iPod iTunes Zone

Apple is now offering limited compensation in the wake of the difficult MobileMe launch, according to announcement. The company admits that the transition from .Mac was “a lot rockier than we [Apple] had hoped,” and notes that “within the next few weeks,” it will extend select MobileMe subscriptions by 30 days. At present several important MobileMe functions are non-functional, including groups, webmail, and the HomePage website creation utility.

To be eligible for the extension, people must either have had a .Mac subscription as of July 9th, or created a MobileMe account on or before July 15th at 7PM PDT. Apple is reminding these groups to ignore any e-mails suggesting an imminent renewal deadline; extensions will be applied before accounts expire, and even people whose accounts expired between the 9th and the 15th will be given reactivated subscriptions. If a person is in the middle of a MobileMe trial, the trial period will be lengthened.

source: macnn.com

EA games has announced that it is bringing a number of titles to the iPhone. Reporting from the EA press conference at E3, Joystiq notes that EA will utilize the accelerometer in a newly announced Spore title for the iPhone, allowing full creature control. The company will offer full touch-support in Tetris and also make Scrabble WiFi compatible, allowing multi-player scrabble games from the iPhone. Sudoku, Tetris and Scrabble are already available at the iPhone App Store, while Spore Origins (a mini version of the bacteria stage of Spore, complete with a creature creator) is expected in the near future. There are also plans at EA to port popular titles such as Tiger Woods and Need for Speed to the iPhone.

Tetris ($10 at the App Store) offers 15 levels, a magic mode and marathon mode, with touch support, and drag, flick and poke actions, among others. Scrabble offers the classic board game on the iPhone, with zoom and drag-and-drop tiles, for $10. It allows players to work against the computer or utilize Wi-Fi for multi-player games. Sodoku offers 10,000 grids with five difficulty levels. It is available for $8.

source: macnn.com

Over 10 million downloads have been made from the newly-launched iTunes App Store, according to Apple. The company also notes that the amount of software has already increased since the store’s Thursday debut, from approximately 500 apps to over 800. Of these, some 90 percent are said to be less than $10, including 200 free ones like AIM and Remote. The company has not so far identified how many downloads to date have been of free software, or what categories are the most popular.

Reports meanwhile suggest that some developers are deliberately altering the names of applicationsiTune to gain rank at the App Store. By placing a space or a symbol such as a quotation mark in front their title, it is believed that companies can force apps to the front of the alphabetical listings, increasing visibility. One of the worst offenders is said to be Jirbo, whose Jirbo Break and Jirbo Avatar are even listed ahead of titles like 105 Classics and AIM.

source: ipodnn.com

With users finding ways to upgrade their original iPhones to iPhone 2.0, Apple yesterday began touting its iPod touch v2.0 software; although the iTunes Store was off-line, users can purchase the upgrade for their Touch for $9.95. The software update brings push email with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, contact search, multiple calendars, a scientific calculator, improved Mail attachment viewing, better email management (including bcc for emails), and user-selectable accounts for replying to email as well as updated language, dictionary, and keyboard support (English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish).

source: macnn.com

Maverick Software on Thursday announced four new native iPhone applications Comet Cowboy, Yulan Mahjong Solitaire, Snowglobe, and Blip Solitaire all of which will be available at the launch of the App Store later this month. Comet Cowboy allows players to explore space in order to mine comets with their virtual lasso. The game boasts sharp graphics, multiple levels, and an automatic quick-save feature for when a call is received or if the user switches apps. Comet Cowboy will sell for $5.

Yulan Mahjong Solitaire ($5) uses the multi-touch screen’s various functions like pinch-and-squeeze so players can zoom in and out from any of eight tile layouts, matching pairs as they go.

Maverick’s Snowglobe ($1) app allows users to put a virtual snowglobe on the screen that uses the iPhone’s accelerometers to determine which side of the device is down, letting the flakes fall into the proper direction. Users can put custom photos into the globe, or a pre-selected image.

Lastly, Blip Solitaire pits players against themselves in a circular-style solo game of Pong. Blip Solitaire is free from the App Store.

source: macnn.com

Several Apple patent applications have today been published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, focusing around wireless location technology. The first involves Bluetooth devices, and specifically a means of finding them when they are lost; a master device “pings” the lost slave, which in turn makes audible or visible signals to lure a person towards its hiding place. The master could also be used gauge the distance to the slave, narrowing its location down even further.

The application makes specific reference to a cellphone as the master, and the slave being a headset; in theory this would allow iPhone owners to locate missing earpieces, but the current model does not have such a function. The invention was first submitted to the USPTO in November of 2006.

Another published document describes a technology related to wireless range, in which users of a device would be warned that they are wandering out of range. Apple notes that while many devices will tell people that their signal is low, its invention would deliver an estimated time before signal is lost. The technology would again apply mainly to cellphones, but virtually any kind of wireless could be supported, including WiFi, PCM and even infrared. This patent was also originally filed for in 2006.

source: macnn.com

Apple has just released the latest version of its iPod Reset Utility, an emergency tool which completely reverts iPods when the normal iTunes option refuses to work. The utility should not be used lightly, as it will erase all music and other data on an iPod, and install the very latest iPod firmware. The v1.0.3 update expands support, including reset options for both first- and second-generation iPod shuffles. The Mac version is a 3.6MB download, and requires Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later; the Windows software is 4.9MB, and requires either Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, or XP with Service Pack 2.

source: ipodnn.com

Apple has announced that in the first four days following the release of the beta iPhone SDK, over 100,000 downloads have been processed through the Apple Developer Connection, to which people must officially belong before they can use the software. “Developer reaction to the iPhone SDK has been incredible with more than 100,000 downloads in the first four days,” reads a statement by Apple’s senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, Philip Schiller. “Also, over one million people have watched the launch video on Apple.com, further demonstrating the incredible interest developers have in creating applications for the iPhone.”Apple has also let slip the names of some more companies planning iPhone software. These include Intuit, the makers of Quickbooks; NetSuite, who plan to upgrade SuitePhone; and Six Apart, who are developing a native iPhone application for TypePad. Apple has also revealed that PopCap is porting games such as Bejeweled, Zuma and Peggle to the iPhone platform, while Namco is bringing updated versions of Pac-Man and Galaga.

source: ipodnn.com

UK-based Solar Technology today unveiled the Freeloader 8.0, a portable solar charger with a built-in battery, designed for the iPod and several other electronic devices. The Freeloader comes in silver and pink, and features two small sold-away solar panels that can charge the internal battery within 5 hours, supplying up to 18 hours of power for the iPod. Solar Technology is selling the Freeloader 8.0 for £30 (~$60 USD); as of now, it is available only in the UK. In addition to charging the iPod, the Freeloader comes with several adapters for Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and LG phones. Nintendo DS Lite and PSP users will also be able to use the charger, and it includes several generic USB connections for other devices that can charge through USB. Solar Technology also sells the enlarged Supercharger solar panels that reduce the Freeloader’s charge time by 50-percent, which it sells for £20 (~$40).

source: macnn.com

iPodHackers.net today announced the completion of a Bluetooth-enabled fifth generation iPod with video, allowing it to function with streaming Bluetooth audio devices. The hack requires the use of soldering, so enthusiast Fstedie recommends that users be comfortable taking such an action. He also recommends performing a Compact Flash modification or using a thicker backing, giving the user extra space inside the slender unit to pull off the hack. The hack involves taking an external Bluetooth adaptor, such as one that connects through the headphone jack as with most Bluetooth headphone adapters. Once the board from the adaptor is installed, users are required to wire up the status light, power, and audio. Fstedie uses a clear faceplate, the iVue, to allow the status indicator to flash through, but he notes that even the original faceplate can be modified to allow the light to function, without drilling.

source: ipodnn.com