PC World reports that the language from the UK and Swedish App Stores is not present in the app store rules for the US. The Apple TOS apparently places no limitations on the use of apps in the US.

PC world figures that the terms and service may have been misunderstood. It wouldn't make much sense to have apps not be usable legally to business users.

The prices of the five versions as follows:

• TomTom Australia – $74
• TomTom New Zealand – $90
• TomTom UK & Ireland – $99
• TomTom US & Canada – $99
• TomTom Western Europe – $132

[via SlashGear]

TechCrunch writes:

That means that shortly, we’ll have access to the much-improved app which is scheduled to have features such as a News Feed that is more like the one on Facebook’s site, the ability to “like” items and a new customizable home screen. More importantly, it will also have video support for the iPhone 3GS, something which Hewitt threw-in at the last second, unexpectedly. And perhaps best of all, the app will have the ability to manage events, finally.

USAA has just updated its free iPhone application, adding the ability to deposit checks wirelessly. Just taking a photo of both sides of the check using iPhone's camera, then you can send the check's image directly to USAA.

In order to reduce fraud, only qualified USAA customers --who had eligible credit score and insurance from USAA-- can make deposits into their accounts over the air.

[via Washington Post]

The WildCharge works via connecting the zero-profile conductive strips on the base-plate with contact-point nubs on the back of the iPhone case. What's special about it is the fact that you needn't line up the phone with the strips; just placing it down at any angle is enough.

The "skin" case for the iPhone is priced at $34.99, while a bundle including the base-plate is $79.99; both are available to order now. We'll have a full review of the WildCharge wire-free charging system for the iPhone 3GS very soon, but until then enjoy the unboxing video and gallery.

Meanwhile, they have already demonstrated this flaw in action to CNET's Elinor Mills before the conference.

Here's what happened: While I was talking on the phone to Charlie Miller, his partner, Collin Mulliner, sent me a text message from his phone. One minute I'm talking to Miller and the next minute my phone is dead, and this time it's not AT&T's fault. After a few seconds it came back to life, but I was not able to make or receive calls until I rebooted.

The attack is enabled by a serious memory corruption bug in the way the iPhone handles SMS messages, said Miller, a senior security researcher at Independent Security Evaluators. There is no patch, despite the fact that Apple was notified of the problem about six weeks ago, he said.

[via CNET]

Please note that Google Voice is not a VOIP service. Basically, it's a service that lets you manage a free phone number that Google gives you. Since the app relies on the Internet connection (3G, EDGE, Wifi, etc), so you still need an actual phone plan.

The GV Mobile features including:

• Dial numbers (domestic for free and international at a variable rate) via the iPhone’s address book or typing in on the keypad
• Send SMS messages
• Retrieve and delete recent call history
• Playback and delete voicemails
• Take calls from different phones other than your iPhone
• Add, delete, enable, or disable the phones that Google Voice forwards calls to

Google Voice is currently in beta and invite only.

[via Engadget]

iPhone users can view the new home page at m.yahoo.com, which comes up with three tabs: "Today", "My Favorites" and "All Sites".  These include Yahoo Finance, eBay, Facebook, MySpace, Maps, Messenger, and so on.

According to CNET, Yahoo is now prepping the native iPhone app of this sync functionality. [I hope Apple will not then remove it from App Store, due to "duplicating features that the iPhone comes with..." LOL!]

The Web giant claims one out of every two mobile users views its home page, and has 34 million unique users per month, according to recent Comscore data.

[via CNET]

A company called MotionTouch has announced a new iPhone charger that gets power from the sun or some ambient lighting to charge the battery inside the sleeve. The device is called the Powcell sleeve and it slides onto the back of the iPhone much like the Mophie offering.

The rear of the sleeve is covered in a solar panel that charges the sleeves internal battery even when it isn’t connected to the iPhone. The maker says that the sleeve doesn’t block any of the features of the phone. Pricing and availability for the charger is unknown.

[via MotionTouch]

Now that a brand new 3G sells for $99 AT&T has cut the prices on its refurb fleet to woo customers willing to take a chance on a refurb. The iPhone 3G refurb now sells for $49 online with a new two-year contract. That is a steal if you can live without the 3GS.

If 8GB at $49.99 isn’t enough storage for you, the refurb 16GB iPhone 3G can be had for $99 online. That is a cheap price, and for some the $149 saved compared to the iPhone 3GS will seal the deal. For others, the new sexy 3GS is well worth the extra green.

[via AT&T]

SI has announced a new iPhone app that puts the hotness of the swimsuit edition on your iPhone. The Si Swimsuit 2009 is the app and SI is calling is the "world's sexiest app" with hundreds of photos. In addition to the photos of swimsuit models, the app offers scores and team information.

The app sells for $2.99 and features video and photos of all 20 models from the 2009 SI Swimsuit franchise. Users can also create a custom sports calendar to follow their favorite sports teams from pro or college venues.

RSA has announced that it has a new iPhone app called RSA SecurID Software Token for iPhone that allows the iPhone to be used as a RSA SecurID authenticator. The app allows the iPhone to be used as part of a two-factor authentication network.

The app generates a one-time password that changes every 60 seconds to enable secure access to enterprise applications and resources. The app is available through a download on the App Store for free. The RSA SecurID software token seed must be purchased at an undisclosed price.

[via RSA]

Ars Technica wrote:

...beta 2 enables them to connect to their devices wirelessly instead of requiring them to be tethered for development purposes with Instruments. The WiFi connection supports all the same features a developer would get (through Instruments) when tethered.

[via MacRumors]

Apple’s App Store Downloads Top 1.5 Billion in First Year

More Than 65,000 Apps; Over 100,000 Developers

CUPERTINO, California—July 14, 2009—Apple today announced that customers have downloaded more than 1.5 billion applications in just one year from its revolutionary App Store, the largest applications store in the world. The App Store is also growing at an incredible pace with more than 65,000 apps and more than 100,000 developers in the iPhone Developer Program.

“The App Store is like nothing the industry has ever seen before in both scale and quality,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With 1.5 billion apps downloaded, it is going to be very hard for others to catch up.”

The revolutionary App Store has more than 65,000 apps available to consumers in 77 countries, allowing developers to reach tens of millions of iPhone and iPod touch users around the world. The App Store works with both iPod touch and iPhone including the new iPhone 3GS, the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet. Apple has shipped over 40 million of these devices that run apps from the App Store.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

[via SlashGear]

Live object identification:  Somewhat similar to Nokia’s Point & Find service (its beta version, focusing on barcodes and cinema posters, is now available in the UK and US), just point your iPhone to a real object, your handset will recognize it.

Face detection and recognition: Apple patented the techniques on how to incorporate face recognition technologies into an iPhone, iMac and other devices. It can be used to manage the device's priveleges and so on.

Text message filtering: This filtering can be applied to outgoing and incoming e-mails and other  messages, enabling users to manage keywords or setting up alter the objectionable texts.

Smarter messaging interface: It's new messaging interface that help you sending messages to multiple recipients, alerting you if not all the messages get delivered. In these patent items, Apple also helps you dealing better with unread messages.

Changes voice output: It's a patent app that describes the possibility of altering audio output from your iPhone. For instance: "a student listening to a lecture as a podcast file might want to change the audio of certain sections of the lecture to sound like someone else’s voice, so as to emphasize important parts of the lecture."

[via UnwiredView]