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Griffin's Beacon for iOS devices now shipping, post-remote living for just $80
Sure, you could get a Peel Fruit to turn your iPhone into a universal remote, but if you want a totally wire-free solution Griffin's Beacon is finally available as an alternative. If you'll recall, the battery powered base -- controlled by Dijit's remote control app -- takes your iPhone or iPad's Bluetooth signal, converts it to IR, and blasts commands to your A/V gear. We spent some time with the device at CES and found the package to be quite nice thanks to the versatile base and relatively seamless app. If you're feeling the urge to switch up how you've been flipping through channels, $80 will get you one from Griffin's website or an Apple Store starting today.
Garmin to purchase Navigon, plans to complete acquisition by late July
News of Garmin's plans to acquire Navigon leaked out earlier this month, but we now have official word that the GPS giant will bring the smaller German company under its wing beginning in late July. Pending regulatory approval, the deal would have Navigon, one of the largest GPS brands in Europe, functioning as a subsidiary of Garmin, which has a much stronger presence in North America. The companies were unable to reveal any financial information, though previous estimates priced the deal in the "mid-double-digit million" Euro range. Navigon says it's not ready to share any details concerning the acquisition, but we're unlikely to see major effects in the US, where the company has smartphone apps but hasn't sold dedicated GPS devices in several years.
SceneTap app analyzes pubs and clubs in real-time, probably won't score you a Jersey Shore cameo
So, here's the skinny -- when SceneTap launches in a month or so, it'll provide Android and iOS users with a frightening amount of analysis before you hit the town. As the story goes, the startup will be tapping into an infrastructure of cameras spread across an untold quantity of bars. The goal? To provide a real-time snapshot of what the demographics are at any location on any given night. According to the company, demographic information, social commentary and "other comprehensive features" will be shown, all of which will help people decide where they'd like to go. For the privacy freaks, they'll (hopefully) be comforted by the fact that no actual recording is going on, and each person is tracked anonymously. Hailed as a "new type of social network," SceneTap will initially cover 50 clubs, and of course, there's no DUI checkpoint feature for those hoping to do something as impractical as drink and drive afterwards. Head on past the break for the rest of the deets, and be sure to ping the company if you're hoping for a Snooki Sighting push alert in version 2.0.
Lark's silent alarm clock hitting Apple Stores on June 14, promises not to wake your bedmate
Remember the Lark Up, that alarm clock that's likely to scare the bejesus out of you by sending vibrations through your unsuspecting wrist? The company's already taking pre-orders, but come June 14, you'll finally be able to waltz into an Apple store and handle one in person. For $129, it promises its silent vibrations won't wake your bedfellow, but if you've got a New Agey streak you can spend an extra $60 for one that analyzes your seven-day sleep history, including how long it took to fall asleep and how many times you woke during the night. For now, it's only available for iOS (hence, the Apple Store launch) but an Android version's predictably on the way, too. So is all this worth a good night's sleep? We'll leave that to you and your bed partner (or partners, if it's been that kind of week).
Getaround car sharing service goes live, rent out your ride with an iPhone app and car kit
We expressed our excitement when we first heard about Getaround, the personal car rental service that enables users to rent out their autos by the hour or day, and at TechCrunch Disrupt the service has officially gone live for drivers outside the Bay Area. The company also announced an accompanying car kit that allows potential renters to unlock their temporary ride using just an iPhone app, at which point they can access a physical key inside. The company says it functions just like any other keyless entry device, and can be set up in as little as five minutes. Worrisome owners should also know that when you offer up your ride you get full insurance coverage from the Getaround folks, so all liabilities are transferred to the individual behind the wheel. Renters get rated by car owners so there's definitely an incentive to keep things neat and tidy, though we'd totally get downrated for neglecting to return the seat to its original position. Be sure to check out the demo video at the via link, you'll wish you thought of this yourself.
RecognizeMe unlocks your jailbroken iPhone using your face, anyone else's (video)
We don't often jailbreak our iPhones to test apps, but a facial recognition unlock tool seemed a worthy excuse, so we gave it a shot. RecognizeMe uses the front-facing camera in your iPhone 4 (and iPad 2, eventually) to unlock the phone for its owner. Unfortunately, it also unlocked the device for Brian Heater (center), our resident 900 number enthusiast, and Bianca Bosker, Huff Po's tech editor and our only other friend in the newsroom. The app includes a setting for verification threshold, so we played around with that, trying a dozen times to get the app to ignore Brian, but even at 80 percent it was recognizing both of us (65 percent was the cutoff for Bianca). Bumping the threshold up to 100 percent finally locked Brian out, but at that level, the device wouldn't unlock for anyone, making it totally secure -- and totally busted. Verification took a full 25 seconds to timeout (compared to 5-15 seconds to grant access at lower levels, depending on lighting conditions), so using this app requires p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e. At this point, RecognizeMe is a $7 gimmick that might impress your grandmother (assuming she doesn't ask to try it herself), but if you need to keep your device under lock and key, a tried-and-true passcode is still the way to go.
HBO Go mobile app hands-on (video)
HBO Go has been live on the iTunes App Store and Android Market for just a few short hours, but we've already put it through the paces, poking and prodding on our iPad and iPhone, to see what all the hubbub's about. We're pleased with the hefty amount of video that HBO's offering up here, and the interface is pretty intuitive as well. Still, browsing through the myriad content on the iPad's larger screen is definitely a bit more leisurely than on the iPhone's 3.5-inch counterpart. Both apps sport the same feature set, so searching for content, saving things to watch later, and blasting updates to Facebook and Twitter will work well on whichever device you choose. To make the deal even sweeter, it's free for current subscribers, so there's really no reason to not check it out for yourself -- unless you don't have HBO, in which case we have a video walkthrough embedded after the break. Update: Sorry Android users, but it looks like the only supported versions for the Android app are 2.1 - 2.3.3. However, we're getting reports that it does function in the browser -- so long as you've got Flash installed, of course. We're also told that the HBO Go site works just fine on the PlayBook as well. %Gallery-122541%
iZettle's chip-reading Square competitor will take your money, no swipes required (video)
Everyone seems to be getting on board with Square's iPhone credit card reader -- Apple started selling the device in its stores last week, and even Visa has taken a financial interest in the company. However, due to the popularity of fraud-fighting chip-enabled smart cards on the other side of the pond, Square's offering doesn't quite fit the bill. iZettle has a similar solution for Europe that includes the ever-so-necessary smart card reader, which the company is launching in Sweden this June. Not only does it enable you to accept credit card payments from friends or customers, the app adds a social twist. Merchants can email a photograph and receipt to buyers, who can then share their latest spoils on Facebook. Of course, if this starts to catch on, it could make explaining that "awesome deal" you scored on a new laptop that much more difficult when it pops up on your significant other's news feed. [Thanks, David]
Mini Cooper Connected app adjusts music based on driving style, stops when airbags deploy
We're always looking for excuses to get behind the wheel, so naturally the new Dynamic Music function in the Mini Connected app made us yearn for a chance to hit the road. Version 2.0 brings this headline feature to the iPhone, which includes exclusively-composed music that adjusts based on things like a compatible Mini Cooper's "longitudinal and lateral acceleration." In other words, the faster and crazier you drive, the more exciting the music becomes. So instead of having mom in the passenger seat begging you to slow down, there's music that encourages you to do the opposite. The press release even references a "hallmark Mini go-kart feeling," so you might want to make sure everyone's buckled up before you plug in. Should anyone fail to do so, a new feature called Mission Control will let you know, also nagging about poor driving conditions. How's that for a mixed signal?
HP unleashes iOS ePrint app, proves it still rules wireless printing
It's the perfect time to panic: the most important presentation of your career is in less than an hour, and a pie chart is missing. Fear not, thanks to HP's free ePrint Service app for iPhone. With it you can taste the goodness of printing important docs sans-wire to a nearby FedEx Office, Hilton lobby or airport lounge. Whether it's an email attachment, webpage, image or all of the above, just hop into the app to find the printer nearest you and fire it off. Add this to a hefty helping of AirPrint-capable printers and your iPhone is now an omnipotent, HP-powered weapon of wireless domination. Full PR after the break.
Pieceable Viewer lets devs share iOS apps, personal feelings through a browser
For developers not quite ready to offer their iOS creations in the App Store, a new service promises to suck the grunt work out of bouncing works-in-progress off others. Pieceable Viewer is the magical program in question, launching today to let devs publish a copy of their apps to a private website, whose link they can share with beta testers, clients, and fellow code monkeys. Viewer generates a single line of code for sharing and, irony of all ironies, uses Flash to simulate apps inside the browser. It could be compelling for freelancers working with clients who don't happen to own an iPhone, and, adds the company's CEO, it helps devs circumvent Apple's 100-device limit. All this from a company whose existing product enables people with no coding experience to build apps. You can try it for free, with one person able to view one app, and a link that expires after an hour. Upgrade to a $30-a-month plan for three simultaneous views of up to five applications, and links that don't expire. (For unlimited apps, you'll have to spring for the $60 monthly plan, which lets up to ten people peep at once.) As for all you Android enthusiasts, your version is up next (surprise, surprise).
Aurasma's AR iPhone app to turn everyday objects into multimedia triggers (video)
We've seen augmented reality done what seems like a million different ways, but we've never seen it quite like this. The New York Times reported Wednesday on a forthcoming iPhone app called Aurasma that has the power to turn ink-and-paper publications into interactive mine fields. Aurasma, conceived by enterprise software firm Autonomy, uses a scaled down version of the outfit's IDOL pattern recognizer to identify images stored in a vast database, and then converts those images into related video. Unfortunately, the first release of the app, scheduled for sometime next month, comes in the form of an AR advertisement / game for an unidentified upcoming movie, and the company's founder seems solidly focused on the technology's marketing potential. No word yet on when or if we can expect to see our New York Times come to life, as seen in the video at the source link below, but if this is the future of augmented reality, count us in.
Location-aware album gives Washington DC dynamically modified soundtrack
Musical duo Bluebrain has taken the guesswork out of listening to music -- their latest album dictates where you can listen to it, what songs it plays, and when it plays them. Take that, playlists! The album, titled The National Mall, will be available only as an iPhone app and the band is calling it the first location-aware album. The app... er, album, uses your phone's GPS to track one's proximity to hundreds of tagged zones spread throughout the landmarks of the Washington DC National Mall, dynamically tweaking the rhythm, melody, instrumentation, and pace of the music as you go. Despite this fancy smartphone integration, Bluebrain stresses that this is still an album, not a toy or augmented reality application. The experience is strictly location specific, no user input necessary, or available. Want to hear a new melody or arrangement? Walk to a different monument. The project's location-specific nature means that fans outside of the DC area are out of luck for now. The band says two more GPS-powered albums are on the way -- one designed for Brooklyn's Prospect Park, and another spanning the entire length of California's Highway 1. Music, measured in miles -- neat, but Hwy. 1 manages just fine on its own, wouldn't you say?
Wham-O's Frisbee Forever iOS app promises to change backyard fun... forever
If there's one thing the iPhone needs -- and we mean exactly one thing -- it's clearly a Frisbee app. Er, Frisbee® app. Not a legitimate Gmail app. Not a new notification system. A Frisbee® app. As the story goes, Wham-O has linked hands with Kiloo in order to develop the Frisbee Forever app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, which is said to offer avid iOS gamers "unique challenges and obstacles in a rich complete 3D environment." What kind of challenges, you say? We're hearing that you'll be able to toss a variety of Frisbee models across 100 levels of lush, colorful worlds, but beyond that, most everything else is shrouded in mystery. All will be revealed in May, but till then, we'd encourage you to step outside and actually throw a Frisbee. We hear dogs are super into fetching them, too.
Arctic Spas shows off hot tub-controlling iPhone app, waterproof iPhone case sold separately (video)
Frankly, a few things in life are just too hard. Taxes being one of them, and moving from one's spot in a hot tub to adjust the temperature and / or jet pressure being another. In a bid to solve issue number two, Arctic Spas has shoved out an iOS app (Android and BlackBerry are inbound) that interfaces with a WiFi module on some of the company's hot tubs. Once loaded up, owners can control temperature and jets with a simple touch, though we hear that loads of steam and moist fingers aren't exactly great for consumer electronics. Either way, you've got a video to entice you down below.
Lifelapse app promises to turn your iPhone into a life-logger
We've seen a few dedicated "life-logging" devices that let you record your every waking moment, but why spend a couple of hundred bucks on something when you're already carrying around a perfectly capable smartphone? That's the thinking of the folks behind the Lifelapse iPhone app which, like the Vicon Revue we've tested, promises to simply record a time-lapse video of your entire day -- they've even developed a "LifePouch" so you can conveniently wear your iPhone around your neck (no iPad version just yet). Unfortunately, the developers aren't offering a peek at the app itself just yet, but they are now accepting applications for those that wish to participate in the beta.
EasySign iPhone app halts the print / sign / email cycle, trees everywhere celebrate
All together now: "flippin' finally!" For anyone in the business world who has been blocked from receiving information due to the inability to locate a printer, ink pen, scanner, publicly available PC, a working printer driver and a fifth of Jack, say hello to your savior. EasySign is a delightfully simple new iOS app (yeah, we're already begging for an Android port) that solves a painful problem, and it should make signing documents on the go a whole heck of a lot easier for those who tote iPhones. The concept is simple: you download the document you're supposed to sign right onto your iPhone, and then you use your finger to enter your John Hancock. It'll stamp whatever date you want onto the form, and with a simple button press, it's converted to a PDF and shot back to the sender. We'd probably recommend using the stock black ink, but it seems that a few color options are available for those who prefer to roll a bit more casually. Head on past the break for a demo, and then hit that iTunes link for a free trial. Once you send three documents, you'll need to pony up $4.99 for another 20 docs (a $9.99 unlimited version is coming soon). But hey, given that petrol looks like a steal compared to your average inkjet cartridge, you'll probably still come out ahead.
Adult Swim releases free universal app with full episodes in the app
Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming division has been surprisingly Mac-friendly -- not only has it produced a number of great iOS games already, but its shows have included a number of Mac references as well (always in the service of comedy, of course). I guess it's no surprise that Adult Swim released a universal app of its own. Like many television apps, there are some extras, including a schedule of shows, and clock, weather and calendar features. But the real draw here is that you can watch full episodes of Adult Swim shows in the app, from Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job to Family Guy (reruns), Aqua Teen Hunger Force and, one of my favorites, The Venture Brothers. And the best part is that the app is completely and totally free. If you're an Adult Swim fan at all, you'll definitely want to go get it off of the App Store right now. Great to see such a solid strategy from these guys on iOS -- I guess they definitely know where their audience is.
Google Translate for iPhone hits the App Store
iPhone users have been able to use a mobile-optimized HTML5 version of Google Translate for some time now, but they can now finally also get an honest-to-goodness app of their own just like their Android-using friends. That brings with it a number of enhancements over the basic web app, including a speak-to-translate feature with support for 15 languages, the ability to listen to your translations in 23 different languages, and a full-screen mode that lets you show your translated text to others with large, easy-to-read text. Google is still keep a few features exclusive to the Android version, however, including the still-experimental conversation mode that allows for some on-the-fly translations -- both apps are also still lacking a much-needed beatbox mode.
Geolocation app appeals to your inner good samaritan, makes you an amateur EMT
When you go into cardiac arrest, you've got about ten minutes to live if you don't receive medical attention, and the average emergency response time is seven minutes after you dial 911. In an effort to get folks help more quickly and leverage the iPhone's life saving abilities, the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District in California has created the FireDepartment app to enlist the help of the citizenry in fighting the (unfortunate) results of a lifetime of eating tacos. The iPhone app -- Android and BlackBerry versions are currently in the works -- allows emergency dispatchers to notify users via text of a nearby crisis. For those feeling heroic, the app displays a map with the victim's location and any nearby automatic electronic defibrillators, and provides "resuscitation reminders" in case you're the CPR teddy-toting type. For now, the service only works in San Ramon but there are plans to port it for use elsewhere. That means we can look forward to a nation of amateur EMTs, which makes us thankful that mouth-to-mouth is no longer a part of CPR. Check the video after the break to see the app in action.
