Apple today released iTunes 9.0.1, a minor point update to their new media hub and sync solution. Weighing in at 89.8MB, as befits its .0.1 nature, the changes read like a who’s who of bug fixes, including:

• Resolves issues browsing the iTunes Store.
• Addresses a performance issue where iTunes may become unresponsive.
• Fixes a problem where iTunes may unexpectedly quit.
• Fixes a problem syncing Podcasts in playlists to iPod or iPhone.
• Fixes a problem sorting albums with multiple discs.
• Addresses an issue with the Zoom button not switching to Mini Player.
• Improves application syncing for iPod touch and iPhone.
• Genius is now automatically updated to show Genius Mixes.

Hit up Apple Software Update to grab it and when you do, let us know if it fixes what’s been ailing you…

(And let’s hope iPhone 3.1.1 is on its way soon to do likewise!)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Releases iTunes 9.0.1 Update

Apple is no doubt already hard at work on iPhone OS 3.2, the second minor update to the third major release of their mobile platform. Sure, we got iPhone 3.1 just over two weeks ago on Sept. 9, but looking back, we should expect to see the first beta versions of 3.2 sooner rather than later.

By way of comparison, iPhone 2.1 was released on Sept. 12, 2008. iPhone 2.2 Beta 1 was released on Sept. 25, with some tweaks to App Store and Safari’s UI. iPhone 2.1 Beta 2 dropped on Oct. 24, with Google Street View, SDK support for line-in audio, and direct podcast downloads and streaming. The final iPhone 2.2 firmware was released on Nov. 21, and both Google Street View and the ability to get podcasts on-device were great enhancements.

So, it’s not unreasonable to imagine 3.2 Beta 1 could show up before the end of the month, with a final release before the holidays.

Since we’ve already gotten direct TV and Movie downloads (over Wi-Fi), there may not be an analogous improvement to iPod and iTunes this time around. Subscribing to podcasts on device, however, where a push notification alerts you when a new episode is available and you’re on Wi-Fi to download it, is something we’d adore. iTunes LP and iTunes Extras support would also be dandy give their introduction in iTunes 9.

Likewise, Google Voice and Google Latitude having been rejected/held-for-study by the App Store, we may not get a Maps app update either (though Apple baking Latitude into the existing Maps app, Google-willing, could be a great compromise solution). We won’t hold our breath for push Gmail either (not GoogleSync, we mean built-in, doesn’t use up your only ActiveSync slot, genuine push email like MobileMe and Yahoo!)…

Enabling 720p TV-out from the iPhone 3GS and iPod touch G3 would be a great, and competitive addition, especially with a souped up dock-to-HDMI video cable to go with it.

We have our ongoing (though admittedly greatly reduced since 3.0) wish-list: better support for Bluetooth controls (AVRCP), APIs to allow apps to interact with the calendar, some form of background support for streaming audio, turn-by-turn, and other apps that cry out for it, Mobile iChat, remote backup and restore, iTunes music and video streaming, file system access for document handling, etc.

(Yes, we left out bug fixes, as we hope Apple sees those as urgent enough to address in an iPhone 3.1.1 release much, much sooner).

But what do you want to see Apple prioritize for iPhone 3.2?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone OS 3.2 — What Do You Want and When Do You Want It?

Google’s official mobile blog has just (and finally!) announced Push Gmail support for the iPhone!

Integrated into their existing GoogleSync service, which up until today supported only contacts and calendar:

Using Google Sync, you can now get your Gmail messages pushed directly to your phone. Having an over-the-air, always-on connection means that your inbox is up to date, no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Sync works with your phone’s native email application so there’s no additional software needed. Only interested in syncing your Gmail, but not your Calendar? Google Sync allows you to sync just your Contacts, Calendar, or Gmail, or any combination of the three.

One big caveat remains, however. GoogleSync is powered by Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, and most devices — including the iPhone — can only handle one (1) EAS account at a time. So, if you’re already using Exchange ActiveSync for your corporate email, that slot is taken and GoogleSync is useless to you.

For everyone else — joy! And if you try it out, let us know how it works for you!

[Thanks to mattshall for the head's up!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

GoogleSync Brings Push Gmail to iPhone – At Last!

Porn and iPhone, it is out there and every once in a while you may even find porn in there. In an Apple Retail Store on one of the iPhone and iPod Touch demos, that is.

That’s exactly what happened just the other day as a mother found her 10 year old girl mesmerized by some X-rated content on one of the Apple Store demo devices:

"I called to complain and was told matter of factly by staff this happens a lot as people come in and download it for a laugh, I don't find it funny and all my friends think it's disgusting, but Apple say there is nothing they can do to stop it."

Apple does a fantastic job of keeping smut out of iTunes and their App Store, surely they can figure something out for their real-world stores.

[Via Cult of Mac]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Kid Finds Porn in Apple Store & Angry Mom Complains

Netflix, which mails DVDs and Blu-Ray discs to subscribers and streams movies and TV shows directly to Xbox 360 and other set-top box owners, commented on the likelihood of their working with Apple, and specifically providing an app for the iPhone:

"[A partnership with Apple] is something that's likely to come over time, but nothing in the short term. [With] movie watching, we are not focused on mobile yet, but on the TV, on Blu-ray and on the video game consoles. We will get to mobile eventually, including the iPhone."

This either goes against, or pushes back previous rumors that “Watch Instantly” was on its way to the App Store.

Of course, there are significant hurdles to overcome. First, media licensing is still an outdated mess, with different rights for different content making it difficult for any company to provide similar services across geographical boundaries. Indeed, Netflix is US-only still. While Apple’s own iTunes Store movie and TV platform is in several countries around the world, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, content varies incredibly from one to the other, and many iTunes stores are still app-only, or app and music only.

In terms of competition, Apple has recently let Spotify and Rhapsody onto the App Store, so Netflix might find a similar home despite iTunes’ own offerings. There’d still be the question of the streaming itself, however, as despite recent FCC net neutrality proposals, AT&T and other carriers might not have the capacity to handle that much bandwidth on such a popular device, consigning Netflix to Wi-Fi, much like SlingPlayer.

[Reuters via Digital Daily via Gizmodo]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Netflix Sees Apple Partnership, iPhone Streaming to “Come Over Time”

Microsoft is beginning to staff up their upcoming retail store chain using freshly poached Apple Store managers and employees. Using “significant raises” and in some cases, moving expenses as the carrot, Apple Store managers are hunted and then asked to contact their (now former) top Apple Store salespeople and offer them similar incentives to switch from Mac to PC.

Employees, of course, are not the only thing Microsoft is taking from the Apple Store experienced. Having hired Apple’s former retail location scout, George Blankenship, their plan is to open up right next door to Apple Stores everywhere.

Though they still, stupefyingly, don’t seem interested in actually selling much of anything (they’re focusing on consumer experience), along with the shrink-wrap copies of Windows 7 and Office, Zune HD and XBox 360 that Microsoft manufactures themselves, they’ll be showing off their hardware partners’ wares with PC, PCTV, and Smartphone walls, along with Learn, Connect, and Info tables, and “Guru” bars modeled after… you guessed it…

The strategy is certainly sound, but we’re still not sure that a company with a split software/hardware model will find the same formulae brings the same success.

[The Loop via Ars Technica]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Microsoft Stores Staffing Up… With Apple Store Employees

Apple, evolving on the “App for That” theme that’s been the centerpiece of their iPhone commercials for over a year, has released 3 new ads called Dine, Nature, and Pass with the tag line “75,000 apps for just about anything”.

• Dine features Trip Case [Free - iTunes link], New York Subway ‘09 [$4.99 - iTunes link], Epicurious Recipes [Free - iTunes link], Zagat to Go ‘09 [$9.99 - iTunes link], QuickOffice Mobile Office Suite [$9.99 - iTunes link], GAP StyleMixer [Free - iTunes link]

• Nature features iXpenseIt [$4.99 - iTunes link], DailyFinance [Free - iTunes link], Guitar Toolkit [$9.99 - iTunes link], Lonely Planet Mandarin [$9.99 - iTunes link], iBird Explorer Plus [$19.99 - iTunes link], Pizza Hut [Free - iTunes link]

• Pass features Fandango [Free - iTunes link], G-Park [$0.99 - iTunes link], VocabWiz College Vocabulary [$4.99 - iTunes link], 365 Crosswords [$4.99 - iTunes link], Classics [$2.99 - iTunes link], ABC Animals [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Phew! We get it, Apple is turning up the dial on the app platform promotion. And why not? It’s their killer competitive advantage at this point.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Dine, Nature, Pass – Apple’s New 75,000 Apps for Just About Anything Commericals