Hi there! I’m Jacob, the latest blogger here at Mactropolis. You can expect at least two things from me here:

1. A Student’s Opinion On Mac and Software Available For Students.

2. A Journey Through Learning and Coding For the iPhone SDK.

Along with these I will also be posting any reviews that I deem useful to you. The reader.

But for now its down to business! In my first app here developed exclusively for the iPhone I give you the custom built Mactropolis iPhone RSS Reader. Built using the SDK components for Dashcode this is a very basic web app. Yes mobile safari has a built in RSS reader but it doesn’t allow for customization or any images to give it a personalized look, this is where Dashcode comes in, using its own built in JavaScript based code you can edit everything and customize the JavaScript a tiny bit to create something that fits towards your blog or websites theme.

As you can see its very simple to use considering you understand the key concepts. The Mayor and I have been working on this for the past three weeks and we have now got a version ready for release, be warned this may not function as we are expecting and we would love your feedback on the app. If you are using firmware 1.1.3 or higher then you can add this as a web clip with a custom icon developed but if you are using an older firmware then you can always just add it as a bookmark on your device. Just visit http://mactropolis.com/reader to view the page although don’t try to view it using a standard desktop browser as it WILL NOT work.

Any feedback that you have will be taken into account. Please send any feedback you have to mayor AT mactropolis.com. We are looking to improve it massively in comparison to where it is right now!

Thanks and watch out for improvements and other apps in the future!

written by Jacob \\ tags: iPhone Apps, News Readers

I’d read some reports that BBC had released the beta of their iPlayer for the iPhone and iPod Touch so I thought I’d try it out.

The Pros

1. If you go to the iPlayer website via the iPhone or iPod Touch it looks the same as on the computer.

2. If you select “Add to Home Screen” on your iPhone or iPod Touch, a nice iPlayer icon gets installed. I’ve put mine next to the YouTube one.

3. The picture quality is pretty good - probably slightly better than the best YouTube videos. However, I did notice some compression artifacts.

The Cons

1. While programs such as Top Gear were available, others such as Click and Ashes to Ashes were not. That is probably because the iPlayer is still in beta and therefore not everything has been converted to an iPhone/iPod Touch compatible version.

2. It is Wi-Fi only, so you cannot access the content while on the move over the Edge network. Hopefully, Apple will release a 3.5G iPhone in the summer and that problem will go away. In the meantime, I’ve read that people will be able to access the iPlayer content via the UK’s Cloud network, so people will have access to the content in pubs, airports, restaurants, hotels, etc.

3. It is only available for people with UK IP addresses. However, seeing as it is people in the UK who are effectively paying for the iPlayer’s development (through paying the annual TV licence fee) and the BBC makes money by selling its content to other countries, I can appreciate why this is the case.

Overall, I am happy with the iPlayer’s development to date. Mac users just need the BBC to resolve the issue of not giving them the ability to download the iPlayer content (Mac users can only watch it via a stream). Once that is resolved, I will be extremely satisfied with the BBC iPlayer.

written by Mike Bradbrook \\ tags: BBC iPlayer

Rumors have it that the iPhone and iPod Touch will see $100 price drops in the coming months. At the same time, the lower capacity models (8GB iPhone and 8GB iPod Touch) may be discontinued.

With the discontinuation of the lower capacity models, this would leave the 16GB iPhone at $399 and the 16GB iPod Touch at $299. The 32GB Touch would go for $399.

At the moment this is all rumor so take it as you will. The main source (9to5mac) has had a decent success rate in the rumor department. If this one is true, I certainly hope there is not the same outcry as we had from early iPhone adopters… With the $200 price drop and discontinuation of the 4GB iPhone…Prompting Steve Jobs to give early adopters a $100 store credit.

[via 9to5mac]

written by Mr. Mayor \\ tags: Apple Store, iPhone, iPod Touch, Rumors

Not to be outdone by the new 16GB iPhone, the iPod Touch is now available in a new 32GB model. The price is the same as the new 16GB iPhone at $499 USD. Shipping is of course free, and should ship within 1-2 business days. I can’t say I’m in the market to pick one of these up… Think I’d rather grab a new iPhone (but I don’t really need one!)

Check out the new iPod Touch at the Apple Store.

written by Mr. Mayor \\ tags: 32GB iPod Touch, Apple Store

I suppose it was all just a matter of time. The ever popular NES emulator for the iPhone and iPod Touch is no longer alone. You can now get a SNES Emulator as well.

All we know at this moment is that someone has indeed coded the emulator and it is still in beta. Watch the video below… We’re sure the app will be going public soon

[Source]

written by Mr. Mayor \\ tags: iPhone, iPod Touch, SNES Emulator, Videos

Well, back in Alaska, I decided to pay for my iPod Touch update. This way I would be able to access Mail, Google maps and so on. I’m pleased to report that after installation everything worked perfectly!

I really like the idea of being able to have the same features as the iPhone users have, and, of course, to be able to rent movies and watch them on the go! However, the new Google Earth feature which finds the location where you “apparently” are does not work properly!

I am in Alaska trying to find my location. Google Earth located me in Kansas! Wow… What am I doing in Kansas?

Is it just my iPod Touch which is having problems to locate me? Are there any other users with the same problem? I hope they find a better way to locate users, otherwise, this could be very misleading!!! Meanwhile, I will get a cup of coffee in Kansas! Oh… wait… I mean, Alaska… they are the same, right?

Discuss the iPod Touch Update in the Forums >

written by Mike Santos \\ tags: google maps, iPod Touch