Newman Zone

Last Friday, the New York Times reported that the FCC is investigating Apple’s rejection of Google Voice:

“As part of its investigation, the F.C.C. focused on whether the decision to reject the Google Voice app was made by Apple alone or in consultation with AT&T. Industry analysts and others say AT&T has been increasingly concerned about the possible loss of revenue that could result from the Google Voice service.”

In its letter to Apple, the FCC mentions pending proceedings regarding handset exclusivity, and asks “What role, if any, did AT&T play in Apple’s consideration of the Google Voice and related applications?” They also ask:

“Please explain AT&T’s understanding of any differences between the Google Voice iPhone application and any Voice over Internet Protocol applications that are currently used on the AT&T network, either via the iPhone or via handsets other than the iPhone.”

Good question. Does AT&T understand that Google Voice is not a VoIP app? The commission continues:

“Do any devices that operate on AT&T’s network allow use of the Google Voice application? Do any devices that operate on AT&T’s network allow use of other applications that have been rejected for the iPhone?”

In other words, why is Google Voice permitted on AT&T Blackberry smartphones and not the iPhone?

The FCC is not the only one who’s fed up with Apple and AT&T. Today, Apple announced that Google CEO Eric Schmidt is resigning from Apple’s Board of Directors. From the tone of the press release, it sounds like Schmidt was invited to leave, but I’m sure the feeling was mutual.

I admit, Google Voice is a bit geeky. Most people think it’s a replacement for Skype. It’s not.

Skype enables you to place calls from a computer using Voice over IP (VoIP). When you initiate a Google Voice call from a web page, GV calls your phone and connects you to the number you dialed. (You can also place a call by phoning your Google number and pressing 2 at the prompt.) The confusion results because Google Voice also lets you make international calls at rates that are competitive with Skype’s.

One feature my wife just discovered is that Google Voice also lets you make free long distance calls within the continental United States. For example, let’s say you don’t have long distance on your land line. You can use Google Voice to make long distance calls and you’re only charged for calling a local number (assuming your Google number is a local call).

So why is AT&T afraid of Google Voice on the iPhone? You don’t save any cell phone minutes by placing long distance calls with Google Voice. Some have speculated that it’s because GV offers free SMS, which cuts into AT&T’s bottom line. But there are plenty of other iPhone applications that offer free text messaging.

Is it because Google Voice lets you make cheap international calls? Skype does this too - without using any cell phone minutes.

The only possible conclusion is that AT&T is simply afraid of Google Voice’s potential. It’s a preemptive strike against Google, and it will fail for the same reason the RIAA’s lawsuits failed to stop music piracy. You can’t stop progress.

If you want to know more about placing calls with Google Voice, check out the following video:

To add insult to injury, the Google Voice developers whose apps were unceremoniously yanked from the App Store this week are now getting “flooded with refund requests from customers.” Because Apple retains its 30% commission, even when the buyer receives a complete refund, this will increase the financial hardship to developers like Sean Kovacs.

Everyone blames AT&T for the demise of the Google Voice apps, but Apple made its own bed by giving AT&T complete control over what does and doesn’t appear in the App Store. Clearly, this is a tipping point for Apple. Prior to this week, I was holding out for a Verizon iPhone. At this point, it’s clear that Apple is a big part of the problem, and a new carrier won’t solve anything.

For more on this, see:

• Yeah, there’s an app for that. But for how long, and at what cost?
• There’s No App for That
• iPhone devs killing future apps over Apple policies, pricing
• The Emperor’s New Clothes

Back in April, I recommended Sean Kovacs’ GV Mobile app for the iPhone. Today, I learned that Apple has removed GV Mobile from the App Store. While I’m glad I purchased the app before this happened, I am disappointed because this means I can expect no updates to the product I paid for.

Then I read that Apple rejected the official Google Voice app six weeks ago, even though similar apps exist for the Blackberry and Google Android.

While I love my iPhone, this anticompetitive behavior on the part of Apple is starting to smack of United States v. Microsoft. Beyond all the ethical, antitrust considerations, it’s just bad business. Customers will not purchase applications if they can be yanked from the App Store on Apple’s whim. If the app no longer exists, you get no updates and you get no customer support from its developer(s).

I know iPhone developers whose apps have not been approved. Or whose apps have been approved and then subsequently rejected. There’s little or no explanation from Apple, leaving the developers to guess what prompted the rejection, revise and resubmit the app, cross their fingers, and hope for the best.

It’s time for Steve Jobs to write another open letter. This time, instead of pleading with the record labels to end DRM, he needs to convince his own employees to free the App Store from its Draconian policies. The excerpt below, in Jobs’ own words, could just as easily apply to what’s now happening with the App Store:

“If anything, the technical expertise and overhead required to create, operate and update a DRM system has limited the number of participants selling DRM protected music. If such requirements were removed, the music industry might experience an influx of new companies willing to invest in innovative new stores and players. This can only be seen as a positive by the music companies…Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace.  Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly.”

Mr. Jobs, tear down this wall!

UPDATE (4/26/07): GV Mobile was approved by Apple and is now available on the App Store.

One of the iPhone apps I’m eagerly awaiting is GV Mobile. If it lives up to its promise, and Apple deigns to approve it, I will soon be able to use GV Mobile to make and receive calls using Google Voice.

If you haven’t heard about Google Voice, it’s a rebranded (i.e., Googlified) version of Grand Central, which Google purchased in 2007. As a former Grand Central user, I was able to upgrade my account to Google Voice last week. Since then, I’ve been slogging through the documentation and trying out its features.

At first I was skeptical — why do I need another phone number? — but I’m becoming a convert. The premise behind Google Voice is simple: One phone number and one phone number only. When you sign up, Google Voice generates a local phone number for you. Since I live in New York City, my Google Voice number starts with the 646 area code. Whenever someone calls this number, Google Voice automatically forwards the call. Based on rules I create, using individual contacts or groups,  Google Voice rings either my work, home, or mobile phone — or all three.

If this were the only service Google Voice provided, its appeal would be limited. (Frankly, this is about as far as I got with Grand Central before losing interest.) But Google Voice offers several other features that are quite compelling:

• Google Contacts —  Google Voice shares your Gmail contacts, adding the ability to edit Google Voice settings for each contact. You can even create custom voicemail greetings for different groups or contacts.
• Call Presentation — When someone calls your Google Voice number, Google Voice calls you. If Call Presentation is enabled (it is by default), Google Voice gives you four options. You can take the call, send it to voicemail, listen to the caller record a voicemail message, or accept the call and record it. The ListenIn feature is nice: while you listen to the caller recording a voicemail message, you can press * at any time to pick up. (Remember answering machines?)
• Call Screening — To some extent, this is the telephonic equivalent of Captcha. The first time an unknown person calls your Google Voice number, that caller is prompted to record his or her name. This filters out automated telemarketing and junk fax calls.
• Visual Voicemail — You tell Google Voice how to notify you when a caller leaves a voicemail message (text, email, or both). To listen to voicemail, you can phone your Google Voice number or use the web site. Google Voice even transcribes your voicemail messages for you, although this feature still needs some work.
• International Calls — This is the feature that should give Skype a run for the money. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to place these calls on the web site, but I’m hoping that VoIP or Gmail voice and video chat support will be added in the future. Until then, you have to call your Google Voice number, then press * followed by your four-digit PIN number. You’ll need to add credit to your account with Google Checkout, but the international rates appear to be similar to Skype’s.

Of course, Google Voice still has a few drawbacks:

• Contacts — You can add and remove contacts from groups, but you can’t move contacts from one group to another. Nor can you add or remove more than one contact at a time. Since I created a new group for my Outlook imports, I cannot easily move them to my Friends, Family, or Coworkers groups. Fortunately, Google does provide a way to suggest features if something doesn’t work as expected.
• Internet Calling — Because you have to call your Google Voice number to place an international call, you cannot rely on Google Voice as a cheap alternative to roaming while traveling. In other words, you cannot make calls over the Internet with Google Voice.

Since Apple, to the surprise of many, approved the Skype app for the iPhone, one can only hope they will also approve GV Mobile. I’d like to see Google offer its own, free iPhone app for Google Voice, but since Google is also behind Android, I’m not holding my breath.

The folks at Boxee have done it again. The new Boxee Remote app for the iPhone, which finally got approval from Apple, far exceeded my expectations.

Like Apple’s own Remote app for the iPhone — could this be the reason for the approval delay? — the Boxee Remote enables you to control Boxee from anywhere in your home. (In my case, Boxee is installed on a Mac Mini connected to an HDTV.) I’ve tried other iPhone remotes, such as Air Mouse and Snatch, but nothing handles Boxee better than Boxee Remote.

The difference is Boxee Remote’s intuitive Gesture mode. After a little practice, you can use it without looking at your iPhone. Dragging up, down, right, and left navigates the Boxee application. If you flick the Boxee logo, it scrolls a list on Boxee, much like flicking a list of artists or contacts on the iPhone.

If you click “Now Playing,” you get a thumbnail preview of your media, a volume slider, and a play/pause toggle button — even in photo slideshows. If you click the thumbnail, a second slider appears, enabling you to jump to another section of a song, movie, or television show. For me, at least, this feature doesn’t appear to be functional yet.

Check out the following video for a demonstration:

While looking for a way to update my Twitter and Facebook status at the same time, I came across Ping.fm. This service, still in beta, enables to you post to up to 30 social networks using email or IM.

Like most betas, many features are still under development, and documentation is sparse. However, after some trial and error, I found some good uses for it.

Text to Ping.fm

SMS isn’t supported natively, but there are  decent workarounds. I opted for the AIM TXT approach, which requires the following steps:

1. Get an AIM verification code from Ping.fm.
2. Send a text message to 246246 (AIMAIM):
   send pingfm [your_verification_code]
3. You should receive this text reply: “pingfm: (using AOL IM) Thanks! Your Ping.fm account is now set up to post messages through aim. Send me a message any time and I’ll post it for you.” At this point, you may want to add 246246 to your phone’s contacts.
4. To send a message to Ping.fm, simply text 246246 and specify pingfm as the recipient:
   send pingfm [your_status_message]

If  Step 2 doesn’t work, make sure you haven’t registered a different AIM screen name with Ping.fm. This is the mistake I made. When you send an instant message via AIM TXT, your AIM screen name is your mobile phone number (e.g., 12125551212), not your regular AIM screen name (even if you’ve associated a mobile number with your account). Unfortunately, you can only register one AIM screen name at a time with Ping.fm.

NOTE: If you’re using Facebook, you also have to install the Ping.fm application.

Phone to Ping.fm

There’s no native iPhone application for Ping.fm, but you can visit their iPhone or mobile site with your phone’s browser. This is a good option if you don’t have an unlimited text plan.

Instant Message to Ping.fm

If you’re using AIM TXT (see above), you cannot use AIM to update your Ping.fm status. But you can get verification codes for other, popular instant messaging services, such as Google Talk and Yahoo! Messenger. I enabled Google Talk by following these steps:

1. Get a Jabber verification code.
2. Add pingbot@ping.fm to your Google Talk (or Gmail) buddy list.
3. Send an instant message to this new buddy containing only the Jabber verification code: 
   verify-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
4. You should receive this reply: “Thanks! Your Ping.fm account is now set up to post messages through Jabber. Send me a message any time and I’ll post it for you.”
5. You can send normal messages to this new buddy, or use a trigger to specify a specific service. For example, this message updates only your Twitter status:
   @tt Writing a blog post about Ping.fm

One nice feature of Ping.fm is the Adjust Grammar option, which you can enable in Settings. When you do this and post to Ping.fm using one of the methods above, your post is prefixed with “said:” on Facebook (as in, “Paul Newman said: Writing a blog post about Ping.fm”). Hopefully it will be possible to edit this prefix, or define different posting options using custom triggers, in the future.

I finally convinced a few friends to buy iPhones, so here is a list of my favorite apps:

1. Simplify Media - Still my favorite, most-used application on the iPhone. I can stream music from my Mac Mini at home and listen to it anywhere with a good wi-fi or 3G connection. I hardly keep any audio files on the iPhone anymore (except for the gym).
2. Twitterific - I tried a few other Twitter apps and Twitterfic still seems the easiest and most intuitive to use. The free version has ads, but big deal.
3. Toodledo - Until Apple offers Exchange support for tasks, this is the next best thing. You sign up for a free account at Toodledo and the iPhone app is only $1.99. Todo has a better interface, and better features, but I’m not sure it’s worth five times the price. If your carrier offers an email to SMS gateway address (most do), you can receive a text message when your task is due. You can also add and retrieve tasks via Twitter.
4. Air Mouse - I bought this after Snatch because Snatch only supported Macs at the time. Absolutely essential if you’ve got a computer connected to your television. Also makes an effective device for controlling PowerPoint presentations. TIP: You can toggle play/pause on Netflix Watch Instantly using the spacebar.
5. Air Sharing - I grabbed this one while it was still free, but even at five bucks it’s still worth it. Air Sharing syncs pretty effortlessly with Mac and Windows, and supports a huge list of file formats, including iWork, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, XML, plain text, images, and media files. I use it to review presentations while commuting (too bad you can’t edit them). Better than a thumb drive, and cheaper too.
6. Evernote - Evernote is a godsend for a pack rat like me, and the first step to liberating myself from 30 open tabs in Firefox. Now I just capture what I need and save it to Evernote. Because notes are stored online, you have complete access to them from the iPhone app. The Premium version ($45/year) increases your monthly upload allowance from 40MB to 500MB, and lets you synchronize any file type.
7. 1Password - I didn’t understand the fuss about 1Password until I bought the Mac application. It’s very easy to sync to the desktop app and backup your iPhone logins. Using the embedded browser is a kludge, though. A Windows desktop version would be nice as well.
8. Stanza - This is really a tie with eReader. I prefer some of eReader’s features - such as dictionary support, highlights, and notes - but it’s much easier to find and download free books on Stanza. Plus, with Stanza Desktop, you can sync your own e-books to the iPhone in multiple formats (eReader only supports PDB and PRC).
9. AP Mobile News Network - While not as slick as the New York Times app, it loads quickly and offers two features sorely lacking in the Times: email and save. Unlike the Times, AP is also extremely responsive to feedback and updates the app frequently.
10. WordPress - Not sure why this gets so many negative reviews in the App Store, but I haven’t used it that much yet. After wrestling with Windows Mobile on a Motorola Q for two years, the ability to post blog entries directly from the iPhone seems miraculous.

Excluded from this list are Apple apps, like Google Maps and Remote.