Skype for iPhone is official, and it launches tomorrow. It will be a free app, and I will review it as soon as it goes live.
So I was all set on writing a nice review for several Twitter apps for the iPhone/Touch, and I came across this nice post from Gizmodo, so I will instead let you read their very good post.
Here it is in all its glory.
iPhone Twitter App Battlemodo: Best and Worst Twitter Apps for iPhone [via Gizmodo]
Post is courtesy of Engadget
As promised, Apple just debuted its upcoming iPhone OS 3.0. Much of the news seemed developer-centric, but there are certainly plenty of consumer implications down the road, along with long-awaited functions like copy and paste, A2DP, MMS and universal Spotlight search. Improvements include:
App and developer functionality (more here)
- Peer-to-peer connectivity over Bluetooth for gaming and other info-swapping.
- Paid apps will have the potential to be subscription fee-based, and can include optional paid content that can be bought from right inside the app.
- Developers can now build apps that call out to Google Maps, and can also finally bring Apple-blessed turn-by-turn to the phone.
- Devs can also connect with hardware accessories over in their apps now, such as a blood pressure monitor — or perhaps a keyboard? Connectivity works through the dock connector or over Bluetooth.
- Long-promised push functionality will at last be included, but apps won’t run in the background.
- Developers can add streaming video and audio to their apps, along with in-game voice use.
General functionality
- Cut, copy and paste. At last! You can shake the phone to undo and redo the action, and it works with both text and photos, allowing Mail to send multiple photos at a time. (more here)
- MMS, along with forward and delete for multiple messages. (more here)
- A2DP stereo Bluetooth.
- Unlocked Bluetooth functionality on 2G iPod touch. (more here)
- Spotlight has been added to a new home screen page to the left of existing pages, allowing for universal search on the phone. (more here)
- Tethering is built into 3.0, and Apple will work with carriers on that — who will have the last say on its implementation, most likely.
- App Store will be available in 77 countries.
Apple apps
- A new app called Voice Memos which lets you record notes and reminders.
- A revised Stocks app, with news stories and a landscape view.
- Landscape keyboard available in all major apps.
- CalDAV support has been added to Calendar, along with subscriptions support in the .ics format.
- Apple’s major apps have all been expanded with search functionality.
- Note Sync to sync your notes.
- YouTube account support.
- Form auto-fill.
- Phishing protection.
A developer beta of OS 3.0 is available today, and the 3.0 update will be coming to consumers this summer as a free update to all iPhone 3G customers. It’ll also work for 1st gen iPhone owners, though they won’t receive A2DP or MMS due to hardware limitations. iPod touch owners will be able to update for $9.95, just like last time.
Category : Web/Tech
In Windows Vista/XP have you ever wanted to reorganize your taskbar items? You can’t just drag them around like you can in Windows 7, so enter a nifty little program called Taskbar Shuffle. This app lets you reorder your taskbar buttons by drag and drop, you can also do the same thing with your tray icons. There are a lot more options, and if you are constantly thinking “I wish I could make the taskbar work for me” then give Taskbar Shuffle a try.
Category : Software
iTunes 8.1 is now official, they released it to be compatible with the new iPod Shuffle, but it also adds some other cool new features. Here is the official list.
- Supports syncing with iPod shuffle (3rd generation).
- Allows friends to request songs for iTunes DJ.
- Adds Genius sidebar for your Movies and TV Shows.
- Improves performance when downloading iTunes Plus songs.
- Provides AutoFill for manually managed iPods.
- Allows CDs to be imported at the same sound quality as iTunes Plus.
- Includes many accessibility improvements.
- Allows iTunes U and the iTunes Store to be disabled separately using Parental Controls
I personally like the change from Party Shuffle to iTunes DJ, as I played around with it and it could be quite useful at parties, or at various organizations that play music through iTunes. I have heard that it has caused some people to have crashing issues, but I haven’t experienced any of those troubles, so go ahead and update at your leisure. I have also noticed that Genius is missing from movies and TV, so we’ll wait and see what happens there.
Category : Web/Tech
Grand Central was the one-number-to-rule-them-all webapp that a lot of people were exited about and used, including me. I loved the fact that all calls were screened, I could opt to listen to my voicemails as people were leaving them, and I could record calls.
Google voice contains most of those features, but they have given it the Google look and feel to it, and it now uses my Gmail contacts, so that’s nice as well. I do like the transcription feature, and it works fairly well, and it looks like I can start using it full time again.
Here is a video to take a look, if you didn’t have a Grand Central account before, you are out of luck until the service goes live, but existing users should have instructions to upgrade.
ROBERTS-Timothy J., age 24, LaVista, NE. Preceded in death by grandfathers William Roberts, Thomas Kurgan. Survived by parents James and Susan Roberts; brothers Craig and Brian Roberts; sister Kylie Roberts; grandmothers Vi Roberts and Mary Ann Kurgan; many aunts, uncles, cousins; friends
VISITATION at St. Gerald Church (96th & Q) Wednesday 6:15 to 8:00 p.m. with Vigil Service 7:30 p.m. at the church. Mass of Christian Burial Thursday 10:30 a.m. St. Gerald Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the family. BETHANY FUNERAL HOME
82nd & Harrison 593-6100
I have known the Robert’s Family for a long time and this is a true tragedy.
-Brian
I just looked at the count of Apps I have in iTunes, and it’s 904, so I thought I would share the list of downloaded apps I have. I am thinking about reviewing some of the apps I use on a daily basis, so here is a head start.
I watch Appshopper.com’s feeds to watch when new apps come out, when paid apps go free or when there is a price change. This site has saved me a lot of money in the app store, and it’s a very helpful site.
Appshopper’s Feeds