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>> Postings for October 2009

Free cool Kidrobot backgrounds for iPhone, iPod touch

Fri, 30 Oct 2009

Here are a collection of rather cool free Kidrobot backgrounds for iPhone and iPod touch.

Simply visit the Kidrobot website and take your pick of some 18 colourful creative designs.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Halloween iPhone apps - Ghosts, monsters, vampires, zombies and fun

Thu, 29 Oct 2009

Halloween is just a day or two away so why not consider adding a suitably scary iPhone or iPod touch application to your collection?

Those fiends at Apple sent over a selection tied to the foot of a very big black Raven. We thought it only wise we share it with you.

Nick 'Zombie Without Coffee' Spence | Read more...


Lecci Mini Mixer for iPod - Everyone's a DJ

Wed, 28 Oct 2009

The Lecci Mini Mixer for iPod may not secure you a residency at the latest Ibiza super club, but if you fancy a go at some basic mixing, and have a spare iPod to hand, this may be for you.

The mixer connects to all generations of iPod, includes headphone jack, cross fader and volume control, internal speaker, audio-out channels for external speaker and headphones and all important retro styling.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Apple - Doing it for the kids

Tue, 27 Oct 2009

They don't know it yet, but some little people close to me may be getting a loan of my iPod touch this Christmas, for five minutes at least, as I sleep of that veggie feast.

Joking aside, my iPod touch has become the centre of attention each time I babysit these days, those small hands ideal for miniature gameplay, bright minds quick to master the touch-screen game play.

Nick Spence | Read more...


eBay-toting iPhone users like to Buy It Now

Tue, 27 Oct 2009

eBay, the Internet’s garage sale or auction house, depending on your point of view, is reaping the benefits of having a free iPhone app.

According to this Financial Times report, users of eBay’s iPhone app have spent over $400/£245 million over a variety of items from the service. It seems that some people have even bought more expensive things like cars and a $150,000 boat, in addition to the more standard eBay fare of books and clothing.

Scott McNulty | Read more...


The Binman Cometh - Rob Shoesmith's iPhone developer diary

Mon, 26 Oct 2009

It's been a busy 2009 for Rob Shoesmith so far, a 27-year-old binman from Whitley, Coventry, who hopes one day to swap a life on the streets, so to speak, for one helping to design Apple iPhone applications. In August Rob launched his first application, which has given him the kind of high profile many developers would love to have, with appearances on TV, radio, the press and online.

His application, Problem Halved, was developed with the help of MEDL Mobile, a company that builds iPhone applications, and encourages development with an App Incubator scheme.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone developers - Enhanced Editions

Fri, 23 Oct 2009

Based in the UK, Enhanced Editions tailor-make ebooks for the iPhone and are the team behind the recently released The Death of Bunny Munro by legendary singer/songwriter Nick Cave. The application includes the full ebook, the unabridged audiobook synchronised to the text, read by the author with an original soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, and 11 videos of Cave reading from the novel.

This week Enhanced Editions brought similarly lavish versions of Barack Obama's best selling Dreams from my Father and The Audacity of Hope to the Apple iTunes App Store. The iPhone developers describe themselves as a small team made up of experienced and passionate publishers, editors, technologists, designers and film-makers. The critically acclaimed Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets by David Simon, The Corner by David Simon and Ed Burns and Sum by David Eagleman, are the next books to get the Enhanced Editions treatment.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Apple iPhone apps - The 365 days of Christmas

Thu, 22 Oct 2009

Grumpy old men and women beware. It may only be October, with the sun still shining across North London, but today we received our very first Christmas themed iPhone application press release of the year.

Macworld's virtual letterbox will no doubt be full before the big day but full marks to PRG Consulting from Prague for letting us know about their My Christmas Gift List application for iPhone and iPod touch.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone developers - iPhonky

Wed, 21 Oct 2009

London based company iPhonky was formed in 2009 by three friends Luca, Sunny and Tony. The team is focused on providing cost-effective iPhone application development solutions for start-ups and mainstream technological companies. With two new applications, Gangster Rocco and Pidgey, ready for the Apple iTunes App Store, Macworld caught up with iPhonky to discover more about the company.

Luca: We like to be involved in any new technologies and the iPhone platform has been the coolest place to be in the last two-three years, so we thought that we should not miss the chance to be part of that. We individually have different technologic backgrounds but we share the same vision and we know how being up to date and in the right market is important, especially in such a fast paced market as the IT industry. We also had some cool ideas for a few games and apps that could not just stay in our minds.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Thames & Hudson: A book is for life, not just for Christmas

Tue, 20 Oct 2009

Books and bookshops may be under threat from viewing on an iPhone, Kindle, Sony Reader, Cool-er and buying online and in supermarkets, but thankfully for many reading and browsing for books is still very much a hands on pleasure.

Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, Thames & Hudson, a world leader in illustrated books on the creative arts and culture, has launched a newly designed website, which aims, in part, to bring the pleasures of real book shops to the web.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Dressing as an iPod nano and all in a good cause

Mon, 19 Oct 2009

Remember Rag Week? Students and charity go hand in hand, but I expect that for many a bit of fund raising means a chance to have a drink or three. Pity the drunken reveller who saw these human iPods invading Sheffield last week, looking like extras from a cut-price episode of Doctor Who.

Student James Whiting sent this along.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone Developers - MotionX

Fri, 16 Oct 2009

MotionX offers end-to-end sensor-based solutions, which includes a range of iPhone applications including MotionX-GPS Drive, MotionX-Poker, MotionX-Poker Quest and MotionX-Dice.

MotionX most recently introduced MotionX-GPS Sport for iPhone in the UK, billed as an application for all your outdoor life needs.

Nick Spence | Read more...


The MacBook's long-lost cousin

Fri, 16 Oct 2009

With all the talk – and people, that’s all it is right now – of an Apple tablet computer it’s timely that we have just passed the anniversary of Apple’s very first portable computer, the apparently aptly named Macintosh Portable.

Of course, one could say that the Apple II was portable, although not with its bulky display. How about the original Macintosh, Mac Plus, Mac SE or SE/30? Each of these Mac oldies featured a handle and screen – although you’d have to stick the keyboard under your arm and shove the blocky mouse in your pocket.

Simon Jary | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone developers - Tapisodes

Thu, 15 Oct 2009

Love him or hate him, The Telegraph's Alex carton strip, the city worker and would be again yuppie, is surviving well despite the global financial crisis.

The insightful work of Charles Peattie and Russell Taylor, the strip first appeared in the short-lived London Daily News in 1987, before moving to The Independent later that year and then to the Daily Telegraph in 1992.

Nick Spence | Read more...


T-Qualizer from ThinkGeek: Party like it's 2999

Wed, 14 Oct 2009

After this rather cool 'You Are The CSS to My HTML' t-shirt here's another which caught our eye. Available from ThinkGeek and elsewhere, the $39.99 T-Qualizer t-shirt dynamically changes with any ambient sound or music. Four AAA batteries are required, which fits in a small interior pocket inside the shirt, otherwise ideal for that Christmas party.

[Via Neatorama]

Nick Spence | Read more...


Super sized canvas prints with CanvasPop

Tue, 13 Oct 2009

CanvasPop is a recently launched service which aims to print high quality canvas prints from any source, from pro cameras to the iPhone, without the results looking like a pixelated mess. Aimed at photographers, digital artists, interior designers and those who want a unique image at home or in the office, CanvasPop also offers a range of "cool filters and effects" for the less artistically inclined along with an ideas gallery for further inspiration.

Macworld caught up with Adrian Salamunovic, co-founder of CanvasPop, to discover a little more about the company.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone Developers - The real price of iPhone piracy

Mon, 12 Oct 2009

There are several laudable reasons for wanting to jailbreak your iPhone or iPod touch. An opportunity to choose your own mobile provider, customise your phone and settings and add applications that aren't available from Apple's own store. Another reason, much less laudable, is to download applications that are cracked and you haven't paid for. Games particularly can be found online without much effort, indeed several come up in very innocent searches for reviews and iPhone developers websites. Unlike global companies with money in the bank, many iPhone developers are small one man or woman businesses hoping to make a living from something creative in their spare time.

Ben Gotow of Gotow.net, while still an undergraduate in the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University, has created Layers for iPhone and iPod touch. The application has received rave reviews and is billed as the most advanced natural media painting application on the platform. While Layers offers a useful set of painting tools and layers within an intuitive interface, it’s also attracted unwanted attention from pirates cracking the application and putting it online. Macworld spoke with Ben to discover the scale of the problem.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Ben 10 gets MouthOff treatment from ustwo for iPhone, iPod touch

Sun, 11 Oct 2009

Here's a sneak peek of a new fun application from the team that brought you Steppin™, MouthOff™ and most recently The Dot - or simply .™.

Based in London and Malmö, ustwo™ are about to unleash Ben 10 MouthOff™, the application is the company's first foray into branding.

Nick Spence | Read more...


"You Are The CSS to My HTML" t-shirt now available for pre-order

Sat, 10 Oct 2009

This rather cool "You Are The CSS to My HTML" t-shirt is now available for pre-order. $25 from the Pop + Shorty shop.

According to Pop + Shorty all shirts are screen-printed on American Apparel Tri-blend tees in Athletic Grey, giving each tee a very vintage feel and making them super soft and comfy.

Nick Spence | Read more...


England online streaming will require World Cup effort

Fri, 09 Oct 2009

England fans will only be able to watch Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine live on the Internet or at the cinema in a handful of towns. England have already qualified, and in style, for next year's World Cup, so the hard work has been done. However, I suspect many will still want to see the game. Indeed, rights holders Perform anticipate more than 2.5 million viewers will want to watch the live streaming, creating a challenge for ISPs across the UK to ensure their customers get to see the game without broadband speeds suffering.

Top 10 Broadband, the popular broadband comparison site, has already advised users to check Internet speeds before they part with their cash. The game is being hosted on a range of sites, including Sun Online, Mail Online, Virgin Media and Orange. Viewers will be charged up to £11.99 by Perform if they sign up on the day of the game, a serious investment for many, so a picture that constantly breaks up is likely to be an own goal for providers.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Absolutely perfect or perfectly acceptable?

Fri, 09 Oct 2009

I feel as though I need to preface this column. Your eyes scan warily ahead and yes the words ‘Apple’ and ‘tablet’ do appear liberally herein. But I wish to assure you: this isn’t another Damned Apple Tablet Speculation Piece.

Last week, I was being briefed on a soon-to-be-released device, and I found myself in the uncomfortable position of wishing that Apple made something like this thing I was holding. As the briefing continued, things got worse and I saw a parallel universe in which I didn’t get to borrow every cool piece of technology for at least 30 days before buying it. I realised that if I had a couple of hundred bucks to spend and I had to simply roll the dice based on specs... yeah, I’d probably buy this Archos 5 tablet instead of an iPod touch. I might even buy it instead of a future Apple tablet, particularly if it cost half the money.

Andy Ihnatko | Read more...


The best of British from Revo

Thu, 08 Oct 2009

With a base in the historic market town of Lanark in West Central Scotland, Revo is a British technology success story, a progressive company with traditional values which has gained a worldwide following for innovative products. This isn't a press release cut and paste job, I've been a fan for several years of their DAB, DAB+ and Internet radios, as well as more recently iPod and iPhone compatible devices. Quality build and exceptional sound.

A Revo BLIK RadioStation sits close by the bed from where I can listen to my iTunes library streamed from my Mac. Better still, discovering some 11,000 radio stations from around the world via a Wi-Fi connection means you can always find something new to listen to when sleep eludes you. Another plus is the ability to listen to iPlayer-style on demand shows and podcasts without needing to have your Mac awake. The stylish retro styling manages to evoke the future as imagined in the 1970s in films such as Rollerball.

Nick Spence | Read more...


7digital embrace audiophiles with FLAC downloads

Wed, 07 Oct 2009

On Tuesday, as 7digital announced a partnership with BlackBerry to put a music store on the smartphone and a brave push into the US market, the company also briefly touched on FLAC files.

7digital, as a supplier of music, music videos, films and audiobooks, already offers high-quality 320kbps MP3 files as standard, but FLAC files offer an excellent alternative, particularly for audiophiles.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - iPhone Developers - Touch Fantastic

Tue, 06 Oct 2009

Getting your iPhone application on the Apple iTunes App Store is an achievement in itself, but hitting the number one slot in the UK cooking section after just four days is a major feat. As developer Touch Fantastic, Dishy is the first application from James Carroll, built on a love for food and a desire to create an application that has real user value rather than simply porting a cookbook onto the iPhone.

Dishy also made it onto the front page of Google News earlier today and has proved a hit on the Irish iTunes Store as well, currently in the top five of the paid 'lifestyle' category.

Nick Spence | Read more...


It’s Nice That #2 celebrates the best in design, illustration and creative talent

Mon, 05 Oct 2009

Some things are worth the wait and after six months It’s Nice That has just released issue number 2 of the publication that celebrates the best in design, illustration and creative talent.

The fruits of a popular website, It’s Nice That offers 128 pages of advertising-free content, a varied unpretentious snapshot of the last half year, which mixes features, interviews and work from established and up and coming talent.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Apple Patent: Likely a mouse, not the fabled tablet

Mon, 05 Oct 2009

Toss the words "Apple," "Tablet," and "Patent" into the same sentence, and you're bound to throw the tech world into a fit of hysteria, rumour, and speculation.

So here's a little speculation of my own: An emerging Apple patent application that describes multitouch gestures has little to do with the fabled tablet computer that's supposedly coming out next year.

Jared Newman | Read more...


On Yer Bike with iPhone and Joby

Fri, 02 Oct 2009

I'm not sure how sensible it is to ride around with an iPhone attached to your push bikes handlebars but Joby has an accessory for that if you do. Round these parts, stopping at a red light can result in having your bike yanked from between your thighs, so your valuables are best kept close to your valuables.

Based in the US, China and Switzerland, Joby offers a range of "fresh, insanely useful product solutions to support your needs, delight your senses, and expand your creativity." The Gorillamobile for 3G and 3GS is billed as the only iPhone case that comes with its own set of flexible, bendable legs.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Apple CEO Jobs makes top 50 richest Americans

Fri, 02 Oct 2009

As the CEO of Apple and, among other accolades, the biggest individual shareholder in Disney, Steve Jobs is what you would call “well-off.” Perhaps even “comfortable.” Maybe, if you’re into numbers and lists, the 43rd richest person in the world, sorry America.

As it happens, Forbes is in just that line of work. In compiling its annual list of the richest Americans the Apple CEO and his $5.1 billion net worth landed in the 43 spot. (Sorry, Douglas Adams aficionados, missed it by that much).

Dan Moren | Read more...


Magic dots before your eyes

Thu, 01 Oct 2009

Fell like Friday already? Looking to kill time before the weekend starts? Run your mouse across www.cesmes.fi to create endless magic dots before the eyes. It's oddly addictive and zen like. More fun and games can be found on the same site. Have fun.

[Via Neatorama]

Nick Spence | Read more...


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