Buy iMac

DoubleTwist is quickly becoming the iTunes solution for the masses and I’m glad I adopted it back in October of last year to manage my mobile media. With it, I’m buying music on a regular basis from Amazon’s MP3 store and can synchronizing media to nearly any device. Today, I took an early look at the latest beta version of DoubleTwist for Mac — v 1.0b16 — and the new features show it moving far beyond a simple and effective music synchronization application. It’s more useful as a media player and as a way to find software in the Android Market. Yes, DoubleTwist for Mac has integrated with the software store for Android devices.

You can’t actually install or download Market apps in DoubleTwist, but you can scour the store for software by searching for it. The activity is enjoyable on a larger display and I foresee myself using DoubleTwist to find apps whenever I’m armed with my MacBook. When I’m not, I’ll revert to the native Android Market on my Nexus One. DoubleTwist pulls much of the information found in the Market: screenshots, reviews, number of downloads and more. Each app shows a QR code, so it’s a snap to scan it with an Android device’s camera and install the software. The same information is available in a web interface too: just hit up http://apps.doubletwist.com from a browser if you don’t want to install DoubleTwist. That’s just a killer win for Android users. Jon Lech Johansen — aka: DVD Jon and a co-founder of DoubleTwist — tells me that the Windows version of DoubleTwist will see the same Market integration with the next major release.

Podcast search and playback is another new addition to the Mac client; The Windows version gained podcast support earlier this month. For now, DoubleTwist won’t synchronize podcast media to your mobile device, but clearly, that’s the next logical step. Until then, you can search for podcasts and play them back on demand directly through the media player feature of DoubleTwist. The player is revamped in this version as well. Instead of a small corner section of the app for media controls, a new full-width audio player appears at the bottom of the software. One tap hides it while another returns it to view. And video podcasts play within the full size of the application or can be viewed in full screen.

The DoubleTwist product is definitely making inroads towards a mass market. What started out as a media transcode and sync platform continues to mature with new features that rival iTunes. And T-Mobile’s pre-installation of DoubleTwist on new MyTouch3G handsets shows that carriers are interested. I’m not waiting for the carriers though — I’m using DoubleTwist on a regular basis and will probably use it daily thanks to the new Market integration.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

Forget Syncing: Let’s Put Music In the Cloud!

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Reviews

Category: Number games
Seller: Andrew Wise
Requirements: iPhone OS 3.0 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 2.2MB
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Price: $1.99
Age Rating: 4+

Full disclosure: I’m reviewing this app because a guy I know knows the guy who developed it. Fuller disclosure: I wasn’t at all expecting to like it. Fullest disclosure: I do.

I’m not a big fan of number games, you see. I was an English major, so picked not just because it interested me, but also because it was as far removed from classes involving numbers as I could get without having to mess around with a major even more useless than English…like philosophy or theater.

Numbl is a number game. Specifically, it’s an addition game. The premise is simple enough; you’re presented with a board of 20 numbers: 1 through 9. Above these, a number appears. You’re task is to tap the digits on the playing field so that, when added, they equal the number at the top of the screen. Clear them out, and a new number appears that will work with what you have left (for instance, if you’ve got 6, 2 and 3 left on the board, the number up top won’t be 18 or 4). You then do the same with the remaining numbers until they’ve all been cleared from the playing field. Game.

Of course, you’re ranked at the end for various things: speed, largest combo, accuracy, etc. Your rankings are compared to your previous results, and you can share them via Twitter, Facebook and E-mail.

Because, you know, that’s exactly what your Facebook “friends” want to know about you; how good you are at simple addition at any given point in the day.

Leave it there and you’ve got a decent enough game for killing a few moments when necessary. But Andrew Wise didn’t leave it there, he added a two player mode that really makes things much more interesting. Each player gets his/her right of the iPhone’s screen, facing in opposite directions. The board is reduced to nine numbers, and you race to see who can clear the board first. The gameplay comes in quick surges that are surprisingly fun, and that may allow you bragging rights. Nothing wrong with that.

Andrew also did very will the visual and audio effects. They’re geek-tech, I guess, with glowing buttons and robotic bleeps that integrate quite well. It all comes together for a nice package wrapped around an interesting gameplay premise.

My only complaint is that with the lack of single player options it can all fall to the background quite quickly. A challenge mode of sorts would keep things interesting, perhaps against a timer or via bonuses for using or avoiding certain numbers and combos. Also, the ability to take on others via Bluetooth or WiFi would be great so you could play against an opponent with the full 20 number screen. Some ability to customize the game’s appearance—such as the tile design or colors—would also be a welcome addition, but it’s not necessary.

But that’s nitpicking. Numbl is already well worth the $1.99 that Andrew’s asking for it. This should be a hit with the sudoku crowd who won’t find it as challenging but will likely enjoy the speed and engaging competitive gameplay. And everyone will likely take some satisfaction from watching that completion time stat dwindle down into the teens.

The faster I can get through messing with numbers, after all, the sooner I can get back to things that matter…like debating truth.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Apple has gone to great lengths to allow anybody who wants to, the ability to develop and sell their very own app. I appreciate this but I’ve never programmed in Objective-C before and I’m not sure if I want to learn. So I started looking around for alternative ways to create an iPhone app. I had already created web apps using iWebKit so the idea of using HTML and JavaScript is very appealing.

I know, you’re saying “Why not just learn Objective-C? You’re so lazy.” I wanted to test the waters first before I spent a lot of time learning a new programming language. I’m sure there are many other options out there but these are the ones I have looked at.

PhoneGap

PhoneGap is a free open source development tool that allows you to build apps using JavaScript. There is support for iPhone, Android & Blackberry environments. This was the first tool I learned about and it really intrigued me. PhoneGap is designed for someone with HTML and JavaScript knowledge. It will provide a bridge into the iPhone development world.

The first thing you do in install PhoneGap’s library installer and template into Xcode. Now you can choose to create a “PhoneGap-based Application.” This will give you a starting point and it will create all the files that are needed to begin. The idea is that you can build your app like a website. You use HTML and JavaScript as you would if you were creating a web app. There are some native features you can use such as Accelerometer & GPS. It still may be a little tough since the documentation is a little sparse. It’s still young though and they are heading in the right direction.

RhoMobile

RhoMobile is similar to PhoneGap but much more polished. Commercial apps require a licensing fee and that’s why you get so much more. RhoMobile also has support for all current mobile OS’s, synchronized data plans, Ruby support and a web-based development service called RhoHub.

It’s a very nice package and definitely a step up from PhoneGap. They also use special HTML tags to access native features like GPS, contacts, camera, maps and push. Visual style is also very important and that’s why they integrated styling based off of iUI to keep everything feeling native.

The RhoHub editor looks very nice and their sync features are also inviting. The problem I have is the price. I’m already going to be $99 down just to become a developer and I don’t want to risk more money while I’m testing the waters. RhoMobile charges $500 per app and if you use their RhoSync server it starts at $5,000 for 100 users.

I love what they’re doing but I don’t want to commit that much yet. They understand this and even talk about it on their FAQ page.

“Some of our best customers have graduated from a simpler framework.”

Someday I may try them out but not this early in the game.

Titanium

Titanium is similar to RhoMobile, but it’s free. It makes money by offering professional plans that give you premium support, beta access and more in-depth analytics data. I don’t need those features yet so the free version works perfect for me.

The big push with Titanium is keeping things native. It uses JavaScript to talk to the iPhone OS and complete tasks using native elements whenever possible. This allows you to create an app that looks and feels like a truly native app.

Titanium is a developer application in itself so you don’t have to work in Xcode. Everything is run off of JavaScript and HTML files that you can edit in your editor of choice. It’s just like creating a website except for the special JavaScript calls that it has developed.

It is actually easier to use the native elements it provides than to try to create the iPhone look using HTML. It has a great example app called Kitchen Sink which shows you everything that can be done. If you like what you see, find the source file and see how their developers did it. I like learning this way and it allowed me to advance and get comfortable pretty quickly.

A lot of other steps have to be taken on the Apple Dev Center site to allow you to test apps on your devices and submit them to the store such as provisioning & distribution profiles. Once you take care of all your profile downloads and testing, Titanium can create a zip file that’s ready to be uploaded to Apple. I was very impressed by how easy this was. I used Titanium to test my apps in the iPhone simulator, on my iPhone and then created the file that was ready to submit.

Conclusion

To get into iPhone developing, I was willing to spend the $99 Apple wanted, but that was it. Until I could make that money back, I wasn’t interested in paying for anything else. Now that I see the backend and have actually made some money, the idea of paying for development is more appealing.

If you are ready to take the plunge, I would look at Titanium. You’ll get the native elements without having to learn Objective-C. If you have a some money to spend, and perhaps a more complicated app, RhoMobile may be the answer. If you have a lot of money to spend then why not hire a developer who could bang it out for you in a week? It all depends on what you want to get out of the experience.

Now that I have done a few apps using Titanium, I am interested in learning and using Apple’s SDK tools. I hope I can find the time and the willpower to learn a new programming language. It would be the logical final step in my iPhone journey. I started by making web apps and to finish by making native apps just makes sense. If you have a good idea for an app then go for it, the most you’ll be out is $99 and some time.

If you’re considering a school for next year, you might want to put Seton Hill on the shortlist, as the university in Greensburg, Pennsylvania is the first academic institution to announce free iPads for every full-time student beginning in Fall, 2010. The goal is to create a connected campus where students can share notes, download textbooks and exchange files all on one unified platform.

Seton Hill is a Catholic liberal arts university, but regardless of the curriculum, a free iPad would definitely influence my choice of schools, especially given that you’ll be paying ridiculous amounts for tuition no matter where you go. Better to get something awesome in the bargain.

That’s not all you could get, either. If you’re a first-year undergraduate student just starting out, you get a 13-inch MacBook, too. It’s like some kind of Apple customer loyalty indoctrination camp. That’s an education you can’t put a price on, if you ask me.

So are iPads in the academy a good idea? I mean, Apple’s new wonder device obviously has its merits as an educational tool. Anything that makes reading seem cool and futuristic does. But what about rolled out as a comprehensive solution at a higher learning institution? Will a bunch of undergrads running around with quick and easy access to Facebook chat make them study any harder or smarter?

In a word, yes. These days every student going into college has a notebook or netbook computer, and almost no one takes notes by hand anymore. In that environment, it’s virtually impossible to find a student who isn’t already able to devote as much class time as they want to distracting pursuits like social networking sites and games. It’s not very likely that the iPad could even manage to exacerbate that problem, given how widespread it already is.

On the other hand, the iPad can do a lot of good in an educational environment, especially when it’s universally available, resulting in an even playing field. Unlike computers, the iPad is basically a single-focus device. It allows students to concentrate on one app at a time, which is perfect for those who have trouble reining in their attention on traditional computing platforms, myself included. It also provides great opportunities for truly collaborative learning experiences, depending on what kind of apps devs come up with, or on what kind of special features educational publishers include with their textbooks.

Seton Hill may be the first school to offer up free iPads for students, but I doubt very much it’ll be the last. Aside from providing a great incentive to attract new students, it also provides terrific opportunities for institutions interested in being at the forefront of advances in scholarship and education. And it gives me one more reason to consider going back for that second degree I always wanted. Too bad Seton doesn’t offer a program in marine biology.

My first Apple device was an iPod Nano, second-gen, and using it was a revelation; the simplicity of the click-wheel and the solid industrial design wowed me.

My second Apple device was an iPod touch, also a second-gen and also a revelation; interacting with a touchscreen was completely new to me, and iPhone OS was a dream to use.

After owning those two, I got interested in OS X. I learned everything I could about Macs, watched every video I could find, and played with the Macs at the local Haddock store (Wichita doesn’t have an Apple store yet). I wanted to use OS X, so much so that I couldn’t wait to scrounge up the money to buy a Mac; I had to use it now. And so I hackintosh’d my crappy Dell Inspiron 1525 using a guide I found on DailyBlogged.com. Later, I’d end up writing for DailyBlogged, posting how-tos and opinion pieces.

Using a hackintosh was OK, but I still wanted a real Mac. Eventually, I made enough money to buy the unibody MacBook Pro I’m typing this on. Fast-forward a few months and here I am.

When I’m not using OS X, I’m using its cousin, Linux. There was a time when I used Windows, but those days are long gone. The only time I see Windows now is in VMWare.

If you’re interested, you can keep up with me through Twitter or my personal blog.

(PS: Yes, I’ve trimmed my beard since that picture was taken.)

The iPad will be coming out in just a few days. There’s a good chance that shortly thereafter, as soon as 3G versions are available in stores, I will have my hands on Apple’s newest product. One of the principal reasons that I will be purchasing the iPad is to be my e-book reader. I have been an avid reader my entire life, and as something of a technologist as well, I have been waiting for e-books for as long as I can remember.

Amazon, obviously, got the ball really rolling with the Kindle after years of stagnation in the market. Apple is going toe to toe with them with the launch of the iBookstore. So when I have an iPad in hand I’m going to be faced with a choice, use Apple’s iBooks solution, or stick with Amazon’s Kindle platform.

I’ve been thinking about this ever since the iPad was announced, going back and forth on the issue. On the one hand I have already made an investment in Amazon’s e-book ecosystem, having purchased about 30 books to read on the Kindle app on my iPhone. That’s about $300 invested, but even if I switch to Apple’s iBooks app I can always have the Kindle app sitting next to it on my iPad if I want to read one of those titles. The iBookstore, however, offers several benefits over the Kindle app:

• The ability to purchase books from within the app
• The ability to add any open ePub format book to iTunes and sync it over
• The rumored 30,0000 public domain books that will be available

Given these benefits it might seem like a slam dunk to move over to iBooks, but I’ve decided against it, for one simple reason: cross-platform compatibility.

For me, books are a long-term investment. If I like a book I’m going to read it two, five or even 10 times, and some of my favorite books from my teenage years I’ve read so many times I can’t even remember how many times I’ve picked them up. Books, including e-books, I buy today aren’t something that I’ll one and done like a television episode or even a movie — these are things that I’ll want to be able to access in 10 or 20 years. Given that, it’s important for me to pick an e-book platform that I know will be able to follow me as my tastes and needs for hardware change. What happens if I decide in five years that I don’t want to use Apple products anymore? If I invest heavily into the iBoookstore those books will be lost to me, but with the Kindle there’s a good chance that I’ll be able to read those books on a future Android device, or a Windows tablet or something we don’t even know of today but that I might be using.

It’s hard for me, as an Apple fanboy, to consider the possibility that Apple may not be able to meet my computing needs in the future. But I care more about books than I do about Apple and so I need to be honest with myself about this. When push comes to shove, it’s more important for me to have my books than it is for me to have Apple’s products, and that’s never going to change. So when the iPad comes out and I have one in my hands I’ll be reading my books in the Kindle app.

Related GigaOM Pro Research: Evolution of the e-Book Market

SEAS released updated version of media player—Dozeguard, for iPhone and iPod touch. The app allows users listen to their audio files while at the same time monitors whether they are still awake. It is designed to turn off when the user begins falling asleep. If the device is not moved by the user after a certain time, the app stops playing the track but remembers the position, and if the same track is selected next time it continues at the same point. Users can also design a list of titles to be played and have the ability to store the list for use at a later date.

Features:
* Allows to select a list of podcast, music and audio book titles
* Stores the list of selected titles across application starts
* Stores the position of the last 10 titles which were stopped automatically
* Displays title artwork
* Darkens the screen during the play
* Gently moving the device is sufficient to prove alertness
* Jump to position of last move with a button click
* Jump to position of auto stop with a button click
* Use position slider to find exact position
* Use specific loudness level per audio book title (10 titles)

Device Requirements:
* iPhone and iPod touch
* Requires iPhone OS 3.1.3 or later
* 1.7 MB

Pricing and Availability:
DozeGuard 1.1 is available for 0.99 (USD) worldwide exclusively through the App Store.

With summer 2010 coming up real soon, there is a lot to look forward to! But it is not all tech related as summer usually means beaches and beaches means fun times! So which beach to visit?

Beach Finder by Rounders Consulting Inc

Beach Finder does exactly what its name implies; it finds beaches!

The app includes over 5,300 beaches across North America which essentially makes the app a fantastic resource for locating both existing and new beaches that users may have been unaware of. Each of the beaches in the app can be searched for in a variety of ways.

The first, and easiest search method, is to let the app use your location and find beaches near you (Internet or WiFi required). Users can set search distances and the app will show all of the available beaches near you within the specified distance. The beaches show up as pins on a map (Google) that users can further zoom into using finger gestures. Users can further locate beaches by using City, Town, or Address search parameters.

The pins of the available beaches on the map also allow users to get directions to the specific beach or view pictures of the location, however not all of the beaches have pictures available yet.

While there are alternatives methods to locating beaches, this app is a nice comprehensive collection of beaches that further include photos of some of the available locations. The ideal use for the app is locating a beach in a town that you are not familiar with, as the majority of users would be (hopefully) aware of beaches in their home town. However the app is great for locating home town beaches too!

Beach Finder is available in the App Store for $0.99. The developer has further indicated that a new version will include more beaches and the ability to suggest new beaches, the latter point being great functionality to include!

Beach Finder For iPhone & iPod Touch is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog – Tips, Tricks, News, and Tutorials for Canadian iPhone Users

In late December 2009, rumors were at an all time high for an 8GB iPhone 3GS. At the time, a user of the apfeltalk forums found the existence of an 8GB iPhone 3GS. The forum user had ordered an iPhone 3G and upon arrival, the box packaging had indicated an 8GB iPhone 3GS.

To this day it has not been revealed whether the label was a printing error, a Photoshop job, or possibly an early leak of an upcoming iPhone 3GS capacity (that has yet to be available). The release of an 8GB iPhone 3GS would most certainly replace the current $99 8GB iPhone 3G.

The current iPhone capacities and versions come in the following:

• 8GB iPhone 3G Black
• 16GB iPhone 3GS White
• 16GB iPhone 3GS Black
• 32GB iPhone 3GS White
• 32GB iPhone 3GS Black

So is there an 8GB iPhone 3GS or what?

Enter Best Buy Canada.

Today, Best Buy Canada seems to be offering an 8GB iPhone 3GS from Telus and Bell. The apparently new device is being offered on both a 3-year agreement or outright. As would be expected, the 3-year agreement price is $99.99 and the outright price is $599.99, which are the prices that are currently offered for the 8GB iPhone 3G.

Below are the links to the Best Buy Mobile pages and photos in case the Best Buy pages change:

8GB iPhone 3GS – Bell – Outright (link)

8GB iPhone 3GS – Bell – Contracted (link)

8GB iPhone 3GS – Telus – Outright (link)

8GB iPhone 3GS – Telus – Contracted (link)

If you look closely, the photo of the iPhone even includes the compass app, which is exclusive to the iPhone 3GS.

So, is this a massive error on Best Buy’s part? Or is there an 8GB iPhone 3GS coming to a Best Buy near you?

Best Buy Selling 8GB iPhone 3GS For Telus/Bell? is a post from: iPhone in Canada Blog – Tips, Tricks, News, and Tutorials for Canadian iPhone Users

Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, iDevice Apps, Mac Software

Macintosh and iPhone/iPod/iPad product updates and announcements for March 30, 2010:

• Macintosh
• iPod

Macintosh

• iSkysoft Studio has released DVD-Library 2.0, with overhauled interface and hundreds of new stunning features. DVD-Library 2.0 is an all-in-one powerful DVD cataloging and backup application for Mac OS X. DVD-Library 2.0 is now priced at $29, and it’s a free upgrade for registered users. iSkysoft Studio has also launched their Get DVD-Library 2.0 For Free campaign, and qualified users can get a free license for DVD-Library 2.0.
• Ergonis Software has released KeyCue 5.0, the company’s popular keyboard shortcut cheat sheet. KeyCue is quite a handy tool for learning and remembering keyboard shortcuts. Until now, KeyCue could show only keyboard shortcuts that are visible in a program’s regular menus. KeyCue 5 adds an open interface that enables 3rd party products to use KeyCue for displaying custom keyboard shortcuts, regardless whether the shortcuts are visible in the menu or not.
• System Support Products, Inc. has announced the availability of Release 5.0 of Mail Forward for Apple Mac OS X. Mail Forward is an award-winning, e-mail forwarding application which allows the user to forward mail from AOL, Gmail, Hotmail, MSN, Netscape and Yahoo web mail accounts to any e-mail address. Standard POP and IMAP e-mail accounts can also be forwarded. A maximum of 20 different e-mail accounts can be entered into the app, each with its own forwarding address.
• Synium Software today releases MacFamilyTree 5.7, an update to their popular genealogy application for Mac OS X. Version 5.7 introduces a completely overhauled source management, as well as the new facts feature. Hair color, eye color and more, MacFamilyTree now stores these valuable pieces of information. Also new: Audio and video recording using a webcam and the all new Family Group Sheet or the improved Kinship Report. MacFamilyTree 5.7 is a free update for all registered customers.
• The Keynote theme store Keynote Hub is getting back to the basics with clean, elegant design themes. The three new Apple Keynote themes—Brownstone, Esquire, and Simplicity—are focused on the fundamentals of color, typography, and layout. They exemplify Keynote Hub’s design philosophy of fresh design solutions that are smart, stylish, clean, and modern.
• If you’re a developer and you’re looking for a new project to fill your early morning, caffeine-infused hours, look no further. Boxee has teamed up with Twilio, a powerful new service to let developers add SMS and calling functionality to web apps, to launch the TV Meets Telephony Hack challenge.

iPhone/iPod/iPad

• Friendgiftr has opened a new era of gift-giving convenience with the launch of the Friendgiftr mobile gift card store, giving busy consumers and business professionals the ability to choose from the world’s largest selection of popular gift cards to buy gifts anytime, anywhere from their smartphones and mobile devices. Friendgiftr’s mobile-optimized gift store works with a wide array of mobile platforms, including iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Palm, Nokia, iTouch and other mobile wireless devices.
• In preparation for the highly-anticipated launch of the Apple iPad on April 3, 2010, Fusion of Ideas is readying a new and exclusive product under its StealthArmor brand: the StealthArmor for iPad. StealthArmor material uses a new heat-bonding technology and is uniquely designed compared to other protective covers in the device accessories marketplace. StealthArmor was originally developed in the automotive racing world to protect car exteriors from flying asphalt at high speeds. Russ Taylor, who heads up Fusion of Ideas and races a Mitsubishi Evolution X in his spare time, applied the StealthArmor concept to design highly resilient protective material for electronic devices to preserve their sleek outer shells from daily scratches and dings.
• Bowers Technologies, Inc., has announced a special Easter giveaway for owners of their PrayerJournal iPhone app. The company is giving away prizes. Customers can register for the giveaway by downloading the latest update and clicking on the giveaway button inside the app. PrayerJournal is an iPhone app that allows people to more effectively manage their prayer life. Customers have found that their prayer time has been more consistent and they have deepened their spiritual walk.
• KorperSprache & UnternehmensKorper have released BodyLanguage 1.2, the latest version of their important application for iPhone and iPod touch users. BodyLanguage offers comprehensive tools for successful communication, teaching users how to adjust their mental outlook and body language before presenting themselves to the world. Increased self-confidence, creating real connections with people and an easy, open manner are just a few of things to be gained from using BodyLanguage.
• Anagram Technologies has released Copy2Contact 1.0.1 for iPhone and iPod touch users. The popular Copy2Contact technology that has previously only been available for the PC and BlackBerry is now being offered as an exciting new App. Users now have a fast, easy way to capture contact information with just a tap from virtually any text source, eliminating re-typing, copying fields of data, and errors.
• Zinc Roe has announced the Tickle Tap Toddler Pack 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. The Tickle Tap Toddler Pack bundles five of the company’s popular iPhone games for preschoolers into a single app. The apps are developed by child gaming experts, vetted by educational researchers and tested by kids. These portable games help transform trips, line-ups and car rides into fun, educational experiences for young children.
• Vision Smarts has announced the re-release of pic2shop, a free real-time barcode scanning application available now in the iTunes store. Pic2shop boasts faster and more accurate barcode scanning allowing consumers to compare competitor prices on millions of items. Interested in books? Check not only retail prices, but public library availability for more than one billion items.
• With the mobile app industry heating up and estimated to grow to 29.5 billion by 2013, it’s no surprise entrepreneurs are looking to get a piece of the action. GetAppQuotes helps these entrepreneurs connect with mobile app developers that can help make their million dollar mobile app idea a reality. Entrepreneurs with mobile app ideas post an app project with details of what they would like developed.
• Order N Development has announced Hearts Attack 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. Hearts Attack allows users to play any of the common variations of the hearts card game, such as omnibus, shooting the sun, and spot hearts against a variety of zany computer opponents. Hearts Attack includes a full in-game tutorial, suggestions, and multiple level undo, allowing beginners to easily pick up the game. It provides four difficulty levels to challenge even experienced players.
• SlothMedia, LLC has announced KosmicMath 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch devices. KosmicMath is a space exploration game that reinforces mathematical scope and sequence requirements covering Preschool through 4th grade. Players are urged to demonstrate mastery over basic mathematical operations as they travel through the solar system collecting alien trophies and visiting NASA web sites.
• GlowNight has announced Glow Night Collection 1.1.0, its new app for iPhone and iPod touch that features an amazing selection of 16 highly entertaining games. An app box full of great games gathered in one place, Glow Night Collection will surely be enjoyed by users due to its simple interface, low cost and a large choice of titles. According to the developer, more games will be added in future and those users who already have this application will get these games for free.
• TOON Books has announced the release of its comics for beginning readers iPhone application. Parents and children can enjoy award-winning books anywhere with the convenience of an iPhone or iPod touch. Available now on the iPhone App Store, parents can entertain and educate children with easy-to-read comics. Kids can immerse themselves with words and images while waiting at the grocery store, restaurant or airport.
• Games developer and publisher iFun4all is so ruthless that they want to spread the crap, and have therefore introduced the Lite version of Crap of Defense. It also acknowledges that it has failed so far in accomplishing their goal of becoming hailed as the worst game ever. To counteract, they are planning series of updates—with the first one to debut in about a week.
• With Kiosko.net for iPhone you can access the frontpages from all of the most important newspapers around the world. Updated daily to be up to date you can read the frontpages just as they are available. You also have direct access to newspaper’s web site without leaving the app. Intuitive and agile user interface. It is also integrated with social networks and you have off-line access to your favorite frontpages.
• Zarik, presented on App Store by Avallon Alliance, is a funny, logical board game for those who like to puzzle over some tricky stuff. Zarik has 50 levels, ranging in complexity from easy to nearly possible to solve. Its main advantages are the clear interface and amusing strategic gameplay. You have a wooden board and several dice you have to move to outlined zones.
• Gendai Games has announced GameSalad’s support of iPad publishing. GameSalad currently supports publishing for iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac and Web. In case you are unfamiliar, GameSalad is a platform which enables anyone to create games. It features a visual, drag-and-drop tool for developing and publishing games and interactive media to multiple platforms and for sharing them over social networks, such as Facebook or Twitter. GameSalad takes the need for programming skills out of game development as it redefines the entire process for building games.
• The OtterBox Commuter Series interactive case for iPhone incorporates three tough, yet sleek layers of impact-absorbing materials which combine to completely safeguard your device. First, a self-adhering transparent film covers and protects the touch screen. Next, a firm silicone skin completely encases the iPhone’s housing. And finally, a one-piece, molded polycarbonate shell snaps tightly over the whole assembly. And now it comes in six new colors.

Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »