Tag Archives: apps

Slingplayer headed to iPad, WP7S

March 30, 2010News, TechnologyApple iPad, application, apps, iPad, Sling Media, Slingplayer, Windows Phone 7 Series, WP7SScott Meisner

Slingers, rejoice! Sling Media has come out and stated they are “actively moving towards H.264” and Microsoft Silverlight video support to bring the Slingplayer application to the iPad and Windows Phone 7 Series devices sometime in the near future. The move to these video formats will increase the current resolution of the player from 320×240 to something larger and more expansive. Slingplayer HD, perhaps? Sling had this to say on the matter: “When it makes a noticeable difference in quality, we will definitely provide higher resolution streaming. The iPad is a good example of a device where we are hard at work on this, but unfortunately it won’t be there at the April launch.” Patience is a virtue. That’s what they say, right?

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

Mixr DJ app scratches the surface of what you will find in the iPad marketplace

March 30, 2010Images, TechnologyApp Store, Apple, Apple iPad, applications, apps, DJ, iPad, multitouch, tablet, turntableScott Meisner

Mixr will be one of the first professional DJ applications for the iPad. The iPad’s large multitouch 9-inch screen will be able to accomodate two fully featured turntables with options for “cross-fading, equalizing, cue, drag & drop tracks, and full effects such as delays and auto filter.” You can create your own libraries, digital DJ crates, and even record your own mixes using tracks from your iTunes music library. As fun and exciting this all sounds, there’s an overarching theme here to be considered: apps like Mixr are just the beginning for the iPad. Thanks to the large screen and intuitive touch controls, the App Store will start to flood with brand new apps made specifically to take advantage of the tablet’s features, inside and out. If you thought the App Store launch on the iPhone was buzz-worthy, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

[Via Mixr; Gizmodo]

Penguin shows off its vision for the iPad

March 4, 2010Print Media, Technology, VideoApple iPad, applications, apps, book publisher, eBooks, iPad, Penguin, tabletScott Meisner

John Makinson, CEO of book publisher Penguin, unveiled to a crowd this week his vision for the iPad and how be plans on pushing “books” and other content to it. I say “books” because these demos look more like applications to me. In fact, Makinson says, “for the time being at least we’ll be creating a lot of our digital content as applications for sales in app stores in HTML, rather than as ebooks. The definition of a book itself, as you can see, is up for grabs.” As demonstrated in the video above, Penguin plans on bringing children’s books with support for embeddable sound, touch interactivity, and accelerometer (shaking/tilting) implementation; interactive textbooks (human anatomy, shown here); an “online community for vampire lovers” (OK?); a travel companion with an itinerary and maps; and lastly a far-out “intergalactic GPS system” that uses the GPS chip and augmented reality to reveal star constellations when you point the device to the sky. That last one will likely remain a concept for a while. It’s good to see a company really looking ahead into the future of print/digital media. The iPad has the power to do these things; it’s up to the developers (here, book publishers) to make it happen. ‘Nother video of Makinson speaking to the crowd about his ideas after the break.

Watching these demos makes me wish I had a kid so I could buy him an iPad and watch him interact and learn in ways I never imagined were possible when I was a toddler.

[Via PaidContent; Gizmodo]

Continue reading Penguin shows off its vision for the iPad →

Unreal Engine 3 running on iPhone/iPod touch (watch out PSP, DS)

December 23, 2009News, Technology, VideoApple, Apple iPhone, Apple iPod touch, apps, Epic, Epic Unreal Engine, games, iPhone, iPod touch, portable gaming, Unreal Engine, Unreal Engine 3Scott Meisner

Thanks to the iPhone’s internal OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics capability, Epic has no reason to hold back from porting their Unreal Engine 3 (the same engine that runs mega-games BioShock, Gears of War and Mass Effect) to the iPhone 3Gs and iPod touch (3rd gen). Do you know what this means!? Soon Apple’s little genius devices will turn into real portable game machines. Not that they aren’t already gaming machines; but the integration of such a powerful graphics engine backing future games should definitely give the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS a chill down their spines. Check out the video above for a quick snippet of Unreal gameplay and look forward to the iPhone and iPod touch becoming synonymous with “portable gaming machines.”

[Via Engadget; Gizmodo]

Microsoft unabashedly rips on Apple’s App Store

October 26, 2009Hilarity, Technology, VideoApp Store, Apple, apps, Microsoft, PC vs MacScott Meisner

Some of my favorities include The Sun Dial (“Oh, what time you got?” “Ah Chip, it’s 3:15.” “3:15, just like that. That’s great.” “Oh, actually, it’s 5:30.”), The Germophobe (“so people can shake hands without actually touching”), and lastly, “the phone that shocked you every third ring.”

Gizmodo makes a good point. As humorous as this is, I don’t really see Microsoft’s point here. It is true, Apple’s App Store does contain tons of stupid and unnessary apps and their process of allowing (and dis-allowing) apps into the store is wacky. But, taken as a whole, the App Store has proven extremely successful. Paid apps are bringing in a lot of revenue and an open market gives well-known and lesser-known developers much opportunity to shine. This is a funny poke at Apple, sure. But what have you proven, Microsoft?

[Via Gizmodo]