Price increases that took effect on Apple's iTunes Store last week reportedly hurt unit sales of some of the most popular songs but ultimately managed to drive marginal increases in overall revenues for the digital download service.
Apple's US Market Share Slips in 1Q 2009
Gartner has released a preliminary report detailing U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the first quarter of 2009. The report pegs Apple's U.S. market share in fourth place among vendors at 7.4%, down from 8.0% in the fourth quarter of 2008. More importantly, the report shows a slight decline in market share over the year-ago quarter, when Apple he
Sims 3 Will Require Mac OS X 10.5.7
As a proof that Mac OS X 10.5.7 is just around the corner, the official Sims 3 website indicates the following information:
One can now expect that the future OS update will bring significant improvement for the graphic rendering, as this is usually the weak point of our OS.
Living on Air: A Windows guru spends two weeks with a Mac
So it was with more than a little trepidation that I accepted a new assignment from my editor (sort of a follow-up to my article "Living free with Linux: 2 weeks without Windows") to give up my PC and try living for two weeks on the Mac. Talk about sleeping with the enemy!
Verizon iPhone More Likely When 4G Networks Arrive in 2010
The Wall Street Journal reports on comments made by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg on a broad number of topics surrounding the company.
Of interest to readers, however, is the fact that Seidenberg addressed the possibility of Apple's iPho...
A really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Reversi, sometimes known under the trade name Othello is a really terrific board game. The game goes back to at least 1888, and is said with some truth that it takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Reversi has been very popular as a computer game for many years. In most versions you can play another human, or play against the computer. It seems popular among Mac enthusiasts, and Ted Landau, who created and oversees the venerable MacFixit web site is a one time National Champion of the game, and came in 3rd in the World Championships in 1984. Go Ted!
The iPhone/ iPod touch has had many Othello/Reversi games available. Some play OK, some do fairly well, but doing quality artificial intelligence on a phone is no small challenge.
That brings me to the app at hand, called ReversiSister [no App Store link yet], from Japanese game authors DigiDock. To call it a new approach to the game would be an understatement. As you play, music blares in the background, while an animated cheerleader shouts at you. As Reversi is a game that takes concentration, I can't imagine why on earth someone would think this is a smart approach to game design. On top of that, the game does not play very well, and in my first game the app crashed near the end so I don't know who won, but I was ahead when the game went south.
You can turn down the sound and the irritating cheerleader, but that really doesn't improve the game play, and even if the cheerleader is turned off you can still see her waving her arms around.
There are some pretty fair Reversi games at the app store, including Morocco, Reversi and Black and White, but Ted Landau, who plays far better than I has looked at most of them and thinks they are all pretty poor.
Well, good or bad there is nothing worse than ReversiSister. It's loud, irritating, plays badly and crashes every so often. I'd give you the link to the game, but it's not yet listed in the US App Store. That's probably a good thing, but watch for it if you are a masochist. Here's a link to a YouTube video of the game play. Consider yourself warned. The game is going to sell for $0.99US.
Here's a collection of screen grabs:
TUAWA really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Movies come to German iTunes Store
Filed under: iTS
After much time and negotiation, movies have finally come to the German iTunes Store. As of this writing, there are 500 films available to German customers (just about 100 are available in HD), including American hits like The Dark Knight (good movie, but the motorcycle is a bit over the top) and Die Fälscher from German cinema.Pricing breaks down like this:
- Older titles are sold for €7.99
- Newer titles sell for €9.99
- Brand-new releases are €13.99
[Via iPodNN]
TUAWMovies come to German iTunes Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
AOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
The first key feature to note is the free real-time equity quote service, provided from the BATS Exchange; major exchange (NYSE & Nasdaq) quotes are delayed, though. You can quote individual symbols or watch your entire portfolio with ease, whether you enter it on the device or link to your existing lineup under your AOL or AIM screenname; up to 25 separate portfolios can be managed. You can also view up-to-the-minute financial and market news from the AP and other sources.
The other standout feature of this app is its comprehensive charting support. Clicking the chart button on an equity page brings up a straightforward chart, but rotate your device into landscape mode and you're in a Cover Flow-esque lineup of all the charts in your portfolio. Double-tap a chart to access a full suite of advanced comparison options (vs. markets, vs. peers, seasonality, showing events like earnings & splits, and custom symbol comparisons). Holding down a finger on a single-line chart enables a crosshair cursor that lets you see the specific data for any point on the chart. All the functions are intuitive and easy to use; the charts are cached so you can see most of your data even if your device is disconnected from WiFi or cell service.
If you're of a mind to keep an eye on the markets while you're on the move, you may find this app has the tools you're looking for. Check out the gallery below for a few screenshots.
Editor's Note: TUAW's parent company Weblogs, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL.
TUAWAOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
First Photos of the Future MacBook Processors
The future big evolution in Intel Mobile platform will arrive in 2010. It will be feature 32 nm engraved Havendale CPU associated to the Nehalem architecture with its important advantages such as hyperthreading, integrated memory controller, etc...
One member from Xtremesystem forum has posted photos of the first samples of such CPU:
The Clarkdale CPU shown nearby is a the model dedicated to the desktop computer. It will offer higher performance level at the cost of higher power consumption. As you can notice it, there are much more pins than for previous CPUs. This is linked to the fact that several components are now included on the die. It should make life easier for motherboard manufacturers, and could also reduce their price, as one will need less components to be soldered on the PCB.
Verizon says iPhone deal more likely with advent of 4G network
Although his company snubbed Apple on the first go-round, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg now says the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once a 4G cellular network is in place.
iTunes price changes deliver mixed results
Price increases that took effect on Apple's iTunes Store last week reportedly hurt unit sales of some of the most popular songs but ultimately managed to drive marginal increases in overall revenues for the digital download service.
Apple's US Market Share Slips in 1Q 2009
Gartner has released a preliminary report detailing U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the first quarter of 2009. The report pegs Apple's U.S. market share in fourth place among vendors at 7.4%, down from 8.0% in the fourth quarter of 2008. More importantly, the report shows a slight decline in market share over the year-ago quarter, when Apple he
Sims 3 Will Require Mac OS X 10.5.7
As a proof that Mac OS X 10.5.7 is just around the corner, the official Sims 3 website indicates the following information:
One can now expect that the future OS update will bring significant improvement for the graphic rendering, as this is usually the weak point of our OS.
Living on Air: A Windows guru spends two weeks with a Mac
So it was with more than a little trepidation that I accepted a new assignment from my editor (sort of a follow-up to my article "Living free with Linux: 2 weeks without Windows") to give up my PC and try living for two weeks on the Mac. Talk about sleeping with the enemy!
Verizon iPhone More Likely When 4G Networks Arrive in 2010
The Wall Street Journal reports on comments made by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg on a broad number of topics surrounding the company.
Of interest to readers, however, is the fact that Seidenberg addressed the possibility of Apple's iPho...
A really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Reversi, sometimes known under the trade name Othello is a really terrific board game. The game goes back to at least 1888, and is said with some truth that it takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Reversi has been very popular as a computer game for many years. In most versions you can play another human, or play against the computer. It seems popular among Mac enthusiasts, and Ted Landau, who created and oversees the venerable MacFixit web site is a one time National Champion of the game, and came in 3rd in the World Championships in 1984. Go Ted!
The iPhone/ iPod touch has had many Othello/Reversi games available. Some play OK, some do fairly well, but doing quality artificial intelligence on a phone is no small challenge.
That brings me to the app at hand, called ReversiSister [no App Store link yet], from Japanese game authors DigiDock. To call it a new approach to the game would be an understatement. As you play, music blares in the background, while an animated cheerleader shouts at you. As Reversi is a game that takes concentration, I can't imagine why on earth someone would think this is a smart approach to game design. On top of that, the game does not play very well, and in my first game the app crashed near the end so I don't know who won, but I was ahead when the game went south.
You can turn down the sound and the irritating cheerleader, but that really doesn't improve the game play, and even if the cheerleader is turned off you can still see her waving her arms around.
There are some pretty fair Reversi games at the app store, including Morocco, Reversi and Black and White, but Ted Landau, who plays far better than I has looked at most of them and thinks they are all pretty poor.
Well, good or bad there is nothing worse than ReversiSister. It's loud, irritating, plays badly and crashes every so often. I'd give you the link to the game, but it's not yet listed in the US App Store. That's probably a good thing, but watch for it if you are a masochist. Here's a link to a YouTube video of the game play. Consider yourself warned. The game is going to sell for $0.99US.
Here's a collection of screen grabs:
TUAWA really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Movies come to German iTunes Store
Filed under: iTS
After much time and negotiation, movies have finally come to the German iTunes Store. As of this writing, there are 500 films available to German customers (just about 100 are available in HD), including American hits like The Dark Knight (good movie, but the motorcycle is a bit over the top) and Die Fälscher from German cinema.Pricing breaks down like this:
- Older titles are sold for €7.99
- Newer titles sell for €9.99
- Brand-new releases are €13.99
[Via iPodNN]
TUAWMovies come to German iTunes Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
AOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
The first key feature to note is the free real-time equity quote service, provided from the BATS Exchange; major exchange (NYSE & Nasdaq) quotes are delayed, though. You can quote individual symbols or watch your entire portfolio with ease, whether you enter it on the device or link to your existing lineup under your AOL or AIM screenname; up to 25 separate portfolios can be managed. You can also view up-to-the-minute financial and market news from the AP and other sources.
The other standout feature of this app is its comprehensive charting support. Clicking the chart button on an equity page brings up a straightforward chart, but rotate your device into landscape mode and you're in a Cover Flow-esque lineup of all the charts in your portfolio. Double-tap a chart to access a full suite of advanced comparison options (vs. markets, vs. peers, seasonality, showing events like earnings & splits, and custom symbol comparisons). Holding down a finger on a single-line chart enables a crosshair cursor that lets you see the specific data for any point on the chart. All the functions are intuitive and easy to use; the charts are cached so you can see most of your data even if your device is disconnected from WiFi or cell service.
If you're of a mind to keep an eye on the markets while you're on the move, you may find this app has the tools you're looking for. Check out the gallery below for a few screenshots.
Editor's Note: TUAW's parent company Weblogs, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL.
TUAWAOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
First Photos of the Future MacBook Processors
The future big evolution in Intel Mobile platform will arrive in 2010. It will be feature 32 nm engraved Havendale CPU associated to the Nehalem architecture with its important advantages such as hyperthreading, integrated memory controller, etc...
One member from Xtremesystem forum has posted photos of the first samples of such CPU:
The Clarkdale CPU shown nearby is a the model dedicated to the desktop computer. It will offer higher performance level at the cost of higher power consumption. As you can notice it, there are much more pins than for previous CPUs. This is linked to the fact that several components are now included on the die. It should make life easier for motherboard manufacturers, and could also reduce their price, as one will need less components to be soldered on the PCB.
Verizon says iPhone deal more likely with advent of 4G network
Although his company snubbed Apple on the first go-round, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg now says the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once a 4G cellular network is in place.
No comments:
Post a Comment