With a little work and the help of an undocumented feature in Apple’s iPhone Software Developers Kit, one iPhone developer was able to turn its game into a version suited for playback on big-screen TVs.
After discovering the hidden MPTVOutWindow class in the iPhone SDK last month, ArsTechnica’s Erica Sadun got in touch with Freeverse, makers of Moto Chaser, and encouraged them to experiment with the APIs. A few hours later, the TV version of the iPhone game was born. Though largely demonstrative, the game uses the iPhone’s accelerometer for input and steering while routing the game’s video through a video-out cable to the TV. Freeverse noted that the program ran best on the second-generation iPod touch, which includes a 532MHz processor compared to the iPhone and iPhone 3G’s 412MHz chip.
Even so, Moto Chaser maxed out at around 20 frames per second, making it “nearly playable,” according Freeverse, whose producer Bruce Morrison noted that the “norm for commercial games is 30fps, a point at
which motion becomes as smooth and watchable as normal TV video.” Sound quality, however, was said to be greatly improved when pumped through a respectable sound system.
“When Morrison approached senior programmer Mark Levin, he had basically one set of instructions. ‘Make it work before lunch.’,” Ars reported. “Freeverse had very little time to allocate to putting together the demo. In the end, the entire development effort took about three hours.”
Well well, after a week-end of travel, I sit down to get back to work and what do I find, a Doom port! Very cool! The port is of the shareware version of Doom. When you open the application, you will come to a screen where you will need to tap Play. This will bring you into the game. The controls are on the screen. You can use the arrows to move the direction the arrow is pointing. Yes, there are two right arrows and yes, they do the same thing…move your guy to the right. To shoot, use the gun button in the upper right. To walk, just tilt your iPhone back. To stop walking, tilt your iPhone forward. The Open button is what you use to open doors.
However, some users who have updated their iPhones with the latest iPhone firmware are reporting problems running some iPhone apps, internet connection issues etc.
Apple has launched a new site section called ‘iPhone Your Life‘. The new web page allows you to see iPhone applications as they relate to different parts of your life.
Orb Networks today announced OrbLive 2.0, a media application for the Apple iPhone 3G/iPod touch, is now available in the iPhone’s App Store. OrbLive enables iPhone/touch owners to enjoy any media that they can experience on their home PC — music, videos, photos, webcams, even live TV — on these popular mobile devices any time they have a network connection. OrbLive is available in the App Store in two versions — a free trial and a $9.99 download.
“The iPod touch and the iPhone are cutting-edge mobile devices, but as media players, they were designed to be used with iTunes, so unfortunately users are shut out of any live media like TV, radio, or webcams,” said Joe Costello, CEO of Orb. “Prior to OrbLive, users were forced to download their selections from their computer or remember to sync before they left the house. With OrbLive on your iPhone or touch, all your media is at your fingertips.”
OrbLive utilizes the powerful networking capabilities of the iPhone and touch, transforming them into far more powerful media players. OrbLive enables you to enjoy your entire media collection, not just the limited media library stored on the device. With OrbLive, you use the network to connect and beam anything from your media collection, wherever you are. Don’t carry it with you. Connect.
Personally this was one of the best apps that was available on 1.1.4 & I am glad it is finally available for 2.0 & greater
Wuonm has released a new speed dialer application for the iPhone called FaceCall, which is now available from the iTunesApp Store for $2.99.
FaceCall is creates icons that can be used for speed dialing your contacts right from the iPhone’s application launch (home) screen. Simply tapping these icons, as you would launch any application, calls one of your contact favorites.
Launching the FaceCall application itself prompts you to select a contact, then select the phone number you want associated with the icon that will be created. The app then uses Apple’s Web Clips technology to create the icon that becomes your new one-touch speed dial. The picture you choose for the icon comes from either from the iPhone’s camera or photo library.
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Orb Networks today announced OrbLive 2.0, a media application for the Apple iPhone 3G/iPod touch, is now available in the iPhone’s App Store. OrbLive enables iPhone/touch owners to enjoy any media that they can experience on their home PC — music, videos, photos, webcams, even live TV — on these popular mobile devices any time they have a network connection. OrbLive is available in the App Store in two versions — a free trial and a $9.99 download.
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