IphoneApps

iVIP Black is Most Expensive iPhone App

Filed under: Gadgets

For the most part iPhone apps are available to anybody who wants to buy and download them, but not only does Apple's iVIP Black come with the highest price tag of all its apps at $999.99 but there's a vetting process that includes a personal interview to ensure you're really a 'High Net Worth individual' before they let you install it to your phone. So what do you get for going through all that trouble? A one year membership in a concierge service that will hook you up with special VIP opportunities and deals at the touch of a button, no matter what time of day or where you are, provided you're in the UK where the service provider (iVIP Ltd.) is located. They also offer the ability to personalize your iVIP Black membership, which automatically gives you a lifetime membership and includes access to exclusive perks like entourage services and access to private islands.

No worries if you don't qualify (or are just too cheap) to spring for the full iVIP Black treatment as there's also iVIP Blue ($16.99) and iVIP Red (free), and of course there's always our free and awesome Luxist App also available for download on iTunes.

Via JustLuxe

Gallery: iVIP Black Screenshots

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Tags: apple, iphone, iphone app, iphone apps, IphoneApp, IphoneApps, itunes, ivip, most expensive, MostExpensive, vip

Art Auction Advances With Christie's iPhone Bidding App

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Okay, so it seems like Christie's is looking for any way it can to get into your wallet. Can you blame the auction house? Even with the occasional touch of good news, 2009 has generally been a dismal year, thanks to a global economic crisis that has brought the art market back down to Earth (hell, some would say six feet under it). Any business guru would tell you that when the market sucks, you need to find a new revenue stream. And, iPhone apps offer a brand new bandwagon to jump on, so why not?

This is a pretty wild development for a company that celebrated its tenth anniversary when the colonies declared independence (Christies was founded in 1766, if you couldn't figure it out). The iPhone will stand alongside the gavel, if all goes well, as the implement by which an auction is defined.

Christie's hopes that the bidding application will attract new money bidders to the auction house, ideally to pick up some of the lots that aren't moving and to possibly push prices up a bit. Think about it: if you're not into the auction scene, going to one of those things is a friggin' drag. Unless you move heaven and earth to get "approved," you're stuck in the back with the prolies – standing. That's no way to spend money! And, the dress code? If I hit it big, my first move would be to never wear a suit again. My jeans would lead to discrimination, so the iPhone app makes sense ... as long as there are wealthy versions of me out there (and I think there are).

Obviously committed to promoting how brilliant this idea is, Christie's draws a parallel to bids from its Christie's LIVE website, which accounted for 11 percent of the lots sold last year. There's no comment on what the website's been worth this year. But, let's be fair. The auction house is having trouble selling through any channel, so we can't blame innovation.

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Natalie MacLean Offers Wine Pairing On The Go

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

These days finding a great wine is as easy as heading to your iPhone or Blackberry. There are apps that offer wine information, ways of tracking your cellar and finding out what wine to drink with what food.

One of the most interesting wine pairing apps comes from noted wine author Natalie MacLean. Her Drinks Matcher from Nat Decants doesn't just tell you whether you should choose white or red wine. Her app is far deeper and lets you either start with the food or with the wine. You've got to love an app that includes pairings for over 200 cheeses and over 100 desserts. Ever wonder what goes best with roasted marshmallows? The answer is a German Late Harvest Riesling.

The app also includes pairings for other drinks including beer, coffee and tea. It also links to the mobile version of her website so you can access wine reviews and other information. Overall there are over 380,000 pairings, with new ones added daily. The app sells for $2.99 for iPhone or BlackBerry.

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Tags: apps, iphone apps, IphoneApps, wine, wine matching, WineMatching