Mar 17, 2009 01:20 PM
47,061
Enter your username and password.
To demonstrate the piles of new features and APIs included in iPhone OS 3.0, Apple brought along a few developers to show off their latest wares. Here's what they've got so far.
First off, we've got another version of The Sims. The graphics look good, but the demo was really just a chance to demonstrate a few dev features. Pictured: Mr. Sim dancing to music drawn from your actual iTunes library. You can also buy in-game items for your Sims for $0.99 a pop.
ESPN brought their web app native, taking advantage to two new features: background notifications and video streaming. Scores and game stats can pop up on your phone in real time, heralded by the famous ESPN alert sound, and you can stream video content—with adaptable bitrates for different connection speeds.
Meebo, the all-in-one IM web app, is moving to the App Store for the first time, too. Background notifications are obviously the star of the show here, but they've also integrated a few other services, like Facebook. Sounds like the Palm Pre's new 'Synergy' service, except standalone app-ier.
By far the most manipulative pitch of the afternoon, LifeScan shows how new Bluetooth connection capabilities and accessory functions can help a young girl manage her diabetes. Above is a week-long chart of her glucose levels, which are good to know if you have diabetes and don't want to die. LifeScan can pull these from a test unit via Bluetooth or cable.
Apple, stoke our enthusiasm for this ripoff-prone new purchases-within-apps feature! Huh? Touch Pets? A "social pet simulator"? In this iPhone Tamagotchi game I guess you can buy little shirts for your digital dog, or pay to have an imaginary vet express his anal glands. Also, you can also schedule meetings with other fake animals, and be reminded of your virtual playdates with background notifications. It was either this or the Apple tablet, people.
LiveFire is a Quake-y FPS in which you can send multiplayer invites to your buddies via push notification, then beat them horribly because you were willing to spend $35 on new weapons. Re: the multiplayer, it'll run via Wi-Fi or 3G, though your ping may be mildly hilarious.
Remember that iPhone Ocarina app from Smule? It was adorable and quirky. Now, as the creator plays "The Phantom of the Opera" on stage, it's kind of creepy. The makers of Ocarina and Sonic Lighter are here promoting the all-new iPhone 3.0-friendly Leaf Trombone, with the winds of Apple's new audio APIs helping them out. But hey, now your iPhone is an instrument, kind of. Congrats!
Send an email to John Herrman, the author of this post, at jherrman@gizmodo.com.
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
Start a new discussion