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Even though the torture of several years of Verizon iPhone rumors is now thankfully over, there has still been plenty of discovery and speculation floating around on the web the past few days regarding iOS 4.3 and the upcoming iPad 2.

Buckle your seatbelt, it looks like the wizards of Infinite Loop have another great round of tricks up their sleeve to change everything once again.

More Gestures

As iOS 4.3 began to make its way into the hands of certain privileged individuals, it immediately became apparent that Apple had completely overhauled the way you interact with the iPad by adding a number of new gestures.

One new gesture allows you to perform a four or five finger pinch that will exit out of any app and return to the home screen (the same action as the current home button). Another allows you to swipe with four fingers to switch between open apps, finally when the same four finger swipe is performed in an upward motion, the multi-tasking menu slides into sight from the bottom of the screen.

MacRumors recently posted a video that shows these gestures in action. No word yet on whether we’ll see these implemented on the iPhone as well (they’ll be much more natural on the iPad’s large screen).

No Home Button!?

Will Apple ditch the home button?

Speculation is running wild now that Apple is adding gestures that functionally eliminate the need for a home button and reports are pouring in that Apple is indeed planning on removing the home button from future iOS devices.

If the rumors are true, this is definitely an interesting move for Apple and I’m quite interested to see how customers react to losing one of the few physical buttons on these devices. Presumably, the only way to wake up an iOS device will now be to hit the sleep button on the top.

Also, there’s going to be a huge usability hit for new users. The home button is friendly, intuitive and easy to spot. A four finger pinching gesture? Not so much. What do you think? Is this is a good move?

That Pesky Mute Button

While we’re on the subject of buttons, Apple made tons of customers really angry when they repurposed the orientation lock button on the iPad by turning it into a mute button.

It looks like iOS 4.3 will ease these complaints by providing an option in preferences to use the button for either muting the device or locking the orientation (source).

iPad 2 Has Cameras? Duh.

It comes as no surprise that the certainty of the iPad 2 being equipped with cameras is growing every day. Leaked case designs hint at rear and front facing cameras. Further, new UI images found hidden inside iOS 4.3 point to both photo and video capabilities and maybe even a new effects system similar to that in Photo Booth on the Mac.

As we’ve mentioned before on AppStorm, you can bet the new iPad will have FaceTime video conference capabilities due to Apple’s all out drive to increase the number of FaceTime ready devices.

If you’re interested, OneIndia has posted a video that’s supposed to be of a non-functioning display version of the new iPad. In all likelihood, the video is a complete fake, but still worth a look.

More on iOS 4.3

Before we close, there are two more things worth noting about iOS 4.3. The first is a new feature called “Find My Friends” reported by Mashable and various other sources. The true functionality of this feature isn’t currently known but everyone’s best guess is a MobileMe location service that allows you to see the current location of various friends.

Finally, iOS 4.3 brings with it the ability to setup your iPhone as a mobile hotspot, just as we saw announced with the new Verizon iPhone. Unfortunately for some users, this feature will still have to be supported by individual carriers. So just because the functionality is there, doesn’t mean AT&T customers will be able to use the feature any time soon.

What Have You Heard?

That’s just about everything we’ve heard from putting our ears to the ground over the last week. As expected, the new iPad will definitely be a must-have device and the new gestures and other 4.3 benefits are just icing on the cake.

Now it’s your turn to share some dirt. Leave a comment below and tell us what you’ve heard and/or what you predict about the next iOS, iPhone, iPad or anything else Apple related.

Image Source: Flickr Creative Commons

So you’re looking for a good task manger? Join the club. We all want the same thing: something beautiful with plenty of features and automatic cloud syncing. We also don’t want to pay for either the iPhone or desktop version. The current trend in web content has taught us that we are entitled to such a service completely free of charge.

Strangely enough, such apps do in fact exist! Today we’ll take a look at Wunderlist, a newcomer making a big splash in the task management world. Also be sure to check out our review of the Mac version over at Mac.AppStorm.

Meet Wunderlist

The first thing you’ll notice about Wunderlist is that it’s a sharp looking app. The interface is nice and clean with just enough eye candy to draw you in without overdoing it and affecting the usability.

Wunderlist for iPhone

As you can see, the iPhone UI closely mirrors that of the desktop app, which you can grab free over at 6wunderkinder’s website.

Wunderlist for Mac

Wunderlist is fairly new but’s it’s already available on a surprising number of platforms, including Mac, iPhone, Windows and soon, Android.

Managing Lists and Tasks

The first screenshot above shows the screen that you’ll see upon launching Wunderlist. Rather than simply giving you one place to hold your tasks, Wunderlist allows you to create separate lists, each containing it’s own set of tasks. This screen shows you all your current lists and allows you to create a new list simply by typing in the bar at the top.

Once you create a list, tap on it to see its contents (empty by default). From here you can follow the same step as above to add a new task: simply type into the bar at the top. This single-step process is really nice and is much better than apps that require you to go through a lengthy procedure for every task.

A Wunderlist task list

Once you’ve got a few tasks thrown into a list, you can then perform a number of typical actions. This includes completing a task (just tap on the checkbox) and deleting/rearranging tasks (tap the “Edit” button). If you tap near the center of the task, you are brought to the screen below on the right where you can rename it, move it to a different list and assign a due date.

The typical task management actions

Filtering Tasks

In addition to allowing you to organize your tasks into multiple lists, Wunderlist offers a number of filtering options so you can easily drill down to the tasks you need to see.

The first two of these are “Starred” and “Today.” These two functions are pretty self-explanatory and work exactly like you’d expect them to. Tapping on the little star on any task will cause it to appear in the “Starred” section. Save this action for particularly important tasks.

The “Today” screen automatically updates to include any tasks that are set to be due on a given day. This is a great way to quickly see everything that you have to get done from all of your various task lists.

Starred and Today

The third way to filter your tasks is by those that are overdue. Again, no surprising functionality here, if you scheduled a task and didn’t complete it on time, it’ll pop up in the “Overdue” section.

As if these weren’t enough filters to make you happy, Wunderlist offers a bunch of additional options under the “More” screen. This includes the ability to see all your tasks regardless of lists, those due tomorrow or next week, those due “later”, and finally, all tasks with no due dates set.

Overdue and More

These filters may seem like basic functionality, but a lot of other apps really fall short in this area. No two people are going to work quite the same and it’s a killer feature to be able to view your tasks in so many different ways.

Customization

The really great thing about both the desktop and iPhone app is the ability to customize the interface’s background. This functionality is fairly limited at the moment, but still really helps you make the app your own.

In the settings menu you are given a number of pre-built backgrounds to choose from (you may have noticed a few different ones shown above). Simply tap on a background thumbnail to view it large and set it as your default background. Note that the backgrounds are the same between the Mac and iPhone version but this option doesn’t sync, meaning that you can set different backgrounds for your different devices.

Choosing a background

Worth A Download?

Admittedly, the Wunderlist Mac application doesn’t quite have the feel of a native app, but it’s still a great deal considering the price tag. The iPhone version doesn’t carry over any of this slight awkwardness however and really feels like a polished, rock solid app.

The functionality is smooth, the design is excellent and the cloud sync is literally effortless. There’s simply no reason for you to not check out Wunderlist. There are also some great new features to check out on the desktop app, including shared lists with fully synced collaboration!

With that said, there are a couple of small things that could improve. It would be really nice to schedule recurring tasks. This is a feature that a lot of other task manager developers have had to learn about the hard way through user complaints and I suspect it’ll be the same here.

It would also be nice to use your own images as background graphics. I appreciate the selection already included but it seems like it would be pretty easy to add the functionality of allowing you to select something from your own library.

Finally, I would really love to see an iPad implementation here. Since I use my iPhone, Mac and iPad all on a daily basis, any task management solution that I choose would ideally appear on all three devices (you can run the iPhone version on the iPad, but it’s not a true iPad app).

Conclusion

To sum up, Wunderlist is really a fantastic new solution for productivity addicts like myself. The functionality, design and spread of available devices is extremely hard to match for a completely free service. Go ahead, search for another free task management app that has cloud sync, multiple desktop clients and collaboration, let me if you find one because I haven’t! The closest thing I can think of is Producteev, which has a ton of features, but their Mac application hasn’t launched yet (though it’s looking excellent).

Go download Wunderlist and let us know what you think in the comments below. How does it stack up to more expensive and powerful task managers like Things and OmniFocus?

The iPad 2 is one of the most eagerly awaited Apple announcements coming up this year. Most predictions place its arrival sometime in the next few months. If you’re like me, you already own a first generation iPad and will soon be faced with a very big decision of whether or not to upgrade.

I’m considering selling my iPad on Ebay when the 2nd generation model comes out to help cover the cost of the new one, which will inevitably contain multiple features that I simply can’t live without despite being perfectly happy before I knew they existed. I’m sure several of you will either follow suit or be perfectly happy to own both models!

Many discerning customers however have been patient and chose to wait for the second model before purchasing their first iPad, others are completely apathetic about the device and make no plans to purchase. Today, we want to know where you fall. Do you own an iPad yet? Regardless of the answer to that question, will you be purchasing an iPad 2?

Once you cast your vote on the right, leave a comment below and let us know your logic. If you’re waiting for the second version, tell us why you passed on the first. If you’re not interested, leave a comment about why the iPad just isn’t for you.

We’re back with another roundup of great new titles on the App Store!

We love your suggestions for upcoming titles, so keep them coming while you browse over this week’s picks…

Supastar

Supastar

Here’s an odd one. Supastar is probably one of the most valuable apps you’ll ever spend money on — I mean that literally: the amount of content stuffed into this single-dollar app is nothing short of incredible. There are no fewer than 6 individual full games to be had in here and there are more than 15 different challenge types on top of that too.

This variety makes it hard to describe, but essentially the title is a collection of minigames that are centred around a cute character called Supastar. Each of the games feels solidly crafted and shows a good attention to detail and balance. The downside is that they’re all also fairly familiar…Asteroid Jump is a lot like Doodle Jump, etc. That being said, each has been tweaked to give it a unique personality and you may actually find yourself preferring the Supastar versions.

With the sheer quantity of gameplay in here, Supastar would be easy to recommend even if it wasn’t as tightly polished and charismatic as it is. With all things considered, it’s a no-brainer.

Price: $0.99
Developer: eBatallion
Download: App Store

Dark Break

Dark Break

On the darker side of things, we find Winking Entertainment’s intriguing 3D shooter, Dark Break. Somewhere between an on-rails shooter and a flying game, Dark Break is a solid combination of several Eastern action RPG elements.

Gameplay is controlled via accelerometer input, touch, or onscreen joystick, and the primary goal is to make your way through each level and defeat the numerous enemies. The story is delivered through a series of extremely well-illustrated on-screen graphic novel panels, and especially on the retina display you’ll want to spend time admiring all the detailed artwork.

Though the style may not appeal to everyone, those who appreciate this type of game will find it engaging, and the quality of the art and sounds helps seal the deal.

Price: $0.99
Developer: Winking Entertainment Corporation
Download: App Store

Treasure Seekers 2: The Enchanted Canvases

Treasure Seekers 2: The Enchanted Canvases

Treasure Seekers 2: The Enchanted Canvases is one of the better hidden object games in recent memory. As per usual, the storyline is fanciful. In this case, involves saving your brother from imprisonment in a large Romanian castle by traveling through its magical paintings (Castlevania, anyone? Or even Mario 64?) to progress.

Treasure Seekers 2 sets itself apart with sleek and seamlessly integrated animations, beautifully layered motion elements in each scene, and an exquisite level of detail in the artwork. Played with headphones to best appreciate the excellent music and sound design, it’s one of the most immersive games on the platform. The developers have also kindly provided two difficulty levels, one casual and one advanced, to cater to all kinds of players.

If you haven’t yet tried a hidden object game but are curious about them, do yourself a favour and pick Treasure Seekers 2 as a starting point. If you’re already a genre fanatic then you’re probably halfway to the App Store by now.

Price: $4.99
Developer: G5 Entertainment
Download: App Store

Flying Hamster

Flying Hamster

Prepare yourselves. Every once in a while a game comes along that’s so charming and well produced that it wins over all who try it. Flying Hamster is the latest entry in this small list of titles. Like Cut The Rope and others before it, Flying Hamster wins you over from the moment it launches with a hilarious little note about buying games. From there, the opening cutscene introduces the premise: your hamster buddy has been carried off by an evil bird and it’s up to you to fly to the rescue!

Gameplay couldn’t be simpler to pick up, which is always a good thing. You control your hamster avatar by touching the screen to move up, down, slower, and faster. As you fly, you press a button to inhale and then let go to spit out projectiles. Inhaling nothing but air will give you the basic small projectiles, but sucking up everything from seeds to bee hives to juice will grant you all sorts of interesting firing patterns and weapons. It feels a bit like a cross between Kirby and your favourite space shooter, in fact, and the combination works surprisingly well.

There’s a hard mode that you can unlock if you become addicted (it’s only a matter of time), and an extensive list of achievements, leaderboards, and absolutely spectacular art design will keep you coming back either way. Well worth the premium price tag.

Price: $5.99
Developer: Game Atelier
Download: App Store

The Blocks Cometh

The Blocks Cometh

It’s been a while since we’ve featured a retro game, so let’s fix the problem by mentioning The Blocks Cometh. This port of a popular web game has made a very good transition to the iOS platform, offering addictive and challenging gameplay wrapped in a familiar 8-bit inspired aesthetic.

There isn’t a whole lot to the gameplay really, your goal is simply to make your way as high as possible on a tower of blocks as more and more fall and pile up around you. You are able to slash at and destroy them if they get too close, and you can jump around to avoid being crushed, but once you get past the beginning the game becomes very challenging. Never unfair though, which keeps it from getting frustrating.

Compete for highscores through either the Game Center or OpenFeint, and then share them on Twitter or Facebook with your friends!

Price: $0.99
Developer: EdisonGame
Download: App Store

What Have You Been Playing?

If you’re somewhere where the snow’s still falling, then you’ve no doubt got some extra time on your hands to enjoy these fine games. If there are others that have been keeping your attention, then give them a mention in the comments!

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting Further Beyond Fighting. The developer describes Further Beyond Fighting as following: Battle your favorite 3D characters from 4 different venues in Further Beyond Fighting. The fast, exciting gameplay, detailed graphics and super-charged fighting action is enough to make your iPhone rumble whenever you’re injured.

Enter the arena – Face to face with your enemy! Match your skills against 3 difficulty levels and see if you can survive long enough to make it to the leaderboards.

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

Further Beyond Fighting

About the App

Here are the top five features you can expect to see in the latest version:

• Entire game is completely 3D
• 8 ‘punchy’ characters
• 4 game modes: Arcade, VS, Survival, Training
• Individual moves for each character?: Make up to 8-hit combos – freely combine punches, kicks, special kicks, defense moves, dodging and smashing
• Online high scores

Requirements: iOS 3.0 or later
Price: $1.99
Developer: PJS-Coding, S.L.

Vote for a Review

Would you like to see us write a full review of Further Beyond Fighting? Have your say in our poll:

Would you like to see Further Beyond Fighting reviewed in-depth on AppStorm?customer surveys

Quick Look posts are paid submissions offering only a brief overview of an app. Vote in the poll if you think this app is worth an in-depth AppStorm review! If you’re a developer and would like to have your app profiled, you can submit it here.

We all have a favourite News source. One that appeals to our political sensibilities, our sense of what is important, or simply our desire for readability. The most discerning of us probably check at least one more source (even if it is The Onion) and this can be a pain, requiring you to open a variety of Apps or, heaven forbid, a site on mobile safari…

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was an App that could amalgamate all your favourite News sources and present them to you in a supremely accessible form? ‘Yes’, I hear you say, ‘but it would have to be brilliant for me to actually change the way I get my news…’

I’ve got an App you might like. It’s called Pulse News Mini.

Design & Interface

It’s worth prefacing this review with a reminder that Pulse is free, includes no adds, and appears to want the best for you. The overall design of Pulse is great and immediately made an impact. It uses greys extremely effectively to frame each news source while highlighting the design with a very complimentary light blue colour. It’s use of photographs to make up the bulk of its visual content is excellent and grabs your attention every time you open the App.

Pulse

Pulse’s interface is based on a layout used by several other news Apps (notably BBC News) but this is far from a criticism! Laying out the interface with three sources vertically, and three stories horizontally, is the best approach to mobile news that I have seen. Pulse has its priorities correct and fits in as much content as it possibly can – only keeping a small header for itself. Its icons are clear and intuitive while I must admit I like the simple nature of the Pulse logo – displayed in lower case and in a colour that works brilliantly with the chosen grey neutrals.

Your News

Adding Your Favourite Sources

Pulse quickly and easily guides you through the process of adding and organising your favourite news sources using its tips section and an array of quirky sketches! It’s a good touch and much more enjoyable than being left to figure the App out on your own (not that it would be particularly difficult).

Pulse Tips

It’s definitely worth reading through the tips in order to get the most out of Pulse!

You can edit the existing sources and add new ones by touching the setting icon in the top left corner and hitting the + – or you can quickly jump to adding new sources by scrolling to the bottom of your feeds and pressing the footer bar. Either of these options take you to a window that gives you a variety of options for adding new sources, including:

• Featured
• Categories
• Search
• Reader (Google)
• Bump

Featured Sources

The Featured sources are chosen by Pulse and selected due to their popularity and because they will display perfectly within the App. To find a specific source, you can search by keyword, user name, or url. Pulse attempts to keep ahead of the competition by including several crossover features including integration with Google Reader and the ability to use Bump to share your sources with a friend.

Google Reader and Bump

This Is The News

Now for the actual functionality of the App, does it make reading the news and keeping up with your RSS feeds easier?

For reading Pulse’s featured news sources it works really quite well. The photos are shown on the home screen and selecting a story takes you to version of the feed nicely formatted by Pulse. If you like you can select the story heading at the top to take you to the site/blog itself, which is then shown as formatted for mobile safari but from within Pulse.

TechCrunch

The slight problems begin to crop up when trying to view sources not on Pulse’s featured list. Even with a source such as the BBC, Pulse often struggles to find the photos to go with the stories – marring the beautiful potential of the home screen. Even worse however, is that Pulse often only displays the very first paragraph of a story and requires you to open the mobile (or heaven forbid full-size) version of the story to read the rest! It is also unfortunate that there are a lot of sources (including many major ones) that fall in this category.

BBC News

I’d love to say that these criticisms are minor and don’t really affect the experience of using Pulse but they really do! It’s frustrating to read a BBC news story awkwardly within pulse when the experience is so much better when using the BBC’s native App. The redeeming fact is that pulse is new to the game and does look great when everything’s working smoothly, over time the amalgamation of information from the vast array of news sources may significantly improve but for now there are shortcomings.

If you own an iPad, check out the original Pulse News Reader. The experience really is much better on the big screen!

Final Thoughts

It must be said that I just can’t fault Pulse’s interface design, but it does have some problems when it comes down to pure functionality. I really want to have Pulse as my sole source for news and articles but it isn’t currently in a position to completely outdo the competition.

If the idea of having all your sources in one location appeals to you then certainly don’t hesitate to take Pulse out for a try, you may find it works beautifully with all your favourite sources, but it hasn’t quite done enough to take the top spot for me!