Fourth Gen iPhone under our noses, VeriFone PAYware ships, iPhone loses market share

You probably recall that pic that turned up last week showing the iPad with an iPhone along for size comparison. Reports are now coming in that the iPhone in the pics is none other than the long rumored 4th generation device.

That VeriFone PAYware iPhone credit card system that turned up a while back is now officially shipping. The app part of the system is free and the hardware card reader can be purchased at VeriFone dealers.

AppleInsider reports that despite booming sales for the last quarter on iPhones, the device still lost a bit of market share. The reason is that the entire smartphone market saw some impressive growth.

OS update lands, Stanza asked to remove USB feature, manufacturer chosen for next iPhone

Apple issued a new OS update for the iPhone Tuesday that patches security holes in the device. The new OS is version 3.1.3 and is available now.

Apple has reportedly demanded that Lexycle remove the USB feature in its Stanza iPhone app. The USB feature allows users to share books via USB.

Reports are coming in that the manufacturer for the next generation iPhone has been chosen. AppleInsider reports that Pegatron Technology will join Foxconn in making the devices.

Patent hints at location-based social networking, appOmator makes app creating easy, Siri app debuts

A new patent has been published by Apple that outlines a way that Apple can make social networking and video calls use location aware features. The feature would allow you to go to where a person you are talking to actually is.

A new software application for Mac computers has landed in beta form that is called appOmator. The software is designed to let anyone create their own iPhone app in under an hour.

A new application called Siri can be downloaded on the App Store now. The app is like a virtual personal assistant and is described as a complementary product to web search.

Sling Player gets 3G streaming, AT&T iPhone mess, Cisco voice-over-WiFi app

The Sling Player app on the iPhone has been missing one key feature for many users — 3G streaming. That missing feature has now been added back with testing of a new 3G streaming version of the app underway.

BusinessWeek is talking about the mess that is the AT&T network and the iPhone. The publication points to the popularity of the iPhone as one of the main causes of issues with the network.

Cisco is set to update its iPhone app to allow voice-over-WiFi calls to be placed. Cisco expects the app to be popular for companies that don’t want to buy as many mobile minutes.

Apple blocks GPS targeted ads, Tapulous launches Riddim Ribbon, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 headed to iPhone

Apple has reportedly blocked developers from using GPS to target ads based on a users location. Apple blocked the devs from using its Core Location framework.

Tapulous has launched a new game for the iPhone called Riddim Ribbon. Tapulous is the company behind the popular TapTap Revenge games on the iPhone.

One of the most iconic characters in the Sega portfolio is Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is rumored to be coming to the iPhone this summer.

Pearson offers learning app, iPhone grabs 25% of US smartphone market, zoomIt adds storage to iPhone

Pearson is a company that is well known in the professional and tech communities for its library of informational and educational books. The company has announced a new iPhone app offering online libraries, video, and more.

ComScore has announced that the iPhone now holds 25% of the US smartphone market. That puts the device in the number two spot behind RIM.

A new product called zoomIt adds storage and connectivity to the iPhone. The device has a SD card slot and plugs into the 30-pin connector on the bottom of the handset. It sells for $59.95 and is massively ugly.

iControlPad in production, no explicit app category, and MobileMe on Mobile Safari enhanced

Apple recently killed off about 5,000 apps on the App Store that were adult in nature. A rumor was circulating that a new category for explicit apps might be coming. That rumor has now been quashed according to an Apple spokesperson who stated, “It’s not going to happen anytime soon.”

Apple has enhanced MobileMe when accessed on Mobile Safari browser by iPhone users. The app will offer direct links to things like calendars, contacts, and more. You can also access the Find My iPhone feature from any iPhone or iPod touch when your phone is lost. There are several other features as well.

Opera mini browser coming, iPhone refresh expected in April, Bowlingual translates dog barks

Of all the things I wish my iPhone had, a different browser isn’t one of them. If you want an alternative to Safari, Opera will be showing off a version if its Mini browser for the iPhone at MWC.

Analysts say that an iPhone refresh will do more for Apple stock than the iPad. The April/March time frame is now being pointed to for an iPhone refresh.

A new iPhone app for pet lovers has been announced called Bowlingual. The app promises to translate what your dog is saying in barks to human language and posts it to twitter.

iPhone Universal Remote Case, Unioo backup batteries, and iPhone card scanner

A company called Power A has offered up a new Universal Remote Case for the iPhone that works with a free app to turn the iPhone into a remote control. The system lets the iPhone control any IR device.

Macworld is looking at several apps that the business user with an iPhone will want to check out. The four apps are all business card scanners to save you from typing in contacts.

Will Opera Mini get approved, 7m iPhone users want Flash, iPhone photo exhibition

We learned yesterday that Opera Mini web browser was going it be announced for the iPhone. The real question is will Apple approve the app since it clearly competes with Safari.

Adobe has announced that 7 million users of the iPhone want Flash on their device. Adobe says the 7m users tried to download Flash for iPhone by December 2009.

I have often complained that the camera on the iPhone isn’t that great, but maybe it’s just that I can’t take pictures. A new photo exhibition has opened with photos all taken from the iPhone and only edited using software available on the iPhone and they look great.

Plants vs. Zombies, Photoshop app hits 6M, Final Fantasy for iPhone trailer

CNET figures that the Plants vs. Zombies game for the iPhone is the perfect iPhone app, which is saying a lot. The app is a variant of a tower defense game that has the player setting up plants to destroy zombies that are getting on their lawn.

The mobile version of Photoshop from Adobe for the iPhone has now been downloaded more than 6 million times. The app was released in October and is the second most popular free app for photography.

I have mentioned the Final Fantasy game for iPhone before and if it was interesting to you, you will be glad to hear this. The official trailer for the game is now available and it looks darn cool.

reMail gobbled by Google, call for BBC app ban, and 21 useful travel apps

Search giant Google has acquired the firm behind the reMail search application for the iPhone. The app is designed to provide a search function for Gmail and IMAP email accounts.

BBC News reports that a newspaper group is calling for BBC iPhone apps to be blocked. The reason behind the cry to ban the apps from the Newspaper Publishers Association is that the BBC apps would “damage the nascent market” for apps.

The LA Times is offering up its list of 21 most useful travel apps. Making the list are apps like MapQuest, Skype, Kayak, Priceline and more.

Hackers laugh at app store ban, Opera 6x faster than Safari, MeeBo multi IM chat app debuts

ChannelWeb reports that hackers who were banned from the App Store for violating AT&T rules are scoffing at Apple. Most of these hackers are more known for work on Jail Break software that malicious code.

Opera is claiming that its Mini browser for the iPhone is six times faster than Safari. I remain confused to why Opera developed the app when Apple won’t allow apps that perform things its own software will.

The Meebo app for iPhone has hit the App Store. The app lets a user bring IM contacts form multiple services to the iPhone, it sounds like Trillian for the iPhone to me.

iPhone Users Use 5x The Data Of Blackberry People Per Month

According to a study from the analysis firm Validas, considering data from more than 1,000 smartphone users, iPhone users use around twice the amount of data than other smartphone users, and almost five times as much as Blackberry users. The difference is strikingly apparent when you see that that nearly 80% of Blackberry users and 54% of other smartphone users use less than 50MB per month.

Apple doubles app download limit, iBoob app causes UK row, Line2 app gets approved

This is some very good news; Apple has doubled the download limit for app size over 3G. Previously the limit was 10MB and now the limit is 20MB. No more waiting until you get home to grab that new game!

The iBoob app that animates the boobage of women in photos is causing an uproar in the UK. Apple withdrew the app after numerous consumer complaints.

The Toktumi Line2 app for the iPhone has now been approved by Apple. The app allows iPhone users to make free calls while traveling with VoIP among other features.

Apple doubles iPhone’s 3G app download limit

Apple has apparently boosted the maximum size of an iPhone app download over 3G from 10 MB to 20 MB. Previously, users who wanted to download an app larger than 10 MB had to switch to a WiFi connection.

The most obvious reason for the limit in the first place was likely to preserve bandwidth. However, many have speculate that Apple has made the change in anticipation of the iPad, which is set to debut in late March.

The thinking behind that is iPad application downloads will be larger than typical iPhone apps populating Apple’s App Store. Due to its 9.7-inch screen, iPad apps will have to support higher-resolutions graphics, especially for games. In the meantime, it appears iPhone users will be able to enjoy downloading larger apps while on the go using 3G.

Apple removes some adult apps, Photoshop 1.0 for iPhone, video calling in 3.2 SDK

Apple has removed some adult apps that have had complaints from users. Among the apps removed were one that animates parts of people in pictures and one for a porn star’s fans.

Photoshop is one of the most popular photo editing applications around. A version of the app is already on the App Store, but those wanting old school Photoshop 1.0 can now get the app as well.

A new feature for the iPhone and iPad is rumored to be coming in the 3.2 SDK. The new feature is video calling, but since the iPhone lacks a front camera and the iPad has no camera, the feature would need new hardware.

Photoshop 1.0 recreated for iPhone

Adobe already has a version of Photoshop available for the iPhone in the App Store, but what if your tastes run more retro than that? Ansca Mobile has taken their Corona iPhone development platform and a copy of Photoshop 1.0, and produced a special version intended for last week’s 20th anniversary of the Adobe app. It allows access to the Photoshop 1.0 Levels panel, taking any image in the iPhone’s gallery and letting you tweak white point, black point and gamma, in separate red/green/blue or combined channels.

Apple defends app removal, iPhone takes 3rd for 2009, iPhone Os going to new platforms

The iPhone took third place in smartphones globally in 2009 according to numbers from Gartner. First place went to Symbian devices with RIM in second.

Apple is reportedly ready to bring the iPhone OS to new platforms according to a new job posting. The thought is that some tweaking might bring some new functionality to the Apple TV device with iPhone apps.

Unioo i800, i1500, and i5400 batteries for iPhone, iPod and other devices debut

The i800 is an iPhone/iPod touch charger that will also work with other iPods that have the docking connector. The battery clips onto the bottom of the device and has an 800mAh battery providing up to three more hours of talk or video. The i1500 is the same sort of device with a 1500mAh battery inside and up to five more hours of video and talk.

The i5400 is a different kind of animal and is designed to work with different brands and types of gadgets. Inside the case is a 5400mAh battery that can be used on gadgets including GPS devices, MP3 players, and other mobile phones. It ships with a variety of USB adapters and adapters specifically for the Samsung M300, LG VX8500, Nokia 619, Sony PSP, and Nintendo DS. All of the batteries charge from the USB port on your computer and have LED charge indicators. Pricing starts at $39.99 and the items should ship soon.

I SPY and Clifford Apps From Scholastic Break Top 10 on the App Store

Scholastic Media is pleased to announce its I SPY™ Spooky Mansion iPhone™ app cracked into the Top 5 in the “Paid Kids Games” category on the App Store. With 3,000 apps in this category, I SPY Spooky Mansion jumped up nine spots in one week experiencing the highest number of downloads yet in a single day, besting its previous record set on Christmas Day. I SPY Spooky Mansion is also ranked in the Top 10 among “Paid Puzzle Games”. In the “Paid Educational Games” category, Scholastic Media’s Clifford’s BE BIG With Words App is currently among the Top 10.

I SPY Spooky Mansion and Clifford’s BE BIG With Words lead Scholastic Media’s suite of apps based on its top children’s book properties including Clifford the Big Red Dog®, I SPY™, The 39 Clues™ and WordGirl®. These regularly rank highly among the thousands of kids, puzzle and educational games available. An additional I SPY app called I SPY Riddle Race is currently among the Top 50 among “Paid Kids Games” and “Paid Puzzle Games”.

Power A unveils iPhone Universal Remote Case

Power A has unveiled its new iPhone Universal Remote Case that works in conjunction with a free software app to turn the iPhone or iPod touch into a universal remote that can control any IR device. The IR transmitter is built into a shiny black case that fits around the iPhone and looks a lot like the Juice Pack Air to me.

The case has the IR blaster and the software app allows the iPhone to control all functions and devices in your home theater from one screen. This case is cool because it looks much cleaner than some of the other devices that are dongles and look added on and fragile plus it will protect your iPhone. The app will also get enhancements and updates as time goes by according to the maker. The case will be available soon for right under $60.

iControlPad for iPhone in production; release imminent

The basic iControlPad will be a simple sleeve into which the iPhone slots. It will have a D-pad plus two analog joysticks, four control buttons and two function keys (Start and Select). As for the second upgraded model, that will also squeeze in a battery which can be used to recharge the iPhone/iPod touch rather than drain the device’s own power during gaming.

There is still no word on pricing, or exact release dates, but the iControlPad team are suggested people sign up to their newsletter for information. Supplies of the first batch will be limited, and we’re expecting this to sell like the proverbial hot-cakes.

V-MODA Remix remote headphones for iPhone, iPhone owners to drive iPad sales, Vogue mag launches app

A new set of headphones for iPhone 3GS users has been unveiled called the V-MODA Remix Remote. The headphones have a mic and inline remote for controlling track and volume and can be bought at Apple Retail stores for $99.

A survey has been conducted and claims that iPhone owners will be the main drivers of iPad sales. The survey was conducted by AdMob and showed that 16% of the 960 smartphone owners using the iPhone surveyed plan to buy the iPad.

This won’t mean much to most of the guys out there, but ladies using the iPhone who like fashion mags will be glad to hear that Vogue is unveiling an iPhone app. The app will provide videos, discounts, and other offers when the user takes a picture of an ad in the print mag.

TigerText is deletes texts, iPhones made by kids, ZonePlayer S5 is tested

We have all sent texts at one time or another and wished after the fact that they could be deleted. A new app called TigerText is available that lets users send messages to each other via the application and set them to delete automatically. The app is $2.50 for unlimited messages.

Apple has announced that three of the suppliers who help construct the iPhone, iPod, and Mac computers have been hiring 15-year-old workers in countries where the minimum work age is 16. The workers were no longer employed at the time of the audit.

If you are in the market for a new iPod speaker system, one that allows the music to be played without actually docking it might be appealing. MercuryNews has tested the Sonos ZonePlayer S5 speaker system and in the end found that set up can be difficult and the thing is very expensive.

Lingopal Holdings Lingopal – Fun Multilingual Phrasebook Review

Lingopal’s Fun Multilingual Phrasebook is a fun little app that will give you access to commonly used phrases in over 44 languages. It is however not meant to be used as a comprehensive dictionary by any means.

The application takes into account your native language and the language that you want to hear the phrase in. That’s right, you read that right, the application will “speak” your phrase for you with the correct foreign inflection and pronunciation. No more bungled pronunciations and taking a chance that you might be saying something sillier than you originally meant…that alone is worth the $10 in my book.

I’m not sure if I’d rely on this application if I didn’t know how to speak a foreign language at all, but it does come in handy for a quick reference and it does include over 900 phrases.

In any case, there’s not much more that needs to be explained, I’d rather you watch the application in action…Here’s my vid review, Enjoy and if this app is something you’re interested in, please check it out in the iTunes AppStore, for $10, you can’t go wrong.

Chillingo’s Defender Chronicles – Legend of the Desert King

At the time of this review, Defender Chronicles is on sale in the iTunes AppStore for $3.99; that’s a 20% discount from the normal price.

Defender Chronicles is, in it’s most basic gameplay design a tower defense game…However, where it differentiates itself is in the fact that it allows you to upgrade your hero character and give him/her more armor/weapons/abilities.

If you’ve been watching the AppStore, you’ll notice that Defender Chronicles has been amongst the top games and with good reason…the graphics are top notch and the gameplay is easy to pick up and put down in a pinch.

Other features include an epic storyline with over 20 different types of units, abilities and upgradability. There are 5 difficulty levels and 5 modes and Chillingo’s even included the ability to email your friends for a challenge.

The latest release, includes tons of features, some of which are:

• OpenFeint integration
• New map – Helegom
• New enemies and new bosses
• Option for Vibration & HQ Graphics
• and many more…

So, instead of writing more about what the game is like, I’d like to show you my vid review…it exemplifies the gameplay of this amazing app…for $3.99 in the AppStore, you can’t go wrong.

Gamevil’s Hybrid: Eternal Whisper RPG Review

Gamevil is quickly becoming one of MY favorite game publishers. I feel they are off to a great start with their porting of RPGs to the iPhone…originally, they arrived on the scene with Zenonia, the awesome RPG i reviewed here. But, this review isn’t about Zenonia, but rather an action/adventure RPG called Hybrid: Eternal Whisper . I think that for the most part, Hybrid can be classified as an sort of a side scroller with RPG elements (weapon/armor/skill upgradeability.)

If i’m not mistaken Hybrid: Eternal Whisper was created the ground up for the iphone OS and it’s amazing multi-touch capabilities. Not only do you slash at enemies using special button combinations, you can also “draw” spells on the screen to activate powers such as fire, wind and gravity to name a few.

Another fun aspect of this game is that you can “link” both physical and magical attacks for an insane amount of damage….Then at the end of the stage, you will get a letter ranking a la “Devil May Cry.” Most of the times, I’d get a B or C, but I’ve earned an A in one level…this alone may keep the game fresh for some perfectionist gamers.

Other than that, I really enjoyed the excellent graphics and the wonderful soundtrack…While I was doing this review, I heard that more RPGs are coming our way in the future…I have to say Gamevil is the company to watch..I’d even liken it to the SQUARE/ENIX for the iPhone platform, these guys are THAT good…

Anyway, have a look at my two part vid review, I’m very proud of it..Enjoy and when you’ve had enough, buy it now in the AppStore, it’s only $5.99.

Whatsapp Inc. Whatsapp Messenger

For some time now, I’ve been looking for an app to be written that was similar to the BlackBerry messenger but for the iPhone. In fact, it was one of my project ideas when I was starting to learn Objective-C. In any case, Whatsapp has provided iPhone users with an app that provides just that; a direct messaging network that is exclusive to iPhone users.

Whatsapp makes use of the iPhone’s built in Addressbook as a cross-reference to see if any of your contacts are using whatsapp. If they are, the people are instantly added to your whatsapp contact list. There is an upside and downside to this as 1) you need to know your contact’s phone number BUT the feature comes in VERY handy because there is almost ZERO configuration when it comes to finding your friends.

In my vid review, I mentioned that whatsapp messenger is going to be integrated into this app…shortly after I published the review, the developer contacted me and told me that although this feature is coming in the future, it may be arriving in the form of a separate application.

Another thing that the developer mentioned was that intention of the application was to duplicate the SMS functionality without incurring costly charges. I’m happy to say that if that was their goal, then they have achieved that goal and more. Not only can you direct push a message to another iPhone user, you can also update your status in your address book and on Facebook…this is a very interesting and amazing capability for anyone that is socially connected.

Anyway, without further delay, here’s my vid review, Enjoy and if you like it have a look in the AppStore, at $1.99 it’s a deal

YACA: Yet Another Camera App: Snapture

There are a ton of apps that take advantage of the iPhone’s built-in camera. There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of Snapture . so we decided to take a look and see how this camera app compared to the standard camera app that already comes with the iPhone.

We gave a demo copy to our good friend Mr. Lee who did a lot of testing and had this to say:

In reviewing and critiquing Snapture I needed to realize a few things. First, I needed to understand that a cell phone camera was not meant to be a replacement or the equal to a digital cameral. Second, I’m an old guy and don’t like taking pictures of myself by holding the camera a foot away from my face. Okay, with those caveats, here goes:
The good:

• Zoom capacity: terrific. It is very convenient and useful to be able to zoom by finger tips. No more walking a bit closer or post pix cropping.
• Thumbnail on screen: extremely great idea. No more switching camera function.
• Level Aid: I like it. Okay, it may not be for everybody, but I found it to be very useful. Heh, nothing like a level sunset, or a proportioned group shot.

Mixed:

• Touch screen shutter: maybe it is a learning curve, but I took a ton of accidental shots. Nothing like getting three pictures of your feet.
• One touch email: convenient feature, but a little limited. “Camera” allows for email, MMS, Assign to Contact, and Use as Wallpaper options.
• Multi-shot: why? maybe it is just me, but multi-shots are primarily for sporting events and other action type moments. These type of moments require a fast shutter speed and a high quality lens. Not the real forte of Snapture.

Not so good:
Saving shots: your shots (4) stay on the screen as thumbnails. If you take more shots, the pixs either get automatically or manually saved. Guess where they get saved to? The Camera roll in Camera. So how do you review pre-4 shot photos? Yep, open Camera and review the Camera Roll.

You be the judge:
Side by side photos: attached are side by side photos taken close in time with similar lighting and distance.

Photo from the built-in camera app.

Photo via snapture.

Overall: C+. Remember the caveats.

Snapture is ON SALE NOW (75% off) in the iTunes App Store for a limited time.

Chillingo’s Horror Racing Review

When I was growing up, I played A LOT of video games. Needless to say, one of my favorite video games of all time, was a game called Rock ‘N’ Roll Racing by Blizzard, Horror Racing is just like Rock ‘N’ Roll racing.

In an nutshell, this is a top down racing game where you can blast your opponents with weapons that you find along the racetrack. I guess its sorta like Super Mario Kart, but from a top-down perspective. Can you tell that I really enjoyed this game, maybe I’m a little biased but I think that this game just nails the gameplay head-on.

You can create profiles to accommodate more than one player and each player can upgrade their cars depending on how much they win from the races they play. There is a great help option and the controls are marked clearly.

Now on to the gameplay: the car is controlled by a virtual steering wheel and there are various obstacles as well as weapons littered around the course for you to pick up as you and three other cars race around the track. Sometimes I found it a little frustrating to use the virtual steering wheel but after a while it became more intuitive…If I could suggest anything, I think that perhaps the developer could add in some options for other control schemes in the future but it’s not necessary…

At the time of this writing, the game is 20% off and is selling in the AppStore for $2.99. Have a look, it’ll be well worth your time.