When iTunes web preview pages first appeared for songs and albums the industry was abuzz with the possibility that iTunes could be migrating to the cloud. iTunes preview has so far had little impact on how we use purchased media content, but it has had a huge impact on how we find iTunes media content on the web, especially with iPhone apps. The iTunes web preview pages are an enormous draw for search engines and consistently rank high in the results when searching for the names of apps. A Quick History of iTunes Web Preview Previously, web links to iTunes content opened a redirect page (hosted on phobos.apple.com) that asked you to wait “One Moment Please” while the iTunes application was launched. This page only had a thumbnail of the cover and sparsely listed just the title and publisher. iTunes web preview first appeared on November 13, 2009 with full pages including descriptive text (hosted on itunes.apple.com). Audio clip previews were added on January 7, 2010. These pages still launch the iTunes application, but also include the full description, select customer reviews, and links to related content.

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App Store SEO: The Impact of iTunes Web Preview

Illustration by Pasquale D’Silva   We’re giving away a ton of cool stuff on Twitter! Follow us and watch for Twitter Giveaway posts, then reply to @MacLife to be entered to win. Check out the prizes: Urbanears Plattan Headphones   http://www.urbanears.com/press.html   Joby Gorillamobile   http://joby.com/gorillamobile/3gs/   Ten One Design Pogo Stylus   http://www.tenonedesign.com/stylus.php   iBend stand for iPhone/iPod touch   http://www.myibend.com/   iSkin ( @iSkininc ) ProTouch keyboard cover for MacBook   http://www.iskin.com/protouch_macbook/common_features.html   iSkin iPhone cases (solo, solo FX, revo2, Fuze) http://www.iskin.com/products_iphone.tpl To find out more about the contest and have a chance to win, you HAVE to be following us on Twitter. ( http://www.twitter.com/maclife )     RULES! 
Twitter Giveaway rules: The sponsor of the contest is Future US, Inc., 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080 (“Sponsor”). Winners will be determined by a single random drawing of all valid entries posted to Twitter.com and referencing @MacLife by followers of @MacLife after we tweet that each giveaway has started. The decision of Sponsor shall be final and binding and within its sole discretion. Winners will be notified by Twitter private message within ten (10) days of the drawing. The winners will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility/release of liability/prize acceptance within seven days of receipt; failure to do so upon request will result in forfeiture of the prize. By acceptance of the prize, the winner agrees to the use of their name and/or likeness for purposes of advertising, trade, or promotion without further compensation, unless  prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees’ household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. By their submission of entry, participants warrant they are legally entitled and authorized to make such submission. In the event of a dispute as to the winner’s identity, entries will be deemed made by the holder of the Twitter account associated with the entry. All prizes will be awarded. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians.

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Mac|Life Twitter Giveaway!

Filed under: Gaming , Multimedia , Apple , iPhone , App Store , SDK , iPod touch Game Developer Research has published its 2009/10 survey of video game developers, and the results are pretty impressive for the still relatively fledgling iPhone platform: The number of developers who are working on mobile games increased by 12 percent, and there are actually twice as many developers working on iPhone games as are working on the Nintendo DS and Sony’s PSP handheld consoles. That’s a pretty amazing number, though it’s not quite a surprise when you consider it. First of all, Nintendo DS and PSP publishing takes a much larger investment than Apple’s $100 developer fee and an SDK download. Second, while the DS and the PSP are certainly selling a lot of games, they’re not actually releasing nearly as many as the hundreds of thousands of apps on the App Store . Finally, new DS and PSP games sell for $30 or $40, while new App Store games sell much closer to 99 cents. So the fact that there are lots more people moving to the much more open and accessible platform isn’t really that surprising. Continue reading Game developers on iPhone outnumber DS and PSP two-to-one Game developers on iPhone outnumber DS and PSP two-to-one originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Game developers on iPhone outnumber DS and PSP two-to-one originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Game developers on iPhone outnumber DS and PSP two-to-one

Game Developer Research is reporting that the iPhone and iPod touch is beating out the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP to become the most popular handheld gaming device. According to the study, demand for the iPhone is so high that 19% of all game developers are currently writing apps for the device.  That’s double development for the DS and PSP. Gizmodo reports, “Handheld games are now 25 percent of the whole gaming market, up from 12 percent before the iPhone/iPod touch phenomenon.” The survey also notes that over the past 3 quarters, all handheld game developers are now writing iPhone games. That is an amazing statistic. We can’t wait to see what happens when the iPad is released. It has the potential to shake up the gaming industry even more. As we noted earlier today, Sega could possibly be bringing Sonic 4 to the iPhone (or iPad). Electronista has posted a synopsis of the study on their blog

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Is iPhone Gaming More Popular Than the DS & PSP?

Section: Mac + Computers , Peripherals , Reviews Provides: Digital picture presentation Developer: eStarling Minimum Requirements: Wireless network Price: $249 Availability: Now Digital picture frames are a dime a dozen these days, so a new digital frame needs to have some amazing features to set it apart from the rest. eStarling has certainly given it their all with their brand new digital picture frame that supports 802.11 N, Flickr, Facebook, Gmail, Twitter and more every day. eStarling’s digital picture frame isn’t that different from other frames on the market, at least from the outside. It has a pretty standard black plastic look with a 10.1 inch display.  The frame doesn’t have the world’s most pixels, but it does a surprisingly good job of displaying your pictures accurately. The inside of the package is pretty Spartan.  There’s the frame, the stand peg and the AC adapter.  And really, what else do you need? Setup is pretty easy.  Actually, the hardest part about it doesn’t take place on the frame at all.  Before you even set up the frame, you should prepare yourself for this frame’s coolest feature, Gmail support.  Just set up a (new/separate) account at Gmail.com . I know you’re tempted to just keep using the one you already have, but resist; you really need a separate account for smooth operation. After you’re done answering Google’s personal questions, you should be ready to plug in the frame. The first thing you’ll need to do is select your wireless network.  While you can connect the frame over ethernet, why would you want to?  This frame supports 802.11 N, making its wireless Internet access potentially faster than the iPhone, since Apple hasn’t enabled its N support. Now, after you’ve put in your network password, tap the Gmail icon and enter in those Gmail account details into the frame. You’ll notice through all of this that the touchscreen is very responsive. It’s still, unlike the iPhone, based on pressure, but I found it to be quite easy to use. Optionally, you can set up Flickr, Picasa, Facebook, Twitter, RSS or potentially more services depending on what they’ve added since this writing.  If you do set these up, pictures and perhaps videos associated with your accounts will automatically be downloaded from these services as soon as they are available sans any effort on your part.  I’m hoping they add YouTube and iPhoto support. When I first powered this frame up, and likely the first time anyone powers theirs up, I experienced my second favorite feature of this frame.  It automatically checks for and applies firmware updates.  If a new firmware is available, it’s downloaded and installed.  You don’t have to confirm anything, it just does it, which makes this a great gift for grandma.  It’s just so simple.  Of course, this also means that it can grab an update anytime it wants to, and if you’re one of those people, it will likely happen right when you’re looking at it.  That said, I really only saw it update once, which was right after I set it up.  So really, once the frame is set up with account details and settings, it doesn’t need to be maintained with anything other than power.  This kind of simplicity makes it feel like the frame could have been designed by Apple.  The only thing currently missing is direct iPhoto support, and I’m still hoping. Again, the main selling point of this frame is the fact that the user doesn’t really have to do anything to get new pictures.  Family and friends can send photos over email to the frame any time they like and they’re automatically downloaded and displayed.  You can send images home to your family while on a trip straight from your iPhone.  Heck, why stop there?  You can even send video taken on the iPhone straight to the frame.  No need to sync it to your computer, just send it right away.  This makes the frame equally amazing for yourself (the tech geek) or any family members or friends who may or may not be technologically savvy, but still have internet access.

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Appletell reviews the eStarling digital picture frame

Section: iPod + iTunes , iPod touch , iPod Family , iPod Accessories , Docks & Speakers , iPod , iPod nano , iPhone , iPhone Accessories , iPhone iHome has announced that it has earned three CES Innovation Honoree Awards in the categories of Audio Components, Personal Electronics and Home Appliances. On display throughout CES 2010 in the North Hall, booth #N245, the new speaker solutions include the iP1 Speaker System for iPod/iPhone, iA5 App Enhanced iPod/iPhone Alarm Clock Speaker System and the iP39 Kitchen Timer and Alarm Clock Radio Speaker System for iPod/iPhone with USB Charging, respectively. The iP1 Speaker System outputs 100 watts of premium sound through custom designed 4-inch woofers and 1-inch silk dome tweeters, all of which are powered by Bongiovi Acoustics’ proprietary Digital Power Station processor. The iA5 App Enhanced iPod/iPhone Alarm Clock Speaker System integrates an interactive App with a dedicated bedside alarm clock and offers a wealth of customizable features, including alarm settings, sleep pattern tracking, social media updates, and much more. The iP39 Kitchen Timer and FM Alarm Clock Radio Speaker System, designed with the look and feel of a premium kitchen appliance with stainless steel accents, is both an alarm clock radio and dual bake timer that gives users a place to dock, charge and play music from their iPhone or iPod. “It is a great honor to be recognized by our peers for our efforts to innovate the iPod and iPhone accessories category,” said Evan Stein, vice president of marketing, iHome.  “We’re very excited about our entire 2010 product line and welcome people to visit our booth during CES to check them out first-hand.” Additional information on iHome’s new lineup of products will be released later this week. For more Apple-related CES 2010 announcements, check out our CES news roundup . See [ iHome ] Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell . | Comment on this Article »

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CES 2010: iHome wins three CES Innovation Honoree Awards

‘Tis the season: Italian magazines are chock full of ads for this sleek iPod dock and bedside lamp called “Diva.” Designed by Dante Donegani and Giovanni Lauda for Italian firm Rotaliana, it’s an LED light and music system whose polycarbonate, anodized aluminum curves are all in the right places. Clutter phobes will appreciate the retractable docking station

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An Italian Diva for Your Bedside, But She Don’t Come Cheap

Mercedes-Benz is joining up with Hughes Telematics to bring you the ability to control dozens of the vehicles features, using an iPhone.  It’s called the ‘mbrace’ app. With it, you can control the doors to make them open and close. You can contact roadside assistance. And best of all, you can find your car by using an app on the iPhone. Never lose your car in a massive parking garage again! The system will be included in all new Mercedes-Benz products from now on, while current customers  with the car maker’s Tele Aid system are eligible to retrofit their dash system with the new mbrace system for $280 a year. Sascha Simon, the director of advance product planning at the firm said, "With mbrace, we begin the introduction of a whole new generation of innovative and personalized services that fit our drivers’ mobile lifestyles, keeping them connected to the people, places and services that are important to them and offering them enhanced safety, security and navigation options. Most importantly, the flexibility of Hughes Telematics’ architecture will also allow us to continually add new features and innovations that will keep Mercedes-Benz on the forefront of in-vehicle services." The whole system can also work using Blackberry devices. The standard mbrace features include Automatic Collision Notification, SOS/Emergency Calling, Safe Ride, Roadside Assistance Connection (in-vehicle and mobile application), Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, Automatic Alarm Notification, Vehicle Information and Crisis Assist; but if you get the premium version, you can add features like Location-Based Weather, Location-Based Traffic, agent-assisted Route Assistance, Point-of-Interest Destination Download (through agent), and "Mercedes-Benz Concierge," which functions much as a hotel concierge making restaurant reservations, locating stores and services, cash wire assistance, etc.

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Mercedes-Benz Just Got A Whole Lot Cooler

The Wall Street Journal reports that Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo Co., doesn’t see Apple as a competitor for control of the handheld market, but Apple sure does. According to Apple’s head of marketing, Phil Schiller, the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP were "so cool at first" but "don’t stack up" to the iPhone and iTouch’s vast variety of different games. With the iPhone and iTouch, people can design thousands of games and most go for $10 or under, while the DS sells most it’s games new for $20. Nintendo, who plans to release a new version of the DS handheld, has survived many competitors in the handheld market including Sega’s Game Gear and Nokia’s N-Gage and none have succeeded in taking the market. But Nintendo isn’t invincible to cellphone games. Last month, Nintendo reported a 52% decrease in profit for the first half of it’s fiscal year, which ends in march, as sales of the Wii and DS cooled. Nintendo also expects it’s annual profit to drop for the first time in six years. Mr. Iwata says that Nintendo has an experience that no other device can mimic. And with famous franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon, Nintendo is pretty confident that it can stay ahead of Apple. Industry analysts expect Nintendo to release an all-new handheld in 2010, even while Nintendo has been making changes to improve the DS since it came out in 2004. Global sales of the DS were recently down 15%, though that is nothing compared to other handhelds, like the 38% drop in sales of the Sony PSP. Nintendo and Sony say that since their systems are designed to be game machines, "from the actual game play to the games themselves, [they] don’t see any real overlap." Nintendo is preparing to debut its new DSi LL model, which has a larger screen to enable more group play and web browsing. The new DSi LL will go on sale November 21 for 20,000 yen, which is about $222. It will then be expected to go on sale in other regions next year

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Apple vs. Nintendo for Handheld Market

Love cranking your iPod at full blast? Don’t fancy the run of the mill iPod docks? Then check out the uber chic Regen ReVerb iPod Dock. Standing tall at three feet, this solar powered dock is capable of 60 watts of unadulterated pure sound. Those who don’t care much of wasting the planet’s resources can charge this little beauty up by solar energy. When fully charged the ReVerb can provide up to 12 hours of playback. You can pre-order it from the Regent website for $2,299.

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Solar Powered Regen ReVerb iPod Dock Stands Tall