Apple Closing in on it's 1 Billionth App Download

Yesterday Apple announced that it was closing in on its whopping 1 Billionth application download from the App Store, which now features over 25,000 apps built by thousands of developers. In honor of the milestone, Apple has also posted an updated version of the store’s most popular apps ever (iTunes link) - something they’ve done only once before, at the end of 2008. The list includes such popular mainstays as Facebook, Koi Pond, and Shazam, allowing the millions of new iPhone owners to discover favorites of months gone by. It’s a shame this list will probably be shortlived.

This isn’t an accident. One attribute that has helped the App Store reach its upcoming billion download milestone so quickly is the fact that its featured App Lists are constantly churning - even the most popular applications probably won’t be on the top lists a few weeks down the line. This ensures that users who pop into the store will always have some new, quality apps to try out, boosting downloads and giving new applications a chance to shine.

REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE...via TechCrunch

iPhone apps give rise to iPhone-based cover bands

iPhone apps give rise to iPhone-based cover bands
[via TechCrunch]

There are plenty of people trying to make the musical instruments applications on the iPhone sound like real music, but one of the more credible is that by unsigned all-female band called The Mentalists here in London.

They’ve done an unusual cover of MGMT’s “Kids” entirely using their iPhones and iPod Touches, using apps from the application store. The result is actually quite impressive.

The apps used were Ocarina, Retro Synth, miniSynth and DigiDrummer Lite (yes, not event the paid-for version). However, as usual, drummers who can keep time remain in short supply. The same was true of The Beatles, and still is today…

The Mentalists - Kids (cover)


MGMT - Kids (Original)

iPhone 3G is BIG....or is it iPhone 2.0?

The new Apple iPhone 3G came out today to much fanfare and anticipation. Things didn't go off without a hitch, as a software issue made it difficult to activate the phones in store. However that didn't stop the masses of people who were just throwing their wallets at Apple and AT&T stores starting at 8am this morning to feel the sleek device in the palms of their hands. iPhone 3G is supposed to be the most popular phone ever to date because of its modern technology and killer price.

From MercuryNews: "The second coming of the iPhone arrived at 8 a.m. today at Apple outlets and other stores in Silicon Valley, but lines of buoyant fans were still forming hours later. And an earlier problem reported today with Apple's iTunes software that prevented the phones from being fully activated in-store seemed to have been resolved. Fans at the Apple stores in Valley Fair and Palo Alto didn't seem too bothered by the temporary glitch. "I'm very happy. It was worth the wait," said Mitch McHone, the first to buy the 3G iPhone this morning at Valley Fair. By 7:30 a.m., at least 150 people had lined up at the shopping mall's Apple Store, many of them working on Apple laptops as they waited. The first person in line got there around 5 p.m. Thursday; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak got arrived around 4 a.m. today.

A party atmosphere prevailed, with dozens of Apple employees - including one female worker with a fake Mohawk hair style and spiked boots - taking pictures of each other and the customers outside. As the magic hour approached, fans clapped rhythmically, while others were heard whooping." At $199 and $299 with a new two year contract the iPhone is more attractive than it's ever been.

But is it really just the killer price points that make the iPhone so desirable? Debuting alongside the new device is the new software for all iPhones, iPhone 2.0. On the inside, iPhone 3G is pretty similar to iPhone. However, with iPhone 2.0, iPhones everywhere are irresistable to tech junkies and the fashion conscious, and just about everybody else for that matter.

With iPhone 2.0, there are a number of improvements to the software, including support for "Exchange ActiveSync technology. ActiveSync is widely used in corporate environments to provide “push” email, calendar, and contacts to mobile devices, and has long been considered one of the iPhone’s major weaknesses." (from Macworld)

Among other corporate user additions, the 2.0 software adds support for 3rd party applications. Since the Apple Software Development Kit was released in March, developers have been busy creating applications for the new phone. Users can purchase, download and install applications on the phone itself or sync with iTunes. A number of new features and support have been added also including multiple language support for more languages, more keyboard layouts, abilities like deleting and moving multiple emails simultaneously, and more.