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Playboy Apple iPad App Doesn’t Cut It

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The Apple iPad is perhaps the coolest e-book reader-other-gadgets combined you can ever have. It is not a surprise that many vendors and publishers are jumping into the iPad app bandwagon – they can reach so many more people by doing so. And, even the most conservative sectors cannot deny or stop the fact that providers of adult content are going to be part of this boom.

When it comes to adult content, perhaps there is no other better known brand than Playboy. If you didn’t know already, though, the brand has been encountering problems due to its being outmaneuvered by competitors. Struggling it may be, it is not giving up.

It recently launched an app for the iPad, but to the disappointment of users, it didn’t deliver. It may not be all Playboy’s fault – Apple has a strict policy when it comes to content for its apps. Indeed, content which Apple considers “obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory” is banned from the App Store. By definition, Playboy already gets x marks.

The result is predictable: users are frustrated about the whole set up. They have to pay $4.99 for the iPad app, and they want more than “articles.” (Yeah, for those countless individuals who have repeatedly said that they buy Playboy for the articles, where are you now?) I suppose that if the app were free, or at least priced more reasonably, the complaints would not be as bad.

Bottom line: it does not look like Apple will change its policy anytime soon. Maybe Playboy ought to take a look at its strategy – that is, if it wants to stay afloat.

Guys: would you pay $5 for this app?

iTunes Is Safe. Are You?

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If you have an iTunes account that you use to purchase apps, songs, etc. for, then you were probably one of those who have been anxious in the past day or so.  Reports that iTunes has been hacked spread like wildfire the other day.  Posts in mainstream sites such as TechCrunch probably served to make people more anxious and alleviate fears at the same time.  I say people probably got more anxious because TechCrunch showed proof that unauthorized (at least by the account owners) purchases had been made, but at the end of the post, there is a statement from Apple saying that they have not been hacked (which is still kind of a good thing).

So what is really happening?  What happened?  If iTunes has not bee hacked, then why have so many people lost money via “illegal” purchases?

John Paczkowski of Digital Daily offers an explanation:

…not much to their assertion that Apple (AAPL) is at fault here. There’s no security hole in iTunes, and if you’ve been unfortunate enough to have hundreds of dollars in unauthorized purchases charged to your iTunes account, it’s likely because you’ve fallen victim to a bot attack or phishing scam–a variation on the one that’s been around for years now. Sources close to Apple tell me iTunes has not been compromised and the company isn’t aware of any sudden increase in fraudulent transactions.

More likely than not, the PayPal accounts of the affected users are the ones that had been compromised.  Bottom line: iTunes is safe.

The question is: how secure are your PayPal accounts?  This is happening now, it has happened before, it will happen again.  Remember all those tips about passwords and phishing.  They just might save you a whole load of money.

Picplz: New iPhone App

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Apps for the iPhone are all over the place, and yet people are on the perennial quest to find a new one that they will obsess about.  For those who cannot get enough pictures and cannot wait to upload them to the Internet as soon as possible, here is a new iPhone app that will satisfy your needs easily: picplz.

This app has been around for a while, but not specifically for the iPhone.  It is developed by the founders of Imeem, the social media service that gained popularity several years ago.  In its heyday, lots of people availed of Imeem’s sharing service – videos, music, and photos.  It has been closed down, though, thanks to its acquisition by MySpace.

Anyhow, the same people behind Imeem have made picplz available for use on the iPhone.  It’s really not that revolutionary if you think about it  -it functions much like Twitter, except that it’s meant especially for photos.  Now that the iPhone has a decent camera, it is a simple matter to snap pictures and share them with your friends anytime.

You may be thinking – but there is a host of other apps that offer a similar service.  So why should anyone bother to give picplz a try?  For now, the value lies in instant uploading and tagging the location (which seems to be all the rage these days).  The founders are also working on providing more features in the future.  Besides, the app is FREE, so you really have nothing to lose by trying it out.  Oh, and this app is also available for Android phones.

3 Android Games You Need to Have

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While we’re on the topic of Android phones, why don’t we take a look at some of the apps that are getting lots of people addicted as I write? While it’s true that iPhone apps are very addictive and that their graphics can be quite impressive, there are Android games out there that can keep you glued to your phone as well. Here are three of those games.

Bonsai Blast
There are many reasons this game is the first on the list. One, it’s free. Two, it’s completely addictive. It is just like Zuma in terms of graphics and gameplay. You’ll see marbles of different colors and blow them up by matching the patterns. Simple but you can spend hours playing the game.

Speed Forge 3D
This one costs $4.99, but people who’ve played it say it’s worth the small price you have to pay. It’s a racing game that is set in the future, in the Red Planet. The bored citizens have turned to racing for entertainment. Some users have likened the game to Wipeout. There are 6 tracks, 3 different vehicles, and weapons as well. The graphics are in full 3D.

Zenonia
Korean company Gamevil is the one behind this acclaimed mobile RPG. According to critics, the game’s richness of detail is nothing short of amazing. Wikipedia describes the game: Zenonia’s protagonist is Regret, a young man whose origins are initially unknown. His primary mission in the game is to find the reason for the death of his adoptive father at the hands of a demon and subsequently a more powerful evil that is at work.

If you haven’t gotten these games yet, what’s stopping you?

Microsoft to employees: Can you build a Windows 7 app for us for free?

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With Windows 7 mobile launching in October of this year, Microsoft has been busy putting on the final touches of their favored smart phone.

After giving all of their employees a free Windows 7 phone, Microsoft is now asking them to create apps for the Windows Market in their “spare time.”

Understand the unique value of Windows Phone 7 and evangelize to your customers, partners, friends and family!

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PalmPad to iPad: “Say hello to my little friend!”

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Despite lacking numerous apps, an army of developers and Apple’s cult like following, HP’s PalmPad will probably be able to hold its own against the iPad tsunami that is sweeping the planet.

While Steve Jobs greatest creation allows you to interact with the iPad by using all ten digits, PalmPad may one up the iPad–literally–by introducing a simple tool that will appeal to corporate execs, artists and journalists around the world.