The Facebook [iTunes link] application for the iPhone has just been updated to version 2 (although you may see it listed as version 1.1 in the store), and the new version number brings some stellar features!
In this release, the Facebook team has completely revamped the user
interface and brought the client up to parity with the mobile Facebook
app for Blackberry (really surpassed it, if you ask me). Some of the
new features are:
Facebook Chat (OK, not new, but seems to be working much better now)
Address book lookup
New, easier to use interface, including notifications and the full news feed
Photo post on friends’ walls and view their full profiles
Photo tags (holding your finger down on the photo will show them)
People search, friend requests and your full inbox/inbox search
Photo uploading is faster
You can now upload photos from your library stored on the iPhone
In addition to all those changes, there are also “dozens of bug fixes
that improve stability” and speed — especially for users with a large
number of friends. Now that’s something every iPhone-owning Facebook
user will like!
You can download this new version of FaceBook.app for iPhone from the iTunes App Store today. Be sure to check out the changes in the user interface by looking at our gallery of screenshots
Looks like Apple has decided they will not be allowing any tethering applications in the AppStore. As such, NetShare will not be available in the iTunes AppStore. We are seeing a lot of similar reports from various developers who’s applications were abruptly removed and banned from the AppStore without any violations of the terms of service. This is all unfortunate news for the iPhone platform end-users.
Cro-Mag Rally’s price drop is the most dramatic being originally priced at $9.99 opposite Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D. In July, Pangea had permanently dropped the price down to $5.99.
Some have argued that the iPhone’s GPS antenna is too small or weak, but GPS manufacturers like TomTom and TeleNav both assured the public that they have working GPS turn by turn navigation solutions working on the iPhone.
If they have submitted them for review or not is unknown. Apple has stated that they will allow turn by turn navigation via third party apps, but even though we have been assured that they work, none are available in the AppStore yet.
Most turn by turn Nav systems these days use voice commands and give audio instructions. The iPhone has got an improved - but still weak - speaker phone, and lacks A2DP bluetooth, which may cripple the effectiveness of these voice guided GPS apps on the iPhone. The main problem is likely the restrictive SDK and Apple’s tight grip on which apps make it to the AppStore. Apple may have their own GPS turn by turn nav app coming out or may be waiting for the right software to be submitted and they’ll choose to partner with that developer.
But since the introduction of the iPhone 3G and built in GPS, these dongles will only be useful to the millions of iPhone and iPod touch owners not to the millions of iPhone 3G owners. There are a few GPS enabled apps available from the AppStore that offer various levels of functionality. Here are a few:
- Garafa’s GPSKit [$9.99, App Store] for iPhone provides you with more advanced GPS functionality and tracking for your iPhone (video)
- GPS Tracker [Free] - real-time tracking service
- Speed [Free] - real time speedometer
- PathTracker [$0.99] - real time stats, save your path, also for runners/bikers
- Speedster GPS [$0.99] - speed and altitude in real time
- gpsCompass [$1.99] - real time stats
- Distance Meter [$2.99] - distance tracker
- iTrail [$2.99] - distance and path tracker for runners/bikers
- RunKeeper [$9.99] - track running/biking paths and stats
But none of these can provide the same level of service or finctionality as for example the new Samsung Instinct. While the Instinct is no iPhone Killer, it certainly has the advantage when it comes to looking for pizza.
A new app was released on the AppStore called Simplify Media - App Store link. It allows you to listen to your or 30 of your friends iTunes music library from anywhere on your iPhone once you have a data connection (3G, EDGE or Wifi). Click on any song and you’ll see cover art and even lyrics. Unfortunately it does require installing additional software on your Mac or PC to successfully stream the music, and it looks like this app doesn’t allow DRM copyrighted music to be shared, even the files you shelled out your good hard earned money.
I came across a great new app called DataCase from Veiosoft, it costs $6.99 and is available now from the iTunes App Store. DataCase turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a wireless storage device/drive that can be accessed by other devices on a local wireless network. This app allows you to use your iPhone or iPod Touch almost like a flash drive that you can keep your data on you or share it with others.
A fantastic new Instant Messenger app is now available on the AppStore from Twenty08’s and it’s called MobileChat. It costs $2.99 and can be found here.
Mobile Chat offers a full instant messaging solutions for the iPhone and iPod Touch with support for multiple instant messaging clients
I have recently been playing around with MagicPad from Proximi for the iPhone (avalable via the AppStore) and I am wondering why Apple couldn’t, didn’t and hasn’t done this from the beginning or yet. Proximi show how easy this is to use and how simple it would be to implement throughout the system. Unfortunately the cut, copy and paste and other text formatting options only work in MagicPad.
Users of Apple’s new App Store have downloaded more than 60 million apps and games in the last month, generating a total of about $30 million in sales since the service launched on July 11th according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. WOW!
I recently purchased GTS World Racing for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It cost $7.99 USD from the AppStore, which at the time didn’t seems that bad, but the more I played the game, the more I realized it should have cost about $4.00 less.
The Facebook [iTunes link] application for the iPhone has just been updated to version 2 (although you may see it listed as version 1.1 in the store), and the new version number brings some stellar features!
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