iPhone Atlas

First Look: SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone

After some hiccups in the development process, Sling has finally released SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone. The software works with your Slingbox at home, and lets you control and watch your satellite or cable box and DVR from your iPhone or iPod Touch.

All of the functionality found in previous SlingPlayer Mobile platforms is still intact. You'll have access to a menu bar that'll let you use a remote-like interface on-screen to control your box as well as switch sling devices and manage your favorite channels. What's new are a few gestures that'll allow you to scroll through your favorite channels as well as let you scroll up and down through channels.

SlingPlayer Mobile will work with new Slingbox and legacy devices, but Sling officially won't support the Sling Classic, AV, and Tuner models--that means that if you've got a problem with one of those devices, Sling won't be able to help you troubleshoot your issue.

Now here's the real bad news: SlingPlayer Mobile for the iPhone only works with a Wi-Fi connection, meaning you cannot use the 3G network to stream video. Also, we should note that SlingPlayer Mobile will probably perform better on your home network rather than a public Wi-Fi spot.

Performance wise, the software worked well.… Read more

SlingPlayer for iPhone release imminent: $30, Wi-Fi only

The long-delayed SlingPlayer for iPhone will be hitting the iTunes App Store in the next 24 hours--but the software will only stream video over Wi-Fi, not AT&T's 3G data network. The restriction is a big blow to the usability of the software, which allows owners of Slingbox set-top boxes to stream their home TV in real-time to anywhere in the world.

The SlingPlayer app will cost $29.99--expensive for iPhone apps, but the exact same price as previous iterations of the SlingPlayer Mobile apps available for Windows Mobile, Palm OS, BlackBerry, and Symbian handhelds. SlingPlayer Mobile should … Read more

Greenpeace toilet paper guide rolls out on iPhone

A few years ago, Greenpeace singled out Apple when assessing companies for toxic waste. The clash now seems to be in the past, as Greenpeace has started using Apple's iPhone to spread its message on the importance of selecting the right toilet paper.

Greenpeace has launched an iPhone application version of its "Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide" that lets consumers compare brands available at their local grocery store to find which brands are most environmentally sustainable.

The app, developed by 3rdWhale, gives advice on a scale from "Recommended," "Avoid," or "They … Read more

Wolverine for iPhone: How to botch a movie tie-in

Even if "Terminator: Salvation" turns out to be a forgettable movie, you're likely to remember the eponymous iPhone game--by all accounts a fantastic third-person shooter.

The tie-in app for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine?" Not so much.

For any other movie studios planning their own iPhone-oriented marketing efforts, here's a list of what not to do:

Release the app a week after the movie opens. Give it a ridiculously lengthy title, like X-Men Origins: Wolverine The Game - Feral Sense. So, please, no "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian: Ben Stiller … Read more

Amazon tweaks its Kindle store for iPhone users

On Monday, Amazon.com put out a small tweak to its Kindle application for Apple's iPhone (iTunes link) that takes users to an iPhone-optimized store when they click on the "get books" button.

There's now a page that lets users search either by title, author, keyword, or category. It also lists some of the New York Times best sellers, and items that have been recommended based on past purchases and browsing habits. Previously it would simply offer up a link to the desktop version of Amazon's Kindle Web store, which required a whole lot of … Read more

The problem with password managers

SafeWallet is a new password-management app for iPhone and iPod Touch. It stores important information like credit cards, Social Security numbers, online passwords, the PIN for your ATM, software registration codes, and so on. Price: $5.99.

Like other apps of its kind (and there are many), SafeWallet offers templates to simplify the creation of new records and encryption to protect your data from prying eyes. It's a simple, effective tool that's undeniably handy to have around.

But not handy enough. See, like other apps of its kind (and there are many), SafeWallet doesn't sync with your … Read more

EA turns lemons into Lemonade Tycoon for iPhone

Earlier this week it was Myst. Now another PC classic (hell, Apple II classic) has made its way to the iPhone. Lemonade Tycoon is Electronic Arts' adaptation of the seminal Lemonade Stand, a business and economics lesson shrouded in an addictive turn-based strategy game.

Indeed, what looks like (and is) a cute little kids game about running a lemonade stand is actually a clever course in sales, marketing, and management. The goal: Build your neighborhood juice biz into a Starbucks-like lemonade empire. ("Lemonade-bucks"? Nah. Hopefully Marketing can come up with something snappier.)

To turn your lemons into yellow … Read more

Manage AT&T accounts on iPhone with MyWireless app

All together, now: Finally! AT&T just took the wraps off MyWireless Mobile, a free app that lets you manage your AT&T account right on your iPhone.

Specifically, you can view your current bill (either a summary or a PDF of the entire thing) and authorize a payment, though the latter requires you to set up online bill-pay (via the Web) if you haven't already.

You can also add and remove various account features (roadside assistance, parental controls, and so on) and even change your text-messaging package.

Perhaps best of all, the app provides a complete … Read more

Find nearby exercise routes with WalkJogRun

When you're traveling, it's easy to come up with excuses not to exercise, like, "There's nowhere to run near this hotel." The new WalkJogRun Routes app leverages your iPhone's geolocation skills to find routes near you.

How? By tapping WalkJogRun.net's repository of 350,000-plus user-created routes. Just run the app, wait a few seconds for it to hone in on your location, then choose a distance (1 mile, 2 miles, all distances, etc.) to see the routes in your neck of the woods.

The subsequent list tells you the name, length, and … Read more