An anonymous tipster sent us a short video showing new capabilities of the iPhone 2.0 software.

It appears that videos will be easily playable in portrait or landscape orientations, using data from the iPhone’s accelerometer. (Though it’s been possible to play embedded QuickTime videos through Safari in the vertical orientation since firmware version 1.1.1.)

Posted on June 12th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone Videos, iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Something interesting is hiding in 10.5.3. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what it does. But if it’s necessary to upgrade if you want to use the new SDK release, that means that there’s a something that ties 10.5.3 to new iPhone features.

So intrepid TUAW readers-slash-detectives, what can you find lurking in that new 10.5.3 firmware release that provides new and exciting iPhone functionality? Let us know in the comments.My completely wild pulling-it-from-the-posterior guess is something to do with AppStore support — or maybe the iNewton — or maybe “back to my iPhone” support — or… No really, I have no clue. Hopefully Uncle Steve will give us something nice for Keynotemas. Until then, see if you can figure it out.

via http://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/28/10-5-3-and-beta-6-sdk-oh-my/

Posted on May 29th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Plazes is getting a native iPhone app when the iTunes store opens up next month. Described as “Twitter with geotagging, points of interest, and social networking features” (quote and news from Techcrunch), services like Twinkle for the iPhone are going to have some competition soon. The service runs on the basic idea of connecting people and giving you updates when people are in the area (their website shows a spontaneous night out happening because everyone is on Plazes).

I  personally think these things are pretty bloody awesome, and I think Twitter is amazing as it is (Plazes has Twitter integration :P) — but I don’t really have many people to interact with in my area. Maybe in a couple of years as people get more and more ‘connected’ (and maybe disconnected personally, but let’s not wax philosophical) I’ll have more reason to use services like this.

But for those of you who do, here’s a demo video of iPlazer.

Posted on May 16th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, iphone applications, iPhone SDK | No Comments »

More information has been revealed about the latest iPhone firmware and SDK build. The latest build is called 5a274D. The new firmware was released on Tuesday, no warning was given, and it has taken a while for details to pour in. We finally have them though, and it seems there has been some significant changes to the build.

The latest build of the SDK is much smaller than previous builds. It weighs in at only 1.08GB. It has been suggested the reason is that lots of redundant code was removed. There has been some changes to the API as well. Namely the address book API, and the Embedded Apple Graphic Library. These changes suggest that applications will need to be re written to take advantage of the new libraries.

There is some evidence that suggests that push email will be in the 2.0 firmware. The latest build, revealed a toggle on/off option for a setting named “Use Push Mail”. You can also still opt to have your iPhone fetch your mail at a predefined interval. It is not known all the services that will be able to be pushed, one though is Yahoo! Mail.

Posted on May 9th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Word is out: new versions of the iPhone SDK and firmware are available for download. Word about the details are still trickling in from developers. This is Apple’s fifth beta release since the iPhone SDK was released in March. There’s just under a week left until the end of the Apple Design Awards submission period. No word if iPhone developers who submitted under earlier firmware will be able to re-submit outside the 72 hour period that Apple allots for “re-dos”.

Readers report that this is a smaller download (just over 1 GB) and details are trickling in through the comments.

Apparently the changes can be found here if you have an online SDK account.

via  tuaw.com

Posted on May 7th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Although it is beyond obvious at this point, it is still nice to have some confirmation that the next iPhone will be 3G.  Today 9to5Mac has it.  Looking in the latest iPhone SDK Preferences application, we find references to both EDGE and 3G Networking.

…which compares to EDGE code found further along in the file.

via http://www.9to5mac.com/3G-code-found

Posted on April 28th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone News, iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Apple released the fourth version of the iPhone SDK beta today. The iPhone SDK now includes OpenGL ES support for the iPhone (Aspen) simulator. Here’s what Apple’s developer website says about the update:

The fourth beta version of the iPhone SDK includes Xcode IDE, iPhone simulator with Open GL ES support, Interface Builder, Instruments, frameworks and samples, compilers, and Shark analysis tool.

You can download the SDK update by logging into the iPhone Dev center and clicking the download link.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

9:31p New beta build is called 5A258f

9:31p SDK download is 1.15 GBs

9:32p No word yet as to whether pwnage will work with the new firmware–probably not. The last time it took almost a week for pwnage release to catch up (that was version 1.1).

9:34p We’re getting tips that Apple is sending out e-mails to developers enrolled in the SDK beta. The e-mails include the same message as above,

9:35p Firmware sizes about 200+MB each for iPhone and iPod touch

9:36p Apple continues with its beta pre-installation advisory. Testing devices may be locked permanently into testing mode.

9:37p If you’re new to the SDK program, make sure you phone has been pre-activated with AT&T before you attempt to load the beta software. Once the beta firmware is loaded, you may not be able to activate with AT&T’s network.

9:38p No word yet on any other changes, other than those mentioned in the e-mail / website.

9:39p Apple just put the release notes on their website. You can find them here: http://developer.apple.com/iphone/library/navigation/index.html

9:40p Code signing is now ENFORCED by Apple.

9:41p SDK no longer uses the Aspen code name for the simulator.

9:42p Audio Toolbox got a big load of new stuff

9:42p NSXMLParser support

9:43p UIFont is re-done with ascender and other professional font support that has been long missing.

9:46p Please keep sending in info as you find it out everyone! We really appreciate your tips. If you need anonymity, check out our tip line. Thank you to everyone for the great feedback so far!
Update: A blue and green birdie sang in our ear about the UIApplication delegate class: “There are definitely some very interesting methods added to UIApplication’s delegate, including methods for badging the Springboard icon, and methods related to gaining and resigning “active” status - seems like background apps may be permitted somehow.

Thanks to http://www.tuaw.com/2008/04/23/apple-iphone-sdk-beta-4/

Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Here’s something I’m working on with Chris Plummer and Dean Long for JavaOne this year. Chris recently was able to build our Java ME CDC/Foundation Profile platform on Darwin OS x86 (hmmm… Darwin OS… I wonder what that means… ) last weekend. (I think he started on Friday afternoon and was ready with it on Saturday). Faster than you can say, “Java ME rules!”

See:

via http://blogs.sun.com/hinkmond/date/20080410

Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Now that developers have had some hands-on time with the iPhone SDK, we’re beginning to see some examples of third-party applications. But as it turns out, at least one company is looking to create something a bit more ambitious than just an application. Like an SDK, for instance. That’s right, the iPhone SDK is being used to write another SDK. A company called NetBlender has just announced an SDK called BD Touch that will allow developers to interact with a range of Blu-ray players, directly from an iPhone.The SDK use the iPhone’s WiFi capabilities and some networking technology built into Blu-ray players, and the company has already dreamed up a few ways developers can use BD Touch. Possible uses include sending digital copies of movies to your iPhone, updating your Netflix queue while you’re watching a movie, easily accessing a movie’s IMDb page, and more. There are even a few Apple-style commercials available that show off current implementations of the SDK.

For developers who want to use the technology, NetBlender is providing two versions of BD Touch. The first SDK, “Connect,” will provide you with the tools and information necessary to write basic applications. If you’re looking to do more advanced stuff, like “connect multiple iPhones to a Blu-ray Disc simultaneously,” you’ll need to pony up for the “Premiere Blend/In” SDK. Either way, NetBlender’s offering looks to be a pretty nifty use of the iPhone SDK, and I suspect developers will take the free SDK and run with it to create some cool stuff (Delicious Library integration, anyone?). Now all Apple needs to do is hurry up and offer Blu-ray drives…

via http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/04/10/ps3-blu-ray-sdk-for-iphone-coming-soon

Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iPhone SDK | No Comments »

Apple’s recently released a software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone, but if you were hoping to port or develop original open source software with it, the news isn’t good. Code signing and nondisclosure conditions make free software a no-go.

The SDK itself is a free download, with which you can write programs and run them on a software simulator. But in order to actually release software you’ve written, you must enroll in the iPhone Developer Program — a step separate from downloading the SDK, and one that requires Apple’s approval.

Since its release, many in the free software and open source community have debated whether the terms of the iPhone Developer Program are compatible with common licenses such as the GPL. In a search for a definitive answer, we asked the principal parties themselves. Apple did not reply to our inquiries, but Free Software Foundation (FSF) Licensing Compliance Officer Brett Smith was happy to discuss the licensing issues in depth.

First, let’s look at the SDK and the developer program that accompanies it.

To download the SDK, you must first sign up for a free Apple ID — an existing Apple Developer Connection, .Mac, or iTunes Store account will do — and use it to register with Apple as an iPhone Developer. The SDK by itself won’t let you create applications that run on actual iPhone devices, though. To do that, you must enroll in Apple’s iPhone Developer Program, for a fee starting at $99.

For the time being, Apple is not accepting all applicants. Currently only US residents age 18 and up are eligible, and Apple is selecting a limited number of applicants. Who gets approved and speculation as to why are popular discussion topics on Apple-centric Web sites.

If your application is approved, a document called the Registered iPhone Developer Agreement lays out the terms and conditions under which you can create iPhone apps. It is those conditions that conflict with free software licenses like the GPL.

Problem: code signing

The iPhone Developer Program establishes Apple as the sole provider of iPhone applications. You can choose not to charge for an app you author, but the iTunes Store is the only channel through which it can be delivered to end users and installed. Apple signs the apps it approves with a cryptographic key. Unsigned apps won’t run on the iPhone.

This condition conflicts with section 6 of the GPLv3, the so-called “anti-TiVoization” provision. In particular, it prohibits Apple from distributing a GPLv3-licensed iPhone application without supplying the signing keys necessary to make modified versions of the application run, too.

Thus, you as the developer could attempt to place your code under the GPLv3, but Apple could not distribute it — and since only Apple-signed programs will run, no one else could distribute it either.

The FSF’s Smith says the fact that the author of the program (i.e., you) and the distributor of the binary (i.e., Apple) are unrelated entities makes no difference. “If a program is meant to be installed on a particular User Product, GPLv3 imposes the same requirements about providing Installation Information whether the software is directly installed on the device or conveyed separately.”

Because of the GPL’s viral nature, any app that is derived from other GPLv3 code must be licensed in a way that preserves GPLv3’s code signing requirement. But there are still projects that have chosen to retain earlier licenses, such as GPLv2, and prior versions of the GPL did not include the code signing requirement. Thus you could in theory place your work under GPLv2, as long as it was either entirely original or derived only from code licensed under GPLv2 and earlier. But the result still would not qualify as free software, since no one could alter your source code and run the modified result on their phone.

As Smith explains, “partially free” software is still non-free. “The Free Software Definition is not a checklist, where software that fulfills three of the criteria is somehow ‘better’ than software that only meets two. The Free Software Definition lists the bare minimum rights you need to make sure that the software works for you, instead of somebody else. If you’ve been deprived of any single one of those rights, whether by a license, a patent, code signing, or any other means, then you’ve lost your freedom. You no longer control the computer; it controls you. Getting some source is a small consolation prize for losing your own autonomy.”

But the aforementioned situation is only an option if Apple would allow you to release the source….

Problem: nondisclosure

Unrelated to the code signing complication is another issue that restricts your choice of licenses. The Registered iPhone Developer Agreement is a contract between the developer (you) and Apple. If you violate any of the terms and conditions of the agreement, you lose your right to use the coding utilities in the SDK and all of its information and documentation.

Section 3 of the document is a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). It defines “all information disclosed by Apple to you that relates to Apple’s products, designs, business plans, business opportunities, finances, research, development, know-how, personnel, or third-party confidential information” as “Confidential Information” — excluding specific information that is available elsewhere. You must agree not to “disclose, publish, or disseminate” any of the aforementioned Confidential Information, and not to use it “in any way, including, without limitation, for your own or any third party’s benefit without the prior written approval of an authorized representative of Apple in each instance.”

Those broad restrictions may be standard issue for an NDA, but they constitute a binding agreement that trumps your usual right to place a license of your choosing on your source code. As Smith puts it, “If you agree to an NDA that prohibits you from sharing your program’s source, then you cannot release that program under the GPL, or incorporate any GPL-covered code in it.”

Publicly releasing source code that uses the iPhone APIs as documented in the SDK and Developer Program could easily fall under the definition of “disclosing,” “publishing,” or “disseminating” Confidential Information, as none of the iPhone APIs are documented elsewhere. A clearer word from Apple regarding what exactly constitutes “disclosing,” “publishing,” and “disseminating” would be helpful, but until the company makes such a clarification, the conservative interpretation is the safest.

You could ask Apple for permission to publish your source code, but in the absence of such permission, violating the agreement terminates your right to use the SDK and to publish your software, regardless of the license you choose.

Finally, the fact that currently only US residents age 18 and older can even sign up for the iPhone Developer Program disqualifies many free software developers right out of the gate. The US-only restriction will likely be lifted, just as the devices themselves have been rolled out country by country. But the Registered iPhone Developer Agreement is intended to serve as a binding contract, so the age restriction is certainly here to stay.

There are other restrictions on what iPhone applications are allowed to do, which some might consider barriers to free software. The limitations already discussed affect all apps, regardless of function.

Freedom!

Of course, the code signing and NDA hang-ups apply only to developers who sign up for the program. Reverse-engineer the iPhone and you can code to your heart’s content. So long as you do not expose yourself to the official SDK, you can license your work however you want.

All of the third-party iPhone apps available up until now are the result of jailbreaking the devices, a pastime at least partly responsible for Apple’s decision to create an iPhone SDK in the first place.

To its credit, the Apple development community seems to recognize the limitations of the iPhone SDK as they apply even to non-free software, and is writing about them.

As the iPhone SDK Era begins, it is interesting to look back at what the FSF had to say about the launch of the device itself. The FSF launched GPLv3 on the same day that Apple launched the iPhone, and used the event to address the restrictions placed on iPhone owners.

Executive Director Peter Brown described the device as “crippled, because a device that isn’t under the control of its owner works against the interests of its owner.” The document goes on to cite DRM locks and “TiVoization” as the principal problems.

In the months since those words were written, the TiVoization problem might have sounded abstract, but the details of the iPhone SDK make it crystal clear — you cannot write free software for the iPhone, even if you want to.

via http://www.linux.com/feature/131752

Posted on April 23rd, 2008 by admin
Filed under: iphone applications, iPhone SDK | No Comments »