iPhone Savior

The Epic Steve Jobs Magazine Cover Collection

   

I recently discovered a website hosting a unique collection of images called "Steve Jobs On Magazine Covers", compiled by designer Sam Kuo at Kuodesign.com. The historical flashback includes magazine covers from 1981 to 2008 from all of the usual suspects like Forbes, Business Week, MacWorld and Time Magazine as just a few examples. This Jobsian cover series is staggering to view in one sitting, serving as a timely reminder of how insanely great it is being a Machead in the twenty-first century.

Beijing Apple Store Battles Flooding Incident

BEIJING, CHINA - The Apple store located at the Village at Sanlitun in Beijing, battled flooding Saturday afternoon on the ground floor of the tri-level retail space in what was described by one manager as a fire hydrant malfunction. The cause of the malfunction is still being investigated by the property management team according to the Apple store manager we spoke to by phone.

Two levels of the store remained opened as normal while customer access to the flooded area was blocked as a team worked diligently to clean up the aftermath. The flooded area represents less than half of the Beijing store's 10,700 square-feet of Mac-tastic splendor.

 

The first eye witness photographs were taken around 5:08 PM sometime after the flooding occurred. Apple staffers managed to return the store to business as usual very quickly, evidenced in the photo taken around 6:20 PM (above right). We were told that no Mac's were harmed in the unfortunate incident according to the store manager.

Photos by Marc van der Chijs

iPhone Ad Teaches Us To "Read" Without Kindle

Apple has released their first iPhone ad for 2009 which focuses on reading. The new spot features three apps requiring e-reading including Yelp (free), OsiriX ($19.99) and Classics ($4.99). In fact there's an app for just about anything only on the iPhone.

Those Kindle zombies who insist on lugging around their overpriced book reader will be frozen in front of their TV sets wondering why they ever fell for Amazon's colorless paper weight when they could have bought an iPhone instead.

How do you spell obsolete? You don't need an iPhone to read between the lines on this one.

iJustine Uncovers Secret iPhone Emoji iCons

Sassy ego blogger Justine Ezarik, the unofficial (official) Apple pin-up-girl of the internet, has uncovered a $.99 app capable of unleashing those adorable emoji icons that cult of iPhone faithful have been lusting after. No hacking required! Her find is posted on video over at her Tasty Blog Snack headquarters.

"Got an amazing link today from Ashot about this application that will allow you to send Japanese emoji icons to anyone with an iPhone — without hacking it!" writes iJustine to her loyal following.

The app allowing access to the secret emoji icons can be found by searching FrostyPlace via the App Store. The FrostyPlace app is in the News category and is actually an RSS reader for frostyplace.com, a Chinese Mac news website. This app may soon be making developer Chin-Lan Huang a very wealthy man thanks to iJ.

The steps for adding these wildly popular emoticons are as easy as iJustine promises. Once you've turned on the Emoji function on your iPhone keyboard you'll be able to ghetto-up all of your contacts, emails and instant messages by selecting the Globe next to your keyboard Space bar. (Note: emoticons added to contacts will not translate when syncing to Mac Address Book)

Get Your Emoticons Now Before The App Disappears:

1. Download the $0.99 FrostyPlace app from the App Store [link]
2. Select the app then tap on the Logo or characters to activate
3. Click on any story link (written in Japanese) close the app
4. Go into Settings > General > Keyboards > International Keyboards > Japanese
5. Set the Emoji option to ON then close Settings
6. Simply tap the Globe next to your Keyboard Space bar to add Emoticons

It's quite possible that iJ will finally get a huge parade in her honor for this epic iPhone discovery. All hail Queen Justine! She is "The Internet".

[via iJustine]

Brain Melting 'Sound Grenade' Is Top Free App

 

There's a new number one Top Free App in the App Store. It's the most annoying, brain pummeling, face melting app on planet earth. The concept of this one is simple, activate Sound Grenade and a powerfully debilitating, high pitched, headache producing sound will start melting every brain in the room. Plug your iPhone or iPod touch into a sound system and it's instantly transformed into a military grade weapon.

"Just tried it and I feel like someone screwed sharp nails into my head. Can't wait to BUG out on people." said one App Store reviewer.

A recent update to Sound Grenade has added a new timer function for stealthy attacks and a motion activated alarm function for well timed torture. Slip your iPhone into your pocket, activate the grenade and watch the entire Taco Bell lunch crowd squirm.

One website is reporting that once Sound Grenade entered the Top 50, 22 year old developer 'High Gloss' decided to switch over to an ad-supported model. After processing a million ad requests in 24 hours, the app is now generating over $200 per hour in click-through revenue. The app was written by Gloss in just 20 minutes.

This free prankster app is ingenious because it focuses on doing one really horrible thing extremely well. That's cool! Hell hath no fury like Sound Grenade.

Get Sound Grenade

Bogus Steve Jobs Heart Attack News Resurfaces

 

Go ahead and say it. AGAIN! Some ass clown took advantage of Wired's image viewer to spread yet another perfectly malicious rumor that Steve Jobs has suffered a cardiac arrest. The blatantly false report was posted on Thursday afternoon around 3:40 PM EST.

The vicious post created authenticity by hacking into Wired Magazine's public upload image viewer and then loosely referencing recent Jobs health rumors to propel the deliberate lie. At first sight many were convinced the news was true after seeing the Wired URL.

"Inside sources are reporting that ailing Steve Jobs has gone into cardiac arrest at his home in Palo Alto. While Apple representatives have been reluctant to confirm or deny this after the recent 'Steve Is Dead' meme that surrounded the most recent Macworld." taken from bogus news post.

Unfortunately the Twitter community was also burned by the false report, causing several members to start regurgitating the bogus news while others were trying to confirm in real time if the report was even true at all.

Former Engadget editor Ryan Block chimed into the Twitter stream, quickly throwing cold water onto the rumor as it began to catch fire.

"Looks like someone is taking advantage of Wired's insecure publishing system; there is NO reason to think that Steve Jobs is in cardiac arrest." said Ryan Block via Twitter.

This kind of malicious prank is deplorable being mindful that Steve Jobs is currently taking a medical leave of absence from Apple in order to focus on his complex health issues. A hateful rumor like this only serves as one more distraction for Jobs.

I was unable to confirm how long the post remained online before it was identified and pulled down. Wired has posted an official statement on their website.

"A widely-circulated URL which points to a image that purports to be a Wired.com story about Steve Jobs health is a hack job. We won't provide the URL here, but the Twitterverse quickly surmised that the item was not correct. " Source: Wired.com

[via Gizmodo]

New iPhone Apps Deliver Lap Dances For Nerds

A new breed of novelty iPhone apps have been exposed in the App Store this week offering up a partial striptease for the ultra-nerd. The first contender "Shake Mates", I describe as a virtual lap dance app that delivers very little for $.99. Launch the app, shake your iPhone and one item of clothing at a time falls off the cartoon blond. Eventually Miss thing is left standing in her bra and panties. Big whoop! That's it. You're done. Now do it again.

The other featherweight contender is "iFloaty", a similarly lame attempt at an iPhone striptease. This app does a fun take on the 1940's ink pen that would reveal a nudey pic every time you turned the pen upside down. Except as an iPhone app iFloaty suffers from the same lack of fun and functionality as Shake Mates. Turn your device upside down and watch her dress pour off. Then flip the image over to see ol' cartoon red from behind wearing granny panties. What? I'll take the old nudey pen trick any day.

These new apps are one trick ponies that deliver more tease than strip. If you're some doofus that just woke from a ten year coma you may find this kind of novelty app exhilarating. Otherwise most might realize these apps are a perfect way to strip you of your hard earned unemployment check. Maybe if developers re-imagine these apps they'll create something that will actually deliver a happy ending. Or not!

If you're really in the market for a guaranteed iPhone show stopper, try the epic series of $5.00 iWash videos featuring real girls, in real bikini's washing your iPhone screen from deep on the inside. You won't be disappointed. (image on left)

Jimmy Fallon Twitters Live From Ellen DeGeneres Show Via iPhone

BURBANK, CA - Making an appearance Wednesday on the Ellen DeGeneres show, Jimmy Fallon described in detail being holed up in a New York City coffee shop hosting an audio broadcast of Obama's Presidential Inauguration from his own iPhone with a crowd of listeners huddled close by him. The inauguration moment was posted on Fallon's own Twitter stream yesterday at 10:50 am.

"I listened on CBS internet radio. I was at a coffee shop with people all huddled around my iPhone. And a robot Norman Rockwell." Fallon wrote in his Twitter post.

At one point Fallon grabbed his iPhone and snapped an impromptu photo of Ellen's audience, immediately uploading the image on Twitter. The blurry image has already been viewed over 4,000 times. One Twitter user following Fallon's steam was giddy with joy over his unplanned Twitter endorsement. (video after break)

"Just watched you on Ellen. Great story about listening to Barack Obama's inauguration. Loved it. And, um, good Twitter advertising. It made me FINALLY decide to sign up here. iPhone next?" wrote Twitter member MamaSeason.

Fallon appears to be a huge iPhone fanatic which became obvious as he kept his beloved Jesus phone within arms reach during the entire interview with Ellen. Fallon waxed on with DeGeneres about his upcoming take over as host of "Late Night" in March. Replacing the wildly popular Conan O'Brien. O'Brien will join the "Tonight Show" as host in June as current host Jay Leno plans a move into a daily prime-time show for NBC. The cult of iPhone is alive and well in Hollywood.

[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]     [Late Night With Jimmy Fallon]

Planet Earth Sends Steve Jobs 'Get Well Soon' Message In The Sky

It's easy to imagine the gathering clouds whispering, "Get well soon Steve" as they lingered over planet earth forming the epic Apple logo in the sky for just a moment. Then suddenly they were gone.

Flicker photographer Piero Formica was in the right place at the right time when the earth forged it's personal message of hope to Steve Jobs in the bright blue sky over Morocco. A tremendous honor granted to few mortals.

The sighting is being called a miracle by some cult of Mac followers. It's a moment of pure inspiration for Apple faithful. The truth is out there. I want to believe.

Get well soon Steve. We're all believing the best for your speedy recovery.

[epic photo by Piero Formica]

New iPhone App Sends Epic Multi-Photo Emails

Even though Aqua Eagle sounds more like a comic book character, their Multi-Photo Email is an extremely useful iPhone app that allows users to attach more than one photo into a single email. The application works by connecting directly to your email provider's outgoing SMTP, working with many web-based email programs like the wildly popular Gmail, Mobile Me and AOL mail. This app is designed to work with iPod Touch as well.

After the simple initial set up using my Gmail account, I was able to attach multiple photos to my email directly from my iPhone Photo Library very quickly. The app allows you to add multiple recipients from your address book manually or select recently used recipients. Once you click send, a progress screen will appear helping to alleviate any anxiety for the ADD afflicted. 

    

In General Settings I adjusted my JPEG image size so I could accelerate sending Picts faster. The Photos came through crisp and clean. I noticed when I turned off the sizing feature my photos still launched surprisingly quick via 3G. The wood grain paneling back-drop is a real plus, adding enough trailer park chic to keep Macheads feeling right at home.

This epic Multi-Photo Email app brilliantly delivers on it's promise without any tweaky surprises. It's one feature that I'm sure many cult of iPhone faithful have been waiting for. It's currently priced at $.99 cents with hints that the price will be going up soon. If you're a photo emailing freak like I am you'll want to snap this app up while supplies last. Which is indefinitely so hurry.

Get Aqua Eagle App