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The App Store is a gamble for developers
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Features, Handhelds, Software,
Earlier today, I received word that a second iPhone App had been denied access into the App Store, with Apple citing that the application duplicates existing functionality already found in the Apple ecosystem. This is beginning to become a problem, and if you aren’t seeing why, allow me to explain why this is so alarming to me. In case you hadn’t heard, a couple of weeks ago, an app called Podcaster was rejected by Apple for similar reason. The line of thinking there was that Podcaster, an app that would allow you to subscribe to and download podcasts while on the go, duplicated functionality already found in iTunes.
Now, if you’ve never used an iPhone, allow me to point out the absurdity. There is nothing on the iPhone or iPod touch that allows you to subscribe to, or even download, a podcast to your device. Sure, you can open the file in Safari, but that is not what we are talking about. That’s right, even if you enter the iTunes app, you will find right away that podcasts just aren’t there. So we have to then assume that Apple was referring to the iTunes desktop software when they said that Podcaster duplicated functionality. Really? Is that a major issue that a company decided to fix a gaping hole on the iPhone, even if that hole doesn’t exist on the desktop? Why, then, are there so many calculators in the App Store? After all, not only do we have a calculator as part of OS X, but there is a calculator that ships installed by default on the iPhone as well. It seems we have a double-standard here.
Click to continue reading The App Store is a gamble for developers
Gallery: The App Store is a gamble for developers
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Tally Hall - YouTube Smash
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Editorial, Internet, Music, Videos,
What do we love about the Internet? That the incredibly gifted group Tally Hall can become such a hit on YouTube with their Internet Show that they made it all the way to the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. You go, guys!
What do we not love about the Internet? That commercial companies such as Procter & Gamble come up with a lame website and competition to get normally intelligent people to devise the next greatest catch phrase for Crest Whitening Expressions after Emeril Lagasse’s “Bam!”
Read More 
| Tally Hall
Gallery: Tally Hall - YouTube Smash
It is so easy to register to vote now that we at Gear Live want to encourage you to do so if you have not already. We admit we have been apathetic in the past, but to not vote means you will not be heard. If you are 18 or older, head over to Declare Yourself to register online (at least 30 days before Nov. 4,) request an absentee ballot, or find specific election locations for your area. There are links to candidates, stands, and issues. Launched in 2003, the site is perfect for finding answers, no matter what the questions. So vote, tell your friends to, and be grateful that we live in a country where we can choose our leaders, rather than having them thrust upon us.
Read More | Declare Yourself
Gallery: Register to Vote!
Watch out, Mascugeeks. There is a new Femgeek in town. Not long ago, we met Maria Webster. It is really refreshing to find other females who are geekily inclined, (not that we don’t adore our male counterparts,) so we chatted with the development engineer/webmistress about her new site .51 aka Geekspace for Women. The site, up since May, features what “geeky women are doing/building/making/hacking right now.” By the way, Maria came up with the name after reading that women are 51% of the population and may soon be taking over the Internet.
Read More | .51
Gallery: .51 Caters to Femgeeks
Mash subscribers received this email message: “Thank you for trying out our Mash Beta service. We hope you had fun with it. Please note that we will shut down Mash on September 29, 2008. As a result, your current profile on Mash will no longer be available.”
So ends Yahoo’s second attempt at social networking, following the former demise of Mixd. One of Mash’s features was that you could create a profile for one of your friends, then ask her/him to customize it. Sounds a little creepy to us. We will now share about a nanosecond of silence to commemorate the loss, and ask Yahoo to stick to what it does best, if they ever figure out what that is.
Read More | Daily Tech
Gallery: RIP Yahoo Mash
NBC and Yahoo Sports Vie for Top Online Viewers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Editorial, Home Entertainment, Internet,
It would seem that even though NBC shelled out over $1 billion in rights and production costs, their online website has had some problems, including the video player not usable for those with firewalls and some clips without commentary. Still, they say that they have received 830.1 million page views, 56.1 million video streams, and 38.9 million users.
On the other hand, Yahoo Sport brags that it has 8 million users, about 1.3 million more than NBC, according to comScore Media Mix. The network’s TAMI (Total Audience Measurement Index) says that they have never gotten more than 8% total Internet viewing on a single day. Although the messages seemed mixed, Zap2it reports upwards of 30 million viewing on TV each day, leading us to believe that this is certainly becoming an Internet watching world when it comes to up-to-the-minute gratification.
Read More | Wired
Gallery: NBC and Yahoo Sports Vie for Top Online Viewers
Obama and McCain’s Playlists
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Editorial, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
The two Presidential candidates were asked what was on their top ten play list. Barack Obama listed “Ready or Not” by the Fugees, “What’s Going On” from Marvin Gaye, and Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” as his top three, while John McCain said that “Dancing Queen” and “Take a Chance on Me” by ABBA, as well as Roy Orbison’s Blue Bayou” were his faves.
Somewhat related (not really, we just wanted to share,) Rolling Stone has claimed Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” the top karaoke song of all time, no doubt prompting the singer to come out of the shadows for over 20 years and release his new album, Venus in Overdrive.
Read More | Blender
Gallery: Obama and McCain’s Playlists
GM Plans Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Editorial, Science, Transportation,
AM General, the company that makes the Hummer H2 for GM, is hoping to make wheelchair-accessible vehicles by 2010. The car will be made for the U.S. and Canada and will include an automatic ramp that will be able to handle wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobile devices. They say they already have reservations for 3,500 units. Since GM has mentioned that other parties might be interested in its Hummer brand, it will be interesting to see if this will be another carrot or a last ditch effort by the company to keep those gas-hogs on the road.
Read More | Detroit News
Gallery: GM Plans Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles
China Does A Milli Vanilli
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Editorial, Misc. Tech, Music,
First we hear that some of the fireworks displayed during the opening night ceremonies in Beijing were a 3D CGI. Created by Crystal Digital Technology Co, the excuse was “for convenience and theatrical effects.” Now we hear that China has used one little girl’s pretty face to lip sync to another’s voice. Okay, but is this the kind of image China wants to project? About 1 billion watched the ceremonies with about 34.2 million from the U.S. alone.
Read More | CNN
Gallery: China Does A Milli Vanilli
Thailand Pulls GTA IV After Teen Kills Cabbie
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Editorial, Video Games,
When you read about this stuff it still seems incredulous. Officials in Thailand have banned Grand Theft Auto IV after a teen claimed to have murdered a cab driver after having seen it in the game. Thai newspapers report that the 18 year-old tried to steal the taxi then killed the 54 year-old driver when he fought back. Bangkok Police Capt. Veerarit Pipatansak claims that “he wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game.” If convicted, the teen could face the death penalty, a high price to pay for a video game.
Which do you guys think is more ludicrous, the fact that the kid was influenced enough to commit a crime or that the officials think banning the game will stop the problem?
Read More | BBC
