Skype for iPhone goes live in Japan

When they said “Tuesday,” they meant it. Not long ago, the clock struck midnight in the Land of the Rising Sun, and sure enough, the bona fide Skype application (v1.0.0.63) for Apple’s iPhone has gone live. It’s absolutely free to download, and early reports from Japan have been pretty stellar in regard to sound quality. We’re fully expecting it to roll out elsewhere as Tuesday (March 31st) arrives in various time zones, so make sure you (and at least one Skype buddy) stay up late to try ‘er out. [Warning: iTunes read link may not work for all time zones yet.]

[Via Engadget Japanese]

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Skype for iPhone goes live in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MedNet app monitors heartbeat, transfers data to cardiologists

Heart monitors for cellphones have definitely been around, but a new option is about to surface for AT&T customers. The service, which will be offered up starting April 21st by MedNet Healthcare Technologies, will somehow let patients monitor their own heartbeats and automatically send that information to their cardiologists using Bluetooth-enabled phones. Reportedly, the information will be sent out to a central monitoring center, which then transfers the data to the doctor. As expected, there will be a monthly fee for the service (exact pricing has yet to be disclosed), and doctors must also be signed on to receive the information. Sounds good and all, but seriously, good luck getting your M.D. to be attentive to your every data dump.

[Via textually]

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MedNet app monitors heartbeat, transfers data to cardiologists originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype for iPhone coming soon?

We’re still filing this away in the rumor folder for now, but we’ll be honest — this is totally believable. GigaOM has it on authority that a bona fide Skype for iPhone client will be launched as early as next week, and with CTIA kicking off on April 1st, we’d say the timing is just about ideal. Of course, we’ve already seen a variety of alternatives for bringing Skype and other VoIP apps to Apple’s darling, but by and large, they’ve been supremely unimpressive. There’s no word on pricing (we’re crossing our fingers for free) or any other tasty tidbits, but you can bet we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground for more.

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Skype for iPhone coming soon? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sirius XM developing iPhone / iPod touch streaming radio app

My, my — now isn’t this something? Shortly after narrowly avoiding a dastardly collision with bankruptcy, Sirius XM is looking to connect itself with profitable enterprises in an attempt to build market share and regain interest from budget-conscience consumers. Just weeks after hearing that the sat radio company could be preparing a few Sirius / DirecTV bundles, CFO David Frear has now confirmed on a recent earnings call that the outfit is indeed developing an iPhone / iPod touch app. It’s interesting to think that a satellite radio firm could be warming to delivering more content via the internet, but it’s the apparent diversion from being a standalone offering that has us even more intrigued. It should be interesting to see how the pricing model works with this forthcoming app — will users be able to get an iPhone subscription only? Will it be tossed in gratis with traditional subscriptions? So many questions, not enough patience.

[Image courtesy of SiriusBuzz]

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Sirius XM developing iPhone / iPod touch streaming radio app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tweetie 1.3 approved — what are we supposed to do with this wagon full of torches and pitchforks?

Apple can be slow to act on user outcry at times, but it looks like the curious, discouraging case of Tweetie 1.3’s App Store denial has come to a quick and painless resolution. There’s no telling if it was the shouting proles that moved Apple to act, or perhaps a spoonfull of common sense — Tweetie was apparently rejected on the grounds that it let people read swear words on the internet — but whatever might have happened behind closed doors in Cupertino, Tweetie 1.3 is at last free to roam on the App Store, according to a Tweet from Tweetie developer Loren Brichter. Now all we need for eternal happiness is a clearly defined set of guidelines for App Store approval, a consistent appeals process, and some Nutella.

[Via The iPhone Blog]

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Tweetie 1.3 approved — what are we supposed to do with this wagon full of torches and pitchforks? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XRoad G-Map iPhone navigation map gets reviewed, patted on the back

While the world waits for a tried-and-true navigation app from Apple, XRoad is taking advantage of the situation by offering up its G-Map app in the interim. Kicking Tires decided to take the new software for a spin, and while the map quality took a pretty harsh beating, the overall offering was highly praised. More specifically, not every street name was present during testing, meaning that you had to rely implicitly on the turn-by-turn instructions if you weren’t familiar with your surroundings. Outside of that, however, it seemed to nail all the important points. Accuracy, routing, ease of use and design were all smiled upon, and it seems critics gave the street name snafu a bit of a break with the hope of future updates solving the issues. If you’re still a touch hesitant to drop your hard-earned cash, give that read link a gentle tap.

[Thanks, Ronald]

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XRoad G-Map iPhone navigation map gets reviewed, patted on the back originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Card counting iPhone app frowned upon in Vegas

Usually, it’s Apple who has the problem with a potential app. Now, it’s The Man taking issue with one that Cupertino deemed fit for distribution. Nevada gaming officials have been tipped off a card counting application that can be installed on the iPhone and iPod touch, which would obviously give Blackjack gamers an upper-hand over the system. According to control board member Randy Sayre, using a device to “aid in the counting of cards is considered a felony under Nevada laws governing cheating,” and considering that the program can even be used in “stealth mode,” it could be easy to miss unless you’re really on the lookout. Of course, it’s up to individual casinos to determine their policies on cellphones, but if you were planning to counter this recession by racking up on ten straight 21s this weekend, you might want to seriously consider the consequences first.

[Via TUAW]

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Card counting iPhone app frowned upon in Vegas originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knife Music e-book approved for App Store after language modification

We’re not exactly sure what this says about the officially unofficial App Store policy on explicit content, but David Carnoy’s Knife Music has just been approved for distribution in said marketplace after the so-called “objectionable content” was removed. Essentially, the author decided to submit a copy of the novel sans a few foul words, with him noting that it was “more important to have people check the book out — along with the whole concept of e-books on the iPhone” — rather than take some stance for personal liberties and whatnot. For those interested, it’s ready for download as we speak at no charge, but if you’re the indecent type, you’ll have to manually add in those swears as you go.

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Knife Music e-book approved for App Store after language modification originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone demoed on video, coming in Q1

No surprises here, but Sling Media has created a new SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone portal on its website in order to accomplish two important tasks. 1) To announce that it will indeed be submitted to Apple for certification this quarter and 2) to show off a new video of the software in action. If you just can’t wait, head to the read link and mash play.

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SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone demoed on video, coming in Q1 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, SlingPlayer for Mac HD make debuts

Remember that proof-of-concept you saw way back in June of last year? You know, that one involving SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone? Here at Macworld, Sling Media is doing its darnedest to take the spotlight away from the looming Apple keynote by announcing that said app is almost ready for consumption. It’ll be demonstrating a functional version in San Francisco, and it’s planning to submit the software to Apple for certification sometime this quarter. In case you couldn’t care less, it’ll also unveil a prototype SlingPlayer for Mac HD, which will enable Mac-using Slingbox PRO-HD owners to stream high-def material to their Mac. As for the good stuff, pricing has yet to be determined for the SlingPlayer iPhone app, but the SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be made available gratis. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, SlingPlayer for Mac HD make debuts

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SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, SlingPlayer for Mac HD make debuts originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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