Ares is apparently an ancient abstract noun In Greek mythology meaning throng of battle, war. Ares is the son of Zeus and Hera and half-sister of Athena, also a deity of war. The reading of his character remains ambiguous, in a late 6th-century funerary inscription from Attica: “Stay and mourn at the tomb of dead Kroisos/ Whom raging Ares destroyed one day, fighting in the foremost ranks”. Ares is the god of war.
In these times of fervid speculation, most anything — a stray embedded icon, an off-hand remark from a wireless executive, an iphone-shaped potato chip — can pass as a viable indicator of forthcoming announcements from Apple. This latest tidbit of pure rumor is no different, providing nothing more than further confirmation that a significant happening will take place during Steve Jobs’ keynote address at the Worldwide Developer Conference on June 9th.
iphoneDateChanges.png” alt=”" hspace=”5″ vspace=”5″ align=”left”>Yesterday, Apple released the sixth beta edition of its iphone software development kit to registered developers. Alongside the kit, Apple pushed live a slew of new documents detailing API changes, class definitions and more. Most of these documents carried modification or creation dates of May 28th — the date of their actual publication or revision. A handful, however, carry the future revision date of (hold your breath): June 9th.
The content of these documents appears relatively unexciting, detailing items such as the “class used to define and operate on specific and relative time values” and the “class used to manage an immutable ordered collection of objects.” In other words, no revelatory information regarding a would-be 3G iphone or iphone OS 2.0 appears to be contained therein. Still, the date provide further indication that Apple will be making significant iphone-related announcements on June 9th; by now a foregone conclusion for most speculators.
Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference will take place from June 9 – 13 at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco. This will be the first WWDC to offer an iphone development track built around the recently released iphone SDK (software development kit).
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
While Windows-based iphone users continue to experience a bevy of Outlook-related sync issues, Mac users have received a heavy dose of relief in the form of Mac OS X 10.5.3, which resolves persistent problems involving iphone-to-iCal and vice versa synchronization.
Previous problems included issues with forward slashes “/” in contact names, the iphone calendar not showing all iCal events or iCal not showing events entered on the iphone and more.
Several users have now reported that Mac OS X 10.5.3, released yesterday, resolves this issue.
Apple Discussions poster Peter Jones, for instance, wrote:
“Just dropping a note to say that after upgrading to 10.5.3 my calendars seem to be syncing with my iphone again. I tested in both directions. Before 10.5.3 calendars weren’t being sycned, no matter what I did. I tried every tip in this forum and nothing worked. The changes in 10.5.3 make me very happy. ”
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
With the iphone AppStore due to debut within a month’s time, developers who have been accepted into Apple’s official iphone program are chomping at the bit to discuss their upcoming applications. Murkiness regarding Apple’s non-disclosure agreement, signing of which is a prerequisite to the program, has stymied promotional efforts, including interviews with the press, publication of screenshots and even bare-bones announcements.
NDA confusion
Apple’s NDA states that members of the developer program shall not disclose any information regarding the functionality or makeup of the currently available, beta software development kit (SDK). As such, many developers are unsure regarding what exactly constitutes an NDA violation: pushing screenshots of SDK-developed applications to a Web site?; discussing application, but not SDK features with the press?
Specifically, Apple’s NDA reads:
“You agree that the SDK licensed hereunder, the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and any other non-public information that You learn about Apple’s products, designs, research, development, know-how, or Apple’s business, finances or personnel, or non-public third party information, in connection with this Agreement or in connection with Your use of any part of the SDK will be deemed ‘Apple Confidential Information’ under this Agreement.”
All quiet on the development front
In the week after Apple’s announcement of the SDK, the company confirmed that a roster of notable developers, including Intuit, PopCap, Net Suite and Six Apart had signed on to deliver applications through the AppStore. Since then, however, the heavy hitters have been all but silent. None have posted video or image-based demonstrations of their applications, nor feature descriptions.
Apple has released the sixth beta of the iphone software development (SDK), which is available to registered Apple Developer Connection members. The new release requires Mac OS X 10.5.3, the latest version of Leopard, which was released earlier today. Developers report that this release “fixes many bugs and adds support for the latest iphone OS.”
Details on other specific enhancements in this release are forthcoming.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
Google has implemented a function that allows the Address Book application in Mac OS X 10.5.3 to sync the iphone Address Book with Google Contacts. A blog post from Google reads:
“To try it, go to the Address Book menu, choose Preferences, and then check Synchronize with Google. It’ll ask for your Google account and password, then automatically update your contacts every time you sync your iphone. Before you try syncing, it’s a good idea to back up both your Address Book contacts and Gmail contacts. For instructions on how to do that, plus other important information, see the FAQ.”
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, the firm behind a $100 million venture capital for official iphone application development, told iphone Atlas that its managers have been been overwhelmed by the response and subsequent slew of applications submitted for iFunding.
Since the program’s inception months ago, KPCB has received 1700 applications. So far two of those applications have been publicly revealed as accepted into the program and officially funded. They are: Pelago’s Whrrl and iControl Networks iControl. KPCB has also extended one other offer to another startup and another 10 are being seriously considered.
iControl raised $15.5 Million in Series B funding led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers on April 2, 2008 there is no information available regarding funding for Pelago at this time.
Whrrl is a social discovery service and will be available on the iphone as a native application in June 2008. According to their website: “Pelago’s first product, Whrrl, allows you to discover the world through the eyes of your friends and other people you trust. […] This application will allow you to discover places, movies and other events through the eyes and activities of your friends. You’ll even be able to track where you’ve been and where you are going all in real time.”
Whrrl is currently available as a native application for some other mobile phones, an as an SMS-accessible function — though text message fees stunt this option for iphone users. Additionally the tracking feature of Whrrl will more raise some privacy eyebrows, and Pelago isn’t hiding that fact that some of the information will be used for marketing purposes. Businesses may be able to reach you to offer you freebies, incentives, etc. based on your previous places visited and other data. Some level of restriction is available, but it’s suggested that you read through the Whrrl FAQ which covers the application and privacy issues before signing up.
iphone.png” alt=”" hspace=”5″ vspace=”5″ align=”left”>iControl is a application for the iphone for home automation that allows you to control devices in your home and is directly tied into home security systems. It interfaces to the iControl iHub giving you wireless access to devices on your home network to things like security panels, IP cameras, sensors and Z-Wave-based home automation devices like lighting, door locks, thermostats, etc. The system is currently compatible with existing systems from GE Security and Honeywell. Both live and still video is available and remote access is provided by web or mobile phone. Notifications via email and text messaging are also available to notify you regarding events, alarms, etc.
While we haven’t received word regarding any other applications funded by KPCB, it’s possible that one or more may be revealed during Apple’s introduction of iphone OS 2.0, speculatively slated for June 9th — the kick-off for Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference.
If you or anyone else you know get’s iFunded we’d like to hear about it at info@iphoneatlas.com.
iphone.jpg” alt=”" hspace=”5″ vspace=”5″ align=”left”>A Chinese third-party developer claims that Apple has bought his software for recognizing handwritten input on the iphone. Screenshots of an iphone OS 2.0 build incorporating handwriting technolgy as a method for entering Chinese characters surfaced a few weeks ago, but it now appears that Apple may have acquired this function rather than developed it in-house.
The developer is currently unwilling to discuss his work, citing a non-disclosure agreement with Apple, and has sent requests for removal to forums publishing screenshots of his previously freely available third-party application.
Dubbed “HWPen,” the third-party handwriting recognition application was developed by Hanwang.com.cn to allow Chinese character input on the iphone, but the program works equally well with English input. Apple has reportedly stripped English character input from the tool, sieving for only Chinese character recognition for iphone OS 2.0.
Oddly, HWPen is still available as a third-party application for jailbroken iphones. In order to install the software, follow our guide for enabling third-party apps on the iphone, then use Installer.app to add the source: iphonecake.com/src/all
To add a source (as also described in our guide), tap “Sources,” button, then tap “Edit” in the upper-right corner, and finally “Add” in the upper-left corner. Enter the URL of the source you would like to add and press “OK.” Installer.app will add the source, and you will be able to find the new application(s) in the normal “Install” menu.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
The registration window for iphoneDevCamp 2 has now been opened, founder Raven Zachary told iphone Atlas. The second iphoneDevCamp will be held on August 1-3, 2008 at Adobe Systems in San Francisco, CA. The not-for-profit, sponsor-supported gathering covers the development of applications for the iphone and iPod Touch using the native SDK and web standards.
Zachary said:
“The organizers are working hard to ensure that everyone who wants to attend and participate during iphoneDevCamp has space and the resources they need during the weekend. We are anticipating a greater level of interest this year than last year, however. Due to space limitations, we may not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to attend Completion of this registration form does not guarantee attendance. Attendees will be announced in July, pending the level of response we get, and available space. Attendees who need to make travel arrangements in advance are encouraged to contact the organizing team, info@iphonedevcamp.org to arrange.”
The first event was also hosted by Adobe, and held in August 2007 with 300 attendees and several dozen sponsors. Despite the lack of Flash support on the iphone, Adobe last year said that it “embraces any opportunity to support the Web community. We believe that Adobe Creative Suite 3 is the best environment in which to build great Web experiences for any platform, on any device.”
Attendees will create new applications, migrate OS X applications, and learn to test and optimize their applications for the new iphone/iPod Touch OS 2.0 and its official Apple SDK. Currently the Apple iphone SDK is under NDA and the folks organizing this event are hoping that the NDA’s will be removed once the SDK is officially released at WWDC this coming June 2008.
Feedback? info@iphoneatlas.com.
Though developers of iphone applications to be sold through the official AppStore, due next month, are bound by an NDA and hence generally mum on release plans, Mobileage says it will be offering two games for the iphone and iPod Touch through the iTunes App Store later this year.
Blackjack21 is described as the definitive version of the world’s most popular casino card game. From the developer: “Blackjack 21 offers super seamless gameplay as it responds to the same gestures used in a live game. You can further customize the game by directly downloading awesome card and table art for free.”
TouchTile Mahjong is described as the classic tile matching game for iphone and iPod Touch. From the developer: “Finally you can transform those brief moments of downtime into extended moments of downtime. Choose from hundreds of layouts and stacks of alternative tile and background art.”
Currently the company is unable to provide demos of their products, but expects something tangible to be made available soon. No pricing information is available, but MobileAge is offering a notification list.
If you or someone you know is creating games for the iphone or iPod Touch please drop us a note at info@iphoneatlas.com.