UK users miffed at Iphone app store
US flavours leave bad taste
DESPITE A GLOWING review by the INQ, many users in the UK are complaining about the App Store for their Iphones.
It seems a number of high-profile applications simply aren't available in the UK, including big names such as Ebay, Google Mobile, and the lesser-known but highly-demanded, Jott.
Oddly, Paypal (an Ebay company) is available.
Unfortunately, the applications which are available seem to be heavily US-centric.
For example, The Associated Press has releadsed a Mobile News Network app which is orientated towards US news, only taking US Zip Codes - at least half a dozen reviews of the application within the store complain about its irrelevance, and subsequently giving it 1 out 5 stars.
The 'Where' app is similarly poor - UK denizens are complaining that the application won't find any pizza restaurants within the middle of a city. Apparently this is important to those living in Blighty.
Local Picks by Tripadvisor finds restaurants and bars, but seemingly miles away from your current location.
This hack is currently sitting in reach of a dozen restaurants within a 100 metre radius, yet Local Picks insists the most local eatery is 10 miles away.
It's worse for Irish Iphone customers - they have no access to any games on the platform, at all. You can view screen shots of the missing games section on Macrumours.com.
However, there is one Brit supplier which is trumpeting its inclusion on Apple Itunes App Store and that is Truphone.
To coincide with the release of the 3G Iphone, Truphone announced that it is claiming to offer the first VoIP application for the Iphone. It works on both EDGE and 3G Iphones.
It will enable users to make low cost Internet calls via the Iphone’s Wi-fi capability. Better still it can be downloaded for free.
There’s only one snag. Presently existing Truphone users have to cancel their existing subscription in order to swap it over to the Iphone version.
Also, if you're desperate to do Ebaying nonsense on your Iphone, a free application called Garagebuy is available within the business section, and can be made to view UK Ebay listings.
And if you're really bored, at least Ibeer is available. µ
Comments
Complete the sentence:
A fool and his money are ???? ??????.I don't know of anyone sane who doesn't research a phone of that expense (and don't give me the usual horse manure about it being subsidised - you're *always* locked into a long and expensive contract, and that will cost you dearly).
iPhone. The choice of a new generation: The iChav.
Sounds familiar...
All too often the list of available tools is restricted to USA and Canada.XP Media centre for example has a lovely plug-in to allow you to remotely schedule recordings, but guess what... USA and Canada only... The last mention I've seen of it coming to the UK was in a post about 2 years ago... Needless to say it must has drowned en route.
I did try installing Vista on my media centre to see if it could do it (I know, what desperation), unfortunately the Nvidia graphics it has don't seem to exist on the Nvidia site, and the output to the TV just doesn't work. Kinda crucial that one.
Back to XP and remote desktop scheduling again. Lovely.
iChav!
@OliveriChav. I love it. That is what I will now call people with either iPhones or iPods from now on. As both items appear to be a fashion accessory they deserve the name. I don't know anyone who has an iPod because 'it is a good player', but they all seem to have it because 'it looks pretty' or 'everyone has one'.
They deserve the name.
"Knifed In The Back!"_again!
What a ripper! I'm off up the Apples and pears to see uncle Ned. It sounded like a gimmick... No wonder UK denizens are complaining Union Jack! I'd expect this in the rural outback, but this Is Not America! This is the empire that put the "Great" in 3G!Steve Jobs may kiss my Fannie Mae an' big ole Freddie Mac! I may not know an American Apple Association from frigging an Appleholics Anonymous, but I do know that Dean Pullen is Not back with my chips; an now is he? If you ask me, there's too much cider about in this iBeer and iPint! And the goverments of both blue & red persuasion must be aware of the rising tide on this issue. iSure. I've been entertaining proposals from the iHome secretary iMs iJacqui iSmith's Apple pie and she insisted she had been talking at the weekend about Apple referral schemes - where young pie people caught with knives would "face up to the consequences of their actions", including Apple "graphic" weapons awareness workshops and visits to hospitals to talk to health workers. Liberal Democrat iHome iAffairs spokesman iChris iHuhne described iMs iSmith's Apple pie plans as half-baked!
iConservative leader iDavid iCameron is said that Apple's App Store measure was an example of jumbled up ideas. According to iBCS, for iScotland iYard, focus on stop and search powers would be increased, with more visible policing (Apple iCCTV?). Apples to Brownies, it's game over, go straight to jail do not pass go and do not collect £200. It sounded like a gimmick... Now they [iMinisters] are in iWholesale iRetreat. If you iGeeks keep waving these iPhones about, you’ll have someone’s eye out, iSure!
Speaking of which...
"It seems a number of high-profile applications simply aren't available in the UK,"And the services advertised on the Xbox 360... and numerous other devices which are US centric. Getting a little old now.
Oh, while we're at it. Stop the Americanification of the Inquirer. I want pound prices, not dollar. It's bad enough that every other tech site is a dollar whore please don't leave us with no local tech reporting. Once that happens it's pretty much redudant coming here for news since there's no way of knowing if it applys here or not.
For example, recent Xbox 360 price cuts - widely reported in the US. I can't see any price cuts here in the UK.... so there's no price cut, right?
Same with this article:
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/14/nvidia-slashes-gtx-card-prices
Is this world-wide or just the good ol' US.
I'm Happy
I got my iphone on the day of release, and love it. I use it for e-mail, internet, camera, photo viewing, and most often as a phone.The applications are something kinda exclusive to this platform, in their ease of use, so i cant really complain. Plus... the phone has only been out 4 days :S
Local Content coming
I'm the author of a native iPhone app that shows the tvGuide for listings within New Zealand. Its gone straight to the top seller on our store here and its been there all week. We were craving for local content too. I've now completed an update that will allow it to display data from other countries, incl UK sourced listings too. Its finding its ways thru the system now, so you should be able to buy this real soon now. Check www.orsome.co.nz for details.