Apple News

CoPilot Live navigates to more features

September 30th, 2009 at 11:30pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review

CoPilot Live [iTunes link] for North American roads is becoming the little engine that could. At only US$34.99 it is quickly adding new features, and in this latest update has added the coveted text to speech capability. For drivers, that means the nav app will say “turn left on Elm street” instead of “turn left just ahead”.

Other new features include adding an iPhone-standard keyboard for entering destinations, instead of the one designed for the app (which was clunky). The maps have been updated, and the developer says there is better integration of the address book from the iPhone.

I took CoPilot for a drive. It acquired the GPS signal quickly and I was on my way. It looks like the POI database has been improved, and the text to speech worked as anticipated. It is a great addition, and even the TomTom still doesn’t have that feature. Navigon and AT&T both have text to speech in their offerings.

I still find that the maps are way below the quality of every other navigator I have tested. Driving home it couldn’t find my street so it just put me on some nearby street. That could be misleading to a driver at best, and dangerous at worse.

The developers say the maps will continue to improve, but maps are what navigation is all about and they need to be up to date. I’ve talked to some users of this software, and they say their region is very accurate, so it depends where you are.

At a fraction of the cost of the ‘big boys’ and with text to speech, CoPilot Live is becoming a very competitive driving companion.

User ratings continue to improve, and I think it is very worthwhile at the low cost (if the map coverage in your area is adequate). If you have your own experiences to share, we’d love to hear from you.

TUAWCoPilot Live navigates to more features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
iPhone – AppStore – TomTom – Speech synthesis – Apple

By Mel Martin Continue Reading CoPilot Live navigates to more featuresAdd comment

Using Skype to battle cell phone dead zones

September 30th, 2009 at 11:00pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Filed under: Tips and tricks, iPhone, App Store

Is the cell coverage in your area not up to par? Whether you happen to have steel walls or live where there are no cell phone towers or trees cleverly disguised as cell phone towers, some of us must deal with the reality that, while we own arguably the most innovative gadget in recent years in the iPhone, we may not have had the best carrier to accompany it. One way to address this “bag of hurt” is through the Skype [iTunes link] app.

If you don’t already have the Skype app, download it — it’s a free download in the App Store. Next, you’ll need to make sure that Skype stays online when the screen is locked. This is accessible via the Skype app preferences within the iPhone’s main settings page. After this is enabled, the Skype app continues to run in the background and maintains a Wi-Fi connection even after the sleep/awake button is pushed — or if it’s set to automatically lock after a given time interval. Second, because Skype requires a Wi-Fi connection to make and receive calls, you’ll also want to make sure that whatever cell phone dead zone you’re at also happens to have a Wi-Fi connection.

This workaround obviously isn’t without its weaknesses. Assuming that most of those calling you would prefer dialing a phone number instead of your Skype user name, you’ll likely need a separate phone number. One option is SkypeIn, which marries Skype to a real phone number. The service costs $18 for three months or $60 for a whole year. And if you happen to have a Google Voice phone number, directing your calls to your SkypeIn number is an option. Alternatively, you could forward all of your iPhone calls to said Skype number whenever you anticipate a cell phone dead zone — say, before you enter your house, if you have bad reception there. This is accessible via the Phone preferences within the iPhone’s main settings page. Doing this, you won’t have to give out multiple numbers to your friends and family.

One of the other drawbacks of this alternative is that while an audible indicator (a ringing noise) is present when you’re receiving a call, a visual one isn’t. In other words, you may need some cat-like ears to know when you’re receiving a call.

A seamless solution this is not, but it nonetheless provides a possible workaround until more cell towers are built in your area, or until a push-based solution is available for Skype.

Readers, tell us what you’re doing to remedy cell reception issues. Be it a do-it-yourself tin can signal booster or anything else, let us know what’s worked for you.

TUAWUsing Skype to battle cell phone dead zones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
iPhone – Skype – AppStore – Apple – Google

By Sang Tang Continue Reading Using Skype to battle cell phone dead zonesAdd comment

If 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right?

September 30th, 2009 at 10:30pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Filed under: iPhone

File this one under AYFKMWTS (are you freaking kidding me with this stuff?): a Gizmodo reader, aggravated with an unacceptably high rate of dropped calls on his iPhone, took it to a New York City Apple Store to have it checked for issues. The call dump statistics revealed a 22% drop rate on calls, which most of us would call “wicked awful” — but not Apple and AT&T.

No, in this particular case the Genius told our hapless iPhone owner that he should count himself lucky, as Apple’s baseline stat for dropped calls in NYC is a blistering thirty percent. Yes, almost one in three calls on an iPhone in the Big Apple will end with frustration, and that’s just OK with everyone.

Well, not with us. Combined with the “five bars, no calls” dead zones and mysterious “call failed” issues, it must be said: this phone is not getting it done when it comes to the whole phone thing, at least on AT&T’s network in the city that never sleeps. Or, for that matter, makes an uninterrupted cell call.

[via Engadget]

TUAWIf 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
iPhone – AppStore – AT&T – Apple – Unofficial Apple Weblog

By Michael Rose Continue Reading If 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right?Add comment

Akamai Network Ready to Stream HD to iPhone

September 30th, 2009 at 10:14pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Huge internet content backbone Akamai is introducing their new on-demand, streaming HD Network, along with support for… the iPhone. Says Macworld:

Akamai worked with Apple to make HD Network video run on the iPhone using the standard H.264 format. The iPhone 3.0 software upgrade, introduced in June, added support for live video. Content providers [...]

By Rene Ritchie Continue Reading Akamai Network Ready to Stream HD to iPhoneAdd comment

AP Stylebook comes to the App Store

September 30th, 2009 at 10:00pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: iPhone, App Store

If you’re a journalist, writer, or editor, you’ve probably either heard of, used, or referenced the AP Stylebook in some way. Now, the AP has released an iPhone app of the AP Stylebook [iTunes Link]. It’s searchable, allows you to make notes, and offers features for easy access of suggested writing styles. However, this app costs $28.99, which is considerably more expensive than the printed version, which is available for $18.95 from the AP. If you’re out a lot, and don’t want to carry a big spiral-bound book around with you, you might want to consider this, although the price of this app may be limiting.

TUAWAP Stylebook comes to the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
iPhone – AppStore – AP Stylebook – Apple – TUAW

By Joachim Bean Continue Reading AP Stylebook comes to the App StoreAdd comment

New Bento 3 Integrates with iPhoto

September 30th, 2009 at 08:49pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Bento 3, a breakthrough new version of the popular personal database for the Mac, now integrates with iPhoto, allowing you to store more info about your photos and link them to contacts, projects, events and other information stored in Bento. The new Bento also offers multiuser sharing and new security options. “Think of Bento 3 [...]

By Iphone Updates Continue Reading New Bento 3 Integrates with iPhotoAdd comment

Regarding Tweetie 2.0 Costing $3

September 30th, 2009 at 08:43pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

When I buy an app, I’m entitled to:(answers)

We were going to post some long preachy editorial about Tweetie 2.0 being a paid upgrade but it looks like everyblog and their siblingsite has already done that. So here’s our quick take:

We’re buying it, and happily. We asked developer Atebits why they went the route of a [...]

By Rene Ritchie Continue Reading Regarding Tweetie 2.0 Costing $3Add comment

CNN Launches iPhone App, Includes Lazy Reporting Feature

September 30th, 2009 at 08:00pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

As a major news outlet, it’s a little late to the iPhone party, but CNN has finally released an official app that covers its entire news network, unlike the previously available CNN Money application. The paid app features text, video and photo updates throughout the day, including breaking news updates that make use of the [...]

By Darrell Etherington Continue Reading CNN Launches iPhone App, Includes Lazy Reporting FeatureAdd comment

360iDev Denver: iLime building the infrastructure for push, in-app purchase

September 30th, 2009 at 08:00pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Other Events, Developer, iPhone, SDK

One sign that the iPhone development world is starting to mature is that companies are beginning to build the infrastructure necessary for devs to enable push notification and in-app purchasing. Usually these functions require a developer to make a significant investment in server hardware and labor to set up and operate the push and/or purchase servers, as well as to write code to integrate those services into their apps.

I met with Tim Courtney and Chris Grove of KeyLimeTie yesterday at 360iDev in downtown Denver. Their company’s new service, iLime, is a scalable solution consisting of highly reliable server infrastructure and a set of iPhone Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that make it possible for iPhone developers to integrate Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) and in-app purchase easily.

iLime is making it very easy for small, independent developers to test the waters of push notification by making their APIs and server prowess available for free for up to the first 25,000 push messages each month. After that point, the service is charged on a per-push basis on a tiered pricing structure that makes higher volume more attractive. For in-app purchasing, iLime simply charges a flat US$0.05 fee for every content purchase made through their service.

iLime was first announced at iPhone Dev Camp in August. At 360iDev, iLime announced additional features and detailed documentation of the APIs. Courtney also noted that while there are only a handful of apps in the App Store at this time using iLime’s services, several hundred iPhone developers have tested and used the services and they expect a significant number of iLime-enabled apps in the near future.

It’s great to see KeyLimeTie making the investment in the virtual bricks and mortar that enable push notification and in-app purchasing, so more iPhone devs can take advantage of these iPhone OS features.

TUAW360iDev Denver: iLime building the infrastructure for push, in-app purchase originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
iPhone – AppStore – Apple – Application programming interface – IPhone OS

By Steven Sande Continue Reading 360iDev Denver: iLime building the infrastructure for push, in-app purchaseAdd comment

Ask TUAW: Syncing, custom keyboards, sharing iPhone apps, and more

September 30th, 2009 at 07:00pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW

Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly Mac troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we’ve got lots of questions about syncing, as well as customized keyboards, sharing iPhone apps, managing iTunes, and more.

As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you’re running and which version of Mac OS X (we’ll assume you’re running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don’t specify). And now, on to the questions

Continue reading Ask TUAW: Syncing, custom keyboards, sharing iPhone apps, and more

TUAWAsk TUAW: Syncing, custom keyboards, sharing iPhone apps, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sponsored Topics:
IPhone – Mac OS X – Apple – ITunes – TUAW

By Mat Lu Continue Reading Ask TUAW: Syncing, custom keyboards, sharing iPhone apps, and moreAdd comment