WWDC ‘09: What Just Happened

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You might be in a whirl after Apple’s announcements today at WWDC, or you’re simply looking for what happened. Here’s a breakdown of the keynote’s events:

Macbooks

  • Macbook Pro Updates: Updated (and better) battery using technologies in 17-inch for all MBP models, SD Card Slot replaces Express Card slot, Faster Processors maxing out at 3.06ghz, Up to 8GB DDR3 RAM. Integrated Graphics only on the 13-inch and low-end 15-inch models, advanced graphics on high-end 15-inch and all 17-inch models.
  • 13-inch Macbooks are now apart of the Macbook Pro family, starting at $1,199. The ‘macbook’ is the white model from here on out.
  • Speed update and price drop to the Macbook Air
  • Mac users are now 75million, tripled from 2 years ago

Snow Leopard

  • Snow Leopard pricing is $29 for single-user and $49 for a family pack
  • Apple Introduces QuickTimeX – with improved UI, HTTP Streaming, export to web, improved editing, performance and quality improvements, and a brand new icon!
  • What we already knew: Snow Leopard introduces 64-Bit support, exchange support, OpenCL, GrandCentral
  • iChat has better a resolution and video quality when AV chatting; Time Machine backups are 50% faster; PDF selection is refined; Disk Eject is improved, safer; File Sharing is improved; Automatic time zone setup and automatic printer driver updates via internet
  • Install footprint from Snow Leopard is lighter, freeing up 6GB of space and 45% faster than Leopard
  • Dock Updates: New ‘Click+hold’ menu and functionality allows to operate exposé from the dock; Stacks are now scrollable and can drill into folders from within stacks
  • The Finder was re-written with no UI changes, but speed and performance enhancements

iPhone OS 3.0

  • Update will be available worldwide on June 17, free for iPhone suers and $9.95 for iPod Touch users
  • New Find My iPhone – MobileMe service allows users to locate their missing iPhone, make it ring (whether or not in Silent Mode), can remotely wipe iPhones
  • HTTP Streaming support, HTML5 Support, AutoFill in Safari, 3x Faster Javascript performance, support for audio/video tags; 30 more languages supported
  • Can now download TV Shows and Movies, rent Movies using the built-in iTunes app on the iPhone
  • Tethering Details: sharing connection via USB or Bluetooth, PC Or Mac, available by carrier support. NO AT&T SUPPORT IN THE US
  • Apple recapped announcements and features from the March event; had developers demo their apps with new SDK. (TomTom demo’ed new turn-by-turn app with hardware kit for car – very cool)

iPhone 3GS

  • Will be released on June 19th in the US and other countries, 80 countries by August. (Apple showed off a new commercial featuring the 3Gs)
  • iPhone 3GS is priced at $199/16gb $299/32gb. iPhone 3G 8GB will continue to sell for $99 (All prices are subject to carrier subsidization).
  • Battery life is improved – Internet life: now 9hrs (was 6hrs), while watching video: now 10hrs (was 7), listening to audio: 30hrs (was 24, 2G talk time: 12hrs (was 10)
  • New built-in compass – integrated into Maps and standalone app, orients to direction for maps, developers have access to the APIs for compass
  • 3GS comes with text-to-speech functionality, built-in Nike+ Support, Hardware encryption, encrypted iTunes backups
  • Voice Control – Hold down the home button to open up voice control interface that allows you to make phone calls, see various iTunes functions, and more by using vocal commands
  • Video Recording – from within the Camera app, 30fps VGA, auto-foucs/white-balance/exposure. Video Editing and sharing from within the iPhone – send via MMS
  • Camera is improved to 3 megapixels, with better light sensitivity, autofocus, auto-white-balance, can tap to focus, and auto-macro
  • iPhone 3GS (s for speed) announced with major speed improvements – messages launch 2.1x faster, SimCity loads 2.4x faster, Excel attachments load 3.6x faster, NYTimes loads 2.9x faster. 3G HSDPA is 7.2mbps

Bento for the iPhone

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Bento has been long regarded as an outstanding desktop database application. Now, Filemaker has ported Bento to the iPhone as a brand-new mobile database solution.

Even if you don’t own a copy of Bento 2, the iPhone application can still be used as a stand alone program. With 25 built-in templates, Bento makes it easy to start your next database – whether you’re tracking exercise habits or your digital media collection. The iPhone address book is also added as a default database within Bento.

Within a database, fields can be added, moved, and modified. New fields can be set in an array of different formats, including text, number, choice, URL, time, date, and currency. Of course, new records can be added, edited, and deleted with a flick of a finger.

Bento’s search and organizational features are first-rate and decrease the time spent searching for information. Viewing records is very simillar to viewing contacts in the iPhone’s Contacts app – with a search bar at the top and alphabet scroller to the right-hand side. There’s also a universal search that looks through all the libraries stored in Bento. You can also specify in which way you want records to be sorted and displayed in the records view.

The iPhone version of Bento also tackles collections, allowing you to view, create, and add to record collections within a library. These collections are then displayed as sub-categories beneath their corresponding library in the list view of databases. Databases, or libraries, can be viewed either in coverflow or as a standard list.

While it functions fine as a standalone application, Bento’s true beauty is the ability to take your data from the desktop on-the-go. Databases can be created and modified on either platform and be synced using WiFi. Having access to your information on the iPhone not only makes Bento for the iPhone a strong product, but increases the value in Bento for the desktop.

Whether you’re looking to have access to your Bento databases on the go, or are looking for a great way to create simple databases on the iPhone, Bento is a great solution. It is available for $5 in the app store.

[Find our Post on Bento 2 here]

iPhone App Spotlight: Yelp

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yelp-icon.pngThe popular online reviews service, Yelp, has been ported to the iPhone as an application. If you’re familiar with the online service, you’ll know that Yelp allows you to find, rate, and contribute information to local businesses.

As an iPhone application, Yelp takes advantage of the Core Location feature built into the iPhone OS. It allows you to see the local businesses in relation to your current location and then find directions on how to get there.

Of course, it also allows you to write and see reviews, upload photos, bookmark favorites, see activity from friends, call businesses, and add quick tips. As a nice feature, the iPhone bookmarks sync with your online favorites.

When traveling, or simply trying to find something nearby, the Yelp app excels. It’s fast, works well, and has the right features. Best of all, it is completely free and available for download in the app store.

iPhone App Spotlight: Pocket God

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pocketgod-icon.png You won’t find me playing iPhone games all the time, but there’s one game that I find myself constantly playing. That game is Pocket God, in which users “play God” by controlling a group of natives on a small island.

With a maximum of 6 islanders, you can make them do various tasks, or do a multitude of things to them. For instance, tapping on the screen will make them dance, or you could toss them into a volcano to spark an eruption. There’s also a storm cloud that allows you to strike a native with lightning, or spur on a hurricane. The water isn’t safe though, for there’s a shark swimming and the islanders will drown instantly.

Of course, you’re responsible for feeding them and ensuring a good night’s rest. By dragging the sun, or moon, you’re able to change the time of day. To feed the islanders, you can either break open some coconuts or have them go fishing. Of course, you can’t just drop a coconut from the tree, you have to break them by dropping them upon a native’s head.

What’s really cool about Pocket God are the constant updates that are released. Recent updates have brought bats, fire ants, and fishing rods. Updates are available at miscellaneous times, but so far there have been eleven releases.

There are many other features available, and all sorts of others planned. At ninety-nine cents, Pocket God will bring you hours and hours of amusement that are well worth the price.

You can find Pocket God for sale in the app store, or visit the active community and blog for Bolt Creative and Pocket God.

iPhone App Spotlight: Skype

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skype-icon.pngOne of the most talked-about and recently released applications for the iPhone is Skype. As a popular audio and video conferencing system for the desktop, Skype has finally been ported to the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Like its desktop sibling, Skype for the iPhone can take and receive calls, instant message, and call telephones (With Skype Credit). Unfortunately, mobile Skype can not transmit or receive video chats, or file transfers. Additionally, you can only perform audio chats when using WiFi.

As an actual Skype client, the iPhone version works fairly well. I had a few hiccups here and there, but a simple application restart seemed to fix the problem. The interface is nice, and resembles the actual phone. It also integrates with the Address Book so that you can bring in contacts to your Skype list.

As a free application it’s worth a download. Heck, one million other people have. You can find it in the App Store, or see more information at Skype.com