The free BBC apps were set to be launched last April after being shown at Mobile World Congress but were blocked by the BBC’s governing body after complaints from media owners that they would distort the market.
“The Apps market is rapidly taking off as more people choose to get their news, sport and other online content while they’re on the move. […]we have concluded that while the Apps market is developing quickly and we will monitor the launch of BBC Apps, a public value test is not required.”
Update: Here’s the BBC News app for the iPhone and iPad.
If you’re a regular follower of this blog, my Flickr feed or Grumpy Environmentalist column you’ll know that my family is renovating a 300-year old farmhouse in Northumberland around eco-principals insofar as possible.
Here’s another Internet of Things project that we’ve recently incorporated into the building to monitor energy usage.
It uses kit supplied by AlertMe to deliver information about electricity usage in the house to a web app, an iPhone app and Google’s energy meter. It’s a neat solution that provides an impetus for changing your energy usage habits.
The ‘always-on’ reading has made us very disciplined about turning appliances off and has prompted a rethink of lighting and white goods.
Check out the graph for yourself. You can spot the load from devices on standby and when the washing machine and dishwasher are used.
In time we’ll use the Internet and home network to remotely control electrical appliances in the house.
“My kids, and the kids of anyone else I know who owns one, absolutely love the iPhone. Not only for the games and apps, but also just to hold and use. The bright and attractive touchscreen interface seems entirely intuitive to a child and so, in creating a “bigger iPhone”, has Apple not designed the perfect computing device for children?”
There is no doubt that the iPad is a gorgeous device that is entirely natural to use and doesn’t require you to adapt your behaviour. It’s no surprise then that children love it.
But it crosses generations. Try it out with your parents; older people love-it as well.
Apple has beaten Nintendo at its own game by designing a computing-device that appeals across the generations. We’ve been talking about pervasive computing for 10, maybe 20 years.
Econsultancy’s Innovation Report is a cracking document packed with more than 60 case study examples of innovation from almost every corner of the web.
The report celebrates every aspect of the digital supply chain from affiliate marketing to web analytics. The report should be required reading for anyone working in the digital sector.
Kiva: microfinance venture capitalist matching finance in $25 chunks to entrepreneurs in the developing world
Nearest tube application: can I have an iPhone 3GS for Christmas please so that I can tinker with this augmented reality tube finder application from acrossair?
The Rubicon Project: an ad network that optimises web inventory for publishers and claims revenue improvements of 30 to 300 per cent
Here’s another photo stitch created using a free app called Microsoft ICE. The panarama is made-up of five shots taken from the London Eye using an iPhone.
The web interface Sky+ is neat. If you register for a Remote Record account you can schedule programmes to be recorded via the Sky web site.
But now the iPhone extends this to your mobile phone with a free download. You can scan or text search the upcoming seven-day schedule and when you spot something you like hit record and its will be captured on your Sky+ box.