Trent Reznor and the Slippery Slope of Appropriateness

Just last week, we had mentioned the issues Apple faced with the Baby Shaker app, approving, then swiftly removing the app. Now one of Apple's most prominent supporters is frustrated with the app approval process. Trent Reznor, the founder and only official member of the band Nine Inch Nails (NIN) has had the latest update to his praised iPhone app rejected. Due to objectionable content. According to Reznor on his message board, its the inclusion of a profanity-bearing song in the app that's caused the issue.

Reznor points out, in language more colorful than we use here, that the same lyrics can be found in songs available in the iTunes store. Apple has offered content in the store for years, labelled as "explicit."

How then should Apple regulate app appropriateness? It seems the best, although not perfect, solution would be to make robust parental controls available for app purchases. This isn't a new issue the gaming industry in particular has dealt with objectionable content issues for years, especially with online gameplay. Perhaps Apple should add a disclaimer for apps that could be used, to access a message board, for example, where any number of things might be seen/heard/read outside of Apple's control.

For two weeks, the biggest headlines generated from the app store have been about app mis-steps. It's time for Apple to be proactive and create a more uniform set of standards for the apps. It is by no means an easy issue to solve, but clearer/consistent guidelines are a start.

Any Future for Clickwheel Apps?

The graph says it all. With less than 50 total apps (almost all games) for the clickwheel iPods, while the app store just reached a billion downloads of over 28,000 different apps, you have to wonder if there's a future for clickwheel apps/games. Sure, it can be more difficult to write programs for the clickwheels; after all there's no readily available SDK for potential developers. It looks like that's just the way Apple wants it. There are millions of clickwheel iPods out there, but Apple's App Store works as a revenue engine that helps sell the newer, hipper, iPod Touch and iPhone.

Maybe some of those crafty people creating apps for the iPhone outside of the approved app store could find a lucrative market for clickwheel apps and games...

Can the iPhone Continue To Grow While Tied To AT&T?

Several sites are reporting talks are underway to extend AT&T's exclusive carrier status for the iPhone in the U.S. through 2011. Previously it was thought it might be a five year deal to begin with. At any rate, there is a finite number of people who use AT&T, and a smaller number of those people want/can afford an iPhone. Will Apple be satisfied with that number of people, versus making the phone available to all, or at least more U.S. subscribers? It's not an easy thing to switch cell carriers. Sure the ability to keep your number makes things better, but the mobile-to-mobile, and "fave five" programs lock you into sticking with the network a majority of your friends and family use.

If Apple can keep the iPhone one step ahead of the competition, AT&T should continue to see slow, steady subscriber growth. That's great for AT&T, but it seems like it is hobbling Apple's ability to drastically increase the U.S. user base. What does Apple gain by sticking with a single carrier model? Announcing an end to the exclusive partnership would give other carriers time to get out of their own agreements with Blackberry, Samsung, etc. and throw their ad weight behind the iPhone. AT&T wouldn't dare stop carrying the iPhone as the customers brought to AT&T purely by the iPhone would be likely to jump ship again.

Interview With iPhone Artist Jorge Colombo

photo by Daniel Blaufuks, danielblaufuks.comWhen you look at the iPhone you might seen an advanced communications device, a mobile email solution, or a wireless internet solution. What you might not see as easily is an artistic outlet. 

Artist Jorge Colombo creates art using solely his iPhone with the Brushes application. Jorge has previously worked with other digital media, like short films, where he restricted himself to 60 seconds to tell a story.

We had a chance to ask Jorge about his iPhone creations, and whether we'll be able to get them to hang on the wall as well:

What attracted you to the iPhone as an art platform?

In no particular order: the portability of the medium, the ubiquitousness of the tool, the quality of the transparencies... and the fact I don't have to wash brushes.

The iPhone isn't your first digital medium. Tell us more about your one-minute films.

Same story: it all fits in my pocket. A poet doesn't need to carry much "gear" to create work, and that makes me jealous; so I try to reduce my essentials to a minimum. In the case of my movies (started years ago, initially just to participate in my friends' One-Minute Film Festival) I film everything with a digital point-and-shoot on video mode, and edit in my Mac's iMovie. I like the immediacy, the note-taking quality -- almost like sketching with a marker. For me the goal is not adding equipment, it's reducing it (while of course trying to keep decent quality levels on the final product.) I like making the machine almost invisible. And, well... right now I've been drawing with my finger!

Jorge Colombo, jorgecolombo.com 

What were some of the challenges to creating your iPhone art?

Let's face it: even with Brushes' 800% magnification capacity, the screen is still a bit tiny. I'd love to do one day the same thing on a letter-sized screen. Which may very well become common: the iPhone has poularized the notion that you can do a lot of computing on a touch-screen's virtual keyboard, so I'm waiting for a larger version. Also, drawing in bright daylight is actually harder than worling in the dark. If I had to this all the time I'd get a big umbrella. Very low-tech. 

What do you want to do with them? Are these suitable to be blown up as prints, or do you think they're best experienced on the phone?

They are going to be sold as prints; there's a 20x200.com edition in the works. The latest version of Brushes allows you to export files at a very decent resolution. But most likely I'll be doing illustrations in this medium.

How long does it take you to create each piece?

So far, none longer than half an hour. Especially in the winter -- after a while, my fingers started shaking.

What advice would you have for other artists considering using the iPhone as an artistic tool?

When there's a background and foreground, it's easier to fully finish the former before adding the latter. At least that's how I do it. And once in a while I save an image and duplicate it for safety even before finishing it. Also: by all means use the Brushes Viewer, its hi-res downloads do pay off.

Jorge Colombo, jorgecolombo.com

What do you think digital advancements mean for future artists? How could art schools change over the next five years?

I suppose this kind of work will become as ubiquitous as people recording their thoughts through a keyboard instead of a pen. Mediums will continue coexisting (I'm ALSO drawing with a pen or pencil all the time) but digital will probably become the norm, the majority; and it'll be good for schools to take that into account.

You can see more of Jorge's work on his website, www.JorgeColombo.com

We would like to do a series on creative people using their Macs (or iPhones) in making projects.If you know an artist, or other creative Mac person, let us know. 

Disappointing News From AT&T

Electronista is reporting that some new language in AT&T's contract might bring streaming video to the iPhone to a grind, including SlingPLayer's new app. The language says in part, "customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device," will be blocked.

Guess what AT&T? the iPhone is a portable computer on your network. Deal with it. You could've seen this demand coming, and should've made plans to accomodate it. It almost makes me wonder how restrictive AT&T could become before Apple could break out of their exclusivity agreement. You're making extra money on iPhone subscriber every single month. If you don't have a problem with that, you shouldn't have a problem with the capabilities that sell those devices, AT&T.

UPDATE: Now AT&T says the wording was a mistake.Thanks to Grant in the comments for the heads up.