Macworld vendors have apps worth a look

Macworld | iWorld kicked off Thursday with thousands of attendees coursing through the aisles of Moscone Center West, eager to check out the latest software and accessories for Apple’s growing line of products.

Hundreds of vendors clamored for their attention using a variety of techniques, from good old-fashioned product giveaways to attractive young people on trampolines demonstrating new sport headphones as they did backflips.

Not everything was as dramatic. but there was plenty on the show floor worth getting excited about. Some highlights:

— TeenAgree. All parents worry the first time their teenagers take the family car out on the open road, uncertain whether they’ll be safe. TeenAgree attempts to ease their minds by tracking the kids’ every move. Parent and child both install the app on their smart phones, and parents will be alerted if the child drives too fast, sends a text message or travels outside a certain boundary. Do teenagers hate this app, TeenAgree co-founder Nathan Ooley was asked. “Yes they do,” he said. “You don’t want it when you’re young. but when we’re parents, it’s a different story.” ($4.99 to download, plus $4.99 a month to track up to three kids. Android version also available.)

— TourWrist. There are a variety of free apps that let you take panoramic photos. San Francisco’s TourWrist is the first we’ve seen that lets you shift your perspective simply by moving your device – turn around and the images move with you, as if you’ve been transported inside whatever scene you happen to be looking at. A panorama takes about 45 seconds to shoot, and can be uploaded for free to TourWrist’s website. Users can also browse thousands of other panoramas, which the site calls “tours.” Realtors are already using it to show properties, and TourWrist founder Charles Armstrong says it’s also perfect for capturing vacation photos. (Free.)

— Nivio. this service, available next month, offers a chance to rent apps – or an entire operating system – from the cloud. Users will be able to rent a Windows desktop and display it on iPhones and iPads. the idea is that you can bring an iPhone into the office, plug it into an external display, and instantly start working on an Excel spreadsheet while using the phone as a touchpad. Everything will be free for the first 30 days, and after that prices range from $2 to $15 per month per app. Nivio is also offering any user 10 gigabytes worth of free online storage for life. more info: nivio.com.

— Art Authority. at last, an app that does away with the first rule of museums – no touching the paintings. the Oregon developer of this app has gathered high-resolution images of 50,000 paintings and made them searchable in all sorts of ways: by artist, by style, or even by how close the original is to your current location. A “Pandora for art” feature will show you images like the one you are be looking at. ($4.99)

— Naturespace. the best way to unwind after the chaos of the show floor may be this app, which offers a wide variety of relaxing sounds to help you sleep, meditate or simply relax. the free app comes with six sounds, but a total of 80 are available for between $1 and $4 apiece. and they have the best names of any in-app purchases we’ve ever seen: “Saga of the Moonflowers,” “Boudoir of the Hive Queen,” “The Exponential Coqui,” and – why not? – “Peyote.”

This article appeared on page D – 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

AT&T's iPhone "sales" versus "activations": Doing the Math

love Apple gear? Like math? TUAW’s Doing the Math series examines the numbers and the science behind the hardware and software.

several sites — including TUAW — reported yesterday that 80% of all smartphones AT&T sold in Q411 were iPhones, based on AT&T’s quarterly earnings report. On closer inspection, however, there’s a subtle but important detail that we overlooked in AT&T’s wording. it reported “9.4 million smartphone sales” but “7.6 million iPhone activations” (emphasis mine).

so, consider the following series of events. Alice buys an iPhone 3GS back in 2009 on a two-year contract. In late 2011, she treats herself to a new iPhone 4S — that’s both a sale and an activation for AT&T. She gives the 3GS to her husband, the long-suffering Bob, who can finally ditch his flip phone.

Bob needs service though. His “new” 3GS is locked to AT&T — unlike in many other countries around the world, most American carriers won’t voluntarily unlock even out-of-contract handsets. Even if it were unlocked, though, it’s not compatible with either the CDMA networks used by Verizon and Sprint, nor the oddball 3G frequencies used by T-Mobile USA. Finally, AT&T refuses to support iPhones on its pay-as-you-go GoPhone plan (although if Bob read TUAW he’d know he could work around this). so, with no other choices, Bob rings up AT&T and starts an iPhone contract so he can use the old handset as more than just an oddly-shaped iPod touch.

at the end of this process, AT&T has closed one new sale — but counted two activations, one for Alice’s new iPhone 4S and one for Alice’s old iPhone 3GS in Bob’s name. This means the 7.6 million activations includes some double counting, and can’t directly be compared to sales.

we reached out to AT&T’s Seth Bloom to confirm whether our reasoning was true. He said “You’re right that activations are a bit different than sales — and activations includes things like gifted iPhones as you suggest.” However, he also added that “In this quarter, the number of activations from things like gifted iPhones doesn’t change the math much. we aren’t sharing a number, but gifted phones is a relatively small portion of total activations.”

How much might a “relatively small portion” be?

Let’s revisit those numbers: 9.4 million smartphone sales and 7.6 million iPhone activations. Suppose that 10% of all those iPhone activations were to used handsets. In other words, out of all of those brand-new iPhone sales AT&T made in the last three months, about one in ten of them (a virtual cookie to any commenter who spots why I had to say “about” there) were made to a person who a) already had an older iPhone and b) then proceeded to sell or give that handset away to someone else, who reconnected it back to AT&T’s network. that would mean that AT&T activated 6.84 million new iPhones and 760,000 old ones. In turn, that means that the iPhone took 73% of AT&T’s overall smartphone sales. the other 27% will be split between Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone 7.

more generally, we can plot a graph of how the iPhone’s market share changes as a function of the recycle factor or the proportion of activations which went to reused handsets:

if we revisit AT&T’s statement we can also see that “82 percent of postpaid sales were smartphones.” This means, remarkably, that unless 25% of iPhone activations went to reused handsets (which seems unlikely in light of Bloom’s comments) then over half of all contract phones AT&T sold were iPhones. This story is repeated on Verizon too.

the bottom line is: Apple kicked all kinds of posterior in the smartphone market during the last three months of 2011. Can it continue to do so in 2012? it might not be able to maintain quite this stupendous a lead. the timing of the iPhone 4S launch (in autumn, versus the previous summer iPhone introductions) likely boosted sales by causing some greater-than-usual pent-up demand. Supporting this hypothesis, Tim Cook admitted that sales of the older models waned between July and September. It’ll be fascinating to see what this massive quarter does to the overall smartphone market share of iOS versus Android in the coming months.

Share

Waterproof Your iPhone Permanently With Liquipel’s Chemical Coating Technology

No need to be absolutely gutted about losing your iPhone to water, as California-based company has a solution to permanently waterproof your iPhone, or any smartphone for that matter, forever.

Liquipel’s technology is here to save your iPhone from accidental water damages. the company has demonstrated their supreme chemical coating technology that serves as an invisible armor which permanently protects your cell phone from any form of liquid medium.

And there’s no need to dress your iPhone with a case, as Liquipel has its own coating technology that shields your devices for a price. Sounds too good to be true? to prove the point, Liquipel has put up several demonstration videos on their website.

Here is one of them — an iPhone 4S battling against the tide of water:

The site states that there are currently 11 different kinds of smartphones — Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS 4 and 4S; HTC Evo 4G, Shift 4G, MyTouch 4G and Thunderbolt; Samsung Charge; Motorola Droid X and X2 — that can be treated with this magical shield for $59.

According to Liquipel’s website:

It is not visible to the human eye, virtually undetectable and Liquipel will not compromise the look, feel, and performance of your electronics. Liquipel penetrates the entire device as a whole, including all of the vital components inside and out to provide optimal protection against accidental contact with liquids.

So what does this mean?

You can potentially turn your iPhone or any smartphone into an underwater camera. You can shower with your iPhone every day, finally. and probably get out of submarine and camp out underneath the sea for a day or two — okay, that’s too much, but you get the point.

However, the downside of this chemical coating is its price. While it is certainly not very expensive, but shelling out $59 can be a bit too much to ask for, especially if your smartphone is not entirely in mint condition.

Probably you can buy any of the waterproof iPhone cases available at Amazon, that is not only cheap but also gives a sturdy look and feel when you hold the smartphone in your hands.

Also, for $59, you won’t get a screenguard-like sheet to be applied on your iPhone. You have to send your device off to Liquipel and have them apply this coating on your phone. this can probably take a day or two.

We can’t confirm the veracity of Liquipel’s coating technology, but stealing from the first glance of the video, this product is probably the only game in town that can protect your smartphone, like, forever. do you think all this sounds too good to be true? let me know what do you think through the comments section below.

Best iPhone 4s accessories for Christmas gifts

Twitter updates

from detecting cancer to paying the gas station clerk, what new and exciting features are you looking forward to… t.co/MhW8LPRc # 22 hours ago

We have a special deal for those of you with the HTC Thunderbolt, we have the Sandcat Protective Case going for… t.co/SJo0Nwws # 2012/01/31

what do you think of having a tablet that you can dock your smartphone into? Do you think this concept may catch… t.co/guYcEW4V # 2012/01/30

Have you started shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts this year for that special someone? Smartphone & tablet… t.co/6ENzo1DI # 2012/01/27

it looks like tablets are taking over as the device of choice for millions, do you think it will replace desktop… t.co/CFsIGQdL # 2012/01/26

Griffin PowerBlock Dual Universal Charger for MP3 Players and USB Devices (2Amp – 1A per Port) (Black)

Plug PowerBlock Dual into your 100 to 240 volt AC power outlet and charge two USB devices while you use them. Works as a charger for many devices that charge via USB; just use the cable that shipped with your device and plug it into either of PowerBlock’s industry-standard Type-A USB ports.Brand: Griffin Technology Model: NA23061 Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 7.09″ h x 1.38″ w x 5.00″ l, .24 pounds Charge MP3 players and other USB devices, two at a time Delivers safe charging levels for most USB devices from almost any wall outlet SmartFuse circuit-breaker protection means no fuses to replace Compact for travel with fold-flat blades Charges Mp3 Players & other Usb Devices 2 At a Time 2A1A Per Port Smartfuse Circuit-Breaker ProtectionMost helpful customer reviews 41 of 43 people found the following review helpful. Does not charge two smartphones that pull alot of current by Anh Lai this supposedly has 1 amp per port. this is false, it does not. I have a Droid X and a Droid 2 in the house. It will not charge them both at once. they each require 850ma. It will however charge one of the Droids and one dumb samsung phone requiring much less current. this device is nice, but I wish it really pushed out 1A per port. It would work great for those who simply need to charge one smartphone and one device that requires less current, e.g. a bluetooth headset. a minor setback for me, but others may not be in the same boat. 20 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Works Better Than Expected by D. Redwood I bought this PowerBlock Dual Universal Charger to run my HP Multimedia USB powered speakers but hoped to be able to run my iPad as well. the iPad uses a 2.1 amp charger and the USB powered speakers requires 1 amp. I connected both the iPad and speakers to this charger at the same time and they both worked fine. I watched a video on the iPad while listening to the speakers at a high volume to determine if the charger can handle it. It not only handled the load without any problems, but it also charged up my iPad to a full charge. I discovered that there are two versions of this PowerBlock Dual Universal Charger. this one provides 1 amp per USB port and the other one produces only 500 ma per USB port. the good one advertises the 1 amp per USB port capability, while the other one does not. also, this one shows the 1 amp per USB port on its packaging and on the unit itself. by all means get this better one, not the less capable one, as it can handle more devices. I travel a lot and needed a small lightweight USB charger that can power my USB speakers, which saves weight and space. this can help avoid paying overweight charges at the airport which can be quite expensive (some portable speakers have a heavy power supply or built-in rechargeble battery that you must carry around). also, I like the fact it can handle an input of 100v-240v so it can be used in any country. Update: My daughter liked this charger so well that she got one for herself to power her iPhone and HP USB Mini Speakers. these mini speakers produce great sound from the iPhone, and this charger will power the mini speakers and charge the iPhone at the same time. 16 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Works perfectly well! by zhuchok some of the earlier reviewers complained that the charger is not powerful enough to recharge combinations of certain USB devices with higher than average power consumption. I wonder if they used the previous model of the PowerBlock. I tested this charger with all possible combinations of the three USB devices I use most: Kindle 3, BlackBerry Curve 8530, and iPod Touch 64GB. in all combinations I tested, PowerBlock worked fine charging the connected devices quickly. See all 55 customer reviews…

Developer Sells iPhone App On eBay, Starting Price: $1

Mobile app developer Neal Schmidt, maker of the scavenger hunt game Buckshot, is selling his iPhone app on eBay where it had a starting price of just $1.00. the app was posted to eBay on December 29th, and, according to the listing is for “complete ownership” of the game, including both the free and paid versions.

As of today, the app has received 17 bids and is currently up to $202.50.

According to the seller “nSchmidt7,” the multi-player photo scavenger hunt game now has attracted 20,000 registered players since its May 2011 launch. it generates $300/month in revenue from sales and iAds in the free version. in addition, the Amazon cloud server the app runs on is a little more than $2/day.

The developer also claims its the “easiest thing in the world to maintain” – which of course begs the question, why sell the thing? that piece of information is notably missing from the app’s listing. a guess? the longtail of mobile app development in this case wasn’t profitable enough to be worth the effort, as minimal as it may be.

But the sale is apparently legit. Both the developer’s Twitter account and the app’s Facebook Page link to this blog post detailing the eBay sale, which also showed up via tips. the seller’s account has been an eBay member since March 2008 and has a 100% positive feedback rating (61 reviews).

According to the listing, the sale will end on January 5th. We’ve reached out to Schmidt directly to ask why he’s decided to move on from Buckshot, and will update when we hear back.

Update: Neil has responded explaining why he’s selling the app. He says he’s tired of paying $99/year to use iTunesConnect, is tired of Apple’s 30% cut of everything he generates and is tired of waiting in line for a week or more with the Apple Review Board every time he has an important update. (Ouch!) Going forward, Neil says he will invest his time in HTML5 development instead.

Selling complete ownership of my iPhone App on eBay: loggingpass.com/index.php/ipho…

— Neal Schmidt (@nSchmidt7) December 30, 2011

New technology brings toys to life

You can now try before you buy thanks to new technology that brings products magically to life.

Advertisement >>

Hi-tech firm Aurasma has done a deal with toy giant Bandai that lets shoppers watch 3D videos by pointing their mobile at a product on the shelf.

It works with Bandai’s Thundercats, Power Rangers and Ben 10 toys in special edition boxes. Bandai is the 2,000th firm Aurasma has signed-up. Others include BMW, Virgin Atlantic and Sky.

Your Money joined forces with Aurasma to show readers with smartphones how it works. You’ll need an iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, iPad2 or high-powered Android device.

First, download the free Aurasma app, then open it and point the camera on your gadget at the Ben 10 image above. after a few seconds, you should be able to watch a special Ben 10 cartoon.

Durapower Global Offers OEM replacement Parts for Sprint EVO 4G and other Smartphones at Low Prices – Gadgets and Technology News

Durapower Global Offers OEM replacement parts for Sprint EVO 4G and other Smartphones at Low Prices

EVO 4G owners and smartphone repair technicians now have an inexpensive source of Sprint EVO 4G repair parts and accessories from Durapower Global. Durapower Global provides a large selection of Replacement parts and Accessories for HTC, Samsung, LG, Blackberry, iPhone, and iPad.

Released in June 2010, the Sprint EVO 4G has grown to be one of the top selling android devices. while its massive 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen, 8 megapixel camera, HD video camera and multitude of multimedia features make it a standout, few owners are excited about the high deductible for repair. with the full line of OEM Sprint EVO 4G repair parts available from Durapower Global, Owners can now easily extend the life of their devices at a low cost.

From LCD Screen and glass replacements to loudspeaker, rear camera and battery items, Durapower Global carries all of the Sprint EVO 4G repair parts that any owner would need to make their phone like new. The supplier even sells an inexpensive repair kit designed especially for the Sprint EVO 4G Smartphone. all smartphones get damaged over time and the EVO 4G as well as most smart phones are pretty easy to repair,” said a Durapower Global technical specialist. “There are many video tutorials available online that walk you through any repair so owners and repair technicians can save a considerable amount of money with our parts.”

In addition to EVO 4G repair parts, the supplier carries replacement parts and accessories for Apple iPads and iPods as well as Blackberry, LG, Motorola and Samsung smartphones. The supplier also carries a variety of accessories such as brand-specific repair tool kits, screen protectors, Otterbox cases, HDMI cables, batteries, memory card and even Apple iMac, Macbook and Macbook Pro laptop parts. We also have wholesale prices on EVO 4G repair parts and many of our catalog items for technicians,” said the technical specialist.

The fastest and most secure method is to place an order online through their website or by phone. Most items are in stocked in the suppliers Suwanee Georgia Warehouse and ready to send out within 1 to 2 business days via USPS delivery price point schedules, UPS Ground or UPS two-day air. Durapower Global offers free UPS Ground shipping on all orders over $99.00. For more information, please visit durapowerglobal.com/HTC-EVO-4G-Parts_c_305.html.

Using Dragon Dictation on the iPad 2 with a Bluetooth headset

I’m enjoying the fine weather working on my back patio with the iPad 2 and a Bluetooth keyboard. Actually, I’m not using the Bluetooth keyboard, I am using Dragon Dictation on the iPad 2 along with my Jabra Bluetooth headset to dictate into the iPad. Dragon Dictation makes it possible to input text simply by the speaking directly into the iPad, or in this case the Bluetooth headset.

The accuracy is very good, and I find very few errors in the conversion of my speech to text. It’s uncanny how good Dragon Dictation is, even handling proper names. it does this by scanning the user’s contact list to learn who might be referred to in spoken text entry.

It would be very useful if Dragon Dictation allowed me to dictate directly into other apps, but unfortunately it is restricted to dictating into the internal Dragon Dictation app. That’s not quite as convenient as it requires copying and pasting the text into other apps as desired.

While I can’t see myself dictating a large volume of text using this method, it is accurate enough and convenient enough to do it occasionally. I really do like using it and with the Bluetooth headset it is quite accurate as it eliminates virtually all background noise.

Dragon Dictation doesn’t allow for editing text on the fly, that must be done later using whatever app is the eventual home for the dictated text. otherwise it works pretty well if you just sit down and dictate text you want to record and let Dragon Dictation input it for you. once you develop a rhythm using this method it may be the fastest way to enter text into the iPad or other mobile device.

I do find the Siri dictation on the iPhone 4S to be more accurate than Dragon Dictation, but until Apple chooses to put that on the iPad this will have to do.

Note that even while I am using it on the iPad, the free Dragon Dictation is available on other platforms and devices. this article was written entirely using it on the iPad, with error correction performed manually in the editor prior to publication.

Kicking off the new year

This week, I touch on three subjects most appropriate for January: accessories, organizing and getting into shape.

With so much gift giving in December, January is a big month for accessory sales, so here are a couple of items I like. As an iPhone 4 user, I’ve tried dozens of cases. The best I’ve found that protects both the front and back of the phone is the Sena Hampton Flip.

The case is made from smooth, rigid leather and has a flap that hinges at the top of the phone and snaps in place over the screen to protect it. The case is durable, well-finished and maintains the phone’s slimness. it also has a couple of pockets inside the cover to hold business cards and identification ($60, senacases.com). Sena also makes an attractive leather sleeve, the Ultraslim, which adds less bulk than any other case ($30).

The Apple iPad Smart Cover for the iPad 2 ($30 in vinyl and $70 in leather) provides good protection for the display and turns the device on and off, but does little to protect the back and sides. a good alternative that covers the entire iPad is the CEO Hybrid iPad 2 Holder. like the Apple cover, it doubles as a stand that angles the display. It’s nicely finished in a soft-touch twill pattern on the outside and soft microfiber inside ($50, levenger.com). Levenger also offers an elegant English leather sleeve with sheepskin padding made in England ($129).

For those who want an accessory keyboard, Belkin offers the Keyboard Folio for the iPad 2 that connects via Bluetooth and protects the iPad’s front and back. unlike some add-on keyboards that use soft rubber keys, the Belkin uses hard keys with a spring mechanism ($99, belkin.com). another good choice is the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for iPad 2, which is a keyboard built into an aluminum shell that serves as a container for the iPad ($100, zagg.com).

Organizing

When it comes to organizing my desk, I always seem to be overwhelmed with cables, power adapters and terminal strips. There are two issues to contend with: bringing the cables to where they need to be and keeping them there, and organizing all of the excess wire, the power blocks and outlet strips. Bluelounge, a design company that seems to come up with one clever solution after another, has two products that are very helpful.

The first is Sumo, a weighted molded square enclosure that fits over the cables and keeps them in place. Sumo works much like a paperweight, but stays in place, thanks to a special suction tread that sticks to flat surfaces ($12).

Bluelounge’s CableBox and CableBox Mini are attractive molded boxes designed to hold an outlet strip, several power adapters and all of the excess wire. Simply drop everything into it and snap on the lid. Openings at either end allow wires to exit neatly and connect to an electrical outlet and to your devices. it transforms a mess to a neat box ($30, bluelounge.com).

Fitness

When it comes to dieting, Weight Watchers has one of the most popular plans. I know, as I’ve been on it many times. it has recently changed its plan, as covered in this month’s Wired magazine, to focus on the source of the calories, favoring those items with more protein, fruit and vegetables. But what’s most useful is its app for the iPhone and iPad that lets you track your points utilizing its online database of calorie counts, including basic foods, store products and restaurant menus. it can even remind you to enter your points. While the app is still a little buggy, it’s very helpful. It’s free with a membership that costs less than $20 per month.

The Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale is a clever product that goes well with one’s effort to lose weight. Each time you weigh yourself, the measurements are tabulated online confidentially over Wi-Fi. you can plot your results over time and even receive email reports on your progress. It’s able to automatically detect and privately keep track of the weights of up to eight different users ($160, withings.com).

Unplugging

Each year on new Year's Day, my wife challenges me to unplug for one day. No computer, Internet, smartphone, iPad, etc. I’ve never been able to do it completely, but it does make me realize that high tech is a mixed bag. There’s more to life than staring at screens.

I wish I could say that high-tech products make life easier, but among all of the products I try, too many end up creating more work, and often aggravation, that’s never compensated by the time savings or simplification that’s promised.

A good example may even be the Wi-Fi scale noted above. Some users will have difficulty connecting to Wi-Fi, making the product frustrating. It’s just the nature of the variability of Wi-Fi routers and computers with so many different home situations. So my advice is: if something is not easy to set up and able to work the first time, send it back and forget about it. Embrace what works and discard what doesn’t. my job this year will be to help you tell one from the other, beginning next week with the Consumers Electronic show.

Baker is the author of "from Concept to Consumer" published by Financial Times Press and available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other booksellers. he has developed and marketed consumer and computer products for Polaroid, Apple, Seiko and others; holds 30 patents; and is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Baker can be heard on KOGO AM the first Sunday of each month. Send comments to . Comments may be published as Letters to the Editor. Baker's blog is blog.philipgbaker.com, and his website is philipgbaker.com.

AT&T turns on 4G in San Diego

AT&T has announced that it has turned on its 4G LTE network in San Diego, its latest and fastest network technology. according to the company, LTE is capable of delivering mobile broadband speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. to take advantage of the speeds, customers will need a smartphone or tablet that is capable of accessing LTE.