Archive for the 'Tech News' Category
Original iPhone case giveaway winner announced
Section: iPhone + Communications, iPhone Accessories, iPhone
The entries have been submitted, and a winner has been selected in our Speck and Griffin iPhone case giveaway. Yes, we know everyone’s focus is on the iPhone 3G, but there are still many owners of the original iPhone out there in need of a few cases. It’s a dangerous world, after all, and we learned from the contest that there are many iPhone denting, scratching and destroying hazards out there we hadn’t dared to consider: dogs, children, zombies, gravity, keys, jealous coworkers, sand storms, highways, fried chicken…the list goes on.
The winner, though, was selected because his reason left us with a dozen images of why he needs the cases, each of them more painful than the rest. Congratulations to Jeff, who submitted the following the entry:
I need to protect my iPhone from my habit of sliding it across the pavement after I try to open the door with my mouth. Yeah, I know.
Uh, Jeff? We’re not even sure what that means. Did you trip and fall into a door? Crash your bike into one? Or were your hands full with groceries, and you thought you’d try to open the car door with your mouth? And this is a habit?!
Never mind, we don’t want to know. Just take your cases. Use one on your phone, and form the others so they fit their teeth.
Congratulations to Jeff, and thanks to all who entered. Check back with Appletell throughout the week, as we have another great iPhone related giveaway already in the queue.
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
SizzlingKeys: Control your iTunes with keyboard shortcuts
Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, iPod + iTunes, iTunes
When I switched to Mac a few years ago, I wasn’t really worried about the PC apps I used and their possible Mac substitutes. I know that a common and sensible worry to have, but I was so excited to finally be able to get my hands on a Mac, that I said to myself, “I’ll deal with it later.”
Today, I regret neither my decision nor my attitude towards the platform change, but there are a few things I certainly felt were lost in the crossover process. Like most people who make the switch, a great deal of that lost feeling has to be with our computer using habits more than with a lack of features or alternatives available on the new platform.
In my case, I was so used to my Microsoft Natural Multimedia keyboard and its multimedia controls, that getting along with the minimalistic Apple keyboard was a bit of a challenge. Of course, at the moment, and even today, there’s no challenge I’m not ready to face to have my pure Mac experience, but I have to say the lack of multimedia keys for iTunes (which I already used in Windows on a daily basis) was kind of frustrating for me.
A few weeks ago, through the forum Applerama, I found this great little app called SizzlingKeys from Yellow Mug Software. It’s an application that allows you to control iTunes with pre-programmed and customizable keyboard shortcuts, no matter which application you are working on. Even though it’s a relatively simple application, it has a large set of controls, really valuable to those of us with strong, non-intrusive music control habits.
This program aims to control iTunes supporting basic features like pause the player, adjust the volume, skip a track or rate a song, but it also gives you the chance to search your iTunes Library or Playlists with a simple keystroke, always avoiding leaving the current app your using.
It also features a floating window that shows you the current track info, allowing the user to customize the in-screen position of this semi-transparent window by just dragging it to wherever you like.
SizzlingKeys is one of those apps I really like, basically because of two things: first it solves a personal, strong, and close-to-my-heart problem that can not be labeled as a problem anymore; and second, because they include so many features on its free version that you know for sure the developers team doesn’t isn’t being selfish. They’ve released a full-featured version of a nicely done app, then offer extra pro features for those of you who want to do more with the tool. The pro version costs $4.95 for a single-user license, and $6.95 for the family pack.
VersionTracker already rates it an average of 4.9 stars, and even though I don’t have a rating system, I could say I haven’t found any problem with the application so far. These past couple of weeks I’ve been heavily using it are enough to recommend it to anyone.
If you try it, and tell us how it went for you.
Product [SizzlingKeys]
Full Story » | Written by Juan Gonzalez for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
MobileMe mail servers down…again
Section: Apple News, Updates, Software + Apps, MobileMe, Mac + Computers, Software, Originals
It’s been a bad day for mail servers all around. GMail went down for a few minutes earlier today, and just as Apple thought it was out of the ditch with MobileMe, their mail servers seem to have other opinions.
From 1:00-3:30 PM PDT, according to Apple’s website, MobileMe mail was down for the count. Why this continues to happen is anybody’s guess at this point, as servers should not be getting hammered as they were on launch day.
Meanwhile, David G., the Apple employee assigned to post about MobileMe’s status “every other day or so,” has been MIA for weeks now, even though his last post ended with a promise of a post “later in the week.”
Basically, the only thing out of Cupertino recently regarding MobileMe is the switch-up of who is in control of MobileMe. Perhaps Eddie Chu can turn it around, but step one would be to go get David off his lunch-break.
Check [MobileMe Status History]
Full Story » | Written by Adam Fisher-Cox for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - August 11, 2008
Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Software
Macintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for August 11, 2008:
- Award-winning Internet filtering and parental control software vendor, ContentWatch, today announced the release of Net Nanny for Mac. With the introduction of an Apple Computer-compatible product, Net Nanny is now able to protect both Windows and Mac users.
- Humble Daisy, Inc today announced the start of their Founder’s Day Sale for ProfCast, their lecture recording and podcast creation software. ProfCast is a versatile, powerful, yet very simple to use tool for recording and distributing lectures, special events, and presentations as podcasts. In addition to the 50% discount through August 16h, users who purchase ProfCast on August 14th, 2008 will receive a free upgrade to ProfCast 3.0 when it becomes available.
- iWebTemplate is offering lifetime membership, providing pre-designed HTML website templates and website tools for you to use in your very own web development. Whether you are building a new website or just redoing an old design. These will spruce up your site and give you the “fresh” look you’re looking for.
- Dare to be Creative today announced the release of ResizeMe 1.2, the batch image and photo editor for Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard. ResizeMe is a productivity tool that can resize, scale, rotate and flip many images and photos at once. Designed to save time, the new version allows users to store and organize their favorite image edits as bookmarks.
- Dragon Forged Software introduces Trivial 1.0, their full featured trivia game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Trivial is the core application for a suite of fun-to-play trivia games, including General Knowledge, Sports, and Pop Culture.
- Pubblog.com has announced the release of MailSteward and MailSteward Pro, version 8.0.5. This version adds the ability to index any and all fields in a MailSteward database for faster searching. Also, preferences and settings are now associated with individual databases, so that each database has its own settings for what to archive, what fields to index, saved searches, and other options.
- Plum Amazing has announced their first application, Plum Caddy for the iPhone and iPod Touch is now available in the iTunes App Store. Plum Caddy is the premiere golf mapping and scoring application for the multi touch platform of the iPhone and iPod touch.
- iZotope, Inc., a leading developer of tools for musicians and audio professionals, today announced that iDrum, its beat creation application for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch is now available on the Apple App Store. The new application makes beat-making available to everyone with its simple interface and professionally produced content.
- St. Clair Software has announced the release of Default Folder X 4.0.8, which now tracks folders containing the files you drag onto applications in the Dock. Default Folder X enhances the file dialogs in all Mac OS X applications, making them work as quickly as you do. Custom keyboard shortcuts put your favorite and recent folders at your fingertips. This release also corrects problems that users have reported with Bias Peak and QuickBooks Pro.
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
iHome releases rotating iPod touch/iPhone speaker
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Accessories, Docks & Speakers, iPod, iPhone + Communications, iPhone Accessories, iPhone
iHome, purveyor of many popular audio solutions for all types of the iPod and iPhone, has officially started shipping their newest product. The new speaker system, dubbed the iH41BR, is a great new way to take advantage of a simple standard iPhone and iPod Touch function.
The new speaker system provides the users with not only great sound, but the ability to watch movies, TV shows, podcasts, etc. in widescreen mode. No longer does an iPod Touch or iPhone user have to settle for headphones just because they cannot view their device in landscape while connected to a speaker system. All you have to do is plug in your device and spin it 90 degrees, and thats that. For added simplicity and functionality, the built-in LCD display rotates with the movie, as well.
The iH41BR comes in at $80 and is available at the iHome website.
Product iHome iH41BR Via Full Story » | Written by Mark Rowland for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Appletell review - Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Section: Software + Apps, Games, Mac + Computers, Software, Features, Review
Genre: Team-based first-person shooter
Format: DVD
Developer: Splash Damage and Nerve Software
Macintosh Developer: Aspyr Studios
Publisher: Aspyr
Minimum System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.5.1, 2GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 1GB RAM, 128MB ATI Radeon X1600 or NVidia GeForce 7300 graphics card, 5.5GB hard disk space, DVD ROM, mouse and keyboard, broadband Internet connection for Internet play
Review Computer: 2GHz 20” Intel Core Duo iMac, 1GB RAM, 256MB ATI Radeon X1600
Network Feature: Internet and LAN
Processor Compatibility: Intel only
Price: $49.95
ESRB Rating: T (mild blood, mild language, violence)
Availability: Out now
Demo: No
Official Website: www.enemyterritory.com
Playing Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (ETQW), I find myself empathizing with Roger Ebert when he has to go see one of those Diary of the Princess Pants movies. I am not the target audience. This game is not meant for me. It’s meant for gamers who not only have the time to spend mastering the controls and strategies required to be effective, but the desire to do so. Perhaps a side-effect of reviewing Mac games for over 10 years is that I’m so used to being forced to move along quickly, that I now get bored if I don’t.
Which isn’t to say that ETQW is boring. Far from it. The action is relentless, the graphics are some of the best available in a Mac game (provided your computer can handle them), both the single-player and multiplayer versions are intense. This is a great game; most likely the best team-based FPS currently available on the Mac. I just wish I didn’t suck at it so badly.
There’s kind of a story in ETQW, but it’s as pointless as adding a story line to Wheel of Fortune. No one cares about why you have to kill all these Strogg fellows (other than that the name just sounds like something you’d want to kill), it just matters that you do. Strogg invade Earth, Earth fights back. Roll credits.
There are two ways in which you can defend the Earth: alone, or with a little help from your friends. No matter which component you’re playing, the layout is the same. After receiving a briefing on the mission goals, you pick what type of soldier you’d like to be, and you’re then dumped on the battlefield. Go.
Even in the single-player mode, the class of soldier you pick directly affects your role in the mission. Obviously, if you’re a sniper, you can’t be expected to hop into an armored vehicle and tear straight through enemy lines. Rather, it may be your job to take out someone who would prevent that vehicle from getting through. This adds a lot of replay value to the single-player version, as playing a different class of soldier greatly alters the gameplay of each level.
And believe me, there’s plenty to do. You can play as any of five classes of human soldiers or Strogg soldiers. There are over 40 types of vehicles you can commandeer, such as tanks, alien walkers, helicopters and anti-gravity ships. Your missions will see you establishing bases, destroying bases, taking out enemy defenses, defending your own, etc., and will often change multiple times during a mission.
It’s actually an interesting comment on the industry. There was a period of time when first-person shooters such as this sought to one-up each other on graphics alone. The big news was always the new graphics engine, or perhaps the addition of two new types of guns. Yippee! Now, it seems the graphics are a given, so attention has focused to actual gameplay. With locales that vary greatly and a huge number of weapons and vehicles to employ, the gameplay has to be able to fill all of this up or risk being dwarfed by the design. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is up to the task, which is why it can focus its attention on the multiplayer component, with the single player component feeling tacked on. See, adding a story line to play through can give a game purpose and drive if there’s really not much to do. But, there’s so much you can do in ETQW that the story isn’t needed. Indeed, as I mentioned above, it just gets in the way.
I could go into the benefits of team-based play in ETQW, but there’s really no point. I mean, it’s fairly obvious, isn’t it, that a game centered around squad combat would be more fun with an actual, you know, squad? You get a rush from fighting alongside other human players (especially if you have some sort of VOIP set-up, such as TeamSpeex or Ventrilo). The action in ETQW just feels more urgent when played with humans and against humans, and is ultimately more satisfying. So, why a single-player version at all? Because the game is hard. Learning when and how to use all of these vehicles and weapons takes plenty of practice, and I don’t need to tell you that multiplayer action can be a horrible experience when you’re not any good at the game.
Practicing will pay off, too, as you’ll be rewarded in the multiplayer version with special weapons and abilities as you rise through the ranks. This helps the multiplayer version remain fresh, and gives you incentive beyond simply completing each individual mission.
Aspyr Studios did a fantastic job with the Mac port, bringing us parity with the PC version (which provides a huge online gaming community). The graphics provided by id Software’s MegaTexture rendering technology are stunning, but they come at a price. I wasn’t able to get decent enough performance on my 2GHz Intel Core Duo iMac with 1GB RAM and a 256MB ATI Radeon X1600, and had to install the game on the 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo iMac with 2GB RAM and 256MB ATI Radeon HD 2600 at the office in order to do the game justice. What a difference it makes to be able to play ETQW without handicap. It’s somewhat playable at the lower range of the recommended system specs, but you’ll really have to dumb down the graphic in order to avoid series hiccups during the battles. And the last thin you need during these battles are hiccups.
As far as I know, MacSoft still plans to release Unreal Tournament III for the Mac. The UT series has been Quake’s rival for some time now, so I’m curious to see if it’s able to top the features and gameplay of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. Until UT III’s release, though, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars stands without competition on the Macintosh. Just be sure you set aside a lot of practice time, and perhaps a few paychecks to cover the purchase of a Macintosh that can handle the game.
Me? I have to move on to the next game…thank God. A man can only take so much embarrassment, even if those mocking his FPS abilities are half a country away.
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Mac OS 10.5.5 developer seed fixes and features
Section: Apple News, Updates, Operating Systems, Leopard, OS-X
With Mac OS X 10.5.5 (9F9) seeded to developers, it’s only natural you’re wondering what fixes it puts in place. There are many, many fixes so far, but none appear to be that big, as there aren’t any huge issues with 10.5.4 as it stands.
Currently the only known issue is Aperture related: Aperture is known to crash on some larger images under this build of 10.5.5.
The focus of fixes in 10.5.5 is very broad, covering many major areas of OS X: AirPort, Address Book, AppKit, Directory Services, FileSync and Portable Home Directories, Finder, Fonts, Graphics Drivers, Help Viewer, iCal, iChat, ImageIO, Kerberos, mDNSResponder, Networking, Printing, Screen Sharing, SMB, Spotlight, Text Services, Time Machine, Traditional Chinese Input Method, USB & Express Card Modems, and X11.
Fixes the general public might be interested in include the syncing issue with newly created contacts and Address Book being resolved, dropping a file on the Mail.app Dock icon now working correctly, fixing the issue with Mail and displaying IMAP messages, and fixing the issue with Mail IMAP and out-of-order replies.
Full List [World of Apple]
Full Story » | Written by Adam Fisher-Cox for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Rejected! The unwritten law of the App Store
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps
Getting an app approved for the App Store is not as easy as you might think. There are standards to uphold. Some are known, like applications can’t be malicious, contain porn, use VOIP over EDGE/3G etc. But some of the rules of the App Store are unwritten.
TUAW reports on some of these unwritten laws of the App store by way of developers who have had their apps rejected by Apple.
The first rule is no non-alert vibrations. This means that games can’t use vibration for gameplay feedback. Things like getting hit, or driving over rough terrain are big no-nos for vibration. Apple has decided thus far that vibration is reserved for alerting the user of events. Things such as SMS messages, phone calls, voice mail, etc.
The second rule of the App Store pertains to the toolbar. Any toolbar in an app is understood to be placed at the bottom of the screen. This is a conformity rule. If you haven’t already noticed, every app that Apple has released (and certainly all other apps as well) conforms to this rule. This is so the user can know where to expect it in an app, and makes sense. Placing the toolbar at the bottom is more functional, as well, since accessing one of its functions wouldn’t require you to cover the rest of the screen with your hand when tapping the icon, as it would if the toolbar was placed at the top of the screen.
An optional third rule, not detailed by TUAW, is to not make a ridiculously overpriced app that does nothing…like I Am Rich. Enough said.
The second rule makes complete sense to me, but the first rule seems unfortunate. I think most users can tell that in-game rumbles are produced by the game, not alerts. Maybe Apple could compromise by allowing developers to add rumble functionality, but require the setting to default to off. The user would be required to change that setting before any rumble could occur. This way users would be fully aware that vibrations can be produced without alerts. Sounds reasonable doesn’t it?
Via [TUAW]
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
iTunes app updating bug fixed? [Update]
Section: Apple News, Updates, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps
Maybe it was the 2.0.1 iPhone firmware update, or more likely the iTunes 7.7.1 update, but it seems that Apple has fixed the iTunes app updating process.
This morning, I woke up to find five updates for my iPhone apps. Previously, iTunes had issues with figuring out how to update apps: It would find many more updates than were appropriate for your app collection; it thought that some apps needed to be updated more than once at the same time, when there was only one update available; there was an issue with iTunes creating duplicates of apps and trying to update each one.
For some, this was not an issue, because downloading 50+ apps isn’t a big deal for those with enough bandwidth. The apps only updated once on the device, so after downloading the updates, it was a minor annoyance. But if bandwidth is an issue, this bug was a huge pain.
In any case, I was delighted to see that only five updates were available for five programs this morning.
So, it seems—for me, at least—that this issue has been resolved. I’d like to hear if this is the case for everyone. If you’ve had app updates since the newest patches for iTunes and the iPhone, did they download correctly?
[Update] It appears this issue isn’t fixed. I may have just gotten lucky with my app updates. As Steve would say, App Updates aren’t yet up to “Apple Standards.”
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
The numbers are in, suggest the iPhone 3G is kinda sorta popular
Section: Apple, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps
CNN is reporting that the iPhone 3G has broken the three million unit marker, according to Michael Cote of the Cote Collaborative.
Cote, a former T-Mobile exec turned analyst, says that “… they are seeing unprecedented demand …” and that it’s not letting up. CNN says that Cote has been extremely accurate in the past about wireless predictions. I don’t think this estimate is a stretch with the way the iPhone has been selling.
Hitting the three million mark already is much sooner than Wall Street analysts had previously predicted. They anticipated three to four million units for total quarterly sales.
We already knew that one million iPhone 3Gs had been sold in the first three days of sales, a huge improvement on the two and a half months it took the original iPhone to reach the same number.
CNN lists three reasons for these sales numbers.
- A lower upfront price of $199 for the 8GB
- A continuation of the already well accepted original iPhone
- International sales—more countries means more people wanting iPhone 3Gs
I think we can safely add iPhone Apps to that list as a huge driving factor of sales for the iPhone 3G.
Cote thinks Apple will have a hard time providing enough iPhone 3Gs to continue with their international launch schedule. I doubt Apple could be much happier.
Via [CNN]
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
IBM Lotus Notes on the iPhone: Bringing the enterprise into Apple’s mobile device.
Section: iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps
It’s clear for everyone who follows the iPhone, that Apple is interested in the enterprise environment. Since the iPhone SDK press event on March 6th, Apple made it clear they wanted to be a mayor player in the business of corporative mobile computing.
Apple claims to have the best phone for business ever, but we all know how good they are on making up convincing lines for us to consume. The iPhone, so far, has great features that makes it a potential contender in the enterprise arena, but, according to Gartner, after three weeks of testing and reviewing the 3G version of the phone in large businesses, the device can be supported by IT shops, but only for a narrow set of uses such as voice, e-mail, web browsing and storage of personal information. They claim some security issues as a reason for the limited use cases.
Even though the phone could not be entirely mature for the enterprise yet, some big players are betting on Apple’s device now. They know Apple, so they also know the Cupertino-based company does take its goals seriously, and they’ll probably overcome today’s limitation in the near future.
One of those big players is IBM. IBM owns a widely spread enterprise product called Lotus Domino. Domino includes some important productivity apps, and they’re announcing Web Access for Lotus Domino, also known as Lotus iNotes. Big Blue says they plan to deliver Lotus functionality this year, and they already have a website dedicated to the subject.
Lotus iNotes “Ultralight” technology so far include features such as:
- Email, contacts and calendar access
- Easy viewing of Lotus inbox
- Email reading and writing with hidden or shown details
- File and attachment sending
- Day-at-glance calendar viewing
- Meetings, all day events, reminders and anniversaries detail viewing
- Contacts and groups information viewing
- New contact entries quickly creation
Other vendors—such as Oracle and NetSuite—are in the process of developing and releasing enterprise business intelligence applications for the new version of the iPhone. The future will bring some exciting news on the enterprise world for our favorite mobile phone, meanwhile, make yourself comfortable and keep alert for upcoming news.
Product [Lotus Domino]
Full Story » | Written by Juan Gonzalez for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Jobs clears up some App Store mysteries, confirms kill…lever?
Section: Apple, Apple News, Steve Jobs, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps
We’ve been lead to think the iPhone both does and does not have an app kill switch. First it does, then it’s not really a kill switch, it’s really a location kill switch for certain apps. Well, the truth is out, and it’s not a switch. It’s actually a lever.
Engadget reported on a Wall Street Journal interview with Steve Jobs that may be able to clear up some of the mysteries of the App Store. Jobs has this to say of the rumored app lever.
“Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.”
So, there you have it; the lever exists. Appk can kill your programs any time they want. Thankfully, it sounds as if they don’t really want to. Steve went on to explain that phones are no longer about just the physical, like radios and antennas, but about the software. So, I think it’s safe to say Apple will only be killing malicious apps that were erroneously accepted into the App Store.
Jobs also spoke briefly about the popularity of the App Store. Already, 60 million programs have been downloaded, accounting for around $30 million since launch. I really don’t think it’s any surprise the App Store is popular, but it is very interesting to see some real numbers.
Steve also cleared up one more App Store mystery. You may have heard of an app called “I Am Rich.” It’s an app that does nothing other than display a red glowing gem on the screen of the iPhone. It cost $999.99 when it was available on the App Store, but has been pulled. In the short time it was available, eight people purchased the program…not sure if they were all on purpose. Jobs said it was a “judgment” call to pull the app from the store.
It’s interesting to note that the “lever” still has not been pulled. With other apps disappearing from the App Store like BoxOffice and NetShare, it seems Apple is very reluctant to use their method of killing apps. So do you trust Apple with their lever?
Via [Engadget, Wall Street Journal]
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Noreve’s diamond leather case is more expensive than your iPhone 3G
Section: iPhone + Communications, iPhone Accessories, iPhone
If you love your iPhone 3G so much that you are willing to spend more to get a cool-looking leather case than what you paid for the unit itself, then Noreve’s iPhone leather case might be your thing. Thanks to diamond ornaments embedded on an expensive leather material, the Noreve will set you back no more than $15K a piece.
What makes this leather case ultra-expensive are its 6.8K diamonds between 18 to 22 points of VS1 quality and G color. With such an expensive leather case, you would expect it to fully accomadate all of the iPhone’s stock form. Unfortunately this leather case just lets you slip your iPhone inside the case. This leather case is available in 15 different colors, and is said to feature 272 pieces of diamonds. The case does not come with a belt clip, but at this price, who would want to slip it onto a belt, anyway?
So, does your iPhone deserve an expensive case such as this one from Novere?
Product [Noreve] Via [I4U News]
Full Story » | Written by Arnold Zafra for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Appletell review - The Sims Pool for iPod
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod, iPod nano, Features, Review
Genre: Sports/sim
Format: iPod Game
Developer: Electronic Arts, Inc.
Minimum Requirements: 3G iPod nano, iPod classic or 5G iPod (video), iPod Software v1.2, 31.5MB disc space
Price: $4.99
I suppose it was only a matter of time before the Sims invaded the iPod as well. They should just rename the franchise “Invasion of the Platform Snatchers.” Every time I visit another household where someone’s playing a Sims game, I go to the basement to search for pods.
Obviously, The Sims itself is far too complex to play on an iPod, so Electronic Arts has taken a pool game and thrown the brand on top of it. Well, that’s unfair, perhaps, as they have given some Sims attributes to it, but they seem to be more about justifying the branding than about contributing to gameplay.
You start off by creating your Sim, which entails selecting a face, a shirt, your hair color, etc. What does this have to do with the game? Very little, as you don’t actually see your Sim holding his pool cue when playing. But it’s the kind of thing Sims fans enjoy, so…enjoy, I guess.
Also true to the Sims genre, your player has aspirations beyond the pool hall. There’s money to be made, and as money’s made, you can get better pool equipment (fancier cues) to help you win games. And, of course, the more you win, the happier your Sim will be as he achieves his life goals and works his way up to being a pool shark.
You don’t have to go this route if this isn’t your thing. There’s a Play Pool option that takes you right to the table without having to bother with putting on a shirt. Nothing you do here will affect the storyline you’re creating in the full story mode. If you’re more about the pool than the plot line, this is where you’ll be spending your time.
Regardless of how you get to the table, The Sims Pool really shines once you’re there. Literally. The graphics are fantastic, rivaling those you’d see on the Nintendo DS, or even the Macintosh itself for this type of game. They’re bright, they’re crisp, and they’re very colorful. The animation is quite smooth, but that shouldn’t be hard to achieve considering it involves little more than a bunch of balls rolling around.
Using the iPod click wheel to play pool may seem a bit odd at first, but its quite well implemented and therefore pretty easy to get the hang of. You line up your shot by spinning your pool cue around the cue ball with the click wheel. You then click the center button of the iPod to confirm the angle, and this can lead to some trouble; if you don’t pull your thumb straight off the click wheel, your angle can easily change a bit. This can get frustrating, but not enough that it screws up the game. Just realign and try again. Lines appear on the screen to let you know the direction the ball you’re hitting will go, as well as the rebound of the cue ball (helping you avoid a scratch). If you like, you can shut this feature off.
After the angle is set, you can use the click wheel to put some “english” on the ball. This, of course, determines the amount of spin the cue ball will have. I can’t comment either way on the physics of this, as I didn’t really utilize it to its full advantage. As with real pool, I’m not good enough to worry about things like english and power and such; it’s enough for me to worry about hitting the ball straight. Once you’ve determined the spin, a traditional sliding power meter appears so you can adjust how hard you hit the cue ball. Hit the center button again and hope for the best.
The abilities of your AI opponent will probably seem wildly inconsistent. In my very first game, he missed some fairly easy shots, and even hit in one of my balls. After I had acquired quite a lead, he suddenly sank five balls in a row to catch up, then missed a couple other easy shots to watch me win. Was I going to get hustled until my opponent took pity on me? I don’t know. This is a Sims game, after all. The computer opponent’s probably more worried about stealing my girlfriend or cleaning his kitchen than he is about playing pool.
There are two games you can play in The Sims Pool: eight ball and nine ball. There’s also a trick shot challenge that’ll help you test and improve your skills, and it’s kind of fun after you’ve gotten pretty good at the game.
You’re not stuck playing the computer, however. You can play other humans on a single iPod by passing it around. Unfortunately, there’s no option for playing doubles should you have, you know, more real life friends than Sim friends. Perhaps that would be a hassle, anyway; passing around the iPod is one thing, but passing around headphones is quite another matter. Technically, you don’t need sound to play this game, but the sound is so great I highly recommend you keep the headphones on. You can listen to your own music if you like, but I actually suggest shutting it off so you can more easily hear the pool hall ambient noises, which do a great job of pulling you into the game. Better yet, they’re not so repetitive that you can hear the loop. Very well done, but that’s the kind of thing you come to expect from Electronic Arts.
Remove “The Sims” from its name, and The Sims Pool is still a great pool sim. That it’s this good on the iPod is very impressive, but not really surprising; Electronic Arts has made it quite clear they understand the iPod as a gaming platform, and what that should entail. The Sims tie-in isn’t needed here, but I suppose it does add an interesting element for those who’d otherwise tire of just playing pool. And if pool is all you want, you can bypass the Sims elements. That makes this a great game for the iPod that would actually be a worthwhile purchase on any platform.
And that’s a good thing, as it’ll help keep your mind off those alien Sims pods in your basement.
Buy The Sims Pool
See other iPod game reviews.
This review was originally published at Applelinks.
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
The futility of the “Macs are more expensive than PCs” argument
Section: Mac + Computers, Desktops, Laptops
If you’re a Mac user, you’ve heard the comment; “I’d like to own a Mac, but they’re too expensive.” Just this weekend, I got into a computer conversation with a Toys ‘r’ Us employee (do I look so geeky that electronics department reps feel they can approach me with computer questions?) regarding system requirements for a PC game. The conversation led to all the hassles he faced when upgrading computers, so I told him about the ease of this process on the Mac (answer a couple questions, attach FireWire cable, wait). He admitted then, he would’ve rather purchased an iMac, but felt they’re just too expensive.
Are they, though, when you get down to it? Sure, the up front cost looks like more, but how does that play out over a year? Two? Three? How about resale value? Support? Maintenance?
According to Charles Moore over at Applelinks, the Mac, over time, is the clear winner.
I’m not conceding a millimetre of ground on the “Macs are more expensive” gotterdammerung. There are many ways to parse “expensive” and the contrary than up-front capital outlay, and even there a Mac today is demonstrably not necessarily more expensive than an equivalently (hardware) equipped PC, but the real value arbiter is TCO - total cost of ownership, and in that context the Mac is the big winner hands-down.
For example, I’m typing this screed on an 8 1/2 year old PowerBook Pismo running what was Apple’s latest Mac OS version less than a year ago, and enjoying excellent performance. Try running Vista (which was the current Windows version when OS 10.4.11 was released) a PC laptop built in early 2000.
Charles goes on list a few more examples, then offers links to numerous articles on the subject from both sides of the fence. If you’re looking for fair analysis on the subject (and why the “Macs are more expensive” argument is painfully shortsighted), check it out.
Via [Applelinks]
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
More App Store freebies
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals
The App Store continued to supply some awesome apps for free this week. Pretty soon, home page management is going to become an issue if developers keep providing great apps for free. Here’s this weeks list to help you keep your iPhone or iPod Touch home screens clogged and in dire need of organization.
15 puzzle - Remember that tile sliding game that would split a picture into a bunch of squares, then you’d have to slide them back into place? That’s 15 puzzle. It’s customizable in a number of ways. You can choose your difficulty by number of puzzle pieces, and you can load your own pics from your device. Simple and fun.
WeDict - Ever find yourself wondering what a word means, perhaps in a book, but don’t have the time to wait for EDGE to load Google and then search for it? Or maybe you’re completely disconnected from the internet? WeDict is a great dictionary for looking up the meanings of words, just as the name implies.
This app really makes me want to have access to Wikipedia and Wiktionary offline in my pocket for free. Developers?
Spinner Prologue - Here’s a great use of the iPhone’s accelerometer. You hold the device vertically and spin it around so that the constantly falling arrow doesn’t touch any walls on its way to the end point. It’s like a maze game on cruise control. It’s pretty fun, and will have everyone around you scratching their head as to why you are spinning your cell phone around in seemingly random ways.
Touch Reflex - OK, I’ll admit, this one sounds really dumb. The whole point of this game is to touch the screen as quickly as possible after the screen changes colors. Do this three times in a row and it averages your response time. If you have ninja-like reflexes, then you might just get your name high up on the online rankings. It sounds pretty dumb, but if you give the game a minute of your time, it will take much more. Its simplicity draws you in. You can almost hear the game taunting, “Really? You’re that slow?”
Dial Zero - I hate calling 1-800 numbers just as much as the next guy, and probably for the same reasons. Computers are great and all, but if you have a problem that needs to be solved, you almost always need a human on the other end of the phone. Dial Zero is a large collection of phone numbers to skip you past all of the junk and straight to a human. Touch the business you want to call, and you should be speaking to a human in the not too distant future; surely much faster than the phone maze through which they want you to find your way.
Sol Free Solitaire - If you thought last week’s Cookie Bonus Free Solitaire was a little lacking, I don’t blame you. Its ad supported game play has nothing on Sol Free Solitaire. By no means is this game perfect, either, but it doesn’t have any ads and its graphics don’t have any gimmicky baked goods involved. This feels more like a card game, and looks more like one, too. The only thing that’s missing is the visual dragging of cards. You tap to select the desired card to move, then tap where you want it to go. It’s entertaining, fun, and, best of all, free.
Klick - The tool to keep you close to Flickr. You can search, find pics that were taken close by, upload your own to your Flickr account, and watch slide shows. The developer of this app just updated this one this week, so you can be sure that more features are in the works. It’s a pretty polished free Flickr app. Give it a try if you love pics and Flickr.
Yes, I do believe Apple is going to have to find another way of organizing apps on the iPhone or iPod Touch. Too bad there wasn’t a way to automatically separate them by type, like they are sorted on the App Store. A simple setting could separate each page either alphabetically, by category, or download date (updated), and a choice of ascending or descending. Just a thought.
Apple? Are you listening?
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Ongoing problems with MacBook Pro ripples
Section: Mac + Computers, Laptops, MacBook, MacBook Pro
An Appletell reader has drawn our attention to a graphics problem that seems to have been plaguing some MacBook and MacBook Pro owners at least since the beginning of the year. According to the conversation in this thread (and a few others, apparently), some MacBooks are having trouble drawing high-contrast, text-heavy pages, resulting in the ripple effect you see above.
The thread is filled with possible solutions (from switching monitor resolutions to replacing the graphics card), none of which seem to work for everyone. Of course, it being an Apple thread, there’s also a hefty helping of that sweet, sweet hyperbole:
I have this issue since 10.5.1, no change in 10.5.4. It’s groce, it is contraproductive and I am starting to get really angry about this. This is a farce, Apple, and you know it. I demand immediate correction!
APC ran a slightly more useful take on the situation back in April, offering some details on what’s causing the issue:
The problems occur across both Macbooks—with Intel’s GMA3100 graphics chipset—and MacBook Pros, with the NVIDIA 8600M GT chipset.
There are two distinct issues: one is graphics corruption with lines of text repeating themselves and graphics scrolling incompletely. It occurs when scrolling documents or web pages, and is most pronounced in Apple Webkit-based applications such as Safari and Mail. Users have noticed that it mostly happens when scrolling via the trackpad, rather than the arrow keys.
The other problem is flickering in any area of the screen where there is animation or screen refresh, and it is particularly pronounced when watching videos—especially Flash or Quicktime videos in a web browser.
Still, here we are four months on, and the problems remain. If you’ve experienced this issue, be sure to sound off in the Apple forum to add your voice to the count, and visit an Apple Genius at your local Apple Store to see if you can get some answers.
Via [Apple forum and [APC]
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
So Hot Right Now: Top 10 Appletell posts for the week of August 03, 2008
Section: Apple News
Haven’t caught all of the Appletell news this week? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!
- iPhone nano!? Rumors point to “yes”
“ If Daily Mail is to be trusted, then there is a possibility of a new iPhone nano dropping before the end of the year. The article breathes new fire into the…” MORE » - Appletell giveaway - Speck and Griffin cases for the original iPhone
“ Pity we poor, original iPhone owners, right? We see all these great new cases coming out for the iPhone 3G, while it’s pretty much the same ol’ same ol’ for us. What happened to the love? Where’s the excitement?…” MORE » - Better e-mail management comes to iPhone
“Apple has an odd habit of slipping unannounced changes into their updates, and sometimes those updates slip right past us, too. Such is the case with the iPhone’s Mail program. Although sending and receiving e-mail has always been a breeze, managing…” MORE » - iPhone Firmware 2.0.1 is Live!
“ Apple has just unleashed the latest iPhone and iPod Touch firmware update to the interwebs. The update is said to address numerous “Bug fixes.” It’s 249MB, and that’s about as much detail as can be found right now.…” MORE » - Apple is producing how many iPhones!?!?
“If you have been waiting eagerly for your local Apple Store to receive some iPhones, wait no longer. According to TechCrunch, Foxconn, Apple’s Taiwanese iPhone manufacturer, is producing iPhone 3Gs at a rate of 800,000 per week. Doing some quick…” MORE » - Jobs admits Apple was wrong (gasp!) [Update]
“According to Ars Technica, Steve Jobs sent an e-mail to Apple employees last night admitting that MobileMe was launched too early. “It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and…” MORE » - Is this the new MacBook in an aluminum case?
“ These pictures come from the same source, Apple Pro (via Engadget), as the last MacBook Pro aluminum case redesign rumor you may have seen. The picture shows a…” MORE » - Apple pulls Box Office app
“The iTunes App Store has seen a wide range of submissions, some of which Apple has deemed unacceptable. Apple has now gotten rid of the popular Box Office app, which displays Rotten Tomatoes film ratings on your iPhone/iPod touch. However, it seems…” MORE » - Feral Interactive talks about their Legends Series of Mac games
“ Last Thursday, the good folks at Feral Interactive announced they’d be publishing Sid Meier’s Pirates! for the Mac. Having been a huge fan of the game back in its Apple IIGS incarnation, I was both surprised…” MORE » - Use SSH on your non-jailbroken iPhone with TouchTerm!
“ Have you needed to have an SSH tunnel to your personal machine while on the go? If so, TouchTerm from the App Store may be a great solution for you. This application allows you to gain…” MORE »
Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Appletell review - Labyrinth for iPhone
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Features, Review
Genre: Arcade
Developer: Codify AB
Seller: Carl Loodberg
File Size: 0.6 MB
Requirements: iPhone 2.0 software
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
Age Rating: 4+
Price: $6.99
Version Reviewed: 1.2
Labyrinth Lite is a game I’ve been recommending to everyone I know who owns either an iPhone or an iPod touch. And why not? It’s fun and free, and a free demo gives you a chance to find out if you would like the paid version of the game or not. The full version costs $6.99. Here’s why I bought it, and why you should too.
Labyrinth is a simple game that uses the iPhone in ways other game systems just can’t replicate. Neither the Sony PSP nor the Nintendo DS can sense motion the way an iPhone can, so it’s better suited for motion controlled games. Labyrinth is one of many such games.
Accelerometers are the only controls in this tabletop marble maze game, and are they sensitive. This definitely takes some getting used to. You only have to tilt the iPhone or iPod touch a tiny bit to direct the marble around the maze. Thankfully, there is a calibration utility to make sure that what really is level is recognized as such by the device. Like I already said, it’s very sensitive, so your smallest hand movements will be reflected on screen. It gives the game a very real feeling, like the iPhone actually has a marble on top of its screen.
The frame rate of this game is high enough to keep it feeling real too. Around 60 frames per second, to be specific. I never noticed any lag while the marble was moving; just smooth motion. The game auto saves, so you can leave the game and come back to the level at which you left off. You can also navigate through completed levels by loading the desired level pack, tapping the screen, and then paging back or forth to select a different level.
This brings me to one of the most compelling reasons to buy the full version of Labyrinth: the seemingly endless supply of levels. Levels are created by the community and updated from time to time. Currently, there are over 500 levels to download and play. You can add levels by touching the plus sign on the level selection screen and downloading individual level packs, or all level packs that you don’t already have. Users can create their own levels, which are just SVG image files formatted a certain way, but I couldn’t find out how to submit the levels to be downloaded by all. The “How To Make Levels” page on their website is due to be updated with new instructions soon.
The developer, Codify AB, has been updating Labyrinth regularly, fixing bugs and adding features. Since first being released, physics simulation of the ball falling in the hole, and the ability to get out of a hole if you just hit the edge fast have been added to the game. You can expect the game to gain more new features in future editions. Here’s a list from their site of the top 10 requested features. While this isn’t a guarantee on any specific feature, it’s a sign of good things to come.
- Sound.
- Tactile feedback.
- Option to delete level packs.
- Dynamic shadows.
- Themes.
- “Ghost ball” to compete against yourself.
- Difficulty setting: Acceleration sensitivity control.
- High score by level.
- 3d-walls, changing perspective when tilting phone, test successfully implemented.
- Waypoints to collect before finishing a level.
I really like the way the developer is handling this game. I’m so glad there’s a demo version, so you don’t have to trust what I say about this game, you can try it for yourself. Plus, updates are regular, and the developer is listening to what the users are saying by fixing bugs and adding features. I hope to see the level creation possibly get easier, and with a new “how-to” going up soon, it’s possible. I also hope new versions of the game will support more than just horizontal and vertical block, and why not circular holes as well?
All around, it’s a great game that I think is worth the price of admission.
Appletell Rating:
Purchase Labyrinth
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - August 7-8, 2008
Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, Mac + Computers, Software
Macintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for August 7-8, 2008:
- Aquafadas has announce a new version of their slideshow and animation software, PulpMotion Advanced, now fully compatible with Tiger and featuring new themes: SummerBreeze, Factory, Sliding Revolution, and LadyBug. These are mainly rewritten from the original PulpMotion themes with tons of new features and customizations. A large number of presets are now available to explore these great themes.
- Macgamestore.com has announced the release of Blood Ties for the Mac. The game, based on the popular Canadian television series, is published by Mersom, Inc. Unearth hundreds of items in beautiful and unique locations throughout the city to discover the dark secrets behind this mysterious cabal. Inspired by the TV series, Blood Ties features immersive environments and hours of hidden object fun.
- Desinformado has made available their August Edition of the Desinformado Technology and Lifestyle Newsletter, a PDF based newsletter about technology, gadgets, mobile phones and mac related news. The August edition of their technology magazine is full of interesting content that will help you jailbreak your iPhone 3G with tutorials from iClarified, new mobile technology, and more.
- Marware has announced the availability of Vanilla color options for the C.E.O. Premiere, the C.E.O. Sleeve, and the C.E.O. Flip Vue. Made from high quality Nappa leather, the Vanilla line is sleek and provides stylish protection for the iPhone. Marware is now shipping a wide variety of elegantly designed carrying solutions for the iPhone 3G.
- Black Cat Systems has announced that Label Wizard version 1.1.0 has been released. Label Wizard lets you create your own custom sheets of labels. You have complete control over the layout of the label, and each object can be precisely positioned.
- FMWebschool, Inc., has announced the availability of FMTouch. FMTouch enables users to deploy FileMaker Pro on their iPhone or iPod Touch. FMTouch supports multiple databases, and runs locally on the iPhone and does not require internet connection. FMTouch requires FileMaker 8 or FileMaker 9, and is available in the Business section of the App Store. Also, they’ve announced they will lower prices for FMTouch to $69.99. Customers who have purchased FMTouch from the Apple store at the full price of $99.99 will receive a $30.00 iTunes gift certificate to cover the difference.
- Macvide has announced FlashVideo Converter 1.9, their Flash to video conversion utility for Mac OS X. With a focus on ease-of-use, FlashVideo Converter allows conversion of Adobe Flash files to video. It fully integrates the process into the Mac experience by allowing human interaction on the content during conversion. All of the most popular formats are supported, and helps bridge the gap between many video standards.
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
An Apple special event in September? Again? Maybe…
Section: Apple News, Rumors, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPod Family, iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPhone + Communications, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, Laptops, MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro
9to5Mac is reporting that analysts at Piper Jaffray are predicting Apple will hold a special event this September to make some new announcements. These new announcements, according to the analysts, include new iPods and Macs.
This rumor does not site any insider sources, but seems to be purely speculation. Gene Munster, one of the analysts, points out that Apple has held a special event every September for the last three years, so it’s not that hard to believe that they would do it again. What about Apple Expo 08?
Munster doesnt believe we will be seeing the MacBook Touch, but possibly will hear about the redesigned aluminum MacBooks at a sub-$1000 price point (read $999). MacBooks have not been available below four digits since they were called iBooks. A redesigned MacBook Pro, along with a smaller (yes, smaller) MacBook Air is also likely, he says.
Apple is expected to expand their usage of multi-touch, and eventually switch from the traditional trackpad to a multi-touch capable color screen. This is actually the most exciting part of this rumor, in my opinion.
Munster continues his predictions with higher capacity iPod nanos and shuffles, with prices remaining the same. He also thinks we could see an iPod touch redesign with a lower price, which would make sense to consumers who see an 8GB iPhone 3G for $199 but an 8GB iPod Touch for $299 (ignoring any contracts).
None of this is new, but more of a regurgitation of things we’ve already heard. Rumors have been flying about the MacBook redesign, hints at a new iPod Touch have been found in future Firmware updates, and higher capacity iPods have been pretty much the norm. The prediction for a special event in September is also pretty safe; as Munster pointed out, they’ve done it for the past three years, why not again?
I’m sad to see another report of the long rumored MacBook Touch being put off until 2010. Apple has spoken about new technology that other companies just can’t compete with; if it’s not the MacBook Touch, what is it? Is a color screen multi-touch trackpad enough for now? Weigh in on the comments.
Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »