Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review, and general Mac
news is in Mac News Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
New iPods
News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apps & Services
Accessories
iPod Deals
These price trackers are updated every month.
New iPods
New iPod nano Has Built-in Video Camera
PR: Apple on Wednesday introduced the new iPod nano, adding a
video camera, mic and speaker to the world's most popular music player.
Music lovers can now shoot video wherever they are, view it on their
iPod nano and use their computers to easily transfer their videos to
YouTube. The new iPod nano features an ultra-thin and sleek design with
a larger 2.2" color display and gorgeous polished aluminum and glass
enclosure. iPod nano also features a built-in FM radio with live pause
and iTunes Tagging, as well as a built-in pedometer. The new iPod nano
is available today in an 8 GB model for $149 and a 16 GB model for
$179, and comes in nine brilliant colors including silver, black,
purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, (Product) Red and pink.
"iPod nano is the world's most popular music player
with over 100 million sold," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "And now
we've added a video camera to its incredibly thin design, without any
additional cost to the user."
iPod nano features a larger 2.2" display for easier navigating,
enjoying album art, or shooting and viewing video clips. iPod nano is
ultraportable so users can shoot video wherever they are, in either
portrait or landscape. iPod nano customers can share videos instantly
with friends using its display and speaker, or sync with a Mac or PC
and share them on YouTube, MobileMe™, Facebook or via email.*
iPod nano can even shoot videos with fun real-time effects such as
Thermal, Film Grain, Kaleido and X-Ray.
iPod nano now has a built-in FM radio with live pause and iTunes
Tagging. Live pause lets iPod nano users pause and resume playing their
favorite FM radio shows. iTunes Tagging is great when users hear a song
they like, they can simply tag it, and then preview and purchase that
song when they sync to iTunes.** iPod nano also features Genius Mixes,
which automatically creates up to 12 endless mixes of songs from your
iTunes library that go great together.
iPod nano is also now an even better workout companion with the new
built-in pedometer. iPod nano can keep track of your steps taken and
calories burned, helping you meet your short and long-term fitness
goals.
iPod nano provides up to 24 hours of music playback or five hours of
video playback on a single charge. The 8 GB model holds up to
2,000 songs, 7,000 photos, eight hours of video and seven hours of
captured video; and the 16 GB model holds up to 4,000 songs, 14,000
photos, 16 hours of video and 14 hours of captured video.***
iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players
with over 220 million sold. Apple's new holiday lineup includes iPod
shuffle in five great colors starting at just $59; iPod classic in a
new 160 GB model holding up to 40,000 songs for $249; the new iPod nano
with a video camera available in nine brilliant polished aluminum
colors starting at $149; and the revolutionary iPod touch now starting
at the breakthrough price of just $199.
The new iPod nano is available immediately for a suggested price of
$149 (US) for the 8 GB model and $179 (US) for the 16 GB model in
silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange and pink through the
Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The
8 GB and 16 GB iPod nano in yellow and (Product) Red are available
through the Apple Store and Apple's retail stores. iPod nano requires a
Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes 9; or a
Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or
Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 9.
New iPod touch Line Starts at $199, Reaches 64
GB
PR: Apple on Wednesday announced the new iPod touch lineup
starting at the breakthrough price of just $199, giving users a great
iPod, a great pocket computer, a great game player and access to
Apple's revolutionary App Store with over 75,000 applications. iPod
touch features Apple's revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface,
a gorgeous 3.5" widescreen glass display, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a
built-in accelerometer and speaker - all in an amazingly thin metal
design that slips easily into your pocket. The 8 GB iPod touch is
now available for $199, along with new models which deliver twice the
capacity for the same price, with the iPod touch 32 GB model for $299
and 64 GB model for $399.
"At just $199 the iPod touch is the most affordable gateway to
Apple's revolutionary App Store with more than 75,000 applications that
you can wirelessly download right into your iPod touch," said Philip
Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.
"You get a great iPod, a great pocket computer with the industry's best
mobile web browser and a great game player, all in this super-thin
beautiful enclosure."
iPod touch is a great iPod for enjoying music, television shows,
movies and podcasts. iPod touch has incredible features for music fans
such as Cover Flow, Shake to Shuffle™, and access to the
legendary iTunes Store. And now, the new iPod touch supports Genius
Mixes, which automatically creates up to 12 endless mixes of songs from
your iTunes library that go great together. Movies and television shows
look great on the gorgeous 3.5" widescreen display. iPod touch
customers have the entire iTunes Store catalog at their fingertips,
giving them instant access to the world's largest catalog of over 11
million songs, TV shows and Hollywood movies to purchase and download
directly to their iPod touch.
iPod touch is a great game player with its built-in accelerometer,
revolutionary Multi-Touch user interface, its amazing graphics
performance and the over 20,000 game and entertainment titles available
on the App Store. With support for peer-to-peer connections, the new
iPod touch gives users the ability to play multiplayer games with
people next to them or around the world. iPod touch customers can add
new game titles from the App Store over WiFi anytime and anywhere.
iPod touch is a great pocket computer, letting users surf the web,
do email, manage their calendars, organize contacts, and use social
networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. With its award-winning
Safari web browser, iPod touch users can experience the Internet like
no other pocket-size device. iPod touch comes with the latest
iPhone™ 3.1 software including: Cut, Copy and Paste; Spotlight
Search to search across iPod touch or within Mail, Contacts, Calendar
and iPod; landscape keyboard for Mail, Notes and Safari; remote lock
for MobileMe™ and anti-phishing features.
Apple's App Store is a phenomenal success with a selection of over
75,000 apps available and customer downloads topping a staggering 1.8
billion apps. iPhone and iPod touch customers in 77 countries can
choose from an incredible range of apps in 20 categories, including
games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. The App
Store works with iPod touch over WiFi so users can discover, purchase
and download apps wirelessly and start using them instantly.
iPod touch features up to 30 hours of music playback or six hours of
video playback on a single charge. The 8 GB model holds up to
1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video; the 32 GB model holds
up to 7,000 songs, 40,000 photos or 40 hours of video; and the 64 GB
model holds up to 14,000 songs, 90,000 photos or 80 hours of video.*
The 32 GB and 64 GB models also include up to 50 percent faster
performance and support for even better graphics with Open GL ES
2.0.
iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players
with over 220 million sold. Apple's new holiday lineup includes iPod
shuffle in five great colors starting at just $59; iPod classic in a
new 160 GB model holding up to 40,000 songs for $249; the incredible
new iPod nano with a video camera available in nine brilliant polished
aluminum colors starting at $149; and the revolutionary iPod touch
starting at the breakthrough price of just $199.
The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of
$199 (US) for the 8 GB model, $299 (US) for the 32 GB model and
$399 (US) for the 64 GB model through the Apple Store,
Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. iPod touch
requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later and
iTunes 9; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista or
Windows XP Home or Professional (Service Pack 3) or later and iTunes 9.
Existing iPod touch users can update to the latest 3.1 software for
just $4.95 (US) to enjoy new features including Genius Mixes and Genius
for Apps. iPod touch owners who already have the 3.0 software get the
3.1 software update for free. Simply download the latest version of
iTunes onto your Mac or PC, and purchase the 3.1 software update via
iTunes.
iPod shuffle Now Starts at $59
PR: Apple on Wednesday announced that iPod shuffle, the
world's smallest music player and the first music player to talk to
you, is now available starting at just $59 in five great colors. iPod
shuffle's intuitive controls are conveniently located on the headphone
cord, letting you navigate and enjoy music without even looking. With
the press of a button, you can play, pause, adjust volume and switch
playlists, plus the VoiceOver feature lets iPod shuffle speak song
titles, artists and playlist names. The iPod shuffle is available
worldwide today in a new 2 GB model for just $59 and a 4 GB
model for $79, and both models come in silver, black, pink, blue and
green.
"iPod shuffle is the world's smallest music
player and now comes in five great colors starting at just $59," said
Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product
Marketing. "iPod shuffle is so small that you almost forget it's there,
yet remarkably, it holds up to 1,000 songs and talks to you."
iPod shuffle is based on Apple's incredibly popular shuffle feature,
which randomly selects songs from your music library. iPod shuffle
features a sleek and ultra-wearable design with a built-in stainless
steel clip. iPod shuffle users can easily clip it to almost anything
and take it everywhere.
In addition to the Apple Earphones and Apple In-Ear Headphones with
Remote, third party manufacturers including Sony, V-MODA, Klipsch and
Scosche are supporting built-in headphone controls and Belkin and
Scosche offer built-in headphone adapters allowing users to enjoy iPod
shuffle with their own headphones.
iPod is the world's most popular family of digital music players
with over 220 million sold. Apple's new holiday lineup includes iPod
shuffle in five great colors starting at just $59; iPod classic in a
new 160 GB model holding up to 40,000 songs for $249; the incredible
new iPod nano with a video camera available in nine brilliant polished
aluminum colors starting at $149; and the revolutionary iPod touch
starting at the breakthrough price of just $199.
The third generation iPod shuffle is available immediately for a
suggested price of $59 (US) for the 2 GB model and $79 (US) for
the 4 GB model in silver, black, pink, blue and green through the
Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. A
4 GB special edition polished stainless steel model is available
in a 4 GB model for $99 (US) through the Apple Store and Apple's
retail stores. iPod shuffle comes with the Apple Earphones with Remote
and the iPod shuffle USB cable. iPod shuffle requires a Mac with a USB
2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later and iTunes 9 or later; or a
Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows Vista, Windows XP Home or
Professional (Service Pack 3) or later.
New iPod nano Teardown Analysis
iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens has posted a teardown report on the new iPod
nano, and notes:
"This iPod employs copious
amounts of glue and adhesive to hold everything together. That makes it
easy for Apple to put together, but hard to take apart. We had to
remove the camera bezel before we could start the disassembly.
- As expected, the main ARM processor dwarfs everything else on the
board.
- Toshiba is the source for the 8 GB of flash memory. Our memory
chips were made in Taiwan in July of this year.
- There is no space for a larger camera in the 6.2 mm thick iPod
without reducing the size of other components.
- The speaker is very similar to the speaker in the iPod touch. The
audio simply comes out the bottom of the iPod.
- The new 240x376 display boasts 17.5% more screen real estate than
the previous model.
- The tolerances on this iPod are incredibly tight. There's no wasted
space inside.
Size comparison:
- iPhone 3G: 12.3 mm thick
- iPhone camera: 6 mm + rubber mount
- iPod nano: 6.2 mm thick
- iPod nano camera: 2.75 mm
- iPod touch: 8.5 mm thick
- Including the mount, the iPhone camera is thicker than the
entire new iPod nano!
- Unlike the nano, the iPod touch could conceivably support an
iPhone-sized camera, although it would certainly be an engineering
challenge.
"We wish Apple would a little effort into making iPods
repairable, instead of forcing people to throw them away when they
break. Recent iPods have become increasingly difficult to successfully
repair. (One positive note is that unlike the iPhone, we haven't seen
many issues with broken glass on the nanos.)
"We'll be putting out a teardown of the new iPod touch and shuffle
soon.
"Cheers,
-Kyle
"P.S. We've had a number of questions as to where we got our
iPod.
"Yes, we had to fly to the east coast to get it first. We sent our
summer engineering intern."
Link: New
iPod nano Teardown Analysis
News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apple Fast Becoming iPod, Inc.
Fast Company's Chris Dannen says that back in 2007, when Apple
dropped the "Computer" from its corporate title and become simply
Apple, Inc., the change seemed semantic or aesthetic, depending on your
outlook. However, as things have unfolded, he thinks the move may have
been more prescient than it originally appeared, with Apple officially
increasing the number of mobile devices it makes to a grand total of
eight this week, which tallies up to one more iPod than Macintosh in
their lineup. Apple, he says, seems to have become primarily a mobile
device maker.
Link:
Apple Fast Becoming iPod, Inc.
How to Watch iPhone Movies on Your TV
Inside Digital Media's Phil Leigh says:
"If you would like to learn how to watch movies on your TV that were
downloaded to your iPhone, this video is for you."
Link: How
to Watch iPhone Movies on Your TV
Why Won't Apple Let Me Use XSKN's iKeyboard with My
iPhone?
Gizmodo's Danny Allen says:
"I still can't believe Apple hasn't approved Bluetooth keyboard
drivers for the iPhone, but that hasn't stopped user-hacks, or products
lining up to be ready. This latest effort modifies actual Apple
Bluetooth keyboards, and adds app icons to the keys."
Link:
Why Won't Apple Let Me Use XSKN's Bluetooth iKeyboard with My
iPhone?
Lower Your Exposure to Cell Phone Radiation
PR: Environmental Working Group's (EWG) research team has
assembled the most comprehensive online consumer guide ever to cell
phone radiation, rating more than 1,000 cell phones marketed in the
US
With this free, user-friendly
online tool, consumers can make informed decisions about which cell
phones to buy. The EWG guide uses easy-to-read graphics to illustrate
each phone's radio frequency emissions, enabling consumers to make
quick comparisons of radiation output of various wireless devices.
"We would like to be able to say that cell phones are safe," said
Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., EWG Senior Scientist and lead author of the
study. "But we can't. The most recent science, while not conclusive,
raises serious issues about the cancer risk of cell phone use that must
be addressed through further research. In the meantime, consumers can
take steps to reduce exposure."
EWG has compiled the guide, based on technical data provided by
manufacturers, to fill the information gap left by the US government's
failure to require cell phone makers and vendors to disclose emissions
levels on labels or in-store advertising displays.
Better consumer information is vital. Recent scientific studies have
produced evidence linking brain and salivary gland tumors to cell phone
use. The state of the science, while far from definitive, is
provocative and troubling and requires more research.
Public health officials' concerns about the possible dangers of
radio frequency emissions are intensifying as wireless devices
proliferate. According to the CTIA Wireless Association, an
international industry group, US wireless subscribers numbered 270.3
million - 87 percent of Americans - as of December 2008, a 30 percent
jump in three years. Some 60 percent of the global population - 4
billion people - subscribe to wireless services, according to Cellular
News, an online global industry news outlet.
Health agencies in six nations - Switzerland, Germany, Israel,
France, the United Kingdom, and Finland - have issued warnings to limit
cell phone use, particularly by children, whose softer, thinner skulls
are less able to shield the brain from radiation. Scientists have found
that children's brains absorb twice as much cell phone radiation as
those of adults.
EWG's analysis of possible public health risks of cell phone
radiation culminates a 10-month investigation of more than 200
peer-reviewed studies, government advisories and industry
documents.
Our conclusion: current US cell phone radiation standards, set by
the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and based largely on
1992 cell phone industry recommendations, are outdated and allow 20
times more radiation to penetrate the head than the rest of the
body.
EWG urges the FCC to upgrade its standards to take account of the
newest scientific evidence and also increasing cell phone use by
children.
"The first cell phones were marketed to adults," Naidenko said. "But
today, children are just as likely to own a cell phone as a video game,
baseball or bicycle."
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which
tracks cell phone use among US children between 12 and 17 years old,
last year (2008) 71 percent of tweens and teens owned cell phones. More
than half use the device daily.
EWG urges concerned consumers to take action and tell the federal
government that cell phone makers should be required to disclose each
phone's radiation output on the label.
The report also offers safety tips for reducing cell phone radiation
exposure. Among them:
- Use headsets and the speakerphone option if available.
- Text more, talk less.
- Stay off the phone when few bars indicate a weak signal.
EWG's new interactive database, based on technical specifications of
cell phones currently on the market and some popular older models, can
be searched by model. A separate database details radiation levels of
smart phones.
EWG's top 10 phones, based on low emissions:
- Samsung Impression (SGH-a877) [AT&T]
- Motorola RAZR V8 [CellularONE]
- Samsung SGH-t229 [T-Mobile]
- Samsung Rugby (SGH-a837) [AT&T]
- Samsung Propel Pro (SGH-i627) [AT&T]
- Samsung Gravity (SGH-t459) [CellularONE, T-Mobile]
- T-Mobile Sidekick [T-Mobile]
- LG Xenon (GR500) [AT&T]
- Motorola Karma QA1 [AT&T]
- Sanyo Katana II [Kajeet]
EWG's list of highest radiation phones:
- Motorola MOTO VU204 [Verizon Wireless]
- T-Mobile myTouch 3G [T-Mobile]
- Kyocera Jax S1300 [Virgin Mobile]
- Blackberry Curve 8330 [Sprint, US Cellular, Verizon Wireless,
MetroPCS]
- Motorola W385 [US Cellular, Verizon Wireless]
- T-Mobile Shadow [T-Mobile]
- Motorola C290 [Sprint, Kajeet]
- Motorola i335 [Sprint]
- Motorola MOTO VE240 [Cricket, MetroPCS]
- Blackberry Bold 9000 [AT&T]
Editor's note: The iPhones scored in mid-pack, neither among the
best nor the worst emitters. cm
EWG is a nonprofit research organization headquartered in
Washington, DC, with offices in Oakland, CA and Aimes, IA, that uses
the power of information to protect human health and the
environment.
Link: Lower Your Exposure
to Cell Phone Radiation
Half of iPhone Users Do Mobile Banking Today, Half
of All Mobile Phone Users Will in 2014
PR: Javelin Strategy & Research released a report
indicating that mobile banking is quickly moving from a "techie" to
mainstream capability that is changing how consumers manage their
finances today, which in turn will change how consumers pay for goods
in the future. The report, 2009 Mobile-Banking and Smartphone Forecast,
examines services offered by carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
and T-Mobile. The report also features five-year forecasts for
mobile-banking usage that documents the growing availability of mobile
banking at everyday financial institutions.
"Mobile banking is quickly moving from infancy to commonplace, which
will help separate the winners from losers in banks' ability to attract
and keep technology-loving consumers," said Mary Monahan, Research
Director and Managing Partner. "Consumers are hungry for the
'always-on' and 'real time' ability to monitor and manage their money,
and mobile banking serves that need better than any other."
The Javelin report also covers general smartphone adoption, which is
a secondary factor driving mobile banking, and the race to develop the
basic thin-client capabilities that Javelin calls "wrapper
applications" to integrate financial services into mobile online
sites.
Key Findings of the Javelin 2009 Mobile-Banking and Smartphone
Forecast:
- Nearly half of mobile-phone owners currently have access to mobile
banking today.
- By 2014, 45% of mobile-phone users will actually use mobile
banking.
- 99 million US adults will conduct mobile banking transactions at
least once per year by 2014 - with 52% of mobile-phone users relying on
smartphones.
- Mobile banking will rival online banking, with the former used as a
"remote control" and the latter as a detailed form of control panel for
more complex transactions.
- AT&T has the highest number of mobile bankers due to the
iPhone's influence, while Verizon Wireless has the lowest penetration
for mobile bankers among the top tier US wireless carriers.
"Mobile banking is quickly becoming an essential consumer
capability," said Mark Schwanhausser, Financial Services Channels
Analyst. "Just as the iPod changed the music industry and their
business models, our data shows that iPhone users are changing the
banking industry by leading the way in monitoring and managing finances
through mobile devices."
To arrange an interview with Mrs. Monahan or Mr. Schwanhausser
and/or view research on this topic (available to qualified members of
the press), please contact Crystal Mendoza at +1 925 225-9100 ext. 35
or cmendoza@javelinstrategy.com
Javelin provides superior direction on key facts and forces that
materially determine the success of customer-facing financial services,
payments and security initiatives. Our advantages are rigorous process,
independent position, and expert people.
Link: 2009
Mobile-Banking and Smartphone Forecast
Apps & Services
Swine Flu Apps You'll Want
on Your iPhone
Cnet's Don Reisinger says:
"The H1N1 Influenza, better known as the swine flu, is a real
concern for just about everyone this year, making keeping up to date on
the latest news paramount.
"But considering we're all so busy, remembering to visit government
Web sites can be difficult. Installing some basic apps onto your iPhone
isn't. Check out some of these apps that will keep you abreast of all
the latest news about the swine flu."
Link: Swine Flu Apps
You'll Want on Your iPhone
iPhone Can Now Edit .docx and .xlsx Files
The Register's Cade Metz reports:
"You can now edit Office 2007 docs and spreadsheets on your
iPhone.
"Today, Quickoffice rolled
out a new version of its iPhone office app suite that handles .docx and
.xlsx files produced by Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows and Office
2008 for Mac...."
Link:
iPhone Taught to Edit Office 2007 Docs, Sheets
Your iPhone Can Remote Control Your Mac
Mac 360's Bambi Brannan says:
"Maybe it's age. Maybe it's a sign of the times. Maybe all that
glitters really isn't gold. My gee whiz moments are in decline.
Compared to 10 years ago, our Macs and iPhones must look like
magic....
"Imagine my giddy, girlish, giggle when I tried out Remote Buddy.
The thrill is back, baby! . . . Remote Buddy is a Mac utility
which lets your control anything on your Mac..."
Link:
Your iPhone Is a Remote That Can Control Your Mac
JCPenney's iPhone App Puts 'Style. Quality.
Price.' at Your Fingertips
PR: J. C. Penney Company, Inc. has launched a new app for
Apple's iPhone - JCPenney Weekly Deals - bringing the retailer's
signature style and affordable prices directly to customers'
fingertips, whenever and wherever they need it.
By downloading the free app from iTunes,
customers can:
- Browse a select group of store-advertised sale items that are
featured in the latest weekend sales circular;
- Create a "portable" shopping list within the application by saving
items as "favorites";
- Check for the latest special offers; and
- Find the nearest store to either their current location or to a zip
code/city name.
- "With shoppers increasingly doing research before they step into a
store, our new iPhone app is the latest way we are providing our
customers an easier, more engaging and integrated shopping experience,"
said Mike Boylson, chief marketing officer for JCPenney. "Furthermore,
with more than 13 million iPhone users in the US - along with 12
million iPod Touch users who can also download apps - the launch of an
iPhone app allows us to share our style, quality and affordable prices
each week with a rapidly growing base of consumers."
The launch of the JCPenney Weekly Deals iPhone app builds on the
Company's "Know Before You Go" initiative, developed based on extensive
customer research which found that a large number of customers visiting
jcp.com were online for a purpose other than shopping. An online survey
of jcp.com customers showed that a significant majority of those
surveyed were visiting the site to do some form of research: viewing
merchandise, comparing prices, browsing sales and promotions, finding
store directions, exploring ideas for fashion and home, and more. In
response to these findings, innovative features were added to jcp.com -
such as enhanced search capabilities and product information,
merchandise availability at local stores, and the ability to view
weekly sales circulars online - making shopping at JCPenney easier and
more efficient than ever before.
The JCPenney iPhone app will evolve as new functionality becomes
available. Weekly content updates to the app will be automatic and
require no action by customers. Customers can download the app from the
iTunes online app store by searching for JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,106
department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well
as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the
Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog
business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide
array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the
Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a
smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the
Company posted revenue of $18.5 billion in 2008 and is executing its
strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to
this strategy is JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning,
intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with
customers by fully engaging the Company's approximately 150,000
Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers
every time they shop with JCPenney.
Link: JCPenney Weekly
Deals
Africare Among First NGOs to Develop iPhone
App
Africare, the largest and oldest US development organization focused
solely on Africa, has launched an exciting new marketing campaign Pass
It On! to highlight stories of people overcoming major issues on the
African continent, issues such as unsafe drinking water, food
insecurity, and the growing number of children orphaned by AIDS.
Taking an integrated approach, Pass It On! combines traditional
Washington, DC, king size bus posters and backlit Metro dioramas with
"viral" social media such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the
internet, along with one of the very first iPhone applications approved
for non-profits. According to Beth Eisenberg, vice president of
Business Development at iugo, the developers of Africare's application,
"When a nonprofit needs support, it needs to connect to its supporters.
The key is to find something that costs nothing for the supporter to
embrace a cause they care about - just their time and curiosity. The
Africare iPhone app & does just that!" Among its many features, the
application includes a photo gallery, video and a "Click to Donate"
button, from which a person can use his or her phone bill to
contribute. To date, only three such applications have been
created.
The Pass It On! campaign will use the new iPhone app to promote 16
featured individuals who are ready to tell you their story in a format
that is ready to "pass on" to a friend or someone you know through
video, social networks, e-mail and many handheld devices. The stories
range from the first female auto mechanic in Niger to a farmer
overcoming desert conditions to grow food for his family to a group of
women in Senegal who make dolls to support their health services
devastated by 25 years of conflict all through partnerships with
Africare.
Trudi Rishikof, Africare Director of Communications and Marketing,
noted the importance of reaching out as broadly as possible: "These are
tight economic times for Americans and others around the world, but
people still want to help those in need. Through this new iPhone app
and the other social networks, it's easy to give $5 and perhaps skip
that extra latté. Lots of people giving small amounts adds up to
significant support for Africare's work, especially since 93 cents of
every dollar goes directly to programs. We are grateful for every
gift."
Link: Africare
Accessories
SportShell for iPhone 3G/3GS
PR: Marware Inc. has announced the SportShell for iPhone
3G/3GS is now shipping. The SportShell provides exceptional protection
and a sleek look. This low-profile case offers three distinct carrying
solutions. Using a unique, patent-pending design, the SportShell easily
changes from belt-clip case to an ultra slim, flat-back or open-back
case.
The ratchet belt clip rotates a full 360-degrees, and doubles as a
tabletop stand. The flat-back option is ideal when carrying the iPhone
in a pocket or purse. The open-back option displays the iPhone's Apple
logo. The SportShell comes with Marware's Lifetime Warranty.
Features:
- Interchangeable pieces allow slim case, clip case, or open-back
design
- Hard shell case with smooth rubberized finish
- Unique design provides solid protection and versatility
- 360 degree ratchet clip also works as a stand
- Includes Hard shell, ratchet clip, flat back piece, clear screen
protector, cleaning cloth and Marware's Lifetime Warranty
The SportShell is available in black, retails for $34.99. The
Sportshell is available online and is now shipping. Please visit
Marware for additional information. Marware is a leading provider of
software and accessory solutions for Apple iPhones, iPods, and
Notebooks.
Link:
SportShell for iPhone 3G/3GS
USB Fever
Belt-Clip Holster and Back Cover Case for iPhone 3G/3GS
PR: Features:
- It is a standalone Backcover
- It is a Belt-Clip Holster
- It is a combination of Back cover and Holster
This accessory is suitable for:
- Apple iPhone 3G
- Apple iPhone 3GS
$12.99
Link: USB
Fever Belt-Clip Holster and Back Cover Case for iPhone 3G/3Gs
