The iPhone User Guide

Simonblog has reported this about the new barcode app/game for iPhone: Barcode Hero huh? OK, I said, it actually looks kind of interesting…and different, sort of. And as it turns out, I was right. BH seems to be kind of an experiement in social shopping, and it’s kind of fun for some elusive little reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, but there it is. The gist of this nifty, and free, app is that whenever you’re out shopping and/or buying you can scan the barcode of your item and let all your Barcode Hero friends know about it and whether you might recommend it or just plain old want the darn thing. And, like on Twitter, you can follow others to keep up with their latest shopping experiences and purchases. Think of it like Facebook’s Visual Bookshelf where you can show off what books you’re reading, or planning on reading only you’re showing off what you’re spending your hard-earned cash on, or just lusting after.

If you can find some folks with similar interests to yours then it’s a great way to find out about new stuff you’ll no doubt love, and stuff you might stay away from. Personally, I’m looking forward to finding some others interested in books to get a steady stream of recommended reading, which BH is perfect for; not to mention music, clothes, cars, or just about anything people spend money on. All this and of course you get to compare prices to see how much the new widget you want costs elsewhere. But then those crazy folks over at Kima Labs decided to throw in some more fun with the Foursquare-like titles and badges one can accumulate as you scan more and more items. There are dukes and kings and queens, you know the usual stuff. Although, I don’t believe there’s a Ruler of the Universe rank and that kind of saddens me. And given my luck I’ll likely end up with the enviable title of King of Toilet Seat Covers or something.

BarCode Hero is available for free from the App Store.

Mashable reports: Apple’s new privacy policy contains a small new paragraph of big importance: it gives the company license to store “the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device” and share it with “partners and licensees.” As if we haven’t had enough privacy kerfuffles of late. Apple goes on to assure customers in the remainder of the new clause that location data is “collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you.” Still, there seems to be no effective method of opting out of the data storage and sharing, as you’ll need to agree to the new terms and conditions before downloading new apps or any media from the iTunes store.

The company gives a nod to MobileMe’s “Find My iPhone” feature as one of the services that requires personal location information to work, but it’s not saying much about other details including who the data will be shared with and for how long it will be stored. Apple says the information it collects will be used to “provide and improve location-based products and services;” check out the full text of the new paragraph in the privacy policy below:

“To provide location-based services on Apple products, Apple and our partners and licensees may collect, use, and share precise location data, including the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device. This location data is collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you and is used by Apple and our partners and licensees to provide and improve location-based products and services.

For example, we may share geographic location with application providers when you opt in to their location services. Some location-based services offered by Apple, such as the MobileMe “Find My iPhone” feature, require your personal information for the feature to work.”

How do you feel about this?

oogle confirmed at a London press conference that it plans to bring its free turn-by-turn navigation app to other smartphone platforms, including the iPhone, according to a MacUser report. The company wouldn’t say when it expected the application to be available for the iPhone. Google Maps Navigation requires an active data connection when planning routes, though not while traveling. “Google Maps pre-caches the entire route,” said Mobile Maps product manager, Steve Lee. “It needs a data connection when you ask for navigation. But while driving to your destination, if you intermittently lose the connection, it will still carry on. As long as you stay on the route.” You can take a look at the Android app in action by watching the video below

What is Urban Signals?

Urban Signals is an iPhone app that lets you see people around you, if they’re available, interested and even ready to meet up… right there on the spot! Meet new friends, love interests or neighbors in real time! No more seeing someone on the street, sharing a smile, feeling a spark and walking away wishing you would have said hello…. no more missed connections.

So… Go about your day. Turn on the radar and see who is out and about. See someone you like? Good. Send them a signal and see if they like you too! Feeling spontaneous? Then meet up right then and there. Urban Signals is taking love back to the streets!

Urban Signals could potentially change everything when it comes to meeting new people, especially given that with iPhone OS 4.0, the app will be able to run in the background on your iPhone all the time. Currently, you’ll recieve a push notification if someone wants to chat to you (and have allowed yourself to be ‘on the radar’ as it were).

How does it work?

With Urban Signals you simply set up your account, add your photo, your likes and dislikes, and head out on to the streets. It really is that simple. If someone wants to send you a ‘signal’, they can, and you can start a conversation. Likewise if you see someone, and would like to meet them you can send them a ‘signal’… Obviously, this only works if both parties have Urban Signals on their iPhone.

Is it any good?

If you are in a city or highly populated area like a Mall where there are heaps of people, then it’s likely a fair few will have Urban Signals on their iPhone, and then the app works. It’s early days yet, the only person I could find was my boss sitting right next to me… but if the uptake of this app is good then it could have the potential to be great.

Disclaimer

Guys and Girls, there are some very weird people out there, so be careful when using this app, do not meet up with random strangers without telling someone, and seriously… use your brain.

Guest List Nation announces the launch of the first iPhone application that delivers redeemable nightlife guest list and promotional offers to a consumer’s mobile device, allowing consumers to review available offers, and, with a simple click, RSVP to the offer of their choosing, automatically adding their name to the nightlife venue’s guest list.

Guest List Nation delivers a functional technological solution to an industry that has been slow to innovate. Currently, Guest List Nation provides promotional offers for 50+ nightlife venues in 4 major markets: Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego and Phoenix/Scottsdale with Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and Miami coming soon. Major nightlife industry establishments such as Ruby Skye (San Francisco), Sound Bar (Chicago) and Ivy (San Diego) are participating.

Guest List Nation market coordinators upload each venue’s guest lists and promotional offers to the Guest List Nation platform; relieving the time and effort necessary by the venue to populate the offers thus creating no additional work for the venue. At launch, the application is free to download and completely free for venues to participate. Guest List Nation is viral as it allows each user to publish their RSVP plans to Facebook and Twitter, again with a single click.

Happening brings nearby events from Yahoo’s Upcoming.org service to iPhone. With Happening you can browse nearby events, search to your heart’s content, view your friends events and RSVP to events from within the application!

Features:

• Discover nearby events using your device’s built-in geo-location technologies.
• Upcoming account support to allow you to view your own upcoming events, and friends’ events.
• RSVP to events when signed into your Upcoming account.
• Full text search to query Upcoming’s event listings.
• Easily check the location of event venues using the built-in map
• or easily open the venue in your device’s Maps application for directions to the event.
• View event attendee lists (when signed in to your Upcoming account)
• Built-in email support to easily