Showing posts with label iTunes App Store. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iTunes App Store. Show all posts

Friday, September 30, 2011

MagicJack iPhone App Debuts

MagicJack iPhone App http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Welknown and also well used magicJack, the VoIP service that is offered with a USB device providing free calls for the cost of the device and a yearly fee of $19.99 to users in the U.S. and Canada. Each device purchased Magicjack or Magicjack Plus includes one year service. So the free calls is a kind of misnomer.
It is also very difficult to find any pricing information at the Magicjack site easily. Positive side of this is the happy users. I have a coleague who uses Magicjack and you would not know he is calling you via a VOIP service.
But the news today is that Magicjack has released an iPhone app. magicJack app came to the iTunes App Store this week and lets users make free calls to numbers in the U.S. and Canada and to other magicJack users anywhere in the world at no charge. The app works on all iDevices provided that have iOS 4.0 or higher.

magicJack is not alone in the Free VOIP calling space on the iTunes App store, it  joins the likes of Skype, Viber, netTALK.
Unlikewith the Magicjack devices described above, magicJack App does not require you to create an account before you can start making those free phone calls, (out going only). The App offers you the option to skip account creation and go right to the dialer shown above. By creating an account to get voicemail and a designated magicJack phone number, or information from an existing account one can receive calls through magicJack without using minutes on your cell phone plan. In the U.S. incoming calls count against your cell phone plan).
I have not tried the app yet and many of those who tried praise the app and it's abilities. Many have made calls over wifi and 3G and seem to be satisfied.
iTunes App Store

Friday, January 7, 2011

MAC APP Store Delivers 1 Million Free And Paid Apps On First Day.

#MacAppStore http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Apple Computer announced today that the brand Mac App Store toped one million downloaded in the first day of the business from the stores collection of more than 1,000 free and paid apps.

 “We’re amazed at the incredible response the Mac App Store is getting. Developers have done a great job bringing apps to the store and users are loving how easy and fun the Mac App Store is.” said Steve Jobs, who once again took a $1 as his compensation for 2010, said in a press release (below).
But the numbers are in play here, the iOS App Store  targeting iPhone users exceeded 10 million downloads during its first three days. This was partly thanks to pent-up demand from millions of users waiting for the apps for the iPhone. iPhone App Store was also the only place to buy iOS apps then and still is unless you have a jailbroken iPhone. But the MAC app store is a different story and people could get software intended for MAC OS from variety of places, from free software to Microsoft. whereas Mac software can still be purchased from a variety of online and offline outlets. Apple has said it has no intention of keeping Mac software from being sold in other places.
Apple Press Release;

Mac App Store Downloads Top One Million in First Day

CUPERTINO, California—January 7, 2011—Apple® today announced that over one million apps have been downloaded from the Mac® App Store℠ in the first day. With more than 1,000 free and paid apps, the Mac App Store brings the revolutionary App Store experience to the Mac, so you can find great new apps, buy them using your iTunes® account, download and install them in just one step.
“We’re amazed at the incredible response the Mac App Store is getting,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Developers have done a great job bringing apps to the store and users are loving how easy and fun the Mac App Store is.” 
The Mac App Store offers apps in Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity, Utilities and other categories. Users can browse new and noteworthy apps, find out what’s hot, see staff favorites, search categories and look up top charts for paid and free apps, as well as user ratings and reviews. The Mac App Store is available for Snow Leopard® users through Software Update as part of Mac OS® X v10.6.6.
Mac developers set the price for their apps, keep 70 percent of the sales revenue, are not charged for free apps and do not have to pay hosting, marketing or credit card fees. To find out more about developing for the Mac App Store visit developer.apple.com/programs/mac.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.
Press Contacts:
Bill Evans
Apple
bevans@apple.com
(408) 974-0610

Colin Smith
Apple
colins@apple.com
(408) 862-1171

Monday, October 12, 2009

Apple App Store Is A Better Solution For Upcoming Game Developers Than Sony Minis?

Mobile App Develeopment snapvoip.blogspot.com
An article on Gamasutra helped me to understand why the same game, Fieldrunners from Subatomic Studios cost $2.99 on Apple iTunes App Store and $6.99 on the Sony Minis. The cost seem to be associated with the cost of SDKs and the cost of getting the game rated by ESRB, which is said to cost as much as $2500 per game. Apple's App Store does not require ESRB approval.
"Developing for the PSP is definitely more serious business and not for casual non-developers, Having game development experience is a must. You have to invest some money into dev kits and into getting ratings for your game. The costs of ratings such us ESRB is significantly more then we had realized." "Sergei Gourski, co-founder of Subatomic Studios, developer of the App Store hit Fieldrunners. told Gamasutra.
I guess more and more small time developer will look for a shelve space on Apple App Store rather than on Sony Minis, at least that is what I would do, if I was a game developer.
Gamasutra via engadget

Friday, April 24, 2009

Ocarina, A Stairway To iPhone Entrepreneurship!

Ocarina by SMULE, a 99-cent app on the iTunes App Store turns the iPhone into a virtual flute. It is currently one of the best-selling iPhone's apps and has pulled in about $800,000 for SMULE. They also make a buch of other apps like Sonic Lighter, Sonic Boom, Sonic Vox, and Zephyr. The latest the company released is, Leaf Trombone.

SMULE Leaf Trombone


Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Getting Adicted To iPhone! And It's Apps

iPhone Apps Addict
Well it looks like the person in spotlight, Deborah is addicted to iPhone Apps, that forms and assists her with daily chores. iPhone App for every waking minutes of her life.
Initially I had also gone for a torrent of iPhone apps, both paid and free, but since the initial urges, I have settled down, picked a dozen and deleted the rest. I use iPhone, not other way around!
I have a few Apps that helps me with my work, some iPhone VoIP apps, a bunch of locations service apps, translators and a few games adorn my iPhone mobile top!
But Deborah seem to have an app for every task of her life;
her iphone "is a pedometer, a voice recorder, a gym coach and a budget tracker. It promises to find my parked car, give me a shoulder massage and even repel mosquitoes, for free or 99 cents and up."

"At 7:30 a.m., my alarm clock app, goodNite Lite, wakes me with a gentle chord. Too gentle, some might say, so it's best to turn up the volume.
.....
......
......
......

Before I hit the pillow, I listen to Custom Hypnosis Lite. A soothing male voice tells me to relax and surprisingly, I do. I'm glad it doesn't tell me to do anything strange.

After a day of wall-to-wall apps, I'm amazed at all the things the iPhone can do outside of phone calls. Now if only my iPhone can do my taxes. Wait. There's probably an app for that."

If her story is true, I think she stands to will a prize at the billionth iPhone App Download contest.
Even though I do not like to promote AP stories, this one is an exception, Mercury News, that I read or see everyday carries the story of iPhone Addict.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

iTunes 8.1, Better iTunes

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Apple has announced the availability of iTunes 8.1 with a bunch of improvements. But the best I noticed was, 64Bit iTunes, which I have been waiting for a while.

Improvements include;

• Supports syncing with iPod shuffle (3rd generation).
• Allows friends to request songs for iTunes DJ.
• Adds Genius sidebar for your Movies and TV Shows.
• Improves performance when downloading iTunes Plus songs.
• Provides AutoFill for manually managed iPods.
• Allows CDs to be imported at the same sound quality as iTunes Plus.
• Includes many accessibility improvements.
• Allows iTunes U and the iTunes Store to be disabled separately using Parental Controls.


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Transparent Windows Marketplace for Mobile Coming Soon

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Microsoft has announced their strategy for developers aptly named developer strategy promising to be transparent and just like Apple, Cydia App Store to take 30% commission for selling you wares on Mobile Market place. Oh there is a $99 joining fee and that will come again to meet you if you submit more than 5 apps a year. For every app beyond the initial five, you got to hand out $99 to Microsoft.
"Developers who sell applications through Windows Marketplace for Mobile will receive 70 percent of the sale of each application. In addition, they will have the ability to set the price for their applications in each market, maximizing their revenues based on targeted pricing strategies. Developers can also choose to distribute their application at no cost. Up to five application submissions to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile is included in the introductory annual registration of $99 (U.S.). Each additional submission within the annual period will have a cost of $99 (U.S.). The registration fee will be waived for student developers who want to reach Windows® phones customers, through enrollment in the DreamSpark program."
But most developers I know stick to single app and some deals with two or three apps. I guess it might work out to be a filter for bad applications. There are far too many windows developers than Apple or Android.
May be the transparency bit (Familiar tools, large worldwide customer base and transparent policies allow mobile developers to innovate and generate new revenue opportunities with Windows Mobile 6.5 and Windows Marketplace for Mobile.) might be poking at Apple's stringent app selection process.
But will be good for developers to have a distribution channel in the vast windows Mobile marketplace.
"We are empowering the thousands of existing Windows Mobile independent software vendors and prospective developers to grow their business by connecting them to the millions of global Windows® phone customers around the world," said Andy Lees, senior vice president of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. "Our announcement today demonstrates Microsoft's unwavering commitment to providing developers with the latest tools and technologies to develop compelling applications, as well as the appropriate distribution channels to generate revenue."
The Microsoft Press release.