Apple Blocks an App

A month or so ago, we determined that Apple has unlimited power in regulating what kind of apps can be downloaded. Apple has exercised this power recently in blocking a nice little app called Podcaster. Apparently, this dangerous application must be blocked for it allows you to download and manage podcasts directly, bypassing the need to use iTunes. Apple even took the time to explain: “Since Podcaster assists in the distribution of podcasts, it duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes.”

Despite Apple’s blacklisting, Podcaster was built exactly to Apple’s SDK standards. It is not even like Podcaster is breaking laws through downloading copyrighted material, it’s just because it “duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes”. Podcast’s creator finds it particularly strange since there are many apps that duplicate the functionality of Apple apps, such as any calculator program having the same controls as Apple’s calculator. In my opinion, this is just a case in which Apple wishes to have a complete monopoly over how podcasts are distributed. Apple makes a ton of money when people download podcasts through iTunes, so the real reason why Podcaster was blocked is easy to see.

If you still want to try this app, check out Podcaster’s instructions.

100 million downloads later

With much anticipation, Apple has finally introduced their new iPods. Without a doubt, the highlight of the new iPod updates is the introduction of the new iPod Touch. As we all expected, the new iPod Touch now sports a tough aluminum backside instead of the soft metallic one that seemed to have been tortured by a cat after an hour of use. Take a look:

Not only did it receive a beautiful facelift, it also addresses a few of the problems with the old iPod Touch. Now, with the introduction of integrated volume control on the side of the iPod (think iPhone), you no longer have to cumbersomely drop the iPod a few hundred times just to slide the virtual volume bar a few centimeters. Also, Apple has finally introduced an iPod with integrated speakers. Since the beginning of iPods, I (and probably most of you guys) all wish for there to be built in speakers so that we can share music with friends easier or listen to music without headphones. But with this move, I can see some iPod speaker companies lose quite some revenue…

However, the best part of this update actually does not lie in these two features, despite the fact that they are pretty darn cool. The best part is the new and cheaper price tag with the iPod Touch. At $229 and roughly 23% cheaper, this iPod has finally the mean of combating the declining sales of iPods due to iPhones. This is more evidence that Apple is now working very smart in revitalizing the sales of their revered iPods (actually, iPods are probably like Gods to Apple as they once accounted for more than 50% of Apple’s total revenues). For those of you investors, I suggest you to start purchasing Apple stock and quickly before the holidays as consumers will be dying for the cheaper and, amen, “funnest” iPod Touch yet.

In other news, Steve Jobs has announced that the App Store has now officially passed the 3000 app benchmark! Undeniably, my fellow AppStoreFan staff and I will be quite busy in the upcoming weeks. Also, Steve Jobs has stated there have been 100 MILLION app downloads. There is just so much untapped potential in app development.

With the new iPod Touch, it has been revealed that a Need For Speed game is coming soon, developed for full compatibility with the iPod Touch. Also, there will be a soccer game, entitled Real Soccer 2009. With these two games, Steve Jobs has courageously stated the iPod Touch is the best portable device, implying that it is better than the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS (which is true). In my opinion, Apple will pretty soon be challenging the PS3, the Wii, and the Xbox 360. But that’s another story.

The pictures for the new Need For Speed and Real Soccer 2009 look spectacular:

Lastly, remember how sometimes apps on the 2.0 software had a nasty habit of crashing? Steve Jobs has finally announced that they had fixed the problem and will be releasing an update later this week.

Cube Runner falls to 51st spot. Version 2’s gonna change that.

After dominating the App Store’s top 100 free apps list for two months now, the Cube Runner has run out of breath. Looks like a million downloads later developer Andy Qua has run out of people who have yet to download the game.

So, to get back to iTunes #1 spot, he is soon going to release “CubeRunner II“. With no “estimated release date” as of yet, the app is now in its last stages of development, which Qua says is “coming on pretty nicely”. Here are some of the new features to be included:

• Time Trial game mode - You can also control the cube runner’s speed.
• Internal level editor - Customize game levels straight from the iPhone, and have the ability to email them to yourself so you can share them with friends.
• “Stackable blocks” - Create walls, tunnels, or towers (see images below).
• Customizable models - Change what your cube runners looks like.

By the way, while you still wait for v2, remember how through options you can add new level packs? Check out the CubeRun.org forums to download some fan-made maps.

Cube Runner II Preview Images

iPod to be Hacked on 9/11

This September 11^th, Jonathan Zdziarski, the author of iPhone Forensics, will do what he does best: hack the iPhone. During a live webcast at O’Reilly.com, Jonathan Zdziarski will be teaching people how law enforcement agencies can “recover, process, and remove sensitive data stored on the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch.” If you have an iPhone, you know how hard even getting music off it is. More impressively however, he will talk about bypassing the passcode lock system with a custom firmware bundle.

By the way, Zdziarski’s hack will have nothing to do with the double-click exploit available on iPhones. Apple will be patching up that glitch with the firmware’s next upgrade (coming in “September”).

RIP iPhone 9.11.08

Apple-less App Store Conference

O’Reilly Media, a company which publishes books and websites on various computer technology topics, has been getting pretty involved with the App Store lately. Just announced on the company’s website is their conference to be held for “iPhone developers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts”, which will focus on “both the business and development issues surrounding the iPhone platform”.

The event will be called iPhoneLive and will be taking place on November 18, in San Jose, CA.

“iPhoneLive will be a gathering of the best and brightest participants in the iPhone ecosystem today. Whether you’re already building apps for the iPhone or are a developer who wants to make a move to the iPhone platform; if you’re an entrepreneur or simply an enthusiast of the emerging iPhone industry, this is the event for you. It’s going to be a mind-blowing day filled with information that you just can’t get anywhere else. We’ll cover development issues from coding to release, as well as general market information and lessons learned from leading iPhone developers and entrepreneurs.”

The webpage also describes the event as being designed to help its participants understand:

• Where the iPhone market is today and where it is likely to go
• How to capitalize on the explosive growth
• How to build iPhone applications
• The opportunity and reasons behind a native application vs. a web application for the iPhone
• How real-world developers have successfully delivered applications to the App Store
• What (and often what is not) the criteria for success, particularly for independent application developers
• Business opportunities for the platform

Of concern to most of the people considering attending the conference is how it will work along with the NDA still in existance. O’Reilly suggests that they have “no intention of participating in the violation of any NDA”, and that if the NDA still exists at the date of the event, “development topics will focus on the publicly available pieces of the iPhone SDK such as Core Animation, Core Graphics”

Also to be featued at iPhoneLive will be Launch Pad, a showcase of unique, not-yet-published apps and startups.

O’Reilly has already gathered a significant amount of keynote speakers, including Steve Demeter of Demiforce LLC with his speech on “Building an iPhone App in Your Spare Time” and O’Reilly’s own Ben Lorica and Roger Magoulas with “Store Trends and Patterns.”

Early registration with a special discount, is available today until October 14 at $625.

Look to AppStoreFans.com for a resume of the whole event as it finishes.

Belkin crushes the rumors: No control pad.

It did not take long for Belkin, the computer hardware and accessory giant, to crush the rumor that they were building their own iPhone gaming pad, which we blogged about a few days back. TouchArcade.com, the first to mention the possibility of a Belkin gaming accessory, was contacted by Belkin’s Manager of Public Relations, Melody Chalaban: “We have no plans to release such a product”, “[it is] simply a false rumor”.

For now,  iControlPad will continue to be the only manufacturer of such a product, one which would turn our iPhone into a PSP clone as you can see in the images below.

We will keep you updated on iControlPad’s status.

Lockdown your house with an iPhone

Coming soon to the App Store are a bunch of apps aimed at turning the iPhone or iPod Touch into a universal remote control. At this years CEDIA expo, companies like Crestron, Lifeware, Z-Wave and Control4, displayed their “home automation” applications which would work with your television, radio, house lights, and even your home’s high-tech security system. Sadly, for most of the younger readers, you will have to have Creston or other home automation system devices already installed in your home.

If you do, however, you probably have the money to afford one of these apps! Control4’s app, which is pictured above, is set to cost you anywhere between $100 and $500. That’s a big gap…

At the moment, Creston’s app (shown below) is closest to completion and luckily for everyone, is going to be completely free. All of these home automation applications are in their final stages of development and will be released before the end of the year.

Counter-Strike on the iPhone… V3?

Just under a week ago, we posted an article on the iControlPad. Although the game controller was still in its research and development stage, we were pretty optimistic about it. Now it seems that Belkin has developed a control pad as well. However, there is yet to be an official announcement from Belkin, but the picture below seems pretty promising:

Although I can’t read much Spanish, I love what I am seeing. Just look at the sleek and beautiful design of the pad. What a joy it would be to play games on that.

Now what would this mean for us iPhone/iPod Touch users? Although the control pad might not have much effect for a game such as Super Monkey Ball, just think about all the possible games that could be developed for a control pad. With a processor better than the PSP and the Nintendo DS, the potential is endless. Imagine one day playing something like Grand Theft Auto on the iPhone/iPod Touch. Okay, okay, maybe that’s a bit farfetched, but you get my point. Nevertheless, I predict a bright future for the Appstore and us gamers.

Counter-Strike on the iPhone… V2?

Remember how not so long ago I mentioned the improbability of playing a game such as CounterStrike Source on the iPhone? Well think again. iControlPad has posted some updates to their gamimg control pad for the iPhone. Take a look:

Just imagine all the possibilities with this control pad. Think of it as PSP and Nintendo DS mating. However, app developers will have to program their apps to function with the control pad, and I don’t imagine that would be too easy. But I’m excited nevertheless.

Counter-Strike on the iPhone?

Okay, so maybe iPhone’s touchscreen input isn’t the best way to play a fast first-person shooter or any other shooter for that matter. But what about RPG games where players simply point and click? Recently the creator of Myst, the famous RPG game, inadvertently notified players of a current iPhone version of Myst in production. If this becomes a hit, just think of all the RPG games that could be developed for the iPhone. Diablo, Runescape (hopefully not), World of Warcraft… but that’s just me daydreaming.

In any case, this is certainly an app to follow.