Firmware version 1.1.4 works just fine. Why would I bother to upgrade? Has to the App Store. True the "free" world still has a lot to offer, and Cydia seems to have built its own app store. But the apple app store does have a few applications that I am highly interested in which I doubt will be free anytime soon.
The upgrade is not without reservation. As I connected my phone to the laptop and started the program, I couldn't help wonder. Will my iPhone become another brick (aka paper weight)? Will it get locked up every now and then as reported by some on the internet? Will I be able to purchase and download those apps on a hacked phone?
Before I was able to sort out all those what-ifs, the iTune is upgraded to 8.1, firmware 2.2.1 downloaded, and installed. The T-Mobile logo still shows up on the left corner. Good. All my notes, bookmarks, and contacts are synced back. Better. Seeing the "App Store" icon? Cheese.
I don't want to touch that icon just yet. I'd like to make sure my free weDict would still work. I did make a backup of it using a SFTP client. Copied the files back, reboot, icon showed up, but, what? The app would try to open the console then shutdown in a matter of a second. Humm. For the next forty five some minutes I tried to figure out why. I even registered an account with a website (so not me) just to download the free software. Still no good. Maybe the signing was different as some website hinted. I still had the dictionary files, but without the application those aren't of any good. While googling, someone did mention the app has been moved to the Apple app store, with two versions, one free (the one I used) and one "pro". But I could not find the "free" version, after searching the store high and low several times. This is yet another gripe I had for Apple. Business oriented. I suspect there's some kind of exclusivity agreement between the developers and Apple. And since the "pro" version is making good money, there's no sense putting the free version there anymore.
Time to bite the bullet. So I pulled out an iTune gift cert (which has been sitting there for ever since I got it), registered an account (again) with Apple, and purchased the "pro" version. In all fairness the price is reasonable. The audio files are included-that's why the file size is large. The thing is though, by default, it installed a lousy English-Chinese dictionary and a crappy wordnet dictionary. No problem. I will just manually cover over my backups. The "pro" designation is a hype. The application merely offered "upload" dictionary features, which works clumsily as you have to type in the whole URL. I am not sure about the saved word list function. The free version worked fine in that regard.
I wasn't impressed with it when Apple made a big deal of the scientific calculator in their announcement of the new iPhone software. Turned out the scientific calculator is a genius design. In portrait position it's almost as simple as the old basic calculator, but looks neater. However, if you flip the phone to horizontal position, it changes into a full-fledged scientific calculator.
I've done some quick peeks into the Apple apps store. Looks like there's plenty stuff out there. I also purchased a small app called "Art". For just $0.99, it delivers a lot. It has the artist's bio info, with a WIKI link, and a gallery for each. You can save the gallery pictures to your picture folder and use it as wallpaper. The gallery can do slide show as well. A+.
*If you know of any goodies let me know.
**If Apple follows its tradition, the new iPhone should be due out around June.
***update: the weDict Pro does have some commendable features.
- Re: Apple App Store & appsposted on 04/06/2009
I only allow my kids download free stuff on my iphone. They got iWaterfall, iSteam, You shake, iLaugh, Dice Bag, and so on.
We had an idea quest at work place last month, most design needs an iphone to run. All the apps for iphone sold to customers bring 1/3 of the sale income to Apple. - posted on 04/06/2009
kugua wrote:
I only allow my kids download free stuff on my iphone. They got iWaterfall, iSteam, You shake, iLaugh, Dice Bag, and so on.
I think I saw a free Latin reader. Not sure if it's too easy for your son though.
We had an idea quest at work place last month, most design needs an iphone to run. All the apps for iphone sold to customers bring 1/3 of the sale income to Apple.
Are you using the whiteboard app? - Re: Apple App Store & appsposted on 04/07/2009
moab wrote:
I think I saw a free Latin reader. Not sure if it's too easy for your son though.
Thanks. I don't think it could be too easy for him. He's only 10. He's not gone far.
Are you using the whiteboard app?
No. Not whiteboard. People use iphone to do all kinds of control, design games. I'm not one of them. Local newspaper said that because of the apps, iphone is worth to own. - Re: Apple App Store & appsposted on 04/10/2009
app of the day:
Classics
$0.99,
正看Frankenstein的前言,感觉不错。 - posted on 04/12/2009
app of the day:
Fake-A-Call
handy little tool for $0.99
Fake a call to get you out of a boring/embarrassing/awkward situation. You can set a timer in 3min, 5min, 10min, fake it right now, or fake it in 60seconds countdown (discreetly double-tap the phone to activate before the countdown ends). You can also choose a genuine contact from your contact list, custom the background image, and ringtone. And the good thing is, the call pad are functional! (decline/answer, mute, hold. etc)
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