Apple releases Remote 2.0 for iPhone and iPad

Apple has finally updated their Remote app to version 2.0, and included support for iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 Retina Display, and for the iPad. It will also support shared libraries for iTunes and, of course, the new Apple TV (2010) that’s just started to hit the streets. AirPlay is also supported, currently for what was previously AirTunes, and no doubt for full on iOS 4.2 video goodness when that’s released as well.

Previous rumors have suggested Apple’s Remote app was the work of a single engineer at the company who had since been reassigned. Whether that was accurate or not, it looks like the release of the new Apple TV was enough to get Remote out of mothballs and onto the iPad, with a new iTunes 10-style icon to boot.

I loved the previous version of Remote, especially for entering passwords and searches — onerous via the infrared remote — so I’m eager to try this one out. If you have already, let us know what you think.

Apple allows custom iPhone ringtone makers into the App Store

Custom ringtone makers for the iPhone are the latest group of of apps to suddenly gain approval for the App Store. This correlates directly with Apple’s recent changes to their App Store policies, allowing 3rd party Google Voice appsand other apps that Apple had previously banned or rejected from their mobile app marketplace, or simply left in limbo. Techcrunch reports:

Since the early days of the App Store, applications that allow users to make ringtones from songs on their handsets have either inexplicably sat on hold or were outright denied. And yet, here we are; as of right now, there are no less than 5 different ringtone making apps sitting in the App Store.

Another segment of apps that Apple has confirmed does not directly compete with their own app and service offerings has been revealed.

Microsoft’s Bing Android App now available — if you’re on Verizon

Microsoft unveiled its Bing search app for Android today. But if you want to get in on the action, you’re going to have to have a Verizon phone, as it’s exclusive to the carrier’s section of the Android Market. (Place your bets  on how quickly it leaks out, though.)

The app features a daily featured image, just like Bing on the desktop. And you can swipe through seven days’ worth of images. There’s an endless scrolling search, and you can swipe through image previews straight to the host site. Microsoft’s own voice search works with Android’s speech-to-text function, and you can use Bing Maps to find your way around, too.

Is the app a threat to Google’s native services on Android? We’ll have to see, though it’s doubtful, just because of the integration factor. and then there’s the issue of it only being available on Verizon, for now, anyway. [Bing]

Nimbuzz 2.0 available for Android

Nimbuzz just dropped version 2.0 of its popular Android VOIP application, bringing a slew of new features. Here’s what’s up:

NimbuzzOut will allow you to make cheap international and local calls to mobile phones and landlines over the internet without using your minutes! The new keypad located on the NimbuzzOut screen lets you access your entire phone book so you can make quick calls to anyone outside your Nimbuzz network.
A Dialer Tab: call mobile phones and landlines via NimbuzzOut, SkypeOut or any of our SIP partners (Google/Gizmo5, Sipgate, Xeloq, T-Pad, VoIPax, Gulfsip, IPS, Badatel and more)
Friend suggestions see which of your phonebook contacts are already using Nimbuzz so you an add them to your network. The more you add the more you save! ; )
Facebook connect: more stable connection, improved the security of your Facebook data, and allow you to see the status message of your Facebook friends.
New options in the settings, allowing you to choose different layouts, account credentials and profile information.

Android Market now officially has more than 70,000 applications

The Android Market now has more than 70,000 applications, Google Senior VP of Product Management Jonathan Rosenberg said during Thursday’s second-quarter earnings call. That’s up from the 68,000 count Andy Rubin announced in June at the Motorola Droid X event, and it’s a good bit lower than the 100,000 number Androlib has been throwing around. As to which is more correct? We’ll go with the guys who run the store. Now we just need to make developers some more money.

MobileMe iDisk iPad App Now Available

The folks who own iPads and pay $99/year for MobileMe subscriptions have something to be happy about: The MobileMe iDisk app is now iPad-compatible. Of course, that compatibility upgrade also brought iOS4 support for the iPhone version:

What’s New In Version 1.2
– Designed for both iPhone and iPad
– Multitasking support for iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS (iOS 4 required).
* Quickly switch to another app and back to iDisk
* Play audio from your iDisk while using another app
– When app is opened, the last file or directory viewed is displayed
– Option to open iDisk documents in compatible apps such as iBooks
– When sharing a file, an email can be sent from any configured email account
– The URL for a shared file can be copied and pasted
– Various stability improvements