After airing a send-up of an iPhone commercial on Monday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show, the comedienne apologized for the parody at the behest of, well, Apple.

According to DeGeneres, Apple was none too pleased with her spoof, which depicted the actress fumbling with the device, trying (and failing) to send a text message. “The people at Apple didn’t think it was so funny,” she said on her show. “They thought I made it look like it’s hard to use and I just want to say I’m sorry if I made the iPhone look like it was hard to use.”

Read more and watch the spoof commercial and her apology here

Source: Mashable.com

Apple held a press conference and media event to announce the launch of it’s much-hyped new tablet, the iPad. Prices range from $499 to $829 (depending on hard drive size and WiFi/3G connectivity).

Notable features include capabilities to use all iPhone/iPod Touch apps, USB syncing, enhanced music browsing, PDF-viewing, and an iPhone-like “Home” screen rather than desktop/dock.

Notable MISSING features include a camera (front-facing or otherwise), Flash capabilities, and any CD/DVD drives.

Initial consumer feedback isn’t overwhelmingly positive; many (myself included) were expecting something a lot closer to the MacBook in functionality. Perhaps there will be a desire for developers to create apps exclusively for the iPad, but as of now it is mostly an oversized iPhone… without the phone.

Source: MacRumors

Apple released in a press release earlier today that they have yet reached another milestone, 3 BILLION app downloads in less than 18 months.

Click here to read the full press release

Vitaminwater and 50 Cent have teamed up to launch a new iPhone app that allows fans to remix parts of 50 Cent’s album on their device. Users can create and share their own mixes of “Baby by Me,” the first single from 50 Cent’s LP “Before I Self Destruct,” via their iPhone or iPod Touch.

Additionally, 50 Cent is giving one aspiring fan a chance to show off their skills with him in the recording studio. 50 Cent will scout out the best remix of his latest single and invite that person to meet up with him.

Users can record and share their personal mixes via Facebook, email, or on the interactive music companion site: http://www.50soundlab.com. The app will be available as long as 50 Cent is scouting the remixes. The deadline for entry is February 16.

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Conde Nast is introducing a slick platform for selling, displaying and enhancing its titles’ regular print issues on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Issues rendered for the iPhone screen will sell as apps, starting with this December’s issue of GQ, priced at $2.99 in the app store.

Users will be able to see every page as it appears in print as well as renderings of all the content tailored for display on the small screen. They will also be able to watch related videos, hear audio and visit advertisers’ sites without leaving the app.

It’s a potentially significant step in print publishers’ efforts to make something positive out of digital media. For one thing, the iPhone app puts Conde in position to play on new e-readers and tablets, the company said today. “If you can get here, you’re ready to go there,” President-CEO Charles H. Townsend said in a presentation to reporters. “That’s what this is about.”

This could pave the way for other magazine titles to follow suit, and could be pretty interesting.

Source: Ad Age

Verizon offically announced its new Google Droid phone, with an ad campaign pointing out all of the iPhone’s weaknesses. The phone is rumored to be available at the end of the month, but no offical release date has been set. You can however, sign up to be alerted once it’s available.

Has the iPhone finally met it’s match? Check out the “iDon’t” ad campaign here

CNN launched its new iPhone application Tuesday morning, featuring breaking news, video, personalization options, and, most notably, an interactive iReport feature.

The application allows you to search for and follow topics of interest to create a personalized “MyCNN” news feed — from breaking stories about your home state to gossip about your favorite celebrity. Tapping any news story from the main screen leads to two summary bullet points, the main story, and any relevant video. An additional tap on the share button allows you to email the story, choose to follow the topic, or save it to read later. The app also pinpoints your current location to provide weather, traffic, and breaking news near you.

Get the app at CNN.com or read more about the app here

Like watching the DOW index and models stripping, but just wish you could do both at the same time? Well then a new racy iPhone App available from PUMA called “The PUMA Index” was made for you! The application description on iTunes says it all: “The PUMA Index is a global stock ticker with a twist. When the market goes down, our models’ clothes come off - right down to their PUMA Bodywear. So if you lose your shirt, at least they do, too.” Don’t worry, you can chose between a male or a female model and can switch genders with a shake, so there’s no bias going on here. But don’t get too comfortable with your scantily clad model, because if the market goes up their clothes come back on.  And if you’re looking for savings, just show The PUMA Index app to a PUMA sales associate and you’ll get 20% off your next purchase.

Go to psfk.com to read the full article and get a glimpse of the app in action.

Despite Jay-Z’s best efforts, it looks as if Auto-Tune, the software that adjusts the pitch of a singer’s voice, isn’t destined for the graveyard after all. Instead, it’s headed to the iPhone.

An application called “I Am T-Pain,” after the rapper who most recently popularized the Auto-Tune software with a liberal use of it in his songs, transforms the iPhone into an auto-tune microphone. The application was developed as a joint collaboration between T-Pain, Antares Audio Technologies, the company that produces the software that creates the vocal effect, and Smule, a start-up that develops applications for the iPhone.

The application, which costs $2.99, turns the iPhone into an Auto-Tune microphone, allowing users to sing alongside popular T-Pain tracks. “I Am T-Pain” comes bundled with five songs, including the radio hits “Bartender” and “Sprung.” Players will also have the option of buying more songs via the application to digitally harmonize along with.

In addition, players can create and record songs using a “freestyle” Auto-Tune effect, which can be uploaded to the Web and sent to friends via e-mail Facebook and MySpace.

Source: New York Times

Dutch beer brand Grolsch has launched an iPhone application called ‘Walk the Line’. With their new app, they aim to promote responsible drinking practice among users, especially music festivals visitors this summer.

The app helps check if the person holding the iPhone can walk in a straight line… sounds easy enough, right?

The app was first demonstrated at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands with some interesting promo work behind it. If the user gains high score, they are offered a free festival photograph at the Grolsch swing-top bar, gaining the low score means they can get only a glass of water.

This will be available from the international iPhone app store from 20 July.