A BitTorrent app called IS Drive has appeared in Apple’s App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, despite the company’s past refusal to approve BitTorrent apps because they could be used for Internet piracy.
The app is intended as a tool for managing ImageShack ()’s torrent download service, but it can be adapted to manage downloads from other torrent sites like IsoHunt and Mininova.
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing protocol that shares the bandwidth load for large file transfers between large pools of users. It’s often used for legit services like ImageShack, but it has also gathered a lot of negative attention because it’s ideal for use by illegal file sharers.
Apple has always blocked those apps for fear of allowing illegal activity that could undermine its music and video business on iTunes. Nevertheless, there are a couple possible explanations for IS Drive’s emergence.
Apple recently eased up its app store approval guidelines and the secrecy surrounding them in response to a lot of criticism. As a result, lots of apps that were previously not permitted have arrived — Google Voice apps, for example.
It’s also possible that Apple didn’t realize IS Drive is a BitTorrent app. IS Drive’s developer told TorrentFreak, “I always had the thought that if I didn’t call the app a ‘torrent client,’ Apple would probably let it through the review process.” The app doesn’t use the words “torrent” or “BitTorrent” at all, and it’s simply a download manager.
There’s no torrenting on the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad running the app.
IS Drive costs $4.99 in the App Store (), and the ImageShack sharing service comes loaded with either a monthly or daily fee.
Did Steve Jobs really invent a magical tablet? If consumer adoption of Apple’s iPad tablet is any measure of magic than Jobs has reached Albus Dumbledore (of Harry Potter fame) status. According to financial analysts at Bernstein Research Apple’s iPad is the most quickly adopted non-phone electronic device ever – beating out adoption rates of the less magical DVD player.
CNBC’s Fast Money blog reported Bernstein Research’s findings which says the iPad is selling at a rate of about 4.5 million units per quarter (it sold 3 million units in the first 80 days after its release). CNBC’s John Melloy wrote: “This sales rate is blowing past the one million units the iPhone sold in its first quarter and the 350,000 units sold in the first year by the DVD player..”
CNBC reports that the Apple iPad is the most quickly adopted non-phone electronic device ever.
In the spirit of full disclosure at least one Bernstein Research analyst is an Apple investor (according to the company’s Website PDF) and Best Buy, which began selling the iPad at its retail stores this week, is an investment banking customer of the firm.
iPad Sales Just Keep Chugging Along
If the iPad manages to keep its current rate of 4.5 million units per quarter, it will surpass gaming consoles and cell phones and become the fourth biggest consumer electronics category–that’s right, the iPad as a consumer electronics category all by itself–next year. The top consumer electronics categories will remain: televisions, smartphones, and notebook computers.
“The iPad did not seem destined to be a runaway product success straight tout of the box,” Bernstein retail analyst Colin McGranahan said in a note to CNBC. “By any account, the iPad is a runaway success of unprecedented proportion,” he added.
Compared to the DVD player that was introduced in the late 1990s and was an expensive and untested device with few DVD movies to watch, the iPad at inception easily fit into Apple’s ecosystem of content and devices, explains CNBC.
Underestimating the iPad’s Success
A “runaway success of unprecedented proportion.” Who knew? Back in January, when the Apple iPad was still just “Apple’s secret tablet device,” there were those that predicted that the iPad would be a “handy entertainment device,” and might “kill off dedicated e-readers”–at most.
But become the fastest-selling electronic device in history? Make its own little consumer electronics category, sandwiched in between televisions and cell phones? Dent the netbook market? Of course not!
Looks like early tablet pundits had it wrong. It doesn’t matter that the iPad is fragile, awkward, and keyboard-less. Apple really is beating the competition with its magical device.
wow where did this come from? Gateway is back with a sweet monitor.
Meet the FHD2303L, and is one of the sexiest LCD monitors that I’ve seen in recent. The company engineered the 23-incher with a transparent frame and an asymmetrical stand, and much like the glossy-bezel’d FHX2152L (21.5-inch) and FHX2402L (24-inch), it also packs a 12,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 1920 x 1080 native resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The FHD model boasts a five millisecond response time, while both of the FHX panels check in with a two millisecond response time; the whole crew offers 250 nits of brightness, VGA / DVI outputs and reasonable price tags. How reasonable? Try $249.99, $189.99 and $249.99 in order of mention, with the lot hitting US retailers this month.
So we know that the entire Star Wars saga is going to come in fill 3D glory from 2012 onwards, and for those whose favorite episodes are in the latter part of the space opera would be disappointed to know that George Lucas will be releasing his movies in sequence – which means you might have to wait until 2017 if Return of the Jedi is your favorite. Having said that, you can get a piece of Star Wars action from tomorrow onwards in the form of the Droid R2-D2 smartphone from Verizon Wireless, where this limited edition smartphone will feature a graphic design that resembles the iconic Astromech Droid from the Star Wars saga. This Motorola-manufactured smartphone will also look great in the box itself, where it will feature a custom box that resembles carbonite while featuring a Star Wars media dock and wired stereo headset. Of course, as with many other limited edition smartphones, this one will also feature exclusive content such as R2-D2 notification sounds and ringtones, a quartet of live wallpapers, a R2-D2 Clock Widget and “The Best of R2-D2″ video with the original Cantina music. Oh yeah, did we mention it will also feature an exclusive Binoculars App as well?
The Grip For iPad is an iPad case doubling as an easy-to-carry handle. The case comes in three versions: for a Colorware-painted Gloss iPad, for a Colorware-painted Softtouch iPad, and a non-Colorwared iPad.
Looks pretty cool but @ 300 bucks you might just want to buy a 2 ipads. Read more here
Today AT&T announced the TerreStar GENUS, a dual-mode cellular/satellite smartphone for enterprise, government, and small business customers.
The TerreStar networks provides communications in remote areas, making it an ideal device for government, energy, utility, transportation, and maritime users. The phone runs Windows Mobile 6.5 and offers WiFi, Bluetooth, and a camera as well.
The TerreStar GENUS is available today to enterprise, government, and small business customers. It requires AT&T voice, data, and satellite subscriptions. The phone is priced at $799.
