After some hiccups in the development process, Sling has finally released SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone. The software works with your Slingbox at home, and lets you control and watch your satellite or cable box and DVR from your iPhone or iPod Touch.
All of the functionality found in previous SlingPlayer Mobile platforms is still intact. You'll have access to a menu bar that'll let you use a remote-like interface on-screen to control your box as well as switch sling devices and manage your favorite channels. What's new are a few gestures that'll allow you to scroll through your favorite channels as well as let you scroll up and down through channels.
SlingPlayer Mobile will work with new Slingbox and legacy devices, but Sling officially won't support the Sling Classic, AV, and Tuner models--that means that if you've got a problem with one of those devices, Sling won't be able to help you troubleshoot your issue.
Now here's the real bad news: SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone only works with a Wi-Fi connection, meaning you cannot use the 3G network to stream video. Also, we should note that SlingPlayer Mobile will probably perform better on your home network rather than a public Wi-Fi spot.
Performance wise, the software worked well. ... Read more
Microsoft on Wednesday is offering up more details on its would-be rival to the iPhone's app store.
The software maker said it will charge developers $99 a year, plus $99 for each application they submit to get an app into the Windows Marketplace store. Through the end of this year, though, developers who register will be able to submit five applications at no additional charge.
The software maker defended the charge: "Microsoft will run a rigorous certification process to ensure that the end user's experience is optimal, and that the device and network resources aren't used in a malicious way," a Microsoft representative said in a statement. "This process has a significant cost and Microsoft believes $99 is an acceptable cost of doing business for (software developers) looking to get in front of millions of customers."
The software maker pledged that it will also offer developers "complete transparency throughout the application submission process" as well as direct feedback. Apple has been criticized for being slow to respond to developer questions while an application is in the approval process, as well as providing developers with little information as to why certain applications were rejected.
Developers who choose to charge for their programs will keep 70 percent of the proceeds. (Free titles will also be allowed). By comparison, Apple also gives developers 70 percent of app sales through its App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Research In Motion has pledged to give developers an 80 percent cut in their forthcoming store.
Microsoft announced plans for the mobile application store at last month's Mobile World Congress. The store is set to debut with the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 in the fourth quarter of this year.
The software maker plans to let developers start registering in the spring and begin submitting applications this summer.
Microsoft also said it was launching a sales and marketing program to help developers, though it didn't say how large that program will be.
If you don't feel like spending more than $300 on the Kindle 2, Amazon's free Kindle ebook application for the iPhone and iPod Touch may be a much more affordable, if imperfect, solution.
We compared the Kindle 2 and the Kindle application for the iPhone/iPod Touch, and came to the conclusion that the Kindle iPhone application is great for reading short passages, but the Kindle 2 is better for longer reading.
Also, you can't get subscriptions on the iPhone version and you can't buy books from within the application. Still, $359 is a lot to pay for an e-book reader (though the addition of free cellular Web access and a basic Web browser does make the cost slightly more palatable), so the Kindle for iPhone app may still be the preferable e-book reader for people who already have iPhones or iPod Touches
.For more information about the Kindle for iPhone application, check out our video first look or read our extensive review.
Amazon introduced a Kindle application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Lee/CBS Interactive)I bought a Kindle 2 last week, after a year of waiting for the second iteration of Amazon's e-book reader. I was hesitant at first, as I still love reading hardcover and paperback books, but the free cellular Web access and the addition of magazine subscriptions from publications like The New Yorker had me convinced.
I've had it for a week now, and I love it. It feels great in my hands, and the e-ink screen creates the illusion of reading a real book. I can hold it in my hand and read from it for hours.
I also have an Apple iPhone. I've tried e-book applications like eReader and Stanza, but I just didn't find the reading experience very satisfying.
It's OK for short chunks of reading, while waiting in line or sitting on the bus, but not on a lazy Sunday afternoon around the house. Holding a small device like that for long periods of time just isn't comfortable, plus the small LCD screen can be hard on the eyes after a while. And, of course, there are books only available for the Amazon Kindle that are not at any other e-book store. It's this last criteria that really forced my hand when purchasing the Kindle 2.
So when I first heard that Amazon released the Kindle application for the iPhone (download), I immediately second-guessed my purchase of the Kindle 2. Did I make a foolish buy? Why wasn't I patient enough to wait for the iPhone application? A free iPhone app is definitely a lot cheaper than the $359 for the Kindle 2. So I downloaded the Kindle for iPhone application to find out whether I should send my Kindle 2 packing with a return slip.
... Read moreResearch In Motion has begun soliciting applications for the BlackBerry Application Storefront, which is due to go live in March.
Submissions for applications opened on Monday. RIM announced in October that it would be launching an app store in March of this year, a move that will bring it in line with rivals such as Apple, Google, and Palm, each of whom has or is about to launch their own on-device app stores.
The vendor guidelines listed on RIM's Web site make it explicit that the Canadian handset manufacturer "reserves the right to accept, deny, or remove any application from the Storefront, at any time." However, it is not yet clear precisely how much control RIM intends to exercise over which applications are chosen for listing--the closest points of comparison being the iPhone App Store, over which Apple retains control, and the Android Market, where Google has a notably low barrier to entry.
RIM is working with PayPal on the payment mechanism for the Storefront. Organizations will also be able to roll out applications to BlackBerry-toting workers. Those using BlackBerry Enterprise Server or BlackBerry Professional Software will be able to control which applications their workers are able to download.
Mobile operators will also be able to put their own customized application catalogues on BlackBerry smartphones.
Developers who successfully get their mobile applications into the Storefront will get to keep 80 percent of their revenue, whereas those selling applications for Apple's iPhone or Google's Android handsets get to keep 70 percent of revenue.
David Meyer of ZDNet UK reported from London.
We're guessing that they won't surpass iBeer in popularity any time soon, but this is big news for the App Store: Apple has quietly started allowing Web browser applications in.
According to MacRumors, a small bunch of browser apps were recently let into the App Store. They include the free Edge Browser, the historyless Incognito ($1.99), the tabbed WebMate ($0.99), and something called Shaking Web ($1.99) that attempts to make Web sites easier to read.
Previously, Apple had not approved third-party browsers for the App Store; its own Safari browser is preinstalled on the iPhone. Other browsers weren't allowed, citing "duplicating functionality."
The browser apps currently in the App Store all have some kind of quirk that sets them apart from standard browsers, ranging from a slant in design (Edge) to one in privacy (Incognito). They're all built using Safari as a base too. So it's not yet clear whether Apple will open the gates to iPhone versions of completely separate third-party browsers, such as Firefox or Opera.
(Credit: CBS Interactive)I hope everyone had a great holiday! Coming back after the break has been a whirlwind for all of us at CNET. With the one-two punch of Macworld here in San Francisco and the simultaneous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, we've been working around the clock to bring you the latest news and announcements from both trade shows.
I was lucky enough to walk the show floor at Macworld and although it wasn't as exciting as previous years, there was still plenty of excitement. Some highlights include software launches, third-party hardware, and--of course--Mac, iPod, and iPhone accessories. Overall, Macworld was as crowded as ever with many vendors excited for the future of Apple, but some were wondering what the future will hold for the show now that the company will no longer be participating. I guess we'll have to wait until next year (the dates are already reserved for 2010), but it's a shame that the main reason for the show will no longer be in attendance.
I've added many apps to my iPhone over the past few weeks to pass the time during holiday travel, and--judging from many companies at Macworld--the new apps and games are going to keep on coming.
This week's apps include a budgeting application and a game so we can start the New Year off right by continuing to be responsible while we have fun in 2009!
Enter your transactions as you go to stay on budget.
(Credit: CBS Interactive)Squirrel helps you stick to your New Year's resolution of managing your money by helping you keep track of all your transactions on your iPhone. Simply enter your current balance and stay on top of transactions by entering new data as it happens. Squirrel gives you complete flexibility for naming your transactions and categories. What's more, you can download Squirrel for your Mac so you can keep your finances in sync on your iPhone and at home.
Navigate your Rolandos through large colorful levels with lots of moving parts
(Credit: CBS Interactive)Rolando ($9.99) was released during the holidays and may be one of the best games yet for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Featuring smooth cartoon graphics, jazzy music, and cute sound effects, this platformer challenges you to get your Rolandos safely to the exit of each level. Tilt your iPhone to get them rolling and utilize several touch-screen motions to guide your Rolandos past obstacles while you avoid baddies called Shadow Blocks. As you progress, you'll need to manage more Rolondos and use creative methods to get past sticky situations. Overall, Rolando is one of the most polished games I've seen on the iPhone and I recommend it highly for those looking for a great platform-type game.
What are your favorite apps? Does Squirrel have enough features for your budgeting needs? Got any good games for me to check out? Let me know in the comments!
In the year since Palm released the Centro as an attempt to revive its lagging business, I've barely heard a whisper about new applications or energy for the Treo and Centro lines. Yet late Monday night, the device maker released its own app store download for Centro and Treo users to more easily access the applications.
The arrival of Palm's free app store--for both Windows Mobile and Palm operating systems--was undoubtedly spurred on by the success of Apple's iPhone App Store, Google's Android Market, and the upcoming BlackBerry app store that's slated to debut in March.
(Credit: Palm Software)Palm's nexus of downloads includes over 5,000 applications, about a fifth of them freebies. Yet with the exception of Facebook, few appear to be the fresh takes on multimedia and social networking that have defined modern applications. A press release trumpets Nursing Central, Encyclopedia Britannica, Pac-Man, Tetris, and Fish Tycoon as its hot apps.
While Palm may hope its storefront will coax developers to submit variations of their innovative iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android apps to the store, the offering so far adds little strength to Palm's lagging market position.
Still, getting an app store out before BlackBerry does provide some credibility. More importantly, it will undoubtedly please existing Palm users, the most important ingredient for Palm's continued existence in the vicious and volatile mobile marketplace.
(Credit: CNET)On Wednesday, Amazon announced the throwing open of its virtual doors to iPhone and iPod Touch users everywhere with Amazon Mobile, a free app now available in the iTunes App Store.
It's a pretty nice offering that simplifies the search experience for products found not just on Amazon.com, but also on partner retailers Target and Macy's.
The bulk of the app is dominated by a search bar you can launch either from the home screen or from a separate Search screen. While there's a tiny promo area on Amazon Mobile's home screen, the app completely omits browsing by categories. The vast majority of shoppers probably beeline to their wanted product, but there should be an option to browse from the More menu.
The surprise feature is one Amazon is trying on for size that lets you snap a photo of a product to jog your memory later. In addition, the app will try to find the product in Amazon's catalog. Amazon Remembers, as the feature's called, was a little slow when we tried it out, but found our products in the end.
This visual shopping assistant is a great feature that replicates many others we've seen for iPhone and Google Android. SnapTell for iPhone (free) is also more flexible, pulling in data and price comparisons from IMDb, Barnes and Noble, and Wikipedia, along with Amazon.com.
However, Amazon Mobile's advantage to registered members is its simplified purchasing that honors 1-Click buying and Amazon Prime, and its memory for items you've flagged in your wish list, shopping cart, and now, photo bank.
(Credit: CNET)On Tuesday, the first promotional codes that will make iPhone apps free to some users began trickling out of the App Store.
Apple is finally bequeathing apps developers with a way to let some media testers review an app at no expense and reward or attract a few lucky users. (The first invite has already floated into my in-box.)
This is Apple, so there are limits. Fifty promotional codes per product, to be exact.
Also, as wonderful as it is to see the passcodes allowed and implemented, they are not free trials. Developers angling to hook new customers will still need to lure them with free, light versions of the software or the less popular approach of offering an app free for a limited time and then ratcheting up the cost when the window closes.
Still, we're happy to finally see some leeway for developers, who will also get a reprieve from issuing gift certificates that often lose them money as a workaround for letting select reviewers evaluate apps for free.
