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Podcast downloads enabled in iTunes

Since the iPhone 2.2 firmware has been seeded to developers, several leaks have surfaced that have given us some things to look forward to with the new software release. We recently posted an article that contained details on Google Street View, but we now have something else to get us that little bit more excited — podcast downloads!

German blog Schimanke.com has published pictures that show the new firmware downloading podcasts within iTunes on the iPhone. Over-the-air podcasts are something many users have been looking forward to, me included. I often find I’m not in the mood for music and fancy a good podcast, but chances are the ones I have on my iPhone I’ve listened to already, so the ability to download new podcasts on the device itself, I think, is a great feature.

It seems we have a lot to look forward to in the next update however, we are still yet to hear anything about the background push notification service that Apple promised in September. The service is designed to alert the user of various things without the need to have the an application running. For example, if you currently receive a message in Facebook, unless you have specific applications open, you would be unaware — but with the push notification feature, it’s possible you can be alerted of a new message without having the application running.

Apple seeded the Beta 2 of firmware 2.2 to developers in October, however we are yet to hear when the update will be released.

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Anyone remember Tech Decks? I’m not sure about the US, but at one time in the UK, these things were all the rage. Everyone had a Tech Deck finger skateboard and everyone got kicked out of class for playing with one! Me included. If you didn’t have a Tech Deck, you just weren’t cool. However finger skateboards seem to have become a thing of the past… until now.

Illusion Labs have created Touchgrind — a new game for the iPhone which puts all the fun of a finger skateboard in to your phone. It also claims to be the world’s first multi-touch iPhone game. The skateboard is controlled using two fingers to simulate the legs and feet of the real skater. Illusion Labs say on their website:

The dynamic and innovative controls together with the game being built on a high quality physics engine gives the players a high degree of freedom to come up with their own tricks.

Touchgrind will be available in the App Store before the end of November, the price is to be announced. Until then, you can watch the Touchgrind trailer.

Opera Software, developers behind the well-known Opera Internet Browser have developed a browser for the iPhone entitled ‘Opera Mini’. However, don’t expect to be downloading it from the App Store anytime soon — NYTimes have released an article that claims Apple will not allow the browser to be distrubuted through the App Store because it ‘competes with Apple’s own Safari browser’.

It is speculated that the rejection from Apple could be due to the application’s Java script interpreter, or just that Apple is restricting anything that competes with their own applications already built-in to the iPhone. Recently they rejected an application called ‘MailWrangler‘ because it ‘duplicates the functionality of the built-in iPhone application Mail without providing sufficient differentiation or added functionality, which will lead to user confusion.’

Those of you expecting an iPhone version of Firefox or Thunderbird anytime soon are going to be disappointed.

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Document Editing on the iPhone is coming.

One of the main features keeping many enterprises away from using the iPhone is the ability to edit documents on the go.  When you need to add a slide to that customer presentation or add a paragraph to that research paper due tomorrow there is nothing for you to do that on the iPhone, until Gizmodo reported that Documents to Go announced their new app.  Documents to Go has created the document editors for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, etc.  and have decided to write an app to let iPhone users edit their docs.

One of the main concerns is the lack of a copy and paste feature in the iPhone.  Apple has tip-toed away from the release of copy and paste, even though most users are begging to get the feature.  Even without copy and paste in the phone this could be a great application for the business user on the go who doesn’t want to carry around a laptop.

Look for this app in the app store soon, there is no release date or set price for the release.  Do you think you would use the features of editing documents while on the run?  Hit the link to head to the forums to start discussing your opinions on the app.

This is cool. Last night Google added Google Earth to the ever growing catalog of iPhone and iPod Touch available in the app store… and let me tell you… You’ve got to get it! (it’s free so you’ve got nothing to lose)

The video I’ve included above is from the release announcement, and it takes you through a bunch of cool functions available in the free app.

Movement, zoom and a bunch of other features are all insanely smooth, and it’s tons of fun to play around with. I picked it up this morning and I don’t want to put it down! Go ahead and search for it direct from your iPhone or iPod touch in the app store, or hit up this link to check out the info/download page in iTunes.

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I can’t remember exactly how long ago I played Enigmo for the first time… But I do remember I enjoyed it a lot. With that in mind, when Enigmo was due to hit the App Store I was more than pleased.

Enigmo is a 3D puzzle game where your goal is to direct streams of flowing liquid so that all or most of the droplets reach the proper destination. Water, Oil and even Lave fall from droppers and bounce around each puzzle level. It’s up to you, using all kinds of bumpers, sliders accelerators and sponges to force the water towards the end goal/container.

Just watching the game is actually quite cool. The physics are dead on, and the game is truly one of a kind. It was actually voted ‘Best iPhone Game’ at WWDC ‘08, and won the 2008 Austin GDC Independent Games Festival Showcase.

Enigmo will challenge you with 50 levels, and you can download a bunch more for free. Download levels created by others, or by yourself with the Mac or PC version of the game. That version actually has a built-in level editor!

So if you’re searching for a fun and engaging puzzle game to keep you busy for hours on end, I’d recommend Enigmo. You can pick it up in the App Store for only $1.99 for a limited time.

Screenshots and links after the jump >

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What a great idea. Air Mouse transforms your iPhone or iPod Touch into a wireless mouse for your Mac or Windows computer! The app uses the built-in accelerometer to translate hand movements into cursor movement on the screen… and as you’ll see from the screenshots, you can also use it as a touchpad. Just tap the screen to activate the left or right mouse buttons, or use the scrollpad to move down that webpage you’re looking at.

To run this app, you’ll also need to download a server application from mobileairmouse.com. Demos and instructions are available there for your reference.

My only advice? Have a soft mouse pad or a good case on your iPhone or IPT before you try this. I know I’d hate to scratch up the back of my iPhone (I’ve been babying the thing).

Screenshots and links after the jump >

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Boo!

With Halloween not so far away, I thought it only fitting that I cover the new Pumpkins app for the iPhone. Pumpkins lets you simply carve a pumpkin with your finger. It’s much cleaner and easier that way…

Maybe I’ll stick my iPhone in the window this year instead of a Pumpkin? Nah, maybe not…

You can choose from 5 different pumpkins and 5 different types of backgrounds. Or, choose a background from your photo library. The app lets you zoom in to let you make ultra-precise cuts for those really detailed carvings. When you’re done carving you can even save it to your photo library to share with anyone you like.

Screenshots and more info after the jump >

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Mmmmm.... Beer!

iPhone app developer Hottrix has filed a lawsuit against the folks at Coors Brewing. The suit alleges that the brewery stole the concept for the $3 beer drinking app, iBeer. The original iBeer app allows you to pretend you are drinking a beer by tilting the iPhone as if it were a glass of beer. A novel idea.

Coors developed their own app called iPint. Both apps function identically. iPint has surpassed iBeer in downloads and popularity. The problem? iBeer sells for $3, while iPint is absolutely Free. In fact, iPint has reached the top 25 free apps list in the app store.

Hottrix is asking for $12.5 million.

Apple has stepped in and removed iPint from the US app store. To date, Apple is still working with Hottrix and Coors to try and resolve the problem.

Potential lesson to be learned here? Create an app worthy of corporate re-jigging. Sue the company and win. Retire.

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Yesterday Fring released the iPhone version of their app as a free download in the App Store.

Fring allows you to chat on MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Skype, GoogleTalk and Twitter, as well as offering VoIP (voice-over-internet protocol) calls using the iPhone’s wifi connection.

Fring offers the ability to make calls to landlines and mobile phones. Charges may apply depending on the type of call and plan.

Steve Jobs did say that VoIP calls over wifi were allowable when the iPhone SDK was released.

A list of Fring’s features include:

• VoIP calls over Wifi
• Instant Messaging
• Integrated dynamic contact list
• SIP Integration
• Multiple connection types

Watch this YouTube video of Fring in action.

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