Google admits breaking AppStore rules with iPhone Google Voice Search

Google acknowledged breaking the rules of Apple’s iPhone SDK when it created the latest version of the

Google Mobile application for the iPhone, where the app uses undocumented and unauthorized API’s to access the iPhone’s proximity sensor to initiate and terminate it’s new Voice Search service.

A Google spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Google Mobile uses undocumented APIs (application programming interfaces) in order to use the iPhone’s proximity sensor to prompt the verbal search. iPhone developers were only supposed to use the APIs that Apple published in the SDK when they create their applications under the
terms of that agreement.

Google has denied, however, a more serious charge that it was linking to private or dynamic frameworks in the Google Mobile application. That’s considered a big no-no in the development community.

The problem with using undocumented APIs is that your application code could break in the future as Apple updates its software, but a lot of developers appear to have taken that risk in order to deliver a cool feature, such as Google’s verbal search prompt.

[via Cnet]

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OrbLive for iPod touch/iPhone

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

MMS on the iPhone Revisited - Apple Approves but not for US Users - Mobispine Develop iPhone MMS Software for Carriers

Apple has approved the request by Swedish Carrier Telia to develop it’s own MMS app for the iPhone that will be available via the AppStore and can be used on Telia’s network. Apple has so far shown no intention of making this or a similar services/app available to US users as a native app on the iPhone.

Maybe this recent move by Apple and Telia is an indication that iPhone Software Developers that create MMS apps for the various Carriers and they will be supported via the AppStore. That is once the iPhone is authorized to be sold/serviced by that carrier.

That’s where Mobispine comes in. Mobispine have developed a MMS app for the carriers to use to provide MMS capabilities to iPhone users. The software will be distributed via the AppStore (once Apple approves) and has been made available for testing by the various authorized carriers that sell/support the iPhone. Maybe this is the software that Telia will be using.

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FaceCall

Wuonm has released a new speed dialer application for the iPhone called FaceCall, which is now available from the iTunes App 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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Google Voice Search for the iPhone Now Available Free from the AppStore

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Fake Call Apps (Three Of ‘Em)

Whether you actually need an excuse to ditch that fugly blind date or just want to goof on your friends, you need a “fake call” app! You never know when it’ll come in handy. Here’s a quick look at three of the ten fake callers I found in the iTunes App Store.

Fake Caller by Hot Potato does what it says it’ll do, but the current version has one major flaw. You can set it to ring at a specific time or after a delay of (x) minutes which is great, but the big problem is that the “incoming call” looks nothing like the iPhone’s call screen! Apparently this will be corrected with a pending update, but still… come on! Shoulda been done right the first time around.

Chances are the poor sap you’re fleeing from won’t notice the difference in the call screen, but I’d advise against taking a chance on getting busted. You also have to choose the name of the phantom caller from your Contacts list which limits the goof-potential.

Fake Caller also has a “premium” version for $.99 which gives you the luxury of remembering your fake call settings.

Ok, this one isn’t free but it was when I installed it a few weeks ago.

For some reason Magic Tap makes you go into your iPhone’s Settings menu to set up your fake calls which can be kind of a hassle. When your phone rings it’s totally believable, but my feeling is that setup should have been built into the app itself.

Call timing is currently limited to an interval ranging from 0 seconds up to 10 minutes, and the App Store description lists “get missing calls” and “proximity sensor” as features, but I have absolutely no frakkin’ idea what they’re talking about. One thing Fake Calls does right is it’ll repeat the fake call if you hit “decline”.

Magic Tap says they’re donating “10% of the earnings” to a charity called Mi Sangre Foundation. If you really want to help out, my suggestion would be to give them the full dollar and get a free fake caller!

This one is my personal favorite. It’s ad-supported, but Excelltech, Inc. did a nice job on their free Fake-A-Call. It lets you set a specific time for the fake call to ring, or you can shut the timer off and activate the fake call with a quick double-tap anywhere on the screen. Whether you “answer” the call or decline it, it reverts to a black screen so you can double-tap again if you’re really hamming it up.

The background image has to be chosen from a preset list, not your camera roll, but that doesn’t seem like a big deal to me since the incoming call looks as legit as any. Still, it would be nice if this could be fixed in a future update.

(Click App Store Screenshots for app link)

(via iPhoneAppReviews.net)