Now that Skype has added support for two-way video calling on the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and fourth-generation iPod touch over 3G cellular networks, Apple's FaceTime just doesn't seem as cool.
The competition just got tougher with Skype's 3.0 app update since you can finally video chat from anywhere without being limited by Wi-Fi.
Plus, when you create a video as slick as Skype has pimping their two-way iPhone video calling, the social advantage definitely goes to the wildly popular Skype-meisters. Brilliantly done!
Denver police arrested a man spotted on camera stealing from a home in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood on Tuesday. Claire Blevins, the woman whose home was targeted by the thief, uses the iPhone app iCam ($4.99) to keep an eye on her dog while she's away.
iCam lets you remotely monitor multiple live video feeds directly from your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad over WiFi, 3G and EDGE. The app even provides push notifications on your iPhone when motion is detected.
On Tuesday, when Claire Blevins checked in to see how her dog was doing using the iCam app, she witnessed a hooded creeper inside her home rummaging through the personal items in her bedroom. Denver Police called Blevins on Wednesday morning to inform her that they had a suspect in custody after a viewer called in a tip identifying the burglar from images seen in a 9News broadcast.
"[The detective] was like, 'I believe we have your perp in custody. He says he didn't take anything and that he just walked around and looked in your house.' And I said, 'Well that's interesting, because I have the feed of him stealing my iPad.'
The burglar also stole some other electronics including an iPod according to the woman, and several items from her housemate's room. Do you need a handy thief cam? There's an app for that.
Yes! Skype 3.0 has finally added the long awaited video calling feature set for iOS devices over 3G or WiFi. Calling to and from Skype desktop users (Mac OS X or Windows) is another addition to this update.
You'll also notice that iPhone video calls can be made in portrait or landscape mode and receive only video calls are supported on iPad devices with no camera. Which confirms that iPad 2 with cameras will be Skype ready for video calling as well.
My initial test drive of this updated app over 3G worked seamlessly. Let's all raise up a toast to Skype!
What's New in Version 3.0
• Make Skype to Skype video calls on WiFi and 3G* • Call Skype desktop users (Mac OS X or Windows) and other iPhone users. • Two-way video calls supported on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 4th gen. • Receive only video supported on iPad and iPod touch 3rd gen, with no camera. • Make video calls in portrait and landscape. • Skype video calling requires iOS 4.0 or above.
Download the updated version of Skype 3.0 from the iTunes store now.
A small countryside bakery in western Japan has stumbled onto a runaway hit with their handmade chocolate "iPhone cookie", a wildly popular creation complete with edible application icons.
The iCookie, which sells for a lucrative 2,730 yen ($US33), was first imagined by Green Gables in Tokushima in 2008. The bisquit was created as a special birthday present for a customer's husband, said Kumiko Kudo, the 44-year-old owner of the store.
Kumiko's iCookie gained nationwide attention after being posted on Twitter, thanks to pop singer Komi Hirose and economic writer Kazuyo Katsuma.
Since then Kudo has sold hundreds of her original iPhone-centric treats.
"It is totally surprising to have such a big reaction," she said. "At first, the cookie was made just to meet a friend's request and I had no intention of receiving additional orders."
If your hoping to get your hands on one of these limited edition iPhone cookies, you should know that they are only available inside Japan by special order. With waiting times for this tasty treat running as long as two months, you may actually have a better chance of snagging a great white iPhone 4 before you ever snap up an iCookie.
I'm thinking of baking up a few knock-offs of my own at home and calling it good.
Last year the sausage stylus was all the rage in Korea. The make-shift meat stylus was used to troll around iPhone without needing to remove your gloves in the winter chill.
This year, those sausage fingers have been replaced by a fantastical new iPhone utility app called NoseDial ($.99). All your contacts, along with corresponding photos show up on your home screen as individual buttons that can be easily accessed with your nose. Will nose dialing become a trendy new iPhone fad?
Once the app is launced, tilt your phone left to go forward in your contacts and right to go back. Press your nose against any contact and let the epic nose dialing session begin. The app automatically goes into a visible sleep mode so you can avoid sliding-to-unlock with your hairy man-schnoz. Just double nose tap to re-launch the app from sleep mode.
The NosedDial app lets you choose six different contact backgrounds with the ability to add 1 to 16 contacts per page. But be warned that 16 contacts per page is considered a specialist nose dialer.
NoseDial is either the most brilliant iPhone app ever imagined, or it's destined to become an instant novelty app that will be forgotten in the scrap pile. Are you a closet nose dialer just waiting come out?
DigiTimes reports that Apple will ship 20-21 million iPhones in Q1 2011 which includes 14-15 GSM phones along with 5-6 million CDMA phones according to sources. Apple raised their global shipment goal from 19 million.
The report backs up earlier rumors that hinted at a first-quarter 2011 launch of a Verizon iPhone. The DigiTimes report also cites both North America and Asia Pacicific in Apple's launch plans, verifying that carriers other than Verizon will be getting the new CDMA iPhone next year.
"The shipment goal for CDMA iPhones, which will be launched in North America and Asia Pacific in the first quarter, is set at 5-6 million units, the sources added." Source - DigiTimes
The Taiwan-based publication also reported that "Foxconn and Pegatron Technology have equally shared the production volume for the CDMA version," iPhone. It's interesting that Apple has delayed the launch of the great white iPhone 4 until Spring of 2011, which could mean that ol' whitie will be included in the highly anticipated Verizon iPhone debut.
A Verizon iPhone launch in early 2011 appears imminent for the hopeful throngs of faithful awaiting an official strike date yet to be announced by Apple.
NEW YORK - Apple dethroned Microsoft as the world's most valuable technology company in 2010 as its co-founder Steve Jobs soared to new heights with the touchscreen iPad tablet computer and the latest iPhone.
Britain'sFinancial Times last week named Jobs its "Person of the Year" and even US President Barack Obama joined in the plaudits to the 55-year-old chief executive of the Cupertino, California-based gadget-maker.
Jobs' appearance on a San Francisco stage in January to unveil the iPad capped what the FT called "the most remarkable comeback in modern business history."
"It wasn't simply a matter of the illness that had sidelined him for half the year before, leaving him severely emaciated and eventually requiring a liver transplant," the newspaper said.
"Little more than a decade earlier, both Mr. Jobs' career and Apple, the company he had co-founded, were widely considered washed up, their relevance to the future of technology written off," it said.
Obama, at a White House news conference on Wednesday, held up Jobs as an example of the virtues of the "free market."
"We celebrate somebody like a Steve Jobs, who has created two or three different revolutionary products," Obama said. "We expect that person to be rich, and that's a good thing."
Apple sent out a little family holiday greeting this year with "Under The Covers", an iPhone 4 FaceTime commercial that's cuter than a box of Christmas kittens (below).
The ad is perfectly in sync with the iPhone 4 window display (pictured above) at Apple retail stores this year featuring Santa Claus himself delivering a video chat to girls and boys around the world. Even Mrs. Claus makes a guest appearance
Merry Christmas to all... and to all a good night.
Let's face it, your BlackBerry will never be half as stylish as an iPhone even if you do dress it up in tiny denim clothing and take it out for long walks in the park.
Although this little jacket is listed as uni-brand, an iPhone would never be caught dead playing dress-up to fit in with the cool kids.
iPhone is already the coolest smartphone on the block without needing the handmade wardrobe.
Expect to pay $9 for your choice of a cute CrackBerry denim jacket, a onesy dress or pair of designer denim shorts. Personal feelings of shame and remorse come free upon delivery.
Apple's legal eagles have moved against a Canadian eBay seller of the now rare Steve Jobs figurine selling for $1,125 on eBay. Shortly after the item was sold, eBay allegedly canceled the listing according to reports.
We first broke the story on December 16th, citing sellers listing little Steve Jobs on eBay for upwards of $2,500, which immediately caused an eBay listing frenzy for the item by several owners of the Hong Kong made figurine.
A note from eBay made it clear that the auction giant had removed the listing due to a direct complaint received from Apple. The object for sale "violates a celebrity's right of publicity." according to eBay.
"Your item was removed because of a request we received from Apple, Inc., a member of our Verified Rights Owner Program (VeRO), asking us to remove the item for: Item(s) violates a celebrity's right of publicity."
Several Steve Jobs figurines listed for sale on eBay have now been removed in what appears to be a global sweep of the ultra-rare Jobsian collectible on the wildly popular auction website.
A newer "Buy It Now" eBay listing on Dec. 21, made it clear; "APPLE HAD ALL STEVE JOBS ACTION FIGURE AUCTIONS REMOVED! BUY IT NOW SO YOU CAN GET ONE! HURRY! NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS AUCTION WILL RUN A FULL DAY!"
While there is no official word from Apple on this grand buffoonery, eBay sellers should take the action as fair warning that the likeness of Steve Jobs will not be sold at any price. Christmas is officially cancelled. Bah! Humbug!
