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Apple Rejected Me, a Site for Scorned App Developers
This Week's Best iPhone Apps
Stair Dismount iPhone Game Hands On (Verdict: Sadistic Fun)
Waze Turn-By-Turn App Lets You Play Pac-Man With Your Car
CoPilot Live GPS App Is $20 During Thanksgiving Special
Stair Dismount Gloriously Tumbles Onto the iPhone Soon
iPhone Translation App Speaks Three Languages With Your Mouth
This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
This Week's Best iPhone Apps
There Can Be Only One: Part Deux

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PotteryBarnClearanceSale
11/28/09

In reply to Apple Rejected Me, a Site for Scorned App Developers
FLAME WAR!!!!!!
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Slinkytech
11/27/09

In reply to This Week's Best iPhone Apps
Oscar, the iphone grouch.
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Benguin
11/27/09

In reply to Stair Dismount iPhone Game Hands On (Verdict: Sadistic Fun)
I'm going to have to check it out. Is it the same devs as the original?

... also I'm sure you probably just forgot, but a mention of the price and a link the iTunes store would be nice. I wouldn't usually complain, but since that info is usually in these reviews I just wanted to point out the small oversight. Which for the record, it's $2.99 [itunes.apple.com]
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Edited by Benguin at 11/27/09 12:26 AM Benguin was starred Benguin was unstarred

Poop Cooper
11/25/09

In reply to Waze Turn-By-Turn App Lets You Play Pac-Man With Your Car
Best new feature of Waze: driving off the edge of screen will teleport you to the opposing side.
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Fractal the Meek
11/25/09

@Poop Cooper: Also, if you go 10,000 miles they give you an extra car. Pays for itself, really.
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BergenCountyJC can't beat MW2
11/25/09

In reply to Waze Turn-By-Turn App Lets You Play Pac-Man With Your Car

So where are the ghosts?
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nutbastard
11/25/09

@BergenCountyJC can't beat MW2:

they're called cops, and you should drive away from them as fast as possible whenever you see one. it also helps if you make a lot of fast turns in the process while still taking into account the locations of any nearby cherries when formulating your route.
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Xagest
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
As much as I want to support these developers, I can't get myself to throw down cash for their products. Because they're on a gray-market service, the support for the software could die at any moment.

I mean, with a simple firmware update, a bunch of 3rd party software could stop working, and only the really dedicated will actually go back a fix it. There are still a lot of firmware 2.x software that I would love on my 3.x firmware, but alas, no equivalent exists.
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Gann
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
Multitasking is one of the main reasons I may switch to a Droid this holiday season.
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Roland_Deschain
11/23/09

@Gann: I picked a Droid up during the first weekend of sales and I can tell you I won't consider an iPhone until the same level of multitasking is available. I multitask and my battery life is still awesome.
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Gann
11/24/09

@Roland_Deschain: I'm trying to talk myself out of getting another iPhone. I dislike apple for many reasons, but that phone is just so damn fun to use. Kinda a weird question, but how does the Droid feel in your hand?
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Roland_Deschain
11/24/09

@Gann: I've gotten used to it, without a doubt. I've never had an iPhone, but I do have the most recent 32-gig iPod Touch, so I've used that UI (minus the phone) extensively. My iPod, and I assume a 3GS, has a bit more snap. So, I would say, does an Android device with the Sense UI. I'm hoping the December 11 update (if it happens) will speed things up a bit. The high-res screen on the Droid is beautiful. The physical keyboard isn't perfect, as you've heard, but it has its perks, and the landscape soft keyboard is great; easily comparable to my iPod touch in landscape mode. Honestly I was skeptical about the Droid, but it has completely paid off for me as a Verizon user in a family plan. Plus, Google integration is really well done: Gmail is great (a few minor flaws, of course) Google Voice right on my phone is amazing, maps, etc.

The phone feels heavy, but in a good way. I love it so far.

#tips
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t3knomanser
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
My experience with backgrounding, was that one or more apps was going to quit with an out-of-memory problem.

The only thing I really wanted backgrounding for was Pandora. And, well, Pandora just bombs out. It may have gotten better since OS3.0, but really, it's not worth it, even then.
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thechansen
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
Jailbreak went from a beautiful and worthwhile process, to largely unnecessary, to introducing your iphone to extra security risks. I can understand the average consumer mentality of wanting to save $2.99 on a game, but is it really worth the risk? The average person jailbreaking their iPhone doesn't understand what "root" means or what the hell SSH does. I've seen forum postings with "average consumer' types giving away all the info you need to gain access to their iPhone (public IP addresses, root user and password, etc). I recently went and tried to see if there was anything worth jailbreaking for, and aside from being able to keep internet radio streaming, the answer is a resounding "no".
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geekymitch
11/23/09

@thechansen: Jailbreaking has absolutely nothing to do with saving 2.99 on a game (I personally find installous to be very scummy)...and quite frankly if you saw nothing worthwhile, then clearly you weren't looking in the right places.

First of all, turning off SSH is not exactly a big deal...second of all, for things worthwhile: how about being able to view your calendar items that are upcoming WITHOUT having to unlock your phone and go into the calendar app? Or how about being able to see the actual weather at a glance without having to open the weather app? For me, even more of value, being able to have 5 columns of icons, and 5 icons in my dock. Being able to tether, even though AT&T hasn't said I can yet. Being able to use google voice. Being about to video record, even though according to apple my 3G isn't able to. Free turn by turn GPS.

None of that is worth taking 5 minutes to jailbreak with blackra1n, put on MIM and disable SSH? Personally I like my smartphone being smart, so I'll stick with jailbreaking. Don't assume that just because it's called jailbreaking that it's only for scumbags looking to do scummy things. You can add an awful lot of value to your device using jailbreak apps that SHOULD be legit and offered in the itunes store. Hell, if half the customization and functionality I listed above was offered, I wouldn't jailbreak - even if it meant forgoing the tethering cheat.
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thechansen
11/23/09

@geekymitch: opening the weather app is well worth the battery time saved vs it being left on in the background. Installous is a major issue and a major reason for the average person to jailbreak. I can use Google Voice on my iPhone just fine without jailbreaking, and 5 items on the dock is certainly worth some random jerk from making an app with no oversite and fucking up your day when you get your bank accounts drained.
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wannafightabout-it
11/23/09

@thechansen: hmmm well we have ad block also homebrew is lovely along with backgrounder apps insomnia is also awesome uhmm 3g unrestrictor changing your themes ringtones fontswap downloading through safari being able to browse the internals of your iPhone via iFile and now multifl0w but you know that's just to name a few. I know I know it's dumb to jailbreak haha. as for the hackers get sbsettings and just turn off SSH or change your password it's not that difficult in the end if you want to jailbreak I think it's great just read up on it take the time to learn but it's definitely not worthless.
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emag
11/23/09

@thechansen: SBSettings is the reason to jailbreak.

Would it kill Apple to have a way to switch on/off the battery-draining 3G connection or brighten/dim video without exiting back to the home screen and digging through several levels of menus?
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thechansen
11/23/09

@wannafightabout-it: yes ad block is useful, and is downloading from safari (which in itself has limited usefulness, but I concede that it could in theory have a place). And how does giving access to the average user of a unix filesystem really help them? How is it any better than using, let's say, drop box? If you really needed to get some one a file that you had, off the internet you could easily just email them the link, send the file from your home pc, or various other methods without ever having to download it to your phone first. What files other then the odd codec video file do you need to open that the iPhone can't natively open? SBSettings saves you what, 2 finger movements? Well worth the security flaws introduced by jailbreaking.

@Antonio Jorge Ferreira: I'm sorry but smartscreen, and other such widget based apps, put a bigger strain on the battery then you think and its not from using the 3g radio. Its from the process running in the background. You are pulling the info from your ass, Backgrounder is terribly inefficiencent at CPU utilization on the device.

@kingslaye505: Theme my device? That certainly adds a ton of extra usability. Did you use a Team Edward theme?

And yes I have an application on my iPhone that allows the use of Google Voice. Yes Apple removed it from the App Store. No it is not google voice search. I have two google voice phone numbers. I normally only recieve calls on those numbers so it doesn't really effect my google voice use, now does it? Even still you can use google voice from the web front end just fine, if just slightly more cumbersome.
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Justin Clark
11/23/09

@thechansen: How about voip over 3g? Thats a huge one for me. Unlocking? Another one necessary for some. Google voice? So there ARE in fact some GREAT reasons to jailbreak, just not for everyone.
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geekymitch
11/23/09

@thechansen: I repeat - it takes exactly 20 seconds to secure your jailbroken iphone. If you have the wherewithall to jailbreak in the first place, I think you can figure out how to turn off SSH and type one command.

As for battery life, I don't find that the live weather icon drains my battery any faster - neither does the animated clock. For that matter neither do any of the things I have installed on my device (vwallpaper did, which is why I no longer have it).

I'm just saying, before you throw your hands up to the world declaring that jailbreaking is not pointless, give it some thought: there's an awful lot of functionality to be had out there.

#tips
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geekymitch
11/23/09

@Justin Clark: Eh why bother arguing. This is a typical "I have my opinion and no amount of counter-argument will ever convince me" conversation.

My guess is that the dude in question hasn't looked at any of the JB apps or systems in an awfully long time and, like a typical neophyte, decided to spout off whatever nonsense he's read on the web. The kind of guy that forwards stuff that you can very quickly find to be bologna by searching snopes.

Yeah, a weather icon REALLY impacts my battery life horribly.

Oh speaking of that, another app that I love is seeing the battery life in a percentage rather than just a picture :p

#tips
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thechansen
11/23/09

@geekymitch: Backgrounder, no matter how you argue it, can not efficiently manage the background running tasks, because the iPhone was never designed for it. There isn't too huge a variation in the amount of cpu and ram the default iphone apps use. Really, this isn't FUD, the program Backgrounder itself has memory leaks, at least in the last version I have tried. This was in September. I was getting about 20-25% less battery time, with average usage. Not only does it degrade performance it also presents a potential security flaw. IMHO: Not worth it, no matter how many pretty pictures you can place under your icons, or little widgets which save you perhaps 5 seconds.

You've seen for yourself how easy they have made it to jailbreak. The average consumer can easily run a utility that does the work. The average consumer is not a tech savvy, gizmodo reader. And merely gaining root access to the iphone is not the only security risk, the repos in cydia or icy could easily get malicious code included.

#tips
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kingslaye505
11/23/09

@thechansen: I use a very simple dock theme to make my iPod look like it did on firmware 1.1.2. It adds very little functionality, but you'll notice that Microsoft lets you theme Windows 7. That doesn't add functionality either, so why do it?

And it seems you have no problem with using "gray market" software if you are using the pulled Google Voice application.
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thechansen
11/23/09

@kingslaye505: Apple pulled it after the fact. I did indeed purchase the GV Mobile app prior to it getting pulled. Luckily Apple can't pull an Amazon and remote delete it.

#tips
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Edited by thechansen at 11/23/09 10:41 PM thechansen was starred thechansen was unstarred

geekymitch
11/23/09

@thechansen: Yet.
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thechansen
11/23/09

@geekymitch: Also.

#tips
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miburo
11/24/09

@thechansen:
You keep talking about dedicated app writers that update their stuff.

What's the difference between an undedicated app writer on the App store and one one Cydia?

SBSSettings and biteSMS are more than worth it on their own, Categories and the 5 icon dock is great to. I use all of these all the time and it's greatly increased the enjoyment of my iphone. With one swipe and three button pushes I can turn off 3g, wifi, and bluetooh when i dont need it to save a TON of battery life.

And give me a break. A lot of us also don't need oversight into everything we do and are fine with modding changing our iphones.

Just because you don't see it beingnecessary doesn't mean the rest of don't.

And are you saying there are not bugs and leaks in the regular App store? Maybe you don't use apps much
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thechansen
11/24/09

@miburo: What dedicated app writers? And needing oversight into modding your phone? Where? When?

There is a difference between app store apps and jail break apps. And there is a difference in a bug versus malware. The key here is that Apple watches the apps in the itunes store for malware. Most repos do not. That is the oversight I am speaking of. While yes some coders do provide the source code for their jailbreak apps, that doesn't mean all of them do, and it only takes one to decide to pull some shenanigans.

Apple has the burden of not spreading malware apps in the App Store, as does Canonical on the Ubuntu Repos, but who watches the Jailbreak repos? Let's face reality here: the iPhone is a target for black hat.

This is like lending a complete stranger your computer and allowing him to run various cryptically named .exe files.

If you want to mod your iPhone, go right ahead. I'm merely pointing out that the real risks out weigh perceived benefits.
#tips
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wannafightabout-it
11/24/09

@thechansen: ok I listed like 7 other useful apps and you focus on downloading from safari as not useful. For the SECURITY FLAW don't be a moron and leave SSH open or as I explained change you password security flaw taken care of. and I have pretty good battery life with backrouner running and what smart phone doesn't have shitty battery life in general

#tips
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nachobel
11/24/09

@thechansen: Wow man, these arguments are awful!
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thechansen
11/24/09

@nachobel: So opening the iPhone to security holes outside of the simple SSH root one is a terrible argument?

My point here is SSH is NOT the sole area of attack on jailbreak iPhone

#tips
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geekymitch
11/24/09

@thechansen: With what you've said above, I'm quite certain therefor that you never download software or music, or install any non-microsoft software on a windows platform because really, what's keeping someone from sending you a CD full of malware? The truth is that what jailbreaking does is brings out the true potential of the device. You can tell me that you're nervous about security holes (At which point I'll call you a nervous nelly), or that you don't have the tech savvy to jailbreak (At which point I'll say "dude, it takes 4 seconds)...but don't for a second tell me that my jailbroken phone is at risk any more than any other. At some point someone will release crap that goes after NON jailbroken iphones too - it's all about what people want to go for.

Hell if I were to guess, I'd wager that the people releasing attacks against JB iphones were actually hired by apple to do so - Violate our terms of service will ya!
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nachobel
11/24/09

@thechansen: You're saying that installing software that isn't apple "sanctioned" provides a security risk?

How is that any different from installing things on your pc (i use the term literally here)?

Doesn't seem like a valid point to me.

#tips
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thechansen
11/24/09

@geekymitch: Getting open source software where you can check for malicious code , or commercial software from a company that can be held accountable (remember the Sony fiasco) is much different than downloading closed software from untrusted sources. Flaws were found in the iPhone OS and were fixed. Which means people are looking. So yes I am saying that a jailbroken iPhone is at risk.

#tips
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weatherman
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
It's been a long time since I was into jailbreaking, but this might be worth returning for, thought I'd be concerned about speed since I don't have the GS.
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Benguin
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
Hmm. I like it, but I already rely on double-tap to bring up my iPod controls. Dunno if I'm willing to give that up in favor of this.

Now if it was integrated into SBSettings or something like that, then game on buddy.
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jayhawk11 is not a fan of smallpox.
11/23/09

@Benguin: If you're using Kirikae+Backgrounder, you can set it to quad-click, triple-click or really just about anything you want for iPod controls. Works pretty well.
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fakejezuzdiaz
11/23/09

In reply to This Is How Multitasking Should Work On the iPhone
Christ, what is the deal with all of this techno music in these proof of concept videos?!?

Hans and Johann called: they want their sic beatz back! M'kay...
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Kaiser-Machead
11/23/09

@fakejezuzdiaz: Makes me glad I disable my audio at work.
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Odin
11/23/09

In reply to This Week's Best iPhone Apps
Question, what's the compatibility like with iPhone apps and iPod apps. I mean say I loaded Catpaint on to my iPod Touch could I use it with photos in memory?

I'm getting a Touch next Thursday so I'm curious how some apps work without the iPhones extra features.
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Odin
11/23/09

In reply to There Can Be Only One: Part Deux
Really I don't see the iPhone or Android as suitable platforms for commercial development. It's too high volume, low cost, competitive and open to every Tom, Dick and Harry with an SDK. It's fine for big companies to devote some resources to releasing their product on the platform as even if it's unsuccessful they'd be largely unaffected.

For small companies or individuals focusing on iPhone/Android development solely though I don't think it's a wise move. They have limited resources and have to rely on their application staying afloat in an ever expanding ocean. The worst thing is that a lot of the time other developers can just come along and release an app that's similar (and maybe even better) for a lower cost or possibly for free.

My view is that the app market is in a position where if you want to dip your feet in you shouldn't quit your day job to do so. It's just too volatile to risk your livelihood on it.
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dragon:ONE
11/22/09

In reply to Sirius XM SkyDock Not-So-Magically Converts Your iPhone Into a Satellite Radio
Ugh. Now if we could have cheap-cheap receivers and cheaper plans.

Why should I have to spend $16 a month after royalties and taxes to listen to one channel that constantly replays the same music, because my receiver doesn't "support" the Ala Carte plan?

I'm looking at you, SIRIUS/XM Chill. I've heard Alexandar Daf's "In a Silent Way" TOO MANY TIMES. It's like... following me.

Go into a Best Buy and turn on a demo SIRIUS unit... it's playing. Get home after a day of work... it's playing.
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