iLounge

Disney.com has launched its new official application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new app offers access to Disney news and entertainment, interaction with popular characters through customizable photo frames and audio greetings, the ability to listen to Radio Disney live and watch videos, in-app games like Name That Song, and more. In addition, it offers a “Click2Life” feature that allows iPhone users to take pictures of images on the disney.com website that then become animated images within the app. Disney.com is available now as a free download from the App Store.

Priceline.com has released its Hotel Negotiator application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The app lets users find and book last-minute accommodations using the site’s Name Your Own Price hotel service. Features include a winning bids listing that displays multiple recent winning bids made by other customers for hotels across a city, a shake-activated, location-based winning bids search, the ability to sort listings by star level, price, proximity, and popularity, instant bid results, the ability to browse Priceline’s published-price hotel listings, and a specially-designed one-page checkout screen. Priceline.com’s Hotel Negotiator app is available as a free download.

Seeitwithus has introduced Videopix, its first application for the iPhone 3GS. Videopix allows iPhone 3GS users to scrub through their videos frame-by-frame, extracting 640x480 stills directly from the video files. Features include precise navigation controls, automatic video orientation detection for proper photo exporting, and the ability to take images from any video in the Camera Roll. Videopix is available now and sells for $5.

Location-aware social networking service Brightkite has updated its native iPhone and iPod touch application to version 2.0. Sporting a slightly tweaked interface, the new version gives users access to new features recently added to the service’s website, including a new Friend model that allows others to follow as a fan, leaving the choice as to whether or not they are a “friend” up to the user, a new privacy model that lets users decide who sees each post, post-by-post settings for sending updates to other sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr, the option to post without location data, and more. Brightkite 2.0 is available now as a free download.

Marware has unveiled its new Sport Grip case for the fifth-generation iPod nano. Made from non-slip, high-grade antimicrobial silicone, the Sport Grip features a unique subtly curved shape for easy handling, an integrated Dock port protector, open access to all other ports, controls, and the camera, small rear holes for attaching a lanyard or strap, and an included screen protector and cleaning cloth. Available now in black or clear, the Marware Sport Grip for iPod nano 5G sells for $20.

Update: Marware has also introduced a Deluxe version of the Sport Grip for iPod nano 5G, adding a lanyard and carabiner to the package for an extra $5.

Google has revealed details of its upcoming free turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation, and has said it plans to bring the app to the iPhone. The new application will offer common Google Maps features, including the ability to search by name of business and traffic data, as well as new features like voice-assisted turn-by-turn navigation, integration with Satellite and Street View, and the ability to search along the selected route for upcoming points of interest like gas stations and restaurants.

The application will launch with Android 2.0 on the Motorola Droid, which will be available on Verizon on November 6, and will be featured on other upcoming GPS-capable Android 2.0 devices. Google’s Vice President of Engineering, Vic Gundotra, also confirmed that the company is currently working with Apple to bring the application to the iPhone, but noted that the process is different than the normal App Store submission process, because Maps is a built-in iPhone application. No preliminary launch date was mentioned for the iPhone version.

In its 2009 10-K form (PDF Link), filed yesterday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple said it plans to fight Nokia in the complaint the Finnish communications giant filed against Apple last week. In the complaint, Nokia claims that Apple’s iPhone infringes on several Nokia patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN standards, or, more specifically, those covering wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption. In its filing, Apple said that it “intends to defend the case vigorously.” Overall, Apple said it is defending more than 47 patent infringement cases, of which 27 were filed during the company’s fiscal 2009.

This week’s featured photo is from our iPhones Around the World gallery, and shows an iPhone looking towards Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany. To share your photos and to be considered for our Photo of the Week, you simply need to submit your own photo to one of our galleries. So get out there, take some pictures with your iPod or iPhone, and maybe your submission will be our next Photo of the Week!

Data from the latest ChangeWave consumer survey indicates that the iPhone continues to gain market share in the smart phone category, bringing Apple within striking distance of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion for the first time. Overall, 39% of consumers said they currently own a smart phone, up two percent from June. Apple’s market share has jumped five percent among those respondents—from 25% to 30%—in the same time period, leaving it 10% behind market leader RIM, which dropped one point to 40%. Palm remains at 7%. Among consumers planning to purchase a smart phone in the next 90 days, Apple’s share dropped from 44% in June to 36% in September, but it remains 9% ahead of RIM in this metric. Finally, Apple continues to lead in customer satisfaction, with 74% of owners saying they are very satisfied with their iPhone. ChangeWave’s latest survey of was performed from September 14-21 with 4,255 consumer respondents.

After amassing more than 3,100 votes from iLounge readers, our latest poll, “Will iTunes LP make you more likely to purchase albums from the iTunes Store?” has ended. Readers were given a choice between two positive or five negative responses, plus an option for those who don’t purchase music.

With 29% of the vote, “I already purchase albums from the iTunes Store and am no more likely do to so because of iTunes LP,” was the leading response from readers, with 19% instead saying they purchase their music exclusively on physical media. 15% said they either rarely buy albums in any format or simply don’t pay for music at all, followed by the nine percent who said they like the iTunes LP format and will purchase more albums from iTunes because of it. Eight percent of readers said they purchase their music from other music download stores, while just six percent said they like the format, but will only increase their album purchases if Apple extends support for iTunes LP beyond iTunes, to devices like the Apple TV or a large screen tablet. Thanks for all your votes!

Our new poll takes a look back to initial iPod ownership. We’d like to know if you still have your first iPod. Do you still have a fully-functioning unit, or do you still have it around, but in an unusable state? Or did you give it to a friend or family member, or perhaps sell it to upgrade to either a newer iPod or iPhone? Or maybe it was lost or stolen, or disposed of because it stopped working? Or have you never owned an iPod? Our new poll, “Do you still have your first iPod?” lets you answer that question. As always, you can find the iLounge Poll in the left-hand column of the main iLounge.com homepage.

Also, don’t forget that voting for our 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards ends tomorrow. In our Readers’ Choice Awards, we’re letting our readers pick the year’s best from four categories—Apple’s best new digital media product, iPod + iPhone Accessory Developer, iPhone + iPod Application Developer, and iPhone + iPod Game Developer. Currently, the iPhone 3GS leads the third-generation iPod touch by a slim margin in the race to be crowned Apple’s best new digital media product of 2009, while the Pod + iPhone Accessory Developer of the Year race is a toss-up between Griffin, Belkin, Logitech, and iHome. Bolt Creative and Facebook remain close rivals in the iPhone + iPod Application Developer of the Year race, and Tapulous currently has a lead in the Game Developer of the Year race, with EA and Gameloft closing in. Cast your vote today!

Ozaki has introduced its new iUFO speaker system for the iPod touch and iPhone. The iUFO offers stereo speakers powered by a digital Class D amplifier, an integrated rotating dock and user-positionable stand, an auxiliary input, AV outputs, an included remote control, and the ability to charge the connected iPod or iPhone while playing. Ozaki’s iUFO is both Made for iPod and Works With iPhone certified and will sell for $130; release information has yet to be announced.

Apple has sent specifications of its upcoming tablet device to various Australian media outlets, according to a new report. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Apple has been distributing the specs in an effort to gauge the publications’ interest in delivering content for the device. None of the outlets were willing to talk about the device on record, but New York Times executive editor Bill Keller mentioned the device in a recent off-the-record staff meeting, suggesting it too has knowledge of the device. “I’m hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that,” Keller said. Video of the meeting is available online. [via AppleInsider]

Tapulous has teamed with rock band Metallica for the release of its new Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica game for the iPhone and iPod touch. Like prior Tap Tap releases, Revenge: Metallica is a rhythm game in which players attempt to hit one of three, four, or five tracks in time with the music and with the note indicators moving down the screen. The game features 10 songs, four boss tracks, a landscape mode with four rails on hard difficulty and five on extreme, an arcade mode, a Bluetooth multiplayer battle mode, four difficulty levels, and Facebook Connect functionality. Notably, several iLounge editors wondered whether Tapulous would continue releasing artist-specific editions of Tap Tap games after its launch of Tap Tap Revenge 3, which can be expanded via an in-game music store; this release seems to suggest that it will. Tap Tap Revenge: Metallica is available now from the App Store and sells for $5.

Electronic Arts today released NBA Live by EA Sports ($10), a full-featured basketball game title with a number of features such as real teams and real players, an 82-game season mode, a shorter playoff mode, and light managerial options. Our review is available here.

NASDAQ announced today that it has introduced a new stock market application, NASDAQ Portfolio Manager, allowing investors to build watch lists and detailed portfolios of U.S. stocks, track price performance in real time, access pre-market and after-hours quotes, and view dynamic charts. NASDAQ Portfolio Manager is available for free from the App Store.

The National Film Board of Canada has released NFB Films, an app for the iPhone or iPod touch that provides access to hundreds of independent films, documentaries, and animation films from the NFB collection. The application, available free from the App Store, allows users to search or browse through the NFB library and view content on their device, as well as downloading content to watch offline for up to 24 hours, marking content as favorites. The app also includes a “nearby” feature to show you what other people in your area are watching.

GameFly also recently introduced its free GameCenter app for the iPhone and iPod touch. GameCenter provides users with access to information on more than 5,000 video games across major gaming platforms, as well as news, videos, screenshots, release dates, user reviews, gameplay controls, cheat codes, and more. The GameCenter App is available free on the App Store.

Despite recent ads attacking the iPhone, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said today that the decision about whether or not to offer the iPhone on Verizon’s network is “in Apple’s court” and that Verizon “would be interested if [Apple] wanted us as a partner.” Verizon has been seeing some weakness in subscriber growth this past quarter with a slight increase in subscriber defection rate attributed largely to competition from AT&T and the iPhone.

In an interview with BusinessWeek, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski discussed a number of issues regarding net neutrality, broadband accessibility, and wireless spectrum. Notably, Mr. Genachowski specifically mentioned that the available spectrum for wireless services is currently threatened by the demand being created by the iPhone and similar wireless devices, and indicated that the FCC will need to make longer-term plans and innovations in spectrum policy to ensure that future growth can be properly accommodated.

TimeStream Software has released five new NotesCast offerings for Walt Disney World Resort to provide information for vacation planning and in-park tours. The new series of Notescasts include a general “Walt Disney World Guide,” as well as individual Notescasts for more specific tour information to assist guests in discovering less-known facts and secrets within the park. TimeStream software has previously provided Notescasts for Click Wheel iPod models ranging from tour guide NotesCasts to e-books that load into the iPod Notes section; this represents the company’s first iPhone and iPod touch version of a Notescast. The Walt Disney Notescasts apps are available from the App Store and sell for $1-$2 each. 

The Washington Post reports that Harvard Medical School has launched an iPhone application to provide more information on the H1N1 flu through videos, animations and text, and also features real-time updates and news from Harvard Medical School regarding the H1N1 virus, a health map feature that allows users to track the state of the epidemic in their current locations, and a symptom checker to help users determine if their symptoms indicate H1N1 and when users should contact their doctor. Hotlines and numbers to call are also provided based on the user’s location. The HMSMobile Swine Flu Center app is available on the App Store for $2.

Telus announced today that it will begin selling the iPhone in Canada on Thursday, November 5th. Although specific iPhone plans have not yet been announced, Telus will be selling the three current iPhone 3G and 3GS models at the same subsidized three-year contract pricing as Rogers Wireless. Until now Rogers and Fido have been the exclusive iPhone carriers in Canada by virtue of having the only 3G network rather than any exclusive agreement with Apple. Telus and Bell Canada have recently upgraded their carrier networks to provide 3G capabilities, and Bell Canada is also expected to begin offering the iPhone sometime in November, although no specific dates or prices have yet been announced by that company.

The Guardian reports that Orange UK will launch the iPhone on November 10th in the UK, the day after the end of O2’s two-year exclusive contract with Apple. The iPhone will be sold through the Orange’s own stores as well as Phones4U. Carphone Warehouse is also expected to sell the iPhone on behalf of Orange. This announcement makes Orange the second carrier in the UK to offer the iPhone. Two other carriers, Vodafone and 3, are also expected to begin offering the iPhone on their networks in the UK in 2010.

There are only two days remaining to case your vote in our 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards. We’re asking you our readers to pick the year’s best in four categories: Apple’s best new digital media product, iPod + iPhone Accessory Developer, iPhone + iPod Application Developer, and iPhone + iPod Game Developer.

Companies currently in the lead include Bolt Creative, developer of Pocket God, Facebook and Skype in the Application Developer of the Year category; Belkin, Griffin, iHome and Logitech in the Accessory Developer of the Year category and EA, Gameloft and Tapulous for Game Developer of the Year. Remember that there’s still time for you to cast your vote—voting ends on October 28, 2009—and all it takes is filling out a simple four-question survey, so cast your votes today!

Don’t forget to get your submission in for our Design the Apple Tablet Contest. In this contest we’re asking you to come up with your own idea of what you think Apple’s upcoming tablet device should look like. The winners will be featured in our 2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers’ Guide. Great entries are still coming in and the contest ends on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific Time, so get to work on your own great concept over the weekend and submit it for your shot at a pair of Ultimate Ears Custom UE 4 Pros and an 8GB iPod touch!

Also be sure to enter our Sonix3 Earphone Giveaway. In our Giveaway of the Month for October, Lenntek and iLounge are giving away 10 Sonix3 Earphones to lucky readers. To enter, simply fill out and submit the form on the giveaway page—the giveaway will end on October 31, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific Time. 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.

IMPORTANT: Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Earthlink and others, make sure we don’t end up in your spam box. Please accept emails from iLounge.com. Thank you.

NASA today announced the release of an application for the iPhone and iPod touch. The NASA app for iPhone aggregates and delivers up-to-the-minute information, videos, images and news updates about NASA missions. Users can access NASA countdown clocks, the NASA Image of the Day, Astronomy Image of the Day, online videos, NASA’s Twitter feeds and more in an interface optimized for the iPhone and iPod touch. The NASA App also provides three different views to allow users to track the current positions of the International Space Station and other spacecraft currently orbiting Earth.  The NASA app for iPhone is available free from the iTunes App Store.

Belkin has issued a voluntary recall of three of their TuneBase products, citing safety concerns. The recall notice indicates that the washer on the TuneBase can cause an electrical short-circuit when plugged into a vehicle’s cigarette lighter adapter and under certain conditions of heat, humidity or extended periods of use has the potential to pose a risk of fire.

The specific products affected are the TuneBase Direct with Hands-Free, the TuneBaseFM with Hands-Free and the TuneBaseFM with ClearScan. Users of these devices should immediately stop using their products and visit http://www.belkin.com/tunebaserecall to arrange for the return of their TuneBase product.

More details and a list of model numbers specifically affected by this issue can be found on the TuneBase recall page.

iSkin today announced three new cases for the fifth-generation iPod nano: Vibes, nano Duo and DuoBand. Vibes for nano 5G is a soft, slim-fitting protector available in one of four etched designer patterns, and includes an integrated hard screen protector and a wrist strap designed to be used when shooting video with the integrated camera on the fifth-generation iPod nano. The iSkin Duo for iPod nano 5G is a two-part protective case with a shock-absorbing silicone back and a hard clear face shield. It includes a removable rotating belt clip and charging port protector plug. It is available in clear or black colors, however, it’s unclear how the iPod nano 5G’s camera is handled on this design. Finally, the iSkin DuoBand for iPod nano 5G is an all silicone protective skin case with an armband for use when working out. The DuoBand armband can also be used with the nano Vibes, if purchased separately. All three cases are available for online ordering now.

AT&T reported their third-quarter financial results today, crediting the iPhone for stronger-than-expected profits. AT&T reported 3.2 million iPhone activations during the third quarter with nearly 40 percent of those activations coming from new customers. [via Reuters]

Nokia announced today that it has filed a complaint against Apple alleging that the iPhone infringes on several Nokia patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN standards. The specific patents cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption; Nokia alleges that these are infringed by all iPhone models shipped since the original iPhone was introduced in 2007.

Volkswagen of American announced today that it has launched its new 2010 GTI in a novel way, showing the car alongside a free version of Firemint’s Real Racing that focuses on the new car. Players in the U.S. can compete for the chance to win one of six limited-edition 2010 GTIs. The Real Racing GTI app is available from the App Store now.

MySpace is expanding into new music initiatives, including a new Artist Dashboard feature for musicians, and a free, ad-supported music video library. Artist pages on MySpace will now provide additional information and links to purchase content online via the iTunes Store. [via CNBC]