Yesterday Apple Launched Iphoto Its Photo Management App

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It looks like Apple's new iPhoto for iOS app isn't pulling data from the tradition source, Google Maps, but is using custom Apple made tiles informed by OpenStreetMaps. "512 Pixels"' Stephen Hackett noticed the difference almost immediately, as did "The Next Web"'s Matthew Panzarino. OpenStreetMap later confirmed it on their own blog:

Yesterday Apple launched iPhoto, its photo management app, for the iPad and iPhone... and we're rather pleased to find they're the latest to switch to OpenStreetMap. [...] The new iPhoto for iOS, however, uses Apple's own map tiles - made from OpenStreetMap data (outside the US).

The OSM data that Apple is using is rather old (start of April 2010) so don't expect to see your latest and greatest updates on there. It's also missing the necessary credit to OpenStreetMap's contributors; we look forward to working with Apple to get that on there.

Given the strains in the Apple/Google relationship as of late, it's really shocking to see them putting something like this together.

Apple has also acquired numerous mapping solution companies such as PlaceBase, Google Earth competitor Poly9 along with a 3D mapping company called C3 Technologies, so it's not hard to imagine we'll see more custom maps from Apple in the future.

Source: 512 Pixels, TNW, OpenStreetMap

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Powerful All In One iPod Dab Radio Dock

In its latest build Vita has provided us with an all-in-one system that combines the classic iPod docking station with DAB radio, CD slot, and an impressive 80 watts nominal power output - meet the Vita Audio R4. Design The Vita Audio R4 stands out from many of the other micro-systems and compact systems in the market that offers the same spectrum of music sources with a much classier design. With a stylish exterior that is available in either a glossy white finish or as per the above picture, in a walnut veneer, giving it a slightly retro look, the Vita Audio R4 will look a lot better on your bookshelf or stereo unit than most other compact all-in-one systems. Inside the classy exterior you find that Vita has been able to pack an impressive package of components, as it houses a Class A-B amp that provides a total of 80W to the two speakers and the downward facing subwoofer. At the top you will find the docking station itself, as well as a rotodial control unit that can also be detached and used as a remote control for the unit. Performance As mentioned, the Vita Audio R4 comes with iPod docking station, DAB and FM radio, CD slot (at the front), two anxillary inputs, and a USB port, giving you a range of options of music sources. From the sound produced we can also tell that they have used quality components as there is a nice warmth to the bass and a clarity to the overall sound, providing a nice balanced sound picture. Some have reported that it does not handle hard rock quite as well, and compared to some other more conventional systems we can agree with that. However for its class we very much doubt that you will be disappointed with the quality of the sound produced by the Vita Audio R4. Overall If you are after a stylish all-in-one audio system and iPod DAB radio dock that does not take up too much space but looks high class and provides you with quality sound you can do much worse than with the Vita Audio R4 iPod DAB dock. The Vita Audio R4 does not come cheap though, as at the moment you will have to pay about $829 from Amazon UK for this unit, which brings the overall score down slightly. Features summary * 80 watts nominal power output amp * Integrated active subwoofer * CD slots playing CD-audio, MP3 and WMA * USB port * DAB, DAB+ and FM tuner with RDS * Universal iPod dock supporting all iPod models produced from 2004 onwards. Supports iPhone but no GSM shielding so recommended to use in flight mode * Rotodial remote control * 2 auxiliary inputs * 3D enhanced stereo sound * Selectable tone setting * Stereo headphone output * Clock and alarm functions * Dimensions: H145mm x W450mm x D255mm * Weight: 8kg

Play Finger Balance And Win A Free Iphone 4

Finger Balance made by Coconut Island Studio, an indie game studio and the maker of iDragPaper which has over 6.7 million players worldwide, has achieved great success on iPhone. This new title was in U.S No.6 in all Top Paid Apps, No.1 in Puzzle Game and No.1 in Board Game during the last weekend. It also got featured as “New and Noteworthy” and “What’s Hot” in Apple App Store worldwide. To celebrate Finger Balance’s success and to show its thankfulness to the fans, Coconut Island Studio decided to hold a iPhone 4 raffle and set the iPhone classic game iDragPaper for free this weekend. To join the raffle is quite simple. Just purchase Finger Balance and unlock the levels of 4-N, 7-N and 10-N. And then you will see a button displayed at each of the said levels. Click the button, input an email address, confirm it, and you are registered into the raffle. Besides the iPhone 4 there are also ten $15 iTunes gift certificates as prizes in the raffle. The raffle will end at midnight on August 22, 2010. The winners will be contacted by e-mail. So don’t waste any time claiming your raffle tickets!

What Are The Best Speakers For iPod

Millions of people own and are totally hooked on to their very special iPod. iPods have become more than simple “music tools”, they incorporate advanced technologies and what they give back to audience is more than sounds and image. When you want more from your iPod, it normally means that you want a speakers system that will fit your needs. Even if any sort of cable can connect your iPod to a home stereo, most iPod users would rather have their separate set of iPod speakers; it is only natural for the question what the best speakers for iPod are , to arise. When talking about iPod speakers, prices range from 20-30 USD to 3-5000 USD, hence one must be properly informed before deciding to buy a certain type of speakers. Before deciding which iPod speakers are best for YOU, you need to know your specific requirements regarding performance, value, design and last but not least, use. What will you be using your speakers for? Do you have a specific place/room where you will install them or do you need them on the go? Do you need them to integrate more function, for example those of an alarm clock? One of the most used types of iPod speakers are home iPod speakers, generally used around the house. With prices ranging from about 80 to 600 USD, they are equipped with remote control and in and out audio jacks and are generally powered by AC adapters. If your targeting for ultra high quality, you can always opt for Bose, Bowers & Wilkins but you should expect higher prices. They offer, however, higher quality sound, high volumes and superior technology. Probably the most popular iPod Speakers will always be the portable ones, versatile and easy to use both indoors but especially outdoors; a good se will normally cost around 100USD but prices range from 50 to 4-500 USD. When you’re thinking what the best speakers for Ipod are, portability should also mean good, rechargeable batteries, remote control and the useful carrying cases. When you want your iPod to give more than music and videos, you’re probably thinking of iPod Alarm clocks; they combine alarm clock technology with the iPod dock. Easy to use, they should have adjustable dimmers and battery backup. Review websites have chosen the following speakers as some of the best ever for your iPod: Logitech S715i, Altec Lansing Mix iMT800, Bose Sound dock 10, Cambridge SoundWorks i525 and Boston Acoustics Duo-I Plus. Depending on your budget, you can spend from 130 USD up to 600 USD (Bose speakers). However, if you're aiming for something high class, you can always get a set of Geneva M iPod speakers for about 800 USD or an XL iPod Speakers set (Geneva) for as much as 1750 USD.

Play iPod Videos In Your Car

Everyone knows that an iPod car adapter kits allow users to listen to the music on their iPod while they drive. Some iPod car integration kits, however, even allow drivers to play iPod videos and DVD's on their dashboard-mounted user interface or in the head-rests for rear passengers. This may seem like an unnecessary accessory - why would the person who is driving need to be able to watch videos while doing so? Well, they wouldn't, but there are many situations in which such a device might come in handy. Imagine that you have a flat tire and you're waiting for roadside assistance. Or you went to pick your son or daughter up from practice, and it's running late. Maybe you're stuck in traffic, or going to a restaurant, and there's a wait before you can be seated. In pretty much any situation that involves you having to wait in, or near, your car, there is a potential for severe boredom, which is where the iPod video car kit comes in handy. It's especially useful if you happen to be in a situation where waiting is involved, and you have bored children in your car. Some say that the dashboard-mounted video unit isn't safe, because drivers can be distracted by it, or attempt to watch it while driving. However, this isn't a problem that is inherent with the unit itself - it's a problem with some people who might use it incorrectly. Just like everything else on the market, most people use it properly, but there will always be those who don't. The people who are likely to misuse the iPod car kit add-on would most likely partake in illegal activates while they drive such as using their mobile phone or applying make-up, which would be equally if not more unsafe. The iPod is the ideal platform for storing additional music and videos, the Gigabytes of space can be difficult to fill. Take advantage of this and add films, TV programs or music videos to your iPod so they are there to watch when you or your kids have a spare 30 minutes to an hour to enjoy them. See below our top 10 scenarios of when an iPod Video Kit for vehicles is useful in combating boredom. 1) Stuck in traffic on the motorway. 2) To keep your Kids entertained and stop them arguing and fighting in the back of your car. 3) Keep passengers entertained on long journeys. 4) if your waiting for a booking or appointment. 5) If your Vehicle has Broken Down and you're waiting for assistance. 6) Keep up to date with news and local current affairs via pod casts when you're out of your county or state. 7) Watch your favorite TV Series if you pull over for a fast lunch break. 8) If you're waiting to pick somebody up whose train or plane is delayed by an hour or two. 9) If you've been kicked out of your house (Oops you shouldn't be so naughty). 10) If you're on a camping trip and stuck for something to do at night. We've thought of a few instances when an iPod car kit with video integration could come in handy, i'm sure you can think of a few more!

Sneezies For iPad Boardfamilykids Games

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With so many games now costing just 69 pence, a title has to be really special in order to make it stand apart from its competitors. So here's our own little shout out to the wonderful Sneezies, one of the cutest and cleverest apps we've discovered for some time.

Life for a Sneezy is pretty sweet, as they just spend all their time floating around in little bubbles, safely cocooned from the world. Of course, that wouldn't really make for that exciting a game, so Chillingo allows you to cover a Sneezy in sneezing powder with a simple tap of your finger. It's simple ideas like this that help to make Sneezies so much more than it may first appear.

After breathing in the powder the poor fur ball lets out a gent sneeze, bursting his bubble and passing on a noxious cloud to any other Sneezy in his vicinity. The resulting chain reaction is superb, with tiny little critters exploding everywhere and your ears being filled with seemingly hundreds of delightful little sneezes.

What sounds a ridiculously easy concept, soon proves to be anything but thanks to the clever game modes that Retro Dreamer has created. The main game is a simple score attack mode and sees you simply trying to capture a set amount of Sneezies. This is harder than it first sounds, though, as the Sneezies themselves are constantly moving, meaning you have to work fast and think hard in order to set off a killer chain reaction.

Challenge mode on the other hand gives you a set amount of sneezing powder doses and a specific number of Sneezies to capture, with an additional go earned if you capture 75 per cent or more of the critters found on screen. Needless to say the scores gets higher and higher with each completed wave and the number of little buggers increase until there are literally hundreds on screen. Finally there is Score EX, which combines the first two modes but only gives you a single dose of sneezing powder to achieve your task.

The concept is indeed simple, but excellent scoreboard integrations with Facebook and Feint Online means there's always a reason to return to this amazing, addictive game for the iPhone.

Sneezies For iPad Board/Family/Kids Games is a post from: TCGeeks

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Philips Ds3000 Fidelio iPod Docking Station

We have written about the great sound and stylish design of the Philips Fidelio DS9000 speaker dock before, well get ready to meet the little brother - Philips DS3000/05 Fidelio. Design and features For those that find the DS9000 too big or too expensive, the DS3000 might be the perfect compromise. It is keeping with the same design principles and style, making it stand out from the otherwise crowded iPod speaker dock market. In many ways it looks a bit like a donut that you could sit on, but a very upscale and posh one. Another feature it shares with its big brother is the smartly designed spring-loaded docking port, which means that you don’t have to worry about any dock adaptors etc. or to have to take your iPod / iPhone out of its protective casing before docking it to play your music. The Philips DS3000/05 Fidelio iPhone speakers is also compatible with most iPods and the iPhone. For true portability we are also glad to hear that the DS3000/05 can run either on AC power or on battery, with an expected operating time of 8 hours on battery. It also got its own app in the iTunes App Store which brings with it its own sets of features, including easily browse and play your music, control the speakers acoustic properties, checking battery levels when operating on battery power, and an alarm clock feature which includes multiple music and sounds of nature alarms. Sound experience The Philips DS3000/05 Fidelio comes with Dynamic Bass Boost (DBB) technology from Philips, which improves the listening experience by automatically adjusting the bass levels with the range of volume setting. For example it counteracts the issue of normally losing bottom end bass frequencies at low volume for a more consistent sound experience. The output power of the speakers are 8 W so don’t expect it to pack the same punch as the DS9000, but it does sound good for its size and price. Overall Based on the style, design, and sound experience, combined with the price class it is in, the Philips DS3000/05 Fidelio is a good purchase for those looking for a small bedroom speaker dock, or perhaps something to take with them on holiday, or to their new student accomodation. Personally i find it too small in sound for use in a living room for example, or where looking for the richness of sound that you get from a more high-end speaker dock like the DS9000. The Philips DS3000/05 is available from amongst other Amazon UK for $96. Specifications * iPod and iPhone compatible * USB 2.0 PC link * Aux in * spring loaded dock connector * 8 hours of battery operating time * Size - 210 x 150 x 135mm * Dynamic Bass Boost * Own compatible app for use on iPhone and iPod Touch * 8 W output power (RMS)