Skip to Content

AOL Tech

IphoneApps posts

Cell Phones, iPhone

Howard Stern Not Available on Sirius iPhone App

Sorry, iPhone users, but the 'King of All Media' won't be available on Sirius XM's new iPhone app, released last week. You'll have to get your fill of fart jokes and conversations with naked women somewhere else (may we suggest the Playboy channel for the latter).

According to Daily Finance, the absence of Howard Stern's show is due to, in his words, a "contract rights issue." Monday, fans called into Stern's show demanding an explanation. Stern debunked some claims that the show was too racy for an iPhone app, saying, "How can it be too dirty if you have the Playboy channel on there?" The Daily Finance suggested that Stern's show falls under the same category as other contractually obligated programs, such as the NFL, that can't be broadcast on the app (which is free for Sirius XM subscribers).

Read more →

iPod, BlackBerry, Web

'Dunkin' Run' Helps Coordinate Your Donut and Coffee Orders


God bless Dunkin' Donuts. Just when we thought the classic combination of coffee and donuts couldn't get more appealing, the beloved chain introduces a slick, interactive way to keep up with group orders. Say goodbye to pencil and paper, folks.

According to Mashable, 'Dunkin' Run' (which launched yesterday, here) works as a Web or mobile application that gathers and organizes large orders, cutting out any mental heavy lifting (so difficult in the morning) on your part. Once you create an account, you decide on a time and invite folks through the app, using e-mail addresses or phone numbers. Those invited receive a message to place their orders via the built-in menu. Next, you place your order, and the app compiles it into one, neat list. The app also stores past orders and favorite items, sends run reminders and cancellations, and can connect to Facebook, so every one will know when a craving strikes.

Read more →

Cell Phones, iPhone

'Brushes' iPhone App: Fingerpainting Without the Mess

Are you a clean-freak, on-the-move, not-entirely-struggling artist? If so, 'Brushes,' a new art application for the iPhone, could be for you. Eliminating the need for cumbersome (and messy) brushes, paint tubes, pencils, sketchbooks, and other supplies, the app allows aspiring iArtists to create miniature oeuvres with the tips of their fingers.

According to The Daily Mail, many digital artists are using 'Brushes,' which costs $4.99 at the App Store, to create detailed works of art while riding the subway to work or waiting in the lobby at the dentist's office. It's not just MS Paint in mobile form, either; one 'Brushes' devotee, Jorge Colombo, found his work on the cover of 'The New Yorker.'

Read more →

iPod, iPhone

Cartier Sues Apple Over Fake Watch iPhone Apps, Apple Backs Down

Cartier Has Apple Pull a Pair of AppsHigh-end jeweler Cartier garnered itself a bit of (perhaps unwanted) attention this past weekend when it filed a trademark infringement suit regarding a small time iPhone app developer -- Digitopolis Game Studio. The company created a pair of apps, called Fake Watch and Fake Watch Gold Edition, which featured recreations of Cartier's "Tank" watch.

Oddly enough, Cartier didn't sue Digitopolis, but rather, Apple, for allowing the applications into its marketplace. The jewelry maker withdrew its suit after Apple yanked the offending titles Friday afternoon, stating that Cartier's "concerns had been addressed."

Of course, Cartier might do better to spend its time battling guys selling cheap knockoffs on Canal Street, rather than suing Apple over poor renderings on an iPhone. Just a thought. [From: TUAW]

iPhone, Mobile Software

Politics Much? Then Try Out These iPhone Apps.

More than one of us here at the Switched office are political junkies, so we couldn't help but get a little excited when Mashable posted its list of the five best iPhone apps for keeping abreast of all things political.

The list includes asap - Politics ($0.99), which collects the best political content from newspapers and Web sites, as well as Politics - The Essential Collection ($1.99), which is a one stop shop for political literature, including the Federalist Papers' and 'The Art of War.' Elections and Congress (both $0.99) let you find out how to contact your representatives in Congress and the Senate, and keep track of local elections.

Read more →

Cell Phones, iPhone, Mobile Software

iPhone's 'Email 'n Walk' Lets You E-Mail and Walk at the Same Time

Emain 'n Walk Lets You... Email and Walk
We here at Switched are what you might call e-mail addicts. In fact, we have no idea how we survived before the invention of mobile e-mail and smart phones -- but even we have to admit that the Email 'n Walk iPhone app is a little ludicrous.

Free for a limited time, Email 'n Walk for the iPhone lets you safely (in theory) compose e-mails while walking by displaying a video feed taken live from the camera underneath your message. So, now you can see where you're walking while you type, without the distraction of looking up every few seconds.

Of course, this will only show you what's directly in front of the camera, so you'll still have to be careful of low hanging tree branches and telephone poles. [From: Apple iPhone Apps, Via: Textually.org]

iPhone

Scientists Turning to Folks With iPhones to Get Research

Scientists May Turn To People With iPhones for Research

Citizen scientists are nothing new. In fact, they've been helping the Audubon Society to catalog birds since 1900, and have even been enlisted by NASA to study stardust collected in probes. But new technology like 3G data networks and advanced cell phone operating systems like the iPhone's OS X have scientists scrambling to put powerful, connected, mobile tools in the palms of amateur scientists everywhere.

According to CNN, scientists at several universities are working on developing an iPhone application that will be able to identify and track plant species with little more than a photo and GPS coordinates. Enthusiasts will be able to snap photos of leaves that will then be sent to a database where the images will be analyzed and the leaves automatically identified. The phone will also send back GPS data so that researchers can see where plants are flourishing or dying out, and so that they can better track the damages done by global warming.

Citizen scientists equipped with new tools to make their data more reliable can only expand the boundaries of scientific observation. And since science is based upon observable data, the more information that is gathered, the better and more reliable researchers' inferences will be. [From: CNN, Via: Fark]

iPhone, Mobile Software

Rejected, Racy iPhone App Accepted After '12+' Rating Stamp


It's no secret that the iPhone App Store's approval process is ambiguous at best and fundamentally flawed at worst. From the iFarts of the world to questionable baby-shaking apps, no one really knows why an app gets accepted or rejected from the store. But, in the case of the once-rejected Peekababe, developer Alan Bigio suspects that slapping an adolescent-friendly, '12+' rating on the app may have been just what it needed for approval, reports TechCrunch.

What made the app's initial rejection puzzling is that there are many approved apps just like it. Peekababe shows various photos of sexy women and includes the option to "undress" them (check out the video above), right down to their skimpy lingerie. There's no nudity, and, really, even network television gets more risque. While the more age-inclusive rating stamp hasn't been officially confirmed as the reason the app was accepted, it was likely a factor. Bigio told TechCrunch, "My rating was based on the guidelines that they have for the iTunes store. Better to be safe than sorry." [From: TechCrunch]

Cell Phones, iPhone, Mobile Software

New iPhone App Aims to Help You Avoid Swine Flu

http://www.switched.com/2009/03/09/webcam-virus-hijacks-750-twitter-accounts/You know the deal -- there's an app for everything. Literally.

And now there is an app for tracking the over-hyped medical threat that the press has dubbed Swine Flu. Sure, Swine Flu has been less deadly than Bird Flu (which wasn't particularly deadly to begin with), and less fun to say than Monkey Pox, but that hasn't stopped the media from turning it into a story you can't avoid.

So, while you can't avoid the coverage, you can avoid the infected with the help of your iPhone and 'Swine Flu Tracker,' which is currently awaiting Apple's approval to be placed in the app store. This means that by the time 'Tracker' is actually available, it'll be useless since we'll all have moved on to something more fun, like Buffalo Fever or Jersey-Girl-itis.

Read more →

iPhone

Zillow iPhone App: Real Estate in Real Time


If you're looking to buy a house -- it's a buyer's market! -- there is a new iPhone app that may appeal to you.

As we learned from Textually, the Zillow iPhone app lets on-the-go users view on-the-go real estate information; users can drive through a neighborhood and view, among other things, home values, homes for sale, and what has recently sold in the area. The application uses GPS to pinpoint a user's location, feeding her information about the surrounding structures in real time as she drives by.

Zillow, if you didn't already know, is a massive real estate Web site that lists approximately 95-percent of the homes in the U.S. The Web site's corresponding app seems more appropriate for a real estate professional than a prospective buyer, but a person can never have too much information when making such a huge financial decision. [From: Textually]

iPhone, Mobile Phones

Baby Shaking iPhone App: Fun, If You're a Psycopath


In the ever-expanding iPhone app store, there are some helpful, fun and downright awesome sources of information and entertainment. That said, every so often an app shows up that makes us wonder what the hell the people at Apple were thinking (if they were, in fact, thinking when they approved it).

We are speaking, of course, about the now infamous 'Baby Shaker' app that went on sale Monday, according to TechCrunch and the Telegraph. The app allows users to, you guessed it, shake a crying baby to death (you know the baby is dead because when she stops crying two red X's cover her eyes). Simply shake the phone as hard as you can, and the stupid baby shuts up.

The application, created by San Francisco-based company Sikilasoft, has already been pulled, but the fact that it ever gained approval leaves us dumbfounded. We are all for creative entertainment, and for pushing boundaries, but this is ridiculous. Get it together, Apple. [From: TechCrunch and The Telegraph]

[UPDATE: In a rare backpedal by Apple, the company has issued a public apology, stating that the "application was deeply offensive and should not have been approved for distribution on the App Store." Check out Cnet to read the full apology.]

iPod, iPhone, Mobile Software

New iPhone Vibrator App Provides Quick Relief



Since the early days of advertising, companies have been marketing massage devices to women under the intention of curing or relieving 'feminine illness.' Like a modernized throwback to those bygone advertisements, a new Apple app seeks to cure the female tremors by turning your iPhone/iPod Touch into a "vibrating personal massager," giving you four levels of buzzing bliss for only a dollar.

The product description proclaims, "if you're stressed, or just need a quick pick-me-up, let myMassage provide you with quick relief." As if the whole thing weren't already full-to-bursting with innuendo, the creators even tout the application's code as being "leak-free," so users who need extended relief can rejuvenate for as long as they want, without fear of crashing the program. Which leads us to wonder -- how long does the iPod's battery typically last when using this app? [From: Wired]

Related Links:




iPod, iPhone, Mobile Software

DailyFinance iPhone App Dazzles With Design, Features

Do you find the iPhone's stock widget a bit anemic on features? Tired of shuffling through multiple apps for finance news, stock reports, and keeping track of personal portfolios? Then we highly suggest you download the just released DailyFinance (iTunes link) app. This one-stop application culls the best features of various finance apps, and presents them in an exceptionally handsome interface on par with some of the best we've seen on the iPhone/iPod Touch.

In terms of features, DailyFinance presents a plethora of financial information ranging from general market changes to currency adjustments to commodity prices. Best of all, all the stats are updated in real time, giving you a live view of the world markets in flux. You can, of course, drill down further and view highly detailed facts and figures for any given stock. For instance, a quick search for Apple's stock (AAPL) immediately shows today's low and high price (as well as yesterday's), the company's volume and market cap, and current earnings.

Switching over to the News tab shows any AAPL-related news stories aggregated from over 3,000 sources, and clicking on one opens the corresponding news story within the app itself rather than launching the Safari browser, providing a seamless user experience. Each stock also has a Charts tab that produces an easy-to-read graph of a stock's performance over a set amount of time, from one day up to five years. Even these charts show a fine attention to detail, with lows and highs marked by red and green lines on the x-axis, giving you an easy color-based way to analyze a stock's overall trend.

Read more →

Video Games, Editor's Picks, iPod, iPhone, Mobile Software, Reviews, Mobile Phones

Tapulous Releases New Coldplay 'Tap Tap' Game (Hands-On Review)



'Tap Tap Revenge,' an iPhone and iPod Touch game with a similar style of play to 'Dance Dance Revolution' and 'Guitar Hero,' has become the most installed app on the two Apple devices, attracting millions of downloads, according to comScore. This week, Tapulous, the makers of the commute-killing masterpiece, released its latest 'Tap Tap' iPhone app - 'Tap Tap Revenge Coldplay.' For this special-edition installment of the franchise, which includes 'Tap Tap Dance' and 'Revenge 2,' the designers paired up with the Grammy-winning band to produce an entrancing and hypnotic game fueled by 10 popular tracks.

While we are, admittedly, not avid fans of Coldplay, the game never loses its appeal. The enhanced graphics, mesmerizing array of colors, and flowing backdrops remain entertaining throughout all four difficulty levels, although we probably appeared to be violently abusing our defenseless iPod while attempting to play the "Extreme" setting. The multiplayer function, also available on some of the other titles, adds an extra dimension to gameplay. If you're sharing a gadget, just be careful not to get so animated that you headbutt your opponent (although that might have aided us in our over-matched contest against a piano player with far more dexterous fingers than our own).

If you enjoy killing time with 'Tap Tap,' but Coldplay's not your thing, the recent release 'Revenge 2' features over 150 free songs from a variety of genres including rock, hip-hop and country. [From: Tapulous]

Related Links:

Video Games, iPod, iPhone, Mobile Software, Mobile Phones

'Miracle On Hudson' Now an iPhone/iPod Touch App



Most of us reacted with a mixture of relief and awe when we first heard about Captain Chesley Sullenberger III's deft landing of the bird-stricken US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. If you've ever wondered how you'd have fared in the pilot's seat that day, then check out the most recent iPhone/iPod touch app from Laminar Research, which, believe it or not, is the second game to tackle this event.

In 'Sully's Flight' ($0.99), you'll get a shot at the famous landing, flying the engine-less airliner by tilting your iPhone back and forth, no less. The game starts you on the runway at the LaGuardia airport, where you'll be able to take off, hit a flock of geese, lose power, and then try to land the hobbled Airbus 320 in the Hudson. The best (or most disturbing) part of the simulation is that 'Sully's Flight' uses the real air-traffic recording of the interaction between the on-board crew and ground control.

Is this game just another example of blatant situational exploitation? Absolutely. Are we going to get it? Probably. [From: TUAW]

Related Links:

Switched Video

Follow Switched on Twitter
 

Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

    Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
    When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

     

    Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
    In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

     

    Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
    Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

     

    Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
    Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

     

    17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
    When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

     

    Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
    Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

     

    Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
    Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

     

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

Top Product Reviews

  • Home Audio Reviews

    9.0 out of 10

    Denon AVR-4306 (black)
    Incredibly well-featured 7.1-channel receiver; excellent sound quality; three HDMI inputs; converts analog video to HDMI output; upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution; iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity; Internet radio and MP3/WMA streaming audio via built-in Ethernet port; XM Satellite Radio compatible; touch-screen remote; multizone, multisource operation; browser-based control via home network; accurate autocalibration routine. Full Review

    8.8 out of 10

    KEF KHT3005 (black)
    The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review

    8.8 out of 10

    KEF KHT3005 (silver)
    The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review

  • Cell Phone Reviews

    8.6 out of 10

    Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal extender
    The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone. Full Review

    8.6 out of 10

    Turbo Charge Tc2 portable cell phone charger
    The Turbo Charge Tc2 portable cell phone charger successfully delivers emergency power to your cell phone. It's easy to use and comes with a couple of surprising features. Full Review

    8.3 out of 10

    LG VX6000 (Verizon Wireless)
    Compact and stylish; impressive battery life; solid audio quality; sharp color screen; built-in camera; USB ready; affordable. Full Review

  • Digital Camera Reviews

    9.3 out of 10

    Canon EOS 1D Mark III
    Extremely fast, 10-megapixel continuous shooting; very low noise; highly customizable; well-designed body with weather sealing; 3-inch LCD; abundant optional accessories. Full Review

    9.3 out of 10

    Nikon D3 (body only)
    Full-frame sensor; well designed, pro-level weather-sealed body; very low noise, even at extremely high ISOs; fast. Full Review

    9.0 out of 10

    Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
    Very low noise, high quality images; 21.1 megapixels; live view shooting; pro-level build-quality and performance. Full Review

  • Desktop Reviews

    8.5 out of 10

    Apple iMac (24-inch, 2.8GHz)
    A minor specification update results in some significant performance gains; graphics upgrade an option on this 24-inch model; sleek, polished design didn't receive an update, but we won't start clamoring for a new design until the current one is at least 12 months old. Full Review

    8.4 out of 10

    Velocity Raptor Signature Edition Gaming PC
    One of the fastest PCs we've tested; a PCI Express RAID card helps media encoding performance; typically immaculate Velocity Micro assembly; strong, three-year warranty. Full Review

    8.3 out of 10

    Dell Studio Desktop Computer (Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200, 750GB HDD, 6GB)
    Best performance in its class; dedicated graphics card; large hard drive. Full Review

Featured Galleries

MacBook Pro (WWDC)
Maker Faire 2009
Faulty GPS Led These Poor Folks to Disaster
Flip Mino HD Balloon Flight
Budget PCs We Like
Disaster Related Games
5 Loud Games That Might Get Your Neighbors Calling the Police
Celebrity Hackings
Cell Phone Bans Across the U.S.A.

 

Switched Desktop

Get the New Switched Desktop

Latest tech news, Switched mail, and more.

AOL Tech Network

Resources