Development

The Black app. Is it a viral campaign for attention? Maybe, but if all goes well it will be a great social tool for iPhone users all around. It is said that when iPhone 2.0 is released so will one of the first social networking applications for the phone, but… this is merely speculation. “The first iPhone social consumer network.” Any ideas as to what this means? Regardless, the app will be launching on June 5th from Epic Apps, so it seems as if it may be a while before we get any more significant information. Keep an eye out, but until then, be satisfied with looking at the site.

One of the main gripes of the iPhone when first introduced was the lack of a physical keyboard which allowed for tactile feedback. This was very difficult to implement considering the iPhone utilized a touch screen which manipulated the keyboard, any sort of feedback was eliminated altogether. Malcolm Hall and Eve Hoggan, students at the University of Glasgow overcame this limitation and implemented a Haptic keyboard system.

Although the concept exists, the prototype is less than ideal due to the few bugs found that killed the demo experience. However, it is a big first step in the right direction despite this being a prototype. The concept is demonstrated in a text editor but cannot be enabled for other Apps such as Mail, Notes or even Safari.

For the daring, the Haptic demo can be downloaded here.

Via: TUAW

Earlier we reported about iJailbreak being able to Jailbreak and unlock iPhones (Mac compatible) running 1.1.2/1.1.3 with Bootloader 4.6 which used Zibree’s utility to do the dirty work. While Zibree had created the ulity and compatible for Windows only, ModMyiFone created another Mac/Windows version of the App with a GUI frontend.

The App does everything Zibree’s utility and will unlock/jailbreak your iPhone running 1.1.2/1.1.3 with Bootloader 4.6. Bootloader 3.9 support is available and can be Jailbroken but unlocking must be done with AnySIM or other method of choice.

Via: ModMyiFone

Rumors continue to trickle in about the iPhone’s imminent SDK but the outlook does not look good.

Erica Sadun reports that the SDK should ship on schedule for late February but be in crippled form and the full package won’t be out until April. A Simulator will be made readily available.

It wouldn’t be surprising if there were delays, Google has dedicated more time than Apple to developing their SDK and mobile OS. Apple jumped up to get a SDK out when the announced October.

Via: TUAW

Apple’s user base was shocked when Steve Jobs so nonchalantly proclaimed the Internet would be the iPhone’s only means of using any 3rd party Software when in reality it was comparing a toddler’s bike to a Corvette. But when the community spoke up and had their wishes fulfilled, all that was left to do was wait until February but now we might need to wait some more.

The upside if you can call it that, Apple will be giving developers a simulator to make Application creation that much easier. While it’s practically a requirement, it could be used as a valid reason to delay the SDK if rumors coming Erica Sadun’s way are true.

Nothing has been confirmed but Apple’s word has been February for the SDK release and they’ve often waited until the very end to ship out what they announced. It wouldn’t be surprising if there was a slight delay, they’ve already pushed back the AppleTV update probably to focus more on the iPhone’s SDK.

Via: Ars Technica: Infinite Loop

When I got word that update 1.1.3 had cell tower and Wi-Fi tracking, I was overjoyed. Finally a supported version of pseudo-GPS from Apple. My joy did not last long, because as of recently Navizon, the company that developed the first pseudo-GPS on the iPhone, has added some new services. Now Navizon allows for the positioning system to update every 10 seconds. If your on the road, you can get an up-to-date position instead of hitting the triangulate button multiple times. The service now includes a system bar which runs with the maps application. This allows for easy access to some of the new services. The 3rd party app also includes a buddy positioning system similar to that offered by Helio and Boost Mobile. By adding buddies Navizon users can have a knowledge of where their other Navizon using friends are. This of course can be turned off if someone wanted to drop of the grid. The app also runs in the background which allows for friends to find the user without him/her actively using Navizon.

Right now this is bad news for me. I love this… more...

Apple is Awesome! They have me under some sort of spell. They have perfect timing when it comes to the release of their products. They build up anticipation with Macworld, then “Boom!” As always, I am left drooling after the keynote. Apple introduced and talked about 4 of their products in the keynote, but let’s focus on the iPhone.

We’ve all seen it, at least most of us have. I am talking about the leaked firmware of course. How Gearlive got the firmware so many weeks early is beyond me. Even though the firmware did indeed look authentic, I was still skeptical. Apple does not like leaks, and I figured this was just another elaborate hoax. No, I was way off. Gearlive was dead on. The new firmware has these features: the ability to customize the home-screen, send SMS text massages to multiple people, and the ability to find the phone’s current location in the Maps application. Google Maps gets its triangulated location from both hot-spots and cell towers. This is especially helpful, as having both hot-spots and cell towers is sure to improve the accuracy of the system. Google maps… more...

When Installer first arrived on the scene, one of the most praised projects was a working version of Doom for the iPhone. The Application was far from done but such a monumental undertaking motivated developers to create games along with working emulators. The good news is Doom for the iPhone won’t be going the way of Duke Nukem Forever.

Stephen T recently took over development from Stepwhite and sent TUAW a video demonstrating the new control system implemented. While the games runs much smoother than previous builds and in Widescreen mode, using a finger to navigate may prove to be a hassle in a first person shooter, you might block out your aim and decrease response time.

Here’s hoping to a steady development because if it can’t run Doom, it ain’t worth buying…

Via: TUAW

Since the TomTom rumor was fake, I thought we were done with 3rd party GPS. To put this plainly, I was dead wrong. Apparently, the GPS idea seemed so perfect and obvious to a company, they decided to make an app with accompanying hardware. Partfoundry is the name of the company, and locoGPS is the product. It will allow jailbroken iPhones to finally have the needed GPS capability.  The module is currently confirmed to be in development, and will be shipping in February. The software is also open source; so many cool apps will be developed as well. It will be small enough to put on a keychain, and will be wrapped in a stylish plastic case. They are taking orders now, and it will run for $89.

Could this be the reason that I jailbreak my iPhone again? If Apple does not make their own GPS unit, Yes. Sorry Mr. Jobs, I really want GPS. The iPhone has such a beautiful screen, frankly, it was meant to have GPS.

[via Gizmodo and Partfoundry]

Similar to the cell tower based location tracing provided by the native app Navizon, Google has added an option called My Location. My Location is new software that is included with Google maps which works with non GPS phones. As most know the iPhone does not currently have GPS, so it fits into the category. As of right now this feature is only on the beta for the standard Mobile Google Maps. Unfortunately it is not yet on the iPhone, but I hope it will eventually be included in an update. I would love to see an integrated and reliable location finder that is authorized by Apple. As soon as the SDK appears we may have competition over these kinds of applications (Google vs. Navizon). When this occurs I will use the app that I know will be free, Google Maps. 3 cheers for simplicity, seamless integration, and free software!