Thursday, May 14, 2009

Apple finds Jesus not good.

Who's with small programs for the iPhone wants to make money must be in Apple's App Store to create only what is offered is centrally located, has opportunities to be perceived. But Apple does not take long for each program - so you've got standards. Easy to understand but they are not.

 


It is normal that Apple has not justified its decision: Power words from Cupertino are not only act when "guru" Steve Jobs expresses it. The Apple model is based on a good piece that her small company's world with an iron grip. Because the highly efficient business-world lives like this from Apple, not just any profane markets with products to use. Apple makes its markets with a preference - and where there is re-inventing the wheel.


Offensive: Saints and humor combine, you can not find Apple


Nowhere is the hitherto succeeded so perfectly as with the iPods (vulgo: MP3 player) and iPhones (vulgo: mobile phone). The secret of Apple's exorbitant success with these products is not least is that the product developer and supplier industries in the iron grip has. Who wants to sell music online - this law has been in years - must be in Apple's iTunes Music Store and be represented Apple can dictate terms. Who programs for the iPhone will sell, must be in Apple's App Store represented. But not everyone is allowed.

Rejected was currently very small, for example, the software "
Me as Holy "of the developer Benjamin Kahle.

The program is one of the typical small iPhone gimmicks, which are useful as some describe it, some more than cute or funny, as many more and even more silly than actually completely superfluous. If you like, inherit the iPhone program Tweety and Co., the stupid little cell phone applications, the pain-free years of service prior to the mobile hochjazzten cult. Today squawk just chicks no more silly, hysterical enthirnte rats or frogs, and on mobile phones in the music charts. Today, the iPhone user the phone to the lips to create a virtual beer to drink. Very funny is that - even if only very briefly original.

Even Benjamin Kahle had invented something original. That it would work, he knew - finally, the program builds on its already successful iPhone software "Animalizer": Here you can find cute pet photos with the insertion of a separate portraits, for example, into a sheep's head, then aufhübschen. His pig is beautiful, so to say - "Me so holy" varies with the functionality of the program in animalcule another topic.

Also his new plant would have a program with potential for success may be because the operation is described with a few words. Who "Me so holy" wants to use must

Religion is a sacred figure and decide
a photo of the insert,
a small text message type
and the whole ship.

Seconds later, the addressee of the message has a kind of picture postcards from the sender as a saint greets.

Me So Holy iPhone App from Benjamin Margolis on Vimeo.


But the developer has to work his program from the animal kingdom into the kingdom of the saints to port, probably made in vain: Apple rejected the program. And unlike in most cases with justification: "Me so holy" is contrary to section 3.3.12 of the Terms of Apple made available for free iPhone software development kit (SDK), the production of iPhone games and their publication in Apple's own store allows.

Section 3.3.12 is a kind of pornography scheme, offering the "offensive" content bans. The fact that users with "Me so holy" is not only an image of Jesus and Co., but even their own to make Jesus and Co., Apple faces - and the program flew out of the shop.


Decency rules are part of the GTC


This is by no means rare. The fact that Apple apparently thinks that it was offensive, Jesus pictures with your own picture to send, you can still understand it perfectly: Humor is nothing you with most religions, or in combination will bring, if you have his grandchildren grow up to see wants. Also that an iPhone program that is on
violent shaking of infants is based, nothing is what Apple wants to be associated, one can understand.

For other appleigen decisions may be the program's makers, however veräppelt feel. As an example iBoobs, the small application, when it comes to breasts shaken after Schwingen is rejected, it was trying to morally or aesthetically motivated censorship to believe. But far from it: the competition from Wobble Bikini Babes provides and offers exactly the same - and more. Because here you can not just shake breasts, but also to rear parts. Very witzisch, Alder, eyh.


So why iBoobs flew out of the shop? Because it is the functionality of the corresponding wackelnden Babes: Apple reserves the right, functional duplicity simply to prohibit them. This reasoning was also mail programs, which Apple's own iPhone Apps-mail may have a rival, is prohibited. Opera Software renounced from the outset of the new Opera Mini browser (market leader in the mobile market) for the iPhone, because Apple's Safari Opera so that competition would have a chance, and thus would have been - Apple would have the distribution via App Store probably rejected.

Indecent is apparently also politics, because even a game where you shoes on George W. Bush and could pose a trampoline, where you can umherwerfen Barack Obama, were rejected. A South Park application for dirty language flew out, "Slasher" because of violent content: The program showed a kitchen knife and left the phone painful yelp when you shook it.

Such nonsense, Apple also other reasons from the shop repaid: Applications will be disqualified, the "no benefit for the user" status. These include - as opposed to virtual beer and breasts wackelnden - the application "I am rich" and "I am poor", which ultimately did not much more than just make that clear.


Rules? Sovereign decisions? Arbitrariness?


"I am rich" was also the first totally functionless program for the iPhone: The application showed no more than one incident-free pictures - and demonstrated the well-equipped pecuniary status of the buyer by the fact that it should cost $ 1000. "I am poor" on the other hand, one could not refuse because of futility, here again the argument went, the program was indecent or obscene.

"Pull my finger", however, fell through, but then was lucky to return to the store included: rolling since the ruble, because obviously enjoys the game, where one mobile phone to fart brings by a cartoon character on finger pulls , the highest popularity. Whether this is tasteful, not offensive, useful or for other reasons is not superfluous?

At least the people who buy the application, do seem to assume. And thanks to Apple, they may rethink the whole of the official App Store, the only approved for quality worthy of programs can be found.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Microsoft is planning iPhone rival.

Apple's iPhone gets new competition: software giant Microsoft plans after a newspaper report their own multimedia phone with touchscreen. The cell phone, code-named "Pink", to be next year at the exclusive network provider Verizon available.

 


A touch-sensitive display, an online store for additional programs: Depending on the model of Apple's iPhone to Microsoft
  appears to be a separate multimedia mobile phones on the market. The device is in the U.S. early next year in the mobile network provider Verizon Wireless to start, reported the Wall Street Journal.

The phone, which under the code name "Pink" is developed, the purpose of Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system to run. Although Microsoft was involved in the development of hardware and software of the phones involved, should be produced, but the device from another manufacturer. With a similar strategy was already using Google's Android mobile operating system on the market. The software came from Google,
Network operator T-Mobile launched the G1 in stores.


With Windows Mobile Marketplace for "plans of the software group after the report also has its own online shop with additional programs. Again following the example of Apple, from its App Store already has one billion programs have been downloaded.

Microsoft had already some years ago the music player Zune as a competitor to Apple iPods on the market. The device could not be enforced against the market leader and has only a small market share. Practically since the iPhone, there was also a "Zunephone" Microsoft speculates, the Windows group, however, the rumors had repeatedly rejected.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Hackers steal Hayek's e-mails.

Online burglary at Salma Hayek: apparently gave hackers access to the Internet mailbox of Hollywood stars, now copied mails circulate on the net. Blame is not the technology - but a secret question too lax.

 


Hackers are apparently in Salma Hayek E-mail caved. Screenshots and a guide to breaking into her account with Apple's MobileMe, they presented in an Internet forum, reports
Gawker.com. Well probably circulate e-mails from and to Hayek on the Internet, which supposedly exciting insights into the glamorous life of Hollywood actress offer.

Or not: there's to be read in the mail, the hackers in the Internet forum "4chan" have, especially plenty of profane Allerwelts stories. These include a request for an appointment Japanese facial massage, a bill for iPhone applications, personal invitations and travel documents. But even their credit card information millionaire husband Francois-Henri Pinault want the hackers have spied. Even more piquant details, so they are in the mail to find, are apparently not appeared yet - now is the access to the mailbox is blocked. Too often in the past hours a password reminder.

Particularly unpleasant universal service could be of service: Even the whole address book of a mobile phone can be secure, and MobileMe sync. Hayek should have used the function, the hackers could have the contact details of many celebrity friends have copied. Apple to take such stories no position, informed the Company on request.


The "secret" question, which was not


The actual hack was anything but expensive - and has nothing to do with shrewd programming knowledge and complicated cyber-attacks to do so. Join one of Apple's MobileMe, you will be invited to a "secret question" up. If you later forget their password, you can by birth date and the correct answer to the "secret question" given a new - one on the Internet widespread method, which of course is only as secure as the selected question.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

Palin hacked e-mail account: son of a Democratic U.S. representatives among suspected Hack (19.09.2008)

Data-clause: Paris Hilton phonebook on the Web (22.02.2005)

In the case of Hayek, the question a bit too easy: The anonymous hackers appeared as Salma Hayek and gave to the password to have forgotten. Hayek's birth date can be found practically everywhere on the Internet, the answer was easy to guess. Hayek asked for their best-known film role - or the hacker typed in "Frida" and was thus correct. No wonder, was the Oscar-nominated biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo Hayek said dream role.

Selber schuld, one could argue they would have only a slightly more sophisticated secret question should conceive. However, Apple itself is similarly banal question proposed. As an example, after the maiden name of mother asked an information, like date of birth with a bit of effort and motivation in the corresponding personal life researching it.


Sarah Palin and Paris Hilton are suffering colleagues


What kind of trouble a minced contacts can bring about, knows Paris Hilton. They used four years ago, a service from T-Mobile, with which the address book of a mobile phone via the Internet can manage. Apparently Hilton was at the service of their real name and chose a very easy to guess password. Not even a secret question had to be cracked, the hacker handed it out, the name of Hiltons dog entered. The password was simply "Tinker Bell".
Immediately, the private numbers of rapper Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Ashlee Simpson, Anna Kournikowa Co. and distributed on the Internet.

Even Sarah Palin, 2008 Republican candidate for the office of U.S. Vice-President, has already been victims of their lax secret question. She used a private e-mail account with Yahoo, her question was: "Where you learned to your life partner to know?"
With the help of Google and Wikipedia to the son of a Democratic U.S. representatives in 45 minutes, the correct answer and have found the password immediately published in the infamous "4chan" forum. The contents of the messages were less profane: Palin had to explain why as governor of Alaska seems to government business on her private email account was made. According to the law is prohibited.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Apple stops Babyschüttel software.

Stir until it is quiet: A long known as a dangerous method, crying babies to calm, came as shaking game in Apple's iTunes Store. Only after protests, the program was again deleted from the offer.

 


Apple announced the sale of the program "Baby Shaker stopped. The program simulates the display on an iPod touch or iPhone by a cry infant, obtained by the jerky shaking to bring peace. Organizations like the American National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome and the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, however, protested. They complained that such an Apple software was released.

Because it is a wisdom, which in any guidebook for new parents is to be found: When the baby cries and screeches, it must in no case be shaken. This may do it to internal bleeding. The baby may be permanent damage, which. Although "Babyschütteln" in many states, including Germany, as a criminal offense shall have iPhone users briefly the possibility of a virtual infant with jerky movements to bring about peace.

Since Monday was the software for 99 cents in the iTunes Store. "Try it, as long as you love his or her worth crying can endure before you find a way to calm the baby to make," said little caring in the program description. Had one of the virtual baby by shaking calmed, on whose eyes were two red crosses appear.

How many users since Monday have downloaded the application is not yet known. According to Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris declined Baby Shaker on Monday in the sale on Wednesday and was removed from the online service center.

What is surprising is that the software it distasteful even to sell Apple's virtual shelves did. Each program in the iTunes Store, it must be from Apple a lengthy inspection process. Repeatedly providers complain that there are too inexplicable, sometimes week-long delays.

Currently the company is preparing to Einmilliardsten download software from its offer.

Nokia music comes flatrate.

Music fed for a year. This will offer mobile phone market leader Nokia is now also attract customers and provides current to four phones at a music flatrate. The offer is tempting - but also has its pitfalls.

 


Tired of music for mobile phone users: The world's largest mobile phone manufacturer Nokia in May, brings his music flatrate "Comes With Music" on the German market. Customers of the bid should have access to a digital music library with more than five million songs get, said the head of Nokia's music division, Liz Schimel, on Thursday at the presentation of the music offered in Hamburg. Nokia enters against offerings like Musicload from Deutsche Telekom and the iTunes Store, which also offer music for mobiles.


First "Comes With Music" only in conjunction with one of four current Nokia phones available. A year long can the buyer of such a mobile phone via a flat rate unlimited songs from the Nokia Store - whether via mobile phone or computer. After the end of the year, users can continue their songs and keep playing.

The service, from 4 May be available, according to Nokia is also a response to the problem of music piracy: "Comes With Music is a bridge between the booming popularity of digital music and the legal purchase and the possibility of earning opportunities for labels and artists," said Heikki Tarvainen, General Manager Nokia Germany.


Cheaper initial tariff


The distribution of the service in Germany, the first provider mobilcom-debitel. The offers to introduce the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic in combination with mobile flat rate tariff for a flat M euros. The monthly cost of M is flat on 24.95. If you are such a variant decide, but music can only have the home-pc. Users who also want to download songs on, the company offers a data flat rate for 9.95 per month. The total monthly charges for call charges, SMS sending, web surfing and music downloads so that adds up to 34,90 Euro.

It is here that Nokia is not related to any of the four major commercial operator could be agreed. Quite possible that the retention of T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and E-Plus to the fact that this mobile service providers already partially own music download stores in their networks to offer. A competing music-Flat is unlikely because a supplier to bind to bone. Nokia is also in talks with other operators, said Tarvainen.


Doubts about the success so far


In Britain, where Nokia's "Comes with Music" since October 2008 is offered, the offer will only sell poorly. Only 23,000 UK mobile phone customers had been on Nokia's Music-Flatrate obligation, claims based on digital music specialist market research company Music Ally. A number that Nokia does not confirm liked.

In Britain Comes with Music is, however, even with the relatively outdated phone models N95, N96 and 5310 offered. Here are the current device N95 8GB, N79, 5630 XpressMusic and 5800 XpressMusic. All so far more attractive offers.

Nevertheless drags "Comes with Music", a huge spread with clubfoot: DRM. All songs that are from the Nokia Store downloads are compatible with Microsoft's rights management provide. The Technology Blog
Tech Digest therefore complains that the songs downloaded via Nokia with Nokia's own media player can be made audible. Other players refuse it, like trying to burn to CD.


A year and then forever


In the other corners of the digital music world separates you under the tutelage of such zealous attempts noticeably, the music of such customers to free technical pitfalls. Even Apple, otherwise a very eigenbrötlerische product policy known, has its entire digital music catalog on the iTunes Store DRM-free titles converted.

Almost all other manufacturers are following suit or are the same. There seems Nokia's DRM-crippled offer something to be late. Pragmatically, however, is the Finnish Music Flatrate not only a nice, but rather an incentive for ordinary users who are already with the purchase of a new mobile phone flirt - and then yet again to use a Nokia.

For fun, the states: A year long download music, songs and performers to try that one yet knew. And above all: After a year, not conclusions, everything during the first 365 days has downloaded, you can keep forever - as long as the DRM stops.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

EU cuts mobile roaming charges.

The summer holidays can come: From 1 July, mobile phone calls abroad cheaper. In addition, charges for international SMS sending via mobile phone and web surfing to be lowered. What consumer is happy, satisfied some corporate organizations with horror.

 


Strasbourg - phone calls and sending SMS messages from abroad will be cheaper this summer again. For German users to talks after 1 July maximum of around 51 cents more expensive, SMS still up around 13 cents, as a regulation, the European Parliament on Wednesday adopted. New price limits also apply to surfing the Internet via mobile phone.

DPA
Mobile phone calls on vacation: What has often led to costly surprises becomes affordable vacation fun


The new regulation requires that telephone customers from 1 July maximum is 11 cents per SMS plus VAT. For tourists and business travelers is the highest price for an SMS from abroad in view of the VAT from 19 percent to 13.1 cents so reduced. Currently, cellphone users have sometimes up to 80 cents charged.

The ceilings for outgoing calls German mobile phone customers will start from July to 51.2 cents per minute including VAT, capped, incoming calls may only cost a maximum of 22.6 cents. New is also the obligation of providers to the second accurate billing of calls after the first 30 seconds.


Price limit or price dictation?


The ceilings for cellphone fees should then be further reduced. For Canadian customers will be the highest since July 2010 for outgoing calls at 46.4 cents for incoming calls and 17.9 cents per minute. A year later, the charges to 41.7 and 13.1 cent limit. Already in the past two years, prices have been capped.

For surfing the Internet or the e-mail sending via mobile phone abroad, the new rules also set new price limits. Targets, however, there is initially only for the wholesale prices - the cost of about a Spanish network to the German mobile operator, a passenger on the transfer of data into account. These wholesale prices will be from July to a maximum of one euro per megabyte of transferred data, until July 2011 will be gradually increased to 50 cents per megabyte to be lowered.

Moreover, it is from March 2010, a protection against "bill shocks" type. Accordingly, their suppliers, customers can specify a limit, after which reaching the roaming connections are capped. For customers who until July 2010 no limit has been selected, will automatically limit of 50 euro. The provider must warn their customers if they are 80 percent have reached their limits. When reaching the upper limit, they must send a new message. If the customer fails, the provider of data roaming services block.

ON TO ONLINE blogs

SMS price cuts: Who does not want, we must (19.09.2008)

EU decision: End of SMS roaming Abzocke (24.03.2009)

Mobile abroad: How to keep costs under control (15.06.2008)

Data Roaming: mobile surfing abroad and holiday text messages are cheaper (07.02.2008)

The President of the High-Tech Association Bitkom, August-Wilhelm Scheer, criticized the new rules as "Price dictates." The limit of around 13 cents per international SMS is under the "typical domestic price of 19 cents." With this cap would be removed from the company funds, they invest in network expansion and quality required.

The chairman of the Industry Committee in the European Parliament, Angela Niebler (CSU), dismissed the criticism back. The aim was to use "disproportionate impacts" on mobile roaming charges to make conclusions.

The telecom sector VATM Association welcomed the fact that price limits for surfing the Internet via cell phone at the wholesale level. The prices here were still the major mobile companies and were too high. The association stated that the regulation of wholesale prices are also the prices for the consumer to fall.

Instead of compensation free SMS for T-Mobile customers.

Five hours total failure, instead of compensation one days free ledges: As an excuse for the power failure adopts T-Mobile customers on Sunday the charges for simple text messages.

 


Because of a breakdown was almost 40 million T-Mobile customers on Tuesday from 16 to approximately 21 clock neither phone, cornices still surf the Web. Compensation is available to clients not to. The contractual terms and conditions of T-Mobile would be in principle no such interference compensation, said company spokeswoman Marion Kessing.

DPA
Disturbance in the T-Mobile network: A software error was the cause


But as a so-called "gesture of reparation" on Sunday may be T-Mobile customers a day-long standard free text messages to send to all networks, announced T-Mobile Germany boss George Pölzl to.

On questions about the causes of breakdown and crisis management of blogs ONLINE T-Mobile said on Wednesday not. Which "gesture-reparations" for customers is planned for the already-Flatrate SMS charged, said the group may not.

The SMS Tröster Chen to customers for the Group is an inexpensive gesture: SMS services are highly profitable because they are the mobile operators cost hardly anything. At least in normal usage behavior: In the United States, there are two T-Mobile customers managed in a month to send 217,000 text messages - together create 6000 messages a day. The 40 million German T-Mobile customers could thus - similar SMS Training provided - purely arithmetically on Sunday sent 120 billion text messages.


Record attempt: an expensive fun


The U.S. record aspirants had, however,
their time-trial anger SMS with T-Mobile received more than 26,000 U.S. Dollar requires the operator of one of the two. The 29-year-old Nick Andes had the time sending SMS to its flat rate had left. The bill came in one package. With the postage this was according to U.S. media reports, $ 27.

Because T-Mobile accurately detailing all the individual connections on - the stack of paper will be as thick as two phone books have been. Possible Explanation: As the Andes regional television station WSB-TV said that T-Mobile informing him that the flat rate for technical reasons to 100,000 SMS per month is limited. This limit was never a problem, because so far no such customer schreibwütig was.