The delightful Twitter client Birdfeed has been bought, updated, and rebranded by Brizzly and is now available as Brizzly for iPhone… for free! [iTunes link]
If you’re looking for a great Twitter client, give Brizzly a try. (Note: per comment below, you do need a brizzly.com account to use it which might not appeal to some.)
GigaOm is reporting that, contrary to speculation that Steve Jobs wanted to return us to a more analog time when we bought new albums and sank back for ours drinking in every liner note and detail, iTunes LP was actually the record labels’ idea:
I’m told by an industry source who preferred to remain anonymous that iTunes LP wasn’t Apple’s idea in the first place. Rather, it’s the result of the same renegotiations between Apple and the major record labels that yielded DRM-free songs and flexible pricing early last year, a concession by Cupertino to make a gesture in favor of album sales as consumers increasingly show a preference for digital singles.
It’s further said that Apple subsidized the first batch of iTunes LPs, whose production costs were an unbelievable $60,000. The more recent release of developer tools is seen as reducing that cost, and rumors persist of an iDVD-like replacement application from Apple that would work to make iTunes LP and iTunes Extra.
Either way, enthusiasm among artists and Apple itself seems to be low, though just over double the amount of iTunes LPs are available now than were at launch. GigaOm suggests artists are also interested in the App Store as a way to provide extra content to consumers, which might split focus for iTunes LP.
In terms of pushing the format forward, it’s now supported by Apple TV (stuttering though it may be), but there’s been no sign of support for the 75 million iPhone and iPod touch devices on the market. It will be supported by the iPad, however, though Apple hasn’t been pushing iTunes LP as a selling point so far.
Have you bought an iTunes LP? Are you interested in the format going forward?
Live from GDC 2010 Rene talks to Tezuka-san, Street Fighter IV [$9.99 - iTunes link] iPhone producer for Capcom (via translator) about making Street Fighter for the iPhone and iPod touch, getting the controls right, and whether or not we might see Street Fighter for the iPad.
Tezuka-san points out how Capcom decided to make the controls very customizable, allowing users to choose whether they want the button low down, in the middle, or high up, and set the level of transparency. This means you can hold the iPhone or iPod touch anyway you like and set up the controls just the way you like.
I had a chance to play it just before release and while I got my butt kicked in multiplayer, the game looked gorgeous and handled very well. I could pull off what few moves I remembered from my childhood in the arcade, and I could resort to button (er… screen) mashing when all else failed. (Yes, just like my childhood in the arcade.)
For the iPad, they’re going to sit down and figure out how the controls work and what the experience is like on that screen with that form factor. If it makes sense, they’ll do it. If not, there are other Capcom games that certainly might. It’s all about the quality of the end product for them.
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch developers: get yourself over to Apple’s developer center, as iPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 4 is ready for you to download, a mere two weeks after Beta three was unleashed for your coding pleasure. As MacRumors and Engadget note, it’s too early to say what magical new capabilities are to be found here – but don’t let that stop you.
Phone OS 4.0 will include lots of new features, just like you would expect to see from Apple. However, It doesn’t make sense for Apple to unify the two operating systems for 4.0 with the timeline they are working with.
Rather, I expect Apple to release OS 4.1 in September or October. It will not only address issues with the 4.0 release, but also unify the operating systems.
iPhone 4.0 would presumably hit with the 4th generation iPhone (not to be confused with an iPhone 4G for LTE which is likely 2012). For the last two years, new iPhone software has been released as beta at SDK preview events in March while new iPhone hardware has been debuted at WWDC in June. New iPod touch hardware has followed in September, typically with updated software.
If Apple sticks to this pattern, the above does indeed make sense as getting as many users — iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch alike — on the same version of the OS is better for Apple, better for developers, and better for users.
For us, we’ll take it one step at a time and wait for that iPhone 4.0 sneak preview…
I already mentioned I’m on my way to GDC 2010 to cover the iPhone panel, and that iPhone gaming is getting big, so it’s interesting to see CNET reenforce just how big it’s getting:
strikingly absent among those 18 [Mobile Gaming] panels are any that deal with game development specifically for the iPhone. And why? Because for the first time, the GDC advisory board decided that Apple’s smartphone is an important enough platform to warrant its own summit. And it filled quickly.
Simon Jeffrey, vice president of social applications for leading iPhone game developer Ngmoco says:
“The iPhone is now recognized as a leading platform that’s independent from the mobile. People are specifically naming the iPhone as a threat to their businesses. Nintendo said the iPhone is taking customers away from [its popular] DS handhelds.”
The cost of entry is lower than Microsoft or Nintendo, and it’s getting more and more popular while still maintaining its cool factor.
While Android and Windows Phone 7 Series will bring the competition (and perhaps Palm as well), right now the iPhone is riding high on its head start.
Whether you are a fan of the Castle Defender genre or Zombies, you are sure to love the soon to be released ZombieSmash! for iPhone and iPod touch.
In similar fashion to the very popular Plants vs Zombies, ZombieSmash! adds a few new tricks to Castle Defender games with the addition of some fancy ragdoll physics and excessive amounts of cartoon gore. Look for ZombieSmash! to drop in the App Store sometime this month for $1.99.
Rene talks to Marc Edwards of Bjango about Consume [$0.99 - iTunes link] for iPhone. Consume lets you track your cell phone and broadband usage, packages (like new Apple Store deliveries!), club cards, and more.
And Bjango’s giving away ten (10) promo codes to TiPb readers! Just drop a comment below and tell us what you’d like to see in an iPad version of Consume. We’ll pick 10 of you at random (so make sure you leave a valid email address so we can contact you).
Note: Promo Codes are only valid in the US App Store (Apple’s rule, not ours), and they expire, so if you get one, use it asap!
Is the recently announced Skype/Verizon deal delaying the release of Skype over 3G for the iPhone? Previously AT&T announced they would change their policy and allow VoIP over 3G, Apple announced they would change their SDK agreement to allow it, and Skype announced they would provide it to their iPhone users. AT&T has come through, Apple has come through, other VoIP clients have begun offering 3G. And Skype…? They said they were waiting to make sure Apple was okay with it. They made sure. They said they were waiting to improve 3G call quality. And…? Still nothing.
They did, however, announce a deal for Skype over 3G with Verizon at Mobile World Congress a couple weeks ago. Since then, WMExperts tell us the Windows Mobile Skype app is no longer available for download. According to Venture Beat (via BGR) their Symbian Skype App has now been pulled from the Ovi Store. When asked why Skype was removed from the Ovi Store, Venture Beat was told:
Skype has made a decision in the United States to not promote the Skype for Symbian app through the Ovi Store. We did this so that we could drive more attention to the recently announced Skype and Verizon Wireless agreement. This was a marketing decision — plain and simple
The iPhone Skype app [Free - iTunes link] is still in the App Store (after a short hiccup) but it’s still Wi-Fi only. When asked for comment after the Verizon agreement, a Skype rep would only tell TiPb that there was no further updates since last time.
So, is it just taking longer than we expected to get that really great 3G voice quality out for Skype? Or has the Verizon deal sucked all the attention out of the room? 9to5Mac thought so a couple weeks ago, do the Windows Mobile and Symbian actions now lend credence to that theory? And are you still waiting for Skype over 3G for iPhone, or have you started using alternatives? Let us know!
Rene takes a look at the SCOTTEVEST Quantum Jacket, Fleece 5.0 Jacket, and Ultimate Hoodie, and talks to Scott about SeV’s plans for the iPad!
As I explain in the video, this isn’t stuff I was sent to review, it’s stuff I bought to use. Based on a combination of the harsh Canadian winters, my proclivity for carrying a lot of gadgets around with me, and the traveling I’ve been doing to CES, Macworld, and now GDC next week, I went all in and have had good results.
The Quantum Jacket’s weather resistant outer shell combined with the warmth of the Fleece 5.0 kept me going on those days when it’s so cold your skin hurts on contact with the air. The dedicated, capacitive-touch friendly pockets for iPhone and iPod touch were great (though I need to make or get some capacitive gloves to really get the most out of them).
When traveling (especially this year with all the crazy security) being able to store an iPhone, iPod touch, cameras all the cables and headsets, not one but two mophie juice packs [TiPb Store link], my passport, papers, pens, and everything else — and just take it off and lay it in a security tray and then walk through the scanner is priceless. (Getting an inch around the “one carry-on rule” this year — beyond priceless).
I also had the chance to send Scott some questions about their iPad compatibility, so check out the video below and let me know what you think!
