Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

 

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

How to Get Your Address Book Birthday Calendar on Your iPad Using MobileMe - wikiHow

Place Your Bets - Gadgetwise Blog - NYTimes.com

New Uses For Your Old iPhone

How to sell your old iPhone

Jailbreak How-To: Back Up Apps in Rock and Cydia | TiPb

iTunes 9.2: The iPhone cannot be synced

The parents of five children think the iPad ads are gendered.

AppFest Lets iPad, iPhone App Fans Meet Their Maker

Downgrade iOS 4.0 [Final] to iOS 3.1.3 Gadgets DNA

Lawsuit Claims Apple, AT&T Promoted ‘Deceptive’ Data Plans | Wireless Week

Bloomberg: Verizon iPhone coming in January? | Signal Strength - CNET News

Verizon iPhone coming in January? | Technology | Los Angeles Times

Verizon will finally offer the iPhone in January (report) | VentureBeat

iPhone on Verizon: 5 Reasons to Doubt the Latest Rumors - PCWorld

Hulu Launches Premium Video Subscription Service -- Online Video -- InformationWeek

Apple Sued Over New IPhone Reception Problems by Consumers - BusinessWeek

Here come the iPhone 4 antenna-gate class-action lawsuits - Computerworld Blogs

Apple hiring iPhone antenna engineers for some reason -- Engadget

Steve Jobs Is In Serious Denial Over iPhone 4 Antenna Issue (AAPL)

Letter from Apple Regarding iPhone 4

Daring Fireball: Translation From Apple's Unique Dialect of PR-Speak to English of the 'Letter From Apple Regarding iPhone 4'

Apple denies iPhone 4 e-mail exchange claim - Technology & science - Wireless - msnbc.com

Antenna Expert: Apple is Right, iPhone 4 Signal Woes Overblown - PCWorld

Apple's iPhone 4: Thoroughly Reviewed - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

Puzzlement for iPad on the iTunes App Store

Best Buy Firing Employee Because He Makes A Funny Video That Doesn't Even Mention Best Buy | Techdirt

YouTube - tinywatchproductions's Channel

Apple Dumps iPhone 4 Restocking Fee | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

iPhone 4 defenders debunk reception, 'grip of death' issues

iPhone 4 Retina Display Vs Motorola Droid X Vs Droid Incredible Vs EVO 4G | Gadgets DNA

HowTo Tie a Tie for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

YouTube - iPhone 4 Antenna Tech Support Call

Unlock iPhone 3.1.3 05.11.07 Baseband with Blacksn0w | Redmond Pie

Boy Genius Geller Paid 4 iPhone 4 Steve Jobs' Death Grip Emails- Yes-Buts, Source of iPhone 4 Exchange Named - WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

App Store chicanery powered by iTunes account fraud

iTunes Accounts Hacked [WARNING]

iTunes accounts hacking more widespread than initially thought. The facts, and what you should do.

App Store, Hacked. (Updated: iTunes Accounts too.)

I think my iTunes account was hacked? - Page 5 - Mac Forums

iTunes accounts hacked by shady developer? | alexbrie . com

Apple’s app store, filled with “App farms” being used to steal. [Examples]

 

Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App

PS Mobile

Lego Photo

Hulu+

Puzzlement

How to Tie a Tie

 

 

Direct download: tii_0136.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:29am EDT
Comments[2]

There are a lot of posts popping up this past weekend about iTunes being "Hacked".  While "Hacked" does not appear to be an accurate description - as it appears no rouge hackers broke through the walls and stole passwords from users randomly. What it does look like is in Apple's "Pristine" walled garden there are lots of weeds.  I for one have said iTunes and Apples ability to control what goes on in iTunes is in the long run a key advantage over the Android eco system.  However that is only true if Apple does their part - and right now that does not appear to be the case.  The current incident appears to be where some less than reputable App developers have taken purchasing / account info from users of some of their apps to purchase their other apps. 

 

See the following for more info:

The Next Web - Apples App Store Filled with "App Farms"

 

TUAW - App Store Chicanery powered by iTunes account fraud

 

Mashable - iTunes Accounts Hacked

 

The Next Web - iTunes accounts hacking more widespread than initially thought

 

Alexbrie - iTunes accounts hacked by shady developer?

 

Again I don't think from what I read that "Hacked" is an accurate description - I think "Shady developers mis-use iTunes accounts" would be a better description.  Reading through the one post from The Next Web - they mention some of the developers doing App farms and if these developers are responsible for the illegal activities and Storm8 is one of the guilty parties as mentioned by The Next Web - then I think Apple has shown they have not done their job in policing the iTunes App store.  Back on Episode 104 I mentioned a post on Boing Boing - iPhone game dev accused of stealing players phone numbers  -  At the time I had this to say on the show:

Ok - what I am not sure on this next one is what shocks me / surprises me the most - And this is per the story about how the company storm8 is being sued for harvesting cell numbers of the iPhones where the app was installed. What I am not sure on which surprises me the most - is one that they did this after what was reported earlier this summer with a company in Switzerland doing the same - or that Storm8 and their games are still in the App store - and some were free ones I even talked about in the past - World War, Vampires Live, Ninjas live, iMobster and more - although I think I only talked about World War. Which by the way sucked and I removed from my iPhone long ago. I am really shocked apple has not just kicked them out. They are claiming it was a bug - you know they type of bug where you accidentally climbed up on a chair and reached up on the fridge and were reaching into the cookie jar when your parents turned the light on - type of bug. Yeah. And Boo boo boo storm8

 

I am not saying Storm8 has stollen users passwords and put false charges on users account - I don't now that one way or the other - but to even see them mentioned and one of their Apps mentioned in some of the posts on this subject leads me to think where the is smoke there is fire.  And if they do in fact prove to be one of the guilty parties - Apple had been given warning about these guys back in 2009 and did NOTHING.  Just like they have done nothing with the App developers that have paid for their reviews.

 

Bogus iTunes App Reviews 

 

More Bogus App reviewers and reviews

 

That's right Apple having it brought to their attention of bogus paid app reviews in iTunes back on April 30th has done nothing and taken no actions with regards to the App reviewers taking payola for app reviews or the ones paying for the App reviewers.  Apple was made aware of Storm8 in 2009 and did nothing.  Apple has weeds in their walled garden, those weeds have been brought to their attention and it sure looks like Apple is not interested in yanking out those weeds.  This in my opinion is a bigger issue than anything that may or may not be wrong with the iPhone 4.  It is the eco system stupid and it sure looks like Apple is not on top of their developers. 

 

 

Category:breaking news -- posted at: 7:27pm EDT
Comments[2]


Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Analyst Challenges Apple's iPhone 4 'Retina Display' Claims | PCMag.com

iPhone 4 screen seemingly scratch-proof, but not unbreakable

Urban Dictionary: CrotchTime

Experts weigh in on iPhone 4 display quality

SquareTrade Study Finds iPhone 3GS Model 20 Percent More Reliable Than 3G Model

The complete guide to the iPhone's new OS - Gizmodo- msnbc.com

More than a quarter of iPhones break within 2 years - Computerworld

Dev-Team Blog - foursome news

iPhone 4 Teardown - Page 3 - iFixit

AFP: Apple delays white iPhone 4 in manufacturing glitch

Apple responds to iPhone 4 reception issues: you're holding the phone the wrong way -- Engadget

Statement by Apple on White iPhone 4

No friends with new iPhones? FaceTime with Apple instead

YouTube - iPhone 4 Drop Test by iFixYouri.com

iOS 4.0.1 may tackle iPhone 4's antenna problems | Electronista

Verizon iPhone 4 No Longer In Verizon’s Area Of Interest? | USA News Week

Steve Jobs on iPhone 4: "No Reception Issues, Stay Tuned"  - CBS News

The iPhone 4 Death Grip saga - Fortune Tech

iPhone 4 Video Sex Chat Services Already Staffing Up

iPhone 4 Sales Top 1.7 Million

iPhone 4 stockouts: 60% of Apple Stores, 100% of the rest - Fortune Tech

Mac News: Reviews: One Giant Leap for an iPhone

Lawsuit Brewing Over iPhone 4 Antenna Issues? - PCWorld

Possible fix for iPhone 4 signal problems available? | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews

Does adjusting or trimming the iPhone 4's micro SIM fix the antenna issue? Probably not. -- Engadget

Leak shows Apple's spin on iPhone 4 flaws - CNN.com

Apple Can't Wish Away iPhone 4 Antenna Woes - PCWorld

How bad is the iPhone 4's signal loss? - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech



Apps Mentioned in this Episode:
Tii App
Glow Draw
DropBox


Direct download: tii_0135.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 12:00am EDT
Comments[0]



I know there have been a LOT of videos out there showing reception issues with the iPhone4 depending on how you hold it.  Personally I am not seeing this issue - As the video above shows. Don't get me wrong I am not saying this issue is not happening to some people - just that it is not happening to all people.  Here is what Apple said about the issue. (From Engadget

Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases.

There are also many other post out there - Gizmodo has a post that has many videos showing people that do have the issue.  

Here is my theory on this and mind you it is a long time since I worked with a Smith Chart (Yes I have an Engineering Degree - and was even the Chief Engineer at a company that made Quartz Crystal Oscillators - which are the heart of RF systems).  I think this is a Stub issue where depending on what band you are on and the size of your hand, and the amount of muscle / fat in your hand / body you may or may not see this issue. Yes that sounds like voodoo - Welcome to RF engineering.  One part science one part magic. 

The following is as non-technical as I can make this.  Antennas are tuned for specific lengths - known as Stubs - where if you hit the right length you get the best reception.  However there are specific lengths that cause an anti-stub and these will actually cause total loss of reception. The way the system sees the antenna length will vary when external stimuli are introduced (you). How the circuit looks at you in addition to the circuit will depend on many factors - How big you are overall, the size of your hand, the make up of the fat / muscle in your body, and where you are touching the antenna.  Some people I think are perfect anti-stubs and cause complete loss of signal.  Others will have minimal to no effect.  It is possible when (if) I loose 20 pounds - that my results above could change - just as they could change based on the Cell band the phone is on. 

Again I have been away from the bench (RF Engineering) for a while - almost 10 years.  So above is just my theory.  I am sure others have their theories.  And by no means was the above meant to be a RF Engineering 101 course - I leave that for Les Besser who I met a long time ago when just a college student and he pointed me to the RF world.  Actually I reached out to Besser and Associates - the foremost authorities on RF engineering and they gave me the contact info of their Antenna Guru. If he replies back I will update this post with his thoughts. 

Let me know in the comments below if you are having the issue with the reception of the iPhone 4 getting worse when you hold it in your hand.  

Update 1: Engadget found their own antenna expert here is their post on this subject.

Update 2: Here is a
link to my second video which shows me holding with the "Death Grip" for over a minute with Zero issues.  Again not saying it is not happening to others - just that it is not happening to me. Obviously your results may vary. 


Category:breaking news -- posted at: 10:59am EDT
Comments[14]


Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

A Better Sense of Who's Winning the Android-iPhone Horse Race | The Big Money

YouTube - STAR WARS I-PAD BRIEFING

Android Phone Users More Willing to Switch to IPhone, Finds Nielsen - eWeek

SIM to micro-SIM | Crave - CNET

iPhone Dev Team to offer jailbreak and carrier unlock solution for iPhone 3.1.3 and  4.0 OS

First WiMAX handset not Sprinting from stores - The Register

PCWorld - EVO not as fast as advertised

Apple's Worst Security Breach: 114,000 iPad Owners Exposed

microsim2sim 2010 | MicroSIM Adapter and Cutter shop 3FF mini-UICC

Google mobile ad chief fires back at Apple lockout - The Register

ATTs iPhone 4 Deals for Recent iPhone 3GS Buyers

ATT e-mail apologizes for iPad data breach | Security - CNET News

HTC EVO 4G and Droid Incredible suffering from unresponsive screen issues -- Engadget

"Hackers" Respond To AT&T's iPad Security Breach Email

Apple iPhone 4 Pre-Ordering Is a Total Disaster

iPhone 4 pre-order mess takes a sinister turn with privacy breach -- Engadget

iPhone 4, with 512MB of RAM, to offer 'robust performance' - Computerworld

ATT MicroCell use to count against data caps | Electronista

Is your iPhone 4 really reserved for next week | ZDNet

iPhone 4 has display supply issues, analyst says  - CNET News

Forrester: iPad sales will plummet - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech

Apple Sells Three Million iPads in 80 Days

No Walk-In iPhone 4 Sales at ATT Retail Stores Until June 29th - Mac Rumors



Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App
Words with Friends
Spent on Apps
Fruit Ninja

Advertiser:
http://www.squaretrade.com/tii
Direct download: tii_0134.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:43am EDT
Comments[0]

Update5: 7:09 AM ET 6/16/10 - Looks like AT&T is at fault for most of the pre-order issues.  One thing to make sure when putting in your phone number put it in as 9135551234 format - no spaces or dashes - that seemed to work for some.  

Update4: 10:47 AM ET - If you still can't pre-order from the Apple site - maybe you will want to try the new Apple Store App here - If that does not work then you can look at pre-ordering with ATT, Best Buy or Radio Shack:

att.com must pay up front
Best buys. 50.00 deposit
radio shack 50.00 deposit
Walmart will be selling the day of delivery 6-24
(Thanks Steph for sending that in)

No one has White iPhone4's - so it just looks like the Black Model at Launch.  

Update3: At 9:00 AM ET lots of reports coming in about the Apple system being down or timing out.  Just keep retrying.  It took me three tries at 8:00 AM to get all the way through.  Just looks like lots and lots of interest in the iPhone4.  I am also getting people emailing in they also were able to reserve / order their iPhone - so you will get through - it just make take a few (dozen) tries. 

Update2: You can as of 8:00 AM ET reserve or pre-order your iPhone4.  However only the black iPhone is available for Reserving at the Apple Store for pickup.  :(  I hope Apple lets us change the reservation to the white iPhone on the 24th. 

Update1: New link for reserving the iPhone added.  Rumor is now 8:00 AM ET.

Sometime between 12:00 AM ET and probably 9:00 AM ET the iPhone 4 will be available to pre-order.

When it is available I will send out a push with the URL to pre-order and also update this post.

If you will want to pre-order for delivery to your house you will need to go here - http://store.apple.com/

If you want to reserve an iPhone 4 for pickup at your apple store you will need to go here - http://store.apple.com/us/go/iphone4

Right now the Apple reps do not know what time Pre-Orders / Reservations will start.  But if the past is any indication it likely will be around sunrise on the East coast. 

Again this post will be updated as soon as I have more info.


Category:breaking news -- posted at: 7:08pm EDT
Comments[4]


Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode:
The Android Achilles Heel

Apple Sells Two Million iPads in Less Than 60 Days

Apple Proves The Naysayers Wrong, Sells 2 Million iPads In 2 Months » Podcasting News

Analysts hastily revise iPad numbers - Fortune Tech

AT&T makes sweeping changes to data plans, iPhone tethering -- Engadget

AT&T axes unlimited data, unveils tethering price

AT&T pulls a switcheroo on 3G iPad users - Computerworld

Updated: Contact AT&T CEO, Randall Stephenson - The Consumerist

AT&T warns customer that emailing the CEO will result in a cease and desist letter -- Engadget

AT&T Sparks User Backlash With End to Unlimited Plans (Update2)

AT&T says sorry to customer who e-mailed CEO | Technically Incorrect - CNET News

SquareTrade Rolls Out New iPhone Warranty Program - Mac Rumors

Live WWDC 2010 keynote coverage – gdgt live

WWDC 2010: Second generation iPod touch gets free update to iOS4

Mac Rumors: Apple Mac Rumors and News You Care About

Steve Jobs live from WWDC 2010 -- Engadget

Live WWDC 2010 keynote coverage – gdgt live

Hands On With Apple's New iPhone 4 - PCWorld

Daring Fireball: iPhone 4 Impressions and Observations

Apple - QuickTime - WWDC 2010 Keynote Address

Thoughts on the new iPhone and AT&T

5 Bummers About Apple iPhone 4 - Mobile - IT Channel News by CRN



Apps Mentioned in this Episode:
Tii App
Sketchbook
Puri 2.5
PhotoBrush
Paradice Novella
Golf Radar
Golf Radar Pro

Direct download: tii_0133.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 3:35am EDT
Comments[0]


Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Analyst: 17% of Verizon Customers Waiting for iPhone - Mac Rumors

Wal-Mart slashes iPhone 3GS price to $97 - May. 24, 2010

Technology News: iPhone: Apple Consigns iPhone 3GS to Wal-Mart's Bargain Basement

Holman Jenkins: Apple's Second Date with History - WSJ.com

Nerd Alert! The iPhone 3G Is Dead To You And Me | Complex Blog

Report: 30% of netbook shoppers bought an iPad

Tii Post on Retrevo from Feb.

Apple makes iPhone dev deal -- with Microsoft? - Computerworld Blogs

YouTube - How Steve Jobs Beat Death

YouTube - Apple - Newton - Restaurant

Man arrested for shooting at car of iPhone theives - Boing Boing

Microsoft debunks rumor of Ballmer appearance at WWDC

AT&T Claims 40% of iPhone Sales Made to Business Customers - Mac Rumors

AT&T: 40 percent of iPhone sales are enterprise -- Engadget

Mac News: An iPhone for Verizon and Sprint: Dream On

NBC, TBS & Others Say No To iPad | Shelly Palmer

Apple iPad Launches Internationally, the Crowd Goes Wild

AT&T to offer iPhone insurance for $13.99/mo « Boy Genius Report

Bing to take over iPhone/iPad/iPod touch search? | 9 to 5 Mac

Apple To Face Regulatory Probe Over iAd Mobile Ad Product - ClickZ

Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App
Glow Doodle
Wolfram Alpha
QStatus
Whistle Phone
Angry Birds
Activator - Cydia
Top 100 by Year by Bing
AppAdvice
WiFi Sync - Cydia


BlueTooth Headsets Mentioned in this Episode:
Altec Lansing BT headset
Direct download: tii_0132.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:06am EDT
Comments[0]


Click to listen to latest episode of the Today in iPhone Podcast

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Isle of Man - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mr. Cond Free for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Leak backs new iPhone's 960x640 screen | Electronista

[Apple] Fanboyism *

Apple has no "Marketing Danger" | ZDNet UK

Report: Specs on Next Apple iPhone | AllThingsD


iPad Already Taking Away iPod Sales


iPad JB Compability - Google Docs

Bogus App Review Site responds to my post


iPad app fatigue: Is it happening to you? | Crave - CNET

iPod Touch rumors from Vietnam

Apple reverses no-cash iPad policy | MacNN

ATandT May Support Tethering on Apple iPhone OS 4 - eWeek

What a free iPad bought Apple - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech

AppleInsider | Apple's iPad believed to be outselling Macs in the US


Brits vote iPhone 8th greatest invention -  Fortune Tech


Don't even think about bringing your iPad to a Yankee game  - Yahoo! Sports


AT&T To iPhone Users: Leave Early, Pay Dearly - PCWorld

hackulo.us announces first official application - Installous! - Hackulous


Sayonara, iPhone: Why I'm Switching to Android - Newsweek.com


Got O.A.T.S.? - Organization for App Testing Standards


AppleInsider | Pictures of iPhone 4G with white front panel surface


Sprint to Also Get iPhone This Year? - Mac Rumors


Sprint iPhone 4G Also Coming this Year, Confirms a Best Buy Employee | Redmond Pie

Is mounting your Apple iPad on a steering wheel safe? -  USATODAY.com



Apps Mentioned in this Episode:

Tii App

Mr. Cond
We Rule Red

1stVideo

CO-Pilot HD

Whistle Phone

Rock - Cydia

PKGBackup - Cydia

Shazam

UrgentPic



BlueTooth Headsets Mentioned in this Episode:

Plantronics 855 Voyager

BlueAnt Q1 

Jawbone - iCon

Jabra 530



Direct download: tii_0131.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 2:03am EDT
Comments[1]

Below is an email from the person running the App review site that offers up Paid App reviews in iTunes we talked about / exposed in this post.   His email is in Blue my comments are in Black.  If you have not read the original post - please do so now.  


Dear Rob Walch,

I've just read your article re YAR

As you can easily imagine, I'm very surprised and upset by this smear campaign against our company. 

I call it an awareness campaign and it is not against your company but rather it is for the endusers.  


The most disturbing is that your scenario is only based on assumptions.

Read the original article I give links to all the reviewers and list the apps they reviewed - That is not assumption that is fact.  The Assumption is that the App developers actually paid you - I have no proof of that - but what is not an assumption is that said reviewers from that article reviewed with 4 and 5 star reviews all the Apps I listed and for the most part only those apps listed. 

 

If I had to post a review on your report, I would put no more than 2 stars.

Then that would probably be the first 2 star review your company ever did.  I guess that would be considered progress. 


YES YAR offers developers to test their Apps by real users. YES developers pay for it. YES users are paid for performing their review.

What's wrong with that? 

To Start - Where is the Full and Fair disclosure?  There is no mention in the reviews that they are paid for. Not one of them says that. Any paid review system needs to have Full and Fair disclosure.   


User test is one of the key tools for any good marketing process. It has been part of the basics used by any marketing agency for decades. Have you never used such services inside or outside your company? It's quite normal when you launch a new product to ask real users whether or not your product is responding to their expectations, whether or not they understand how to use it, whether or not they find the interface intuitive... And the most important is that, if they don't appreciate it, they can advise about the areas for improvement.

Yes and that is done in private without posting up reviews to a public site where said product is available for sale.  And it is never done where a person is paid for doing a review does not fully disclose said relationship with the company. I don't think you fully grasp the concept of full and fair disclosure.  But the FTC sure does. You might want to check into what they say. The fines can be pretty big.  


Why did you mainly find positive reviews? Our reviewers are free to give positive or negative feedback. However, If you had read our offer in more details, you would have seen that only positive reviews are automatically published. The negative reviews are forwarded to the developers to help them improve their Apps. They then decide if they want them published or not which explains why some of the Apps you've mentioned only have a couple of reviews even if our minimum package size is 5 reviews.

So they are paying for just positive App reviews in iTunes.  Are you essentially saying that some reviewers have ethics and give real reviews while others sugar coat things.  Because when I look at many of the Apps you appear to have reviewed and you take away all the reviews you did - you are left with lots of 1 and 2 star reviews. 

Take a look at the reviews for the App HealthCalcs.  Reviewers from your service gave 20 - 4 or 5 star reviews.  The App has a total of 26 reviews.  Of the other 6 reviews that do not appear to be involved with your service there are ZERO 4 or 5 star reviews - Zero as in nada, zip, none,  There is 1 - Three Star review, 2 - Two star reviews and 3 - One star reviews.  So your App reviewers which are doing "honest" reviews all thought the App was great.  And everyone else that was not being paid to review the App thought it sucked or at best one was in the middle at 3 stars.  Hmmmmm. What are the statistical possibilities on that one. 

The assertion that they/you are doing "Honest" reviews is laughable IMO. Well unless you were someone that purchased one of the apps mentioned and then you probably were not laughing.  Now in fairness - because we are all about fairness - one of the apps I mentioned in the original post did have some 4 and 5 star reviews from those outside your group. Sadly now however all reviews look suspect from the consumers perspective. 


NO, YAR doesn't sell positive reviews. 

Sure seems like you do.  


We offer to the App developers a chance to see their App tested by real users in the sole purpose of having a feedback. As I've said to you by email (04/29/10) "We are not posting fake reviews. Our reviewers are real iPhone and iPod users.  We don't pay them to post fake positive reviews but to give their honest opinion re Apps".

It's true that students are part of our reviewer team. For them it's a way of earning some dollars to finance their studies and we are proud of supporting them. As some of them don't own an iPad, they use one of ours and review the Apps using one of our iTunes accounts. That's why our accounts have multiple Apps reviewed which can sometimes be conflicting. Our customers are aware of it and have never complained about it. Our practice is perfectly honest and we have never tried to hide it. Yes some of our students seek the soul mate, some try hard to lose weight, some are marathon runners... and one of them has lost a loved one and has kindly accepted to test a relating App.

I am not saying that is Total BS - but come on.  Really your answer to why one reviewer reviewed a subliminal weight loss app and a Marathon App is that they are college students and don't have their own iPad?  Really - So what you are then saying is they are doing reviews for apps on a product they don't own - so then they are not real reviews by real users.  Well I bet that section looked good before you hit send.  But come on - They shared an iPad defense is a poor one at best.  Per the App with loss of a loved one either the Dev or Apple yanked that one from the App store. It was pretty slimy to include that app for review with your service.  But thanks to admitting that they paid for that one.  


I hope I have clarified our way to conduct business. I also hope you understand that your comments have been very hurtful for us but above all for our reviewers and our customers.

What is that old saying - Oh Yeah - The Truth Hurts. And as my Dad would say - Deal with it.


As a right of reply, I would appreciate to see this complete letter published on your blog (http://tii.libsyn.com) and I would like you to remove from your article the names of our reviewers and customers in order to prevent them to sue your company for libel.

It is not libel if it is true - Tell me one thing I said that is not true.  So simple answer NO!!!!!  Actually I have put up a second post here  with even more of the apps and reviewers you appear to be involved with.  And I am sure I will be adding more as you add more customers and reviewers.  Consumers have a right to know who appears to be paying for app reviews and who appears to be getting paid to do reviews. If all your reviews are so above board and legit - why not just post on your site who you do App reviews for and who is doing the reviews for you?  Until you do that there are my posts and others in the iPhone Podcasting and blogging space to help people out.   

 
Thanks in advance.

Sincerely, 
Alan Kane

Founder of YourAppReviewed

Alan thanks for taking the time to reply to my post and per your request - above is your complete email.  

Please feel free to send along more emails. 

Category:breaking news -- posted at: 12:09am EDT
Comments[4]

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    January

    2012
    December
    November
    October
    September
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    May
    April
    March
    February
    January

    2011
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    January

    2010
    December
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    2009
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    2008
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    2007
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