Developers of certain high-profile iPhone applications have discovered a stream of significant, new-platform money. Smaller developers have also been able to generate modest income, with the first paychecks for many coders now received from Apple.

One category of revenue intake many developers are closely watching is that of free-to-paid conversion. Since no real shareware model exists for the iPhone, some developers have decided to offer free, limited-functionality versions of their applications alongside paid, full-functionality versions. The question is whether or not users will convert to the paid version after having used (or at least downloaded) the free version.

Stats from one developer paint a fairly grim portrait, though not one that is wholly out of line with shareware conversion rates for other platforms.

Josh Anon, the developer of FlipBook, an application that allows free-form doodling and image manipulation, says that less than 1% of users who download the “lite” version of his application purchase the full edition.

“We’re quite happy with the number of people who have decided to try FlipBook Lite and the great reviews it’s receiving! Of course we’d be happier if the conversion rate to the paid version were higher (it’s under 1%), but we’ll see what happens as time goes on. ”

FlipBook Lite currently holds the #6 spot in the free software category on the iPhone AppStore with 251,360 downloads so far.

via http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/08/29/does-free-iphone-software-pay/

Posted on September 1st, 2008 by admin
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Yesterday, it came out that the iPhone has a serious security flaw that makes it so someone can hack into your phone even if there’s a password activated. But now Apple is coming out and confirming the flaw and stating a fix is on the way.

We can expect a fix sometime in September, though Apple isn’t all that concerned with it, calling it “minor.” This is because you can easily hide the flaw by setting your home button to take you to your iPod instead of your favorites.

Maybe Apple is just overwhelmed with all the other fixes people are calling for? Even so, if you ask me, it’s a bit discourteous to customers to dismiss the flaw so eagerly. But that’s just my opinion.

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/apple-admits-to-security-flaw-fix-on-the-way-284544.php

Posted on August 29th, 2008 by admin
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While not yet available, the gold dipped iPhones will be the first with 24K yellow gold housing and bezel. Funnily enough, the makers even hinted that this time around the phones were a bit harder to dip because of the bad quality of the plastic casing. But I guess anything would seem poor to people that dip everything in gold!

Last minute tests are being performed now for people that may want customizations such as engravings. If you want one, you’ll need to e-mail Computer Choppers to find out how much they’ll cost.
Usually, if the price isn’t listed and you need to know it, you can’t afford it. At least that’s why I won’t be getting a gold coated iPhone anytime soon.

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/24k-gold-iphone-3g-for-the-luxury-crowd-274519.php

Posted on August 28th, 2008 by admin
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A new document from Verizon Wireless has been leaked, and it focuses on offering tips for their employees so they will be better able to answer just why the new iPhone 3G is not as good as people think. Of course we have to keep in mind that although this document was “leaked” we have not had any official confirmation that is came from Verizon.

Personally, I am inclined to believe it, after all a good salesperson should know about the competition, especially when its an item such as the iPhone 3G that is getting a lot of coverage. Not to mention, if I remember correctly they have a similar document following the launch of the original iPhone.

Anyway, based on the anti-iPhone document there are four popular myth’s that they are looking to prove to be untrue, which are as follows;

    * 3G iPhone is now trice as fast
    * The new 3G iPhone is now half the price
    * iPhone Data Plan Covers All Data
    * 3G iPhone Data Plan include more data at affordable prices!

Basically these “myths” seem to be nothing more than a rehash of the same issues that many other iPhone users have already brought up already. Of course (and at the risk of sounding a little fanboyish) it still does not change the fact that it is an iPhone. While I will be the first to admit the iPhone and the iPhone 3G are far from perfect, they do offer a nice user experience, and at least for my primary uses, email, text and web they have been great.

Posted on August 26th, 2008 by admin
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knew it would happen eventually. It’s a lawsuit-filled world out there. Someone’s got to do it.

Some users have been experiencing some problems with the 3G on their iPhone 3G, and one new owner has decided to try to get her money’s worth.

A women in Alabama by the name of Jessica Alena Smith has filed a lawsuit against Apple for selling her a device that didn’t meet all the hype in the advertisements.

Smith purchased the device in response to Apple’s very convincing advertising. “One could barely turn on the television without hearing that the new iPhone 3G was ‘twice as fast for half the price,’” reads the complaint.

However, from day one her device’s data connection, e-mail, SMS, and other communications were slower than she had expected them to be.

Of course, she’s far from alone in her frustration, so many users are probably cheering her on. That is also why she asked for a class-action case.

Do you think she’ll be successful?

via http://www.iphonematters.com/article/user_suing_apple_because_of_false_advertising_234/

Posted on August 26th, 2008 by admin
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It seems gaming on the iPhone is about to get a whole lot more intuitive and a lot more versatile. At least that’s what those over at TouchArcade are saying. They’ve found evidence of two new iPhone control pads that could make it possible to use traditional gaming functions on your iPhoneThe iControl pad, pictured above, has four face buttons, Start/Select, a D pad and a light-up LED. this is just a prototype, but it’s definitely better than what we’ve got so far.

Another design is pictured below and it resembles a patent application. Even so, it seems to provide a bit more functionality and could be intended for games that require more precision in their controls. for instance, there is an analog stick in place of a D pad and Start/Select buttons. When the accelerometer isn’t enough for maneuvering in a game, this should do the trick.

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/two-iphone-control-pads-on-the-way-254480.php

Posted on August 26th, 2008 by admin
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iHologram, which was created by David O’Reilly, works like this:

The application works by assuming a constant viewing angle (35-45 degrees), typical for when the device is placed on a tabletop. The 3d scene’s perspective is warped using anamorphosis, the same technique used in Hans Holbein’s painting The Ambassadors. This application does the exact same but updates dynamically.

I have no idea what this app is for, but it’s pretty darn cool, nonetheless.

via http://www.iphonebuzz.com/holographic-app-coming-soon-224454.php

Posted on August 25th, 2008 by admin
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e number of applications installed on the iPhone. Reader David Sternlight writes:

“After reviewing this further and discussing it with Apple support, it appears the quit on launch after splash screen problem with iPhone 3rd party apps is caused by a bug triggered by having ‘too many’ such apps on the iPhone. Reducing the number from 6 pages worth to a bit under 3 pages worth seems to provide a temporary fix. Apple is aware of the problem; it is high on their priority list.”

A less-than-desirable fix to be sure.

Meanwhile, the following laborious process may also provide relief:

• On the iPhone go to Settings, General, Reset, and Erase All Content and Settings.
• On the host computer, in iTunes, navigate to Applications on left-hand bar.
• Click on any application, select all (command-A),and delete them (command-click on any one). When the options window comes up, select move to trash. Empty the trash.
• In iTunes, Sync the iPhone without any music or video selected.
• In iTunes, reinstall all desired apps.
• In iTunes, sync again.
• Add back desired music, video, etc via another sync

via http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2008/08/21/iphone-os-202-crashes-too-many-applications/

Posted on August 22nd, 2008 by admin
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  We’ve had very few problems with my iPhone 2.0 and subsequent 2.01 releases.  But the Internet has been abuzz lately with people who are having lots of problems with the iPhone 2 software, especially overseas.  Apple’s iPhone 2.0.2 update was supposed to help alleviate these problems….it didn’t.  For me, it has caused more.

In fact, I am finding 2.0.2 to be the buggiest version of the iPhone software yet, including the 1.x versions.  I’ve had to blow away my iPhone 3 times now - a few times because one of my 3rd party apps, which is over 100 megs, gets stuck in the middle of the update process.  Another because it would just go at a snail’s pace even after a hard reset.  It is still slow and clumsy.

via http://feeds.computerworld.com/~r/Computerworld/blog/121/~3/370051154/apples_iphone_2_0_2_software_update_didnt_fix_much

Steve Jobs has written a few users who are concerned about the stability of the software, saying that September’s 2.1 update should alleviate many of the problems.  He even said that 2% of the iPhones had bad firmware that would be updated.  Apple seems to have even pulled some planned upcoming features in the name of stability.

So I am waiting with a slow and buggy 2.0.2 iPhone 3G.  Apple, bring on 2.1, my iPhone is waiting!

Posted on August 21st, 2008 by admin
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We have seen the recent reports that a software update will be coming soon to correct any of the reception issues that users are having with the iPhone 3G, but so far nothing official has come from Apple to confirm that.

This latest piece of the story is reported to have come from Apple, of course at this point I would consider it nothing more than an rumor, but it does at least fit with the previous reports.

At least one user claims to have received an email from Steve Jobs (more than likely someone on his behalf) claiming that they “hope to have a software update soon.” In addition it was also mentioned that the reception issues are affecting “around 2% of the iPhones shipped.”

Personally (knock on wood) I have not had any issues yet, but either way we can only hope that this email is indeed accurate, even with just 2% being affected that is a lot of people dealing with this issue. Certainly not what you want when you spent a few hundred bucks for the phone and tied yourself into a contract.

Posted on August 20th, 2008 by admin
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