Macgasm

Good news, tweeps! Tweetbot, the incredibly popular Twitter client made by the folks at Tapbots, is now available for the iPad. Right next to the 2.0 release of their iPhone client, this brand new $2.99 USD Twitter app puts the competition to shame.

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It’s well known that some shady developers use less-than-tasteful tactics to get their apps to the top of the charts on the App Store. Turns out, Apple is finally taking a stand, and warning developers to knock it off or face severe penalties.

From Apple’s Adhering to Guidelines on Third-Party Marketing Services document:

That’s right. If you are caught using third party services to attempt to manipulate your way to the top of the charts, Apple is willing to bring down the axe. Not only will your app be removed, but you’ll no longer be able to sell apps on the App Store at all. If these instructions from Apple aren’t clear enough to these shifty devs, we don’t know what is.

If you’re employing a company to do anything you would be hesitant to talk about in the presence of an Apple executive, you should probably cease and desist. Apple holds all of the power here, and the App Store is a place with a lot of potential for revenue. Don’t risk your business by trying to game the charts. Just focus on making great apps, engaging with the community, and listening to your users. If you have what it takes, you’ll be successful without any tomfoolery needed.

Hat tip to MacWorld
Image Credit: Lara604

Netflix is seeing some heavy competition from Amazon. Today, the Seattle-based online retail behemoth announced that they have struck a deal with Viacom for a massive catalog of TV shows for their Prime service.

Netflix, which has long used its contract with Starz for a nontrivial amount of their available streaming content, will be in for a substantial problem when that deal ends at the end of the month. This move from Viacom clearly shows that not only is Amazon very serious about competing with Netflix, but also that Viacom doesn’t want Netflix to get too big. Dominant distribution channels scare content producers like crazy it seems, and this wouldn’t be the first time Amazon steps in to be the shoulder the content producers cry on. Back when music still had DRM, the music companies were very grumpy with Apple, so they took their ball to Amazon’s court. Netflix is clearly in for a bumpy 2012.

So, what happens to Apple fans? Netflix is very popular among us because not only does it work on the Mac, but iOS and Apple TV stream Netflix content beautifully. There isn’t any way to stream Amazon Prime videos on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. Would Amazon be willing to make an iOS streaming app? Is Apple willing to put Amazon Prime on the Apple TV? Let’s hope so, because soon it might be the only way to stream some of our favorite content.

Source: Amazon PR

Hey Beatlemaniacs! The “Sir” Beatle and Apple are teaming up to stream a live performance directly to iTunes and Apple TV.

Considering all of the tension between the two Apples, Paul sure does like to pimp his new work through Apple Inc.’s marketing channels. It’s an interesting way of promoting your album, but sadly, only a member of the most successful band of all time gets to take advantage. Think of a world where buying an album on iTunes was your ticket to see a band streaming live. It would make music less of a commodity and more of an event. We’re hoping that Apple does more events like this in the future with lesser known artists.

Are you planning on attending virtually? What if you had to buy the album first? Would you put up the $10 USD album cost to see the walrus live on the Internet? We’re curious if eConcerts could work, and if Apple would be willing to do them. Sound off in the comment section and hit us up on Twitter. Our handle is @macgasm. We want to hear what you think, so don’t hesitate.

Hat tip to MacRumors
Image Credit: Mike Krzeszak

Innovative iPad accessories just keep on coming. This time, Twelve South, the makers of such great products as the PlugBug, has made an iPad stand call the HoverBar that clamps onto your monitor or desk to allow you easy, adjustable access to your favorite tablet.

This incredibly awesome arm latches onto your iMac, Cinema Display, or desk with a silicone-lined clamp, and it allows your iPad 2 to float next to you as you work. If you want to make it into a second monitor, it’s easy to do with applications like DisplayPad or Air Display. Alternately, you can keep drawing apps like PenUltimate and Adobe Ideas open for quick note-taking and sketching as you work.

If you want a HoverBar of your very own, it is available for purchase on Twelve South’s website for $79.99. If you’re in the United States, you won’t even have to pay for shipping for a limited time. Get on this!

A former Apple intern, now a full-fledged Apple engineer, used the experience of porting the underpinnings of OS X to an ARM architecture as the basis of a paper. Until now, it was under embargo, but some details have emerged.

Of course, iOS uses ARM chips already, so this isn’t much of a surprise. This isn’t OS X’s first port in any case. Famously, Apple switched from the PowerPC architecture in 2006 to Intel’s x86 platform. While Intel is incredibly dominant in the space of traditional desktops and laptops, they just haven’t been able to compete with ARM’s low powered mobile processors.

This isn’t indicative of a move away from Intel for Macs any time in the immediate future. That said, Apple would be foolish not to hedge their bets by maintaining a version of OS X for ARM. Unless Intel steps up its game substantially, we could be looking at a future where ARM chips power the desktop as well as phones and tablets. We’re already seeing Microsoft shift away from their once notorious relationship with Intel.

Do you think ARM-based MacBooks will ever be a reality? Is Intel is serious trouble? Sound off in the comment section. This is a topic with a lot of angles to discuss. We want to hear your thoughts.

Source: Electronista
Image Credit: Terry Johnston

Have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on AT&T with that shiny iPhone of yours? Well, you’re in for some bad news. Reports are coming in that users who consume over 2 GB of data in a month using their unlimited data plan are now being throttled to the point of near-uselessness.

Of course, if you switch to their newer tiered-style plans, you won’t be throttled any more. You’ll just be paying an arm and a leg. “You wouldn’t want something bad to happen to your data, Mr. Johnson, would you? For a small fee every month, we can… protect you.”

That said, this is only a problem for legacy customers. You can’t even buy an unlimited data plan from Verizon or AT&T anymore. The only company that offers unlimited plans (for the time being) is Sprint. Who knows how long that will last? We’re living in a data-hostile environment at a time where everything under the sun wants to use data. Somethings gotta give, and we don’t think it is going to be pretty.

Source: Cult of Mac

Deutsche Bank’s Chris Whitmore has taken note of Apple’s increasing competitive advantage with the iPad. He’s done the simple math of combining tablet sales with notebook sales to see how Apple is eating everyone else’s lunch. Not only that, but he thinks the rumored iPad 3 will expand Apple’s lead.

The iPad is becoming more powerful with each hardware bump and major OS release. It is taking over tasks that notebooks used to do, and doing them better with less power and hassle. Meanwhile, the Kindle Fire, new as it is, is closer to a larger iPod touch than it is a reinvented notebook. Android and Windows tablets have a long way to go to get to where the iPad is now. Who knows how long it will be until they can start competing? They have their work cut out for them.

With so little noteworthy competition, Whitmore thinks Apple is primed to hit a stock price of $600. It’s in Apple’s reach, and 2012, just like the past two years, will be the year of the iPad.

Source: AppleInsider