App Store review process gets more detailed feedback.

After a rocky start 1-1/2 years, Apple has finally started coming around to answering the a few of the criticisms concerning the App Store. As pretty much everyone knows, Apple acts as a gatekeeper to the iPhone app platform. It’s both a blessing and a curse. The last several months unfortunately for all of us has been focused more on the “curse” part of it with bogus rejections, inconsistent reasoning for rejections, and apps gone missing are but a few of the countless problems that filled (and still do) fill the app store.

Apple is taking steps to improve their battered image however. It all started a couple months back when they rolled out a new panel in the developer control panel within the iTunes world that should devs when their app was in queue, being reviewed, and if it passed/failed the final “OK” to go on sale in the App Store. It was forward, positive progress at the time though no were near what was needed. But we already talked about the 3-step process. So let’s talk about what’s new.

Building upon the 3-step process, Apple now allows iPhone developers access to a slightly more detailed clock showing daily breakdowns of the percentage of new apps approved within the last seven days as well as the percentage of apps updated approved within the last 7 days. Again, nothing mind blowing but still one step closer to fuller transparency and certainly a whole hell of a lot more feedback than some devs receive even today.

So devs, what do you think of Apple’s new updated clock? Is there more they could do to make your jobs and lives easier?

9to5 Mac

Run OS X 10.3 (albeit painfully slow) on a Nokia N900!

OS X 10.3 + Nokia N900 = All kinds of geeky smiles. I know that mobile phones are gaining power and versatility by the day, but damn! Have you ever seen such a “modern” OS running on such a mobile device? Then again, if you call a 90+ minute boot-up time “modern” or “fast”, you deserve to be drop kicked in the face.

Moving on…the heroics of this feat come from the land of Finland, by a man who goes by the name of ” Toni Nikkanen”. Actually spending the time to get all of this digital tom foolery to work tells us two things. (1) It’s either very boring up there in Finland or (2) this man just really loves his electronics. I’ll let you decide. But that’s besides the point.

Using the knowledge contained within his nerdy little head and an N900 app called “PearPC” to emulate the PowerPC evironment, Toni was able to install OS X 10.3 (Panther) onto his beloved N900. The “damn” and other implied excitement above are a bit early unfortunately as the N900 simply can’t keep up with the demands that “modern OS” requests as highlighted by the 90+ minute boot time above, resulting in slow and pretty much useless interaction with the device and OS itself in it’s current form. ‘Tis a shame.

Hopefully someone with the know how could take this proof of concept and widdle it down further into an actual usable model. Until then, enjoy the video below showing off that feature film length boot time. Hey, it may be slow and unusable, but you can’t knock the guy for tryin’, right?

Video

Engadget > Toni Nikkanen

“Max Sense” UI to finally make WinMo bearable to those with actual vision?

Tired of Windows Mobile’s never changing UI and the cheap lipstick that Microsoft continues to pile on in copious amounts hoping to disguise the real ugliness underneath? You’re not alone. In fact, one of the biggest complaints with Windows Mobile centers around it’s looks. When you have an OS that hasn’t really changed much in years, people are bound to notice. Thankfully we have the developer world to save us from the slip ups and failures of bigger corporations. Without further adue, tonight we’ll thank XDA and it’s ever talented pool of devs for the upcoming “Max Sense” Windows Mobile UI.

A quick glance will show that the devs are pulling pretty heavily from Android and the Sense UI found on the Android platform. I’ve already seen some Android loyalists calling it a rip off and unoriginal. On the surface they’re basically true. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery as they say (or something like that). In the end, I’m not one to pick about which check box came from which OS came from which manufacturer. Can’t we all just get along and enjoy the eye candy and fruits of other peoples’ labor?

Release dates and any ETA schedules are mere dreams and estimations at this point. Though I can’t say I wouldn’t be excited to learn of such a thing — being that this “Max Sense” UI is pretty damn good looking for a WinMo skin no? Now Microsoft just needs to make the stuff running under all of these skins worth touching and we’re golden.

Video

• Check out progress on “Max Sense” at xda-dev forums.

DroidForums > PPC Geeks

35 years + unlimited friend requests: Modern “Godfather” continues life of crime behind jail walls thanks to social networking.

It used to be when you committed a crime — any crime — you were thrown in the slammer. Those on the inside who had even one meal a day on a consistent basis were considered lucky, gods almost. These days however criminals bitch when they only get 10 TV channels instead of 100, have the same meal twice in one week, or have to suffer with a less than accommodating atmosphere. Prison it seems, is less intimidating and harsh as it used to be. Case in point: in the year 2010, mafia godfather’s can now run their empire from the comfy confines of their jail cells via Facebook.

This particular instance of various officials and prison guards allowing one Mr. Colin Gunn to slip through the cracks of security is brought to us by Nottingham jail in the UK. Once a fearsome and violent mafia godfather on the outside has become…a violent and intimidating force to reckon with on the inside as well. Modern tools such as the internet and Facebook have given Colin Gunn an easy outlet to reach out to his 565 “friends” and to issue warnings to those who have disappointed him as one day, he will be free.

Such freedoms can as one would guess only last so long. Once officials of the prison were tipped off to Mr. Gunn’s activities, his Facebook page (which up until now, has been updated almost daily) was shut down, silencing his voice to the outside. It’s worth pointing out that Mr. Gunn is hardly the first person to be caught “conducting business” in the slammer as various other stories involving the same problem can be found after a quick jaunt through Google’s searching features.

For now anyway, Gunn will have to find a new way to communicate to the outside. Ancient “snail mail” is pretty much all he’s got. The standard visitation via crime members in hiding is also another popular choice. Gunn has roughly 35 years to perfect his voice however so I wouldn’t count him out of the game just yet.

After all is said and done, it’s both scary and humorous that someone viewed as violent and dangerous as Colin Gunn was able to (for a short time anyway) keep his crime empire going from within the walls of prison. Ah, the joys of the 21st century…

Drudge Report > Times Online

[Jail Cell Image Source]

Ciruclar Monopoly to dishevel the very core of humane existance?

There are certain times in life where big decisions are made which in turn cause monumental reactions. Quitting one job for a more profitable one is one such decision. Getting a puppy? Yet again, pretty big decision. But Hasbro’s latest design change to an age old classic, Monopoly, may be the biggest thing to be dropped upon the human race in decades.

Since the beginning of time, Monopoly hasn’t really changed. Sure their are now eleventy-billion different versions of the game, but the same basic square design remains — until now.

Hasbro has unleashed their new 2010 and beyond circular Monopoly board game with a completely new look. Also coming along with this new version is the all digital interface that a few other square designs have already incorporated. I personally prefer the new digital move. Some may argue that some of the game’s luster is lost when you’re not fumbling around with various amounts of fake, colored money. But I enjoy the more seamless and much cleaner playing area the paper-less option allows. To each their own.

For naysayers and those that just aren’t too keen on the new move can push out a big sigh of relief as Hasbro will still pump out those golden oldie edgy boards as well. I guess the cataclysmic end times aren’t here quite yet…

Gizmodo

Also lacking background processing: The Lego iPad

Feeling a bit let down after the iPad announcement — like all of the hoopalah leading up to the 27th was for nought, with a device that was less than revolutionary? You’re not alone. Since Wednesday’s events, the web has been pretty evenly split with fairly equal portions of those both disgusted and intrigued by Apple’s latest wonder gadget. For those who won’t be picking up an iPad because they can’t afford one now have another option: The Lego iPad.

Created by BrickJournal’s Joe Meno, the Lego iPad is there for all of us who don’t have the necessary monetary means to pick up one of these devices for ourselves. One other bonus talking point: Just like the real iPad, the Lego iPad can’t multi-task as LEGO’s also don’t provide background processing. ZING!

Make > Flickr

Oh Geeze: “Adobe is fat, lazy, stupid, and slow”…so says Steve Jobs

If those accidental shots of the iPad running flash on Apple’s sight the other day created any sense of hope in your little heads, it’s best to go on ahead and chuck said hope right out the window. Shortly after the flash supporting iPad video was spied on Apple’s site, the video was removed and replaced with a blue brick displaying video indicating that flash was in fact not present. But the real knee-jerker is El Jobso response when questioned about Adobe, Adobe’s response to Apple’s resistance to include their products, and the future of the mobile internet…


Per Wired interview with Steve Jobs:

On Google: We did not enter the search business, Jobs said. They entered the phone business. Make no mistake they want to kill the iPhone. We won’t let them, he says. Someone else asks something on a different topic, but there’s no getting Jobs off this rant. I want to go back to that other question first and say one more thing, he says. This don’t be evil mantra: “It’s bullshit.” Audience roars.

About Adobe: They are lazy, Jobs says. They have all this potential to do interesting things but they just refuse to do it. They don’t do anything with the approaches that Apple is taking, like Carbon. Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy, he says. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash, he says. The world is moving to HTML5.

Clearly Adobe and Apple have some chips on their shoulders regarding each other. On one hand, I’m glad Apple is standing up to Adobe as they pretty much hold a monopoly in the whole internet video thing with Flash. At the same time, consumers should at least have an option should they not? Perhaps acting as if it doesn’t exist at all and pushing HTML5 on the masses will get this whole Flash defection moving all the quicker no?

I’m just ready to open up to tabs with heavy amounts of video content and not have my computer come to a halt because the flash content is rapping my processor. Am I alone?

TiPB