App Store

Techcrunch recently caused a stir in the iPhone world by stating Apple is charging developers %100 for App refunds taking more money out of their pocket than is necessary.

Communication amongst developers reveals that Apple has the capability to charge them the full sale price of their App for the refund but the common trend are developers only being charged their 70% cut while the other 30% is refunded by Apple. The amount of refunds taking place is minimal and shouldn’t affect developers but the fact that Apple is willing to eat their 30% cut to offer a refund refutes Techrunch’s frivolous rumor. However, refunds are very hard to get from the App Store even if the App is rendered nonfunctional by Apple.

Via: The iPhone Blog

Sling has announced its SlingPlayer for the iPhone has entered a 1.0 release and has been submitted to the App Store for approval.

The mobile player for the iPhone has been long rumored since the device’s launch but now, we only have to wait until Apple approves the App. The system allows you to stream you content to any device in the world from the company’s Sling Box media player. The iPhone App would accomplish the same thing allowing you to listen to music and watch videos stored on your Sling Box and in addition, let you control your DVR to record and schedule shows when you’re away from home.

Via: TUAW

There seems to be a new problem within the App Store that has developers up in arms. Copycat apps are ripping off functionality and passing Apple’s approval.

Developers are horrified at the prospect of others knocking off their work and selling it for much cheaper or giving it away for no cost. It’s not hard to view the contents of iPhone App file and strip sounds and images to reuse in the knockoff App. Apple seems to be furthering the problem by approving these Apps and not checking if other Apps already available duplicate the functionality an App in submission. Arstechnica summarizes the problem:

The problem isn’t just that these copycats are similar in concept or execution, but that they directly copy artwork, product descriptions, icons, and names, though sometimes the name or artwork is slightly modified. It’s relatively trivial to get inside a .ipa bundle and copy the artwork, as in the case of Touch Scan Pro, a nearly identical copy of Touch Scan.

Via: ZDNet

Boxee, the long time companion to many media centers, has pushed out an Application for the iPhone that allows users to control their Boxee setup from their device.

The App gives users enhanced control from their iPhone allowing them to type searches, use gestures or use on screen buttons to use basic media playback controls. A quick summarization of the features in the remote App:

1. The boxee remote app has two modes: Gesture and Buttons.
2. In the Gesture mode you need to hold down your thumb and move it around in order to navigate.
3. Clicking on the boxee logo acts as Select/Play/Pause.
4. Dragging the boxee logo to the edges of the screen will act as a continuous up/down/left/right.
5. Clicking in an input field will open up the iPhone Qwerty keyboard and will enable you to easily enter text.
6. The app works over WiFi, so make sure the WiFi on your iPhone is turned on.

Via iPhones Talk

RipDev has released Installer App for the Mac (Windows version available soon) that emulates the App Store for non-Apple sanctioned Apps. However, you will still have to Jailbreak your device, although the process is streamlined with the App.

Retailing at $7, Installer App is the desktop version of the popular iPhone App repository that made thousands of Jailbroken Apps available to eager crackers looking to side step Apple’s control of software distribution. The App comprises of the Jailbreaking utility (which is freely available as QuickPwn) and a directory that pulls Apps for you to install on your iPhone which mimics the long time available Installer App for the iPhone.

Via: Macworld

The iPhone can do a lot of good things for you. Keep you connected on road trips, double as a flashlight in a pinch, teach you to count cards and so on. But the iPhone can also get you fired. How can you be sure of this? By the nifty list of Apps than could get you fired post at International Business Times.

Sure there are a few apps you’ve heard of in the list but a few you probably haven’t. Saying much more would spoil the fun but who knew there was an iJiggly Bikini app?

An App designed to aggregate Amber Alerts to your iPhone has been released.

The App, (iTunes link) created by Jonathan Zdziarski, a forensics expert, will allow users to view profiles of children gone missing along side any provided information about them. A picture, last known whereabouts and suspect information are also displayed if the data is available.

Via: Cult Of Mac

In preparation of iTunes 8.1, Apple has updated the remote App for the iPhone and iPod Touch to version 1.2. The update can be downloaded for free from iTunes or downloaded (iTunes Link) from the App Store if you haven’t done so already.

Via: Macrumors

Bakari Chavanu over at our sister site Apple Matters has an excellent review/tutorial on the Kindle app for the iPhone. From the article:

First off, if you have used a few other iPhone app ebook readers like Stanza or eReader, you’ll find Kindle for iPhone lacking by comparison. But the Kindle for iPhone basic interface won’t keep you from using the app. All your downloaded chapters and books can be browsed by Recent view, Title, or Author. You can also delete or archive books and chapters on the Home page. You can change the font size of books, but other than that there’s no other options for changing the application’s interface. 

Read Bakari’s entire post, filled with info, over at Apple Matters.

One of the pivotal features of the App Store and SDK for iPhone developers was the inclusion of Apple’s Fairplay DRM wrapper which would have prevented App piracy. Unfortunately, crackers found a way around it and allowed Apps to be pirated just like any other kind of Software. The developer behind Full Screen Browser, an App that sticks to its name, isn’t taking piracy lying down.

Developer Ben Chatelain has implemented a phone home component in his App that checks whether or not the user is running a legitimately paid version of his work by reporting the UUID number to his server. Users will have a 10 day grace period before Full Screen Browser will refuse to launch but not before showing a popup convincing pirates to pay for it out of guilt and having enough time to demo the App. While some users will object to having an App phone home, it will be interesting to see if more developers utilize this as another means to protect their work.

Via: iPhones Talk