Soon, New Yorkers may be puling out their smartphones instead of waving their hands when they need to hail a cab. According to an ABC News report, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) of NYC is looking for developers to help bring access to its taxi fleet to mobile phones. The Commission put out a call for developers who can implement a system that would let customers schedule a cab and pay for the ride using their smartphone. One such solution, Taxi Magic, is being used in 45 US cities to schedule over 30,000 taxicabs. Other companies like Hailo, which has a cab solution up and running in London, have set up shop in NYC and are hoping to break into what potentially could be a very lucrative market.NYC may let iPhones hail taxis originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Web Apps-Ios
It's been almost four years since Apple debuted its App Store platform for iOS (and then the Mac), and MacStories has an in-depth look back at that time. In just four short years, Apple has gone from saying that all we'd need on iOS are web apps, to a millions of dollars a year industry that supports almost half a million jobs. Needless to say, that's phenomenal growth. But what's most interesting about the growth of the App Store is how the apps themselves have changed. MacStories writes about that initial push -- in those early days, the quality of the software was very low, and there were a lot of "speculators," for lack of a better term: Developers who just released quick and dirty apps (honestly, fart apps is what most of them were) to try and make a little bit of money. App branding, too, has come a long way. In the early days it was all about search and gaming the system, and these days, there are more ways to find good apps than ever. At the same time, it's also harder for developers to make their mark in an increasingly crowded market. Apple's own success may be its biggest problem. The App Store has grown in a huge way over the past four years, and that may make it harder for both developers and Apple to figure out how to best run it going forward.MacStories looks at four years of the App Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Iphone-Apps-Ipad
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to afford a new iPad yet (nor have I had time to drool over one at the Apple Store), but I've heard from many of you just how amazing that Retina display is. I'm not surprised. The iPhone's transition to the Retina was great, and it must be even better on a larger scale. Of course, there's a tradeoff for having graphics that look this great in a universal app. Developer Justine Pratt has run through a few of the pros and cons of going universal. The most obvious drawback is app size. Those bigger graphics take up more space, and for many graphics-heavy applications, that could put them over the cellular data download limit (now at 50 MB). Universal apps specifically are taking this hit, even if they're not running with the new iPad-sized graphics on the iPhone hardware. There are good reasons to stick with universal as well, of course. Customers like apps that run on both devices. Given how different iPhone and iPad versions of an app can be, a universal often feels like getting two apps for the price of one. But each developer has to decide for themselves whether universal is the right way to go or not. In the past, universal was almost a no brainer, but I think as more and more devs figure out just what the differences are in the experience on the iPad and the iPhone, we'll see more and more devs (with limited resources, at least) choosing to split their apps up and run them device only more often.The trouble with universal apps and the new iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Unofficial Apple Weblog-Carrier Options-Apple Updates-Apple Store-App Store
Apple has updated its official Apple Store app, now available for free on the App Store. The new update allows for options to manage your account and billing right on the phone. You can also browse through all of the various carriers available for Apple's iPhone. For those of you in the Netherlands, the app is available for you now, too. Apple has pushed up the requirements for the app, so you'll need iOS 4.3.3 or higher to run it. We're all at least up to 5.0 by now, right? You can find the update in Apple's official App Store app. So... you can update Apple's Apple Store app by using Apple's App Store app. Sheesh.Apple updates Apple Store app, adds account and carrier options originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Hookshot-Tobe
I've already suggested that you buy Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape in passing, and after playing with it for a few days, my advice hasn't changed. It's a remarkably cute and well-made game, with some interesting ideas about platforming, incredible music and graphics, and a lot of retro pixelated fun. Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape is an endless platformer. You jump your way up a series of platforms as the screen moves faster and faster. The terrain says pretty much the same as you progress, unlike many "endless" games. It sounds repetitive but it works, as the repetition helps you learn the layout. There are many unlockables (you earn currency as you travel along), the most important of which are other characters. Tobe, the main character, uses a hookshot to travel along, while others use a hammer, a dragon punch, or even a feather cape to fly through a level (check them out in the game's incredible trailer). I have two issues with the game. The first is with the controls. My thumbs occasionally slide off of them, making me miss a precise jump. The trailer originally made the game look like it was a one-button tapping affair, using tilt to move right and left, and I wonder if that scheme wouldn't work a little better. Secondly, the game isn't yet available on the iPad. While that's obviously not a gamebreaker, I wish I could see the graphics running in full, bright color on Apple's tablet screen. Both of those complaints are minor. Tobe & Friends: Hookshot Escape is a beautiful, action-packed game that's tough to put down. It's US$1.99 on the App Store right now, and worth every penny.Daily iPhone App: Tobe & Friends Hookshot Escape catches sweet air originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Local Restaurant-Ipad
I've been a big fan of Grubhub for years -- it's a website (and an iPhone app) that allows you to search through delivery menus from your area, and then order food right there online (or just call up any places you find, and order your food up over the phone). When I lived in Chicago, I found so many great delivery places that I never would have known existed otherwise. And even out here in Los Angeles, while there are plenty of places right around me to try already, I've found Grubhub helpful. I've never actually used Seamless, which appears to be the same kind of thing. But Seamless now does have one thing that Grubhub doesn't, and that's an iPad app. The new Seamless iPad app features all of the restaurants and services that the standard website offers, all wrapped up in a pretty solid iPad app experience. It's not really anything new, especially if you've already used the website (and as with all of these services, you need to live in an area that they cover, which means a larger metropolitan region), but it's free, and if you're a user of services like this already, it might be more convenient. Plus (and perhaps this says a little too much about me, my laziness, and the fact that I should probably cook for myself more), I just think it's awesome to be able to order up dinner straight from your iPad while sitting on the couch. We're living in the future here, people! Show full PR text "Show me the menus!" Seamless transforms the world of delivery and takeout with the launch of its iPad App The Seamless iPad App makes it even easier to order from local restaurants, anytime, anywhere New York, NY - February 28, 2012 - Seamless (www.seamless.com), the leading mobile and online service for ordering delivery and takeout food from more than 8,000 top restaurants in the US and UK, today announced the release of its iPad App. Now available free on the App Store, the Seamless iPad App allows existing and new members to tap and swipe their way to ordering delicious delivery and takeout, anytime and anywhere. The iPad App is a groundbreaking addition to Seamless' suite of mobile apps for restaurant delivery and takeout, currently available for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry users. The apps and company website provide a closed-loop experience, allowing Seamless' more than one million members the ability to access local restaurant information and place orders. Showcasing an enhanced set of features exclusive to iPad, Seamless' iPad App makes it easy for members to find and order exactly what they're looking for. After opening the app, members choose between "I'll have the usual" and "Show me the menus," two pathways that were designed specifically around the most common iPad use cases. "I'll have the usual" gives members the ability to browse their unified order history (from iPad, mobile, and web) and quickly re-order the same items or visit a favorite restaurant to try a different dish. "Show me the menus" allows members to explore restaurant choices and decide where and what to eat, utilizing features like cuisine filters, estimated delivery times, order minimums, ratings, reviews, discounts, and more. "Mobile is a key business driver for Seamless, with more than 25 percent of orders already being placed through our iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps," said Jonathan Zabusky, CEO of Seamless. "We expect that the launch of our iPad App will further accelerate mobile order growth and extend our leadership position as the nation's largest and most innovative food ordering company. The Seamless iPad App enhances our robust mobile offering and enables us to continue to deliver on our mission to bring food happiness to our members, and drive new customer and sales growth to our more than 8,000 restaurant partners." Developed from the ground up to take advantage of the most sophisticated features within iOS 5, the Seamless iPad App offers graphically rich animations and a conve read more..