Navigon updates Mobile Navigator North America
Filed under: iPhone
These Navigon guys really do constant upgrades and enhancements of this popular app. Today, the US$79.99 North American version of the Navigon iPhone app has added connections to Facebook and Twitter, along with Navigon MyRoutes.
According to the company, MyRoutes recommendations are based on the personal driving behavior of the user, the day of the week, and the time of day. MyRoutes always shows the best possible route for the driver on the basis of his or her driving behavior and by means of an optical “MyRoute” indicator. In addition to this recommended route, up to two alternatives are displayed.
Also added is the option to buy Panorama View 3D, which gives you a more topographic view of the terrain based on NASA data. That option is an in-app $9.99 purchase. The 3D views require an additional 580 MB download.
The Panorama, Facebook, and Twitter features will be coming to the recently released lower cost regional versions of the app. In fact, a spokesman for the company told me that the less expensive versions of the app will include all of the features of the North America version. The MyRoutes feature has already been included in the regional versions.
I’ve just downloaded the 1.46 GB update, and will be testing the new features over the next few days. I will report soon on my findings.
Navigon updates Mobile Navigator North America originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Navigon updates Mobile Navigator North America originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
More pics and video of possible next-gen iPhone display leaked
Filed under: iPhone
Back in February, we showed you some leaked pics from iResQ that were supposedly pictures of the next-gen iPhone’s front face. Now, SmartPhone Medic, another iPhone repair outfit, has released pictures and video of what appears to be almost the exact same next-gen iPhone faceplate that iResQ showed off. SmartPhone Medic’s video shows a bubble-wrapped part being removed from packaging labelled as “OEM 4G LCD & DIGITIZER,” along with some other lettering that I can’t quite make out, which either says “IPB,” “IPS,” or possibly something else entirely.
Like the faceplate iResQ revealed in February, this faceplate is approximately 1/4 of an inch longer than the faceplate from the current iPhone 3GS, but SmartPhone Medic’s video makes it much clearer where this extra 1/4 inch is coming from. The display dimensions on the “4G” LCD are exactly the same as those on the 3GS, and the upper portion of the faceplate, where the headphone jack, proximity and ambient light sensors, and top speaker are all housed, is almost exactly the same size. The bottom of the unit accounts for almost all of the extra space — notably, this is where the current iPhone 3GS’s primary antenna is housed, near the dock connector. It’s widely expected that the next iPhone will have an 802.11n antenna, so perhaps this accounts for the need to lengthen the iPhone’s antenna section.
This faceplate from SmartPhone Medic differs from the one iResQ showed off in one very important way. While the faceplate from iResQ had no obvious new holes in it, the SmartPhone Medic faceplate has a small hole next to the top speaker, in approximately the same location as the current iPhone’s proximity and ambient light sensors. Since those sensors are perfectly capable of operating through the iPhone’s display glass, as any possible indicator lights would be, the most plausible reason for this hole’s existence is a new piece of hardware in the iPhone — quite possibly a front-facing camera.
One other thing was made pretty clear in the video: something is different about the display itself. Read on to find out what else has changed.
Continue reading More pics and video of possible next-gen iPhone display leaked
More pics and video of possible next-gen iPhone display leaked originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
More pics and video of possible next-gen iPhone display leaked originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
BBC iPhone apps on hold, maybe forever
Filed under: iPhone
Th British Broadcasting Corporation was expected to launch several iPhone apps with news and sports content in April but the apps are going to be a no-show.
Today, the BBC reports that the BBC Trust, which governs the ‘Beeb,’ has asked the broadcaster to postpone any plans for the apps while the business case is reviewed.
Several groups have criticized the BBC for wanting to distribute the free apps, most notably competitors who believe the BBC has an unfair advantage because it is funded by taxpayers who pay a yearly license fee to fund the broadcaster.
The BBC is among the biggest and most elite broadcasters in the world, and the apps were eagerly awaited. The corporation originally said it expected to build apps for the iPhone, and later Android and BlackBerry phones, but of course all of those plans are apparently on hold until this issue gets worked out.
Full disclosure: I worked for the BBC in 1994-1998.
BBC iPhone apps on hold, maybe forever originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
BBC iPhone apps on hold, maybe forever originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon
Filed under: iPhone
Get ready for the “VeriPhone.” The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple will be releasing a new iPhone this summer, and “appears to be working” on a model for Verizon Wireless. They claim it’s a CDMA-based iPhone, and that mass production is slated to begin in September, but it’s unclear when Apple will make the model available. The report notes that one Pegatron Technology Corp. (no relation to Deceptacon Megatron) is contracted to build the model.
There have been plenty of rumors already about a Verizon compatible iPhone, but this is the most credible report that we’ve seen, saying it’s happening sometime this year.
Since its launch, the iPhone has seen two major refreshes, both occurring during the early summer period, and it appears that Apple will be keeping with this trend. However, if true, the release of a Verizon compatible iPhone marks a significant break from the single-carrier, AT&T life that the iPhone has lived in the U.S. since its launch. In addition, a Verizon-compatible model opens the door for Apple to appeal to an audience that, whether due to a coverage, rate plan or any other issue, did not find the iPhone compelling enough to switch to AT&T. As always, we’ll have to wait and see — the WSJ says a product announcement will take place in “June or July” as usual.
WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WSJ: New iPhone coming this summer, and may be coming to Verizon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
AT&T building out network capacity to prevent exodus to Verizon’s iPhone?
So this is what all those “yo’ network’s so slow” jokes were about. The Wall Street Journal has today penned a story framing AT&T’s hefty recent investments in building out its network as a defensive move against a “huge exodus to Verizon” when its rival gets the iPhone. These preventative measures include working with Apple on streamlining the iPhone’s network load, and infrastructure spending that is expected to total $2 billion by the end of the year. The WSJ claimed yesterday that Apple was working on a CMDA version of its iPhone that could hit mass production as early as September. However, concluding that the iPhone on Verizon is a done deal seems something of a stretch. Sprint has shown a remarkable ability to attract cutting edge phones, and China Unicom’s exclusivity agreement is about to hit its precarious first anniversary about the time this handset is set to roll out. Still, setting aside the analyst blather and extrapolation, the picture that emerges is of AT&T feverishly patching up its service offering in the face of a rapidly expiring exclusivity arrangement.
AT&T building out network capacity to prevent exodus to Verizon’s iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Desk Phone Dock promises to bring some landline charm to the iPhone
Desk Phone Dock promises to bring some landline charm to the iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
MapQuest iPhone gets free voice navigation; TomTom lifetime map and traffic PNDs now available (update: Navigon MobileNavigator 1.5 too)
Chalk up another two wins for cheap consumer GPS. Like Google Maps Navigation before it, the MapQuest 4 Mobile iPhone app has just now added gratis turn-by-turn voice directions… and ahead of schedule, TomTom has begun bundling its new 2010 Personal Navigation Devices, including the XL 340S and the XXL 540S — with lifetime traffic and maps subscriptions. The latter are now available on Amazon for a $30-per-lifetime-subscription premium in a variety of increasingly feature-filled flavors, with helpful T (traffic), M (maps) and TM (traffic and maps) suffixes so you know which TomTom is which. If you prefer buying from brick and mortar, TomTom expects retail availability beginning in April. Full list of supported TomTom models and expected MSRP after the break.
Update: The 1.5.0 iPhone update to MobileNavigator from Navigon that includes MyRoutes, Facebook and Twitter integration, and Panorama View 3D is finally up on iTunes as well.
MapQuest iPhone gets free voice navigation; TomTom lifetime map and traffic PNDs now available (update: Navigon MobileNavigator 1.5 too) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
WSJ: Apple ‘developing new iPhone,’ plus another for Verizon (update: iPhone HD, front-facing camera?)
You heard right, folks — according to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is currently “developing a new iPhone to debut this summer,” and as if that weren’t enough, it’s also “working on another model for US mobile phone operator Verizon Wireless.” As of this moment, details about the break are nowhere to be found, but it’s not like either tidbit is shocking. This summer will mark the one-year anniversary of the iPhone 3GS, and if the Cupertino-based company keeps with its historical refresh pattern, we’re just a few months out from seeing the latest and greatest iPhone. There’s also been no shortage of iPhone-to-Verizon rumors over the years, with the latest of ‘em happening during the run-up to the iPad’s launch.
Update: We’re now learning that the “next iPhone is being manufactured by Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry,” which just so happens to be the same outfit responsible for crafting all prior iPhones. That’s according to “people briefed on the matter” and sourced by the WSJ. It’s also stated that the world’s first CDMA iPhone will be manufactured by Pegatron Technology, which we caught just last week dabbling in some of NVIDIA’s Tegra 2-based wares. If all goes well, Pegatron could begin mass production of the CDMA iPhone (exact model not disclosed) this September, so it’s hard to say if Sprint or Verizon would have access before the all-too-lucrative holiday season. As for quotes on the matter? Most everyone involved wouldn’t say a word, but an AT&T spokesman did utter the following: “There has been lots of incorrect speculation on CDMA iPhones for a long time. We haven’t seen one yet and only Apple knows when that might occur.“
On a week that couldn’t possibly get any bigger for Apple, that’s exactly what just happened. Everyone suspected that a fourth-generation iPhone was in the works, but having an outlet like the WSJ confirm it just makes the summer that much harder to wait for. There’s also the possibility that 2010 will be the final year that AT&T retains its death-grip on the iPhone, but by the sound of this report, it still seems as if the nation’s largest GSM carrier may nab exclusive rights on the latest iPhone. We also can’t help but wonder about the future of a true 4G iPhone — will Sprint manage to grab a WiMAX-enabled version? Will Verizon get its grubby paws on an LTE model? We figured only Jobs would know, but now… there might just be someone else out there willing to spill the beans.
Update 2: Soon after the news broke, we were informed that the next-generation iPhone would be announced on June 22nd (a Tuesday, naturally) and would be dubbed the iPhone HD (a name that has been tossed around before). That certainly makes sense given that Apple almost certainly has to up the pixel count in order to rival the EVO 4G, HD2 and all of those other high-res handsets, but we’re still reserving judgment until we see that fateful media invite hit our inbox.
Update 3: John Gruber’s just weighed in with some more tidbits, in his characteristically polite way. Gruber says the next model will have an A4-class SoC, a 960 x 640 display, a front-facing camera, and that iPhone OS 4.0 will enable third-party multitasking. A pretty safe set of predictions, in all, but Gruber’s done pretty well in the past, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
[Thanks, Chris]
WSJ: Apple ‘developing new iPhone,’ plus another for Verizon (update: iPhone HD, front-facing camera?) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Stats: iPhone OS is still king of the mobile web space, but Android is nipping at its heels
AdMob serves north of 10 billion ads per month to more than 15,000 mobile websites and applications. Thus, although its data is about ad rather than page impressions, it can be taken as a pretty robust indicator of how web usage habits are developing and changing over time. Android is the big standout of its most recent figures, with Google loyalists now constituting a cool 42 percent of AdMob’s smartphone audience in the US. With the EVO 4G and Galaxy S rapidly approaching, we wouldn’t be surprised by the little green droid stealing away the US share crown, at least until Apple counters with its next slice of magical machinery. Looking at the global stage, Android has also recently skipped ahead of Symbian, with a 24 percent share versus 18 percent for the smartphone leader. Together with BlackBerry OS, Symbian is still the predominant operating system in terms of smartphone sales, but it’s interesting to see both falling behind in the field of web or application usage, which is what this metric seeks to measure. Figures from Net Applications (to be found at the TheAppleBlog link) and ArsTechnica’s own mobile user numbers corroborate these findings.
Stats: iPhone OS is still king of the mobile web space, but Android is nipping at its heels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Kenwood AS-iP70 converges picture frame, alarm clock, FM radio and iPhone dock into one
We know, you’ve seen enough iDevice docks to make your eyes bleed with frustration, but if your bedside table is growing a bit cluttered with all the appendages and chargers you have lying around, you might wanna check this one out. Kenwood’s 7-inch AS-iP70 can serve as a picture viewer, a music player, an alarm clock, or an FM radio, while also packing USB and SD card inputs for alternative media sources. All in all, it looks quite slick and has plenty of buttons to play around with, but be warned that its 800 x 480 resolution is intended for pictures only, there’s no video playback to be had. If that and the ¥25,000 sticker (about $270, launching in Japan this April) have you running scared, you might want to check out Sony’s cheaper, AVI-playing alternative right over here. More pictures of Kenwood’s new hotness can be found at the source.
Kenwood AS-iP70 converges picture frame, alarm clock, FM radio and iPhone dock into one originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 03:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.