Sat, 30 June 2012
Hi Rob,
Apple's new Podcast app came out today and I decided to take a few screenshots with my iPad third-generation and put them into the Photogene app and use the collage maker to create some artwork for the show.
Regards,
Gregory
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Episode 230 - Transcript
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Hmmm - what story do you think I am going to lead with this week. Well Apple releases a new App for the iPhone and the app is about podcasting - and this is a podcast about the iPhone - so yeah - lets start with the new Podcasts App from Apple. But before I give my thoughts on it - let me read those you have sent in.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the push notification about the new podcast app. So far, it is a disappointment.
1. Doesn't seem to support Enhanced AAC podcasts.
2. Next/Previous controls sluggish.
3. Doesn't properly show cover art for many of my podcasts.
I like Instacast much better.
Regards,
Steven.
Thanks Steven - Not sure on the AAC side - I did not test that yet - per the artwork - that seems to be an on going issue - some times they are all there - some times not so much.
Hi Rob,
Cool & good app by apple. Cool with the spinning tape reel & speed control! So u think in ios6 podcast is gone from the music app & podcast store is gone from within iTunes app as well?
Regards,
Michael
Hi michael - Actually in iOS 6 - Yes Podcasts are gone from your music app. Actually after you first install the Podcasts App on an iOS device running the iOS 6 beta - and then launch the music app - it gives a message saying podcasts are no longer there and give the option to open the podcasts app. And we already new that podcasts were gone in iTunes app in iOS - so yes - they are gone there as well.
Next - Hi Rob,
Went and got the Podcasts app. Was looking forward to it but now I have already deleted it, disappointedly.
I am an Apple fan by definition and have been for years now.
I have an app called Podcaster 5 that I use and I was amazed that Apple's app came no where near it. Main issue: why bother with separate app from the Music app where I can find the same podcasts and am limited to only podcasts Apple allows in its "catalog"? So, you can't add anything that isn't "sanctioned" by Apple. Sorry that Apple has continued to be overly political in this area. (Really what possible harm to IOS could a podcast not in their listing do?)
Regards,
Rhonda
Hi Rhonda - I agree about the part on adding in RSS feeds. Hopefully a new version of the App will allow manual subscriptions to any RSS Feed.
Hi Rob
How poor is the new apple podcast app? I'm used to Apple producing highly polished pieces of work! I really hope this is a Beta? But why make it public, why not bring in the creators of "Downcast" my favourite podcast app! Sad face apple
Cheers
Craig
Liverpool
Thanks all for your feedback. So here are my thoughts on the Podcasts App. One you need to realize what you see with this App in iOS 5.x and what you see in iOS 6 beta are slightly different. As I mentioned above - All Podcasts are gone form the music app in iOS 6 when you have the Podcasts App installed.
Also there are a few extra features in the Podcasts App Such as an audio and video tab at the bottom of the Catalog view. Additionally when you view a show in the catalog view - you get the option to see details or reviews or related shows.
One Thing I really do not like - is that the Episode level Artwork is not showing up in the Podcasts App - just the show level artwork.
One thing I liked about Podcasts App - the first time you launched it - it copied over all your podcasts from the Music App.
I do like the controls - and the tape deck animation.
I like that you can find and subscribe to podcasts easily with an Apple App - and I think that is the biggest thing - most people I hear complaining about the Podcasts app are comparing it to Instacast, downcast, iCatcher and other apps like that. However Most people have never tried those apps - but when Apple has an App - that brings in more potential listeners - so no longer are podcasts sent off the more section on the music app - now they have their own app - and for podcasting that is good.
For consumers it is good - as it helps them find new shows - but more so for those that like instacast and downcast - for those apps to survive they have to improve their apps to be better than apples - and that is a win - win for consumers.
One bit of speculation / conspiracy theory being thrown around about the new Podcasts App - comes from the iOS 6 version where you see a "redeem" button - to which people say "redeem" what - why would you need to have a promo code for podcasts - they are free. So speculation is running wild by some that this means there will be paid for podcasts.
I look at it like this - the redeem button is likely left over code from the iTunes template for the iTunes music store app - which it seems some similar design was taken.
And I ask this what is more likely - that 1. Apple has some left over code in the app or 2. Apple is getting ready to review every bit of content from every podcaster that wants to charge for podcasts and set up a whole new approval process for podcast content for a hundred's of thousands of podcasters with millions of hours of content.
Yeah - when you put it that way - left over code makes more sense.
If you want to know more about my thoughts on the Podcasts App - we just put up a new episode of Today in Podcasting - at today in podcasting dot com. On Ep 65 - Gary Leland, Dave Jackson and My self are joined by Daniel J Lewis and Ray Ortega and we talk about our thoughts of this app and much more with regards to podcasting news. Again go to today in podcasting dot com.
Into the Email bag.
Hi Rob,
Last week a listener responded to my request for a PDF printer that will work with the Air print feature with a recommendation for "Virtual PDF Printer for iPhone". This costs $20, so I had to read over the documentation about 12 times and go to the website to ensure that it actually did what I wanted, but I finally bit the bullet and bought it today. It works great! I no longer have to jump through hoops just to get a PDF version of what I want, I can just print directly to PDF wherever the "Print" feature is available. Emails, web pages, photos, etc. I did have one scare, where a notice popped up saying "Printer no longer available" shortly after I'd first used it, but I closed and re-opened the app and it worked after that. I also cannot print ".docx" documents directly, I guess this file format is not fully supported, but I can "open in" and then print using the app. To sum up, I love it, I use PDFs mainly as a way to save things or to mark them up, and I've really been missing having this feature. I'd always had a PDF printer from every other devise that had the ability to print, and I don't understand why apple doesn't include this as a standard feature. regards, - Jessi D
Hi Jessi - thanks for letting us know that worked for you.
Hi Rob, I've been looking for a while for a good way/app to send email from my iPad to the groups I have created in contacts on my Mac. Last episode a listener mentioned mail shot but I've found another app I like and It's called GroupMessenger, it's simple, it works great, and it is free in the app store. I'm not sure why Apple didn't include this feature for iOS but maybe someday it will be sherlocked. Thanks,
Corfy
Hi Rob,
On the video play back of iTunes movies/tv shows, I have had this issue before. It is an issue with the HDMI cable or the TV not supporting HDCP, I had this issue with a friends Apple TV.
I found out it was the HDMI cable, replaced it with a newer cable and no more issues. I travel with an Apple HDMI cable so I can play off my iPad, I have also found during my travels that not all TV’s support HDCP.
From what I can tell the HDCP is a protocol that insures the device that you are connected to is not a recording device and can only playback the content.
Regards,
Thomas
Tuscaloosa, AL
Hi Rob,
As far as I remember, Display out in Cydia allows you to output movies etc from ipad to tv via hdmi-adapter.
Regards,
Johan
Hey Rob just was able to do a OTA update to beta 2 regards,
Larry Appleseed.
Hi Rob,
iOS 6 Beta 2 is out in the world.
I am updating now, it is cool to see the gears turning (really the update screen icon)
Johnny.Appleseed.2012
Seems that with iOS 6 - part of what Apple is adding is animation - You have gears grinding away during Over the Air updates and reel to reel tape players for Podcasts. Will be interesting to see what else gets animation added to it in iOS 6.
From Kevin Appleseed - comes mention that with Siri in iOS 6 - when you ask it the time - She now says at the the tone the time will be…
Rob,
A couple of updates on beta2:
- if you download a new App, the icon for the App will have a red stripe that reads New. After the App is launched the stripe disappears.
- some Apps have partial or complete WiFi connectivity issues even though the device has complete access to WiFi.
All of the above statements are iPad 3rd gen specific. Again, as usual, this communication never happened.
Regards,
Johnny Appleseed
Hi Rob,
I found this website to test Passbook - it is pass source.com - regards,
Kevin Appleseed.
If anyone has any other feedback about iOS 6 betas they want to share - annanoumously of course - not that we would ever encourage the breaking of the NDA - but if you have some info you feel would benefit other devs - please let us know at today in iOS at gmail dot com
In June the iPhone reached two new carriers in the US - Cricket Wireless mid month and then Virgin Wireless here at the end of the month. When you think of where the iPhone was 5 years ago - just one carrier - to where it is today - around 15 carriers just in the US alone and well over 100 carriers world wide - it really has been an amazing 5 years.
It is funny that on the 5th anniversary or leading up to it there were lots of posts about how the pundits got it wrong on the iPhone 5 years ago. And more than a few sent in links to articles that had the Steve Balmer interview right after the iPhone was announced and he poo pooed the iPhone and literally laughed at it. I used that interview with Balmer to create with some very liberal editing a big part of the promo for Today in iPhone before it launched back in April 2007. I want to play that edited version now - and it is amazing how accurate my edited version of Balmers quotes turned out to be.
PLAY QUOTE.
See - Balmer totally nailed it.
Looking back at the month of june - Apple launched the iTunes App stores in 32 additional countries which include - Albania, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Fiji, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe
In addition to that Apple also launched iTunes stores for Music in 12 countries which are - Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam.
So Cambodia you get both App and Music in the same month.
I already have listeners in each of these countries so to the 2 listeners in Albania - I just want to say - I am also part Albanian - And now all my countries of origin have App stores.
Hi Rob,
I use an app called "Pen and Paper" $1.99 in the app store. It allows you to open a PDF and draw or type on the PDF. It uses the PDF as a background, so your not directly editing the PDF, but you can then save the edits as a PDF and email it I've used it a few times to sign PDF files I receive via email and send them back Regards,
- Jessi D
On the last episode I mentioned the Ringbow controller for games that is a kickstarter project. I had a couple question if this device would work with iOS. As right now the site says it works with Android and iOS support is coming soon. I contacted the folks running the project and asked them when it would support iOS and they replied with the following
Hi Rob,
Ringbow iOS support will be available upon launch in November.
Regards,
Efrat
To learn more more about ringbow listen to ep 229 or go to kickstarter and search for Ringbow one word.
They currently are 67.571% of the way through their pledge goal with 22 days to go. Good luck Efrat.
Hi Rob, I wanted to let you know about a Kickstarter project I'm backing. It's a game called Bluff Wars for iOS/Android and funding ends on July 5th at 9:00 PM ET. It currently has <$1500 to go. Easiest way to describe it: it's the board game Balderdash in Word with Friends form. It looks to be a hilarious social game where you pick a category (acronyms, people, dates, words, etc.) and have to come up with a definition or why the person/date is "famous." you get points for guessing correct, but also for fooling others into thinking yours is correct. Just search for Bluff wars two words at kickstater dot com
Regards, Lou V
Thanks Lou for the heads up on Bluff Wars.
Howdy Rob, Here is Another interesting watch from Kickstarter! I am a backer of this one...
It is called the cookoo - c o o k o o
Regards, Mark
Hi mark - Thanks for the heads up on the Cookoo watch - which is a connected smart watch. They already hit their funding goal of $150k - with over $248k currently and funding is open until July 7th at 9:00 AM ET. What is different about this smartphone connected watch is that unlike the Pebble - this one does not show you specific info - like who is calling or tweeting or emailing - it just tells you someone is calling or tweeting or emailing. It is not a watch you need to recharge - as they say - as it uses a flat disk watch battery that you can easily change out once a year or so.
Their goal is to get it on your wrist by November.
Pricing on this is $70 to $100 depending on what color you want. The $70 version is brushed stainless on black, For $80 you get a black on black version, for $95 you get a Pink cookoo and for $100 you get a blue or white cookoo.
If you want more info or to see their video with really poor audio quality - search for C o o k o o at kickstarter.com or look for the link in the show notes at today in iOS dot com.
Into the Email bag.
Hi Rob,
Chrome is out for iOS.
It's faster and has a better interface then Safari. Stored passwords all there too! Regards,
Alexx
Actually had a few people emailing in about Chrome for iOS - I am not a chrome user so I am not overly or really at all excited about this - but if you are a chrome user - just note you can download Chrome now for your iOS device in the app store.
In addition to Chrome - Google also had approved the app - Google Drive - which quote lets you create, share, collaborate and keep all your stuff in one place. upload all your files from your computer even the big ones - and you can access them anywhere including your iPhone or iPad. unquote you get 5GB of storage for free to start. There is an in app purchase of 24.99 for 25 GB of additional storage.
Thanks to Chris on this next one which is about a JB tweak to make the new Chrome browser your default browser. It is called BrowserChooser and is in Cydia. BrowserChooser is Free - but you need to add in the Repository - http://rpetri.ch/repo
More info on that in the article titled Make Google Chrome Your Default Browser in the show note for ep 230 over at today in iOS dot com.
Actually Browser Chooser is compatible with the following web browsers - Google Chrome obviously, Opera Mini, iCab Mobile, Dolphine browser, Atomic browser, and mobile safari.
This is one of those tweaks - you know should be in iOS - but never likely will be as Apple wants you to have Safari as the default.
Hi Rob,
Today I tried to do something I thought would be real simple to do but it turned out to be nearly impossible. I wanted to send out a map to a specific location because I couldn't find it through a search on Google Maps. The iOS maps application will let you drop a pin and access street view, but I could not figure out to get a link to my pin. Google's mobile maps in Safari on my iPad wouldn't let me drop a pin. I finally figured out a less-than-ideal solution on my laptop but even that wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it should be. It involved creating a map, which was then unusable on my iPad. Do you know of an application that will do this easily? Myron U
Hi Rob,
Do you know of a JailBreak tweak to give you a news crawl (like CNN headline) on Notification Center? The stock widget does it for stocks so I'm thinking there must be one for top news, but I can't find it.
Thanks, --David
I want to thank the nice PR folks behind the new App Crabs and Penguins for sending the swag for the app - which included a cooler with 8 small cans of coke - see the App Crabs and Penguins is from Coca-cola. And my kids loved the cooler and the the stuffed crab - they take turns sleeping with it. I am mentioning this app not just because they bought me out with a little swag - but because well it is Coke that is presenting this game. it is a free app - search for crabs and penguins - and let me know what you think - I have not played it yet - it only came out a couple of days ago - it is downloaded - but I kind of thought getting the show out was a bit more important. I will play with it this weekend. Again I just think it is cool Coke is getting behind an app like this. Hopefully the game is worthy of the coca cola branding.
Hi Rob, I wanted to write and ask you to warn all your listeners about Square. I recently started using Square to process mobile payments on my iPhone. I have run my small business for 10 years and I have never had a problem with Intuit before. Well, I have had problems with my first transaction and although the transaction amount was large, I didn't expect the runaround I am getting from Square. Square's merchant support is non-existent. There is no way to contact them, no phone number to call, no way to email them, and their support page consists of FAQs only. I started to do more research on the company and found that there are hundreds of complaints on site like: http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com If only all those users left reviews on the App store, I would not make the same mistake. I hope this can be a service to all your listeners. Thanks for a great podcast. Tony L San Francisco
Hi Tony - thanks for the feedback - I have to say most people that have sent in feedback on Square in the past have sent in positive feedback - but Tony is a long time contributor to the show - so I felt it was warranted to read his feedback - and I am very interested in hearing what other square users experiences have been lately with Square - are you happy or frustrated or have some other feeling with regards to square.
Give us a call - 206-666-6364 - that's 206-moon-dog - to send an email to today in iOS at gmail dot com.
I am not going to comment about every new quote iPad killer unquote or iPad wanabe that comes out. But since this next one comes right from Google - it is worth at least a brief mention. Google announced the lets call it the N7 tablet and no I am still not going to say the name as Google has yet to compensate the PK Dick family for use of that name. Any way the N 7 tablet tablet is well a 7 inch tablet that costs just $199. For that $199 you get 8 GB of storage. the 16 GB version sells for $249. Mind you the screen real estate of a 7 inch tablet is about half that of the 9.7 inch tablet and the resolution is also less. 1280 x 800 for the N7 vs 2048 x 1536 for the new iPad.
Looking over the specs - it seems the N7 is more a competitor for the Kindle Fire than it is for he iPad. Google is pushing devs hard to actually you know develop apps for it. It seems most articles I read about the N7 seem to see it as a competitor for the Kindle Fire and not much competition for the iPad. Guess time will tell. I guess until it starts shipping and gets into the hands of none google fan boys - we really will not know.
The big unknown is real world battery life - Google claims 9+ hours of battery life - but that is a claim - lets see what the reality is.
At least with the N7 google actually you know gave pricing and battery life numbers - yeah - I am looking at you Microsoft.
Well it will be an interesting fall competition wise for the iPad - with the Surface and N7 and likely an updated Kindle Fire in the mix.
If anyone out there orders a N7 - please let me know when you get it what you think.
As a Windows user, I find iTunes to be clunky and slow.
What I really want to do in Windows, is be able to right-click on any file, anywhere, and choose “send to iPhone”. This would be so much easier than having to futz around with syncing.
I’m often getting ready to leave work and realize I want some file on my device. Now I have to email it to myself. I wish moving things to my device was as easy as copying files on to a flash drive.
Do your listeners know of any app combination that would do this; something perhaps I need to install both on Windows and the iDevice?
With highest appreciation for your superb podcast
Debby A
PS - I Already use drop-box - But sometimes I have no cell service or wi-fi and I want to have the same access I do with an ordinary MP3 player or flash drive.
So Windows users out - there what App or apps do you use to get the iPhone to look like a flash thumb drive on your computer?
206-666-6364 that's 206-moon-dog or email us at today in iOS at gmail dot com.
Just a heads up to those trying to Use Display Recorder and are out side the US - you will likely need to change the Region code to US if you want to get it to work - so if you did purchase Display recorder and are having an issue with it working - go and check your region setting - by going to the Settings App and then general and then International - and then change "Region Format" to United States.
Then try relaunching Display recorder.
Thanks to Tash for the heads up on that.
A quick thank you to Hector - who sent in the heads up on the Atari Greatest hits app being free just on June 27th - Atari's 40th anniversary. I was able to send out a push on that - so hopefully a few of you were able to get the app and all 100 games for free. See how the Tii App pays for itself. Yet another reason to make sure you have the Tii app on your iOS devices. Just $2.99 in the App store - just search for Tii.
Just a heads up the next episode will be out on July 4th - in that episode I have an interview I recorded with an old friend - Tim Street about a new project he has launching in iTunes on July 4th. It is a cool new project and he gave me a sneak peek at Blogworld a few weeks ago which lead to this interview. So look for Ep 231 on July 4th.
I want to thank Hover once again for sponsoring this show - you can save 10% on your domain name registrations by going to tii.hover.com - that's tii.hover.com - thanks Hover.
Category: vip_Artwork
-- posted at: 1:00am EDT
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