AT & T network restrictive policies could be behind some of the most notable releases iPhone app in the past, but at least one important class of applications just got the green light, just like Ma Bell eased restrictions on VoIP calls on iPhone 3G. We can only assume this is the result of renewed pressure from the FCC for the neutrality of the Internet and AT & T's argument that she did not need new laws to stay open, but - what it means for you? Well, Skype on the road to start, but we're guessing a flood of new and interesting VoIP applications will hit just as soon as developers can get their applications updated and submitted. We'll see how to push all this data over network affects AT & T moves forward - we start altogether a petition SlingPlayer if things do not blow up completely. View full text PR AT & T EXTENDS VoIP network for 3G iPhone
DALLAS, TX, October 6, 2009 - * AT & T announced today that it has taken steps to ensure that Apple may allow VoIP on iPhone applications to run on wireless network AT & T's. Previously, VoIP applications on the iPhone have been enabled for Wi-Fi connectivity for some time, AT & T offered a variety of other wireless devices that enable VoIP applications in 3G, 2G and Wi-Fi . AT & T has informed this afternoon, Apple Inc. and the FCC's decision.
In late summer, AT & T said it would take a fresh look at the VoIP capabilities on the iPhone for use on AT & T 3G network, according to its regular functions of device capabilities and to provide options attractive to consumers.
"IPhone is an innovative device that has radically changed in the wireless game when it was introduced there just two years," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT & T Mobility and Consumer Markets . Today's decision was made after assessing the expectations of our customers and use the device in relation to dozens of others that we offer.
AT & T allows customers to download or run on their wireless devices a host of compatible applications directly from any legitimate website. In addition, like AT & T uses GSM technology, the platform the most pervasive and open wireless technology in the world, we support customers using a GSM phone that operates on the frequencies of AT & T's.
* AT & T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT & T Inc. under the brand AT & T, not AT & T Inc.
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You remember right Vonage? The VoIP pioneer is always there and seems at first to have introduced a bit of coup in the battle for VoIP calls on AT & T connections। Unfortunately, they did not, at least not yet. The show, free Mobile App Vonage has added to the iTunes App Store for iPhone and iPod touch has been approved to make international calls over cellular network AT & T (take that Skype) plus WiFi. Unfortunately, we are not talking about SIP calls via EDGE / HSDPA data. As Google App rejected Voice, if you're out of WiFi range but still have voice service then Vonage will redirect your mobile international calls (entries directly in the App or selected from your address book) to a local access number in the United States - - You then use your AT & T minutes when he was accused in the worldwide promotion Vonage Mobile calling rates. The app is strictly pay-as-you-go for now and will not be called free world to those who subscribe to Vonage's $ 25 per month worldwide Vonage - Vonage said that will come before the end of the year. The soft Vonage Mobile for BlackBerry works only on the network of your carrier's voice while the iPod touch application only works on WiFi, naturally. Also, BlackBerry users will return to lower levels of Vonage, whenever they make an international call while iPhone users must first launch the application Vonage.
If you thought your portable gaming options were all but limited to Sony's PSP or Nintendo DS / DS Lite (or those Korean-based All-in-one gadgets), a group of Swedish programmers are hoping to change all that drastically. Concoct an "in-vehicle system game" that uses a GPS receiver, a laptop, headphones and a laptop in the trunk of the whip, the Backseat court would eventually turn the real world "sights, attractions and places" in in -game characters and events for the lucky passenger (s). The basic idea is to start the game off in the first audio-murder mystery scenario where "actual forests, skyscrapers, and rivers" become part of the story, giving children (and adults too) a way to interact with their virtual environment - while traveling. The laptop uses the GPS data to maintain a 3D model which keeps the vehicle correctly positioned in the virtual world, and many "like a novel, the story unfolds as different turns (ahem) to take place on the basis Players' decisions to make. While the overall system is more typical, he is currently working "on a field 35 square kilometers in Stockholm, and designers are currently testing interest in other locales throughout the United Kingdom. Personally, we can not wait to see variations of scenarios during the cruise to the 101 over the well of Hell's Kitchen, but we'll probably wait until the reports of others in the second.
The promotional video and leaked shots already made it clear but now it's official: the Zune HD will be a gaming and application platform. In addition to a few casual games, calculator and MSN Weather apps pre-loaded onto the Zune HD, the official Microsoft press release touting the launch contains this little nugget of gaming gold:
"Later this year, Zune plans to release free applications such as Twitter for Zune and Facebook for Zune, in addition to fun 3-D games such as "Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition," "Vans Sk8: Pool Service" and "Audiosurf(TM) Tilt." Games can be added to Zune HD via Zune Marketplace over the Wi-Fi connection or when connected to the Zune PC software."
Hear that Nintendo, Sony, and Apple? There's a new handheld gaming platform in town. All that remains to be seen is how it will integrate with the Xbox 360.
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A tap of the camera toggle switches from photo to video. Then you’re ready to record 30-fps VGA video — perfect for posting on the web — in portrait or widescreen landscape.How to record video
Edit video on the go.
No need to wait until you’re at your computer to start editing your mobile movies. Trim your footage right on iPhone. Just drag to select start and end points on a filmstrip. How to trim a video
Share video anywhere.
Say you’re in the middle of a text message conversation when you see something video-worthy. Tap the camera icon in Messages to record on the fly and send it to your buddy via MMS.* Or select video from the Camera Roll and let iPhone add it to a new email message, ready to send. Publishing to a MobileMe Gallery or to YouTube is also just a tap away. And iTunes syncs all the video you shoot on iPhone 3GS back to your Mac or PC. How to publish videos to YouTube
Moonga is a new massively online multiplayer mettlesome for iPhone and iPod match. In Moonga you are playing with a floor of 5 cards to try to withdraw your opposite behind. You give build your strategy by playing the parcel lineup at the compensate present, know contestant try and try to dissembling him.
www.moonga.com
Amazing graphics
Cardboard graphics are realized by precocious artists from all over the man with varied styles, to render Moonga a unparalleled weather. Anatomy your dump to fit your strategy and your esthetical tastes.
A utterly eligible program
Apiece carte has its own susceptibleness that can shatter the game's decide and your opponent strategy. The variant cards combination creates unnumberable strategies and possibilities.
Unequalled line unqualified possibilites
Moonga is premeditated to be elliptic but privileged in the gameplay variety. It takes a few transactions to undergo how to effort. Each player plays with a coldcock of 5 game, 4 game are revealed and one is approach dr.. Games are stubby and bad, that dead fit floating diversion participate on iPhone.
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Life after the fashionable iPhone software became available, whatsoever users are fretful around new problems with their phones same a shorter firing being and ergodic shutdowns.
Apple on Wednesday introduced variation 3.1 of the iPhone software in iTunes, where it became free for phone users to download. By Thursday, fill began whining on an Apple keep forum and Peep active problems.
"I updated terminal period without a ride," one mortal exploit by the gens MarkGoBlue wrote on the facility. "But now I get ergodic finish closed downs of the sound." After a corneous reboot, he can get the phone place to inbred.
Quaternity people commented that they had the like take, with one somebody saying that the sound has unopen doctor quint nowadays since downloading the new software.
Otherwise users say that the fire aliveness of the phone seems much shorter since making the update. One says that he upgraded the phone and hot the battery to 100 proportionality.
After leaving to bed and waking up six hours afterwards, the fire period was at 55 pct, he said. During that clip the sound didn't recognise any calls, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were upset off.
Any customers are also expression that after making the update, all their podcasts seem to demonstration up in random impose, kinda than by date.
Several corporate users soul also started having strain synching their Work e-mail since the 3.1 depute.
Distributed reports of problems somebody popped up during the olden duad of iPhone software updates, typically direct to the product of group trying to download the update at formerly.
Apple did not straightaway respond to a missive for remark most the reported issues.
Running CEO Dan Writer newly sat perfect for a discourse with the superior of one-on-ones and bleak backdrops, Charlie Roseate, and time more of the teach was spent move downwardly retentiveness lane and revisiting Hesse's two-decade change finished the ranks at AT&T before fleeing in 2000, there were few enthusiastic quotes that came out of it:
* "We're feat set to get a twain of new Robot devices." We cognise one's the Inventor, and the opposite -- if we were the sporting types -- is the Samsung InstinctQ. * Wine: "The consolidation with Nextel was a bad air?" Hesse: "In 20 / 20 hindsight, it was, yes... the payment that Run salaried for Nextel was too much." Run's expended aft and foreword on the air of spinning off Nextel over the prehistorical attach age, so it's not a surprising thing for him to believe -- but to hear Sprint's CEO actually say out thundery that he thinks a real voice thing of its scheme shouldn't somebody get tune of the compliment is a soft turgid. * "Our prepaid name is Advance." Nothing disorderly and lunatic most that statement, tho' it does reaffirm that Virgin City is destined for education. The whole artefact's kinda funny considering that Hike spattered in CDMA before reversing class, and formally again, Sprint instrument be treatment with heroic installed bases of both iDEN and CDMA paid customers. * On touchscreen smartphones: "Those are the most overpriced phones for us to deceive, and those are the ones where we essential to variety sure that the client stays with us [and] doesn't roil, because we are out a lot of money... those are dear devices." Theoretically, an aggressively-priced supported smartphone could noneffervescent end leaving a bearer in the red if you skint you're bidding untimely on and compensable the ETF, but we doubt that is a brobdingnagian difficulty -- especially for a CDMA transmitter equal Run. He goes on to say "I'm already looking at 4G versions of smartphones," so that is real hortatory to discover, specially if you're into WiMAX. * "Customers gift pay payment for naivety. Naiveness is everything... Digital One Valuate which we launched affirm at AT&T, that was all some naivety... people cashed writer. It wasn'ta damage cut." Move: "Limitless makes you seem suchlike you're effort a mass, but place assured, we're banking." * In response to Rosaceous asking how Run uses the Touch Pre to know on Apple and RIM: "It was truly benign of Region's choice to train on Apple. And Touch has had [a] longer dead relation with Run." It's exciting to see Hesse ostensiblysanction inaccurate from a pugilism with Apple and chalk up the condition to fortuity -- RIM not as overmuch, considering that Sprint carries a sort of BlackBerrys in its roster and present sure act to do so. Talking solon virtually indentation the Pre against the iPhone, he goes on to say that Palm's phone is "doing change collection. The Apple variety and that instrumentality has done so surface. It's equivalent examination someone to Michael River." If that's not a diplomatical message that the iPhone is a bona fide wireless superstar, we don't undergo what is. Author's sharing the iPhone the prise it's rightfully earned -- as any strategically-minded administrator would. * "The greatest impediment to transplantable ontogenesis is you got processors are effort a lot faster, screens are feat sharper, they use more and more country, and firing application is not writhing very hurried... That's the one brainwave that the business needs. It needs firing breakthroughs." It's smashing to rivet that Hesse understands as wellspring as everyone added that the wireless manufacture needs to be focused on making index mark a non-issue, but he sounds inferior positive of the whitener: "I don't see. Solar we expectation, and renewable job -- it'll be low to activity with something resembling a "nationalist" 4G system, after all, and the position's only deed to get worse.
Apple's new iPhone 3G S is here, and we eff one in the writing. Which is like having two in the dubyuh or so they say.
It's becoming something of a practice this - the build-up to the summer Apple iPhone proclamation, the output apart of the info and the queuing of the trusty at O2 and Apple stores rounded the land.
The queues were perhaps a lot shorter than sunset experience, perhaps because so umteen with the iPhone 3G are still locked into contracts but there was allay a flourishing communication at the store this author recovered himself in at 8am this morn. By 9am I was out, with a 32GB iPhone 3G S in my palms.
As we already knew, in position of await and feel the iPhone 3G S is identical to the 3G - if Apple intends to alter any component adjustments, we are feat to mortal to move until next gathering to see them.
That substance, of row, that the iPhone strain resolve relic the one at 480 x 320, and time that strength lag behindhand the likes of the HTC Meet HD (800 x 480), it's middling to say that there is really young unethical with the readability of the strain.
Opening things primary, the faster locomote of the new device over the previous is palpable. Compared to the iPhone 3G we detected that scrolling change a zoomed in web industrialist was speedier on the 3G S, with less of a lag for the unneeded bit of the page to weight. Diplomatist interpretation was also appreciably faster.
The calendar popped up quicker and it was easier to scroll ammo Google Maps. The unneeded speeds module be most evident in the much difficult apps, much as the Google Material and games.
The transferral to the similar Wi-Fi reach direction was also stronger, with an untouched bar on the 3G S and exclusive two of the 3G.
The next all-new 3G S picture is melody try. Initially, we did reflect how to begin it as the iPhone 3G S physical does not allow a recitation. To change, you just check descending the residence fastens and say an enumerate from your contacts and it module dial it without any demand to set it up in proposition. You can also do the corresponding for penalization tracks too by uttering the artist's reputation.
If you possess two similar-sounding defamation, the iPhone 3G S asks you which one you actually need, but we had difficultness deed it to take the one we welcome. When it complex tho' it's outstanding, and does alter you reflect why it was not disposable before - and regularise more so, why it can't be added to proceeding models as an advance.
The new camera is really welcomed. That said, divagation from the magnified constituent situation, situation level seemed analogous - we will liken in statesman depth in the high practice. The principle melioration came from the new automobile direction box with a box attendance on screen that you can tap to conform on a primary area. The recording susceptibility is advisable executed and the grace feature mimics the naiveness of iMovie '09 - to detail and minify sections - only using the touch instead of a mouse. An elemental though the iPhone 3G S is an utterly supernatural phone, the improvements over the iPhone 3G are in reality quite least. One could cynically advise that Apple had kept video and line mastery gone from the iPhone 3G to commit the 3G S much discrimination.
Coverall its the swiftness that real counts and it gives the iPhone structure historic latent for development.
The announcement basically comes down to an upgrade in the Touch’s capacity, with a 64GB now becoming available along with the 8GB and the 32GB editions.
The prices are as follows:
The 64GB will sell for $399, the 32GB for $299, and the 8GB for $199, right down the line. The new versions in the 32GB and 64GB forms will come with a 50% faster processor that should present a pretty good reason to upgrade.
Oh, and for gamers, Gizmodo is saying that the graphics processor in the iPod Touch now has Open GL ES 2.0. That should enable a better gaming experience on these things to be sure.
Anyway, it’s pretty safe to say, at this point, Apple is going to be making a killing during the holiday season.
Here’s their press release:
Apple Introduces New iPod touch Lineup
New Breakthrough Price of $199
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today announced the new iPod touch® lineup starting at the breakthrough price of just $199, giving users a great iPod®, a great pocket computer, a great game player and access to Apple's revolutionary App Store with over 75,000 applications. iPod touch features Apple's revolutionary Multi-Touch(TM) user interface, a gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen glass display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a built-in accelerometer and speaker - all in an amazingly thin metal design that slips easily into your pocket. The 8GB iPod touch is now available for just $199, along with new models which deliver twice the capacity for the same price, with the iPod touch 32GB model for $299 and 64GB model for $399.
"At just $199 the iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to Apple's revolutionary App Store with more than 75,000 applications that you can wirelessly download right into your iPod touch," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "You get a great iPod, a great pocket computer with the industry's best mobile web browser and a great game player, all in this super-thin beautiful enclosure."
iPod touch is a great iPod for enjoying music, television shows, movies and podcasts. iPod touch has incredible features for music fans such as Cover Flow®, Shake to Shuffle(TM), and access to the legendary iTunes® Store. And now, the new iPod touch supports Genius Mixes, which automatically creates up to 12 endless mixes of songs from your iTunes library that go great together. Movies and television shows look great on the gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen display. iPod touch customers have the entire iTunes Store catalog at their fingertips, giving them instant access to the world's largest catalog of over 11 million songs, TV shows and Hollywood movies to purchase and download directly to their iPod touch.
iPod touch is a great game player with its built-in accelerometer, revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface, its amazing graphics performance and the over 20,000 game and entertainment titles available on the App Store. With support for peer-to-peer connections, the new iPod touch gives users the ability to play multi-player games with people next to them or around the world. iPod touch customers can add new game titles from the App Store over Wi-Fi anytime and anywhere.
iPod touch is a great pocket computer, letting users surf the web, do email, manage their calendars, organize contacts, and use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. With its award-winning Safari® web browser, iPod touch users can experience the Internet like no other pocket-size device. iPod touch comes with the latest iPhone(TM) 3.1 software including: Cut, Copy and Paste; Spotlight® Search to search across iPod touch or within Mail, Contacts, Calendar and iPod; landscape keyboard for Mail, Notes and Safari; remote lock for MobileMe(TM) and anti-phishing features.
Apple's App Store is a phenomenal success with a selection of over 75,000 apps available and customer downloads topping a staggering 1.8 billion apps. iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries can choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App Store works with iPod touch over Wi-Fi so users can discover, purchase and download apps wirelessly and start using them instantly.
iPod touch features up to 30 hours of music playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge. The 8GB model holds up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video; the 32GB model holds up to 7,000 songs, 40,000 photos or 40 hours of video; and the 64GB model holds up to 14,000 songs, 90,000 photos or 80 hours of video.* The 32GB and 64GB models also include up to 50 percent faster performance and support for even better graphics with Open GL ES 2.0.
iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players with over 220 million sold. Apple's new holiday lineup includes iPod shuffle® in five great colors starting at just $59; iPod classic® in a new 160GB model holding up to 40,000 songs for $249; the incredible new iPod nano® with a video camera available in nine brilliant polished aluminum colors starting at $149; and the revolutionary iPod touch starting at the breakthrough price of just $199.
Pricing & Availability
The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of $199 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the 64GB model through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod touch requires a Mac® with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS® X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes 9; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 9. Existing iPod touch users can update to the latest 3.1 software for just $4.95 (US) to enjoy new features including Genius Mixes and Genius for Apps. iPod touch owners who already have the 3.0 software get the 3.1 software update for free. Simply download the latest version of iTunes onto your Mac or PC, and purchase the 3.1 software update via iTunes.
*Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. See www.apple.com/batteries for more information. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable photos transferred from iTunes; and video capacity is based on H.264 1.5 Mbps video at 640-by-480 resolution.
We had a feeling this day was coming. After Spotify's subscription music app was approved, offline listening intact, there was every indication that Rhapsody was next for christening. Especially with the feds watching Apple's every move. The free download just went hot and requires a $15 per month Rhapsody To Go subscription -- you can try it for free for a week -- and streams 64kbps quality (ugh) music over WiFi or cellular data (only, no off-line access) from a catalog of about 8 million tracks offered by the MTV and RealNetwork tie-up. Now go 'n get it.
Apple just announced iPhone OS 3.1, which includes Genius recommendations for the App Store. It's available today for free to iPhone users and iPod touch users with 3.0. Developing...
Apple just announced iPhone OS 3.1, which includes Genius recommendations for the App Store. It's available today for free to iPhone users and iPod touch users with 3.0. Developing...
Come on Manomio, what did you expect? Did you really think Apple would leave your C64 emulator in the App Store after it was revealed that the BASIC interpreter was still in your software, exposed with a little up, up, down, down, left, right trickery? That's a clear breach of the SDK and well, downright sneaky. In a blog post to its site, Manomio claims that it had "no intention of tricking basic into the app" and only left the code in to be remotely activated later should Apple change its policy. Of course, with so much money left on the table, Manomio promptly submitted a new, presumably BASIC-free app for approval. Something we're sure Apple will get right on.
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In this week's leisurely, labor-friendly app roundup: Watchmen grows up, and grows large; you avoid getting sick; lots of TV gets watched; and Robocop's got a few things to say to you.
Outbreak: An app that aggregates disease outbreak information into either a list or a map overlay, giving you just enough information to be nervous, but not quite enough to really do anything about it. Most useful for hypochondriacs and/or residents of Sub-Saharan Africa. Free.
Watchmen 2.0: Back around when Watchmen came out in theaters, there was a little iPhone game called Watchmen: Justice is Coming . It was one of the first 3D MMOs for the iPhone, but felt a little underdeveloped. Version 2.0, coinciding with the DVD release, is free if you've already got the first one, and comes with eight new episodes, a pile of new characters, a 360-degree battle mode, and new rooftop settings.
Robocop, Fargo, and Rocky Soundboards: This doesn't even feel like part of an app roundup—it feels more like three beautiful gifts, from me to you. These are official soundboards, from eminently quotable movies, for free.
i.TV: A fantastic TV listings app now works as a TiVo remote, with support for more DVRs to come, and push notifications. Free.
NFL Mobile: Once this one fully activates (Sept 13th) you'll be able to watch Live NFL games on your iPhone. Awesome! Minor catch: you need to be a DirecTV subscriber with an expensive sports package to use it, even just for news updates and scores. App's free though!
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As expected, Apple has blessed Spotify's streaming subscription music application with a home in its iTunes App Store. Additionally, the app is also making a first, less ballyhooed appearance on the Android Market. The free app allows you to to stream any of its nearly 4 million tracks over WiFi or 3G and syncs playlists for playback while disconnected. It's available exclusively to Spotify Premium members in the UK, Sweden, Spain, France and Norway -- only the iPhone app is available in Finland. Great, so does that mean Rhapsody is next? Magic i8-ball says all signs point to yes. Video overview of each app after the break.
Following its approval last month music, streaming service Spotify has gone live in the Apple app store for UK iTunes users to download.
The controversial app breaks new ground for Apple as it is the first app to offer similar functions core to the device by allowing users to store music on their phone away from the iPod music application that ships in the box.
The free app, which allows you to sync playlists, stream music and have access to the millions of tracks available via the online service will require users to have signed up to the premium service, something that currently costs around £10 a month.
The app has also been made available for the Android operating system as well.
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It’s not really a secret that Japan is absolutely crazy about cell phones. And even though domestic makers churn out more than 100 different handsets every year (some of which are simply amazing), the iPhone isselling over here. SoftBank Mobile, the country’s exclusive iPhone provider, doesn’t release official data, but estimates put sales in Japan at well over one million units so far - not bad at all in this hopelessly over-saturated market. In other words, Japan doesn’t hate the iPhone, as some blogs suggested in the past. It never did.
The local developer community has noticed and produced a slew of apps aimed at a global audience. What follows is my subjective selection of the “best” of these made-in-Japan apps, all of which are at least available in English. (I left out iPhone games released by big companies such as Capcom, Konami, Sega or Namco to focus on apps created by startups or individuals based in Japan instead.)
My personal favorite is a free (and fantastic) GPS-based photo sharing app called Memory Tree (just like all the apps in the following list, it works worldwide). But here’s a round-up of all the 32 apps I chose, grouped in six categories (games, productivity, tools, photography and art, music, and everything else).
Category: Games
1. Gang Street Wars by DigiDock (iTunes links: $1.99 for a limited time / free version) Addictive mix between real-time strategy and (side-scrolling) tower defense game with cartoon graphics and random gore effects. You play a gang leader whose mission is to conquer bases of rivals by sending out gang members with different combat skills.
2. Broadway Cafe by Artscape and Istpika ($4.99) Pretty deep and professionally designed restaurant simulation game that lets you assume the roles of a waiter, manager and owner. Dash around taking customer orders, serving meals in time or doing the dishes. But you also take care of the interior design of the restaurant, its personnel, finances etc. (the app contains more action elements than it sounds). Broadway Cafe also connects to its Facebook counterpart from where you can recruit Facebook friends to join the game (demo video).
3. Glandarius Wing Strike by IZUMOGASIN ($4.99 / free version) Great-looking 2D shoot ‘em up aimed at hardcore gamers. This vertical scroller features six long stages, boss fights, chain attacks and a cool soundtrack. The initial version of the game was so hard that the maker later decided to add an “easy” mode. Definitely the best 2D shooter for the iPhone.
4. Samurai Chess by Conit ($2.99 / free version) As the name of the app says, it’s a Samurai-themed chess game (in 3D). Players can challenge both the CPU or Samurai Chess players anywhere in the world (provided they’re online via 3G or Wi-Fi).
5. iYamato by Geppetto ($0.99 / free version) 2D shooting game in which you defend legendary battleship Yamato against aerial attacks. Not really a deep game, but it’s action-packed and ideal to kill 10 minutes from time to time (demo video).
6. LightBike by Pankaku ($2.99 / free version) LightBike, which made it to the No. 1 in Apple USA’s app sales ranking a few months ago, is a 3D motorcycle racing/action game whose design resembles the setting of the Sci-Fi movie Tron. Up to 4 people can battle it out by using just two iPhones and Wi-Fi (demo video).
7. Vay by SoMoGa ($4.99) Originally released in 1994 for the Sega CD system, Vay is one of the best 2D RPGs ever made. Cute anime-style graphics, retro-Sci-Fi setting, voice output in English, animated cutscenes and most importantly, dozens of hours of old-school gameplay. SoMoGa (based out of Florida) puts the complete original game in your pocket.
8. newtonica by Field System ($ 4.99) Strange, but beautifully designed action game in which you rotate a sphere so that incoming meteors hit the cores with the matching colors. A bestseller in the Japanese App Store with a great soundtrack (demovideos).
9. newtonica2 by Field System ($ 0.99/ free version) The sequel to newtonica is a mix between action and puzzle game, cheaper than the first one and better gameplay-wise. The game’s 36 stages will keep you busy for a while (demo video). There’s also newtonica2 resort, an add-on or remake of sorts (available for $0.99).
10. iNinja by Geppetto ($1.99 / free version) One of the few Ninja-themed action games actually made by a Japanese company. Deflect oncoming Ninja attacks with shuriken (throwing stars), eliminate enemies with knives, land combo kills or set booby traps in 28 levels. There’s also a two-player Wi-Fi mode.
11. ExZeus by Hyper Devbox ($0.99) 3D rail-shooting game with fantastic sound and graphics in Space Harrier style. You control one of three giant robots to fight off an alien invasion. It’s not the longest game out there, but a total steal for this price (demo video).
Category: Productivity 12. Zeptoliner by Ubiquitous Entertainment ($6.99 / free version) This “outliner” app helps you to arrange your ideas in a systematic way. You can jot down thoughts and then use a number of functions to structure them hierarchically. It’s also possible to import OMPL files to edit documents you created on your computer (demo video).
13. ZeptoPad 3.0 by Ubiquitous Entertainment ($19.99) This note and whiteboard app isn’t cheap, but it’s an extremely versatile, vector-based illustration program. It lets you stream what you do on your iPhone to a computer screen or projector in real-time and has simply too many functions to mention here (click here for details and make sure to check out the video below).
14. gottaDo2 by Istpika ($2.99) A social task manager that lets you knock off tasks from your to-do list to feed the cute little monsters living inside the app. You can watch them grow or punish you if you’re too lazy. It’s also possible to sync tasks with the gottaDo Facebook app.
15. PokéDia by s21g ($2.99) A daily diary/planner app that’s available in 16 different languages. Each page of the virtual diary represents one day, and you can turn pages (move to certain days) by flicking to the right or left. The app lets you jot down notes anywhere on the screen and move the entries around on the page itself and between days. It can be used as a task manager, too (demo video).
Category: Tools 16. TapNext by Conit ($3.99 / free version) This app turns your iPhone into a remote control for presentations. Maker Conit says it’s the only software of its kind that’s compatible to Powerpoint, Keynote and OpenOffice Impress and can be used via Wi-Fi or 3G. You can theoretically use a PC located in Europe to deliver a presentation in the USA with TapNext through Skype (details and demo video).
17. ServersMan by FreeBit (free) Launched in February, this app, which turns your iPhone into a personal web server, is still one of the most popular apps in the Japanese App Store. And it has become even more useful with OS 3.0b, adding a number of functions to the already impressive list of features (read more here). And the best app of its kind is free, too.
Category: Photography and Art 18. PlayPix 3 snaps by LivingImage ($2.99 for a limited time) PlayPix is like a lighter version of Animoto’s iPhone app. Select three pictures from your photo album, choose a graphical theme and the app will create a slide show with background music for you. You can save the slide show on your iPhone, upload it to YouTube or Facebook and share it via Twitter or Email. During my test, PlayPix actually worked faster than Animoto’s iPhone app (demo video).
19. Memory Tree by XeNN (free) A GPS-based photo sharing app with a fantastic big idea: Take a picture anywhere in the world, “drop” it on the spot you took it at (simply by shaking your iPhone) and add a text to it. This geo-tagged picture can later be “caught” by other Memory Tree users who are in the same area by swinging the iPhone “like a butterfly net” (”Same Place” function).
If you click the “Same Time” button, you can catch and view countless photos the users of the app took around the globe in the last hours (regardless of your location), thereby creating common photographic memories worldwide. This is just very cool.
20. Koredoko (free) This app lets you shuffle through geo-tagged photos in the camera roll and shows a Google map of where (and when) you took them (demo video).
21. TiltShift Generator by Takayuki Fukatsu ($0.99 for a limited time) Takayuki Fukatsu is offering seven different photo apps that proved to be so popular that some of the pictures created with them were used in a real-world exhibition [JP]. TiltShift Generator is Fukatsu’s newest app, and it lets you shoot miniature pictures in retro style (samples). But you should check out his other apps, too.
22. Art Remix by Appliya Studio (free) This app is based on a pretty cool idea: Tokyo-based iPhone app publisher Appliya is providing a platform called Appliya Studio [JP] that turns the creative work of artists and photographers into iPhone apps that are then distributed worldwide through the App Store. One of the many apps already available is called Art Remix. It lets you modify a total of 23 artworks with a set of customizable icons and then save and share the remixes with friends.
23. Ukiyo-e Beauties by Appliya ($3.99) A historic Japanese art app that offers a total of five different paintings and 20 woodblock prints from the traditional Ukiyo-e art form (in 1,150 x 800 resolution and 4xzoom). It took maker Appliya several months to create the app in collaboration with two professors of art history (demo video).
Category: Music 24. NESynth by New Forestar ($1.99) For game geeks who happen to like music: This virtual synthesizer simulates 8-bit sounds from games people played in the glorious 80s. In P2P mode, you can hear what the other person plays on your own iPhone (demo video).
25. Rekords by Delaware ($1.99) Rekords is a Japanese music label that distributes songs solely within the iPhone/iPod touch ecosystem. I bought their first record (iTunes link). The music is weird, but you get two English songs and can switch the virtual vinyl record you see on the screen from side A to B by flipping your iPhone. It’s also possible to jump to a certain part of the song by moving the record player’s arm.
26. PocketGuitar by Shinya Kasatani ($0.99) Already a major global success, this app displays a set of virtual guitar strings that you can strum and press with your fingers. Users can choose between six virtual guitars (even a Ukulele is available) and modify the sound with a number of different parameters (demo videos).
27. iShakuhachi by GClue ($0.99) The Shakuhachi is a traditional bamboo flute that’s unknown even to many Japanese people. Users can play it by blowing into the iPhone mic, tilting it and covering the five holes with their fingers. GClue offers an iKoto (Japanese Harp) app, too.
Category: Everything else 28. Quick Pigeon by Ubiquitous Entertainment (free) Cute push notification messenger app that uses a “virtual carrier pigeon” to send a quick “yes or no” question to people in your contact list. The recipient(s) view the email on their computer or iPhone, press “yes” or “no” and the message reaches you via push notification (along with a twitter sound).
29. Bijin Tokei by PHIRIA ($2.99) This clock app brings 1,440 pictures of Japanese girls to your iPhone (Bijin Tokei means Hot Girl Clock in Japanese). The pictures fade in and out every minute, and each of them is showing a different girl who holds up a sign displaying the current time (to be exact, the models themselves change just every few minutes).
30. Wikiamo by Satoshi Nakagawa (free) Wikiamo is better than the official app for Wikipedia (iTunes link) that launched just a few days ago simply because it makes Wikipedia pages much easier to read. The app also appears to be faster, lets you browse through certain articles when you’re offline (via page-caching) and has some other functions the official app doesn’t offer.
31. NatsuLion by Takuma Mori (free) This app might be a good alternative for people who are still looking for a simple iPhone Twitter client that’s very quick and easy to use. It’s completely ad-free, too.
32. Amamiya Momo by Xtone ($2.99) Amamiya Momo is a virtual anime girlfriend who lives in your iPhone, interacts with you and gets moody quickly. For example, she’s nicer when your’re home than when you’re out on the streets. Her mood also depends on which time of the day it is. There are 200 different pre-programmed patterns of behavior and Japanese voice samples (subbed in English). More info on this GPS-based app can be found here.
Nota Bene: I sifted through countless app descriptions and sites from Japanese companies in the last weeks and have to say the vast majority of the English texts I stumbled upon are of horrific quality. Some were even so bad I couldn’t understand what the app is about. This is absolutely embarrassing, especially when you expect users to pay.
And why some of the apps have been available in the US App Store for months but never made their way to other countries (i.e the German store where I mostly buy from) is totally beyond me, too.
Special thanks to Nobuyuki Hayashi for his contribution to this article.
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