Apple is not exactly the most open company in the world. There are a lot of things that Apple doesn’t let out. One of those long-held secrets used to be Apple’s agreement for its iPhone app developers. If you have developed an app for iPhone platform, you have seen and agreed to that agreement. Developers don’t want to risk Apple’s wrath, which is why we haven’t had so many leaks in this area. But NASA’s application for iPhone has brought some unexpected surprised upon Apple. Apple probably didn’t expect anyone to invoke the Freedom of Information Act to dig out the license agreement between Apple and NASA. The EFF has not only done that, but it has also published iPhone development license agreement for everyone to see (read it here).

It’s not hard to imagine what Apple has included in its license agreement. If you think about it, there is a reason why developers don’t talk or complain much about how Apple treats them. There is a ban on any public discussion of the agreement. Apple also forbids its developers from taking their app to underground marketplaces such as Cydia. That has happened a few times, so it’s not clear how Apple has enforced this ban. And what happens if a developer messes up and gets sued? Apple will pitch in $50 and the rest will be on the developers’ shoulders.

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We are only days away from the official pre-order date for Apple iPad. It has taken Apple a while to put up the device for sale. But it’s finally happening. The success of the iPad can determine the direction that the Apple will take in the near future, but the company has so many things going on that iPad won’t be the only story of this year for Apple. For starters, 2010 seems to be the year that Apple finally starts responding to some of those lawsuits that have been going against it. Apple may have gone after HTC over its partnership with Google, but the result of that lawsuit can have many ramifications for Apple and its competitors. There is no argument that Apple competitors will think twice before implementing multi-touch capability on their devices. So one could argue that Apple’s lawsuits have the potential to disrupt its competitors’ plans dramatically.

Apple has huge plans for its iPad. It has adopted a very aggressive pricing strategy to make sure the device sells big. The company plans to build 5 million iPad units for the first half of 2010. There were many talks a few weeks ago about Apple postponing the release of iPad. Those stories turned out to be false as the company gears up for a huge year with iPad and iPhone 4.

…various news articles and competitor notes calling for a build delay were just false alarms and note Apple has already announced that Wi-Fi iPad models will be available in the U.S. on April 3 and models with Wi-Fi and 3G will be available in late April…

Those of you who have become addicted to your iPhone are going to have much to cheer about with all the features that Apple is planning for next generation iPhones. In the future, you may be able to open doors with your iPhone among other things. Pretty handy when you think about it.

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When Apple announced its new creation the iPad, consumers were promised access to thousands of apps on the new device. After all, it’s not smart to develop a whole new product and not take advantage of the work that’s already been done by iPhone developers. What Apple did not promise was all iPhone apps making it to the iPad. That’s now seems to be the case as not every app is going to fit on the iPad properly. You certainly don’t want those ported iPhone apps to look lousy on the iPad. But as Wired put it, some of those apps are going to be sorely missed:

But if you recall, the iPhone ships with some apps that appear to be left out from the iPad: Stocks, Calculator, Clock, Weather and Voice Memos. What gives?

Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment, but I’m willing to guess Apple will just stick those apps in the App Store for a free download, and they’ll be the same apps as they were on the iPhone. After all, it’s unlikely there’s much to do with those particular apps to make them visually special for the iPad.

Steve Jobs seems to have struck down a few of these apps as they didn’t fit the “iPad experience” he has envisioned. I do believe that Apple will eventually introduce these apps for iPad as the new device matures. The iPad development challenges for developers have not gone away however. Read the rest of this entry »

The iPad is finally coming to an Apple store near you. As Apple announced last week, the device will go up for sale on March 12th and will start shipping on April 3rd. You know we are getting close to an Apple release date when Apple’s marketing machine starts coming up with fun commercials. The iPad may not have too many commercials at this point, but its very first was aired last night during the Oscars. It has already generated quite a buzz around the Web. We all know that Apple gadgets look much more tempting in Apple ads. This latest ad was no different.

Some people are going to love the iPad based on the above app, and some are just going to save their money and wait for Microsoft’s tablet, which could go on sale on June. Apple bringing out its latest ad during the Oscars shows why the company is so successful in marketing its product. Putting the right product in front of the right audience usually pays off big. Read the rest of this entry »

The iPhone has revolutionized the GPS industry. There was a time when standalone GPS devices ruled the day. Not anymore as mobile GPS devices such as the iPhone have started to gain a lot of momentum in this industry. Not only you can use your phone to get around in your new city, you can download apps that will help you learn all about the transit system in your new city. Now that’s what I call helpful.

If you are looking for an app to help you get the most out of your city’s transit system, here are 12 local transit apps you should look at:

NYC Subway 24-Hour KickMap: great app to own if you are in the New York area.  Provides you with information on subway lines, stops, and connections, so you’ll never be lost.

Exit Strategy NYC Subway Map: another super helpful app if you plan to visit NYC. Has subway map, bus maps, detailed street map of Manhattan with cross-street finder, and ‘exit strategies’ to help you get to your destination faster.

MassTransit: gives you access to all of Boston’s subway, bus, commuter rail, and ferry schedules. Comes with a very easy to use interface as well.

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