iPhone Savior

ESPN Dumps A Load of Streaming Radio On iPhone

ESPN Radio ($2.99) makes it's debut for iPhone and iPod touch with a sweet new app that provides access to live radio streams from more than 15 different ESPN stations including Los Angeles 710, Chicago 1000, Pittsburgh 1250, and New York 1050. I found this app to be clean, extremely zippy and well thought out. Allowing users to send SMS text messages directly to their favorite ESPN Radio shows from right inside the slick interface. I give ESPN kudos for getting this app right the first time out.

The best news is that iPhone sports fanatics can expect to hear play-by-play college football game broadcasts in real-time, in addition to getting live scores and news feeds for NFL, MLB, and NHL games among others. ESPN Radio also gives users instant access to 35 signature Podcasts including The B.S. Report with Bill Simmons, Action Sports, Football Today and Fantasy Focus Football to name drop just a couple.

Although this app should have been pushed out as a freebie, I didn't feel too much buyers remorse plunking down a three dollar bill to hear non-stop ESPN sports broadcasting in the background while I rocketed off emails and text messages with my iPhone. For those who like to use an iPhone dock for playback you should be warned that viewing is landscape mode only.

True ESPN Radio followers know that most of this same content is available online free of charge, but there's something to be said for having access to such a plethora of diverse ESPN programming all shoved up inside a single mobile app. Making sports pig heaven only a finger tap away. Is that really worth $3 bucks the hard way? Some will say hellz yeah! I have two words you can quote me on, SWEET DEAL! But I'll let you decide for yourself broseph.

AT&T Launches Unlimited A-List Calling

In an attempt to do head-to-head battle with T-Mobile and Sprint, AT&T has announced A-List calling for those elite individuals with qualifying plans. For those like myself who already pay unlimited calling rates there's no new joy here.

Here's how it works for the rest:

• Individual plans 900+ minutes ($59.99 and over) per month, and FamilyTalk plans 1400+ minutes ($89.99 and over) per month qualify for A-List
• No extra charge with your qualifying plan
• Add up to 5 numbers on your individual plan
• Add up to 10 numbers on your FamilyTalk plan
• Add any domestic number, on any network – including landline numbers
• Update your list online as often as you want, right from your myWireless Account

If you know you already qualify, log into your online AT&T myWireless account then select "Add Your A-List" and start locking in your highly favored five numbers for unlimited calls at no extra charge. But try not to piss off those pathetic D-Listers who think they should be on your A-List. Good luck with that!

[AT&T]

iHammock Gently Rocks While Your iPhone Docks

STYLE GUIDE: Mac-tastic designer Mac Funamizu, has imagined this fantastical iPhone dock concept he calls the iHammock. His unique docking solution places your iPhone in relaxation mode for accepting incoming calls while on vibrate.

"I was thinking if I could make something soft to put my iPhone on so that it doesn’t rattle when vibrating, and thought that a hammock style would be fun." Mac wrote on his blog.

The designer added a fashionable cocktail-style parasol attachment that acts as a solar power battery charger. Once flipped open and connected to the dock, the parasol pulls electricity from direct sunlight. Providing cool shade and power for your iPhone at the same time. I would buy the iHammock tomorrow if it truly existed. Toss in a few iShots of tequila and my iPhone would have the perfect weekend laying around recharging for another busy week.

 [Petitinvention]

iTwinge Adds Ugly BlackBerry Pants To iPhone

 

Here's a perfectly awful idea that attaches an awkward looking prosthetic keyboard to your iPhone. This $30 pair of ugly BlackBerry pants transforms iPhone's slick touch keyboard into a hideous fashion disaster. The makers of iTwinge promise that their product will provide the feel and tactile feedback of a “real” keyboard. That's if your willing to lose all self-respect in the process.

The iTwinge is a brain fart that should have never made it past the conceptual drawings. Even the name is painfully awkward. I refuse to let my iPhone be seen in public looking like some kind of deformed Frankenphone monster. No thanks! iTwinge is one iPhone accessory that makes me cringe. But that's just me, it may be perfect for you. Pre-orders begin shipping November 19th. (video after the break)

[iTwinge]

Singer Gary Go Pimps iPhone Music for the Masses

Brit-pop sensation Gary Go, just released his self-titled debut album in the U.S. this week, but it was his July performance at London's Wembley Stadium that first caught the attention of serious iPhone fanatics when Gary took center stage with his iPhone as a "fifth member of the band". He hooked it up to an amplifier and tapped out beats on the small screen in front of 70,000 people.

Now the iPhone has ushered this UK singer into the spotlight on CNN where he talks about his music and iPhone mania while launching into a few impromptu melodies aimed at charming the lovely Shannon Cook. Go told CNN that Chordica ($2.99) and BeatMaker ($19.99) are his current iPhone weapons of choice. Both are full featured music apps that allow him to compose material on the spot, creating accompaniments and spontaneous beats for those moments when a keyboard is not a practical choice.

"What would you like people to know about Gary Go's music?" Shannon Cook asked the Londoner.

"That it's not made on the iPhone," Go told CNN, "I'm really much more traditional about real instruments and being in studios using old recording equipment."

It's obvious from his answer that Go is serious about his music, making it clear that he's a true force to be reckoned with and not just another iPhone novelty act. Even though he cleverly employed Apple's wildly popular smartphone to draw massive attention to his debut album release. Why not!

I downloaded three Gary Go tracks myself, his first single "Wonderful", "Heart and Soul" and a bonus track where Gary performs a darkly moving piano only version of Lady Gaga's smash it "Just Dance". That one's going directly to my iPhone. So what's next for this geeky musician? Maybe an entire music video shot on iPhone 3GS? Now that would be wonderful! (video after break)

This iPod Bread Dock Takes Little Dough To Make

New Zealand food sculptor Alex Efimov, dreamed up the ultimate in edible, disposable iPod docks made from 100% whole wheat. It's the first iPod dock with an expiration date. This wildly satirical take on do-it-yourself iDocks, comes on the heals of many fantastical creations unveiled recently by iPhone and iPod touch fanatics across the blogosphere.

We've witnessed the the neatly constructed Paper dock, Dinosaur dock, the classic iPhone box dock, chubby Hippopotadock and the all natural Log dock. This delectable bread dock has definitely achieved a new low in the whimsical do-it-yourself iDock craze.

Even so, the low-tech cradle design used here is actually quite functional and good enough to eat. I hope the French design a freshly baked iPhone baguette dock sooner than later. I love baguettes!

[Photos by Alex Efimov]

Lightweight iPhone Case Aims To Kill Your Wallet

 

STYLE GUIDE: Thomas Marriott, founder of Pocketpack, has a dream that one day his Lightweight iPhone case will forever kill the need for carrying a wallet. He's so convinced by this fantastical vision, he's even bought Killthewallet.com in preparation for his assault on the long standing tradition of the compact pocket man-purse we call the wallet.

"Our entire generation is tech savvy," said Thomas Marriott in a brief phone conversation with the iPhone Savior, "Whenever I leave my apartment my number one priority next to my car key is my iPhone. Why carry a wallet for a driver's license and a few credit cards? I'm looking to de-clutter my life."

Army of Darkness, Now There's An App For That

The 1993 comedy, horror, adventure film Army of Darkness is now a wildly popular iPhone app aimed at conjuring up memorable movie sound bites for all you primitive screwheads one clip at a time. You don't have to shop at S-Mart to get the value here since this app is a total freebie.

Bust a nut on sixteen classic audio clips that are guaranteed to spice up mindless chatter around the office water cooler for at least nine minutes. Except for maybe two clips that totally blow. Slideshow mode is perfect for enjoying the quotes rapid fire along with full-screen images from the film. I have my own short list of favorites including this one;

 "I got news for you pal, you ain't leading but two things right now, jack and shit and Jack left town."

Army of Darkness Soundboard is a cult pleasing triumph over MGM's more forgettable iPhone titles like Rocky and Fargo to name a few. MGM Studios has latched onto a simple app concept that can be easily replicated. In this case the results were worth the effort.

What's missing here are cast details and movie factoids that would make the ride a tad more interesting. Even if it's not an epic show stopper, it's still one must-have app for the true AoD junkie. Did I already mention it's free? Hail to the King baby!

Rock Out With Your Disposable iPhone Dock Out!

Here's a slick little do-it-yourself paper iPhone dock designed to let anyone rock out with their dock out. It requires no mental gymnastics to make because industrial designer Julien Madérou has gone to great lengths to do all the thinking for you. The inclusion of the docking cable in this design delivered a considerable amount of tingling in my nerdy parts.

This unique iPhone dock is easy to construct, it's sturdy, environmentally friendly and perfectly disposable. Madérou has provided a nifty down-loadable template PDF for the extremely craft challenged like myself.

I really enjoyed seeing the "Making Of" steps on Madérou's blog, revealing his original drawings and prototype docks in mass. They looked like a discarded pile of robots awaiting meltdown. Great design doesn't have to be complicated. Nice work here Julien.

[Dessinemoiunobject Blog]  [video after break]

Kanye West Blogs Public Apology to Taylor Swift

 Kanye West grabs the microphone on stage from Taylor Swift and, right, with bottle and
 girlfriend Amber Rose.   Pictures: AP and Getty Images

Kanye West took to his personal blog Sunday night to issue a quick apology to country-pop sweetheart Taylor Swift for interrupting the singer's acceptance speech in front of the entire music industry at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Moments after Swift won the MTV VMA for best female video for "You Belong With Me," Kanye West, in a masterful ultra-douche move, hijacked Swift's moment of glory on stage by snatching her microphone and declaring that the award should have gone to Beyoncé for her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).

"I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said," Kanye wrote in his lame explanation that also included an apology to his fans for letting them down.