App Store hands-on, notable apps
By Ryan Block 
posted Jul 10th 2008 7:15AM
posted Jul 10th 2008 7:15AM
Already users can start downloading their programs (which are downloaded to their /Users/[user]/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/ directory as .ipa files), but you can't do anything with them until you get the 2.0 firmware (or an iPhone 3G).
So far everything is really smooth and easy to use, although it's easy to tell that the enormous amount of applications that will be available in the coming months (and years) will become a difficult thing to trudge through. It's a high-class problem for Apple, but hopefully it won't be too overwhelming to find something good if you don't know exactly what you're looking for.
We'll be keeping tally of some of the more noteworthy launch apps, although many we've already seen, and we're updating as we go. Take a look at a few after the break!
AIM -- We're excited about this, though the fact you can't turn off the sounds, coupled with the non-live message reception puts a little damper on the proceedings. We're hoping this gets a bit more exciting when Apple's push servers come online.
Google Mobile -- "a great place to start your search"
Twitterrific -- Finally, a legit, standalone Twitter client. We're finding it to be quite buggy and slow, however -- which seems to be a growing trend with apps we're testing out.
Bomberman Touch -- We love Bomberman, and we'll take him in any form we can get him.
Epocrates Rx -- An app to help identify "mystery pills" you might find. Very helpful, except that you've got to create an account to use the software, which is quite annoying.
NY Times -- We want to like this, but it seems a bit top heavy. Loading up the front page took longer than it should have over WiFi. We could see this being a useful source of news if you've got the patience for it. A dedicated RSS reader will probably get you further though.
NYC Subways -- This is a great idea, unfortunately it only provides scrollable images -- no zooming or deeper info. We'd like to see an update to this ASAP. Still, it's nice if you need to take a quick look for a train. There are quite a few options on the store for apps of this nature -- CityTransit and the more expensive iTrans NYC both look like viable options.
appstore is a joke.. 95% are junk.. makes you wonder how apple chose who to accept to this 'limited' beta program for iphone development.
So 95% are Junk cause you said so, lol, well some of them are but they really have some really cool apps, i just like how ebay & paypal have they own apps the rest i could care less for now, Loopt is really cool too.
Umm I have to agree that the majority of apps here are crap or over priced. Of course this is a pretty biased opinion because I don't do a lot of traveling or blogging. For those that are business savvy or into all of the social networking sites (twitter etc.) I would think they would find a lot more of the apps useful. I don't thing 95% crap though. Crap might not be describing its usefulness, but rather how well they are designed. I also wonder how they will sort all this out when a ton of apps hit the scene in the next few months. There are like 5 voice recorders ranging from free to $9.99, many similar card games, some with amazing design and graphics, while the others are horribly designed and look just...uggghh, i guess is the best way to describe them. Theres definately no shortage of sudoku or mahjong (spelling?). I looked through them all and very few meet the quality standard you would expect for an iPhone game. I'm still waiting for some reviews to come in on the more expensive games. like Super Monkey Ball, Bomberman, or Enigmo.
I'm pretty excited to try out the Texas Holdem game and Pandora. Some other noteworthy apps (i'm a musician) are Karazan, which has theory and ear training exercises, and GuitarToolkit, which has a guitar tuner, metronome, and chord charts built in.
I played the original iPhone "Trism" demo a lot too and its a great idea, well designed and addicting.
Sweet Jesus. Grow up, children.
Does anyone know if there's a Flash player for it?
@Steffen Jobbs: Are you kidding me? Really. It's an apple store for Apple mobile devices(that's: iPhone or iPod Touch).
I hope I have enlightened you ;)
In case you're not just being sarcastic, these Apps will not work on an N96.
Juice - Adobe was not able to make Flash available for two reasons. The first, is that Apple prohibits making any browser with plugins. The second, is that the iPhone processor is not nearly fast enough to run multiple flash ads on a page, so without an adblock, it would be too much of a resource hog.
What about the iTunes store? Out of the millions of songs on there, I probably listen to less to less than 1% of them. That doesn't classify the rest of the music as 'junk'.
@Steffen
No problem, just go to the scores of sites selling or giving away S60 applications that aren't vetted by Apple and offer competitive pricing because there's more than one distribution channel.
Problem solved.
@Ryan.
If they're overpriced, Don't but them.
Its thats simple.
to be fair, I would say a great majority of WinMo apps aren't very good. but this quote: "Finally, a legit, standalone Twitter client. We're finding it to be quite buggy and slow, however -- which seems to be a growing trend with apps we're testing out." just shows that the iPhone apps aren't really superior to those for WinMo.
so fanboys on both sides, chill.
i actually never used a winmo phone so im not a 'fanboy' and i have been working on iphone apps since toolchain was released.
i was just surprised by the junk in the app store. i was expecting a lot of great apps, but only saw a handful.. and there are some nice games, but very unoriginal. every 3d game is the same as the last with different graphics, who cares if you drive a mario cart, crash bandicoot cart, motorcycle, or a monkey in a ball.. those games are almost clones of each other with a few different graphics.
and almost all "puzzle" games are the same aswell..
not trying to flame.. i just figured 6 months and alot of startup $ could have spawned alot better stuff than this.
I like the sea of apps, but I don't like that the app closes when you press home.
All they need is alt-tab and it's the ultimate phone.
The home button works like the "smart minimize" feature in Windows Mobile, it keeps the app running, but closes it if the device is low on RAM. That said, I would appreciate an improvement in multi-tasking.
@ r3loaded:
wrong my friend. it completely closes the application. not minimize but fully terminated. thus the notification system to receive info the developer decided to push out
question about that, do your safari tabs all close?!?
Safari will save the current tabs before it quits, and restores them when it opens again.
Hey,
Great work on breaking the news of the store, unfortunately I got halfway home before I realised 2.0 hadn't been released at the same time. Any idea as to when we'll see reviews of launch apps, ie, Super Monkey Ball?
Thanks
Wow great another release by apple when the open source community is already way ahead of what is released. Joys of paying for what you can just jailbreak and get for free :)
Does anyone know if you can buy the App for your iPhone now and then install it again on the iPhone 3g when you get it?
You sure can, here's the link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewRoom?fcId=285119007&id=25204&mt=8
Holy shit, did y'all see the Pandora app!!!
I love pandora :->
I was just about to post this!
By far the most exciting thing for me. Ever since PandoraJam has stopped working for me I've been waiting for an iphone/touch app!
PANDORA!!!!
Yep is nice but the AOL radio one is Nice too, mean Free XM radio on the go
iTunes link to it:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284035177&mt=8
Sadly, you can't get the Pandora app in Canada. Just like you can't even get the real PC software to work here... *sigh
I also can't seem to find Google Mobile on it, so I'm assuming that for some reason we don't get that up north either.
Too bad the 3G iPhone didn't quite excite me as I was hoping. All this Mobile Me stuff, the App Store, new iTunes, etc...all of it looks cool. But it doesn't amount to much if you're not happy with the phone and unfortunately the way they've designed this new 3G phone doesn't suit my tastes.
Hi, I'm from Apple product development. Please list a detailed spec sheet for the phone you want us to build for you, and we'll get right on it.
Can I put in a request too? MMS and video recording. These 2 are basic things just about every phone in world wide has. Ever since I bought my iPhone, I've felt a little cut off from alot of my friends. They know what a pain www.viewmymessage.com with its cryptic message IDs and passwords is and have stopped sending me the pics when they're abroad and see something of interest. :(
does anyone have any idea/heard any rumors about when v2.0 will be available so we can actually start running these apps?
Zintin is one of the (30) new social networking apps, apparently its the only one that lets you discover and learn about the people around you as well as see if your friends are nearby. http://www.zintin.com/blog/2008/07/zintin-is-now-on-the-iphone-app-store/
And I am sure you are in no way affiliated with it....
Ok,
Help me out here:
itunes 7.7 is available. iPhone SDK (which must have the iPhone 2.0 firmware in it) is available.
I know how to option click on the check for updates to force opening a firmware update from a local folder.
WHERE is the iPhone 2.0 firmware within /Developer ? - why can't we get iPhone 2.0 today and start playing with apps?
perhaps the new firmware will be released on par with the 3g model tomorrow. makes sense
Melodis is one of the best so far I see (free)
actually its called Midomi (from Melodis)
Here is the app store link for zintin (above) http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284259489&mt=8
ePocrates! The new iPhone shall be mine!
How exactly can i see all the available applications at once? Because the only way that i see to even get to the app store is to search for something specific.
see how there is like a folder tree near the top? Say you searched for "AIM". It has a home symbol-->App Store-->Social Networking-->AIM. Just click App Store and you can see all of the categories and the main app page.
When you're at an application, look at the top of the screen. There's Home-->App Store-->Application buttons. Click the App Store one.
Forgive me for sounding stupid, but I can't find the Google Mobile App in the store! Has it been taken down or something?
Heres the Link http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284815942&mt=8 I just typed "Google" in the search bar
"The item you've requested is currently not available in the UK Store"
Darn Apple, and their geographical market-splitting. Installer.app never refused to install anything just because I was in the UK :P:P
NO! Why must we suffer for living in the UK, I want google mobile app!
fuck, not available in the Canadian store either... after I sat through the stupid upgrade install!
Google Mobile App version 0. L.33T
lol, good catch
0.1.337
quick question. how much do you end up spending in total (per year) in order to use your iPhone for real.
- Contract costs (reasonable contract please, with flat rate so on (not 1gb limit, more than that)
- mobile me subscription
- throw some itunes songs/vids whatever in (just to get some idea)
- AppStore (I know it's free, but let's assume the really cool tools cost money and you want at least 10 of them)
and finally, is it worth it compared to WinMo (I assume this would be the one to compare it with?!)
*this is a serious question and I would like a serious answer*
Disclaimer: I am not an Apple fanboy, nor a WinMo fanboy or any other fanboy. I own a SE W810i (2 years now) and I am just curious about the cost/benefit analysis...
For my current iPhone plan: $40 for 450 anytime minutes (includes unlimited mobile to mobile within at&t and also 5000 nights and weekend minutes - which is plenty for me - the only people I ever really call us at&t), $20 for unlimited data, and finally $20 for unlimited texting. All in all it ends up being around $90 dollars a month for me after taxes.
Personally MobileMe isn't really worth the however much it is a year simply because I don't really need any of the services it offers. Sure it would be cool to have sometimes and if I did have it then it might completely save me every now and then, but to be honest, what's the point?
How much music you buy really depends on how much you actually listen to. I usually buy a CD (most of the time not on iTunes unless I can't find what I'm looking for at my local music store) every week. But like I said, everyone is different.
It seems like the majority of things in the itunes store that aren't free also aren't over 10 bucks or so. So say you bought 12 a year that'd be 10 bucks a month.
I've honestly never owned a WinMo device myself but I know a lot of friends that do and they seem at least content with it (by that I mean they don't complain about it but I don't really ever hear them say that they love it either...)
So say you wanted a 16 gig iPhone 3G. That'd be 300 bucks if you're eligable for the subsidized price. Then 100 bucks a month for the contract (remember the unlimited data plan for the iPhone 3G is 10 dollars more than the current iPhone a month - this also includes 20 bucks for unlimited texting - if that isn't you're thing then subtract 20 bucks a month), and say you buy a CD every month for 12 bucks, and also a App Store app for 10 dollars once a month. Over a period of 2 years you're looking at about 300 for the phone, 2400 for a contract (1920 if you don't want unlimited texting) , 288 for music, 240 for AppStore purchases, if you throw in a MobileMe subscription for 2 years that's another 200 dollars. So you're looking at a total of roughly 3500 (or 3000 without the texting plan) dollars for the phone for 2 years.
To me it's worth it, but of course that's only my opinion, you're the one buying the phone.
I could get a cheapo motorcycle for that price!
Its a shame the Google mobile app is not available on the store in the UK.
Are the apps all country specific??
any idea when i can buy the iphone 3g software upgrade for my ipod touch?
the main question is when do we get the 2.0 software to actually play with these apps!?
No one has mentioned that the support for iPhone 3G is now live. Activation, anyway.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1937
List all the games please
phaa!! really? oh that was funny...
How much are they charging for Twitterific? I'm @ the J-O, no permissions to install iTunes. I wonder which I'll end up using more, that or Twinkle.
There is a free version of Twitterific and also a $9.99 premium (read: non-ad supported) version.
Been thinking about registering Twitterrific for a while now-- I might bite the bullet and get the paid version for the iPhone. Setting aside the fact that the actual Twitter service goes down more than a drunk hooker on roller skates, 'rrific makes the service not just easy to use, but convenient.
Of course until Twitter manages a full work week of uptime with no Fail Whale, I'll probably stick with the free version.
The apps are quite nice. If you are part of the beta program and have the 2.0 beta software you can install the Apps from the App Store on the iPhone itself. There seems to still be some issues with transferring the apps over to iTunes (I could only get AIM to transfer over) so I'm sticking with installing through the phone for now.
Well i hardly think its apple saying that the google app is USA only ..
we don't have it in germany either ..
I guess its like with music / tv / film stuff the companies can decide where to release something ..
with Apps like that i think its stoopid as much as i think as it is with music / tv shows and movies .. and yeah i know licensee stuff ..
i work in music and still think its crap ..
we want it all everywhere ! :)
you should check out stagehand on the app store. it allows you to
control your keynote (sorry no powerpoint) presentations using your
iphone/ipod touch. it cost $8 but well worth it.
What if you bought that last upgrade?! I don't want to pay again, and shouldn't!
once you start downloading a bunch of apps they sit in the applications sections of itunes but theres no way of telling what they are. ive downloaded 8 free programs so far. cant remember what half of them do
Umm... I don't understand this. Every other smartphone has had this kind of "AppStore" like hundred years. I believe it's called "The Internets". You can find several thousand apps/games from "The Internets" and they are all 100% free. Even those that cost money.
The Internets are to be encrypted :-)
is it just that time again? When there are 6 Apple stories in a row?
Where the &$%! is Spore?!?
Dude, I was speaking with someone from ATT last night, he told me that If you use AIM/MSN/Yahoo messenger. It will be charged as a text, instead of using the cot damn unlimited data plan you have to get with the iphone. What nonsense is that. first they take away the 200 free texts, then charge awkwardly. this is going to bite att in the ass very soon.
They may have been referring to how AIM and such works on other phones. I know with my old phone, if I use AIM, it goes back and forth via text message.
There's no reason to assume it's the same on the iPhone. You know that half the time the AT&T (and even Apple store) reps are not as knowledgeable as us fanboys who spend all day on Engadget.
What about GTalk/GChat? Is it supported by the AIM client?
Well They explained it as Gtalk goes thru the web, hence data. I find this to be bullshit because Ive downloaded the gtalk app on my blackberry and have been using it for a while now. Work would have told me if i racked up a 1000 text messages.
On a blackberry and BB Messenger & GTalk both use data, while AIM and Y! Messenger use SMS. That's why I never sign on AIM or Y! on my BlackBerry Curve. I'm pretty excited to get the iPhone 3G tomorrow, but having to give up BB Messenger is my biggest regret. Wish BB could develop an App for that!!
Great... by the time I get off work today the App store will have crashed. lol
I don't see the app store anywhere. Am I missing something?
the eBay, google and pandora apps (and probably others) aren't available in the UK store. However, I got them by using my US iTunes store account (buy a US iTunes gift card on eBay and create an account).
But the thing is if you use them in the UK they probably wont allow you to search or work on the EbayUK site.
Maybe.. we'll have to wait and see. It may just be an app licensing thing.
if you get a code to redeem some free tunes from here...
http://www.tunecore.com/freealbum
you can create a new iTunes account based in the US. just make sure you log out of your existing non-US one first.
I love apples. But I don't see the point in the iPhone. The iphone looks just like an Dell Axim x50v but with telephone ability.
I think that I will wait until Apple brings out a proper new release of this phone. Probably September.
No more Dell Axim clones please Steve, Innovate !!
any cool apps?
To :Steffen Jobbs
Oh i see what your problem is. You have to set it a fire while cramming it up your anus, as phanbuoy or whatever is name is.
Sorry if this question is already answered on the app store, but will the AOL instant messenger service only go through using texts, or will is use data (ie; if im using it through wifi, will it charge me?)
Strange - I can't find an APPS menu in my updated iTunes. Nor does 'check for update' find any software for my iPod touch. Me thinks this isn't universally available as yet.
Open up preferences and check off the "Applications" box. Then you'll see it on the left of your screen.
No Google app in Canada either. Boo.
I really hope we see variations of apps like Pidgin and VLC in the App Store. I mean, AIM is fine, but Pidgin would be even better.
Still waiting for a decent mail app...
Ssh?
VNC?
Wifi Hotspot/Jaikuspot type app?
ok, so I went through every single one of the apps on the store. IMO, the store's application selection is incredibly weak. A lot of the apps are garbage -- I just don't see any ROI for some of these applications that charge a fee. I am an Apple fan btw. Thoughts?
One thing that sucks is there are no demos.
Favorater for iPhone FTW...Finally speed dialing with pictures!
how's the facebook app?
WOW the iStore what an awesome idea, too bad Handango came up with it 10 years ago.
I put up with no cut and paste, I put up with no MMS, I put up with no freakin video. I put up with all of these things despite it being so easy for Apple's programers to include it in the phone. I put up with not having any of these things both on the old iphone and the new. But now, with aGPS and a 3g network a reality, you, Apple, decide to cripple the damn phone by not having a TURN BY TURN DIRECTION GPS, NOR SLINGBOX available in the app store!!! TomTom and Sling have compatible programs for pete's sake! This is one Apple fanboy saying, "Go fuck yourself Apple!!! Go fuck yourself!!!"
Lighten up, Francis.
Is there a theme app? I don't wanna give up my themes from firmware 1.1.4 : (
It appears that with the AIM app you can receive alerts from incoming messages if the AIM app is open and a conversation is up when you put the phone into sleep mode. It definitely needs some work though.
Also has anyone seen any MMS apps yet? This is getting really stupid at this point that there is no MMS or video. People always ask me how is it that I spent so much money on a phone that doesn't even include features that their phones have that they got for free... I never know what to say.