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Browse Apple's App Store Via the Web - UK Edition

Here's a UK update of my popular search that will allow you to search the Apple store without itunes.
Apple seems to go out of their way to make it difficult to search for iPhone & iPod Touch apps without the device or itunes app. In fact, even Apple's own search box will not search their entire library of apps. The following search box WILL search Apples entire library of apps (UK results only). Enjoy.

Link for: the US version

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Apple does provide a category list online.

Compare and Search all App Stores

So many app stores have cropped up,  its hard to keep the straight.  Consumer beware, they are not created equal.

Search ALL app stores in one place, with box below:
(example Facebook)

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iTunes App Store - Apple
Largest selection of apps, supports iOS only.  Site is not web friendly, favors iTunes app.

Sample:

Facebook: Yes
Skype: Yes
Teamspeak: Yes
VNC Utility: Yes
Plants vs Zombies: Yes
Children's section: Yes, Family & Kids

Google Play - Google
Formerly known as Google Market.  Services some Android devices.

Sample:
Facebook: Yes
Skype: Yes
Teamspeak: Yes
VNC Utility: Yes
Plants vs Zombies: Yes
Children's section: No, Education only

App World - Blackberry
Sales for Blackberry devices have been low.  The result is low support for apps.

Sample:
Facebook: Yes
Skype: No
Teamspeak: No
VNC Utility: Yes
Plants vs Zombies: Yes
Children's section: No, education only

Windows Marketplace - Microsoft
Really not much right now, since Metro never picked up.  Windows Marketplace will gain momentum after the release of  Windows 8.

Sample:
Facebook: Yes
Skype: No
Teamspeak: No
VNC Utility: Yes
Plants vs Zombies: Yes
Children's section: Yes, Kids and Family

 AppsLib Marketplace - APPSLIB Ltd
Many cheaper tablets are bound to the AppsLib Marketplace, instead of Google's Android Market.  Don't expect to find much, and consumer should beware that not all Android devices can easily use android apps.

Sample:
I couldn't do a search on their site, really hard to navigate.
Skype: Yes

Cydia Store  - saurik
For Jailbroken iOS.  Did Apple block a cool app for whatever reason? Try this store.

Saving the Volt

Make no mistake.  GM's Chevy Volt, is one of the greatest car innovations of our lifetime.  It can single handedly reduce a huge dependence on foreign oils, while keeping money in the consumers pocket (assuming electricity costs don't drastically go up).  Everyone should be driving a car with the powertrain found within the Volt.

The Problem
But there's one problem, which has led to the temporary shutdown in production: cost.  The cost of the car comes nowhere close to the rest of the vehicle market in its class.  People want them, we should have them, but the cost for the tech is out of the majorities hands.  ...And there's no place to put a gun rack. 

The Solution
GM needs to take a page from the most successful company of this century: Apple.   Innovation and technology is expensive.  But the manufacturing does not have to be.

 All Apple products are manufactured off-shore, away from pesky Unions, worker rights, and reasonable wages.  And the greatest thing of all, the Apple consumer could care less.  The manufacturing of the Volt needs to move off-shore to survive.  Innovation can only survive when the manufacturing process is done for dirt cheap.

Another page that can be taken from Apple, is to sell a service, not a product.  When you buy an iPhone, iPod, Apple computer, you've just bound yourself to a collective that is heavily monitored by Apple.  Your bound to their Cloud/servers, where Apple can legally mine your personal data and profit with advertising.  Your purchasing iStore apps, music, movies all which add money to Apple's coffers per purchase.  Your going to find its easier to user Apples proprietary wireless nodes to beam stuff to your TV, house, car, spouse, etc.  GM needs to sell a service, that people don't know they need, until you give it to them.   The consumer spends a ridiculous amount of time in a vehicle each day, yet I continue to listen to the radio, simply because my options are limited.  GM needs to open and regulate applications to our vehicle, create data clouds, stream adds to billboards based on the individual driving by it (dear god I just said that) and perhaps profit from its innovation.  Only then, can we all own something as revolutionary as the Volt.

Browse Apple's App Store Without Installing iTunes Software

Apple seems to go out of their way to make it difficult to search for iPhone & iPod Touch apps without the device or itunes app. In fact, even Apple's own search box will not search their entire library of apps. The following search box WILL search Apples entire library of apps (US results only). Enjoy.

Link for: the UK Version

Loading

Apple does provide a category list online.

iOS 5 update crash

So, I tried to update my iPod Touch to version iOS 5.  At about 25% install, the process crashed, Windows expressing a USB error, resulting in turning my device into a temporary paper weight.  After rebooting and failing again, it was time to pay more attention to the error from Microsoft.

The Setup:
I was updating my device via the USB hub, built into my Dell monitor.  Computer - Windows XP, ASUS mainboard.

The Reason:  
Not enough voltage/power was being produced to complete the upgrade.

The Solution:
Connect your device via its provided cable into a USB port directly on the system.  Preferably the back port, as the front USB may be divided such as a monitor hub.

The Mystery:
Why can I sync data this way, but not commit to an OS update?  Why do other USB devices warn you its not going to work properly if low power is detected; yet the mighty Apple device does not?

How to Use iPhone/iPod with Virtual PC

If you're aware of the bloat that comes bundled with iTunes, you probably do not want to install iTunes on your base Windows machine.  My work around was to use the Windows XP Mode - Windows Virtual PC, that comes bundled with Windows 7.  I already have Virtual PC setup, and there are plenty of tutorials online to help.  This tutorial will assume you already have that setup.

Using iPhone/iPod iTouch with Virtual PC

The following all occurs withing your Virtual PC window.

Install itunes.
Run itunes.

Within the Virtual PC options, go to USB drop down, and select iPod Attach/(or iPhone Attach)
Your system will create a USB Bridge (could take a few minutes the first time) to allow your Apple handheld to be detected in iTunes.  Your device should appear in iTunes.

If iTunes does not detect device, do a reset: try USB | iPod Release, then USB | iPod Attach.

Hoth ...Canada?

Closest you'll get to Hoth from Star Wars Universe. Granted, cool what Google is adding to their "streets" library. Amazon basin to be next.


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Actual Hoth set