Posts tagged Wwdc at Switched

Posts with tag wwdc

Apple Highlights the Best-Designed Mac and iPhone Apps

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 13th 2008 at 11:41AM

Despite what you may think , this week's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) didn't end with the announcement of the 3G iPhone. As part of the festivities, Apple handed out its Design Awards yesterday to what it considers best of breed applications and programs for the Mac and the iPhone. Most of the applications were beautiful, but some were of questionable usefulness to the average user, while others were simply too expensive for what they do.

Well, we're here to help you cut through the clutter, much of which you can either download online now or get from the iTunes App store when it opens for business on July 11. With out further ado, we present the Switched.com Apple Design Award highlights:

Squirrel - Winner of the best student developed software package. Squirrel is a financial tracking application similar to Quicken that aims to make watching your spending a little less mundane. Squirrel can output your spending and income into animated graphs and reports and will even connect to your online banking accounts to pull in updates. Price: €6.99 ($11) , or you can download the beta for free and cough up €25 ($40) when the final version goes live.

AP Mobile News Network - Runner-up for the best iPhone Web application. The Associated Press' iPhone news reader makes getting local news on your iPhone easy, and even lets you browse the services catalog of videos and photos. Price: Free!

AOL Radio - Winner for best iPhone entertainment app, AOL Radio for the iPhone puts 350 online radio stations, including 150 local station streams from CBS, at your fingertips. It's hard to argue with that. Price: Free!

'Guitar Hero III' - Winner for Best OS X game. There is a reason 'Guitar Hero' is so popular, and it's 'cause it's just so much damn fun. Probably didn't hurt that it simply didn't face much competition on the Mac. Price: $80 with guitar controler.

There were also a couple of gems that we would whole heartedly recommend, if there wasn't a price tag attached.

Remember the Milk - Winner for best iPhone Web applicaion. Remember the Milk is a great online to-do list with loads of great features. It now also has an iPhone-specific interface that makes managing your life's tasks a pleasure to do whlie on the go. Price: $25 per year for a Pro-Account that will give you access to the iPhone interface (alas, non-iPhone versions are free).

Twitterific - Winner for best iPhone social networking app, Twitterific is one of the most beautiful and pleasurable Twitter clients we've ever encountered. We're not sure what the revenue model on the iPhone version will be yet, but if it's anything like the OS X version, we're less than thrilled. (Shameless plug: Check out the official Switched twitter page for all our recent news). Price: Free with ads, $15 for an ad-free version on OS X.

OS X and the iPhone/iPod Touch are gaining ground as platforms to building beautiful applications for. Unfortunately, many developers seem to treat them as proof of concepts rather that truly making the applications useful ('Timeline 3D,' we're looking at you). We also would expect that as the Mac became more popular more quality free applications would start to surface. Unfortunately, so far, this has not been the case. [Source: MacWorld]

(Disclosure: AOL Radio is an online service owned and offered by AOL, which also owns and operates Switched.com)

Some Apple Fans Concerned Over Thinner Steve Jobs

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 11th 2008 at 1:15PM

Some Apple Fans Concerned Over Jobs' Recent Appearance

Earlier this week, Apple's Steve Jobs appeared at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) to announce, among other things, the new, cheaper, and faster iPhone. But it wasn't the hardware or software announcements that had many people buzzing -- it was Jobs' appearance.

Some fans raised concerns about his rather gaunt face and the way he didn't quite fill out his typical attire (bluejeans and black turtleneck) the way he has at previous years' conferences.

Jobs had a recent battle with pancreatic cancer, causing much of the worries, but according to Apple PR, there's no reason for concern; Steve was just recovering from a "common bug" that left him a few pounds lighter than before. So, fear not, Jobs fans, your predictably-dressed leader is in fine shape -- if desperately in need of a makeover. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]

iPhone 2.0 Software Brings Next-Gen Features to Current iPhone Owners

by Will Safer, posted Jun 9th 2008 at 4:34PM

Start counting down to early July for the release of the new iPhone 2.0 software update, which Steve Jobs and company today announced at the keynote speech for the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference). This upcoming version of the operating system will enable new features that includes a redesigned calendar application and input capability for Japanese and Chinese characters. This new software will be built-in to the new iPhone 3G that was announced today, but will also be available for free as a downloadable upgrade for all current iPhone owners.

With iPhone 2.0, instant messaging becomes much more "instant," with constant updates coming across the network in a way that promises not to drain the device's battery. This is vital for iPhone users who are (like many) addicted to constant messaging but have complained of the current iPhone's battery life.

The biggest improvement appears to be the ease with which developers can create new applications for the iPhone. Demonstrations included medical teaching applications and games from SEGA, which apparently needed only two weeks to prepare its game sample for previewing at the conference. (That's speedy, and means it's much easier for developers of all stripes to make games and other applications for iPhone 2.0. More applications means users of all kinds will be able to find functionality that works for them. In Apple's effort to compete with other smartphone makers, this is very important.) Some of the applications that will be available were also previewed. These included apps from eBay, Loopt, MLB.com, Associated Press, and Typepad.

While current iPhone users will be able to upgrade to iPhone 2.0 for free, iPod Touch users will have to fork over $9.99 to get the new software.

New applications will be available via the App Store, and will be downloaded wirelessly. Developers will be able to post their creations to the store, so reaching users will not be difficult. Whenever an application is updated or improved by the developer, consumers will be able to download the new software wirelessly as well, for free.

For more information on the new Apple announcements, make sure to go to Engadget Classic's extensive, up-to-the-minute coverage of the WWDC.

Click Here for More Apple and iPhone News

Faster iPhone Coming Out July 11 for $199

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 9th 2008 at 3:32PM

Well, we've all been saying it was gonna happen, and now it's official, Apple is officially launching a newer, faster, and thinner iPhone (what many people have been referring to as the 3G iPhone, but which Apple is officially calling the 'iPhone 3G'). So what's so new and great about this updated iPhone? Here, in a nutshell, are the details, courtesy of Engadget Classic.

It's faster: As you may have heard, the new iPhone, is 3G-capable, which means that surfing the Web and getting e-mail, among other tasks that require data networks, will be at least three times as fast as the current generation iPhone. Don't worry, the new iPhone will still be Wi-Fi-capable, which means you can get even faster download speeds when you're in a Wi-Fi hotspot.

It has real GPS: Yes, the current iPhone has Google Maps and can get you from point-A to point-B, but only by getting coordinates from the cell phone network, which is less than efficient and sometimes doesn't work. The new iPhone will get up-to-the-minute GPS data from satellites (with supplements from connections via cell phone networks and Wi-Fi), which is generally more accurate than the current iPhone navigation system and allows for cool location-based services such as Loopt.

It lasts longer: According to Apple, the new iPhone's improved battery life will give 300 hours of standby, five hours of talk time, 5-6 hours of Web browsing, seven hours of video playback, and a marathon-esque 24-hours of audio playback.

It'll work with any set of headphones: The new iPhone has a flush headphone jack that means you no longer need an adapter to use your favorite set of earbuds or headphones.

It's affordable: Well, at least compared to the current iPhone. The new 8-gigabyte (GB) iPhone with a glossy black rear will cost $199, while the 16-gigabyte version will cost $299 (it also comes in white).

It's coming out next month: The new iPhone will be available through AT&T on July 11 in 22 countries, including the US (and will roll out to about 70 countries total by year's end).

Only things missing from the announcement (and the new iPhone) that we were looking forward to are: a) a better camera (the same old 2-megapixel is on this new iPhone, too) and b) a better keyboard (that touch keypad is still way too inaccurate for anyone who likes to type a lot of e-mails). For more up-to-the-minute analysis and information about the new iPhone, make sure to check Engadget Classic's coverage. And for pictures, take a look at our gallery below. [Sources: Apple and Engadget]

Gallery: iPhone 3G

3G iPhone Touchscreen Leaks Out?

by Nilay Patel, posted Jun 8th 2008 at 5:47PM

We're just one day away from WWDC, so the rumor mill is churning at a fever pitch -- and the latest context-less bits of info to emerge from the churn are these purported photos of the 3G iPhone's touchscreens over at iLounge.

Yeah, that's touchscreens, plural -- if these are to believed, Apple's got two sizes of iPhone in store for us on Monday: a 3.2-inch model, and a smaller 2.8-inch model. Note that both of those sizes are smaller than the current iPhone's 3.5-inch screen, which seems slightly implausible -- but kinda-sorta matches up with other rumors we've heard, including those persistent "iPhone nano" whispers from last year.

We still really doubt that Apple will shrink the iPhone's screen size, however, and there are literally hundreds of touchscreen iPhone KIRFs these panels could have come from, so we'd say there's a better chance this is just more hype -- but we know y'all have your own ideas. Let us know in comments!

[Thanks, Sleuth]

Rumor Mill: What Apple Might Announce on Monday

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 8th 2008 at 2:04PM

On Monday Apple will host its World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, where rumors are circulating that Apple will announce anything from the new 3G iPhone to a Steve-Jobs-manned mission to Mars. But what can you actually expect to come out of those few days in San Francisco? Here are the four announcements we think Mr. Jobs is most likely to make during his keynote Monday morning.

3G iPhone
This one is sort of a no-brainer. We know the release of this faster, upgraded iPhone is right around the corner -- the only question left is how soon can we get our grubby mitts on it. Rumors have circulated that it will be available worldwide on day one, but we wouldn't count on that. The FCC and other regulatory bodies have yet to see the new phone (if they had, we would know about it), so we figure you probably won't be able to purchase one for about a month, but we do think they're coming sooner rather than later.

iTunes App Store
When Apple announced the iPhone SDK, it also announced it would provide a central market place for the purchase of applications for your iPhone (games, instant-messaging software, etc). The App Store icon is in place, developers have started creating products -- all that is missing is the actual store itself. Don't be surprised when it goes live Monday afternoon.

OS X 10.5.4
Didn't Apple just release an update to its OS X operating system? Sure, but the secretive company wouldn't want to let any potential details about its new 3G iPhone slip with something as innocuous as small operating system update. So expect yet another round of bug fixes and drivers for those shiny new iPhones.

.Mac relaunch
This one is a bit more of a long shot. The .Mac service has been floudering for years. Apple has added new funtionality and kept it useful, but for the features the price is simply too high, and the inteface a bit dated. The rumor mill is suggesting that the .Mac will get rebranded and relaunched with the help of the other tech company du jour - Google.

iPhone 2.0 Launches World-Wide June 9th?

by Terrence O'Brien, posted May 23rd 2008 at 6:30AM

Well it's been just over a week since we last got to rumor mongering about the impending launch of the iPhone 2.0, so of course that means it's time to fire up the mills once again and get to speculating.

The latest bit of dirt out of Cupertino is that the new 3G capable iPhone will be making its debut at the June 9th Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. It's all but been confirmed that Mr. Jobs himself will be giving the keynote at the conference, and stocks of the iPhone have been suspiciously low. Add to that the recent batch of international carriers announcing deals with Apple, and the rumor of a world wide launch early next month doesn't seem to absurd.

Then again, the iPhone 2.0 has yet to make an appearance at the FCC with only two weeks to go before its supposed launch. [Source: TUAW, Via: Wired]

Jobs to iPhone Developers - Write a Web App

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 11th 2007 at 3:17PM

We mentioned that rumors were flying about Apple opening the iPhone up to third-party developers. Well, today during his keynote, Jobs revealed exactly how this is going to work.

There is no Software Development Kit. Just use the built-in Safari engine to run AJAX based web apps.

Wait... So Jobs' idea of opening up the iPhone to developers is to let them run Web apps? This isn't quite as bad as it sounds. Apple will open access to core functions of the phone to the Web apps so they can place calls, send e-mails, etc. But this is not quite what most of us had in mind when we heard there would be third-party apps on the phone.

Another concern is speed, since the iPhone runs over Cingular's aging and relatively slow EDGE network. Running rich Web applications at speeds hovering in the high dial-up range might prove to be too excruciating for customers to bother.

From Engadget

Related Links:

Coverflow to Come to Mac OSX 10.5

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 11th 2007 at 1:59PM

We're sure you're familiar with that gorgeous feature of iTunes called Coverflow that allows you to flip through your albums in glossy 3D. At today's Apple keynote, Mr. Jobs has seen fit to extend that feature to the next version of the Finder, the file browser built into OS X 10.5, otherwise known as Leopard. In a nutshell, you will be able to flip through your files with live 3D previews of their contents -- all without opening their associated applications.

This works for files, devices, drives and applications -- even over your home network.

The new version of Finder makes browsing and sharing files between computers and over networks easier, and integrates with .mac (Apple's e-mail and remote storage service) to allow remote access to your files on your Mac through the Internet. This new feature is called 'My Mac' and may make remote access... well, accessible, to the masses. No more clunky services like 'Go To My PC' needed.

Your move, Mr. Gates.

From Engadget

Related links:

New iMacs? New iPhone@home Tablet?

by Terrence O'Brien, posted Jun 11th 2007 at 9:46AM

A German website claims to have "found" an outline of Steve Jobs' World Wide Developers' Conference speech that will take place later today (1pm Eastern). This is obviously all speculation and rumor but here go the highlights:

New iMacs - Brushed metal, LED backlight, Santa Rosa.
.mac now free with purchase of Mac computers.
"Oh, and one more thing..." iPhone@home.

According to the translated outline, iPhone@home looks like a 10-inch iPhone minus the phone and plus 30-gigabytes of flash-based storage.

Remember, these are just rumors and the iPhone@home sounds suspiciously useless for an Apple product.

From Daily Tech Talk

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Apple Highlights the Best-Designed Mac and iPhone Apps

Some Apple Fans Concerned Over Thinner Steve Jobs

iPhone 2.0 Software Brings Next-Gen Features to Current iPhone Owners

Faster iPhone Coming Out July 11 for $199

Gallery: iPhone 3G

3G iPhone Touchscreen Leaks Out?

Rumor Mill: What Apple Might Announce on Monday

iPhone 2.0 Launches World-Wide June 9th?

Jobs to iPhone Developers - Write a Web App

Coverflow to Come to Mac OSX 10.5

New iMacs? New iPhone@home Tablet?

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