Digital Technology for Digital Living.
June 17, 2008
Loopt Coming Soon to the iPhone 3G
Wish you knew where your friends and family were at all times? Have you heard of Loopt yet?
Loopt is a mobile phone application that enables users to spy on see the location of their friends on an interactive map (see image below). The application also allows you to message friends in your general area and setup automatic alerts to notify you when friends are nearby.
In the last few months, Loopt has published several BlackBerry versions of its software for all major American cellphone carriers including T-Mobile, AT&T, Alltel and Sprint. Loopt also demonstrated an Alpha version of their software for the 3G iPhone at the 2008 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). You can sign up to be notified when the full iPhone version of Loopt is released here.
If you have a Jailbroken iPhone, then the function and features of Loopt might sound similar to Twinkle. Twinkle is a native Twitter client for the iPhone that pairs your GPS location with your Twitter posts. Twinkle also gives you the ability to add images to your Twitter Tweets.
But whether or not you use Loopt, Twinkle or Twitter.. it’s not any fun unless all your friends are also using the service.
methodshop | Comments (2) | General
June 14, 2008
Developers and Consumers Get Ready for Apple’s iPhone App Store
A massive new online business is scheduled to launch on July 11: Apple’s App Store - an online hub for third party iPhone and iPod Touch applications.
Beginning later this month, developers will begin to upload apps to the store accessible by iPhone users or to a new section of the iTunes Store, sharing revenue from app sales with Apple in a 70/30 split. These apps will be in addition to the 1,700-odd apps already developed for the iPhone’s Safari web browser.
One of the games people are looking forward to playing is Super Monkey Ball. Sega’s Ethan Einhorn showed off Super Monkey Ball on stage at the WWDC. According to Einhorn, after 8 weeks of development, the developers have created 110 stages.
The new 3G, GPS-enabled iPhone should open up a world of possibilities for clever developers in the realms of gaming, entertainment and enterprise applications.
In related news, the AOL Radio app for the iPhone won for Best Entertainment Application at the 2008 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), providing users free access to over 350 online radio stations (including 150 local CBS radio stations) and more than 200 AOL Radio channels.
Other WWDC iPhone App winners:
Best iPhone Game:
Enigmo by Pangea SoftwareBest iPhone Social Networking App:
Twitterrific by the Icon FactoryBest iPhone Productivity App:
OmniFocus by the Omni GroupBest iPhone Healthcare & Fitness App:
MIM from MIMVista
methodshop | Comments (0) | General
June 10, 2008
AMD Turion Ultra notebook platform
AMD Turion Ultra notebook platform
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) launches its next-generation mobile processor - the AMD Turion Ultra notebook platform.
AMD state that the new processor is the first real opportunity to capitalize on their US$5.4 billion acquisition of graphics company ATI in July 2006.
A successful launch of the new AMD platform is seen by some as a turning point for AMD to take advantage of ATI’s graphics expertise and Intel’s failure to deliver its new laptop system.
By AMD’s own admission, it’s been a challenging time for the company as it attempts to go head to head with Intel and increase its market share which grew to 18% in 2007. Despite the current financial climate, the mobile computer market has become a key battlefield for chip makers. AMD sees mobile success as critical to its future growth; in 2007, AMD notebook sales grew by 53% compared to Intel’s growth of 33%. Overall laptop sales grew 37% worldwide from 2006 to 2007, particularly in emerging markets such as Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and Africa, which has experienced 67% and 45% growth in sales respectively.
But it is the home entertainment market that could be key for AMD and also signal the death of the home desktop PC, as laptop power and graphics become increasingly sophisticated. Personal laptops now outsell home desktops, with 83% of people in Europe stating they use their notebooks for entertainment alone, such as HD gaming, HD DVD, streaming live TV and accessing the internet. AMD have tapped into this entertainment-driven market with specific features that enable the user to experience high quality graphics without draining the battery life of the notebook - enabling a mobility not previously seen before.
Click video below to watch Alberto Macchi, Managing Director, AMD Europe join spokespersons leading computer manufacturers including Acer and Packard Bell to discuss the exciting new platform…
Gadgetman | Comments (0) | Geek
June 04, 2008
iPhone 3G and WWDC Announcement Predictions
There’s no doubt that an iPhone update is imminent. But while nearly everyone has agreed on that, nobody knows anything definite about the specifics… except that the new iPhone will be compatible with the Microsoft Exchange email services. There’s a link on the main Apple.com iPhone page where you can apply to be a beta tester.
In regards to the iPhone, here’s what we know today:
- Apple.com lists the iPhone as “Currently Unavailable.” Stock is so low that you can’t buy it. Usually a good sign that a new model is coming out soon.
- Apple continues to make iPhone sales deals across the globe. Netherlands, Hong Kong, Singapore, India and Australia were all announced with the last few months.
- A 3G settings screen was found by hackers in the latest firmware update for the iPhone.
- The new iPhone will most likely be unveiled during Steve Jobs’ keynote speech at Apple’s WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) on June 9th.
- AT&T is prohibiting retail-store employees from taking vacations between June 15 and July 12, claiming that they’re expecting a “heavy selling period”. They implemented a similar policy last year for the iPhone launch.
- AT&T executives have said numerous times that all of their smartphones (the iPhone is one of the) will support 3G networking soon.
- The Apple Stores have been out of stock of the iPhone for weeks. And people are forming daily lines outside Apple stores that still have a few iPhones in stock.
And according to MethodShop.com, here are some rumors about what Steve Jobs might announce at the WWDC on June 9th
methodshop | Comments (1) | General
June 01, 2008
Converting Audio File Formats in iTunes
iTunes is much more than a digital music jukebox. It’s capable of handling many different tasks involving digital media. Some of iTunes’ most popular features include buying music and vidoes online, burning CDs, and syncing files with your iPod or iPhone.
But one of the lesser known functions hidden within iTunes is the ability to convert audio files.
Why would you need to convert an audio file? Converting audio file types can be useful in many different situations. Here are a few examples:
- You have an AAC file in iTunes that’s not compatible with your Zune that can play MP3 and not AAC files.
- A WAV file needs to be emailed to a client for approval but it’s too big. You need to convert the file to an AAC so it’s small enough to easily send via email.
- You are making a music video and want to use a song you got online as the soundtrack. However, the editing program won’t import the song because it doesn’t support MP3 or AAC.
- You need to remove the DRM (Digital Rights Management) from an AAC song you purchased from the iTunes Store (see step #7).
Many programs that convert audio files into different formats are pretty complicated and usually cost money. But not iTunes. iTunes is simple, fast and best of all… free.
Tutorial: Converting Audio File Formats in iTunes
methodshop | Comments (0) | General
