Apple provided iPhone developers Monday afternoon with a third beta of iPhone 3.1, the first planned update to its third-generation mobile operating system. Beta 3 is only accessible to those with an existing developer account. Labeled build 7C116A, it weighs in at 307MB. Apple also released a new iPhone SDK for OS 3.1. The SDK build

Apple’s demand for flash memory is proving insatiable in the run-up to new iPods, according to one report. Mixed messages from Toshiba may be a clue to a major order of NAND flash memory from Apple, if claimed sources at circuit makers are accurate. The apparent insiders for DigiTimes (a leading tech blog) say Toshiba is boosting

Apple is systematically pulling iPhone apps that use Google Voice to simplify and reduce the costs of making phone calls, though it’s suspected Apple isn’t the one making the actual judgment call. One of these, developer Sean Kovacs, was surprised on Monday to discover that his GV Mobile client for Google Voice was to be pulled

Today’s batch of $.99 iPhone and iPod touch games come in a pretty wide variety, so hopefully you will find one that suits your specific tastes. IUGO’s Star Hogs is a bit of a sleeper hit.  Fans of turn-based strategy games have flocked to it because of its immersive and challenging gameplay, along with over its overall polish from top to bottom.  The game features 32 single player levels, freeplay mode, tons of weapons and customization options, leader boards, and online multiplayer over Wi-Fi, 3G, or Edge.   Star Hogs was originally released for $4.99, but it is now available for $.99 for a limited time.  Fans of turn-based strategy games, like Worms and iShoot , should definitely give this one a look. If you were a fan of slot car racing as a kid, SlotZ Racer by Freeverse is a must-have.  The game features the classic slots racing gameplay, where you must accelerate and decelerate at the right moment to avoid falling off the track.  This unique system allows for up to four people to race on a single device.  The game also features tons of tracks, cars, gameplay modes, and customization options, along with the ability to design your own tracks.   SlotZ Racer has fluctuated in price over time, with its highest price being $4.99, but it is now on sale for a limited time for only $.99. Radial 50 is one of the most unique  Breakout -like games you will ever play on your iPhone or iPod touch.  It features a 360 degree playing field, 50 levels, achievements, online leader boards, and 20 different power-ups and power-downs.  The developer is also holding a contest , which will reward the first 50 players that beat the game with iTunes and Fathead gift cards, so this one could end up paying for itself if you are good enough.   Radial 50 is normally priced at $1.99, but it is on sale for $.99 until August 7th, the contest end date. Related Posts Three Great $.99 Games Updated: ShapeShape, The Battle Of Pirate Bay, And Mummy’s Revenge Baseball Slugger 3D On Sale For One Day Only! Tradewinds 2 And WarShip On Sale For Limited Time Knights Onrush On Sale For $.99 Tiger Woods PGA Tour On Sale For U.S. Open

TechCrunch is reporting that Apple has started pulling all apps from the App Store that take advantage of Google Voice’s functionality. The reason given for the removal is that the apps “duplicate features that come with the iPhone.” One of the affected apps was developer Sean Kovacs’ GV Mobile .  According to the report, Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing, had actually personally approved the app in April, and even went as far as apologizing for the delay in initially getting it approved.  Now that Google is accepting new users to Google Voice, it seems that AT&T has finally decided to take action and block all of these apps since the service is able to provide free text messaging and cheap long-distance, which of course would hurt AT&T’s bottom line. To add insult to injury, a Google spokesperson has confirmed that Apple has also rejected Google’s official Google Voice app. We work hard to bring Google applications to a number of mobile platforms, including the iPhone. Apple did not approve the Google Voice application we submitted six weeks ago to the Apple App Store. We will continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users — for example, by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers. So who is to blame and where should we start pointing fingers?  Apple has AT&T breathing down their neck, but Apple chose to go with AT&T as their lone carrier here in the U.S.  Maybe we should blame Verizon for not throwing enough money Apple’s way?  But who is to say Verizon would act any differently?  No carrier wants to lose money to a service like Google Voice. No matter who you decide to blame, it is a disappointing blow to us, the users. Related Posts Rising From The Ashes: My iPhone Is Reborn Over 1.5 Billion Apps Downloaded From App Store Popular iPhone App Updates for July 3rd 2009 Dad: Made By Apple AT&T Says $55 Tethering Rumors Aren’t True

Overview: Farkle, the classic dice game, has been brought into our world of gizmos and gadgets. With its simple user interface and advanced set of settings, Farkle Deluxe does the original dice game justice, but is it really better than just using a couple of real dice? I am always wary of the simplest of games being brought to digital platforms. But, I guess if you don’t like tossing a couple of dice into your bag if you know you’re going to have time to play a game with somebody, then it is a necessity. And, if it is necessary for you to have the simplest of dice games on the iPhone, then this application is for you. Features: Farkle Deluxe’s features are numerous, intriguing and pretty. But, the best feature of the application is that it doesn’t stray from the heart of what makes Farkle a great game by sticking to the original set of rules. Some of the best features (besides the fact that it stays true to Farkle) involve the dice; the application utilizes wonderful dice rolling sound effects, as well as realistic and mesmerizing 3D dice animations. The playing area is well-organized and simple. The rolling area is a little small, as others have complained, but it is sufficient to play the game without hassle. Also, the smaller rolling area allows for a better organized playing experienced since you have all of the game data available to you instantaneously. More great features include the ability to choose 1-player mode for practice, the ability to shut off the rolling animation to speed up the game, the fact that you can name and select a face for your player, and also the option to play with up to 4 players (either human or computer). The Good: Well, ‘the good’ of the application is basically what has just been listed as its features: great dice animation and sound effects, well-organized gameplay area which makes up for a slightly tiny rolling area, a bunch of great features including player options, and, best of all, no extras or crazy game versions—just Farkle. The Bad: As with almost every app, there are some bad things going for Farkle Deluxe. The first involves a pet peeve of mine. It’s probably just me, but I hate seeing Helvetica within iPhone apps… I don’t know what it is about Helvetica but it makes the application that it’s in look just tacky and junky, I guess. But, although it is distracting for me during game set-up, you hardly see any of it during actual gameplay, so it isn’t really a big deal if you’re anti-Helvetica like I am. As mentioned previously, the dice-rolling area is a little bit too small for my liking. And, although it is a fair trade-off to give up some dice-rolling space for more game data, the developer could probably get away with enlarging it a little bit. Another thing that could enhance the gameplay of Farkle Deluxe would be more interactivity with others. Whether this be through network play, ‘random opponent on the internet’ play, or even just uploading your high scores to a worldwide scoreboard, more interactivity would make the game much more addictive and enjoyable. In fact, it is pretty surprising nowadays when an application lacks networking settings and an online scoreboard—that has really become the standard when it comes to iPhone games. Although, the interactivity may be coming in one of the ‘future updates’ which the developer has promised (as might the larger rolling area). Verdict Farkle Deluxe is an exciting game for the iPhone which stays true to the original dice game while also bringing it to the digital age with lots of player settings, realistic dice animation and sound effects, and an organized playing area. While some negatives include the hideous Helvetica, a smaller-than-it-could-be dice rolling area, and a total lack of networking options, the positives slightly outweigh these negatives. If you are looking for a fun way to pass the time, and are prepared to pass around your iPhone for multiplayer modes (due to a lack of internet options) then Farkle Deluxe is just perfect for you. Related Posts Review: Sally’s Salon Review: Tetris Review: iFitness Our Bluebird Giveaway Winners Are… EA Releases The Classic Board Game Clue For iPhone

We first saw the Twitter message come from GV Mobile developer Sean Kovacs who alerted us that GV Mobile was being pulled from the App Store and sadly the bad news did not stop there. It turns out that a short while later, Apple also pulled all of the other Google Voice apps including VoiceCentral and

According to a recent Shanghai Securities News report, it looks like the seemingly never ending saga between Apple and China Unicom has come to an end. Sure, we have seen reports that suggested this before, so we remain skeptical, however it looks like it will be a three year exclusivity deal. These reports note that the

Apple has recently released both iPhone OS 3.1 beta 3 and iPhone SDK 3.1 beta 3 to the development community. This release, which comes just a few short weeks since we saw beta 2 is just another stepping stone on the way to the official public release of iPhone OS 3.1. One important item to point

We here at App Advice are constantly trying to keep you informed and up to date about the latest and greatest iPhone apps and that includes their updates. Below you will find the today’s most popular app updates. Enjoy! OneDisk - Improved compatibility with box.net. Bug fixes. [$4.99 - iTunes Link ] Twitterfon Pro - Way too many new features to list. Just update! [$4.99 - iTunes Link ] QuadCamera Multi shot - Now supports iPhone OS 3.0. Countdown indicator added. [$1.99 - iTunes Link ] The Weather Channel - Bug fixes. [Free - iTunes Link ] Related Posts Popular iPhone App Updates for July 25th 2009 Popular iPhone App Updates for July 24th 2009 Popular iPhone App Updates for July 23rd 2009 Popular iPhone App Updates for July 22nd 2009 Popular iPhone App Updates for July 21st 2009