Sep 03 2011
I found some very interesting graphs from Flickr this week showing the most popular digital cameras with which its users take photos. See Flickr Camera Finder.
Perhaps the most amazing statistic has been the stellar rise of the Apple iPhone 4 to become the most popular digital camera!
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Aug 20 2011
This week I came across two more high-profile companies moving from apps to web app (HTML5) to avoid the Apple tax.
The other advantages that these developers will experience is that they no longer need to get approval from Apple (which can make planning and time lines difficult), and their apps are now cross-platform!
I previous wrote about this subject in Financial Times on an iDevice.
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Jun 13 2011
There was lots of talk about Apple‘s announcement of iOS 5 last week. For an overview of the new features read See new features included in iOS 5.
The most interests aspects are:
I am not an iDevice user, but I am becoming more impressed :)
Finally, Google Android vs. Apple iOS: Handicapping the 2011 death match gives a good comparison of iOS and Android.
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Jun 12 2011
When Apple recently announced that it was going to start taking a share of revenue on purchases made within applications on iDevices (yes – I made that name up) I thought that this would accelerate the move to HTML5 web apps.
The first significant player (at least that I am aware of) made the leap this week! The Financial Times! For more details read FT Bypasses Apple’s iTunes, Launches HTML5 Web App (Free Access First Week), and to download the app go to The new FT app for iPad and iPhone.
I really wonder if Apple has got the strategy wrong with this!
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Apr 21 2011
There is lots of media coverage of Apple‘s covert user tracking activities: iPhones and 3G iPads record location data without permission – research.
It is times like this that I am glad I am not an Apple user :D
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Aug 16 2010
A very humorous article about iPhone users and their sexual partners: Yo, here’s a vulnerable snap of my iPhone.
I particularly like the last paragraph :D
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Feb 22 2010
The Irish Times has an interesting article about popular iPhone applications: App-solutely fabulous.
I do not use an iPhone, so I do not know how usefule these applications really are :)
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Apr 24 2009
Apple have removed the controversial Baby Shaker application from the application store! I guess that it is not surprising, since Apple try not to endorse any applications that are objectionable!
To read more about this see ‘Baby Shaker’ game pulled from Apple’s iPhone App Store. There is also a great video demonstration!
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Mar 05 2009
Here is an old news item (August 2008) that I came across today. Actually, it was emailed to me by somebody as an example of innovation!
The main function of the I am Rich application is to display a red jewel on the user’s screen. However, it cost $999.99! Yes, really! Apparently this is the maximum price allowed. So I guess that the application’s main purpose is to act as a wealth symbol!
For more information about this application, and a screenshot, see The First $1000 iPhone Application and Apple removes $1,000 featureless iPhone application. It is free to view the red jewel using your Internet browser :D
I am not really clear why Apple removed this application from the store. If it was unhappy with the price, and the fact that people were accidentally buying it, surely it should reduce the maximum price allowed for applications.
I presume that this application never made it back to the market place again, but I wonder if the people who bought it still receive support and upgrades :)
Furthermore, is there anything to prevent somebody stealing one of the screenshots and creating their own version of this application? This could even start a price war ;)
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Jan 02 2009
I read a very interesting article about a new period tracking application for the iPhone. The application is called I am a Man, and it enables the user to keep track of the periods of several women. Its main features are described as:
Here is a sample screenshot:
I am a Man Application Screenshot (courtesy of VentureBeat)
For more details about this application see An iPhone app to track the menstrual cycle of your girlfriend(s). (Yes, you read that right).
I think that the application seems to be quite useful! My only negative comment is that the application title is a bit sexist, because it seems to be very focused on male users. Surely more females track periods than males!
Unsurprisingly, the application is getting a lot of negative attention. For example, Pat Phelan expresses his opinion in Farts and periods, Apple finally reaches the bottom of the barrel, and many of his Irish readers agree with him.
I understand why people have these negative opinions. Furthermore, I think that most of my Irish friends (both male and female) would have similar opinions.
However, I think that this application will be viewed differently by people from different cultures and backgrounds. For example, I know females who feel that information regarding their periods is not particularly private (of course they do not make a public announcement about it either). It is just not a big deal to them, and it is certainly not taboo. Indeed, some of these females already track their periods using their computers or mobile devices. Finally, it is not uncommon for them to know when their colleagues are having theirs.
So are these friends all exceptional? I do not know, but perhaps their attitudes are influenced by the fact that they come from Spain and Italy :o
I will try and convince some of my female friends to post their opinions of this application here :)
