An iPad optimized version of Skype was accidentally found its way to the iTunes App Store before being pulled. Working across both WiFi and 3G, this version of Skype makes use of the extra real estate on the tablet, allowing users to chat, swap apps, and change statuses while in chat.
The video chat on the iPhone version works pretty well already on the iPad, though it’ll be great to have a dedicated app that’ll work in landscape mode as well. Though the app was pulled down, expect to see the official release soon.
Even Superman has his weaknesses. Such is true with Macs as well. With a malware attack hitting Macs, Apple is left stunned on what to do. Doesn’t look like the answer’ll be in those nifty iPads in the new Apple Store 2.0s. We also talk about Sony’s “Welcome Back” package for Playstation owners and of course the latest round of iPhone 5 rumors.
Source: Canadian Reviewer
Don’t forget to subscribe to us on iTunes with the link below and follow us on Twitter (Derrick at @derrickc82, Andrew at @Frontline99. Leave a comment and check out the links to the show on the blog post.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
As analysts predicted, Amazon released their Android app store earlier this week. Yet despite fears of confusion in the plethora of third party app marketplaces, the Amazon store has done well to impress. What truly shines for Amazon’s store is their exclusive deals. Not only are they the only one to carry the new Angry Birds Rio game (for free), they also offer a daily free app deal where a paid app can be “bought” free of charge. So far, the app deals have been fairly prominent “premium” apps, including Shazam and Doodle Jump. It’s a very enticing offer that gets users going back to the store each day.
There is a slight amount of setup required, however, although it’s much easier than it first appears. AT&T customers aside (who are restricted), users will have to first allow the phone to sideload apps – that means allowing the phone to install apps outside the official Android store. After that, log into the Amazon.com (on your desktop browser), install the Amazon Appstore app, and you should be fairly set. It can take a few frustrating minutes to set up, but once done, it’s time well spent.
Apple officially announced their anticipated subscription model. For publishers, it doesn’t look pretty. Quite simply, Apple is looking to take a 30% cut of all subscriptions that go through Apple. As Steve Jobs put it, “Our philosophy is simple—when Apple brings a new subscriber to the app, Apple earns a 30 percent share; when the publisher brings an existing or new subscriber to the app, the publisher keeps 100 percent and Apple earns nothing.”
Make no mistake; this is a daring move on Apple’s part. The iTunes App Store has always been attractive to publishers and developers given Apple’s immense market share (at one time the sole player) in the smartphone market. Yet this demand cuts right into the profit model for publishers, especially that of the print industry, which at one point was considered the iPad as a potential lifeboat for a failing and dated industry. The print industry looks to subscriptions for two main reasons: the revenue generated from subscribers and the personal information collected. Yet, Apple’s move potentially denies publishers both items. If it goes through Apple, Apple collects and keeps.
This thirty percent cut isn’t anything new – it’s been there for music, movies, and apps. Still, the reason why Apple has been able to get away with this demand is heavily due to its dominant position in the space. In fact, in response to yesterday’s announcement, several publishers are considering taking Apple to court using Apple’s marketing position (and perhaps monopoly) as an argument against the company. While competitors are coming to market, Apple still retains its place on top. Question is, for how long? Can one truly afford to not work with Apple?
Apple is facing an increasing number of competitors in both the smartphone and the tablet space. Apple’s pressure on publishers may be just enough to create new partnerships between developers and publishers with these up and coming players. Both in Google’s Honeycomb and HP’s TouchPad announcements, publisher deals (CNN, Sports Illustrated) were announced. The big difference with these companies – unlike Apple, is that their main sources of profit lie not in the in-device marketplace, but in the advertising opportunities (for Google) and the hardware sales (for HP and other manufacturers). Thus for Google, RIM, HP, and Microsoft, it’s less about making publishers pay up and more about incentivizing them to join in to make their devices more attractive and consumer friendly.
Apple has drawn a clear line on the sand, but developers and publishers are left with a difficult choice. Give in to Apple’s demands but enjoy a vast ocean of content-hungry users or make a stand and risk it with a not-quite-fully-developed competitor? It’s quite the prisoner’s dilemma – taking a stand against Apple will only work if many (if not most) do so together. Otherwise, as NBC had learned (the hard way) a few years back, quitting the iTunes store results in missing out and inevitably, an embarrassing return. It’s a question many players – Amazon, Netflix, Hulu (Plus), CondeNast, NYTimes, Sony, Warner Bros., etc. will have to ask themselves in the coming days.
*Update*
Perhaps in response to Apple, Google has announced “Google One Pass,” which allows publishers to keep 90% of their tablet subscription revenue. Even more importantly, publishers are able to access and keep that valuable consumer information Apple is denying under their rules. All the pieces are set for the war over the future of digital content.
In yesterday’s developer’s conference, RIM revealed their tablet, named the “Playbook.”
Specs-wise, the Playbook has a 7 inch LCD capacitive touchscreen. With only 0.4″ in thickness, the device weighs under a pound. It uses a 1GHz dual-core chip and has 1GB of built-in RAM. The tablet features a front and back-facing camera, 1080p video playback, (micro) USB 2.0 and support for Flash 10.1. While the Playbook will support WiFi, the initial model, according to CNET, will not have a 3G nor 4G antenna. Users will need to pair the tablet to their Blackberry phones (via Bluetooth).
While’s it’s easy to quickly draw comparisons to other tablet devices, especially the iPad, RIM’s device is clearly aimed at the enterprise market. The device will work to sync with Blackberry phones while testing has already begun with developers and certain corporate “customers.” The USB port can potentially be a useful addition, allowing users to transfer files between the Playbook and other devices. RIM is looking to expand their app store as well, providing new tools (and ad-support) to developers. While there might actually be a chance of getting (a non-texted based parody of) Angry Birds for Blackberry, don’t expect anything close to the Apple App Store, at least not yet.
There’s no word on pricing or exact release date. Currently it’s slated for early 2011. For most consumers, the Blackberry PlayBook probably won’t be the ideal tablet device, but if you’re a heavy Blackberry user (or need your fix of BBM on the road), you may want to keep close watch.
Unfortunately the first initial run of the episode never recorded properly, but don’t fret, we’re still got your weekly dose of Gigawhat, though sans Iyaz. This week we look Twitter’s new redesign – too bad no one has it yet! What you can get though, is the new IE9 Beta – does it have what it takes to compete with Firefox and Chrome? We also take a look at the Playstation Move and some exciting announcements from the Tokyo Game Show.
Don’t forget to subscribe to us on iTunes with the link below and follow us on Twitter (Iyaz at @iyaz, Derrick at @derrickc82). Leave a comment as well on the blog post at dxstuff.com.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Twenty-six years ago Apple ran the still-famous 1984-based commercial during Super Bowl. In the commercial, the colorful heroine hurls a hammer at a giant screen of the Big Brother-figure, as an army of unknown mindless drones watch. Apple positioned itself as a champion of freedom in sharp contrast to this massive, controlling establishment. How times have changed.
Several iPhone app developers have reported that their apps have been pulled by Apple, due to sexual content (which Apple considers to be anything from skin to swimwear to silhouettes). MacRumors reports over 5,000 apps have already been taken down in the last few days. Apple’s reach is especially surprising, as the apps range from the overtly sexual (such as those that compile pictures of scantily-clad women) to games where the heroine is dressed in a slightly revealing outfit. [TouchArcade]
1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)
3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble “overtly sexual!)
7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)
I, for one, have always been extremely disturbed and offended by the list of certain apps found in the App store; my searches for language or cultural apps using keywords such as “Chinese” and “Taiwan,” seemed more to produce apps of Chinese girls than apps on China. However, their sudden shift to guillotine apps they deemed “inappropriate” marks a very unsettling position by Apple. Now, Apple has taken on the role of Big Brother, Mother, and Father, deciding for the rest of us, what is appropriate. While today it may be sexual content, what’s to prevent Apple from deciding action games too violent, or blockbuster movies too gory for our own good? Is Tomb Raider out of the question now; what about pictures of figure skaters or Olympic swimmers for ESPN’s FreezeFrame game; better put on a shirt Michael Phelps!
Strange enough, the App Store has an existing ratings system; instead of downright removing all Apps, it seems to be within Apple’s ability to restrict access to mature apps via their age ratings. iPhones has parental controls, iTunes uses registration data; why not let consumers decide and give the responsibility to them? Apple is all about quality control and the user experience; but when is it crossing the line? What is too much, too much?
While it’s ultimately Apple’s product and decision to make, consumers must ultimately decide whether to idly stand or to take a stand against Big Brother Apple.
