Hey, the weekend is here! And for those of you in the United States, it's probably a three-day extravaganza, thanks to the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. Although we're not sure getting an extra day off work is really showing appreciation for those in the Armed Services who keep us safe, we'll take it where we can get it. The daily recap will be taking Monday off as well, so we'll see you back here on Tuesday -- in the meantime, enjoy the day's news for Friday, May 25, 2012!
Apple Speaks Out on Airfoil Speakers Touch App Store Removal
The iOS App Store is again under fire for yanking Rogue Amoeba's Airfoil Speaker Touch app, which has been comfortably sitting on its virtual shelves since 2009. According to The Verge, Apple has gone on record stating, "apps that use non-public APIs will be rejected" -- despite the developer's insistence on Thursday that they were in "full compliance" with App Store guidelines. It seems version 3.0 released last month introduced new "AirPlay receiver" functionality that ruffled Apple's feathers, despite initial speculation that the feature might duplicate something that the company plans to implement in iOS 6. Having tasted blood, Apple appears to be on the prowl for other apps that offer the same kind of AirPlay receiving functionality, so developers beware.
Seas0nPass Updated for Untethered Jailbreak on Apple TV 2
Following the introduction of Absinthe 2.0 this morning, FireCore LLC has announced the release of a new version of Seas0nPass, their excellent free Mac or Windows utility for jailbreaking the black Apple TV. The new version finally introduces an untethered jailbreak to version 5.0.1 (aka iOS 5.1.1) on the second-generation ATV, which works with all current plugins except for Overflow and Remote HD -- that includes our personal favorite, Plex. There's a tad bit of bad news for those rocking a third-generation Apple TV (that's the new one that offers 1080p playback): There's currently no jailbreak, tethered or untethered, for that device, although work continues on that front. For the rest of you, head to the Seas0nPass website and rock on.
Apple Stores May Soon Offer Nest Thermostat from iPod Creator
Now here's an interesting match made in heaven: According to iLounge, Apple retail stores may soon begin selling the Nest Learning Thermostat. In case you haven't been paying attention lately, the Nest is the latest project from founder and CEO Tony Fadell, the former senior vice president of Apple's iPod division. Still doesn't ring any bells? Fadell is the guy credited as the "father of the iPad," having first brought the idea to Apple, which secured his employment there. Nest recently expanded its presence from online-only sales to the Lowe's retail chain, and the intelligent thermostat (which features a companion iOS app) is expected to sell for $249, the same price as everywhere else.
GameFly Plans to Publish iOS, Android Mobile Games
Netflix may be rushing to put a stake in the DVD format, but the video game equivalent, GameFly, seems to be quite content with those optical discs. Or are they? The company announced their intentions this week "to begin publishing mobile games for the iOS and Android platforms, as well as launching the independent GameFly GameStore for Android later this fall." The service will be part of a game development fund the company has set aside "to work with mobile developers that are in the process of making a great game, but need the extra resources to publish and promote their titles." Clearly this is going to be a much bigger deal for those using Android devices, given that Apple isn't about to let GameFly come into the App Store and selling titles under their own shingle. But, it's an interesting move for the company as the game world shifts to digital distribution.
Former Apple Employee Claims Company is "Embarrassed by Siri"
We're not quite sure what to make of this one, but AppleInsider is reporting that Fortune writer Adam Lashinsky is making claims that Apple is "embarrassed by Siri," the virtual assistant technology introduced last fall with the iPhone 4S. According to a "former insider," Lashinsky writes that "Steve [Jobs] would have lost his mind over Siri," which has recently become a target of at least one lawsuit seeking class action status over how the service works (or doesn't, depending on who you ask). The report comes as Cupertino has started rolling out television commercials for Siri featuring celebrities ranging from Samuel L. Jackson to Zooey Deschanel and even John Malkovich. Ironically, the Samsung Galaxy S III finally arriving in stores next week completely apes Siri with a similar feature known as "S Voice," which The Verge found no better or worse than Siri herself.
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