iPhone Atlas

Apple released iTunes 9.0.2 today an update that included additional improvements to app sorting for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

In early September, we offered a bug fix for arranging apps on iTunes after the release of iTunes 9.0 and later that same month Apple released iTunes 9.0.1. Progress was made in squashing some of the bugs we found, but the app sorting feature was still pretty tedious to use and nearly impossible to use if the number of apps on your iPhone exceeded 176.

Apple has resolved this problem by displaying the apps past the first 176 onto home screens that are grayed out. These home screens, numbered 12 or higher, will not currently display on your iPhone, but at least now you have a chance of grabbing apps from these screens and moving them to another visible screen. You should keep in mind that any apps on the home screens past the first 11 will only be accessible via a Spotlight search.

iTunes app sorting note grayed out home screen.

Problems sorting apps were not completely resolved by this iTunes update if all the home screens and the extra ones are completely populated. In this case, you lose any chance of moving the apps around effectively. However, there is a work-around--simply sync one more app back to your iPhone and iTunes will add another grayed out home screen. The exception being that this screen will now be mostly empty giving you the work space you need to get your apps sorted the way you want them. When you are done, make sure that extra app is the only one left on the extra home screen and delete it once you are satisfied with the way your apps or home screens are arranged.

This last step is optional; however, I recommend you perform it to prevent apps from accidentally being placed onto this screen. If you add more apps by syncing or purchases iPhone OS will recreate it.

iTunes app sorting--make some room for temporary workspace by syncing one extra app back to your iPhone.

Additional information about iTunes 9.0.2 enhancements, bug fixes, and download links for Windows or Mac OS X can be found at download.com.

Graphic artists who work with Pantone colors may appreciate the latest iPhone offering.

Designed for the iPhone and iPod Touch, the $9.99 MyPantone app lets mobile users create and share palettes of colors drawn from the familiar Pantone libraries.

MyPantone

(Credit: Pantone)

The app opens with a fan deck of Pantone color swatches, a virtual replica of the print Pantone swatch guide that designers carry with them. A color bar also resides at the top.

MyPantone offers colors from virtually all of the standard libraries, including Pantone Matching System (PMS) and Pantone Goe, which provides more color variations than PMS.

To create a palette, move your finger along the colors until you find the swatches you want to use. Clicking on any swatch displays its colors in a more detailed view. You can then drag any color down to the palette well below to store it.

From the fan deck, tapping on a specific color displays its values in Pantone, RGB, HTML (hex), and L*a*b (a color scale that plots values for luminance, red-green, and blue-yellow). From the palette well, tapping on a color brings up additional buttons, including a window that displays a cross-reference of harmonious colors.

You can also create a palette from a photograph. Load any photo stored on your iPhone, and the app will grab its dominant colors and automatically save them to the palette well. You can even move your finger around the photo to select a specific color shade.

Once your palette is created, you can view your colors against a different background rather than just in the palette well. This shows you how the colors might play against each other in an actual image or application.

You can save each color palette in formats compatible with popular graphic apps, including Adobe Creative Suite, QuarkExpress, or CorelDraw. You can also share your palettes by e-mail or by posting them to the MyPantone Web site.

Andy Hatkoff, Pantone's vice president of technology licensing, recently told me more about MyPantone.

Pantone thought it was important to move to a mobile environment because the company had noticed a shift in the way people work. "Designers, in particular, don't have to be or don't want to be at their desks or carry their laptops around them," said Hatkoff. "But they do take their phones everywhere, in particular their iPhones."

Pantone felt the iPhone was the right playing field for its first mobile app because, more than any other mobile device, graphic designers probably have iPhones.

MyPantone lets designers take their Pantone library with them. But it's not meant as a replacement for traditional color guides, more as a supplement. Hatkoff sees the app as playful and fun to use but with a serious side that renders it a useful tool.

"We wanted to let people use the Pantone language in a creative way, but still take advantage of a lot that the iPhone has to offer with a playful and touchable user interface," said Hatkoff.

MyPantone isn't the first color palette app for the iPhone. Color Expert from Code Line ($9.99), Palettes ($9.99) by Rick Maddy, and Color Stream ($2.99) from Sahil Lavingia serve up similar features.

The iTunes App store also offers color picker applications, more for homeowners and hobbyists, than for graphic artists. Free apps such as ColorSnap from Sherwin-Williams and Ben Color Capture from Benjamin Moore fit into this group.

But Hatkoff pointed out that most apps don't support Pantone colors (Color Expert was the only one of the bunch), and that MyPantone is the only one that can display harmonious colors.

MyPantone does have two significant limitations. It doesn't offer CMYK conversion data, disappointing to people who need to bounce between RGB and CMYK. But Pantone said it's received requests from many users for CMYK data, and that it's considering this and other features for the next update.

Also, because it's on an iPhone, you can't calibrate colors or adjust for ambient light as you can on a monitor. So the app can't offer the precise colors that a print swatch or a calibrated monitor would provide.

As a result, Hatkoff explained, MyPantone is not intended to be a color-correct environment, but more of an inspirational or directional use of color. For accuracy, designers would still need to rely on the traditional Pantone guide or a calibrated monitor.

I asked Hatkoff if color calibration and ambient light adjustment would even be possible on an iPhone? "I'm not going to say it would be impossible (to calibrate an iPhone), but it's something we are certainly investigating," he said. "We don't know the feasibility at this point. It certainly would address some interesting questions, although I don't know if iPhone users would want to calibrate their iPhones."

Correction 11:35 a.m. PDT: This story initially gave an incorrect title for Andy Hatkoff. He is vice president of technology licensing.

ITunes 9

(Credit: Apple, Inc.)

Last month, Apple released iTunes 9.0.1, which addressed a number of iPhone syncing issues as well as making some performance and stability improvements. We covered some of these improvements and offered a tip on relieving some of the problems people encountered with Smart Playlist syncing. Today, Apple started offering their own tips on what to do when Smart Playlists are not syncing as expected.

If you are syncing a Smart Playlist and you notice that the order and contents displayed in iTunes don't match what appears in your iPhone or iPod after syncing then Apple offers the following suggestions:

Smart Playlist on the device is not in the same order in Tunes:

1. Click the Smart Playlist.
2. Setup the sort order and arrange as desired.
3. Right-click the Smart Playlist and choose Copy to Play Order.
4. Sync the device with iTunes.

If this does not resolve the issue, continue with the following steps.

Smart Playlist on the device does not have the same content as shown in iTunes:

Check the Smart Playlist if its content is all the same kind of media (i.e. all music), try these steps:

1. Right-click the Smart Playlist and choose Edit Smart Playlist.
2. Click the "+" button to create a new rule.
3. Add a new rule with the following selections: Media Kind > Is > Music (or the specific media type for that playlist).
4. Click OK.
5. Sync the device with iTunes.

Finally, if none of the above resolves the issue, continue with the steps listed below.

1. Right-click the smart playlist and choose Edit Smart Playlist.
2. Deselect the option for "Live updating."
3. Click OK.
4. Sync the device with iTunes.
5. Check to see if the issue is resolved. If not, proceed to step 6.
6. Click the Smart Playlist.
7. Choose Edit > Select All.
8. Choose File > New Playlist from Selection.
9. Enter a name for the playlist.
10. Click the device on the left-hand side of iTunes.
11. Click the Music tab and then click the new playlist you just named; there should be a checkmark next to the playlist.
12. Sync the device with iTunes.

Are you experiencing this problem on your iPhone or iPod Touch? Let us know in the comments.

(Credit: Apple Inc.)

iPhone Atlas reader golf11, participants in Apple's discussion boards, and I are all complaining that iTunes 9.0.1 refuses to remember our Apple ID passwords.

The Apple ID password is part of the user ID/password combination that you use to access and authorize activities and purchases in the iTunes Store. After iTunes 9.0.1 was released, a number of users were annoyed that the check mark button for saving their password no longer worked. As a result, each purchase or app-upgrade triggers iTunes to prompt for a password.

Fortunately, there are two fixes and a few tips from Apple to fix the problem. I used the first option to resolve my own password-saving issue.

Option 1:

• Launch iTunes
• Go to Store Menu > Deauthorize Computer
• Once deauthorization is complete, quit iTunes
• Relaunch iTunes
• Go to Store Menu > Authorize Computer

iTunes is fixed, but you will have to enter and check the option to save your password the next time you are given the opportunity to do so. Thereafter, iTunes should remember the password.

Option 2:

• Launch iTunes
• Go to Store Menu > View My Account(your Apple ID)
• Click Reset Warnings

iTunes reset warnings

(Credit: David Martin)

Like Option 1 above, Option 2 fixes iTunes. In this case, however, you will be faced with a few pop-up warnings that you will have to dismiss--annoying, but usually brief.

Finally, Apple offers some suggestions to resolve this problem in its article, iTunes repeatedly prompts to authorize computer to play iTunes Store purchases.

Were these tips helpful? Are you experiencing other unresolved problems with iTunes? Let us know in the comments.

(Credit: Apple Inc.)

Last week, Apple released iTunes 9.0.1, which addresses a number of iPhone syncing issues as well as making some performance and stability improvements.

During our first hands-on look of iTunes 9, we noted two problems with podcast episodes being listed in random order and being unable to arrange certain apps based on their being checkmarked and therefore set to sync to the iPhone or iPod Touch in question.

Later, we discovered more problems with syncing in general, including wrong episodes being synced to playlists containing podcasts, podcasts failing to sync, etc. Smart Playlists, according to users, were generally messed up and did not behave as expected.

iTunes 9.0.1 has addressed all of these issues with the exception of the Smart Playlist problem. Podcasts are now properly synced, podcast episodes display in the correct order, and you can arrange apps regardless of their sync status.

The temporary workaround for new or existing Smart Playlists that no longer work as they used to is to uncheck "Live updating" in the settings.

Uncheck Live updating for a Smart Playlist workaround.

(Credit: David Martin)

iTunes 9.0.1 also addresses other issues, including performance issues that can lead to iTunes freezing or unexpectedly quitting, problems browsing the iTunes Store, and improved app syncing for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The update is available from Software Update or via direct download from Apple's downloads page for both Mac or PC.

(Credit: CNET)

Have you updated your iPhone to version 3.1 yet? Among the fixes and feature enhancements in the latest update, Apple added the Genius feature (formerly found in iTunes) to the App Store. Like its iTunes counterpart, Genius for iPhone apps looks at the apps you have on your iPhone and makes recommendations for apps you might like. I should point out that you need to digitally agree to Apple's terms and conditions, which you should read carefully before turning the feature on. The potentially objectionable part (that I have no objection to) is that Apple will track information, like which apps I use most and how long I use them, to make future recommendations.

With the app store now boasting more than 75,000 apps, this feature might be a good way to find stuff you like without having to sift through everything. If you're OK with the terms and conditions, check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include an app that's a whole suite of useful tools and the football game that everyone has been waiting for.

Only one of many useful utilities, Battery Life gives the time remaining for various iPhone uses.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

AppBox Pro (99 cents for a limited time) gives you a whole slew of apps that cover basic functions like a Flashlight, a unit converter, and a tip calculator. In all there are 21 apps included in the suite and each is well made. There is nothing particularly flashy here, but there are plenty of useful items that just about everyone will need at one time or another. For 99 cents, AppBox Pro is a no-brainer.

To list some of the applications in the suite, there is a Battery Life app, to tell you how much battery time you have left based on whether your talking on the phone, playing games, or listening to music. You get a nice looking Clinometer (level) tool to help you hang pictures or perfect your home building project. For those who like to travel, there is a Currency Converter so you know you're spending the right amount on an item, for example, and you also get a Translator (for several different languages) so you can haggle the price. The System Info app shows you what is using up memory on your iPhone and lets you know how much space is left on your hard drive. You also get a few Web-based apps including Google Books, which will let you browse and read books from an enormous database. Overall, getting a huge suite of well-made apps for 99 cents is a steal. Grab it quick before the price goes up.

Touch an icon to pass to an open receiver. Green icons mean your pass will more likely be caught.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

Madden NFL 10 is finally here and I'm glad I told football fans to wait when I talked about NFL 2010 in an earlier post. Though the two games are pretty similar and NFL 2010 is still a worthy purchase, Madden NFL 10 offers smoother graphics and overall, better gameplay. Madden NFL 10 is fully licensed by the NFL just like the other game, so you get all of the NFL teams and every NFL player that's on each roster. Like NFL 2010, you control your player with an onscreen joystick, but instead of the contextual buttons that would put the game in a sort of bullet-time (slow motion) in NFL 2010, Madden always gives you the option to go into bullet-time, with more options for moves once the game has slowed down. Madden also has a button to give you a burst of speed that works great for getting out of tight situations.

It's difficult to describe how Madden NFL 10 is better than the NFL 2010 because many of the game mechanics are similar. It might be the smoother graphics, or it might be that the control system somehow feels more accurate. Whatever it is, Madden NFL 10 just feels more immersive; like I'm actually a part of the game. Both have enormous playbooks, both use similar controls, and both let you play through seasons, right up to the Super Bowl. But playing Madden NFL 10 is definitely closer to a platform experience and stands out as the better game. If you waited to find out which was the better football game for the iPhone, I highly recommend Madden NFL 10. It also doesn't hurt that John Madden makes comments on some plays--it's hard not to like that old pro.

What is your favorite iPhone app? Do you think the added Genius support for iPhone apps is truly genius? Have you tried out AppBox Pro? Do you have both football games and disagree that Madden is the better choice? Let me know in the comments!

Prior to the release of iTunes 9 (Windows | Mac), arranging pages apps directly on your iPhone or iPod Touch was tedious and unpleasant. So when Apple touted app arranging as a new in iTunes feature this week we got very excited. We've spent the last three days with iTunes 9 and the new app arranging feature. While we're satisfied with it there is one bug that made it less than perfect. Luckily, we have a workaround.

Arranging app icons in iTunes 9

(Credit: David Martin)

Arranging app icons
After connecting your device to a computer and launching iTunes 9, just go to the Applications tab as shown below. Once there, you can drag apps between thumbnails that represent the 11 home screens. Exciting, right? Well not so fast, since the process still is a bit painful if an app isn't currently assigned to one of the 176 spaces on the home screens (four spaces are reserved for the Dock). We have the same problem when arranging (or deleting) app icons on the iPod or iTouch.

If an app icon doesn't exist in a space, you won't be able to manage it until you figure out a secret. The check mark on the app on the left side of the window tells you that it's currently synced to your device. You can't manipulate "checked" apps unless they are sitting on a home screen. If the app is not on one of the 11 home screens you have to do the following.

App checked for syncing and cannot be arranged due to iTunes 9 bug

(Credit: David Martin)

• Uncheck the app so that it won't sync with your phone.
• Place the app on one of the 11 home screens.
• Re-check the app so it will sync again.

Unchecked app can be arranged

(Credit: David Martin)

If you forget to recheck it, you will delete the app from your device the next time you sync it with iTunes. Indeed, it's not a very intuitive process; I only stumbled on it accidentally. You'll also need to remember it for the tasks below.

If you were hoping for Apple to announce a subscription-based music service for the iPhone and the iPod Touch on Wednesday like I was, suppress your disappointment: early this morning, Apple approved Rhapsody for iPhone, and it's available in the iTunes Store.

It's the second such service Apple has approved, but the first, Spotify, is not available in the United States. (The Rhapsody application is not showing up in search results quite yet, but it is showing up within iTunes.)

(Credit: Rhapsody)

Rhapsody was a pioneer in subscription-based music, and I'm a big fan of the service; in 2005, it was the first one to turn me on to the thrill of chasing your whims and surfing randomly among genres, which you can't do with per-download services like iTunes.

In my most recent trial late last year (in conjunction with the Sonos multiroom audio system), I wasn't able to find any significant gaps--if anything, there was too much music, including more versions of the novelty song "Kung Fu Fighting" than I ever imagined--and there is some excellent curation and editorial work, particularly for indie rock artists.

The iPhone app is pretty straightforward: you can search for songs, surf genres and chart-toppers, and create queues and playlists. If you're a fan of Pandora, you'll also appreciate the Rhapsody Radio feature, which creates tailor-made stations built around particular artists or genres. As long as you have an active Wi-Fi or 3G connection, the music should keep playing without interruption.

It's a free download, but to use it, you'll need a Rhapsody to Go subscription, which costs $14.99 a month. That's not quite as good a deal as Microsoft's Zune Pass, which costs the same and gives you 10 permanent MP3 downloads a month, but of course that service requires a Zune, which means that it applies only to about 1.1 percent of the MP3 player market (according to a statistic that Apple snarkily included in its presentation Wednesday) and exactly zero mobile phones.

Apple appears to have seen the light, as it is now allowing subscription-based music to come to the iPhone. It makes my phone's 8GB storage size seem a lot less limiting.

Follow Matt on Twitter.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

iTunes 9 was announced today at this year's annual music event from Apple. Named the "It's Only Rock and Roll event," Apple didn't disappoint with the return of Steve Jobs, upgraded (and cheaper) iPod Nanos and Shuffles, and plenty of new iPhone app demonstrations from third-party developers. As many predicted, iTunes 9 (Mac or Windows) was also on the agenda and it received a number of cool new feature enhancements to make navigation and syncing to your devices easier. iTunes 9 is available today, but has not yet been added to Apple's software update service.

iTunes 9 has been cleaned up for easier navigation, redesigned with a new layout and a new black tabbed-menu system across the top of the iTunes Store interface. These new tabs replace the old left-side navigation to choose between categories like music, apps, movies, and podcasts. The layout for new content in the iTunes Store has been improved as well, with more browsable content in every category.

iTunes 9 photos

Along with the iTunes Store interface enhancements, Apple announced newly packaged digital content it referred to as "LPs." According to Apple, buying the full album will now give you new content, kind of like extras on a DVD. You can show songs with lyrics, explore bonus content, and check out extra content created by the musicians themselves. Additionally, you get the same new content for movies, with extras, bonus content, chapter selection, character details, and more.

The way you interact with apps on the iPhone and the iPod Touch has also been improved. Now your home screen can be interacted with visually, right inside the iTunes window, letting you drag apps wherever you want before syncing to your device. Apps can be dragged from page to page and within pages, and when you're done you can apply the changes to sync them to your device. iPhone syncing has been improved as well, with the ability to selectively sync specific artists or playlists, or sync your photos by specific albums or faces.

The new interface buttons across the top act as pull-down menus so you can drill down to the content you want.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Parker/CNET)

Steve Jobs also announced that iTunes now offers Home Sharing. This new feature will let you share purchased songs across a home network. As long as all the computers on the network are on the same iTunes account, you can drag to copy songs to other computers. iTunes 9 also will automatically sync new purchases across your computers.

Overall, with new interface enhancements to the iTunes Store, a better way to organize apps on your iPhone or iPod Touch, and improvements to syncing, the new iTunes update offers plenty of improvements for iTunes users. As a free update, iTunes 9 is a no-brainer for those who use the program.