iLounge

If you haven’t yet entered our CES Exhibits Plus Pass Giveaway, there’s still time to do so. In our Giveaway of the Month for November, iLounge and CEA are giving away CES Exhibits Plus passes to 100 lucky readers. The pass will allow access to all exhibits, TechZones, SuperSessions, and keynote addresses at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including the all new iLounge Pavilion. To enter, simply fill out and submit the form on the giveaway page—the giveaway will end on November 30, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific Time. Good luck!

Apple’s increased number of iPhone carriers in France is leading to a boost in sales, which bodes well for a similar result in the U.K. Marketwatch reports that the latest data from Bernstein shows Apple’s value market share in France jumped from 21% in the second quarter to 32% in the third quarter, thanks to the phone’s availability on Bouygues Telecom and SFR. “The expansion of iPhone distribution has clearly benefited Apple, helping it to more than double sales in three months,” said Pierre Ferragu, an analyst with Bernstein. Morgan Stanley had similar estimates, the report states, which showed iPhone market share in France increasing by 17% sequentially in the third quarter. Carolina Milanesi, research director in Gartner’s mobile device department, said France is now the biggest market for the iPhone in Europe with more than 600,000 units sold in the third quarter.

A similar boost is hoped for in the U.K. “Exclusivity in France ended in April. Our numbers show that shelf share tripled and market share doubled quarter on quarter,” said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston. “Given that the U.K. market is pretty similar and the brand strong there, yes, you can extrapolate that.” O2 was the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the country until earlier this month when Orange launched the device; Orange said it saw first-day sales of 30,000 units, while competing carrier Vodafone will launch the handset early next year. [via MDN]

Chinon has introduced its new AVi portable iPod speaker system with integrated digital TV. Featuring a boombox-style design, the AVi offers a Universal iPod Dock on the top of the system, a 7-inch, front-mounted LCD monitor, dual, 2.5W speakers, an integrated ATSC digital TV tuner with AV output, an auxiliary input for connecting the iPod shuffle or other audio sources, a digital FM tuner with 20 presets, an alarm clock, the ability to run for three hours off eight “C” batteries, and an included remote control. Chinon’s Avi portable speaker system for iPod is available now and sells for $200.

Following the release of its updated turn-by-turn navigation app that added support for the original iPhone and iPod touch, TomTom has revealed that first-, second-, and third-generation iPod touch users wanting to purchase a TomTom-branded GPS solution will need to buy a separate car kit than the one offered to iPhone users. In a Twitter update, TomTom representatives wrote, “The existing TomTom car kit is designed for the iPhone. A new car kit for iPod touch will be available shortly in the United States.” The iPod touch version of the Car Kit looks physically similar to its iPhone cousin, and will offer a majority of the same features—charging, enhanced GPS performance, an enhanced speaker, audio line out, and a rotating mount—but will lack the microphone of the iPhone unit. The company has put up a product page for the iPod touch Car Kit, which is listed at $100, but has yet to announce a firm release date. [via iFun.de]

iLounge and MusicSkins are pleased to announce the new Ultimate Design Contest. Entrants can upload their own design/imagery for the chance to be featured and distributed via MusicSkins iPod, iPhone and Macbook skins at the iLounge Pavilion within the International CES, held January 7th – 10th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other prizes include a Macbook computer, a third-generation iPod touch, and a MusicSkins licensing deal. The winner and 2 runners up will be chosen by the iLounge and MusicSkins staff. The contest begins now and will run until December 15th; interested readers can visit the Ultimate Design Contest homepage at www.MusicSkins.com/iloungecontest for more information and to upload their design. Good luck!

iPodweek, iLounge’s weekly newsletter recapping the last seven days in news, articles, reviews, and more, will be sent out to our email subscribers later today. In addition to rounding up the week’s top stories, iPodweek also features giveaways and accessory discount offers from various companies. If you haven’t yet signed up to receive iPodweek, there’s still time to register and receive this week’s edition — just use the simple form below to submit your email address.

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Apple is planning to roll out at least two more iPod touch applications to be used in its company-owned retail stores, according to an AppleInsider report. In addition to the previously revealed point-of sale application, Apple will reportedly be providing an application that allows employees to replace iPhones and iPods directly on the store floor, removing the need for a Genius Bar visit. A separate application is said to be designed for the stores’ stock rooms, where it will help facilitate necessary tasks performed in all of Apple’s retail stores. According to the report, the new apps will arrive simultaneously, alongside the new iPod touch-based POS system.

Gameloft has said that it, along with other developers, is cutting back on Android development due to the low financial returns seen on the platform. Reuters reports that Gameloft finance director Alexandre de Rochefort, speaking at an investor conference, said, “We have significantly cut our investment in Android platform, just like ... many others.” “It is not as neatly done as on the iPhone. Google has not been very good to entice customers to actually buy products. On Android nobody is making significant revenue,” he added. Gameloft’s App Store offerings generated 13 percent of the company’s revenue last quarter. “We are selling 400 times more games on iPhone than on Android,” Rochefort said. Google’s Android platform has seen increased press coverage lately in part due to the release of several high-profile devices, including the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris on Verizon Wireless.

Google has launched a new mobile-formatted version of its Google News homepage. The new offering is optimized for display on the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as Android devices and the Palm Pre. It offers the same personalization available on the desktop, along with more stories, sources, and images, a mobile-friendly “jump to” menu, and the ability to reach favorite sections, find articles, and play videos in fewer taps. To access the new mobile version of Google News, simply visit news.google.com from Safari on an iPhone or iPod touch.

Magellan has released its new RoadMate 2010 North America application for the iPhone and iPod touch. Features of the turn-by-turn navigation app include a OneTouch favorites menu for fast bookmarking and retrieval of commonly-accessed places and searches, spoken street name guidance, highway lane assist, QuickSpell with SmartCity Search for faster entry of addresses, 3D landmarks, Address Book integration, in-app music control, the ability to save a vehicle’s parking location, a pedestrian mode for use outside a vehicle, and up-to-date NAVTEQ maps. In addition, the application offers support for the iPod touch, allowing for use with an optional third-party GPS receiver, such as Magellan’s upcoming Premium Car Kit. The Car Kit will offer a fully adjustable, rotating mount to work with any skin or case, enhanced GPS signal via the built-in receiver, the ability to charge the connected iPhone or iPod touch, a noise-cancelling speakerphone with Bluetooth hands-free calling, and an amplified speaker. Magellan’s RoadMate 2010 North America application is available now and sells for $80; the Premium Car Kit is listed as coming soon, but no exact release date or pricing information has yet been announced.

Proporta has introduced its new Antimicrobial Silicone Case with SteriTouch for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. The Antimicrobial Silicone Case is made from rugged silicone, which has been treated with an antimicrobial coating to guard against germs and bacteria, and features a textured black outer surface with grey interior. Proporta’s Antimicrobial Silicone Case with SteriTouch for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS is available now and sells for $21.

Virgin Mobile Canada has announced that it will launch the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS in its Virgin Mobile retail stores and online in the coming months. Although no further details were provided in the official announcement, Canadian mobile news site MobileSyrup suggests that the handset will launch on the carrier in February 2010, and also believes pricing will be similar to that offered by the phone’s other Canadian carriers, with a three-year contract. The iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS are currently available in Canada through Rogers/Fido, Bell Canada, and Telus.

Incase has introduced its new Car Charger and Combo Charger for the iPod and iPhone. Both chargers feature dual high-speed USB ports for charging up to two devices at once, LED charging indicators, and an included four-foot 30-pin charging cable. The Car Charger is made solely for in-vehicle use, connecting to an open power port or cigarette lighter port, and featuring a high-gloss finish, while the Combo Charger can connect to in-vehicle power ports, as well as to standard US outlets thanks to folding prongs hidden in the charging stem, and features a soft-touch finish. Incase’s new Car Charger and Combo Charger are available now and sell for $30 and $40, respectively.

In addition, the company has launched new chrome-finish version of its Slider Case for the iPhone 3G/3GS and iPod touch 2G/3G; both versions offer full access to all ports and controls, included S-Stands for widescreen viewing, and a slide-off bottom for easy docking. The Chrome Slider Cases for iPhone 3G/3GS and iPod touch 2G/3G are available now and sell for $35 each.

AT&T has suffered an initial setback in its lawsuit against Verizon Wireless over the latter’s recent TV advertisements attacking AT&T and the iPhone, but has also launched a new television commercial to counter the Verizon spots. A federal judge in Atlanta has denied an initial request from AT&T to force Verizon to pull its “map for that” commercials from the airwaves, the Asscociated Press reports, but did schedule a hearing on December 16 to give AT&T attorneys another chance to state their case. AT&T filed suit against Verizon Wireless two weeks ago claiming that the latter’s ads were “misleading.”

In response to Verizon’s ads, AT&T has launched a new TV commercial called “Side by Side” comparing certain characteristics of the two company’s offerings that favor the U.S. iPhone carrier. Starring actor Luke Wilson, the ad points out that AT&T has the “nation’s fastest 3G network,” which allows users to “talk and surf at the same time,” that it offers the most popular smartphones, and that its customers—more specifically, iPhone users—have access to over 100,000 apps. The new advertisement is available for viewing below in embedded form or can be viewed in high quality on YouTube. [via Mac Rumors]

Marware has introduced several new cases for the fifth-generation iPod nano and second- and third-generation iPod touch. The MicroShell for iPod touch 2G and 3G is a thin, half-shell hard case offering a thickness of less than 1mm, a metallic finish with a rubberized feel, open access to all ports and controls, and an included screen protector and cleaning cloth. It is available now in six colors and sells for $25. The EcoSleeve for iPod nano 5G is an environmentally friendly case made from stretchy, black Eco-Fabric cotton canvas, featuring a clear vinyl cover for protection of the screen and Click Wheel, a thin bottom flap that opens to allow for access to the Dock Connector, wave styling on the rear, an included clear screen protector and cleaning cloth, and open access to the headphone port and camera. It is available now and priced at $20.

Finally, the Eco-Runner for iPod nano 5G is an environmentally friendly armband-style case made from eco-friendly materials. It offers the ability to function as a wristband or armband case, a clear vinyl cover for the nano’s screen and Click Wheel, reflective pieces for nighttime visibility, an adjustable bottom strap to allow support for the Nike+iPod Sport Kit Receiver, and an included clear screen protector and cleaning cloth. It too is available now in black, blue, or pink, and sells for $35.

TomTom has released version 1.2 of its TomTom U.S. & Canada turn-by-turn navigation application, adding support for the iPod touch and original iPhone. The inclusion of iPod touch and iPhone support means the application can now be used on those devices when connected to third-party GPS solutions, such as the TomTom Car Kit. Other improvements include improved search and route summary screens, updated maps and points of interest databases, an updated IQ Routes database, Advanced Lane Guidance in both portrait and landscape modes, Text-to-speech in English, French, and Spanish, a Help Me! emergency menu, and iPod player support. TomTom U.S. & Canada is available from the App Store and sells for $100.

AdMob, the mobile advertising network recently acquired by Google, has launched a new “Interactive Video Ad Unit” for the iPhone. The new ad unit promises “true interactivity,” offering in-player actions that enable users to browse Web sites, view additional videos, and more while the video is playing. AdMob says the unit will be sold primarily as an interstitial that will automatically play as an application loads, but may also be accessed through banner ads. In addition, AdMob creates multiple bitrate encodings of the video files for each and then dynamically streams the most appropriate file size based on the devices’ EDGE, 3G, or Wi-Fi connection, utilizing its network of globally distributed servers to ensure the fastest possible video load times. According to the company, AdMob’s iPhone ad network reached more than 20 million unique iPhones and iPod touch devices worldwide in 2009.

The Chinese market represents a large opportunity, and perhaps an equally large challenge, for iPhone app developers, according to a Wall Street Journal report. While the country is said to have roughly two million iPhone users, the vast majority of those are jailbroken units, and are therefore more likely to hold pirate applications. In addition, official China Unicom iPhones lack Wi-Fi, removing a key capability for some applications, and many App Store offerings are in English, with prices in U.S. dollars. Even so, companies are racing to become the top apps in China. “We know perfectly well that Chinese market is huge and has great potential. But when we release apps targeting users here, we’re usually not able to get reasonable returns because of piracy,” said Shi Weixing, CEO of Chinese mobile application company 9thQ.

Shi estimates that about $1 million of legitimate apps have been sold in China so far this year, though the number could rise to $6 million in 2010. By comparison, AdMob estimates about $200 million in apps are sold through the App Store each month. Payment methods also pose a barrier to growth, as the App Store requires a credit card issued by a Chinese bank, something not commonplace, said Frank Yu, COO of Beijing-based app designer Shouji Mobile. “Once Wifi is allowed on future 3G iPhones and the price of handsets falls due to product life cycle, more subsidies or economies of scale, we will see the iPhone market in China go mainstream,” Yu said.

Qualcomm has confirmed that it is in talks with Apple over the possibility of supplying telecommunications chips for future versions of the iPhone. “We continue to discuss it, but haven’t made it yet,” Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said in a Bloomberg Television interview. “Hopefully, in the future, we will have the opportunity.” The company already provides chips to other smartphone manufacturers, including those building phones that run Windows Mobile and Google’s Android operating systems. “We talk to everybody in the industry,” Jacobs said. “We are very strong in the smart-phone market.” Bloomberg reports that Qualcomm plans to begin selling chips compatible with China’s domestically-developed TD-SCDMA technology next year; China Mobile uses the technology and had 1.66 million TD-SCDMA customers as of September 30. China Mobile recently said that it remains in talks with Apple about offering the iPhone on its network.

Griffin Technology, as part of its new Co-Op Initiative, has announced a partnership with community-based online apparel store Threadless to produce a new line of accessories. First in the series are the new Clouds within the Thunder and Birds of a Feather cases for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Each single-piece thin polycarbonate case offers a thickness of less than 1mm, and open access to all ports, controls, and the camera. In addition, like the t-shirt designs on which they are based, each case design is made in limited quantities. Both new Griffin+Threadless cases for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS are available now and sell for $35.