Greg In The Desert

Apple announced their worst kept secret, their Apple tablet computer called the iPad. It’s exactly what what it was rumored to be, a oversized iPod Touch. The iPad will run all the apps the iPhone and iPod touch will run but it’s missing a camera and GPS. Apple says they got 10 hours of use out of it, it will come with WiFi but a 3G cellular data option is available (and unlocked).

I think every rumor, including the prototype pictures at engadget and interview with McGraw-Hill’s CEO and President (Update: McGraw-Hill might have been punished for making the comments about the iPad before it was released), were all sanctioned by Apple. It was just enough to keep the hype and Steve Job’s reality distortion field in place but not enough to actually reveal the device.

I can’t imagine I will purchase an iPad as soon as it comes out (which is not for another 60 to 90 days) I do hope that parts of it make it into Apple’s laptops before my next laptop purchase. I also was hoping for an iPhone OS 4.0 and iLife 2010 announcement.

Having flown a lot in the last few years I been able to fly many airlines. Anymore I pretty much won’t fly unless I can fly Southwest. It has less to do with ticket fares and more to do with how much hassle I get and Southwest gives me the least amount of hassle.

The Southwest iPhone app can alert me to their Ding deals using the notification system which very helpfull. The application can also book flights and check in, I was already doing that through the web interface. The web didn’t always work for me and I hope to have better success with a dedicated app.

Southwest Airlines is Free on the iTunes App Store.

Traveling with Southwest Airlines is now even more convenient with our first iPhone app. Make reservations, check in for flights, and access your Rapid Rewards account directly from your iPhone. Plus, our iPhone app has DING! functionality built in, giving you instant access to exclusive, limited-time-only air fare deals. When a DING! fare is made available, you’ll be notified immediately on your iPhone.

So now there’s no need to boot up your laptop or make a phone call to prepare for your next trip. Just pull out your iPhone to:

· View & book the latest DING! deals
· Book or cancel air reservations
· Book or cancel rental car reservations
· Check in for your flight
· Check flight status
· Review flight schedules
· Access your Rapid Rewards account
· Access helpful contact information

With many of southwest.com’s most popular features now in the palm of your hand, traveling on Southwest is more convenient than ever before.

Great advertisement by Ford Germany advertising bluetooth in Ford vehicles by showing iPhone/iPod headphones in various forms of knots.

Have a Dish Network DVR? Have it connected to the Internet? They you should have this free iPhone app that allows remote control and scheduling of TV shows.

DISH Remote Access is free on the iPhone App Store.

Introducing DISH Remote Access – a whole new way to manage your DVR and record your favorite shows – anytime, anywhere with your iPhone or iTouch. With the touch of a fingertip you can easily browse the program guide, schedule DVR recordings and manage your DVR library as if you were at home. You’ll never miss your favorite shows or sporting events with this must-have application.

FEATURES

Schedule DVR Recordings
-Schedule DVR recordings from anywhere
-One-touch recording – simply chose to record one event, all events or only new events

Browse and Search the Program Guide
-Search the program guide up to 9 days in advance
-Search for shows by title, genre, network, keyword or actor
-View graphics and posters of your favorite shows and movies

Manage your DVR Library*
-Set recording priorities
-Manage recording conflicts
-Delete shows you’ve already watched
-View and adjust your recording schedule

DISH Remote Access is compatible with the following DISH Network receivers: 522, 625, ViP® 612, ViP® 622, ViP® 722, ViP® 722k and requires an online DISH account. You must first access DISH Remote Access at least once from your PC, prior to using your iPhone – login to your online DISH account and click on DISH Remote Access to get started.

*Requires high-speed internet connection to one the following compatible receivers: ViP 612, ViP 622, ViP 722, ViP 722k

If you don’t have one of these compatible receivers, upgrade today by calling 1-800-333-DISH (3474)

I wrote about an rumored Apple tablet computer as far back as 2004 and now it seems to be confirmed by the Wall Street Journal.

While the device’s ship date hasn’t been finalized and could still change, people briefed on the matter said the new product will come with a 10 to 11-inch touch screen—which would make it closer in size to Apple’s line of MacBook laptops than its smart phone.

John Martellaro at macobserver says this was part of a controlled leak because he used to do the same thing when he was a Senior Marketing Manager at Apple. I always believed that Apple did controlled leaks like this and they have figured out how to control the hype around product releases.

Supposedly this thing will be announced in a January 27th event. I’m also hoping for an updated iPhone and especially a updated Apple TV.

Eclipse aviation was a Albuquerque, NM company that made the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet. They went bankrupt in 2008 and the assets became Eclipse Aerospace. There were some 500-series jets made and of course there’s an app for that.

The application uses various data points: distance, weight, temperature and such to help create flight plans. If you own an Eclipse 500 jet, the $99.00 price tag is probably not significant. There are no reviews, I don’t own an Eclipse 500 so I couldn’t say how good it is.

Eclipse 500 is $99.99 on the iTunes App Store
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If you have ever poured through a VLJ Aircraft Flight Manual, you know performance data is contained on numerous different pages, and sometimes requires four-way interpolation between temperatures and altitudes. This program not only organizes this critical data on one page, its easy interface with scrolling wheels allows the pilot to accurately and quickly create pre-flight planning specific to the mission, number of people, baggage, seat position, and fuel load from the comfort of home in a fraction of the time it would take to look up in an AFM.

As an added bonus, the E 500 flight planner displays suggested Emergency Return To Base Vref and landing distances at gross weight. Although it is never recommended by the manufacturer to land at weights in excess of Maximum Landing Weight, in the event of a catastrophic failure on departure, these calculations provide the pilot a valuable reference for landing speed and distance required at a given density altitude, and may be an important consideration in the go/no-go decision during pre-flight planning.

We are always looking for ways to improve our products and look forward to your feedback regarding additional functions that would enhance your use of our software. We would love to hear from you:
punkstarstudios@mac.com

E 500 Planning Features:
- Full W&B with graph (based on seat configuration)
- Pressure Altitude
- Take off thrust
- Uncorrected TO distance
- TO Distance corrected for winds and slope
- Vr
- V50
- Vy
- Vyse
- Vref
- Rate of climb
- Uncorrected Immediate Return Landing distance
- Immediate Return Landing distance corrected for winds and slope
- Cold Air Calculator

FIKI and fuel/range calculations are coming soon.

* Pilots should always refer to the latest approved AFM as the final source of data used to determine the safety of flight.

The E 500 Flight Planner was developed after consultation with Eclipse instructors, Eclipse type rated pilots and Eclipse Mentors. The features emulate the data required in training for pre-flight briefings and scenario based training events. The biggest advantage of the planning tool is to accurately and quickly provide a pilot weight and balance and fuel loading within the limitation of the aircraft for a given set of assumptions prior to actually arriving at the airport and interfacing with the ACS (aircraft computer systems).

“I personally use several of the PunkStar Studio iPhone/iPod applications. Some, like the Cold Air Calculator, are incredibly useful for even the most advanced pilot, while others, like the Hold Pattern Calculator, are perfect for demonstrations with my students (who are thrilled when they see it for the first time). I’m a loyal customer/user of several of the PunkStar Studio apps (even non-aviation related) and look forward to their future releases. I highly recommend their products to all aviators, from the professional airline pilot and flight instructor to the casual pilot.”
- Ed Pasquale ATPL
Transport Canada Pilot Examiner and Seneca College Flight Instructor

On Point is one of the simplest iPhone GPS apps available, which is why I like it. There’s many times I just want to know which direction to go to a saved location. There are several low ratings for the app but no reviews, so the developer has temporarily made the application free to get more feedback.

On Point is free from the iTunes App store
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On Point allows you to determine the direction and distance to a chosen location simply and easily.

Have you ever forgotten where in a large parking lot you left your car? Have you ever agreed to meet your kids at a particular spot in a theme park and then lost track of where exactly that was? Have you ever been wandering in the woods and lost track of which way led back to the trailhead? Then this application is for you!

The free download allows you to test the capability with a set of demonstration points. Full Capability to add your own locations is available via an in-app purchase.

NOTE: On Point allows you to use both the iPhone 3GS compass and iPhone GPS heading for bearing direction. The 3GS compass allows you to view direction without moving, but is also somewhat inaccurate. While using the compass, a red arc displays the estimated accuracy of the compass readings. If using the iPhone GPS heading, the user must be in motion and holding the TOP of the iPhone in the direction of motion.

Application Features:

* Simple arrow points the direction to the target location without the need to interpret compass points or maps.
* Allows user to save multiple targets easily for future use.
* Uses either the 3GS compass or the GPS heading.
* Uses metric or imperial units.
* Displays margin of error in reported location and estimated directional error.
* Automatically adjusts reporting profile to user movement to conserve battery life.

If you do not have a 3G iPhone, this app is NOT FOR YOU. GPS is required to determine precision location and use on non-3G iPhone will yield large margins of error.

A bonus iPhone app of the week is released by AT&T. The app lets the user provide feedback to AT&T, dropped calls, voice quality and etc, along with GPS coordinates.

AT&T Mark the Spot is free from the iTunes App Store.

AT&T Mark the Spot is an application that provides customers a means to provide feedback on network user experience to AT&T.

Features

- Simplicity of operation
- Submit a real time report capturing local GPS coordinates at time and place of event
- Submit a report after the fact when a customer is not at the place of event
- Submit a report of dropped call, failed call, lack of coverage, data service failure, or poor voice quality
- Submit optional specific comments about an event
- Receive an SMS acknowledgement that the reported event was sent and received successfully

AT&T is committed to providing its customers with the best network experience possible.

This application will help contribute towards this goal and its utilization is greatly appreciated.

I’ve always enjoyed playing Monopoly but it’s not fun playing the board game by myself. Since the iPhone version came out, I have been playing against the AI quite a bit.

Even at the hardest levels I figured out what the AI’s strategy is but I keep playing. Technically the game plays as expected but graphically it could use some improvements. There should be the ability to turn of some of the cut scene details such as having to watch the dice or players move. It could improve battery life and get the game moving a little faster. Some of the detail could use some polish.

MONOPOLY is available at the iTunes app store fore $4.99.

PLAY THE ORIGINAL BOARD GAME
WHERE YOU CAN OWN IT ALL!
Take a ride on the Reading Railroad! Buy Boardwalk! Go directly to jail! Enjoy classic MONOPOLY play in the tradition of the beloved, best-selling board game. It’s “GO” time on your iPhone® or iPod touch®!
_______________________________________

BUY, SELL & TRADE FAMOUS PROPERTIES
From Marvin Gardens and Water Works to Park Place, own and manage the famous holdings of the MONOPOLY board, which comes to life with animated tokens and interactive features.

EMPLOY HANDS ON MANAGEMENT
Shake your device to “roll” the 3D dice. Tap the screen to manage your properties. Building a house on Baltic Avenue, taking a “Chance,” or opening the “Community Chest” are easy with intelligent design and intuitive controls.

CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL AND LOOK
Play through 3 levels of difficulty and save games in progress. Also customize the number of players, the “house rules,” and even the game environment.

FEELING MORE COMPETITIVE?
Challenge up to 3 friends on the same network with WiFi and Pass ‘n Play Multiplayer, and up to 2 friends with Bluetooth Multiplayer.

LISTEN TO YOUR TUNES WHILE YOU PLAY
Listen to and control music from your iTunes® library without interrupting your game.
_______________________________________
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EXCITING GAMES:
TETRIS®, ROCK BAND, SCRABBLE, BOGGLE, The Sims™ 3 & MADDEN NFL 10 by EA Sports™

COMING SOON: BATTLESHIP

VISIT US: eamobile.com
FOLLOW US: twitter.com/eamobile
FIND US: facebook.com/eamobile

F-Secure makes anti-virus software. F-Secure would like you to be afraid of computer viruses so you will buy their software. In the case of the iPhone there are reports of Viruses only for iPhones that have been jailbroken, or modified in such a way that any software can be installed.

“Apple hasn’t been too interested in developing antivirus solutions for the iPhone, because there are no viruses, which of course, isn’t exactly true.”

He said that recent worm outbreaks targeted jail-broken iPhones, and suggested that Apple wasn’t interested in protecting these, as it didn’t approve of jail-breaking to begin with.

“So our recommendation is to avoid jail-broken phones, because it will weaken the security of a phone, whether the iPhone or any other device,” he said.

Apple doesn’t want you to Jailbreak, F-Secure doesn’t think it’s a good idea. But yet, they still want you to be scared.

“Apple is doing a good job of keeping everything in its own hands, but the fact of the matter is that if you are an end customer who bought an application not from the app store, something could happen,” he said.

I don’t completely agree with Apple’s review process for application on the iPhone but they are doing what they intended. I feel pretty confined that no one will access my iPhone without my knowledge. Perhaps the solution for F-Secure is to sell software for jailbroken iPhones through Cydia.