge to the iPhone.”

    Not to worry iPhone fans, the 3GS ranked number four on the list. The Palm Pre didn’t even make Time’s list.
    You can read Time’s full Top 10 Gadgets of 2009 list on Time.com.
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  • apple,  astraware,  iphone,  itunes

    Astraware Releases Police Range for iPhone/iPod touch

    December 2, 2009 /

    Astraware, the gaming branch of Handmark, has released Police Range for the iPhone/iPod touch.

    “Put your skill and accuracy to the test as you train on the shooting range to become a crack police marksman. Compete against your friends or others worldwide to post the best scores on the online high score table and show off your shooting skills!”

    Police Range offers two modes of play: Target Practice and Crime Alley. Use the Target Practice mode to improve your accuracy and reaction times on the shooting range. And when you are up to the task of taking out the trash, and change over to Crime Alley to take out targets of potential perps lurking in windows and doorways. Just be sure not to accidentally shoot any civilians.

    Police Range is available now for $0.99 from the iTunes App Store (iTunes link). For more information, or to watch a YouTube video of Police Range in action, visit the Astraware website.

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