12seconds, Animoto release iPhone apps for video slideshows
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Developer, iPhone, Graphic Design, App Store
12seconds.tv is a site that started up a little while ago that seems to be aiming at a “Twitter-for-video” kind of idea — you upload just twelve seconds of video, whether that’s you saying something, video of a short scene, or whatever else you want. The site was in alpha but has recently opened up to beta (so anyone can join), and they’ve also released an iPhone app, available for 99 cents in the App Store right now.
“But wait, Mike,” I hear you saying, “the iPhone doesn’t record video!” And it still doesn’t, but it does record pictures and audio, and the 12seconds app will combine a slideshow of three pictures you take with any 12 seconds of audio you record, thus creating a close approximation of a 12 second video. You can see my sample upload here, just a few pictures of my apartment’s hallway and some Mountain Goats playing from my speakers. You can use pics you’ve already taken, and the whole process of recording, combining, and uploading works pretty well. You don’t have any control over how the images slide across: it’s more of a “throw it all into the mix and hope something good comes out” thing.
It’s an interesting idea, and while you’re paying a buck for a social networking video app that can’t actually record video (not that that’s 12seconds’ fault, Apple), you could probably come up with some pretty creative stuff, from the artistic and witty to the requisite cat videos (because no video site is complete without a cute kitty). It’s definitely not a video replacement for the iPhone, but for uploading quick and simple snippets of experience from wherever you are, it does the job.
For a different approach to photo-based videos generated on your iPhone, you can check out the free Animoto app, released last week by the website of the same name. Animoto will take 8-16 photos from your iPhone or iPod touch, let you order them and select musical accompaniment (from a provided but fairly ample list of tracks; you can’t use your own music or record a soundtrack). The app then uploads your images to the Animoto site and cranks out a 30 second, montage-style video for you. You can stream the video back to your iPhone, or send it along to friends. If Techcrunch gushes about it, well, you know it must be just awesome, right?
12seconds, Animoto release iPhone apps for video slideshows originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
12seconds, Animoto release iPhone apps for video slideshows originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW Review: Scrabble for iPhone
Filed under: Gaming, Software, Reviews, iPhone, iPod touch
Hasbro’s Scrabble is a classic board game, and Electronic Arts made the crossword game one of the first releases for the iPhone / iPod touch platform. Although the game has been available since July, I decided to wait to review it until some of the early bugs were squashed and new features were added. Since Scrabble is a holiday favorite for families, it’s the perfect time for a review of the game.
The original board game is played with 100 small hardwood tiles, most of which have a letter of the alphabet and a point value printed on them. The playing board is a 15 by 15 grid with some squares marked as double or triple letters or words. The object, to those few people who have never played the game, is to create words from a rack of letters randomly assigned to you.
Points are assigned per word based on the individual point values of the tiles and whether a letter or word overlays a colored multiplier square. After the first word has been placed on the board, subsequent words must touch another word in crossword puzzle fashion.
Continue reading TUAW Review: Scrabble for iPhone
TUAW Review: Scrabble for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
TUAW Review: Scrabble for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone barf bag mod is air sick
Sure, it’s foolish and low-tech as hell. But in the 8-hours you were cooped up on that transatlantic flight, did you ever once think about using the barf bag as an adjustable mount for your media player? No, you just held your iPod touch in your hand, occasionally dozing off until awakened by a jerk of the earbuds from your fallen iPod. Who’s the fool now?
[Via Random Good Stuff]
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
iPhone barf bag mod is air sick originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple, Walmart to do $99 4GB iPhone?
Look, we know you’ve been holding out for the iPhone to hit Walmart before you pick it up, sandwiched between the fishing gear and row upon row of exercise videos — and we don’t blame you. You’ll ride your shopping cart down the wide aisles like a chariot, and when you get home with the phone you’ll dial up all your friends and let them know how much cheaper your iPhone was than theirs. What was that? Yeah, the new word on the street is that Walmart is getting a 4GB iPhone 3G for a mere $99, according to Boy Genius Report, and while BGR was previously reporting a November 15th launch date at Walmart, and can’t vouch for the accuracy of this new report, Walmart training materials (pictured above) have been seen in the wild, so there’s a grain of truth to this madness somewhere. Plus, a $99 iPhone just sounds so Walmart-ey, doesn’t it?
[Via Mac Rumors]
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
Apple, Walmart to do $99 4GB iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Smartphone numbers are in: iPhone sales exceed Windows Mobile sales for first time
Gartner’s latest and greatest analysis of the global smartphone industry is in, and there are quite a few interesting nuggets tucked within all those percentages. For starters, the sector still managed to grow 11.5% in Q3 2008 compared to a year prior, but that increase is the smallest since it began tracking. Of course, given the current economic climate, we’d say it’s a win to see any number not in the negative. Moving on, we see Nokia maintaining its numero uno status with 42.4% market share, though it did recognize a rare decline in sales of 3% year-on-year; as for RIM, its BlackBerry phone sales increased an amazing 81.7% in Q3. We’re also clued in to why Apple was rumored to be hacking its iPhone production some 40% in Q4, as the company has some two million units of inventory built up in the supply channel. Finally, we’re told that “for the first time (meaning in this quarter), iPhone sales exceeded sales of Microsoft Windows Mobile devices worldwide and in North America,” and beyond that, “open-source initiatives like Android and Symbian Foundation [are set to] challenge Windows Mobile’s licensing model in the short-term.” Need we really reiterate how badly WinMo 7 is needed?
Filed under: Cellphones
Smartphone numbers are in: iPhone sales exceed Windows Mobile sales for first time originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Scosche vomits out reviveLITE "cordless" iPhone charger / nightlight combo
Look, we know haphazardly stapling an iPod dock onto nearly any product can cause almost-paralyzing fits of hyperbole amongst marketing personnel, but Scosche’s description of its sad little reviveLITE nightlight charger as “cordless” because it plugs directly into the wall might take the cake. Oh, wait — you know what actually takes the cake? It’s priced at a delightfully insulting $40. Yeah, we’ll stick with the monster under the bed, guys. At least it respects us.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals
Scosche vomits out reviveLITE “cordless” iPhone charger / nightlight combo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nokia N97 vs iPhone… Fight!
Now this is a fight worth waiting for.
[Photo courtesy of Robert Scoble]
Filed under: Cellphones
Nokia N97 vs iPhone… Fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 03:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Silicone Touch: an iPhone case for the visually impaired
[Via Yanko Design]
Filed under: Cellphones
Silicone Touch: an iPhone case for the visually impaired originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Linux hits the iPhone!
We knew this day would eventually come, but somehow we’re still misting up a little — Linux has been ported to the iPhone and iPod touch. Dev Team member planetbeing is the mastermind in charge of bringing everyone’s favorite open-source OS to Apple’s handhelds, and while it’s a little rough around the edges (read: no touchscreen drivers, sound, or WiFi / cell radio support), it’s definitely the first step on the road to hacking nirvana. The team is hard at work, and it even sounds like they’re thinking about porting Android in the near future (!), so hit the read link to try it out and lend a hand if you can — or just head on past the break for a quick vid of the port in all its text-scrolling glory.
[Via iphone-dev.org; thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Continue reading Linux hits the iPhone!
Filed under: Cellphones
Linux hits the iPhone! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hidden TV out features discovered in iPhone 2.2 SDK
So, get a load of this. While tinkering within the iPhone 2.2 SDK, ArsTechnica discovered a neat little tidbit that could lead to some pretty extensible applications. In essence, the MPTVOutWindow class enables your iPhone to beam out video to a connected TV rather than the built-in screen. Of course, dock-connecting iPods / iPhones have been sending out videos for ages now, but this could actually enable applications to be used on the big screen. Sadly, the current code won’t allow screen interaction while the TV out function is active, but the accelerometer is still a go. Check out a short demonstration clip after the break, and feel free to let your imagination run wild after peeking the read link.
[Via AppleInsider]
Continue reading Hidden TV out features discovered in iPhone 2.2 SDK
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Video
Hidden TV out features discovered in iPhone 2.2 SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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