Fat Free Video Poker for the iPhone Review

Show of hands, who likes to play video poker without any chance of winning something? If that's you, we've got the game for you: Fat Free Video Poker for the iPhone and iPod Touch. And just for fun, let's add in kid-friendly graphics and an occasional popup ad.

Here's a look:

Obama Campaign Brings Politics to the iPhone

Today the Obama campaign released "Obama '08," an application for the iPhone. The app is designed to encourage Obama supporters to call their contacts, and keep track of how they plan to vote. Additionally, news about the candidate can be found on a national and local level, as well as using your location to show upcoming campaign events.

Regardless of your political stance, the app marks, an innovative and smart way to keep people enthused about the campaign. Here's a look at our quick video overview:

The Case For App Store Refunds

For as long as computers have had floppy drives, people have been buying software. There have been some quirks that have made buying software somewhat different from buying all other physical products. The biggest difference? The inability to return open software.

Once you open the software you can peruse the lengthy licensing agreement, and usually find a clause about returning the software for a refund if you don't agree with the terms. Of course the reality is, no one takes back open box software. And granted there's some legitimacy for that, considering you could've just copied the software, and now brought back the original to "cheat" the system.

Through the years, we've been conditioned to think this is normal, and unlike almost any other product, if we try software and decide it's awful, too bad. No refund for you.

Enter the iTunes App Store. As you know, the apps use the same fairplay DRM (technically v 2.0) found in the iTunes music store. Among other things, this DRM keeps you from sharing, or copying apps from the App Store. Without the DRM key assigned to your device/computer, the software will not run.

With the App Store, the logical reasoning behind why software can't be returned has been removed. We're all agreeing to this because its the way software has always been sold. There's no reason the store couldn't have say a 14-day return policy to match the policy of the Apple retail stores. It would be quite simple to de-activate the license key for that program, and refund the money.

I don't expect Apple to add this feature on their own. There's nothing in it for them but lost revenue. They and the developers do far better by having you buy an app without refund before deciding whether it will even do what you need it to do. We, as consumers have the power to start to look at DRM software the same way as any item in the physical world. If it is impossible to keep a digital copy of something purchased, then it should certainly be possible to return it.

If you are able to buy a Texas Instruments scientific calculator, try it, and return it if you don't like it, why should calculator software for the iPhone that cannot be copied have a different policy?

Developers, We Want To Talk To You!

Just minutes ago, word came from Apple (via MacRumors)that they are removing the Non-disclosure elements of their agreement with iPhone developers, as they apply to released software:

We have decided to drop the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for released iPhone software.

We put the NDA in place because the iPhone OS includes many Apple inventions and innovations that we would like to protect, so that others don’t steal our work. It has happened before. While we have filed for hundreds of patents on iPhone technology, the NDA added yet another level of protection. We put it in place as one more way to help protect the iPhone from being ripped off by others.

However, the NDA has created too much of a burden on developers, authors and others interested in helping further the iPhone’s success, so we are dropping it for released software. Developers will receive a new agreement without an NDA covering released software within a week or so. Please note that unreleased software and features will remain under NDA until they are released.

As many iPhone developers know, we've been anxious to talk apps. So send us an email: feedback@thedigitallifestyle.tv we'd love to tell everyone about what went into making your application.

Micro Labyrinth for iPhone and iPod Review

Remember those cheap little plastic toys that had the tiny silver balls that you moved through a maze? No? Then Micro Labyrinth might not be for you. If you do remember them, then this will be a trip down memory lane...

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