MobileViews Blog

Author: todd

  • Facebook 2.3 for Windows Phone: Nice update. But, only necessary for 10% of activities

    Facebook 2.3 for Windows Phone appeared earlier today and looks great. It seems to run faster, has a cleaner look and feel, and a very nice Metro UI design that moves the user from an overview page to news feed to notifications to photos use the familar (to Windows Phone users) sidewards sliding gestures. The optional background images look good too. I initially considered not turning it on. However, I found it really adds a personal touch and will leave it on now that I’ve seen it. I wonder, though, if there is away to choose which images appear in the top banner.

    The irony is that while it is nice to see a big update for the Facebook app, it is almost unnecessary on Windows Phone since 90% (or in my case nearly 99%) of Facebook activity can be handled from the Me hub (posts and notifications) and People hub (status updates).
    (more…)

  • Apps updated for my iPhone & iPad in the past week: 41


    Forty-one (41) of the apps for my iPad &/or iPhone were updated in the past week. Apps that do not have comments in the list below indicates that the update is simply a bug fix release. The vast majority of updates are solely bug fixes.
    (more…)

  • Ugh! Replacement iPhone 4 has yellow display problem


    Refurbished iPhone 4 (left) with yellow display

    Apple replaced my iPhone 4 yesterday because of a malfunctioning select button. The replacement device is a refurbished iPhone 4. Unfortunately, it has the yellow display problem that many people complained about when the iPhone 4 was first released. I apparently have one of those that was returned. You can see the yellow display problem in the photo above.

    The refurbished iPhone 4 I was given also has what appears to be an older model number, MC319LL, compared to the phone on the left (still running iOS 4.x) which is a model MC610LL.

    I’m going to make another appointment at the Genius Bar to have this phone replaced.

  • Apple Genius Bar appointments not conducted at the “bar” anymore

    I learned something today when I took my iPhone 4 (flaky home button) to the Apple Genius Bar today. Meeting for appointments no longer take place at the “bar” itself. This was, at least, the case for my iPhone. We just stood in on the store floor while the Genius (Sean) diagnosed my problem, determined that the device was still covered by an extended Apple Care warranty, and went to get a replacement device (refurbished iPhone 4).

  • FYI to CNN: Here’s why Kindles are not sought after on the secondary market

    CNN’s breathless story about how the iPad is doing better on the secondary market (resale) than Amazon’s Kindle makes me wonder if no on there considered the obvious reasons:

    1. Kindle prices drop with each new model (including subsidized models)
    2. Kindle prices have been so low starting with the third generation (summer/fall 2010) that there it makes more sense to buy a new model with better features at the same or lower price.

    Hence, little or no resale value.

    iPad retains value longer than Kindle, research finds (CNN)

  • List of best tower defense type games for iPhone? Really???

    I received a PR news blast email that says APPSPIRE.me released a list of the Top 10 Tower Defense Apps for iPhone. The infographic covers 10 mobile apps that are tower defense games, and ranks them based on creativity, ingenuity, and popularity.

    APPSPIRE.me Releases Best Tower Defense Apps Inforgraphic

    I looked at the list and only recognized one title: FieldRunners. Missing from the list? Oh, just a little game named Plants vs. Zombies and number of other titles.

    You can look at the list (click the image above to see the full-size infographic) and decide for yourself if you think it has merit. As for me? Not so much.