Crenk » App Store

Blue Microphone Releases Mobile App

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:05:55 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Blue Microphone. I’ve done reviews on their microphones in the past and tonight I want to introduce everyone to their mobile app. Unlike other microphones, Blue Microphone has released microphones with a lot of people in mind. Everyone from the desktop podcaster to the roving new media recorder, Blue Microphone has created products that are durable and versatile.

With the release of their new free app, Blue FiRe, Blue Microphone lays conquest on the standard microphone app that comes bundled with the purchase of your iPhone. Some will say that all they need is the ability to record and listen, and that probably works well for the vast majority of us. But what if you had an application that had all the control of a switchboard in order to get the right recording sound.

This feature rich application allows users to not just record but also to manipulate the audio recordings. The ability to set timing markers, bookmark certain areas of the audio, you can set low and high threshold auto-recordings based on what your surroundings are. Title your recordings, snap photos of your recording location to be attached with the audio, and rather than send SMS, you can simply set your browser to the set URL and download the audio format in three versions for you to either store, or edit in an audio editing program.

It really does make Apple’s Voice Memo app seem a bit out of date, and for the price, it seems like a nice upgrade too.

Send Location Maps to Friends with Assemble

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:00:40 +0000

No one carries a map anymore, we’ve all got mobile devices. But how many of us still need to type in the location we’re trying to get to, even copy and paste can be a hassle if you need something in a hurry. Sending maps to friends would be a lot easier and thats what Assemble strives to do. Now when you want to meet in a central location, or find where your friend is, have them send you a message via Assemble and not only will you get a personalized message, but you also get a map of where they are.

This proves to be extremely useful in an era when speed and information go hand in hand. Rather than sending someone a typed out address of where I am at, only to have them map it on their end, Assemble does all the work and sends the map to them. Simply add contacts on your own or pair it with the Bump app to quickly get contacts on your phone and start sending. It’s extremely easy to use and will even provide driving directions all while using the internal map system on the iPhone.

Here’s a video on how easy it is use:

ASSEMBLE Instructional Video from Nick Johnson on Vimeo.

Grooveshark Gets Final Smackdown from Apple

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:42:48 +0000

Ever gotten to the point where you’ve been pushed around, beaten down, kept from your goals, so much so that you just decided that enough was enough. If you have, then you know exactly where Grooveshark stands. It’s a known fact that app approval for the iTunes store is based on a mystical set of rules that like a chameleon can change in an instant depending on the weather, the planetary alignment, hell even what the person had for breakfast, and because of this randomness, many app designers have experienced a lot of frustration. Rejections come with vague reasons, forcing some designers to reconfigure and then resubmit hoping for a better outcome.

Grooveshark has submitted and has finally decided to toss in the towel and head for the darker side of things…the jailbroken iPhones. It’s a growing “black market” of sorts and Grooveshark is sure to find a thriving audience there.

According to TechCrunch, when the app was first tried back in 2009, not only did it work well, but it was also stated as possibly never making it through the app store qualifications, and they were right. The app will now find a home on Cydia, giving jailbroken users a chance to use the application. If you’re not attached to the Apple regime, there’s always Android, Blackberry, and Palm that you can find the app for, and it works just fine.

Apple Banning Sex Apps

Dean Sherwin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:30:16 +0000

‘Sex Apps’, which have been available in the App Store, pretty much since its launch have their days numbered. Numerous apps with sexually explicit content such as Jon Atherton’s Wobble iBoobs have been removed from the grill.

He received this Email from the app store:

The App Store continues to evolve, and as such, we are constantly refining our guidelines. Your application, Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored), contains content that we had originally believed to be suitable for distribution. However, we have recently received numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content, and have changed our guidelines appropriately.

We have decided to remove any overtly sexual content from the App Store, which includes your application.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter. If you believe you can make the necessary changes so that Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored) complies with our recent changes, we encourage you to do so and resubmit for review.

Sincerely,
iPhone App Review

Numerous apps, most catering to the male audience, have been removed from the store. A simple error message appears when you try to purchase one. However, it also appears as though Apple are choosing which apps to give the bullet on a case-by-case basis. Apps such as “Sex Strip” are reportedly still available. So are Apple choosing which apps are too explicit or just haven’t gotten around to eliminating all sex related apps?

They send this statement to Tech Crunch:

“Whenever we receive customer complaints about objectionable content we review them. If we find apps that contain inappropriate material we remove them from the App Store and request the developer to make any necessary changes to their apps in order to be distributed by Apple.”

Farmville, Social Networking Game of the Year

Luis Sandoval — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:36:43 +0000

One of the biggest games on Facebook is Zynga’s Farmville. A game so highly interacted with, it’s now touting over 81 millions fans. Zynga minces no words when it states that it’s now bigger than Twitter, which it is, and is sure that people know that. The game is just one of many Zynga properties, but considering the number o players on Facebook, it’s the biggest.

What is Farmville? Well if you’d like to have a virtual garden, perhaps raise a virtual chicken, or just be a virtual farmer all together, then this game is for you. It’s a game of passion for some and annoyance for others. Those not playing have repeatedly complained and gone so far as block Farmville updates from their Facebook streams. It’s a love and hate relationship, with very little room for gray areas.

Recently at the DICE Summit, Farmville was announced as the winner during the 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards in Las Vegas. The game was up against some other heavy hitters like Bejeweled Blitz, Restaurant City, and Farm Town. Rising above them all, it was awarded the Social Networking Game of the Year, on top of an already successful venture capitalist funding round.

I’m not a fan of Farmville, I don’t play games on Facebook, but perhaps some of you do. What’s your take on the game?

App Store Not Skinemax, Policies Changed

Luis Sandoval — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Remember the days when Cinemax was the channel you went to if you wanted to see any amount of skin. It has become a joke nowadays, but there was a time when many of us referred to it as Skinemax. Well Apple’s App Store is not to be labeled in the same way. Recently we’ve seen complaints about the type of apps that are being allowed to go through the approval process. Apps to include interests in busty asians, busty women, swimsuits, hot models, and all sorts of combinations. The once happy playground of games and productivity apps has now been diluted with apps that have “raised” our interest.

According to a great article on TechCrunch, the policies are changing, and it’s going to affect a large swath of apps already approved in the app store. The zero tolerance on “sexual content” has been passed and we’ll soon see those apps gone entirely from the store. Some of these apps were developed as the foundation for business, so Apple is essentially putting them out on the streets. While many of us may not agree with what we see, is Apple doing the right thing by running them out?

According to the article, the developer of Wobble has outlined the following change of policies:

1. No images of women in bikinis

2. No images of men in bikinis!

3. No skin

4. No silhouettes

5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned

6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!!

7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content

Anyone want to share their opinion? Seems pretty ridiculous and perhaps a little overreaching, but it is Apple’s sandbox. If you want to play in it you follow their rules. Leave your comments and let’s chat about this.

Google Is Launching Their Own Google App Store

Steven Finch — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:13:57 +0000

Google is building an App Store for its business-focused Google Apps software, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Spreadsheets, etc., the WSJ reports.

In the Google App store customer could purchase add-ons for all Google web apps.

Google could announce the App Store as soon as March, the WSJ’s Jessica Vascellaro says. Like the App Stores flourishing in the mobile industry, Google could collect a cut from sales while passing the majority of revenue along to developers.

Chomp: The App Recommendation and Review App

Dean Sherwin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:10:58 +0000

Sometimes, finding the right tool for the job can be hard. The app store now has millions of apps which can do just about anything. Apple’s slogan – “There’s an app for that” rings true. What’s more, the App Store’s search feature is known to be rubbish and biased. Chomp however, a new app which recommends apps based on user reviews isn’t.

It has just gone live on the App Store itself and with Digg founder Kevin Rose on board they have a good chance of taking off in a competitive market. Here’s how it works.

When you load the app, you’re greeted by a home screen with four option; Live App Reviews, Recommendations, Add People and Bookmarked Apps.

The App review section allows you to see what others think of apps (in the form of a ‘heart’ for good and a ‘broken heart’ for bad) and give your own reviews. Actually reviewing apps yourself is important as it opens up the apps community aspect which allows you to interact with other users and ‘Friend’ them. The recommendations section gives you a list of apps which the system thinks you may like based on your previous downloads. Kind of like TiVo for apps. Finally, you can bookmark apps for later.

Chomp make their money via an affiliate program. So for every app you download via Chomp they get a small percentage at no extra cost to you. This is a promising app and well worth a try for the iPhone power-users among us.

Mobile App Developer Ousted by Apple

Luis Sandoval — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:58:45 +0000

There has long been uncertainty on the exact process that it takes to get an application passed the Apple powers that be. Their ability to simply turn down an application from the approval process seems to be loosely defined, or undefined depending on how you see it. So it begs to question how one developer was able to get over 1,000 apps into the Apple store without raising any flags. (Molinker apps)

All eyes were directed to Chinese mobile app developer Molinker when a friend of a writer from the iPhoneography photoblog saw these obviously poorly done apps scoring very high in the user rating systems. Very few of the reviews offered a one or two star rating and it was a cause for concern. So highly were these apps thought of that Apple even selected one of the apps for the Staff Pick of the Week. This alone brings to mind questions on whether the apps are really selected by the staff or if there’s some undefined parameters that make an app “pick of the week”, as undefined as the process to get approved.

To raise alarms, two letters were sent to Apple’s marketing head, Phil Schiller, who by the second letter acknowledged that there was some misappropriation by the company Molinker within the Apple iTunes App store. The return letter simply stated that the developer had been ousted and that “gaming” of the system would not be tolerated. Not only was the developer ousted, but so were the 1,000+ apps affiliated with this developer (approx. 1% of apple’s app store).

So how does the app store move forward without even so much as making this example known to all other developers. Misappropriations such as exchanging unlock codes for positive reviews can still run rampant, and what if the misappropriation is not as easily defined the next as it was this time?

Gigzee: Find Gigs in Your Area With an iPhone App

dashiel — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:45:40 +0000

You’ve finished work on Friday night, you’re in the pub and you want to find out what bands are playing near you tonight. These iPhone apps are here to solve your problem: Gigzee will use your phone’s GPS positioning in conjunction with Google Maps to tell you who’s playing up to three days in advance at venues within a certain radius (default is 2 miles, but you can set it to be whatever you want). The app draws down information from Myspace, as well as from user submissions, but only a small minority of bands are using it, mostly in the US, so don’t expect a comprehensive service. That said, it’s free and easy to use, so you can’t lose out, and if you visit their website, they’ll give you a list of gigs in your area over a much longer duration. A smart thing to do might be to ask the venues in your area to sign up to the service and update their myspace profiles sensibly, but that’s a bit proactive for all but the most dedicated music fan.

Bandloop approaches the problem from the opposite angle, asking you to add a set of bands that you’re interested in, and then feeding you information on when they’re going to be where – a band based rather than a geography based approach. They also make a Strong Bad reference on their site, so they can’t be bad! This is another free app, supported by ads.

The Jambase app allows you to approach from either perspective, with the same current-location GPS functionality as Gigzee (although you can still put in a different area code if you want to know who’s playing elsewhere), and the ability to add favourite artists to a roster that will update a gig calendar for you. It also features music samples dragged down from LaLa.com, and links to ticket-purchasing sites, although this only really works for major artists.

The most pro-active (read laziness enabling) app in this field is iConcertCal, which will scan through your iPhone (or iTunes) and figure out who your favourite bands are based on the plays they’ve had from your catalogue, and then auto-generate a list of the gigs that they’re playing in your area. The plug in seems to work pretty well, but since it’s based on your iTunes list, you’re a bit stuffed if you use Spotify Premium or any other apps that bypass the iPod’s official-Apple-product contents.

Any one of these products should help you avoid this kind of disaster:

Unofficial Google Wave App for iPhone Available

Dean Sherwin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:18:14 +0000

Apple are notorious for scrutinizing every app submitted before it’s allowed into its store. Anything that even veers close to breaking one of the rules is shot back to the developer with a long list of things to change before the app will ever see the light of day.

How then, did an unofficial Google Wave app which actually uses the Wave logo and Google brand make it past the checks?

It comes from a small, one-man company called CLapps and it cost $.99 from the App Store. It enables you to use Google Wave on your iPhone in a more streamlined way than using wave.google.com on the Safari Browser.

However, it won’t be there for long. Google will undoubtedly insist that the the infringing app is removed post-haste from the app store. If it’s still there by the time you’re reading this piece then you may want to give it a go by downloading it here.

While this story is an interesting one because both Apple and Google have egg on their faces; the more prominent question should be as to why Google hasn’t launched their own Wave app and why very few people are finding Wave even slightly useful.

The iPhone Design Template Sketchbook

Steven Finch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:10:11 +0000

The iTunes app store is reportedly worth $2.5 billion and this is bringing more and more developers to the platform. If your a develop the first thing you do is sit down and sketch out your idea.

Introducing the iPhone Design Template Sketchbook:

Now available in “most countries” for $16,99 at appsketchbook.com.

Alternatively take a look at how the people at CulturedCode solved this ‘problem’:

Two new AR Apps Go Live!

Dean Sherwin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:59:35 +0000

We recently reported here on Crenk that the iPhone’s first ever augmented reality (AR) app had been officially released to the iPhone. This was called Metro Paris Subway. It was widely believed that this would be the only AR app released until the new iPhone OS came out in a month or so. But now, two more AR apps are live in the app store causing people to rush in to snap them up.

Basically, these three developers have found a way around the supposedly necessary jailbreak that the new OS was going to remove. So naturally seeing apps that shouldn’t even be released yet is pretty cool.

One of the new apps is from the popular app company Yelp and the other is from the same company that made Metro Paris Subway – Presslite. Now, Presslite have made a similar app for London that allows users to point their iPhone camera at a location in London and an overlay of information (primarily public transport) will pop up on the screen. This app is suitably named ‘London Bus’.

It’s important that we remember that there are dozens of AR developers who have already developed their apps for the new OS so in a couple of months we here at Crenk are expecting a rush of AR apps into the marketplace.

Verizon to launch App Store

Dean — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:04:25 +0000

So you want an app, where do you go? The Apple App Store of Course. It’s been running now for a little over a year and there has already been over 50,000 apps added with over one billion downloads. Without any shred of doubt, it’s the market leader in the app world. However, now, Verizon have announced that they too will be launching an App store in the fourth quarter of this year to compete with Apple.

They, in the past, have been criticized for blocking certain apps and having limited selections for their phones. They have indeed seen the error of their ways. Speaking at their first ever developers conference in San Jose, California.

“It’s a new day (in wireless),” McAdam, Verizon CEO said in the opening address of the developer conference which was also Webcast. “And our future success is no longer in the walled-garden. Our success is tied to you (developers).

This would make for a nice touch to the current Verizon services. By giving users an app store you’re giving them one more reason to stay with you rather than search for greener pastures. I can’t see there being as many apps as the Apple App Store simply because Verizon don’t have the same kind of image that Apple has –sleek, cool and ultra-modern. However, their users will most certainly be impressed. Let’s hope us critics are too when it launches. Keep checking Crenk for updates on this story.

Intro to New Apps Thanks to AppGiveaway

Luis Sandoval — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:52:52 +0000

: Image by The Pug Father via Flickr

All of us with an iPhone or iTouch know the addiction of downloading applications. For those of us with the 1-click purchase mode have probably found ourselves just clicking away before we realize we’ve spent some major money on what we think are useful applications.

For the rest of us that don’t have that luxury and are happy to play with free apps, perhaps this site is for you. AppGiveaway is a site that offers you promo codes to get iPhone apps for free or at deeply discounted prices. This is a great site to be introduced to apps that perhaps don’t get a lot of press, or get lost in the shuffle. The site introduces its readers to unique games, productivity apps, financial apps, etc.

Give the site a try and explore what they offer. I won’t say every app they offer promos for are worth it, but it’s a matter of introduction and taste, what works for me may not work for you, and vice versa.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Kick Productivity Into High Gear with ActionMethod

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:09:56 +0000

I’ve been a big fan of Behance products offline, for my meetings, site sketches, and to-do list from time to time. Now they are tackling productivity online with their new online app and comparable mobile app to always stay on top of the things that you need to do daily.

Action Method was introduced this year as the premiere application to manage your projects, tasks, planning, and meetings. The application allows you to create projects, create tasks, assign tasks, and manage a calendar. If tasks are falling behind you can nudge the people to whom you assigned them to in order to remind them of deadlines. Color coding is a big winner for this app as it’s easy to find what you’re looking for with alternating colors.

Have an iPhone or iTouch? No problem, your web application syncs with your mobile app so your to-do list is never far away. Incredibly useful and sure to improve with future updates, the app is free to download, and free for up to 50 tasks, premium service for unlimited tasks comes in at $12/month or $99/year.

Paul van Dyk launches iPhone Application

Luis Sandoval — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:37 +0000

Do you ever wish you could DJ some of the hottest clubs from around the world? Spinning tracks and creating beats that livened up the party and got the people dancing? Not all of us have that opportunity to be an infamous DJ, but thanks to Grammy-nominated artist, DJ, and label owner, Paul van Dyk, his mobile application can put you on a global stage to make your own hot tracks.

There is no doubt that van Dyk is one of the hottest DJ’s around, appearing on Top 10 lists, featured in some of the biggest music publications, and with popularity the world over. His new iPhone/iTouch app gives you the controls that he uses to make your music on the go. Paul van Dyk’s specially created application by Zip Design, developed by Yuza Mobile will appeal to fans, music enthusiasts and professional DJs alike, featuring a BPM Counter, Frequency Analyser, Decibel Meter, Seismic Reader, Virtual Glow Stick, DJ Check List and an Itinerary Manager. This is no doubt the biggest iPhone app for DJ’s, artists, and music enthusiasts to hit the market, and with over 1 Billion apps already sold in the iPhone App Store, there is definitely going to be increasing demand for this product.

“I have had great fun being a part of the development team for my app over the past few months and think that both aspiring and professional DJs will have great fun using it. On a practical level, it includes everything that a DJ needs.”

(Paul van Dyk)

Watch Paul van Dyk’s introduction to the app here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES8Km5UUn8U

Spotify iPhone Application in Action

Steven Finch — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:06:36 +0000

A few days ago we wrote a quick article about the release of the video for the new Spotify Android App. Today we thought we would post about the other Spotify app that hasnt been talked about so much and that is the iPhone Spotify application.

Below is a quick video of the application in action. Enjoy!

Nokia N97 Analysis: Compared to iPhone 3G and Google G1 Phone

Steven Finch — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:44:10 +0000

iPhones seem to be everywhere these days and even the release of the G1 phone hasn’t really had an impact on their growing marketshare. Palm have also announced that they will soon be launching their new smartphone called the Palm Pre, which is getting a huge amount of buzz at the moment. Thus bringing us to the final major player in the market who is yet to release a smartphone that can actually take marketshare and thats Nokia.

Nokia announced about three months ago that they will be releasing the N97 which is their rival to the iPhone. The N97 will be release in the 2nd quarter of 2009 and its sure to raise some eyebrows.

Here at Crenk we are still yet to get our hands on a new N97 test version, but I thought I would provide our readers with a basic overview of the phone and how it compares to iPhone and G1.

Nokia N97 – compared to the iPhone3G and G1

3.5 inches screen size

( iPhone3G : 3.5 inch ; G1 : 3.2 inch )

640 x 360 pixel resolution

(iPhone3G : 320×480 pixels ; G1 : 480×320 pixels resolution)

16:9 Aspect ratio,the same as that of TV,PC Monitors etc

(both iPhone and G1 have aspect ratio of 3:2 )

Resistive touchscreen display with tactile feedback

(both iPhone & G1 boast a capacitive touchscreen(feather touch sensitive) )

Sliding QWERTY Keyboard

( iPhone : No physical keyboard ; G1 : Sliding QWERTY Keyboard )

Inbuilt WiFi,Bluetooth,HSDPA,A-GPS,3G

( Both iPhone and G1 have it )

32GB Onboard memory (expandable through microSD card upto 48GB as total capacity)

(neither iPhone nor G1 go beyond 32 GB as total capacity )

Battery : 1500 mAh (Heavy duty ! )

(iPhone : 1400 mAh ; G1 : 1150 mAh )

5 MP Digital Camera (DVD quality video capture)

(iPhone : 2.0 MP ; G1 : 3.2 MP )

OS : S60 5th Edition

(iPhone : iPhone OS 2.2 ; G1 : Android 1.0 )

Weight : 150 g (approx.)

( iPhone : 133 g ; G1 : 158 g )

Price : $550 (before network subsidies so expect it to go way cheaper than this)

(iPhone : $199(min.) ; G1 : $179(min.) )

Conclusions:

After a direct comparison with all the feature of the n97, G1 and iPhone3G the Nokia is by far the leader from a hardware perspective. However, it terms of the software and the OS, Nokia is a long way behind Google and Apple but this is expected.

The key also is that the App Store has made a huge impact on making the iPhone such a big success, and with the Android Market just being launched I’m sure that the G1 will slowly gain more and more marketshare. Where does this leave Nokia? Nokia really need to think hard and long about how they are going to open up their software to outside developers and then allow the average user the ability to pick and choose the applications that are right for them. OS has never been a strong point for Nokia, but it is about time they actually improved this sector if they are going to continue to be a major player in the smartphone market.

Also that the ‘App Store’ is something that has played a very critical role in making iPhone a worldwide success and now the same thing is occurring in the form of ’Android Market’ for G1, Nokia(being ‘new’ to open developer support for apps) can’t afford to reach the standards set by the other two veteran smartphones(specially iPhone)

Palm Fights to Stay Relevant

Luis Sandoval — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:53:33 +0000

Remember Palm?

You know the mobile device kings from long ago, yep, they are still around. Palm has attempted many times to reinvent itself with new products, and over time they’ve had a few hits every now and then. I remember when the Z22 came out, I bought one for my wife. When the Centro came out, I got one for a friend as well. But in the grand scheme of things Palm has remained relatively unknown in the battle of the three giants, Apple, Blackberry, and now Google, in the mobile device wars.

The Palm users I have met are adamant users of the product and will defend it despite its lackluster performance as a whole over the years. Despite the ups and down Palm is now on the verge of becoming a player in the online software arena.

Last night Palm released an online software store in an effort to not get left behind. The interesting moved was launched for all of its devices on both the Windows Mobile and the Palm OS platform, which will enable the company to reach out to a wider market, especially with their inclusion of the Windows Mobile users.

Can Palm remain relevant? Every time I think they are going down, they seem to jump right back into the fray. There’s definitely something to be said of an underdog like Palm. We’ll have to see how this works out for them.

AT&T Finally Tethers the iPhone

Luis Sandoval — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:26:10 +0000

Image via CrunchBase

Users of the iPhone have long been looking for ways to utilize their powerful mobile phone as a portal to access internet from their laptops. Most cell phone by the major providers make it it possible to tap into the phone’s network and access it through the user’s laptop. Unfortunately the iPhone was never given such an ability so it fell to the development community to create their own applications.

It was not long that homebrew applications were created to tether the iPhone to a laptop, but Apple heavy handedly shut down the application and refused to support such an application, more because of the contract with AT&T rather then outright unhappiness of what the application did. Still, when the iPhone was “jail broken” tethering became an option and users were frantically trying to share the information with the masses and get them on board in support of jail breaking the iPhone. Apple turned around and said that no Apple store or mail location would support an iPhone out of service due to a botched jail break attempt. Such attempts would be consider a breach of agreement and null and void any support from Apple.

Until now most non-tech savvy users were unawares of jail breaking an iPhone and simply settled for the inability to link up service with their mobile computers. Until now…

The Announcement

On Thursday Nov. 6th, AT&T Mobility Chief, Ralph de la Vega announced that users of the iPhone 3G would be able to tether their phones to their laptops and use them as modems for internet service. The remarkable service will not be available until 2009, but users were left wondering just how it would be implemented, and how much it was going to cost.

Reports state that AT&T was afraid to offer tethering believing that the major influx of users would bring down the network, and thus frustrate customers from purchasing an iPhone. What they failed to realize is that customers were finding work arounds, and even while Apple was shutting applications like NetShare down for providing modem compatibility, AT&T remained deaf to user’s needs.

Information on Apple’s and AT&T’s tethering option became available six days later with costs of $30/month and a 5GB cap on data usage being the key release information. Already users of iPhone with bloated bills are complaining about the cost saying that applications like NetShare are offering their services free of charge. Why would you pay $30 if you know a tried and true app can provide you the same service for free? That seems to be a question AT&T won’t answer for now, but the real question is if tethering is now legitimate, will NetShare be allowed to offer its alternative on Apple’s App Store?

Still, to AT&T’s benefit, after acquiring Wi-Fi provider Wayport, the network is boasting another 20,000 locations to access the network. Could AT&T become successful in having iPhone users pay the monthly fee for the benefit of tethering. With so many access points now added to the already expansive network, only time will tell.