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Apple pulls VLC from the iTunes store
Looks like VLC's role as champion of open-source legal rights is no more -- rather than lawyer up, Apple's taken the easy way out, and simply removed the VLC media player from the App Store. Rémi Denis-Courmont -- the VideoLAN developer who originally sued to have it removed -- reports that an Apple attorney informed him that the company had complied with his takedown request, and pulled the app accordingly, which likely puts the kibosh on other potential VLC ports as well. If you think about it, the open-source community may have just planted the first brick in a walled garden of its own.
From the makers of Game Dev Story: 'The Game Dealer' retail sim
There's a good chance that some of you reading this are currently employed by game retailers, so we're going to describe Waiwai! The Game Dealer, a new game from Kairosoft (maker of Game Dev Story), without spinning any heads. In The Game Dealer, you assume the role of a game store boss who must manage employees and please customers, all the while balancing a stock portfolio of game development studios. Unlike real life game retail jobs, you'll apparently be able to offer customers food, Touch Arcade reports -- perhaps a "shoo mallrats away from free food" minigame is on the books? TGD is only available in the Japanese App Store as of right now and no official confirmation has been given of intentions to localize the game. That said, with the success of Game Dev Story and the forthcoming Game Dev Story 2 already planned, we'd be surprised if the game didn't arrive Stateside at some point. And that's when the existential crisis begins: playing a game about managing a retail game store while working at a retail game store.%Gallery-112465%
News Corp's 'The Daily' pub to hit iPad in January?
We heard News Corp's "iPad newspaper" The Daily was on track for release in early 2011, but AllThingsD is hearing something more specific -- week of January 17th, in fact, with the caveat that the launch plans have "moved around a couple of times in the past few months." From what we've gathered previously, The Daily will be published daily (surprise, surprise) and cost 99 cents per week (about $4.25 per month) and might leverage a new App Store subscription payment system that could be announced at an Apple event. So... nothing definitive, really. Got that? Good.
Word Lens augmented reality app instantly translates whatever you point it at
Augmented reality and optical character recognition have just come into their own, beautifully intertwined into an instant translation app for the iPhone. Download Word Lens, pay $4.99 for a language pack, then point it at a sign and watch as it replaces every word with one in your native tongue. It's a little bit like Pleco, but without the whole language learning stuff. We just gave it a spin, and while it's not quite as accurate as this video claims, it's still breathtaking to behold -- especially as it doesn't require an internet connection to do any lookup. Sadly, it only translates to and from English and Spanish for now. Still, Babelfish, eat your heart out. Update: Looks like it only works on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and the latest iPod touch for now.
Bing 2.0 brings better Facebook integration and the impressive Streetside to iPhone (video)
Microsoft just released -- or should we say, Apple just approved -- version 2.0 of the Bing search app for iOS devices. In addition to several other new features including integrated Facebook Likes on search results (really!?) and in-app checkins to Facebook and Foursquare, Bing now comes packing Streetside, something that first blew us away as Street Slide when it was still in the labs at Microsoft Research. Unlike Google's Streetview that requires a lot of forward- and back-clicking and turning in order to get a feel for a location, Streetslide provides a more comprehensive view of the shops and businesses in an area by letting you strafe down the sidewalk while zooming in and out of the buildings located on each side of the street. We took it for a brief spin (literally) and came away impressed. You won't find Streetside implemented for all locations yet (for example, San Francisco's Make-out Room was found on Streetside but the Slanted Door restaurant wasn't) but they do seem to have large swaths of major cities covered based on our brief testing of Chicago, Seattle, New York, and San Francisco. Sorry, nothing yet in London and Amsterdam but maybe you'll have better success searching your own neighborhoods. See the full list of what's new after the break in addition to a Streetside demo from Bing's architect Blaise Aguera y Arcas -- unfortunately, we're not seeing the impressive Panaroma feature he mentions in this release. Update: We've been told that Facebook Likes, like Panaroma, like totally didn't make it into the app release. It's a web search results feature only for the time being.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light exploring iDevices tomorrow
New Zealand's iTunes App Store revealed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad well before the game's official announcement in North America -- a tweet from Crystal Dynamic's global brand director Karl Stewart soon after confirmed its veracity. The game will arrive tomorrow for $6.99 (iPhone) and $9.99 (iPad), and its content is said to be unchanged from the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network game released to critical fanfare earlier this year. Two-player co-op is included, and both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options will be at your disposal. As far as the recently released DLC for the game is concerned, however, it's not clear whether or not it'll end up on the App Store version -- we've asked Crystal Dynamics to clarify [see below]. Lara and Totec's now mobile adventure will be available to North Americans starting tomorrow morning at 12:01AM EST. Update: A Crystal Dynamics representative confirmed that the DLC from Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network iterations of the game is not included with the iOS version.%Gallery-111443%
NOVA 2 evolving mobile combat on Dec. 16
Things we learned this morning from GameLoft: NOVA 2, a sequel to last year's iPhone FPS NOVA, will be released on the iTunes App Store on December 16 (that's this Thursday), in case you don't have your 2010 Halo Clones novelty calendar handy. "NOVA" is an acronym that stands for "Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance" (which is totally different from an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper or the First Encounter Assault Recon folks). The game was also given a fully featured trailer (found after the break), with everything from vehicle combat to landspeeder chases. If it doesn't prove to you that these dudes are totally vanguards, we're not sure if anything will.
Google Latitude lands in iTunes App Store, for good this time
After making a false start last week, the official Latitude app from Google seems to have stuck its landing in the iTunes App Store. Surprisingly for an initial release, Latitude is already showing a 2.0.0.346 version number demonstrating, perhaps, just how long this one's been waiting for Phil Schiller's sanction. Whatever the case, there's never been a better opportunity for iOS 4 users to track down their very own Ana Leftin.
Rage: Mutant Bash TV now available in App Store, in 'HD' and 'SD'
As promised, Rage: Mutant Bash TV is now up for sale in the App Store [iTunes app link] as just "Rage," and it's offered in two resolutions: a standard edition (call it "SD") for $1 and an HD version for $2. Mutant Bash TV is an on-rails shooter based in the same world -- and built from the same id Tech 5 engine -- as id Software's in-development Rage game for PC and HD consoles. Both the SD and HD versions of Mutant Bash TV contain the same basic content and both are compatible with most iPhones, iPod Touches and the iPad (the platform specifics can be found after the break). Take note: Weighing in at 537MB, even the SD version isn't "light," while the HD iteration fills up a hearty 743MB of space -- that's a whole lot of angry, angry mutant polygons! %Gallery-107754%
Skyfire disappears from iTunes App Store due to technical difficulties (update: 'sold out')
Trying to get a copy of the Skyfire browser for your iOS device? You may not have much luck, as the pseudo-Flash-capable browser has just disappeared from iTunes App Stores around the globe, mere hours after its splashy debut. When we try to download it for ourselves in the United States we get the message immediately above, and RazorianFly readers are chiming in with reports that the app is no longer available in Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Spain and the UK. We just pinged Skyfire for comment and they say it's not Apple's fault; demand for a Flash video workaround is apparently so high that the company's having server issues and decided to pull the app rather than introduce new users to a sub-par experience. Skyfire assures us that it's adding servers as quickly as it can, but didn't provide an ETA on when we might see the app once more. Update: While we're not sure how an digital app can be "sold out," that's exactly what the company says happened to its $2.99 browser today -- after quickly becoming the top grossing app in the iTunes App Store, Skyfire is "temporarily not accepting new purchases" and says it will issue Facebook and Twitter status updates when the next batch of licenses is available. In other words, Skyfire's throttling the flow of purchases from now on. PR after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Garmin navigation to be an Android exclusive for ASUS, headed to Apple and RIM app stores
Details of the Garmin-ASUS breakup are slowly being revealed. We now know that ASUS has obtained exclusive rights to license Garmin navigation and location based services on its Android smartphones with a Garmin navigation trademark slapped on the back -- other Android handset makers need not apply. ASUS will go back to selling its own-brand handsets in January, including models equipped with 3D for gaming and connectivity with ASUS ebook readers and tablets, according to DigiTimes. For its part, Garmin's official blog says that it will be expanding its mobile application handset development by offering navigation and other applications through "certain consumer application stores." According to DigiTimes, that means Apple's iTunes App Store and RIM's App World. So, in other words, Garmin and ASUS are still friends but are now free to date anyone they want, you know, except for anyone in eachother's families. How mature.
The amazing and humble success story behind iPhone game Trainyard
Going from the barebones outline seen above to the top of the iTunes App Store in approximately 16 months, Matt Rix's Trainyard is a runaway success. Rix details the game's development -- and astronomical sales -- on his blog, showing its humble beginnings scribbled in a notepad, development delays due to his other job (he developed Trainyard at home in his personal time), and how the birth of his son allowed him to finish the game last May. He also delves into the relatively small amount of money he made from Trainyard early on, and how offering a free version of the game (Trainyard Express) dramatically drove sales. "I released Trainyard Express on September 30th ... A day later, an editor at a prominent Italian blog discovered the game and wrote a fantastic article about it. The game shot up the Italian charts and quickly became the #1 free app in Italy, netting 22,795 downloads in its first day at #1. Along with the Express downloads, the paid sales in Italy also started getting higher, and within a day of reaching #1, I had beaten my single-day launch profit record of $140 with $240 in a single day. It was awesome to know that the up-sell was working." More importantly, however, word started spreading of the train-based puzzle game and soon the free version was charting in the UK. So much so, in fact, that Apple contacted Rix to feature his game in the iTunes paid apps list -- he describes the effect it had by saying, "It's like winning a lottery, but a lottery where you work really really hard to buy your ticket." Most recently, Rix has dropped the price of Trainyard "for a short time" to $.99 (from $2.99), resulting in his game beating out Angry Birds for the number two spot in the US. Perhaps fittingly, Rix even has a humble reaction to the monstrous success of his recent sale: "Mission accomplished." Head over to Rix's blog entry for his far more thorough account (not to mention an adorable picture of his baby son -- congrats, Matt!), and check out Trainyard in action after the break or head to iTunes to pick it up.
Apple successfully trademarks 'There's an app for that'
From marketing buzzword to international joke, the catchy phrase has officially become one of Apple's legal tools. That's right -- there's a trademark for that now.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 deploys first iPhone screens
EA wants to makes sure you can play Battlefield no matter where you are -- provided you can access the App Store's version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2. Just like all your favorite video games, BF:BC2 mobile sees you fighting in "the jungle, snow, desert, room-to-room, and in the air" -- no word on a lava level, unfortunately.
Google Voice apps returning to iPhone app store (update: they're here!)
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg It's been a long time coming -- now native Google Voice apps have finally returned to the iTunes App Store. This, after a fourteen month hiatus in which we saw an FCC investigation into the matter that culminated in a loosening of App Store restrictions. So far, we're only seeing the $3 GV Connect app in the store with GV Mobile + coming sometime Saturday morning according to its developer, Sean Kovacs. No word on when the official Google Voice iPhone app will make its appearance, but surely it can't be long -- Phil must have had a chance to study the app he personally rejected didn't approve by now, right? Update: We'd been checking our iPhones all day long to no avail, but it's finally here. As of 1:30AM ET, GV Mobile + has been formally approved and is now available for $2.99 on the iTunes App Store.
Epic's spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store
Did you oooh and ahh at the fantastic gaming graphics that accompanied today's Apple keynote? You won't have to wait for next week's iOS 4.1 to get a taste of those textures for yourself. Though the full-on gladiator dueling of Epic's "Project Sword" may be a while off, you can get your hot little hands on "Epic Citadel" right now, a 82.2 megabyte download that explores a beautiful medieval castle town. Oh, and did we mention it's free? Even id Software's mindblowing 60FPS Rage demo must be quaking in its boots right about now.
iPhone's App Store 'Try Before You Buy' section isn't exactly what you're hoping for
We love Android's 24-hour app return policy, so when we heard about Apple opening a "Try Before You Buy" section in the App Store, we grabbed the closest iDevice in our proximity to see what exactly was up. Only, it isn't exactly what we expected given the name. Located under Features -> Free on the App Store, the new section serves only to highlight the free / "lite" edition of apps with premium older siblings. A smart and organized section, sure, but the for-pay programs without a demo will still be a risk your iTunes account will have to take. Them's the breaks; might as well add it to your personal iOS 5 wishlist alongside widgets and a new notification system.
iTunes fraud takes trip to travel section?
Here we go again, unfortunately. Both 9 to 5 Mac and Ars Technica are reporting a new spat of potentially-fraudulent apps climbed the iTunes charts today, now in the Travel section. This time, the culprit's purported to be Chinese-based WiiSHii and a series of "GYOYO" Chinese- and English-language maps. The two publications have a screenshot each showing the apps climbing the charts, as well as an apparent receipt from one customer who unwittingly found charges for the software on his or her bill -- and yeah, we see them, too, albeit not topping any charts as of this writing. So yet again, we advise caution and double-checking your payment history. Le sigh. %Gallery-97248%
Inexplicable rise in iPhone dev's App Store sales connected to iTunes account hacks? (update)
We've received a handful of tips this morning claiming something's rotten in the state of the iTunes App Store, namely via the Book category. As of this writing, 42 of the top 50 books by revenue are from the seller Thuat Nguyen, whose company website ("mycompany") leads to parked site www.home.com. A vast majority of these book apps were released in April, have little to no customer ratings or reviews, appear to be in Vietnamese (despite claims in the side bar that the supported languages are English and Japanese), and may or may not be infringing on copyrighted work -- we're noticing a lot of Dragon Ball art here. To give sales a sense of scope, Twilight series conclusion Breaking Dawn is hovering only at 34 right now. So, how did these books hit the top of the charts? The other half of this story has to do with a claimed rise in iTunes account hacking, with a number of people reporting up to hundreds of dollars being spent unwillingly from their account to these specific books. Coincidence? Let's not mince words here, something is definitely amiss, and it's not looking good. Just to be safe, might wanna check your purchase history under Apple Account information. We've reached out to Apple and will let you know as soon as we hear back. Update: We've yet to hear from Apple proper, but we do have an update of sorts -- 9 to 5 Mac reports all the "mycompany" titles have completely vanished from the App Store. We're not sure whether Apple decided to shut down the operation or the seller pulled them himself, so continue to keep an eye on your digital pocketbook until we know for sure. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
NinjaTown: Trees of Doom half price for a 'limited time'
Between scaling deadly pines and being adorable, NinjaTown franchise star Wee Ninja somehow found the time to pow-wow with Business Ninja and work out a price drop for NinjaTown: Trees of Doom. The Doodle Jump-like series spinoff game landed on iPhone earlier this month for $1.99, but apparently developer Venan Entertainment decided that it's "not yet satisfied" with sales, despite remaining atop the Top 25 paid app charts for some time now. No official end date is given for the sale, though the game's iTunes App Store listing says it will stay on sale "while featured by Apple." Better get it while the getting's good then, eh? NinjaTown: Trees of Doom (Venan Entertainment, $0.99):
