Opera Shows Commitment to iOS with 6.0.1 Update

Well look at that! Unlike the previous version of Opera Mini (which remained stagnant for a year), it looks like Opera is serious about keeping their latest iteration of Opera Mini up-to-date, which quite frankly inspires some hope for the mobile nerd in me. Opera is a fine browser to use (especially on 3G) since you can tweak website performance to your heart’s content, and while the final product may be compressed through Opera’s servers, getting that web page at all is certainly better than nothing.

Opera’s initial offering was pretty strong aside from my general issues with Opera’s engine of choice, and today’s 6.0.1 update offers some general improvements.

Changelog

  • Improved YouTube video integration
  • Added single column view
  • Added Opera Mobile Store icon to Speed Dial list
  • Fixed various font-related issues
  • Fixed various stability issues
  • General bug fixes and improvements

Opera is committed, announcing that they have a major 6.1 update on the way that’ll mirror features already released on Blackberry and Android phones, such as a universal search and address bar, intelligent domain suggestions, smarter text selection, and Google AutoComplete.

If you’re an Opera user, you have lots of great things to look forward to on iOS. You can download the latest update from the App Store.

[via Opera Mini Blog]

Updated MacBook Airs and Mac Pros to Launch Alongside Lion

If your little hearts just can’t handle the anticipation in waiting for this week’s presume launch of OS X Lion, just wait until you hear this next bit of news. If you’re a college student or professional video editor / graphic designer, you’ll have some additional goodies to look forward to. 9 to 5 Mac have a scoop with model numbers for the upcoming MacBook Airs featuring ultra-quick Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt.

What wasn’t expected is rumored announcement for all new Mac Pros. It isn’t sure whether we’ll be seeing new guts or all new redesign, but the Mac Pros are rumored to include Thunderbolt as Apple updates their line, and there’s even a server model specifically designed for use in business environments.

The new Macs will ship with Lion (and Lion Server) preinstalled, and are expected to launch with the release of 10.7. 9 to 5 Mac says that the 14th is a possible launch date for all three of these items, so keep an eye on Thursday for an Apple launch-stravaganza.

[via 9 to 5 Mac]

iOS 5 Concept UI Shows Off WiFi Notifications and a Smart Multitasking Tray

I think it’s clear that Apple is keeping a keen eye on the community when it comes to UI concepts and other imaginative implementations from the jailbreak community, and it’s possible they could at least snatch one good idea from this latest mockup. A concept video created by a charming Jan-Michael Cart shows off some pretty rad improvements, including being able to select a WiFi network in the Notification Center, improved popovers, and a multitasking bar whose icons rotate with the iPhone’s orientation (my favorite).

Check past the break to see the concepts in action — I think the WiFi notifications are really nice.

[via Jan-Michael Cart]

Read more

Apple Posts Xcode 4.1 GM Seed for OS X Lion

Apple has published a GM for Xcode 4.1 in the Mac Dev Center this afternoon in preparation for the launch of Lion (presumably later this week). You’ll find an updated Xcode 4.1 GM, Read Me, and Release Notes that are recommended for consumption as developers beginning building Lion compatible apps.

Xcode 4.1’s Interface Builder includes support for new Aqua controls such as NSPopover, Full screen support in the Xcode workspace (for full screen apps), and project modernization that can automatically fix errors caused by improper build settings.

Apple Releases iOS 5 Beta 3

Apple just posted the third beta of iOS 5 on the Dev Center. Build number is 9A5259f. As with previous iOS 5 betas, the build targets the iPad 2, iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3rd and 4th gen. iOS 5 beta 3 for the Apple TV has also been released. The second beta of iOS 5 was posted three weeks ago, on June 24. iOS 5 is expected to be released publicly this fall, with many suggesting the usual September media event will be the stage this year for a formal iOS 5 announcement, as well as the unveiling of the next-generation iPhone.

Alongside the new iOS 5 beta, Apple also uploaded a new iCloud for Lion beta (reaching version 4), iTunes 10.5 beta 3 and Xcode 4.2 Developer Preview 3. On the Mac Dev Center, Xcode 4.1 GM for Lion has been seeded to developers. Read more

TV Forecast HD Is A Beautifully Refined iPad App That Keeps Track Of Your Favourite TV Shows

If you are anything like me, you probably don’t watch much live TV anymore; instead just watching a few shows a week on TV and the rest via an online catch-up service. If that sounds like you as well, you may be interested in a new iPad app that makes it easier to track when your favorite shows are airing on TV. The app, TV Forecast HD, is developed by Big Bucket Software (also the developer behind The Incident) and is an entirely redesigned version of TV Forecast, which is currently available for the iPhone. Jump the break for the full review of TV Forecast HD, which has just been made available today.

Read more

Incoming! iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand Updates for July 11th

If you’re smart, talented, and own copies of iPhoto ‘11, iMovie ‘11, and GarageBand ‘11 from the Mac App Store, it’s time to check for an update! Today we’re seeing general improvements all around for the trio of creative applications, including support for opening iMovie projects from iMovie for iOS.

iPhoto: What’s New In Version 9.1.5
This update supports general compatibility issues, and also addresses overall stability and performance. Minor issues addressed include:

• The date range of each event now updates correctly to reflect changes made to photos using the Adjust Time and Date command
• Addresses an issue that could cause the Photos view to scroll incorrectly when Event Titles are displayed
• Fixes a problem that could prevent Ken Burns animations from being applied correctly on photos in a saved Classic slideshow
• Deleting photos from a web album using the contextual menu now removes them from the album without deleting them from the library
• Addresses an issue that could prevent a crop adjustment from being removed from a photo when using the Revert to Original command

iMovie: What’s New In Version 9.0.4
This update improves overall stability and addresses a number of minor issues, including the following:

• Support for opening projects imported from iMovie for iOS.
• Fixes an issue where some audio adjustments were not preserved.
• Addresses a performance issue when using large quantities of video clips with keywords.
• Resolves issue with slow application launch when working with large iPhoto libraries.

GarageBand: What’s New In Version 6.0.4
This update supports general compatibility issues, and addresses overall stability and performance issues including the following:

• Fixes an issue with the GarageBand Lesson Store not completing single or multiple lesson downloads.
• Corrects issues with some tempo-based effects falling out of sync with main song tempo.
• Resolves problems with Magic GarageBand project files not opening up correctly in the GarageBand tracks view.

iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand are $14.99 on the Mac App Store. If you’ve purchased iLife outside the Mac App Store, keep your eyeballs on Software Update for the latest improvements.

Apple users buying 61% more apps, paying 14% more per app→

Apple users buying 61% more apps, paying 14% more per app

The average iOS device owner will download 83 apps in 2011 vs. 51 in 2010, a 61% increase year over year. “Smartphone users are showing an increasing appetite to use apps to add features to their phones,” Munster writes,” and iOS has the leading app ecosystem.”

While the title is somewhat misleading (are we comparing iOS against Android again?), Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster looks at the at the trend of app sales and ‘average selling price’ per app since September 2008, charting a nice graph that shows the App Store’s steady increase in downloads for free and paid applications. So far in 2011, the average selling price per app is up 14% year-over-year, versus a decrease of 18% in 2010. ”After the initial race to the bottom in App Store pricing, we are seeing users pay up to add features and games to their iOS devices”, Munster writes.

I think we can attribute the recent uptick to in-app subscriptions. Magazines and newspaper subscriptions sold in the App Store can cost anywhere from $20 to $60 a year, and Apple has been aggressive in advertising digital publications via ‘featured’ and ‘what’s hot’ banners. Too, there’s been a recent trend with games like Tiny Tower that can rack up a lot of money by selling in-game currency which vastly improves the experience once players are hooked. The in-app purchase and subscription models are working out very well for developers that implement them.

Philip Elmer-DeWitt writes,

82% of the apps in Apple’s store are free. The 18% that users have to pay for have an ASP of $1.44. According to Munster, the increase in ASP is driven by the more-expensive iPad apps that represent a growing percentage of app downloads.

Again, a lot of these new iPad apps are digital magazines. While we have seen some great apps hit the App Store for $19.99 (OmniOutliner for iPad) and $9.99 (The Hit List for iPhone), unfortunately I think developers that are willing to price their apps high are still few and far between. I must admit, however, that I have seen more $2.99 and $3.99 dollar apps this year than the $.99 and $1.99 I’ve seen in the past. Then again, perhaps my inbox is just being pitched with more expensive apps than usual. Regardless, selling apps at higher price (more representative of an app’s value) is a good thing for developers, and it’s especially important on the iPad where quality software dictates how well it can replace a laptop. With iOS 5 around the corner, I wonder if users would be willing to spend more if the iPad was their only computer?

The App Store still has some kinks to work out, but it’s currently looking pretty healthy. Consumers are buying lots of apps (and in-app purchases), while developers are raking in just a little more money than before if we’re to believe Munster’s findings.

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