Fiksu tracks the daily U.S. traffic of the top 200 free apps in the App Store, and found that starting with the iPhone 4S smartphone’s launch last fall, download activity ramped up from 3.8 million daily downloads in September to peak at 6.79 million downloads in January, driven by the holiday boom in iPhone sales. Downloads fell slightly in February to 6.35 million and then plummeted by nearly 2 million to 4.45 million total downloads in March.

“With the novelty factor of the iPhone 4S launch and the holidays well behind us, and no other events in March to spark discovery, March’s download dip was expected,” Fiksu CEO Micah Adler said in a statement. “An unexpected contributing factor could be the decline in the use of robotic install tactics by app marketers responding to Apple’s new policy.”

It’s also worth noting that Fisku only tracks U.S. numbers, so international downloads could still be high. While Verizon Wireless and AT&T saw their iPhone sales dip in the first quarter, Apple more than made up for it with strong international smartphone sales.

Though U.S. iPhone owners may be downloading fewer apps, that doesn’t mean they’re using their phones less. Fiksu also tracks a metric it calls the Cost per Loyal User Index, which measures the marketing costs developers spend to secure a loyal customer – one who opens their apps at least three times a month. In December, that cost reached $1.81 per user, but it dipped down to $1.14 in January and held steady at about $1.30 in the previous two months. So while iPhone customers may not be downloading as many new apps today, they look to be spending more time with the apps they already have.

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Ace Metrix scores ads based on perceived effectiveness by a selection of randomly selected viewers, which it says are “representative of the U.S. TV viewing audience.” Apple’s Siri ad, which you can see below, scored a 652 overall out of a total possible 950 points, which tallied from respondent scores on criteria such as relevance, persuasion, watchability, information, etc. Apple’s 652 was 8 percent higher than the average score for ads in the same tech-oriented category.

Other ads that did well include spots from Pillsbury, Coca-Cola, Nintendo and Duracell. Santa was featured in 35 new ads during the holiday 2011 season, including Apple’s, and each of those campaigns performed above their category average.

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Questions of Holidays Past

What virus scan software do you use? I was asked this question so many times I had to come up with an answer for the PCs in my life. So I looked around, and thankfully, Patrick Norton on The Screen Savers (yes, that long ago) once reviewed AVG Free, so I tried it on an XP machine and started answering “AVG” when asked this question. On a Mac, well that’s a different story entirely.

How often do you defrag your hard drive? While a common practice on Windows, I haven’t performed this task very often on Mac, at least not in the same way as on a PC.  I do recommend executing the Disk Utility’s “Repair Disk Permissions” as well as purchasing a tool like Micromat’s TechTool Pro.  Keep in mind that if you did purchase AppleCare, then you did get the deluxe version of Micromat’s TechTool product.

My hard drive crashed and I don’t have a backup; what can I do? In most cases, nothing, you’re out of luck.  It’s always good to have a solid backup strategy.  Here’s an area where there are a lot of options on a Mac like Mozy, Carbonate, Backblaze or CrashPlan. Some options like Time Machine are very easy to set up and use, not to mention it ships free with every Mac.

Questions of Holidays Present

When do you think the iPhone will be on Verizon? The new Mac vs PC battle has been replaced with the Android vs iOS battle.  Many have speculated that this battle is really an extension of the AT&T vs Verizon battle, which Verizon already really won a long time ago.  While AT&T’s exclusivity isn’t going to last forever, it’s still not certain when exactly other carriers will be selling the iPhone.

What apps should I get for my iPad? The market between smartphone and laptop is, at least for the time being, totally owned by the iPad.  For me personally, the best apps for the iPad are for the kids. Perhaps productivity is more your thing, or games, but there are just too many out there to say what’s best for all.  The best accessory for the iPad is an Apple TV, and then the best app would be Apple’s own Remote.

Do you really get eleven hours of battery life? Yes, yes we do.  Well, some of us at least.  Those of us running iPads and those of us not running Flash on the new MacBook Air. While the iPad is advertised at being able to watch videos for ten hours straight, others have been able to keep their Macbook Air running for just about as long.

Question of Holidays Future

What ever happened to Google’s Android? This isn’t to say Android won’t exist in the future, because it will. Rather, I think it’ll less and less be Google’s Android alone. It’s very likely we’ll start seeing greater divides between device manufactures, carriers, marketplaces and even the third-party apps themselves.  Not even Google has it straight about where and when to use Android and where and when to use Chrome OS.

So this holiday season, when you’re asked for your assistance or opinion, give it freely. The time is coming when the average consumer will know enough about Apple to carry on an informed discussion anyway.  What sort of questions do you think you’ll be asked this holiday season, and what are some of your favorites from times past?

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Seeking to better manage the holiday deluge of visitors to Apple retail outlets, the company is now offering customers the option of ordering online and picking up purchases at their local store.

According to the new webpage, you can reserve an item “online today and it will be waiting for you to pick up and purchase at an Apple Retail Store from December 15 to 24.”

Customers using the program are first asked to choose a retail store. The service is currently available in the U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia. Choosing from iPods, iPhones, Mac laptops and desktops, but curiously not the Apple TV, customers then sign in with their Apple ID to reserve their purchase.

Unfortunately, customers must still pay at the brick-and-mortar store, so you won’t be able to completely escape the wait this holiday season. However, that’s still arguably better than having to spend all day at home waiting for a delivery. That benefit, plus the guarantee of an item being reserved, are the big advantages of the program. Plus, for an extra $5, those buying iPods and laptops can have their purchases wrapped in a “signature gift box.” Nothing says Merry Christmas like an Apple logo.

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So Apple seems to have gone out of its way to make sure that Giz doesn’t go around paraphrasing execs when the blog should be reporting exact quotes, even though Jesus Diaz, who penned the article, never claimed it was a direct quote in the first place. Weird? Yes. Cause for speculation? Yes.

The trouble started with a media briefing between Apple and Gizmodo Editorial Director Brian Lam about the recent introduction of the redesigned iMac, MacBook, and Magic Mouse. Jesus Diaz today posted an article on Giz in which he attempted to quell further product speculation about the holiday season by paraphrasing Schiller’s assertion that what we see now is what we get in terms of holiday offerings from Cupertino.

Following the article’s publication, Apple contacted Giz directly and gave them the text of the actual quote as “The holiday lineup is set.” The difference between the two statements appears to be minimal, unless you consider that announcing new products and offering them for sale are two different things entirely.

While Apple isn’t generally the type of company that tells everyone about something new long before they can get their hands on it, it does occasionally make an exception to take advantage of consumer anticipation and to give developers a head start. The iPhone is a case in point. It would make sense that an Apple tablet, which is rumored to have more in common with the iPhone than with a Mac, would get similar treatment.

Of course, Cupertino is and always has been a master of media manipulation, so the possibility also exists that this was just a well-placed PR stunt to convince people to keep the rumor mill going until the new year. Despite all of its secrecy, Apple is very much aware that much of its success depends on public perception, and on the effect of tech and mainstream media on that perception. Clarifying the quote costs Apple nothing, stirs up the pot that had threatened to rest quietly until the new year, and takes attention away from Windows 7.

Apple may yet reveal a new wonder device before the New Year, but I’m guessing the PR department actually just didn’t want there to be a definitive “final word” out there on product announcements losing them at least two months of valuable time in the spotlight.

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TAB Welcomes: Dave Greenbaum

As a new writer here, let me give you the File → Get Info on me.

For my day job, I own a computer repair business here in Lawrence, Kansas. Drawing on my support background, I focus on practical technology from the user perspective; If I can’t find it useful, I’m not that interested in it. My passion is helping people with technology. I’ve worked in corporate IT and academic computing before settling on residential and small office computer support. I’m also heavily involved in our User Group.

My experience with Apple goes back to Apple IIe days; the first Mac I used was a MacPlus, and owned was a IIvx. Ever since then I’ve been a Mac fan. I even met my spouse through the Lawrence Apple Users’ Group and we’ve been married 10 years this June.

At home I use a Mac Pro for my main workstation. I’m proud to say I have every current form factor of Mac just in case a customer needs a part or I need to test something. I carry with me an iPhone and black Macbook, and in the office we have a Mac mini. Dare I even discuss my home-built PC or my upcoming netbook? Yes, because we still live in a PC world and sometimes the Mac is not the best at everything. I have my foot in both worlds.

I’ll bring to TheAppleBlog consumer advocacy and critical analysis. My writing will focus on industry trends that will matter most for an Apple users’ daily life. Some of my past articles have been reprinted by the User Group community around the globe, and I’ve written technology columns for daily newspapers in this region.

In my “spare” time, I enjoy cooking, gourmet food and drink, as well as occasional travel. While working hard, you might find me listening to the Pet Shop Boys or Nine Inch Nails. Since I truly love what I do for a living, I find that I don’t need too much free time.

I love hearing your comments and feedback: good, bad or otherwise. Let’s keep the conversation going!

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North Pole ($2.99)

I’m not really sure why this app is named North Pole. I was expecting a compass type app, but in fact, this one give you Christmas-themed bobble heads. You can choose from Rudolph, Frosty, or Santa Claus, and the motion sensitive head-shifting action is accompanied by popular Christmas tracks, which you can select in the app’s settings screen.

Holiday Mistletoe (Free)

Any excuse to steal some holiday smooches. There’s about a thousand mistletoe apps out there (Don’t believe me? Search for yourself), but this one has the benefit of being free. It also features motion sensitive animation that simulates 3D space, and real jingling sounds, so your kissee will hear you coming and have a chance to escape.

Christmas ($0.99)

It’s the most directly named of all the apps on the list, that’s for sure. Does it capture the spirit of the entire holiday in a single piece of software? Probably not, but it’s only a dollar after all. Basically a music playing app with a list of built-in classic Christmas carols. It also features a recorder so that you can add your own, and a countdown timer so you know exactly how long it is till the big day.

Nice List Holiday Gift Manager ($1.99)

I am the worst gift shopper on the planet. I never have any idea what to get anyone, and even if I have an idea, it’s completely forgotten by the time I get to the store. That’s why I used (or am still using, actually) the Nice List this year. It lets you pick people from your Address Book, add gifts to their lists, and set a price for each, and then quickly tick off when they’re purchased, wrapped, and delivered. Nice UI and icon make this one stand out from the crowd.

Are You Naught or Nice? ($1.99)

You probably shouldn’t need an iPhone app to figure this out, but if you do, this one has some decent illustrations and a pleasant interface. Also has some entertaining examples of what qualifies as a Naughty/Nice act, ie. “Returned all the presents to Whoville” and “Stole from a street Santa.”

Santa Wings: Rudolph’s Christmas Flight ($0.99)

From the makers of iPhone flight simulator Wings, Santa Wings provides a North Pole-esque landscape for you to fly over in you sleigh, pulled by five reindeer, including the most famous of all. You can adjust your speed, display or remove the cute animated reindeer and sleigh, and choose from four different holiday-themed soundtracks.

Holiday Hunt ($0.99)

I don’t condone taking potshots at the real thing, but you might be able to work off some of that holiday stress by shooting down Jolly Old St. Nick with this simple simulator. The goal is to pick off his reindeer one-by-one, which obviously can’t end well for Papa Christmas.

Starbucks Music For The Holidays (Free)

If you’re already tapped from gift shopping (and/or buying Christmas iPhone apps), then the Starbucks holiday music app will come in handy. It’ll save you a few dollars in holiday music purchases, especially if you don’t mind not being able to pick a specific track to play, since the songs play in shuffle mode only. Still, there’s nearly sixty songs, and they’re all either holiday classics or modern classics from artists like Jack Johnson.

FirePlace ($0.99)

Maybe you’re one of those people who own a virtual fireplace DVD. I’m definitely one of those people, so buying FirePlace for my iPhone was no big leap. Fireplace offers audio and video, and optional holiday music to accompany your burning former trees. It also plays in either portrait or landscape mode, depending on the orientation of your phone.

Festive Holiday Baking ($1.99)

A simple recipe app with loads of delicious looking desserts. I can tell they look delicious because the app includes pictures of all the treats, in addition to ingredients lists, yields, and directions for each item. I’m making the Peanut Butter Fudge for my own family gathering, but I wouldn’t bet on it making it there in one piece.

Christmas Carols by iChristmas ($0.99)

Perfect for your holiday karaoke party. Packs over 100 sets of Christmas carol lyrics and historical background, with more than 85 providing actual audio as well. This is a multi-tasker, since it includes shakeable jingle bells and simulated mistletoe as well. Might be the closest thing to one-stop shopping on this application list.

iTree ($0.99)

Part advent calendar, part virtual Christmas tree, the iTree from sodacope changes as the Holiday season progresses. When it was initially released, it displayed a pine tree in the forest, then a stump for a while, then the same tree in a room, then a decorated tree, etc. There’s also virtual snow that reacts when you shake or change the orientation of your iPhone, snow globe style.

Fuzzle Christmas (Free)

If you haven’t tried out the puzzle game Fuzzle yet, this free holiday version might provide the perfect opportunity. Your goal is too line up five or more matching Christmas ball ornaments, but moving pieces will generate more, making it progressively harder. Use the candy canes and stars as wild cards, with the stars erasing all matching tiles on the board. Fun and free, definitely a holiday must-have.

iSanta ($0.99)

A simple game, but a pretty fun one as well, sort of like the Santa Claus version of PaperBoy. You control your sleigh’s altitude by tilting your iPhone up or down, then drop the appropriate colored gift into the chimneys of houses with corresponding window lights. Suffers from a bad audio track that had me worried my iPhone speakers were broken for a second, so you might want to play it muted.

Happy holidays, TAB readers! Remember, tis the season to pretend that January credit card bill doesn’t exist!

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If you’re like me, sending holiday cards is one of those “necessary evils” of the holidays. A new service, Ecardlets.com, hopes to make the process a little easier — at least for your friends with iPhones.

Ecardlets.com is a San Francisco, CA startup founded by ex-Microsoft and ex-Googlers, and has just launched its initial public beta of the first-ever ecard platform designed specifically for the iPhone. The unique three-dimensional greeting cards take advantage of the iPhone touch screen by allowing recipients to open and flip the cards with just a flick of the finger.

I tried out the service today by sending myself a few cards. The service couldn’t be any easier to use. Simply design your card and hit “send.” The service sends a text message to your AT&T iPhone recipient which includes a link to your card. Then simply swipe your finger to open the card and read the enclosed message.

There are plenty of stock cards ready to send (there’s even a “Congratulations on your new iPhone” card), but the service will become a lot more interesting as more people begin uploading their own card designs. The site offers a Photoshop (PSD) template that you can download to make your own ecardlet that others can then send. Right now you have to email your designs to ecardlets.com but the site is working on a system to enable user-generated ecardlets.

So spice up your greeting cards this holiday season and send your iPhone-toting friends something different.

Ecardlets.com is, at least for now, completely free to use…so send to your hearts content.

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Macs are definitely not all-work and no-play machines, and this fact is made even more evident via a nifty little application called Poladroid. With holidays coming up, nostalgia will most likely be at an all-time high and Poladroid helps you inject some into your modern pictures in a very slick way.

Not content to just provide a Photoshop (or PhotoBooth) filter, the makers of Poladroid came up with a way to electronically “develop” your photos into Polaroid-like snaps, complete with the ability to shake the film while you wait!

Simply drag an existing photo onto the application, sit back and watch the results appear – slowly – right before your eyes. The process is done when the red mark appears and you’ll find a full-size JPEG, complete with oversized white border, in your “Pictures” folder ready to add to your online or in-print collection. You can save a copy of the photo during any stage in the “developing” process by right-clicking on the film and choosing “I want a sample now”. But there is one catch…you only get to process ten photos per application launch as that was the limitation in the original Polaroid film cartridges.

I have made the full size before and after images available, but the actual source photo was much larger. Poladroid auto-crops the images, so make sure you are working with what you want your end result to be. For those that make holiday DVDs through iMovie, you could save a photo at various points during the developing process to make for a very nice transition element or just use the resultant image to mark special moments on a timeline.

If you are inclined to share outside your normal circles, Poladroid has its own Flickr group and encourages you to add your own “new nostalgia” to the mix. If you are more of a DIY-type person, right click on the Poladroid application itself, “Show Package Contents”, and drill down into “Contents/MacOS/stuff” to find a Polaroid-style frame you can use in your own creations.

Poladroid is free, and available for download and is a great example of the fun one can have with REALBasic.

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The service and widget are free, and after some quick use and testing, it seems like a decent system. I’ll have to reserve full judgment until after I’ve used it for a week or so, but I definitely like the idea. And props to CallWave for allowing you to add your callers (from the widget) to your Address Book. Promising little details, in my opinion.

Via CoolOSXApps

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