Posts Tagged ‘AppStore’

Apple Says No More Titillating Apps, Period [Apple]

Recently, Apple removed Wobble—an app that adds real jiggle to photographic boobies—from the App Store. Other removals followed. Now, a developer who talked to Apple has the scoop on the future of iPhone titillation, and it is bleak.

Really bleak. Like no racy photos, no suggestive language, no bathing suits bleak.

This devastating news comes by way of TechCrunch, who has been following this story closely (but not in a weird way). Initially it seemed that Apple's new policy was to ban "overtly sexual content," which was disappointing, but, you know, understandable. Now TC has received word from a developer who has discussed the matter with "multiple App Store reviewers," and things aren't looking too hot. Not even close to hot, in fact.

Said developer was told "there will be no more applications that are for any purpose of excitement or titillation." Huh? I get pretty excited playing Tapulous—are they going to ban that too? Well, if you're thinking that maybe behind the hyperbole things aren't actually so bad, think again. Here's the full shakedown, as recapped by the developer of Wobble, an individual who has been standing in the shower since Apple first turned on the cold water on Thursday night:

1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)

2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn't ask about Ice Skating tights for men)

3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)

4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)

5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned

6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!! (I doubt many people could get aroused with the pic above but those puritanical guys at Apple must get off on pretty mundane things to find Wobble "overtly sexual!)

7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)

This can't be life! Of course, the glimmer of hope here is that Apple is still reviewing their policy and taking a hard line while doing so, just to be safe. On the other hand, this could it, the real deal, the Puritanical future of apps on the iPhone. I hope you have a thing for girls in turtlenecks. [TechCrunch]



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EyeTV iPhone app granted 3G streamability, App Store’s WiFi-only club hemorrhaging members
EyeTV iPhone app granted 3G streamability, App Store's WiFi-only club hemorrhaging members
Happy day, iPhoners; your days of living life one hotspot at a time are over. You can now use that data plan for all its worth as more and more apps break through the WiFi-only iron curtain. Last week it was Ustream, the week before Knocking, and now EyeTV has released an updated app able to stream your own personal TV broadcast to your iPhone wherever you are. Assuming, of course, you're not situated within a "coverage gap" -- or a major metropolitan area.

EyeTV iPhone app granted 3G streamability, App Store's WiFi-only club hemorrhaging members originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gear Diary  |  sourceEyeTV  | Email this | Comments

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Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free
Quantity rarely equals quality, of course, but it's still fairly notable that the Android Market has now managed to top 20,000 apps just a little over a year after it opened its doors -- Apple's App Store had over 50,000 apps a year into its existence, for those keeping track. Even more interesting, however, is the distribution of free and paid apps in the Market. According to AndroLib, fully 62.2% of the apps available are completely free, compared to just 37.8% that are paid apps. That's in stark contrast to the App Store, which now has over 100,000 individual apps, of which (by some recent counts) a hefty 77% are paid applications -- although only 30% of total App Store downloads are for paid apps. What does it all mean? Well, that's open for debate. But one thing's for sure: the rest of the app store contenders are going to have to work some special pie chart magic to come out looking good in this battle.

Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroLib, CIO  | Email this | Comments

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Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free
Quantity rarely equals quality, of course, but it's still fairly notable that the Android Market has now managed to top 20,000 apps just a little over a year after it opened its doors -- Apple's App Store had over 50,000 apps a year into its existence, for those keeping track. Even more interesting, however, is the distribution of free and paid apps in the Market. According to AndroLib, fully 62.2% of the apps available are completely free, compared to just 37.8% that are paid apps. That's in stark contrast to the App Store, which now has over 100,000 individual apps, of which (by some recent counts) a hefty 77% are paid applications -- although only 30% of total App Store downloads are for paid apps. What does it all mean? Well, that's open for debate. But one thing's for sure: the rest of the app store contenders are going to have to work some special pie chart magic to come out looking good in this battle.

Android Market hits 20,000 apps, over 60 percent free originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroLib, CIO  | Email this | Comments

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Kindle App for iPhone goes international, starts to get a little annoying at parties

We get it, Amazon Kindle App: you’ve just become available in over 60 countries, you’re something of a jet setter now. But you don’t have to go around and rub it in our faces. So what if we’ve only been to Mexico that one time by accident and can’t sync books and page placement via Amazon’s Whispersync technology… that doesn’t make us any less valuable as a person. Oh, and you’re coming to the Mac and BlackBerry “soon,” huh? Well, aren’t you special.

Kindle App for iPhone goes international, starts to get a little annoying at parties originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAmazon  | Email this | Comments

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Motorola’s Shop4apps online Android app store discovered
Leave it to the gung ho gang at Android and Me to do some clever Googling and discovering Motorola's web based Android app store, Shop4apps. The store has since been removed / made hidden, but not before we got a good glimpse at the whole shebang. There's a MyLocker section to check your download history, the ability to re-download and transfer aspps to a new phone, and a special MotoAppstore client for downloading and installing the apps (which unfortunately wasn't working yet). Frankly, the images aren't too flattering, so we're hoping for some further tweaking before it's official launch. In the meantime, hit up the source link for more pictures.

[Thanks, Taylor]

Motorola's Shop4apps online Android app store discovered originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroid and Me  | Email this | Comments

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Meizu M8 app store to become reality this month?
Now that Meizu is setting the M8 up with some new firmware and further turning its back on the handset's KIRFish origins, how about an app store? Apparently that's exactly what's happening, as the following video will attest. Not too many details here -- it's called MyStore, and the company is planning to split revenue with developers 30 / 70. The store is currently being tested internally, and with any luck it should see the light of day as a part of the new firmware release later this month. If you've been dying for a chance to play a Chinese knockoff of BubbleWrap, that day is finally drawing near! See for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Meizu M8 app store to become reality this month?

Meizu M8 app store to become reality this month? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink DAP Review  |  sourceMeizu Me  | Email this | Comments

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iPhones rejoice as Ustream Live Broadcaster hits App Store, other smartphones wonder what all the ruckus is
iPhones rejoice as Ustream Live Broadcaster hits App Store, other smartphones wonder what all the ruckus is
When it comes to streaming live video from a smartphone, there's an app for that and there has been for a long, long time -- unless you're an iPhoner. With Qik for the iPhone a delayed broadcast was possible, but it took months for the thing to break out of its WiFi-only shackles. Now you, like Bill O'Reilly, can do it live courtesy of the Ustream's Live Broadcaster, newly available in the App Store. It's not the first to stream live video from Apple's handset, an app called Knocking gets that distinction after getting the nod last week, but it is the first to allow live broadcasting, it works over 3G, and it's available for free right now for iPhone 3G and 3GS models running OS 3.1 and above. So go ahead, start those cameras rolling and tell all your friends how great it is -- just don't be heartbroken if they're not all that impressed.

iPhones rejoice as Ustream Live Broadcaster hits App Store, other smartphones wonder what all the ruckus is originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TechCrunch  |  sourceUStream  | Email this | Comments

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Molinker is no more on the App Store — ratings scam results in expulsion
Well, here's the happy side to the police state known as Apple's App Store. One of the more prolific app makers out there, Molinker, has been recently unceremoniously expelled from the Apple orchard due to its manipulation of app ratings and reviews. As it turns out, Molinker has been massaging the truth by pumping out false five star reviews for its wares, and now Phil Schiller himself has stepped in and pulled the company's whole catalog -- consisting of more than 1,000 apps -- seemingly permanently:

Yes, this developer's apps have been removed from the App Store and their ratings no longer appear either.

So the App Store is now a bunch of travel guides lighter and Mr. Schiller gets a "good boy" badge from the blog brigade. Good news all around then.

Molinker is no more on the App Store -- ratings scam results in expulsion originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink 9to5Mac  |  sourceiPhoneography  | Email this | Comments

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Ratings Scam Gets Almost 1% of App Store Pulled [Apps]

Molinker, creator of over a thousand iPhone apps, has been banned for juking the ratings system.

The report from iphoneography says many of the company’s products had over 50 five-star reviews, mostly written in the same syntactically shaky style by reviewers who only wrote about about apps from Molinker. One customer complaint to Phil Schiller later, and all of Molinker’s 1,011 apps are now gone from the App Store.

As far as scams go, this one seems pretty poorly thought out, although it does make clear that savvier developers should have no problem giving themselves an illicit ratings boost. [iphoneography via AppAdvice]








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