Today Mac OS X hints offers an easily overlooked internationalization hint. You probably know already that you can hold down a key on the iPhone keyboard to select international versions of a character (eg. Accented characters).

What you might not have know about was the regional domains. In settings, choose General > Keyboards and enable some of those international keyboards.

Next go to Safari and start to enter a new URL. Tap the globe to switch the active keyboard from US English to some other nationality. (Russian is shown here.) Finally, tap and hold the .com button. After a second, a regionalized version of .com appears just to the left of the default.

Recent developers in WebKit on which Safari is based, ended up in Safari browser for iPhone 2.0 as well as in newly released Safari 3.1.

Apple has implemented HTML 5, CSS 3 and SVG into it. HTML 5 provides a standard for embedded SQL statements into a script code. SVG (scalable vector graphics) brings motion into places where only static bitmap graphics worked before. SQL (through SQLite) and SVG are linked into Safari but not by plug-ins. CSS 3 sets up implicit and explicit animation, and manages both using renderer.

The advancements to Safari are not only the additions of new standards. Apple has also managed to speed up JavaScript performance.

Early on Apple decided not to include cookies and XML to Safari, and hence ported SQLite from iPhone OS to Safari. It allows JavaScript coders the ability to manage data using real SQL with transaction support.While SQLite is client-sized, it is very powerful for a database that links entirely into your code.Since iPhone has space restrictions, using SQLite forces developers to use space carefully.

The advancements in Safari on iPhone 2.0 are great. In fact, Mac users will want it in their desktops! At least viewing for the developers’ perspective since it allows great stand-alone web apps, and that’s something you can’t do on other browsers.

Posted by David on March 22nd, 2008

ivyskin has unveiled their new product for iPhone called Xylo case. It is a unique, sophisticated and elegant case with the touch-thru interface which allows you to control your iPhone without the need to “open” it.

The case is very sturdy and it is made from the silicon, which makes it very durable. Solid scratch resistant screen cover protects your iPhone at all times. As usual with such cases, there is openings for all ports, which further reduces the risk of damage.

The skin features 5 colours (red, blue, white, pink and black) as well as the option to add belt buckle. The price is relatively cheap for the case this good. You can purchase it for only $29.99.

By Sean Michael Kerner on March 19, 2008

All right here’s the question everyone wants to know – What’s better – Apple iPhone or Google Android?

According to Andrea Gazzaniga, software development manager at mobile open source vendor Funambol the answer is not entirely clear. In a rambling overflow presentation at AjaxWorld’s iPhone Sumitt, Gazzaniga attempted to outline the differences and similiaraties between iPhone and Android.

“iPhone is cool and that’s what’s bringing us all here,” Gazzaniga said. “With Android the claim is that it will be open and we’re hoping it will overcome the closed nature of current mobile development.

Gazzaniga had a few other (not so startling) points such as Android is based on Linux while the iPhone is based on Mac OS. For the most part Gazzaniga implied that Android from an app developers point of view behaves much the same as iPhone, though he did point out a few serious limiations to the iPhone (from what he could tell from the iPhone SDK).

According to Gazzaniga iPhone does not allow in its SDK for background processes. That is an app must close when the users leaves it. The obvious question resulting from that issue then is – how does an application listen for a network event after a user leaver it ? (for instant messaging or sync operations).

There is not official email integration in the iPhone SDK which begs the question  – is it possible to deliver email other than with Apple’s client and built-in protocols?  Gazzaniga also noted that developers of iPhone native applications will need Apple to distribute their applications. As an example Gazzaniga commented that you can’t get Skype for the iPhone today.

Overall though in my view, Gazzaniga’s presentation left the audience with more questions than answers. It will be interesting to see as the iPhone and Android SDKs mature and gain adoption, precisely what the differences between the two are from a practical point of view.

During this week’s AjaxWorld conference, ICEsoft Technologies has unveiled their open source ICEfaces Project.

ICEfaces itself is an Ajax framework that enables developers to easily create server centric rich internet applications in pure Java. The system works by extending JSF (java server faces) which is a component model for JavaEE development.

While working in standart JSF programming envirounment, you have the addition of Automatic AJAX which handles back-end AJAX Framework functionality for them transparently. In addition, a feature known as “AJAX Push” automatically takes care of synchronization between the desktop and the mobile device.

While iPhone was presented as a great platform, Steve Markya CTO of ICEsoft Technologies said it had some deficiencies like memory constraints, small footprint, and inability to support drag-and-drop.

But even with its shortcomings, ICEsoft demonstrated some interesting projects like a program that allows users to “push” conference slides from a desktop to an iPhone and an app to order taxi from iPhone while on business trip, and then receive and view status reports.

Thanks: SeanKerner

Many Tricks has released yFlicks 3.3, updated version of its movie manager and viewer for Mac.

With yFlicks, users can download, tag, organize and view their movies. This update adds coverflow for browsing your movies both in window and fullscreen mode, lets you access your iTunes movies from yFlicks, improves downloading from video communities such as YouTube, and features many other small improvements.

The update also adds stand alone application TubiTunes, which lets you add an online web video (YouTube, CollegeHumor, DailyMotion, Metacafe) to your iTunes library with just one click. Most importantly you can convert movies to iPhone-readable format.

It costs €16.95. However if you have an older version of yFlicks, update will be free. But if it’s a bit too much you can also purchase TubiTunes alone for €4.95. As usual, there is a trial version available for download.