Archive for September, 2009
CoPilot Live navigates to more features
September 30th, 2009 | 
Author: Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review
Other new features include adding an iPhone-standard keyboard for entering destinations, instead of the one designed for the app (which was clunky). The maps have been updated, and the developer says there is better integration of the address book from the iPhone.
I took CoPilot for a drive. It acquired the GPS signal quickly and I was on my way. It looks like the POI database has been improved, and the text to speech worked as anticipated. It is a great addition, and even the TomTom still doesn't have that feature. Navigon and AT&T both have text to speech in their offerings.
I still find that the maps are way below the quality of every other navigator I have tested. Driving home it couldn't find my street so it just put me on some nearby street. That could be misleading to a driver at best, and dangerous at worse.
The developers say the maps will continue to improve, but maps are what navigation is all about and they need to be up to date. I've talked to some users of this software, and they say their region is very accurate, so it depends where you are.
At a fraction of the cost of the 'big boys' and with text to speech, CoPilot Live is becoming a very competitive driving companion.
User ratings continue to improve, and I think it is very worthwhile at the low cost (if the map coverage in your area is adequate). If you have your own experiences to share, we'd love to hear from you.
TUAWCoPilot Live navigates to more features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Posted in 
CoPilot Live navigates to more features
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review
Other new features include adding an iPhone-standard keyboard for entering destinations, instead of the one designed for the app (which was clunky). The maps have been updated, and the developer says there is better integration of the address book from the iPhone.
I took CoPilot for a drive. It acquired the GPS signal quickly and I was on my way. It looks like the POI database has been improved, and the text to speech worked as anticipated. It is a great addition, and even the TomTom still doesn't have that feature. Navigon and AT&T both have text to speech in their offerings.
I still find that the maps are way below the quality of every other navigator I have tested. Driving home it couldn't find my street so it just put me on some nearby street. That could be misleading to a driver at best, and dangerous at worse.
The developers say the maps will continue to improve, but maps are what navigation is all about and they need to be up to date. I've talked to some users of this software, and they say their region is very accurate, so it depends where you are.
At a fraction of the cost of the 'big boys' and with text to speech, CoPilot Live is becoming a very competitive driving companion.
User ratings continue to improve, and I think it is very worthwhile at the low cost (if the map coverage in your area is adequate). If you have your own experiences to share, we'd love to hear from you.
TUAWCoPilot Live navigates to more features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Huddle adds collaboration features, iPhone app - CNET News
 VentureBeat | Huddle adds collaboration features, iPhone app CNET News Online collaboration service Huddle announced the addition of Web conferencing, an iPhone app, and a Microsoft Office plug-in to its ... Huddle Launches iPhone App, Microsoft Office Plug-In And Web ...TechCrunch (blog) Collaboration startup Huddle takes on WebEx with web conferencing ...VentureBeat Huddle Launches iPhone App, Web Conferencing and Office IntegrationPR Newswire (press release) ComputerWeekly.com -The Next Web all 15 news articles » |
Using Skype to battle cell phone dead zones
Filed under: Tips and tricks, iPhone, App Store
Is the cell coverage in your area not up to par? Whether you happen to have steel walls or live where there are no cell phone towers or trees cleverly disguised as cell phone towers, some of us must deal with the reality that, while we own arguably the most innovative gadget in recent years in the iPhone, we may not have had the best carrier to accompany it. One way to address this "bag of hurt" is through the Skype [iTunes link] app.
If you don't already have the Skype app, download it -- it's a free download in the App Store. Next, you'll need to make sure that Skype stays online when the screen is locked. This is accessible via the Skype app preferences within the iPhone's main settings page. After this is enabled, the Skype app continues to run in the background and maintains a Wi-Fi connection even after the sleep/awake button is pushed -- or if it's set to automatically lock after a given time interval. Second, because Skype requires a Wi-Fi connection to make and receive calls, you'll also want to make sure that whatever cell phone dead zone you're at also happens to have a Wi-Fi connection.
This workaround obviously isn't without its weaknesses. Assuming that most of those calling you would prefer dialing a phone number instead of your Skype user name, you'll likely need a separate phone number. One option is SkypeIn, which marries Skype to a real phone number. The service costs $18 for three months or $60 for a whole year. And if you happen to have a Google Voice phone number, directing your calls to your SkypeIn number is an option. Alternatively, you could forward all of your iPhone calls to said Skype number whenever you anticipate a cell phone dead zone -- say, before you enter your house, if you have bad reception there. This is accessible via the Phone preferences within the iPhone's main settings page. Doing this, you won't have to give out multiple numbers to your friends and family.
One of the other drawbacks of this alternative is that while an audible indicator (a ringing noise) is present when you're receiving a call, a visual one isn't. In other words, you may need some cat-like ears to know when you're receiving a call.
A seamless solution this is not, but it nonetheless provides a possible workaround until more cell towers are built in your area, or until a push-based solution is available for Skype.
Readers, tell us what you're doing to remedy cell reception issues. Be it a do-it-yourself tin can signal booster or anything else, let us know what's worked for you.
TUAWUsing Skype to battle cell phone dead zones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Using Skype to battle cell phone dead zones
Filed under: Tips and tricks, iPhone, App Store
Is the cell coverage in your area not up to par? Whether you happen to have steel walls or live where there are no cell phone towers or trees cleverly disguised as cell phone towers, some of us must deal with the reality that, while we own arguably the most innovative gadget in recent years in the iPhone, we may not have had the best carrier to accompany it. One way to address this "bag of hurt" is through the Skype [iTunes link] app.
If you don't already have the Skype app, download it -- it's a free download in the App Store. Next, you'll need to make sure that Skype stays online when the screen is locked. This is accessible via the Skype app preferences within the iPhone's main settings page. After this is enabled, the Skype app continues to run in the background and maintains a Wi-Fi connection even after the sleep/awake button is pushed -- or if it's set to automatically lock after a given time interval. Second, because Skype requires a Wi-Fi connection to make and receive calls, you'll also want to make sure that whatever cell phone dead zone you're at also happens to have a Wi-Fi connection.
This workaround obviously isn't without its weaknesses. Assuming that most of those calling you would prefer dialing a phone number instead of your Skype user name, you'll likely need a separate phone number. One option is SkypeIn, which marries Skype to a real phone number. The service costs $18 for three months or $60 for a whole year. And if you happen to have a Google Voice phone number, directing your calls to your SkypeIn number is an option. Alternatively, you could forward all of your iPhone calls to said Skype number whenever you anticipate a cell phone dead zone -- say, before you enter your house, if you have bad reception there. This is accessible via the Phone preferences within the iPhone's main settings page. Doing this, you won't have to give out multiple numbers to your friends and family.
One of the other drawbacks of this alternative is that while an audible indicator (a ringing noise) is present when you're receiving a call, a visual one isn't. In other words, you may need some cat-like ears to know when you're receiving a call.
A seamless solution this is not, but it nonetheless provides a possible workaround until more cell towers are built in your area, or until a push-based solution is available for Skype.
Readers, tell us what you're doing to remedy cell reception issues. Be it a do-it-yourself tin can signal booster or anything else, let us know what's worked for you.
TUAWUsing Skype to battle cell phone dead zones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Game On: Apple iPhone and Sony PSP Fight to the Death - PC World
 Cult of Mac (blog) | Game On: Apple iPhone and Sony PSP Fight to the Death PC World Everybody seems to have an opinion about the iPhone's chances against popular portable game systems Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. Sure, we know the iPhone is ... On iPhones and Game Data Back-ups: Restore Data With MobileSyncBrowserCult of Mac (blog) Sony Upping Its Game Vs. Nintendo — And AppleInvestor's Business Daily all 3 news articles » |
Dropbox Brings Cloud Storage Within iPhone’s Reach - Wired News
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iPhone Ad Market Share Surges To 40 Percent - InformationWeek
 Electronista (blog) | iPhone Ad Market Share Surges To 40 Percent InformationWeek It doesn't mean that the iPhone represents 40% of all smartphones that are actually in the market. That said, the trends paint the real picture here. ... Apple's iPhone OS takes 40 percent of Web market share - studyApple Insider IPhone, Android Boost Mobile Web UsagePC World AdMob: iPhone OS Grabs 40% of Worldwide Smartphone Ad Request ShareMac Rumors GigaOm (blog) -The Business Insider -MacDailyNews all 20 news articles » |
If 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right?
Filed under: iPhone
No, in this particular case the Genius told our hapless iPhone owner that he should count himself lucky, as Apple's baseline stat for dropped calls in NYC is a blistering thirty percent. Yes, almost one in three calls on an iPhone in the Big Apple will end with frustration, and that's just OK with everyone.
Well, not with us. Combined with the "five bars, no calls" dead zones and mysterious "call failed" issues, it must be said: this phone is not getting it done when it comes to the whole phone thing, at least on AT&T's network in the city that never sleeps. Or, for that matter, makes an uninterrupted cell call.
[via Engadget]
TUAWIf 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Is The Palm Pre Tanking? [Palm]
Palm says that they sold about 810,000 Palm Pre units. However, that figure may be bogus, according to analyst David Eller. He says that this includes all units sold to resellers, not only activated Pres. This may spell t-r-o-u-b-l-e:
We have been perplexed by a disconnect between PALM's device units sold and our estimates of store level sell through. According to PALM's reported sell through, inventory increased by 13k units and since the ‘vast majority' of both the device units shipped and the device units sold were units of the Pre, there couldn't be an inventory problem. The gap between the two is only 13k.
However, since the company recognizes revenue on sell in to the channel and the company defines device units sold as units that have been shipped from Sprint (their primary customer) to either customers or second tier distributors, PALM could offer investors a high number of units shipped but still have a glut of inventory in the channel. We believe that channel inventory is currently about 11 weeks, which we believe will pressure reorder rates and make it more difficult to sell high ASP products going forward.
Eleven weeks of inventory in the channel is an staggering number. If true, that may explain the fast price cuts by resellers: First a $50 discount to $150 with a rebate, then slashed to $100 in Amazon, and then the all-mighty Walmart cutting it to a ridiculous $80.
It will also explain Sprint CEO Dan Hesse's less than enthusiastic comments about the Palm Pre, when he admitted in a Charlie Rose interview that the Pre couldn't play in the same league as the iPhone, "the Michael Jordan" of smartphones.
Eller notes that the investors are not aware of this: "We polled several of the investors who attended the Boston road show lunch and each was under the impression that sell through translated into customer activations. How can this be?"
Palm, however, claims that their number are clear. Talking to Digital Daily's John Paczkowski, they had this to say:
The sell-through data we post reflects carriers' sales to their customers. For example, Sprint customers include consumers who buy in a Sprint store, and Sprint retail partners such as Best Buy and RadioShack. We rely on our wireless carriers to provide us with sell-through data, and we note this fact in our 10Q.
So, is the Palm Pre tanking or not? Is it meeting the company's expectations at all? Could this be connected to the rumors about Verizon ditching the Pre? Only time will tell. [Digital Daily]