iLounge

App Cubby has released Tweet Speaker, a new Twitter client that allows users to listen to their streams spoken aloud. The app features an attractive user interface displaying a single tweet per screen with standard buttons for replying, marking favourites, retweeting and viewing conversation threads, with a radio dial styled time indicator displayed at the bottom. Tweet Marker support allows synchronization of timeline positions with other Twitter clients such as Twitterrific and Tweetbot.

Tapping the playback button begins reading back tweets from the current timeline position using a synthesized voice system specifically optimized for Twitter; replies, mentions, hashtags and even external links are interpreted and read appropriately—for example Tweet Speaker will attempt to follow short links and read the actual web page title rather than simply speaking an unintelligible URL. Users can also adjust the reading speed and the application includes AirPlay support. Tweet Speaker requires iOS 4.2 or later and is available from the App Store for $3.

Apple has posted a streaming video feed of today’s “Let’s talk iPhone” event. At the event, which lasted upwards of 90 minutes, Apple highlighted its upcoming iOS 5 operating system and iCloud, announced modest updates to the iPod nano and iPod touch, unveiled its new Cards and Find My Friends apps, and debuted the iPhone 4S. The stream is available for viewing now from Apple’s website.

Rumored to be discontinued amidst an increased focus on touchscreen devices, Apple’s screenless iPod shuffle and Click Wheel-based iPod classic have survived for yet another year. Oddly, while Apple’s Senior Vice-President Phil Schiller acknowledged that the fourth-generation iPod shuffle was not being updated this year—a decision now reflected in Apple’s web pages, which continue to show the same device at its prior 2GB size, $49 price, and colors—he omitted any mention of the iPod classic, which was previously left out of last year’s iPod announcement event as well.

The iPod classic has not been updated since 2009, when it became a single model with a 160GB hard disk, replacing the nearly identical 120GB model introduced in 2008. Apple.com’s web pages continue to show it as a $249 device with 160GB of hard disk capacity, with the same 2.5”, 320x240 screen and two body color options; it is offered as a high-capacity iPod given that no iPhone or iPod touch model exceeds 64GB in capacity.

Apple has released its Gold Master seed of iOS 5 to registered developers. Listed as build 9a334, the GM build is likely the last to be seeded prior to the software’s official launch on October 12, and as such can be used to submit iOS 5 applications to the App Store for review. Notably, the iOS 5 GM seed is not available as an over-the-air software update, as has been the case with past iOS 5 beta releases. iOS 5 GM seed, and the accompanying SDK, is available for download now from the iOS Dev Center.

Apple’s official web pages for the new iPod nano and iPod touch models have been intermittently online since they were announced, and suggest that the updates are as minor as they were portrayed on stage. New iPod nano pages suggest no changes to the body, screen, or colors of the new model, which continues to have a clip on the back and did not regain video camera functionality as was suggested many months ago by a rear shell leak; the most significant changes appear to be the addition of built-in Nike+ support, “Fitness Walk + Run” support, the redesigned one-plus-quarter-quarter icon interface, and the lowered $129/$149 price points. Additionally, the iPod touch does not appear to have gained any new internal functionality beyond what was offered in iOS 5-related software updates; it continues to have an A4 processor with Bluetooth 2.1 capabilities, while the iPhone 4S has gained a dual-core A5 processor with Bluetooth 4.0.

Updated: Despite having pitched the iPod nano as “new” during its presentation and in an accompanying press release, Apple will apparently offer all of the new features as a free version 1.2 software update to the sixth-generation (2010) iPod nano, to be available through the iTunes Store.

Apple today updated its iPod touch lineup with a white model while dropping the price on the low end unit. Described by Apple executive Phil schiller as the most popular portable game player in the world, the updated unit comes with iOS 5, and thus iCloud, pre-installed, and is priced at $199 for 8GB models—down from $229—$299 for 32GB units, and $399 for 64GB models. The updated fourth-generation iPod touch will be available October 12.

Apple today announced that iOS 5, the latest version of its mobile operating system, will be available as a free download for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users on October 12. The updated software brings with it over 200 new features, including a new Notifications system, Reminders app, Twitter integration, Camera enhancements, expanded iCloud support, Wi-Fi Sync, PC-less setup, and more. iOS 5 will be available for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 2, iPad, and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch.

During today’s “Let’s talk iPhone” event, Apple executives Tim Cook and Scott Forstall offered several updates on the company’s iOS platform. Most notably, the company has now sold over 250 million iOS devices, and offers more than 500,000 apps in the App Store, with over 140,000 of those made specifically for the iPad. Overall, more than 18 billion apps have been downloaded from the store, with the rate accelerating to over 1 billion downloads per month. Over 100,000 developers have been seeded with the iOS 5 beta, and over $3 billion has been paid out to app developers. When all iOS devices are counted, the platform is the top mobile operating system with 43 percent of the market.

In his opening remarks at Apple’s “Let’s talk iPhone” media event today, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that the company has now sold over 300 million iPods. Cook stated that the iPod holds a 78 percent share of the MP3 market, that the company sold 45 million iPods from July 2010 to June 2011, that nearly half of iPod customers are purchasing their first iPod, and that the iPod still represents a “large and important” market for Apple. He also revealed that the company has now seen over 16 billion song downloads from iTunes, calling the Store’s success “mind boggling.”

Apple’s “Let’s talk iPhone” media event is being held today at the company’s campus Town Hall auditorium. As there are plenty of announcements expected to come from the event, we’re providing this story as a starting point—we’ll be linking to all the major news from the event right here, so check back periodically throughout the afternoon for more updates.

So far:

iPhone 4S to launch October 14, iPod nano to see update

Apple introduces Cards, a new free app that lets you create and send cards directly from your iPhone. It will mail printed cards through the mail after you design them, then provide tracking notifications to your iPhone. Cards will be $3 each when mailed within the U.S. Available October 12.

iOS 5 is coming October 12. As is iCloud.

Apple announces Find My Friends application for iCloud, enabling you to locate your friends and family if they’re using Apple’s devices.

“New” iPod nano announced - new user interface, 16 new clock faces, Nike+ without the need for shoe-based sensors. $129/$149, available today. Seven colors like the previous ones. Updated! Originally claimed to be a “new” iPod nano, this appears to be little more than a price change with a minor software update. Following the event, it was discovered that the software will be released for the 2010 iPod nano as well.

Updated iPod touch: black and white, $199 8GB, $299 32GB, $399 64GB. Available October 12. Nothing mentioned about under-the-hood changes of any sort. Updated! Apart from the color addition, there does not appear to be any change to the iPod touch hardware at all this year.

iPhone 4S officially announced with A5 processor, dual-core graphics chip that’s up to 7x faster than prior iPhone (down from 9x in prior iPad). Yet now gets eight hours of talk time, six hours of 3G browsing, 9 of Wi-Fi browsing. Now can switch between two antennas for improved call quality. Data speeds now doubled for downloading—now up to nearly 14.4Mbps downloading speed. Apple is not calling this 4G, but saying that the performance is 4G-caliber. It’s a dual-band world phone with both GSM + CDMA. Improved camera sports an 8-Megapixel sensor with backside illumination, gathering 73% more light than before, with a hybrid IR filter and 1/3 faster performance. The lens now has 5 elements and is f/2.4—really wide angle with 30% greater sharpness, macro photo feature, plus 1080p video recording.

iPhone 4S also gets AirPlay mirroring. And expanded voice controls thanks to an integrated Siri assistant. “What’s the weather like today?” can be answered by the iPhone 4S with a forecast. “Find me a great Greek restaurant in Palo Alto,” and it returns a bunch of results sorted by rating. The interface is a mix of prior Siri and the linen backdrop of OS X and iOS, tying into iOS applications to look up calendar information, messages, and other things stored on the device. It can read to you, and understand what you’re saying. It will initially be available in English, German, and French support, with other languages to follow. 16GB, 32GB, 64GB $199/$299/$399. 3GS and 4 will still be sold, 3GS free on contract, iPhone 4 is $99 for 8GB. Preorder on 7th, available October 14, Verizon AT+T and Sprint. First countries: U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K., France, Germany, and Japan, with more to follow on the 28th, then more through end of the year.

A summary of the presentation thus far is available after the break.

Apple appears to have quietly removed Click Wheel iPod Games from the iTunes Store, prompting further speculation that the company is planning to discontinue the iPod classic. A link to the Click Wheel Games section previously appeared on the App Store drop down menu, however that option has recently vanished and attempts to search for or even link from existing Click Wheel iPod Games now returns a response that the item requested is “not currently available.”

Downloadable iPod games were introduced in the fall of 2006 when Apple released the enhanced fifth-generation iPod alongside a firmware update adding support to the prior year’s model. Game support was also added to the third-generation iPod nano when it was released the following year, although the 2007 release of the iPod classic and iPod nano controversially rendered all previous games incompatible, requiring users to repurchase the same titles for the new devices. The selection of games remained relatively limited since Apple never released an open SDK, instead hand-picking select developers to participate, and handling some of the coding on its own. During Apple’s Fall 2010 event, the company released the sixth-generation iPod nano with a revised touchscreen interface and no iPod game support; the company also conspicuously omitted any direct mention of the iPod classic at that event, leaving many to conclude that the older traditional iPods are no longer a priority for Apple. [via AppleInsider]

Madfinger Games has released Shadowgun, a third-person action shooter built on the Unity development platform. Shadowgun puts players in the role of John Slade, a professional bounty hunter in a futuristic world who must hunt down a rogue scientist infiltrating his fortress and battling an army of mutants and cyborgs. The game provides console quality graphics taking advantage of the capabilities of modern iOS devices with advanced lighting effects and detailed environments in an immersive storyline with multiple possible outcomes. In addition to military style tactical combat players must also solve hacking mini-games to progress and advance the plot. Shadowgun is a universal app requiring iOS 4.2 and is available from the App Store for $8. The game requires an iPhone 3GS/4, iPod touch 3G/4G or iPad.

Apple today has invited select members of the press to a special “Let’s talk iPhone” event for the next-generation iPhone. As previously reported, the event will be held on Tuesday, October 4 at Apple’s Town Hall Auditorium on its corporate campus in Cupertino, CA. The invitation includes four classic iPhone icons, showing the Tuesday date, 10:00 (AM/Pacific) event start time, Infinite Loop location, and Phone app with the number “1” next to it.

Apple is widely expected to introduce at least one new iPhone at the event, and will also likely announce a release date for iOS 5, as well as one or more new iPod models, although no specific reports related to the latter have surfaced in recent months. As the company occasionally hides hints in the icons and text of its invitations, it’s possible that the event may focus solely on a single new iPhone model, rather than the two that have been rumored for some time.

Skype has released an update for its iOS applications adding support for Bluetooth audio on recent devices. Skype for the iPhone and iPod touch now supports Bluetooth headset devices on the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, fourth-generation iPod touch and the iPad 2; the iPad version of Skype has also been updated to add Bluetooth support for the iPad 2. Additional improvements in the iPhone and iPod touch version of Skype include a redesigned user interface with support for emoticons and enhanced video with image stabilization. Both of the Skype applications include bug fixes related a security vulnerability nd are now ad-supported—advertising will be shown to users who do not have a Skype subscription or Skype Credit in their account. Skype for the iPhone and iPod touch and Skype for iPad are available separately as free downloads from the App Store.

Mobigame has released an update to its popular block-rolling puzzle game Edge adding a new 3D engine and Game Center integration. With the new engine the latest version of Edge now runs a full 60 FPS and users can sync progress between their devices using Apple’s Game Center. The update also includes graphics optimized for the Retina Display and iPad 2 multisample anti-aliasing along with optimizations for older first- and second-generation devices. Users can also now play against a ghost block and several bug fixes are included to improve playability. Edge 1.7 is a universal app and is available from the App Store for $3.

Alawar Entertainment has released Farm Frenzy 3, the third instalment in its popular farming sim series for the iOS platform. The latest game features a revamped art style, new gameplay and introduces a new storyline presented in comic-book style interludes. In Farm Frenzy 3 players take on the role of a new character, Scarlett, whose must earn the trust of the community by building a successful farming business and unseat the greedy president of the Farmers Union in the next election. The game provides 95 levels where players must manage local farms across exotic locations from the South Pole to Africa, feeding animals, protecting the farm, collecting produce and manufacturing goods. Game Center and OpenFeint integration also provide tracking of 16 different trophies and achievements and the developer plans to offer sequels via in-app purchase providing additional levels and new challenges. The full game is available in two versions: Farm Frenzy 3 ($3) for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and third- or fourth-generation iPod touch and Farm Frenzy 3 HD ($5) for the iPad. Free Lite versions are also available that provide a more limited set of levels and animals.

Canon has announced that it has added AirPrint support to three PIXMA printers. According to the announcement, the PIXMA MG8220, MG6220 and MG5320 Wireless Photo All-In-One inkjet photo printers will now support AirPrint wireless printing from the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. In addition, the company also announced that the majority of PIXMA inkjet printers launched from this point forward will include support for the feature. Introduced in iOS 4.2 last November, AirPrint allows for configuration- and driver-free printing to supported printers directly from iOS devices.

Apple has signed a foundry partnership agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), according to a new report. Citing industry sources, Digitimes reports that under the new agreement, TSMC will use its 28nm and 20nm process technologies to produce Apple’s next-generation CPUs. Reports linking the two companies date back to as early as June, as tensions between Apple and A5 manufacturing partner Samsung became increasingly evident. The report goes on to state that Apple and TSMC have not yet discussed backend manufacturing, and suggests that Apple may have TSMC and other dedicated packaging and testing houses split the orders due to TSMC’s limited backend services capacity.

Capcom has released two new classic game titles for the iPhone and iPod touch: Final Fight and Street Fighter II Collection alongside an update to Street Fighter IV: Volt adding two new fighters, Fei Long and Yun.

In Final Fight, the player takes on the role of a character who must rescue a kidnapped young woman named Jessica from a ruthless street gang. The beat-‘em-up action side-scrolling action game allows the player to choose from one of three characters—Guy, Cody or Hagger—each with their own unique fighting style and abilities. The iOS version also adds an additional finishing move button that allows the player to blow up enemies when in danger. Two players can also team up for co-op gameplay via Bluetooth. Final Fight requires iOS 4.1 or later and an iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or third- or fourth-generation iPod touch and is available from the App Store for an introductory price of $1.

The Street Fighter II Collection combines the original Street Fighter II, Street Fighter II: Champion Edition and Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting into a single app with features optimized for the iPhone and iPod touch interface. The game also includes support for cooperative multiplayer Bluetooth games and an easy-to-use one-button finishing move. Street Fighter II Collection requires iOS 4.1 or later and an iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or third- or fourth-generation iPod touch and is available from the App Store for $4.

SkyGrid has released an redesigned version of its iOS news aggregator app improving the user interface and navigation. SkyGrid 2.2 now allows users to select the Photo Grid view across all sections and provides a separate Following Grid for every source and topic being followed. Image quality has also been improved throughout the app and users can now swipe between home screens and take advantage of more seamless scrolling to view additional stories. The new version also includes an updated Choose Your Interested Guide providing more content and allows users to add more topics or sources to their following grid from any page simply by tapping on the green ribbon in the top right corner. SkyGrid is available from the App Store as a free download.