Gmail App For iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad Released, Bugs Force It Out Of App Store!

There are lot of notable differences in the iOS version of the app while looking back at its Android counterpart. But the bottom line is that the new Gmail app makes accessing gmail on iPhone even more easier. Head past the break to know more and to download Gmail app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

Not too long after the app went live on the App Store, users reported that the Gmail app for iOS would crash on notifications and caused an error. Google updated it's official blog after the app was pulled off the online store as quoting:

More about → Gmail App For iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad Released, Bugs Force It Out Of App Store!

Google launches faulty Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

Yesterday we've heard it's coming, and today it's here: Google has announced the launch of its official Gmail app for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch).

The app features an interface optimized for iOS, push notifications, comprehensive search across the whole inbox, threaded conversations, one-click photo uploads, and split view (only on the iPad).

Unfortunately, mere hours after its launch via iTunes, the Gmail iOS app has been removed by Google because “it contained a bug which broke notifications and caused users to see an error message when first opening the app.” Google is currently working to fix the problem and re-release the app. Meanwhile, “everyone who's already installed the app can continue to use it.”

When the bug is fixed and the Gmail app is again available in the App Store here, it will be compatible only with devices running iOS 4+.

More about → Google launches faulty Gmail app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

iTunes and iWork updated for Lion, add full-screen support, and resume

What good is an OS update without some software that can take full advantage of all its fancy new features? Naturally, Apple's got your back, and today you'll be getting some spiffy new versions of iTunes and iWork to compliment that fearsome Lion upgrade. iTunes 10.4 finally ushers the music management app into the 64-bit era, and adds support for OS X 10.7′s full-screen windows. The iWork Update 6 also brings along the distraction-free functionality, as well as resume, auto-save, and versioning for all your important docs. Not everyone is seeing the updates just yet, so be patient, it shouldn't be much longer before you're interrupted by that slightly annoying, but oh so satisfying, Software Update window.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → iTunes and iWork updated for Lion, add full-screen support, and resume

Apple iTunes Festival London 2011 will be streaming on iOS Devices all around the world

In case you haven't heard, Apple's iTunes Festival that's held this year in London starts today - 31 nights and 62 artists performing their hits live on stage. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world can make it to London this month to catch their favourite acts in the flesh. Fortunately for those people, Apple has released an app to solve that problem.

Called iTunes Festival London 2011, this app will turn your iOS device into a source of live music for the whole of next month. So while you may not be able to join the mosh pit or get drenched in the sweat of screaming fans shoving you aside to get to the front of the stage - you'll be able to watch all the acts on the festival in HD… in the comfort of your own living room. And just in case you miss your favourite artist performing live, you'll be able to purchase the recordings of the concerts exclusively on iTunes later. Head over to the Apple App Store to download the app now (it's free).
source: Ubergizmo

More about → Apple iTunes Festival London 2011 will be streaming on iOS Devices all around the world

Yamaha bring back to Japan its i-MX1 Midi Interface for iOS Devices

Introduced in Europe early April, Yamaha's new i-MX1 is the company first MINI Interface for iOS Devices including iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Schedule to arrive in Japan early July at a price yet disclosed, the i-MX1 comes with one Midi Input and one Output, the i-MX1 can be used with any tools and software supporting MIDI on iOS Devices but also one of Yamaha's many new Apps designed for it with : Faders, Faders & XY PAD, Keyboard Arp & Drum Pad, Voice Editor Essential, Multi Editor Essential, Performances Editor Essential, St List Organizer and TNR-i. With the Exception of TNR-i announced at 2,300 Yen, all Yamaha's new Apps are sold from today onward are 450 Yen each on the Japanese iTunes store.
source: Akihabara News

More about → Yamaha bring back to Japan its i-MX1 Midi Interface for iOS Devices

iTunes Match Loses Its First Label

Prior to launch iCloud, Apple was apparently in talks with all four of the major labels – Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI about licensing their songs for what would be later revealed at WWDC, iTunes Match which is a service that matches the songs on your computer against what iTunes has to offer and for a fee of $25 a year it basically allows you to access those songs via the iCloud while at the same time making it “legal”. It's almost like money laundering except with music.Well apparently not all the labels were too enthused about the idea and one of smaller labels – Numero Group, has decided that they did not want to be part of iTunes match, quoting from their blog post:

“The simple reason is that Apple and their major label "partners" have created a reward system that is both incomprehensible in scope and totally out of sync with iCloud's streaming peers' (Rdio, Spotify, et al) financial mechanics. As we have been entrusted with an incredible wealth of creative assets, and our primary responsibility is to our partners; the artists, producers, and songwriters that make up the Numero catalog, we feel that Apple's pittance is an insult not only to them, but every other musician, living or dead, and, if the latter is the case, their heirs.”

Since the specifics of the deal that Apple has worked out with the major labels and the smaller ones is unknown, it's hard for us to comment on whether Numero Group's reasoning is a sound one but we do know that for $25 a year, it's a good price to pay for those who have been illegally downloading their music all this while and it could be one of the answers to piracy that the music industry has been trying come up with all this while. So readers, would you be willing to pay $25 a year to make your music collection “legal”? We're not sure how much those artists will be getting from our $25 but it's a lot better than zero.
source: Ubergizmo

More about → iTunes Match Loses Its First Label

The Best of Mobile Music

With the recent unveiling of the long awaited Apple iCloud – the cloud service for sharing file across all Apple devices – we know that accessing media content on-the-go without the hassle of moving files from one place to the other has become a priority for consumers. Additionally, with the rise of Android, many people may wonder how they could switch to another mobile platform when they think they are "trapped" inside iTunes, in this case, streaming services may be the right answer (although it is always possible to transfer your library but painful). If you would like to know what mobile music offering is out there, I have reviewed the top mobile music apps on My Life Scoop - Note: I have tested on iOS but most of the applications are available on Android and BlackBerry.
source: Ubergizmo

More about → The Best of Mobile Music

App-Enhanced Clock Radio for iPhone/iPod from iLive

This app-enhanced clock-radio from iLive incorporates your iPhone/iPod like no other that I've seen before. Without an iOS device on the dock (bottom left), it looks a bit funny because the 12 has been replaced with a digital display. Plug the iOS device in, and there's no way to tell the time (bottom right) - unless you're running the free ICP391 app from the iTunes app store. With the app, you've converted the iLive into an “analog” clock. You can wake to music from your iPhone/iPod, radio, or a buzzer. There are 10 radio pre-sets and a remote. The iLive ICP391B will charge your iPhone/iPod. List price is $49.99, but you can find it cheaper at various online retailers like Amazon, HSN, Buy.com, etc.
source: The Gadgeteer

More about → App-Enhanced Clock Radio for iPhone/iPod from iLive

SugarSync adds mobile device management, lets you push digital delights directly to iOS

Apple's iOS is great at displaying content already on a device, but transferring documents from your computer to your iPhone or iPad has traditionally been a tedious, inefficient process. SugarSync's new mobile device management sets out to help change that, allowing you to send files directly to your smartphone or tablet using a simple web interface.

After selecting a connected device from the sidebar, you can click to upload content, booting it directly to your handheld. A push notification will appear, prompting you to download any or all of the files you uploaded, which will also remain in the cloud — so you'll be able to access files synched with the SugarSync app from the Web, even when your device is offline.

The feature is rolling out for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch this week, and will be available for Android and BlackBerry soon. It looks like the concept of emailing documents to yourself just to access them on the go is about to follow iTunes sync and tethered updates to a permanent group home in the sky.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → SugarSync adds mobile device management, lets you push digital delights directly to iOS

Jailbroken iOS 5 gets third-party widgets

Apple introduced iOS 5 and its new widget system just last week during WWDC, and a day later it was jailbroken. Now, Cydia developers have taken iOS 5 a step further by providing new third-party applications that allow users to tweak the Notification Center with new widgets. iOS 5 currently only offers widgets for viewing the weather or a stock ticker, but one app - UISettings - will allow users to quickly toggle their network and phone controls, too. Similarly, a widget called MusicCenter is being developed that enables users to view the current audio track they're listening to. We can't wait to see what other developers have in store. Hit the jump for an image of UISettings.
source: Boy Genius Report

More about → Jailbroken iOS 5 gets third-party widgets

iTunes Match not coming to the UK until 2012?

Music collectors in the US will be able to subscribe to Apple's iTunes Match service this fall, but it looks like our friends across the pond will have to wait a little longer before lofting their libraries up to the cloud. According to sources within the British recording industry, licensing negotiations between Apple and the country's major labels have only just begun and likely won't be concluded until 2012.

A spokesman for the Performing Right Society, an organization that protects the rights of musicians and songwriters, likened the situation to the launch of iTunes, which only spread to international markets some 14 months after launching in the US. Speaking to the Telegraph, Forrester Research vice president Mark Mulligan echoed these predictions, while offering some insight into the industry's approach:

“Apple's cloud music service will not launch in the UK until at least quarter one of 2012. These types of negotiations take a long time… For one thing the UK arms of all the major record labels are biding their time and waiting to see how the service affects download sales in the US before they sign up to anything.”

Neither Apple nor any of the major labels have commented on the negotiations.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → iTunes Match not coming to the UK until 2012?

Apple gives in to publishers, changes policy on in-app subscription prices

It looks like Apple has decided to make some pretty major changes to its App Store Review Guidelines — and, in particular, to its controversial in-app subscription policy. Under the new guidelines, publishers will be able to offer subscriptions to content outside of the App Store, as long as their apps don't include a “buy” button that directs users away from Apple's marketplace. Under the previous version of the policy, which was set to go into effect at the end of this month, app owners offering subscriptions outside of App Store were required to sell equivalent, in-app services at the “same price or less than it is offered outside the app,” while giving a 30 percent cut to Cupertino. Now, however, they can price these in-app subscriptions as they see fit, or circumvent the system altogether, by exclusively selling them outside of their apps. Apple will still receive 30 percent of the revenue generated from in-app subscriptions, but won't get any money from purchases made outside of its domain. Theoretically, then, publishers would be able to offer in-app subscriptions at higher prices, in order to offset Apple's share. This is how the new rules are worded:

11.13 Apps that link to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, such as a “buy” button that goes to a web site to purchase a digital book, will be rejected

11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content. Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app.

It's important to note, though, that Apple hasn't made any changes to its policy on sharing user information. Publishers had been lobbying to gain access to subscribers' credit card data and other personal information, which they see as critical to applying a TV Everywhere model to online publishing. With today's concessions, though, these demands may become less insistent.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → Apple gives in to publishers, changes policy on in-app subscription prices

Apple Bans DUI Checkpoint Apps On iOS Devices

The morality police have finally given Apple a wake up call. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has updated its App Store Review Guidelines, banning driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoint apps for all iOS devices.

Just last month Apple and Google took some heat in Congress over carrying DUI checkpoint apps in their online marketplaces, which lawmakers say pose a harmful risk to public safety.

Senator Charles Schumer grilled Apple and Google over their apps at the inaugural hearing of the Privacy and Technology Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary, saying, "Apple and Google shouldn't be in the business of selling apps that help drunk drivers evade the police. They shouldn't be selling apps that they themselves admit are 'terrible'."

Apps such as "Fuzz Alert," "Buzzed," "Checkpointer," and "Tipsy" were available for purchase on the app store for mobile phone users for as little as $4.99.

Similar DUI checkpoint apps such as "Checkpoint Wingman" and "Mr. DUI" are still available for purchase on the Android Market.
source: Unwired View

More about → Apple Bans DUI Checkpoint Apps On iOS Devices

Apple iCloud allows users to download previously purchased apps that are no longer available

CDFXapps has made a great discovery today. They were browsing some of the features of iCloud and found out that users can re-download any previously purchased app, including ones that have been removed from the app store.

Although Apple made it clear that users would be able to download previously purchased apps, they didn't mention that users would be able to download apps that had been previously removed after Apple realized they didn't fit the criteria of the app store. It is unknown on whether or not Apple meant to do this, but it was most likely a mistake.

This shows that Apple is pretty on top of tracking and backing up any apps that you had previously purchased.One example of an app that was previously banned, but now available is Tris, a Tetris clone. Apple will most likely take away this ability in the finalized version of iCloud, but for now you should take advantage of being able to download any apps that were banned that you had previously purchased.
source: Unwired View

More about → Apple iCloud allows users to download previously purchased apps that are no longer available

Apple Explains How iCloud Works

Apple has formally introduced the iCloud and its barrage of services. The iCloud, according to Apple, “stores your content in the cloud and wirelessly pushes it to all your device.” In other words, it would automatically upload, store, and push all of your Apple data in any of your iDevice.

The iCloud would automatically back-up daily content like purchased music, iBooks, photos, videos, device settings, and app data through WiFi. Meanwhile, Documents in the Cloud would sync Pages, Numbers, and Keynote data between all iOS devices. Apple users would be delighted to hear using the iCloud would not nag them with endless advertisements, while calendar, mail, and contact sync comes free of charge (for up to 5GB).

Another feature of the iCloud is the Photo Stream, a single photo gallery that exists on all of your iOS devices, Apple TV, OS X, and even Windows PCs, syncing all of your images through the cloud. For instance, if you take a photo on your iPhone, it would also appear on your laptop and iPad, which will be stored in the cloud for up to 30 days.

And just as expected, Apple's MobileMe bows out. No new registrations will be accepted, while current subscribers can still access everything until June 30, 2012. Also, if your subscription was auto-renewed, your would receive a refund.
source: Gadget.com

More about → Apple Explains How iCloud Works

iOS 5 Offers iMessage and PC Free feature

Apple previewed iOS 5 that includes over 200 new features that will be available to iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® users this fall. What I love among the new iOS 5 features is iMessage, a new messaging service that lets us easily send text messages, photos and videos between all iOS devices. As BlackBerry users are very happy with their BBM, I hope iPhone users will have the same fun with the new iMessage app. And with the new PC Free feature, iOS 5 users can activate and set up their iOS device right out of the box and get software updates over the air with no computer required. Follow the link below to find all the new features.
source: Trendy Gadget

More about → iOS 5 Offers iMessage and PC Free feature

Apple introduces iOS 5

At the WWDC Keynote today, Scott Forstall, Senior Vice President of iOS Software took the stage to introduce the latest version of Apple's operating system for mobile devices to the world, putting an end and confirming recent rumors and speculations about iOS 5. Overall it was a great presentation, with many new and interesting features folks will be getting excited about.

iOS 5 will introduce:

Notification Center: an improved notification system is finally arriving on iOS! After years of requesting for one, iOS users finally have their wishes. The notification system looks great (reminiscent of Android's own notification system) and is miles ahead of iOS' current blue pop up box that users have been complaining about. It is definitely one of the most interesting features of iOS 5.

Newsstand: a new way for users to obtain subscriptions of magazines and newspapers without missing anything. It is also features an aesthetically pleasing bookshelf that users can read all their magazines and newspapers from. Users will be able to purchase content from a new section of the App Store just for subscription titles, with the most popular titles from all over the world available from the store. Titles are also automatically updated in the background, so all users need to do is enjoy the content.

Built-in Twitter integration: apps such as Photos, Camera, Safari, YouTube, and Maps will have integration with the micro-blogging service to let users easily share content with their friends through Tweets directly from the app itself. No more copying, switching to the Twitter app to paste and then returning to the previous app - do it from the same app itself. Great for Twitter users on who use iOS devices.

Safari: iOS' default web browser has been improved, with new features like Safari Reader that hides everything away from the screen, making sites easy to read, a Reading List which lets you save sites to read later (and it's synced to all your iOS devices) and tabbed browsing on the iPad.

Reminders: while there are already quite a number of apps available that do the job, Apple has introduced its own app for helping you get your life organized. Reminders lets you set tasks with time or location-based reminder alerts, priorities and due dates, so you can be alerted when you are in the vicinity of an area and/or the deadline is approaching. It will also sync with your appointments in iCal and Outlook automatically.

Camera: the Camera app is now accessible from the lockscreen. With the iPhone being touted as one of the most popular cameras in the world now, Apple has made it easier for users to pick up the device to take photographs. New features include the ability to use the Volume up button on the iPhone 4 to snap pictures, pinch to zoom to optimize portions of an image, and basic photograph editing/enhancement features available in the app itself.

Mail: the email client in iOS 5 has also been given a much needed update. It now supports rich-text formatting, indentation control, draggable addresses, flagging to mark messages as unread, a search that digs through entire contents of messages, and improved security. It will also support the use of the new inbuilt iOS dictionary.

Keyboard: on the iPad, the keyboard can now be split to enable thumb typing on the tablet. A great new feature for users who prefer to hold their tablets up with two hands instead of resting it on their laps - definitely a feature we did not see coming. Props to Apple for getting creative with its default keyboard.

PC Free: Apple is finally getting rid of the computer - now when you start up a brand new iOS device, you won't need to plug it into a computer to sync with or to set up your account. You can do it all from the device itself. It looks like the iPad/iPhone/iPod touch can be completely independent from now on. Updates will also be performed OTA (over the air), and they will be delta updates which means you only download the features that your device uses. A good decision, seeing how most users are getting their data plans capped nowadays.

Game Center: download and purchase games directly from Game Center, Friend discovery, see the scores of your friends' friends, friend recommendations and game recommendations - basically it's becoming a lot more social, and support for turn-based games.

iMessage: a new, free messaging client for all iOS devices (think BBM but from Apple) that allows iOS users to communicate between themselves over 3G or WiFi. This gives WiFi-only iPod Touch and WiFi-only iPad users the chance to keep in touch without having to use a 3rd party messaging software on their device. Users will be able to send text messages, photos, videos, contacts, and even have group chats. There will be delivery reports, read receipts and real-time typing notification.

AirPlay: remember the iOS-HDMI cable introduced with the iPad 2? Well there's going to be no more need for it in the future. AirPlay will also support mirroring in iOS 5, letting users output what's on their devices on their TVs without using any cables.

Other features mentioned but not discussed elaborately: iTunes Tone Store, Smart Playlist sync from iTUnes, New iPad Music App, Option to speak text selected, VoiceOver item chooser, Mail improved offline support, Improved FaceTime video quality, Multitasking gestures, Alternate routes in Maps.

New developer tools include: Customize UI, improved PDF support, GL Kit, Storyboarding, Access to LED flash, Full page curl transition, Newsstand Kit, Data protection for Core Data, and much more.

iOS 5 will be seeded to developers starting today, while us regular folks will only get it in the fall. Check out the iOS 5 promo video. How many of you are excited about iOS 5?
source: Ubergizmo

More about → Apple introduces iOS 5

iCloud service officially announced at WWDC 2011, is free!

Well, it's not totally free actually. Apple's iCloud service is perhaps the company's most interesting announcement today at WWDC. Long rumored as a music streaming service, Apple's take on cloud computing is better described as a synchronization platform and only a fraction of it involves music. Starting with iOS 5, many of Apple's native applications will support iCloud, facilitating the automatic synchronization of your contacts, calendar, mail, documents, photos, music, books, apps and backups.

Such content is bounced to Apple's new data center in rural North Carolina and shared between your other devices. For instance, if you take a picture, the image will be automatically uploaded to your iCloud account and downloaded to your iPad and MacBook. Many iCloud-enabled applications have their own unique twists — such as sharing calendar data with your spouse — but the music-specific portion of iCloud is particularly fascinating compared to the completion.

Instead of being a separate music subscription service, iCloud essentially augments the functionality of Apple's existing iTunes platform. Along with offering access to previously purchased music across your hardware, the service will automatically download newly purchased songs on up to 10 devices. Additionally, for $24.95 a year, Apple will offer a service called “iTunes Match,” which will allow you to import non-iTunes songs and download them across all your devices.

Although it might seem pricey, iTunes Match presents several immediate benefits. Unlike competing cloud storage services, iTunes Match can scan your entire library and compare it against some 18 million songs in Apple's database. Those that are matched will become immediately available for download as if you've purchased them via iTunes, cutting out the entire process of uploading the files and automatically upgrading your lower quality songs to 256kbps AAC files.

We think plenty of users will appreciate iTunes Match, even if they only sign up for one year to import a bulk of their library. Songs not available in Apple's database will have to be manually uploaded to your iCloud account if you want to sync them across your devices, but this doesn't cost anything. Apple provides 5GB of free storage — just like Amazon — but pictures and iTunes songs don't count against this limit and we imagine other data can be cleared once it's done syncing.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → iCloud service officially announced at WWDC 2011, is free!

iTunes 10.3 released by Apple

Apple has just released their latest version of iTunes, which bumps up the version number to iTunes 10.3 that will deliver a handful of features which were touted during Steve Jobs's World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC 2011) keynote earlier yesterday morning – where it will arrive on Mac machines, making their way to Windows-powered computers eventually, too. Among the new features include automatic downloads which will push newly purchased iTunes music, iBooks, or apps to your Mac and iOS devices where possible, not to mention the ability to re-download previous iTunes purchases (this includes music, apps, and iBooks), as well as being able to go shopping for iBooks books via iTunes on your Mac. For a full list of Apple's patch notes, head on after the extended post.

Automatic Downloads. Purchase music from any device or computer and automatically download a copy to your Mac and iOS devices.
Download Previous Purchases. Download your past music purchases again at no additional cost. Your purchases are available in the iTunes Store on your Mac or in the iTunes app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer on the iTunes Store.
iTunes 10.3 also adds Books to the iTunes Store, where you can discover and buy your favorite books on your computer and automatically download them to iBooks on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
This version also allows you to use Automatic Downloads with apps and books or download previously purchased apps and books from your computer or iOS device.


Bear in mind that there really isn't any method right now to view iBooks on a Mac or PC, where Apple's terms of service for iTunes were altered so that users are able to synchronize their books to their iTunes library, letting them be viewed on an iOS device. The iTunes 10.3 update will weigh in at 74MB, so it should not take too long to appear on your machine, no?
source: Ubergizmo

More about → iTunes 10.3 released by Apple

iTunes on the Cloud announced, yours for $24.99 a year

Apple has just announced its long-awaited cloud-based music service: iTunes in the Cloud. While not a streaming music service as some had speculated, it will let you download any music you've purchased to all of your devices at no additional charge — something Steve Jobs notes is a first for the music industry. All new music you purchase can also automatically be downloaded and pushed to up to ten different devices — and, as with the other apps that make up the broader iCloud service, it's completely free, with a beta version available today (in the US only, unfortunately).

What's more, Apple has also announced a complementary iTunes Match service that will let you put your existing collection of ripped CDs in the cloud. That's done by scanning your library and matching songs to the versions Apple already has (a DRM-free 256kbps AAC file), rather than uploading everything — a process Apple notes takes “minutes,” not “weeks” — although songs will be uploaded in cases where there is no match. It will run you $24.99 a year (for up to 25,000 songs, apparently), and promises to give you all of the “same benefits as music purchased from iTunes” when it launches sometime this fall.
source: 2DayBlog.com

More about → iTunes on the Cloud announced, yours for $24.99 a year