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Palm complains about Apple to USB governing body, while Pre / iTunes sync "fix" is explained
You should be refilling that popcorn bucket right about now. While we thought the next round of the Pre / iTunes syncing fiasco would probably be something simple like Apple releasing another quick patch, Palm has stepped it up a notch by complaining to the USB Implementers Forum over what it sees is "improper use of the Vendor ID number" by the gang at Cupertino. What the company means is that when an ID is applied for, a form is signed that states:"Unauthorized use of assigned or unassigned USB Vendor ID Numbers and associated Product ID Numbers are strictly prohibited." The implication here is that Palm believes Apple is violating this stature by disallowing certain Vendor IDs -- namely, Palm's -- from using iTunes. So how'd Palm manage to "fix" that syncing hole Apple managed to fill? From the looks of it, by misrepresenting its own Vendor ID, so that the Pre now shows up as a iPod / mass storage device made by Apple (ID 0x05ac) as opposed to one by Palm (ID 0x083) -- hence the complaint. Of course, lying about your own ID would seem to break with the aforementioned rule, too, so what we're left here is some muddled grey area and Palm apparently being okay with fudging some data to correct what it sees is an injustice. If anyone's curious, DVD Jon points out that the root USB Node is still identified as "Pre," so we very likely could see another round of these shenanigans in the not-too-distant future.Finally, now's as good of a time as any to take a look at some of the peripheral casualties from this war of attrition. In an essay on his personal site that's been circulating the interwebs, Marc Deslauriers outlines the pangs he and the Linux community have felt over the years trying to use iPods on the open source platform, surmising that Apple is intentionally and repeatedly seeking ways to block non-iTunes programs from syncing in any way with its devices. This story is far from over, and as ugly as it looks now, it's probably only gonna get worse.[Via Digg and Pre Central]Read - Marc Deslauriers, "Goodbye Apple"Read - Palm's lodges complaint with USB IFRead - USB Vendor ID applicationRead - Palm Pre USB hack confirmed
Keepin' it real fake, part CCVI: yet another Balance Board edition
Why should authentic, honest-to-goodness Wii owners be the only ones to indulge in some mindless escapism -- or a spirited virtual workout, for that matter? To this end, the heads at Chinavasion have dreamt up a two-tone, quasi-legal Balance Board KIRF for you and your game console. Sure, this is by no means the first such beast we've seen, and there's no telling whether or not this bad boy is compatible with your WÜ, MiWi2, or Chintendo Vii, but it does sport handsome light blue accents. Take one home for $67.91, or save a few shekles and buy 'em in lots of three or more. Intrigued? Take a closer look for yourself after the break.
Will Windows 7's integrated codec support cut off third party solutions?
Whoa, we may need to slow down on the celebration over out of the box h.264 codec support in Windows 7, with reports from developers indicating the beta OS blocks the usage of third party decoders under Windows Media Player and Media Center. Of course, the included codec support would obviate third party installs for many users anyway, and until we get an official release candidate we can't be sure how things will stack up in the retail experience. Digitalwerks has run down the sources, noting that third party solutions like VLC and Media Player Classic could still serve as workarounds, but Media Center Extender heads will want to keep a close eye on things going forward.
Reggie thinks third-parties don't 'get' the Wii: discuss
Alright, alright. There's a few things going on here. First off, Reggie Fils-Aime told Forbes "I will be able to say our licensees 'get it' when their very best content is on our platform, and with very few exceptions today, that's not the case." That's a pretty good conversation starter right there. He also lamented the absence of Grand Theft Auto and Spore on his platform, teased community features without spilling anything at all, and for kicks threw us this utterly hopeless word on a price cut: "At some point, it will be time to adjust the [price], but we're nowhere near that point now." We're pretty astonished that a console honcho like Reggie would so summarily insult his third-party partners, but we can't help but agree -- though peep Nintendo Wii Fanboy's via link down there for an alternate perspective on the matter. To us, the question really lies in the blame game: is Nintendo's Wii strategy and unique hardware approach to blame, or is everybody else out there too dense to cash in? But really, this is just too wild, too incendiary, too awesome for us to hog all the discussion. Hit up the vaguely-applicable poll option, and then let loose in the comments. We're all ears![Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]%Poll-22618%
Analyst: Wii is 'inhospitable' for third parties
Just when you thought the embers were finally beginning to cool regarding the oft-contested state of third-party game sales on the Wii, leave it to some analyst to breathe generously on the dying fire and get it going again once more. Cowen Group's Doug Creutz is just such an analyst, as he calls Nintendo's console a "relatively inhospitable platform for third-party publishers."Offering an example, Creutz points out that notwithstanding Madden 09's recent NPD dominance, the Wii version of EA's annual gridiron push sold significantly less compared to those on the PS3 and Xbox 360. How significant? Despite a larger console install base, the Wii version sold 87 percent fewer copies than those sold for the Xbox 360, and 79 percent less than those for the PS3 according to the analyst -- his life is obviously split between advising investors where to put their cash and stirring fanboys into a tizzy.
The Wii Fit balance board is cloned, magically sprouts an LCD display
It looks like Nintendo will finally be getting some challengers to its balance board monopoly... or one at least. Cheapo Wii accessory-maker Njoy is set to introduce its own version of the Wii Fit's footboard come September 12th for the weirdly more-expensive price of £64.99 (or about $130). Of course, Njoy's model does have a built-in LCD display (presumably for checking your weight even when the console is off), though it won't come bundled with any software, virtual trainers, or the assurances of a thorough Mario and Luigi inspection process.[Via Balance Board Blog]
THQ blames failure on Nintendo first-party titles
Not a new complaint, this one. Previously, both analysts and developers have suggested that Nintendo's first-party software is too strong to compete with, and now THQ has joined in on the despairing.At a Q4 earnings call with investors, President and CEO Brian Farrell has admitted that THQ's kids' games had underperformed, and that Nintendo's own output was the reason why. Says Farrell: "With [...] new competition from Nintendo's first-party titles -- as well as new music games -- our traditionally strong kids' business did not meet expectations."
Third-party Xbox 360 wireless Guitar Hero axe hits the market
Although Nyko's wireless FrontMan axe is slated to land for Xbox 360 this June, it seems as though it has been beaten to the proverbial punch by some random rival from who knows where. Known only as "3rd Party," the aforementioned company has seemingly crafted a wireless Flying V that plays nice with the Xbox 360, and better still, it looks to be available right now. Still, considering the fact that it's labeled "Guitar for Games" and designed to function with the "X 360," we're not entirely sure we'd be willing to risk our $41.94. But hey, if you see "quality" written all over that image pictured above, we certainly aren't going to stop you from pulling the trigger and hoping for the best.[Via XBox 360 News]
Sony's Phil Harrison: Wii's audience plays hard to get
At yesterday's "Lunch with the Luminaries" panel at GDC, five of the planet's most prestigious gaming industry figures had the opportunity to sit down for light snacks, civil discourse, and, of course, to flame their competitor's consoles. At least, that's what Sony exec Phil Harrison had in mind, as he warned EA Blueprint's Neil Young that the Wii is unfriendly territory for third-party developers -- due to Nintendo's overwhelmingly successful games on their own home console, everyone else can only hope to market their games to "only 40% of the installed base." Young didn't deny this claim, but retorted that the development of their most recent game for the Wii, Smarty Pants, was "very easy to build very quickly" and "fundamentally much more fun" to create -- apparently, more fun than it was to actually play. Have third-party developers resigned themselves to living in Nintendo's shadow, prompting them to fire out "easy to build," mediocre titles? We don't think they quite understand -- if only 40 percent of Wii owners are buying your games, it's because the other 60 percent know better.
Todd Mitchell tells us how the Wii sucks for third-parties (again)
Just in case you didn't hear him the first time he said it, Kaufman Bros. analyst Todd Mitchell has reiterated his belief that the Wii only truly benefits Nintendo, and that third-party developers have only seen "isolated successes" on the console. Mitchell's argument may have been aired before, but it's also tricky to dismiss, especially as only two third-party titles have so far broken the one million sales barrier (launch twosome Red Steel and Rayman Raving Rabbids). Then again, when it comes to top-drawer, original Wii software, Nintendo has delivered on a fairly regular basis. With the odd exception or two, can the same really be said of other publishers? [Via Go Nintendo]
Jobs praises Nokia's 3rd party app scheme, but he has it wrong
In chatting up Apple's sudden change of direction today on the whole native iPhone SDK issue, Steve Jobs did a little name dropping by mentioning that he digs the way Nokia does things with S60's support for third party applications. It seems apparent from the get-go that Steve has every intention of offering apps through some sort of official, money-generating conduit -- iTunes, we'd wager -- and with that comes the promise of digital rights management, authenticity verification, and all those nasty little technologies that set the hacking community ablaze. To that end, Steve mentioned that he digs Nokia's approach of requiring that apps be digitally signed so they can be traced back to their developers, an effort to stem "viruses, malware, privacy attacks" that he thinks will flourish on a "highly visible target" like the iPhone. There's a problem, though: there's no telling when the last time is that Steve touched a phone not of his own creation, but we've used S60 devices pretty recently (like, today) and we have it on good authority that you can disable certificate verification for installed apps. Think iPhone users are going to have that option? Probably not. Apple's still visibly concerned about keeping the iPhone under its perceived draconian control (even though it's been busted wide open time and time again), and we've no doubt that trend will continue in full effect with the SDK. It's a huge, landmark upgrade from the web-based SDK developers have now, yes -- but we'd recommend Steve screw around with an N95 for a while before he heaps any more love on the way Nokia goes about its business.
Wii Warm Up: Marketing Metroid month
We're all about this Metroid month thing -- but are you? Do you hope to see similar marketing schemes for other big titles for the Wii? Certainly, we hope the video trend continues. Would you like to see this done for third party titles as well? Can you think of anything else you'd like to see them add, content-wise?
First third-party "game" app appears for iPhone
It would seem that the first-ever iPhone game has been written and is available to download to your Jail-broken device, and true to the natural form of the Microsoft vs. Apple debate, it's all based around blowing up Zunes. Jason Merchant, a clever (and possibly very bored) iPhone hacker has coded a small game app for the phone wherein you target floating Zunes with your onscreen mini-iPhone, and then blast away with missiles. The Microsoft-fanboy-incensing shooter was written in objective C, and obviously requires that your device has had Jailbreak run on it to allow for the install. The creator says he's working on an aquarium app which will allow you to drop fish-food to an underwater iPhone, which pretty much makes no sense at all.[Via Hackint0sh, thanks Boy Genius]
Enthusiasts bring 3rd party apps to the Helio Ocean, too
The iPhone isn't the only handset whose software innards are getting lovingly torn apart in the name of science this week. It turns out some intrepid users of the Helio Ocean (a device occasionally compared to the iPhone, coincidentally) have been slaving away on a method for adding extra applications outside of the carrier's walled garden. Their first success is a doozy, too: Opera Mini 3, one of the most prized jewels in the world of mobile software. The developers aren't claiming it's bug-free -- landscape mode and the QWERTY keyboard don't work, for example -- but it's a huge step in the right direction and they're continuing to work out the kinks. More custom apps are said to be on the way, and don't worry, Drift and Heat users -- support's said to be on the way for you guys, too.
Binaries, source outed for first 3rd party iPhone app
It's still a little way off from meaning anything to the average user, but the enterprising folks over at iPhone Dev Wiki have finally turned out binaries and source code for their very first compiled iPhone app. Of course, all it does is spit out the ubiquitous programmer shout-out "Hello World," but make no mistake -- this is a huge step in getting usable, real-world apps into end users' hands without Apple's or AT&T's official blessing, and the fact that anyone can download this source and roll their own proof of concept is pretty darned comforting. "Hello World," indeed.[Via TUAW]
iPhone doesn't work with most 3rd party headphones
As several tipsters have pointed out, the recessed iPhone headphone port means that a lot of third party headphones don't work properly: we've tested a few models already (you can see the current list after the break), but maybe you can help us out and let us know which models work / don't work in the comments -- and yes, if you have to press down on the jack to get both channels to play sound, we count that as not working. You'll need to buy a $10 headphone adapter if you want most third party headphones to function correctly, which sounds like a great business plan to us: just break an important device function, and sell the solution for fun and profit. For now, one of the few third party 'phones that do work are the Zune headphones.%Gallery-4439%
Apple announces third-party software details for iPhone
As expected, Apple used WWDC as the stage to announce a third-party development solution for the iPhone, putting to rest fears that the handset would be a closed (read: non-smartphone) platform. Calling it a "sweet solution" for allowing devs to get their wares onto iPhones across the globe without sacrificing stability or security, Apple is using its full Safari-based browser to let folks code up true, Web 2.0-compatible apps that can be accessed and updated on developers' own servers. Though any apps that third-party developers put together will run under Safari, they'll be totally customizable and maintain the platform's unique look and feel. Better yet, they won't require any special SDK -- Jobs claims that a working knowledge of modern web standards is all we'll need to code up custom iPhone goodies to our hearts' content.
iPhone to get software development kit at WWDC?
The iPhone's critics have focused on a handful of issues that could serve to to derail its would-be path to retail dominance; of those, the lack of a removable battery, 3G radio, and support for third-party apps are frequently cited as the top three (presented in no particular order). We may be waiting for round two to get either of the first two niggles resolved -- but contrary to initial reports, it seems that independent devs may end up getting a crack at the first model after all as Jobs had suggested at D. The New York Times is citing "a person briefed on Apple's plans" as saying that WWDC will see the introduction of a software development kit that allows folks to convert small Mac apps to run on the iPhone, seemingly making good on Apple's claim that the handset runs OS X. So who's ready to take the plunge if -- and only if -- this announcement pans out?
Here we go again: Nintendo's success is bad for the industry
We've heard it before -- Nintendo's success is bad for the gaming industry as a whole, because they muscle other companies out of the way. This time it's Todd Mitchell of the Kaufman Bros complaining the incredible success of the DS and Wii might be bad for everyone else. After all, Nintendo's first party titles tend to be extremely successful, which leaves less room (theoretically) for third party publishers. But is it really Nintendo's fault?Certainly, Nintendo has had problems with third party publishers before. Every longtime Nintendo gamer is familiar with the history of shaky relationships between the House of Mario and the rest of the industry. But if there is a current lack of third party games available for the Wii, who's to blame: Nintendo, or everyone else? While it's easy to point the finger at Nintendo (history supports that position), this time around, that doesn't seem to be the case. Reggie Fils-Aime has talked himself hoarse talking about Nintendo's efforts to bring more third party games under the Wii's umbrella, and it seems to be working. In fact, when one looks at the upcoming offerings for both the DS and the Wii, when compared to releases for the GameCube and N64, it almost looks like a different company altogether.So who's at fault here -- Nintendo, for releasing games that are dependably awesome? Or could the fault perhaps lie in third party titles that just don't measure up? Nintendo gamers don't seem to shrink from good games, regardless of who makes them. We'll admit that we're hard to please, but if it's good, not only will we buy it, but we'll even buy it a few times for good measure.
Reggie talks about third-party support
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal chatted with Reggie Fils-Aime at GDC, and since that show was so rich with creamy, flavorful news, this interview has only now found its way onto the site. The interview is largely on the subject of third-party support for the Wii and DS, and for the most part, Reggie takes personal responsibility for what he sees as positive developments.For example, Reggie seems to credit his own meetings with former Take Two CEO Paul Eibeler for the advent of Wii Manhunt 2. He also claims that his conversations with Laurent Dutoc of Ubisoft led to ... pretty much half the stuff on the Wii. We aren't business experts, so we don't know, but could it really be as simple as that? Is Reggie charismatic enough to personally influence publishers' plans? Or is he using personal terms as a shorthand for more complicated business dealings?
