Last Thursday, the FCC started collecting information from consumers about the quality of their broadband service. If you’ve got a PC that can run Java, you can go to Broadband.gov and run the test now. (The FCC will collect your IP address and physical address, but not your name or email address, reports Wired.) If you’ve got an iPhone or Android smartphone, you can download an app to measure your connectivity and report it. [More]
apps
Save Money With These 4 iPhone Apps
By 2.23.10
Want to update your Facebook status? There’s an app for that. Looking to placate your baby with a dancing Teddy bear? There’s an app for that too. And believe it or not, there are some iPhone apps that will actually help you save a few bucks. [More]
Apple Bans 1,000+ Apps After Developer Is Caught Faking Reviews
By 12.8.09
Apple just swung the banhammer pretty hard at Molinker, a development company, after a customer named Patrick Timney pointed out that the majority of reviews on Molinker apps were fake. Until yesterday, the company had 1,011 apps on the App Store, mostly easy-to-knock-out travel guides for 99 cents each. Now they’re all gone, and Apple’s VP Phil Schiller told iPhoneography, “Yes, this developer’s apps have been removed from the App Store and their ratings no longer appear either.” [More]
Consumerist And Its Readers Will Never Want For Cat Pics Again
By 11.20.09
When Consumerist left Gawker to join Consumers Union, we lost access to the Getty image library, which had been the source for pictures like this and this. The new CatPaint iPhone app has already wowed some, but is it good enough for Consumerist? Let’s find out.
Block Spam Callers From Your Blackberry With Call Control
By 11.11.09
You can always just not answer your phone, but if a telemarketer calling you on your Blackberry sends you into a rage, you might want to look at Call Control. The app relies on the telemarketer database at everycall.us to screen out known spammers. The free version screens out the top 100 telemarketers; an $8 version uses the entire database and includes updates.
3 Cellphone Apps To Block Texting While Driving
By 10.30.09
We’ve been talking about the dangers of texting while driving for a while, and if you’ve been paying attention, you know it’s no joke: texting is 23 times more distracting than talking on a phone. In spite of this, most people do it anyway. If you just can’t help yourself, here are three apps that will limit your ability to text while driving.
Keep Track Of Your Prescriptions With This Free App
By 9.10.09
If you have to take meds, you know that one of the big issues is watching out for potential drug interactions—the last thing you want is to pass out at the supermarket from uncontrollable flatulence and a sudden onset of glaucoma. Consumer Reports has developed My Medication Tracker, a free desktop app that lets you privately keep a record of your medication history (and related costs), as well as watch out for potential interactions.
Three Ways To Use Google Voice On Your iPhone
By 8.12.09
Apple may not feel like you’re ready to take advantage of Google Voice, but luckily Jobs and his legion can’t lock you out of every potential way to access the service. (Yet.) Here are three paths to GV you can use today, no permission needed from the Applelord.
Is The FCC's iPhone Investigation Really About Number Portability?
By 8.6.09
There’s been a lot of talk online the past week about extending the principal of network neutrality to wireless networks, which may be partly why the FCC has asked Apple, Google, and AT&T to answer some questions about the rejected Google Voice iPhone app. Todd Barr at Bandwidth.com thinks that the reason may actually have to do with the concept of number portability.
By 8.5.09
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Apple censored a dictionary app, forcing the developers to remove listings to “cock,” “ass,” and other words that make fifth graders giggle, before it allowed it to go up on the App Store. Ninjawords is now available (with those entries excised) but has a 17+ rating. [Engadget]
New iPhone App Shows You Where To Buy Marijuana
By 7.22.09
If you’re wondering where to buy marijuana, or if you were too stoned to remember where you did buy it, there’s an app for that. Apple has approved a new iPhone application named “Cannabis” that personalizes Google maps to show you where to buy, well, cannabis.
Verizon C.E.O. Ivan Seidenberg Reveals The Telecom's Future
By 6.27.09
The future of Verizon lies in bundled apps and global domination, according to C.E.O. Ivan Seidenberg. Verizon’s head honcho appeared last week on Charlie Rose to chat about a range of things, including FiOs, the decision to build a CDMA network, and the future of your cellphone service. If nothing else, it’s nice to put a calm, seemingly rational face to the grotesque anti-consumer corporate monster that we all loathe. Hit the jump for the full interview.
New Sirius XM App For iPhone Missing All The Good Stuff
By 6.19.09
The new “premium” (their word) iPhone app from Sirius XM will cost $2.99 a month for customers who aren’t already subscribers. It also doesn’t include Howard Stern, MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play and Sirius Nascar Radio. Sirius blames licensing issues for most of the missing content, but not for the absence of Howard Stern, about which it won’t comment.
By 6.11.09
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The malware search terms reminded me of a highly useful (and now free) iPhone app for sudoku fans. It lets you take photos of printed sudoku puzzles and converts them into digital versions you can take with you and play on your phone. [SudokuGrab]
Put All Your Rewards Cards On Your iPhone With CardStar
By 6.4.09
If you’re sick of grocery store rewards cards clogging up your wallet, and you love whipping out your iPhone in public, have we’ve got an app for you. CardStar lets you punch in all your reward cards into your iPhone. At checkout, just click the CardStar icon, select the merchant from your saved list, and show the screen. They can scan the barcode right from the image. Usually $.99, the app is currently free for a limited time. A handy way for iPhone users to reduce clutter and fumbling for rewards cards when shopping.
By 5.26.09
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There’s a new free app for the iPhone called Audiobooks that connects you to 1800 public domain recordings, mostly of classic books. [TUAW]
"Baby Shaker" IPhone App Keeps Getting Pulled From App Store, We Can't Imagine Why
By 4.22.09
We know there have been complaints from developers that it takes too long to get iPhone apps approved, or that Apple is behind on payments, or that it’s hard to know what they’ll reject and what they’ll accept. Well, apparently they’ll accept an application that “challenges users to see how long they can withstand the cries of a baby before they shake it to death.” Oh wait, they won’t, they pulled it after complaints yesterday. No, wait, they put it back up for sale today! Oh no now it’s gone again. Maybe they’re just making room for a Pistol Whip Your Spouse app.
