iLounge

Apple may launch both developer-accessible Siri APIs and Siri for iPad with the release of iOS 6, according to a new report. Citing an anonymous source, TechCrunch reports that the software, codenamed “Sundance”, will indeed feature a new, Apple-based replacement for Google Maps in the Maps application, and while the 3D mapping feature is said to be neat, it is also unlikely to be used very often. The report goes on to state that there have been “whispers” backing up the idea that Apple might announce a set of developer-accessible APIs for Siri, which would also make its debut on the iPad in iOS 6. Regarding the latter, the report claims that the difficulty with Siri on the iPad has been in designing a UI for the larger screen, rather than any technical challenge.

Finally, the report claims that new iCloud functionality and deep ties to OS X Mountain Lion will also be key parts of the software, which it claims may arrive at the same time as a completely revamped version of iTunes, and potentially even a “full-on Spotify competitor.” Apple is expected to unveil iOS 6 at its Worldwide Developers Conference next month.

Apple will drop Google Maps as the backend to its built-in Maps application for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, according to a new report. Citing trusted sources, 9to5Mac reports that Apple will make the move in iOS 6, and will replace Google’s mapping solution with an in-house mapping service built upon technology from acquisitions Placebase, C3 Technologies, and Poly9. The report claims that the application design is “fairly similar” to the current Maps app, but is described as a much cleaner, faster, and more reliable experience. The new app will also feature a new 3D mode built upon technology from C3 Technolgies, and, according to the report, and the change will be signified with a redrawn icon. The report claims that iOS 6 is likely to appear at Apple’s WWDC conference in June.

Google has released a major update to its Google+ app for the iPhone and iPod touch with an almost completely redesigned user interface that provides a greater emphasis on photos and videos within posts while also providing a more attractive and immersive stream view. The stream is now presented in a new dark gradient style with crisper fonts, larger profile pictures and more fluid visual transitions when scrolling; the stream now appears front and centre when opening the app with the previous personal profile options now accessible from a button in the top-left corner. Photos and video thumbnails appear more naturally in the stream with a full-bleed effect with captions and other descriptive text overlaid on top of the photo. Notably, despite this major redesign for the iPhone and iPod touch, a native version for iPad users remains conspicuously absent. Google+ 2.0 is available from the App Store as a free download.

Marco Arment has released an update to Instapaper, his popular offline reading app for iOS. Instapaper 4.2 adds several new user interface improvements including a new redesigned Fast Pagination mode that improves accuracy and performance when turning pages and adds new page turning animations and gestures similar to iBooks. A new draggable dot bar can also now be used in place of the scroll bar in pagination mode. A new two-finger swipe gesture has been added for closing an article view, an option is also now available to automatically switch to full screen reading view after a few seconds. The new version also allows users to manually select the Twilight Sepia colour theme; previously it only appeared during twilight hours when automatic day/night mode was enabled. Instapaper 4.2 now requires iOS 5.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $5.

Gameloft has released the third instalment in its popular sci-fi FPS series, Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance. N.O.V.A. 3 puts players back in the role of Kal Wardin, four months after the climactic events of the prior game; Wardin, who has been keeping a low profile in the aftermath of the assassination of President Folsom, suddenly receives a desperate message from Yelena to travel to Earth where he must again rise to save mankind.

This latest title expands upon the epic storyline of the series with the return of humanity to Earth after years of exile, taking the player across the galaxy through ten immersive levels. Players are given multiple weapons and power ups to master including driving vehicles and piloting mechs and can also engage in multiplayer games with up to 11 other players. Six different game modes and six maps are available for multiplayer games, and multiple allies can now share a vehicle on the battlefield. N.O.V.A. 3 also takes advantage of the latest iPhone and iPad hardware to deliver high-resolution, console-quality graphics with features such as real-time dynamic lighting and shadows, ragdoll physics and more. N.O.V.A. 3 is a universal app requiring an iPhone 3GS/4/4S, third- or fourth-generation iPod touch or iPad with iOS 4.0 or later and is available from the App Store for $7.

Amtrak, the government-owned passenger train corporation, has started to replace its traditional hole-punch ticketing workflow with iPhones. The New York Times reports that the company has been training conductors since November to use the iPhone as an electronic ticket scanner on several routes. By late summer, 1,700 conductors will be using the devices on Amtrak routes across the country, according to the company. Once the new system is implemented, passengers will be able to print tickets or load a bar code on their smartphone screens for conductors to scan; as a bonus, the conductors will be able to better keep track of passengers on board.

“You don’t even need to print the document and bring it with you,” said Matt Hardison, chief of sales distribution at Amtrak, who helped plan the iPhone program. “We’ve made a number of important improvements for both our customers and Amtrak, all in one fell swoop.” According to the company, the system cost $7.5 million, including $5.5 million for the software development and $2 million for hardware.

Evernote has released an update to its iOS application with major enhancements to the note editing features. Evernote 4.2 now provides iPhone users with some of the editing improvements recently added for the iPad in the last udpate, including an upgrade and redesign of the note editor   and improvements to checkbox functionality. Users can now more easily access attachment features, text styling and formatting options when editing notes; a redesigned note information screen and more advanced note editing capabilities have also been added. Checkboxes can now be indented in the editor and continued simply by adding new lines after the first box.

The new version also adds support for importing images from the iOS Photo Stream and a redesigned audio recorder. New options are also available to disable automatic saving of new photos to the Camera Roll and the automatic note titling feature that was introduced in the prior update. Evernote 4.2 is a universal app requiring iOS 3.0 or later and is available from the App Store as a free download; some of the newer features and editing enhancements require iOS 5.0 or later.

RadioShack has announced that like Target, it too will be offering a $50 discount on the iPhone. According to the company, the discount is good for both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S on all carriers, and can be combined with trade-in offers via the company’s Trade & Save program. The promotion runs through the end of June.

Another group of small regional carriers has announced that they will be launching the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S on May 18. Bluegrass Cellular of Kentucky, Golden State Cellular of California, and Nex-Tech Wireless of Kansas — all CDMA carriers, incidentally — have all announced plans to launch the iPhone on that day. As noted by MacRumors, all three carriers are expected to offer the iPhone for $50 off the standard price as set by Apple and the major carriers, with the iPhone 4 selling for $49 and the iPhone 4S starting at $149.

Speaking in a recent on-stage interview at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson made several comments about the iPhone. According to The New York Times, he was particularly hard on the company’s decision to introduce the iPhone with unlimited data. “My only regret was how we introduced pricing in the beginning, because how did we introduce pricing? Thirty dollars and you get all you can eat,” he said. “And it’s a variable cost model. Every additional megabyte you use in this network, I have to invest capital.”

Stephenson also said we worries about potentially disruptive new technologies replacing the company’s own offerings, singling out iMessage as one example. “You lie awake at night worrying about what is that which will disrupt your business model,” he said. “Apple iMessage is a classic example. If you’re using iMessage, you’re not using one of our messaging services, right? That’s disruptive to our messaging revenue stream.”

Finally, Stephenson briefly mentioned the board meeting in which the company discussed whether to carry the iPhone. At the time, the company was named Cingular, and was headed by Stan Sigman; Stephenson was on the company’s board. Sigman was enthusiastic about the product’s potential, even though he had yet to actually see the device. “I remember asking the question: Are we investing in a business model, are we investing in a product or are we investing in Steve Jobs?” Stephenson said. “The answer to the question was, you’re investing in Steve Jobs. Let’s go after this thing. And we went after it, and the rest is history.”

Target is offering a $50 discount on both the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, according to a new report. Citing email tips, 9to5Mac reports that a number of Target locations are offering a deal on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, with the prices of 16GB and 8GB units respectively cut to $150 and $50 on a two year contract, regardless of carrier. It is unclear whether more capacious models are also included, and the deal does not appear to be available online.

T-Mobile hopes to have its network ready for iPhone users by the fourth quarter of this year. AllThingsD reports that T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray, speaking at a dinner event in New Orleans on Monday, said that the effort to move much of its HSPA+ network over to the iPhone-friendly 1900 MHz spectrum should reach a critical mass in the fourth quarter of 2012. Ray declined to comment on whether the company would target iPhone users in a marketing push, saying, “It would make sense; we’re not there yet.” T-Mobile also announced that Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks will be helping it to build out its next-generation LTE network.

Fishlabs has released an update to Sports Car Challenge for iOS adding the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 to its fleet lineup. A joint project with Volkswagen China, Sports Car Challenge is a 3D racing simulator that allows users to race a collection of high-performance sports cars from Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen. The game provides realistic driving physics, handling and performance modelling for each sports car along with high-quality graphics for both the exterior and interior details. Players can compete in time trial, slalom and braking game challenges across a number of different race courses and more regular content updates are expected to add additional new cars and tracks in the future. Sports Car Challenge is a universal app and is available from the App Store as a free download.

Garmin has released an update to its fitness training app for the iPhone adding a new feature that allows users to share their favourite fitness pursuits with their friends. Garmin Fit allows users to track walking, running or cycling stats using their iPhone for viewing on their device or uploading to the online GarminConnect service, providing basic GPS-based tracking in the app itself as well as integration with Garmin’s ANT+ fitness sensors for monitoring advanced workout data. With the new LiveTrack feature in version 1.5 users can now easily setup online real-time tracking sessions and share a link via e-mail, Facebook and/or Twitter to allow friends and family to follow their event or training session. Tracking sessions are private and only available to users with the link.

LiveTrack displays the user’s pace/speed in real time as well as distance and elevation; users with a Garmin ANT+ accessory and the ANT+ Adapter for the iPhone can also share additional stats tracked by their particularly monitoring accessory such as heart rate and cadence. The LiveTrack feature also provides a mobile-optimized version of the web site to allow friends and family to follow along using a smartphone or tablet instead of a traditional computer browser. Garmin Fit is available from the App Store for $1; the LiveTrack feature is available via in-app subscription for $2/month or $20/year.

Apple today released iOS 5.1.1 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. According to Apple’s release notes, iOS 5.1.1 contains several improvements and bug fixes, including improvements for HDR photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut, a fix for bugs that could prevent the third-generation iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks, fixes for bugs that affected AirPlay video playback, improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List, and a fix for an issue where an “Unable to purchase” alert could be displayed following a successful purchase. iOS 5.1.1 is compatible with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad 2, third-generation iPod touch, and fourth-generation iPod touch, and is available now via the update feature in iTunes or as an over-the-air update. To update your iOS device over-the-air, open Settings, tap on General, and tap on Software Update.

Apple has filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) over the domain iPhone5.com. Fusible reports that the dispute appeared on WIPO’s website in the last week, and indicates that Apple is using the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy to contest ownership of the domain. As noted in the report, Apple has used similar tactics in the past with success, securing the rights to iPhone4S.com, iPods.com, and several other domains. Currently, iPhone5.com displays text-based advertisements and serves as the home to online forums. [via MDN]

Thursby Software Systems has released PKard Reader, the world’s first smart card authentication solution for logging into secure web sites on iOS devices. Consisting of a free universal iOS app and a $150 card reader accessory, the PKard solution allows iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users to access secure sites requiring two-factor smart card authentication, such as corporate and government web portals and collaboration sites. The PKard Reader accessory supports industry standard CAC, PIV, PIV-I and CIV smart cards and the solution is designed to operate in the background to maintain the secure connection once authenticated, allowing the user to switch apps without compromising security or needing to re-authenticate.

Using the PKard Reader, corporate and government employees who require access to secure smart card protected sites can now more effectively do so while on the go without needing to be tied to a desktop or laptop, with the same smart card and PIN that they already use. Further, no changes need to be made on back-end servers to support the PKard Reader solution, allowing users to easily transition to accessing the same secure sites on their iOS device as on their computer. ALmost five million Federal workers at hundreds of U.S. government agencies and the Department of Defense are issued smart cards for secure web access and it is estimated that almost one third of large corporations worldwide are now issuing smart cards to their employees, particularly in the healthcare and financial sectors. The PKard Reader accessory is available directly from the company’s web site; the iOS application is available from the U.S. App Store as a free download.

Chillingo has released an update to its highly-acclaimed physics puzzler Contre Jour HD (iLounge Rating: A) adding support for the iPad Retina Display along with 20 new levels. Contre Jour HD challenges players to move a small creature through a variety of levels consisting of resculptable platforms, ropes and slingshots to collect glowing lights and reach the exit while avoiding various obstacles and pitfalls. The latest update adds 20 new levels set in a jungle environment along with new movable tentacles and platforms; a bonus ending sequence is also now available for players who manage to collect all 300 lights in the game. In addition, players can now purchase the Contre Jour Soundtrack, produced by David Ari Leon, from directly within the game. Contre Jour HD is a universal app and is available from the App Store for $3.

Luxury hotel chain The Ritz-Carlton has released an official free app for the iPhone, providing reservation, local guide, and concierge features for all of its worldwide hotels and resorts. Like other hotel apps, The Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts app allows users to make, view and edit upcoming reservations at any of the hotel’s locations, browse hotel information along with photo galleries and amenities, and view interactive maps and directions. Additionally, users can access or enroll in a Ritz-Carlton Rewards account, receive special offers while staying at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, learn about events at the hotel, and receive recommendations and tips for nearby attractions, dining, entertainment and more.

In a novel touch, the Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts app also integrates the company’s Foursquare World Concierge service. Launched last spring, this service provides information and recommendations via Foursquare, posted and curated by The Ritz-Carlton’s famous concierge service. Location services integration allows the application to determine when a guest has arrived at a Ritz-Carlton location, then provide appropriate destination and landmark tips assembled by The Ritz-Carlton Concierge team. In addition, the app provides access to exclusive Presidential Tips and other information that can be accessed by using the iPhone camera to scan QR codes located throughout the hotels and resorts; for example at The Ritz-Carlton Berlin, guests can enjoy a digital scavenger hunt led by QR codes and clues at each stop. The Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts app is available from the App Store as a free download.

RockBandAide reports that Electronic Arts’ Rock Band for the iPhone and iPod touch will be shutting down at the end of this month. Originally released in October 2009, the original Rock Band has not seen an update since November 2010, shortly before the release of the Rock Band Reloaded sequel, suggesting that EA was placing its focus on the newer version. A mobile adaptation of the popular console game, Rock Band included 32 songs with the option to purchase additional premium tracks via in-app purchase for $1 each, allowing players to invest considerably more money in the game beyond the original $5 purchase price.

Players now see a message upon launching the app indicating that “Rock Band will no longer be playable on your device” after May 31st. EA’s own Service Updates page does indicate that “Connected features” for a number of products will be discontinued on May 28, 2012, including “Rock Band for Android, iPhone, Palm and feature phones,” but makes no reference to the usability of the game in general. Rock Band for iOS does not require an online connection to play, however the message stating that it will “no longer be playable” suggests that the game will be disabled entirely rather than merely losing access to its online features such as music purchases and leaderboards. While there do not appear to be any technical reasons that would require the game to stop working entirely, it has been speculated that the expiry of licensing agreements for music within the app may be a factor.

Notably, the original Rock Band remains on sale on the App Store for $5 with nothing in its description suggesting an impending shutdown of the game or even any aspect of its online components. [via Touch Arcade]