Hasta La Gadget!

Augmented reality applications to this point could be best categorized as tantalizing to the mind, but otherwise pointless. Thankfully, it seems as if that’s no longer the case. AcrossAir, a nascent app builder for the iPhone, has conjured up a slickly executed digital guidance application that augments video with real-time distance and directions to the nearest subway station. With the iPhone 3GS pimping an improved camera, inbuilt compass and GPS, we had a hunch that it wouldn’t be long before someone slammed them all together and gave commuters and tourists alike a reason to smile. Presently only capable of serving up directions in London, this app should find plenty of user interest that will hopefully drive its development for other metropolises around the world. Click through to check it out for yourself, and expect to see it ready for download as soon as someone (or something) at Cupertino decides to start approving live video programs. Any day now, Apple…

[Via Tokyo-Genki]

Continue reading Video: Nearest Tube iPhone app augments reality with directions

Filed under: Cellphones

Video: Nearest Tube iPhone app augments reality with directions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sure, the iPhone Application Store is big business for developers and consumers. For Apple? Not so much. Like always, it’s all about selling hardware in Cupertino.

Since Apple doesn’t release detailed sales information for the iPhone App Store, this figure is just an approximation. LSVP is saying that Apple got about $45 million in total iPhone App Store sales for the last three quarters vs total sales of $25 billion. TechCrunch is saying $95 million, which is the number we have used for our illustration. Obviously, third-party iPhone apps are going to be less costly to sell, with no cost of manufacturing or design.

Still, the difference in total sales is staggering and the profit picture won’t be significantly different from this. The chart really gives a good idea on how incredibly tiny the app sales are compared to the company total business. [Based on data from LSVP TechCrunch via Mashable]

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]

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio

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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