iPad

The 404 662: Where dude, where's my remote fart app? (podcast)

Since Jeff is obligated to stay away from technology today, we're inviting fan favorites Molly Wood and Caroline McCarthy to fill in, which means today's show is exceptionally positive and hate-free! But first, a segment on actual tech news, which I believe is a first for our show.

In a statement issued Thursday morning, Apple says they've taken developer feedback to heart and relaxed restrictions placed on applications allowed in their App Store. The new review guidelines address user privacy, duplicated applications, offensive content, and the growing number of fart apps--seriously, they explicitly say "no more fart apps."

The guidelines even go so far as to quote a Supreme Court Justice in response to what constitutes crossing the line--Apple says "you'll know it when you see it." Clearly Steve Jobs doesn't listen to The 404 Podcast.

Until now, Apple has been nebulous about what is acceptable and what is not. According to Apple, about 90 percent of rejected apps are due to technical issues and bugs and 10 percent are turned away due to privacy breaches and inappropriate content--hence the statement re: fart apps.

Alternatively, if you don't want Apple vetting what apps you run on your phone, we recommending checking out Google Android smartphones that let you run all the fart apps your heart desires.

Hey, dudes, if you ever doubted the science behind good dance moves, researchers and psychologists at Northumbria University in the U.K. just issued a study using 3D motion capture to map the rhythmic dancing of 19 sorry volunteers.

The results of the study were shown to 35 women to determine the sexual attraction associated to eight specific body movements including the neck, trunk, left shoulder, left wrist, and the speed of movement in the right knee. They also generated two videos to illustrate good dancing and bad dancing.

According to their findings, the good doctor believes that the majority of good dance qualities were influenced the most by various movements in the neck and trunk section of the male body. In other words: don't be a stiff dancer; fluid movements and confidence seem to be the No. 1 attraction according to Molly and Caroline, and as it turns out, Wilson and I obviously have a lot to learn!

Finally, we turn our attention to the real stuff white people like, at least according to data aggregated from profile information on the popular online dating site OKCupid.com. We should note that this information is based on 526,000 randomly selected OkCupid users and absolutely does not reflect our personal opinions.

That said, the study presents compelling information about both sexes and their respective ethnicities. For example, white women tend to lean toward escapist hobbies like bonfires, boating, horseback riding, and thunderstorms, despite living in largely metropolitan cities. In contrast, Asian men typically choose "simple" as an accurate self-description and specifically state their exact country of origin, as opposed to just writing "Asian." Not surprisingly, Asian men also list "software developer," "mechanical engineer," and "surfing the Net" as common hobbies. Guilty as charged, I suppose.

Tune in to hear the rest of OkCupid's observations, with some of our own thrown in for good measure. And our apologies to everyone that got a "voice mail full" message yesterday--the line is cleared, so feel free to leave us a voice mail at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) for a chance to make it on our show!

Episode 662 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

iOS 4.1 jailbreak imminent, but do you want it?

News of the inevitable: less than a day after Apple released iOS 4.1 into the wild, hackers have found a way to jailbreak it.

According to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, "Chronic Dev Team member pod2g has discovered yet another bootrom-based exploit that would supposedly work across all iOS devices running the latest firmware."

Although the jailbreak isn't available to the general public just yet, there's little doubt it will be soon. Whether or not it's as simple as the browser-based iPhone 4 jailbreak from earlier this summer remains to be seen.

My question: do … Read more

The 404 661: Where the files are in the computer (podcast)

The Nintendo Wii is the only console that doesn't support HD gaming (or at least that's what Jeff tells me), but all that could change according to Metroid's co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto, who recently spilled on the next Nintendo system.

In a recent interview with 3D Juegos, Sakamoto gives little detail about the forthcoming console, but assures gamers that the new machine will "leave you all with your mouth open." Jeff and Wilson envision a virtual reality-style helmet with an integrated gyroscope, but it's anyone's guess this early in the game.

Remember the video of the double rainbow guy that flooded our in-boxes and Walls for a solid two weeks? Paul "Bear" Vasquez is the he man behind the camera and plans on squeezing as much Internet exposure out of it as possible, starting with two new video advertisements for Microsoft Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Live Essentials.

It's a clever move for Microsoft to use the flash-bang recognition of this kind of viral video to sell software, which begs the question--why isn't The 404 making money on this video with YouTube's profit sharing plan? Thirty-five thousand views and we're still eating ramen noodles with clearance-special spaghetti sauce!

We're running low on voice mails, so give us a call at 1-866-404-CNET (2638) or e-mail the404(at)cnet[dot]com and tell us what's on your mind! It could be a question for a specific host, a comment about an episode or just about the show in general; audience participation is a big part of what we do, so we're anxious to hear from you!

Episode 661 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

iPad competitors lining up

Apple's iPad may finally have some competition.

With the gadget, Apple started the craze for building devices that are smaller than notebooks and bigger than standard smartphones, feature touch-screen interfaces, and enable people to browse the Web and download apps. And the iPad took off quicker than most people anticipated, selling 3 million units in its first 80 days. The device is expected to keep tight hold of its market-leading position for at least the next year.

But beginning this fall (with several new devices launching at IFA Berlin last week) and stretching through next year (with the Consumer Electronics Show in early January), there are going to be far more consumer touch-screen tablets to choose from. And not just from small niche manufacturers. Some of the world's largest makers of consumer electronics and PCs are jumping into the fray--companies with the resources (including, in many cases, Google's rapidly proliferating Android operating system) to take on the Apple mobile-device juggernaut.

The big players in the developing tablet race will be familiar: they're many of the same people who are tussling for consumers' dollars and attention in the smartphone realm. As with smartphones, choosing a touch-screen tablet will mean deciding between different operating systems: Apple's iOS, Google's Android, Palm's WebOS, Research In Motion's BlackBerry operating system, and Microsoft's Windows 7--except, in some instances, without having to also decide on a wireless carrier.

Here's a look at some of the iPad's competitors. It's not a comprehensive survey, of course. But it's a good look at the tablets coming from companies with the tech chops and marketing clout to compete with Apple. … Read more

Get a closer look at iTunes 10

Version 10 of iTunes brings a handful of enhancements to Apple's ubiquitous media software, though notably absent is a much-anticipated cloud music service follow-up to LaLa. One of the biggest changes to the jukebox is the addition of a social functionality called Ping. Get a closer look at this and other new features in our review and gallery.

Read the iTunes 10 review.

Apple details iOS 4.2; ramps iPad production to 3 million per month

Apple has released a dedicated page on apple.com detailing some of the features of the forthcoming iOS 4.2 update that will unify the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad operating systems. The page highlights some of the most coveted features of iOS 4 (currently only running on iPhone and iPod touch) that will finally debut on iPad, including:

Multitasking. A simple double-tap of the home button brings up a quick-switch interface allowing users to easily jump back to recently used Apps. Multitasking also allows for Apps like Pandora to run in the background while you surf, e-mail, or catch … Read more

The 404 659: Where we check out the bubbles on that one (podcast)

Facebook is about to get a whole lot creepier. A small group of users are beta-testing a new "subscribe" button located under users' profile pictures that could make Facebook stalking as simple as a single click.

The button is a lot like "following" someone on Twitter and here's how it works: If you click the "subscribe" button, all of that user's activities, from new pictures to status updates to videos and links, will show up in your notifications. Few details have been released so far, but we're interested in knowing if the service will show you who's stalking your profile or if you can subscribe to non-friends, which would take the creep factor up to a solid 10.

Moving on to another creepy story, a school zone in West Vancouver is testing a rather extreme measure to force drivers to slow down in their vehicles.

The experiment places a 3D hologram of a young girl chasing a ball in the middle of the street that drivers will see about 100 feet away, giving them plenty of time to slow down...or have a heart attack and veer off the road. We can see the utility in a 3D cop on the side of the road or a flashing light to alert drivers entering school zones, but this is a little nuts.

To Jeff's delight and Wilson's girlfriend's dislike, Angry Birds is now available on the Android operating system. Granted, it's a "Lite" version in beta and many users (including Jeff) are experiencing random restarts and freezes, but it should tie over your addiction until the official version finally drops. For all the iPhone players out there, don't forget that the Angry Birds Expansion Pack is also available.

Finally, we have a handful of voicemail messages that we haven't gotten to play all week, and today's batch inquires about the infamous "Cheese Stands Alone" episode, voicemail phone numbers, and a rare appearance from everyone's favorite Verbose Asian Guy! Set it on repeat, guys--it ain't happening again! :)

Episode 659 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

NASA launches free iPad app

NASA is capitalizing on the success of the iPad with a new app that offers mission information, photos, videos, and factoids.

Dubbed NASA App HD, the program is an updated version of the iPhone app the organization already offers. It includes thousands of images from the NASA picture bank, as well as videos documenting NASA's efforts. Folks who spend time watching NASA TV will be happy to hear that the app runs a live stream of the channel. And those who want to find out about NASA missions can do so from within the software.

NASA App HD also … Read more

Apple teases third-party AirPlay support, but details are scarce

Compatibility for Apple's AirPlay network audio streaming is coming to third-party audio products soon. According to an updated page on Apple's Web site, "AirPlay wireless technology will be fully integrated into speaker docks, AV receivers, and stereo systems" from non-Apple hardware partners. Denon, Marantz, JBL, Bowers & Wilkins, and iHome are listed as "featured partners."

The earlier version of AirPlay, known as AirTunes, allows Apple products to be set up as a de facto multiroom audio system. For instance, speakers could be attached to an Apple AirPort Express or Apple TV, which could then … Read more