iPhone OS 2 apps no longer welcome on the App Store

Apple hasn’t been shy about dropping support for older hardware and software in recent years, and it looks like the iPhone and iPod touch are no exception: according to a short note on the iPhone developer site encouraging devs to get ready for iOS 4, the App Store will no longer affect apps that target iOS 2. That doesn’t really mean much right now — apart from a few iPod touch owners who didn’t pay the $10 iOS 3 upgrade fee, we doubt there are many people out there still running iOS 2 — but we can see Apple dropping support for iOS 3 apps next year when iOS 5 and a new iPhone are announced, and that’ll effectively be the end of the original iPhone and touch, which can’t be upgraded to iOS 4. That’s a four-year shelf life, which isn’t too bad considering the insane pace of mobile development, but we can still shed a tear — especially since we paid $599 for the damn thing on contract way back when.

iPhone OS 2 apps no longer welcome on the App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Palm retroactively refunding $50 webOS app submission fee — each and every one

Palm’s made a few half-baked attempts at wooing developers in the past, like that time in October when it waived the fees and review process for open-source apps (but not App Catalog entries) or when it provided discounted handsets that happened to carry a large carrier-specific ball and chain. This week, Palm’s decided to be a bit more generous — it’s eliminating the $50 App Catalog submission fee entirely and putting every last cent back where it came from. With only 2,684 apps in the store, that’s just $134,200 in total, but symbolically it’s a very welcome gesture, no? According to the official Palm Developer Center Blog, developers should see credits appear in their PayPal accounts soon — though perhaps not soon enough to spend it on the fruit of their fellow man’s labor at 50 percent off.

Palm retroactively refunding $50 webOS app submission fee — each and every one originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 Stellar iPad Apps That Will Blow You Away

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The iPad is less than three months old, and already programmers have whipped up 9,000 apps for the fancy tablet. But, just as with the iPhone, there’s a problem: It’s hard to navigate the App Store for quality wares because it’s just too crowded.

Right before the iPad launched and after it came out, we rounded up some apps we found intriguing. After diving into this media-savvy device, we’ve added a few more apps we consider to be gems, ranging from a web browser that’s better than Safari to a sheet music reader that teaches you piano.

Reeder

The makers of Reeder borrowed heavily from the interface of Apple’s built-in Photos app, but we’re sure Steve Jobs doesn’t mind. This apps makes news-reading look darn gorgeous — something that newspapers still haven’t figured out how to do — and it offers one of those experiences that reminds you why you bought an iPad in the first place.

Reeder displays all your RSS feeds in an albumlike interface; each feed gets its own rectangular tile. Pinch outward on a feed and it launches its list of headlines on the left and the article in a right-hand window. Pinch inward to close the feed and go back to your main menu.

Here’s how good it is: Both Wired.com’s Charlie Sorrel and I love it, and we mostly read tech news RSS feeds for our jobs. (See Sorrel’s gushy review of Reeder for a closer look.) Yes, it even makes reading news for work more fun. ($5, download)

Top photo: Bryan Derballa/Wired.com


Entelligence: App stores are not enough

Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he’ll explore where our industry is and where it’s going — on both micro and macro levels — with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.

A little over two years ago, Apple changed the face of mobile computing when it launched the App Store and broke down the barriers between app developers and end users. There was no longer a need for users to go to a third-party web site, hand over a credit card, download an app to their computer, and sync it to their device. The App Store’s integration with iTunes made it easy for the consumer to purchase apps, and purchase apps they did. But while Apple now commands a major lead in the sheer number of apps for the iOS platform, it’s far from game over in the mobile market, and other competitors can catch up. But it’s going to take more than just an app store for other platforms to level the playing field — that’s just the table stakes now. Here’s what mobile platform providers need to compete effectively.

First, the devices must stand on their own. Before Apple introduced the iPhone OS SDK, the developer program and the App Store, the company sold more than a million iPhones and iPod touches. That is, it had captured a large enough market for developers to notice before third-party apps were brought into the equation. Handset vendors and platform providers must have devices that are compelling to consumers out of the box, with features and form factors that attract buyers independently. Seeding a market with quality devices is one way to capture the attention of developers who will all want to be part of a platform with room to grow.

Continue reading Entelligence: App stores are not enough

Entelligence: App stores are not enough originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iMovie hits iTunes App Store, only for iPhone 4 (update)

You may not have an iPhone 4 yet — unless you lucked out on delivery, you’re probably still waiting in line — but if you did receive Cupertino’s latest opinion polarizing handset, you might have noticed it doesn’t come with a tool to edit all the 720p footage of jealous friends that you just shot. Thankfully that can be remedied with a portrait of President Lincoln, as iMovie for iPhone just went live — head on over to the App Store and drop your $4.99.

Update: Oddly enough, we’re not actually seeing iMovie in the App Store on our iPhone 4 — only in the desktop client.

[Thanks, Joel]

iMovie hits iTunes App Store, only for iPhone 4 (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sonos Controller for iPad: multi-room music dictation, supersized

Got yourself a smattering of Sonos ZonePlayers in need of some direction? Still trying to figure out exactly why you ripped someone’s arm off to buy that last local iPad? At long last, the turmoil in your life can be settled… but you’ll have to wait till late August for complete peace. You know — ’cause the gratis Sonos controller for iPad ain’t hitting the App Store before then. Head on past the break for a video of how it’ll all go down, or just scroll on down if you’ve got the world’s greatest imagination.

Continue reading Sonos Controller for iPad: multi-room music dictation, supersized

Sonos Controller for iPad: multi-room music dictation, supersized originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nearly every app in Palm’s webOS catalog is 50 percent off

That’s right, deal seekers and Palm fanatics: you can now get (almost) every single app in the webOS catalog for half off until July 9th. There are a few listed exceptions, but hit up the catalog and get downloading.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nearly every app in Palm’s webOS catalog is 50 percent off originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Store app arrives in Apple App Store

This is one of those things that makes you wonder why it hadn’t been done already. Apple’s just unleashed an Apple Store application for its iDevices designed to pretty much give you the online Apple Store experience — but perhaps without the crazy on-again, off-again antics of this morning. All that’s required is a device with iOS version 3 or above, and you’ll be able to read reviews, locate local brick and mortar Stores, check out new and featured products, and — importantly — buy or pre-order the latest goodies Steve and co have bestowed upon these lands. Alas, we tried to do just that with the iPhone 4 and were met with the familiar “we’ll be back soon” message. So the app might work, but Apple’s store is still struggling.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

P.S. – The app looks to be US-only for now. Sorry world, Apple doesn’t love you enough.

Continue reading Apple Store app arrives in Apple App Store

Apple Store app arrives in Apple App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBoy’s FixPix iPhone game available now for $1.99 (video)

It’s out! eBoy’s $1.99 FixPix iPhone game christened “the greatest game ever made” by a certain Engadget fanboy is available now from the iTunes App Store. If you fail to understand the value of piecing together eBoy pixel art by manipulating the iPhone’s accelerometer, then gawd help you… you’re already dead. Gameplay video after the break.

[Thanks, William]

Continue reading eBoy’s FixPix iPhone game available now for $1.99 (video)

eBoy’s FixPix iPhone game available now for $1.99 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 01:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Charges for Skype 2.0 calling on iPhone put off until 2011

Charges for Skype 2.0 calling on iPhone put off until 2011

When Skype 2.0 for the iPhone was released, our first reaction was: “It supports free calling over 3G, hooray!” That was, of course, followed quickly by: “It’s only free until August, boo!” However, there’s some slightly good news on that latter front, with free calling receiving something of a stay of execution. You can now stick it to the man until the end of 2010, at which point the whole “mobile subscription” thing comes into play. Why the delay, and what will you be paying for the privilege when the new decade really starts rolling? That we just don’t know.

Charges for Skype 2.0 calling on iPhone put off until 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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