Cody Fink

1547 posts on MacStories since January 2010

Former MacStories contributor.

[email protected]

Does The Time’s Paid Model Work?

This isn’t really Apple news per se asides from a few iPad users, but we thought it was interesting none-the-less. The Times is experimenting with their infamous paywall, a model where you’ll need to pay a subscription fee for online content. I personally don’t care for blocking access to written material, but we have some (unofficial) numbers on how successful The Times actually was. It boils down to this: 150,000 registered during the trial period during the first month of implementation. That’s not too shabby, but only 15,000 paid (of which there are 12,500 are iPad consumers). Unsurprisingly, site visits have declined by 67 percent during the time the paywall has been implemented. The Times hasn’t officially responded, though we imagine if they’re still racking in a good dime off of their few loyal customers, they certainly won’t be changing how they distribute content any time soon.

Personally I’m in favor of optional membership you’ll see on Daring Fireball, or even pay-to-comment models that the Sun Chronicle implements.

[via PaidContent.org]

Appsfire’s Appstream Helps you Discover Apps in the Matrix

Remember Apple’s mosaic wall of apps at WWDC? You too can replicate that on your iPad through discovery service Appsfire. No more messing with categories and top apps on Apple’s App Store – give yourself something interesting to browse through.

Appstream allows you to discover what applications are being found through Appsfire’s service. It’s interesting for sure, though like others, I occasionally have problems trying to download things I find. What’s also strange is that my taps on an app don’t always register – it seems I always pull up an app next to the one I’ve intended to look at. Exiting popups is also odd since you have to tap a back button. Still, it’s a neat visualization I’d encourage you to check out, especially since it’s free, and really: you got nothing better to do on a Monday.

[via TechCrunch]

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Take on Android Fanboys with Cross Platform Multiplayer Gaming

We like to stay civil when it comes to Microsoft and Android fanboy’s trying to tell us what’s what, and while we poke fun back, nothing is more satisfying than smoking the competition in a friendly game of Skies of Glory. Sure you could troll Engadget or start flame wars on Gizmodo, but we like to settle or differences man to man. Or in this case, plane to plane. Get your iPhones ready folks, because those Nexus One kiddos are going down!

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Flurry Analytics Suggests In-App Purchases Generate More Revenue

In-app purchases are something we often don’t think about when playing a game or adding more features to the latest application. “This gravity gun is only an extra ninety-nine cents, and I love this game. So why not?” As customers spend on the latest upgrades, updates, and ad-free in-app purchases, Flurry reports that this model works considerably well. TUAW writes:

Previously to 2010, the games tracked were generating only a few bucks per user per year, but in January the total jumped to around $9, and it’s now in the double digits. Flurry says that money doesn’t include ad revenue – it’s strictly profit from in-app purchases, either unlocking features or selling virtual goods.

Flurry is reporting that as of June, they’re generating $14.66 per user per year. The idea is to get someone interested in your product, then give them the opportunity to add the features they need for an enjoyable experience. More often than not, in-app purchases turn a pretty good profit.

[via TUAW]

Nokia and HTC Respond to Apple’s Press Conference

Following RIM, Nokia and HTC have publicized their responses against Apple concerning their mobile devices. Nokia’s response:

In general, antenna performance of a mobile device/phone may be affected with a tight grip, depending on how the device is held. That’s why Nokia designs our phones to ensure acceptable performance in all real life cases, for example when the phone is held in either hand. Nokia has invested thousands of man hours in studying how people hold their phones and allows for this in designs, for example by having antennas both at the top and bottom of the phone and by careful selection of materials and their use in the mechanical design.

HTC came to the defense of their Droid Eris by comparing the numbers. Pocket-Lint writes:

“Approximately .016% of customers,” Eric Lin, the company’s global PR and online community manager exclusively revealed to us before adding that “we have had very few complaints about signal or antenna problems on the Eris.”

Weighing in, it’s fair to say that you have to intentionally grip (pretty tightly) a Blackberry, an HTC Droid Eris, or a Nokia phone to have it drop bars. Where you could accidentally touch “the spot” on an iPhone 4, you have to try pretty hard to do it on competitors phones. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable – that’s my honest observation. I do think Apple reached a bit too far in trying to expose other smartphones – if it’s arguably a “non-issue” on the iPhone 4, why explore “non-issues” on other phones?

[via Engadget (Nokia) and Pocket-Link (HTC)]

Terminology, An App for the English Language

When Federico passed this application onto me, I was virtually told nothing about it. And without any precursor I sat looking at a rather drab icon on an iPad homescreen thinking, “This is going to be really lame.” Already I had judged a book by its cover, and that was a mistake. Terminology for the iPad is a dictionary, thesaurus, and all around word browser for the English language that’s become useful in my daily workflow.

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The iPhone 4 By the Numbers

I really appreciate Apple’s honesty when it came to this press conference, which was backed by real acquired data. TUAW and The Next Web have put Apple’s figures into perspective, so let’s review.

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iPad Sales to Dominate Notebook Market

With the iPad being one of the only viable tablets currently on the market for consumers, it’s no wonder that Apple will dominate 93% of the the tablet space by the end of this year. 9 to 5 Mac reports,

The Chinese-language Commercial Times tells us global shipments of tablet PCs in 2010 and 2011 are predicted to come in at 16.4 and 35 million units. That’s nice, but even better (for Apple) 93% and 75% of these tablet PC shipments will be accounted for by iPads. In fact, the iPad is going to grab 40 percent of global demand for notebooks.

Which is bad news for Microsoft and related companies such as Hewlett Packard, whose shipments fell 9 percent while Lenovo and Apple have seen increases in demand.

[via 9 to 5 Mac]