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Trillian Now Available for iPhone, iPod Touch

Paul Lilly — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:40:01 -0600

Better late than never, and while it took a long time, iPhone and iPod touch users can now download Trillian, the multiprotocol IM client, through Apple's App Store.

The $4.99 app comes with many of the same features as its desktop counterpart, including grouped and sorted contacts. Tabbed chat windows also find their way onto the iPhone and iPod touch version, and so does the ability to copy and paste, which is more a credit to Apple than Cerulean Studios, the company responsible for Trillian.

Users can also synchronize content across multiple IM clients, so that changes made on the iPhone version will appear in real-time on the Windows client.

In a nod towards cloud computing, Cerulean Studios says that all chats are stored on the company's server, which means they won't be lost if you suffer a dropped connection. The app can also be set up to send IM alerts when Trillian is shut down.

Image Credit: Cerulean Studios

Apple's App Store Now Crammed with More than 100,000 Apps

Paul Lilly — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:30:27 -0600

Apple has announced that its App Store now holds over 100,000 apps, highlighting the company's dominance over the also-rans. That includes Google's Android Market and its comparatively paltry 10,000 apps, although Android has had less time on the market.

"The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "The iPhone SDK created the first great platform for mobile applications and our customers are loving all of the amazing apps our developers are creating."

What makes the feat even more impressive is that Apple was able to accumulate all these apps in just 16 months. There's definitely something to be said for being the first major player.

Of course, quality is just as important as quantity, and here too Apple has been making strides to improve its App Store. Features like Genius recommendations, App Store Essentials, and sub-category listings are all efforts to give quality apps their due.

Image Credit: Apple

All-in-One Wireless Music System for iPhone from Sonos

Bart Salisbury — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:49:40 -0500

Sonos has expanded the breadth of its multi-room music system offerings with the introduction of the ZonePlayer S5. The S5 works in combination with the Sonos ZoneBridge or ZonePlayer to provide streaming music through your house. New to the Sonos system is an iPhone/iPod Touch app that allows control of each S5, individually or in unison.

The Sonos system is based on a SonosNet wireless system, which uses mesh network technology, where each device or player serves as a repeater. Because the system is standalone initial set-up and expansion is relatively effortless. Set-up and control of the system is through a free iPhone/iPod touch app or with the Sonos Controller application (for Mac or PC), included with the S5.

The $399 S5 contains 5 speakers: two tweeters, two 3-inch mid-ranges, and one 3.5-inch woofer. Each speaker is driven by its own Class D digital amplifier.

The Sonos system allows access to your personal music collection, through your home network; more than 25,000 internet radio stations, and online music services; such as Napster, Pandora, Rhapsody and SIRIUS.

Image Credit: Sonos

Zune HD Prices Purportedly Leaked

Andy Salisbury — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:17:57 -0500

According to a recent info leak from Best Buy’s inventory system, we expect that the Zune HD will cost only $220 for the 16GB model and $290 for the 32GB model.

For those keeping tabs, this puts Microsoft at a huge advantage over Apple. Currently the iPod Touch costs $229, $299 and $399 for the 8GB, 16GB and 32GB models (respectively). Apple may or may not change prices around once the Zune HD hits store shelves, but as of right now things are looking solid up in Redmond.

Image Credit: Gizmodo

Apple Sued Over Multitouch Patent

Pulkit Chandna — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:24:14 -0500

Little-known tech companies sporadically rise from their anonymity to sue their more illustrious peers. Taiwanese company Elan Microelectronics is slowly becoming adept in this practice; it had earlier sued Synaptics in 2006. On Tuesday, Taiwanese chip designer Elan Microsystems filed a patent infringement suit against Apple in the U.S District Court in San Francisco.

According to the company, it was left with no other choice after two years of licensing talks didn’t bear any fruit. “We couldn’t find a common viewpoint with Apple, so we decided we had to take action,” a spokesperson for the company told The NYT.

Elan has accused Apple of violating two off its patents related to touchscreen technology. It maintains that the MacBook and iPhone/iPod Touch violate its patent rights.

iPhone / iPod Touch Version 3.0’s Features Revealed – Does This Change Anything?

Justin Kerr — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:48:50 -0500

If you’re looking to start a heated debate in the Maximum PC forums, Apple vs. PC is almost guaranteed to get people’s blood boiling. But wither you’ve built every PC you’ve ever owned, or your heart bleeds only for Steve Jobs, we can at least all agree one thing. The iPhone & iPod Touch are pretty kick ass devices even for Windows users. With more then 30 million of the gadgets shipped since launch, and 800 million applications sold, it appears as though the Apple hen will be laying golden eggs for some time to come.

But with success comes competition, and with the likes of Google, Microsoft, and even Palm looking for a slice of Apple’s lunch, they clearly needed to address a few glaring omissions from their feature list. Version 3.0 (which is expected to launch sometime this summer) will bring long awaited features, most of which are far less revolutionary then Apple would want you to believe. Here are the highlights:

- The ability to copy & paste.
- Bluetooth Stereo headphone connectivity in 2nd generation devices
- Turn by turn navigation from third party applications (not using Google Maps)
- MMS
- Better access to the dock connector for hardware developers.

Another interesting feature is the ability to perform transactions within applications. This feature could obviously be abused, but it could also unlock new DLC within games, or maybe even allow us to buy Kindle books from the same application we use to read them.

Are you looking for your chance to sound off either for, or against the iPhone? Cats vs. Dogs go!

(Image Credit: ZDNET)

Amazon Opens its eBook Store to Apple Users

Andy Salisbury — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:25:31 -0600

A lot of people already have iPhones and iPod Touches, and it looks like now this gigantic target audience can double these handy devices as an Amazon Kindle, all thanks to a free app.

The Amazon Kindle app, which is currently available on Apple’s App Store, is completely free and gives users of it full access to the 240,000 eBooks currently available on Amazon.com (for the same price as Kindle users, of course).

While there are plenty of people that have already adopted the Kindle, one can’t help but think that plenty of them that have both are kicking themselves right now. After all, a backlit screen alone can turn the tide of battle!

Image Credit: Amazon, Apple

Google Latitude Makes it Easier Than Ever to Stalk Your Friends

Andy Salisbury — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:57:52 -0600

Stalking your friends and family (and others?) just became a lot easier thanks to Google’s latest app for your mobile device, Latitude. The app simply works by using location-based technology built into one’s cell phone to track their every movement, so you can know exactly where they are, at all times.

Currently Latitude is available for Google’s G1, color-screen BlackBerrys, most Windows Mobile devices as well as other assorted smart phones. Google has mentioned that they’re working on a version for the iPhone, iPod touch and Sony Ericcson phones.

Sadly for Google, they’re a tiny bit late to the party, as other applications such as Loopt and Where are already following people on plenty of devices. But, given the name-power of a company such as Google (as well as the admittedly good work they do), there’s little doubt that this will catch on to be as popular, if not more, than the other guys.

Sound a little creepy? Well, truthfully it is. But, when you think of it as a tool for weary parents to keep track of their kids, or weary kids keeping track of their elderly parents it does make a little bit of sense.

Image Credit: Google