360 DEGREES Weblog

According to AppleInsider sources, iPhone firmware 4.0 will bring multitasking to the platform this summer. And it may look at lot like Exposé.

The “full-on solution” to multitasking will support “several” third party apps running at once in a “multi-tasking manager that leverages interface technology already bundled with its Mac OS X operating system.” To us, that sounds a lot like Exposé, a multi-window view that’s already found its way into phones like the HTC Legend, which would be quite different from the proof-of-concepts we’ve seen thus far (like our lead shot), or our own multitasking concepts.

But frankly, I don’t really care what it looks like, so long as I can pull up my email while web browsing as easily as I can on any Android phone. The iPhone’s uni-tasking Gmail support is straight-up punishing in comparison. (And needless to say, if the iPhone scores multitasking, that iPad should get it as well.)

Looking to style your fridge to look like one big iPhone? Well no need to buy the handmade stuff over at Etsy. The App Magnets are the first of its kind that are authentic to the actual iPhone applications. Now you can hold up a piece of paper that says ‘get milk’ with the notepad magnet or maybe hold up another note with the phone magnet that says ‘call mom.’ Either way you’ll probably of have the coolest fridge in the neighborhood especially if its a black one. The magnets even come packaged in a blister pack resembling an iPhone – I mean come on now – that’s classic! The App Magnets retail anywhere for $12.99 and can be found at Jailbreak Toys.

New Potato Technologies is back with their brand new FLPR universal remote control accessory which will cater for the iPhone and iPod touch devices, This dock-connecting infrared accessory will work in tandem with their free FLPR application, letting users gain control of any IR remote-controlled device from the luxury of their iPhones or iPod touches. With a pre-programmed database that holds more than 14,000 remote control codes, customizable skins and icons for each device, you won’t find yourself wanting with this $80 device.

In the 10 billionth song that Apple sold through iTunes, Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way”, a man other than Steve Jobs famous for black attire bemoans the happenstance of his romantic misfortune. But nothing could be further from the story of iTunes, in which Apple’s meticulously crafted ownership of the end-user experience led to a dominant position in music sales. Now, on the dawn of releasing a new device that could be to television shows what the iPod was to music, Apple has an opportunity to create as commanding a lead in TV distribution — if it is willing to again capitulate to consumers’ media consumption habits.

Apple has enjoyed great success with iTunes in part because it adopted the purchase-to-own model that had been so successful with CDs and records before them. However, Apple didn’t simply mirror that model. By allowing consumers to purchase the vast majority of songs as singles, it provided better perceived value, Such an option was also a natural fit for the iPod, where playlists made it trivial to create the digital equivalent of “mix tapes.” The iPod’s capacity for thousands of songs was also no match for most albums that typically had a dozen or so songs.

Resting squarely in the realm of the ridiculous and yet too sexy to ignore, Joey Roth Ceramic Speakers ($500) ooze style with the same ease with which they produce sound. The white glazed ceramic speaker cones rest atop simple, understated Baltic birch plywood stands, and connect to a delightfully industrial stainless steel sheet metal amplifier, which sits atop a black cast iron base. Perfect for pairing with an aluminum laptop, iMac, or similarly minimal turntable.

Just when you thought that everyone had ran out of jokes about the iPad’s name, another one surfaces. This time the joke is a case for the device, dubbed the iMaxi. You’d never guess what it looks like.  The Etsy seller’s description sums things up best:

Plus, the iMaxi’s Velcro-latched, advanced wing design wraps snugly around your device, so your iPad always stays where it should. Best of all, it shields it from all those unsightly and embarrassing data leaks that would make any motherboard worry.

Oh iPad humor, you will never cease to make me laugh. You can pre-order one for $30 through the end of the month, but they’ll go up by $10 after that. Did I mention that they’ll make the interior red if you ask nicely? Yeah, that’s just wrong.

That’s what this RBC/ChangeWave’s surveys says. Back in April 2007, fewer people were interested in buying the original iPhone compared to those wanting to buy the iPad on February 2010. Does this mean the iPad would be a bigger success?

Fastmac, who know how to make iPhone backup chargers, just made a more form-fitting version that also has an IR port. That means your iPhone is now a universal remote.

With their included app, the iPhone 3G and 3GS can control basically any IR-sensitive device you have as long as it’s docked into the case. The case itself has a 1300 mAh battery, a built-in flash, a USB port for charging another device, and an on-off toggle. The price is $100, which is slightly higher than normal cases, but normal cases can’t turn your TV on and off. It also has neat functions like being aware of your local channel guide and jumping to the correct channel, like a real grown-up universal remote.

South Korean iPod/iPhone users have developed a neat trick that allows them to jab and swipe away at their Jobs phones without having to expose their fingers to the cold.

A particular type of snack sausage closely resembles the electrostatic properties of the human finger, a fact that has seen food manufacturer pull in some extra sales over the icy South Korean winter.

In a totally obvious move that has only taken years to implement (thanks Apple!), ZoomMediaPlus has released an SD card adapter for the docking port on iPhones and iPod Touches that allows you to transfer content between an SD card and the device. This is a useful accessory for a whole bunch of reasons… Carry it along with your digital camera to be able to view and upload pictures on the fly, for example. Or stuff a bunch of movies onto a big SD card for traveling. Using the zoomIt app, you can transfer files in both directions, which gives you the option of bypassing iTunes’ ludicrously draconian file sharing restrictions.

Personally, I hate iTunes. It’s slow, it’s bloated, and it makes it exceptionally difficult to do even the most basic things. I’d love to use the zoomIt’s accessory to be able to transfer, say, a couple songs onto my iPhone without having to suffer through iTunes. So obviously, the big outstanding is going to be file compatibility. The zoomIt website says that you can “view, listen to, and share all of your photos, music, video and files” which also includes PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and PDF files. If this works as advertised, I’d be more than willing to pay $50 (with a $10 pre-order discount) not to have to rely on iTunes ever again. Available in April.